the iliad(伊利亚特)-第87章

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writhing　round　his　den…　even　so　Hector　leaned　his　shield　against　a
tower　that　jutted　out　from　the　wall　and　stood　where　he　was；　undaunted。
　　〃Alas；〃　said　he　to　himself　in　the　heaviness　of　his　heart；　〃if　I　go
within　the　gates；　Polydamas　will　be　the　first　to　heap　reproach　upon
me；　for　it　was　he　that　urged　me　to　lead　the　Trojans　back　to　the　city
on　that　awful　night　when　Achilles　again　came　forth　against　us。　I　would
not　listen；　but　it　would　have　been　indeed　better　if　I　had　done　so。　Now
that　my　folly　has　destroyed　the　host；　I　dare　not　look　Trojan　men　and
Trojan　women　in　the　face；　lest　a　worse　man　should　say；　'Hector　has
ruined　us　by　his　self…confidence。'　Surely　it　would　be　better　for　me　to
return　after　having　fought　Achilles　and　slain　him；　or　to　die
gloriously　here　before　the　city。　What；　again；　if　were　to　lay　down　my
shield　and　helmet；　lean　my　spear　against　the　wall　and　go　straight　up
to　noble　Achilles？　What　if　I　were　to　promise　to　give　up　Helen；　who　was
the　fountainhead　of　all　this　war；　and　all　the　treasure　that　Alexandrus
brought　with　him　in　his　ships　to　Troy；　aye；　and　to　let　the　Achaeans
divide　the　half　of　everything　that　the　city　contains　among　themselves？
I　might　make　the　Trojans；　by　the　mouths　of　their　princes；　take　a
solemn　oath　that　they　would　hide　nothing；　but　would　divide　into　two
shares　all　that　is　within　the　city…　but　why　argue　with　myself　in
this　way？　Were　I　to　go　up　to　him　he　would　show　me　no　kind　of　mercy；　he
would　kill　me　then　and　there　as　easily　as　though　I　were　a　woman；
when　I　had　off　my　armour。　There　is　no　parleying　with　him　from　some
rock　or　oak　tree　as　young　men　and　maidens　prattle　with　one　another。
Better　fight　him　at　once；　and　learn　to　which　of　us　Jove　will　vouchsafe
victory。〃
　　Thus　did　he　stand　and　ponder；　but　Achilles　came　up　to　him　as　it　were
Mars　himself；　plumed　lord　of　battle。　From　his　right　shoulder　he
brandished　his　terrible　spear　of　Pelian　ash；　and　the　bronze　gleamed
around　him　like　flashing　fire　or　the　rays　of　the　rising　sun。　Fear　fell
upon　Hector　as　he　beheld　him；　and　he　dared　not　stay　longer　where　he
was　but　fled　in　dismay　from　before　the　gates；　while　Achilles　darted
after　him　at　his　utmost　speed。　As　a　mountain　falcon；　swiftest　of　all
birds；　swoops　down　upon　some　cowering　dove…　the　dove　flies　before
him　but　the　falcon　with　a　shrill　scream　follows　close　after；
resolved　to　have　her…　even　so　did　Achilles　make　straight　for　Hector
with　all　his　might；　while　Hector　fled　under　the　Trojan　wall　as　fast　as
his　limbs　could　take　him。
　　On　they　flew　along　the　waggon…road　that　ran　hard　by　under　the
wall；　past　the　lookout　station；　and　past　the　weather…beaten　wild
fig…tree；　till　they　came　to　two　fair　springs　which　feed　the　river
Scamander。　One　of　these　two　springs　is　warm；　and　steam　rises　from　it
as　smoke　from　a　burning　fire；　but　the　other　even　in　summer　is　as
cold　as　hail　or　snow；　or　the　ice　that　forms　on　water。　Here；　hard　by
the　springs；　are　the　goodly　washing…troughs　of　stone；　where　in　the
time　of　peace　before　the　coming　of　the　Achaeans　the　wives　and　fair
daughters　of　the　Trojans　used　to　wash　their　clothes。　Past　these　did
they　fly；　the　one　in　front　and　the　other　giving　ha。　behind　him：　good
was　the　man　that　fled；　but　better　far　was　he　that　followed　after；
and　swiftly　indeed　did　they　run；　for　the　prize　was　no　mere　beast　for
sacrifice　or　bullock's　hide；　as　it　might　be　for　a　common　foot…race；
but　they　ran　for　the　life　of　Hector。　As　horses　in　a　chariot　race　speed
round　the　turning…posts　when　they　are　running　for　some　great　prize…
a　tripod　or　woman…　at　the　games　in　honour　of　some　dead　hero；　so　did
these　two　run　full　speed　three　times　round　the　city　of　Priam。　All
the　gods　watched　them；　and　the　sire　of　gods　and　men　was　the　first　to
speak。
　　〃Alas；〃　said　he；　〃my　eyes　behold　a　man　who　is　dear　to　me　being
pursued　round　the　walls　of　Troy；　my　heart　is　full　of　pity　for
Hector；　who　has　burned　the　thigh…bones　of　many　a　heifer　in　my
honour；　at　one　while　on　the　of　many…valleyed　Ida；　and　again　on　the
citadel　of　Troy；　and　now　I　see　noble　Achilles　in　full　pursuit　of　him
round　the　city　of　Priam。　What　say　you？　Consider　among　yourselves　and
decide　whether　we　shall　now　save　him　or　let　him　fall；　valiant　though
he　be；　before　Achilles；　son　of　Peleus。〃
　　Then　Minerva　said；　〃Father；　wielder　of　the　lightning；　lord　of
cloud　and　storm；　what　mean　you？　Would　you　pluck　this　mortal　whose　doom
has　long　been　decreed　out　of　the　jaws　of　death？　Do　as　you　will；　but　we
others　shall　not　be　of　a　mind　with　you。〃
　　And　Jove　answered；　〃My　child；　Trito…born；　take　heart。　I　did　not
speak　in　full　earnest；　and　I　will　let　you　have　your　way。　Do　without
let　or　hindrance　as　you　are　minded。〃
　　Thus　did　he　urge　Minerva　who　was　already　eager；　and　down　she
darted　from　the　topmost　summits　of　Olympus。
　　Achilles　was　still　in　full　pursuit　of　Hector；　as　a　hound　chasing　a
fawn　which　he　has　started　from　its　covert　on　the　mountains；　and
hunts　through　glade　and　thicket。　The　fawn　may　try　to　elude　him　by
crouching　under　cover　of　a　bush；　but　he　will　scent　her　out　and
follow　her　up　until　he　gets　her…　even　so　there　was　no　escape　for
Hector　from　the　fleet　son　of　Peleus。　Whenever　he　made　a　set　to　get
near　the　Dardanian　gates　and　under　the　walls；　that　his　people　might
help　him　by　showering　down　weapons　from　above；　Achilles　would　gain
on　him　and　head　him　back　towards　the　plain；　keeping　himself　always
on　the　city　side。　As　a　man　in　a　dream　who　fails　to　lay　hands　upon
another　whom　he　is　pursuing…　the　one　cannot　escape　nor　the　other
overtake…　even　so　neither　could　Achilles　come　up　with　Hector；　nor
Hector　break　away　from　Achilles；　nevertheless　he　might　even　yet　have
escaped　death　had　not　the　time　come　when　Apollo；　who　thus　far　had
sustained　his　strength　and　nerved　his　running；　was　now　no　longer　to
stay　by　him。　Achilles　made　signs　to　the　Achaean　host；　and　shook　his
head　to　show　that　no　man　was　to　aim　a　dart　at　Hector；　lest　another
might　win　the　glory　of　having　hit　him　and　he　might　himself　come　in
second。　Then；　at　last；　as　they　were　nearing　the　fountains　for　the
fourth　time；　the　father　of　all　balanced　his　golden　scales　and　placed　a
doom　in　each　of　them；　one　for　Achilles　and　the　other　for　Hector。　As　he
held　the　scales　by　the　middle；　the　doom　of　Hector　fell　down　deep
into　the　house　of　Hades…　and　then　Phoebus　Apollo　left　him。　Thereon
Minerva　went　close　up　to　the　son　of　Peleus　and　said；　〃Noble
Achilles；　favoured　of　heaven；　we　two　shall　surely　take　back　to　the
ships　a　triumph　for　the　Achaeans　by　slaying　Hector；　for　all　his　lust
of　battle。　Do　what　Apollo　may　as　he　lies　grovelling　before　his　father；
aegis…bearing　Jove；　Hector　cannot　escape　us　longer。　Stay　here　and　take
breath；　while　I　go　up　to　him　and　persuade　him　to　make　a　stand　and
fight　you。〃
　　Thus　spoke　Minerva。　Achilles　obeyed　her　gladly；　and　stood　still；
leaning　on　his　bronze…pointed　ashen　spear；　while　Minerva　left　him
and　went　after　Hector　in　the　form　and　with　the　voice　of　Deiphobus。　She
came　close　up　to　him　and　said；　〃Dear　brother；　I　see　you　are　hard
pressed　by　Achilles　who　is　chasing　you　at　full　speed　round　the　city　of
Priam；　let　us　await　his　onset　and　stand　on　our　defence。〃
　　And　Hector　answered；　〃Deiphobus；　you　have　always　been　dearest　to
me　of　all　my　brothers；　children　of　Hecuba　and　Priam；　but　henceforth
I　shall　rate　you　yet　more　highly；　inasmuch　as　you　have　ventured
outside　the　wall　for　my　sake　when　all　the　others　remain　inside。〃
　　Then　Minerva　said；　〃Dear　brother；　my　father　and　mother　went　down
on　their　knees　and　implored　me；　as　did　all　my　comrades；　to　remain
inside；　so　great　a　fear　has　fallen　upon　them　all；　but　I　was　in　an
agony　of　grief　when　I　beheld　you；　now；　therefore；　let　us　two　make　a
stand　and　fight；　and　let　there　be　no　keeping　our　spears　in　reserve；
that　we　may　learn　whether　Achilles　shall　kill　us　and　bear　off　our
spoils　to　the　ships；　or　whether　he　shall　fall　before　you。〃
　　Thus　did　Minerva　inveigle　him　by　her　cunning；　and　when　the　two
were　now　close　to　one　another　great　Hector　was　first　to　speak。　〃I
will…no　longer　fly　you；　son　of　Peleus；〃　said　he；　〃as　I　have　been　doing
hitherto。　Three　times　have　I　fled　round　the　mighty　city　of　Priam；
without　daring　to　withstand　you；　but　now；　let　me　either　slay　or　be
slain；　for　I　a