the iliad(伊利亚特)-第52章

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spear；　and　the　other　with　his　bow　and　arrow。　The　son　of　Priam　hit
the　breastplate　of　Menelaus's　corslet；　but　the　arrow　glanced　from
off　it。　As　black　beans　or　pulse　come　pattering　down　on　to　a
threshing…floor　from　the　broad　winnowing…shovel；　blown　by　shrill　winds
and　shaken　by　the　shovel…　even　so　did　the　arrow　glance　off　and
recoil　from　the　shield　of　Menelaus；　who　in　his　turn　wounded　the　hand
with　which　Helenus　carried　his　bow；　the　spear　went　right　through　his
hand　and　stuck　in　the　bow　itself；　so　that　to　his　life　he　retreated
under　cover　of　his　men；　with　his　hand　dragging　by　his　side…　for　the
spear　weighed　it　down　till　Agenor　drew　it　out　and　bound　the　hand
carefully　up　in　a　woollen　sling　which　his　esquire　had　with　him。
　　Pisander　then　made　straight　at　Menelaus…　his　evil　destiny　luring　him
on　to　his　doom；　for　he　was　to　fall　in　fight　with　you；　O　Menelaus。　When
the　two　were　hard　by　one　another　the　spear　of　the　son　of　Atreus　turned
aside　and　he　missed　his　aim；　Pisander　then　struck　the　shield　of
brave　Menelaus　but　could　not　pierce　it；　for　the　shield　stayed　the
spear　and　broke　the　shaft；　nevertheless　he　was　glad　and　made　sure　of
victory；　forthwith；　however；　the　son　of　Atreus　drew　his　sword　and
sprang　upon　him。　Pisander　then　seized　the　bronze　battle…axe；　with
its　long　and　polished　handle　of　olive　wood　that　hung　by　his　side　under
his　shield；　and　the　two　made　at　one　another。　Pisander　struck　the
peak　of　Menelaus's　crested　helmet　just　under　the　crest　itself；　and
Menelaus　hit　Pisander　as　he　was　coming　towards　him；　on　the　forehead；
just　at　the　rise　of　his　nose；　the　bones　cracked　and　his　two
gore…bedrabbled　eyes　fell　by　his　feet　in　the　dust。　He　fell　backwards
to　the　ground；　and　Menelaus　set　his　heel　upon　him；　stripped　him　of　his
armour；　and　vaunted　over　him　saying；　〃Even　thus　shall　you　Trojans
leave　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　proud　and　insatiate　of　battle
though　you　be：　nor　shall　you　lack　any　of　the　disgrace　and　shame
which　you　have　heaped　upon　myself。　Cowardly　she…wolves　that　you　are；
you　feared　not　the　anger　of　dread　Jove；　avenger　of　violated
hospitality；　who　will　one　day　destroy　your　city；　you　stole　my　wedded
wife　and　wickedly　carried　off　much　treasure　when　you　were　her　guest；
and　now　you　would　fling　fire　upon　our　ships；　and　kill　our　heroes。　A
day　will　come　when；　rage　as　you　may；　you　shall　be　stayed。　O　father
Jove；　you；　who　they　say　art　above　all　both　gods　and　men　in　wisdom；　and
from　whom　all　things　that　befall　us　do　proceed；　how　can　you　thus
favour　the　Trojans…　men　so　proud　and　overweening；　that　they　are
never　tired　of　fighting？　All　things　pall　after　a　while…　sleep；　love；
sweet　song；　and　stately　dance…　still　these　are　things　of　which　a　man
would　surely　have　his　fill　rather　than　of　battle；　whereas　it　is　of
battle　that　the　Trojans　are　insatiate。〃
　　So　saying　Menelaus　stripped　the　blood…stained　armour　from　the　body
of　Pisander；　and　handed　it　over　to　his　men；　then　he　again　ranged
himself　among　those　who　were　in　the　front　of　the　fight。
　　Harpalion　son　of　King　Pylaemenes　then　sprang　upon　him；　he　had　come
to　fight　at　Troy　along　with　his　father；　but　he　did　not　go　home
again。　He　struck　the　middle　of　Menelaus's　shield　with　his　spear　but
could　not　pierce　it；　and　to　save　his　life　drew　back　under　cover　of　his
men；　looking　round　him　on　every　side　lest　he　should　be　wounded。　But
Meriones　aimed　a　bronze…tipped　arrow　at　him　as　he　was　leaving　the
field；　and　hit　him　on　the　right　buttock；　the　arrow　pierced　the　bone
through　and　through；　and　penetrated　the　bladder；　so　he　sat　down
where　he　was　and　breathed　his　last　in　the　arms　of　his　comrades；
stretched　like　a　worm　upon　the　ground　and　watering　the　earth　with
the　blood　that　flowed　from　his　wound。　The　brave　Paphlagonians　tended
him　with　all　due　care；　they　raised　him　into　his　chariot；　and　bore
him　sadly　off　to　the　city　of　Troy；　his　father　went　also　with　him
weeping　bitterly；　but　there　was　no　ransom　that　could　bring　his　dead
son　to　life　again。
　　Paris　was　deeply　grieved　by　the　death　of　Harpalion；　who　was　his　host
when　he　went　among　the　Paphlagonians；　he　aimed　an　arrow；　therefore；　in
order　to　avenge　him。　Now　there　was　a　certain　man　named　Euchenor；　son
of　Polyidus　the　prophet；　a　brave　man　and　wealthy；　whose　home　was　in
Corinth。　This　Euchenor　had　set　sail　for　Troy　well　knowing　that　it
would　be　the　death　of　him；　for　his　good　old　father　Polyidus　had
often　told　him　that　he　must　either　stay　at　home　and　die　of　a
terrible　disease；　or　go　with　the　Achaeans　and　perish　at　the　hands　of
the　Trojans；　he　chose；　therefore；　to　avoid　incurring　the　heavy　fine
the　Achaeans　would　have　laid　upon　him；　and　at　the　same　time　to
escape　the　pain　and　suffering　of　disease。　Paris　now　smote　him　on　the
jaw　under　his　ear；　whereon　the　life　went　out　of　him　and　he　was
enshrouded　in　the　darkness　of　death。
　　Thus　then　did　they　fight　as　it　were　a　flaming　fire。　But　Hector　had
not　yet　heard；　and　did　not　know　that　the　Argives　were　making　havoc
of　his　men　on　the　left　wing　of　the　battle；　where　the　Achaeans　ere　long
would　have　triumphed　over　them；　so　vigorously　did　Neptune　cheer　them
on　and　help　them。　He　therefore　held　on　at　the　point　where　he　had　first
forced　his　way　through　the　gates　and　the　wall；　after　breaking
through　the　serried　ranks　of　Danaan　warriors。　It　was　here　that　the
ships　of　Ajax　and　Protesilaus　were　drawn　up　by　the　sea…shore；　here　the
wall　was　at　its　lowest；　and　the　fight　both　of　man　and　horse　raged　most
fiercely。　The　Boeotians　and　the　Ionians　with　their　long　tunics；　the
Locrians；　the　men　of　Phthia；　and　the　famous　force　of　the　Epeans
could　hardly　stay　Hector　as　he　rushed　on　towards　the　ships；　nor
could　they　drive　him　from　them；　for　he　was　as　a　wall　of　fire。　The
chosen　men　of　the　Athenians　were　in　the　van；　led　by　Menestheus　son
of　Peteos；　with　whom　were　also　Pheidas；　Stichius；　and　stalwart　Bias：
Meges　son　of　Phyleus；　Amphion；　and　Dracius　commanded　the　Epeans；　while
Medon　and　staunch　Podarces　led　the　men　of　Phthia。　Of　these；　Medon
was　bastard　son　to　Oileus　and　brother　of　Ajax；　but　he　lived　in　Phylace
away　from　his　own　country；　for　he　had　killed　the　brother　of　his
stepmother　Eriopis；　the　wife　of　Oileus；　the　other；　Podarces；　was　the
son　of　Iphiclus　son　of　Phylacus。　These　two　stood　in　the　van　of　the
Phthians；　and　defended　the　ships　along　with　the　Boeotians。
　　Ajax　son　of　Oileus　never　for　a　moment　left　the　side　of　Ajax　son　of
Telamon；　but　as　two　swart　oxen　both　strain　their　utmost　at　the
plough　which　they　are　drawing　in　a　fallow　field；　and　the　sweat
steams　upwards　from　about　the　roots　of　their　horns…　nothing　but　the
yoke　divides　them　as　they　break　up　the　ground　till　they　reach　the
end　of　the　field…　even　so　did　the　two　Ajaxes　stand　shoulder　to
shoulder　by　one　another。　Many　and　brave　comrades　followed　the　son　of
Telamon；　to　relieve　him　of　his　shield　when　he　was　overcome　with
sweat　and　toil；　but　the　Locrians　did　not　follow　so　close　after　the　son
of　Oileus；　for　they　could　not　hold　their　own　in　a　hand…to…hand
fight。　They　had　no　bronze　helmets　with　plumes　of　horse…hair；　neither
had　they　shields　nor　ashen　spears；　but　they　had　come　to　Troy　armed
with　bows；　and　with　slings　of　twisted　wool　from　which　they　showered
their　missiles　to　break　the　ranks　of　the　Trojans。　The　others；
therefore；　with　their　heavy　armour　bore　the　brunt　of　the　fight　with
the　Trojans　and　with　Hector；　while　the　Locrians　shot　from　behind；
under　their　cover；　and　thus　the　Trojans　began　to　lose　heart；　for　the
arrows　threw　them　into　confusion。
　　The　Trojans　would　now　have　been　driven　in　sorry　plight　from　the
ships　and　tents　back　to　windy　Ilius；　had　not　Polydamas　presently
said　to　Hector；　〃Hector；　there　is　no　persuading　you　to　take　advice。
Because　heaven　has　so　richly　endowed　you　with　the　arts　of　war；　you
think　that　you　must　therefore　excel　others　in　counsel；　but　you
cannot　thus　claim　preeminence　in　all　things。　Heaven　has　made　one　man
an　excellent　soldier；　of　another　it　has　made　a　dancer　or　a　singer
and　player　on　the　lyre；　while　yet　in　another　Jove　has　implanted　a　wise
understanding　of　which　men　reap　fruit　to　the　saving　of　many；　and　he
himself　knows　more　about　it　than　any　one；　therefore　I　will　say　what
I　think　will　be　best。　The　fight　has　hemmed　you　in　as　with　a　circle
of　fire；　and　even