the iliad(伊利亚特)-第78节

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Hector　from　the　fleet　son　of　Peleus。　Whenever　he　made　a　set　to　get
near　the　Dardanian　gates　and　under　the　walls；　that　his　people　might
help　him　by　showering　down　weapons　from　above；　Achilles　would　gain
on　him　and　head　him　back　towards　the　plain；　keeping　himself　always
on　the　city　side。　As　a　man　in　a　dream　who　fails　to　lay　hands　upon
another　whom　he　is　pursuing…　the　one　cannot　escape　nor　the　other
overtake…　even　so　neither　could　Achilles　come　up　with　Hector；　nor
Hector　break　away　from　Achilles；　nevertheless　he　might　even　yet　have
escaped　death　had　not　the　time　come　when　Apollo；　who　thus　far　had
sustained　his　strength　and　nerved　his　running；　was　now　no　longer　to
stay　by　him。　Achilles　made　signs　to　the　Achaean　host；　and　shook　his
head　to　show　that　no　man　was　to　aim　a　dart　at　Hector；　lest　another
might　win　the　glory　of　having　hit　him　and　he　might　himself　come　in
second。　Then；　at　last；　as　they　were　nearing　the　fountains　for　the
fourth　time；　the　father　of　all　balanced　his　golden　scales　and　placed　a
doom　in　each　of　them；　one　for　Achilles　and　the　other　for　Hector。　As　he
held　the　scales　by　the　middle；　the　doom　of　Hector　fell　down　deep
into　the　house　of　Hades…　and　then　Phoebus　Apollo　left　him。　Thereon
Minerva　went　close　up　to　the　son　of　Peleus　and　said；　〃Noble
Achilles；　favoured　of　heaven；　we　two　shall　surely　take　back　to　the
ships　a　triumph　for　the　Achaeans　by　slaying　Hector；　for　all　his　lust
of　battle。　Do　what　Apollo　may　as　he　lies　grovelling　before　his　father；
aegis…bearing　Jove；　Hector　cannot　escape　us　longer。　Stay　here　and　take
breath；　while　I　go　up　to　him　and　persuade　him　to　make　a　stand　and
fight　you。〃
　　Thus　spoke　Minerva。　Achilles　obeyed　her　gladly；　and　stood　still；
leaning　on　his　bronze…pointed　ashen　spear；　while　Minerva　left　him
and　went　after　Hector　in　the　form　and　with　the　voice　of　Deiphobus。　She
came　close　up　to　him　and　said；　〃Dear　brother；　I　see　you　are　hard
pressed　by　Achilles　who　is　chasing　you　at　full　speed　round　the　city　of
Priam；　let　us　await　his　onset　and　stand　on　our　defence。〃
　　And　Hector　answered；　〃Deiphobus；　you　have　always　been　dearest　to
me　of　all　my　brothers；　children　of　Hecuba　and　Priam；　but　henceforth
I　shall　rate　you　yet　more　highly；　inasmuch　as　you　have　ventured
outside　the　wall　for　my　sake　when　all　the　others　remain　inside。〃
　　Then　Minerva　said；　〃Dear　brother；　my　father　and　mother　went　down
on　their　knees　and　implored　me；　as　did　all　my　comrades；　to　remain
inside；　so　great　a　fear　has　fallen　upon　them　all；　but　I　was　in　an
agony　of　grief　when　I　beheld　you；　now；　therefore；　let　us　two　make　a
stand　and　fight；　and　let　there　be　no　keeping　our　spears　in　reserve；
that　we　may　learn　whether　Achilles　shall　kill　us　and　bear　off　our
spoils　to　the　ships；　or　whether　he　shall　fall　before　you。〃
　　Thus　did　Minerva　inveigle　him　by　her　cunning；　and　when　the　two
were　now　close　to　one　another　great　Hector　was　first　to　speak。　〃I
will…no　longer　fly　you；　son　of　Peleus；〃　said　he；　〃as　I　have　been　doing
hitherto。　Three　times　have　I　fled　round　the　mighty　city　of　Priam；
without　daring　to　withstand　you；　but　now；　let　me　either　slay　or　be
slain；　for　I　am　in　the　mind　to　face　you。　Let　us；　then；　give　pledges　to
one　another　by　our　gods；　who　are　the　fittest　witnesses　and　guardians
of　all　covenants；　let　it　be　agreed　between　us　that　if　Jove
vouchsafes　me　the　longer　stay　and　I　take　your　life；　I　am　not　to
treat　your　dead　body　in　any　unseemly　fashion；　but　when　I　have　stripped
you　of　your　armour；　I　am　to　give　up　your　body　to　the　Achaeans。　And
do　you　likewise。〃
　　Achilles　glared　at　him　and　answered；　〃Fool；　prate　not　to　me　about
covenants。　There　can　be　no　covenants　between　men　and　lions；　wolves　and
lambs　can　never　be　of　one　mind；　but　hate　each　other　out　and　out　an
through。　Therefore　there　can　be　no　understanding　between　you　and　me；
nor　may　there　be　any　covenants　between　us；　till　one　or　other　shall
fall　and　glut　grim　Mars　with　his　life's　blood。　Put　forth　all　your
strength；　you　have　need　now　to　prove　yourself　indeed　a　bold　soldier
and　man　of　war。　You　have　no　more　chance；　and　Pallas　Minerva　will
forthwith　vanquish　you　by　my　spear：　you　shall　now　pay　me　in　full　for
the　grief　you　have　caused　me　on　account　of　my　comrades　whom　you　have
killed　in　battle。〃
　　He　poised　his　spear　as　he　spoke　and　hurled　it。　Hector　saw　it
coming　and　avoided　it；　he　watched　it　and　crouched　down　so　that　it　flew
over　his　head　and　stuck　in　the　ground　beyond；　Minerva　then　snatched　it
up　and　gave　it　back　to　Achilles　without　Hector's　seeing　her；　Hector
thereon　said　to　the　son　of　Peleus；　〃You　have　missed　your　aim；
Achilles；　peer　of　the　gods；　and　Jove　has　not　yet　revealed　to　you　the
hour　of　my　doom；　though　you　made　sure　that　he　had　done　so。　You　were
a　false…tongued　liar　when　you　deemed　that　I　should　forget　my　valour
and　quail　before　you。　You　shall　not　drive　spear　into　the　back　of　a
runaway…　drive　it；　should　heaven　so　grant　you　power；　drive　it　into
me　as　I　make　straight　towards　you；　and　now　for　your　own　part　avoid
my　spear　if　you　can…　would　that　you　might　receive　the　whole　of　it　into
your　body；　if　you　were　once　dead　the　Trojans　would　find　the　war　an
easier　matter；　for　it　is　you　who　have　harmed　them　most。〃
　　He　poised　his　spear　as　he　spoke　and　hurled　it。　His　aim　was　true
for　he　hit　the　middle　of　Achilles'　shield；　but　the　spear　rebounded
from　it；　and　did　not　pierce　it。　Hector　was　angry　when　he　saw　that
the　weapon　had　sped　from　his　hand　in　vain；　and　stood　there　in　dismay
for　he　had　no　second　spear。　With　a　loud　cry　he　called　Diphobus　and
asked　him　for　one；　but　there　was　no　man；　then　he　saw　the　truth　and
said　to　himself；　〃Alas！　the　gods　have　lured　me　on　to　my　destruction。　I
deemed　that　the　hero　Deiphobus　was　by　my　side；　but　he　is　within　the
wall；　and　Minerva　has　inveigled　me；　death　is　now　indeed　exceedingly
near　at　hand　and　there　is　no　way　out　of　it…　for　so　Jove　and　his　son
Apollo　the　far…darter　have　willed　it；　though　heretofore　they　have　been
ever　ready　to　protect　me。　My　doom　has　come　upon　me；　let　me　not　then
die　ingloriously　and　without　a　struggle；　but　let　me　first　do　some
great　thing　that　shall　be　told　among　men　hereafter。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　drew　the　keen　blade　that　hung　so　great　and　strong
by　his　side；　and　gathering　himself　together　be　sprang　on　Achilles　like
a　soaring　eagle　which　swoops　down　from　the　clouds　on　to　some　lamb　or
timid　hare…　even　so　did　Hector　brandish　his　sword　and　spring　upon
Achilles。　Achilles　mad　with　rage　darted　towards　him；　with　his　wondrous
shield　before　his　breast；　and　his　gleaming　helmet；　made　with　four
layers　of　metal；　nodding　fiercely　forward。　The　thick　tresses　of　gold
wi　which　Vulcan　had　crested　the　helmet　floated　round　it；　and　as　the
evening　star　that　shines　brighter　than　all　others　through　the
stillness　of　night；　even　such　was　the　gleam　of　the　spear　which
Achilles　poised　in　his　right　hand；　fraught　with　the　death　of　noble
Hector。　He　eyed　his　fair　flesh　over　and　over　to　see　where　he　could
best　wound　it；　but　all　was　protected　by　the　goodly　armour　of　which
Hector　had　spoiled　Patroclus　after　he　had　slain　him；　save　only　the
throat　where　the　collar…bones　divide　the　neck　from　the　shoulders；
and　this　is　a　most　deadly　place：　here　then　did　Achilles　strike　him
as　he　was　coming　on　towards　him；　and　the　point　of　his　spear　went　right
through　the　fleshy　part　of　the　neck；　but　it　did　not　sever　his　windpipe
so　that　he　could　still　speak。　Hector　fell　headlong；　and　Achilles
vaunted　over　him　saying；　〃Hector；　you　deemed　that　you　should　come
off　scatheless　when　you　were　spoiling　Patroclus；　and　recked　not　of
myself　who　was　not　with　him。　Fool　that　you　were：　for　I；　his　comrade；
mightier　far　than　he；　was　still　left　behind　him　at　the　ships；　and
now　I　have　laid　you　low。　The　Achaeans　shall　give　him　all　due　funeral
rites；　while　dogs　and　vultures　shall　work　their　will　upon　yourself。〃
　　Then　Hector　said；　as　the　life　ebbed　out　of　him；　〃I　pray　you　by
your　life　and　knees；　and　by　your　parents；　let　not　dogs　devour　me　at
the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　but　accept　the　rich　treasure　of　gold　and
bronze　which　my　father　and　mother　will　offer　you；　and　send　my　body
home；　that　the　Trojans　and　their　wives　may　give　me　my　dues　of　fire
when　I　am　dead。〃
　　Achilles　glared　at　him　and　answered；　〃Dog；　talk　not　to　me　neither　of
knees　nor　parents；　would　that　I　could　be　as　sure　of　being　able　to
cut　your　flesh　into　pieces　and　eat　it　raw；　for　the　ill　have　done　me；
as　I　am　that　nothing　shall　save　you　from　the　dogs…　it　shall　not　be；
though　they　bring　ten　or　twenty…fold　ransom　and　weigh　it　out　for　me　on
the　spot；　with　promise　of　yet　more　hereafter。　Though　Priam　son　of
Dardanus　should　bid　them　offer　me　your　weight　in　gold；　even　so　your
mother　shall　never　lay　you　out　and　make　lament　over　the　son　she
bore；　but　dogs　and　vultures　shall　eat　you　utterly　up。〃
　　Hector　with　his　dying　breath　then　said；　〃I　know　you　what　you　are；
and　was　sure　that　I　should　not　move　you；　for　your　heart　is　hard　as
iron；　look　to　it　that　I　bring　not　heaven's　anger　upon　you　on　the　day
when　Paris　and　Phoebus　Apollo；　valiant　though　you　be；　shall　slay　you
at　the　Scaean　gates。〃
　　When　he　had　thus　said　the　shrouds　of　death　enfolded　him；　whereon　his
soul　went　out　of　him　and　flew　down　to　the　house　of　Hades；　lamenting
its　sad　fate　that　it　should　en'　you