the iliad(伊利亚特)-第58章

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many…fountained　Ida；　mother　of　wild　beasts；　they　found　Jove　seated
on　topmost　Gargarus　with　a　fragrant　cloud　encircling　his　head　as
with　a　diadem。　They　stood　before　his　presence；　and　he　was　pleased　with
them　for　having　been　so　quick　in　obeying　the　orders　his　wife　had　given
them。
　　He　spoke　to　Iris　first。　〃Go；〃　said　he；　〃fleet　Iris；　tell　King
Neptune　what　I　now　bid　you…　and　tell　him　true。　Bid　him　leave　off
fighting；　and　either　join　the　company　of　the　gods；　or　go　down　into　the
sea。　If　he　takes　no　heed　and　disobeys　me；　let　him　consider　well
whether　he　is　strong　enough　to　hold　his　own　against　me　if　I　attack
him。　I　am　older　and　much　stronger　than　he　is；　yet　he　is　not　afraid
to　set　himself　up　as　on　a　level　with　myself；　of　whom　all　the　other
gods　stand　in　awe。〃
　　Iris；　fleet　as　the　wind；　obeyed　him；　and　as　the　cold　hail　or
snowflakes　that　fly　from　out　the　clouds　before　the　blast　of　Boreas；
even　so　did　she　wing　her　way　till　she　came　close　up　to　the　great
shaker　of　the　earth。　Then　she　said；　〃I　have　come；　O　dark…haired　king
that　holds　the　world　in　his　embrace；　to　bring　you　a　message　from　Jove。
He　bids　you　leave　off　fighting；　and　either　join　the　company　of　the
gods　or　go　down　into　the　sea；　if；　however；　you　take　no　heed　and
disobey　him；　he　says　he　will　come　down　here　and　fight　you。　He　would
have　you　keep　out　of　his　reach；　for　he　is　older　and　much　stronger　than
you　are；　and　yet　you　are　not　afraid　to　set　yourself　up　as　on　a　level
with　himself；　of　whom　all　the　other　gods　stand　in　awe。〃
　　Neptune　was　very　angry　and　said；　〃Great　heavens！　strong　as　Jove
may　be；　he　has　said　more　than　he　can　do　if　he　has　threatened
violence　against　me；　who　am　of　like　honour　with　himself。　We　were　three
brothers　whom　Rhea　bore　to　Saturn…　Jove；　myself；　and　Hades　who　rules
the　world　below。　Heaven　and　earth　were　divided　into　three　parts；　and
each　of　us　was　to　have　an　equal　share。　When　we　cast　lots；　it　fell　to
me　to　have　my　dwelling　in　the　sea　for　evermore；　Hades　took　the
darkness　of　the　realms　under　the　earth；　while　air　and　sky　and　clouds
were　the　portion　that　fell　to　Jove；　but　earth　and　great　Olympus　are
the　common　property　of　all。　Therefore　I　will　not　walk　as　Jove　would
have　me。　For　all　his　strength；　let　him　keep　to　his　own　third　share　and
be　contented　without　threatening　to　lay　hands　upon　me　as　though　I　were
nobody。　Let　him　keep　his　bragging　talk　for　his　own　sons　and　daughters；
who　must　perforce　obey　him。
　　Iris　fleet　as　the　wind　then　answered；　〃Am　I　really；　Neptune；　to　take
this　daring　and　unyielding　message　to　Jove；　or　will　you　reconsider
your　answer？　Sensible　people　are　open　to　argument；　and　you　know　that
the　Erinyes　always　range　themselves　on　the　side　of　the　older　person。〃
　　Neptune　answered；　〃Goddess　Iris；　your　words　have　been　spoken　in
season。　It　is　well　when　a　messenger　shows　so　much　discretion。
Nevertheless　it　cuts　me　to　the　very　heart　that　any　one　should　rebuke
so　angrily　another　who　is　his　own　peer；　and　of　like　empire　with
himself。　Now；　however；　I　will　give　way　in　spite　of　my　displeasure；
furthermore　let　me　tell　you；　and　I　mean　what　I　say…　if　contrary　to　the
desire　of　myself；　Minerva　driver　of　the　spoil；　Juno；　Mercury；　and　King
Vulcan；　Jove　spares　steep　Ilius；　and　will　not　let　the　Achaeans　have
the　great　triumph　of　sacking　it；　let　him　understand　that　he　will　incur
our　implacable　resentment。〃
　　Neptune　now　left　the　field　to　go　down　under　the　sea；　and　sorely
did　the　Achaeans　miss　him。　Then　Jove　said　to　Apollo；　〃Go；　dear
Phoebus；　to　Hector；　for　Neptune　who　holds　the　earth　in　his　embrace　has
now　gone　down　under　the　sea　to　avoid　the　severity　of　my　displeasure。
Had　he　not　done　so　those　gods　who　are　below　with　Saturn　would　have
come　to　hear　of　the　fight　between　us。　It　is　better　for　both　of　us　that
he　should　have　curbed　his　anger　and　kept　out　of　my　reach；　for　I　should
have　had　much　trouble　with　him。　Take；　then；　your　tasselled　aegis；
and　shake　it　furiously；　so　as　to　set　the　Achaean　heroes　in　a　panic；
take；　moreover；　brave　Hector；　O　Far…Darter；　into　your　own　care；　and
rouse　him　to　deeds　of　daring；　till　the　Achaeans　are　sent　flying　back
to　their　ships　and　to　the　Hellespont。　From　that　point　I　will　think
it　well　over；　how　the　Achaeans　may　have　a　respite　from　their
troubles。〃
　　Apollo　obeyed　his　father's　saying；　and　left　the　crests　of　Ida；
flying　like　a　falcon；　bane　of　doves　and　swiftest　of　all　birds。　He
found　Hector　no　longer　lying　upon　the　ground；　but　sitting　up；　for　he
had　just　come　to　himself　again。　He　knew　those　who　were　about　him；
and　the　sweat　and　hard　breathing　had　left　him　from　the　moment　when　the
will　of　aegis…bearing　Jove　had　revived　him。　Apollo　stood　beside　him
and　said；　〃Hector；　son　of　Priam；　why　are　you　so　faint；　and　why　are　you
here　away　from　the　others？　Has　any　mishap　befallen　you？〃
　　Hector　in　a　weak　voice　answered；　〃And　which；　kind　sir；　of　the　gods
are　you；　who　now　ask　me　thus？　Do　you　not　know　that　Ajax　struck　me　on
the　chest　with　a　stone　as　I　was　killing　his　comrades　at　the　ships　of
the　Achaeans；　and　compelled　me　to　leave　off　fighting？　I　made　sure　that
this　very　day　I　should　breathe　my　last　and　go　down　into　the　house　of
Hades。〃
　　Then　King　Apollo　said　to　him；　〃Take　heart；　the　son　of　Saturn　has
sent　you　a　mighty　helper　from　Ida　to　stand　by　you　and　defend　you；　even
me；　Phoebus　Apollo　of　the　golden　sword；　who　have　been　guardian
hitherto　not　only　of　yourself　but　of　your　city。　Now；　therefore；
order　your　horsemen　to　drive　their　chariots　to　the　ships　in　great
multitudes。　I　will　go　before　your　horses　to　smooth　the　way　for　them；
and　will　turn　the　Achaeans　in　flight。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　infused　great　strength　into　the　shepherd　of　his
people。　And　as　a　horse；　stabled　and　full…fed；　breaks　loose　and　gallops
gloriously　over　the　plain　to　the　place　where　he　is　wont　to　take　his
bath　in　the　river…　he　tosses　his　head；　and　his　mane　streams　over　his
shoulders　as　in　all　the　pride　of　his　strength　he　flies　full　speed　to
the　pastures　where　the　mares　are　feeding…　even　so　Hector；　when　he
heard　what　the　god　said；　urged　his　horsemen　on；　and　sped　forward　as
fast　as　his　limbs　could　take　him。　As　country　peasants　set　their　hounds
on　to　a　homed　stag　or　wild　goat…　he　has　taken　shelter　under　rock　or
thicket；　and　they　cannot　find　him；　but；　lo；　a　bearded　lion　whom
their　shouts　have　roused　stands　in　their　path；　and　they　are　in　no
further　humour　for　the　chase…　even　so　the　Achaeans　were　still　charging
on　in　a　body；　using　their　swords　and　spears　pointed　at　both　ends；
but　when　they　saw　Hector　going　about　among　his　men　they　were　afraid；
and　their　hearts　fell　down　into　their　feet。
　　Then　spoke　Thoas　son　of　Andraemon；　leader　of　the　Aetolians；　a　man
who　could　throw　a　good　throw；　and　who　was　staunch　also　in　close　fight；
while　few　could　surpass　him　in　debate　when　opinions　were　divided。　He
then　with　all　sincerity　and　goodwill　addressed　them　thus：　〃What；　in
heaven's　name；　do　I　now　see？　Is　it　not　Hector　come　to　life　again？
Every　one　made　sure　he　had　been　killed　by　Ajax　son　of　Telamon；　but
it　seems　that　one　of　the　gods　has　again　rescued　him。　He　has　killed
many　of　us　Danaans　already；　and　I　take　it　will　yet　do　so；　for　the　hand
of　Jove　must　be　with　him　or　he　would　never　dare　show　himself　so
masterful　in　the　forefront　of　the　battle。　Now；　therefore；　let　us　all
do　as　I　say；　let　us　order　the　main　body　of　our　forces　to　fall　back
upon　the　ships；　but　let　those　of　us　who　profess　to　be　the　flower　of
the　army　stand　firm；　and　see　whether　we　cannot　hold　Hector　back　at　the
point　of　our　spears　as　soon　as　he　comes　near　us；　I　conceive　that　he
will　then　think　better　of　it　before　he　tries　to　charge　into　the
press　of　the　Danaans。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　did　even　as　he　had　said。　Those　who
were　about　Ajax　and　King　Idomeneus；　the　followers　moreover　of
Teucer；　Meriones；　and　Meges　peer　of　Mars　called　all　their　best　men
about　them　and　sustained　the　fight　against　Hector　and　the　Trojans；　but
the　main　body　fell　back　upon　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。
　　The　Trojans　pressed　forward　in　a　dense　body；　with　Hector　striding　on
at　their　head。　Before　him　went　Phoebus　Apollo　shrouded　in　cloud
about　his　shoulders。　He　bore　aloft　the　terrible　aegis　with　its
shaggy　fringe；　which　Vulcan　the　smith　had　given　Jove　to　strike
terror　i