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第16节

the iliad(伊利亚特)-第16节

小说: the iliad(伊利亚特) 字数: 每页4000字

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  He poised his spear as he spoke and hurled it from him。 It struck
the shield of the son of Tydeus; the bronze point pierced it and
passed on till it reached the breastplate。 Thereon the son of Lycaon
shouted out and said; 〃You are hit clean through the belly; you will
not stand out for long; and the glory of the fight is mine。〃
  But Diomed all undismayed made answer; 〃You have missed; not hit;
and before you two see the end of this matter one or other of you
shall glut tough…shielded Mars with his blood。〃
  With this he hurled his spear; and Minerva guided it on to
Pandarus's nose near the eye。 It went crashing in among his white
teeth; the bronze point cut through the root of his to tongue;
coming out under his chin; and his glistening armour rang rattling
round him as he fell heavily to the ground。 The horses started aside
for fear; and he was reft of life and strength。
  Aeneas sprang from his chariot armed with shield and spear;
fearing lest the Achaeans should carry off the body。 He bestrode it as
a lion in the pride of strength; with shield and on spear before him
and a cry of battle on his lips resolute to kill the first that should
dare face him。 But the son of Tydeus caught up a mighty stone; so huge
and great that as men now are it would take two to lift it;
nevertheless he bore it aloft with ease unaided; and with this he
struck Aeneas on the groin where the hip turns in the joint that is
called the 〃cup…bone。〃 The stone crushed this joint; and broke both
the sinews; while its jagged edges tore away all the flesh。 The hero
fell on his knees; and propped himself with his hand resting on the
ground till the darkness of night fell upon his eyes。 And now
Aeneas; king of men; would have perished then and there; had not his
mother; Jove's daughter Venus; who had conceived him by Anchises
when he was herding cattle; been quick to mark; and thrown her two
white arms about the body of her dear son。 She protected him by
covering him with a fold of her own fair garment; lest some Danaan
should drive a spear into his breast and kill him。
  Thus; then; did she bear her dear son out of the fight。 But the
son of Capaneus was not unmindful of the orders that Diomed had
given him。 He made his own horses fast; away from the hurly…burly;
by binding the reins to the rim of the chariot。 Then he sprang upon
Aeneas's horses and drove them from the Trojan to the Achaean ranks。
When he had so done he gave them over to his chosen comrade
Deipylus; whom he valued above all others as the one who was most
like…minded with himself; to take them on to the ships。 He then
remounted his own chariot; seized the reins; and drove with all
speed in search of the son of Tydeus。
  Now the son of Tydeus was in pursuit of the Cyprian goddess; spear
in hand; for he knew her to be feeble and not one of those goddesses
that can lord it among men in battle like Minerva or Enyo the waster
of cities; and when at last after a long chase he caught her up; he
flew at her and thrust his spear into the flesh of her delicate
hand。 The point tore through the ambrosial robe which the Graces had
woven for her; and pierced the skin between her wrist and the palm
of her hand; so that the immortal blood; or ichor; that flows in the
veins of the blessed gods; came pouring from the wound; for the gods
do not eat bread nor drink wine; hence they have no blood such as
ours; and are immortal。 Venus screamed aloud; and let her son fall;
but Phoebus Apollo caught him in his arms; and hid him in a cloud of
darkness; lest some Danaan should drive a spear into his breast and
kill him; and Diomed shouted out as he left her; 〃Daughter of Jove;
leave war and battle alone; can you not be contented with beguiling
silly women? If you meddle with fighting you will get what will make
you shudder at the very name of war。〃
  The goddess went dazed and discomfited away; and Iris; fleet as
the wind; drew her from the throng; in pain and with her fair skin all
besmirched。 She found fierce Mars waiting on the left of the battle;
with his spear and his two fleet steeds resting on a cloud; whereon
she fell on her knees before her brother and implored him to let her
have his horses。 〃Dear brother;〃 she cried; 〃save me; and give me your
horses to take me to Olympus where the gods dwell。 I am badly
wounded by a mortal; the son of Tydeus; who would now fight even
with father Jove。〃
  Thus she spoke; and Mars gave her his gold…bedizened steeds。 She
mounted the chariot sick and sorry at heart; while Iris sat beside her
and took the reins in her hand。 She lashed her horses on and they flew
forward nothing loth; till in a trice they were at high Olympus; where
the gods have their dwelling。 There she stayed them; unloosed them
from the chariot; and gave them their ambrosial forage; but Venus
flung herself on to the lap of her mother Dione; who threw her arms
about her and caressed her; saying; 〃Which of the heavenly beings
has been treating you in this way; as though you had been doing
something wrong in the face of day?〃
  And laughter…loving Venus answered; 〃Proud Diomed; the son of
Tydeus; wounded me because I was bearing my dear son Aeneas; whom I
love best of all mankind; out of the fight。 The war is no longer one
between Trojans and Achaeans; for the Danaans have now taken to
fighting with the immortals。〃
  〃Bear it; my child;〃 replied Dione; 〃and make the best of it。 We
dwellers in Olympus have to put up with much at the hands of men;
and we lay much suffering on one another。 Mars had to suffer when Otus
and Ephialtes; children of Aloeus; bound him in cruel bonds; so that
he lay thirteen months imprisoned in a vessel of bronze。 Mars would
have then perished had not fair Eeriboea; stepmother to the sons of
Aloeus; told Mercury; who stole him away when he was already well…nigh
worn out by the severity of his bondage。 Juno; again; suffered when
the mighty son of Amphitryon wounded her on the right breast with a
three…barbed arrow; and nothing could assuage her pain。 So; also;
did huge Hades; when this same man; the son of aegis…bearing Jove; hit
him with an arrow even at the gates of hell; and hurt him badly。
Thereon Hades went to the house of Jove on great Olympus; angry and
full of pain; and the arrow in his brawny shoulder caused him great
anguish till Paeeon healed him by spreading soothing herbs on the
wound; for Hades was not of mortal mould。 Daring; head…strong;
evildoer who recked not of his sin in shooting the gods that dwell
in Olympus。 And now Minerva has egged this son of Tydeus on against
yourself; fool that he is for not reflecting that no man who fights
with gods will live long or hear his children prattling about his
knees when he returns from battle。 Let; then; the son of Tydeus see
that he does not have to fight with one who is stronger than you
are。 Then shall his brave wife Aegialeia; daughter of Adrestus;
rouse her whole house from sleep; wailing for the loss of her wedded
lord; Diomed the bravest of the Achaeans。〃
  So saying; she wiped the ichor from the wrist of her daughter with
both hands; whereon the pain left her; and her hand was healed。 But
Minerva and Juno; who were looking on; began to taunt Jove with
their mocking talk; and Minerva was first to speak。 〃Father Jove;〃
said she; 〃do not be angry with me; but I think the Cyprian must
have been persuading some one of the Achaean women to go with the
Trojans of whom she is so very fond; and while caressing one or
other of them she must have torn her delicate hand with the gold pin
of the woman's brooch。〃
  The sire of gods and men smiled; and called golden Venus to his
side。 〃My child;〃 said he; 〃it has not been given you to be a warrior。
Attend; henceforth; to your own delightful matrimonial duties; and
leave all this fighting to Mars and to Minerva。〃
  Thus did they converse。 But Diomed sprang upon Aeneas; though he
knew him to be in the very arms of Apollo。 Not one whit did he fear
the mighty god; so set was he on killing Aeneas and stripping him of
his armour。 Thrice did he spring forward with might and main to slay
him; and thrice did Apollo beat back his gleaming shield。 When he
was coming on for the fourth time; as though he were a god; Apollo
shouted to him with an awful voice and said; 〃Take heed; son of
Tydeus; and draw off; think not to match yourself against gods; for
men that walk the earth cannot hold their own with the immortals。〃
  The son of Tydeus then gave way for a little space; to avoid the
anger of the god; while Apollo took Aeneas out of the crowd and set
him in sacred Pergamus; where his temple stood。 There; within the
mighty sanctuary; Latona and Diana healed him and made him glorious to
behold; while Apollo of the silver bow fashioned a wraith in the
likeness of Aeneas; and armed as he was。 Round this the Trojans and
Achaeans hacked at the bucklers about one another's breasts; hewing
each other's round shields and light hide…covered targets。 Then
Phoebus Apollo said to Mars; 〃Mars; Mars; bane of men; blood…stained
stormer of cities; can you not go to this man; the son of Tydeus;
who would now fight even with father Jove; and draw him out of the
battle? He first went up to t

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