the iliad(伊利亚特)-第22节
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your cry as they carry you into bondage。〃
He stretched his arms towards his child； but the boy cried and
nestled in his nurse's bosom； scared at the sight of his father's
armour； and at the horse…hair plume that nodded fiercely from his
helmet。 His father and mother laughed to see him； but Hector took
the helmet from his head and laid it all gleaming upon the ground。
Then he took his darling child； kissed him； and dandled him in his
arms； praying over him the while to Jove and to all the gods。
〃Jove；〃 he cried； 〃grant that this my child may be even as myself；
chief among the Trojans； let him be not less excellent in strength；
and let him rule Ilius with his might。 Then may one say of him as he
comes from battle； 'The son is far better than the father。' May he
bring back the blood…stained spoils of him whom he has laid low； and
let his mother's heart be glad。'〃
With this he laid the child again in the arms of his wife； who
took him to her own soft bosom； smiling through her tears。 As her
husband watched her his heart yearned towards her and he caressed
her fondly； saying； 〃My own wife； do not take these things too
bitterly to heart。 No one can hurry me down to Hades before my time；
but if a man's hour is come； be he brave or be he coward； there is
no escape for him when he has once been born。 Go； then； within the
house； and busy yourself with your daily duties； your loom； your
distaff； and the ordering of your servants； for war is man's matter；
and mine above all others of them that have been born in Ilius。〃
He took his plumed helmet from the ground； and his wife went back
again to her house； weeping bitterly and often looking back towards
him。 When she reached her home she found her maidens within； and
bade them all join in her lament； so they mourned Hector in his own
house though he was yet alive； for they deemed that they should
never see him return safe from battle； and from the furious hands of
the Achaeans。
Paris did not remain long in his house。 He donned his goodly
armour overlaid with bronze； and hasted through the city as fast as
his feet could take him。 As a horse； stabled and fed； breaks loose and
gallops gloriously over the plain to the place where he is wont to
bathe in the fair…flowing river… he holds his head high； and his
mane streams upon his shoulders as he exults in his strength and flies
like the wind to the haunts and feeding ground of the mares… even so
went forth Paris from high Pergamus； gleaming like sunlight in his
armour； and he laughed aloud as he sped swiftly on his way。
Forthwith he came upon his brother Hector； who was then turning away
from the place where he had held converse with his wife； and he was
himself the first to speak。 〃Sir；〃 said he； 〃I fear that I have kept
you waiting when you are in haste； and have not come as quickly as you
bade me。〃
〃My good brother；〃 answered Hector； you fight bravely； and no man
with any justice can make light of your doings in battle。 But you
are careless and wilfully remiss。 It grieves me to the heart to hear
the ill that the Trojans speak about you； for they have suffered
much on your account。 Let us be going； and we will make things right
hereafter； should Jove vouchsafe us to set the cup of our
deliverance before ever…living gods of heaven in our own homes； when
we have chased the Achaeans from Troy。〃
BOOK VII
WITH these words Hector passed through the gates； and his brother
Alexandrus with him； both eager for the fray。 As when heaven sends a
breeze to sailors who have long looked for one in vain； and have
laboured at their oars till they are faint with toil； even so
welcome was the sight of these two heroes to the Trojans。
Thereon Alexandrus killed Menesthius the son of Areithous； he
lived in Ame； and was son of Areithous the Mace…man； and of
Phylomedusa。 Hector threw a spear at Eioneus and struck him dead
with a wound in the neck under the bronze rim of his helmet。
Glaucus； moreover； son of Hippolochus； captain of the Lycians； in hard
hand…to…hand fight smote Iphinous son of Dexius on the shoulder； as he
was springing on to his chariot behind his fleet mares； so he fell
to earth from the car； and there was no life left in him。
When； therefore； Minerva saw these men making havoc of the
Argives； she darted down to Ilius from the summits of Olympus； and
Apollo； who was looking on from Pergamus； went out to meet her； for he
wanted the Trojans to be victorious。 The pair met by the oak tree； and
King Apollo son of Jove was first to speak。 〃What would you have
said he； 〃daughter of great Jove； that your proud spirit has sent
you hither from Olympus？ Have you no pity upon the Trojans； and
would you incline the scales of victory in favour of the Danaans？
Let me persuade you… for it will be better thus… stay the combat for
to…day； but let them renew the fight hereafter till they compass the
doom of Ilius； since you goddesses have made up your minds to
destroy the city。〃
And Minerva answered； 〃So be it； Far…Darter； it was in this mind
that I came down from Olympus to the Trojans and Achaeans。 Tell me；
then； how do you propose to end this present fighting？〃
Apollo； son of Jove； replied； 〃Let us incite great Hector to
challenge some one of the Danaans in single combat； on this the
Achaeans will be shamed into finding a man who will fight him。〃
Minerva assented； and Helenus son of Priam divined the counsel of
the gods； he therefore went up to Hector and said； 〃Hector son of
Priam； peer of gods in counsel； I am your brother； let me then
persuade you。 Bid the other Trojans and Achaeans all of them take
their seats； and challenge the best man among the Achaeans to meet you
in single combat。 I have heard the voice of the ever…living gods；
and the hour of your doom is not yet come。〃
Hector was glad when he heard this saying； and went in among the
Trojans； grasping his spear by the middle to hold them back； and
they all sat down。 Agamemnon also bade the Achaeans be seated。 But
Minerva and Apollo； in the likeness of vultures； perched on father
Jove's high oak tree； proud of their men； and the ranks sat close
ranged together； bristling with shield and helmet and spear。 As when
the rising west wind furs the face of the sea and the waters grow dark
beneath it； so sat the companies of Trojans and Achaeans upon the
plain。 And Hector spoke thus：…
〃Hear me； Trojans and Achaeans； that I may speak even as I am
minded； Jove on his high throne has brought our oaths and covenants to
nothing； and foreshadows ill for both of us； till you either take
the towers of Troy； or are yourselves vanquished at your ships。 The
princes of the Achaeans are here present in the midst of you； let him；
then； that will fight me stand forward as your champion against
Hector。 Thus I say； and may Jove be witness between us。 If your
champion slay me； let him strip me of my armour and take it to your
ships； but let him send my body home that the Trojans and their
wives may give me my dues of fire when I am dead。 In like manner； if
Apollo vouchsafe me glory and I slay your champion； I will strip him
of his armour and take it to the city of Ilius； where I will hang it
in the temple of Apollo； but I will give up his body； that the
Achaeans may bury him at their ships； and the build him a mound by the
wide waters of the Hellespont。 Then will one say hereafter as he sails
his ship over the sea； 'This is the monument of one who died long
since a champion who was slain by mighty Hector。' Thus will one say；
and my fame shall not be lost。〃
Thus did he speak； but they all held their peace； ashamed to decline
the challenge； yet fearing to accept it； till at last Menelaus rose
and rebuked them； for he was angry。 〃Alas；〃 he cried； 〃vain braggarts；
women forsooth not men； double…dyed indeed will be the stain upon us
if no man of the Danaans will now face Hector。 May you be turned every
man of you into earth and water as you sit spiritless and inglorious
in your places。 I will myself go out against this man； but the
upshot of the fight will be from on high in the hands of the
immortal gods。〃
With these words he put on his armour； and then； O Menelaus； your
life would have come to an end at the hands of hands of Hector； for he
was far better the man； had not the princes of the Achaeans sprung
upon you and checked you。 King Agamemnon caught him by the right
hand and said； 〃Menelaus； you are mad； a truce to this folly。 Be
patient in spite of passion； do not think of fighting a man so much
stronger than yourself as Hector son of Priam； who is feared by many
another as well as you。 Even Achilles； who is far more doughty than
you are； shrank from meeting him in battle。 Sit down your own
people； and the Achaeans will send some other champion to fight
Hector； fearless and fond of battle though he be； I ween his knees
will bend gladly under him if he comes out alive from the
hurly…burly of this fight。〃
With these words of reasonable counsel he persuaded his brother；
whereon his squires gladly stripped the armour from off his shoulders。
Then Nestor rose and spoke； 〃Of a truth；〃 said he； 〃the Achaean land
is fallen upon evil times。 The old knig
