the iliad(伊利亚特)-第90章

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your　pyre　to　avenge　you。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　treated　the　body　of　noble　Hector　with　contumely；
laying　it　at　full　length　in　the　dust　beside　the　bier　of　Patroclus。　The
others　then　put　off　every　man　his　armour；　took　the　horses　from　their
chariots；　and　seated　themselves　in　great　multitude　by　the　ship　of
the　fleet　descendant　of　Aeacus；　who　thereon　feasted　them　with　an
abundant　funeral　banquet。　Many　a　goodly　ox；　with　many　a　sheep　and
bleating　goat　did　they　butcher　and　cut　up；　many　a　tusked　boar
moreover；　fat　and　well…fed；　did　they　singe　and　set　to　roast　in　the
flames　of　Vulcan；　and　rivulets　of　blood　flowed　all　round　the　place
where　the　body　was　lying。
　　Then　the　princes　of　the　Achaeans　took　the　son　of　Peleus　to
Agamemnon；　but　hardly　could　they　persuade　him　to　come　with　them；　so
wroth　was　he　for　the　death　of　his　comrade。　As　soon　as　they　reached
Agamemnon's　tent　they　told　the　serving…men　to　set　a　large　tripod
over　the　fire　in　case　they　might　persuade　the　son　of　Peleus　'to　wash
the　clotted　gore　from　this　body；　but　he　denied　them　sternly；　and　swore
it　with　a　solemn　oath；　saying；　〃Nay；　by　King　Jove；　first　and　mightiest
of　all　gods；　it　is　not　meet　that　water　should　touch　my　body；　till　I
have　laid　Patroclus　on　the　flames；　have　built　him　a　barrow；　and　shaved
my　head…　for　so　long　as　I　live　no　such　second　sorrow　shall　ever　draw
nigh　me。　Now；　therefore；　let　us　do　all　that　this　sad　festival　demands；
but　at　break　of　day；　King　Agamemnon；　bid　your　men　bring　wood；　and
provide　all　else　that　the　dead　may　duly　take　into　the　realm　of
darkness；　the　fire　shall　thus　burn　him　out　of　our　sight　the　sooner；
and　the　people　shall　turn　again　to　their　own　labours。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　did　even　as　he　had　said。　They　made　haste
to　prepare　the　meal；　they　ate；　and　every　man　had　his　full　share　so
that　all　were　satisfied。　As　soon　as　they　had　had　had　enough　to　eat　and
drink；　the　others　went　to　their　rest　each　in　his　own　tent；　but　the　son
of　Peleus　lay　grieving　among　his　Myrmidons　by　the　shore　of　the
sounding　sea；　in　an　open　place　where　the　waves　came　surging　in　one
after　another。　Here　a　very　deep　slumber　took　hold　upon　him　and　eased
the　burden　of　his　sorrows；　for　his　limbs　were　weary　with　chasing
Hector　round　windy　Ilius。　Presently　the　sad　spirit　of　Patroclus　drew
near　him；　like　what　he　had　been　in　stature；　voice；　and　the　light　of
his　beaming　eyes；　clad；　too；　as　he　had　been　clad　in　life。　The　spirit
hovered　over　his　head　and　said…
　　〃You　sleep；　Achilles；　and　have　forgotten　me；　you　loved　me　living；
but　now　that　I　am　dead　you　think　for　me　no　further。　Bury　me　with　all
speed　that　I　may　pass　the　gates　of　Hades；　the　ghosts；　vain　shadows
of　men　that　can　labour　no　more；　drive　me　away　from　them；　they　will　not
yet　suffer　me　to　join　those　that　are　beyond　the　river；　and　I　wander
all　desolate　by　the　wide　gates　of　the　house　of　Hades。　Give　me　now　your
hand　I　pray　you；　for　when　you　have　once　given　me　my　dues　of　fire；
never　shall　I　again　come　forth　out　of　the　house　of　Hades。　Nevermore
shall　we　sit　apart　and　take　sweet　counsel　among　the　living；　the
cruel　fate　which　was　my　birth…right　has　yawned　its　wide　jaws　around
me…　nay；　you　too　Achilles；　peer　of　gods；　are　doomed　to　die　beneath　the
wall　of　the　noble　Trojans。
　　〃One　prayer　more　will　I　make　you；　if　you　will　grant　it；　let　not　my
bones　be　laid　apart　from　yours；　Achilles；　but　with　them；　even　as　we
were　brought　up　together　in　your　own　home；　what　time　Menoetius　brought
me　to　you　as　a　child　from　Opoeis　because　by　a　sad　spite　I　had　killed
the　son　of　Amphidamas…　not　of　set　purpose；　but　in　childish　quarrel
over　the　dice。　The　knight　Peleus　took　me　into　his　house；　entreated
me　kindly；　and　named　me　to　be　your　squire；　therefore　let　our　bones　lie
in　but　a　single　urn；　the　two…handled　golden　vase　given　to　you　by
your　mother。〃
　　And　Achilles　answered；　〃Why；　true　heart；　are　you　come　hither　to
lay　these　charges　upon　me？　will　of　my　own　self　do　all　as　you　have
bidden　me。　Draw　closer　to　me；　let　us　once　more　throw　our　arms　around
one　another；　and　find　sad　comfort　in　the　sharing　of　our　sorrows。〃
　　He　opened　his　arms　towards　him　as　he　spoke　and　would　have　clasped
him　in　them；　but　there　was　nothing；　and　the　spirit　vanished　as　a
vapour；　gibbering　and　whining　into　the　earth。　Achilles　sprang　to　his
feet；　smote　his　two　hands；　and　made　lamentation　saying；　〃Of　a　truth
even　in　the　house　of　Hades　there　are　ghosts　and　phantoms　that　have
no　life　in　them；　all　night　long　the　sad　spirit　of　Patroclus　has
hovered　over　head　making　piteous　moan；　telling　me　what　I　am　to　do
for　him；　and　looking　wondrously　like　himself。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak　and　his　words　set　them　all　weeping　and　mourning
about　the　poor　dumb　dead；　till　rosy…fingered　morn　appeared。　Then
King　Agamemnon　sent　men　and　mules　from　all　parts　of　the　camp；　to　bring
wood；　and　Meriones；　squire　to　Idomeneus；　was　in　charge　over　them。　They
went　out　with　woodmen's　axes　and　strong　ropes　in　their　hands；　and
before　them　went　the　mules。　Up　hill　and　down　dale　did　they　go；　by
straight　ways　and　crooked；　and　when　they　reached　the　heights　of
many…fountained　Ida；　they　laid　their　axes　to　the　roots　of　many　a
tall　branching　oak　that　came　thundering　down　as　they　felled　it。　They
split　the　trees　and　bound　them　behind　the　mules；　which　then　wended
their　way　as　they　best　could　through　the　thick　brushwood　on　to　the
plain。　All　who　had　been　cutting　wood　bore　logs；　for　so　Meriones　squire
to　Idomeneus　had　bidden　them；　and　they　threw　them　down　in　a　line
upon　the　seashore　at　the　place　where　Achilles　would　make　a　mighty
monument　for　Patroclus　and　for　himself。
　　When　they　had　thrown　down　their　great　logs　of　wood　over　the　whole
ground；　they　stayed　all　of　them　where　they　were；　but　Achilles
ordered　his　brave　Myrmidons　to　gird　on　their　armour；　and　to　yoke
each　man　his　horses；　they　therefore　rose；　girded　on　their　armour　and
mounted　each　his　chariot…　they　and　their　charioteers　with　them。　The
chariots　went　before；　and　they　that　were　on　foot　followed　as　a　cloud
in　their　tens　of　thousands　after。　In　the　midst　of　them　his　comrades
bore　Patroclus　and　covered　him　with　the　locks　of　their　hair　which　they
cut　off　and　threw　upon　his　body。　Last　came　Achilles　with　his　head
bowed　for　sorrow；　so　noble　a　comrade　was　he　taking　to　the　house　of
Hades。
　　When　they　came　to　the　place　of　which　Achilles　had　told　them　they
laid　the　body　down　and　built　up　the　wood。　Achilles　then　bethought
him　of　another　matter。　He　went　a　space　away　from　the　pyre；　and　cut　off
the　yellow　lock　which　he　had　let　grow　for　the　river　Spercheius。　He
looked　all　sorrowfully　out　upon　the　dark　sea；　and　said；　〃Spercheius；
in　vain　did　my　father　Peleus　vow　to　you　that　when　I　returned　home　to
my　loved　native　land　I　should　cut　off　this　lock　and　offer　you　a　holy
hecatomb；　fifty　she…goats　was　I　to　sacrifice　to　you　there　at　your
springs；　where　is　your　grove　and　your　altar　fragrant　with
burnt…offerings。　Thus　did　my　father　vow；　but　you　have　not　fulfilled
his　prayer；　now；　therefore；　that　I　shall　see　my　home　no　more；　I　give
this　lock　as　a　keepsake　to　the　hero　Patroclus。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　placed　the　lock　in　the　hands　of　his　dear　comrade；　and
all　who　stood　by　were　filled　with　yearning　and　lamentation。　The　sun
would　have　gone　down　upon　their　mourning　had　not　Achilles　presently
said　to　Agamemnon；　〃Son　of　Atreus；　for　it　is　to　you　that　the　people
will　give　ear；　there　is　a　time　to　mourn　and　a　time　to　cease　from
mourning；　bid　the　people　now　leave　the　pyre　and　set　about　getting
their　dinners：　we；　to　whom　the　dead　is　dearest；　will　see　to　what　is
wanted　here；　and　let　the　other　princes　also　stay　by　me。〃
　　When　King　Agamemnon　heard　this　he　dismissed　the　people　to　their
ships；　but　those　who　were　about　the　dead　heaped　up　wood　and　built　a
pyre　a　hundred　feet　this　way　and　that；　then　they　laid　the　dead　all
sorrowfully　upon　the　top　of　it。　They　flayed　and　dressed　many　fat　sheep
and　oxen　before　the　pyre；　and　Achilles　took　fat　from　all　of　them　and
wrapped　the　body　therein　from　head　to　foot；　heaping　the　flayed
carcases　all　round　it。　Against　the　bier　he　leaned　two…handled　jars
of　honey　and　unguents；　four　proud　horses　did　he　then　cast　upon　the
pyre；　groaning　the　while　he　did　so。　The　dead　hero　had　had
house…dogs；　two　of　them　did　Achille