the iliad(伊利亚特)-第77节

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flying　over　the　plain；　even　so　fast　and　furiously　did　the　limbs　of
Achilles　bear　him　onwards。　King　Priam　was　first　to　note　him　as　he
scoured　the　plain；　all　radiant　as　the　star　which　men　call　Orion's
Hound；　and　whose　beams　blaze　forth　in　time　of　harvest　more　brilliantly
than　those　of　any　other　that　shines　by　night；　brightest　of　them　all
though　he　be；　he　yet　bodes　ill　for　mortals；　for　he　brings　fire　and
fever　in　his　train…　even　so　did　Achilles'　armour　gleam　on　his　breast
as　he　sped　onwards。　Priam　raised　a　cry　and　beat　his　head　with　his
hands　as　he　lifted　them　up　and　shouted　out　to　his　dear　son；
imploring　him　to　return；　but　Hector　still　stayed　before　the　gates；　for
his　heart　was　set　upon　doing　battle　with　Achilles。　The　old　man　reached
out　his　arms　towards　him　and　bade　him　for　pity's　sake　come　within
the　walls。　〃Hector；〃　he　cried；　〃my　son；　stay　not　to　face　this　man
alone　and　unsupported；　or　you　will　meet　death　at　the　hands　of　the
son　of　Peleus；　for　he　is　mightier　than　you。　Monster　that　he　is；
would　indeed　that　the　gods　loved　him　no　better　than　I　do；　for　so；　dogs
and　vultures　would　soon　devour　him　as　he　lay　stretched　on　earth；　and　a
load　of　grief　would　be　lifted　from　my　heart；　for　many　a　brave　son
has　he　reft　from　me；　either　by　killing　them　or　selling　them　away　in
the　islands　that　are　beyond　the　sea：　even　now　I　miss　two　sons　from
among　the　Trojans　who　have　thronged　within　the　city；　Lycaon　and
Polydorus；　whom　Laothoe　peeress　among　women　bore　me。　Should　they　be
still　alive　and　in　the　hands　of　the　Achaeans；　we　will　ransom　them　with
gold　and　bronze；　of　which　we　have　store；　for　the　old　man　Altes　endowed
his　daughter　richly；　but　if　they　are　already　dead　and　in　the　house
of　Hades；　sorrow　will　it　be　to　us　two　who　were　their　parents；　albeit
the　grief　of　others　will　be　more　short…lived　unless　you　too　perish
at　the　hands　of　Achilles。　Come；　then；　my　son；　within　the　city；　to　be
the　guardian　of　Trojan　men　and　Trojan　women；　or　you　will　both　lose
your　own　life　and　afford　a　mighty　triumph　to　the　son　of　Peleus。　Have
pity　also　on　your　unhappy　father　while　life　yet　remains　to　him…　on　me；
whom　the　son　of　Saturn　will　destroy　by　a　terrible　doom　on　the
threshold　of　old　age；　after　I　have　seen　my　sons　slain　and　my　daughters
haled　away　as　captives；　my　bridal　chambers　pillaged；　little　children
dashed　to　earth　amid　the　rage　of　battle；　and　my　sons'　wives　dragged
away　by　the　cruel　hands　of　the　Achaeans；　in　the　end　fierce　hounds　will
tear　me　in　pieces　at　my　own　gates　after　some　one　has　beaten　the　life
out　of　my　body　with　sword　or　spear…hounds　that　I　myself　reared　and　fed
at　my　own　table　to　guard　my　gates；　but　who　will　yet　lap　my　blood　and
then　lie　all　distraught　at　my　doors。　When　a　young　man　falls　by　the
sword　in　battle；　he　may　lie　where　he　is　and　there　is　nothing　unseemly；
let　what　will　be　seen；　all　is　honourable　in　death；　but　when　an　old　man
is　slain　there　is　nothing　in　this　world　more　pitiable　than　that　dogs
should　defile　his　grey　hair　and　beard　and　all　that　men　hide　for
shame。〃
　　The　old　man　tore　his　grey　hair　as　he　spoke；　but　he　moved　not　the
heart　of　Hector。　His　mother　hard　by　wept　and　moaned　aloud　as　she　bared
her　bosom　and　pointed　to　the　breast　which　had　suckled　him。　〃Hector；〃
she　cried；　weeping　bitterly　the　while；　〃Hector；　my　son；　spurn　not　this
breast；　but　have　pity　upon　me　too：　if　I　have　ever　given　you　comfort
from　my　own　bosom；　think　on　it　now；　dear　son；　and　come　within　the　wall
to　protect　us　from　this　man；　stand　not　without　to　meet　him。　Should　the
wretch　kill　you；　neither　I　nor　your　richly　dowered　wife　shall　ever
weep；　dear　offshoot　of　myself；　over　the　bed　on　which　you　lie；　for　dogs
will　devour　you　at　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。〃
　　Thus　did　the　two　with　many　tears　implore　their　son；　but　they　moved
not　the　heart　of　Hector；　and　he　stood　his　ground　awaiting　huge
Achilles　as　he　drew　nearer　towards　him。　As　serpent　in　its　den　upon　the
mountains；　full　fed　with　deadly　poisons；　waits　for　the　approach　of
man…　he　is　filled　with　fury　and　his　eyes　glare　terribly　as　he　goes
writhing　round　his　den…　even　so　Hector　leaned　his　shield　against　a
tower　that　jutted　out　from　the　wall　and　stood　where　he　was；　undaunted。
　　〃Alas；〃　said　he　to　himself　in　the　heaviness　of　his　heart；　〃if　I　go
within　the　gates；　Polydamas　will　be　the　first　to　heap　reproach　upon
me；　for　it　was　he　that　urged　me　to　lead　the　Trojans　back　to　the　city
on　that　awful　night　when　Achilles　again　came　forth　against　us。　I　would
not　listen；　but　it　would　have　been　indeed　better　if　I　had　done　so。　Now
that　my　folly　has　destroyed　the　host；　I　dare　not　look　Trojan　men　and
Trojan　women　in　the　face；　lest　a　worse　man　should　say；　'Hector　has
ruined　us　by　his　self…confidence。'　Surely　it　would　be　better　for　me　to
return　after　having　fought　Achilles　and　slain　him；　or　to　die
gloriously　here　before　the　city。　What；　again；　if　were　to　lay　down　my
shield　and　helmet；　lean　my　spear　against　the　wall　and　go　straight　up
to　noble　Achilles？　What　if　I　were　to　promise　to　give　up　Helen；　who　was
the　fountainhead　of　all　this　war；　and　all　the　treasure　that　Alexandrus
brought　with　him　in　his　ships　to　Troy；　aye；　and　to　let　the　Achaeans
divide　the　half　of　everything　that　the　city　contains　among　themselves？
I　might　make　the　Trojans；　by　the　mouths　of　their　princes；　take　a
solemn　oath　that　they　would　hide　nothing；　but　would　divide　into　two
shares　all　that　is　within　the　city…　but　why　argue　with　myself　in
this　way？　Were　I　to　go　up　to　him　he　would　show　me　no　kind　of　mercy；　he
would　kill　me　then　and　there　as　easily　as　though　I　were　a　woman；
when　I　had　off　my　armour。　There　is　no　parleying　with　him　from　some
rock　or　oak　tree　as　young　men　and　maidens　prattle　with　one　another。
Better　fight　him　at　once；　and　learn　to　which　of　us　Jove　will　vouchsafe
victory。〃
　　Thus　did　he　stand　and　ponder；　but　Achilles　came　up　to　him　as　it　were
Mars　himself；　plumed　lord　of　battle。　From　his　right　shoulder　he
brandished　his　terrible　spear　of　Pelian　ash；　and　the　bronze　gleamed
around　him　like　flashing　fire　or　the　rays　of　the　rising　sun。　Fear　fell
upon　Hector　as　he　beheld　him；　and　he　dared　not　stay　longer　where　he
was　but　fled　in　dismay　from　before　the　gates；　while　Achilles　darted
after　him　at　his　utmost　speed。　As　a　mountain　falcon；　swiftest　of　all
birds；　swoops　down　upon　some　cowering　dove…　the　dove　flies　before
him　but　the　falcon　with　a　shrill　scream　follows　close　after；
resolved　to　have　her…　even　so　did　Achilles　make　straight　for　Hector
with　all　his　might；　while　Hector　fled　under　the　Trojan　wall　as　fast　as
his　limbs　could　take　him。
　　On　they　flew　along　the　waggon…road　that　ran　hard　by　under　the
wall；　past　the　lookout　station；　and　past　the　weather…beaten　wild
fig…tree；　till　they　came　to　two　fair　springs　which　feed　the　river
Scamander。　One　of　these　two　springs　is　warm；　and　steam　rises　from　it
as　smoke　from　a　burning　fire；　but　the　other　even　in　summer　is　as
cold　as　hail　or　snow；　or　the　ice　that　forms　on　water。　Here；　hard　by
the　springs；　are　the　goodly　washing…troughs　of　stone；　where　in　the
time　of　peace　before　the　coming　of　the　Achaeans　the　wives　and　fair
daughters　of　the　Trojans　used　to　wash　their　clothes。　Past　these　did
they　fly；　the　one　in　front　and　the　other　giving　ha。　behind　him：　good
was　the　man　that　fled；　but　better　far　was　he　that　followed　after；
and　swiftly　indeed　did　they　run；　for　the　prize　was　no　mere　beast　for
sacrifice　or　bullock's　hide；　as　it　might　be　for　a　common　foot…race；
but　they　ran　for　the　life　of　Hector。　As　horses　in　a　chariot　race　speed
round　the　turning…posts　when　they　are　running　for　some　great　prize…
a　tripod　or　woman…　at　the　games　in　honour　of　some　dead　hero；　so　did
these　two　run　full　speed　three　times　round　the　city　of　Priam。　All
the　gods　watched　them；　and　the　sire　of　gods　and　men　was　the　first　to
speak。
　　〃Alas；〃　said　he；　〃my　eyes　behold　a　man　who　is　dear　to　me　being
pursued　round　the　walls　of　Troy；　my　heart　is　full　of　pity　for
Hector；　who　has　burned　the　thigh…bones　of　many　a　heifer　in　my
honour；　at　one　while　on　the　of　many…valleyed　Ida；　and　again　on　the
citadel　of　Troy；　and　now　I　see　noble　Achilles　in　full　pursuit　of　him
round　the　city　of　Priam。　What　say　you？　Consider　among　yourselves　and
decide　whether　we　shall　now　save　him　or　let　him　fall；　valiant　though
he　be；　before　Achilles；　son　of　Peleus。〃
　　Then　Minerva　said；　〃Father；　wielder　of　the　lightning；　lord　of
cloud　and　storm；　what　mean　you？　Would　you　pluck　this　mortal　whose　doom
has　long　been　decreed　out　of　the　jaws　of　death？　Do　as　you　will；　but　we
others　shall　not　be　of　a　mind　with　you。〃
　　And　Jove　answered；　〃My　child；　Trito…born；　take　heart。　I　did　not
speak　in　full　earnest；　and　I　will　let　you　have　your　way。　Do　without
let　or　hindrance　as　you　are　minded。〃
　　Thus　did　he　urge　Minerva　who　was　already　eager；　and　down　she
darted　from　the　topmost　summits　of　Olympus。
　　Achilles　was　still　in　full　pursuit　of　Hector；　as　a　hound　chasing　a
fawn　which　he　has　started　from　its　covert　on　the　mountains；　and
hunts　through　glade　and　thicket。　The　fawn　may　try　to　elude　him　by
crouching　under　cover　of　a　bush；　but　he　will　scent　her　out　and
follow　her　up　until　he　gets　her…　even　so　there　was　no　escape　for
Hector　from　the　fleet　son　of　Peleus。　Whenever　he　made　a　set　to　get
near　the　Dardanian　gates　and　u