the iliad(伊利亚特)-第84章

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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
all　his　ground…spade　in　hand　he　clears　away　the　dams　to　free　the
channels；　and　the　little　stones　run　rolling　round　and　round　with　the
water　as　it　goes　merrily　down　the　bank　faster　than　the　man　can　follow…
even　so　did　the　river　keep　catching　up　with　Achilles　albeit　he　was　a
fleet　runner；　for　the　gods　are　stronger　than　men。　As　often　as　he　would
strive　to　stand　his　ground；　and　see　whether　or　no　all　the　gods　in
heaven　were　in　league　against　him；　so　often　would　the　mighty　wave　come
beating　down　upon　his　shoulders；　and　be　would　have　to　keep　flying　on
and　on　in　great　dismay；　for　the　angry　flood　was　tiring　him　out　as　it
flowed　past　him　and　ate　the　ground　from　under　his　feet。
　　Then　the　son　of　Peleus　lifted　up　his　voice　to　heaven　saying；　〃Father
Jove；　is　there　none　of　the　gods　who　will　take　pity　upon　me；　and　save
me　from　the　river？　I　do　not　care　what　may　happen　to　me　afterwards。　I
blame　none　of　the　other　dwellers　on　Olympus　so　severely　as　I　do　my
dear　mother；　who　has　beguiled　and　tricked　me。　She　told　me　I　was　to
fall　under　the　walls　of　Troy　by　the　flying　arrows　of　Apollo；　would
that　Hector；　the　best　man　among　the　Trojans；　might　there　slay　me；　then
should　I　fall　a　hero　by　the　hand　of　a　hero；　whereas　now　it　seems
that　I　shall　come　to　a　most　pitiable　end；　trapped　in　this　river　as
though　I　were　some　swineherd's　boy；　who　gets　carried　down　a　torrent
while　trying　to　cross　it　during　a　storm。〃
　　As　soon　as　he　had　spoken　thus；　Neptune　and　Minerva　came　up　to　him　in
the　likeness　of　two　men；　and　took　him　by　the　hand　to　reassure　him。
Neptune　spoke　first。　〃Son　of　Peleus；〃　said　he；　〃be　not　so　exceeding
fearful；　we　are　two　gods；　come　with　Jove's　sanction　to　assist　you；
I；　and　Pallas　Minerva。　It　is　not　your　fate　to　perish　in　this　river；　he
will　abate　presently　as　you　will　see；　moreover　we　strongly　advise　you；
if　you　will　be　guided　by　us；　not　to　stay　your　hand　from　fighting
till　you　have　pent　the　Trojan　host　within　the　famed　walls　of　Ilius…　as
many　of　them　as　may　escape。　Then　kill　Hector　and　go　back　to　the　ships；
for　we　will　vouchsafe　you　a　triumph　over　him。〃
　　When　they　had　so　said　they　went　back　to　the　other　immortals；　but
Achilles　strove　onward　over　the　plain；　encouraged　by　the　charge　the
gods　had　laid　upon　him。　All　was　now　covered　with　the　flood　of
waters；　and　much　goodly　armour　of　the　youths　that　had　been　slain　was
rifting　about；　as　also　many　corpses；　but　he　forced　his　way　against　the
stream；　speeding　right　onwards；　nor　could　the　broad　waters　stay　him；
for　Minerva　had　endowed　him　with　great　strength。　Nevertheless
Scamander　did　not　slacken　in　his　pursuit；　but　was　still　more　furious
with　the　son　of　Peleus。　He　lifted　his　waters　into　a　high　crest　and
cried　aloud　to　Simois　saying；　〃Dear　brother；　let　the　two　of　us　unite
to　save　this　man；　or　he　will　sack　the　mighty　city　of　King　Priam；　and
the　Trojans　will　not　hold　out　against　him。　Help　me　at　once；　fill
your　streams　with　water　from　their　sources；　rouse　all　your　torrents　to
a　fury；　raise　your　wave　on　high；　and　let　snags　and　stones　come
thundering　down　you　that　we　may　make　an　end　of　this　savage　creature
who　is　now　lording　it　as　though　he　were　a　god。　Nothing　shall　serve　him
longer；　not　strength　nor　comeliness；　nor　his　fine　armour；　which
forsooth　shall　soon　be　lying　low　in　the　deep　waters　covered　over
with　mud。　I　will　wrap　him　in　sand；　and　pour　tons　of　shingle　round　him；
so　that　the　Achaeans　shall　not　know　how　to　gather　his　bones　for　the
silt　in　which　I　shall　have　hidden　him；　and　when　they　celebrate　his
funeral　they　need　build　no　barrow。〃
　　On　this　he　upraised　his　tumultuous　flood　high　against　Achilles；
seething　as　it　was　with　foam　and　blood　and　the　bo&ies　of　the　dead。　The
dark　waters　of　the　river　stood　upright　and　would　have　overwhelmed
the　son　of　Peleus；　but　Juno；　trembling　lest　Achilles　should　be　swept
away　in　the　mighty　torrent；　lifted　her　voice　on　high　and　called　out　to
Vulcan　her　son。　〃Crook…foot；〃　she　cried；　〃my　child；　be　up　and　doing；
for　I　deem　it　is　with　you　that　Xanthus　is　fain　to　fight；　help　us　at
once；　kindle　a　fierce　fire；　I　will　then　bring　up　the　west　and　the
white　south　wind　in　a　mighty　hurricane　from　the　sea；　that　shall　bear
the　flames　against　the　heads　and　armour　of　the　Trojans　and　consume
them；　while　you　go　along　the　banks　of　Xanthus　burning　his　trees　and
wrapping　him　round　with　fire。　Let　him　not　turn　you　back　neither　by
fair　words　nor　foul；　and　slacken　not　till　I　shout　and　tell　you。　Then
you　may　stay　your　flames。〃
　　On　this　Vulcan　kindled　a　fierce　fire；　which　broke　out　first　upon　the
plain　and　burned　the　many　dead　whom　Achilles　had　killed　and　whose
bodies　were　lying　about　in　great　numbers；　by　this　means　the　plain
was　dried　and　the　flood　stayed。　As　the　north　wind；　blowing　on　an
orchard　that　has　been　sodden　with　autumn　rain；　soon　dries　it；　and
the　heart　of　the　owner　is　glad…　even　so　the　whole　plan　was　dried　and
the　dead　bodies　were　consumed。　Then　he　turned　tongues　of　fire　on　to
the　river。　He　burned　the　elms　the　willows　and　the　tamarisks；　the　lotus
also；　with　the　rushes　and　marshy　herbage　that　grew　abundantly　by　the
banks　of　the　river。　The　eels　and　fishes　that　go　darting　about
everywhere　in　the　water；　these；　too；　were　sorely　harassed　by　the
flames　that　cunning　Vulcan　had　kindled；　and　the　river　himself　was
scalded；　so　that　he　spoke　saying；　〃Vulcan；　there　is　no　god　can　hold
his　own　against　you。　I　cannot　fight　you　when　you　flare　out　your　flames
in　this　way；　strive　with　me　no　longer。　Let　Achilles　drive　the
Trojans　out　of　city　immediately。　What　have　I　to　do　with　quarrelling
and　helping　people？〃
　　He　was　boiling　as　he　spoke；　and　all　his　waters　were　seething。　As　a
cauldron　upon　'a　large　fire　boils　when　it　is　melting　the　lard　of
some　fatted　hog；　and　the　lard　keeps　bubbling　up　all　over　when　the
dry　faggots　blaze　under　it…　even　so　were　the　goodly　waters　of
Xanthus　heated　with　the　fire　till　they　were　boiling。　He　could　flow
no　longer　but　stayed　his　stream；　so　afflicted　was　he　by　the　blasts
of　fire　which　cunning　Vulcan　had　raised。　Then　he　prayed　to　Juno　and
besought　her　saying；　〃Juno；　why　should　your　son　vex　my　stream　with
such　especial　fury？　I　am　not　so　much　to　blame　as　all　the　others　are
who　have　been　helping　the　Trojans。　I　will　leave　off；　since　you　so
desire　it；　and　let　son　leave　off　also。　Furthermore　I　swear　never　again
will　I　do　anything　to　save　the　Trojans　from　destruction；　not　even　when
all　Troy　is　burning　in　the　flames　which　the　Achaeans　will　kindle。〃
　　As　soon　as　Juno　heard　this　she　said　to　her　son　Vulcan；　〃Son
Vulcan；　hold　now　your　flames；　we　ought　not　to　use　such　violence
against　a　god　for　the　sake　of　mortals。〃
　　When　she　had　thus　spoken　Vulcan　quenched　his　flames；　and　the　river
went　back　once　more　into　his　own　fair　bed。
　　Xanthus　was　now　beaten；　so　these　two　left　off　fighting；　for　Juno
stayed　them　though　she　was　still　angry；　but　a　furious　quarrel　broke
out　among　the　other　gods；　for　they　were　of　divided　counsels。　They　fell
on　one　another　with　a　mighty　uproar…　earth　groaned；　and　the　spacious
firmament　rang　out　as　with　a　blare　of　trumpets。　Jove　heard　as　he　was
sitting　on　Olympus；　and　laughed　for　joy　when　he　saw　the　gods　coming　to
blows　among　themselves。　They　were　not　long　about　beginning；　and　Mars
piercer　of　shields　opened　the　battle。　Sword　in　hand　he　sprang　at
once　upon　Minerva　and　reviled　her。　〃Why；　vixen；〃　said　he；　〃have　you
again　set　the　gods　by　the　ears　in　the　pride　and　haughtiness　of　your
heart？　Have　you　forgotten　how　you　set　Diomed　son　of　Tydeus　on　to　wound
me；　and　yourself　took　visible　spear　and　drove　it　into　me　to　the　hurt
of　my　fair　body？　You　shall　now　suffer　for　what　you　then　did　to　me。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　struck　her　on　the　terrible　tasselled　aegis…　so
terrible　that　not　even　can　Jove's　lightning　pierce　it。　Here　did
murderous　Mars　strike　her　with　his　great　spear。　She　drew　back　and　with
her　strong　hand　seized　a　stone　that　was　lying　on　the　plain…　great
and　rugged　and　black…　which　men　of　old　had　set　for　the　boundary　of　a
field。　With　this　she　struck　Mars　on　the　neck；　and　brought　him　down。
Nine　roods　did　he　cover　in　his　fall；　and　his　hair　was　all　soiled