tales of troy(特罗伊的传说)-第16节
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step of the altar； and fell sound asleep； and the torch sunk in her hand； and
went out； and all was dark。 Then Ulysses put the phial in his wallet； and
crept very cautiously to the altar； in the dark； and stole the Luck of Troy。
It was only a small black mass of what is now called meteoric iron； which
sometimes comes down with meteorites from the sky； but it was shaped
like a shield； and the people thought it an image of the warlike shielded
Goddess； fallen from Heaven。 Such sacred shields； made of glass and
ivory； are found deep in the earth in the ruined cities of Ulysses' time。
Swiftly Ulysses hid the Luck in his rags and left in its place on the altar a
copy of the Luck； which he had made of blackened clay。 Then he stole
back to the place where he had lain； and remained there till dawn appeared；
and the sleepers who sought for dreams awoke； and the temple gates were
opened； and Ulysses walked out with the rest of them。
He stole down a lane； where as yet no people were stirring； and crept
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along； leaning on his staff； till he came to the eastern gate； at the back of
the city； which the Greeks never attacked； for they had never drawn their
army in a circle round the town。 There Ulysses explained to the sentinels
that he had gathered food enough to last for a long journey to some other
town； and opened his bag； which seemed full of bread and broken meat。
The soldiers said he was a lucky beggar； and let him out。 He walked
slowly along the waggon road by which wood was brought into Troy from
the forests on Mount Ida； and when he found that nobody was within sight
he slipped into the forest； and stole into a dark thicket； hiding beneath the
tangled boughs。 Here he lay and slept till evening； and then took the new
clothes which Helen had given him out of his wallet； and put them on； and
threw the belt of the sword over his shoulder； and hid the Luck of Troy in
his bosom。 He washed himself clean in a mountain brook； and now all
who saw him must have known that he was no beggar； but Ulysses of
Ithaca； Laertes' son。
So he walked cautiously down the side of the brook which ran
between high banks deep in trees； and followed it till it reached the river
Xanthus； on the left of the Greek lines。 Here he found Greek sentinels
set to guard the camp； who cried aloud in joy and surprise； for his ship had
not yet returned from Delos； and they could not guess how Ulysses had
come back alone across the sea。 So two of the sentinels guarded Ulysses
to the hut of Agamemnon； where he and Achilles and all the chiefs were
sitting at a feast。 They all leaped up； but when Ulysses took the Luck of
Troy from within his mantle； they cried that this was the bravest deed that
had been done in the war； and they sacrificed ten oxen to Zeus。
〃So you were the old beggar；〃 said young Thrasymedes。
〃Yes；〃 said Ulysses； 〃and when next you beat a beggar； Thrasymedes；
do not strike so hard and so long。〃
That night all the Greeks were full of hope； for now they had the Luck
of Troy； but the Trojans were in despair； and guessed that the beggar was
the thief； and that Ulysses had been the beggar。 The priestess； Theano；
could tell them nothing； they found her； with the extinguished torch
drooping in her hand； asleep； as she sat on the step of the altar； and she
never woke again。
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THE BATTLES WITH THE
AMAZONS AND MEMNONTHE
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DEATH OF ACHILLES
Ulysses thought much and often of Helen； without whose kindness he
could not have saved the Greeks by stealing the Luck of Troy。 He saw
that； though she remained as beautiful as when the princes all sought her
hand； she was most unhappy； knowing herself to be the cause of so much
misery； and fearing what the future might bring。 Ulysses told nobody
about the secret which she had let fall； the coming of the Amazons。
The Amazons were a race of warlike maids； who lived far away on the
banks of the river Thermodon。 They had fought against Troy in former
times； and one of the great hill…graves on the plain of Troy covered the
ashes of an Amazon； swift…footed Myrine。 People believed that they
were the daughters of the God of War； and they were reckoned equal in
battle to the bravest men。 Their young Queen； Penthesilea； had two
reasons for coming to fight at Troy： one was her ambition to win renown；
and the other her sleepless sorrow for having accidentally killed her sister；
Hippolyte； when hunting。 The spear which she threw at a stag struck
Hippolyte and slew her； and Penthesilea cared no longer for her own life；
and desired to fall gloriously in battle。 So Penthesilea and her bodyguard
of twelve Amazons set forth from the wide streams of Thermodon； and
rode into Troy。 The story says that they did not drive in chariots； like all
the Greek and Trojan chiefs； but rode horses； which must have been the
manner of their country。
Penthesilea was the tallest and most beautiful of the Amazons； and
shone among her twelve maidens like the moon among the stars； or the
bright Dawn among the Hours which follow her chariot wheels。 The
Trojans rejoiced when they beheld her； for she looked both terrible and
beautiful； with a frown on her brow； and fair shining eyes； and a blush on
her cheeks。 To the Trojans she came like Iris； the Rainbow； after a storm；
and they gathered round her cheering； and throwing flowers and kissing
her stirrup； as the people of Orleans welcomed Joan of Arc when she came
to deliver them。 Even Priam was glad； as is a man long blind； when he
has been healed； and again looks upon the light of the sun。 Priam held a
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great feast； and gave to Penthesilea many beautiful gifts： cups of gold；
and embroideries； and a sword with a hilt of silver； and she vowed that she
would slay Achilles。 But when Andromache； the wife of Hector； heard
her she said within herself； 〃Ah； unhappy girl； what is this boast of thine！
Thou hast not the strength to fight the unconquerable son of Peleus； for if
Hector could not slay him； what chance hast thou？ But the piled…up earth
covers Hector！〃
In the morning Penthesilea sprang up from sleep and put on her
glorious armour； with spear in hand； and sword at side； and bow and
quiver hung behind her back； and her great shield covering her side from
neck to stirrup； and mounted her horse； and galloped to the plain。 Beside
her charged the twelve maidens of her bodyguard； and all the company of
Hector's brothers and kinsfolk。 These headed the Trojan lines； and they
rushed towards the ships of the Greeks。
Then the Greeks asked each other； 〃Who is this that leads the Trojans
as Hector led them； surely some God rides in the van of the charioteers！〃
Ulysses could have told them who the new leader of the Trojans was； but
it seems that he had not the heart to fight against women； for his name is
not mentioned in this day's battle。 So the two lines clashed； and the plain
of Troy ran red with blood； for Penthesilea slew Molios； and Persinoos；
and Eilissos； and Antiphates； and Lernos high of heart； and Hippalmos of
the loud warcry； and Haemonides； and strong Elasippus； while her
maidens Derinoe and Clonie slew each a chief of the Greeks。 But Clonie
fell beneath the spear of Podarkes； whose hand Penthesilea cut off with the
sword； while Idomeneus speared the Amazon Bremousa； and Meriones of
Crete slew Evadre； and Diomede killed Alcibie and Derimacheia in close
fight with the sword； so the company of the Twelve were thinned； the
bodyguard of Penthesilea。
The Troj
