the iliad(伊利亚特)-第54章

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　　Then　Nestor　knight　of　Gerene　answered；　〃It　is　indeed　as　you　say；
it　is　all　coming　true　at　this　moment；　and　even　Jove　who　thunders
from　on　high　cannot　prevent　it。　Fallen　is　the　wall　on　which　we
relied　as　an　impregnable　bulwark　both　for　us　and　our　fleet。　The
Trojans　are　fighting　stubbornly　and　without　ceasing　at　the　ships；　look
where　you　may　you　cannot　see　from　what　quarter　the　rout　of　the
Achaeans　is　coming；　they　are　being　killed　in　a　confused　mass　and　the
battle…cry　ascends　to　heaven；　let　us　think；　if　counsel　can　be　of　any
use；　what　we　had　better　do；　but　I　do　not　advise　our　going　into
battle　ourselves；　for　a　man　cannot　fight　when　he　is　wounded。〃
　　And　King　Agamemnon　answered；　〃Nestor；　if　the　Trojans　are　indeed
fighting　at　the　rear　of　our　ships；　and　neither　the　wall　nor　the　trench
has　served　us…　over　which　the　Danaans　toiled　so　hard；　and　which　they
deemed　would　be　an　impregnable　bulwark　both　for　us　and　our　fleet…　I
see　it　must　be　the　will　of　Jove　that　the　Achaeans　should　perish
ingloriously　here；　far　from　Argos。　I　knew　when　Jove　was　willing　to
defend　us；　and　I　know　now　that　he　is　raising　the　Trojans　to　like
honour　with　the　gods；　while　us；　on　the　other　hand；　he　bas　bound　hand
and　foot。　Now；　therefore；　let　us　all　do　as　I　say；　let　us　bring　down
the　ships　that　are　on　the　beach　and　draw　them　into　the　water；　let　us
make　them　fast　to　their　mooring…stones　a　little　way　out；　against　the
fall　of　night…　if　even　by　night　the　Trojans　will　desist　from　fighting；
we　may　then　draw　down　the　rest　of　the　fleet。　There　is　nothing　wrong　in
flying　ruin　even　by　night。　It　is　better　for　a　man　that　he　should　fly
and　be　saved　than　be　caught　and　killed。〃
　　Ulysses　looked　fiercely　at　him　and　said；　〃Son　of　Atreus；　what　are
you　talking　about？　Wretch；　you　should　have　commanded　some　other　and
baser　army；　and　not　been　ruler　over　us　to　whom　Jove　has　allotted　a
life　of　hard　fighting　from　youth　to　old　age；　till　we　every　one　of　us
perish。　Is　it　thus　that　you　would　quit　the　city　of　Troy；　to　win
which　we　have　suffered　so　much　hardship？　Hold　your　peace；　lest　some
other　of　the　Achaeans　hear　you　say　what　no　man　who　knows　how　to　give
good　counsel；　no　king　over　so　great　a　host　as　that　of　the　Argives
should　ever　have　let　fall　from　his　lips。　I　despise　your　judgement
utterly　for　what　you　have　been　saying。　Would　you；　then；　have　us　draw
down　our　ships　into　the　water　while　the　battle　is　raging；　and　thus
play　further　into　the　hands　of　the　conquering　Trojans？　It　would　be
ruin；　the　Achaeans　will　not　go　on　fighting　when　they　see　the　ships
being　drawn　into　the　water；　but　will　cease　attacking　and　keep
turning　their　eyes　towards　them；　your　counsel；　therefore；　Sir　captain；
would　be　our　destruction。〃
　　Agamemnon　answered；　〃Ulysses；　your　rebuke　has　stung　me　to　the　heart。
I　am　not；　however；　ordering　the　Achaeans　to　draw　their　ships　into
the　sea　whether　they　will　or　no。　Some　one；　it　may　be；　old　or　young；
can　offer　us　better　counsel　which　I　shall　rejoice　to　hear。〃
　　Then　said　Diomed；　〃Such　an　one　is　at　hand；　he　is　not　far　to　seek；　if
you　will　listen　to　me　and　not　resent　my　speaking　though　I　am　younger
than　any　of　you。　I　am　by　lineage　son　to　a　noble　sire；　Tydeus；　who　lies
buried　at　Thebes。　For　Portheus　had　three　noble　sons；　two　of　whom；
Agrius　and　Melas；　abode　in　Pleuron　and　rocky　Calydon。　The　third　was
the　knight　Oeneus；　my　father's　father；　and　he　was　the　most　valiant
of　them　all。　Oeeneus　remained　in　his　own　country；　but　my　father　（as
Jove　and　the　other　gods　ordained　it）　migrated　to　Argos。　He　married
into　the　family　of　Adrastus；　and　his　house　was　one　of　great　abundance；
for　he　had　large　estates　of　rich　corn…growing　land；　with　much
orchard　ground　as　well；　and　he　had　many　sheep；　moreover　he　excelled
all　the　Argives　in　the　use　of　the　spear。　You　must　yourselves　have
heard　whether　these　things　are　true　or　no；　therefore　when　I　say　well
despise　not　my　words　as　though　I　were　a　coward　or　of　ignoble　birth。
I　say；　then；　let　us　go　to　the　fight　as　we　needs　must；　wounded　though
we　be。　When　there；　we　may　keep　out　of　the　battle　and　beyond　the
range　of　the　spears　lest　we　get　fresh　wounds　in　addition　to　what　we
have　already；　but　we　can　spur　on　others；　who　have　been　indulging　their
spleen　and　holding　aloof　from　battle　hitherto。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　whereon　they　did　even　as　he　had　said　and　set　out；
King　Agamemnon　leading　the　way。
　　Meanwhile　Neptune　had　kept　no　blind　look…out；　and　came　up　to　them　in
the　semblance　of　an　old　man。　He　took　Agamemnon's　right　hand　in　his　own
and　said；　〃Son　of　Atreus；　I　take　it　Achilles　is　glad　now　that　he
sees　the　Achaeans　routed　and　slain；　for　he　is　utterly　without　remorse…
may　he　come　to　a　bad　end　and　heaven　confound　him。　As　for　yourself；　the
blessed　gods　are　not　yet　so　bitterly　angry　with　you　but　that　the
princes　and　counsellors　of　the　Trojans　shall　again　raise　the　dust　upon
the　plain；　and　you　shall　see　them　flying　from　the　ships　and　tents
towards　their　city。〃
　　With　this　he　raised　a　mighty　cry　of　battle；　and　sped　forward　to
the　plain。　The　voice　that　came　from　his　deep　chest　was　as　that　of　nine
or　ten　thousand　men　when　they　are　shouting　in　the　thick　of　a　fight；
and　it　put　fresh　courage　into　the　hearts　of　the　Achaeans　to　wage　war
and　do　battle　without　ceasing。
　　Juno　of　the　golden　throne　looked　down　as　she　stood　upon　a　peak　of
Olympus　and　her　heart　was　gladdened　at　the　sight　of　him　who　was　at
once　her　brother　and　her　brother…in…law；　hurrying　hither　and　thither
amid　the　fighting。　Then　she　turned　her　eyes　to　Jove　as　he　sat　on　the
topmost　crests　of　many…fountained　Ida；　and　loathed　him。　She　set
herself　to　think　how　she　might　hoodwink　him；　and　in　the　end　she　deemed
that　it　would　be　best　for　her　to　go　to　Ida　and　array　herself　in　rich
attire；　in　the　hope　that　Jove　might　become　enamoured　of　her；　and
wish　to　embrace　her。　While　he　was　thus　engaged　a　sweet　and　careless
sleep　might　be　made　to　steal　over　his　eyes　and　senses。
　　She　went；　therefore；　to　the　room　which　her　son　Vulcan　had　made
her；　and　the　doors　of　which　he　had　cunningly　fastened　by　means　of　a
secret　key　so　that　no　other　god　could　open　them。　Here　she　entered
and　closed　the　doors　behind　her。　She　cleansed　all　the　dirt　from　her
fair　body　with　ambrosia；　then　she　anointed　herself　with　olive　oil；
ambrosial；　very　soft；　and　scented　specially　for　herself…　if　it　were　so
much　as　shaken　in　the　bronze…floored　house　of　Jove；　the　scent　pervaded
the　universe　of　heaven　and　earth。　With　this　she　anointed　her
delicate　skin；　and　then　she　plaited　the　fair　ambrosial　locks　that
flowed　in　a　stream　of　golden　tresses　from　her　immortal　head。　She　put
on　the　wondrous　robe　which　Minerva　had　worked　for　her　with
consummate　art；　and　had　embroidered　with　manifold　devices；　she
fastened　it　about　her　bosom　with　golden　clasps；　and　she　girded　herself
with　a　girdle　that　had　a　hundred　tassels：　then　she　fastened　her
earrings；　three　brilliant　pendants　that　glistened　most　beautifully；
through　the　pierced　lobes　of　her　ears；　and　threw　a　lovely　new　veil
over　her　head。　She　bound　her　sandals　on　to　her　feet；　and　when　she
had　arrayed　herself　perfectly　to　her　satisfaction；　she　left　her　room
and　called　Venus　to　come　aside　and　speak　to　her。　〃My　dear　child；〃　said
she；　〃will　you　do　what　I　am　going　to　ask　of　you；　or　will　refuse　me
because　you　are　angry　at　my　being　on　the　Danaan　side；　while　you　are　on
the　Trojan？〃
　　Jove's　daughter　Venus　answered；　〃Juno；　august　queen　of　goddesses；
daughter　of　mighty　Saturn；　say　what　you　want；　and　I　will　do　it　for
at　once；　if　I　can；　and　if　it　can　be　done　at　all。〃
　　Then　Juno　told　her　a　lying　tale　and　said；　〃I　want　you　to　endow　me
with　some　of　those　fascinating　charms；　the　spells　of　which　bring　all
things　mortal　and　immortal　to　your　feet。　I　am　going　to　the　world's　end
to　visit　Oceanus　（from　whom　all　we　gods　proceed）　and　mother　Tethys：
they　received　me　in　their　house；　took　care　of　me；　and　brought　me　up；
having　taken　me　over　from　Rhaea　when　Jove　imprisoned　great　Saturn　in
the　depths　that　are　under　earth　and　sea。　I　must　go　and　see　them　that　I
may　make　peace　between　them；　they　have　been　quarrelling；　and　are　so
angry　that　they　have　not　slept　with　one　another　this　long　while；　if
I　can　bring　them　round　and　restore　them　to　one　another's　embraces；
they