hesiod, the homeric hymns, and homerica-第33章
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rself watch man…slaying Ares narrowly as he attacks; and wherever you shall see him uncovered below his cunningly…wrought shield; there wound him with your sharp spear。 Then draw back; for it is not ordained that you should take his horses or his splendid armour。'
(ll。 338…349) So said the bright…eyed goddess and swiftly got up into the car with victory and renown in her hands。 Then heaven… nurtured Iolaus called terribly to the horses; and at his cry they swiftly whirled the fleet chariot along; raising dust from the plain; for the goddess bright…eyed Athene put mettle into them by shaking her aegis。 And the earth groaned all round them。
And they; horse…taming Cycnus and Ares; insatiable in war; came on together like fire or whirlwind。 Then their horses neighed shrilly; face to face; and the echo was shivered all round them。 And mighty Heracles spoke first and said to that other:
(ll。 350…367) ‘Cycnus; good sir! Why; pray; do you set your swift horses at us; men who are tried in labour and pain? Nay; guide your fleet car aside and yield and go out of the path。 It is to Trachis I am driving on; to Ceyx the king; who is the first in Trachis for power and for honour; and that you yourself know well; for you have his daughter dark…eyed Themistinoe to wife。 Fool! For Ares shall not deliver you from the end of death; if we two meet together in battle。 Another time ere this I declare he has made trial of my spear; when he defended sandy Pylos and stood against me; fiercely longing for fight。 Thrice was he stricken by my spear and dashed to earth; and his shield was pierced; but the fourth time I struck his thigh; laying on with all my strength; and tare deep into his flesh。 And he fell headlong in the dust upon the ground through the force of my spear…thrust; then truly he would have been disgraced among the deathless gods; if by my hands he had left behind his bloody spoils。'
(ll。 368…385) So said he。 But Cycnus the stout spearman cared not to obey him and to pull up the horses that drew his chariot。 Then it was that from their well…woven cars they both leaped straight to the ground; the son of Zeus and the son of the Lord of War。 The charioteers drove near by their horses with beautiful manes; and the wide earth rang with the beat of their hoofs as they rushed along。 As when rocks leap forth from the high peak of a great mountain; and fall on one another; and many towering oaks and pines and long…rooted poplars are broken by them as they whirl swiftly down until they reach the plain; so did they fall on one another with a great shout: and all the town of the Myrmidons; and famous Iolcus; and Arne; and Helice; and grassy Anthea echoed loudly at the voice of the two。 With an awful cry they closed: and wise Zeus thundered loudly and rained down drops of blood; giving the signal for battle to his dauntless son。
(ll。 386…401) As a tusked boar; that is fearful for a man to see before him in the glens of a mountain; resolves to fight with the huntsmen and white tusks; turning sideways; while foam flows all round his mouth as he gnashes; and his eyes are like glowing fire; and he bristles the hair on his mane and around his neck like him the son of Zeus leaped from his horse…chariot。 And when the dark…winged whirring grasshopper; perched on a green shoot; begins to sing of summer to men his food and drink is the dainty dew and all day long from dawn pours forth his voice in the deadliest heat; when Sirius scorches the flesh (then the beard grows upon the millet which men sow in summer); when the crude grapes which Dionysus gave to men a joy and a sorrow both begin to colour; in that season they fought and loud rose the clamour。
(ll。 402…412) As two lions (6) on either side of a slain deer spring at one another in fury; and there is a fearful snarling and a clashing also of teeth like vultures with crooked talons and hooked beak that fight and scream aloud on a high rock over a mountain goat or fat wild…deer which some active man has shot with an arrow from the string; and himself has wandered away elsewhere; not knowing the place; but they quickly mark it and vehemently do keen battle about it like these they two rushed upon one another with a shout。
(ll。 413…423) Then Cycnus; eager to kill the son of almighty Zeus; struck upon his shield with a brazen spear; but did not break the bronze; and the gift of the god saved his foe。 But the son of Amphitryon; mighty Heracles; with his long spear struck Cycnus violently in the neck beneath the chin; where it was unguarded between helm and shield。 And the deadly spear cut through the two sinews; for the hero's full strength lighted on his foe。 And Cycnus fell as an oak falls or a lofty pine that is stricken by the lurid thunderbolt of Zeus; even so he fell; and his armour adorned with bronze clashed about him。
(ll。 424…442) Then the stout hearted son of Zeus let him be; and himself watched for the onset of manslaying Ares: fiercely he stared; like a lion who has come upon a body and full eagerly rips the hide with his strong claws and takes away the sweet life with all speed: his dark heart is filled with rage and his eyes glare fiercely; while he tears up the earth with his paws and lashes his flanks and shoulders with his tail so that no one dares to face him and go near to give battle。 Even so; the son of Amphitryon; unsated of battle; stood eagerly face to face with Ares; nursing courage in his heart。 And Ares drew near him with grief in his heart; and they both sprang at one another with a cry。 As it is when a rock shoots out from a great cliff and whirls down with long bounds; careering eagerly with a roar; and a high crag clashes with it and keeps it there where they strike together; with no less clamour did deadly Ares; the chariot… borne; rush shouting at Heracles。 And he quickly received the attack。
(ll。 443…449) But Athene the daughter of aegis…bearing Zeus came to meet Ares; wearing the dark aegis; and she looked at him with an angry frown and spoke winged words to him。 ‘Ares; check your fierce anger and matchless hands; for it is not ordained that you should kill Heracles; the bold…hearted son of Zeus; and strip off his rich armour。 Come; then; cease fighting and do not withstand me。'
(ll。 450…466) So said she; but did not move the courageous spirit of Ares。 But he uttered a great shout and waving his spears like fire; he rushed headlong at strong Heracles; longing to kill him; and hurled a brazen spear upon the great shield; for he was furiously angry because of his dead son; but bright…eyed Athene reached out from the car and turned aside the force of the spear。
Then bitter grief seized Ares and he drew his keen sword and leaped upon bold…hearted Heracles。 But as he came on; the son of Amphitryon; unsated of fierce battle; shrewdly wounded his thigh where it was exposed under his richly…wrought shield; and tare deep into his flesh with the spear…thrust and cast him flat upon the ground。 And Panic and Dread quickly drove his smooth…wheeled chariot and horses near him and lifted him from the wide…pathed earth into his richly…wrought car; and then straight lashed the horses and came to high Olympus。
(ll。 467…471) But the son of Alemena and glorious Iolaus stripped the fine armour off Cycnus' shoulders and went; and their swift horses carried them straight to the city of Trachis。 And bright… eyed Athene went thence to great Olympus and her father's house。
(ll。 472…480) As for Cycnus; Ceyx buried him and the countless people who lived near the city of the glorious king; in Anthe and the city of the Myrmidons; and famous Iolcus; and Arne; and Helice: and much people were gathered doing honour to Ceyx; the friend of the blessed gods。 But Anaurus; swelled by a rain… storm; blotted out the grave and memorial of Cycnus; for so Apollo; Leto's son; commanded him; because he used to watch for and violently despoil the rich hecatombs that any might bring to Pytho。
ENDNOTES:
(1) A mountain peak near Thebes which took its name from the Sphinx (called in 〃Theogony〃 l。 326 PHIX)。 (2) Cyanus was a glass…paste of deep blue colour: the ‘zones' were concentric bands in which were the scenes described by the p