the iliad(伊利亚特)-第43章

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better　man　than　himself。
　　Then　father　Jove　from　his　high　throne　struck　fear　into　the　heart
of　Ajax；　so　that　he　stood　there　dazed　and　threw　his　shield　behind　him…
looking　fearfully　at　the　throng　of　his　foes　as　though　he　were　some
wild　beast；　and　turning　hither　and　thither　but　crouching　slowly
backwards。　As　peasants　with　their　hounds　chase　a　lion　from　their
stockyard；　and　watch　by　night　to　prevent　his　carrying　off　the　pick
of　their　herd…　he　makes　his　greedy　spring；　but　in　vain；　for　the
darts　from　many　a　strong　hand　fall　thick　around　him；　with　burning
brands　that　scare　him　for　all　his　fury；　and　when　morning　comes　he
slinks　foiled　and　angry　away…　even　so　did　Ajax；　sorely　against　his
will；　retreat　angrily　before　the　Trojans；　fearing　for　the　ships　of　the
Achaeans。　Or　as　some　lazy　ass　that　has　had　many　a　cudgel　broken
about　his　back；　when　he　into　a　field　begins　eating　the　corn…　boys　beat
him　but　he　is　too　many　for　them；　and　though　they　lay　about　with
their　sticks　they　cannot　hurt　him；　still　when　he　has　had　his　fill　they
at　last　drive　him　from　the　field…　even　so　did　the　Trojans　and　their
allies　pursue　great　Ajax；　ever　smiting　the　middle　of　his　shield　with
their　darts。　Now　and　again　he　would　turn　and　show　fight；　keeping
back　the　battalions　of　the　Trojans；　and　then　he　would　again　retreat；
but　he　prevented　any　of　them　from　making　his　way　to　the　ships。
Single…handed　he　stood　midway　between　the　Trojans　and　Achaeans：　the
spears　that　sped　from　their　hands　stuck　some　of　them　in　his　mighty
shield；　while　many；　though　thirsting　for　his　blood；　fell　to　the　ground
ere　they　could　reach　him　to　the　wounding　of　his　fair　flesh。
　　Now　when　Eurypylus　the　brave　son　of　Euaemon　saw　that　Ajax　was
being　overpowered　by　the　rain　of　arrows；　he　went　up　to　him　and
hurled　his　spear。　He　struck　Apisaon　son　of　Phausius　in　the　liver　below
the　midriff；　and　laid　him　low。　Eurypylus　sprang　upon　him；　and　stripped
the　armour　from　his　shoulders；　but　when　Alexandrus　saw　him；　he　aimed
an　arrow　at　him　which　struck　him　in　the　right　thigh；　the　arrow
broke；　but　the　point　that　was　left　in　the　wound　dragged　on　the
thigh；　he　drew　back；　therefore；　under　cover　of　his　comrades　to　save
his　life；　shouting　as　he　did　so　to　the　Danaans；　〃My　friends；　princes
and　counsellors　of　the　Argives；　rally　to　the　defence　of　Ajax　who　is
being　overpowered；　and　I　doubt　whether　he　will　come　out　of　the　fight
alive。　Hither；　then；　to　the　rescue　of　great　Ajax　son　of　Telamon。〃
　　Even　so　did　he　cry　when　he　was　wounded；　thereon　the　others　came
near；　and　gathered　round　him；　holding　their　shields　upwards　from　their
shoulders　so　as　to　give　him　cover。　Ajax　then　made　towards　them；　and
turned　round　to　stand　at　bay　as　soon　as　he　had　reached　his　men。
　　Thus　then　did　they　fight　as　it　were　a　flaming　fire。　Meanwhile　the
mares　of　Neleus；　all　in　a　lather　with　sweat；　were　bearing　Nestor　out
of　the　fight；　and　with　him　Machaon　shepherd　of　his　people。　Achilles
saw　and　took　note；　for　he　was　standing　on　the　stern　of　his　ship
watching　the　hard　stress　and　struggle　of　the　fight。　He　called　from　the
ship　to　his　comrade　Patroclus；　who　heard　him　in　the　tent　and　came
out　looking　like　Mars　himself…　here　indeed　was　the　beginning　of　the
ill　that　presently　befell　him。　〃Why；〃　said　he；　〃Achilles　do　you　call
me？　what　do　you　what　do　you　want　with　me？〃　And　Achilles　answered；
〃Noble　son　of　Menoetius；　man　after　my　own　heart；　I　take　it　that　I
shall　now　have　the　Achaeans　praying　at　my　knees；　for　they　are　in　great
straits；　go；　Patroclus；　and　ask　Nestor　who　is　that　he　is　bearing
away　wounded　from　the　field；　from　his　back　I　should　say　it　was　Machaon
son　of　Aesculapius；　but　I　could　not　see　his　face　for　the　horses　went
by　me　at　full　speed。〃
　　Patroclus　did　as　his　dear　comrade　had　bidden　him；　and　set　off
running　by　the　ships　and　tents　of　the　Achaeans。
　　When　Nestor　and　Machaon　had　reached　the　tents　of　the　son　of
Neleus；　they　dismounted；　and　an　esquire；　Eurymedon；　took　the　horses
from　the　chariot。　The　pair　then　stood　in　the　breeze　by　the　seaside
to　dry　the　sweat　from　their　shirts；　and　when　they　had　so　done　they
came　inside　and　took　their　seats。　Fair　Hecamede；　whom　Nestor　had　had
awarded　to　him　from　Tenedos　when　Achilles　took　it；　mixed　them　a
mess；　she　was　daughter　of　wise　Arsinous；　and　the　Achaeans　had　given
her　to　Nestor　because　he　excelled　all　of　them　in　counsel。　First　she
set　for　them　a　fair　and　well…made　table　that　had　feet　of　cyanus；　on　it
there　was　a　vessel　of　bronze　and　an　onion　to　give　relish　to　the　drink；
with　honey　and　cakes　of　barley…meal。　There　was　also　a　cup　of　rare
workmanship　which　the　old　man　had　brought　with　him　from　home；
studded　with　bosses　of　gold；　it　had　four　handles；　on　each　of　which
there　were　two　golden　doves　feeding；　and　it　had　two　feet　to　stand
on。　Any　one　else　would　hardly　have　been　able　to　lift　it　from　the　table
when　it　was　full；　but　Nestor　could　do　so　quite　easily。　In　this　the
woman；　as　fair　as　a　goddess；　mixed　them　a　mess　with　Pramnian　wine；　she
grated　goat's　milk　cheese　into　it　with　a　bronze　grater；　threw　in　a
handful　of　white　barley…meal；　and　having　thus　prepared　the　mess　she
bade　them　drink　it。　When　they　had　done　so　and　had　thus　quenched
their　thirst；　they　fell　talking　with　one　another；　and　at　this　moment
Patroclus　appeared　at　the　door。
　　When　the　old　man　saw　him　he　sprang　from　his　seat；　seized　his　hand；
led　him　into　the　tent；　and　bade　him　take　his　place　among　them；　but
Patroclus　stood　where　he　was　and　said；　〃Noble　sir；　I　may　not　stay；　you
cannot　persuade　me　to　come　in；　he　that　sent　me　is　not　one　to　be
trifled　with；　and　he　bade　me　ask　who　the　wounded　man　was　whom　you　were
bearing　away　from　the　field。　I　can　now　see　for　myself　that　he　is
Machaon　shepherd　of　his　people。　I　must　go　back　and　tell　Achilles。　You；
sir；　know　what　a　terrible　man　he　is；　and　how　ready　to　blame　even　where
no　blame　should　lie。〃
　　And　Nestor　answered；　〃Why　should　Achilles　care　to　know　how　many　of
the　Achaeans　may　be　wounded？　He　recks　not　of　the　dismay　that　reigns　in
our　host；　our　most　valiant　chieftains　lie　disabled；　brave　Diomed　son
of　Tydeus　is　wounded；　so　are　Ulysses　and　Agamemnon；　Eurypylus　has　been
hit　with　an　arrow　in　the　thigh；　and　I　have　just　been　bringing　this　man
from　the　field…　he　too　wounded…　with　an　arrow；　nevertheless
Achilles；　so　valiant　though　he　be；　cares　not　and　knows　no　ruth。　Will
he　wait　till　the　ships；　do　what　we　may；　are　in　a　blaze；　and　we
perish　one　upon　the　other？　As　for　me；　I　have　no　strength　nor　stay　in
me　any　longer；　would　that　I　Were　still　young　and　strong　as　in　the　days
when　there　was　a　fight　between　us　and　the　men　of　Elis　about　some
cattle…raiding。　I　then　killed　Itymoneus　the　valiant　son　of　Hypeirochus
a　dweller　in　Elis；　as　I　was　driving　in　the　spoil；　he　was　hit　by　a　dart
thrown　my　hand　while　fighting　in　the　front　rank　in　defence　of　his
cows；　so　he　fell　and　the　country　people　around　him　were　in　great　fear。
We　drove　off　a　vast　quantity　of　booty　from　the　plain；　fifty　herds　of
cattle　and　as　many　flocks　of　sheep；　fifty　droves　also　of　pigs；　and
as　many　wide…spreading　flocks　of　goats。　Of　horses　moreover　we　seized　a
hundred　and　fifty；　all　of　them　mares；　and　many　had　foals　running
with　them。　All　these　did　we　drive　by　night　to　Pylus　the　city　of
Neleus；　taking　them　within　the　city；　and　the　heart　of　Neleus　was
glad　in　that　I　had　taken　so　much；　though　it　was　the　first　time　I　had
ever　been　in　the　field。　At　daybreak　the　heralds　went　round　crying　that
all　in　Elis　to　whom　there　was　a　debt　owing　should　come；　and　the
leading　Pylians　assembled　to　divide　the　spoils。　There　were　many　to
whom　the　Epeans　owed　chattels；　for　we　men　of　Pylus　were　few　and　had
been　oppressed　with　wrong；　in　former　years　Hercules　had　come；　and
had　laid　his　hand　heavy　upon　us；　so　that　all　our　best　men　had
perished。　Neleus　had　had　twelve　sons；　but　I　alone　was　left；　the　others
had　all　been　killed。　The　Epeans　presuming　upon　all　this　had　looked
down　upon　us　and　had　done　us　much　evil。　My　father　chose　a　herd　of
cattle　and　a　great　flock　of　sheep…　three　hundred　in　all…　and　he　took
their　shepherds　with　him；　for　there　was　a　great　debt　due　to　him　in
Elis；　to　wit　four　horses；　winners　of　prizes。　They　and　their　chariots
with　them　had　gone　to　the　games　and　were　to　run　for　a　tripod；