the iliad(伊利亚特)-第79章

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　　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　death？　You　need　not　do　so；　for　I　well　know　that　I　am　to
fall　here；　far　from　my　dear　father　and　mother；　none　the　more；　however；
shall　I　stay　my　hand　till　I　have　given　the　Trojans　their　fill　of
fighting。〃
　　So　saying；　with　a　loud　cry　he　drove　his　horses　to　the　front。



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　　THUS；　then；　did　the　Achaeans　arm　by　their　ships　round　you；　O　son
of　Peleus；　who　were　hungering　for　battle；　while　the　Trojans　over
against　them　armed　upon　the　rise　of　the　plain。
　　Meanwhile　Jove　from　the　top　of　many…delled　Olympus；　bade　Themis
gather　the　gods　in　council；　whereon　she　went　about　and　called　them
to　the　house　of　Jove。　There　was　not　a　river　absent　except　Oceanus；　nor
a　single　one　of　the　nymphs　that　haunt　fair　groves；　or　springs　of
rivers　and　meadows　of　green　grass。　When　they　reached　the　house　of
cloud…compelling　Jove；　they　took　their　seats　in　the　arcades　of
polished　marble　which　Vulcan　with　his　consummate　skill　had　made　for
father　Jove。
　　In　such　wise；　therefore；　did　they　gather　in　the　house　of　Jove。
Neptune　also；　lord　of　the　earthquake；　obeyed　the　call　of　the
goddess；　and　came　up　out　of　the　sea　to　join　them。　There；　sitting　in
the　midst　of　them；　he　asked　what　Jove's　purpose　might　be。　〃Why；〃
said　he；　〃wielder　of　the　lightning；　have　you　called　the　gods　in
council？　Are　you　considering　some　matter　that　concerns　the　Trojans　and
Achaeans…　for　the　blaze　of　battle　is　on　the　point　of　being　kindled
between　them？〃
　　And　Jove　answered；　〃You　know　my　purpose；　shaker　of　earth；　and
wherefore　I　have　called　you　hither。　I　take　thought　for　them　even　in
their　destruction。　For　my　own　part　I　shall　stay　here　seated　on　Mt。
Olympus　and　look　on　in　peace；　but　do　you　others　go　about　among　Trojans
and　Achaeans；　and　help　either　side　as　you　may　be　severally　disposed。
If　Achilles　fights　the　Trojans　without　hindrance　they　will　make　no
stand　against　him；　they　have　ever　trembled　at　the　sight　of　him；　and
now　that　he　is　roused　to　such　fury　about　his　comrade；　he　will　override
fate　itself　and　storm　their　city。〃
　　Thus　spoke　Jove　and　gave　the　word　for　war；　whereon　the　gods　took
their　several　sides　and　went　into　battle。　Juno；　Pallas　Minerva；
earth…encircling　Neptune；　Mercury　bringer　of　good　luck　and　excellent
in　all　cunning…　all　these　joined　the　host　that　came　from　the　ships；
with　them　also　came　Vulcan　in　all　his　glory；　limping；　but　yet　with　his
thin　legs　plying　lustily　under　him。　Mars　of　gleaming　helmet　joined　the
Trojans；　and　with　him　Apollo　of　locks　unshorn；　and　the　archer
goddess　Diana；　Leto；　Xanthus；　and　laughter…loving　Venus。
　　So　long　as　the　gods　held　themselves　aloof　from　mortal　warriors　the
Achaeans　were　triumphant；　for　Achilles　who　had　long　refused　to　fight
was　now　with　them。　There　was　not　a　Trojan　but　his　limbs　failed　him　for
fear　as　he　beheld　the　fleet　son　of　Peleus　all　glorious　in　his
armour；　and　looking　like　Mars　himself。　When；　however；　the　Olympians
came　to　take　their　part　among　men；　forthwith　uprose　strong　Strife；
rouser　of　hosts；　and　Minerva　raised　her　loud　voice；　now　standing　by
the　deep　trench　that　ran　outside　the　wall；　and　now　shouting　with　all
her　might　upon　the　shore　of　the　sounding　sea。　Mars　also　bellowed　out
upon　the　other　side；　dark　as　some　black　thunder…cloud；　and　called　on
the　Trojans　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　now　from　the　acropolis；　and　now
speeding　up　the　side　of　the　river　Simois　till　he　came　to　the　hill
Callicolone。
　　Thus　did　the　gods　spur　on　both　hosts　to　fight；　and　rouse　fierce
contention　also　among　themselves。　The　sire　of　gods　and　men　thundered
from　heaven　above；　while　from　beneath　Neptune　shook　the　vast　earth；
and　bade　the　high　hills　tremble。　The　spurs　and　crests　of
many…fountained　Ida　quaked；　as　also　the　city　of　the　Trojans　and　the
ships　of　the　Achaeans。　Hades；　king　of　the　realms　below；　was　struck
with　fear；　he　sprang　panic…stricken　from　his　throne　and　cried　aloud　in
terror　lest　Neptune；　lord　of　the　earthquake；　should　crack　the　ground
over　his　head；　and　lay　bare　his　mouldy　mansions　to　the　sight　of
mortals　and　immortals…　mansions　so　ghastly　grim　that　even　the　gods
shudder　to　think　of　them。　Such　was　the　uproar　as　the　gods　came
together　in　battle。　Apollo　with　his　arrows　took　his　stand　to　face　King
Neptune；　while　Minerva　took　hers　against　the　god　of　war；　the

archer…goddess　Diana　with　her　golden　arrows；　sister　of　far…darting
Apollo；　stood　to　face　Juno；　Mercury　the　lusty　bringer　of　good　luck
faced　Leto；　while　the　mighty　eddying　river　whom　men　can　Scamander；　but
gods　Xanthus；　matched　himself　against　Vulcan。
　　The　gods；　then；　were　thus　ranged　against　one　another。　But　the
heart　of　Achilles　was　set　on　meeting　Hector　son　of　Priam；　for　it　was
with　his　blood　that　he　longed　above　all　things　else　to　glut　the
stubborn　lord　of　battle。　Meanwhile　Apollo　set　Aeneas　on　to　attack
the　son　of　Peleus；　and　put　courage　into　his　heart；　speaking　with　the
voice　of　Lycaon　son　of　Priam。　In　his　likeness　therefore；　he　said　to
Aeneas；　〃Aeneas；　counsellor　of　the　Trojans；　where　are　now　the　brave
words　with　which　you　vaunted　over　your　wine　before　the　Trojan　princes；
saying　that　you　would　fight　Achilles　son　of　Peleus　in　single　combat？〃
　　And　Aeneas　answered；　〃Why　do　you　thus　bid　me　fight　the　proud　son
of　Peleus；　when　I　am　in　no　mind　to　do　so？　Were　I　to　face　him　now；　it
would　not　be　for　the　first　time。　His　spear　has　already　put　me　to　Right
from　Ida；　when　he　attacked　our　cattle　and　sacked　Lyrnessus　and
Pedasus；　Jove　indeed　saved　me　in　that　he　vouchsafed　me　strength　to
fly；　else　had　the　fallen　by　the　hands　of　Achilles　and　Minerva；　who
went　before　him　to　protect　him　and　urged　him　to　fall　upon　the
Lelegae　and　Trojans。　No　man　may　fight　Achilles；　for　one　of　the　gods　is
always　with　him　as　his　guardian　angel；　and　even　were　it　not　so；　his
weapon　flies　ever　straight；　and　fails　not　to　pierce　the　flesh　of　him
who　is　against　him；　if　heaven　would　let　me　fight　him　on　even　terms
he　should　not　soon　overcome　me；　though　he　boasts　that　he　is　made　of
bronze。〃
　　Then　said　King　Apollo；　son　to　Jove；　〃Nay；　hero；　pray　to　the
ever…living　gods；　for　men　say　that　you　were　born　of　Jove's　daughter
Venus；　whereas　Achilles　is　son　to　a　goddess　of　inferior　rank。　Venus　is
child　to　Jove；　while　Thetis　is　but　daughter　to　the　old　man　of　the　sea。
Bring；　therefore；　your　spear　to　bear　upon　him；　and　let　him　not　scare
you　with　his　taunts　and　menaces。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　put　courage　into　the　heart　of　the　shepherd　of　his
people；　and　he　strode　in　full　armour　among　the　ranks　of　the　foremost
fighters。　Nor　did　the　son　of　Anchises　escape　the　notice　of　white…armed
Juno；　as　he　went　forth　into　the　throng　to　meet　Achilles。　She　called
the　gods　about　her；　and　said；　〃Look　to　it；　you　two；　Neptune　and
Minerva；　and　consider　how　this　shall　be；　Phoebus　Apollo　has　been
sending　Aeneas　clad　in　full　armour　to　fight　Achilles。　Shall　we　turn
him　back　at　once；　or　shall　one　of　us　stand　by　Achilles　and　endow　him
with　strength　so　that　his　heart　fail　not；　and　he　may　learn　that　the
chiefs　of　the　immortals　are　on　his　side；　while　the　others　who　have　all
along　been　defending　the　Trojans　are　but　vain　helpers？　Let　us　all　come
down　from　Olympus　and　join　in　the　fight；　that　this　day　he　may　take
no　hurt　at　the　hands　of　the　Trojans。　Hereafter　let　him　suffer　whatever
fate　may　have　spun　out　for　him　when　he　was　begotten　and　his　mother
bore　him。　If　Achilles　be　not　thus　assured　by　the　voice　of　a　god；　he
may　come　to　fear　presently　when　one　of　us　meets　him　in　battle；　for　the
gods　are　terrible　if　they　are　seen　face　to　face。〃
　　Neptune　lord　of　the　earthquake　answered　her　saying；　〃Juno；
restrain　your　fury；　it　is　not　well；　I　am　not　in　favour　of　forcing
the　other　gods　to　fight　us；　for　the　advantage　is　too　greatly　on　our
own　side；　let　us　take　our　places　on　some　hill　out　of　the　beaten　track；
and　let　mortals　fight　it　out　among　themselves。　If　Mars　or　Phoebus
Apollo　begin　fighting；　or　keep　Achilles　in　check　so　that　he　cannot
fight；　we　too；　will　at　once　raise　the　cry　of　battle；　and　in　that
case　they　will　soon　leave　the　field　and　go　back　vanquished　to
Olympus　among　the　other　gods。〃
　　With　these　words　t