the iliad(伊利亚特)-第40章

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his　midday　meal…　for　he　has　felled　till　his　hands　are　weary；　he　is
tired　out；　and　must　now　have　food…　then　the　Danaans　with　a　cry　that
rang　through　all　their　ranks；　broke　the　battalions　of　the　enemy。
Agamemnon　led　them　on；　and　slew　first　Bienor；　a　leader　of　his
people；　and　afterwards　his　comrade　and　charioteer　Oileus；　who　sprang
from　his　chariot　and　was　coming　full　towards　him；　but　Agamemnon　struck
him　on　the　forehead　with　his　spear；　his　bronze　visor　was　of　no　avail
against　the　weapon；　which　pierced　both　bronze　and　bone；　so　that　his
brains　were　battered　in　and　he　was　killed　in　full　fight。
　　Agamemnon　stripped　their　shirts　from　off　them　and　left　them　with
their　breasts　all　bare　to　lie　where　they　had　fallen。　He　then　went　on
to　kill　Isus　and　Antiphus　two　sons　of　Priam；　the　one　a　bastard；　the
other　born　in　wedlock；　they　were　in　the　same　chariot…　the　bastard
driving；　while　noble　Antiphus　fought　beside　him。　Achilles　had　once
taken　both　of　them　prisoners　in　the　glades　of　Ida；　and　had　bound
them　with　fresh　withes　as　they　were　shepherding；　but　he　had　taken　a
ransom　for　them；　now；　however；　Agamemnon　son　of　Atreus　smote　Isus　in
the　chest　above　the　nipple　with　his　spear；　while　he　struck　Antiphus
hard　by　the　ear　and　threw　him　from　his　chariot。　Forthwith　he
stripped　their　goodly　armour　from　off　them　and　recognized　them；　for　he
had　already　seen　them　at　ships　when　Achilles　brought　them　in　from　Ida。
As　a　lion　fastens　on　the　fawns　of　a　hind　and　crushes　them　in　his　great
jaws；　robbing　them　of　their　tender　life　while　he　on　his　way　back　to
his　lair…　the　hind　can　do　nothing　for　them　even　though　she　be　close
by；　for　she　is　in　an　agony　of　fear；　and　flies　through　the　thick
forest；　sweating；　and　at　her　utmost　speed　before　the　mighty　monster…
so；　no　man　of　the　Trojans　could　help　Isus　and　Antiphus；　for　they
were　themselves　flying　panic　before　the　Argives。
　　Then　King　Agamemnon　took　the　two　sons　of　Antimachus；　Pisander　and
brave　Hippolochus。　It　was　Antimachus　who　had　been　foremost　in
preventing　Helen's　being　restored　to　Menelaus；　for　he　was　largely
bribed　by　Alexandrus；　and　now　Agamemnon　took　his　two　sons；　both　in　the
same　chariot；　trying　to　bring　their　horses　to　a　stand…　for　they　had
lost　hold　of　the　reins　and　the　horses　were　mad　with　fear。　The　son　of
Atreus　sprang　upon　them　like　a　lion；　and　the　pair　besought　him　from
their　chariot。　〃Take　us　alive；〃　they　cried；　〃son　of　Atreus；　and　you
shall　receive　a　great　ransom　for　us。　Our　father　Antimachus　has　great
store　of　gold；　bronze；　and　wrought　iron；　and　from　this　he　will　satisfy
you　with　a　very　large　ransom　should　he　hear　of　our　being　alive　at
the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。〃
　　With　such　piteous　words　and　tears　did　they　beseech　the　king；　but
they　heard　no　pitiful　answer　in　return。　〃If；〃　said　Agamemnon；　〃you　are
sons　of　Antimachus；　who　once　at　a　council　of　Trojans　proposed　that
Menelaus　and　Ulysses；　who　had　come　to　you　as　envoys；　should　be
killed　and　not　suffered　to　return；　you　shall　now　pay　for　the　foul
iniquity　of　your　father。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　felled　Pisander　from　his　chariot　to　the　earth；
smiting　him　on　the　chest　with　his　spear；　so　that　he　lay　face　uppermost
upon　the　ground。　Hippolochus　fled；　but　him　too　did　Agamemnon　smite；　he
cut　off　his　hands　and　his　head…　which　he　sent　rolling　in　among　the
crowd　as　though　it　were　a　ball。　There　he　let　them　both　lie；　and
wherever　the　ranks　were　thickest　thither　he　flew；　while　the　other
Achaeans　followed。　Foot　soldiers　drove　the　foot　soldiers　of　the　foe　in
rout　before　them；　and　slew　them；　horsemen　did　the　like　by　horsemen；
and　the　thundering　tramp　of　the　horses　raised　a　cloud　of　dust　frim　off
the　plain。　King　Agamemnon　followed　after；　ever　slaying　them　and
cheering　on　the　Achaeans。　As　when　some　mighty　forest　is　all　ablaze…
the　eddying　gusts　whirl　fire　in　all　directions　till　the　thickets
shrivel　and　are　consumed　before　the　blast　of　the　flame…　even　so　fell
the　heads　of　the　flying　Trojans　before　Agamemnon　son　of　Atreus；　and
many　a　noble　pair　of　steeds　drew　an　empty　chariot　along　the　highways
of　war；　for　lack　of　drivers　who　were　lying　on　the　plain；　more　useful
now　to　vultures　than　to　their　wives。
　　Jove　drew　Hector　away　from　the　darts　and　dust；　with　the　carnage
and　din　of　battle；　but　the　son　of　Atreus　sped　onwards；　calling　out
lustily　to　the　Danaans。　They　flew　on　by　the　tomb　of　old　Ilus；　son　of
Dardanus；　in　the　middle　of　the　plain；　and　past　the　place　of　the　wild
fig…tree　making　always　for　the　city…　the　son　of　Atreus　still　shouting；
and　with　hands　all　bedrabbled　in　gore；　but　when　they　had　reached　the
Scaean　gates　and　the　oak　tree；　there　they　halted　and　waited　for　the
others　to　come　up。　Meanwhile　the　Trojans　kept　on　flying　over　the
middle　of　the　plain　like　a　herd　cows　maddened　with　fright　when　a
lion　has　attacked　them　in　the　dead　of　night…　he　springs　on　one　of
them；　seizes　her　neck　in　the　grip　of　his　strong　teeth　and　then　laps　up
her　blood　and　gorges　himself　upon　her　entrails…　even　so　did　King
Agamemnon　son　of　Atreus　pursue　the　foe；　ever　slaughtering　the　hindmost
as　they　fled　pell…mell　before　him。　Many　a　man　was　flung　headlong
from　his　chariot　by　the　hand　of　the　son　of　Atreus；　for　he　wielded
his　spear　with　fury。
　　But　when　he　was　just　about　to　reach　the　high　wall　and　the　city；
the　father　of　gods　and　men　came　down　from　heaven　and　took　his　seat；
thunderbolt　in　hand；　upon　the　crest　of　many…fountained　Ida。　He　then
told　Iris　of　the　golden　wings　to　carry　a　message　for　him。　〃Go；〃　said
he；　〃fleet　Iris；　and　speak　thus　to　Hector…　　say　that　so　long　as　he
sees　Agamemnon　heading　his　men　and　making　havoc　of　the　Trojan　ranks；
he　is　to　keep　aloof　and　bid　the　others　bear　the　brunt　of　the　battle；
but　when　Agamemnon　is　wounded　either　by　spear　or　arrow；　and　takes　to
his　chariot；　then　will　I　vouchsafe　him　strength　to　slay　till　he
reach　the　ships　and　night　falls　at　the　going　down　of　the　sun。〃
　　Iris　hearkened　and　obeyed。　Down　she　went　to　strong　Ilius　from　the
crests　of　Ida；　and　found　Hector　son　of　Priam　standing　by　his　chariot
and　horses。　Then　she　said；　〃Hector　son　of　Priam；　peer　of　gods　in
counsel；　father　Jove　has　sent　me　to　bear　you　this　message…　so　long
as　you　see　Agamemnon　heading　his　men　and　making　havoc　of　the　Trojan
ranks；　you　are　to　keep　aloof　and　bid　the　others　bear　the　brunt　of
the　battle；　but　when　Agamemnon　is　wounded　either　by　spear　or　arrow；
and　takes　to　his　chariot；　then　will　Jove　vouchsafe　you　strength　to
slay　till　you　reach　the　ships；　and　till　night　falls　at　the　going
down　of　the　sun。〃
　　When　she　had　thus　spoken　Iris　left　him；　and　Hector　sprang　full　armed
from　his　chariot　to　the　ground；　brandishing　his　spear　as　he　went　about
everywhere　among　the　host；　cheering　his　men　on　to　fight；　and
stirring　the　dread　strife　of　battle。　The　Trojans　then　wheeled　round；
and　again　met　the　Achaeans；　while　the　Argives　on　their　part
strengthened　their　battalions。　The　battle　was　now　in　array　and　they
stood　face　to　face　with　one　another；　Agamemnon　ever　pressing　forward
in　his　eagerness　to　be　ahead　of　all　others。
　　Tell　me　now　ye　Muses　that　dwell　in　the　mansions　of　Olympus；　who；
whether　of　the　Trojans　or　of　their　allies；　was　first　to　face
Agamemnon？　It　was　Iphidamas　son　of　Antenor；　a　man　both　brave　and　of
great　stature；　who　was　brought　up　in　fertile　Thrace　the　mother　of
sheep。　Cisses；　his　mother's　father；　brought　him　up　in　his　own　house
when　he　was　a　child…　Cisses；　father　to　fair　Theano。　When　he　reached
manhood；　Cisses　would　have　kept　him　there；　and　was　for　giving　him
his　daughter　in　marriage；　but　as　soon　as　he　had　married　he　set　out
to　fight　the　Achaeans　with　twelve　ships　that　followed　him：　these　he
had　left　at　Percote　and　had　come　on　by　land　to　Ilius。　He　it　was　that
naw　met　Agamemnon　son　of　Atreus。　When　they　were　close　up　with　one
another；　the　son　of　Atreus　missed　his　aim；　and　Iphidamas　hit　him　on
the　girdle　below　the　cuirass　and　then　flung　himself　upon　him；　trusting
to　his　strength　of　arm；　the　girdle；　however；　was　not　pierced；　nor
nearly　so；　for　the　point　of　the　spear　struck　against　the　silver　and
was　turned　aside　as　though　it　had　been　lead：　King　Agamemnon　caught
it　from　his　hand；　and　drew　it　towards　him　with　the　fury　of　a　lion；
he　then　drew　his　sword；　and　killed　Iphidamas　by　striking　him　on　the
ne