the iliad(伊利亚特)-第42章

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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　foot。　I　care　no　more　than　if　a　girl　or　some　silly　boy　had
hit　me。　A　worthless　coward　can　inflict　but　a　light　wound；　when　I　wound
a　man　though　I　but　graze　his　skin　it　is　another　matter；　for　my
weapon　will　lay　him　low。　His　wife　will　tear　her　cheeks　for　grief　and
his　children　will　be　fatherless：　there　will　he　rot；　reddening　the
earth　with　his　blood；　and　vultures；　not　women；　will　gather　round　him。〃
　　Thus　he　spoke；　but　Ulysses　came　up　and　stood　over　him。　Under　this
cover　he　sat　down　to　draw　the　arrow　from　his　foot；　and　sharp　was　the
pain　he　suffered　as　he　did　so。　Then　he　sprang　on　to　his　chariot　and
bade　the　charioteer　drive　him　to　the　ships；　for　he　was　sick　at　heart。
　　Ulysses　was　now　alone；　not　one　of　the　Argives　stood　by　him；　for　they
were　all　panic…stricken。　〃Alas；〃　said　he　to　himself　in　his　dismay；
〃what　will　become　of　me？　It　is　ill　if　I　turn　and　fly　before　these
odds；　but　it　will　be　worse　if　I　am　left　alone　and　taken　prisoner；
for　the　son　of　Saturn　has　struck　the　rest　of　the　Danaans　with　panic。
But　why　talk　to　myself　in　this　way？　Well　do　I　know　that　though　cowards
quit　the　field；　a　hero；　whether　he　wound　or　be　wounded；　must　stand
firm　and　hold　his　own。〃
　　While　he　was　thus　in　two　minds；　the　ranks　of　the　Trojans　advanced
and　hemmed　him　in；　and　bitterly　did　they　come　to　me　it。　As　hounds
and　lusty　youths　set　upon　a　wild　boar　that　sallies　from　his　lair
whetting　his　white　tusks…　they　attack　him　from　every　side　and　can　hear
the　gnashing　of　his　jaws；　but　for　all　his　fierceness　they　still　hold
their　ground…　even　so　furiously　did　the　Trojans　attack　Ulysses。
First　he　sprang　spear　in　hand　upon　Deiopites　and　wounded　him　on　the
shoulder　with　a　downward　blow；　then　he　killed　Thoon　and　Ennomus。　After
these　he　struck　Chersidamas　in　the　loins　under　his　shield　as　he　had
just　sprung　down　from　his　chariot；　so　he　fell　in　the　dust　and　clutched
the　earth　in　the　hollow　of　his　hand。　These　he　let　lie；　and　went　on
to　wound　Charops　son　of　Hippasus　own　brother　to　noble　Socus。　Socus；
hero　that　he　was；　made　all　speed　to　help　him；　and　when　he　was　close　to
Ulysses　he　said；　〃Far…famed　Ulysses；　insatiable　of　craft　and　toil；
this　day　you　shall　either　boast　of　having　killed　both　the　sons　of
Hippasus　and　stripped　them　of　their　armour；　or　you　shall　fall　before
my　spear。〃
　　With　these　words　he　struck　the　shield　of　Ulysses。　The　spear　went
through　the　shield　and　passed　on　through　his　richly　wrought　cuirass；
tearing　the　flesh　from　his　side；　but　Pallas　Minerva　did　not　suffer
it　to　pierce　the　entrails　of　the　hero。　Ulysses　knew　that　his　hour
was　not　yet　come；　but　he　gave　ground　and　said　to　Socus；　〃Wretch；　you
shall　now　surely　die。　You　have　stayed　me　from　fighting　further　with
the　Trojans；　but　you　shall　now　fall　by　my　spear；　yielding　glory　to
myself；　and　your　soul　to　Hades　of　the　noble　steeds。〃
　　Socus　had　turned　in　flight；　but　as　he　did　so；　the　spear　struck　him
in　the　back　midway　between　the　shoulders；　and　went　right　through　his
chest。　He　fell　heavily　to　the　ground　and　Ulysses　vaunted　over　him
saying；　〃O　Socus；　son　of　Hippasus　tamer　of　horses；　death　has　been
too　quick　for　you　and　you　have　not　escaped　him：　poor　wretch；　not
even　in　death　shall　your　father　and　mother　close　your　eyes；　but　the
ravening　vultures　shall　enshroud　you　with　the　flapping　of　their　dark
wings　and　devour　you。　Whereas　even　though　I　fall　the　Achaeans　will
give　me　my　due　rites　of　burial。〃
　　So　saying　he　drew　Socus's　heavy　spear　out　of　his　flesh　and　from
his　shield；　and　the　blood　welled　forth　when　the　spear　was　withdrawn　so
that　he　was　much　dismayed。　When　the　Trojans　saw　that　Ulysses　was
bleeding　they　raised　a　great　shout　and　came　on　in　a　body　towards
him；　he　therefore　gave　ground；　and　called　his　comrades　to　come　and
help　him。　Thrice　did　he　cry　as　loudly　as　man　can　cry；　and　thrice　did
brave　Menelaus　hear　him；　he　turned；　therefore；　to　Ajax　who　was　close
beside　him　and　said；　〃Ajax；　noble　son　of　Telamon；　captain　of　your
people；　the　cry　of　Ulysses　rings　in　my　ears；　as　though　the　Trojans　had
cut　him　off　and　were　worsting　him　while　he　is　single…handed。　Let　us
make　our　way　through　the　throng；　it　will　be　well　that　we　defend　him；　I
fear　he　may　come　to　harm　for　all　his　valour　if　he　be　left　without
support；　and　the　Danaans　would　miss　him　sorely。〃
　　He　led　the　way　and　mighty　Ajax　went　with　him。　The　Trojans　had
gathered　round　Ulysses　like　ravenous　mountain　jackals　round　the
carcase　of　some　homed　stag　that　has　been　hit　with　an　arrow…　the　stag
has　fled　at　full　speed　so　long　as　his　blood　was　warm　and　his
strength　has　lasted；　but　when　the　arrow　has　overcome　him；　the　savage
jackals　devour　him　in　the　shady　glades　of　the　forest。　Then　heaven
sends　a　fierce　lion　thither；　whereon　the　jackals　fly　in　terror　and　the
lion　robs　them　of　their　prey…　even　so　did　Trojans　many　and　brave
gather　round　crafty　Ulysses；　but　the　hero　stood　at　bay　and　kept　them
off　with　his　spear。　Ajax　then　came　up　with　his　shield　before　him
like　a　wall；　and　stood　hard　by；　whereon　the　Trojans　fled　in　all
directions。　Menelaus　took　Ulysses　by　the　hand；　and　led　him　out　of
the　press　while　his　squire　brought　up　his　chariot；　but　Ajax　rushed
furiously　on　the　Trojans　and　killed　Doryclus；　a　bastard　son　of
Priam；　then　he　wounded　Pandocus；　Lysandrus；　Pyrasus；　and　Pylartes；
as　some　swollen　torrent　comes　rushing　in　full　flood　from　the　mountains
on　to　the　plain；　big　with　the　rain　of　heaven…　many　a　dry　oak　and
many　a　pine　does　it　engulf；　and　much　mud　does　it　bring　down　and　cast
into　the　sea…　even　so　did　brave　Ajax　chase　the　foe　furiously　over
the　plain；　slaying　both　men　and　horses。
　　Hector　did　not　yet　know　what　Ajax　was　doing；　for　he　was　fighting
on　the　extreme　left　of　the　battle　by　the　banks　of　the　river　Scamander；
where　the　carnage　was　thickest　and　the　war…cry　loudest　round　Nestor
and　brave　Idomeneus。　Among　these　Hector　was　making　great　slaughter
with　his　spear　and　furious　driving；　and　was　destroying　the　ranks
that　were　opposed　to　him；　still　the　Achaeans　would　have　given　no
ground；　had　not　Alexandrus　husband　of　lovely　Helen　stayed　the
prowess　of　Machaon　shepherd　of　his　people；　by　wounding　him　in　the
right　shoulder　with　a　triple…barbed　arrow。　The　Achaeans　were　in
great　fear　that　as　the　fight　had　turned　against　them　the　Trojans　might
take　him　prisoner；　and　Idomeneus　said　to　Nestor；　〃Nestor　son　of
Neleus；　honour　to　the　Achaean　name；　mount　your　chariot　at　once；　take
Machaon　with　you　and　drive　your　horses　to　the　ships　as　fast　as　you
can。　A　physician　is　worth　more　than　several　other　men　put　together；
for　he　can　cut　out　arrows　and　spread　healing　herbs。〃
　　Nestor　knight　of　Gerene　did　as　Idomeneus　had　counselled；　he　at
once　mounted　his　chariot；　and　Machaon　son　of　the　famed　physician
Aesculapius　went　with　him。　He　lashed　his　horses　and　they　flew　onward
nothing　loth　towards　the　ships；　as　though　of　their　own　free　will。
　　Then　Cebriones　seeing　the　Trojans　in　confusion　said　to　Hector　from
his　place　beside　him；　〃Hector；　here　are　we　two　fighting　on　the　extreme
wing　of　the　battle；　while　the　other　Trojans　are　in　pell…mell　rout；
they　and　their　horses。　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　is　driving　them　before　him；
I　know　him　by　the　breadth　of　his　shield：　let　us　turn　our　chariot　and
horses　thither；　where　horse　and　foot　are　fighting　most　desperately；
and　where　the　cry　of　battle　is　loudest。〃
　　With　this　he　lashed　his　goodly　steeds；　and　when　they　felt　the　whip
they　drew　the　chariot　full　speed　among　the　Achaeans　and　Trojans；
over　the　bodies　and　shields　of　those　that　had　fallen：　the　axle　was
bespattered　with　blood；　and　the　rail　round　the　car　was　covered　with
splashes　both　from　the　horses'　hoofs　and　from　the　tyres　of　the　wheels。
Hector　tore　his　way　through　and　flung　himself　into　the　thick　of　the
fight；　and　his　presence　threw　the　Danaans　into　confusion；　for　his
spear　was　not　long　idle；　nevertheless　though　he　went　among　the　ranks
with　sword　and　spear；　and　throwing　great　stones；　he　avoided　Ajax　son
of　Telamon；　for　Jove　would　have　been　angry　with　him　if　he　had　fought　a
better　man　than　himself。
　　Then　father　Jove　from　his　high　throne　struck　fear　into　the　hear