tales of troy-第14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！


of　Priam！　　Where　is　Diomede；　where　is　Achilles；　where　is　Aias；
that；　men　say；　are　your　bravest？　　Will　none　of　them　stand　before　my
spear？〃　　Then　she　charged　again；　at　the　head　of　the　Household　of
Priam；　brothers　and　kinsmen　of　Hector；　and　where　they　came　the
Greeks　fell　like　yellow　leaves　before　the　wind　of　autumn。　　The
white　horse　that　Penthesilea　rode；　a　gift　from　the　wife　of　the
North　Wind；　flashed　like　lightning　through　a　dark　cloud　among　the
companies　of　the　Greeks；　and　the　chariots　that　followed　the　charge
of　the　Amazon　rocked　as　they　swept　over　the　bodies　of　the　slain。
Then　the　old　Trojans；　watching　from　the　walls；　cried：　　〃This　is　no
mortal　maiden　but　a　Goddess；　and　to…day　she　will　burn　the　ships　of
the　Greeks；　and　they　will　all　perish　in　Troyland；　and　see　Greece
never　more　again。〃

Now　it　so　was　that　Aias　and　Achilles　had　not　heard　the　din　and　the
cry　of　war；　for　both　had　gone　to　weep　over　the　great　new　grave　of
Patroclus。　　Penthesilea　and　the　Trojans　had　driven　back　the　Greeks
within　their　ditch；　and　they　were　hiding　here　and　there　among　the
ships；　and　torches　were　blazing　in　men's　hands　to　burn　the　ships；
as　in　the　day　of　the　valour　of　Hector：　　when　Aias　heard　the　din　of
battle；　and　called　to　Achilles　to　make　speed　towards　the　ships。

So　they　ran　swiftly　to　their　huts；　and　armed　themselves；　and　Aias
fell　smiting　and　slaying　upon　the　Trojans；　but　Achilles　slew　five
of　the　bodyguard　of　Penthesilea。　　She；　beholding　her　maidens
fallen；　rode　straight　against　Aias　and　Achilles；　like　a　dove
defying　two　falcons；　and　cast　her　spear；　but　it　fell　back　blunted
from　the　glorious　shield　that　the　God　had　made　for　the　son　of
Peleus。　　Then　she　threw　another　spear　at　Aias；　crying；　〃I　am　the
daughter　of　the　God　of　War；〃　but　his　armour　kept　out　the　spear；　and
he　and　Achilles　laughed　aloud。　　Aias　paid　no　more　heed　to　the
Amazon；　but　rushed　against　the　Trojan　men；　while　Achilles　raised
the　heavy　spear　that　none　but　he　could　throw；　and　drove　it　down
through　breastplate　and　breast　of　Penthesilea；　yet　still　her　hand
grasped　her　sword…hilt。　　But；　ere　she　could　draw　her　sword；
Achilles　speared　her　horse；　and　horse　and　rider　fell；　and　died　in
their　fall。

There　lay　fair　Penthesilea　in　the　dust；　like　a　tall　poplar　tree
that　the　wind　has　overthrown；　and　her　helmet　fell；　and　the　Greeks
who　gathered　round　marvelled　to　see　her　lie　so　beautiful　in　death；
like　Artemis；　the　Goddess　of　the　Woods；　when　she　sleeps　alone；
weary　with　hunting　on　the　hills。　　Then　the　heart　of　Achilles　was
pierced　with　pity　and　sorrow；　thinking　how　she　might　have　been　his
wife　in　his　own　country；　had　he　spared　her；　but　he　was　never　to　see
pleasant　Phthia；　his　native　land；　again。　　So　Achilles　stood　and
wept　over　Penthesilea　dead。

Now　the　Greeks；　in　pity　and　sorrow；　held　their　hands；　and　did　not
pursue　the　Trojans　who　had　fled；　nor　did　they　strip　the　armour　from
Penthesilea　and　her　twelve　maidens；　but　laid　the　bodies　on　biers；
and　sent　them　back　in　peace　to　Priam。　　Then　the　Trojans　burned
Penthesilea　in　the　midst　of　her　dead　maidens；　on　a　great　pile　of
dry　wood；　and　placed　their　ashes　in　a　golden　casket；　and　buried
them　all　in　the　great　hill…grave　of　Laomedon；　an　ancient　King　of
Troy；　while　the　Greeks　with　lamentation　buried　them　whom　the　Amazon
had　slain。

The　old　men　of　Troy　and　the　chiefs　now　held　a　council；　and　Priam
said　that　they　must　not　yet　despair；　for；　if　they　had　lost　many　of
their　bravest　warriors；　many　of　the　Greeks　had　also　fallen。　　Their
best　plan　was　to　fight　only　with　arrows　from　the　walls　and　towers；
till　King　Memnon　came　to　their　rescue　with　a　great　army　of
Aethiopes。　　Now　Memnon　was　the　son　of　the　bright　Dawn；　a　beautiful
Goddess　who　had　loved　and　married　a　mortal　man；　Tithonus。　　She　had
asked　Zeus；　the　chief　of　the　Gods；　to　make　her　lover　immortal；　and
her　prayer　was　granted。　　Tithonus　could　not　die；　but　he　began　to
grow　grey；　and　then　white　haired；　with　a　long　white　beard；　and　very
weak；　till　nothing　of　him　seemed　to　be　left　but　his　voice；　always
feebly　chattering　like　the　grasshoppers　on　a　summer　day。

Memnon　was　the　most　beautiful　of　men；　except　Paris　and　Achilles；
and　his　home　was　in　a　country　that　borders　on　the　land　of
sunrising。　　There　he　was　reared　by　the　lily　maidens　called
Hesperides；　till　he　came　to　his　full　strength；　and　commanded　the
whole　army　of　the　Aethiopes。　　For　their　arrival　Priam　wished　to
wait；　but　Polydamas　advised　that　the　Trojans　should　give　back　Helen
to　the　Greeks；　with　jewels　twice　as　valuable　as　those　which　she　had
brought　from　the　house　of　Menelaus。　　Then　Paris　was　very　angry；　and
said　that　Polydamas　was　a　coward；　for　it　was　little　to　Paris　that
Troy　should　be　taken　and　burned　in　a　month　if　for　a　month　he　could
keep　Helen　of　the　fair　hands。

At　length　Memnon　came；　leading　a　great　army　of　men　who　had　nothing
white　about　them　but　the　teeth；　so　fiercely　the　sun　burned　on　them
in　their　own　country。　　The　Trojans　had　all　the　more　hopes　of　Memnon
because；　on　his　long　journey　from　the　land　of　sunrising；　and　the
river　Oceanus　that　girdles　the　round　world；　he　had　been　obliged　to
cross　the　country　of　the　Solymi。　　Now　the　Solymi　were　the　fiercest
of　men　and　rose　up　against　Memnon；　but　he　and　his　army　fought　them
for　a　whole　day；　and　defeated　them；　and　drove　them　to　the　hills。
When　Memnon　came；　Priam　gave　him　a　great　cup　of　gold；　full　of　wine
to　the　brim；　and　Memnon　drank　the　wine　at　one　draught。　　But　he　did
not　make　great　boasts　of　what　he　could　do；　like　poor　Penthesilea；
〃for；〃　said　he；　〃whether　I　am　a　good　man　at　arms　will　be　known　in
battle；　where　the　strength　of　men　is　tried。　　So　now　let　us　turn　to
sleep；　for　to　wake　and　drink　wine　all　through　the　night　is　an　ill
beginning　of　war。〃

Then　Priam　praised　his　wisdom；　and　all　men　betook　them　to　bed；　but
the　bright　Dawn　rose　unwillingly　next　day；　to　throw　light　on　the
battle　where　her　son　was　to　risk　his　fife。　　Then　Memnon　led　out　the
dark　clouds　of　his　men　into　the　plain；　and　the　Greeks　foreboded
evil　when　they　saw　so　great　a　new　army　of　fresh　and　unwearied
warriors；　but　Achilles；　leading　them　in　his　shining　armour；　gave
them　courage。　　Memnon　fell　upon　the　left　wing　of　the　Greeks；　and　on
the　men　of　Nestor；　and　first　he　slew　Ereuthus；　and　then　attacked
Nestor's　young　son；　Antilochus；　who；　now　that　Patroclus　had　fallen；
was　the　dearest　friend　of　Achilles。　　On　him　Memnon　leaped；　like　a
lion　on　a　kid；　but　Antilochus　lifted　a　huge　stone　from　the　plain；　a
pillar　that　had　been　set　on　the　tomb　of　some　great　warrior　long
ago；　and　the　stone　smote　full　on　the　helmet　of　Memnon；　who　reeled
beneath　the　stroke。　　But　Memnon　seized　his　heavy　spear；　and　drove
it　through　shield　and　corselet　of　Antilochus；　even　into　his　heart；
and　he　fell　and　died　beneath　his　father's　eyes。　　Then　Nestor　in
great　sorrow　and　anger　strode　across　the　body　of　Antilochus　and
called　to　his　other　son；　Thrasymedes；　〃Come　and　drive　afar　this　man
that　has　slain　thy　brother；　for　if　fear　be　in　thy　heart　thou　art　no
son　of　mine；　nor　of　the　race　of　Periclymenus；　who　stood　up　in
battle　even　against　the　strong　man　Heracles！〃

But　Memnon　was　too　strong　for　Thrasymedes；　and　drove　him　off；　while
old　Nestor　himself　charged　sword　in　hand；　though　Memnon　bade　him
begone；　for　he　was　not　minded　to　strike　so　aged　a　man；　and　Nestor
drew　back；　for　he　was　weak　with　age。　　Then　Memnon　and　his　army
charged　the　Greeks；　slaying　and　stripping　the　dead。　　But　Nestor　had
mounted　his　chariot　and　driven　to　Achilles；　weeping；　and　imploring
him　to　come　swiftly　and　save　the　body　of　Antilochus；　and　he　sped　to
meet　Memnon；　who　lifted　a　great　stone；　the　landmark　of　a　field；　and
drove　it　against　the　shield　of　the　son　of　Peleus。　　But　Achilles　was
not　shaken　by　the　blow；　he　ran　forward；　and　wounded　Memnon　over　the
rim　of　his　shield。　　Yet　wounded　as　he　was　Memnon　fought　on　and
struck　his　spear　through　the　arm　of　Achilles；　for　the　Greeks　fought
with　no　sleeves　of　bronze　to　protect　their　arms。

Then　Achilles　drew　his　great　sword；　and　flew　on　Memnon；　and　with
sword…strokes　they　lashed　at　each　other　on　shield　and　helmet；　and
the　long　horsehair　crests　of　the　helmets　were　shorn　off；　and　flew
down　the　wind；　and　their　shields　rang　terribly　beneath　the　sword
strokes。　　They　thrust　at　each　others'　throats　between　shield　and
visor　of　the　helmet；　they　smote　at　knee；　and　thrust　at　breast；　and
the　armour　rang　about　their　bodies；　and　the　dust　from　beneath　their
feet　rose　up　in　a　cloud　around　them；　like　mist　round　the　falls　of　a
great　river　in　flood。　　So　they　fought；　neither　of　them　yielding　a
step；　till　Achilles　made　so　rapid　a　thrust　that　Memnon　could　not
parry　it；　and　the　bronze　sword　passed　clean　through　his　body
beneath　the　breast…bone；　and　he　fell；　and　his　armour　clashed　as　he
fell。

Then　Achilles；　wounded　as　he　was　and　weak　from　loss　of　blood；　did
not　stay　to　strip　the　golden　armour　of　Memnon；　but　shouted　his
warcry；　and　pressed　on；　for　he　hoped　to　enter　the　gate　of　Troy　with
the　fleeing　Trojans；　and　all　the　Greeks　followed　after　him。　　So
they　pursued；　slaying　as　they　went；　and　the　Scaean　gate　was　choked
with　the　crowd　of　men；　pursuing　and　pursued。　　In　that　hour　would
the　Greeks　have　entered　Troy；　and　burned　the　city；　and　taken　the
women　captive