the iliad(伊利亚特)-第34节

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I　shall　soon　make　an　end　of　you。〃
　　He　threw　as　he　spoke；　but　missed　his　aim　on　purpose。　The　dart　flew
over　the　man's　right　shoulder；　and　then　stuck　in　the　ground。　He
stood　stock　still；　trembling　and　in　great　fear；　his　teeth　chattered；
and　he　turned　pale　with　fear。　The　two　came　breathless　up　to　him　and
seized　his　hands；　whereon　he　began　to　weep　and　said；　〃Take　me　alive；　I
will　ransom　myself；　we　have　great　store　of　gold；　bronze；　and　wrought
iron；　and　from　this　my　father　will　satisfy　you　with　a　very　large
ransom；　should　he　hear　of　my　being　alive　at　the　ships　of　the
Achaeans。〃
　　〃Fear　not；〃　replied　Ulysses；　〃let　no　thought　of　death　be　in　your
mind；　but　tell　me；　and　tell　me　true；　why　are　you　thus　going　about
alone　in　the　dead　of　night　away　from　your　camp　and　towards　the
ships；　while　other　men　are　sleeping？　Is　it　to　plunder　the　bodies　of
the　slain；　or　did　Hector　send　you　to　spy　out　what　was　going　on　at
the　ships？　Or　did　you　come　here　of　your　own　mere　notion？〃
　　Dolon　answered；　his　limbs　trembling　beneath　him：　〃Hector；　with　his
vain　flattering　promises；　lured　me　from　my　better　judgement。　He　said
he　would　give　me　the　horses　of　the　noble　son　of　Peleus　and　his
bronze…bedizened　chariot；　he　bade　me　go　through　the　darkness　of　the
flying　night；　get　close　to　the　enemy；　and　find　out　whether　the　ships
are　still　guarded　as　heretofore；　or　whether；　now　that　we　have　beaten
them；　the　Achaeans　design　to　fly；　and　through　sheer　exhaustion　are
neglecting　to　keep　their　watches。〃
　　Ulysses　smiled　at　him　and　answered；　〃You　had　indeed　set　your　heart
upon　a　great　reward；　but　the　horses　of　the　descendant　of　Aeacus　are
hardly　to　be　kept　in　hand　or　driven　by　any　other　mortal　man　than
Achilles　himself；　whose　mother　was　an　immortal。　But　tell　me；　and
tell　me　true；　where　did　you　leave　Hector　when　you　started？　Where
lies　his　armour　and　his　horses？　How；　too；　are　the　watches　and
sleeping…ground　of　the　Trojans　ordered？　What　are　their　plans？　Will
they　stay　here　by　the　ships　and　away　from　the　city；　or　now　that　they
have　worsted　the　Achaeans；　will　they　retire　within　their　walls？〃
　　And　Dolon　answered；　〃I　will　tell　you　truly　all。　Hector　and　the　other
councillors　are　now　holding　conference　by　the　monument　of　great
Ilus；　away　from　the　general　tumult；　as　for　the　guards　about　which
you　ask　me；　there　is　no　chosen　watch　to　keep　guard　over　the　host。
The　Trojans　have　their　watchfires；　for　they　are　bound　to　have　them；
they；　therefore；　are　awake　and　keep　each　other　to　their　duty　as
sentinels；　but　the　allies　who　have　come　from　other　places　are　asleep
and　leave　it　to　the　Trojans　to　keep　guard；　for　their　wives　and
children　are　not　here。〃
　　Ulysses　then　said；　〃Now　tell　me；　are　they　sleeping　among　the
Trojan　troops；　or　do　they　lie　apart？　Explain　this　that　I　may
understand　it。〃
　　〃I　will　tell　you　truly　all；〃　replied　Dolon。　〃To　the　seaward　lie
the　Carians；　the　Paeonian　bowmen；　the　Leleges；　the　Cauconians；　and　the
noble　Pelasgi。　The　Lysians　and　proud　Mysians；　with　the　Phrygians　and
Meonians；　have　their　place　on　the　side　towards　Thymbra；　but　why　ask
about　an　this？　If　you　want　to　find　your　way　into　the　host　of　the
Trojans；　there　are　the　Thracians；　who　have　lately　come　here　and　lie
apart　from　the　others　at　the　far　end　of　the　camp；　and　they　have　Rhesus
son　of　Eioneus　for　their　king。　His　horses　are　the　finest　and　strongest
that　I　have　ever　seen；　they　are　whiter　than　snow　and　fleeter　than
any　wind　that　blows。　His　chariot　is　bedight　with　silver　and　gold；
and　he　has　brought　his　marvellous　golden　armour；　of　the　rarest
workmanship…　too　splendid　for　any　mortal　man　to　carry；　and　meet　only
for　the　gods。　Now；　therefore；　take　me　to　the　ships　or　bind　me　securely
here；　until　you　come　back　and　have　proved　my　words　whether　they　be
false　or　true。〃
　　Diomed　looked　sternly　at　him　and　answered；　〃Think　not；　Dolon；　for
all　the　good　information　you　have　given　us；　that　you　shall　escape
now　you　are　in　our　hands；　for　if　we　ransom　you　or　let　you　go；　you　will
come　some　second　time　to　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans　either　as　a　spy
or　as　an　open　enemy；　but　if　I　kill　you　and　an　end　of　you；　you　will
give　no　more　trouble。〃
　　On　this　Dolon　would　have　caught　him　by　the　beard　to　beseech　him
further；　but　Diomed　struck　him　in　the　middle　of　his　neck　with　his
sword　and　cut　through　both　sinews　so　that　his　head　fell　rolling　in　the
dust　while　he　was　yet　speaking。　They　took　the　ferret…skin　cap　from　his
head；　and　also　the　wolf…skin；　the　bow；　and　his　long　spear。　Ulysses
hung　them　up　aloft　in　honour　of　Minerva　the　goddess　of　plunder；　and
prayed　saying；　〃Accept　these；　goddess；　for　we　give　them　to　you　in
preference　to　all　the　gods　in　Olympus：　therefore　speed　us　still
further　towards　the　horses　and　sleeping…ground　of　the　Thracians。〃
　　With　these　words　he　took　the　spoils　and　set　them　upon　a　tamarisk
tree；　and　they　marked　the　place　by　pulling　up　reeds　and　gathering
boughs　of　tamarisk　that　they　might　not　miss　it　as　they　came　back
through　the'　flying　hours　of　darkness。　The　two　then　went　onwards
amid　the　fallen　armour　and　the　blood；　and　came　presently　to　the
company　of　Thracian　soldiers；　who　were　sleeping；　tired　out　with
their　day's　toil；　their　goodly　armour　was　lying　on　the　ground　beside
them　all　orderly　in　three　rows；　and　each　man　had　his　yoke　of　horses
beside　him。　Rhesus　was　sleeping　in　the　middle；　and　hard　by　him　his
horses　were　made　fast　to　the　topmost　rim　of　his　chariot。　Ulysses
from　some　way　off　saw　him　and　said；　〃This；　Diomed；　is　the　man；　and
these　are　the　horses　about　which　Dolon　whom　we　killed　told　us。　Do　your
very　utmost；　dally　not　about　your　armour；　but　loose　the　horses　at
once…　or　else　kill　the　men　yourself；　while　I　see　to　the　horses。〃
　　Thereon　Minerva　put　courage　into　the　heart　of　Diomed；　and　he　smote
them　right　and　left。　They　made　a　hideous　groaning　as　they　were　being
hacked　about；　and　the　earth　was　red　with　their　blood。　As　a　lion
springs　furiously　upon　a　flock　of　sheep　or　goats　when　he　finds　without
their　shepherd；　so　did　the　son　of　Tydeus　set　upon　the　Thracian
soldiers　till　he　had　killed　twelve。　As　he　killed　them　Ulysses　came　and
drew　them　aside　by　their　feet　one　by　one；　that　the　horses　might　go
forward　freely　without　being　frightened　as　they　passed　over　the　dead
bodies；　for　they　were　not　yet　used　to　them。　When　the　son　of　Tydeus
came　to　the　king；　he　killed　him　too　（which　made　thirteen）；　as　he　was
breathing　hard；　for　by　the　counsel　of　Minerva　an　evil　dream；　the
seed　of　Oeneus；　hovered　that　night　over　his　head。　Meanwhile　Ulysses
untied　the　horses；　made　them　fast　one　to　another　and　drove　them　off；
striking　them　with　his　bow；　for　he　had　forgotten　to　take　the　whip　from
the　chariot。　Then　he　whistled　as　a　sign　to　Diomed。
　　But　Diomed　stayed　where　he　was；　thinking　what　other　daring　deed　he
might　accomplish。　He　was　doubting　whether　to　take　the　chariot　in　which
the　king's　armour　was　lying；　and　draw　it　out　by　the　pole；　or　to　lift
the　armour　out　and　carry　it　off；　or　whether　again；　he　should　not
kill　some　more　Thracians。　While　he　was　thus　hesitating　Minerva　came　up
to　him　and　said；　〃Get　back；　Diomed；　to　the　ships　or　you　may　be
driven　thither；　should　some　other　god　rouse　the　Trojans。〃
　　Diomed　knew　that　it　was　the　goddess；　and　at　once　sprang　upon　the
horses。　Ulysses　beat　them　with　his　bow　and　they　flew　onward　to　the
ships　of　the　Achaeans。
　　But　Apollo　kept　no　blind　look…out　when　he　saw　Minerva　with　the　son
of　Tydeus。　He　was　angry　with　her；　and　coming　to　the　host　of　the
Trojans　he　roused　Hippocoon；　a　counsellor　of　the　Thracians　and　a　noble
kinsman　of　Rhesus。　He　started　up　out　of　his　sleep　and　saw　that　the
horses　were　no　longer　in　their　place；　and　that　the　men　were　gasping　in
their　death…agony；　on　this　he　groaned　aloud；　and　called　upon　his
friend　by　name。　Then　the　whole　Trojan　camp　was　in　an　uproar　as　the
people　kept　hurrying　together；　and　they　marvelled　at　the　deeds　of
the　heroes　who　had　now　got　away　towards　the　ships。
　　When　they　reached　the　place　where　they　had　killed　Hector's　scout；
Ulysses　stayed　his　horses；　and　the　son　of　Tydeus；　leaping　to　the
ground；　placed　the　blood…stained　spoils　in　the　hands　of　Ulysses　and
remounted：　then　he　lashed　the　horses　onwards；　and　they　flew　forward
nothing　loth　towards　the　ships　as　though　of　their　own　free　will。
Nestor　was　first　to　hear　the　tramp　of　their　feet。　〃My　friends；〃　said
he；　〃princes　and　counsellors　of　the　Argives；　shall　I　guess　right　or
wrong？…　but　I　must　say　what　I　think：　there　is　a　sound　in　my　ears　as　of
the　tramp　of　horses。　I　hope　it　may　Diomed　and　Ulysses　driving　in
horses　from　the　Trojans；　but　I　much　fear　that　the　bravest　of　the
Argives　may　have　come　to　some　harm　at　their　hands。〃
　　He　had　hardly　done　speaking　when　the　two　men　came　in　and　dismounted；
whereon　the　others　shook　hands　right　gladly　with　them　and
congratulated　them。　Nestor　knight　of　Gerene　was　first　to　question
them。　〃Tell　me；〃　said　he；　〃renowned　Ulysses；　how　did　you　two　come　by
these　horses？　Did　you　steal　in　among　the　Trojan　forces；　or　did　some
god　meet　you　and　give　them　to　you？　They　are　like　sunbeams。　I　am　well
conversant　with　the　Trojans；　for　old　warrior　though　I　am　I　never
hold　back　by　the　ships；　but　I　never　yet　saw　or　heard　of　such　horses　as
these　are。　Surely　some　god　must　have　met　you　and　given　them　to　yo