the iliad(伊利亚特)-第85章

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Nine　roods　did　he　cover　in　his　fall；　and　his　hair　was　all　soiled　in
the　dust；　while　his　armour　rang　rattling　round　him。　But　Minerva
laughed　and　vaunted　over　him　saying；　〃Idiot；　have　you　not　learned
how　far　stronger　I　am　than　you；　but　you　must　still　match　yourself
against　me？　Thus　do　your　mother's　curses　now　roost　upon　you；　for　she
is　angry　and　would　do　you　mischief　because　you　have　deserted　the
Achaeans　and　are　helping　the　Trojans。〃
　　She　then　turned　her　two　piercing　eyes　elsewhere；　whereon　Jove's
daughter　Venus　took　Mars　by　the　hand　and　led　him　away　groaning　all　the
time；　for　it　was　only　with　great　difficulty　that　he　had　come　to
himself　again。　When　Queen　Juno　saw　her；　she　said　to　Minerva；　〃Look；
daughter　of　aegis…bearing　Jove；　unweariable；　that　vixen　Venus　is　again
taking　Mars　through　the　crowd　out　of　the　battle；　go　after　her　at
once。〃
　　Thus　she　spoke。　Minerva　sped　after　Venus　with　a　will；　and　made　at
her；　striking　her　on　the　bosom　with　her　strong　hand　so　that　she　fell
fainting　to　the　ground；　and　there　they　both　lay　stretched　at　full
length。　Then　Minerva　vaunted　over　her　saying；　〃May　all　who　help　the
Trojans　against　the　Argives　prove　just　as　redoubtable　and　stalwart
as　Venus　did　when　she　came　across　me　while　she　was　helping　Mars。　Had
this　been　so；　we　should　long　since　have　ended　the　war　by　sacking　the
strong　city　of　Ilius。〃
　　Juno　smiled　as　she　listened。　Meanwhile　King　Neptune　turned　to　Apollo
saying；　〃Phoebus；　why　should　we　keep　each　other　at　arm's　length？　it　is
not　well；　now　that　the　others　have　begun　fighting；　it　will　be
disgraceful　to　us　if　we　return　to　Jove's　bronze…floored　mansion　on
Olympus　without　having　fought　each　other；　therefore　come　on；　you　are
the　younger　of　the　two；　and　I　ought　not　to　attack　you；　for　I　am
older　and　have　had　more　experience。　Idiot；　you　have　no　sense；　and
forget　how　we　two　alone　of　all　the　gods　fared　hardly　round　about　Ilius
when　we　came　from　Jove's　house　and　worked　for　Laomedon　a　whole　year　at
a　stated　wage　and　he　gave　us　his　orders。　I　built　the　Trojans　the
wall　about　their　city；　so　wide　and　fair　that　it　might　be
impregnable；　while　you；　Phoebus；　herded　cattle　for　him　in　the　dales　of
many　valleyed　Ida。　When；　however；　the　glad　hours　brought　round　the
time　of　payment；　mighty　Laomedon　robbed　us　of　all　our　hire　and　sent　us
off　with　nothing　but　abuse。　He　threatened　to　bind　us　hand　and　foot　and
sell　us　over　into　some　distant　island。　He　tried；　moreover；　to　cut
off　the　ears　of　both　of　us；　so　we　went　away　in　a　rage；　furious　about
the　payment　he　had　promised　us；　and　yet　withheld；　in　spite　of　all
this；　you　are　now　showing　favour　to　his　people；　and　will　not　join　us
in　compassing　the　utter　ruin　of　the　proud　Trojans　with　their　wives　and
children。〃
　　And　King　Apollo　answered；　〃Lord　of　the　earthquake；　you　would　have　no
respect　for　me　if　I　were　to　fight　you　about　a　pack　of　miserable
mortals；　who　come　out　like　leaves　in　summer　and　eat　the　fruit　of　the
field；　and　presently　fall　lifeless　to　the　ground。　Let　us　stay　this
fighting　at　once　and　let　them　settle　it　among　themselves。〃
　　He　turned　away　as　he　spoke；　for　he　would　lay　no　hand　on　the
brother　of　his　own　father。　But　his　sister　the　huntress　Diana；
patroness　of　wild　beasts；　was　very　angry　with　him　and　said；　〃So　you
would　fly；　Far…Darter；　and　hand　victory　over　to　Neptune　with　a　cheap
vaunt　to　boot。　Baby；　why　keep　your　bow　thus　idle？　Never　let　me　again
hear　you　bragging　in　my　father's　house；　as　you　have　often　done　in
the　presence　of　the　immortals；　that　you　would　stand　up　and　fight
with　Neptune。〃
　　Apollo　made　her　no　answer；　but　Jove's　august　queen　was　angry　and
upbraided　her　bitterly。　〃Bold　vixen；〃　she　cried；　〃how　dare　you　cross
me　thus？　For　all　your　bow　you　will　find　it　hard　to　hold　your　own
against　me。　Jove　made　you　as　a　lion　among　women；　and　lets　you　kill
them　whenever　you　choose。　You　will　And　it　better　to　chase　wild
beasts　and　deer　upon　the　mountains　than　to　fight　those　who　are
stronger　than　you　are。　If　you　would　try　war；　do　so；　and　find　out　by
pitting　yourself　against　me；　how　far　stronger　I　am　than　you　are。〃
　　She　caught　both　Diana's　wrists　with　her　left　hand　as　she　spoke；
and　with　her　right　she　took　the　bow　from　her　shoulders；　and　laughed　as
she　beat　her　with　it　about　the　ears　while　Diana　wriggled　and　writhed
under　her　blows。　Her　swift　arrows　were　shed　upon　the　ground；　and　she
fled　weeping　from　under　Juno's　hand　as　a　dove　that　flies　before　a
falcon　to　the　cleft　of　some　hollow　rock；　when　it　is　her　good　fortune
to　escape。　Even　so　did　she　fly　weeping　away；　leaving　her　bow　and
arrows　behind　her。
　　Then　the　slayer　of　Argus；　guide　and　guardian；　said　to　Leto；　〃Leto；　I
shall　not　fight　you；　it　is　ill　to　come　to　blows　with　any　of　Jove's
wives。　Therefore　boast　as　you　will　among　the　immortals　that　you
worsted　me　in　fair　fight。〃
　　Leto　then　gathered　up　Diana's　bow　and　arrows　that　had　fallen　about
amid　the　whirling　dust；　and　when　she　had　got　them　she　made　all　haste
after　her　daughter。　Diana　had　now　reached　Jove's　bronze…floored
mansion　on　Olympus；　and　sat　herself　down　with　many　tears　on　the
knees　of　her　father；　while　her　ambrosial　raiment　was　quivering　all
about　her。　The　son　of　Saturn　drew　her　towards　him；　and　laughing
pleasantly　the　while　began　to　question　her　saying；　〃Which　of　the
heavenly　beings；　my　dear　child；　has　been　treating　you　in　this　cruel
manner；　as　though　you　had　been　misconducting　yourself　in　the　face　of
everybody？〃　and　the　fair…crowned　goddess　of　the　chase　answered；　〃It
was　your　wife　Juno；　father；　who　has　been　beating　me；　it　is　always
her　doing　when　there　is　any　quarrelling　among　the　immortals。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse；　and　meanwhile　Phoebus　Apollo　entered　the
strong　city　of　Ilius；　for　he　was　uneasy　lest　the　wall　should　not
hold　out　and　the　Danaans　should　take　the　city　then　and　there；　before
its　hour　had　come；　but　the　rest　of　the　ever…living　gods　went　back；
some　angry　and　some　triumphant　to　Olympus；　where　they　took　their　seats
beside　Jove　lord　of　the　storm　cloud；　while　Achilles　still　kept　on
dealing　out　death　alike　on　the　Trojans　and　on　their　As　when　the
smoke　from　some　burning　city　ascends　to　heaven　when　the　anger　of　the
gods　has　kindled　it…　there　is　then　toil　for　all；　and　sorrow　for　not
a　few…　even　so　did　Achilles　bring　toil　and　sorrow　on　the　Trojans。
　　Old　King　Priam　stood　on　a　high　tower　of　the　wall　looking　down　on
huge　Achilles　as　the　Trojans　fled　panic…stricken　before　him；　and　there
was　none　to　help　them。　Presently　he　came　down　from　off　the　tower　and
with　many　a　groan　went　along　the　wall　to　give　orders　to　the　brave
warders　of　the　gate。　〃Keep　the　gates；〃　said　he；　〃wide　open　till　the
people　come　flying　into　the　city；　for　Achilles　is　hard　by　and　is
driving　them　in　rout　before　him。　I　see　we　are　in　great　peril。　As
soon　as　our　people　are　inside　and　in　safety；　close　the　strong　gates
for　I　fear　lest　that　terrible　man　should　come　bounding　inside　along
with　the　others。〃
　　As　he　spoke　they　drew　back　the　bolts　and　opened　the　gates；　and
when　these　were　opened　there　was　a　haven　of　refuge　for　the　Trojans。
Apollo　then　came　full　speed　out　of　the　city　to　meet　them　and　protect
them。　Right　for　the　city　and　the　high　wall；　parched　with　thirst　and
grimy　with　dust；　still　they　fied　on；　with　Achilles　wielding　his
spear　furiously　behind　them。　For　he　was　as　one　possessed；　and　was
thirsting　after　glory。
　　Then　had　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　taken　the　lofty　gates　of　Troy　if
Apollo　had　not　spurred　on　Agenor；　valiant　and　noble　son　to　Antenor。　He
put　courage　into　his　heart；　and　stood　by　his　side　to　guard　him；
leaning　against　a　beech　tree　and　shrouded　in　thick　darkness。　When
Agenor　saw　Achilles　he　stood　still　and　his　heart　was　clouded　with
care。　〃Alas；〃　said　he　to　himself　in　his　dismay；　〃if　I　fly　before
mighty　Achilles；　and　go　where　all　the　others　are　being　driven　in　rout；
he　will　none　the　less　catch　me　and　kill　me　for　a　coward。　How　would
it　be　were　I　to　let　Achilles　drive　the　others　before　him；　and　then　fly
from　the　wall　to　the　plain　that　is　behind　Ilius　till　I　reach　the　spurs
of　Ida　and　can　hide　in　the　underwood　that　is　thereon？　I　could　then
wash　the　sweat　from　off　me　in　the　river　and　in　the　evening　return　to
Ilius。　But　why　commune　with　myself　in　this　way？　Like　enough　he