the iliad(伊利亚特)-第78章

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dwell　below　and　take　vengeance　on　him　who　shall　swear　falsely；　that
I　have　laid　no　hand　upon　the　girl　Briseis；　neither　to　take　her　to　my
bed　nor　otherwise；　but　that　she　has　remained　in　my　tents　inviolate。　If
I　swear　falsely　may　heaven　visit　me　with　all　the　penalties　which　it
metes　out　to　those　who　perjure　themselves。〃
　　He　cut　the　boar's　throat　as　he　spoke；　whereon　Talthybius　whirled
it　round　his　head；　and　flung　it　into　the　wide　sea　to　feed　the
fishes。　Then　Achilles　also　rose　and　said　to　the　Argives；　〃Father　Jove；
of　a　truth　you　blind　men's　eyes　and　bane　them。　The　son　of　Atreus　had
not　else　stirred　me　to　so　fierce　an　anger；　nor　so　stubbornly　taken
Briseis　from　me　against　my　will。　Surely　Jove　must　have　counselled
the　destruction　of　many　an　Argive。　Go；　now；　and　take　your　food　that　we
may　begin　fighting。〃
　　On　this　he　broke　up　the　assembly；　and　every　man　went　back　to　his　own
ship。　The　Myrmidons　attended　to　the　presents　and　took　them　away　to　the
ship　of　Achilles。　They　placed　them　in　his　tents；　while　the
stable…men　drove　the　horses　in　among　the　others。
　　Briseis；　fair　as　Venus；　when　she　saw　the　mangled　body　of
Patroclus；　flung　herself　upon　it　and　cried　aloud；　tearing　her
breast；　her　neck；　and　her　lovely　face　with　both　her　hands。　Beautiful
as　a　goddess　she　wept　and　said；　〃Patroclus；　dearest　friend；　when　I
went　hence　I　left　you　living；　I　return；　O　prince；　to　find　you　dead；
thus　do　fresh　sorrows　multiply　upon　me　one　after　the　other。　I　saw
him　to　whom　my　father　and　mother　married　me；　cut　down　before　our　city；
and　my　three　own　dear　brothers　perished　with　him　on　the　self…same　day；
but　you；　Patroclus；　even　when　Achilles　slew　my　husband　and　sacked
the　city　of　noble　Mynes；　told　me　that　I　was　not　to　weep；　for　you
said　you　would　make　Achilles　marry　me；　and　take　me　back　with　him　to
Phthia；　we　should　have　a　wedding　feast　among　the　Myrmidons。　You　were
always　kind　to　me　and　I　shall　never　cease　to　grieve　for　you。〃
　　She　wept　as　she　spoke；　and　the　women　joined　in　her　lament…making
as　though　their　tears　were　for　Patroclus；　but　in　truth　each　was
weeping　for　her　own　sorrows。　The　elders　of　the　Achaeans　gathered　round
Achilles　and　prayed　him　to　take　food；　but　he　groaned　and　would　not
do　so。　〃I　pray　you；〃　said　he；　〃if　any　comrade　will　hear　me；　bid　me
neither　eat　nor　drink；　for　I　am　in　great　heaviness；　and　will　stay
fasting　even　to　the　going　down　of　the　sun。〃
　　On　this　he　sent　the　other　princes　away；　save　only　the　two　sons　of
Atreus　and　Ulysses；　Nestor；　Idomeneus；　and　the　knight　Phoenix；　who
stayed　behind　and　tried　to　comfort　him　in　the　bitterness　of　his
sorrow：　but　he　would　not　be　comforted　till　he　should　have　flung
himself　into　the　jaws　of　battle；　and　he　fetched　sigh　on　sigh；　thinking
ever　of　Patroclus。　Then　he　said…
　　〃Hapless　and　dearest　comrade；　you　it　was　who　would　get　a　good　dinner
ready　for　me　at　once　and　without　delay　when　the　Achaeans　were
hasting　to　fight　the　Trojans；　now；　therefore；　though　I　have　meat　and
drink　in　my　tents；　yet　will　I　fast　for　sorrow。　Grief　greater　than　this
I　could　not　know；　not　even　though　I　were　to　hear　of　the　death　of　my
father；　who　is　now　in　Phthia　weeping　for　the　loss　of　me　his　son；　who
am　here　fighting　the　Trojans　in　a　strange　land　for　the　accursed　sake
of　Helen；　nor　yet　though　I　should　hear　that　my　son　is　no　more…　he
who　is　being　brought　up　in　Scyros…　if　indeed　Neoptolemus　is　still
living。　Till　now　I　made　sure　that　I　alone　was　to　fall　here　at　Troy
away　from　Argos；　while　you　were　to　return　to　Phthia；　bring　back　my　son
with　you　in　your　own　ship；　and　show　him　all　my　property；　my
bondsmen；　and　the　greatness　of　my　house…　for　Peleus　must　surely　be
either　dead；　or　what　little　life　remains　to　him　is　oppressed　alike
with　the　infirmities　of　age　and　ever　present　fear　lest　he　should
hear　the　sad　tidings　of　my　death。〃
　　He　wept　as　he　spoke；　and　the　elders　sighed　in　concert　as　each
thought　on　what　he　had　left　at　home　behind　him。　The　son　of　Saturn
looked　down　with　pity　upon　them；　and　said　presently　to　Minerva；　〃My
child；　you　have　quite　deserted　your　hero；　is　he　then　gone　so　clean　out
of　your　recollection？　There　he　sits　by　the　ships　all　desolate　for
the　loss　of　his　dear　comrade；　and　though　the　others　are　gone　to
their　dinner　he　will　neither　eat　nor　drink。　Go　then　and　drop　nectar
and　ambrosia　into　his　breast；　that　he　may　know　no　hunger。〃
　　With　these　words　he　urged　Minerva；　who　was　already　of　the　same　mind。
She　darted　down　from　heaven　into　the　air　like　some　falcon　sailing　on
his　broad　wings　and　screaming。　Meanwhile　the　Achaeans　were　arming
throughout　the　host；　and　when　Minerva　had　dropped　nectar　and
ambrosia　into　Achilles　so　that　no　cruel　hunger　should　cause　his
limbs　to　fail　him；　she　went　back　to　the　house　of　her　mighty　father。
Thick　as　the　chill　snow…flakes　shed　from　the　hand　of　Jove　and　borne　on
the　keen　blasts　of　the　north　wind；　even　so　thick　did　the　gleaming
helmets；　the　bossed　shields；　the　strongly　plated　breastplates；　and　the
ashen　spears　stream　from　the　ships。　The　sheen　pierced　the　sky；　the
whole　land　was　radiant　with　their　flashing　armour；　and　the　sound　of
the　tramp　of　their　treading　rose　from　under　their　feet。　In　the　midst
of　them　all　Achilles　put　on　his　armour；　he　gnashed　his　teeth；　his　eyes
gleamed　like　fire；　for　his　grief　was　greater　than　he　could　bear。　Thus；
then；　full　of　fury　against　the　Trojans；　did　he　don　the　gift　of　the
god；　the　armour　that　Vulcan　had　made　him。
　　First　he　put　on　the　goodly　greaves　fitted　with　ancle…clasps；　and
next　he　did　on　the　breastplate　about　his　chest。　He　slung　the
silver…studded　sword　of　bronze　about　his　shoulders；　and　then　took　up
the　shield　so　great　and　strong　that　shone　afar　with　a　splendour　as
of　the　moon。　As　the　light　seen　by　sailors　from　out　at　sea；　when　men
have　lit　a　fire　in　their　homestead　high　up　among　the　mountains；　but
the　sailors　are　carried　out　to　sea　by　wind　and　storm　far　from　the
haven　where　they　would　be…　even　so　did　the　gleam　of　Achilles'　wondrous
shield　strike　up　into　the　heavens。　He　lifted　the　redoubtable　helmet；
and　set　it　upon　his　head；　from　whence　it　shone　like　a　star；　and　the
golden　plumes　which　Vulcan　had　set　thick　about　the　ridge　of　the
helmet；　waved　all　around　it。　Then　Achilles　made　trial　of　himself　in
his　armour　to　see　whether　it　fitted　him；　so　that　his　limbs　could
play　freely　under　it；　and　it　seemed　to　buoy　him　up　as　though　it　had
been　wings。
　　He　also　drew　his　father's　spear　out　of　the　spear…stand；　a　spear　so
great　and　heavy　and　strong　that　none　of　the　Achaeans　save　only
Achilles　had　strength　to　wield　it；　this　was　the　spear　of　Pelian　ash
from　the　topmost　ridges　of　Mt。　Pelion；　which　Chiron　had　once　given
to　Peleus；　fraught　with　the　death　of　heroes。　Automedon　and　Alcimus
busied　themselves　with　the　harnessing　of　his　horses；　they　made　the
bands　fast　about　them；　and　put　the　bit　in　their　mouths；　drawing　the
reins　back　towards　the　chariot。　Automedon；　whip　in　hand；　sprang　up
behind　the　horses；　and　after　him　Achilles　mounted　in　full　armour；
resplendent　as　the　sun…god　Hyperion。　Then　with　a　loud　voice　he
chided　with　his　father's　horses　saying；　〃Xanthus　and　Balius；　famed
offspring　of　Podarge…　this　time　when　we　have　done　fighting　be　sure　and
bring　your　driver　safely　back　to　the　host　of　the　Achaeans；　and　do
not　leave　him　dead　on　the　plain　as　you　did　Patroclus。〃
　　Then　fleet　Xanthus　answered　under　the　yoke…　for　white…armed　Juno　had
endowed　him　with　human　speech…　and　he　bowed　his　head　till　his　mane
touched　the　ground　as　it　hung　down　from　under　the　yoke…band。　〃Dread
Achilles；〃　said　he；　〃we　will　indeed　save　you　now；　but　the　day　of
your　death　is　near；　and　the　blame　will　not　be　ours；　for　it　will　be
heaven　and　stern　fate　that　will　destroy　you。　Neither　was　it　through
any　sloth　or　slackness　on　our　part　that　the　Trojans　stripped　Patroclus
of　his　armour；　it　was　the　mighty　god　whom　lovely　Leto　bore　that　slew
him　as　he　fought　among　the　foremost；　and　vouchsafed　a　triumph　to
Hector。　We　two　can　fly　as　swiftly　as　Zephyrus　who　they　say　is　fleetest
of　all　winds；　nevertheless　it　is　your　doom　to　fall　by　the　hand　of　a
man　and　of　a　god。〃
　　When　he　had　thus　said　the　Erinyes　stayed　his　speech；　and　Achilles
answered　him　in　great　sadness；　saying；　〃Why；　O　Xanthus；　do　you　thus
foretell　my　dea