tales of troy-第4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！


Cnossos；　Idomeneus；　whose　ruined　palace　may　still　be　seen　with　the
throne　of　the　king；　and　pictures　painted　on　the　walls；　and　the
King's　own　draught…board　of　gold　and　silver；　and　hundreds　of
tablets　of　clay；　on　which　are　written　the　lists　of　royal　treasures。
Far　north　went　the　news　to　Pelasgian　Argos；　and　Hellas；　where　the
people　of　Peleus　dwelt；　the　Myrmidons；　but　Peleus　was　too　old　to
fight；　and　his　boy；　Achilles；　dwelt　far　away；　in　the　island　of
Scyros；　dressed　as　a　girl；　among　the　daughters　of　King　Lycomedes。
To　many　another　town　and　to　a　hundred　islands　went　the　bitter　news
of　approaching　war；　for　all　princes　knew　that　their　honour　and
their　oaths　compelled　them　to　gather　their　spearmen；　and　bowmen；
and　slingers　from　the　fields　and　the　fishing；　and　to　make　ready
their　ships；　and　meet　King　Agamemnon　in　the　harbour　of　Aulis；　and
cross　the　wide　sea　to　besiege　Troy　town。

Now　the　story　is　told　that　Ulysses　was　very　unwilling　to　leave　his
island　and　his　wife　Penelope；　and　little　Telemachus；　while　Penelope
had　no　wish　that　he　should　pass　into　danger；　and　into　the　sight　of
Helen　of　the　fair　hands。　　So　it　is　said　that　when　two　of　the
princes　came　to　summon　Ulysses；　he　pretended　to　be　mad；　and　went
ploughing　the　sea　sand　with　oxen；　and　sowing　the　sand　with　salt。
Then　the　prince　Palamedes　took　the　baby　Telemachus　from　the　arms　of
his　nurse；　Eurycleia；　and　laid　him　in　the　line　of　the　furrow；　where
the　ploughshare　would　strike　him　and　kill　him。　　But　Ulysses　turned
the　plough　aside；　and　they　cried　that　he　was　not　mad；　but　sane；　and
he　must　keep　his　oath；　and　join　the　fleet　at　Aulis；　a　long　voyage
for　him　to　sail；　round　the　stormy　southern　Cape　of　Maleia。

Whether　this　tale　be　true　or　not；　Ulysses　did　go；　leading　twelve
black　ships；　with　high　beaks　painted　red　at　prow　and　stern。　　The
ships　had　oars；　and　the　warriors　manned　the　oars；　to　row　when　there
was　no　wind。　　There　was　a　small　raised　deck　at　each　end　of　the
ships；　on　these　decks　men　stood　to　fight　with　sword　and　spear　when
there　was　a　battle　at　sea。　　Each　ship　had　but　one　mast；　with　a
broad　lugger　sail；　and　for　anchors　they　had　only　heavy　stones
attached　to　cables。　　They　generally　landed　at　night；　and　slept　on
the　shore　of　one　of　the　many　islands；　when　they　could；　for　they
greatly　feared　to　sail　out　of　sight　of　land。

The　fleet　consisted　of　more　than　a　thousand　ships；　each　with　fifty
warriors；　so　the　army　was　of　more　than　fifty　thousand　men。
Agamemnon　had　a　hundred　ships；　Diomede　had　eighty；　Nestor　had
ninety；　the　Cretans　with　Idomeneus；　had　eighty；　Menelaus　had　sixty；
but　Aias　and　Ulysses；　who　lived　in　small　islands；　had　only　twelve
ships　apiece。　　Yet　Aias　was　so　brave　and　strong；　and　Ulysses　so
brave　and　wise；　that　they　were　ranked　among　the　greatest　chiefs　and
advisers　of　Agamemnon；　with　Menelaus；　Diomede；　Idomeneus；　Nestor；
Menestheus　of　Athens；　and　two　or　three　others。　　These　chiefs　were
called　the　Council；　and　gave　advice　to　Agamemnon；　who　was
commander…in…chief。　　He　was　a　brave　fighter；　but　so　anxious　and
fearful　of　losing　the　lives　of　his　soldiers　that　Ulysses　and
Diomede　were　often　obliged　to　speak　to　him　very　severely。
Agamemnon　was　also　very　insolent　and　greedy；　though；　when　anybody
stood　up　to　him；　he　was　ready　to　apologise；　for　fear　the　injured
chief　should　renounce　his　service　and　take　away　his　soldiers。

Nestor　was　much　respected　because　he　remained　brave；　though　he　was
too　old　to　be　very　useful　in　battle。　　He　generally　tried　to　make
peace　when　the　princes　quarrelled　with　Agamemnon。　　He　loved　to　tell
long　stories　about　his　great　deeds　when　he　was　young；　and　he　wished
the　chiefs　to　fight　in　old…fashioned　ways。

For　instance；　in　his　time　the　Greeks　had　fought　in　clan　regiments；
and　the　princely　men　had　never　dismounted　in　battle；　but　had　fought
in　squadrons　of　chariots；　but　now　the　owners　of　chariots　fought　on
foot；　each　man　for　himself；　while　his　squire　kept　the　chariot　near
him　to　escape　on　if　he　had　to　retreat。　　Nestor　wished　to　go　back　to
the　good　old　way　of　chariot　charges　against　the　crowds　of　foot
soldiers　of　the　enemy。　　In　short；　he　was　a　fine　example　of　the　old…
fashioned　soldier。

Aias；　though　so　very　tall；　strong；　and　brave；　was　rather　stupid。
He　seldom　spoke；　but　he　was　always　ready　to　fight；　and　the　last　to
retreat。　　Menelaus　was　weak　of　body；　but　as　brave　as　the　best；　or
more　brave；　for　he　had　a　keen　sense　of　honour；　and　would　attempt
what　he　had　not　the　strength　to　do。　　Diomede　and　Ulysses　were　great
friends；　and　always　fought　side　by　side；　when　they　could；　and
helped　each　other　in　the　most　dangerous　adventures。

These　were　the　chiefs　who　led　the　great　Greek　armada　from　the
harbour　of　Aulis。　　A　long　time　had　passed；　after　the　flight　of
Helen；　before　the　large　fleet　could　be　collected；　and　more　time
went　by　in　the　attempt　to　cross　the　sea　to　Troy。　　There　were
tempests　that　scattered　the　ships；　so　they　were　driven　back　to
Aulis　to　refit；　and　they　fought；　as　they　went　out　again；　with　the
peoples　of　unfriendly　islands；　and　besieged　their　towns。　　What　they
wanted　most　of　all　was　to　have　Achilles　with　them；　for　he　was　the
leader　of　fifty　ships　and　2；500　men；　and　he　had　magical　armour
made；　men　said；　for　his　father；　by　Hephaestus；　the　God　of　armour…
making　and　smithy　work。

At　last　the　fleet　came　to　the　Isle　of　Scyros；　where　they　suspected
that　Achilles　was　concealed。　　King　Lycomedes　received　the　chiefs
kindly；　and　they　saw　all　his　beautiful　daughters　dancing　and
playing　at　ball；　but　Achilles　was　still　so　young　and　slim　and　so
beautiful　that　they　did　not　know　him　among　the　others。　　There　was　a
prophecy　that　they　could　not　take　Troy　without　him；　and　yet　they
could　not　find　him　out。　　Then　Ulysses　had　a　plan。　　He　blackened　his
eyebrows　and　beard　and　put　on　the　dress　of　a　Phoenician　merchant。
The　Phoenicians　were　a　people　who　lived　near　the　Jews；　and　were　of
the　same　race；　and　spoke　much　the　same　language；　but；　unlike　the
Jews；　who；　at　that　time　were　farmers　in　Palestine；　tilling　the
ground；　and　keeping　flocks　and　herds；　the　Phoenicians　were　the
greatest　of　traders　and　sailors；　and　stealers　of　slaves。　　They
carried　cargoes　of　beautiful　cloths；　and　embroideries；　and　jewels
of　gold；　and　necklaces　of　amber；　and　sold　these　everywhere　about
the　shores　of　Greece　and　the　islands。

Ulysses　then　dressed　himself　like　a　Phoenician　pedlar；　with　his
pack　on　his　back：　　he　only　took　a　stick　in　his　hand；　his　long　hair
was　turned　up；　and　hidden　under　a　red　sailor's　cap；　and　in　this
figure　he　came；　stooping　beneath　his　pack；　into　the　courtyard　of
King　Lycomedes。　　The　girls　heard　that　a　pedlar　had　come；　and　out
they　all　ran；　Achilles　with　the　rest　to　watch　the　pedlar　undo　his
pack。　　Each　chose　what　she　liked　best：　　one　took　a　wreath　of　gold；
another　a　necklace　of　gold　and　amber；　another　earrings；　a　fourth　a
set　of　brooches；　another　a　dress　of　embroidered　scarlet　cloth；
another　a　veil；　another　a　pair　of　bracelets；　but　at　the　bottom　of
the　pack　lay　a　great　sword　of　bronze；　the　hilt　studded　with　golden
nails。　　Achilles　seized　the　sword。　　〃This　is　for　me！〃　he　said；　and
drew　the　sword　from　the　gilded　sheath；　and　made　it　whistle　round
his　head。

〃You　are　Achilles；　Peleus'　son！〃　said　Ulysses；　〃and　you　are　to　be
the　chief　warrior　of　the　Achaeans；〃　for　the　Greeks　then　called
themselves　Achaeans。　　Achilles　was　only　too　glad　to　hear　these
words；　for　he　was　quite　tired　of　living　among　maidens。　　Ulysses　led
him　into　the　hall　where　the　chiefs　were　sitting　at　their　wine；　and
Achilles　was　blushing　like　any　girl。

〃Here　is　the　Queen　of　the　Amazons；〃　said　Ulyssesfor　the　Amazons
were　a　race　of　warlike　maidens〃or　rather　here　is　Achilles；
Peleus'　son；　with　sword　in　hand。〃　　Then　they　all　took　his　hand；　and
welcomed　him；　and　he　was　clothed　in　man's　dress；　with　the　sword　by
his　side；　and　presently　they　sent　him　back　with　ten　ships　to　his
home。　　There　his　mother；　Thetis；　of　the　silver　feet；　the　goddess　of
the　sea；　wept　over　him；　saying；　〃My　child；　thou　hast　the　choice　of
a　long　and　happy　and　peaceful　life　here　with　me；　or　of　a　brief　time
of　war　and　undying　renown。　　Never　shall　I　see　thee　again　in　Argos
if　thy　choice　is　for　war。〃　　But　Achilles　chose　to　die　young；　and　to
be　famous　as　long　as　the　world　stands。　　So　his　father　gave　him
fifty　ships；　with　Patroclus；　who　was　older　than　he；　to　be　his
friend；　and　with　an　old　man；　Phoenix；　to　advise　him；　and　his　mother
gave　him　the　glorious　armour　that　the　God　had　made　for　his　father；
and　the　heavy　ashen　spear　that　none　but　he　could　wield；　and　he
sailed　to　join　the　host　of　the　Achaeans；　who　all　praised　and
thanked　Ulysses　that　had　found　for　them　such　a　prince。　　For
Achilles　was　the　fiercest　fighter　of　them　all；　and　the　swiftest…
footed　man；　and　the　most　courteous　prince；　and　the　gentlest　with
women　and　children；　but　he　was　proud　and　high　of　heart；　and　when　he
was　angered　his　anger　was　terrible。

The　Trojans　would　have　had　no　chance　against　the　Greeks　if　only　the
men　of　the　city　of　Troy　had　fought　to　keep　Helen　of　the　fair　hands。
But　they　had　allies；　who　spoke　different　languages；　and　came　to
fight　for　them　both　from　Europe　and　from　Asia。　　On　the　Trojan　as
well　as　on　the　Greek　side　were　people　called　Pelasgians；　who　seem
to　ha