tales of troy(特罗伊的传说)-第19节
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of the Greeks；〃 she said； 〃and of him that saved the body of Achilles out of
the hands of the Trojans。〃
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Then stood up on one side Aias and on the other Ulysses； for these two
had rescued the body； and neither thought himself a worse warrior than the
other。 Both were the bravest of the brave； and if Aias was the taller and
stronger； and upheld the fight at the ships on the day of the valour of
Hector； Ulysses had alone withstood the Trojans； and refused to retreat
even when wounded； and his courage and cunning had won for the Greeks
the Luck of Troy。 Therefore old Nestor arose and said： 〃This is a
luckless day； when the best of the Greeks are rivals for such a prize。 He
who is not the winner will be heavy at heart； and will not stand firm by us
in battle； as of old； and hence will come great loss to the Greeks。 Who
can be a just judge in this question； for some men will love Aias better；
and some will prefer Ulysses； and thus will arise disputes among ourselves。
Lo！ have we not here among us many Trojan prisoners； waiting till their
friends pay their ransom in cattle and gold and bronze and iron？ These
hate all the Greeks alike； and will favour neither Aias nor Ulysses。 Let
THEM be the judges； and decide who is the best of the Greeks； and the
man who has done most harm to the Trojans。〃
Agamemnon said that Nestor had spoken wisely。 The Trojans were
then made to sit as judges in the midst of the Assembly； and Aias and
Ulysses spoke； and told the stories of their own great deeds； of which we
have heard already； but Aias spoke roughly and discourteously； calling
Ulysses a coward and a weakling。 〃Perhaps the Trojans know；〃 said
Ulysses quietly； 〃whether they think that I deserve what Aias has said
about me； that I am a coward； and perhaps Aias may remember that he did
not find me so weak when we wrestled for a prize at the funeral of
Patroclus。〃
Then the Trojans all with one voice said that Ulysses was the best man
among the Greeks； and the most feared by them； both for his courage and
his skill in stratagems of war。 On this； the blood of Aias flew into his
face； and he stood silent and unmoving； and could not speak a word； till
his friends came round him and led him away to his hut； and there he sat
down and would not eat or drink； and the night fell。
Long he sat； musing in his mind； and then rose and put on all his
armour； and seized a sword that Hector had given him one day when they
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two fought in a gentle passage of arms； and took courteous farewell of
each other； and Aias had given Hector a broad sword… belt； wrought with
gold。 This sword； Hector's gift； Aias took； and went towards the hut of
Ulysses； meaning to carve him limb from limb； for madness had come
upon him in his great grief。 Rushing through the night to slay Ulysses he
fell upon the flock of sheep that the Greeks kept for their meat。 And up
and down among them he went； smiting blindly till the dawn came； and； lo！
his senses returned to him； and he saw that he had not smitten Ulysses； but
stood in a pool of blood among the sheep that he had slain。 He could not
endure the disgrace of his madness； and he fixed the sword； Hector's gift；
with its hilt firmly in the ground； and went back a little way； and ran and
fell upon the sword； which pierced his heart； and so died the great Aias；
choosing death before a dishonoured life。
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ULYSSES SAILS TO SEEK THE
SON OF ACHILLES。THE
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VALOUR OF EURYPYLUS
When the Greeks found Aias lying dead； slain by his own hand； they
made great lament； and above all the brother of Aias； and his wife
Tecmessa bewailed him； and the shores of the sea rang with their sorrow。
But of all no man was more grieved than Ulysses； and he stood up and
said： 〃Would that the sons of the Trojans had never awarded to me the
arms of Achilles； for far rather would I have given them to Aias than that
this loss should have befallen the whole army of the Greeks。 Let no man
blame me； or be angry with me； for I have not sought for wealth； to enrich
myself； but for honour only； and to win a name that will be remembered
among men in times to come。〃 Then they made a great fire of wood； and
burned the body of Aias； lamenting him as they had sorrowed for Achilles。
Now it seemed that though the Greeks had won the Luck of Troy and
had defeated the Amazons and the army of Memnon； they were no nearer
taking Troy than ever。 They had slain Hector； indeed； and many other
Trojans； but they had lost the great Achilles； and Aias； and Patroclus； and
Antilochus； with the princes whom Penthesilea and Memnon slew； and the
bands of the dead chiefs were weary of fighting； and eager to go home。
The chiefs met in council； and Menelaus arose and said that his heart was
wasted with sorrow for the death of so many brave men who had sailed to
Troy for his sake。 〃Would that death had come upon me before I gathered
this host；〃 he said； 〃but come； let the rest of us launch our swift ships； and
return each to our own country。〃
He spoke thus to try the Greeks； and see of what courage they were；
for his desire was still to burn Troy town and to slay Paris with his own
hand。 Then up rose Diomede； and swore that never would the Greeks
turn cowards。 No！ he bade them sharpen their swords； and make ready
for battle。 The prophet Calchas； too； arose and reminded the Greeks how
he had always foretold that they would take Troy in the tenth year of the
siege； and how the tenth year had come； and victory was almost in their
hands。 Next Ulysses stood up and said that； though Achilles was dead；
and there was no prince to lead his men； yet a son had been born to
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Achilles； while he was in the isle of Scyros； and that son he would bring to
fill his father's place。
〃Surely he will come； and for a token I will carry to him those
unhappy arms of the great Achilles。 Unworthy am I to wear them； and
they bring back to my mind our sorrow for Aias。 But his son will wear
them； in the front of the spearmen of Greece and in the thickest ranks of
Troy shall the helmet of Achilles shine； as it was wont to do； for always he
fought among the foremost。〃 Thus Ulysses spoke； and he and Diomede；
with fifty oarsmen； went on board a swift ship； and sitting all in order on
the benches they smote the grey sea into foam； and Ulysses held the helm
and steered them towards the isle of Scyros。
Now the Trojans had rest from war for a while； and Priam； with a
heavy heart； bade men take his chief treasure； the great golden vine； with
leaves and clusters of gold； and carry it to the mother of Eurypylus； the
king of the people who dwell where the wide marshlands of the river
Cayster clang with the cries of the cranes and herons and wild swans。
For the mother of Eurypylus had sworn that never would she let her son go
to the war unless Priam sent her the vine of gold； a gift of the gods to an
ancient King of Troy。
With a heavy heart； then； Priam sent the golden vine； but Eurypylus
was glad when he saw it； and bade all his men arm； and harness the horses
to the chariots； and glad were the Trojans when the long line of the new
army wound along the road and into the town。 Then Paris welcomed
Eurypylus who was his nephew； son of his sister Astyoche； a daughter of
Priam； but the grandfather of Eurypylus was the famous Heracles； the
strongest man who ever lived on earth。 So Paris brought Eurypylus to his
house； where Helen sat wo
