the iliad(伊利亚特)-第95章

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　　Antilochus　carried　off　the　last　prize　and　smiled　as　he　said　to　the
bystanders；　〃You　all　see；　my　friends；　that　now　too　the　gods　have　shown
their　respect　for　seniority。　Ajax　is　somewhat　older　than　I　am；　and
as　for　Ulysses；　he　belongs　to　an　earlier　generation；　but　he　is　hale　in
spite　of　his　years；　and　no　man　of　the　Achaeans　can　run　against　him
save　only　Achilles。〃
　　He　said　this　to　pay　a　compliment　to　the　son　of　Peleus；　and
Achilles　answered；　〃Antilochus；　you　shall　not　have　praised　me　to　no
purpose；　I　shall　give　you　an　additional　half　talent　of　gold。〃　He
then　gave　the　half　talent　to　Antilochus；　who　received　it　gladly。
　　Then　the　son　of　Peleus　brought　out　the　spear；　helmet　and　shield　that
had　been　borne　by　Sarpedon；　and　were　taken　from　him　by　Patroclus。　He
stood　up　and　said　among　the　Argives；　〃We　bid　two　champions　put　on
their　armour；　take　their　keen　blades；　and　make　trial　of　one　another　in
the　presence　of　the　multitude；　whichever　of　them　can　first　wound　the
flesh　of　the　other；　cut　through　his　armour；　and　draw　blood；　to　him
will　I　give　this　goodly　Thracian　sword　inlaid　with　silver；　which　I
took　from　Asteropaeus；　but　the　armour　let　both　hold　in　partnership；
and　I　will　give　each　of　them　a　hearty　meal　in　my　own　tent。〃
　　Forthwith　uprose　great　Ajax　the　son　of　Telamon；　as　also　mighty
Diomed　son　of　Tydeus。　When　they　had　put　on　their　armour　each　on　his
own　side　of　the　ring；　they　both　went　into　the　middle　eager　to
engage；　and　with　fire　flashing　from　their　eyes。　The　Achaeans　marvelled
as　they　beheld　them；　and　when　the　two　were　now　close　up　with　one
another；　thrice　did　they　spring　forward　and　thrice　try　to　strike
each　other　in　close　combat。　Ajax　pierced　Diomed's　round　shield；　but
did　not　draw　blood；　for　the　cuirass　beneath　the　shield　protected
him；　thereon　the　son　of　Tydeus　from　over　his　huge　shield　kept　aiming
continually　at　Ajax's　neck　with　the　point　of　his　spear；　and　the
Achaeans　alarmed　for　his　safety　bade　them　leave　off　fighting　and
divide　the　prize　between　them。　Achilles　then　gave　the　great　sword　to
the　son　of　Tydeus；　with　its　scabbard；　and　the　leathern　belt　with　which
to　hang　it。
　　Achilles　next　offered　the　massive　iron　quoit　which　mighty　Eetion　had
erewhile　been　used　to　hurl；　until　Achilles　had　slain　him　and　carried
it　off　in　his　ships　along　with　other　spoils。　He　stood　up　and　said
among　the　Argives；　〃Stand　forward；　you　who　would　essay　this　contest。
He　who　wins　it　will　have　a　store　of　iron　that　will　last　him　five　years
as　they　go　rolling　round；　and　if　his　fair　fields　lie　far　from　a　town
his　shepherd　or　ploughman　will　not　have　to　make　a　journey　to　buy　iron；
for　he　will　have　a　stock　of　it　on　his　own　premises。〃
　　Then　uprose　the　two　mighty　men　Polypoetes　and　Leonteus；　with　Ajax
son　of　Telamon　and　noble　Epeus。　They　stood　up　one　after　the　other
and　Epeus　took　the　quoit；　whirled　it；　and　flung　it　from　him；　which　set
all　the　Achaeans　laughing。　After　him　threw　Leonteus　of　the　race　of
Mars。　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　threw　third；　and　sent　the　quoit　beyond　any
mark　that　had　been　made　yet；　but　when　mighty　Polypoetes　took　the　quoit
he　hurled　it　as　though　it　had　been　a　stockman's　stick　which　he　sends
flying　about　among　his　cattle　when　he　is　driving　them；　so　far　did
his　throw　out…distance　those　of　the　others。　All　who　saw　it　roared
applause；　and　his　comrades　carried　the　prize　for　him　and　set　it　on
board　his　ship。
　　Achilles　next　offered　a　prize　of　iron　for　archery…　ten
double…edged　axes　and　ten　with　single　eddies：　he　set　up　a　ship's　mast；
some　way　off　upon　the　sands；　and　with　a　fine　string　tied　a　pigeon　to
it　by　the　foot；　this　was　what　they　were　to　aim　at。　〃Whoever；〃　he　said；
〃can　hit　the　pigeon　shall　have　all　the　axes　and　take　them　away　with
him；　he　who　hits　the　string　without　hitting　the　bird　will　have　taken　a
worse　aim　and　shall　have　the　single…edged　axes。〃
　　Then　uprose　King　Teucer；　and　Meriones　the　stalwart　squire　of
Idomeneus　rose　also；　They　cast　lots　in　a　bronze　helmet　and　the　lot
of　Teucer　fell　first。　He　let　fly　with　his　arrow　forthwith；　but　he
did　not　promise　hecatombs　of　firstling　lambs　to　King　Apollo；　and
missed　his　bird；　for　Apollo　foiled　his　aim；　but　he　hit　the　string　with
which　the　bird　was　tied；　near　its　foot；　the　arrow　cut　the　string　clean
through　so　that　it　hung　down　towards　the　ground；　while　the　bird　flew
up　into　the　sky；　and　the　Achaeans　shouted　applause。　Meriones；　who
had　his　arrow　ready　while　Teucer　was　aiming；　snatched　the　bow　out　of
his　hand；　and　at　once　promised　that　he　would　sacrifice　a　hecatomb　of
firstling　lambs　to　Apollo　lord　of　the　bow；　then　espying　the　pigeon
high　up　under　the　clouds；　he　hit　her　in　the　middle　of　the　wing　as
she　was　circling　upwards；　the　arrow　went　clean　through　the　wing　and
fixed　itself　in　the　ground　at　Meriones'　feet；　but　the　bird　perched
on　the　ship's　mast　hanging　her　head　and　with　all　her　feathers
drooping；　the　life　went　out　of　her；　and　she　fell　heavily　from　the
mast。　Meriones；　therefore；　took　all　ten　double…edged　axes；　while
Teucer　bore　off　the　single…edged　ones　to　his　ships。
　　Then　the　son　of　Peleus　brought　in　a　spear　and　a　cauldron　that　had
never　been　on　the　fire；　it　was　worth　an　ox；　and　was　chased　with　a
pattern　of　flowers；　and　those　that　throw　the　javelin　stood　up…　to
wit　the　son　of　Atreus；　king　of　men　Agamemnon；　and　Meriones；　stalwart
squire　of　Idomeneus。　But　Achilles　spoke　saying；　〃Son　of　Atreus；　we
know　how　far　you　excel　all　others　both　in　power　and　in　throwing　the
javelin；　take　the　cauldron　back　with　you　to　your　ships；　but　if　it　so
please　you；　let　us　give　the　spear　to　Meriones；　this　at　least　is　what　I
should　myself　wish。〃
　　King　Agamemnon　assented。　So　he　gave　the　bronze　spear　to　Meriones；
and　handed　the　goodly　cauldron　to　Talthybius　his　esquire。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XXIV

　　THE　assembly　now　broke　up　and　the　people　went　their　ways　each　to　his
own　ship。　There　they　made　ready　their　supper；　and　then　bethought
them　of　the　blessed　boon　of　sleep；　but　Achilles　still　wept　for
thinking　of　his　dear　comrade；　and　sleep；　before　whom　all　things　bow；
could　take　no　hold　upon　him。　This　way　and　that　did　he　turn　as　he
yearned　after　the　might　and　manfulness　of　Patroclus；　he　thought　of　all
they　had　done　together；　and　all　they　had　gone　through　both　on　the
field　of　battle　and　on　the　waves　of　the　weary　sea。　As　he　dwelt　on
these　things　he　wept　bitterly　and　lay　now　on　his　side；　now　on　his
back；　and　now　face　downwards；　till　at　last　he　rose　and　went　out　as　one
distraught　to　wander　upon　the　seashore。　Then；　when　he　saw　dawn
breaking　over　beach　and　sea；　he　yoked　his　horses　to　his　chariot；　and
bound　the　body　of　Hector　behind　it　that　he　might　drag　it　about。　Thrice
did　he　drag　it　round　the　tomb　of　the　son　of　Menoetius；　and　then　went
back　into　his　tent；　leaving　the　body　on　the　ground　full　length　and
with　its　face　downwards。　But　Apollo　would　not　suffer　it　to　be
disfigured；　for　he　pitied　the　man；　dead　though　he　now　was；　therefore
he　shielded　him　with　his　golden　aegis　continually；　that　he　might
take　no　hurt　while　Achilles　was　dragging　him。
　　Thus　shamefully　did　Achilles　in　his　fury　dishonour　Hector；　but　the
blessed　gods　looked　down　in　pity　from　heaven；　and　urged　Mercury；
slayer　of　Argus；　to　steal　the　body。　All　were　of　this　mind　save　only
Juno；　Neptune；　and　Jove's　grey…eyed　daughter；　who　persisted　in　the
hate　which　they　had　ever　borne　towards　Ilius　with　Priam　and　his
people；　for　they　forgave　not　the　wrong　done　them　by　Alexandrus　in
disdaining　the　goddesses　who　came　to　him　when　he　was　in　his
sheepyards；　and　preferring　her　who　had　offered　him　a　wanton　to　his
ruin。
　　When；　therefore；　the　morning　of　the　twelfth　day　had　now　come；
Phoebus　Apollo　spoke　among　the　immortals　saying；　〃You　gods　ought　to　be
ashamed　of　yourselves；　you　are　cruel　and　hard…hearted。　Did　not
Hector　burn　you　thigh…bones　of　heifers　and　of　unblemished　goats？　And
now　dare　you　not　rescue　even　his　dead　body；　for　his　wife　to　look　upon；
with　his　mother　and　child；　his　father　Priam；　and　his　people；　who　would
forthwith　commit　him　to　the　flames；　and　give　him　his　due　funeral
rites？　So；　then；　you　would　all　be　on　the　side　of　mad　Achilles；　who
knows　neither　right　nor　ruth？　He　is　like　some　savage　lion　that　in
the　pride　of　his　great　strength　and　daring　springs