the iliad(伊利亚特)-第92章

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the　doubling…post；　he　knows　the　precise　moment　at　which　to　pull　the
rein；　and　keeps　his　eye　well　on　the　man　in　front　of　him。　I　will　give
you　this　certain　token　which　cannot　escape　your　notice。　There　is　a
stump　of　a　dead　tree…oak　or　pine　as　it　may　be…　some　six　feet　above　the
ground；　and　not　yet　rotted　away　by　rain；　it　stands　at　the　fork　of
the　road；　it　has　two　white　stones　set　one　on　each　side；　and　there　is　a
clear　course　all　round　it。　It　may　have　been　a　monument　to　some　one
long　since　dead；　or　it　may　have　been　used　as　a　doubling…post　in　days
gone　by；　now；　however；　it　has　been　fixed　on　by　Achilles　as　the　mark
round　which　the　chariots　shall　turn；　hug　it　as　close　as　you　can；　but
as　you　stand　in　your　chariot　lean　over　a　little　to　the　left；　urge　on
your　right…hand　horse　with　voice　and　lash；　and　give　him　a　loose
rein；　but　let　the　left…hand　horse　keep　so　close　in；　that　the　nave　of
your　wheel　shall　almost　graze　the　post；　but　mind　the　stone；　or　you
will　wound　your　horses　and　break　your　chariot　in　pieces；　which　would
be　sport　for　others　but　confusion　for　yourself。　Therefore；　my　dear
son；　mind　well　what　you　are　about；　for　if　you　can　be　first　to　round
the　post　there　is　no　chance　of　any　one　giving　you　the　goby　later；
not　even　though　you　had　Adrestus's　horse　Arion　behind　you　horse
which　is　of　divine　race…　or　those　of　Laomedon；　which　are　the　noblest
in　this　country。〃
　　When　Nestor　had　made　an　end　of　counselling　his　son　he　sat　down　in
his　place；　and　fifth　in　order　Meriones　got　ready　his　horses。　They　then
all　mounted　their　chariots　and　cast　lots。…　Achilles　shook　the
helmet；　and　the　lot　of　Antilochus　son　of　Nestor　fell　out　first；　next
came　that　of　King　Eumelus；　and　after　his；　those　of　Menelaus　son　of
Atreus　and　of　Meriones。　The　last　place　fell　to　the　lot　of　Diomed　son
of　Tydeus；　who　was　the　best　man　of　them　all。　They　took　their　places　in
line；　Achilles　showed　them　the　doubling…post　round　which　they　were
to　turn；　some　way　off　upon　the　plain；　here　he　stationed　his　father's
follower　Phoenix　as　umpire；　to　note　the　running；　and　report　truly。
　　At　the　same　instant　they　all　of　them　lashed　their　horses；　struck
them　with　the　reins；　and　shouted　at　them　with　all　their　might。　They
flew　full　speed　over　the　plain　away　from　the　ships；　the　dust　rose　from
under　them　as　it　were　a　cloud　or　whirlwind；　and　their　manes　were　all
flying　in　the　wind。　At　one　moment　the　chariots　seemed　to　touch　the
ground；　and　then　again　they　bounded　into　the　air；　the　drivers　stood
erect；　and　their　hearts　beat　fast　and　furious　in　their　lust　of
victory。　Each　kept　calling　on　his　horses；　and　the　horses　scoured　the
plain　amid　the　clouds　of　dust　that　they　raised。
　　It　was　when　they　were　doing　the　last　part　of　the　course　on　their　way
back　towards　the　sea　that　their　pace　was　strained　to　the　utmost　and　it
was　seen　what　each　could　do。　The　horses　of　the　descendant　of　Pheres
now　took　the　lead；　and　close　behind　them　came　the　Trojan　stallions
of　Diomed。　They　seemed　as　if　about　to　mount　Eumelus's　chariot；　and
he　could　feel　their　warm　breath　on　his　back　and　on　his　broad
shoulders；　for　their　heads　were　close　to　him　as　they　flew　over　the
course。　Diomed　would　have　now　passed　him；　or　there　would　have　been　a
dead　heat；　but　Phoebus　Apollo　to　spite　him　made　him　drop　his　whip。
Tears　of　anger　fell　from　his　eyes　as　he　saw　the　mares　going　on
faster　than　ever；　while　his　own　horses　lost　ground　through　his
having　no　whip。　Minerva　saw　the　trick　which　Apollo　had　played　the
son　of　Tydeus；　so　she　brought　him　his　whip　and　put　spirit　into　his
horses；　moreover　she　went　after　the　son　of　Admetus　in　a　rage　and　broke
his　yoke　for　him；　the　mares　went　one　to　one　side　the　course；　and　the
other　to　the　other；　and　the　pole　was　broken　against　the　ground。
Eumelus　was　thrown　from　his　chariot　close　to　the　wheel；　his　elbows；
mouth；　and　nostrils　were　all　torn；　and　his　forehead　was　bruised
above　his　eyebrows；　his　eyes　filled　with　tears　and　he　could　find　no
utterance。　But　the　son　of　Tydeus　turned　his　horses　aside　and　shot
far　ahead；　for　Minerva　put　fresh　strength　into　them　and　covered　Diomed
himself　with　glory。
　　Menelaus　son　of　Atreus　came　next　behind　him；　but　Antilochus　called
to　his　father's　horses。　〃On　with　you　both；〃　he　cried；　〃and　do　your
very　utmost。　I　do　not　bid　you　try　to　beat　the　steeds　of　the　son　of
Tydeus；　for　Minerva　has　put　running　into　them；　and　has　covered
Diomed　with　glory；　but　you　must　overtake　the　horses　of　the　son　of
Atreus　and　not　be　left　behind；　or　Aethe　who　is　so　fleet　will　taunt
you。　Why；　my　good　fellows；　are　you　lagging？　I　tell　you；　and　it　shall
surely　be…　Nestor　will　keep　neither　of　you；　but　will　put　both　of　you
to　the　sword；　if　we　win　any　the　worse　a　prize　through　your
carelessness；　fly　after　them　at　your　utmost　speed；　I　will　hit　on　a
plan　for　passing　them　in　a　narrow　part　of　the　way；　and　it　shall　not
fail　me。〃
　　They　feared　the　rebuke　of　their　master；　and　for　a　short　space　went
quicker。　Presently　Antilochus　saw　a　narrow　place　where　the　road　had
sunk。　The　ground　was　broken；　for　the　winter's　rain　had　gathered　and
had　worn　the　road　so　that　the　whole　place　was　deepened。　Menelaus　was
making　towards　it　so　as　to　get　there　first；　for　fear　of　a　foul；　but
Antilochus　turned　his　horses　out　of　the　way；　and　followed　him　a　little
on　one　side。　The　son　of　Atreus　was　afraid　and　shouted　out；
〃Antilochus；　you　are　driving　recklessly；　rein　in　your　horses；　the　road
is　too　narrow　here；　it　will　be　wider　soon；　and　you　can　pass　me　then；
if　you　foul　my　chariot　you　may　bring　both　of　us　to　a　mischief。〃
　　But　Antilochus　plied　his　whip；　and　drove　faster；　as　though　he　had
not　heard　him。　They　went　side　by　side　for　about　as　far　as　a　young
man　can　hurl　a　disc　from　his　shoulder　when　he　is　trying　his
strength；　and　then　Menelaus's　mares　drew　behind；　for　he　left　off
driving　for　fear　the　horses　should　foul　one　another　and　upset　the
chariots；　thus；　while　pressing　on　in　quest　of　victory；　they　might　both
come　headlong　to　the　ground。　Menelaus　then　upbraided　Antilochus　and
said；　〃There　is　no　greater　trickster　living　than　you　are；　go；　and
bad　luck　go　with　you；　the　Achaeans　say　not　well　that　you　have
understanding；　and　come　what　may　you　shall　not　bear　away　the　prize
without　sworn　protest　on　my　part。〃
　　Then　he　called　on　his　horses　and　said　to　them；　〃Keep　your　pace；
and　slacken　not；　the　limbs　of　the　other　horses　will　weary　sooner
than　yours；　for　they　are　neither　of　them　young。〃
　　The　horses　feared　the　rebuke　of　their　master；　and　went　faster；　so
that　they　were　soon　nearly　up　with　the　others。
　　Meanwhile　the　Achaeans　from　their　seats　were　watching　how　the　horses
went；　as　they　scoured　the　plain　amid　clouds　of　their　own　dust。
Idomeneus　captain　of　the　Cretans　was　first　to　make　out　the　running；
for　he　was　not　in　the　thick　of　the　crowd；　but　stood　on　the　most
commanding　part　of　the　ground。　The　driver　was　a　long　way　off；　but
Idomeneus　could　hear　him　shouting；　and　could　see　the　foremost　horse
quite　plainly…　a　chestnut　with　a　round　white　star；　like　the　moon；　on
its　forehead。　He　stood　up　and　said　among　the　Argives；　〃My　friends；
princes　and　counsellors　of　the　Argives；　can　you　see　the　running　as
well　as　I　can？　There　seems　to　be　another　pair　in　front　now；　and
another　driver；　those　that　led　off　at　the　start　must　have　been
disabled　out　on　the　plain。　I　saw　them　at　first　making　their　way
round　the　doubling…post；　but　now；　though　I　search　the　plain　of　Troy；　I
cannot　find　them。　Perhaps　the　reins　fell　from　the　driver's　hand　so
that　he　lost　command　of　his　horses　at　the　doubling…post；　and　could　not
turn　it。　I　suppose　he　must　have　been　thrown　out　there；　and　broken
his　chariot；　while　his　mares　have　left　the　course　and　gone　off
wildly　in　a　panic。　Come　up　and　see　for　yourselves；　I　cannot　make　out
for　certain；　but　the　driver　seems　an　Aetolian　by　descent；　ruler　over
the　Argives；　brave　Diomed　the　son　of　Tydeus。〃
　　Ajax　the　son　of　Oileus　took　him　up　rudely　and　said；　〃Idomeneus；
why　should　you　be　in　such　a　hurry　to　tell　us　all　about　it；　when　the
mares　are　still　so　far　out　upon　the　plain？　You　are　none　of　the
youngest；　nor　your　eyes　none　of　the　sharpest；　but　you　are　always
laying　down　the　law。　You　have　no　right　to　do　so；　for　there　are
better　men　here　than　you　are。　Eumelus's　horses