the iliad(伊利亚特)-第50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！


by　a　dart　or　smitten　in　close　combat；　it　would　not　be　from　behind；
in　your　neck　nor　back；　but　the　weapon　would　hit　you　in　the　chest　or
belly　as　you　were　pressing　forward　to　a　place　in　the　front　ranks。
But　let　us　no　longer　stay　here　talking　like　children；　lest　we　be　ill
spoken　of；　go；　fetch　your　spear　from　the　tent　at　once。〃
　　On　this　Meriones；　peer　of　Mars；　went　to　the　tent　and　got　himself　a
spear　of　bronze。　He　then　followed　after　Idomeneus；　big　with　great
deeds　of　valour。　As　when　baneful　Mars　sallies　forth　to　battle；　and　his
son　Panic　so　strong　and　dauntless　goes　with　him；　to　strike　terror　even
into　the　heart　of　a　hero…　the　pair　have　gone　from　Thrace　to　arm
themselves　among　the　Ephyri　or　the　brave　Phlegyans；　but　they　will
not　listen　to　both　the　contending　hosts；　and　will　give　victory　to
one　side　or　to　the　other…　even　so　did　Meriones　and　Idomeneus；　captains
of　men；　go　out　to　battle　clad　in　their　bronze　armour。　Meriones　was
first　to　speak。　〃Son　of　Deucalion；〃　said　he；　〃where　would　you　have
us　begin　fighting？　On　the　right　wing　of　the　host；　in　the　centre；　or　on
the　left　wing；　where　I　take　it　the　Achaeans　will　be　weakest？〃
　　Idomeneus　answered；　〃There　are　others　to　defend　the　centre…　the
two　Ajaxes　and　Teucer；　who　is　the　finest　archer　of　all　the　Achaeans；
and　is　good　also　in　a　hand…to…hand　fight。　These　will　give　Hector　son
of　Priam　enough　to　do；　fight　as　he　may；　he　will　find　it　hard　to
vanquish　their　indomitable　fury；　and　fire　the　ships；　unless　the　son　of
Saturn　fling　a　firebrand　upon　them　with　his　own　hand。　Great　Ajax　son
of　Telamon　will　yield　to　no　man　who　is　in　mortal　mould　and　eats　the
grain　of　Ceres；　if　bronze　and　great　stones　can　overthrow　him。　He　would
not　yield　even　to　Achilles　in　hand…to…hand　fight；　and　in　fleetness
of　foot　there　is　none　to　beat　him；　let　us　turn　therefore　towards　the
left　wing；　that　we　may　know　forthwith　whether　we　are　to　give　glory
to　some　other；　or　he　to　us。〃
　　Meriones；　peer　of　fleet　Mars；　then　led　the　way　till　they　came　to　the
part　of　the　host　which　Idomeneus　had　named。
　　Now　when　the　Trojans　saw　Idomeneus　coming　on　like　a　flame　of　fire；
him　and　his　squire　clad　in　their　richly　wrought　armour；　they　shouted
and　made　towards　him　all　in　a　body；　and　a　furious　hand…to…hand　fight
raged　under　the　ships'　sterns。　Fierce　as　the　shrill　winds　that　whistle
upon　a　day　when　dust　lies　deep　on　the　roads；　and　the　gusts　raise　it
into　a　thick　cloud…　even　such　was　the　fury　of　the　combat；　and　might
and　main　did　they　hack　at　each　other　with　spear　and　sword　throughout
the　host。　The　field　bristled　with　the　long　and　deadly　spears　which
they　bore。　Dazzling　was　the　sheen　of　their　gleaming　helmets；　their
fresh…burnished　breastplates；　and　glittering　shields　as　they　joined
battle　with　one　another。　Iron　indeed　must　be　his　courage　who　could
take　pleasure　in　the　sight　of　such　a　turmoil；　and　look　on　it　without
being　dismayed。
　　Thus　did　the　two　mighty　sons　of　Saturn　devise　evil　for　mortal
heroes。　Jove　was　minded　to　give　victory　to　the　Trojans　and　to
Hector；　so　as　to　do　honour　to　fleet　Achilles；　nevertheless　he　did
not　mean　to　utterly　overthrow　the　Achaean　host　before　Ilius；　and
only　wanted　to　glorify　Thetis　and　her　valiant　son。　Neptune　on　the
other　hand　went　about　among　the　Argives　to　incite　them；　having　come　up
from　the　grey　sea　in　secret；　for　he　was　grieved　at　seeing　them
vanquished　by　the　Trojans；　and　was　furiously　angry　with　Jove。　Both
were　of　the　same　race　and　country；　but　Jove　was　elder　born　and　knew
more；　therefore　Neptune　feared　to　defend　the　Argives　openly；　but　in
the　likeness　of　man；　he　kept　on　encouraging　them　throughout　their
host。　Thus；　then；　did　these　two　devise　a　knot　of　war　and　battle；
that　none　could　unloose　or　break；　and　set　both　sides　tugging　at　it；　to
the　failing　of　men's　knees　beneath　them。
　　And　now　Idomeneus；　though　his　hair　was　already　flecked　with　grey；
called　loud　on　the　Danaans　and　spread　panic　among　the　Trojans　as　he
leaped　in　among　them。　He　slew　Othryoneus　from　Cabesus；　a　sojourner；
who　had　but　lately　come　to　take　part　in　the　war。　He　sought　Cassandra
the　fairest　of　Priam's　daughters　in　marriage；　but　offered　no　gifts
of　wooing；　for　he　promised　a　great　thing；　to　wit；　that　he　would
drive　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　willy　nilly　from　Troy；　old　King　Priam
had　given　his　consent　and　promised　her　to　him；　whereon　he　fought　on
the　strength　of　the　promises　thus　made　to　him。　Idomeneus　aimed　a
spear；　and　hit　him　as　he　came　striding　on。　His　cuirass　of　bronze　did
not　protect　him；　and　the　spear　stuck　in　his　belly；　so　that　he　fell
heavily　to　the　ground。　Then　Idomeneus　vaunted　over　him　saying；
〃Othryoneus；　there　is　no　one　in　the　world　whom　I　shall　admire　more
than　I　do　you；　if　you　indeed　perform　what　you　have　promised　Priam
son　of　Dardanus　in　return　for　his　daughter。　We　too　will　make　you　an
offer；　we　will　give　you　the　loveliest　daughter　of　the　son　of　Atreus；
and　will　bring　her　from　Argos　for　you　to　marry；　if　you　will　sack　the
goodly　city　of　Ilius　in　company　with　ourselves；　so　come　along　with　me；
that　we　may　make　a　covenant　at　the　ships　about　the　marriage；　and　we
will　not　be　hard　upon　you　about　gifts　of　wooing。〃
　　With　this　Idomeneus　began　dragging　him　by　the　foot　through　the　thick
of　the　fight；　but　Asius　came　up　to　protect　the　body；　on　foot；　in　front
of　his　horses　which　his　esquire　drove　so　close　behind　him　that　he
could　feel　their　'breath　upon　his　shoulder。　He　was　longing　to　strike
down　Idomeneus；　but　ere　he　could　do　so　Idomeneus　smote　him　with　his
spear　in　the　throat　under　the　chin；　and　the　bronze　point　went　clean
through　it。　He　fell　as　an　oak；　or　poplar；　or　pine　which　shipwrights
have　felled　for　ship's　timber　upon　the　mountains　with　whetted　axes…
even　thus　did　he　lie　full　length　in　front　of　his　chariot　and　horses；
grinding　his　teeth　and　clutching　at　the　bloodstained　just。　His
charioteer　was　struck　with　panic　and　did　not　dare　turn　his　horses
round　and　escape：　thereupon　Antilochus　hit　him　in　the　middle　of　his
body　with　a　spear；　his　cuirass　of　bronze　did　not　protect　him；　and
the　spear　stuck　in　his　belly。　He　fell　gasping　from　his　chariot　and
Antilochus　great　Nestor's　son；　drove　his　horses　from　the　Trojans　to
the　Achaeans。
　　Deiphobus　then　came　close　up　to　Idomeneus　to　avenge　Asius；　and
took　aim　at　him　with　a　spear；　but　Idomeneus　was　on　the　look…out　and
avoided　it；　for　he　was　covered　by　the　round　shield　he　always　bore…　a
shield　of　oxhide　and　bronze　with　two　arm…rods　on　the　inside。　He
crouched　under　cover　of　this；　and　the　spear　flew　over　him；　but　the
shield　rang　out　as　the　spear　grazed　it；　and　the　weapon　sped　not　in
vain　from　the　strong　hand　of　Deiphobus；　for　it　struck　Hypsenor　son
of　Hippasus；　shepherd　of　his　people；　in　the　liver　under　the　midriff；
and　his　limbs　failed　beneath　him。　Deiphobus　vaunted　over　him　and　cried
with　a　loud　voice　saying；　〃Of　a　truth　Asius　has　not　fallen
unavenied；　he　will　be　glad　even　while　passing　into　the　house　of　Hades；
strong　warden　of　the　gate；　that　I　have　sent　some　one　to　escort　him。〃
　　Thus　did　he　vaunt；　and　the　Argives　were　stung　by　his　saying。　Noble
Antilochus　was　more　angry　than　any　one；　but　grief　did　not　make　him
forget　his　friend　and　comrade。　He　ran　up　to　him；　bestrode　him；　and
covered　him　with　his　shield；　then　two　of　his　staunch　comrades；
Mecisteus　son　of　Echius；　and　Alastor　stooped　down；　and　bore　him　away
groaning　heavily　to　the　ships。　But　Idomeneus　ceased　not　his　fury。　He
kept　on　striving　continually　either　to　enshroud　some　Trojan　in　the
darkness　of　death；　or　himself　to　fall　while　warding　off　the　evil　day
from　the　Achaeans。　Then　fell　Alcathous　son　of　noble　Aesyetes：　he　was
son…in…law　to　Anchises；　having　married　his　eldest　daughter　Hippodameia
who　was　the　darling　of　her　father　and　mother；　and　excelled　all　her
generation　in　beauty；　accomplishments；　and　understanding；　wherefore
the　bravest　man　in　all　Troy　had　taken　her　to　wife…　him　did　Neptune　lay
low　by　the　hand　of　Idomeneus；　blinding　his　bright　eyes　and　binding　his
strong　limbs　in　fetters　so　that　he　could　neither　go　back　nor　to　one
side；　but　stood　stock　still　like　pillar　or　lofty　tree　when　Idomeneus
struck　him　with　a　spear　in　the　middle　of　his　chest。　The　coat　of　mail
that　had　hitherto　protected　his　body　was　now　broken；　and　rang
har