the iliad(伊利亚特)-第3节

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　　Achilles　drew　a　deep　sigh　and　said；　〃You　know　it；　why　tell　you
what　you　know　well　already？　We　went　to　Thebe　the　strong　city　of
Eetion；　sacked　it；　and　brought　hither　the　spoil。　The　sons　of　the
Achaeans　shared　it　duly　among　themselves；　and　chose　lovely　Chryseis　as
the　meed　of　Agamemnon；　but　Chryses；　priest　of　Apollo；　came　to　the
ships　of　the　Achaeans　to　free　his　daughter；　and　brought　with　him　a
great　ransom：　moreover　he　bore　in　his　hand　the　sceptre　of　Apollo；
wreathed　with　a　suppliant's　wreath；　and　he　besought　the　Achaeans；
but　most　of　all　the　two　sons　of　Atreus　who　were　their　chiefs。
　　〃On　this　the　rest　of　the　Achaeans　with　one　voice　were　for　respecting
the　priest　and　taking　the　ransom　that　he　offered；　but　not　so
Agamemnon；　who　spoke　fiercely　to　him　and　sent　him　roughly　away。　So
he　went　back　in　anger；　and　Apollo；　who　loved　him　dearly；　heard　his
prayer。　Then　the　god　sent　a　deadly　dart　upon　the　Argives；　and　the
people　died　thick　on　one　another；　for　the　arrows　went　everywhither
among　the　wide　host　of　the　Achaeans。　At　last　a　seer　in　the　fulness
of　his　knowledge　declared　to　us　the　oracles　of　Apollo；　and　I　was
myself　first　to　say　that　we　should　appease　him。　Whereon　the　son　of
Atreus　rose　in　anger；　and　threatened　that　which　he　has　since　done。　The
Achaeans　are　now　taking　the　girl　in　a　ship　to　Chryse；　and　sending
gifts　of　sacrifice　to　the　god；　but　the　heralds　have　just　taken　from　my
tent　the　daughter　of　Briseus；　whom　the　Achaeans　had　awarded　to　myself。
　　〃Help　your　brave　son；　therefore；　if　you　are　able。　Go　to　Olympus；　and
if　you　have　ever　done　him　service　in　word　or　deed；　implore　the　aid
of　Jove。　Ofttimes　in　my　father's　house　have　I　heard　you　glory　in
that　you　alone　of　the　immortals　saved　the　son　of　Saturn　from　ruin；
when　the　others；　with　Juno；　Neptune；　and　Pallas　Minerva　would　have　put
him　in　bonds。　It　was　you；　goddess；　who　delivered　him　by　calling　to
Olympus　the　hundred…handed　monster　whom　gods　call　Briareus；　but　men
Aegaeon；　for　he　is　stronger　even　than　his　father；　when　therefore　he
took　his　seat　all…glorious　beside　the　son　of　Saturn；　the　other　gods
were　afraid；　and　did　not　bind　him。　Go；　then；　to　him；　remind　him　of　all
this；　clasp　his　knees；　and　bid　him　give　succour　to　the　Trojans。　Let
the　Achaeans　be　hemmed　in　at　the　sterns　of　their　ships；　and　perish
on　the　sea…shore；　that　they　may　reap　what　joy　they　may　of　their
king；　and　that　Agamemnon　may　rue　his　blindness　in　offering　insult　to
the　foremost　of　the　Achaeans。〃
　　Thetis　wept　and　answered；　〃My　son；　woe　is　me　that　I　should　have
borne　or　suckled　you。　Would　indeed　that　you　had　lived　your　span　free
from　all　sorrow　at　your　ships；　for　it　is　all　too　brief；　alas；　that　you
should　be　at　once　short　of　life　and　long　of　sorrow　above　your　peers：
woe；　therefore；　was　the　hour　in　which　I　bore　you；　nevertheless　I
will　go　to　the　snowy　heights　of　Olympus；　and　tell　this　tale　to　Jove；
if　he　will　hear　our　prayer：　meanwhile　stay　where　you　are　with　your
ships；　nurse　your　anger　against　the　Achaeans；　and　hold　aloof　from
fight。　For　Jove　went　yesterday　to　Oceanus；　to　a　feast　among　the
Ethiopians；　and　the　other　gods　went　with　him。　He　will　return　to
Olympus　twelve　days　hence；　I　will　then　go　to　his　mansion　paved　with
bronze　and　will　beseech　him；　nor　do　I　doubt　that　I　shall　be　able　to
persuade　him。〃
　　On　this　she　left　him；　still　furious　at　the　loss　of　her　that　had　been
taken　from　him。　Meanwhile　Ulysses　reached　Chryse　with　the　hecatomb。
When　they　had　come　inside　the　harbour　they　furled　the　sails　and　laid
them　in　the　ship's　hold；　they　slackened　the　forestays；　lowered　the
mast　into　its　place；　and　rowed　the　ship　to　the　place　where　they
would　have　her　lie；　there　they　cast　out　their　mooring…stones　and
made　fast　the　hawsers。　They　then　got　out　upon　the　sea…shore　and　landed
the　hecatomb　for　Apollo；　Chryseis　also　left　the　ship；　and　Ulysses
led　her　to　the　altar　to　deliver　her　into　the　hands　of　her　father。
〃Chryses；〃　said　he；　〃King　Agamemnon　has　sent　me　to　bring　you　back　your
child；　and　to　offer　sacrifice　to　Apollo　on　behalf　of　the　Danaans；　that
we　may　propitiate　the　god；　who　has　now　brought　sorrow　upon　the
Argives。〃
　　So　saying　he　gave　the　girl　over　to　her　father；　who　received　her
gladly；　and　they　ranged　the　holy　hecatomb　all　orderly　round　the
altar　of　the　god。　They　washed　their　hands　and　took　up　the
barley…meal　to　sprinkle　over　the　victims；　while　Chryses　lifted　up
his　hands　and　prayed　aloud　on　their　behalf。　〃Hear　me；〃　he　cried；　〃O
god　of　the　silver　bow；　that　protectest　Chryse　and　holy　Cilla；　and
rulest　Tenedos　with　thy　might。　Even　as　thou　didst　hear　me　aforetime
when　I　prayed；　and　didst　press　hardly　upon　the　Achaeans；　so　hear　me
yet　again；　and　stay　this　fearful　pestilence　from　the　Danaans。〃
　　Thus　did　he　pray；　and　Apollo　heard　his　prayer。　When　they　had　done
praying　and　sprinkling　the　barley…meal；　they　drew　back　the　heads　of
the　victims　and　killed　and　flayed　them。　They　cut　out　the
thigh…bones；　wrapped　them　round　in　two　layers　of　fat；　set　some
pieces　of　raw　meat　on　the　top　of　them；　and　then　Chryses　laid　them　on
the　wood　fire　and　poured　wine　over　them；　while　the　young　men　stood
near　him　with　five…pronged　spits　in　their　hands。　When　the
thigh…bones　were　burned　and　they　had　tasted　the　inward　meats；　they　cut
the　rest　up　small；　put　the　pieces　upon　the　spits；　roasted　them　till
they　were　done；　and　drew　them　off：　then；　when　they　had　finished
their　work　and　the　feast　was　ready；　they　ate　it；　and　every　man　had　his
full　share；　so　that　all　were　satisfied。　As　soon　as　they　had　had　enough
to　eat　and　drink；　pages　filled　the　mixing…bowl　with　wine　and　water　and
handed　it　round；　after　giving　every　man　his　drink…offering。
　　Thus　all　day　long　the　young　men　worshipped　the　god　with　song；
hymning　him　and　chaunting　the　joyous　paean；　and　the　god　took
pleasure　in　their　voices；　but　when　the　sun　went　down；　and　it　came　on
dark；　they　laid　themselves　down　to　sleep　by　the　stern　cables　of　the
ship；　and　when　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared　they
again　set　sail　for　the　host　of　the　Achaeans。　Apollo　sent　them　a　fair
wind；　so　they　raised　their　mast　and　hoisted　their　white　sails　aloft。
As　the　sail　bellied　with　the　wind　the　ship　flew　through　the　deep
blue　water；　and　the　foam　hissed　against　her　bows　as　she　sped　onward。
When　they　reached　the　wide…stretching　host　of　the　Achaeans；　they
drew　the　vessel　ashore；　high　and　dry　upon　the　sands；　set　her　strong
props　beneath　her；　and　went　their　ways　to　their　own　tents　and　ships。
　　But　Achilles　abode　at　his　ships　and　nursed　his　anger。　He　went　not　to
the　honourable　assembly；　and　sallied　not　forth　to　fight；　but　gnawed　at
his　own　heart；　pining　for　battle　and　the　war…cry。
　　Now　after　twelve　days　the　immortal　gods　came　back　in　a　body　to
Olympus；　and　Jove　led　the　way。　Thetis　was　not　unmindful　of　the
charge　her　son　had　laid　upon　her；　so　she　rose　from　under　the　sea　and
went　through　great　heaven　with　early　morning　to　Olympus；　where　she
found　the　mighty　son　of　Saturn　sitting　all　alone　upon　its　topmost
ridges。　She　sat　herself　down　before　him；　and　with　her　left　hand　seized
his　knees；　while　with　her　right　she　caught　him　under　the　chin；　and
besought　him；　saying…
　　〃Father　Jove；　if　I　ever　did　you　service　in　word　or　deed　among　the
immortals；　hear　my　prayer；　and　do　honour　to　my　son；　whose　life　is　to
be　cut　short　so　early。　King　Agamemnon　has　dishonoured　him　by　taking
his　prize　and　keeping　her。　Honour　him　then　yourself；　Olympian　lord
of　counsel；　and　grant　victory　to　the　Trojans；　till　the　Achaeans　give
my　son　his　due　and　load　him　with　riches　in　requital。〃
　　Jove　sat　for　a　while　silent；　and　without　a　word；　but　Thetis　still
kept　firm　hold　of　his　knees；　and　besought　him　a　second　time。
〃Incline　your　head；〃　said　she；　〃and　promise　me　surely；　or　else　deny
me…　for　you　have　nothing　to　fear…　that　I　may　learn　how　greatly　you
disdain　me。〃
　　At　this　Jove　was　much　troubled　and　answered；　〃I　shall　have　trouble
if　you　set　me　quarrelling　with　Juno；　for　she　will　provoke　me　with
her　taunting　speeches；　even　now　she　is　always　railing　at　me　before　the
other　gods　and　accusing　me　of　giving　aid　to　the　Trojans。　Go　back
now；　lest　she　should　find　out。　I　will　consider　the　matter；　and　will
bring　it　about　as　wish。　See；　I　incline　my　head　that　you　believe　me。
This　is　the　most　solemn　that　I　can　give　to　any　god。　I　never　recall
my　word；　or　deceive；　or　fail　to　do　what　I　say；　when　I　have　nodded　my
head。〃
　　As　he　spoke　the　son　of　Saturn　bowed　his　dark　brows；　and　the
ambrosial　locks　swayed　on　his　immortal　head；　till　vast　Olympus　reeled。
　　When　the　pair　had　thus　laid　their　plans；　they　parted…　Jove　to　his
house；　while　the　goddess　quitted　the　splendour　of　Olympus；　and　plunged
into　the　depths　of　the　sea。　The　gods　rose　from　their　seats；　before　the
coming　of　their　sire。　Not　one　of　them　dared　to　remain　sitting；　but　all
stood　up　as　he　came　among　them。　There；　then；　he　took　his　seat。　But
Juno；　when　she　saw　him；　knew　that　he　and　the　old　merman's　daughter；
silver…footed　Thetis；　had　been　hatching　mischief；　so　she　at　once　began
to　upbraid　him。　〃Trickster；〃　she　cried；　〃which　of　the　gods　have　you
been　taking　into　your　counsels　now？　You　are　always　settling　matters　in
secret　behind　my　back；　and　have　never　yet　told　me；　if　you　could　help
it；　one　word　of　your　intentio