the iliad(伊利亚特)-第91章

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pyre；　groaning　the　while　he　did　so。　The　dead　hero　had　had
house…dogs；　two　of　them　did　Achilles　slay　and　threw　upon　the　pyre；
he　also　put　twelve　brave　sons　of　noble　Trojans　to　the　sword　and　laid
them　with　the　rest；　for　he　was　full　of　bitterness　and　fury。　Then　he
committed　all　to　the　resistless　and　devouring　might　of　the　fire；　he
groaned　aloud　and　callid　on　his　dead　comrade　by　name。　〃Fare　well；〃
he　cried；　〃Patroclus；　even　in　the　house　of　Hades；　I　am　now　doing　all
that　I　have　promised　you。　Twelve　brave　sons　of　noble　Trojans　shall　the
flames　consume　along　with　yourself；　but　dogs；　not　fire；　shall　devour
the　flesh　of　Hector　son　of　Priam。〃
　　Thus　did　he　vaunt；　but　the　dogs　came　not　about　the　body　of　Hector；
for　Jove's　daughter　Venus　kept　them　off　him　night　and　day；　and
anointed　him　with　ambrosial　oil　of　roses　that　his　flesh　might　not　be
torn　when　Achilles　was　dragging　him　about。　Phoebus　Apollo　moreover
sent　a　dark　cloud　from　heaven　to　earth；　which　gave　shade　to　the
whole　place　where　Hector　lay；　that　the　heat　of　the　sun　might　not　parch
his　body。
　　Now　the　pyre　about　dead　Patroclus　would　not　kindle。　Achilles
therefore　bethought　him　of　another　matter；　he　went　apart　and　prayed　to
the　two　winds　Boreas　and　Zephyrus　vowing　them　goodly　offerings。　He
made　them　many　drink…offerings　from　the　golden　cup　and　besought　them
to　come　and　help　him　that　the　wood　might　make　haste　to　kindle　and
the　dead　bodies　be　consumed。　Fleet　Iris　heard　him　praying　and
started　off　to　fetch　the　winds。　They　were　holding　high　feast　in　the
house　of　boisterous　Zephyrus　when　Iris　came　running　up　to　the　stone
threshold　of　the　house　and　stood　there；　but　as　soon　as　they　set　eyes
on　her　they　all　came　towards　her　and　each　of　them　called　her　to　him；
but　Iris　would　not　sit　down。　〃I　cannot　stay；〃　she　said；　〃I　must　go
back　to　the　streams　of　Oceanus　and　the　land　of　the　Ethiopians　who
are　offering　hecatombs　to　the　immortals；　and　I　would　have　my　share；
but　Achilles　prays　that　Boreas　and　shrill　Zephyrus　will　come　to　him；
and　he　vows　them　goodly　offerings；　he　would　have　you　blow　upon　the
pyre　of　Patroclus　for　whom　all　the　Achaeans　are　lamenting。〃
　　With　this　she　left　them；　and　the　two　winds　rose　with　a　cry　that　rent
the　air　and　swept　the　clouds　before　them。　They　blew　on　and　on　until
they　came　to　the　sea；　and　the　waves　rose　high　beneath　them；　but　when
they　reached　Troy　they　fell　upon　the　pyre　till　the　mighty　flames
roared　under　the　blast　that　they　blew。　All　night　long　did　they　blow
hard　and　beat　upon　the　fire；　and　all　night　long　did　Achilles　grasp　his
double　cup；　drawing　wine　from　a　mixing…bowl　of　gold；　and　calling
upon　the　spirit　of　dead　Patroclus　as　he　poured　it　upon　the　ground
until　the　earth　was　drenched。　As　a　father　mourns　when　he　is　burning
the　bones　of　his　bridegroom　son　whose　death　has　wrung　the　hearts　of
his　parents；　even　so　did　Achilles　mourn　while　burning　the　body　of
his　comrade；　pacing　round　the　bier　with　piteous　groaning　and
lamentation。
　　At　length　as　the　Morning　Star　was　beginning　to　herald　the　light
which　saffron…mantled　Dawn　was　soon　to　suffuse　over　the　sea；　the
flames　fell　and　the　fire　began　to　die。　The　winds　then　went　home　beyond
the　Thracian　sea；　which　roared　and　boiled　as　they　swept　over　it。　The
son　of　Peleus　now　turned　away　from　the　pyre　and　lay　down；　overcome
with　toil；　till　he　fell　into　a　sweet　slumber。　Presently　they　who
were　about　the　son　of　Atreus　drew　near　in　a　body；　and　roused　him
with　the　noise　and　tramp　of　their　coming。　He　sat　upright　and　said；
〃Son　of　Atreus；　and　all　other　princes　of　the　Achaeans；　first　pour
red　wine　everywhere　upon　the　fire　and　quench　it；　let　us　then　gather
the　bones　of　Patroclus　son　of　Menoetius；　singling　them　out　with
care；　they　are　easily　found；　for　they　lie　in　the　middle　of　the　pyre；
while　all　else；　both　men　and　horses；　has　been　thrown　in　a　heap　and
burned　at　the　outer　edge。　We　will　lay　the　bones　in　a　golden　urn；　in
two　layers　of　fat；　against　the　time　when　I　shall　myself　go　down　into
the　house　of　Hades。　As　for　the　barrow；　labour　not　to　raise　a　great　one
now；　but　such　as　is　reasonable。　Afterwards；　let　those　Achaeans　who　may
be　left　at　the　ships　when　I　am　gone；　build　it　both　broad　and　high。〃
　　Thus　he　spoke　and　they　obeyed　the　word　of　the　son　of　Peleus。　First
they　poured　red　wine　upon　the　thick　layer　of　ashes　and　quenched　the
fire。　With　many　tears　they　singled　out　the　whitened　bones　of　their
loved　comrade　and　laid　them　within　a　golden　urn　in　two　layers　of
fat：　they　then　covered　the　urn　with　a　linen　cloth　and　took　it　inside
the　tent。　They　marked　off　the　circle　where　the　barrow　should　be；
made　a　foundation　for　it　about　the　pyre；　and　forthwith　heaped　up　the
earth。　When　they　had　thus　raised　a　mound　they　were　going　away；　but
Achilles　stayed　the　people　and　made　them　sit　in　assembly。　He　brought
prizes　from　the　ships…cauldrons；　tripods；　horses　and　mules；　noble
oxen；　women　with　fair　girdles；　and　swart　iron。
　　The　first　prize　he　offered　was　for　the　chariot　races…　a　woman
skilled　in　all　useful　arts；　and　a　three…legged　cauldron　that　had
ears　for　handles；　and　would　hold　twenty…two　measures。　This　was　for　the
man　who　came　in　first。　For　the　second　there　was　a　six…year　old　mare；
unbroken；　and　in　foal　to　a　he…ass；　the　third　was　to　have　a　goodly
cauldron　that　had　never　yet　been　on　the　fire；　it　was　still　bright　as
when　it　left　the　maker；　and　would　hold　four　measures。　The　fourth　prize
was　two　talents　of　gold；　and　the　fifth　a　two…handled　urn　as　yet
unsoiled　by　smoke。　Then　he　stood　up　and　spoke　among　the　Argives
saying…
　　〃Son　of　Atreus；　and　all　other　Achaeans；　these　are　the　prizes　that
lie　waiting　the　winners　of　the　chariot　races。　At　any　other　time　I
should　carry　off　the　first　prize　and　take　it　to　my　own　tent；　you
know　how　far　my　steeds　excel　all　others…　for　they　are　immortal；
Neptune　gave　them　to　my　father　Peleus；　who　in　his　turn　gave　them　to
myself；　but　I　shall　hold　aloof；　I　and　my　steeds　that　have　lost　their
brave　and　kind　driver；　who　many　a　time　has　washed　them　in　clear
water　and　anointed　their　manes　with　oil。　See　how　they　stand　weeping
here；　with　their　manes　trailing　on　the　ground　in　the　extremity　of
their　sorrow。　But　do　you　others　set　yourselves　in　order　throughout　the
host；　whosoever　has　confidence　in　his　horses　and　in　the　strength　of
his　chariot。〃
　　Thus　spoke　the　son　of　Peleus　and　the　drivers　of　chariots　bestirred
themselves。　First　among　them　all　uprose　Eumelus；　king　of　men；　son　of
Admetus；　a　man　excellent　in　horsemanship。　Next　to　him　rose　mighty
Diomed　son　of　Tydeus；　he　yoked　the　Trojan　horses　which　he　had　taken
from　Aeneas；　when　Apollo　bore　him　out　of　the　fight。　Next　to　him；
yellow…haired　Menelaus　son　of　Atreus　rose　and　yoked　his　fleet
horses；　Agamemnon's　mare　Aethe；　and　his　own　horse　Podargus。　The　mare
had　been　given　to　Agamemnon　by　echepolus　son　of　Anchises；　that　he
might　not　have　to　follow　him　to　Ilius；　but　might　stay　at　home　and　take
his　ease；　for　Jove　had　endowed　him　with　great　wealth　and　he　lived　in
spacious　Sicyon。　This　mare；　all　eager　for　the　race；　did　Menelaus　put
under　the　yoke。
　　Fourth　in　order　Antilochus；　son　to　noble　Nestor　son　of　Neleus；
made　ready　his　horses。　These　were　bred　in　Pylos；　and　his　father　came
up　to　him　to　give　him　good　advice　of　which；　however；　he　stood　in　but
little　need。　〃Antilochus；〃　said　Nestor；　〃you　are　young；　but　Jove　and
Neptune　have　loved　you　well；　and　have　made　you　an　excellent
horseman。　I　need　not　therefore　say　much　by　way　of　instruction。　You　are
skilful　at　wheeling　your　horses　round　the　post；　but　the　horses
themselves　are　very　slow；　and　it　is　this　that　will；　I　fear；　mar　your
chances。　The　other　drivers　know　less　than　you　do；　but　their　horses　are
fleeter；　therefore；　my　dear　son；　see　if　you　cannot　hit　upon　some
artifice　whereby　you　may　insure　that　the　prize　shall　not　slip
through　your　fingers。　The　woodman　does　more　by　skill　than　by　brute
force；　by　skill　the　pilot　guides　his　storm…tossed　barque　over　the　sea；
and　so　by　skill　one　driver　can　beat　another。　If　a　man　go　wide　in
rounding　this　way　and　that；　whereas　a　man　who　knows　what　he　is　doing
may　have　worse　horses；　but　he　will　keep　them　well　in　hand　when　he　sees
the　doubling…post；　he　knows　the　precise　moment　at　which　to　pull　the
rein；　and　keeps　his　ey