the iliad(伊利亚特)-第49章

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their　gleaming　helmets　touched　one　another　as　they　nodded　forward；
so　closely　seffied　were　they；　the　spears　they　brandished　in　their
strong　hands　were　interlaced；　and　their　hearts　were　set　on　battle。
　　The　Trojans　advanced　in　a　dense　body；　with　Hector　at　their　head
pressing　right　on　as　a　rock　that　comes　thundering　down　the　side　of
some　mountain　from　whose　brow　the　winter　torrents　have　torn　it；　the
foundations　of　the　dull　thing　have　been　loosened　by　floods　of　rain；
and　as　it　bounds　headlong　on　its　way　it　sets　the　whole　forest　in　an
uproar；　it　swerves　neither　to　right　nor　left　till　it　reaches　level
ground；　but　then　for　all　its　fury　it　can　go　no　further…　even　so　easily
did　Hector　for　a　while　seem　as　though　he　would　career　through　the
tents　and　ships　of　the　Achaeans　till　he　had　reached　the　sea　in　his
murderous　course；　but　the　closely　serried　battalions　stayed　him　when
he　reached　them；　for　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　thrust　at　him　with
swords　and　spears　pointed　at　both　ends；　and　drove　him　from　them　so
that　he　staggered　and　gave　ground；　thereon　he　shouted　to　the
Trojans；　〃Trojans；　Lycians；　and　Dardanians；　fighters　in　close
combat；　stand　firm：　the　Achaeans　have　set　themselves　as　a　wall　against
me；　but　they　will　not　check　me　for　long；　they　will　give　ground
before　me　if　the　mightiest　of　the　gods；　the　thundering　spouse　of　Juno；
has　indeed　inspired　my　onset。〃
　　With　these　words　he　put　heart　and　soul　into　them　all。　Deiphobus
son　of　Priam　went　about　among　them　intent　on　deeds　of　daring　with
his　round　shield　before　him；　under　cover　of　which　he　strode　quickly
forward。　Meriones　took　aim　at　him　with　a　spear；　nor　did　he　fail　to　hit
the　broad　orb　of　ox…hide；　but　he　was　far　from　piercing　it　for　the
spear　broke　in　two　pieces　long　ere　he　could　do　so；　moreover
Deiphobus　had　seen　it　coming　and　had　held　his　shield　well　away　from
him。　Meriones　drew　back　under　cover　of　his　comrades；　angry　alike　at
having　failed　to　vanquish　Deiphobus；　and　having　broken　his　spear。　He
turned　therefore　towards　the　ships　and　tents　to　fetch　a　spear　which　he
had　left　behind　in　his　tent。
　　The　others　continued　fighting；　and　the　cry　of　battle　rose　up　into
the　heavens。　Teucer　son　of　Telamon　was　the　first　to　kill　his　man；　to
wit；　the　warrior　Imbrius　son　of　Mentor　rich　in　horses。　Until　the
Achaeans　came　he　had　lived　in　Pedaeum；　and　had　married　Medesicaste　a
bastard　daughter　of　Priam；　but　on　the　arrival　of　the　Danaan　fleet　he
had　gone　back　to　Ilius；　and　was　a　great　man　among　the　Trojans；
dwelling　near　Priam　himself；　who　gave　him　like　honour　with　his　own
sons。　The　son　of　Telamon　now　struck　him　under　the　ear　with　a　spear
which　he　then　drew　back　again；　and　Imbrius　fell　headlong　as　an
ash…tree　when　it　is　felled　on　the　crest　of　some　high　mountain
beacon；　and　its　delicate　green　foliage　comes　toppling　down　to　the
ground。　Thus　did　he　fall　with　his　bronze…dight　armour　ringing
harshly　round　him；　and　Teucer　sprang　forward　with　intent　to　strip
him　of　his　armour；　but　as　he　was　doing　so；　Hector　took　aim　at　him　with
a　spear。　Teucer　saw　the　spear　coming　and　swerved　aside；　whereon　it　hit
Amphimachus；　son　of　Cteatus　son　of　Actor；　in　the　chest　as　he　was
coming　into　battle；　and　his　armour　rang　rattling　round　him　as　he
fell　heavily　to　the　ground。　Hector　sprang　forward　to　take
Amphimachus's　helmet　from　off　his　temples；　and　in　a　moment　Ajax
threw　a　spear　at　him；　but　did　not　wound　him；　for　he　was　encased　all
over　in　his　terrible　armour；　nevertheless　the　spear　struck　the　boss　of
his　shield　with　such　force　as　to　drive　him　back　from　the　two
corpses；　which　the　Achaeans　then　drew　off。　Stichius　and　Menestheus；
captains　of　the　Athenians；　bore　away　Amphimachus　to　the　host　of　the
Achaeans；　while　the　two　brave　and　impetuous　Ajaxes　did　the　like　by
Imbrius。　As　two　lions　snatch　a　goat　from　the　hounds　that　have　it　in
their　fangs；　and　bear　it　through　thick　brushwood　high　above　the　ground
in　their　jaws；　thus　did　the　Ajaxes　bear　aloft　the　body　of　Imbrius；　and
strip　it　of　its　armour。　Then　the　son　of　Oileus　severed　the　head　from
the　neck　in　revenge　for　the　death　of　Amphimachus；　and　sent　it　whirling
over　the　crowd　as　though　it　had　been　a　ball；　till　fell　in　the　dust
at　Hector's　feet。
　　Neptune　was　exceedingly　angry　that　his　grandson　Amphimachus　should
have　fallen；　he　therefore　went　to　the　tents　and　ships　of　the
Achaeans　to　urge　the　Danaans　still　further；　and　to　devise　evil　for　the
Trojans。　Idomeneus　met　him；　as　he　was　taking　leave　of　a　comrade；　who
had　just　come　to　him　from　the　fight；　wounded　in　the　knee。　His
fellow…soldiers　bore　him　off　the　field；　and　Idomeneus　having　given
orders　to　the　physicians　went　on　to　his　tent；　for　he　was　still
thirsting　for　battle。　Neptune　spoke　in　the　likeness　and　with　the　voice
of　Thoas　son　of　Andraemon　who　ruled　the　Aetolians　of　all　Pleuron　and
high　Calydon；　and　was　honoured　among　his　people　as　though　he　were　a
god。　〃Idomeneus；〃　said　he；　〃lawgiver　to　the　Cretans；　what　has　now
become　of　the　threats　with　which　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　used　to
threaten　the　Trojans？〃
　　And　Idomeneus　chief　among　the　Cretans　answered；　〃Thoas；　no　one；　so
far　as　I　know；　is　in　fault；　for　we　can　all　fight。　None　are　held　back
neither　by　fear　nor　slackness；　but　it　seems　to　be　the　of　almighty　Jove
that　the　Achaeans　should　perish　ingloriously　here　far　from　Argos：　you；
Thoas；　have　been　always　staunch；　and　you　keep　others　in　heart　if　you
see　any　fail　in　duty；　be　not　then　remiss　now；　but　exhort　all　to　do
their　utmost。〃
　　To　this　Neptune　lord　of　the　earthquake　made　answer；　〃Idomeneus；
may　he　never　return　from　Troy；　but　remain　here　for　dogs　to　batten
upon；　who　is　this　day　wilfully　slack　in　fighting。　Get　your　armour
and　go；　we　must　make　all　haste　together　if　we　may　be　of　any　use；
though　we　are　only　two。　Even　cowards　gain　courage　from
companionship；　and　we　two　can　hold　our　own　with　the　bravest。〃
　　Therewith　the　god　went　back　into　the　thick　of　the　fight；　and
Idomeneus　when　he　had　reached　his　tent　donned　his　armour；　grasped
his　two　spears；　and　sallied　forth。　As　the　lightning　which　the　son　of
Saturn　brandishes　from　bright　Olympus　when　he　would　show　a　sign　to
mortals；　and　its　gleam　flashes　far　and　wide…　even　so　did　his　armour
gleam　about　him　as　he　ran。　Meriones　his　sturdy　squire　met　him　while　he
was　still　near　his　tent　（for　he　was　going　to　fetch　his　spear）　and
Idomeneus　said
　　〃Meriones；　fleet　son　of　Molus；　best　of　comrades；　why　have　you　left
the　field？　Are　you　wounded；　and　is　the　point　of　the　weapon　hurting
you？　or　have　you　been　sent　to　fetch　me？　I　want　no　fetching；　I　had
far　rather　fight　than　stay　in　my　tent。〃
　　〃Idomeneus；〃　answered　Meriones；　〃I　come　for　a　spear；　if　I　can　find
one　in　my　tent；　I　have　broken　the　one　I　had；　in　throwing　it　at　the
shield　of　Deiphobus。〃
　　And　Idomeneus　captain　of　the　Cretans　answered；　〃You　will　find　one
spear；　or　twenty　if　you　so　please；　standing　up　against　the　end　wall　of
my　tent。　I　have　taken　them　from　Trojans　whom　I　have　killed；　for　I　am
not　one　to　keep　my　enemy　at　arm's　length；　therefore　I　have　spears；
bossed　shields；　helmets；　and　burnished　corslets。〃
　　Then　Meriones　said；　〃I　too　in　my　tent　and　at　my　ship　have　spoils
taken　from　the　Trojans；　but　they　are　not　at　hand。　I　have　been　at　all
times　valorous；　and　wherever　there　has　been　hard　fighting　have　held　my
own　among　the　foremost。　There　may　be　those　among　the　Achaeans　who　do
not　know　how　I　fight；　but　you　know　it　well　enough　yourself。〃
　　Idomeneus　answered；　〃I　know　you　for　a　brave　man：　you　need　not　tell
me。　If　the　best　men　at　the　ships　were　being　chosen　to　go　on　an　ambush…
and　there　is　nothing　like　this　for　showing　what　a　man　is　made　of；　it
comes　out　then　who　is　cowardly　and　who　brave；　the　coward　will　change
colour　at　every　touch　and　turn；　he　is　full　of　fears；　and　keeps
shifting　his　weight　first　on　one　knee　and　then　on　the　other；　his　heart
beats　fast　as　he　thinks　of　death；　and　one　can　hear　the　chattering　of
his　teeth；　whereas　the　brave　man　will　not　change　colour　nor　be　on
finding　himself　in　ambush；　but　is　all　the　time　longing　to　go　into
action…　if　the　best　men　were　being　chosen　for　such　a　service；　no　one
could　make　light　of　your　courage　nor　feats　of　arms。　If　you　were　struck
by　a　dart　or　smitten　in　close　combat；　it　would　not　be　from　behind；
in　y