the iliad(伊利亚特)-第41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！


he　then　drew　his　sword；　and　killed　Iphidamas　by　striking　him　on　the
neck。　So　there　the　poor　fellow　lay；　sleeping　a　sleep　as　it　were　of
bronze；　killed　in　the　defence　of　his　fellow…citizens；　far　from　his
wedded　wife；　of　whom　he　had　had　no　joy　though　he　had　given　much　for
her：　he　had　given　a　hundred…head　of　cattle　down；　and　had　promised
later　on　to　give　a　thousand　sheep　and　goats　mixed；　from　the
countless　flocks　of　which　he　was　possessed。　Agamemnon　son　of　Atreus
then　despoiled　him；　and　carried　off　his　armour　into　the　host　of　the
Achaeans。
　　When　noble　Coon；　Antenor's　eldest　son；　saw　this；　sore　indeed　were
his　eyes　at　the　sight　of　his　fallen　brother。　Unseen　by　Agamemnon　he
got　beside　him；　spear　in　hand；　and　wounded　him　in　the　middle　of　his
arm　below　the　elbow；　the　point　of　the　spear　going　right　through　the
arm。　Agamemnon　was　convulsed　with　pain；　but　still　not　even　for　this
did　he　leave　off　struggling　and　fighting；　but　grasped　his　spear　that
flew　as　fleet　as　the　wind；　and　sprang　upon　Coon　who　was　trying　to　drag
off　the　body　of　his　brother…　his　father's　son…　by　the　foot；　and　was
crying　for　help　to　all　the　bravest　of　his　comrades；　but　Agamemnon
struck　him　with　a　bronze…shod　spear　and　killed　him　as　he　was
dragging　the　dead　body　through　the　press　of　men　under　cover　of　his
shield：　he　then　cut　off　his　head；　standing　over　the　body　of　Iphidamas。
Thus　did　the　sons　of　Antenor　meet　their　fate　at　the　hands　of　the　son
of　Atreus；　and　go　down　into　the　house　of　Hades。
　　As　long　as　the　blood　still　welled　warm　from　his　wound　Agamemnon　went
about　attacking　the　ranks　of　the　enemy　with　spear　and　sword　and　with
great　handfuls　of　stone；　but　when　the　blood　had　ceased　to　flow　and　the
wound　grew　dry；　the　pain　became　great。　As　the　sharp　pangs　which　the
Eilithuiae；　goddesses　of　childbirth；　daughters　of　Juno　and
dispensers　of　cruel　pain；　send　upon　a　woman　when　she　is　in　labour…
even　so　sharp　were　the　pangs　of　the　son　of　Atreus。　He　sprang　on　to　his
chariot；　and　bade　his　charioteer　drive　to　the　ships；　for　he　was　in
great　agony。　With　a　loud　clear　voice　he　shouted　to　the　Danaans；　〃My
friends；　princes　and　counsellors　of　the　Argives；　defend　the　ships
yourselves；　for　Jove　has　not　suffered　me　to　fight　the　whole　day
through　against　the　Trojans。〃
　　With　this　the　charioteer　turned　his　horses　towards　the　ships；　and
they　flew　forward　nothing　loth。　Their　chests　were　white　with　foam
and　their　bellies　with　dust；　as　they　drew　the　wounded　king　out　of
the　battle。
　　When　Hector　saw　Agamemnon　quit　the　field；　he　shouted　to　the
Trojans　and　Lycians　saying；　〃Trojans；　Lycians；　and　Dardanian　warriors；
be　men；　my　friends；　and　acquit　yourselves　in　battle　bravely；　their
best　man　has　left　them；　and　Jove　has　vouchsafed　me　a　great　triumph；
charge　the　foe　with　your　chariots　that。　you　may　win　still　greater
glory。〃
　　With　these　words　he　put　heart　and　soul　into　them　all；　and　as　a
huntsman　hounds　his　dogs　on　against　a　lion　or　wild　boar；　even　so　did
Hector；　peer　of　Mars；　hound　the　proud　Trojans　on　against　the　Achaeans。
Full　of　hope　he　plunged　in　among　the　foremost；　and　fell　on　the　fight
like　some　fierce　tempest　that　swoops　down　upon　the　sea；　and　lashes　its
deep　blue　waters　into　fury。
　　What；　then　is　the　full　tale　of　those　whom　Hector　son　of　Priam　killed
in　the　hour　of　triumph　which　Jove　then　vouchsafed　him？　First　Asaeus；
Autonous；　and　Opites；　Dolops　son　of　Clytius；　Opheltius　and　Agelaus；
Aesymnus；　Orus　and　Hipponous　steadfast　in　battle；　these　chieftains
of　the　Achaeans　did　Hector　slay；　and　then　he　fell　upon　the　rank　and
file。　As　when　the　west　wind　hustles　the　clouds　of　the　white　south
and　beats　them　down　with　the　fierceness　of　its　fury…　the　waves　of
the　sea　roll　high；　and　the　spray　is　flung　aloft　in　the　rage　of　the
wandering　wind…　even　so　thick　were　the　heads　of　them　that　fell　by
the　hand　of　Hector。
　　All　had　then　been　lost　and　no　help　for　it；　and　the　Achaeans　would
have　fled　pell…mell　to　their　ships；　had　not　Ulysses　cried　out　to
Diomed；　〃Son　of　Tydeus；　what　has　happened　to　us　that　we　thus　forget
our　prowess？　Come；　my　good　fellow；　stand　by　my　side　and　help　me；　we
shall　be　shamed　for　ever　if　Hector　takes　the　ships。〃
　　And　Diomed　answered；　〃Come　what　may；　I　will　stand　firm；　but　we　shall
have　scant　joy　of　it；　for　Jove　is　minded　to　give　victory　to　the
Trojans　rather　than　to　us。〃
　　With　these　words　he　struck　Thymbraeus　from　his　chariot　to　the
ground；　smiting　him　in　the　left　breast　with　his　spear；　while　Ulysses
killed　Molion　who　was　his　squire。　These　they　let　lie；　now　that　they
had　stopped　their　fighting；　the　two　heroes　then　went　on　playing
havoc　with　the　foe；　like　two　wild　boars　that　turn　in　fury　and　rend　the
hounds　that　hunt　them。　Thus　did　they　turn　upon　the　Trojans　and　slay
them；　and　the　Achaeans　were　thankful　to　have　breathing　time　in　their
flight　from　Hector。
　　They　then　took　two　princes　with　their　chariot；　the　two　sons　of
Merops　of　Percote；　who　excelled　all　others　in　the　arts　of
divination。　He　had　forbidden　his　sons　to　go　to　the　war；　but　they　would
not　obey　him；　for　fate　lured　them　to　their　fall。　Diomed　son　of
Tydeus　slew　them　both　and　stripped　them　of　their　armour；　while　Ulysses
killed　Hippodamus　and　Hypeirochus。
　　And　now　the　son　of　Saturn　as　he　looked　down　from　Ida　ordained　that
neither　side　should　have　the　advantage；　and　they　kept　on　killing　one
another。　The　son　of　Tydeus　speared　Agastrophus　son　of　Paeon　in　the
hip…joint　with　his　spear。　His　chariot　was　not　at　hand　for　him　to　fly
with；　so　blindly　confident　had　he　been。　His　squire　was　in　charge　of　it
at　some　distance　and　he　was　fighting　on　foot　among　the　foremost
until　he　lost　his　life。　Hector　soon　marked　the　havoc　Diomed　and
Ulysses　were　making；　and　bore　down　upon　them　with　a　loud　cry；　followed
by　the　Trojan　ranks；　brave　Diomed　was　dismayed　when　he　saw　them；　and
said　to　Ulysses　who　was　beside　him；　〃Great　Hector　is　bearing　down　upon
us　and　we　shall　be　undone；　let　us　stand　firm　and　wait　his　onset。〃
　　He　poised　his　spear　as　he　spoke　and　hurled　it；　nor　did　he　miss　his
mark。　He　had　aimed　at　Hector's　head　near　the　top　of　his　helmet；　but
bronze　was　turned　by　bronze；　and　Hector　was　untouched；　for　the　spear
was　stayed　by　the　visored　helm　made　with　three　plates　of　metal；
which　Phoebus　Apollo　had　given　him。　Hector　sprang　back　with　a　great
bound　under　cover　of　the　ranks；　he　fell　on　his　knees　and　propped
himself　with　his　brawny　hand　leaning　on　the　ground；　for　darkness　had
fallen　on　his　eyes。　The　son　of　Tydeus　having　thrown　his　spear　dashed
in　among　the　foremost　fighters；　to　the　place　where　he　had　seen　it
strike　the　ground；　meanwhile　Hector　recovered　himself　and　springing
back　into　his　chariot　mingled　with　the　crowd；　by　which　means　he
saved　his　life。　But　Diomed　made　at　him　with　his　spear　and　said；
〃Dog；　you　have　again　got　away　though　death　was　close　on　your　heels。
Phoebus　Apollo；　to　whom　I　ween　you　pray　ere　you　go　into　battle；　has
again　saved　you；　nevertheless　I　will　meet　you　and　make　and　end　of
you　hereafter；　if　there　is　any　god　who　will　stand　by　me　too　and　be
my　helper。　For　the　present　I　must　pursue　those　I　can　lay　hands　on。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　began　stripping　the　spoils　from　the　son　of　Paeon；　but
Alexandrus　husband　of　lovely　Helen　aimed　an　arrow　at　him；　leaning
against　a　pillar　of　the　monument　which　men　had　raised　to　Ilus　son　of
Dardanus；　a　ruler　in　days　of　old。　Diomed　had　taken　the　cuirass　from
off　the　breast　of　Agastrophus；　his　heavy　helmet　also；　and　the　shield
from　off　his　shoulders；　when　Paris　drew　his　bow　and　let　fly　an　arrow
that　sped　not　from　his　hand　in　vain；　but　pierced　the　flat　of
Diomed's　right　foot；　going　right　through　it　and　fixing　itself　in　the
ground。　Thereon　Paris　with　a　hearty　laugh　sprang　forward　from　his
hiding…place；　and　taunted　him　saying；　〃You　are　wounded…　my　arrow　has
not　been　shot　in　vain；　would　that　it　had　hit　you　in　the　belly　and
killed　you；　for　thus　the　Trojans；　who　fear　you　as　goats　fear　a　lion；
would　have　had　a　truce　from　evil。〃
　　Diomed　all　undaunted　answered；　〃Archer；　you　who　without　your　bow　are
nothing；　slanderer　and　seducer；　if　you　were　to　be　tried　in　single
combat　fighting　in　full　armour；　your　bow　and　your　arrows　would　serve
you　in　little　stead。　Vain　is　your　boast　in　that　you　have　scratched　the
sole　of　my