the iliad(伊利亚特)-第44节

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Amphimachus；　son　of　Cteatus　son　of　Actor；　in　the　chest　as　he　was
coming　into　battle；　and　his　armour　rang　rattling　round　him　as　he
fell　heavily　to　the　ground。　Hector　sprang　forward　to　take
Amphimachus's　helmet　from　off　his　temples；　and　in　a　moment　Ajax
threw　a　spear　at　him；　but　did　not　wound　him；　for　he　was　encased　all
over　in　his　terrible　armour；　nevertheless　the　spear　struck　the　boss　of
his　shield　with　such　force　as　to　drive　him　back　from　the　two
corpses；　which　the　Achaeans　then　drew　off。　Stichius　and　Menestheus；
captains　of　the　Athenians；　bore　away　Amphimachus　to　the　host　of　the
Achaeans；　while　the　two　brave　and　impetuous　Ajaxes　did　the　like　by
Imbrius。　As　two　lions　snatch　a　goat　from　the　hounds　that　have　it　in
their　fangs；　and　bear　it　through　thick　brushwood　high　above　the　ground
in　their　jaws；　thus　did　the　Ajaxes　bear　aloft　the　body　of　Imbrius；　and
strip　it　of　its　armour。　Then　the　son　of　Oileus　severed　the　head　from
the　neck　in　revenge　for　the　death　of　Amphimachus；　and　sent　it　whirling
over　the　crowd　as　though　it　had　been　a　ball；　till　fell　in　the　dust
at　Hector's　feet。
　　Neptune　was　exceedingly　angry　that　his　grandson　Amphimachus　should
have　fallen；　he　therefore　went　to　the　tents　and　ships　of　the
Achaeans　to　urge　the　Danaans　still　further；　and　to　devise　evil　for　the
Trojans。　Idomeneus　met　him；　as　he　was　taking　leave　of　a　comrade；　who
had　just　come　to　him　from　the　fight；　wounded　in　the　knee。　His
fellow…soldiers　bore　him　off　the　field；　and　Idomeneus　having　given
orders　to　the　physicians　went　on　to　his　tent；　for　he　was　still
thirsting　for　battle。　Neptune　spoke　in　the　likeness　and　with　the　voice
of　Thoas　son　of　Andraemon　who　ruled　the　Aetolians　of　all　Pleuron　and
high　Calydon；　and　was　honoured　among　his　people　as　though　he　were　a
god。　〃Idomeneus；〃　said　he；　〃lawgiver　to　the　Cretans；　what　has　now
become　of　the　threats　with　which　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　used　to
threaten　the　Trojans？〃
　　And　Idomeneus　chief　among　the　Cretans　answered；　〃Thoas；　no　one；　so
far　as　I　know；　is　in　fault；　for　we　can　all　fight。　None　are　held　back
neither　by　fear　nor　slackness；　but　it　seems　to　be　the　of　almighty　Jove
that　the　Achaeans　should　perish　ingloriously　here　far　from　Argos：　you；
Thoas；　have　been　always　staunch；　and　you　keep　others　in　heart　if　you
see　any　fail　in　duty；　be　not　then　remiss　now；　but　exhort　all　to　do
their　utmost。〃
　　To　this　Neptune　lord　of　the　earthquake　made　answer；　〃Idomeneus；
may　he　never　return　from　Troy；　but　remain　here　for　dogs　to　batten
upon；　who　is　this　day　wilfully　slack　in　fighting。　Get　your　armour
and　go；　we　must　make　all　haste　together　if　we　may　be　of　any　use；
though　we　are　only　two。　Even　cowards　gain　courage　from
companionship；　and　we　two　can　hold　our　own　with　the　bravest。〃
　　Therewith　the　god　went　back　into　the　thick　of　the　fight；　and
Idomeneus　when　he　had　reached　his　tent　donned　his　armour；　grasped
his　two　spears；　and　sallied　forth。　As　the　lightning　which　the　son　of
Saturn　brandishes　from　bright　Olympus　when　he　would　show　a　sign　to
mortals；　and　its　gleam　flashes　far　and　wide…　even　so　did　his　armour
gleam　about　him　as　he　ran。　Meriones　his　sturdy　squire　met　him　while　he
was　still　near　his　tent　（for　he　was　going　to　fetch　his　spear）　and
Idomeneus　said
　　〃Meriones；　fleet　son　of　Molus；　best　of　comrades；　why　have　you　left
the　field？　Are　you　wounded；　and　is　the　point　of　the　weapon　hurting
you？　or　have　you　been　sent　to　fetch　me？　I　want　no　fetching；　I　had
far　rather　fight　than　stay　in　my　tent。〃
　　〃Idomeneus；〃　answered　Meriones；　〃I　come　for　a　spear；　if　I　can　find
one　in　my　tent；　I　have　broken　the　one　I　had；　in　throwing　it　at　the
shield　of　Deiphobus。〃
　　And　Idomeneus　captain　of　the　Cretans　answered；　〃You　will　find　one
spear；　or　twenty　if　you　so　please；　standing　up　against　the　end　wall　of
my　tent。　I　have　taken　them　from　Trojans　whom　I　have　killed；　for　I　am
not　one　to　keep　my　enemy　at　arm's　length；　therefore　I　have　spears；
bossed　shields；　helmets；　and　burnished　corslets。〃
　　Then　Meriones　said；　〃I　too　in　my　tent　and　at　my　ship　have　spoils
taken　from　the　Trojans；　but　they　are　not　at　hand。　I　have　been　at　all
times　valorous；　and　wherever　there　has　been　hard　fighting　have　held　my
own　among　the　foremost。　There　may　be　those　among　the　Achaeans　who　do
not　know　how　I　fight；　but　you　know　it　well　enough　yourself。〃
　　Idomeneus　answered；　〃I　know　you　for　a　brave　man：　you　need　not　tell
me。　If　the　best　men　at　the　ships　were　being　chosen　to　go　on　an　ambush…
and　there　is　nothing　like　this　for　showing　what　a　man　is　made　of；　it
comes　out　then　who　is　cowardly　and　who　brave；　the　coward　will　change
colour　at　every　touch　and　turn；　he　is　full　of　fears；　and　keeps
shifting　his　weight　first　on　one　knee　and　then　on　the　other；　his　heart
beats　fast　as　he　thinks　of　death；　and　one　can　hear　the　chattering　of
his　teeth；　whereas　the　brave　man　will　not　change　colour　nor　be　on
finding　himself　in　ambush；　but　is　all　the　time　longing　to　go　into
action…　if　the　best　men　were　being　chosen　for　such　a　service；　no　one
could　make　light　of　your　courage　nor　feats　of　arms。　If　you　were　struck
by　a　dart　or　smitten　in　close　combat；　it　would　not　be　from　behind；
in　your　neck　nor　back；　but　the　weapon　would　hit　you　in　the　chest　or
belly　as　you　were　pressing　forward　to　a　place　in　the　front　ranks。
But　let　us　no　longer　stay　here　talking　like　children；　lest　we　be　ill
spoken　of；　go；　fetch　your　spear　from　the　tent　at　once。〃
　　On　this　Meriones；　peer　of　Mars；　went　to　the　tent　and　got　himself　a
spear　of　bronze。　He　then　followed　after　Idomeneus；　big　with　great
deeds　of　valour。　As　when　baneful　Mars　sallies　forth　to　battle；　and　his
son　Panic　so　strong　and　dauntless　goes　with　him；　to　strike　terror　even
into　the　heart　of　a　hero…　the　pair　have　gone　from　Thrace　to　arm
themselves　among　the　Ephyri　or　the　brave　Phlegyans；　but　they　will
not　listen　to　both　the　contending　hosts；　and　will　give　victory　to
one　side　or　to　the　other…　even　so　did　Meriones　and　Idomeneus；　captains
of　men；　go　out　to　battle　clad　in　their　bronze　armour。　Meriones　was
first　to　speak。　〃Son　of　Deucalion；〃　said　he；　〃where　would　you　have
us　begin　fighting？　On　the　right　wing　of　the　host；　in　the　centre；　or　on
the　left　wing；　where　I　take　it　the　Achaeans　will　be　weakest？〃
　　Idomeneus　answered；　〃There　are　others　to　defend　the　centre…　the
two　Ajaxes　and　Teucer；　who　is　the　finest　archer　of　all　the　Achaeans；
and　is　good　also　in　a　hand…to…hand　fight。　These　will　give　Hector　son
of　Priam　enough　to　do；　fight　as　he　may；　he　will　find　it　hard　to
vanquish　their　indomitable　fury；　and　fire　the　ships；　unless　the　son　of
Saturn　fling　a　firebrand　upon　them　with　his　own　hand。　Great　Ajax　son
of　Telamon　will　yield　to　no　man　who　is　in　mortal　mould　and　eats　the
grain　of　Ceres；　if　bronze　and　great　stones　can　overthrow　him。　He　would
not　yield　even　to　Achilles　in　hand…to…hand　fight；　and　in　fleetness
of　foot　there　is　none　to　beat　him；　let　us　turn　therefore　towards　the
left　wing；　that　we　may　know　forthwith　whether　we　are　to　give　glory
to　some　other；　or　he　to　us。〃
　　Meriones；　peer　of　fleet　Mars；　then　led　the　way　till　they　came　to　the
part　of　the　host　which　Idomeneus　had　named。
　　Now　when　the　Trojans　saw　Idomeneus　coming　on　like　a　flame　of　fire；
him　and　his　squire　clad　in　their　richly　wrought　armour；　they　shouted
and　made　towards　him　all　in　a　body；　and　a　furious　hand…to…hand　fight
raged　under　the　ships'　sterns。　Fierce　as　the　shrill　winds　that　whistle
upon　a　day　when　dust　lies　deep　on　the　roads；　and　the　gusts　raise　it
into　a　thick　cloud…　even　such　was　the　fury　of　the　combat；　and　might
and　main　did　they　hack　at　each　other　with　spear　and　sword　throughout
the　host。　The　field　bristled　with　the　long　and　deadly　spears　which
they　bore。　Dazzling　was　the　sheen　of　their　gleaming　helmets；　their
fresh…burnished　breastplates；　and　glittering　shields　as　they　joined
battle　with　one　another。　Iron　indeed　must　be　his　courage　who　could
take　pleasure　in　the　sight　of　such　a　turmoil；　and　look　on　it　without
being　dismayed。
　　Thus　did　the　two　mighty　sons　of　Saturn　devise　evil　for　mortal
heroes。　Jove　was　minded　to　give　victory　to　the　Trojans　and　to
Hector；　so　as　to　do　honour　to　fleet　Achilles；　nevertheless　he　did
not　mean　to　utterly　overthrow　the　Achaean　host　before　Ilius；　and
only　wanted　to　glorify　Thetis　and　her　valiant　son。　Neptune　on　the
other　hand　went　about　among　the　Argives　to　incite　them；　having　come　up
from　the　grey　sea　in　secret；　for　he　was　grieved　at　seeing　them
vanquished　by　the　Trojans；　and　was　furiously　angry　with　Jove。　Both
were　of　the　same　race　and　country；　but　Jove　was　elder　born　and　knew
more；　therefore　Neptune　feared　to　defend　the　Argives　openly；　but　in
the　likeness　of　man；　he　kept　on　encouraging　them　throughout　their
host。　Thus；　then；　did　these　two　devise　a　knot　of　war　and　battle；
that　none　could　unloose　or　break；　and　set　both　sides　tugging　at　it；　to
the　failing　of　men's　knees　beneath　them。
　　And　now　Idomeneus；　though　his　hair　was　already　flecked　with　grey；
called　loud　on　the　Danaans　and　spread　panic　among　the　Trojans　as　he
leaped　in　among　them。　He　slew　Othryoneus　from　Cabesus；　a　sojourner；
who　had　but　lately　come　to　take　part　in　the　war。　He　sought　Cassandra
the　fairest　of　Priam's　daughters　in　marriage；　but　offered　no　gifts
of　wooing；　for　he　promised　a　great　th