the iliad(伊利亚特)-第53节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


chariots　onwards。　The　two　sides　fought　with　their　double…pointed
spears　in　hand…to…hand　encounter…the　Trojans　from　their　chariots；
and　the　Achaeans　climbing　up　into　their　ships　and　wielding　the　long
pikes　that　were　lying　on　the　decks　ready　for　use　in　a　sea…fight；
jointed　and　shod　with　bronze。
　　Now　Patroclus；　so　long　as　the　Achaeans　and　Trojans　were　fighting
about　the　wall；　but　were　not　yet　within　it　and　at　the　ships；
remained　sitting　in　the　tent　of　good　Eurypylus；　entertaining　him
with　his　conversation　and　spreading　herbs　over　his　wound　to　ease　his
pain。　When；　however；　he　saw　the　Trojans　swarming　through　the　breach　in
the　wall；　while　the　Achaeans　were　clamouring　and　struck　with　panic；　he
cried　aloud；　and　smote　his　two　thighs　with　the　flat　of　his　hands。
〃Eurypylus；〃　said　he　in　his　dismay；　〃I　know　you　want　me　badly；　but　I
cannot　stay　with　you　any　longer；　for　there　is　hard　fighting　going
on；　a　servant　shall　take　care　of　you　now；　for　I　must　make　all　speed　to
Achilles；　and　induce　him　to　fight　if　I　can；　who　knows　but　with
heaven's　help　I　may　persuade　him。　A　man　does　well　to　listen　to　the
advice　of　a　friend。〃
　　When　he　had　thus　spoken　he　went　his　way。　The　Achaeans　stood　firm　and
resisted　the　attack　of　the　Trojans；　yet　though　these　were　fewer　in
number；　they　could　not　drive　them　back　from　the　ships；　neither　could
the　Trojans　break　the　Achaean　ranks　and　make　their　way　in　among　the
tents　and　ships。　As　a　carpenter's　line　gives　a　true　edge　to　a　piece　of
ship's　timber；　in　the　hand　of　some　skilled　workman　whom　Minerva　has
instructed　in　all　kinds　of　useful　arts…　even　so　level　was　the　issue　of
the　fight　between　the　two　sides；　as　they　fought　some　round　one　and
some　round　another。
　　Hector　made　straight　for　Ajax；　and　the　two　fought　fiercely　about　the
same　ship。　Hector　could　not　force　Ajax　back　and　fire　the　ship；　nor　yet
could　Ajax　drive　Hector　from　the　spot　to　which　heaven　had　brought　him。
　　Then　Ajax　struck　Caletor　son　of　Clytius　in　the　chest　with　a　spear　as
he　was　bringing　fire　towards　the　ship。　He　fell　heavily　to　the　ground
and　the　torch　dropped　from　his　hand。　When　Hector　saw　his　cousin　fallen
in　front　of　the　ship　he　shouted　to　the　Trojans　and　Lycians　saying；
〃Trojans；　Lycians；　and　Dardanians　good　in　close　fight；　bate　not　a　jot；
but　rescue　the　son　of　Clytius　lest　the　Achaeans　strip　him　of　his
armour　now　that　he　has　fallen。〃
　　He　then　aimed　a　spear　at　Ajax；　and　missed　him；　but　he　hit
Lycophron　a　follower　of　Ajax；　who　came　from　Cythera；　but　was　living
with　Ajax　inasmuch　as　he　had　killed　a　man　among　the　Cythereans。
Hector's　spear　struck　him　on　the　head　below　the　ear；　and　he　fell
headlong　from　the　ship's　prow　on　to　the　ground　with　no　life　left　in
him。　Ajax　shook　with　rage　and　said　to　his　brother；　〃Teucer；　my　good
fellow；　our　trusty　comrade　the　son　of　Mastor　has　fallen；　he　came　to
live　with　us　from　Cythera　and　whom　we　honoured　as　much　as　our　own
parents。　Hector　has　just　killed　him；　fetch　your　deadly　arrows　at
once　and　the　bow　which　Phoebus　Apollo　gave　you。〃
　　Teucer　heard　him　and　hastened　towards　him　with　his　bow　and　quiver　in
his　hands。　Forthwith　he　showered　his　arrows　on　the　Trojans；　and　hit
Cleitus　the　son　of　Pisenor；　comrade　of　Polydamas　the　noble　son　of
Panthous；　with　the　reins　in　his　hands　as　he　was　attending　to　his
horses；　he　was　in　the　middle　of　the　very　thickest　part　of　the　fight；
doing　good　service　to　Hector　and　the　Trojans；　but　evil　had　now　come
upon　him；　and　not　one　of　those　who　were　fain　to　do　so　could　avert
it；　for　the　arrow　struck　him　on　the　back　of　the　neck。　He　fell　from　his
chariot　and　his　horses　shook　the　empty　car　as　they　swerved　aside。　King
Polydamas　saw　what　had　happened；　and　was　the　first　to　come　up　to　the
horses；　he　gave　them　in　charge　to　Astynous　son　of　Protiaon；　and
ordered　him　to　look　on；　and　to　keep　the　horses　near　at　hand。　He　then
went　back　and　took　his　place　in　the　front　ranks。
　　Teucer　then　aimed　another　arrow　at　Hector；　and　there　would　have　been
no　more　fighting　at　the　ships　if　he　had　hit　him　and　killed　him　then
and　there：　Jove；　however；　who　kept　watch　over　Hector；　had　his　eyes
on　Teucer；　and　deprived　him　of　his　triumph；　by　breaking　his
bowstring　for　him　just　as　he　was　drawing　it　and　about　to　take　his　aim；
on　this　the　arrow　went　astray　and　the　bow　fell　from　his　hands。
Teucer　shook　with　anger　and　said　to　his　brother；　〃Alas；　see　how　heaven
thwarts　us　in　all　we　do；　it　has　broken　my　bowstring　and　snatched　the
bow　from　my　hand；　though　I　strung　it　this　selfsame　morning　that　it
might　serve　me　for　many　an　arrow。〃
　　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　answered；　〃My　good　fellow；　let　your　bow　and　your
arrows　be；　for　Jove　has　made　them　useless　in　order　to　spite　the
Danaans。　Take　your　spear；　lay　your　shield　upon　your　shoulder；　and　both
fight　the　Trojans　yourself　and　urge　others　to　do　so。　They　may　be
successful　for　the　moment　but　if　we　fight　as　we　ought　they　will　find
it　a　hard　matter　to　take　the　ships。〃
　　Teucer　then　took　his　bow　and　put　it　by　in　his　tent。　He　hung　a　shield
four　hides　thick　about　his　shoulders；　and　on　his　comely　head　he　set
his　helmet　well　wrought　with　a　crest　of　horse…hair　that　nodded
menacingly　above　it；　he　grasped　his　redoubtable　bronze…shod　spear；　and
forthwith　he　was　by　the　side　of　Ajax。
　　When　Hector　saw　that　Teucer's　bow　was　of　no　more　use　to　him；　he
shouted　out　to　the　Trojans　and　Lycians；　〃Trojans；　Lycians；　and
Dardanians　good　in　close　fight；　be　men；　my　friends；　and　show　your
mettle　here　at　the　ships；　for　I　see　the　weapon　of　one　of　their
chieftains　made　useless　by　the　hand　of　Jove。　It　is　easy　to　see　when
Jove　is　helping　people　and　means　to　help　them　still　further；　or
again　when　he　is　bringing　them　down　and　will　do　nothing　for　them；　he
is　now　on　our　side；　and　is　going　against　the　Argives。　Therefore
swarm　round　the　ships　and　fight。　If　any　of　you　is　struck　by　spear　or
sword　and　loses　his　life；　let　him　die；　he　dies　with　honour　who　dies
fighting　for　his　country；　and　he　will　leave　his　wife　and　children　safe
behind　him；　with　his　house　and　allotment　unplundered　if　only　the
Achaeans　can　be　driven　back　to　their　own　land；　they　and　their　ships。〃
　　With　these　words　he　put　heart　and　soul　into　them　all。　Ajax　on　the
other　side　exhorted　his　comrades　saying；　〃Shame　on　you　Argives；　we　are
now　utterly　undone；　unless　we　can　save　ourselves　by　driving　the
enemy　from　our　ships。　Do　you　think；　if　Hector　takes　them；　that　you
will　be　able　to　get　home　by　land？　Can　you　not　hear　him　cheering　on　his
whole　host　to　fire　our　fleet；　and　bidding　them　remember　that　they
are　not　at　a　dance　but　in　battle？　Our　only　course　is　to　fight　them
with　might　and　main；　we　had　better　chance　it；　life　or　death；　once
for　all；　than　fight　long　and　without　issue　hemmed　in　at　our　ships　by
worse　men　than　ourselves。〃
　　With　these　words　he　put　life　and　soul　into　them　all。　Hector　then
killed　Schedius　son　of　Perimedes；　leader　of　the　Phoceans；　and　Ajax
killed　Laodamas　captain　of　foot　soldiers　and　son　to　Antenor。　Polydamas
killed　Otus　of　Cyllene　a　comrade　of　the　son　of　Phyleus　and　chief　of
the　proud　Epeans。　When　Meges　saw　this　he　sprang　upon　him；　but
Polydamas　crouched　down；　and　he　missed　him；　for　Apollo　would　not
suffer　the　son　of　Panthous　to　fall　in　battle；　but　the　spear　hit
Croesmus　in　the　middle　of　his　chest；　whereon　he　fell　heavily　to　the
ground；　and　Meges　stripped　him　of　his　armour。　At　that　moment　the
valiant　soldier　Dolops　son　of　Lampus　sprang　upon　Lampus　was　son　of
Laomedon　and　for　his　valour；　while　his　son　Dolops　was　versed　in　all
the　ways　of　war。　He　then　struck　the　middle　of　the　son　of　Phyleus'
shield　with　his　spear；　setting　on　him　at　close　quarters；　but　his
good　corslet　made　with　plates　of　metal　saved　him；　Phyleus　had
brought　it　from　Ephyra　and　the　river　Selleis；　where　his　host；　King
Euphetes；　had　given　it　him　to　wear　in　battle　and　protect　him。　It　now
served　to　save　the　life　of　his　son。　Then　Meges　struck　the　topmost
crest　of　Dolops's　bronze　helmet　with　his　spear　and　tore　away　its　plume
of　horse…hair；　so　that　all　newly　dyed　with　scarlet　as　it　was　it
tumbled　down　into　the　dust。　While　he　was　still　fighting　and
confident　of　victory；　Menelaus　came　up　to　help　Meges；　and　got　by　the
side　of　Dolops　unperceived；　he　then　speared　him　in　the　shoulder；
from　behind；　and　the　point；　driven　so　furiously；　went　through　into　his
chest；　whereon　he　fell　headlong。　The　two　then　made　towards　him　to
strip　him　of　his　armour；　but　Hector　called　on　all　his　brothers　for
help；　and　he　especially　upbraided　brave　Melanippus　son　of　Hiketaon；
who　erewhile　used　to　pasture　his　herds　of　cattle　in　Percote　before　the
war　broke　out；　but　when　the　ships　of　the　Danaans　came；　he　went　back　to
Ilius；　where　he　was　eminent　among　the　Trojans；　and　lived　near　Priam
who　treated　him　as　one　of　his　own　sons。　Hector　now　rebuked　him　and
said；　〃Why；　Melanippus；　are　we　thus　remiss？　do　you　take　no　note　of　the
death　of　your　kinsman；　and　do　you　not　see　how　they　are　trying　to
take　Dolops's　armour？　Follow　me；　there　must　be　no　fighting　the　Argives
from　a　distance　now；　but　we　must　do　so　in　close　combat　till　either
we　kill　them　or　they　take　the　high　wall　of　Ilius　and　slay　her　people。〃
　　He　led　on　as　he　spoke；　and　the　hero　Melanippus　followed　after。
Meanwhile　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　was　cheering　on　the　Argives。　〃My
friend