the iliad(伊利亚特)-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


wind；　so　they　raised　their　mast　and　hoisted　their　white　sails　aloft。
As　the　sail　bellied　with　the　wind　the　ship　flew　through　the　deep
blue　water；　and　the　foam　hissed　against　her　bows　as　she　sped　onward。
When　they　reached　the　wide…stretching　host　of　the　Achaeans；　they
drew　the　vessel　ashore；　high　and　dry　upon　the　sands；　set　her　strong
props　beneath　her；　and　went　their　ways　to　their　own　tents　and　ships。
　　But　Achilles　abode　at　his　ships　and　nursed　his　anger。　He　went　not　to
the　honourable　assembly；　and　sallied　not　forth　to　fight；　but　gnawed　at
his　own　heart；　pining　for　battle　and　the　war…cry。
　　Now　after　twelve　days　the　immortal　gods　came　back　in　a　body　to
Olympus；　and　Jove　led　the　way。　Thetis　was　not　unmindful　of　the
charge　her　son　had　laid　upon　her；　so　she　rose　from　under　the　sea　and
went　through　great　heaven　with　early　morning　to　Olympus；　where　she
found　the　mighty　son　of　Saturn　sitting　all　alone　upon　its　topmost
ridges。　She　sat　herself　down　before　him；　and　with　her　left　hand　seized
his　knees；　while　with　her　right　she　caught　him　under　the　chin；　and
besought　him；　saying…
　　〃Father　Jove；　if　I　ever　did　you　service　in　word　or　deed　among　the
immortals；　hear　my　prayer；　and　do　honour　to　my　son；　whose　life　is　to
be　cut　short　so　early。　King　Agamemnon　has　dishonoured　him　by　taking
his　prize　and　keeping　her。　Honour　him　then　yourself；　Olympian　lord
of　counsel；　and　grant　victory　to　the　Trojans；　till　the　Achaeans　give
my　son　his　due　and　load　him　with　riches　in　requital。〃
　　Jove　sat　for　a　while　silent；　and　without　a　word；　but　Thetis　still
kept　firm　hold　of　his　knees；　and　besought　him　a　second　time。
〃Incline　your　head；〃　said　she；　〃and　promise　me　surely；　or　else　deny
me…　for　you　have　nothing　to　fear…　that　I　may　learn　how　greatly　you
disdain　me。〃
　　At　this　Jove　was　much　troubled　and　answered；　〃I　shall　have　trouble
if　you　set　me　quarrelling　with　Juno；　for　she　will　provoke　me　with
her　taunting　speeches；　even　now　she　is　always　railing　at　me　before　the
other　gods　and　accusing　me　of　giving　aid　to　the　Trojans。　Go　back
now；　lest　she　should　find　out。　I　will　consider　the　matter；　and　will
bring　it　about　as　wish。　See；　I　incline　my　head　that　you　believe　me。
This　is　the　most　solemn　that　I　can　give　to　any　god。　I　never　recall
my　word；　or　deceive；　or　fail　to　do　what　I　say；　when　I　have　nodded　my
head。〃
　　As　he　spoke　the　son　of　Saturn　bowed　his　dark　brows；　and　the
ambrosial　locks　swayed　on　his　immortal　head；　till　vast　Olympus　reeled。
　　When　the　pair　had　thus　laid　their　plans；　they　parted…　Jove　to　his
house；　while　the　goddess　quitted　the　splendour　of　Olympus；　and　plunged
into　the　depths　of　the　sea。　The　gods　rose　from　their　seats；　before　the
coming　of　their　sire。　Not　one　of　them　dared　to　remain　sitting；　but　all
stood　up　as　he　came　among　them。　There；　then；　he　took　his　seat。　But
Juno；　when　she　saw　him；　knew　that　he　and　the　old　merman's　daughter；
silver…footed　Thetis；　had　been　hatching　mischief；　so　she　at　once　began
to　upbraid　him。　〃Trickster；〃　she　cried；　〃which　of　the　gods　have　you
been　taking　into　your　counsels　now？　You　are　always　settling　matters　in
secret　behind　my　back；　and　have　never　yet　told　me；　if　you　could　help
it；　one　word　of　your　intentions。〃
　　〃Juno；〃　replied　the　sire　of　gods　and　men；　〃you　must　not　expect　to　be
informed　of　all　my　counsels。　You　are　my　wife；　but　you　would　find　it
hard　to　understand　them。　When　it　is　proper　for　you　to　hear；　there　is
no　one；　god　or　man；　who　will　be　told　sooner；　but　when　I　mean　to　keep　a
matter　to　myself；　you　must　not　pry　nor　ask　questions。〃
　　〃Dread　son　of　Saturn；〃　answered　Juno；　〃what　are　you　talking　about？
I？　Pry　and　ask　questions？　Never。　I　let　you　have　your　own　way　in
everything。　Still；　I　have　a　strong　misgiving　that　the　old　merman's
daughter　Thetis　has　been　talking　you　over；　for　she　was　with　you　and
had　hold　of　your　knees　this　self…same　morning。　I　believe；　therefore；
that　you　have　been　promising　her　to　give　glory　to　Achilles；　and　to
kill　much　people　at　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。〃
　　〃Wife；〃　said　Jove；　〃I　can　do　nothing　but　you　suspect　me　and　find
it　out。　You　will　take　nothing　by　it；　for　I　shall　only　dislike　you
the　more；　and　it　will　go　harder　with　you。　Granted　that　it　is　as　you
say；　I　mean　to　have　it　so；　sit　down　and　hold　your　tongue　as　I　bid
you　for　if　I　once　begin　to　lay　my　hands　about　you；　though　all　heaven
were　on　your　side　it　would　profit　you　nothing。〃
　　On　this　Juno　was　frightened；　so　she　curbed　her　stubborn　will　and　sat
down　in　silence。　But　the　heavenly　beings　were　disquieted　throughout
the　house　of　Jove；　till　the　cunning　workman　Vulcan　began　to　try　and
pacify　his　mother　Juno。　〃It　will　be　intolerable；〃　said　he；　〃if　you　two
fall　to　wrangling　and　setting　heaven　in　an　uproar　about　a　pack　of
mortals。　If　such　ill　counsels　are　to　prevail；　we　shall　have　no
pleasure　at　our　banquet。　Let　me　then　advise　my　mother…　and　she　must
herself　know　that　it　will　be　better…　to　make　friends　with　my　dear
father　Jove；　lest　he　again　scold　her　and　disturb　our　feast。　If　the
Olympian　Thunderer　wants　to　hurl　us　all　from　our　seats；　he　can　do
so；　for　he　is　far　the　strongest；　so　give　him　fair　words；　and　he　will
then　soon　be　in　a　good　humour　with　us。〃
　　As　he　spoke；　he　took　a　double　cup　of　nectar；　and　placed　it　in　his
mother's　hand。　〃Cheer　up；　my　dear　mother；〃　said　he；　〃and　make　the　best
of　it。　I　love　you　dearly；　and　should　be　very　sorry　to　see　you　get　a
thrashing；　however　grieved　I　might　be；　I　could　not　help　for　there　is
no　standing　against　Jove。　Once　before　when　I　was　trying　to　help　you；
he　caught　me　by　the　foot　and　flung　me　from　the　heavenly　threshold。　All
day　long　from　morn　till　eve；　was　I　falling；　till　at　sunset　I　came　to
ground　in　the　island　of　Lemnos；　and　there　I　lay；　with　very　little　life
left　in　me；　till　the　Sintians　came　and　tended　me。〃
　　Juno　smiled　at　this；　and　as　she　smiled　she　took　the　cup　from　her
son's　hands。　Then　Vulcan　drew　sweet　nectar　from　the　mixing…bowl；　and
served　it　round　among　the　gods；　going　from　left　to　right；　and　the
blessed　gods　laughed　out　a　loud　applause　as　they　saw　him　ing
bustling　about　the　heavenly　mansion。
　　Thus　through　the　livelong　day　to　the　going　down　of　the　sun　they
feasted；　and　every　one　had　his　full　share；　so　that　all　were　satisfied。
Apollo　struck　his　lyre；　and　the　Muses　lifted　up　their　sweet　voices；
calling　and　answering　one　another。　But　when　the　sun's　glorious　light
had　faded；　they　went　home　to　bed；　each　in　his　own　abode；　which　lame
Vulcan　with　his　consummate　skill　had　fashioned　for　them。　So　Jove；
the　Olympian　Lord　of　Thunder；　hied　him　to　the　bed　in　which　he　always
slept；　and　when　he　had　got　on　to　it　he　went　to　sleep；　with　Juno　of　the
golden　throne　by　his　side。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　II

　　Now　the　other　gods　and　the　armed　warriors　on　the　plain　slept
soundly；　but　Jove　was　wakeful；　for　he　was　thinking　how　to　do　honour　to
Achilles；　and　destroyed　much　people　at　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。　In
the　end　he　deemed　it　would　be　best　to　send　a　lying　dream　to　King
Agamemnon；　so　he　called　one　to　him　and　said　to　it；　〃Lying　Dream；　go　to
the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　into　the　tent　of　Agamemnon；　and　say　to
him　word　to　word　as　I　now　bid　you。　Tell　him　to　get　the　Achaeans
instantly　under　arms；　for　he　shall　take　Troy。　There　are　no　longer
divided　counsels　among　the　gods；　Juno　has　brought　them　to　her　own
mind；　and　woe　betides　the　Trojans。〃
　　The　dream　went　when　it　had　heard　its　message；　and　soon　reached　the
ships　of　the　Achaeans。　It　sought　Agamemnon　son　of　Atreus　and　found　him
in　his　tent；　wrapped　in　a　profound　slumber。　It　hovered　over　his　head
in　the　likeness　of　Nestor；　son　of　Neleus；　whom　Agamemnon　honoured
above　all　his　councillors；　and　said：…
　　〃You　are　sleeping；　son　of　Atreus；　one　who　has　the　welfare　of　his
host　and　so　much　other　care　upon　his　shoulders　should　dock　his
sleep。　Hear　me　at　once；　for　I　come　as　a　messenger　from　Jove；　who；
though　he　be　not　near；　yet　takes　thought　for　you　and　pities　you。　He
bids　you　get　the　Achaeans　instantly　under　arms；　for　you　shall　take
Troy。　There　are　no　longer　divided　counsels　among　the　gods；　Juno　has
brought　them　over　to　her　own　mind；　and　woe　betides　the　Trojans　at
the　hands　of　Jove。　Remember　this；　and　when　you　wake　see　that　it　does
not　escape　you。〃
　　The　dream　then