the iliad(伊利亚特)-第45章

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within　the　tent；　but　the　Argives　and　Trojans　still　fought　desperately；
nor　were　the　trench　and　the　high　wall　above　it；　to　keep　the　Trojans　in
check　longer。　They　had　built　it　to　protect　their　ships；　and　had　dug
the　trench　all　round　it　that　it　might　safeguard　both　the　ships　and　the
rich　spoils　which　they　had　taken；　but　they　had　not　offered　hecatombs
to　the　gods。　It　had　been　built　without　the　consent　of　the　immortals；
and　therefore　it　did　not　last。　So　long　as　Hector　lived　and　Achilles
nursed　his　anger；　and　so　long　as　the　city　of　Priam　remained　untaken；
the　great　wall　of　the　Achaeans　stood　firm；　but　when　the　bravest　of　the
Trojans　were　no　more；　and　many　also　of　the　Argives；　though　some　were
yet　left　alive　when；　moreover；　the　city　was　sacked　in　the　tenth
year；　and　the　Argives　had　gone　back　with　their　ships　to　their　own
country…　then　Neptune　and　Apollo　took　counsel　to　destroy　the　wall；　and
they　turned　on　to　it　the　streams　of　all　the　rivers　from　Mount　Ida　into
the　sea；　Rhesus；　Heptaporus；　Caresus；　Rhodius；　Grenicus；　Aesopus；
and　goodly　Scamander；　with　Simois；　where　many　a　shield　and　helm　had
fallen；　and　many　a　hero　of　the　race　of　demigods　had　bitten　the　dust。
Phoebus　Apollo　turned　the　mouths　of　all　these　rivers　together　and　made
them　flow　for　nine　days　against　the　wall；　while　Jove　rained　the
whole　time　that　he　might　wash　it　sooner　into　the　sea。　Neptune　himself；
trident　in　hand；　surveyed　the　work　and　threw　into　the　sea　all　the
foundations　of　beams　and　stones　which　the　Achaeans　had　laid　with　so
much　toil；　he　made　all　level　by　the　mighty　stream　of　the　Hellespont；
and　then　when　he　had　swept　the　wall　away　he　spread　a　great　beach　of
sand　over　the　place　where　it　had　been。　This　done　he　turned　the
rivers　back　into　their　old　courses。
　　This　was　what　Neptune　and　Apollo　were　to　do　in　after　time；　but　as
yet　battle　and　turmoil　were　still　raging　round　the　wall　till　its
timbers　rang　under　the　blows　that　rained　upon　them。　The　Argives；　cowed
by　the　scourge　of　Jove；　were　hemmed　in　at　their　ships　in　fear　of
Hector　the　mighty　minister　of　Rout；　who　as　heretofore　fought　with
the　force　and　fury　of　a　whirlwind。　As　a　lion　or　wild　boar　turns
fiercely　on　the　dogs　and　men　that　attack　him；　while　these　form　solid
wall　and　shower　their　javelins　as　they　face　him…　his　courage　is　all
undaunted；　but　his　high　spirit　will　be　the　death　of　him；　many　a　time
does　he　charge　at　his　pursuers　to　scatter　them；　and　they　fall　back
as　often　as　he　does　so…　even　so　did　Hector　go　about　among　the　host
exhorting　his　men；　and　cheering　them　on　to　cross　the　trench。
　　But　the　horses　dared　not　do　so；　and　stood　neighing　upon　its　brink；
for　the　width　frightened　them。　They　could　neither　jump　it　nor　cross
it；　for　it　had　overhanging　banks　all　round　upon　either　side；　above
which　there　were　the　sharp　stakes　that　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　had
planted　so　close　and　strong　as　a　defence　against　all　who　would
assail　it；　a　horse；　therefore；　could　not　get　into　it　and　draw　his
chariot　after　him；　but　those　who　were　on　foot　kept　trying　their　very
utmost。　Then　Polydamas　went　up　to　Hector　and　said；　〃Hector；　and　you
other　captains　of　the　Trojans　and　allies；　it　is　madness　for　us　to
try　and　drive　our　horses　across　the　trench；　it　will　be　very　hard　to
cross；　for　it　is　full　of　sharp　stakes；　and　beyond　these　there　is　the
wall。　Our　horses　therefore　cannot　get　down　into　it；　and　would　be　of　no
use　if　they　did；　moreover　it　is　a　narrow　place　and　we　should　come　to
harm。　If；　indeed；　great　Jove　is　minded　to　help　the　Trojans；　and　in　his
anger　will　utterly　destroy　the　Achaeans；　I　would　myself　gladly　see
them　perish　now　and　here　far　from　Argos；　but　if　they　should　rally
and　we　are　driven　back　from　the　ships　pell…mell　into　the　trench
there　will　be　not　so　much　as　a　man　get　back　to　the　city　to　tell　the
tale。　Now；　therefore；　let　us　all　do　as　I　say；　let　our　squires　hold　our
horses　by　the　trench；　but　let　us　follow　Hector　in　a　body　on　foot；　clad
in　full　armour；　and　if　the　day　of　their　doom　is　at　hand　the　Achaeans
will　not　be　able　to　withstand　us。〃
　　Thus　spoke　Polydamas　and　his　saying　pleased　Hector；　who　sprang　in
full　armour　to　the　ground；　and　all　the　other　Trojans；　when　they　saw
him　do　so；　also　left　their　chariots。　Each　man　then　gave　his　horses
over　to　his　charioteer　in　charge　to　hold　them　ready　for　him　at　the
trench。　Then　they　formed　themselves　into　companies；　made　themselves
ready；　and　in　five　bodies　followed　their　leaders。　Those　that　went　with
Hector　and　Polydamas　were　the　bravest　and　most　in　number；　and　the　most
determined　to　break　through　the　wall　and　fight　at　the　ships。　Cebriones
was　also　joined　with　them　as　third　in　command；　for　Hector　had　left　his
chariot　in　charge　of　a　less　valiant　soldier。　The　next　company　was
led　by　Paris；　Alcathous；　and　Agenor；　the　third　by　Helenus　and
Deiphobus；　two　sons　of　Priam；　and　with　them　was　the　hero　Asius…
Asius　the　son　of　Hyrtacus；　whose　great　black　horses　of　the　breed
that　comes　from　the　river　Selleis　had　brought　him　from　Arisbe。
Aeneas　the　valiant　son　of　Anchises　led　the　fourth；　he　and　the　two　sons
of　Antenor；　Archelochus　and　Acamas；　men　well　versed　in　all　the　arts　of
war。　Sarpedon　was　captain　over　the　allies；　and　took　with　him　Glaucus
and　Asteropaeus　whom　he　deemed　most　valiant　after　himself…　for　he
was　far　the　best　man　of　them　all。　These　helped　to　array　one　another　in
their　ox…hide　shields；　and　then　charged　straight　at　the　Danaans；　for
they　felt　sure　that　they　would　not　hold　out　longer　and　that　they
should　themselves　now　fall　upon　the　ships。
　　The　rest　of　the　Trojans　and　their　allies　now　followed　the　counsel　of
Polydamas　but　Asius　son　of　Hyrtacus　would　not　leave　his　horses　and　his
esquire　behind　him；　in　his　foolhardiness　he　took　them　on　with　him
towards　the　ships；　nor　did　he　fail　to　come　by　his　end　in
consequence。　Nevermore　was　he　to　return　to　wind…beaten　Ilius；　exulting
in　his　chariot　and　his　horses；　ere　he　could　do　so；　death　of　ill…omened
name　had　overshadowed　him　and　he　had　fallen　by　the　spear　of
Idomeneus　the　noble　son　of　Deucalion。　He　had　driven　towards　the　left
wing　of　the　ships；　by　which　way　the　Achaeans　used　to　return　with　their
chariots　and　horses　from　the　plain。　Hither　he　drove　and　found　the
gates　with　their　doors　opened　wide；　and　the　great　bar　down…　for　the
gatemen　kept　them　open　so　as　to　let　those　of　their　comrades　enter
who　might　be　flying　towards　the　ships。　Hither　of　set　purpose　did　he
direct　his　horses；　and　his　men　followed　him　with　a　loud　cry；　for
they　felt　sure　that　the　Achaeans　would　not　hold　out　longer；　and　that
they　should　now　fall　upon　the　ships。　Little　did　they　know　that　at
the　gates　they　should　find　two　of　the　bravest　chieftains；　proud　sons
of　the　fighting　Lapithae…　the　one；　Polypoetes；　mighty　son　of
Pirithous；　and　the　other　Leonteus；　peer　of　murderous　Mars。　These　stood
before　the　gates　like　two　high　oak　trees　upon　the　mountains；　that
tower　from　their　wide…spreading　roots；　and　year　after　year　battle　with
wind　and　rain…　even　so　did　these　two　men　await　the　onset　of　great
Asius　confidently　and　without　flinching。　The　Trojans　led　by　him　and　by
Iamenus；　Orestes；　Adamas　the　son　of　Asius；　Thoon　and　Oenomaus；
raised　a　loud　cry　of　battle　and　made　straight　for　the　wall；　holding
their　shields　of　dry　ox…hide　above　their　heads；　for　a　while　the　two
defenders　remained　inside　and　cheered　the　Achaeans　on　to　stand　firm　in
the　defence　of　their　ships；　when；　however；　they　saw　that　the　Trojans
were　attacking　the　wall；　while　the　Danaans　were　crying　out　for　help
and　being　routed；　they　rushed　outside　and　fought　in　front　of　the　gates
like　two　wild　boars　upon　the　mountains　that　abide　the　attack　of　men
and　dogs；　and　charging　on　either　side　break　down　the　wood　all　round
them　tearing　it　up　by　the　roots；　and　one　can　hear　the　clattering　of
their　tusks；　till　some　one　hits　them　and　makes　an　end　of　them…　even　so
did　the　gleaming　bronze　rattle　about　their　breasts；　as　the　weapons
fell　upon　them；　for　they　fought　with　great　fury；　trusting　to　their　own
prowess　and　to　those　who　were　on　the　wall　above　them。　These　threw
great　stones　at　their　assailants　in　defence　of　themselves　their
tents　and　their　ships。　The　stones　fell　thick　as　the　flakes　of　snow
which　some　fierce　blast　drives　from　the　dark　clouds　and