the iliad(伊利亚特)-第83章

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hands　before　the　city　of　Ilius…　and　of　all　Trojans　it　shall　fare
hardest　with　the　sons　of　Priam。　Therefore；　my　friend；　you　too　shall
die。　Why　should　you　whine　in　this　way？　Patroclus　fell；　and　he　was　a
better　man　than　you　are。　I　too…　see　you　not　how　I　am　great　and　goodly？
I　am　son　to　a　noble　father；　and　have　a　goddess　for　my　mother；　but
the　hands　of　doom　and　death　overshadow　me　all　as　surely。　The　day
will　come；　either　at　dawn　or　dark；　or　at　the　noontide；　when　one
shall　take　my　life　also　in　battle；　either　with　his　spear；　or　with　an
arrow　sped　from　his　bow。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　Lycaon's　heart　sank　within　him。　He　loosed　his
hold　of　the　spear；　and　held　out　both　hands　before　him；　but　Achilles
drew　his　keen　blade；　and　struck　him　by　the　collar…bone　on　his　neck；　he
plunged　his　two…edged　sword　into　him　to　the　very　hilt；　whereon　he
lay　at　full　length　on　the　ground；　with　the　dark　blood　welling　from　him
till　the　earth　was　soaked。　Then　Achilles　caught　him　by　the　foot　and
flung　him　into　the　river　to　go　down　stream；　vaunting　over　him　the
while；　and　saying；　〃Lie　there　among　the　fishes；　who　will　lick　the
blood　from　your　wound　and　gloat　over　it；　your　mother　shall　not　lay　you
on　any　bier　to　mourn　you；　but　the　eddies　of　Scamander　shall　bear　you
into　the　broad　bosom　of　the　sea。　There　shall　the　fishes　feed　on　the
fat　of　Lycaon　as　they　dart　under　the　dark　ripple　of　the　waters…　so
perish　all　of　you　till　we　reach　the　citadel　of　strong　Ilius…　you　in
flight；　and　I　following　after　to　destroy　you。　The　river　with　its　broad
silver　stream　shall　serve　you　in　no　stead；　for　all　the　bulls　you
offered　him　and　all　the　horses　that　you　flung　living　into　his
waters。　None　the　less　miserably　shall　you　perish　till　there　is　not　a
man　of　you　but　has　paid　in　full　for　the　death　of　Patroclus　and　the
havoc　you　wrought　among　the　Achaeans　whom　you　have　slain　while　I
held　aloof　from　battle。〃
　　So　spoke　Achilles；　but　the　river　grew　more　and　more　angry；　and
pondered　within　himself　how　he　should　stay　the　hand　of　Achilles　and
save　the　Trojans　from　disaster。　Meanwhile　the　son　of　Peleus；　spear
in　hand；　sprang　upon　Asteropaeus　son　of　Pelegon　to　kill　him。　He　was
son　to　the　broad　river　Axius　and　Periboea　eldest　daughter　of
Acessamenus；　for　the　river　had　lain　with　her。　Asteropaeus　stood　up　out
of　the　water　to　face　him　with　a　spear　in　either　hand；　and　Xanthus
filled　him　with　courage；　being　angry　for　the　death　of　the　youths
whom　Achilles　was　slaying　ruthlessly　within　his　waters。　When　they　were
close　up　with　one　another　Achilles　was　first　to　speak。　〃Who　and　whence
are　you；〃　said　he；　〃who　dare　to　face　me？　Woe　to　the　parents　whose
son　stands　up　against　me。〃　And　the　son　of　Pelegon　answered；　〃Great　son
of　Peleus；　why　should　you　ask　my　lineage。　I　am　from　the　fertile　land
of　far　Paeonia；　captain　of　the　Paeonians；　and　it　is　now　eleven　days
that　I　am　at　Ilius。　I　am　of　the　blood　of　the　river　Axius…　of　Axius
that　is　the　fairest　of　all　rivers　that　run。　He　begot　the　famed　warrior
Pelegon；　whose　son　men　call　me。　Let　us　now　fight；　Achilles。〃
　　Thus　did　he　defy　him；　and　Achilles　raised　his　spear　of　Pelian　ash。
Asteropaeus　failed　with　both　his　spears；　for　he　could　use　both　hands
alike；　with　the　one　spear　he　struck　Achilles'　shield；　but　did　not
pierce　it；　for　the　layer　of　gold；　gift　of　the　god；　stayed　the　point；
with　the　other　spear　he　grazed　the　elbow　of　Achilles！　right　arm
drawing　dark　blood；　but　the　spear　itself　went　by　him　and　fixed
itself　in　the　ground；　foiled　of　its　bloody　banquet。　Then　Achilles；
fain　to　kill　him；　hurled　his　spear　at　Asteropaeus；　but　failed　to　hit
him　and　struck　the　steep　bank　of　the　river；　driving　the　spear　half　its
length　into　the　earth。　The　son　of　Peleus　then　drew　his　sword　and
sprang　furiously　upon　him。　Asteropaeus　vainly　tried　to　draw
Achilles'　spear　out　of　the　bank　by　main　force；　thrice　did　he　tug　at
it；　trying　with　all　his　might　to　draw　it　out；　and　thrice　he　had　to
leave　off　trying；　the　fourth　time　he　tried　to　bend　and　break　it；　but
ere　he　could　do　so　Achilles　smote　him　with　his　sword　and　killed　him。
He　struck　him　in　the　belly　near　the　navel；　so　that　all　his　bowels　came
gushing　out　on　to　the　ground；　and　the　darkness　of　death　came　over
him　as　he　lay　gasping。　Then　Achilles　set　his　foot　on　his　chest　and
spoiled　him　of　his　armour；　vaunting　over　him　and　saying；　〃Lie　there…
begotten　of　a　river　though　you　be；　it　is　hard　for　you　to　strive　with
the　offspring　of　Saturn's　son。　You　declare　yourself　sprung　from　the
blood　of　a　broad　river；　but　I　am　of　the　seed　of　mighty　Jove。　My　father
is　Peleus；　son　of　Aeacus　ruler　over　the　many　Myrmidons；　and　Aeacus　was
the　son　of　Jove。　Therefore　as　Jove　is　mightier　than　any　river　that
flows　into　the　sea；　so　are　his　children　stronger　than　those　of　any
river　whatsoever。　Moreover　you　have　a　great　river　hard　by　if　he　can　be
of　any　use　to　you；　but　there　is　no　fighting　against　Jove　the　son　of
Saturn；　with　whom　not　even　King　Achelous　can　compare；　nor　the　mighty
stream　of　deep…flowing　Oceanus；　from　whom　all　rivers　and　seas　with　all
springs　and　deep　wells　proceed；　even　Oceanus　fears　the　lightnings　of
great　Jove；　and　his　thunder　that　comes　crashing　out　of　heaven。〃
　　With　this　he　drew　his　bronze　spear　out　of　the　bank；　and　now　that
he　had　killed　Asteropaeus；　he　let　him　lie　where　he　was　on　the　sand；
with　the　dark　water　flowing　over　him　and　the　eels　and　fishes　busy
nibbling　and　gnawing　the　fat　that　was　about　his　kidneys。　Then　he
went　in　chase　of　the　Paeonians；　who　were　flying　along　the　bank　of
the　river　in　panic　when　they　saw　their　leader　slain　by　the　hands　of
the　son　of　Peleus。　Therein　he　slew　Thersilochus；　Mydon；　Astypylus；
Mnesus；　Thrasius；　Oeneus；　and　Ophelestes；　and　he　would　have　slain
yet　others；　had　not　the　river　in　anger　taken　human　form；　and　spoken　to
him　from　out　the　deep　waters　saying；　〃Achilles；　if　you　excel　all　in
strength；　so　do　you　also　in　wickedness；　for　the　gods　are　ever　with　you
to　protect　you：　if；　then；　the　son　of　Saturn　has　vouchsafed　it　to　you
to　destroy　all　the　Trojans；　at　any　rate　drive　them　out　of　my　stream；
and　do　your　grim　work　on　land。　My　fair　waters　are　now　filled　with
corpses；　nor　can　I　find　any　channel　by　which　I　may　pour　myself　into
the　sea　for　I　am　choked　with　dead；　and　yet　you　go　on　mercilessly
slaying。　I　am　in　despair；　therefore；　O　captain　of　your　host；　trouble
me　no　further。〃
　　Achilles　answered；　〃So　be　it；　Scamander；　Jove…descended；　but　I
will　never　cease　dealing　out　death　among　the　Trojans；　till　I　have　pent
them　up　in　their　city；　and　made　trial　of　Hector　face　to　face；　that　I
may　learn　whether　he　is　to　vanquish　me；　or　I　him。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　set　upon　the　Trojans　with　a　fury　like　that　of　the
gods。　But　the　river　said　to　Apollo；　〃Surely；　son　of　Jove；　lord　of
the　silver　bow；　you　are　not　obeying　the　commands　of　Jove　who　charged
you　straitly　that　you　should　stand　by　the　Trojans　and　defend　them；
till　twilight　fades；　and　darkness　is　over　an　the　earth。〃
　　Meanwhile　Achilles　sprang　from　the　bank　into　mid…stream；　whereon　the
river　raised　a　high　wave　and　attacked　him。　He　swelled　his　stream
into　a　torrent；　and　swept　away　the　many　dead　whom　Achilles　had　slain
and　left　within　his　waters。　These　he　cast　out　on　to　the　land；
bellowing　like　a　bull　the　while；　but　the　living　he　saved　alive；　hiding
them　in　his　mighty　eddies。　The　great　and　terrible　wave　gathered
about　Achilles；　falling　upon　him　and　beating　on　his　shield；　so　that　he
could　not　keep　his　feet；　he　caught　hold　of　a　great　elm…tree；　but　it
came　up　by　the　roots；　and　tore　away　the　bank；　damming　the　stream
with　its　thick　branches　and　bridging　it　all　across；　whereby　Achilles
struggled　out　of　the　stream；　and　fled　full　speed　over　the　plain；　for
he　was　afraid。
　　But　the　mighty　god　ceased　not　in　his　pursuit；　and　sprang　upon　him
with　a　dark…crested　wave；　to　stay　his　hands　and　save　the　Trojans
from　destruction。　The　son　of　Peleus　darted　away　a　spear's　throw　from
him；　swift　as　the　swoop　of　a　black　hunter…eagle　which　is　the　strongest
and　fleetest　of　all　birds；　even　so　did　he　spring　forward；　and　the
armour　rang　loudly　about　his　breast。　He　fled　on　in　front；　but　the
river　with　a　loud　roar　came　tearing　after。　As　one　who　would　water
his　garden　leads　a　stream　from　some　fountain　over　his　plants；　and