tales of troy-第19节

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his　back　on　Troy。　　So　Neoptolemus　armed　himself　and　climbed　into
the　horse；　as　did　Menelaus；　Ulysses；　Diomede；　Thrasymedes　（Nestor's
son）；　Idomeneus；　Philoctetes；　Meriones；　and　all　the　best　men　except
Agamemnon；　while　Epeius　himself　entered　last　of　all。　　Agamemnon　was
not　allowed　by　the　other　Greeks　to　share　their　adventure；　as　he　was
to　command　the　army　when　they　returned　from　Tenedos。　　They
meanwhile　launched　their　ships　and　sailed　away。

But　first　Menelaus　had　led　Ulysses　apart；　and　told　him　that　if　they
took　Troy　（and　now　they　must　either　take　it　or　die　at　the　hands　of
the　Trojans）；　he　would　owe　to　Ulysses　the　glory。　　When　they　came
back　to　Greece；　he　wished　to　give　Ulysses　one　of　his　own　cities；
that　they　might　always　be　near　each　other。　　Ulysses　smiled　and
shook　his　head；　he　could　not　leave　Ithaca；　his　own　rough　island
kingdom。　　〃But　if　we　both　live　through　the　night　that　is　coming；〃
he　said；　〃I　may　ask　you　for　one　gift；　and　giving　it　will　make　you
none　the　poorer。〃　　Then　Menelaus　swore　by　the　splendour　of　Zeus
that　Ulysses　could　ask　him　for　no　gift　that　he　would　not　gladly
give；　so　they　embraced；　and　both　armed　themselves　and　went　up　into
the　horse。　　With　them　were　all　the　chiefs　except　Nestor；　whom　they
would　not　allow　to　come；　and　Agamemnon；　who；　as　chief　general；　had
to　command　the　army。　　They　swathed　themselves　and　their　arms　in
soft　silks；　that　they　might　not　ring　and　clash；　when　the　Trojans；
if　they　were　so　foolish；　dragged　the　horse　up　into　their　town；　and
there　they　sat　in　the　dark　waiting。　　Meanwhile；　the　army　burned
their　huts　and　launched　their　ships；　and　with　oars　and　sails　made
their　way　to　the　back　of　the　isle　of　Tenedos。



THE　END　OF　TROY　AND　THE　SAVING　OF　HELEN



From　the　walls　the　Trojans　saw　the　black　smoke　go　up　thick　into　the
sky；　and　the　whole　fleet　of　the　Greeks　sailing　out　to　sea。　　Never
were　men　so　glad；　and　they　armed　themselves　for　fear　of　an　ambush；
and　went　cautiously；　sending　forth　scouts　in　front　of　them；　down　to
the　seashore。　　Here　they　found　the　huts　burned　down　and　the　camp
deserted；　and　some　of　the　scouts　also　caught　Sinon；　who　had　hid
himself　in　a　place　where　he　was　likely　to　be　found。　　They　rushed　on
him　with　fierce　cries；　and　bound　his　hands　with　a　rope；　and　kicked
and　dragged　him　along　to　the　place　where　Priam　and　the　princes　were
wondering　at　the　great　horse　of　tree。　　Sinon　looked　round　upon
them；　while　some　were　saying　that　he　ought　to　be　tortured　with　fire
to　make　him　tell　all　the　truth　about　the　horse。　　The　chiefs　in　the
horse　must　have　trembled　for　fear　lest　torture　should　wring　the
truth　out　of　Sinon；　for　then　the　Trojans　would　simply　burn　the
machine　and　them　within　it。

But　Sinon　said：　　〃Miserable　man　that　I　am；　whom　the　Greeks　hate　and
the　Trojans　are　eager　to　slay！〃　　When　the　Trojans　heard　that　the
Greeks　hated　him；　they　were　curious；　and　asked　who　he　was；　and　how
he　came　to　be　there。　　〃I　will　tell　you　all；　oh　King！〃　he　answered
Priam。　　〃I　was　a　friend　and　squire　of　an　unhappy　chief；　Palamedes；
whom　the　wicked　Ulysses　hated　and　slew　secretly　one　day；　when　he
found　him　alone；　fishing　in　the　sea。　　I　was　angry；　and　in　my　folly
I　did　not　hide　my　anger；　and　my　words　came　to　the　ears　of　Ulysses。
From　that　hour　he　sought　occasion　to　slay　me。　　Then　Calchas〃　here
he　stopped；　saying：　　〃But　why　tell　a　long　tale？　　If　you　hate　all
Greeks　alike；　then　slay　me；　this　is　what　Agamemnon　and　Ulysses
desire；　Menelaus　would　thank　you　for　my　head。〃

The　Trojans　were　now　more　curious　than　before。　　They　bade　him　go
on；　and　he　said　that　the　Greeks　had　consulted　an　Oracle；　which
advised　them　to　sacrifice　one　of　their　army　to　appease　the　anger　of
the　Gods　and　gain　a　fair　wind　homewards。　　〃But　who　was　to　be
sacrificed？　　They　asked　Calchas；　who　for　fifteen　days　refused　to
speak。　　At　last；　being　bribed　by　Ulysses；　he　pointed　to　me；　Sinon；
and　said　that　I　must　be　the　victim。　　I　was　bound　and　kept　in
prison；　while　they　built　their　great　horse　as　a　present　for　Pallas
Athene　the　Goddess。　　They　made　it　so　large　that　you　Trojans　might
never　be　able　to　drag　it　into　your　city；　while；　if　you　destroyed
it；　the　Goddess　might　turn　her　anger　against　you。　　And　now　they
have　gone　home　to　bring　back　the　image　that　fell　from　heaven；　which
they　had　sent　to　Greece；　and　to　restore　it　to　the　Temple　of　Pallas
Athene；　when　they　have　taken　your　town；　for　the　Goddess　is　angry
with　them　for　that　theft　of　Ulysses。〃

The　Trojans　were　foolish　enough　to　believe　the　story　of　Sinon；　and
they　pitied　him　and　unbound　his　hands。　　Then　they　tied　ropes　to　the
wooden　horse；　and　laid　rollers　in　front　of　it；　like　men　launching　a
ship；　and　they　all　took　turns　to　drag　the　horse　up　to　the　Scaean
gate。　　Children　and　women　put　their　hands　to　the　ropes　and　hauled；
and　with　shouts　and　dances；　and　hymns　they　toiled；　till　about
nightfall　the　horse　stood　in　the　courtyard　of　the　inmost　castle。

Then　all　the　people　of　Troy　began　to　dance；　and　drink；　and　sing。
Such　sentinels　as　were　set　at　the　gates　got　as　drunk　as　all　the
rest；　who　danced　about　the　city　till　after　midnight；　and　then　they
went　to　their　homes　and　slept　heavily。

Meanwhile　the　Greek　ships　were　returning　from　behind　Tenedos　as
fast　as　the　oarsmen　could　row　them。

One　Trojan　did　not　drink　or　sleep；　this　was　Deiphobus；　at　whose
house　Helen　was　now　living。　　He　bade　her　come　with　them；　for　he
knew　that　she　was　able　to　speak　in　the　very　voice　of　all　men　and
women　whom　she　had　ever　seen；　and　he　armed　a　few　of　his　friends　and
went　with　them　to　the　citadel。　　Then　he　stood　beside　the　horse；
holding　Helen's　hand；　and　whispered　to　her　that　she　must　call　each
of　the　chiefs　in　the　voice　of　his　wife。　　She　was　obliged　to　obey；
and　she　called　Menelaus　in　her　own　voice；　and　Diomede　in　the　voice
of　his　wife；　and　Ulysses　in　the　very　voice　of　Penelope。　　Then
Menelaus　and　Diomede　were　eager　to　answer；　but　Ulysses　grasped
their　hands　and　whispered　the　word　〃Echo！〃　　Then　they　remembered
that　this　was　a　name　of　Helen；　because　she　could　speak　in　all
voices；　and　they　were　silent；　but　Anticlus　was　still　eager　to
answer；　till　Ulysses　held　his　strong　hand　over　his　mouth。　　There
was　only　silence；　and　Deiphobus　led　Helen　back　to　his　house。　　When
they　had　gone　away　Epeius　opened　the　side　of　the　horse；　and　all　the
chiefs　let　themselves　down　softly　to　the　ground。　　Some　rushed　to
the　gate；　to　open　it；　and　they　killed　the　sleeping　sentinels　and
let　in　the　Greeks。　　Others　sped　with　torches　to　burn　the　houses　of
the　Trojan　princes；　and　terrible　was　the　slaughter　of　men；　unarmed
and　half　awake；　and　loud　were　the　cries　of　the　women。　　But　Ulysses
had　slipped　away　at　the　first；　none　knew　where。　　Neoptolemus　ran　to
the　palace　of　Priam；　who　was　sitting　at　the　altar　in　his　courtyard；
praying　vainly　to　the　Gods；　for　Neoptolemus　slew　the　old　man
cruelly；　and　his　white　hair　was　dabbled　in　his　blood。　　All　through
the　city　was　fighting　and　slaying；　but　Menelaus　went　to　the　house
of　Deiphobus；　knowing　that　Helen　was　there。

In　the　doorway　he　found　Deiphobus　lying　dead　in　all　his　armour；　a
spear　standing　in　his　breast。　　There　were　footprints　marked　in
blood；　leading　through　the　portico　and　into　the　hall。　　There
Menelaus　went；　and　found　Ulysses　leaning；　wounded；　against　one　of
the　central　pillars　of　the　great　chamber；　the　firelight　shining　on
his　armour。

〃Why　hast　thou　slain　Deiphobus　and　robbed　me　of　my　revenge？〃　said
Menelaus。　　〃You　swore　to　give　me　a　gift；〃　said　Ulysses；　〃and　will
you　keep　your　oath？〃　　〃Ask　what　you　will；〃　said　Menelaus；　〃it　is
yours　and　my　oath　cannot　be　broken。〃　　〃I　ask　the　life　of　Helen　of
the　fair　hands；〃　said　Ulysses　〃this　is　my　own　life…price　that　I　pay
back　to　her；　for　she　saved　my　life　when　I　took　the　Luck　of　Troy；
and　I　swore　that　hers　should　be　saved。〃

Then　Helen　stole；　glimmering　in　white　robes；　from　a　recess　in　the
dark　hall；　and　fell　at　the　feet　of　Menelaus；　her　golden　hair　lay　in
the　dust　of　the　hearth；　and　her　hands　moved　to　touch　his　knees。
His　drawn　sword　fell　from　the　hands　of　Menelaus；　and　pity　and　love
came　into　his　heart；　and　he　raised　her　from　the　dust　and　her　white
arms　were　round　his　neck；　and　they　both　wept。　　That　night　Menelaus
fought　no　more；　but　they　tended　the　wound　of　Ulysses；　for　the　sword
of　Deiphobus　had　bitten　through　his　helmet。

When　dawn　came　Troy　lay　in　ashes；　and　the　women　were　being　driven
with　spear　shafts　to　the　ships；　and　the　men　were　left　unburied；　a
prey　to　dogs　and　all　manner　of　birds。　　Thus　the　grey　city　fell；
that　had　lorded　it　for　many　centuries。　　All　the　gold　and　silver　and
rich　embroideries；　and　ivory　and　amber；　the　horses　and　chariots；
were　divided　among　the　army；　all　but　a　treasure　of　silver　and　gold；
hidden　in　a　chest　within　a　hollow　of　the　wall；　and　this　treasure
was　found；　not　very　many　years　ago；　by　men　digging　deep　on　the　hill
where　Troy　once　stood。　　The　women；　too；　were　given　to　the　princes；
and　Neoptolemus　took　Andromache　to　his　home　in　Argos；　to　draw　water
from　the　well　and　to　be　the　slave　of　a　master；　and　Agamemnon
carried　beautiful　Cassandra；　the　daughter　of　Priam；　to　his　palace
in　Mycenae；　where　they　were　both　slain　in　one　night。　　Only　Helen
was　led　with　honour　to　the　ship　of　Menelaus。

The　story　of　all　that　ha