歌唱吧，女神[●]！歌唱裴琉斯之子阿基琉斯的憤怒——
●女神：繆斯。
他的暴怒招致了這場兇險的災禍，給阿開亞人[●]帶來了
●阿開亞人：Akhaioi，古希臘人的一個主要部族，集居在塞薩利亞（Thess
-alia）。墨塞奈（Messene）、阿耳戈斯（Argos）和伊薩凱（Ithake）等地。“阿
開亞人”在此泛指希臘人。
受之不盡的苦難，將許多豪傑強健的魂魄
打入了哀地斯，而把他們的軀體，作為美食，扔給了
狗和兀鳥，從而實踐了宙斯的意志，
從初時的一場爭執開始，當事的雙方是
阿特柔斯之子、民衆的王者阿伽門農和卓越的阿基琉斯。
是哪位神祗挑起了二者間的這場爭鬥？
是宙斯和萊托之子阿波羅，後者因阿特桑斯之子
侮辱了剋魯塞斯，他的祭司，而對這位王者大發其火。
他在兵群中降下可怕的瘟疫，吞噬衆人的生命。
為了贖回女兒，剋魯塞斯曾身臨阿開亞人的
快船，帶着難以數計的財禮，
手握黃金節杖，杖上係着遠射手
阿波羅的條帶[●]，懇求所有的阿開亞人，
●條帶：stemata，可能是一種羊毛織物（頭帶），綁在節杖上，作為通神的
標志。
首先是阿特柔斯的兩個兒子，軍隊的統帥：
“阿特柔斯之子，其他脛甲堅固的阿開亞人！
但願傢住俄林波斯的衆神答應讓你們洗劫
普裏阿摩斯的城堡，然後平安地回返傢園。
請你們接受贖禮，交還我的女兒，我的寶貝，
以示對宙斯之子、遠射手阿波羅的崇愛。”
其他阿開亞人全都發出贊同的呼聲，
表示應該尊重祭司，收下這份光燦燦的贖禮；
然而，此事卻沒有給阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農帶來愉悅，
他用嚴厲的命令粗暴地趕走了老人：
“老傢夥，不要再讓我見到你的出現，在這深曠的海船邊！
現在不許倘留，以後也不要再來——
否則，你的節杖和神的條帶將不再為你保平信安！
我不會交還這位姑娘；在此之前，歲月會把她磨得人老珠黃，
在遠離故鄉的阿耳戈斯，我的房居，
她將往返穿梭，和布機作伴，隨我同床！
走吧，不要惹我生氣，也好保住你的性命！”
他如此一頓咒駡，老人心裏害怕，不敢抗違。
他默默地行進在濤聲震響的灘沿，
走出一段路後，開始一次又一次地嚮王者
阿波羅、美發菜托的兒子祈願：
“聽我說，衛護剋魯塞和神聖的基拉的銀弓之神，
強有力地統領着忒奈多斯的王者，史鳴修斯[●]，
●史鳴修斯：Smintheus，一說意為“鼠神”。
如果，為了歡悅你的心胸，我曾立過你的廟宇，
燒過裹着油脂的腿件，公牛和山羊的
腿骨，那就請你兌現我的禱告，我的心願：
讓達奈人[●]賠報我的眼淚，用你的神箭！”
●達奈人：Danaoi，希臘人的另一個統稱。Danaoi原指一個部族，得名或許
和傳說中的國王達那俄斯（Danaos）和他的女兒們的活動有關。
他如此一番祈禱，福伊波斯·阿波羅聽到了他的聲音。
身背彎弓和帶蓋的箭壺，他從俄林波斯山巔
直奔而下，怒滿胸膛，氣衝衝地
一路疾行，箭枝在背上鏗鏘作響——
他來了，像黑夜降臨一般，
遙對着戰船蹲下，放出一枝飛箭，
銀弓發出的聲響使人心驚膽戰。
他先射騾子和迅跑的狗，然後，
放出一枝撕心裂肺的利箭，對着人群，射倒了他們；
焚屍的烈火熊熊燃燒，經久不滅。
一連九天，神的箭雨橫掃着聯軍。
及至第十天，阿基琉斯出面召聚集會——
白臂女神赫拉眼見着達奈人成片地倒下，
生發了憐憫之情，把集會的念頭送進了他的心坎。
當衆人走嚮會場，聚合完畢後，
捷足的阿基琉斯站立起來，在人群中放聲說道：
“阿特柔斯之子，由於戰事不順，我以為，
倘若尚能幸免一死，倘若戰爭和瘟疫
正聯手毀滅阿開亞人，我們必須撤兵回返。
不過，先不必着忙，讓我們就此問問某位通神的人，某位先知，
哪怕是一位釋夢者——因為夢也來自宙斯的神力——
讓他告訴我們福伊波斯·阿波羅為何盛怒至此，
是因為我們忽略了某次還願，還是某次豐盛的祀祭；如果
真是這樣，那麽，倘若讓他聞到烤羊羔和肥美的山羊的熏煙，
他就或許會在某種程度上中止瘟疫帶給我們的磨難。”
阿基琉斯言畢下座，人群中站起了塞斯托耳之子
卡爾卡斯，釋辨鳥蹤的裏手，最好的行傢。
他博古通今，明曉未來，憑藉
福伊波斯·阿波羅給他的卜占之術，
把阿開亞人的海船帶到了伊利昂。
懷着對衆人的善意，卡爾卡斯起身說道：
“阿基琉斯，宙斯鐘愛的壯勇，你讓我卜釋，
遠射手、王者阿波羅的憤怒，我將
謹遵不違。但是，你得答應並在我面前起誓，
你將真心實意地保護我，用你的話語，你的雙手。
我知道，我的釋言會激怒一位強者，他統治着
阿耳吉維人[●]，而所有的阿開亞兵勇全都歸他指揮。
●阿耳吉維人：Argeioi，“傢住阿耳戈斯的人”，常泛指希臘人。
對一個較為低劣的下人，王者的暴怒絶非兒戲。
即使當時可以咽下怒氣，他仍會把
怨恨埋在心底，直至如願以償的時候。
認真想想吧，你是否打算保護我。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“勇敢些，把神的意思釋告我們，不管你知道什麽。
我要對宙斯鐘愛的阿波羅起誓——那位你，卡爾卡斯，
在對達奈人卜釋他的意志時對之祈禱的天神——
衹要我還活着，衹要還能見到普照大地的陽光，
深曠的海船旁就沒有人敢對你撒野。
沒有哪個達奈人敢對你動武，哪怕你指的是阿伽門農，
此人現時正自詡為阿開亞人中最好的雄傑！”
聽罷這番話，好心的卜者鼓起勇氣，直言道：
“聽着，神的怪罪，不是因為我們沒有還願，也不是因為沒有舉
行豐盛的祀祭，
而是因為阿伽門農侮辱了他的祭司，
不願交還他的女兒並接受贖禮。
因此，神射手給送來了苦痛，並且還將繼續
折磨我們。他將不會消解使達奈人丟臉的瘟疫，
直到我們把那位眼睛閃亮的姑娘交還她的親爹，
沒有代價，沒有贖禮，還要給剋魯塞賠送一份神聖而豐厚的
牲祭。這樣，我們纔可能平息他的憤怒，使他回心轉意。”
卡爾卡斯言畢下座，人群中站起了阿特柔斯之子，
統治着遼闊疆域的英雄阿伽門農。
他怒氣咻咻，黑心裏註滿怨憤，
雙目熠熠生光，宛如燃燒的火球，
兇狠地盯着卡爾卡斯，先拿他開刀下手：
“災難的預卜者！你從未對我說過一件好事，
卻總是樂衷於卜言災難；你從未說過
吉利的話．也不曾卜來一件吉利的事。現在，
你又對達奈人卜釋起神的意志，聲稱
遠射神之所以使他們備受折磨，
是因為我拒不接受回贖剋魯塞伊絲[●]姑娘的
●剋魯塞伊絲：確切地說，Chruseis衹是一個指稱，而不是人名，意為“
魯塞斯的女兒”。
光燦燦的贖禮。是的，我確實想把她
放在傢裏；事實上，我喜歡她勝過剋魯泰奈斯特拉，
我的妻子，因為無論是身段或體形，
還是內秀或手工，她都毫不差遜。
儘管如此，我仍願割愛，如果此舉對大傢有利。
我祈望軍隊得救，而不是它的毀滅。不過，
你們得給我找一份應該屬於我的戰禮，以免
在所有的阿耳吉維人中，獨我一人缺少戰爭賜給的榮譽——
這，何以使得？
你們都已看見，我失去了我的戰禮。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的戰勇、卓越的阿基琉斯答道：
“阿特柔斯之子，最尊貴的王者，世上最貪婪的人——你想過
沒有，
眼下，心胸豪壯的阿開亞人如何能支給你另一份戰禮？
據我所知，我們已沒有大量的庫存；
得之於掠劫城堡的戰禮都已散發殆盡，
而要回已經分發出去的東西是一種不光彩的行徑。
不行。現在，你應該把姑娘交還阿波羅；將來，倘若
宙斯允許我們蕩劫墻垣精固的特洛伊，
我們阿開亞人將以三倍、四倍的報酬償敬！”
聽罷這番話，強有力的阿伽門農答道：
“不要耍小聰明，神一樣的阿基琉斯，不要試圖鬍弄我，
雖然你是個出色的戰勇。你騙不了我，也說服不了我。
你想幹什麽？打算守着你自己的戰禮，而讓我空着雙手，
幹坐此地嗎？你想命令我把姑娘交出去嗎？
不！除非心胸豪壯的阿開亞人給我一份新的戰禮，
按我的心意選來，如我失去的這位一樣楚楚動人。
倘若辦不到，我就將親自下令，反正得弄到一個，
不是你的份兒，便是埃阿斯的，或是俄底修斯的。
我將親往提取——動怒發火去吧，那位接受我造訪的夥計！
夠了，這些事情我們以後再議。現在，
我們必須撥出一條烏黑的海船，拖人閃光的大海，
配備足夠的槳手，搬上豐盛的祀祭——
別忘了那位姑娘，美貌的剋魯塞伊絲。
須由一位首領負責解送，或是埃阿斯，
或是伊多墨紐斯，或是卓越的俄底修斯
也可以是你自己，裴琉斯之子，天底下暴戾的典型
以主持牲祭，平息遠射手的恨心。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯惡狠狠地看着他，吼道：
“無恥，徹頭徹尾的無恥！你貪得無厭，你利益熏心！
憑着如此德性，你怎能讓阿開亞戰勇心甘情願地聽從
你的號令，為你出海，或全力以赴地殺敵？
就我而言，把我帶到此地的，不是和特洛伊槍手
打仗的希願。他們沒有做過對不起我的事情，
從未搶過我的牛馬，從未在土地肥沃。
人了強壯的弗西亞糟蹋過我的莊稼。
可能嗎？我們之間隔着廣阔的地域，
有投影森森的山脈，呼嘯奔騰的大海。為了你的利益——
真是奇恥大辱——我們跟你來到這裏，好讓你這狗頭
高興快慰，好幫你們——你和墨奈勞斯——從特洛伊人那裏
爭回臉面！對這一切你都滿不在乎，以為理所當然。
現在，你倒揚言要親往奪走我的份子，
阿開亞人的兒子們給我的酬謝——為了她，我曾拼命苦戰。
每當我們攻陷一座特洛伊城堡[●]，一個人財兩旺的去處，
●特洛伊城堡：指特洛伊或特羅阿得地區的城鎮。
我所得的戰禮從來沒有你的豐厚。
苦戰中，我總是承擔最艱巨的
任務，但在分發戰禮時，
你總是吞走大頭，而我卻衹能帶着那一點東西。
那一點受我珍愛的所得，拖着疲軟的雙腿，走回海船。
夠了！我要返回家乡弗西亞——乘坐彎翹的海船
回傢，是一件好得多的美事。我不想忍聲吞氣，
呆在這裏，為你積聚財富，增添庫存！”
聽罷這番話，民衆的王者阿伽門農答道：
“要是存心想走，你就儘管溜之大吉！我不會
求你留在這裏，為了一己私利。我的身邊還有其他戰勇，
他們會給我帶來榮譽——當然，首先是宙斯，他是我最強健的
護佑。
宙斯鐘愛的王者中，你是我最痛恨的一個；
爭吵、戰爭和搏殺永遠是你心馳神往的事情。
如果說你非常強健，那也是神賜的厚禮。
帶着你的船隊，和你的夥伴們一起，登程回傢吧；
照當你的王者，統治慕耳彌鼕人去吧！我不在乎你這個人，
也不在乎你的憤怒。不過，你要記住我的警告：
既然福伊波斯·阿波羅要取走我的剋魯塞伊絲，
我將命令我的夥伴，用我的船衹，
把她遣送歸還。但是，我要親往你的營棚，帶走美貌的
布裏塞伊絲，你的戰禮。這樣，你就會知道，和你相比，
我的權勢該有多麽莽烈！此外，倘若另有犯上之人，畏此
先例，
諒他也就不敢和我抗爭，平享我的威嚴。”
如此一番應答，激怒了裴琉斯的兒子。多毛的
胸腔裏，兩個不同的念頭爭扯着他的心魂：
是拔出胯邊鋒快的銅劍，
撩開擋道的人群，殺了阿特柔斯之子，
還是咽下這口怨氣，壓住這股狂烈？
正當他權衡着這兩種意念，在他的心裏和魂裏，
從劍鞘裏抽出那柄碩大的銅劍，雅典娜
從天而降——白臂女神赫拉一視同仁地
鐘愛和關心着他倆，故而遣她下凡——
站在裴琉斯之子背後，伸手抓住他的金發，
衹是對他顯形，旁人全都一無所見。
驚異中，阿基琉斯轉過身子，一眼便認出了
帕拉絲·雅典娜——那雙閃着異樣光彩的眼睛。
他開口說話，用長了翅膀的言語：
“帶埃吉斯[●]的宙斯的孩子，為何現時降臨？想看看
●埃吉斯：叫一是一種神用的兵器，相當於凡人的盾牌或供防護的生牛皮。
阿特柔斯之子，看看阿伽門農的驕橫跋扈嗎？
告訴你——我以為，老天保佑，此事終將成為現實：
此人的驕橫將會送掉他的性命！”
聽罷這番話，灰眼睛女神雅典娜答道：
“我從天上下來，為的是平息你的憤怒，但願你能聽從
我的勸言。白臂女神赫拉給了我這趟差事，
因她一視同仁地鐘愛和關心着你倆。
算了吧，停止爭鬥，不要手握劍把，
雖然你可出聲辱駡，讓他知道事情的後果。
我有一事相告，記住，此事定將成為現實：
將來，三倍於此的光燦燦的禮物將會放在你的面前，
以抵銷他對你的暴虐。不要動武，聽從我倆的規勸。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“女神，我完全遵從——衹要你們二位有所指令，凡人必須
服從，
儘管怒滿胸懷。如此對他有利。
一個人，如果服從神的意志，神也就會聽到他的祈願。”
言罷，他用握着銀質柄把的大手
將碩大的銅劍推回劍鞘，不想違抗
雅典娜的訓言。女神起程返回俄林波斯，
帶埃吉斯的宙斯的宮殿，和衆神聚首相見。
其時，裴琉斯之子再次對阿特桑斯之子亮開嗓門，
夾頭夾腦地給他一頓臭駡，怒氣分毫不減：
“你這嗜酒如命的傢夥，長着惡狗的眼睛，一顆雌鹿的心！
你從來沒有這份勇氣，把自己武裝，和夥伴們一起拼搏，
也從未匯同阿開亞人的豪傑，阻殺伏擊。
在你眼裏，此類事情意味着死亡；與之相比，
巡行在寬闊的營區，撞見某個敢於和你頂嘴的壯勇，下令
奪走他的戰禮——如此作為，在你看來，纔算安全。
痛飲兵血的昏王！你的部屬都是些無用之輩，
否則，阿特柔斯之子，這將是你最後一次霸道橫行！
這裏，我有一事奉告，並要對它莊嚴起誓，
以這支權杖的名義——木杖再也不會生出
枝葉，因為它已永離了山上的樹幹；
它也不會再抽發新緑，因為銅斧已剝去它的皮條，
剔去它的青葉。現在，阿開亞人的兒子們
把它傳握在手，按照宙斯的意志，維護
世代相傳的定規。所以，這將是一番鄭重的誓告：
將來的某一天，阿開亞人的兒子們，是的，全軍將士都會
翹首盼望阿基琉斯；而你，眼看着士兵們成堆地倒死在
殺人狂赫剋托耳手下，雖然心中焦惱，
卻衹能仰天長嘆。那時，你會痛悔沒有尊重阿開亞全軍
最好的戰勇，在暴怒的驅使下撕裂自己的心懷！”
言罷，裴琉斯之子把金釘嵌飾的權杖
扔在地上，彎身下坐；對面，阿特柔斯之子
怒火中燒，惡狠狠地盯着他。其時，口才出衆的
奈斯托耳在二者之間站立，嗓音清亮的
普洛斯辯說傢，談吐比蜂蜜還要甘甜。
老人已經歷兩代人的消亡，那些和他同期
出生和長大的人以及他們的後代，
在神聖的普洛斯；現在，他是第三代人的王權。
懷着對二位王者的善意，他開口說道：
“天呢，巨大的悲痛正降臨到阿開亞大地！
要是聽到你倆爭鬥的消息——你們，
達奈人中最善謀略和最能搏戰的精英，
普裏阿摩斯和他的兒子們將會何等的高興；
特洛伊人會放聲歡笑，手舞足蹈！
聽從我的勸導吧，你倆都比我年輕。
過去，我曾同比你們更好的人
交往，他們從來不曾把我小看。其後，
我再也沒有，將來也不會再見到那樣的人傑，
有裴裏蘇斯、兵士的牧者德魯阿斯。
開紐斯和厄剋薩底俄斯，還有神一樣的波魯菲摩斯
以及埃勾斯之子、貌似天神的塞修斯——
大地哺育的最強健的一代。
這些最強者曾和棲居山野的另一些
最強健的粗野的生靈[●]鏖戰，把後者殺得屍首堆連。
●粗野的生靈：指馬人（上身像人，下身似馬），生活在裴利昂山地。
我曾和他們為伍，應他們的徵召，
從遙遠的故鄉普洛斯出發，會聚群英。
我活躍在戰場上，獨擋一面。生活在今天的
凡人全都不是他們的對手。然而，他們
傾聽我的意見，尊重我的言談。所以，
你們亦應聽從我的勸解，明智者應該從善如流。
你，阿伽門農，儘管了不起，也不應試圖帶走那位姑娘，
而應讓她呆在那裏；阿開亞人的兒子們早已把她分給他人，
作為戰禮。至於你，裴琉斯之子，也不應企望和一位國王
分庭抗禮；在榮譽的占有上，別人得不到他的份子，
一位手握權杖的王者，宙斯使他獲得尊榮。
儘管你比他強健，而生你的母親又是一位女神，
但你的對手統治着更多的民衆，權勢更猛。
阿特柔斯之子，平息你的憤怒；瞧，連我都在求你
罷息對阿基琉斯的暴怒——在可怕的戰爭中，
此人是一座堡壘，擋護着阿開亞全軍。”
聽罷這番話，強有力的阿伽門農答道：
“我承認，老人傢，你的話條理分明，說得一點不錯。
但是，此人想要凌駕於衆人之上，
試圖統治一切，王霸全軍，對所有的人
發號施令。然而，就有這麽一位，我知道，咽不下這口氣！
雖然不死的神祗使他成為槍手，
但卻不曾給他肆意謾駡的權利！”
聽罷這番話，卓越的阿基琉斯惡狠狠地盯着他，答道：
“好傢夥！倘若我對你惟命是從，而不管你是否在
信口開河，那麽，人們就會駡我，駡我是膽小鬼和窩囊廢。
告訴別人去做這做那吧，不要再對我
發號施令！阿基琉斯再也不想聽從你的指揮。
此外，我還有一事相告，並要你牢記在心：
我的雙手將不會為那位姑娘而戰，既不和你，
也不和其他任何人打鬥。你們把她給了我，你們又從我這邊
帶走了她。
但是，對我的其他財物，堆放在飛快的黑船邊，
不經我的許可，你連一個指兒都不許動。
不信的話，你可以放手一試，也好讓旁人看看，
頃刻之間，你的黑血便會噴洗我的槍頭！”
就這樣，倆人出言兇暴，舌戰了一場後，
站起身子，解散了這次阿開亞人的集會，在雲聚的海船旁。
裴琉斯之子返回營棚和綫條勻稱的海船，
同行的還有墨諾伊提俄斯之子和他們的夥伴。
與此同時，阿特柔斯之子傳令拖船，把一條快船拖下大海，
配撥了二十名槳手，讓人擡着祭神的奠物，
豐足的牲品，手牽着美貌的剋魯塞伊絲，
登上木船；精明能幹的俄底修斯同行前往，作為督辦。
一切收拾停當，海船朝着洋面駛去。
灘沿上，阿特柔斯之子傳令全軍潔身祭神。
他們洗去身上的污濁，把髒物扔下大海，
供上豐盛的祭品，在荒漠大洋的邊岸，
用肥壯的公牛和山羊，祝祭神明阿波羅；
熏煙挾着陣陣的香氣，裊繞着升上青天。
就這樣，他們在軍營裏奔走忙碌。但是，阿伽門農
卻無意停止爭鬥，也不曾忘記先時對阿基琉斯發出的威脅，
命令塔耳蘇比俄斯和歐魯巴忒斯，
他的兩位使者和勤勉的助手：
“去吧，速往裴琉斯之子阿基琉斯的營棚，
牽回美貌的布裏塞伊絲。倘若
他不讓你們執令，我將親往帶走那位姑娘，
引着大隊的兵勇，從而大大加重他的悲難。”
言罷，他遣走使者，嚴酷的命令震響在二位的耳畔。
他們行進在擁抱荒漠大海的灘沿，
違心背意，來到慕耳彌鼕人的營區和海船邊，
發現阿基琉斯正坐在他的營棚和烏黑的海船旁，
板着臉，使者的到來沒有使他産生絲毫的悅念。
懷着恐懼和敬畏之情，二位靜立
一邊，既不說話，也沒有發問。
然而，阿基琉斯心裏明白，開口說道：
“歡迎你們，信使，宙斯和凡人的使者。來吧，走近些。
在我眼裏，你倆清白無辜——該受責懲的是阿伽門農，
是他派遣二位來此，帶走布裏塞伊絲姑娘。
去吧，高貴的帕特羅剋洛斯，把姑娘領來，
交給他們帶走。但是，倘若那一天真的來到
我們中間——那時，全軍都在等盼我的出戰，
為衆人擋開可恥的毀滅——我要二位替我作證，
在幸福的神祗面前，在凡人、包括那位殘忍的王者
面前。毫無疑問，此人正在有害的狂怒中煎熬，
缺乏瞻前顧後的睿智，無力
保護苦戰船邊的阿開亞兵漢。”
帕特羅剋洛斯得令而去，遵從親愛的伴友，
以營棚裏領出美貌的布裏塞伊絲，交給
二位帶走，後者動身返回營地，沿着阿開亞人的海船；
姑娘儘管不願離去，也衹得麯意跟隨。阿基琉斯
悲痛交加，睜着淚水汪汪的眼睛，遠離着夥伴，
獨自坐在灰藍色大洋的灘沿，仁望着渺無垠際的海水，
一次次地高舉起雙手，呼喚着他的過來：
“我的母親，既然你生下一個短命的兒郎，
那俄林波斯山上炸響雷的宙斯便至少
應該讓我獲得榮譽，但他卻連一丁點兒都不給。
現在，阿特柔斯之子、強有力的阿伽門農
侮辱了我，奪走了我的份禮，霸為己有。”
他含淚泣訴，高貴的母親聽到了他的聲音，
其時正坐在深深的海底，年邁的父親身邊。
像一縷升空的薄霧，女神輕盈地踏上灰藍色的大海，
行至悲聲哭泣的兒子身邊，屈腿坐下，
伸手輕輕撫摸，出聲呼喚，說道：
“我的兒，為何哭泣？是什麽悲愁揪住了你的心房？
告訴我，不要把它藏在心裏，好讓你我都知道。”
捷足的阿基瓊斯長嘆一聲，答道：
“你是知道的，你是知道此事的，為何還要我對你言告？
我們曾進兵塞貝，厄提昂神聖的城，
蕩劫了那個去處，把所得的一切全都帶到此地。
阿開亞人的兒子們將戰禮逐份發配，
把美貌的剋魯塞伊絲給了阿特柔斯之子。
此後，剋魯塞斯，遠射手阿波羅的祭司，
來到身披銅甲的阿開亞人的快船邊，
打算贖回女兒，帶着難以數計的財禮，
手握黃金節杖，杖上係着遠射手
阿波羅的條帶，懇求所有的阿開亞人，
首先是阿特柔斯的兩個兒子，軍隊的統帥。
其他阿開亞人全都發出贊同的呼聲，
表示應該尊重祭司，收下這份光燦燦的贖禮。
然而，此事卻沒有給阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農帶來愉悅，
他用嚴厲的命令粗暴地趕走了老人。
老人憤憤不平地離去，但阿波羅聽到了
他的告言——他是福伊波斯極鐘愛的凡人——
對着阿開亞人射出了毒箭。兵勇們
成群結隊地倒下，神的箭雨橫掃着
阿開亞人廣阔的營盤。其後，幸得知曉
內情的卜者揭出遠射手的旨意；
既如此，我就第一個出面，要求慰息阿波羅的憤煩。
由此觸犯了阿特柔斯之子，他跳將起來，
對我恫嚇威脅。現在，他的脅言已用行動實踐。
明眸的阿開亞人正用快船把姑娘
帶回剋魯塞，滿載着送給阿波羅的禮物。
剛纔，使者帶走了布裏修斯的女兒，
從我的營棚，阿開亞人的兒子們分給我的戰禮。
事已至此，你，如果有這個能力，要保護親生的兒子。
你可直奔俄林波斯，祈求宙斯幫忙，倘若從前
你曾博取過他的歡心，用你的行動或語言。
在父親傢裏，我經常聽你聲稱，說是
在不死的神祗中，衹有你曾經救過剋羅諾斯之子，
烏雲的駕馭者，使他免遭可恥的毀滅。
當時，其他俄林波斯衆神試圖把他付諸繩索，
包括赫拉、波塞鼕，還有帕拉絲·雅典娜。其時，
女神，你趕去為他解下索銬，迅速行動，
把那位百手生靈召上俄林波斯山面。這位力士，
神們叫他布裏阿桑斯，但凡人都稱其為
埃伽昂，雖說他的力氣勝比他的親爹。
他在剋羅諾斯之子身邊就座，享受着無上的榮光；
幸運的諸神心裏害怕，放棄了捆綁宙斯的念頭。
你要讓他記起這一切；坐在他的身邊，抱住
他的膝蓋，使他産生幫助特洛伊人的心念，
把阿開亞人逼嚮木船和大海，在那裏
長眠，使他們都能得益於那位王者的惡行，
也能使阿特柔斯之子、統治着遼闊疆域的阿伽門農認識到
自己的驕狂，後悔侮辱了阿開亞人中最好的俊傑。”
聽罷這番話，塞提絲淚水橫流，答道：
“唉，苦命的兒子！我讓你隨着不幸來到人間，為何又要把你
帶大？
但願你能聊無煩惱地坐在船邊，和淚水絶緣，
衹因你今生短暫，剩時不多。現在看來，
你不僅一生短促，而且要比世人承受更多的苦難。
兒啊，我把你生在廳堂裏，讓你面對厄運的熬煎！
儘管如此，我還要去那白雪覆蓋的俄林波斯大山，求合於
喜好炸雷的宙斯。或許，他會使我們得償如願。
至於你，你可繼續呆在自己的快船邊，
滿懷對阿開亞人的憤怒，不要參戰。
宙斯已遠行俄開阿諾斯，就在昨天，參加高貴剛勇的
埃西俄丕亞人的歡宴，帶着神的群族，同行的旅伴。
到那第十二天上，他將回到俄林波斯；屆時，
我將帶着你的祈願，前往他那青銅鋪地的房居，
抱住他的膝蓋，我想可以把他爭勸。”
言罷，女神飄然而去，留下兒子一人，
為着那位束腰秀美的女子傷心——他們不顧
他的意願，強行帶走了姑娘。與此同時，
俄底修斯的木船。載着神聖的牲祭，已經駛入剋魯塞海面。
當船衹進入了蓄水幽深的碼頭，他們
收攏船帆，堆放在烏黑的海船裏，
鬆動前支索，使桅桿迅速躺倒在支架上，
然後蕩起木槳，劃嚮落錨的灘岸。
他們拋出錨石，係牢船尾的繩纜，
足抵灘沿，邁步嚮前，擡着
獻給遠射手阿波羅的豐盛的祭件。
剋魯塞伊絲姑娘亦自個兒從破浪遠洋的海船上下來，
足智多謀的俄底斯引着她走嚮祭壇，
把她送入父親的懷抱，對他說道：
“剋魯塞斯，受民衆的王者阿伽門農派遣，
我送回了你的女兒，並準備舉行一次神聖的牲祭，
代表達奈人，獻給福伊波斯，以平撫這位
王者；他給阿開亞人帶來了痛苦和悲哀。”
言罷，他把姑娘留給父親的懷抱，後者高興地
接過愛女。其時，堅固的祭壇旁，人們手腳麻利，
收拾着奉祭給阿波羅的牲獻。
然後，他們洗過雙手，抓起大麥。
剋魯塞斯雙臂高揚，用洪亮的聲音朗朗作禱：
“聽我說，銀弓之神，衛護剋魯塞和
神聖的基拉、強有力地統治着忒奈多斯的王者，
倘若你以前曾聽過我的誦告，
給了我榮譽並狠狠地懲治了阿開亞人，
那麽，請你再次滿足我的祈望，
消止達奈人承受的這場可怕的瘟孽。”
他如此一番祈禱，福伊波斯·阿波羅聽到了他的聲音。
當衆人作過禱告，撒過祭麥後，他們
扳起祭畜的頭顱，割斷它們的喉管，剝去皮張，
然後剔下腿肉，用油脂包裹腿骨，
雙層，把小塊的生肉置於其上。
老人把肉包放在劈開的木塊上焚烤，灑上閃亮的
醇酒，年輕人手握五指尖叉，站在他的身邊。
焚燒了祭畜的腿件，品嚐過內臟，
他們把所剩部分切成小塊，用叉子
挑起來仔細炙烤後，脫叉備用。
當一切整治完畢，盛宴已經排開，
他們張嘴咀嚼，人人都吃到足份的餐餚。
當大傢滿足了吃喝的欲望，
年輕人將醇酒註滿兌缸，先在衆人的
杯盞裏略倒一點祭神，然後灌滿各位的酒盅。
整整一天，他們用歌唱平息神的憤怒，
年輕的阿開亞兵勇唱着動聽的贊歌，
頌揚發箭遠方的射手，後者正高興地聽着他們的唱頌。
當太陽西沉，夜色降臨後，
他們躺倒身子，睡在係連船尾的纜索邊。
然而，當年輕的黎明，垂着玫瑰紅的手指，重現天際時，
他們登船上路，駛嚮阿開亞人寬闊的營盤。
遠射手阿波羅送來陣陣疾風，
他們樹起桅桿，挂上雪白的篷帆，
兜鼓起勁吹的長風；海船迅猛嚮前，
劈開一條暗藍色的水路，浪花唰唰地飛濺，唱着轟響的歌。
海船破浪前進，朝着目的地疾行。
及至抵達阿開亞人寬闊的營盤，
他們把烏黑的木船拖上海岸，置放在
高高的沙灘，搬起長長的支木，塞墊在船的底面。
然後，衆人就地散夥，返回各自的營棚和海船。
但是，裴琉斯高貴的兒子、捷足的阿基琉斯
此時仍然盛怒不息，置身迅捷的海船旁邊。
現在，他既不去集會——人們在那裏爭得榮譽，
也不參加戰鬥，而是日復一日地呆在船邊，耗磨着
自己的心力，渴望重上戰場，聽聞震耳的殺喊。
然而，那天以後，隨着第十二個黎明的降臨，
永生的神祗，在宙斯帶領下，一起返回
俄林波斯山面。其時，塞提絲沒有忘記
兒子的懇求，一大早就從海浪裏踏出
身腿，直奔俄林波斯山頂，遼闊的天界，
發現沉雷遠播的宙斯，正離着衆神，
獨自坐在山脊聳疊的俄林波斯的峰巔。
她撲上前去，坐在他的面前，左手抱住
他的膝蓋，右手上伸，托住他的頜沿，
嚮王者宙斯、剋羅諾斯之子求援：
“父親宙斯，如果說，在不死的神祗中，我確曾幫過你，
用我的話語或行動，那麽，就請你答應我的祈願：
讓我兒獲得榮譽，幫助這個世間
最短命的人兒！現在，民衆的王者阿伽門農
侮辱了他，奪走了他的份禮，霸為己有。
多謀善斷的宙斯，依林波斯的主宰，讓我兒獲取尊譽，
讓特洛伊人得勝戰場，直到阿開亞人
補足他的損失，增添他的榮光！”
塞提絲如此一番懇求，但彙聚烏雲的宙斯靜坐
不語，沉默了許久。塞提絲的左手一直不曾
鬆開他的膝蓋，此時更是緊抱不放，再次催求：
“答應兌現我的懇求，父親，給我點個頭！
要不，你就拒絶我的請求，因為你啥也不怕，倒是可以
讓我知道，神祗中，我這個最受委屈的女神，已經倒黴到了什
麽程度。”
此番話極大地煩擾了宙斯的心境，烏雲的彙聚者答道：
“這是件會引來災難的麻煩事，你將導致我同赫拉的
抗爭。看着吧，她會用刻薄的言詞對我挑釁。
即便在目前的情勢下，她還總是當着衆神的臉面，指責
我的作為，說我在戰鬥中，如此這般地幫助了特洛伊兵漢。
現在，你馬上離開此地，以免讓她抓住把柄。
我會把此事放在心上，並保證使它實現。
為了讓你放心，我將對你點頭；
對不死的神祗，這是我所能給的最莊重的諾願。
衹要我點頭應允，我的言行就不會摻假，不容
毀駁；我的意圖必將成為不可逆轉的現實。”
剋羅諾斯之子言罷，彎頸點動濃黑的眉毛，
塗着仙液的發綹從王者永生的頭顱上
順勢潑瀉，搖撼着巍偉的俄林波斯山脈。
兩位神祗，議畢，分手而行。塞提絲
從晶亮的俄林波斯躍下，回到大海的深處，
而宙斯則返回自己的宮殿。神們見狀，起身離座，
所有的神祗，嚮父親致意；宙斯朝着寶座舉步，誰也不敢
留戀自己的座椅，全都起身直立，迎接他的來臨。
宙斯在王位上就座。然而，赫拉知曉事情的
經過，曾親眼看見海洋老人的女兒。
銀腳的塞提絲和宙斯的聚謀。
她迅速出擊，啓口揶揄，對着剋羅諾斯的兒子：
“剛纔，詭計多端的大神，又是哪一位神祗和你聚首合謀來着？
背着我詭密地思考和判斷，永遠是
你的嗜愛。你從來沒有這個雅量，
把你打算要做的事情直率地對我告言。”
聽罷這番話，神和人的父親開口駁斥，說道：
“赫拉，不要癡心企望瞭解我的每一絲心緒，
這些不是你所能理解的事情，雖然你是我的妻侶。
任何念頭，衹要是適合於讓你聽聞的，那麽，
不管是神還是人，誰都不能搶在你的頭前。
但是，倘若我想避開衆神，謀劃點什麽，
你不要總想尋根刨底，也不許探察盤問！”
聽罷這番話，牛眼睛夫人[●]赫拉答道；
●牛眼睛夫人：作為一個固定的修飾成分，“牛眼睛的”可能産生在遠古的
時代——那時，人們崇拜的神抵往往以動物的形象出現。
“可怕的王者，剋羅諾斯之子，你說了些什麽？
你知道，過去，我可從未詢問，也不曾盤問過你。
事實上，你總是隨心思謀，按你自己的意願。
但現在，我卻十分害怕，怕你已被她說服，
那銀腳的塞提絲，海洋老人的女兒。不是嗎，
今天一早，她就跑到你的身邊，抱住你的膝蓋，
我想你已點頭答應，使阿基琉斯獲得
光榮，把衆多的阿開亞人放倒在海船邊。”
聽罷這番話，宙斯，烏雲的彙聚者，呵斥道：
“你總是滿腹疑忌，狂迷的夫人；我的一舉一動都躲不過你的
眼睛！
不過，對這一切，你可有半點作為？你的表現衹能進一步
削弱你的地位，在我的心中——對於你，這將更為不利。
如果說你的話不假，那是因為我願意讓事情如此這般地發生。
閉上你的嘴，靜靜地坐到一邊去。按我說的辦——，
否則，當我走過去，對你甩開雙臂，展示不可抵禦的神力時，
俄林波斯山上的衆神，就是全部出動，也幫不了你的忙！”
聽罷這番話，牛眼睛夫人赫拉心裏害怕，
一聲不吭地剋製着自己的心念，服從了他的意志。
宙斯的宮居裏，神們心緒紛蕩，個個如此。
其時，為了安撫親愛的母親、白臂膀的赫拉，
赫法伊斯托斯，聲名遐邇的工匠，在神祗中站立起來，說道：
“要是你們二位爭吵不休，為了凡人的瑣事，
在諸神中引起械鬥，那麽，這將是一場災禍，
一種無法忍受的苦難。盛宴將不再給我們
帶來歡樂；令人討厭的混戰會破毀一切。
所以，我敦請母親，雖說她自己辦亦已明白，
主動接近我們心愛的父親，爭取宙斯的諒解；這樣，
父親就不再會責駡我們，也不會砸爛宴席上的杯盤。
如果俄林波斯的主宰，玩閃電的大神，打算把
我們拎出座椅，我等之中可沒有與之匹敵的神選。
母親，走上前去，用溫柔的聲調和他說話，
頃刻之間，俄林波斯大神便會恢復對我們的親善。”
言罷，他跳立起來，將一隻雙把的杯盞
送到母親手中，勸慰道：“耐心些，
我的媽媽，忍讓着點，雖然你心裏難受。
否則，儘管愛你，我將眼睜睜地看着你挨揍，
在我的面前；那時，雖說傷心，我卻難能
幫援。同俄林波斯大神格鬥，可是件吃力不討好的苦差。
還記得上回的情景嗎？那時，我想幫你，
被他一把逮住，抓住我的腳，扔出神聖的門檻。
我飄落直下，整整一天，及至日落時分，
跌撞在萊姆諾斯島上，氣息奄奄。
當地的新提亞人趨身救護，照料倒地的神仙。”
他侃侃道來，逗得白臂女神赫拉眉開眼笑；
她笑容可掬地接過杯盞，從兒子手中。接着，
赫法伊斯托斯從調缸裏舀出甘甜的奈剋塔耳[●]，
●奈剋塔耳：一種神用的飲料。神不喝酒。
從左至右，逐個斟倒，註滿衆神的杯盞。
看着他在宮居裏顛跑忙碌的模樣，
幸福的神祗忍俊不住，爆發出歡樂的笑聲。
就這樣，他們享受着盛宴的愉悅，直到太陽西沉。
整整痛快了一天。神們全都吃到足夠的份額，
聆聽着阿波羅彈出的麯調，用那把漂亮的竪琴，
和繆斯姑娘們悅耳動聽的輪唱。
終於，當燦爛的夕光從地平綫上消失，
衆神返回各自的居所，倒身睡覺——聲名遐邇的
能工巧匠、雙臂粗壯的赫法伊斯托斯曾給每
一位神祗蓋過殿堂，以他的工藝，他的匠心。
宙斯，閃電之王，俄林波斯的主宰，此時亦行往他的睡床，
每當甜蜜的睡眠降附神體，這裏從來便是他棲身的地方。
他上床入睡，身邊躺着享用金座的赫拉。
ARGUMENT.(40)
THE CONTENTION OF ACHILLES AND AGAMEMNON.
In the war of Troy, the Greeks having sacked some of the neighbouring
towns, and taken from thence two beautiful captives, Chryseis and Briseis,
allotted the first to Agamemnon, and the last to Achilles. Chryses, the
father of Chryseis, and priest of Apollo, comes to the Grecian camp to
ransom her; with which the action of the poem opens, in the tenth year of
the siege. The priest being refused, and insolently dismissed by
Agamemnon, entreats for vengeance from his god; who inflicts a pestilence
on the Greeks. Achilles calls a council, and encourages Chalcas to declare
the cause of it; who attributes it to the refusal of Chryseis. The king,
being obliged to send back his captive, enters into a furious contest with
Achilles, which Nestor pacifies; however, as he had the absolute command
of the army, he seizes on Briseis in revenge. Achilles in discontent
withdraws himself and his forces from the rest of the Greeks; and
complaining to Thetis, she supplicates Jupiter to render them sensible of
the wrong done to her son, by giving victory to the Trojans. Jupiter,
granting her suit, incenses Juno: between whom the debate runs high, till
they are reconciled by the address of Vulcan.
The time of two-and-twenty days is taken up in this book: nine during the
plague, one in the council and quarrel of the princes, and twelve for
Jupiter's stay with the Æthiopians, at whose return Thetis prefers her
petition. The scene lies in the Grecian camp, then changes to Chrysa, and
lastly to Olympus.
Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring
Of woes unnumber'd, heavenly goddess, sing!
That wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy reign
The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain;
Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore,
Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore.(41)
Since great Achilles and Atrides strove,
Such was the sovereign doom, and such the will of Jove!(42)
Declare, O Muse! in what ill-fated hour(43)
Sprung the fierce strife, from what offended power
Latona's son a dire contagion spread,(44)
And heap'd the camp with mountains of the dead;
The king of men his reverent priest defied,(45)
And for the king's offence the people died.
For Chryses sought with costly gifts to gain
His captive daughter from the victor's chain.
Suppliant the venerable father stands;
Apollo's awful ensigns grace his hands
By these he begs; and lowly bending down,
Extends the sceptre and the laurel crown
He sued to all, but chief implored for grace
The brother-kings, of Atreus' royal race(46)
"Ye kings and warriors! may your vows be crown'd,
And Troy's proud walls lie level with the ground.
May Jove restore you when your toils are o'er
Safe to the pleasures of your native shore.
But, oh! relieve a wretched parent's pain,
And give Chryseis to these arms again;
If mercy fail, yet let my presents move,
And dread avenging Phoebus, son of Jove."
The Greeks in shouts their joint assent declare,
The priest to reverence, and release the fair.
Not so Atrides; he, with kingly pride,
Repulsed the sacred sire, and thus replied:
"Hence on thy life, and fly these hostile plains,
Nor ask, presumptuous, what the king detains
Hence, with thy laurel crown, and golden rod,
Nor trust too far those ensigns of thy god.
Mine is thy daughter, priest, and shall remain;
And prayers, and tears, and bribes, shall plead in vain;
Till time shall rifle every youthful grace,
And age dismiss her from my cold embrace,
In daily labours of the loom employ'd,
Or doom'd to deck the bed she once enjoy'd
Hence then; to Argos shall the maid retire,
Far from her native soil and weeping sire."
[Illustration: HOMER INVOKING THE MUSE.]
HOMER INVOKING THE MUSE.
The trembling priest along the shore return'd,
And in the anguish of a father mourn'd.
Disconsolate, not daring to complain,
Silent he wander'd by the sounding main;
Till, safe at distance, to his god he prays,
The god who darts around the world his rays.
"O Smintheus! sprung from fair Latona's line,(47)
Thou guardian power of Cilla the divine,(48)
Thou source of light! whom Tenedos adores,
And whose bright presence gilds thy Chrysa's shores.
If e'er with wreaths I hung thy sacred fane,(49)
Or fed the flames with fat of oxen slain;
God of the silver bow! thy shafts employ,
Avenge thy servant, and the Greeks destroy."
Thus Chryses pray'd.--the favouring power attends,
And from Olympus' lofty tops descends.
Bent was his bow, the Grecian hearts to wound;(50)
Fierce as he moved, his silver shafts resound.
Breathing revenge, a sudden night he spread,
And gloomy darkness roll'd about his head.
The fleet in view, he twang'd his deadly bow,
And hissing fly the feather'd fates below.
On mules and dogs the infection first began;(51)
And last, the vengeful arrows fix'd in man.
For nine long nights, through all the dusky air,
The pyres, thick-flaming, shot a dismal glare.
But ere the tenth revolving day was run,
Inspired by Juno, Thetis' godlike son
Convened to council all the Grecian train;
For much the goddess mourn'd her heroes slain.(52)
The assembly seated, rising o'er the rest,
Achilles thus the king of men address'd:
"Why leave we not the fatal Trojan shore,
And measure back the seas we cross'd before?
The plague destroying whom the sword would spare,
'Tis time to save the few remains of war.
But let some prophet, or some sacred sage,
Explore the cause of great Apollo's rage;
Or learn the wasteful vengeance to remove
By mystic dreams, for dreams descend from Jove.(53)
If broken vows this heavy curse have laid,
Let altars smoke, and hecatombs be paid.
So Heaven, atoned, shall dying Greece restore,
And Phoebus dart his burning shafts no more."
He said, and sat: when Chalcas thus replied;
Chalcas the wise, the Grecian priest and guide,
That sacred seer, whose comprehensive view,
The past, the present, and the future knew:
Uprising slow, the venerable sage
Thus spoke the prudence and the fears of age:
"Beloved of Jove, Achilles! would'st thou know
Why angry Phoebus bends his fatal bow?
First give thy faith, and plight a prince's word
Of sure protection, by thy power and sword:
For I must speak what wisdom would conceal,
And truths, invidious to the great, reveal,
Bold is the task, when subjects, grown too wise,
Instruct a monarch where his error lies;
For though we deem the short-lived fury past,
'Tis sure the mighty will revenge at last."
To whom Pelides:--"From thy inmost soul
Speak what thou know'st, and speak without control.
E'en by that god I swear who rules the day,
To whom thy hands the vows of Greece convey.
And whose bless'd oracles thy lips declare;
Long as Achilles breathes this vital air,
No daring Greek, of all the numerous band,
Against his priest shall lift an impious hand;
Not e'en the chief by whom our hosts are led,
The king of kings, shall touch that sacred head."
Encouraged thus, the blameless man replies:
"Nor vows unpaid, nor slighted sacrifice,
But he, our chief, provoked the raging pest,
Apollo's vengeance for his injured priest.
Nor will the god's awaken'd fury cease,
But plagues shall spread, and funeral fires increase,
Till the great king, without a ransom paid,
To her own Chrysa send the black-eyed maid.(54)
Perhaps, with added sacrifice and prayer,
The priest may pardon, and the god may spare."
The prophet spoke: when with a gloomy frown
The monarch started from his shining throne;
Black choler fill'd his breast that boil'd with ire,
And from his eye-balls flash'd the living fire:
"Augur accursed! denouncing mischief still,
Prophet of plagues, for ever boding ill!
Still must that tongue some wounding message bring,
And still thy priestly pride provoke thy king?
For this are Phoebus' oracles explored,
To teach the Greeks to murmur at their lord?
For this with falsehood is my honour stain'd,
Is heaven offended, and a priest profaned;
Because my prize, my beauteous maid, I hold,
And heavenly charms prefer to proffer'd gold?
A maid, unmatch'd in manners as in face,
Skill'd in each art, and crown'd with every grace;
Not half so dear were Clytaemnestra's charms,
When first her blooming beauties bless'd my arms.
Yet, if the gods demand her, let her sail;
Our cares are only for the public weal:
Let me be deem'd the hateful cause of all,
And suffer, rather than my people fall.
The prize, the beauteous prize, I will resign,
So dearly valued, and so justly mine.
But since for common good I yield the fair,
My private loss let grateful Greece repair;
Nor unrewarded let your prince complain,
That he alone has fought and bled in vain."
"Insatiate king (Achilles thus replies),
Fond of the power, but fonder of the prize!
Would'st thou the Greeks their lawful prey should yield,
The due reward of many a well-fought field?
The spoils of cities razed and warriors slain,
We share with justice, as with toil we gain;
But to resume whate'er thy avarice craves
(That trick of tyrants) may be borne by slaves.
Yet if our chief for plunder only fight,
The spoils of Ilion shall thy loss requite,
Whene'er, by Jove's decree, our conquering powers
Shall humble to the dust her lofty towers."
Then thus the king: "Shall I my prize resign
With tame content, and thou possess'd of thine?
Great as thou art, and like a god in fight,
Think not to rob me of a soldier's right.
At thy demand shall I restore the maid?
First let the just equivalent be paid;
Such as a king might ask; and let it be
A treasure worthy her, and worthy me.
Or grant me this, or with a monarch's claim
This hand shall seize some other captive dame.
The mighty Ajax shall his prize resign;(55)
Ulysses' spoils, or even thy own, be mine.
The man who suffers, loudly may complain;
And rage he may, but he shall rage in vain.
But this when time requires.--It now remains
We launch a bark to plough the watery plains,
And waft the sacrifice to Chrysa's shores,
With chosen pilots, and with labouring oars.
Soon shall the fair the sable ship ascend,
And some deputed prince the charge attend:
This Creta's king, or Ajax shall fulfil,
Or wise Ulysses see perform'd our will;
Or, if our royal pleasure shall ordain,
Achilles' self conduct her o'er the main;
Let fierce Achilles, dreadful in his rage,
The god propitiate, and the pest assuage."
[Illustration: MARS.]
MARS.
At this, Pelides, frowning stern, replied:
"O tyrant, arm'd with insolence and pride!
Inglorious slave to interest, ever join'd
With fraud, unworthy of a royal mind!
What generous Greek, obedient to thy word,
Shall form an ambush, or shall lift the sword?
What cause have I to war at thy decree?
The distant Trojans never injured me;
To Phthia's realms no hostile troops they led:
Safe in her vales my warlike coursers fed;
Far hence removed, the hoarse-resounding main,
And walls of rocks, secure my native reign,
Whose fruitful soil luxuriant harvests grace,
Rich in her fruits, and in her martial race.
Hither we sail'd, a voluntary throng,
To avenge a private, not a public wrong:
What else to Troy the assembled nations draws,
But thine, ungrateful, and thy brother's cause?
Is this the pay our blood and toils deserve;
Disgraced and injured by the man we serve?
And darest thou threat to snatch my prize away,
Due to the deeds of many a dreadful day?
A prize as small, O tyrant! match'd with thine,
As thy own actions if compared to mine.
Thine in each conquest is the wealthy prey,
Though mine the sweat and danger of the day.
Some trivial present to my ships I bear:
Or barren praises pay the wounds of war.
But know, proud monarch, I'm thy slave no more;
My fleet shall waft me to Thessalia's shore:
Left by Achilles on the Trojan plain,
What spoils, what conquests, shall Atrides gain?"
To this the king: "Fly, mighty warrior! fly;
Thy aid we need not, and thy threats defy.
There want not chiefs in such a cause to fight,
And Jove himself shall guard a monarch's right.
Of all the kings (the god's distinguish'd care)
To power superior none such hatred bear:
Strife and debate thy restless soul employ,
And wars and horrors are thy savage joy,
If thou hast strength, 'twas Heaven that strength bestow'd;
For know, vain man! thy valour is from God.
Haste, launch thy vessels, fly with speed away;
Rule thy own realms with arbitrary sway;
I heed thee not, but prize at equal rate
Thy short-lived friendship, and thy groundless hate.
Go, threat thy earth-born Myrmidons:--but here(56)
'Tis mine to threaten, prince, and thine to fear.
Know, if the god the beauteous dame demand,
My bark shall waft her to her native land;
But then prepare, imperious prince! prepare,
Fierce as thou art, to yield thy captive fair:
Even in thy tent I'll seize the blooming prize,
Thy loved Briseis with the radiant eyes.
Hence shalt thou prove my might, and curse the hour
Thou stood'st a rival of imperial power;
And hence, to all our hosts it shall be known,
That kings are subject to the gods alone."
Achilles heard, with grief and rage oppress'd,
His heart swell'd high, and labour'd in his breast;
Distracting thoughts by turns his bosom ruled;
Now fired by wrath, and now by reason cool'd:
That prompts his hand to draw the deadly sword,
Force through the Greeks, and pierce their haughty lord;
This whispers soft his vengeance to control,
And calm the rising tempest of his soul.
Just as in anguish of suspense he stay'd,
While half unsheathed appear'd the glittering blade,(57)
Minerva swift descended from above,
Sent by the sister and the wife of Jove
(For both the princes claim'd her equal care);
Behind she stood, and by the golden hair
Achilles seized; to him alone confess'd;
A sable cloud conceal'd her from the rest.
He sees, and sudden to the goddess cries,
Known by the flames that sparkle from her eyes:
[Illustration: MINERVA REPRESSING THE FURY OF ACHILLES.]
MINERVA REPRESSING THE FURY OF ACHILLES.
"Descends Minerva, in her guardian care,
A heavenly witness of the wrongs I bear
From Atreus' son?--Then let those eyes that view
The daring crime, behold the vengeance too."
"Forbear (the progeny of Jove replies)
To calm thy fury I forsake the skies:
Let great Achilles, to the gods resign'd,
To reason yield the empire o'er his mind.
By awful Juno this command is given;
The king and you are both the care of heaven.
The force of keen reproaches let him feel;
But sheathe, obedient, thy revenging steel.
For I pronounce (and trust a heavenly power)
Thy injured honour has its fated hour,
When the proud monarch shall thy arms implores
And bribe thy friendship with a boundless store.
Then let revenge no longer bear the sway;
Command thy passions, and the gods obey."
To her Pelides:--"With regardful ear,
'Tis just, O goddess! I thy dictates hear.
Hard as it is, my vengeance I suppress:
Those who revere the gods the gods will bless."
He said, observant of the blue-eyed maid;
Then in the sheath return'd the shining blade.
The goddess swift to high Olympus flies,
And joins the sacred senate of the skies.
Nor yet the rage his boiling breast forsook,
Which thus redoubling on Atrides broke:
"O monster! mix'd of insolence and fear,
Thou dog in forehead, but in heart a deer!
When wert thou known in ambush'd fights to dare,
Or nobly face the horrid front of war?
'Tis ours, the chance of fighting fields to try;
Thine to look on, and bid the valiant die:
So much 'tis safer through the camp to go,
And rob a subject, than despoil a foe.
Scourge of thy people, violent and base!
Sent in Jove's anger on a slavish race;
Who, lost to sense of generous freedom past,
Are tamed to wrongs;--or this had been thy last.
Now by this sacred sceptre hear me swear,
Which never more shall leaves or blossoms bear,
Which sever'd from the trunk (as I from thee)
On the bare mountains left its parent tree;
This sceptre, form'd by temper'd steel to prove
An ensign of the delegates of Jove,
From whom the power of laws and justice springs
(Tremendous oath! inviolate to kings);
By this I swear:--when bleeding Greece again
Shall call Achilles, she shall call in vain.
When, flush'd with slaughter, Hector comes to spread
The purpled shore with mountains of the dead,
Then shall thou mourn the affront thy madness gave,
Forced to deplore when impotent to save:
Then rage in bitterness of soul to know
This act has made the bravest Greek thy foe."
He spoke; and furious hurl'd against the ground
His sceptre starr'd with golden studs around:
Then sternly silent sat. With like disdain
The raging king return'd his frowns again.
To calm their passion with the words of age,
Slow from his seat arose the Pylian sage,
Experienced Nestor, in persuasion skill'd;
Words, sweet as honey, from his lips distill'd:(58)
Two generations now had pass'd away,
Wise by his rules, and happy by his sway;
Two ages o'er his native realm he reign'd,
And now the example of the third remain'd.
All view'd with awe the venerable man;
Who thus with mild benevolence began:--
"What shame, what woe is this to Greece! what joy
To Troy's proud monarch, and the friends of Troy!
That adverse gods commit to stern debate
The best, the bravest, of the Grecian state.
Young as ye are, this youthful heat restrain,
Nor think your Nestor's years and wisdom vain.
A godlike race of heroes once I knew,
Such as no more these aged eyes shall view!
Lives there a chief to match Pirithous' fame,
Dryas the bold, or Ceneus' deathless name;
Theseus, endued with more than mortal might,
Or Polyphemus, like the gods in fight?
With these of old, to toils of battle bred,
In early youth my hardy days I led;
Fired with the thirst which virtuous envy breeds,
And smit with love of honourable deeds,
Strongest of men, they pierced the mountain boar,
Ranged the wild deserts red with monsters' gore,
And from their hills the shaggy Centaurs tore:
Yet these with soft persuasive arts I sway'd;
When Nestor spoke, they listen'd and obey'd.
If in my youth, even these esteem'd me wise;
Do you, young warriors, hear my age advise.
Atrides, seize not on the beauteous slave;
That prize the Greeks by common suffrage gave:
Nor thou, Achilles, treat our prince with pride;
Let kings be just, and sovereign power preside.
Thee, the first honours of the war adorn,
Like gods in strength, and of a goddess born;
Him, awful majesty exalts above
The powers of earth, and sceptred sons of Jove.
Let both unite with well-consenting mind,
So shall authority with strength be join'd.
Leave me, O king! to calm Achilles' rage;
Rule thou thyself, as more advanced in age.
Forbid it, gods! Achilles should be lost,
The pride of Greece, and bulwark of our host."
This said, he ceased. The king of men replies:
"Thy years are awful, and thy words are wise.
But that imperious, that unconquer'd soul,
No laws can limit, no respect control.
Before his pride must his superiors fall;
His word the law, and he the lord of all?
Him must our hosts, our chiefs, ourself obey?
What king can bear a rival in his sway?
Grant that the gods his matchless force have given;
Has foul reproach a privilege from heaven?"
Here on the monarch's speech Achilles broke,
And furious, thus, and interrupting spoke:
"Tyrant, I well deserved thy galling chain,
To live thy slave, and still to serve in vain,
Should I submit to each unjust decree:--
Command thy vassals, but command not me.
Seize on Briseis, whom the Grecians doom'd
My prize of war, yet tamely see resumed;
And seize secure; no more Achilles draws
His conquering sword in any woman's cause.
The gods command me to forgive the past:
But let this first invasion be the last:
For know, thy blood, when next thou darest invade,
Shall stream in vengeance on my reeking blade."
At this they ceased: the stern debate expired:
The chiefs in sullen majesty retired.
Achilles with Patroclus took his way
Where near his tents his hollow vessels lay.
Meantime Atrides launch'd with numerous oars
A well-rigg'd ship for Chrysa's sacred shores:
High on the deck was fair Chryseis placed,
And sage Ulysses with the conduct graced:
Safe in her sides the hecatomb they stow'd,
Then swiftly sailing, cut the liquid road.
The host to expiate next the king prepares,
With pure lustrations, and with solemn prayers.
Wash'd by the briny wave, the pious train(59)
Are cleansed; and cast the ablutions in the main.
Along the shore whole hecatombs were laid,
And bulls and goats to Phoebus' altars paid;
The sable fumes in curling spires arise,
And waft their grateful odours to the skies.
The army thus in sacred rites engaged,
Atrides still with deep resentment raged.
To wait his will two sacred heralds stood,
Talthybius and Eurybates the good.
"Haste to the fierce Achilles' tent (he cries),
Thence bear Briseis as our royal prize:
Submit he must; or if they will not part,
Ourself in arms shall tear her from his heart."
The unwilling heralds act their lord's commands;
Pensive they walk along the barren sands:
Arrived, the hero in his tent they find,
With gloomy aspect on his arm reclined.
At awful distance long they silent stand,
Loth to advance, and speak their hard command;
Decent confusion! This the godlike man
Perceived, and thus with accent mild began:
"With leave and honour enter our abodes,
Ye sacred ministers of men and gods!(60)
I know your message; by constraint you came;
Not you, but your imperious lord I blame.
Patroclus, haste, the fair Briseis bring;
Conduct my captive to the haughty king.
But witness, heralds, and proclaim my vow,
Witness to gods above, and men below!
But first, and loudest, to your prince declare
(That lawless tyrant whose commands you bear),
Unmoved as death Achilles shall remain,
Though prostrate Greece shall bleed at every vein:
The raging chief in frantic passion lost,
Blind to himself, and useless to his host,
Unskill'd to judge the future by the past,
In blood and slaughter shall repent at last."
[Illustration: THE DEPARTURE OF BRISEIS FROM THE TENT OF ACHILLES.]
THE DEPARTURE OF BRISEIS FROM THE TENT OF ACHILLES.
Patroclus now the unwilling beauty brought;
She, in soft sorrows, and in pensive thought,
Pass'd silent, as the heralds held her hand,
And of look'd back, slow-moving o'er the strand.
Not so his loss the fierce Achilles bore;
But sad, retiring to the sounding shore,
O'er the wild margin of the deep he hung,
That kindred deep from whence his mother sprung:(61)
There bathed in tears of anger and disdain,
Thus loud lamented to the stormy main:
"O parent goddess! since in early bloom
Thy son must fall, by too severe a doom;
Sure to so short a race of glory born,
Great Jove in justice should this span adorn:
Honour and fame at least the thunderer owed;
And ill he pays the promise of a god,
If yon proud monarch thus thy son defies,
Obscures my glories, and resumes my prize."
Far from the deep recesses of the main,
Where aged Ocean holds his watery reign,
The goddess-mother heard. The waves divide;
And like a mist she rose above the tide;
Beheld him mourning on the naked shores,
And thus the sorrows of his soul explores.
"Why grieves my son? Thy anguish let me share;
Reveal the cause, and trust a parent's care."
He deeply sighing said: "To tell my woe
Is but to mention what too well you know.
From Thebe, sacred to Apollo's name(62)
(Aetion's realm), our conquering army came,
With treasure loaded and triumphant spoils,
Whose just division crown'd the soldier's toils;
But bright Chryseis, heavenly prize! was led,
By vote _select_ed, to the general's bed.
The priest of Phoebus sought by gifts to gain
His beauteous daughter from the victor's chain;
The fleet he reach'd, and, lowly bending down,
Held forth the sceptre and the laurel crown,
Intreating all; but chief implored for grace
The brother-kings of Atreus' royal race:
The generous Greeks their joint consent declare,
The priest to reverence, and release the fair;
Not so Atrides: he, with wonted pride,
The sire insulted, and his gifts denied:
The insulted sire (his god's peculiar care)
To Phoebus pray'd, and Phoebus heard the prayer:
A dreadful plague ensues: the avenging darts
Incessant fly, and pierce the Grecian hearts.
A prophet then, inspired by heaven, arose,
And points the crime, and thence derives the woes:
Myself the first the assembled chiefs incline
To avert the vengeance of the power divine;
Then rising in his wrath, the monarch storm'd;
Incensed he threaten'd, and his threats perform'd:
The fair Chryseis to her sire was sent,
With offer'd gifts to make the god relent;
But now he seized Briseis' heavenly charms,
And of my valour's prize defrauds my arms,
Defrauds the votes of all the Grecian train;(63)
And service, faith, and justice, plead in vain.
But, goddess! thou thy suppliant son attend.
To high Olympus' shining court ascend,
Urge all the ties to former service owed,
And sue for vengeance to the thundering god.
Oft hast thou triumph'd in the glorious boast,
That thou stood'st forth of all the ethereal host,
When bold rebellion shook the realms above,
The undaunted guard of cloud-compelling Jove:
When the bright partner of his awful reign,
The warlike maid, and monarch of the main,
The traitor-gods, by mad ambition driven,
Durst threat with chains the omnipotence of Heaven.
Then, call'd by thee, the monster Titan came
(Whom gods Briareus, men Ægeon name),
Through wondering skies enormous stalk'd along;
Not he that shakes the solid earth so strong:
With giant-pride at Jove's high throne he stands,
And brandish'd round him all his hundred hands:
The affrighted gods confess'd their awful lord,
They dropp'd the fetters, trembled, and adored.(64)
This, goddess, this to his remembrance call,
Embrace his knees, at his tribunal fall;
Conjure him far to drive the Grecian train,
To hurl them headlong to their fleet and main,
To heap the shores with copious death, and bring
The Greeks to know the curse of such a king.
Let Agamemnon lift his haughty head
O'er all his wide dominion of the dead,
And mourn in blood that e'er he durst disgrace
The boldest warrior of the Grecian race."
[Illustration: THETIS CALLING BRIAREUS TO THE ASSISTANCE OF JUPITER.]
THETIS CALLING BRIAREUS TO THE ASSISTANCE OF JUPITER.
"Unhappy son! (fair Thetis thus replies,
While tears celestial trickle from her eyes)
Why have I borne thee with a mother's throes,
To Fates averse, and nursed for future woes?(65)
So short a space the light of heaven to view!
So short a space! and fill'd with sorrow too!
O might a parent's careful wish prevail,
Far, far from Ilion should thy vessels sail,
And thou, from camps remote, the danger shun
Which now, alas! too nearly threats my son.
Yet (what I can) to move thy suit I'll go
To great Olympus crown'd with fleecy snow.
Meantime, secure within thy ships, from far
Behold the field, not mingle in the war.
The sire of gods and all the ethereal train,
On the warm limits of the farthest main,
Now mix with mortals, nor disdain to grace
The feasts of Æthiopia's blameless race,(66)
Twelve days the powers indulge the genial rite,
Returning with the twelfth revolving light.
Then will I mount the brazen dome, and move
The high tribunal of immortal Jove."
The goddess spoke: the rolling waves unclose;
Then down the steep she plunged from whence she rose,
And left him sorrowing on the lonely coast,
In wild resentment for the fair he lost.
In Chrysa's port now sage Ulysses rode;
Beneath the deck the destined victims stow'd:
The sails they furl'd, they lash the mast aside,
And dropp'd their anchors, and the pinnace tied.
Next on the shore their hecatomb they land;
Chryseis last descending on the strand.
Her, thus returning from the furrow'd main,
Ulysses led to Phoebus' sacred fane;
Where at his solemn altar, as the maid
He gave to Chryses, thus the hero said:
"Hail, reverend priest! to Phoebus' awful dome
A suppliant I from great Atrides come:
Unransom'd, here receive the spotless fair;
Accept the hecatomb the Greeks prepare;
And may thy god who scatters darts around,
Atoned by sacrifice, desist to wound."(67)
At this, the sire embraced the maid again,
So sadly lost, so lately sought in vain.
Then near the altar of the darting king,
Disposed in rank their hecatomb they bring;
With water purify their hands, and take
The sacred offering of the salted cake;
While thus with arms devoutly raised in air,
And solemn voice, the priest directs his prayer:
"God of the silver bow, thy ear incline,
Whose power incircles Cilla the divine;
Whose sacred eye thy Tenedos surveys,
And gilds fair Chrysa with distinguish'd rays!
If, fired to vengeance at thy priest's request,
Thy direful darts inflict the raging pest:
Once more attend! avert the wasteful woe,
And smile propitious, and unbend thy bow."
So Chryses pray'd. Apollo heard his prayer:
And now the Greeks their hecatomb prepare;
Between their horns the salted barley threw,
And, with their heads to heaven, the victims slew:(68)
The limbs they sever from the inclosing hide;
The thighs, _select_ed to the gods, divide:
On these, in double cauls involved with art,
The choicest morsels lay from every part.
The priest himself before his altar stands,
And burns the offering with his holy hands.
Pours the black wine, and sees the flames aspire;
The youth with instruments surround the fire:
The thighs thus sacrificed, and entrails dress'd,
The assistants part, transfix, and roast the rest:
Then spread the tables, the repast prepare;
Each takes his seat, and each receives his share.
When now the rage of hunger was repress'd,
With pure libations they conclude the feast;
The youths with wine the copious goblets crown'd,
And, pleased, dispense the flowing bowls around;(69)
With hymns divine the joyous banquet ends,
The paeans lengthen'd till the sun descends:
The Greeks, restored, the grateful notes prolong;
Apollo listens, and approves the song.
'Twas night; the chiefs beside their vessel lie,
Till rosy morn had purpled o'er the sky:
Then launch, and hoist the mast: indulgent gales,
Supplied by Phoebus, fill the swelling sails;
The milk-white canvas bellying as they blow,
The parted ocean foams and roars below:
Above the bounding billows swift they flew,
Till now the Grecian camp appear'd in view.
Far on the beach they haul their bark to land,
(The crooked keel divides the yellow sand,)
Then part, where stretch'd along the winding bay,
The ships and tents in mingled prospect lay.
But raging still, amidst his navy sat
The stern Achilles, stedfast in his hate;
Nor mix'd in combat, nor in council join'd;
But wasting cares lay heavy on his mind:
In his black thoughts revenge and slaughter roll,
And scenes of blood rise dreadful in his soul.
Twelve days were past, and now the dawning light
The gods had summon'd to the Olympian height:
Jove, first ascending from the watery bowers,
Leads the long order of ethereal powers.
When, like the morning-mist in early day,
Rose from the flood the daughter of the sea:
And to the seats divine her flight address'd.
There, far apart, and high above the rest,
The thunderer sat; where old Olympus shrouds
His hundred heads in heaven, and props the clouds.
Suppliant the goddess stood: one hand she placed
Beneath his beard, and one his knees embraced.
"If e'er, O father of the gods! (she said)
My words could please thee, or my actions aid,
Some marks of honour on my son bestow,
And pay in glory what in life you owe.
Fame is at least by heavenly promise due
To life so short, and now dishonour'd too.
Avenge this wrong, O ever just and wise!
Let Greece be humbled, and the Trojans rise;
Till the proud king and all the Achaian race
Shall heap with honours him they now disgrace."
[Illustration: THETIS ENTREATING JUPITER TO HONOUR ACHILLES.]
THETIS ENTREATING JUPITER TO HONOUR ACHILLES.
Thus Thetis spoke; but Jove in silence held
The sacred counsels of his breast conceal'd.
Not so repulsed, the goddess closer press'd,
Still grasp'd his knees, and urged the dear request.
"O sire of gods and men! thy suppliant hear;
Refuse, or grant; for what has Jove to fear?
Or oh! declare, of all the powers above,
Is wretched Thetis least the care of Jove?"
She said; and, sighing, thus the god replies,
Who rolls the thunder o'er the vaulted skies:
"What hast thou ask'd? ah, why should Jove engage
In foreign contests and domestic rage,
The gods' complaints, and Juno's fierce alarms,
While I, too partial, aid the Trojan arms?
Go, lest the haughty partner of my sway
With jealous eyes thy close access survey;
But part in peace, secure thy prayer is sped:
Witness the sacred honours of our head,
The nod that ratifies the will divine,
The faithful, fix'd, irrevocable sign;
This seals thy suit, and this fulfils thy vows--"
He spoke, and awful bends his sable brows,(70)
Shakes his ambrosial curls, and gives the nod,
The stamp of fate and sanction of the god:
High heaven with trembling the dread signal took,
And all Olympus to the centre shook.(71)
Swift to the seas profound the goddess flies,
Jove to his starry mansions in the skies.
The shining synod of the immortals wait
The coming god, and from their thrones of state
Arising silent, wrapp'd in holy fear,
Before the majesty of heaven appear.
Trembling they stand, while Jove assumes the throne,
All, but the god's imperious queen alone:
Late had she view'd the silver-footed dame,
And all her passions kindled into flame.
"Say, artful manager of heaven (she cries),
Who now partakes the secrets of the skies?
Thy Juno knows not the decrees of fate,
In vain the partner of imperial state.
What favourite goddess then those cares divides,
Which Jove in prudence from his consort hides?"
To this the thunderer: "Seek not thou to find
The sacred counsels of almighty mind:
Involved in darkness likes the great decree,
Nor can the depths of fate be pierced by thee.
What fits thy knowledge, thou the first shalt know;
The first of gods above, and men below;
But thou, nor they, shall search the thoughts that roll
Deep in the close recesses of my soul."
Full on the sire the goddess of the skies
Roll'd the large orbs of her majestic eyes,
And thus return'd:--"Austere Saturnius, say,
From whence this wrath, or who controls thy sway?
Thy boundless will, for me, remains in force,
And all thy counsels take the destined course.
But 'tis for Greece I fear: for late was seen,
In close consult, the silver-footed queen.
Jove to his Thetis nothing could deny,
Nor was the signal vain that shook the sky.
What fatal favour has the goddess won,
To grace her fierce, inexorable son?
Perhaps in Grecian blood to drench the plain,
And glut his vengeance with my people slain."
Then thus the god: "O restless fate of pride,
That strives to learn what heaven resolves to hide;
Vain is the search, presumptuous and abhorr'd,
Anxious to thee, and odious to thy lord.
Let this suffice: the immutable decree
No force can shake: what is, that ought to be.
Goddess, submit; nor dare our will withstand,
But dread the power of this avenging hand:
The united strength of all the gods above
In vain resists the omnipotence of Jove."
[Illustration: VULCAN.]
VULCAN.
The thunderer spoke, nor durst the queen reply;
A reverent horror silenced all the sky.
The feast disturb'd, with sorrow Vulcan saw
His mother menaced, and the gods in awe;
Peace at his heart, and pleasure his design,
Thus interposed the architect divine:
"The wretched quarrels of the mortal state
Are far unworthy, gods! of your debate:
Let men their days in senseless strife employ,
We, in eternal peace and constant joy.
Thou, goddess-mother, with our sire comply,
Nor break the sacred union of the sky:
Lest, roused to rage, he shake the bless'd abodes,
Launch the red lightning, and dethrone the gods.
If you submit, the thunderer stands appeased;
The gracious power is willing to be pleased."
Thus Vulcan spoke: and rising with a bound,
The double bowl with sparkling nectar crown'd,(72)
Which held to Juno in a cheerful way,
"Goddess (he cried), be patient and obey.
Dear as you are, if Jove his arm extend,
I can but grieve, unable to defend
What god so daring in your aid to move,
Or lift his hand against the force of Jove?
Once in your cause I felt his matchless might,
Hurl'd headlong down from the ethereal height;(73)
Toss'd all the day in rapid circles round,
Nor till the sun descended touch'd the ground.
Breathless I fell, in giddy motion lost;
The Sinthians raised me on the Lemnian coast;(74)
He said, and to her hands the goblet heaved,
Which, with a smile, the white-arm'd queen received
Then, to the rest he fill'd; and in his turn,
Each to his lips applied the nectar'd urn,
Vulcan with awkward grace his office plies,
And unextinguish'd laughter shakes the skies.
Thus the blest gods the genial day prolong,
In feasts ambrosial, and celestial song.(75)
Apollo tuned the lyre; the Muses round
With voice alternate aid the silver sound.
Meantime the radiant sun to mortal sight
Descending swift, roll'd down the rapid light:
Then to their starry domes the gods depart,
The shining monuments of Vulcan's art:
Jove on his couch reclined his awful head,
And Juno slumber'd on the golden bed.
[Illustration: JUPITER.]
JUPITER.
[Illustration: THE APOTHEOSIS OF HOMER.]
THE APOTHEOSIS OF HOMER. 所有的神和駕馭戰車的凡人
都已酣睡整夜，但睡眠的香甜卻不曾合上宙斯的雙眼，
他在謀劃如何使阿基琉斯獲得
榮譽，把成群的阿開亞人殺死在海船邊。
眼下，他以為最好的辦法是派遣險惡的
夢幻，給阿特桑斯之子阿伽門農傳送他的令言。
他對着夢幻大叫，長了翅膀的話語飛嚮後者的耳畔：
“去吧，險惡的夢幻，速往阿開亞人的快船，
行至阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農的營棚，
把我的指令原原本本地對他告傳。
命他即刻行動，把長發的阿開亞人武裝，
現在，他可攻破特洛伊人路面
寬闊的城堡。傢住俄林波斯的衆神已不再
為此事爭吵；通過懇求，赫拉已消除
他們的歧見。悲慘的結局正等待着特洛伊兵漢。”
宙斯言罷，夢幻得令而去，
迅速來到阿開亞人的快船邊，
出現在阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農的營棚，發現
後者正躺在床上，酣睡中吞吐着神賜的香甜。
夢幻懸站在他的頭頂，化作奈琉斯之子
奈斯托耳的形象——阿伽門農敬他甚於
對其他首領。夢神開口發話，以奈斯托耳的形面：
“還在睡覺呀，聰明的馴馬手阿特柔斯的兒子？
一個責在運籌帷幄，肩負着全軍的重托，
有這麽多事情要關心處理的人，豈可熟睡整夜？
好了，認真聽我說來，因為我是宙斯的使者；他雖然置身
遙遠的地方，但卻十分關心你的情況，憐憫你的處境。
宙斯命你即刻行動，把長發的阿開亞人武裝，
現在，你可攻破特洛伊人路面
寬闊的城堡。傢住俄林波斯的衆神已不再
為此事爭吵；通過懇求，赫拉已消除
他們的歧見。按照宙斯的意願，悲慘的結局正等待着
特洛伊兵漢。記住，當你從甜美的
酣睡中醒來，不要忘記此番話語，帶給你的信言。”
言罷，夢幻隨即離去，留下獨自思忖的
阿伽門農，寄望於此番不會兌現的傳話，
以為在聞訊的當天，即可攻下普裏阿摩斯的城垣——
好一個笨蛋！他豈會知曉宙斯藴謀的事願？
他哪裏知道，宙斯已潛心謀劃，要讓特洛伊人和達奈人
拼搏鏖戰，一起承受悲痛，經受磨難。
阿伽門農從睡境中蘇醒，神的聲音
回響在他的耳邊。他直身而坐，套上
鬆軟、簇新的衫衣，裹上碩大的披篷，
係緊舒適的條鞋，在閃亮的腳面，
挎上柄嵌銀釘的銅劍，拿起
永不敗壞的王杖，祖傳的寶杖。
披挂完畢，他邁步前行，沿着身披銅甲的阿開亞人的海船。
其時，黎明女神已登上高高的俄林波斯，
嚮宙斯和衆神報告白天的到來。
阿伽門農命囑嗓音清亮的使者，
召呼長發的阿開亞人聚會。
信使們奔走呼號，人們很快集合起來。
首先，阿伽門農會晤了心胸豪壯的首領，
聚集在出身普洛斯的王者奈斯托耳的船邊。
他把首領們召到一塊，開口說道，話語中包容着詭詰：
“聽着，我的朋友們！在我熟睡之際，神聖的夢幻
穿過神賜的的夜晚，來到我的營棚，從容貌、體魄
和身材來看，極像卓越的奈斯托耳。
他懸站在我的頭上，對我說道：
‘還在睡覺呀，聰明的馴馬手阿特柔斯的兒子？
一個責在運籌帷幄，肩負着全軍的重托？有這麽多事情
要關心處理的人，豈可熟睡整夜？
好了，認真聽我說來，因為我是宙斯的使者，他雖置身
遙遠的地方，但卻關心你的情況，憐憫你的處境。
宙斯命你即刻行動，把長發的阿開亞人武裝——
現在，你可攻破特洛伊人路面
寬闊的城堡。傢住俄林波斯的衆神已不再
為此事爭吵；通過懇求，赫拉已消除
他們的歧見。按宙斯的意願，悲慘的結局正等待着
特洛伊兵漢。’此番口囑，不可忘懷。夢幻言罷，
展翅飛去，甜蜜的睡眠就此離開了我的夢境。
幹起來吧，看看我們是否能把阿開亞人的兒子們武裝。
但首先——我以為此舉妥當——待我先用話語
試探，命令他們踏上凳板堅固的海船，啓程歸返。
屆時，爾等要站好位置，以便呵斥號令，把他們哄擋回來。”
他言畢下坐，首領中站起了奈斯托耳，
王者，統治着多沙的普洛斯地面。
懷着對各位首領的善意，他開口說道：
“朋友們，阿耳吉維人的首領和統治者們，
倘若傳告這件夢事的是別的阿開亞人，
我們或許便會把它斥為謊言，不屑一顧。
但現在，目睹此事的卻是那位自稱為最好的阿開亞人的王權。
幹起來吧，看看我們是否能把阿開亞人的兒子們武裝。”
言罷，他領頭離開商議的地點：
各位起身離座，這些有資格握拿權杖的王爺，
服從了兵士的牧者。在他們身後，緊跟着熙熙攘攘的兵勇，
像大群的花蜂，一股接着一股，
沒完沒了地衝涌出空心的石窟，抱成
一個個圈團，飛訪着春天的花叢，
四處遊移漫舞，成群結隊。
就像這樣，來自不同部族的戰士捅出營棚和海船，
一隊連着一隊，行進在寬闊的灘沿，走嚮集會的
地點；謠言像火苗似地在人群中活躍，
作為宙斯的使者，督勵着人們嚮前。集聚的隊伍
使會場為之搖撼。兵勇們集隊進入自己的位置，
大地悲鳴轟響，和伴着籠罩全場的雜喧。九位使者
高聲呼喊，忙着維持秩序，要人們停止
喧鬧，靜聽宙斯鐘愛的王者訓告。經過
一番折騰，他們迫使兵勇們屈腿下坐，
停止了喧囂。強有力的阿伽門農站立起來，
手握權杖，由赫法伊斯托斯艱苦鑄造。
赫法伊斯托斯把權杖交給王者宙斯，剋羅諾斯之子，
後者把它轉交給導路的阿耳吉豐忒斯[●]，
●阿耳吉豐忒斯：ARgeiphontes，即赫耳墨斯，一說意為巨鹿“Argos的屠殺
者”。
而王者赫耳墨斯又把它給了裴洛普斯，戰車上的勇士。
裴洛普斯把它給了阿特柔斯，兵士的牧者；
後者死後，權杖傳到蘇厄斯忒斯手中，而這位富有
羊群的領主又把它傳給了阿伽門農，後者憑着王杖的
權威，統領衆多的海島和整個阿耳戈斯。其時，
倚靠着這支王杖，阿伽門農對聚會的阿耳吉維人喊道：
“朋友們，達奈人的勇士們，阿瑞斯的隨從們！
宙斯，剋羅諾斯之子，已把我推入狂言的陷阱，
他就是這般兇殘！先前，他曾點頭答應，
讓我在蕩劫墻垣精固的伊利昂後啓程返航。
現在，我纔知道，這是一場赤裸裸的欺騙。他要我
不光不彩地返回阿耳戈斯，折損了衆多的兵將。
這便是力大無窮的宙斯的作為，使他心花怒放的事情；
在此之前，他已打爛許多城市的頂冠，
今後還會繼續砸搗——他的神力誰能抵擋？
這種事情，既便讓後代聽來，也是一個恥辱：
如此雄壯，如此龐大的阿開亞聯軍，竟然
徒勞無益地打了一場沒有收益的戰爭，
戰事曠日持久，杏無終期。這支軍隊占着
兵力上的優勢。如果雙方願意，阿開亞人和特洛伊兵壯，
可以牲血為證，立下莊重的停戰誓約，隨後計點雙方人數，
特洛伊方面以傢住城裏者為計[●]，
●傢住城裏的人為計：換言之，不包括特洛伊的盟軍。
而我們阿開亞人則以十人為股。然後，
讓每個股組挑選一個特洛伊人斟酒，
結果，斟酒的侍者已被挑完，十人的股組卻還所餘甚衆。
阿開亞人的兒子們，我認為，就以此般懸殊的比例，
在人數上壓倒了住在城裏的特洛伊人。但是，他們有
多支盟軍幫襯，來自其他城市；那些投槍的戰勇，
打退了我的進攻，不讓我實現我的意願，
蕩劫伊利昂，這座人丁興旺的城。
屬於大神宙斯的時間，九年過去了；
海船的木板已經腐爛，纜繩已經蝕斷。
在那遙遠的故鄉，我們的妻房和幼小的孩子
正坐身廳堂，等盼着我們，而我們的戰事仍在繼續——
為了它，我們離傢來此——像以往一樣無有窮期。
不幹了，按我說的做！讓我們順從屈服，
登船上路，逃返我們熱愛的故鄉——
我們永遠搶攻不下路面寬闊的伊利昂！”
一番話掀騰起澎湃的心浪，在全體兵勇的胸腔，
成群結隊的兵勇，不曾聽聞他對首領們的講話。
會場喧囂沸騰，就像從天父宙斯製馭的雲層裏
衝掃而下的東風和南風，在
伊卡裏亞海面掀起了滔天巨浪。
宛如陣陣強勁的西風，掃過一大片
密沉沉的𠔌田，呼喊咆哮，颳垂下莊稼的穗耳
集會土崩瓦解，人們亂作一團，朝着
海船撲跑，踢捲起紛飛的
泥塵，相互間大聲嘶喊，意欲
抓住海船，拖人閃亮的水道。
他們清出下水的道口，喊叫之聲響徹雲天；
士兵們歸心似箭，動手搬開船底的擋塞。
其時，阿耳吉維人很可能衝破命運的製約，實現
回傢的企願，若不是赫拉開口發話，對雅典娜說道：
“太不像話了！你瞧瞧，阿特魯托親[●]，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的
●阿特魯托奈：Atrutone，出處不明，可能意為“不知疲倦的”。
女兒。
按眼下的事態，阿耳吉維人是打算跨過大海
浩森的水浪，逃回世代居住的鄉園，
把阿耳戈斯的海倫[●]丟給普裏阿摩斯和特洛伊兵壯，
●阿耳戈斯的海倫：海倫並非來自阿耳戈斯（城），而是來自斯巴達。關於
“阿耳戈斯”，見詞彙表有關部分。
為他們增添光彩——為了她，多少阿開亞人
亡命在遠離故鄉的特洛伊平野！
現在，你要前往身披銅甲的阿開亞人的群隊，
用和氣的話語勸阻口每一位兵漢，
不要讓他們拽起彎翹的木船，拖人灘外的大海！”
赫拉言罷，灰眼睛女神雅典娜謹遵不違，
急速出發，從俄林波斯山巔直衝而下，
轉眼便到了阿開亞人的快船邊。
她發現和宙斯一樣精擅謀略的俄底修斯
此刻正呆站在那邊，不曾動手拖船，那條烏黑的。
凳板堅固的海船——眼前的情景使他心灰意寒。
眼睛灰藍的雅典娜站在他的身邊，開口說道：
“萊耳忒斯之子，神的後裔，足智多謀的俄底修斯，
怎麽，這是件應該發生的事情嗎？你們真的要把自己扔上
凳板堅固的海船，逃回你們熱愛的鄉園，
把阿耳戈斯的海倫丟給普裏阿摩斯和特洛伊兵壯，
為他們增添光彩——為了她，多少阿開亞人
亡命在遠離故鄉的特洛伊平野！
不要灰心，插入混跑的人群，
用和氣的話語拖勸回每一位兵漢，
不要讓他們拽起彎翹的木船，拖人灘外的大海。”
雅典娜如此一番告誡，俄底修斯聽出了女神的聲音，
馬上蹽開腿步，甩出披篷，被跟隨左右的
伊薩凱使者歐魯巴忒斯手接。
他跑至阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農的面前，
從後者手中抓過祖傳的、永不敗壞的權杖；
然後，王杖在手，大步嚮前，沿着身披銅甲的阿開亞人的海船。
每當遇見某位王者或某個有地位身份的人，
他就止步在後者身邊，好言好語地勸他回返：
“我的朋友，我可不會出言威脅，把你當做貪生怕死的小人，
但你自己應該站住，並擋回潰散的人群。
你還沒有真正弄懂阿特柔斯之子的用意，
他在試探你們，馬上即會動怒翻臉。我們不都
聽過他在辯議會上對阿開亞人的兒子們講過的那番話嗎？
但願他不致暴怒攻心，傷損軍隊的元氣。
王者的憤怒非同小可，他們受到神的思寵；
他們的榮譽得之於宙斯，享受多謀善斷的大神的鐘愛。”
然而，當見到喧叫的普通士兵，
他便會動用王杖擊打，輔之以一頓臭駡：
“你這蠢貨，還不給我老老實實地坐下，服從你的上司。
那些比你們傑出的人的命令。你這個逃兵，貪生怕死的傢夥，
戰場和議事會上一無所用的窩囊廢！
阿開亞人豈能個個都是王者？
王者衆多可不是件好事。這裏衹應有一個統治者，
一個大王——此王執掌着工於心計的剋羅諾斯的兒子授予的
權杖和評審是非的標準，統治屬下的子民。”
就這樣，他以強有力的手段整飭着軍隊的秩序，
直到衆人吵吵嚷嚷地涌回集會地點，從海船和
營棚那邊，一如在那驚濤轟響的洋面，浪峰衝擊着
漫長的灘沿，大海呼吼咆哮，翻捲沸騰。
其時，人們各就各位，會場秩序井然，例外
衹有一個，多嘴快舌的塞耳西忒斯，仍在不停地駡駡咧咧。
此人滿腦袋的顛詞倒語，不時
語無倫次，徒勞無益地和王者們爭辯，
用詞不計妥適，但求能逗引衆人開懷。
圍攻伊利昂的軍伍中，他是最醜的一個：
兩腿外屈，撇着一隻拐腳，雙肩前聳，
彎擠在胸前，挑着一個尖翹的
腦袋，稀稀拉拉地長着幾蓬茸毛。
阿基琉斯恨之最切，俄底修斯亦然，兩位首領
始終是他辱駡的目標。但現在，
他把成串的髒話設嚮卓越的阿伽門農，由此
極大地冒犯了阿開亞人，激起了他們的共憤。
塞耳西忒斯扯開嗓門，出口辱駡，對着阿伽門農：
“阿特柔斯之子，我不知你現時還缺少什麽，或還有什麽
不滿意的？你的那些個營棚，裏面推滿了青銅，成群的美女
充徹着你的棚後——每當攻陷一座城堡，
我們阿開亞人就把最好的女子嚮你奉獻。
或許，你還需要更多的黃金？馴馬好手特洛伊人的
某個兒子會把它當做贖禮送來，雖然抓住
戰俘的是我，或是某個阿開亞人。
或許，我要一位年輕女子和你同床作樂，
避開衆人，把她占為己有？不，作為統帥，你不能
為此把阿開亞人的兒子們推嚮戰爭的血口！
兒子們？哼，懦弱的傻瓜，恬不知恥的可憐蟲！你們是女人，
不是阿開亞人的男兒！
讓我們駕起海船回傢，把這個傢夥
離棄在特洛伊，任他縱情享受他的戰禮，
這樣，他纔會知道我等衆人的作用，在此是否幫過他的忙。
現在，他已侮辱了阿基琉斯，一個遠比他
傑出的戰勇，奪走了他的份禮，霸為己有。
然而，阿基琉斯沒有因此懷恨在心，而是願意任其舒緩消瀉；
否則，阿特柔斯之子，這將是你最後一次霸道橫行！”
就這樣，塞耳西忒斯破口辱駡阿伽門農，
兵士的牧者。其時，卓越的俄底修斯急步
上前，怒目而視，大聲呵叱道：
“雖說講得暢快流利，塞耳西忒斯，你的活
簡直是一派鬍言！住嘴吧，不要妄想和王者們試比高低。
在跟隨阿特柔斯的兒子們來到伊利昂城下的官兵中，
我相信，你是最壞的一個。所以，
你不應對着王者們信口開河，
出言不遜，也不要侈談撤兵返航的事宜。
我們無法預測戰事的結局，天知道
阿開亞人的兒子們將帶着什麽踏上歸途，是勝利的喜悅，還是
失敗的慘痛。
然而，你卻坐在這邊，痛駡阿特柔斯之子，兵士的牧者
阿伽門農，衹因達奈人的鬥士們給了他
大份的戰禮。除了惡語傷人，你還會幹什麽？
我還有一事奉告，相信我，它將成為現實。
倘若讓我再次發現你像剛纔那樣裝瘋賣傻，那麽，
假如我不抓住你，剝了你的衣服，
你的披篷和遮掩光身的衣衫，
狠狠地把你打出集會，任你鬼哭狼嚎，
把你一絲不挂地趕回快船，
就讓我的腦袋和雙肩分傢——從此以後，
爾等再也不要叫我忒勒馬科斯的親爹！”
言畢，俄底修斯揚起權杖，狠揍他的脊背
和雙肩，後者佝僂起身子，豆大的淚珠順着臉頰滴淌。
金鑄的王杖打出一條帶血的
隆起的條痕，在雙腳之間；他畏縮着
坐下，忍着傷痛，呆呆地睜着雙眼，擡手抹去滾涌的淚珠。
望着他的窘態，人們雖然心頭煩惱，全都高興得咧嘴哄笑，
目視身邊的夥伴，開口說道：
“哈，真精彩！俄底修斯做過成千上百的好事，
出謀劃策，編組戰陣，但所有的一切
都比不上今天所做的這一件——
他封住了一張駡人的嘴巴，一條厥詞亂放的舌頭！
今後，這位勇士將再也不會受
激情的驅使，辱駡我們的王爺！”
衆人如此一番說道，但俄底修斯，蕩劫城堡的戰勇，
其時手握王杖，昂首挺立，身邊站着灰眼睛的雅典娜，
以使者的模樣出現，命令人們保持肅靜，
使坐在前排和末排的阿開亞人的兒子們
都能聽到他的話語，認真考慮他的規勸。
懷着對衆人的善意，俄底修斯放聲說道：
“阿特桑斯之子，尊貴的王者——現在，你的士兵們
正試圖使你丟臉，在所有的凡人面前。他們
不想實踐當年從牧草豐肥的阿耳戈斯發兵時
所作的承諾，保證决不還傢，在血洗
墻垣精固的伊利昂之前。
現在，他們哭喊着試圖拖船返航，
像一群不懂事的孩子或落寡的婦人。
誠然，讓人們帶着沮喪的心情返傢，也同樣是難事一件。
任何出門在外，遠離妻房的人，因受阻於鼕日的
強風和洶涌的海浪而不能前行時，衹消一個月，
便會在帶凳板的海船上坐立不安。而我們，
我們已在此挨過了第九個年頭；所以，
我不想責備海船邊的阿開亞人，你們有理由
感到焦煩。但儘管如此，在此呆了這麽些年頭，
然後兩手空空地回去，總是件丟臉的事兒。
堅持一下，朋友們，再稍待一段時間，
直到我們弄清卡爾卡斯的預卜是否靈驗。
我們都還清楚地記得那段往事，而你們大傢，
每一個死神尚未攝走靈魂的人，也都曾親眼目見；
此事就像發生在昨天或是前天——當時，阿開亞艦隊正集聚
在奧利斯，滿載着送給普裏阿摩斯和特洛伊人的災愁。
在一泓泉流的邊沿，一棵挺拔的松樹下，
清湛的水面閃着爍爍的鱗光，當我們用全盛的牲品
在神聖的祭壇上奠祀衆神時，一個
含意深邃的預兆出現在我們眼前。一條長蛇，俄林波斯
大神親手丟進晝光裏的生靈，背上帶着血痕，可怕，
從祭壇下爬了出來，朝着松樹匍匐嚮前。
樹上坐着一窩小鳥，一窩嗷嗷待哺的麻雀，
鳥巢築在樹端的枝椏上，葉片下，雛鳥嗦嗦發抖，
一窩八衹，連同生養它們的母親，一共九衹。
蛇把幼鳥盡數吞食，全然不顧後者凄慘的尖叫，
雌鳥竭聲哀鳴，為了孩子們的不幸，撲門在蛇的上方。
青蛇盤起身子，迅猛出擊，鉗住她的翅膀，伴隨着雌鳥的嘶號；
長蛇吞食了麻雀，連同她的雛鳥。其後
那位送蛇前來的大神把它化作一座碑標——
工於心計的剋羅諾斯之子把蛇變成了石頭。
我等震驚不已，站立觀望，這發生在眼前的奇景。
當那些可怕、怪誕的預卜之物掉進祀神的牲祭後，
卡爾卡斯開口直言，卜釋出神的旨意：
‘為何瞠目結舌，你們，長發的阿開亞人？
多謀善斷的宙斯已對我們顯示了一個驚人心魂的兆示，
此事將在以後，哪怕是久遠的以後兌現；使大事業的光榮將與
日月同輝。
長蛇吞食了麻雀，連同她的雛鳥，
一窩人衹，連同生養它們的母親，一共九衹，所以，
我們將在特洛伊苦戰等同此數的年份，
直到第十個年頭，我們將攻剋這座路面寬闊的城堡。’
這便是他的卜釋。現在，大傢都已看到，這一切正在變成現實。
振作起來，脛甲堅固的阿開亞人，讓我們全都
留在這裏，直到奪取普裏阿摩斯的這座宏偉的城堡！”
聽罷這番話，阿耳吉維人中爆發出震天的喊聲；
他們縱情歡呼，贊同俄底修斯的講話，神一樣的壯勇；
身邊的船艘回揚出巨大的轟響，蕩送着阿開亞人的呼吼。
其時，人群中響起了格瑞尼亞的[●]車戰者奈斯托耳的聲音：
●格瑞尼亞的：所指不明，可能是一個古老的飾詞。
“恥辱，恥辱啊！看看你們在集會上的表現吧，
簡直像一群調皮搗蛋的娃娃，對戰事一竅不通的毛孩！
應該給我們的那些協議和誓言找個去處了吧？
把它們統統扔進火裏，什麽磋商啦，什麽計劃之類的東西，
連同那潑出去的不摻水的奠酒——什麽緊握的右手，還不是
虛設的儀酬！
我們衹能徒勞無益地爭吵辱駡，找不到任何解决
問題的辦法，雖然我們已在此挨過了漫長的時光。
阿特柔斯之子，不要動搖，像往常一樣堅強，貫徹初時的計劃，
率領阿耳吉維兵勇，衝嚮拼搏的戰場！
到於那些人，那一兩個打算離開隊伍的逃兵，
讓他們自取滅亡好了，他們將一無所得，
匆匆跑回阿耳戈斯，連帶埃吉斯的宙斯的
允諾，連它的虛實都不曾弄明白。
我要提醒你們，早在我們踏上快船的那一天，
滿載着送給特洛伊人的死亡和毀滅，
力大無比的剋洛諾斯的兒子就已對我們作過允願；
他把閃電打在我們的右上方，光亮中閃爍着吉祥的兆端。
所以，在沒有和一個特洛伊人的妻子睡覺之前——
作為對海倫所經受的磨難和不讓她實現回歸願望的
報復[●]——誰也不要急急忙忙地啓程回返。
●作為對……的報復：這句話亦可解作：作為對我們的補償——為了海倫，
我們承受了戰爭的悲愁和磨難。
但是，如果有人發瘋似地想要回傢，那麽，
衹要他把雙手搭上凳板堅固的黑船，
便會在衆目睽睽之下慘死暴滅。
至於你，尊貴的王者，也應謹慎行事，傾聽別人的議說。
我有一番告誡，你可不要把它置之腦後。
聽着，阿伽門農，把你的人按部族或宗族編陣，
使宗族和宗族相互支助，部族和部族互為幫援。
若能此般布陣，而將士又能從命，
你就能看出哪位首領貪生，哪些兵勇怕死，誰個
勇敢，哪支部隊豪蠻——因為他們都以部氏為伍，投身拼鬥。
由此，你亦可進一步得知，假如這座城池久攻不下，原因何在：
是天意，是兵卒的怯弱，還是他們不懂戰爭，一幫門外漢。”
聽罷這番話，強有力的阿伽門農答道：
“說得好！爭辯中，老人傢，你又一次勝過了阿開亞人的
兒子們，哦，父親宙斯，雅典娜，阿波羅，
阿開亞人中要是有十個如此傑出的謀士，
何愁普裏阿摩斯王的城堡不對我們
俯首，被我們攻占，劫洗！然而，
剋羅諾斯之子，帶埃吉斯的宙斯反倒給了我苦難，
把我投入了有害無益的辱駡和爭鬥。
為了一個姑娘，我和阿基琉斯竟至於
唇槍舌劍，而我還率先動了雷霆。
倘若我倆能齊心合謀，特洛伊人
就難以繼續躲避滅頂的重擊，一刻也不能！
好了，回去吃飽肚子，以便重新開戰。
大傢要磨快槍尖，整備好盾牌，
喂飽捷蹄的快馬，仔細檢察
戰車，加強戰鬥意識，以便投身
可恨的戰爭，打上一個整天，
沒有間息，連喘氣的時間都沒有，
直到夜色降臨，隔開怒氣衝衝的兵漢。
汗水將會濕透勒在肩上的背帶，
連接着護身的盾牌，緊握槍矛的雙手將要忍受酸痛，
快馬將跑得熱汗涔涔，拖着滑亮的戰車。
屆時，若是讓我看到有人試圖逃避戰鬥，
藏身彎翹的海船，那麽，對於他，要想躲避
餓狗和兀鷲的利爪，將比登天還難！”
言罷，阿耳吉維人中爆發出震天的呼聲，猶如排空的
激浪，
受飛掃直下的南風的驅使，撞擊在挺拔的峭壁上——
此般突兀的石岩，永遠是海浪撲擊的對象，而
各種去嚮不同的疾風，此時亦興波助浪，有的颳自這片海面，
有的掃往那個方向。
衆人站立起來，三五成群地走回海船，他們在
營棚邊點起炊火，填飽了肚子，
每人都祀祭過一位不死的神祗，
求神保佑，躲過死的抓捕，戰爭的煎磨。
民衆的王者阿伽門農獻祭了一頭肥壯的公牛，
五歲的牙口，給宙斯，剋羅諾斯力大無比的兒郎。
他召來全軍的精華，阿開亞人的首領，
首當其衝的是奈斯托耳，然後是王者伊多墨紐斯，
兩位埃阿斯，圖丟斯之子狄俄墨得斯，還有
俄底修斯，來者中的第六位，和宙斯一樣精擅謀略的壯勇。
嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯不邀自來。
心中明白兄長的心事重重。
他們圍着公牛站定，抓起大麥。
強有力的阿伽門農在人傑中開口誦禱：
“宙斯，光榮的典範，偉大的象徵，雄居天空的烏雲之神，
我們求你助佑：在我沒有掀翻普裏阿摩斯那四壁焦黑的
廳堂[●]，搗爛他的門戶之前，
●四壁焦黑的廳堂：廳堂（megaron）的中間一般有個火爐或火塘，用時青煙
彌漫，故會熏黑四周的墻壁。
在我沒有撕裂赫剋托耳的衫衣，用銅矛剁碎
他的胸膛之前，還有他身邊的那許多夥伴，
我要把他們打翻在地，嘴啃泥塵——在這一切沒有發生之前，
宙斯，不要讓太陽沉落，不要讓黑暗捆住我們的手腳！”
他如此一番祈禱，但剋羅諾斯之子將不會予以兌現。
他收下祭禮，卻反而加劇了誰也不想取要的痛苦。
當衆人作過祈禱，撒過祭麥後，他們
扳起祭中的頭顱，割斷喉管，剝去皮張，
然後剔下腿肉，用油脂包裹腿骨，
雙層，把小塊的生肉置於其上。
他們把肉包放在淨過枝葉的、劈開的木塊上焚燒，
用又子挑起內臟，懸置在赫法伊斯托斯的柴火上燒烤。
焚祭過牛的腿件，品嚐過內臟，
他們把所剩部分切成小塊，用叉子
挑起來仔細炙烤後，脫叉備用。
當一切整治完畢，盛宴已經排開，
他們張嘴咀嚼，人人都吃到足份的餐餚。
當衆人滿足了吃喝的欲望，
奈斯托耳，格瑞尼亞的車戰者，開口說道：
“阿特柔斯之子，最高貴的王者，全軍的統帥阿伽門農，
讓我們不要吵個沒完沒了，也不要繼續
耽擱神祗交給我們的使命。
幹起來吧，讓身披銅甲的阿開亞人的信使
大聲招呼各支部隊，聚匯在海船旁。
作為首領，我們要一起行進在阿開亞人寬闊的
營盤，以便更快地催起兇蠻的戰鬥狂潮。”
他如此一番誡告，民衆的王者阿伽門農納用了他的議言，
馬上命令嗓音清亮的使者，召呼
長發的阿開亞人投身戰鬥。
信使們奔走呼號，隊伍很快聚合起來。
首領們，這些宙斯哺育的王者，和阿伽門農一起
四處奔跑，整頓隊伍。灰眼睛的雅典娜活躍在
他們中間，帶着那面埃吉斯，貴重的、永恆的、永不敗壞的
珍寶，邊沿飄舞着一百條金質的流蘇，
流蘇織工精緻，每條都抵得上一百頭牛的換價[●]。
●一百頭公牛的換價：當時尚無貨幣，貿易用“以物易物”的方式進行。牛
是估價的一個基本單位。
挾着埃吉斯的閃光，女神穿行在阿開亞人的隊伍，
督促他們前進，在每一個戰士的心裏
激發起連續戰鬥的勇氣和力量。
其時，在他們看來，比之駕着深曠的海船，
返回親愛的故鄉，戰鬥是一件更為甜美的事情。
像橫掃一切的烈焰，吞噬着覆蓋群峰的
森林，老遠亦可跳見衝天的火光，
戰勇們雄赳赳地嚮前邁進，氣勢不凡的
青銅甲械閃着耀眼的光芒，穿過氣空，直指蒼穹。
宛如生棲在考斯特裏俄斯河邊的亞細亞[●]
●亞細亞：當時僅指魯底亞境內的沿海地區。
澤地上的不同種類的水鳥，有野鶴、鸛鶴和
脖子頎長的天鵝，展開驕傲的翅膀，
或東或西地飛翔，然後成群的停泊在
水澤裏，整片草野回蕩着它們的聲響——
來自各個部族的兵勇，從海船和營棚裏
蜂擁到斯卡曼得羅斯平原，承受着人腳
和馬蹄的踩踏，大地發出可怕的震響。
他們在花團似錦的斯卡曼得羅斯平原上擺開陣勢，
數千之衆，人丁之多就像春天的樹葉和鮮花。
軍隊鋪開了，像不同部族的蒼蠅，
成群結隊地飛旋在羊圈周圍，
在那春暖季節，鮮奶溢滿提桶的時候——
就以此般數量，長發的阿開亞人
挺立在平原上，面對特洛伊人，渴望着搗爛他們的營陣。
軍隊排開戰鬥序列，像有經驗的牧人，將大群的
山羊——其時混合在一起，牧食在草野上——得體地分成
小股，
首領們忙着分遣部隊，有的調這，有的去那，作好
進擊的準備。強有力的阿伽門農邁步在他們中間，
頭眼宛如喜好雷霆的宙斯，
擺着阿瑞斯的胸圍，挺着波塞鼕的胸脯。
恰似牛群中的一頭格外高大強健的雄傑，
一頭碩大的公牛，以偉岸的身形獨領風騷——
那一天，宙斯讓阿特柔斯之子顯現出雄偉的身姿，
鶴立在全軍之上，突顯在將勇之中。
告訴我，傢住俄林波斯的繆斯，
女神，你們無處不在，無事不曉；而我們，
衹能滿足於道聽途說，對往事一無知了。告訴我，
誰是達奈人的王者，統治着他們的軍旅？
我無法談說大群中的普通一兵，也道不出他們的名字，
即便長着十條舌頭，十張嘴巴，即使有一管
不知疲倦的喉嚨，一顆青銅鑄就的心。
不，我做不到這一點，除非俄林波斯山上的緩斯，帶埃吉斯的
宙斯的女兒，把所有來到特洛伊城下的士卒都—一下告於我。
所以，下面提及的，衹是率統船隊的首領和海船的數目。
雷托斯和裴奈琉斯乃波伊俄提亞人的首領，
和阿耳開西勞斯、普羅梭諾耳及剋洛尼俄斯一起
統領部隊。兵勇們有的傢住呼裏亞和山石嶙峋的奧利斯，
有的傢住斯科伊諾斯、斯科洛斯和山巒起伏的厄忒俄諾斯，
以及塞斯裴亞、格拉亞和舞場寬闊的慕卡勒索斯；
有的傢住哈耳馬、埃勒西昂和厄魯斯萊，
有的傢居厄勒昂、呼萊、裴忒昂。
俄卡萊和墻垣堅固的城堡墨得昂，
以及科派、歐特瑞西斯和鴿群飛繞的希斯北；
還有的來自科羅奈亞和水草肥美的哈利阿耳托斯，
來自普拉塔亞和格利薩斯，
來自低地塞貝[●]，堅固的城堡，
●低地塞貝：Hupethebe，位於塞貝或“高地塞貝”（即Kadmeia）的下面。
和神聖的昂凱斯托斯，波塞鼕閃光的林地；
來自米得亞和盛産葡萄的阿耳奈，
神聖的尼薩和最邊端的安塞鼕。
他們帶來五十條海船，每船
載坐一百二十名波伊俄提亞人的兒男。
傢住阿斯普勒鼕和米努埃人的俄耳科墨諾斯
的兵勇們，由阿斯卡拉福斯和亞爾墨諾斯統領，
阿瑞斯的兒子——羞答答的阿絲陀開在
阿宙斯之子阿剋托耳的傢裏生下他們；
她走進上層的閣房，偷偷地和強壯的阿瑞斯同床。
她的兩個兒子率領着三十條深曠的海船。
斯凱底俄斯和厄丕斯特羅福斯，心胸豪壯的
納烏彼洛斯之子伊菲托斯的兒子，統領來自福基斯的兵勇；
他們來自庫帕裏索斯、山石嶙峋的普索、神聖的
剋裏薩，以及道利斯和帕諾裴烏斯；
來自阿奈莫瑞亞一帶和呼安波利斯近圍，
來自神河開菲索斯兩岸，來自
開菲索斯河泉邊的利萊亞。
他們帶來四十條烏黑的海船。
福剋斯的首領們正忙着整編隊伍，
立陣在波伊俄提亞人的左邊。
俄伊琉斯之子、快捷的埃阿斯統領着洛剋裏斯兵勇，
小埃阿斯，和忒拉蒙高大魁偉的兒子相比，個子
矮小得多。然而，這位穿着亞麻布胸甲的小個子，
卻是赫勒奈斯人中最好的槍手。
他的士兵有的傢住庫諾斯、俄波埃斯、卡利阿羅斯，
有的傢住伯薩、斯卡耳菲和美麗的奧格埃；
還有的傢居斯羅尼昂、塔耳菲和波阿格裏俄斯流域。
他帶來四十條烏黑的海船，滿載着洛剋裏斯
兵勇，家乡和神聖的歐波亞隔海相望。
來自歐波亞島的兵勇們，怒氣衝衝的阿邦忒斯人，
散居在卡爾基斯、厄瑞特裏亞和盛産葡萄的希斯提埃亞；
來自靠海的開林索斯和陡峭的城堡狄昂，
來自卡魯斯托斯和斯圖拉——統領
這些人的是厄勒菲諾耳，阿瑞斯的後代
卡爾科鼕之子，心胸豪壯的阿邦忒斯人的首領。
腿腳迅捷的阿邦忒斯人隨他前來，
長發及背，狂烈的槍手，渴望投出
粗長的(木岑)木桿槍矛，捅開敵人護身的甲衣。
他帶來四十條烏黑的海船。
他們的緊鄰是來自雅典的兵勇，墻垣堅固的城堡，
心志豪 莽的厄瑞剋修斯統治的地域。雅典娜，
宙斯的女兒，看護過豐産𠔌物的大地生有的厄瑞剋修斯，
把他置放在雅典，她的豐足的
神廟裏。年復一年，雅典的兒子們用鍵牛
和公羊祭盼着他的祝佑。
墨奈修斯，裴忒俄斯之子，統領着這支軍旅。
他擅長布設戰車和用盾牌護身的甲士，人世間
誰也沒有他的本領，衹有奈斯托耳
例外，因為他是老輩人物。
他帶來五十條烏黑的海船。
埃阿斯從薩拉彌斯帶來十二條海船，
排列在雅典人的編隊旁。
來自阿耳戈斯的提金斯。
赫耳彌俄奈和深𠔌環抱的阿西奈，來自
特羅伊真、埃俄奈和豐産葡萄的厄丕道羅斯的兵勇們，
來自埃吉納和馬塞斯的阿開亞人的兒子們——
統領這些人的是嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯，
由塞奈洛斯輔佐，聲名遠揚的卡帕紐斯的兒子；
神一樣的歐魯阿洛斯排位第三，
塔勞斯之子、國王墨基丟斯的兒子。
嘯吼戰場的秋俄墨得斯是全軍的統帥；
他們帶來八十條烏黑的海船。
還有一支勁旅，兵勇們來自城垣堅固的慕凱奈，
繁榮富足的科林斯和城垣堅固的剋勒俄奈；
來自俄耳內埃以及美麗的阿萊蘇裏亞
和西庫昂——阿德瑞斯托斯曾在那裏為王；
來自呼裴瑞西亞和陡峭的戈諾厄薩，
來自裴勒奈，來自埃吉昂地區以及
整個沿海地帶和廣阔的赫利開岬域。
他們帶來一百條海船，統領全軍的是強有力的阿伽門農，
阿特桑斯之子，帶來了最好和最勇敢的
兵丁。營伍裏，他身披閃光的銅甲，
氣宇軒昂，突顯在驍勇的壯士群中，
因他地位最高，統領着人數最多的軍伍。
來自群山環抱、溝壑宕跌的拉凱代蒙。
法裏斯、斯巴達和鴿群飛繞的墨塞的兵勇，
來自布魯塞埃和美麗的奧格埃，
來自阿姆剋萊和瀕海的城堡赫洛斯，
來自拉斯和俄伊圖洛斯地帶的兵勇們，
由阿伽門農的兄弟、嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯率領，
統轄六十條海船，離着其他軍旅群聚。
他巡視在隊伍裏，堅信自己的剛勇，
催督部屬嚮前，因他渴望報仇，
比誰都心切：為了海倫，他們承受了戰爭的悲苦和磨難。
還有一支軍旅，兵勇們有的傢住普洛斯、美麗的阿瑞奈。
斯魯昂、阿爾菲俄斯水津地區和堅固的埃普，
有的傢住庫帕裏賽斯和安菲格內亞，傢住
普忒琉斯、赫洛斯和多裏昂——在那裏，
繆斯姑娘們曾遐遇薩慕裏斯，窒息了他的歌聲。其時，
他正從俄伊卡利亞行來，別離俄伊卡利亞國王歐魯托斯，
揚言即便是繆斯姑娘，帶埃吉斯的
宙斯的女兒，倘若和他賽歌，也會敗在他的手下。
憤怒的繆斯將他毒打緻殘，奪走了他那
不同凡響的歌喉，使他忘卻了撥唱的本領。
統帶這些兵勇的是奈斯托耳，格瑞尼亞的車戰者，
率掌九十條彎翹的海船。
來自陡峭的庫勒奈山腳，埃普托斯的墓旁，
來自阿耳卡底亞的善於近戰殺敵的兵勇們，
傢住菲紐斯和羊兒成群的俄耳科墨諾斯，
傢居裏培、斯特拉提亞和多風的厄尼斯培，
來自忒格亞和美麗的曼提奈亞，
來自斯屯法洛斯和傢住帕耳拉西亞的兵勇們，
均由安格凱俄斯的兒子、強有力的阿伽裴諾耳統領，
帶來六十條海船，滿載着衆多的
兵卒，能徵慣戰的阿耳卡底亞軍勇。
民衆的王者阿伽門農給了他們這些
凳板堅固的海船，供他們徵服酒藍色的大海。是的，
是阿特柔斯之子給他們配備了海船，這些不會航海的內地人。
傢住布普拉西昂和傑著的厄利斯，
一整片地帶，遠至邊城呼耳彌奈和慕耳西諾斯，
以及它們之間的俄勒尼亞石岩和阿勒西昂的
兵勇們，受製於四位首領，各帶十條
快船，滿載着衆多的厄利斯兵勇。
安菲馬科斯和薩爾丕俄斯，阿剋托耳的後代，一位是
剋忒阿托斯之子，另一位是歐魯托斯之子，各率一支分隊；
阿馬侖丘斯之子、強健的狄俄瑞斯統領另一支兵伍；
第四支分隊由神一樣的波魯剋塞諾斯統領，
阿伽塞奈斯之子，墨格亞斯的後代。
來自杜利基昂和神聖的厄基奈
群島——和厄利斯隔海相望——的兵勇，
受製於墨格斯，阿瑞斯般的驍將，
宙斯鐘愛的車戰者夫琉斯之子——因與
其父鬧翻，憤怒的夫琉斯跑到杜裏基昂落戶。
他帶來四十條烏黑的海船。
俄底修斯率領着心胸豪壯的開法勒尼亞人；
兵勇們有的來自伊薩卡和枝葉婆姿的奈裏同，
有的傢住剋羅庫勒亞和岩壁粗皺的埃吉利普斯，
有的來自紮昆索斯，有的傢住薩摩斯，
有的來自陸架及面對海峽和島嶼的去處[●]。
●面對海峽和島嶼的地方：可能指厄利斯或阿卡耳那尼亞沿海地區。俄底修
斯在厄利斯擁有地産。
俄底修斯，像宙斯一樣精擅謀略的首領，統掌這支軍伍，
帶來十二條海船，船首塗得鮮紅。
安德萊蒙之子索阿斯統領着埃托利亞人；
兵勇們傢住普琉榮、俄勒諾斯和普勒奈，
來自瀕海的卡爾基斯和岩石嶙峋的卡魯鼕——在那裏，
心志豪 莽的俄伊紐斯的兒子們[●]已經銷聲匿跡：
●俄伊紐斯的兒子們：指墨勒阿格羅斯和圖丟斯。
俄伊紐斯自己早已作古，金發的墨勒阿格羅斯亦已不復存在。
所以，王權落到了索阿斯手裏，統治着所有的埃托利亞人。
他帶來四十條烏黑的海船。
伊多墨紐斯，著名的槍手，是剋裏特人的統帶，
率領着來自剋諾索斯和墻垣高聳的戈耳圖那。
魯剋托斯、米勒托斯和白堊閃亮的魯卡斯托斯。
法伊斯托斯和魯提昂，清一色人丁興旺的城，以及所有
其他傢住剋裏特的兵勇，這個擁有一百座城市的島嶼。[●]
●一百座城市的島嶼：《奧德賽》稱剋裏特擁有九十個城鎮。
善使槍矛的伊多墨紐斯統領全軍，
由墨裏俄奈斯輔佐，此人善能衝殺，像戰神一樣兇莽。
高大強壯的特勒波勒摩斯，赫拉剋勒斯之子，
從羅得斯帶來九條海船，滿載着高傲的羅得斯兵勇。
他們傢住該地，按不同的區域編成三個分隊：
林多斯、亞魯索斯和白堊閃亮的卡邁羅斯。
統領他們的是著名的槍手特洛波勒摩斯，
強有力的赫拉剋勒斯的兒子，出自阿絲圖陀開婭的肚腹。
赫拉剋勒斯掠劫過許多城市，裏面住着強健、神祗
哺育的壯勇，把她從厄芙拉和塞勒埃斯河畔帶出。
特勒波勒摩斯在精固的宮殿裏長大。
打死了親爹鐘愛的老舅，阿瑞斯的後代，
利昆尼俄斯，當時已是一位年邁之人。
他迅速整治好船隊，招聚起隨從，
匆匆亡命海外——強有力的赫拉剋勒斯的其他兒子們，
連同他們的兒子們，已經放出要他償還血債的口風。
他來到羅得斯，一個流浪者，一個落魄的不幸之人。
他們在那裏落腳，按部族在三個地方安傢，
受到剋羅諾斯之子、神和人的王者宙斯的
鐘愛，把極豐厚的財富像水一樣地潑降給他們。
從蘇墨，尼柔斯帶來三條勻稱的海船；
尼柔斯，阿革萊婭和國王卡羅波斯之子，
尼柔斯，特洛伊城下最美的男子，在所有的
達奈人中，容貌僅次於無可比及的阿基琉斯。
但是，此人體弱，衹帶來寥寥無幾的兵丁。
來自尼蘇羅斯、剋拉帕索斯、卡索斯。
科斯——歐魯普洛的城——以及那些人稱卡魯德奈群島的
兵勇們，
概由菲底波斯和安提福斯統領，
王者赫拉剋勒斯之子塞薩諾斯的兩個兒子。
他們統轄三十條深曠的海船。
此外，兵勇們，有的傢住裴拉斯吉亞人的阿耳戈斯，
有的傢住阿洛斯、阿洛培和斯拉基斯，
還有的來自弗西亞和出美女的赫拉斯[●]，
●赫拉斯：公元前七世紀後，Hellas泛指全希臘，正如684中的赫勒奈斯人
（Hellenes）以後泛指希臘人一樣。
統叫做慕耳彌鼕人、赫勒奈斯人和阿開亞人，
概由阿基琉斯統領，連同五十條海船。
但是，這些人現在不想重上殺聲震天的戰場——
誰來把他們編成戰陣，列隊衝殺？
捷足的壯勇、卓越的阿基琉斯其時正盛怒不息，
躺在他的海船旁，為了美發的布裏塞伊絲，
苦戰得手的戰禮，從魯耳奈索斯城堡——
他曾蕩劫那個地方，搗爛了塞貝的城墻，
擊倒了厄丕斯特羅福斯和慕奈斯，兩位兇狠的槍手，
塞勒丕俄斯之子、國王歐厄諾斯的兒郎。為了那位
姑娘，他心情悲悒，躺在船邊——但他馬上即會直立起身。
兵勇們還來自夫拉凱和鮮花盛開的普拉索斯，
黛墨忒耳的奉地；來自羊群的母親伊同。
瀕海的安特榮和草澤深處的普忒琉斯。
猛士普羅忒西勞斯生前曾統領他們衝殺，
但烏黑的泥土早已把他埋葬。
他的妻子，悲哭中撕破了雙頰，撇留在夫拉凱，
建傢之業廢毀中途。阿開亞人中，他第一個，是的，
第一個跳出海船，被一個達耳達尼亞人所殺。然而，
儘管懷念首領，兵勇們卻沒有亂成散沙一盤。
波達耳開斯，阿瑞斯的後代，負起了統編隊伍的責任。
他乃伊菲剋勒斯之子，而伊菲剋勒斯又是富有羊群的
夫拉科斯的兒郎。波達耳開斯是心胸豪壯的普羅忒西拉俄斯
的親兄弟，比兄長年幼，也不如他豪猛——
普羅忒西拉俄斯，叱咤戰場的壯勇。但儘管如此，
他們並不缺少首領，雖然懷念死去的英雄。
波達耳開斯帶來四十條烏黑的海船。
傢住波伊貝斯湖畔的菲萊，
傢住波伊北、格拉夫萊和城垣堅固的伊俄爾科斯的兵勇們，
分乘十一條戰船，由阿德墨托斯之子歐墨洛斯統領——
裴利阿斯的女兒中最漂亮的一位，阿爾開絲提絲，
女人中的姣傑，把他生給了阿德墨托斯。
傢居墨索奈和薩烏馬基亞，以及
來自墨利波亞和岩壁粗皺的俄利宗的兵勇們，
分乘七條海船，由弓法精熟的
菲洛剋忒忒斯率領，每船乘坐五十名
劃槳的兵丁，戰陣中出色的弓手。然而，
其時，菲洛剋忒忒斯正躺在神聖的萊姆諾斯，
承受着巨大的傷痛——由於遭受水蛇的侵咬，阿開亞人把他
遺留該島，惱人的瘡痛折磨着他的身心。
他正躺身海島，受苦受難，但用不了多久，海船邊的
阿耳吉維人便會想起菲洛剋忒忒斯，[●]帶傷的王者。
●想起菲洛剋忒忒斯：據赫勒諾斯預言，倘若沒有赫拉剋勒斯的硬弓（在菲
氏千裏），阿開亞人無法攻破特洛伊；俄底修斯於是專程前往萊姆諾斯，找回了菲
洛剋忒忒斯。
儘管懷念首領，兵勇們卻沒有亂成散沙一盤；
墨登，俄伊琉斯的私生子，負起了統編隊伍的責
任——出自蕩劫城堡的俄伊琉斯的精血，曹奈的肚腹。
來自石岩梯疊的伊索墨以及特裏開和俄利卡利亞的
兵勇們——那是俄利卡利亞人歐魯托斯的城——
由阿斯剋勒丕俄斯的兩個兒子率領，
波達雷裏俄斯和馬卡昂，手段高明的醫者，
統領三十條深曠的海船。
來自俄耳墨尼俄斯和呼裴瑞亞水泉，
來自阿斯忒裏昂和峰壁蒼白的[●]提塔諾斯的兵勇們，
●峰壁蒼白的：山壁由白堊岩組成。
由歐魯普洛斯率領，埃阿蒙卓著的兒子，
帶來四十條烏黑的海船。
兵勇們，有的來自阿耳吉薩，有的傢住古耳托奈。
俄耳塞、厄洛奈和灰白色的城堡俄盧鬆，
統領他們的是犟悍驃勇的波魯波伊忒斯，
大神宙斯之子裴裏蘇斯的兒子。
光榮的希波達墨娘把他生給了裴裏蘇斯——
那一天，他對多毛的馬人投出了復仇的槍矛，
把他們逐出裴利昂，趕至埃西開斯人棲居的地方。
波魯波伊忒斯不是惟一的首領，還有勒昂丟斯，阿瑞斯的
後代，
心胸豪壯的科羅諾斯的兒子，開紐斯的親孫。
他們帶來四十條烏黑的海船。
從庫福斯，古紐斯帶來二十二條海船，
率領着厄尼奈斯人和驃勇犟悍的
裴萊比亞人；兵勇們有的傢住寒酷的多多那，
有的擁有肥熟的耕地，在美麗的提塔瑞索斯河岸，
清澈的水流呼涌着註入裴內俄斯，
但卻從未和後者閃着銀光的漩渦合流，
而是像油層似的浮在表面，因為
它是那條可怕的水脈、用以咒發誓證的斯圖剋斯的支流。
普羅蘇斯，藤斯瑞鼕之子，是馬革奈西亞人的首領，
傢住裴內俄斯一帶以及枝葉婆娑的
裴利昂。統領他們的是捷足的普羅蘇斯，
帶來了四十條烏黑的海船。
這些便是達奈人的王者和統領。
告訴我，繆斯，在跟隨阿特柔斯之子進兵城下的軍旅中，
哪一位壯士最出色，哪一對馭馬最驍勇？
裴瑞斯的孫子歐墨洛斯的牝馬最傑出——
他趕着這對馭馬，撒蹄奔跑，像展翅的飛鳥。
它倆毛色一樣，馬口相同，背高一致，就像用水平尺量出的
一般。
銀弓之神阿波羅把它倆喂大，在裴瑞亞，
好一對牝馬，追風的蹄子創揚起戰神的恐怖。
人群中，最好的戰勇是忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯——
阿基琉斯仍在船邊生氣，否則，他是當之無愧的頭號英雄。
論馬亦然，最好的馭馬效命於善戰的裴琉斯之子，拉着他的
戰車。
但是，阿基琉斯正遠離衆人，躺在彎翹的遠洋
海船旁，懷着對兵士的牧者、阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農的
怨怒。兵勇們嬉耍在長浪拍岸的
灘沿，或擲餅盤，或投槍矛，也有的把玩着
手中的彎弓。馬兒們站在各自的戰車旁，
咀嚼着澤地上的歐芹和三葉草，
悠閑舒適；主人的戰車頂着遮蓋，
停放在營棚裏。士兵們思念着善戰的首領，
在營區內四處閑逛，不再參加戰鬥。
但是，大部隊正在嚮前開進——像烈焰吞噬着萬物——
大地在他們腳下隆隆作響，似乎喜好作雷的宙斯
暴發了雷霆之怒，恰如他在阿裏摩伊劈擊
圖福歐斯周圍的土地時一樣：那裏，人們說，是圖福歐斯的
睡床。
就像這樣，行進中的軍隊把大地踩得
隆隆震響，以極快的速度前進，穿越平原。
其時，使者，追風的伊裏絲急速趕到伊利昂，
捎去帶埃吉斯的宙斯的口信，不祥的訊告。
特洛伊人正在集會，在普裏阿摩斯的門前，
彙聚在一個地方，年輕的和上了年紀的男子。
腿腳飛快的伊裏絲站在他們近旁，摹仿
普裏阿摩斯之子波利忒斯的聲音，開口說道。
波利忒斯自信能跑善跳，一直在為特洛伊人放哨，
呆在老埃蘇厄忒斯的墓頂[●]，
●老埃蘇忒斯的墓頂：僅出現這一次，顯然是特洛伊平原上的一個方位標記。
等待着阿開亞人離船進攻的第一個訊號。
以此人的形象，腿腳飛快的伊墨絲說道：
“老人傢，你總愛沒完沒了地嘮叨，就像在從前
和平時期那樣——要知道，我們正進行着杏無終期的戰鬥。
我經常出入人們拼鬥的戰場，
卻從未見過如此龐大的軍伍，人海般的陣容，
就像成堆的樹葉或灘沿上的沙子，
他們正越過平原，將在我們的城下戰鬥。
赫剋托耳，你是我第一個開口催勸的人，你要按我說的做：
普裏阿摩斯的城裏塞擠着許多支友軍，
他們來自不同的地域，語言五花八門。
讓每一位首領飭命本部族的兵勇，
整頓隊伍帶領他們戰鬥。”
聽罷這番話，赫剋托耳不敢怠慢——此乃女神的聲音。
他當即解散集會，兵勇們全都朝着自己的槍械迅跑。
他們打開所有的大門，蜂擁着往外衝擠，
成群的步兵，熙熙攘攘的車馬，喧雜之聲沸沸揚揚。
在城門前方，平野的遠處，孤伶伶地
聳立着一方土丘，四邊平整空曠，
凡人稱它“灌木之丘”，但長生不老的
神祗卻叫它善跳的慕裏奈的墳塚。
就在那個地方，特洛伊人和盟軍排開了戰鬥的隊陣。
高大的赫剋托耳是特洛伊人的統帥，
普裏阿摩斯之子，頭頂閃亮的帽盔，率領着最好、最勇敢
的兵丁，盔甲齊整，渴望着一試手中的投槍。
安基塞斯高貴的兒子統領着達耳達尼亞兵勇，
埃內阿斯，女神和凡人歡愛的結晶——在伊達的嶺脊，
光彩奪目的阿芙羅底忒把他生給了安基塞斯。
埃內阿斯不是誰一的首領，他有兩位副手，阿耳開洛科斯
和阿卡馬斯，能打各種戰式，安忒諾耳的兒郎。
傢住伊達山腳的澤勒亞的兵卒，
一群富有的、喝飲埃塞波斯的黑水長大的
特洛伊兵勇，由魯卡昂英武的兒子統領，
潘達羅斯，帶着他的強弓，阿波羅的饋贈。
來自阿德瑞斯忒亞和阿派索斯鄉土，
來自皮推亞和險峻的忒瑞亞的兵勇們，
概由阿德瑞斯托斯以及身穿亞麻胸甲的安菲俄斯統領，
裴耳科忒的墨羅普斯的兩個兒子。墨羅普斯諳熟巫卜，
常人不可比及，曾勸阻他的兒子
前往人死人亡的戰場，無奈後者不聽
勸告，任隨幽黑的死亡和死亡精靈的驅使。
傢居裴耳科忒和普拉剋提俄斯一帶，
來自塞斯托斯、阿布多斯和閃亮的阿裏斯貝的兵勇們，
由呼耳塔科斯之子阿西俄斯率領——阿西俄斯，
呼耳塔科斯之子，統兵的首領，閃亮的高頭大馬
把他載到此，從阿裏斯貝，塞勒埃斯河畔。
希波蘇斯率領着裴拉斯吉亞部族的槍手，
傢住土地肥沃的拉裏薩，
希波蘇斯和普萊俄斯，阿瑞斯的後代，統領着他們，
丟塔摩斯之子、裴拉斯吉亞人萊索斯的兩個兒郎。
阿卡馬斯和壯士裴魯斯率領着斯拉凱兵勇，
赫勒斯龐特滾滾的水流疆限着族民們生活的地域。
歐菲摩斯率領着基科奈斯槍手，
特羅伊澤諾斯之子，而特羅伊澤諾斯又是神祗鐘愛的勇士
凱阿斯的兒郎。
普萊剋墨斯率領着手持彎弓的派俄尼亞人，
來自遙遠的阿慕鼕以及水面開闊的阿剋西俄斯沿岸，
阿剋西俄斯，地面上水路最美的河流。
心志粗 莽的普萊墨奈斯統領着帕夫拉戈尼亞人，
來自厄奈托伊人的地域，野騾的搖籃，
來自庫托羅斯，住傢塞薩摩斯一帶，沿着
帕耳塞尼俄斯兩岸，蓋起了遠近馳名的房居，
在剋榮納、埃吉阿洛斯和高地厄魯西諾伊。
俄底俄斯和厄丕斯特羅福斯率領着哈利宗奈斯人，
來自遙遠的阿魯貝，源生白銀的土地。
剋羅彌斯率領着慕西亞兵勇，由卜者英諾摩斯輔佐，
但識辨鳥蹤的本領沒有替他擋開幽黑的死亡——
腿腳迅捷的阿基琉斯結果了他的性命，
在那條河裏，還殺了另一些特洛伊兵壯。
福耳庫斯和神一樣的阿斯卡尼俄斯統領着弗魯吉亞人，
來自遙遠的阿斯卡尼亞，渴望着投入浴血的戰鬥。
墨斯福斯和安提福斯乃邁俄尼亞人的首領，
塔萊墨奈斯的兒子，母親是古伽亞湖裏的女仙，
率領着傢居特摩洛斯山下的邁俄尼亞人。
納斯忒斯統領着粗俗的卡裏亞人，
來自米勒托斯和林木蔥鬱的山地弗西榮，
陪傍着邁安得羅斯水流和慕卡勒崢嶸的石壁。
他們的首領是安菲馬科斯和納斯忒斯，
納斯忒斯和安菲馬科斯，諾米昂的一對英武的兒子。
晃擺着黃金的裝飾，納斯忒斯走上戰場，像一位姑娘——
好一個傻瓜！然而，黃金沒有替他擋開痛苦的死亡，
腿腳迅捷的阿基琉斯結果了他的性命，
在那條河裏，驃勇的壯士剝走了金質的飾磺。
薩耳裴鼕和豪勇的格勞科斯統領着魯基亞兵勇，
來自遙遠的河灘，珊索斯飛捲的漩流。
ARGUMENT.
THE TRIAL OF THE ARMY, AND CATALOGUE OF THE FORCES.
Jupiter, in pursuance of the request of Thetis, sends a deceitful vision
to Agamemnon, persuading him to lead the army to battle, in order to make
the Greeks sensible of their want of Achilles. The general, who is deluded
with the hopes of taking Troy without his assistance, but fears the army
was discouraged by his absence, and the late plague, as well as by the
length of time, contrives to make trial of their disposition by a
stratagem. He first communicates his design to the princes in council,
that he would propose a return to the soldiers, and that they should put a
stop to them if the proposal was embraced. Then he assembles the whole
host, and upon moving for a return to Greece, they unanimously agree to
it, and run to prepare the ships. They are detained by the management of
Ulysses, who chastises the insolence of Thersites. The assembly is
recalled, several speeches made on the occasion, and at length the advice
of Nestor followed, which was to make a general muster of the troops, and
to divide them into their several nations, before they proceeded to
battle. This gives occasion to the poet to enumerate all the forces of the
Greeks and Trojans, and in a large catalogue.
The time employed in this book consists not entirely of one day. The scene
lies in the Grecian camp, and upon the sea-shore; towards the end it
removes to Troy.
Now pleasing sleep had seal'd each mortal eye,
Stretch'd in the tents the Grecian leaders lie:
The immortals slumber'd on their thrones above;
All, but the ever-wakeful eyes of Jove.(76)
To honour Thetis' son he bends his care,
And plunge the Greeks in all the woes of war:
Then bids an empty phantom rise to sight,
And thus commands the vision of the night.
"Fly hence, deluding Dream! and light as air,(77)
To Agamemnon's ample tent repair.
Bid him in arms draw forth the embattled train,
Lead all his Grecians to the dusty plain.
Declare, e'en now 'tis given him to destroy
The lofty towers of wide-extended Troy.
For now no more the gods with fate contend,
At Juno's suit the heavenly factions end.
Destruction hangs o'er yon devoted wall,
And nodding Ilion waits the impending fall."
Swift as the word the vain illusion fled,
Descends, and hovers o'er Atrides' head;
Clothed in the figure of the Pylian sage,
Renown'd for wisdom, and revered for age:
Around his temples spreads his golden wing,
And thus the flattering dream deceives the king.
[Illustration: JUPITER SENDING THE EVIL DREAM TO AGAMEMNON.]
JUPITER SENDING THE EVIL DREAM TO AGAMEMNON.
"Canst thou, with all a monarch's cares oppress'd,
O Atreus' son! canst thou indulge the rest?(78)
Ill fits a chief who mighty nations guides,
Directs in council, and in war presides,
To whom its safety a whole people owes,
To waste long nights in indolent repose.(79)
Monarch, awake! 'tis Jove's command I bear;
Thou, and thy glory, claim his heavenly care.
In just array draw forth the embattled train,
Lead all thy Grecians to the dusty plain;
E'en now, O king! 'tis given thee to destroy
The lofty towers of wide-extended Troy.
For now no more the gods with fate contend,
At Juno's suit the heavenly factions end.
Destruction hangs o'er yon devoted wall,
And nodding Ilion waits the impending fall.
Awake, but waking this advice approve,
And trust the vision that descends from Jove."
The phantom said; then vanish'd from his sight,
Resolves to air, and mixes with the night.
A thousand schemes the monarch's mind employ;
Elate in thought he sacks untaken Troy:
Vain as he was, and to the future blind,
Nor saw what Jove and secret fate design'd,
What mighty toils to either host remain,
What scenes of grief, and numbers of the slain!
Eager he rises, and in fancy hears
The voice celestial murmuring in his ears.
First on his limbs a slender vest he drew,
Around him next the regal mantle threw,
The embroider'd sandals on his feet were tied;
The starry falchion glitter'd at his side;
And last, his arm the massy sceptre loads,
Unstain'd, immortal, and the gift of gods.
Now rosy Morn ascends the court of Jove,
Lifts up her light, and opens day above.
The king despatch'd his heralds with commands
To range the camp and summon all the bands:
The gathering hosts the monarch's word obey;
While to the fleet Atrides bends his way.
In his black ship the Pylian prince he found;
There calls a senate of the peers around:
The assembly placed, the king of men express'd
The counsels labouring in his artful breast.
"Friends and confederates! with attentive ear
Receive my words, and credit what you hear.
Late as I slumber'd in the shades of night,
A dream divine appear'd before my sight;
Whose visionary form like Nestor came,
The same in habit, and in mien the same.(80)
The heavenly phantom hover'd o'er my head,
'And, dost thou sleep, O Atreus' son? (he said)
Ill fits a chief who mighty nations guides,
Directs in council, and in war presides;
To whom its safety a whole people owes,
To waste long nights in indolent repose.
Monarch, awake! 'tis Jove's command I bear,
Thou and thy glory claim his heavenly care.
In just array draw forth the embattled train,
And lead the Grecians to the dusty plain;
E'en now, O king! 'tis given thee to destroy
The lofty towers of wide-extended Troy.
For now no more the gods with fate contend,
At Juno's suit the heavenly factions end.
Destruction hangs o'er yon devoted wall,
And nodding Ilion waits the impending fall.
This hear observant, and the gods obey!'
The vision spoke, and pass'd in air away.
Now, valiant chiefs! since heaven itself alarms,
Unite, and rouse the sons of Greece to arms.
But first, with caution, try what yet they dare,
Worn with nine years of unsuccessful war.
To move the troops to measure back the main,
Be mine; and yours the province to detain."
He spoke, and sat: when Nestor, rising said,
(Nestor, whom Pylos' sandy realms obey'd,)
"Princes of Greece, your faithful ears incline,
Nor doubt the vision of the powers divine;
Sent by great Jove to him who rules the host,
Forbid it, heaven! this warning should be lost!
Then let us haste, obey the god's alarms,
And join to rouse the sons of Greece to arms."
Thus spoke the sage: the kings without delay
Dissolve the council, and their chief obey:
The sceptred rulers lead; the following host,
Pour'd forth by thousands, darkens all the coast.
As from some rocky cleft the shepherd sees
Clustering in heaps on heaps the driving bees,
Rolling and blackening, swarms succeeding swarms,
With deeper murmurs and more hoarse alarms;
Dusky they spread, a close embodied crowd,
And o'er the vale descends the living cloud.(81)
So, from the tents and ships, a lengthen'd train
Spreads all the beach, and wide o'ershades the plain:
Along the region runs a deafening sound;
Beneath their footsteps groans the trembling ground.
Fame flies before the messenger of Jove,
And shining soars, and claps her wings above.
Nine sacred heralds now, proclaiming loud(82)
The monarch's will, suspend the listening crowd.
Soon as the throngs in order ranged appear,
And fainter murmurs died upon the ear,
The king of kings his awful figure raised:
High in his hand the golden sceptre blazed;
The golden sceptre, of celestial flame,
By Vulcan form'd, from Jove to Hermes came.
To Pelops he the immortal gift resign'd;
The immortal gift great Pelops left behind,
In Atreus' hand, which not with Atreus ends,
To rich Thyestes next the prize descends;
And now the mark of Agamemnon's reign,
Subjects all Argos, and controls the main.(83)
On this bright sceptre now the king reclined,
And artful thus pronounced the speech design'd:
"Ye sons of Mars, partake your leader's care,
Heroes of Greece, and brothers of the war!
Of partial Jove with justice I complain,
And heavenly oracles believed in vain
A safe return was promised to our toils,
Renown'd, triumphant, and enrich'd with spoils.
Now shameful flight alone can save the host,
Our blood, our treasure, and our glory lost.
So Jove decrees, resistless lord of all!
At whose command whole empires rise or fall:
He shakes the feeble props of human trust,
And towns and armies humbles to the dust
What shame to Greece a fruitful war to wage,
Oh, lasting shame in every future age!
Once great in arms, the common scorn we grow,
Repulsed and baffled by a feeble foe.
So small their number, that if wars were ceased,
And Greece triumphant held a general feast,
All rank'd by tens, whole decades when they dine
Must want a Trojan slave to pour the wine.(84)
But other forces have our hopes o'erthrown,
And Troy prevails by armies not her own.
Now nine long years of mighty Jove are run,
Since first the labours of this war begun:
Our cordage torn, decay'd our vessels lie,
And scarce insure the wretched power to fly.
Haste, then, for ever leave the Trojan wall!
Our weeping wives, our tender children call:
Love, duty, safety, summon us away,
'Tis nature's voice, and nature we obey,
Our shatter'd barks may yet transport us o'er,
Safe and inglorious, to our native shore.
Fly, Grecians, fly, your sails and oars employ,
And dream no more of heaven-defended Troy."
His deep design unknown, the hosts approve
Atrides' speech. The mighty numbers move.
So roll the billows to the Icarian shore,
From east and south when winds begin to roar,
Burst their dark mansions in the clouds, and sweep
The whitening surface of the ruffled deep.
And as on corn when western gusts descend,(85)
Before the blast the lofty harvests bend:
Thus o'er the field the moving host appears,
With nodding plumes and groves of waving spears.
The gathering murmur spreads, their trampling feet
Beat the loose sands, and thicken to the fleet;
With long-resounding cries they urge the train
To fit the ships, and launch into the main.
They toil, they sweat, thick clouds of dust arise,
The doubling clamours echo to the skies.
E'en then the Greeks had left the hostile plain,
And fate decreed the fall of Troy in vain;
But Jove's imperial queen their flight survey'd,
And sighing thus bespoke the blue-eyed maid:
"Shall then the Grecians fly! O dire disgrace!
And leave unpunish'd this perfidious race?
Shall Troy, shall Priam, and the adulterous spouse,
In peace enjoy the fruits of broken vows?
And bravest chiefs, in Helen's quarrel slain,
Lie unrevenged on yon detested plain?
No: let my Greeks, unmoved by vain alarms,
Once more refulgent shine in brazen arms.
Haste, goddess, haste! the flying host detain,
Nor let one sail be hoisted on the main."
Pallas obeys, and from Olympus' height
Swift to the ships precipitates her flight.
Ulysses, first in public cares, she found,
For prudent counsel like the gods renown'd:
Oppress'd with generous grief the hero stood,
Nor drew his sable vessels to the flood.
"And is it thus, divine Laertes' son,
Thus fly the Greeks (the martial maid begun),
Thus to their country bear their own disgrace,
And fame eternal leave to Priam's race?
Shall beauteous Helen still remain unfreed,
Still unrevenged, a thousand heroes bleed!
Haste, generous Ithacus! prevent the shame,
Recall your armies, and your chiefs reclaim.
Your own resistless eloquence employ,
And to the immortals trust the fall of Troy."
The voice divine confess'd the warlike maid,
Ulysses heard, nor uninspired obey'd:
Then meeting first Atrides, from his hand
Received the imperial sceptre of command.
Thus graced, attention and respect to gain,
He runs, he flies through all the Grecian train;
Each prince of name, or chief in arms approved,
He fired with praise, or with persuasion moved.
"Warriors like you, with strength and wisdom bless'd,
By brave examples should confirm the rest.
The monarch's will not yet reveal'd appears;
He tries our courage, but resents our fears.
The unwary Greeks his fury may provoke;
Not thus the king in secret council spoke.
Jove loves our chief, from Jove his honour springs,
Beware! for dreadful is the wrath of kings."
But if a clamorous vile plebeian rose,
Him with reproof he check'd or tamed with blows.
"Be still, thou slave, and to thy betters yield;
Unknown alike in council and in field!
Ye gods, what dastards would our host command!
Swept to the war, the lumber of a land.
Be silent, wretch, and think not here allow'd
That worst of tyrants, an usurping crowd.
To one sole monarch Jove commits the sway;
His are the laws, and him let all obey."(86)
With words like these the troops Ulysses ruled,
The loudest silenced, and the fiercest cool'd.
Back to the assembly roll the thronging train,
Desert the ships, and pour upon the plain.
Murmuring they move, as when old ocean roars,
And heaves huge surges to the trembling shores;
The groaning banks are burst with bellowing sound,
The rocks remurmur and the deeps rebound.
At length the tumult sinks, the noises cease,
And a still silence lulls the camp to peace.
Thersites only clamour'd in the throng,
Loquacious, loud, and turbulent of tongue:
Awed by no shame, by no respect controll'd,
In scandal busy, in reproaches bold:
With witty malice studious to defame,
Scorn all his joy, and laughter all his aim:--
But chief he gloried with licentious style
To lash the great, and monarchs to revile.
His figure such as might his soul proclaim;
One eye was blinking, and one leg was lame:
His mountain shoulders half his breast o'erspread,
Thin hairs bestrew'd his long misshapen head.
Spleen to mankind his envious heart possess'd,
And much he hated all, but most the best:
Ulysses or Achilles still his theme;
But royal scandal his delight supreme,
Long had he lived the scorn of every Greek,
Vex'd when he spoke, yet still they heard him speak.
Sharp was his voice; which in the shrillest tone,
Thus with injurious taunts attack'd the throne.
"Amidst the glories of so bright a reign,
What moves the great Atrides to complain?
'Tis thine whate'er the warrior's breast inflames,
The golden spoil, and thine the lovely dames.
With all the wealth our wars and blood bestow,
Thy tents are crowded and thy chests o'erflow.
Thus at full ease in heaps of riches roll'd,
What grieves the monarch? Is it thirst of gold?
Say, shall we march with our unconquer'd powers
(The Greeks and I) to Ilion's hostile towers,
And bring the race of royal bastards here,
For Troy to ransom at a price too dear?
But safer plunder thy own host supplies;
Say, wouldst thou seize some valiant leader's prize?
Or, if thy heart to generous love be led,
Some captive fair, to bless thy kingly bed?
Whate'er our master craves submit we must,
Plagued with his pride, or punish'd for his lust.
Oh women of Achaia; men no more!
Hence let us fly, and let him waste his store
In loves and pleasures on the Phrygian shore.
We may be wanted on some busy day,
When Hector comes: so great Achilles may:
From him he forced the prize we jointly gave,
From him, the fierce, the fearless, and the brave:
And durst he, as he ought, resent that wrong,
This mighty tyrant were no tyrant long."
Fierce from his seat at this Ulysses springs,(87)
In generous vengeance of the king of kings.
With indignation sparkling in his eyes,
He views the wretch, and sternly thus replies:
"Peace, factious monster, born to vex the state,
With wrangling talents form'd for foul debate:
Curb that impetuous tongue, nor rashly vain,
And singly mad, asperse the sovereign reign.
Have we not known thee, slave! of all our host,
The man who acts the least, upbraids the most?
Think not the Greeks to shameful flight to bring,
Nor let those lips profane the name of king.
For our return we trust the heavenly powers;
Be that their care; to fight like men be ours.
But grant the host with wealth the general load,
Except detraction, what hast thou bestow'd?
Suppose some hero should his spoils resign,
Art thou that hero, could those spoils be thine?
Gods! let me perish on this hateful shore,
And let these eyes behold my son no more;
If, on thy next offence, this hand forbear
To strip those arms thou ill deserv'st to wear,
Expel the council where our princes meet,
And send thee scourged and howling through the fleet."
He said, and cowering as the dastard bends,
The weighty sceptre on his bank descends.(88)
On the round bunch the bloody tumours rise:
The tears spring starting from his haggard eyes;
Trembling he sat, and shrunk in abject fears,
From his vile visage wiped the scalding tears;
While to his neighbour each express'd his thought:
"Ye gods! what wonders has Ulysses wrought!
What fruits his conduct and his courage yield!
Great in the council, glorious in the field.
Generous he rises in the crown's defence,
To curb the factious tongue of insolence,
Such just examples on offenders shown,
Sedition silence, and assert the throne."
'Twas thus the general voice the hero praised,
Who, rising, high the imperial sceptre raised:
The blue-eyed Pallas, his celestial friend,
(In form a herald,) bade the crowds attend.
The expecting crowds in still attention hung,
To hear the wisdom of his heavenly tongue.
Then deeply thoughtful, pausing ere he spoke,
His silence thus the prudent hero broke:
"Unhappy monarch! whom the Grecian race
With shame deserting, heap with vile disgrace.
Not such at Argos was their generous vow:
Once all their voice, but ah! forgotten now:
Ne'er to return, was then the common cry,
Till Troy's proud structures should in ashes lie.
Behold them weeping for their native shore;
What could their wives or helpless children more?
What heart but melts to leave the tender train,
And, one short month, endure the wintry main?
Few leagues removed, we wish our peaceful seat,
When the ship tosses, and the tempests beat:
Then well may this long stay provoke their tears,
The tedious length of nine revolving years.
Not for their grief the Grecian host I blame;
But vanquish'd! baffled! oh, eternal shame!
Expect the time to Troy's destruction given.
And try the faith of Chalcas and of heaven.
What pass'd at Aulis, Greece can witness bear,(89)
And all who live to breathe this Phrygian air.
Beside a fountain's sacred brink we raised
Our verdant altars, and the victims blazed:
'Twas where the plane-tree spread its shades around,
The altars heaved; and from the crumbling ground
A mighty dragon shot, of dire portent;
From Jove himself the dreadful sign was sent.
Straight to the tree his sanguine spires he roll'd,
And curl'd around in many a winding fold;
The topmost branch a mother-bird possess'd;
Eight callow infants fill'd the mossy nest;
Herself the ninth; the serpent, as he hung,
Stretch'd his black jaws and crush'd the crying young;
While hovering near, with miserable moan,
The drooping mother wail'd her children gone.
The mother last, as round the nest she flew,
Seized by the beating wing, the monster slew;
Nor long survived: to marble turn'd, he stands
A lasting prodigy on Aulis' sands.
Such was the will of Jove; and hence we dare
Trust in his omen, and support the war.
For while around we gazed with wondering eyes,
And trembling sought the powers with sacrifice,
Full of his god, the reverend Chalcas cried,(90)
'Ye Grecian warriors! lay your fears aside.
This wondrous signal Jove himself displays,
Of long, long labours, but eternal praise.
As many birds as by the snake were slain,
So many years the toils of Greece remain;
But wait the tenth, for Ilion's fall decreed:'
Thus spoke the prophet, thus the Fates succeed.
Obey, ye Grecians! with submission wait,
Nor let your flight avert the Trojan fate."
He said: the shores with loud applauses sound,
The hollow ships each deafening shout rebound.
Then Nestor thus--"These vain debates forbear,
Ye talk like children, not like heroes dare.
Where now are all your high resolves at last?
Your leagues concluded, your engagements past?
Vow'd with libations and with victims then,
Now vanish'd like their smoke: the faith of men!
While useless words consume the unactive hours,
No wonder Troy so long resists our powers.
Rise, great Atrides! and with courage sway;
We march to war, if thou direct the way.
But leave the few that dare resist thy laws,
The mean deserters of the Grecian cause,
To grudge the conquests mighty Jove prepares,
And view with envy our successful wars.
On that great day, when first the martial train,
Big with the fate of Ilion, plough'd the main,
Jove, on the right, a prosperous signal sent,
And thunder rolling shook the firmament.
Encouraged hence, maintain the glorious strife,
Till every soldier grasp a Phrygian wife,
Till Helen's woes at full revenged appear,
And Troy's proud matrons render tear for tear.
Before that day, if any Greek invite
His country's troops to base, inglorious flight,
Stand forth that Greek! and hoist his sail to fly,
And die the dastard first, who dreads to die.
But now, O monarch! all thy chiefs advise:(91)
Nor what they offer, thou thyself despise.
Among those counsels, let not mine be vain;
In tribes and nations to divide thy train:
His separate troops let every leader call,
Each strengthen each, and all encourage all.
What chief, or soldier, of the numerous band,
Or bravely fights, or ill obeys command,
When thus distinct they war, shall soon be known
And what the cause of Ilion not o'erthrown;
If fate resists, or if our arms are slow,
If gods above prevent, or men below."
To him the king: "How much thy years excel
In arts of counsel, and in speaking well!
O would the gods, in love to Greece, decree
But ten such sages as they grant in thee;
Such wisdom soon should Priam's force destroy,
And soon should fall the haughty towers of Troy!
But Jove forbids, who plunges those he hates
In fierce contention and in vain debates:
Now great Achilles from our aid withdraws,
By me provoked; a captive maid the cause:
If e'er as friends we join, the Trojan wall
Must shake, and heavy will the vengeance fall!
But now, ye warriors, take a short repast;
And, well refresh'd, to bloody conflict haste.
His sharpen'd spear let every Grecian wield,
And every Grecian fix his brazen shield,
Let all excite the fiery steeds of war,
And all for combat fit the rattling car.
This day, this dreadful day, let each contend;
No rest, no respite, till the shades descend;
Till darkness, or till death, shall cover all:
Let the war bleed, and let the mighty fall;
Till bathed in sweat be every manly breast,
With the huge shield each brawny arm depress'd,
Each aching nerve refuse the lance to throw,
And each spent courser at the chariot blow.
Who dares, inglorious, in his ships to stay,
Who dares to tremble on this signal day;
That wretch, too mean to fall by martial power,
The birds shall mangle, and the dogs devour."
The monarch spoke; and straight a murmur rose,
Loud as the surges when the tempest blows,
That dash'd on broken rocks tumultuous roar,
And foam and thunder on the stony shore.
Straight to the tents the troops dispersing bend,
The fires are kindled, and the smokes ascend;
With hasty feasts they sacrifice, and pray,
To avert the dangers of the doubtful day.
A steer of five years' age, large limb'd, and fed,(92)
To Jove's high altars Agamemnon led:
There bade the noblest of the Grecian peers;
And Nestor first, as most advanced in years.
Next came Idomeneus,(93)
and Tydeus' son,(94)
Ajax the less, and Ajax Telamon;(95)
Then wise Ulysses in his rank was placed;
And Menelaus came, unbid, the last.(96)
The chiefs surround the destined beast, and take
The sacred offering of the salted cake:
When thus the king prefers his solemn prayer;
"O thou! whose thunder rends the clouded air,
Who in the heaven of heavens hast fixed thy throne,
Supreme of gods! unbounded, and alone!
Hear! and before the burning sun descends,
Before the night her gloomy veil extends,
Low in the dust be laid yon hostile spires,
Be Priam's palace sunk in Grecian fires.
In Hector's breast be plunged this shining sword,
And slaughter'd heroes groan around their lord!"
Thus prayed the chief: his unavailing prayer
Great Jove refused, and toss'd in empty air:
The God averse, while yet the fumes arose,
Prepared new toils, and doubled woes on woes.
Their prayers perform'd the chiefs the rite pursue,
The barley sprinkled, and the victim slew.
The limbs they sever from the inclosing hide,
The thighs, _select_ed to the gods, divide.
On these, in double cauls involved with art,
The choicest morsels lie from every part,
From the cleft wood the crackling flames aspires
While the fat victims feed the sacred fire.
The thighs thus sacrificed, and entrails dress'd
The assistants part, transfix, and roast the rest;
Then spread the tables, the repast prepare,
Each takes his seat, and each receives his share.
Soon as the rage of hunger was suppress'd,
The generous Nestor thus the prince address'd.
"Now bid thy heralds sound the loud alarms,
And call the squadrons sheathed in brazen arms;
Now seize the occasion, now the troops survey,
And lead to war when heaven directs the way."
He said; the monarch issued his commands;
Straight the loud heralds call the gathering bands
The chiefs inclose their king; the hosts divide,
In tribes and nations rank'd on either side.
High in the midst the blue-eyed virgin flies;
From rank to rank she darts her ardent eyes;
The dreadful aegis, Jove's immortal shield,
Blazed on her arm, and lighten'd all the field:
Round the vast orb a hundred serpents roll'd,
Form'd the bright fringe, and seem'd to burn in gold,
With this each Grecian's manly breast she warms,
Swells their bold hearts, and strings their nervous arms,
No more they sigh, inglorious, to return,
But breathe revenge, and for the combat burn.
As on some mountain, through the lofty grove,
The crackling flames ascend, and blaze above;
The fires expanding, as the winds arise,
Shoot their long beams, and kindle half the skies:
So from the polish'd arms, and brazen shields,
A gleamy splendour flash'd along the fields.
Not less their number than the embodied cranes,
Or milk-white swans in Asius' watery plains.
That, o'er the windings of Cayster's springs,(97)
Stretch their long necks, and clap their rustling wings,
Now tower aloft, and course in airy rounds,
Now light with noise; with noise the field resounds.
Thus numerous and confused, extending wide,
The legions crowd Scamander's flowery side;(98)
With rushing troops the plains are cover'd o'er,
And thundering footsteps shake the sounding shore.
Along the river's level meads they stand,
Thick as in spring the flowers adorn the land,
Or leaves the trees; or thick as insects play,
The wandering nation of a summer's day:
That, drawn by milky steams, at evening hours,
In gather'd swarms surround the rural bowers;
From pail to pail with busy murmur run
The gilded legions, glittering in the sun.
So throng'd, so close, the Grecian squadrons stood
In radiant arms, and thirst for Trojan blood.
Each leader now his scatter'd force conjoins
In close array, and forms the deepening lines.
Not with more ease the skilful shepherd-swain
Collects his flocks from thousands on the plain.
The king of kings, majestically tall,
Towers o'er his armies, and outshines them all;
Like some proud bull, that round the pastures leads
His subject herds, the monarch of the meads,
Great as the gods, the exalted chief was seen,
His strength like Neptune, and like Mars his mien;(99)
Jove o'er his eyes celestial glories spread,
And dawning conquest played around his head.
Say, virgins, seated round the throne divine,
All-knowing goddesses! immortal nine!(100)
Since earth's wide regions, heaven's umneasur'd height,
And hell's abyss, hide nothing from your sight,
(We, wretched mortals! lost in doubts below,
But guess by rumour, and but boast we know,)
O say what heroes, fired by thirst of fame,
Or urged by wrongs, to Troy's destruction came.
To count them all, demands a thousand tongues,
A throat of brass, and adamantine lungs.
Daughters of Jove, assist! inspired by you
The mighty labour dauntless I pursue;
What crowded armies, from what climes they bring,
Their names, their numbers, and their chiefs I sing.
THE CATALOGUE OF THE SHIPS.(101)
[Illustration: NEPTUNE.]
NEPTUNE.
The hardy warriors whom Boeotia bred,
Penelius, Leitus, Prothoenor, led:
With these Arcesilaus and Clonius stand,
Equal in arms, and equal in command.
These head the troops that rocky Aulis yields,
And Eteon's hills, and Hyrie's watery fields,
And Schoenos, Scholos, Graea near the main,
And Mycalessia's ample piny plain;
Those who in Peteon or Ilesion dwell,
Or Harma where Apollo's prophet fell;
Heleon and Hyle, which the springs o'erflow;
And Medeon lofty, and Ocalea low;
Or in the meads of Haliartus stray,
Or Thespia sacred to the god of day:
Onchestus, Neptune's celebrated groves;
Copae, and Thisbe, famed for silver doves;
For flocks Erythrae, Glissa for the vine;
Platea green, and Nysa the divine;
And they whom Thebe's well-built walls inclose,
Where Myde, Eutresis, Corone, rose;
And Arne rich, with purple harvests crown'd;
And Anthedon, Boeotia's utmost bound.
Full fifty ships they send, and each conveys
Twice sixty warriors through the foaming seas.(102)
To these succeed Aspledon's martial train,
Who plough the spacious Orchomenian plain.
Two valiant brothers rule the undaunted throng,
Ialmen and Ascalaphus the strong:
Sons of Astyoche, the heavenly fair,
Whose virgin charms subdued the god of war:
(In Actor's court as she retired to rest,
The strength of Mars the blushing maid compress'd)
Their troops in thirty sable vessels sweep,
With equal oars, the hoarse-resounding deep.
The Phocians next in forty barks repair;
Epistrophus and Schedius head the war:
From those rich regions where Cephisus leads
His silver current through the flowery meads;
From Panopea, Chrysa the divine,
Where Anemoria's stately turrets shine,
Where Pytho, Daulis, Cyparissus stood,
And fair Lilaea views the rising flood.
These, ranged in order on the floating tide,
Close, on the left, the bold Boeotians' side.
Fierce Ajax led the Locrian squadrons on,
Ajax the less, Oileus' valiant son;
Skill'd to direct the flying dart aright;
Swift in pursuit, and active in the fight.
Him, as their chief, the chosen troops attend,
Which Bessa, Thronus, and rich Cynos send;
Opus, Calliarus, and Scarphe's bands;
And those who dwell where pleasing Augia stands,
And where Boagrius floats the lowly lands,
Or in fair Tarphe's sylvan seats reside:
In forty vessels cut the yielding tide.
Euboea next her martial sons prepares,
And sends the brave Abantes to the wars:
Breathing revenge, in arms they take their way
From Chalcis' walls, and strong Eretria;
The Isteian fields for generous vines renown'd,
The fair Caristos, and the Styrian ground;
Where Dios from her towers o'erlooks the plain,
And high Cerinthus views the neighbouring main.
Down their broad shoulders falls a length of hair;
Their hands dismiss not the long lance in air;
But with protended spears in fighting fields
Pierce the tough corslets and the brazen shields.
Twice twenty ships transport the warlike bands,
Which bold Elphenor, fierce in arms, commands.
Full fifty more from Athens stem the main,
Led by Menestheus through the liquid plain.
(Athens the fair, where great Erectheus sway'd,
That owed his nurture to the blue-eyed maid,
But from the teeming furrow took his birth,
The mighty offspring of the foodful earth.
Him Pallas placed amidst her wealthy fane,
Adored with sacrifice and oxen slain;
Where, as the years revolve, her altars blaze,
And all the tribes resound the goddess' praise.)
No chief like thee, Menestheus! Greece could yield,
To marshal armies in the dusty field,
The extended wings of battle to display,
Or close the embodied host in firm array.
Nestor alone, improved by length of days,
For martial conduct bore an equal praise.
With these appear the Salaminian bands,
Whom the gigantic Telamon commands;
In twelve black ships to Troy they steer their course,
And with the great Athenians join their force.
Next move to war the generous Argive train,
From high Troezene, and Maseta's plain,
And fair Ægina circled by the main:
Whom strong Tyrinthe's lofty walls surround,
And Epidaure with viny harvests crown'd:
And where fair Asinen and Hermoin show
Their cliffs above, and ample bay below.
These by the brave Euryalus were led,
Great Sthenelus, and greater Diomed;
But chief Tydides bore the sovereign sway:
In fourscore barks they plough the watery way.
The proud Mycene arms her martial powers,
Cleone, Corinth, with imperial towers,(103)
Fair Araethyrea, Ornia's fruitful plain,
And Ægion, and Adrastus' ancient reign;
And those who dwell along the sandy shore,
And where Pellene yields her fleecy store,
Where Helice and Hyperesia lie,
And Gonoessa's spires salute the sky.
Great Agamemnon rules the numerous band,
A hundred vessels in long order stand,
And crowded nations wait his dread command.
High on the deck the king of men appears,
And his refulgent arms in triumph wears;
Proud of his host, unrivall'd in his reign,
In silent pomp he moves along the main.
His brother follows, and to vengeance warms
The hardy Spartans, exercised in arms:
Phares and Brysia's valiant troops, and those
Whom Lacedaemon's lofty hills inclose;
Or Messe's towers for silver doves renown'd,
Amyclae, Laas, Augia's happy ground,
And those whom OEtylos' low walls contain,
And Helos, on the margin of the main:
These, o'er the bending ocean, Helen's cause,
In sixty ships with Menelaus draws:
Eager and loud from man to man he flies,
Revenge and fury flaming in his eyes;
While vainly fond, in fancy oft he hears
The fair one's grief, and sees her falling tears.
In ninety sail, from Pylos' sandy coast,
Nestor the sage conducts his chosen host:
From Amphigenia's ever-fruitful land,
Where Æpy high, and little Pteleon stand;
Where beauteous Arene her structures shows,
And Thryon's walls Alpheus' streams inclose:
And Dorion, famed for Thamyris' disgrace,
Superior once of all the tuneful race,
Till, vain of mortals' empty praise, he strove
To match the seed of cloud-compelling Jove!
Too daring bard! whose unsuccessful pride
The immortal Muses in their art defied.
The avenging Muses of the light of day
Deprived his eyes, and snatch'd his voice away;
No more his heavenly voice was heard to sing,
His hand no more awaked the silver string.
Where under high Cyllene, crown'd with wood,
The shaded tomb of old Æpytus stood;
From Ripe, Stratie, Tegea's bordering towns,
The Phenean fields, and Orchomenian downs,
Where the fat herds in plenteous pasture rove;
And Stymphelus with her surrounding grove;
Parrhasia, on her snowy cliffs reclined,
And high Enispe shook by wintry wind,
And fair Mantinea's ever-pleasing site;
In sixty sail the Arcadian bands unite.
Bold Agapenor, glorious at their head,
(Ancaeus' son) the mighty squadron led.
Their ships, supplied by Agamemnon's care,
Through roaring seas the wondering warriors bear;
The first to battle on the appointed plain,
But new to all the dangers of the main.
Those, where fair Elis and Buprasium join;
Whom Hyrmin, here, and Myrsinus confine,
And bounded there, where o'er the valleys rose
The Olenian rock; and where Alisium flows;
Beneath four chiefs (a numerous army) came:
The strength and glory of the Epean name.
In separate squadrons these their train divide,
Each leads ten vessels through the yielding tide.
One was Amphimachus, and Thalpius one;
(Eurytus' this, and that Teatus' son;)
Diores sprung from Amarynceus' line;
And great Polyxenus, of force divine.
But those who view fair Elis o'er the seas
From the blest islands of the Echinades,
In forty vessels under Meges move,
Begot by Phyleus, the beloved of Jove:
To strong Dulichium from his sire he fled,
And thence to Troy his hardy warriors led.
Ulysses follow'd through the watery road,
A chief, in wisdom equal to a god.
With those whom Cephalenia's line inclosed,
Or till their fields along the coast opposed;
Or where fair Ithaca o'erlooks the floods,
Where high Neritos shakes his waving woods,
Where Ægilipa's rugged sides are seen,
Crocylia rocky, and Zacynthus green.
These in twelve galleys with vermilion prores,
Beneath his conduct sought the Phrygian shores.
Thoas came next, Andraemon's valiant son,
From Pleuron's walls, and chalky Calydon,
And rough Pylene, and the Olenian steep,
And Chalcis, beaten by the rolling deep.
He led the warriors from the Ætolian shore,
For now the sons of OEneus were no more!
The glories of the mighty race were fled!
OEneus himself, and Meleager dead!
To Thoas' care now trust the martial train,
His forty vessels follow through the main.
Next, eighty barks the Cretan king commands,
Of Gnossus, Lyctus, and Gortyna's bands;
And those who dwell where Rhytion's domes arise,
Or white Lycastus glitters to the skies,
Or where by Phaestus silver Jardan runs;
Crete's hundred cities pour forth all her sons.
These march'd, Idomeneus, beneath thy care,
And Merion, dreadful as the god of war.
Tlepolemus, the sun of Hercules,
Led nine swift vessels through the foamy seas,
From Rhodes, with everlasting sunshine bright,
Jalyssus, Lindus, and Camirus white.
His captive mother fierce Alcides bore
From Ephyr's walls and Selle's winding shore,
Where mighty towns in ruins spread the plain,
And saw their blooming warriors early slain.
The hero, when to manly years he grew,
Alcides' uncle, old Licymnius, slew;
For this, constrain'd to quit his native place,
And shun the vengeance of the Herculean race,
A fleet he built, and with a numerous train
Of willing exiles wander'd o'er the main;
Where, many seas and many sufferings past,
On happy Rhodes the chief arrived at last:
There in three tribes divides his native band,
And rules them peaceful in a foreign land;
Increased and prosper'd in their new abodes
By mighty Jove, the sire of men and gods;
With joy they saw the growing empire rise,
And showers of wealth descending from the skies.
Three ships with Nireus sought the Trojan shore,
Nireus, whom Aglae to Charopus bore,
Nireus, in faultless shape and blooming grace,
The loveliest youth of all the Grecian race;(104)
Pelides only match'd his early charms;
But few his troops, and small his strength in arms.
Next thirty galleys cleave the liquid plain,
Of those Calydnae's sea-girt isles contain;
With them the youth of Nisyrus repair,
Casus the strong, and Crapathus the fair;
Cos, where Eurypylus possess'd the sway,
Till great Alcides made the realms obey:
These Antiphus and bold Phidippus bring,
Sprung from the god by Thessalus the king.
Now, Muse, recount Pelasgic Argos' powers,
From Alos, Alope, and Trechin's towers:
From Phthia's spacious vales; and Hella, bless'd
With female beauty far beyond the rest.
Full fifty ships beneath Achilles' care,
The Achaians, Myrmidons, Hellenians bear;
Thessalians all, though various in their name;
The same their nation, and their chief the same.
But now inglorious, stretch'd along the shore,
They hear the brazen voice of war no more;
No more the foe they face in dire array:
Close in his fleet the angry leader lay;
Since fair Briseis from his arms was torn,
The noblest spoil from sack'd Lyrnessus borne,
Then, when the chief the Theban walls o'erthrew,
And the bold sons of great Evenus slew.
There mourn'd Achilles, plunged in depth of care,
But soon to rise in slaughter, blood, and war.
To these the youth of Phylace succeed,
Itona, famous for her fleecy breed,
And grassy Pteleon deck'd with cheerful greens,
The bowers of Ceres, and the sylvan scenes.
Sweet Pyrrhasus, with blooming flowerets crown'd,
And Antron's watery dens, and cavern'd ground.
These own'd, as chief, Protesilas the brave,
Who now lay silent in the gloomy grave:
The first who boldly touch'd the Trojan shore,
And dyed a Phrygian lance with Grecian gore;
There lies, far distant from his native plain;
Unfinish'd his proud palaces remain,
And his sad consort beats her breast in vain.
His troops in forty ships Podarces led,
Iphiclus' son, and brother to the dead;
Nor he unworthy to command the host;
Yet still they mourn'd their ancient leader lost.
The men who Glaphyra's fair soil partake,
Where hills incircle Boebe's lowly lake,
Where Phaere hears the neighbouring waters fall,
Or proud Iolcus lifts her airy wall,
In ten black ships embark'd for Ilion's shore,
With bold Eumelus, whom Alceste bore:
All Pelias' race Alceste far outshined,
The grace and glory of the beauteous kind,
The troops Methone or Thaumacia yields,
Olizon's rocks, or Meliboea's fields,
With Philoctetes sail'd whose matchless art
From the tough bow directs the feather'd dart.
Seven were his ships; each vessel fifty row,
Skill'd in his science of the dart and bow.
But he lay raging on the Lemnian ground,
A poisonous hydra gave the burning wound;
There groan'd the chief in agonizing pain,
Whom Greece at length shall wish, nor wish in vain.
His forces Medon led from Lemnos' shore,
Oileus' son, whom beauteous Rhena bore.
The OEchalian race, in those high towers contain'd
Where once Eurytus in proud triumph reign'd,
Or where her humbler turrets Tricca rears,
Or where Ithome, rough with rocks, appears,
In thirty sail the sparkling waves divide,
Which Podalirius and Machaon guide.
To these his skill their parent-god imparts,
Divine professors of the healing arts.
The bold Ormenian and Asterian bands
In forty barks Eurypylus commands.
Where Titan hides his hoary head in snow,
And where Hyperia's silver fountains flow.
Thy troops, Argissa, Polypoetes leads,
And Eleon, shelter'd by Olympus' shades,
Gyrtone's warriors; and where Orthe lies,
And Oloosson's chalky cliffs arise.
Sprung from Pirithous of immortal race,
The fruit of fair Hippodame's embrace,
(That day, when hurl'd from Pelion's cloudy head,
To distant dens the shaggy Centaurs fled)
With Polypoetes join'd in equal sway
Leonteus leads, and forty ships obey.
In twenty sail the bold Perrhaebians came
From Cyphus, Guneus was their leader's name.
With these the Enians join'd, and those who freeze
Where cold Dodona lifts her holy trees;
Or where the pleasing Titaresius glides,
And into Peneus rolls his easy tides;
Yet o'er the silvery surface pure they flow,
The sacred stream unmix'd with streams below,
Sacred and awful! from the dark abodes
Styx pours them forth, the dreadful oath of gods!
Last, under Prothous the Magnesians stood,
(Prothous the swift, of old Tenthredon's blood;)
Who dwell where Pelion, crown'd with piny boughs,
Obscures the glade, and nods his shaggy brows;
Or where through flowery Tempe Peneus stray'd:
(The region stretch'd beneath his mighty shade:)
In forty sable barks they stemm'd the main;
Such were the chiefs, and such the Grecian train.
Say next, O Muse! of all Achaia breeds,
Who bravest fought, or rein'd the noblest steeds?
Eumelus' mares were foremost in the chase,
As eagles fleet, and of Pheretian race;
Bred where Pieria's fruitful fountains flow,
And train'd by him who bears the silver bow.
Fierce in the fight their nostrils breathed a flame,
Their height, their colour, and their age the same;
O'er fields of death they whirl the rapid car,
And break the ranks, and thunder through the war.
Ajax in arms the first renown acquired,
While stern Achilles in his wrath retired:
(His was the strength that mortal might exceeds,
And his the unrivall'd race of heavenly steeds:)
But Thetis' son now shines in arms no more;
His troops, neglected on the sandy shore.
In empty air their sportive javelins throw,
Or whirl the disk, or bend an idle bow:
Unstain'd with blood his cover'd chariots stand;
The immortal coursers graze along the strand;
But the brave chiefs the inglorious life deplored,
And, wandering o'er the camp, required their lord.
Now, like a deluge, covering all around,
The shining armies sweep along the ground;
Swift as a flood of fire, when storms arise,
Floats the wild field, and blazes to the skies.
Earth groan'd beneath them; as when angry Jove
Hurls down the forky lightning from above,
On Arime when he the thunder throws,
And fires Typhoeus with redoubled blows,
Where Typhon, press'd beneath the burning load,
Still feels the fury of the avenging god.
But various Iris, Jove's commands to bear,
Speeds on the wings of winds through liquid air;
In Priam's porch the Trojan chiefs she found,
The old consulting, and the youths around.
Polites' shape, the monarch's son, she chose,
Who from Æsetes' tomb observed the foes,(105)
High on the mound; from whence in prospect lay
The fields, the tents, the navy, and the bay.
In this dissembled form, she hastes to bring
The unwelcome message to the Phrygian king.
"Cease to consult, the time for action calls;
War, horrid war, approaches to your walls!
Assembled armies oft have I beheld;
But ne'er till now such numbers charged a field:
Thick as autumnal leaves or driving sand,
The moving squadrons blacken all the strand.
Thou, godlike Hector! all thy force employ,
Assemble all the united bands of Troy;
In just array let every leader call
The foreign troops: this day demands them all!"
The voice divine the mighty chief alarms;
The council breaks, the warriors rush to arms.
The gates unfolding pour forth all their train,
Nations on nations fill the dusky plain,
Men, steeds, and chariots, shake the trembling ground:
The tumult thickens, and the skies resound.
Amidst the plain, in sight of Ilion, stands
A rising mount, the work of human hands;
(This for Myrinne's tomb the immortals know,
Though call'd Bateia in the world below;)
Beneath their chiefs in martial order here,
The auxiliar troops and Trojan hosts appear.
The godlike Hector, high above the rest,
Shakes his huge spear, and nods his plumy crest:
In throngs around his native bands repair,
And groves of lances glitter in the air.
Divine Æneas brings the Dardan race,
Anchises' son, by Venus' stolen embrace,
Born in the shades of Ida's secret grove;
(A mortal mixing with the queen of love;)
Archilochus and Acamas divide
The warrior's toils, and combat by his side.
Who fair Zeleia's wealthy valleys till,(106)
Fast by the foot of Ida's sacred hill,
Or drink, Æsepus, of thy sable flood,
Were led by Pandarus, of royal blood;
To whom his art Apollo deign'd to show,
Graced with the presents of his shafts and bow.
From rich Apaesus and Adrestia's towers,
High Teree's summits, and Pityea's bowers;
From these the congregated troops obey
Young Amphius and Adrastus' equal sway;
Old Merops' sons; whom, skill'd in fates to come,
The sire forewarn'd, and prophesied their doom:
Fate urged them on! the sire forewarn'd in vain,
They rush'd to war, and perish'd on the plain.
From Practius' stream, Percote's pasture lands,
And Sestos and Abydos' neighbouring strands,
From great Arisba's walls and Selle's coast,
Asius Hyrtacides conducts his host:
High on his car he shakes the flowing reins,
His fiery coursers thunder o'er the plains.
The fierce Pelasgi next, in war renown'd,
March from Larissa's ever-fertile ground:
In equal arms their brother leaders shine,
Hippothous bold, and Pyleus the divine.
Next Acamas and Pyrous lead their hosts,
In dread array, from Thracia's wintry coasts;
Round the bleak realms where Hellespontus roars,
And Boreas beats the hoarse-resounding shores.
With great Euphemus the Ciconians move,
Sprung from Troezenian Ceus, loved by Jove.
Pyraechmes the Paeonian troops attend,
Skill'd in the fight their crooked bows to bend;
From Axius' ample bed he leads them on,
Axius, that laves the distant Amydon,
Axius, that swells with all his neighbouring rills,
And wide around the floating region fills.
The Paphlagonians Pylaemenes rules,
Where rich Henetia breeds her savage mules,
Where Erythinus' rising cliffs are seen,
Thy groves of box, Cytorus! ever green,
And where Ægialus and Cromna lie,
And lofty Sesamus invades the sky,
And where Parthenius, roll'd through banks of flowers,
Reflects her bordering palaces and bowers.
Here march'd in arms the Halizonian band,
Whom Odius and Epistrophus command,
From those far regions where the sun refines
The ripening silver in Alybean mines.
There mighty Chromis led the Mysian train,
And augur Ennomus, inspired in vain;
For stern Achilles lopp'd his sacred head,
Roll'd down Scamander with the vulgar dead.
Phorcys and brave Ascanius here unite
The Ascanian Phrygians, eager for the fight.
Of those who round Maeonia's realms reside,
Or whom the vales in shades of Tmolus hide,
Mestles and Antiphus the charge partake,
Born on the banks of Gyges' silent lake.
There, from the fields where wild Maeander flows,
High Mycale, and Latmos' shady brows,
And proud Miletus, came the Carian throngs,
With mingled clamours and with barbarous tongues.(107)
Amphimachus and Naustes guide the train,
Naustes the bold, Amphimachus the vain,
Who, trick'd with gold, and glittering on his car,
Rode like a woman to the field of war.
Fool that he was! by fierce Achilles slain,
The river swept him to the briny main:
There whelm'd with waves the gaudy warrior lies
The valiant victor seized the golden prize.
The forces last in fair array succeed,
Which blameless Glaucus and Sarpedon lead
The warlike bands that distant Lycia yields,
Where gulfy Xanthus foams along the fields. 其時，陣勢已經排開，每支隊伍都有首領管帶，
特洛伊人挾着喧鬧走來，喊聲震天，恰似一群野生的鴻雁，
疾飛的鸛鶴，發出衝天的喧喊，
試圖逃避鼕日的陰寒和暴瀉不止的驟雨，
尖叫着展翅俄開阿諾斯洋流，
給普革邁亞人送去流血和毀滅：
它們將在黎明時分發起進攻，使後者屍橫遍野。
但是，阿開亞人卻在靜靜地行進，吞吐着騰騰的殺氣，
人人狠了心腸，决心與夥伴互為幫援。
兵勇們急速行進，穿越平原，腳下
掀捲起一股股濃密的泥塵，密得
就像南風颳來彌罩峰巒的濃霧——
它不是牧人的朋友，但對小偷，卻比黑夜還要寶貴——
使人的目力僅限於一塊投石可及的距程。
兩軍相對而行，咄咄逼近；
神一樣的亞歷剋心德羅斯從特洛伊人的隊伍裏跳將出來，
作為挑戰者，肩上斜披着一領豹皮，
帶着彎弓和利劍，手握一對頂着青銅矛尖的
投槍，對所有最好的阿耳吉維人挑戰，
在痛苦的搏殺中，一對一地拼個你死我活。
嗜戰的墨奈勞斯興高采烈，眼見
帕裏斯邁着大步，走在隊伍的前面，
像一頭獅子，碰上一具碩大的屍軀，
饑腸轆轆，撲嚮一頭帶角的公鹿
或野山羊的軀體，大口撕咬，雖然在它的前方，
奔跑的獵狗和年輕力壯的獵人正在撲擊——
就像這樣，墨奈勞斯高興地看到神一樣的亞歷剋山德羅斯
出現在他的面前，思盼着懲罰這個騙子，
從車上＿躍而下，雙腳着地，全副武裝。
然而，當神一樣的亞歷剋山德羅斯看到前排戰勇中
墨奈勞斯的身影，心裏一陣顫嗦，
為了躲避死亡，退回己方的隊陣。
像一個穿走山𠔌的行人，遇到一條老蛇，
趕緊收回腳步，混身發抖，
嚇得連連後退，面無人色——
就像這樣，在阿特桑斯之子面前，神一樣的亞歷剋山德羅斯
拔腳逃回高傲的特洛伊人的營伍。
赫剋托耳見狀破口大駡，用譏辱的言語：
“可惡的帕裏斯，儀表堂皇的公子哥，勾引拐騙的女人迷！
但願你不曾生在人間，或未婚先亡！
我打心眼裏願意這是真的；這要比
讓你跟着我們，丟人現眼，受人蔑視好得多。
長發的阿開亞人正在放聲大笑，
以為你是我們這邊最好的戰勇，衹因你
相貌俊美，但你生性怯弱，缺乏勇氣。
難道你不是這麽一個人嗎？在遠洋船裏，
你聚起槳手，揚帆駛嚮深海，
和外邦人交往廝混，從遙遠的地方帶走
一位絶色的女子，而她的丈夫和國民都是手握槍矛的鬥士。
對你的父親，你的城市和人民，你是一場災難；
你給敵人送去歡悅，卻給自己帶來恥辱！
為何不去和嗜戰的墨奈勞斯對陣？衹要打上一個回合，你就會
知道他的厲害；你奪走了他的妻子，一位美貌、豐腴的女流。
那時，你的竪琴可就幫不了你的忙；當你抱着泥塵打滾時，
阿芙羅底忒的饋贈——漂亮的發綹和英俊的臉蛋——都將成為
無用的廢物。
是的，特洛伊人都是些膽小鬼；否則，衝着你給我們
帶來的損害，你的披篷早就該兜滿了橫飛的石頭！”
聽罷這番話，神一樣的亞歷剋山德羅斯答道：
“赫剋托耳，你的指責公正合理，一點都不過分。
你的心是那樣的剛烈，就像斧斤的利刃，
帶着工匠的臂力，吃砍一樹圓木，憑着精湛的技藝，
伐木造船，斧刃滿荷着他的力量間落。
你胸腔裏的那顆心啊，就像斧刃一樣剛豪。
儘管如此，你卻不宜嘲諷金色的阿芙羅底忒給我的賜賞；
神賜的禮物不能丟卻，因為它們象徵榮譽——
神們按自己的意願送給，凡人的一廂情願不會得到它們。
這樣吧，如果你希望我去戰鬥，去拼殺，那麽，
就讓所有其他的特洛伊人坐下，阿開亞人亦然，
讓我和嗜戰的墨奈勞斯，在兩軍之間的空地，
為海倫和她的財物决鬥。
讓二者中的勝者，也就是更強有力的人，
理所當然地帶走財物，領着那個女子回傢。
其他人要訂立友好協約，以牲血封證。
你們繼續住在土地肥沃的特洛伊，他們則返回
馬草豐美的阿耳戈斯，回到出美女的阿開亞。”
聽罷此番說道，赫剋托耳心裏高興，
步入兩軍之間的空地，手握槍矛的中端，
迫使特洛伊編隊後靠，直到兵勇們全都麯腿下坐。
但是，長發的阿開亞人卻仍在對他瞄準，拉響彎弓，
試圖把他擊倒，用箭和石頭，
直到民衆的王者阿伽門農亮開寬大的嗓門喊道：
“別打了，阿耳吉維人！停止投射吧，阿開亞人的兒子們！
你們看，頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳有話對我們說告。”
他言罷，兵勇們停止進攻，馬上安靜了
下來。其時，赫剋托耳站在兩軍之間，高聲喊道：
“聽我說，特洛伊人和脛甲堅固的阿開亞人！聽聽
亞歷剋山德羅斯的挑戰，這個引發了這場惡戰的人。
他要所有其他的特洛伊人和阿開亞人
把精製的甲械置放在豐肥的土地上。
由他自己和好戰的墨奈拉俄斯一對一地
在中間格殺，為了獲取海倫和她的財物。
讓二者中的勝者，也就是更強有力的人，
理所當然地帶走財物，領着那個女子回傢，
其他人要訂立友好協約，以牲血封證！”
他言罷，全場靜默，肅然無聲。
人群中，嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯開口打破沉寂，說道：
“各位，也請聽聽我的意見，因為在所有的人中，我所承受的
痛苦最為直接。不過，我認為阿耳吉維人和特洛伊人
最終可以心平氣和地分手——大傢已經吃夠了苦頭，
為了我，我的爭吵，和挑起爭鬥的亞歷剋山德羅斯。
我們二人中，總有一個命薄，註定了不能生還；
那就讓他死去吧！但你等雙方要趕快分手，越快越好！
去拿兩衹羊羔，一隻白的，一隻黑的[●]，
●一隻白的，一隻黑的：白的祭給俄林波斯神抵，黑的祭給地神。此外，按
照習慣，尊祭男性的神祗用公畜，祀祭女神則用母畜。
分別祭獻給大地和太陽；對宙斯，我們將另備一頭羊牲。
還要把強有力的普裏阿摩斯請來，讓他用牲血封證誓約——
要普裏阿摩斯本人，他的兒子們莽蕩不羈，不可信用。
誰也不能毀約，踐毀我們在宙斯的監督下所發的誓咒。
年輕人幼稚輕浮，歷來如此。
所以，要有一位長者置身其間，因為他能瞻前
顧後，使雙方都能得獲遠為善好的結果。”
言罷，阿開亞人和特洛伊人全都笑逐顔開，
希望由此擺脫戰爭的苦難。
他們把戰車排攏成行，提腿下車，
卸去甲械，置放在身邊的泥地上，
擁擠在一起，中間衹留下很小的隙空。
赫剋托耳命囑兩位使者趕回城堡，
即刻取回羊羔，並喚請普裏阿摩斯前來，
而強有力的阿伽門農也差命塔耳蘇比俄斯
前往深曠的海船，提取另一頭
羊牲，使者服從了高貴的阿伽門農。
其時，神使伊裏絲來到白臂膀的海倫面前，
以她姑子的形象出現，安忒諾耳之子。
強有力的赫利卡昂的妻侶，名
勞迪凱，普裏阿摩斯的女兒中最漂亮的一位。
伊裏絲在房間裏找到海倫，後者正製紡一件精美的織物，
一件雙層的紫袍，上面織着馴馬的特洛伊人
和身披銅甲的阿開亞人沓無終期的拼鬥。
為了海倫，他們在戰神的雙臂下吃盡了苦頭。
腿腳飛快的伊裏絲站在她的身邊，說道：
“走吧，親愛的姑娘，去看一個精彩的場面，
馴馬的特洛伊人和身披銅甲的阿開亞人手創的奇作。
剛纔，他們還掙紮在痛苦的戰鬥中，格殺在
平野上，一心嚮往殊死的拼鬥；
而現在，他們卻靜靜地坐在那裏——戰鬥已經結束。
他們靠躺在盾牌上，把粗長的槍矛插在身邊的泥地裏。
但是，阿瑞斯鐘愛的墨奈勞斯和亞歷剋山德羅斯即將開戰，
為了你不惜面對粗長的槍矛。
你將歸屬勝者，做他心愛的妻房。”
女神的話在海倫心裏勾起了甜美的思念，
對她的前夫，她的雙親和城堡。
她迅速穿上閃亮的裙袍，流着
晶亮的淚珠，匆匆走出房門，並非獨坐
偶行——兩位待女跟隨前往，伺候照料，
埃絲拉，皮修斯的女兒，和牛眼睛的剋魯墨奈。
她們很快來到斯卡亞門聳立的城沿。
普裏阿摩斯已在城上，身邊圍聚着潘蘇斯、蘇摩伊忒斯，
朗波斯、剋魯提俄斯和希開塔昂，阿瑞斯的伴從，
還有烏卡勒工和安忒諾耳，兩位思路清晰的謀士。
他們端坐在斯卡亞門上方的城面，這些民衆尊敬的長者，
由於上了年紀，已不再浴血疆場，但仍然
雄辯滔滔，談吐清明透亮，猶如停棲樹枝。
鼓翼緑林的夏蟬，抑揚頓挫的叫聲遠近傳聞。
就像這樣，特洛伊人老一輩的首領坐談城樓。
他們看到海倫，正沿着城墻走來，
便壓低聲音，交換起長了翅膀的話語：
“好一位標緻的美人！難怪，為了她，特洛伊人和脛甲堅固的
阿開亞人經年奮戰，含辛茹苦——誰能責備他們呢？
她的長相就像不死的女神，簡直像極了！
但是，儘管貌似天仙，還是讓她登船離去吧，
不要把她留下，給我們和我們的子孫都帶來痛苦！”
他們如此一番談論，而普裏阿摩斯則亮開嗓門，對海倫
喊道：
“過來吧，親愛的孩子，坐在我的面前，
看看離別多年的前夫，還有你的鄉親和朋友。
我沒有責怪你；在我看來，該受責備的是神，
是他們把我拖入了這場對抗阿開亞人的悲苦的戰爭。
走近些，告訴我他的名字，那個偉岸的勇士，
他是誰，那位強健、壯實的阿開亞人？
不錯，隊列裏有些人比他還高出一頭，
但我從未見過如此出類拔萃的人物，
這般高豪的氣派——此人必是一位王貴！”
聽罷這番話，海倫，女人中閃光的佼佼者，答道：
“親愛的父親，我尊敬你，但也懼怕你，一嚮如此；但願
我在那個倒黴的時刻痛苦地死去——那時，我跟着你的兒子
來到此地，拋棄了我的家庭，我的親人，
我的現已長大成人的孩子，還有那群和我同齡的姑娘——多
少歡樂的時分！
然而，死亡沒有把我帶走，所以，我衹能藉助眼淚的耗磨。
好吧，我這就回話，告答你的詢問。
那個人是阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農，統治着遼闊的疆土，
既是位很好的國王，又是個強有力的槍手。他曾是
我的親戚，我這個不要臉的女人！這一切真像是一場迷夢。”
海倫言罷，老人瞠目凝視，驚贊之情溢於言表：
“好福氣呵，阿特柔斯之子；幸運的孩子，得寵的天驕！
你統領着浩浩蕩蕩的大軍，阿開亞人的兒子。
從前，我曾訪問過盛産葡萄的弗魯吉亞，
眼見過弗魯吉亞人和他們那蹄腿輕捷的戰馬；
兵勇們人多勢衆，俄特柔斯和神一樣的慕格登統領着他們，
其時正駐紮在珊林裏俄斯河的沿岸。
我，作為他們的盟友，站在他們的營伍中——那一天，
雅馬宗女子正嚮他們逼近，那些和男兒一樣善戰的女人。
然而，即便是他們，也不及明眸的阿開亞人人多勢衆。”
接着，老人移目俄底修斯，復問道：
“親愛的孩子，告訴我那個人，他是誰呢？
論個子，他顯然矮了一頭，比阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農，
但他的肩膀和胸背卻長得更為寬厚。
現在，他雖已把甲械置放豐産的土地，
卻仍然忙着整頓隊伍，巡行穿梭，像一頭公羊。
是的，我想把他比作一頭毛層厚實的公羊，
穿行在一大群閃着白光的綿羊中。”
聽罷這番話，海倫，宙斯的孩子，開口答道：
“這位是萊耳忒斯之子，足智多謀的俄底修斯。
他在岩面粗皺的伊薩凱長大，但卻
精於應變之術，善於計謀籌劃。”
聽罷這番話，聰明的安忒諾耳說道：
“夫人，你的話完全正確。從前，
卓著的俄底修斯曾來過這裏，由
阿瑞斯鐘愛的墨奈勞斯陪同，銜領着帶你回返的使命。
我熱情地款待了他們，在我的廳堂，
瞭解到二位的秉性，他們的謀纔和辯力。
當他們彙聚在參加集會的特洛伊人裏，肩並肩地
站在一起時，墨奈勞斯以寬厚的肩膀壓過了他的朋友；
但是，當他倆挺胸端坐，俄底修斯卻顯得更有王者的氣度。
他們對着衆人講話，連詞組句，說表精湛的見解。
墨奈勞斯出言迅捷，用詞雖少，
卻十分明晰達練；他不喜長篇大論，
也不愛漫無邊際地暗扯，雖然他是二者中較為年輕的壯勇。
但是，當足智多謀的俄底修斯站起身子，
他衹是木然而立，眼睛死死地盯着腳下的泥土，
從不前後擺動權杖，而是緊握在手，
紋絲不動，像個一無所知的呆漢。
是的，你可以把他當做一個沉悶的怪人，一個不摻假的蠢貨。
然而，當洪亮的聲音衝出他的丹田，詞句像鼕天的
雪片一樣紛紛揚揚的飄來時，凡人中就不會有他的對手，
誰也不能匹敵俄底修斯的口才！這時，
我們就不再會註視他的外表，帶着驚異的神情。”
其時，老人看着第三位勇士，人群中的埃阿斯，問道：
“他是誰，那位阿開亞人，長得如此強壯和健美，
魁偉的身軀壓倒了其他阿耳吉維人，高出一個頭臉，一副寬厚
的肩胸？”
長裙飄舞的海倫，女人中閃光的佼佼者，答道：
“他是巨人埃阿斯，阿開亞人的屏障。那位是
伊多墨紐斯，在聯軍的那一頭，像神似地
站在剋裏忒人裏，身邊擁圍着剋裏忒人的軍頭。
當他從剋裏忒來訪時，阿瑞斯鐘愛的墨奈勞斯
曾多次作東款待，在我們傢裏。現在，我已看到
他們所有的人，所有其他明眸的阿開亞人；
我熟悉他們，叫得出他們的名字。
然而，我卻找不到兩個人，軍隊的首領——
馴馬者卡斯托耳和波魯丟開斯，強有力的拳手——
我的兄弟，一母親生的同胞。
也許，他們沒有和衆人一起跨出美麗的拉凱代蒙，
也許來了，乘坐破浪遠洋的海船，
卻不願和勇士們一起戰鬥，害怕
聽到對我的譏刺和羞辱。”
海倫言罷，卻不知藴育生命的泥壤已經
把他們埋葬，在拉凱代蒙，他們熱愛的故土。
其時，使者穿過城區，帶着對神封證誓約的牲品，
兩衹羊羔，還有烘暖心胸的醇酒，
裝在鼓鼓囊囊的山羊皮袋裏，另一位（使者伊代俄斯）
端着閃亮的兌缸和金鑄的杯盅。
他站在老人身邊，大聲催請道：
“勞墨鼕之子，起來吧，馴馬和特洛伊人和
身披銅甲的阿開亞人的首領們
要你前往平原，封證他們的誓約。
亞歷剋山德羅斯和阿瑞斯鐘愛的墨奈勞斯正準備决鬥，
為了海倫不惜面對粗長的槍矛。
勝者帶走女人和她的財物，
其他人則訂立友好協約，以牲血封證。
我們仍住在土地肥沃的特洛伊，而他們將返回
馬草肥美的阿耳戈斯，回到出美女的阿開亞。”
聽罷這番話，老人渾身顫嗦，吩咐隨從
套車，後者謹遵不違，馬上付諸行動。
普裏阿摩斯擡腿登車，綳緊繮繩，
安忒諾耳亦踏上做工精緻的馬車，站在他的身邊。
他趕起快馬，衝出斯開亞門，馳嚮平原，
來到特洛伊人和阿開亞人陳兵的地點，
步下馬車，踏上豐産的土地，
朝着兩軍之間的空間走去。
阿伽門農，民衆的王者，見狀起身相迎，
足智多謀的俄底修斯亦站立起來。高貴的使者
帶來了祭神和封證誓約的牲品。他們在一個碩大的
調缸裏兌酒，倒出淨水，洗過各位王者的雙手。
阿特桑斯之子拔出匕首——此物總是
懸挂在銅劍寬厚的劍路旁——
從羊羔的頭部割下發綹，使者們把羊毛
傳遞給特洛伊人和阿開亞人的每一位酋首。
阿特柔斯之子雙臂高揚，用宏亮的聲音朗朗作誦：
“父親宙斯，從伊達山上督視着我們的大神，光榮的典範，偉大
的象徵！還有無所不見、無所不聞的赫利俄斯，
河流、大地以及你們，地府裏懲治死者的尊神，
你們懲治那些發偽誓的人們，不管是誰，
請你們作證，監護我們的誓封。
倘若亞歷剋山德羅斯殺了墨奈勞斯，
那就讓他繼續擁有海倫和她的全部財物，
而我們則駕着破浪遠洋的海船國傢；
但是，倘若棕發的墨奈勞斯殺了亞歷剋山德羅斯，
那就讓特洛伊人交還海倫和她的全部財物，
連同一份賠送，給阿耳吉維兵衆，數量要公允得體，
使後人亦能牢記心中。
如果亞歷剋山德羅斯死後，普裏阿摩斯
和他的兒子們拒絶支付償酬，那麽，
我將親自出陣，為獲取這份財物拼鬥；
不打贏這場戰爭，决不回頭！”
言罷，他用無情的匕首抹開羊羔的脖子，
放手讓它們癱倒在地上，痙攣着，魂息
飄離而去——鋒快的銅刃奪走了它們的生命。
接着，他們傾杯兌缸，舀出醇酒，
潑灑在地，對着不死的神明祈禱。
人群中可以聽到阿開亞人或特洛伊人的誦告：
“宙斯，光榮的典範，偉大的象徵；還有你們，各位不死的衆神！
我們雙方，誰若破毀誓約，不管何人，
讓他們，連同他們的兒子，腦漿塗地，就像這潑灑出去的
杯酒——讓他們的妻子淪為戰禮，落入敵人的手中！”
他們如此一番祈禱，但剋羅諾斯之子此時無意允諾。
其時，人群中傳來達耳達諾斯的後代、普裏阿摩斯的聲音：
“聽我說，特洛伊人和脛甲堅固的阿開亞人！
我準備馬上回傢，回到多風的伊利昂——
我不忍心親眼看着心愛的兒子
同阿瑞斯鐘愛的墨奈勞斯拼鬥。
宙斯知道，毫無疑問，其他不死的神明也知道，
他們中誰個不能生還，註定了要以死告終。”
言罷，這位像神一樣的凡人把羊羔裝上馬車，
擡腿踏上車面，綳緊了繮繩，
安忒諾耳亦踏上做工精緻的馬車，站在他的身邊。
他們驅車回返，朝着伊利昂馳去。
其時，普裏阿摩斯之子赫剋托耳如卓越的俄底修斯
已丈量出决鬥的場地，抓起石鬮，
放入青銅的盔蓋，來回搖動，
以便决定誰個先投，擲出青銅的槍矛。
兵勇們開口祈禱，對着神祗高高地舉起雙手。
人群中可以聽到阿開亞人或特洛伊人的誦告：
“父親宙斯，從伊達山上督視着我們的大神，光榮的典範，偉大
的象徵！讓那個——不管是誰——給我們帶來這場災難的人
死在槍劍之下，滾人哀地斯的冥府！
讓我們大傢共享誓約帶來的友好和平和！”
禱畢，高大的赫剋托耳，頭頂閃亮的盔冠，
搖動手中的石塊，雙目後視——帕裏斯的石鬮蹦出盔面。
兵勇們按隊列下坐，緊挨着自己那
蹄腿輕捷的快馬和閃亮的甲械。其時，
他們中的一員，卓著的亞歷剋山德羅斯，
美發海倫的夫婿，開始披戴閃亮的鎧甲，在自己的胸背。
首先，他用脛甲裹住小腿，
精美的製品，帶着銀質的踝扣，
隨之係上胸甲，掩起胸背，
大小適中，儘管它的屬主是本傢兄弟魯卡昂，
然後挎上柄嵌銀釘的利劍，
青銅鑄就，背起盾牌，盾面巨大、沉重。
其後，他把做工精緻的帽盔扣上壯實的頭顱，
連同馬鬃做就的頂冠，搖撼出鎮人的威嚴。
最後，他操起一桿抓握順手、沉甸甸的槍矛。按照
同樣的順序，嗜戰的墨奈拉俄斯也如此這般地武裝了起來。
這樣，二位壯勇在各自的軍陣裏披挂完畢，
大步走入特洛伊人和阿開亞人之間的空地，
射出兇狠的目光，旁觀者們見狀驚贊詫異，
特洛伊人，馴馬的好手，和脛甲堅固的阿開亞兵衆。
他們在指定的場地上站好位置，相距不遠，
揮舞着手中的槍矛，怒滿胸膛。
亞歷剋山德羅斯首先擲出投影森長的槍矛，
銅尖飛嚮阿特柔斯之子溜圓的戰盾，
但卻不曾穿透，堅實的盾面頂彎了
槍尖。接着，阿特柔斯之子墨奈勞斯
出手投槍，祈盼着父親宙斯的助佑：
“允許我，王者宙斯，讓我懲罰卓著的亞歷剋山德羅斯，
用我的雙手把他結果——是他先傷害了我！
這樣，後人中倘若有誰試圖恩將仇報，對好客的主人，
畏此先鑒，定會肝膽俱破！”
言罷，他持平落影森長的槍矛，奮臂投擲，
擊中普裏阿摩斯之子邊圍溜圓的戰後，
沉重的槍尖穿透閃光的盾面，
捅開精工製作的胸甲，
衝着腹肋刺搗，挑開了貼身的衫衣，
但帕裏斯側身一旁，躲過了幽黑的死亡。
阿特柔斯之子拔出柄嵌銀釘的銅劍，
高舉過頭，奮力劈砍對手的盔脊，卻被
撞頂得七零八落，脫離了手的抓握。
阿特柔斯之子長嘆一聲，仰面遼闊的天穹：
“父親宙斯，你的殘忍神祗中誰也不可比及！
我想懲罰亞歷剋山德羅斯的鬍作非為，
但我的銅劍已在手中裂成碎片，而我的槍矛
也衹是徒勞地作了一次撲擊，不曾把他放倒！”
言罷，墨奈勞斯衝撲過去，一把抓住嵌綴馬鬃的頭盔，
奮力拉轉，把他拖往脛甲堅固的阿開亞人的隊列，
刻着圖紋的盔帶，係固着銅盔，綳緊在帕裏斯
鬆軟的脖圈，此時幾乎把他勒得喘不過氣來。
要不是宙斯之女阿芙羅底忒眼快，
墨奈勞斯大概已經把他拉走，爭得了不朽的光榮。
她櫓脫扣帶，一段生牛皮，割自一頭被宰的公牛，
使阿特桑斯之子衹攥得一頂空盔，用強有力的大手。
英雄甩手一揮，帽蓋朝着脛甲堅固的
阿開亞人飛走，被他信賴的夥伴們接收。
他轉身再次撲嚮對手，决心用銅矛
結果他的性命。但阿芙羅底忒輕舒臂膀——
神力無窮——攝走帕裏斯，把他藏裹在濃霧裏，
送回飄散着清香的床居。然後，
她又前往招呼海倫，發現後者正置身
高高的城樓，周圍簇擁着一群女子，特洛伊的民衆。
她伸手拉過海倫芬芳的裙袍，搖拽着，
開口說道，以一位老嫗的模樣，
一位織紡羊毛的婦人——海倫棲居拉凱代蒙時，
老婦曾為他手製漂亮的羊毛織物——海倫十分喜歡她。
以這位老婦的模樣，阿芙羅底忒開口說道：
“跟我來，趕快！亞歷剋山德羅斯讓我請你回還，
正在臥房等你，在雕着圍環的床上，
衣衫光亮，瀟灑俊美。你不會覺得
他歸自决鬥的戰場；不，你會以為他正打算
蕩開舞步，或剛剛跳完一輪下來，息身床頭。”
女神一番誘說，紛擾了海倫的心胸。
她認出了女神，那修長滑潤的脖子，
豐滿堅挺的乳房，閃閃發光的眼睛，
使她震驚不已。她開口說話，動情喚呼：
“瘋了嗎，我的女神！如此處心積慮地誘惑，用意何在？
你還打算把我引嚮何方？前往某個繁榮興旺的
城堡？去弗魯吉亞，還是迷人的邁俄尼亞？
也許，那裏也有一位你所鐘愛的凡人？
是不是因為墨奈勞斯已打敗高貴的帕裏斯，
並想把我，儘管受人憎恨，帶回傢門？
是否因為出於此番緣故，你來到這裏，心懷狡黠的籌謀？
要去你自己去吧——坐在帕裏斯身邊，拋棄神的地位，
從今後再也不要落腳俄林波斯山頭！
看護着他，替他吃苦受難，永遠同住廝守，
直到他娶你為妻，或把你當做一名供他役使的伴僕。
至於我，我决不會回到他的懷抱；再和他同床，
將使我臉面全無。特洛伊女人，全城的婦道，
會對我奚指嘲駡，儘管悲愁已註滿我的心胸。”
聽罷這番話，閃光的阿芙羅底忒怒不可遏，呵斥道：
“不要挑逗我，給臉不要臉的姑娘，免得我盛怒之中把你棄置
一旁，像現在這樣深深地愛你一樣，咬牙切齒地恨你；也免得
我鼓動起雙方對你的仇恨，讓你像個受氣包似地夾在中間，
夾在達奈人和特洛伊人之間，落個凄凄慘慘的結終！”
女神言罷，宙斯的女兒心裏害怕，
啓步回傢，包裹在光燦燦的裙袍裏，
默然無聲。特洛伊婦女對此一無所見，女神引着她行走。
當她們抵達亞歷剋山德羅斯華麗的房居，
侍從們趕忙閃開，操持各自的活計，
而海倫，女人中閃光的佼佼者，此時走嚮頂面高聳的睡房。
愛笑的阿芙羅底忒抓過一把椅子，
提來放在亞歷剋山德羅斯面前，而
海倫，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的女兒．彎身下坐，
移開眼神，嘲諷起她的丈夫：
“這麽說，你是從戰場上回來了。天呢，你怎麽沒有死在那裏，
被一位強有力的勇士，我的前夫，打翻在地。
以前，你可是個吹牛的好手，自稱比阿瑞斯鐘愛的
墨奈勞斯出色，無論是比力氣、手勁還是槍投。
何不再去試試，挑戰阿瑞斯鐘愛的墨奈勞斯，
面對面地殺上一陣？算了，還是不去為好；我勸你
就此作罷，不要再和棕發的墨奈拉俄斯
絞鬥，一對一地拼殺，像個莽撞的
蠢貨——他的槍矛興許會替你放血封喉！”
聽罷這番話，帕裏斯開口答道：
“夠了，夫人，不要再對我嘲駡奚落。
這一次，墨奈拉俄斯擊敗了我，受惠於雅典娜的幫助；
下一回，我要把他打倒——我們也有神明的援佑。
來吧，讓我們上床尋歡作樂，
我的心靈從來沒有像現在這樣屈服於情火——
是的，從來沒有，包括當初把你從美麗的拉凱代蒙
帶出，乘坐破浪遠洋的海船離走，
在剋拉奈島上同床做愛的時候。比較
現時對你的情愛，那一次簡直算不得什麽；甜美的欲念已
把我徵服。”
言罷，他引步睡床，妻子跟隨行走。
這樣，他倆歡愛在雕工精美的睡床。與此同時，
阿特柔斯之子卻在人群裏來回奔走，像一頭野獸，
四處尋找神一樣的亞歷剋山德羅斯的去嚮，
然而，無論是特洛伊人，還是他們聲名遐邇的盟友，
誰也無法對嗜戰的墨奈勞斯告說亞歷剋山德羅斯的行蹤。
他們，倘若有人見過他，决然不會把他藏匿，出於對他的喜愛；
他們恨他，就像痛恨幽黑的死亡。
其時，人群中傳來阿伽門農的聲音，軍隊的統領：
“聽我說，特洛伊人，達耳達尼亞人和特洛伊的盟友們！
事實表明，勝利已歸屬阿瑞斯鐘愛的墨奈勞斯。
你們必須交還阿耳戈斯的海倫和她的全部
財物，連同一份贈送，數量要公允得體，
使後人亦能牢記心中。”
阿特柔斯之子言罷，阿開亞兵勇報之以贊同的呼吼。
ARGUMENT.
THE DUEL OF MENELAUS AND PARIS.
The armies being ready to engage, a single combat is agreed upon between
Menelaus and Paris (by the intervention of Hector) for the determination
of the war. Iris is sent to call Helen to behold the fight. She leads her
to the walls of Troy, where Priam sat with his counsellers observing the
Grecian leaders on the plain below, to whom Helen gives an account of the
chief of them. The kings on either part take the solemn oath for the
conditions of the combat. The duel ensues; wherein Paris being overcome,
he is snatched away in a cloud by Venus, and transported to his apartment.
She then calls Helen from the walls, and brings the lovers together.
Agamemnon, on the part of the Grecians, demands the restoration of Helen,
and the performance of the articles.
The three-and-twentieth day still continues throughout this book. The
scene is sometimes in the fields before Troy, and sometimes in Troy
itself.
Thus by their leaders' care each martial band
Moves into ranks, and stretches o'er the land.
With shouts the Trojans, rushing from afar,
Proclaim their motions, and provoke the war
So when inclement winters vex the plain
With piercing frosts, or thick-descending rain,
To warmer seas the cranes embodied fly,(108)
With noise, and order, through the midway sky;
To pigmy nations wounds and death they bring,
And all the war descends upon the wing,
But silent, breathing rage, resolved and skill'd(109)
By mutual aids to fix a doubtful field,
Swift march the Greeks: the rapid dust around
Darkening arises from the labour'd ground.
Thus from his flaggy wings when Notus sheds
A night of vapours round the mountain heads,
Swift-gliding mists the dusky fields invade,
To thieves more grateful than the midnight shade;
While scarce the swains their feeding flocks survey,
Lost and confused amidst the thicken'd day:
So wrapp'd in gathering dust, the Grecian train,
A moving cloud, swept on, and hid the plain.
Now front to front the hostile armies stand,
Eager of fight, and only wait command;
When, to the van, before the sons of fame
Whom Troy sent forth, the beauteous Paris came:
In form a god! the panther's speckled hide
Flow'd o'er his armour with an easy pride:
His bended bow across his shoulders flung,
His sword beside him negligently hung;
Two pointed spears he shook with gallant grace,
And dared the bravest of the Grecian race.
As thus, with glorious air and proud disdain,
He boldly stalk'd, the foremost on the plain,
Him Menelaus, loved of Mars, espies,
With heart elated, and with joyful eyes:
So joys a lion, if the branching deer,
Or mountain goat, his bulky prize, appear;
Eager he seizes and devours the slain,
Press'd by bold youths and baying dogs in vain.
Thus fond of vengeance, with a furious bound,
In clanging arms he leaps upon the ground
From his high chariot: him, approaching near,
The beauteous champion views with marks of fear,
Smit with a conscious sense, retires behind,
And shuns the fate he well deserved to find.
As when some shepherd, from the rustling trees(110)
Shot forth to view, a scaly serpent sees,
Trembling and pale, he starts with wild affright
And all confused precipitates his flight:
So from the king the shining warrior flies,
And plunged amid the thickest Trojans lies.
As godlike Hector sees the prince retreat,
He thus upbraids him with a generous heat:
"Unhappy Paris! but to women brave!(111)
So fairly form'd, and only to deceive!
Oh, hadst thou died when first thou saw'st the light,
Or died at least before thy nuptial rite!
A better fate than vainly thus to boast,
And fly, the scandal of thy Trojan host.
Gods! how the scornful Greeks exult to see
Their fears of danger undeceived in thee!
Thy figure promised with a martial air,
But ill thy soul supplies a form so fair.
In former days, in all thy gallant pride,
When thy tall ships triumphant stemm'd the tide,
When Greece beheld thy painted canvas flow,
And crowds stood wondering at the passing show,
Say, was it thus, with such a baffled mien,
You met the approaches of the Spartan queen,
Thus from her realm convey'd the beauteous prize,
And both her warlike lords outshined in Helen's eyes?
This deed, thy foes' delight, thy own disgrace,
Thy father's grief, and ruin of thy race;
This deed recalls thee to the proffer'd fight;
Or hast thou injured whom thou dar'st not right?
Soon to thy cost the field would make thee know
Thou keep'st the consort of a braver foe.
Thy graceful form instilling soft desire,
Thy curling tresses, and thy silver lyre,
Beauty and youth; in vain to these you trust,
When youth and beauty shall be laid in dust:
Troy yet may wake, and one avenging blow
Crush the dire author of his country's woe."
His silence here, with blushes, Paris breaks:
"'Tis just, my brother, what your anger speaks:
But who like thee can boast a soul sedate,
So firmly proof to all the shocks of fate?
Thy force, like steel, a temper'd hardness shows,
Still edged to wound, and still untired with blows,
Like steel, uplifted by some strenuous swain,
With falling woods to strew the wasted plain.
Thy gifts I praise; nor thou despise the charms
With which a lover golden Venus arms;
Soft moving speech, and pleasing outward show,
No wish can gain them, but the gods bestow.
Yet, would'st thou have the proffer'd combat stand,
The Greeks and Trojans seat on either hand;
Then let a midway space our hosts divide,
And, on that stage of war, the cause be tried:
By Paris there the Spartan king be fought,
For beauteous Helen and the wealth she brought;
And who his rival can in arms subdue,
His be the fair, and his the treasure too.
Thus with a lasting league your toils may cease,
And Troy possess her fertile fields in peace;
Thus may the Greeks review their native shore,
Much famed for generous steeds, for beauty more."
He said. The challenge Hector heard with joy,
Then with his spear restrain'd the youth of Troy,
Held by the midst, athwart; and near the foe
Advanced with steps majestically slow:
While round his dauntless head the Grecians pour
Their stones and arrows in a mingled shower.
Then thus the monarch, great Atrides, cried:
"Forbear, ye warriors! lay the darts aside:
A parley Hector asks, a message bears;
We know him by the various plume he wears."
Awed by his high command the Greeks attend,
The tumult silence, and the fight suspend.
While from the centre Hector rolls his eyes
On either host, and thus to both applies:
"Hear, all ye Trojan, all ye Grecian bands,
What Paris, author of the war, demands.
Your shining swords within the sheath restrain,
And pitch your lances in the yielding plain.
Here in the midst, in either army's sight,
He dares the Spartan king to single fight;
And wills that Helen and the ravish'd spoil,
That caused the contest, shall reward the toil.
Let these the brave triumphant victor grace,
And different nations part in leagues of peace."
He spoke: in still suspense on either side
Each army stood: the Spartan chief replied:
"Me too, ye warriors, hear, whose fatal right
A world engages in the toils of fight.
To me the labour of the field resign;
Me Paris injured; all the war be mine.
Fall he that must, beneath his rival's arms;
And live the rest, secure of future harms.
Two lambs, devoted by your country's rite,
To earth a sable, to the sun a white,
Prepare, ye Trojans! while a third we bring
__Select__ to Jove, the inviolable king.
Let reverend Priam in the truce engage,
And add the sanction of considerate age;
His sons are faithless, headlong in debate,
And youth itself an empty wavering state;
Cool age advances, venerably wise,
Turns on all hands its deep-discerning eyes;
Sees what befell, and what may yet befall,
Concludes from both, and best provides for all.
The nations hear with rising hopes possess'd,
And peaceful prospects dawn in every breast.
Within the lines they drew their steeds around,
And from their chariots issued on the ground;
Next, all unbuckling the rich mail they wore,
Laid their bright arms along the sable shore.
On either side the meeting hosts are seen
With lances fix'd, and close the space between.
Two heralds now, despatch'd to Troy, invite
The Phrygian monarch to the peaceful rite.
Talthybius hastens to the fleet, to bring
The lamb for Jove, the inviolable king.
Meantime to beauteous Helen, from the skies
The various goddess of the rainbow flies:
(Like fair Laodice in form and face,
The loveliest nymph of Priam's royal race:)
Her in the palace, at her loom she found;
The golden web her own sad story crown'd,
The Trojan wars she weaved (herself the prize)
And the dire triumphs of her fatal eyes.
To whom the goddess of the painted bow:
"Approach, and view the wondrous scene below!(112)
Each hardy Greek, and valiant Trojan knight,
So dreadful late, and furious for the fight,
Now rest their spears, or lean upon their shields;
Ceased is the war, and silent all the fields.
Paris alone and Sparta's king advance,
In single fight to toss the beamy lance;
Each met in arms, the fate of combat tries,
Thy love the motive, and thy charms the prize."
This said, the many-coloured maid inspires
Her husband's love, and wakes her former fires;
Her country, parents, all that once were dear,
Rush to her thought, and force a tender tear,
O'er her fair face a snowy veil she threw,
And, softly sighing, from the loom withdrew.
Her handmaids, Clymene and Æthra, wait
Her silent footsteps to the Scaean gate.
There sat the seniors of the Trojan race:
(Old Priam's chiefs, and most in Priam's grace,)
The king the first; Thymoetes at his side;
Lampus and Clytius, long in council tried;
Panthus, and Hicetaon, once the strong;
And next, the wisest of the reverend throng,
Antenor grave, and sage Ucalegon,
Lean'd on the walls and bask'd before the sun:
Chiefs, who no more in bloody fights engage,
But wise through time, and narrative with age,
In summer days, like grasshoppers rejoice,
A bloodless race, that send a feeble voice.
These, when the Spartan queen approach'd the tower,
In secret own'd resistless beauty's power:
They cried, "No wonder such celestial charms(113)
For nine long years have set the world in arms;
What winning graces! what majestic mien!
She moves a goddess, and she looks a queen!
Yet hence, O Heaven, convey that fatal face,
And from destruction save the Trojan race."
The good old Priam welcomed her, and cried,
"Approach, my child, and grace thy father's side.
See on the plain thy Grecian spouse appears,
The friends and kindred of thy former years.
No crime of thine our present sufferings draws,
Not thou, but Heaven's disposing will, the cause
The gods these armies and this force employ,
The hostile gods conspire the fate of Troy.
But lift thy eyes, and say, what Greek is he
(Far as from hence these aged orbs can see)
Around whose brow such martial graces shine,
So tall, so awful, and almost divine!
Though some of larger stature tread the green,
None match his grandeur and exalted mien:
He seems a monarch, and his country's pride."
Thus ceased the king, and thus the fair replied:
"Before thy presence, father, I appear,
With conscious shame and reverential fear.
Ah! had I died, ere to these walk I fled,
False to my country, and my nuptial bed;
My brothers, friends, and daughter left behind,
False to them all, to Paris only kind!
For this I mourn, till grief or dire disease
Shall waste the form whose fault it was to please!
The king of kings, Atrides, you survey,
Great in the war, and great in arts of sway:
My brother once, before my days of shame!
And oh! that still he bore a brother's name!"
With wonder Priam view'd the godlike man,
Extoll'd the happy prince, and thus began:
"O bless'd Atrides! born to prosperous fate,
Successful monarch of a mighty state!
How vast thy empire! Of your matchless train
What numbers lost, what numbers yet remain!
In Phrygia once were gallant armies known,
In ancient time, when Otreus fill'd the throne,
When godlike Mygdon led their troops of horse,
And I, to join them, raised the Trojan force:
Against the manlike Amazons we stood,(114)
And Sangar's stream ran purple with their blood.
But far inferior those, in martial grace,
And strength of numbers, to this Grecian race."
This said, once more he view'd the warrior train;
"What's he, whose arms lie scatter'd on the plain?
Broad is his breast, his shoulders larger spread,
Though great Atrides overtops his head.
Nor yet appear his care and conduct small;
From rank to rank he moves, and orders all.
The stately ram thus measures o'er the ground,
And, master of the flock, surveys them round."
Then Helen thus: "Whom your discerning eyes
Have singled out, is Ithacus the wise;
A barren island boasts his glorious birth;
His fame for wisdom fills the spacious earth."
Antenor took the word, and thus began:(115)
"Myself, O king! have seen that wondrous man
When, trusting Jove and hospitable laws,
To Troy he came, to plead the Grecian cause;
(Great Menelaus urged the same request;)
My house was honour'd with each royal guest:
I knew their persons, and admired their parts,
Both brave in arms, and both approved in arts.
Erect, the Spartan most engaged our view;
Ulysses seated, greater reverence drew.
When Atreus' son harangued the listening train,
Just was his sense, and his expression plain,
His words succinct, yet full, without a fault;
He spoke no more than just the thing he ought.
But when Ulysses rose, in thought profound,(116)
His modest eyes he fix'd upon the ground;
As one unskill'd or dumb, he seem'd to stand,
Nor raised his head, nor stretch'd his sceptred hand;
But, when he speaks, what elocution flows!
Soft as the fleeces of descending snows,(117)
The copious accents fall, with easy art;
Melting they fall, and sink into the heart!
Wondering we hear, and fix'd in deep surprise,
Our ears refute the censure of our eyes."
The king then ask'd (as yet the camp he view'd)
"What chief is that, with giant strength endued,
Whose brawny shoulders, and whose swelling chest,
And lofty stature, far exceed the rest?
"Ajax the great, (the beauteous queen replied,)
Himself a host: the Grecian strength and pride.
See! bold Idomeneus superior towers
Amid yon circle of his Cretan powers,
Great as a god! I saw him once before,
With Menelaus on the Spartan shore.
The rest I know, and could in order name;
All valiant chiefs, and men of mighty fame.
Yet two are wanting of the numerous train,
Whom long my eyes have sought, but sought in vain:
Castor and Pollux, first in martial force,
One bold on foot, and one renown'd for horse.
My brothers these; the same our native shore,
One house contain'd us, as one mother bore.
Perhaps the chiefs, from warlike toils at ease,
For distant Troy refused to sail the seas;
Perhaps their swords some nobler quarrel draws,
Ashamed to combat in their sister's cause."
So spoke the fair, nor knew her brothers' doom;(118)
Wrapt in the cold embraces of the tomb;
Adorn'd with honours in their native shore,
Silent they slept, and heard of wars no more.
Meantime the heralds, through the crowded town.
Bring the rich wine and destined victims down.
Idaeus' arms the golden goblets press'd,(119)
Who thus the venerable king address'd:
"Arise, O father of the Trojan state!
The nations call, thy joyful people wait
To seal the truce, and end the dire debate.
Paris, thy son, and Sparta's king advance,
In measured lists to toss the weighty lance;
And who his rival shall in arms subdue,
His be the dame, and his the treasure too.
Thus with a lasting league our toils may cease,
And Troy possess her fertile fields in peace:
So shall the Greeks review their native shore,
Much famed for generous steeds, for beauty more."
With grief he heard, and bade the chiefs prepare
To join his milk-white coursers to the car;
He mounts the seat, Antenor at his side;
The gentle steeds through Scaea's gates they guide:(120)
Next from the car descending on the plain,
Amid the Grecian host and Trojan train,
Slow they proceed: the sage Ulysses then
Arose, and with him rose the king of men.
On either side a sacred herald stands,
The wine they mix, and on each monarch's hands
Pour the full urn; then draws the Grecian lord
His cutlass sheathed beside his ponderous sword;
From the sign'd victims crops the curling hair;(121)
The heralds part it, and the princes share;
Then loudly thus before the attentive bands
He calls the gods, and spreads his lifted hands:
"O first and greatest power! whom all obey,
Who high on Ida's holy mountain sway,
Eternal Jove! and you bright orb that roll
From east to west, and view from pole to pole!
Thou mother Earth! and all ye living floods!
Infernal furies, and Tartarean gods,
Who rule the dead, and horrid woes prepare
For perjured kings, and all who falsely swear!
Hear, and be witness. If, by Paris slain,
Great Menelaus press the fatal plain;
The dame and treasures let the Trojan keep,
And Greece returning plough the watery deep.
If by my brother's lance the Trojan bleed,
Be his the wealth and beauteous dame decreed:
The appointed fine let Ilion justly pay,
And every age record the signal day.
This if the Phrygians shall refuse to yield,
Arms must revenge, and Mars decide the field."
With that the chief the tender victims slew,
And in the dust their bleeding bodies threw;
The vital spirit issued at the wound,
And left the members quivering on the ground.
From the same urn they drink the mingled wine,
And add libations to the powers divine.
While thus their prayers united mount the sky,
"Hear, mighty Jove! and hear, ye gods on high!
And may their blood, who first the league confound,
Shed like this wine, disdain the thirsty ground;
May all their consorts serve promiscuous lust,
And all their lust be scatter'd as the dust!"
Thus either host their imprecations join'd,
Which Jove refused, and mingled with the wind.
The rites now finish'd, reverend Priam rose,
And thus express'd a heart o'ercharged with woes:
"Ye Greeks and Trojans, let the chiefs engage,
But spare the weakness of my feeble age:
In yonder walls that object let me shun,
Nor view the danger of so dear a son.
Whose arms shall conquer and what prince shall fall,
Heaven only knows; for heaven disposes all."
This said, the hoary king no longer stay'd,
But on his car the slaughter'd victims laid:
Then seized the reins his gentle steeds to guide,
And drove to Troy, Antenor at his side.
Bold Hector and Ulysses now dispose
The lists of combat, and the ground inclose:
Next to decide, by sacred lots prepare,
Who first shall launch his pointed spear in air.
The people pray with elevated hands,
And words like these are heard through all the bands:
"Immortal Jove, high Heaven's superior lord,
On lofty Ida's holy mount adored!
Whoe'er involved us in this dire debate,
O give that author of the war to fate
And shades eternal! let division cease,
And joyful nations join in leagues of peace."
With eyes averted Hector hastes to turn
The lots of fight and shakes the brazen urn.
Then, Paris, thine leap'd forth; by fatal chance
Ordain'd the first to whirl the weighty lance.
Both armies sat the combat to survey.
Beside each chief his azure armour lay,
And round the lists the generous coursers neigh.
The beauteous warrior now arrays for fight,
In gilded arms magnificently bright:
The purple cuishes clasp his thighs around,
With flowers adorn'd, with silver buckles bound:
Lycaon's corslet his fair body dress'd,
Braced in and fitted to his softer breast;
A radiant baldric, o'er his shoulder tied,
Sustain'd the sword that glitter'd at his side:
His youthful face a polish'd helm o'erspread;
The waving horse-hair nodded on his head:
His figured shield, a shining orb, he takes,
And in his hand a pointed javelin shakes.
With equal speed and fired by equal charms,
The Spartan hero sheathes his limbs in arms.
Now round the lists the admiring armies stand,
With javelins fix'd, the Greek and Trojan band.
Amidst the dreadful vale, the chiefs advance,
All pale with rage, and shake the threatening lance.
The Trojan first his shining javelin threw;
Full on Atrides' ringing shield it flew,
Nor pierced the brazen orb, but with a bound(122)
Leap'd from the buckler, blunted, on the ground.
Atrides then his massy lance prepares,
In act to throw, but first prefers his prayers:
"Give me, great Jove! to punish lawless lust,
And lay the Trojan gasping in the dust:
Destroy the aggressor, aid my righteous cause,
Avenge the breach of hospitable laws!
Let this example future times reclaim,
And guard from wrong fair friendship's holy name."
Be said, and poised in air the javelin sent,
Through Paris' shield the forceful weapon went,
His corslet pierces, and his garment rends,
And glancing downward, near his flank descends.
The wary Trojan, bending from the blow,
Eludes the death, and disappoints his foe:
But fierce Atrides waved his sword, and strook
Full on his casque: the crested helmet shook;
The brittle steel, unfaithful to his hand,
Broke short: the fragments glitter'd on the sand.
The raging warrior to the spacious skies
Raised his upbraiding voice and angry eyes:
"Then is it vain in Jove himself to trust?
And is it thus the gods assist the just?
When crimes provoke us, Heaven success denies;
The dart falls harmless, and the falchion flies."
Furious he said, and towards the Grecian crew
(Seized by the crest) the unhappy warrior drew;
Struggling he followed, while the embroider'd thong
That tied his helmet, dragg'd the chief along.
Then had his ruin crown'd Atrides' joy,
But Venus trembled for the prince of Troy:
Unseen she came, and burst the golden band;
And left an empty helmet in his hand.
The casque, enraged, amidst the Greeks he threw;
The Greeks with smiles the polish'd trophy view.
Then, as once more he lifts the deadly dart,
In thirst of vengeance, at his rival's heart;
The queen of love her favour'd champion shrouds
(For gods can all things) in a veil of clouds.
Raised from the field the panting youth she led,
And gently laid him on the bridal bed,
With pleasing sweets his fainting sense renews,
And all the dome perfumes with heavenly dews.
Meantime the brightest of the female kind,
The matchless Helen, o'er the walls reclined;
To her, beset with Trojan beauties, came,
In borrow'd form, the laughter-loving dame.
(She seem'd an ancient maid, well-skill'd to cull
The snowy fleece, and wind the twisted wool.)
The goddess softly shook her silken vest,
That shed perfumes, and whispering thus address'd:
[Illustration: VENUS, DISGUISED, INVITING HELEN TO THE CHAMBER OF PARIS.]
VENUS, DISGUISED, INVITING HELEN TO THE CHAMBER OF PARIS.
"Haste, happy nymph! for thee thy Paris calls,
Safe from the fight, in yonder lofty walls,
Fair as a god; with odours round him spread,
He lies, and waits thee on the well-known bed;
Not like a warrior parted from the foe,
But some gay dancer in the public show."
She spoke, and Helen's secret soul was moved;
She scorn'd the champion, but the man she loved.
Fair Venus' neck, her eyes that sparkled fire,
And breast, reveal'd the queen of soft desire.(123)
Struck with her presence, straight the lively red
Forsook her cheek; and trembling, thus she said:
"Then is it still thy pleasure to deceive?
And woman's frailty always to believe!
Say, to new nations must I cross the main,
Or carry wars to some soft Asian plain?
For whom must Helen break her second vow?
What other Paris is thy darling now?
Left to Atrides, (victor in the strife,)
An odious conquest and a captive wife,
Hence let me sail; and if thy Paris bear
My absence ill, let Venus ease his care.
A handmaid goddess at his side to wait,
Renounce the glories of thy heavenly state,
Be fix'd for ever to the Trojan shore,
His spouse, or slave; and mount the skies no more.
For me, to lawless love no longer led,
I scorn the coward, and detest his bed;
Else should I merit everlasting shame,
And keen reproach, from every Phrygian dame:
Ill suits it now the joys of love to know,
Too deep my anguish, and too wild my woe."
[Illustration: VENUS PRESENTING HELEN TO PARIS.]
VENUS PRESENTING HELEN TO PARIS.
Then thus incensed, the Paphian queen replies:
"Obey the power from whom thy glories rise:
Should Venus leave thee, every charm must fly,
Fade from thy cheek, and languish in thy eye.
Cease to provoke me, lest I make thee more
The world's aversion, than their love before;
Now the bright prize for which mankind engage,
Than, the sad victim, of the public rage."
At this, the fairest of her sex obey'd,
And veil'd her blushes in a silken shade;
Unseen, and silent, from the train she moves,
Led by the goddess of the Smiles and Loves.
Arrived, and enter'd at the palace gate,
The maids officious round their mistress wait;
Then, all dispersing, various tasks attend;
The queen and goddess to the prince ascend.
Full in her Paris' sight, the queen of love
Had placed the beauteous progeny of Jove;
Where, as he view'd her charms, she turn'd away
Her glowing eyes, and thus began to say:
"Is this the chief, who, lost to sense of shame,
Late fled the field, and yet survives his fame?
O hadst thou died beneath the righteous sword
Of that brave man whom once I call'd my lord!
The boaster Paris oft desired the day
With Sparta's king to meet in single fray:
Go now, once more thy rival's rage excite,
Provoke Atrides, and renew the fight:
Yet Helen bids thee stay, lest thou unskill'd
Shouldst fall an easy conquest on the field."
The prince replies: "Ah cease, divinely fair,
Nor add reproaches to the wounds I bear;
This day the foe prevail'd by Pallas' power:
We yet may vanquish in a happier hour:
There want not gods to favour us above;
But let the business of our life be love:
These softer moments let delights employ,
And kind embraces snatch the hasty joy.
Not thus I loved thee, when from Sparta's shore
My forced, my willing heavenly prize I bore,
When first entranced in Cranae's isle I lay,(124)
Mix'd with thy soul, and all dissolved away!"
Thus having spoke, the enamour'd Phrygian boy
Rush'd to the bed, impatient for the joy.
Him Helen follow'd slow with bashful charms,
And clasp'd the blooming hero in her arms.
While these to love's delicious rapture yield,
The stern Atrides rages round the field:
So some fell lion whom the woods obey,
Roars through the desert, and demands his prey.
Paris he seeks, impatient to destroy,
But seeks in vain along the troops of Troy;
Even those had yielded to a foe so brave
The recreant warrior, hateful as the grave.
Then speaking thus, the king of kings arose,
"Ye Trojans, Dardans, all our generous foes!
Hear and attest! from Heaven with conquest crown'd,
Our brother's arms the just success have found:
Be therefore now the Spartan wealth restor'd,
Let Argive Helen own her lawful lord;
The appointed fine let Ilion justly pay,
And age to age record this signal day."
He ceased; his army's loud applauses rise,
And the long shout runs echoing through the skies.
[Illustration: VENUS.]
VENUS.
[Illustration: Map, titled "Graeciae Antiquae".]
Map, titled "Graeciae Antiquae". 其時，衆神正坐在宙斯身邊商議，在那黃金
鋪地的宮居。女神赫蓓正給他們
逐個斟倒奈剋塔耳，衆神舉着金杯，
相互勸祝喝飲，俯視着特洛伊人的城。
突然，剋羅諾斯之子張嘴發話，意欲
激怒赫拉，以挑釁的口吻，挖苦道：
“女神中，有兩位是墨奈勞斯的助佑，
阿耳戈斯的赫拉和波伊俄提亞人的雅典娜[●]。
●波伊俄提亞人的雅典娜：直譯為“阿拉爾科墨奈的雅典娜”；阿拉爾科墨
奈是波伊俄提亞境內的一個城鎮，設有雅典娜的祭壇。
瞧這二位，端坐此地，極目觀望，
悠。冶自得，而愛笑的阿芙羅底忒卻總是
形影不離地保護她的寵人，替他擋開死的精靈——
剛纔，她讓自以為必死無疑的帕裏斯死裏逃生。
然而，勝利的碩果，毫無疑問，已歸屬阿瑞斯鐘愛的墨奈勞斯。
現在，讓我們考慮事情發展的歸嚮，
是再次挑起慘烈的惡戰和痛苦的
搏殺，還是讓他們締結和約，言歸於好。
但願這一結局能讓各位滿意，給每一位神祗帶來愉悅，
使普裏阿摩斯王的城堡人丁興旺，
使墨奈勞斯帶着阿耳戈斯的海倫返回家乡。”
宙斯如此一番說告，而雅典娜和赫拉卻自管小聲啼咕，
坐得很近，謀劃着如何使特洛伊人遭殃。
雅典娜靜坐不語，面帶慍色，
對宙斯，她的父親；狂烈的暴怒揪揉着她的心房。
但是，赫拉卻忍受不了心中的憤怒，對宙斯說道：
“剋羅諾斯之子，可怕的王者，你說了些什麽？
試想讓我的努力一無所獲，付之東流？
我曾汗流浹背，把馭馬趕得精疲力盡，
為了召聚起軍隊，給普裏阿摩斯和他的兒子們送去災愁。
做去吧，宙斯，但我等衆神絶不會一致贊同。”
一番話極大地煩擾了宙斯的心境，烏雲的彙聚者答道：
“不知足的赫拉！普裏阿摩斯和他的兒子們
究竟給你造成了多大的痛苦，使你盛怒至此，
念念不忘搗毀伊利昂，搗毀這座堅固的城堡？
看來，你是不想平息胸中的暴怒，除非破開城門，
砸毀高大的墻垣，生吞活剝了普裏阿摩斯
和他的兒子們，連同所有的特洛伊兵衆。
你愛怎麽做都行，但要記住，不要讓這次爭吵
日後給你我帶來悲愁。
我還有一事奉告，你要牢記心中。
將來，無論何時，倘若我想搗毀某個城市，
衹要我願意，裏面住着你所鐘愛的兵民，
你可不要出面遮擋，衝着我的盛怒，而應讓我放手去做，
因為我已給你這次允諾，儘管違背我的心意。
在太陽和星空之下，凡人居住的
所有城市中，神聖的特洛伊
是我最珍愛的堡樓，還有普裏阿摩斯
和他的手握粗重的(木岑)木桿槍矛的兵勇。
在那裏，我的祭壇從來不缺足份的供品，不缺
滿杯的奠酒和甜美的熏煙——此乃我們的權益。”
聽罷這番話，牛眼睛夫人、女神赫拉答道：
“好極了！天底下我最鐘愛的城市有三個，
阿耳戈斯、斯巴達和路面開闊的慕凱奈——
蕩平它們，無論何時，倘若它們激起你的憤怒。
我將不去保衛它們，和你對抗，也不抱怨你的作為。
事實上，即便我抱恨埋怨，不讓你摧毀它們，
我的努力也不會有任何用處——你比我強健，比我有力。
儘管如此，你也不應讓我辛苦一場，一無所獲；
我也是神，我的宗譜也就是你的傢族，
工於心計的剋羅諾斯也是我的父親，我是他最尊貴的女兒，
體現在兩個方面，出生次序和同你的關係——我被
尊為你的伴侶，而你是衆神之王。
所以，對於此事，你我要互諒互讓，
我對你，你對我，而其他不死的神祗自會
因襲效仿。現在，你馬上命令雅典娜，
前往特洛伊人和阿開亞人拼搏的戰場，
設法使特洛伊人先毀誓約，
傷害獲勝戰場的阿開亞兵壯。”
她言罷，人和神的父親接受了她的建議，
馬上指令雅典娜，用長了翅膀的話語：
“快去，朝着持洛伊人和阿開亞人的隊伍，
設法使特洛伊人先毀誓約，
傷害獲勝戰場的阿開亞兵壯。”
宙斯的話語催勵着早已迫不及待的雅典娜，
她急速出發，從俄林波斯山巔直衝而下，
像工於心計的剋羅諾斯之子拋出的一顆
流星，一個對水手或一支龐大軍隊的預兆，
光芒四射，迸放出密密匝匝的火花。
就像這樣，帕拉絲·雅典娜朝着地面疾掃，
落腳在兩軍之間，把觀望者驚得目瞪口呆，
馴馬好手特洛伊人和脛甲堅固的阿開亞兵漢。
隊伍中，人們會驚望着自己的近鄰，說道：
“瞧這個勢頭，難道我們又將面臨殘酷的戰爭，
囂鬧的拼搏？仰或宙斯，這位調控
凡間戰事的尊神，有意使我們雙方言歸於好？”
有人會如此嘀咕，隊伍中的阿開亞人和特洛伊兵壯。
雅典娜以一位勇士的形象，勞多科斯，安忒諾耳之子，
一位強有力的槍手，出現在特洛伊人的隊列，
尋覓着神一樣的潘達羅斯，希望能把他找到。
她梭行人群，找到魯卡昂的兒子，一位高貴、勇猛的鬥士，
正昂首挺立，四周擁圍着一隊隊強壯的、攜握盾牌的
兵勇，隨他進兵此地，來自水流湍急的埃塞波斯沿岸。
女神站在他的身邊，對他說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“魯卡昂聰明的兒子，願意聽聽我的說告嗎？
要是有這個膽量，你就對墨奈勞斯發射一枝飛箭，
你將因此爭得榮譽，博取感激，當着全體
特洛伊人，尤其是王子亞歷剋山德羅斯的臉面。
若是讓他親眼看到嗜戰的墨奈勞斯，阿特桑斯之子，
被你的羽箭射倒，可悲地平躺在柴堆上，
你便可先於他人，從他手中得取光榮的戰禮。
來吧，擺開架勢，對着高貴的墨奈勞斯拉響弓弦——要快！
但是，別忘了對光榮的射手、狼神阿波羅[●]祈禱，告訴他，
●狼神阿波羅：或許包含“牧羊人的護神”之意。根據原文，亦可作“出生
在魯基亞的阿波羅”解。
當你踏上故鄉的土地，回到神聖的城堡澤勒亞，
你將給他敬辦一次隆重的牲祭，用頭胎的羊羔。”
雅典娜的話語奪走了他的睿智。
他馬上拿出磨得溜滑的強弓，取自一頭
野山羊的權角——當岩羊從石壁上走下，
他把一枝利箭送進了它的胸膛。他身披偽裝，
藏身石壁，一箭紮入山羊的胸腔，打翻在岩面上。
山羊頭上的權角，長十六掌，
一位能幹的弓匠把它捆紮起來，
將表面磨得精光透亮，安上金鑄的弦環。
潘達羅斯把弓的一角抵在地上，彎起弓架，
上好弦綫；有人把盾牌擋在前面，那些勇敢的夥伴，
以防阿開亞人善戰的兒子們突然站起，在他放箭
阿特桑斯之子、嗜戰的墨奈勞斯之前，嚮他撲來。
他打開壺蓋，拈出一枝羽翎，
以前從未用過，緻送痛苦的飛箭。
他動作迅速，把致命的羽箭搭上弓弦，
對光榮的射手、狼神阿波羅作過祈禱，
答應當他踏上故鄉的土地，回到神聖的澤勒亞城堡。
將給神祗敬獻一份豐厚的牲祭，頭胎的羊羔。
他運氣開弓，緊捏着箭的糟口和牛筋做就的弓弦，
弦綫緊貼着胸口，鐵的箭鏃碰到了弓桿。
他把兵器拉成了一個拱環，藉大的彎弓
鳴叫呻喊，弦綫高歌作響，羽箭頂着鋒快的頭鏃
飛射出去，挾着暴怒，呼嘯着撲嚮前面的人群。
然而，幸福的、長生不老的神祗沒有忘記你，
墨奈勞斯，尤其是宙斯的女兒，戰勇的福佑，
此時站在你的面前，替你擋開咬肉的箭頭。
她挪開箭矢的落點，使之偏離你的皮肉，動作輕快，
像一位撩趕蒼蠅的母親，替熟睡的孩兒——
她親自出手，把羽箭導嚮金質的係帶，
帶扣交合措連、胸甲的兩個半片銜接重疊的部位。
無情的箭頭搗進堅固的帶結，
穿透精工編織的條層，
破開做工精美的胸甲，直逼係在
裏層的甲片——此乃壯士身上最重要的護甲，用以保護
下身和擋住槍矛的衝擊，無奈飛矢餘勁尤健，連它一起捅穿。
箭頭長驅直入，挑開壯士的皮肉，
放出濃黑的、噴流涌註的熱血。
如同一位邁俄尼亞或卡裏亞婦女，用鮮紅的顔料
塗漆象牙，製作馭馬的頰片，儘管許多馭手
為之垂涎欲滴，它卻靜靜地躺在
裏屋，作為王者的佳寶，受到雙重的
珍愛，既是馬的飾物，又能為馭者增添榮光。
就像這樣，墨奈勞斯，鮮血浸染了你強健的
大腿，你的小腿和綫條分明的踝骨。
看着濃黑的熱血從傷口裏涌冒出來，
民衆的王者阿伽門農心裏害怕，全身顫嗦，
嗜戰的墨奈勞斯自己亦吃驚不小，嚇得混身發抖；
不過，當他眼見綁條和倒勾都在傷口
外面時，失去的勇氣復又回返他的心頭。
強有力的阿伽門農悲聲哭訴，握着墨奈勞斯的手；
夥伴們圍聚一旁，嗚咽抽泣。阿伽門農哭道：
“親愛的兄弟，我所封證的誓約給你帶來了死亡，
讓你孤身一人，奮戰在我們眼前，面對特洛伊兵壯。
現在，特洛伊人已把你射倒，踐踏了我們的誓約。
然而，我們的誓言不是兒戲，羔羊的熱血不會白流，
潑出去的不摻水的奠酒會有報應，緊握的右手不是虛設的
儀酬！
倘若俄林波斯大神不及馬上了結此事，
日後也會嚴懲不貸；逾規越矩者將付出慘重的代價，
用他們自己的頭顱，還有他們的妻子和孩童。
我心裏明白，我的靈魂知道，
這一天必將到來；那時，神聖的伊利昂將被掃滅，
連同普裏阿摩斯和他的手握粗長的(木岑)木桿槍矛的兵壯。
宙斯，剋羅諾斯之子，端坐在天上的房居，高高的王庭，
將親自揮動責懲的埃吉斯，在他們頭頂，
出於對這場欺詐的義憤。這一切終將發生，不可避免。
然而，我將為你承受巨大的悲痛，墨奈勞斯，
倘若你撒手人寰，中止命運限定的人生。
我將帶着恥辱，回到幹旱的阿耳戈斯，
因為阿開亞兵勇馬上即會生發思鄉的幽情，
而我們，為此，將不得不把阿耳戈斯的海倫留給普裏阿摩斯和
特洛伊人，為他們增光。至於你，特洛伊的泥土將蝕爛你的
骸骨，
因為你已死在這裏，撇下遠征的功業，未盡的戰鬥。
某個特洛伊小子會高興地跳上
墨奈勞斯的墳塚，趾高氣揚地吹喊：
‘但願阿伽門農以此種方式對所有的敵人發泄
暴怒——像這次一樣，徒勞無益地統兵至此，
而後勞師還傢，回到他所熱愛的故鄉，
海船裏空空如也，撇下了勇敢的墨奈勞斯。’
此人會這般鬍言，氣得我恨不能裂地藏身！”
聽罷這番話，棕發的墨奈勞斯寬慰道：
“勇敢些，不要嚇壞了會戰此地的阿開亞人。
犀利的箭鏃沒有擊中要害，閃亮的腰帶
挫去了它的鋒芒，底下的束圍和銅匠
精心製作的腹甲擋住了它的衝力。”
聽罷這番話，強有力的阿伽門農答道：
“但願傷情真如你說的那樣，墨奈勞斯，我的兄弟。
不管怎樣，醫者會來治療你的傷口，敷設
配製的槍藥，止住鑽心的疼痛。”言罷，
他轉而命囑塔耳蘇比俄斯，他的神聖的使者：
“塔耳蘇比俄斯，全速前進，把馬卡昂叫來，
阿斯剋勒丕俄斯之子，手段高明的醫士，
察治阿特柔斯之子、嗜戰的墨奈勞斯的傷情——
某個擅使弓箭的射手，某個特洛伊人或魯基亞人射傷了他：
對射手，這是一份光榮；但對我們，它卻帶來了憂愁。”
聽罷此番囑告，使者謹遵不違，
穿行在身披銅甲的兵群中，
覓尋勇士馬卡昂，衹見後者正
挺立在那邊，身旁圍站着一隊隊攜帶盾牌的
兵勇，跟隨馬卡昂進兵此地，來自特裏卡，馬草豐肥的去處，
使者在他身邊站定，開口說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“行動起來，阿斯剋勒丕俄斯之子，強有力的阿伽門農要你
過去，
察治阿開亞人的首領墨奈勞斯的傷情——
某個擅使弓箭的射手，某個特洛伊人或魯基亞人射傷了他：
對射手，這是一份光榮；但對我們，它卻帶來了憂愁。”
一番話催發了馬卡昂的激情。他們
穿越人群，疾行在阿開亞人占地寬廣的營伍，
來到棕發的墨奈勞斯中箭
負傷的地方——首領們圍成一圈，守護在
他的身邊；醫者在人群中站定，一位神樣的凡人。
他從腰帶的扣合處拔出箭矢，下手迅捷，
鋒利的倒鈎順勢嚮後，崩裂斷損。
接着，他依次鬆開腰帶和下面的束圍，
以及銅匠為他精心製作的腹甲，
找到兇狠的飛箭紮出的傷口，
吸出裏面的淤血，敷上鎮痛的槍藥——
很久以前，出於友好的意願，光榮將此藥贈送其父。
在他們忙於照料嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯之際，
特洛伊人全副武裝的隊列卻正在嚮前挺進。
阿開亞人重新武裝起來，拼戰的念頭復又占據了他們的心靈。
這時，你不會看到卓越的阿伽門農沉睡不醒
或畏縮不前，不思進擊——不！
阿伽門農渴望搏殺——人們由此爭得功名。
他把馭馬和戰車，閃着耀眼的銅光，留在身後，
馬兒喘着粗氣，由他的助手歐魯墨鼕、裴萊俄斯
之子普托勒邁俄斯的兒子帶往一邊。
阿伽門農命他就近看管馬匹，以備急用——
疲勞可能拖纍他的四肢，吆喝製統偌大的一支軍伍。
他邁開雙腿，大步穿行在營伍中。
當看到那些緊勒着快馬的頭繮，求戰心切的達親馭手時，
他就站到他們身邊，熱切地鼓勵道：
“阿耳吉維壯士們，切莫鬆懈，保持旺盛的戰鬥熱情。。
父親宙斯不會幫助說謊的特洛伊人——
他們首先踐毀雙方的誓約，
鷹鷲會吞食他們鮮亮的皮肉。
而我們，我們將帶走他們鐘愛的妻子和無助的
孩童，用我們的海船，在蕩平這座城堡之後！”
但是，當他發現有人試圖躲避可恨的搏殺，
便會聲色俱厲，惡狠狠地破口駡道：
“嘿，阿耳吉維人，手持強弓的鬥士，怎麽，膽怯了？你們還要
不要臉！
為何呆呆地站在這裏，迷迷惘惘，像一群雌鹿，
跑過一大片草地，纍得筋疲力盡，
木然而立，丟盡了最後一分勇氣？就像這樣，
你們本然站立，迷迷惘惘，泯滅了戰鬥的意志。
你們在等盼什麽呢？想等到特洛伊人把你們逼至
灰色大海的灘沿，趕回你們停放船尾堅固的海船的地方，
然後再看看剋羅諾斯之子會不會伸出他的大手，把你們保護
起來？”
就這樣，阿伽門農穿行在隊伍裏，整頓編排迎戰的陣容，
擠過密集的人群，來到剋裏特人的隊列；
兵勇們正積極備戰，擁聚在驍勇的伊多墨紐斯周圍。
伊多墨紐斯，像一頭壯實的野豬，站立在前排之中，
而墨裏俄奈斯則催督着後面的隊伍。
見此情景，民衆的王者阿伽門農心裏高興，
當即用欣賞的口吻，對伊多墨紐斯說道：
“伊多墨紐斯，我敬你甚於對其他達奈人，
駕馭快馬的戰勇，無論是在戰鬥，在其他任何行動，
還是在我們的盛宴中——阿耳吉維人的首領
在調缸裏勻和王者的飲料，閃亮的醇酒。
即使其他長發的阿開亞頭領
喝完了自己的份額，你的酒杯卻總是滿斟如初，
像我的一樣，想喝就喝，盡情地享用。
幹起來吧，準備戰鬥；讓大傢看看，你平日的自譽不是吹牛！”
聽罷這番話，剋裏特人的王者伊多墨紐斯答道：
“阿特柔斯之子，相信我，我將成為你堅強可靠的戰友，
一如當初允諾的那樣——那一天，我點過我的頭。
去吧，鼓動其他長發的阿開亞戰勇，
以便迅速出擊，特洛伊人已毀棄
誓約，此事將在日後給他們帶來死亡和
悲痛——他們踐踏了我們誓封的信咒。”
他言罷，阿特柔斯之子心中歡喜，邁步前行，
穿過密集的人群，見到了大小兩位埃阿斯，
全副武裝，四周圍站着一大群步兵。
如同一位看放山羊的牧人，從山崗上瞧見一片烏雲，
正從海空嚮岸邊壓來，捲着西風的威烈，
儘管懸在遠處的海空，他已看到雲層烏黑一團，勝似黑漆，
正穿越大洋，彙聚起一股旋風；
見此情景，牧人渾身發抖，趕起羊群，躲進山洞。
就像這樣，隊伍運行在兩位埃阿斯周圍，
一隊隊密密匝匝的人群，強壯、神佑的年輕兵勇，
黑魆魆的一片，攜帶着竪指疊錯的盾牌和槍矛，迎面戰爭的
兇狂。見此情景，民衆的王者阿伽門農心裏高興，
開口喊道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“兩位埃阿斯，身披銅甲的阿耳吉維人的首領，
對你們二位，我無須發號施令——催督你們嗎？
那是多餘的；你們已鼓動起部屬，準備喋血苦鬥。哦，
哦，父親宙斯，雅典娜，阿波羅，要是
我的部下人人都有這種精神，那麽，
普裏阿摩斯王的城堡就會對我們
俯首，被我們攻占，劫洗！”
言罷，他離別二位，繼續巡會軍隊的酋首，
衹見奈斯托耳，來自普洛斯的吐詞清亮的演說者，
正忙着整頓隊伍，催督夥伴們前進，
由各位首領分統，高大的裴拉工、阿拉斯托耳和剋羅米俄斯，
連同強有力的海蒙，以及丕阿斯，兵士的牧者。
首先，他把駕車的壯勇放在前頭，連同馭馬和戰車，
讓衆多勇敢的步卒跟行殿後，
作為戰鬥的中堅，然後再把膽小怕死的趕到中間；
這樣，即便有人貪生，也衹好硬着頭皮戰鬥。
他首先命令戰車的駕馭者，要他們
緊緊拉住繮繩，不要讓驚馬打亂兵勇的隊陣：
“誰也不許自恃馭術高強或憑藉自己的勇猛，
衝出隊陣，獨自和特洛伊人搏鬥；
也不許棄戰退卻，這樣會受到敵人的逼攻。
當車上的槍手遇到敵方的戰車，
要用長槍刺擊對手——這是近身、激烈的戰鬥。
你們的前輩就是這樣攻破城堡，搗毀墻垣，
憑着這種戰術，這股精神。”
老人話聲朗朗，用得之於以往徵戰的老經驗激勵部屬。
見此情景，民衆的王者阿伽門農心裏高興，
開口喊道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“老壯士，但願你的膝腿也像你的心胸一樣
充滿青春的豪氣，但願你強壯如初。
可惜啊，凡人不可避免的暮年使你變得衰弱；但願某個
兵勇接過你的年齡，而你則變成我們隊伍裏的一個年輕人！”
奈斯托耳，格瑞尼亞的車戰者，答道：
“是的，阿特柔斯之子，我也恨不得自己能像當年
一樣，像我放倒卓越的厄魯菲利昂時那般強壯。
然而，神明不會把一切好處同時賦予凡人；
如果說那時我年輕力壯；現在我已是白發老翁。
儘管如此，我仍將站在馭者的行列，催督他們戰鬥，
通過訓誡和命令——此乃老人的權利和光榮。
年輕的槍手將用長矛戰鬥，這些比我遠為
青壯的後生，對自己的力量充滿信心。”
聽罷這番話，阿特柔斯之子心中歡喜，邁步前行，
衹見裴忒俄斯之子墨奈修斯，戰豐的駕馭者，
閑站人群，無所事事，周圍擁站着呼嘯戰場的雅典卒兵。
足智多謀的俄底修斯站在他們近旁，
身邊排列着凱法勒尼亞人的隊伍，决非不堪一擊的散兵，
站候等待，還不曾聽到戰鬥的呼聲，
而赴戰的序列也還衹是剛剛形成，甫始展開，
準備廝殺的阿開亞兵漢和馴馬的特洛伊人。所以，
他們衹是站立等盼，等待着另一支阿開亞部隊開赴戰場，
撲嚮特洛伊人，開始激烈的戰鬥。
眼見此般情景，全軍的統帥阿伽門農開口斥訓，
放開嗓門，用長了翅膀的話語：
“裴忒俄斯之子，神祗助佑的王者，還有你，
心計詭詐，精明貪婪的頭領，這是怎麽回事？
為何站立此地，畏縮不前，左顧右盼？
你倆的位置應在隊伍的最前排，
面對戰火的炙烤。別忘了，
每當阿開亞人擺開賜宴首領的佳餚，
你倆總是最早接到我的邀請。
你們放開肚皮，盡情吞嚼烤肉，
開懷痛飲蜜一樣香甜的酒漿。
但現在，你們卻想興高采烈地觀看
十支阿開亞人的隊伍，挺着無情的銅矛戰鬥！”
聽他言罷，足智多謀的俄底修斯惡狼狠地看着他，說道：
“這是什麽話，阿特柔斯之子，嘣出了你的齒隙？
你怎可說我退縮不前，當着我們
阿開亞人催激起兇險的戰神，扳倒馴馬能手特洛伊人
的時候？看着吧，如果你樂意並且願意，
忒勒馬科斯的父親將和特洛伊人的一流戰將，
馴馬的好手，殺個你我不分！收起你的廢話，你的咋咋呼呼！”
眼見俄底修斯動了肝火，強有力的阿伽門農
笑着答道，收回了他的責斥：
“萊耳忒斯之子，神的後裔，足智多謀的俄底修斯，
我不應過多地責備你，也不該命令你；
我知道你的內心充滿善意。你我所見略同。
不要見怪，這一切日後自會煙消雲散，
如果我們剛纔說了些刺傷感情的言語。
願神明把我們的氣話拋上雲頭！”
言罷，他別了俄底修斯，繼續巡會軍隊的酋首，
衹見圖丟斯之子，勇猛豪強的狄俄墨得斯，
站在製合堅固的戰車裏，馭馬的後頭，
身邊站着卡帕紐斯之子塞奈洛斯。見着
狄俄墨得斯，全軍的統帥阿伽門農開口斥訓，
放開嗓門，用長了翅膀的話語：
“這是幹什麽，經驗豐富的馴馬者圖丟斯的兒子？
為何退縮不前，呆視着拼戰的空道？
這絶不是圖丟斯的作為，羞澀地蜷縮在後頭，
他總是衝在夥伴們前面，擊打敵人。
此乃別人的稱說，那些目睹他衝殺的戰勇。我本人從未眼見，
也不曾和他聚首，但人們都說他是首屈一指的英雄。
不錯，他曾來過慕凱奈，但不是前來攻戰，
而是作為客人和朋友，偕同神一樣的波魯內開斯，
為了招聚一批兵勇，前往搗平塞貝神聖的墻堡。
他們好說歹說，求我們撥出一支善戰的軍伍。
我的鄉胞倒是樂意幫忙，使來者如願以償，
無奈宙斯送來不祥的預兆，使他們改變了主張。
這樣，徵戰塞貝的部隊登程出發，一路走去，來到
阿索波斯河畔，岸邊芳草萋萋，河床蘆葦叢生。
在那裏，阿開亞人要圖丟斯帶着訊告，捷足先行。
他匆匆上路，遇到大群的卡德墨亞人，
聚宴在強壯的厄忒俄剋勒斯的廳堂。
儘管人地生疏，調馴烈馬的圖丟斯
面不改色，對着衆多的卡德墨亞壯漢，激挑他們
使出每一分力氣，和他賽比爭雄。他輕而易舉地擊敗了
所有的對手，在每一個項目裏——雅典娜使他氣壯如牛。
由此激怒了卡德墨亞人，鞭趕快馬的車手。
他們設下埋伏，截攔在他的歸途，聚起衆多的壯士，
五十之衆，由兩位首領製統，
海蒙之子、神一樣俊美的邁昂，
和奧托福諾斯之子、戰鬥中犟悍瞟勇的波魯豐忒斯。
然而，圖丟斯給這幫人送去了可恥的死亡，
殺了所有的伏擊者，衹有一個例外——
遵照神的兆示，他讓邁昂一人生還。
這便是圖丟斯，埃托利亞壯勇。然而，他的
兒子卻不如他勇猛——倒會巧嘴爭辯，使父親莫可比及！”
阿伽門農聲色俱厲，強壯的狄俄墨得斯沒有還嘴，
已被尊貴的王者，被他的辱駡懾服。
但光榮的卡帕紐斯之子此時啓口說話，答道：
“不要撒謊，阿特柔斯之子；對這一切，你知道得清清楚楚。
我們敢說，和我倆的父親相比，我們遠為出色。
是我門，攻破了七門的塞貝，雖然
和前次相比，我們帶去的人少，而城墻卻更為堅固。
我們服從神的兆示，接受宙斯的助佑，
而他們卻送命於自己的莽撞和犟拗。
所以，就榮譽而言，你絶不要把我們的父親和我們相提並論。”
聽罷這番話，強壯的狄俄墨得斯惡狠狠地看着他，說道：
“朋友，不要大聲喧嚷，聽我的。我不
抱怨阿伽門農，我們的統帥，
他在激策脛甲堅固的阿開亞人投入戰鬥。
這是他的光榮，如果阿開亞兵漢擊敗了特洛伊人，
攻占了神聖的尹利昂。但是，
如果阿開亞人成片地倒下，他將承受巨大的苦痛。
來吧，讓我們敞開自己的心房，擁抱狂烈的戰鬥！”
言罷，他擡腿跳下戰車，雙腳着地，全副武裝，
隨着身子的運動，胸前的銅甲發出可怕的聲響。
此般赫赫威勢，即便是心如磐石的戰將，見了也會發抖。
正如巨浪擊打濤聲震響的海灘，
西風捲起峰尖，一浪接着一浪地衝刷，
先在海面上揚起水頭，然後飛瀉下來，
衝蕩着灘沿，聲如滾雷，水波拱捲，
對着突兀的岩壁擊撞，迸射出四濺的浪花，
達奈人的隊伍，一隊接着一隊，蜂擁而至，
開赴戰場；各位首領統帶着自己的
部屬。他們靜靜地行進——無法想像
如此衆多的戰勇，懾於頭領們的威嚴，全都
緊閉喉門，一言不發，肅然前行，渾身
銅光閃爍，穿戴精工製作的鎧甲。
特洛伊人的隊伍則是另一種景象：如羊群一般，成千上萬，
擠在一位資産豐足的闊佬的農莊，熙熙攘攘，
等待着獻出潔白的鮮奶，人手的擠壓，
聽到羊羔的呼喚，發出咩咩的叫聲，持續不斷——
就像這樣，特洛伊人喊聲嘈響，擁擠在寬長的隊列裏。
他們沒有一種共通的話語，共同的語言，
故言談雜亂無章；兵勇們應召來自許多不同的國邦。
阿瑞斯催趕着他們前進，而灰眼睛的雅典娜則督勵着阿開亞
兵壯。
恐懼策趕着他們，還有騷亂和暴戾無情的爭鬥——
殺人狂阿瑞斯的姐妹和夥伴——
當她第一次擡頭時，還衹是個小不點兒，以後逐漸
長大，直到足行大地，頭頂藍天。
現在，她在兩軍間播下仇恨的種子，
穿走在兵流裏，加劇着人們的苦痛。
其時，兩軍相遇，激戰在屠人的沙場上，
盾牌和槍矛鏗鏘碰撞，身披銅甲的
武士競相搏殺，中心突鼓的皮盾
擠來壓去，戰鬥的喧囂一陣陣地呼響；
痛苦的哀叫伴和着勝利的呼聲，
被殺者的哀叫，殺人者的呼聲，泥地上碧血殷紅。
像鼕日裏的兩條莽暴的激流，從山脊上衝涌下來，
直奔溝𠔌，浩蕩的河水匯成一股洪流，
挾着來自源頭的滾滾波濤，飛瀉𠔌底，
聲如雷鳴，傳至遠處山坡上牧人的耳朵——
就以這般聲勢，兩軍相搏，喊聲峰起，疲苦卓絶。
安提洛科斯率先殺死一位特洛伊首領，
前排裏驍勇的戰將，薩魯西阿斯之子厄開波洛斯。
他首先投槍，擊中插頂馬鬃的頭盔，堅挺的突角，
銅尖紮進厄開波洛斯的前額，深咬進去，
搗碎頭骨，濃黑的迷霧蒙住了他的眼睛。
他栽倒在地，死於激戰之中，像一堵翻塌的墻基。
他猝然倒地，強有力的厄勒菲諾耳，卡爾科鼕之子，
心胸豪壯的阿邦忒斯人的首領，抓起他的雙腳，
把他從槍林矛雨中拖拉出來，試圖以最快的速度
搶剝鎧甲，無奈事與願違，奪甲之舉殊斷於起始之中。
在他拖屍之際，勇猛豪強的阿格諾耳看準了
他的脅助——後者彎身弓腰，邊肋脫離了戰盾的防護——
送手出槍，銅尖的閃光酥軟了他的肢腿，
魂息離他而去。為了爭奪他的軀體，雙方展開了一場
苦鬥，特洛伊人和阿開亞兵壯，像餓狼一般，
互相撲擊，人衝人殺，人死人亡。
鏖戰中，忒勒蒙之子埃阿斯殺了安塞米昂之子
西摩埃西俄斯，一位風華正茂的未婚青年。母親把他
生在西摩埃斯河邊，其時正偕隨她的父母
從伊達山上下來，前往照管他們的羊群。
所以，孩子得名西摩埃西俄斯；然而，他已不能
回報尊愛的雙親，養育的恩典；他活得短促，
被心胸豪壯的埃阿斯槍擊，
打在右胸上——因他衝鋒在前——
奶頭邊，青銅的槍矛穿透了胸肩。
他翻倒泥塵，像一棵楊樹，
長在窪地裏，大片的草澤上，
樹幹光潔，但頂部枝椏橫生；
一位製車的工匠把它砍倒，用閃光的
鐵斧，準備把他彎成輪軲，裝上精製的戰車。
楊樹躺在海岸上，風幹在它的灘沿。
就像這樣，安塞米昂之子西摩埃西俄斯躺在地上，
送命在埃阿斯手中，其時，胸甲鋥亮的安提福斯，
普裏阿摩斯之子，對着埃阿斯投出一枝飛矛，隔着人群，
槍尖不曾碰上目標，但卻擊中琉科斯，俄底修斯
勇敢的夥伴，打在小腹上——其時正拖着一具
屍體——他鬆開雙手，覆倒在屍軀上。
眼見朋友中槍倒地，俄底修斯怒不可遏，
從前排裏跳將出來，頭頂閃亮的銅盔，
跨步進逼，目光四射，揮舞着
閃亮的槍矛。特洛伊人畏縮退卻，
面對投槍的壯勇。他出槍中的，
擊倒了德漠科昂，普裏阿摩斯的私生子，
來自阿布多斯，從迅跑的馬車上。
俄底修斯出槍把他擊倒，出於對夥伴之死的憤怒，
銅尖紮在太陽穴上，穿透大腦，從另一邊
穴眼裏鑽出，濃黑的迷霧蒙住了他的雙眼。
他隨即倒地，轟然一聲，鎧甲在身上鏗鏘作響。
特洛伊人的首領們開始退卻，包括光榮的赫剋托耳，
而阿耳吉維人放聲吼叫，拖回屍體，
衝嚮敵軍的縱深。其時，阿波羅怒火中燒，目睹此般
情景，從高高的裴耳伽摩斯頂面，大聲激勵着特洛伊兵勇：
“振作起來，調馴烈馬的特洛伊人，不要在戰鬥中
嚮阿耳吉維人屈服！他們的皮肉不是石頭，也不是
生鐵，可以擋住咬肉的銅矛。出擊吧，捅穿他們！
阿基琉斯，美發塞提絲的兒子早已罷戰
不出，和海船作伴，沉迷在盛怒的苦辣中！”
城堡上，阿波羅大聲疾呼，而宙斯的女兒
特裏托格內婭，最光榮的女神，此時巡行在戰場上，
督勵着每一個臨陣退卻的阿開亞人。
其時，死的命運逮住了狄俄瑞斯，阿馬侖丘斯之子；
一塊粗 莽的石頭砸在右腿的
腳踝旁，出自一位斯拉凱壯勇的投擲，
裴羅斯，伊勃拉索斯之子，來自埃諾斯疆土。
無情的石塊打爛了兩邊的筋鍵
和腿骨；他仰面倒在泥地裏，
伸出兩手，希求同伴的援救，他所鐘愛的朋友，
喘吐出生命的魂息。投石者趕至他的身旁，
壯士裴羅斯，一槍紮在肚臍邊，和盤搗出腹腸，
滿地塗瀉，濃黑的迷霧蒙住了他的眼睛。
裴羅斯匆匆回跑，埃托利亞人索阿斯
出槍擊中他的胸部，奶頭的上方，銅尖
紮進肺葉；索阿斯趕上前去，把沉重的
槍矛拔出他的胸脯，抽出利劍；捅開
他的肚皮，結果了他的性命，但卻
不曾搶剝鎧甲——裴羅斯的夥伴們圍站在
朋友身邊，束發頭頂的斯拉凱戰勇，手握粗長的槍矛，
把他捅離遺體，儘管他強勁有力，雄勃高傲。
逼得他節節後退，步履踉蹌。
這樣，泥塵裏並排躺着兩位壯勇，攤撒着肢腿，
一位是斯拉凱人的頭領，另一位是身披銅甲的
厄利斯人的王貴；成群的兵勇倒死在他們周圍。
其時，如果有人邁步戰場，他已不能嘲諷戰鬥不夠酷烈，
任何人，尚未被投槍擊中，尚未被鋒快的銅矛紮倒，
轉留在戰陣之中，由帕拉絲·雅典娜
牽手引導，擋開橫飛的矢石和槍矛。
那一天，衆多的特洛伊人和阿開亞兵壯
叉腿躺倒在泥塵裏，屍身毗接，頭臉朝下。
ARGUMENT.
THE BREACH OF THE TRUCE, AND THE FIRST BATTLE.
The gods deliberate in council concerning the Trojan war: they agree upon
the continuation of it, and Jupiter sends down Minerva to break the truce.
She persuades Pandarus to aim an arrow at Menelaus, who is wounded, but
cured by Machaon. In the meantime some of the Trojan troops attack the
Greeks. Agamemnon is distinguished in all the parts of a good general; he
reviews the troops, and exhorts the leaders, some by praises and others by
reproof. Nestor is particularly celebrated for his military discipline.
The battle joins, and great numbers are slain on both sides.
The same day continues through this as through the last book (as it does
also through the two following, and almost to the end of the seventh
book). The scene is wholly in the field before Troy.
And now Olympus' shining gates unfold;
The gods, with Jove, assume their thrones of gold:
Immortal Hebe, fresh with bloom divine,
The golden goblet crowns with purple wine:
While the full bowls flow round, the powers employ
Their careful eyes on long-contended Troy.
When Jove, disposed to tempt Saturnia's spleen,
Thus waked the fury of his partial queen,
"Two powers divine the son of Atreus aid,
Imperial Juno, and the martial maid;(125)
But high in heaven they sit, and gaze from far,
The tame spectators of his deeds of war.
Not thus fair Venus helps her favour'd knight,
The queen of pleasures shares the toils of fight,
Each danger wards, and constant in her care,
Saves in the moment of the last despair.
Her act has rescued Paris' forfeit life,
Though great Atrides gain'd the glorious strife.
Then say, ye powers! what signal issue waits
To crown this deed, and finish all the fates!
Shall Heaven by peace the bleeding kingdoms spare,
Or rouse the furies, and awake the war?
Yet, would the gods for human good provide,
Atrides soon might gain his beauteous bride,
Still Priam's walls in peaceful honours grow,
And through his gates the crowding nations flow."
Thus while he spoke, the queen of heaven, enraged,
And queen of war, in close consult engaged:
Apart they sit, their deep designs employ,
And meditate the future woes of Troy.
Though secret anger swell'd Minerva's breast,
The prudent goddess yet her wrath suppress'd;
But Juno, impotent of passion, broke
Her sullen silence, and with fury spoke:
[Illustration: THE COUNCIL OF THE GODS.]
THE COUNCIL OF THE GODS.
"Shall then, O tyrant of the ethereal reign!
My schemes, my labours, and my hopes be vain?
Have I, for this, shook Ilion with alarms,
Assembled nations, set two worlds in arms?
To spread the war, I flew from shore to shore;
The immortal coursers scarce the labour bore.
At length ripe vengeance o'er their heads impends,
But Jove himself the faithless race defends.
Loth as thou art to punish lawless lust,
Not all the gods are partial and unjust."
The sire whose thunder shakes the cloudy skies,
Sighs from his inmost soul, and thus replies:
"Oh lasting rancour! oh insatiate hate
To Phrygia's monarch, and the Phrygian state!
What high offence has fired the wife of Jove?
Can wretched mortals harm the powers above,
That Troy, and Troy's whole race thou wouldst confound,
And yon fair structures level with the ground!
Haste, leave the skies, fulfil thy stern desire,
Burst all her gates, and wrap her walls in fire!
Let Priam bleed! if yet you thirst for more,
Bleed all his sons, and Ilion float with gore:
To boundless vengeance the wide realm be given,
Till vast destruction glut the queen of heaven!
So let it be, and Jove his peace enjoy,(126)
When heaven no longer hears the name of Troy.
But should this arm prepare to wreak our hate
On thy loved realms, whose guilt demands their fate;
Presume not thou the lifted bolt to stay,
Remember Troy, and give the vengeance way.
For know, of all the numerous towns that rise
Beneath the rolling sun and starry skies,
Which gods have raised, or earth-born men enjoy,
None stands so dear to Jove as sacred Troy.
No mortals merit more distinguish'd grace
Than godlike Priam, or than Priam's race.
Still to our name their hecatombs expire,
And altars blaze with unextinguish'd fire."
At this the goddess rolled her radiant eyes,
Then on the Thunderer fix'd them, and replies:
"Three towns are Juno's on the Grecian plains,
More dear than all the extended earth contains,
Mycenae, Argos, and the Spartan wall;(127)
These thou mayst raze, nor I forbid their fall:
'Tis not in me the vengeance to remove;
The crime's sufficient that they share my love.
Of power superior why should I complain?
Resent I may, but must resent in vain.
Yet some distinction Juno might require,
Sprung with thyself from one celestial sire,
A goddess born, to share the realms above,
And styled the consort of the thundering Jove;
Nor thou a wife and sister's right deny;(128)
Let both consent, and both by terms comply;
So shall the gods our joint decrees obey,
And heaven shall act as we direct the way.
See ready Pallas waits thy high commands
To raise in arms the Greek and Phrygian bands;
Their sudden friendship by her arts may cease,
And the proud Trojans first infringe the peace."
The sire of men and monarch of the sky
The advice approved, and bade Minerva fly,
Dissolve the league, and all her arts employ
To make the breach the faithless act of Troy.
Fired with the charge, she headlong urged her flight,
And shot like lightning from Olympus' height.
As the red comet, from Saturnius sent
To fright the nations with a dire portent,
(A fatal sign to armies on the plain,
Or trembling sailors on the wintry main,)
With sweeping glories glides along in air,
And shakes the sparkles from its blazing hair:(129)
Between both armies thus, in open sight
Shot the bright goddess in a trail of light,
With eyes erect the gazing hosts admire
The power descending, and the heavens on fire!
"The gods (they cried), the gods this signal sent,
And fate now labours with some vast event:
Jove seals the league, or bloodier scenes prepares;
Jove, the great arbiter of peace and wars."
They said, while Pallas through the Trojan throng,
(In shape a mortal,) pass'd disguised along.
Like bold Laodocus, her course she bent,
Who from Antenor traced his high descent.
Amidst the ranks Lycaon's son she found,
The warlike Pandarus, for strength renown'd;
Whose squadrons, led from black Æsepus' flood,(130)
With flaming shields in martial circle stood.
To him the goddess: "Phrygian! canst thou hear
A well-timed counsel with a willing ear?
What praise were thine, couldst thou direct thy dart,
Amidst his triumph, to the Spartan's heart?
What gifts from Troy, from Paris wouldst thou gain,
Thy country's foe, the Grecian glory slain?
Then seize the occasion, dare the mighty deed,
Aim at his breast, and may that aim succeed!
But first, to speed the shaft, address thy vow
To Lycian Phoebus with the silver bow,
And swear the firstlings of thy flock to pay,
On Zelia's altars, to the god of day."(131)
He heard, and madly at the motion pleased,
His polish'd bow with hasty rashness seized.
'Twas form'd of horn, and smooth'd with artful toil:
A mountain goat resign'd the shining spoil.
Who pierced long since beneath his arrows bled;
The stately quarry on the cliffs lay dead,
And sixteen palms his brow's large honours spread:
The workmen join'd, and shaped the bended horns,
And beaten gold each taper point adorns.
This, by the Greeks unseen, the warrior bends,
Screen'd by the shields of his surrounding friends:
There meditates the mark; and couching low,
Fits the sharp arrow to the well-strung bow.
One from a hundred feather'd deaths he chose,
Fated to wound, and cause of future woes;
Then offers vows with hecatombs to crown
Apollo's altars in his native town.
Now with full force the yielding horn he bends,
Drawn to an arch, and joins the doubling ends;
Close to his breast he strains the nerve below,
Till the barb'd points approach the circling bow;
The impatient weapon whizzes on the wing;
Sounds the tough horn, and twangs the quivering string.
But thee, Atrides! in that dangerous hour
The gods forget not, nor thy guardian power,
Pallas assists, and (weakened in its force)
Diverts the weapon from its destined course:
So from her babe, when slumber seals his eye,
The watchful mother wafts the envenom'd fly.
Just where his belt with golden buckles join'd,
Where linen folds the double corslet lined,
She turn'd the shaft, which, hissing from above,
Pass'd the broad belt, and through the corslet drove;
The folds it pierced, the plaited linen tore,
And razed the skin, and drew the purple gore.
As when some stately trappings are decreed
To grace a monarch on his bounding steed,
A nymph in Caria or Maeonia bred,
Stains the pure ivory with a lively red;
With equal lustre various colours vie,
The shining whiteness, and the Tyrian dye:
So great Atrides! show'd thy sacred blood,
As down thy snowy thigh distill'd the streaming flood.
With horror seized, the king of men descried
The shaft infix'd, and saw the gushing tide:
Nor less the Spartan fear'd, before he found
The shining barb appear above the wound,
Then, with a sigh, that heaved his manly breast,
The royal brother thus his grief express'd,
And grasp'd his hand; while all the Greeks around
With answering sighs return'd the plaintive sound.
"Oh, dear as life! did I for this agree
The solemn truce, a fatal truce to thee!
Wert thou exposed to all the hostile train,
To fight for Greece, and conquer, to be slain!
The race of Trojans in thy ruin join,
And faith is scorn'd by all the perjured line.
Not thus our vows, confirm'd with wine and gore,
Those hands we plighted, and those oaths we swore,
Shall all be vain: when Heaven's revenge is slow,
Jove but prepares to strike the fiercer blow.
The day shall come, that great avenging day,
When Troy's proud glories in the dust shall lay,
When Priam's powers and Priam's self shall fall,
And one prodigious ruin swallow all.
I see the god, already, from the pole
Bare his red arm, and bid the thunder roll;
I see the Eternal all his fury shed,
And shake his aegis o'er their guilty head.
Such mighty woes on perjured princes wait;
But thou, alas! deserv'st a happier fate.
Still must I mourn the period of thy days,
And only mourn, without my share of praise?
Deprived of thee, the heartless Greeks no more
Shall dream of conquests on the hostile shore;
Troy seized of Helen, and our glory lost,
Thy bones shall moulder on a foreign coast;
While some proud Trojan thus insulting cries,
(And spurns the dust where Menelaus lies,)
'Such are the trophies Greece from Ilion brings,
And such the conquest of her king of kings!
Lo his proud vessels scatter'd o'er the main,
And unrevenged, his mighty brother slain.'
Oh! ere that dire disgrace shall blast my fame,
O'erwhelm me, earth! and hide a monarch's shame."
He said: a leader's and a brother's fears
Possess his soul, which thus the Spartan cheers:
"Let not thy words the warmth of Greece abate;
The feeble dart is guiltless of my fate:
Stiff with the rich embroider'd work around,
My varied belt repell'd the flying wound."
To whom the king: "My brother and my friend,
Thus, always thus, may Heaven thy life defend!
Now seek some skilful hand, whose powerful art
May stanch the effusion, and extract the dart.
Herald, be swift, and bid Machaon bring
His speedy succour to the Spartan king;
Pierced with a winged shaft (the deed of Troy),
The Grecian's sorrow, and the Dardan's joy."
With hasty zeal the swift Talthybius flies;
Through the thick files he darts his searching eyes,
And finds Machaon, where sublime he stands(132)
In arms incircled with his native bands.
Then thus: "Machaon, to the king repair,
His wounded brother claims thy timely care;
Pierced by some Lycian or Dardanian bow,
A grief to us, a triumph to the foe."
The heavy tidings grieved the godlike man
Swift to his succour through the ranks he ran.
The dauntless king yet standing firm he found,
And all the chiefs in deep concern around.
Where to the steely point the reed was join'd,
The shaft he drew, but left the head behind.
Straight the broad belt with gay embroidery graced,
He loosed; the corslet from his breast unbraced;
Then suck'd the blood, and sovereign balm infused,(133)
Which Chiron gave, and Æsculapius used.
While round the prince the Greeks employ their care,
The Trojans rush tumultuous to the war;
Once more they glitter in refulgent arms,
Once more the fields are fill'd with dire alarms.
Nor had you seen the king of men appear
Confused, unactive, or surprised with fear;
But fond of glory, with severe delight,
His beating bosom claim'd the rising fight.
No longer with his warlike steeds he stay'd,
Or press'd the car with polish'd brass inlaid
But left Eurymedon the reins to guide;
The fiery coursers snorted at his side.
On foot through all the martial ranks he moves
And these encourages, and those reproves.
"Brave men!" he cries, (to such who boldly dare
Urge their swift steeds to face the coming war),
"Your ancient valour on the foes approve;
Jove is with Greece, and let us trust in Jove.
'Tis not for us, but guilty Troy, to dread,
Whose crimes sit heavy on her perjured head;
Her sons and matrons Greece shall lead in chains,
And her dead warriors strew the mournful plains."
Thus with new ardour he the brave inspires;
Or thus the fearful with reproaches fires:
"Shame to your country, scandal of your kind;
Born to the fate ye well deserve to find!
Why stand ye gazing round the dreadful plain,
Prepared for flight, but doom'd to fly in vain?
Confused and panting thus, the hunted deer
Falls as he flies, a victim to his fear.
Still must ye wait the foes, and still retire,
Till yon tall vessels blaze with Trojan fire?
Or trust ye, Jove a valiant foe shall chase,
To save a trembling, heartless, dastard race?"
This said, he stalk'd with ample strides along,
To Crete's brave monarch and his martial throng;
High at their head he saw the chief appear,
And bold Meriones excite the rear.
At this the king his generous joy express'd,
And clasp'd the warrior to his armed breast.
"Divine Idomeneus! what thanks we owe
To worth like thine! what praise shall we bestow?
To thee the foremost honours are decreed,
First in the fight and every graceful deed.
For this, in banquets, when the generous bowls
Restore our blood, and raise the warriors' souls,
Though all the rest with stated rules we bound,
Unmix'd, unmeasured, are thy goblets crown'd.
Be still thyself, in arms a mighty name;
Maintain thy honours, and enlarge thy fame."
To whom the Cretan thus his speech address'd:
"Secure of me, O king! exhort the rest.
Fix'd to thy side, in every toil I share,
Thy firm associate in the day of war.
But let the signal be this moment given;
To mix in fight is all I ask of Heaven.
The field shall prove how perjuries succeed,
And chains or death avenge the impious deed."
Charm'd with this heat, the king his course pursues,
And next the troops of either Ajax views:
In one firm orb the bands were ranged around,
A cloud of heroes blacken'd all the ground.
Thus from the lofty promontory's brow
A swain surveys the gathering storm below;
Slow from the main the heavy vapours rise,
Spread in dim streams, and sail along the skies,
Till black as night the swelling tempest shows,
The cloud condensing as the west-wind blows:
He dreads the impending storm, and drives his flock
To the close covert of an arching rock.
Such, and so thick, the embattled squadrons stood,
With spears erect, a moving iron wood:
A shady light was shot from glimmering shields,
And their brown arms obscured the dusky fields.
"O heroes! worthy such a dauntless train,
Whose godlike virtue we but urge in vain,
(Exclaim'd the king), who raise your eager bands
With great examples, more than loud commands.
Ah! would the gods but breathe in all the rest
Such souls as burn in your exalted breast,
Soon should our arms with just success be crown'd,
And Troy's proud walls lie smoking on the ground."
Then to the next the general bends his course;
(His heart exults, and glories in his force);
There reverend Nestor ranks his Pylian bands,
And with inspiring eloquence commands;
With strictest order sets his train in arms,
The chiefs advises, and the soldiers warms.
Alastor, Chromius, Haemon, round him wait,
Bias the good, and Pelagon the great.
The horse and chariots to the front assign'd,
The foot (the strength of war) he ranged behind;
The middle space suspected troops supply,
Inclosed by both, nor left the power to fly;
He gives command to "curb the fiery steed,
Nor cause confusion, nor the ranks exceed:
Before the rest let none too rashly ride;
No strength nor skill, but just in time, be tried:
The charge once made, no warrior turn the rein,
But fight, or fall; a firm embodied train.
He whom the fortune of the field shall cast
From forth his chariot, mount the next in haste;
Nor seek unpractised to direct the car,
Content with javelins to provoke the war.
Our great forefathers held this prudent course,
Thus ruled their ardour, thus preserved their force;
By laws like these immortal conquests made,
And earth's proud tyrants low in ashes laid."
So spoke the master of the martial art,
And touch'd with transport great Atrides' heart.
"Oh! hadst thou strength to match thy brave desires,
And nerves to second what thy soul inspires!
But wasting years, that wither human race,
Exhaust thy spirits, and thy arms unbrace.
What once thou wert, oh ever mightst thou be!
And age the lot of any chief but thee."
Thus to the experienced prince Atrides cried;
He shook his hoary locks, and thus replied:
"Well might I wish, could mortal wish renew(134)
That strength which once in boiling youth I knew;
Such as I was, when Ereuthalion, slain
Beneath this arm, fell prostrate on the plain.
But heaven its gifts not all at once bestows,
These years with wisdom crowns, with action those:
The field of combat fits the young and bold,
The solemn council best becomes the old:
To you the glorious conflict I resign,
Let sage advice, the palm of age, be mine."
He said. With joy the monarch march'd before,
And found Menestheus on the dusty shore,
With whom the firm Athenian phalanx stands;
And next Ulysses, with his subject bands.
Remote their forces lay, nor knew so far
The peace infringed, nor heard the sounds of war;
The tumult late begun, they stood intent
To watch the motion, dubious of the event.
The king, who saw their squadrons yet unmoved,
With hasty ardour thus the chiefs reproved:
"Can Peleus' son forget a warrior's part.
And fears Ulysses, skill'd in every art?
Why stand you distant, and the rest expect
To mix in combat which yourselves neglect?
From you 'twas hoped among the first to dare
The shock of armies, and commence the war;
For this your names are call'd before the rest,
To share the pleasures of the genial feast:
And can you, chiefs! without a blush survey
Whole troops before you labouring in the fray?
Say, is it thus those honours you requite?
The first in banquets, but the last in fight."
Ulysses heard: the hero's warmth o'erspread
His cheek with blushes: and severe, he said:
"Take back the unjust reproach! Behold we stand
Sheathed in bright arms, and but expect command.
If glorious deeds afford thy soul delight,
Behold me plunging in the thickest fight.
Then give thy warrior-chief a warrior's due,
Who dares to act whate'er thou dar'st to view."
Struck with his generous wrath, the king replies:
"O great in action, and in council wise!
With ours, thy care and ardour are the same,
Nor need I to commend, nor aught to blame.
Sage as thou art, and learn'd in human kind,
Forgive the transport of a martial mind.
Haste to the fight, secure of just amends;
The gods that make, shall keep the worthy, friends."
He said, and pass'd where great Tydides lay,
His steeds and chariots wedged in firm array;
(The warlike Sthenelus attends his side;)(135)
To whom with stern reproach the monarch cried:
"O son of Tydeus! (he, whose strength could tame
The bounding steed, in arms a mighty name)
Canst thou, remote, the mingling hosts descry,
With hands unactive, and a careless eye?
Not thus thy sire the fierce encounter fear'd;
Still first in front the matchless prince appear'd:
What glorious toils, what wonders they recite,
Who view'd him labouring through the ranks of fight?
I saw him once, when gathering martial powers,
A peaceful guest, he sought Mycenae's towers;
Armies he ask'd, and armies had been given,
Not we denied, but Jove forbade from heaven;
While dreadful comets glaring from afar,
Forewarn'd the horrors of the Theban war.(136)
Next, sent by Greece from where Asopus flows,
A fearless envoy, he approach'd the foes;
Thebes' hostile walls unguarded and alone,
Dauntless he enters, and demands the throne.
The tyrant feasting with his chiefs he found,
And dared to combat all those chiefs around:
Dared, and subdued before their haughty lord;
For Pallas strung his arm and edged his sword.
Stung with the shame, within the winding way,
To bar his passage fifty warriors lay;
Two heroes led the secret squadron on,
Mason the fierce, and hardy Lycophon;
Those fifty slaughter'd in the gloomy vale.
He spared but one to bear the dreadful tale,
Such Tydeus was, and such his martial fire;
Gods! how the son degenerates from the sire!"
No words the godlike Diomed return'd,
But heard respectful, and in secret burn'd:
Not so fierce Capaneus' undaunted son;
Stern as his sire, the boaster thus begun:
"What needs, O monarch! this invidious praise,
Ourselves to lessen, while our sire you raise?
Dare to be just, Atrides! and confess
Our value equal, though our fury less.
With fewer troops we storm'd the Theban wall,
And happier saw the sevenfold city fall,(137)
In impious acts the guilty father died;
The sons subdued, for Heaven was on their side.
Far more than heirs of all our parents' fame,
Our glories darken their diminish'd name."
To him Tydides thus: "My friend, forbear;
Suppress thy passion, and the king revere:
His high concern may well excuse this rage,
Whose cause we follow, and whose war we wage:
His the first praise, were Ilion's towers o'erthrown,
And, if we fail, the chief disgrace his own.
Let him the Greeks to hardy toils excite,
'Tis ours to labour in the glorious fight."
He spoke, and ardent, on the trembling ground
Sprung from his car: his ringing arms resound.
Dire was the clang, and dreadful from afar,
Of arm'd Tydides rushing to the war.
As when the winds, ascending by degrees,(138)
First move the whitening surface of the seas,
The billows float in order to the shore,
The wave behind rolls on the wave before;
Till, with the growing storm, the deeps arise,
Foam o'er the rocks, and thunder to the skies.
So to the fight the thick battalions throng,
Shields urged on shields, and men drove men along
Sedate and silent move the numerous bands;
No sound, no whisper, but the chief's commands,
Those only heard; with awe the rest obey,
As if some god had snatch'd their voice away.
Not so the Trojans; from their host ascends
A general shout that all the region rends.
As when the fleecy flocks unnumber'd stand
In wealthy folds, and wait the milker's hand,
The hollow vales incessant bleating fills,
The lambs reply from all the neighbouring hills:
Such clamours rose from various nations round,
Mix'd was the murmur, and confused the sound.
Each host now joins, and each a god inspires,
These Mars incites, and those Minerva fires,
Pale flight around, and dreadful terror reign;
And discord raging bathes the purple plain;
Discord! dire sister of the slaughtering power,
Small at her birth, but rising every hour,
While scarce the skies her horrid head can bound,
She stalks on earth, and shakes the world around;(139)
The nations bleed, where'er her steps she turns,
The groan still deepens, and the combat burns.
Now shield with shield, with helmet helmet closed,
To armour armour, lance to lance opposed,
Host against host with shadowy squadrons drew,
The sounding darts in iron tempests flew,
Victors and vanquish'd join'd promiscuous cries,
And shrilling shouts and dying groans arise;
With streaming blood the slippery fields are dyed,
And slaughter'd heroes swell the dreadful tide.
As torrents roll, increased by numerous rills,
With rage impetuous, down their echoing hills
Rush to the vales, and pour'd along the plain.
Roar through a thousand channels to the main:
The distant shepherd trembling hears the sound;
So mix both hosts, and so their cries rebound.
The bold Antilochus the slaughter led,
The first who struck a valiant Trojan dead:
At great Echepolus the lance arrives,
Razed his high crest, and through his helmet drives;
Warm'd in the brain the brazen weapon lies,
And shades eternal settle o'er his eyes.
So sinks a tower, that long assaults had stood
Of force and fire, its walls besmear'd with blood.
Him, the bold leader of the Abantian throng,(140)
Seized to despoil, and dragg'd the corpse along:
But while he strove to tug the _insert_ed dart,
Agenor's javelin reach'd the hero's heart.
His flank, unguarded by his ample shield,
Admits the lance: he falls, and spurns the field;
The nerves, unbraced, support his limbs no more;
The soul comes floating in a tide of gore.
Trojans and Greeks now gather round the slain;
The war renews, the warriors bleed again:
As o'er their prey rapacious wolves engage,
Man dies on man, and all is blood and rage.
In blooming youth fair Simoisius fell,
Sent by great Ajax to the shades of hell;
Fair Simoisius, whom his mother bore
Amid the flocks on silver Simois' shore:
The nymph descending from the hills of Ide,
To seek her parents on his flowery side,
Brought forth the babe, their common care and joy,
And thence from Simois named the lovely boy.
Short was his date! by dreadful Ajax slain,
He falls, and renders all their cares in vain!
So falls a poplar, that in watery ground
Raised high the head, with stately branches crown'd,
(Fell'd by some artist with his shining steel,
To shape the circle of the bending wheel,)
Cut down it lies, tall, smooth, and largely spread,
With all its beauteous honours on its head
There, left a subject to the wind and rain,
And scorch'd by suns, it withers on the plain
Thus pierced by Ajax, Simoisius lies
Stretch'd on the shore, and thus neglected dies.
At Ajax, Antiphus his javelin threw;
The pointed lance with erring fury flew,
And Leucus, loved by wise Ulysses, slew.
He drops the corpse of Simoisius slain,
And sinks a breathless carcase on the plain.
This saw Ulysses, and with grief enraged,
Strode where the foremost of the foes engaged;
Arm'd with his spear, he meditates the wound,
In act to throw; but cautious look'd around,
Struck at his sight the Trojans backward drew,
And trembling heard the javelin as it flew.
A chief stood nigh, who from Abydos came,
Old Priam's son, Democoon was his name.
The weapon entered close above his ear,
Cold through his temples glides the whizzing spear;(141)
With piercing shrieks the youth resigns his breath,
His eye-balls darken with the shades of death;
Ponderous he falls; his clanging arms resound,
And his broad buckler rings against the ground.
Seized with affright the boldest foes appear;
E'en godlike Hector seems himself to fear;
Slow he gave way, the rest tumultuous fled;
The Greeks with shouts press on, and spoil the dead:
But Phoebus now from Ilion's towering height
Shines forth reveal'd, and animates the fight.
"Trojans, be bold, and force with force oppose;
Your foaming steeds urge headlong on the foes!
Nor are their bodies rocks, nor ribb'd with steel;
Your weapons enter, and your strokes they feel.
Have ye forgot what seem'd your dread before?
The great, the fierce Achilles fights no more."
Apollo thus from Ilion's lofty towers,
Array'd in terrors, roused the Trojan powers:
While war's fierce goddess fires the Grecian foe,
And shouts and thunders in the fields below.
Then great Diores fell, by doom divine,
In vain his valour and illustrious line.
A broken rock the force of Pyrus threw,
(Who from cold Ænus led the Thracian crew,)(142)
Full on his ankle dropp'd the ponderous stone,
Burst the strong nerves, and crash'd the solid bone.
Supine he tumbles on the crimson sands,
Before his helpless friends, and native bands,
And spreads for aid his unavailing hands.
The foe rush'd furious as he pants for breath,
And through his navel drove the pointed death:
His gushing entrails smoked upon the ground,
And the warm life came issuing from the wound.
His lance bold Thoas at the conqueror sent,
Deep in his breast above the pap it went,
Amid the lungs was fix'd the winged wood,
And quivering in his heaving bosom stood:
Till from the dying chief, approaching near,
The Ætolian warrior tugg'd his weighty spear:
Then sudden waved his flaming falchion round,
And gash'd his belly with a ghastly wound;
The corpse now breathless on the bloody plain,
To spoil his arms the victor strove in vain;
The Thracian bands against the victor press'd,
A grove of lances glitter'd at his breast.
Stern Thoas, glaring with revengeful eyes,
In sullen fury slowly quits the prize.
Thus fell two heroes; one the pride of Thrace,
And one the leader of the Epeian race;
Death's sable shade at once o'ercast their eyes,
In dust the vanquish'd and the victor lies.
With copious slaughter all the fields are red,
And heap'd with growing mountains of the dead.
Had some brave chief this martial scene beheld,
By Pallas guarded through the dreadful field;
Might darts be bid to turn their points away,
And swords around him innocently play;
The war's whole art with wonder had he seen,
And counted heroes where he counted men.
So fought each host, with thirst of glory fired,
And crowds on crowds triumphantly expired.
[Illustration: Map of the Plain of Troy.]
Map of the Plain of Troy. 其時，帕拉絲·雅典娜已把力量和勇氣
註入狄俄墨得斯的身軀，使他能以顯赫的威勢
出現在阿耳吉維人裏，為自己爭得巨大的榮光。
她點燃不知疲倦的火花，在他的盾牌和帽盔上，
像那顆綴點夏末的星辰，浸浴在俄開阿諾斯河裏，
冉冉升起，明光爍爍，使群星為之失色。
就像這樣，雅典娜燃起了火焰；在他的頭頂和胸肩，
催勵他奔嚮戰場的中間，兵勇們麇聚衝殺的熱點。
特洛伊人中，有一位雍貴的富人，達瑞斯，
赫法伊斯托斯的祭司，有兩個兒子，
請熟諸般戰式，菲勾斯和伊代俄斯。
他倆從隊列裏衝將出來，撇下衆人，駕着戰車，
朝着狄俄墨得斯撲去，而後者早已下車，徒步進逼。
雙方相對而行，咄咄逼近；
菲勾斯首先擲出投影森長的槍矛，
槍尖擦過圖丟斯之子的左肩，
不曾擊中他的身體。隨後，狄俄墨得斯
出槍回敬，銅尖沒有白耗他的臂力，
捅入對手的胸脯，奶頭之間，把他從馬後打翻在地。
伊代俄斯縱腿下跳，丟棄了做工精美的戰車。
不敢跨護在屍體兩側，保衛死去的兄弟。
然而，儘管如此，他仍然難逃幽黑的死亡，
若不是赫法伊斯托斯把他攝走，裹在黑霧裏，救他一命，
從而使老人還有一子可盼，不致陷於絶望的凄境。
心胸豪壯的圖丟斯的兒子趕走馭馬，
交給他的夥伴，帶回深曠的海船。
心胸豪壯的特洛伊人目睹達瑞斯的
兩個兒子，一個逃跑，一個被打死在車旁，
無不沮喪心寒。其時，灰眼睛的雅典娜
伸手拉住勇 莽的阿瑞斯，對他說道：
“阿瑞斯，阿瑞斯，殺人的精狂，沾染鮮血的屠夫，城堡的剋星！
我們應讓特洛伊人和阿開亞人自行徵戰，
宙斯當會决定榮譽的得主，給哪一方都行，你說呢？
我倆應可撒手不管，以回避父親的盛怒。”
言罷，她引着勇 莽的阿瑞斯離開戰場，
爾後又讓他坐在斯卡曼得羅斯河的沙岸。
與此同時，達東人擊退了特洛伊戰勇，每位首領
都殺死一個敵手。首先，阿伽門農，民衆的王者，
把高大的俄底俄斯，咯利宗奈斯人的首領，撂下戰車，
在他轉身逃跑之際，槍矛擊中脊背，
雙胛之間，長驅直入，穿透了胸脯。
他隨即倒地，轟然一聲，鎧甲在身上鏗鏘作響。
伊多墨紐斯殺了法伊斯托斯，邁俄尼亞人波羅斯的兒子，
來自土地肥沃的塔耳奈。當他試圖從馬後
登車時，伊多墨紐斯，著名的槍手，
奮臂出擊，粗長的槍矛搗人他的右肩，
把他捅下馬車，可恨的黑暗奪走了他的生命。
伊多墨紐斯的隨從們剝掉了法伊斯托斯的鎧甲。
與此同時，阿特柔斯之子墨奈勞斯，用鋒快的槍矛，
殺了斯特羅菲俄斯之子斯卡曼得裏俄斯，出色的獵手，
善能追捕野獸的蹤影。阿耳忒彌絲親自教會他
獵殺的本領，各類走獸，衍生於高山大林的哺養。
然而，箭雨紛飛的阿耳忒彌絲此時卻救他不得，
他那出類拔萃的投槍之術也幫不了自己的忙。
善使槍矛的墨奈勞斯，阿特柔斯之子，擊中
撒腿跑在前頭的敵手，槍矛從背後紮入，
打在兩胛之間，長驅直入，穿透了胸脯。
他隨即倒地，頭臉朝下，鎧甲在身上鏗鏘作響。
墨裏俄奈斯殺了菲瑞剋洛斯，哈耳摩尼得斯之子忒剋同
的兒郎，長着一雙靈巧的手，善能製作各種精緻復雜的
東西，作為帕拉絲·雅典娜最鐘愛的凡人。
正是他，為亞歷剋山德羅斯建造了平穩勻稱的
海船，導致災難的航舟，給特洛伊人帶來了
死亡——現在，也給他自己：對神的旨意，他一無所知。
墨裏俄奈斯快步追趕，漸漸逼近，
出槍擊中他的右臀，槍尖長驅直入，
從盆骨下穿過，刺入膀胱。
他雙膝着地，厲聲慘叫，死的迷霧把他團團圍罩。
墨格斯殺了裴代俄斯，安忒諾耳之子，
儘管出於私生，美麗的塞阿諾卻把他當做
親子哺養，關懷備至，似取悅她的夫婿。
現在，夫琉斯之子，著名的槍手，咄咄逼近，
犀利的槍矛打斷了後腦勺下的筋腱，
槍尖深紮進去，挨着上下齒層，撬掉了舌頭。
裴代俄斯倒身泥塵，嘴裏咬着冰涼的青銅。
歐魯普洛斯，歐埃蒙之子，殺了高傲的多洛丕昂
之子、卓越的呼普塞諾耳，斯卡曼得羅斯
的祭司，受到家乡人民像對神一樣的崇敬。
歐魯普洛斯，歐埃蒙光榮的兒子，
追趕逃循中的敵手，揮劍砍在他的
肩上，利刃將手臂和身子分傢，
臂膀滴着鮮血，掉在地上，殷紅的死亡
和強有力的命運攏合了他的眼睛。
就這樣，他們在激烈的戰鬥中衝殺，
但你卻無法告知圖丟斯之子在為誰而戰，
是特洛伊人或是阿開亞人中的一員——
他在平原裏橫衝直撞，像鼕日裏的一條
泛濫的河流，洶涌的水頭衝垮了堤壩，
堅固的河堤已擋不住水流的衝擊，那一道道
衛墻，防護着果實纍纍的葡萄園，亦已剎不住它的勢頭，
宙斯的暴雨匯成滾滾的洪流，翻涌升騰，
蕩毀了一處處精耕細作的田園。
就像這樣，圖丟斯之子打散了多支特洛伊人的
隊伍；敵方儘管人多，但卻擋不住他的進攻。
然而，潘達羅斯，魯卡昂光榮的兒子，看着他
橫掃平原，打爛了己方的隊陣，
馬上拉開彎翹的硬弓，對準圖丟斯之子發射，
羽箭離弦，擊中前衝而來的勇士，打在右肩上，
胸甲的虛處，兇狠的箭頭深咬進去，
長驅直入，鮮血滴濺，濕染了胸衣。
魯卡昂光榮的兒子放開嗓門，高聲喊道：
“振作起來，心胸豪壯的特洛伊人，捶鞭駿馬的勇士！
瞧，阿開亞人中最好的戰勇已被我擊中，吃着強勁的箭力；
我想此人危在旦夕，倘若真是王者
阿波羅，宙斯之子，催我從魯基亞趕來，參加會戰。”
他朗聲說道，一番炫耀，卻不知飛箭並沒有射倒對手，
他衹是退至戰車和馭馬近旁。
直身站立，對卡帕紐斯之子塞奈洛斯喊道：
“快過來，帕紐斯的好兒子，趕快下車，
替我拔出這枚歹毒的羽箭，從我的肩頭！”
他言罷，塞奈洛斯從車上一躍而下，
站在他的身邊，從肩上拔出利箭，動作幹淨利索，
帶出如註的血流，濕透了鬆軟的衫衣。
其時，呼嘯戰場的狄俄墨得斯亮開嗓門，高聲作禱：
“聽我說，阿特魯托親，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的女兒，
如果你過去曾經出於厚愛，站在傢父一邊，在那
狂烈的搏殺中，那麽，雅典娜，眼下就請你幫我實現我的企願。
答應我，讓他進入我的投程，讓我宰了這個傢夥！
此人趁我不備，發箭傷我，眼下又在大言不慚地吹擂，
說我已沒有多少眼見日照的時光。”
他如此一番祈禱，帕拉絲·雅典娜聽到了他的聲音。
女神輕舒着他的臂膀，他的腿腳和雙手，
站在他的身邊，對他說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“鼓起勇氣，狄俄墨得斯，去和特洛伊人拼戰；
在你的胸腔裏，我已註入乃父。
操使巨盾的車戰者圖丟斯的勇力，一位不屈不撓的
鬥士。看，我已撥開在此之前一直蒙住你
雙眼的迷霧，使你能辨識神和凡人的面。
這樣，倘若眼下有一位不死的神祗置身此地，打算試探
你的勇力——記住了，切莫和他面對面地拼搏，
例外衹有一個：倘若阿芙羅底忒，宙斯的女兒，
前來參戰，你便可舉起犀利的銅矛，給她捅出一個窟窿！”
言罷，灰眼睛的雅典娜離他而去，而圖丟斯
之子則快步回返前排首領的隊列——他早就
怒火滿腔，渴望着和特洛伊人拼戰。
現在，他挾着三倍於此的憤怒，像一頭獅子，
躍過羊圈的柵欄，被一位牧人擊傷，後者
正看護着毛層厚密的羊群，但卻不曾致命，
倒是催發了它的橫蠻，牧人無法把它趕走，
藏身莊院，丟下亂作一團的羊群，
羊兒堆成了垛子，一個壓着一個——
獸獅怒氣衝衝，蹬腿猛撲，躍出高高的柵欄。
就像這樣，強有力的狄俄墨得斯怒不可遏，撲嚮特洛伊壯漢。
他殺了阿斯圖努斯和呼培榮，民衆的牧者，
一個死在青銅的槍尖下，打在奶頭的上方，
另一個死在碩大的銅劍下，砍在肩邊的
頸骨上，肩臂垂離，和脖子及背項分傢。
他丟下二者，撲嚮阿巴斯和波魯伊多斯，
年邁的釋夢者歐魯達馬斯的兩個兒郎。
然而，當二位離傢出徵之際，老人卻沒有
替他們釋夢——強有力的狄俄墨得斯殺了他倆。
其後，他又盯上了法伊諾普斯的兩個兒子，長得高大英武，
珊索斯和索昂——二位的父親已邁人凄慘的暮年，
已不能續生子嗣，繼承他的傢産。
狄俄墨得斯當即殺了他們，奪走了兩條性命，
他們心愛的東西，撇下年邁的父親，悲痛
交加：老人再也見不到自己的兒子，從戰場上
生還；遠親們將瓜分他的纍聚，他的財産。
接着，他又殺了達耳達尼亞人普裏阿摩斯的兩個兒子，
同乘一輛戰車，厄開蒙和剋羅米俄斯。
像一頭捕殺肥牛的獅子，逮住一頭食草
樹林的牧牛或小母牛，咬斷它的脖子——
圖丟斯之子，不管他倆的意願，把他們
打下戰車，兇狠異常，剝去他們的鎧甲，
帶過馭馬，交給身邊的夥伴，趕回自己的海船。
然而，埃內阿斯目睹了此人橫闖隊陣的情景，
冒着紛飛的投槍，穿行在戰鬥的人群，
尋覓着神一樣的潘達羅斯。
他找到魯卡昂的兒子，豪勇、強健的鬥士，
走上前去，站在他的面前，喊道：
“潘達羅斯，你的彎弓呢，你的羽箭呢，
你的名箭手的聲譽呢？你弓法嫻熟，特洛伊人中找不到對手。
魯基亞人中亦然——誰也不敢聲稱比你卓傑。
振作起來，對着宙斯舉起你的雙手，瞄準那個強壯的漢子，
不管他是誰人，引弦開弓——此人已給我們帶來
深重的災難，折斷了許多源勇壯漢的膝腿。
如此莽烈，除非他是某位神祗，震怒於我們的疏忽，忽略了
某次獻祭。神的憤怒我等如何消受得起？”
聽罷這番話，魯卡昂光榮的兒子答道：
“埃內阿斯，身披銅甲的特洛伊人的訓導，
從一切方面來看，此人都像是圖丟斯驃勇的兒子，
瞧他那面戰盾，那帽盔上的孔眼，以及那對馭馬的
模樣。不過，他也可能是一位神祗，就此我卻不敢斷言。
倘若他是一個凡人，如我想像的那樣，圖丟斯
驃勇的兒子，如此怒霸戰場，當非孤勇無助。他一定
得到某位神明的助佑，就在他的身邊，雙肩籠罩着迷霧，
撥偏了飛箭的落點，使之失去預期的精度。
我曾射出一枚羽箭，打在圖丟斯之子的
右肩，深咬進胸甲的虛處，以為
已經把他射倒，送他去了哀多紐斯的冥府。
然而，我卻沒有把他放倒；此乃神的幹擾，出於內心的震怒。
現在，我手頭既無馭馬，又沒有可供登駕的戰車，
雖說在魯卡昂的房院裏，停放着十一輛漂亮的
馬車，甫出工房，簇新的成品，覆頂着
織毯，每輛車旁立站着一對
馭馬，咀嚼着雪白的大麥和燕麥。
離開精工建造的府居前，年邁的槍手
魯卡昂曾三番五次地囑告，
讓我帶上馭馬，登上戰車，領着
特洛伊兵勇，奔赴激戰的沙場。
但是，我卻沒有聽從他的囑告——否則，該有多好！
我留下了馭馬——它們早已習慣於飽食槽頭——
使它們不致睏擠在人群簇擁的營地，忍饑挨餓。
就這樣，我把它們留在傢裏，徒步來到特洛伊，
寄望於手中的兵器，使我一無所獲的弓弩。
我曾放箭敵酋，他們中兩位最好的戰勇，
圖丟斯之子和阿特柔斯之子，兩箭都未曾虛發，
紮出淌流的鮮血，但結果衹是催發了他們的憤怒。
由此看來，那天我真是運氣不佳，從挂釘上取下
彎翹的硬弓，帶着我的特洛伊人，來到迷人的
伊利昂，給卓越的赫剋托耳送來歡樂。
倘若我還能生還故裏，重見
我的鄉土、我的妻子和寬敞的、頂面高聳的房居，那麽
讓某個陌生人當即砍下我的腦袋，從我的肩頭，
要是我不親手擰斷這把彎弓，把它丟進熊熊燃燒的
柴火——我把它帶在身邊，像一陣無用的清風。”
聽罷這番話，埃內阿斯，特洛伊人的首領，答道。
“不要說了，在你我駕起馭馬和戰車，
拿着武器，面對面地和那個人比試打鬥之前，
局勢斷難改觀。來吧，
跳上我的馬車，看看特洛伊的
馬種，看看它們如何熟悉自己的平原，
或追進，或避退，行動自如。
這對馭馬會把我們平安地帶回城裏，倘若
宙斯將再次把榮譽送交在圖丟斯之子狄俄墨得斯的手中。
趕快，抓起馬鞭和閃亮的
繮繩；我將跳下馬車，投入戰鬥！
不然，由我掌駕馬車，你去對付那個壯勇。”
聽罷這番話，魯卡昂光榮的兒子答道：
“還是由你執繮，埃內阿斯，使喚你的馭馬。
萬一我們打不過圖丟斯之子，不得不敗退時，
由熟悉的人製掌，馭馬會把彎翹的戰車拉得更快更穩。
我擔心它們，面對心胸豪壯的圖丟斯之子的進攻，
會帶着驚恐撒野，在聽不到你的指令的時候，
不願把我們拉出戰場；我擔心此人會撲嚮我們，
殺了我倆，趕走風快的駿馬。所以，
還是由你自己來趕，你的快馬和你的車輛。
讓他衝上來吧，由我來對付，用這枝犀利的投槍！”
言罷，兩人上了精工製作的馬車，驅趕着
捷蹄的快馬，挾着狂怒，朝着圖丟斯之子衝去。
塞奈洛斯，卡帕紐斯光榮的兒子，看見了他們，
當即通報圖丟斯之子，用長了翅膀的話語：
“圖丟斯之子，悅我心胸的朋友，看呀！
我看見兩位強健的勇士，迫不及待地要和你拼鬥。
他倆力大如牛，一位是弓藝精湛的
潘達羅斯，以魯卡昂之子標榜，
另一位是埃內阿斯，自稱是傢勇的
安基塞斯的兒郎，而他的母親是阿芙羅底忒。
來吧，讓我們趕着馬車撤離，不要拼戰
前排的壯勇——否則，你會送掉自己的性命。”
聽罷這番話，強壯的狄俄墨得斯惡狠狠地盯着他，答道：
“不要談論退卻，我不會聽從你的勸告，
絶對不會！臨陣逃脫，畏縮不前，
不是我的品行——我仍然渾身是勁！
我不想登車逃遁，我將徒步嚮前，
迎戰敵手。帕拉斯·雅典娜不會讓我逃離。
至於這兩個人，捷蹄的快馬絶不會把他們
”雙雙帶走，雖然有一個會從我們槍下逃生。
我還有一事囑告，你要牢記心中。
倘若多謀善斷的雅典娜讓我爭得榮譽，
殺了他倆，你要勒住我們的快馬，
把馬繮緊係於車桿之上；然後，
別忘了，衝嚮埃內阿斯的馭馬，
把它們趕離特洛伊兵壯，攏往脛甲堅固的阿開亞人的隊陣。
沉雷遠播的宙斯曾將這個馬種送給特羅斯，
作為帶走其子你努墨得斯的口報，
所以，這些良馬是晨曦和陽光下最好的駿足。
民衆的王者安基塞斯偷偷地行接過馬種，
瞞着勞墨鼕，將母馬引入它們的胯下，
為自己的傢院一氣增添了三對名種。
他自留四匹，喂養在馬廄裏，而把
這對給了埃內阿斯，馬蹄踢打出鎮人的驍莽。
若能奪得這對靈駒，你我將爭得莫大的榮光。”
就這樣，他倆你來我往，一番說告，與此同時，
他們的兩位對手業已咄咄逼近，駕着捷蹄的快馬。
魯卡昂英武的兒子率先對狄俄墨得斯嚷道：
“驃勇犟悍的鬥士，高傲的圖丟斯的兒子，
既然我那兇狠的快箭沒有把你射倒，
現在，我倒要看看，我的投槍是否能夠奏效！”
言罷，他持平落影森長的槍矛，奮臂投擲，
紮入圖丟斯之子的戰盾，疾飛的
槍尖穿透盾面，切入胸甲，
魯卡昂英武的兒子放開嗓門，高聲喊道：
“你被擊中了，被我捅穿了肚皮！我想，
你已不久人事；你給了我巨大的榮光！”
強有力的狄俄墨得斯開口答話，面不改色：
“你打偏了，沒有擊中我！相反，我要告訴你們，
你倆脫身無門，將倒死戰場——不是你，便是他——
用鮮血喂飽戰神、從盾牌後殺砍的阿瑞斯的胃腸”
言罷，他奮臂投擲，帕拉絲·雅典娜製導着槍矛，
擊中他的鼻子，眼睛的近旁，打斷了雪白的牙齒，
堅硬的銅矛連根鏟去舌頭，
矛尖從頜骨下奪路出闖。
他翻身倒出戰車，鎧甲在身上鏗鏘作響——
鋥光閃亮的甲衣——兩匹迅捷的快馬
揚起前蹄，閃避一旁；他的生命和勇力碎散飄蕩。
其時，埃內阿斯騰身人地，帶着盾牌和粗長的槍矛，
惟恐阿開亞人拖走遺體，以這種或那種方式，
跨站在屍體上，像一頭高傲的獅子，堅信自己的勇力，
挺着槍矛，攜着溜圓的戰盾，
氣勢洶洶，决心放倒任何敢於近前的敵人，
發出粗野的喊叫。其時，圖丟斯之子抱起
石頭，一塊巨大的頑石，當今之人，即便站出兩個，
也動它不得，而他卻僅憑一己之力，輕鬆地把石塊高舉過頭。
他奮力投擲，擊中埃內阿斯的腿股——髖骨
由此內伸，和盆骨相連，人稱“杯子”的地方。
石塊砸碎髖骨，打斷了兩邊的筋腱，
粗礪的棱角把皮膚往後撕裂，勇士
被迫麯腿跪地，撐出粗壯的大手，單臂吃受
身體的重力，黑色的夜霧蒙住了他的雙眼。
其時，他或許會死在現場，民衆的王者埃內阿斯，
要不是宙斯之女阿芙羅底忒眼快——女神
是他的母親，把他生給了牧牛草場的安基塞斯。
她伸出雪白的雙臂，輕輕輓起心愛的兒子，
甩出閃亮的裙袍，衹用一個折片，遮護着他的身軀，
擋住橫飛的槍械，以恐某個達奈壯勇，駕着奔馳的馬車，
用銅矛破開他的胸膛，奪走他的生命。
就這樣，她把心愛的兒子搶出戰場；
然而，卡帕紐斯之子塞奈洛斯沒有忘記
嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯的命令，
在回避混戰的地點勒住
風快的馭馬，把繮繩係上車桿，
然後直奔埃內阿斯長鬃飄灑的駿馬，
把它們趕離特洛伊兵壯，攏回脛甲堅固的阿開亞人的隊陣，
交給德伊普洛斯——他的摯友，同齡人中
最受他敬重的一位，因為他倆心心相印——
由他趕往深曠的海船。與此同時，塞奈洛斯
跨上馬車，抓起閃亮的繮繩，
駕着蹄腿強健的馭馬，朝着圖丟斯之子
飛奔，後者正奮力追趕庫普裏絲[●]，手提無情的銅矛，
●庫普裏絲：即阿芙羅底忒，在塞浦路斯（即庫普羅斯，Kupros）備受尊崇。
心知此神懦弱，不同於那些
為凡人編排戰陣的神祗，既不是
雅典娜，也不是厄努娥，蕩劫城堡的神明。
圖丟斯之子緊追不捨，穿過大隊的人群，趕上了她，
猛撲上去，心胸豪壯的勇士
投出犀利的槍矛，直指女神柔軟的臂腕。
銅尖穿過典雅女神精心織製的。
永不敗壞的裙袍，毀裂了皮膚，
位於掌腕之間，放出涓涓滴淌的神血，
一種靈液，環流在幸福的神祗身上，他們的脈管裏。
他們不吃面包，也不喝閃亮的醇酒，
故而沒有血液——凡人稱他們長生不老。
她尖叫一聲，丟下臂中的兒子，
被福伊波斯·阿波羅伸手抱過，
裹在黑色的霧團裏，以恐某個達奈壯勇，乘駕奔馳的馬車，
用銅矛破開他的胸膛，奪走他的生命。
其時，嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯衝着她嚷道：
“避開戰爭和廝殺，宙斯的女兒。
你把懦弱的女子引入歧途，如此作為，難道還不夠意思？
怎麽，還想留戀戰場，對不？眼下，我敢說，
哪怕衹要聽到戰爭的風聲。你就會嚇得直打哆嗦！”
圖丟斯之子一頓揶揄，女神遑遑離去，帶着鑽心的疼痛；
追風的伊裏絲牽着她的手，將她引出
戰場，傷痛陣陣，秀亮的皮膚變得昏黃慘淡。
其時，她發現勇 莽的阿瑞斯，正等在戰地的左前方，
槍矛靠着雲端，伴隨着他的快馬。
她屈膝下跪，對着親愛的兄弟，
誠懇祈求，藉用係戴金籠轡的駿馬：
“親愛的兄弟，救救我，讓我用你的馬車，
跑回俄林波斯山脈，不死的神們居住的地方。
我已受傷，疼痛難忍，遭自一位凡人的槍矛，
圖丟斯之子——這小子眼下甚至敢和父親宙斯打鬥！”
聽罷這番話，阿瑞斯讓出了係戴金籠轡的馭馬。
忍着鑽心的疼痛，女神登上馬車，
伊裏絲亦踏上車板，站在她的身邊，抓起繮繩，
揚鞭催馬，神駒飛撲嚮前，不帶半點勉強。
她們回到峭峻的俄林波斯，神的傢居，
捷足追風的伊裏絲勒住奔馬，
寬出軛套，拿過裝着仙料的食槽，放在它們面前。
閃亮的阿基羅底忒撲倒在母親狄娥奈的
膝腿上，後者將女兒摟進懷裏，
輕輕撫摸，出聲呼喚，說道：
“是誰，我的孩子，是天神中的哪一個，鬍作非為，把你
弄成這個樣子，仿佛你是個被抓現場的歹徒？”
愛笑的阿芙羅底忒開口答道：
“圖丟斯之子狄俄墨得斯刺傷了我，一位心志高傲的勇士，
在我抱着愛子離開戰場之際，
埃內阿斯，世間我最鐘愛的凡人。
現在，進行這場可怕戰爭的已不再是特洛伊人和阿開亞兵衆
——達奈人已嚮不死的神祗開戰！”
聽罷這番話，狄娥奈，天界秀美的女神，答道：
“耐心些，我的孩子，忍受着點，雖然你很悲痛。
傢住俄林波斯的神祗，當我們互相以痛苦
相擾時，吃過凡人苦頭的何止一二？
當強有力的厄菲阿爾忒斯和俄托斯，阿洛歐斯的兩個兒子，
用鎖鏈把阿瑞斯捆綁起來時，後者不得不忍受這種折磨，
在青銅的大鍋裏，帶着長鏈，憋了十三個月，
若不是有幸獲救，嗜戰不厭的阿瑞斯可能熬不過那次
愁難——兩位魔怪的後母、美貌的厄裏波婭
給赫耳墨斯捎去口信，後者把阿瑞斯盜出銅鍋，
氣息奄奄；無情的鐵鏈已把他箍損到崩潰的邊緣。
安菲特魯昂強有力的兒子曾射中赫拉的
右胸，用一枚帶着三枝倒勾的利箭，
傷痛鑽心，難以彌消。和別的受害者
一樣，高大魁偉的哀地斯亦不得不忍受箭傷的折磨——
在普洛斯，在死人堆裏，這同一個凡人，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的
兒子，開弓放箭，使他飽嘗了苦痛。
哀地斯跑上巍巍的俄林波斯，宙斯的傢府，
帶着刺骨鑽心的傷痛，感覺一片凄寒——
箭頭深紮進寬厚的肩膀，心中填滿了哀愁。
然而，派厄昂為他敷上鎮痛的藥物，
治愈了箭傷：此君不是會死的凡人。
這便是勇 莽的赫拉剋勒斯，出手兇猛，全然不顧闖下的災禍，
拉開手中的彎弓，射傷傢居俄林波斯的仙神！
至於你說的那個人，他因受灰眼睛女神雅典娜的驅使，
前來和你作對——圖丟斯之子，可憐的傻瓜，心裏全然不知，
不知鬥膽擊打神明的凡人，不會有長久的人生。
即便能生返傢園，在戰爭和痛苦的搏殺結束之後，
他的孩子也不會圍聚膝前，把他迎進傢門。
所以，儘管圖丟斯之子十分強健，我要勸他小心在意：
恐怕會有某個比他更強健的戰勇，前來和他交手，
免得埃吉阿蕾婭，阿德拉斯托斯聰慧的女兒，
一位壯實的妻子，夢中醒來，哭悼不已，喚過傢中
親近的夥伴，思盼阿開亞人中最好的男子，狄俄墨得斯，
她的婚合夫婿，調馴烈馬的壯勇。”
言罷，她用手抹去女兒臂上的靈液，
平愈了手腕上的傷口，劇烈的傷痛頓時煙消雲散。
然而，赫拉和雅典娜在一旁看得真切，
用諷刺的口吻，對剋羅諾斯之子謔言。
灰眼睛女神雅典娜首先開口，說道：
“父親宙斯，倘若我鬥膽作個猜測，你不會生氣吧？
事情肯定是這樣的：我們的庫普裏絲挑引起
某個阿開亞女子的情愛，追求女神熱切鐘愛的特洛伊人，
於是，她抓住阿開亞女子漂亮的裙袍。
被金針的尖頭劃破了鮮嫩的手腕。”
雅典娜如此一番嘲諷，神和人的父親喜笑顔開，
讓金色的阿芙羅底忒走近他的身邊，說道：
“我的孩子，徵戰沙場不是你的事情。你還是
操持你的事務，婚娶姻合的蜜甜，把戰爭
諸事留給別的神祗，留給雅典娜和突 莽的阿瑞斯操辦。”
神們如此這般地逗笑攀談；與此同時，
地面上，嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯正朝着埃內阿斯衝去，
雖說明知阿波羅已親自手護着他的敵人，
他亦毫不退卻，哪怕面對這位強有力的弓神，而是
勇往直前，試圖殺了埃內阿斯，剝下光榮的鎧甲。
一連三次，他發瘋似地衝上前去，意欲撲殺，
一連三次，阿波羅將那面閃亮的盾牌打到一邊；
但是，當他發起第四次衝鋒，像一位出凡的超人，
遠射手阿波羅開口呵責，發出驚人心魂的喊聲：
“莫要鬍來，圖丟斯之子，給我乖乖地退回去！不要再
癡心妄想，試圖和神明攀比高低！神人從不
同屬一個族類，神們永生不滅，凡人的腿腳離不開泥塵。”
聽罷這番話，圖丟斯之子開始退卻，但衹是讓出那麽幾步，
以避開遠射手阿波羅的盛怒。於是，
射手將埃內阿斯帶出鏖戰的人群，
停放在裴耳伽摩斯的一個神聖的去處，他自己的神廟。
在一個巨大而神秘的房間，萊托和箭雨紛飛的
阿芙羅底忒治愈了他的傷痛，使他恢復了平時的風采。
其時，阿波羅，銀弓之神，化作
埃內阿斯的形貌，身穿一模一樣的鎧甲。
圍繞着這個形象，特洛伊人和卓越的阿開亞人
互相衝殺，擊打着溜圓的、遮護前胸的
牛皮盾面，擊打着穗條飄舞的護身的皮張。
福伊波斯·阿波羅對勇 莽的阿瑞斯喊道：
“阿瑞斯，阿瑞斯，殺人的精狂，沾染鮮血的屠夫，城堡的剋星！
能否馬上衝上前去，把那個人拖出戰場？
拖出圖丟斯之子，這傢夥眼下甚至敢和父親宙斯打鬥！
就在剛纔，他還刺傷了庫普裏絲的手腕，
然後，像個出凡的超人，甚至對着我撲來！”
言罷，他獨自坐到裴耳伽摩斯的頂面，
而粗 莽的阿瑞斯則來到特洛伊人的隊伍，激勵他們繼續戰鬥，
以斯拉凱王者的模樣，捷足的阿卡馬斯，
敦促普裏阿摩斯的兒子，神祗哺育的王傢子弟，奮勇嚮前：
“你們，神祗鐘愛的王者普裏阿摩斯的兒子，
阿開亞人正在屠宰你們的部屬，你們還打算等待多久？
等他們打到堅固的城門口嗎？埃內阿斯
已經倒下，我們敬他如同對赫剋托耳一般，
是的，埃內阿斯，心志豪 莽的安基塞斯的兒子。
來吧，讓我們殺人紛亂的戰場，搭救驍勇的夥伴！”
一番話使大傢鼓起了勇氣，增添了力量。
其時，薩耳裴鼕開口發話，數落起卓越的赫剋托耳：
“你過去的勇氣，赫剋托耳，如今何處去也？
你曾誇口，說是沒有衆人，沒有友軍，你就可以
守住城市，僅憑你的兄弟和姐妹夫們的幫襯。
現在，這此人呢？我怎麽看不見他們的蹤影？
他們抖嗦不前，像圍着獅子的獵狗，
而我們，你的盟軍，卻在捨命抗爭。
作為你的盟友，我從遙遠的地方趕來，
從遠方的魯基亞，打着漩渦的珊索斯河畔，
撇下我的妻房和尚是嬰孩的兒郎，
撇下豐廣的傢産，貧窮的鄰人為之唾涎欲滴和富有。
然而，即便如此，我帶來了魯基亞兵勇，自己亦抖擻精神，
奮戰敵手，雖然阿開亞人在此
既奪不到我的財産，也趕不走我的羊牛。
但是你，你衹是站在這裏，甚至連聲命令都不下。
為何不讓你的部下站穩腳跟，為保衛他們的妻子，奮勇拼搏？
小心，不要掉人苦鬥的坑穴，廣收一切的織網，
被你的敵人兜走，成為他們的俘獲，他們的戰禮——
用不了多久，這幫人將蕩毀你的墻垣堅固的城防！
不要忘卻你的責職，不管是白天，還是黑夜，
懇求聲名遐邇的友軍，懇求友軍的首領，求他們
英勇不屈地戰鬥，以抵消他們對你的責辱。”
薩耳裴鼕的話語刺痛了赫剋托耳的心胸，
他當即行動，跳下馬車，雙腳着地，全副武裝。
揮舞着一對鋒快的槍矛，穿巡在全軍的每一支隊伍，
催勵人們拼殺，推起恐怖的戰爭狂潮。
士兵們鼓起勇氣，昂首面對阿開亞兵勇，
但後者以密集的編隊作戰，一步也不退讓。
正如季風掃過神聖的麥場，吹散了
簸揚而起的殼片，而金發的黛墨忒耳
正藉着風勢剔分顆粒和殼襪，
皮襪堆積，漂白了地表。就像這樣，
馬蹄捲起紛揚的泥塵，把阿開亞人撲灑得
全身灰白，抹過他們的臉面，直上銅色的天穹——
兩軍再度開戰，車輪轉回到拼搏的軌道。
他們使出雙臂的力量，勇 莽的阿瑞斯
幫佑着特洛伊人，在戰場上布起濃黑的夜霧，
活躍在每一個角落，執行着金劍王
福伊波斯·阿波羅的命令，後者在發現
達奈人的護神帕拉絲·雅典娜
離開戰場後，命他催發特洛伊人的兇烈。
從那間神秘、庫藏豐盈的房室，阿波羅送回
埃內阿斯，把勇力註入兵士牧者的心胸。
埃內阿斯站在夥伴們中間，後者高興地見到
他的回歸，仍然活着，安然無恙，
渾身煥發出拼戰的英武。然而，他們沒有發問，
即將來臨的戰鬥不允許他們這麽從容——神們催使他們投入
新的格戰，銀弓之神，屠人的阿瑞斯，還有爭鬥，她的憤怒沒有
罷息的時候。
在戰場的另一方，兩位埃阿斯、俄底修斯和
狄俄墨得斯督勵着達奈人戰鬥，
心中全然不怕特洛伊人的力量和強攻，
堅守着自己的陣地，像被剋羅諾斯之子滯阻的
雲朵，在一個無風的日子，凝留在高山的峰巔，
紋絲不動——強有力的北風已進入夢鄉，還有他的
那幫夥伴；要是讓他們呼嘯着從高空
衝掃而下，強勁的風力足以推散濃黑的雲層。
就像這樣，達奈人死死頂住特洛伊人的進擊，毫不退讓。
阿特柔斯之子穿行在隊伍裏，不斷地發出命令：
“拿出男子漢的勇氣，我的朋友們！抖擻精神，
不要讓夥伴們恥笑，在這你死我活的拼搏中！
如果大傢都能以此相誡，更多的人方能避死得生；
但若撒腿逃跑，那麽一切都將拋空：我們的防禦，我們所要的
光榮！”
言罷，他迅速投槍，擊倒前排中的一位首領，
代科昂，心胸豪壯的埃內阿斯的夥伴，
裴耳伽索斯之子，特洛伊人敬他就像對普裏阿摩斯
的兒子，因他總是毫不猶豫地介入前排的戰鬥。
強有力的阿伽門農投槍擊中他的盾牌，
銅尖衝破阻擋，把面裏一起透穿，
捅開腰帶，深紮進他的肚腹。
他隨即倒地，轟然一聲，鎧甲在身上鏗鏘作響。
戰場上，埃內阿斯殺了達奈人的兩位首領，
狄俄剋勒斯之子，俄耳西洛科斯和剋瑞鬆，
其父居傢菲萊，堅固的城堡，
資財豐足，阿爾菲俄斯河的後代，
寬闊的水面流經普利亞人的地面，
生一子，名俄耳提洛科斯，作為統領衆多子民的王者。
俄耳提洛科斯生子狄俄剋勒斯，心胸豪壯的統領，
後者生養了兩個兒子，俄耳西洛科斯和
剋瑞鬆，孿生雙胞，精通各種戰式的壯勇。
二位長大成人，隨同阿耳吉維聯軍，
乘坐烏黑的海船，來到伊利昂地面，駿馬的故鄉，
為阿特柔斯的兩個兒子，阿伽門農和墨奈勞斯，
爭回光榮。現在，幽黑的死亡結果了他倆的人生。
像山脊上的兩頭尚未成年的獅子，
母獅把它們養大在昏黑的深山老林，
它們撲殺牛群和肥羊，
塗炭牧人的莊院，直至翻身倒地，
死在牧人手中，銳利的銅槍下。
就像這樣，兩位壯勇倒死在埃內阿斯手下，
宛如兩棵被伐的巨鬆，撞倒在地上。
二位倒下後，嗜戰的墨奈勞斯心生憐憫，
從前排首領中大步趕出，頭頂鋥亮的銅盔，
揮舞着槍矛，阿瑞斯的狂怒驅他嚮前——
阿瑞斯企望着讓他倒死在埃內阿斯的槍尖。
但是，安提洛科斯，心胸豪壯的奈斯托耳之子，看着他衝出
人群，大步穿過前排的首領，替這位兵士的牧者擔心，
惟恐朋友受到傷損，使衆人的苦戰半途而廢。
所以，當埃內阿斯和墨奈勞斯舉起鋒快的投槍，
面對面地擺開架勢，急不可待地準備廝殺時，
安提洛科斯趕至兵士牧者的身邊，肩並肩地站在一起；
埃內阿斯眼見兩人聯手攻他，開始
移步退卻，雖然他是一位迅捷的戰勇。
兩人趁機拖起屍體，回到阿開亞人的隊陣，
把倒黴的倆兄弟交給己方的夥伴，
轉身重返前排的戰鬥。
激戰中，他們殺了普萊墨奈斯，阿瑞斯一樣勇 莽的鬥士，
帕夫拉戈尼亞盾牌兵的首領，一群心胸豪壯的兵勇。
當他站在那裏時，墨奈勞斯，阿特柔斯之子，
著名的槍手，出手捅刺，紮打在鎖骨上。
與此同時，安提洛科斯擊倒了墨鼕，他的馭手和
隨從，阿屯尼俄斯驍勇的兒子——正趕着
迅捷的馬車——用一塊石頭，砸在手肘上，嵌着
雪白象牙的繮繩從指間滑出，掉落灰蒙蒙的泥塵；
安提洛科斯猛撲過去，將銅劍送進額邊的穴眼。
慕鼕喘着粗氣，從精固的戰車上撲倒，
頭臉朝下，脖子和雙肩紮入泥塵，
持續了好些時間——沙地鬆軟，此乃他的福氣，
直到自己的馭馬把他往下踐踏——
安提洛科斯揮動鞭子，把它們趕往阿開亞人的隊陣。
看着他們穿行在隊伍裏，赫剋托耳衝跑過去，
喊聲如雷，身後跟着一隊隊特洛伊人強大的
戰鬥群伍。阿瑞斯，還有女神厄努娥，率領着他們；
女神帶着兇殘的混戰，無情的仇殺，
阿瑞斯則揮舞碩大的槍矛，
奔走在赫剋托耳身邊，時而居前，時而殿後。
目睹阿瑞斯的出現，嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯嚇得渾身
發抖，像一個穿越大平原的路人，孤身無援，
停立在一條奔騰入海、水流湍急的大河邊，
望着咆哮的河水，翻滾的白浪，嚇得怯步後退。
就像這樣，圖丟斯之子移步退卻，對着夥伴們喊道：
“朋友們，我們常常驚慕光榮的赫剋托耳，
以為他是個上好的槍手，一位豪猛的戰勇，
卻不知他的身邊總有某位神祗，替他擋開死亡；
現在，阿瑞斯正和他走在一起，以凡人的模樣。
後撤吧，是時候了，但要面對特洛伊人，倒退着
回走——不要心血來潮，和神明爭鬥！”
言罷，特洛伊人已衝逼到他們眼前。
赫剋托耳放倒了兩位壯勇，同乘一輛戰車，
精於搏戰的安基阿洛斯和墨奈塞斯。
二者倒地後，忒拉蒙之子、高大魁偉的埃阿斯心生憐憫，
跨步近逼，投出閃亮的槍矛，擊中
安菲俄斯，塞拉戈斯之子，來自派索斯，
傢産豐厚，𠔌地廣袤，但命運使他
成為普裏阿摩斯和他的兒子們的盟友。
現在，忒拉蒙之子投槍捅穿他的腰帶，
投影森長的槍矛紮在小肚上；
他隨即倒地，轟然一聲。閃光的埃阿斯趕上前去，
搶剝鎧甲；特洛伊人投出雨點般密集的槍矛，
犀利的銅尖閃着爍爍的光芒，碩大的皮盾吃受了衆多的投鏢。
他用腳跟蹬住死者的胸膛，拔出自己的
銅槍，但卻無法搶剝璀璨的鎧甲，從
對手的肩頭——投槍鋪天而來，打得他連連後退。此外，
他亦害怕高傲的特洛伊戰勇已經形成的強有力的圈圍，
他們人多勢衆，剛勇暴烈，手握粗長的槍矛，
把他捅離遺體，儘管他強勁有力，雄勃高傲，
逼得他節節後退，步履踉蹌。
就這樣，勇士們煎熬在你死我活的戰場上。
其時，赫拉剋勒斯之子，高大、強健的特勒波勒摩斯，
在強有力的命運的驅使下，衝嚮神一樣的薩耳裴鼕。
兩人迎面而行。咄咄逼近，
一位是彙聚烏雲的宙斯之子，另一位是宙斯的孫輩。
特勒波勒摩斯首先開口諷偷，喊道：
“薩耳裴鼕，魯基亞人的訓導，為何
縮手縮腳，像個初上戰場的兵娃？
人說你是帶埃吉斯的宙斯的兒子，他們不都是
騙子嗎？事實上，和宙斯的其他孩子們相比——
他們都是我等的前輩——你簡直算不得什麽。
不是嗎？想想強健的赫拉剋勒斯，人們怎樣把他誇耀，
那是我的父親，驃勇剛強，有着獅子般的膽量。
他曾來過此地，為了討得勞墨鼕的駿馬，
衹帶六條海船，少量的精壯；然而，
他們攻破城堡，蕩劫了整個城區。
相比之下，你是個十足的懦夫；你的人正連死帶傷。
不錯，你從魯基亞趕來，但是，告訴你，
你幫不了特洛伊人的忙，儘管也算個強健的英壯；
你將倒在我的手下，敲響通往哀地斯的大門！”
聽罷這番話，魯基亞人的王者薩耳裴鼕答道：
“是的，特勒波勒摩斯，赫剋托耳確曾蕩平過神聖的伊利昂，
由於勞墨鼕的愚蠢，這個高傲的漢子，
用惡言回報赫剋托耳的善意，
拒不讓他帶走他打老遠趕來索取的駿馬。
告訴你，從我的手中，你衹能得到死亡
和烏黑的毀滅；你將倒在我的槍下，你會
給我送來光榮，而把自己的靈魂交付駕馭名駒的死神！”
聽罷此番回咒，特勒波勒摩斯
舉起(木岑)木桿的槍矛，兩人在同一個瞬間投出
粗長的飛鏢。薩耳裴鼕擊中對手的
脖項，槍尖挾着苦痛，切斷喉管，
黑沉沉的迷霧蒙住了他的眼睛。與此同時，
特勒波勒摩斯的長槍亦擊中薩耳裴鼕，
打在左腿上，發瘋似地往裏鑽咬，
擦颳着腿骨，但他的父親替他擋開了死亡。
卓著的夥伴們架着神一樣的薩耳裴鼕
撤出戰鬥，後者拖着長長的銅槍，痛得
直不起腰背——急忙中，誰也沒有意識到，
亦沒有想到從他的腿上拔出槍矛，
以便讓他直身站立。夥伴們護持着壯士行進，舉步艱難。
在戰場的另一邊，脛甲堅固的阿開亞人擡着特勒波勒斯
退出戰鬥；卓越的俄底修斯，堅忍的戰勇，
眼見此番景狀，心中升起搏戰的激情。
他在權衡斟酌兩個念頭，在他的心魂裏：
是先去追擊炸響雷的宙斯之子，
還是繼續殺死更多的魯基亞兵壯？
然而，由於心志豪 莽的俄底修斯註定
不該殺死宙斯強有力的兒子，用犀利的銅矛，所以，
雅典娜將他的狂怒引往魯基亞英壯。
他殺了科伊拉諾耳、剋羅米俄斯和阿拉斯托耳，殺了
哈利俄斯、阿爾康德羅斯以及普魯塔尼斯和諾厄蒙。
卓越的俄底修斯一定還會殺死更多的魯基亞人，
若不是高大的赫剋托耳，頭頂閃亮的戰盔，很快發現了他的
行蹤，大步穿行在前排壯勇的隊列，銅盔閃着晶亮的寒光
給達奈人帶來了恐慌。但宙斯之子薩耳裴鼕
卻高興地看着他的到來，用悲凄的語調懇求道：
‘普裏阿摩斯之子，不要把我丟在這裏，讓達奈人
活剝；保護我！我已剩時不多——我將
死在你的城裏，不能回返
我的傢園，我的故鄉，帶去回歸的
愉悅，給心愛的妻子和尚是嬰孩的兒郎。”
但是，頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳沒有回答他的懇求，
而是大步衝走，急如星火，一心想着
打退阿耳吉維人的進攻，殺死成群的戰勇。
然而，薩耳裴鼕卓越的夥伴們把神一樣的勇士
放躺在一棵枝葉茂密的橡樹下，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的聖物；
強有力的裴拉工，他的親密伴友，
用力頂出(木岑)木的槍桿，從他腿上的傷口。
命息離他而去，迷霧封住了他的眼睛，
但他復又開始呼吸，強勁的北風
吹回了他在劇痛中喘吐出去的生命。
然而，面對阿瑞斯和身披銅甲的赫剋托耳的攻勢，
阿耳吉維人沒有掉轉身子，跑回烏黑的海船，
但也沒有進行拼死的抗爭，而是——眼見阿瑞斯
領着特洛伊人猛衝——一步步地撤守回讓。
誰個最先死在普裏阿摩斯之子赫剋托耳和
披裹青銅的阿瑞斯手裏？誰個最後被他們送命？
神一樣的丟斯拉斯第一個喪命，接着是俄瑞斯忒斯，馭馬的
能手，特瑞科斯，來自埃托利亞的槍勇，還有俄伊諾毛斯。
赫勒諾斯，俄伊諾普斯之子，以及腰帶閃亮的
俄瑞斯比俄斯，傢住呼勒，總是惦念着自己的財富，
土地伸延在開菲西亞湖畔；在傢居的鄰旁，
還住着他的波伊俄提亞同胞，占據着那片肥沃的平原。
其時，白臂女神赫拉發現他們
在激戰中痛殺阿耳吉維英壯，馬上
指令雅典娜，用長了翅膀的話語：
“真是一場災難，阿特魯托奈，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的女兒！
我們曾答應墨奈勞斯，讓他在蕩劫墻垣精固的
伊利昂後啓程返航；所以，要是容讓狠毒的阿瑞斯，
任他如此兇暴狂虐，我們的允諾不就成了無用的清風一樣？
來吧，讓我們敞開自己的心房，擁抱戰鬥的激狂！”
赫拉言罷，灰眼睛女神雅典娜謹遵不違。
其時，赫拉，神界的女王，強有力的剋羅諾斯的
女兒，前往整套係戴金籠轡的駿馬，
而赫蓓則出手迅捷，把滾圓的輪子裝上馬車，每個車輪
由八根條輻支撐，青銅鑄就，一邊一個，裝在鐵製的軸幹上。
輪緣取料永不敗壞的黃金，外沿鑲着
青銅，一輪堅實的滾圈——看了讓人驚贊不已。
銀質的輪轂圍轉在車的兩邊，
車身上緊貼着一片片黃金和
白銀，由兩根桿條拱圍，
車轅閃着純銀的光亮；在它的盡頭
赫蓓綁上華麗的金軛架，
係牢了燦爛的金胸帶；赫拉牽過捷蹄的駿馬，套入
軛架，帶着狂烈的渴望，渴望投入戰鬥，衝入殺聲震天的疆場。
其時，雅典娜，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的女兒，
在父親的門檻邊脫去舒適的裙袍，
織工精巧，由他親手製作，
穿上彙聚烏雲的宙斯的衫套，
扣上自己的鎧甲，準備迎接慘烈的戰鬥。
她把埃吉斯挎上肩頭，飄着穗帶，
搖撼出恐怖；在它的圍沿，像一個花冠，停駐着騷亂，
裏面是爭鬥、力量和冷凍心血的攻戰，
中間顯現出魔怪戈耳工模樣可怕的頭顱，
看了讓人不寒而慄——帶埃吉斯的宙斯的兆物。
雅典娜戴上金鑄的盔蓋，頂着兩支硬角，
四個突結，盔面上鑄着一百座城鎮的戰勇。
女神踏上火紅的戰車，抓起一桿槍矛，
粗長、碩大、沉重，用以蕩掃地面上戰鬥的
群伍，強力大神的女兒怒目以對的軍陣。
赫拉迅速起鞭策馬，時點看守的
天門自動敞開，隆隆作響——
她們把守着俄林波斯和遼闊的天空，
撥開或關合濃密的雲霧。
穿過天門，她倆一路疾馳，快馬加鞭，
發現剋羅諾斯之子，正離着衆神，
獨自坐在山脊聳疊的俄林波斯的峰巔。
白臂女神赫拉勒住奔馬，
對剋羅諾斯之子、至高無上的宙斯問道：
“父親宙斯，瞧這個橫霸人間的阿瑞斯，殺死了這麽多
驃健的阿開亞戰勇，毫無理由，不顧體統，
衹是為了讓我傷心。對他的作為，你，你不感到憤怒嗎？此外，
庫普裏絲和銀弓手阿波羅挑起了阿瑞斯的殺性——這個瘋子，
他哪裏知道何為公正——此時正樂滋滋地閑坐觀望。
父親宙斯，倘若我去狠狠地揍他，
並把他趕出戰場，你會生氣嗎？”
聽罷這番話，神和人的父親答道：
“放手幹去吧，交給掠劫者的福信雅典娜操辦；
懲治阿瑞斯，她比誰都在行。”
宙斯言罷，白臂女神赫拉謹遵不違，
舉鞭策馬，後者飛撲嚮前，不帶半點勉強，
穿行在大地和多星的天空之間。
你可坐上高高的了望點，註視酒藍色的
洋面，極目眺望地平綫上濛濛的水霧——
如此遙遠的距離，高聲嘶喊的神馬一個猛撲即可抵達。
轉眼之間，它們來到特洛伊平原，來到彙聚此地的
兩條奔騰的河水邊，西摩埃斯和斯卡曼得羅斯。
白臂女神就地收住繮繩，
讓神馬走出軛架，四周裏撒下一團霧氣，由
西摩埃斯催發出滿地的仙草，供它們飽食享用。
其時，女神輕快地邁着碎步，像兩衹晃動的鴿子，
急不可待地試圖幫助阿耳戈斯戰勇。
她倆落腳戰場，在那聚人最多的地方，最猛的勇士集擠
拼殺在強有力的馴馬者狄俄墨得斯的
身旁；像生吞活剝的獅子，
或力大無窮的野豬，白臂女神
赫拉站在那裏，高聲呼喊，
幻取心志高昂的斯騰托耳的形象，此人有着青銅般的嗓子，
引吭呼嘯時，聲音就像五十個人的喊叫：
“可恥啊，你們這些阿耳吉維人！無用的廢物，白披了一身漂亮
的甲衣！以前，特洛伊人從來不敢越過達耳達尼亞
墻門，懾於卓越的阿基琉斯的戰力，用那枝
粗重的槍矛，把他們殺得魂飛膽裂。
現在呢？他們已逼戰在深曠的海船邊，遠離着城堡！”
一番話使大傢鼓起了勇氣，增添了力量。
灰眼睛女神雅典娜直奔圖丟斯之子，
發現這位王者正站在他的車馬旁，
涼卻着潘達羅斯射出的箭傷。
寬厚的背帶吃着圓盾的重壓，緊勒在肩上，汗水
刺激着肩下的皮肉，酸疼苦辣，臂膀已疲乏無力。
他提起盾帶，抹去跡點斑斑的黑血。
女神手握馭馬的軛架，對他說道：
“圖丟斯生養的兒子，和乃父一樣矮挫，
但圖丟斯是一位真正的鬥士，儘管身材短小。
他的勇猛甚至體現在那件事上——那時，我不讓他戰鬥，
不讓他在人前自我炫耀，而他卻獨自前往，沒有阿開亞人的
隨伴，作為信使，來到塞貝，置身大群的卡德墨亞人中。
其時，我要他加入大廳裏的盛宴，心平氣和地吃上一頓，
然而，他卻憑着自身的強健，他的勇力從來不會枯竭，
提出要和卡德墨亞人中的小夥們比試，輕而易舉地
擊敗了所有的對手——是我給了他巨大的力量。
現在，我正站在你的身邊，保護着你，
帶着極大的關註，催勵你同特洛伊人拼鬥。而你呢？
反復的衝殺已疲軟了你的肢腿，要不，
便是某種窒滅生氣的恐懼，紛擾了你的心胸。倘若真是這樣，
你就不是圖丟斯的種子——圖丟斯，聰明的俄伊紐斯的兒郎。”
聽罷這番話，強有力的狄俄墨得斯答道：
“我知道你，女神，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的女兒，
所以，我將放心地對你述說一切，决不隱瞞。我之
閑置此地，並非出於窒滅生氣的恐懼，也不是為了逃避戰鬥，
而是因為遵從你的命囑——
你命我不要和幸運的神祗面對面地拼搏，
例外衹有一個：倘若宙斯之女阿芙羅底忒
介入戰鬥，我便可舉起犀利的銅槍，給她捅出一個窟窿。
所以，我現在主動撤出戰鬥，並命令
其他阿開亞人集聚在我的身邊——
我知道，阿瑞斯正率領他們戰鬥。”
聽罷這番話，灰眼睛女神雅典娜答道：
“圖丟斯之子，悅我心房的狄俄墨得斯，
不要害怕阿瑞斯，也不必懼怕其他
任何神明；我將全力以赴地幫你。
來吧，趕起你追風的快馬，首先對着阿瑞斯衝擊，
逼近了再打。不要害怕勇 莽的戰神，
這個瘋子，天生的惡棍，兩面派，
剛纔還對着赫拉和我信誓旦旦，說是
要站在阿耳吉維人一邊，打擊特洛伊兵勇——
你瞧，他已把諾言拋到九霄雲外，站到了特洛伊人那邊！”
言罷，她一把將塞奈洛斯從車後
撂撥到地上，後者趕忙跳下戰車；
女神怒不可遏，舉步登車，站在
卓著的狄俄墨得斯身邊；橡木的車軸承受着重壓，
發出吱吱嘎嘎的聲響，載着一位可怕的女神和一位驃健的
戰將。帕拉絲·雅典娜抓起鞭子和繮繩，
策趕風快的馭馬，首先對着阿瑞斯撲衝。
其時，戰神正彎身剝奪高大的裴裏法斯的鎧甲，
俄開西俄斯高貴的兒子，埃托利亞人中最好的精壯。
血跡斑斑的阿瑞斯正忙着剝卸他的鎧甲，而雅典娜，
為了不讓粗 莽的阿瑞斯看見，戴上了哀地斯的帽盔[●]。
●埃地斯的頭盔：或“黑帽子”，帶了可以隱形，源出古老的傳說。
當阿瑞斯，殺人的精狂，看到卓著的狄俄墨得斯後，
丟下巨人裴裏法斯，讓他躺在原地——
戰神的槍矛放倒了他，奪走了他的生命——
直奔狄俄墨得斯，調馴烈馬的英壯。
他倆面對面地衝來，咄咄逼近
阿瑞斯首先投槍，銅矛飛過
軛架和馬繮，兇暴狂烈，試圖把對手奪殺。
但女神，眼睛灰藍的雅典娜，伸手抓住
槍矛，將它撥離馬車，使之一無所獲。
接着，嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯奮臂投出
銅槍，帕拉絲·雅典娜加劇着它的衝莽，
把它深深地紮進阿瑞斯的肚腹，係綁腰帶的地方。
她選中這個部位，把槍矛推進深厚的肉層，
然後將它絞拔出來。披裹銅甲的阿瑞斯痛得大聲喊叫，
像九千或一萬個士兵的呼吼——
戰鬥中，兩軍相遇，挾着戰神的狂烈。
所有的人，阿開亞人和特洛伊兵壯，全都嚇得嗦嗦發抖，
懼怕嗜戰不厭的阿瑞斯的吼叫。
像一股黑色的霧氣，隨着疾風升起，從因受
溫熱的蒸逼而形成的一團藴育着風暴的雲砧——
在圖丟斯之子狄俄墨得斯眼裏，披裹青銅的阿瑞斯
此時就是這個氣勢：裊駕遊雲，升嚮廣阔的天空。
他迅速抵達神的城堡，險峻的俄林波斯，
在剋羅諾斯身邊坐下，心緒頽敗，
當着宙斯的臉面，亮出淌着靈液的傷口，
滿懷自憐之情，對父親說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“目睹這些兇蠻的行為，父親宙斯，你不生氣嗎？
為了幫助凡人，我等神祗總在
無休止地爭鬥，嘗吃了最大的苦頭。
我們都想和你爭個明白——是你生養了這個瘋女，
該受詛咒的婦道，心中衹想着行兇作惡。
所有其他神明，俄林波斯山上的每一位天神，
都對你恭敬不違，我們都願俯首聽命。
然而，對這個姑娘，你卻不用言行阻斥，任她
我行我素；你生養了一個挑惹災禍的女兒！
瞧，他已慫恿圖丟斯之子，不知天高地厚的
狄俄墨得斯，捲着狂怒，衝嚮不死的仙神。
先前，他刺傷了庫普裏絲的手腕；剛纔，
他又衝着我——戰神阿瑞斯——撲來，像個出凡的超人！
多虧我的腿快，得以脫身，否則，我就
衹好忍着傷痛，長時間地躺在僵硬的死人堆裏，
或者，因受難於銅矛的撲擊，屈守着輕飄飄的餘生[●]。”
●輕飄飄的餘生：即死亡。可能是一種比喻，因為神是“不死的”。
聽罷這番話，彙聚烏雲的宙斯惡狠狠地看着他，訓道：
“不要坐在我的身邊，嗚咽凄訴，你這不要臉的兩面派！
所有傢住俄林波斯的神明中，你是我最討厭的一個。
爭吵、戰爭和搏殺永遠是你心馳神往的事情。
你繼承了你母赫拉的那種難以容忍的
不調和的怒性；不管我怎麽說道，都難以使她順服。
由於她的挑唆，我想，纔使你遭受此般折磨。
然而，我不能再無動於衷地看着你忍受傷痛，
因為你是我的兒子，你的母親把你生給了我。
倘若你是其他神明的兒子，加之如此肆虐橫暴，
我早就已經把你扔將出去，丟入比大力神[●]的位置更低的
●大力神：或“烏拉諾斯的兒子們”。大力神們站在剋羅諾斯一邊，被宙斯
打入塔耳塔羅斯（參見8·478—81）。
地層深處。”
言罷，宙斯命令派厄昂醫治他的傷口。
神醫替他敷上鎮痛的藥物，
治愈了傷口：此君不是會死的凡人。
猶如把無花果汁滴擠人雪白的牛奶，使之稠繆收聚，
衹要動手攪拌，液體便會迅速濃結凝固一樣，
派厄昂以此般神速，治愈了勇 莽的阿瑞斯的槍傷。
赫蓓替他洗擦幹淨，穿上精美的衫袍。
阿瑞斯在宙斯身邊就坐，容光煥發，喜形於色。
其時，兩位女神阻止了屠夫
阿瑞斯的兇殺，回到大神宙斯的傢府，
阿耳戈斯的赫拉和波伊俄提亞人的雅典娜。
ARGUMENT.
THE ACTS OF DIOMED.
Diomed, assisted by Pallas, performs wonders in this day's battle.
Pandarus wounds him with an arrow, but the goddess cures him, enables him
to discern gods from mortals, and prohibits him from contending with any
of the former, excepting Venus. Æneas joins Pandarus to oppose him;
Pandarus is killed, and Æneas in great danger but for the assistance of
Venus; who, as she is removing her son from the fight, is wounded on the
hand by Diomed. Apollo seconds her in his rescue, and at length carries
off Æneas to Troy, where he is healed in the temple of Pergamus. Mars
rallies the Trojans, and assists Hector to make a stand. In the meantime
Æneas is restored to the field, and they overthrow several of the Greeks;
among the rest Tlepolemus is slain by Sarpedon. Juno and Minerva descend
to resist Mars; the latter incites Diomed to go against that god; he
wounds him, and sends him groaning to heaven.
The first battle continues through this book. The scene is the same as in
the former.
But Pallas now Tydides' soul inspires,(143)
Fills with her force, and warms with all her fires,
Above the Greeks his deathless fame to raise,
And crown her hero with distinguish'd praise.
High on his helm celestial lightnings play,
His beamy shield emits a living ray;
The unwearied blaze incessant streams supplies,
Like the red star that fires the autumnal skies,
When fresh he rears his radiant orb to sight,
And, bathed in ocean, shoots a keener light.
Such glories Pallas on the chief bestow'd,
Such, from his arms, the fierce effulgence flow'd:
Onward she drives him, furious to engage,
Where the fight burns, and where the thickest rage.
The sons of Dares first the combat sought,
A wealthy priest, but rich without a fault;
In Vulcan's fane the father's days were led,
The sons to toils of glorious battle bred;
These singled from their troops the fight maintain,
These, from their steeds, Tydides on the plain.
Fierce for renown the brother-chiefs draw near,
And first bold Phegeus cast his sounding spear,
Which o'er the warrior's shoulder took its course,
And spent in empty air its erring force.
Not so, Tydides, flew thy lance in vain,
But pierced his breast, and stretch'd him on the plain.
Seized with unusual fear, Idaeus fled,
Left the rich chariot, and his brother dead.
And had not Vulcan lent celestial aid,
He too had sunk to death's eternal shade;
But in a smoky cloud the god of fire
Preserved the son, in pity to the sire.
The steeds and chariot, to the navy led,
Increased the spoils of gallant Diomed.
Struck with amaze and shame, the Trojan crew,
Or slain, or fled, the sons of Dares view;
When by the blood-stain'd hand Minerva press'd
The god of battles, and this speech address'd:
"Stern power of war! by whom the mighty fall,
Who bathe in blood, and shake the lofty wall!
Let the brave chiefs their glorious toils divide;
And whose the conquest, mighty Jove decide:
While we from interdicted fields retire,
Nor tempt the wrath of heaven's avenging sire."
Her words allay the impetuous warrior's heat,
The god of arms and martial maid retreat;
Removed from fight, on Xanthus' flowery bounds
They sat, and listen'd to the dying sounds.
Meantime, the Greeks the Trojan race pursue,
And some bold chieftain every leader slew:
First Odius falls, and bites the bloody sand,
His death ennobled by Atrides' hand:
As he to flight his wheeling car address'd,
The speedy javelin drove from back to breast.
In dust the mighty Halizonian lay,
His arms resound, the spirit wings its way.
Thy fate was next, O Phaestus! doom'd to feel
The great Idomeneus' protended steel;
Whom Borus sent (his son and only joy)
From fruitful Tarne to the fields of Troy.
The Cretan javelin reach'd him from afar,
And pierced his shoulder as he mounts his car;
Back from the car he tumbles to the ground,
And everlasting shades his eyes surround.
Then died Scamandrius, expert in the chase,
In woods and wilds to wound the savage race;
Diana taught him all her sylvan arts,
To bend the bow, and aim unerring darts:
But vainly here Diana's arts he tries,
The fatal lance arrests him as he flies;
From Menelaus' arm the weapon sent,
Through his broad back and heaving bosom went:
Down sinks the warrior with a thundering sound,
His brazen armour rings against the ground.
Next artful Phereclus untimely fell;
Bold Merion sent him to the realms of hell.
Thy father's skill, O Phereclus! was thine,
The graceful fabric and the fair design;
For loved by Pallas, Pallas did impart
To him the shipwright's and the builder's art.
Beneath his hand the fleet of Paris rose,
The fatal cause of all his country's woes;
But he, the mystic will of heaven unknown,
Nor saw his country's peril, nor his own.
The hapless artist, while confused he fled,
The spear of Merion mingled with the dead.
Through his right hip, with forceful fury cast,
Between the bladder and the bone it pass'd;
Prone on his knees he falls with fruitless cries,
And death in lasting slumber seals his eyes.
From Meges' force the swift Pedaeus fled,
Antenor's offspring from a foreign bed,
Whose generous spouse, Theanor, heavenly fair,
Nursed the young stranger with a mother's care.
How vain those cares! when Meges in the rear
Full in his nape infix'd the fatal spear;
Swift through his crackling jaws the weapon glides,
And the cold tongue and grinning teeth divides.
Then died Hypsenor, generous and divine,
Sprung from the brave Dolopion's mighty line,
Who near adored Scamander made abode,
Priest of the stream, and honoured as a god.
On him, amidst the flying numbers found,
Eurypylus inflicts a deadly wound;
On his broad shoulders fell the forceful brand,
Thence glancing downwards, lopp'd his holy hand,
Which stain'd with sacred blood the blushing sand.
Down sunk the priest: the purple hand of death
Closed his dim eye, and fate suppress'd his breath.
Thus toil'd the chiefs, in different parts engaged.
In every quarter fierce Tydides raged;
Amid the Greek, amid the Trojan train,
Rapt through the ranks he thunders o'er the plain;
Now here, now there, he darts from place to place,
Pours on the rear, or lightens in their face.
Thus from high hills the torrents swift and strong
Deluge whole fields, and sweep the trees along,
Through ruin'd moles the rushing wave resounds,
O'erwhelm's the bridge, and bursts the lofty bounds;
The yellow harvests of the ripen'd year,
And flatted vineyards, one sad waste appear!(144)
While Jove descends in sluicy sheets of rain,
And all the labours of mankind are vain.
So raged Tydides, boundless in his ire,
Drove armies back, and made all Troy retire.
With grief the leader of the Lycian band
Saw the wide waste of his destructive hand:
His bended bow against the chief he drew;
Swift to the mark the thirsty arrow flew,
Whose forky point the hollow breastplate tore,
Deep in his shoulder pierced, and drank the gore:
The rushing stream his brazen armour dyed,
While the proud archer thus exulting cried:
"Hither, ye Trojans, hither drive your steeds!
Lo! by our hand the bravest Grecian bleeds,
Not long the deathful dart he can sustain;
Or Phoebus urged me to these fields in vain."
So spoke he, boastful: but the winged dart
Stopp'd short of life, and mock'd the shooter's art.
The wounded chief, behind his car retired,
The helping hand of Sthenelus required;
Swift from his seat he leap'd upon the ground,
And tugg'd the weapon from the gushing wound;
When thus the king his guardian power address'd,
The purple current wandering o'er his vest:
"O progeny of Jove! unconquer'd maid!
If e'er my godlike sire deserved thy aid,
If e'er I felt thee in the fighting field;
Now, goddess, now, thy sacred succour yield.
O give my lance to reach the Trojan knight,
Whose arrow wounds the chief thou guard'st in fight;
And lay the boaster grovelling on the shore,
That vaunts these eyes shall view the light no more."
Thus pray'd Tydides, and Minerva heard,
His nerves confirm'd, his languid spirits cheer'd;
He feels each limb with wonted vigour light;
His beating bosom claim'd the promised fight.
"Be bold, (she cried), in every combat shine,
War be thy province, thy protection mine;
Rush to the fight, and every foe control;
Wake each paternal virtue in thy soul:
Strength swells thy boiling breast, infused by me,
And all thy godlike father breathes in thee;
Yet more, from mortal mists I purge thy eyes,(145)
And set to view the warring deities.
These see thou shun, through all the embattled plain;
Nor rashly strive where human force is vain.
If Venus mingle in the martial band,
Her shalt thou wound: so Pallas gives command."
With that, the blue-eyed virgin wing'd her flight;
The hero rush'd impetuous to the fight;
With tenfold ardour now invades the plain,
Wild with delay, and more enraged by pain.
As on the fleecy flocks when hunger calls,
Amidst the field a brindled lion falls;
If chance some shepherd with a distant dart
The savage wound, he rouses at the smart,
He foams, he roars; the shepherd dares not stay,
But trembling leaves the scattering flocks a prey;
Heaps fall on heaps; he bathes with blood the ground,
Then leaps victorious o'er the lofty mound.
Not with less fury stern Tydides flew;
And two brave leaders at an instant slew;
Astynous breathless fell, and by his side,
His people's pastor, good Hypenor, died;
Astynous' breast the deadly lance receives,
Hypenor's shoulder his broad falchion cleaves.
Those slain he left, and sprung with noble rage
Abas and Polyidus to engage;
Sons of Eurydamus, who, wise and old,
Could fate foresee, and mystic dreams unfold;
The youths return'd not from the doubtful plain,
And the sad father tried his arts in vain;
No mystic dream could make their fates appear,
Though now determined by Tydides' spear.
Young Xanthus next, and Thoon felt his rage;
The joy and hope of Phaenops' feeble age:
Vast was his wealth, and these the only heirs
Of all his labours and a life of cares.
Cold death o'ertakes them in their blooming years,
And leaves the father unavailing tears:
To strangers now descends his heapy store,
The race forgotten, and the name no more.
Two sons of Priam in one chariot ride,
Glittering in arms, and combat side by side.
As when the lordly lion seeks his food
Where grazing heifers range the lonely wood,
He leaps amidst them with a furious bound,
Bends their strong necks, and tears them to the ground:
So from their seats the brother chiefs are torn,
Their steeds and chariot to the navy borne.
With deep concern divine Æneas view'd
The foe prevailing, and his friends pursued;
Through the thick storm of singing spears he flies,
Exploring Pandarus with careful eyes.
At length he found Lycaon's mighty son;
To whom the chief of Venus' race begun:
"Where, Pandarus, are all thy honours now,
Thy winged arrows and unerring bow,
Thy matchless skill, thy yet unrivall'd fame,
And boasted glory of the Lycian name?
O pierce that mortal! if we mortal call
That wondrous force by which whole armies fall;
Or god incensed, who quits the distant skies
To punish Troy for slighted sacrifice;
(Which, oh avert from our unhappy state!
For what so dreadful as celestial hate)?
Whoe'er he be, propitiate Jove with prayer;
If man, destroy; if god, entreat to spare."
To him the Lycian: "Whom your eyes behold,
If right I judge, is Diomed the bold:
Such coursers whirl him o'er the dusty field,
So towers his helmet, and so flames his shield.
If 'tis a god, he wears that chief's disguise:
Or if that chief, some guardian of the skies,
Involved in clouds, protects him in the fray,
And turns unseen the frustrate dart away.
I wing'd an arrow, which not idly fell,
The stroke had fix'd him to the gates of hell;
And, but some god, some angry god withstands,
His fate was due to these unerring hands.
Skill'd in the bow, on foot I sought the war,
Nor join'd swift horses to the rapid car.
Ten polish'd chariots I possess'd at home,
And still they grace Lycaon's princely dome:
There veil'd in spacious coverlets they stand;
And twice ten coursers wait their lord's command.
The good old warrior bade me trust to these,
When first for Troy I sail'd the sacred seas;
In fields, aloft, the whirling car to guide,
And through the ranks of death triumphant ride.
But vain with youth, and yet to thrift inclined,
I heard his counsels with unheedful mind,
And thought the steeds (your large supplies unknown)
Might fail of forage in the straiten'd town;
So took my bow and pointed darts in hand
And left the chariots in my native land.
"Too late, O friend! my rashness I deplore;
These shafts, once fatal, carry death no more.
Tydeus' and Atreus' sons their points have found,
And undissembled gore pursued the wound.
In vain they bleed: this unavailing bow
Serves, not to slaughter, but provoke the foe.
In evil hour these bended horns I strung,
And seized the quiver where it idly hung.
Cursed be the fate that sent me to the field
Without a warrior's arms, the spear and shield!
If e'er with life I quit the Trojan plain,
If e'er I see my spouse and sire again,
This bow, unfaithful to my glorious aims,
Broke by my hand, shall feed the blazing flames."
To whom the leader of the Dardan race:
"Be calm, nor Phoebus' honour'd gift disgrace.
The distant dart be praised, though here we need
The rushing chariot and the bounding steed.
Against yon hero let us bend our course,
And, hand to hand, encounter force with force.
Now mount my seat, and from the chariot's height
Observe my father's steeds, renown'd in fight;
Practised alike to turn, to stop, to chase,
To dare the shock, or urge the rapid race;
Secure with these, through fighting fields we go;
Or safe to Troy, if Jove assist the foe.
Haste, seize the whip, and snatch the guiding rein;
The warrior's fury let this arm sustain;
Or, if to combat thy bold heart incline,
Take thou the spear, the chariot's care be mine."
"O prince! (Lycaon's valiant son replied)
As thine the steeds, be thine the task to guide.
The horses, practised to their lord's command,
Shall bear the rein, and answer to thy hand;
But, if, unhappy, we desert the fight,
Thy voice alone can animate their flight;
Else shall our fates be number'd with the dead,
And these, the victor's prize, in triumph led.
Thine be the guidance, then: with spear and shield
Myself will charge this terror of the field."
And now both heroes mount the glittering car;
The bounding coursers rush amidst the war;
Their fierce approach bold Sthenelus espied,
Who thus, alarm'd, to great Tydides cried:
"O friend! two chiefs of force immense I see,
Dreadful they come, and bend their rage on thee:
Lo the brave heir of old Lycaon's line,
And great Æneas, sprung from race divine!
Enough is given to fame. Ascend thy car!
And save a life, the bulwark of our war."
At this the hero cast a gloomy look,
Fix'd on the chief with scorn; and thus he spoke:
"Me dost thou bid to shun the coming fight?
Me wouldst thou move to base, inglorious flight?
Know, 'tis not honest in my soul to fear,
Nor was Tydides born to tremble here.
I hate the cumbrous chariot's slow advance,
And the long distance of the flying lance;
But while my nerves are strong, my force entire,
Thus front the foe, and emulate my sire.
Nor shall yon steeds, that fierce to fight convey
Those threatening heroes, bear them both away;
One chief at least beneath this arm shall die;
So Pallas tells me, and forbids to fly.
But if she dooms, and if no god withstand,
That both shall fall by one victorious hand,
Then heed my words: my horses here detain,
Fix'd to the chariot by the straiten'd rein;
Swift to Æneas' empty seat proceed,
And seize the coursers of ethereal breed;
The race of those, which once the thundering god(146)
For ravish'd Ganymede on Tros bestow'd,
The best that e'er on earth's broad surface run,
Beneath the rising or the setting sun.
Hence great Anchises stole a breed unknown,
By mortal mares, from fierce Laomedon:
Four of this race his ample stalls contain,
And two transport Æneas o'er the plain.
These, were the rich immortal prize our own,
Through the wide world should make our glory known."
Thus while they spoke, the foe came furious on,
And stern Lycaon's warlike race begun:
"Prince, thou art met. Though late in vain assail'd,
The spear may enter where the arrow fail'd."
He said, then shook the ponderous lance, and flung;
On his broad shield the sounding weapon rung,
Pierced the tough orb, and in his cuirass hung,
"He bleeds! the pride of Greece! (the boaster cries,)
Our triumph now, the mighty warrior lies!"
"Mistaken vaunter! (Diomed replied;)
Thy dart has erred, and now my spear be tried;
Ye 'scape not both; one, headlong from his car,
With hostile blood shall glut the god of war."
He spoke, and rising hurl'd his forceful dart,
Which, driven by Pallas, pierced a vital part;
Full in his face it enter'd, and betwixt
The nose and eye-ball the proud Lycian fix'd;
Crash'd all his jaws, and cleft the tongue within,
Till the bright point look'd out beneath the chin.
Headlong he falls, his helmet knocks the ground:
Earth groans beneath him, and his arms resound;
The starting coursers tremble with affright;
The soul indignant seeks the realms of night.
To guard his slaughter'd friend, Æneas flies,
His spear extending where the carcase lies;
Watchful he wheels, protects it every way,
As the grim lion stalks around his prey.
O'er the fall'n trunk his ample shield display'd,
He hides the hero with his mighty shade,
And threats aloud! the Greeks with longing eyes
Behold at distance, but forbear the prize.
Then fierce Tydides stoops; and from the fields
Heaved with vast force, a rocky fragment wields.
Not two strong men the enormous weight could raise,
Such men as live in these degenerate days:(147)
He swung it round; and, gathering strength to throw,
Discharged the ponderous ruin at the foe.
Where to the hip the _insert_ed thigh unites,
Full on the bone the pointed marble lights;
Through both the tendons broke the rugged stone,
And stripp'd the skin, and crack'd the solid bone.
Sunk on his knees, and staggering with his pains,
His falling bulk his bended arm sustains;
Lost in a dizzy mist the warrior lies;
A sudden cloud comes swimming o'er his eyes.
There the brave chief, who mighty numbers sway'd,
Oppress'd had sunk to death's eternal shade,
But heavenly Venus, mindful of the love
She bore Anchises in the Idaean grove,
His danger views with anguish and despair,
And guards her offspring with a mother's care.
About her much-loved son her arms she throws,
Her arms whose whiteness match the falling snows.
Screen'd from the foe behind her shining veil,
The swords wave harmless, and the javelins fail;
Safe through the rushing horse, and feather'd flight
Of sounding shafts, she bears him from the fight.
Nor Sthenelus, with unassisting hands,
Remain'd unheedful of his lord's commands:
His panting steeds, removed from out the war,
He fix'd with straiten'd traces to the car,
Next, rushing to the Dardan spoil, detains
The heavenly coursers with the flowing manes:
These in proud triumph to the fleet convey'd,
No longer now a Trojan lord obey'd.
That charge to bold Deipylus he gave,
(Whom most he loved, as brave men love the brave,)
Then mounting on his car, resumed the rein,
And follow'd where Tydides swept the plain.
Meanwhile (his conquest ravished from his eyes)
The raging chief in chase of Venus flies:
No goddess she, commission'd to the field,
Like Pallas dreadful with her sable shield,
Or fierce Bellona thundering at the wall,
While flames ascend, and mighty ruins fall;
He knew soft combats suit the tender dame,
New to the field, and still a foe to fame.
Through breaking ranks his furious course he bends,
And at the goddess his broad lance extends;
Through her bright veil the daring weapon drove,
The ambrosial veil which all the Graces wove;
Her snowy hand the razing steel profaned,
And the transparent skin with crimson stain'd,
From the clear vein a stream immortal flow'd,
Such stream as issues from a wounded god;(148)
Pure emanation! uncorrupted flood!
Unlike our gross, diseased, terrestrial blood:
(For not the bread of man their life sustains,
Nor wine's inflaming juice supplies their veins:)
With tender shrieks the goddess fill'd the place,
And dropp'd her offspring from her weak embrace.
Him Phoebus took: he casts a cloud around
The fainting chief, and wards the mortal wound.
Then with a voice that shook the vaulted skies,
The king insults the goddess as she flies:
"Ill with Jove's daughter bloody fights agree,
The field of combat is no scene for thee:
Go, let thy own soft sex employ thy care,
Go, lull the coward, or delude the fair.
Taught by this stroke renounce the war's alarms,
And learn to tremble at the name of arms."
Tydides thus. The goddess, seized with dread,
Confused, distracted, from the conflict fled.
To aid her, swift the winged Iris flew,
Wrapt in a mist above the warring crew.
The queen of love with faded charms she found.
Pale was her cheek, and livid look'd the wound.
To Mars, who sat remote, they bent their way:
Far, on the left, with clouds involved he lay;
Beside him stood his lance, distain'd with gore,
And, rein'd with gold, his foaming steeds before.
Low at his knee, she begg'd with streaming eyes
Her brother's car, to mount the distant skies,
And show'd the wound by fierce Tydides given,
A mortal man, who dares encounter heaven.
Stern Mars attentive hears the queen complain,
And to her hand commits the golden rein;
She mounts the seat, oppress'd with silent woe,
Driven by the goddess of the painted bow.
The lash resounds, the rapid chariot flies,
And in a moment scales the lofty skies:
They stopp'd the car, and there the coursers stood,
Fed by fair Iris with ambrosial food;
Before her mother, love's bright queen appears,
O'erwhelmed with anguish, and dissolved in tears:
She raised her in her arms, beheld her bleed,
And ask'd what god had wrought this guilty deed?
[Illustration: VENUS, WOUNDED IN THE HAND, CONDUCTED BY IRIS TO MARS.]
VENUS, WOUNDED IN THE HAND, CONDUCTED BY IRIS TO MARS.
Then she: "This insult from no god I found,
An impious mortal gave the daring wound!
Behold the deed of haughty Diomed!
'Twas in the son's defence the mother bled.
The war with Troy no more the Grecians wage;
But with the gods (the immortal gods) engage."
Dione then: "Thy wrongs with patience bear,
And share those griefs inferior powers must share:
Unnumber'd woes mankind from us sustain,
And men with woes afflict the gods again.
The mighty Mars in mortal fetters bound,(149)
And lodged in brazen dungeons underground,
Full thirteen moons imprison'd roar'd in vain;
Otus and Ephialtes held the chain:
Perhaps had perish'd had not Hermes' care
Restored the groaning god to upper air.
Great Juno's self has borne her weight of pain,
The imperial partner of the heavenly reign;
Amphitryon's son infix'd the deadly dart,(150)
And fill'd with anguish her immortal heart.
E'en hell's grim king Alcides' power confess'd,
The shaft found entrance in his iron breast;
To Jove's high palace for a cure he fled,
Pierced in his own dominions of the dead;
Where Paeon, sprinkling heavenly balm around,
Assuaged the glowing pangs, and closed the wound.
Rash, impious man! to stain the bless'd abodes,
And drench his arrows in the blood of gods!
[Illustration: OTUS AND EPHIALTES HOLDING MARS CAPTIVE.]
OTUS AND EPHIALTES HOLDING MARS CAPTIVE.
"But thou (though Pallas urged thy frantic deed),
Whose spear ill-fated makes a goddess bleed,
Know thou, whoe'er with heavenly power contends,
Short is his date, and soon his glory ends;
From fields of death when late he shall retire,
No infant on his knees shall call him sire.
Strong as thou art, some god may yet be found,
To stretch thee pale and gasping on the ground;
Thy distant wife, Ægiale the fair,(151)
Starting from sleep with a distracted air,
Shall rouse thy slaves, and her lost lord deplore,
The brave, the great, the glorious now no more!"
This said, she wiped from Venus' wounded palm
The sacred ichor, and infused the balm.
Juno and Pallas with a smile survey'd,
And thus to Jove began the blue-eyed maid:
"Permit thy daughter, gracious Jove! to tell
How this mischance the Cyprian queen befell,
As late she tried with passion to inflame
The tender bosom of a Grecian dame;
Allured the fair, with moving thoughts of joy,
To quit her country for some youth of Troy;
The clasping zone, with golden buckles bound,
Razed her soft hand with this lamented wound."
The sire of gods and men superior smiled,
And, calling Venus, thus address'd his child:
"Not these, O daughter are thy proper cares,
Thee milder arts befit, and softer wars;
Sweet smiles are thine, and kind endearing charms;
To Mars and Pallas leave the deeds of arms."
Thus they in heaven: while on the plain below
The fierce Tydides charged his Dardan foe,
Flush'd with celestial blood pursued his way,
And fearless dared the threatening god of day;
Already in his hopes he saw him kill'd,
Though screen'd behind Apollo's mighty shield.
Thrice rushing furious, at the chief he strook;
His blazing buckler thrice Apollo shook:
He tried the fourth: when, breaking from the cloud,
A more than mortal voice was heard aloud.
"O son of Tydeus, cease! be wise and see
How vast the difference of the gods and thee;
Distance immense! between the powers that shine
Above, eternal, deathless, and divine,
And mortal man! a wretch of humble birth,
A short-lived reptile in the dust of earth."
So spoke the god who darts celestial fires:
He dreads his fury, and some steps retires.
Then Phoebus bore the chief of Venus' race
To Troy's high fane, and to his holy place;
Latona there and Phoebe heal'd the wound,
With vigour arm'd him, and with glory crown'd.
This done, the patron of the silver bow
A phantom raised, the same in shape and show
With great Æneas; such the form he bore,
And such in fight the radiant arms he wore.
Around the spectre bloody wars are waged,
And Greece and Troy with clashing shields engaged.
Meantime on Ilion's tower Apollo stood,
And calling Mars, thus urged the raging god:
"Stern power of arms, by whom the mighty fall;
Who bathest in blood, and shakest the embattled wall,
Rise in thy wrath! to hell's abhorr'd abodes
Despatch yon Greek, and vindicate the gods.
First rosy Venus felt his brutal rage;
Me next he charged, and dares all heaven engage:
The wretch would brave high heaven's immortal sire,
His triple thunder, and his bolts of fire."
The god of battle issues on the plain,
Stirs all the ranks, and fires the Trojan train;
In form like Acamas, the Thracian guide,
Enraged to Troy's retiring chiefs he cried:
"How long, ye sons of Priam! will ye fly,
And unrevenged see Priam's people die?
Still unresisted shall the foe destroy,
And stretch the slaughter to the gates of Troy?
Lo, brave Æneas sinks beneath his wound,
Not godlike Hector more in arms renown'd:
Haste all, and take the generous warrior's part.
He said;--new courage swell'd each hero's heart.
Sarpedon first his ardent soul express'd,
And, turn'd to Hector, these bold words address'd:
"Say, chief, is all thy ancient valour lost?
Where are thy threats, and where thy glorious boast,
That propp'd alone by Priam's race should stand
Troy's sacred walls, nor need a foreign hand?
Now, now thy country calls her wonted friends,
And the proud vaunt in just derision ends.
Remote they stand while alien troops engage,
Like trembling hounds before the lion's rage.
Far distant hence I held my wide command,
Where foaming Xanthus laves the Lycian land;
With ample wealth (the wish of mortals) bless'd,
A beauteous wife, and infant at her breast;
With those I left whatever dear could be:
Greece, if she conquers, nothing wins from me;
Yet first in fight my Lycian bands I cheer,
And long to meet this mighty man ye fear;
While Hector idle stands, nor bids the brave
Their wives, their infants, and their altars save.
Haste, warrior, haste! preserve thy threaten'd state,
Or one vast burst of all-involving fate
Full o'er your towers shall fall, and sweep away
Sons, sires, and wives, an undistinguish'd prey.
Rouse all thy Trojans, urge thy aids to fight;
These claim thy thoughts by day, thy watch by night;
With force incessant the brave Greeks oppose;
Such cares thy friends deserve, and such thy foes."
Stung to the heart the generous Hector hears,
But just reproof with decent silence bears.
From his proud car the prince impetuous springs,
On earth he leaps, his brazen armour rings.
Two shining spears are brandish'd in his hands;
Thus arm'd, he animates his drooping bands,
Revives their ardour, turns their steps from flight,
And wakes anew the dying flames of fight.
They turn, they stand; the Greeks their fury dare,
Condense their powers, and wait the growing war.
As when, on Ceres' sacred floor, the swain
Spreads the wide fan to clear the golden grain,
And the light chaff, before the breezes borne,
Ascends in clouds from off the heapy corn;
The grey dust, rising with collected winds,
Drives o'er the barn, and whitens all the hinds:
So white with dust the Grecian host appears.
From trampling steeds, and thundering charioteers;
The dusky clouds from labour'd earth arise,
And roll in smoking volumes to the skies.
Mars hovers o'er them with his sable shield,
And adds new horrors to the darken'd field:
Pleased with his charge, and ardent to fulfil,
In Troy's defence, Apollo's heavenly will:
Soon as from fight the blue-eyed maid retires,
Each Trojan bosom with new warmth he fires.
And now the god, from forth his sacred fane,
Produced Æneas to the shouting train;
Alive, unharm'd, with all his peers around,
Erect he stood, and vigorous from his wound:
Inquiries none they made; the dreadful day
No pause of words admits, no dull delay;
Fierce Discord storms, Apollo loud exclaims,
Fame calls, Mars thunders, and the field's in flames.
Stern Diomed with either Ajax stood,
And great Ulysses, bathed in hostile blood.
Embodied close, the labouring Grecian train
The fiercest shock of charging hosts sustain.
Unmoved and silent, the whole war they wait
Serenely dreadful, and as fix'd as fate.
So when the embattled clouds in dark array,
Along the skies their gloomy lines display;
When now the North his boisterous rage has spent,
And peaceful sleeps the liquid element:
The low-hung vapours, motionless and still,
Rest on the summits of the shaded hill;
Till the mass scatters as the winds arise,
Dispersed and broken through the ruffled skies.
Nor was the general wanting to his train;
From troop to troop he toils through all the plain,
"Ye Greeks, be men! the charge of battle bear;
Your brave associates and yourselves revere!
Let glorious acts more glorious acts inspire,
And catch from breast to breast the noble fire!
On valour's side the odds of combat lie,
The brave live glorious, or lamented die;
The wretch who trembles in the field of fame,
Meets death, and worse than death, eternal shame!"
These words he seconds with his flying lance,
To meet whose point was strong Deicoon's chance:
Æneas' friend, and in his native place
Honour'd and loved like Priam's royal race:
Long had he fought the foremost in the field,
But now the monarch's lance transpierced his shield:
His shield too weak the furious dart to stay,
Through his broad belt the weapon forced its way:
The grisly wound dismiss'd his soul to hell,
His arms around him rattled as he fell.
Then fierce Æneas, brandishing his blade,
In dust Orsilochus and Crethon laid,
Whose sire Diocleus, wealthy, brave and great,
In well-built Pherae held his lofty seat:(152)
Sprung from Alpheus' plenteous stream, that yields
Increase of harvests to the Pylian fields.
He got Orsilochus, Diocleus he,
And these descended in the third degree.
Too early expert in the martial toil,
In sable ships they left their native soil,
To avenge Atrides: now, untimely slain,
They fell with glory on the Phrygian plain.
So two young mountain lions, nursed with blood
In deep recesses of the gloomy wood,
Rush fearless to the plains, and uncontroll'd
Depopulate the stalls and waste the fold:
Till pierced at distance from their native den,
O'erpowered they fall beneath the force of men.
Prostrate on earth their beauteous bodies lay,
Like mountain firs, as tall and straight as they.
Great Menelaus views with pitying eyes,
Lifts his bright lance, and at the victor flies;
Mars urged him on; yet, ruthless in his hate,
The god but urged him to provoke his fate.
He thus advancing, Nestor's valiant son
Shakes for his danger, and neglects his own;
Struck with the thought, should Helen's lord be slain,
And all his country's glorious labours vain.
Already met, the threatening heroes stand;
The spears already tremble in their hand:
In rush'd Antilochus, his aid to bring,
And fall or conquer by the Spartan king.
These seen, the Dardan backward turn'd his course,
Brave as he was, and shunn'd unequal force.
The breathless bodies to the Greeks they drew,
Then mix in combat, and their toils renew.
First, Pylaemenes, great in battle, bled,
Who sheathed in brass the Paphlagonians led.
Atrides mark'd him where sublime he stood;
Fix'd in his throat the javelin drank his blood.
The faithful Mydon, as he turn'd from fight
His flying coursers, sunk to endless night;
A broken rock by Nestor's son was thrown:
His bended arm received the falling stone;
From his numb'd hand the ivory-studded reins,
Dropp'd in the dust, are trail'd along the plains:
Meanwhile his temples feel a deadly wound;
He groans in death, and ponderous sinks to ground:
Deep drove his helmet in the sands, and there
The head stood fix'd, the quivering legs in air,
Till trampled flat beneath the coursers' feet:
The youthful victor mounts his empty seat,
And bears the prize in triumph to the fleet.
Great Hector saw, and, raging at the view,
Pours on the Greeks: the Trojan troops pursue:
He fires his host with animating cries,
And brings along the furies of the skies,
Mars, stern destroyer! and Bellona dread,
Flame in the front, and thunder at their head:
This swells the tumult and the rage of fight;
That shakes a spear that casts a dreadful light.
Where Hector march'd, the god of battles shined,
Now storm'd before him, and now raged behind.
Tydides paused amidst his full career;
Then first the hero's manly breast knew fear.
As when some simple swain his cot forsakes,
And wide through fens an unknown journey takes:
If chance a swelling brook his passage stay,
And foam impervious 'cross the wanderer's way,
Confused he stops, a length of country pass'd,
Eyes the rough waves, and tired, returns at last.
Amazed no less the great Tydides stands:
He stay'd, and turning thus address'd his bands:
"No wonder, Greeks! that all to Hector yield;
Secure of favouring gods, he takes the field;
His strokes they second, and avert our spears.
Behold where Mars in mortal arms appears!
Retire then, warriors, but sedate and slow;
Retire, but with your faces to the foe.
Trust not too much your unavailing might;
'Tis not with Troy, but with the gods ye fight."
Now near the Greeks the black battalions drew;
And first two leaders valiant Hector slew:
His force Anchialus and Mnesthes found,
In every art of glorious war renown'd;
In the same car the chiefs to combat ride,
And fought united, and united died.
Struck at the sight, the mighty Ajax glows
With thirst of vengeance, and assaults the foes.
His massy spear with matchless fury sent,
Through Amphius' belt and heaving belly went;
Amphius Apaesus' happy soil possess'd,
With herds abounding, and with treasure bless'd;
But fate resistless from his country led
The chief, to perish at his people's head.
Shook with his fall his brazen armour rung,
And fierce, to seize it, conquering Ajax sprung;
Around his head an iron tempest rain'd;
A wood of spears his ample shield sustain'd:
Beneath one foot the yet warm corpse he press'd,
And drew his javelin from the bleeding breast:
He could no more; the showering darts denied
To spoil his glittering arms, and plumy pride.
Now foes on foes came pouring on the fields,
With bristling lances, and compacted shields;
Till in the steely circle straiten'd round,
Forced he gives way, and sternly quits the ground.
While thus they strive, Tlepolemus the great,(153)
Urged by the force of unresisted fate,
Burns with desire Sarpedon's strength to prove;
Alcides' offspring meets the son of Jove.
Sheathed in bright arms each adverse chief came on.
Jove's great descendant, and his greater son.
Prepared for combat, ere the lance he toss'd,
The daring Rhodian vents his haughty boast:
"What brings this Lycian counsellor so far,
To tremble at our arms, not mix in war!
Know thy vain self, nor let their flattery move,
Who style thee son of cloud-compelling Jove.
How far unlike those chiefs of race divine,
How vast the difference of their deeds and thine!
Jove got such heroes as my sire, whose soul
No fear could daunt, nor earth nor hell control.
Troy felt his arm, and yon proud ramparts stand
Raised on the ruins of his vengeful hand:
With six small ships, and but a slender train,
lie left the town a wide-deserted plain.
But what art thou, who deedless look'st around,
While unrevenged thy Lycians bite the ground!
Small aid to Troy thy feeble force can be;
But wert thou greater, thou must yield to me.
Pierced by my spear, to endless darkness go!
I make this present to the shades below."
The son of Hercules, the Rhodian guide,
Thus haughty spoke. The Lycian king replied:
"Thy sire, O prince! o'erturn'd the Trojan state,
Whose perjured monarch well deserved his fate;
Those heavenly steeds the hero sought so far,
False he detain'd, the just reward of war.
Nor so content, the generous chief defied,
With base reproaches and unmanly pride.
But you, unworthy the high race you boast,
Shall raise my glory when thy own is lost:
Now meet thy fate, and by Sarpedon slain,
Add one more ghost to Pluto's gloomy reign."
He said: both javelins at an instant flew;
Both struck, both wounded, but Sarpedon's slew:
Full in the boaster's neck the weapon stood,
Transfix'd his throat, and drank the vital blood;
The soul disdainful seeks the caves of night,
And his seal'd eyes for ever lose the light.
Yet not in vain, Tlepolemus, was thrown
Thy angry lance; which piercing to the bone
Sarpedon's thigh, had robb'd the chief of breath;
But Jove was present, and forbade the death.
Borne from the conflict by his Lycian throng,
The wounded hero dragg'd the lance along.
(His friends, each busied in his several part,
Through haste, or danger, had not drawn the dart.)
The Greeks with slain Tlepolemus retired;
Whose fall Ulysses view'd, with fury fired;
Doubtful if Jove's great son he should pursue,
Or pour his vengeance on the Lycian crew.
But heaven and fate the first design withstand,
Nor this great death must grace Ulysses' hand.
Minerva drives him on the Lycian train;
Alastor, Cronius, Halius, strew'd the plain,
Alcander, Prytanis, Noemon fell:(154)
And numbers more his sword had sent to hell,
But Hector saw; and, furious at the sight,
Rush'd terrible amidst the ranks of fight.
With joy Sarpedon view'd the wish'd relief,
And, faint, lamenting, thus implored the chief:
"O suffer not the foe to bear away
My helpless corpse, an unassisted prey;
If I, unbless'd, must see my son no more,
My much-loved consort, and my native shore,
Yet let me die in Ilion's sacred wall;
Troy, in whose cause I fell, shall mourn my fall."
He said, nor Hector to the chief replies,
But shakes his plume, and fierce to combat flies;
Swift as a whirlwind, drives the scattering foes;
And dyes the ground with purple as he goes.
Beneath a beech, Jove's consecrated shade,
His mournful friends divine Sarpedon laid:
Brave Pelagon, his favourite chief, was nigh,
Who wrench'd the javelin from his sinewy thigh.
The fainting soul stood ready wing'd for flight,
And o'er his eye-balls swam the shades of night;
But Boreas rising fresh, with gentle breath,
Recall'd his spirit from the gates of death.
The generous Greeks recede with tardy pace,
Though Mars and Hector thunder in their face;
None turn their backs to mean ignoble flight,
Slow they retreat, and even retreating fight.
Who first, who last, by Mars' and Hector's hand,
Stretch'd in their blood, lay gasping on the sand?
Tenthras the great, Orestes the renown'd
For managed steeds, and Trechus press'd the ground;,
Next OEnomaus and OEnops' offspring died;
Oresbius last fell groaning at their side:
Oresbius, in his painted mitre gay,
In fat Boeotia held his wealthy sway,
Where lakes surround low Hyle's watery plain;
A prince and people studious of their gain.
The carnage Juno from the skies survey'd,
And touch'd with grief bespoke the blue-eyed maid:
"Oh, sight accursed! Shall faithless Troy prevail,
And shall our promise to our people fail?
How vain the word to Menelaus given
By Jove's great daughter and the queen of heaven,
Beneath his arms that Priam's towers should fall,
If warring gods for ever guard the wall!
Mars, red with slaughter, aids our hated foes:
Haste, let us arm, and force with force oppose!"
She spoke; Minerva burns to meet the war:
And now heaven's empress calls her blazing car.
At her command rush forth the steeds divine;
Rich with immortal gold their trappings shine.
Bright Hebe waits; by Hebe, ever young,
The whirling wheels are to the chariot hung.
On the bright axle turns the bidden wheel
Of sounding brass; the polished axle steel.
Eight brazen spokes in radiant order flame;
The circles gold, of uncorrupted frame,
Such as the heavens produce: and round the gold
Two brazen rings of work divine were roll'd.
The bossy naves of sold silver shone;
Braces of gold suspend the moving throne:
The car, behind, an arching figure bore;
The bending concave form'd an arch before.
Silver the beam, the extended yoke was gold,
And golden reins the immortal coursers hold.
Herself, impatient, to the ready car,
The coursers joins, and breathes revenge and war.
Pallas disrobes; her radiant veil untied,
With flowers adorn'd, with art diversified,
(The laboured veil her heavenly fingers wove,)
Flows on the pavement of the court of Jove.
Now heaven's dread arms her mighty limbs invest,
Jove's cuirass blazes on her ample breast;
Deck'd in sad triumph for the mournful field,
O'er her broad shoulders hangs his horrid shield,
Dire, black, tremendous! Round the margin roll'd,
A fringe of serpents hissing guards the gold:
Here all the terrors of grim War appear,
Here rages Force, here tremble Flight and Fear,
Here storm'd Contention, and here Fury frown'd,
And the dire orb portentous Gorgon crown'd.
The massy golden helm she next assumes,
That dreadful nods with four o'ershading plumes;
So vast, the broad circumference contains
A hundred armies on a hundred plains.
The goddess thus the imperial car ascends;
Shook by her arm the mighty javelin bends,
Ponderous and huge; that when her fury burns,
Proud tyrants humbles, and whole hosts o'erturns.
Swift at the scourge the ethereal coursers fly,
While the smooth chariot cuts the liquid sky.
Heaven's gates spontaneous open to the powers,(155)
Heaven's golden gates, kept by the winged Hours;(156)
Commission'd in alternate watch they stand,
The sun's bright portals and the skies command,
Involve in clouds the eternal gates of day,
Or the dark barrier roll with ease away.
The sounding hinges ring on either side
The gloomy volumes, pierced with light, divide.
The chariot mounts, where deep in ambient skies,
Confused, Olympus' hundred heads arise;
Where far apart the Thunderer fills his throne,
O'er all the gods superior and alone.
There with her snowy hand the queen restrains
The fiery steeds, and thus to Jove complains:
"O sire! can no resentment touch thy soul?
Can Mars rebel, and does no thunder roll?
What lawless rage on yon forbidden plain,
What rash destruction! and what heroes slain!
Venus, and Phoebus with the dreadful bow,
Smile on the slaughter, and enjoy my woe.
Mad, furious power! whose unrelenting mind
No god can govern, and no justice bind.
Say, mighty father! shall we scourge this pride,
And drive from fight the impetuous homicide?"
To whom assenting, thus the Thunderer said:
"Go! and the great Minerva be thy aid.
To tame the monster-god Minerva knows,
And oft afflicts his brutal breast with woes."
He said; Saturnia, ardent to obey,
Lash'd her white steeds along the aerial way
Swift down the steep of heaven the chariot rolls,
Between the expanded earth and starry poles
Far as a shepherd, from some point on high,(157)
O'er the wide main extends his boundless eye,
Through such a space of air, with thundering sound,
At every leap the immortal coursers bound
Troy now they reach'd and touch'd those banks divine,
Where silver Simois and Scamander join
There Juno stopp'd, and (her fair steeds unloosed)
Of air condensed a vapour circumfused
For these, impregnate with celestial dew,
On Simois, brink ambrosial herbage grew.
Thence to relieve the fainting Argive throng,
Smooth as the sailing doves they glide along.
The best and bravest of the Grecian band
(A warlike circle) round Tydides stand.
Such was their look as lions bathed in blood,
Or foaming boars, the terror of the wood
Heaven's empress mingles with the mortal crowd,
And shouts, in Stentor's sounding voice, aloud;
Stentor the strong, endued with brazen lungs,(158)
Whose throats surpass'd the force of fifty tongues.
"Inglorious Argives! to your race a shame,
And only men in figure and in name!
Once from the walls your timorous foes engaged,
While fierce in war divine Achilles raged;
Now issuing fearless they possess the plain,
Now win the shores, and scarce the seas remain."
Her speech new fury to their hearts convey'd;
While near Tydides stood the Athenian maid;
The king beside his panting steeds she found,
O'erspent with toil reposing on the ground;
To cool his glowing wound he sat apart,
(The wound inflicted by the Lycian dart.)
Large drops of sweat from all his limbs descend,
Beneath his ponderous shield his sinews bend,
Whose ample belt, that o'er his shoulder lay,
He eased; and wash'd the clotted gore away.
The goddess leaning o'er the bending yoke,
Beside his coursers, thus her silence broke:
"Degenerate prince! and not of Tydeus' kind,
Whose little body lodged a mighty mind;
Foremost he press'd in glorious toils to share,
And scarce refrain'd when I forbade the war.
Alone, unguarded, once he dared to go,
And feast, incircled by the Theban foe;
There braved, and vanquish'd, many a hardy knight;
Such nerves I gave him, and such force in fight.
Thou too no less hast been my constant care;
Thy hands I arm'd, and sent thee forth to war:
But thee or fear deters, or sloth detains;
No drop of all thy father warms thy veins."
The chief thus answered mild: "Immortal maid!
I own thy presence, and confess thy aid.
Not fear, thou know'st, withholds me from the plains,
Nor sloth hath seized me, but thy word restrains:
From warring gods thou bad'st me turn my spear,
And Venus only found resistance here.
Hence, goddess! heedful of thy high commands,
Loth I gave way, and warn'd our Argive bands:
For Mars, the homicide, these eyes beheld,
With slaughter red, and raging round the field."
Then thus Minerva:--"Brave Tydides, hear!
Not Mars himself, nor aught immortal, fear.
Full on the god impel thy foaming horse:
Pallas commands, and Pallas lends thee force.
Rash, furious, blind, from these to those he flies,
And every side of wavering combat tries;
Large promise makes, and breaks the promise made:
Now gives the Grecians, now the Trojans aid."(159)
She said, and to the steeds approaching near,
Drew from his seat the martial charioteer.
The vigorous power the trembling car ascends,
Fierce for revenge; and Diomed attends:
The groaning axle bent beneath the load;
So great a hero, and so great a god.
She snatch'd the reins, she lash'd with all her force,
And full on Mars impelled the foaming horse:
But first, to hide her heavenly visage, spread
Black Orcus' helmet o'er her radiant head.
[Illustration: DIOMED CASTING HIS SPEAR AT MARS.]
DIOMED CASTING HIS SPEAR AT MARS.
Just then gigantic Periphas lay slain,
The strongest warrior of the Ætolian train;
The god, who slew him, leaves his prostrate prize
Stretch'd where he fell, and at Tydides flies.
Now rushing fierce, in equal arms appear
The daring Greek, the dreadful god of war!
Full at the chief, above his courser's head,
From Mars's arm the enormous weapon fled:
Pallas opposed her hand, and caused to glance
Far from the car the strong immortal lance.
Then threw the force of Tydeus' warlike son;
The javelin hiss'd; the goddess urged it on:
Where the broad cincture girt his armour round,
It pierced the god: his groin received the wound.
From the rent skin the warrior tugs again
The smoking steel. Mars bellows with the pain:
Loud as the roar encountering armies yield,
When shouting millions shake the thundering field.
Both armies start, and trembling gaze around;
And earth and heaven re-bellow to the sound.
As vapours blown by Auster's sultry breath,
Pregnant with plagues, and shedding seeds of death,
Beneath the rage of burning Sirius rise,
Choke the parch'd earth, and blacken all the skies;
In such a cloud the god from combat driven,
High o'er the dusky whirlwind scales the heaven.
Wild with his pain, he sought the bright abodes,
There sullen sat beneath the sire of gods,
Show'd the celestial blood, and with a groan
Thus pour'd his plaints before the immortal throne:
"Can Jove, supine, flagitious facts survey,
And brook the furies of this daring day?
For mortal men celestial powers engage,
And gods on gods exert eternal rage:
From thee, O father! all these ills we bear,
And thy fell daughter with the shield and spear;
Thou gavest that fury to the realms of light,
Pernicious, wild, regardless of the right.
All heaven beside reveres thy sovereign sway,
Thy voice we hear, and thy behests obey:
'Tis hers to offend, and even offending share
Thy breast, thy counsels, thy distinguish'd care:
So boundless she, and thou so partial grown,
Well may we deem the wondrous birth thy own.
Now frantic Diomed, at her command,
Against the immortals lifts his raging hand:
The heavenly Venus first his fury found,
Me next encountering, me he dared to wound;
Vanquish'd I fled; even I, the god of fight,
From mortal madness scarce was saved by flight.
Else hadst thou seen me sink on yonder plain,
Heap'd round, and heaving under loads of slain!
Or pierced with Grecian darts, for ages lie,
Condemn'd to pain, though fated not to die."
Him thus upbraiding, with a wrathful look
The lord of thunders view'd, and stern bespoke:
"To me, perfidious! this lamenting strain?
Of lawless force shall lawless Mars complain?
Of all the gods who tread the spangled skies,
Thou most unjust, most odious in our eyes!
Inhuman discord is thy dire delight,
The waste of slaughter, and the rage of fight.
No bounds, no law, thy fiery temper quells,
And all thy mother in thy soul rebels.
In vain our threats, in vain our power we use;
She gives the example, and her son pursues.
Yet long the inflicted pangs thou shall not mourn,
Sprung since thou art from Jove, and heavenly-born.
Else, singed with lightning, hadst thou hence been thrown,
Where chain'd on burning rocks the Titans groan."
Thus he who shakes Olympus with his nod;
Then gave to Paeon's care the bleeding god.(160)
With gentle hand the balm he pour'd around,
And heal'd the immortal flesh, and closed the wound.
As when the fig's press'd juice, infused in cream,
To curds coagulates the liquid stream,
Sudden the fluids fix the parts combined;
Such, and so soon, the ethereal texture join'd.
Cleansed from the dust and gore, fair Hebe dress'd
His mighty limbs in an immortal vest.
Glorious he sat, in majesty restored,
Fast by the throne of heaven's superior lord.
Juno and Pallas mount the bless'd abodes,
Their task perform'd, and mix among the gods.
[Illustration: JUNO.]
JUNO. 神祗走後，阿開亞人和特洛伊人繼續着
慘烈的拼鬥；平原上，激戰的人潮
此起彼落，雙方互擲青銅的槍矛，
戰鬥在兩條大河之間，伴隨着珊索斯和西摩埃斯的水流。
忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯，阿開亞人的堡壘，率先
打破特洛伊人的隊陣，給夥伴們帶來希望，
擊倒了斯拉凱人中最好的戰勇，
高大魁梧的阿卡馬斯，歐索羅斯的兒郎。
他搶先投矛，擊中插頂馬鬃的頭盔，堅挺的突角，
銅尖紮在前額上，深咬進去，
搗碎頭骨，濃黑的迷霧蒙住了他的眼睛。
嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯擊倒了阿剋蘇洛斯，
丟斯拉斯之子，傢住堅固的阿裏斯貝，
傢資豐足，客友天下，敞開
路邊的屋居，接待每一位賓朋。
然而，他們中現時無人站在他的身邊，替他
擋開可悲的死亡——狄俄墨得斯奪走了他倆的生命，
阿剋蘇洛斯和他的伴從卡勒西俄斯，
駕車的馭手；他倆雙雙去了冥府。
其時，歐魯阿洛斯殺了德瑞索斯和俄菲爾提俄斯，
進而追擊埃塞波斯和裴達索斯，溪泉女神
阿芭耳芭拉把他們生給了勇武的布科利昂，
布科利昂，高傲的勞墨鼕的兒子，
長出，雖然他的母親在黑暗裏偷偷地生下了他。
那天，在牧羊之際，布科利昂和女仙睡躺作愛，
後者孕後生下一對男孩。現在，墨基斯提俄斯
之子歐魯阿洛斯打散了他們的勇力，酥軟了他倆
健美的肢腿，剝走了肩上的鎧甲。
驃勇犟悍的波魯波伊忒斯殺了阿斯圖阿洛斯；
俄底修斯殺了來自裴耳科忒的皮杜忒斯，
用他的銅矛；丟剋羅斯結果了高貴的阿瑞塔昂。
奈斯托耳之子安提洛科斯殺了阿伯勒羅斯，
用閃亮的飛矛；阿伽門農，全軍的統帥，放倒了厄拉托斯，
傢住薩特尼俄埃斯河畔，長長的水流，
山壁陡峭的裴達索斯。勇士雷托斯追殺了
逃跑中的夫拉科斯；歐魯普洛斯結果了墨郎西俄斯。
其時，嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯生擒了
阿德瑞斯托斯——受驚的馭馬狂跑在平野上，
纏絆在一處怪柳枝叢裏，崩裂了彎翹的馬車，
斷在車桿的根端，掙脫羈絆，朝着
城墻飛跑，驚散了那一帶的馭馬，四下裏活蹦亂跳。
它們的主人被甩出馬車，倒在輪子的邊沿，
頭臉朝下，嘴啃泥塵；墨奈勞斯，
阿特柔斯之子，手提投影森長的槍矛，聳立在他的身旁。
阿德瑞斯托斯一把抱住他的膝蓋，哀求道：
“活捉我，阿特柔斯之子，取受足份的贖禮。
傢父盈實富有，房居裏財寶堆積如山，
有青銅、黃金和艱工冶鑄的灰鐵——
他會用難以數計的財禮歡悅你的心房，
要是聽說我還活在阿開亞人的海船旁。”
一番話說動了墨奈勞斯的心腸。
正當他準備把阿德瑞斯托斯交由隨從，
帶回阿開亞人迅捷的海船之際，
阿伽門農快步跑來，嚷道：
“怎麽，心軟了，我的兄弟？為何如此
關照我們的敵人？或許，你也曾得過特洛伊人的
厚愛，在你的傢裏？！不，不能讓一個人躲過暴烈的死亡，
逃出我們的手心——哪怕是娘肚裏的男孩，
也决不放過！讓特洛伊人死個
精光，無人哀悼，不留痕跡！”
英雄的斥勸理直氣壯，說動了
兄弟。墨奈勞斯一把推出武士阿德瑞斯托斯，
強有力的阿伽門農一槍
刺進他的脅腹，打得他仰面倒地，
然後一腳踹住他的胸口，擰拔出自己的(木岑)木桿槍矛。
其時，奈斯托耳放開嗓門，對阿耳吉維人喊道：
“朋友們，達奈勇士們，阿瑞斯的隨從們！
現在不是掠劫的時候；不要遲滯不前，
盤想着如何把盡可能多的戰禮拖回船艘。
現在是殺敵的關頭！戰後，在休閑的時候，
你們可剝盡屍體上的屬物，在平原的各個角落！”
一番話使大傢鼓起了勇氣，增添了力量。其時，
面對嗜戰的阿開亞兵壯，特洛伊人可能會再次逃進城墻，
逃回伊利昂，背着驚恐的包袱，跌跌撞撞，
要不是赫勒諾斯，普裏阿摩斯之子，最靈驗的卜者，
站到埃內阿斯和赫剋托耳身旁，對他們說道：
“二位首領，你倆是引導特洛伊人和魯基亞人
戰鬥的主將，因為在一切方面，你們都是
出類拔萃的好漢，無論是戰力，還是謀劃。
所以，你倆要站穩腳跟，亦宜四出巡訪，把
回退的戰勇聚合在城門前——要快，不要讓他們
撲進女人的懷抱，讓我們的敵人恥笑。
衹要你們把各支部隊鼓動起來，
我們就能牢牢地站住陣腳，和達奈人戰鬥，
雖然軍隊已經遭受重創，但我們衹有背城一戰。
然而你，赫剋多耳，你要趕快回城，告訴
我們的母親，召集所有高貴的婦人，
在城堡的高處，灰眼睛雅典娜的廟前，
用鑰匙打開神聖的房室，由她擇選，
拿取一件在她的廳屋裏所能找到的最大。
最美的裙袍，她最喜愛的珍品，
鋪展在美發的雅典娜的膝頭。讓她
答應在神廟裏獻祭十二頭幼小的母牛，
從未挨過責笞的牛崽，但求女神憐憫
我們的城堡，憐憫特洛伊婦女和弱小無助的孩童。
但願她能把圖丟斯之子趕離神聖的伊利昂，
這個瘋狂的槍手，令人膽寒的精壯！
此人，告訴你，已成為阿開亞人中最強健的戰勇。
我們從來不曾如此怕過阿基琉斯，軍隊的首領，
據說還是女神的兒子。此人肯定是
殺瘋了，誰也不能和他較勁，和他對打！”
他言罷，赫剋托耳聽從了兄弟的勸議，
馬上跳下戰車，雙腳着地，全副武裝，
揮舞着兩枝犀利的槍矛，穿行在每一支隊伍，
催勵兵勇們拼殺，推起恐怖的戰爭狂潮。
特洛伊人於是行動起來，死死地頂住阿開亞壯勇。
阿耳吉維人開始退卻，轉過身子，停止了砍殺，
以為某位神祗，從多星的天空落降，
站在特洛伊人一邊——他們集聚得如此迅速！
赫剋托耳亮開嗓門，對特洛伊人高聲喊道：
“心志高昂的特洛伊人，威名遠揚的盟軍夥伴們，
拿出男子漢的勇氣，親愛的朋友們，鼓起狂烈的戰鬥激情！
堅持下去，待我趕回伊利昂，告訴
年長的參事和我們的妻房，
要他們對神祈禱，許以豐盛的祀祭。”
言罷，赫剋托耳，頂着閃亮的頭盔，動身離去，
烏黑的牛皮磕碰着腳踝和脖子，盾圍的邊圈，
環繞着中心突鼓的巨盾，它的邊沿。
其時，希波洛科斯之子格勞科斯和圖丟斯之子
來到兩軍之間的空地，帶着拼殺的狂烈。
他倆迎面撞來，咄咄逼近，
嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯首先發話，嚷道：
“你是凡人中的哪一位，我的朋友？我怎麽
從來不曾見你，在人們爭得榮譽的戰場，
從來沒有。現在，你卻遠離衆人，風風火火地
衝上前來，面對投影森長的槍矛。
不幸的父親，你們的兒子要和我對陣拼打！
但是，倘若你是某位不死的神明，來自晴亮的天空，
那麽，告訴你，我將不和任何天神交手。
即便是德魯阿斯之子，強有力的魯庫耳戈斯，
由於試圖和天神交戰，也落得短命的下場。
此人曾將衆位女仙，狂蕩的狄俄努索斯的保姆，
趕下神聖的努薩山。她們丟棄手中的
枝杖，挨着兇狠的魯庫耳戈斯的責打，
用趕牛的棍棒！狄俄努索斯嚇得魂飛膽散，
一頭紮進海浪，藏身塞提絲的懷抱，
驚恐萬狀，全身劇烈顫嗦，懾於魯庫耳戈斯的追駡。
但是，無憂無慮的神祗，震怒於他的暴行，
剋羅諾斯之子打瞎了他的眼睛；不久以後，
魯庫耳戈斯一命嗚呼，衹因受到所有神明的痛恨。
所以，我無意和幸運的神祗對抗。
不過，如果你是一個吃食人間煙火的凡人，那就
不妨再走近些，以便盡快接受死的錘打！”
聽罷這番話，希波洛科斯高貴的兒子答道：
“圖丟斯心胸豪壯的兒子，為何詢問我的傢世？
凡人的生活，就像樹葉的聚落。
涼風吹散垂挂枝頭的舊葉，但一日
春風拂起，枝幹便會抽發茸密的新緑。
人同此理，新的一代崛起，老的一代死去。
不過，關於我的宗譜，如果你想瞭解得清清楚楚，
不遺不誤，那就聽我道來，雖說在許多人心裏，這些已是熟知
的掌故。在馬草肥美的阿耳戈斯的一端，聳立着一座城堡，
名厄芙拉，埃俄洛斯之子西蘇福斯的故鄉，
西蘇福斯，世間最精明的凡人，得子格勞科斯；
而後者又是英勇的伯勒羅豐忒斯的父親。
神明給了伯勒羅豐忒斯俊美的容貌和
迷人的氣度，但普羅伊托斯卻刻意加害——
衹因前者遠比他強壯——把他趕出阿耳吉維人的
故鄉，宙斯用王杖徵服的疆土。
面對俊逸的伯勒羅豐忒斯，普羅伊托斯之妻，美麗的安忒婭
激情衝動，意欲和他做愛同床，但後者
正氣凜然，意志堅強，不為所動。
於是，她來到國王普羅伊托斯身邊，謊言道：
“殺了伯勒羅豐忒斯吧，普羅伊托斯，否則，你還活着幹嗎？
那傢夥試圖和我同床，被我斷然拒絶！”
如此一番謊告激怒了國王。不過，
王者沒有把他殺掉，忌於驚恐自己的心腸，
而是讓他去了魯基亞，帶着一篇要他送命的記符[●]，刻畫
●記符：提及“書劃”，《伊利亞特》中僅此一例。
在一塊折起的板片上，密密匝匝的符記，足以使他送命客鄉。
國王要他把板片交給安忒婭的父親，讓他落個必死無疑的
下場。承蒙神的護送，伯勒羅豐忒斯一路順風
來到魯基亞。當他抵達水流湍急的珊索斯河邊，
統領着遼闊疆土的魯基亞國王熱情地款待了他；
一連九天，祭宴不斷，殺了九頭肥牛。
然而，當第十個黎明顯露出它那玫瑰紅的手指，
國王開始對他發問，要他出示所帶之物，
普羅伊托斯、他的女婿讓他捎來的符碼。
當他知曉了女婿險惡的用心，便對來者
發出了第一道命令：要他殺除難以徵服的
怪獸基邁拉，此獸出自神族，全非人為，
長着獅子的頭顱，長蛇的尾巴，山羊的身段，
噴射出熾烈的火焰，極其可怕。
然而，伯勒羅豐忒斯殺了基邁拉，遵從神的兆示。
其後，他又和光榮的索魯摩伊人戰鬥；在他所經歷的
同凡人的拼搏中，他說過，此役最為艱狂。
接着，他又衝破老王設下的第三個陷阱，殺了打仗不讓須眉的
雅馬宗女郎。凱旋後，國王又設下一條毒計，
選出疆域寬廣的魯基亞中最好的戰勇，
命他們攔路伏藏——這幫人無一生還，
被英勇無畏的伯勒羅豐忒斯殺得精光。
其後，國王得知他乃神的後裔，勇猛豪強，
便把他輓留下來，招為女婿，
給了他一半的權益，屬於王者的份償。
魯基亞人劃出一片土地，比誰的份兒都大，
肥熟的耕地和果園，由他統管經掌。
妻子為剛勇的伯勒羅豐忒斯生了三個孩子：
伊桑得羅斯、希波洛科斯和勞達墨婭。
勞達墨婭曾和多謀善斷的宙斯睡躺歡愛，
為他生了頭戴銅盔的薩耳裴鼕，神一樣的英壯。以後，
伯勒羅豐忒斯——即便是像他這樣的人——也受到所有神祗
的憎恨，流浪在阿雷俄斯平原，子然一身，
心力憔悴，避離了生活的艱雜。
至於他的兒子，伊桑得羅斯，在和光榮的索魯摩伊人
拼鬥時，死在嗜戰不厭的阿瑞斯手下。
操用金繮的阿耳忒彌絲，出於暴怒，殺了勞達墨婭。
然而，希波洛科斯生養了我——告訴你，他是我的父親。
他讓我來到特洛伊，反復叮囑：
要我英勇作戰，比誰都頑強，以求出人頭地，
不致辱沒我的前輩，生長在厄芙拉
和遼闊的魯基亞的最勇敢的英壯。
這便是我的宗譜，我的可以當衆稱告的血統。”
聽罷這番話，嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯心裏高興。
他把槍矛插進豐腴的土地，和言
悅色地對這位兵士的牧者說道：
“太好了，你是我的朋友，我的客人；我們的友誼可以追溯到祖
輩生活的時候。高貴的俄伊紐斯曾熱情地接待過豪勇的
伯勒羅豐忒斯，在他的廳堂，留住了整整二十天。
他倆互贈精美的禮物，作為友誼的象徵。
俄伊紐斯送給客人一條閃亮的皮帶，顔色深紅，
伯勒羅豐忒斯回贈了一個雙把的金杯，
被我留在傢中，在我動身之前。
關於圖丟斯，我的父親，我的記憶卻十分淡薄——
當他離傢之際，我還是個孩童；那時候，阿開亞人的壯勇
正慘死在塞貝。所以，在阿耳戈斯的腹地，我是你的朋友和
主人，而在魯基亞，當我踏上你的國土，你又是我的主人和朋
友。
讓我們避開各自的槍矛，即便是在近身的鏖戰中。
供我殺戮的特洛伊人，還有他們那聲名遐邇的盟友，
多如牛毛，我會宰了他們，無論是神祗攏來的獵物，還是我自
個快步追上敵手。
同樣，阿開亞人的隊伍浩浩蕩蕩——殺吧，如果你有這個本事。
現在，讓我們互換鎧甲，以便使衆人知道，
從祖輩開始，我們已是客人和朋友。”
兩人言罷，雙雙從馬後躍下戰車。
緊緊握手，互緻了表示友好的誓言。
然而，宙斯，剋羅諾斯之子，盜走了格勞科斯的心智，
使他用金甲換回圖丟斯之子狄俄墨得斯的
銅衣，前者值得一百頭肥牛，而後者衹有九條牛的換價。
其時，當赫剋托耳回抵斯卡亞門和橡樹聳立的地方，
特洛伊人的妻子和女兒們蜂擁着跑了過來，
圍在他的身邊，詢問起她們的兒子、兄弟、朋友
和丈夫。赫剋托耳告訴所有的女子，要她們對神祈禱，
一個接着一個；然而，悲痛正等待着許多女眷，不幸的人們。
其後，赫剋托耳來到普裏阿摩斯雄偉的宮殿，
帶着光潔的石築柱廊，內有
五十間睡房，取料磨光的石塊；
間間相連，房內睡着普裏阿摩斯的
兒子，躺在各自婚娶的愛妻旁。
在內庭的另一面，對着這些房間，
是他女兒們的睡房，共十二間，取料磨光的石塊，
間間相連，裏面睡着普裏阿摩斯的
女婿，躺在各自溫柔的愛妻旁。
宮居裏，赫剋托耳的母親遇見了兒子，一位
慷宏大量的婦人，帶着勞迪凱，女兒中最漂亮的一個。
她緊緊拉住兒子的手，出聲呼喚，說道：
‘戲的孩子，為何離開激戰的沙場？為何來到此地？
瞧這些阿開亞人的兒子們把你折磨成什麽樣子——
該死的東西，逼在我們城下戰鬥！我知道，是你的心靈
驅使你回返，站到城堡的頂端，舉起你的雙手，
對着宙斯祈願。不過，等一等，待我取來蜜甜的醇酒，
敬祭父親宙斯和列位尊神，然後，
你自己亦可藉酒添力，滋潤焦渴的咽喉。
對一個疲乏之人，醇酒會給他增添用不完的力氣，
對一個像你這樣疲乏的人，奮力保衛着城裏的生民。”
高大的赫剋托耳，頭頂閃亮的銅盔，答道：
“不要給我端來香甜的美酒，親愛的媽媽，
你會使我行動蹣跚，喪失戰鬥的勇力。
我亦恥於用不幹淨的雙手，祭酒獻給宙斯的佳釀，
閃亮的醇酒——個身上沾滿血污和髒穢的人，
何以能對剋羅諾斯之子、烏雲之神宙斯祈禱？
快去掠劫者的福佑雅典娜的神廟，
召集出生高貴的老婦，帶上祭神的牲品，
拿取一件在你的廳屋裏所能找到的最大。
最美的裙袍，你最喜愛的珍品，
鋪展在美發的雅典娜的膝頭。此外，
答應在神廟裏獻祭十二頭幼小的母牛，
從未挨過責笞的牛崽，但求女神憐憫
我們的城堡，憐憫特洛伊婦女和弱小無助的孩童，
求她把圖丟斯之子趕離神聖的伊利昂，
這個瘋狂的槍手，令人膽寒的精壯！
去吧，母親，你去掠劫者的福佑雅典娜的神廟，
我去尋找帕裏斯，要他參戰，如果他還願意聽從
我的訓告。但願大地把他吞噬，就在此時時刻！
俄林波斯大神讓他存活生長，使之成為一個巨大的禍害，
對特洛伊人，對心志豪 莽的普裏阿摩斯和他的兒子們！
但願我能眼見他墜入死神的宮殿，這樣，
我就可以說，我的內心已掙脫痛苦的纏磨！”
赫剋托耳言罷，母親走入廳堂，命囑
女僕，召聚全城的貴婦，而
她自己則走下芬芳的藏室，裏面
放着精緻的織袍，出自西鼕
女人的手工——神一樣的亞歷剋山德羅斯親自把她們
從西鼕帶回家乡，穿越浩森的洋面，就在那一次遠航，
他還抱回了出身高貴的海倫。
赫卡貝提起一件綉袍，作為獻給雅典娜的禮物，
此袍精美，最大，做工最細，
像星星一樣閃光，收在裙衣的最底層。
然後，她擡腿前行，帶領着一大群快步行走的貴婦。
當她們來到俯視全城的雅典娜的神廟，
美貌的塞阿諾開門迎候
基修斯的女兒，馴馬手阿忒諾耳的妻子，
被特洛伊人推作雅典娜的祭司。
隨着一聲尖利的哭叫，女人們對着雅典娜高舉起雙手，
美貌的塞阿諾托起織袍，展放在
長發秀美的雅典娜的膝頭，面對
強有力的宙斯的女兒，言詞懇切地誦道：
“女王，雅典娜，我們城市的保衛者，女神中的驕傲！
折斷狄俄墨得斯的槍矛，讓他
栽倒在斯卡亞門前！我們將馬上
獻出十二頭幼小的母牛，在你的神廟，
從未挨過責笞的牛崽，但求你憐憫
我們的城堡，憐憫特洛伊婦女和弱小無助的孩童！”
她如此一番祈禱，但帕拉絲·雅典娜沒有接受她的懇求。
就在他們對着強有力的宙斯的女兒作禱時，
赫剋托耳舉步前往亞歷剋山德羅斯的房居，
一處豪華的住所，由主人親自籌劃建造，匯同當時
最好的工匠，肥沃的特洛伊地面手藝最絶的高手。
他們蓋了一間睡房，一個廳堂和一個院落，
在赫剋托耳和普裏阿摩斯傢居的附近，聳立在城堡的高處。
宙斯鐘愛的赫剋托耳走近房居，手持槍矛，
伸挺出十一個肘尺的長度，桿頂閃耀着一枝
青銅的矛尖，由一個黃金的圈環箍固。
他在睡房裏找到帕裏斯，正忙着整理精美的甲械，
他的盾牌和胸甲，擺弄着彎捲的強弓。
阿耳戈斯的海倫正和女僕們坐在一起，
指導她們的活計——絢美的織工。
赫剋托耳見狀破口大駡，用譏辱的言詞：
“你這是在胡闹什麽！現在可不是潛心生氣的時候！
將士們正在成片地倒下，激戰在我們的圍城前，
慘死在陡峭的城墻下！這一切都是為了你，這喧鬧的
殺聲，這場圍着城堡進行的殊死的拼鬥！你理應首當其衝，
擋住在可恨的搏殺中退卻的兵勇，不管你在哪裏看見他。
振作起來，不要讓無情的烈火蕩毀我們的城樓！”
聽罷此番責駡，神一樣的亞歷剋山德羅斯答道：
“赫剋托耳，你的指責公正合理，一點都不過分。
既如此，我這裏有話解說，請你耐着性子，聽聽我的說告。
我之滯留房居，並非出於對特洛伊人的憤恨
和暴怒，而是想讓自己沉浸在悲痛之中。
然而，就在剛纔，我的妻子用溫柔的話語說服了我；
她勸我返回戰場，我也覺得應該這麽做。
勝無定傢，這回屬你，下回歸他。
好吧，等我一下，讓我披甲穿挂；
要不，你可先走一步，我會隨後跟蹤，我想可以趕上。”
聽罷這番話，頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳沒有作答，
倒是海倫開口說道，用親切溫柔的語調：
“我是條母狗，親愛的兄弟，可憎可恨，心術邪毒。
我真恨之不得，在我母親生我的那天，
一股兇邪的強風把我捲人
深山峽𠔌，或投入奔騰呼嘯的大海，讓峰波吞噬
我的身軀，從而使這一切的一切，都不致在我們眼前發生。
但是，既然神明已經設下這些痛苦，預定了事情的去嚮，
我希望嫁隨一個比他善好的男人，
知道規束節制，瞭解那些人們論道的恥辱。
然而，此人沒有穩篤的見識，今後也永遠
不會有這種本領。所以，將來，我敢說，有他吃受的苦頭。
進來吧，我的兄弟，進來坐在這張椅子上；
你比誰都更多地承受着戰爭的苦楚，
為了我，一個不顧廉恥的女人，和無知莽撞的帕裏斯。
宙斯給我倆註定了可悲的命運，以便，即使在後代
生活的年月，讓我們的穢行成為詩唱的內容！”
頭頂閃亮的帽盔，高大的赫剋托耳答道：
“不要讓我坐在你的近旁，海倫，雖然你喜歡我，但你說服
不了我。我的內心催我快步趕去，幫助特洛伊人的
兵勇；我離開後，他們急切地盼我回歸。
倒是該給這個人鼓鼓士氣，好嗎？讓他趕快行動，
以便在我離城之前趕上我。
我將先回自己的傢居，看看我的
親人，我的愛妻和出生不久的兒郎，
因我不知是否還能和他們團聚，
不知神祗是否會讓我倒死在阿開亞人手中。”
言罷，頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳大步離去，
急如星火，來到建造精良的府居，但卻
找不到白臂膀的安德羅瑪開的身影，
她已帶着嬰兒和一位穿着漂亮的女僕，
出現在城樓之上，悲聲慟哭。
找不到賢慧的妻子，赫剋托耳走回門邊，
站在檻條上，對女僕們問道；
“全都過來，僕從們，老實告訴我，
白臂膀的安德羅瑪開去了哪裏？在我的
某個姐妹的傢裏，或是和我的某個兄弟的穿着漂亮裙袍的媳
婦在一起？是不是去了雅典娜的神廟——特洛伊
長發秀美的貴婦們正在那裏撫慰冷酷無情的女神？”
話音剛落，一位勤勉的傢女僕答道：
“赫剋托耳，既然你要我們如實告說她的去處，那就請你聽着：
她並沒有去你的某個姐妹或某個兄弟的媳婦的傢居，
也沒有去雅典娜的神廟——特洛伊
長發秀美的貴婦們正在那兒撫慰冷酷無情的女神，
而是去了伊利昂寬厚的城樓，因她聽說
我方已漸感不支，而阿開亞人則越戰越勇。
所以，她已快步撲嚮城樓，像個
發瘋的女人，一位保姆跟隨照料，抱着你們的兒郎。”
聽罷女僕的話，赫剋托耳即刻離傢，
沿着來時走過的平展的街路，往回趕去，
跑過寬敞的城區，來到
斯卡亞門前，打算一鼓作氣，直奔平原。
其時，他的嫁資豐足的妻房疾步跑來和他會面，
安德羅瑪開，心志豪 莽的厄提昂的女兒，
厄提昂，傢住林木森茂的普拉科斯山腳，
普拉科斯峰巒下的塞貝，統治着基利基亞民衆。
正是他的女兒，嫁給了頭頂銅盔的赫剋托耳。
此時，她和丈夫別後重逢，同行的還有一位女僕，
貼胸抱着一個男孩，出生不久的嬰兒，
赫剋托耳的兒子，父親掌上的明珠，美得像一顆閃光的星宿，
赫剋托耳叫他斯卡曼得裏俄斯，但旁人都叫他阿斯圖阿納剋
斯[●]，
●阿斯圖阿納剋斯：意為城堡的主宰。
因為赫剋托耳，獨自一人，保衛着特洛伊城堡。
凝望着自己的兒子，勇士喜笑顔開，靜靜地站着；
安德羅瑪開貼靠着他的身子，淚水滴淌，
緊握着他的手，叫着他的名字，說道：
“哦，魯 莽的漢子，我的赫剋托耳！你的驍勇會送掉你的性命！
你既不可憐幼小的兒子，也不可憐即將成為寡婦的倒黴的我。
阿開亞人雄兵麇集，馬上就會撲打上來，
把你殺掉。要是你死了，奔嚮你的命數，我還有
什麽話頭？倒不如埋入泥土。
生活將不再給我留下溫馨，衹有
悲痛，因為我沒有父親，也永別了高貴的母親。
卓越的阿基琉斯蕩掃過基利基亞堅固的城堡，
城門高聳的塞貝，殺了我的父親
厄提昂。他殺了我的父親，卻沒有剝走
他的鎧甲——對死者，他還有那麽一點敬意——
火焚了屍體，連同那套精工製作的鎧甲，
在灰堆上壘起高高的墳塋；山林女仙，
帶埃吉斯的宙斯的女兒，在四周栽種了榆樹。
就在那一天，我的七個兄弟，生活在同一座
房居裏的親人，全部去了死神的冥府，
正在放牧毛色雪白的羊群和腿步蹣跚的肥牛——
捷足的勇士、卓越的阿基琉斯把他們盡數殘殺。
他把我的母親、林木森茂的普拉科斯山下的女王，
帶到此地，連同其他所獲，以後
又把她釋放，收取了難以數計的財禮。母親死在
她父親的房居——箭雨紛飛的阿耳忒彌絲奪走了她。
所以，赫剋托耳，你既是我年輕力壯的丈夫，又是
我的父親，我的尊貴的母親和我的兄弟。
可憐可憐我吧，請你留在護墻內，
不要讓你的孩子成為孤兒，你的妻子淪為寡婦。
把你的人馬帶到無花果樹一帶，那個城段
防守最弱，城墻較矮，易於爬攀。
已出現三次險情，敵方最好的戰勇，由
聲名遠揚的伊多墨紐斯，以及阿特柔斯的兩個兒子
和驍勇的狄俄墨得斯率領，試圖從那裏打開缺口。
也許，某個精通卜占的高手給過他們指點；
也許，受製於激情的催恿，他們在不顧一切地猛衝。”
聽罷這番話，頂着閃亮的頭盔，高大的赫剋托耳答道：
“我也在考慮這些事情，夫人。但是，如果我像個
懦夫似地躲避戰鬥，我將在特洛伊的父老兄弟
面前，在長裙飄擺的特洛伊婦女面前，無地自容。
我的心靈亦不會同意我這麽做。我知道壯士的作為，勇敢
頑強。永遠和前排的特洛伊壯勇一起戰鬥，
替自己，也為我的父親，爭得巨大的榮光。
我心裏明白，我的靈魂知道，
這一天必將到來——那時，神聖的伊利昂將被掃滅，
連同普裏阿摩斯和他的手握粗長的(木岑)木桿槍矛的兵壯。
然而，特洛伊人將來的結局，還不至使我難受得
痛心疾首，即便是赫卡貝或國王普裏阿摩斯的不幸，
即便是兄弟們的悲慘——他們人數衆多，作戰勇敢——
我知道他們將死在敵人手裏，和地上的泥塵作伴。
使我難以忍受的，是想到你的痛苦：某個身披銅甲的
阿開亞壯勇會拖着你離去，任你淚流滿面，奪走你的自由。
在阿耳戈斯，你得勞作在別人的織機前，
汲水在墨賽斯或呼裴瑞亞的清泉邊，
違心背意——必做的苦活壓得你擡不起頭來。
將來，有人會如此說道，看着你淚水橫流的苦態：
‘這是赫剋托耳的妻子，在人們浴血伊利昂的
年月，他是馴馬的特洛伊人中最勇的壯漢。’
是的，有人會這麽說道，而這將在你的心裏引發新的悲愁，
為失去你的丈夫，一個可以使你不致淪為奴隸的男人。
但願我一死了事，在壘起的上堆下長眠，
不致聽到你的嚎啕，被人拉走時發出的尖叫。”
言罷，光榮的赫剋托耳伸手接抱孩子，
後者縮回保姆的懷抱，一位束腰秀美的女子，
哭叫着，驚恐於親爹的裝束，
害怕他身上的銅甲，冠脊上的馬鬃，
紮綴在盔頂，在孩子眼裏，搖曳出鎮人的威嚴。
親愛的父親放聲大笑，而受人尊敬的母親也抿起了嘴唇；
光榮的赫剋托耳馬上摘下盔冕，
放在地上，折閃着太陽的光芒。他抱起
心愛的兒子，俯首親吻，蕩臂搖晃，
放開嗓門，對宙斯和列位神祗，朗聲誦道：
“宙斯，各位神祗，答應讓這個孩子，我的兒子，
以後出落得像我一樣，在特洛伊人中出類拔萃，
像我一樣剛健，強有力地統治伊利昂。將來，人們
會這樣說道：‘這是個了不起的漢子，比他的父親還要卓越。’
當他從戰場凱旋，讓他帶着戰禮，掠自
被他殺死的敵人，寬慰母親的心靈。”
言罷，他把兒子交給親愛的妻子，後者
雙臂接過，抱緊在芬芳的酥胸前，
微笑中眼裏閃着晶亮的淚花。赫剋托耳見狀，心生憐憫，
撫摸着她，叫着她的名字，說道：
“可憐的安德羅瑪開，為何如此傷心，如此悲愁？
除非命裏註定，誰也不能把我拋下哀地斯的冥府。
至於命運，我想誰也無法掙脫，無論是
勇士，還是懦夫——它鉗製着我們，起始於我們出生的時候！
回去吧，操持你自己的活計，
你的織機和紗桿，還要催督傢中的女僕，
要她們手腳勤勉。至於打仗，那是男人的事情，
所有出生在伊利昂的男子，首當其衝的是我，是我赫剋托耳。”
言罷，赫剋托耳提起嵌綴馬鬃
頂冠的頭盔，而他的愛妻則朝着傢居走去，
頻頻回首張望，淚如泉涌。
她快步回到屠人的赫剋托耳的傢居，
精固的房院，發現衆多的女僕正聚集在
裏面，看到主人回歸，放聲嚎哭。
就這樣，她們在赫剋托耳的傢裏為他舉哀，在他還
活着的時候，堅信他再也不能生還，
躲過阿開亞人的雙手，逃離他們的撲擊。
與此同時，帕裏斯亦不敢在高大的傢居裏久留；
他穿上光榮的戰甲，熠熠生光的青銅，
奔跑着穿過市區，迅捷的快腿使他充滿信心。
如同一匹關在棚廄裏的兒馬，在食槽上吃得肚飽腰圓，
掙脫繮繩，蹄聲隆隆地飛跑在平原，
直奔常去的澡地，一條水流清疾的長河，
神氣活現地高昂着馬頭，頸背上長鬃
飄灑，陶醉於自己的勇力，跑開
迅捷的腿步，撲嚮草場，兒馬愛去的地方。
就像這樣，帕裏斯，普裏阿摩斯之子，從帕耳伽摩斯的
頂面往下衝跑，盔甲閃亮，像發光的太陽，
笑聲朗朗，快步如飛，轉眼之間
便趕上了卓越的赫剋托耳，他的兄弟，其時還在那裏，
不曾馬上離開剛纔和夫人交談的地方。
神一樣的亞歷剋山德羅斯首先開口說道：
“兄弟，我來遲了，耽誤了你的時間；
我沒有及時趕來，按你的要求。”
頂着閃亮的頭盔，高大的赫剋托耳答道：
“真是個不可思議的怪人；一位公正的人士不會低估你的
作用，在激烈的殺鬥中，因為你是個強健的壯勇。
然而，你卻自動退出戰場，不願繼續戰鬥。當聽到
我們的戰勇，那些為你浴血苦戰的特洛伊人，對你
譏刺辱駡時，我的內心就會一陣陣地絞痛。
好了，讓我們一起投入戰鬥；這些糾紛，日後自會解决，
倘若宙斯同意，讓我們彙聚廳堂，舉起
自由的酒杯，對着上天不死的衆神——在我們
趕走脛甲堅固的阿開亞兵壯，把他們打離特洛伊之後！”
ARGUMENT.
THE EPISODES OF GLAUCUS AND DIOMED, AND OF HECTOR AND ANDROMACHE.
The gods having left the field, the Grecians prevail. Helenus, the chief
augur of Troy, commands Hector to return to the city, in order to appoint
a solemn procession of the queen and the Trojan matrons to the temple of
Minerva, to entreat her to remove Diomed from the fight. The battle
relaxing during the absence of Hector, Glaucus and Diomed have an
interview between the two armies; where, coming to the knowledge, of the
friendship and hospitality passed between their ancestors, they make
exchange of their arms. Hector, having performed the orders of Helenus,
prevails upon Paris to return to the battle, and, taking a tender leave of
his wife Andromache, hastens again to the field.
The scene is first in the field of battle, between the rivers Simois and
Scamander, and then changes to Troy.
Now heaven forsakes the fight: the immortals yield
To human force and human skill the field:
Dark showers of javelins fly from foes to foes;
Now here, now there, the tide of combat flows;
While Troy's famed streams, that bound the deathful plain
On either side, run purple to the main.
Great Ajax first to conquest led the way,
Broke the thick ranks, and turn'd the doubtful day.
The Thracian Acamas his falchion found,
And hew'd the enormous giant to the ground;
His thundering arm a deadly stroke impress'd
Where the black horse-hair nodded o'er his crest;
Fix'd in his front the brazen weapon lies,
And seals in endless shades his swimming eyes.
Next Teuthras' son distain'd the sands with blood,
Axylus, hospitable, rich, and good:
In fair Arisbe's walls (his native place)(161)
He held his seat! a friend to human race.
Fast by the road, his ever-open door
Obliged the wealthy, and relieved the poor.
To stern Tydides now he falls a prey,
No friend to guard him in the dreadful day!
Breathless the good man fell, and by his side
His faithful servant, old Calesius died.
By great Euryalus was Dresus slain,
And next he laid Opheltius on the plain.
Two twins were near, bold, beautiful, and young,
From a fair naiad and Bucolion sprung:
(Laomedon's white flocks Bucolion fed,
That monarch's first-born by a foreign bed;
In secret woods he won the naiad's grace,
And two fair infants crown'd his strong embrace:)
Here dead they lay in all their youthful charms;
The ruthless victor stripp'd their shining arms.
Astyalus by Polypoetes fell;
Ulysses' spear Pidytes sent to hell;
By Teucer's shaft brave Aretaon bled,
And Nestor's son laid stern Ablerus dead;
Great Agamemnon, leader of the brave,
The mortal wound of rich Elatus gave,
Who held in Pedasus his proud abode,(162)
And till'd the banks where silver Satnio flow'd.
Melanthius by Eurypylus was slain;
And Phylacus from Leitus flies in vain.
Unbless'd Adrastus next at mercy lies
Beneath the Spartan spear, a living prize.
Scared with the din and tumult of the fight,
His headlong steeds, precipitate in flight,
Rush'd on a tamarisk's strong trunk, and broke
The shatter'd chariot from the crooked yoke;
Wide o'er the field, resistless as the wind,
For Troy they fly, and leave their lord behind.
Prone on his face he sinks beside the wheel:
Atrides o'er him shakes his vengeful steel;
The fallen chief in suppliant posture press'd
The victor's knees, and thus his prayer address'd:
"O spare my youth, and for the life I owe
Large gifts of price my father shall bestow.
When fame shall tell, that, not in battle slain,
Thy hollow ships his captive son detain:
Rich heaps of brass shall in thy tent be told,(163)
And steel well-temper'd, and persuasive gold."
He said: compassion touch'd the hero's heart
He stood, suspended with the lifted dart:
As pity pleaded for his vanquish'd prize,
Stern Agamemnon swift to vengeance flies,
And, furious, thus: "Oh impotent of mind!(164)
Shall these, shall these Atrides' mercy find?
Well hast thou known proud Troy's perfidious land,
And well her natives merit at thy hand!
Not one of all the race, nor sex, nor age,
Shall save a Trojan from our boundless rage:
Ilion shall perish whole, and bury all;
Her babes, her infants at the breast, shall fall;(165)
A dreadful lesson of exampled fate,
To warn the nations, and to curb the great!"
The monarch spoke; the words, with warmth address'd,
To rigid justice steel'd his brother's breast
Fierce from his knees the hapless chief he thrust;
The monarch's javelin stretch'd him in the dust,
Then pressing with his foot his panting heart,
Forth from the slain he tugg'd the reeking dart.
Old Nestor saw, and roused the warrior's rage;
"Thus, heroes! thus the vigorous combat wage;
No son of Mars descend, for servile gains,
To touch the booty, while a foe remains.
Behold yon glittering host, your future spoil!
First gain the conquest, then reward the toil."
And now had Greece eternal fame acquired,
And frighted Troy within her walls, retired,
Had not sage Helenus her state redress'd,
Taught by the gods that moved his sacred breast.
Where Hector stood, with great Æneas join'd,
The seer reveal'd the counsels of his mind:
"Ye generous chiefs! on whom the immortals lay
The cares and glories of this doubtful day;
On whom your aids, your country's hopes depend;
Wise to consult, and active to defend!
Here, at our gates, your brave efforts unite,
Turn back the routed, and forbid the flight,
Ere yet their wives' soft arms the cowards gain,
The sport and insult of the hostile train.
When your commands have hearten'd every band,
Ourselves, here fix'd, will make the dangerous stand;
Press'd as we are, and sore of former fight,
These straits demand our last remains of might.
Meanwhile thou, Hector, to the town retire,
And teach our mother what the gods require:
Direct the queen to lead the assembled train
Of Troy's chief matrons to Minerva's fane;(166)
Unbar the sacred gates, and seek the power,
With offer'd vows, in Ilion's topmost tower.
The largest mantle her rich wardrobes hold,
Most prized for art, and labour'd o'er with gold,
Before the goddess' honour'd knees be spread,
And twelve young heifers to her altars led:
If so the power, atoned by fervent prayer,
Our wives, our infants, and our city spare,
And far avert Tydides' wasteful ire,
That mows whole troops, and makes all Troy retire;
Not thus Achilles taught our hosts to dread,
Sprung though he was from more than mortal bed;
Not thus resistless ruled the stream of fight,
In rage unbounded, and unmatch'd in might."
Hector obedient heard: and, with a bound,
Leap'd from his trembling chariot to the ground;
Through all his host inspiring force he flies,
And bids the thunder of the battle rise.
With rage recruited the bold Trojans glow,
And turn the tide of conflict on the foe:
Fierce in the front he shakes two dazzling spears;
All Greece recedes, and 'midst her triumphs fears;
Some god, they thought, who ruled the fate of wars,
Shot down avenging from the vault of stars.
Then thus aloud: "Ye dauntless Dardans, hear!
And you whom distant nations send to war!
Be mindful of the strength your fathers bore;
Be still yourselves, and Hector asks no more.
One hour demands me in the Trojan wall,
To bid our altars flame, and victims fall:
Nor shall, I trust, the matrons' holy train,
And reverend elders, seek the gods in vain."
This said, with ample strides the hero pass'd;
The shield's large orb behind his shoulder cast,
His neck o'ershading, to his ankle hung;
And as he march'd the brazen buckler rung.
Now paused the battle (godlike Hector gone),(167)
Where daring Glaucus and great Tydeus' son
Between both armies met: the chiefs from far
Observed each other, and had mark'd for war.
Near as they drew, Tydides thus began:
"What art thou, boldest of the race of man?
Our eyes till now that aspect ne'er beheld,
Where fame is reap'd amid the embattled field;
Yet far before the troops thou dar'st appear,
And meet a lance the fiercest heroes fear.
Unhappy they, and born of luckless sires,
Who tempt our fury when Minerva fires!
But if from heaven, celestial, thou descend,
Know with immortals we no more contend.
Not long Lycurgus view'd the golden light,
That daring man who mix'd with gods in fight.
Bacchus, and Bacchus' votaries, he drove,
With brandish'd steel, from Nyssa's sacred grove:
Their consecrated spears lay scatter'd round,
With curling vines and twisted ivy bound;
While Bacchus headlong sought the briny flood,
And Thetis' arms received the trembling god.
Nor fail'd the crime the immortals' wrath to move;
(The immortals bless'd with endless ease above;)
Deprived of sight by their avenging doom,
Cheerless he breathed, and wander'd in the gloom,
Then sunk unpitied to the dire abodes,
A wretch accursed, and hated by the gods!
I brave not heaven: but if the fruits of earth
Sustain thy life, and human be thy birth,
Bold as thou art, too prodigal of breath,
Approach, and enter the dark gates of death."
"What, or from whence I am, or who my sire,
(Replied the chief,) can Tydeus' son inquire?
Like leaves on trees the race of man is found,
Now green in youth, now withering on the ground;
Another race the following spring supplies;
They fall successive, and successive rise:
So generations in their course decay;
So flourish these, when those are pass'd away.
But if thou still persist to search my birth,
Then hear a tale that fills the spacious earth.
"A city stands on Argos' utmost bound,
(Argos the fair, for warlike steeds renown'd,)
Aeolian Sisyphus, with wisdom bless'd,
In ancient time the happy wall possess'd,
Then call'd Ephyre: Glaucus was his son;
Great Glaucus, father of Bellerophon,
Who o'er the sons of men in beauty shined,
Loved for that valour which preserves mankind.
Then mighty Praetus Argos' sceptre sway'd,
Whose hard commands Bellerophon obey'd.
With direful jealousy the monarch raged,
And the brave prince in numerous toils engaged.
For him Antaea burn'd with lawless flame,
And strove to tempt him from the paths of fame:
In vain she tempted the relentless youth,
Endued with wisdom, sacred fear, and truth.
Fired at his scorn the queen to Praetus fled,
And begg'd revenge for her insulted bed:
Incensed he heard, resolving on his fate;
But hospitable laws restrain'd his hate:
To Lycia the devoted youth he sent,
With tablets seal'd, that told his dire intent.(168)
Now bless'd by every power who guards the good,
The chief arrived at Xanthus' silver flood:
There Lycia's monarch paid him honours due,
Nine days he feasted, and nine bulls he slew.
But when the tenth bright morning orient glow'd,
The faithful youth his monarch's mandate show'd:
The fatal tablets, till that instant seal'd,
The deathful secret to the king reveal'd.
First, dire Chimaera's conquest was enjoin'd;
A mingled monster of no mortal kind!
Behind, a dragon's fiery tail was spread;
A goat's rough body bore a lion's head;
Her pitchy nostrils flaky flames expire;
Her gaping throat emits infernal fire.
"This pest he slaughter'd, (for he read the skies,
And trusted heaven's informing prodigies,)
Then met in arms the Solymaean crew,(169)
(Fiercest of men,) and those the warrior slew;
Next the bold Amazons' whole force defied;
And conquer'd still, for heaven was on his side.
"Nor ended here his toils: his Lycian foes,
At his return, a treacherous ambush rose,
With levell'd spears along the winding shore:
There fell they breathless, and return'd no more.
"At length the monarch, with repentant grief,
Confess'd the gods, and god-descended chief;
His daughter gave, the stranger to detain,
With half the honours of his ample reign:
The Lycians grant a chosen space of ground,
With woods, with vineyards, and with harvests crown'd.
There long the chief his happy lot possess'd,
With two brave sons and one fair daughter bless'd;
(Fair e'en in heavenly eyes: her fruitful love
Crown'd with Sarpedon's birth the embrace of Jove;)
But when at last, distracted in his mind,
Forsook by heaven, forsaking humankind,
Wide o'er the Aleian field he chose to stray,
A long, forlorn, uncomfortable way!(170)
Woes heap'd on woes consumed his wasted heart:
His beauteous daughter fell by Phoebe's dart;
His eldest born by raging Mars was slain,
In combat on the Solymaean plain.
Hippolochus survived: from him I came,
The honour'd author of my birth and name;
By his decree I sought the Trojan town;
By his instructions learn to win renown,
To stand the first in worth as in command,
To add new honours to my native land,
Before my eyes my mighty sires to place,
And emulate the glories of our race."
He spoke, and transport fill'd Tydides' heart;
In earth the generous warrior fix'd his dart,
Then friendly, thus the Lycian prince address'd:
"Welcome, my brave hereditary guest!
Thus ever let us meet, with kind embrace,
Nor stain the sacred friendship of our race.
Know, chief, our grandsires have been guests of old;
OEneus the strong, Bellerophon the bold:
Our ancient seat his honour'd presence graced,
Where twenty days in genial rites he pass'd.
The parting heroes mutual presents left;
A golden goblet was thy grandsire's gift;
OEneus a belt of matchless work bestowed,
That rich with Tyrian dye refulgent glow'd.
(This from his pledge I learn'd, which, safely stored
Among my treasures, still adorns my board:
For Tydeus left me young, when Thebe's wall
Beheld the sons of Greece untimely fall.)
Mindful of this, in friendship let us join;
If heaven our steps to foreign lands incline,
My guest in Argos thou, and I in Lycia thine.
Enough of Trojans to this lance shall yield,
In the full harvest of yon ample field;
Enough of Greeks shall dye thy spear with gore;
But thou and Diomed be foes no more.
Now change we arms, and prove to either host
We guard the friendship of the line we boast."
Thus having said, the gallant chiefs alight,
Their hands they join, their mutual faith they plight;
Brave Glaucus then each narrow thought resign'd,
(Jove warm'd his bosom, and enlarged his mind,)
For Diomed's brass arms, of mean device,
For which nine oxen paid, (a vulgar price,)
He gave his own, of gold divinely wrought,(171)
A hundred beeves the shining purchase bought.
Meantime the guardian of the Trojan state,
Great Hector, enter'd at the Scaean gate.(172)
Beneath the beech-tree's consecrated shades,
The Trojan matrons and the Trojan maids
Around him flock'd, all press'd with pious care
For husbands, brothers, sons, engaged in war.
He bids the train in long procession go,
And seek the gods, to avert the impending woe.
And now to Priam's stately courts he came,
Rais'd on arch'd columns of stupendous frame;
O'er these a range of marble structure runs,
The rich pavilions of his fifty sons,
In fifty chambers lodged: and rooms of state,(173)
Opposed to those, where Priam's daughters sate.
Twelve domes for them and their loved spouses shone,
Of equal beauty, and of polish'd stone.
Hither great Hector pass'd, nor pass'd unseen
Of royal Hecuba, his mother-queen.
(With her Laodice, whose beauteous face
Surpass'd the nymphs of Troy's illustrious race.)
Long in a strict embrace she held her son,
And press'd his hand, and tender thus begun:
"O Hector! say, what great occasion calls
My son from fight, when Greece surrounds our walls;
Com'st thou to supplicate the almighty power
With lifted hands, from Ilion's lofty tower?
Stay, till I bring the cup with Bacchus crown'd,
In Jove's high name, to sprinkle on the ground,
And pay due vows to all the gods around.
Then with a plenteous draught refresh thy soul,
And draw new spirits from the generous bowl;
Spent as thou art with long laborious fight,
The brave defender of thy country's right."
"Far hence be Bacchus' gifts; (the chief rejoin'd;)
Inflaming wine, pernicious to mankind,
Unnerves the limbs, and dulls the noble mind.
Let chiefs abstain, and spare the sacred juice
To sprinkle to the gods, its better use.
By me that holy office were profaned;
Ill fits it me, with human gore distain'd,
To the pure skies these horrid hands to raise,
Or offer heaven's great Sire polluted praise.
You, with your matrons, go! a spotless train,
And burn rich odours in Minerva's fane.
The largest mantle your full wardrobes hold,
Most prized for art, and labour'd o'er with gold,
Before the goddess' honour'd knees be spread,
And twelve young heifers to her altar led.
So may the power, atoned by fervent prayer,
Our wives, our infants, and our city spare;
And far avert Tydides' wasteful ire,
Who mows whole troops, and makes all Troy retire.
Be this, O mother, your religious care:
I go to rouse soft Paris to the war;
If yet not lost to all the sense of shame,
The recreant warrior hear the voice of fame.
Oh, would kind earth the hateful wretch embrace,
That pest of Troy, that ruin of our race!(174)
Deep to the dark abyss might he descend,
Troy yet should flourish, and my sorrows end."
This heard, she gave command: and summon'd came
Each noble matron and illustrious dame.
The Phrygian queen to her rich wardrobe went,
Where treasured odours breathed a costly scent.
There lay the vestures of no vulgar art,
Sidonian maids embroider'd every part,
Whom from soft Sidon youthful Paris bore,
With Helen touching on the Tyrian shore.
Here, as the queen revolved with careful eyes
The various textures and the various dyes,
She chose a veil that shone superior far,
And glow'd refulgent as the morning star.
Herself with this the long procession leads;
The train majestically slow proceeds.
Soon as to Ilion's topmost tower they come,
And awful reach the high Palladian dome,
Antenor's consort, fair Theano, waits
As Pallas' priestess, and unbars the gates.
With hands uplifted and imploring eyes,
They fill the dome with supplicating cries.
The priestess then the shining veil displays,
Placed on Minerva's knees, and thus she prays:
"Oh awful goddess! ever-dreadful maid,
Troy's strong defence, unconquer'd Pallas, aid!
Break thou Tydides' spear, and let him fall
Prone on the dust before the Trojan wall!
So twelve young heifers, guiltless of the yoke,
Shall fill thy temple with a grateful smoke.
But thou, atoned by penitence and prayer,
Ourselves, our infants, and our city spare!"
So pray'd the priestess in her holy fane;
So vow'd the matrons, but they vow'd in vain.
While these appear before the power with prayers,
Hector to Paris' lofty dome repairs.(175)
Himself the mansion raised, from every part
Assembling architects of matchless art.
Near Priam's court and Hector's palace stands
The pompous structure, and the town commands.
A spear the hero bore of wondrous strength,
Of full ten cubits was the lance's length,
The steely point with golden ringlets join'd,
Before him brandish'd, at each motion shined
Thus entering, in the glittering rooms he found
His brother-chief, whose useless arms lay round,
His eyes delighting with their splendid show,
Brightening the shield, and polishing the bow.
Beside him Helen with her virgins stands,
Guides their rich labours, and instructs their hands.
Him thus inactive, with an ardent look
The prince beheld, and high-resenting spoke.
"Thy hate to Troy, is this the time to show?
(O wretch ill-fated, and thy country's foe!)
Paris and Greece against us both conspire,
Thy close resentment, and their vengeful ire.
For thee great Ilion's guardian heroes fall,
Till heaps of dead alone defend her wall,
For thee the soldier bleeds, the matron mourns,
And wasteful war in all its fury burns.
Ungrateful man! deserves not this thy care,
Our troops to hearten, and our toils to share?
Rise, or behold the conquering flames ascend,
And all the Phrygian glories at an end."
"Brother, 'tis just, (replied the beauteous youth,)
Thy free remonstrance proves thy worth and truth:
Yet charge my absence less, O generous chief!
On hate to Troy, than conscious shame and grief:
Here, hid from human eyes, thy brother sate,
And mourn'd, in secret, his and Ilion's fate.
'Tis now enough; now glory spreads her charms,
And beauteous Helen calls her chief to arms.
Conquest to-day my happier sword may bless,
'Tis man's to fight, but heaven's to give success.
But while I arm, contain thy ardent mind;
Or go, and Paris shall not lag behind."
[Illustration: HECTOR CHIDING PARIS.]
HECTOR CHIDING PARIS.
He said, nor answer'd Priam's warlike son;
When Helen thus with lowly grace begun:
"Oh, generous brother! (if the guilty dame
That caused these woes deserve a sister's name!)
Would heaven, ere all these dreadful deeds were done,
The day that show'd me to the golden sun
Had seen my death! why did not whirlwinds bear
The fatal infant to the fowls of air?
Why sunk I not beneath the whelming tide,
And midst the roarings of the waters died?
Heaven fill'd up all my ills, and I accursed
Bore all, and Paris of those ills the worst.
Helen at least a braver spouse might claim,
Warm'd with some virtue, some regard of fame!
Now tired with toils, thy fainting limbs recline,
With toils, sustain'd for Paris' sake and mine
The gods have link'd our miserable doom,
Our present woe, and infamy to come:
Wide shall it spread, and last through ages long,
Example sad! and theme of future song."
The chief replied: "This time forbids to rest;
The Trojan bands, by hostile fury press'd,
Demand their Hector, and his arm require;
The combat urges, and my soul's on fire.
Urge thou thy knight to march where glory calls,
And timely join me, ere I leave the walls.
Ere yet I mingle in the direful fray,
My wife, my infant, claim a moment's stay;
This day (perhaps the last that sees me here)
Demands a parting word, a tender tear:
This day, some god who hates our Trojan land
May vanquish Hector by a Grecian hand."
He said, and pass'd with sad presaging heart
To seek his spouse, his soul's far dearer part;
At home he sought her, but he sought in vain;
She, with one maid of all her menial train,
Had hence retired; and with her second joy,
The young Astyanax, the hope of Troy,
Pensive she stood on Ilion's towery height,
Beheld the war, and sicken'd at the sight;
There her sad eyes in vain her lord explore,
Or weep the wounds her bleeding country bore.
But he who found not whom his soul desired,
Whose virtue charm'd him as her beauty fired,
Stood in the gates, and ask'd "what way she bent
Her parting step? If to the fane she went,
Where late the mourning matrons made resort;
Or sought her sisters in the Trojan court?"
"Not to the court, (replied the attendant train,)
Nor mix'd with matrons to Minerva's fane:
To Ilion's steepy tower she bent her way,
To mark the fortunes of the doubtful day.
Troy fled, she heard, before the Grecian sword;
She heard, and trembled for her absent lord:
Distracted with surprise, she seem'd to fly,
Fear on her cheek, and sorrow m her eye.
The nurse attended with her infant boy,
The young Astyanax, the hope of Troy."
Hector this heard, return'd without delay;
Swift through the town he trod his former way,
Through streets of palaces, and walks of state;
And met the mourner at the Scaean gate.
With haste to meet him sprung the joyful fair.
His blameless wife, Aetion's wealthy heir:
(Cilician Thebe great Aetion sway'd,
And Hippoplacus' wide extended shade:)
The nurse stood near, in whose embraces press'd,
His only hope hung smiling at her breast,
Whom each soft charm and early grace adorn,
Fair as the new-born star that gilds the morn.
To this loved infant Hector gave the name
Scamandrius, from Scamander's honour'd stream;
Astyanax the Trojans call'd the boy,
From his great father, the defence of Troy.
Silent the warrior smiled, and pleased resign'd
To tender passions all his mighty mind;
His beauteous princess cast a mournful look,
Hung on his hand, and then dejected spoke;
Her bosom laboured with a boding sigh,
And the big tear stood trembling in her eye.
[Illustration: THE MEETING OF HECTOR AND ANDROMACHE.]
THE MEETING OF HECTOR AND ANDROMACHE.
"Too daring prince! ah, whither dost thou run?
Ah, too forgetful of thy wife and son!
And think'st thou not how wretched we shall be,
A widow I, a helpless orphan he?
For sure such courage length of life denies,
And thou must fall, thy virtue's sacrifice.
Greece in her single heroes strove in vain;
Now hosts oppose thee, and thou must be slain.
O grant me, gods, ere Hector meets his doom,
All I can ask of heaven, an early tomb!
So shall my days in one sad tenor run,
And end with sorrows as they first begun.
No parent now remains my griefs to share,
No father's aid, no mother's tender care.
The fierce Achilles wrapt our walls in fire,
Laid Thebe waste, and slew my warlike sire!
His fate compassion in the victor bred;
Stern as he was, he yet revered the dead,
His radiant arms preserved from hostile spoil,
And laid him decent on the funeral pile;
Then raised a mountain where his bones were burn'd,
The mountain-nymphs the rural tomb adorn'd,
Jove's sylvan daughters bade their elms bestow
A barren shade, and in his honour grow.
"By the same arm my seven brave brothers fell;
In one sad day beheld the gates of hell;
While the fat herds and snowy flocks they fed,
Amid their fields the hapless heroes bled!
My mother lived to wear the victor's bands,
The queen of Hippoplacia's sylvan lands:
Redeem'd too late, she scarce beheld again
Her pleasing empire and her native plain,
When ah! oppress'd by life-consuming woe,
She fell a victim to Diana's bow.
"Yet while my Hector still survives, I see
My father, mother, brethren, all, in thee:
Alas! my parents, brothers, kindred, all
Once more will perish, if my Hector fall,
Thy wife, thy infant, in thy danger share:
Oh, prove a husband's and a father's care!
That quarter most the skilful Greeks annoy,
Where yon wild fig-trees join the wall of Troy;
Thou, from this tower defend the important post;
There Agamemnon points his dreadful host,
That pass Tydides, Ajax, strive to gain,
And there the vengeful Spartan fires his train.
Thrice our bold foes the fierce attack have given,
Or led by hopes, or dictated from heaven.
Let others in the field their arms employ,
But stay my Hector here, and guard his Troy."
The chief replied: "That post shall be my care,
Not that alone, but all the works of war.
How would the sons of Troy, in arms renown'd,
And Troy's proud dames, whose garments sweep the ground
Attaint the lustre of my former name,
Should Hector basely quit the field of fame?
My early youth was bred to martial pains,
My soul impels me to the embattled plains!
Let me be foremost to defend the throne,
And guard my father's glories, and my own.
"Yet come it will, the day decreed by fates!
(How my heart trembles while my tongue relates!)
The day when thou, imperial Troy! must bend,
And see thy warriors fall, thy glories end.
And yet no dire presage so wounds my mind,
My mother's death, the ruin of my kind,
Not Priam's hoary hairs defiled with gore,
Not all my brothers gasping on the shore;
As thine, Andromache! Thy griefs I dread:
I see thee trembling, weeping, captive led!
In Argive looms our battles to design,
And woes, of which so large a part was thine!
To bear the victor's hard commands, or bring
The weight of waters from Hyperia's spring.
There while you groan beneath the load of life,
They cry, 'Behold the mighty Hector's wife!'
Some haughty Greek, who lives thy tears to see,
Imbitters all thy woes, by naming me.
The thoughts of glory past, and present shame,
A thousand griefs shall waken at the name!
May I lie cold before that dreadful day,
Press'd with a load of monumental clay!
Thy Hector, wrapt in everlasting sleep,
Shall neither hear thee sigh, nor see thee weep."
Thus having spoke, the illustrious chief of Troy
Stretch'd his fond arms to clasp the lovely boy.
The babe clung crying to his nurse's breast,
Scared at the dazzling helm, and nodding crest.
With secret pleasure each fond parent smiled,
And Hector hasted to relieve his child,
The glittering terrors from his brows unbound,
And placed the beaming helmet on the ground;
Then kiss'd the child, and, lifting high in air,
Thus to the gods preferr'd a father's prayer:
"O thou! whose glory fills the ethereal throne,
And all ye deathless powers! protect my son!
Grant him, like me, to purchase just renown,
To guard the Trojans, to defend the crown,
Against his country's foes the war to wage,
And rise the Hector of the future age!
So when triumphant from successful toils
Of heroes slain he bears the reeking spoils,
Whole hosts may hail him with deserved acclaim,
And say, 'This chief transcends his father's fame:'
While pleased amidst the general shouts of Troy,
His mother's conscious heart o'erflows with joy."
He spoke, and fondly gazing on her charms,
Restored the pleasing burden to her arms;
Soft on her fragrant breast the babe she laid,
Hush'd to repose, and with a smile survey'd.
The troubled pleasure soon chastised by fear,
She mingled with a smile a tender tear.
The soften'd chief with kind compassion view'd,
And dried the falling drops, and thus pursued:
"Andromache! my soul's far better part,
Why with untimely sorrows heaves thy heart?
No hostile hand can antedate my doom,
Till fate condemns me to the silent tomb.
Fix'd is the term to all the race of earth;
And such the hard condition of our birth:
No force can then resist, no flight can save,
All sink alike, the fearful and the brave.
No more--but hasten to thy tasks at home,
There guide the spindle, and direct the loom:
Me glory summons to the martial scene,
The field of combat is the sphere for men.
Where heroes war, the foremost place I claim,
The first in danger as the first in fame."
Thus having said, the glorious chief resumes
His towery helmet, black with shading plumes.
His princess parts with a prophetic sigh,
Unwilling parts, and oft reverts her eye
That stream'd at every look; then, moving slow,
Sought her own palace, and indulged her woe.
There, while her tears deplored the godlike man,
Through all her train the soft infection ran;
The pious maids their mingled sorrows shed,
And mourn the living Hector, as the dead.
But now, no longer deaf to honour's call,
Forth issues Paris from the palace wall.
In brazen arms that cast a gleamy ray,
Swift through the town the warrior bends his way.
The wanton courser thus with reins unbound(176)
Breaks from his stall, and beats the trembling ground;
Pamper'd and proud, he seeks the wonted tides,
And laves, in height of blood his shining sides;
His head now freed, he tosses to the skies;
His mane dishevell'd o'er his shoulders flies;
He snuffs the females in the distant plain,
And springs, exulting, to his fields again.
With equal triumph, sprightly, bold, and gay,
In arms refulgent as the god of day,
The son of Priam, glorying in his might,
Rush'd forth with Hector to the fields of fight.
And now, the warriors passing on the way,
The graceful Paris first excused his stay.
To whom the noble Hector thus replied:
"O chief! in blood, and now in arms, allied!
Thy power in war with justice none contest;
Known is thy courage, and thy strength confess'd.
What pity sloth should seize a soul so brave,
Or godlike Paris live a woman's slave!
My heart weeps blood at what the Trojans say,
And hopes thy deeds shall wipe the stain away.
Haste then, in all their glorious labours share,
For much they suffer, for thy sake, in war.
These ills shall cease, whene'er by Jove's decree
We crown the bowl to heaven and liberty:
While the proud foe his frustrate triumphs mourns,
And Greece indignant through her seas returns."
[Illustration: BOWS AND BOW CASE.]
BOWS AND BOW CASE.
[Illustration: IRIS.]
IRIS. 言罷，卓越的赫剋托耳快步跑出城門，
帶着兄弟亞歷剋山德羅斯，雙雙渴望着
投入戰鬥，開始拼搏。像神祗
送來的疾風，給急切盼求它的
水手，正掙紮着擺動溜滑的木槳，拍打着
洶涌的海浪，忍着雙臂的疲乏和酸痛。
對急切盼望的特洛伊人，他倆的回歸就像這股疾風。
兩人都殺了各自的對手：帕裏斯殺了
墨奈西俄斯，傢住阿耳奈，善使棍棒的
阿雷蘇斯和牛眼睛的芙洛墨杜莎的兒子；
而赫剋托耳，用犀利的長矛，擊中埃俄紐斯，打在
銅盔的邊沿下，紮入脖子，酥軟了他的四肢。
激戰中，格勞科斯，魯基亞人的首領，希波洛科斯
之子，一槍撂倒了伊菲努斯，
德剋西俄斯之子，其時正從快馬的後頭躍上戰車，
投槍打在肩膀上；他翻身倒地，肢腿酥軟。
女神雅典娜，睜着灰藍色的眼睛，目睹
他倆在激戰中痛殺阿耳吉維英壯，
急速出發，從俄林波斯山巔直衝而下，
奔嚮神聖的伊利昂。阿波羅見狀，急衝衝地前往攔截，
從他坐鎮的裴耳伽摩斯出發——其時正謀劃着特洛伊人的
勝利。兩位神祗在橡樹邊交遇，
宙斯之子、王者阿波羅首先開口說道：
“大神宙斯的女兒，受狂傲的驅使，
這回你又從俄林波斯山上下來，到底想幹什麽？
無非是想讓達奈人獲勝，扭轉被動的局面。
對倒地死去的特洛伊人，你沒有絲毫的憐憫。
過來，聽聽我的意見，我的計劃遠比眼下的做法可行。
讓我們暫時結束搏戰和仇殺，停戰一天，
行嗎？明天，雙方可繼續戰鬥，一直打到
伊利昂的末日，打到末日的來臨。這不好嗎，不死的女神？
你倆夢寐以求的正是這座城堡的毀滅。”
聽罷這番話，灰眼睛女神雅典娜說道：
“就按你說的辦，遠射手。我從俄林波斯下采，
前往特洛伊人和阿開亞人的軍陣，途中亦有過類似的想法。
但請告訴我，你打算如何中止眼前的這場搏戰？”
聽罷這番活，宙斯之子、王者阿波羅答道：
“讓我們，在馴馬者赫剋托耳的心裏，喚起強烈的求戰願望，
設法使他激出某個達奈人來，開打决鬥，
在可怕的搏殺中，一對一地拼個你死我活。
面對挑戰，脛甲青銅的阿開亞人會熱血沸騰，
推出一位勇士，和卓越的赫剋托耳戰鬥。”
阿波羅一番說道，灰眼睛的雅典娜對此不表異議。
其時，普裏阿摩斯鐘愛的兒子赫勒諾斯感悟到
這一計劃——兩位神祗從自己的規劃中體會到舒心的愉悅。
他拔腿來到赫剋托耳身邊，說道：
“赫剋托耳，普裏阿摩斯之子，和宙斯一樣精擅謀略的壯勇，
聽聽我的勸說，聽聽你兄弟的話告，好嗎？
讓所有的特洛伊人坐下，阿開亞人亦然，
由你自己出面挑戰，讓阿開亞全軍最勇敢的人和你對打，
在可怕的搏殺中，一對一地拼個你死我活。
現在還不是你走嚮末日，嚮命運屈服的時候。
相信我，這是我聽到的議論，不死的神明的言告。”
聽罷此番說道，赫剋托耳心裏高興，
步入兩軍之間的空地，手握槍矛的中端，
迫使特洛伊編隊後靠，直到兵勇們全都屈腿下坐。與此同時，
阿伽門農亦命令部屬坐下，脛甲堅固的阿開亞兵壯。
雅典娜和銀弓之王阿波羅
化作食肉的兀鷲，棲立在
大樹的頂端，他們的父親、帶埃吉斯的宙斯的橡樹，
興致勃勃地俯視着底下的人群，熙熙攘攘的隊陣，
摻和着擁擁簇簇的盾牌、盔蓋和槍矛。
像突起的西風，掠過海面，
蕩散層層波瀾，長浪疊起，水勢深黑——
阿開亞人和特洛伊人的隊陣烏黑一片，翻滾在
平原上。赫剋托耳高聲呼喊，在兩軍之間：
“聽我說，特洛伊人和脛甲堅固的阿開亞兵壯！
我的話出自真情，發自內心：
剋羅諾斯之子、高坐雲端的宙斯將不會兌現
我們的誓約；他用心險惡，要我們互相殘殺，
結果是，要麽讓你們攻下城樓堅固的特洛伊，
要麽使你們橫屍在破浪遠洋的海船旁。
現在，你等軍中既有阿開亞人中最勇敢的戰將，
那就讓其中的一位，受激情的驅使，出來和我戰鬥，
站在衆人前面，迎戰卓越的赫剋托耳。
我要先提幾個條件，讓宙斯作個見證。
倘若迎戰者結果了我的性命，用鋒利的銅刃，
讓他剝走我的鎧甲，帶回深曠的海船，
但要把遺體交還我的傢人，以便使特洛伊男人
和他們的妻子，在我死後，讓我享受火焚的禮儀。
但是，倘若我殺了他，如果阿波羅願意給我光榮，
我將剝掉他的鎧甲，帶回神聖的伊利昂，
挂在遠射手阿波羅的廟前。
至於屍體，我會把它送回你們凳板堅固的海船，
讓長發的阿開亞人為他舉行體面的葬禮，
堆墳築墓，在寬闊的赫勒斯龐特岸沿。
將來，有人路經該地，駕着帶坐板的海船，
破浪在酒藍色的洋面，眺見這個土堆，便會出言感嘆：
‘那裏埋着一個戰死疆場的古人，
一位勇敢的壯士，倒死在光榮的赫剋托耳手下。’
將來，有人會如此說告，而我的榮譽將與世長存。”
他如此一番說道，鎮得阿開亞人半晌說不出話來，
既羞於拒絶，又沒有接戰的勇氣。
終於，人群裏跳出了墨奈勞斯，對衆人
譏責辱駡，內心裏翻攪着深沉的苦痛：
“哦，我的天呢！你們這些吹牛大王——你們是女人，不是
阿開亞的男子漢！倘若無人出面，應戰赫剋托耳，
這將是何等的窩囊，簡直是徹頭徹尾的恥辱！
但願你們統統爛掉，變成水和泥土！
瞧你們這副模樣——幹坐在地上，死氣沉沉，丟盡了臉面！
我這就全副武裝，和此人搏戰拼殺，神們
高高在上，手握取勝的繩頭。”
言罷，他動手披挂璀璨的鎧甲。
哦，墨奈勞斯，要不是阿開亞人的王者們跳起來抓住你，
致命的打擊可能已經合上了你的眼睛——
你會死在赫剋托耳手下，一位遠比你強健的壯勇。
阿特柔斯之子、強有力的阿伽門農
親自抓住你的右手，叫着你的名字，說道：
“瘋啦，宙斯鐘愛的墨奈勞斯！不要
這般衝動——剋製自己，雖然這會刺痛你的心胸！
不要衹是為了决鬥，同赫剋托耳，普裏阿摩斯之子，
一個遠比你出色的人交手。在他面前，其他戰勇亦會害怕
發抖。在人們爭得榮譽的戰場，就連阿基琉斯
也怕他三分，是的，阿基琉斯，一個遠比你強健的戰勇。
回去吧，坐在你的伴群中，
阿開亞人自會推出另一位勇士，和他戰鬥。
雖說此人勇敢無畏，嗜戰如命，
但是，我想，他會樂於屈腿睡躺在傢裏，
要是能逃出可怕的衝殺和殊死的拼鬥。”
英雄的勸誡句句在理，說服了
兄弟。墨奈勞斯聽從了他的勸導，隨從們
興高采烈地從他的肩頭卸下胸衣。
其時，阿耳吉維人中站起了奈斯托耳，高聲喊道：
“夠了！哦，巨大的悲痛正降臨到阿開亞大地！
唉，見到此番情景，年邁的裴琉斯一定會放聲嚎哭，
他，戰車上的勇士，慕耳彌鼕人的首領，雄辯的演說者！
從前，他曾對我發問，在他的傢裏；
當瞭解到所有阿耳吉維人的傢世和血統時，他是何等的高興！
現在，要是讓他獲悉，面對赫剋托耳，你們全部畏縮不前的
消息，他會一次次地舉起雙手，對着不死的神明乞求，
讓生命的魂息離開他的肢體，飄人哀地斯的冥府。
哦，父親宙斯，雅典娜，阿波羅！但願
我能重返青春，就像當年我們普洛斯人
聚戰阿耳卡底亞槍手時那樣年輕力壯，在開拉鼕河的
激流邊，菲亞的壁墻下，亞耳達諾斯河的灘沿上。
厄柔薩利昂，他們的首領，大步走出人群，一位神一樣的凡人，
肩披王者阿雷蘇斯的鎧甲，
卓越的阿雷蘇斯，人稱‘大根鬥士’，
他的夥伴和束腰秀美的女子——
戰場上，他既不使弓，也不弄槍，
而是揮舞一根粗大的鐵棍，打垮敵方的營陣。
魯庫耳戈斯殺了他，不是憑勇力，而是靠謀詐——
兩人相遇在一條狹窄的走道，鐵捧施展不開，不能
為他擋開死亡。魯庫耳戈斯趁他不及舉棒之時，一槍紮去，
捅穿他的中腹，將他仰面打翻在泥地上，
剝去他的銅甲，阿瑞斯的贈物。
以後，在殊死的拼搏中，魯庫耳戈斯一直穿着這套鎧甲，
直到歲月磨白了他的頭髮，在自傢的廳堂——
於是，他把甲衣交給了心愛的隨從厄柔薩利昂。
其時，穿着這身鎧甲，厄柔薩利昂叫嚷着要和我們中最勇敢的
人拼鬥，但他們全都嚇得戰戰兢兢，不敢和他交手。
衹有我，磨煉出來的勇氣其時催勵我和他
拼鬥，以大無畏的氣概，雖說論年齡，我是最年輕的一個。
我和他絞殺撲打，帕拉絲·雅典娜把榮譽送入我的手中。
在被我殺死的人中，他是最高大、最強健的一個，
碩 莽的屍軀伸躺在泥地上，占去了偌大的一片地皮。
但願我現在年輕力壯，和當年一樣，渾身有使不完的力氣！
這樣，頃刻之間，頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳即會找到匹敵的對手！
但你們，阿開亞人中最勇敢的鬥士，
卻不敢迎戰赫剋托耳，以飽滿的鬥志。”
聽罷老人的呵責，人群中當即站出九位勇士。
阿伽門農最先起身，民衆的王者，緊接着是
圖丟斯之子、強有力的狄俄墨得斯，
然後是兩位埃阿斯，滿懷兇暴的狂烈，
隨後是伊多墨紐斯和墨裏俄奈斯，
伊多墨紐斯的夥伴，殺人狂阿瑞斯一般兇 莽的鬥士，
以及歐魯普洛斯，歐埃蒙光榮的兒子；
接踵而起的還有索阿斯，安德萊蒙之子，和卓越的俄底修斯。
所有這些勇士都願拼戰卓越的赫剋托耳。其時，
人群中再次響起了奈斯托耳的聲音，格瑞尼亞的車戰者：
“讓我們拈鬮擇取，一個接着一個，看看誰有這個運氣。
此人將使脛甲堅固的阿開亞人感到自豪，
也將給自己帶來榮譽，倘若他能生還回來，
從可怕的衝殺和殊死的拼搏。”
言罷，每人都在自己的石鬮上刻下記號，
扔人阿特桑斯之子阿伽門農的頭盔。
隨後，他們舉起雙手，對神祈禱，
有人會開口作誦，舉目遼闊的天穹：
“父親宙斯，讓埃阿斯贏得鬮拈，或讓狄俄墨得斯，
圖丟斯之子，或讓王者本人，藏金豐足的慕凱奈的君主。”
他們如此一番誦禱；奈斯托耳，格瑞尼亞的車戰者，搖動
頭盔，一塊鬮石蹦跳出來，一塊他們寄望最切的紋鬮，
刻着埃阿斯的手跡。拿着它，使者穿過
濟濟的人群，將它出示給所有阿開亞人的首領，
從左至右。頭領們不識石上的刻紋，不予認領。
但是，當他穿行在人群裏，將石鬮出示給那位
在上面刻記並把它投入帽盔的首領時，光榮的埃阿斯
嚮他伸出手來，使者停立在他的身旁，將鬮拈放入他的手心，
後者看着上面的紋刻，認出歸屬，心裏一陣高興。
他把石鬮扔甩在腳邊的泥地，嚷道：
“瞧，朋友們，鬮拈屬我了；我的內心充滿
喜悅！我知道，我可以戰勝卓越的赫剋托耳。
現在，讓我們這麽辦。我將就此披挂，
而你們則嚮剋羅諾斯之子、王者宙斯祈禱，
不要出聲，個人做個人的，不要讓特洛伊人聽見——
或者這樣吧，幹脆高聲誦說——我們誰都不怕！
戰場上，誰也不能僅憑他的意願，違背我的意志，
迫使我後退，用他的力氣，或憑他的狡詐。出生和生長在
薩拉彌斯，我想，戰場上，我不是個嫩臉的娃娃！”
聽罷這番話，人們便嚮剋羅諾斯之子、王者宙斯祈禱；
有人會開口作誦，舉目遼闊的天穹：
“父親宙斯，從伊達山上督視着我們的大神，光榮的典範，偉大
的象徵！答應讓埃阿斯獲得光榮，讓他决勝戰場。
倘若你確實關心和鐘愛赫剋托耳，
也得讓雙方打成平手，分享戰鬥的榮烈！”
他們誠心作禱，而埃阿斯則動手扣上閃亮的
銅甲。披挂完畢，他大步
迎上前去，恰似戰神阿瑞斯，
步入激戰的人流，搖晃着魁偉的身軀——剋羅諾斯之子
驅使他們拼殺，以撕心裂肺的仇恨。
就像這樣，偉岸的埃阿斯闊步走去，阿開亞人的堡壘，
濃眉下擠出獰笑，擺開有力的雙腿，
跨出堅實的大步，揮舞着投影森長的槍矛。
看着此般雄姿，阿開亞人喜不自禁，而
特洛伊人則個個心驚膽戰，雙腿發抖。
赫剋托耳的心房“怦怦”亂跳，然而，
他現在决然不能掉頭逃跑，縮回
自己的隊伍——誰讓他出面挑戰，催人拼鬥？
其時，埃阿斯快步逼近，荷着墻面似的
盾牌，銅面下壓着七層牛皮，圖基俄斯艱工錘製的
鑄件，在他的家乡呼萊，圖基俄斯，皮匠中的俊傑，
精製了這面閃亮的戰盾，墊了七層牛皮，割自
強壯的公牛，然後錘人銅層，作為盾面。
挺着這面戰盾，護住自己的心胸，
忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯咄咄逼近，開口恫脅，說道：
“通過一對一的拼殺，赫剋托耳，你馬上即會知曉，
不帶半點含糊，達奈人中有着何等善戰的首領，
即使撇開獅子般的阿基琉斯，橫掃千軍的壯勇。
現在，他正離着衆人，躺在翹嘴的遠洋海船旁。
盛怒難平，對阿伽門農，兵士的牧者。
但是，這裏還有我們——可以和你匹敵的戰將不在少數——
足以和你拼打。甩開膀子幹吧，使出吃奶的力氣！”
聽罷這番話，高大的赫剋托耳答道，頂着閃亮的頭盔：
“埃阿斯，忒拉蒙之子，宙斯的後裔，軍隊的首領，
不要設法試探我，把我當做一個弱小無知的
孩童，一個對戰事一竅不通的婦人。
我諸熟格戰的門道，殺人是我精通的絶活。
我知道如何左抵右擋，用牛皮堅韌的
戰盾——此乃防身的高招。
我知道如何駕着快馬，殺人飛跑的車陣；
我知道如何攻戰，蕩開戰神透着殺氣的舞步。
聽着！雖然你人高馬大，我卻不會暗槍傷人；
我要打得公公開開，看看是否可以命中——看槍！”
言罷，他持平落影森長的槍矛，奮臂投擲，
擊中埃阿斯可怕的七層皮盾，
切入外層的銅面，覆蓋牛皮的表層，
不倦的銅槍紮透六層牛皮，
但被第七層硬皮擋住。接着，卓著的埃阿斯
揮手出槍，拖着森長的投影，
擊中普裏阿摩斯之子溜圓的戰盾，
沉重的槍尖穿透閃光的盾面，
捅破精工製作的胸甲，
衝着腹肋刺搗，挑開了貼身的衫衣，
但對方及時側身，躲過了幽黑的死亡。
其時，兩人都搶手抓住長長的矛桿，把槍矛
拔出盾面，迎頭撲去，像生吞活剝的餓獅，
或力大無窮的野豬。普裏阿摩斯之子
將槍矛刺入對手的戰盾，紮在正中，
但銅槍沒有穿透盾牌，後面頂彎了槍尖。
埃阿斯衝上前去，擊捅盾牌，穿透
層面，把狂 莽的赫剋托耳頂得腿步趄趔；
槍尖擦過他的脖子，放出濃黑的鮮血。
即便如此，頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳沒有停止戰鬥，
他後返幾步，伸出粗壯的大手，抱起一塊
橫躺平野的石頭，碩大、烏黑、粗皺，對着
埃阿斯砸去，擊中可怕的七層皮盾，
搗在突出的盾面，敲出震耳的響聲。
接着，埃阿斯亦搬起一塊更大的石頭，
轉了幾圈，拋打出去，壓上整個人的重量，勢不可擋；
磨盤似的石塊砸在盾牌上，搗爛了盾面，
震得赫剋托耳雙膝酥軟，仰面倒地，
吃着盾牌的重壓——緊急中，阿波羅及時助信，將他扶起。
其時，他倆會手持利劍，近身搏殺，
若不是二位使者的幹預——宙斯和凡人的信使，
能謀善辯的伊代俄斯和塔爾蘇比俄斯，一位
來自特洛伊方面，另一位來自身披銅甲的阿開亞人的隊陣。
他們用節杖隔開二位；使者伊代俄斯，
以機警的辯纔，開口說道：
“住手吧，我的孩子們，不要再打了！
二位都是烏雲的彙聚者宙斯寵愛的凡人，
善戰的勇士，對此，我們確信無疑。
但夜色已經降臨，我們不宜和黑夜抗爭。”
聽罷這番話，忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯答道：
“讓赫剋托耳回覆你的建議，伊代俄斯，
是他雄心勃勃地提出要和我們中最好的首領拼鬥。
讓他首先表態，我將按他的願求從事。”
頂着閃亮的頭盔，高大的赫剋托耳答道：
“埃阿斯，既然神給了你勇力、體魄和清醒的頭腦，
此外，在阿開亞人中，你是最好的槍手，
讓我們停止今天的拼鬥和殘殺；
但明天，我們將重新開戰，一直打到天意
在你我兩軍之間作出選擇，把勝利賜歸其中的一方。
夜色已經降臨，我們不宜和黑夜抗爭。
所以，你將給海船邊的阿開亞人帶去
愉悅，尤其是你的親朋和伴友，
而我，在普裏阿摩斯王宏偉的城裏，也將給我的同胞
帶回喜悅，給特洛伊男子和長裙飄擺的特洛伊婦女，
他們將步入神聖的會場，感謝神們讓我脫險生還。
來吧，讓我們互贈有紀念價值的禮物，
這樣，阿開亞人和特洛伊人便會如此論道：
‘兩位勇士先以撕心裂肺的仇恨撲殺，
然後握手言歡，在友好的氣氛中分手。”’
言罷，他拿出一把柄嵌銀釘的戰劍，
交在對方手中，連同劍鞘和切工齊整的背帶，
而埃阿斯則回贈了一條甲帶，閃着紫紅色的光芒。
兩人分手而去，埃阿斯走嚮阿開亞人的隊伍，
赫剋托耳則回到特洛伊人中間，後者高興地
看着他生還，脫離戰鬥，安然無恙。
躲過了埃阿斯的勇力和難以抵禦的雙手。
他們簇擁着赫剋托耳回城，幾乎不敢相信
他還活着。在戰場的另一邊，脛甲堅固的阿開亞人
引着埃阿斯，帶着勝利的喜悅，前往會見卓著的阿伽門農。
當他們來到阿特柔斯之子的營棚，
民衆的王者阿伽門農獻祭了一頭
五歲的公牛，給宙斯，剋羅諾斯力大無比的兒郎。
他們剝去祭畜的皮張，收拾停當，肢解了大身，
把牛肉切成小塊，動作熟練，挑上叉尖，
仔細炙烤後，脫叉備用。
當一切整治完畢，盛宴已經排開，
他們張嘴咀嚼，人人都吃到足份的餐餚。
阿特柔斯之子，統治着遼闊疆域的英難阿伽門農，
將一長條脊肉遞給埃阿斯，以示對他的尊褒。
當他們滿足了吃喝的欲望，
奈斯托耳首先發話，提出經過考慮的意見，
在此之前，老人的勸議從來是最合用的良方。
懷着對衆人的善意，他起身說道：
“阿特柔斯之子，列位阿開亞首領，
大傢知道，許多，是的，衆多長發的阿開亞人已經死在這裏，
兇蠻的戰神已使他們的黑血遍灑在水流清澈的
斯卡曼得羅斯河岸，把他們的靈魂打入哀地斯的冥府。
所以，明天拂曉，你要傳令阿開亞人
停止戰鬥，召集他們用牛和騾子
運回屍體，在離船不遠的地方
火焚。這樣，當我們返航世代居住的
故鄉，每位戰士都能帶上一份屍骨，交給死者的孩童。
讓我們鏟土成堆，在柴枝上壘起一座墳塚，
為所有的死者，聳立在漫漫的平原。讓我們盡快在墳前
築起高大的護墻，作為保衛海船和我們自己的屏障。
我們將在墻面上修造大門，和護墻珠合壁聯，
作為通道，使車馬暢行無阻。
在墻的外沿，緊靠根基，我們要挖出一條寬深的壕溝，
繞着護墻，阻擋敵方的步兵和戰車，
使高傲的特洛伊人不能蕩掃我們的軍伍。”
奈斯托耳一番說告，得到全體工者的贊同。
其時，特洛伊人亦圍聚在伊利昂的高處，
驚惶不安，喧嘩騷鬧，擁擠在普裏阿摩斯的門前。
人群中，頭腦冷靜的安忒諾耳首先開口說道：
“聽我說，特洛伊人，達耳達尼亞人和盟軍夥伴們，
我的話出自真情，發自內心。
行動起來吧，將阿耳戈斯的海倫還給
阿特柔斯的兩個兒子，連同她的全部財物。我們破壞了
停戰誓約，像一群無賴似地戰鬥。我不知道我們
最終可以得到什麽，除非各位即刻按我的意思行動。”
安忒諾耳言畢下坐，人群中站起了
卓越的亞歷剋山德羅斯，美發海倫的夫婿，
開口作答，用長了翅膀的話語：
“安忒諾耳，你的話使我厭煩；
你頭腦聰明，應該提出比此番嘮叨更好的議言。
但是，如果這的確是你的想法，那麽，
一定是神明，是的，一定是他們，弄壞了你的腦袋。
我要痛痛快快地告訴特洛伊人，馴馬的
好手，我不會交還那個女人。不過，
我倒願意如數交還從阿耳戈斯
運回的財寶，並添加一些我自己的庫存。”
他言畢下坐，人群裏站起了普裏阿摩斯，
達耳達諾斯之子，和神一樣精擅謀略的王者。
懷着對衆人的善意，他啓口發話，說道：
“聽我說，特洛伊人，達耳達尼亞人和盟軍夥伴們，
我的話出自真情，發自內心。現在，
大傢可去吃用晚餐，在寬闊的城區，像往常一樣，
不要忘了佈置崗哨，人人都要保持警惕。
明晨拂曉，讓伊代俄斯前往深曠的海船，
轉告阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農和墨奈拉俄斯
亞歷剋山德羅斯開出的條件——為了他，我們經受着這場
戰爭。也讓伊代俄斯捎去我的合理建議，問問他們是否
願意輟停這場痛苦的殘殺，以便掩埋
死難的兵勇。然後，我們可重新開戰，直到天意
在兩軍之間作出選擇，把勝利賜歸其中的一方。”
衆人認真聽完他的話告，服從了他的安排。
然後，全軍吃用晚飯，以編隊為股。
天剛拂曉，伊代俄斯來到深曠的海船邊，
發現達奈人，戰神的隨從們，正
聚集在阿伽門農的船尾邊。使者
站身人群，以洪亮的聲音說道：，
“阿特柔斯之子，列位阿開亞人的首領！
普裏阿摩斯和其他高貴的特洛伊人命我
轉告各位——但願能博得你們的好感和歡心——
亞歷剋山德羅斯開出的條件；為了他，我們經受着這場戰爭。
亞歷剋山德羅斯願意交還用深曠的海船
運回特洛伊的財寶——我恨不得他在那時
之前即已一命嗚呼——一並添加一些自己的庫存。
但是，他說不打算交還光榮的墨奈勞斯的
婚配夫人，雖然特洛伊人全都反對這麽做。
他們還讓我轉告各位，如果你等願意，
輟停這場痛苦的殘殺，以便掩埋
死難的兵勇。然後，我們可重新開戰，直到天意
在兩軍之間作出選擇，把勝利賜歸其中的一方。”
信使言罷，全場靜默，肅然無聲。
終於，嘯吼戰場的秋俄墨得斯開口打破沉寂，說道：
“誰也不許接受亞歷剋山德羅斯的財物，
也不許接回海倫！戰局已經明朗，即便是傻瓜也可以看出；
現在，死的繩索已經勒住特洛伊人的喉嚨！”
聽罷這番話，阿開亞人的兒子們全都放聲高呼，
贊同馴馬能手狄俄墨得斯的訓告。
其時，強有力的阿伽門農對伊代俄斯說道：
“伊代俄斯，你已親耳聽到阿開亞人的心聲，
這便是他們的回答，也是我的意願。
不過，關於休戰焚屍，我决無半點意見；
陣亡者的軀體不宜久擱，
戰士倒下後，理應盡快得到烈火的慰烤。
這便是我的誓諾，讓宙斯作證，赫拉的夫婿，炸響雷的神仙。”
阿伽門農信誓旦旦，高舉起王杖，接受全體神祗的監督。
伊代俄斯聽罷誓言，轉身返回神聖的伊利昂。
其時，特洛伊人和達耳達尼亞人正在集會，
擁聚在一個地方，久久地等待着使者的
回歸。他來了，站在人群裏，宣告了
帶回的消息。衆人馬上動手準備，
分作兩隊，一隊前往搜羅屍體，另一隊負責伐集材薪。
在戰場的另一邊，阿耳吉維人走出凳板堅固的海船，
分頭準備，一隊前往搜羅屍體，另一隊負責伐集村薪。
乍剛露臉的太陽將晨暉普灑在農人的田地，
從微波靜漾、水流深森的俄開阿諾斯河升起，
踏上登空的階梯。雙方人員相會在戰地。
他們用清水洗去屍軀上的血污，
逐一辨認死難的戰友，
流着熱淚．將他們搬上大車。
然而，王者普裏阿摩斯不許部屬放聲嚎啕，後者
衹得默默地將死者壘上柴堆，強忍着悲痛，
點火燒了屍體，返回神聖的伊利昂。
同樣，在另一邊，脛甲堅固的阿開亞人也正
把他們的死者壘上柴堆，強忍着悲痛，
點火燒了屍體，折回深曠的海船。
當晨曦還沒有掙破夜的羅網，黑夜和白天混沌交織之際，
一群經過挑選的阿開亞人已經圍站在柴堆邊。
他們在灰燼上壘起一座墳塋，用平原上的泥土，
覆蓋所有的死者。他們在墳前築起高大的
護墻，作為保衛海船和他們自己的屏障。
並在墻面上修造了大門，和護墻珠合壁聯，
作為通道，使車馬暢行無阻。
在墻的外沿，緊靠根基，他們挖出一條寬深的壕溝；
一條寬闊深廣的溝塹，埋設了尖樁。
就這樣，長發的阿開亞人辛勤地勞作奔忙，
而天上的神祗，此時集聚在閃電之神宙斯身邊，
註視着身披銅甲的阿開亞人所從事的這項巨大的工程。
裂地之神波塞鼕首先發話，說道：
“父親宙斯，在偌大的人間，如今到底還有誰
會嚮神明通報他的想法和籌計？
你沒看見嗎？這些長發的阿開亞人
已在船外築起一道護墻，並在墻外
挖出一條深溝，卻不曾對我們供獻豐盛的祀祭。
高墻的盛名將像曙光一樣照射，而
人們將會忘記另一堵圍墻，由我和福伊波斯·阿波羅
手築，為英雄勞墨鼕的城堡。”
一番話極大地紛擾了宙斯的心境，
烏雲的彙聚者答道：
“你在鬍謅些什麽，力鎮遠方的撼地之神！
若是另一位神明——他的勇力和狂怒和你
不可比擬——或許會害怕這種把戲。
不必擔心，你的名聲將像曙光一樣普射。
等着吧，等到長發的阿開亞人
駕着海船回到他們熱愛的故鄉，
你便可搗爛他們的護墻，把它扔進海裏，
鋪出厚厚的沙層，墊平寬闊的灘面，
如此這般，蕩毀阿開亞人的墻垣！”
就這樣，他倆你來我往，一番說告；其時，太陽
已緩緩西沉，而阿開亞人亦已忙完手頭的活計。
他們在營棚邊宰了肥牛，吃過晚飯，
來自萊姆諾斯的海船給他們送來了醇酒，
一支龐大的船隊，受伊阿宋之子歐紐斯差遣，
由呼浦浦普萊所生，為伊阿宋，兵士的收者。
他們運來酒漿，伊阿宋之子給阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農
和墨奈拉俄斯的禮物，一千個衡度，
長發的阿開亞人由此換得酒喝，
有的拿出青銅，有的拿出閃亮的鑄鐵，
有的用皮張，有的用整條活牛，還有的
用得之於戰爭的奴隸。他們備下一頓豐盛的佳餚；
長發的阿開亞人放開肚皮吃喝，通宵
達旦。特洛伊人和他們的盟友則在城裏聚餐。
整整一夜，多謀善斷的宙斯籌劃着新的災難，
對阿開亞人——滾滾的沉雷震響着恐怖；極度的恐懼籠罩着
整個軍營。他們傾杯潑灑，誰也不敢造次，
在尊祭剋羅諾斯力大無比的兒子之前，舉杯啜飲。
宴畢，他們平身息躺，接受酣睡的祝願。
ARGUMENT
THE SINGLE COMBAT OF HECTOR AND AJAX.
The battle renewing with double ardour upon the return of Hector, Minerva
is under apprehensions for the Greeks. Apollo, seeing her descend from
Olympus, joins her near the Scaean gate. They agree to put off the general
engagement for that day, and incite Hector to challenge the Greeks to a
single combat. Nine of the princes accepting the challenge, the lot is
cast and falls upon Ajax. These heroes, after several attacks, are parted
by the night. The Trojans calling a council, Antenor purposes the delivery
of Helen to the Greeks, to which Paris will not consent, but offers to
restore them her riches. Priam sends a herald to make this offer, and to
demand a truce for burning the dead, the last of which only is agreed to
by Agamemnon. When the funerals are performed, the Greeks, pursuant to the
advice of Nestor, erect a fortification to protect their fleet and camp,
flanked with towers, and defended by a ditch and palisades. Neptune
testifies his jealousy at this work, but is pacified by a promise from
Jupiter. Both armies pass the night in feasting but Jupiter disheartens
the Trojans with thunder, and other signs of his wrath.
The three and twentieth day ends with the duel of Hector and Ajax, the
next day the truce is agreed; another is taken up in the funeral rites of
the slain and one more in building the fortification before the ships. So
that somewhat about three days is employed in this book. The scene lies
wholly in the field.
So spoke the guardian of the Trojan state,
Then rush'd impetuous through the Scaean gate.
Him Paris follow'd to the dire alarms;
Both breathing slaughter, both resolved in arms.
As when to sailors labouring through the main,
That long have heaved the weary oar in vain,
Jove bids at length the expected gales arise;
The gales blow grateful, and the vessel flies.
So welcome these to Troy's desiring train,
The bands are cheer'd, the war awakes again.
Bold Paris first the work of death begun
On great Menestheus, Areithous' son,
Sprung from the fair Philomeda's embrace,
The pleasing Arne was his native place.
Then sunk Eioneus to the shades below,
Beneath his steely casque he felt the blow(177)
Full on his neck, from Hector's weighty hand;
And roll'd, with limbs relax'd, along the land.
By Glaucus' spear the bold Iphmous bleeds,
Fix'd in the shoulder as he mounts his steeds;
Headlong he tumbles: his slack nerves unbound,
Drop the cold useless members on the ground.
When now Minerva saw her Argives slain,
From vast Olympus to the gleaming plain
Fierce she descends: Apollo marked her flight,
Nor shot less swift from Ilion's towery height.
Radiant they met, beneath the beechen shade;
When thus Apollo to the blue-eyed maid:
"What cause, O daughter of Almighty Jove!
Thus wings thy progress from the realms above?
Once more impetuous dost thou bend thy way,
To give to Greece the long divided day?
Too much has Troy already felt thy hate,
Now breathe thy rage, and hush the stern debate;
This day, the business of the field suspend;
War soon shall kindle, and great Ilion bend;
Since vengeful goddesses confederate join
To raze her walls, though built by hands divine."
To whom the progeny of Jove replies:
"I left, for this, the council of the skies:
But who shall bid conflicting hosts forbear,
What art shall calm the furious sons of war?"
To her the god: "Great Hector's soul incite
To dare the boldest Greek to single fight,
Till Greece, provoked, from all her numbers show
A warrior worthy to be Hector's foe."
At this agreed, the heavenly powers withdrew;
Sage Helenus their secret counsels knew;
Hector, inspired, he sought: to him address'd,
Thus told the dictates of his sacred breast:
"O son of Priam! let thy faithful ear
Receive my words: thy friend and brother hear!
Go forth persuasive, and a while engage
The warring nations to suspend their rage;
Then dare the boldest of the hostile train
To mortal combat on the listed plain.
For not this day shall end thy glorious date;
The gods have spoke it, and their voice is fate."
He said: the warrior heard the word with joy;
Then with his spear restrain'd the youth of Troy,
Held by the midst athwart. On either hand
The squadrons part; the expecting Trojans stand;
Great Agamemnon bids the Greeks forbear:
They breathe, and hush the tumult of the war.
The Athenian maid, and glorious god of day,(178)
With silent joy the settling hosts survey:
In form of vultures, on the beech's height
They sit conceal'd, and wait the future fight.
The thronging troops obscure the dusky fields,
Horrid with bristling spears, and gleaming shields.
As when a general darkness veils the main,
(Soft Zephyr curling the wide wat'ry plain,)
The waves scarce heave, the face of ocean sleeps,
And a still horror saddens all the deeps;
Thus in thick orders settling wide around,
At length composed they sit, and shade the ground.
Great Hector first amidst both armies broke
The solemn silence, and their powers bespoke:
"Hear, all ye Trojan, all ye Grecian bands,
What my soul prompts, and what some god commands.
Great Jove, averse our warfare to compose,
O'erwhelms the nations with new toils and woes;
War with a fiercer tide once more returns,
Till Ilion falls, or till yon navy burns.
You then, O princes of the Greeks! appear;
'Tis Hector speaks, and calls the gods to hear:
From all your troops _select_ the boldest knight,
And him, the boldest, Hector dares to fight.
Here if I fall, by chance of battle slain,
Be his my spoil, and his these arms remain;
But let my body, to my friends return'd,
By Trojan hands and Trojan flames be burn'd.
And if Apollo, in whose aid I trust,
Shall stretch your daring champion in the dust;
If mine the glory to despoil the foe;
On Phoebus' temple I'll his arms bestow:
The breathless carcase to your navy sent,
Greece on the shore shall raise a monument;
Which when some future mariner surveys,
Wash'd by broad Hellespont's resounding seas,
Thus shall he say, 'A valiant Greek lies there,
By Hector slain, the mighty man of war,'
The stone shall tell your vanquish'd hero's name.
And distant ages learn the victor's fame."
This fierce defiance Greece astonish'd heard,
Blush'd to refuse, and to accept it fear'd.
Stern Menelaus first the silence broke,
And, inly groaning, thus opprobrious spoke:
"Women of Greece! O scandal of your race,
Whose coward souls your manly form disgrace,
How great the shame, when every age shall know
That not a Grecian met this noble foe!
Go then! resolve to earth, from whence ye grew,
A heartless, spiritless, inglorious crew!
Be what ye seem, unanimated clay,
Myself will dare the danger of the day;
'Tis man's bold task the generous strife to try,
But in the hands of God is victory."
These words scarce spoke, with generous ardour press'd,
His manly limbs in azure arms he dress'd.
That day, Atrides! a superior hand
Had stretch'd thee breathless on the hostile strand;
But all at once, thy fury to compose,
The kings of Greece, an awful band, arose;
Even he their chief, great Agamemnon, press'd
Thy daring hand, and this advice address'd:
"Whither, O Menelaus! wouldst thou run,
And tempt a fate which prudence bids thee shun?
Grieved though thou art, forbear the rash design;
Great Hectors arm is mightier far than thine:
Even fierce Achilles learn'd its force to fear,
And trembling met this dreadful son of war.
Sit thou secure, amidst thy social band;
Greece in our cause shall arm some powerful hand.
The mightiest warrior of the Achaian name,
Though bold and burning with desire of fame,
Content the doubtful honour might forego,
So great the danger, and so brave the foe."
He said, and turn'd his brother's vengeful mind;
He stoop'd to reason, and his rage resign'd,
No longer bent to rush on certain harms;
His joyful friends unbrace his azure arms.
He from whose lips divine persuasion flows,
Grave Nestor, then, in graceful act arose;
Thus to the kings he spoke: "What grief, what shame
Attend on Greece, and all the Grecian name!
How shall, alas! her hoary heroes mourn
Their sons degenerate, and their race a scorn!
What tears shall down thy silvery beard be roll'd,
O Peleus, old in arms, in wisdom old!
Once with what joy the generous prince would hear
Of every chief who fought this glorious war,
Participate their fame, and pleased inquire
Each name, each action, and each hero's sire!
Gods! should he see our warriors trembling stand,
And trembling all before one hostile hand;
How would he lift his aged arms on high,
Lament inglorious Greece, and beg to die!
Oh! would to all the immortal powers above,
Minerva, Phoebus, and almighty Jove!
Years might again roll back, my youth renew,
And give this arm the spring which once it knew
When fierce in war, where Jardan's waters fall,
I led my troops to Phea's trembling wall,
And with the Arcadian spears my prowess tried,
Where Celadon rolls down his rapid tide.(179)
There Ereuthalion braved us in the field,
Proud Areithous' dreadful arms to wield;
Great Areithous, known from shore to shore
By the huge, knotted, iron mace he bore;
No lance he shook, nor bent the twanging bow,
But broke, with this, the battle of the foe.
Him not by manly force Lycurgus slew,
Whose guileful javelin from the thicket flew,
Deep in a winding way his breast assailed,
Nor aught the warrior's thundering mace avail'd.
Supine he fell: those arms which Mars before
Had given the vanquish'd, now the victor bore:
But when old age had dimm'd Lycurgus' eyes,
To Ereuthalion he consign'd the prize.
Furious with this he crush'd our levell'd bands,
And dared the trial of the strongest hands;
Nor could the strongest hands his fury stay:
All saw, and fear'd, his huge tempestuous sway
Till I, the youngest of the host, appear'd,
And, youngest, met whom all our army fear'd.
I fought the chief: my arms Minerva crown'd:
Prone fell the giant o'er a length of ground.
What then I was, O were your Nestor now!
Not Hector's self should want an equal foe.
But, warriors, you that youthful vigour boast,
The flower of Greece, the examples of our host,
Sprung from such fathers, who such numbers sway,
Can you stand trembling, and desert the day?"
His warm reproofs the listening kings inflame;
And nine, the noblest of the Grecian name,
Up-started fierce: but far before the rest
The king of men advanced his dauntless breast:
Then bold Tydides, great in arms, appear'd;
And next his bulk gigantic Ajax rear'd;
Oileus follow'd; Idomen was there,(180)
And Merion, dreadful as the god of war:
With these Eurypylus and Thoas stand,
And wise Ulysses closed the daring band.
All these, alike inspired with noble rage,
Demand the fight. To whom the Pylian sage:
"Lest thirst of glory your brave souls divide,
What chief shall combat, let the gods decide.
Whom heaven shall choose, be his the chance to raise
His country's fame, his own immortal praise."
The lots produced, each hero signs his own:
Then in the general's helm the fates are thrown,(181)
The people pray, with lifted eyes and hands,
And vows like these ascend from all the bands:
"Grant, thou Almighty! in whose hand is fate,
A worthy champion for the Grecian state:
This task let Ajax or Tydides prove,
Or he, the king of kings, beloved by Jove."
Old Nestor shook the casque. By heaven inspired,
Leap'd forth the lot, of every Greek desired.
This from the right to left the herald bears,
Held out in order to the Grecian peers;
Each to his rival yields the mark unknown,
Till godlike Ajax finds the lot his own;
Surveys the inscription with rejoicing eyes,
Then casts before him, and with transport cries:
"Warriors! I claim the lot, and arm with joy;
Be mine the conquest of this chief of Troy.
Now while my brightest arms my limbs invest,
To Saturn's son be all your vows address'd:
But pray in secret, lest the foes should hear,
And deem your prayers the mean effect of fear.
Said I in secret? No, your vows declare
In such a voice as fills the earth and air,
Lives there a chief whom Ajax ought to dread?
Ajax, in all the toils of battle bred!
From warlike Salamis I drew my birth,
And, born to combats, fear no force on earth."
He said. The troops with elevated eyes,
Implore the god whose thunder rends the skies:
"O father of mankind, superior lord!
On lofty Ida's holy hill adored:
Who in the highest heaven hast fix'd thy throne,
Supreme of gods! unbounded and alone:
Grant thou, that Telamon may bear away
The praise and conquest of this doubtful day;
Or, if illustrious Hector be thy care,
That both may claim it, and that both may share."
Now Ajax braced his dazzling armour on;
Sheathed in bright steel the giant-warrior shone:
He moves to combat with majestic pace;
So stalks in arms the grisly god of Thrace,(182)
When Jove to punish faithless men prepares,
And gives whole nations to the waste of wars,
Thus march'd the chief, tremendous as a god;
Grimly he smiled; earth trembled as he strode:(183)
His massy javelin quivering in his hand,
He stood, the bulwark of the Grecian band.
Through every Argive heart new transport ran;
All Troy stood trembling at the mighty man:
Even Hector paused; and with new doubt oppress'd,
Felt his great heart suspended in his breast:
'Twas vain to seek retreat, and vain to fear;
Himself had challenged, and the foe drew near.
Stern Telamon behind his ample shield,
As from a brazen tower, o'erlook'd the field.
Huge was its orb, with seven thick folds o'ercast,
Of tough bull-hides; of solid brass the last,
(The work of Tychius, who in Hyle dwell'd
And in all arts of armoury excell'd,)
This Ajax bore before his manly breast,
And, threatening, thus his adverse chief address'd:
"Hector! approach my arm, and singly know
What strength thou hast, and what the Grecian foe.
Achilles shuns the fight; yet some there are,
Not void of soul, and not unskill'd in war:
Let him, unactive on the sea-beat shore,
Indulge his wrath, and aid our arms no more;
Whole troops of heroes Greece has yet to boast,
And sends thee one, a sample of her host,
Such as I am, I come to prove thy might;
No more--be sudden, and begin the fight."
"O son of Telamon, thy country's pride!
(To Ajax thus the Trojan prince replied)
Me, as a boy, or woman, wouldst thou fright,
New to the field, and trembling at the fight?
Thou meet'st a chief deserving of thy arms,
To combat born, and bred amidst alarms:
I know to shift my ground, remount the car,
Turn, charge, and answer every call of war;
To right, to left, the dexterous lance I wield,
And bear thick battle on my sounding shield
But open be our fight, and bold each blow;
I steal no conquest from a noble foe."
He said, and rising, high above the field
Whirl'd the long lance against the sevenfold shield.
Full on the brass descending from above
Through six bull-hides the furious weapon drove,
Till in the seventh it fix'd. Then Ajax threw;
Through Hector's shield the forceful javelin flew,
His corslet enters, and his garment rends,
And glancing downwards, near his flank descends.
The wary Trojan shrinks, and bending low
Beneath his buckler, disappoints the blow.
From their bored shields the chiefs their javelins drew,
Then close impetuous, and the charge renew;
Fierce as the mountain-lions bathed in blood,
Or foaming boars, the terror of the wood.
At Ajax, Hector his long lance extends;
The blunted point against the buckler bends;
But Ajax, watchful as his foe drew near,
Drove through the Trojan targe the knotty spear;
It reach'd his neck, with matchless strength impell'd!
Spouts the black gore, and dims his shining shield.
Yet ceased not Hector thus; but stooping down,
In his strong hand up-heaved a flinty stone,
Black, craggy, vast: to this his force he bends;
Full on the brazen boss the stone descends;
The hollow brass resounded with the shock:
Then Ajax seized the fragment of a rock,
Applied each nerve, and swinging round on high,
With force tempestuous, let the ruin fly;
The huge stone thundering through his buckler broke:
His slacken'd knees received the numbing stroke;
Great Hector falls extended on the field,
His bulk supporting on the shatter'd shield:
Nor wanted heavenly aid: Apollo's might
Confirm'd his sinews, and restored to fight.
And now both heroes their broad falchions drew
In flaming circles round their heads they flew;
But then by heralds' voice the word was given.
The sacred ministers of earth and heaven:
Divine Talthybius, whom the Greeks employ.
And sage Idaeus on the part of Troy,
Between the swords their peaceful sceptres rear'd;
And first Idaeus' awful voice was heard:
[Illustration: HECTOR AND AJAX SEPARATED BY THE HERALDS.]
HECTOR AND AJAX SEPARATED BY THE HERALDS.
"Forbear, my sons! your further force to prove,
Both dear to men, and both beloved of Jove.
To either host your matchless worth is known,
Each sounds your praise, and war is all your own.
But now the Night extends her awful shade;
The goddess parts you; be the night obey'd."(184)
To whom great Ajax his high soul express'd:
"O sage! to Hector be these words address'd.
Let him, who first provoked our chiefs to fight,
Let him demand the sanction of the night;
If first he ask'd it, I content obey,
And cease the strife when Hector shows the way."
"O first of Greeks! (his noble foe rejoin'd)
Whom heaven adorns, superior to thy kind,
With strength of body, and with worth of mind!
Now martial law commands us to forbear;
Hereafter we shall meet in glorious war,
Some future day shall lengthen out the strife,
And let the gods decide of death or life!
Since, then, the night extends her gloomy shade,
And heaven enjoins it, be the night obey'd.
Return, brave Ajax, to thy Grecian friends,
And joy the nations whom thy arm defends;
As I shall glad each chief, and Trojan wife,
Who wearies heaven with vows for Hector's life.
But let us, on this memorable day,
Exchange some gift: that Greece and Troy may say,
'Not hate, but glory, made these chiefs contend;
And each brave foe was in his soul a friend.'"
With that, a sword with stars of silver graced,
The baldric studded, and the sheath enchased,
He gave the Greek. The generous Greek bestow'd
A radiant belt that rich with purple glow'd.
Then with majestic grace they quit the plain;
This seeks the Grecian, that the Phrygian train.
The Trojan bands returning Hector wait,
And hail with joy the Champion of their state;
Escaped great Ajax, they survey him round,
Alive, unarm'd, and vigorous from his wound;
To Troy's high gates the godlike man they bear
Their present triumph, as their late despair.
But Ajax, glorying in his hardy deed,
The well-arm'd Greeks to Agamemnon lead.
A steer for sacrifice the king design'd,
Of full five years, and of the nobler kind.
The victim falls; they strip the smoking hide,
The beast they quarter, and the joints divide;
Then spread the tables, the repast prepare,
Each takes his seat, and each receives his share.
The king himself (an honorary sign)
Before great Ajax placed the mighty chine.(185)
When now the rage of hunger was removed,
Nestor, in each persuasive art approved,
The sage whose counsels long had sway'd the rest,
In words like these his prudent thought express'd:
"How dear, O kings! this fatal day has cost,
What Greeks are perish'd! what a people lost!
What tides of blood have drench'd Scamander's shore!
What crowds of heroes sunk to rise no more!
Then hear me, chief! nor let the morrow's light
Awake thy squadrons to new toils of fight:
Some space at least permit the war to breathe,
While we to flames our slaughter'd friends bequeath,
From the red field their scatter'd bodies bear,
And nigh the fleet a funeral structure rear;
So decent urns their snowy bones may keep,
And pious children o'er their ashes weep.
Here, where on one promiscuous pile they blazed,
High o'er them all a general tomb be raised;
Next, to secure our camp and naval powers,
Raise an embattled wall, with lofty towers;
From space to space be ample gates around,
For passing chariots; and a trench profound.
So Greece to combat shall in safety go,
Nor fear the fierce incursions of the foe."
'Twas thus the sage his wholesome counsel moved;
The sceptred kings of Greece his words approved.
Meanwhile, convened at Priam's palace-gate,
The Trojan peers in nightly council sate;
A senate void of order, as of choice:
Their hearts were fearful, and confused their voice.
Antenor, rising, thus demands their ear:
"Ye Trojans, Dardans, and auxiliars, hear!
'Tis heaven the counsel of my breast inspires,
And I but move what every god requires:
Let Sparta's treasures be this hour restored,
And Argive Helen own her ancient lord.
The ties of faith, the sworn alliance, broke,
Our impious battles the just gods provoke.
As this advice ye practise, or reject,
So hope success, or dread the dire effect."
The senior spoke and sate. To whom replied
The graceful husband of the Spartan bride:
"Cold counsels, Trojan, may become thy years
But sound ungrateful in a warrior's ears:
Old man, if void of fallacy or art,
Thy words express the purpose of thy heart,
Thou, in thy time, more sound advice hast given;
But wisdom has its date, assign'd by heaven.
Then hear me, princes of the Trojan name!
Their treasures I'll restore, but not the dame;
My treasures too, for peace, I will resign;
But be this bright possession ever mine."
'Twas then, the growing discord to compose,
Slow from his seat the reverend Priam rose:
His godlike aspect deep attention drew:
He paused, and these pacific words ensue:
"Ye Trojans, Dardans, and auxiliar bands!
Now take refreshment as the hour demands;
Guard well the walls, relieve the watch of night.
Till the new sun restores the cheerful light.
Then shall our herald, to the Atrides sent,
Before their ships proclaim my son's intent.
Next let a truce be ask'd, that Troy may burn
Her slaughter'd heroes, and their bones inurn;
That done, once more the fate of war be tried,
And whose the conquest, mighty Jove decide!"
The monarch spoke: the warriors snatch'd with haste
(Each at his post in arms) a short repast.
Soon as the rosy morn had waked the day,
To the black ships Idaeus bent his way;
There, to the sons of Mars, in council found,
He raised his voice: the host stood listening round.
"Ye sons of Atreus, and ye Greeks, give ear!
The words of Troy, and Troy's great monarch, hear.
Pleased may ye hear (so heaven succeed my prayers)
What Paris, author of the war, declares.
The spoils and treasures he to Ilion bore
(Oh had he perish'd ere they touch'd our shore!)
He proffers injured Greece: with large increase
Of added Trojan wealth to buy the peace.
But to restore the beauteous bride again,
This Greece demands, and Troy requests in vain.
Next, O ye chiefs! we ask a truce to burn
Our slaughter'd heroes, and their bones inurn.
That done, once more the fate of war be tried,
And whose the conquest, mighty Jove decide!"
The Greeks gave ear, but none the silence broke;
At length Tydides rose, and rising spoke:
"Oh, take not, friends! defrauded of your fame,
Their proffer'd wealth, nor even the Spartan dame.
Let conquest make them ours: fate shakes their wall,
And Troy already totters to her fall."
The admiring chiefs, and all the Grecian name,
With general shouts return'd him loud acclaim.
Then thus the king of kings rejects the peace:
"Herald! in him thou hear'st the voice of Greece
For what remains; let funeral flames be fed
With heroes' corps: I war not with the dead:
Go search your slaughtered chiefs on yonder plain,
And gratify the manes of the slain.
Be witness, Jove, whose thunder rolls on high!"
He said, and rear'd his sceptre to the sky.
To sacred Troy, where all her princes lay
To wait the event, the herald bent his way.
He came, and standing in the midst, explain'd
The peace rejected, but the truce obtain'd.
Straight to their several cares the Trojans move,
Some search the plains, some fell the sounding grove:
Nor less the Greeks, descending on the shore,
Hew'd the green forests, and the bodies bore.
And now from forth the chambers of the main,
To shed his sacred light on earth again,
Arose the golden chariot of the day,
And tipp'd the mountains with a purple ray.
In mingled throngs the Greek and Trojan train
Through heaps of carnage search'd the mournful plain.
Scarce could the friend his slaughter'd friend explore,
With dust dishonour'd, and deformed with gore.
The wounds they wash'd, their pious tears they shed,
And, laid along their cars, deplored the dead.
Sage Priam check'd their grief: with silent haste
The bodies decent on the piles were placed:
With melting hearts the cold remains they burn'd,
And, sadly slow, to sacred Troy return'd.
Nor less the Greeks their pious sorrows shed,
And decent on the pile dispose the dead;
The cold remains consume with equal care;
And slowly, sadly, to their fleet repair.
Now, ere the morn had streak'd with reddening light
The doubtful confines of the day and night,
About the dying flames the Greeks appear'd,
And round the pile a general tomb they rear'd.
Then, to secure the camp and naval powers,
They raised embattled walls with lofty towers:(186)
From space to space were ample gates around,
For passing chariots, and a trench profound
Of large extent; and deep in earth below,
Strong piles infix'd stood adverse to the foe.
So toil'd the Greeks: meanwhile the gods above,
In shining circle round their father Jove,
Amazed beheld the wondrous works of man:
Then he, whose trident shakes the earth, began:
"What mortals henceforth shall our power adore,
Our fanes frequent, our oracles implore,
If the proud Grecians thus successful boast
Their rising bulwarks on the sea-beat coast?
See the long walls extending to the main,
No god consulted, and no victim slain!
Their fame shall fill the world's remotest ends,
Wide as the morn her golden beam extends;
While old Laomedon's divine abodes,
Those radiant structures raised by labouring gods,
Shall, razed and lost, in long oblivion sleep."
Thus spoke the hoary monarch of the deep.
The almighty Thunderer with a frown replies,
That clouds the world, and blackens half the skies:
"Strong god of ocean! thou, whose rage can make
The solid earth's eternal basis shake!
What cause of fear from mortal works could move(187)
The meanest subject of our realms above?
Where'er the sun's refulgent rays are cast,
Thy power is honour'd, and thy fame shall last.
But yon proud work no future age shall view,
No trace remain where once the glory grew.
The sapp'd foundations by thy force shall fall,
And, whelm'd beneath the waves, drop the huge wall:
Vast drifts of sand shall change the former shore:
The ruin vanish'd, and the name no more."
Thus they in heaven: while, o'er the Grecian train,
The rolling sun descending to the main
Beheld the finish'd work. Their bulls they slew;
Back from the tents the savoury vapour flew.
And now the fleet, arrived from Lemnos' strands,
With Bacchus' blessings cheered the generous bands.
Of fragrant wines the rich Eunaeus sent
A thousant measures to the royal tent.
(Eunaeus, whom Hypsipyle of yore
To Jason, shepherd of his people, bore,)
The rest they purchased at their proper cost,
And well the plenteous freight supplied the host:
Each, in exchange, proportion'd treasures gave;(188)
Some, brass or iron; some, an ox, or slave.
All night they feast, the Greek and Trojan powers:
Those on the fields, and these within their towers.
But Jove averse the signs of wrath display'd,
And shot red lightnings through the gloomy shade:
Humbled they stood; pale horror seized on all,
While the deep thunder shook the aerial hall.
Each pour'd to Jove before the bowl was crown'd;
And large libations drench'd the thirsty ground:
Then late, refresh'd with sleep from toils of fight,
Enjoy'd the balmy blessings of the night.
[Illustration: GREEK AMPHORA--WINE VESSELS.]
GREEK AMPHORA--WINE VESSELS. 其時，黎明抖開金紅色的織袍，遍撒在大地上。
喜好炸雷的宙斯召來所有的神祗，
聚會在山脊聳疊的俄林波斯的峰巔。
他面對諸神訓活，後者無不洗耳恭聽：
“聽着，所有的神和女神！我的活
乃有感而發，受心靈的驅使。
無論是神還是女神，誰也
不許反駁我的訓示；相反，你們要
表示贊同——這樣，我就能迅速了結這些事端。
要是讓我發現任何一位神祗，背着我們另搞一套，
前去幫助達奈軍伍或特洛伊兵衆，那麽，
當他回到俄林波斯，閃電的鞭擊將使他臉面全無。
或許，我會把他拎起來，扔下陰森森的塔耳塔羅斯，
遠在地層深處，地表下最低的深淵，
安着鐵門和青銅的條檻，在哀地斯的
冥府下面，和冥府的距程就像天地間的距離一樣遙遠。
這樣，他就會知道，和別的神明相比，我該有多麽強健！
來吧，神們，不妨試上一試，領教一下我的厲害。
讓我們從天上放下一條金繩，由你們，
所有的神和女神，抓住底端，然而，
即便如此，你們就是拉斷了手，
也休想把宙斯，至高無上的王者，從天上拉到地面。
但是，衹要我决意提拉，我就可把你們，
是的，把你們一古腦兒提溜上來，連同大地和海洋！
然後，我就把金繩挂上俄林波斯的犄角，
係緊繩結，讓你們在半空中遊蕩！
是的，我就有這般強健，遠勝過衆神和凡人。”
宙斯一番斥訓，把衆神鎮得目瞪口呆，
半晌說不出話來——宙斯的話語確實嚴厲非凡。
終於，灰眼睛女神雅典娜開口打破了沉寂：
“剋羅諾斯之子，我們的父親，王中之王，
我們知道你的神力，豈敢和你比試？
儘管如此，我們仍為達奈槍手們痛心，
他們不得不接受悲慘的命運，戰死疆場。
是的，我們將不介入戰鬥，遵照你的命囑，
衹想對阿耳吉維人作些有用的勸導，
使他們不致因為你的憤怒而全軍覆滅。”
聽罷這番話，彙聚烏雲的宙斯微笑着答道：
“不要灰心喪氣，特裏托格內婭，我心愛的女兒。我的話
並不表示嚴肅的意圖；對於你，我總是心懷善意。”
言罷，他給戰車套上銅蹄的駿馬，
細腿追風，金鬃飄灑，穿起
金鑄的衣甲，在自己身上，抓起
編工密匝的金鞭，登上戰車，
揚鞭催馬；神駒飛撲嚮前，不帶半點勉強，
穿行在大地和多星的天空之間，
來到多泉的伊達，野獸的母親，
來到你耳伽榮，那裏有宙斯的聖地和煙火繚繞的祭壇。
神和人的父親勒住奔馬，把它們
寬出軛架，撒出濃濃的霧秣，彌漫在馭馬的周圍。
隨後，宙斯端坐山巔，陶醉於自己的榮烈，
俯視着特洛伊人的城堡和阿開亞人的船隊。
軍營裏，長發的阿開亞人匆匆
咽下食物，全副武裝起來。
戰場的另一邊，在城裏，特洛伊人也忙着披挂備戰，
人數雖少，但鬥志昂揚，
處於背城一戰的絶境，為了保衛自己的妻兒。
他們打開所有的大門，蜂擁着往外衝擠，
成隊的步兵，熙熙攘攘的車馬，喧雜之聲沸沸揚揚。
其時，兩軍相遇，激戰在屠人的沙場上，
盾牌和槍矛鏗鏘碰撞，身披銅甲的
武士競相搏殺，中心突鼓的皮盾
擠來壓去，戰鬥的喧囂一陣陣地呼響；
痛苦的哀叫伴和着勝利的呼聲，
被殺者的哀叫，殺人者的呼聲，泥地上碧血殷紅。
伴隨着清晨的中移和漸增的神聖的日光，
雙方的投械頻頻中的，打得屍滾人亡。
但是，及至太陽升移、日當中午的時分，
父親拿起金質的天平，放上兩個表示
命運的磕碼，壓得凡人擡不起頭來的死亡，
一個是特洛伊人的，馴馬的好手，另一個是阿開亞人的，身披
銅甲的壯漢。
他提起秤桿的中端，阿開亞人的死期壓垂了秤盤——
阿開亞人的命運墜嚮豐腴的土地
特洛伊人的命運則指嚮遼闊的青天。
宙斯揮手甩出一個響雷，從伊達山上，暴閃
在阿開亞人的頭頂。目睹此般情景，
戰勇們個個目瞪口呆，陷入了極度的恐慌。
伊多墨紐斯見狀無心戀戰，阿伽門農。
兩位埃阿斯——阿瑞斯的隨從們——也不例外。
衹有格瑞厄亞的奈斯托耳，阿開亞人的監護，
呆留不走——不是不想，而是因為馭馬中箭倒地，
死在卓越的亞歷剋山德羅斯手下，美發海倫的夫婿。
羽箭紮在馬的頭部，天靈蓋上鬃毛
下垂的部位，一個最為致命的地方。
箭鏃切入腦髓，馭馬痛得前腿騰立，
輾扭着身子，帶着銅箭，攪亂了整架馬車。
老人迅速拔出利劍，砍斷繩套。
與此同時，混戰中撲來
一對馭馬，載着它們的馭手，豪 莽的
赫剋托耳[●]。要不是嘯吼戰場的秋俄墨得斯
●載着……赫剋托耳：不能照字面理解。赫剋托耳是乘用戰車的武士，他的
馭手是厄尼俄裴烏斯。
眼快，老人恐怕已人倒身亡。
狄俄墨得斯喊出可怕的吼叫，對着俄底修斯：
“你往哪裏撒腿，萊耳忒斯之子，宙斯的後裔，足智多謀的
俄底修斯？難道你想做個臨陣逃脫的膽小鬼？
不要在逃跑中讓敵人的槍矛捅破你的脊背！
站住，讓我們一起打退這個瘋子，救出老人！”
然而，卓越的鬥士、歷經磨難的俄底修斯卻
不曾聽到他的呼喊，一個勁地朝着阿開亞人深曠的海船疾跑。
圖丟斯之子，此時子然一人，撲嚮前排的首領，
站在老人——奈琉斯之子——的馭馬邊，
大聲喊道，用長了翅膀的話語：“老人傢，
說實話，這些年輕的戰勇已把你折磨得筋疲力盡；
你的力氣已經耗散，痛苦的老年擠壓着你的腰背。
你的伴從是個無用的笨蛋，你的馭馬已經腿步遲緩。
來吧，登上我的馬車，看看特洛伊的
馬種，看看它們如何熟悉自己的平原，
或追進，或避退，行動自如。
我從埃內阿斯手裏奪得這對駿馬，一位讓人毛骨悚然的戰將。
把馭馬交給你的隨從，和我一起，駕着這對
良駒，迎戰馴馬的特洛伊戰勇，
也好讓赫剋托耳知道，我的槍矛也同樣搖撼着嗜血的狂烈。”
圖丟斯之子言罷，奈斯托耳，格瑞尼亞的車戰者，謹遵
不違；兩人跨上狄俄墨得斯的戰車，把奈斯托耳的
馭馬留給強壯的隨從看管，交給
塞奈洛斯和剛烈的歐魯墨鼕。
奈斯托耳抓起閃亮的繮繩，揮鞭
策馬，很快便接近了赫剋托耳，
其時正衝着他們撲來。圖丟斯之子擲出投槍，
不曾擊中赫剋托耳，卻打翻了手握繮繩的
厄尼俄裴烏斯，他的伴從和馭手，心志高昂的
塞拜俄斯之子，打在胸脯上，奶頭邊。
他隨之倒出戰車，捷蹄的快馬驚恐，
閃嚮一邊。他躺死泥塵，生命和勇力碎散飄蕩。
見此情景，赫剋托耳感到一陣鑽心的楚痛，
然而，儘管傷心，他撇下朋友的屍體，
驅車前進，試圖再覓一位勇敢的搭擋。他很快
得以如願，使戰車又有了一位馭手，
阿耳開普托勒摩斯，伊菲托斯勇敢的兒子。赫剋托耳
把馬繮交在他手裏，幫他登上戰車，從捷蹄快馬的後頭。
其時，戰場將陷入極度的混亂，玉石俱焚的局面在所
難免，特洛伊人將四散潰逃，像被逼人圈圍的羊群，睏堵在特洛
伊
城下，若不是神和人的父親眼快，看到了山下的險情。
他炸開可怕的響雷，扔出爆光的閃電，
打在狄俄墨得斯馬前的泥地，
擊撞出燃燒着恐怖的硫火，熊熊的烈焰，
馭馬驚恐萬狀，頂着戰車畏退。
奈斯托耳鬆手滑脫閃亮的繮繩，
心裏害怕，對狄俄墨得斯喊道：
“圖丟斯之子，調過馬頭，放開追風的快馬，趕快撤離！
還不知道嗎？宙斯調度的勝利已不再歸屬於你。
眼下，至少在今天，剋羅諾斯之子宙斯已把榮譽送給此人；
以後，如果他願意，也會使我們得到
光榮。誰也不能違抗宙斯的意志，
哪怕他十分強健——宙斯的勇力凡人不可及比！”
聽罷這番話，嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯答道：
“是的，老人傢，你的話條理分明，說得一點不錯。
但是，我的心靈將難以承受此般劇痛——
將來，赫剋托耳會當着特洛伊人的臉面，放膽吹喊：
‘圖丟斯之子在我手下敗退，被我趕回他的海船！’
他會如此吹擂；天呢，我恨不能裂地藏身！”’
聽罷這番話，奈斯托耳，格瑞尼亞的車戰者答道：
“唉，勇敢的圖丟斯的兒子，你說了些什麽！
讓他吹去吧；說你是懦夫，膽小鬼，隨他的便！
特洛伊人和達耳達尼亞兵衆决不會相信，
心胸豪壯的特洛伊勇士的妻子們也不會——誰會相信呢？
你把他們的丈夫打翻在泥地上，暴死在青春的年華裏。”
言罷，他掉轉馬頭，風快的馭馬逃亡，匯入
人惶馬叫的戰陣。特洛伊人和赫剋托耳，喊出
粗野的嚎叫，投出悲吼的槍械，雨點一般。
頂着閃亮的頭盔，高大的赫剋托耳厲聲喊道：
“圖丟斯之子，駕馭快馬的達奈人尊你勝過對別的同胞，
讓你榮坐體面的席位，享用肥美的肉塊和滿杯的醇酒。
但現在，他們會恥笑你，一個比女人強不了多少的男子。
滾蛋吧，可憐的娃娃！我將一步不讓，不讓你
搗毀我們的城池，搶走我們的女人，船運回
你們的家乡。相反，在此之前，我將讓你和你的命運見面！”
聽罷這番話，圖丟斯之子心緒飄蕩：
該不該掉轉馬頭，同赫剋托耳拼打？
在心魂深處，他三次决意回頭再戰，
但三次受阻於多謀善斷的宙斯，從伊達山上甩下
炸雷，示意特洛伊兵勇，戰爭的主動權已經轉到他們手中。
其時，赫剋托耳亮開嗓門，對特洛伊人高聲喊道：
“特洛伊人，魯基亞人和達耳達尼亞人——近戰殺敵的
勇士們！
拿出男子漢的勇氣，我的朋友們，鼓起狂烈的戰鬥激情！
我已知道，剋羅諾斯之子已點頭答應，
讓我獲勝，爭得巨大的光榮，而把災難留給
我們的敵人。這群笨蛋，築起這麽個墻壩，
脆弱的小玩藝，根本不值得憂慮。它擋不住
我的進攻；衹消輕輕一躍，我的駿馬即可跨過深挖的壕溝。
待我逼近他們深曠的海船，你們，
別忘了，要給我遞個烈焰騰騰的火把，
讓我點燃他們的木船，殺死船邊的壯勇，
那些睜着驚恐的眼睛，望着黑煙的阿耳吉維人！”
言罷，他轉而對着自己的馭馬，喊道：
“珊索斯，還有你，波達耳戈斯，埃鬆和閃亮的朗波斯，
現在已是你們報效我的時候。安德羅瑪開，
心志豪 莽的厄提昂的女兒，精心照料着你們，讓你們
美食蜜一樣香甜的麥粒，當她內心願想，
甚至勻拌醇酒，供你們飲喝，在為我
準備餐食之前，雖然我可以驕傲地聲稱，我是她心愛的丈夫。
緊緊咬住敵人，蹽開蹄腿飛跑！這樣，我們就能繳獲
奈斯托耳的盾牌——眼下，它的名聲如日中天，
純金鑄就，包括盾面和把手；
亦能從馴馬的狄俄墨得斯的肩上扒下
精美的胸甲，凝聚着赫法伊斯托斯的辛勞。
若能奪獲這兩樣東西，那麽，今晚，我想，我們
便可望把阿開亞人趕回迅捷的船舟！”
赫剋托耳一番吹擂，激怒了天後赫拉。
她搖動自己的寶座，震撼着巍偉的俄林波斯，
對着強有力的神祗波塞鼕嚷道：
“可恥呀，力鎮遠方的撼地之神！你的心中
不帶半點憐憫，對正在死去的達奈人。
他們曾給你豐足的禮品，在赫利開和埃伽伊，
成堆的好東西，而你也曾謀劃要讓他們獲勝。
假如我等助佑達奈人的神祗下定决心，
踢回特洛伊兵衆，避開沉雷遠播的宙斯的幹擾，
他就衹能獨自坐在伊達山上，忍受煩惱的煎磨。”
一番話極大地紛擾了他的心境，
強有力的裂地之神答道：
“赫拉，你的話太過魯莽——你都說了些什麽！
我無意和剋羅諾斯之子宙斯戰鬥，
哪怕和所有的神明一起——大神的勇力遠非我等可以比及！”
就這樣，他倆你來我往，一番爭說。地面上。
阿開亞人正擁塞在從溝墻到海船的
戰域，武裝的兵丁和衆多的車馬，受
普裏阿摩斯之子、戰神般迅捷的赫剋托耳
的逼擠；宙斯正使他獲得光榮。
若不是天後赫拉喚起阿伽門農的戰鬥激情，
催他快步跑去，激勵屬下的兵勇，
赫剋托耳可能已把熊熊的烈火引上勻稱的海船。
阿伽門農蹽開雙腿，沿着阿開亞人的海船和營棚，
粗壯的手中提着一領絳紅色的大披篷，
站在俄底修斯那烏黑、寬大、深曠的海船邊——
停駐在船隊中部——以便一聲呼喊，便可傳及兩翼，
既可及達忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯的營地，
亦可飄至阿基琉斯的兵棚——堅信自己的剛勇和
臂力，他倆把勻稱的海船分別停駐在船隊的兩頭。
他提高嗓門，用尖亮的聲音對達奈人喊道：
“可恥啊，你們這些阿耳吉維人！無用的廢物，白披了一身漂
亮的甲衣！
那些個豪言壯語呢？你們不是自詡為最勇敢的人嗎？
在萊姆諾斯，你們曾趾高氣揚地吹擂，撐飽了
長角肥牛的鮮肉，就着譜滿的缸碗，
開懷痛飲，大言不慚地聲稱，
你們每人都可抵打一百，甚至兩百個
特洛伊人。現在呢？我們全都加在一起，還打不過
一個人，一個赫剋托耳；此人馬上即會燒焚我們的海船！
父親宙斯，過去，你可曾如此兇狠地打擊過
一位強有力的王者，奪走他的受人仰慕的光榮？
當我乘坐帶凳板的海船，開始了進兵此地的倒黴的航程，
每逢路過你的鑄工精緻的祭壇，說實話，我都不敢忽略，
每次都給你焚燒公牛的油脂和腿肉，
盼望着能夠早日蕩平墻垣精固的特洛伊。
求求你，宙斯，至少允諾我的此番祈願：
讓我的阿開亞兵勇死裏逃生，即使一無所獲；
不要讓他們倒死在特洛伊人手中！”
他朗聲求告，淚水橫流；宙斯見狀，心生憐憫，
點頭答應，答應讓他們不死，讓他們存活。
他隨即遣下一隻蒼鷹，飛禽中兆示最準的羽鳥，
爪上掐着一頭小鹿，一頭善跑的母鹿的幼仔，
扔放在父親精美的祭壇旁，阿開亞人
敬祭宙斯的地方——宙斯，發送兆示的天神。
他們看到了大鷹，知道此乃宙斯差來的飛鳥，
隨即重振戰鬥的激情，對着特洛伊人衝撲。
戰場上，達奈人儘管人數衆多，但誰也不敢聲稱，
他的快馬已趕過圖丟斯之子的戰車，
衝過壕溝，進入手對手的殺鬥。
狄俄墨得斯率先殺死一位特洛伊首領，
夫拉得豪之子阿格勞斯，其時正轉車逃遁。
就在他轉身之際，投槍擊中脊背，
雙腳之間，長驅直入，穿透了胸脯。
他撲身倒出戰車，鎧甲在身上鏗鏘作響。
狄俄墨得斯身後，衝殺着阿特柔斯的兩個兒子，阿伽門農和
墨奈勞斯，
隨後是兩位埃阿斯，帶着兇蠻的戰鬥激情，
再後面是伊多墨紐斯和他的夥伴，
殺人狂厄努阿利俄斯[●]一般勇 莽的墨裏俄奈斯，
●厄努阿利俄斯：即戰神阿瑞斯，比較7·166。
還有歐魯普洛斯，歐埃蒙光榮的兒子。
丟剋羅斯戰鬥在上述八人之後，調上着他的彎弓，
藏身在忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯的盾後，
後者挺着盾牌，擋護着他的軀身。壯士
在盾後捕捉目標，每當射中人群裏的一個敵手，
使其例死在中箭之地，他就
跑回埃阿斯身邊——像孩子跑回母親的
懷抱——後者送過閃亮的盾牌，摭護他的軀身。
那麽，誰是出類拔萃的丟剋羅斯第一個射倒的特洛伊
戰勇？
俄耳西洛科斯第一個倒地，然後是俄耳墨奈斯、俄菲勒斯忒
斯、代托耳、剋羅米俄斯和神一樣的魯科豐忒斯，
還有阿莫帕昂，波魯埃蒙之子，和墨拉尼波斯。
他把這些戰勇放倒在豐腴的土地上，一個緊接着一個。
目睹他打亂了特洛伊人的隊陣，用那把
強有力的彎弓，阿伽門農，民衆的王者，心裏高興，
走去站在他的身邊，喊道：
“打得好，忒拉蒙之子，出色的戰將，軍隊的首領！
繼續幹吧，使達奈人，當然還有你的父親，從你身上
看到希望的曙光！在你幼小之時，儘管出自私生，
忒拉蒙關心愛護，在自己的傢裏把你養大。
現在，雖然遠隔重洋，你將為他爭得榮光。
我有一事相告，老天保佑，它將成為現實：
如果帶埃吉斯的宙斯和雅典娜答應讓我
攻破堅固的城堡伊利昂，
繼我之後，我將把豐碩的戰禮最先放入
你的手中，一個三腳銅鼎，或兩匹駿馬，連同戰車，
或一名女子，和你共寢同床。”
聽罷這番話，豪勇的丟剋羅斯答道：
“阿特柔斯之子，最尊貴的王者，對於我。一個渴望戰鬥的人，
你何需敦促？從我們試圖把特洛伊人趕回
伊利昂的時候起，衹要勇力尚在，我就戰鬥不止。
從那時起，我就一直潛行在這一帶，攜着弓箭，
射殺敵手。我已發出八枚倒鈎尖長的利箭，
全都紮進敵人的軀體，手腳利索的年輕人。
然而，我還不曾擊倒赫剋托耳，宰了這條瘋狗！”
言罷，他又開弓放出一枝飛箭，
直奔赫剋托耳，一心盼望着擊中目標，然而
箭頭沒有使他如願，卻放倒了普裏阿摩斯另一個強壯的
兒子，勇敢的戈耳古西昂，打在胸脯上。
普裏阿摩斯娶了戈耳古西昂的母親，美麗的卡絲提婭內拉，
埃蘇墨人，有着女神般的身段。
他腦袋一晃，側倒在肩上，猶如花圃裏的一枝罌粟，
垂着頭，受纍於果實的重壓和春雨的侵打——
就像這樣，他的頭顱耷拉在一邊，吃不住銅盔的分量。
丟剋羅斯再次開弓，射出一枝飛箭，
直奔赫剋托耳，一心盼望着把他擊倒，然而
箭頭再次偏離目標——被阿波羅撥至一邊，
擊中阿耳開普托勒摩斯，赫剋托耳勇敢的馭手，
其時正放馬衝刺，紮在胸脯上，奶頭邊。
他翻身倒下戰車，捷蹄的快馬驚恐，
閃嚮一邊。他躺倒在地，生命和勇力碎散飄蕩。
見此情景，赫剋托耳感到一陣鑽心的楚痛，
然而，儘管傷心，他撇下朋友的屍體，
招呼站在近旁的兄弟開勃裏俄奈斯，要他
提繮馭馬，後者欣然從命。但赫剋托耳
自己則從閃亮的馬車上一躍而下，發出一聲
可怕的呼吼，搬起一塊巨大的石頭，
直撲丟剋羅斯，恨不能即刻把他砸個稀爛。
其時，丟剋羅斯已從箭壺裏抽出一枚致命的羽箭，
搭上弓弦，齊胸拉開——就在此時，
對着鎖骨一帶，脖子和大胸相連的部位，
一個最為致命的落點，頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳
挾着兇暴的狂怒，砸出粗 莽的頑石，
搗爛盤腱，麻木了他的臂腕。
他身子癱軟，單腿支地，長弓脫手而去。
但是，埃阿斯沒有扔下發發可危的兄弟，而是
衝跑過去，跨站在他的兩邊，用巨盾擋護着他的軀體。
隨後，他的兩位親密伴友，厄基俄斯之子墨基斯丟斯
和卓越的阿拉斯托耳，在盾後彎下身子，架起丟剋羅斯，
踏踩着傷者凄厲的吟叫，擡回深曠的海船。
其時，俄林波斯大神再次催發了特洛伊人的戰鬥狂烈，
使他們把阿開亞人逼回寬深的壕溝。
赫剋托耳，陶醉於自己的勇力，帶頭衝殺，
像一條獵狗，撒開快腿，猛追着
一頭野豬或獅子，趕上後咬住它的後腿
或脅腹，同時防備着猛獸的反撲——
就像這樣，赫剋托耳緊追不捨長發的阿開亞人，
一個接一個地殺死跑在最後的兵勇，把他們趕得遑遑奔逃。
但是，當亂軍奪路潰跑，越過壕溝，繞過
尖樁，許多人死在特洛伊戰勇手下，退至海船
一綫後，他們收住腿步，站穩腳跟，
相互間大聲喊叫，人人揚起雙手，
對所有的神明高聲誦說。
其時，赫剋托耳，睜着戈耳工或殺人狂阿瑞斯的大眼，
驅趕着長鬃飄灑的駿馬，來回奔跑在壕溝的邊沿。
目睹此番情景，白臂女神赫拉心生憐憫，
馬上喊出長了翅膀的話語，對帕拉絲·雅典娜說道：
“看呀，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的女兒！達奈人正在
成堆的死去；在這緊急關頭，我們豈能撒手不管？
他們正遭受厄運的折磨，被一個殺紅眼的
瘋子趕得七零八落，誰也抵擋不了——
赫剋托耳，普裏阿摩斯之子，已殺得血流成河！”
聽罷這番話，灰眼睛女神雅典娜答道：
“此人必死無疑，他的勇力將被蕩毀殆盡，
死在阿耳吉維人手裏，倒在自己的鄉園！
然而，父親狠毒的心腸現時正填滿狂怒；
他殘忍，總是強蠻橫暴，處處挫毀我的計劃，
從來不曾想過，我曾多次營救他的兒子，
赫拉剋勒斯，歐魯修斯派給的苦役整得他身腿疲軟。
他一次次地對着蒼天呼喊，而
宙斯總是差我趕去幫忙，急如星火。
倘若我的智慧能使我料知這一切——
那一日，歐魯修斯要他去找死神，把守地府大門的王者，
從黑暗的冥界拖回一條獵狗，可怕的死神的兇獒——
他就休想衝出斯圖剋斯河潑瀉的水流。
然而，現在宙斯恨我，順從了塞提絲的意願，
她親吻宙斯的膝蓋，托撫着他的下頜，懇求他
賜譽阿基琉斯，城堡的蕩劫者。不過，
這一天終會到來，那時，他又會叫我他親愛的灰眼睛姑娘。
所以，你去套馬，我們那四蹄風快的駿馬，
而我將折回宙斯的傢居，帶埃吉斯的王者，
全副武裝。我倒想看看，當目睹
咱倆出現在戰場的車道時，赫剋托耳是否會高興得
活蹦亂跳！不然，我亦樂意看睹此番佳景：他的某個
特洛伊兵勇，用自己的油脂和血肉
滿足狗和兀鳥的食欲，倒死在阿開亞人的海船旁！”
雅典娜言罷，白臂女神赫拉聽從了她的建議，
赫拉，神界的王後，強有力的剋羅諾斯的
女兒，前往整套係戴金籠轡的駿馬。
與此同時，雅典娜，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的女兒，
在父親的門檻邊脫去舒適的裙袍，
織工精巧，由她親手製作，
穿上匯捲烏雲的宙斯的衫套，
扣上自己的鎧甲，準備迎接慘烈的戰鬥。
女神踏上火紅的戰車，抓起一桿槍矛，
粗長、碩大、沉重，用以蕩掃地面上戰鬥的
群伍，強力大神的女兒怒目以對的軍陣。
赫拉迅速起鞭策馬，時點看守的
天門自動敞開，隆隆作響——
她們把守着俄林波斯和遼闊的天空，
撥開或關合濃密的雲霧。
穿過天門，她倆一路疾馳，快馬加鞭。
但是，父親宙斯勃然大怒，當他從伊達山上看到此番
情景，命催金翅膀的伊裏絲動身前往，帶着他的口信：
“快去，迅捷的伊裏絲，去把她們擋回來，但不要出現在我的
前面——我不想和她們在這場戰鬥中翻臉。
我要直言相告，我的話將付諸實踐。
我將打殘軛架下捷蹄的快馬，
把她們扔出馬車，砸爛車身；
她們將熬過漫長的十年時光，
愈合我用閃電裂開的傷口。這樣，才能使
灰眼睛姑娘知道，和父親爭鬥意味着什麽。
但是，對赫拉，我卻不會如此氣惱，如此煩憤；
挫阻我的命令，她已習以為常。”
宙斯言罷，駕踩風暴的伊裏絲即刻出發，帶着口信，
從伊達山脈直奔巍偉的俄林波斯。
在峰脊聳疊的俄林波斯的外門，
伊裏絲遇阻了二位女神的去路，轉告了宙斯的口信：
“為何如此匆忙？為何如此氣急敗壞？
剋羅諾斯之子不會讓你們站到阿耳吉維人一邊。
聽聽宙斯的警告，他將把話語付諸實踐。
他將打殘你們軛架下捷蹄的快馬，
把你倆扔出馬車，砸爛車身。
你們將熬過漫長的十年時光，
愈合他用閃電裂開的傷口。這樣，
你就會知道，灰眼睛姑娘，和父親爭鬥意味着什麽。
但是，對赫拉，他卻不會如此氣惱，如此煩憤；
挫阻宙斯的命令，她已習以為常。
所以，你可要小心在意，你這蠻橫而不顧廉恥的東西，
倘若你真的敢對父親動手，揮起粗重的長槍！”
言罷，快腿的伊裏絲動身離去。
其時，赫拉對帕拉絲·雅典娜說道：
“算了，帶埃吉斯的宙斯之女，我不能再
和你一起，對宙斯開戰，為了一個凡人。
讓他們該死的死，該活的話，聽天
由命；讓宙斯——這是他的權利——隨心所欲地
决定特洛伊兵衆和達奈人的命運。”
言罷，赫拉掉轉馬頭，趕起風快的駿馬。
時點將長鬃飄灑的馭馬寬出軛架，
控係在填滿仙料的食槽旁，
將馬車停靠在滑亮的內墻邊。
兩位女神靠息在金鑄的長椅上，
和其他神明聚首，強忍着悲愁。
其時，父親宙斯駕着駿馬和輪緣堅固的戰車，
從伊達山上回到俄林波斯，來到衆神議事的廳堂。
聲名遐邇的裂地之神為他寬鬆馭馬的繩套，
將馬車擱置在車架上，蓋上遮車的篷布。
沉雷遠播的宙斯彎身他的寶座，
巍偉的俄林波斯在他腳下搖蕩。
衹有赫拉和雅典娜遠離着他
就座，既不對他說話，也不對他發問。
但是，宙斯心裏明白，開口說道：
“為何如此愁眉不展，雅典娜和赫拉？
在凡人爭得榮譽的戰場，你倆自然不會忙得
精疲力盡，屠殺你們痛恨的特洛伊人。
瞧瞧我的一切，我的力氣，我的無堅不摧的雙手！
俄林波斯山上所有的神祗，你們連手行動，也休想把我推倒。
至於你等二位，在尚未目睹戰鬥和痛苦的
戰爭時，你們那漂亮的肢體就會嗦嗦發抖。
我要直言相告，我的話語將付諸實踐：
一旦讓我的閃電劈碎你們的車馬，你們將
再也不能回到神的傢居，俄林波斯山面！”
宙斯如此一番訓告，而雅典娜和赫拉卻自管小聲嘀咕，
坐得很近，謀劃着如何使特洛伊人遭殃。
雅典娜靜坐不語，面帶慍色，
對宙斯，她的父親；狂烈的暴怒揪揉着她的心房。
但是，赫拉卻忍受不了心中的憤怒，對宙斯說道；
“可怕的王者，剋羅諾斯之子，你說了些什麽？
我們知道你的神力，豈敢和你作對？
然而，儘管如此，我們仍為達奈槍手們痛心，
他們不得不接受悲慘的命運，戰死疆場。
是的，我們將不介入戰鬥，遵照你的命囑，
衹想對阿耳吉維人作些有用的勸導，
使他們不致因為你的憤怒而全軍覆滅。”
聽罷這番話，彙聚烏雲的宙斯答道：
“明天拂曉，牛眼睛的赫拉王後，你將會
看到，倘若你有這個興致，剋羅諾斯最強健的兒子
將製導一場更大的浩劫，殺死成行成隊的阿開亞槍手。
強壯的赫剋托耳將不會停止戰鬥，
直到裴琉斯捷足的兒子立起在海船旁——
那天，他們將麇聚在船尾的邊沿，
為爭奪帕特羅剋洛斯的遺體拼死苦戰。
此乃註定要發生的事情；至於你和你的憤怒，
我卻毫不介意——哪怕你下到大地和海洋的
深底，亞裴托斯和剋羅諾斯息居的去處，
沒有太陽神呼裴裏昂的日光，沒有沁人心胸的
和風，衹有低陷的塔耳塔羅斯，圍箍在他們身旁。
是的，哪怕你在遊蕩中去了那個地方，我也毫不
在乎你的恨怨——世上找不到比你更不要臉的無賴！”
宙斯如此一番斥訓，白臂膀的赫拉沉默不語。
其時，俄開阿諾斯河已收起太陽的餘輝，
讓黑色的夜晚籠罩盛産𠔌物的田野。對特洛伊人，
日光的消逝事與願違；而對阿開亞人，黑夜的
垂臨則是一種幸運——他們何等熱切地祈盼着夜色的降臨！
光榮的赫剋托耳召集起所有的特洛伊兵丁，
把他們帶離海船，挨着那條水流湍急的大河[●]，
●那條水流湍急的大河：即斯卡曼得羅斯（或珊索斯）。
在一片幹淨的土地上，沒有橫七竪八的屍體。
他們從馬後步下戰車，聆聽宙斯鐘愛的
赫剋托耳的訓示。他手握槍矛，
十一個肘尺的長度，桿頂閃耀着一枝
青銅的矛尖，由一個黃金的圈環箍固。
倚靠着這桿槍矛，赫剋托耳對他們喊道：
“聽我說，特洛伊人，達耳達尼亞人和盟軍朋友們！
我原以為，到這個時候，我們已蕩滅阿開亞人，毀了
他們的海船，可以回兵多風的伊利昂。
但是，黑夜降臨得如此之快，拯救了阿開亞兵壯
和他們的海船，比什麽都靈驗，在激浪拍岸的灘沿。
好吧，讓我們接受黑夜的規勸，整備
食餐，將長鬃飄灑的馭馬
寬出軛架，在它們腿前放上食槽。
讓我們從城裏牽出牛和肥羊，
要快，從傢裏搬來香甜的飲酒和
食物。我們要壘起一座座柴堆，
這樣，就能整夜營火不滅，直至晨曦
初露的時候。衆多的火堆熊熊燃燒，映紅夜空，
使長發的阿開亞人不至趁着夜色的掩護，
啓程歸航，踏破潔森的水路。不，不能讓他們
踏上船板，不作一番苦鬥！不能讓他們悠悠哉哉地離去！
讓他們返傢後，仍需治理帶血的傷口，
羽箭和鋒快的投槍給他們的饋贈，在他們踏上木船的
時候。有此教訓，以後，其他人就不敢
再給特洛伊馴馬的好手帶來戰爭的愁難。
讓宙斯鐘愛的使者梭行全城，
要年幼的男孩和鬢發灰白的老人前往
神祗興造的城堡，環繞全城的墻樓；
讓他們的妻子燃起一堆大火，在自傢的
廳堂；要布下崗哨，徹夜警戒，
以防敵人趁我軍離出之際，突襲城堡。
這便是我的布署，心志豪 莽的特洛伊人，按我說的去做。
但願你們遵從我的嚴令，馴馬的好手，
也聽從我明晨的呼召！
我要對宙斯和衆神祈禱，滿懷希望，
讓我們趕走阿開亞人，毀了他們，這幫惡狗——
死的命運把他們帶到這裏，用烏黑的海船！
今晚，我們要註意防範；明天一早，
拂曉時分，我們將全副武裝，
在深曠的船邊喚醒兇暴的戰神！
我倒要看看，是圖丟斯之子，強有力的狄俄墨得斯
把我打離海船，逼回城墻，還是我用銅槍
把他宰掉，帶回浸染着鮮血的酬獲。
明天，他就會知道自己到底有多大的能耐，是否能
頂住我的槍矛。明天，太陽升起之時，
他將，我想，倒在前排的隊列，
由死去的夥伴簇擁。哦，但願
我能確信自己永生不死，長存不滅，
如同雅典娜和阿波羅那樣受人崇敬，
就像堅信明天是阿開亞人的末日一樣確鑿不移！”
赫剋托耳言罷，特洛伊人報之以贊同的吼聲。
他們把熱汗涔涔的馭馬寬出軛架，
拴好繮繩，在各自的戰車上。
他們動作迅速，從城裏牽出牛和
肥羊，從傢裏搬來香甜的飲酒
和食物，壘起一座座柴堆。
他們敬奉全盛的祀祭，給永生的衆神，
晚風托着噴香的清煙，扶搖着從平原升嚮天空，
但幸福的神祗沒有享用——他們不願，衹因切齒
痛恨普裏阿摩斯和他的手握粗重(木岑)木桿槍矛的兵衆。
就這樣，他們精神飽滿，整夜圍坐在
進兵的空道，伴隨着千百堆熊熊燃燒的營火。
宛如天空中的星宿，遍撒在閃着白光的明月周圍，
放射出晶亮的光芒；其時，空氣靜滯、凝固，
高挺的山峰、突兀的石壁和幽深的溝壑
全都清晰可見——透亮的大氣，其量不可窮限，從高天
沒瀉下來，突顯出閃亮的群星——此情此景，使牧人開懷。
就像這樣，特洛伊人點起繁星般的營火，
在伊利昂城前，珊索斯的激流和海船間。
平原上騰騰燃燒着一千堆營火，每堆火邊
坐着五十名兵勇，映照在明燦燦的火光裏。
馭馬站在各自的戰車旁，咀嚼着燕麥和
雪白的大麥，等待着黎明登上她的座椅，放出絢麗的光彩。
ARGUMENT.
THE SECOND BATTLE, AND THE DISTRESS OF THE GREEKS.
Jupiter assembles a council of the deities, and threatens them with the
pains of Tartarus if they assist either side: Minerva only obtains of him
that she may direct the Greeks by her counsels.(189) his balances the
fates of both, and affrights the Greeks with his thunders and lightnings.
Nestor alone continues in the field in great danger: Diomed relieves him;
whose exploits, and those of Hector, are excellently described. Juno
endeavours to animate Neptune to the assistance of the Greeks, but in
vain. The acts of Teucer, who is at length wounded by Hector, and carried
off. Juno and Minerva prepare to aid the Grecians, but are restrained by
Iris, sent from Jupiter. The night puts an end to the battle. Hector
continues in the field, (the Greeks being driven to their fortifications
before the ships,) and gives orders to keep the watch all night in the
camp, to prevent the enemy from re-embarking and escaping by flight. They
kindle fires through all the fields, and pass the night under arms.
The time of seven and twenty days is employed from the opening of the poem
to the end of this book. The scene here (except of the celestial machines)
lies in the field towards the seashore.
Aurora now, fair daughter of the dawn,
Sprinkled with rosy light the dewy lawn;
When Jove convened the senate of the skies,
Where high Olympus' cloudy tops arise,
The sire of gods his awful silence broke;
The heavens attentive trembled as he spoke:
"Celestial states! immortal gods! give ear,
Hear our decree, and reverence what ye hear;
The fix'd decree which not all heaven can move;
Thou, fate! fulfil it! and, ye powers, approve!
What god but enters yon forbidden field,
Who yields assistance, or but wills to yield,
Back to the skies with shame he shall be driven,
Gash'd with dishonest wounds, the scorn of heaven;
Or far, oh far, from steep Olympus thrown,
Low in the dark Tartarean gulf shall groan,
With burning chains fix'd to the brazen floors,
And lock'd by hell's inexorable doors;
As deep beneath the infernal centre hurl'd,(190)
As from that centre to the ethereal world.
Let him who tempts me, dread those dire abodes:
And know, the Almighty is the god of gods.
League all your forces, then, ye powers above,
Join all, and try the omnipotence of Jove.
Let down our golden everlasting chain(191)
Whose strong embrace holds heaven, and earth, and main
Strive all, of mortal and immortal birth,
To drag, by this, the Thunderer down to earth
Ye strive in vain! if I but stretch this hand,
I heave the gods, the ocean, and the land;
I fix the chain to great Olympus' height,
And the vast world hangs trembling in my sight!
For such I reign, unbounded and above;
And such are men, and gods, compared to Jove."
The all-mighty spoke, nor durst the powers reply:
A reverend horror silenced all the sky;
Trembling they stood before their sovereign's look;
At length his best-beloved, the power of wisdom, spoke:
"O first and greatest! God, by gods adored
We own thy might, our father and our lord!
But, ah! permit to pity human state:
If not to help, at least lament their fate.
From fields forbidden we submiss refrain,
With arms unaiding mourn our Argives slain;
Yet grant my counsels still their breasts may move,
Or all must perish in the wrath of Jove."
The cloud-compelling god her suit approved,
And smiled superior on his best beloved;
Then call'd his coursers, and his chariot took;
The stedfast firmament beneath them shook:
Rapt by the ethereal steeds the chariot roll'd;
Brass were their hoofs, their curling manes of gold:
Of heaven's undrossy gold the gods array,
Refulgent, flash'd intolerable day.
High on the throne he shines: his coursers fly
Between the extended earth and starry sky.
But when to Ida's topmost height he came,
(Fair nurse of fountains, and of savage game,)
Where o'er her pointed summits proudly raised,
His fane breathed odours, and his altar blazed:
There, from his radiant car, the sacred sire
Of gods and men released the steeds of fire:
Blue ambient mists the immortal steeds embraced;
High on the cloudy point his seat he placed;
Thence his broad eye the subject world surveys,
The town, and tents, and navigable seas.
Now had the Grecians snatch'd a short repast,
And buckled on their shining arms with haste.
Troy roused as soon; for on this dreadful day
The fate of fathers, wives, and infants lay.
The gates unfolding pour forth all their train;
Squadrons on squadrons cloud the dusky plain:
Men, steeds, and chariots shake the trembling ground,
The tumult thickens, and the skies resound;
And now with shouts the shocking armies closed,
To lances lances, shields to shields opposed,
Host against host with shadowy legends drew,
The sounding darts in iron tempests flew;
Victors and vanquish'd join promiscuous cries,
Triumphant shouts and dying groans arise;
With streaming blood the slippery fields are dyed,
And slaughter'd heroes swell the dreadful tide.
Long as the morning beams, increasing bright,
O'er heaven's clear azure spread the sacred light,
Commutual death the fate of war confounds,
Each adverse battle gored with equal wounds.
But when the sun the height of heaven ascends,
The sire of gods his golden scales suspends,(192)
With equal hand: in these explored the fate
Of Greece and Troy, and poised the mighty weight:
Press'd with its load, the Grecian balance lies
Low sunk on earth, the Trojan strikes the skies.
Then Jove from Ida's top his horrors spreads;
The clouds burst dreadful o'er the Grecian heads;
Thick lightnings flash; the muttering thunder rolls;
Their strength he withers, and unmans their souls.
Before his wrath the trembling hosts retire;
The gods in terrors, and the skies on fire.
Nor great Idomeneus that sight could bear,
Nor each stern Ajax, thunderbolts of war:
Nor he, the king of war, the alarm sustain'd
Nestor alone, amidst the storm remain'd.
Unwilling he remain'd, for Paris' dart
Had pierced his courser in a mortal part;
Fix'd in the forehead, where the springing man
Curl'd o'er the brow, it stung him to the brain;
Mad with his anguish, he begins to rear,
Paw with his hoofs aloft, and lash the air.
Scarce had his falchion cut the reins, and freed
The encumber'd chariot from the dying steed,
When dreadful Hector, thundering through the war,
Pour'd to the tumult on his whirling car.
That day had stretch'd beneath his matchless hand
The hoary monarch of the Pylian band,
But Diomed beheld; from forth the crowd
He rush'd, and on Ulysses call'd aloud:
"Whither, oh whither does Ulysses run?
Oh, flight unworthy great Laertes' son!
Mix'd with the vulgar shall thy fate be found,
Pierced in the back, a vile, dishonest wound?
Oh turn and save from Hector's direful rage
The glory of the Greeks, the Pylian sage."
His fruitless words are lost unheard in air,
Ulysses seeks the ships, and shelters there.
But bold Tydides to the rescue goes,
A single warrior midst a host of foes;
Before the coursers with a sudden spring
He leap'd, and anxious thus bespoke the king:
"Great perils, father! wait the unequal fight;
These younger champions will oppress thy might.
Thy veins no more with ancient vigour glow,
Weak is thy servant, and thy coursers slow.
Then haste, ascend my seat, and from the car
Observe the steeds of Tros, renown'd in war.
Practised alike to turn, to stop, to chase,
To dare the fight, or urge the rapid race:
These late obey'd Æneas' guiding rein;
Leave thou thy chariot to our faithful train;
With these against yon Trojans will we go,
Nor shall great Hector want an equal foe;
Fierce as he is, even he may learn to fear
The thirsty fury of my flying spear."
Thus said the chief; and Nestor, skill'd in war,
Approves his counsel, and ascends the car:
The steeds he left, their trusty servants hold;
Eurymedon, and Sthenelus the bold:
The reverend charioteer directs the course,
And strains his aged arm to lash the horse.
Hector they face; unknowing how to fear,
Fierce he drove on; Tydides whirl'd his spear.
The spear with erring haste mistook its way,
But plunged in Eniopeus' bosom lay.
His opening hand in death forsakes the rein;
The steeds fly back: he falls, and spurns the plain.
Great Hector sorrows for his servant kill'd,
Yet unrevenged permits to press the field;
Till, to supply his place and rule the car,
Rose Archeptolemus, the fierce in war.
And now had death and horror cover'd all;(193)
Like timorous flocks the Trojans in their wall
Inclosed had bled: but Jove with awful sound
Roll'd the big thunder o'er the vast profound:
Full in Tydides' face the lightning flew;
The ground before him flamed with sulphur blue;
The quivering steeds fell prostrate at the sight;
And Nestor's trembling hand confess'd his fright:
He dropp'd the reins: and, shook with sacred dread,
Thus, turning, warn'd the intrepid Diomed:
"O chief! too daring in thy friend's defence
Retire advised, and urge the chariot hence.
This day, averse, the sovereign of the skies
Assists great Hector, and our palm denies.
Some other sun may see the happier hour,
When Greece shall conquer by his heavenly power.
'Tis not in man his fix'd decree to move:
The great will glory to submit to Jove."
"O reverend prince! (Tydides thus replies)
Thy years are awful, and thy words are wise.
But ah, what grief! should haughty Hector boast
I fled inglorious to the guarded coast.
Before that dire disgrace shall blast my fame,
O'erwhelm me, earth; and hide a warrior's shame!"
To whom Gerenian Nestor thus replied:(194)
"Gods! can thy courage fear the Phrygian's pride?
Hector may vaunt, but who shall heed the boast?
Not those who felt thy arm, the Dardan host,
Nor Troy, yet bleeding in her heroes lost;
Not even a Phrygian dame, who dreads the sword
That laid in dust her loved, lamented lord."
He said, and, hasty, o'er the gasping throng
Drives the swift steeds: the chariot smokes along;
The shouts of Trojans thicken in the wind;
The storm of hissing javelins pours behind.
Then with a voice that shakes the solid skies,
Pleased, Hector braves the warrior as he flies.
"Go, mighty hero! graced above the rest
In seats of council and the sumptuous feast:
Now hope no more those honours from thy train;
Go less than woman, in the form of man!
To scale our walls, to wrap our towers in flames,
To lead in exile the fair Phrygian dames,
Thy once proud hopes, presumptuous prince! are fled;
This arm shall reach thy heart, and stretch thee dead."
Now fears dissuade him, and now hopes invite.
To stop his coursers, and to stand the fight;
Thrice turn'd the chief, and thrice imperial Jove
On Ida's summits thunder'd from above.
Great Hector heard; he saw the flashing light,
(The sign of conquest,) and thus urged the fight:
"Hear, every Trojan, Lycian, Dardan band,
All famed in war, and dreadful hand to hand.
Be mindful of the wreaths your arms have won,
Your great forefathers' glories, and your own.
Heard ye the voice of Jove? Success and fame
Await on Troy, on Greece eternal shame.
In vain they skulk behind their boasted wall,
Weak bulwarks; destined by this arm to fall.
High o'er their slighted trench our steeds shall bound,
And pass victorious o'er the levell'd mound.
Soon as before yon hollow ships we stand,
Fight each with flames, and toss the blazing brand;
Till, their proud navy wrapt in smoke and fires,
All Greece, encompass'd, in one blaze expires."
Furious he said; then bending o'er the yoke,
Encouraged his proud steeds, while thus he spoke:
"Now, Xanthus, Æthon, Lampus, urge the chase,
And thou, Podargus! prove thy generous race;
Be fleet, be fearless, this important day,
And all your master's well-spent care repay.
For this, high-fed, in plenteous stalls ye stand,
Served with pure wheat, and by a princess' hand;
For this my spouse, of great Aetion's line,
So oft has steep'd the strengthening grain in wine.
Now swift pursue, now thunder uncontroll'd:
Give me to seize rich Nestor's shield of gold;
From Tydeus' shoulders strip the costly load,
Vulcanian arms, the labour of a god:
These if we gain, then victory, ye powers!
This night, this glorious night, the fleet is ours!"
That heard, deep anguish stung Saturnia's soul;
She shook her throne, that shook the starry pole:
And thus to Neptune: "Thou, whose force can make
The stedfast earth from her foundations shake,
Seest thou the Greeks by fates unjust oppress'd,
Nor swells thy heart in that immortal breast?
Yet Ægae, Helice, thy power obey,(195)
And gifts unceasing on thine altars lay.
Would all the deities of Greece combine,
In vain the gloomy Thunderer might repine:
Sole should he sit, with scarce a god to friend,
And see his Trojans to the shades descend:
Such be the scene from his Idaean bower;
Ungrateful prospect to the sullen power!"
Neptune with wrath rejects the rash design:
"What rage, what madness, furious queen! is thine?
I war not with the highest. All above
Submit and tremble at the hand of Jove."
Now godlike Hector, to whose matchless might
Jove gave the glory of the destined fight,
Squadrons on squadrons drives, and fills the fields
With close-ranged chariots, and with thicken'd shields.
Where the deep trench in length extended lay,
Compacted troops stand wedged in firm array,
A dreadful front! they shake the brands, and threat
With long-destroying flames the hostile fleet.
The king of men, by Juno's self inspired,
Toil'd through the tents, and all his army fired.
Swift as he moved, he lifted in his hand
His purple robe, bright ensign of command.
High on the midmost bark the king appear'd:
There, from Ulysses' deck, his voice was heard:
To Ajax and Achilles reach'd the sound,
Whose distant ships the guarded navy bound.
"O Argives! shame of human race! (he cried:
The hollow vessels to his voice replied,)
Where now are all your glorious boasts of yore,
Your hasty triumphs on the Lemnian shore?
Each fearless hero dares a hundred foes,
While the feast lasts, and while the goblet flows;
But who to meet one martial man is found,
When the fight rages, and the flames surround?
O mighty Jove! O sire of the distress'd!
Was ever king like me, like me oppress'd?
With power immense, with justice arm'd in vain;
My glory ravish'd, and my people slain!
To thee my vows were breathed from every shore;
What altar smoked not with our victims' gore?
With fat of bulls I fed the constant flame,
And ask'd destruction to the Trojan name.
Now, gracious god! far humbler our demand;
Give these at least to 'scape from Hector's hand,
And save the relics of the Grecian land!"
Thus pray'd the king, and heaven's great father heard
His vows, in bitterness of soul preferr'd:
The wrath appeased, by happy signs declares,
And gives the people to their monarch's prayers.
His eagle, sacred bird of heaven! he sent,
A fawn his talons truss'd, (divine portent!)
High o'er the wondering hosts he soar'd above,
Who paid their vows to Panomphaean Jove;
Then let the prey before his altar fall;
The Greeks beheld, and transport seized on all:
Encouraged by the sign, the troops revive,
And fierce on Troy with doubled fury drive.
Tydides first, of all the Grecian force,
O'er the broad ditch impell'd his foaming horse,
Pierced the deep ranks, their strongest battle tore,
And dyed his javelin red with Trojan gore.
Young Agelaus (Phradmon was his sire)
With flying coursers shunn'd his dreadful ire;
Struck through the back, the Phrygian fell oppress'd;
The dart drove on, and issued at his breast:
Headlong he quits the car: his arms resound;
His ponderous buckler thunders on the ground.
Forth rush a tide of Greeks, the passage freed;
The Atridae first, the Ajaces next succeed:
Meriones, like Mars in arms renown'd,
And godlike Idomen, now passed the mound;
Evaemon's son next issues to the foe,
And last young Teucer with his bended bow.
Secure behind the Telamonian shield
The skilful archer wide survey'd the field,
With every shaft some hostile victim slew,
Then close beneath the sevenfold orb withdrew:
The conscious infant so, when fear alarms,
Retires for safety to the mother's arms.
Thus Ajax guards his brother in the field,
Moves as he moves, and turns the shining shield.
Who first by Teucer's mortal arrows bled?
Orsilochus; then fell Ormenus dead:
The godlike Lycophon next press'd the plain,
With Chromius, Daetor, Ophelestes slain:
Bold Hamopaon breathless sunk to ground;
The bloody pile great Melanippus crown'd.
Heaps fell on heaps, sad trophies of his art,
A Trojan ghost attending every dart.
Great Agamemnon views with joyful eye
The ranks grow thinner as his arrows fly:
"O youth forever dear! (the monarch cried)
Thus, always thus, thy early worth be tried;
Thy brave example shall retrieve our host,
Thy country's saviour, and thy father's boast!
Sprung from an alien's bed thy sire to grace,
The vigorous offspring of a stolen embrace:
Proud of his boy, he own'd the generous flame,
And the brave son repays his cares with fame.
Now hear a monarch's vow: If heaven's high powers
Give me to raze Troy's long-defended towers;
Whatever treasures Greece for me design,
The next rich honorary gift be thine:
Some golden tripod, or distinguished car,
With coursers dreadful in the ranks of war:
Or some fair captive, whom thy eyes approve,
Shall recompense the warrior's toils with love."
To this the chief: "With praise the rest inspire,
Nor urge a soul already fill'd with fire.
What strength I have, be now in battle tried,
Till every shaft in Phrygian blood be dyed.
Since rallying from our wall we forced the foe,
Still aim'd at Hector have I bent my bow:
Eight forky arrows from this hand have fled,
And eight bold heroes by their points lie dead:
But sure some god denies me to destroy
This fury of the field, this dog of Troy."
He said, and twang'd the string. The weapon flies
At Hector's breast, and sings along the skies:
He miss'd the mark; but pierced Gorgythio's heart,
And drench'd in royal blood the thirsty dart.
(Fair Castianira, nymph of form divine,
This offspring added to king Priam's line.)
As full-blown poppies, overcharged with rain,(196)
Decline the head, and drooping kiss the plain;
So sinks the youth: his beauteous head, depress'd
Beneath his helmet, drops upon his breast.
Another shaft the raging archer drew,
That other shaft with erring fury flew,
(From Hector, Phoebus turn'd the flying wound,)
Yet fell not dry or guiltless to the ground:
Thy breast, brave Archeptolemus! it tore,
And dipp'd its feathers in no vulgar gore.
Headlong he falls: his sudden fall alarms
The steeds, that startle at his sounding arms.
Hector with grief his charioteer beheld
All pale and breathless on the sanguine field:
Then bids Cebriones direct the rein,
Quits his bright car, and issues on the plain.
Dreadful he shouts: from earth a stone he took,
And rush'd on Teucer with the lifted rock.
The youth already strain'd the forceful yew;
The shaft already to his shoulder drew;
The feather in his hand, just wing'd for flight,
Touch'd where the neck and hollow chest unite;
There, where the juncture knits the channel bone,
The furious chief discharged the craggy stone:
The bow-string burst beneath the ponderous blow,
And his numb'd hand dismiss'd his useless bow.
He fell: but Ajax his broad shield display'd,
And screen'd his brother with the mighty shade;
Till great Alaster, and Mecistheus, bore
The batter'd archer groaning to the shore.
Troy yet found grace before the Olympian sire,
He arm'd their hands, and fill'd their breasts with fire.
The Greeks repulsed, retreat behind their wall,
Or in the trench on heaps confusedly fall.
First of the foe, great Hector march'd along,
With terror clothed, and more than mortal strong.
As the bold hound, that gives the lion chase,
With beating bosom, and with eager pace,
Hangs on his haunch, or fastens on his heels,
Guards as he turns, and circles as he wheels;
Thus oft the Grecians turn'd, but still they flew;
Thus following, Hector still the hindmost slew.
When flying they had pass'd the trench profound,
And many a chief lay gasping on the ground;
Before the ships a desperate stand they made,
And fired the troops, and called the gods to aid.
Fierce on his rattling chariot Hector came:
His eyes like Gorgon shot a sanguine flame
That wither'd all their host: like Mars he stood:
Dire as the monster, dreadful as the god!
Their strong distress the wife of Jove survey'd;
Then pensive thus, to war's triumphant maid:
"O daughter of that god, whose arm can wield
The avenging bolt, and shake the sable shield!
Now, in this moment of her last despair,
Shall wretched Greece no more confess our care,
Condemn'd to suffer the full force of fate,
And drain the dregs of heaven's relentless hate?
Gods! shall one raging hand thus level all?
What numbers fell! what numbers yet shall fall!
What power divine shall Hector's wrath assuage?
Still swells the slaughter, and still grows the rage!"
So spake the imperial regent of the skies;
To whom the goddess with the azure eyes:
"Long since had Hector stain'd these fields with gore,
Stretch'd by some Argive on his native shore:
But he above, the sire of heaven, withstands,
Mocks our attempts, and slights our just demands;
The stubborn god, inflexible and hard,
Forgets my service and deserved reward:
Saved I, for this, his favourite son distress'd,
By stern Eurystheus with long labours press'd?
He begg'd, with tears he begg'd, in deep dismay;
I shot from heaven, and gave his arm the day.
Oh had my wisdom known this dire event,
When to grim Pluto's gloomy gates he went;
The triple dog had never felt his chain,
Nor Styx been cross'd, nor hell explored in vain.
Averse to me of all his heaven of gods,
At Thetis' suit the partial Thunderer nods;
To grace her gloomy, fierce, resenting son,
My hopes are frustrate, and my Greeks undone.
Some future day, perhaps, he may be moved
To call his blue-eyed maid his best beloved.
Haste, launch thy chariot, through yon ranks to ride;
Myself will arm, and thunder at thy side.
Then, goddess! say, shall Hector glory then?
(That terror of the Greeks, that man of men)
When Juno's self, and Pallas shall appear,
All dreadful in the crimson walks of war!
What mighty Trojan then, on yonder shore,
Expiring, pale, and terrible no more,
Shall feast the fowls, and glut the dogs with gore?"
She ceased, and Juno rein'd the steeds with care:
(Heaven's awful empress, Saturn's other heir:)
Pallas, meanwhile, her various veil unbound,
With flowers adorn'd, with art immortal crown'd;
The radiant robe her sacred fingers wove
Floats in rich waves, and spreads the court of Jove.
Her father's arms her mighty limbs invest,
His cuirass blazes on her ample breast.
The vigorous power the trembling car ascends:
Shook by her arm, the massy javelin bends:
Huge, ponderous, strong! that when her fury burns
Proud tyrants humbles, and whole hosts o'erturns.
Saturnia lends the lash; the coursers fly;
Smooth glides the chariot through the liquid sky.
Heaven's gates spontaneous open to the powers,
Heaven's golden gates, kept by the winged Hours.
Commission'd in alternate watch they stand,
The sun's bright portals and the skies command;
Close, or unfold, the eternal gates of day
Bar heaven with clouds, or roll those clouds away.
The sounding hinges ring, the clouds divide.
Prone down the steep of heaven their course they guide.
But Jove, incensed, from Ida's top survey'd,
And thus enjoin'd the many-colour'd maid.
[Illustration: JUNO AND MINERVA GOING TO ASSIST THE GREEKS.]
JUNO AND MINERVA GOING TO ASSIST THE GREEKS.
"Thaumantia! mount the winds, and stop their car;
Against the highest who shall wage the war?
If furious yet they dare the vain debate,
Thus have I spoke, and what I speak is fate:
Their coursers crush'd beneath the wheels shall lie,
Their car in fragments, scatter'd o'er the sky:
My lightning these rebellious shall confound,
And hurl them flaming, headlong, to the ground,
Condemn'd for ten revolving years to weep
The wounds impress'd by burning thunder deep.
So shall Minerva learn to fear our ire,
Nor dare to combat hers and nature's sire.
For Juno, headstrong and imperious still,
She claims some title to transgress our will."
Swift as the wind, the various-colour'd maid
From Ida's top her golden wings display'd;
To great Olympus' shining gate she flies,
There meets the chariot rushing down the skies,
Restrains their progress from the bright abodes,
And speaks the mandate of the sire of gods.
"What frenzy goddesses! what rage can move
Celestial minds to tempt the wrath of Jove?
Desist, obedient to his high command:
This is his word; and know his word shall stand:
His lightning your rebellion shall confound,
And hurl ye headlong, flaming, to the ground;
Your horses crush'd beneath the wheels shall lie,
Your car in fragments scatter'd o'er the sky;
Yourselves condemn'd ten rolling years to weep
The wounds impress'd by burning thunder deep.
So shall Minerva learn to fear his ire,
Nor dare to combat hers and nature's sire.
For Juno, headstrong and imperious still,
She claims some title to transgress his will:
But thee, what desperate insolence has driven
To lift thy lance against the king of heaven?"
Then, mounting on the pinions of the wind,
She flew; and Juno thus her rage resign'd:
"O daughter of that god, whose arm can wield
The avenging bolt, and shake the dreadful shield
No more let beings of superior birth
Contend with Jove for this low race of earth;
Triumphant now, now miserably slain,
They breathe or perish as the fates ordain:
But Jove's high counsels full effect shall find;
And, ever constant, ever rule mankind."
She spoke, and backward turn'd her steeds of light,
Adorn'd with manes of gold, and heavenly bright.
The Hours unloosed them, panting as they stood,
And heap'd their mangers with ambrosial food.
There tied, they rest in high celestial stalls;
The chariot propp'd against the crystal walls,
The pensive goddesses, abash'd, controll'd,
Mix with the gods, and fill their seats of gold.
[Illustration: THE HOURS TAKING THE HORSES FROM JUNO'S CAR.]
THE HOURS TAKING THE HORSES FROM JUNO'S CAR.
And now the Thunderer meditates his flight
From Ida's summits to the Olympian height.
Swifter than thought, the wheels instinctive fly,
Flame through the vast of air, and reach the sky.
'Twas Neptune's charge his coursers to unbrace,
And fix the car on its immortal base;
There stood the chariot, beaming forth its rays,
Till with a snowy veil he screen'd the blaze.
He, whose all-conscious eyes the world behold,
The eternal Thunderer sat, enthroned in gold.
High heaven the footstool of his feet he makes,
And wide beneath him all Olympus shakes.
Trembling afar the offending powers appear'd,
Confused and silent, for his frown they fear'd.
He saw their soul, and thus his word imparts:
"Pallas and Juno! say, why heave your hearts?
Soon was your battle o'er: proud Troy retired
Before your face, and in your wrath expired.
But know, whoe'er almighty power withstand!
Unmatch'd our force, unconquer'd is our hand:
Who shall the sovereign of the skies control?
Not all the gods that crown the starry pole.
Your hearts shall tremble, if our arms we take,
And each immortal nerve with horror shake.
For thus I speak, and what I speak shall stand;
What power soe'er provokes our lifted hand,
On this our hill no more shall hold his place;
Cut off, and exiled from the ethereal race."
Juno and Pallas grieving hear the doom,
But feast their souls on Ilion's woes to come.
Though secret anger swell'd Minerva's breast,
The prudent goddess yet her wrath repress'd;
But Juno, impotent of rage, replies:
"What hast thou said, O tyrant of the skies!
Strength and omnipotence invest thy throne;
'Tis thine to punish; ours to grieve alone.
For Greece we grieve, abandon'd by her fate
To drink the dregs of thy unmeasured hate.
From fields forbidden we submiss refrain,
With arms unaiding see our Argives slain;
Yet grant our counsels still their breasts may move,
Lest all should perish in the rage of Jove."
The goddess thus; and thus the god replies,
Who swells the clouds, and blackens all the skies:
"The morning sun, awaked by loud alarms,
Shall see the almighty Thunderer in arms.
What heaps of Argives then shall load the plain,
Those radiant eyes shall view, and view in vain.
Nor shall great Hector cease the rage of fight,
The navy flaming, and thy Greeks in flight,
Even till the day when certain fates ordain
That stern Achilles (his Patroclus slain)
Shall rise in vengeance, and lay waste the plain.
For such is fate, nor canst thou turn its course
With all thy rage, with all thy rebel force.
Fly, if thy wilt, to earth's remotest bound,
Where on her utmost verge the seas resound;
Where cursed Iapetus and Saturn dwell,
Fast by the brink, within the streams of hell;
No sun e'er gilds the gloomy horrors there;
No cheerful gales refresh the lazy air:
There arm once more the bold Titanian band;
And arm in vain; for what I will, shall stand."
Now deep in ocean sunk the lamp of light,
And drew behind the cloudy veil of night:
The conquering Trojans mourn his beams decay'd;
The Greeks rejoicing bless the friendly shade.
The victors keep the field; and Hector calls
A martial council near the navy walls;
These to Scamander's bank apart he led,
Where thinly scatter'd lay the heaps of dead.
The assembled chiefs, descending on the ground,
Attend his order, and their prince surround.
A massy spear he bore of mighty strength,
Of full ten cubits was the lance's length;
The point was brass, refulgent to behold,
Fix'd to the wood with circling rings of gold:
The noble Hector on his lance reclined,
And, bending forward, thus reveal'd his mind:
"Ye valiant Trojans, with attention hear!
Ye Dardan bands, and generous aids, give ear!
This day, we hoped, would wrap in conquering flame
Greece with her ships, and crown our toils with fame.
But darkness now, to save the cowards, falls,
And guards them trembling in their wooden walls.
Obey the night, and use her peaceful hours
Our steeds to forage, and refresh our powers.
Straight from the town be sheep and oxen sought,
And strengthening bread and generous wine be brought
Wide o'er the field, high blazing to the sky,
Let numerous fires the absent sun supply,
The flaming piles with plenteous fuel raise,
Till the bright morn her purple beam displays;
Lest, in the silence and the shades of night,
Greece on her sable ships attempt her flight.
Not unmolested let the wretches gain
Their lofty decks, or safely cleave the main;
Some hostile wound let every dart bestow,
Some lasting token of the Phrygian foe,
Wounds, that long hence may ask their spouses' care.
And warn their children from a Trojan war.
Now through the circuit of our Ilion wall,
Let sacred heralds sound the solemn call;
To bid the sires with hoary honours crown'd,
And beardless youths, our battlements surround.
Firm be the guard, while distant lie our powers,
And let the matrons hang with lights the towers;
Lest, under covert of the midnight shade,
The insidious foe the naked town invade.
Suffice, to-night, these orders to obey;
A nobler charge shall rouse the dawning day.
The gods, I trust, shall give to Hector's hand
From these detested foes to free the land,
Who plough'd, with fates averse, the watery way:
For Trojan vultures a predestined prey.
Our common safety must be now the care;
But soon as morning paints the fields of air,
Sheathed in bright arms let every troop engage,
And the fired fleet behold the battle rage.
Then, then shall Hector and Tydides prove
Whose fates are heaviest in the scales of Jove.
To-morrow's light (O haste the glorious morn!)
Shall see his bloody spoils in triumph borne,
With this keen javelin shall his breast be gored,
And prostrate heroes bleed around their lord.
Certain as this, oh! might my days endure,
From age inglorious, and black death secure;
So might my life and glory know no bound,
Like Pallas worshipp'd, like the sun renown'd!
As the next dawn, the last they shall enjoy,
Shall crush the Greeks, and end the woes of Troy."
The leader spoke. From all his host around
Shouts of applause along the shores resound.
Each from the yoke the smoking steeds untied,
And fix'd their headstalls to his chariot-side.
Fat sheep and oxen from the town are led,
With generous wine, and all-sustaining bread,
Full hecatombs lay burning on the shore:
The winds to heaven the curling vapours bore.
Ungrateful offering to the immortal powers!(197)
Whose wrath hung heavy o'er the Trojan towers:
Nor Priam nor his sons obtain'd their grace;
Proud Troy they hated, and her guilty race.
The troops exulting sat in order round,
And beaming fires illumined all the ground.
As when the moon, refulgent lamp of night,(198)
O'er heaven's pure azure spreads her sacred light,
When not a breath disturbs the deep serene,
And not a cloud o'ercasts the solemn scene,
Around her throne the vivid planets roll,
And stars unnumber'd gild the glowing pole,
O'er the dark trees a yellower verdure shed,
And tip with silver every mountain's head:
Then shine the vales, the rocks in prospect rise,
A flood of glory bursts from all the skies:
The conscious swains, rejoicing in the sight,
Eye the blue vault, and bless the useful light.
So many flames before proud Ilion blaze,
And lighten glimmering Xanthus with their rays.
The long reflections of the distant fires
Gleam on the walls, and tremble on the spires.
A thousand piles the dusky horrors gild,
And shoot a shady lustre o'er the field.
Full fifty guards each flaming pile attend,
Whose umber'd arms, by fits, thick flashes send,
Loud neigh the coursers o'er their heaps of corn,
And ardent warriors wait the rising morn.
[Illustration: THE SHIELD OF ACHILLES.]
THE SHIELD OF ACHILLES. 就這樣，特洛伊人徹夜警戒。阿開亞人呢？
神使的恐慌，冷酷無情的騷亂的夥伴，揪揉着他們的心房；
難以忍受的悲痛極大地挫傷了他們中所有最好的戰將。
一如在魚群遊聚的大海，兩股勁風捲起水浪，
波瑞阿斯和澤夫羅斯，從斯拉凱橫掃過來，
突奔衝襲，掀起渾黑的浪頭，洶涌澎湃，
衝散海草，逐波洋面——
阿開亞人心緒焦惱，胸中混糊一片。
阿特桑斯之子，帶着滿腹愁腸，
穿行在隊伍裏，命令嗓音清亮的使者
召聚衆人，要直呼其名，但不要大聲
喧喊，而他自己則將和領頭的使者一起操辦。
兵勇們在集會地點下坐，垂頭喪氣。
阿伽門農站起身子，淚水涌註，像一股幽黑的溪泉，
順着不可爬攀的絶壁，瀉淌着暗淡的水流。
他長嘆一聲，對着阿耳吉維人說道：
“朋友們，阿耳吉維人的首領和統治者們！
宙斯，剋羅諾斯之子，已把我推入狂盲的陷阱——
他就是這般兇殘！先前，他曾點頭答應，
讓我在蕩劫墻垣精固的伊利昂後啓程返航。
現在，我纔知道，這是一場赤裸裸的欺騙。他要我
不光不彩地返回阿耳戈斯，折損了衆多的兵將。
這便是力大無窮的宙斯的作為，使他心火怒放的事情；
在此之前，他已打爛許多城市的頂冠，
今後還會繼續砸搗——他的神力誰能抵擋？
算啦，按我說的做，讓我們順從屈服，
登船上路，逃返我們熱愛的故鄉——
我們永遠搶攻不下路面開闊的昂利昂！”
他言罷，衆人默不作聲，全場肅然，
悲痛中，阿開亞人的兒子們半晌說不出話來。
終於，嘯吼戰場的秋俄墨得斯開口打破了沉寂：
“阿特柔斯之子，我將率先對你的愚蠢開戰——
在集會上，我的王者，此乃我的權利。所以，不要對我暴跳
如雷。達奈人中，我的勇氣是你嘲諷的第一個目標；
你誣我膽小，不是上戰場的材料。這一切，
阿耳吉維人無不知曉，不管是年老的，還是年輕的兵壯。
工於心計的剋羅諾斯之子給你的禮物，
體現在兩個方面：他給了你那支王杖，使你享有別人不可企及
的尊榮；但他沒有給你勇氣，一種最強大的力量。
可憐的人！難道你真的以為，阿開亞人的
兒子們就如你所說的那樣懦弱，那樣經不起戰爭的摔打？
不過，如果你真的想走，那就
走你的吧！歸途就在眼前，水浪邊
停着你從慕凱親帶來的海船，黑壓壓的一片！
其他長發的阿開亞人將留在這邊，
直到攻下這座城堡，攻下特洛伊！即使他們
也想駕着海船，跑回他們熱愛的鄉園，
我們二人，塞奈洛斯和我，也要留下，用戰鬥迎來
特洛伊的末日——別忘了，我們和神明一起前來！”
聽罷這番話，阿開亞人的兒子們全都放聲高呼，
贊同馴馬能手秋俄墨得斯的回答。其時，
人群裏站起了車戰者奈斯托耳，說道：
“圖丟斯之子，論戰鬥，你勇冠全軍；
論謀辯，你亦是同齡人中的姣傑。
阿開亞人中，誰也不能輕視你的意見，反駁你的
言論。然而，剛纔，你卻沒有順着話題，道出解决問題的方案。
我知道，你還年輕；論年齡，你甚至可做我的兒子，
最小的兒子。儘管如此，你，面對阿耳吉維人的
王者，說話頭頭是道，條理分明。
現在，讓我也說上幾句，因為我自謂比你年高，
能夠兼顧問題的各個方面。誰也不能
蔑視我的話語，包括強有力的阿伽門農。
誰個熱衷於和自己人為敵，挑起可怕的爭鬥，以此沽名釣譽，
誰就將和他的部族、家庭和祖傳的習規絶緣。‘
眼下，我們還是接受黑夜的規勸，準備
晚餐。各處崗哨要準時就位，
佈置在護墻前，我們挖出的壕溝邊。
這些是我對年輕人的勸導。接着，
應由你，阿特柔斯之子，作為最高貴的王者，行使統帥的責權。
擺開宴席，招待各位首領；這是你的義務，和你的
身份相符。你的營棚裏有的是美酒，
阿開亞人的海船每天從斯拉凱運來，跨越寬闊的海面。
盛情款待是你的份事，你統治着衆多的兵民。
衆人聚會，我們要看誰能提出最好的建議，
以他的見解是從。眼下，阿開亞人，我們全軍，亟需聽到
中肯、合用的主張——敵人已迫近海船，
燃起千百堆篝火。此情此景，誰能看後心悅？
成敗定於今晚，要麽全軍潰敗，要麽熬過難關。”
人們認真聽完他的講話，服從了他的安排。
哨兵迅速出動，全副武裝，分別有各位頭領管帶。
他們是：奈斯托耳之子斯拉蘇墨得斯，兵士的牧者；
阿斯卡拉福斯和伊阿耳墨諾斯，阿瑞斯的兩個兒子；
墨裏俄奈斯、阿法柔斯和德伊普洛斯，
還有卓越的魯科墨得斯，剋雷昂之子。
七位頭領各帶一百名哨兵，
手持長槍的兵勇。他們在
壕溝和土墻間就位，
點起營火，操備各自的晚餐。
與此同時，阿特柔斯之子領着各路統兵的首領
來到營棚，排開豐盛的宴席；
衆首領伸出手來，抓起眼前的佳餚。
當他們滿足了吃喝的欲望，
奈斯托耳首先發話，提出經過考慮的意見，
在此之前，老人的勸議從來是最合用的良方。
懷着對衆人的善意，他起身說道：
阿特柔斯之子，最高貴的王者，阿伽門農，全軍的統帥！
我的勸議將以你結束，也將以你開始，
因為你統領着浩蕩的大軍：宙斯把王杖交在
你的手裏，使你有了决斷的權力，得以訓導麾下的兵丁。
所以，你不僅要說，而且也要聽，
要善於納用別人的建議——當他受心靈的催使，為了全軍的
利益進言。這樣，不管他說了什麽，功勞都將記在你的名下。
現在，我將告訴你我認為最合宜的辦法，
誰也提不出比這更好的勸解——
此念早已有之，已在我心裏藴釀多時。
它産生於，卓越的王者，你不顧我們的意願，
從憤怒的阿基琉斯的營棚，強行帶走
布裏塞伊斯姑娘的那一天。就我而言，我曾
竭力勸阻，而你卻被高傲和狂怒
蒙住了雙眼，屈辱了一位了不起的戰勇，一位
連神都尊敬的凡人——你奪走了他的戰禮，至今占為己有。
然而，即便遲了些，讓我們設法彌補過失，勸他回心轉意，
用誠摯的懇求和表示善意的札願。”
聽罷這番話，軍隊的統帥阿伽門農說道：
“老人傢，你對我的狂妄行為的評述，一分不假。
我是瘋了，連我自己也不想否認。阿基琉斯
是個以一當百的壯勇，宙斯對他傾註了歡愛——
眼下，為了給他增光，宙斯正懲治着阿開亞兵漢。
但是，既然我當時瞎了眼，聽任惡怒的驅使，
現在，我願彌補過失，拿出難以估價的償禮。
當着你等的臉面，我要—一點出這些光彩奪目的禮物：
七個從未過火的銅鼎，十塔蘭同黃金，二十口
閃亮的大鍋，十二匹強健的駿馬，車賽中
用飛快的蹄腿為我贏得奬品的良駒。一個人，有了
它們為我爭來的奬品，就不會缺財少物，
也不會短缺貴重的黃金，
倘若擁有這些風快的駿馬替我爭來的奬品。
我要給他七名萊斯波斯女子，姿色傾城，
女工精熟——阿基琉斯，是的，阿基琉斯攻破堅固的
斯波斯城後，我為自己挑定的戰禮。
我將給他這一切，連同我從他那裏帶走的女子，
布裏修斯的女兒。我要莊嚴起誓，
我從未和她睡覺，從未和她同床，
雖說男女之間，此乃人之常情。
這一切馬上即將歸他所有；此外，倘若
神祗允許我們蕩劫普裏阿摩斯豐足的城堡，
分享戰禮時，我們將讓他入城，
盡情攫取，用黃金和青銅填滿他的船艙。
我們將任他挑選，挑選二十名特洛伊女子，
色貌僅次於阿耳戈斯的海倫。
另外，倘若我們回到阿開亞的阿耳戈斯，成片的沃土，
他可做我的女婿，受到我的尊愛，和俄瑞斯忒斯一樣——
我兒現已成年，在舒奢的環境中長大。
我有三個女兒，生活在我的精固的城堡，
剋魯索塞彌絲、勞迪凱和伊菲阿娜莎，
由他選帶一位，不要聘禮，
回到裴琉斯的傢居。我還要陪送
一份嫁妝，分量之巨，為父者前所未及。
我將給他七座人丁興旺的城堡，
卡耳達慕勒、厄諾培和芳草萋萋的希瑞，
神聖的菲萊，草澤豐美的安塞亞，
美麗的埃裴亞和豐産葡萄的裴達索斯，
全都去海不遠，地處多沙的普洛斯的邊端。
那裏的人民牛羊成群，將像敬神似的敬他，
給他成堆的禮物，順仰王杖的權威，
接受他的督令，享過美滿的生活。
這一切都將成為現實，衹要他平息心中的憤怒。
讓他服從我的安排。哀地斯從不順服，殘忍兇暴，
因而是凡人恨之最切的神明。
讓他順從我的意志，我乃地位更高的君王。
此外，論年紀，不是吹牛，我亦是他的長者。”
聽罷這番話，奈斯托耳，格瑞尼亞的車戰者，答道：
“阿特柔斯之子，最高貴的王者，全軍的統帥阿伽門農，
軍營裏，誰也不敢小看你給王者阿基琉斯的
禮物。好吧，讓我們挑出人選，趕快出發，
前往裴琉斯之子阿基琉斯的營棚。
這樣吧，誰被我看中．誰就得執行這項使命。
我打算先挑福伊尼剋斯，宙斯鐘愛的凡人，由他引路；
讓魁偉的埃阿斯和卓越的俄底修斯同行。
至於跟行的使者，我願推舉俄底俄斯和歐魯巴忒斯。
快端水來，讓他們洗淨雙手。保持神聖的肅靜，
使我們能對剋羅諾斯之子祈禱，祈求他的憐憫。”
聽罷這番話，衆人無不歡欣鼓舞。
使者隨即倒出淨水，淋洗他們的雙手；
年輕人將美酒註滿兌缸，先在衆人的
飲具裏略倒一點祭神，然後滿杯添平在各位的手中。
灑過奠酒，他們開懷痛飲，喝得心滿意足，
舉步離開阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農的營棚。
奈斯托耳，格瑞尼亞的車戰者，對他們諄諄告誡，
銳利的目光掃視着每一個人，尤其是俄底修斯，
要他們好生勸解，說服裴琉斯之子，英勇無敵的阿基琉斯。
於是，埃阿斯和俄底修斯擡腿走去，沿着濤聲震響的
海灘，一遍遍地祈禱，對環圍和震撼大地的尊神，
希望能順順當當地說服阿基琉斯，使他回心轉意。
他們行至慕耳彌鼕人的營棚和海船，
發現阿基琉斯正投琴自娛，
竪琴聲脆悅耳，做工考究，外表美觀，安着銀質的琴橋，
得之於擄掠的戰禮——他曾攻破厄提昂的城堡。
其時，他正以此琴愉悅自己的心懷，唱頌着英雄們的業績。
帕特羅剋洛斯獨自坐在他的對面，靜候
埃阿科斯的後代[●]唱完他的段子。
●埃阿科斯的後代：或“埃阿科斯的兒子”（不能照字面理解）。阿基琉斯
乃裴琉斯之子，埃阿科斯的孫子。
他們朝着阿基琉斯走去，由卓越的俄底修斯領頭，
站在他的面前。阿基琉斯驚喜過望，跳將起來，
手中仍然握着堅琴，離開下坐的椅子；
與此同時，帕特羅剋洛斯亦起身相迎。
捷足的阿基琉斯開口招呼，說道：
“歡迎，歡迎！瞧，我的朋友們來了，在我求之不得的當口；
阿開亞人中，你們是我最親密的朋友，即便在眼下怒氣衝衝的
時候！”
卓越的阿基琉斯言罷，引着他們前行，
讓他們坐上鋪着紫色毛毯的椅子，
隨即囑咐站在近旁的帕特羅剋洛斯：
“墨諾伊提俄斯之子，準備一隻碩大的兌缸，
調上濃濃的美酒，再拿一些杯子，人手一個——
今天置身營棚的客人是我最尊愛的朋伴。”
帕特羅剋洛斯得令而去，遵從親愛的伴友，
搬起一大塊木段，近離燃燒的柴火，
鋪上一頭綿羊的和一頭肥山羊的脊背，
外搭一條肥豬的脊肉，挂着厚厚的油膘。
奧忒墨鼕抓住生肉，由卓越的阿基瓊斯動刀肢解，
仔細地切成小塊，挑上叉尖。與此同時，
墨諾伊提俄斯之子，神一樣的凡人，燃起熊熊的柴火。
當木柴燒竭，火苗熄滅後，
他把餘燼鋪開，懸空架出烤叉，
置於支點上，遍撒出神聖的食????。
烤熟後，他把肉塊肥叉裝盤。
接着，帕特羅剋洛斯拿出面包，就着精美的條籃，放在
桌面上；與此同時，阿基琉斯分放着烤肉。
隨後，他在對面的墻邊下坐，朝對神一樣的
俄底修斯，囑告帕特羅剋洛斯，他的夥伴，
獻肉祭神，後者把頭刀割下的熟肉扔進火裏。
祭畢，他們伸手抓起眼前的佳餚。
當他們滿足了吃喝的欲望，
埃阿斯對福伊尼剋斯點頭示意，卓越的俄底修斯見狀，
滿斟一盅，對着阿基琉斯舉杯說道：
“祝你健康，阿基琉斯！我們不缺可口的美味，
無論是在阿特桑斯之子阿伽門農的餐桌前，
還是現在，置身於你的營棚中。我們有吃喝不完的
酒肉。但是，纏磨我們心緒的，此刻不是可口的美食，而是
一種對災難的預感，沉重得讓人無法忍受。看着這種前景，
宙斯養育的王者，我們不能不怕。我們能否保住凳板堅固的
海船，使它們免遭摧殘，此事確實令人擔憂，出路衹有一條，
請你抖擻精神，排險殺敵。
特洛伊人氣勢洶洶，會同聲名遐邇的盟友，
正圍抵着護墻和海船駐兵，沿着營地
點起千百堆篝火，不再以為受到
圍阻，而是準備殺上烏黑的海船。
剋羅諾斯之子宙斯甩出閃電，打在他們的右前方，
顯送了吉祥的示兆，而赫剋托耳則挾着勇力，
堅信宙斯的助佑，以不可抵禦的狂怒，橫掃戰場，
神人不讓！狂烈的暴怒迷盲了他的心竅。
他企盼神聖的黎明盡快到來，
揚言要砍斷船尾的聳角，
用猖 莽的烈火燒毀海船，殺死
逃生煙火的阿開亞兵漢。
對這一切，我打心眼裏害怕，擔心
神明會兌現他們的們告，擔心我等是否
命裏註定要死在這裏，遠離阿耳戈斯，馬草肥美的故鄉。
振作起來，如果你還想——儘管為時已晚——
把遭受重創的阿開亞人的兒子們救出特洛伊人的屠宰。
拒絶嗎？日後，你的心靈將為之楚痛；災禍一旦造成，
便再也找不到補救的途徑。行動起來，趁着
還有一點時間，好好想一想，如何擋開這個倒黴的日子，為苦
戰中的達奈人！
哦，我的老朋友，還記得臨行前乃父對你的囑告嗎？
那一天，他讓你離開弗西亞，前往聚會阿伽門農：
‘要力氣，我的兒，雅典娜和赫拉，如果願意，
自會賜送給你；但是，你要剋製自己的盛怒，
你那顆高傲的心魂。心平氣和，息事寧人，
不要捲人爭吵，害人的糾紛；如此，阿耳吉維兵壯
會加倍敬你，無論是年輕、還是年老的戰勇。’
這便是老人的叮囑，你已忘得一幹二淨。然而，儘管事至今日，
你仍可抓住最後的時機，甩掉殘害身心的暴怒。
阿伽門農將給你豐厚的償禮，衹要你接受息怒的要求。
聽着，聽我數說他已答應給你的
禮物，堆擠在他的營棚裏：
七個從未過火的銅鼎，十塔蘭同黃金，二十口
光閃閃的大鍋，十二匹強健的駿馬，車賽中
用飛快的蹄腿為他贏得奬品的良駒。一個人，有了
它們為他爭來的奬品，就不會缺財少物，
也不會短缺貴重的黃金——倘若擁有
阿伽門農那風快的駿馬為他爭回的奬品。
他將給你七名萊斯波斯女子，姿色傾城，
女工精熟——你，阿基琉斯，攻破堅固的
萊斯波斯後，他為自己挑定的戰禮。
他將給你這一切，連同他從你這裏帶走的女子，
布裏修斯的女兒。他還莊嚴起誓，
他從未和姑娘睡覺，從未和她同床，
雖說男女之間，此乃人之常情。
這一切馬上就將歸你所有。此外，倘若
神祗允許我們蕩劫普裏阿摩斯豐足的城堡，
分享戰禮時，我們將讓你入城，
盡情攫取，用黃金和青銅填滿你的船艙。
你可挑選二十名特洛伊女子，
色貌僅次於阿耳戈斯的海倫。
再者，倘若我們回到阿開亞的阿耳戈斯，成片的沃土，
你可做他的女婿，受到他的尊愛，和俄瑞斯忒斯一樣——
王子現已成年，在舒奢的環境中長大。
他有三個女兒，生活在王者精固的城堡，
剋魯索塞彌絲、勞迪凱和伊菲阿娜莎，
由你選帶一位，不要聘禮，
回到裴琉斯的傢居。他還要陪送
一份嫁收，分量之巨，為父者前所未及。
他將給你七座人丁興旺的城堡，
卡耳達慕勒、厄諾培和芳草萋萋的希瑞，
神聖的菲萊，草澤豐美的安塞亞。
美麗的埃裴亞和豐産葡萄的裴達索斯。
全都去海不遠，地處多沙的普洛斯的邊端。
那裏的人民牛羊成群，將像敬神似的敬你，
給你成堆的禮物，順仰王杖的權威，
接從你的督令，享過美滿的生活。
他將使這一切成為現實，衹要你平息心中的憤怒。
但是，倘若你因此更加痛恨阿特柔斯之子，
恨他的為人和禮物，至少也應憐憫其他
阿開亞人，此時正飽受着戰爭的煎磨——他們會像敬神
似的敬你。在他們眼裏，你將成為功業顯赫的英雄。
現在，你或許可以殺了赫剋托耳；他會挾着瘋暴的狂怒，
衝到你的面前——他以為，在坐船來到
此地的其他達奈人中，沒有他的對手。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“萊耳忒斯之子，宙斯的後裔，足智多謀的俄底修斯，
我必須直抒己見，告訴你
我的想法，以及事情的結局，使你們
不致輪番前來，坐在我的身邊，嘮叨個沒完。
我痛恨死神的門檻，也痛恨那個傢夥，
他心口不一，想的是一套，說的是另一套。
然而，我將對你真話直說——在我看來，此舉最妥。
阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農不能把我說服，告訴你，
不能，其他達奈人亦然。瞧瞧我的
處境，和強敵搏殺，不停息地戰鬥，最後卻得不到什麽酬還。
命運以同樣的方式對待退縮不前和勇敢戰鬥的人們，
同樣的榮譽等待着勇士和懦夫。
死亡照降不誤，哪怕你遊手偷閑，哪怕你纍斷了骨頭。
我得到了什麽呢？啥也沒有；衹是在永無休止的
惡戰中耗磨我的生命，折磨自己的身心。
像一隻母鳥，銜着碎小的食物——不管找到什麽——
哺喂待長羽翅的雛小，而自己卻總是含辛茹苦；
就像這樣，我熬過了一個個不眠之夜，
挨過了一天天碟血的苦鬥，
為了搶奪敵方壯勇的妻子，和他們拼死抗爭。
駕着海船，我蕩劫過十二座城堡；經由陸路，
在肥沃的特洛伊大地，我記得，我還劫掃過十一座。
我掠得大量的戰禮，成堆的好東西，從這些城堡，
拖拽回來，交給阿伽門農，阿特桑斯
之子。此人總是蹭守在後面的快船邊，
收下戰禮，一點一點地分給別人，自己卻獨占大頭。
他把某些戰禮分給首領和王者，而他們至今保留着
自己的份額。惟獨從我這裏——在所有阿開亞人中——
他奪走並強占了我的妻伴，心愛的女人。讓他去和布裏塞伊絲
睡覺，享受同床的歡樂！然而，阿耳吉維人為何對特洛伊人開
戰？
阿特柔斯之子又為何把兵募馬，把我們
帶到這裏？還不是為了奪回長發秀美的海倫？
凡人中，難道衹有阿特柔斯的兩個兒子纔知道
鐘愛自己的妻房？不！任何體面。懂事的男子都
喜歡和鐘愛自己的女人，像我一樣，
真心熱愛我的布魯塞伊絲，雖然她是我用槍矛擄來的女俘。
現在，阿伽門農已從我手中奪走我的戰禮，欺騙了我，
難道還好意思勸我回心轉意嗎？我瞭解這個人；他休想把我．
說服！俄底修斯，讓他和你及其他王者們商議，
如何將兇 莽的烈火擋離他的海船。
瞧，沒有我，他也完成了一項重大的工程，
築起了一堵護墻，圍着它挖出一條壕溝，
一條寬闊深廣的溝塹，埋設了尖樁。不過，
即便如此，他仍然擋不住殺人狂赫剋托耳的
勇力。當我和阿開亞人一起戰鬥時，
赫剋托耳從來不敢遠離城墻衝殺，
最多衹能跑到斯開亞門和橡樹一帶。那一天，
他見我衹身一人，打算和我交手，差一點沒有躲過我的擊殺。
但現在，我卻無意和卓越的赫剋托耳打鬥；
明天一早，我將祀祭宙斯和各位神祗，
裝滿我的海船，駛嚮汪洋大海。
如果你願意，如果你有這個興趣，不妨出來看看——
曙光裏，我的船隊行駛在赫勒斯龐特水面，魚群遊聚的地方；
我的水手穩坐凳板，興致勃勃地蕩槳嚮前！
倘若光榮的裂地之神送賜一條安全的水路，
迎着第三天的晝光，我們即可踏上土地肥沃的弗西亞。
家乡有我豐足的財富，全被撇在身後，為了開始
那次倒黴的航程。從這裏，我將帶回更多的東西，
黃金、絳紅的青銅、束腰秀美的女子和灰黑的鑄鐵——這一切
的一切，都是我苦戰所得的份子。但是，我失去了我的戰禮，
那個把它給我的人，阿特柔斯之子，強有力的阿伽門農，復又
橫蠻地奪走了它。回去吧，把我說的一切全部公公開開地
告訴他，這樣，如果他下次再存心蒙騙另一個
達奈人——這傢夥總是這般厚顔無恥——
人們便會出於公憤，群起攻之。然而，儘管他像
狗一樣勇莽，他卻不敢再正視我的眼睛！
我再也不會和他議事，也不會和他一起行動。
他騙了我，也傷害了我。我絶不會再被他的
花言巧語所迷惑——一次還不夠嗎？！讓他
滾下地獄去吧，多謀善斷的宙斯已奪走他的心智。
我討厭他的禮物。在我眼裏，它就像屑末一般。
我不會改變主意，哪怕他給我十倍、甚至二十倍的東西——
就像他現在擁有的這麽多——哪怕他能從其他地方挖出更多
的財物，無論是匯集在俄耳科墨諾斯的庫藏，還是積聚在
塞拜的珍寶——這座埃及人的城市，擁藏着人間最豐盈的
財富，塞拜，擁有一百座大門的城！通過每個城門，衝馳出
兩百名武士，駕趕着車馬，殺奔戰場！
我絶不會改變主意，哪怕他的禮物多得像沙粒和泥塵一樣！
即便如此，阿伽門農也休想使我回心轉意；
我要他徹底償付他的橫蠻給我帶來的揪心裂肺的屈辱！
我也不會和阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農的女兒成婚，
哪怕她姿色勝過金色的阿芙羅底忒，
女工勝過灰眼睛的雅典娜——即便如此，
我也不會要她！讓他另外找個阿開亞女婿，
找個他喜歡的，比我更具王者氣派的精壯！
倘若神祗讓我活命，倘若我能生還傢園，
裴琉斯會親自張羅，為我選定妻房。
衆多的阿開亞姑娘等候在赫拉斯和弗西亞，
各處頭領的女兒，她們的父親統守着各自的城堡。
我可任意挑選一位，做我心愛的夫人。
我的內心一次次地催促，催我在家乡
挑一位稱心如意的伴侶，結婚成親，
共享年邁的裴琉斯爭聚的財富。我以為，
我的生命比財富更為可貴——即便是，按人們所說的，
在過去的日子裏，阿開亞人的兒子們尚未到來的和平時期，
伊利昂，這座堅固的城堡，曾經擁有的全部金銀；
即便是神射手用硬石封擋起來的珍寶，
福伊波斯·阿波羅的庫藏，在石岩嶙峋的普索。
牛和肥羊可以通過劫掠獲取，
三腳銅鼎和頭面慄黃的戰馬可以通過交易獲得，
但人的魂息，一旦滑出齒隙，便
無法再用暴劫追回，也不能通過易賈復歸。
我的母親、銀腳塞提絲對我說過，
我帶着兩種命運，走嚮死的末日：
如果呆在這裏，戰鬥在特洛伊人的城邊，
我就返傢無望，但卻可贏得永久的光榮；
如果返回傢園，回到我所熱愛的故鄉，
我的光榮和榮譽將不復存在，但卻可以
信享天年，死的終期將不會匆匆臨頭。
此外，我還要敦勸大傢返
回傢，因為破城無望——沉雷遠播的宙斯
正用他的巨手護蓋着陡峭的城堡，
高聳的伊利昂——它的士兵正越戰越勇。
所以，你等回去復見阿開亞人的首領，
帶着我的口信，此乃統兵者的權益：
讓他們好好想一想，找出個更好的辦法，
救護自己的海船，拯救阿開亞人的軍隊，
此刻已被逼臨深曠的海船。由於我盛怒未息，眼下的方案，
即他們設計的打法，不會改變戰局。
不過，可讓福伊尼剋斯留下，在此過夜，
以便明晨坐船，返回我們熱愛的故鄉。
但此事取决於他的意願，本人無意逼迫牽強。”
阿基琉斯言罷，衆人緘默，肅然無聲，
驚詫於他的話語，強厲的言詞。
終於，年邁的車戰者福伊尼剋斯開口打破了沉寂，
他淚如雨下，擔心着阿開亞人的船舟：
“真的一心想要回傢嗎，光榮的阿基琉斯？
真的不願把這無情的烈火擋離我們
迅捷的海船？看來，胸中的暴怒確已迷糊了你的心智！
至於我，我又怎能和你分離，親愛的孩子，留在此地，
孑然一身？年邁的車戰者裴琉斯要我和你同行，
那一天，他讓你離開弗西亞，參加阿伽門農的遠征，
你，一個未經事故的孩子，既不會應付戰爭的險惡，
也沒有辯說的經驗——雄辯使人出類拔萃。
所以，他讓我和你同行，教你掌握這些本領，
成為一名能說會道的辯者，敢作敢為的勇士。
為此，我不願離開你，我的孩子，不願
留在此地，即使神明親口對我許願，
替我颳去年齡的皺層，使我重返青壯，
像當年首次離開出美女的赫拉斯時那樣，
為了逃離和父親、俄耳墨洛斯之子阿門托耳的
糾葛——那時，他正大發雷霆，為了一個秀發的情婦。
他對此女思愛有加，冷辱了原配的妻子，
我的母親；後者一次次地抱住我的膝蓋，懇求我
和他的情人睡覺，使她討厭老人的愛情。我接受
母親的懇求，做了她要我做的事情。但是，父親疑心頓起，
對我咒語重重，祈求殘忍的復仇女神，
讓我永遠不得生子，出自我的精血，嬉鬧在
他的膝頭。神祗答應了他的請求，統管地府的
宙斯[●]和尊貴的女神裴耳塞豐奈。
●統管地府的宙斯；指哀地斯。
於是，我産生了殺他的念頭，用鋒快的青銅，
但一位神明阻止了我的暴怒，要我當心
紛揚的謠傳，記住人言可畏，
不要讓阿開亞人指着脊背咒駡：此人殺了自己的親爹！
其時，我心緒紛亂，熱血沸騰，面對
狂怒的父親，再也無法徜行在他的房居。
然而，一群同族的親友和堂表兄弟圍着我，
把我留在傢院，求我不要出走。
他們宰了衆多的肥羊，腿步蹣跚的彎角
壯牛，還有成群的肥豬，挂着晶亮的油膘，
挑上叉尖，架上赫法伊斯托斯的柴火，燒去畜毛。
大傢夥開懷痛飲，喝幹了老人收藏的一罎罎美酒。
一連幾個晚上，他們伴隨在我的身旁，
輪番守候。柴火熊熊，從未熄滅，
一堆點在籬墻堅固的庭院裏，門邊的柱廊下，
另一堆燃燒在我睡房門外的廳廊裏。
及至第十個夜晚，伸手不見五指，
我捅破製合堅固的房門，
溜之大吉，躍過院墻，
動作輕盈，瞞過了看守和女僕。
接着，我遠走高飛，浪跡在遼闊的赫拉斯，
最後來到土地肥沃的弗西亞，羊群的母親，
找到國王裴琉斯，後者熱情地收留了我。
裴琉斯愛我，就像父親疼愛自己的兒子，
承繼豐廣傢産的獨苗。他使我
成為富人，給了我衆多的子民，
統治着多洛裴斯人，坐鎮在弗西亞的最邊端。
阿基琉斯，我培育和造就了你，使你像神一樣英武；
我愛你，發自我的內心。兒時，你不願跟別人
外出赴宴，或在自己的廳堂裏用餐，
除非我讓你坐在我的膝頭，先割下小塊的碎肉，
讓你吃個痛快，再把酒杯貼近你的嘴唇。
你常常吐出酒來，精濕我的衫衣，
小孩子隨心所欲，弄得我狼狽不堪。
就這樣，我為你耿耿辛勞，吃夠了昔頭，
心裏老是嘀咕，神明竟然不讓我有親生的
兒子。所以，神一樣的阿基琉斯，我把你
當做自己的孩子，指望有朝一日．你能為我排解災愁。
今天，阿基琉斯，壓下你這狂暴的盛怒！你不能
如此鐵石心腸。就連神明也會屈讓，
儘管和我們相比，他們更剛烈，更強健，享領更多的尊榮。
倘若有人做下錯事，犯了規矩，他可通過懇求
甚至使神祗姑息容讓，用祭品和
虔誠的許願，用滿杯的奠酒和濃熟的香煙。
要知道，祈求是強有力的宙斯之女，她們
瘸着腿，滿臉皺紋，睜着斜視的眼睛，
艱難地邁着步子，遠遠地跟行在毀滅的後頭。
毀滅腿腳強健、迅捷，超趕過
每一位析求，搶先行至各地，使人們
失足受難。祈求跟在後面，醫治她們帶來的傷愁。
當宙斯的女兒走近時，有人如果尊敬她們，
她們便會給他帶來莫大的好處，聆聽他的求告；
但是，倘若有人離棄她們，用粗暴的言詞一味拒絶，
她們就會走嚮宙斯，剋羅諾斯之子，求他
囑令毀滅，追拿此人，使他遭難，吃罪受懲。
息怒吧，阿基琉斯，尊敬宙斯的女兒，你不應
例外——尊敬能使別人，包括英雄，改變心念。
倘若阿特柔斯之子沒有表示要給你這些禮物，
列數了更多的承諾，倘若他還暴怒不息，
我便决然不會勸你罷息怒氣，前往
助保阿耳吉維兵壯，儘管他們心急火燎的需要你。
但現在，他要給你這麽多財禮，並答應日後還有更多的東西；
他派出最好的人來求你，從阿開亞
軍隊中挑選出來的首領，全軍中
你最尊愛的朋友。不要讓他們白費唇舌，
虛勞此行，雖然在此之前，誰也不能責怪你的憤怒。
從前，也有此類事情，我們聽說過，
狂暴的盛怒折服過了不起的英雄。
然而，人們仍然可用禮物和勸說使他們回心轉意。
我還記得一段舊事，一件不是新近發生的往事，我還記得
它的經過。你們都是我的朋友，我願對你們舊事重提。
在卡魯鼕城下，庫瑞忒斯人和壯實的埃托利亞人[●]
●埃托利亞人：此處取其狹意，指卡魯鼕人。
曾經大打出手，你殺我砍，
埃托利亞人保衛着美麗的卡魯鼕，而庫瑞忒斯人
則急不可待地意欲毀掉它的城垣。
事發的起因是俄伊紐斯沒有把最先摘取的鮮果
奉獻給享用金座的阿耳忒彌絲，憤怒的女神於是
降下災禍——他讓衆神享用豐盛的祀祭，
惟獨拉下了大神宙斯的這個女兒。
他忘了，或許是疏忽了——一個致命的失誤！
憤怒的羽箭女神，宙斯的孩子，
趕來一頭兇猛的野豬，齜着一對白錚錚的獠牙，
橫衝直撞，肆意蹂躪俄伊紐斯的果園。
掀翻一棵棵果樹，橫七竪八地倒躺，
根須暴露，花果落地，林國毀於一旦。
但是，墨勒阿革羅斯，俄伊紐斯之子，殺了這頭野豬，
召聚起許多獵手，來自衆多的城堡，帶着
獵狗——須知人少了除不掉這個畜牲，
長得如此粗大，把許多活人送上了沾滿淚水的柴火。
然而，女神隨之又挑起一場爭端，殺聲震天的
戰鬥，為了搶奪豬頭和粗糙的皮張，
庫瑞忒斯人和心胸豪壯的埃托利亞人以死相爭。
衹要嗜戰的墨勒阿革羅斯不停止戰鬥，
庫瑞忒斯人便衹有節節敗退，儘管人多勢衆，
甚至難以在自己的城前站穩腳跟。
然而，當暴怒揪住墨勒阿革羅斯——同樣的憤怒
也會襲掃其他人的心胸，雖然他們較能剋製——
他，心懷對生母阿爾莎婭的憤怒，
躺倒床上，妻子的身邊，剋勒娥帕特拉，
長得風姿綽約，腳型秀美的瑪耳裴莎的女兒，
瑪耳裴莎，歐厄諾斯之女，伊達斯的妻子，當時人世間
最強健的壯勇——為了這位腳型秀美的女子，
甚至對着福伊波斯·阿波羅拿起過強弓。
在自傢的廳堂裏，瑪耳裴莎的父親和尊貴的母親
總愛叫她阿爾庫娥奈[●]，因為她的親娘，
●阿爾庫娥奈：Alkuone，意為“海鳥”。
悲念自己的命運，曾像海鳥似地凄叫，
痛哭嚎啕——發箭遠方的福伊波斯·阿波羅奪走了她的女兒。
其時，睡躺在剋勒娥帕特拉身旁，墨勒阿格羅斯心情憤懣
憂悒，痛恨母親的詛咒——出於對兄弟之死的
哀悼，她祈求神明懲罰兒子。
她死命地擊打着滋養萬物的大地，
躺倒在地上，淚濕胸襟，
對着死神和尊貴的裴耳塞豐奈哭叫，
祈求神們殺死她的兒子。善行夜路的厄裏努絲，
心狠手辣的復仇女神，聽到了她的聲音，在黑洞洞的陰府。
突然間，門外響起喧喊，庫瑞忒斯人發出震天的吼聲，
把城樓打得嘣嘣作響。埃托利亞人的首領們苦苦
勸求，派來了敬奉神明的最高貴的祭司，
要他出戰保衛城民。他們答應拿出一份厚禮，
讓他在美麗的卡魯鼕，土質最豐腴的
地段，挑選一塊上好的屬地，
五十頃之多，一半為葡萄園，
另一半是平原上的沃野，靜候犁耕。
年邁的車戰者俄伊紐斯一遍遍地求他，
站在頂面高聳的睡房的門檻前，
搖動緊拴的房門，懇求自己的兒子。
尊貴的母親和姐妹們也來一次次地
相求，衹是遭到更嚴厲的拒絶。前來求勸的
還有戰場上的夥伴，他最尊敬和喜愛的人們。
然而，就連他們也不能使他心還，
直到石塊猛擊着他的睡房，庫瑞忒斯人
開始爬攀城墻，放火焚燒雄偉的城堡。
終於，墨勒阿革羅斯束腰秀美的妻子也開始求勸，
淚水涌註，對他數說破城後
市民們將要遭受的種種苦難：
他們將殺盡男人，把城堡燒成灰燼；
陌生的兵丁將擄走兒童和束腰緊深的婦女。
耳聽此般描述，墨勒阿革羅斯熱血沸騰，
起身扣上提亮的鎧甲，衝出房門。
就這樣，他屈從了心靈的驅策，使埃托利亞人
避免了末日的苦痛。然而，城民們已不再會給他
豐足的禮物，成堆的好東西；儘管如此，他還是為前者擋開
一場災愁。聽着，我的朋友，不要把這種念頭埋在心裏，
不要讓激情把你推上歧路。事情將會
難辦許多，及至木船着火，再去搶救。接過可以
到手的禮物，投入戰鬥！阿開亞人會像敬神似的敬你。
如果拒絶償禮，以後又介入屠人的戰鬥，
你的榮譽就不會如此顯赫，儘管打退了敵手。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“我不需要這份榮譽，宙斯養育的福伊尼剋斯，我年邁的
父親。我以為，我已從宙斯的諭令中得到光榮，
它將伴隨着我，在這彎翹的海船邊，衹要生命的
魂息還駐留在我的胸腔，衹要我的雙膝還能站挺直立。
我還有一事相告，你要牢記心中。
不要再哭哭啼啼，用悲傷來煩擾我的心靈，
討取壯士阿伽門農的歡喜。為他爭光，
於你無益；這會引來我的憤恨，雖然我很愛你。
和我一起，傷害攻擊我的人，你應該由此感到舒恰。
同我一起為王，平分我的榮譽。
他們會帶回勸答的結果，你就留在這裏，
睡在鬆軟的床上。明晨拂曉，我們將决定
是返航回傢，還是繼續逗留此地。”
言罷，他擰着雙眉，對着帕特羅剋洛斯默默點頭，
要他為福伊尼剋斯準備一張鋪墊厚實的睡床，以此
告示來者，要他們趕快動身。其時，忒拉蒙之子。
神一樣的埃阿斯開口說道：
“我們走吧，萊耳忒斯之子，宙斯的後裔，足智多謀的
俄底修斯。我想，此番出使，懇切的勸說，
不會得到什麽結果，倒不如趕快回去，
把事情的經過，不是什麽好消息，轉告達奈兵壯，
他們正坐等我們的回歸。阿基琉斯
已把高傲的心志推嚮狂暴。
他粗魯、橫蠻，漠視朋友的尊誼——
我們給他的東西比給誰的都多，在停駐的海船旁。
好一個冷酷無情的莽漢！換個人，誰都會接受償禮，
殺親的血價，兄弟的，孩子的；而殺人者，
衹要付出賠償，仍可安居在自己的國度。
接收償禮後，受害者的親人會剋製自己的榮譽感
和復仇的衝動。但是，你，神明已在你心中引發了狂虐的、
不可平息的盛怒，僅僅是為了一個，是的，衹是為了一個
姑娘！然而，我們答應給你七名絶色的女子，
外加成堆的財物。阿基琉斯，在你的心裏註入幾分仁慈，
尊敬你自己的房居。瞧，我們都在你的屋頂下，
達親全軍的代表。阿開亞人中，我們比誰都
更急切地希望，希望能做你最親近和最喜愛的朋友。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“埃阿斯，忒拉蒙之子，宙斯的後裔，軍隊的首領，
你說的一切都對，幾乎道出了我的心聲。
然而，我的心中仍然充滿憤怒，每當
想起阿特柔斯之子對我的侮辱，當着
阿耳吉維人的臉面，仿佛我是個受人鄙棄的流浪漢。
你們這就回去，給他捎去我的口信：
我將不會考慮重上浴血的戰場，
直到普裏阿摩斯之子、卓越的赫剋托耳
一路殺來，衝至慕耳彌鼕人的海船和營棚，
塗炭阿耳吉維兵勇，放火燒黑我們的海船。
然而，儘管殺紅了雙眼，我相信，此人
必將受到遏阻，在我的營棚邊，烏黑的海船旁。”
阿基琉斯言罷，他們拿起雙把的酒杯，人手一個，
灑過莫酒，由俄底修斯領頭，沿着海船四行。
與此同時，帕特羅剋洛斯囑令夥伴和女僕，
趕緊為福伊尼剋斯準備一張褥墊厚實的床鋪。
下手們聞訊而動，按他的命囑整備，
鋪下羊皮，一條毛毯和一席鬆軟的亞麻布床單。
老人倒身床上，等待着閃光的黎明。
阿基琉斯睡在堅固的營棚裏，棚屋的深處，
身邊躺着一個女人，得之於萊斯波斯的戰禮，
福耳巴斯之女，美貌的秋娥墨得。
帕特羅剋洛斯睡在棚屋的另一頭，身邊
亦躺着一位姑娘，束腰秀美的伊菲絲——卓越的阿基琉斯
曾以此女相送，在攻破陡峭的斯庫羅斯；厄努歐斯的城堡後。
當俄底修斯一行回到阿伽門農的營棚，
阿開亞人的兒子們起身相迎，擁站在他們周圍，
舉起金鑄的酒杯，連連發問；
全軍的統帥阿伽門農率先問道：
“告訴我，尊貴的俄底修斯，阿開亞人的光榮和驕傲，
阿基琉斯是否願意擋開船邊兇 莽的烈火，
還是拒絶出戰，高傲的心胸仍然承受着盛怒的煎熬？”
針對此番問話，卓越的、歷經磨難的俄底修斯答道：
“阿特桑斯之子，最高貴的王者，全軍的統帥阿伽門農，
阿基琉斯不僅不打算平息怒氣，相反，他比往常更加
盛怒難消。他拒絶同你和好，不要你的禮物。
他要你自己去和阿耳吉維人商議，
如何拯救海船和阿開亞兵勇。
他親口威脅，明天一早，他將
把彎翹的、凳板堅固的海船拖人大海。
此外，他還說，他要敦勸我們返航
回傢，因為破城無望——沉雷遠播的宙斯
正用自己的巨手護蓋着陡峭的城堡，
高聳的伊利昂——它的士兵正越戰越勇。
這便是他的回答，同行者可以出言為證，
埃阿斯和兩位思路清晰的使者。但是，
年邁的福伊尼剋斯已留下過夜，按阿基琉斯的意思，
以便和他一起坐船，返回他們熱愛的故鄉。
此事取决於福伊尼剋斯的意願，阿基琉斯無意逼迫牽強。”
俄底修斯言罷，衆人緘默，肅然無聲，
驚詫於他的話語，強厲的言詞；
悲痛中，阿開亞人的兒子們半晌說不出話來。
終於，嘯吼戰場的秋俄墨得斯開口打破沉寂，說道：
“阿持柔斯之子，最高貴的王者，全軍的統帥阿伽門農，
但願你沒有懇求豪勇的阿基琉斯，
答應給他成堆的禮物！此人生性高傲，
而你的作為更增強了他的蠻狂，使他益發不知天高地厚。
依我之見，我們不要再去理他，願去願留
由他自便。他會重上戰場，在將來的某個時候，
受心靈的驅使，神明的催督。
好了，按我說的做；讓我們一起行動。
現在，大傢都可回去睡覺，挺着沉甸甸的肚子，
填滿了酒肉，戰士的力氣和剛勇。
但是，當絢美的黎明，垂着玫瑰紅的手指，現身天際時，
阿特柔斯之子，你要即刻行動，排開我們的戰車和兵勇，在擱岸
的海船前，激勵人們衝殺，而你自己則要苦戰在軍陣的最前面。”
聽罷這番話，王者們連聲喝彩，
一致贊同狄俄墨得斯的議言，馴馬的能手。
他們灑過奠酒，分頭回返自己的營棚，
上床就寢，接受酣睡的祝願。
ARGUMENT.
THE EMBASSY TO ACHILLES.
Agamemnon, after the last day's defeat, proposes to the Greeks to quit the
siege, and return to their country. Diomed opposes this, and Nestor
seconds him, praising his wisdom and resolution. He orders the guard to be
strengthened, and a council summoned to deliberate what measures are to be
followed in this emergency. Agamemnon pursues this advice, and Nestor
further prevails upon him to send ambassadors to Achilles, in order to
move him to a reconciliation. Ulysses and Ajax are made choice of, who are
accompanied by old Phoenix. They make, each of them, very moving and
pressing speeches, but are rejected with roughness by Achilles, who
notwithstanding retains Phoenix in his tent. The ambassadors return
unsuccessfully to the camp, and the troops betake themselves to sleep.
This book, and the next following, take up the space of one night, which
is the twenty-seventh from the beginning of the poem. The scene lies on
the sea-shore, the station of the Grecian ships.
Thus joyful Troy maintain'd the watch of night;
While fear, pale comrade of inglorious flight,(199)
And heaven-bred horror, on the Grecian part,
Sat on each face, and sadden'd every heart.
As from its cloudy dungeon issuing forth,
A double tempest of the west and north
Swells o'er the sea, from Thracia's frozen shore,
Heaps waves on waves, and bids the Ægean roar:
This way and that the boiling deeps are toss'd:
Such various passions urged the troubled host,
Great Agamemnon grieved above the rest;
Superior sorrows swell'd his royal breast;
Himself his orders to the heralds bears,
To bid to council all the Grecian peers,
But bid in whispers: these surround their chief,
In solemn sadness and majestic grief.
The king amidst the mournful circle rose:
Down his wan cheek a briny torrent flows.
So silent fountains, from a rock's tall head,
In sable streams soft-trickling waters shed.
With more than vulgar grief he stood oppress'd;
Words, mix'd with sighs, thus bursting from his breast:
"Ye sons of Greece! partake your leader's care;
Fellows in arms and princes of the war!
Of partial Jove too justly we complain,
And heavenly oracles believed in vain.
A safe return was promised to our toils,
With conquest honour'd and enrich'd with spoils:
Now shameful flight alone can save the host;
Our wealth, our people, and our glory lost.
So Jove decrees, almighty lord of all!
Jove, at whose nod whole empires rise or fall,
Who shakes the feeble props of human trust,
And towers and armies humbles to the dust.
Haste then, for ever quit these fatal fields,
Haste to the joys our native country yields;
Spread all your canvas, all your oars employ,
Nor hope the fall of heaven-defended Troy."
He said: deep silence held the Grecian band;
Silent, unmov'd in dire dismay they stand;
A pensive scene! till Tydeus' warlike son
Roll'd on the king his eyes, and thus begun:
"When kings advise us to renounce our fame,
First let him speak who first has suffer'd shame.
If I oppose thee, prince! thy wrath withhold,
The laws of council bid my tongue be bold.
Thou first, and thou alone, in fields of fight,
Durst brand my courage, and defame my might:
Nor from a friend the unkind reproach appear'd,
The Greeks stood witness, all our army heard.
The gods, O chief! from whom our honours spring,
The gods have made thee but by halves a king:
They gave thee sceptres, and a wide command;
They gave dominion o'er the seas and land;
The noblest power that might the world control
They gave thee not--a brave and virtuous soul.
Is this a general's voice, that would suggest
Fears like his own to every Grecian breast?
Confiding in our want of worth, he stands;
And if we fly, 'tis what our king commands.
Go thou, inglorious! from the embattled plain;
Ships thou hast store, and nearest to the main;
A noble care the Grecians shall employ,
To combat, conquer, and extirpate Troy.
Here Greece shall stay; or, if all Greece retire,
Myself shall stay, till Troy or I expire;
Myself, and Sthenelus, will fight for fame;
God bade us fight, and 'twas with God we came."
He ceased; the Greeks loud acclamations raise,
And voice to voice resounds Tydides' praise.
Wise Nestor then his reverend figure rear'd;
He spoke: the host in still attention heard:(200)
"O truly great! in whom the gods have join'd
Such strength of body with such force of mind:
In conduct, as in courage, you excel,
Still first to act what you advise so well.
These wholesome counsels which thy wisdom moves,
Applauding Greece with common voice approves.
Kings thou canst blame; a bold but prudent youth:
And blame even kings with praise, because with truth.
And yet those years that since thy birth have run
Would hardly style thee Nestor's youngest son.
Then let me add what yet remains behind,
A thought unfinish'd in that generous mind;
Age bids me speak! nor shall the advice I bring
Distaste the people, or offend the king:
"Cursed is the man, and void of law and right,
Unworthy property, unworthy light,
Unfit for public rule, or private care,
That wretch, that monster, who delights in war;
Whose lust is murder, and whose horrid joy,
To tear his country, and his kind destroy!
This night, refresh and fortify thy train;
Between the trench and wall let guards remain:
Be that the duty of the young and bold;
But thou, O king, to council call the old;
Great is thy sway, and weighty are thy cares;
Thy high commands must spirit all our wars.
With Thracian wines recruit thy honour'd guests,
For happy counsels flow from sober feasts.
Wise, weighty counsels aid a state distress'd,
And such a monarch as can choose the best.
See what a blaze from hostile tents aspires,
How near our fleet approach the Trojan fires!
Who can, unmoved, behold the dreadful light?
What eye beholds them, and can close to-night?
This dreadful interval determines all;
To-morrow, Troy must flame, or Greece must fall."
Thus spoke the hoary sage: the rest obey;
Swift through the gates the guards direct their way.
His son was first to pass the lofty mound,
The generous Thrasymed, in arms renown'd:
Next him, Ascalaphus, Ialmen, stood,
The double offspring of the warrior-god:
Deipyrus, Aphareus, Merion join,
And Lycomed of Creon's noble line.
Seven were the leaders of the nightly bands,
And each bold chief a hundred spears commands.
The fires they light, to short repasts they fall,
Some line the trench, and others man the wall.
The king of men, on public counsels bent,
Convened the princes in his ample tent,
Each seized a portion of the kingly feast,
But stay'd his hand when thirst and hunger ceased.
Then Nestor spoke, for wisdom long approved,
And slowly rising, thus the council moved.
"Monarch of nations! whose superior sway
Assembled states, and lords of earth obey,
The laws and sceptres to thy hand are given,
And millions own the care of thee and Heaven.
O king! the counsels of my age attend;
With thee my cares begin, with thee must end.
Thee, prince! it fits alike to speak and hear,
Pronounce with judgment, with regard give ear,
To see no wholesome motion be withstood,
And ratify the best for public good.
Nor, though a meaner give advice, repine,
But follow it, and make the wisdom thine.
Hear then a thought, not now conceived in haste,
At once my present judgment and my past.
When from Pelides' tent you forced the maid,
I first opposed, and faithful, durst dissuade;
But bold of soul, when headlong fury fired,
You wronged the man, by men and gods admired:
Now seek some means his fatal wrath to end,
With prayers to move him, or with gifts to bend."
To whom the king. "With justice hast thou shown
A prince's faults, and I with reason own.
That happy man, whom Jove still honours most,
Is more than armies, and himself a host.
Bless'd in his love, this wondrous hero stands;
Heaven fights his war, and humbles all our bands.
Fain would my heart, which err'd through frantic rage,
The wrathful chief and angry gods assuage.
If gifts immense his mighty soul can bow,(201)
Hear, all ye Greeks, and witness what I vow.
Ten weighty talents of the purest gold,
And twice ten vases of refulgent mould:
Seven sacred tripods, whose unsullied frame
Yet knows no office, nor has felt the flame;
Twelve steeds unmatch'd in fleetness and in force,
And still victorious in the dusty course;
(Rich were the man whose ample stores exceed
The prizes purchased by their winged speed;)
Seven lovely captives of the Lesbian line,
Skill'd in each art, unmatch'd in form divine,
The same I chose for more than vulgar charms,
When Lesbos sank beneath the hero's arms:
All these, to buy his friendship, shall be paid,
And join'd with these the long-contested maid;
With all her charms, Briseis I resign,
And solemn swear those charms were never mine;
Untouch'd she stay'd, uninjured she removes,
Pure from my arms, and guiltless of my loves,(202)
These instant shall be his; and if the powers
Give to our arms proud Ilion's hostile towers,
Then shall he store (when Greece the spoil divides)
With gold and brass his loaded navy's sides:
Besides, full twenty nymphs of Trojan race
With copious love shall crown his warm embrace,
Such as himself will choose; who yield to none,
Or yield to Helen's heavenly charms alone.
Yet hear me further: when our wars are o'er,
If safe we land on Argos' fruitful shore,
There shall he live my son, our honours share,
And with Orestes' self divide my care.
Yet more--three daughters in my court are bred,
And each well worthy of a royal bed;
Laodice and Iphigenia fair,(203)
And bright Chrysothemis with golden hair;
Her let him choose whom most his eyes approve,
I ask no presents, no reward for love:
Myself will give the dower; so vast a store
As never father gave a child before.
Seven ample cities shall confess his sway,
Him Enope, and Pherae him obey,
Cardamyle with ample turrets crown'd,
And sacred Pedasus for vines renown'd;
Æpea fair, the pastures Hira yields,
And rich Antheia with her flowery fields:(204)
The whole extent to Pylos' sandy plain,
Along the verdant margin of the main
There heifers graze, and labouring oxen toil;
Bold are the men, and generous is the soil;
There shall he reign, with power and justice crown'd,
And rule the tributary realms around.
All this I give, his vengeance to control,
And sure all this may move his mighty soul.
Pluto, the grisly god, who never spares,
Who feels no mercy, and who hears no prayers,
Lives dark and dreadful in deep hell's abodes,
And mortals hate him, as the worst of gods
Great though he be, it fits him to obey,
Since more than his my years, and more my sway."
[Illustration: PLUTO.]
PLUTO.
The monarch thus. The reverend Nestor then:
"Great Agamemnon! glorious king of men!
Such are thy offers as a prince may take,
And such as fits a generous king to make.
Let chosen delegates this hour be sent
(Myself will name them) to Pelides' tent.
Let Phoenix lead, revered for hoary age,
Great Ajax next, and Ithacus the sage.
Yet more to sanctify the word you send,
Let Hodius and Eurybates attend.
Now pray to Jove to grant what Greece demands;
Pray in deep silence,(205) and with purest hands."(206)
[Illustration: THE EMBASSY TO ACHILLES.]
THE EMBASSY TO ACHILLES.
He said; and all approved. The heralds bring
The cleansing water from the living spring.
The youth with wine the sacred goblets crown'd,
And large libations drench'd the sands around.
The rite perform'd, the chiefs their thirst allay,
Then from the royal tent they take their way;
Wise Nestor turns on each his careful eye,
Forbids to offend, instructs them to apply;
Much he advised them all, Ulysses most,
To deprecate the chief, and save the host.
Through the still night they march, and hear the roar
Of murmuring billows on the sounding shore.
To Neptune, ruler of the seas profound,
Whose liquid arms the mighty globe surround,
They pour forth vows, their embassy to bless,
And calm the rage of stern Æacides.
And now, arrived, where on the sandy bay
The Myrmidonian tents and vessels lay;
Amused at ease, the godlike man they found,
Pleased with the solemn harp's harmonious sound.
(The well wrought harp from conquered Thebae came;
Of polish'd silver was its costly frame.)
With this he soothes his angry soul, and sings
The immortal deeds of heroes and of kings.
Patroclus only of the royal train,
Placed in his tent, attends the lofty strain:
Full opposite he sat, and listen'd long,
In silence waiting till he ceased the song.
Unseen the Grecian embassy proceeds
To his high tent; the great Ulysses leads.
Achilles starting, as the chiefs he spied,
Leap'd from his seat, and laid the harp aside.
With like surprise arose Menoetius' son:
Pelides grasp'd their hands, and thus begun:
"Princes, all hail! whatever brought you here.
Or strong necessity, or urgent fear;
Welcome, though Greeks! for not as foes ye came;
To me more dear than all that bear the name."
With that, the chiefs beneath his roof he led,
And placed in seats with purple carpets spread.
Then thus--"Patroclus, crown a larger bowl,
Mix purer wine, and open every soul.
Of all the warriors yonder host can send,
Thy friend most honours these, and these thy friend."
He said: Patroclus o'er the blazing fire
Heaps in a brazen vase three chines entire:
The brazen vase Automedon sustains,
Which flesh of porker, sheep, and goat contains.
Achilles at the genial feast presides,
The parts transfixes, and with skill divides.
Meanwhile Patroclus sweats, the fire to raise;
The tent is brighten'd with the rising blaze:
Then, when the languid flames at length subside,
He strows a bed of glowing embers wide,
Above the coals the smoking fragments turns
And sprinkles sacred salt from lifted urns;
With bread the glittering canisters they load,
Which round the board Menoetius' son bestow'd;
Himself, opposed to Ulysses full in sight,
Each portion parts, and orders every rite.
The first fat offering to the immortals due,
Amidst the greedy flames Patroclus threw;
Then each, indulging in the social feast,
His thirst and hunger soberly repress'd.
That done, to Phoenix Ajax gave the sign:
Not unperceived; Ulysses crown'd with wine
The foaming bowl, and instant thus began,
His speech addressing to the godlike man.
"Health to Achilles! happy are thy guests!
Not those more honour'd whom Atrides feasts:
Though generous plenty crown thy loaded boards,
That, Agamemnon's regal tent affords;
But greater cares sit heavy on our souls,
Nor eased by banquets or by flowing bowls.
What scenes of slaughter in yon fields appear!
The dead we mourn, and for the living fear;
Greece on the brink of fate all doubtful stands,
And owns no help but from thy saving hands:
Troy and her aids for ready vengeance call;
Their threatening tents already shade our wall:
Hear how with shouts their conquest they proclaim,
And point at every ship their vengeful flame!
For them the father of the gods declares,
Theirs are his omens, and his thunder theirs.
See, full of Jove, avenging Hector rise!
See! heaven and earth the raging chief defies;
What fury in his breast, what lightning in his eyes!
He waits but for the morn, to sink in flame
The ships, the Greeks, and all the Grecian name.
Heavens! how my country's woes distract my mind,
Lest Fate accomplish all his rage design'd!
And must we, gods! our heads inglorious lay
In Trojan dust, and this the fatal day?
Return, Achilles: oh return, though late,
To save thy Greeks, and stop the course of Fate;
If in that heart or grief or courage lies,
Rise to redeem; ah, yet to conquer, rise!
The day may come, when, all our warriors slain,
That heart shall melt, that courage rise in vain:
Regard in time, O prince divinely brave!
Those wholesome counsels which thy father gave.
When Peleus in his aged arms embraced
His parting son, these accents were his last:
"'My child! with strength, with glory, and success,
Thy arms may Juno and Minerva bless!
Trust that to Heaven: but thou, thy cares engage
To calm thy passions, and subdue thy rage:
From gentler manners let thy glory grow,
And shun contention, the sure source of woe;
That young and old may in thy praise combine,
The virtues of humanity be thine--'
This now-despised advice thy father gave;
Ah! check thy anger; and be truly brave.
If thou wilt yield to great Atrides' prayers,
Gifts worthy thee his royal hand prepares;
If not--but hear me, while I number o'er
The proffer'd presents, an exhaustless store.
Ten weighty talents of the purest gold,
And twice ten vases of refulgent mould;
Seven sacred tripods, whose unsullied frame
Yet knows no office, nor has felt the flame;
Twelve steeds unmatched in fleetness and in force,
And still victorious in the dusty course;
(Rich were the man, whose ample stores exceed
The prizes purchased by their winged speed;)
Seven lovely captives of the Lesbian line,
Skill'd in each art, unmatch'd in form divine,
The same he chose for more than vulgar charms,
When Lesbos sank beneath thy conquering arms.
All these, to buy thy friendship shall be paid,
And, join'd with these, the long-contested maid;
With all her charms, Briseis he'll resign,
And solemn swear those charms were only thine;
Untouch'd she stay'd, uninjured she removes,
Pure from his arms, and guiltless of his loves.
These instant shall be thine; and if the powers
Give to our arms proud Ilion's hostile towers,
Then shalt thou store (when Greece the spoil divides)
With gold and brass thy loaded navy's sides.
Besides, full twenty nymphs of Trojan race
With copious love shall crown thy warm embrace;
Such as thyself shall chose; who yield to none,
Or yield to Helen's heavenly charms alone.
Yet hear me further: when our wars are o'er,
If safe we land on Argos' fruitful shore,
There shalt thou live his son, his honour share,
And with Orestes' self divide his care.
Yet more--three daughters in his court are bred,
And each well worthy of a royal bed:
Laodice and Iphigenia fair,
And bright Chrysothemis with golden hair:
Her shalt thou wed whom most thy eyes approve;
He asks no presents, no reward for love:
Himself will give the dower; so vast a store
As never father gave a child before.
Seven ample cities shall confess thy sway,
The Enope and Pherae thee obey,
Cardamyle with ample turrets crown'd,
And sacred Pedasus, for vines renown'd:
Æpea fair, the pastures Hira yields,
And rich Antheia with her flowery fields;
The whole extent to Pylos' sandy plain,
Along the verdant margin of the main.
There heifers graze, and labouring oxen toil;
Bold are the men, and generous is the soil.
There shalt thou reign, with power and justice crown'd,
And rule the tributary realms around.
Such are the proffers which this day we bring,
Such the repentance of a suppliant king.
But if all this, relentless, thou disdain,
If honour and if interest plead in vain,
Yet some redress to suppliant Greece afford,
And be, amongst her guardian gods, adored.
If no regard thy suffering country claim,
Hear thy own glory, and the voice of fame:
For now that chief, whose unresisted ire
Made nations tremble, and whole hosts retire,
Proud Hector, now, the unequal fight demands,
And only triumphs to deserve thy hands."
Then thus the goddess-born: "Ulysses, hear
A faithful speech, that knows nor art nor fear;
What in my secret soul is understood,
My tongue shall utter, and my deeds make good.
Let Greece then know, my purpose I retain:
Nor with new treaties vex my peace in vain.
Who dares think one thing, and another tell,
My heart detests him as the gates of hell.
"Then thus in short my fix'd resolves attend,
Which nor Atrides nor his Greeks can bend;
Long toils, long perils in their cause I bore,
But now the unfruitful glories charm no more.
Fight or not fight, a like reward we claim,
The wretch and hero find their prize the same.
Alike regretted in the dust he lies,
Who yields ignobly, or who bravely dies.
Of all my dangers, all my glorious pains,
A life of labours, lo! what fruit remains?
As the bold bird her helpless young attends,
From danger guards them, and from want defends;
In search of prey she wings the spacious air,
And with the untasted food supplies her care:
For thankless Greece such hardships have I braved,
Her wives, her infants, by my labours saved;
Long sleepless nights in heavy arms I stood,
And sweat laborious days in dust and blood.
I sack'd twelve ample cities on the main,(207)
And twelve lay smoking on the Trojan plain:
Then at Atrides' haughty feet were laid
The wealth I gathered, and the spoils I made.
Your mighty monarch these in peace possess'd;
Some few my soldiers had, himself the rest.
Some present, too, to every prince was paid;
And every prince enjoys the gift he made:
I only must refund, of all his train;
See what pre-eminence our merits gain!
My spoil alone his greedy soul delights:
My spouse alone must bless his lustful nights:
The woman, let him (as he may) enjoy;
But what's the quarrel, then, of Greece to Troy?
What to these shores the assembled nations draws,
What calls for vengeance but a woman's cause?
Are fair endowments and a beauteous face
Beloved by none but those of Atreus' race?
The wife whom choice and passion doth approve,
Sure every wise and worthy man will love.
Nor did my fair one less distinction claim;
Slave as she was, my soul adored the dame.
Wrong'd in my love, all proffers I disdain;
Deceived for once, I trust not kings again.
Ye have my answer--what remains to do,
Your king, Ulysses, may consult with you.
What needs he the defence this arm can make?
Has he not walls no human force can shake?
Has he not fenced his guarded navy round
With piles, with ramparts, and a trench profound?
And will not these (the wonders he has done)
Repel the rage of Priam's single son?
There was a time ('twas when for Greece I fought)
When Hector's prowess no such wonders wrought;
He kept the verge of Troy, nor dared to wait
Achilles' fury at the Scaean gate;
He tried it once, and scarce was saved by fate.
But now those ancient enmities are o'er;
To-morrow we the favouring gods implore;
Then shall you see our parting vessels crown'd,
And hear with oars the Hellespont resound.
The third day hence shall Pthia greet our sails,(208)
If mighty Neptune send propitious gales;
Pthia to her Achilles shall restore
The wealth he left for this detested shore:
Thither the spoils of this long war shall pass,
The ruddy gold, the steel, and shining brass:
My beauteous captives thither I'll convey,
And all that rests of my unravish'd prey.
One only valued gift your tyrant gave,
And that resumed--the fair Lyrnessian slave.
Then tell him: loud, that all the Greeks may hear,
And learn to scorn the wretch they basely fear;
(For arm'd in impudence, mankind he braves,
And meditates new cheats on all his slaves;
Though shameless as he is, to face these eyes
Is what he dares not: if he dares he dies;)
Tell him, all terms, all commerce I decline,
Nor share his council, nor his battle join;
For once deceiv'd, was his; but twice were mine,
No--let the stupid prince, whom Jove deprives
Of sense and justice, run where frenzy drives;
His gifts are hateful: kings of such a kind
Stand but as slaves before a noble mind,
Not though he proffer'd all himself possess'd,
And all his rapine could from others wrest:
Not all the golden tides of wealth that crown
The many-peopled Orchomenian town;(209)
Not all proud Thebes' unrivall'd walls contain,
The world's great empress on the Egyptian plain
(That spreads her conquests o'er a thousand states,
And pours her heroes through a hundred gates,
Two hundred horsemen and two hundred cars
From each wide portal issuing to the wars);(210)
Though bribes were heap'd on bribes, in number more
Than dust in fields, or sands along the shore;
Should all these offers for my friendship call,
'Tis he that offers, and I scorn them all.
Atrides' daughter never shall be led
(An ill-match'd consort) to Achilles' bed;
Like golden Venus though she charm'd the heart,
And vied with Pallas in the works of art;
Some greater Greek let those high nuptials grace,
I hate alliance with a tyrant's race.
If heaven restore me to my realms with life,
The reverend Peleus shall elect my wife;
Thessalian nymphs there are of form divine,
And kings that sue to mix their blood with mine.
Bless'd in kind love, my years shall glide away,
Content with just hereditary sway;
There, deaf for ever to the martial strife,
Enjoy the dear prerogative of life.
Life is not to be bought with heaps of gold.
Not all Apollo's Pythian treasures hold,
Or Troy once held, in peace and pride of sway,
Can bribe the poor possession of a day!
Lost herds and treasures we by arms regain,
And steeds unrivall'd on the dusty plain:
But from our lips the vital spirit fled,
Returns no more to wake the silent dead.
My fates long since by Thetis were disclosed,
And each alternate, life or fame, proposed;
Here, if I stay, before the Trojan town,
Short is my date, but deathless my renown:
If I return, I quit immortal praise
For years on years, and long-extended days.
Convinced, though late, I find my fond mistake,
And warn the Greeks the wiser choice to make;
To quit these shores, their native seats enjoy,
Nor hope the fall of heaven-defended Troy.
Jove's arm display'd asserts her from the skies!
Her hearts are strengthen'd, and her glories rise.
Go then to Greece, report our fix'd design;
Bid all your counsels, all your armies join,
Let all your forces, all your arts conspire,
To save the ships, the troops, the chiefs, from fire.
One stratagem has fail'd, and others will:
Ye find, Achilles is unconquer'd still.
Go then--digest my message as ye may--
But here this night let reverend Phoenix stay:
His tedious toils and hoary hairs demand
A peaceful death in Pthia's friendly land.
But whether he remain or sail with me,
His age be sacred, and his will be free."
[Illustration: GREEK GALLEY.]
GREEK GALLEY.
The son of Peleus ceased: the chiefs around
In silence wrapt, in consternation drown'd,
Attend the stern reply. Then Phoenix rose;
(Down his white beard a stream of sorrow flows;)
And while the fate of suffering Greece he mourn'd,
With accent weak these tender words return'd.
[Illustration: PROSERPINE.]
PROSERPINE.
"Divine Achilles! wilt thou then retire,
And leave our hosts in blood, our fleets on fire?
If wrath so dreadful fill thy ruthless mind,
How shall thy friend, thy Phoenix, stay behind?
The royal Peleus, when from Pthia's coast
He sent thee early to the Achaian host;
Thy youth as then in sage debates unskill'd,
And new to perils of the direful field:
He bade me teach thee all the ways of war,
To shine in councils, and in camps to dare.
Never, ah, never let me leave thy side!
No time shall part us, and no fate divide,
Not though the god, that breathed my life, restore
The bloom I boasted, and the port I bore,
When Greece of old beheld my youthful flames
(Delightful Greece, the land of lovely dames),
My father faithless to my mother's arms,
Old as he was, adored a stranger's charms.
I tried what youth could do (at her desire)
To win the damsel, and prevent my sire.
My sire with curses loads my hated head,
And cries, 'Ye furies! barren be his bed.'
Infernal Jove, the vengeful fiends below,
And ruthless Proserpine, confirm'd his vow.
Despair and grief distract my labouring mind!
Gods! what a crime my impious heart design'd!
I thought (but some kind god that thought suppress'd)
To plunge the poniard in my father's breast;
Then meditate my flight: my friends in vain
With prayers entreat me, and with force detain.
On fat of rams, black bulls, and brawny swine,
They daily feast, with draughts of fragrant wine;
Strong guards they placed, and watch'd nine nights entire;
The roofs and porches flamed with constant fire.
The tenth, I forced the gates, unseen of all:
And, favour'd by the night, o'erleap'd the wall,
My travels thence through spacious Greece extend;
In Phthia's court at last my labours end.
Your sire received me, as his son caress'd,
With gifts enrich'd, and with possessions bless'd.
The strong Dolopians thenceforth own'd my reign,
And all the coast that runs along the main.
By love to thee his bounties I repaid,
And early wisdom to thy soul convey'd:
Great as thou art, my lessons made thee brave:
A child I took thee, but a hero gave.
Thy infant breast a like affection show'd;
Still in my arms (an ever-pleasing load)
Or at my knee, by Phoenix wouldst thou stand;
No food was grateful but from Phoenix' hand.(211)
I pass my watchings o'er thy helpless years,
The tender labours, the compliant cares,
The gods (I thought) reversed their hard decree,
And Phoenix felt a father's joys in thee:
Thy growing virtues justified my cares,
And promised comfort to my silver hairs.
Now be thy rage, thy fatal rage, resign'd;
A cruel heart ill suits a manly mind:
The gods (the only great, and only wise)
Are moved by offerings, vows, and sacrifice;
Offending man their high compassion wins,
And daily prayers atone for daily sins.
Prayers are Jove's daughters, of celestial race,
Lame are their feet, and wrinkled is their face;
With humble mien, and with dejected eyes,
Constant they follow, where injustice flies.
Injustice swift, erect, and unconfined,
Sweeps the wide earth, and tramples o'er mankind,
While Prayers, to heal her wrongs, move slow behind.
Who hears these daughters of almighty Jove,
For him they mediate to the throne above
When man rejects the humble suit they make,
The sire revenges for the daughters' sake;
From Jove commission'd, fierce injustice then
Descends to punish unrelenting men.
O let not headlong passion bear the sway
These reconciling goddesses obey
Due honours to the seed of Jove belong,
Due honours calm the fierce, and bend the strong.
Were these not paid thee by the terms we bring,
Were rage still harbour'd in the haughty king;
Nor Greece nor all her fortunes should engage
Thy friend to plead against so just a rage.
But since what honour asks the general sends,
And sends by those whom most thy heart commends;
The best and noblest of the Grecian train;
Permit not these to sue, and sue in vain!
Let me (my son) an ancient fact unfold,
A great example drawn from times of old;
Hear what our fathers were, and what their praise,
Who conquer'd their revenge in former days.
"Where Calydon on rocky mountains stands(212)
Once fought the Ætolian and Curetian bands;
To guard it those; to conquer, these advance;
And mutual deaths were dealt with mutual chance.
The silver Cynthia bade contention rise,
In vengeance of neglected sacrifice;
On OEneus fields she sent a monstrous boar,
That levell'd harvests, and whole forests tore:
This beast (when many a chief his tusks had slain)
Great Meleager stretch'd along the plain,
Then, for his spoils, a new debate arose,
The neighbour nations thence commencing foes.
Strong as they were, the bold Curetes fail'd,
While Meleager's thundering arm prevail'd:
Till rage at length inflamed his lofty breast
(For rage invades the wisest and the best).
"Cursed by Althaea, to his wrath he yields,
And in his wife's embrace forgets the fields.
(She from Marpessa sprung, divinely fair,
And matchless Idas, more than man in war:
The god of day adored the mother's charms;
Against the god the father bent his arms:
The afflicted pair, their sorrows to proclaim,
From Cleopatra changed their daughter's name,
And call'd Alcyone; a name to show
The father's grief, the mourning mother's woe.)
To her the chief retired from stern debate,
But found no peace from fierce Althaea's hate:
Althaea's hate the unhappy warrior drew,
Whose luckless hand his royal uncle slew;
She beat the ground, and call'd the powers beneath
On her own son to wreak her brother's death;
Hell heard her curses from the realms profound,
And the red fiends that walk the nightly round.
In vain Ætolia her deliverer waits,
War shakes her walls, and thunders at her gates.
She sent ambassadors, a chosen band,
Priests of the gods, and elders of the land;
Besought the chief to save the sinking state:
Their prayers were urgent, and their proffers great:
(Full fifty acres of the richest ground,
Half pasture green, and half with vineyards crown'd:)
His suppliant father, aged OEneus, came;
His sisters follow'd; even the vengeful dame,
Althaea, sues; his friends before him fall:
He stands relentless, and rejects them all.
Meanwhile the victor's shouts ascend the skies;
The walls are scaled; the rolling flames arise;
At length his wife (a form divine) appears,
With piercing cries, and supplicating tears;
She paints the horrors of a conquer'd town,
The heroes slain, the palaces o'erthrown,
The matrons ravish'd, the whole race enslaved:
The warrior heard, he vanquish'd, and he saved.
The Ætolians, long disdain'd, now took their turn,
And left the chief their broken faith to mourn.
Learn hence, betimes to curb pernicious ire,
Nor stay till yonder fleets ascend in fire;
Accept the presents; draw thy conquering sword;
And be amongst our guardian gods adored."
Thus he: the stern Achilles thus replied:
"My second father, and my reverend guide:
Thy friend, believe me, no such gifts demands,
And asks no honours from a mortal's hands;
Jove honours me, and favours my designs;
His pleasure guides me, and his will confines;
And here I stay (if such his high behest)
While life's warm spirit beats within my breast.
Yet hear one word, and lodge it in thy heart:
No more molest me on Atrides' part:
Is it for him these tears are taught to flow,
For him these sorrows? for my mortal foe?
A generous friendship no cold medium knows,
Burns with one love, with one resentment glows;
One should our interests and our passions be;
My friend must hate the man that injures me.
Do this, my Phoenix, 'tis a generous part;
And share my realms, my honours, and my heart.
Let these return: our voyage, or our stay,
Rest undetermined till the dawning day."
He ceased; then order'd for the sage's bed
A warmer couch with numerous carpets spread.
With that, stern Ajax his long silence broke,
And thus, impatient, to Ulysses spoke:
"Hence let us go--why waste we time in vain?
See what effect our low submissions gain!
Liked or not liked, his words we must relate,
The Greeks expect them, and our heroes wait.
Proud as he is, that iron heart retains
Its stubborn purpose, and his friends disdains.
Stern and unpitying! if a brother bleed,
On just atonement, we remit the deed;
A sire the slaughter of his son forgives;
The price of blood discharged, the murderer lives:
The haughtiest hearts at length their rage resign,
And gifts can conquer every soul but thine.(213)
The gods that unrelenting breast have steel'd,
And cursed thee with a mind that cannot yield.
One woman-slave was ravish'd from thy arms:
Lo, seven are offer'd, and of equal charms.
Then hear, Achilles! be of better mind;
Revere thy roof, and to thy guests be kind;
And know the men of all the Grecian host,
Who honour worth, and prize thy valour most."
"O soul of battles, and thy people's guide!
(To Ajax thus the first of Greeks replied)
Well hast thou spoke; but at the tyrant's name
My rage rekindles, and my soul's on flame:
'Tis just resentment, and becomes the brave:
Disgraced, dishonour'd, like the vilest slave!
Return, then, heroes! and our answer bear,
The glorious combat is no more my care;
Not till, amidst yon sinking navy slain,
The blood of Greeks shall dye the sable main;
Not till the flames, by Hector's fury thrown,
Consume your vessels, and approach my own;
Just there, the impetuous homicide shall stand,
There cease his battle, and there feel our hand."
This said, each prince a double goblet crown'd,
And cast a large libation on the ground;
Then to their vessels, through the gloomy shades,
The chiefs return; divine Ulysses leads.
Meantime Achilles' slaves prepared a bed,
With fleeces, carpets, and soft linen spread:
There, till the sacred morn restored the day,
In slumber sweet the reverend Phoenix lay.
But in his inner tent, an ampler space,
Achilles slept; and in his warm embrace
Fair Diomede of the Lesbian race.
Last, for Patroclus was the couch prepared,
Whose nightly joys the beauteous Iphis shared;
Achilles to his friend consign'd her charms
When Scyros fell before his conquering arms.
And now the elected chiefs whom Greece had sent,
Pass'd through the hosts, and reach'd the royal tent.
Then rising all, with goblets in their hands,
The peers and leaders of the Achaian bands
Hail'd their return: Atrides first begun:
"Say what success? divine Laertes' son!
Achilles' high resolves declare to all:
"Returns the chief, or must our navy fall?"
"Great king of nations! (Ithacus replied)
Fix'd is his wrath, unconquer'd is his pride;
He slights thy friendship, thy proposals scorns,
And, thus implored, with fiercer fury burns.
To save our army, and our fleets to free,
Is not his care; but left to Greece and thee.
Your eyes shall view, when morning paints the sky,
Beneath his oars the whitening billows fly;
Us too he bids our oars and sails employ,
Nor hope the fall of heaven-protected Troy;
For Jove o'ershades her with his arm divine,
Inspires her war, and bids her glory shine.
Such was his word: what further he declared,
These sacred heralds and great Ajax heard.
But Phoenix in his tent the chief retains,
Safe to transport him to his native plains
When morning dawns; if other he decree,
His age is sacred, and his choice is free."
Ulysses ceased: the great Achaian host,
With sorrow seized, in consternation lost,
Attend the stern reply. Tydides broke
The general silence, and undaunted spoke.
"Why should we gifts to proud Achilles send,
Or strive with prayers his haughty soul to bend?
His country's woes he glories to deride,
And prayers will burst that swelling heart with pride.
Be the fierce impulse of his rage obey'd,
Our battles let him or desert or aid;
Then let him arm when Jove or he think fit:
That, to his madness, or to Heaven commit:
What for ourselves we can, is always ours;
This night, let due repast refresh our powers;
(For strength consists in spirits and in blood,
And those are owed to generous wine and food;)
But when the rosy messenger of day
Strikes the blue mountains with her golden ray,
Ranged at the ships, let all our squadrons shine
In flaming arms, a long-extended line:
In the dread front let great Atrides stand,
The first in danger, as in high command."
Shouts of acclaim the listening heroes raise,
Then each to Heaven the due libations pays;
Till sleep, descending o'er the tents, bestows
The grateful blessings of desired repose."(214)
[Illustration: ACHILLES.]
ACHILLES. 這時，海船邊，其他阿開亞首領都已
熟睡整夜，吞吐着睡眠的舒甜，
但阿特桑斯之子阿伽門農，兵士的牧者，
卻心事重重，難以進入香甜的夢境。
恰如美發女神赫拉的夫婿揮手甩出閃電，
降下挾着暴風的驟雨，或鋪天蓋地的冰雹，
或遮天蔽日的風雪，紛紛揚揚地飄灑在田野，
或在人間的某個地方，戰爭的利齒張開，
阿伽門農此時心緒紛亂，胸中翻騰着
奔涌的苦浪，撞擊着思緒的礁岸。
當他把目光掃嚮特洛伊平原，遍地的火堆
使他驚詫，燃燒在特洛伊城前，伴隨着
阿洛斯和蘇裏剋斯[●]的尖嘯和兵勇們低沉的吼聲。
●阿洛斯和蘇裏剋斯：為兩種管樂器。
隨後，他又移目阿開亞人的海船和軍隊，
伸手撕絞着頭髮的根梢，仰望着
高高在上的宙斯，傲 莽的心胸經受着悲痛的煎熬。
然而，他馬上想到眼下刻不容緩的事情：
前往尋會奈斯托耳，奈琉斯之子，
看看這位長者，是否能和他一起，想出個把高招，
使達奈人擺脫眼前的險境。
他站起身子，穿上衫衣，遮住胸背，
係緊舒適的條鞋，在閃亮的腳面。
披上一領碩大的獅皮，毛色黃褐，
油光滑亮，垂懸在腳跟後頭，伸手抓起一桿槍矛。
其時，同樣的焦慮也揪住了墨奈勞斯的心靈，
香熟的睡眠亦沒有合攏他的眼睛，擔心
軍隊可能遭受損失，為了他，阿耳吉維人遠渡重洋，
來到特洛伊地面，發起了猛烈的進攻。
首先，他在寬厚的肩背上鋪了一領
帶斑點的豹皮，然後拎起一個圓頂的銅盔，
戴在頭上，伸出大手，抓起槍矛，
邁開大步，前往喚醒兄長，統治着整個
阿耳戈斯的王者，受到人們像對神明一般的崇敬。
墨奈勞斯找到兄長，在阿伽門農的船尾邊，
後者正把璀璨的鎧甲套上胸背。眼見兄弟的到來，
阿伽門農心裏喜歡。但嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯首先發話，說道：
“為何現時披挂，我的兄長？是否打算激勵某位勇士，
前往偵探特洛伊人的軍情？但是，我卻
由衷的擔心，懷疑誰會願意執行這項使命，
逼近敵方的勇士，偵探他們的軍情，在這
神賜的夜晚，孤身一人。此人必得有超乎尋常的膽量。”
聽罷這番話，強有力的阿伽門農答道：
“眼下，高貴的墨奈勞斯，你我需要找到
一種可行的方案，以便保衛和拯救
我們的軍隊和海船，因為宙斯已經改變主意，
赫剋托耳的祀祭比我們的更能使他心歡。
我從來不曾見過，也不曾從任何人那裏聽過，
一個人，在一天之內，可以像宙斯鐘愛的赫剋托耳重創
阿開亞人的兒子們那樣，帶來如此嚴重的損害——
赫剋托耳，獨自一人，既不是神，也不是女神心愛的兒子。
他所做下的事情，他給阿開亞人造成的損失，
我想，將會伴着悲痛，長期留在我們的記憶裏。
去吧，沿着海船快跑，把埃阿斯
和伊多墨紐斯找來；與此同時，我要去
尋會卓越的奈斯托耳，喚他起來，看他是否願意會見
我們的哨隊——支精悍的隊伍——並對哨兵發號施令。
他們定會服從他的命令；他的兒子是哨兵的
統領，由伊多墨紐斯的助手
墨裏俄奈斯輔佐，警戒的任務主要由他們執行。”
聽罷這番話，嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯答道：
“執行你的命令，我將如何行事？
待我及時傳達了你的指令，你要我在此等待，和
他們一起，等着你的回歸，還是跑去找你？”
聽罷這番話，全軍的統帥阿伽門農說道：
“還是在此等我吧，以防在來回奔跑中失去
碰頭的機會；軍營裏小路縱橫交錯。
不管到了哪裏，你要放聲喊叫，把他們喚醒。
呼喚時，要用體現父名的稱謂，
要尊重他們，不要盛氣凌人；此事由
你我自己張羅。從我們出生的那天起，
宙斯已把這填滿痛苦的包袱壓在我們的腰背。”
就這樣，阿伽門農以內容明確的命令送走兄弟，
自己亦前往尋會奈斯托耳，兵士的牧者。
他在老人的營棚和黑船邊找到他。後者正
躺在一張鬆軟的床上，床邊放着一套掙亮的甲械，
一面盾牌、兩枝槍矛和一頂閃光的帽盔。
他的腰帶，閃着熠熠的晶光，躺在他的身邊——
臨陣披挂時，老人用它束護腰圍，領着兵丁，廝殺在
人死人亡的戰場；奈斯托耳沒有屈服於痛苦的晚年。
他撐出一條臂肘，支起上身，昂着頭，
對着阿特柔斯之子發問，說道：
“你是誰，獨自走過海船和軍營，
在這漆黑的夜晚，其他凡人還在熟睡？
你在尋找一頭丟失的騾子，或是一位失蹤的夥伴？
說！不要躡手躡腳地靠近——你想幹什麽？”
黑暗中，全軍的統帥阿伽門農答道：
“奈斯托耳，奈琉斯之子，阿開亞人的光榮和驕傲，
你沒有認出我是阿伽門農嗎？宙斯讓我
承受的磨難比給誰的都多，衹要
命息還駐留在我的胸腔，衹要我的雙腿還能站挺直立。
我夜出巡視，實因睡眠的舒適難以合攏
我的雙眼；我擔心戰爭，阿開亞人的痛苦使我心煩。
我怕，發自內心地害怕，達奈人將會有什麽樣的前程？！
我頭腦混亂，思緒紊雜，心髒怦怦
亂跳，粗壯的雙腿在身下顫抖哆嗦。但是，
如果你想有所行動——睡眠同樣不會光臨你的床位——
讓我們一起前往哨綫，察視我們的哨兵，
是否因為極度的疲勞而倒地酣睡，
把警戒的任務忘得一幹二淨。
敵人就在我們眼皮底下紮營，我們何以知道，
他們不會設想趁着夜色，運兵進擊？”
聽罷這番話，格瑞尼亞的車戰者奈斯托耳答道：
“阿特柔斯之子，最高貴的王者，全軍的統帥阿伽門農，
我想，多謀善斷的宙斯不會讓赫剋托耳實現
他的全部設想和現在的企望；相反，我以為，
他將遇到更多的險阻，如果阿基琉斯
一旦改變心境，平息耗損心力的暴怒。
我將隨你同去，不帶半點含糊。讓我們同行前往，
叫醒圖丟斯之子，著名的槍手，以及俄底修斯。
快腿的埃阿斯和夫琉斯剛勇的兒子。
但願有人願意前往，召喚另一些首領：
高大魁偉的埃阿斯，神一樣的戰勇，以及王者伊多墨紐斯，
他倆的海船停駐在船隊的盡頭，距此路程遙遠。
說到這裏，我要責備墨奈勞斯——不錯，他受到人們的
尊愛——哪怕這會激起你的憤怒。我有看法，不想隱瞞。
此人居然還在睡覺，讓你一人徹夜操勞。
現在，他應該擔起這份纍人的工作，前往所有首領的住處，
懇求他們起床。情勢危急，已到了不能等讓的地步。”
聽罷這番話，全軍的統帥阿伽門農說道：
“換個時間，老人傢，我甚至還會促請你來駡他；
他經常縮在後面，不願出力苦幹，
不是因為尋想躲避、偷懶或心不在焉，
而是想要依賴於我，等我挑頭先幹。
但是，這一次他卻幹在我的前頭，跑來叫我。
我已囑他前去喚醒你想要找的首領。
所以，我們走吧。我們將在墻門前遇到
他們，和哨兵在一起，在我指定的聚會地點。”
聽罷這番話，格瑞尼亞的車戰者奈斯托耳答道：
“這還差不多。現在，當他督促部隊，發佈命令時，
阿耳吉維人中誰也不會違抗和抱怨。”
言罷，他穿上遮身的杉衣，
係牢舒適的條鞋，在閃亮的腳面，
別上一領寬大的披篷，顔色深紅，
雙層，長垂若瀉，鑲綴着深捲的羊毛。
他操起一桿粗重的槍矛，頂着鋒快的銅尖，
邁開大步，沿着身披銅甲的阿開亞人的海船。
奈斯托耳，格瑞尼亞的車戰者，首先來到
俄底修斯的住處，叫醒了這位和宙斯一樣精擅謀略的首領，
用宏大的嗓門，喊出震耳的聲音。俄底修斯
聞迅走出營棚，高聲嚷道：
“為何獨自躡行，漫遊在海船和
軍營之間，在這神賜的夜晚？告訴我，又有什麽大事和麻煩？”
聽罷這番話，格瑞尼亞的車戰者奈斯托耳答道：
“萊耳忒斯之子，宙斯的後裔，足智多謀的俄底修斯，
不要發怒——巨大的悲痛已降臨在阿開亞人的頭頂！
和我們一起走吧，前往喚醒另一位朋友，
一位有資格謀劃是撤兵還是繼續戰鬥的首領。”
聽罷這番話，足智多謀的俄底修斯返回營棚，
將做工精緻的盾牌背上肩膀，和他們一起前行。
他們來到圖丟斯之子狄俄墨得斯的駐地，發現
後者正睡在營棚外面，周圍躺着他的伴友，
人人頭枕盾牌，身傍堅指的槍桿，尾端紮入
泥地，銅尖耀射出遠近可見的光彩，
像父親宙斯扔出的閃電。勇士沉睡不醒，
身下墊着一領粗厚的皮張，取自漫步草場的壯牛，
頭底枕着一條色澤鮮豔的毛毯。
奈斯托耳，格瑞尼亞的車戰者，行至他的身邊，催他
離開夢鄉，用腳跟撥弄着他的身軀，開口呵責，當着他的臉面：
“快起來，圖丟斯之子！瞧你睡得——迷迷糊糊，酣睡
整夜？還不知道嗎？特洛伊人已逼近海船，
在平灘的高處坐等明天；敵我之間僅隔着一片狹窄的地帶。”
奈斯托耳一番呵斥，狄俄墨得斯驀地驚醒過來，
開口答道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“為何如此嚴酷，老人傢？你還有沒有罷息的時候？
阿開亞人年輕的兒子們哪裏去了？
他們可以各處奔走，叫醒各位王貴。
你呀，老人傢，對我們可是太過苛嚴！”
聽罷這番話，格瑞尼亞的車戰者奈斯托耳說道：
“你說得很對，我的朋友。
我有英武的兒子，也有大隊的
兵丁，他們中任何一位都可擔當召聚王者的使命。
但是，阿開亞人眼下面臨的險情非同一般，
我們的命運正橫臥在剃刀的鋒口——
阿開亞人的前景，是險路逢生，還是接受死的凄寒。
去吧，快去叫醒迅捷的埃阿斯，連同夫瓊斯
之子；你遠比我年輕。去吧，幫幫我這可憐的老頭子。”
聽罷這番話，狄俄墨得斯拿起一領碩大的獅皮，搭上
肩膀，油光滑亮，垂懸在腳跟後頭，伸手抓起一桿槍矛。
勇士大步走去，喚醒其他首領，引着他們疾行。
當他們和哨兵彙聚，發現
哨隊的頭目中無人打噸昏睡，
全都睜着警惕的雙眼，帶着兵器，席地而坐。
像看守羊群的牧狗，在欄邊警覺地竪起耳朵，
它們聽到野獸的走動，呼呼隆隆，從山林裏
衝撲下來，周圍響起一片紛雜的喧聲，
人的喊叫，狗的吠鬧，趕走了他們的睡意。
就像這樣，哨兵們警惕的雙眼拒擋着馨軟的睡眠，
苦熬整夜，不敢鬆懈，雙眼始終
註視平原，聽察着特洛伊人進攻的訊息。
眼見他們如此盡責，老人心裏高興，
開口送去長了翅膀的話語：
“保持這個勢頭，我的孩子們，密切註視敵情；不要讓
睡意徵服你們的雙眼，不要給敵人送去歡悅。”
言罷，他舉步穿過壕溝，身後跟着
阿耳吉維人的王者，被召來議事的首領，
還有墨裏俄奈斯和奈斯托耳英俊的兒子，
應王者們的召喚，前來參與他們的謀辯。
他們走過寬深的壕溝，在一片幹淨的
泥地上下坐，那裏沒有橫七竪八的
屍體，亦是高大的赫剋托耳目撤的地點，
因為天色已晚，使他衹好停止殺鬥。
他們屈腿下坐，聚首交談。
奈斯托耳，格瑞尼亞的車戰者，開口說道：
“我的朋友們，難道我們中就沒有一位壯士，敢於憑仗
自己的膽量，走訪心胸豪壯的特洛伊人的營地？
這樣，他或許可以抓住個把掉隊的敵人，
或碰巧聽到特洛伊人的議論，他們
下一步的打算——是想留在原地，
緊逼着海船，還是覺得已經
重創了阿開亞人，故而可以回城休戰。
如果有人能打聽到這方面的消息，隨後安然
回返，想一想吧，他將得到何等的殊譽，
普天之下，蒼生之中！他還可得獲一份絶好的禮物：
所有製統海船的首領，每人
都將給他一頭母羊，純黑的毛色，
腹哺着一隻羔崽——此乃禮中的極品，
得主可藉此參加每一次宴會和狂歡。”
奈斯托耳言罷，在場者全被鎮得目瞪口呆，
惟有嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯開口發話，說道：
“奈斯托耳，我的心靈和豪 莽的激情催我
衝嚮可恨的敵人，這些擠在我們眼皮底下的
特洛伊兵漢。但是，如果有人願意和我作伴，
我倆便都能得到較多的慰藉，也會有更多的自信。
兩人同行，即使你沒有，他也可能先看到周圍的
險情；而一人行動，儘管小心謹慎，
總不能擁有兩個人的心力，謀算也就往往不能周詳縝密。”
言罷，衆人爭相表示，願意偕同前往。
兩位埃阿斯，阿瑞斯的伴從，願意同行，
墨裏俄奈斯請願同往，而奈斯托耳之子更是急不可待，
還有阿特柔斯之子、著名的槍手墨奈勞斯。
堅忍的俄底修斯亦在請纓之列，决意潛入特洛伊人的
營壘，胸中總是升騰着一往無前的豪烈。
其時，全軍的統帥阿伽門農開口說道：
“圖丟斯之子，你使我心裏充滿歡悅。
你可按自己的意願，挑選你的夥伴，
擇取自願者中最好的一位，從我們濟濟的人選。
不要盲敬虛名，忽略優纔，
擇用劣品。不要顧及地位，註重
出身，哪怕他是更有權勢的王貴。”
阿伽門農口出此言，實因怕他選中棕發的墨奈勞斯。
然而，嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯答道：
“如果你確實要我挑選同行的夥伴，
那麽，我怎能拉下神一樣的俄底修斯？
他的心胸和高昂的鬥志，旁人難以企及，
帕拉絲·雅典娜鐘愛此人，無論在何種艱難困苦的場境。
若是由他和我一起行動，我們雙雙都可穿過戰火的炙烤，
平安回營——他的謀略登峰造極。”
聽罷這番話，卓越的、久經磨煉的俄底修斯答道：
“無需長篇大論地贊揚我，圖丟斯之子，但也不要指責我。
你在對阿耳吉維人講話，他們全都知道你所說的一切。
我們這就動身。黑夜已走過長長的路程，黎明在一步步進逼。
星辰正熠熠遠去，黑夜的大部已經逝離——
去了三分之二，衹留下僅剩的三分之一。”
言罷，他倆全身披挂，穿拿起令人毛骨悚然的甲械。
驃勇犟悍的斯拉蘇墨得斯給了圖丟斯之子
一把雙刃的利劍——他自己的銅劍還在船上——
和一面盾牌，給他戴上一頂帽盔，
牛皮做就，無角，也沒有盔冠，人稱
“便盔”，用以保護強壯的年輕鬥士的頭顱。
墨裏俄奈斯給了俄底修斯一張弓、一個箭壺
和一柄銅劍，並拿出一頂帽盔，扣緊他的頭圈，
取料牛皮，裏層是縱橫交錯的堅實的
皮條，外面是一排排雪白的牙片，
取自一頭獠牙閃亮的野豬，銜接齊整，
做工巧妙、精緻，中間墊着一層絨氈。
奧托魯科斯曾闖入俄耳墨奈斯之子阿門托耳
建築精固的房居，把頭盔偷出厄勒昂，
給了庫塞拉人安菲達馬斯，在斯康得亞，
後者把它給了摩洛斯，作為贈客的禮物，
而摩洛斯又把它給了自己的兒子，護蓋着他的腦袋。
現在，皮盔出現在俄底修斯頭上，緊壓着他的眉沿。
就這樣，二位穿帶着令人毛骨悚然的甲械，
離別諸位王者，擡腿上路。
在他們的右前方，帕拉絲·雅典娜
遣下一隻蒼鴛，夜色迷茫，二位雖然不能
目睹，卻可聽見它的叫喚。
聞悉這一吉兆，俄底修斯心中歡喜，對雅典娜啓口作禱：
“聽我說，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的女兒，每當我執行艱巨的任務，
你總是站在我的身邊，關註我的
行跡。現在，求你再次給我最好的幫佑，
答應讓我們，通過閃電般的行動，摧裂特洛伊人的
心魂，帶着榮譽返回凳板堅固的海船。”
接着，嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯亦開口誦告：
“也請聽聽我的祈禱，阿特魯托奈，宙斯的女兒，
求你來到我的身邊，就在此刻，像當年一樣——那時，你伴佑
我的父親，卓越的圖丟斯，
進入塞貝，作為阿開亞人的使者，離隊前行。
他把身披銅甲的阿開亞人留在阿索普斯河的灘沿，
給那裏的卡德墨亞人，身披銅甲的鬥士，捎去了表示友好的
信言。但是，在回來的路上，他卻不惜訴諸武力，
在你的助佑下，賢明的女神，因為你總是站在他的身邊。
來吧，站到我的身旁，保護我的安全！
對此，我將奉獻一頭一歲的小牛，額面開闊，
從未挨過責笞，從未上過軛架——
我將用金片包裹牛角，奉獻在你的祭壇前！”
他們如此一番祈禱，帕拉絲，雅典娜聽到了他倆的聲音。
二位作罷禱告，對大神宙斯的女兒，
一頭紮進漆黑的夜色，像兩頭雄獅，
越過屍橫遍野的戰場，穿過堆堆甲械，灘灘污血。
其時，赫剋托耳亦不準勇 莽的特洛伊人
入睡。他召來所有的頭領議事，
特洛伊人的王者和首領。
他把這些人召來，提出了一個狡黠的計劃：
‘你們中誰願接受這趟差事？做好了，
可得重賞。賞禮豐厚，足以償付他的勞力。
我將給他一輛戰車和兩匹頸脖粗壯的良駒，
阿開亞人的快船邊最好的駿馬。
誰有這個膽量，也為自己爭得榮譽，
前往迅捷的海船，探明那裏的
實況：是像往常一樣，警戒森嚴，還是——
或許，由於受到我們的重創，阿開亞人正聚在一堆，
謀劃遁逃之事，無心暇顧夜防的繁瑣，
布崗設哨；他們已被折磨得筋疲力盡。”
赫剋托耳言罷，在場者全被鎮得目瞪口呆。
人群裏，有個名叫多隆的，神聖的特洛伊信使歐墨得斯
之子，擁有大量的黃金和青銅，
長相醜陋，但腿腳輕捷，
獨子，有五個姐妹。面對
特洛伊人和赫剋托耳，此人開口發話，說道：
“赫剋托耳，我的心靈和豪 莽的激情催我
貼近快捷的海船，刺探軍情。
這樣吧，舉起你的節杖，當着我的臉面，莊嚴起誓，
你將給我駿馬，還有銅光閃爍的
馬車，那輛載負裴琉斯之子的戰車。我將
為你偵探，獲取軍情，使你不致白白期待。
我會潛行在整個軍營，找到
阿伽門農的海船，那該是敵方頭領聚會
謀劃的去處——是决定逃離此地，還是繼續會戰。”
聽罷這番話，赫剋托耳緊握節杖，發誓道：
“讓宙斯、赫拉的炸響雷的夫婿親自
為我作證，其他特洛伊人誰也不許登乘這輛馬車，
衹有你，我發誓，才能使喚這對良駒；這是你終身的光榮！”
就這樣，赫剋托耳信誓旦旦，雖說徒勞無益，卻催勵着多
隆登程上路。他迅速背起彎翹的硬弓，在他的肩頭，
披起一張灰色的生狼皮，拿過一頂
水獺皮帽，蓋住頭頂，操起一桿鋒快的投槍，
衝出營區，直奔海船——他再也沒有回來，
從船邊帶回赫剋托耳所要的情報。
就這樣，他離開熙攘的人群和馭馬，
匆匆上路，急不可待。然而，卓越的俄底修斯
看着此人行來，對狄俄墨得斯說道：
“有情況，狄俄墨得斯，有人正從敵營過來！
我不知道他是想探視我們的海船，
還是來剝取死者的甲件。不管怎樣，
先放他過去，待他進入前面的平地，稍稍跨出幾步後，
我們再奮起撲去，緊追不放，抓他個
措手不及。但是，如果他跑得比我們更快，
那就把他逼嚮海船，以防他撒腿回營，絲毫不要
鬆懈，用你的投槍攔截，决不能讓他回跑，跑回特洛伊。”
言罷，他倆閃到一邊，伏在屍堆裏，
而多隆卻不知不覺，傻乎乎地跑了過去，腿腳飛快。
當他跑出一段距離，約像騾子犁拉出的一條地壟的
長短——牽着犁頭，翻耕深熟的莊稼地，
騾子跑得比牛更快——他倆開始追趕。
聽到噔噔的腳步聲，多隆原地止步，直立不動，
以為來人是他的特洛伊夥伴
前來叫他回營——赫剋托耳已打消進攻的心念。
但是，當他倆進入投槍的射程，或更近的距離時，
他纔看清來者不善，隨即甩開雙腿，拼命
奔跑；他倆蹽開腿步，緊緊追趕。
像兩條訓練有素的獵狗，露出尖利的犬牙，盯上一頭獵物，
一頭小鹿或一隻野兔，心急火燎，順着林地的
空間，窮追猛撲；獵物撒腿江跑，發出尖利的叫聲。
就像這樣，圖丟斯之子和俄底修斯，城堡的蕩劫者，
切斷了他回營的歸路，緊追不捨，毫不鬆懈。
當他朝着海船飛跑，接近阿開亞人的
哨兵，雅典娜給圖丟斯之子註入
巨大的勇力，以免讓其他身披銅甲的阿開亞人
率先投槍，使秋俄墨得斯屈居第二。
強有力的狄俄墨得斯衝上前去，喊道：
“再不停步，我就投槍捅翻你這小子！我知道，你
最終逃不出我的手心，躲不過暴烈的死亡！”
言罷，他揮手投槍，但故意打偏了一點，
鋒快的槍尖掠過多隆的右肩，
深紮進泥地裏。多隆大驚失色，止步呆立，
結結巴巴，牙齒在嘴裏嗒嗒碰響，
出於人骨的恐懼。兩人追至他的身旁，喘着粗氣，
壓住他的雙臂，後者涕泗橫流，哀求道：
“活捉我，我會償付贖金。我傢裏堆着
青銅、黃金和艱工冶鑄的灰鐵——
傢父會用難以數計的財禮歡悅你們的心房，
要是聽說我還活在阿開亞人的海船旁。”
聽罷這番話，足智多謀的俄底修斯答道：
“不要怕，死亡還沒有臨頭。
告訴我，老老實實地告訴我，
在這漆黑的夜晚，其他凡人都已入睡，
你為何離開軍營，獨自一人，朝着海船潛行？
是想搶剝死者的鎧甲，還是奉赫剋托耳的命令，
前往深曠的海船，逐一刺探船邊的軍情？
也許，是你自己的意願促你踏上這次行程？”
多隆雙腿發抖，應聲答道：
“是赫剋托耳把我引入歧途，誘以過量的嗜望。
他答應給我裴琉斯之子、高傲的阿基琉斯的
風快的駿馬，連同他的戰車，閃着耀眼的銅光。
他命我穿過匆逝、烏黑的夜霧，
接近敵營，探明阿開亞人的動靜，
是像往常那樣，派人守護着海船，
還是因為受過我們的重創，正聚在一堆，
謀劃逃遁之事，無心暇顧夜防的繁瑣，
布崗設哨；阿開亞人已被折磨得筋疲力盡。”
聽罷這番話，足智多謀的俄底修斯咧嘴微笑，說道：
“不用說，這些是你夢寐以求的厚禮，
驍勇的阿基瓊斯的烈馬，凡人很難
控製或在馬後駕馭，誰也不行，
除了阿基琉斯，因為他是女神的兒子。
好了，回答下一個問題，你要老老實實地道來：
你在何地登程，離開兵士的牧者赫剋托耳？
他把甲械放在哪裏？他的馭馬又在何處？
其他特洛伊人的位置在哪——哨兵和呼呼入睡的戰勇？
他們在一起策劃了什麽？打算留在
原地，緊逼着海船，還是撤回
城堡，撇下受過重創的阿開亞兵漢？”
聽罷這番話，歐墨得斯之子多隆答道：
“好吧，我這就回話，把這一切準確無誤地告訴你。
眼下，赫剋托耳正和各路頭領議會，
避離營區的蕪雜，謀劃在神一樣的伊洛斯的
墳前。至於你所問及的哨兵，我的英雄，
那裏一個也沒有；我們沒有挑人守衛或保護宿營的兵丁。
衹有特洛伊人，出於需要，守候在他們的營火邊，
一個個順次提醒身邊的戰友，不要
墜入夢境，而來自遠方的盟友
都已昏昏入睡，把警戒的任務讓給了特洛伊兵勇，
因為他們的妻子兒女沒有睡躺在那裏，貼着戰場的邊沿。”
聽罷這番話，足智多謀的俄底修斯追問道：
“他們睡在哪裏？和馴馬能手特洛伊人混在
一起，還是分開宿營？告訴我，我要知曉這一切。”
聽罷這番話，歐墨得斯之子多隆答道：
“你放心，我這就回話，把這一切準確無誤地告訴你。
卡裏亞人和派俄尼亞人駐在海邊，帶着他們的彎弓，
還有萊勒格斯人、考科尼亞人和卓越的裴拉斯吉亞人。
在蘇姆伯瑞一帶，駐紮着魯基亞人和高傲的慕西亞人，
還有驅車搏戰的弗魯吉亞人和戰車上的鬥士邁俄尼亞人。
不過，你為何詢問這一切，問得如此詳細？
如果你有意奔襲特洛伊人的營盤，
瞧，那邊是斯拉凱人[●]的營地，剛來不久，離着友軍，
●斯拉凱人：盟軍中確有來自斯拉凱的部隊（見2·844），來自赫勒斯龐特
以北。雷索斯的人馬來自歐洲，靠近馬其頓一帶。
獨自紮營，由王者雷索斯統領，埃俄紐斯之子。
他的馭馬是我見過的最好、最高大的良駒，
比雪花還白，跑起來就像旋風一般。
他的戰車滿飾着黃金和白銀，
鎧甲寬敞碩大，純金鑄就，帶來此地，看了讓人
驚詫不已。它不像是凡人的用品，
倒像是長生不老的神祗的甲衣。
現在，你們可以把我帶到迅捷的海船邊，
或把我扔在這裏，用無情的繩索捆得結結實實，
直到你們辦完事情，用實情查證，
我的說告到底是真話，還是謊言。”
然而，強有力的狄俄墨得斯惡狠狠地瞪着他，說道：
“溜走？我說多隆，你可不要癡心妄想，
儘管你提供了絶妙的情報；你已被我們緊緊地捏在手裏！
假如我們把你放掉或讓你逃跑，
今後你又會出現在阿開亞人的快船旁，
不是再來刺探軍情，便是和我們面對面地拼鬥。
但是，如果我現在把你解决，捏死在我的手裏，
以後，你就再也不會出來，煩擾我們阿耳吉維人的壯漢。”
聽罷這番話，多隆伸出大手，試圖托住他的
下頜，求他饒命，但狄俄墨得斯手起一劍，
砍在脖子的中段，劈斷了兩邊的筋腱；多隆的
腦袋隨即滾人泥尖，嘴巴還在唧唧呱呱地說着什麽。
他們執下他的貂皮帽子，剝走
那張生狼皮，拿起了彎弓和長槍。
卓越的俄底修斯高舉起奪獲的戰禮，對着雅典娜，
掠劫者的福佑，開口誦道：
“歡笑吧，女神；這些是屬於你的東西！俄林波斯所有的
神中，我們將首先對你祭告——衹是請你繼續
指引我們，找到斯拉凱人的馭馬和營地。”
言罷，他把戰禮高舉過頭，放在
一棵檉柳枝叢上，抓過大把的蘆葦
和繁茂的檉柳枝條，作為醒目的標記；這樣，在回返的
路上，頂着匆逝、漆黑的夜霧，他們就不至於找不到這些東西。
兩人繼續前進，踩着滿地的甲械和黑沉沉的污血，
很快便來到要找的斯拉凱人的營地。
這幫人正呼呼鼾睡，營旅生活已把他們折磨得睏倦疲憊。
精良的甲械整整齊齊地堆放在身邊的泥地，
分作三排，而馭馬則分站在各自主人的身邊，靜候伫立。
雷索斯睡在中間，身邊站着他的快馬，
拴係在戰車的高層圍桿上。俄底修斯眼快，
看到此人的位置，並把他指給狄俄墨得斯：
“看，狄俄墨得斯，這便是我們要找的人，這些是他的馭馬，
即多隆——那個被我們砍掉的人——給我們描述過的良駒。
來吧，使出你的全部勇力，不要衹是站在這裏，
閑擱着你的武器。解開馬繮——
不然，讓我來對付它們，由你動手殺砍。”
他言罷，灰眼睛雅典娜把勇力吹人狄俄墨得斯的軀體，
後者隨即動手宰殺，一個接着一個，上下飛砍的
利劍引出凄慘的嚎叫，鮮血染紅了土地。
像一頭獅子，逼近一群無人牧守、看護的
綿羊或山羊群，帶着貪婪的食欲，迅猛撲擊，
圖丟斯之子連劈帶砍，一氣殺了
十二個斯拉凱人。每殺一個，他都
先站在睡者身前，然後揮劍猛砍，而
足智多謀的俄底修斯則從後面上來，抓住死者的腳跟，
把他拉到一邊，心想這樣一來，長鬃飄灑的
駿馬即可順利通過，不致因為踩到屍體
而驚恐慌亂——屍躺的慘狀，它們還沒有見慣。
其時，圖丟斯之子來到那位王者的身邊——
他手下的第十三個死鬼——奪走了生命的香甜。
其時，他正躺着猛喘粗氣——夜色裏，一個惡夢
索繞在他的頭頂：俄伊紐斯的兒子，出自雅典娜的安排。
與此同時，堅忍的俄底修斯解下風快的駿馬，
把繮繩攥在一起，用弓桿抽打，
趕出亂糟糟的地方——他沒有想到
可用馬鞭，其時正躺在做工精緻的戰車裏。
他給卓越的狄俄墨得斯送去一聲口哨，以便引起他的註意。
然而，狄俄墨得斯卻停留在原地，心中盤想着下一步
該做的事情：是奪取戰車——裏面放着那套漂亮的鎧甲
——抓着車桿拖走，或把它提起來帶走，
還是宰殺更多的斯拉凱兵勇？就在他
權衡斟酌之際，雅典娜
迅速站到他的身邊，對這位卓越的勇士說道：
“現在，心胸豪壯的圖丟斯之子，是考慮
返回深曠的海船的時候了。否則，你會受到追兵的迫脅——
我擔心某位神祗會喚醒沉睡的特洛伊兵丁。”
雅典娜言罷，狄俄墨得斯心知此乃女神的聲音，
趕忙登上戰車；俄底修斯用弓背抽打
馭馬，朝着阿開亞人的快船疾馳而去。
但是，銀弓之神阿波羅亦沒有閉上眼睛，
眼見雅典娜正出力幫助圖丟斯之子，氣得大發雷霆，
一頭紮進入員龐雜的特洛伊軍陣，
喚醒了一位斯拉凱頭領，希波科昂，
雷索斯高貴的堂表兄弟。他一驚而起，
發現快馬站立之處空空如也。
夥伴們橫七竪八的躺在地上，呼喘出生命的餘息，
不由得連聲哀嚎，呼叫着心愛的伴友的名字。
營地裏喧聲四起，驚望着兩位壯士創下的
浩劫，在返回深曠的海船前；
特洛伊人你推我操，亂作一團。
當他倆四至殺死偵探多隆的地方，
宙斯鐘愛的俄底修斯勒住飛跑的快馬，
圖丟斯之子跳到地上，拿起帶血的戰禮
遞給俄底修斯，然後重新躍上馬車，
舉鞭抽打；駿馬撒腿飛跑，不帶
半點勉強，朝着深曠的海船，它們心馳神往的地方。
奈斯托耳最先聽到嗒嗒的馬蹄聲，說道：
“朋友們，阿耳吉維人的首領和統治者們，
不知是我聽錯了，還是確有其事？我的心靈告訴我，
此刻，轟響在我耳畔的是迅捷的快馬踏出的蹄聲。
但願俄底修斯和強健的狄俄墨得斯
正趕着風快的駿馬，跑離特洛伊人的營地！
我心裏十分害怕，阿開亞人中最好的戰勇
可能在特洛伊人嗷嗷的殺聲中慘遭不幸。”
然而，話未講完，人已到了營前。二位
步下戰車，興高采烈的夥伴抓住
他們的雙手，熱情地祝賀他們的回歸。
奈斯托耳，格瑞尼亞的車戰者，首先問道；
“告訴我，受人稱頌的俄底修斯，阿開亞人的光榮和驕傲，
你倆如何得到這對馭馬，是奪之於人馬衆多的特洛伊
軍營，還是因為遇到某位神明，接受了他的饋贈？
瞧，多好的毛色，簡直就像太陽的閃光。
戰場上，我曾和特洛伊人頻頻相遇，我敢說，
我從未躲縮在岸邊的海船旁，雖然我是個上了年紀的老兵。
然而，我從未見過這樣的好馬，連想都沒有想過。
我想，一定是某位神祗路遇二位，並以馭馬相送。
你倆都受到彙聚烏雲的宙斯的鐘愛，
都是雅典娜，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的女兒，喜愛的凡人。”
聽罷這番話，足智多謀的俄底修斯答道：
“奈斯托耳，奈琉斯之子，阿開亞人的光榮和驕傲，
一位神祗如果願意，可以隨手牽出
比這些更好的駿馬；他們遠比我們強健。
你老人傢問及的這對馭馬，來自斯拉凱，
剛到不久，勇敢的狄俄墨得斯殺了它們的主人，
連同他的十二個夥伴，躺在他的身邊，清一色善戰的壯勇。
我們還宰掉一個偵探，第十三個死者，在海船附近，
受赫剋托耳和其他高傲的特洛伊人派遣，
前來刺探我們的軍情。”
言罷，他把蹄腿飛快的駿馬趕過壕溝，
發出朗朗的笑聲；其他阿開亞人跟隨同行，
個個喜形於色。他們來到狄俄墨得斯堅固的
營棚，用切割齊整的繮繩拴住駿馬
在食槽邊——狄俄墨得斯捷蹄的馭馬
早已站在那裏，嚼着可口的食餐。
在船尾的邊沿，俄底修斯放下取自多隆的
帶血的戰禮，進獻給雅典娜的祭品。
然後，他們蹚進海流，搓去小腿。
大腿和頸背上粘糊糊的汗水；
海浪衝涌，捲走了皮膚上淤結的斑塊，
一陣清涼的感覺滋潤着他們的心田。
然後，他們跨人光滑的澡盆，
浴畢，倒出橄欖油，擦抹全身。
隨後，他們坐下就餐，從譜滿的兌缸裏舀出
香甜的醇酒，潑灑在地，祭悅雅典娜的心懷。
ARGUMENT.
THE NIGHT-ADVENTURE OF DIOMED AND ULYSSES.
Upon the refusal of Achilles to return to the army, the distress of
Agamemnon is described in the most lively manner. He takes no rest that
night, but passes through the camp, awaking the leaders, and contriving
all possible methods for the public safety. Menelaus, Nestor, Ulysses, and
Diomed are employed in raising the rest of the captains. They call a
council of war, and determine to send scouts into the enemies' camp, to
learn their posture, and discover their intentions. Diomed undertakes this
hazardous enterprise, and makes choice of Ulysses for his companion. In
their passage they surprise Dolon, whom Hector had sent on a like design
to the camp of the Grecians. From him they are informed of the situation
of the Trojan and auxiliary forces, and particularly of Rhesus, and the
Thracians who were lately arrived. They pass on with success; kill Rhesus,
with several of his officers, and seize the famous horses of that prince,
with which they return in triumph to the camp.
The same night continues; the scene lies in the two camps.
All night the chiefs before their vessels lay,
And lost in sleep the labours of the day:
All but the king: with various thoughts oppress'd,(215)
His country's cares lay rolling in his breast.
As when by lightnings Jove's ethereal power
Foretels the rattling hail, or weighty shower,
Or sends soft snows to whiten all the shore,
Or bids the brazen throat of war to roar;
By fits one flash succeeds as one expires,
And heaven flames thick with momentary fires:
So bursting frequent from Atrides' breast,
Sighs following sighs his inward fears confess'd.
Now o'er the fields, dejected, he surveys
From thousand Trojan fires the mounting blaze;
Hears in the passing wind their music blow,
And marks distinct the voices of the foe.
Now looking backwards to the fleet and coast,
Anxious he sorrows for the endangered host.
He rends his hair, in sacrifice to Jove,
And sues to him that ever lives above:
Inly he groans; while glory and despair
Divide his heart, and wage a double war.
A thousand cares his labouring breast revolves;
To seek sage Nestor now the chief resolves,
With him, in wholesome counsels, to debate
What yet remains to save the afflicted state.
He rose, and first he cast his mantle round,
Next on his feet the shining sandals bound;
A lion's yellow spoils his back conceal'd;
His warlike hand a pointed javelin held.
Meanwhile his brother, press'd with equal woes,
Alike denied the gifts of soft repose,
Laments for Greece, that in his cause before
So much had suffer'd and must suffer more.
A leopard's spotted hide his shoulders spread:
A brazen helmet glitter'd on his head:
Thus (with a javelin in his hand) he went
To wake Atrides in the royal tent.
Already waked, Atrides he descried,
His armour buckling at his vessel's side.
Joyful they met; the Spartan thus begun:
"Why puts my brother his bright armour on?
Sends he some spy, amidst these silent hours,
To try yon camp, and watch the Trojan powers?
But say, what hero shall sustain that task?
Such bold exploits uncommon courage ask;
Guideless, alone, through night's dark shade to go,
And midst a hostile camp explore the foe."
To whom the king: "In such distress we stand,
No vulgar counsel our affairs demand;
Greece to preserve, is now no easy part,
But asks high wisdom, deep design, and art.
For Jove, averse, our humble prayer denies,
And bows his head to Hector's sacrifice.
What eye has witness'd, or what ear believed,
In one great day, by one great arm achieved,
Such wondrous deeds as Hector's hand has done,
And we beheld, the last revolving sun
What honours the beloved of Jove adorn!
Sprung from no god, and of no goddess born;
Yet such his acts, as Greeks unborn shall tell,
And curse the battle where their fathers fell.
"Now speed thy hasty course along the fleet,
There call great Ajax, and the prince of Crete;
Ourself to hoary Nestor will repair;
To keep the guards on duty be his care,
(For Nestor's influence best that quarter guides,
Whose son with Merion, o'er the watch presides.")
To whom the Spartan: "These thy orders borne,
Say, shall I stay, or with despatch return?"
"There shall thou stay, (the king of men replied,)
Else may we miss to meet, without a guide,
The paths so many, and the camp so wide.
Still, with your voice the slothful soldiers raise,
Urge by their fathers' fame their future praise.
Forget we now our state and lofty birth;
Not titles here, but works, must prove our worth.
To labour is the lot of man below;
And when Jove gave us life, he gave us woe."
This said, each parted to his several cares:
The king to Nestor's sable ship repairs;
The sage protector of the Greeks he found
Stretch'd in his bed with all his arms around
The various-colour'd scarf, the shield he rears,
The shining helmet, and the pointed spears;
The dreadful weapons of the warrior's rage,
That, old in arms, disdain'd the peace of age.
Then, leaning on his hand his watchful head,
The hoary monarch raised his eyes and said:
"What art thou, speak, that on designs unknown,
While others sleep, thus range the camp alone;
Seek'st thou some friend or nightly sentinel?
Stand off, approach not, but thy purpose tell."
"O son of Neleus, (thus the king rejoin'd,)
Pride of the Greeks, and glory of thy kind!
Lo, here the wretched Agamemnon stands,
The unhappy general of the Grecian bands,
Whom Jove decrees with daily cares to bend,
And woes, that only with his life shall end!
Scarce can my knees these trembling limbs sustain,
And scarce my heart support its load of pain.
No taste of sleep these heavy eyes have known,
Confused, and sad, I wander thus alone,
With fears distracted, with no fix'd design;
And all my people's miseries are mine.
If aught of use thy waking thoughts suggest,
(Since cares, like mine, deprive thy soul of rest,)
Impart thy counsel, and assist thy friend;
Now let us jointly to the trench descend,
At every gate the fainting guard excite,
Tired with the toils of day and watch of night;
Else may the sudden foe our works invade,
So near, and favour'd by the gloomy shade."
To him thus Nestor: "Trust the powers above,
Nor think proud Hector's hopes confirm'd by Jove:
How ill agree the views of vain mankind,
And the wise counsels of the eternal mind!
Audacious Hector, if the gods ordain
That great Achilles rise and rage again,
What toils attend thee, and what woes remain!
Lo, faithful Nestor thy command obeys;
The care is next our other chiefs to raise:
Ulysses, Diomed, we chiefly need;
Meges for strength, Oileus famed for speed.
Some other be despatch'd of nimbler feet,
To those tall ships, remotest of the fleet,
Where lie great Ajax and the king of Crete.(216)
To rouse the Spartan I myself decree;
Dear as he is to us, and dear to thee,
Yet must I tax his sloth, that claims no share
With his great brother in his martial care:
Him it behoved to every chief to sue,
Preventing every part perform'd by you;
For strong necessity our toils demands,
Claims all our hearts, and urges all our hands."
To whom the king: "With reverence we allow
Thy just rebukes, yet learn to spare them now:
My generous brother is of gentle kind,
He seems remiss, but bears a valiant mind;
Through too much deference to our sovereign sway,
Content to follow when we lead the way:
But now, our ills industrious to prevent,
Long ere the rest he rose, and sought my tent.
The chiefs you named, already at his call,
Prepare to meet us near the navy-wall;
Assembling there, between the trench and gates,
Near the night-guards, our chosen council waits."
"Then none (said Nestor) shall his rule withstand,
For great examples justify command."
With that, the venerable warrior rose;
The shining greaves his manly legs enclose;
His purple mantle golden buckles join'd,
Warm with the softest wool, and doubly lined.
Then rushing from his tent, he snatch'd in haste
His steely lance, that lighten'd as he pass'd.
The camp he traversed through the sleeping crowd,
Stopp'd at Ulysses' tent, and call'd aloud.
Ulysses, sudden as the voice was sent,
Awakes, starts up, and issues from his tent.
"What new distress, what sudden cause of fright,
Thus leads you wandering in the silent night?"
"O prudent chief! (the Pylian sage replied)
Wise as thou art, be now thy wisdom tried:
Whatever means of safety can be sought,
Whatever counsels can inspire our thought,
Whatever methods, or to fly or fight;
All, all depend on this important night!"
He heard, return'd, and took his painted shield;
Then join'd the chiefs, and follow'd through the field.
Without his tent, bold Diomed they found,
All sheathed in arms, his brave companions round:
Each sunk in sleep, extended on the field,
His head reclining on his bossy shield.
A wood of spears stood by, that, fix'd upright,
Shot from their flashing points a quivering light.
A bull's black hide composed the hero's bed;
A splendid carpet roll'd beneath his head.
Then, with his foot, old Nestor gently shakes
The slumbering chief, and in these words awakes:
"Rise, son of Tydeus! to the brave and strong
Rest seems inglorious, and the night too long.
But sleep'st thou now, when from yon hill the foe
Hangs o'er the fleet, and shades our walls below?"
At this, soft slumber from his eyelids fled;
The warrior saw the hoary chief, and said:
"Wondrous old man! whose soul no respite knows,
Though years and honours bid thee seek repose,
Let younger Greeks our sleeping warriors wake;
Ill fits thy age these toils to undertake."
"My friend, (he answered,) generous is thy care;
These toils, my subjects and my sons might bear;
Their loyal thoughts and pious love conspire
To ease a sovereign and relieve a sire:
But now the last despair surrounds our host;
No hour must pass, no moment must be lost;
Each single Greek, in this conclusive strife,
Stands on the sharpest edge of death or life:
Yet, if my years thy kind regard engage,
Employ thy youth as I employ my age;
Succeed to these my cares, and rouse the rest;
He serves me most, who serves his country best."
This said, the hero o'er his shoulders flung
A lion's spoils, that to his ankles hung;
Then seized his ponderous lance, and strode along.
Meges the bold, with Ajax famed for speed,
The warrior roused, and to the entrenchments lead.
And now the chiefs approach the nightly guard;
A wakeful squadron, each in arms prepared:
The unwearied watch their listening leaders keep,
And, couching close, repel invading sleep.
So faithful dogs their fleecy charge maintain,
With toil protected from the prowling train;
When the gaunt lioness, with hunger bold,
Springs from the mountains toward the guarded fold:
Through breaking woods her rustling course they hear;
Loud, and more loud, the clamours strike their ear
Of hounds and men: they start, they gaze around,
Watch every side, and turn to every sound.
Thus watch'd the Grecians, cautious of surprise,
Each voice, each motion, drew their ears and eyes:
Each step of passing feet increased the affright;
And hostile Troy was ever full in sight.
Nestor with joy the wakeful band survey'd,
And thus accosted through the gloomy shade.
"'Tis well, my sons! your nightly cares employ;
Else must our host become the scorn of Troy.
Watch thus, and Greece shall live." The hero said;
Then o'er the trench the following chieftains led.
His son, and godlike Merion, march'd behind
(For these the princes to their council join'd).
The trenches pass'd, the assembled kings around
In silent state the consistory crown'd.
A place there was, yet undefiled with gore,
The spot where Hector stopp'd his rage before;
When night descending, from his vengeful hand
Reprieved the relics of the Grecian band:
(The plain beside with mangled corps was spread,
And all his progress mark'd by heaps of dead:)
There sat the mournful kings: when Neleus' son,
The council opening, in these words begun:
"Is there (said he) a chief so greatly brave,
His life to hazard, and his country save?
Lives there a man, who singly dares to go
To yonder camp, or seize some straggling foe?
Or favour'd by the night approach so near,
Their speech, their counsels, and designs to hear?
If to besiege our navies they prepare,
Or Troy once more must be the seat of war?
This could he learn, and to our peers recite,
And pass unharm'd the dangers of the night;
What fame were his through all succeeding days,
While Phoebus shines, or men have tongues to praise!
What gifts his grateful country would bestow!
What must not Greece to her deliverer owe?
A sable ewe each leader should provide,
With each a sable lambkin by her side;
At every rite his share should be increased,
And his the foremost honours of the feast."
Fear held them mute: alone, untaught to fear,
Tydides spoke--"The man you seek is here.
Through yon black camps to bend my dangerous way,
Some god within commands, and I obey.
But let some other chosen warrior join,
To raise my hopes, and second my design.
By mutual confidence and mutual aid,
Great deeds are done, and great discoveries made;
The wise new prudence from the wise acquire,
And one brave hero fans another's fire."
Contending leaders at the word arose;
Each generous breast with emulation glows;
So brave a task each Ajax strove to share,
Bold Merion strove, and Nestor's valiant heir;
The Spartan wish'd the second place to gain,
And great Ulysses wish'd, nor wish'd in vain.
Then thus the king of men the contest ends:
"Thou first of warriors, and thou best of friends,
Undaunted Diomed! what chief to join
In this great enterprise, is only thine.
Just be thy choice, without affection made;
To birth, or office, no respect be paid;
Let worth determine here." The monarch spake,
And inly trembled for his brother's sake.
"Then thus (the godlike Diomed rejoin'd)
My choice declares the impulse of my mind.
How can I doubt, while great Ulysses stands
To lend his counsels and assist our hands?
A chief, whose safety is Minerva's care;
So famed, so dreadful, in the works of war:
Bless'd in his conduct, I no aid require;
Wisdom like his might pass through flames of fire."
"It fits thee not, before these chiefs of fame,
(Replied the sage,) to praise me, or to blame:
Praise from a friend, or censure from a foe,
Are lost on hearers that our merits know.
But let us haste--Night rolls the hours away,
The reddening orient shows the coming day,
The stars shine fainter on the ethereal plains,
And of night's empire but a third remains."
Thus having spoke, with generous ardour press'd,
In arms terrific their huge limbs they dress'd.
A two-edged falchion Thrasymed the brave,
And ample buckler, to Tydides gave:
Then in a leathern helm he cased his head,
Short of its crest, and with no plume o'erspread:
(Such as by youths unused to arms are worn:)
No spoils enrich it, and no studs adorn.
Next him Ulysses took a shining sword,
A bow and quiver, with bright arrows stored:
A well-proved casque, with leather braces bound,
(Thy gift, Meriones,) his temples crown'd;
Soft wool within; without, in order spread,(217)
A boar's white teeth grinn'd horrid o'er his head.
This from Amyntor, rich Ormenus' son,
Autolycus by fraudful rapine won,
And gave Amphidamas; from him the prize
Molus received, the pledge of social ties;
The helmet next by Merion was possess'd,
And now Ulysses' thoughtful temples press'd.
Thus sheathed in arms, the council they forsake,
And dark through paths oblique their progress take.
Just then, in sign she favour'd their intent,
A long-wing'd heron great Minerva sent:
This, though surrounding shades obscured their view.
By the shrill clang and whistling wings they knew.
As from the right she soar'd, Ulysses pray'd,
Hail'd the glad omen, and address'd the maid:
"O daughter of that god whose arm can wield
The avenging bolt, and shake the dreadful shield!
O thou! for ever present in my way,
Who all my motions, all my toils survey!
Safe may we pass beneath the gloomy shade,
Safe by thy succour to our ships convey'd,
And let some deed this signal night adorn,
To claim the tears of Trojans yet unborn."
Then godlike Diomed preferr'd his prayer:
"Daughter of Jove, unconquer'd Pallas! hear.
Great queen of arms, whose favour Tydeus won,
As thou defend'st the sire, defend the son.
When on Æsopus' banks the banded powers
Of Greece he left, and sought the Theban towers,
Peace was his charge; received with peaceful show,
He went a legate, but return'd a foe:
Then help'd by thee, and cover'd by thy shield,
He fought with numbers, and made numbers yield.
So now be present, O celestial maid!
So still continue to the race thine aid!
A youthful steer shall fall beneath the stroke,
Untamed, unconscious of the galling yoke,
With ample forehead, and with spreading horns,
Whose taper tops refulgent gold adorns."
The heroes pray'd, and Pallas from the skies
Accords their vow, succeeds their enterprise.
Now, like two lions panting for the prey,
With dreadful thoughts they trace the dreary way,
Through the black horrors of the ensanguined plain,
Through dust, through blood, o'er arms, and hills of slain.
Nor less bold Hector, and the sons of Troy,
On high designs the wakeful hours employ;
The assembled peers their lofty chief enclosed;
Who thus the counsels of his breast proposed:
"What glorious man, for high attempts prepared,
Dares greatly venture for a rich reward?
Of yonder fleet a bold discovery make,
What watch they keep, and what resolves they take?
If now subdued they meditate their flight,
And, spent with toil, neglect the watch of night?
His be the chariot that shall please him most,
Of all the plunder of the vanquish'd host;
His the fair steeds that all the rest excel,
And his the glory to have served so well."
A youth there was among the tribes of Troy,
Dolon his name, Eumedes' only boy,
(Five girls beside the reverend herald told.)
Rich was the son in brass, and rich in gold;
Not bless'd by nature with the charms of face,
But swift of foot, and matchless in the race.
"Hector! (he said) my courage bids me meet
This high achievement, and explore the fleet:
But first exalt thy sceptre to the skies,
And swear to grant me the demanded prize;
The immortal coursers, and the glittering car,
That bear Pelides through the ranks of war.
Encouraged thus, no idle scout I go,
Fulfil thy wish, their whole intention know,
Even to the royal tent pursue my way,
And all their counsels, all their aims betray."
The chief then heaved the golden sceptre high,
Attesting thus the monarch of the sky:
"Be witness thou! immortal lord of all!
Whose thunder shakes the dark aerial hall:
By none but Dolon shall this prize be borne,
And him alone the immortal steeds adorn."
Thus Hector swore: the gods were call'd in vain,
But the rash youth prepares to scour the plain:
Across his back the bended bow he flung,
A wolf's grey hide around his shoulders hung,
A ferret's downy fur his helmet lined,
And in his hand a pointed javelin shined.
Then (never to return) he sought the shore,
And trod the path his feet must tread no more.
Scarce had he pass'd the steeds and Trojan throng,
(Still bending forward as he coursed along,)
When, on the hollow way, the approaching tread
Ulysses mark'd, and thus to Diomed;
"O friend! I hear some step of hostile feet,
Moving this way, or hastening to the fleet;
Some spy, perhaps, to lurk beside the main;
Or nightly pillager that strips the slain.
Yet let him pass, and win a little space;
Then rush behind him, and prevent his pace.
But if too swift of foot he flies before,
Confine his course along the fleet and shore,
Betwixt the camp and him our spears employ,
And intercept his hoped return to Troy."
With that they stepp'd aside, and stoop'd their head,
(As Dolon pass'd,) behind a heap of dead:
Along the path the spy unwary flew;
Soft, at just distance, both the chiefs pursue.
So distant they, and such the space between,
As when two teams of mules divide the green,
(To whom the hind like shares of land allows,)
When now new furrows part the approaching ploughs.
Now Dolon, listening, heard them as they pass'd;
Hector (he thought) had sent, and check'd his haste,
Till scarce at distance of a javelin's throw,
No voice succeeding, he perceived the foe.
As when two skilful hounds the leveret wind;
Or chase through woods obscure the trembling hind;
Now lost, now seen, they intercept his way,
And from the herd still turn the flying prey:
So fast, and with such fears, the Trojan flew;
So close, so constant, the bold Greeks pursue.
Now almost on the fleet the dastard falls,
And mingles with the guards that watch the walls;
When brave Tydides stopp'd; a gen'rous thought
(Inspired by Pallas) in his bosom wrought,
Lest on the foe some forward Greek advance,
And snatch the glory from his lifted lance.
Then thus aloud: "Whoe'er thou art, remain;
This javelin else shall fix thee to the plain."
He said, and high in air the weapon cast,
Which wilful err'd, and o'er his shoulder pass'd;
Then fix'd in earth. Against the trembling wood
The wretch stood propp'd, and quiver'd as he stood;
A sudden palsy seized his turning head;
His loose teeth chatter'd, and his colour fled;
The panting warriors seize him as he stands,
And with unmanly tears his life demands.
"O spare my youth, and for the breath I owe,
Large gifts of price my father shall bestow:
Vast heaps of brass shall in your ships be told,
And steel well-temper'd and refulgent gold."
To whom Ulysses made this wise reply:
"Whoe'er thou art, be bold, nor fear to die.
What moves thee, say, when sleep has closed the sight,
To roam the silent fields in dead of night?
Cam'st thou the secrets of our camp to find,
By Hector prompted, or thy daring mind?
Or art some wretch by hopes of plunder led,
Through heaps of carnage, to despoil the dead?"
Then thus pale Dolon, with a fearful look:
(Still, as he spoke, his limbs with horror shook:)
"Hither I came, by Hector's words deceived;
Much did he promise, rashly I believed:
No less a bribe than great Achilles' car,
And those swift steeds that sweep the ranks of war,
Urged me, unwilling, this attempt to make;
To learn what counsels, what resolves you take:
If now subdued, you fix your hopes on flight,
And, tired with toils, neglect the watch of night."
"Bold was thy aim, and glorious was the prize,
(Ulysses, with a scornful smile, replies,)
Far other rulers those proud steeds demand,
And scorn the guidance of a vulgar hand;
Even great Achilles scarce their rage can tame,
Achilles sprung from an immortal dame.
But say, be faithful, and the truth recite!
Where lies encamp'd the Trojan chief to-night?
Where stand his coursers? in what quarter sleep
Their other princes? tell what watch they keep:
Say, since this conquest, what their counsels are;
Or here to combat, from their city far,
Or back to Ilion's walls transfer the war?"
Ulysses thus, and thus Eumedes' son:
"What Dolon knows, his faithful tongue shall own.
Hector, the peers assembling in his tent,
A council holds at Ilus' monument.
No certain guards the nightly watch partake;
Where'er yon fires ascend, the Trojans wake:
Anxious for Troy, the guard the natives keep;
Safe in their cares, the auxiliar forces sleep,
Whose wives and infants, from the danger far,
Discharge their souls of half the fears of war."
"Then sleep those aids among the Trojan train,
(Inquired the chief,) or scattered o'er the plain?"
To whom the spy: "Their powers they thus dispose
The Paeons, dreadful with their bended bows,
The Carians, Caucons, the Pelasgian host,
And Leleges, encamp along the coast.
Not distant far, lie higher on the land
The Lycian, Mysian, and Maeonian band,
And Phrygia's horse, by Thymbras' ancient wall;
The Thracians utmost, and apart from all.
These Troy but lately to her succour won,
Led on by Rhesus, great Eioneus' son:
I saw his coursers in proud triumph go,
Swift as the wind, and white as winter-snow;
Rich silver plates his shining car infold;
His solid arms, refulgent, flame with gold;
No mortal shoulders suit the glorious load,
Celestial panoply, to grace a god!
Let me, unhappy, to your fleet be borne,
Or leave me here, a captive's fate to mourn,
In cruel chains, till your return reveal
The truth or falsehood of the news I tell."
To this Tydides, with a gloomy frown:
"Think not to live, though all the truth be shown:
Shall we dismiss thee, in some future strife
To risk more bravely thy now forfeit life?
Or that again our camps thou may'st explore?
No--once a traitor, thou betray'st no more."
Sternly he spoke, and as the wretch prepared
With humble blandishment to stroke his beard,
Like lightning swift the wrathful falchion flew,
Divides the neck, and cuts the nerves in two;
One instant snatch'd his trembling soul to hell,
The head, yet speaking, mutter'd as it fell.
The furry helmet from his brow they tear,
The wolf's grey hide, the unbended bow and spear;
These great Ulysses lifting to the skies,
To favouring Pallas dedicates the prize:
"Great queen of arms, receive this hostile spoil,
And let the Thracian steeds reward our toil;
Thee, first of all the heavenly host, we praise;
O speed our labours, and direct our ways!"
This said, the spoils, with dropping gore defaced,
High on a spreading tamarisk he placed;
Then heap'd with reeds and gathered boughs the plain,
To guide their footsteps to the place again.
Through the still night they cross the devious fields,
Slippery with blood, o'er arms and heaps of shields,
Arriving where the Thracian squadrons lay,
And eased in sleep the labours of the day.
Ranged in three lines they view the prostrate band:
The horses yoked beside each warrior stand.
Their arms in order on the ground reclined,
Through the brown shade the fulgid weapons shined:
Amidst lay Rhesus, stretch'd in sleep profound,
And the white steeds behind his chariot bound.
The welcome sight Ulysses first descries,
And points to Diomed the tempting prize.
"The man, the coursers, and the car behold!
Described by Dolon, with the arms of gold.
Now, brave Tydides! now thy courage try,
Approach the chariot, and the steeds untie;
Or if thy soul aspire to fiercer deeds,
Urge thou the slaughter, while I seize the steeds."
Pallas (this said) her hero's bosom warms,
Breathed in his heart, and strung his nervous arms;
Where'er he pass'd, a purple stream pursued
His thirsty falchion, fat with hostile blood,
Bathed all his footsteps, dyed the fields with gore,
And a low groan remurmur'd through the shore.
So the grim lion, from his nightly den,
O'erleaps the fences, and invades the pen,
On sheep or goats, resistless in his way,
He falls, and foaming rends the guardless prey;
Nor stopp'd the fury of his vengeful hand,
Till twelve lay breathless of the Thracian band.
Ulysses following, as his partner slew,
Back by the foot each slaughter'd warrior drew;
The milk-white coursers studious to convey
Safe to the ships, he wisely cleared the way:
Lest the fierce steeds, not yet to battles bred,
Should start, and tremble at the heaps of dead.
Now twelve despatch'd, the monarch last they found;
Tydides' falchion fix'd him to the ground.
Just then a deathful dream Minerva sent,
A warlike form appear'd before his tent,
Whose visionary steel his bosom tore:
So dream'd the monarch, and awaked no more.(218)
Ulysses now the snowy steeds detains,
And leads them, fasten'd by the silver reins;
These, with his bow unbent, he lash'd along;
(The scourge forgot, on Rhesus' chariot hung;)
Then gave his friend the signal to retire;
But him, new dangers, new achievements fire;
Doubtful he stood, or with his reeking blade
To send more heroes to the infernal shade,
Drag off the car where Rhesus' armour lay,
Or heave with manly force, and lift away.
While unresolved the son of Tydeus stands,
Pallas appears, and thus her chief commands:
"Enough, my son; from further slaughter cease,
Regard thy safety, and depart in peace;
Haste to the ships, the gotten spoils enjoy,
Nor tempt too far the hostile gods of Troy."
The voice divine confess'd the martial maid;
In haste he mounted, and her word obey'd;
The coursers fly before Ulysses' bow,
Swift as the wind, and white as winter-snow.
Not unobserved they pass'd: the god of light
Had watch'd his Troy, and mark'd Minerva's flight,
Saw Tydeus' son with heavenly succour bless'd,
And vengeful anger fill'd his sacred breast.
Swift to the Trojan camp descends the power,
And wakes Hippocoon in the morning-hour;
(On Rhesus' side accustom'd to attend,
A faithful kinsman, and instructive friend;)
He rose, and saw the field deform'd with blood,
An empty space where late the coursers stood,
The yet-warm Thracians panting on the coast;
For each he wept, but for his Rhesus most:
Now while on Rhesus' name he calls in vain,
The gathering tumult spreads o'er all the plain;
On heaps the Trojans rush, with wild affright,
And wondering view the slaughters of the night.
Meanwhile the chiefs, arriving at the shade
Where late the spoils of Hector's spy were laid,
Ulysses stopp'd; to him Tydides bore
The trophy, dropping yet with Dolon's gore:
Then mounts again; again their nimbler feet
The coursers ply, and thunder towards the fleet.
[Illustration: DIOMED AND ULYSSES RETURNING WITH THE SPOILS OF RHESUS.]
DIOMED AND ULYSSES RETURNING WITH THE SPOILS OF RHESUS.
Old Nestor first perceived the approaching sound,
Bespeaking thus the Grecian peers around:
"Methinks the noise of trampling steeds I hear,
Thickening this way, and gathering on my ear;
Perhaps some horses of the Trojan breed
(So may, ye gods! my pious hopes succeed)
The great Tydides and Ulysses bear,
Return'd triumphant with this prize of war.
Yet much I fear (ah, may that fear be vain!)
The chiefs outnumber'd by the Trojan train;
Perhaps, even now pursued, they seek the shore;
Or, oh! perhaps those heroes are no more."
Scarce had he spoke, when, lo! the chiefs appear,
And spring to earth; the Greeks dismiss their fear:
With words of friendship and extended hands
They greet the kings; and Nestor first demands:
"Say thou, whose praises all our host proclaim,
Thou living glory of the Grecian name!
Say whence these coursers? by what chance bestow'd,
The spoil of foes, or present of a god?
Not those fair steeds, so radiant and so gay,
That draw the burning chariot of the day.
Old as I am, to age I scorn to yield,
And daily mingle in the martial field;
But sure till now no coursers struck my sight
Like these, conspicuous through the ranks of fight.
Some god, I deem, conferred the glorious prize,
Bless'd as ye are, and favourites of the skies;
The care of him who bids the thunder roar,
And her, whose fury bathes the world with gore."
"Father! not so, (sage Ithacus rejoin'd,)
The gifts of heaven are of a nobler kind.
Of Thracian lineage are the steeds ye view,
Whose hostile king the brave Tydides slew;
Sleeping he died, with all his guards around,
And twelve beside lay gasping on the ground.
These other spoils from conquer'd Dolon came,
A wretch, whose swiftness was his only fame;
By Hector sent our forces to explore,
He now lies headless on the sandy shore."
Then o'er the trench the bounding coursers flew;
The joyful Greeks with loud acclaim pursue.
Straight to Tydides' high pavilion borne,
The matchless steeds his ample stalls adorn:
The neighing coursers their new fellows greet,
And the full racks are heap'd with generous wheat.
But Dolon's armour, to his ships convey'd,
High on the painted stern Ulysses laid,
A trophy destin'd to the blue-eyed maid.
Now from nocturnal sweat and sanguine stain
They cleanse their bodies in the neighb'ring main:
Then in the polished bath, refresh'd from toil,
Their joints they supple with dissolving oil,
In due repast indulge the genial hour,
And first to Pallas the libations pour:
They sit, rejoicing in her aid divine,
And the crown'd goblet foams with floods of wine. 其時，黎明從高貴的提索諾斯身邊起床，
把晨光遍灑給神和凡人。宙斯命遣
冷酷的女神爭鬥急速前往阿開亞人的
快船，手握戰爭的兆示。她
站在俄底修斯的海船上，烏黑、寬大、深曠，
停駐在船隊中部，以便一聲呼喊，便可傳及兩翼，
既可及達忒拉蒙之子埃阿蒙的營地，
亦可飄至阿基琉斯的兵棚——堅信自己的剛勇和
臂力，他倆把勻稱的海船分另u停駐在船隊的兩頭。
女神在船上站定，發出一聲可怕的喊叫，
尖利、刺耳，把巨大的勇力註入每一個阿開亞人的
心胸，要他們奮勇拼殺，不屈不撓地戰鬥。
現在，對於他們，比之駕着深曠的海船，
返回親愛的故鄉，戰爭是一件更為甜美的事情。
阿特柔斯之子亮開宏大的嗓門，命令阿開亞人
穿戴武裝，自己亦動手披上鋥亮的銅甲。
首先，他用脛甲裹住小腿，
精美的製品，帶着銀質的踝扣，
然後係上胸甲，掩起胸背，
基努拉斯的饋贈，作為象徵客朋之誼的禮品。
阿開亞人即將乘船徵伐特洛伊的要聞
飛到了遙遠的塞浦路斯，基努拉斯
遂將此物贈送王者，以愉悅他的心懷。
胸甲上滿綴着箍帶，十條深藍色的琺琅
十二條黃金，二十條白錫；及至咽喉的部位，
貼爬着琺琅勾出的長蛇，
每邊三條，像跨天的長虹——剋羅諾斯之子
把它們劃上雲朵，作為對凡人的兆示。
他挎起銅劍，劍柄上鉚綴着
閃亮的金釘，鋒刃裹藏在銀質的
劍鞘，鞘邊係着餾金的背帶。然後，
他拿起一面掩罩全身的盾牌，精工鑄就，
堅實、壯觀。盾面上環繞着十個銅圍，
夾嵌着二十個閃着白光的圓形錫塊；
正中是一面凸起的琺琅，顔色深藍，
像個拱冠，突現出戈耳工的臉譜，面貌猙獰，
閃射出兇殘的眼光，同近旁的騷亂和恐懼相輝映。
背帶上白銀閃爍，纏繞着一條
黑藍色的盤蛇，捲蜷着身子，
一頸三頭，東張西望。接着，
他戴上頭盔，挺着兩支硬角，四個突結，
頂着馬鬃的盔冠，搖撼出鎮人的威嚴。
最後，他抓起兩校粗長的槍矛，挑着鋒快的銅尖，
銅刃閃着耀眼的寒光，射嚮蒼茫的藍天。
見此景狀，赫拉和雅典娜投出一個響雷，
嘉賞來自金寶之地的王者，慕凱奈的主宰。
其時，頭領們命囑各自的馭手
勒馬溝沿，排成整齊的隊列，
自己則跳下馬車，全副武裝，涌嚮
壕溝；經久不息的吼聲回蕩在初展的空間。
他們排開戰鬥隊列，嚮壕溝挺進，遠遠地走在馭手的前面，
後者駕着馬車，隨後跟進。剋羅諾斯之子在隊伍裏
激起蕪雜和喧鬧，從高空
降下一陣血雨，决意要把大群
強壯的武士投入哀地斯的府居。
在壕溝的另一邊，平原的高處，兵勇們
圍聚在頭領們身邊，特洛伊人的首領，
高大的赫剋托耳、壯實的普魯達馬斯。
埃內阿斯——特洛伊人敬他，在他們的地域，如同敬神一般，
以及安忒諾耳的三個兒子，波魯波斯、卓越的阿格諾耳
和神一樣的阿卡馬斯，英俊的小青年。
赫剋托耳，挺着溜圓的戰後，站在隊伍的最前排，
像一顆不祥的星宿，在夜空的雲朵裏露出頭臉，
閃爍着耀眼的光芒，然後又隱入雲層和黑夜，
赫剋托耳時而活躍在隊伍的前列，
時而又敦促後面的兵勇們嚮前，銅盔銅甲，
閃閃發光，像父親宙斯，帶埃吉斯的天神投出的閃電。
勇士們，像兩隊割莊稼的好手，面對面地
步步進逼，在一個富人的農田，收割
小麥或大麥，手腳麻利地掃斷一片片莖稈，
特洛伊人和阿開亞人咄咄逼近，你殺我砍，
雙方爭先恐後，誰也不想後退——後退意味着毀滅。
戰鬥的重壓迫使他們針鋒相對，
像狼一樣瘋狂。望着此般情景，喜見痛苦、樂聞慘叫的爭頭笑
開了眉眼。長生不老者中，衹有她伴視着這場仇殺，
其他神明全都不在此地，靜靜地呆在遙遠的
房居——在俄林波斯的脊背，
每位神祗都有一座宏偉的宮殿。
其時，他們都在抱怨剋羅諾斯之子，席捲烏雲的宙斯，
怪他不該把光榮賜給特洛伊兵漢。
對神們的抱怨，父親滿不在乎；他避離衆神，
獨自坐在高處，陶醉於自己的榮烈，
俯視着特洛伊人的城堡和阿開亞人的海船，
望着閃閃的銅光，人殺人和人被人殺的場面。
伴隨着清晨的中移和漸增的神聖的日光，
雙方的投械頻頻中的，打得屍滾人亡。
然而，及至樵夫備好食餐，在林木
繁茂的山𠔌——他已砍倒一棵棵大樹，此時
感覺到腿腳的疲軟，心中生發出厭倦之意，
渴望用香甜的食物充飽饑渴的腸胃——
就在其時，達奈人振奮鬥志，打散了特洛伊人的隊陣，
互相頻頻招呼吶喊。阿伽門農
第一個衝上前去，殺了比厄諾耳，兵士的牧者，
接着又放倒了他的夥伴俄伊琉斯，鞭趕戰車的勇士。
俄伊琉斯從馬後跳下，站穩腳跟，
怒氣衝衝地撲嚮阿伽門農，後者，用鋒快的槍矛，
打爛了他的臉頰，青銅的盔緣擋不住槍尖——
它穿過堅硬的緣層和頰骨，濺搗出
噴飛的腦漿。就這樣，民衆的王者阿伽門農
殺了怒氣衝衝的俄伊琉斯，讓死者躺在原地，
襢露出鮮亮的胸脯——他已剝去他們的衣衫。
接着，他又撲嚮伊索斯和安提福斯，殺剝了
普裏阿摩斯的兩個兒子，一個私生，另一個出自合法的婚娶，
兩人同乘一輛戰車，由私出的伊索斯執繮，
著名的安提福斯站在他的身邊。在此之前，
阿基琉斯曾抓過他們——其時，他倆正牧羊在伊達的
坡面——縛之以堅韌的柳條，以後又收取贖禮，放入生還。
這一次，阿特柔斯之子，統治着遼闊疆域的阿伽門農，
擊倒了伊索斯——投槍紮進胸脯，奶頭的上面——
劍劈了安提福斯，砍在耳朵上，把他撂下馬車。
他急不可待，剝取了兩套絢麗的盔甲，他所
熟悉的精品，以前曾經見過他們，在迅捷的海船邊——
捷足的阿基琉斯曾把他們帶到此地，從伊達山坡。
像一頭獅子，闖進鹿穴，逮住
奔鹿的幼仔，裂開它們的皮肉，用尖利的牙齒，
搗碎頸骨，抓出鮮嫩的心髒。
即便母鹿置身近旁，卻也無能為力，
已被嚇得一愣一愣，渾身劇烈顫嗦。
突然，它撒腿跑開，躥行在𠔌地的林間，
熱汗淋漓，惟恐逃不出猛獸的撲擊。
就像這樣，特洛伊人誰也救不了這兩個夥伴；
面對阿耳吉維人的進攻，他們自身難保，遑遑逃命。
接着，他又抓住了裴桑得羅斯和犟悍的希波洛科斯，
聰明的安提馬科斯的兒子——此人接受了
亞歷剋山德羅斯的黃金，豐厚的禮物，受惠最多，
故而反對把阿耳戈斯的海倫交還棕發的墨奈勞斯。
現在，強有力的阿伽門農抓住了這對兄弟，
在同一輛車裏，一起駕馭着奔跑的快馬，
眼見阿特柔斯之子像獅子似地衝到
面前，兩人驚慌失措，滑落了
手中的繮繩，在車上哀聲求告：
“活捉我們，阿特柔斯之子，取受足份的贖禮。
在安提馬科斯傢裏，財寶堆積如山，
有青銅、黃金和艱工冶鑄的灰鐵——
傢父會用難以數計的財禮歡悅你們的心房，
要是聽說我倆還活在阿開亞人的海船旁。”
就這樣，他倆對着王者嚎啕，悲悲戚戚，
苦求饒命，但聽到的卻是一番無情的回言：
“你倆真是聰明的安提馬科斯的兒子？
那傢夥以前曾在特洛伊人的集會中主張
就地殺了墨奈勞斯——作為使者，他和神一樣的
俄底修斯前往談判——不讓他回返阿開亞人的鄉園。
現在，你們將付出血的代價，為乃父的兇殘。”
言罷，他一把揪出裴桑德羅斯，把他扔下馬車，
一槍捅進他的胸膛，將他仰面打翻在泥地上。
希波洛科斯跳下馬車，試圖逃跑，被阿特柔斯之子殺死，
揮劍截斷雙臂，砍去頭顱，
像一根旋轉的木頭，倒在戰場上。他丟下
死者，撲嚮敵方潰散的軍伍，人群最密集的
去處，其他脛甲堅固的阿開亞亦跟隨左右，一同殺去。
一時間，步戰者殺死，面對強大的攻勢，撤腿逃跑的步戰者，
趕車的殺死趕車的，隆隆作響的馬蹄在平原上
刨起一柱柱泥塵，紛紛揚揚地翻騰在馭者的腳板下。
他們用青銅殺人，而強有力的阿伽門農
總是衝鋒在前，大聲催勵着阿耳吉維人。
像一團蕩掃一切的烈火，捲人一片昌茂的森林，
挾着風勢，到處伸出騰騰的火苗，
焚燒着叢叢灌木，把它們連根端起一樣，
面對阿特桑斯之子阿伽門農的奔殺，逃跑中的特洛伊人
一個接一個地倒下，一群群頸脖粗壯的馭馬
拖着空車，顛簸在戰場的車道，
思盼着高傲的馭者，而他們卻已躺倒在地，
成為兀鷲，而不是他們的妻子，喜愛的對象。
但是，宙斯已把赫剋托耳拉出紛飛的兵械和泥塵，
拉出人死人亡的地方，避離了血泊和混亂，
而阿特柔斯之子卻步步追逼，催督達奈人嚮前。
特洛伊人全綫崩潰，撤過老伊洛斯。
達耳達諾斯之子的墳塋，逃過平野的中部和無花果樹一綫，
試圖退回城堡。阿特桑斯之子緊追不捨，聲嘶
力竭地喊叫，剋敵製勝的手上塗濺着泥血的斑跡。
然而，當特洛伊人退至斯卡亞門和橡樹一帶，
他們收住腳步，等候落後的夥伴。
儘管如此，平原中部仍有大群的逃兵，宛如在
一個漆黑的夜晚，被一頭獸獅驚散的牛群，獅子
驚散了整個群隊，但突至的死亡衹是降撲一頭牛身
——猛獸先用利齒咬斷喉管，然後
大口吞咽血液，生食牛肚裏的內臟。
就像這樣，阿特桑斯之子、強有力的阿伽門農奮勇追擊，
一個接一個地殺死掉在最後的兵勇，把他們趕得遑遑奔逃。
許多人從車上摔滾下來，有的嘴啃泥塵，有的四腳朝天，
吃不住阿特柔斯之子的重擊——他手握槍矛，衝殺在隊伍的
前列。但是，當他準備殺嚮城堡，殺嚮
陡峭的圍墻時，神和人的父親從天上
下來，坐在泉流衆多的伊達的
脊背，緊握着他的響雷。
他要金翅膀的伊裏絲動身前往，帶着他的口信：
“去吧，快捷的伊裏絲，把我的話語帶給赫剋托耳。
衹要看到阿伽門農，兵士的牧者，
和前排的首領衝殺在一起，放倒成隊的兵勇，
他就應回避不前，但要督促部屬，
迎戰殺敵，進行艱烈的拼搏。但是，
一旦此人挂彩負傷，受到投槍或羽箭的飛襲，
從馬後跳上戰車，我就會把勇力賜給赫剋托耳，
讓他殺人，一直殺到凳板堅固的海船，
殺到太陽西沉，神聖的夜晚籠罩一切。”
言罷，腿腳追風的伊裏絲謹遵不違，
衝下伊達的脊背，直奔神聖的伊利昂，
找到睿智的國王普裏阿摩斯的兒子，卓越的赫剋托耳，
挺立在戰車和馭馬邊。快腿的
伊裏絲停降在他的身旁，說道：
“普裏阿摩斯之子，和宙斯一樣精擅謀略的赫剋托耳，
聽聽父親宙斯差我給你捎來的信言。
衹要看到阿伽門農，兵士的牧者，
和前排的首領衝殺在一起，放倒成隊的兵勇，
你就應回避不前，但要督促部屬，
迎戰殺敵，進行艱烈的拼搏。但是，
一旦阿伽門農挂彩負傷，受到投槍或羽箭的飛襲，
從馬後回登戰車，宙斯就會給你勇力，
讓你殺人，一直殺到凳板堅固的海船，
殺到太陽西沉，神聖的夜晚籠罩一切。”
言罷，快腿的伊裏絲離他而去。
赫剋托耳跳下戰車，全身披挂，
揮舞着兩條鋒快的槍矛，巡跑在全軍各處，
催勵兵勇們衝殺，挑起浴血的苦戰。
特洛伊人轉過身子，站穩腳跟，接戰阿開亞兵勇，
而阿耳吉維人亦收攏隊陣，針鋒相對，
面對面地擺開近戰的架勢；阿伽門農
一馬當先，試圖遠遠地搶在別人前頭，迎戰敵手。
告訴我，傢住俄林波斯的繆斯，
特洛伊人或他們那遠近聞名的盟友中，
迎戰阿伽門農，誰個最先站立出來？
伊菲達馬斯首先出戰，安忒諾耳之子，身材魁梧壯實，
生長在土地肥沃的斯拉凱，羊群的母親。
當他年幼之時，基塞斯在自己傢裏把他養大，
基塞斯，他母親的父親，生女塞阿諾，一位漂亮的姑娘。
然而，當他長成一個身強力壯的小夥，
基塞斯試圖把他留下，嫁出一個女兒，作為他的妻配。
婚後不久，他就離開新房，統兵出戰，受到一則傳聞的
激誘——
阿開亞人的隊伍已在特洛伊登岸——率領十二條彎翹的
海船。他把木船留在裴耳科斯，
徒步參戰伊利昂。現在，他將在此
迎戰阿伽門農，阿特柔斯的兒男。
他倆相對而行，咄咄逼近，
阿特柔斯之子出手投槍，未中，槍尖擦過他的身邊，
但伊菲達馬斯卻出槍中的，打在胸甲下，腰帶的層面，
壓上全身的重量，自信於強有力的臂膀。
儘管如此，他卻不能穿透閃亮的腰帶，
槍頭頂到白銀，馬上捲了刃尖，像鬆軟的鉛塊。
阿伽門農，統治着遼闊疆域的王者，抓住槍矛，
抵捅回去，狂烈得像一頭獅子，把槍桿
攥出他的手心，然後舉劍砍進脖子，鬆軟了他的肢腿。
就這樣，伊菲達馬斯倒在地，像青銅一樣不醒長眠。
可憐的人，前來幫助他的同胞，撇下自己的妻房，
他的新娘。妻子還不曾給他什麽溫暖，儘管他已付出豐厚的
財禮——先給了一百頭牛，又答應下一千頭
山羊或綿羊——他的羊群多得難以數計。
現在，阿伽門農，阿特柔斯之子，搶剝了他的所有，
帶着璀璨的鎧甲，回到阿開亞人的隊伍。
科昂，勇士中出衆的戰將，安忒諾耳的
長子，目睹了此番情景，望着倒下的
兄弟，極度的悲痛模糊了他的眼睛。
他從一個側面走來——強健的阿伽門農沒有發現——
一槍紮中他的前臂，手肘的下面，
閃亮的槍尖挑穿了皮肉。
全軍的統帥阿伽門農全身抖嗦，
但儘管如此，他也沒有停止攻戰，
而是撲嚮科昂，手握矛桿，取料疾風吹打出來的樹村。
其時，科昂正拖起他父親的兒子，他的兄弟伊菲達馬斯，
抓住他的雙腳，對着所有最勇敢的壯士呼喊。正當他
拉着兄弟的屍體，走入己方的隊陣，阿伽門農出槍刺擊，
藏身在突鼓的盾牌後面，銅尖的閃光酥軟了他的肢腿。
他邁步上前，割下他的腦袋，翻滾着撞上伊菲達馬斯的軀體。
此時此地，在王者阿伽門農手下，安忒諾耳的兩個兒子
接受了命運的安排，墜入了死神的府居。
但是，阿伽門農仍然穿行在其他戰勇的隊伍，
繼續奮戰搏殺，用銅槍、戰劍和大塊的石頭——
熱血仍在不停地冒涌，從槍矛紮出的傷口。
然而，當血流凝止，傷口結癡愈合，
劇烈的疼痛開始削弱阿特桑斯之子的勇力，
像産婦忍受的強烈的陣痛，
掌管生産的精靈帶來的苦楚——
赫拉的女兒們，主導痛苦的生育——
劇烈的疼痛削弱着阿特柔斯之子的勇力。
他跳上戰車，招呼馭手，把他
送回深曠的海船，忍着鑽心的疼痛。
他提高嗓門。用尖亮的聲音對達奈人喊道：
“朋友們，阿耳吉維人的首領和統治者們，
你等必須繼續保衛我們破浪遠洋的海船，
頂住特洛伊人猖狂的進攻——統掌一切的宙斯
已不讓我和特洛伊人打到夜色稠濃的時候！”
言罷，馭者揚起皮鞭，催趕長鬃飄灑的駿馬，
朝着深曠的海船，撒蹄飛跑，不帶半點勉強。
它們拉着負傷的王者離開戰場，
胸前汗水淋漓，肚下沾滿紛揚的泥塵。
眼見阿伽門農撤出戰鬥，赫剋托耳
亮開嗓門，高聲呼喊，對着特洛伊人和魯基亞戰勇：
“特洛伊人，魯基亞人和達耳達尼亞人，近戰殺敵的勇士們！
拿出男子漢的氣概，我的朋友們，鼓起狂烈的戰鬥激情！
他們中最好的戰勇已被打離戰場；宙斯，剋羅諾斯之子，
已答應給我巨大的榮譽。駕起風快的駿馬，直撲
強健的達奈人，為自己爭得更大的光榮！”
一番話使大傢鼓起了勇氣，增添了力量。
恰似一位獵人，催趕犬牙閃亮的獵狗
撲嚮一頭野獸，一頭野豬或獅子，
普裏阿摩斯之子赫剋托耳，像殺人不眨眼的戰神，
催勵着心胸豪壯的特洛伊人，撲戰阿開亞兵勇。
他自己更是雄心勃勃，大步邁進在隊伍的最前排，
投入你死我活的拼搏，像一場突起的風暴，
從天空衝掃撲襲，掀起一層層波浪，在黑藍色的洋面。
誰個最先死在他的手裏，誰個最後被他送命——
既然宙斯已給他榮譽，他，赫剋托耳，普裏阿摩斯的兒子？
阿賽俄斯最先送命，接着是奧托努斯和俄丕忒斯，
然後是多洛普斯，剋魯提俄斯之子，以及俄裴爾提俄斯。
阿格勞斯埃蘇姆諾斯、俄羅斯和源勇犟悍的希波努斯。
他殺了這些人，達奈人的首領，然後撲嚮
人馬麇集的去處，像西風捲起的一陣狂飆，
擊碎南風吹來的閃亮的雲朵，
掀起洶涌的浪潮，兜着風力的
吹鼓，高聳的浪尖擊撒出飛濺的水沫。
就像這樣，兵群裏，赫剋托耳打落了簇擠的人頭。
其時，戰場將陷入極度的混亂，玉石俱焚的局面在所難免；
奔跑中的阿開亞人將匆匆忙忙地逃回海船，
怒氣衝衝地殺奔在前排的軍陣裏，直到斷送了寶貴的生命。
赫剋托耳——隔着隊列——看得真切，大吼一聲，
對着他倆衝來，身後跟着一隊隊特洛伊兵丁。
目睹此番情景，嘯吼戰場的狄俄墨得斯嚇得身腿發抖，
隨即開口發話，對走來的俄底修斯嚷道：
“瞧，高大的赫剋托耳，這峰該受詛咒的濁浪，正嚮我們撲來；
打吧，讓我們頂住他的衝擊，打退他的進攻！”
言罷，他持平落影森長的槍矛，奮臂投擲，
不偏不倚，正中目標，飛嚮他的腦袋，
頭盔的頂脊。但是，銅槍擊中銅盔，被頂了
回來，不曾擦着鮮亮的皮膚：盔蓋抵住了槍矛——
這頂頭盔，三層，帶着孔眼，福伊波斯·阿波羅的贈品。
赫剋托耳驚跳着跑出老遠，回到己方的隊陣，
麯腿跪地，撐出粗壯的大手，單臂吃受
身體的重力，黑色的夜霧蒙住了他的眼睛。
然而，當着圖丟斯之子循着投槍的軌跡，
遠離前排的勇士，前往槍塵紮咬泥尖的地點，
赫剋托耳蘇緩過來，跳上戰車，
趕回大軍集聚的地方，躲過了幽黑的死亡。
強健的狄俄墨得斯開口嚷道，搖晃着手中的槍矛：
“這回，又讓你躲過了死亡，你這條惡狗！雖說如此，
也衹是死裏逃生；福伊波斯·阿波羅再一次救了你，’
這位你在投身密集的槍雨前必須對之祈誦的仙神！
但是，我們還會再戰，那時，我將把你結果，
倘若我的身邊也有一位助信的尊神。
眼下，我要去追殺別的戰勇，任何我可以趕上的敵人！”
言罷，他動手解剝派昂善使槍矛的兒子。
其時，亞歷剋山德羅斯，美發海倫的夫婿，
對着圖丟斯之子，兵士的牧者，拉開了強弓，
靠着石柱，人工築成，竪立在伊洛斯時
墳陵——伊洛斯，達耳達諾斯之子，古時統領民衆的長者。
其時、狄俄墨得斯正動手粗壯的阿伽斯特羅福斯的胸面，
槍剝戰甲，從他的肩頭卸下捏亮的盾牌，
伸手摘取沉重的頭盔——帕裏斯扣緊弓心，
張弦放箭。羽箭出手，不曾虛發，
中標右足的腳面，透過腳背，
紮入泥層。亞歷剋山德羅斯見狀放聲大笑，
從藏身之地跳將出來，帶着勝利的喜悅，高聲喊道：
“你被擊中了，我的羽箭不曾虛發！要是它能
深紮進你的肚腹，奪走你的生命，那該有多絶！
這樣，見了你發抖的特洛伊人——恰似咩咩叫喚的山羊
碰到獅子——便可在遭受重創之後，爭得一個喘息的機會。”
聽罷這番話，強健的狄俄墨得斯面無懼色，厲聲答道：
“你這耍弓弄箭的蹩腳貨，卑鄙的鬥士，甩着秀美的發綹，
如果你敢拿起武器，和我面對面地開打，
你的弓弩和紛飄的箭矢都將幫不了你的軟弱。
你衹是擦破了我的腳面，卻說出此番狂言。
誰會介意呢？一個沒有頭腦的孩子或一個婦人也可以如此
傷我。一個窩囊廢，一個膽小鬼的箭頭，豈會有傷人的犀利？
但是，倘若有人被我擊中，哪怕衹是擦個邊兒，情況可就大不
一般——槍尖銳利鋒快，頃刻之間即可放血封喉。
他的妻床會在悲哭中抓破臉面，
他的孩子將變成無父的孤兒，而他自己衹能潑血染地，
腐損黴爛。在他周圍，成群的兀鷲將多於哭屍的女輩！”
他言罷，著名的槍手俄底修斯趕至近旁，
站在他的面前，使他得以坐下，在俄底修斯身後，從腳上
拔出鋒快的箭鏃，劇烈的楚痛撕咬着他的皮肉。
狄俄墨得斯跳上戰車，招呼馭手，
把他帶回深曠的海船，忍着鑽心的疼痛。
這樣，那一帶就衹剩下俄底修斯光桿一人，身邊
再也找不到一個阿耳吉維戰勇——恐懼驅跑了所有的
兵漢。焦慮中，他對自己豪 莽的心魂說道：
“哦，我的天！我將面臨何種境況？倘若懼怕
眼前的敵群，撒腿回跑，那將是一種恥辱；但若
衹身被抓，後果就更難設想；剋羅諾斯之子已驅使其他達奈人
逃離。然而，為何爭辯，我的心魂？
我知道，不戰而退是懦夫的行徑；
誰要想在戰場上爭得榮譽，就必須
站穩腳跟，勇敢頑強，要麽擊倒別人，要麽被別人殺倒。”
正當他權衡斟酌之際，在他的心裏和魂裏，
特洛伊人全副武裝的隊列已在嚮他逼近，
把他團團圍住——圍出了他們自己的死亡。
像一群獵狗和精力充沛的年輕人，圍住一頭野豬，
猛撲上去，而野豬則衝出茂密的灌木，它的窩巢，
在彎翹的顎骨上磨快了雪白的尖牙利齒，
狗和獵人從四面衝來，圍攻中可以聽到獠牙
咋咋的聲響——然而，儘管此曾來勢兇猛，他們卻毫不退讓。
就像這樣，特洛伊人衝撲上來，步步逼近宙斯鐘愛的
俄底修斯。他首先擊倒高貴的德伊俄丕忒斯，
鋒快的投槍從高處落下，紮在肩膀上。
接着，他殺了索昂和厄諾摩斯，然後又
宰了正從車上下跳的開耳西達馬斯，槍尖
搗在肚臍上，從鼓起的盾牌下；
後者隨即倒地，手抓泥塵。
俄底修斯丟下死者，出槍斷送了希帕索斯之子
卡羅普斯，富人索科斯的兄弟。索科斯
快步趕來，神一樣的凡人，前往保護他的兄弟，
行至俄底修斯近旁站定，高聲喊道：
“受人贊揚的俄底修斯，喜詐不疲、貪戰不厭的鬥士！
今天，你要麽殺了希帕索斯的兩個兒子，兩個像
我們這樣的人，剝走戰甲，吹噓一番，
要麽倒死在我的槍下，送掉你的性命！”
言罷，他出槍擊中俄底修斯身前溜圓的戰盾，
沉重的槍尖深紮進閃亮的盾面，
挑開精工製作的胸甲，
捅裂了肋骨邊的皮肉；然而，
帕拉絲·雅典娜不讓槍尖觸及他的要害。
俄底修斯心知此傷不會致命，
往後退了幾步，對着索科斯嚷道：
“可憐的東西，可知慘暴的死亡即將砸碎你的腦袋！
不錯，你擋住了我的進攻，對特洛伊人的攻殺，
但是，我要直言相告，今天，就在此時此地，死亡和烏黑的
命運將要和你見面！你將死在我的槍下，給我送來
光榮，把自己的靈魂交付駕馭名駒的死神！”
他言罷，索科斯轉過身子，撒腿便跑，
然而，就在轉身之際，槍矛擊中脊背，
雙腳之間，長驅直入，穿透了胸脯。
他隨即倒地，轟然一聲；神勇的俄底修斯開口吹嚷，喊道：
“索科斯，聰明的馴馬者希帕索斯的兒子，
死亡追上並放倒了你；你躲不過它的追擊。
可憐的東西，你的父親和尊貴的母親
將不能為你合上眼睛；利爪的兀鷲
會扒開你的皮肉，雙翅擊打着你的軀體！要是我
死了，我卻可得到體面的葬禮，卓越的阿開亞人一定不會忘懷。”
言罷，他從身上拔出聰穎的索科斯紮入的
沉甸甸的槍矛，穿過突鼓的戰後；槍尖高身，
帶出涌註的鮮血，使他看後心寒。
然而，心胸豪壯的特洛伊人，看到俄底修斯身上的鮮血，
高興得大叫起來，在混亂的人群中，一窩蜂似地嚮他撲趕。
俄底修斯開始退卻，大聲呼喚他的夥伴，
連叫三次，聲音大到人腦可以承受的極限。
嗜戰的墨奈勞斯三次聽見他的喊聲，
馬上對離他不遠的埃阿斯說道：
“忒拉蒙之子，宙斯的後裔，兵士的牧者埃阿斯，
我的耳旁震響着堅忍的俄底修斯的喊叫；
從聲音來判斷，他好像已衹身陷入重圍，而特洛伊人
正在發起強攻，打得他喘不過氣來。
讓我們穿過人群，最好能把他搭救出來。
我擔心他會受到特洛伊人的傷損，孤身一人，
雖然他很勇敢——對達奈兵衆，這將是莫大的損害。”
言罷，他領頭先行，埃阿斯隨後跟進，神一樣的凡人。
他們看見宙斯鐘愛的俄底修斯正被特洛伊人
圍迫不放，如同一群黃褐色的豺狗，在那大山之上，
圍殺一頭帶角的公鹿，新近受過
獵人的箭傷，一枝離弦的利箭，生逃出來，
急速奔跑，衹因傷口還冒着熱血，腿腳尚且靈捷。
但是，當迅跑的飛箭最終奪走它的活力，
貪婪的豺狗馬上開始撕嚼地上的屍軀，在山上
枝葉繁茂的樹林裏。然而，當某位神明導來一頭
兇狠的獸獅，豺狗便嚇得遑遑奔逃，把佳餚留給後來者吞食。
就像這樣，勇 莽的特洛伊人圍住聰慧的、頭腦靈活的
俄底修斯。成群結隊，但英雄
揮舞槍矛，左衝右突，擋開無情的死亡。
其時，埃阿斯嚮他跑來，攜着墻面似的盾牌，
站在他的前面，嚇得特洛伊人四散奔逃。
嗜戰的墨奈勞斯抓住俄底修斯的手，帶着他
衝出人群，而他的馭手則趕着車馬，跑至他們身邊。
隨後，埃阿斯蹽開大步，撲嚮特洛伊人，擊倒多魯剋洛斯，
普裏阿摩斯的私生子，接着又放倒了潘多科斯，
魯桑得羅斯、普拉索斯和普拉耳忒斯。
像一條泛濫的大河，從山上浩浩蕩蕩地
瀉入平野，推涌着宙斯傾註的雨水，
衝走衆多枯幹的橡樹和成片的
鬆林，直到激流捲着大堆的樹村，闖入大海——
光榮的埃阿斯衝蕩在平原上，追逐奔跑，
殺馬屠人。然而，赫剋托耳卻還不知這邊的
戰況，因他搏殺在戰場的左側，
斯卡曼得羅斯河邊——那裏，人頭成片地落地，
遠非其他地方所能比及；無休止的喧囂
圍裹着高大的奈斯托耳和嗜戰的伊多墨紐斯。
赫剋托耳正和這些人打鬥，以他的槍矛和駕車技巧
重創敵軍，橫掃着年輕人的軍陣。
儘管如此，卓越的阿開亞人仍然不予退讓，
若不是亞歷剋山德羅斯，美發海倫的夫婿，
擊傷兵士的牧者，奮勇衝殺的馬卡昂，
用一枝帶着三個倒鈎的羽箭，射中他的右肩。
怒氣衝衝的阿開亞人此時替他擔心，
擔心隨着戰局的變化，敵人會出手殺倒馬卡昂。
伊多墨紐斯當即發話，對卓越的奈斯托耳喊道：
“奈斯托耳，奈琉斯之子，阿開亞人的光榮和驕傲！
趕快行動，登上馬上，讓馬卡昂上車呆在
你的身邊，駕着風快的馭馬，全速前進，趕回海船。
一位醫者抵得上一隊兵丁——
他能挖出箭鏃，敷設愈治傷痛的藥劑。”
圖丟斯之子言罷，格瑞尼亞的車戰者奈斯托耳謹遵不違，
即刻踏上戰車；馬卡昂，大醫士
阿斯剋勒丕俄斯之子隨即登車同行。
他手起鞭落，馭馬揚蹄飛跑，不帶半點勉強。
直奔深曠的海船，它們心馳神往的地方。
戰車上，開勃裏俄奈斯，站在赫剋托耳身邊，
眼見特洛伊人的退敗之勢，對他的同伴說道：
“赫剋托耳，你我置身戰場的邊沿，拼戰達奈人，
在這場慘烈的殺鬥中；別地的特洛伊兵勇
已被打得七零八落，人馬擁擠，亂作一團。
忒拉蒙之子追殺着他們，我已認出他來，不會有錯——
瞧他肩頭的那面碩大的戰盾。趕快，
讓我們駕着馬車趕去，去那戰鬥最烈
的地方，馭手和步兵們正
喋血苦戰，拼鬥搏殺，喊聲不絶。”
言罷，他舉起脆響的皮鞭，驅趕
長鬃飄灑的駿馬，後者受到鞭擊，迅速
拉起飛滾的戰車，奔馳在兩軍之間，
踏過死人和盾牌，輪軸沾滿
飛濺的血點，馬蹄和飛旋的
輪緣壓出四散的污血，噴灑在
圍繞車身的條桿。赫剋托耳全力以赴，準備插入
紛亂的人群，衝垮他們，打爛他們——他給
達奈人帶來了混亂和災難，全然不顧紛飛的
槍矛[●]，衝殺在其他戰勇的隊陣，
●全然……的槍矛：或為不停地操使着槍矛。
奮戰搏殺，用銅槍、戰劍和大塊的石頭。
不過，他仍然避不擊戰埃阿斯，忒拉蒙的兒子。
其時，坐鎮山巔的父親宙斯已開始催動埃阿斯回退。
他木然站立，膛目結舌，將七層牛皮製成的巨盾甩至背後，
移退幾步，目光掃過人群，像一頭野獸，
轉過身子，一步步地回挪。
宛如一頭黃褐它的獅子，被狗和獵人
從攔着牛群的莊院趕開——他們整夜
監守，不讓它撕食言牛的肥膘；
俄獅貪戀牛肉的肥美，臨近撲去，
但卻一無所獲——雨點般的槍矛迎面
砸來，投自粗壯的大手，另有那騰騰
燃燒的火把，嚇得它，儘管兇狂，退縮不前；
隨着黎明的降臨，餓獅怏怏離去，心緒頽敗。
就像這樣，埃阿斯從特洛伊人面前回退，心情沮喪，
勉勉強強，違心背意，擔心阿開亞人的海船，它們的安危。
像一頭難以推拉的犟驢，由男孩們牽着行進，
闖入一片莊稼地裏，儘管打斷了一根根枝棍，
但它照舊往裏躬行，咽嚼着穗頭簇擁的𠔌粒；
男孩們揮枝抽打，但畢竟重力有限，
最後好不容易把它攆出農田，但犟驢已吃得肚飽溜圓。
就像這樣，心志高昂的特洛伊人和來自遙遠地帶的盟友們，
緊緊追趕神勇的埃阿斯，忒拉蒙之子，
不時把投槍擊打在巨盾的中心。
埃阿斯，再次鼓起狂烈的戰鬥激情，時而
回頭撲嚮特洛伊人，馴馬的好手，打退他們的
隊伍，時而又掉轉身子，大步回跑。
但是，他擋住了他們，不讓一個敵人衝嚮迅捷的海船，
子身挺立，拼殺在阿開亞兵壯和特洛伊人
之間的戰陣。飛來的槍矛，出自特洛伊鬥士粗壯的
大手，有的直接打在巨盾上，另有許多
落在兩軍之間，不曾碰着白亮的皮膚，
紮在泥地上，帶着撕咬人肉的欲念。
其時，歐魯普洛斯，埃阿蒙光榮的兒子，
眼見埃阿斯正受到投槍的追擊，劈頭蓋臉的槍雨，
跑去站在他的身邊，投出閃亮的槍矛，
擊中阿丕薩昂，法烏西阿斯之子，兵士的牧者，
打在肝髒上，橫隔膜下，當即酥軟了他的膝腿。
歐魯普洛斯跳上前去，搶剝鎧甲，從他的肩頭。
但是，當神一樣的亞歷剋山德羅斯
發現他的作為，馬上拉緊弓弦，射嚮
歐魯普洛斯，箭頭紮入右邊的股腿，
崩斷了箭桿，劇烈的疼痛鑽咬進大腿的深處。
為了躲避死亡，他退回己方的伴群，
提高嗓門，用尖亮的聲音對達奈人喊道：
“朋友們，阿耳吉維人的首領和統治者們！
大傢轉過身去，站穩腳跟，為埃阿斯擋開這冷酷的
死亡之日，他已被投槍逼打得難以擡頭。
我想，他恐怕逃不出這場悲苦的戰鬥。
站穩腳跟，面對忒拉蒙之子、大個子埃阿斯周圍的敵人。”
帶傷的歐魯普洛斯言罷，夥伴們衝涌過來，
站在他的身邊，把盾牌斜靠在他的肩上，擋住
投槍。其時，埃阿斯跑來和他們聚會，
轉過身子，站穩腳跟，置身己方的隊陣。
就這樣，他們奮力搏殺，像熊熊的烈火。與此同時，
奈琉斯的馭馬拉着奈斯托耳撤出戰鬥，
熱汗淋漓；同往的還有馬卡昂，兵士的牧者。
其時，捷足的鬥士、卓越的阿基琉斯看到並認出了馬卡昂，
站在那條巨大、深曠的海船的尾部，
了望着這場殊死的拼搏，可悲的追殺。
他隨即發話，招呼夥伴帕特羅剋洛斯，
從他站立的船上；後者聽到呼聲，跑出營棚，
像戰神一般。然而，也就在這一時刻，死亡開始盯上了他。
墨諾伊提俄斯強壯的兒子首先啓口，問道：
“為何叫我，阿基琉斯？有何吩咐？”
言畢。捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“墨諾伊提俄斯卓越的兒子，使我歡心的伴友，
現在，我想，阿開亞人會跑來抱住我的膝腿，
哀聲求告；戰局的嚴酷已超過他們可以忍受的程度。
去吧，宙斯鐘愛的帕特羅剋洛斯，找到奈斯托耳，
問他傷者是誰，那個他從戰場上帶回的壯勇。
從背後望去，此人極像馬卡昂，
阿斯剋勒丕俄斯之子，從頭到腳都像，但我還不曾見着
他的臉面——馭馬急駛而過，跑得飛快。”
帕特羅剋洛斯得令而去，遵從親愛的夥伴，
扯開腿步，沿着阿開亞人的營棚和海船。
其時，奈斯托耳來到自己的營房：
他倆跳下馬車，踏上豐肥的土地，馭手
歐魯墨鼕從車下寬出老人的
馭馬。他們吹晾着衣衫上的汗水，
站在海邊的清風裏，然後
走進營棚，坐在高背的木椅上。
發辮秀美的赫卡墨得為他們調製了一份飲料，
心志豪 莽的阿耳西努斯的女兒，奈斯托耳的戰禮，
得之於忒奈多斯——阿基琉斯攻破這座城堡後，阿開亞人
把此女挑給奈斯托耳，因為他比誰都更善謀略。
首先，她擺下一張桌子，放在他們面前，一張漂亮的
餐桌，平整光滑，安着琺琅的支腿，然後
放上一隻銅籃，裝着蒜頭，下酒的佳品，
以及淡黃色的蜂蜜和用神聖的大麥做成的面食。
接着，她把一隻做工精緻的杯盞放在籃邊，此杯
係老人從傢裏帶來，用金釘鉚連，有四個
把手，每一個上面停棲着兩衹
啄食的金鴿，墊着雙層的底座。
滿斟時，一般人要咬緊牙關，方能把它從桌面端起，
但奈斯托耳，雖然上了年紀，卻可做得輕而易舉。
用這個杯子，舉止不遜女神的赫卡墨得，用普拉姆內亞美酒，
為他們調製了一份飲料，擦進用山羊奶做就的乳酪，
用一個青銅的銼板，然後撒上雪白的大麥——
調製停當，她便恭請二位喝飲。
兩人喝罷，消除了喉頭的焦渴，
開始享受談話的愉悅，你來我往地道說起來。
其時，帕特羅剋洛斯來到門前，止步，一位像神一樣的凡人。
見到他，老人從閃亮的座椅上驚跳起來，
握住他的手，引他進來，讓他人坐。
但帕特羅剋洛斯卻站在他的對面，拒絶道：
“現在，宙斯鐘愛的老人傢，可不是下坐的時候。你說服不
了我。此人可敬，但極易發怒，他差我弄清，那位由你
帶回的傷者究為何人。現在，我已親眼見到，
他是馬卡昂，兵士的牧者。我將
即刻趕回，把此番信息報給阿基琉斯。
你也知道，老人傢，宙斯鐘愛的老戰士，他是什麽樣的人——
剛烈、粗暴，甚至可對一個無辜之人動怒發火。”
聽罷這番話，格瑞尼亞的車戰者奈斯托耳答道：
“阿基琉斯纔不會傷心呢，為被投槍擊傷的
阿開亞人的兒子們。軍中滋長的悲戚
之情，他哪裏知道！全軍最勇敢的戰將
都已臥躺船邊，帶着劍傷或槍痕。
圖丟斯之子、強健的秋俄墨得斯已被羽箭射傷，
俄底修斯則身帶槍痕，著名的槍手阿伽門農亦然；
歐魯普洛斯大腿中箭，還有
我剛從戰場上帶回的馬卡昂，
已被離弦的羽箭射傷。但阿基琉斯，
雖然驍勇，卻既不關心，也不憐憫達奈人。
他要等到什麽時候？等到猖撅的烈火
燒掉海邊的快船，衝破阿耳吉維人的阻攔？
等到我們自己都被宰殺，一個接着一個？我的四肢
已經彎麯，早先的力氣已經不復存在。
但願我能重返青壯，渾身都是力氣，
就像當年一樣——那時，我們和厄利斯人打了一場械鬥，
為了搶奪牛群；其時，我親手殺了伊圖摩紐斯，
呼裴羅斯勇敢的兒子，傢住厄利斯。
出於報復，我要搶奪他的牛群，而他卻為保衛
畜群而戰，被我投槍擊中，倒在前排的
壯勇裏，嚇得那幫村民落荒而逃。
從平野上，我們奪得並趕走了何等壯觀的畜群：
五十群牛，同等數量的綿羊，同樣數量的
肥豬，以及同樣多的成片的山羊，
還有棕黃色的驟馬，總共一百五十匹，
許多還帶着駒崽，哺吮在腹胯下。
夜色裏，我們把畜群趕進普洛斯，
哄進奈琉斯的城堡。傢父心花怒放，
見我掠得這許多牲畜，小小年紀，即已經歷了一場拼搏。
翌日拂曉，信使們扯開清亮的嗓門，
招呼所有有權嚮富庶的厄利斯人討還冤債的民衆，統統出來。
普洛斯的首領們聚在一塊，分發戰禮；
需要償還所失者，人數衆多，因為
我們普洛斯人少，故而長期遭受他們的凌辱。
多年前，強有力的赫拉剋勒斯曾來攻打，
擊敗了我們，打死了我們中最驃健的壯勇。
高貴的奈琉斯有十二個兒子，現在
衹剩下我，其餘的都已作古。
這些事情助長了身披銅甲的厄利斯人的兇傲，
他們肆虐狂蠻，興兵徵伐，使我們受害至深。
老人從戰禮中挑了一群牛和一大群羊，
總數三百，連同牧人一起——
富足的厄利斯人欠了他一大筆冤債：
四匹爭奪奬品的賽馬，外帶一輛馬車。
那一年，馬兒拉着戰車，參加比賽，爭奪三腳銅鼎，
不料奧格亞斯，民衆的王者，扣留並占奪了車馬，
遣走馭者，讓他踏上歸程，帶着思馬的煩愁。
所以，年邁的奈琉斯，出於對仇人言行的憤怒，
擇取了一份極豐厚的戰禮，並把其餘的交給衆人，
由他們分配，使每人都能得到公平的份子。
就這樣，我們一邊處理戰禮，一邊在全城
敬祭神明。到了第三天，厄利斯人大軍出動，
舉兵進犯，大隊的兵勇和風快的戰馬，
全速前進，帶着兩個披甲的戰勇，摩利俄奈斯兄弟，
小小年紀，尚不十分精擅狂烈的拼搏。多沙的
普洛斯境內有一座城堡，斯羅厄薩，矗立在陡峭的山岩，
遠離阿菲俄斯河，地處邊睡。他們
包圍了這座石城，急不可待地試圖攻破。
然而，當他們掃過整個平原，雅典娜衝破
夜色，嚮我們跑來，來自俄林波斯的使者，召呼我們武裝
備戰。在普洛斯，他所招聚的不是一支行動遲滯緩慢的軍隊，
而是一幫求戰心切的兵勇。其時，奈琉斯
不讓我披挂上陣，藏起了我的馭馬，
以為我尚不精熟戰爭的門道。
所以，我衹得徒步參戰，但仍然突顯在
車戰者中——雅典娜安排着這場戰鬥。
那地方有一條河流，米努埃俄斯，在阿瑞奈附近
倒人大海。河岸邊，我們等待着神聖的黎明，
我們，普洛斯車戰者的營伍和蜂擁而至的步兵。
我們以最快的速度全身披挂，整隊出發，
及至中午時分，行至神聖的阿爾菲俄斯河岸。
在那裏，我們用肥美的牲品祀祭力大無比的宙斯，
給阿爾菲俄斯和波塞鼕各祭了一頭公牛；此外，
還牽過一頭從未上過軛架的母牛，獻給灰眼睛的雅典娜。
然後，我們吃過晚飯，以編隊為股，
就着甲械，躺倒睡覺，枕着湍急的
水流。與此同時，心胸豪壯的厄利斯人
已揮師圍城，心急火燎，期待着搗毀墻門。
但是，城門未破，戰神卻已在他們面前展現他的傑作。
當太陽在地平綫上探出頭臉，放出金色的光芒，
我們，祈告過宙斯和雅典娜，衝入了短兵相接的戰鬥。
普洛斯人和厄利斯人兵戎相見，
而我則首開殺戒，奪下一對風快的馭馬，
殺了手提槍矛的慕利俄斯，奧格亞斯的女婿，
娶了他的長女，頭髮秀美的阿伽墨得——此女
識曉每一種藥草，生長在廣袤的大地——
當他迎面衝來時，我投出帶着銅尖的槍矛，
將他擊倒在泥塵裏，爾後跳上他的戰車。
和前排的壯勇們一起戰鬥。眼見此人倒地，
心胸豪壯的厄利斯人嚇得四散奔逃，
因為他是車戰者的首領，他們中最好的戰勇。
我奮力追殺，像一股黑色的旋風，搶得
五十輛戰車，每車二人，
在我槍下喪命，嘴啃泥塵。其時，我完全可以
殺了那兩個年輕的兵勇，摩利俄奈斯兄弟，阿剋托耳的
後代，要不是他倆的生身父親，力大無窮的裂地之神，
把他們搶出戰場，裹在濃濃的霧團裏。
其時，宙斯給普洛斯人的雙手增添了巨大的勇力，
我們緊追着敵人，在空曠的平野，
屠殺他們的戰勇，撿剝精美的甲械，
車輪一直滾到盛産麥子的布普拉西昂和
俄勒尼亞石岩，以及人們稱之為“阿勒西俄斯丘陵”
的高地。終於，雅典娜收住了我們的攻勢，而我
也在那裏放倒了我所殺死的最後一個人，棄屍而行。阿開亞人
趕着迅捷的馭馬凱旋，從普拉西昂回到普洛斯。
全軍上下，在神祗中，都把光榮歸在宙斯名下；而在凡人中，他
們卻把光榮給了奈斯托耳。
這，便是我，兵勇中的奈斯托耳——假如這不是一場夢幻。然
而，那個阿基琉斯，
他衹能孤孤凄凄地享受勇力帶來的好處；事實上，告訴你，
他將會痛哭流涕，衹是為時已晚，在我們軍隊損失殆盡的
時候。
我的朋友，還記得臨行前乃父對你的囑告嗎？
那一天，他讓你離開弗西亞，前往聚會阿伽門農。
我們倆，卓越的俄底修斯和我，其時正在廳堂裏，
耳聞了所說的一切，包括乃父對你的訓告。
我們曾前往裴琉斯建築精固的房居，
為招募壯勇，走遍了土地肥沃的阿開亞。
我們來到那裏，發現英雄墨諾伊提俄斯已在屋內，還有你
和你身邊的阿基琉斯。裴琉斯，年邁的車戰者，
正在墻內的庭院，燒烤牛的肥腿，奉祭給
喜好炸雷的宙斯。他手拿金杯，
把閃亮的醇酒潑灑經受火焚的祭品。
其時，你倆正忙着肢解切割牛的軀體。當我們
行至門前站定，阿基琉斯驚詫地跳將起來，
抓住我們的手，引我們進屋，請我們人座，
擺出接待生客的佳餚，使來者得到應有的一切。
當我們滿足了吃喝的愉悅，
我就開口說話，邀請你倆參戰，
二位滿口答應，聆聽了兩位父親的教誨。
年邁的裴琉斯告誡阿基琉斯，他的兒子，
永遠爭做最好的戰將，勇冠群雄。
而對你，墨諾伊提俄斯，阿剋托耳之子，亦有一番囑告：
‘我的孩子，論血統，阿基琉斯遠比你高貴，
但你比他年長。他比你有力，遠比你有力，
但你要給他一些忠告，有益的勸導，
為他指明方向。他會顧及自己的進益，聽從你的勸告。’
這便是老人對你的囑咐，而你卻已忘得一幹二淨。然而，即便
是現在，
你仍可進言聰明的阿基琉斯，他或許還會聽從你的勸說。
誰知道呢？憑藉神的助信，你或許可用懇切的規勸
喚起他的激情；朋友的勸說自有它的功益。
但是，倘若他心知的某個預言拉了他的後腿，
倘若他那尊貴的母親已告訴他某個得之於宙斯的信息，
那就讓他至少派你出戰，率領其他慕耳彌鼕人——
你的出現或許可給達親人帶來一綫勝利的曙光。
讓他給你那套璀璨的鎧甲，他的屬物，穿着它投入戰鬥；
這樣，特洛伊人或許會把你當他，停止進攻的
步伐，使苦戰中的阿開亞人的兒子們得獲一次喘息的機會——
他們已精疲力盡。戰場上，喘息的時間總是那樣短暫。
你們，息養多時的精兵，面對久戰衰憊的敵人，可以
一鼓作氣，把他們趕回特洛伊，遠離我們的營棚和海船。”
奈斯托耳一番說道，催發了帕特羅剋洛斯胸中的戰鬥
激情，他沿着海船跑去，回見阿基琉斯，埃阿科斯的後代。
然而，當帕特羅剋洛斯跑至高貴的俄底修斯統領的
海船——阿開亞人集會和繩法民俗習規的
地方，建竪着敬神的祭壇——
他遇到了股腿中箭的歐魯普洛斯，
埃阿蒙卓越的兒子，正拖瘸着傷腿，
撤離戰鬥，肩背和臉上滾淌着
成串的汗珠，傷口血流不止，
顔色烏紅。然而，他意志剛強，神色堅定。
看着這般情景，墨諾伊提俄斯強壯的兒子心生憐憫，
為他難過，用長了翅膀的話語，對他說道：
“可憐的人！達奈人的王者，我的首領們，
你們的命運真有這般凄慘？——在遠離親友和故土的
特洛伊地面，用你們閃亮的脂肪，飽喂奔走的餓狗！
現在，宙斯鐘愛的壯士歐魯普洛斯，告訴我，
阿開亞人是否還能，以某種方式，擋住高大的赫剋托耳？
抑或，他們已生還無門，必將碰死在他的槍尖？”
聽罷這番話，帶傷的歐魯普洛斯答道：
“告訴你，卓越的帕特羅剋洛斯，阿開亞人將無力
繼續自衛，他們將被攆回烏黑的海船。
所有以往作戰最勇猛的壯士，此時
都已臥躺船邊，帶着敵人手創的
創傷或槍痕——特洛伊人的勇力一直在不停地添增！
過來吧，至少也得救救我，扶我回到烏黑的海船，
替我挖出腿肉裏的箭鏃，用溫水洗去
黑紅的污血，敷上鎮痛的、療效顯著的
槍藥——人們說，你從阿基琉斯那兒學得這手本領，
而阿基琉斯又受之於開榮，馬人中最通情理的智者。
至於我們自己的醫士，我想，馬卡昂
已經受傷，躺在營棚裏，
本身亦需要一位高明的醫者，
而波達雷裏俄斯還戰鬥在平原上，頂着特洛伊人的重擊。”
聽罷這番，墨諾伊提俄斯強壯的兒子說道：
“此事不太好辦，英雄歐魯普洛斯，我們該如何處置？
我正急着回趕，將格瑞尼亞的奈斯托耳，阿開亞人的監護，
托我的口信帶給阿基琉斯，戰場上的心魂。
但即便如此，我也不能撇下你，帶着鑽心刺骨的傷痛。”
言罷，他架起兵士的牧者，走嚮
營棚。一位伴從見狀，席地鋪出幾張牛皮，
帕特羅剋洛斯放下歐魯普洛斯，用刀子，從腿肉中
剜出鋒快犀利的箭鏃，用溫水洗去
黑紅的污血，把一塊苦澀的根莖放在手裏拍打，
敷在傷口上，止住疼患——此物可平鎮
各種傷痛。傷口隨之幹化，鮮血止涌斷流。
ARGUMENT
THE THIRD BATTLE, AND THE ACTS OF AGAMEMNON.
Agamemnon, having armed himself, leads the Grecians to battle; Hector
prepares the Trojans to receive them, while Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva
give the signals of war. Agamemnon bears all before him and Hector is
commanded by Jupiter (who sends Iris for that purpose) to decline the
engagement, till the king shall be wounded and retire from the field. He
then makes a great slaughter of the enemy. Ulysses and Diomed put a stop
to him for a time but the latter, being wounded by Paris, is obliged to
desert his companion, who is encompassed by the Trojans, wounded, and in
the utmost danger, till Menelaus and Ajax rescue him. Hector comes against
Ajax, but that hero alone opposes multitudes, and rallies the Greeks. In
the meantime Machaon, in the other wing of the army, is pierced with an
arrow by Paris, and carried from the fight in Nestor's chariot. Achilles
(who overlooked the action from his ship) sent Patroclus to inquire which
of the Greeks was wounded in that manner; Nestor entertains him in his
tent with an account of the accidents of the day, and a long recital of
some former wars which he remembered, tending to put Patroclus upon
persuading Achilles to fight for his countrymen, or at least to permit him
to do it, clad in Achilles' armour. Patroclus, on his return, meets
Eurypylus also wounded, and assists him in that distress.
This book opens with the eight and-twentieth day of the poem, and the same
day, with its various actions and adventures is extended through the
twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, and
part of the eighteenth books. The scene lies in the field near the
monument of Ilus.
The saffron morn, with early blushes spread,(219)
Now rose refulgent from Tithonus' bed;
With new-born day to gladden mortal sight,
And gild the courts of heaven with sacred light:
When baleful Eris, sent by Jove's command,
The torch of discord blazing in her hand,
Through the red skies her bloody sign extends,
And, wrapt in tempests, o'er the fleet descends.
High on Ulysses' bark her horrid stand
She took, and thunder'd through the seas and land.
Even Ajax and Achilles heard the sound,
Whose ships, remote, the guarded navy bound,
Thence the black fury through the Grecian throng
With horror sounds the loud Orthian song:
The navy shakes, and at the dire alarms
Each bosom boils, each warrior starts to arms.
No more they sigh, inglorious to return,
But breathe revenge, and for the combat burn.
[Illustration: THE DESCENT OF DISCORD.]
THE DESCENT OF DISCORD.
The king of men his hardy host inspires
With loud command, with great example fires!
Himself first rose, himself before the rest
His mighty limbs in radiant armour dress'd,
And first he cased his manly legs around
In shining greaves with silver buckles bound;
The beaming cuirass next adorn'd his breast,
The same which once king Cinyras possess'd:
(The fame of Greece and her assembled host
Had reach'd that monarch on the Cyprian coast;
'Twas then, the friendship of the chief to gain,
This glorious gift he sent, nor sent in vain:)
Ten rows of azure steel the work infold,
Twice ten of tin, and twelve of ductile gold;
Three glittering dragons to the gorget rise,
Whose imitated scales against the skies
Reflected various light, and arching bow'd,
Like colour'd rainbows o'er a showery cloud
(Jove's wondrous bow, of three celestial dies,
Placed as a sign to man amidst the skies).
A radiant baldric, o'er his shoulder tied,
Sustain'd the sword that glitter'd at his side:
Gold was the hilt, a silver sheath encased
The shining blade, and golden hangers graced.
His buckler's mighty orb was next display'd,
That round the warrior cast a dreadful shade;
Ten zones of brass its ample brim surround,
And twice ten bosses the bright convex crown'd:
Tremendous Gorgon frown'd upon its field,
And circling terrors fill'd the expressive shield:
Within its concave hung a silver thong,
On which a mimic serpent creeps along,
His azure length in easy waves extends,
Till in three heads the embroider'd monster ends.
Last o'er his brows his fourfold helm he placed,
With nodding horse-hair formidably graced;
And in his hands two steely javelins wields,
That blaze to heaven, and lighten all the fields.
That instant Juno, and the martial maid,
In happy thunders promised Greece their aid;
High o'er the chief they clash'd their arms in air,
And, leaning from the clouds, expect the war.
Close to the limits of the trench and mound,
The fiery coursers to their chariots bound
The squires restrain'd: the foot, with those who wield
The lighter arms, rush forward to the field.
To second these, in close array combined,
The squadrons spread their sable wings behind.
Now shouts and tumults wake the tardy sun,
As with the light the warriors' toils begun.
Even Jove, whose thunder spoke his wrath, distill'd
Red drops of blood o'er all the fatal field;(220)
The woes of men unwilling to survey,
And all the slaughters that must stain the day.
Near Ilus' tomb, in order ranged around,
The Trojan lines possess'd the rising ground:
There wise Polydamas and Hector stood;
Æneas, honour'd as a guardian god;
Bold Polybus, Agenor the divine;
The brother-warriors of Antenor's line:
With youthful Acamas, whose beauteous face
And fair proportion match'd the ethereal race.
Great Hector, cover'd with his spacious shield,
Plies all the troops, and orders all the field.
As the red star now shows his sanguine fires
Through the dark clouds, and now in night retires,
Thus through the ranks appear'd the godlike man,
Plunged in the rear, or blazing in the van;
While streamy sparkles, restless as he flies,
Flash from his arms, as lightning from the skies.
As sweating reapers in some wealthy field,
Ranged in two bands, their crooked weapons wield,
Bear down the furrows, till their labours meet;
Thick fall the heapy harvests at their feet:
So Greece and Troy the field of war divide,
And falling ranks are strow'd on every side.
None stoop'd a thought to base inglorious flight;(221)
But horse to horse, and man to man they fight,
Not rabid wolves more fierce contest their prey;
Each wounds, each bleeds, but none resign the day.
Discord with joy the scene of death descries,
And drinks large slaughter at her sanguine eyes:
Discord alone, of all the immortal train,
Swells the red horrors of this direful plain:
The gods in peace their golden mansions fill,
Ranged in bright order on the Olympian hill:
But general murmurs told their griefs above,
And each accused the partial will of Jove.
Meanwhile apart, superior, and alone,
The eternal Monarch, on his awful throne,
Wrapt in the blaze of boundless glory sate;
And fix'd, fulfill'd the just decrees of fate.
On earth he turn'd his all-considering eyes,
And mark'd the spot where Ilion's towers arise;
The sea with ships, the fields with armies spread,
The victor's rage, the dying, and the dead.
Thus while the morning-beams, increasing bright,
O'er heaven's pure azure spread the glowing light,
Commutual death the fate of war confounds,
Each adverse battle gored with equal wounds.
But now (what time in some sequester'd vale
The weary woodman spreads his sparing meal,
When his tired arms refuse the axe to rear,
And claim a respite from the sylvan war;
But not till half the prostrate forests lay
Stretch'd in long ruin, and exposed to day)
Then, nor till then, the Greeks' impulsive might
Pierced the black phalanx, and let in the light.
Great Agamemnon then the slaughter led,
And slew Bienor at his people's head:
Whose squire Oileus, with a sudden spring,
Leap'd from the chariot to revenge his king;
But in his front he felt the fatal wound,
Which pierced his brain, and stretch'd him on the ground.
Atrides spoil'd, and left them on the plain:
Vain was their youth, their glittering armour vain:
Now soil'd with dust, and naked to the sky,
Their snowy limbs and beauteous bodies lie.
Two sons of Priam next to battle move,
The product, one of marriage, one of love:(222)
In the same car the brother-warriors ride;
This took the charge to combat, that to guide:
Far other task, than when they wont to keep,
On Ida's tops, their father's fleecy sheep.
These on the mountains once Achilles found,
And captive led, with pliant osiers bound;
Then to their sire for ample sums restored;
But now to perish by Atrides' sword:
Pierced in the breast the base-born Isus bleeds:
Cleft through the head his brother's fate succeeds,
Swift to the spoil the hasty victor falls,
And, stript, their features to his mind recalls.
The Trojans see the youths untimely die,
But helpless tremble for themselves, and fly.
So when a lion ranging o'er the lawns.
Finds, on some grassy lair, the couching fawns,
Their bones he cracks, their reeking vitals draws,
And grinds the quivering flesh with bloody jaws;
The frighted hind beholds, and dares not stay,
But swift through rustling thickets bursts her way;
All drown'd in sweat, the panting mother flies,
And the big tears roll trickling from her eyes.
Amidst the tumult of the routed train,
The sons of false Antimachus were slain;
He who for bribes his faithless counsels sold,
And voted Helen's stay for Paris' gold.
Atrides mark'd, as these their safety sought,
And slew the children for the father's fault;
Their headstrong horse unable to restrain,
They shook with fear, and dropp'd the silken rein;
Then in the chariot on their knees they fall,
And thus with lifted hands for mercy call:
"O spare our youth, and for the life we owe,
Antimachus shall copious gifts bestow:
Soon as he hears, that, not in battle slain,
The Grecian ships his captive sons detain,
Large heaps of brass in ransom shall be told,
And steel well-tempered, and persuasive gold."
These words, attended with the flood of tears,
The youths address'd to unrelenting ears:
The vengeful monarch gave this stern reply:
"If from Antimachus ye spring, ye die;
The daring wretch who once in council stood
To shed Ulysses' and my brother's blood,
For proffer'd peace! and sues his seed for grace?
No, die, and pay the forfeit of your race."
This said, Pisander from the car he cast,
And pierced his breast: supine he breathed his last.
His brother leap'd to earth; but, as he lay,
The trenchant falchion lopp'd his hands away;
His sever'd head was toss'd among the throng,
And, rolling, drew a bloody train along.
Then, where the thickest fought, the victor flew;
The king's example all his Greeks pursue.
Now by the foot the flying foot were slain,
Horse trod by horse, lay foaming on the plain.
From the dry fields thick clouds of dust arise,
Shade the black host, and intercept the skies.
The brass-hoof'd steeds tumultuous plunge and bound,
And the thick thunder beats the labouring ground,
Still slaughtering on, the king of men proceeds;
The distanced army wonders at his deeds,
As when the winds with raging flames conspire,
And o'er the forests roll the flood of fire,
In blazing heaps the grove's old honours fall,
And one refulgent ruin levels all:
Before Atrides' rage so sinks the foe,
Whole squadrons vanish, and proud heads lie low.
The steeds fly trembling from his waving sword,
And many a car, now lighted of its lord,
Wide o'er the field with guideless fury rolls,
Breaking their ranks, and crushing out their souls;
While his keen falchion drinks the warriors' lives;
More grateful, now, to vultures than their wives!
Perhaps great Hector then had found his fate,
But Jove and destiny prolong'd his date.
Safe from the darts, the care of heaven he stood,
Amidst alarms, and death, and dust, and blood.
Now past the tomb where ancient Ilus lay,
Through the mid field the routed urge their way:
Where the wild figs the adjoining summit crown,
The path they take, and speed to reach the town.
As swift, Atrides with loud shouts pursued,
Hot with his toil, and bathed in hostile blood.
Now near the beech-tree, and the Scaean gates,
The hero halts, and his associates waits.
Meanwhile on every side around the plain,
Dispersed, disorder'd, fly the Trojan train.
So flies a herd of beeves, that hear dismay'd
The lion's roaring through the midnight shade;
On heaps they tumble with successless haste;
The savage seizes, draws, and rends the last.
Not with less fury stem Atrides flew,
Still press'd the rout, and still the hindmost slew;
Hurl'd from their cars the bravest chiefs are kill'd,
And rage, and death, and carnage load the field.
Now storms the victor at the Trojan wall;
Surveys the towers, and meditates their fall.
But Jove descending shook the Idaean hills,
And down their summits pour'd a hundred rills:
The unkindled lightning in his hand he took,
And thus the many-coloured maid bespoke:
"Iris, with haste thy golden wings display,
To godlike Hector this our word convey--
While Agamemnon wastes the ranks around,
Fights in the front, and bathes with blood the ground,
Bid him give way; but issue forth commands,
And trust the war to less important hands:
But when, or wounded by the spear or dart,
That chief shall mount his chariot, and depart,
Then Jove shall string his arm, and fire his breast,
Then to her ships shall flying Greece be press'd,
Till to the main the burning sun descend,
And sacred night her awful shade extend."
He spoke, and Iris at his word obey'd;
On wings of winds descends the various maid.
The chief she found amidst the ranks of war,
Close to the bulwarks, on his glittering car.
The goddess then: "O son of Priam, hear!
From Jove I come, and his high mandate bear.
While Agamemnon wastes the ranks around,
Fights in the front, and bathes with blood the ground,
Abstain from fight; yet issue forth commands,
And trust the war to less important hands:
But when, or wounded by the spear or dart,
The chief shall mount his chariot, and depart,
Then Jove shall string thy arm, and fire thy breast,
Then to her ships shall flying Greece be press'd,
Till to the main the burning sun descend,
And sacred night her awful shade extend."
She said, and vanish'd. Hector, with a bound,
Springs from his chariot on the trembling ground,
In clanging arms: he grasps in either hand
A pointed lance, and speeds from band to band;
Revives their ardour, turns their steps from flight,
And wakes anew the dying flames of fight.
They stand to arms: the Greeks their onset dare,
Condense their powers, and wait the coming war.
New force, new spirit, to each breast returns;
The fight renew'd with fiercer fury burns:
The king leads on: all fix on him their eye,
And learn from him to conquer, or to die.
Ye sacred nine! celestial Muses! tell,
Who faced him first, and by his prowess fell?
The great Iphidamas, the bold and young,
From sage Antenor and Theano sprung;
Whom from his youth his grandsire Cisseus bred,
And nursed in Thrace where snowy flocks are fed.
Scarce did the down his rosy cheeks invest,
And early honour warm his generous breast,
When the kind sire consign'd his daughter's charms
(Theano's sister) to his youthful arms.
But call'd by glory to the wars of Troy,
He leaves untasted the first fruits of joy;
From his loved bride departs with melting eyes,
And swift to aid his dearer country flies.
With twelve black ships he reach'd Percope's strand,
Thence took the long laborious march by land.
Now fierce for fame, before the ranks he springs,
Towering in arms, and braves the king of kings.
Atrides first discharged the missive spear;
The Trojan stoop'd, the javelin pass'd in air.
Then near the corslet, at the monarch's heart,
With all his strength, the youth directs his dart:
But the broad belt, with plates of silver bound,
The point rebated, and repell'd the wound.
Encumber'd with the dart, Atrides stands,
Till, grasp'd with force, he wrench'd it from his hands;
At once his weighty sword discharged a wound
Full on his neck, that fell'd him to the ground.
Stretch'd in the dust the unhappy warrior lies,
And sleep eternal seals his swimming eyes.
Oh worthy better fate! oh early slain!
Thy country's friend; and virtuous, though in vain!
No more the youth shall join his consort's side,
At once a virgin, and at once a bride!
No more with presents her embraces meet,
Or lay the spoils of conquest at her feet,
On whom his passion, lavish of his store,
Bestow'd so much, and vainly promised more!
Unwept, uncover'd, on the plain he lay,
While the proud victor bore his arms away.
Coon, Antenor's eldest hope, was nigh:
Tears, at the sight, came starting from his eye,
While pierced with grief the much-loved youth he view'd,
And the pale features now deform'd with blood.
Then, with his spear, unseen, his time he took,
Aim'd at the king, and near his elbow strook.
The thrilling steel transpierced the brawny part,
And through his arm stood forth the barbed dart.
Surprised the monarch feels, yet void of fear
On Coon rushes with his lifted spear:
His brother's corpse the pious Trojan draws,
And calls his country to assert his cause;
Defends him breathless on the sanguine field,
And o'er the body spreads his ample shield.
Atrides, marking an unguarded part,
Transfix'd the warrior with his brazen dart;
Prone on his brother's bleeding breast he lay,
The monarch's falchion lopp'd his head away:
The social shades the same dark journey go,
And join each other in the realms below.
The vengeful victor rages round the fields,
With every weapon art or fury yields:
By the long lance, the sword, or ponderous stone,
Whole ranks are broken, and whole troops o'erthrown.
This, while yet warm distill'd the purple flood;
But when the wound grew stiff with clotted blood,
Then grinding tortures his strong bosom rend,
Less keen those darts the fierce Ilythiae send:
(The powers that cause the teeming matron's throes,
Sad mothers of unutterable woes!)
Stung with the smart, all-panting with the pain,
He mounts the car, and gives his squire the rein;
Then with a voice which fury made more strong,
And pain augmented, thus exhorts the throng:
"O friends! O Greeks! assert your honours won;
Proceed, and finish what this arm begun:
Lo! angry Jove forbids your chief to stay,
And envies half the glories of the day."
He said: the driver whirls his lengthful thong;
The horses fly; the chariot smokes along.
Clouds from their nostrils the fierce coursers blow,
And from their sides the foam descends in snow;
Shot through the battle in a moment's space,
The wounded monarch at his tent they place.
No sooner Hector saw the king retired,
But thus his Trojans and his aids he fired:
"Hear, all ye Dardan, all ye Lycian race!
Famed in close fight, and dreadful face to face:
Now call to mind your ancient trophies won,
Your great forefathers' virtues, and your own.
Behold, the general flies! deserts his powers!
Lo, Jove himself declares the conquest ours!
Now on yon ranks impel your foaming steeds;
And, sure of glory, dare immortal deeds."
Writh words like these the fiery chief alarms
His fainting host, and every bosom warms.
As the bold hunter cheers his hounds to tear
The brindled lion, or the tusky bear:
With voice and hand provokes their doubting heart,
And springs the foremost with his lifted dart:
So godlike Hector prompts his troops to dare;
Nor prompts alone, but leads himself the war.
On the black body of the foe he pours;
As from the cloud's deep bosom, swell'd with showers,
A sudden storm the purple ocean sweeps,
Drives the wild waves, and tosses all the deeps.
Say, Muse! when Jove the Trojan's glory crown'd,
Beneath his arm what heroes bit the ground?
Assaeus, Dolops, and Autonous died,
Opites next was added to their side;
Then brave Hipponous, famed in many a fight,
Opheltius, Orus, sunk to endless night;
Æsymnus, Agelaus; all chiefs of name;
The rest were vulgar deaths unknown to fame.
As when a western whirlwind, charged with storms,
Dispels the gather'd clouds that Notus forms:
The gust continued, violent and strong,
Rolls sable clouds in heaps on heaps along;
Now to the skies the foaming billows rears,
Now breaks the surge, and wide the bottom bares:
Thus, raging Hector, with resistless hands,
O'erturns, confounds, and scatters all their bands.
Now the last ruin the whole host appals;
Now Greece had trembled in her wooden walls;
But wise Ulysses call'd Tydides forth,
His soul rekindled, and awaked his worth.
"And stand we deedless, O eternal shame!
Till Hector's arm involve the ships in flame?
Haste, let us join, and combat side by side."
The warrior thus, and thus the friend replied:
"No martial toil I shun, no danger fear;
Let Hector come; I wait his fury here.
But Jove with conquest crowns the Trojan train:
And, Jove our foe, all human force is vain."
He sigh'd; but, sighing, raised his vengeful steel,
And from his car the proud Thymbraeus fell:
Molion, the charioteer, pursued his lord,
His death ennobled by Ulysses' sword.
There slain, they left them in eternal night,
Then plunged amidst the thickest ranks of fight.
So two wild boars outstrip the following hounds,
Then swift revert, and wounds return for wounds.
Stern Hector's conquests in the middle plain
Stood check'd awhile, and Greece respired again.
The sons of Merops shone amidst the war;
Towering they rode in one refulgent car:
In deep prophetic arts their father skill'd,
Had warn'd his children from the Trojan field.
Fate urged them on: the father warn'd in vain;
They rush'd to fight, and perish'd on the plain;
Their breasts no more the vital spirit warms;
The stern Tydides strips their shining arms.
Hypirochus by great Ulysses dies,
And rich Hippodamus becomes his prize.
Great Jove from Ide with slaughter fills his sight,
And level hangs the doubtful scale of fight.
By Tydeus' lance Agastrophus was slain,
The far-famed hero of Paeonian strain;
Wing'd with his fears, on foot he strove to fly,
His steeds too distant, and the foe too nigh:
Through broken orders, swifter than the wind,
He fled, but flying left his life behind.
This Hector sees, as his experienced eyes
Traverse the files, and to the rescue flies;
Shouts, as he pass'd, the crystal regions rend,
And moving armies on his march attend.
Great Diomed himself was seized with fear,
And thus bespoke his brother of the war:
"Mark how this way yon bending squadrons yield!
The storm rolls on, and Hector rules the field:
Here stand his utmost force."--The warrior said;
Swift at the word his ponderous javelin fled;
Nor miss'd its aim, but where the plumage danced
Razed the smooth cone, and thence obliquely glanced.
Safe in his helm (the gift of Phoebus' hands)
Without a wound the Trojan hero stands;
But yet so stunn'd, that, staggering on the plain.
His arm and knee his sinking bulk sustain;
O'er his dim sight the misty vapours rise,
And a short darkness shades his swimming eyes.
Tydides followed to regain his lance;
While Hector rose, recover'd from the trance,
Remounts his car, and herds amidst the crowd:
The Greek pursues him, and exults aloud:
"Once more thank Phoebus for thy forfeit breath,
Or thank that swiftness which outstrips the death.
Well by Apollo are thy prayers repaid,
And oft that partial power has lent his aid.
Thou shall not long the death deserved withstand,
If any god assist Tydides' hand.
Fly then, inglorious! but thy flight, this day,
Whole hecatombs of Trojan ghosts shall pay,"
Him, while he triumph'd, Paris eyed from far,
(The spouse of Helen, the fair cause of war;)
Around the fields his feather'd shafts he sent,
From ancient Ilus' ruin'd monument:
Behind the column placed, he bent his bow,
And wing'd an arrow at the unwary foe;
Just as he stoop'd, Agastrophus's crest
To seize, and drew the corslet from his breast,
The bowstring twang'd; nor flew the shaft in vain,
But pierced his foot, and nail'd it to the plain.
The laughing Trojan, with a joyful spring.
Leaps from his ambush, and insults the king.
"He bleeds! (he cries) some god has sped my dart!
Would the same god had fix'd it in his heart!
So Troy, relieved from that wide-wasting hand,
Should breathe from slaughter and in combat stand:
Whose sons now tremble at his darted spear,
As scatter'd lambs the rushing lion fear."
He dauntless thus: "Thou conqueror of the fair,
Thou woman-warrior with the curling hair;
Vain archer! trusting to the distant dart,
Unskill'd in arms to act a manly part!
Thou hast but done what boys or women can;
Such hands may wound, but not incense a man.
Nor boast the scratch thy feeble arrow gave,
A coward's weapon never hurts the brave.
Not so this dart, which thou may'st one day feel;
Fate wings its flight, and death is on the steel:
Where this but lights, some noble life expires;
Its touch makes orphans, bathes the cheeks of sires,
Steeps earth in purple, gluts the birds of air,
And leaves such objects as distract the fair."
Ulysses hastens with a trembling heart,
Before him steps, and bending draws the dart:
Forth flows the blood; an eager pang succeeds;
Tydides mounts, and to the navy speeds.
Now on the field Ulysses stands alone,
The Greeks all fled, the Trojans pouring on;
But stands collected in himself, and whole,
And questions thus his own unconquer'd soul:
"What further subterfuge, what hopes remain?
What shame, inglorious if I quit the plain?
What danger, singly if I stand the ground,
My friends all scatter'd, all the foes around?
Yet wherefore doubtful? let this truth suffice,
The brave meets danger, and the coward flies.
To die or conquer, proves a hero's heart;
And, knowing this, I know a soldier's part."
Such thoughts revolving in his careful breast,
Near, and more near, the shady cohorts press'd;
These, in the warrior, their own fate enclose;
And round him deep the steely circle grows.
So fares a boar whom all the troop surrounds
Of shouting huntsmen and of clamorous hounds;
He grinds his ivory tusks; he foams with ire;
His sanguine eye-balls glare with living fire;
By these, by those, on every part is plied;
And the red slaughter spreads on every side.
Pierced through the shoulder, first Deiopis fell;
Next Ennomus and Thoon sank to hell;
Chersidamas, beneath the navel thrust,
Falls prone to earth, and grasps the bloody dust.
Charops, the son of Hippasus, was near;
Ulysses reach'd him with the fatal spear;
But to his aid his brother Socus flies,
Socus the brave, the generous, and the wise.
Near as he drew, the warrior thus began:
"O great Ulysses! much-enduring man!
Not deeper skill'd in every martial sleight,
Than worn to toils, and active in the fight!
This day two brothers shall thy conquest grace,
And end at once the great Hippasian race,
Or thou beneath this lance must press the field."
He said, and forceful pierced his spacious shield:
Through the strong brass the ringing javelin thrown,
Plough'd half his side, and bared it to the bone.
By Pallas' care, the spear, though deep infix'd,
Stopp'd short of life, nor with his entrails mix'd.
The wound not mortal wise Ulysses knew,
Then furious thus (but first some steps withdrew):
"Unhappy man! whose death our hands shall grace,
Fate calls thee hence and finish'd is thy race.
Nor longer check my conquests on the foe;
But, pierced by this, to endless darkness go,
And add one spectre to the realms below!"
He spoke, while Socus, seized with sudden fright,
Trembling gave way, and turn'd his back to flight;
Between his shoulders pierced the following dart,
And held its passage through the panting heart:
Wide in his breast appear'd the grisly wound;
He falls; his armour rings against the ground.
Then thus Ulysses, gazing on the slain:
"Famed son of Hippasus! there press the plain;
There ends thy narrow span assign'd by fate,
Heaven owes Ulysses yet a longer date.
Ah, wretch! no father shall thy corpse compose;
Thy dying eyes no tender mother close;
But hungry birds shall tear those balls away,
And hovering vultures scream around their prey.
Me Greece shall honour, when I meet my doom,
With solemn funerals and a lasting tomb."
Then raging with intolerable smart,
He writhes his body, and extracts the dart.
The dart a tide of spouting gore pursued,
And gladden'd Troy with sight of hostile blood.
Now troops on troops the fainting chief invade,
Forced he recedes, and loudly calls for aid.
Thrice to its pitch his lofty voice he rears;
The well-known voice thrice Menelaus hears:
Alarm'd, to Ajax Telamon he cried,
Who shares his labours, and defends his side:
"O friend! Ulysses' shouts invade my ear;
Distressed he seems, and no assistance near;
Strong as he is, yet one opposed to all,
Oppress'd by multitudes, the best may fall.
Greece robb'd of him must bid her host despair,
And feel a loss not ages can repair."
Then, where the cry directs, his course he bends;
Great Ajax, like the god of war, attends,
The prudent chief in sore distress they found,
With bands of furious Trojans compass'd round.(223)
As when some huntsman, with a flying spear,
From the blind thicket wounds a stately deer;
Down his cleft side, while fresh the blood distils,
He bounds aloft, and scuds from hills to hills,
Till life's warm vapour issuing through the wound,
Wild mountain-wolves the fainting beast surround:
Just as their jaws his prostrate limbs invade,
The lion rushes through the woodland shade,
The wolves, though hungry, scour dispersed away;
The lordly savage vindicates his prey.
Ulysses thus, unconquer'd by his pains,
A single warrior half a host sustains:
But soon as Ajax leaves his tower-like shield,
The scattered crowds fly frighted o'er the field;
Atrides' arm the sinking hero stays,
And, saved from numbers, to his car conveys.
Victorious Ajax plies the routed crew;
And first Doryclus, Priam's son, he slew,
On strong Pandocus next inflicts a wound,
And lays Lysander bleeding on the ground.
As when a torrent, swell'd with wintry rains,
Pours from the mountains o'er the deluged plains,
And pines and oaks, from their foundations torn,
A country's ruins! to the seas are borne:
Fierce Ajax thus o'erwhelms the yielding throng;
Men, steeds, and chariots, roll in heaps along.
But Hector, from this scene of slaughter far,
Raged on the left, and ruled the tide of war:
Loud groans proclaim his progress through the plain,
And deep Scamander swells with heaps of slain.
There Nestor and Idomeneus oppose
The warrior's fury; there the battle glows;
There fierce on foot, or from the chariot's height,
His sword deforms the beauteous ranks of fight.
The spouse of Helen, dealing darts around,
Had pierced Machaon with a distant wound:
In his right shoulder the broad shaft appear'd,
And trembling Greece for her physician fear'd.
To Nestor then Idomeneus begun:
"Glory of Greece, old Neleus' valiant son!
Ascend thy chariot, haste with speed away,
And great Machaon to the ships convey;
A wise physician skill'd our wounds to heal,
Is more than armies to the public weal."
Old Nestor mounts the seat; beside him rode
The wounded offspring of the healing god.
He lends the lash; the steeds with sounding feet
Shake the dry field, and thunder toward the fleet.
But now Cebriones, from Hector's car,
Survey'd the various fortune of the war:
"While here (he cried) the flying Greeks are slain,
Trojans on Trojans yonder load the plain.
Before great Ajax see the mingled throng
Of men and chariots driven in heaps along!
I know him well, distinguish'd o'er the field
By the broad glittering of the sevenfold shield.
Thither, O Hector, thither urge thy steeds,
There danger calls, and there the combat bleeds;
There horse and foot in mingled deaths unite,
And groans of slaughter mix with shouts of fight."
Thus having spoke, the driver's lash resounds;
Swift through the ranks the rapid chariot bounds;
Stung by the stroke, the coursers scour the fields,
O'er heaps of carcases, and hills of shields.
The horses' hoofs are bathed in heroes' gore,
And, dashing, purple all the car before;
The groaning axle sable drops distils,
And mangled carnage clogs the rapid wheels.
Here Hector, plunging through the thickest fight,
Broke the dark phalanx, and let in the light:
(By the long lance, the sword, or ponderous stone.
The ranks he scatter'd and the troops o'erthrown:)
Ajax he shuns, through all the dire debate,
And fears that arm whose force he felt so late.
But partial Jove, espousing Hector's part,
Shot heaven-bred horror through the Grecian's heart;
Confused, unnerved in Hector's presence grown,
Amazed he stood, with terrors not his own.
O'er his broad back his moony shield he threw,
And, glaring round, by tardy steps withdrew.
Thus the grim lion his retreat maintains,
Beset with watchful dogs, and shouting swains;
Repulsed by numbers from the nightly stalls,
Though rage impels him, and though hunger calls,
Long stands the showering darts, and missile fires;
Then sourly slow the indignant beast retires:
So turn'd stern Ajax, by whole hosts repell'd,
While his swoln heart at every step rebell'd.
As the slow beast, with heavy strength endued,
In some wide field by troops of boys pursued,
Though round his sides a wooden tempest rain,
Crops the tall harvest, and lays waste the plain;
Thick on his hide the hollow blows resound,
The patient animal maintains his ground,
Scarce from the field with all their efforts chased,
And stirs but slowly when he stirs at last:
On Ajax thus a weight of Trojans hung,
The strokes redoubled on his buckler rung;
Confiding now in bulky strength he stands,
Now turns, and backward bears the yielding bands;
Now stiff recedes, yet hardly seems to fly,
And threats his followers with retorted eye.
Fix'd as the bar between two warring powers,
While hissing darts descend in iron showers:
In his broad buckler many a weapon stood,
Its surface bristled with a quivering wood;
And many a javelin, guiltless on the plain,
Marks the dry dust, and thirsts for blood in vain.
But bold Eurypylus his aid imparts,
And dauntless springs beneath a cloud of darts;
Whose eager javelin launch'd against the foe,
Great Apisaon felt the fatal blow;
From his torn liver the red current flow'd,
And his slack knees desert their dying load.
The victor rushing to despoil the dead,
From Paris' bow a vengeful arrow fled;
Fix'd in his nervous thigh the weapon stood,
Fix'd was the point, but broken was the wood.
Back to the lines the wounded Greek retired,
Yet thus retreating, his associates fired:
"What god, O Grecians! has your hearts dismay'd?
Oh, turn to arms; 'tis Ajax claims your aid.
This hour he stands the mark of hostile rage,
And this the last brave battle he shall wage:
Haste, join your forces; from the gloomy grave
The warrior rescue, and your country save."
Thus urged the chief: a generous troop appears,
Who spread their bucklers, and advance their spears,
To guard their wounded friend: while thus they stand
With pious care, great Ajax joins the band:
Each takes new courage at the hero's sight;
The hero rallies, and renews the fight.
Thus raged both armies like conflicting fires,
While Nestor's chariot far from fight retires:
His coursers steep'd in sweat, and stain'd with gore,
The Greeks' preserver, great Machaon, bore.
That hour Achilles, from the topmost height
Of his proud fleet, o'erlook'd the fields of fight;
His feasted eyes beheld around the plain
The Grecian rout, the slaying, and the slain.
His friend Machaon singled from the rest,
A transient pity touch'd his vengeful breast.
Straight to Menoetius' much-loved son he sent:
Graceful as Mars, Patroclus quits his tent;
In evil hour! Then fate decreed his doom,
And fix'd the date of all his woes to come.
"Why calls my friend? thy loved injunctions lay;
Whate'er thy will, Patroclus shall obey."
"O first of friends! (Pelides thus replied)
Still at my heart, and ever at my side!
The time is come, when yon despairing host
Shall learn the value of the man they lost:
Now at my knees the Greeks shall pour their moan,
And proud Atrides tremble on his throne.
Go now to Nestor, and from him be taught
What wounded warrior late his chariot brought:
For, seen at distance, and but seen behind,
His form recall'd Machaon to my mind;
Nor could I, through yon cloud, discern his face,
The coursers pass'd me with so swift a pace."
The hero said. His friend obey'd with haste,
Through intermingled ships and tents he pass'd;
The chiefs descending from their car he found:
The panting steeds Eurymedon unbound.
The warriors standing on the breezy shore,
To dry their sweat, and wash away the gore,
Here paused a moment, while the gentle gale
Convey'd that freshness the cool seas exhale;
Then to consult on farther methods went,
And took their seats beneath the shady tent.
The draught prescribed, fair Hecamede prepares,
Arsinous' daughter, graced with golden hairs:
(Whom to his aged arms, a royal slave,
Greece, as the prize of Nestor's wisdom gave:)
A table first with azure feet she placed;
Whose ample orb a brazen charger graced;
Honey new-press'd, the sacred flour of wheat,
And wholesome garlic, crown'd the savoury treat,
Next her white hand an antique goblet brings,
A goblet sacred to the Pylian kings
From eldest times: emboss'd with studs of gold,
Two feet support it, and four handles hold;
On each bright handle, bending o'er the brink,
In sculptured gold, two turtles seem to drink:
A massy weight, yet heaved with ease by him,
When the brisk nectar overlook'd the brim.
Temper'd in this, the nymph of form divine
Pours a large portion of the Pramnian wine;
With goat's-milk cheese a flavourous taste bestows,
And last with flour the smiling surface strows:
This for the wounded prince the dame prepares:
The cordial beverage reverend Nestor shares:
Salubrious draughts the warriors' thirst allay,
And pleasing conference beguiles the day.
Meantime Patroclus, by Achilles sent,
Unheard approached, and stood before the tent.
Old Nestor, rising then, the hero led
To his high seat: the chief refused and said:
"'Tis now no season for these kind delays;
The great Achilles with impatience stays.
To great Achilles this respect I owe;
Who asks, what hero, wounded by the foe,
Was borne from combat by thy foaming steeds?
With grief I see the great Machaon bleeds.
This to report, my hasty course I bend;
Thou know'st the fiery temper of my friend."
"Can then the sons of Greece (the sage rejoin'd)
Excite compassion in Achilles' mind?
Seeks he the sorrows of our host to know?
This is not half the story of our woe.
Tell him, not great Machaon bleeds alone,
Our bravest heroes in the navy groan,
Ulysses, Agamemnon, Diomed,
And stern Eurypylus, already bleed.
But, ah! what flattering hopes I entertain!
Achilles heeds not, but derides our pain:
Even till the flames consume our fleet he stays,
And waits the rising of the fatal blaze.
Chief after chief the raging foe destroys;
Calm he looks on, and every death enjoys.
Now the slow course of all-impairing time
Unstrings my nerves, and ends my manly prime;
Oh! had I still that strength my youth possess'd,
When this bold arm the Epeian powers oppress'd,
The bulls of Elis in glad triumph led,
And stretch'd the great Itymonaeus dead!
Then from my fury fled the trembling swains,
And ours was all the plunder of the plains:
Fifty white flocks, full fifty herds of swine,
As many goats, as many lowing kine:
And thrice the number of unrivall'd steeds,
All teeming females, and of generous breeds.
These, as my first essay of arms, I won;
Old Neleus gloried in his conquering son.
Thus Elis forced, her long arrears restored,
And shares were parted to each Pylian lord.
The state of Pyle was sunk to last despair,
When the proud Elians first commenced the war:
For Neleus' sons Alcides' rage had slain;
Of twelve bold brothers, I alone remain!
Oppress'd, we arm'd; and now this conquest gain'd,
My sire three hundred chosen sheep obtain'd.
(That large reprisal he might justly claim,
For prize defrauded, and insulted fame,
When Elis' monarch, at the public course,
Detain'd his chariot, and victorious horse.)
The rest the people shared; myself survey'd
The just partition, and due victims paid.
Three days were past, when Elis rose to war,
With many a courser, and with many a car;
The sons of Actor at their army's head
(Young as they were) the vengeful squadrons led.
High on the rock fair Thryoessa stands,
Our utmost frontier on the Pylian lands:
Not far the streams of famed Alphaeus flow:
The stream they pass'd, and pitch'd their tents below.
Pallas, descending in the shades of night,
Alarms the Pylians and commands the fight.
Each burns for fame, and swells with martial pride,
Myself the foremost; but my sire denied;
Fear'd for my youth, exposed to stern alarms;
And stopp'd my chariot, and detain'd my arms.
My sire denied in vain: on foot I fled
Amidst our chariots; for the goddess led.
"Along fair Arene's delightful plain
Soft Minyas rolls his waters to the main:
There, horse and foot, the Pylian troops unite,
And sheathed in arms, expect the dawning light.
Thence, ere the sun advanced his noon-day flame,
To great Alphaeus' sacred source we came.
There first to Jove our solemn rites were paid;
An untamed heifer pleased the blue-eyed maid;
A bull, Alphaeus; and a bull was slain
To the blue monarch of the watery main.
In arms we slept, beside the winding flood,
While round the town the fierce Epeians stood.
Soon as the sun, with all-revealing ray,
Flamed in the front of Heaven, and gave the day.
Bright scenes of arms, and works of war appear;
The nations meet; there Pylos, Elis here.
The first who fell, beneath my javelin bled;
King Augias' son, and spouse of Agamede:
(She that all simples' healing virtues knew,
And every herb that drinks the morning dew:)
I seized his car, the van of battle led;
The Epeians saw, they trembled, and they fled.
The foe dispersed, their bravest warrior kill'd,
Fierce as the whirlwind now I swept the field:
Full fifty captive chariots graced my train;
Two chiefs from each fell breathless to the plain.
Then Actor's sons had died, but Neptune shrouds
The youthful heroes in a veil of clouds.
O'er heapy shields, and o'er the prostrate throng,
Collecting spoils, and slaughtering all along,
Through wide Buprasian fields we forced the foes,
Where o'er the vales the Olenian rocks arose;
Till Pallas stopp'd us where Alisium flows.
Even there the hindmost of the rear I slay,
And the same arm that led concludes the day;
Then back to Pyle triumphant take my way.
There to high Jove were public thanks assign'd,
As first of gods; to Nestor, of mankind.
Such then I was, impell'd by youthful blood;
So proved my valour for my country's good.
"Achilles with unactive fury glows,
And gives to passion what to Greece he owes.
How shall he grieve, when to the eternal shade
Her hosts shall sink, nor his the power to aid!
0 friend! my memory recalls the day,
When, gathering aids along the Grecian sea,
I, and Ulysses, touch'd at Phthia's port,
And entered Peleus' hospitable court.
A bull to Jove he slew in sacrifice,
And pour'd libations on the flaming thighs.
Thyself, Achilles, and thy reverend sire
Menoetius, turn'd the fragments on the fire.
Achilles sees us, to the feast invites;
Social we sit, and share the genial rites.
We then explained the cause on which we came,
Urged you to arms, and found you fierce for fame.
Your ancient fathers generous precepts gave;
Peleus said only this:--'My son! be brave.'
Menoetius thus: 'Though great Achilles shine
In strength superior, and of race divine,
Yet cooler thoughts thy elder years attend;
Let thy just counsels aid, and rule thy friend.'
Thus spoke your father at Thessalia's court:
Words now forgot, though now of vast import.
Ah! try the utmost that a friend can say:
Such gentle force the fiercest minds obey;
Some favouring god Achilles' heart may move;
Though deaf to glory, he may yield to love.
If some dire oracle his breast alarm,
If aught from Heaven withhold his saving arm,
Some beam of comfort yet on Greece may shine,
If thou but lead the Myrmidonian line;
Clad in Achilles' arms, if thou appear,
Proud Troy may tremble, and desist from war;
Press'd by fresh forces, her o'er-labour'd train
Shall seek their walls, and Greece respire again."
This touch'd his generous heart, and from the tent
Along the shore with hasty strides he went;
Soon as he came, where, on the crowded strand,
The public mart and courts of justice stand,
Where the tall fleet of great Ulysses lies,
And altars to the guardian gods arise;
There, sad, he met the brave Euaemon's son,
Large painful drops from all his members run;
An arrow's head yet rooted in his wound,
The sable blood in circles mark'd the ground.
As faintly reeling he confess'd the smart,
Weak was his pace, but dauntless was his heart.
Divine compassion touch'd Patroclus' breast,
Who, sighing, thus his bleeding friend address'd:
"Ah, hapless leaders of the Grecian host!
Thus must ye perish on a barbarous coast?
Is this your fate, to glut the dogs with gore,
Far from your friends, and from your native shore?
Say, great Eurypylus! shall Greece yet stand?
Resists she yet the raging Hector's hand?
Or are her heroes doom'd to die with shame,
And this the period of our wars and fame?"
Eurypylus replies: "No more, my friend;
Greece is no more! this day her glories end;
Even to the ships victorious Troy pursues,
Her force increasing as her toil renews.
Those chiefs, that used her utmost rage to meet,
Lie pierced with wounds, and bleeding in the fleet.
But, thou, Patroclus! act a friendly part,
Lead to my ships, and draw this deadly dart;
With lukewarm water wash the gore away;
With healing balms the raging smart allay,
Such as sage Chiron, sire of pharmacy,
Once taught Achilles, and Achilles thee.
Of two famed surgeons, Podalirius stands
This hour surrounded by the Trojan bands;
And great Machaon, wounded in his tent,
Now wants that succour which so oft he lent."
To him the chief: "What then remains to do?
The event of things the gods alone can view.
Charged by Achilles' great command I fly,
And bear with haste the Pylian king's reply:
But thy distress this instant claims relief."
He said, and in his arms upheld the chief.
The slaves their master's slow approach survey'd,
And hides of oxen on the floor display'd:
There stretch'd at length the wounded hero lay;
Patroclus cut the forky steel away:
Then in his hands a bitter root he bruised;
The wound he wash'd, the styptic juice infused.
The closing flesh that instant ceased to glow,
The wound to torture, and the blood to flow.
[Illustration: HERCULES.]
HERCULES. 就這樣，營棚裏，墨諾伊提俄斯驃勇的兒子
照料着受傷的歐魯普洛斯。與此同時，阿耳吉維人
和特洛伊人正進行着一場大規模的混戰。達奈人的壕溝已
不能阻擋特洛伊戰勇的進攻，溝上的那道護墻亦然——
為了保衛海船，他們築起這堵護墻，並在外沿挖出一條深溝，
卻不曾對神祗供獻豐盛的祀祭，
祈求他們保護墻內迅捷的海船和成堆的
戰禮。他們築起這堵堅實的護墻，無視神的意志，
所以，它的存在不可能久遠經年。
衹要赫剋托耳仍然活着，阿基硫斯怒氣不消，
衹要王者普裏阿摩斯的城堡不被攻陷，
阿開亞人的高墻就能穩穩當當地站立。但是，
當所有最勇敢的特洛伊人戰死疆場，
衆多的阿耳吉維人長眠客鄉，剩下一些人回返後，
當普裏阿摩斯的城堡在第十個年頭裏被
阿耳吉維人搗毀，後者駕着海船回返他們熱愛的故鄉後，
那時，波塞鼕和阿波羅議定，引來
滾滾的河水，衝襲掃蕩，搗毀護墻。
河水，所有從伊達山上瀉流入海的長河，
瑞索斯和赫普塔波羅斯，卡瑞索斯和羅底俄斯，
格瑞尼科斯和埃塞波斯，還有神聖的斯卡曼得羅斯
以及西摩埃斯，推涌着許多頭盔和牛皮的戰盾，連同一個
半是神明的凡人的種族，跌跌撞撞地磕碰在河邊的泥床上。
福伊波斯·阿波羅把這些河流的出口彙聚到一塊，
驅趕着滔滔的洪水，一連九天，猛衝護墻，而宙斯
則不停地降雨，加快着推墻入海的進程。
裂地之神手握三叉長戟，親自引水
開路，將護墻的支撐，那些個材料和石塊統統扔進
水浪——阿開亞人曾付出艱苦的勞動，為把它們置放到位。
他把一切衝刷幹淨，沿着赫勒斯龐特的水流，
用厚厚的沙層鋪平寬闊的海灘。護墻既已
衝掃，他把河流引回原來的水道——以前，它們
一直在那裏奔騰，翻涌着晶亮的水波。
就這樣，日後，波塞鼕和阿波羅會把
一切整治清楚，但眼下，修築堅固的護墻外，
戰鬥激烈，殺聲震天，護墻受到擊撞，
發出巨大的聲響。在宙斯的鞭打下，阿耳吉維人
全綫崩潰，涌嚮深曠的海船，掙紮着回逃，懾於
赫剋托耳的威勢，這位強有力的戰將，把對手趕得遑遑奔逃。
如前一樣，赫剋托耳勇猛衝殺，像一飆旋風。
如同一頭置身險境的野豬或獅子，遭到一群
狗和獵手的追打，發瘋似地騰轉掙紮，
獵手攏成一個圈子，將它團團圍住，
勇敢地面對它的撲擊，甩手扔出密集的
槍矛；儘管如此，高傲的獵物毫不懼怕，
亦不掉頭逃跑——它死於自己的勇莽——
而是一次次地撲擊，試圖衝出合圍的人群，
而無論它對哪個方向發起進攻，總能逼迫獵手回跑退卻。
就像這樣，赫剋托耳撲擊在戰場上，招聚着他的夥伴，
催趕着他們，殺過壕溝。然而，他自己的快馬卻沒有
這份膽量。溝沿邊，它們驚揚起前蹄，
高聲嘶叫，惶恐於壕溝的寬闊，
既不能一躍而過，也不能輕鬆地舉步穿越，
因為整條溝壁的兩邊到處是鋒快的
垂懸，溝底堅指着一排排修長的
尖樁，密密麻麻，由阿開亞人的
兒子們手置，禦阻強敵的衝掃。
拖着輪盤堅固的戰車，馭馬實在很難
穿越；但步戰的兵勇卻躍躍欲試，試圖衝過壕溝。
其時，普魯達馬斯站到勇猛的赫剋托耳身邊，說道：
“赫剋托耳，各位特洛伊首領，盟軍夥伴們！
此舉愚盲，試圖把捷蹄的快馬趕過壕溝。
溝中尖樁遍布，車馬難能逾越，何況
前面還有阿開亞人築起的墻垣。
溝墻之間地域狹窄，馭者無法下車
戰鬥——我敢說，我們將被堵在那裏挨揍。
倘若高高在上的宙斯，炸響雷的天神，
意欲徹底蕩除他們，並有意幫助特洛伊人——
我的天，但願這個時刻快快到來，
讓阿開亞人慘死此地，銷聲匿跡，遠離着阿耳戈斯！
但是，倘若容他們掉轉頭來，把我們
趕離海船，背靠寬深的壕溝，
那時，我想，面對阿開亞人的攻勢，我們中
誰也不能脫險生還——連個報信的都沒有。
幹起來吧，按我說的做；讓我們就此行動。
馭手們，勒緊你們的馬繮，就在這壕溝前；
而我們自己要全部就地下車，全副武裝，
跟着赫剋托耳，人多勢衆，一擁而上。阿開亞人將無法抵擋
我們的攻勢，如果死亡的繩索已經掐住他們的喉嚨！”
此番明智的勸議博得了赫剋托耳的歡心，
他跳下戰車，雙腳着地，全副武裝。
其他特洛伊人亦無意呆守戰車，聚作一團；目睹
卓越的赫剋托耳的舉動，他們全都跳到地上。
接着，頭領們命囑各自的馭手，
勒馬溝沿，排成整齊的隊列。
戰勇們分而聚之，站成緊湊的隊形，
一共五支隊伍，聽命於各自的統領。
赫剋托耳和智勇雙全的普魯達馬斯領轄着一隊兵勇，
人數最多，也最勇敢善戰，比誰都急切，
企盼着搗毀護墻，殺嚮深曠的海船。
開勃裏俄奈斯和他們同往，作為排位第三的統領——
赫剋托耳已讓另一位戰勇，一個比開勃裏俄奈斯遜色的馭手，
駕馭他的馬車。
帕裏斯統領着另一支隊伍，輔之以阿爾卡蘇斯和阿格諾耳，
第三支隊伍由赫勒諾斯和神一樣的德伊福波斯製統，
普裏阿摩斯的兩個兒子，輔之以阿西俄斯，排位第三的首領，
阿西俄斯，呼耳塔科斯之子，閃亮的高頭大馬
把他載到此地，從阿裏斯貝，塞勒埃斯河畔。
統領第四支隊伍的是驃勇的埃內阿斯，安基塞斯
之子，由安忒諾耳的兩個兒子輔佐，精熟
各種戰式的阿開洛科斯和阿卡馬斯。
薩耳裴鼕統率着聲名遐邇的盟軍，
挑選了格勞科斯和嗜戰的阿斯忒羅派俄斯輔佐；
在他看來，二位勇冠全軍——當然，在他之後，
他，盟軍中首屈一指的戰勇。
其時，他們挺着牛皮盾牌，連成密集的隊形，
對着達奈人直衝，急不可待，全然不想
受阻的可能，而是一個勁地猛撲，朝着烏黑的海船。
所有特洛伊人和聲名遐邇的盟軍夥伴們
都願執行智勇雙全的普羅達馬斯的計劃，
衹有阿西俄斯，呼耳塔科斯之子，軍隊的首領，
不願留馬溝沿，由一位馭手看管，
而是揚鞭驅慫，撲嚮迅捷的海船——
好一個笨蛋！他神氣活現地趕着車馬，
註定跑不脫死之精靈的捕殺，
再也甭想回到多風的伊利昂。
在此之前，烏黑的命運即已圍罩過他，
通過伊多墨紐斯的槍矛，丟卡利昂高貴的兒子。
他將車馬趕往船隊的左邊，正是阿開亞人，
隨同他們的車馬，從平原上退潮般地回撤的地方。
朝着這個方向，阿西俄斯趕着他的馬車，
發現墻門沒有關閉，粗長的門閂不曾插合——
阿開亞人洞開大門，以便搭救
撤離戰場、逃回海船的夥伴。
他驅馬直奔該地，執拗愚頑，身後跟擁着
大聲喧喊的兵丁，以為阿開亞人已無力
自衛，將被趕回鳥黑的海船。
蠢貨！他們在門前發現兩員勇猛異常的戰將，
善使槍矛的拉丕賽人的兒子，一位
是裴裏蘇斯之子，強健的波魯波伊忒斯，
另一位是勒昂丟斯，殺人狂阿瑞斯般的凡人。
二位壯勇穩穩地站在高大的墻門前，
像兩棵挺拔的橡樹，在山脊上高聳着它們的頂冠，
日復一日地經受着風雨的淋櫛，
憑着粗大的根枝，緊緊抓住深處的泥層。
就像這樣，二位憑待自己的勇力和強健的臂膀，
站候着高大的、正嚮他們迎面撲來的阿西俄斯，毫不退讓。
特洛伊人直衝而上，對着修築堅固的護墻，”
高舉着生牛皮做就的戰盾，裂開嗓門呼喊，
圍擁在首領阿西俄斯身邊，圍擁在亞墨諾斯、俄瑞斯忒斯
和阿西俄斯之子阿達馬斯，以及俄伊諾毛斯和索昂的身旁。
其時，墻內的拉丕賽人正極力催促
脛甲堅固的阿開亞人保衛海船，
但是，當他們看到特洛伊人正衝嚮護墻，
而達奈人則驚叫着潰跑時，
二位衝將出去，拼殺在門前，
像兩頭野豬，在山上站等一群
步步進逼的對手，騷嚷的狗和獵人，
橫衝直撞，連根掀倒一棵棵大樹，
撕甩出一塊塊碎片，使勁磨咬着牙齒，發出吱吱嘎嘎的
聲響，直到被人投槍擊中，奪走它們的生命——
就像這樣，擋護他們胸肩的捏亮的銅甲承受着
槍械的重擊，發出鏗鏘的震響。他們正進行着艱烈的拼搏，
憑恃自己和墻上的夥伴們的力量。
為了自衛，為了保衛營棚和迅捷的海船，
墻上的勇士們從堅固的壁基上挖出大塊的石頭，
投砸下去，擊打在泥地上，
像暴落的雪片——陣凜冽的寒風吹掃烏雲，
灑下紛揚的鵝毛大雪，鋪蓋着豐腴的土地。
就像這樣，石塊從阿開亞人和特洛伊人手中飛出，
雨點一般，砸打在頭盔和突鼓的盾面上，
發出沉重的聲響——巨大的投石，大得像磨盤一般。
其時，阿西俄斯，呼耳塔科斯之子，長嘆一聲，掄起巴掌，
擊打兩邊的腿股，發出痛苦的嘶喊：
“父親宙斯，現在，連你也成了十足的
騙子！我從未想過，善戰的阿開亞兵壯
能夠擋住我們的勇力和無堅不摧的雙手。
像腰肢細巧的黃蜂或
築巢山岩小路邊的蜜蜂，决不會
放棄自搭的空心蜂房，勇敢地面對
采蜂人的進逼，為保衛自己的後代而拼戰——
他們，雖然衹有兩個人，卻不願離開
墻門，除非殺了我們，或被我們宰殺！”
然而，此番訴告並沒有打動宙斯的心靈，
後者已屬意讓赫剋托耳享得榮譽。
其時，在各扇門前，來自不同地域的部隊在絞殺拼搏；
然而，我卻不能像神明那樣，敘說這裏的一切。
沿着長長的石墻，暴烈的戰爭之火在熊熊
燃燒，阿開亞人身處劣境，為了保衛
海船，衹有繼續戰鬥。所有助戰
達奈人的神祗，此時都心情沮喪。儘管如此，
兩位拉丕賽勇士仍在不停地戰鬥，進行殊死的拼搏。
戰場上，裴裏蘇斯之子、強健的波魯波伊忒斯
投槍擊中達馬索斯，破開兩邊綴着銅片的帽盔，
銅盔抵擋不住，青銅的槍尖
長驅直入，砸爛頭骨，濺搗出噴飛的
腦漿——就這樣，波魯波伊忒斯放倒了怒氣衝衝的敵人。
接着，他又撲上前去，殺了普隆和俄耳墨諾斯。
其時，勒昂丟斯，阿瑞斯的後裔，擊倒了安提馬科斯
之子希波馬科斯，投槍捅進他的腰帶。
然後，他從鞘殼內拔出利劍，
衝過擁攘的人群，先就近一劍，擊中
安提法忒斯，把他仰面打翻，隨後
又一氣殺了墨農、俄瑞斯忒斯和亞墨諾斯，
一個接着一個，全都挺屍在豐腴的土地上。
拉丕賽人動手搶剝死者璀璨的鎧甲，
而普魯達馬斯和赫剋托耳手下的兵壯，
人數最多，也最勇敢善戰，比誰都急切，
企盼着搗毀護墻，放火燒船，
此時仍然站在溝沿，猶豫不决。
原來，正當他們急於過溝之際，一個由飛鳥送來的兆示出現在
他們眼前——
一隻蒼鷹，搏擊長空，一掠而過，翺翔在他們的左前方，
爪下掐着一條巨蛇，渾身血紅，
仍然活着，還在掙紮，不願放棄搏鬥，
彎翹起身子，伸出利齒，對着逮住它的鷹鳥，
一口咬在頸邊的前胸，後者忍痛鬆爪，
丟下大蛇，落在地上的人群，然後
一聲尖叫，乘着疾風，飛旋而下。
特洛伊人嚇得混身發抖，望着盤麯的大蛇，
躺在他們中間——帶埃吉斯的宙斯送來的兆物。
其時，普魯達馬斯，站在赫剋托耳身邊，說道：
“赫剋托耳，集會上，你總愛駁斥我的意見，
儘管我說得頭頭是道。一個普通之人决然不可
和你對唱反調——無論是在議事中，
還是在戰場上——我們永遠衹能為你的事業增彩添光。
現在，我要再次說出我以為最合用的建議：
讓我們停止進攻，不要在達奈人的船邊苦戰。
我以為，繼續戰鬥的結果將和預兆顯示的一樣，假如那個
由鷹鳥送來的兆示——當我們準備過溝之際，出現在我們眼
前——真是個含義明確的警告：
蒼鷹搏擊長空，一掠而過，翺翔在我們的左前方，
爪下掐着一條巨蛇，渾身血紅，
仍然活着——但它突然丟下大蛇，不及把它逮回傢去，
實現用蛇肉飼喂兒女的願望。同樣，
我們，即使憑靠強大的軍力，衝破阿開亞人的
大門和護墻，逼退眼前的敵人，
我們仍將循着原路，從船邊敗返，亂作一團；
我們將丟下成堆的特洛伊夥伴，任由阿開亞人
殺宰，用青銅的兵器，為了保衛他們的海船！
這，便是一位通神者的卜釋，他心知
兆示的真意，受到全軍的信賴。”
聽罷這番話，頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳惡狠狠地盯着他，
嚷道：“普魯達馬斯，你的話使我厭煩；
你頭腦聰明，應該提出比此番嘮叨更好的議言。
但是，如果這的確是你的想法，那麽，
一定是神明，是的，一定是他們，弄壞了你的腦袋。
你要我忘記雷電之神宙斯的
囑告，他曾親自對我點頭允願。
然而你，你卻要我相信飛鳥，相信它們，振搖着長長的
翅膀。告訴你，我不在乎這一切，壓根兒不理會這一套——
不管它們是飛嚮右面，迎着黎明和日出，
還是飛嚮左面i對着昏暗和黑夜。
不！我們要堅信大神宙斯的告示，
統治所有神明和凡人的王權。
我們衹相信一種鳥跡，那就是保衛我們的傢園！
你，你為何如此懼怕戰爭和殘殺？即使
我們都死在你的周圍，躺在
阿耳吉維人的船邊，你也不會頂冒死的危險：
你沒有持續戰鬥的勇氣，沒有戰士的膽量！
但是，倘若你在慘烈的搏殺中畏縮不前，或
唆使他人逃避戰鬥，用你的話語，那麽，
頃刻之間，你就將暴死在我的槍下，送掉你的性命！”
言罷，他率先出擊，屬下們隨後跟進，
喊出粗野的吼叫。在他們上空，喜好炸雷的宙斯
從伊達山上送來一陣疾起的狂風，
捲起團團泥沙，撲嚮海船，以此迷惑
阿開亞人的心智，把光榮送給特洛伊人和赫剋托耳。
受兆示的激勵，還有他們的勇力，特洛伊人
勇猛衝擊，試圖搗毀阿開亞人寬厚的墻垣。
他們打破護墻的外沿設施，搗爛雉堞，
用杠桿鬆動墻邊的突樁——阿開亞人把
它們打入地裏，作為護墻的外層防禦。
他們搗毀這些設施，期望進而拱倒阿開亞人的
墻垣。但是，達奈人此時無意退卻，
而是用牛皮擋住雉堞，
居高臨下，用石塊猛砸跑至墻邊的群敵。
兩位埃阿斯，來回巡行在墻內的各個地段，
敦促兵勇們嚮前，催發阿開亞人的勇力，
時而對某人贊褒幾句，時而又對另一個人
責斥一番——衹要看到有人在戰鬥中退卻不前：
“朋友們，你們中，有的是阿耳吉維人的俊傑，
有的來自社會的中層，還有的是一般的平頭百姓。是的，
在戰鬥中，我們的作用不同；但眼下，我們卻面臨共同的拼鬥
這一點，你們自己可以看得很清楚。現在，誰也不許
掉頭轉嚮海船，聽憑敵人狂吼亂叫，
而要勇往直前，互相催鼓吶喊。
但願俄林波斯山上的宙斯，閃電之神，會給我們力量，
讓我們打退敵人的進攻，直逼特洛伊城垣！”
他倆的喊叫鼓起了特洛伊人拼搏的勇氣。
像鼕日裏的一場大雪，下得紛紛揚揚，
密密匝匝——其時，統治世界的宙斯捲來飛落的
雪花，對凡人顯耀攻戰的聲勢。他
罷息風力，一個勁地猛下雪片，覆蓋了
山嶽中迭起的峰巒和突兀的岩壁，
覆蓋了多草的低地和農人精耕的良田，
飄落在灰藍的海波裏，遍灑在港灣和灘沿上，
衹有洶涌的長浪可以衝破它的封圍，其餘的一切
全被蒙罩在白帳下，頂着宙斯捲來的大雪的壓擠。
就像這樣，雙方扔出的石塊既多且密，
有的飛嚮特洛伊人，還有的出自特洛伊人之手，
扔嚮阿開亞人，整道護墻發出震耳欲聾的巨響。
即便如此，特洛伊人和光榮的赫剋托耳
還是不能攻破墻門，衝垮粗長的門閂，若不是多謀善斷的
宙斯催勵他的兒子薩耳裴鼕衝嚮阿耳吉維人，像彎角牛群裏
的一頭獅子。
他迅速移過溜圓的戰後，擋住前身，
盾面青銅，煅砸精緻，銅匠手工
錘製的佳品，裏面嚴嚴實實地墊着幾層
牛皮，用金釘齊齊地鉚在盾沿上。
挺着這面戰盾，搖晃着兩枝槍矛，
他大步走上前去，像一頭山地哺育的獅子，
久不食肉，受高傲的獅心慫恿，
試圖聞人一個圍合堅固的圈欄，撕食肥羊。
儘管發現牧人就在那邊，看守着
他們的羊群，帶着投槍和牧狗，
它卻根本不曾想過，在撲食之前，是否會被逐離羊圈——
不是一躍而起，逮住一頭肥羊，便是玩命
首次撲殺，被投槍擊中，出自一條靈捷的
臂膀。同樣，沸騰在心中的激情催使神一樣的
薩耳裴鼕衝嚮護墻，搗毀雉堞。
他張口喊叫，對着格勞科斯，希波洛科斯的兒郎：
“格勞科斯，在魯基亞，人們為何特另u敬重你我，
讓我們榮坐體面的席位，享用肥美的肉塊，滿杯的醇酒，
而所有的人們都像仰註神明似地看着我倆？
我們又何以能擁獲大片的土地，在珊索斯河畔，
肥沃的葡萄園和盛産麥於的良田？
這一切表明，我們負有責任，眼下要站在魯基亞人的
前面，經受戰火的炙烤。這樣，
某個身披重甲的魯基亞戰士便會如此說道：
‘他們確實非同一般，這些個統治着魯基亞，
統治着我們的王者，沒有白吃肥嫩的羊肉，
白喝醇香的美酒——他們的確勇力
過人，戰鬥在魯基亞人的前列。’
我的朋友啊，要是你我能從這場戰鬥中生還，
得以長生不死，拒老抗衰，與天地同存，
我就再也不會站在前排裏戰鬥，
也不會再要你衝嚮戰場，人們爭得榮譽的地方。
但現在，死的精靈正挨站在我們身邊，
數千陰影，誰也逃身不得，躲不過它們的擊打——
所以，讓我們衝上前去，要麽為自己爭得榮光，要麽把它拱手
讓給敵人！”
聽罷這番話，格勞科斯既不抗命，也不回避，
而是和他一起，帶着大群的魯基亞兵丁，直撲墻堞。
裴忒俄斯之子墨奈修斯見狀，嚇得渾身發抖，
因為他們正衝着他的墻壘走來，殺氣騰騰。
他舉目遍掃阿開亞人的護墻，希望能看到
某個能來消災避難的首領，拯救他的夥伴。
他看到兩位埃阿斯，嗜戰不厭，站在
墻上，而丟剋羅斯其時亦走出掩體，和
他們並肩奮戰。但是，他卻不能通過喊叫，
引起他們的註意——戰場上喧鬧蕪雜，擊打之聲響徹雲天，
投槍敲砸着盾牌、綴着馬鬃的銅盔和
緊閉的大門，近逼的特洛伊人正
試圖強行破網，殺人門面。
他即刻派出一位信使，奔往埃阿斯戰鬥的地點：
“快去，卓越的蘇忒斯，把埃阿斯叫來，
若能召得兩位埃阿斯，那就再好
不過——我們正面臨一場滅頂之災。
魯基亞人的首領們已逼得我們喘不過氣來，
像在以往的激戰中一樣致命兇殘。
但是，如果狂烈的戰鬥和拼殺也在那裏展開，那麽，
你至少也得讓大個子埃阿斯、忒拉蒙驍勇的兒子一人前來，
帶着弓手丟剋羅斯，射技精良的軍漢。”
信使得令，謹遵不違，隨即
快步跑去，沿着身披銅甲的阿開亞人的墻垣，
來到兩位埃阿斯身邊站定，急切地說道：
“兩位埃阿斯，身披銅甲的阿耳吉維人的首領，
裴忒俄斯心愛的兒子、宙斯鐘愛的墨奈修斯求你
前去他的防地，哪怕衹有須臾時間，以平緩危急。
倘若二位都去，那就再好
不過——我們正面臨一場滅頂之災。
魯基亞人的首領們已逼得我們喘不過氣來，
像在以往的激戰中一樣致命兇殘。
但是，如果狂烈的戰鬥和拼殺也在這裏展開，那麽；
至少也得讓大個子埃阿斯、忒拉蒙驍勇的兒子一人前往。
帶着弓手丟剋羅斯，射技精良的軍漢。”
聽罷這番話，忒拉蒙之子聞風而動，馬上
對另一位埃阿斯、俄伊紐斯之子喊道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“埃阿斯，現在，你們二位，你自己和強健的魯科墨得斯，
在此堅守，督促達奈人勇敢戰鬥；
我要趕往那邊，迎戰敵手，一俟
打退他們的進攻，馬上回還。”
言罷，忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯大步離去，帶着
丟剋羅斯，同父界母的兄弟，後面跟着
潘迪昂，提着丟剋羅斯的彎弓。
他們沿着護墻的內側行進，來到心胸豪壯的
墨奈修斯守護的墻堡，發現兵勇們正受到強敵的逼迫，處境
艱難；魯基亞人強壯的王者和首領們正
猛攻雉堞，像一股黑色的旋風。
他們撲上前去，接戰敵手，殺聲四起。
忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯先開殺戒，
擊倒薩耳裴鼕的同伴，心胸豪壯的厄丕剋勒斯，
用一塊粗 莽的石頭，取自堞墻的內沿，
體積碩大，躺在石堆的頂部。當今之人，
即使身強力壯，動用兩手，也很難
起舉，但埃阿斯卻把它高擎過頭，
砸搗在頂着四支冠角的盔蓋上，把頭顱和
腦骨打得稀爛——厄丕剋勒斯隨之倒地，像一個
跳水者，從高高的墻壘上撲倒下來，魂息飄離了他的軀骨。
接着，丟剋羅斯放箭射中格勞科斯，希波洛科斯
強健的兒子，正在爬越高墻，
發現膀子裸露，無心戀戰，
從墻上跳下，偷偷摸摸，惟恐阿開亞人看出
他已身帶箭傷，進而大肆吹擂。
薩耳裴鼕意識到格勞科斯已從墻上回撤，
心中頓覺一陣楚痛；然而，他沒有丟卻嗜戰的熱情，
出槍擊打，刺中阿爾剋馬昂，塞斯托耳之子，
繼而又把槍矛擰拔出來，隨着拉力，阿爾剋馬昂
一頭栽倒在泥地裏，精製的銅甲在身上鏗鏘作響。
然後，薩耳裴鼕抓住雉堞，伸出強有力的大手，
用力猛拉，扳去一大片墻沿，使護墻頂部
失去摭掩，為衆人的進攻打開了一個缺口。
其時，埃阿斯和丟剋羅斯同時對他瞄準，丟剋羅斯
發箭射中閃亮的皮帶，勒在胸肩上，係連着
摭護全身的盾牌，但宙斯為他擋開死的精靈，
不願讓自己的兒子死在海船的後尾邊。
埃阿斯衝上前去，擊捅盾牌，雖然槍尖不曾
穿透層面，卻把他頂得腿步趄趔，挾着狂莽，
從雉諜後回退幾步，但沒有完全
放棄戰鬥，心中仍然渴望爭得榮譽。
他移轉身子，亮開嗓門，對神一樣的魯基亞人喊道：
“為何鬆減你們狂烈的戰鬥激情，我的魯基亞兵朋？
雖說我很強健，但由我一人破墻，打出
一條直抵海船的通道，仍屬難事一件。
跟我一起幹吧，人多事不難！”
薩耳裴鼕言罷，兵勇們畏於首領的呵斥，
更加抖擻精神，圍聚在統領和王者的身邊。
護墻內，阿耳吉維人針鋒相對，整飭隊伍，
加強防禦，一場激烈的搏鬥在兩軍之間展開。
壯實的魯基亞人不能捅開達奈人的
護墻，打出一條直抵海船的通道，
而達奈槍手也無力擋開
已經逼至墻根的魯基亞兵漢，
像兩個手持量桿的農人，站在公地上，
大吵大鬧，為决定界石的位置，在一條
狹窄的田域，為爭得一塊等量的份地翻臉，
其時，雉培隔開兩軍，而橫越墻頭，
雙方互相殺砍，擊打着溜圓的、摭護前胸的
牛皮盾面，擊打着穩條飄舞的護身的皮張。
許多人被無情的青銅破毀皮肉，
有的因為掉轉身子，亮出脊背，
更多的則因盾牌遭受槍擊，被徹底捅穿。
戰地上到處碧紫猩紅，雉堞上、壁壘上，遍灑着
特洛伊人和阿開亞兵壯的鮮血。儘管如此，
特洛伊人仍然不能打垮對手，使他們逃還；
阿開亞人死死頂住，像一位細心的婦人，
拿起校秤，提着秤桿，就着壓碼計量羊毛，求得
兩邊的均衡，用辛勤的勞動換回些須收入，供養孩子的生活。
就像這樣，雙方兵來將擋，打得勝負難分，
直到宙斯决定把更大的光榮賜送赫剋托耳——
普裏阿摩斯之子是搗人阿開亞護墻的第一人。
他提高嗓門，用尖亮的聲音對特洛伊人喊道：
“鼓起勁來，調馴烈馬的特洛伊人，衝破阿開亞人的
護墻，把暴虐的烈火扔上他們的海船！”
赫剋托耳大聲催勵兵勇們前進，而後者也聽從他的呼號，
以密集的隊形撲嚮護墻，緊握
鋒快的槍矛，朝着墻壘涌去。
與此同時，赫剋托耳從墻門前抓起一塊石頭，
舉着他移步嚮前，巨石底部粗鈍碩大，但頂部
卻伸出犀利的棱角。當今之人，本地最健的壯士，
即使走出兩個，也不能輕而易舉地把它從地面擡到
車上，但赫剋托耳卻反憑一己之力，搬起並搖晃着石塊——
工於心計的剋羅諾斯的兒子為他減輕了頑石的重量。
像一個牧羊人，輕鬆地拿起一頭閹羊的捲毛，
一手拎着，絲毫不覺得有什麽分量。
赫剋托耳搬起石頭，嚮前走去，直對着墻門，
後者緊堵着墻框，連合得結結實實——
門面高大，雙層，裏面安着兩條橫閂，
互相交迭，由一根閂桿固係插連。
他來到門前，叉開雙腿，站穩腳跟，壓上全身的力氣，
增強衝力，扔出巨石，砸在門的中間，
打爛了兩邊的鉸鏈；石塊重重地搗開
門面，大門嘆出長長的哀號，門閂力不
能支，板條吃不住石塊的重擊，
裂成紛飛的碎片。光榮的赫剋托耳猛衝進去，
提着兩枝槍矛，臉面烏黑，像突至的夜晚，
穿着護身的銅甲，閃射出可怕的光寒。
其時，除了神明，誰也甭想和他陣戰，阻止
他的進攻——他正破門而入，雙目噴閃着火焰。
他轉動身子，催督戰鬥中的特洛伊人
爬過護墻，後者服從了他的號令。
他們動作迅捷，有的涌過護墻，還有的
衝掃過堅實的大門；達奈人驚慌失措，
奔命在深曠的海船間；喧囂之聲拔地而起，經久不息。
ARGUMENT.
THE BATTLE AT THE GRECIAN WALL.
The Greeks having retired into their intrenchments, Hector attempts to
force them; but it proving impossible to pass the ditch, Polydamas advises
to quit their chariots, and manage the attack on foot. The Trojans follow
his counsel; and having divided their army into five bodies of foot, begin
the assault. But upon the signal of an eagle with a serpent in his talons,
which appeared on the left hand of the Trojans, Polydamas endeavours to
withdraw them again. This Hector opposes, and continues the attack; in
which, after many actions, Sarpedon makes the first breach in the wall.
Hector also, casting a stone of vast size, forces open one of the gates,
and enters at the head of his troops, who victoriously pursue the Grecians
even to their ships.
While thus the hero's pious cares attend
The cure and safety of his wounded friend,
Trojans and Greeks with clashing shields engage,
And mutual deaths are dealt with mutual rage.
Nor long the trench or lofty walls oppose;
With gods averse the ill-fated works arose;
Their powers neglected, and no victim slain,
The walls were raised, the trenches sunk in vain.
Without the gods, how short a period stands
The proudest monument of mortal hands!
This stood while Hector and Achilles raged.
While sacred Troy the warring hosts engaged;
But when her sons were slain, her city burn'd,
And what survived of Greece to Greece return'd;
Then Neptune and Apollo shook the shore,
Then Ida's summits pour'd their watery store;
Rhesus and Rhodius then unite their rills,
Caresus roaring down the stony hills,
Æsepus, Granicus, with mingled force,
And Xanthus foaming from his fruitful source;
And gulfy Simois, rolling to the main(224)
Helmets, and shields, and godlike heroes slain:
These, turn'd by Phoebus from their wonted ways,
Deluged the rampire nine continual days;
The weight of waters saps the yielding wall,
And to the sea the floating bulwarks fall.
Incessant cataracts the Thunderer pours,
And half the skies descend in sluicy showers.
The god of ocean, marching stern before,
With his huge trident wounds the trembling shore,
Vast stones and piles from their foundation heaves,
And whelms the smoky ruin in the waves.
Now smooth'd with sand, and levell'd by the flood,
No fragment tells where once the wonder stood;
In their old bounds the rivers roll again,
Shine 'twixt the hills, or wander o'er the plain.(225)
But this the gods in later times perform;
As yet the bulwark stood, and braved the storm;
The strokes yet echoed of contending powers;
War thunder'd at the gates, and blood distain'd the towers.
Smote by the arm of Jove with dire dismay,
Close by their hollow ships the Grecians lay:
Hector's approach in every wind they hear,
And Hector's fury every moment fear.
He, like a whirlwind, toss'd the scattering throng,
Mingled the troops, and drove the field along.
So 'midst the dogs and hunters' daring bands,
Fierce of his might, a boar or lion stands;
Arm'd foes around a dreadful circle form,
And hissing javelins rain an iron storm:
His powers untamed, their bold assault defy,
And where he turns the rout disperse or die:
He foams, he glares, he bounds against them all,
And if he falls, his courage makes him fall.
With equal rage encompass'd Hector glows;
Exhorts his armies, and the trenches shows.
The panting steeds impatient fury breathe,
And snort and tremble at the gulf beneath;
Just at the brink they neigh, and paw the ground,
And the turf trembles, and the skies resound.
Eager they view'd the prospect dark and deep,
Vast was the leap, and headlong hung the steep;
The bottom bare, (a formidable show!)
And bristled thick with sharpen'd stakes below.
The foot alone this strong defence could force,
And try the pass impervious to the horse.
This saw Polydamas; who, wisely brave,
Restrain'd great Hector, and this counsel gave:
"O thou, bold leader of the Trojan bands!
And you, confederate chiefs from foreign lands!
What entrance here can cumbrous chariots find,
The stakes beneath, the Grecian walls behind?
No pass through those, without a thousand wounds,
No space for combat in yon narrow bounds.
Proud of the favours mighty Jove has shown,
On certain dangers we too rashly run:
If 'tis will our haughty foes to tame,
Oh may this instant end the Grecian name!
Here, far from Argos, let their heroes fall,
And one great day destroy and bury all!
But should they turn, and here oppress our train,
What hopes, what methods of retreat remain?
Wedged in the trench, by our own troops confused,
In one promiscuous carnage crush'd and bruised,
All Troy must perish, if their arms prevail,
Nor shall a Trojan live to tell the tale.
Hear then, ye warriors! and obey with speed;
Back from the trenches let your steeds be led;
Then all alighting, wedged in firm array,
Proceed on foot, and Hector lead the way.
So Greece shall stoop before our conquering power,
And this (if Jove consent) her fatal hour."
[Illustration: POLYDAMAS ADVISING HECTOR.]
POLYDAMAS ADVISING HECTOR.
This counsel pleased: the godlike Hector sprung
Swift from his seat; his clanging armour rung.
The chief's example follow'd by his train,
Each quits his car, and issues on the plain,
By orders strict the charioteers enjoin'd
Compel the coursers to their ranks behind.
The forces part in five distinguish'd bands,
And all obey their several chiefs' commands.
The best and bravest in the first conspire,
Pant for the fight, and threat the fleet with fire:
Great Hector glorious in the van of these,
Polydamas, and brave Cebriones.
Before the next the graceful Paris shines,
And bold Alcathous, and Agenor joins.
The sons of Priam with the third appear,
Deiphobus, and Helenas the seer;
In arms with these the mighty Asius stood,
Who drew from Hyrtacus his noble blood,
And whom Arisba's yellow coursers bore,
The coursers fed on Selle's winding shore.
Antenor's sons the fourth battalion guide,
And great Æneas, born on fountful Ide.
Divine Sarpedon the last band obey'd,
Whom Glaucus and Asteropaeus aid.
Next him, the bravest, at their army's head,
But he more brave than all the hosts he led.
Now with compacted shields in close array,
The moving legions speed their headlong way:
Already in their hopes they fire the fleet,
And see the Grecians gasping at their feet.
While every Trojan thus, and every aid,
The advice of wise Polydamas obey'd,
Asius alone, confiding in his car,
His vaunted coursers urged to meet the war.
Unhappy hero! and advised in vain;
Those wheels returning ne'er shall mark the plain;
No more those coursers with triumphant joy
Restore their master to the gates of Troy!
Black death attends behind the Grecian wall,
And great Idomeneus shall boast thy fall!
Fierce to the left he drives, where from the plain
The flying Grecians strove their ships to gain;
Swift through the wall their horse and chariots pass'd,
The gates half-open'd to receive the last.
Thither, exulting in his force, he flies:
His following host with clamours rend the skies:
To plunge the Grecians headlong in the main,
Such their proud hopes; but all their hopes were vain!
To guard the gates, two mighty chiefs attend,
Who from the Lapiths' warlike race descend;
This Polypoetes, great Perithous' heir,
And that Leonteus, like the god of war.
As two tall oaks, before the wall they rise;
Their roots in earth, their heads amidst the skies:
Whose spreading arms with leafy honours crown'd,
Forbid the tempest, and protect the ground;
High on the hills appears their stately form,
And their deep roots for ever brave the storm.
So graceful these, and so the shock they stand
Of raging Asius, and his furious band.
Orestes, Acamas, in front appear,
And OEnomaus and Thoon close the rear:
In vain their clamours shake the ambient fields,
In vain around them beat their hollow shields;
The fearless brothers on the Grecians call,
To guard their navies, and defend the wall.
Even when they saw Troy's sable troops impend,
And Greece tumultuous from her towers descend,
Forth from the portals rush'd the intrepid pair,
Opposed their breasts, and stood themselves the war.
So two wild boars spring furious from their den,
Roused with the cries of dogs and voice of men;
On every side the crackling trees they tear,
And root the shrubs, and lay the forest bare;
They gnash their tusks, with fire their eye-balls roll,
Till some wide wound lets out their mighty soul.
Around their heads the whistling javelins sung,
With sounding strokes their brazen targets rung;
Fierce was the fight, while yet the Grecian powers
Maintain'd the walls, and mann'd the lofty towers:
To save their fleet their last efforts they try,
And stones and darts in mingled tempests fly.
As when sharp Boreas blows abroad, and brings
The dreary winter on his frozen wings;
Beneath the low-hung clouds the sheets of snow
Descend, and whiten all the fields below:
So fast the darts on either army pour,
So down the rampires rolls the rocky shower:
Heavy, and thick, resound the batter'd shields,
And the deaf echo rattles round the fields.
With shame repulsed, with grief and fury driven,
The frantic Asius thus accuses Heaven:
"In powers immortal who shall now believe?
Can those too flatter, and can Jove deceive?
What man could doubt but Troy's victorious power
Should humble Greece, and this her fatal hour?
But like when wasps from hollow crannies drive,
To guard the entrance of their common hive,
Darkening the rock, while with unwearied wings
They strike the assailants, and infix their stings;
A race determined, that to death contend:
So fierce these Greeks their last retreats defend.
Gods! shall two warriors only guard their gates,
Repel an army, and defraud the fates?"
These empty accents mingled with the wind,
Nor moved great Jove's unalterable mind;
To godlike Hector and his matchless might
Was owed the glory of the destined fight.
Like deeds of arms through all the forts were tried,
And all the gates sustain'd an equal tide;
Through the long walls the stony showers were heard,
The blaze of flames, the flash of arms appear'd.
The spirit of a god my breast inspire,
To raise each act to life, and sing with fire!
While Greece unconquer'd kept alive the war,
Secure of death, confiding in despair;
And all her guardian gods, in deep dismay,
With unassisting arms deplored the day.
Even yet the dauntless Lapithae maintain
The dreadful pass, and round them heap the slain.
First Damasus, by Polypoetes' steel,
Pierced through his helmet's brazen visor, fell;
The weapon drank the mingled brains and gore!
The warrior sinks, tremendous now no more!
Next Ormenus and Pylon yield their breath:
Nor less Leonteus strews the field with death;
First through the belt Hippomachus he gored,
Then sudden waved his unresisted sword:
Antiphates, as through the ranks he broke,
The falchion struck, and fate pursued the stroke:
Iamenus, Orestes, Menon, bled;
And round him rose a monument of dead.
Meantime, the bravest of the Trojan crew,
Bold Hector and Polydamas, pursue;
Fierce with impatience on the works to fall,
And wrap in rolling flames the fleet and wall.
These on the farther bank now stood and gazed,
By Heaven alarm'd, by prodigies amazed:
A signal omen stopp'd the passing host,
Their martial fury in their wonder lost.
Jove's bird on sounding pinions beat the skies;
A bleeding serpent of enormous size,
His talons truss'd; alive, and curling round,
He stung the bird, whose throat received the wound:
Mad with the smart, he drops the fatal prey,
In airy circles wings his painful way,
Floats on the winds, and rends the heaven with cries:
Amidst the host the fallen serpent lies.
They, pale with terror, mark its spires unroll'd,
And Jove's portent with beating hearts behold.
Then first Polydamas the silence broke,
Long weigh'd the signal, and to Hector spoke:
"How oft, my brother, thy reproach I bear,
For words well meant, and sentiments sincere?
True to those counsels which I judge the best,
I tell the faithful dictates of my breast.
To speak his thoughts is every freeman's right,
In peace, in war, in council, and in fight;
And all I move, deferring to thy sway,
But tends to raise that power which I obey.
Then hear my words, nor may my words be vain!
Seek not this day the Grecian ships to gain;
For sure, to warn us, Jove his omen sent,
And thus my mind explains its clear event:
The victor eagle, whose sinister flight
Retards our host, and fills our hearts with fright,
Dismiss'd his conquest in the middle skies,
Allow'd to seize, but not possess the prize;
Thus, though we gird with fires the Grecian fleet,
Though these proud bulwalks tumble at our feet,
Toils unforeseen, and fiercer, are decreed;
More woes shall follow, and more heroes bleed.
So bodes my soul, and bids me thus advise;
For thus a skilful seer would read the skies."
To him then Hector with disdain return'd:
(Fierce as he spoke, his eyes with fury burn'd:)
"Are these the faithful counsels of thy tongue?
Thy will is partial, not thy reason wrong:
Or if the purpose of thy heart thou vent,
Sure heaven resumes the little sense it lent.
What coward counsels would thy madness move
Against the word, the will reveal'd of Jove?
The leading sign, the irrevocable nod,
And happy thunders of the favouring god,
These shall I slight, and guide my wavering mind
By wandering birds that flit with every wind?
Ye vagrants of the sky! your wings extend,
Or where the suns arise, or where descend;
To right, to left, unheeded take your way,
While I the dictates of high heaven obey.
Without a sign his sword the brave man draws,
And asks no omen but his country's cause.
But why should'st thou suspect the war's success?
None fears it more, as none promotes it less:
Though all our chiefs amidst yon ships expire,
Trust thy own cowardice to escape their fire.
Troy and her sons may find a general grave,
But thou canst live, for thou canst be a slave.
Yet should the fears that wary mind suggests
Spread their cold poison through our soldiers' breasts,
My javelin can revenge so base a part,
And free the soul that quivers in thy heart."
Furious he spoke, and, rushing to the wall,
Calls on his host; his host obey the call;
With ardour follow where their leader flies:
Redoubling clamours thunder in the skies.
Jove breathes a whirlwind from the hills of Ide,
And drifts of dust the clouded navy hide;
He fills the Greeks with terror and dismay,
And gives great Hector the predestined day.
Strong in themselves, but stronger in his aid,
Close to the works their rigid siege they laid.
In vain the mounds and massy beams defend,
While these they undermine, and those they rend;
Upheaved the piles that prop the solid wall;
And heaps on heaps the smoky ruins fall.
Greece on her ramparts stands the fierce alarms;
The crowded bulwarks blaze with waving arms,
Shield touching shield, a long refulgent row;
Whence hissing darts, incessant, rain below.
The bold Ajaces fly from tower to tower,
And rouse, with flame divine, the Grecian power.
The generous impulse every Greek obeys;
Threats urge the fearful; and the valiant, praise.
"Fellows in arms! whose deeds are known to fame,
And you, whose ardour hopes an equal name!
Since not alike endued with force or art;
Behold a day when each may act his part!
A day to fire the brave, and warm the cold,
To gain new glories, or augment the old.
Urge those who stand, and those who faint, excite;
Drown Hector's vaunts in loud exhorts of fight;
Conquest, not safety, fill the thoughts of all;
Seek not your fleet, but sally from the wall;
So Jove once more may drive their routed train,
And Troy lie trembling in her walls again."
Their ardour kindles all the Grecian powers;
And now the stones descend in heavier showers.
As when high Jove his sharp artillery forms,
And opes his cloudy magazine of storms;
In winter's bleak un comfortable reign,
A snowy inundation hides the plain;
He stills the winds, and bids the skies to sleep;
Then pours the silent tempest thick and deep;
And first the mountain-tops are cover'd o'er,
Then the green fields, and then the sandy shore;
Bent with the weight, the nodding woods are seen,
And one bright waste hides all the works of men:
The circling seas, alone absorbing all,
Drink the dissolving fleeces as they fall:
So from each side increased the stony rain,
And the white ruin rises o'er the plain.
Thus godlike Hector and his troops contend
To force the ramparts, and the gates to rend:
Nor Troy could conquer, nor the Greeks would yield,
Till great Sarpedon tower'd amid the field;
For mighty Jove inspired with martial flame
His matchless son, and urged him on to fame.
In arms he shines, conspicuous from afar,
And bears aloft his ample shield in air;
Within whose orb the thick bull-hides were roll'd,
Ponderous with brass, and bound with ductile gold:
And while two pointed javelins arm his hands,
Majestic moves along, and leads his Lycian bands.
So press'd with hunger, from the mountain's brow
Descends a lion on the flocks below;
So stalks the lordly savage o'er the plain,
In sullen majesty, and stern disdain:
In vain loud mastiffs bay him from afar,
And shepherds gall him with an iron war;
Regardless, furious, he pursues his way;
He foams, he roars, he rends the panting prey.
Resolved alike, divine Sarpedon glows
With generous rage that drives him on the foes.
He views the towers, and meditates their fall,
To sure destruction dooms the aspiring wall;
Then casting on his friend an ardent look,
Fired with the thirst of glory, thus he spoke:
"Why boast we, Glaucus! our extended reign,(226)
Where Xanthus' streams enrich the Lycian plain,
Our numerous herds that range the fruitful field,
And hills where vines their purple harvest yield,
Our foaming bowls with purer nectar crown'd,
Our feasts enhanced with music's sprightly sound?
Why on those shores are we with joy survey'd,
Admired as heroes, and as gods obey'd,
Unless great acts superior merit prove,
And vindicate the bounteous powers above?
'Tis ours, the dignity they give to grace;
The first in valour, as the first in place;
That when with wondering eyes our martial bands
Behold our deeds transcending our commands,
Such, they may cry, deserve the sovereign state,
Whom those that envy dare not imitate!
Could all our care elude the gloomy grave,
Which claims no less the fearful and the brave,
For lust of fame I should not vainly dare
In fighting fields, nor urge thy soul to war.
But since, alas! ignoble age must come,
Disease, and death's inexorable doom
The life, which others pay, let us bestow,
And give to fame what we to nature owe;
Brave though we fall, and honour'd if we live,
Or let us glory gain, or glory give!"
He said; his words the listening chief inspire
With equal warmth, and rouse the warrior's fire;
The troops pursue their leaders with delight,
Rush to the foe, and claim the promised fight.
Menestheus from on high the storm beheld
Threatening the fort, and blackening in the field:
Around the walls he gazed, to view from far
What aid appear'd to avert the approaching war,
And saw where Teucer with the Ajaces stood,
Of fight insatiate, prodigal of blood.
In vain he calls; the din of helms and shields
Rings to the skies, and echoes through the fields,
The brazen hinges fly, the walls resound,
Heaven trembles, roar the mountains, thunders all the ground
Then thus to Thoos: "Hence with speed (he said),
And urge the bold Ajaces to our aid;
Their strength, united, best may help to bear
The bloody labours of the doubtful war:
Hither the Lycian princes bend their course,
The best and bravest of the hostile force.
But if too fiercely there the foes contend,
Let Telamon, at least, our towers defend,
And Teucer haste with his unerring bow
To share the danger, and repel the foe."
Swift, at the word, the herald speeds along
The lofty ramparts, through the martial throng,
And finds the heroes bathed in sweat and gore,
Opposed in combat on the dusty shore.
"Ye valiant leaders of our warlike bands!
Your aid (said Thoos) Peteus' son demands;
Your strength, united, best may help to bear
The bloody labours of the doubtful war:
Thither the Lycian princes bend their course,
The best and bravest of the hostile force.
But if too fiercely, here, the foes contend,
At least, let Telamon those towers defend,
And Teucer haste with his unerring bow
To share the danger, and repel the foe."
Straight to the fort great Ajax turn'd his care,
And thus bespoke his brothers of the war:
"Now, valiant Lycomede! exert your might,
And, brave Oileus, prove your force in fight;
To you I trust the fortune of the field,
Till by this arm the foe shall be repell'd:
That done, expect me to complete the day
Then with his sevenfold shield he strode away.
With equal steps bold Teucer press'd the shore,
Whose fatal bow the strong Pandion bore.
High on the walls appear'd the Lycian powers,
Like some black tempest gathering round the towers:
The Greeks, oppress'd, their utmost force unite,
Prepared to labour in the unequal fight:
The war renews, mix'd shouts and groans arise;
Tumultuous clamour mounts, and thickens in the skies.
Fierce Ajax first the advancing host invades,
And sends the brave Epicles to the shades,
Sarpedon's friend. Across the warrior's way,
Rent from the walls, a rocky fragment lay;
In modern ages not the strongest swain
Could heave the unwieldy burden from the plain:
He poised, and swung it round; then toss'd on high,
It flew with force, and labour'd up the sky;
Full on the Lycian's helmet thundering down,
The ponderous ruin crush'd his batter'd crown.
As skilful divers from some airy steep
Headlong descend, and shoot into the deep,
So falls Epicles; then in groans expires,
And murmuring to the shades the soul retires.
While to the ramparts daring Glaucus drew,
From Teucer's hand a winged arrow flew;
The bearded shaft the destined passage found,
And on his naked arm inflicts a wound.
The chief, who fear'd some foe's insulting boast
Might stop the progress of his warlike host,
Conceal'd the wound, and, leaping from his height
Retired reluctant from the unfinish'd fight.
Divine Sarpedon with regret beheld
Disabled Glaucus slowly quit the field;
His beating breast with generous ardour glows,
He springs to fight, and flies upon the foes.
Alcmaon first was doom'd his force to feel;
Deep in his breast he plunged the pointed steel;
Then from the yawning wound with fury tore
The spear, pursued by gushing streams of gore:
Down sinks the warrior with a thundering sound,
His brazen armour rings against the ground.
Swift to the battlement the victor flies,
Tugs with full force, and every nerve applies:
It shakes; the ponderous stones disjointed yield;
The rolling ruins smoke along the field.
A mighty breach appears; the walls lie bare;
And, like a deluge, rushes in the war.
At once bold Teucer draws the twanging bow,
And Ajax sends his javelin at the foe;
Fix'd in his belt the feather'd weapon stood,
And through his buckler drove the trembling wood;
But Jove was present in the dire debate,
To shield his offspring, and avert his fate.
The prince gave back, not meditating flight,
But urging vengeance, and severer fight;
Then raised with hope, and fired with glory's charms,
His fainting squadrons to new fury warms.
"O where, ye Lycians, is the strength you boast?
Your former fame and ancient virtue lost!
The breach lies open, but your chief in vain
Attempts alone the guarded pass to gain:
Unite, and soon that hostile fleet shall fall:
The force of powerful union conquers all."
This just rebuke inflamed the Lycian crew;
They join, they thicken, and the assault renew:
Unmoved the embodied Greeks their fury dare,
And fix'd support the weight of all the war;
Nor could the Greeks repel the Lycian powers,
Nor the bold Lycians force the Grecian towers.
As on the confines of adjoining grounds,
Two stubborn swains with blows dispute their bounds;
They tug, they sweat; but neither gain, nor yield,
One foot, one inch, of the contended field;
Thus obstinate to death, they fight, they fall;
Nor these can keep, nor those can win the wall.
Their manly breasts are pierced with many a wound,
Loud strokes are heard, and rattling arms resound;
The copious slaughter covers all the shore,
And the high ramparts drip with human gore.
As when two scales are charged with doubtful loads,
From side to side the trembling balance nods,
(While some laborious matron, just and poor,
With nice exactness weighs her woolly store,)
Till poised aloft, the resting beam suspends
Each equal weight; nor this, nor that, descends:(227)
So stood the war, till Hector's matchless might,
With fates prevailing, turn'd the scale of fight.
Fierce as a whirlwind up the walls he flies,
And fires his host with loud repeated cries.
"Advance, ye Trojans! lend your valiant hands,
Haste to the fleet, and toss the blazing brands!"
They hear, they run; and, gathering at his call,
Raise scaling engines, and ascend the wall:
Around the works a wood of glittering spears
Shoots up, and all the rising host appears.
A ponderous stone bold Hector heaved to throw,
Pointed above, and rough and gross below:
Not two strong men the enormous weight could raise,
Such men as live in these degenerate days:
Yet this, as easy as a swain could bear
The snowy fleece, he toss'd, and shook in air;
For Jove upheld, and lighten'd of its load
The unwieldy rock, the labour of a god.
Thus arm'd, before the folded gates he came,
Of massy substance, and stupendous frame;
With iron bars and brazen hinges strong,
On lofty beams of solid timber hung:
Then thundering through the planks with forceful sway,
Drives the sharp rock; the solid beams give way,
The folds are shatter'd; from the crackling door
Leap the resounding bars, the flying hinges roar.
Now rushing in, the furious chief appears,
Gloomy as night! and shakes two shining spears:(228)
A dreadful gleam from his bright armour came,
And from his eye-balls flash'd the living flame.
He moves a god, resistless in his course,
And seems a match for more than mortal force.
Then pouring after, through the gaping space,
A tide of Trojans flows, and fills the place;
The Greeks behold, they tremble, and they fly;
The shore is heap'd with death, and tumult rends the sky.
[Illustration: GREEK ALTAR.]
GREEK ALTAR. 宙斯把特洛伊人和赫剋托耳驅嚮海船，留下
交戰的雙方，由他們呆在那裏，沒完沒了地打鬥，經受殘殺
和痛苦的煎熬，自己則移目遠方，睜着閃亮的
眼睛，掃視着斯拉凱車戰者的土地，
凝望着近戰殺敵的慕西亞人，高傲的希波摩爾戈斯人，
喝馬奶的勇士，以及人中最剛直的阿比俄伊人。
現在，他已不再把閃亮的目光投嚮特洛伊大地，
心中堅信，神祗中誰也不敢降落凡間，
助信達奈軍伍或特洛伊兵衆。
然而，強有力的裂地之神亦沒有閉上眼睛；
他欣賞着地面上的戰鬥和搏殺，坐在
斯拉凱對面，林木繁茂的薩摩斯的
峰巔，從那可以看到伊達的全景，
普裏阿摩斯的城堡，阿開亞人的海船，一覽無遺。
他從水中出來，坐在山上，目睹阿開亞人正遭受特洛伊人
痛打，心生憐憫，怨惱和憤恨宙斯的作為。
波塞鼕急速起程，從巉岩嶙峋的山脊上下來，
邁開迅捷的步伐，高高的山嶺和茂密的森林
在神腿的重壓下，巍巍震顫。
他邁出三個大步，第四步就到了要去的地方——
埃林伊，那裏有他的宮居，坐落在水域
深處，永不敗毀，閃着純金的光芒。
他來至殿前，在車下套入銅蹄的駿馬，
細腿追風，金鬃飄灑，穿起
金鑄的衣甲，在自己身上，抓起
編工密匝的金鞭，跨上戰車，
追波逐浪。悉知他的到來，水中的生靈從海底的各個角落
冒出洋面，嬉躍在他的身邊；大海
為他分開水路，興高采烈。駿馬飛撲嚮前，
車身下青銅的輪軸滴水不沾——
拉着他，迅捷的快馬直奔阿開亞人的海船。
在大海深處，森森的水下，有個寬敞幽邃的岩洞，
位於忒奈多斯和崖壁粗皺的英勃羅斯之間。
裂地之神波塞鼕將馭馬趕進水洞，
寬出軛架，取過仙料，放在蹄前，
供它們咀嚼，然後套上黃金的栓繩，在它們的小腿，
掙不斷，滑不脫，使馭馬穩站原地，等候主人的
回歸。收拾停當，波塞鼕啓程上路，朝着阿開亞人的群隊。
其時，特洛伊人雄兵麇集，像一團烈火，似一飆狂風，
跟着赫剋托耳，普裏阿摩斯之子，一刻不停地衝來，
狂吼怒號，如同一個人一般，滿懷希望，試圖
拿下阿開亞人的海船，把他們中最好的壯勇，一個不剩，
車死在海船邊。但是，環繞和震撼大地的波塞鼕
從深海裏出來，前往催勵阿耳吉維兵漢，
幻取卡爾卡斯的形象，摹仿他那不知疲倦的聲音，
先對兩位埃阿斯發話，激勵着兩面急於求戰的心胸：
“二位埃阿斯，你倆要用戰鬥拯救阿開亞軍隊，
鼓起你們的戰鬥激情，忘卻恐懼和慌亂！
我不擔心別地的防務，特洛伊人無敵的雙手
並不可怕，儘管他們的隊伍已涌入高墻——
脛甲堅固的阿開亞人可以把他們擋回。
我最不放心的是這裏，惟恐險情由此發生，
赫剋托耳正領着他們衝殺，這個不要命的傢夥，
自稱是力大無比的宙斯的兒男。
但願某位神明會給你們送個信息，使你倆
能頂住對手的進攻，並催督別人站穩腳跟。
這樣，儘管他橫暴兇狂，你們仍可把他阻離迅捷的
海船，哪怕俄林波斯大神親自催他赴戰！”
言罷，環繞和震撼大地的波塞鼕，
舉杖拍打，給他倆輸入巨大的勇力，
輕舒着他們的臂膀，他們的腿腳和雙手，
然後急速離去，像一隻展翅疾飛的雄鷹，
從一峰難以爬攀的絶壁上騰空而起，
俯衝下來，追捕平野上的雀鳥——
就像這樣，裂地之神波塞鼕奔離了兩位埃阿斯。
二者中，俄伊琉斯之子、迅捷的小埃阿斯
首先看出來者的身份，對忒拉蒙之子、大埃阿斯談道：
“埃阿斯，那是一位天神，傢住俄林波斯的神明中的一位，
以卜者的模樣出現，要我們戰鬥在海船邊。
他不是卡爾卡斯，神的善辨鳥蹤的卜者，
我一眼便看認出來，在他離去之時，從他的腿腳，
他的步態——是的，他是一位神祗，錯不了。
現在，胸中的激情正更強烈地
催我撲擊，要我奮力衝殺、拼搏；
我的腿腳在巍巍震顫，我的雙手正等盼着殺戰！”
聽罷這番話，忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯答道：
“我也一樣，握着槍矛的手，這雙剋敵製勝的大手，
正顫抖出內心的激動；我的力氣已在增長，輕快的
雙腳正催我嚮前！我甚至期盼着和普裏阿摩斯之子
一對一地打鬥——同赫剋托耳，不知疲息的壯漢！”
就這樣，二位互相激勵，高興地
體驗着神在他們心中激起的嗜戰的歡悅。
與此同時，環地之神催督着他們身後的阿開亞人，
後者正退聚船邊，息涼着滾燙的心胸。
經過一場艱苦卓絶的戰鬥，他們雙腿疲軟，
心中悲酸楚痛，眼睜睜地看着
特洛伊人蜂擁而上，越過高聳的墻垣。
望着敵人的攻勢，他們淚水橫流，心想再也
逃不出眼前的禍難。然而，裂地之神的
督勵，輕捷地穿過隊伍，催使他們嚮前。
他首先前往催令丟剋羅斯和雷托斯，繼而
又對善戰的裴奈琉斯、德伊普洛斯和阿索斯，
以及墨裏俄奈斯和安提洛科斯，兩位嘯吼戰場的壯勇。
用長了翅膀的言詞，波寒鼕高聲呼喊，策勵他們嚮前：
“可恥，你們這些阿耳吉維人，沒有經過戰火熬煉的新兵！就
我而言，
我相信，衹要肯打，你們可以保住海船，使其免遭毀難；
但是，倘若你們自己消懈不前，躲避痛苦的戰鬥，
那麽；今天就是你們的末日，被特洛伊人圍殲！
可恥啊！我的眼前真是出現了奇跡，
一樁可怕的事情，我以為絶對不會發生的醜聞：
特洛伊人居然逼至我們的船前，這些以往
在我們面前遑遑奔逃的散兵——像林中的懦鹿，
黑豹、灰狼和花豹的珍餚，撒腿奔跑，
魂飛膽裂，沒有絲毫的戰鬥意念。
在此之前，特洛伊人全然不敢抵鬥，
阿開亞人的勇力和雙手，哪怕衹是一會兒；
但現在，他們已逼戰在深曠的海船邊，遠離着城堡，
得利於我們統帥的弱點和兵士的息懈——
他們和他爭鬥，不願挺身保衛迅捷的
海船，被敵人殺死在自己的船艘間，
然而，即便阿特柔斯之子，統治着遼闊
疆域的英雄阿伽門農，確實做了錯事，
侮辱了裴琉斯捷足的兒子，
我們豈可在現時退離戰鬥？
讓我們平愈傷痕[●]，壯士的心靈完全可以接受撫慰。
●讓我們平愈傷痕：即：彌合我們和阿伽門農之間的隔閡。
但是，你們卻不應就此下去，窒息戰鬥的情懷，作為全軍
最好的戰士，此舉可真丟臉。要是一個
懦劣的孬種從戰場上逃回，即便是我，
也不會予以責斥；但對你們，我心中卻有一股騰燒的烈焰。
朋友們啊，由於畏縮不前，用不了多久，你們將會
承受更大的災難。現在，你們每一個人都要重振心態，拿出
戰士的勇氣，記住戰士的尊嚴。一場激戰正在我們面前展開！
嘯吼戰場的赫剋托耳正搏殺在我們的船邊，憑藉他的
勇力，已經搗毀我們的墻門和粗長的門閂！”
就這樣，環繞大地的波塞鼕催勵着阿開亞人，敦促他們
嚮前。隊伍重新聚合，氣勢豪壯，圍繞在兩位埃阿斯身邊，
雄赳赳的戰鬥隊列，人群中的戰神蔑視不得，
聚趕軍隊的雅典娜亦不能小看。精選出來的最勇敢的兵壯，
站成幾路迎戰的隊列，面對特洛伊人和卓越的赫剋托耳，
槍矛相碰，盾沿交搭，戰地上
圓盾交迭，銅盔磕碰，人擠人擁；
隨着人頭的攢動，閃亮的盔面上，貼着硬角，
馬鬃的盔冠抵擦碰撞，隊伍站得嚴嚴實實，密密匝匝。
粗壯的大手搖曳着槍矛，組成了一個威武雄壯的戰鬥營陣。
兵勇們意志堅定，企望着投入兇狂的拼殺。
其時，特洛伊人隊形密集，迎面撲來，赫剋托耳領頭先行，
殺氣騰騰，像石壁上崩下的一塊滾動的巨岩，
被泛涌着鼕雨的大河從穴孔裏衝下，
兇猛的水浪擊散了岩岸的抓力，
無情的墜石狂蹦亂跳，把山下的森林震得呼呼作響，
一路拼砸滾撞，勢不可擋，一氣
衝到平原，方纔阻止不動，儘管肆虐兇狂。
就像這樣，赫剋托耳最初試圖
一路衝殺，掃過阿開亞人的營棚和海船，
直插海邊。然而，當接戰對方人群密集的隊伍，
他的攻勢受到強有力的止阻，被硬硬地頂了回來。阿開亞人的
兒子們群起攻之，用劈劍和雙刃的槍矛擊打，
把他抵擋回去，逼得他連連後退，步履踉蹌。
他放開嗓門，用尖亮的聲音對着全軍喊叫：
“特洛伊人，魯基亞人和達耳達尼亞人，近戰殺敵的勇士們！
和我站在一起！阿開亞人不能長時間地擋住我的進攻，
雖然他們陣勢密集，像一堵墻似地橫阻在我的前頭。
我知道，他們會在我的投槍下敗退，如果我真的受到
神明的驅使，一位最了不起的尊神，赫拉拋甩炸雷的夫婿。”
一番話使大傢鼓起了勇氣，增添了力量。
人群中闊步走出雄心勃勃的德伊福波斯，
普裏阿摩斯之子，攜着溜圓的戰盾，
憑着它的庇護，迅捷地移步嚮前。
其時，墨裏俄奈斯舉起閃亮的槍矛，瞄準投射，
不偏不倚，擊中後面，打在溜圓的
牛皮上，但槍矛不曾穿透——還差得老遠——
長長的槍桿從桿頭上掉落下來。德伊福波斯
挺出皮盾，擋住搶擊，懼怕精於搏戰的
墨裏俄奈斯的投槍。壯士退回自己的
伴群，己方的營陣，震怒於兩件
事情：勝利的丟失和槍矛的損斷。
他回身阿開亞人的營棚和海船，
前往提取粗長的槍予，置留在營棚裏面。
衆人繼續苦戰，聽聞着震耳欲聾、此起彼伏的殺聲。
丟剋羅斯，圖丟斯之子，首開殺例，擊倒槍手
英勃裏俄斯，擁有馬群的門托耳之子，
在阿開亞人的兒子們到來之前，居傢裴代俄斯，
娶妻普裏阿摩斯的私生女，墨得酋卡絲忒。
但是，當達奈人乘坐彎翹的海船到來後，
他回返伊利昂，成為特洛伊人中出類拔萃的壯勇，
和普裏阿摩斯同住，後者愛他，像對自己的兒男。
現在，忒拉蒙之子用粗長的槍矛擊中了他，
打在耳朵底下，隨後又擰拔出來，後者猝然倒地，像一棵樣樹，
聳立在山巔，從遠處亦可眺見它的風采，被銅斧
砍倒，紛灑出鮮嫩的葉片，就像這樣，
英勃裏俄斯砰然倒地，精工製作的銅甲
在身上鏗鏘作響。丟剋羅斯快步跑去，急欲搶剝鎧甲。
就在他衝跑的當口，赫剋托耳投出一枝閃亮的槍矛，
但丟剋羅斯盯視着他的舉動，躲過銅鏢，
僅在毫末之間——投槍擊中安菲馬科斯，剋忒阿托斯
之子，阿剋托耳的後代，槍尖紮進胸膛，在他衝鋒嚮前的瞬間。
壯士隨即倒地，轟然一聲，鎧甲在身上鏗鏘作響。
赫剋托耳隨即衝撲上前，試圖搶奪心志豪 莽的安菲馬科斯的
盔蓋，頂在他的頭上，邊沿緊壓着眉梢。就在他
衝撲之對，埃阿斯投出一枝閃亮的槍矛，
但槍尖不曾紮進皮肉——他的全身遮裹着
堅硬厚實的銅甲。然而，槍矛擊中戰盾鼓起的層面，
強勁的衝力使他趄步後退，撇下
兩具屍體。阿開亞人見狀，隨即拖回倒地的戰友；
雅典人的兩位首領，斯提基俄斯和卓越的墨奈修斯，
擡着安菲馬科斯返回阿開亞人的營伍。
其時，兩位埃阿斯，挾着勇力和狂熱的戰鬥激情，
抓起了英勃裏俄斯，像兩頭獅子，從牧狗堅牙利齒的
看守下，搶出一頭山羊，叼咬在粗 莽的雙顎間，
懸離着地面，跑進濃密的灌木叢。
就像這樣，兩位埃阿斯高舉起英勃裏俄斯，剝去
他的鎧甲。出於對他殺死安菲馬科斯的憤恨，
俄伊琉斯之子砍下他的腦袋，從鬆軟的脖項，
奮臂摔投；首節轆轆旋轉，像一隻圓球，滾過戰鬥的人群，
最後停駐在赫剋托耳腳邊的塵面。
其時，波塞鼕怒火中燒，為了孫子的
慘死，在浴血的拼搏中。他穿行在
阿開亞人的營棚和海船間，
催勵着達奈人，為特洛伊人謀備着災亡。
這時，善使槍矛的伊多墨紐斯和他遐遇，正從
一位夥伴那裏過來，後者剛剛退出戰場，
被鋒快的青銅擊傷，打在膝蓋的後頭。
夥伴們擡走傷員，伊多墨紐斯對醫者
作過叮囑，走回自己的營棚，豪情不減，
期待着投入戰鬥。強有力的裂地之神對他發話，
摹擬安德萊蒙之子索阿斯的聲音，索阿斯，
埃托利亞人的王者，統治着整個普琉榮和山勢險峻的
卡魯鼕，受到國民的崇仰，像敬神一般：
“伊多墨紐斯，剋裏特人的首領，告訴我，阿開亞人的兒子們
發出的威脅，當着特洛伊人的臉面，現在難道全都一風瞭瞭
不成？”
聽罷這番話，剋裏特人的首領伊多墨紐斯答道：
“索阿斯，就我所知，這不是任何人的
過錯；我們中誰都知道應該如何戰鬥。
這裏沒有怯戰的懦夫，誰也不曾
怕死，躲避殘酷的拼鬥。事情的原因
在於宙斯意圖藉此自悅，這位力大無比的天神，
想讓阿開亞人死在此地，消聲匿跡，遠離着阿耳戈斯！
但是你，索阿斯，嚮來是一位不屈不撓的鬥士，
而且一旦看到有人退縮，便當即催他嚮前——現在，
你也不應撤離戰鬥，還要敦促你所遇見的每一位戰友！”
聽罷這番話，裂地之神波塞鼕答道：
‘伊多墨紐斯，今天，誰要是自動逃避戰鬥，
就讓他永世不得離開特洛伊，重返傢園；
讓他呆留此地，成為餓狗嬉食的佳餚。
趕快，拿出你的甲械，前往戰鬥。我們必須馬上出發，
一起行動，並肩戰鬥，可望以此打開局面。
即便是懦弱的戰士，聚在一起，也會産生力量，
何況你我？以我們的戰技，足以抵打一流的高手。”
言罷，他大步離去，一位神祗，介入凡人的爭鬥。
伊多墨紐斯折回構作堅固的營棚，
穿上璀璨的鎧甲，操起兩枝槍矛，
勿匆上路，像一個霹靂，剋羅諾斯之子
抓在手裏，從晶亮的俄波斯山上，
給凡人送來一道耀眼的弧光，一個閃亮的兆示。
就像這樣，銅甲在他胸前閃閃發光，映照着奔跑的腳步。
其時，他在營棚邊遇見墨裏俄奈斯，他的剛勇的助手，
正急着趕回營地，提取一桿銅矛。
強健的伊多墨紐斯對他說道：
“捷足的墨裏俄奈斯，摩洛斯之子，我最親愛的
伴友，為何離開戰鬥和搏殺，回返營區？
受傷了嗎？忍着槍尖送來的苦痛？
也許是有人要我，托你送來口信？就我而言，
我的願望是戰鬥，而不是幹坐營棚。”
聽罷這番話，頭腦冷靜的墨裏俄奈斯答道：
伊多墨紐斯，身披銅甲的剋裏特人的首領，
我趕來提拿一枝槍矛，不知是否可從
你的營棚覓取。我剛纔打斷了自己的投槍，
撞毀在高傲的德伊福波斯的盾面。”
聽罷這番話，剋裏特人的首領伊多墨紐斯答道：
“如果要的是槍矛，你完全可以找到，不是一條，而是二十條，
在我的營棚裏，緊靠着滑亮的內墻。
這些槍矛都是我的戰禮，奪自被我殺死的特洛伊壯勇；
我不愛站得遠遠地和敵人拼鬥，那不是我的打法。
所以，我奪得這些槍矛，突鼓的盾牌，
還有頭盔和胸甲，晶光閃亮，光彩奪目。”
聽罷這番話，頭腦冷靜的墨裏俄奈斯答道：
“我也一樣，我的營棚和烏黑的海船邊堆放着
許多得之於特洛伊人的戰禮，衹是不在近處，一時拿取不到。
你知道，我亦沒有忘棄自己的勇力，而是和
前排的壯士一起，英勇戰鬥——人們從中得獲榮譽——
不管戰火在哪裏燒起，我總是牢牢地站穩腳跟。
其他身披銅甲的阿開亞人或許會忘記我的
拼殺，但你不會，我相信，你是知我最深的凡人。”
聽罷這番話，剋裏特人的首領伊多墨紐斯答道：
“我知道，你作戰勇敢、剛強，對此，你無需申說。
如果挑出我們中最好的壯勇，讓他們全都彙聚在海船邊，
準備一次伏擊——此乃驗證勇氣的最好的辦法，
懦夫和勇士都會由此展現本色。
貪生之人臉色青一陣，紫一陣，
無力控製心緒，安然穩坐，
而是不停地移動重心，一會兒壓在這條，
一會兒又移到那條腿上，最後在雙腿上重壓，牙齒
上下磕碰，心髒怦怦亂跳，懼怕死亡的降臨。
與之相比，勇士面不改色，進入
伏擊點後，亦不會過分驚怕，
而是潛心祈禱，但願即刻投入戰鬥，殺個你死我活。
那時候，誰能小看你的勇力，你那雙有力的大手？
即便你被飛來的投械擊中，或被近戰中的槍矛捅傷，
落點都不在脖子或胸背的後頭，
而是在你的前胸或腹肚上——其時，
你正嚮前衝打，戰鬥在前排的隊伍。
行了，幹起來吧，不要再呆站此地，像孩子似地
嘮嘮叨叨——有人會因此責駡，用苛厲的言詞。
去吧，趕往我的營棚，選拿一枝粗長的槍矛。”
聽罷這番話，墨裏俄奈斯，可與迅捷的戰神相匹比的
壯勇，快步跑進營棚，抓起一桿銅矛，
撒腿追趕伊多墨紐斯，急切地企望戰鬥。
他大步奔赴戰場，像殺人不眨眼的阿瑞斯，
由心愛的兒子騷亂相隨作伴，騷亂，
雄健、強悍，足以嚇倒久經戰場的壯勇。
二位從斯拉凱出來，全副武裝，尋戰厄夫羅伊人
或心志豪 莽的夫勒古厄斯人，不願聽納
雙方的祈禱，而是衹把光榮交送其中的一方。
就像這樣，墨裏俄奈斯和伊多墨紐斯，軍隊的統領，
疾步走嚮戰場，頂着閃亮的銅盔。
墨裏俄奈斯首先發話，對伊多墨紐斯說道：
“丟卡利昂之子，你想我們該在哪裏介入戰鬥？
從戰場的右翼、中路，還是它的
左翼切入？左邊該是你我的去處，我想，我們再也找不到比
那兒更吃緊的地段，長發的阿開亞人正受到極其兇狂的逼迫。”
聽罷這番話，剋裏特人的首領伊多墨紐斯答道：
“中路還有其他首領，防衛那裏的海船，
兩位埃阿斯，以及丟剋羅斯，全軍
最好的弓手，亦是一位善於近戰的壯勇。
他們會讓赫剋托耳，普裏阿摩斯之子，吃夠苦頭，
儘管他十分強悍，急衝衝地尋求拼鬥。
然而，儘管他戰意狂烈，卻極難取勝，
擊散他們的勇力，製服他們那難以抵禦的雙手，
放火船艙——除非剋羅諾斯之子親手
把燃燒的木塊扔進迅捷的船舟。
忒拉蒙之子、高大魁偉的埃阿斯不會對任何人讓步，
衹要他是凡人，吃食黛墨忒耳的𠔌物，
能被青銅挑破，能被橫飛的巨石砸倒。
若論站着打鬥，他的功力甚至不讓橫掃千軍的阿基琉斯，
雖然在跑戰中，後者是誰也無法比試的壯勇。
咱們這就走吧，按你說的，前往戰場的左翼。我們
馬上即會看到榮譽的擁屬，是搶歸自己，還是送讓別人。”
聽罷這番話，可與迅捷的戰神相匹比的墨裏俄奈斯
引路先行，來到伊多墨紐斯提及的去處。
當特洛伊人看到驃烈的伊多墨紐斯，像一團火焰，
帶着特他的副手，全都穿着做工精美的戰甲，一路跑來時，
開口大叫，喊聲傳遍隊伍，招來一隊隊兵勇，衝圍到他的身邊；
一場兇 莽的拼搏展開在灘沿的船尾旁。
宛如颶風呼嘯，旋掃種蕩，
在泥塵堆滿路面的日子，
疾風捲起灰泥，形成一片巨大的塵雲，
雙方撲打在兇 莽的激戰中，心志狂烈，
决意殺個你死我活，在混戰的隊列裏，用鋒快的青銅。
人死人亡的戰場上，林立着撕咬皮肉的槍矛，
緊握在兵勇們手裏，柄桿修長；人們殺得眼花繚亂，
面對流移的銅光，折閃自鋥亮的頭盔。
精工擦拭的胸甲和閃光的
戰盾。目睹此般景狀，衹有心如
磐石的人才不致害怕，保持愉快的情境。
剋羅諾斯的兩個強有力的兒子，句心鬥角，
使戰場上的勇士受盡了痛苦的煎熬。
宙斯意欲讓特洛伊人和赫剋托耳獲勝，
使捷足的阿基琉斯得取榮光；但他並非
要讓阿開亞全軍覆滅，在伊利昂城前，
而是衹想讓塞提絲和她的心志莽烈的兒子
爭得光榮。波塞鼕呢？他稍稍地從灰藍色的海浪裏出來，
穿行在阿耳吉維人中間，督勵他們嚮前，帶着焦慮和不安，
眼看着他們被特洛伊人痛打，怨惱和憤恨宙斯的作為。
二位出自同一個傢族，共有一個父親，
但宙斯先出，並且所知更多。所以，波塞鼕
不敢明目張膽地助佑，而衹能用隱晦的形式，
化作凡人的模樣，不停地活動在隊伍裏，催勵人們嚮前。
二位神祗在兩邊係牢了一根敵對和
拼死爭鬥的繩索，同時拉緊兩頭；它掙不斷，
解不開，已經酥軟了許多人的膝腿。
戰場上，伊多墨紐斯，儘管頭髮花白，卻一邊催激着
達奈人，一邊對着特洛伊人猛衝，在敵營中引起一陣慌亂。
他出手殺了俄斯魯俄紐斯，傢住卡北索斯，
受慫於戰爭的音訊，初來乍到。
他曾對普裏阿摩斯提出，意欲妻娶卡桑德拉，國王傢中
最漂亮的女兒，不付聘禮，但答應拼死苦戰，
從特洛伊地面趕走阿開亞人堅強不屈的兒男。
年邁的普裏阿摩斯點頭允諾，答應嫁出女兒，
所以，俄斯魯俄紐斯奮勇衝殺，寄望於許下的諾言。
伊多墨紐斯舉起閃亮的槍矛，瞄準投射，
擊中健步殺來的俄斯魯俄紐斯，青銅的
胸甲抵擋不住，槍尖深紮在肚腹裏。
他隨即倒地，轟然一聲。伊多墨紐斯得意洋洋，高聲炫耀：
“俄斯魯俄紐斯，在所有活着的人中，我要嚮你祝賀，
如果你打算在此實踐對達耳達尼亞的
普裏阿摩斯的諾言，後者已答應嫁出女兒，作為交換。
聽着，我們也對你許個諾願，並將付諸實踐。
我們將給你阿伽門農的女兒，最漂亮的一位，
把她從阿耳戈斯帶來，做你的妻子，如果你願意和我們
聯手，幫我們蕩平城垣堅固的特洛伊。
跟我走吧，前往我們那破浪遠洋的海船，敲定
婚娶的條件——談論聘禮，我們絶不會要價漫天！”
英雄伊多墨紐斯言罷，抓起他的腿腳，拖着他
走過激戰的人群。其時，阿西俄斯躍下戰車，趨身助援，
試圖搶回夥伴，站在馭馬前面，後者由馭手驅趕，緊跟在他
的後頭，
噴出騰騰的熱氣，吹灑在他的背肩。他直衝過去，勇猛狂烈，
意欲槍擊伊多墨紐斯，但後者搶先出手，投槍
紮入頦下的咽管，銅尖穿透了脖子。
阿西俄斯隨即倒地，像一棵橡樹或白楊，巍然傾倒，
或像一棵參天的巨鬆，聳立在山上，被船匠
砍倒，用鋒快的斧斤，備做造船的木料。
就像這樣，他躺倒在地，馭馬和戰車的前面，
呻吼着，雙手抓起血染的泥塵。
馭者驚恐萬狀，喪失了思考能力，
不敢掉轉馬頭，躲過敵人的
重擊——驃勇犟悍的安提洛科斯
出槍捅穿他的中腹，青銅的胸甲
抵擋不住，槍尖深紮在肚子裏；
他大口喘着粗氣，一頭栽出精固的戰車。
安提洛科斯，心胸豪壯的奈斯托耳之子，趕起他的馭馬，
從特洛伊人一邊，攏回脛甲堅固的阿開亞人的隊陣。
其時，德伊福波斯，懷着對阿西俄斯之死的悲痛，
逼近伊多墨紐斯，投出閃亮的銅槍，但
後者緊盯着他的舉動，彎身躲過飛來的槍矛，
蹲藏在溜圓的戰盾後面——此盾是他常用
之物，堅實的牛皮，箍着閃光的銅圈，
安着兩道套把[●]。他蜷藏在圓盾
●兩道套把：kanones，亦可作“兩條支桿”解。
後面，銅槍飛過頭頂，
擦着盾面，發出粗利的聲響。
儘管如此，德伊福波斯的投槍不曾虛發，粗壯的大手
擊中呼普塞諾耳，希帕索斯之子，兵士的牧者，
打在橫隔膜下的肝髒上，即刻酥軟了他的膝腿。
德伊福波斯欣喜若狂，高聲炫耀：
“阿西俄斯死了，但此仇已報！告訴你，在前往
哀地斯的途中，在叩響這位強有力的神祗的門戶時，他會
懷着滿腔的激奮，因為我已給他送去一位隨從，同行的伴當！”
聽罷此番吹擂，阿開亞人無不愁滿胸膛，
而聰穎的安提洛科斯更是心潮激蕩。
然而，儘管傷心，他卻不願撂下自己的伴友，而是
衝跑過去，跨站在呼普塞諾耳兩邊，用巨盾擋護着他的軀體。
隨後，他的兩位親密伴友，厄基俄斯之子墨基斯丟斯
和卓越的阿拉斯托耳，在盾後彎下身子，架起呼普塞諾耳，
擡回深曠的海船，踏踩着傷者凄厲的吟叫。
伊多墨紐斯絲毫沒有減緩他的狂烈，總在
奮勇撲殺，要麽把特洛伊人罩進深沉的黑夜，
要麽，在為阿開亞人擋開災難之時，獻出自己的生命。
戰場上有一位勇士，宙斯養育的埃蘇厄忒斯鐘愛的兒子，
英雄阿爾卡蘇斯，安基塞斯的女婿，
娶了他的長女，希波達墨婭，
父親和高貴的母親愛之甚切，
在深廣的傢居一同齡的姑娘中，她相貌
出衆，女工超群，心智最巧。所以，
她被一位力士妻娶，遼闊的特洛伊大地上最勇敢的英傑。
然而，藉用伊多墨紐斯的雙手，波塞鼕殺倒了他——
神明迷糊了他那雙明亮的眼睛，遲滯了挺直的雙腿，
使他既不能逃跑，亦不能躲閃，
直挺挺地站着，像一根柱子，或一棵高聳的大樹，枝葉繁茂，
紋絲不動——英雄伊多墨紐斯刺中了他，
當胸一槍，破開護身的銅甲，
在此之前，此甲一直替他擋避着死亡，
青銅嘎然崩裂，頂不住槍矛的衝撞。
他隨即倒地，轟然一聲，心髒夾着槍尖，
仍在跳動，顫搖着槍矛的尾端。
就這樣，強有力的阿瑞斯中止了他的狂暴。
伊多墨紐斯欣喜若狂，高聲炫耀：
“現在，德伊福波斯，我們可是誰也不虧誰了，你說呢？
殺了你們三個，換抵我們一個，你還有什麽可吹？
過來吧，可憐的東西，過來站在我的面前，
看看我是什麽樣的人兒——我，宙斯的後裔，前來和你拼戰！
早先，宙斯得子米諾斯，讓他看護剋裏特的民衆；
米諾斯得子丟卡利昂，一位剛勇的壯士；
而丟卡利昂生了我，王統衆多的子民，
在廣阔的剋裏特。現在，海船把我載到此地，來做你們
的剋星——是的，衝着你，你的父親和所有的特洛伊兵民！”
聽罷這番話，得伊福波斯心裏猶豫不决，
權衡着是先退回去，另找一位心胸豪壯的
特洛伊人作伴，還是就此動手，單身和他拼戰？
斟酌比較，覺得第一種做法似乎更為可取。於是，他擡腿上路，
前往求助於埃內阿斯，找到了他，在戰場的邊沿，
閑站在那兒，從未平息對卓越的普裏阿摩斯的憤怒[●]，衹因
●從未……的憤怒：可能暗指安基塞斯和普裏阿摩斯兩傢為爭奪特洛伊王權
的爭鬥。
後者抵消他的榮譽，儘管他作戰勇敵，在特洛伊壯士中。
德伊福波斯走去站在他的身邊，說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“埃內阿斯，特洛伊人的首領，現在，我們需要你的戰力，
保護你姐姐的丈夫，倘若你會為親人之死悲痛。’
快走，為保護阿爾卡蘇斯而戰，你的姐夫；
在你幼小之時，他曾養育過你，在他的傢裏。現在，
伊多墨紐斯，著名的槍手，已經把他放倒，殺死在戰場上！”
一番話在埃內阿斯胸中激起了憤怒，
他朝着伊多墨紐斯衝去，急切地企望戰鬥。然而，
伊多墨紐斯一點都不害怕——怕什麽呢？一個黃毛孩子——
而是穩穩地站守陣地，像山上的一頭野豬，自信於
它的勇力，站候着步步進逼的對手，一大夥騷嚷的
人群，在一個荒涼的地方，竪起背上的鬃毛，
雙眼噴閃着火光，咋咋地磨響獠牙，
怒氣衝衝，等盼着擊敗狗和獵人。
就像這樣，伊多墨紐斯，著名的槍手，雙腿穩立，面對衝掃
而來的埃內阿斯，一步不讓。他招呼己方的夥伴，大聲喊叫，
雙眼掃視着阿斯卡拉福斯、阿法柔斯和德伊普羅斯，
以及墨裏俄奈斯和安提洛科斯，兩位嘯吼戰場的壯勇，
催勵着他們，送去長了翅膀的話語，高聲喊道：
“過來吧，我的朋友，幫我一把！我衹身一人，打心眼裏
害怕捷足的埃內阿斯，正對着我衝來，
雄渾剛健，足以殺倒戰鬥中的兵勇。
此人年輕力壯，正是人生最有勇力的年華；
要是我們同齡，正如我們具有同樣的戰鬥激情一樣，
那麽，我們馬上即可决出勝負，不是他勝，便是我贏！”
伊多墨紐斯言罷，衆人蜂擁着走來，站好位置，
抱定同一個信念，用盾牌擋護着自己的肩頭。
在戰場的另一邊，埃內阿斯亦在召喚他的夥伴，
雙眼掃視着德伊福波斯、帕裏斯和卓越的阿格諾耳，
和他一樣，都是特洛伊人的首領。兵勇們
蜂擁在他們身後，像羊群跟着帶隊的公羊，
離開草地，前往水邊喝飲，使收入眼見心喜——
就像這樣，埃阿斯心中充滿喜悅，
眼望着大群的兵丁，跟隨在他的身後。
兩軍擁逼到阿爾卡蘇斯身邊，近戰拼搏，
揮舞着粗長的槍矛，互相投射，撞打着係扣在
胸前的銅甲，發出可怕的響聲。
激戰中活躍着兩員戰將，剛勇異常，無人可及，
埃內阿斯和伊多墨紐斯，可與戰神匹比的凡人，
手握無情的銅槍，期待着毀裂對方的皮肉。
埃內阿斯首先投槍，但伊多墨紐斯
緊盯着他的舉動，躲過了青銅的槍矛——
投槍咬人泥層，桿端來回擺動，
粗壯的大手徒勞無益地白丟了一枝槍矛。
然而，伊多墨紐斯投槍擊中俄伊諾毛斯，打在腹中，
捅穿胸甲的虛處，內臟從銅甲裏
迸擠出來；後者隨即倒地，手抓泥塵。
伊多墨紐斯從屍體上拔出投影森長的槍矛，
但已無力剝取璀璨的鎧甲，從
死者的肩頭——投槍迎面撲來，打得他連連退後。
他雙腿疲軟，過去的撐力已不復存在，
既不能在投槍後進撲，也無法躲避飛來的槍示。
就這樣，他站在那裏，抵擋着無情的死亡之日的進迫，
腿腳已不能快跑，馱着他撤離戰鬥。
正當他步步回挪之際，德伊福波斯，帶着難解的
仇恨，投出一枝閃亮的槍矛，然而
又沒有擊中，但卻撂倒了阿斯卡拉福斯，
戰神的兒子，沉重的槍矛捅穿了
肩膀——他翻身倒地，手抓泥塵。
但是，身材魁偉、喊聲宏亮的阿瑞斯其時一無所聞，
尚不知兒子已倒死在激烈的戰鬥中，
閑坐在俄林波斯山上，金色的
雲朵下，受製於宙斯的意志，和其他
神祗一樣，全被禁止介入戰鬥。；
地面上，兩軍擁逼到阿斯卡拉福斯身邊，近戰拼搏。
德伊福波斯從屍首上搶走閃亮的頭盔，
但墨裏俄奈斯，可與迅捷的戰神相匹比的鬥士，
其時撲上前去，出槍擊傷他的手臂，帶孔眼的
銅盔從後者手上掉下，重重地敲響在泥地上。
墨裏俄奈斯再次貓腰衝擊，像一隻鷹兀，
從德伊福波斯肩上奪過粗重的槍矛，
回身自己的伴群。其時，波利忒斯，
雙手攔腰抱起德伊福波斯，他的兄弟，
走離悲烈的戰鬥，來到捷蹄的馭馬邊
——它們站等在後面，避離戰鬥和搏殺，
載着馭手，荷着精工製作的戰車。
馭馬拉着德伊福波斯回城，傷者發出凄厲的吟叫，
忍着劇痛，鮮血從新創的傷口涌冒，沿着臂膀流淌。
然而，戰勇們仍在戰鬥，滾打在喧騰不息的殺聲裏。
埃內阿斯撲嚮阿法柔斯，卡勒托耳之子，
投出鋒快的槍矛，紮在喉脖上，其時正掉轉過來，對着槍頭。
他腦袋撇倒一邊，盾牌壓砸屍身，
連同掉落的頭盔；破毀勇力的死亡蒙罩起他的軀體。
其時，安提洛科斯，雙眼緊盯着索昂，見他轉身逃跑，猛撲
上去，出槍擊打，捅裂出整條靜脈——此管
沿着脊背，直通脖端。槍矛砸搗出這一
整條脈管。他仰面倒地，四肢攤展，
伸出雙手，對着親愛的夥伴。
安提洛科斯衝上前去，試圖搶剝鎧甲，
從他的肩上，警惕地左右張望。特洛伊人正從
四面衝圍，投槍砸打在碩大閃亮的盾牌上，但卻
不能捅穿，用無情的銅槍紮開安提洛科斯
鮮亮的肌體——在他的周圍，裂地之神波塞鼕擋護着
奈斯托耳之子，甚至在這密集的槍雨中。
安提洛科斯從未避離敵群，
而是勇敢地面對他們，奮力揮舞着槍矛，
一刻也不停息，一心想着擊倒敵人，
用他的投槍，或通過近身的拼搏。
其時，阿達馬斯，阿西俄斯之子，見他在混戰中
用槍瞄打，衝撲過去，就近捅出犀利的銅槍，紮在
盾牌正中，但黑發的波塞鼕折毀了
槍矛，不讓他奪走安提洛科斯的生命，
銅槍一半插入安提洛科斯的盾牌，
像一截烤黑了的木樁，另一半掉躺泥塵。
為了保命，他退往自己的伴群，而
就在回跑之際，墨裏俄奈斯緊緊跟上，投槍出手，
打在生殖器和肚臍之間——痛苦的戰爭
緻殺可悲的凡人，以這個部位最烈。
槍矛深紮進去，他麯身槍桿，
喘着粗氣，像山上的一頭公牛，被牧人用
編絞的繩索綁得結結實實，拖着行走，由它一路掙紮反抗。
就像這樣，他忍着傷痛，氣喘籲籲，但時間不長，僅在片刻
之中。英雄墨裏俄奈斯邁步走去，從他身上
拔出槍矛，濃墨的迷霧蒙住了他的眼睛。
近戰中，赫勒諾斯擊中德伊普羅斯，砍在太陽穴上，
用一柄粗大的斯拉凱銅劍，把帽盔打得支離破碎，
脫出頭顱，掉在地上，一路滾去，
沿着兵勇們的腳邊，被一位阿開亞人撿起。
昏黑的夜色蒙住了德伊普羅斯的眼睛。
悲痛揪住了阿特柔斯之子的心靈，嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯
揮舞着鋒快的槍矛，勇猛進逼，嚮赫勒諾斯，
王者和勇士，其時拉開着彎弓的桿口，
兩人同時投射，一個擲出鋒利的槍矛，
飛馳的投槍，另一個引弦放箭，
普裏阿摩斯之子一箭射中對手的胸口，
胸甲的彎片上，但致命的飛箭被反彈了回來。
正如在一大片打𠔌場上，黑皮的豆粒
和鷹嘴豆兒高彈出寬面的鍬鏟，
在呼吹的勁風中，隨着楊莢者有力的拋甩，
致命的羽箭彈離光榮的墨奈勞斯的
胸甲，蹦出老遠，硬是被頂了回去。與此同時，
阿特柔斯之子、嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯投槍
擊中赫勒諾斯，青銅的槍矛打穿緊握的拳手，
握着油亮的弓桿，破毀了他的引械。
為了保命，他退回自己的伴群，
垂懸着傷手，拖着(木岑)木的槍桿。
心胸豪壯的阿格諾耳從他手裏接過投槍，
用編織緊細的羊毛包住傷口——助手攜帶的
投石器具，為這位兵士的牧者。
其時，裴桑得羅斯對着光榮的墨奈勞斯
撲近，悲慘的命運把他引嚮死的終極——
他將死在你墨奈勞斯的手裏，在這場殊死的拼殺中。
兩人大步走來，咄咄近逼。阿特柔斯
之子投槍未中，偏離了目標，而
裴桑得羅斯出槍擊中光榮的墨奈勞斯的
戰盾，但銅槍不曾穿透盾牌，
寬闊的盾面擋住了它的衝刺，槍頭折斷在木桿的
端沿。雖然如此，他卻仍然滿心歡喜，企望着贏得勝利。
阿特柔斯之子拔出柄嵌銀釘的銅劍，
撲嚮裴桑得羅斯，後者藏身盾牌下面，緊握着
一把精工煅打的斧頭，銅刃鋒快，安着橄攬木的
柄把，修長、滑亮。他倆同時揮手劈砍，
裴桑得羅斯一斧砍中插綴馬鬃的盔冠，
頂面的脊角，而墨奈勞斯——在對手前衝之際——
一劍劈中他的額頭，鼻梁上面，擊碎了額骨，
眼珠雙雙掉落，鮮血淋淋，沾躺在腳邊的泥塵裏。
他佝接起身子，躺倒在地上。墨奈勞斯一腳踩住
他的胸口，搶剝鎧甲，得意洋洋地嚷道：“現在，
你們總可以離去了吧——離開駕馭快馬的達奈人的海船，
你們這幫高傲的特洛伊人，從來不會膩煩戰場上可怕的喧喊。
你們也不久缺操做其他惡事醜事的本領，
把污泥濁水全都潑在我的頭上。該死的惡狗！你們心中不怕
宙斯的狂怒，這位炸響雷的神主，監護主客之誼的
天神——將來，他會徹底搗毀你們那峭峻的城堡。
你們鬍作非為，帶走我婚娶的妻子和
大量的財寶，而她卻盛情地款待過你們。
現在，你們又砍殺在我們遠洋的海船旁，
發瘋似地要用狂蠻的烈火燒船，殺死戰鬥的阿開亞人。
但是，你們會受到遏製，雖然已經殺紅了雙眼。
父親宙斯，人們說，你的智慧至高無上，絶非凡人
和其他神明可以比及，然而你卻使這一切成為現實。
看看你怎樣地幫助了他們，這幫粗 莽的特洛伊兵漢，
他們的戰力一直在兇猛地騰升，誰也滿足
不了他們嗜血的欲望，在殊死的拼戰中。
對任何事情，人都有知足的時候，即使是睡覺、性娛。
甜美的歌唱和舒展的舞蹈。所有
這些，都比戰爭更能滿足人的
情悅；然而，特洛伊人的嗜戰之壑卻永難充填！”
高貴的墨奈勞斯話語激昂，從屍身上剝去
帶血的鎧甲，交給他的夥伴，
轉身復又投入前排的戰鬥。
其時，人群裏站出了哈耳帕利昂，王者普萊墨奈斯
之子，跟隨親爹前來特洛伊
參戰，再也沒有回返故裏。
他逼近阿特柔斯之子，出槍捅在盾牌的
中心，但銅尖沒有穿透盾面。
為了躲避死亡，他退回自己的伴群，
四下張望，惟恐有人中傷，用青銅的兵器。
但是，在他回退之際，墨奈勞斯射出一枝銅頭的
羽箭，打在右臂的邊沿，箭頭
從盆骨下穿過，紮在膀胱上。
他佝僂着身子，在親愛的夥伴們懷裏，
喘吐出他的命息，滑倒在地，像一條
蟲似地伸躺，黑血涌註，泥塵盡染。
心志豪 莽的帕夫拉戈尼亞人在他身邊忙忙碌碌，
將他擡上馬車，運回神聖的伊利昂，悲痛
滿懷。他的父親，涕淚橫流，走在他們身邊——
誰也不會支付血酬，賠償被殺的兒男。
然而，此人被殺，在帕裏斯心裏激起了強烈的仇憤，因為
在衆多帕夫拉戈尼亞人裏，哈耳帕利昂是他的朋友和客人；
帶着憤怒，他射出一枝銅頭的羽箭。
戰場上，有個名叫歐開諾耳的戰勇，先知波魯伊多斯
之子，高貴、富有，居傢科林索斯。
在他步上船板之時，心裏知道得清清楚楚，此行歸程無望；
老父波魯伊多斯曾多次囑告，
他會死於一場難忍的病痛，在自己傢裏，
或隨同阿開亞人的海船出徵，被特洛伊人砍殺。
所以，歐開諾耳决意登船，既可免付阿開亞人所要的大筆
懲金，又可躲過一場可恨的病痛，使身心不致遭受長期的折磨。
帕裏斯放箭射在他的耳朵和顎骨下面，魂息當即
飄離他的肢腿，可恨的黑暗蒙住了他的軀體。
就這樣，他們奮力搏殺，像熊熊燃燒的烈火。
但宙斯鐘愛的赫剋托耳卻對此一無所聞，尚不知
在海船的左邊，他的兵勇正痛遭阿耳吉維人的
屠宰。光榮甚至可能投嚮阿開亞兵壯的
懷抱——環繞和震撼大地的波塞鼕正一個勁地
催勵阿耳吉維人，用自己的力量助佑幫戰。
但赫剋托耳一直戰鬥在他先前攻破大門和護墻，
蕩掃密集的隊陣，在全副武裝的達奈兵勇激戰的地方，
那裏分別停靠着埃阿斯和普羅忒西勞斯的船隊，
拖擱在灰藍色大海的灘沿，對着陸地，橫着一段
他們所堆築的最低矮的護墻，一個最薄弱的
環節，承受着特洛伊人和馭馬的狂烈衝擊。
戰地上，波伊俄提亞人和衫衣長垂的伊俄尼亞人，
還有洛剋裏亞人、弗西亞人和聲名卓著的厄利斯人，
正試圖擋住赫剋托耳的進攻——後者正奮力殺嚮海船——
但卻不能擊退這位卓越的、一串火焰似的猛將。
那裏，戰鬥着挑選出來的雅典人，由裴忒俄斯
之子墨奈修斯統領，輔之以
菲達斯、斯提基俄斯和驍勇的比阿斯。墨格斯，
夫琉斯之子，率領着厄利斯人，由安菲昂和得拉基俄斯輔佐；
統領弗西亞人的是墨鼕和犟悍的波達耳開斯。
墨鼕，神一樣的俄伊琉斯的
私生子，埃阿斯的兄弟，但卻居傢
夫拉凱，遠離故鄉，曾殺死
俄伊琉斯之妻、庶母厄裏娥丕絲的兄弟；
而波達耳開斯則是夫拉科斯之子伊菲剋洛斯的兒子。
他倆全副武裝，站在心胸豪壯的弗西亞人的前列，
拼殺在波伊俄提亞人的近旁，為了保衛海船。
迅捷的埃阿斯，俄伊琉斯之子，現時
一步不離忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯，
像兩頭酒褐色的健牛，齊心合力，
拉着製合堅固的犁具，翻着一片休耕的土地，
兩對牛角的底部淌流着涔涔的汗水，
中間僅隔着油滑的軛架擋出的那麽一點距離，
費力地行走，直至犁尖翻到農田的盡頭——
就像這樣，他倆挺立在戰場上，肩並肩地戰鬥。
忒拉蒙之子身後跟着許多勇敢的兵壯，
他的夥伴，隨時準備接過那面碩大的戰盾，
每當他熱汗淋漓，身疲體乏的時候。但是，
俄伊琉斯之子、心志豪 莽的埃阿斯身後，卻沒有洛剋裏亞人
跟隨。他們無意進行手對手的近戰，
既沒有青銅的頭盔，聳頂着馬鬃的脊冠，
又沒有邊圈溜圓的戰盾和(木岑)木桿槍矛。
然而，他們堅信手中的彎弓和用羊毛編織的投石器的威力。
帶着此般兵器，他們跟着頭領來到伊利昂，
射打出密集的羽箭和石塊，砸散特洛伊人的隊陣。
戰場上，身披重甲的兵勇奮戰在前面，
拼殺特洛伊人和頂着銅盔的赫剋托耳，而洛剋裏亞人
則留在後面，從掩體裏投射——對特洛伊人，戰鬥
已不是一種愉悅，紛至沓來的投械打懵了他們的腦袋。
其時，特洛伊人或許已凄凄慘慘地退離營棚
和海船，回兵多風的特洛伊，要不是普魯達馬斯
前來站到勇猛的赫剋托耳身邊，說道：
“赫剋托耳，你可真是頑固至極！到底還願不願聽聽別人的
規勸？不要以為神明給了你戰鬥的技能，
你就能比別人更善謀略；
事實上，你不可能掌握所有的技藝。
神把不同的本領賜給不同的個人，使有人
精於陣戰，有人舞姿翩翩，有人能和着琴聲高歌，
還有人心智聰慧——沉雷遠播的宙斯
給了他智辨的本領；他使許多人受益，
許多人得救，他的見解常人不可比及。
現在，我要提一個我認為最合用的建議。
看看吧，在你的周圍，戰鬥已像火環似地把你吞噬，
而我們心胸豪壯的特洛伊兵勇，在越過護墻後，
有的拿着武器溜到後面，還有的仍在戰鬥，
以單薄的兵力對付衆多的敵人，散落在海船間。
撤兵吧，就在此刻！把我們中最好的人都召來，
齊心合力，訂出個周全的計劃，
是衝上帶凳板的海船，如果宙斯
願意讓我們獲勝，還是撤離
船邊，減少傷亡——我擔心
阿開亞人要我們償付他們昨天的損失，
要知道，他們的船邊還蟄伏着一員嗜戰不厭的猛將，
我懷疑，此人是否還會决然回避，拒不出戰。”
此番明智的勸議博得了赫剋托耳的歡心；
他隨即跳下戰車，雙腳着地，全副武裝，
對普魯達馬斯說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“你留在這兒，召聚我們的首領，
我要趕往那邊，面對敵陣，一俟
清楚地下達過我的命令，馬上回還。”
言罷，他昂然前去，像一座積雪的山峰，
大聲呼喊，穿過特洛伊人和盟軍的隊列。
其他人迅速圍聚起來，在潘蘇斯之子、溫雅的
普魯達馬斯身邊——他們都已聽到赫剋托耳的號令。
其時，赫剋托耳穿行在前排的隊列，尋覓着，如果
能找到的話，德伊福波斯和強健的王子赫勒諾斯，
以及阿西俄斯之子阿達馬斯和阿西俄斯，呼耳塔科斯之子。
他“找到了”他們，是的，在傷創裏，在死難中，
有的躺死在阿開亞海船的後尾邊，
喪生在阿耳吉維人手中，還有的
息躺在城堡裏，帶着箭傷或槍痕。
他當即發現一個人，置身絞瀝着痛苦的戰場，在它的左側，
卓越的亞歷剋山德羅斯，美發海倫的夫婿，
正催勵他的夥伴，敦促他們戰鬥。
赫剋托耳快步趕至他的近旁，破口大駡，用譏辱的言詞：
“可惡的帕裏斯，儀表堂皇的公子哥，勾引拐騙的女人迷！
告訴我，德伊福波斯在哪裏？還有強健的王子赫勒諾斯，
阿西俄斯之子河達馬斯和阿西俄斯，呼耳塔科斯之子？
告訴我，俄斯羅紐斯在哪裏？陡峭的伊利昂完了，
徹底完了！至於你，你的前程必將是暴死無疑！”
聽罷此番指責，神一樣的亞歷剋山德羅斯答道：
“赫剋托耳，你總愛指責一個不該受指責的人，你可有此嗜好？
有時，我也許會避離戰鬥，但不是在眼下這個
時候。我的母親生下我來，並不是一個十足的懦漢。
自從你在船邊鼓起夥伴們的戰鬥激情，
我們就一直拼鬥在這裏，面對達奈兵勇，
從未有過間息。你所問及的夥伴都已殉亡——
衹有德伊福波斯和強健的王子赫勒諾斯
生還，全都傷在手上，被粗長的槍矛
擊中，但剋羅諾斯之子為他們擋開了死亡。現在，你就
領着我們幹吧，不管你的心靈和戰鬥意志要把你引嚮何方，
我們都將跟着你，保持高度的戰鬥熱情。我想，我們
不會缺少勇力，衹要還有可用的力氣；
超出這個範圍，誰也無能為力，哪怕他嗜戰若迷。”
英雄的答言說動了兄長的心靈。
他們一起出動，前往殺聲最響、戰鬥最烈的去處，
那裏拼戰着開勃裏俄奈斯和豪勇的普魯達馬斯，
法爾開斯、俄耳賽俄斯和神一樣的波魯菲忒斯，以及
帕耳慕斯和希波提昂的兩個兒子，阿斯卡尼俄斯和莫魯斯，
來自土地肥沃的阿斯卡尼亞，率領着用於替換的部隊，
昨晨剛到，現在，父親宙斯催趕着他們投入戰鬥。
特洛伊人奮勇進逼，像一股狂猛的風暴，
裹挾在宙斯的閃電下，直撲地面，
蕩掃着海洋，發出隆隆的巨響，激起
排排長浪，推涌着咆哮的水勢，
高捲起泛着白沫的峰浪，前呼後擁。
就像這樣，特洛伊人隊形密集，有的打在前頭，其他人
蜂擁其後，閃着青銅盔甲的流光，跟隨着他們的首領。
赫剋托耳率領着他們，普裏阿摩斯之子，像殺人不眨眼的
戰神，挺着邊圈溜圓的戰盾，盾面
鋪展着厚實的皮層，嵌綴着許多青銅的鉚釘，
頂着光閃閃的頭盔，搖晃在兩邊的太陽穴上。
他舉步進擊，試着攻打阿開亞防綫的各個地段，
行進在盾牌後面，探察敵方是否地就此崩潰；
然而，此招沒有迷糊阿開亞人的戰鬥意識。
其時，埃阿斯邁開大步，第一個上前，對他喊話挑戰：
“過來，走近些，你這個瘋子！為何浪費精力，用這種把戲
嚇唬阿開亞人？我等可不是戰爭的門外漢，
不是——由於宙斯狠毒的鞭打，纔使我們敗退下來。
我猜你們正在想人非非，準備摧毀我們的
船隊，別忘了，我們也有強壯的雙手，可以保衛自己的海船。
我們將蕩掃你們堅固的城堡，遠在你們毀船
之前，把它攻占，把它劫洗！至於
你本人，我要說，這一天已近在眼前。那時，你將
撒腿奔逃，祈求宙斯和列位神明，
使你的長鬃馭馬跑得比鷹鳥還快，
以便拉着你，穿過泥塵彌漫的平原，朝着城堡逃竄！”
話音未落，一隻飛鳥出現在右邊的空間，
一隻展翅的雄鷹，翺飛在天穹。見此飛鳥，阿開亞全軍
人心振奮，呼嘯歡騰。其時，光榮的赫剋托耳開口答話，嚷道：
“埃阿斯，你這頭笨嘴拙舌的公牛，你在鬍謅些什麽？！
但願今生今世，人們真的把我當做是
帶埃吉斯的宙斯的兒男，而天後赫拉是我的母親，
受到崇高的敬譽，像雅典娜和阿波羅那樣——
就像今天是阿耳吉維人大難臨頭的日子一樣確鑿不移！今天，
你，將和你的同伴們一起，被殺死在這裏，一個不剩，要是
你敢面對我這粗長的槍矛；它將撕裂你白亮的
肌體！然後，你將，用你的油脂和血肉，飽喂
特洛伊的狗群和兀鳥，倒死在阿開亞人的海船旁！”
言罷，他引路先行，首領們跟隨其後，
發出狂蠻粗野的吼聲，統引着吶喊的兵丁，戰鬥的隊陣。
然而，阿開亞人亦沒有忘卻戰鬥的狂烈，報之以
大聲的呼喊，嚴陣以待，迎戰特洛伊人中最好的戰勇。
喧騰的殺聲從兩軍拔地而起，衝嚮宙斯的天宇，閃光的氣空。
ARGUMENT.
THE FOURTH BATTLE CONTINUED, IN WHICH NEPTUNE ASSISTS THE GREEKS: THE ACTS
OF IDOMENEUS.
Neptune, concerned for the loss of the Grecians, upon seeing the
fortification forced by Hector, (who had entered the gate near the station
of the Ajaces,) assumes the shape of Calchas, and inspires those heroes to
oppose him: then, in the form of one of the generals, encourages the other
Greeks who had retired to their vessels. The Ajaces form their troops in a
close phalanx, and put a stop to Hector and the Trojans. Several deeds of
valour are performed; Meriones, losing his spear in the encounter, repairs
to seek another at the tent of Idomeneus: this occasions a conversation
between those two warriors, who return together to the battle. Idomeneus
signalizes his courage above the rest; he kills Othryoneus, Asius, and
Alcathous: Deiphobus and Æneas march against him, and at length Idomeneus
retires. Menelaus wounds Helenus, and kills Pisander. The Trojans are
repulsed on the left wing; Hector still keeps his ground against the
Ajaces, till, being galled by the Locrian slingers and archers, Polydamas
advises to call a council of war: Hector approves of his advice, but goes
first to rally the Trojans; upbraids Paris, rejoins Polydamas, meets Ajax
again, and renews the attack.
The eight-and-twentieth day still continues. The scene is between the
Grecian wall and the sea-shore.
When now the Thunderer on the sea-beat coast
Had fix'd great Hector and his conquering host,
He left them to the fates, in bloody fray
To toil and struggle through the well-fought day.
Then turn'd to Thracia from the field of fight
Those eyes that shed insufferable light,
To where the Mysians prove their martial force,
And hardy Thracians tame the savage horse;
And where the far-famed Hippomolgian strays,
Renown'd for justice and for length of days;(229)
Thrice happy race! that, innocent of blood,
From milk, innoxious, seek their simple food:
Jove sees delighted; and avoids the scene
Of guilty Troy, of arms, and dying men:
No aid, he deems, to either host is given,
While his high law suspends the powers of Heaven.
Meantime the monarch of the watery main
Observed the Thunderer, nor observed in vain.
In Samothracia, on a mountain's brow,
Whose waving woods o'erhung the deeps below,
He sat; and round him cast his azure eyes
Where Ida's misty tops confusedly rise;
Below, fair Ilion's glittering spires were seen;
The crowded ships and sable seas between.
There, from the crystal chambers of the main
Emerged, he sat, and mourn'd his Argives slain.
At Jove incensed, with grief and fury stung,
Prone down the rocky steep he rush'd along;
Fierce as he pass'd, the lofty mountains nod,
The forest shakes; earth trembled as he trod,
And felt the footsteps of the immortal god.
From realm to realm three ample strides he took,
And, at the fourth, the distant Ægae shook.
Far in the bay his shining palace stands,
Eternal frame! not raised by mortal hands:
This having reach'd, his brass-hoof'd steeds he reins,
Fleet as the winds, and deck'd with golden manes.
Refulgent arms his mighty limbs infold,
Immortal arms of adamant and gold.
He mounts the car, the golden scourge applies,
He sits superior, and the chariot flies:
His whirling wheels the glassy surface sweep;
The enormous monsters rolling o'er the deep
Gambol around him on the watery way,
And heavy whales in awkward measures play;
The sea subsiding spreads a level plain,
Exults, and owns the monarch of the main;
The parting waves before his coursers fly;
The wondering waters leave his axle dry.
Deep in the liquid regions lies a cave,
Between where Tenedos the surges lave,
And rocky Imbrus breaks the rolling wave:
There the great ruler of the azure round
Stopp'd his swift chariot, and his steeds unbound,
Fed with ambrosial herbage from his hand,
And link'd their fetlocks with a golden band,
Infrangible, immortal: there they stay:
The father of the floods pursues his way:
Where, like a tempest, darkening heaven around,
Or fiery deluge that devours the ground,
The impatient Trojans, in a gloomy throng,
Embattled roll'd, as Hector rush'd along:
To the loud tumult and the barbarous cry
The heavens re-echo, and the shores reply:
They vow destruction to the Grecian name,
And in their hopes the fleets already flame.
But Neptune, rising from the seas profound,
The god whose earthquakes rock the solid ground,
Now wears a mortal form; like Calchas seen,
Such his loud voice, and such his manly mien;
His shouts incessant every Greek inspire,
But most the Ajaces, adding fire to fire.
[Illustration: NEPTUNE RISING FROM THE SEA.]
NEPTUNE RISING FROM THE SEA.
"'Tis yours, O warriors, all our hopes to raise:
Oh recollect your ancient worth and praise!
'Tis yours to save us, if you cease to fear;
Flight, more than shameful, is destructive here.
On other works though Troy with fury fall,
And pour her armies o'er our batter'd wall:
There Greece has strength: but this, this part o'erthrown,
Her strength were vain; I dread for you alone:
Here Hector rages like the force of fire,
Vaunts of his gods, and calls high Jove his sire:
If yet some heavenly power your breast excite,
Breathe in your hearts, and string your arms to fight,
Greece yet may live, her threaten'd fleet maintain:
And Hector's force, and Jove's own aid, be vain."
Then with his sceptre, that the deep controls,
He touch'd the chiefs, and steel'd their manly souls:
Strength, not their own, the touch divine imparts,
Prompts their light limbs, and swells their daring hearts.
Then, as a falcon from the rocky height,
Her quarry seen, impetuous at the sight,
Forth-springing instant, darts herself from high,
Shoots on the wing, and skims along the sky:
Such, and so swift, the power of ocean flew;
The wide horizon shut him from their view.
The inspiring god Oileus' active son
Perceived the first, and thus to Telamon:
"Some god, my friend, some god in human form
Favouring descends, and wills to stand the storm.
Not Calchas this, the venerable seer;
Short as he turned, I saw the power appear:
I mark'd his parting, and the steps he trod;
His own bright evidence reveals a god.
Even now some energy divine I share,
And seem to walk on wings, and tread in air!"
"With equal ardour (Telamon returns)
My soul is kindled, and my bosom burns;
New rising spirits all my force alarm,
Lift each impatient limb, and brace my arm.
This ready arm, unthinking, shakes the dart;
The blood pours back, and fortifies my heart:
Singly, methinks, yon towering chief I meet,
And stretch the dreadful Hector at my feet."
Full of the god that urged their burning breast,
The heroes thus their mutual warmth express'd.
Neptune meanwhile the routed Greeks inspired;
Who, breathless, pale, with length of labours tired,
Pant in the ships; while Troy to conquest calls,
And swarms victorious o'er their yielding walls:
Trembling before the impending storm they lie,
While tears of rage stand burning in their eye.
Greece sunk they thought, and this their fatal hour;
But breathe new courage as they feel the power.
Teucer and Leitus first his words excite;
Then stern Peneleus rises to the fight;
Thoas, Deipyrus, in arms renown'd,
And Merion next, the impulsive fury found;
Last Nestor's son the same bold ardour takes,
While thus the god the martial fire awakes:
"Oh lasting infamy, oh dire disgrace
To chiefs of vigorous youth, and manly race!
I trusted in the gods, and you, to see
Brave Greece victorious, and her navy free:
Ah, no--the glorious combat you disclaim,
And one black day clouds all her former fame.
Heavens! what a prodigy these eyes survey,
Unseen, unthought, till this amazing day!
Fly we at length from Troy's oft-conquer'd bands?
And falls our fleet by such inglorious hands?
A rout undisciplined, a straggling train,
Not born to glories of the dusty plain;
Like frighted fawns from hill to hill pursued,
A prey to every savage of the wood:
Shall these, so late who trembled at your name,
Invade your camps, involve your ships in flame?
A change so shameful, say, what cause has wrought?
The soldiers' baseness, or the general's fault?
Fools! will ye perish for your leader's vice;
The purchase infamy, and life the price?
'Tis not your cause, Achilles' injured fame:
Another's is the crime, but yours the shame.
Grant that our chief offend through rage or lust,
Must you be cowards, if your king's unjust?
Prevent this evil, and your country save:
Small thought retrieves the spirits of the brave.
Think, and subdue! on dastards dead to fame
I waste no anger, for they feel no shame:
But you, the pride, the flower of all our host,
My heart weeps blood to see your glory lost!
Nor deem this day, this battle, all you lose;
A day more black, a fate more vile, ensues.
Let each reflect, who prizes fame or breath,
On endless infamy, on instant death:
For, lo! the fated time, the appointed shore:
Hark! the gates burst, the brazen barriers roar!
Impetuous Hector thunders at the wall;
The hour, the spot, to conquer, or to fall."
These words the Grecians' fainting hearts inspire,
And listening armies catch the godlike fire.
Fix'd at his post was each bold Ajax found,
With well-ranged squadrons strongly circled round:
So close their order, so disposed their fight,
As Pallas' self might view with fix'd delight;
Or had the god of war inclined his eyes,
The god of war had own'd a just surprise.
A chosen phalanx, firm, resolved as fate,
Descending Hector and his battle wait.
An iron scene gleams dreadful o'er the fields,
Armour in armour lock'd, and shields in shields,
Spears lean on spears, on targets targets throng,
Helms stuck to helms, and man drove man along.
The floating plumes unnumber'd wave above,
As when an earthquake stirs the nodding grove;
And levell'd at the skies with pointing rays,
Their brandish'd lances at each motion blaze.
Thus breathing death, in terrible array,
The close compacted legions urged their way:
Fierce they drove on, impatient to destroy;
Troy charged the first, and Hector first of Troy.
As from some mountain's craggy forehead torn,
A rock's round fragment flies, with fury borne,
(Which from the stubborn stone a torrent rends,)
Precipitate the ponderous mass descends:
From steep to steep the rolling ruin bounds;
At every shock the crackling wood resounds;
Still gathering force, it smokes; and urged amain,
Whirls, leaps, and thunders down, impetuous to the plain:
There stops--so Hector. Their whole force he proved,(230)
Resistless when he raged, and, when he stopp'd, unmoved.
On him the war is bent, the darts are shed,
And all their falchions wave around his head:
Repulsed he stands, nor from his stand retires;
But with repeated shouts his army fires.
"Trojans! be firm; this arm shall make your way
Through yon square body, and that black array:
Stand, and my spear shall rout their scattering power,
Strong as they seem, embattled like a tower;
For he that Juno's heavenly bosom warms,
The first of gods, this day inspires our arms."
He said; and roused the soul in every breast:
Urged with desire of fame, beyond the rest,
Forth march'd Deiphobus; but, marching, held
Before his wary steps his ample shield.
Bold Merion aim'd a stroke (nor aim'd it wide);
The glittering javelin pierced the tough bull-hide;
But pierced not through: unfaithful to his hand,
The point broke short, and sparkled in the sand.
The Trojan warrior, touch'd with timely fear,
On the raised orb to distance bore the spear.
The Greek, retreating, mourn'd his frustrate blow,
And cursed the treacherous lance that spared a foe;
Then to the ships with surly speed he went,
To seek a surer javelin in his tent.
Meanwhile with rising rage the battle glows,
The tumult thickens, and the clamour grows.
By Teucer's arm the warlike Imbrius bleeds,
The son of Mentor, rich in generous steeds.
Ere yet to Troy the sons of Greece were led,
In fair Pedaeus' verdant pastures bred,
The youth had dwelt, remote from war's alarms,
And blest in bright Medesicaste's arms:
(This nymph, the fruit of Priam's ravish'd joy,
Allied the warrior to the house of Troy:)
To Troy, when glory call'd his arms, he came,
And match'd the bravest of her chiefs in fame:
With Priam's sons, a guardian of the throne,
He lived, beloved and honour'd as his own.
Him Teucer pierced between the throat and ear:
He groans beneath the Telamonian spear.
As from some far-seen mountain's airy crown,
Subdued by steel, a tall ash tumbles down,
And soils its verdant tresses on the ground;
So falls the youth; his arms the fall resound.
Then Teucer rushing to despoil the dead,
From Hector's hand a shining javelin fled:
He saw, and shunn'd the death; the forceful dart
Sung on, and pierced Amphimachus's heart,
Cteatus' son, of Neptune's forceful line;
Vain was his courage, and his race divine!
Prostrate he falls; his clanging arms resound,
And his broad buckler thunders on the ground.
To seize his beamy helm the victor flies,
And just had fastened on the dazzling prize,
When Ajax' manly arm a javelin flung;
Full on the shield's round boss the weapon rung;
He felt the shock, nor more was doom'd to feel,
Secure in mail, and sheath'd in shining steel.
Repulsed he yields; the victor Greeks obtain
The spoils contested, and bear off the slain.
Between the leaders of the Athenian line,
(Stichius the brave, Menestheus the divine,)
Deplored Amphimachus, sad object! lies;
Imbrius remains the fierce Ajaces' prize.
As two grim lions bear across the lawn,
Snatch'd from devouring hounds, a slaughter'd fawn.
In their fell jaws high-lifting through the wood,
And sprinkling all the shrubs with drops of blood;
So these, the chief: great Ajax from the dead
Strips his bright arms; Oileus lops his head:
Toss'd like a ball, and whirl'd in air away,
At Hector's feet the gory visage lay.
The god of ocean, fired with stern disdain,
And pierced with sorrow for his grandson slain,
Inspires the Grecian hearts, confirms their hands,
And breathes destruction on the Trojan bands.
Swift as a whirlwind rushing to the fleet,
He finds the lance-famed Idomen of Crete,
His pensive brow the generous care express'd
With which a wounded soldier touch'd his breast,
Whom in the chance of war a javelin tore,
And his sad comrades from the battle bore;
Him to the surgeons of the camp he sent:
That office paid, he issued from his tent
Fierce for the fight: to whom the god begun,
In Thoas' voice, Andraemon's valiant son,
Who ruled where Calydon's white rocks arise,
And Pleuron's chalky cliffs emblaze the skies:
"Where's now the imperious vaunt, the daring boast,
Of Greece victorious, and proud Ilion lost?"
To whom the king: "On Greece no blame be thrown;
Arms are her trade, and war is all her own.
Her hardy heroes from the well-fought plains
Nor fear withholds, nor shameful sloth detains:
'Tis heaven, alas! and Jove's all-powerful doom,
That far, far distant from our native home
Wills us to fall inglorious! Oh, my friend!
Once foremost in the fight, still prone to lend
Or arms or counsels, now perform thy best,
And what thou canst not singly, urge the rest."
Thus he: and thus the god whose force can make
The solid globe's eternal basis shake:
"Ah! never may he see his native land,
But feed the vultures on this hateful strand,
Who seeks ignobly in his ships to stay,
Nor dares to combat on this signal day!
For this, behold! in horrid arms I shine,
And urge thy soul to rival acts with mine.
Together let us battle on the plain;
Two, not the worst; nor even this succour vain:
Not vain the weakest, if their force unite;
But ours, the bravest have confess'd in fight."
This said, he rushes where the combat burns;
Swift to his tent the Cretan king returns:
From thence, two javelins glittering in his hand,
And clad in arms that lighten'd all the strand,
Fierce on the foe the impetuous hero drove,
Like lightning bursting from the arm of Jove,
Which to pale man the wrath of heaven declares,
Or terrifies the offending world with wars;
In streamy sparkles, kindling all the skies,
From pole to pole the trail of glory flies:
Thus his bright armour o'er the dazzled throng
Gleam'd dreadful, as the monarch flash'd along.
Him, near his tent, Meriones attends;
Whom thus he questions: "Ever best of friends!
O say, in every art of battle skill'd,
What holds thy courage from so brave a field?
On some important message art thou bound,
Or bleeds my friend by some unhappy wound?
Inglorious here, my soul abhors to stay,
And glows with prospects of th' approaching day."
"O prince! (Meriones replies) whose care
Leads forth the embattled sons of Crete to war;
This speaks my grief: this headless lance I wield;
The rest lies rooted in a Trojan shield."
To whom the Cretan: "Enter, and receive
The wonted weapons; those my tent can give;
Spears I have store, (and Trojan lances all,)
That shed a lustre round the illumined wall,
Though I, disdainful of the distant war,
Nor trust the dart, nor aim the uncertain spear,
Yet hand to hand I fight, and spoil the slain;
And thence these trophies, and these arms I gain.
Enter, and see on heaps the helmets roll'd,
And high-hung spears, and shields that flame with gold."
"Nor vain (said Merion) are our martial toils;
We too can boast of no ignoble spoils:
But those my ship contains; whence distant far,
I fight conspicuous in the van of war,
What need I more? If any Greek there be
Who knows not Merion, I appeal to thee."
To this, Idomeneus: "The fields of fight
Have proved thy valour, and unconquer'd might:
And were some ambush for the foes design'd,
Even there thy courage would not lag behind:
In that sharp service, singled from the rest,
The fear of each, or valour, stands confess'd.
No force, no firmness, the pale coward shows;
He shifts his place: his colour comes and goes:
A dropping sweat creeps cold on every part;
Against his bosom beats his quivering heart;
Terror and death in his wild eye-balls stare;
With chattering teeth he stands, and stiffening hair,
And looks a bloodless image of despair!
Not so the brave--still dauntless, still the same,
Unchanged his colour, and unmoved his frame:
Composed his thought, determined is his eye,
And fix'd his soul, to conquer or to die:
If aught disturb the tenour of his breast,
'Tis but the wish to strike before the rest.
"In such assays thy blameless worth is known,
And every art of dangerous war thy own.
By chance of fight whatever wounds you bore,
Those wounds were glorious all, and all before;
Such as may teach, 'twas still thy brave delight
T'oppose thy bosom where thy foremost fight.
But why, like infants, cold to honour's charms,
Stand we to talk, when glory calls to arms?
Go--from my conquer'd spears the choicest take,
And to their owners send them nobly back."
Swift at the word bold Merion snatch'd a spear
And, breathing slaughter, follow'd to the war.
So Mars armipotent invades the plain,
(The wide destroyer of the race of man,)
Terror, his best-beloved son, attends his course,
Arm'd with stern boldness, and enormous force;
The pride of haughty warriors to confound,
And lay the strength of tyrants on the ground:
From Thrace they fly, call'd to the dire alarms
Of warring Phlegyans, and Ephyrian arms;
Invoked by both, relentless they dispose,
To these glad conquest, murderous rout to those.
So march'd the leaders of the Cretan train,
And their bright arms shot horror o'er the plain.
Then first spake Merion: "Shall we join the right,
Or combat in the centre of the fight?
Or to the left our wonted succour lend?
Hazard and fame all parts alike attend."
"Not in the centre (Idomen replied:)
Our ablest chieftains the main battle guide;
Each godlike Ajax makes that post his care,
And gallant Teucer deals destruction there,
Skill'd or with shafts to gall the distant field,
Or bear close battle on the sounding shield.
These can the rage of haughty Hector tame:
Safe in their arms, the navy fears no flame,
Till Jove himself descends, his bolts to shed,
And hurl the blazing ruin at our head.
Great must he be, of more than human birth,
Nor feed like mortals on the fruits of earth.
Him neither rocks can crush, nor steel can wound,
Whom Ajax fells not on the ensanguined ground.
In standing fight he mates Achilles' force,
Excell'd alone in swiftness in the course.
Then to the left our ready arms apply,
And live with glory, or with glory die."
He said: and Merion to th' appointed place,
Fierce as the god of battles, urged his pace.
Soon as the foe the shining chiefs beheld
Rush like a fiery torrent o'er the field,
Their force embodied in a tide they pour;
The rising combat sounds along the shore.
As warring winds, in Sirius' sultry reign,
From different quarters sweep the sandy plain;
On every side the dusty whirlwinds rise,
And the dry fields are lifted to the skies:
Thus by despair, hope, rage, together driven,
Met the black hosts, and, meeting, darken'd heaven.
All dreadful glared the iron face of war,
Bristled with upright spears, that flash'd afar;
Dire was the gleam of breastplates, helms, and shields,
And polish'd arms emblazed the flaming fields:
Tremendous scene! that general horror gave,
But touch'd with joy the bosoms of the brave.
Saturn's great sons in fierce contention vied,
And crowds of heroes in their anger died.
The sire of earth and heaven, by Thetis won
To crown with glory Peleus' godlike son,
Will'd not destruction to the Grecian powers,
But spared awhile the destined Trojan towers;
While Neptune, rising from his azure main,
Warr'd on the king of heaven with stern disdain,
And breathed revenge, and fired the Grecian train.
Gods of one source, of one ethereal race,
Alike divine, and heaven their native place;
But Jove the greater; first-born of the skies,
And more than men, or gods, supremely wise.
For this, of Jove's superior might afraid,
Neptune in human form conceal'd his aid.
These powers enfold the Greek and Trojan train
In war and discord's adamantine chain,
Indissolubly strong: the fatal tie
Is stretch'd on both, and close compell'd they die.
Dreadful in arms, and grown in combats grey,
The bold Idomeneus controls the day.
First by his hand Othryoneus was slain,
Swell'd with false hopes, with mad ambition vain;
Call'd by the voice of war to martial fame,
From high Cabesus' distant walls he came;
Cassandra's love he sought, with boasts of power,
And promised conquest was the proffer'd dower.
The king consented, by his vaunts abused;
The king consented, but the fates refused.
Proud of himself, and of the imagined bride,
The field he measured with a larger stride.
Him as he stalk'd, the Cretan javelin found;
Vain was his breastplate to repel the wound:
His dream of glory lost, he plunged to hell;
His arms resounded as the boaster fell.
The great Idomeneus bestrides the dead;
"And thus (he cries) behold thy promise sped!
Such is the help thy arms to Ilion bring,
And such the contract of the Phrygian king!
Our offers now, illustrious prince! receive;
For such an aid what will not Argos give?
To conquer Troy, with ours thy forces join,
And count Atrides' fairest daughter thine.
Meantime, on further methods to advise,
Come, follow to the fleet thy new allies;
There hear what Greece has on her part to say."
He spoke, and dragg'd the gory corse away.
This Asius view'd, unable to contain,
Before his chariot warring on the plain:
(His crowded coursers, to his squire consign'd,
Impatient panted on his neck behind:)
To vengeance rising with a sudden spring,
He hoped the conquest of the Cretan king.
The wary Cretan, as his foe drew near,
Full on his throat discharged the forceful spear:
Beneath the chin the point was seen to glide,
And glitter'd, extant at the further side.
As when the mountain-oak, or poplar tall,
Or pine, fit mast for some great admiral,
Groans to the oft-heaved axe, with many a wound,
Then spreads a length of ruin o'er the ground:
So sunk proud Asius in that dreadful day,
And stretch'd before his much-loved coursers lay.
He grinds the dust distain'd with streaming gore,
And, fierce in death, lies foaming on the shore.
Deprived of motion, stiff with stupid fear,
Stands all aghast his trembling charioteer,
Nor shuns the foe, nor turns the steeds away,
But falls transfix'd, an unresisting prey:
Pierced by Antilochus, he pants beneath
The stately car, and labours out his breath.
Thus Asius' steeds (their mighty master gone)
Remain the prize of Nestor's youthful son.
Stabb'd at the sight, Deiphobus drew nigh,
And made, with force, the vengeful weapon fly.
The Cretan saw; and, stooping, caused to glance
From his slope shield the disappointed lance.
Beneath the spacious targe, (a blazing round,
Thick with bull-hides and brazen orbits bound,
On his raised arm by two strong braces stay'd,)
He lay collected in defensive shade.
O'er his safe head the javelin idly sung,
And on the tinkling verge more faintly rung.
Even then the spear the vigorous arm confess'd,
And pierced, obliquely, king Hypsenor's breast:
Warm'd in his liver, to the ground it bore
The chief, his people's guardian now no more!
"Not unattended (the proud Trojan cries)
Nor unrevenged, lamented Asius lies:
For thee, through hell's black portals stand display'd,
This mate shall joy thy melancholy shade."
Heart-piercing anguish, at the haughty boast,
Touch'd every Greek, but Nestor's son the most.
Grieved as he was, his pious arms attend,
And his broad buckler shields his slaughter'd friend:
Till sad Mecistheus and Alastor bore
His honour'd body to the tented shore.
Nor yet from fight Idomeneus withdraws;
Resolved to perish in his country's cause,
Or find some foe, whom heaven and he shall doom
To wail his fate in death's eternal gloom.
He sees Alcathous in the front aspire:
Great Æsyetes was the hero's sire;
His spouse Hippodame, divinely fair,
Anchises' eldest hope, and darling care:
Who charm'd her parents' and her husband's heart
With beauty, sense, and every work of art:
He once of Ilion's youth the loveliest boy,
The fairest she of all the fair of Troy.
By Neptune now the hapless hero dies,
Who covers with a cloud those beauteous eyes,
And fetters every limb: yet bent to meet
His fate he stands; nor shuns the lance of Crete.
Fix'd as some column, or deep-rooted oak,
While the winds sleep; his breast received the stroke.
Before the ponderous stroke his corslet yields,
Long used to ward the death in fighting fields.
The riven armour sends a jarring sound;
His labouring heart heaves with so strong a bound,
The long lance shakes, and vibrates in the wound;
Fast flowing from its source, as prone he lay,
Life's purple tide impetuous gush'd away.
Then Idomen, insulting o'er the slain:
"Behold, Deiphobus! nor vaunt in vain:
See! on one Greek three Trojan ghosts attend;
This, my third victim, to the shades I send.
Approaching now thy boasted might approve,
And try the prowess of the seed of Jove.
From Jove, enamour'd of a mortal dame,
Great Minos, guardian of his country, came:
Deucalion, blameless prince, was Minos' heir;
His first-born I, the third from Jupiter:
O'er spacious Crete, and her bold sons, I reign,
And thence my ships transport me through the main:
Lord of a host, o'er all my host I shine,
A scourge to thee, thy father, and thy line."
The Trojan heard; uncertain or to meet,
Alone, with venturous arms the king of Crete,
Or seek auxiliar force; at length decreed
To call some hero to partake the deed,
Forthwith Æneas rises to his thought:
For him in Troy's remotest lines he sought,
Where he, incensed at partial Priam, stands,
And sees superior posts in meaner hands.
To him, ambitious of so great an aid,
The bold Deiphobus approach'd, and said:
"Now, Trojan prince, employ thy pious arms,
If e'er thy bosom felt fair honour's charms.
Alcathous dies, thy brother and thy friend;
Come, and the warrior's loved remains defend.
Beneath his cares thy early youth was train'd,
One table fed you, and one roof contain'd.
This deed to fierce Idomeneus we owe;
Haste, and revenge it on th' insulting foe."
Æneas heard, and for a space resign'd
To tender pity all his manly mind;
Then rising in his rage, he burns to fight:
The Greek awaits him with collected might.
As the fell boar, on some rough mountain's head,
Arm'd with wild terrors, and to slaughter bred,
When the loud rustics rise, and shout from far,
Attends the tumult, and expects the war;
O'er his bent back the bristly horrors rise;
Fires stream in lightning from his sanguine eyes,
His foaming tusks both dogs and men engage;
But most his hunters rouse his mighty rage:
So stood Idomeneus, his javelin shook,
And met the Trojan with a lowering look.
Antilochus, Deipyrus, were near,
The youthful offspring of the god of war,
Merion, and Aphareus, in field renown'd:
To these the warrior sent his voice around.
"Fellows in arms! your timely aid unite;
Lo, great Æneas rushes to the fight:
Sprung from a god, and more than mortal bold;
He fresh in youth, and I in arms grown old.
Else should this hand, this hour decide the strife,
The great dispute, of glory, or of life."
He spoke, and all, as with one soul, obey'd;
Their lifted bucklers cast a dreadful shade
Around the chief. Æneas too demands
Th' assisting forces of his native bands;
Paris, Deiphobus, Agenor, join;
(Co-aids and captains of the Trojan line;)
In order follow all th' embodied train,
Like Ida's flocks proceeding o'er the plain;
Before his fleecy care, erect and bold,
Stalks the proud ram, the father of the bold.
With joy the swain surveys them, as he leads
To the cool fountains, through the well-known meads:
So joys Æneas, as his native band
Moves on in rank, and stretches o'er the land.
Round dread Alcathous now the battle rose;
On every side the steely circle grows;
Now batter'd breast-plates and hack'd helmets ring,
And o'er their heads unheeded javelins sing.
Above the rest, two towering chiefs appear,
There great Idomeneus, Æneas here.
Like gods of war, dispensing fate, they stood,
And burn'd to drench the ground with mutual blood.
The Trojan weapon whizz'd along in air;
The Cretan saw, and shunn'd the brazen spear:
Sent from an arm so strong, the missive wood
Stuck deep in earth, and quiver'd where it stood.
But OEnomas received the Cretan's stroke;
The forceful spear his hollow corslet broke,
It ripp'd his belly with a ghastly wound,
And roll'd the smoking entrails on the ground.
Stretch'd on the plain, he sobs away his breath,
And, furious, grasps the bloody dust in death.
The victor from his breast the weapon tears;
His spoils he could not, for the shower of spears.
Though now unfit an active war to wage,
Heavy with cumbrous arms, stiff with cold age,
His listless limbs unable for the course,
In standing fight he yet maintains his force;
Till faint with labour, and by foes repell'd,
His tired slow steps he drags from off the field.
Deiphobus beheld him as he pass'd,
And, fired with hate, a parting javelin cast:
The javelin err'd, but held its course along,
And pierced Ascalaphus, the brave and young:
The son of Mars fell gasping on the ground,
And gnash'd the dust, all bloody with his wound.
Nor knew the furious father of his fall;
High-throned amidst the great Olympian hall,
On golden clouds th' immortal synod sate;
Detain'd from bloody war by Jove and Fate.
Now, where in dust the breathless hero lay,
For slain Ascalaphus commenced the fray,
Deiphobus to seize his helmet flies,
And from his temples rends the glittering prize;
Valiant as Mars, Meriones drew near,
And on his loaded arm discharged his spear:
He drops the weight, disabled with the pain;
The hollow helmet rings against the plain.
Swift as a vulture leaping on his prey,
From his torn arm the Grecian rent away
The reeking javelin, and rejoin'd his friends.
His wounded brother good Polites tends;
Around his waist his pious arms he threw,
And from the rage of battle gently drew:
Him his swift coursers, on his splendid car,
Rapt from the lessening thunder of the war;
To Troy they drove him, groaning from the shore,
And sprinkling, as he pass'd, the sands with gore.
Meanwhile fresh slaughter bathes the sanguine ground,
Heaps fall on heaps, and heaven and earth resound.
Bold Aphareus by great Æneas bled;
As toward the chief he turn'd his daring head,
He pierced his throat; the bending head, depress'd
Beneath his helmet, nods upon his breast;
His shield reversed o'er the fallen warrior lies,
And everlasting slumber seals his eyes.
Antilochus, as Thoon turn'd him round,
Transpierced his back with a dishonest wound:
The hollow vein, that to the neck extends
Along the chine, his eager javelin rends:
Supine he falls, and to his social train
Spreads his imploring arms, but spreads in vain.
Th' exulting victor, leaping where he lay,
From his broad shoulders tore the spoils away;
His time observed; for closed by foes around,
On all sides thick the peals of arms resound.
His shield emboss'd the ringing storm sustains,
But he impervious and untouch'd remains.
(Great Neptune's care preserved from hostile rage
This youth, the joy of Nestor's glorious age.)
In arms intrepid, with the first he fought,
Faced every foe, and every danger sought;
His winged lance, resistless as the wind,
Obeys each motion of the master's mind!
Restless it flies, impatient to be free,
And meditates the distant enemy.
The son of Asius, Adamas, drew near,
And struck his target with the brazen spear
Fierce in his front: but Neptune wards the blow,
And blunts the javelin of th' eluded foe:
In the broad buckler half the weapon stood,
Splinter'd on earth flew half the broken wood.
Disarm'd, he mingled in the Trojan crew;
But Merion's spear o'ertook him as he flew,
Deep in the belly's rim an entrance found,
Where sharp the pang, and mortal is the wound.
Bending he fell, and doubled to the ground,
Lay panting. Thus an ox in fetters tied,
While death's strong pangs distend his labouring side,
His bulk enormous on the field displays;
His heaving heart beats thick as ebbing life decays.
The spear the conqueror from his body drew,
And death's dim shadows swarm before his view.
Next brave Deipyrus in dust was laid:
King Helenus waved high the Thracian blade,
And smote his temples with an arm so strong,
The helm fell off, and roll'd amid the throng:
There for some luckier Greek it rests a prize;
For dark in death the godlike owner lies!
Raging with grief, great Menelaus burns,
And fraught with vengeance, to the victor turns:
That shook the ponderous lance, in act to throw;
And this stood adverse with the bended bow:
Full on his breast the Trojan arrow fell,
But harmless bounded from the plated steel.
As on some ample barn's well harden'd floor,
(The winds collected at each open door,)
While the broad fan with force is whirl'd around,
Light leaps the golden grain, resulting from the ground:
So from the steel that guards Atrides' heart,
Repell'd to distance flies the bounding dart.
Atrides, watchful of the unwary foe,
Pierced with his lance the hand that grasp'd the bow.
And nailed it to the yew: the wounded hand
Trail'd the long lance that mark'd with blood the sand:
But good Agenor gently from the wound
The spear solicits, and the bandage bound;
A sling's soft wool, snatch'd from a soldier's side,
At once the tent and ligature supplied.
Behold! Pisander, urged by fate's decree,
Springs through the ranks to fall, and fall by thee,
Great Menelaus! to enchance thy fame:
High-towering in the front, the warrior came.
First the sharp lance was by Atrides thrown;
The lance far distant by the winds was blown.
Nor pierced Pisander through Atrides' shield:
Pisander's spear fell shiver'd on the field.
Not so discouraged, to the future blind,
Vain dreams of conquest swell his haughty mind;
Dauntless he rushes where the Spartan lord
Like lightning brandish'd his far beaming sword.
His left arm high opposed the shining shield:
His right beneath, the cover'd pole-axe held;
(An olive's cloudy grain the handle made,
Distinct with studs, and brazen was the blade;)
This on the helm discharged a noble blow;
The plume dropp'd nodding to the plain below,
Shorn from the crest. Atrides waved his steel:
Deep through his front the weighty falchion fell;
The crashing bones before its force gave way;
In dust and blood the groaning hero lay:
Forced from their ghastly orbs, and spouting gore,
The clotted eye-balls tumble on the shore.
And fierce Atrides spurn'd him as he bled,
Tore off his arms, and, loud-exulting, said:
"Thus, Trojans, thus, at length be taught to fear;
O race perfidious, who delight in war!
Already noble deeds ye have perform'd;
A princess raped transcends a navy storm'd:
In such bold feats your impious might approve,
Without th' assistance, or the fear of Jove.
The violated rites, the ravish'd dame;
Our heroes slaughter'd and our ships on flame,
Crimes heap'd on crimes, shall bend your glory down,
And whelm in ruins yon flagitious town.
O thou, great father! lord of earth and skies,
Above the thought of man, supremely wise!
If from thy hand the fates of mortals flow,
From whence this favour to an impious foe?
A godless crew, abandon'd and unjust,
Still breathing rapine, violence, and lust?
The best of things, beyond their measure, cloy;
Sleep's balmy blessing, love's endearing joy;
The feast, the dance; whate'er mankind desire,
Even the sweet charms of sacred numbers tire.
But Troy for ever reaps a dire delight
In thirst of slaughter, and in lust of fight."
This said, he seized (while yet the carcase heaved)
The bloody armour, which his train received:
Then sudden mix'd among the warring crew,
And the bold son of Pylaemenes slew.
Harpalion had through Asia travell'd far,
Following his martial father to the war:
Through filial love he left his native shore,
Never, ah, never to behold it more!
His unsuccessful spear he chanced to fling
Against the target of the Spartan king;
Thus of his lance disarm'd, from death he flies,
And turns around his apprehensive eyes.
Him, through the hip transpiercing as he fled,
The shaft of Merion mingled with the dead.
Beneath the bone the glancing point descends,
And, driving down, the swelling bladder rends:
Sunk in his sad companions' arms he lay,
And in short pantings sobb'd his soul away;
(Like some vile worm extended on the ground;)
While life's red torrent gush'd from out the wound.
Him on his car the Paphlagonian train
In slow procession bore from off the plain.
The pensive father, father now no more!
Attends the mournful pomp along the shore;
And unavailing tears profusely shed;
And, unrevenged, deplored his offspring dead.
Paris from far the moving sight beheld,
With pity soften'd and with fury swell'd:
His honour'd host, a youth of matchless grace,
And loved of all the Paphlagonian race!
With his full strength he bent his angry bow,
And wing'd the feather'd vengeance at the foe.
A chief there was, the brave Euchenor named,
For riches much, and more for virtue famed.
Who held his seat in Corinth's stately town;
Polydus' son, a seer of old renown.
Oft had the father told his early doom,
By arms abroad, or slow disease at home:
He climb'd his vessel, prodigal of breath,
And chose the certain glorious path to death.
Beneath his ear the pointed arrow went;
The soul came issuing at the narrow vent:
His limbs, unnerved, drop useless on the ground,
And everlasting darkness shades him round.
Nor knew great Hector how his legions yield,
(Wrapp'd in the cloud and tumult of the field:)
Wide on the left the force of Greece commands,
And conquest hovers o'er th' Achaian bands;
With such a tide superior virtue sway'd,
And he that shakes the solid earth gave aid.
But in the centre Hector fix'd remain'd,
Where first the gates were forced, and bulwarks gain'd;
There, on the margin of the hoary deep,
(Their naval station where the Ajaces keep.
And where low walls confine the beating tides,
Whose humble barrier scarce the foe divides;
Where late in fight both foot and horse engaged,
And all the thunder of the battle raged,)
There join'd, the whole Boeotian strength remains,
The proud Iaonians with their sweeping trains,
Locrians and Phthians, and th' Epaean force;
But join'd, repel not Hector's fiery course.
The flower of Athens, Stichius, Phidas, led;
Bias and great Menestheus at their head:
Meges the strong the Epaean bands controll'd,
And Dracius prudent, and Amphion bold:
The Phthians, Medon, famed for martial might,
And brave Podarces, active in the fight.
This drew from Phylacus his noble line;
Iphiclus' son: and that (Oileus) thine:
(Young Ajax' brother, by a stolen embrace;
He dwelt far distant from his native place,
By his fierce step-dame from his father's reign
Expell'd and exiled for her brother slain:)
These rule the Phthians, and their arms employ,
Mix'd with Boeotians, on the shores of Troy.
Now side by side, with like unwearied care,
Each Ajax laboured through the field of war:
So when two lordly bulls, with equal toil,
Force the bright ploughshare through the fallow soil,
Join'd to one yoke, the stubborn earth they tear,
And trace large furrows with the shining share;
O'er their huge limbs the foam descends in snow,
And streams of sweat down their sour foreheads flow.
A train of heroes followed through the field,
Who bore by turns great Ajax' sevenfold shield;
Whene'er he breathed, remissive of his might,
Tired with the incessant slaughters of the fight.
No following troops his brave associate grace:
In close engagement an unpractised race,
The Locrian squadrons nor the javelin wield,
Nor bear the helm, nor lift the moony shield;
But skill'd from far the flying shaft to wing,
Or whirl the sounding pebble from the sling,
Dexterous with these they aim a certain wound,
Or fell the distant warrior to the ground.
Thus in the van the Telamonian train,
Throng'd in bright arms, a pressing fight maintain:
Far in the rear the Locrian archers lie,
Whose stones and arrows intercept the sky,
The mingled tempest on the foes they pour;
Troy's scattering orders open to the shower.
Now had the Greeks eternal fame acquired,
And the gall'd Ilians to their walls retired;
But sage Polydamas, discreetly brave,
Address'd great Hector, and this counsel gave:
"Though great in all, thou seem'st averse to lend
Impartial audience to a faithful friend;
To gods and men thy matchless worth is known,
And every art of glorious war thy own;
But in cool thought and counsel to excel,
How widely differs this from warring well!
Content with what the bounteous gods have given,
Seek not alone to engross the gifts of Heaven.
To some the powers of bloody war belong,
To some sweet music and the charm of song;
To few, and wondrous few, has Jove assign'd
A wise, extensive, all-considering mind;
Their guardians these, the nations round confess,
And towns and empires for their safety bless.
If Heaven have lodged this virtue in my breast,
Attend, O Hector! what I judge the best,
See, as thou mov'st, on dangers dangers spread,
And war's whole fury burns around thy head.
Behold! distress'd within yon hostile wall,
How many Trojans yield, disperse, or fall!
What troops, out-number'd, scarce the war maintain!
And what brave heroes at the ships lie slain!
Here cease thy fury: and, the chiefs and kings
Convoked to council, weigh the sum of things.
Whether (the gods succeeding our desires)
To yon tall ships to bear the Trojan fires;
Or quit the fleet, and pass unhurt away,
Contented with the conquest of the day.
I fear, I fear, lest Greece, not yet undone,
Pay the large debt of last revolving sun;
Achilles, great Achilles, yet remains
On yonder decks, and yet o'erlooks the plains!"
The counsel pleased; and Hector, with a bound,
Leap'd from his chariot on the trembling ground;
Swift as he leap'd his clanging arms resound.
"To guard this post (he cried) thy art employ,
And here detain the scatter'd youth of Troy;
Where yonder heroes faint, I bend my way,
And hasten back to end the doubtful day."
This said, the towering chief prepares to go,
Shakes his white plumes that to the breezes flow,
And seems a moving mountain topp'd with snow.
Through all his host, inspiring force, he flies,
And bids anew the martial thunder rise.
To Panthus' son, at Hector's high command
Haste the bold leaders of the Trojan band:
But round the battlements, and round the plain,
For many a chief he look'd, but look'd in vain;
Deiphobus, nor Helenus the seer,
Nor Asius' son, nor Asius' self appear:
For these were pierced with many a ghastly wound,
Some cold in death, some groaning on the ground;
Some low in dust, (a mournful object) lay;
High on the wall some breathed their souls away.
Far on the left, amid the throng he found
(Cheering the troops, and dealing deaths around)
The graceful Paris; whom, with fury moved,
Opprobrious thus, th' impatient chief reproved:
"Ill-fated Paris! slave to womankind,
As smooth of face as fraudulent of mind!
Where is Deiphobus, where Asius gone?
The godlike father, and th' intrepid son?
The force of Helenus, dispensing fate;
And great Othryoneus, so fear'd of late?
Black fate hang's o'er thee from th' avenging gods,
Imperial Troy from her foundations nods;
Whelm'd in thy country's ruin shalt thou fall,
And one devouring vengeance swallow all."
When Paris thus: "My brother and my friend,
Thy warm impatience makes thy tongue offend,
In other battles I deserved thy blame,
Though then not deedless, nor unknown to fame:
But since yon rampart by thy arms lay low,
I scatter'd slaughter from my fatal bow.
The chiefs you seek on yonder shore lie slain;
Of all those heroes, two alone remain;
Deiphobus, and Helenus the seer,
Each now disabled by a hostile spear.
Go then, successful, where thy soul inspires:
This heart and hand shall second all thy fires:
What with this arm I can, prepare to know,
Till death for death be paid, and blow for blow.
But 'tis not ours, with forces not our own
To combat: strength is of the gods alone."
These words the hero's angry mind assuage:
Then fierce they mingle where the thickest rage.
Around Polydamas, distain'd with blood,
Cebrion, Phalces, stern Orthaeus stood,
Palmus, with Polypoetes the divine,
And two bold brothers of Hippotion's line
(Who reach'd fair Ilion, from Ascania far,
The former day; the next engaged in war).
As when from gloomy clouds a whirlwind springs,
That bears Jove's thunder on its dreadful wings,
Wide o'er the blasted fields the tempest sweeps;
Then, gather'd, settles on the hoary deeps;
The afflicted deeps tumultuous mix and roar;
The waves behind impel the waves before,
Wide rolling, foaming high, and tumbling to the shore:
Thus rank on rank, the thick battalions throng,
Chief urged on chief, and man drove man along.
Far o'er the plains, in dreadful order bright,
The brazen arms reflect a beamy light:
Full in the blazing van great Hector shined,
Like Mars commission'd to confound mankind.
Before him flaming his enormous shield,
Like the broad sun, illumined all the field;
His nodding helm emits a streamy ray;
His piercing eyes through all the battle stray,
And, while beneath his targe he flash'd along,
Shot terrors round, that wither'd e'en the strong.
Thus stalk'd he, dreadful; death was in his look:
Whole nations fear'd; but not an Argive shook.
The towering Ajax, with an ample stride,
Advanced the first, and thus the chief defied:
"Hector! come on; thy empty threats forbear;
'Tis not thy arm, 'tis thundering Jove we fear:
The skill of war to us not idly given,
Lo! Greece is humbled, not by Troy, but Heaven.
Vain are the hopes that haughty mind imparts,
To force our fleet: the Greeks have hands and hearts.
Long ere in flames our lofty navy fall,
Your boasted city, and your god-built wall,
Shall sink beneath us, smoking on the ground;
And spread a long unmeasured ruin round.
The time shall come, when, chased along the plain,
Even thou shalt call on Jove, and call in vain;
Even thou shalt wish, to aid thy desperate course,
The wings of falcons for thy flying horse;
Shalt run, forgetful of a warrior's fame,
While clouds of friendly dust conceal thy shame."
As thus he spoke, behold, in open view,
On sounding wings a dexter eagle flew.
To Jove's glad omen all the Grecians rise,
And hail, with shouts, his progress through the skies:
Far-echoing clamours bound from side to side;
They ceased; and thus the chief of Troy replied:
"From whence this menace, this insulting strain?
Enormous boaster! doom'd to vaunt in vain.
So may the gods on Hector life bestow,
(Not that short life which mortals lead below,
But such as those of Jove's high lineage born,
The blue-eyed maid, or he that gilds the morn,)
As this decisive day shall end the fame
Of Greece, and Argos be no more a name.
And thou, imperious! if thy madness wait
The lance of Hector, thou shalt meet thy fate:
That giant-corse, extended on the shore,
Shall largely feast the fowls with fat and gore."
He said; and like a lion stalk'd along:
With shouts incessant earth and ocean rung,
Sent from his following host: the Grecian train
With answering thunders fill'd the echoing plain;
A shout that tore heaven's concave, and, above,
Shook the fix'd splendours of the throne of Jove.
[Illustration: GREEK EARRINGS.]
GREEK EARRINGS. 其時，正在舉杯飲酒的奈斯托耳聽到了戰場上傳來的
殺聲。用長了翅膀的話語，他對阿斯剋勒丕俄斯之子說道：
“想一想，卓越的馬卡昂，我們可以做什麽。
海船邊，強壯的年輕人正越喊越烈。
我看，你就坐在這兒，飲喝閃亮的醇酒，
等着美發的赫卡墨得為你準備澡水，
滾燙的熱水，洗去身上的淤血和污穢；
我將就此出門，找個登高了望的地點，看看那邊的情勢。”
言罷，他拿起兒子、馴馬手斯拉蘇墨得斯的
盾牌，精工製作，停息在營棚的一端，
閃射出青銅的流光。斯拉蘇墨得斯隨即拿起父親的盾牌。
然後，奈斯托耳操起一柄粗重的槍矛，頂着鋒快的銅尖，
走出營棚，當即目睹了一個羞人的場面：
夥伴們正撒腿奔逃，被心志高昂的特洛伊人趕得
驚慌失措——阿開亞人的護墻已被砸倒破毀。
像洋面上涌起的一股巨大的旋流，
無聲無息，然而卻預示着一場嘯吼的
風暴，沒有洶涌的激浪，朝着這個或那個方向奔流，
候等着宙斯捲來一陣打破平寂的風飆。
就像這樣，老人思考斟酌，權衡着兩種選擇：
是介入駕馭快馬的達奈人的隊伍，還是
去找阿特柔斯之子，兵士的牧者阿伽門農？
兩下比較，覺得後一種做法，前往尋會阿特柔斯
之子，似乎更為妥當。與此同時，兵勇們仍在
殊死拼搏，互相殘殺，堅硬的青銅在身上鏗鏘碰撞，
伴隨着利劍的劈砍和雙刃槍矛的擊打。
其時，幾位宙斯養育的王者正朝着奈斯托耳走來，
曾被青銅的槍械擊傷，此時沿着海船回行，
圖丟斯之子、俄底修斯和阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農。
他們的海船遠離戰場，早被拖拽上岸，
停棲在灰藍色的大海邊。這些船舟被第一批
拖上平原，沿着它們的後尾，阿開亞人築起了護墻。
儘管灘面開闊，卻仍不足以一綫排開
所有的海船；岸邊人群熙攘，擁擠不堪。
所以，他們拉船上岸，一排連着一排停放，
塞滿了狹長的灘沿，壓擠在兩個海岬之間。
王者們結隊而行，倚拄着各自的槍矛，
眺望着喧囂的戰場，心中悲苦交加，
而和老人奈斯托耳的相見，又使他們平添了幾分惆悵。
強有力的阿伽門農高聲發話，對他說道：
“奈斯托耳，奈琉斯之子，阿開亞人的光榮和驕傲，
為何背嚮人死人亡的前綫，朝着海邊走來？
我擔心強健的赫剋托耳可能會兌現他的
話語，當着特洛伊兵衆，對我發出的脅言：
他决不會撤離船邊，回返自己的城堡，
直到放火燒毀海船，把我們斬盡殺絶！
這便是他的威脅；眼下，這一切正在變成現實。
可恥啊！眼下，其他脛甲堅固的阿開亞人，
也像阿基琉斯一樣，對我心懷憤怒，
不願苦戰在我們的船尾邊。”
聽罷這番話，格瑞尼亞的車戰者奈斯托耳答道：
“是啊，所有這一切都在變成現實。眼下，即便是
炸雷中天的宙斯也難以改變戰局。
護墻已經塌倒，雖然我們曾經抱過希望，
把它當做一道攻不破的屏障，保衛着海船和戰勇。
敵人正在快船邊猛攻，一刻不停，
沓無間息，即使睜大眼睛，你也說不清
阿開亞人在哪裏被趕得撒腿驚跑：他們
倒死在戰場的各個角落，凄惶的慘叫衝破了雲天！
我們必須集思廣益，看看應該做些什麽——
如果智謀還有它的作用。不過，我想我們不要
投入戰鬥，帶傷之人經不起戰火的熬煉。”
聽罷這番話，民衆的王者阿伽門農說道：
“奈斯托耳，現在，他們已殺砍在我們的船尾邊，
而我們修築的護墻，連同壕溝，根本沒有擋住他們的進擊，
儘管達奈人付出過辛勤的勞動，滿以為
它是一道攻不破的屏障，保衛着海船和戰勇。所隊
這一切必是力大無窮的宙斯所為，使他心花怒放的事情，
讓阿開亞人死在這裏，消聲匿跡，遠離着阿耳戈斯地面。
以前，我就知道這一點，即使在宙斯全心全意地助信達奈人
的時候；
現在，我亦沒有忘記這一切——瞧，他在為那些人增光，仿佛
他們是幸運的神祗，同時削弱我們的戰力，捆綁起我們的手腳。
幹起來吧，按我說的做，讓我們順從屈服，
把靠海第一排的停船，全都
拖下水去，劃嚮閃光的洋面，
拋出錨石，泊駐在深水裏，
及至神賜的黑夜降臨，倘若特洛伊人因礙於
夜色而停止戰鬥，我們即可把所有在岸的木船拖下大海。
為了躲避災難，逃跑並不可恥，哪怕是在夜晚。
與其被災難獲捕，不如躲避災難。”
其時，足智多謀的俄底修斯開口答話，惡狠狠地盯着他：
“這是什麽話，阿特桑斯之子，崩出了你的齒隙？
你這招災緻難的人！但願你統領的是另一支軍隊，一幫畏畏
縮縮的膽小鬼；但願你不是我們的王者——我們，按着
宙斯的意志，歷經殘酷的戰爭，從青壯
打到老年，直至死亡，誰也不能幸免。
難道你真的急於撤離這座路面開闊的城堡，
給過我們這許多凄愁的特洛伊？
閉起你的嘴，以免讓其他阿開亞人
聽見。一個知道如何甩得體的方式
講話的人，一位受到全軍尊服、擁握權杖的王者，
不會讓此番話語爆出唇沿。王者阿伽門農，
看看阿耳吉維人的隊伍，成千的壯漢，聽命於你的兵勇。
我由衷地蔑視你的心智——想一想，你都說了會什麽！
在這兩軍激戰的關頭，你卻要
我們把凳板堅固的木船拖下大海，
讓特洛伊人爭得更大的光榮——他們已擊敗我們，
死亡的秤桿將把我們壓彎。倘若我們
拖船下海，阿開亞兵勇就不會繼續拼戰，
而將左顧右盼，尋覓逃路，把戰鬥熱情拋到九霄雲外。
這樣，全軍的統帥，你的計劃會把我們徹底送斷！”
聽罷這番話，民衆的王者阿伽門農答道：
“好一頓呵責，俄底修斯，你的話刺得我
心痛。不過，我並沒有要求阿開亞人的兒子
違心背意，將凳板堅固的舟船拖下大海。
現在，誰要有更好的計劃，即可趕快進言，
不管是年輕，還是年老的軍漢。我將高興地傾聽他的意見。”
其時，嘯吼戰場的秋俄墨得斯開口答話，說道：
“此人就站在你的眼前，我們無須從遠處尋覓，衹要你們
聽我道說，誰都不要對我憤煩，因為
我是大夥中年齡最小的一位。我亦有可資
炫耀的傢世，父親是了不起的
圖丟斯，葬在塞貝，隆起的土傢下。
波耳修斯生養了三個豪勇的兒郎，
住在普琉榮和山勢險峻的卡魯鼕。長子阿革裏俄斯，
二子墨拉斯，三子俄伊紐斯，戰車上的勇士，
我父親的父親，他們中最勇敢的豪傑。
俄伊紐斯居守老傢，而我父親卻浪跡遠方，
落戶阿耳戈斯，按照宙斯和各位神祗的意願。
他婚娶了阿德瑞斯托斯的女兒，居住在
一個資産豐足的傢院，擁有大塊的麥地，
捎帶一片片綴圍其間的果林，還有
遍野的羊群。他善使槍矛，其他阿開亞人
不可比及。你一定已聽過這段往事，知道這一切真實無疑。
所以，如果我說話在理，你們不能譏斥
我的建議，以為我出身低賤，貪生怕死。
讓我們這就回返戰場，儘管身帶傷痕；我們必須這麽做。
但一經抵達，我們卻應回避戰鬥，站在投槍的
射程之外，以免在舊痛之上增添新的傷痕。
不過，我們要督勵兵勇們嚮前——他們已經
産生憤懣情緒，躲在後面，不願拼戰。”
首領們認真聽完他的議言，納用了他的主張，
擡腿上路，跟着阿伽門農，全軍的統帥。
光榮的裂地之神對此看得真切，
趕至他們中間，以一位老翁的模樣出現，
抓住阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農的右手，
對他說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“阿特柔斯之子，我想，阿基琉斯此時正看着阿開亞人遭受
殺屠，全軍潰敗的慘景；他那顆遭人遺恨的心髒
一定在歡快地跳躍。此人無心無魂，不帶一絲同情。
但願他死掉爛掉，但願神明把他擊倒放平。
但對你，幸福的神祗並無不可慰息的憤恨。
這一天將會到來，那時，特洛伊的王者和首領們
會在平原上踢起滾滾的洪塵，你將親眼看着
他們竄跑，逃離營棚和海船，朝着特洛伊。”
言罷，他衝掃過平原，發出一聲響雷般的嘶吼，
像九千或一萬個士兵的吶喊——
戰鬥中，兩軍相遇，挾着戰神的狂烈。
強有力的裂地之神吼出一聲驚天的巨響，
出自肺葉深處，把巨大的勇力註入所有阿開亞人的
心胸，要他們繼續拼殺，不屈不撓地戰鬥。
其時，享用金座的赫拉，站在俄林波斯的
峰脊，縱目遠望，當即看到波塞鼕，
她的兄弟，亦是她夫婿的兄弟，正奔忙在
人們爭奪榮譽的戰場上，心頭泛起一陣喜悅。
然而，她又眼見宙斯，坐在多泉的伊達的
峰巔——此情此景使她心煩。怎麽辦？
牛眼睛天後赫拉心緒紛亂：用什麽
辦法才能迷惘帶埃吉斯的宙斯的心眼？
經過一番思考，她覺得此法妙極：
把自己打扮起來，下到伊達山上，
興許能挑起他的情欲，貼着她的肉身，
一起同床作愛。這樣，她也許能用溫柔香熟的睡眠，
合攏宙斯的雙眼，迷糊他的感察，他的警覺。
她走進自己的旁間，愛子赫法伊斯托斯
親手為她營建，門扇緊貼着框沿，
裝着一條秘密的門閂，其他神明休想啓開。
她走進房間，關上溜光滑亮的門扇，
洗去玉體上的纖塵，用
神界的脂漿，塗上神界舒軟的
橄欖油，清香撲鼻。衹要略一
搖晃，雖然置身宙斯的傢府，青銅鋪地的房居，
醇鬱的香氣卻由此飄飄裊裊，溢滿天上人間。
她用此物擦畢嬌嫩的肌膚，
梳順長發，用靈巧的雙手編織發辮，油光
滑亮，閃着仙境的丰采，垂蕩在與天地同存的
頭首邊。接着，她穿上雅典娜精工
製作的衫袍，光潔、平展，綉織着衆多的圖紋，
拿一根純金的飾針，別在胸前，然後
紮上飄懸着一百條流蘇的腰帶，
挂起墜飾，在鑽孔規整的耳垂邊，
三串沉懸的熟桑，閃着絢麗的光彩。
隨後，她，天後赫拉，披上漂亮。
簇新的頭巾，白亮得像太陽的閃光，
係上舒適的條鞋，在鮮亮的腳面。
現在，一切穿戴完畢，女神嬌麗嫵媚，
走出住房，喚來阿芙羅底忒，
從衆神那邊，開口說道：
“親愛的孩子，如果我有事相求，你是打算幫助呢，
還是予以絶拒？你對我一嚮耿耿於懷，
因為我保護達親人，而你卻站在特洛伊人一邊——對嗎？”
聽罷這番話，阿芙羅底忒，宙斯的女兒，答道：
“赫拉，尊貴的天後，強有力的剋羅諾斯的女兒，
告訴我你的心事，我將竭誠為你效勞，
衹要可能，衹要此事可以做到。”
聽罷這番話，高貴的赫拉編出一套謊言，答道：
“給我性愛和欲盼，你用此般
魔力徵服了凡人和整個神界。
我打算跨過豐腴的大地，去往它的邊緣，拜訪
俄開阿諾斯，育神的長河，以及忒蘇絲，我們的母親。
他們把我從蕾婭那裏帶走，看養在自己傢裏，
關懷備至，在那混戰的年頭，沉雷遠播的
宙斯將剋羅諾斯打下地層和蒼貧的大海。
我要去訪晤二位，排解沒完沒了的爭仇。
自從憤恨撕裂了他倆的情感，他們
已長期分居，不曾享受床第間的愉悅。
要是能用話語把他倆說得回心轉意，
引回睡床的邊沿，充滿撫愛的胸懷，
我就能受到他倆永久的尊敬，成為他們喜歡的摯愛。”
聽罷這番話，愛笑的阿芙羅底忒答道：
“我不會，也不能不明智地回絶你的要求；你，
你能躺在宙斯的懷裏，而他是最有力的神主。”
言罷，她從酥胸前解下一個編工精緻、織着
花紋的條兜，上面編着各種各樣的誘惑，
有狂烈的愛情，衝發的性欲和情人的喊喊
私語——此般消魂之術，足以使最清醒的頭腦瘋迷。
她把東西放在赫拉手中，叫着她的名字，說道：
“拿着吧，赫拉，把它藏在你的雙乳間；
此物奇特，裝着五光十色的大千世界。我想，
你不會空手而回，不管你有何樣的企盼。”
聽罷這番話，高貴的牛眼睛赫拉笑逐顔開，
高興地將此物收藏在雙乳間。
其後，阿芙羅底忒，宙斯的女兒，返回傢居，
而赫拉則離開俄林波斯山岩，快得像一道閃電，
穿過皮厄裏亞和美麗的厄馬西亞，
越過斯拉凱車手的傢園，白雪皚皚的嶺巒
和群山的峰巔，雙腳從未碰擦地表的層面。
隨後，她又經過阿索斯，跨越呼嘯奔騰的大海，
臨抵萊姆諾斯，神一樣的索阿斯的城。
她見着了睡眠、死亡的兄弟，緊緊
抓住他的手，叫着他的名字，說道：
“睡眠，所有凡人和全體神明的主宰，如果說
從前你聽過我的話，那麽，現在我亦要你按我
說指的做；我將永遠銘記你的思典。
我要你讓宙斯睡覺，合上濃眉下閃亮的雙眼，
待我躺臥在他的身邊，情濃意蜜的刻間。我會
迭你一份禮物，一個寶座，純金鑄就，
永不敗壞。赫法伊斯托斯，我的愛子，會動手製鑄，
以他那強壯的臂膀，精湛的工藝。還要為你做一張
足凳，讓你舒息閃亮的雙腳，享受舉杯痛飲的愉悅。”
聽罷這番話，甜靜的睡眠答道：
“赫拉，尊貴的天後，強有力的剋羅諾斯之女，
如果是其他某位不死的神明，無論是誰，
我都能，在頃刻之間，把他拖入睡境，哪怕是水流
森鴻的俄開阿諾斯，育神的巨河。
但對剋羅諾斯之子，我卻不敢離得太近，
更不敢把他弄睡，除非他自己願意。
從前，我曾幫你做過這種差事，從中得過教訓。
那一天，宙斯之子，心志高昂的赫拉剋勒斯，在
徹底蕩平特洛伊後，坐船離開。那時，
我把宙斯的大腦，這位帶埃吉斯的神主，引入睡境，
使他在鬆軟和靜恬的關顧下昏昏沉沉。然而，你卻在
其時居心叵測地謀劃，在洋面上捲起呼嘯的
狂風，把赫拉剋勒斯颳到人了興旺的科斯，
遠離他的朋友。其後，宙斯醒來，勃然大怒，
抓拎起衆神，四下裏丟甩，在他的宮居——首先要找的
自然是我；若非鎮束神和凡人的黑夜相救，
他定會把我從氣空扔到海底，落個無影無蹤。
我驚跑到她的身邊——宙斯見後姑且作罷，強憋着雷霆，
不願造次，得罪迅捷的黑夜。可現在，
赫拉，你要我再做此類不可能的事情。”
聽罷這番話，高貴的牛眼睛赫拉答道，
“為何如此多慮，睡眠，折磨自己的心懷？
你以為沉雷遠播的宙斯，現時着意於幫助特洛伊人，會對此大發
雷霆，像當年那樣嗎？別忘了，那次是赫拉剋勒斯，他的兒子！
這樣吧，按我說的做，我將讓你和一位年輕的
典雅女神結婚，讓她做你的妻伴，
帕茜塞婭，此女你一直都在熱戀。”
聽罷這番話，睡眠心中歡喜，答道：
“好，就這麽辦！但你要對我起誓，以斯圖剋斯河不可侵讀的
水流的名義。
一手抓握豐腴的土地，另一手掬起
閃光的海水，以便讓所有的神祗作證，
他們生活在地下，彙聚在剋羅諾斯身邊。
發誓吧，你會給我一位年輕的典雅，
帕茜塞婭，我朝思暮想的心愛。”
白臂女神赫拉接受了他的提議，
按他的要求起誓，叫着那些神祗的名字，
他們深陷在塔耳塔羅斯深淵，人稱泰坦的神仙。
她發過誓咒，許下一番旦旦信誓後，
和睡眠一起，從萊姆諾斯和英勃羅斯城堡上路，
裹在雲霧裏，輕捷地前行，
來到多泉的伊達，野獸的母親，
抵及萊剋托斯，方纔離開水路，循着幹實的
陸野疾行，森林的枝端在他們腳下顫移。
睡眠隨即停身，趁着宙斯的眼睛還不曾把他掃瞄，
爬上一棵挺拔的松樹，棲留在它的枝頭——在當時的伊達，
此樹最高，穿過低天的霧靄，直指晴亮的氣空。
他在樹上蹲下，遮掩在濃密的枝幹裏；
以一隻歌鳥的模樣，此鳥神們
稱之為卡爾基斯，而凡人卻叫它庫鳴迪斯[●]。
●卡爾基斯……庫鳴迪斯：大概可分別解作“銅嗓子”和“夜鶯”。
與此同時，赫拉腿步輕盈，疾掃而去，朝着高高的伽耳林
羅斯，伊達的峰巔，彙聚烏雲的宙斯見到了她的身影。
僅此一瞥，欲念便在他那厚買的心裏呼呼地蒸騰，
一如當年他倆——瞞着親愛的父母——
同登床第，歡情作愛時的心境。
宙斯站在她面前，叫着她的名字，說道：
“赫拉，為何從俄林波斯下到此地？
為何不見出門常用的乘具，你的馭馬和輪車？”
帶着欺騙的動機，高貴的赫拉答道：
“我打算跨過豐腴的大地，去往它的邊緣，拜訪
俄開阿諾斯，育神的長河，以及忒蘇絲，我們的母親。
在自己的傢裏，他們把我帶大，對我關懷備至。
我要去訪晤二位，排解沒完沒了的爭仇。
自從憤恨撕裂了他倆的情感，他們
已長期分居，不曾享受床第間的愉悅。
我的馭馬站在泉水淙淙的伊達
山下，將要拉着我越過堅實的陸地和海洋。
但眼下，我從俄林波斯下來，為了對你通告此事，
擔心日後你會對我動怒，倘若我
悄悄地前往水勢深森的俄開阿諾斯的府居。”
聽罷這番話，彙聚烏雲的宙斯答道：
“急什麽，赫拉，那地方不妨以後再去。
現在，我要你和我睡覺，盡興做愛。
對女神或女人的性愛，從未像現時這樣熾烈，
衝蕩着我的心胸，揚起不可抑止的情波。
我曾和伊剋西昂的妻子同床，生子
裴裏蘇斯，和神一樣多謀善斷；
亦曾和阿剋裏西俄斯的女兒、腳型秀美的達娜娥作愛，
生子裴耳修斯，人中的俊傑；
我還和歐羅帕、聲名遠揚的福伊尼剋斯的女兒調情，
生子米諾斯和神一樣的拉達門蘇斯；
和塞貝女子塞墨勒以及阿爾剋墨奈睡覺，
後者給我生得一子，心志豪強的赫拉剋勒斯，
而塞墨勒亦生子狄俄努索斯，凡人的歡悅。
我亦和黛墨忒耳，發辮秀美的神後，以及光榮的萊托，
還有你自己，尋歡作樂——所有這些欲情都趕不上
現時對你的衝動，甜蜜的欲念已經徵服了我的心靈。”
聽罷這番話，高貴的赫拉答道，心懷狡黠：
“可怕的衆神之主，剋羅諾斯之子，你說了些什麽？
你現時情火中燒，迫不及待地要和我歡愛，
在這伊達的峰嶺，是否想讓整個世界看見？
要是讓某個不死的神明看見，見我們
睡躺此間，跑去告訴所有的神祗，此事將如何
釋解？我不能從這邊的睡床爬起，爾後再回頭
溜進你的宮居——這會讓我丟盡臉面。
但是，如果你欲火燒身，一心想着此事，
那麽，你有愛子赫法伊斯托斯為你
營建的睡房，門扇緊貼着框沿。
我們可去那裏躺下，既然性愛可以歡悅你的心懷。”
聽罷這番話，彙聚烏雲的宙斯答道：
“赫拉，不要怕，此事神和人都不會
看見；我會布下一團金霧，稠匝濃密，
罩住我倆，連赫利俄斯也休想看穿，
雖然他的眼睛，那灼灼的目光，誰都無法企及。”
言罷，剋羅諾斯之子伸出雙臂，抱起神妻。
在他倆身下，神聖的土地催發出鮮嫩、蔥緑的
芳草，有藏紅花、風信子和挂着露珠的三葉草，
厚實鬆軟，把神體托離堅實的泥面。
他倆雙雙躺下，四周罩起黃金的雲霧，
神奇、美妙、滴灑着晶亮的露珠。
就這樣，睡意和熾熱的情欲把父親送入
安閑的睡境，在伽耳伽羅斯峰巔，擁着他的妻配。
其時，甜雅的睡眠飛也似地趕往阿開亞人的海船，
捎去一條信息，帶給環擁和震撼大地的波塞鼕。
睡眠站在他的近旁，對他說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“波塞鼕，現在，你可全力以赴，助信達奈兵勇，
使他們爭得榮光——趁着宙斯還在酣睡——雖然衹有那麽
一點時間，我已把他蒙罩在舒甜的睡境，
赫拉已誘使他同床合歡。”
言罷，他又趨身前往凡人的那些著名的部族，
進一步催勵波塞鼕，為保衛達奈人出力。
裂地之神大步躍至前排，用宏亮的聲音催喊：
“是這樣嗎，阿耳吉維人，我們正再次把勝利拱讓給赫剋托耳，
普裏阿摩斯之子，讓他奪取海船，並以此爭得光榮？！
這是赫剋托耳的企望，他的禱告——感謝阿基琉斯，
抱着溫怒，呆滯在深曠的海船邊！
但是，倘若大傢都能振奮鬥志，互相保護，
我們便無須那麽熱切地企盼他的回歸。
於起來吧，按我說的做，聽我的命令！
拿起軍中最好最大的盾牌，擋住
身軀，用銅光鋥亮的頭盔蓋住
腦袋，操起最長的槍矛，英勇
出擊。我將親自帶隊；我想，儘管兇狂，
赫剋托耳，普裏阿摩斯之子，將頂不住我們的反擊。
驃健犟悍的戰勇要把肩上的小盾
換給懦弱的戰士，操起遮身的大盾！”
戰勇們認真聽完他的說告，謹遵不違。
幾位王者，帶着傷痛之軀，親自指揮調度，
圖丟斯之子，俄底修斯和阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農。
他們巡行軍陣，督令將士們交換戰甲，
勇敢善戰者穿挂上好的甲衣，把次孬的換給
弱者。一經穿戴完畢，通身閃耀着青銅的光芒，
衆人邁步嚮前，由裂地之神波塞鼕親自率導，
寬厚的手中握着一柄鋒快的長劍，寒光
四射，像一道閃電——痛苦的仇殺中，凡人
誰也不敢近前，出於恐懼，全都躲避迅閃。
在他們對面，光榮的赫剋托耳正催令着特洛伊人。
其時，黑發的波塞鼕和光榮的赫剋托耳
把戰鬥推嚮血肉橫飛的高潮，一個
為阿開亞人添力，另一個為特洛伊人鼓氣。
這時，大海捲起洶涌的浪潮，衝刷着阿耳吉維人的
營棚和海船。兩軍撲擊衝撞，喊出震耳欲聾的殺聲。
這不是衝擊陸岸的激浪發出的咆哮，
那滔天的水勢，經受北風的吹慫，自深海裏涌來；
也不是大火蕩掃山間𠔌地時發出的
怒號，烈焰吞噬着整片林海；
亦不是狂風吹打枝葉森聳的橡樹，奮力呼出的尖嘯，
以最狂烈的勢頭橫掃——戰場上的呼聲，
比這些嘯響更高；特洛伊人和阿開亞兵壯
喊出可怕的狂叫，你殺我砍，打得難解難分。
光榮的赫剋托耳首先投出槍矛，對着迎面
衝來的埃阿斯，槍尖不偏不倚，
擊中目標，打在胸前，兩條背帶交叉的地方，
一條扣連戰盾，另一條係提着柄嵌銀釘的劈劍，
兩帶疊連，擋護着白亮的皮肉。赫剋托耳怒火中燒，
因為出手無獲，徒勞無益地白投了一枝槍矛；
他退回自己的伴群，為了躲避死亡，
但是，正當他回退之際，忒拉蒙之子、高大魁偉的埃阿斯
抓起一塊石頭——係固快船的石塊遍地亦是，
滾動在勇士們的腳邊。他舉起其中的一塊，
砸在胸腔上，擦過盾沿，緊挨着咽喉，
打得他扭轉起身子，像一隻挨打的陀蠃，一圈圈地
旋轉。好比一棵橡樹，被父親宙斯
擊倒，連根端出，揚發出硫磺的
惡臭；若是有人近旁察看，定會膽氣
消散——大神宙斯的霹靂可真夠厲害。
就像這樣，強有力的赫剋托耳翻倒泥塵，
槍矛脫手，戰盾壓身，還有那頂
頭盔，精製的銅甲在身上鏗鏘作響。
阿開亞人的兒子們大叫着衝上前去，
想要把他搶走，投出密集的
槍矛，但誰也沒有擊中或投中這位
兵士的牧者——特洛伊首領們迅速趕來，圍護在他的身邊，
埃內阿斯、普魯達馬斯和卓越的阿格諾耳，以及
薩耳裴鼕，魯基亞人的首領，和豪勇的格勞科斯。
其他戰勇亦不甘落後，傾斜着邊圈
溜圓的戰盾，擋護着他的軀體；夥伴們
把他擡架起來，走出戰地，來到捷蹄的
馭馬邊——它們停等在後面，避離戰鬥和搏殺，
載着馭手，荷着精工製作的戰車。
快馬拉着他返回城堡，踏着凄厲的吟叫。
然而，當來到一條清水河的邊岸，
其父宙斯，不死的天神，捲着漩渦的珊索斯的灘沿，
他們把他擡出馬車，放躺在地上，用涼水遍淋
全身。赫剋托耳喘過氣來，眼神復又變得清晰明亮，
撐起身子，單腿跪地，吐出一灘
濃血，復又躺下，漆黑的夜晚蒙住了
他的雙眼。他的心魂尚未掙脫重擊帶來的迷幻。
其時，眼見赫剋托耳撤離戰鬥，阿耳吉維人
振奮精神，更加勇猛地撲嚮特洛伊兵漢。
俄伊琉斯之子、迅捷的埃阿斯遠遠地衝在前頭，
猛撲上去，捅出鋒快的投槍，擊中薩特尼俄斯，
出自一位身段輕盈的水仙的肚腹，厄諾普斯的
精血，在他放牧薩特尼俄埃斯河畔的時節。
俄伊紐斯之子，著名的槍手，逼近此人，出槍
擊中脅腹，把他打了個四腳朝天。圍繞着他的屍體，
特洛伊人和達奈人展開了一場激戰。
普魯達馬斯揮舞槍矛，衝鋒嚮前，站到他的身邊，
潘蘇斯之子，投槍擊中阿雷魯科斯之子普羅索厄諾耳
的右肩，沉重的槍尖紮穿了肩頭。
他翻身倒地，手抓泥塵。
普魯達馬斯欣喜若狂，高聲炫耀：
“哈哈——我，潘蘇斯心胸豪壯的兒子，這雙
強有力的大手，沒有白投這枝槍矛！不是嗎，
一個阿耳吉維人，用自己的皮肉，收下了它。我想，此人是
打算把它當做支棍，步履艱難地走入死神的宮殿！”
聽罷此番吹擂，阿耳吉維人愁滿胸膛，
忒拉蒙之子、經驗豐富的埃阿斯更是怒不可遏，
因為死者倒在離他最近的地方。他當即
投出閃亮的槍矛，對着回退的普魯達馬斯，
但後者迅速跳到一邊，躲過了。。
幽黑的死亡——槍尖吃中安忒諾耳之子
阿耳開洛科斯，永生的神祗註定他必死的命運。
槍矛紮在頭頸的交接處，脊椎的
最後一節，切斷了兩面的筋腱；所以，
倒下時，他的頭、嘴和鼻子搶先落地，遠在
腿和膝蓋之前。埃阿斯見狀，
高聲呼喊，回擊悍勇的普魯達馬斯：
“好好想一想，普魯達馬斯，老老實實地告訴我，你敢說
這不是一次公平的交易，以此人的屍軀換得普羅索諾耳的
死亡？他看來不是個貪生怕死的賤種，也不是膽小鬼的
後代——他是馴馬者安忒諾耳的兄弟，或是
他的兒子，從長相上可以看出他仍親似的血緣！”
埃阿斯如此一番吹擂，深知如何回答敵人的喧叫；悲痛揪
住了特洛伊人的心靈。
其時，阿卡達馬斯，跨立在兄弟的兩邊，出槍擊倒
波伊俄提亞的普羅馬科斯，後者正試圖抓住雙腳，搶拖屍體。
阿卡馬斯欣喜若狂，高聲炫耀：“阿耳吉維人，
你們這幫玩弄弓箭的男孩，嚇唬起人來，沒有個盡頭！
莫以為苦鬥和悲痛僅為我們所有，
你們亦會死亡，跟在這個人的後頭！
想想普羅馬科斯如何睡躺在你們腳邊，被我的
槍矛擊倒；為兄弟雪恨，我無須久地
等待。所以，徵戰的勇士都愛祈禱，希望傢中
能有一位親男存活，以便死後能替他把冤仇申報。”
聽罷此番吹擂，阿耳吉維人愁滿胸膛，
戰技純熟的裴奈琉斯更是怒不可遏，
撲嚮阿卡馬斯，後者擋不住他的進擊。
隨後，王者裴奈琉斯出槍擊中伊利俄紐斯，
福耳巴斯之子，其父擁有遍野的羊群，在特洛伊人中
最受赫耳墨斯寵愛，給了他豐足的財富。
伊利俄紐斯是他母親生給福耳巴斯的獨苗，
被裴奈琉斯出槍打在眉沿下，
深紮進眼窩裏，捅擠出眼球，槍尖刺穿了
眼眶和頸背；伊利俄紐斯癱坐在地，
雙臂伸展。裴奈琉斯拔出
利劍，劈砍在脖子中間，人頭落地，
連着帽盔，帶着粗長的木桿，槍尖仍然
紮刺在眼窩裏，裴奈琉斯高挑起人頭，像一束罌粟的頭穗，
展現給特洛伊人視看，放聲吹擂：
“爾等特洛伊人，代我轉告高傲的伊利俄紐斯
親愛的父母，讓他們開始舉哀，在自傢的廳堂裏，
既然阿勒格諾耳之子普羅馬科斯的妻房
亦不再會有眼見親愛的夫婿回歸的激奮，在我們
阿開亞人的兒子們，乘坐海船，從特洛伊返航回傢的那一天！”
聽罷這番話，特洛伊人無不膝腿顫抖，
個個東張西望，試圖逃避凄慘的死亡。
告訴我，傢住俄林波斯的繆斯，
當著名的裂地之神扭轉了戰局，
阿開亞人中，誰個最先奪得帶血的戰禮？
忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯最先擊倒呼耳提俄斯，
吉耳提俄斯之子，心志剛強的慕西亞人的首領。
其後，安提洛科斯殺了法爾開斯和墨耳墨羅斯，墨裏俄奈斯
殺了莫魯斯和希波提昂，丟剋羅斯放倒了
裴裏菲忒斯和普羅索斯。接着，阿特柔斯之子墨奈勞斯
捅殺了呼裴瑞諾耳，兵士的牧者，
槍尖撕開腹脅，搗出內臟，
魂息匆匆飄離軀體，從那道銅槍
開出的口子，濃黑的迷霧蒙住了他的雙眼。
但俄伊琉斯之子、腿腳快捷的埃阿斯殺人最多，
追趕逃敵——一旦宙斯把他們趕上
倉皇的潰程，他的快腿誰也不可比過。
ARGUMENT.(231)
JUNO DECEIVES JUPITER BY THE GIRDLE OF VENUS.
Nestor, sitting at the table with Machaon, is alarmed with the increasing
clamour of war, and hastens to Agamemnon; on his way he meets that prince
with Diomed and Ulysses, whom he informs of the extremity of the danger.
Agamemnon proposes to make their escape by night, which Ulysses
withstands; to which Diomed adds his advice, that, wounded as they were,
they should go forth and encourage the army with their presence, which
advice is pursued. Juno, seeing the partiality of Jupiter to the Trojans,
forms a design to over-reach him: she sets off her charms with the utmost
care, and (the more surely to enchant him) obtains the magic girdle of
Venus. She then applies herself to the god of sleep, and, with some
difficulty, persuades him to seal the eyes of Jupiter: this done, she goes
to mount Ida, where the god, at first sight, is ravished with her beauty,
sinks in her embraces, and is laid asleep. Neptune takes advantage of his
slumber, and succours the Greeks: Hector is struck to the ground with a
prodigious stone by Ajax, and carried off from the battle: several actions
succeed, till the Trojans, much distressed, are obliged to give way: the
lesser Ajax signalizes himself in a particular manner.
But not the genial feast, nor flowing bowl,
Could charm the cares of Nestor's watchful soul;
His startled ears the increasing cries attend;
Then thus, impatient, to his wounded friend:
"What new alarm, divine Machaon, say,
What mix'd events attend this mighty day?
Hark! how the shouts divide, and how they meet,
And now come full, and thicken to the fleet!
Here with the cordial draught dispel thy care,
Let Hecamede the strengthening bath prepare,
Refresh thy wound, and cleanse the clotted gore;
While I the adventures of the day explore."
He said: and, seizing Thrasymedes' shield,
(His valiant offspring,) hasten'd to the field;
(That day the son his father's buckler bore;)
Then snatch'd a lance, and issued from the door.
Soon as the prospect open'd to his view,
His wounded eyes the scene of sorrow knew;
Dire disarray! the tumult of the fight,
The wall in ruins, and the Greeks in flight.
As when old ocean's silent surface sleeps,
The waves just heaving on the purple deeps:
While yet the expected tempest hangs on high,
Weighs down the cloud, and blackens in the sky,
The mass of waters will no wind obey;
Jove sends one gust, and bids them roll away.
While wavering counsels thus his mind engage,
Fluctuates in doubtful thought the Pylian sage,
To join the host, or to the general haste;
Debating long, he fixes on the last:
Yet, as he moves, the sight his bosom warms,
The field rings dreadful with the clang of arms,
The gleaming falchions flash, the javelins fly;
Blows echo blows, and all or kill or die.
Him, in his march, the wounded princes meet,
By tardy steps ascending from the fleet:
The king of men, Ulysses the divine,
And who to Tydeus owes his noble line.(232)
(Their ships at distance from the battle stand,
In lines advanced along the shelving strand:
Whose bay, the fleet unable to contain
At length; beside the margin of the main,
Rank above rank, the crowded ships they moor:
Who landed first, lay highest on the shore.)
Supported on the spears, they took their way,
Unfit to fight, but anxious for the day.
Nestor's approach alarm'd each Grecian breast,
Whom thus the general of the host address'd:
"O grace and glory of the Achaian name;
What drives thee, Nestor, from the field of fame?
Shall then proud Hector see his boast fulfill'd,
Our fleets in ashes, and our heroes kill'd?
Such was his threat, ah! now too soon made good,
On many a Grecian bosom writ in blood.
Is every heart inflamed with equal rage
Against your king, nor will one chief engage?
And have I lived to see with mournful eyes
In every Greek a new Achilles rise?"
Gerenian Nestor then: "So fate has will'd;
And all-confirming time has fate fulfill'd.
Not he that thunders from the aerial bower,
Not Jove himself, upon the past has power.
The wall, our late inviolable bound,
And best defence, lies smoking on the ground:
Even to the ships their conquering arms extend,
And groans of slaughter'd Greeks to heaven ascend.
On speedy measures then employ your thought
In such distress! if counsel profit aught:
Arms cannot much: though Mars our souls incite,
These gaping wounds withhold us from the fight."
To him the monarch: "That our army bends,
That Troy triumphant our high fleet ascends,
And that the rampart, late our surest trust
And best defence, lies smoking in the dust;
All this from Jove's afflictive hand we bear,
Who, far from Argos, wills our ruin here.
Past are the days when happier Greece was blest,
And all his favour, all his aid confess'd;
Now heaven averse, our hands from battle ties,
And lifts the Trojan glory to the skies.
Cease we at length to waste our blood in vain,
And launch what ships lie nearest to the main;
Leave these at anchor, till the coming night:
Then, if impetuous Troy forbear the fight,
Bring all to sea, and hoist each sail for flight.
Better from evils, well foreseen, to run,
Than perish in the danger we may shun."
Thus he. The sage Ulysses thus replied,
While anger flash'd from his disdainful eyes:
"What shameful words (unkingly as thou art)
Fall from that trembling tongue and timorous heart?
Oh were thy sway the curse of meaner powers,
And thou the shame of any host but ours!
A host, by Jove endued with martial might,
And taught to conquer, or to fall in fight:
Adventurous combats and bold wars to wage,
Employ'd our youth, and yet employs our age.
And wilt thou thus desert the Trojan plain?
And have whole streams of blood been spilt in vain?
In such base sentence if thou couch thy fear,
Speak it in whispers, lest a Greek should hear.
Lives there a man so dead to fame, who dares
To think such meanness, or the thought declares?
And comes it even from him whose sovereign sway
The banded legions of all Greece obey?
Is this a general's voice that calls to flight,
While war hangs doubtful, while his soldiers fight?
What more could Troy? What yet their fate denies
Thou givest the foe: all Greece becomes their prize.
No more the troops (our hoisted sails in view,
Themselves abandon'd) shall the fight pursue;
But thy ships flying, with despair shall see;
And owe destruction to a prince like thee."
"Thy just reproofs (Atrides calm replies)
Like arrows pierce me, for thy words are wise.
Unwilling as I am to lose the host,
I force not Greece to quit this hateful coast;
Glad I submit, whoe'er, or young, or old,
Aught, more conducive to our weal, unfold."
Tydides cut him short, and thus began:
"Such counsel if you seek, behold the man
Who boldly gives it, and what he shall say,
Young though he be, disdain not to obey:
A youth, who from the mighty Tydeus springs,
May speak to councils and assembled kings.
Hear then in me the great OEnides' son,
Whose honoured dust (his race of glory run)
Lies whelm'd in ruins of the Theban wall;
Brave in his life, and glorious in his fall.
With three bold sons was generous Prothous bless'd,
Who Pleuron's walls and Calydon possess'd;
Melas and Agrius, but (who far surpass'd
The rest in courage) OEneus was the last.
From him, my sire. From Calydon expell'd,
He pass'd to Argos, and in exile dwell'd;
The monarch's daughter there (so Jove ordain'd)
He won, and flourish'd where Adrastus reign'd;
There, rich in fortune's gifts, his acres till'd,
Beheld his vines their liquid harvest yield,
And numerous flocks that whiten'd all the field.
Such Tydeus was, the foremost once in fame!
Nor lives in Greece a stranger to his name.
Then, what for common good my thoughts inspire,
Attend, and in the son respect the sire.
Though sore of battle, though with wounds oppress'd,
Let each go forth, and animate the rest,
Advance the glory which he cannot share,
Though not partaker, witness of the war.
But lest new wounds on wounds o'erpower us quite,
Beyond the missile javelin's sounding flight,
Safe let us stand; and, from the tumult far,
Inspire the ranks, and rule the distant war."
He added not: the listening kings obey,
Slow moving on; Atrides leads the way.
The god of ocean (to inflame their rage)
Appears a warrior furrowed o'er with age;
Press'd in his own, the general's hand he took,
And thus the venerable hero spoke:
"Atrides! lo! with what disdainful eye
Achilles sees his country's forces fly;
Blind, impious man! whose anger is his guide,
Who glories in unutterable pride.
So may he perish, so may Jove disclaim
The wretch relentless, and o'erwhelm with shame!
But Heaven forsakes not thee: o'er yonder sands
Soon shall thou view the scattered Trojan bands
Fly diverse; while proud kings, and chiefs renown'd,
Driven heaps on heaps, with clouds involved around
Of rolling dust, their winged wheels employ
To hide their ignominious heads in Troy."
He spoke, then rush'd amid the warrior crew,
And sent his voice before him as he flew,
Loud, as the shout encountering armies yield
When twice ten thousand shake the labouring field;
Such was the voice, and such the thundering sound
Of him whose trident rends the solid ground.
Each Argive bosom beats to meet the fight,
And grisly war appears a pleasing sight.
Meantime Saturnia from Olympus' brow,
High-throned in gold, beheld the fields below;
With joy the glorious conflict she survey'd,
Where her great brother gave the Grecians aid.
But placed aloft, on Ida's shady height
She sees her Jove, and trembles at the sight.
Jove to deceive, what methods shall she try,
What arts, to blind his all-beholding eye?
At length she trusts her power; resolved to prove
The old, yet still successful, cheat of love;
Against his wisdom to oppose her charms,
And lull the lord of thunders in her arms.
Swift to her bright apartment she repairs,
Sacred to dress and beauty's pleasing cares:
With skill divine had Vulcan form'd the bower,
Safe from access of each intruding power.
Touch'd with her secret key, the doors unfold:
Self-closed, behind her shut the valves of gold.
Here first she bathes; and round her body pours
Soft oils of fragrance, and ambrosial showers:
The winds, perfumed, the balmy gale convey
Through heaven, through earth, and all the aerial way:
Spirit divine! whose exhalation greets
The sense of gods with more than mortal sweets.
Thus while she breathed of heaven, with decent pride
Her artful hands the radiant tresses tied;
Part on her head in shining ringlets roll'd,
Part o'er her shoulders waved like melted gold.
Around her next a heavenly mantle flow'd,
That rich with Pallas' labour'd colours glow'd:
Large clasps of gold the foldings gather'd round,
A golden zone her swelling bosom bound.
Far-beaming pendants tremble in her ear,
Each gem illumined with a triple star.
Then o'er her head she cast a veil more white
Than new-fallen snow, and dazzling as the light.
Last her fair feet celestial sandals grace.
Thus issuing radiant with majestic pace,
Forth from the dome the imperial goddess moves,
And calls the mother of the smiles and loves.
"How long (to Venus thus apart she cried)
Shall human strife celestial minds divide?
Ah yet, will Venus aid Saturnia's joy,
And set aside the cause of Greece and Troy?"
"Let heaven's dread empress (Cytheraea said)
Speak her request, and deem her will obey'd."
"Then grant me (said the queen) those conquering charms,
That power, which mortals and immortals warms,
That love, which melts mankind in fierce desires,
And burns the sons of heaven with sacred fires!
"For lo! I haste to those remote abodes,
Where the great parents, (sacred source of gods!)
Ocean and Tethys their old empire keep,
On the last limits of the land and deep.
In their kind arms my tender years were past;
What time old Saturn, from Olympus cast,
Of upper heaven to Jove resign'd the reign,
Whelm'd under the huge mass of earth and main.
For strife, I hear, has made the union cease,
Which held so long that ancient pair in peace.
What honour, and what love, shall I obtain,
If I compose those fatal feuds again;
Once more their minds in mutual ties engage,
And, what my youth has owed, repay their age!"
She said. With awe divine, the queen of love
Obey'd the sister and the wife of Jove;
And from her fragrant breast the zone embraced,(233)
With various skill and high embroidery graced.
In this was every art, and every charm,
To win the wisest, and the coldest warm:
Fond love, the gentle vow, the gay desire,
The kind deceit, the still-reviving fire,
Persuasive speech, and the more persuasive sighs,
Silence that spoke, and eloquence of eyes.
This on her hand the Cyprian Goddess laid:
"Take this, and with it all thy wish;" she said.
With smiles she took the charm; and smiling press'd
The powerful cestus to her snowy breast.
Then Venus to the courts of Jove withdrew;
Whilst from Olympus pleased Saturnia flew.
O'er high Pieria thence her course she bore,
O'er fair Emathia's ever-pleasing shore,
O'er Hemus' hills with snows eternal crown'd;
Nor once her flying foot approach'd the ground.
Then taking wing from Athos' lofty steep,
She speeds to Lemnos o'er the rolling deep,
And seeks the cave of Death's half-brother, Sleep.(234)
"Sweet pleasing Sleep! (Saturnia thus began)
Who spread'st thy empire o'er each god and man;
If e'er obsequious to thy Juno's will,
O power of slumbers! hear, and favour still.
Shed thy soft dews on Jove's immortal eyes,
While sunk in love's entrancing joys he lies.
A splendid footstool, and a throne, that shine
With gold unfading, Somnus, shall be thine;
The work of Vulcan; to indulge thy ease,
When wine and feasts thy golden humours please."
"Imperial dame (the balmy power replies),
Great Saturn's heir, and empress of the skies!
O'er other gods I spread my easy chain;
The sire of all, old Ocean, owns my reign.
And his hush'd waves lie silent on the main.
But how, unbidden, shall I dare to steep
Jove's awful temples in the dew of sleep?
Long since, too venturous, at thy bold command,
On those eternal lids I laid my hand;
What time, deserting Ilion's wasted plain,
His conquering son, Alcides, plough'd the main.
When lo! the deeps arise, the tempests roar,
And drive the hero to the Coan shore:
Great Jove, awaking, shook the blest abodes
With rising wrath, and tumbled gods on gods;
Me chief he sought, and from the realms on high
Had hurl'd indignant to the nether sky,
But gentle Night, to whom I fled for aid,
(The friend of earth and heaven,) her wings display'd;
Impower'd the wrath of gods and men to tame,
Even Jove revered the venerable dame."
"Vain are thy fears (the queen of heaven replies,
And, speaking, rolls her large majestic eyes);
Think'st thou that Troy has Jove's high favour won,
Like great Alcides, his all-conquering son?
Hear, and obey the mistress of the skies,
Nor for the deed expect a vulgar prize;
For know, thy loved-one shall be ever thine,
The youngest Grace, Pasithae the divine."(235)
"Swear then (he said) by those tremendous floods
That roar through hell, and bind the invoking gods:
Let the great parent earth one hand sustain,
And stretch the other o'er the sacred main:
Call the black Titans, that with Chronos dwell,
To hear and witness from the depths of hell;
That she, my loved-one, shall be ever mine,
The youngest Grace, Pasithae the divine."
The queen assents, and from the infernal bowers
Invokes the sable subtartarean powers,
And those who rule the inviolable floods,
Whom mortals name the dread Titanian gods.
[Illustration: SLEEP ESCAPING FROM THE WRATH OF JUPITER.]
SLEEP ESCAPING FROM THE WRATH OF JUPITER.
Then swift as wind, o'er Lemnos' smoky isle
They wing their way, and Imbrus' sea-beat soil;
Through air, unseen, involved in darkness glide,
And light on Lectos, on the point of Ide:
(Mother of savages, whose echoing hills
Are heard resounding with a hundred rills:)
Fair Ida trembles underneath the god;
Hush'd are her mountains, and her forests nod.
There on a fir, whose spiry branches rise
To join its summit to the neighbouring skies;
Dark in embowering shade, conceal'd from sight,
Sat Sleep, in likeness of the bird of night.
(Chalcis his name by those of heavenly birth,
But call'd Cymindis by the race of earth.)
To Ida's top successful Juno flies;
Great Jove surveys her with desiring eyes:
The god, whose lightning sets the heavens on fire,
Through all his bosom feels the fierce desire;
Fierce as when first by stealth he seized her charms,
Mix'd with her soul, and melted in her arms:
Fix'd on her eyes he fed his eager look,
Then press'd her hand, and thus with transport spoke:
"Why comes my goddess from the ethereal sky,
And not her steeds and flaming chariot nigh?"
Then she--"I haste to those remote abodes
Where the great parents of the deathless gods,
The reverend Ocean and gray Tethys, reign,
On the last limits of the land and main.
I visit these, to whose indulgent cares
I owe the nursing of my tender years:
For strife, I hear, has made that union cease
Which held so long that ancient pair in peace.
The steeds, prepared my chariot to convey
O'er earth and seas, and through the aerial way,
Wait under Ide: of thy superior power
To ask consent, I leave the Olympian bower;
Nor seek, unknown to thee, the sacred cells
Deep under seas, where hoary Ocean dwells."
"For that (said Jove) suffice another day!
But eager love denies the least delay.
Let softer cares the present hour employ,
And be these moments sacred all to joy.
Ne'er did my soul so strong a passion prove,
Or for an earthly, or a heavenly love:
Not when I press'd Ixion's matchless dame,
Whence rose Pirithous like the gods in fame:
Not when fair Danae felt the shower of gold
Stream into life, whence Perseus brave and bold.
Not thus I burn'd for either Theban dame:
(Bacchus from this, from that Alcides came:)
Nor Phoenix' daughter, beautiful and young,
Whence godlike Rhadamanth and Minos sprung.(236)
Not thus I burn'd for fair Latona's face,
Nor comelier Ceres' more majestic grace.
Not thus even for thyself I felt desire,
As now my veins receive the pleasing fire."
He spoke; the goddess with the charming eyes
Glows with celestial red, and thus replies:
"Is this a scene for love? On Ida's height,
Exposed to mortal and immortal sight!
Our joys profaned by each familiar eye;
The sport of heaven, and fable of the sky:
How shall I e'er review the blest abodes,
Or mix among the senate of the gods?
Shall I not think, that, with disorder'd charms,
All heaven beholds me recent from thy arms?
With skill divine has Vulcan form'd thy bower,
Sacred to love and to the genial hour;
If such thy will, to that recess retire,
In secret there indulge thy soft desire."
She ceased; and, smiling with superior love,
Thus answer'd mild the cloud-compelling Jove:
"Nor god nor mortal shall our joys behold,
Shaded with clouds, and circumfused in gold;
Not even the sun, who darts through heaven his rays,
And whose broad eye the extended earth surveys."
Gazing he spoke, and, kindling at the view,
His eager arms around the goddess threw.
Glad Earth perceives, and from her bosom pours
Unbidden herbs and voluntary flowers:
Thick new-born violets a soft carpet spread,
And clustering lotos swell'd the rising bed,
And sudden hyacinths the turf bestrow,(237)
And flamy crocus made the mountain glow
There golden clouds conceal the heavenly pair,
Steep'd in soft joys and circumfused with air;
Celestial dews, descending o'er the ground,
Perfume the mount, and breathe ambrosia round:
At length, with love and sleep's soft power oppress'd,
The panting thunderer nods, and sinks to rest.
Now to the navy borne on silent wings,
To Neptune's ear soft Sleep his message brings;
Beside him sudden, unperceived, he stood,
And thus with gentle words address'd the god:
"Now, Neptune! now, the important hour employ,
To check a while the haughty hopes of Troy:
While Jove yet rests, while yet my vapours shed
The golden vision round his sacred head;
For Juno's love, and Somnus' pleasing ties,
Have closed those awful and eternal eyes."
Thus having said, the power of slumber flew,
On human lids to drop the balmy dew.
Neptune, with zeal increased, renews his care,
And towering in the foremost ranks of war,
Indignant thus--"Oh once of martial fame!
O Greeks! if yet ye can deserve the name!
This half-recover'd day shall Troy obtain?
Shall Hector thunder at your ships again?
Lo! still he vaunts, and threats the fleet with fires,
While stern Achilles in his wrath retires.
One hero's loss too tamely you deplore,
Be still yourselves, and ye shall need no more.
Oh yet, if glory any bosom warms,
Brace on your firmest helms, and stand to arms:
His strongest spear each valiant Grecian wield,
Each valiant Grecian seize his broadest shield;
Let to the weak the lighter arms belong,
The ponderous targe be wielded by the strong.
Thus arm'd, not Hector shall our presence stay;
Myself, ye Greeks! myself will lead the way."
[Illustration: GREEK SHIELD.]
GREEK SHIELD.
The troops assent; their martial arms they change:
The busy chiefs their banded legions range.
The kings, though wounded, and oppress'd with pain,
With helpful hands themselves assist the train.
The strong and cumbrous arms the valiant wield,
The weaker warrior takes a lighter shield.
Thus sheath'd in shining brass, in bright array
The legions march, and Neptune leads the way:
His brandish'd falchion flames before their eyes,
Like lightning flashing through the frighted skies.
Clad in his might, the earth-shaking power appears;
Pale mortals tremble, and confess their fears.
Troy's great defender stands alone unawed,
Arms his proud host, and dares oppose a god:
And lo! the god, and wondrous man, appear:
The sea's stern ruler there, and Hector here.
The roaring main, at her great master's call,
Rose in huge ranks, and form'd a watery wall
Around the ships: seas hanging o'er the shores,
Both armies join: earth thunders, ocean roars.
Not half so loud the bellowing deeps resound,
When stormy winds disclose the dark profound;
Less loud the winds that from the Æolian hall
Roar through the woods, and make whole forests fall;
Less loud the woods, when flames in torrents pour,
Catch the dry mountain, and its shades devour;
With such a rage the meeting hosts are driven,
And such a clamour shakes the sounding heaven.
The first bold javelin, urged by Hector's force,
Direct at Ajax' bosom winged its course;
But there no pass the crossing belts afford,
(One braced his shield, and one sustain'd his sword.)
Then back the disappointed Trojan drew,
And cursed the lance that unavailing flew:
But 'scaped not Ajax; his tempestuous hand
A ponderous stone upheaving from the sand,
(Where heaps laid loose beneath the warrior's feet,
Or served to ballast, or to prop the fleet,)
Toss'd round and round, the missive marble flings;
On the razed shield the fallen ruin rings,
Full on his breast and throat with force descends;
Nor deaden'd there its giddy fury spends,
But whirling on, with many a fiery round,
Smokes in the dust, and ploughs into the ground.
As when the bolt, red-hissing from above,
Darts on the consecrated plant of Jove,
The mountain-oak in flaming ruin lies,
Black from the blow, and smokes of sulphur rise;
Stiff with amaze the pale beholders stand,
And own the terrors of the almighty hand!
So lies great Hector prostrate on the shore;
His slacken'd hand deserts the lance it bore;
His following shield the fallen chief o'erspread;
Beneath his helmet dropp'd his fainting head;
His load of armour, sinking to the ground,
Clanks on the field, a dead and hollow sound.
Loud shouts of triumph fill the crowded plain;
Greece sees, in hope, Troy's great defender slain:
All spring to seize him; storms of arrows fly,
And thicker javelins intercept the sky.
In vain an iron tempest hisses round;
He lies protected, and without a wound.(238)
Polydamas, Agenor the divine,
The pious warrior of Anchises' line,
And each bold leader of the Lycian band,
With covering shields (a friendly circle) stand,
His mournful followers, with assistant care,
The groaning hero to his chariot bear;
His foaming coursers, swifter than the wind,
Speed to the town, and leave the war behind.
When now they touch'd the mead's enamell'd side,
Where gentle Xanthus rolls his easy tide,
With watery drops the chief they sprinkle round,
Placed on the margin of the flowery ground.
Raised on his knees, he now ejects the gore;
Now faints anew, low-sinking on the shore;
By fits he breathes, half views the fleeting skies,
And seals again, by fits, his swimming eyes.
Soon as the Greeks the chief's retreat beheld,
With double fury each invades the field.
Oilean Ajax first his javelin sped,
Pierced by whose point the son of Enops bled;
(Satnius the brave, whom beauteous Neis bore
Amidst her flocks on Satnio's silver shore;)
Struck through the belly's rim, the warrior lies
Supine, and shades eternal veil his eyes.
An arduous battle rose around the dead;
By turns the Greeks, by turns the Trojans bled.
Fired with revenge, Polydamas drew near,
And at Prothoenor shook the trembling spear;
The driving javelin through his shoulder thrust,
He sinks to earth, and grasps the bloody dust.
"Lo thus (the victor cries) we rule the field,
And thus their arms the race of Panthus wield:
From this unerring hand there flies no dart
But bathes its point within a Grecian heart.
Propp'd on that spear to which thou owest thy fall,
Go, guide thy darksome steps to Pluto's dreary hall."
He said, and sorrow touch'd each Argive breast:
The soul of Ajax burn'd above the rest.
As by his side the groaning warrior fell,
At the fierce foe he launch'd his piercing steel;
The foe, reclining, shunn'd the flying death;
But fate, Archilochus, demands thy breath:
Thy lofty birth no succour could impart,
The wings of death o'ertook thee on the dart;
Swift to perform heaven's fatal will, it fled
Full on the juncture of the neck and head,
And took the joint, and cut the nerves in twain:
The dropping head first tumbled on the plain.
So just the stroke, that yet the body stood
Erect, then roll'd along the sands in blood.
"Here, proud Polydamas, here turn thy eyes!
(The towering Ajax loud-insulting cries:)
Say, is this chief extended on the plain
A worthy vengeance for Prothoenor slain?
Mark well his port! his figure and his face
Nor speak him vulgar, nor of vulgar race;
Some lines, methinks, may make his lineage known,
Antenor's brother, or perhaps his son."
He spake, and smiled severe, for well he knew
The bleeding youth: Troy sadden'd at the view.
But furious Acamas avenged his cause;
As Promachus his slaughtered brother draws,
He pierced his heart--"Such fate attends you all,
Proud Argives! destined by our arms to fall.
Not Troy alone, but haughty Greece, shall share
The toils, the sorrows, and the wounds of war.
Behold your Promachus deprived of breath,
A victim owed to my brave brother's death.
Not unappeased he enters Pluto's gate,
Who leaves a brother to revenge his fate."
Heart-piercing anguish struck the Grecian host,
But touch'd the breast of bold Peneleus most;
At the proud boaster he directs his course;
The boaster flies, and shuns superior force.
But young Ilioneus received the spear;
Ilioneus, his father's only care:
(Phorbas the rich, of all the Trojan train
Whom Hermes loved, and taught the arts of gain:)
Full in his eye the weapon chanced to fall,
And from the fibres scoop'd the rooted ball,
Drove through the neck, and hurl'd him to the plain;
He lifts his miserable arms in vain!
Swift his broad falchion fierce Peneleus spread,
And from the spouting shoulders struck his head;
To earth at once the head and helmet fly;
The lance, yet sticking through the bleeding eye,
The victor seized; and, as aloft he shook
The gory visage, thus insulting spoke:
"Trojans! your great Ilioneus behold!
Haste, to his father let the tale be told:
Let his high roofs resound with frantic woe,
Such as the house of Promachus must know;
Let doleful tidings greet his mother's ear,
Such as to Promachus' sad spouse we bear,
When we victorious shall to Greece return,
And the pale matron in our triumphs mourn."
Dreadful he spoke, then toss'd the head on high;
The Trojans hear, they tremble, and they fly:
Aghast they gaze around the fleet and wall,
And dread the ruin that impends on all.
Daughters of Jove! that on Olympus shine,
Ye all-beholding, all-recording nine!
O say, when Neptune made proud Ilion yield,
What chief, what hero first embrued the field?
Of all the Grecians what immortal name,
And whose bless'd trophies, will ye raise to fame?
Thou first, great Ajax! on the unsanguined plain
Laid Hyrtius, leader of the Mysian train.
Phalces and Mermer, Nestor's son o'erthrew,
Bold Merion, Morys and Hippotion slew.
Strong Periphaetes and Prothoon bled,
By Teucer's arrows mingled with the dead,
Pierced in the flank by Menelaus' steel,
His people's pastor, Hyperenor fell;
Eternal darkness wrapp'd the warrior round,
And the fierce soul came rushing through the wound.
But stretch'd in heaps before Oileus' son,
Fall mighty numbers, mighty numbers run;
Ajax the less, of all the Grecian race
Skill'd in pursuit, and swiftest in the chase.
[Illustration: BACCHUS.]
BACCHUS. 其時，特洛伊人奪路奔逃，越過壕溝，繞過
尖樁，許多人死在達奈戰勇手下，及至
跑到馬車邊，方纔收住腿步，站穩腳跟，
嚇得直眉瞪眼，臉色蒼白。其時，宙斯一覺醒來，
在伊達山巔，享用金座的赫拉身邊，
猛地站立起來，看到阿開亞人和特洛伊人，
一方正在潰敗，另一方把他們趕得遑遑逃竄；
阿耳吉維人攻勢猛烈，由王者波塞鼕領頭。
他看到赫剋托耳正躺身平野——夥伴們圍坐在
他的身邊——痛苦地喘着粗氣，心神恍惚，
口吐鮮血；擊傷他的人可不是阿開亞人中的懦漢。
見着此般情景，神和人的父親心生憐憫，
破口大駡，對着赫拉，濃眉下閃射出兇狠的目光：
“難以駕馭的赫拉，用你的詭計，狠毒的計劃，
將卓越的赫剋托耳逐出戰鬥，驅散了他的軍隊。
我確信，這場引來痛苦的詭計將使你
第一個受懲——我將用鞭子狠狠地抽打。
還記得嗎，那一次，我把你挂在半空，在你腳上
綁吊兩上鐵砧，用掙不斷的金鏈
捆住你的雙手？你被懸在雲層間，晴亮的
氣空裏。巍巍的俄林波斯山上，諸神
雖然憤怒，卻不能為你鬆綁，幹站着，束手無策。倘若
讓我逮住一個，我就會緊捏住他，把他甩出門檻，摔倒在
大地上，氣息奄奄。然而，即便這樣，也難去我心頭
不可消止的愁憤，為了神一樣的赫拉剋勒斯。
你，懷着險惡的用心，依藉北風的助襯，
唆使風暴，把他推過荒瘠的大海，
衝操到人丁興旺的科斯。然而，
我把他從那裏救出，帶回到
馬草豐肥的阿耳戈斯，其時，他已歷經磨難。
我要你記住這一切，以便打消欺騙我的念頭，
知道床第間的歡悅會給你帶來什麽好處——
和我睡在一起，從衆神那邊過來，欺詐蒙騙！”
宙斯一頓怒駡，牛晴眼夫人赫拉心裏害怕，
開口告辯，用長了翅膀的話語：
“讓大地和遼闊的天空為我作證，
還有斯圖剋斯的潑水——幸福的神祗誓約，
以此最為莊重，最具可怕的威懾。
我還要以你的神聖的頭腦作證，以我們的婚姻
和睡床——對此，至少是我，不敢信口誓言。
裂地之神波塞鼕並非秉承我的意志，
加害於特洛伊人和赫剋托耳，助信他們的敵人，
而是受他自己激情的催使，風風火火地幹出此番事件。
他目睹阿開亞人已被逼退船邊，由此心生憐憫。
真的，我沒有讓他這麽做；相反，我願勸他跟着
你的路子循走，按你的號令行事；你，駕馭烏雲的神主。”
她言罷，神和人的父親喜笑顔開，
欣然作答，用長了翅膀的話語：
“好極了，赫拉。今後，我的牛眼睛王後，
要是你，在神的議事會上，能和我所見略同，
那麽，儘管事與願違，波塞鼕
必須馬上改變主意，順從你我的意志。
如果你剛纔說的句句都是實話，不摻半點虛假，
那就前往神的部族，給我召來
伊裏絲，還有著名的弓手阿波羅；
我要讓伊裏絲前往身披銅甲的阿開亞人的
群隊，給王者波塞鼕捎去口信，
讓他離開戰場，回到自己的傢居。此外，
我要福伊波斯·阿波羅催勵赫剋托耳重返戰鬥，
再次給他吹人力量，使他忘卻耗糜
心神的痛苦。要他把阿開亞人趕得
暈頭轉嚮，驚慌失措，再次回逃，
跌跌撞撞地跑上裴琉斯之子阿基琉斯的
條板衆多的海船。阿基琉斯將差遣他的伴友
帕特羅剋勒斯出戰，而光榮的赫剋托耳會出手把他擊倒，
在伊利昂城前，在他殺死許多年輕的兵勇，
包括我自己的兒子、英武的薩耳裴鼕之後。出於對
帕特羅剋洛斯之死的暴怒，卓越的阿基琉斯將殺死赫剋托耳。
從那以後，我將從船邊扭轉戰爭的潮頭。
不再變更，不再退阻，直到阿開亞人
按雅典娜的意願，攻下峻峭的伊利昂。
但在此之前，我將不會平息我的盛怒，也不會讓
任何一位神祗站到達奈人一邊，
直到實現裴琉斯之子的祈願。
我早已答應此事，點過我的頭，
就在那一天，永生的塞提絲抱住我的膝蓋，
求我讓蕩劫城堡的阿基琉斯獲得尊榮。”
他言罷，白臂女神赫拉謹遵不違，
從伊達山脈直奔高高的俄林波斯，
快得像一個閃念，掠過某人的心際——
他走南闖北，心頭思緒萬千，翻涌着
各種遐想：“但願能去這個地方，或那個地方。”
就以此般迅捷，神後赫拉穿飛在空間，
來到峻峭的俄林波斯，永生的神祗
中間，其時全都彙聚在宙斯的宮居裏。衆神
見她前來，全都起身離座，圍擁在她的身邊，舉杯相迎。
但赫拉走過諸神，接過美貌的
塞彌絲的酒杯，因她第一個跑來迎候，
對她說話，用長了翅膀的言語：
“赫拉，為何回返，神情如此沮喪黯淡？
我知道，是剋羅諾斯之子，你的丈夫，嚇着了你。”
聽罷這番話，白臂女神赫拉答道：
“不要問我這些，女神塞彌絲。你也
知道他的脾性，該有多麽固執和傲慢。
你可繼續主持這次份額公平的餐會，在神的房居裏。
你會聽到我的敘說，你和所有的神祗，
聽聽宙斯如何謀示一係列兇暴的行徑！告訴你們，
這一切不會帶來皆大歡喜，不管是人
還是神，雖然他現時仍可享受吃喝的歡悅。”
言罷，神後赫拉彎身下坐，宙斯房居
裏的衆神個個心緒煩憤。赫拉嘴角
帶笑，但黑眉上卻扛頂着緊蹙的
額頭。帶着憤怒的心情，她對所有的神祗說道：
“我們都是傻瓜，試圖和宙斯作對——簡直是昏了頭！
我們仍在想着接近他，挫阻他的行動，
通過勸議或爭鬥，但是，他遠遠地坐在那裏，既不關心我們，
也不把我們放在眼裏，聲稱他是神中
最了不起的天尊，力氣最大，威勢最猛。
所以，爾等各位必須接受他送來的任何苦痛。
不是嗎？舉例說吧，阿瑞斯就已經嘗到了他所釀下的悲愁。
他的兒子已僵死戰場，凡間他最鐘愛的人，
阿斯卡拉福斯——粗 莽的阿瑞斯聲稱此人出自他的神種。”
她言罷，阿瑞斯掄起手掌，擊打兩條
粗壯的股腿，悲憤交加，嚷道：
“現在，傢居俄林波斯的衆神，你們誰也不能責難於我，
倘若我前往阿開亞人的海船，為死難的兒子
報仇，即使我命該遭受宙斯的擊打，
那炸頂的霹靂，仰躺在血污和泥土裏，死人的身旁！”
言罷，他命囑騷亂和恐懼
套車，自己則穿上閃亮的鎧甲。其時，
此番作為可能激發一場新的暴怒，又一次痛苦，
程度更深，危害更烈，來自宙斯的狂怒，衝着此間的衆神，
若不是雅典娜，擔心神族中鬧出更大的亂子，
跳離座椅，穿過門廊，從
他的頭上摘下帽盔，從他的肩上取過戰盾，
從他粗壯的手中奪過銅槍，放到
一邊，出言責備，對盛怒的阿瑞斯：
“你瘋啦？真是糊塗至極，想要自取滅亡？！你的耳朵
衹是個擺設，你的心智已失去理解和判識的功能。
沒聽清白臂女神赫拉對我們講說的那番話語？
她可是剛從俄林波斯大神宙斯那邊過來。
你在嗜想得到什麽？想等吃夠了苦頭之後，
被迫回到俄林波斯，強忍着悲痛？
你會給我們大傢埋下不幸和痛苦的惡種！
宙斯將迅速丟下阿開亞人和心志高昂的
特洛伊人，回到俄林波斯，狠狠地揍打我們，
一個不饒，不管是做了錯事的，還是清白無辜的神仙。
所以，我要你消泄激之於喪子的憤煩。
眼下，某個比他力氣更大、手勁更足的壯勇
已被或即將被人殺倒，要想拯救所有的
凡人，每一位母親的孩子，談何容易！”
言罷，他把勇 莽的阿瑞斯送回座椅。
其時，赫拉把阿波羅和伊裏絲，
神界的信使，叫到殿外，
啓口發話，用長了翅膀的言語：
“宙斯命你二位，火速趕往伊達面見。
你倆到了那裏，一經見過他的臉面，
就要立刻按他的要求和命囑行事。”
神後赫拉言罷，回身廳堂，在自己的
位子上就座。兩位神祗一路騰飛，快得像一道閃電，
來到多泉的伊達，野獸的母親，
發現沉雷遠播的剋羅諾斯之子靜坐在你耳伽羅斯
峰巔，頂着一朵浮雲，一個芬芳的霞冠。
他倆來到彙聚烏雲的宙斯面前，站定
等候，後者看着二位到來，心情舒展——
瞧，服從我那夫人的旨意，他倆可真夠快捷。
他先對伊裏絲發話，用長了翅膀的言語：
“上路吧，快捷的伊裏絲，找到王者波塞鼕，
捎去我的口信，不得有誤。命他
即刻脫離戰鬥和廝殺，回返
神的部族，或潛人閃亮的大海。
倘若他不聽我的諭令，或對它置若罔聞，
那就讓他好好想一想，在他的心魂裏——
儘管強健，他可吃不住我的
攻打。告訴他，我的力氣遠比他大，
而且比他年長。然而，在內心深處，他總以為
可與我平起平坐，儘管在我面前，其他神明全都嚇得畏畏縮縮。”
他言罷，快腿追風的伊裏絲謹遵不違，
衝下伊達的峰脊，前往神聖的伊利昂。
像瀉至雲層的雪片或冷峻的冰雹，
挾着高天哺育的北風吹送的寒流，
風快的伊裏絲急不可待地嚮前飛闖，
來到著名的裂地之神身邊，站定，開口說道：
“黑發的環地之神，我給你捎來一個口信，
受帶埃吉斯的宙斯命托，特來此地，轉告於你。
他命你脫離戰鬥和廝殺，回返
神的部族，或潛人閃亮的大海。
他威脅道，倘若你不聽諭令，或對它
置若罔聞，他就將親自出手，和你打鬥，
進行一場力對力的較量。但是，他警告你
不要惹他動手，聲言他的力氣遠比你大，
而且比你年長。儘管如此，你在內心深處，總以為可以
和他平起平坐，雖然在他面前，其他神明全都嚇得畏畏縮縮。”
聽罷這番話，著名的裂地之神怒不可遏，嚷道：
“真是橫蠻至極！雖然他很了不起，但他的話語近乎強暴！
他打算強行改變我的意志，不是嗎？——我，一位和他一般尊
榮的神仙。
我們弟兄三個，剋羅諾斯的兒子，全由蕾誣所生，
宙斯，我，還有三弟哀地斯，冥界的王者。
宇宙一分為三，我們兄弟各得一份。
當搖起鬮拈，我抽得灰藍色的海洋，作為
永久的傢居；哀地斯抽得幽渾、黑暗的冥府，
而宙斯得獲廣阔的天穹、雲朵和透亮的氣空。
大地和高聳的俄林波斯歸我們三神共有。
所以，我沒有理由惟宙斯的意志是從！讓他滿足於
自己的份子，在平和的氣氛裏，雖然他力大無窮！
讓他不要再來嚇唬我，用那雙強有力的大手，仿佛
我是個弱漢懦夫。把這些狂暴和恐嚇留給
他們，留給他的那些兒女們去吧——
他是老子，不管訓說什麽，他們必須服從！”
聽罷這番話，快腿追風的伊裏絲答道：
“且慢，黑發的環地之神。你真的要我給宙斯
捎去此番口信，此番嚴厲、頂撞的話語？
想不想略作修改？所有高貴的心智都可接受通變；
你知道復仇女神，她們總是站在長兄一邊。”
聽罷這番話，裂地之神波塞鼕答道：
“說得好，女神伊裏絲，說得好哇！
信使知曉辦事的分寸，這可真是件好事。
但宙斯的作為深深地傷痛了我的心魂，
居然用橫蠻的話語責駡一位和他
地位相似、命賦相同的天神。
儘管如此，這一次我就讓了他，強壓住心頭的煩憤。
但是，我要告訴你，我的威脅中帶着憤怒：
如果他打算撇開我和掠劫者的助信雅典娜，
撇開赫拉、赫耳墨斯和火神赫法伊斯托斯，
救下陡峭的伊利昂，不讓它遭諸
蕩劫，不讓阿耳吉維人獲取輝煌的勝利，
那麽，讓他牢牢記住，我們之間的憤隙將永遠不會有平填！”
裂地之神言罷，離開阿開亞軍隊，
潛人大海，給阿開亞勇士留下了深切的盼念。
其時，彙聚烏雲的宙斯對阿波羅說道：
“去吧，親愛的阿波羅，前往頭頂銅盔的赫剋托耳身邊，
環繞和震撼大地的波塞鼕已在此時
潛人閃光的大海，避免了我們的
暴怒。要是我們動起手來，神們就會聽到打鬥的
轟響，就連地下的神祗，彙聚在剋羅諾斯身邊，也不例外。
如此處理，對我有利，對他亦好——
他躲離了我的雙手，儘管心中憤惱；
否則，辦妥此事，我們總得忙出一身熱汗。
現在，你可拿起流蘇飄蕩的埃吉斯，
奮力搖晃，嚇返阿開亞壯勇。
然後，我的遠射手，你要親自關心光榮的赫剋托耳，
給他註入巨大的勇力，直到阿開亞人
撒腿逃跑，及至他們的海船和赫勒斯龐特的水流。
從那以後，我會用我的計劃，我的行動，
使阿開亞人，在經受了一次重創之後，捲土重來。”
他言罷，阿波羅謹遵父命，
從伊達的嶺脊上下來，化作一隻疾衝的
鷂鷹，飛禽中最快的羽鳥，鴿子的剋星。
他發現卓越的赫剋托耳，聰慧的普裏阿摩斯之子，
已經坐立起來，不再叉腿躺地，重新收聚起失去的勇力，
認出了身邊的夥伴。他汗水停流，粗氣
不喘，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的意志煥發了他的活力。
遠射手阿波羅站在他的身邊，對他說道：
“赫剋托耳，普裏阿摩斯之子，為何離開衆人，
虛虛弱弱的坐在這裏？遇到了什麽麻煩？”
體弱的赫剋托耳掙紮着回答，頂着鋥亮的帽盔：
“你是誰，高高在上的神祗中的哪一位，和我面對面地
說話？你不知道嗎？在阿開亞人的海船邊，
正當我奮力砍殺他的夥伴之際，嘯吼戰場的埃阿斯
搬起一塊巨石，砸在我的胸口，剎住了我的狂烈。
我剛纔還在想着，一旦命息離我而去，就在今天，那麽，
我就該奔人埃地斯的冥府，和死人作伴。”
聽罷這番話，王者、遠射手阿波羅說道：
“鼓起勇氣！看看剋羅諾斯之子給你送來了多大的幫助，
從伊達山上，讓我站在你的身邊，保護你的安全。
我乃提金劍的福伊波斯·阿波羅，過去曾經
救護過你和你的陡峭的城堡。
幹起來吧，命令衆多的馭手，
趕起快馬，殺嚮深曠的海船。
我將衝在你們前頭，為車馬
清道，逼退強健的阿開亞壯漢！”
言罷，他給兵士的牧者吹入巨大的勇力。
如同一匹關在棚廄裏的兒馬，在食槽上吃得肚飽腰圓，
掙脫繩索，蹄聲隆隆地飛跑在平原，
直奔常去的澡地，一條水流清疾的長河，
神氣活現地高昂着馬頭，頸背上長鬃
飄灑，陶醉於自己的勇力，跑開
迅捷的腿步，撲嚮草場，兒馬愛去的地方。
就像這樣，赫剋托耳一聽到神的聲音，馬上飛快地
擺動起雙腿和膝蓋，催令馭者們嚮前。
見過這樣的情景嗎？山裏的獵人，帶着獵狗，
追捕一頭帶角的公鹿或野山羊，
但因獵物被陡峻的岩壁或投影森森的樹林遮掩，
使他們由此意識到自己沒有捕獲的運氣——不僅如此，
他們的喊叫還引出一頭碩大的、虯須滿面的
獅子，突起追趕，把他們嚇得四散奔逃。
就像這樣，達奈人隊形密集，窮追不捨，
奮力砍殺，用劍和雙刃的槍矛；然而，
當他們看到赫剋托耳重返戰場，穿行在隊伍裏時，
全都嚇得驚慌失措，酥軟的腿腳渙解了戰鬥的勇力。
其時，索阿斯出面喊話，安德萊蒙之子，
埃托利亞人中最傑出的戰將，精熟投槍技巧，
善於近戰殺敵。集會上，年輕人
雄爭漫辯，但卻很少有人趕超他的口才。
他心懷善意，開口對衆人說道：
“這可能嗎？我的眼前真是出現了奇跡！
赫剋托耳居然又能站立起來，躲過
死的精靈。我們，每一個人都在由衷地企盼，
希望他已倒死在忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯手下。
現在，某位神明前往相助，救活了
赫剋托耳；此人已酥軟了許多達奈人的膝腿。
眼下，我知道，他又有了宰殺的機會。若是沒有雷聲隆隆的
宙斯扶持，他絶然不能站在隊伍的前列，捲着騰騰的殺氣。
來吧，按我說的做，誰也不要執拗。
讓一般兵衆後撤，退回海船，而
我們自己，我們這些聲稱全軍中最好的戰勇，
要堅守原地，以便率先和他接戰，把他擋離衆人，
用端舉在手的槍矛。我相信，儘管兇狠狂暴，
他會感到心虛膽怯，不敢殺人我們達奈人的隊陣間！”
衆人認真聽完他的議言，欣然從命。
兵勇們迅速集聚，圍繞在挨阿斯和王者伊多墨紐斯身邊，
圍繞在丟剋羅斯、墨裏俄奈斯和戰神般的墨格斯身邊，
編成密集的隊形，準備廝殺，召呼着最善戰的壯勇，
迎戰赫剋托耳和特洛伊人。在他們身後，
一般兵衆正移步後撤，退回阿開亞人的海船。
特洛伊人隊形密集，迎面撲來，赫剋托耳邁着大步
領頭進擊；福伊波斯·阿波羅走在隊列的前面，
肩上籠罩着雲霧，握着可怕的埃吉斯，
光彩爍爍，流蘇飛揚，挾風捲暴，由神匠
赫法伊斯托斯手鑄，供宙斯攜用，驚散凡人的營陣。
雙手緊握這面神盾，阿波羅率導着特洛伊兵衆。
然而，阿耳吉維人編隊緊湊，嚴陣以待；尖嘯的殺聲
拔地而起，從交戰的隊陣；羽箭跳出
弓弦，槍矛飛出粗壯的大手，雨點
一般，有的紮入迅捷的年輕戰勇，
還有許多落在兩軍之間，不曾碰着白亮的皮膚，
紮在泥地上，帶着撕咬人肉的欲念。
衹要福伊波斯·阿波羅緊握着埃吉斯，不予搖動，
雙方的投械便能頻頻擊中對手，打得屍滾人亡。
但是，當阿波羅凝目駕馭快馬的達奈人的臉面，
搖動埃吉斯，發出一聲驚天動地的呼吼時，他們
全都嚇得膛目結舌，忘棄了殺敵的狂烈。
像兩頭猛獸，仗着漆黑的夜色，
驚跑了一群牛或一大群羊，突擊
撲襲，趁着牧人不在之際——阿開亞人
驚慌失措，心疲手軟，拔腿奔逃，全綫崩潰；阿波羅
給他們註入驚恐，把光榮送給了特洛伊人和赫剋托耳。
戰場上混亂不堪，到處人殺人砍。
赫剋托耳首先殺死斯提基俄斯和阿耳開西勞斯，
一位是身披銅用的波伊俄提亞人的首領，
另一位是心胸豪壯的墨奈修斯信賴的夥伴。
埃內阿斯殺了墨鼕和亞索斯，其中，
墨鼕是神一樣的俄伊紐斯的
私生子，埃阿斯的兄弟，但卻居傢
夫拉凱，遠離故鄉，因他殺過一個親戚，
俄伊紐斯之妻、庶母厄裏娥丕絲的兄弟。
亞索斯是雅典人的首領，人稱
斯菲洛斯之子，而斯菲洛斯又是布科洛斯的兒男。
普魯達馬斯殺了墨基斯丟斯；波利忒斯，首當其衝，
殺了厄基俄斯；卓越的阿格諾耳放倒了剋洛尼俄斯。
帕裏斯擊中代俄科斯，在他從前排逃遁之際，
從後面打在肩座上，銅尖穿透了胸背。
他們動手搶剝鎧甲；與此同時，阿開亞人
跌跌撞撞地擠塞在深溝的尖樁之間，
東奔西跑，驚恐萬狀，擁攘着退人墻垣。
其時，赫剋托耳放開喉嚨，對着特洛伊人喊叫：
“全力以赴，衝嚮海船，扔下這些帶血的戰禮！
要是讓我發現有人畏縮不前，遠離着海船，
我將就地把他處死，並不讓他的親人，
無論男女，火焚他的屍體——
暴躺在我們城前，讓俄狗把他撕裂！”
言罷，他手起一鞭，策馬嚮前，
張嘴呼喊，響聲傳遍特洛伊人的隊列，後者群起呼應，
狂蠻粗野，催趕拉着戰車的馭馬。
福伊波斯·阿波羅居前開路，
擡腿輕輕鬆鬆地踢蹋深溝的
壁沿，墊平溝底，鋪出一條通道，
既長且寬，橫面約等於槍矛的“次投程——
投者揮手拋擲，試察自己的臂力。
隊伍浩浩蕩蕩，潮水般地涌來，由阿波羅率領，
握着那面了不得的埃吉斯，輕鬆地平掃着阿開亞人的
墻垣。像個玩沙海邊的小男孩，
聚沙成堆，以此雛兒勾當，聊以自娛，
然後手忙腳亂，破毀自壘的沙堆，僅此兒戲一場——
就像這樣，你遠射手阿波羅，把阿耳吉維人的護墻，辛勞和悲傷的
結晶，搗了個稀裏嘩拉，把兵勇們趕得遑遑奔逃。
他們跑回船邊，收住腿步，站穩腳跟，
相互間大聲喊叫，人人揚起雙手，
高聲誦說，對所有的神明，而
格瑞尼亞的奈斯托耳，阿開亞人的監護，更是首當其衝，
舉手過頭，對着多星的天空，朗聲作禱：
“還記得嗎，父親宙斯，我們中有人，在麥穗金黃的阿耳戈斯，
給你燒祭過牛羊的腿肉，多脂的肉片，
求盼能夠重返傢園，而你曾點頭允諾。
記住這一切，俄林波斯大神，把我們救出這殘酷無情的一天！
不要讓特洛伊人打趴阿開亞兵勇，像如此這般！”
老人涌畢，多謀善斷的宙斯聽到了
奈琉斯之子的聲音，炸開一聲動地的響雷。
然而，特洛伊人，耳聞帶埃吉斯的宙斯甩出的炸雷，
振奮狂烈的戰鬥激情，更加兇猛地撲嚮阿耳吉維兵漢。
像洶涌的巨浪，翻騰在水勢浩瀚的大洋，
受勁風的推送——此君極善興波
作浪——衝打着海船的殼面，
特洛伊人高聲呼喊，衝過護墻，
趕着馬車，戰鬥在船尾的邊沿。近戰中，
特洛伊人投出雙刃的槍矛，從駕乘的馬車上，
阿開亞人則爬上烏黑的海船，居高臨下，
投出海戰用的長桿的標槍，堆放在倉板上，
桿段相連，頂着青銅的矛尖。
阿開亞人和特洛伊人遠離海船，在護墻邊
拼死相搏，苦戰良久，而在此期間，帕特羅剋洛斯
一直坐在雍雅的歐魯普洛斯的營棚，
用話語歡悅他的心胸，為他敷抹槍藥，
在紅腫的傷口，減緩黑沉沉的疼痛。
但是，當眼見特洛伊人已掃過護墻，
耳聞達奈人在潰逃中發出的喧叫，
帕特羅剋洛斯哀聲長嘆，掄起手掌，
擊打兩邊的股腿，痛苦地說道：
“歐魯普洛斯，我不能再呆留此地，
雖然你很需要——那邊已爆發了一場惡戰！
現在，讓你的一位隨從負責照料，而我將
即刻趕回營地，催勸阿基琉斯參戰。興許，
誰知道，憑藉神的助佑，我或許可用懇切的規勸，
喚起他的激情；朋友的勸說自有它的功效。”
言罷，他擡腿上路。戰地上，阿開亞人
仍在頑強抵禦特洛伊人的進攻，但儘管後者
人少，他們卻不能把敵人打離船隊，
而特洛伊人亦沒有足夠的勇力，衝垮達奈人的
隊伍，把他們逼回營棚和海船。
像一條緊綳的粉綫，劃過製作海船的木料，
捏在一位有經驗的木匠手裏，受雅典娜的，
啓示，工匠精熟本行的門道——就像這樣，
拼戰的雙方勢均力敵，進退相恃。其時，
沿着海船，戰勇們搏殺在不同的地段，
但赫剋托耳卻對着光榮的埃阿斯直衝，
為爭奪一條海船，他倆拼命苦戰，誰也不能如願。
赫剋托耳不能趕跑埃阿斯，然後放火燒船；
埃阿斯亦無法打退赫剋托耳，因為對手憑仗着
神的催勵。英武的埃阿斯出槍擊倒卡勒托耳，
剋魯提俄斯之子，打在胸脯上，在他舉着火把，跑嚮海船之際。
他挺身倒下，轟然一聲，火把脫手落地。
赫剋托耳，眼見堂兄弟倒身
泥塵，在烏黑的海船前，提高嗓門，
大聲呼喊，對着特洛伊人和魯基亞戰勇：
“特洛伊人，魯基亞人和達耳達尼亞人，近戰殺敵的勇士們！
狹路相逢，爾等不得後退半步；
救出剋魯提俄斯之子，不要讓阿開亞人
搶剝他的鎧甲；他已倒死在海船擱聚的灘沿！”
言罷，他投出閃亮的槍矛，對着
埃阿斯，但槍尖偏離，擊中馬斯托耳之子魯科弗榮，
埃阿斯的伴友，來自神聖的庫塞拉——因在
家乡欠下一條人命——一直和他住在一起。
赫剋托耳鋒快的銅槍劈人頭骨，耳朵上邊，
其時他正站在埃阿斯身邊。魯科弗榮從船尾
倒下，四腳朝天，死亡酥軟了他的肢腿。
埃阿斯見狀，渾身顫嗦，對他的兄弟喊道：
“丟剋羅斯，我的朋友，我們信賴的夥伴已被殺死，
馬斯托耳之子，從庫塞拉來找我們；在傢裏，
我們敬他像對親愛的父母。
現在，心胸豪壯的赫剋托耳殺了他。老朋友，你的傢夥呢，
那見血封喉的利箭，還有福伊波斯·阿波羅賜送的強弓？”
聽聞此番說告，丟羅斯跑來站在他的身邊，
手握嚮後開拉的弓彎和裝着羽箭的
袋壺，對着特洛伊人射出了飛箭。
首先，他射倒了剋雷托斯，裴塞諾耳光榮的兒子，
潘蘇斯之子、高貴的普魯達馬斯的馭手。
其時，剋雷托斯正手握繮繩，忙着調馭戰馬，
趕嚮隊群最多、人們惶亂奔跑的地方，
以博取赫剋托耳和特洛伊人的歡心。然而，突至的死亡
奪走了他的生命，誰也救擋不得，雖然他們都很願意——
鋒快的箭矢從後面紮進脖子；
他倒出戰車，捷蹄的快馬驚得前腿
騰立，把空車顛得蹦嘎作響。普魯達馬斯，
馭馬的主人，即刻註意到這邊發生的事情，第一個跑來，站擋
在馬頭前。
他把馭馬交給阿斯圖努斯，普羅提昂的兒子，
嚴令他關註戰鬥的情勢，將馬車停勒在
戰地的近旁，自己則返身前排首領的隊列。
其時，丟剋羅斯復又抽出一枝利箭，對着頭頂銅盔的
赫剋托耳。倘若擊中他，在他殺得正起勁的時候，捅碎
他的心魂，丟剋羅斯便能中止他的拼殺，在阿開亞人的海船邊；
然而，他躲不過宙斯的算計，後者正保護着
赫剋托耳，不讓忒拉蒙之子爭得榮光。
在丟剋羅斯開弓發箭之際，他扯斷緊擰的弓弦，
在漂亮的弓桿上——帶着銅鏃的箭矢
斜飛出去，漫無目標，彎弓脫手落地。
圖丟斯之子見狀，渾身顫嗦，對兄弟說道：
“真是背透了——瞧，神明阻撓春我們戰鬥，粉碎了
我們的計劃！他打落我的弓弩，扯斷了
新近編擰的弦綫，今晨方纔按上
弓桿，以便承受連續綳放的羽箭。”
聽罷這番話，忒拉蒙之子、高大的埃阿斯答道：
“算了，我的朋友，放下你的弓弩和雨點般的
快箭，既然某位神祗怨懣達奈人，意欲把他們攪亂。
去吧，去拿一枝粗長的槍矛，背上一面戰盾，
逼近特洛伊兵勇，催趕你的部屬嚮前。
不要讓敵人，雖然他們已打亂我們的陣腳，輕而易舉地
奪獲我們凳板堅固的海船。讓我們欣享戰鬥的狂烈！”
他言罷，丟剋羅斯將彎弓放回營硼，
挎起一面戰盾，厚厚的四層牛皮，
在碩大的腦袋上戴好製作精美的頭盔，
頂着馬鬃的盔冠，搖曳出鎮人的威嚴。
然後，他抓起一桿粗重的槍矛，按着犀利的銅尖，
拔腿回程，一路快跑，趕至埃阿斯身邊。
赫剋托耳目睹丟剋羅斯的箭矢歪飛斜舞，
提高嗓門，大聲呼喊，對着特洛伊人和魯基亞戰勇：
“特洛伊人，魯基亞人和達耳達尼亞人，近戰殺敵的勇士們！
拿出男子漢的勇氣，我的朋友們，鼓起狂烈的戰鬥激情，
衝殺在深曠的海船邊！我已親眼目睹，
宙斯歪阻了離弦的羽箭，出自他們中最好的弓手。
宙斯給凡人的助佑顯而易見——
要麽把勝利的榮光贈送一方，
要麽削弱另一方的力量，不予保護，就像
現在一樣，他削弱着阿耳吉維人的力量，為我們助佑。
勇敢戰鬥吧，一起拼殺在海船旁！若是有人
被死和命運俘獲，被投來或捅來的槍矛擊倒，
那就讓他死去吧——為保衛故土捐軀，他
死得光榮！他的妻兒將因此得救，
他的傢居和財産將不致毀於兵火，衹要阿開亞人
乘坐海船，回返他們熱愛的故園！”
一番話使大傢鼓起了勇氣，增添了力量。
在戰場的另一邊，埃阿斯亦在大聲喊叫，對着他的夥伴：
“可恥，你們這些阿耳吉維人！眼下，成敗在此一搏，
要麽死去，要麽存活，將毀滅打離我們的船邊！
你們想讓頭盔鋥亮的赫剋托耳奪走海船，
然後踏着海浪，徒步走回故鄉嗎？
沒聽見他正對着屬下大喊大叫，怒不可遏，
打算燒毀我們的海船嗎？他不是
邀請他們去跳舞；他在命促他們去拼殺！
現在，我們手頭沒有更好的出路，更好的辦法，
衹有鼓足勇氣，和他們手對手地拼鬥。
不是死，便是活，一戰定下輸贏——
這比我們目前的處境要好：被擠在血腥的戰場上，
受辱於那些比我們低劣的戰勇，一籌莫展地睏縮在海船邊！”
一番話使大傢鼓起了勇氣，增添了力量。
戰地上，赫剋托耳殺了裴裏墨得斯之子斯凱底俄斯，
福基斯人的首領，而埃阿斯則殺了勞達馬斯，
步卒的首領，安忒諾耳英武的兒子。
普魯達馬斯放倒了庫勒奈人俄托斯，夫琉斯
之子墨格斯的夥伴，心胸豪壯的厄利斯人的
首領。墨格斯見狀投出槍矛，但普魯達馬斯
彎身閃避，投槍不曾擊中——阿波羅
不會讓潘蘇斯之子倒下，在前排的壯勇裏。
但墨格斯的槍矛擊中剋羅伊斯摩斯的胸口，
後者隨即倒地，轟然一聲；墨格斯剝下鎧甲，
從他的肩頭，就在此刻，多洛普斯朝着墨格斯撲來，
多洛普斯，朗波斯之子，槍技精熟，勞墨鼕的
孫子，朗波斯的兒子中最強健的一個，善打惡仗的壯勇。
他迫近出槍，捅在夫琉斯之子的盾心，
但卻不能穿透胸甲——此甲堅固，
金屬的塊片緊密銜連，昔日夫琉斯把它
帶回傢裏，從塞勒埃斯河畔的厄芙拉，
得之於一位友好的客主，民衆的王者歐菲忒斯，
讓他穿着這副胸甲，臨陣出戰，抵擋敵人的進攻。
現在，胸甲救了他的兒子，使他免於死亡。
然而，墨格斯出槍擊中多洛斯銅盔
的頂冠，厚厚的馬鬃上，將冠飾
搗離頭盔，打落在地，
躺倒泥塵，閃着簇新的紫藍；
多洛普斯不為所動，堅持戰鬥，仍然懷抱獲勝的希願。
其時，嗜戰的墨奈勞斯趕來助陣，
手握槍矛，從一個不為察覺的死角進逼，從後面甩手
出槍，擊中多洛普斯的肩背；銅槍挾着狂烈，往裏鑽咬，
穿透了胸腔。多洛普斯輕搖着身子，砰然倒地，頭臉朝下。
他倆猛撲上前，搶剝銅甲，從他的
肩上。其時，赫剋托耳開口發話，對着親屬們呼喊，
是的，對所有的親屬，但首先是對希開塔昂之子，
強健的墨拉尼波斯。他曾在裴耳科忒放牧腿步
蹣跚的肥牛，在很久以前，敵人仍在遙遠的地方；
但是，當達奈人乘坐彎翹的海船抵岸後，
他回返伊利昂，成為特洛伊人中出類拔萃的壯勇，
和普裏阿摩斯同住，後者愛他，像對自己的兒男。
但現在，赫剋托耳對他出言訓駡，叫着他的名字：
“墨拉尼波斯，難道我們就這樣認輸了不成？你的堂表
兄弟已被殺死，對此，你難道無動於衷？
你沒看見，他們正忙着剝卸多洛普斯的鎧甲？
來吧，跟我走！我們不能再呆留後面，遠遠地和
阿耳吉維人戰鬥。我們必須逼近殺敵，要快；否則，
他們就會徹底蕩毀陡峭的伊利昂，殺盡我們的城民！”
言罷，他領頭先行，後者隨後跟進，一位神一樣的凡人。
其時，忒拉蒙之子、高大的埃阿斯正催勵着阿耳吉維兵壯：
“拿出男子漢的勇氣，我的朋友們！要知道廉恥，
畏懼夥伴們的恥笑，在這你死我活的拼搏中！
如果大傢都能以此相誡；更多的人方能避死得生；但若
撒腿逃跑，那麽一切都將拋空：我們的防禦，我們所要的光榮！”
其時，阿開亞人心懷狂烈，準備殺退敵手，
牢記他的話語，圍着船隊築起一道
青銅的墻防。然而，宙斯催使着特洛伊人嚮他們撲來。
其時，嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯對着安提洛科斯喊道：
“安提洛科斯，阿開亞人中你最年輕，
腿腳最快，作戰最勇——
為何不猛衝上去，撂倒個把特洛伊壯漢？”
言罷，他匆匆回返，但卻鼓起了安提洛科斯嚮前的激情。
他跳出前排的隊陣，目光四射，揮舞着
閃亮的槍矛；特洛伊人畏縮退卻，
面對投槍的壯勇。他出槍中的，
擊中希開塔昂之子，心志高昂的墨拉尼波斯，
打在胸脯上，奶頭邊，在他衝撲上來的瞬間。
他隨即倒地，轟然一聲，彌漫的黑霧蒙住了他的雙眼。
安提洛科斯跳將過去，像一條獵狗，撲嚮
受傷的小鹿——從窩巢裏出來，
被獵人投槍擊中，酥軟了它的肢腿。
就像這樣，犟悍的安提洛科斯嚮你，墨拉尼波斯，
撲擊，搶剝你的鎧甲。但是，卓越的赫剋托耳
目睹此景，跑過戰鬥的人群，撲嚮安提洛科斯，
而後者，雖然腿腳敏捷，卻也抵擋不住他的進攻，
衹有拔腿奔逃。像一頭闖下窮禍的野獸，
在咬死一條獵狗或一個牧牛人之後，
趁着人群尚未彙聚，對他圍攻之前，撒腿逃脫。
奈斯托耳之子急步逃離，而特洛伊人和赫剋托耳緊追不捨，
發出粗野的嚎叫，投出悲吼的槍械，雨點一般。
他跑回自己的伴群，轉過身子，站穩腳跟。
其時，特洛伊人蜂擁着衝嚮海船，宛如一頭
吃人的獅子，試圖實現宙斯的諭令，後者
一直在催發他們狂暴的勇力，挫阻阿耳吉維人的
力量，不讓他們爭得榮譽，催勵着特洛伊人嚮前。
宙斯的意願，是把光榮送交普裏阿摩斯之子
赫剋托耳，讓他把狂獗、暴虐的烈火投上
彎翹的海船，從而徹底兌現
塞提絲的祈願。所以，多謀善斷的宙斯等待着
火光照映在他的眼前，來自第一艘被燒的海船。
從那時起，他將讓特洛伊人，迫於強有力的反擊，
涌離海船，把光榮送交達奈兵衆。
帶着這個意圖，他催勵普裏阿摩斯之子
衝嚮深曠的海船，雖然赫剋托耳自己已在狂烈地拼殺，
兇猛得就像揮舞槍矛的阿瑞斯——或像肆虐無情的山火，
燒騰在嶺脊上，枝葉繁茂的森林裏。
他唾沫橫流，濃雜的眉毛下，
雙眼炯炯生光，頭盔搖搖晃晃，在太陽
穴上，發出可怕的聲響——赫剋托耳正在衝殺！
透亮的天宇上，宙斯親自助佑——
成群的戰勇裏，大神衹是垂青於他，
為他一人增彩添光，因為赫剋托耳來日不多，
已經受到死的迫擠：帕拉絲·雅典娜
正把他推嚮末日，屆時讓他倒死在阿基琉斯手下。
但現在，他正試圖擊潰敵人的隊伍，試探着進攻，
找那人數最多、壯勇們披挂最好的地段。
然而，儘管狂烈，他卻無法打破敵陣；
他們站成嚴密的人墻，擋住他的進攻，像一峰
高聳的巉壁，挺立在灰藍色的海邊，
面對呼嘯的勁風，兀起的狂飆，
面對翻騰的駭浪，拍岸的驚濤。
就像這樣，達奈人死死頂住特洛伊人的進擊，毫不退讓。
其時，赫剋托耳，通身閃射出熠熠的火光，衝嚮人群密匝的地
方，猛撲上去，像飛起的長浪，擊落在快船上，
由疾風推進，瀉掃下云頭，浪沫罩掩了
整個船面；兇險的旋風，挾着呼響的
怒號，掃嚮桅桿，水手們嚇得渾身發抖，心髒
怦怦亂跳；距離死亡，現在衹有半步之遙。
就像這樣，赫剋托耳的進攻碎散了每一個阿開亞人的心房。
他攻勢逼人，像一頭兇狂的獅子，撲嚮牛群，
數百之衆，牧食在一片窪地裏，廣袤的
草澤上，由一位缺乏經驗的牧人看守一此人不知
如何驅趕一頭咬殺彎角壯牛的
猛獸，衹是一個勁地跟着最前或最後面的
畜牛奔跑，讓那獅子從中段進撲，
生食一頭，把牛群趕得撒腿驚跑。就像這樣，在父親
宙斯和赫剋托耳面前，阿開亞人嚇得不要命似地奔跑，
全軍潰散，雖然赫剋托耳衹殺死一個，慕凱奈的裴裏菲忒斯。
科普柔斯心愛的兒子——科普柔斯曾多次替
歐魯修斯送信，捎給強有力的赫拉剋勒斯。
這位懦劣的父親，卻生了一個好兒子，一個在一切方面
都很出色的人傑，無論是奔跑的速度，還是戰場上的表現；
就智力而言，慕凱奈地方無人可以比及。
然而，所有這一切現在都為赫剋托耳增添着榮光。
其時，裴裏菲忒斯掉轉身子，準備回撤，卻被自己
攜帶的盾牌，被它的外沿絆倒，此盾長及腳面，為他擋避槍矛
他受絆盾沿，背貼泥塵，帽盔緊壓着頭穴，
隨着身子的倒地，發出可怕的震響。
赫剋托耳看得真切，跑上前去，站在他的身邊，
一槍紮進胸膛，當即把他殺死，在他
親愛的朋友們的眼前，後者儘管傷心，卻一無所為，
幫助倒地的夥伴——他們自己也害怕強健的赫剋托耳。
現在，阿開亞人已散退在他們最先拖上海岸的
木船間，船頭船尾的邊沿。特洛伊人蜂擁
進逼，阿開亞人迫於強力，從第一排船邊
國撤，但在營棚一綫站住腳跟，
收攏隊伍，不再散跑在營區內。恥辱和恐懼
揪住了他們的心。他們不停地互相嘶喊，而
奈斯托耳，阿開亞人的監護，更是首當其衝，
苦苦地求告每一個人，要他們看在各自雙親的臉面：
“拿出男子漢的勇氣，我的朋友們！要知道廉恥，
顧及自己的尊嚴，在夥伴們面前！要記住——你們每一個
人——記住你的孩子和妻房，你的財産和雙親，
不管你的父母是否還活在人間。現在，
我要苦苦地懇求你們，為了那些不在這裏的人，
英勇頑強，頂住敵人的進攻，不要驚慌失措，遑遑奔逃！”
一番話使大傢鼓起了勇氣，增添了力量。
其時，從他們眼前，雅典娜清除了彌漫的
霧瘴，神為的黑夜；強烈的光亮照射進來，從兩個方向，
從他們的海船邊和激烈搏殺的戰場上。
現在，他們可以看見嘯吼戰場的赫剋托耳，看見他的部屬，
有的呆在後面，不曾投入戰鬥，
還有的正效命戰場，拼殺在迅捷的海船旁。
其時，心志豪 莽的埃阿斯走出人群——他豈肯繼續
忍受殿後的煩躁，在這其他阿開亞人的兒子們回撤的地方？
他跨出大步，梭行在海船的艙板上，
揮舞着一條海戰用的修長的標槍，
桿段銜接，二十二個肘尺的總長。
像一位馬術高明的騎手，從
馬群裏挑出四匹良駒，軛連起來，
衝嚮平野，沿着車路，朝着一座宏偉的城堡
飛跑；衆人夾道觀望，驚贊不已，
有男人，亦有女子；他腿腳穩健，不帶偏滑，
在奔馬上一匹挨着一匹地跳躍——就像這樣，
埃阿斯穿行在快船上，大步跨躍，
一條緊接着一條，發出狂蠻的嚎叫，衝指透亮的氣空，
一聲聲粗野的咆哮，催勵着達奈兵勇，
保衛自己的營棚和海船。與此同時，赫剋托耳
也同樣不願呆在後頭，呆在大群身披重甲的特洛伊人中。
他衝將出去，像一隻發光的鷹鳥，撲嚮
別的飛禽，後者正啄食河邊，成群結隊——
野鵝、鸛鶴或脖子修長的天鵝。
就像這樣，赫剋托耳一個勁地猛衝，撲嚮一條海船，
翹着黑紅色的船頭；在他身後，宙斯揮起巨手，
奮力推送，同時催勵着他身邊的戰勇。
海船邊，雙方展開了一場殊死的拼搏。
他們打得如此狂烈，你或許以為兩軍
甫使開戰，不疲不倦，無傷無痕。
此時此刻，兵勇們在想些什麽？阿開亞人
以為，他們無法逃避災難，必死無疑；而
特洛伊人則懷抱希望，個個如此，
以為能放火燒船，殺死阿開亞戰勇。
帶着此般思緒，兩軍對陣，廝殺劈砍。
赫剋托耳一把抓住船尾，外形美觀、迅捷。
破浪遠洋的海船，曾把普羅忒西勞斯
載到此地，但卻沒有把他送還故鄉。
其時，圍繞着他的海船，阿開亞人和特洛伊人
展開了激戰，你殺我砍；雙方已不滿足於
遠距離的投射，弓箭和槍矛，
而是面對面地近戰，狂烈地廝殺，
用戰斧和鋒快的短柄小斧揮砍，用沉重的
利劍和雙刃的槍矛劈殺，地上掉滿了
銅劍，鑄工精皇，握柄粗重，綁條漆黑，
有的落自手中，有的掉自戰鬥中的
勇士的肩膀；地面上黑血涌註。
赫剋托耳把住已經到手的船尾，
緊緊抱住尾柱，死死不放，對特洛伊人喊道：
“拿火來！全軍一致，喊出戰鬥的呼叫！
現在，宙斯給了我這一天，足以彌補所有的一切：
今天，我們要奪下這些海船；它們來到這裏，違背神的意願，
給我們帶來經年的痛苦——都怪他們膽小，那些年老的議事：
每當我試圖戰鬥在敵人的船尾邊，他們就
出面勸阻，阻止我們軍隊的進擊。
然而，儘管沉雷遠播的宙斯曾經迷幻過我們的心智，
今天，他卻親自出馬，鼓舞我們的鬥志，催勵我們嚮前！”
聽罷這番話，兵勇們加劇了對阿開亞人的攻勢，打得更加
頑強。面對紛至沓來的投械，埃阿斯已無法穩站船面，
衹得略作退讓，以為死難臨頭，
撒離綫條勻稱的海船的艙板，退至中部七尺高的
船橋，站穩腳跟，持槍以待，挑落每一個
試圖燒船的特洛伊戰勇，連同他的熊熊燃燒的火把，
不停地發出粗野可怕的吼叫，催勵着達奈人：
‘朋友們！戰鬥中的達奈人！阿瑞斯的隨從們！
拿出男子漢的勇氣，我的朋友們，鼓起狂烈的戰鬥激情！
你們以為，後邊還有等着支援我們的預備隊嗎？
我們還有一堵更堅實的護墻，可為我們消災避難嗎？
不！我們周圍沒有帶塔樓的城堡，得以
退守防衛和駐存防禦的力量。
我們置身在身披重甲的特洛伊人的平原，
背靠大海，遠離我們的家乡。我們
要用戰鬥迎來自救的曙光，鬆懈拖怠意味着死亡！”
他一邊喊叫，一邊不停地出槍，兇猛異常。
衹要有特洛伊人衝嚮深曠的海船，
舉着燃燒的火把，試圖歡悅赫剋托耳的心腸，
埃阿斯總是站等在船上，捅之以長桿的槍矛——
近戰中，他撂倒了十二個，在擱岸的海船旁。
ARGUMENT.
THE FIFTH BATTLE AT THE SHIPS; AND THE ACTS OF AJAX.
Jupiter, awaking, sees the Trojans repulsed from the trenches, Hector in a
swoon, and Neptune at the head of the Greeks: he is highly incensed at the
artifice of Juno, who appeases him by her submissions; she is then sent to
Iris and Apollo. Juno, repairing to the assembly of the gods, attempts,
with extraordinary address, to incense them against Jupiter; in particular
she touches Mars with a violent resentment; he is ready to take arms, but
is prevented by Minerva. Iris and Apollo obey the orders of Jupiter; Iris
commands Neptune to leave the battle, to which, after much reluctance and
passion, he consents. Apollo reinspires Hector with vigour, brings him
back to the battle, marches before him with his aegis, and turns the
fortune of the fight. He breaks down great part of the Grecian wall: the
Trojans rush in, and attempt to fire the first line of the fleet, but are,
as yet, repelled by the greater Ajax with a prodigious slaughter.
Now in swift flight they pass the trench profound,
And many a chief lay gasping on the ground:
Then stopp'd and panted, where the chariots lie
Fear on their cheek, and horror in their eye.
Meanwhile, awaken'd from his dream of love,
On Ida's summit sat imperial Jove:
Round the wide fields he cast a careful view,
There saw the Trojans fly, the Greeks pursue;
These proud in arms, those scatter'd o'er the plain
And, 'midst the war, the monarch of the main.
Not far, great Hector on the dust he spies,
(His sad associates round with weeping eyes,)
Ejecting blood, and panting yet for breath,
His senses wandering to the verge of death.
The god beheld him with a pitying look,
And thus, incensed, to fraudful Juno spoke:
"O thou, still adverse to the eternal will,
For ever studious in promoting ill!
Thy arts have made the godlike Hector yield,
And driven his conquering squadrons from the field.
Canst thou, unhappy in thy wiles, withstand
Our power immense, and brave the almighty hand?
Hast thou forgot, when, bound and fix'd on high,
From the vast concave of the spangled sky,
I hung thee trembling in a golden chain,
And all the raging gods opposed in vain?
Headlong I hurl'd them from the Olympian hall,
Stunn'd in the whirl, and breathless with the fall.
For godlike Hercules these deeds were done,
Nor seem'd the vengeance worthy such a son:
When, by thy wiles induced, fierce Boreas toss'd
The shipwreck'd hero on the Coan coast,
Him through a thousand forms of death I bore,
And sent to Argos, and his native shore.
Hear this, remember, and our fury dread,
Nor pull the unwilling vengeance on thy head;
Lest arts and blandishments successless prove,
Thy soft deceits, and well-dissembled love."
The Thunderer spoke: imperial Juno mourn'd,
And, trembling, these submissive words return'd:
"By every oath that powers immortal ties,
The foodful earth and all-infolding skies;
By thy black waves, tremendous Styx! that flow
Through the drear realms of gliding ghosts below;
By the dread honours of thy sacred head,
And that unbroken vow, our virgin bed!
Not by my arts the ruler of the main
Steeps Troy in blood, and ranges round the plain:
By his own ardour, his own pity sway'd,
To help his Greeks, he fought and disobey'd:
Else had thy Juno better counsels given,
And taught submission to the sire of heaven."
"Think'st thou with me? fair empress of the skies!
(The immortal father with a smile replies;)
Then soon the haughty sea-god shall obey,
Nor dare to act but when we point the way.
If truth inspires thy tongue, proclaim our will
To yon bright synod on the Olympian hill;
Our high decree let various Iris know,
And call the god that bears the silver bow.
Let her descend, and from the embattled plain
Command the sea-god to his watery reign:
While Phoebus hastes great Hector to prepare
To rise afresh, and once more wake the war:
His labouring bosom re-inspires with breath,
And calls his senses from the verge of death.
Greece chased by Troy, even to Achilles' fleet,
Shall fall by thousands at the hero's feet.
He, not untouch'd with pity, to the plain
Shall send Patroclus, but shall send in vain.
What youths he slaughters under Ilion's walls!
Even my loved son, divine Sarpedon, falls!
Vanquish'd at last by Hector's lance he lies.
Then, nor till then, shall great Achilles rise:
And lo! that instant, godlike Hector dies.
From that great hour the war's whole fortune turns,
Pallas assists, and lofty Ilion burns.
Not till that day shall Jove relax his rage,
Nor one of all the heavenly host engage
In aid of Greece. The promise of a god
I gave, and seal'd it with the almighty nod,
Achilles' glory to the stars to raise;
Such was our word, and fate the word obeys."
The trembling queen (the almighty order given)
Swift from the Idaean summit shot to heaven.
As some wayfaring man, who wanders o'er
In thought a length of lands he trod before,
Sends forth his active mind from place to place,
Joins hill to dale, and measures space with space:
So swift flew Juno to the bless'd abodes,
If thought of man can match the speed of gods.
There sat the powers in awful synod placed;
They bow'd, and made obeisance as she pass'd
Through all the brazen dome: with goblets crown'd(239)
They hail her queen; the nectar streams around.
Fair Themis first presents the golden bowl,
And anxious asks what cares disturb her soul?
To whom the white-arm'd goddess thus replies:
"Enough thou know'st the tyrant of the skies,
Severely bent his purpose to fulfil,
Unmoved his mind, and unrestrain'd his will.
Go thou, the feasts of heaven attend thy call;
Bid the crown'd nectar circle round the hall:
But Jove shall thunder through the ethereal dome
Such stern decrees, such threaten'd woes to come,
As soon shall freeze mankind with dire surprise,
And damp the eternal banquets of the skies."
The goddess said, and sullen took her place;
Black horror sadden'd each celestial face.
To see the gathering grudge in every breast,
Smiles on her lips a spleenful joy express'd;
While on her wrinkled front, and eyebrow bent,
Sat stedfast care, and lowering discontent.
Thus she proceeds--"Attend, ye powers above!
But know, 'tis madness to contest with Jove:
Supreme he sits; and sees, in pride of sway.
Your vassal godheads grudgingly obey:
Fierce in the majesty of power controls;
Shakes all the thrones of heaven, and bends the poles.
Submiss, immortals! all he wills, obey:
And thou, great Mars, begin and show the way.
Behold Ascalaphus! behold him die,
But dare not murmur, dare not vent a sigh;
Thy own loved boasted offspring lies o'erthrown,
If that loved boasted offspring be thy own."
Stern Mars, with anguish for his slaughter'd son,
Smote his rebelling breast, and fierce begun:
"Thus then, immortals! thus shall Mars obey;
Forgive me, gods, and yield my vengeance way:
Descending first to yon forbidden plain,
The god of battles dares avenge the slain;
Dares, though the thunder bursting o'er my head
Should hurl me blazing on those heaps of dead."
With that he gives command to Fear and Flight
To join his rapid coursers for the fight:
Then grim in arms, with hasty vengeance flies;
Arms that reflect a radiance through the skies.
And now had Jove, by bold rebellion driven,
Discharged his wrath on half the host of heaven;
But Pallas, springing through the bright abode,
Starts from her azure throne to calm the god.
Struck for the immortal race with timely fear,
From frantic Mars she snatch'd the shield and spear;
Then the huge helmet lifting from his head,
Thus to the impetuous homicide she said:
"By what wild passion, furious! art thou toss'd?
Striv'st thou with Jove? thou art already lost.
Shall not the Thunderer's dread command restrain,
And was imperial Juno heard in vain?
Back to the skies wouldst thou with shame be driven,
And in thy guilt involve the host of heaven?
Ilion and Greece no more should Jove engage,
The skies would yield an ampler scene of rage;
Guilty and guiltless find an equal fate
And one vast ruin whelm the Olympian state.
Cease then thy offspring's death unjust to call;
Heroes as great have died, and yet shall fall.
Why should heaven's law with foolish man comply
Exempted from the race ordain'd to die?"
This menace fix'd the warrior to his throne;
Sullen he sat, and curb'd the rising groan.
Then Juno call'd (Jove's orders to obey)
The winged Iris, and the god of day.
"Go wait the Thunderer's will (Saturnia cried)
On yon tall summit of the fountful Ide:
There in the father's awful presence stand,
Receive, and execute his dread command."
She said, and sat; the god that gilds the day,
And various Iris, wing their airy way.
Swift as the wind, to Ida's hills they came,
(Fair nurse of fountains, and of savage game)
There sat the eternal; he whose nod controls
The trembling world, and shakes the steady poles.
Veil'd in a mist of fragrance him they found,
With clouds of gold and purple circled round.
Well-pleased the Thunderer saw their earnest care,
And prompt obedience to the queen of air;
Then (while a smile serenes his awful brow)
Commands the goddess of the showery bow:
"Iris! descend, and what we here ordain,
Report to yon mad tyrant of the main.
Bid him from fight to his own deeps repair,
Or breathe from slaughter in the fields of air.
If he refuse, then let him timely weigh
Our elder birthright, and superior sway.
How shall his rashness stand the dire alarms,
If heaven's omnipotence descend in arms?
Strives he with me, by whom his power was given,
And is there equal to the lord of heaven?"
The all-mighty spoke; the goddess wing'd her flight
To sacred Ilion from the Idaean height.
Swift as the rattling hail, or fleecy snows,
Drive through the skies, when Boreas fiercely blows;
So from the clouds descending Iris falls,
And to blue Neptune thus the goddess calls:
"Attend the mandate of the sire above!
In me behold the messenger of Jove:
He bids thee from forbidden wars repair
To thine own deeps, or to the fields of air.
This if refused, he bids thee timely weigh
His elder birthright, and superior sway.
How shall thy rashness stand the dire alarms
If heaven's omnipotence descend in arms?
Striv'st thou with him by whom all power is given?
And art thou equal to the lord of heaven?"
"What means the haughty sovereign of the skies?
(The king of ocean thus, incensed, replies;)
Rule as he will his portion'd realms on high;
No vassal god, nor of his train, am I.
Three brother deities from Saturn came,
And ancient Rhea, earth's immortal dame:
Assign'd by lot, our triple rule we know;
Infernal Pluto sways the shades below;
O'er the wide clouds, and o'er the starry plain,
Ethereal Jove extends his high domain;
My court beneath the hoary waves I keep,
And hush the roarings of the sacred deep;
Olympus, and this earth, in common lie:
What claim has here the tyrant of the sky?
Far in the distant clouds let him control,
And awe the younger brothers of the pole;
There to his children his commands be given,
The trembling, servile, second race of heaven."
"And must I then (said she), O sire of floods!
Bear this fierce answer to the king of gods?
Correct it yet, and change thy rash intent;
A noble mind disdains not to repent.
To elder brothers guardian fiends are given,
To scourge the wretch insulting them and heaven."
"Great is the profit (thus the god rejoin'd)
When ministers are blest with prudent mind:
Warn'd by thy words, to powerful Jove I yield,
And quit, though angry, the contended field:
Not but his threats with justice I disclaim,
The same our honours, and our birth the same.
If yet, forgetful of his promise given
To Hermes, Pallas, and the queen of heaven,
To favour Ilion, that perfidious place,
He breaks his faith with half the ethereal race;
Give him to know, unless the Grecian train
Lay yon proud structures level with the plain,
Howe'er the offence by other gods be pass'd,
The wrath of Neptune shall for ever last."
Thus speaking, furious from the field he strode,
And plunged into the bosom of the flood.
The lord of thunders, from his lofty height
Beheld, and thus bespoke the source of light:
"Behold! the god whose liquid arms are hurl'd
Around the globe, whose earthquakes rock the world,
Desists at length his rebel-war to wage,
Seeks his own seas, and trembles at our rage;
Else had my wrath, heaven's thrones all shaking round,
Burn'd to the bottom of his seas profound;
And all the gods that round old Saturn dwell
Had heard the thunders to the deeps of hell.
Well was the crime, and well the vengeance spared;
Even power immense had found such battle hard.
Go thou, my son! the trembling Greeks alarm,
Shake my broad aegis on thy active arm,
Be godlike Hector thy peculiar care,
Swell his bold heart, and urge his strength to war:
Let Ilion conquer, till the Achaian train
Fly to their ships and Hellespont again:
Then Greece shall breathe from toils." The godhead said;
His will divine the son of Jove obey'd.
Not half so swift the sailing falcon flies,
That drives a turtle through the liquid skies,
As Phoebus, shooting from the Idaean brow,
Glides down the mountain to the plain below.
There Hector seated by the stream he sees,
His sense returning with the coming breeze;
Again his pulses beat, his spirits rise;
Again his loved companions meet his eyes;
Jove thinking of his pains, they pass'd away,
To whom the god who gives the golden day:
"Why sits great Hector from the field so far?
What grief, what wound, withholds thee from the war?"
The fainting hero, as the vision bright
Stood shining o'er him, half unseal'd his sight:
"What blest immortal, with commanding breath,
Thus wakens Hector from the sleep of death?
Has fame not told, how, while my trusty sword
Bathed Greece in slaughter, and her battle gored,
The mighty Ajax with a deadly blow
Had almost sunk me to the shades below?
Even yet, methinks, the gliding ghosts I spy,
And hell's black horrors swim before my eye."
To him Apollo: "Be no more dismay'd;
See, and be strong! the Thunderer sends thee aid.
Behold! thy Phoebus shall his arms employ,
Phoebus, propitious still to thee and Troy.
Inspire thy warriors then with manly force,
And to the ships impel thy rapid horse:
Even I will make thy fiery coursers way,
And drive the Grecians headlong to the sea."
Thus to bold Hector spoke the son of Jove,
And breathed immortal ardour from above.
As when the pamper'd steed, with reins unbound,
Breaks from his stall, and pours along the ground;
With ample strokes he rushes to the flood,
To bathe his sides, and cool his fiery blood;
His head, now freed, he tosses to the skies;
His mane dishevell'd o'er his shoulders flies:
He snuffs the females in the well-known plain,
And springs, exulting, to his fields again:
Urged by the voice divine, thus Hector flew,
Full of the god; and all his hosts pursue.
As when the force of men and dogs combined
Invade the mountain goat, or branching hind;
Far from the hunter's rage secure they lie
Close in the rock, (not fated yet to die)
When lo! a lion shoots across the way!
They fly: at once the chasers and the prey.
So Greece, that late in conquering troops pursued,
And mark'd their progress through the ranks in blood,
Soon as they see the furious chief appear,
Forget to vanquish, and consent to fear.
Thoas with grief observed his dreadful course,
Thoas, the bravest of the Ætolian force;
Skill'd to direct the javelin's distant flight,
And bold to combat in the standing fight,
Not more in councils famed for solid sense,
Than winning words and heavenly eloquence.
"Gods! what portent (he cried) these eyes invades?
Lo! Hector rises from the Stygian shades!
We saw him, late, by thundering Ajax kill'd:
What god restores him to the frighted field;
And not content that half of Greece lie slain,
Pours new destruction on her sons again?
He comes not, Jove! without thy powerful will;
Lo! still he lives, pursues, and conquers still!
Yet hear my counsel, and his worst withstand:
The Greeks' main body to the fleet command;
But let the few whom brisker spirits warm,
Stand the first onset, and provoke the storm.
Thus point your arms; and when such foes appear,
Fierce as he is, let Hector learn to fear."
The warrior spoke; the listening Greeks obey,
Thickening their ranks, and form a deep array.
Each Ajax, Teucer, Merion gave command,
The valiant leader of the Cretan band;
And Mars-like Meges: these the chiefs excite,
Approach the foe, and meet the coming fight.
Behind, unnumber'd multitudes attend,
To flank the navy, and the shores defend.
Full on the front the pressing Trojans bear,
And Hector first came towering to the war.
Phoebus himself the rushing battle led;
A veil of clouds involved his radiant head:
High held before him, Jove's enormous shield
Portentous shone, and shaded all the field;
Vulcan to Jove the immortal gift consign'd,
To scatter hosts and terrify mankind,
The Greeks expect the shock, the clamours rise
From different parts, and mingle in the skies.
Dire was the hiss of darts, by heroes flung,
And arrows leaping from the bow-string sung;
These drink the life of generous warriors slain:
Those guiltless fall, and thirst for blood in vain.
As long as Phoebus bore unmoved the shield,
Sat doubtful conquest hovering o'er the field;
But when aloft he shakes it in the skies,
Shouts in their ears, and lightens in their eyes,
Deep horror seizes every Grecian breast,
Their force is humbled, and their fear confess'd.
So flies a herd of oxen, scatter'd wide,
No swain to guard them, and no day to guide,
When two fell lions from the mountain come,
And spread the carnage through the shady gloom.
Impending Phoebus pours around them fear,
And Troy and Hector thunder in the rear.
Heaps fall on heaps: the slaughter Hector leads,
First great Arcesilas, then Stichius bleeds;
One to the bold Boeotians ever dear,
And one Menestheus' friend and famed compeer.
Medon and Iasus, Æneas sped;
This sprang from Phelus, and the Athenians led;
But hapless Medon from Oileus came;
Him Ajax honour'd with a brother's name,
Though born of lawless love: from home expell'd,
A banish'd man, in Phylace he dwell'd,
Press'd by the vengeance of an angry wife;
Troy ends at last his labours and his life.
Mecystes next Polydamas o'erthrew;
And thee, brave Clonius, great Agenor slew.
By Paris, Deiochus inglorious dies,
Pierced through the shoulder as he basely flies.
Polites' arm laid Echius on the plain;
Stretch'd on one heap, the victors spoil the slain.
The Greeks dismay'd, confused, disperse or fall,
Some seek the trench, some skulk behind the wall.
While these fly trembling, others pant for breath,
And o'er the slaughter stalks gigantic death.
On rush'd bold Hector, gloomy as the night;
Forbids to plunder, animates the fight,
Points to the fleet: "For, by the gods! who flies,(240)
Who dares but linger, by this hand he dies;
No weeping sister his cold eye shall close,
No friendly hand his funeral pyre compose.
Who stops to plunder at this signal hour,
The birds shall tear him, and the dogs devour."
Furious he said; the smarting scourge resounds;
The coursers fly; the smoking chariot bounds;
The hosts rush on; loud clamours shake the shore;
The horses thunder, earth and ocean roar!
Apollo, planted at the trench's bound,
Push'd at the bank: down sank the enormous mound:
Roll'd in the ditch the heapy ruin lay;
A sudden road! a long and ample way.
O'er the dread fosse (a late impervious space)
Now steeds, and men, and cars tumultuous pass.
The wondering crowds the downward level trod;
Before them flamed the shield, and march'd the god.
Then with his hand he shook the mighty wall;
And lo! the turrets nod, the bulwarks fall:
Easy as when ashore an infant stands,
And draws imagined houses in the sands;
The sportive wanton, pleased with some new play,
Sweeps the slight works and fashion'd domes away:
Thus vanish'd at thy touch, the towers and walls;
The toil of thousands in a moment falls.
The Grecians gaze around with wild despair,
Confused, and weary all the powers with prayer:
Exhort their men, with praises, threats, commands;
And urge the gods, with voices, eyes, and hands.
Experienced Nestor chief obtests the skies,
And weeps his country with a father's eyes.
"O Jove! if ever, on his native shore,
One Greek enrich'd thy shrine with offer'd gore;
If e'er, in hope our country to behold,
We paid the fattest firstlings of the fold;
If e'er thou sign'st our wishes with thy nod:
Perform the promise of a gracious god!
This day preserve our navies from the flame,
And save the relics of the Grecian name."
Thus prayed the sage: the eternal gave consent,
And peals of thunder shook the firmament.
Presumptuous Troy mistook the accepting sign,
And catch'd new fury at the voice divine.
As, when black tempests mix the seas and skies,
The roaring deeps in watery mountains rise,
Above the sides of some tall ship ascend,
Its womb they deluge, and its ribs they rend:
Thus loudly roaring, and o'erpowering all,
Mount the thick Trojans up the Grecian wall;
Legions on legions from each side arise:
Thick sound the keels; the storm of arrows flies.
Fierce on the ships above, the cars below,
These wield the mace, and those the javelin throw.
While thus the thunder of the battle raged,
And labouring armies round the works engaged,
Still in the tent Patroclus sat to tend
The good Eurypylus, his wounded friend.
He sprinkles healing balms, to anguish kind,
And adds discourse, the medicine of the mind.
But when he saw, ascending up the fleet,
Victorious Troy; then, starting from his seat,
With bitter groans his sorrows he express'd,
He wrings his hands, he beats his manly breast.
"Though yet thy state require redress (he cries)
Depart I must: what horrors strike my eyes!
Charged with Achilles' high command I go,
A mournful witness of this scene of woe;
I haste to urge him by his country's care
To rise in arms, and shine again in war.
Perhaps some favouring god his soul may bend;
The voice is powerful of a faithful friend."
He spoke; and, speaking, swifter than the wind
Sprung from the tent, and left the war behind.
The embodied Greeks the fierce attack sustain,
But strive, though numerous, to repulse in vain:
Nor could the Trojans, through that firm array,
Force to the fleet and tents the impervious way.
As when a shipwright, with Palladian art,
Smooths the rough wood, and levels every part;
With equal hand he guides his whole design,
By the just rule, and the directing line:
The martial leaders, with like skill and care,
Preserved their line, and equal kept the war.
Brave deeds of arms through all the ranks were tried,
And every ship sustained an equal tide.
At one proud bark, high-towering o'er the fleet,
Ajax the great, and godlike Hector meet;
For one bright prize the matchless chiefs contend,
Nor this the ships can fire, nor that defend:
One kept the shore, and one the vessel trod;
That fix'd as fate, this acted by a god.
The son of Clytius in his daring hand,
The deck approaching, shakes a flaming brand;
But, pierced by Telamon's huge lance, expires:
Thundering he falls, and drops the extinguish'd fires.
Great Hector view'd him with a sad survey,
As stretch'd in dust before the stern he lay.
"Oh! all of Trojan, all of Lycian race!
Stand to your arms, maintain this arduous space:
Lo! where the son of royal Clytius lies;
Ah, save his arms, secure his obsequies!"
This said, his eager javelin sought the foe:
But Ajax shunn'd the meditated blow.
Not vainly yet the forceful lance was thrown;
It stretch'd in dust unhappy Lycophron:
An exile long, sustain'd at Ajax' board,
A faithful servant to a foreign lord;
In peace, and war, for ever at his side,
Near his loved master, as he lived, he died.
From the high poop he tumbles on the sand,
And lies a lifeless load along the land.
With anguish Ajax views the piercing sight,
And thus inflames his brother to the fight:
"Teucer, behold! extended on the shore
Our friend, our loved companion! now no more!
Dear as a parent, with a parent's care
To fight our wars he left his native air.
This death deplored, to Hector's rage we owe;
Revenge, revenge it on the cruel foe.
Where are those darts on which the fates attend?
And where the bow which Phoebus taught to bend?"
Impatient Teucer, hastening to his aid,
Before the chief his ample bow display'd;
The well-stored quiver on his shoulders hung:
Then hiss'd his arrow, and the bowstring sung.
Clytus, Pisenor's son, renown'd in fame,
(To thee, Polydamas! an honour'd name)
Drove through the thickest of the embattled plains
The startling steeds, and shook his eager reins.
As all on glory ran his ardent mind,
The pointed death arrests him from behind:
Through his fair neck the thrilling arrow flies;
In youth's first bloom reluctantly he dies.
Hurl'd from the lofty seat, at distance far,
The headlong coursers spurn his empty car;
Till sad Polydamas the steeds restrain'd,
And gave, Astynous, to thy careful hand;
Then, fired to vengeance, rush'd amidst the foe:
Rage edged his sword, and strengthen'd every blow.
Once more bold Teucer, in his country's cause,
At Hector's breast a chosen arrow draws:
And had the weapon found the destined way,
Thy fall, great Trojan! had renown'd that day.
But Hector was not doom'd to perish then:
The all-wise disposer of the fates of men
(Imperial Jove) his present death withstands;
Nor was such glory due to Teucer's hands.
At its full stretch as the tough string he drew,
Struck by an arm unseen, it burst in two;
Down dropp'd the bow: the shaft with brazen head
Fell innocent, and on the dust lay dead.
The astonish'd archer to great Ajax cries;
"Some god prevents our destined enterprise:
Some god, propitious to the Trojan foe,
Has, from my arm unfailing, struck the bow,
And broke the nerve my hands had twined with art,
Strong to impel the flight of many a dart."
"Since heaven commands it (Ajax made reply)
Dismiss the bow, and lay thy arrows by:
Thy arms no less suffice the lance to wield,
And quit the quiver for the ponderous shield.
In the first ranks indulge thy thirst of fame,
Thy brave example shall the rest inflame.
Fierce as they are, by long successes vain;
To force our fleet, or even a ship to gain,
Asks toil, and sweat, and blood: their utmost might
Shall find its match--No more: 'tis ours to fight."
Then Teucer laid his faithless bow aside;
The fourfold buckler o'er his shoulder tied;
On his brave head a crested helm he placed,
With nodding horse-hair formidably graced;
A dart, whose point with brass refulgent shines,
The warrior wields; and his great brother joins.
This Hector saw, and thus express'd his joy:
"Ye troops of Lycia, Dardanus, and Troy!
Be mindful of yourselves, your ancient fame,
And spread your glory with the navy's flame.
Jove is with us; I saw his hand, but now,
From the proud archer strike his vaunted bow:
Indulgent Jove! how plain thy favours shine,
When happy nations bear the marks divine!
How easy then, to see the sinking state
Of realms accursed, deserted, reprobate!
Such is the fate of Greece, and such is ours:
Behold, ye warriors, and exert your powers.
Death is the worst; a fate which all must try;
And for our country, 'tis a bliss to die.
The gallant man, though slain in fight he be,
Yet leaves his nation safe, his children free;
Entails a debt on all the grateful state;
His own brave friends shall glory in his fate;
His wife live honour'd, all his race succeed,
And late posterity enjoy the deed!"
This roused the soul in every Trojan breast:
The godlike Ajax next his Greeks address'd:
"How long, ye warriors of the Argive race,
(To generous Argos what a dire disgrace!)
How long on these cursed confines will ye lie,
Yet undetermined, or to live or die?
What hopes remain, what methods to retire,
If once your vessels catch the Trojan fire?
Make how the flames approach, how near they fall,
How Hector calls, and Troy obeys his call!
Not to the dance that dreadful voice invites,
It calls to death, and all the rage of fights.
'Tis now no time for wisdom or debates;
To your own hands are trusted all your fates;
And better far in one decisive strife,
One day should end our labour or our life,
Than keep this hard-got inch of barren sands,
Still press'd, and press'd by such inglorious hands."
The listening Grecians feel their leader's flame,
And every kindling bosom pants for fame.
Then mutual slaughters spread on either side;
By Hector here the Phocian Schedius died;
There, pierced by Ajax, sunk Laodamas,
Chief of the foot, of old Antenor's race.
Polydamas laid Otus on the sand,
The fierce commander of the Epeian band.
His lance bold Meges at the victor threw;
The victor, stooping, from the death withdrew;
(That valued life, O Phoebus! was thy care)
But Croesmus' bosom took the flying spear:
His corpse fell bleeding on the slippery shore;
His radiant arms triumphant Meges bore.
Dolops, the son of Lampus, rushes on,
Sprung from the race of old Laomedon,
And famed for prowess in a well-fought field,
He pierced the centre of his sounding shield:
But Meges, Phyleus' ample breastplate wore,
(Well-known in fight on Selle's winding shore;
For king Euphetes gave the golden mail,
Compact, and firm with many a jointed scale)
Which oft, in cities storm'd, and battles won,
Had saved the father, and now saves the son.
Full at the Trojan's head he urged his lance,
Where the high plumes above the helmet dance,
New ting'd with Tyrian dye: in dust below,
Shorn from the crest, the purple honours glow.
Meantime their fight the Spartan king survey'd,
And stood by Meges' side a sudden aid.
Through Dolops' shoulder urged his forceful dart,
Which held its passage through the panting heart,
And issued at his breast. With thundering sound
The warrior falls, extended on the ground.
In rush the conquering Greeks to spoil the slain:
But Hector's voice excites his kindred train;
The hero most, from Hicetaon sprung,
Fierce Melanippus, gallant, brave, and young.
He (ere to Troy the Grecians cross'd the main)
Fed his large oxen on Percote's plain;
But when oppress'd, his country claim'd his care,
Return'd to Ilion, and excell'd in war;
For this, in Priam's court, he held his place,
Beloved no less than Priam's royal race.
Him Hector singled, as his troops he led,
And thus inflamed him, pointing to the dead.
"Lo, Melanippus! lo, where Dolops lies;
And is it thus our royal kinsman dies?
O'ermatch'd he falls; to two at once a prey,
And lo! they bear the bloody arms away!
Come on--a distant war no longer wage,
But hand to hand thy country's foes engage:
Till Greece at once, and all her glory end;
Or Ilion from her towery height descend,
Heaved from the lowest stone; and bury all
In one sad sepulchre, one common fall."
Hector (this said) rush'd forward on the foes:
With equal ardour Melanippus glows:
Then Ajax thus--"O Greeks! respect your fame,
Respect yourselves, and learn an honest shame:
Let mutual reverence mutual warmth inspire,
And catch from breast to breast the noble fire,
On valour's side the odds of combat lie;
The brave live glorious, or lamented die;
The wretch that trembles in the field of fame,
Meets death, and worse than death, eternal shame."
His generous sense he not in vain imparts;
It sunk, and rooted in the Grecian hearts:
They join, they throng, they thicken at his call,
And flank the navy with a brazen wall;
Shields touching shields, in order blaze above,
And stop the Trojans, though impell'd by Jove.
The fiery Spartan first, with loud applause.
Warms the bold son of Nestor in his cause.
"Is there (he said) in arms a youth like you,
So strong to fight, so active to pursue?
Why stand you distant, nor attempt a deed?
Lift the bold lance, and make some Trojan bleed."
He said; and backward to the lines retired;
Forth rush'd the youth with martial fury fired,
Beyond the foremost ranks; his lance he threw,
And round the black battalions cast his view.
The troops of Troy recede with sudden fear,
While the swift javelin hiss'd along in air.
Advancing Melanippus met the dart
With his bold breast, and felt it in his heart:
Thundering he falls; his falling arms resound,
And his broad buckler rings against the ground.
The victor leaps upon his prostrate prize:
Thus on a roe the well-breath'd beagle flies,
And rends his side, fresh-bleeding with the dart
The distant hunter sent into his heart.
Observing Hector to the rescue flew;
Bold as he was, Antilochus withdrew.
So when a savage, ranging o'er the plain,
Has torn the shepherd's dog, or shepherd's swain,
While conscious of the deed, he glares around,
And hears the gathering multitude resound,
Timely he flies the yet-untasted food,
And gains the friendly shelter of the wood:
So fears the youth; all Troy with shouts pursue,
While stones and darts in mingled tempest flew;
But enter'd in the Grecian ranks, he turns
His manly breast, and with new fury burns.
Now on the fleet the tides of Trojans drove,
Fierce to fulfil the stern decrees of Jove:
The sire of gods, confirming Thetis' prayer,
The Grecian ardour quench'd in deep despair;
But lifts to glory Troy's prevailing bands,
Swells all their hearts, and strengthens all their hands.
On Ida's top he waits with longing eyes,
To view the navy blazing to the skies;
Then, nor till then, the scale of war shall turn,
The Trojans fly, and conquer'd Ilion burn.
These fates revolved in his almighty mind,
He raises Hector to the work design'd,
Bids him with more than mortal fury glow,
And drives him, like a lightning, on the foe.
So Mars, when human crimes for vengeance call,
Shakes his huge javelin, and whole armies fall.
Not with more rage a conflagration rolls,
Wraps the vast mountains, and involves the poles.
He foams with wrath; beneath his gloomy brow
Like fiery meteors his red eye-balls glow:
The radiant helmet on his temple burns,
Waves when he nods, and lightens as he turns:
For Jove his splendour round the chief had thrown,
And cast the blaze of both the hosts on one.
Unhappy glories! for his fate was near,
Due to stern Pallas, and Pelides' spear:
Yet Jove deferr'd the death he was to pay,
And gave what fate allow'd, the honours of a day!
Now all on fire for fame, his breast, his eyes
Burn at each foe, and single every prize;
Still at the closest ranks, the thickest fight,
He points his ardour, and exerts his might.
The Grecian phalanx, moveless as a tower,
On all sides batter'd, yet resists his power:
So some tall rock o'erhangs the hoary main,(241)
By winds assail'd, by billows beat in vain,
Unmoved it hears, above, the tempest blow,
And sees the watery mountains break below.
Girt in surrounding flames, he seems to fall
Like fire from Jove, and bursts upon them all:
Bursts as a wave that from the cloud impends,
And, swell'd with tempests, on the ship descends;
White are the decks with foam; the winds aloud
Howl o'er the masts, and sing through every shroud:
Pale, trembling, tired, the sailors freeze with fears;
And instant death on every wave appears.
So pale the Greeks the eyes of Hector meet,
The chief so thunders, and so shakes the fleet.
As when a lion, rushing from his den,
Amidst the plain of some wide-water'd fen,
(Where numerous oxen, as at ease they feed,
At large expatiate o'er the ranker mead)
Leaps on the herds before the herdsman's eyes;
The trembling herdsman far to distance flies;
Some lordly bull (the rest dispersed and fled)
He singles out; arrests, and lays him dead.
Thus from the rage of Jove-like Hector flew
All Greece in heaps; but one he seized, and slew:
Mycenian Periphes, a mighty name,
In wisdom great, in arms well known to fame;
The minister of stern Eurystheus' ire
Against Alcides, Copreus was his sire:
The son redeem'd the honours of the race,
A son as generous as the sire was base;
O'er all his country's youth conspicuous far
In every virtue, or of peace or war:
But doom'd to Hector's stronger force to yield!
Against the margin of his ample shield
He struck his hasty foot: his heels up-sprung;
Supine he fell; his brazen helmet rung.
On the fallen chief the invading Trojan press'd,
And plunged the pointed javelin in his breast.
His circling friends, who strove to guard too late
The unhappy hero, fled, or shared his fate.
Chased from the foremost line, the Grecian train
Now man the next, receding toward the main:
Wedged in one body at the tents they stand,
Wall'd round with sterns, a gloomy, desperate band.
Now manly shame forbids the inglorious flight;
Now fear itself confines them to the fight:
Man courage breathes in man; but Nestor most
(The sage preserver of the Grecian host)
Exhorts, adjures, to guard these utmost shores;
And by their parents, by themselves implores.
"Oh friends! be men: your generous breasts inflame
With mutual honour, and with mutual shame!
Think of your hopes, your fortunes; all the care
Your wives, your infants, and your parents share:
Think of each living father's reverend head;
Think of each ancestor with glory dead;
Absent, by me they speak, by me they sue,
They ask their safety, and their fame, from you:
The gods their fates on this one action lay,
And all are lost, if you desert the day."
He spoke, and round him breathed heroic fires;
Minerva seconds what the sage inspires.
The mist of darkness Jove around them threw
She clear'd, restoring all the war to view;
A sudden ray shot beaming o'er the plain,
And show'd the shores, the navy, and the main:
Hector they saw, and all who fly, or fight,
The scene wide-opening to the blaze of light,
First of the field great Ajax strikes their eyes,
His port majestic, and his ample size:
A ponderous mace with studs of iron crown'd,
Full twenty cubits long, he swings around;
Nor fights, like others, fix'd to certain stands
But looks a moving tower above the bands;
High on the decks with vast gigantic stride,
The godlike hero stalks from side to side.
So when a horseman from the watery mead
(Skill'd in the manage of the bounding steed)
Drives four fair coursers, practised to obey,
To some great city through the public way;
Safe in his art, as side by side they run,
He shifts his seat, and vaults from one to one;
And now to this, and now to that he flies;
Admiring numbers follow with their eyes.
From ship to ship thus Ajax swiftly flew,
No less the wonder of the warring crew.
As furious, Hector thunder'd threats aloud,
And rush'd enraged before the Trojan crowd;
Then swift invades the ships, whose beaky prores
Lay rank'd contiguous on the bending shores;
So the strong eagle from his airy height,
Who marks the swans' or cranes' embodied flight,
Stoops down impetuous, while they light for food,
And, stooping, darkens with his wings the flood.
Jove leads him on with his almighty hand,
And breathes fierce spirits in his following band.
The warring nations meet, the battle roars,
Thick beats the combat on the sounding prores.
Thou wouldst have thought, so furious was their fire,
No force could tame them, and no toil could tire;
As if new vigour from new fights they won,
And the long battle was but then begun.
Greece, yet unconquer'd, kept alive the war,
Secure of death, confiding in despair:
Troy in proud hopes already view'd the main
Bright with the blaze, and red with heroes slain:
Like strength is felt from hope, and from despair,
And each contends, as his were all the war.
"Twas thou, bold Hector! whose resistless hand
First seized a ship on that contested strand;
The same which dead Protesilaus bore,(242)
The first that touch'd the unhappy Trojan shore:
For this in arms the warring nations stood,
And bathed their generous breasts with mutual blood.
No room to poise the lance or bend the bow;
But hand to hand, and man to man, they grow:
Wounded, they wound; and seek each other's hearts
With falchions, axes, swords, and shorten'd darts.
The falchions ring, shields rattle, axes sound,
Swords flash in air, or glitter on the ground;
With streaming blood the slippery shores are dyed,
And slaughter'd heroes swell the dreadful tide.
Still raging, Hector with his ample hand
Grasps the high stern, and gives this loud command:
[Illustration: AJAX DEFENDING THE GREEK SHIPS.]
AJAX DEFENDING THE GREEK SHIPS.
"Haste, bring the flames! that toil of ten long years
Is finished; and the day desired appears!
This happy day with acclamations greet,
Bright with destruction of yon hostile fleet.
The coward-counsels of a timorous throng
Of reverend dotards check'd our glory long:
Too long Jove lull'd us with lethargic charms,
But now in peals of thunder calls to arms:
In this great day he crowns our full desires,
Wakes all our force, and seconds all our fires."
He spoke--the warriors at his fierce command
Pour a new deluge on the Grecian band.
Even Ajax paused, (so thick the javelins fly,)
Stepp'd back, and doubted or to live or die.
Yet, where the oars are placed, he stands to wait
What chief approaching dares attempt his fate:
Even to the last his naval charge defends,
Now shakes his spear, now lifts, and now protends;
Even yet, the Greeks with piercing shouts inspires,
Amidst attacks, and deaths, and darts, and fires.
"O friends! O heroes! names for ever dear,
Once sons of Mars, and thunderbolts of war!
Ah! yet be mindful of your old renown,
Your great forefathers' virtues and your own.
What aids expect you in this utmost strait?
What bulwarks rising between you and fate?
No aids, no bulwarks your retreat attend,
No friends to help, no city to defend.
This spot is all you have, to lose or keep;
There stand the Trojans, and here rolls the deep.
'Tis hostile ground you tread; your native lands
Far, far from hence: your fates are in your hands."
Raging he spoke; nor further wastes his breath,
But turns his javelin to the work of death.
Whate'er bold Trojan arm'd his daring hands,
Against the sable ships, with flaming brands,
So well the chief his naval weapon sped,
The luckless warrior at his stern lay dead:
Full twelve, the boldest, in a moment fell,
Sent by great Ajax to the shades of hell.
[Illustration: CASTOR AND POLLUX.]
CASTOR AND POLLUX. 就這樣，他們奮戰在那條凳板堅固的海船旁。
與此同時，帕特羅剋洛斯回到兵士的牧者阿基琉斯
身邊，站着，熱淚涌註，像一股幽黑的溪泉，
順着不可爬攀的絶壁，瀉淌着暗淡的水流。
看着此般情景，捷足的勇士、卓越的阿基琉斯心生憐憫，
開口說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“帕特羅剋洛斯，為何哭泣——像個可憐的小姑娘，
跑在母親後面，哭求着要她提抱，
抓住她的衣衫，將那急於前行的親娘往後拽拉，
睜着淚眼，望着她的臉面，直到後者將她抱起一樣？
你就像這麽個小姑娘，帕特羅剋洛斯，淌着一串串滾圓的淚珠。
有什麽消息嗎？想要告訴慕耳彌鼕人，還是打算對我訴說？
是不是，僅你一人，接到了來自弗西亞的消息？
然而，他們告訴我，阿剋托耳之子墨諾伊提俄斯仍然健在，
埃阿科斯之子裴琉斯依然生活在慕耳彌鼕人中。
倘若他倆亡故，我們確有悲悼的理由。也許，
你是在內阿耳吉維人慟哭，不忍心看着他們
倒死在深曠的海船旁——由於他們的狂傲？
告訴我、不要把事情埋在心裏，讓你我都知道。”
聽罷這番話，你，車手帕特羅剋洛斯，發出一聲凄楚的哀
號，答道：
“阿基琉斯，裴琉斯之子，阿開亞人中首屈一指的英雄——
不要發怒。知道嗎，巨大的悲痛已降臨在阿開亞人的頭頂！
他們中以前作戰最勇敢的人，現在
都已臥躺船邊，帶着箭傷或槍痕。
圖丟斯之子、強健的狄俄墨得斯已被羽箭射傷，
俄底修斯則身帶槍痕，著名的槍手阿伽門農亦然；
歐魯普洛斯傷在大腿，受之於一枚羽箭，
熟知藥性的醫者們正忙着為他們
治傷去痛。但是你，阿基琉斯，誰也勸慰不了！
但願盛怒，如你所發的這場暴怒，不要揪揉我的心房！
你的勇氣，該受詛咒的粗莽！後代的子孫能從你這兒得到什
麽好處，倘若你不為阿耳吉維人擋開可恥的死亡？
你沒有半點憐憫之心！車手裴琉斯不是你的父親，
不是，塞提絲也不是你的母親；灰藍色的大海生養了你，
還有那高聳的岩壁——你，何時才能回心轉意？
但是，倘若你心知的某個預言拉了你的後腿，
倘若你那尊貴的母親已告訴你某個得之於宙斯的信息，
那你至少也得派我出戰，帶領其他慕耳彌鼕人。
或許，我能給達奈人帶去一綫勝利的曙光。
讓我肩披你的鎧甲，投入戰鬥，這樣，
特洛伊人或許會把我誤當是你，停止進攻的步伐，
使苦戰中的阿開亞人的兒子們得獲一次喘息的機會——
他們己筋疲力盡。戰場上，喘息的時間總是那麽短暫。
我們這支息養多時的精兵，面對久戰衰憊的敵人，可以
一鼓作氣，把他們趕回特洛伊，遠離我們的營棚和海船！”
帕特羅剋洛斯一番懇求，天真得像個孩子，卻不知
他所祈求的正是自己的死亡和悲慘的終極。
其時，懷着滿腔怒火，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“不，帕特羅剋洛斯，我的王子——你都說了些什麽？
預言？我什麽也不知道，什麽也不在乎。
我那尊貴的母親並沒有從宙斯那兒給我帶來什麽信息；
倒是此事深深地傷痛了我的心魂：
有人試圖羞辱一個和他一樣高貴的壯勇，
仗藉e己的權威，奪走別人的戰獲。
此事令我痛心疾首，使我蒙受了屈辱。
阿開亞人的兒子們挑出那位姑娘，作為我的戰禮——我曾
攻破那座壁壘堅固的城堡，憑靠手中的槍矛，掠得這位女子。
但是，阿特柔斯之子，強有力的阿伽門農，從我
手中奪走了她，仿佛我是個受人鄙棄的流浪漢o’
算了，過去的事就讓它過去吧，我也不會
永遠盛怒不息。但是，我已說過，
我不會平息心中的憤怒，直到
囂聲和戰火騰起在我的海船邊。
去吧，披上我那副璀璨的鎧甲，在你的肩頭，
率領嗜喜搏殺的慕耳彌鼕人赴戰疆場，
倘若特洛伊人的烏雲確已罩住海船，
黑沉沉的一片，而另一邊的戰勇——阿耳吉維人——
已被逼擠到狹長的灘頭，背靠着
海浪。全城的特洛伊人都在嚮他們壓去，
勇猛頑強，衹因他們沒有見着我的戰盔，讓
他們頭昏眼花！如果強有力的阿伽門農
能夠善待於我，他們頃刻之間就會拔腿竄逃，屍體塞住平原
上的水道！然而，現在，阿耳吉維人已退戰到自己的營區旁。
槍矛已不再橫飛在圖丟斯之子
狄俄墨得斯手中，為達親人擋避死亡。
我也不曾聽見阿特桑斯之子的呼喊，崩出
那顆讓人厭恨的頭顱——衹有殺人狂赫剋托耳
對特洛伊人的嘶叫，響徹在我的耳旁。他們發出狂蠻的
呼吼，占據着整個平原，擊垮了阿開亞兵壯。然而，
即便如此，帕特羅剋洛斯，你要解除船邊的危難，
全力以赴，勇猛出擊，不要讓他們拋出熊熊的火把，
燒毀我們的海船，奪走我們回傢的啓望。
但是，你要記住我的命囑，要切記不忘，
如此方能為我爭得巨大的尊譽和榮光，在
所有達奈人面前，使他們送回我那位
漂亮的姑娘，輔之以閃光的報償。
一旦把特洛伊人從船邊打跑，你要馬上回返；儘管
赫拉的炸響雷的夫婿可能會讓你爭得榮光，
你不能，在沒有我的情況下，留戀和特洛伊人的拼鬥，
這幫嗜戰如命的傢夥——這麽做，會削減我的榮光。
你不能沉湎於血戰引發的激狂，放手
痛殺特洛伊人，領着兵勇們衝嚮伊利昂——
小心啊，俄林波斯上的某個不死的神祗
可能會下山幹預。遠射手阿波羅打心眼裏鐘愛着
特洛伊兵壯。記住，要馬上回返，一旦給海船送去
得救的曙光。讓其他人繼續打下去吧，在那平展的曠野上！
哦，父親宙斯，雅典娜，阿波羅！——但願
特洛伊人全都死個精光，阿耳吉維人中誰也
不得生還，衹有你我走出屠殺的疆場——是的
衹有你我二人，砸碎他們神聖的樓冠，在特洛伊城頭！”
就這樣，他倆你來我往，一番告說；與此同時，
面對紛至沓來的投械，埃阿斯已無法穩站艙板。
宙斯的意志，還有高傲的特洛伊人和他們的槍矛，
逼得他步步回跑。太陽穴上，那頂閃亮的頭盔，
在雨點般的重擊下發出可怕的聲響——製鑄堅固的
頰片不時遭到槍械的擊打；左肩已疲乏無力，由於一直扛着
那面碩大、滑亮的盾牌，無有片刻緩息。然而，儘管對他投出
紛飛的槍械，他們卻不能把盾牌打離他的胸前。
他呼息睏難、粗急，淚如雨下，
順着四肢流淌。這裏，沒有他息腳
喘氣的地方，到處是險情，到處潛伏着危機和災亡。
告訴我，傢居俄林波斯的繆斯——
告訴我，第一個火把點燃阿開亞海船的情景！
赫剋托耳站離在埃阿斯近旁，揮起粗重的利劍，
猛砍安着(木岑)木桿的槍矛，劈中桿頭的插端，
齊刷刷地擼去槍尖——忒拉蒙之於埃阿斯
揮舞着禿頭的槍桿，青銅的槍尖蹦響在
老遠的泥地上。埃阿斯渾身顫嗦，
知曉此事的因由，在那顆高貴的心裏：
此乃神的作為，雷鳴高空的宙斯挫毀了
他的作戰意圖，决意讓特洛伊人贏得榮光。
他退出陣地，跑出槍械的投程。特洛伊人拋出熊熊燃燒的
火把，頃刻之間，海船上烈焰騰騰，兇蠻狂虐。
就這樣，大火吞噬着船尾——其時，阿基琉斯掄起巴掌，
擊打兩邊的腿股，對着帕特羅剋洛斯喊道：
“趕快行動，高貴的帕特羅剋洛斯，出色的車手！
我已望見兇 莽的火焰騰起在海船上；
决不能讓他們毀了木船，斷了我們的退路！
快去，穿上我的鎧甲；我這就行動，召聚我們的兵壯！”
帕特羅剋洛斯聞訊披挂，渾身閃爍着青銅的光芒。
首先，他用脛甲裹住小腿，
精美的製品，帶着銀質的踝扣，
隨之係上胸甲，掩起胸背——
捷足的阿基琉斯的護甲，甲上繁星閃爍，精工鑄打，
然後挎上柄嵌銀釘的利劍，
青銅鑄就，背起盾牌，盾面巨大、沉重。
其後，他把做工精緻的頭盔扣上壯實的頭顱，
連同馬鬃做就的頂冠，搖撼出鎮人的威嚴。
最後，他操起兩條抓握順手、沉甸甸的槍矛。
諸般甲械中，他衹是撇下了驍勇的阿基琉斯的槍矛，
那玩藝碩大、粗長、沉重，阿開亞人中誰也
提拿不起，衹有阿基琉斯可以得心應手的使用。
這條裴利昂(木岑)木桿槍矛，是開榮送給他父親的贈禮，
取材裴利昂的峰巔，作為剋殺英雄的利器。
帕特羅剋洛斯命囑奧掄墨鼕趕快套車，
除了橫掃千軍的阿基琉斯，這是他最尊愛的朋友，
激戰中比誰都堅強，有令必行。
奧托墨鼕把迅捷的快馬牽到軛下，
珊索斯和巴利俄斯，可與疾風賽跑的
良駒，蹄腿風快的波達耳格的腹孕，得之於西風的吹拂——
其時，她正牧食在草澤上，俄開阿諾斯的激流邊。
他讓追風的裴達索斯拉起邊套，
阿基琉斯的駿馬，攻破厄提昂的城堡後劫獲的戰禮。
此馬，儘管一介凡胎，卻奔跑在神馬的邊沿。
與此同時，阿基琉斯來到慕耳彌鼕人的營地，讓他們
全副武裝，沿着營棚排列。像一群生吞活剝的惡狼，胸中騰溢
着永不消愜的狂烈，
在山野上撲倒一頭頂大的長角公鹿，爭搶
撕食，顎下滴淌着殷紅的鮮血，
成群結隊地跑去，啜欽在一條水色昏黑的泉流，
伸出溜尖的狼舌，舐碰着黑水的表層，
翻嗝着帶血的肉塊，心中仍然念念不忘
捕食的貪婪，雖然已吃得肚飽腰圓——
就像這樣，慕耳彌鼕人的首領和軍頭們
涌聚在捷足的阿基琉斯的助手、勇敢的帕特羅剋洛斯
身旁。阿基琉斯挺立在人群中，凜然戰神一般，
催勵着馭馬和肩背盾牌的戰勇。
宙斯鐘愛的阿基琉斯，帶着他的人馬
來到特洛伊，分乘五十條戰船，每船
五十名夥伴，蕩搖船槳的兵壯。
他任命了五位頭領，各帶一支
分隊，而他自己，以他的強健，則是全軍的統帥。
率領第一支分隊的是胸甲閃亮的墨奈西俄斯，
斯裴耳開俄斯阿的兒子，翻涌着宙斯傾註的水浪，
裴琉斯的女兒、美麗的波魯多拉把他生給了
奔騰不息的斯裴耳開俄斯，凡女和神河歡愛的結晶。
但在名義上，他卻是裴裏厄瑞斯之子波羅斯的兒子；波羅斯
已婚娶波魯多拉，給了難以數計的聘禮。
嗜戰的歐多羅斯率領着另一支分隊，出自一位未婚
少女的肚腹，舞姿翩翩的波魯墨萊，
夫拉斯的女兒。強有力的阿耳吉豐忒斯
愛她貌美——舞女中，神的眼睛盯上了她的豐韻，
她們正頌唱着發放金箭的阿耳忒彌絲，呼喊獵捕的神明。
醫者赫耳墨斯即刻爬上她的睡房，
秘密地和她共寢，後者為他生下一個兒子，英武的
歐多羅斯，腿腳快捷，作戰驃勇。
然而，當埃蕾蘇婭，從陣痛中，把小生命
接到白晝的日光裏，孩子睜眼看到太陽的光芒後，
阿剋托耳之子，堅實、強壯的厄開剋勒斯
把姑娘帶到自己傢裏，給了難以數計的財禮。
年邁的夫拉斯撫養着男孩，關懷
備至，疼愛得像是對自己的兒子。
第三支分隊的首領是嗜戰的裴桑得羅斯，
邁馬洛斯之子，極善槍戰，慕耳彌鼕人中，
除了裴琉斯之子的助手外，無人可及。
第四支分隊由年邁的車戰者福伊尼剋斯率領；
阿耳基墨鼕，萊耳開斯豪勇的兒子，帶領着第五支分隊。
阿基琉斯把隊伍集合完畢，齊刷刷地站候在
頭領們身邊，對他們發出嚴厲的訓令：
“墨耳彌鼕人！還記得嗎？在快捷的海船邊，
在我怒滿胸膛的日子裏，。你們對特洛伊人
發出的威脅？你們牢騷滿腹，開口抱怨：
‘裴琉斯殘忍的兒子，你的母親用膽汁養大了你！你沒有
半點憐憫之心，把夥伴們睏留在海船邊，違背他們的心意！
真不如讓我們返航回傢，乘坐破浪遠洋的海船，
既然該死的暴怒已經纏住了你的心懷。’
你們常常議論我的不是，喁語嘁嘁，三五成群。
現在，眼前擺着你們盼望已久的戰鬥，一場激烈的鏖戰。
使出你們的勇力，接戰特洛伊兵漢！”
一番話使大傢鼓起了勇氣，增添了力量。
聽罷王者的將令，各支分隊靠得更加緊密，
像泥水匠壘築高聳的房居，它的沿墻，
石頭一塊緊挨着一塊，擋禦疾風的吹掃——
戰場上，頭盔和突鼓的戰盾連成一片，
圓盾交迭，銅盔磕碰，人擠人擁。
隨着人頭的攢動，閃亮的盔面上，貼着硬角，
馬鬃的盔冠抵擦碰撞；隊伍站得嚴嚴實實，密密匝匝。
帕特羅剋洛斯和奧托墨鼕全副武裝，
同仇敵愾，站在隊伍的前列，
率領慕耳彌鼕人衝殺。其時，阿基琉斯
走進自己的營棚，打開一隻漂亮、精工
製作的箱子的頂蓋——銀腳的塞提絲把它
放在海船裏，運到此間，滿裝着衫衣。
擋禦鳳寒的披篷和厚實的毛毯。
箱子裏躺着一隻精美的酒杯，其他人誰也
不得用它啜飲閃亮的醇酒，阿基琉斯自己亦不
用它奠祭別的神明——衹有父親宙斯獨享這份榮譽。
他取出酒杯，先用硫磺淨滌，
然後用清亮的溪水漂洗，
衝淨雙手，把閃亮的酒漿註入盅杯，
站在庭院中間，對神祈禱，灑出醇酒，
仰望青天；喜好炸雷的宙斯聽見了他的祈願：
“王者宙斯，裴拉斯吉亞的宙斯，多多那的主宰，住在遙遠的
地方，俯視着寒冷的多多那；你的祭司生活在你的
身邊，那些睡躺在地上、不洗腳的塞洛伊——
如果說你上回聽了我的祈禱，
給了我光榮，重創了阿開亞軍隊，
那麽，今天，求你再次兌現我的告願。
現在，我自己仍然呆留在海船擱聚的灘沿，
但已命造我的夥伴參戰，帶着衆多的慕耳彌鼕
兵勇。沉雷遠播的宙斯，求你讓他得到光榮！
讓他的胸中充滿勇氣；這樣，就連赫剋托耳亦會
知曉，帕特羅剋洛斯是否具有獨自拼戰的
能耐——還是衹有當我亦現身浴血的
戰場，他的臂膀才能發揮無堅不摧的戰力。
但是，當他一經打退船邊喧囂的攻勢，
就讓他安然無恙地回到迅捷的海船邊，
連同我的鎧甲以及和他並肩戰鬥的夥伴。”
他如此一番祈禱，多謀善斷的宙斯聽到了他的聲音。
天父允諾了他的一項祈求，但同時否定了另一項，
他答應讓帕特羅剋洛斯打退船邊的
攻勢，但拒絶讓他活着回返。
阿基琉斯灑過奠酒，作罷禱告，
回身營棚，將酒杯放入箱子，復出
站在門前，仍在急切地盼想，想盼着
眺望阿開亞人和特洛伊人拼死的苦戰。
其時，身披鎧甲的戰勇和心志豪 莽的帕特羅剋洛斯
一起前進，精神抖擻，成群結隊地
撲嚮特洛伊人，像路邊的蜂群，
忍受着男孩們經常性的挑逗，
日復一日地惹擾，在路旁的蜂窩邊——
真是一幫傻孩子！他們給許多人招來了麻煩。
倘若行人經過路邊的窩巢，
無意中激擾了蜂群，它們就勃然大怒，
傾巢出動，各顯身手，為保衛自己的後代而拼戰。
就像這樣，慕耳彌鼕人群情激奮，怒滿胸膛，
從船邊蜂擁而出，喊出經久不息的殺聲。
帕特羅剋洛斯放開嗓門，大聲呼叫，對着他的兵朋：
“慕耳彌鼕人，裴琉斯之子阿基琉斯的夥伴們！
拿出男子漢的勇氣，我的朋友們，鼓起狂烈的戰鬥激情！
我們必須為裴琉斯之子爭得榮譽；海船邊，他是阿耳吉維人中
最善戰的壯勇——我們是他的部屬，和他並肩拼殺的戰友！
這樣，阿特柔斯之子，統治着遼闊疆域的阿伽門農，纔會認識
到自己的驕狂，知道屈辱了阿開亞全軍最好的英壯！”
一番話使大傢鼓起了勇氣，增添了力量。
他們成群結隊地撲嚮特洛伊人，身邊的
船艘回揚出巨大的轟響，蕩送出阿開亞人的呼吼。
看到墨諾伊提俄斯強有力的兒子，目睹
他和他的馭手，身披光彩奪目的鎧甲，特洛伊人
個個心涼膽戰，隊伍即刻瓦解，
以為海船邊，捷足的阿基琉斯
已拋卻憤怒，選擇了友誼。其時，
每個人都在東張西望，尋覓逃避慘死的生路。
帕特羅剋洛斯第一個投出閃亮的槍矛，
直撲敵陣的中路，大群慌亂的兵勇，麇集最密的去處，
擁塞在心胸豪壯的普羅忒西勞斯的船尾邊，
擊中普萊剋墨斯，派俄尼亞車戰者的首領，
來自阿慕鼕，阿剋西俄斯河寬闊的水流邊。
他右肩中槍，仰面倒地，吟叫在
泥塵裏；他的派俄尼亞伴友四散
奔逃——帕特羅剋洛斯放倒了他們的頭領，
他們中作戰最勇敢的人，把他們嚇得魂飛膽裂。
他把敵人趕離海船，撲滅熊熊燃燒的大火，
海船已被燒得半焦不黑，但仍然挺駐在灘沿上。特洛伊人
嚇得遑遑奔逃，發出歇斯底裏的喊叫；達奈人
群起進攻，殺回深曠的海船；喧囂之聲拔地而起，經久不息。
宛如彙聚閃電的宙斯撥開
大山之巔、峰頂上的一片濃厚的雲層，
透亮的大氣，其量不可窮限，從高空潑瀉下來，使高挺的山峰、
突兀的崖壁和幽深的溝壑全都顯現在白熾的光亮裏
——達奈人將橫蔓的烈火撲離海船，
略微舒鬆了片刻，但戰鬥沒有止息。
儘管受到嗜戰的阿開亞人的進攻，特洛伊人
並沒有掉過頭去，死命跑離烏黑的海船；
他們在強壓下放棄船邊的戰鬥，但仍在苦苦支撐，奮力抵抗。
戰場上混亂不堪，到處人殺人砍——首領們。
正在拼戰。墨諾伊提俄斯強壯的兒子首先
投槍，擊中阿雷魯科斯的腿股，在他
轉身之際，犀利的銅槍穿透肉層，
砸碎了腿骨；後者頭臉撲地，嘴啃
泥塵。與此同時，嗜戰的黑奈勞斯出槍索阿斯，
捅在胸脅上，戰盾不及遮掩的部位，酥軟了他的肢腿。
眼見安菲剋洛斯跑上前來，夫琉斯之子墨格斯
先發製人，出槍紮在體腿相連的地方，人體上
肌肉最結實的部位，槍尖挑斷
筋腱，濃黑的迷霧蒙住了他的雙眼。
至於奈斯托耳的兒子們，安提洛科斯刺中阿屯尼俄斯，
用鋒快的槍矛，銅尖紮穿脅腹，
後者隨即撲倒，頭臉朝下。其時，馬裏斯手握銅矛，大步
進逼，對着安提洛科斯——兄弟的遭遇使他怒滿胸膛，
站護在屍體前面——然而，神一樣的斯拉蘇墨得斯
手腳迅捷，先他出槍，正中目標，捅入
肩膀，槍尖切斷臂膀的根部，
撕裂肌肉，截斷骨頭，不帶半點含糊。
他隨即倒地，轟然一聲，黑暗蒙住了他的雙眼。
就這樣，兄弟倆倒死在另外兩個兄弟手下，
掉入烏黑的去處——薩耳裴鼕高貴的伴友，
阿米索達羅斯手握槍矛的兒子，阿米索達羅斯，養育過
狂暴的基邁拉，裂送過衆多的人命。其時，
埃阿斯，俄伊琉斯之子，闊步猛衝，生擒
剋勒俄布洛斯，其時正擁塞在慌亂奔逃的人流裏，
抹了他的脖子，用帶柄的利劍，
熱血燙紅了整條劍刃，殷紅的死亡
和強有力的命運合上了他的眼睛。其時，
裴奈琉斯和魯孔迎面撲進——已互相
投過一枝槍矛，全都偏離目標——所以
現時絞殺在一起，揮舞着銅劍。魯孔
起劍砍中頭盔，插綴着馬鬃盔冠的脊角；手柄以下，
劍刃震得四分五裂。裴奈琉斯揮劍砍人
耳朵下面的脖子，銅劍切砍至深，劍出之處僅剩一點
沾挂的皮層；對手的腦袋耷拉在一邊，四肢酥軟。
墨裏俄奈斯腿腳輕快，趕上阿卡馬斯，
出槍捅在右肩上，在他從馬後上車之際，
後者翻身落地，黑暗蒙住了他的雙眼。
伊多墨紐斯出手刺中厄魯馬斯，無情的銅槍插入
他的嘴裏，銅尖捅紮進去，
從腦下往上穿擠，搗碎白骨，
打落牙齒，後者雙眼溢血，
大口地喘着粗氣，嘴和鼻孔
噴出血流，死的黑霧裹起了他的軀體。
就這樣，這些達奈人的首領殺死了各自的對手，
像狼群撲殺在羔羊或小山羊中間，氣勢洶洶，
在羊群中咬住它們，趁着牧羊人粗心大意，
將羊群散放在山坡之際；餓狼抓住空子，
猛撲上前，叼起小羊，後者絶無半點反抗之力——
就這樣，達奈人衝殺在特洛伊人中間，後者聽着
恐怖的殺聲，拋卻了奮勇進擊的狂烈。
然而，高大魁偉的埃阿斯總在試圖槍擊
頭頂銅盔的赫剋托耳，但後者憑着豐富的戰鬥經驗，
把那寬闊的肩膀縮掩在牛皮戰後的後面，睜大
眼睛，盯視着呼嘯的飛箭和轟鳴而至的槍矛。
他清楚地知道，戰局已發生了不利的變化，但
儘管如此，他仍然毫不退讓，保護他的倔犟的夥伴。
像宙斯捲來一陣風暴，慫托起一片烏雲，從俄林波斯
山上升騰而起，飄出透亮的氣空，逼嚮天際，
海船邊喧聲四起，特洛伊人驚慌失措，
潰不成軍。其時，捷蹄的快馬拉着全副武裝的
赫剋托耳回跑，撇下特洛伊兵衆，
由他們違心背意，陷滯在寬深的壕溝裏。
深壁間，一對對拖拉戰車的快馬，
掙斷車桿的終端，丟棄主人的車輛。其時，
帕特羅剋洛斯朝着他們衝去，對達親人發出嚴厲的吼叫，
一心想着屠殺特洛伊兵壯，後者高聲驚呼，
堵塞了每一條退路；隊伍早已亂作一團。風快的駿馬
掙紮着撒開四蹄，跑離海船和營棚，奪路回城，
蹄腿踢起紛飛的灰末，扶搖着匯入雲層。
其時，衹要看見大片慌亂的人群，帕特羅剋洛斯就
策馬嚮前，高聲呼喊；戰勇們一個接一個地倒出馬車，
頭面磕地，落在車軸下——戰車壓過身軀，疾馳而去。
面對眼前的壕溝，帕特羅剋洛斯的馭馬一躍而過，這對迅捷。
得享永年的靈駒，乃神祗送給裴琉斯的一份光燦燦的贈禮，
此時奮蹄嚮前——帕特羅剋洛斯的狂怒驅使他撲嚮赫剋托耳，
急於給他一槍送終，但後者的快馬把他拉出了射程。
恰如在一個昏暗的秋日，狂風吹掃着
烏黑的大地，宙斯降下滂淪的暴雨，來勢兇猛，
痛恨凡人的作為，使他勃然震怒——
在喧嚷的集會上，他們作出歪逆的决斷，
把公正拋到九霄雲外，全然不忌神的懲治——
在他們生活的地域，所有的河床洪水泛濫，
𠔌地裏激流洶涌，衝蕩着一道道山坡，
水勢滔滔，發出震天的巨響，奔出山林，直掃而下，
瀉入灰濛濛的大海，劫毀農人精耕的田園。
就像這樣，特洛伊人的馭馬撒蹄驚跑，呼呼隆隆。
其時，帕特羅剋洛斯，在打爛了前面的幾支隊伍後，
轉過身子，將敵人逼嚮海船，不讓逃嚮城堡，
雖然他們掙紮着試圖如願。他衝殺
在海船、河流和高墻之間，
殺敵甚衆，為死難的夥伴討還血債。
閃亮的槍矛下，普羅努斯第一個送命，
紮在胸脅上，不被戰盾摭掩的部位，酥軟了他的肢腿。
他隨即倒地，轟然一聲。接着，帕特羅剋洛斯撲嚮
塞斯托耳，厄諾普斯之子，縮蜷在滑亮的
戰車裏，嚇得不知所措，鬆手脫落
繮繩——帕特羅剋洛斯逼近出槍，捅入
下顎的右邊，穿過上下齒之間的空隙。接着，他用
槍矛把塞斯托耳挑勾起來，提過馬車的邊桿，像一個漁人，
坐在突兀的岩壁上，用漁綫和閃亮的
銅鈎，從水裏釣起一條海鮮；就像這樣，
帕特羅剋洛斯把他——大張着嘴，衍塞着閃亮的槍尖——拉
出戰車，扔甩出去，嘴臉朝下，撲倒在地，命息離他而去。
接着，他又出手厄魯勞斯，在他前衝之際，用一塊巨大的石頭，
搗在腦門正中，把頭顱砸成兩半，
在粗重的盔蓋裏；後者頭臉朝下，撲進
泥塵，破毀勇力的死亡蒙罩起他的軀體。
其後，他又殺了厄魯馬斯、安福忒羅斯和厄帕爾忒斯，
達馬斯托耳之子特勒波勒摩斯、厄基俄斯和普裏斯，
伊菲烏斯和歐伊波斯，以及阿耳格阿斯之子波魯墨洛斯，
一個接着一個，全都挺屍在豐腴的土地上。
其時，薩耳裴鼕，眼看着他的不係腰帶的夥伴們
倒死在墨諾伊提俄斯之子帕特羅剋洛斯手下，
放聲呵責，對着神一樣的魯基亞兵衆：
“可恥啊，你們這些魯基亞人；你們在往哪裏奔跑？還不奮起
反擊，趕快！
我，是的，我將面對面地會會這個人，看看他
到底是誰，那個強壯的漢子，已給我們帶來
深重的災難，折斷了許多鏢勇壯漢的膝腿。”
言罷，他跳下戰車，雙腳着地，全副武裝；
對面的帕特羅剋洛斯見狀，也馬上
跳離戰車。像兩衹硬爪麯捲、尖嘴彎勾的禿鷲，
搏戰在一塊高聳的岩面上，發出一聲聲尖叫，
兩位壯士面對面地衝撲，高聲呼吼。
望着此般情景，工於心計的剋羅諾斯的兒子
心生憐憫，對赫拉、他的妻子和姐妹說道：
“唉，痛心呢！薩耳裴鼕，世間我最鐘愛的凡人，將服從命運的
安排，倒死在墨諾伊提俄斯之子帕特羅剋洛斯手中！
我斟酌思考，在我的心間，平扯着兩種選擇：
是把他搶出充滿痛苦的戰鬥，
活着送回富足的國度魯基亞，還是
把他擊倒，在墨諾伊提俄斯之子的手下。”
聽罷這番話，牛眼睛天後赫拉答道：
“可怕的王者，剋羅諾斯之子，你說了些什麽？
你打算把他救出悲慘的死亡，一個凡人，
一個命裏早就住定要死的凡人？
做去吧，宙斯，但我等衆神絶不會一致贊同。
我還有一事相告，並勸你記在心中：
如果你把薩耳裴鼕帶回他的傢園，仍然活着，
那麽，其他某位神明亦可能心懷希望，
把自己的兒子帶出激烈拼搏的戰場——
要知道，許多神祗的兒子戰鬥在普裏阿摩斯
雄偉的城堡前；你的作為將引起極大的憤恨。
不行，雖然你很愛他，為他的不幸悲悼，
也得讓他果在那裏，倒死在激戰中，
墨諾伊提俄斯之子帕特羅剋洛斯的手下。
然而，當靈魂和生命離他而去，你可差遣，
死亡，亦同舒怡的睡眠，把他帶走，
送往他的家乡，遼闊的魯基亞，
由他的兄弟和鄉親為他舉行隆重的葬禮，
築墳樹碑，接受死者應該享受的尊儀。”
她言罷，神和人的父親不予駁違，
但他灑下鋪地的淚雨，殷紅的血珠，為了
』0愛的兒子——帕特羅剋洛斯即將
把他殺死，在遠離故鄉的地方，土地肥沃的特洛伊。
他倆相對而行，咄咄逼近；
帕特羅剋洛斯首先投槍，擊中光榮的斯拉蘇墨洛斯，
王者薩耳裴鼕強健的馭手，打在
小腹上，酥軟了他的肢腿。
薩耳裴鼕緊接着擲出投槍，閃亮的槍矛
偏離目標，擊中馭馬裴達索斯的
胸肩，後者驚叫着呼喘出命息，在尖利的
嘶聲中躺倒泥塵；生命的魂息離他而去。
另兩匹馭馬於爭離中飛揚起前蹄，軛架吱嘎作響，繮繩
混絞錯疊——套馬躺死在旁邊的泥塵裏。
見此情景，善使槍矛的奧托墨鼕急中生智，
抽出長鋒的利劍，從壯實的股腿邊，
衝上前去，起手劈砍，斬斷套馬的繩索；
另兩匹馭馬隨之調正位置，綳緊了繮繩，
兩位英雄咄咄進逼，復又捲人撕心裂肺的殺鬥。
薩耳裴鼕再次投偏了閃亮的槍矛，
槍尖從帕特羅剋洛斯的左肩上
穿過，不曾擦着皮肉。帕特羅剋洛斯緊接着擲出
銅矛，出手的投槍不曾虛發，擊中
包捲的橫隔膜，纏貼着跳動的心髒；
他隨即倒地，像一棵橡樹或白楊，巍然傾倒，
或像一棵參天的巨鬆，直立在山上，被船匠
用飛快的斧斤砍倒，備做造船的木料。
就像這樣，他躺倒在地，馭馬和戰車的前面，
呻吼着，雙手抓起血染的泥塵。
又像一頭鍵牛，毛色黃褐，心胸豪壯，擠身在腿步蹣跚的
牛群，被一頭衝闖進來的獅子撲倒，
嘯吼在彎蟋的獅爪裏。其時，在
帕特羅剋洛斯面前，魯基亞盾戰者的首領
狂烈地抗拒着死的降臨，對他親愛的夥伴高聲喊叫：
“格勞科斯，我的好夥伴，兵勇中的壯漢！現在，是你
大顯身手的時候——做個勇敢的槍手，無畏的勇士！
如果你是條血性的漢子，你要把兇險的拼殺當做是一樁絞竭
心魂的樂事！
首先，你要跑遍各處隊列，找來魯基亞人的
首領，催勵他們為保衛薩耳裴鼕而戰，
而你自己亦要手握銅矛，為我擋開進撲的敵人。
你將面對衆人的責駡和羞辱，天天
如此，臉面全無，倘若讓阿開亞戰勇
剝走我的鎧甲，在我躺倒的戰場，海船雲聚的地方。
全力以赴，死死頂住，催勵所有的人戰鬥！”
薩耳裴鼕氣短話長，死亡封住了他的眼睛
和鼻孔。帕特羅剋洛斯一腳蹬住他的胸口，把槍矛
拔出屍軀，拽帶出體內的橫隔膜——
就這樣，他拔出槍矛，也帶出了薩耳裴鼕的魂脈。
慕耳彌鼕人逼上前去，抓住喘着粗氣的馭馬，其時
正試圖溜蹄跑開，已經掙脫主人的戰車。
然而，聽着夥伴的喊叫，格勞科斯心頭一陣楚痛；
他心情激奮，但卻不能幫助薩耳裴鼕。
他擡手緊緊壓住臂膀，衹因傷痛鑽咬着他的心胸，
此乃丟剋羅斯射出的箭傷——其時正在
救助阿開亞夥伴——在他衝入高墻的時候。
他張嘴說話，對遠射手阿波羅祈禱：
“聽我說，王者阿波羅！無論你現在何地，是在豐足的魯基亞，
還是在我們眼前的特洛伊；不管在哪裏，你都可聽到
一位傷者，像我一樣的傷痛者的話告。
看看我這腫脹的傷口，我的整條手臂劇痛
鑽心，血流不止，始終不曾
凝結，肩臂酸楚沉重。現在，
我既不能緊握槍矛，也不能跨步嚮前，
和敵人拼鬥。我們中最勇敢的人已經死去，
薩耳裴鼕，宙斯之子——大神沒有助佑親生的兒男！
求求你，王者阿波羅。為我治愈這鑽心的傷痛，
解除我的苦楚，給我力量，使我能召聚起
魯基亞夥伴，催勵他們戰鬥。
我自己亦可參戰，保護死去的薩耳裴鼕！”
格勞科斯禱畢，福伊波斯·阿波羅聽到了他的聲音。
轉瞬之間，阿波羅為他止住傷痛，封住黑紅的流血，
在劇痛的傷口，送出勇力，註入他的心中。
格勞科斯心知發生的一切，十分高興：
強有力的神明聽見了他的告願。首先，他
穿行在各處隊列，催喚着魯基亞人的首領，
要他們嚮前，救護薩耳裴鼕；隨後，
他蹽開大步，跑嚮特洛伊人的隊伍。
他找到潘蘇斯之子普魯達馬斯和卓越的阿格諾耳，
繼而又跑嚮埃內阿斯和頭頂銅盔的赫剋托耳，
站在他們近旁，高聲喊叫，用長了翅膀的話語：
“赫剋托耳，還記得你的盟友嗎？——你已把他們忘得一幹
二淨！為了你，他們打老遠過來，離別鄉土和親友，
在此流血犧牲，而你卻不願伸一伸臂膀，幫一幫他們！
薩耳裴鼕已經倒下，魯基亞盾戰者的首領，
曾以勇力和公正的律令衛護屬下的民衆。
現在，披裹銅甲的阿瑞斯擊倒了他，通過帕特羅剋洛斯的槍矛。
趕快，我的朋友，站到我的身邊！要知道，這是一種恥辱，
倘若讓敵人剝走他的鎧甲，蹂躪他的軀身——
這些慕耳彌鼕戰勇，為了所有被殺的達奈人，那些被我們
魯基亞人用槍矛宰殺在快船邊的壯勇，欲對我們潑仇泄恨！”
聽罷這番話，難以忍受、無可消彌的悲痛
撕裂了特洛伊人的心胸。薩耳裴鼕始終是城堡的
墻柱，雖然來自外邦，身後跟着許多
兵勇，但他們中誰也不能和他比擬，在戰場上，嚮來
如此。其時，特洛伊人挾着狂怒，衝嚮達奈戰勇，由赫剋托耳
率領，出於對薩耳裴鼕之死的憤怒。但墨諾伊提俄斯之子
帕特羅剋洛斯粗野的戰鬥激情，也掀起了阿開亞人拼戰的心潮。
他先對兩位埃阿斯喊話，激勵着兩面急於求戰的心胸：
“幹起來吧，兩位埃阿斯，勇敢戰鬥，
像以前拼戰在人群中那樣——現在，要比以往更英勇！
薩耳裴鼕已經倒下，扳搗阿開亞護墻的
第一人。但願我能搶得他的屍體，加以凌辱，
剝掉鎧甲，從他的肩頭，用無情的
銅矛擊殺他的夥伴，任何敢於戰護屍體的敵人！”
其時，阿開亞人心懷狂烈，準備殺退敵手。
兩軍相逢，聚攏起戰鬥的編隊，
特洛伊人和魯基亞人，慕耳彌鼕人和阿開亞兵衆，
面對面地近戰搏殺，圍繞着薩耳裴鼕的屍首，
喊出粗野的呼嚎，身披銅甲的戰勇頂抵衝撞——
在戰地的上空，宙斯降下可怕的黑夜，
使雙方在混沌中，圍繞着他的愛子，展開了一場拼死的苦鬥。
在第一回合的格殺中，特洛伊人頂回了明眸的阿開亞人，
殺倒了一個慕耳彌鼕壯士，絶非他們中最劣的戰勇，
心胸豪壯的阿伽剋勒斯之子，卓越的阿培勾斯。
過去，他曾王統布代昂，人丁興旺的城堡；
其後，他殺了一個血統高貴的堂表兄弟，
跑離家乡，找到裴琉斯和銀腳的塞提絲，懇求幫助；
他倆讓他跟着橫掃千軍的阿基琉斯，
前往出駿馬的伊利昂，和特洛伊人拼鬥。
然而，他剛剛抓起屍體，就吃了光榮的赫剋托耳扔出的
頑石，搗在腦門上，把頭顱砸成兩半，
在粗重的盔蓋裏；阿裴勾斯頭臉朝下，撲倒
屍身，破毀勇力的死亡蒙罩起他的軀體。
夥伴的倒地使帕特羅剋洛斯心痛，
他衝入前排的戰勇，快得像一隻疾飛的
鷂鷹，把成群的鴉雀和歐椋嚇得撲翅飛逃。
就像這樣，哦，車手帕特羅剋洛斯，你迅猛
衝擊，撲嚮魯基亞人和特洛伊人，滿懷怨恨，為了死去的伴友。
他扔出一塊石頭，對着塞奈勞斯，
伊賽墨奈斯的愛子，砸在脖子上，搗出了裏面的筋腱。
特洛伊首領們開始退卻，包括光榮的赫剋托耳，
回退了長槍一次投射的距程——
有人甩手出槍，意欲試看自己的臂力，在賽場上，
或在戰鬥中，面對仇敵兇狂的進撲——
特洛伊人回退了這麽一段距離，迫於阿開亞人的進攻。
但是，格勞科斯，魯基亞盾戰者的首領，首先
轉過身子，殺了心胸豪壯的巴蘇剋勒斯，
卡爾工的愛子，傢住赫拉斯，
以財富和幸運顯耀在慕耳彌鼕人中。
格勞科斯突然回身，在巴蘇剋勒斯
即將趕上他的時候，出槍擊中來者的心胸，
後者隨即倒地，轟然一聲。阿開亞人悲痛萬分，
為失去一位善戰的壯勇；而特洛伊人則歡欣鼓舞，
成群結隊地涌嚮他的軀身，但阿開亞人並沒有
消懈自己的戰鬥激情，奮勇地殺嚮敵人。
戰地上，墨裏俄奈斯殺了一位特洛伊首領，
勞戈諾斯，俄奈托耳勇 莽的兒子，伊達亞的
宙斯的祭司，受到家乡人民像對神一樣的崇敬。
墨裏俄奈斯的槍矛紮在他的耳朵和顎骨下面，魂息當即
飄離他的肢腿，可恨的黑暗蒙住了他的軀身。
其後，埃內阿斯對着墨裏俄奈斯投出銅槍，企望
出槍中的，擊倒藏身盾牌後面、嚮他衝來的對手，
但墨裏俄奈斯盯視着他的舉動，躲過銅矛，
嚮前佝屈起身子；長槍紮入後面的
泥地，桿尾來回擺動，
直到強健的阿瑞斯平止了它的狂暴。
埃內阿斯的投槍咬人泥層，桿端來回擺動，
粗壯的大手徒勞無益地白丟了一枝槍矛。
勇士怒不可遏，大聲喊叫，嚷道：
“墨裏俄奈斯，跳舞的行傢！但願那一槍
不曾虛發，一勞永逸地斷阻你的舞步！”
聽罷這番話，著名的槍手墨裏俄奈斯答道：
“埃內阿斯，雖然你是個剛烈的漢子，但也很難
放倒每一個和你交手、藉以自衛的
戰勇。我知道，你也是一個凡人。
要是我能擊中你的肚腹，用鋒快的銅槍，
那麽，哪怕你身強力壯，自信於你那雙堅實的大手，
你會給我送來光榮，而把自己的靈魂交付駕馭名駒的死神！”
他言罷，墨諾伊提俄斯饒勇的兒子呵斥道：
“墨裏俄奈斯，你是個勇敢的人，何須如此大肆吹擂？
相信我，我的朋友，特洛伊人不會因為幾句辱駡
而從屍軀邊回退——在此之前，平原上將垛起成堆的屍首！
我們通過行動戰鬥，通過話語商籌。現在
不是說辯的時候——戰場上，我們要戰鬥！”
言罷，他舉步先行，墨裏俄奈斯緊跟其後，一位
像神一樣的凡人。恰似有人伐木幽深的
山𠔌，斧斤砍出巨大的聲響，傳至很遠的地方，
戰場上滾動着沉悶的撞擊聲，發自廣袤的大地，
發自護身的皮革、青銅的戰盾和厚實的牛皮，
承受着劍和雙刃槍矛的擊打。即便是
認識他的熟人，這時也找不到神一樣的
薩耳裴鼕，他已被從頭到腳，壓埋在成堆的
槍械下，血污和泥塵裏。但人們仍在
朝着他衝涌，像羊圈裏的蒼蠅，
圍着奶桶旋飛，發出嗡嗡的嘈響，
在那春暖季節，鮮奶溢滿提桶的時候——
就像這樣，他們蜂擁在屍體周圍。與此同時，宙斯
閃亮的目光一刻也不曾移開激戰的場面。
他註目凝視戰鬥的人群，思緒紛紜，
盤劃着各種方法，處死帕特羅剋洛斯。
是讓他死在此時，在這紛亂的激戰中，
讓光榮的赫剋托耳，用銅槍把他殺死在神一樣的
薩耳裴鼕的遺體旁，然後剝掉鎧甲，從他的肩上，
還是增強戰鬥的狂烈，讓更多的人遭受煎磨？
兩下比較，他認定此舉最妙：
讓裴琉斯之子阿基琉斯強健的伴友
把特洛伊人和頭頂銅盔的赫剋托耳
再次逼口城下，殺死衆多的兵勇。他從
赫剋托耳人手，使他産生怯戰的心念，
後者跳上戰車，轉身逃遁，同時招呼其他
特洛伊人回跑，心知宙斯已壓低天秤的一頭。
目睹王者胸上挨了槍矛，躺在死人堆裏，
強健的魯基亞人亦無心戀戰，四散
驚跑——自從宙斯強化了戰鬥的烈度，
衆多的戰勇已臥躺在屍體的上頭。
阿開亞人剝下薩耳裴鼕光燦燦的銅甲，
從他的肩上；墨諾伊提俄斯嗜戰的兒子
把它交給自己的夥伴，送回深曠的船舟。
其時，彙聚烏雲的宙斯對阿波羅說道：
“去吧，親愛的阿波羅，從槍械下救出
薩耳裴鼕，擦去他身上濃黑的污血，
帶到遠離戰場的去處，用清亮的河水淨洗，
抹上神界的膏脂，穿上永不敗壞的衣裳。
把他交給迅捷的陪送，兩位同胞
兄弟，睡眠和死亡，帶往
富足的鄉區，放躺在寬闊的魯基亞。
他的兄弟和鄉親會替他舉行隆重的葬禮，
築墳樹碑，接受死者應該享受的尊儀。”
聽罷這番話，阿波羅謹遵父命，
從伊達的嶺脊上下來，進入浴血的戰場，
抱起卓越的薩耳裴鼕，從槍械下面，
來到遠離戰場的地方，用清亮的河水淨洗，
抹上神界的膏脂，穿上永不敗壞的衣裳，
交給迅捷的陪送，兩位同胞
兄弟，睡眠和死亡，帶往
富足的鄉區，放躺在寬闊的魯基亞。
其時，帕特羅剋洛斯，對着奧托墨鼕和馭馬大喝一聲，
殺嚮特洛伊和魯基亞人的隊伍，心智已變得迷迷糊糊。
好一個糊塗的人——倘若聽從裴琉斯之子的命告，
便可能逃脫這次險惡的悲難，幽黑的死亡。
然而，宙斯的意志總是強過凡人的心智，
他能嚇倒嗜戰的勇士，輕而易舉地奪走
他的勝利，雖然他亦會親自督勵某人戰鬥，
像現在一樣，催鼓起帕特羅剋洛斯的狂烈。
在神明把你召嚮死亡的時候，帕特羅剋洛斯，
誰個最先倒在你的槍下，誰個最後被你宰殺？
阿得瑞斯托斯最先送命，接着是奧托努斯和厄開剋洛斯，
墨伽斯之子裴裏摩斯，以及厄丕斯托耳和墨拉尼波斯，
然後是厄拉索斯，慕利俄斯和普拉耳忒斯。
他殺死這些壯勇，餘下的全都嚇得惶惶奔逃。
其時，要不是福伊波斯·阿波羅出現在築造堅固的
壁墻上，盤劃着把他置於死地，助佑潰敗的特洛伊人，
阿開亞戰勇或許已經攻剋城門高聳的伊利昂，
憑藉帕特羅剋洛斯的勇力，後者提着槍矛，衝殺在隊伍的前頭。
一連三次，帕特羅剋洛斯試圖爬上高墻的
突沿，一連三次，福伊波斯·阿波羅把他抵打回去，
用他那蓄滿神力的雙手擊擋閃光的盾面。當帕特羅剋洛斯
發起第四次衝鋒，像一位出凡的超人，
阿波羅高聲喝叫，喊出長了翅膀的話語，令人不寒而慄：
“退回去，顯貴的帕特羅剋洛斯！這不是命運的意志，
讓高傲的特洛伊人的城堡毀在你的手裏，用你的槍矛；
就連阿基琉斯也創不了這份功業，一位遠比你傑出的戰勇！”
他言罷，帕特羅剋洛斯退出一大段距離，
以避開遠射手阿波羅的震怒。
其時，斯卡亞門邊，赫剋托耳勒住風快的馭馬，
紛理着忐忑的思緒：是駕車重返沙場，繼續戰鬥，
還是招呼他的人馬，集聚在墻內？就在他
權衡斟酌之際，福伊波斯·阿波羅前來站在他的身邊，
以凡人的模樣，一位年輕、強健的壯士，
阿西俄斯，馴馬者赫剋托耳的親舅，
赫卡貝的兄弟，杜馬斯的兒子，
傢住弗魯吉亞，伴着桑伽裏俄斯的激流。
以此人的模樣，宙斯之子阿波羅對他說道：
“赫剋托耳，為何停止戰鬥？你忽略了自己的責職！
但願我能比你優秀，就像實際上比你低劣一樣！
如果這是事實，我就會讓你知道，狼狽不堪地逃離戰鬥，會受
到何樣的罰懲！
振作起來！趕起蹄腿堅實的馭馬，直奔帕特羅剋洛斯的近旁！
你或許可以殺了他——阿波羅或許會給你這份光榮。”
言罷，他闊步離去，一位神祗，介入凡人的爭鬥。
與此同時，光榮的赫剋托耳招呼聰慧的開勃裏俄奈斯，
揚鞭催馬，投入戰鬥。其時，阿波羅
蹚入人群，把阿耳吉維人攪得七零
八落，把光榮交人特洛伊人和赫剋托耳手中。
赫剋托耳丟下其他達奈人，一個不殺，但卻
趕起蹄腿堅實的馭馬，直撲帕特羅剋洛斯。
在他對面，帕特羅剋洛斯跳下戰車，雙腳着地，
左手握槍，右手抓起一塊石頭，
粗莽、閃光的頑石，恰好扣握在指掌中，猛投出去，
壓上全身的力量。石塊不曾虛投，沒有偏離
預期的目標，擊中赫剋托耳的馭手，
開勃裏俄奈斯，光榮的普裏阿摩斯的私生子，
其時正緊握着馭馬的繮繩。棱角犀利的石頭擊中前額，
砸擠進兩條眉毛；額骨擋不住碩石的
重擊，眼珠爆落在地上，腳前的
泥塵裏——他撲身倒地，像個跳水者，
從做工精緻的戰車上；魂息飄離了他的軀骨。
其時，你，車手帕特羅剋洛斯，出言譏諷，喊道：
“好一個耍雜的高手，瞧他多麽輕捷、靈巧！
想一想吧，要是在魚群擁聚的海面上，
這傢夥可以潛水捕摸海蠣，喂飽整船的人。
他可從船上跳到海裏，即便氣候陰沉險惡，
就像現在這樣，一個筋鬥，輕巧地從車上翻到地下！
毫無疑問，特洛伊人中也有翻筋鬥的好手！”
言罷，他大步躍嚮壯士開勃裏俄奈斯的軀體，
像一頭撲跳的獅子，在牛欄裏橫衝直撞，
被人擊中前胸，被自己的勇莽所葬送。就像這樣，
帕特羅剋洛斯，你挾着狂烈，撲嚮開勃裏俄奈斯。
對面，赫剋托耳亦從車上跳下；兩人
展開激戰，圍繞着開勃裏俄奈斯的軀體；
像山脊上的兩頭獅子，兇暴悍烈。
饑腸轆轆，為爭奪一頭被殺的公鹿拼死搏鬥。
就像這樣，兩位勇士急於交手，為爭奪開勃裏俄奈斯的遺體，
帕特羅剋洛斯，墨諾伊提俄斯之子，和光榮的赫剋托耳，
迫不及待地想要撕裂對手，用無情的銅矛。
赫剋托耳抓住死者的腦袋，緊攥不放，
而帕特羅剋洛斯則抓住他的雙腳，站在另一頭；
戰場上，特洛伊人和達奈人殺得難解難分。
正如東風和南風較勁對抗，
在幽深的𠔌底，搖撼着茂密的森林，
橡樹、樣樹和皮面綳緊光潔的山茱萸，
修長的枝椏相互鞭打抽擊，發出
呼呼隆隆的吼聲，斷枝殘幹僻啪作響一樣，
特洛伊人和阿開亞兵壯互相撲擊，
你殺我砍；兩軍中誰也不想逃退；潰敗意味着死亡。
衆多犀利的槍矛投紮在開勃裏俄奈斯身邊，
許多綴着羽尾的利箭飛出硬弓的弦綫，
一塊塊巨大的石頭砸打着盾面，一場鏖戰，
圍繞着倒地的軀體。開勃裏俄奈斯躺在
飛旋的泥塵裏，偌大的身軀，沉甸甸的
一片——還有什麽車戰之術？早被忘得一幹二淨。
戰場上，雙方的投械頻頻中的，打得屍滾人亡，直到太陽
爬過中天的時分。
然而，當太陽西行，到了替耕牛卸除軛具的時候，
阿開亞人居然超越命運，在戰鬥中占了上風，
從特洛伊人的槍械和喧囂聲下拖出壯士
開勃裏俄奈斯的遺體，剝下鎧甲，從他的肩頭。
帕特羅剋洛斯殺氣騰騰，撲嚮特洛伊人，
一連衝了三次，以阿瑞斯的迅捷，
發出粗野的呼嚎，每次都殺死九名戰勇。
現在，他第四次撲進蕩擊，似乎已超出人的凡俗；
其時，帕特羅剋洛斯，死亡已迫擠在你的眉頭：
激戰中，福伊波斯行至你的身邊，
帶着滅頂的災愁！帕特羅剋洛斯不曾見他
前來，後者潛隱在濃霧裏，嚮他逼進，
站在他的後面，伸出手掌，拍擊他的脊背
和寬闊的肩頭，打得他暈頭轉嚮。
隨後，福伊波斯·阿波羅搗落他的帽盔，
帶着四條冠脊，成排的洞孔，滾動在馬蹄下面，
碰撞出卿卿嘎嘎的聲響；鮮血和泥塵
玷污了鬃冠。在此之前，誰也不能用泥穢
髒濁這頂銅盔，綴紮着馬鬃的頂冠，
保護着神一樣的阿基琉斯，保護着他的頭顱
和俊俏的眉毛。但現在，宙斯把盔冠給了赫剋托耳，
讓他戴在頭上——赫剋托耳，他自己的死期亦已近在眼前。
那枝粗長、深重、碩大的槍矛，銅尖閃亮，投影修長，
在帕特羅剋洛斯手中斷成幾截，盾牌從肩頭
掉到地上，連同護片和德帶——
王者阿波羅，宙斯之子，撕剝了他的衣甲。
災難揪住了他的心智，挺直的雙腿已撐不住他的軀體。
他呆呆地站在那裏，受到一個達耳達尼亞人的襲擊，
從他背後，就近出手，鋒快的槍矛紮在雙胛之間——
歐福耳波斯，潘蘇斯之子，同齡人中
槍技最佳，馭術最好，腿腳最快。
雖然初次車戰，甫學搏殺的技巧，
他已擊倒二十個敵人，從他們的戰車上。
他第一個投槍擊中了你，哦，車手帕特羅剋洛斯，
但沒有把你放倒，衹是搶走(木岑)木桿的槍矛，
快步回跑，鑽人自己的營伍，不敢面對
帕特羅剋洛斯，其時已赤身露體，近戰拼搏。
其時，帕特羅剋洛斯已被槍矛和神的手掌打得半死不活，
朝着己方的伴群回移，試圖逃避死的追捕。
然而，赫剋托耳眼見心胸豪壯的帕特羅剋洛斯
試圖回逃，帶着被尖利的銅槍挑開的豁口，
邁步穿過隊伍，逼近他的身邊，出槍捅入
他的肚腹，銅尖從背後穿出。帕特羅剋洛斯
隨即倒地，轟然一聲，驚呆了所有的阿開亞人。
像一頭獅子，擊倒一頭不知疲倦的野豬，鏖戰在
山嶺的峰脊，兇猛暴烈，打得你死我活，
為了爭飲一條水流細小的山泉，濕潤焦渴的喉頭；
獸獅奮勇撲擊，放倒野豬，後者呼呼地喘着粗氣——
就像這樣，赫剋托耳，普裏阿摩斯之子，通過一次進擊，結果了
墨諾伊提俄斯的兒郎，一位勇敢的戰士，已經殺死衆多的敵人。
帶着勝利的喜悅，赫剋托耳喊出長了翅膀的話語，高聲炫耀：
“帕特羅剋洛斯，你以為可以蕩平我們的城堡，
奪走特洛伊婦女的自由，把
她們塞進海船，帶往你們熱愛的故土！
好一個笨蛋！要知道，在她們面前，奔跑着赫剋托耳的快馬，
蹄腿飛揚，奮起出擊；而我；赫剋托耳，握着這桿槍矛，
閃爍在嗜喜惡戰的特洛伊人中，替他們擋開
臨頭的災亡！至於你，你的血肉將飼喂這裏的騖鳥！”
可憐的傢夥，就連阿基琉斯，以他全身的勇力，也救不了
你的死亡！
他必定對你下過嚴令，在你行將出戰，而他卻呆留營地的時候：
帕特羅剋洛斯，戰車上的勇士，記住，在沒有撕裂
殺人狂赫剋托耳胸前的衫衣，使之浸透鮮血之前，
不要回來見我，不要回到深曠的海船旁！他一定
給過你此類指令——你這個瘋子，居然聽信了他的唆告！”
其時，哦，車手帕特羅剋洛斯，你已奄奄一息，答道：
“現在，赫剋托耳，你可盡情吹擂。你勝了，但這是
剋羅諾斯之子和阿波羅的賜予，他們輕而易舉地
整倒了我——親自從我的肩頭剝去了甲衣！
否則，就是有二十個赫剋托耳，跑來和我攻戰，
也會被我一個不剩地擊倒，死在我的槍頭。
你沒有那個能耐——是兇狠的命運和萊托之子殺死了我。
若論凡人，首先是歐福耳波斯，然後纔是你——殺手中，你衹
是第三個。我還有一事奉告，你要牢記心頭：
你自己亦已來日不多，死亡和
強有力的命運已恭候在你的身旁；
你將死在埃阿科斯驍勇的孫子阿基琉斯手中！”
話音剛落，死的終極已蒙罩起他的軀體，
心魂飄離他的肢腿，墜入死神的府居，
悲悼自己的命運，拋卻青春的年華，剛勇的人生。
其時，雖然他已死去，光榮的赫剋托耳仍然對他嚷道：
“為何預言我的暴死，帕特羅剋洛斯？
誰知道？阿基琉斯，長發秀美的塞提絲的兒子，
或許會先吃上我的槍矛，送掉他的性命！”
言罷，他出腳踩住屍體，從傷口裏擰拔出
青銅的投槍，抵住他的脊背，一腳把他蹬離槍矛。
然後，他手握槍桿，撲嚮奧托墨鼕，
捷足的阿基琉斯的助手，神一樣的勇士，
投槍心切，無奈迅捷的馭馬已把他帶出一段路程，
不死的天馬，神祗送給裴琉斯的一份閃光的禮物。
ARGUMENT
THE SIXTH BATTLE, THE ACTS AND DEATH OF PATROCLUS
Patroclus (in pursuance of the request of Nestor in the eleventh book)
entreats Achilles to suffer him to go to the assistance of the Greeks with
Achilles' troops and armour. He agrees to it, but at the same time charges
him to content himself with rescuing the fleet, without further pursuit of
the enemy. The armour, horses, soldiers, and officers are described.
Achilles offers a libation for the success of his friend, after which
Patroclus leads the Myrmidons to battle. The Trojans, at the sight of
Patroclus in Achilles' armour, taking him for that hero, are cast into the
uttermost consternation; he beats them off from the vessels, Hector
himself flies, Sarpedon is killed, though Jupiter was averse to his fate.
Several other particulars of the battle are described; in the heat of
which, Patroclus, neglecting the orders of Achilles, pursues the foe to
the walls of Troy, where Apollo repulses and disarms him, Euphorbus wounds
him, and Hector kills him, which concludes the book.
So warr'd both armies on the ensanguined shore,
While the black vessels smoked with human gore.
Meantime Patroclus to Achilles flies;
The streaming tears fall copious from his eyes
Not faster, trickling to the plains below,
From the tall rock the sable waters flow.
Divine Pelides, with compassion moved.
Thus spoke, indulgent, to his best beloved:(243)
"Patroclus, say, what grief thy bosom bears,
That flows so fast in these unmanly tears?
No girl, no infant whom the mother keeps
From her loved breast, with fonder passion weeps;
Not more the mother's soul, that infant warms,
Clung to her knees, and reaching at her arms,
Than thou hast mine! Oh tell me, to what end
Thy melting sorrows thus pursue thy friend?
"Griev'st thou for me, or for, my martial band?
Or come sad tidings from our native land?
Our fathers live (our first, most tender care),
Thy good Menoetius breathes the vital air,
And hoary Peleus yet extends his days;
Pleased in their age to hear their children's praise.
Or may some meaner cause thy pity claim?
Perhaps yon relics of the Grecian name,
Doom'd in their ships to sink by fire and sword,
And pay the forfeit of their haughty lord?
Whate'er the cause, reveal thy secret care,
And speak those sorrows which a friend would share."
A sigh that instant from his bosom broke,
Another follow'd, and Patroclus spoke:
"Let Greece at length with pity touch thy breast,
Thyself a Greek; and, once, of Greeks the best!
Lo! every chief that might her fate prevent,
Lies pierced with wounds, and bleeding in his tent:
Eurypylus, Tydides, Atreus' son,
And wise Ulysses, at the navy groan,
More for their country's wounds than for their own.
Their pain soft arts of pharmacy can ease,
Thy breast alone no lenitives appease.
May never rage like thine my soul enslave,
O great in vain! unprofitably brave!
Thy country slighted in her last distress,
What friend, what man, from thee shall hope redress?
No--men unborn, and ages yet behind,
Shall curse that fierce, that unforgiving mind.
"O man unpitying! if of man thy race;
But sure thou spring'st not from a soft embrace,
Nor ever amorous hero caused thy birth,
Nor ever tender goddess brought thee forth:
Some rugged rock's hard entrails gave thee form,
And raging seas produced thee in a storm,
A soul well suiting that tempestuous kind,
So rough thy manners, so untamed thy mind.
"If some dire oracle thy breast alarm,
If aught from Jove, or Thetis, stop thy arm,
Some beam of comfort yet on Greece may shine,
If I but lead the Myrmidonian line:
Clad in thy dreadful arms if I appear,
Proud Troy shall tremble, and desert the war;
Without thy person Greece shall win the day,
And thy mere image chase her foes away.
Press'd by fresh forces, her o'erlabour'd train
Shall quit the ships, and Greece respire again."
Thus, blind to fate! with supplicating breath,
Thou begg'st his arms, and in his arms thy death.
Unfortunately good! a boding sigh
Thy friend return'd; and with it, this reply:
"Patroclus! thy Achilles knows no fears;
Nor words from Jove nor oracles he hears;
Nor aught a mother's caution can suggest;
The tyrant's pride lies rooted in my breast.
My wrongs, my wrongs, my constant thought engage,
Those, my sole oracles, inspire my rage:
I made him tyrant: gave him power to wrong
Even my: I felt it; and shall feel it long.
The maid, my black-eyed maid, he forced away,
Due to the toils of many a well-fought day;
Due to my conquest of her father's reign;
Due to the votes of all the Grecian train.
From me he forced her; me, the bold and brave,
Disgraced, dishonour'd, like the meanest slave.
But bear we this--the wrongs I grieve are past;
'Tis time our fury should relent at last:
I fix'd its date; the day I wish'd appears:
How Hector to my ships his battle bears,
The flames my eyes, the shouts invade my ears.
Go then, Patroclus! court fair honour's charms
In Troy's famed fields, and in Achilles' arms:
Lead forth my martial Myrmidons to fight,
Go save the fleets, and conquer in my right.
See the thin relics of their baffled band
At the last edge of yon deserted land!
Behold all Ilion on their ships descends;
How the cloud blackens, how the storm impends!
It was not thus, when, at my sight amazed,
Troy saw and trembled, as this helmet blazed:
Had not the injurious king our friendship lost,
Yon ample trench had buried half her host.
No camps, no bulwarks now the Trojans fear,
Those are not dreadful, no Achilles there;
No longer flames the lance of Tydeus' son;
No more your general calls his heroes on:
Hector, alone, I hear; his dreadful breath
Commands your slaughter, or proclaims your death.
Yet now, Patroclus, issue to the plain:
Now save the ships, the rising fires restrain,
And give the Greeks to visit Greece again.
But heed my words, and mark a friend's command,
Who trusts his fame and honours in thy hand,
And from thy deeds expects the Achaian host
Shall render back the beauteous maid he lost:
Rage uncontroll'd through all the hostile crew,
But touch not Hector, Hector is my due.
Though Jove in thunder should command the war,
Be just, consult my glory, and forbear.
The fleet once saved, desist from further chase,
Nor lead to Ilion's walls the Grecian race;
Some adverse god thy rashness may destroy;
Some god, like Phoebus, ever kind to Troy.
Let Greece, redeem'd from this destructive strait,
Do her own work; and leave the rest to fate.
O! would to all the immortal powers above,
Apollo, Pallas, and almighty Jove!
That not one Trojan might be left alive,
And not a Greek of all the race survive:
Might only we the vast destruction shun,
And only we destroy the accursed town!"
Such conference held the chiefs; while on the strand
Great Jove with conquest crown'd the Trojan band.
Ajax no more the sounding storm sustain'd,
So thick the darts an iron tempest rain'd:
On his tired arm the weighty buckler hung;
His hollow helm with falling javelins rung;
His breath, in quick short pantings, comes and goes;
And painful sweat from all his members flows.
Spent and o'erpower'd, he barely breathes at most;
Yet scarce an army stirs him from his post;
Dangers on dangers all around him glow,
And toil to toil, and woe succeeds to woe.
Say, Muses, throned above the starry frame,
How first the navy blazed with Trojan flame?
Stern Hector waved his sword, and standing near,
Where furious Ajax plied his ashen spear,
Full on the lance a stroke so justly sped,
That the broad falchion lopp'd its brazen head;
His pointless spear the warrior shakes in vain;
The brazen head falls sounding on the plain.
Great Ajax saw, and own'd the hand divine;
Confessing Jove, and trembling at the sign,
Warn'd he retreats. Then swift from all sides pour
The hissing brands; thick streams the fiery shower;
O'er the high stern the curling volumes rise,
And sheets of rolling smoke involve the skies.
Divine Achilles view'd the rising flames,
And smote his thigh, and thus aloud exclaims:
"Arm, arm, Patroclus! Lo, the blaze aspires!
The glowing ocean reddens with the fires.
Arm, ere our vessels catch the spreading flame;
Arm, ere the Grecians be no more a name;
I haste to bring the troops."--The hero said;
The friend with ardour and with joy obey'd.
He cased his limbs in brass; and first around
His manly legs, with silver buckles bound
The clasping greaves; then to his breast applies
The flaming cuirass of a thousand dyes;
Emblazed with studs of gold his falchion shone
In the rich belt, as in a starry zone:
Achilles' shield his ample shoulders spread,
Achilles' helmet nodded o'er his head:
Adorn'd in all his terrible array,
He flash'd around intolerable day.
Alone untouch'd, Pelides' javelin stands,
Not to be poised but by Pelides' hands:
From Pelion's shady brow the plant entire
Old Chiron rent, and shaped it for his sire;
Whose son's great arm alone the weapon wields,
The death of heroes, and the dread of fields.
[Illustration: Buckles.]
Buckles.
The brave Automedon (an honour'd name,
The second to his lord in love and fame,
In peace his friend, and partner of the war)
The winged coursers harness'd to the car;
Xanthus and Balius, of immortal breed,
Sprung from the wind, and like the wind in speed.
Whom the wing'd harpy, swift Podarge, bore,
By Zephyr pregnant on the breezy shore:
Swift Pedasus was added to their side,
(Once great Aetion's, now Achilles' pride)
Who, like in strength, in swiftness, and in grace,
A mortal courser match'd the immortal race.
Achilles speeds from tent to tent, and warms
His hardy Myrmidons to blood and arms.
All breathing death, around the chief they stand,
A grim, terrific, formidable band:
Grim as voracious wolves, that seek the springs(244)
When scalding thirst their burning bowels wrings;
When some tall stag, fresh-slaughtered in the wood,
Has drench'd their wide insatiate throats with blood,
To the black fount they rush, a hideous throng,
With paunch distended, and with lolling tongue,
Fire fills their eye, their black jaws belch the gore,
And gorged with slaughter still they thirst for more.
Like furious, rush'd the Myrmidonian crew,
Such their dread strength, and such their deathful view.
High in the midst the great Achilles stands,
Directs their order, and the war commands.
He, loved of Jove, had launch'd for Ilion's shores
Full fifty vessels, mann'd with fifty oars:
Five chosen leaders the fierce bands obey,
Himself supreme in valour, as in sway.
First march'd Menestheus, of celestial birth,
Derived from thee, whose waters wash the earth,
Divine Sperchius! Jove-descended flood!
A mortal mother mixing with a god.
Such was Menestheus, but miscall'd by fame
The son of Borus, that espoused the dame.
Eudorus next; whom Polymele the gay,
Famed in the graceful dance, produced to-day.
Her, sly Cellenius loved: on her would gaze,
As with swift step she form'd the running maze:
To her high chamber from Diana's quire,
The god pursued her, urged, and crown'd his fire.
The son confess'd his father's heavenly race,
And heir'd his mother's swiftness in the chase.
Strong Echecleus, bless'd in all those charms
That pleased a god, succeeded to her arms;
Not conscious of those loves, long hid from fame,
With gifts of price he sought and won the dame;
Her secret offspring to her sire she bare;
Her sire caress'd him with a parent's care.
Pisander follow'd; matchless in his art
To wing the spear, or aim the distant dart;
No hand so sure of all the Emathian line,
Or if a surer, great Patroclus! thine.
The fourth by Phoenix' grave command was graced,
Laerces' valiant offspring led the last.
Soon as Achilles with superior care
Had call'd the chiefs, and order'd all the war,
This stern remembrance to his troops he gave:
"Ye far-famed Myrmidons, ye fierce and brave!
Think with what threats you dared the Trojan throng,
Think what reproach these ears endured so long;
'Stern son of Peleus, (thus ye used to say,
While restless, raging, in your ships you lay)
Oh nursed with gall, unknowing how to yield;
Whose rage defrauds us of so famed a field:
If that dire fury must for ever burn,
What make we here? Return, ye chiefs, return!'
Such were your words--Now, warriors! grieve no more,
Lo there the Trojans; bathe your swords in gore!
This day shall give you all your soul demands,
Glut all your hearts, and weary all your hands!"
[Illustration: DIANA.]
DIANA.
Thus while he roused the fire in every breast,
Close and more close the listening cohorts press'd;
Ranks wedged in ranks; of arms a steely ring
Still grows, and spreads, and thickens round the king.
As when a circling wall the builder forms,
Of strength defensive against wind and storms,
Compacted stones the thickening work compose,
And round him wide the rising structure grows:
So helm to helm, and crest to crest they throng,
Shield urged on shield, and man drove man along;
Thick, undistinguish'd plumes, together join'd,
Float in one sea, and wave before the wind.
Far o'er the rest in glittering pomp appear,
There bold Automedon, Patroclus here;
Brothers in arms, with equal fury fired;
Two friends, two bodies with one soul inspired.
But mindful of the gods, Achilles went
To the rich coffer in his shady tent;
There lay on heaps his various garments roll'd,
And costly furs, and carpets stiff with gold,
(The presents of the silver-footed dame)
From thence he took a bowl, of antique frame,
Which never man had stained with ruddy wine,
Nor raised in offerings to the power divine,
But Peleus' son; and Peleus' son to none
Had raised in offerings, but to Jove alone.
This tinged with sulphur, sacred first to flame,
He purged; and wash'd it in the running stream.
Then cleansed his hands; and fixing for a space
His eyes on heaven, his feet upon the place
Of sacrifice, the purple draught he pour'd
Forth in the midst; and thus the god implored:
"O thou supreme! high-throned all height above!
O great Pelasgic, Dodonaean Jove!
Who 'midst surrounding frosts, and vapours chill,
Presid'st on bleak Dodona's vocal hill:
(Whose groves the Selli, race austere! surround,
Their feet unwash'd, their slumbers on the ground;
Who hear, from rustling oaks, thy dark decrees;
And catch the fates, low-whispered in the breeze;)
Hear, as of old! Thou gav'st, at Thetis' prayer,
Glory to me, and to the Greeks despair.
Lo, to the dangers of the fighting field
The best, the dearest of my friends, I yield,
Though still determined, to my ships confined;
Patroclus gone, I stay but half behind.
Oh! be his guard thy providential care,
Confirm his heart, and string his arm to war:
Press'd by his single force let Hector see
His fame in arms not owing all to me.
But when the fleets are saved from foes and fire,
Let him with conquest and renown retire;
Preserve his arms, preserve his social train,
And safe return him to these eyes again!"
Great Jove consents to half the chief's request,
But heaven's eternal doom denies the rest;
To free the fleet was granted to his prayer;
His safe return, the winds dispersed in air.
Back to his tent the stern Achilles flies,
And waits the combat with impatient eyes.
Meanwhile the troops beneath Patroclus' care,
Invade the Trojans, and commence the war.
As wasps, provoked by children in their play,
Pour from their mansions by the broad highway,
In swarms the guiltless traveller engage,
Whet all their stings, and call forth all their rage:
All rise in arms, and, with a general cry,
Assert their waxen domes, and buzzing progeny.
Thus from the tents the fervent legion swarms,
So loud their clamours, and so keen their arms:
Their rising rage Patroclus' breath inspires,
Who thus inflames them with heroic fires:
"O warriors, partners of Achilles' praise!
Be mindful of your deeds in ancient days;
Your godlike master let your acts proclaim,
And add new glories to his mighty name.
Think your Achilles sees you fight: be brave,
And humble the proud monarch whom you save."
Joyful they heard, and kindling as he spoke,
Flew to the fleet, involved in fire and smoke.
From shore to shore the doubling shouts resound,
The hollow ships return a deeper sound.
The war stood still, and all around them gazed,
When great Achilles' shining armour blazed:
Troy saw, and thought the dread Achilles nigh,
At once they see, they tremble, and they fly.
Then first thy spear, divine Patroclus! flew,
Where the war raged, and where the tumult grew.
Close to the stern of that famed ship which bore
Unbless'd Protesilaus to Ilion's shore,
The great Paeonian, bold Pyrechmes stood;
(Who led his bands from Axius' winding flood;)
His shoulder-blade receives the fatal wound;
The groaning warrior pants upon the ground.
His troops, that see their country's glory slain,
Fly diverse, scatter'd o'er the distant plain.
Patroclus' arm forbids the spreading fires,
And from the half-burn'd ship proud Troy retires;
Clear'd from the smoke the joyful navy lies;
In heaps on heaps the foe tumultuous flies;
Triumphant Greece her rescued decks ascends,
And loud acclaim the starry region rends.
So when thick clouds enwrap the mountain's head,
O'er heaven's expanse like one black ceiling spread;
Sudden the Thunderer, with a flashing ray,
Bursts through the darkness, and lets down the day:
The hills shine out, the rocks in prospect rise,
And streams, and vales, and forests, strike the eyes;
The smiling scene wide opens to the sight,
And all the unmeasured ether flames with light.
But Troy repulsed, and scatter'd o'er the plains,
Forced from the navy, yet the fight maintains.
Now every Greek some hostile hero slew,
But still the foremost, bold Patroclus flew:
As Areilycus had turn'd him round,
Sharp in his thigh he felt the piercing wound;
The brazen-pointed spear, with vigour thrown,
The thigh transfix'd, and broke the brittle bone:
Headlong he fell. Next, Thoas was thy chance;
Thy breast, unarm'd, received the Spartan lance.
Phylides' dart (as Amphidus drew nigh)
His blow prevented, and transpierced his thigh,
Tore all the brawn, and rent the nerves away;
In darkness, and in death, the warrior lay.
In equal arms two sons of Nestor stand,
And two bold brothers of the Lycian band:
By great Antilochus, Atymnius dies,
Pierced in the flank, lamented youth! he lies,
Kind Maris, bleeding in his brother's wound,
Defends the breathless carcase on the ground;
Furious he flies, his murderer to engage:
But godlike Thrasimed prevents his rage,
Between his arm and shoulder aims a blow;
His arm falls spouting on the dust below:
He sinks, with endless darkness cover'd o'er:
And vents his soul, effused with gushing gore.
Slain by two brothers, thus two brothers bleed,
Sarpedon's friends, Amisodarus' seed;
Amisodarus, who, by Furies led,
The bane of men, abhorr'd Chimaera bred;
Skill'd in the dart in vain, his sons expire,
And pay the forfeit of their guilty sire.
Stopp'd in the tumult Cleobulus lies,
Beneath Oileus' arm, a living prize;
A living prize not long the Trojan stood;
The thirsty falchion drank his reeking blood:
Plunged in his throat the smoking weapon lies;
Black death, and fate unpitying, seal his eyes.
Amid the ranks, with mutual thirst of fame,
Lycon the brave, and fierce Peneleus came;
In vain their javelins at each other flew,
Now, met in arms, their eager swords they drew.
On the plumed crest of his Boeotian foe
The daring Lycon aim'd a noble blow;
The sword broke short; but his, Peneleus sped
Full on the juncture of the neck and head:
The head, divided by a stroke so just,
Hung by the skin; the body sunk to dust.
O'ertaken Neamas by Merion bleeds,
Pierced through the shoulder as he mounts his steeds;
Back from the car he tumbles to the ground:
His swimming eyes eternal shades surround.
Next Erymas was doom'd his fate to feel,
His open'd mouth received the Cretan steel:
Beneath the brain the point a passage tore,
Crash'd the thin bones, and drown'd the teeth in gore:
His mouth, his eyes, his nostrils, pour a flood;
He sobs his soul out in the gush of blood.
As when the flocks neglected by the swain,
Or kids, or lambs, lie scatter'd o'er the plain,
A troop of wolves the unguarded charge survey,
And rend the trembling, unresisting prey:
Thus on the foe the Greeks impetuous came;
Troy fled, unmindful of her former fame.
But still at Hector godlike Ajax aim'd,
Still, pointed at his breast, his javelin flamed.
The Trojan chief, experienced in the field,
O'er his broad shoulders spread the massy shield,
Observed the storm of darts the Grecians pour,
And on his buckler caught the ringing shower:
He sees for Greece the scale of conquest rise,
Yet stops, and turns, and saves his loved allies.
As when the hand of Jove a tempest forms,
And rolls the cloud to blacken heaven with storms,
Dark o'er the fields the ascending vapour flies,
And shades the sun, and blots the golden skies:
So from the ships, along the dusky plain,
Dire Flight and Terror drove the Trojan train.
Even Hector fled; through heads of disarray
The fiery coursers forced their lord away:
While far behind his Trojans fall confused;
Wedged in the trench, in one vast carnage bruised:
Chariots on chariots roll: the clashing spokes
Shock; while the madding steeds break short their yokes.
In vain they labour up the steepy mound;
Their charioteers lie foaming on the ground.
Fierce on the rear, with shouts Patroclus flies;
Tumultuous clamour fills the fields and skies;
Thick drifts of dust involve their rapid flight;
Clouds rise on clouds, and heaven is snatch'd from sight.
The affrighted steeds their dying lords cast down,
Scour o'er the fields, and stretch to reach the town.
Loud o'er the rout was heard the victor's cry,
Where the war bleeds, and where the thickest die,
Where horse and arms, and chariots he o'erthrown,
And bleeding heroes under axles groan.
No stop, no check, the steeds of Peleus knew:
From bank to bank the immortal coursers flew.
High-bounding o'er the fosse, the whirling car
Smokes through the ranks, o'ertakes the flying war,
And thunders after Hector; Hector flies,
Patroclus shakes his lance; but fate denies.
Not with less noise, with less impetuous force,
The tide of Trojans urge their desperate course,
Than when in autumn Jove his fury pours,
And earth is loaden with incessant showers;
(When guilty mortals break the eternal laws,
Or judges, bribed, betray the righteous cause;)
From their deep beds he bids the rivers rise,
And opens all the flood-gates of the skies:
The impetuous torrents from their hills obey,
Whole fields are drown'd, and mountains swept away;
Loud roars the deluge till it meets the main;
And trembling man sees all his labours vain!
And now the chief (the foremost troops repell'd)
Back to the ships his destined progress held,
Bore down half Troy in his resistless way,
And forced the routed ranks to stand the day.
Between the space where silver Simois flows,
Where lay the fleets, and where the rampires rose,
All grim in dust and blood Patroclus stands,
And turns the slaughter on the conquering bands.
First Pronous died beneath his fiery dart,
Which pierced below the shield his valiant heart.
Thestor was next, who saw the chief appear,
And fell the victim of his coward fear;
Shrunk up he sat, with wild and haggard eye,
Nor stood to combat, nor had force to fly;
Patroclus mark'd him as he shunn'd the war,
And with unmanly tremblings shook the car,
And dropp'd the flowing reins. Him 'twixt the jaws,
The javelin sticks, and from the chariot draws.
As on a rock that overhangs the main,
An angler, studious of the line and cane,
Some mighty fish draws panting to the shore:
Not with less ease the barbed javelin bore
The gaping dastard; as the spear was shook,
He fell, and life his heartless breast forsook.
Next on Eryalus he flies; a stone,
Large as a rock, was by his fury thrown:
Full on his crown the ponderous fragment flew,
And burst the helm, and cleft the head in two:
Prone to the ground the breathless warrior fell,
And death involved him with the shades of hell.
Then low in dust Epaltes, Echius, lie;
Ipheas, Evippus, Polymelus, die;
Amphoterus and Erymas succeed;
And last Tlepolemus and Pyres bleed.
Where'er he moves, the growing slaughters spread
In heaps on heaps a monument of dead.
When now Sarpedon his brave friends beheld
Grovelling in dust, and gasping on the field,
With this reproach his flying host he warms:
"Oh stain to honour! oh disgrace to arms!
Forsake, inglorious, the contended plain;
This hand unaided shall the war sustain:
The task be mine this hero's strength to try,
Who mows whole troops, and makes an army fly."
He spake: and, speaking, leaps from off the car:
Patroclus lights, and sternly waits the war.
As when two vultures on the mountain's height
Stoop with resounding pinions to the fight;
They cuff, they tear, they raise a screaming cry;
The desert echoes, and the rocks reply:
The warriors thus opposed in arms, engage
With equal clamours, and with equal rage.
Jove view'd the combat: whose event foreseen,
He thus bespoke his sister and his queen:
"The hour draws on; the destinies ordain,(245)
My godlike son shall press the Phrygian plain:
Already on the verge of death he stands,
His life is owed to fierce Patroclus' hands,
What passions in a parent's breast debate!
Say, shall I snatch him from impending fate,
And send him safe to Lycia, distant far
From all the dangers and the toils of war;
Or to his doom my bravest offspring yield,
And fatten, with celestial blood, the field?"
Then thus the goddess with the radiant eyes:
"What words are these, O sovereign of the skies!
Short is the date prescribed to mortal man;
Shall Jove for one extend the narrow span,
Whose bounds were fix'd before his race began?
How many sons of gods, foredoom'd to death,
Before proud Ilion must resign their breath!
Were thine exempt, debate would rise above,
And murmuring powers condemn their partial Jove.
Give the bold chief a glorious fate in fight;
And when the ascending soul has wing'd her flight,
Let Sleep and Death convey, by thy command,
The breathless body to his native land.
His friends and people, to his future praise,
A marble tomb and pyramid shall raise,
And lasting honours to his ashes give;
His fame ('tis all the dead can have) shall live."
She said: the cloud-compeller, overcome,
Assents to fate, and ratifies the doom.
Then touch'd with grief, the weeping heavens distill'd
A shower of blood o'er all the fatal field:
The god, his eyes averting from the plain,
Laments his son, predestined to be slain,
Far from the Lycian shores, his happy native reign.
Now met in arms, the combatants appear;
Each heaved the shield, and poised the lifted spear;
From strong Patroclus' hand the javelin fled,
And pass'd the groin of valiant Thrasymed;
The nerves unbraced no more his bulk sustain,
He falls, and falling bites the bloody plain.
Two sounding darts the Lycian leader threw:
The first aloof with erring fury flew,
The next transpierced Achilles' mortal steed,
The generous Pedasus of Theban breed:
Fix'd in the shoulder's joint, he reel'd around,
Roll'd in the bloody dust, and paw'd the slippery ground.
His sudden fall the entangled harness broke;
Each axle crackled, and the chariot shook:
When bold Automedon, to disengage
The starting coursers, and restrain their rage,
Divides the traces with his sword, and freed
The encumbered chariot from the dying steed:
The rest move on, obedient to the rein:
The car rolls slowly o'er the dusty plain.
The towering chiefs to fiercer fight advance:
And first Sarpedon whirl'd his weighty lance,
Which o'er the warrior's shoulder took its course,
And spent in empty air its dying force.
Not so Patroclus' never-erring dart;
Aim'd at his breast it pierced a mortal part,
Where the strong fibres bind the solid heart.
Then as the mountain oak, or poplar tall,
Or pine (fit mast for some great admiral)
Nods to the axe, till with a groaning sound
It sinks, and spreads its honours on the ground,
Thus fell the king; and laid on earth supine,
Before his chariot stretch'd his form divine:
He grasp'd the dust distain'd with streaming gore,
And, pale in death, lay groaning on the shore.
So lies a bull beneath the lion's paws,
While the grim savage grinds with foamy jaws
The trembling limbs, and sucks the smoking blood;
Deep groans, and hollow roars, rebellow through the wood.
Then to the leader of the Lycian band
The dying chief address'd his last command;
"Glaucus, be bold; thy task be first to dare
The glorious dangers of destructive war,
To lead my troops, to combat at their head,
Incite the living, and supply the dead.
Tell them, I charged them with my latest breath
Not unrevenged to bear Sarpedon's death.
What grief, what shame, must Glaucus undergo,
If these spoil'd arms adorn a Grecian foe!
Then as a friend, and as a warrior fight;
Defend my body, conquer in my right:
That, taught by great examples, all may try
Like thee to vanquish, or like me to die."
He ceased; the Fates suppress'd his labouring breath,
And his eyes darken'd with the shades of death.
The insulting victor with disdain bestrode
The prostrate prince, and on his bosom trod;
Then drew the weapon from his panting heart,
The reeking fibres clinging to the dart;
From the wide wound gush'd out a stream of blood,
And the soul issued in the purple flood.
His flying steeds the Myrmidons detain,
Unguided now, their mighty master slain.
All-impotent of aid, transfix'd with grief,
Unhappy Glaucus heard the dying chief:
His painful arm, yet useless with the smart
Inflicted late by Teucer's deadly dart,
Supported on his better hand he stay'd:
To Phoebus then ('twas all he could) he pray'd:
"All-seeing monarch! whether Lycia's coast,
Or sacred Ilion, thy bright presence boast,
Powerful alike to ease the wretch's smart;
O hear me! god of every healing art!
Lo! stiff with clotted blood, and pierced with pain,
That thrills my arm, and shoots through every vein,
I stand unable to sustain the spear,
And sigh, at distance from the glorious war.
Low in the dust is great Sarpedon laid,
Nor Jove vouchsafed his hapless offspring aid;
But thou, O god of health! thy succour lend,
To guard the relics of my slaughter'd friend:
For thou, though distant, canst restore my might,
To head my Lycians, and support the fight."
Apollo heard; and, suppliant as he stood,
His heavenly hand restrain'd the flux of blood;
He drew the dolours from the wounded part,
And breathed a spirit in his rising heart.
Renew'd by art divine, the hero stands,
And owns the assistance of immortal hands.
First to the fight his native troops he warms,
Then loudly calls on Troy's vindictive arms;
With ample strides he stalks from place to place;
Now fires Agenor, now Polydamas:
Æneas next, and Hector he accosts;
Inflaming thus the rage of all their hosts.
"What thoughts, regardless chief! thy breast employ?
Oh too forgetful of the friends of Troy!
Those generous friends, who, from their country far,
Breathe their brave souls out in another's war.
See! where in dust the great Sarpedon lies,
In action valiant, and in council wise,
Who guarded right, and kept his people free;
To all his Lycians lost, and lost to thee!
Stretch'd by Patroclus' arm on yonder plains,
O save from hostile rage his loved remains!
Ah let not Greece his conquer'd trophies boast,
Nor on his corse revenge her heroes lost!"
He spoke: each leader in his grief partook:
Troy, at the loss, through all her legions shook.
Transfix'd with deep regret, they view o'erthrown
At once his country's pillar, and their own;
A chief, who led to Troy's beleaguer'd wall
A host of heroes, and outshined them all.
Fired, they rush on; first Hector seeks the foes,
And with superior vengeance greatly glows.
But o'er the dead the fierce Patroclus stands,
And rousing Ajax, roused the listening bands:
"Heroes, be men; be what you were before;
Or weigh the great occasion, and be more.
The chief who taught our lofty walls to yield,
Lies pale in death, extended on the field.
To guard his body Troy in numbers flies;
Tis half the glory to maintain our prize.
Haste, strip his arms, the slaughter round him spread,
And send the living Lycians to the dead."
The heroes kindle at his fierce command;
The martial squadrons close on either hand:
Here Troy and Lycia charge with loud alarms,
Thessalia there, and Greece, oppose their arms.
With horrid shouts they circle round the slain;
The clash of armour rings o'er all the plain.
Great Jove, to swell the horrors of the fight,
O'er the fierce armies pours pernicious night,
And round his son confounds the warring hosts,
His fate ennobling with a crowd of ghosts.
Now Greece gives way, and great Epigeus falls;
Agacleus' son, from Budium's lofty walls;
Who chased for murder thence a suppliant came
To Peleus, and the silver-footed dame;
Now sent to Troy, Achilles' arms to aid,
He pays due vengeance to his kinsman's shade.
Soon as his luckless hand had touch'd the dead,
A rock's large fragment thunder'd on his head;
Hurl'd by Hectorean force it cleft in twain
His shatter'd helm, and stretch'd him o'er the slain.
Fierce to the van of fight Patroclus came,
And, like an eagle darting at his game,
Sprung on the Trojan and the Lycian band.
What grief thy heart, what fury urged thy hand,
O generous Greek! when with full vigour thrown,
At Sthenelaus flew the weighty stone,
Which sunk him to the dead: when Troy, too near
That arm, drew back; and Hector learn'd to fear.
Far as an able hand a lance can throw,
Or at the lists, or at the fighting foe;
So far the Trojans from their lines retired;
Till Glaucus, turning, all the rest inspired.
Then Bathyclaeus fell beneath his rage,
The only hope of Chalcon's trembling age;
Wide o'er the land was stretch'd his large domain,
With stately seats, and riches blest in vain:
Him, bold with youth, and eager to pursue
The flying Lycians, Glaucus met and slew;
Pierced through the bosom with a sudden wound,
He fell, and falling made the fields resound.
The Achaians sorrow for their heroes slain;
With conquering shouts the Trojans shake the plain,
And crowd to spoil the dead: the Greeks oppose;
An iron circle round the carcase grows.
Then brave Laogonus resign'd his breath,
Despatch'd by Merion to the shades of death:
On Ida's holy hill he made abode,
The priest of Jove, and honour'd like his god.
Between the jaw and ear the javelin went;
The soul, exhaling, issued at the vent.
His spear Aeneas at the victor threw,
Who stooping forward from the death withdrew;
The lance hiss'd harmless o'er his covering shield,
And trembling struck, and rooted in the field;
There yet scarce spent, it quivers on the plain,
Sent by the great Aeneas' arm in vain.
"Swift as thou art (the raging hero cries)
And skill'd in dancing to dispute the prize,
My spear, the destined passage had it found,
Had fix'd thy active vigour to the ground."
"O valiant leader of the Dardan host!
(Insulted Merion thus retorts the boast)
Strong as you are, 'tis mortal force you trust,
An arm as strong may stretch thee in the dust.
And if to this my lance thy fate be given,
Vain are thy vaunts; success is still from heaven:
This, instant, sends thee down to Pluto's coast;
Mine is the glory, his thy parting ghost."
"O friend (Menoetius' son this answer gave)
With words to combat, ill befits the brave;
Not empty boasts the sons of Troy repel,
Your swords must plunge them to the shades of hell.
To speak, beseems the council; but to dare
In glorious action, is the task of war."
This said, Patroclus to the battle flies;
Great Merion follows, and new shouts arise:
Shields, helmets rattle, as the warriors close;
And thick and heavy sounds the storm of blows.
As through the shrilling vale, or mountain ground,
The labours of the woodman's axe resound;
Blows following blows are heard re-echoing wide,
While crackling forests fall on every side:
Thus echoed all the fields with loud alarms,
So fell the warriors, and so rung their arms.
Now great Sarpedon on the sandy shore,
His heavenly form defaced with dust and gore,
And stuck with darts by warring heroes shed,
Lies undistinguish'd from the vulgar dead.
His long-disputed corse the chiefs enclose,
On every side the busy combat grows;
Thick as beneath some shepherd's thatch'd abode
(The pails high foaming with a milky flood)
The buzzing flies, a persevering train,
Incessant swarm, and chased return again.
Jove view'd the combat with a stern survey,
And eyes that flash'd intolerable day.
Fix'd on the field his sight, his breast debates
The vengeance due, and meditates the fates:
Whether to urge their prompt effect, and call
The force of Hector to Patroclus' fall,
This instant see his short-lived trophies won,
And stretch him breathless on his slaughter'd son;
Or yet, with many a soul's untimely flight,
Augment the fame and horror of the fight.
To crown Achilles' valiant friend with praise
At length he dooms; and, that his last of days
Shall set in glory, bids him drive the foe;
Nor unattended see the shades below.
Then Hector's mind he fills with dire dismay;
He mounts his car, and calls his hosts away;
Sunk with Troy's heavy fates, he sees decline
The scales of Jove, and pants with awe divine.
Then, nor before, the hardy Lycians fled,
And left their monarch with the common dead:
Around, in heaps on heaps, a dreadful wall
Of carnage rises, as the heroes fall.
(So Jove decreed!) At length the Greeks obtain
The prize contested, and despoil the slain.
The radiant arms are by Patroclus borne;
Patroclus' ships the glorious spoils adorn.
Then thus to Phoebus, in the realms above,
Spoke from his throne the cloud-compelling Jove:
"Descend, my Phoebus! on the Phrygian plain,
And from the fight convey Sarpedon slain;
Then bathe his body in the crystal flood,
With dust dishonour'd, and deform'd with blood;
O'er all his limbs ambrosial odours shed,
And with celestial robes adorn the dead.
Those rites discharged, his sacred corse bequeath
To the soft arms of silent Sleep and Death.
They to his friends the immortal charge shall bear;
His friends a tomb and pyramid shall rear:
What honour mortals after death receive,
Those unavailing honours we may give!"
[Illustration: SLEEP AND DEATH CONVEYING THE BODY OF SARPEDON TO LYCIA.]
SLEEP AND DEATH CONVEYING THE BODY OF SARPEDON TO LYCIA.
Apollo bows, and from mount Ida's height,
Swift to the field precipitates his flight;
Thence from the war the breathless hero bore,
Veil'd in a cloud, to silver Simois' shore;
There bathed his honourable wounds, and dress'd
His manly members in the immortal vest;
And with perfumes of sweet ambrosial dews
Restores his freshness, and his form renews.
Then Sleep and Death, two twins of winged race,
Of matchless swiftness, but of silent pace,
Received Sarpedon, at the god's command,
And in a moment reach'd the Lycian land;
The corse amidst his weeping friends they laid,
Where endless honours wait the sacred shade.
Meanwhile Patroclus pours along the plains,
With foaming coursers, and with loosen'd reins.
Fierce on the Trojan and the Lycian crew,
Ah blind to fate! thy headlong fury flew
Against what fate and powerful Jove ordain,
Vain was thy friend's command, thy courage vain.
For he, the god, whose counsels uncontroll'd
Dismay the mighty, and confound the bold;
The god who gives, resumes, and orders all,
He urged thee on, and urged thee on to fall.
Who first, brave hero! by that arm was slain,
Who last beneath thy vengeance press'd the plain;
When heaven itself thy fatal fury led,
And call'd to fill the number of the dead?
Adrestus first; Autonous then succeeds;
Echeclus follows; next young Megas bleeds,
Epistor, Melanippus, bite the ground;
The slaughter, Elasus and Mulius crown'd:
Then sunk Pylartes to eternal night;
The rest, dispersing, trust their fates to flight.
Now Troy had stoop'd beneath his matchless power,
But flaming Phoebus kept the sacred tower
Thrice at the battlements Patroclus strook;(246)
His blazing aegis thrice Apollo shook;
He tried the fourth; when, bursting from the cloud,
A more than mortal voice was heard aloud.
"Patroclus! cease; this heaven-defended wall
Defies thy lance; not fated yet to fall;
Thy friend, thy greater far, it shall withstand,
Troy shall not stoop even to Achilles' hand."
So spoke the god who darts celestial fires;
The Greek obeys him, and with awe retires.
While Hector, checking at the Scaean gates
His panting coursers, in his breast debates,
Or in the field his forces to employ,
Or draw the troops within the walls of Troy.
Thus while he thought, beside him Phoebus stood,
In Asius' shape, who reigned by Sangar's flood;
(Thy brother, Hecuba! from Dymas sprung,
A valiant warrior, haughty, bold, and young;)
Thus he accosts him. "What a shameful sight!
God! is it Hector that forbears the fight?
Were thine my vigour this successful spear
Should soon convince thee of so false a fear.
Turn thee, ah turn thee to the field of fame,
And in Patroclus' blood efface thy shame.
Perhaps Apollo shall thy arms succeed,
And heaven ordains him by thy lance to bleed."
So spoke the inspiring god; then took his flight,
And plunged amidst the tumult of the fight.
He bids Cebrion drive the rapid car;
The lash resounds, the coursers rush to war.
The god the Grecians' sinking souls depress'd,
And pour'd swift spirits through each Trojan breast.
Patroclus lights, impatient for the fight;
A spear his left, a stone employs his right:
With all his nerves he drives it at the foe.
Pointed above, and rough and gross below:
The falling ruin crush'd Cebrion's head,
The lawless offspring of king Priam's bed;
His front, brows, eyes, one undistinguish'd wound:
The bursting balls drop sightless to the ground.
The charioteer, while yet he held the rein,
Struck from the car, falls headlong on the plain.
To the dark shades the soul unwilling glides,
While the proud victor thus his fall derides.
"Good heaven! what active feats yon artist shows!
What skilful divers are our Phrygian foes!
Mark with what ease they sink into the sand!
Pity that all their practice is by land!"
Then rushing sudden on his prostrate prize,
To spoil the carcase fierce Patroclus flies:
Swift as a lion, terrible and bold,
That sweeps the field, depopulates the fold;
Pierced through the dauntless heart, then tumbles slain,
And from his fatal courage finds his bane.
At once bold Hector leaping from his car,
Defends the body, and provokes the war.
Thus for some slaughter'd hind, with equal rage,
Two lordly rulers of the wood engage;
Stung with fierce hunger, each the prey invades,
And echoing roars rebellow through the shades.
Stern Hector fastens on the warrior's head,
And by the foot Patroclus drags the dead:
While all around, confusion, rage, and fright,
Mix the contending hosts in mortal fight.
So pent by hills, the wild winds roar aloud
In the deep bosom of some gloomy wood;
Leaves, arms, and trees, aloft in air are blown,
The broad oaks crackle, and the Sylvans groan;
This way and that, the rattling thicket bends,
And the whole forest in one crash descends.
Not with less noise, with less tumultuous rage,
In dreadful shock the mingled hosts engage.
Darts shower'd on darts, now round the carcase ring;
Now flights of arrows bounding from the string:
Stones follow stones; some clatter on the fields,
Some hard, and heavy, shake the sounding shields.
But where the rising whirlwind clouds the plains,
Sunk in soft dust the mighty chief remains,
And, stretch'd in death, forgets the guiding reins!
Now flaming from the zenith, Sol had driven
His fervid orb through half the vault of heaven;
While on each host with equal tempests fell
The showering darts, and numbers sank to hell.
But when his evening wheels o'erhung the main,
Glad conquest rested on the Grecian train.
Then from amidst the tumult and alarms,
They draw the conquer'd corse and radiant arms.
Then rash Patroclus with new fury glows,
And breathing slaughter, pours amid the foes.
Thrice on the press like Mars himself he flew,
And thrice three heroes at each onset slew.
There ends thy glory! there the Fates untwine
The last, black remnant of so bright a line:
Apollo dreadful stops thy middle way;
Death calls, and heaven allows no longer day!
For lo! the god in dusky clouds enshrined,
Approaching dealt a staggering blow behind.
The weighty shock his neck and shoulders feel;
His eyes flash sparkles, his stunn'd senses reel
In giddy darkness; far to distance flung,
His bounding helmet on the champaign rung.
Achilles' plume is stain'd with dust and gore;
That plume which never stoop'd to earth before;
Long used, untouch'd, in fighting fields to shine,
And shade the temples of the mad divine.
Jove dooms it now on Hector's helm to nod;
Not long--for fate pursues him, and the god.
His spear in shivers falls; his ample shield
Drops from his arm: his baldric strows the field:
The corslet his astonish'd breast forsakes:
Loose is each joint; each nerve with horror shakes;
Stupid he stares, and all-assistless stands:
Such is the force of more than mortal hands!
A Dardan youth there was, well known to fame,
From Panthus sprung, Euphorbus was his name;
Famed for the manage of the foaming horse,
Skill'd in the dart, and matchless in the course:
Full twenty knights he tumbled from the car,
While yet he learn'd his rudiments of war.
His venturous spear first drew the hero's gore;
He struck, he wounded, but he durst no more.
Nor, though disarm'd, Patroclus' fury stood:
But swift withdrew the long-protended wood.
And turn'd him short, and herded in the crowd.
Thus, by an arm divine, and mortal spear,
Wounded, at once, Patroclus yields to fear,
Retires for succour to his social train,
And flies the fate, which heaven decreed, in vain.
Stern Hector, as the bleeding chief he views,
Breaks through the ranks, and his retreat pursues:
The lance arrests him with a mortal wound;
He falls, earth thunders, and his arms resound.
With him all Greece was sunk; that moment all
Her yet-surviving heroes seem'd to fall.
So, scorch'd with heat, along the desert score,
The roaming lion meets a bristly boar,
Fast by the spring; they both dispute the flood,
With flaming eyes, and jaws besmear'd with blood;
At length the sovereign savage wins the strife;
And the torn boar resigns his thirst and life.
Patroclus thus, so many chiefs o'erthrown,
So many lives effused, expires his own.
As dying now at Hector's feet he lies,
He sternly views him, and triumphant cries:
"Lie there, Patroclus! and with thee, the joy
Thy pride once promised, of subverting Troy;
The fancied scenes of Ilion wrapt in flames,
And thy soft pleasures served with captive dames.
Unthinking man! I fought those towers to free,
And guard that beauteous race from lords like thee:
But thou a prey to vultures shalt be made;
Thy own Achilles cannot lend thee aid;
Though much at parting that great chief might say,
And much enjoin thee, this important day.
'Return not, my brave friend (perhaps he said),
Without the bloody arms of Hector dead.'
He spoke, Patroclus march'd, and thus he sped."
Supine, and wildly gazing on the skies,
With faint, expiring breath, the chief replies:
"Vain boaster! cease, and know the powers divine!
Jove's and Apollo's is this deed, not thine;
To heaven is owed whate'er your own you call,
And heaven itself disarm'd me ere my fall.
Had twenty mortals, each thy match in might,
Opposed me fairly, they had sunk in fight:
By fate and Phoebus was I first o'erthrown,
Euphorbus next; the third mean part thy own.
But thou, imperious! hear my latest breath;
The gods inspire it, and it sounds thy death:
Insulting man, thou shalt be soon as I;
Black fate o'erhangs thee, and thy hour draws nigh;
Even now on life's last verge I see thee stand,
I see thee fall, and by Achilles' hand."
He faints: the soul unwilling wings her way,
(The beauteous body left a load of clay)
Flits to the lone, uncomfortable coast;
A naked, wandering, melancholy ghost!
Then Hector pausing, as his eyes he fed
On the pale carcase, thus address'd the dead:
"From whence this boding speech, the stern decree
Of death denounced, or why denounced to me?
Why not as well Achilles' fate be given
To Hector's lance? Who knows the will of heaven?"
Pensive he said; then pressing as he lay
His breathless bosom, tore the lance away;
And upwards cast the corse: the reeking spear
He shakes, and charges the bold charioteer.
But swift Automedon with loosen'd reins
Rapt in the chariot o'er the distant plains,
Far from his rage the immortal coursers drove;
The immortal coursers were the gift of Jove.
[Illustration: ÆSCULAPIUS.]
ÆSCULAPIUS. 其時，阿特柔斯之子、嗜戰的墨奈勞斯
眼見帕特羅剋洛斯倒在特洛伊人面前，在艱烈的拼搏中，
大步擠出前排的戰勇，頭頂閃亮的頭盔，
橫跨屍軀，像一頭母牛，麯腿保護
頭生的牛犢，今生第一胎幼仔，
棕發的墨奈勞斯跨屍而立，挺着槍矛，
攜着溜圓的戰盾，護衛着帕特羅剋洛斯，
氣勢洶洶，决心放倒任何敢於近前的敵人。
但潘蘇斯之子，手握粗長的(木岑)木桿槍矛的
歐福耳波斯，也看到健美的帕特羅剋洛斯倒地的情景，
迎上前去，對嗜戰的墨奈勞斯喊道：
“退回去，阿特柔斯之子，高貴的墨奈勞斯，軍隊的首領，
不要靠近他的身軀，跑離帶血的戰禮！
特洛伊人和聲名遐邇的盟軍夥伴中，我第一個擊中
帕特羅剋洛斯，置身激烈的戰鬥，用我的槍矛。
所以，讓我獲得這份殊譽，在特洛伊人中；
否則，我就連你一起放倒，奪走你甜美的生活！”
聽罷這番話，棕發的墨奈勞斯心頭暴烈煩憤，厲聲答道：
“父親宙斯，聽聽此番吹擂，此番粗虐不忌的狂言！
如此猖撅，壓過了山豹和獸獅的兇猛，
就連橫蠻的野豬，它的兇暴——此獸生性
高傲，心地最為狂烈——也有所不及。這一切
都比不上潘蘇斯的兩個兒子，兇蠻狂野，操使粗長的(木岑)木桿
槍矛！
然而，即便是馴馬的好手，強有力的呼裴瑞諾耳，
青春的年華也沒有給他帶去歡悅——他曾和我對陣，出言
譏辱，駡我是達奈人中最無能的懦漢。現在，
他總算回到傢園，但不是用自己的雙腿，
不曾給親愛的妻子和尊敬的父母帶回愉悅。
至於你，我也會鬆放你的勇力，倘若你敢
和我對陣。退回去吧，告訴你，回到
你的群隊，不要和我交手，省得自找
麻煩！即便是個傻瓜，也知道前車之鑒！”
對於此番警告，歐福耳波斯置若罔聞，張嘴答道：
“如此說來，高貴的墨奈勞斯，你必須為我兄弟償付
血債——你殺了他，並且還就此口出狂言！
你使他的妻子落寡，幽居在新房的深處，
給他的雙親帶去了難以言喻的痛苦和悲愁。
不過，我或許可以撫慰這些不幸的人們，休止他們的悲痛，
要是我能帶回你的頭顱和用械，
放入潘蘇斯和美貌的芙榮提絲手中。
好了，不要再虛耗時間——讓我們就此開戰，
分個高低，看看誰能站住陣腳，誰會撒腿遁逃！”
言罷，他出手擊中墨奈勞斯溜回的戰盾，
但銅槍不曾穿透，被堅實的盾面
頂彎了槍尖。接着，阿特柔斯之子墨奈勞斯
啓口誦禱，對父親宙斯，擲出銅矛，
在對手回撤之時，傾身前趨，
壓上全身的力量，自信於強有力的臂膀；
槍尖紮入脖子，穿透鬆軟的頸肉，歐福耳波斯
隨即倒地，轟然一聲，鎧甲在身上鏗鏘作響。
他的頭髮，美得如同典雅姑娘的發束，其時沾滿血污，
辮條上仍然別着黃金和純銀的發夾。
像農人種下的一棵枝幹堅實的橄欖樹苗，
在一處僻靜的山地，澆上足夠的淡水，
使之茁壯成長；勁風吹自各個方向，
搖曳着它的枝頭，催發出銀灰色的芽苞。然而，
天空突起一陣狂飆，強勁的風勢把它
連根端出土坑，平躺在泥地上——就像這樣，
阿特柔斯之子墨奈勞斯殺了潘蘇斯之子，手握粗長的
(木岑)木桿槍矛的歐福耳波斯，開始搶剝他的鎧甲。
像一頭山地哺育的獅子，堅信自己的勇力，
從食草的牛群裏搶出一頭最肥的犢仔，
先用尖利的牙齒咬斷喉管，然後
大口吞咽熱血，野蠻地生食牛肚裏的內臟；
在它的周圍，狗和牧人噪聲四起，
但衹是呆離在遠處，不敢近前
拼殺，切骨的懼怕揪揉着他們的心房——
就像這樣，特洛伊人中誰也沒有這個膽量，
上前拼戰光榮的墨奈勞斯。其時，
阿特柔斯之子本可輕輕鬆鬆地得手，從潘蘇斯之子身上＿
剝下光榮的鎧甲，如果福伊波斯·阿波羅不怨怪他的作為，
催慫赫剋托耳——可與迅捷的戰神相匹比的壯勇——和他
拼搏，以一個凡人的形象，門忒斯，基科奈斯人的首領，
對赫剋托耳發話，用長了翅膀的言語：
“赫剋托耳，你在追趕永遠抓逮不着的東西，
驍勇的阿基琉斯的良駒！凡人很難
控製或在馬後駕馭，誰也不行，
除了阿基琉斯，因為他是女神的兒子。
與此同時，阿特柔斯之子、嗜戰的墨奈勞斯跨護着
帕特羅剋洛斯的遺體，已經殺死特洛伊軍中最好的戰勇，
歐福耳波斯，潘蘇斯之子，休止了此人狂烈的戰鬥激情！”
言罷，阿波羅抽身回行，一位神祗，介入凡人的爭鬥。
劇烈的悲痛折磨着赫剋托耳，黑罩着他的心胸。
他目光四射，掃過人群，當即看到兩位
壯勇，一個正在搶剝光榮的鎧甲，另一個
叉腿躺在地上，血漿從傷口汩汩地流淌。
他穿行在前排的戰勇裏，頭頂閃亮的銅盔，
厲聲高叫，看來就像赫法伊斯托斯的一團
不知疲倦的爐火。阿特柔斯之子耳聞他的尖叫，
備黨煩惱，對自己那豪 莽的心魂說道：
“哦，我該怎麽辦？丟下豪皇的鎧甲和
為了我的榮譽而倒死在這裏的帕特羅剋洛斯？
如此，若是讓夥伴們看見，難免不受指責；
然而，要是繼續戰鬥，對特洛伊人和赫剋托耳，孤身一人——
為了顧全面子——他們豈不就會衝上前來，把我團團圍住？
赫剋托耳，頭頂鋥亮的帽盔，是此間所有特洛伊人的統帥。
嘿，為何如此爭辯，我的心魂？倘若
有人違背神的意願。和另一個人，一個神明决意
要讓他獲得光榮的人戰鬥，那麽，滅頂的災難馬上即會臨頭！
所以，達奈人不會怪罪於我，要是眼見我從
赫剋托耳面前退卻，因為他在憑藉神的力量戰鬥！
但願我能在什麽地方找到嘯吼戰場的埃阿斯，
我倆或許即可重返搏殺，以我們的狂烈，
即便和神明對抗，也在所不惜，奪回遺體，送交
裴琉斯之子阿苦基琉斯。情勢險惡，這是無奈中最好的選擇。”
就在他權衡斟酌之際，在他的心魂裏，
特洛伊人的隊伍已經衝涌上來，由赫剋托耳率領。
墨奈勞斯拔腿後撤，離開死者，但
不時轉過身子，像一頭虯須滿面的獅子，
被狗和人群趕離圈欄，用投槍和
吶喊，冰息了猛獅心頭的驕烈，
不甘不願地走離牲畜的欄棚，
棕發的墨奈勞斯離開帕特羅剋洛斯，但一經回到
自己的伴群，馬上轉過身子，站穩腳跟，
四處張望，尋覓高大魁偉的埃阿斯，忒拉蒙之子，
很快發現他的位置，在戰場的左邊，正
鼓勵他的夥伴，催督他們戰鬥——
福伊波斯·阿波羅已在他們胸中註入攝膽驚心的恐慌。
他快步跑去，在朋友身邊站定，開口說道：
“去那邊吧，埃阿斯，我們必須救護死去的帕特羅剋洛斯，
以便把他的遺體，披挂全無，交送
阿基琉斯——頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳已剝占他的甲套！”
一番話激怒了驃勇的埃阿斯，
他大步穿走在前排的首領中，棕發的墨奈勞斯和他同行。
那邊，赫剋托耳已剝去帕特羅剋洛斯閃光的鎧甲，
拖拉着屍體，意欲從肩上砍下他的腦袋，用鋒快的銅劍，
然後拖走屍軀，丟給特洛伊的餓狗。其時，
埃阿斯衝至他的近前，挺着墻面般的巨盾，
赫剋托耳見狀，退回自己的伴群，
跳上馬車，把那套漂亮的鎧甲交給
特洛伊人，送回城堡，顯示輝煌的戰功。
埃阿斯用巨盾擋護着墨諾伊提俄斯之子，
穩穩地站着，像一頭獅子，保護着它的兒女，
正帶着幼仔行路，在森林裏面，不期
碰遇獵人，憑持巨大的勇力，兇蠻高傲，
壓下額眉上的皮肉遮罩眼睛。
就像這樣，埃阿斯跨護着英雄帕特羅剋洛斯；
在他的身邊，穩穩地站着阿特柔斯之子、嗜戰的
墨奈勞斯，心中釀聚着增涌的悲愁。
其時，格勞科斯，希波洛科斯之子，魯基亞人的首領，
眼盯着赫剋托耳，緊皺着眉頭，高聲呵斥：
“赫剋托耳，你外表富麗堂皇，戰場上卻讓人大失所望！
你的榮譽，看來顯赫，卻衹是一個逃兵的虛名！
好好計劃一下，如何救護你的傢園，你的城堡，
憑你自己的匹夫之勇和出生本地的伊利昂兵勇的幫忙。
魯基亞人中，誰也不會再和達奈人戰鬥，
為了你的城堡。我們在同你們的敵人戰鬥，
年復一年，卻不曾得過什麽報慰。在
你的隊伍裏，狠心的赫剋托耳，一般兵勇休想得到你的
救援——你連薩耳裴鼕都可丟棄不管，使他成了阿耳吉維人
手中的戰禮和獵物：薩耳裴鼕，你的客友和夥伴，
身前立下過許多汗馬功勞，為你和你的城堡！
現在，你卻沒有這個勇氣，為他打開身邊的犬狗！
所以，倘若魯基亞人願意聽命於我，我們這就
動身回傢，特洛伊的敗亡將緊接着我們離去的腳步！
要是特洛伊人還有無所畏懼、一往無前的
勇氣——人們藉此保衛自己的傢國，
和敵人進行英勇不屈的拼搏，那麽，
我們馬上即可把帕特羅剋洛斯拖進城堡。
倘若我們能把他拉出戰場，把他，雖然
已經死了，拖進王者普裏阿摩斯宏偉的城堡，
阿耳吉維人馬上即會交還薩耳裴鼕漂亮的
鎧甲，而我們亦可把他的遺體運回伊利昂。
被殺者是阿基琉斯的伴友，阿基琉斯，海船邊的
阿耳吉維人中最善戰的壯勇，統領着近戰殺敵的精兵。
但是你，你沒有這個勇氣，接戰心志豪 莽的
埃阿斯，不敢在喧囂的人群中看着他的
眼睛，奮起進擊——他是個比你好得多的英壯！”
頂着閃亮的頭盔，高大的赫剋托耳惡狠狠地盯着他，嚷道：
“格勞科斯，一個像你這樣有身份的人，居然說出此番不知輕
重的話語，這是什麽緣故？以前，我以為，生活在土地肥沃的
魯基亞的兵民中，你最聰明；現在，
我由衷地蔑視你的心智，不要聽你的廢話——
你說我不敢面對面地和高大魁偉的埃阿斯拼鬥？
告訴你，我從來不怕戰火的燒烤，不怕馬蹄的轟響！
但是，宙斯的意志總是壓倒凡人的心願；
他能嚇倒嗜戰的勇士，輕而易舉地奪走他的
勝利，雖然有時他又親自催勵一個人戰鬥。
來吧，我的朋友，看看我如何戰鬥！站在我的身邊，
看看我是否每天像個懦夫似地混着，如你說的那樣；
看看我能否息止某個達那人的拼鬥，碎毀他的
意願：保衛死去的帕特羅剋洛斯——哪怕他使出每一分狂暴！”
言罷，他亮開嗓門，對特洛伊人高聲喊道：
“特洛伊人，魯基亞人和達耳達尼亞人，近戰殺敵的勇士們！
拿出男子漢的勇氣，我的朋友們，鼓起徵死的戰鬥激情！
我將穿上勇敢的阿基琉斯的鎧甲，絢美的
精品，剝之於強健的帕特羅剋洛斯的胸肩，此人已被我宰殺！”
喊罷，赫剋托耳，頂着閃亮的頭盔，脫離
慘烈的戰鬥，疾步回跑，很快趕上了
他的夥伴——他跑得飛快，而他們亦沒有走出太遠，
朝着城堡的方向，帶着裴琉斯之於光彩奪目的鎧甲。
離着痛苦的戰鬥，赫剋托耳動手換穿甲衣，
把自己的那付交給嗜戰的特洛伊人，帶回
神聖的伊利昂，換上裴琉斯之子阿基琉斯的
鎧甲，永恆的珍品；天神把它賜給
阿基琉斯尊愛的父親，後者年邁後，把它傳給自己
的兒子；然而，兒子卻不能活到白發之年，在父親的甲衣裏。
其時，從遠離地面的天空，彙聚烏雲的宙斯看到他的作為：
正忙着武裝自己，用神一樣的阿基琉斯的甲衣，
於是搖動腦袋，對自己的心靈說道：
“唉，可憐的赫剋托耳，全然不知死期已至——當你穿上
這副永不敗壞的鎧甲，死亡即已挨近你的軀體：此物
屬於一位了不起的鬥士；在他面前，其他戰勇亦會害怕發抖。
現在，你殺了此人鐘愛的朋友，強健、溫厚的夥伴，
做了不該做的事情，剝了他的盔甲，從他的
肩膀和頭顱。儘管如此，眼下，我還是要給你巨大的力量，
作為一種補償：你將不能活着離開戰場，回返傢園，而
安德羅瑪開也休想接過阿基琉斯光榮的鎧甲，從你的手中。”
剋羅諾斯之子言罷，彎頸點動濃黑的眉毛。
他使鎧甲恰好貼吻赫剋托耳的胸背，而兇狠的戰神
阿瑞斯給他註入狂暴，使他的肢體充滿
朝氣和戰鬥的力量。赫剋托耳行進在聲名遐邇的盟軍
隊伍裏，高聲喊叫，穿着心胸豪壯的阿基琉斯的甲衣，
出現在他們面前，放射出絢麗的光芒。
他穿行在隊伍裏，鼓勵着每一位首領，
墨斯勒斯、格勞科斯、墨鼕和塞耳西洛科斯，
阿斯忒羅派俄斯、得伊塞諾耳和希波蘇斯，
還有福耳庫斯、剋羅米俄斯和釋卜鳥蹤的恩諾摩斯，
激勵他們嚮前，放聲呼喊，用長了翅膀的話語：
“聽我說，生活在我們疆界周圍的數不清的部族，盟軍朋友們！
我把你們一個個地從自己的城堡請來，
不是出於集聚大群人馬的需要和願望，
我請你們來，是想藉各位的勇力，保護特洛伊的
婦女和弱小無助的兒童，使他們免遭阿開亞人的蹂躪。
為此目的，我榨幹了我的人民，給你們禮品和
食物，以此鼓起你們每一個人的戰鬥激情。
所以，你們各位必須面對敵人，要麽一死，
要麽存活——這便是戰爭快慰人心的取予！
誰要是能把帕特羅剋洛斯，雖然已經死去，
拖回馴馬手特洛伊人的隊列，逼退埃阿斯，
我將從戰禮中取出一半給他，另一半
歸我所有——他的榮譽將和我的等同！”
赫剋托耳言罷，他們舉起槍矛，撲嚮達奈人，
以全部戰力；人人心環希望，從
忒拉蒙之子埃阿斯那裏搶過軀體。
蠢貨！在屍體周圍，他已放倒成群的戰勇！
但眼下，埃阿斯卻對嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯說道：
“高貴的墨奈勞斯，我的朋友，我已失去希望，
僅憑你我的力量，我們難以殺出這片人群。
我擔心帕特羅剋洛斯的遺體，它將
馬上淪為特洛伊的犬狗和兀鳥吞食的對象，
但我更擔心自己的腦袋，自己的生命，恐怕險遭不測。
我也同樣擔心你的安危——赫剋托耳，這片戰爭的
烏雲籠罩着地面上的一切；暴死的陰影正朝着我們撲襲！
趕快，召呼達奈人的首領，倘若現在有人可以聽見你的話音。”
他言罷，嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯謹遵不違，
提高嗓門，用尖亮的聲音對達奈人喊道：
“朋友們，阿耳吉維人的首領和統治者們！
所有偕同阿伽門農和墨奈勞斯，阿特柔斯的
兩個兒子，飲喝公庫裏的醇酒，對自己的兵衆
發號施令，收受宙斯賜予的地位和榮譽的人們！
眼下，我不可能—一提點各位的大名，
我的首領們——戰鬥打得如此慘烈，像騰燒的火焰！
衝吧，各位主動出戰！我們不要這份恥辱，
不要讓特洛伊的犬狗嬉耍帕特羅剋洛斯的遺身！”
他言罷，俄伊紐斯之子、迅捷的埃阿斯聽得真切，
第一個跑過戰鬥的人群，和他聚首；
緊接着跑來伊多墨紐斯和墨裏俄奈斯，
伊多墨紐斯的夥伴，殺人狂阿瑞斯一般兇 莽的武夫。
其後，戰勇們接踵而來，喚起阿開亞人的戰鬥激情——
誰有這個能耐，—一道數出他們的大名？
其時，赫剋托耳帶領隊形密集的特洛伊兵衆，衝掃而來，
宛如在雨水暴漲的洞口，咆哮的
海浪擊打着河道裏瀉出的激流，突出的
灘頭髮出隆隆的巨響，回蕩着驚浪撲岸的吼聲——
就像這樣，特洛伊人呼嘯着衝上前來。但是，阿開亞人以
堅強的陣勢，集聚在墨諾伊提俄斯之子周圍，抱定同一個信念，
戰鬥在盾面相連的銅墻後。與此同時，剋羅諾斯之子
布起濃厚的迷霧，掩罩着閃亮的頭盔。
過去，宙斯從未怨過墨諾伊提俄斯之子，
在他活着的時候，作為阿基琉斯的伴友；
所以，他現在催勵阿開亞人保護他的遺體，不忍心
讓死者變成一攤人肉，喂飽可恨的特洛伊餓狗。
初始，特洛伊人硬是頂住了明眸的阿開亞兵勇，
後者丟下遺體，撒腿驚跑。心志高昂的
特洛伊人槍矛在握，全力以赴，不曾殺死一個敵人，
倒是開始拽拉地上的屍體。然而，阿開亞人不會長時間地
把它丟棄；以極快的速度，埃阿斯重新召聚起隊伍，
埃阿斯，除了遜讓於剛勇的阿基琉斯外，
他的健美和戰力超越所有的達奈人。
他闖入前排的戰勇，兇猛得像一頭
野豬，窘睏在林間的𠔌地，頻頻轉動身子，
一舉衝散狗和年輕力壯的獵人，在那莽 莽的山野，
高貴的忒拉蒙之子、光榮的埃阿斯
兇猛地衝進敵陣，一舉擊潰了一隊隊特洛伊戰勇，
後者跨立在帕特羅剋洛斯遺體的兩邊，熱切
希望把他拖入城堡，爭得此項光榮。
其時，希波蘇斯，裴拉斯吉亞人萊索斯光榮的兒子，
抓起盾牌的背帶，綁住腳踝的筋腱，試圖
拉着死者的雙腳，把他拖出激烈的戰鬥，
取悅赫剋托耳和特洛伊人。無奈突來的死亡
奪走了他的生命，誰也救擋不得，雖然他們都很願意。
忒拉蒙之子，衝掃過成群的戰勇，
逼近出槍，捅穿帽盔上的青銅頰片；
槍尖帶着粗長的銅矛和臂膀的
重力，打裂了綴紮着馬鬃脊冠的盔蓋，
腦漿從豁口噴涌而出．順着槍桿的插口，
摻和着濃血。他的勇力消散殆盡，雙手一鬆，
放掉縹勇的帕特羅剋洛斯的腿腳——
死者橫倒泥塵，他自己亦頭臉朝下，撲倒屍身，
遠離富饒的拉裏薩，不得回報
敬愛的雙親，養育的思典；他活得短促，
被心胸豪壯的埃阿斯出槍擊殺。
赫剋托耳揮手投出閃亮的槍矛，對着埃阿斯，
但後者盯視着他的舉動，躲過銅鏢，
僅在毫末之間；槍尖擊中斯凱底俄斯，心胸豪壯的
伊菲托斯的兒子，福基斯人中最勇敢的鬥士，傢住
著名的帕諾裴烏斯，統治着衆多的子民。
投槍紮在鎖骨下，犀利的銅尖
穿筋破骨，從肩膀的根座裏捅出；
他隨即倒地，轟然一聲，鎧甲在身上鏗鏘作響。
接着，埃阿斯擊倒了福耳庫斯，法伊諾普斯聰慧的兒子，
其時正跨護着希波蘇斯，打在肚腹正中，
捅穿胸甲的虛處，內臟從銅甲裏
迸擠出來；福耳庫斯隨即倒地，手抓泥塵。
特洛伊人的首領們開始退卻，包括光榮的赫剋托耳；
阿開亞人放聲吼叫，拖走希波蘇斯和
福耳庫斯的遺體，從他們肩上剝下鎧甲。
其時，面對嗜戰的阿開亞兵壯，特洛伊人可能會再次爬過
城墻，逃回伊利昂，背着驚恐的包袱，跌跌撞撞，而
阿耳吉維人卻可能衝破宙斯定下的規限，以自己的
勇武和力量，爭得榮光，要不是阿波羅親自
催勵起埃內阿斯的戰力，以信使裴裏法斯的形象，
厄普托斯之子，在埃內阿斯的老父面前，守着
此份職務，邁入蒼黃的暮年——一位心地善良的好人。
以此人的模樣，宙斯之子阿波羅對他說道：
“埃內阿斯，你和你的部屬何以能夠保衛陡峭的伊利昂，
違背神的意願？從前，我曾見過一些凡人，
堅信自己的勇武和力量，憑藉他們的驃健和軍隊的
戰力——雖然在數量上處於劣勢——保衛自己的城邦。
但是，宙斯現正站在我們一邊，打算讓我們，而不是
達奈人獲取勝利。問題在於你，你已被嚇得躲躲閃閃，竟然不
敢戰鬥！”
他言罷，埃內阿斯看着他的臉面，聽出此乃
遠射手阿波羅的聲音，於是對着赫剋托耳喊話，聲音宏亮：
“赫剋托耳，各位特洛伊首領，盟軍朋友們！
可恥啊！我們正跌跌撞撞地爬回
特洛伊，背着驚恐的包袱，嗜戰的阿開亞人的追殺！
沒看見嗎？一位神明站在我的身邊，告訴我
宙斯，至高無上的神主，仍在助信我們戰鬥。
所以，我們必須衝嚮達奈人，不要讓他們
把帕特羅剋洛斯的屍體擡回海船，幹得輕輕鬆鬆！”
言罷，埃內阿斯跳出隊伍，遠遠地站在頭排壯勇的前面，
其他人則轉過身子，站住腳跟，迎戰阿開亞人。
其時，埃內阿斯出槍殺了雷俄剋裏托斯，
阿裏斯巴斯之子，魯科墨得斯高貴的伴友。
眼見夥伴倒地，嗜戰的魯科墨得斯心生憐憫，
跨步進逼，投出閃亮的槍矛，擊中
阿丕薩昂，希帕索斯之子，兵士的牧者，
打在橫隔膜下的肝髒上，當即酥軟了他的膝腿。
此人來自土地肥沃的派俄尼亞，除了
阿斯忒羅派俄斯外，他是本部最好的戰勇。
他隨即倒地，勾發了嗜戰的阿斯忒羅派俄斯的憐憫，
猛撲上去，尋戰達奈人，心急似火，
但卻不能如願；他們圍擁着帕特羅剋洛斯的軀體，
用盾牌把它擋得嚴嚴實實，伸挺着槍矛。
埃阿斯穿行在人群裏，發出嚴厲的命令，
既不讓任何人退離屍體，也不讓誰個
衝出隊陣，離開其他阿開亞人，孤身對敵；
他要人們緊緊圍聚在屍軀邊，手對手地戰鬥。
這便是巨人埃阿斯的命令。其時，大地上碧血
殷紅，勇士們一個接一個地倒下，
從特洛伊人和豪壯的盟軍隊列，
也從達奈人的隊陣——流血犧牲，阿開亞人豈能幸免？
但相比之下，後者的傷亡要輕得多．因為他們從未忘記
排成緊密的隊陣，互相防衛，避離兇暴的死亡。
就這樣，雙方激烈拼搏，如同燃燒的烈火。
你或許以為太陽和月亮已不在天空存耀：濃霧
彌漫在整個戰區，最勇敢的人們拼搏的地方，
圍繞着帕特羅剋洛斯的軀體，墨諾伊提俄斯陣亡的兒郎。
這時，在其他地方，特洛伊人和脛甲堅固的阿開亞人
仍在常態下戰鬥，在晴朗的天空下，
透亮的日光裏，大地和山脊上沒有一絲
遊雲。他們打一陣，息一陣，中間隔開
一大段距離，避閃着此來彼往的羽箭，
飛響着痛苦的呻吟。但那些搏戰在中軍的戰勇，卻
飽受着迷霧和戰火的煎熬，被無情的銅械打得七零八落。
他們是戰鬥中最勇敢的人。然而，戰場上還有兩位著名的
勇士，斯拉蘇墨得斯和安提洛科斯，其時還不曾得知
豪勇的帕特羅剋洛斯已死的消息，滿以為
他還活着，在前排的隊列裏，奮戰特洛伊人。
但此二位，望着夥伴們倒地死亡或撒腿奔逃，
戰鬥在戰場的邊翼，按照奈斯托耳的吩咐，
在催勵他倆離開烏黑的海船，投身戰鬥的前夕。
整整一天，勇士們冒死拼殺，浴血
苦戰，沒有片刻的停息，他們全身疲軟，汗如泉涌，
透濕了膝蓋、小腿和支撐每一位戰勇的腿足，
淋濕了雙手和眼睛——兩軍相搏，
為了爭奪捷足的阿基琉斯勇敢的伴友。
像一位製皮的工匠，把一領大公牛的皮張交給
夥計們拉扯，透浸着油脂；
他們接過牛皮，站成一個圈圍，用力
張拉，直到擠出皮裏的水分，吸進表層上的
油脂，人多手雜，把牛皮拉成一塊綳緊的平片。
就像這樣，雙方勇士爭扯着屍體，在一片壅塞的地面上，
朝着己方猛拉，寄懷着希望——特洛伊人企望
把它拖進伊利昂，而阿開亞人則希冀着
把它擡回深曠的海船。圍繞着倒地的軀體，
雙方展開了一場兇蠻的拼殺。即便是阿瑞斯，勇士的催聚者，
即便是雅典娜，目睹這場
戰鬥，也不會譏刺嘲諷——哪怕在他倆怒氣最盛的時候。
這一天，宙斯綳緊了戰爭的弦綫，雙方打得瘋瘋
烈烈，成群的兵勇和馭馬，為爭奪帕特羅剋洛斯的遺軀。然而，
卓越的阿基琉斯其時還不知帕特羅剋洛斯已死的消息，
因為人們在遠離快船的地方，在特洛伊
城墻下戰鬥。阿基琉斯亦不會想到
帕特羅剋洛斯已經死去，以為他還活着，一旦逼至
城下，便會返身營房。他不曾想過，帕特羅剋洛斯
會攻破城堡，沒有他的參與——就是和他一起，也不曾想過。
他經常聽到母親的告囑，通過私下的秘密渠道，
告知大神宙斯的意志，但這次，
母親卻沒有告訴他這條
噩耗：他最親愛的伴友已經陣亡。
圍繞着帕特羅剋洛斯的遺體，勇士們手握鋒快的槍矛，
咄咄近逼，互相不停地殺砍，打得英勇壯烈。
其時，某個身披銅甲的阿開亞人會這麽說道：
“朋友們，倘若現在退回深曠的海船，我們還有
什麽光榮？讓烏黑的大地裂開一道口子，此時
此地，把我們盡數吞咬！這是個好得多的結局，
較之把屍體讓給特洛伊人，調馴烈馬的壯勇，
由他們帶回自己的城堡，爭得榮光！”
而某個心胸豪壯的特洛伊人，此時亦會這般喊道：
“朋友們，即使命運要我們全都死在此人的
身邊，即便如此，也不許任何人逃離戰鬥！”
他們會如此說道，催勵起每一位夥伴的
戰鬥激情。戰鬥打得如此狂烈，灰鐵的喧囂
穿過荒袤的氣空，衝上銅色的天穹。
然而，阿基琉斯的馭馬其時離着戰場伫立，
自從得知它們的馭手已經陣亡，死在
殺人不眨眼的赫剋托耳手裏，就一直淚流不止。
奧托墨鼕，狄俄瑞斯強有力的兒子，竭己所能，
揚起舒展的皮條，一鞭又一鞭地抽打，
時而低聲懇勸，時而惡語脅迫，然而，
它倆既不願回返海船停駐的地方，赫勒斯龐特
寬闊的海岸，也不願跑回戰場，戰鬥在阿開亞人身旁。
它們紋絲不動地站着，像一塊石碑，
矗立在墳堆上，廝守着一個死去的男人或女子，
靜靜地架着做工精美的戰車，
低重的頭臉貼着地面，熱淚涌註，
奪眶而出，濕點着塵土——
它們悲悼自己的馭者，閃亮的長鬃鋪瀉在
軛墊的邊沿，垂灑在軛架兩邊，沾滿了污塵。
眼見它們流淚悲悼，剋羅諾斯之子心生憐憫，
搖着頭，對自己的心魂說道：
“可憐的東西，我們為何把你們給了王者裴琉斯，
一個凡人，而你們是長生不死、永恆不滅的天馬？
為了讓你們置身不幸的凡人，和他們一起忍受痛苦嗎？
一切生聚和爬行在地面上的生靈，
凡人最是多災多難。不過，
至少赫剋托耳，普裏阿摩斯之子，不會
登上做工精緻的戰車，從你們後面；我絶不會允許他這麽做。
他已得獲那副戰甲，並因此大肆炫耀——這一切難道還不夠嗎？
現在，我將在你們的膝腿和心裏註入力量，
讓你們把奧托墨鼕帶出戰場，回返
深曠的海船，因我仍將賜予特洛伊人
殺戳的榮耀，一直殺到凳板堅固的海船，
殺到太陽西下，神聖的黑夜把大地蒙罩。”
言罷，宙斯給馭馬吹入蓬勃的活力，
後者抖落鬃發上的泥塵，輕鬆地
拉起飛滾的戰車，奔馳在兩軍之間。
奧托墨鼕一邊駕車，一邊戰鬥，儘管懷着對夥伴之死的傷愁——
他趕着馬車，衝入戰陣，像撲擊鵝群的兀鷲，
輕而易舉地閃出特洛伊混亂的人群，
繼而又輕鬆地衝撲進去，追趕大隊的散兵。
然而，儘管造得很緊，他卻不能出手殺敵——
孤身一人，駕着顛簸的戰車，既要馭控
飛跑的駿馬，又要投槍殺敵，讓他如何對付得了？
終於，夥伴中有人發現他的蹤跡，
阿爾基墨鼕，萊耳開斯之子，海蒙的後代，
站在車後，對着奧托墨鼕喊道：
“奧托墨鼕，是哪位神祗把這個沒有用益的主意
塞進你的心胸，奪走了你的睿智？你在試圖
以單身之軀，和特洛伊人戰鬥，在這前排的
隊陣中！你的夥伴已經死去；赫剋托耳正
穿着阿基琉斯的甲衣，顯耀他的光榮！”
聽罷這番話，狄俄瑞斯之子奧托墨鼕答道：
“阿爾基墨鼕，阿開亞人中，還有誰比你更能調馴
這對長生不老的駿馬，製馭它們的狂暴？
衹有帕特羅剋洛斯，和神一樣精擅謀略的凡人，
在他活着的時候——可惜死和命運已經結束了他的一生。
上來吧，從我手中接過馬鞭和閃亮的
繮繩；我將跳下馬車，投入戰鬥！”
他言罷，阿爾基墨鼕躍上衝跑的馬車，
出手迅捷，接過皮鞭和繮繩，而
奧托墨鼕則擡腿跳下戰車。然而，光榮的赫剋托耳看到了
他們，當即對站在近旁的埃內阿斯說道：
“埃內阿斯，身披銅甲的特洛伊人的訓導，
我已望見捷足的阿基琉斯的馭馬，
迅猛地衝嚮戰鬥，聽命於懦弱的馭手。看來，
我有希望逮住它們，如果你願意
和我一起行動。倘若我倆協同作戰，
他倆就不敢和我們交手，面對面地戰鬥！”
言罷，安基塞斯驍勇的兒子欣然遵從。
他倆大步嚮前，挺着戰盾，擋護着肩膀，厚實。
堅韌的牛皮，鍛鉚着大片的銅層。
剋羅米俄斯和神一樣的阿瑞托斯跟隨衝擊，
兩位壯勇，帶着熱切的企盼，意欲
殺死阿開亞人，趕走頸脖粗壯的馭馬。
可憐的蠢貨！奧托墨鼕將放出他們的熱血，
不會讓他們活着口頭！他禱過宙斯，
黑心中註滿了勇氣和力量，對
阿爾基墨鼕、他所信賴的伴友喊道：
“阿爾基墨鼕，讓馭馬侍候在我的身旁，
讓他們對着我的脊背呼息。眼下，我認為，
誰也頂不住普裏阿摩斯之子赫剋托耳的蠻狂，
他會躍上戰車，從阿基琉斯長鬃飄灑的駿馬
後面，殺了我倆，打散阿開亞人戰鬥的
群伍；對於他，要麽這樣，要麽死去，戰死在前排的隊列中！
言罷，他對着兩位埃阿斯和墨奈勞斯喊道：
“兩位埃阿斯，阿耳吉維人的首領！墨奈勞斯！
把帕特羅剋洛斯留給你們認為最合適的人，
他們會跨護他的遺體，打退特洛伊人的隊伍。你等
這就過來，幫助我們仍然活着的戰勇，打開這要命的時分！
敵人正嚮這邊衝來，赫剋托耳和埃內阿斯，特洛伊
最善戰的壯勇，逼壓在我們前頭——這場摻和着淚水的苦鬥！
但是，所有這一切都躺臥在神的膝頭，
我將甩手槍矛，其餘的聽憑宙斯定奪。”
言罷，他持平落影森長的槍矛，奮臂投擲，
擊中阿瑞托斯邊圈溜圓的戰盾，
銅尖衝破阻擋，把面裏一起穿透，
捅開腰帶，深紮進他的肚腹。
像一個身強力壯的漢子，手提利斧，
殺砍一頭漫步草場的壯牛，劈在牛角後面，
砍穿厚實的隆肉；牧牛騰撲嚮前，塌倒在地——
就像這樣，阿瑞托斯先是嚮前撲跳，接着仰面翻倒，
鋒快的槍矛深紮進去，搖搖晃晃，酥軟了他的肢腿。
其時，赫剋托耳投出閃亮的槍矛，對着奧托墨鼕，
但後者盯視着他的舉動，躲過銅矛，
嚮前佝屈起身子；長槍紮入後面的
泥地，桿尾來回擺動，
直到強健的阿瑞斯平止了它的狂暴。
其時，他們會手持利劍，近戰搏殺，
要不是兩位埃阿斯，聽到夥伴的召喚，
奮力擠過戰鬥的人群，隔現在他倆之中。
出於恐懼，赫剋托耳和埃內阿斯，以及神一樣的
剋羅米俄斯再次退卻，撇下阿瑞托斯的
軀體，躺在原地——投槍奪走了他的生命。
其時，奧托墨鼕，可與迅捷的戰神相匹比的戰勇，
剝去他的鎧甲，得意洋洋地吹擂：
“這下，多少減輕了帕特羅剋洛斯之死帶給我的愁憾，
雖然和他相比，被我宰殺的此人遠不是同等的英豪。”
言罷，他拿起帶血的戰禮，放在
車上，然後擡腿登車，手腳鮮血
滴淌，像一頭獅子，剛剛撕吞了一頭公牛。
其時，圍繞着帕特羅剋洛斯的遺體，雙方重新開戰，
場面慘烈，淚水橫流。雅典娜從天上下來，
挑發殊死的拼搏，受宙斯派遣，催勵達奈人
戰鬥；沉雷遠播的天神已改變心潮的流程。
宛如宙斯在天上劃出的一道閃光的長虹，兆現給
凡人，預示着戰爭或捲來陰寒的風暴，
它將驅走溫熱，輟止凡人的勞作，
在廣袤的地面，給畜群帶來騷惱，
雅典娜行裹在閃光的雲朵裏，
出現在大群的達奈人中，催勵着每一個戰勇。
首先，她對阿特柔斯之子、強健的墨奈勞斯發話，
催他嚮前——他正站在女神身邊——幻取
福伊尼剋斯的形象，模仿他那不知疲倦的聲音：
“這將是你的恥辱，墨奈勞斯，你將為此低垂腦袋，
倘若在特洛伊城下，瘋狂的餓狗
撕裂高傲的阿基琉斯忠勇的伴友。
堅持下去，奮勇嚮前，催勵所有的人戰鬥！”
聽罷這番話，嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯答道：
“福伊尼剋斯，我的父親，老一輩的鬥士！但願雅典娜
能給我力量，替我擋開飛射而來的槍矛！
這樣，我就能下定决心，站在帕特羅剋洛斯身邊，
保護他的遺體；他的死亡深深地刺痛了我的心房。
但是，赫剋托耳仍然擁有火一樣暴虐的勇力，挺着
銅槍衝殺，不曾有一刻闡息；宙斯正使他獲得光榮。”
聽罷這番話，灰眼睛女神雅典娜心裏高興，
諸神中，此人首先對她祈願。
女神把力氣輸人他的肩膀和雙膝，
又在他心裏激起虹蠅的兇勇——
把它趕開，它卻偏要回返，執意叮咬
人的皮肉，迷戀於血液的甜美——
女神用血蠅的勇莽飽註着他那烏黑的心胸。
他跨站在帕特羅剋洛斯身邊，投出閃亮的
槍矛。特洛伊人中，有一位名叫波得斯的戰勇，厄提昂
之子，出身高貴，傢資充盈，在整個地域，最得赫剋托耳
尊愛——一位親近的朋友，餐桌上的食客。
現在，棕發的墨奈勞斯擊中了他，打在護帶上，
在他跳步逃跑之際，銅矛穿透了腹腔——
他隨即倒地，轟然一聲。阿特柔斯之子墨奈勞斯
從特洛伊人那裏拉走屍體，拖回己方的營陣。
其時，阿波羅來到赫剋托耳身邊，出言催勵，
以阿西俄斯之子法諾普斯的形象，在全部
客友中，此人最受赫剋托耳尊愛，居傢阿布多斯。
以此人的模樣，遠射手阿波羅說道：
“現在，赫剋托耳，有哪個阿開亞人還會怕畏於你？
瞧瞧你自己，居然在墨奈勞斯面前縮退；過去，
此人一直是個懦弱的槍手。眼下，他竟然獨自一人，
從我們鼻子底下拖走屍體，並且殺了你所信賴的伴友，
首領中驍勇的鬥士，厄提昂之子波得斯。”
他言罷，一團悲痛的烏雲罩住了赫剋托耳的心靈。
他穿行在前排的壯勇裏，頭頂鋥亮的頭盔。
其時，剋羅諾斯之子拿起穗帶飄搖的埃吉斯，
光彩奪目，將伊達山籠罩在彌漫的雲霧裏。
他扔出一道閃電，一聲炸響的霹靂，搖撼着埃吉斯，
使特洛伊戰勇獲勝，把阿開亞人嚇得惶惶奔逃。
波伊俄提亞人裴奈琉斯第一個撒腿；
他總是衝跑在前面，而普魯達馬斯從近處
投槍，擊中他的肩膀，傷勢輕微，
但槍尖已擦碰肩骨。接着，
赫剋托耳紮傷了雷托斯的手腕，
心胸豪壯的阿勒剋特魯昂的兒子，使他喪失了戰鬥能力。
雷托斯左右掃瞄，拔腿回逃，
心知已不能繼續手提槍矛，和特洛伊人戰鬥。
赫剋托耳奮起追趕，被伊多墨紐斯投槍
擊中護胸的鎧甲，奶頭旁邊，但
長槍在銅尖後面折斷——特洛伊人發出一陣
呼嘯。赫剋托耳甩手投擲，對着伊多墨紐斯，丟剋裏昂之子，
其時正站在車上；槍尖擦身而過，差離僅在毫末之間，
擊中墨裏俄奈斯的助手和馭者，
科伊拉諾斯，隨同前者一起來自城垣堅固的魯剋托斯。
清晨，伊多墨紐斯徒步離開彎翹的海船；
現在，他將讓特洛伊人贏得一項輝煌的勝利，
要不是科伊拉諾斯趕着快馬前來，
像一道閃光，在伊多墨紐斯眼裏，為他擋開無情的死亡。
然而，馭手自己卻因此送命，死在殺人狂赫剋托耳手下，
打在顎骨和耳朵下面，槍矛連根搗出
牙齒，把舌頭截成兩半——
他從車上翻身倒地，馬繮散落泥塵。
墨裏俄奈斯彎腰撿起繮繩，從
平原的泥地上，對伊多墨紐斯喊道：
“揚鞭催馬，回返迅捷的海船！
你已親眼看到，阿開亞人的勇力已被徹底蕩掃！”
他言罷，伊多墨紐斯催打着長鬃飄灑的馭馬，
心懷恐懼，跑回深曠的海船。
心志豪 莽的埃阿斯和墨奈勞斯亦已看出，
宙斯已把改變戰局的勇力給了特洛伊戰勇。
兩人中，忒拉蒙之子、巨人埃阿斯首先說道：
“唉，夠了，夠了！現在，即便是無知的孩子，
也能看出父親宙斯正如何起勁地幫助特洛伊人！
他們的槍械全都擊中目標，不管投者是誰，
是勇敢的戰士，還是懦弱的散兵——宙斯替他們製導着每
一枝槍矛。相比之下，我們的投械全都落在地上，一無所獲！
所以，我們自己必須想出個兩全齊美的高招，
既要搶回遺體，又要保存自己，
給我們鐘愛的夥伴帶回歡樂；
他們一定在翹首觀望，心情沮喪，以為我們
不能止住殺人不眨眼的赫剋托耳的狂暴，擋不住他那雙
難以抵禦的大手，以為他一定會打入我們烏黑的船舟。
但願能有一位幫手，把信息盡快帶給
裴琉斯的兒郎；我相信，他還沒有聽到這條
噩耗：他所鐘愛的伴友已經倒地身亡。
然而，我卻看不到一個人選，在阿開亞人中——
他們全被罩沒在濃霧裏，所有的馭馬和兵勇。
哦，父親宙斯，把阿開亞人的兒子們拉出迷霧吧！
讓陽光照瀉，使我們重見天日！把我們殺死吧，
殺死在燦爛的日光裏，如果此時此刻，毀滅我們能使你歡悅
他朗聲求告，淚水橫流；宙斯見狀，心生憐憫，
隨即驅散濃霧，推走黑暗，重現
普射的陽光，使戰場上的一切明晰地展現在他們眼前。
其時，埃阿斯對嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯說道：
“仔細尋覓，高貴的墨奈勞斯，但願你能發現
安提洛科斯仍然活着，心胸豪壯的奈斯托耳之子，
要他快步跑去，面見聰穎的阿基琉斯，傳告
他最尊愛的伴友已經戰死疆場的噩耗。”
他言罷，嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯遞遵不違，
動身離去，拖着沉重的雙腿，像一頭獅子，走離圈欄，
由於忙着騷擾狗和農人，業已纍得筋疲力盡；
對手們不讓它撕剝牛的肥膘，整夜
監守，餓獅貪戀牛肉的肥美，臨近撲擊，
但卻一無所獲——雨點般的槍矛迎面
砸來，投自粗壯的大手，另有那騰騰
燃燒的火把，嚇得它——儘管兇狂——退縮不前；
隨着黎明的降臨，餓獅快快離去，心緒頽敗。
就像這樣，嘯吼戰場的墨奈勞斯離開帕特羅剋洛斯，
走得很不甘願，擔心阿開亞人會群起，
驚逃，丟下遺體，慘遭敵人的欺搗。所以，
他有許多話語要對墨裏俄奈斯和兩位埃阿斯囑告：
“兩位埃阿斯，阿耳吉維人的首領，還有你，墨裏俄奈斯，
記住，不要忘了不幸的帕特羅剋洛斯，
一個敦厚的好人，生前曾善待所有的
相識。現在，死和命運結束了他的一生。”
言罷，頭髮棕黃的墨奈勞斯舉步前行，
四下裏舉目索望，像一隻雄鷹——人們說，
在展翅天空的鳥類中，鷹的眼睛最亮，
雖然盤翔高空，卻能看見撒腿林中的野兔，
嚇得蜷縮起身子，躲在枝蔓橫牛的樹從裏；
鷹隼俯衝直下，逮住野兔，碎毀了它的生命。
就像這樣，高貴的墨奈勞斯，你目光爍爍，
掃視着每一個角落，成群結隊的軍友，寄望於有人
能覓得奈斯托耳之子的下落，此人是否還能行走存活？
他放眼索望，很快便盯上了要找的目標，在戰場的左邊，
正激勵着他的夥伴，催督他們戰鬥。
棕發的墨奈勞斯站到他的身邊，喊道：
“過來吧，高貴的安提洛科斯，聽我告說
一個噩耗，一件但願絶對不曾發生的事情。
我想，你自己亦已看出，宙斯
如何讓達奈人遭難，讓特洛伊人
獲勝。帕特羅剋洛斯，阿開亞人中最好的戰勇，
已經倒下——達奈人的損失巨烈慘重。
趕快跑嚮阿開亞人的海船，尋見阿基琉斯，將此事
相告。他人也許會即刻行動，奪回遺體——已被剝得精光——
運往他的海船；頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳已奪占他的甲衣！”
他如此一番說告，安提洛科斯潘心聽聞，痛恨入耳的每一
個字眼。
他默立許久，一言不發，眼裏噙着
淚水，悲痛噎塞了寬宏的嗓門。
但即便如此，他也沒有玩忽墨奈勞斯的囑告，
留下甲械，給豪勇的夥伴，勞多科斯，後者已把
風快的馭馬趕至他的近旁，然後撩開雙腿，快步奔跑。
他快步跑離戰鬥，痛哭流涕，
帶着噩耗，跑嚮裴琉斯之子阿基琉斯。
其時，高貴的墨奈勞斯，你不願保護
這裏的普洛斯人——安提洛科斯走後，他的
夥伴失去主將，勉強撐擋着敵人的進攻。
他讓卓越的斯拉蘇墨得斯指揮隊伍，
自己則快步回跑，跨護英雄帕特羅剋洛斯的
遺體，置身兩位埃阿斯身旁，對他們喊道：
“我已送出你們提及的那位，讓他
尋見捷足的阿基琉斯；但對他能否出戰，
我卻不抱什麽希望，雖然對卓越的赫剋托耳，他已怒滿胸膛。
沒有鎧甲，他將如何拼戰特洛伊戰勇？
我們自己必須想出個兩全齊美的高招，
既要搶回遺體，又要保存自己，
頂着特洛伊人的喧囂，躲避厄運和死亡。”
聽罷這番話，忒拉蒙之子高大的埃阿斯答道：
“你的話句句在理，卓著的墨奈勞斯，說得一點不錯。
來吧，你和墨裏俄奈斯彎腰扛起遺體，
要快，撤離激烈的戰鬥。我倆殿後
掩護，為你們擋開特洛伊人和赫剋托耳——
我們，懷着同樣的戰鬥激情，享用同一個名字，經常
戰防在一起，在過去的日子裏，面對戰神的兇暴。”
聽罷這番活，他倆伸出雙臂，運足力氣，
抱起地上的屍體，高舉過頭。特洛伊人見狀，
急起直追，大聲喊叫，像一群
獵狗，迅猛出擊，追趕一頭
受傷的野豬，跑在追殺獵物的年輕人前面，
撒腿猛趕了一陣，恨不能把它撕成碎片，
直到後者於睏境中轉過身子，自信地進行反撲，
獵狗追猶不及，驚恐萬狀，四散奔逃——
就像這樣，特洛伊人隊形密集，窮追不捨，
奮力砍殺，用劍和雙刃的槍矛。
但是，每當兩位埃阿斯轉過身子，腿腳穩健，
舉槍迎戰，他們就全都嚇得面無人色，不敢
繼續衝殺，為搶奪遺體拼搏。
就這樣，他們竭盡全力，擡着死者，一撤離戰鬥，
回返深曠的海船——身後，戰鬥打得激烈異常，
狂暴得就像燃燒的火焰，突起騰發，吞噬着
人居人住的城堡，衝天的火舌摧毀了成片的房屋——
狂風疾掃，火海裏爆發出巨烈的響聲。
就像這樣，戰地上，車馬喧騰，人聲鼎沸；達奈人
退兵回撤，在不絶於耳的嘈聲中。
像騾子那樣，忍受着苦役的辛勞，
沿着崎嶇的岩路，從山壁上一步一滑地走下，
拉着一根梁材，或一方造船的木料，艱辛的勞動
和着流淌的汗水，幾乎攪碎了它們的心房。
就像這樣，他倆咬緊牙關，擡着死者行走，由兩位埃阿斯
殿後，阻擊追兵，像一面林木昌茂的山脊，
橫隔着整個平原，截住水流，巍然
屹立，擋回大河的奔涌，把湍急的
水浪推送回去，傾灑在坡下的
平野，無論哪一股激流都不能把它衝倒——
兩位埃阿斯一次又一次地堵擊
特洛伊人，但後者仍然窮追不捨，由兩位壯士領頭，
埃內阿斯，安基塞斯之子，和光榮的赫剋托耳。
像一大群寒鴉或歐椋，眼見
奔襲的鷹隼，發出可怕的尖叫——對這些較小的
鳥類，鷹鷂的撲擊意味着死亡——就像這樣，
在埃阿斯和赫剋托耳面前，年輕的阿開亞武士
决步回跑，嘶喊出可怕的驚叫，把戰鬥的愉悅全拋。
達奈人撒腿奔逃，丟下滿地精美的甲械，
散落在壕溝兩邊；戰鬥打得無有片刻息止的時候。
ARGUMENT.
THE SEVENTH BATTLE, FOR THE BODY OF PATROCLUS.--THE ACTS OF MENELAUS.
Menelaus, upon the death of Patroclus, defends his body from the enemy:
Euphorbus, who attempts it, is slain. Hector advancing, Menelaus retires;
but soon returns with Ajax, and drives him off. This, Glaucus objects to
Hector as a flight, who thereupon puts on the armour he had won from
Patroclus, and renews the battle. The Greeks give way, till Ajax rallies
them: Aeneas sustains the Trojans. Aeneas and Hector Attempt the chariot
of Achilles, which is borne off by Automedon. The horses of Achilles
deplore the loss of Patroclus: Jupiter covers his body with a thick
darkness: the noble prayer of Ajax on that occasion. Menelaus sends
Antilochus to Achilles, with the news of Patroclus' death: then returns to
the fight, where, though attacked with the utmost fury, he and Meriones,
assisted by the Ajaces, bear off the body to the ships.
The time is the evening of the eight-and-twentieth day. The scene lies in
the fields before Troy.
On the cold earth divine Patroclus spread,
Lies pierced with wounds among the vulgar dead.
Great Menelaus, touch'd with generous woe,
Springs to the front, and guards him from the foe.
Thus round her new-fallen young the heifer moves,
Fruit of her throes, and first-born of her loves;
And anxious (helpless as he lies, and bare)
Turns, and re-turns her, with a mother's care,
Opposed to each that near the carcase came,
His broad shield glimmers, and his lances flame.
The son of Panthus, skill'd the dart to send,
Eyes the dead hero, and insults the friend.
"This hand, Atrides, laid Patroclus low;
Warrior! desist, nor tempt an equal blow:
To me the spoils my prowess won, resign:
Depart with life, and leave the glory mine"
The Trojan thus: the Spartan monarch burn'd
With generous anguish, and in scorn return'd:
"Laugh'st thou not, Jove! from thy superior throne,
When mortals boast of prowess not their own?
Not thus the lion glories in his might,
Nor panther braves his spotted foe in fight,
Nor thus the boar (those terrors of the plain;)
Man only vaunts his force, and vaunts in vain.
But far the vainest of the boastful kind,
These sons of Panthus vent their haughty mind.
Yet 'twas but late, beneath my conquering steel
This boaster's brother, Hyperenor, fell;
Against our arm which rashly he defied,
Vain was his vigour, and as vain his pride.
These eyes beheld him on the dust expire,
No more to cheer his spouse, or glad his sire.
Presumptuous youth! like his shall be thy doom,
Go, wait thy brother to the Stygian gloom;
Or, while thou may'st, avoid the threaten'd fate;
Fools stay to feel it, and are wise too late."
Unmoved, Euphorbus thus: "That action known,
Come, for my brother's blood repay thy own.
His weeping father claims thy destined head,
And spouse, a widow in her bridal bed.
On these thy conquer'd spoils I shall bestow,
To soothe a consort's and a parent's woe.
No longer then defer the glorious strife,
Let heaven decide our fortune, fame, and life."
Swift as the word the missile lance he flings;
The well-aim'd weapon on the buckler rings,
But blunted by the brass, innoxious falls.
On Jove the father great Atrides calls,
Nor flies the javelin from his arm in vain,
It pierced his throat, and bent him to the plain;
Wide through the neck appears the grisly wound,
Prone sinks the warrior, and his arms resound.
The shining circlets of his golden hair,
Which even the Graces might be proud to wear,
Instarr'd with gems and gold, bestrow the shore,
With dust dishonour'd, and deform'd with gore.
As the young olive, in some sylvan scene,
Crown'd by fresh fountains with eternal green,
Lifts the gay head, in snowy flowerets fair,
And plays and dances to the gentle air;
When lo! a whirlwind from high heaven invades
The tender plant, and withers all its shades;
It lies uprooted from its genial bed,
A lovely ruin now defaced and dead:
Thus young, thus beautiful, Euphorbus lay,
While the fierce Spartan tore his arms away.
Proud of his deed, and glorious in the prize,
Affrighted Troy the towering victor flies:
Flies, as before some mountain lion's ire
The village curs and trembling swains retire,
When o'er the slaughter'd bull they hear him roar,
And see his jaws distil with smoking gore:
All pale with fear, at distance scatter'd round,
They shout incessant, and the vales resound.
Meanwhile Apollo view'd with envious eyes,
And urged great Hector to dispute the prize;
(In Mentes' shape, beneath whose martial care
The rough Ciconians learn'd the trade of war;)(247)
"Forbear (he cried) with fruitless speed to chase
Achilles' coursers, of ethereal race;
They stoop not, these, to mortal man's command,
Or stoop to none but great Achilles' hand.
Too long amused with a pursuit so vain,
Turn, and behold the brave Euphorbus slain;
By Sparta slain! for ever now suppress'd
The fire which burn'd in that undaunted breast!"
Thus having spoke, Apollo wing'd his flight,
And mix'd with mortals in the toils of fight:
His words infix'd unutterable care
Deep in great Hector's soul: through all the war
He darts his anxious eye; and, instant, view'd
The breathless hero in his blood imbued,
(Forth welling from the wound, as prone he lay)
And in the victor's hands the shining prey.
Sheath'd in bright arms, through cleaving ranks he flies,
And sends his voice in thunder to the skies:
Fierce as a flood of flame by Vulcan sent,
It flew, and fired the nations as it went.
Atrides from the voice the storm divined,
And thus explored his own unconquer'd mind:
"Then shall I quit Patroclus on the plain,
Slain in my cause, and for my honour slain!
Desert the arms, the relics, of my friend?
Or singly, Hector and his troops attend?
Sure where such partial favour heaven bestow'd,
To brave the hero were to brave the god:
Forgive me, Greece, if once I quit the field;
'Tis not to Hector, but to heaven I yield.
Yet, nor the god, nor heaven, should give me fear,
Did but the voice of Ajax reach my ear:
Still would we turn, still battle on the plains,
And give Achilles all that yet remains
Of his and our Patroclus--" This, no more
The time allow'd: Troy thicken'd on the shore.
A sable scene! The terrors Hector led.
Slow he recedes, and sighing quits the dead.
So from the fold the unwilling lion parts,
Forced by loud clamours, and a storm of darts;
He flies indeed, but threatens as he flies,
With heart indignant and retorted eyes.
Now enter'd in the Spartan ranks, he turn'd
His manly breast, and with new fury burn'd;
O'er all the black battalions sent his view,
And through the cloud the godlike Ajax knew;
Where labouring on the left the warrior stood,
All grim in arms, and cover'd o'er with blood;
There breathing courage, where the god of day
Had sunk each heart with terror and dismay.
To him the king: "Oh Ajax, oh my friend!
Haste, and Patroclus' loved remains defend:
The body to Achilles to restore
Demands our care; alas, we can no more!
For naked now, despoiled of arms, he lies;
And Hector glories in the dazzling prize."
He said, and touch'd his heart. The raging pair
Pierced the thick battle, and provoke the war.
Already had stern Hector seized his head,
And doom'd to Trojan gods the unhappy dead;
But soon as Ajax rear'd his tower-like shield,
Sprung to his car, and measured back the field,
His train to Troy the radiant armour bear,
To stand a trophy of his fame in war.
Meanwhile great Ajax (his broad shield display'd)
Guards the dead hero with the dreadful shade;
And now before, and now behind he stood:
Thus in the centre of some gloomy wood,
With many a step, the lioness surrounds
Her tawny young, beset by men and hounds;
Elate her heart, and rousing all her powers,
Dark o'er the fiery balls each hanging eyebrow lours.
Fast by his side the generous Spartan glows
With great revenge, and feeds his inward woes.
But Glaucus, leader of the Lycian aids,
On Hector frowning, thus his flight upbraids:
"Where now in Hector shall we Hector find?
A manly form, without a manly mind.
Is this, O chief! a hero's boasted fame?
How vain, without the merit, is the name!
Since battle is renounced, thy thoughts employ
What other methods may preserve thy Troy:
'Tis time to try if Ilion's state can stand
By thee alone, nor ask a foreign hand:
Mean, empty boast! but shall the Lycians stake
Their lives for you? those Lycians you forsake?
What from thy thankless arms can we expect?
Thy friend Sarpedon proves thy base neglect;
Say, shall our slaughter'd bodies guard your walls,
While unreveng'd the great Sarpedon falls?
Even where he died for Troy, you left him there,
A feast for dogs, and all the fowls of air.
On my command if any Lycian wait,
Hence let him march, and give up Troy to fate.
Did such a spirit as the gods impart
Impel one Trojan hand or Trojan heart,
(Such as should burn in every soul that draws
The sword for glory, and his country's cause)
Even yet our mutual arms we might employ,
And drag yon carcase to the walls of Troy.
Oh! were Patroclus ours, we might obtain
Sarpedon's arms and honour'd corse again!
Greece with Achilles' friend should be repaid,
And thus due honours purchased to his shade.
But words are vain--Let Ajax once appear,
And Hector trembles and recedes with fear;
Thou dar'st not meet the terrors of his eye;
And lo! already thou prepar'st to fly."
The Trojan chief with fix'd resentment eyed
The Lycian leader, and sedate replied:
"Say, is it just, my friend, that Hector's ear
From such a warrior such a speech should hear?
I deem'd thee once the wisest of thy kind,
But ill this insult suits a prudent mind.
I shun great Ajax? I desert my train?
'Tis mine to prove the rash assertion vain;
I joy to mingle where the battle bleeds,
And hear the thunder of the sounding steeds.
But Jove's high will is ever uncontroll'd,
The strong he withers, and confounds the bold;
Now crowns with fame the mighty man, and now
Strikes the fresh garland from the victor's brow!
Come, through yon squadrons let us hew the way,
And thou be witness, if I fear to-day;
If yet a Greek the sight of Hector dread,
Or yet their hero dare defend the dead."
Then turning to the martial hosts, he cries:
"Ye Trojans, Dardans, Lycians, and allies!
Be men, my friends, in action as in name,
And yet be mindful of your ancient fame.
Hector in proud Achilles' arms shall shine,
Torn from his friend, by right of conquest mine."
He strode along the field, as thus he said:
(The sable plumage nodded o'er his head:)
Swift through the spacious plain he sent a look;
One instant saw, one instant overtook
The distant band, that on the sandy shore
The radiant spoils to sacred Ilion bore.
There his own mail unbraced the field bestrow'd;
His train to Troy convey'd the massy load.
Now blazing in the immortal arms he stands;
The work and present of celestial hands;
By aged Peleus to Achilles given,
As first to Peleus by the court of heaven:
His father's arms not long Achilles wears,
Forbid by fate to reach his father's years.
Him, proud in triumph, glittering from afar,
The god whose thunder rends the troubled air
Beheld with pity; as apart he sat,
And, conscious, look'd through all the scene of fate.
He shook the sacred honours of his head;
Olympus trembled, and the godhead said;
"Ah, wretched man! unmindful of thy end!
A moment's glory; and what fates attend!
In heavenly panoply divinely bright
Thou stand'st, and armies tremble at thy sight,
As at Achilles' self! beneath thy dart
Lies slain the great Achilles' dearer part.
Thou from the mighty dead those arms hast torn,
Which once the greatest of mankind had worn.
Yet live! I give thee one illustrious day,
A blaze of glory ere thou fad'st away.
For ah! no more Andromache shall come
With joyful tears to welcome Hector home;
No more officious, with endearing charms,
From thy tired limbs unbrace Pelides' arms!"
Then with his sable brow he gave the nod
That seals his word; the sanction of the god.
The stubborn arms (by Jove's command disposed)
Conform'd spontaneous, and around him closed:
Fill'd with the god, enlarged his members grew,
Through all his veins a sudden vigour flew,
The blood in brisker tides began to roll,
And Mars himself came rushing on his soul.
Exhorting loud through all the field he strode,
And look'd, and moved, Achilles, or a god.
Now Mesthles, Glaucus, Medon, he inspires,
Now Phorcys, Chromius, and Hippothous fires;
The great Thersilochus like fury found,
Asteropaeus kindled at the sound,
And Ennomus, in augury renown'd.
"Hear, all ye hosts, and hear, unnumber'd bands
Of neighbouring nations, or of distant lands!
'Twas not for state we summon'd you so far,
To boast our numbers, and the pomp of war:
Ye came to fight; a valiant foe to chase,
To save our present, and our future race.
Tor this, our wealth, our products, you enjoy,
And glean the relics of exhausted Troy.
Now then, to conquer or to die prepare;
To die or conquer are the terms of war.
Whatever hand shall win Patroclus slain,
Whoe'er shall drag him to the Trojan train,
With Hector's self shall equal honours claim;
With Hector part the spoil, and share the fame."
Fired by his words, the troops dismiss their fears,
They join, they thicken, they protend their spears;
Full on the Greeks they drive in firm array,
And each from Ajax hopes the glorious prey:
Vain hope! what numbers shall the field o'erspread,
What victims perish round the mighty dead!
Great Ajax mark'd the growing storm from far,
And thus bespoke his brother of the war:
"Our fatal day, alas! is come, my friend;
And all our wars and glories at an end!
'Tis not this corse alone we guard in vain,
Condemn'd to vultures on the Trojan plain;
We too must yield: the same sad fate must fall
On thee, on me, perhaps, my friend, on all.
See what a tempest direful Hector spreads,
And lo! it bursts, it thunders on our heads!
Call on our Greeks, if any hear the call,
The bravest Greeks: this hour demands them all."
The warrior raised his voice, and wide around
The field re-echoed the distressful sound.
"O chiefs! O princes, to whose hand is given
The rule of men; whose glory is from heaven!
Whom with due honours both Atrides grace:
Ye guides and guardians of our Argive race!
All, whom this well-known voice shall reach from far,
All, whom I see not through this cloud of war;
Come all! let generous rage your arms employ,
And save Patroclus from the dogs of Troy."
Oilean Ajax first the voice obey'd,
Swift was his pace, and ready was his aid:
Next him Idomeneus, more slow with age,
And Merion, burning with a hero's rage.
The long-succeeding numbers who can name?
But all were Greeks, and eager all for fame.
Fierce to the charge great Hector led the throng;
Whole Troy embodied rush'd with shouts along.
Thus, when a mountain billow foams and raves,
Where some swoln river disembogues his waves,
Full in the mouth is stopp'd the rushing tide,
The boiling ocean works from side to side,
The river trembles to his utmost shore,
And distant rocks re-bellow to the roar.
Nor less resolved, the firm Achaian band
With brazen shields in horrid circle stand.
Jove, pouring darkness o'er the mingled fight,
Conceals the warriors' shining helms in night:
To him, the chief for whom the hosts contend
Had lived not hateful, for he lived a friend:
Dead he protects him with superior care.
Nor dooms his carcase to the birds of air.
[Illustration: FIGHT FOR THE BODY OF PATROCLUS.]
FIGHT FOR THE BODY OF PATROCLUS.
The first attack the Grecians scarce sustain,
Repulsed, they yield; the Trojans seize the slain.
Then fierce they rally, to revenge led on
By the swift rage of Ajax Telamon.
(Ajax to Peleus' son the second name,
In graceful stature next, and next in fame)
With headlong force the foremost ranks he tore;
So through the thicket bursts the mountain boar,
And rudely scatters, for a distance round,
The frighted hunter and the baying hound.
The son of Lethus, brave Pelasgus' heir,
Hippothous, dragg'd the carcase through the war;
The sinewy ankles bored, the feet he bound
With thongs _insert_ed through the double wound:
Inevitable fate o'ertakes the deed;
Doom'd by great Ajax' vengeful lance to bleed:
It cleft the helmet's brazen cheeks in twain;
The shatter'd crest and horse-hair strow the plain:
With nerves relax'd he tumbles to the ground:
The brain comes gushing through the ghastly wound:
He drops Patroclus' foot, and o'er him spread,
Now lies a sad companion of the dead:
Far from Larissa lies, his native air,
And ill requites his parents' tender care.
Lamented youth! in life's first bloom he fell,
Sent by great Ajax to the shades of hell.
Once more at Ajax Hector's javelin flies;
The Grecian marking, as it cut the skies,
Shunn'd the descending death; which hissing on,
Stretch'd in the dust the great Iphytus' son,
Schedius the brave, of all the Phocian kind
The boldest warrior and the noblest mind:
In little Panope, for strength renown'd,
He held his seat, and ruled the realms around.
Plunged in his throat, the weapon drank his blood,
And deep transpiercing through the shoulder stood;
In clanging arms the hero fell and all
The fields resounded with his weighty fall.
Phorcys, as slain Hippothous he defends,
The Telamonian lance his belly rends;
The hollow armour burst before the stroke,
And through the wound the rushing entrails broke:
In strong convulsions panting on the sands
He lies, and grasps the dust with dying hands.
Struck at the sight, recede the Trojan train:
The shouting Argives strip the heroes slain.
And now had Troy, by Greece compell'd to yield,
Fled to her ramparts, and resign'd the field;
Greece, in her native fortitude elate,
With Jove averse, had turn'd the scale of fate:
But Phoebus urged Æneas to the fight;
He seem'd like aged Periphas to sight:
(A herald in Anchises' love grown old,
Revered for prudence, and with prudence bold.)
Thus he--"What methods yet, O chief! remain,
To save your Troy, though heaven its fall ordain?
There have been heroes, who, by virtuous care,
By valour, numbers, and by arts of war,
Have forced the powers to spare a sinking state,
And gain'd at length the glorious odds of fate:
But you, when fortune smiles, when Jove declares
His partial favour, and assists your wars,
Your shameful efforts 'gainst yourselves employ,
And force the unwilling god to ruin Troy."
Æneas through the form assumed descries
The power conceal'd, and thus to Hector cries:
"Oh lasting shame! to our own fears a prey,
We seek our ramparts, and desert the day.
A god, nor is he less, my bosom warms,
And tells me, Jove asserts the Trojan arms."
He spoke, and foremost to the combat flew:
The bold example all his hosts pursue.
Then, first, Leocritus beneath him bled,
In vain beloved by valiant Lycomede;
Who view'd his fall, and, grieving at the chance,
Swift to revenge it sent his angry lance;
The whirling lance, with vigorous force address'd,
Descends, and pants in Apisaon's breast;
From rich Paeonia's vales the warrior came,
Next thee, Asteropeus! in place and fame.
Asteropeus with grief beheld the slain,
And rush'd to combat, but he rush'd in vain:
Indissolubly firm, around the dead,
Rank within rank, on buckler buckler spread,
And hemm'd with bristled spears, the Grecians stood,
A brazen bulwark, and an iron wood.
Great Ajax eyes them with incessant care,
And in an orb contracts the crowded war,
Close in their ranks commands to fight or fall,
And stands the centre and the soul of all:
Fix'd on the spot they war, and wounded, wound
A sanguine torrent steeps the reeking ground:
On heaps the Greeks, on heaps the Trojans bled,
And, thickening round them, rise the hills of dead.
Greece, in close order, and collected might,
Yet suffers least, and sways the wavering fight;
Fierce as conflicting fires the combat burns,
And now it rises, now it sinks by turns.
In one thick darkness all the fight was lost;
The sun, the moon, and all the ethereal host
Seem'd as extinct: day ravish'd from their eyes,
And all heaven's splendours blotted from the skies.
Such o'er Patroclus' body hung the night,
The rest in sunshine fought, and open light;
Unclouded there, the aerial azure spread,
No vapour rested on the mountain's head,
The golden sun pour'd forth a stronger ray,
And all the broad expansion flamed with day.
Dispersed around the plain, by fits they fight,
And here and there their scatter'd arrows light:
But death and darkness o'er the carcase spread,
There burn'd the war, and there the mighty bled.
Meanwhile the sons of Nestor, in the rear,
(Their fellows routed,) toss the distant spear,
And skirmish wide: so Nestor gave command,
When from the ships he sent the Pylian band.
The youthful brothers thus for fame contend,
Nor knew the fortune of Achilles' friend;
In thought they view'd him still, with martial joy,
Glorious in arms, and dealing death to Troy.
But round the corse the heroes pant for breath,
And thick and heavy grows the work of death:
O'erlabour'd now, with dust, and sweat, and gore,
Their knees, their legs, their feet, are covered o'er;
Drops follow drops, the clouds on clouds arise,
And carnage clogs their hands, and darkness fills their eyes.
As when a slaughter'd bull's yet reeking hide,
Strain'd with full force, and tugg'd from side to side,
The brawny curriers stretch; and labour o'er
The extended surface, drunk with fat and gore:
So tugging round the corse both armies stood;
The mangled body bathed in sweat and blood;
While Greeks and Ilians equal strength employ,
Now to the ships to force it, now to Troy.
Not Pallas' self, her breast when fury warms,
Nor he whose anger sets the world in arms,
Could blame this scene; such rage, such horror reign'd;
Such, Jove to honour the great dead ordain'd.
Achilles in his ships at distance lay,
Nor knew the fatal fortune of the day;
He, yet unconscious of Patroclus' fall,
In dust extended under Ilion's wall,
Expects him glorious from the conquered plain,
And for his wish'd return prepares in vain;
Though well he knew, to make proud Ilion bend
Was more than heaven had destined to his friend.
Perhaps to him: this Thetis had reveal'd;
The rest, in pity to her son, conceal'd.
Still raged the conflict round the hero dead,
And heaps on heaps by mutual wounds they bled.
"Cursed be the man (even private Greeks would say)
Who dares desert this well-disputed day!
First may the cleaving earth before our eyes
Gape wide, and drink our blood for sacrifice;
First perish all, ere haughty Troy shall boast
We lost Patroclus, and our glory lost!"
Thus they: while with one voice the Trojans said,
"Grant this day, Jove! or heap us on the dead!"
Then clash their sounding arms; the clangours rise,
And shake the brazen concave of the skies.
Meantime, at distance from the scene of blood,
The pensive steeds of great Achilles stood:
Their godlike master slain before their eyes,
They wept, and shared in human miseries.(248)
In vain Automedon now shakes the rein,
Now plies the lash, and soothes and threats in vain;
Nor to the fight nor Hellespont they go,
Restive they stood, and obstinate in woe:
Still as a tombstone, never to be moved,
On some good man or woman unreproved
Lays its eternal weight; or fix'd, as stands
A marble courser by the sculptor's hands,
Placed on the hero's grave. Along their face
The big round drops coursed down with silent pace,
Conglobing on the dust. Their manes, that late
Circled their arched necks, and waved in state,
Trail'd on the dust beneath the yoke were spread,
And prone to earth was hung their languid head:
Nor Jove disdain'd to cast a pitying look,
While thus relenting to the steeds he spoke:
"Unhappy coursers of immortal strain,
Exempt from age, and deathless, now in vain;
Did we your race on mortal man bestow,
Only, alas! to share in mortal woe?
For ah! what is there of inferior birth,
That breathes or creeps upon the dust of earth;
What wretched creature of what wretched kind,
Than man more weak, calamitous, and blind?
A miserable race! but cease to mourn:
For not by you shall Priam's son be borne
High on the splendid car: one glorious prize
He rashly boasts: the rest our will denies.
Ourself will swiftness to your nerves impart,
Ourself with rising spirits swell your heart.
Automedon your rapid flight shall bear
Safe to the navy through the storm of war.
For yet 'tis given to Troy to ravage o'er
The field, and spread her slaughters to the shore;
The sun shall see her conquer, till his fall
With sacred darkness shades the face of all."
He said; and breathing in the immortal horse
Excessive spirit, urged them to the course;
From their high manes they shake the dust, and bear
The kindling chariot through the parted war:
So flies a vulture through the clamorous train
Of geese, that scream, and scatter round the plain.
From danger now with swiftest speed they flew,
And now to conquest with like speed pursue;
Sole in the seat the charioteer remains,
Now plies the javelin, now directs the reins:
Him brave Alcimedon beheld distress'd,
Approach'd the chariot, and the chief address'd:
"What god provokes thee rashly thus to dare,
Alone, unaided, in the thickest war?
Alas! thy friend is slain, and Hector wields
Achilles' arms triumphant in the fields."
"In happy time (the charioteer replies)
The bold Alcimedon now greets my eyes;
No Greek like him the heavenly steeds restrains,
Or holds their fury in suspended reins:
Patroclus, while he lived, their rage could tame,
But now Patroclus is an empty name!
To thee I yield the seat, to thee resign
The ruling charge: the task of fight be mine."
He said. Alcimedon, with active heat,
Snatches the reins, and vaults into the seat.
His friend descends. The chief of Troy descried,
And call'd Æneas fighting near his side.
"Lo, to my sight, beyond our hope restored,
Achilles' car, deserted of its lord!
The glorious steeds our ready arms invite,
Scarce their weak drivers guide them through the fight.
Can such opponents stand when we assail?
Unite thy force, my friend, and we prevail."
The son of Venus to the counsel yields;
Then o'er their backs they spread their solid shields:
With brass refulgent the broad surface shined,
And thick bull-hides the spacious concave lined.
Them Chromius follows, Aretus succeeds;
Each hopes the conquest of the lofty steeds:
In vain, brave youths, with glorious hopes ye burn,
In vain advance! not fated to return.
Unmov'd, Automedon attends the fight,
Implores the Eternal, and collects his might.
Then turning to his friend, with dauntless mind:
"Oh keep the foaming coursers close behind!
Full on my shoulders let their nostrils blow,
For hard the fight, determined is the foe;
'Tis Hector comes: and when he seeks the prize,
War knows no mean; he wins it or he dies."
Then through the field he sends his voice aloud,
And calls the Ajaces from the warring crowd,
With great Atrides. "Hither turn, (he said,)
Turn where distress demands immediate aid;
The dead, encircled by his friends, forego,
And save the living from a fiercer foe.
Unhelp'd we stand, unequal to engage
The force of Hector, and Æneas' rage:
Yet mighty as they are, my force to prove
Is only mine: the event belongs to Jove."
He spoke, and high the sounding javelin flung,
Which pass'd the shield of Aretus the young:
It pierced his belt, emboss'd with curious art,
Then in the lower belly struck the dart.
As when a ponderous axe, descending full,
Cleaves the broad forehead of some brawny bull:(249)
Struck 'twixt the horns, he springs with many a bound,
Then tumbling rolls enormous on the ground:
Thus fell the youth; the air his soul received,
And the spear trembled as his entrails heaved.
Now at Automedon the Trojan foe
Discharged his lance; the meditated blow,
Stooping, he shunn'd; the javelin idly fled,
And hiss'd innoxious o'er the hero's head;
Deep rooted in the ground, the forceful spear
In long vibrations spent its fury there.
With clashing falchions now the chiefs had closed,
But each brave Ajax heard, and interposed;
Nor longer Hector with his Trojans stood,
But left their slain companion in his blood:
His arms Automedon divests, and cries,
"Accept, Patroclus, this mean sacrifice:
Thus have I soothed my griefs, and thus have paid,
Poor as it is, some offering to thy shade."
So looks the lion o'er a mangled boar,
All grim with rage, and horrible with gore;
High on the chariot at one bound he sprung,
And o'er his seat the bloody trophies hung.
And now Minerva from the realms of air
Descends impetuous, and renews the war;
For, pleased at length the Grecian arms to aid,
The lord of thunders sent the blue-eyed maid.
As when high Jove denouncing future woe,
O'er the dark clouds extends his purple bow,
(In sign of tempests from the troubled air,
Or from the rage of man, destructive war,)
The drooping cattle dread the impending skies,
And from his half-till'd field the labourer flies:
In such a form the goddess round her drew
A livid cloud, and to the battle flew.
Assuming Phoenix' shape on earth she falls,
And in his well-known voice to Sparta calls:
"And lies Achilles' friend, beloved by all,
A prey to dogs beneath the Trojan wall?
What shame 'o Greece for future times to tell,
To thee the greatest in whose cause he fell!"
"O chief, O father! (Atreus' son replies)
O full of days! by long experience wise!
What more desires my soul, than here unmoved
To guard the body of the man I loved?
Ah, would Minerva send me strength to rear
This wearied arm, and ward the storm of war!
But Hector, like the rage of fire, we dread,
And Jove's own glories blaze around his head!"
Pleased to be first of all the powers address'd,
She breathes new vigour in her hero's breast,
And fills with keen revenge, with fell despite,
Desire of blood, and rage, and lust of fight.
So burns the vengeful hornet (soul all o'er),
Repulsed in vain, and thirsty still of gore;
(Bold son of air and heat) on angry wings
Untamed, untired, he turns, attacks, and stings.
Fired with like ardour fierce Atrides flew,
And sent his soul with every lance he threw.
There stood a Trojan, not unknown to fame,
Aetion's son, and Podes was his name:
With riches honour'd, and with courage bless'd,
By Hector loved, his comrade, and his guest;
Through his broad belt the spear a passage found,
And, ponderous as he falls, his arms resound.
Sudden at Hector's side Apollo stood,
Like Phaenops, Asius' son, appear'd the god;
(Asius the great, who held his wealthy reign
In fair Abydos, by the rolling main.)
"Oh prince! (he cried) Oh foremost once in fame!
What Grecian now shall tremble at thy name?
Dost thou at length to Menelaus yield,
A chief once thought no terror of the field?
Yet singly, now, the long-disputed prize
He bears victorious, while our army flies:
By the same arm illustrious Podes bled;
The friend of Hector, unrevenged, is dead!"
This heard, o'er Hector spreads a cloud of woe,
Rage lifts his lance, and drives him on the foe.
But now the Eternal shook his sable shield,
That shaded Ide and all the subject field
Beneath its ample verge. A rolling cloud
Involved the mount; the thunder roar'd aloud;
The affrighted hills from their foundations nod,
And blaze beneath the lightnings of the god:
At one regard of his all-seeing eye
The vanquish'd triumph, and the victors fly.
Then trembled Greece: the flight Peneleus led;
For as the brave Boeotian turn'd his head
To face the foe, Polydamas drew near,
And razed his shoulder with a shorten'd spear:
By Hector wounded, Leitus quits the plain,
Pierced through the wrist; and raging with the pain,
Grasps his once formidable lance in vain.
As Hector follow'd, Idomen address'd
The flaming javelin to his manly breast;
The brittle point before his corslet yields;
Exulting Troy with clamour fills the fields:
High on his chariots the Cretan stood,
The son of Priam whirl'd the massive wood.
But erring from its aim, the impetuous spear
Struck to the dust the squire and charioteer
Of martial Merion: Coeranus his name,
Who left fair Lyctus for the fields of fame.
On foot bold Merion fought; and now laid low,
Had graced the triumphs of his Trojan foe,
But the brave squire the ready coursers brought,
And with his life his master's safety bought.
Between his cheek and ear the weapon went,
The teeth it shatter'd, and the tongue it rent.
Prone from the seat he tumbles to the plain;
His dying hand forgets the falling rein:
This Merion reaches, bending from the car,
And urges to desert the hopeless war:
Idomeneus consents; the lash applies;
And the swift chariot to the navy flies.
Not Ajax less the will of heaven descried,
And conquest shifting to the Trojan side,
Turn'd by the hand of Jove. Then thus begun,
To Atreus's seed, the godlike Telamon:
"Alas! who sees not Jove's almighty hand
Transfers the glory to the Trojan band?
Whether the weak or strong discharge the dart,
He guides each arrow to a Grecian heart:
Not so our spears; incessant though they rain,
He suffers every lance to fall in vain.
Deserted of the god, yet let us try
What human strength and prudence can supply;
If yet this honour'd corse, in triumph borne,
May glad the fleets that hope not our return,
Who tremble yet, scarce rescued from their fates,
And still hear Hector thundering at their gates.
Some hero too must be despatch'd to bear
The mournful message to Pelides' ear;
For sure he knows not, distant on the shore,
His friend, his loved Patroclus, is no more.
But such a chief I spy not through the host:
The men, the steeds, the armies, all are lost
In general darkness--Lord of earth and air!
Oh king! Oh father! hear my humble prayer:
Dispel this cloud, the light of heaven restore;
Give me to see, and Ajax asks no more:
If Greece must perish, we thy will obey,
But let us perish in the face of day!"
With tears the hero spoke, and at his prayer
The god relenting clear'd the clouded air;
Forth burst the sun with all-enlightening ray;
The blaze of armour flash'd against the day.
"Now, now, Atrides! cast around thy sight;
If yet Antilochus survives the fight,
Let him to great Achilles' ear convey
The fatal news"--Atrides hastes away.
So turns the lion from the nightly fold,
Though high in courage, and with hunger bold,
Long gall'd by herdsmen, and long vex'd by hounds,
Stiff with fatigue, and fretted sore with wounds;
The darts fly round him from a hundred hands,
And the red terrors of the blazing brands:
Till late, reluctant, at the dawn of day
Sour he departs, and quits the untasted prey,
So moved Atrides from his dangerous place
With weary limbs, but with unwilling pace;
The foe, he fear'd, might yet Patroclus gain,
And much admonish'd, much adjured his train:
"O guard these relics to your charge consign'd,
And bear the merits of the dead in mind;
How skill'd he was in each obliging art;
The mildest manners, and the gentlest heart:
He was, alas! but fate decreed his end,
In death a hero, as in life a friend!"
So parts the chief; from rank to rank he flew,
And round on all sides sent his piercing view.
As the bold bird, endued with sharpest eye
Of all that wings the mid aerial sky,
The sacred eagle, from his walks above
Looks down, and sees the distant thicket move;
Then stoops, and sousing on the quivering hare,
Snatches his life amid the clouds of air.
Not with less quickness, his exerted sight
Pass'd this and that way, through the ranks of fight:
Till on the left the chief he sought, he found,
Cheering his men, and spreading deaths around:
To him the king: "Beloved of Jove! draw near,
For sadder tidings never touch'd thy ear;
Thy eyes have witness'd what a fatal turn!
How Ilion triumphs, and the Achaians mourn.
This is not all: Patroclus, on the shore
Now pale and dead, shall succour Greece no more.
Fly to the fleet, this instant fly, and tell
The sad Achilles, how his loved-one fell:
He too may haste the naked corse to gain:
The arms are Hector's, who despoil'd the slain."
The youthful warrior heard with silent woe,
From his fair eyes the tears began to flow:
Big with the mighty grief, he strove to say
What sorrow dictates, but no word found way.
To brave Laodocus his arms he flung,
Who, near him wheeling, drove his steeds along;
Then ran the mournful message to impart,
With tearful eyes, and with dejected heart.
Swift fled the youth: nor Menelaus stands
(Though sore distress'd) to aid the Pylian bands;
But bids bold Thrasymede those troops sustain;
Himself returns to his Patroclus slain.
"Gone is Antilochus (the hero said);
But hope not, warriors, for Achilles' aid:
Though fierce his rage, unbounded be his woe,
Unarm'd, he fights not with the Trojan foe.
'Tis in our hands alone our hopes remain,
'Tis our own vigour must the dead regain,
And save ourselves, while with impetuous hate
Troy pours along, and this way rolls our fate."
"'Tis well (said Ajax), be it then thy care,
With Merion's aid, the weighty corse to rear;
Myself, and my bold brother will sustain
The shock of Hector and his charging train:
Nor fear we armies, fighting side by side;
What Troy can dare, we have already tried,
Have tried it, and have stood." The hero said.
High from the ground the warriors heave the dead.
A general clamour rises at the sight:
Loud shout the Trojans, and renew the fight.
Not fiercer rush along the gloomy wood,
With rage insatiate, and with thirst of blood,
Voracious hounds, that many a length before
Their furious hunters, drive the wounded boar;
But if the savage turns his glaring eye,
They howl aloof, and round the forest fly.
Thus on retreating Greece the Trojans pour,
Wave their thick falchions, and their javelins shower:
But Ajax turning, to their fears they yield,
All pale they tremble and forsake the field.
While thus aloft the hero's corse they bear,
Behind them rages all the storm of war:
Confusion, tumult, horror, o'er the throng
Of men, steeds, chariots, urged the rout along:
Less fierce the winds with rising flames conspire
To whelm some city under waves of fire;
Now sink in gloomy clouds the proud abodes,
Now crack the blazing temples of the gods;
The rumbling torrent through the ruin rolls,
And sheets of smoke mount heavy to the poles.
The heroes sweat beneath their honour'd load:
As when two mules, along the rugged road,
From the steep mountain with exerted strength
Drag some vast beam, or mast's unwieldy length;
Inly they groan, big drops of sweat distil,
The enormous timber lumbering down the hill:
So these--Behind, the bulk of Ajax stands,
And breaks the torrent of the rushing bands.
Thus when a river swell'd with sudden rains
Spreads his broad waters o'er the level plains,
Some interposing hill the stream divides.
And breaks its force, and turns the winding tides.
Still close they follow, close the rear engage;
Aeneas storms, and Hector foams with rage:
While Greece a heavy, thick retreat maintains,
Wedged in one body, like a flight of cranes,
That shriek incessant, while the falcon, hung
High on poised pinions, threats their callow young.
So from the Trojan chiefs the Grecians fly,
Such the wild terror, and the mingled cry:
Within, without the trench, and all the way,
Strow'd in bright heaps, their arms and armour lay;
Such horror Jove impress'd! yet still proceeds
The work of death, and still the battle bleeds.
[Illustration: VULCAN FROM AN ANTIQUE GEM.]
VULCAN FROM AN ANTIQUE GEM. 就這樣，雙方奮力搏殺，像熊熊燃燒的烈火。與此同時，
安提洛科斯快步跑到阿基琉斯的營地，作為信使，
發現他正坐在頭尾翹聳的海船前，冥思
苦想着那些已經成為現實的事情。
他焦躁煩惱，對自己那豪 莽的心靈說道：
“唉，這又是怎麽回事？長發的阿開亞人再次被
趕出平原，退回海船，驚恐萬狀，潰不成軍？
但願神明不會把擾我心胸的愁事變成現實。
母親曾對我說過，說是在我還
活着的時候，慕耳彌鼕人中最勇敢的壯士
將倒死在特洛伊人手下，別離明媚的陽光。
我敢斷言，現在，墨諾伊提俄斯驍勇的兒子已經死去，
我那固執犟拗的朋友！然而，我曾明言囑告，要他一旦掃滅
兇狂的烈火，馬上回返海船，不要同赫剋托耳拼鬥。”
正當他思考着此事，在他的心裏和魂裏的時候，
高貴的奈斯托耳之子跑至他的近旁，
滴着滾燙的眼淚，開口傳出送來的噩耗：
“哦，驃勇的裴琉斯的兒子，我不得不對你轉告
這條噩耗，一件但願絶對不曾發生的事情——
帕特羅剋洛斯已戰死疆場，他們正圍繞着遺體戰鬥，
已被剝得精光——頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳已奪占他的甲衣！”
他言罷，一團悲憤的烏雲罩住了阿基琉斯的心靈。
他十指勾屈，抓起地上的污穢，灑抹在
自己的頭臉，髒濁了俊美的相貌，
灰黑的塵末紛落在潔淨的衫衣上。
他橫躺在地，藉大的身軀，臥蓋着一片泥塵，
抓紋和污損着自己的頭髮。
帶着揪心的悲痛，他和帕特羅剋洛斯
俘獲的女僕們，哭叫着衝出
營棚，圍繞在驍勇的阿基琉斯身邊，全都
揚起雙手，擊打自己的胸脯，腿腳酥軟。
安提洛科斯和他一齊悲悼，淚水傾註，
握着他的雙手，悲痛絞擾着高貴的心房，
擔心勇士會用鐵的鋒刃刎脖自盡。阿基琉斯
發出一聲可怕的嘆吼，高貴的母親聽到了他的聲音——
其時正坐在深深的海底，年邁的父親身邊——
報之以尖利的嘶叫。女神們涌聚到她的身邊，
所有生活在海底的女仙，奈柔斯的女兒，有
格勞凱、庫莫多凱和莎勒婭、
奈賽娥、斯裴娥、索娥和牛眼睛的哈莉婭，
有庫庫索娥、阿剋泰婭和莉諾瑞婭。
墨莉忒、伊埃拉、安菲索娥和阿伽維、
多托、普羅托、杜娜墨奈和菲魯莎。
德剋莎墨奈、安菲諾墨和卡莉婭內拉、
多裏絲、帕諾裴和光榮的伽拉苔婭、
奈墨耳忒絲、阿普修得絲和卡莉婭娜莎，
還有剋魯墨奈、亞內拉和亞娜莎。
邁拉、俄蕾蘇婭和長發秀美的阿瑪塞婭，
以及其他生活在海底的奈柔斯的女兒們。
女兒們擠滿了銀光閃爍的洞府，全都擊打着
自己的胸脯；女仙中，塞提絲領頭唱起了輓歌：
“姐妹們，奈柔斯的女兒們，聽我說，
聽我唱，瞭解我心中深切的悲痛。
唉，我的苦痛和煩惱！了不起的生育，吃盡苦頭的母親！
我生養了一個完美無缺、強健驃悍的兒子，
英雄中的俊傑，像一棵樹苗似地茁壯成長；
我把他養大成人，好似一棵果樹，為園林增彩添光。
然而，我卻把他送上彎翹的海船，前往伊利昂地面，
和特洛伊人戰鬥！我再也見不到他的身影，
見不到他回返自己的傢居，裴琉斯的門戶！
衹要他還活着，能見到白晝的日光，他就無法擺脫
煩愁，即便我親往探視，也幫不了他的忙。
然而，我還是要去，看看我心愛的兒子，聽聽他的訴說，
在這脫離戰鬥的時候，他經歷着何種愁傷。”
言罷，她離開洞府，女仙們含淚
相隨；在她們周圍，海浪掀分出一條
水路。一經踏上富饒的特洛伊大地，
她們一個跟着一個，在灘沿上魚貫而行，依傍着
已被拖上海岸的慕耳彌鼕人的海船，密集地排列在捷足的阿
基琉斯身邊。
正當他長噓短嘆之時，高貴的母親出現在他的面前，
發出一聲尖叫，伸出雙臂，抱住兒子的頭臉，
悲聲哭泣，開口說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“我的兒，為何哭泣？是什麽悲愁揪住了你的心房？
說出來，不要藏匿。宙斯已兌現你所
希求的一切，按你揚臂析告的那樣，
阿開亞人的兒子們已被如數趕回船尾——
由於你不在場——已經受到慘重的擊打。”
捷足的阿基琉斯長嘆一聲，答道：
“不錯，我的母親，俄林波斯大神確已兌現我的祈願，
但現在，這一切於我又有什麽歡樂可言？我親愛的伴友已不在
人間。帕特羅剋洛斯死了，我愛他甚於對其他所有的夥伴，
就像愛我自己的生命一樣！我失去了他；赫剋托耳殺了他，
剝走那套碩大、絢麗的鎧甲，閃光的珍品，讓人眼花繚亂的
戰衣，神祗饋送裴琉斯的一份厚重的贈禮——
那一天，他們把你推上和凡人婚配的睡床。
但願你當時仍和其她海中的仙女生活，
而裴琉斯則婚娶了一位凡女。
現在，你的內心必須承受杏無窮期的悲痛，
為你兒子的死亡——你將再也不能和他重逢，
相聚在自己的傢居。我的心魂已催我放棄
眼下的生活，中止和凡人為伍，除非我先殺了
赫剋托耳，用我的槍矛，以他的鮮血償付
殺剝墨諾伊提俄斯兒子帕特羅剋洛斯的豪強！”
其時，塞提絲淚如泉涌，說道：
“既如此，我的兒，你的死期已近在眼前。
赫剋托耳去後，緊接着便是你自己的死亡！”
帶着滿腔憤惱，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“那就讓我馬上死去，既然在伴友被殺之時，
我沒有出力幫忙！如今，他已死在遠離故土的
異鄉——他需要我的護衛，我的力量。
現在，既然我已不打算回返親愛的故鄉，
既然我已不是帕特羅剋洛斯和其他夥伴們的
救護之光——他們已成群結隊地倒在強有力的赫剋托耳
手下——
衹是幹坐在自己的船邊，使沃野徒勞無益地承托着我的重壓：
我，戰場上的驕子，身披銅甲的阿開亞人中無人
可以及旁，雖然在議事會上，有人比我舌巧話長。
但願爭鬥從神和人的生活裏消失，
連同驅使哪怕是最明智的人撤野的暴怒，
這苦味的膽汁，比垂滴的蜂蜜還要香甜，
涌聚在人的胸間，猶如一團煙霧，迷惘着我們的心竅——
就像民衆的王者阿伽門農的作為，在我心裏激起的憤怒一樣。
夠了，過去的事就讓它過去吧！儘管痛楚，
我要逼迫自己，壓下此番盛怒。
現在，我要出戰赫剋托耳，這個兇手奪走了一條
我所珍愛的生命。然後，我將接受自己的死亡，在宙斯
和列位神祗願意把它付諸實現的任何時光！
就連力上赫拉剋勒斯也不曾躲過死亡，
雖然他是剋羅諾斯之子、王者宙斯最心愛的凡人——
命運和赫拉粗野的狂暴葬送了他。
我也一樣，如果同樣的命運等待着我的領受，
一旦死後，我將安閑地舒躺。但現在，我必須爭得顯耀的榮光，
使某個特洛伊婦女或某個束腰緊深的
達耳達尼亞女子擡舉雙手，擦抹鮮嫩的
臉頰，一串串悲悼的淚珠——她們將
由此得知，我已有多長時間沒有拼鬥搏殺！
不要阻止我衝打，雖然你很愛我。你的勸說不會使我改變主
聽罷這番，銀腳女神塞提絲答道：
“是的，我的兒，救護疲乏的夥伴，使他們
避免突至的死亡，絶非懦夫弱漢的作為。
但是，你那身璀璨的鎧甲已落入特洛伊人手中，
青銅鑄就，閃着爍爍的光芒；頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳，
已把它套在肩上，炫耀他的榮光。不過，料他
風光不久，穿着這身鎧甲——他的末日已在嚮他逼壓！
再等等，在沒有親眼見我回返之前，
不要急於投身戰爭的磨軋！
我將帶着王者赫法伊斯托斯鑄打的鎧甲，神製的
精品，於明晨拂曉，太陽初升的時候，回到你的身旁。”
言罷，塞提絲轉身離開兒子，
對着她的海神姐妹，開口說道：
“‘你等即可回返水波浩森的大洋，
回到水底的房屋，謁見海之長老，我們的父親，
把一切稟告於他。我要去高聳的俄林波斯，
尋見著名的神匠赫法伊斯托斯，但願他能
給我兒一套絶好的鎧甲，閃着四射的光芒！”
她言罷，姐妹們隨即跳入追涌的海浪，
而她自己，銀腳女神塞提絲，則扶搖直上，
前往俄林波斯，為兒子求取光燦燦的鎧甲。
就這樣，快腿把她帶往俄林波斯的峰巒，與此同時，
面對殺人狂赫剋托耳的進攻，阿開亞人發出可怕的慘叫，
撒腿奔逃，退至海船一綫，漫長的赫勒斯龐特沿岸。
戰地上，脛甲緊固的阿開亞人無法從漫天飛舞的槍械裏拖＠
帕特羅剋洛斯的遺體，阿基琉斯的伴從；
特洛伊兵勇和車馬再次騷擁到帕特羅剋洛斯身邊，
赫剋托耳，普裏阿摩斯之子，兇狂得像一團火焰。
一連三次，光榮的赫剋托耳從後面抓起他的
雙腳，試圖把他拖走，高聲呼喊着特洛伊人，
一連三次，兩位驃悍狂烈的埃阿斯
將他打離屍軀。但赫剋托耳堅信自己的
勇力，繼續衝撲，時而殺人人群，時而
挺腿直立，大聲疾呼，一步也不退讓。
正如野地裏的牧人，不能嚇跑一頭毛色
黃褐的獅子，使它丟下嘴邊的肉食，
兩位埃阿斯，善戰的勇士，趕不走赫剋托耳，
普裏阿摩斯之子，從倒地的屍軀旁。
其時，赫剋托耳已可下手拖走屍體，爭得永久的榮光，
若非腿腳風快的伊裏絲從俄林波斯山上衝掃而下，
帶來要裴琉斯之子武裝出擊的口信。赫拉
悄悄地遣她下凡，宙斯和衆神對此全然不知。
她在阿基琉斯身邊站定，啓口說話，用長了翅膀的言語：
“行動起來，裴琉斯之子，人世間最可怕的壯勇！
保衛帕特羅剋洛斯的遺體；為了他，海船的前面
已打得人血飛揚！雙方互相殘殺，
阿開亞人為保衛倒地的夥伴，
而特洛伊人則衝闖着要把屍體拖人
多風的城堡，尤以光榮的赫剋托耳為甚，
發瘋似地拖槍，兇暴狂虐，意欲揮劍
鬆軟的脖子，割下他的腦袋，挑挂在墻頭的尖樁上！
快起來，不要躺倒在地！想想此般羞辱——
不要讓特洛伊的大狗嬉耍帕特羅剋洛斯的遺軀！這是
你的恥辱，倘若夥伴的屍體離此而去，帶着遭受蹂躪的傷跡！
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯問道：
“永生的伊裏絲，是哪位神祗差你前來，捎給我此番口信？”
聽他言罷，腿腳風快的伊裏絲答道：
“是赫拉，宙斯尊貴的妻後，遣我下凡，但高坐
雲端的剋羅諾斯之子，以及其他傢住白雪封蓋的
俄林波斯的衆神，卻不知此事。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯說道：
“特洛伊人奪走了我的鎧甲，我將如何戰鬥？
心愛的母親對我說過，在沒有親眼
見她回返之前，絶不要武裝出陣——
她答應帶回一套閃光的鎧甲，從赫法伊斯托斯的工房。
我不知誰的甲械可以合我攜用，
除了忒拉蒙之子的那面碩大的戰盾。
但我確信，此刻，他自己正戰鬥在隊伍的前頭，
揮使着槍矛，保衛帕特羅剋洛斯的遺體。”
聽罷這番話，腿腳風快的伊裏絲說道：
“是的，我們知道，你那套光榮的鎧甲已被他們奪占，
但是，你仍可前往壕溝，以無甲之身——目睹你的出現，
特洛伊人會嚇得神魂顛倒，停止進攻，
使苦戰中的阿開亞人的兒子們得獲一次喘息的機會——
他們已筋疲力盡。戰鬥中，喘息的時間總是那樣短暫。”
言罷，快腿的伊裏絲離他而去。
宙斯鐘愛的阿基琉斯挺身直立——雅典娜，
女神中的姣傑，把穗帶飄搖的埃吉斯甩上他那寬厚的肩膀，
隨後布起一朵金色的浮雲，在他的頭頂，
從中燃出一片熊熊的火焰，光照四方。
仿佛煙火騰升，衝指氣空，遠處
海島上的一座城堡，受到敵人的圍攻，
護城的人們在墻上奮勇抵抗，
苦戰終日，及至太陽西沉，點起
一堆堆報警的柴火，呼呼地
升騰，告急於鄰近島嶼上的人們，
企盼他們的營救，駕着海船趕來，打退進攻的敵人——
就像這樣，阿基琉斯頭上烈焰熊熊，衝指明亮的氣空。
他從墻邊大步撲進，站在壕溝邊沿，牢記
母親的命囑，不曾介入阿開亞人的營伍。
他挺胸直立，放聲長嘯，帕拉絲、雅典娜亦在
遠處呼喊，把特洛伊人嚇得五髒俱裂。
阿基琉斯的吶喊清響激越，
尖利嘹亮，如同圍城之時，
殺人成性的兵勇吹響的號角。
聽到埃阿科斯後代的銅嗓，特洛伊人
無不心驚肉跳；長鬃飄灑的馭馬，
心知死難臨頭，掉轉身後的戰車，
馭手們個個目瞪口呆，望着灰眼睛女神雅典娜
點燃的烈火，竄耀在心胸豪壯的阿基琉斯
頭上，來勢兇猛，暴虐無情。
一連三次，卓越的阿基琉斯隔着壕溝嘯吼，
一連三次，特洛伊人和聲名遐邇的盟友嚇得活蹦亂跳。
其間，他們中十二個最好的戰勇即刻斃命，
葬身於自己的戰車和槍矛。與此同時，阿開亞人，
冒着飛舞的槍械，高興地搶回帕特羅剋洛斯，
放躺在屍架上，出手迅捷；親密的夥伴們圍站在他的
身邊，深情悲悼。捷足的阿基琉斯介入哀悼的
人群，熱淚滾滾，看着他所信賴的伴友
屍躺架面，挺着被鋒快的銅尖破毀的軀身——
他把伴友送上戰場，連同馭馬和
戰車，但卻不曾見他生還，把他迎進傢門。
其時，牛眼睛天後赫拉把尚無倦意。
不願離息的太陽趕下俄開阿諾斯水流。
太陽下沉後，卓越的阿開亞人停止
激烈的拼殺，你死我活的搏鬥。
在他們對面，特洛伊人亦隨即撤出激烈的
戰鬥，將善跑的馭馬寬出戰車的軛架，
集聚商議，把做食晚飯之事忘得精光。
他們直立聚會，誰也不敢就地下坐，
個個心慌意亂——要知道，在長期避離慘烈的
搏殺後，阿基瓊斯現又重返戰鬥。
頭腦冷靜的普魯達馬斯首先發話，
潘蘇斯之子，全軍中推他一人具有瞻前顧後的睿智。
他是赫剋托耳的戰友，同一個晚上出生，
比赫剋托耳能言，而後者則遠比他擅使槍矛。
懷着對衆人的善意，他開口說道：
“是慎重考慮的時候了，我的朋友們！我勸大傢
回兵城內，不要在平原上，在這海船邊等盼
神聖的黎明——我們已過遠地撤離了城堡。
衹要此人盛怒不息，對了不起的阿伽門農，
阿開亞人還是一支較為容易對付的軍旅，
而我亦樂意露營寢宿，睡躺在
船邊，企望着抓獲彎翹的船舟。
但現在，我卻十分害怕裴琉斯捷足的兒子，
此人的勇力如此狂暴，我想他絶不會衹是滿足於
果留平原——特洛伊人和阿開亞人在此
拼死相搏，均分戰神的兇暴。
不！他要蕩平我們的城堡，搶走我們的女人！
讓我們撤兵回城；相信我，這一切將會發生。
眼下，神賜的夜晚止住了裴琉斯之子、捷足的
阿基琉斯的進攻，然而，明天呢？倘若等他披甲
持槍，衝撲上來，逮着正在此間磨蹭的我們，各位
就會知道他的厲害。那時候，有人準會慶幸自己命大，
要是他能活着跑回神聖的伊利昂。成片的特洛伊屍軀將喂飽
兀鷲和俄狗。但願此類消息永遠不要傳至我的耳旁！
倘若大傢都能聽從我的勸說——儘管我們不願這麽做——
今晚，我們將養精蓄銳，在聚會的空場上；高大的城墻
和門戶，偌大的門面，平滑吻合的木板和緊插的門閂，
將能保護城堡的安全。然後，明天一早，
拂曉時分，我們將全副武裝，進入
墻頭的戰位。那時，倘若阿基琉斯試圖從船邊過來，
拼殺在我們的墻下，他將面臨厄運的擊打。
他會鞭策馭馬，在墻下來回穿梭，把它們
纍得垂頭喪氣，最後無可奈何，返回擱岸的船旁。
所以，儘管狂烈，他將無法衝破城門，攻占
我們的城堡。用不了多久，奔跑的犬狗便會把他撕食吞咬！”
聽罷這番話，頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳惡狠狠地盯着他，
嚷道：“普魯達馬斯，你的話使我厭煩——
你再次催我們回撤，要我們縮擠在城區；
在高墻的樊籠裏，你難道還沒有蹲夠嗎？
從前，人們到處議論紛紛，議說普裏阿摩斯的城，
說這是個富藏黃金和青銅的去處。但
現在，由於宙斯的憤怒，房居裏豐盈的
財富已被掏掃一空；大量的庫藏已被變賣，
運往弗魯吉亞和美麗的邁俄尼亞。
今天，工於心計的剋羅諾斯的兒子給了我
爭獲榮譽的機會，就在敵人的船邊，把阿開亞人
趕下大海——此時此刻，你，你這個笨蛋，不要再說撤兵的蠢
話，當着此間的衆人！
特洛伊人中誰也不會聽從你的議說——我將不允許有人這
麽做。行動起來，按我說的辦，誰也不要倔拗。
現在，大傢各歸本隊，吃用晚餐，沿着寬闊的營區；
不要忘了佈置崗哨，人人都要保持警覺。
要是有誰實在放心不下自己的財富，
那就讓他盡數收聚，交給衆人，讓大傢一起享用。
與其讓阿開亞人糜耗，倒不如讓自己人消受。
明天一早，拂曉時分，我們要全副武裝，
在深曠的船邊喚醒兇暴的戰神！
如果挺身船邊的真是卓越的阿基琉斯，
那就讓他等着遭殃——一倘若他想試試自己的身手。我不會
在他面前逃跑，不會跑離悲烈的戰鬥；我將
頑強拼戰，看看到底誰能贏得巨大的光榮，是他，還是我！
戰神是公正的：用死亡回敬以死相逼之人！”
赫剋托耳言罷，特洛伊人報之以贊同的吼聲——
好一群傻瓜，帕拉絲·雅典娜已奪走他們的智籌。
赫剋托耳的計劃兇險橫生，他們竟盲目喝彩，
而普魯達馬斯的主意儘管明智，卻沒有一個人贊同。
議畢，全軍吃用晚飯，沿着寬闊的營區。其時，在帕特羅剋洛斯
身邊，阿開亞人哀聲悲悼，通宵達旦。
裴琉斯之子領頭唱誦麯調凄楚的輓歌，
把殺人的雙手緊貼着摯友的胸脯，
發出一聲聲痛苦的悲號。像一頭虯須滿面的獅子，
被一位打鹿的獵手偷走它的幼仔，從
密密的樹林裏，甫及回來，方知為時已晚，惱恨不已，
急起追蹤，沿着獵人的足跡，跑過一道道山𠔌，
企望找到他的去處，兇蠻狂烈。就像這樣，
阿基琉斯哀聲長嘆，對慕耳彌鼕人哭訴道：
“唉，荒唐啊，我說的那番空話——那天，
在裴琉斯傢裏，為了寬慰英雄墨諾伊提俄斯的心房！
我答應他，攻陷伊利昂後，我會把他的兒男帶回
俄普斯，載譽而歸，帶着他的份子，他的戰禮。
但是，宙斯絶不會從頭至尾兌現凡人的心願。
瞧瞧我倆的下場：你我將用鮮血染紅同一塊土地，
在這特洛伊平野！我已不能生還傢園；裴琉斯，
我的父親，年邁的車戰者，將再也不能把我收迎進傢門，
還有塞提絲，我的母親——異鄉的泥土將把我收藏！
然而，帕特羅剋洛斯，由於我將步你的後塵，離開人間，
我現在不打算把你埋葬，直到帶回那套鎧甲和
赫剋托耳的腦袋——是他殺了你，我的心胸豪壯的伴友。
在火焚遺體的柴堆前，我將砍掉十二個特洛伊人
風華正茂的兒子，消泄我對他們殺你的憤恨！
在此之前，你就躺在這裏，在我的彎翹的海船前；
特洛伊婦女和束腰緊深的達耳達尼亞女子將淚流
滿面，哀悼在你的身邊，無論白天和黑夜——她們是
你我奪來的俘獲，靠我們的勇力和粗長的
槍矛，攻剋一座座凡人富有的城堡。”
言罷，卓越的阿基琉斯命令屬下，
在火堆上架起一口大鍋，以便盡快
洗去帕特羅剋洛斯身上斑結的血污。
他們把大鍋架上熾烈的柴火，註滿洗澡的
清水，添上木塊，燃起通紅的火苗。
柴火舔着鍋底，增升着水溫，直至
熱騰騰的浴水沸滾在閃亮的銅鍋。
他們動手洗淨遺體，抹上舒滑的橄欖油，
填平一道道傷口，用成年的[●]油膏，
●成年的：enneoroio，可作“九年的”解。
把他放躺在床上，蓋上一層薄薄的亞麻布，
從頭到腳，用一件白色的披篷罩掩全身。
整整一夜，圍繞着捷足的阿基琉斯，
慕耳彌鼕人哀聲吟嘆，悲悼帕特羅剋洛斯的故亡。
其時，宙斯對赫拉發話，他的妻子和姐妹：
“這麽看來，赫拉，我的牛眼睛王後，你還是實踐了你的意圖
你已催使捷足的阿基琉斯站挺起身子。他們都該是
你的孩子吧，這些個長發的阿開亞人？”
聽罷這番話，牛眼睛夫人赫拉答道：
“剋羅諾斯之子，可怕的王者，你說了些什麽？
即便是個凡人，也會盡己所能，幫助朋友，
儘管凡骨肉脯，沒有我等的睿智。
我，自詡為女神中最高貴的姣傑，體現在
兩個方面，出生次序和同你的關係——我被
尊為你的伴侶，而你是衆神之主——
難道就不能因為出於恨心，謀導特洛伊人的敗亡？”
就這樣，他倆你來我往，一番爭說；與此同時，
銀腳的塞提絲來到了赫法伊斯托斯的房居，
由瘸腿的神匠自己建造，取料青銅，
固垂永久，亮似明星，閃耀在衆神之中。
她找見神匠，正風風火火地穿梭在
風箱邊，忙於製作二十個鼎鍋，
用於排放在屋墻邊，築造堅固的房居裏。
他在每個架鍋下安了黃金的滑輪，
所以它們會自動滾人神祗聚會的廳堂，
然後再滑回他的府居：一批讓人看了贊嘆不已的精品。
一切都已製鑄完畢，衹缺紋工精緻的
把手。其時，他正忙着安製和鉚接手柄。
正當他專心擺弄手頭的活計，以他的工藝和匠心，
銀腳女神塞提絲已走近他的身邊。
頭巾閃亮的剋裏絲徐步前行，眼見造訪的塞提絲，
剋裏絲，美貌的女神，聲名遐邇的強臂神工的婚配。
她迎上前去，拉住塞提絲的手，叫着她的名字，說道：
“裙衫飄逸的塞提絲，是哪陣和風把你吹進我們的房居？
我們尊敬和愛慕的朋友，稀客，以前為何不常來賞光串門？
請進來吧，容我聊盡地主的情誼。”
言罷，剋裏絲，風姿綽約的女神，引步前行，
讓塞提絲坐息一張做工精緻的靠椅，造型
美觀，銀釘嵌飾，前面放着一隻腳凳。
她開口招呼赫法伊斯托斯，喊道：
“赫法伊斯托斯，來呀，看看是誰來了——塞提絲有事相求。”
耳聞她的呼喊，著名的強臂神工答道：
“呵，是尊敬的塞提絲，好一位貴客！
她曾救過我——那一次，我可吃夠了苦頭，從高天上摔落，
感謝我那厚臉皮的母親，嫌我是個拐子
想要把我藏匿。要不是歐魯諾墨和塞提絲將我懷抱，
我的心靈將會承受何樣的煎熬——
歐魯諾墨，環世長河俄開阿諾斯的女兒。
作為工匠，我在她們那裏生活了九年，製鑄了許多精美的用品；
有典雅的胸針、項鏈、彎捲的別針和帶蠃紋的手鐲，
在空曠的洞穴裏，四周是俄開阿諾斯奔騰不息的水流，
泡沫翻涌，發出沉悶的吼聲。除了
歐魯諾墨和塞提絲——因為她倆救了我——
此事神人不知，誰也不曾悉曉。
現在，塞提絲來訪我們的傢居，我必將全力以赴，
竭己所能，報效發辮秀美的女神，她的
救命之恩。趕快張羅，盛情招待，
我這就去收拾，收拾我的風箱和所有的械具。”
言罷，他在砧臺前直起腰來，
瘸拐着行走，靈巧地挪動幹癟的雙腿。
他移開風箱，使之脫離爐火，收起所有
操用的工具，放入一隻堅實的銀箱。
然後，他用吸水的海綿擦淨額頭、雙手。
粗大的脖子和多毛的胸脯，套上衫衣，
抓起一根粗重的拐杖，一瘸一拐地
前行。侍從們趕上前去，扶持着主人，
全用黃金鑄成，形同少女，栩栩如生。
她們有會思考的心智，通說話語，行動自如，
從不死的神祗那裏，已學得做事的技能。
她們動作敏捷，扶持着主人，後者瘸腿走近
端坐的塞提絲，在那張閃亮的靠椅上，
握住她的手，叫着她的名字，說道：
“裙衫飄逸的塞提絲，是哪陣和風把你吹進我們的房居？
我們尊敬和愛慕的朋友，稀客，以前為何不常來賞光串門？
告訴我你的心事，我將竭誠為你效勞，
衹要可能，衹要此事可以做到。”
聽罷這番話，塞提絲淚流滿面，答道：
“唉，赫法伊斯托斯，俄林波斯的女神中
有誰忍受過這許多深切的悲愁？
剋羅諾斯之子宙斯讓我承受這場悲痛，似乎這是我的專有。
海神姐妹中，他惟獨讓我嫁給凡人，
嫁給裴琉斯，埃阿科斯之子，使我違心背意，
忍受凡婚。現在，歲月已把他帶入可悲的暮年，
睡躺在自傢的廳堂裏。這還不夠——
他還讓我孕懷和撫養了一個兒子，
英雄中的俊傑，像一棵樹苗似地茁壯成長；
我把他養大成人，好似一棵果樹，為園林增彩添光。
然而，我卻把他送上彎翹的海船，前往伊利昂地面，
和特洛伊人戰鬥！我再也見不到他的身影，
見不到他回返自己的傢居，裴琉斯的門戶。
衹要他還活着，能見到白晝的日光，他就無法擺脫
煩愁，即便我親往探視，也幫不了他的忙。
強有力的阿伽門農從他手裏奪走那位姑娘，
阿開亞人的兒子們分給他的戰獲。為了她，
我兒心緒焦惱，悲愁交加。其後，特洛伊人
把阿開亞人逼回船尾，不讓他們殺出
睏境。阿耳吉維人的首領們懇求我兒，
列出許多光燦燦的禮物，以為償補。當時
我兒拒絶出戰，為他們擋開災亡，
但還是讓出自己的鎧甲，披上帕特羅剋洛斯的肩膀，
把他送上戰場，帶着大隊的兵勇。
他們在斯卡亞門邊奮戰終日，當天即可
攻下城堡，倘若福伊波斯·阿波羅
不在前排裏殺了墨諾伊提俄斯驍勇的兒郎——
他已把特洛伊人搗得稀裏嘩拉——使赫剋托耳爭得榮光。
所以，我來到此地，跪在你的膝前，請求你的幫助，
給我那短命的兒子鑄製一面盾牌、一頂盔蓋。
一副帶踝絆的、漂亮的脛甲，以及一件
護胸的甲衣。他自己的徵甲已丟失戰場，他所信賴的伴友
已被特洛伊人剝殺。現在，我兒躺在地上，心緒悲傷。”
聽罷這番話，臂膀強健的著名神匠答道：
“鼓起勇氣，不要為這些事情擔心。
但願在厄運把他抓走之時，我能
設法使他躲過死亡，避免痛苦，就像我會
給他一套上好的鎧甲一樣毋庸置疑——此甲
精美，誰要是見了，管叫他咋舌驚訝。”
言罷，赫法伊斯托斯離她而去，朝着風箱前行。
他把風箱對着爐火，發出幹活的指令。
二十衹風箱對着坩堝吹呼，
噴出溫高不等的熱風，效力於忙忙碌碌的神匠，
有的亢猛熾烈，順應強力操作的需要，有的
輕緩舒徐，迎合神匠的願望。工作做得井井有條。
他把金屬丟進火裏，堅韌的青銅，還有錫塊、
貴重的黃金和白銀。接着，他把碩大的
砧塊搬上平臺，一手抓起
沉重的鎯錘，一手拿穩了鉗夾。
神匠先鑄戰盾，厚重、碩大，
精工飾製，繞着盾邊隆起一道三層的因圍，
閃出熠熠的光亮，映襯着純銀的背帶。
盾身五層，寬面上鑄着一組組奇美的浮景，
傾註了他的技藝和匠心。
他鑄出大地、天空、海洋、不知
疲倦的太陽和盈滿溜圓的月亮，
以及衆多的星宿，像增色天穹的花環，
普雷阿得斯、華得斯和強有力的俄裏昂，
還有大熊座，人們亦稱之為“車座”，
總在一個地方旋轉，註視着俄裏昂；
衆星中，惟有大熊座從不下沉沐浴，在俄開阿諾斯的水流。
他還鑄下，在盾面上，兩座凡人的城市，精美
絶倫。一座表現婚娶和歡慶的場面，
人們正把新娘引出閨房，沿着城街行走，
打着耀眼的火把，踩着高歌新婚的旋律。
小夥們急步搖轉，跳起歡快的舞蹈，
阿洛斯和堅琴的聲響此起彼落；女人們
站在自傢門前，投出驚贊的眼光。
市場上人群擁聚，觀望
兩位男子的爭吵，為了一個被殺的親人，
一筆償命的血酬。一方當衆聲稱血酬
已付，半點不少，另一方則堅持根本不曾收受；[●]
●一方……不曾收受：或：一方當衆聲稱願意付足血酬，另一方則滿口拒絶，
不予收受。
兩人於是求助於審事的仲裁，聽憑他的判奪。
人們意見分歧，有的為這方說話，有的為那方辯解；
使者們擋開人群，讓地方的長老
聚首商議，坐在溜光的石凳上，圍成一個神聖的圓圈
手握嗓音清亮的使者們交給的節杖。
兩人急步上前，依次陳述事情的原由，
身前放着兩個塔蘭同的黃金，準備
賞付給審斷最公正的判者。
然而，在另一座城堡的周圍，聚集着兩隊攻城的兵勇，
甲械的閃光連成一片。不同的計劃把他們分作兩邊，
是攻伐搶劫，還是留下這座美麗、庫藏
豐盈的堡城，滿足於二分之一的貢償。[●]
●還是……二分之一的貢償：換言之，如果圍城者放棄攻城，即可收受城民
們分之一的所有，作為“貢禮”或“賠償”。
城內的民衆並沒有屈服，他們武裝起來，準備伏擊。
他們的愛妻和年幼的孩子站守在
城墻上，連同上了年紀的老人，而青壯們則
魚貫出城，由阿瑞斯和雅典娜率領。
兩位神祗由黃金澆鑄，身着金甲，
神威赫赫，全副武裝，顯得俊美、高大，
以矚目的形象，突顯在矮小的凡人中。
他們來到理想的伏擊地點，
河邊的灘澤，牲畜群至飲水的地方，
屈腿蹲坐，身披閃光的銅甲。
兩位哨探，離着衆人，藏身自己的位置，伏兵的眼睛，
聚神探望，等待着羊群和步履瞞珊的肥牛。
過了一會兒，它們果然來了，後邊跟着兩個牧人，
興高采烈，吹着蘇裏剋斯，根本不曾想到眼前的詭詐。
伏兵們見狀，衝撲上前，迅猛
砍殺，宰了成群的畜牛和毛色；
白亮、淨美的肥羊，殺了跟行的牧人。
圍城的壯勇，其時正聚坐高議，聽到牛群裏
傳來的喧囂，從蹄腿輕捷的馬後
登車，急往救援，當即來到出事的地點。
兩軍對陣，交手開戰，在河的岸沿，
互相擊打，投出銅頭的槍矛。
爭鬥和混戰介入拼搏的人群，還有緻命的死亡，
她時而抓住一個剛剛受傷的活人，時而
逮着一個不曾受傷的精壯，時而又拎起一具屍體，抓住
死者的腿腳，在粗野的
殘殺中——衣服的肩背上浸染着凡人的血漿，猩紅一片。
神明衝撞撲殺，像凡人一樣戰鬥，
互搶着別個撂倒的屍體，倒地死去的人們。
他還鑄上一片深熟的原野，廣袤、肥沃
的農地，受過三遍犁耕的良田；衆多的犁手遍地勞作，
馭使着成對的牲畜，來回耕忙。
當他們犁至地頭，準備掉返之際，
有人會跑上前去，端上一杯香甜的
酒漿。他們掉過牲畜，重人壟溝，
盼望着犁過深廣的沃土，再臨地頭。
犁尖撇下一壟壟幽黑的泥土，看來真像是翻耕過的農地，
雖然取料黃金——赫法伊斯托斯的手藝就有這般卓絶。
他還鑄出一片國王的屬地；景面上，農人們
正忙於收穫，揮舞鋒快的鐮刀，割下莊稼，
有的和收割者成行，一堆接着一堆，
另一些則由捆稈者用草繩紮綁，
一共三位，站在稈堆前，後面跟着
一幫孩子，收撿割下的穗稈，滿滿地抱在胸前，
交給捆綁的農人，忙得不亦樂乎。國王亦置身現場，
手握權杖，靜觀不語，站在割倒的稈堆前，心情舒暢。
𠔌地的一邊，在一棵樹下，使者們已將盛宴排開——
他們殺倒一頭碩大的肥牛，此刻正忙着切剝。與此同時，婦女們
撒出一把把雪白的大麥，作為收割者的午餐。
他還鑄出一大片果實纍纍的葡萄園，
景象生動，以黃金作果，呈現出深熟的紫藍，
蔓爬的枝藤依附在銀質的桿架上。他還抹出
一道渠溝，在果園四周，用暗藍色的琺琅，並在外圍
套上一層白錫，以為柵欄。衹有一條貫通的小徑，
每當擷取的時節，人們由此跑人果園，收摘葡萄。
姑娘和小夥們，帶着年輕人的純真，
用柳條編織的籃子，裝走混熟、甜美的葡萄；
在他們中間，一個年輕人撥響聲音清脆的竪琴，奏出
迷人的麯調，亮開富有表現力的歌喉，演唱念悼夏日的輓歌，[●]
●演唱念悼夏日的輓歌：或“唱着利諾斯的歌”。
優美動聽；衆人隨聲附和，高歌歡叫，
邁出輕快的舞步，踏出齊整的節奏。
神匠還鑄出一群長角的壯牛，用
黃金和白錫，啤吼着衝出滿地
泥糞的農院，直奔草場，在一條
水流嘩嘩的河邊，蘆草飄搖的灘沿。
牧牛人金首金身，隨同牛群行走，
一共四位，身後跟着九條快腿的牧狗。
突然，兩頭兇狠的獅子闖入牛群的前頭，
咬住一頭悲吼的公牛，把它拖走，踏踩着
哞哞的叫聲；狗和年輕的牧人疾步追救。
然而，兩頭獸獅裂開壯牛的皮層，
大口吞咽內臟和黑紅的熱血；牧人
驅慫狗群上前搏鬥，後者
不敢和獅子對咬，回避不前，
站在對手近旁，悻悻吠叫，躲閃觀望。”
著名的強臂神工還鑄出一片寬闊的
草場，臥躺在水草肥美的𠔌地，牧養着潔白閃亮的羊群，
伴隨着牧羊人的房院，帶頂的棚屋和柵圍。
著名的強臂神工還精心鑄出，在後面上，一個
舞場，就像在廣袤的剋諾索斯，代達洛斯
為發辮秀美的阿裏婭德奈建造的舞場那樣。
場地上，年輕的小夥和美貌的姑娘們——她們的聘禮
是昂貴的壯牛——牽着手腕，擡腿歡跳。
姑娘們身穿亞麻布的長裙，小夥們穿着
精工織紡的短套，塗閃着橄欖油的光澤。
姑娘們頭戴漂亮的花環，小夥們佩挂
黃金的匕首，垂懸在銀帶的尾端。
他們時而擺開輕盈的腿步，靈巧地轉起圈子——
像一位彎腰勞作的陶工，試轉起陶輪，
觸之以前伸的手掌，估探它的運作——
時而又跳排出行次，奔跑着互相穿插。
大群的民衆擁站在舞隊周圍，凝目觀望，
笑逐顔開。舞隊裏活躍着兩位耍雜的高手，
翻轉騰躍，合導着歌的節奏。
他還鑄出俄開阿諾斯河磅礴的水流，
奔騰在堅不可摧的戰盾的邊沿。
鑄罷這面巨大、厚重的戰盾，
神匠打出一副胸甲，爍爍的閃光比火焰還要明亮。接着，
他又打出一頂盔蓋，體積碩大，恰好扣緊阿基琉斯的腦穴，
工藝精湛，造型美觀。他給頭盔鑄上一峰黃金的脊冠，
然後用柔韌的白錫打出一副脛甲。
完工後，著名的強臂神工抱起甲械，
放在阿基琉斯母親的腿腳前。
像一隻鷹鷂，塞提絲衝下白雪皚皚的俄林波斯，
帶着赫法伊斯托斯贈送的厚禮，光彩奪目的甲械。
ARGUMENT.
THE GRIEF OF ACHILLES, AND NEW ARMOUR MADE HIM BY VULCAN.
The news of the death of Patroclus is brought to Achilles by Antilochus.
Thetis, hearing his lamentations, comes with all her sea- nymphs to
comfort him. The speeches of the mother and son on this occasion. Iris
appears to Achilles by the command of Juno, and orders him to show himself
at the head of the intrenchments. The sight of him turns the fortunes of
the day, and the body of Patroclus is carried off by the Greeks. The
Trojans call a council, where Hector and Polydamas disagree in their
opinions: but the advice of the former prevails, to remain encamped in the
field. The grief of Achilles over the body of Patroclus.
Thetis goes to the palace of Vulcan to obtain new arms for her son. The
description of the wonderful works of Vulcan: and, lastly, that noble one
of the shield of Achilles.
The latter part of the nine-and-twentieth day, and the night ensuing, take
up this book: the scene is at Achilles' tent on the sea-shore, from whence
it changes to the palace of Vulcan.
Thus like the rage of fire the combat burns,(250)
And now it rises, now it sinks by turns.
Meanwhile, where Hellespont's broad waters flow,
Stood Nestor's son, the messenger of woe:
There sat Achilles, shaded by his sails,
On hoisted yards extended to the gales;
Pensive he sat; for all that fate design'd
Rose in sad prospect to his boding mind.
Thus to his soul he said: "Ah! what constrains
The Greeks, late victors, now to quit the plains?
Is this the day, which heaven so long ago
Ordain'd, to sink me with the weight of woe?
(So Thetis warn'd;) when by a Trojan hand
The bravest of the Myrmidonian band
Should lose the light! Fulfilled is that decree;
Fallen is the warrior, and Patroclus he!
In vain I charged him soon to quit the plain,
And warn'd to shun Hectorean force in vain!"
Thus while he thinks, Antilochus appears,
And tells the melancholy tale with tears.
"Sad tidings, son of Peleus! thou must hear;
And wretched I, the unwilling messenger!
Dead is Patroclus! For his corse they fight;
His naked corse: his arms are Hector's right."
A sudden horror shot through all the chief,
And wrapp'd his senses in the cloud of grief;
Cast on the ground, with furious hands he spread
The scorching ashes o'er his graceful head;
His purple garments, and his golden hairs,
Those he deforms with dust, and these he tears;
On the hard soil his groaning breast he threw,
And roll'd and grovell'd, as to earth he grew.
The virgin captives, with disorder'd charms,
(Won by his own, or by Patroclus' arms,)
Rush'd from their tents with cries; and gathering round,
Beat their white breasts, and fainted on the ground:
While Nestor's son sustains a manlier part,
And mourns the warrior with a warrior's heart;
Hangs on his arms, amidst his frantic woe,
And oft prevents the meditated blow.
Far in the deep abysses of the main,(251)
With hoary Nereus, and the watery train,
The mother-goddess from her crystal throne
Heard his loud cries, and answer'd groan for groan.
The circling Nereids with their mistress weep,
And all the sea-green sisters of the deep.
Thalia, Glauce (every watery name),
Nesaea mild, and silver Spio came:
Cymothoe and Cymodoce were nigh,
And the blue languish of soft Alia's eye.
Their locks Actaea and Limnoria rear,
Then Proto, Doris, Panope appear,
Thoa, Pherusa, Doto, Melita;
Agave gentle, and Amphithoe gay:
Next Callianira, Callianassa show
Their sister looks; Dexamene the slow,
And swift Dynamene, now cut the tides:
Iaera now the verdant wave divides:
Nemertes with Apseudes lifts the head,
Bright Galatea quits her pearly bed;
These Orythia, Clymene, attend,
Maera, Amphinome, the train extend;
And black Janira, and Janassa fair,
And Amatheia with her amber hair.
All these, and all that deep in ocean held
Their sacred seats, the glimmering grotto fill'd;
Each beat her ivory breast with silent woe,
Till Thetis' sorrows thus began to flow:
"Hear me, and judge, ye sisters of the main!
How just a cause has Thetis to complain!
How wretched, were I mortal, were my fate!
How more than wretched in the immortal state!
Sprung from my bed a godlike hero came,
The bravest far that ever bore the name;
Like some fair olive, by my careful hand
He grew, he flourish'd and adorn'd the land
To Troy I sent him: but the fates ordain
He never, never must return again.
So short a space the light of heaven to view,
So short, alas! and fill'd with anguish too!
Hear how his sorrows echo through the shore!
I cannot ease them, but I must deplore;
I go at least to bear a tender part,
And mourn my loved-one with a mother's heart."
She said, and left the caverns of the main,
All bathed in tears; the melancholy train
Attend her way. Wide-opening part the tides,
While the long pomp the silver wave divides.
Approaching now, they touch'd the Trojan land;
Then, two by two, ascended up the strand.
The immortal mother, standing close beside
Her mournful offspring, to his sighs replied;
Along the coast their mingled clamours ran,
And thus the silver-footed dame began:
"Why mourns my son? thy late preferr'd request
The god has granted, and the Greeks distress'd:
Why mourns my son? thy anguish let me share,
Reveal the cause, and trust a parent's care."
He, deeply groaning--"To this cureless grief,
Not even the Thunderer's favour brings relief.
Patroclus--Ah!--say, goddess, can I boast
A pleasure now? revenge itself is lost;
Patroclus, loved of all my martial train,
Beyond mankind, beyond myself is slain!
Lost are those arms the gods themselves bestow'd
On Peleus; Hector bears the glorious load.
Cursed be that day, when all the powers above
Thy charms submitted to a mortal love:
O hadst thou still, a sister of the main,
Pursued the pleasures of the watery reign:
And happier Peleus, less ambitious, led
A mortal beauty to his equal bed!
Ere the sad fruit of thy unhappy womb
Had caused such sorrows past, and woes to come.
For soon, alas! that wretched offspring slain,
New woes, new sorrows, shall create again.
'Tis not in fate the alternate now to give;
Patroclus dead, Achilles hates to live.
Let me revenge it on proud Hector's heart,
Let his last spirit smoke upon my dart;
On these conditions will I breathe: till then,
I blush to walk among the race of men."
A flood of tears, at this, the goddess shed:
"Ah then, I see thee dying, see thee dead!
When Hector falls, thou diest."--"Let Hector die,
And let me fall! (Achilles made reply)
Far lies Patroclus from his native plain!
He fell, and falling, wish'd my aid in vain.
Ah then, since from this miserable day
I cast all hope of my return away;
Since, unrevenged, a hundred ghosts demand
The fate of Hector from Achilles' hand;
Since here, for brutal courage far renown'd,
I live an idle burden to the ground,
(Others in council famed for nobler skill,
More useful to preserve, than I to kill,)
Let me--But oh! ye gracious powers above!
Wrath and revenge from men and gods remove:
Far, far too dear to every mortal breast,
Sweet to the soul, as honey to the taste:
Gathering like vapours of a noxious kind
From fiery blood, and darkening all the mind.
Me Agamemnon urged to deadly hate;
'Tis past--I quell it; I resign to fate.
Yes--I will meet the murderer of my friend;
Or (if the gods ordain it) meet my end.
The stroke of fate the strongest cannot shun:
The great Alcides, Jove's unequall'd son,
To Juno's hate, at length resign'd his breath,
And sunk the victim of all-conquering death.
So shall Achilles fall! stretch'd pale and dead,
No more the Grecian hope, or Trojan dread!
Let me, this instant, rush into the fields,
And reap what glory life's short harvest yields.
Shall I not force some widow'd dame to tear
With frantic hands her long dishevell'd hair?
Shall I not force her breast to heave with sighs,
And the soft tears to trickle from her eyes?
Yes, I shall give the fair those mournful charms--
In vain you hold me--Hence! my arms! my arms!--
Soon shall the sanguine torrent spread so wide,
That all shall know Achilles swells the tide."
"My son (coerulean Thetis made reply,
To fate submitting with a secret sigh,)
The host to succour, and thy friends to save,
Is worthy thee; the duty of the brave.
But canst thou, naked, issue to the plains?
Thy radiant arms the Trojan foe detains.
Insulting Hector bears the spoils on high,
But vainly glories, for his fate is nigh.
Yet, yet awhile thy generous ardour stay;
Assured, I meet thee at the dawn of day,
Charged with refulgent arms (a glorious load),
Vulcanian arms, the labour of a god."
Then turning to the daughters of the main,
The goddess thus dismiss'd her azure train:
"Ye sister Nereids! to your deeps descend;
Haste, and our father's sacred seat attend;
I go to find the architect divine,
Where vast Olympus' starry summits shine:
So tell our hoary sire"--This charge she gave:
The sea-green sisters plunge beneath the wave:
Thetis once more ascends the bless'd abodes,
And treads the brazen threshold of the gods.
[Illustration: THETIS ORDERING THE NEREIDS TO DESCEND INTO THE SEA.]
THETIS ORDERING THE NEREIDS TO DESCEND INTO THE SEA.
And now the Greeks from furious Hector's force,
Urge to broad Hellespont their headlong course;
Nor yet their chiefs Patroclus' body bore
Safe through the tempest to the tented shore.
The horse, the foot, with equal fury join'd,
Pour'd on the rear, and thunder'd close behind:
And like a flame through fields of ripen'd corn,
The rage of Hector o'er the ranks was borne.
Thrice the slain hero by the foot he drew;
Thrice to the skies the Trojan clamours flew:
As oft the Ajaces his assault sustain;
But check'd, he turns; repuls'd, attacks again.
With fiercer shouts his lingering troops he fires,
Nor yields a step, nor from his post retires:
So watchful shepherds strive to force, in vain,
The hungry lion from a carcase slain.
Even yet Patroclus had he borne away,
And all the glories of the extended day,
Had not high Juno from the realms of air,
Secret, despatch'd her trusty messenger.
The various goddess of the showery bow,
Shot in a whirlwind to the shore below;
To great Achilles at his ships she came,
And thus began the many-colour'd dame:
"Rise, son of Peleus! rise, divinely brave!
Assist the combat, and Patroclus save:
For him the slaughter to the fleet they spread,
And fall by mutual wounds around the dead.
To drag him back to Troy the foe contends:
Nor with his death the rage of Hector ends:
A prey to dogs he dooms the corse to lie,
And marks the place to fix his head on high.
Rise, and prevent (if yet you think of fame)
Thy friend's disgrace, thy own eternal shame!"
"Who sends thee, goddess, from the ethereal skies?"
Achilles thus. And Iris thus replies:
"I come, Pelides! from the queen of Jove,
The immortal empress of the realms above;
Unknown to him who sits remote on high,
Unknown to all the synod of the sky."
"Thou comest in vain (he cries, with fury warm'd);
Arms I have none, and can I fight unarm'd?
Unwilling as I am, of force I stay,
Till Thetis bring me at the dawn of day
Vulcanian arms: what other can I wield,
Except the mighty Telamonian shield?
That, in my friend's defence, has Ajax spread,
While his strong lance around him heaps the dead:
The gallant chief defends Menoetius' son,
And does what his Achilles should have done."
"Thy want of arms (said Iris) well we know;
But though unarm'd, yet clad in terrors, go!
Let but Achilles o'er yon trench appear,
Proud Troy shall tremble, and consent to fear;
Greece from one glance of that tremendous eye
Shall take new courage, and disdain to fly."
She spoke, and pass'd in air. The hero rose:
Her aegis Pallas o'er his shoulder throws;
Around his brows a golden cloud she spread;
A stream of glory flamed above his head.
As when from some beleaguer'd town arise
The smokes, high curling to the shaded skies;
(Seen from some island, o'er the main afar,
When men distress'd hang out the sign of war;)
Soon as the sun in ocean hides his rays,
Thick on the hills the flaming beacons blaze;
With long-projected beams the seas are bright,
And heaven's high arch reflects the ruddy light:
So from Achilles' head the splendours rise,
Reflecting blaze on blaze against the skies.
Forth march'd the chief, and distant from the crowd,
High on the rampart raised his voice aloud;
With her own shout Minerva swells the sound;
Troy starts astonish'd, and the shores rebound.
As the loud trumpet's brazen mouth from far
With shrilling clangour sounds the alarm of war,
Struck from the walls, the echoes float on high,
And the round bulwarks and thick towers reply;
So high his brazen voice the hero rear'd:
Hosts dropp'd their arms, and trembled as they heard:
And back the chariots roll, and coursers bound,
And steeds and men lie mingled on the ground.
Aghast they see the living lightnings play,
And turn their eyeballs from the flashing ray.
Thrice from the trench his dreadful voice he raised,
And thrice they fled, confounded and amazed.
Twelve in the tumult wedged, untimely rush'd
On their own spears, by their own chariots crush'd:
While, shielded from the darts, the Greeks obtain
The long-contended carcase of the slain.
A lofty bier the breathless warrior bears:
Around, his sad companions melt in tears.
But chief Achilles, bending down his head,
Pours unavailing sorrows o'er the dead,
Whom late triumphant, with his steeds and car,
He sent refulgent to the field of war;
(Unhappy change!) now senseless, pale, he found,
Stretch'd forth, and gash'd with many a gaping wound.
Meantime, unwearied with his heavenly way,
In ocean's waves the unwilling light of day
Quench'd his red orb, at Juno's high command,
And from their labours eased the Achaian band.
The frighted Trojans (panting from the war,
Their steeds unharness'd from the weary car)
A sudden council call'd: each chief appear'd
In haste, and standing; for to sit they fear'd.
'Twas now no season for prolong'd debate;
They saw Achilles, and in him their fate.
Silent they stood: Polydamas at last,
Skill'd to discern the future by the past,
The son of Panthus, thus express'd his fears
(The friend of Hector, and of equal years;
The self-same night to both a being gave,
One wise in council, one in action brave):
[Illustration: JUNO COMMANDING THE SUN TO SET.]
JUNO COMMANDING THE SUN TO SET.
"In free debate, my friends, your sentence speak;
For me, I move, before the morning break,
To raise our camp: too dangerous here our post,
Far from Troy walls, and on a naked coast.
I deem'd not Greece so dreadful, while engaged
In mutual feuds her king and hero raged;
Then, while we hoped our armies might prevail
We boldly camp'd beside a thousand sail.
I dread Pelides now: his rage of mind
Not long continues to the shores confined,
Nor to the fields, where long in equal fray
Contending nations won and lost the day;
For Troy, for Troy, shall henceforth be the strife,
And the hard contest not for fame, but life.
Haste then to Ilion, while the favouring night
Detains these terrors, keeps that arm from fight.
If but the morrow's sun behold us here,
That arm, those terrors, we shall feel, not fear;
And hearts that now disdain, shall leap with joy,
If heaven permit them then to enter Troy.
Let not my fatal prophecy be true,
Nor what I tremble but to think, ensue.
Whatever be our fate, yet let us try
What force of thought and reason can supply;
Let us on counsel for our guard depend;
The town her gates and bulwarks shall defend.
When morning dawns, our well-appointed powers,
Array'd in arms, shall line the lofty towers.
Let the fierce hero, then, when fury calls,
Vent his mad vengeance on our rocky walls,
Or fetch a thousand circles round the plain,
Till his spent coursers seek the fleet again:
So may his rage be tired, and labour'd down!
And dogs shall tear him ere he sack the town."
"Return! (said Hector, fired with stern disdain)
What! coop whole armies in our walls again?
Was't not enough, ye valiant warriors, say,
Nine years imprison'd in those towers ye lay?
Wide o'er the world was Ilion famed of old
For brass exhaustless, and for mines of gold:
But while inglorious in her walls we stay'd,
Sunk were her treasures, and her stores decay'd;
The Phrygians now her scatter'd spoils enjoy,
And proud Maeonia wastes the fruits of Troy.
Great Jove at length my arms to conquest calls,
And shuts the Grecians in their wooden walls,
Darest thou dispirit whom the gods incite?
Flies any Trojan? I shall stop his flight.
To better counsel then attention lend;
Take due refreshment, and the watch attend.
If there be one whose riches cost him care,
Forth let him bring them for the troops to share;
'Tis better generously bestow'd on those,
Than left the plunder of our country's foes.
Soon as the morn the purple orient warms,
Fierce on yon navy will we pour our arms.
If great Achilles rise in all his might,
His be the danger: I shall stand the fight.
Honour, ye gods! or let me gain or give;
And live he glorious, whosoe'er shall live!
Mars is our common lord, alike to all;
And oft the victor triumphs, but to fall."
The shouting host in loud applauses join'd;
So Pallas robb'd the many of their mind;
To their own sense condemn'd, and left to choose
The worst advice, the better to refuse.
While the long night extends her sable reign,
Around Patroclus mourn'd the Grecian train.
Stern in superior grief Pelides stood;
Those slaughtering arms, so used to bathe in blood,
Now clasp his clay-cold limbs: then gushing start
The tears, and sighs burst from his swelling heart.
The lion thus, with dreadful anguish stung,
Roars through the desert, and demands his young;
When the grim savage, to his rifled den
Too late returning, snuffs the track of men,
And o'er the vales and o'er the forest bounds;
His clamorous grief the bellowing wood resounds.
So grieves Achilles; and, impetuous, vents
To all his Myrmidons his loud laments.
"In what vain promise, gods! did I engage,
When to console Menoetius' feeble age,
I vowed his much-loved offspring to restore,
Charged with rich spoils, to fair Opuntia's shore?(252)
But mighty Jove cuts short, with just disdain,
The long, long views of poor designing man!
One fate the warrior and the friend shall strike,
And Troy's black sands must drink our blood alike:
Me too a wretched mother shall deplore,
An aged father never see me more!
Yet, my Patroclus! yet a space I stay,
Then swift pursue thee on the darksome way.
Ere thy dear relics in the grave are laid,
Shall Hector's head be offer'd to thy shade;
That, with his arms, shall hang before thy shrine;
And twelve, the noblest of the Trojan line,
Sacred to vengeance, by this hand expire;
Their lives effused around thy flaming pyre.
Thus let me lie till then! thus, closely press'd,
Bathe thy cold face, and sob upon thy breast!
While Trojan captives here thy mourners stay,
Weep all the night and murmur all the day:
Spoils of my arms, and thine; when, wasting wide,
Our swords kept time, and conquer'd side by side."
He spoke, and bade the sad attendants round
Cleanse the pale corse, and wash each honour'd wound.
A massy caldron of stupendous frame
They brought, and placed it o'er the rising flame:
Then heap'd the lighted wood; the flame divides
Beneath the vase, and climbs around the sides:
In its wide womb they pour the rushing stream;
The boiling water bubbles to the brim.
The body then they bathe with pious toil,
Embalm the wounds, anoint the limbs with oil,
High on a bed of state extended laid,
And decent cover'd with a linen shade;
Last o'er the dead the milk-white veil they threw;
That done, their sorrows and their sighs renew.
Meanwhile to Juno, in the realms above,
(His wife and sister,) spoke almighty Jove.
"At last thy will prevails: great Peleus' son
Rises in arms: such grace thy Greeks have won.
Say (for I know not), is their race divine,
And thou the mother of that martial line?"
"What words are these? (the imperial dame replies,
While anger flash'd from her majestic eyes)
Succour like this a mortal arm might lend,
And such success mere human wit attend:
And shall not I, the second power above,
Heaven's queen, and consort of the thundering Jove,
Say, shall not I one nation's fate command,
Not wreak my vengeance on one guilty land?"
[Illustration: TRIPOD.]
TRIPOD.
So they. Meanwhile the silver-footed dame
Reach'd the Vulcanian dome, eternal frame!
High-eminent amid the works divine,
Where heaven's far-beaming brazen mansions shine.
There the lame architect the goddess found,
Obscure in smoke, his forges flaming round,
While bathed in sweat from fire to fire he flew;
And puffing loud, the roaring billows blew.
That day no common task his labour claim'd:
Full twenty tripods for his hall he framed,
That placed on living wheels of massy gold,
(Wondrous to tell,) instinct with spirit roll'd
From place to place, around the bless'd abodes
Self-moved, obedient to the beck of gods:
For their fair handles now, o'erwrought with flowers,
In moulds prepared, the glowing ore he pours.
Just as responsive to his thought the frame
Stood prompt to move, the azure goddess came:
Charis, his spouse, a grace divinely fair,
(With purple fillets round her braided hair,)
Observed her entering; her soft hand she press'd,
And, smiling, thus the watery queen address'd:
"What, goddess! this unusual favour draws?
All hail, and welcome! whatsoe'er the cause;
Till now a stranger, in a happy hour
Approach, and taste the dainties of the bower."
[Illustration: THETIS AND EURYNOME RECEIVING THE INFANT VULCAN.]
THETIS AND EURYNOME RECEIVING THE INFANT VULCAN.
High on a throne, with stars of silver graced,
And various artifice, the queen she placed;
A footstool at her feet: then calling, said,
"Vulcan, draw near, 'tis Thetis asks your aid."
"Thetis (replied the god) our powers may claim,
An ever-dear, an ever-honour'd name!
When my proud mother hurl'd me from the sky,
(My awkward form, it seems, displeased her eye,)
She, and Eurynome, my griefs redress'd,
And soft received me on their silver breast.
Even then these arts employ'd my infant thought:
Chains, bracelets, pendants, all their toys, I wrought.
Nine years kept secret in the dark abode,
Secure I lay, conceal'd from man and god:
Deep in a cavern'd rock my days were led;
The rushing ocean murmur'd o'er my head.
Now, since her presence glads our mansion, say,
For such desert what service can I pay?
Vouchsafe, O Thetis! at our board to share
The genial rites, and hospitable fare;
While I the labours of the forge forego,
And bid the roaring bellows cease to blow."
Then from his anvil the lame artist rose;
Wide with distorted legs oblique he goes,
And stills the bellows, and (in order laid)
Locks in their chests his instruments of trade.
Then with a sponge the sooty workman dress'd
His brawny arms embrown'd, and hairy breast.
With his huge sceptre graced, and red attire,
Came halting forth the sovereign of the fire:
The monarch's steps two female forms uphold,
That moved and breathed in animated gold;
To whom was voice, and sense, and science given
Of works divine (such wonders are in heaven!)
On these supported, with unequal gait,
He reach'd the throne where pensive Thetis sate;
There placed beside her on the shining frame,
He thus address'd the silver-footed dame:
"Thee, welcome, goddess! what occasion calls
(So long a stranger) to these honour'd walls?
'Tis thine, fair Thetis, the command to lay,
And Vulcan's joy and duty to obey."
[Illustration: VULCAN AND CHARIS RECEIVING THETIS.]
VULCAN AND CHARIS RECEIVING THETIS.
To whom the mournful mother thus replies:
(The crystal drops stood trembling in her eyes:)
"O Vulcan! say, was ever breast divine
So pierced with sorrows, so o'erwhelm'd as mine?
Of all the goddesses, did Jove prepare
For Thetis only such a weight of care?
I, only I, of all the watery race
By force subjected to a man's embrace,
Who, sinking now with age and sorrow, pays
The mighty fine imposed on length of days.
Sprung from my bed, a godlike hero came,
The bravest sure that ever bore the name;
Like some fair plant beneath my careful hand
He grew, he flourish'd, and he graced the land:
To Troy I sent him! but his native shore
Never, ah never, shall receive him more;
(Even while he lives, he wastes with secret woe;)
Nor I, a goddess, can retard the blow!
Robb'd of the prize the Grecian suffrage gave,
The king of nations forced his royal slave:
For this he grieved; and, till the Greeks oppress'd
Required his arm, he sorrow'd unredress'd.
Large gifts they promise, and their elders send;
In vain--he arms not, but permits his friend
His arms, his steeds, his forces to employ:
He marches, combats, almost conquers Troy:
Then slain by Phoebus (Hector had the name)
At once resigns his armour, life, and fame.
But thou, in pity, by my prayer be won:
Grace with immortal arms this short-lived son,
And to the field in martial pomp restore,
To shine with glory, till he shines no more!"
To her the artist-god: "Thy griefs resign,
Secure, what Vulcan can, is ever thine.
O could I hide him from the Fates, as well,
Or with these hands the cruel stroke repel,
As I shall forge most envied arms, the gaze
Of wondering ages, and the world's amaze!"
Thus having said, the father of the fires
To the black labours of his forge retires.
Soon as he bade them blow, the bellows turn'd
Their iron mouths; and where the furnace burn'd,
Resounding breathed: at once the blast expires,
And twenty forges catch at once the fires;
Just as the god directs, now loud, now low,
They raise a tempest, or they gently blow;
In hissing flames huge silver bars are roll'd,
And stubborn brass, and tin, and solid gold;
Before, deep fix'd, the eternal anvils stand;
The ponderous hammer loads his better hand,
His left with tongs turns the vex'd metal round,
And thick, strong strokes, the doubling vaults rebound.
Then first he form'd the immense and solid shield;
Rich various artifice emblazed the field;
Its utmost verge a threefold circle bound;(253)
A silver chain suspends the massy round;
Five ample plates the broad expanse compose,
And godlike labours on the surface rose.
There shone the image of the master-mind:
There earth, there heaven, there ocean he design'd;
The unwearied sun, the moon completely round;
The starry lights that heaven's high convex crown'd;
The Pleiads, Hyads, with the northern team;
And great Orion's more refulgent beam;
To which, around the axle of the sky,
The Bear, revolving, points his golden eye,
Still shines exalted on the ethereal plain,
Nor bathes his blazing forehead in the main.
Two cities radiant on the shield appear,
The image one of peace, and one of war.
Here sacred pomp and genial feast delight,
And solemn dance, and hymeneal rite;
Along the street the new-made brides are led,
With torches flaming, to the nuptial bed:
The youthful dancers in a circle bound
To the soft flute, and cithern's silver sound:
Through the fair streets the matrons in a row
Stand in their porches, and enjoy the show.
There in the forum swarm a numerous train;
The subject of debate, a townsman slain:
One pleads the fine discharged, which one denied,
And bade the public and the laws decide:
The witness is produced on either hand:
For this, or that, the partial people stand:
The appointed heralds still the noisy bands,
And form a ring, with sceptres in their hands:
On seats of stone, within the sacred place,(254)
The reverend elders nodded o'er the case;
Alternate, each the attesting sceptre took,
And rising solemn, each his sentence spoke
Two golden talents lay amidst, in sight,
The prize of him who best adjudged the right.
Another part (a prospect differing far)(255)
Glow'd with refulgent arms, and horrid war.
Two mighty hosts a leaguer'd town embrace,
And one would pillage, one would burn the place.
Meantime the townsmen, arm'd with silent care,
A secret ambush on the foe prepare:
Their wives, their children, and the watchful band
Of trembling parents, on the turrets stand.
They march; by Pallas and by Mars made bold:
Gold were the gods, their radiant garments gold,
And gold their armour: these the squadron led,
August, divine, superior by the head!
A place for ambush fit they found, and stood,
Cover'd with shields, beside a silver flood.
Two spies at distance lurk, and watchful seem
If sheep or oxen seek the winding stream.
Soon the white flocks proceeded o'er the plains,
And steers slow-moving, and two shepherd swains;
Behind them piping on their reeds they go,
Nor fear an ambush, nor suspect a foe.
In arms the glittering squadron rising round
Rush sudden; hills of slaughter heap the ground;
Whole flocks and herds lie bleeding on the plains,
And, all amidst them, dead, the shepherd swains!
The bellowing oxen the besiegers hear;
They rise, take horse, approach, and meet the war,
They fight, they fall, beside the silver flood;
The waving silver seem'd to blush with blood.
There Tumult, there Contention stood confess'd;
One rear'd a dagger at a captive's breast;
One held a living foe, that freshly bled
With new-made wounds; another dragg'd a dead;
Now here, now there, the carcases they tore:
Fate stalk'd amidst them, grim with human gore.
And the whole war came out, and met the eye;
And each bold figure seem'd to live or die.
A field deep furrow'd next the god design'd,(256)
The third time labour'd by the sweating hind;
The shining shares full many ploughmen guide,
And turn their crooked yokes on every side.
Still as at either end they wheel around,
The master meets them with his goblet crown'd;
The hearty draught rewards, renews their toil,
Then back the turning ploughshares cleave the soil:
Behind, the rising earth in ridges roll'd;
And sable look'd, though form'd of molten gold.
Another field rose high with waving grain;
With bended sickles stand the reaper train:
Here stretched in ranks the levell'd swarths are found,
Sheaves heap'd on sheaves here thicken up the ground.
With sweeping stroke the mowers strow the lands;
The gatherers follow, and collect in bands;
And last the children, in whose arms are borne
(Too short to gripe them) the brown sheaves of corn.
The rustic monarch of the field descries,
With silent glee, the heaps around him rise.
A ready banquet on the turf is laid,
Beneath an ample oak's expanded shade.
The victim ox the sturdy youth prepare;
The reaper's due repast, the woman's care.
Next, ripe in yellow gold, a vineyard shines,
Bent with the ponderous harvest of its vines;
A deeper dye the dangling clusters show,
And curl'd on silver props, in order glow:
A darker metal mix'd intrench'd the place;
And pales of glittering tin the inclosure grace.
To this, one pathway gently winding leads,
Where march a train with baskets on their heads,
(Fair maids and blooming youths,) that smiling bear
The purple product of the autumnal year.
To these a youth awakes the warbling strings,
Whose tender lay the fate of Linus sings;
In measured dance behind him move the train,
Tune soft the voice, and answer to the strain.
Here herds of oxen march, erect and bold,
Rear high their horns, and seem to low in gold,
And speed to meadows on whose sounding shores
A rapid torrent through the rushes roars:
Four golden herdsmen as their guardians stand,
And nine sour dogs complete the rustic band.
Two lions rushing from the wood appear'd;
And seized a bull, the master of the herd:
He roar'd: in vain the dogs, the men withstood;
They tore his flesh, and drank his sable blood.
The dogs (oft cheer'd in vain) desert the prey,
Dread the grim terrors, and at distance bay.
Next this, the eye the art of Vulcan leads
Deep through fair forests, and a length of meads,
And stalls, and folds, and scatter'd cots between;
And fleecy flocks, that whiten all the scene.
A figured dance succeeds; such once was seen
In lofty Gnossus for the Cretan queen,
Form'd by Daedalean art; a comely band
Of youths and maidens, bounding hand in hand.
The maids in soft simars of linen dress'd;
The youths all graceful in the glossy vest:
Of those the locks with flowery wreath inroll'd;
Of these the sides adorn'd with swords of gold,
That glittering gay, from silver belts depend.
Now all at once they rise, at once descend,
With well-taught feet: now shape in oblique ways,
Confusedly regular, the moving maze:
Now forth at once, too swift for sight, they spring,
And undistinguish'd blend the flying ring:
So whirls a wheel, in giddy circle toss'd,
And, rapid as it runs, the single spokes are lost.
The gazing multitudes admire around:
Two active tumblers in the centre bound;
Now high, now low, their pliant limbs they bend:
And general songs the sprightly revel end.
Thus the broad shield complete the artist crown'd
With his last hand, and pour'd the ocean round:
In living silver seem'd the waves to roll,
And beat the buckler's verge, and bound the whole.
This done, whate'er a warrior's use requires
He forged; the cuirass that outshone the fires,
The greaves of ductile tin, the helm impress'd
With various sculpture, and the golden crest.
At Thetis' feet the finished labour lay:
She, as a falcon cuts the aerial way,
Swift from Olympus' snowy summit flies,
And bears the blazing present through the skies.(257) 其時，黎明從俄開阿諾斯河升起，穿着金紅色的衫袍，
把晨光遍灑給神和凡人。曉色中，塞提絲
攜着赫法伊斯托斯的禮物，來到海船邊，
發現心愛的兒子躺在帕特羅剋洛斯的懷裏，
嘶聲喊叫，身邊站着衆多的夥伴，灑淚
哀悼。她，閃光的女神，穿過人群，
握着兒子的手，出聲呼喚，說道：“我的兒，
現在，我們必須讓他躺在這裏，儘管大傢都很傷心——
死人不會復活，神的意志已經永遠把他放倒。
看看我給你帶來了什麽，赫法伊斯托斯的禮物，光榮的鎧甲，
閃着如此絢麗的光芒，凡人的肩上，可從來不曾有過這樣的
榮耀。”
言罷，女神把甲械放在阿基琉斯
腳邊，鏗鏘碰響，璀璨輝煌。
慕耳彌鼕人全都驚恐萬狀，誰也不敢
正視，嚇得惶惶退縮，衹有阿基琉斯例外——
當他凝目地上的甲械，心中騰起更為熾烈的狂暴；
瞼蓋下，雙眼炯炯生光，像燃燒的火球。
他激奮異常，雙手拿着赫法伊斯托斯贈予的光燦燦的禮物。
看着鑄工精緻的甲械，阿基琉斯心裏高興，
對母親說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“母親，這套甲械確實漂亮，不愧是神工的
手藝，凡人中誰有這個本領？現在，
我將披甲赴戰，衹是放心不下
墨諾伊提俄斯驍勇的兒郎，擔心
在我出戰期間，飛蠅會鑽人銅槍開出的口子，
生蟲孵蛆，爛毀遺體——由於
生命已經泯滅——整個肉身將被糜損殆盡。”
聽罷這番話，銀腳女神塞提絲答道：
“我的兒．不要為此事擔心。
我會設法趕走這些成群結隊的東西，
可惡的蒼蠅，總把陣亡鬥士的軀體糜耗。
即使在此躺上一個整年，他的遺體
仍將完好如初，甚至比以往更為鮮亮。
去吧，把阿開亞勇士催喊招聚，
消棄你對兵士的牧者阿伽門農的憤恨，
振發你的勇力，馬上披甲戰鬥！”
言罷，女神把勇氣和力量吹入他的體內，
然後在帕特羅剋洛斯的鼻孔裏滴人
仙液和血紅的花露，使他的肌膚堅實如初。
其時，卓越的阿基琉斯沿着海岸邁開大步，
發出可怕的呼聲，催聚着阿開亞壯勇。
就連操縱方向的舵手和留在船上負責
分發食用之物的後勤人員，這些到目前為止
一直沒有離開過停船地點的人們，就連
這些人，此時也集中到聚合的地點，因為阿基琉斯，
長期避離慘烈的拼搏，此時已重返戰鬥。
人群裏，一瘸一拐地走着阿瑞斯的兩個伴從，
勇敢頑強的圖丟斯之子和卓越的俄底修斯，
倚着槍矛，仍然受着傷痛的折磨，
慢慢挨到他們的位置，在隊伍的前排就座。
民衆的王者阿伽門農最後抵達，
帶着槍傷——激戰中，安忒諾耳之子科昂
捅傷了他，用青銅的槍矛。
其時，當阿開亞全軍聚合完畢，
捷足的阿基琉斯起身站在衆人面前，喊道：
“阿特柔斯之子，說到底，你我的爭吵究竟給我倆
帶來了什麽好處？為了一個姑娘，你我
大吵大鬧，種下了痛心裂肺的怨仇。
但願在我攻破魯耳奈索斯，把她搶獲的
那一天，阿耳忒彌絲一箭把她射倒，躺死在海船旁！
這樣，在我盛怒不息的日子裏，阿開亞人的傷亡就不會
太過慘重，對方也不致把這許多人打翻泥塵。
如此行事，衹會幫助赫剋托耳和他的特洛伊人。我想，
阿開亞人會久久地記住我們之間的這場爭鬥。
算了，過去的事就讓它過去吧！儘管痛楚，
我們必須壓下騰升在心中的盛怒。
現在，我將就此中止我的憤怒——無休止地
暴恨，不是可取的作為。行動起來，趕快
催勵長發的阿開亞人投入戰鬥，
使我能拔腿衝嚮特洛伊戰勇，試試他們的力氣，
看看他們是否還打算在船邊宿營！我想，
他們會樂於屈腿睡躺在傢裏，要是能
逃出戰爭的狂烈，躲過我的槍頭！”
聽罷這番話，脛甲堅固的阿開亞人心花怒放；
他們高興地得知，裴琉斯心胸豪壯的兒子已消棄心中的煩憤。
其時，民衆的王者阿伽門農從座椅上站起，
不曾邁步隊伍的正中，開口說道：
“我的朋友們，戰鬥的達奈人，阿瑞斯的伴從們！
當有人起身說話，旁者理應洗耳恭聽，不宜
打斷他的話頭。即便是能言善辯之人，也受不了聽者的騷擾。
喧囂聲中，誰能開口說話，誰能側耳
靜聽？蕪雜的聲響會淹沒最清晰的話音。現在，
我將對裴琉斯之子說話，你們大傢
要聚精會神，肅靜聆聽。
阿開亞人常常以此事相責，
咒駡我的不是；其實，我並沒有什麽過錯——
錯在宙斯、命運和穿走迷霧的復仇女神，
他們用粗蠻的癡狂抓住我的心靈，在那天的
集會上，使我，用我的權威，奪走了阿基琉斯的戰禮。
然而，我有什麽辦法？神使這一切變成現實。
狂迷是宙斯的長女，致命的狂妄使我們全都
變得昏昏沉沉。她腿腳纖細，從來不沾
厚實的泥地，而是飄行在氣流裏，懸離凡人的頭頂，
把他們引入迷津。她纏迷過一個又一個凡人。
不是嗎，那一次，就連宙斯也受過她的蒙騙，雖然人們都說，
他是神和人的至高無上的天尊。然而，赫拉，
雖屬女流，卻也欺蒙過宙斯，以她的潔智，
那天，在高墻環護的塞貝，阿爾剋墨奈
即將臨産強有力的赫拉剋勒斯。其時，
宙斯張嘴發話，對所有的神明：
‘聽我說，所有的神和女神！我的話
乃有感而發，受心靈的驅使。今天，
埃蕾蘇婭，主管生育和陣痛的女神，將為凡間
增添一個男嬰，在以我的血統繁衍的
種族裏，此人將統治那一方人民。’
聽罷這番話，天後赫拉說道，心懷詭計：
‘你將成為一個撒謊的騙子，倘若最終言出不果。
來吧，俄林波斯的主宰，當着我的面，莊嚴起誓，
此人將統治那一方人民，
出生在今天，從一名女子的胯間，
在一個以你的血統繁衍的種族裏。’
赫拉言罷，宙斯絲毫沒有覺察她要的把戲，
莊嚴起誓，一頭鑽進了她的圈套裏。
其時，赫拉衝下俄林波斯的峰巔，急如星火，
即刻來到阿開亞的阿耳戈斯——她知道，那裏有一位
女子，裴耳修斯之於塞奈洛斯健壯的妻侶，
正懷着一個男孩，七個月的身孕。
赫拉讓男孩提前出世，不足月的孩子，
同時推遲阿爾墨奈的産期，阻止産前陣痛的降臨。
然後，她親自跑去，面陳宙斯，剋羅諾斯的兒子：
‘父親宙斯，把玩霹靂的尊神，我有一事相告，
慰暖你的心靈。一個了不起的凡人已經出世，他將王統阿耳
吉維兵民，
歐魯修斯，塞奈洛斯之子，裴耳修斯的後代，
你的血青。由他統治阿耳吉維民衆，此事能不得體？’
聽罷這番話，宙斯的內心就像被針刺了一樣苦痛。
他一把揪住狂迷油亮的發辮，
怒火中燒，發出嚴厲的誓咒，宣稱從那時起，
不許癲惑心智的狂迷——在她面前，誰也不能幸免——
回返俄林波斯和群星閃爍的天空。誓罷，他把女神
提溜着旋轉，拋出多星的天穹，
轉瞬之間便降落到凡人的世界。然而，
宙斯永遠忘不了她的欺詐，每每出聲悲嘆，目睹他的愛子
忍辱負重，幹着歐魯修斯指派的苦活。
現在，我也一樣。高大的赫剋托耳，頭頂閃亮的頭盔，
正一個勁地殘殺已被逼抵船尾的阿耳吉維人——
在那種情況下，我何以忘得了狂迷，從一開始就擺脫她的欺蒙？
但是，既然我已受了迷騙，被宙斯奪走了心智，
我願彌補過失，拿出難以估價的償禮。
披甲戰鬥吧，催激起你的部屬！
至於償禮，我將如數提送，數量之多，一如
卓越的俄底修斯昨天[●]前往你的營棚，當面許下的允願。
●昨天：應為前天。
或者，如果你願意，亦可在此等一等——儘管你求戰心切——
讓我的隨員從我的船裏拿出禮物，送來給你，
從而讓你看看，我拿出了一些什麽東西，寬慰你的心靈。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“阿特柔斯之子，民衆的王者，最尊貴的阿伽門農，
禮物，你願給就給，此乃合宜之舉；否則，
你亦可自留選用。但現在，我們要盡快鼓起前往
廝殺的激情！我們不宜呆在這裏，浪費時間；
此事刻不容緩，眼前還有一場大戰。
人們將會由此看到，阿基琉斯重返前排的隊列，
以他的銅槍，蕩毀特洛伊人的編隊。所以，
你們，每一個人都要記住，不要放過敵打的對手！”
聽罷這番話，足智多謀的俄底修斯答道：
“這麽做可不行，神一樣的阿基琉斯，雖然你是個出色的戰勇。
不要讓阿開亞人的兒子們餓着肚皮衝嚮伊利昂，
和特洛伊人拼鬥。這將不是一場一時一刻
可以結束的搏殺，一旦大部隊交手接戰，
雙方都挾着神明催發的狂勇。
不如先讓他們呆在快捷的船邊，
進食喝酒，此乃戰士的力氣和剛勇。
倘若饑腸回轉，戰士就不會有拼鬥的勇力，打上
一個整天，直到太陽沉落的時分。即使
心中騰燒着戰鬥的激情，他的
四肢也會在不知不覺中變得疲乏沉重；饑餓和
焦渴會把他逮住，遲滯他嚮前邁進的腿步。
但是，一個吃飽食物、喝足甜酒的戰士，
卻能和敵人拼戰整天，
因為他心力旺盛，肢腿不會
疲軟，一直打到兩軍分手，息兵罷戰的時候。
解散你的隊伍，讓他們整備
食餐。至於償禮，讓民衆的王者阿伽門農
差員送到人群之中，以便讓所有的阿開亞人
都能親眼目睹，亦能偷慰你阿基琉斯的心胸。
讓阿伽門農站在耳阿吉維人面前，對你發誓，
他從未和姑娘睡覺，從未和她同床，
雖說男女之間，我的王爺，此乃人之常情。
而你，你亦應拿出寬誠，舒展胸懷——
他會排開豐盛的食宴，在自己的營棚，
鬆解你的心結，使你得到理應收取的一切。
從今後，阿特桑斯之子，你要更公正地對待
別人。王者首先盛怒傷人，其後出面平撫
感情的痕隙，如此追補，無可非厚。”
聽罷這番話，民衆的王者阿伽門農答道：
“聽了你的勸告，萊耳忒斯之子，我心裏高興。
對所有這些事情，你都說得中肯在理。
我將按你說的起誓——我的內心驅使我如此做來——
我將不棄違我的誓言，在神靈面前。阿基琉斯
可在此略作停留，雖然他恨不能馬上赴戰。
你們，其他在場的人，也要在此等待，直到我派人取來
禮物，從我的營棚，直到我們許下誓言，用牲血封證。
你，俄底修斯，我給你這趟差事，這道命令：
從阿開亞人中挑出身強力壯的小夥，從
我的船裏搬出禮物，擡到這裏，數量要像我們日前
諾許阿基琉斯的那樣衆多；別忘了把那些女人帶來。
在我們人群熙攘的軍伍，讓塔爾蘇比俄斯給我
備下一頭公豬，祭獻給宙斯和赫利俄斯享用。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“阿特柔斯之子，民衆的王者，最尊貴的阿伽門農，
操辦此事，你最好找個別的時間，
戰爭中的間息，其時，我的胸中
沒有此般兇暴的狂烈。眼下，
我們的人血肉模糊，橫躺沙場，倒死在
普裏阿摩斯之子赫剋托耳手下——宙斯正使他獲取光榮。
此時此刻，你倆卻催我赴宴——不！現在，我將
催督阿開亞人的兒子，要他們衝殺拼鬥。
忍饑挨餓，不吃不喝，直到太陽西下——戰後，他們
可吞食足份的佳餚——那時，我們已血洗澱積的羞辱！
在此之前，至少是我自己，我的喉嚨不會
吞咽飲酒和食物。親密的伴友已經死去，
躺在我的營棚，被青銅的槍械劃得
一塌糊塗，雙腳對着門戶，接受夥伴們的
悼哭。對於我，飲食已不屑一顧；我所貪戀的
是熱血、屠殺和聽聞人的呻呼！”
聽罷這番話，足智多謀的俄底修斯答道：
“阿基琉斯，裴琉斯之子，阿開亞人中最傑出的壯勇，
你比我出色，投槍操矛，你的臂力比我
大得多。然而，我或許比你更多些智慧，
因為我比你年長，所知更多。
所以，煩請你的心魂，聽聽我的勸說。
在戰鬥的農野上，當銅鐮撂倒一片片莖稈，
而收穫卻微乎其微之時，人們很快便會
厭倦膩煩，因為宙斯已傾斜戰爭的天秤——
宙斯，調控凡間戰事的尊神。
阿開亞人不能空着肚子悲悼死者——人死得
太多，這一天天的血戰，一堆堆的屍首！
我們何時才能中止絶食的折磨？
不，我們必須鐵下心來，埋葬
死者——舉哀一天可也，不直延拖。所有
從可恨的戰鬥中生還之人，必須正常
飲食，以便能不屈不撓，更勇猛地
和敵人進行長時間的拼鬥，
身披堅固的銅甲。誰也不許
退縮，等待別的什麽命令——記住，
命令是現成的：誰要是畏縮在阿耳吉維人的船邊，
他將必死無疑！好吧，讓我們一起撲殺，
喚醒兇暴的戰神，衝嚮特洛伊人，調馴烈馬的戰勇！”
言罷，他邁步離去，帶着光榮的奈斯托耳的兩個兒子，
還有夫琉斯之子墨格斯、墨裏俄奈斯和索阿斯，
以及剋雷昂之子魯科墨得斯和墨拉尼波斯。他們
來到阿特柔斯之子阿伽門農的營棚，
發出幾道命令，把事情辦得妥妥帖帖。
他們從營棚裏擡出七衹銅鼎——阿伽門農
允諾的償禮——二十口閃亮的大鍋，十二匹好馬，
旋即帶出七名女子，女工嫻熟，
精湛絶倫，連同美貌的布裏塞伊絲，一共八位。
俄底修斯稱出十塔蘭同黃金，帶隊
回程；年輕的阿開亞軍頭們擡着其他償禮，
來到會場中間，撂下手中的東西。阿伽門農
直腿站立，塔爾蘇比俄斯——他的聲音就像神的話語
一樣明晰——站在兵士的牧者身邊，抓抱着一頭公豬。
阿特柔斯之子拔出匕首——此物總是
懸挂在銅劍寬厚的劍鞘旁，割下
一絡豬鬃，高舉雙手，
對着宙斯，朗聲祈禱；兵勇們端坐在自己的位置，
在各自的隊伍裏，屏息靜聽王者的祈誦。
阿伽門農朗聲誦說，舉目遼闊的天空：
“願宙斯，最高、至尊的天神，作我的第一位見證，
還有大地、太陽和復仇女神們，她們行走在地下，
報復那些發偽誓的死人：
我從未伸手碰過布裏塞伊絲姑娘，
沒有和她同床共寢，或做過其他什麽
事情；在我的營棚裏，姑娘不曾被動過一個指頭。
倘若我的話有半句摻假，就讓神明——像對那些念着他們的
名字，作發偽誓的人們那樣——給我帶來受之不盡的苦痛！”
言罷，他用無情的青銅割斷公豬的喉管，
塔爾蘇比俄斯揮旋着豬身，把它扔進灰藍色的海灣，
浩森的大海，喂了魚鱉。其時，阿基琉斯
起身站在嗜戰的阿開亞人中間，說道：
“父親宙斯，你把凡人弄得稀裏糊塗，用你的強有力的迷術！
否則，阿特柔斯之於决然不能在我心裏
激起此番狂 莽的暴怒，也不會違背我的意願，
奪走姑娘，頑固而不講情理。出於某種原因，
宙斯熱衷於讓大群的阿開亞人戰死疆場。
散去吧，填飽肚子，以便盡快投入戰鬥！”
幾句短短的話語，匆匆解散了集會。
人群四散離去，走回各自的海船。心志
高昂的慕耳彌鼕人收拾起償禮，
擡回神一樣的阿基琉斯的海船，
堆放在他的營棚；他們安頓下那些女子，
高傲的隨從們把得取的駿足牽人阿基琉斯的馬群。
其時，布裏塞伊絲回返營地，像金色的阿芙羅底忒一般，
看到帕特羅剋洛斯躺在地上，傷痕纍纍，得之於鋒快的銅矛，
一把將他抱在懷裏，放聲哭叫，雙手撕抓着
自己的胸脯、柔軟的脖子和秀美的臉面，
一位像神一樣的女子，悲慟訴告：
“帕特羅剋洛斯，你是我最大的愉慰，對我這顆悲愁的心靈！
我離開你，離開這座營棚的時候，你還活着；
現在，我回身營棚，而你，軍隊的首領，卻已撒手人寰！
不幸接着不幸，我這痛苦的人生！我曾
眼見着我的丈夫，我的父親和尊貴的母親給我的
那個男人，躺死在我們的城堡前，被鋒快的青銅豁裂，
還有我的三個兄弟，一母親生的同胞，
我所鐘愛的親人，也被盡數殺死，就在那同一個白天！
然而，當迅捷的阿基琉斯砍倒我的
丈夫，攻陷了雄偉的城堡慕奈斯，你叫我不要
哭陶，好言勸告，說是你將使我成為神一樣的阿基琉斯
合法的妻配，將用海船把我帶回
弗西亞，在慕耳彌鼕人中舉辦慶婚的盛宴。所以，
我現在悲哭你的死亡，我要哭個不停！
你，帕特羅剋洛斯，你總是那麽和善。”
言罷，她失聲痛哭，周圍的女人們個個
淚流滿面，哀悼帕特羅剋洛斯的死亡，私下裏悲哭
自己的不幸。阿開亞人的首領們圍聚在阿基琉斯身邊，
懇求他用食進餐，但後者悲嘆一聲，出言拒絶：
“求求你們——倘若我的好夥伴中，有人願意聽我
表明心跡——不要再勸我開懷吃喝，
以飲食自娛；深切的悲痛已揪住我的心靈。
我將咬牙堅持，絶食忍耐，直到太陽西沉的時候！”
他的此番說告，送走了其他王者，但
阿特柔斯的兩個兒子仍然呆留不去，還有卓越的俄底修斯、
奈斯托耳、伊多墨紐斯和年邁的車戰者福伊尼剋斯，
殷勤勸慰，安撫他的傷愁。無奈這一切
全都無濟於事——衹有戰爭的血盆大口才能寬慰他的心懷！
他長噓短嘆，思念着帕特羅剋洛斯，開口說道：
“哦，苦命的朋友，我最親密的夥伴，以往，
你會親自動手，調備可口的餐食，在我的營棚，
做得既快又好，當着那些臨戰的時刻，阿開亞人
心急火燎，意欲投入悲烈的戰鬥，痛殺特洛伊人，馴馬的好手！
但現在，你遍體傷痕，躺在我的面前；我無心
喝酒吃肉，雖然它們滿堆在我的身邊——這一切
都是出於對你的思念！對於我，生活中不會有比這更重的打擊：
即便是聽到父親亡故的消息——我知道，
此刻，老人傢正淌着大滴的眼淚，在弗西亞，
為了我，失離的兒子，置身異鄉客地，
為了該死的海倫，拼戰特洛伊壯勇——
還是聞悉兒子的不幸——有人替我照看撫養，在斯庫羅斯，
倘若神一樣的尼俄普托勒摩斯現時還活在人間。
在此之前，我還滿懷希望，以為
僅我一人不歸，死在特洛伊，遠離馬草
豐肥的阿耳戈斯，而你卻能生還弗西亞，
而後乘坐快捷的黑船，把我兒從斯庫羅斯
接口，讓他看看我所擁有的一切，
我的財富，我的僕人和寬敞的、頂面高聳的房屋。
我想，裴琉斯不是已經亡故，
埋入泥塵，便是掙紮在奄奄一息的餘生中，
痛苦萬分，無奈於可恨的暮年，總在等盼
我的訊息；直到聽聞我已被人殺死的噩耗。”
阿基瓊斯悲聲哭訴，衆首領陪伴在他的身邊，含淚嘆悼，
全都思念着自己的一切，撇留在傢中的所有。
看着他們悲哭哀悼，剋羅諾斯之子心生憐憫，
馬上喊出長了翅膀的話語，對雅典娜說道：
“我的孩子，難道你已徹底拋棄你所寵愛的壯士？
難道你已不再關心照顧阿基琉斯？
現在，他正坐在頭尾翹聳的海船邊，哭悼
心愛的夥伴。其他人都已散去
吃喝，而他卻拒絶進食；不思炊火。
去吧，把花露和甜潤的仙液
滴入他的胸腔，使他不致忍受饑餓的煎磨。”
就這樣，他催促雅典娜前行，後者早已
迫不及待，化作一隻翅膀寬闊、叫聲尖利的鷂鷹，
撲下天際，穿過透亮的氣空。軍營裏，阿開亞人
動作迅捷，正忙着全身武裝。女神把花露
和甜潤的仙液滴人阿基琉斯的
胸腔，使饑餓的折磨不致疲軟他的膝腿。
然後，女神回返父親的房居，堅固的
廳堂，而阿開亞軍隊則從快船邊四散出擊。
像宙斯撒下的紛揚密匝的雪片，
挾着高天哺育的北風吹送的寒流，
地面上銅盔簇擁，光彩爍爍，
涌出海船，連同層面突鼓的戰盾，
條片堅固的胸甲和(木岑)木桿的槍矛。
耀眼的閃光照亮了天空，四周的大地發出朗朗的笑聲；
鋥亮的銅光下，兵勇們的腳步踏出隆隆的
巨響；人群中，卓越的阿基琉斯開始披甲持槍。
他牙齒咬得格格嘣響，雙目熠熠生光，
像燃燒的火球，心中滿懷難以
製抑的悲傷。挾着對待洛伊人的暴怒，
他穿戴起神賜的鎧甲，凝聚着赫法伊斯托斯的辛勞。
首先，他用脛甲裹住小腿，
精美的製品，帶着銀質的踝扣，
隨之係上胸甲，掩起胸背，然後
挎上柄嵌銀釘的劈劍，
青銅鑄就，背起盾牌，盾面巨大、沉重，
寒光四射，像晶瑩的月亮。
宛如一堆燃燒的火焰，被漂泊海面的
水手眺見，騰升在山野裏的一處荒僻的
羊圈；水手們奮力掙紮，被風暴捲出
老遠的洋面，魚群擁聚的深海，遠離自己的朋伴——
爍爍的流光閃出阿基琉斯漂亮、鑄工精緻的盾牌，
射嚮高袤的氣空。接着，他拿起銅盔，戴在
壯實的頭上，頂着級插馬鬃的盔冠，
像星星一樣光亮，搖曳着黃金的冠飾，
赫法伊斯托斯的手藝，嵌顯在硬角的邊旁。
卓越的阿基琉斯撐收着鎧甲，體察它的
合身程度，亦想由此得知，甲內閃亮的肢腿能否運作自如
鎧甲穿感良好，像鳥兒的翅膀，托升起兵士的牧者。
最後，他從支架上抓起父親的槍矛，那玩藝
碩大、粗長、沉重，阿開亞人中誰也
提拿不起，衹有阿基琉斯可以得心應手地使用。
這條裴利昂(木岑)木桿槍矛，是開榮送給他父親的贈禮，
取材裴利昂的峰巔，作為剋殺英雄的利器。
奧托墨鼕和阿爾基摩斯把馭馬套上
戰車，圍上鬆軟的胸帶，勒人嚼子，
在上下頜之間，拉緊繮繩，朝着製合堅固的
戰車。奧托墨鼕抓起閃亮的馬鞭，
緊握在手，躍上戰車；
阿基琉斯站在他的身後，頭頂銅盔，準備戰鬥，
鎧甲閃閃發光，像橫跨天空的太陽，
用威嚴可怕的聲音呼喊，對着他父親的駿馬：
“珊索斯，巴利俄斯，波達耳格聲名遐逃的子駒！
這回，你倆可得小心在意，幹得漂亮些。記住，一經
打完這場戰鬥，要把馭手帶回達奈人的群伍，切莫
把他丟下，像對帕特羅剋洛斯那樣，挺屍在戰場上！”
聽罷這番話，四蹄滑亮的馭馬，在軛架下開口答話，
珊索斯，低着頭，鬃毛鋪瀉在
軛墊的邊沿，貼着軛架，掃落在地上，
白臂女神赫拉使它發音說話：
“是的，這次，強健的阿基琉斯，我們會救出你的性命。
然而，你的末日已在嚮你逼近，但這不是我們的
過錯，而是取决於一位了不起的尊神和強有力的命運。
不是因為我們腿慢，也不是因為漫不經心，
纔使特洛伊人搶得鎧甲，從帕特羅剋洛斯的肩頭；
是一位無敵的神祗，長發秀美的萊托的兒子，
將他殺死在前排的戰勇裏，讓赫剋托耳獲得光榮。
至於我們，我倆可以和強勁的西風賽跑，
那是風中最快的狂飆，人們都這麽說道。儘管如此，
你仍然註定要被強力殺死，被一位神明和一個凡人！”
說到這裏，復仇女神堵住了他的話頭。
帶着強烈的煩憤，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“珊索斯，為何預言我的死亡？你無需對我通報，
我已知道得清清楚楚；我將註定要死在這兒，
遠離親愛的父母。儘管如此，我將
使特洛伊人受夠我的打鬥，我將戰鬥不止！”
言罷，他大喝一聲，驅策風快的馭馬，奔駛在前排的戰列之中。
ARGUMENT.
THE RECONCILIATION OF ACHILLES AND AGAMEMNON.
Thetis brings to her son the armour made by Vulcan. She preserves the body
of his friend from corruption, and commands him to assemble the army, to
declare his resentment at an end. Agamemnon and Achilles are solemnly
reconciled: the speeches, presents, and ceremonies on that occasion.
Achilles is with great difficulty persuaded to refrain from the battle
till the troops have refreshed themselves by the advice of Ulysses. The
presents are conveyed to the tent of Achilles, where Briseis laments over
the body of Patroclus. The hero obstinately refuses all repast, and gives
himself up to lamentations for his friend. Minerva descends to strengthen
him, by the order of Jupiter. He arms for the fight: his appearance
described. He addresses himself to his horses, and reproaches them with
the death of Patroclus. One of them is miraculously endued with voice, and
inspired to prophesy his fate: but the hero, not astonished by that
prodigy, rushes with fury to the combat.
The thirteenth day. The scene is on the sea-shore.
Soon as Aurora heaved her Orient head
Above the waves, that blush'd with early red,
(With new-born day to gladden mortal sight,
And gild the courts of heaven with sacred light,)
The immortal arms the goddess-mother bears
Swift to her son: her son she finds in tears
Stretch'd o'er Patroclus' corse; while all the rest
Their sovereign's sorrows in their own express'd.
A ray divine her heavenly presence shed,
And thus, his hand soft touching, Thetis said:
"Suppress, my son, this rage of grief, and know
It was not man, but heaven, that gave the blow;
Behold what arms by Vulcan are bestow'd,
Arms worthy thee, or fit to grace a god."
Then drops the radiant burden on the ground;
Clang the strong arms, and ring the shores around;
Back shrink the Myrmidons with dread surprise,
And from the broad effulgence turn their eyes.
Unmoved the hero kindles at the show,
And feels with rage divine his bosom glow;
From his fierce eyeballs living flames expire,
And flash incessant like a stream of fire:
He turns the radiant gift: and feeds his mind
On all the immortal artist had design'd.
"Goddess! (he cried,) these glorious arms, that shine
With matchless art, confess the hand divine.
Now to the bloody battle let me bend:
But ah! the relics of my slaughter'd friend!
In those wide wounds through which his spirit fled,
Shall flies, and worms obscene, pollute the dead?"
"That unavailing care be laid aside,
(The azure goddess to her son replied,)
Whole years untouch'd, uninjured shall remain,
Fresh as in life, the carcase of the slain.
But go, Achilles, as affairs require,
Before the Grecian peers renounce thine ire:
Then uncontroll'd in boundless war engage,
And heaven with strength supply the mighty rage!"
[Illustration: THETIS BRINGING THE ARMOUR TO ACHILLES.]
THETIS BRINGING THE ARMOUR TO ACHILLES.
Then in the nostrils of the slain she pour'd
Nectareous drops, and rich ambrosia shower'd
O'er all the corse. The flies forbid their prey,
Untouch'd it rests, and sacred from decay.
Achilles to the strand obedient went:
The shores resounded with the voice he sent.
The heroes heard, and all the naval train
That tend the ships, or guide them o'er the main,
Alarm'd, transported, at the well-known sound,
Frequent and full, the great assembly crown'd;
Studious to see the terror of the plain,
Long lost to battle, shine in arms again.
Tydides and Ulysses first appear,
Lame with their wounds, and leaning on the spear;
These on the sacred seats of council placed,
The king of men, Atrides, came the last:
He too sore wounded by Agenor's son.
Achilles (rising in the midst) begun:
"O monarch! better far had been the fate
Of thee, of me, of all the Grecian state,
If (ere the day when by mad passion sway'd,
Rash we contended for the black-eyed maid)
Preventing Dian had despatch'd her dart,
And shot the shining mischief to the heart!
Then many a hero had not press'd the shore,
Nor Troy's glad fields been fatten'd with our gore.
Long, long shall Greece the woes we caused bewail,
And sad posterity repeat the tale.
But this, no more the subject of debate,
Is past, forgotten, and resign'd to fate.
Why should, alas, a mortal man, as I,
Burn with a fury that can never die?
Here then my anger ends: let war succeed,
And even as Greece has bled, let Ilion bleed.
Now call the hosts, and try if in our sight
Troy yet shall dare to camp a second night!
I deem, their mightiest, when this arm he knows,
Shall 'scape with transport, and with joy repose."
He said: his finish'd wrath with loud acclaim
The Greeks accept, and shout Pelides' name.
When thus, not rising from his lofty throne,
In state unmoved, the king of men begun:
"Hear me, ye sons of Greece! with silence hear!
And grant your monarch an impartial ear:
Awhile your loud, untimely joy suspend,
And let your rash, injurious clamours end:
Unruly murmurs, or ill-timed applause,
Wrong the best speaker, and the justest cause.
Nor charge on me, ye Greeks, the dire debate:
Know, angry Jove, and all-compelling Fate,
With fell Erinnys, urged my wrath that day
When from Achilles' arms I forced the prey.
What then could I against the will of heaven?
Not by myself, but vengeful Ate driven;
She, Jove's dread daughter, fated to infest
The race of mortals, enter'd in my breast.
Not on the ground that haughty fury treads,
But prints her lofty footsteps on the heads
Of mighty men; inflicting as she goes
Long-festering wounds, inextricable woes!
Of old, she stalk'd amid the bright abodes;
And Jove himself, the sire of men and gods,
The world's great ruler, felt her venom'd dart;
Deceived by Juno's wiles, and female art:
For when Alcmena's nine long months were run,
And Jove expected his immortal son,
To gods and goddesses the unruly joy
He show'd, and vaunted of his matchless boy:
'From us, (he said) this day an infant springs,
Fated to rule, and born a king of kings.'
Saturnia ask'd an oath, to vouch the truth,
And fix dominion on the favour'd youth.
The Thunderer, unsuspicious of the fraud,
Pronounced those solemn words that bind a god.
The joyful goddess, from Olympus' height,
Swift to Achaian Argos bent her flight:
Scarce seven moons gone, lay Sthenelus's wife;
She push'd her lingering infant into life:
Her charms Alcmena's coming labours stay,
And stop the babe, just issuing to the day.
Then bids Saturnius bear his oath in mind;
'A youth (said she) of Jove's immortal kind
Is this day born: from Sthenelus he springs,
And claims thy promise to be king of kings.'
Grief seized the Thunderer, by his oath engaged;
Stung to the soul, he sorrow'd, and he raged.
From his ambrosial head, where perch'd she sate,
He snatch'd the fury-goddess of debate,
The dread, the irrevocable oath he swore,
The immortal seats should ne'er behold her more;
And whirl'd her headlong down, for ever driven
From bright Olympus and the starry heaven:
Thence on the nether world the fury fell;
Ordain'd with man's contentious race to dwell.
Full oft the god his son's hard toils bemoan'd,
Cursed the dire fury, and in secret groan'd.(258)
Even thus, like Jove himself, was I misled,
While raging Hector heap'd our camps with dead.
What can the errors of my rage atone?
My martial troops, my treasures are thy own:
This instant from the navy shall be sent
Whate'er Ulysses promised at thy tent:
But thou! appeased, propitious to our prayer,
Resume thy arms, and shine again in war."
" O king of nations! whose superior sway
(Returns Achilles) all our hosts obey!
To keep or send the presents, be thy care;
To us, 'tis equal: all we ask is war.
While yet we talk, or but an instant shun
The fight, our glorious work remains undone.
Let every Greek, who sees my spear confound
The Trojan ranks, and deal destruction round,
With emulation, what I act survey,
And learn from thence the business of the day.
The son of Peleus thus; and thus replies
The great in councils, Ithacus the wise:
"Though, godlike, thou art by no toils oppress'd,
At least our armies claim repast and rest:
Long and laborious must the combat be,
When by the gods inspired, and led by thee.
Strength is derived from spirits and from blood,
And those augment by generous wine and food:
What boastful son of war, without that stay,
Can last a hero through a single day?
Courage may prompt; but, ebbing out his strength,
Mere unsupported man must yield at length;
Shrunk with dry famine, and with toils declined,
The drooping body will desert the mind:
But built anew with strength-conferring fare,
With limbs and soul untamed, he tires a war.
Dismiss the people, then, and give command.
With strong repast to hearten every band;
But let the presents to Achilles made,
In full assembly of all Greece be laid.
The king of men shall rise in public sight,
And solemn swear (observant of the rite)
That, spotless, as she came, the maid removes,
Pure from his arms, and guiltless of his loves.
That done, a sumptuous banquet shall be made,
And the full price of injured honour paid.
Stretch not henceforth, O prince.! thy sovereign might
Beyond the bounds of reason and of right;
'Tis the chief praise that e'er to kings belong'd,
To right with justice whom with power they wrong'd."
To him the monarch: "Just is thy decree,
Thy words give joy, and wisdom breathes in thee.
Each due atonement gladly I prepare;
And heaven regard me as I justly swear!
Here then awhile let Greece assembled stay,
Nor great Achilles grudge this short delay.
Till from the fleet our presents be convey'd,
And Jove attesting, the firm compact made.
A train of noble youths the charge shall bear;
These to _select_, Ulysses, be thy care:
In order rank'd let all our gifts appear,
And the fair train of captives close the rear:
Talthybius shall the victim boar convey,
Sacred to Jove, and yon bright orb of day."
"For this (the stern Æacides replies)
Some less important season may suffice,
When the stern fury of the war is o'er,
And wrath, extinguish'd, burns my breast no more.
By Hector slain, their faces to the sky,
All grim with gaping wounds, our heroes lie:
Those call to war! and might my voice incite,
Now, now, this instant, shall commence the fight:
Then, when the day's complete, let generous bowls,
And copious banquets, glad your weary souls.
Let not my palate know the taste of food,
Till my insatiate rage be cloy'd with blood:
Pale lies my friend, with wounds disfigured o'er,
And his cold feet are pointed to the door.
Revenge is all my soul! no meaner care,
Interest, or thought, has room to harbour there;
Destruction be my feast, and mortal wounds,
And scenes of blood, and agonizing sounds."
"O first of Greeks, (Ulysses thus rejoin'd,)
The best and bravest of the warrior kind!
Thy praise it is in dreadful camps to shine,
But old experience and calm wisdom mine.
Then hear my counsel, and to reason yield,
The bravest soon are satiate of the field;
Though vast the heaps that strow the crimson plain,
The bloody harvest brings but little gain:
The scale of conquest ever wavering lies,
Great Jove but turns it, and the victor dies!
The great, the bold, by thousands daily fall,
And endless were the grief, to weep for all.
Eternal sorrows what avails to shed?
Greece honours not with solemn fasts the dead:
Enough, when death demands the brave, to pay
The tribute of a melancholy day.
One chief with patience to the grave resign'd,
Our care devolves on others left behind.
Let generous food supplies of strength produce,
Let rising spirits flow from sprightly juice,
Let their warm heads with scenes of battle glow,
And pour new furies on the feebler foe.
Yet a short interval, and none shall dare
Expect a second summons to the war;
Who waits for that, the dire effects shall find,
If trembling in the ships he lags behind.
Embodied, to the battle let us bend,
And all at once on haughty Troy descend."
And now the delegates Ulysses sent,
To bear the presents from the royal tent:
The sons of Nestor, Phyleus' valiant heir,
Thias and Merion, thunderbolts of war,
With Lycomedes of Creiontian strain,
And Melanippus, form'd the chosen train.
Swift as the word was given, the youths obey'd:
Twice ten bright vases in the midst they laid;
A row of six fair tripods then succeeds;
And twice the number of high-bounding steeds:
Seven captives next a lovely line compose;
The eighth Briseis, like the blooming rose,
Closed the bright band: great Ithacus, before,
First of the train, the golden talents bore:
The rest in public view the chiefs dispose,
A splendid scene! then Agamemnon rose:
The boar Talthybius held: the Grecian lord
Drew the broad cutlass sheath'd beside his sword:
The stubborn bristles from the victim's brow
He crops, and offering meditates his vow.
His hands uplifted to the attesting skies,
On heaven's broad marble roof were fixed his eyes.
The solemn words a deep attention draw,
And Greece around sat thrill'd with sacred awe.
"Witness thou first! thou greatest power above,
All-good, all-wise, and all-surveying Jove!
And mother-earth, and heaven's revolving light,
And ye, fell furies of the realms of night,
Who rule the dead, and horrid woes prepare
For perjured kings, and all who falsely swear!
The black-eyed maid inviolate removes,
Pure and unconscious of my manly loves.
If this be false, heaven all its vengeance shed,
And levell'd thunder strike my guilty head!"
With that, his weapon deep inflicts the wound;
The bleeding savage tumbles to the ground;
The sacred herald rolls the victim slain
(A feast for fish) into the foaming main.
Then thus Achilles: "Hear, ye Greeks! and know
Whate'er we feel, 'tis Jove inflicts the woe;
Not else Atrides could our rage inflame,
Nor from my arms, unwilling, force the dame.
'Twas Jove's high will alone, o'erruling all,
That doom'd our strife, and doom'd the Greeks to fall.
Go then, ye chiefs! indulge the genial rite;
Achilles waits ye, and expects the fight."
The speedy council at his word adjourn'd:
To their black vessels all the Greeks return'd.
Achilles sought his tent. His train before
March'd onward, bending with the gifts they bore.
Those in the tents the squires industrious spread:
The foaming coursers to the stalls they led;
To their new seats the female captives move
Briseis, radiant as the queen of love,
Slow as she pass'd, beheld with sad survey
Where, gash'd with cruel wounds, Patroclus lay.
Prone on the body fell the heavenly fair,
Beat her sad breast, and tore her golden hair;
All beautiful in grief, her humid eyes
Shining with tears she lifts, and thus she cries:
"Ah, youth for ever dear, for ever kind,
Once tender friend of my distracted mind!
I left thee fresh in life, in beauty gay;
Now find thee cold, inanimated clay!
What woes my wretched race of life attend!
Sorrows on sorrows, never doom'd to end!
The first loved consort of my virgin bed
Before these eyes in fatal battle bled:
My three brave brothers in one mournful day
All trod the dark, irremeable way:
Thy friendly hand uprear'd me from the plain,
And dried my sorrows for a husband slain;
Achilles' care you promised I should prove,
The first, the dearest partner of his love;
That rites divine should ratify the band,
And make me empress in his native land.
Accept these grateful tears! for thee they flow,
For thee, that ever felt another's woe!"
Her sister captives echoed groan for groan,
Nor mourn'd Patroclus' fortunes, but their own.
The leaders press'd the chief on every side;
Unmoved he heard them, and with sighs denied.
"If yet Achilles have a friend, whose care
Is bent to please him, this request forbear;
Till yonder sun descend, ah, let me pay
To grief and anguish one abstemious day."
He spoke, and from the warriors turn'd his face:
Yet still the brother-kings of Atreus' race,
Nestor, Idomeneus, Ulysses sage,
And Phoenix, strive to calm his grief and rage:
His rage they calm not, nor his grief control;
He groans, he raves, he sorrows from his soul.
"Thou too, Patroclus! (thus his heart he vents)
Once spread the inviting banquet in our tents:
Thy sweet society, thy winning care,
Once stay'd Achilles, rushing to the war.
But now, alas! to death's cold arms resign'd,
What banquet but revenge can glad my mind?
What greater sorrow could afflict my breast,
What more if hoary Peleus were deceased?
Who now, perhaps, in Phthia dreads to hear
His son's sad fate, and drops a tender tear.
What more, should Neoptolemus the brave,
My only offspring, sink into the grave?
If yet that offspring lives; (I distant far,
Of all neglectful, wage a hateful war.)
I could not this, this cruel stroke attend;
Fate claim'd Achilles, but might spare his friend.
I hoped Patroclus might survive, to rear
My tender orphan with a parent's care,
From Scyros' isle conduct him o'er the main,
And glad his eyes with his paternal reign,
The lofty palace, and the large domain.
For Peleus breathes no more the vital air;
Or drags a wretched life of age and care,
But till the news of my sad fate invades
His hastening soul, and sinks him to the shades."
Sighing he said: his grief the heroes join'd,
Each stole a tear for what he left behind.
Their mingled grief the sire of heaven survey'd,
And thus with pity to his blue-eyed maid:
"Is then Achilles now no more thy care,
And dost thou thus desert the great in war?
Lo, where yon sails their canvas wings extend,
All comfortless he sits, and wails his friend:
Ere thirst and want his forces have oppress'd,
Haste and infuse ambrosia in his breast."
He spoke; and sudden, at the word of Jove,
Shot the descending goddess from above.
So swift through ether the shrill harpy springs,
The wide air floating to her ample wings,
To great Achilles she her flight address'd,
And pour'd divine ambrosia in his breast,(259)
With nectar sweet, (refection of the gods!)
Then, swift ascending, sought the bright abodes.
Now issued from the ships the warrior-train,
And like a deluge pour'd upon the plain.
As when the piercing blasts of Boreas blow,
And scatter o'er the fields the driving snow;
From dusky clouds the fleecy winter flies,
Whose dazzling lustre whitens all the skies:
So helms succeeding helms, so shields from shields,
Catch the quick beams, and brighten all the fields;
Broad glittering breastplates, spears with pointed rays,
Mix in one stream, reflecting blaze on blaze;
Thick beats the centre as the coursers bound;
With splendour flame the skies, and laugh the fields around,
Full in the midst, high-towering o'er the rest,
His limbs in arms divine Achilles dress'd;
Arms which the father of the fire bestow'd,
Forged on the eternal anvils of the god.
Grief and revenge his furious heart inspire,
His glowing eyeballs roll with living fire;
He grinds his teeth, and furious with delay
O'erlooks the embattled host, and hopes the bloody day.
The silver cuishes first his thighs infold;
Then o'er his breast was braced the hollow gold;
The brazen sword a various baldric tied,
That, starr'd with gems, hung glittering at his side;
And, like the moon, the broad refulgent shield
Blazed with long rays, and gleam'd athwart the field.
So to night-wandering sailors, pale with fears,
Wide o'er the watery waste, a light appears,
Which on the far-seen mountain blazing high,
Streams from some lonely watch-tower to the sky:
With mournful eyes they gaze, and gaze again;
Loud howls the storm, and drives them o'er the main.
Next, his high head the helmet graced; behind
The sweepy crest hung floating in the wind:
Like the red star, that from his flaming hair
Shakes down diseases, pestilence, and war;
So stream'd the golden honours from his head,
Trembled the sparkling plumes, and the loose glories shed.
The chief beholds himself with wondering eyes;
His arms he poises, and his motions tries;
Buoy'd by some inward force, he seems to swim,
And feels a pinion lifting every limb.
And now he shakes his great paternal spear,
Ponderous and huge, which not a Greek could rear,
From Pelion's cloudy top an ash entire
Old Chiron fell'd, and shaped it for his sire;
A spear which stern Achilles only wields,
The death of heroes, and the dread of fields.
Automedon and Alcimus prepare
The immortal coursers, and the radiant car;
(The silver traces sweeping at their side;)
Their fiery mouths resplendent bridles tied;
The ivory-studded reins, return'd behind,
Waved o'er their backs, and to the chariot join'd.
The charioteer then whirl'd the lash around,
And swift ascended at one active bound.
All bright in heavenly arms, above his squire
Achilles mounts, and sets the field on fire;
Not brighter Phoebus in the ethereal way
Flames from his chariot, and restores the day.
High o'er the host, all terrible he stands,
And thunders to his steeds these dread commands:
"Xanthus and Balius! of Podarges' strain,
(Unless ye boast that heavenly race in vain,)
Be swift, be mindful of the load ye bear,
And learn to make your master more your care:
Through falling squadrons bear my slaughtering sword,
Nor, as ye left Patroclus, leave your lord."
The generous Xanthus, as the words he said,
Seem'd sensible of woe, and droop'd his head:
Trembling he stood before the golden wain,
And bow'd to dust the honours of his mane.
When, strange to tell! (so Juno will'd) he broke
Eternal silence, and portentous spoke.
"Achilles! yes! this day at least we bear
Thy rage in safety through the files of war:
But come it will, the fatal time must come,
Not ours the fault, but God decrees thy doom.
Not through our crime, or slowness in the course,
Fell thy Patroclus, but by heavenly force;
The bright far-shooting god who gilds the day
(Confess'd we saw him) tore his arms way.
No--could our swiftness o'er the winds prevail,
Or beat the pinions of the western gale,
All were in vain--the Fates thy death demand,
Due to a mortal and immortal hand."
Then ceased for ever, by the Furies tied,
His fateful voice. The intrepid chief replied
With unabated rage--"So let it be!
Portents and prodigies are lost on me.
I know my fate: to die, to see no more
My much-loved parents, and my native shore--
Enough--when heaven ordains, I sink in night:
Now perish Troy!" He said, and rush'd to fight.
[Illustration: HERCULES.]
HERCULES. 這時，在彎翹的海船邊，阿開亞人正武裝起來，
圍繞着你，阿基琉斯，裴琉斯嗜戰不厭的兒郎，
面對武裝的特洛伊人，排列在平原上，隆起的
那一頭。與此同時，在山脊聳疊的俄林波斯的峰巔，
宙斯命囑塞彌絲召聚所有的神祗聚會；女神各處
奔走傳告，要他們前往宙斯的房居。
除了俄開阿諾斯，所有的河流都來到議事地點，
還有所有的女仙，無一缺席——平日裏，她們活躍在婆娑的
樹叢下，出沒在泉河的水流邊和水草豐美的澤地裏。
神們全都彙聚在嘯聚烏雲的宙斯的房居，
躬身下坐，在石面溜滑的柱廊裏，赫法伊斯托斯的
傑作，為父親宙斯，以他的工藝和匠心。
衆神彙聚在宙斯的傢居，包括裂地之神
波塞鼕，不曾忽略女神的傳諭，從海裏出來，和
衆神一起出席，坐在他們中間，出言詢問宙斯的用意：
“這是為什麽，閃電霹靂之王，為何再次把我們召聚到
這裏？還在思考特洛伊人和阿開亞人的戰事嗎？
兩軍即將開戰，像一堆待焚的柴火。”
聽罷這番話，嘯聚烏雲的宙斯答道：
“裂地之神，你已猜出我的用意，我把各位
召聚起來的目的。我關心這些凡人，雖然他們正在死去。
儘管如此，我仍將呆在俄林波斯的山脊，
靜坐觀賞，愉悅我的心懷。你等衆神
可即時下山，前往特洛伊人和阿開亞人的群隊，
任憑你們的喜好，幫助各自願幫的一邊。
如果我們任由阿基琉斯獨自廝殺，特洛伊人
便休想擋住裴琉斯捷足的兒子，一刻也不能。
即便在以前，他們見了此人也會嗦嗦發抖——
現在，由於伴友的死亡，悲憤交加，
我擔心他會衝破命運的製約，攻下特洛伊人的城堡。”
言罷，宙斯挑起持續不斷的戰鬥；
衆神下山介入搏殺，帶着互相抵觸的念頭。
赫拉前往雲集灘沿的海船，和帕拉絲·雅典娜一起，
還有環繞大地的波塞鼕和善喜助佑的
赫耳墨斯——此神心智敏捷，無有競比的對手。
赫法伊斯托斯亦和他們同行，憑恃自己的勇力，
瘸擁着行走，靈巧地挪動幹癟的腿腳。
但頭盔閃亮的阿瑞斯去了特洛伊人一邊，
還有長發飄灑的阿波羅，射手
阿耳忒彌絲，以及萊托、珊索斯和愛笑的阿芙羅底忒。
在神們尚未接近凡人之時，戰場上，
阿開亞人所嚮披靡，節節勝利——阿基瓊斯
已重返疆場，雖然他已長時間地避離慘烈的戰鬥。
特洛伊人個個心驚膽戰，嚇得雙腿
發抖，看着裴琉斯捷足的兒子，
鎧甲掙亮，殺人狂阿瑞斯一樣的凡人。
但是，當依林波斯衆神匯入凡人的隊伍，
強有力的爭鬥，兵士的驅慫，抖擻出渾身的力量；雅典娜
咆哮呼喊，時而站在墻外的溝邊，
時而又出現在海濤震響的岩岸，疾聲呼號。
在戰場的另一邊，阿瑞斯吼聲如雷，像一股
黑色的旋風，時而出現在城堡的頂樓，厲聲催督
特洛伊人嚮前，時而又奮力疾跑，沿着西摩埃斯河岸，卡利科
洛奈的坡面。
就這樣，幸運的神祗催勵敵對的雙方拼命，
也在他們自己中間引發激烈的競鬥。
天上，神和人的父親炸起可怕的
響雷；地下，波塞鼕搖撼着無邊的
陸基，搖撼着巍巍的群山和險峰。
大地震顫動蕩，那多泉的伊達，它的每一個坡面，
每一峰山巔，連同特洛伊人的城堡，阿開亞人的船舟。
埃多紐斯，冥府的主宰，心裏害怕，
從寶座上一躍而起，嘶聲尖叫，惟恐在他的頭上，
環地之神波塞鼕可能裂毀地面，
暴襢出死人的房院，在神和人的眼前，
陰暗、黴爛的地府，連神祗看了也會厭惡。
就這樣，神們對陣開戰，撞頂出
轟然的聲響。福伊波斯·阿波羅手持羽箭，
穩穩站立，攻戰王者波塞鼕，而
灰眼睛女神雅典娜則敵戰厄努阿利俄斯。
對抗赫拉的是嘯走山林的獵手，帶用金箭的捕者，
潑箭如雨的阿耳忒彌絲，遠射手阿波羅的姐妹。
善喜助佑的赫耳墨斯面對女神萊托，而
迎戰赫法伊斯托斯的則是那條漩渦深捲的長河，
神祗叫它珊索斯，凡人則稱之為斯卡曼得羅斯。
就這樣，雙方互不相讓，神和神的對抗。與此同時，
阿基琉斯迫不及待地衝入戰鬥，尋戰赫剋托耳，
普裏阿摩斯之子，渴望用他的，而不是
別人的熱血，喂飽戰神、從盾牌後殺砍的阿瑞斯的胃腸。
但是，阿波羅，兵士的驅慫，卻催使埃內阿斯
攻戰裴琉斯之子，給他註入巨大的力量。
摹仿普裏阿摩斯之於魯卡昂的聲音和
形貌，宙斯之子阿波羅對埃內阿斯說道：
“埃內阿斯，特洛伊人的訓導，你的那些豪言壯語，
就着杯中的飲酒，當着特洛伊人的王者發出的威脅，現在怎麽
不見了蹤影？
你說，你可一對一地和阿基琉斯、裴琉斯之子打個輸贏。”
聽罷這番話，埃內阿斯答道：“魯卡昂，
普裏阿摩斯之子，為何催我違背自己的意願，
迎着他的狂怒，和裴琉斯之子面對面地開打？
這將不是我第一次和捷足的阿基琉斯
照面。那次，在此之前，他手持槍矛，
把我趕下伊達；那一天，他搶劫我們的牛群，
蕩毀了魯耳奈索斯和裴達索斯。幸得宙斯相救，
給我註入勇力，使我快腿如飛。否則，
我早已倒在阿基琉斯的槍下，死在雅典娜的手裏，
後者跑在他的前頭，灑下護助的明光，激勵他
奮勇前進，用他的銅槍，擊殺萊勒格斯和特洛伊兵壯。
所以，凡人中誰也不能和阿基琉斯面戰，
他的身邊總有某位神明，替他擋開死亡。即使
沒有神的助佑，他的投槍就像長了眼睛，一旦擊中，緊咬不放，
直至穿透被擊者的身軀。但是，倘若神祗願意
拉平戰爭的繩綫，他就不能輕而易舉地
獲勝，即便出言稱道，他的每塊肌肉都是用青銅鑄成！”
聽罷這番話，宙斯之子、王者阿波羅說道：
“英雄，為何不對長生不老的神明祈禱？
你亦可以這麽做——人們說，你是宙斯之女阿芙羅底忒的
骨肉，而阿基琉斯則出自一位身份相對低下的女神的肚腹；
阿芙羅底忒乃宙斯之女，而塞提絲的父親是海中的長老。
去吧，提着你那不知疲倦的銅矛，勇往直前！切莫讓他
把你頂退回來，用那含帶蔑視的吹擂，氣勢洶洶的恫嚇！”
此番催勵在兵士的牧者身上激起巨大的力量，
他頭頂閃亮的頭盔，闊步穿行在前排壯勇的隊列。
安基塞斯之子穿過人群，意欲尋戰裴琉斯的兒郎。
白臂膀的赫拉馬上發現他的行蹤，
召來己方的神祗，對他們開口說道：
“好好商討一番，你們二位，波塞鼕和雅典娜；
認真想想吧，這場攻勢會引出什麽結果。
看，埃內阿斯，頂着鋥亮的頭盔，正
撲嚮裴琉斯之子，受福伊波斯·阿波羅的遣送。
來吧，讓我們就此行動，把他趕離；
否則，我們中的一個要前往站在阿基琉斯身邊，
給他註入巨大的勇力，使他不致心虛
手軟。要讓他知道，高高在上的神祗，他們中最了不起的幾位，
全都鐘愛着他，而那些個至今一直為特洛伊人
擋禦戰爭和死亡的神們，則像無用的清風！
我們合夥從俄林波斯下來，參與這場
戰鬥，使阿基琉斯不致在今天倒死在特洛伊人
手中。日後，他將經受命運用紡綫羅織的苦難，
早在他出生人世，他的母親把他帶到人間的那一刻。
倘若阿基琉斯對此未有所聞，聽自神的聲音，
那麽，當一位神祗和他開打較量，他就會
心虛膽怯。誰敢看了不怕，如果神明的出現，以自己的形貌？”
聽罷這番話，裂地之神波塞鼕答道：
“赫拉，不要感情用事，莫名其妙地動怒
發火。至少，我不願催領這邊的神祗，
和對手戰鬥；我們的優勢太過明顯。
這樣吧，讓我們離開此地，避離戰場，端坐高處，
極目觀賞；讓凡人自己對付他們的戰殺。
但是，如果阿瑞斯或福伊波斯·阿波羅參與戰鬥，
或把阿基琉斯推擋回去，不讓他衝殺，
那時，我們便可即刻出動，和他們對手
較量。這樣，用不了多久，我相信，他們就會
跑回俄林波斯，躲進神的群隊，
帶着我們的手力，難以抗拒的擊打！”
言罷，黑發的波塞鼕領頭前行，來到神一樣的
赫拉剋勒斯的墻堡，兩邊堆着厚實的泥土，
一座高聳的堡壘，特洛伊人和帕拉絲·雅典娜為他建造，
作為避身的去處，以便在橫衝直撞的海怪，
把壯士從海邊趕往平原的時候，躲防他的追捕。
波塞鼕和同行的神祗在那裏下坐，
捲來大片雲朵，築起不可攻破的霧障，圍繞在他們的肩頭。
在遠離他們的另一邊，神們在卡利科洛奈的懸壁上下坐，
圍聚在你倆的身邊，射手阿波羅和攻城略地的阿瑞斯。
就這樣，兩邊的神祗分地而坐，運籌
謀劃，哪一方都不願首先挑起痛苦的
擊打，雖然高坐雲天的宙斯催恿着他們戰鬥。
然而，平原上人山人海，銅光四射，
到處塞滿了人和戰馬，兩軍進逼，人腿和馬蹄擊打着地面，
大地為之搖撼。兩軍間的空地上，兩位最傑出的
戰勇迎面撲進，帶着仇殺的狂烈，
埃內阿斯，安基塞斯之子，和卓越的阿基琉斯。
埃內阿斯首先走出隊列，氣勢洶洶地邁着大步，
搖晃着腦袋，在沉重的帽盔下，挺着兇 莽的戰盾，
擋在胸前，揮舞着青銅的槍矛。迎着他的
臉面，裴琉斯之子猛撲上前，像一頭雄獅，
兇暴的猛獸，招來獵殺的敵手，整個
村鎮的居民。一開始，它還滿不在乎，
放腿信步，直到一個動作敏捷的小夥
投槍捅破他的肌膚。其時，它蹲伏起身子，張開血盆大口，
齒齦間唾沫橫流，強健的獅心裏回響着悲沉的呼吼；
它揚起尾巴，拍打自己的肚助和兩邊的股腹，
抽激起廝殺的狂烈，瞪着閃光的眼睛，
狂猛地撲嚮人群，抱定一個决心，要麽撕裂他們
中的一個，要麽——在首次撲擊中——被他們放倒！
就像這樣，高傲的心靈和戰鬥的狂烈催激着阿基琉斯
奮勇嚮前，面對心志豪 莽的埃內阿斯。
他倆相對而行，咄咄逼近；
捷足和卓越的阿基琉斯首先開口發話，喊道：
“埃內阿斯，為何遠離你的隊伍，
孤身出戰？是你的願望吧？是它驅使你拼命，
企望成為馴馬好手特洛伊人的主宰，榮登
普裏阿摩斯的寶座？然而，即使你殺了我，
普裏阿摩斯也不會把王冠放到你的手裏——
他有親生的兒子，何況老人自己身板硬朗，思路敏捷。
也許，特洛伊人已經答應，倘若你能把我殺了，
他們將給你一塊土地，一片精耕的沃野，繁茂的果林，
由你統管經營？不過，要想殺我，可不是件容易的事情。
我似乎記得，從前，你曾在我槍下九死一生。
忘了嗎？我曾把你趕離你的牛群，
追下伊達的斜坡；你，孤伶伶的一個，撒開兩腿，
不要命似地奔跑，連頭都不曾回過。
你跑到魯耳奈索斯，但我奮起強攻，
碎毀了那座城堡，承蒙雅典娜和父親宙斯的助佑，
逮獲了城內的女子，剝奪了她們的自由，
當做戰禮拉走，衹是讓你活命逃生，宙斯和諸神把你相救。
這一回，我想，神明不會再來助佑，雖然你以為
他們還會這麽做。退回去吧，恕我直言，回到
你的群隊，不要和我交手，省得自找
麻煩！既便是個傻瓜，也知道前車之鑒！”
聽罷這番話，埃內阿斯開口答道：
“不要癡心妄想，裴琉斯之子，試圖用言語把我嚇倒，
把我當做一個毛孩！不，若論咒駡
侮辱，我也是一把不讓人的好手。
你我都知道對方的門第和雙親，我們
已從世人的嘴裏聽過，他們的光榮可追溯到久遠的年代，
衹是你我都不曾親眼見過對方的父母。
人們說，你是豪勇的裴琉斯的兒子，
你的母親是長發秀美的塞提絲，海洋的女兒。
至於我，不瞞你說，我乃心志豪 莽的安基塞斯之子，
而我的母親是阿芙羅底忒。今天，你我的雙親中，
總有一對，將為失去心愛的兒子
慟哭。相信我，我們不會就此撤離戰鬥，
像孩子似的，僅僅吵駡一通，然後各回傢門。
雖然如此，關於我的宗譜，如果你想知道得清清楚楚，
不遺不誤，那就聽我道來，雖說在許多人心裏，這些已是
熟知的掌故。
我的傢世，可以上溯到達耳達諾斯，嘯聚烏雲的宙斯之子，
創建達耳達尼亞的宗祖；那時，神聖的伊利昂尚未出現，
這座聳立在平原之上，庇護着一方民衆的城。
人們營居在伊達的斜面，多泉的山坡。
以後，達耳達諾斯生養一子，王者厄裏剋索尼俄斯，
世間最富有的凡人，擁有
三千匹母馬，牧養在多草的澤地，
盛年的騍馬，高傲地看育着活蹦亂跳的仔駒。
北風挾着情欲，看上了草地上的它們，化作一匹
黑鬃飄灑的兒馬，爬上牝馬的腰身。
後者懷受它的種子，生下十二匹幼駒。
這些好馬，嬉跳在精耕的農田，豐産的𠔌地，
掠過成片的𠔌穗，不會踢斷一根稈莖。
它們蹄腿輕捷，蹦達在寬闊的洋面，
踏着灰藍色的長浪，水頭的峰尖。
厄裏剋索尼俄斯得子特羅斯，特洛伊人的主宰，
而特羅斯生養了三個豪勇的兒郎，
伊洛斯、阿薩拉科斯和神一樣的伽努墨得斯，
凡間最美的人兒——諸神視其
俊秀，把他掠到天上，當了
宙斯的侍斟，生活在神族之中。
伊洛斯得養一子，豪勇的勞墨鼕；
勞墨鼕有子提索諾斯、普裏阿摩斯、
朗波斯、剋魯提俄斯和希開塔昂，阿瑞斯的伴從。
阿薩拉科斯有子卡普斯，而卡普斯得子安基塞斯，
我乃安基塞斯之子，而卓越的赫剋托耳是普裏阿摩斯的男嗣。
這，便是我要告訴你的傢世，我的血統。
至於勇力，那得聽憑宙斯的增減，
由他隨心所欲地擺布，因為他是最強健的天神。
動手吧，不要再像孩子似地嘮嘮
叨叨，站在即將開戰的兩軍間。
我們可在此沒完沒了地互相譏辱，
難聽的話語可以壓沉一艘安着一百條坐板的船舟。
人的舌頭是一種麯捲油滑的東西，話語中詞彙衆多，
五花八門，應用廣泛，無所不容。
你說了什麽，就會聽到什麽。然而，
我們並沒有這個需要，在此
爭吵辱駡，你來我往，像兩個街巷裏的女人，
吵得心肺俱裂，衝上街頭，
互相攻擊，大肆誹謗，
其中不乏真話，亦多謊言——暴怒使她們信口開河。
我嗜戰心切，你的話不能驅我回頭——
讓我們用銅槍打出輸贏。來吧，
讓我們試試各自的力氣，用帶着銅尖的槍矛！”
言罷，他揮手擲出粗重的投槍，碰撞在威森可怕的
盾面，戰盾頂着槍尖，發出沉重的響聲。
裴琉斯之子大手推出戰盾，心裏
害怕，以為心志豪 莽的埃內阿斯，他的
投影森長的槍矛，會輕鬆地捅穿盾牌——
愚蠢得可笑。他不知道，在他的心魂裏，
神祗光榮的禮物不是一捅即破的
擺設，凡人休想毀搗。這次，
身經百戰的埃內阿斯，他的粗重的槍矛，
也同樣不能奏效；黃金的層面，神賜的禮物，擋住了它的衝掃。
事實上，槍尖確實捅穿了兩個層面，留下後面的
三個；瘸腿的神匠一共鑄了五層，
表之以兩層青銅，墊之以兩層白錫，
銅錫之間夾着一層黃金——就是這層金屬，擋住了(木岑)木桿的
槍矛。
接着，阿基瓊斯奮臂投擲，落影森長的
槍矛擊中埃內阿斯溜圓的戰盾，
盾圍的邊沿，銅層稀薄，亦是
牛皮鋪墊最薄弱的部位。裴利昂的(木岑)木桿槍矛
把落點破底透穿，盾牌吃不住重擊，發出沉悶的聲響。
埃內阿斯屈身躲避，撐出戰盾，擋在頭前，嚇得
心驚肉跳——槍尖飛越肩背，呼嘯着
紮入泥塵，搗去兩個層面，從護身的
皮盾。埃內阿斯躲過長槍，
站起身子，眼裏閃出強烈的憂憤，
怕得毛骨悚然：槍矛紮落在如此近身的地點。阿基琉斯
拔出鋒快的利劍，全力撲進，挾着狂烈，
發出粗野的喊叫。埃內阿斯抱起
石頭，一塊巨大的頑石，當今之人，即便站出兩個，
也動它不得，而他卻僅憑一己之力，輕鬆地把石塊高舉過頭。
其時，埃內阿斯的石頭很可能已擊中衝掃過來的阿基琉斯，
砸在頭盔或盾牌上，而後者會用戰盾擋住石塊，
趨身近逼，出劍擊殺，奪走他的生命，
若不是裂地之神波塞鼕眼快，
當即開口發話，對身邊的神祗說道：
“各位聽着，此時此刻，我真為心志豪 莽的埃內阿斯難過；
他將即刻墜入死神的地府，趴倒在阿基琉斯手下，
衹為他聽信遠射手阿波羅的挑唆——可憐的
蠢貨——而阿波羅卻不會前來，替他擋開可悲的死亡。
但是，一個像他這樣無辜的凡人，為何要平白無故地
受苦受難，為了別人的爭鬥？他總是給我們
禮物，愉悅我們的心房——我們，統掌天空的仙神。
趕快行動，我們要親自前往，把他救出，以免
剋羅諾斯之子生氣動怒，倘若阿基琉斯
殺了此人。他命裏註定可以逃生，
而達耳達諾斯的部族也不會徹底消亡，後繼
無人——他是宙斯最鐘愛的兒子，
在和幾女生養的全部孩男中。
剋羅諾斯之子現已憎恨普裏阿摩斯的傢族，
所以，埃內阿斯將以強力統治特洛伊民衆，
一直延續到他的兒子的兒子，後世的子子孫孫。”
聽罷這番話，牛眼睛天後赫拉答道：
“此事，裂地之神，。由你自個思忖定奪，
是救他出來，還是放手讓他死去，
帶着他的全部勇力，倒在裴琉斯之子阿基琉斯面前。
我們兩個，我和帕拉絲·雅典娜，已多次
發誓宣稱，當着所有神祗的臉面，
决不為特洛伊人擋開他們的末日，兇險的死亡，
哪怕猖 莽的烈焰吞噬整座特洛伊城堡，
在那阿開亞人嗜戰的兒子們放火燒城的時候！”
聽罷這番話，裂地之神波塞鼕
穿行在戰鬥的人群，冒着紛飛的槍矛，
找到埃內阿斯和光榮的阿基琉斯戰鬥的地方。
頃刻之間，他在阿基瓊斯、裴琉斯之子眼前
布起一團迷霧，從心志豪 莽的埃內阿斯的
盾上拔出安着銅尖的(木岑)木桿槍矛，
放在阿基琉斯腳邊，從地上，
輓起埃內阿斯，拋嚮天空，
讓他掠過一支支戰鬥的隊伍，一行行
排列的車馬，藉助神的手力，神的拋投，
避離混戰的人群，落腳在兇烈戰場的邊沿。其時，
那裏的考科尼亞人正在穿甲披挂，準備介入戰鬥。
裂地之神波塞鼕行至他的身邊站定，
對他說話，用長了翅膀的言語：
“埃內阿斯，是哪位神明使你瘋癲至此，
居然敢和裴琉斯心志高昂的兒子面對面地打鬥，
雖然他比你強壯，也更受神的鐘愛？
你要馬上撤離，無論在哪裏碰上此位壯勇，
以免逾越你的命限，墜入死神的傢府。
但是，一旦阿基琉斯命歸地府，實踐了命運的安排，
你要鼓起勇氣，奮發嚮前，和他們的首領戰鬥——
那時候，阿開亞人中將不會有殺你的敵手。”
言罷，告畢要說的一切，神祗離他而去，
旋即驅散阿基琉斯眼前神布的
迷霧。阿基琉斯睜大眼睛，註目凝望，
窘睏煩惱，對自己豪 莽的心魂說道：
“可能嗎？我的眼前真是出現了奇跡！
我的槍矛橫躺在地，但卻不見了那個人的
蹤影——那個我拼命衝撲，意欲把他殺死的傢夥，現在哪裏？
看來，埃內阿斯同樣受到長生不老的神明的
鐘愛——我還以為，他的那番說告是厚顔無恥的吹擂。
讓他去吧！從今後，他將再也不敢和我戰鬥，
因為就是今天，他也巴不得逃離死的脅迫。
眼下，我要召呼嗜喜拼搏的達親兵勇，
試試他們的身手，一起敵殺其餘的特洛伊軍衆！”
言罷，他跳回己方的隊陣，催勵着每一個人：
“勇敢的阿開亞人，不要再站等觀望，離着特洛伊人。
各位都要敵戰自己的對手，打出戰鬥的狂勇！
憑我單身一人，雖說強健，也難以對付
如此衆多的敵人，和所有的特洛伊戰勇拼鬥。
即便是阿瑞斯，不死的神明，即便，甚至是雅典娜，
也不能殺過戰爭的尖牙利齒，如此密集的隊陣。
但是，我發誓，衹要能以我的手腳和勇力身體力行的戰事，
我將盡力去做；我將一步不讓，决不退縮，
衝打進敵人的營陣。我敢說，特洛伊人中，
誰也不會因此感到高興，倘若置身我的投程！”
壯士話語激昂，催勵着阿開亞人。與此同時，光榮的赫剋
托耳放開嗓門，激勵他的兵勇，盼想着和阿基琉斯拼鬥：
“不要懼怕裴琉斯的兒子，我的心志高昂的特洛伊人！
若用言詞，我亦能和神祗爭鬥，但
若使槍矛，那就絶非易事——神明要比我們強健得多。
就是阿基琉斯，也不能踐兌所有的豪言：
有的可以實現，有的會遭受挫阻，廢棄中途。
我現在就去和他拼鬥，雖然他的雙手好似一蓬柴火——
雖然他的雙手好似一蓬火焰，他的心靈好像一個閃光的鐵砣！”
他話音激越，催勵着特洛伊人，後者舉起槍矛，準備殺搏；
雙方彙聚起胸中的狂烈，喊出暴虐的呼嚎。
其時，福伊波斯·阿波羅站到赫剋托耳身邊，喊道：
“赫剋托耳，不要獨自出戰，面對阿基琉斯。
退回你的隊伍，避離混戰拼殺，
以免讓他投槍擊中，或揮劍砍翻，於近戰之中！”
阿波羅言罷，赫剋托耳一頭紮進自己的
群伍，心裏害怕，聽到神的話音。
挾着戰鬥的狂烈，阿基琉斯撲嚮特洛伊人，
發出一聲粗蠻的嚎叫，首先殺了伊菲提昂，
俄特侖丟斯驃勇的兒子，率統大隊兵丁的首領，
出自湖河女仙的肚腹，蕩劫城堡的俄特侖丟斯的精血，
在積雪的特摩洛斯山下，豐足的呼德鄉村。
強健的阿基琉斯出槍擊中風風火火衝撲上來的伊菲提昂，
搗在腦門上，把頭顱劈成兩半；後者隨即
倒地，轟然一聲。驍勇的阿基琉斯高聲歡呼，就着身前的對手：
“躺着吧，俄特侖丟斯之子，人間最兇狂的戰勇！
這裏是你挺屍的去處，遠離古格湖畔，
你的家乡，那裏有你父親的土地，
伴隨着呼洛斯的魚群和赫耳摩斯的漩流。”
阿基琉斯一番炫耀；泥地上，黑暗蒙起伊菲提昂的眼睛，
任由阿開亞人飛滾的輪圈，把屍體壓得支離破碎，
輾毀在衝戰的前沿。接着，阿基琉斯撲奔
德摩勒昂，安忒諾耳之子，一位驃勇的防戰能手，
出槍捅在太陽穴上，穿過青銅的頰片，
銅盔抵擋不住，青銅的槍尖，
長驅直入，砸爛頭骨，濺搗出
噴飛的腦漿。就這樣，阿基琉斯放倒了怒氣衝衝的德摩勒昂。
然後，阿基琉斯出槍刺中希波達馬斯，在他跳車
逃命，從阿基琉斯面前跑過之際——槍尖紮入後背，
壯士竭力呼吼，喘吐出生命的魂息，像一頭公牛，
嘶聲吼嘯，被一夥年輕人拉着，拖去敬祭
波塞鼕，赫利開的主宰——裂地之神喜歡看到拖拉的情景。
就像這樣，此人大聲吼嘯，直到高傲的心魂飄離了他的軀骨。
接着，阿基琉斯提槍猛撲神一樣的波魯多羅斯，
普裏阿摩斯之子——老父不讓他參戰，
因為他是王者最小、也是最受寵愛的
兒子，腿腳飛快，無人可及。
但現在，這個蠢 莽的年輕人，急於展示他的快腿，
狂跑在激戰的前沿，送掉了卿卿性命。
正當他撒腿掠過之際，卓越和捷足的阿基琉斯飛槍
擊中他的後背，打在正中，金質的扣帶
交合搭連，胸甲的兩個半片銜接連合的部位，
槍尖長驅直入，從肚臍裏穿捅出來。
波魯道羅斯隨即倒下，大聲哀號，雙腿跪地，眼前
黑霧彌漫，癱倒泥塵，雙手抓起外涌的腸流。
其時，赫剋托耳眼見波魯多羅斯，他的兄弟，
跌跌撞撞地癱倒在地上，手抓着外涌的腸流，
眼前迷霧籠罩，再也不願團團打轉在
遠離拼搏的地方，而是衝跑出去，尋戰阿基琉斯，
高舉鋒快的槍矛，兇狂得像一團烈火。阿基琉斯見他撲來，
跑上前去，高聲呼喊，得意洋洋：
“此人到底來了；他殺死我心愛的伴友，比誰都更使我惱怒！
不要再等了，不要再
互相回避，沿着進兵的大道！”
言罷，他惡狠狠地盯着卓越的赫剋托耳，嚷道：
“走近點，以便盡快接受死的錘搗！”
然而，赫剋托耳面無懼色，在閃亮的頭盔下告道：
“不要癡心妄想，裴流斯之子，試圖用言語把我嚇倒，
把我當做一個毛孩。不，若論咒駡
侮辱，我也是一把不讓人的好手。
我知道你很勇敢，而我也遠不如你強壯——
這不假——但此類事情全都平躺在神的膝蓋上。
所以，雖然我比你虛弱，但仍可出手投槍，
把你結果——我的槍矛，在此之前，一嚮銳不可當！”
言罷，他舉起槍矛，奮臂投擲，但經不住
雅典娜輕輕一吹，把它撥離光榮的
阿基琉斯，返回卓越的赫剋托耳身邊，
掉在腳前的泥地上。與此同時，阿基琉斯
兇猛狂烈，怒氣咻咻，奮勇擊殺，發出
一聲粗野的吼叫，但福伊波斯·阿波羅輕舒臂膀——
神力無窮——把赫剋托耳抱離地面，藏裹在濃霧裏。
一連三次，捷足的勇士、卓越的阿基琉斯嚮他衝掃，
握着青銅的槍矛；一連三次，他的進擊消融在濃厚的霧團裏。
阿基琉斯隨即發起第四次衝擊，像一位出凡的超人，
對着敵手發出粗野的喊叫，用長了翅膀的話語：
“這回，又讓你躲過了死亡，你這條惡狗！雖說如此，
也衹是死裏逃生；福伊波斯·阿波羅又一次救了你，
這位你在投身密集的槍雨前必須對之祈誦的仙神。
但是，我們還會再戰；那時，我會把你結果，
倘若我的身邊也有一位助佑的尊神。
眼下，我要去追殺別的戰勇，任何我可以趕上的敵人！”
言罷，他一槍紮入德魯俄普斯的脖子，
後者隨即倒地，躺死在他的腿腳前。他丟下死者，
投槍阻止德慕科斯的衝擊，打在膝蓋上，
菲勒托耳之子，一位高大強健的壯勇，隨後
猛撲上前，揮起粗大的戰劍，奪殺了他的生命。
接着，阿基琉斯放腿撲嚮達耳達諾斯和勞戈諾斯，
比阿斯的兩個兒子，把他倆從馬後撂下戰車，打倒在地，
一個投槍擊落，另一個，近戰中，揮劍砍翻。
其後，特羅斯，阿拉斯托耳之子，跌撞到阿基琉斯
跟前，搶身抓抱他的雙膝，盼望他手下留情，保住一條性命，
心想他會憐藉一個和他同齡的青壯，不予斬奪。
這個笨蛋！他哪裏知道，阿基琉斯根本不會聽理別人的求勸；
他的心裏沒有一絲甜蜜，一縷溫情——
他怒火中燒，兇暴狂烈！特羅斯伸手
欲抱他的膝腿，躬身祈求，但他手起一劍，紮入肚髒，
把它搗出腹腔，黑血涌註，
淋濕了腿股；隨着魂息的離去，黑暗
蒙住了他的雙眼。接着，阿基琉斯撲近慕利俄斯，
出槍擊中耳朵，銅尖長驅直入，從另一邊
耳朵裏穿出。隨後，他擊殺了阿格諾耳之子厄開剋洛斯，
用帶柄的利劍，砍在腦門上，
整條劍刃鮮血模糊，暗紅的死亡和
強有力的命運合上了他的眼睛。接着，阿基琉斯
出槍擊斷丟卡利昂的手臂，膀肘上，筋脈
交接的地方。銅尖切開肘上的筋腱，
丟卡利昂垂着斷臂，癡等着，心知
死期不遠。阿基琉斯揮劍砍斷他的
脖子，頭顱滾出老遠，連着帽盔，髓漿
噴涌，從頸骨裏面。他隨之倒下，直挺挺地躺在地面。
其後，阿基琉斯撲嚮裴瑞斯豪勇的兒子，
裏格摩斯，來自土地肥沃的斯拉凱，
出槍搗在肚子上，槍尖紮進腹中，把他
捅下戰車。馭手阿雷蘇斯調轉馬頭，
試圖逃跑，阿基琉斯出槍猛刺，鋒快的槍尖
咬人他的脊背，把他撂下戰車。驚馬撒蹄狂跑。
一如暴極的烈焰，橫掃山𠔌裏焦幹的
樹木，焚燒着枝幹繁茂的森林，
疾風席捲着熊熊的火勢——阿基琉斯到處
橫衝直撞，挺着槍矛，似乎已超出人的凡俗，
逼趕，追殺敵人，鮮血染紅了烏黑的泥塵。
像農人套起額面開闊的犍牛，
踏踩着雪白的大麥，在一個鋪壓堅實的打𠔌場上，
哞哞吼叫的壯牛，用蹄腿很快分輾出麥粒的皮殼——
就像這樣，拉着心胸豪壯的阿基琉斯，捷蹄的快馬
踢踏着死人和戰盾，輪軸
沾滿飛濺的血點，馬蹄和飛旋的
輪緣壓出四散的血污，噴灑在
圍繞車身的條桿。裴琉斯之子催馬嚮前，
為了爭奪光榮，那雙剋敵製勝的大手，塗染着泥血的斑痕。
ARGUMENT.
THE BATTLE OF THE GODS, AND THE ACTS OF ACHILLES.
Jupiter, upon Achilles' return to the battle, calls a council of the gods,
and permits them to assist either party. The terrors of the combat
described, when the deities are engaged. Apollo encourages Æneas to meet
Achilles. After a long conversation, these two heroes encounter; but Æneas
is preserved by the assistance of Neptune. Achilles falls upon the rest of
the Trojans, and is upon the point of killing Hector, but Apollo conveys
him away in a cloud. Achilles pursues the Trojans with a great slaughter.
The same day continues. The scene is in the field before Troy.
Thus round Pelides breathing war and blood
Greece, sheathed in arms, beside her vessels stood;
While near impending from a neighbouring height,
Troy's black battalions wait the shock of fight.
Then Jove to Themis gives command, to call
The gods to council in the starry hall:
Swift o'er Olympus' hundred hills she flies,
And summons all the senate of the skies.
These shining on, in long procession come
To Jove's eternal adamantine dome.
Not one was absent, not a rural power
That haunts the verdant gloom, or rosy bower;
Each fair-hair'd dryad of the shady wood,
Each azure sister of the silver flood;
All but old Ocean, hoary sire! who keeps
His ancient seat beneath the sacred deeps.
On marble thrones, with lucid columns crown'd,
(The work of Vulcan,) sat the powers around.
Even he whose trident sways the watery reign
Heard the loud summons, and forsook the main,
Assumed his throne amid the bright abodes,
And question'd thus the sire of men and gods:
"What moves the god who heaven and earth commands,
And grasps the thunder in his awful hands,
Thus to convene the whole ethereal state?
Is Greece and Troy the subject in debate?
Already met, the louring hosts appear,
And death stands ardent on the edge of war."
"'Tis true (the cloud-compelling power replies)
This day we call the council of the skies
In care of human race; even Jove's own eye
Sees with regret unhappy mortals die.
Far on Olympus' top in secret state
Ourself will sit, and see the hand of fate
Work out our will. Celestial powers! descend,
And as your minds direct, your succour lend
To either host. Troy soon must lie o'erthrown,
If uncontroll'd Achilles fights alone:
Their troops but lately durst not meet his eyes;
What can they now, if in his rage he rise?
Assist them, gods! or Ilion's sacred wall
May fall this day, though fate forbids the fall."
He said, and fired their heavenly breasts with rage.
On adverse parts the warring gods engage:
Heaven's awful queen; and he whose azure round
Girds the vast globe; the maid in arms renown'd;
Hermes, of profitable arts the sire;
And Vulcan, the black sovereign of the fire:
These to the fleet repair with instant flight;
The vessels tremble as the gods alight.
In aid of Troy, Latona, Phoebus came,
Mars fiery-helm'd, the laughter-loving dame,
Xanthus, whose streams in golden currents flow,
And the chaste huntress of the silver bow.
Ere yet the gods their various aid employ,
Each Argive bosom swell'd with manly joy,
While great Achilles (terror of the plain),
Long lost to battle, shone in arms again.
Dreadful he stood in front of all his host;
Pale Troy beheld, and seem'd already lost;
Her bravest heroes pant with inward fear,
And trembling see another god of war.
But when the powers descending swell'd the fight,
Then tumult rose: fierce rage and pale affright
Varied each face: then Discord sounds alarms,
Earth echoes, and the nations rush to arms.
Now through the trembling shores Minerva calls,
And now she thunders from the Grecian walls.
Mars hovering o'er his Troy, his terror shrouds
In gloomy tempests, and a night of clouds:
Now through each Trojan heart he fury pours
With voice divine, from Ilion's topmost towers:
Now shouts to Simois, from her beauteous hill;
The mountain shook, the rapid stream stood still.
Above, the sire of gods his thunder rolls,
And peals on peals redoubled rend the poles.
Beneath, stern Neptune shakes the solid ground;
The forests wave, the mountains nod around;
Through all their summits tremble Ida's woods,
And from their sources boil her hundred floods.
Troy's turrets totter on the rocking plain,
And the toss'd navies beat the heaving main.
Deep in the dismal regions of the dead,(260)
The infernal monarch rear'd his horrid head,
Leap'd from his throne, lest Neptune's arm should lay
His dark dominions open to the day,
And pour in light on Pluto's drear abodes,
Abhorr'd by men, and dreadful even to gods.(261)
[Illustration: THE GODS DESCENDING TO BATTLE.]
THE GODS DESCENDING TO BATTLE.
Such war the immortals wage; such horrors rend
The world's vast concave, when the gods contend
First silver-shafted Phoebus took the plain
Against blue Neptune, monarch of the main.
The god of arms his giant bulk display'd,
Opposed to Pallas, war's triumphant maid.
Against Latona march'd the son of May.
The quiver'd Dian, sister of the day,
(Her golden arrows sounding at her side,)
Saturnia, majesty of heaven, defied.
With fiery Vulcan last in battle stands
The sacred flood that rolls on golden sands;
Xanthus his name with those of heavenly birth,
But called Scamander by the sons of earth.
While thus the gods in various league engage,
Achilles glow'd with more than mortal rage:
Hector he sought; in search of Hector turn'd
His eyes around, for Hector only burn'd;
And burst like lightning through the ranks, and vow'd
To glut the god of battles with his blood.
Æneas was the first who dared to stay;
Apollo wedged him in the warrior's way,
But swell'd his bosom with undaunted might,
Half-forced and half-persuaded to the fight.
Like young Lycaon, of the royal line,
In voice and aspect, seem'd the power divine;
And bade the chief reflect, how late with scorn
In distant threats he braved the goddess-born.
Then thus the hero of Anchises' strain:
"To meet Pelides you persuade in vain:
Already have I met, nor void of fear
Observed the fury of his flying spear;
From Ida's woods he chased us to the field,
Our force he scattered, and our herds he kill'd;
Lyrnessus, Pedasus in ashes lay;
But (Jove assisting) I survived the day:
Else had I sunk oppress'd in fatal fight
By fierce Achilles and Minerva's might.
Where'er he moved, the goddess shone before,
And bathed his brazen lance in hostile gore.
What mortal man Achilles can sustain?
The immortals guard him through the dreadful plain,
And suffer not his dart to fall in vain.
Were God my aid, this arm should check his power,
Though strong in battle as a brazen tower."
To whom the son of Jove: "That god implore,
And be what great Achilles was before.
From heavenly Venus thou deriv'st thy strain,
And he but from a sister of the main;
An aged sea-god father of his line;
But Jove himself the sacred source of thine.
Then lift thy weapon for a noble blow,
Nor fear the vaunting of a mortal foe."
This said, and spirit breathed into his breast,
Through the thick troops the embolden'd hero press'd:
His venturous act the white-arm'd queen survey'd,
And thus, assembling all the powers, she said:
"Behold an action, gods! that claims your care,
Lo great Æneas rushing to the war!
Against Pelides he directs his course,
Phoebus impels, and Phoebus gives him force.
Restrain his bold career; at least, to attend
Our favour'd hero, let some power descend.
To guard his life, and add to his renown,
We, the great armament of heaven, came down.
Hereafter let him fall, as Fates design,
That spun so short his life's illustrious line:(262)
But lest some adverse god now cross his way,
Give him to know what powers assist this day:
For how shall mortal stand the dire alarms,
When heaven's refulgent host appear in arms?"(263)
Thus she; and thus the god whose force can make
The solid globe's eternal basis shake:
"Against the might of man, so feeble known,
Why should celestial powers exert their own?
Suffice from yonder mount to view the scene,
And leave to war the fates of mortal men.
But if the armipotent, or god of light,
Obstruct Achilles, or commence the fight.
Thence on the gods of Troy we swift descend:
Full soon, I doubt not, shall the conflict end;
And these, in ruin and confusion hurl'd,
Yield to our conquering arms the lower world."
Thus having said, the tyrant of the sea,
Coerulean Neptune, rose, and led the way.
Advanced upon the field there stood a mound
Of earth congested, wall'd, and trench'd around;
In elder times to guard Alcides made,
(The work of Trojans, with Minerva's aid,)
What time a vengeful monster of the main
Swept the wide shore, and drove him to the plain.
Here Neptune and the gods of Greece repair,
With clouds encompass'd, and a veil of air:
The adverse powers, around Apollo laid,
Crown the fair hills that silver Simois shade.
In circle close each heavenly party sat,
Intent to form the future scheme of fate;
But mix not yet in fight, though Jove on high
Gives the loud signal, and the heavens reply.
Meanwhile the rushing armies hide the ground;
The trampled centre yields a hollow sound:
Steeds cased in mail, and chiefs in armour bright,
The gleaming champaign glows with brazen light.
Amid both hosts (a dreadful space) appear,
There great Achilles; bold Æneas, here.
With towering strides Aeneas first advanced;
The nodding plumage on his helmet danced:
Spread o'er his breast the fencing shield he bore,
And, so he moved, his javelin flamed before.
Not so Pelides; furious to engage,
He rush'd impetuous. Such the lion's rage,
Who viewing first his foes with scornful eyes,
Though all in arms the peopled city rise,
Stalks careless on, with unregarding pride;
Till at the length, by some brave youth defied,
To his bold spear the savage turns alone,
He murmurs fury with a hollow groan;
He grins, he foams, he rolls his eyes around
Lash'd by his tail his heaving sides resound;
He calls up all his rage; he grinds his teeth,
Resolved on vengeance, or resolved on death.
So fierce Achilles on Æneas flies;
So stands Æneas, and his force defies.
Ere yet the stern encounter join'd, begun
The seed of Thetis thus to Venus' son:
"Why comes Æneas through the ranks so far?
Seeks he to meet Achilles' arm in war,
In hope the realms of Priam to enjoy,
And prove his merits to the throne of Troy?
Grant that beneath thy lance Achilles dies,
The partial monarch may refuse the prize;
Sons he has many; those thy pride may quell:
And 'tis his fault to love those sons too well,
Or, in reward of thy victorious hand,
Has Troy proposed some spacious tract of land
An ample forest, or a fair domain,
Of hills for vines, and arable for grain?
Even this, perhaps, will hardly prove thy lot.
But can Achilles be so soon forgot?
Once (as I think) you saw this brandish'd spear
And then the great Æneas seem'd to fear:
With hearty haste from Ida's mount he fled,
Nor, till he reach'd Lyrnessus, turn'd his head.
Her lofty walls not long our progress stay'd;
Those, Pallas, Jove, and we, in ruins laid:
In Grecian chains her captive race were cast;
'Tis true, the great Aeneas fled too fast.
Defrauded of my conquest once before,
What then I lost, the gods this day restore.
Go; while thou may'st, avoid the threaten'd fate;
Fools stay to feel it, and are wise too late."
To this Anchises' son: "Such words employ
To one that fears thee, some unwarlike boy;
Such we disdain; the best may be defied
With mean reproaches, and unmanly pride;
Unworthy the high race from which we came
Proclaim'd so loudly by the voice of fame:
Each from illustrious fathers draws his line;
Each goddess-born; half human, half divine.
Thetis' this day, or Venus' offspring dies,
And tears shall trickle from celestial eyes:
For when two heroes, thus derived, contend,
'Tis not in words the glorious strife can end.
If yet thou further seek to learn my birth
(A tale resounded through the spacious earth)
Hear how the glorious origin we prove
From ancient Dardanus, the first from Jove:
Dardania's walls he raised; for Ilion, then,
(The city since of many-languaged men,)
Was not. The natives were content to till
The shady foot of Ida's fountful hill.(264)
From Dardanus great Erichthonius springs,
The richest, once, of Asia's wealthy kings;
Three thousand mares his spacious pastures bred,
Three thousand foals beside their mothers fed.
Boreas, enamour'd of the sprightly train,
Conceal'd his godhead in a flowing mane,
With voice dissembled to his loves he neigh'd,
And coursed the dappled beauties o'er the mead:
Hence sprung twelve others of unrivall'd kind,
Swift as their mother mares, and father wind.
These lightly skimming, when they swept the plain,
Nor plied the grass, nor bent the tender grain;
And when along the level seas they flew,(265)
Scarce on the surface curl'd the briny dew.
Such Erichthonius was: from him there came
The sacred Tros, of whom the Trojan name.
Three sons renown'd adorn'd his nuptial bed,
Ilus, Assaracus, and Ganymed:
The matchless Ganymed, divinely fair,
Whom heaven, enamour'd, snatch'd to upper air,
To bear the cup of Jove (ethereal guest,
The grace and glory of the ambrosial feast).
The two remaining sons the line divide:
First rose Laomedon from Ilus' side;
From him Tithonus, now in cares grown old,
And Priam, bless'd with Hector, brave and bold;
Clytius and Lampus, ever-honour'd pair;
And Hicetaon, thunderbolt of war.
From great Assaracus sprang Capys, he
Begat Anchises, and Anchises me.
Such is our race: 'tis fortune gives us birth,
But Jove alone endues the soul with worth:
He, source of power and might! with boundless sway,
All human courage gives, or takes away.
Long in the field of words we may contend,
Reproach is infinite, and knows no end,
Arm'd or with truth or falsehood, right or wrong;
So voluble a weapon is the tongue;
Wounded, we wound; and neither side can fail,
For every man has equal strength to rail:
Women alone, when in the streets they jar,
Perhaps excel us in this wordy war;
Like us they stand, encompass'd with the crowd,
And vent their anger impotent and loud.
Cease then--Our business in the field of fight
Is not to question, but to prove our might.
To all those insults thou hast offer'd here,
Receive this answer: 'tis my flying spear."
He spoke. With all his force the javelin flung,
Fix'd deep, and loudly in the buckler rung.
Far on his outstretch'd arm, Pelides held
(To meet the thundering lance) his dreadful shield,
That trembled as it stuck; nor void of fear
Saw, ere it fell, the immeasurable spear.
His fears were vain; impenetrable charms
Secured the temper of the ethereal arms.
Through two strong plates the point its passage held,
But stopp'd, and rested, by the third repell'd.
Five plates of various metal, various mould,
Composed the shield; of brass each outward fold,
Of tin each inward, and the middle gold:
There stuck the lance. Then rising ere he threw,
The forceful spear of great Achilles flew,
And pierced the Dardan shield's extremest bound,
Where the shrill brass return'd a sharper sound:
Through the thin verge the Pelean weapon glides,
And the slight covering of expanded hides.
Æneas his contracted body bends,
And o'er him high the riven targe extends,
Sees, through its parting plates, the upper air,
And at his back perceives the quivering spear:
A fate so near him, chills his soul with fright;
And swims before his eyes the many-colour'd light.
Achilles, rushing in with dreadful cries,
Draws his broad blade, and at Æneas flies:
Æneas rousing as the foe came on,
With force collected, heaves a mighty stone:
A mass enormous! which in modern days
No two of earth's degenerate sons could raise.
But ocean's god, whose earthquakes rock the ground.
Saw the distress, and moved the powers around:
"Lo! on the brink of fate Æneas stands,
An instant victim to Achilles' hands;
By Phoebus urged; but Phoebus has bestow'd
His aid in vain: the man o'erpowers the god.
And can ye see this righteous chief atone
With guiltless blood for vices not his own?
To all the gods his constant vows were paid;
Sure, though he wars for Troy, he claims our aid.
Fate wills not this; nor thus can Jove resign
The future father of the Dardan line:(266)
The first great ancestor obtain'd his grace,
And still his love descends on all the race:
For Priam now, and Priam's faithless kind,
At length are odious to the all-seeing mind;
On great Æneas shall devolve the reign,
And sons succeeding sons the lasting line sustain."
The great earth-shaker thus: to whom replies
The imperial goddess with the radiant eyes:
"Good as he is, to immolate or spare
The Dardan prince, O Neptune! be thy care;
Pallas and I, by all that gods can bind,
Have sworn destruction to the Trojan kind;
Not even an instant to protract their fate,
Or save one member of the sinking state;
Till her last flame be quench'd with her last gore,
And even her crumbling ruins are no more."
The king of ocean to the fight descends,
Through all the whistling darts his course he bends,
Swift interposed between the warrior flies,
And casts thick darkness o'er Achilles' eyes.(267)
From great Æneas' shield the spear he drew,
And at his master's feet the weapon threw.
That done, with force divine he snatch'd on high
The Dardan prince, and bore him through the sky,
Smooth-gliding without step, above the heads
Of warring heroes, and of bounding steeds:
Till at the battle's utmost verge they light,
Where the slow Caucans close the rear of fight.
The godhead there (his heavenly form confess'd)
With words like these the panting chief address'd:
"What power, O prince! with force inferior far,
Urged thee to meet Achilles' arm in war?
Henceforth beware, nor antedate thy doom,
Defrauding fate of all thy fame to come.
But when the day decreed (for come it must)
Shall lay this dreadful hero in the dust,
Let then the furies of that arm be known,
Secure no Grecian force transcends thy own."
With that, he left him wondering as he lay,
Then from Achilles chased the mist away:
Sudden, returning with a stream of light,
The scene of war came rushing on his sight.
Then thus, amazed; "What wonders strike my mind!
My spear, that parted on the wings of wind,
Laid here before me! and the Dardan lord,
That fell this instant, vanish'd from my sword!
I thought alone with mortals to contend,
But powers celestial sure this foe defend.
Great as he is, our arms he scarce will try,
Content for once, with all his gods, to fly.
Now then let others bleed." This said, aloud
He vents his fury and inflames the crowd:
"O Greeks! (he cries, and every rank alarms)
Join battle, man to man, and arms to arms!
'Tis not in me, though favour'd by the sky,
To mow whole troops, and make whole armies fly:
No god can singly such a host engage,
Not Mars himself, nor great Minerva's rage.
But whatsoe'er Achilles can inspire,
Whate'er of active force, or acting fire;
Whate'er this heart can prompt, or hand obey;
All, all Achilles, Greeks! is yours to-day.
Through yon wide host this arm shall scatter fear,
And thin the squadrons with my single spear."
He said: nor less elate with martial joy,
The godlike Hector warm'd the troops of Troy:
"Trojans, to war! Think, Hector leads you on;
Nor dread the vaunts of Peleus' haughty son.
Deeds must decide our fate. E'en these with words
Insult the brave, who tremble at their swords:
The weakest atheist-wretch all heaven defies,
But shrinks and shudders when the thunder flies.
Nor from yon boaster shall your chief retire,
Not though his heart were steel, his hands were fire;
That fire, that steel, your Hector should withstand,
And brave that vengeful heart, that dreadful hand."
Thus (breathing rage through all) the hero said;
A wood of lances rises round his head,
Clamours on clamours tempest all the air,
They join, they throng, they thicken to the war.
But Phoebus warns him from high heaven to shun
The single fight with Thetis' godlike son;
More safe to combat in the mingled band,
Nor tempt too near the terrors of his hand.
He hears, obedient to the god of light,
And, plunged within the ranks, awaits the fight.
Then fierce Achilles, shouting to the skies,
On Troy's whole force with boundless fury flies.
First falls Iphytion, at his army's head;
Brave was the chief, and brave the host he led;
From great Otrynteus he derived his blood,
His mother was a Nais, of the flood;
Beneath the shades of Tmolus, crown'd with snow,
From Hyde's walls he ruled the lands below.
Fierce as he springs, the sword his head divides:
The parted visage falls on equal sides:
With loud-resounding arms he strikes the plain;
While thus Achilles glories o'er the slain:
"Lie there, Otryntides! the Trojan earth
Receives thee dead, though Gygae boast thy birth;
Those beauteous fields where Hyllus' waves are roll'd,
And plenteous Hermus swells with tides of gold,
Are thine no more."--The insulting hero said,
And left him sleeping in eternal shade.
The rolling wheels of Greece the body tore,
And dash'd their axles with no vulgar gore.
Demoleon next, Antenor's offspring, laid
Breathless in dust, the price of rashness paid.
The impatient steel with full-descending sway
Forced through his brazen helm its furious way,
Resistless drove the batter'd skull before,
And dash'd and mingled all the brains with gore.
This sees Hippodamas, and seized with fright,
Deserts his chariot for a swifter flight:
The lance arrests him: an ignoble wound
The panting Trojan rivets to the ground.
He groans away his soul: not louder roars,
At Neptune's shrine on Helice's high shores,
The victim bull; the rocks re-bellow round,
And ocean listens to the grateful sound.
Then fell on Polydore his vengeful rage,(268)
The youngest hope of Priam's stooping age:
(Whose feet for swiftness in the race surpass'd:)
Of all his sons, the dearest, and the last.
To the forbidden field he takes his flight,
In the first folly of a youthful knight,
To vaunt his swiftness wheels around the plain,
But vaunts not long, with all his swiftness slain:
Struck where the crossing belts unite behind,
And golden rings the double back-plate join'd
Forth through the navel burst the thrilling steel;
And on his knees with piercing shrieks he fell;
The rushing entrails pour'd upon the ground
His hands collect; and darkness wraps him round.
When Hector view'd, all ghastly in his gore,
Thus sadly slain the unhappy Polydore,
A cloud of sorrow overcast his sight,
His soul no longer brook'd the distant fight:
Full in Achilles' dreadful front he came,
And shook his javelin like a waving flame.
The son of Peleus sees, with joy possess'd,
His heart high-bounding in his rising breast.
"And, lo! the man on whom black fates attend;
The man, that slew Achilles, is his friend!
No more shall Hector's and Pelides' spear
Turn from each other in the walks of war."--
Then with revengeful eyes he scann'd him o'er:
"Come, and receive thy fate!" He spake no more.
Hector, undaunted, thus: "Such words employ
To one that dreads thee, some unwarlike boy:
Such we could give, defying and defied,
Mean intercourse of obloquy and pride!
I know thy force to mine superior far;
But heaven alone confers success in war:
Mean as I am, the gods may guide my dart,
And give it entrance in a braver heart."
Then parts the lance: but Pallas' heavenly breath
Far from Achilles wafts the winged death:
The bidden dart again to Hector flies,
And at the feet of its great master lies.
Achilles closes with his hated foe,
His heart and eyes with flaming fury glow:
But present to his aid, Apollo shrouds
The favour'd hero in a veil of clouds.
Thrice struck Pelides with indignant heart,
Thrice in impassive air he plunged the dart;
The spear a fourth time buried in the cloud.
He foams with fury, and exclaims aloud:
"Wretch! thou hast 'scaped again; once more thy flight
Has saved thee, and the partial god of light.
But long thou shalt not thy just fate withstand,
If any power assist Achilles' hand.
Fly then inglorious! but thy flight this day
Whole hecatombs of Trojan ghosts shall pay."
With that, he gluts his rage on numbers slain:
Then Dryops tumbled to the ensanguined plain,
Pierced through the neck: he left him panting there,
And stopp'd Demuchus, great Philetor's heir.
Gigantic chief! deep gash'd the enormous blade,
And for the soul an ample passage made.
Laoganus and Dardanus expire,
The valiant sons of an unhappy sire;
Both in one instant from the chariot hurl'd,
Sunk in one instant to the nether world:
This difference only their sad fates afford
That one the spear destroy'd, and one the sword.
Nor less unpitied, young Alastor bleeds;
In vain his youth, in vain his beauty pleads;
In vain he begs thee, with a suppliant's moan,
To spare a form, an age so like thy own!
Unhappy boy! no prayer, no moving art,
E'er bent that fierce, inexorable heart!
While yet he trembled at his knees, and cried,
The ruthless falchion oped his tender side;
The panting liver pours a flood of gore
That drowns his bosom till he pants no more.
Through Mulius' head then drove the impetuous spear:
The warrior falls, transfix'd from ear to ear.
Thy life, Echeclus! next the sword bereaves,
Deep though the front the ponderous falchion cleaves;
Warm'd in the brain the smoking weapon lies,
The purple death comes floating o'er his eyes.
Then brave Deucalion died: the dart was flung
Where the knit nerves the pliant elbow strung;
He dropp'd his arm, an unassisting weight,
And stood all impotent, expecting fate:
Full on his neck the falling falchion sped,
From his broad shoulders hew'd his crested head:
Forth from the bone the spinal marrow flies,
And, sunk in dust, the corpse extended lies.
Rhigmas, whose race from fruitful Thracia came,
(The son of Pierus, an illustrious name,)
Succeeds to fate: the spear his belly rends;
Prone from his car the thundering chief descends.
The squire, who saw expiring on the ground
His prostrate master, rein'd the steeds around;
His back, scarce turn'd, the Pelian javelin gored,
And stretch'd the servant o'er his dying lord.
As when a flame the winding valley fills,
And runs on crackling shrubs between the hills;
Then o'er the stubble up the mountain flies,
Fires the high woods, and blazes to the skies,
This way and that, the spreading torrent roars:
So sweeps the hero through the wasted shores;
Around him wide, immense destruction pours
And earth is deluged with the sanguine showers
As with autumnal harvests cover'd o'er,
And thick bestrewn, lies Ceres' sacred floor;
When round and round, with never-wearied pain,
The trampling steers beat out the unnumber'd grain:
So the fierce coursers, as the chariot rolls,
Tread down whole ranks, and crush out heroes' souls,
Dash'd from their hoofs while o'er the dead they fly,
Black, bloody drops the smoking chariot dye:
The spiky wheels through heaps of carnage tore;
And thick the groaning axles dropp'd with gore.
High o'er the scene of death Achilles stood,
All grim with dust, all horrible in blood:
Yet still insatiate, still with rage on flame;
Such is the lust of never-dying fame!
[Illustration: CENTAUR.]
CENTAUR. 但是，當他們跑到清水河的邊岸，
其父宙斯，不死的天神，捲着漩渦的珊索斯的灘沿，
阿基琉斯截開潰敗的人群，追迫其中的一部撒腿平野，朝着
特洛伊日跑——天前，就在那個地方，阿開亞人自己亦被
光榮的赫剋托耳，被他的狂烈趕得惶惶奔逃。
現在，特洛伊人也在那片泥地上成群地回跑，但赫拉降下
一團濃霧，布罩在他們眼前，擋住他們的歸路。與此同時，
另一部兵勇擠塞在水流深急的長河，銀光閃亮的漩渦，
連滾帶爬地掉進水裏，發出大聲的喧嚎；潑瀉的水勢
滔聲轟響，兩岸回蕩着隆隆的吼嘯，伴隨着他們的嘶喊，
四下裏蕩臂掙紮，旋捲在湍急的水渦。
像一群蝗蟲，飛擁在空中，迫於急火的燒烤，
一頭紮進河裏，暴虐的烈焰閃跳着突起的
火苗，蝗蟲堆擠在一起，畏縮在水面上。
就像這樣，迫於阿基琉斯的追趕，咆哮的珊索斯河中，
深深的水渦裏，人馬擁擠，一片糟騷。
其時，神明養育的阿基琉斯把槍矛擱置河岸，
靠貼着檉柳枝叢，跳進河裏，像一位超人的神仙，
僅憑手中的利劍，心中充滿兇邪的殺機，
轉動身子，揮砍四面的敵人。特洛伊兵勇發出凄慘的
嚎叫，吃受着劍鋒的劈打；水面上人血泛涌，
殷紅一片。像水裏的魚群，碰上一條大肚子海豚，
匆忙逃離，填擠在深水港的角落，嚇得
不知所措：那傢夥，述着的東西，全都吞進肚腹。
就像這樣，特洛伊人沉浮在兇險的水浪裏，
葬身在河壁的底層。當阿基琉斯殺得雙腿疲軟，
便從水裏攏聚和生擒了十二名青壯，為
帕特羅剋洛斯，墨諾伊提俄斯之子，作為報祭的血酬。
他把這幫人帶上河岸，像一群嚇呆了眼的仔鹿，
將他們反手捆綁，用切割齊整的皮條，
他們自己的腰帶，束紮着飄軟的衣衫，
交給夥伴們看押，走嚮深曠的海船；
他自己則轉身回頭，帶着殺人的狂烈。
河岸邊，他撞見了達耳達尼亞人普裏阿摩斯的兒子，
剛從水裏逃生，魯卡昂，阿基琉斯曾經親手抓過的
特洛伊壯漢，帶離他父親的果園，哪怕他一路反抗，在那天
夜裏的偷襲。其時，他正手握鋒快的銅刀，從無花果樹上
劈下嫩枝，充作戰車的條桿，
卻不料禍從天降，平地裏冒出個裴琉斯卓越的兒男。
那一次，阿基琉斯把他船運到城垣堅固的萊姆諾斯，
當做奴隸賣掉，被伊阿來的兒子買去；在那裏，
一位陌生的朋友，英勃羅斯的厄提昂，
用重金把他贖釋，送往閃光的阿裏斯貝——
他從那裏生逃，跑回父親的房居。
回傢後，一連十一天，他歡愉着自己的心胸，
和親朋好友們一起。然而，到了第十二天，神明
又把他丟進阿基琉斯手中——這一回，
後者將強違他的意願，把他送入死神的傢府。
現在，捷足的戰勇、卓越的阿基琉斯已認出他來，
知他甲械全無，既沒有頭盔，又沒有槍矛和盾牌——
這一切已被丟棄岸邊：為了逃命激流，
他拼死掙紮，纍得熱汗淋漓，雙腿疲軟。
阿基琉斯發話自己的心魂，帶着滿腔煩憤：
“這可能嗎？我的眼前真是出現了奇跡！
這些心志豪 莽的特洛伊人，就連那些已被我殺死的，
都會從陰迷、昏暗的去處起身回還！
瞧這傢夥，躲過無情的死亡，他的末日，回頭重返——我曾
把他賣到神聖的萊姆諾斯，但灰藍色的大海，翻捲的海浪，
卻擋不住他的歸還，雖然它能擋住整個艦隊，不甘屈服的
水手。幹吧，這一回，我要讓他嘗嘗槍尖的滋味。
這樣，我們就能確信無疑地知道，
他是否能從那個地方歸來——生養萬物的泥土是否
能把他壓住——土築的墳堆可以埋葬世間最強健的兵漢！”
阿基琉斯一番思謀，站等不動，而魯卡昂則快步跑來，
驚恐萬狀，發瘋似地抱住他的膝腿，希望躲過
可怕的死亡和烏黑的命運。然而，卓越的
阿基琉斯舉起粗長的槍矛，運足力氣，
試圖把他結果，但對方躬身避過投槍，跑去
抱住他的膝腿，彎着腰，槍矛從脊背上飛過，
插在泥地裏，帶着撕咬人肉的欲望。
魯卡昂一手抱住他的膝蓋，懇求饒命，
一手抓住犀利的槍矛，毫不鬆手，
開口求告，吐出長了翅膀的話語：“我已抱住
你的雙膝，阿基琉斯，尊重我的祈求，放我一條生路！
我在嚮你懇求，了不起的壯士，你要尊恕一個懇求的人！
你是第一位阿開亞人，和我分食黛墨忒耳的禮物，
在你把我抓住的那一天，從籬墻堅固的果園，
把我帶離父王和親友，賣到神聖的
萊姆諾斯，為你換得一百頭牛回來；
而為獲釋放，我支付了三倍於此的贖禮。
我歷經磨難，回到伊利昂地面，眼下衹是
第十二個早上。現在，該詛咒的命運又把我
送到你的手裏。我想，我一定受到父親宙斯的痛恨，
讓我重做你的俘虜。唉，我的母親，你生下我來，
衹有如此短暫的一生，勞索娥，阿爾忒斯的女兒，
阿爾忒斯，萊勒格斯的主宰，嗜戰如命，
雄踞陡峭的裴達索斯，占地薩特尼俄埃斯河的灘沿。
普裏阿摩斯娶了他的女兒，作為許多妻床中的一員。
勞索娥生得二子，而你，你會割斷我們兄弟
二人的脖圈。一個已被你殺死，在前排步戰的勇士中，
神一樣的波魯多伊斯，經不住槍矛的投衝，鋒快的青銅。
現在，此時此地，可惡的死亡又在嚮我招手——我想，
我逃不出你的手掌，因為神明驅我和你照面。
雖說如此，我另有一事相告，求你記在心間：
不要殺我，我和赫剋托耳並非同出一個娘胎，
是他殺了你的伴友，你的強壯、溫善的朋伴！”
就這樣，普裏阿摩斯光榮的兒子懇求
饒命，但聽到的卻是一番無情的回言：
“你這個笨蛋，還在談論什麽贖釋；還不給我閉上你的臭嘴！
不錯，在帕特羅剋洛斯尚未履踐命運的約束，戰死疆場
之前，我還更願略施溫存，遣放過一些
特洛伊軍漢；我生俘過大群的兵勇，把他們賣到海外。
但現在，誰也甭想死裏逃生，倘若神祗把他送到
我的手裏，在這伊利昂城前——特洛伊人中
誰也甭想，尤其是普裏阿摩斯的兒男！所以，
我的朋友，你也必死無疑。既如此，你又何必這般疾首痛心？
帕特多剋洛斯已經死去，一位遠比你傑出的戰勇；
還有我——沒看見嗎？長得何等高大、英武，
有一位顯赫的父親，而生我的母親更是一位不死的女神。
然而，就連我也逃不脫死和強有力的命運的迫脅，
將在某一天拂曉、黃昏或中午，
被某一個人放倒，在戰鬥中，
用投槍，或是離弦的箭鏃。”
聽罷這番話，魯卡昂雙腿酥軟，
心力消散。他放開槍矛，癱坐在地，雙臂
伸展。阿基琉斯抽出利劍，揮手擊殺，
砍在頸邊的鎖骨上，雙刃的銅劍
長驅直入。他猝然倒地，頭臉朝下，
四肢伸攤，黑血橫流，泥塵盡染。
阿基琉斯抓起他的腿腳，把他甩進大河，
任其隨波逐流，喊出長了翅膀的話語，高聲炫耀：
“躺在那兒吧，和魚群為伍；它們會舔去你傷口
上的淤血，權作葬你的禮儀！你的母親已不能
把你放上屍床，為你舉哀；斯卡曼得羅斯的水流
會把你捲掃，衝入大海舒展的懷抱。
魚群會撲上水浪，蕩開黑色的漣漪。
衝刺在水下，啄食魯卡昂鮮亮的油膘。統統死
去吧，特洛伊人！我們要把你們追殺到神聖的伊利昂城前，
我在後邊追殺，你等在前面逃竄，就連你們的長河，
銀色的漩渦和湍急的水流，也難以
出力幫忙，雖然你們曾獻祭過許多肥牛，
把捷蹄的快馬活生生地丟進它的水渦。
儘管如此，你們將全部慘死在槍劍下，償付
血的債仇——在我離戰的時候，你們奪走了帕特羅剋洛斯
的生命，在迅捷的海船邊，殘殺了衆多的阿開亞兵勇！”
阿基琉斯如此一番說道，河流聽了怒火中燒，
心中盤劃謀算，思圖阻止卓越的阿基琉斯，
中止他的衝殺，為特洛伊人擋開臨頭的災亡。
其時，阿基琉斯手提投影森長的槍矛，
兇狂撲擊，試圖殺死阿斯忒羅派俄斯，
裴勒工之子，而裴勒工又是水面開闊的阿剋西俄斯
的兒郎，由裴裏波婭所生，阿開薩墨諾斯的
長女，曾經歡情水渦深捲的河流。其時，
阿基琉斯嚮他衝去，而後者跨出河床，
趨身迎戰，手提兩枝槍矛，憑靠珊索斯
註送的勇力——河神憤恨阿基瓊斯的作為，
恨其宰殺年輕的壯勇，沿着他的水流，不帶一絲憐憫。
他倆迎面相撲，咄咄逼近；
捷足的戰勇、卓越的阿基琉斯首先發話，嚷道：
“你是何人？來自何方？竟敢和我交手——
不幸的父親，你們的兒子要和我對陣拼打！”
聽罷這番話，裴勒工光榮的兒子答道：
“裴琉斯心胸豪壯的兒子，為何詢問我的傢世？
我從老遠的地方過來，從土地肥沃的派俄尼亞，
率領派俄尼亞兵勇，全都扛着長桿的槍矛，
來到伊利昂地面，今日是第十一個白天。
你問我的傢世？那得從水流寬闊的阿剋西俄斯說起，
阿剋西俄斯，奔騰在大地上，淌着清湛的水流。
他的兒子是著名的槍手裴勒工，而人們都說，我是裴勒工
的兒郎。現在，光榮的阿基琉斯，讓我們動手戰鬥！”
聽罷此番恫嚇，卓越的阿基琉斯舉起
裴利昂的(木岑)木桿槍矛，但阿斯忒羅派俄斯，
善使雙槍的勇士，同時投出兩枝飛鏢，
一枝打在盾牌上，衹是無力徹底
穿透盾面，黃金的鋪面，神賜的禮物，擋住了它的衝掃。
但是，另一枝槍矛擊中阿基琉斯右臂的前端，
擦破皮肉，黑血涌註；投槍飛馳
而過，深紮在泥地裏，帶着撕咬人肉的欲望。
緊接着，阿基琉斯，挾着殺敵的狂烈，對着
阿斯忒羅派俄斯，投出直飛的(木岑)木桿槍矛，
但投槍偏離目標，紮在隆起的岸沿，深插進
泥層，鑽進去半截子(木岑)木的桿條。
裴琉斯之子從胯邊抽出鋒快的銅劍，
猛撲上去，捲着狂烈，而對方則伸出粗壯的大手，
奮力拽拔河岸上阿基琉斯的樣本槍桿，不得如願。
他一連拔了三次，使出渾身的解數，而一連三次
都以不達目的告終。第四次，他又竭盡全力，
拼命扳擰，試圖折斷埃阿科斯後代的(木岑)木桿槍矛，
無奈槍桿不曾崩斷，阿基琉斯卻已衝到跟前，一劍結果了他的
性命，捅開肚子，臍眼的旁邊，肛腸和盤滑出，
滿地塗瀉，濃黑的迷霧蒙住了他的雙眼——
他大口喘着粗氣，呼吐出體內的魂息。阿基琉斯踩住他的心口，
剝掉他的胸甲，得意洋洋地嚷道：
“躺着吧！瞧，和剋羅諾斯不可戰勝的
兒子拼鬥，决非易事一件——就連神河的後代也不例外！
你聲稱是水流寬闊的長河的子孫，
而我，告訴你，我是大神宙斯的後代！
傢父統治着衆多的慕耳彌鼕子民，
裴琉斯，埃阿科斯的後代，而埃阿科斯是宙斯的骨肉。
正如宙斯比瀉人大海的河流強健，
宙斯的後裔也比河流的後代驃悍。
眼前便有一條寬闊的大河，他能幫你
什麽忙呢？誰也不能敵戰宙斯，剋羅諾斯的兒男。
強有力的阿開洛伊俄斯不能和宙斯對抗，力大
無比的俄開阿諾斯，以它深急的水勢，亦無力和宙斯拼搏，
俄開阿諾斯，水的源頭，所有江河、大洋，
所有溪泉和深挖的水井，無不取自它的波瀾。
然而，就連它也懼怕宙斯的閃電，
那可怕的雷鳴，當空炸響的霹靂！”
言罷，他把銅槍拔出河岸，丟下
對手的屍體，聊無生氣的僵軀，
伸散着四肢，癱躺在沙地上，浸沒在昏暗的河水裏。
鰻鱺及河魚忙着享食他的
軀身，吞啄腎髒邊的花油。其時，
阿基琉斯衝嚮頭戴馬鬃盔冠的派俄尼亞人，
後者仍在四散奔逃，沿着水渦漩轉的長河——
他們都已看到，本隊中最好的戰勇已經
死在襲琉斯之子手下，倒在激戰中。
他一氣殺了塞耳西洛科斯、慕鼕和阿斯圖普洛斯。
慕奈索斯、塞拉西俄斯、埃尼俄斯和俄裴勒斯忒斯，
而且還將斬殺更多的派俄尼亞人——這位捷足的戰勇——
偌不是打着漩渦的河流，以凡人的形貌，
動怒發話，聲音傳出深捲的水浪：
“住手吧，阿基琉斯！凡人中，誰也沒有你勁大，也不及
你這般兇狂——因為神明總是助佑在你的身旁！
但是，即使剋羅諾斯之子讓你滅殺所有的特洛伊人，
你至少也得把他們驅離我的河床，趕往平原，鬍砍亂殺。
我的清澈的水流已漂滿屍體，
我已無法找出一條水道，把激流瀉人神聖的洋流；
屍軀堵住了我的水路，而你還在一個勁地屠殺！
去吧，軍隊的首領——我已深感恐慌！”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“看來，是該按你命囑的去做，斯卡曼得羅斯，宙斯的後裔。
然而，我卻要不停息地砍殺，砍殺特洛伊人，
把他們逼回城堡！我要和赫剋托耳
一對一地拼殺較量，不是我死，便是他亡！”
言罷，他衝掃着撲嚮特洛伊人，似乎已超越人的凡俗；
水渦深漩的河流對阿波羅高聲喊道：
“可恥呀，銀弓之神，宙斯的兒子！你沒有
實踐宙斯的意志；他曾多次命你站在
特洛伊人一邊，救護他們的生命，直到太陽
下沉，黑夜籠罩豐産的原野。”
他言罷，著名的槍手阿基琉斯從岸上
跳入水裏，河流掀起巨浪，劈頭蓋臉地砸去，
翻涌起每一股水頭，將壅塞水道的
成堆的屍體，阿基琉斯殺死的戰勇，衝出河面，
推上幹實的曠野，發出牛一般的吼聲。
同時，他涌起清亮的水流，救護活着的兵勇，
把他們藏掩在寬深的水裏，漩流的底層。
他推起一道兇險的驚濤，在阿基琉斯身邊，
衝擊他的盾牌，來勢兇猛，致使他腿步踉蹌，
站立不穩，伸手抱住一棵榆樹，
樹幹堅實、高大，無奈激流洶涌，把它連根端走，
衝毀整塊岩壁，虯纏蓬雜的枝條
堵住了清湛的水流，橫躺在長河裏，
跨岸攔起一道堤阻。阿基琉斯躍出漩渦，
奮力衝嚮平原，蹽開快腿，踏着恐懼，
疾步飛跑，但強健的河神不讓他脫身，掀起一峰
巨浪，頂着黑色的水頭，試圖阻止卓越的
阿基琉斯，挫止他的衝殺，為特洛伊人消避災愁。
裴琉斯之子急步跳避，跑出一次投射的距程，
快得像一隻烏黑的山鷹，兇猛的獵者，
天空中最強健、飛速最快的羽鳥。
就像這樣，阿基琉斯撒腿奔跑，胸前的銅甲
碰出可怕的聲響，避閃出追撲的水頭，
奪路逃生，但後者緊追不放，浪濤砸出轟然的響聲。
像一個農人，在幽黑的泉水邊挖築渠溝，
引水澆灌他的莊稼和果園，
揮動鶴嘴的鋤頭，刨落渠裏的泥塊，
溪水衝涌，掀起溝底的卵石，
先前的涓涓細水匯成爭涌的水流，
在一個下傾的斜坡，水勢洶涌，衝趕過導水的農人。
就像這樣，河水的鋒頭一次次地撲到阿基琉斯前面，
儘管他跑得飛快——因為神比凡人強健。
捷足的戰勇、卓越的阿基琉斯一次次轉過身子，
試圖站穩腳跟，敵戰河流，並想看看
是不是所有統掌廣阔天空的神祗，現在都緊追在他的後頭，
但宙斯灌住的河流一次次地掀起峰涌的水浪，
居高臨下，擊打他的肩頭。阿基琉斯氣急敗壞，
蹬腿高跳，但底下的河流卻狠狠地
絆拉和疲憊着他的雙腿，衝走腳下的泥層。
裴琉斯之子悲聲嘆叫，凝望着廣阔的天穹：
“父親宙斯，體恤我的悲苦——此時此刻，沒有一位神祗挺身
而出，把我救離河流的追迫！如此看來，我衹有死路一條！
天神中，我心愛的母親比誰都更該受到
指責——她用謊言蒙騙，說我
將倒在披甲的特洛伊人的城下，
死於阿波羅發射的箭鏃。但願
赫剋托耳已經把我殺了，特洛伊最好的戰勇——
死在一個勇敢的人手裏，被殺者也一定是個勇敢的人。
但現在，命運將要讓我死得何等凄慘，
陷在一條大河裏，仿佛我是個男孩，一個牧豬的，
試圖蹚越一條激流，被鼕日的暴雨衝走。”
話音剛落，波塞鼕和雅典娜已趕至
他的近旁，站在他的身邊，以凡人的形貌，
緊握着他的雙手，重申他們的助佑。
裂地之神波塞鼕首先發話，說道：
“不要怕，裴琉斯之子，不必驚恐，
瞧瞧來者是誰，帶着宙斯的許可，
我，阿波羅，和帕拉絲·雅典娜，前來助你。
命運並非要你死於河流的水浪，
後者將馬上停止衝擊，對此，你會親眼目睹。
不過，我們倒有一番忠告，倘若你願意聽從。
不要休閑你的雙手，在激烈的混戰中，
直到把特洛伊人，那些個從你手下逃生的兵勇，
掃進伊利昂遠近馳名的墻樓。一經殺死赫剋托耳，
你要返回海船；我們答應讓你贏得光榮！”
言罷，二位重返神的傢族，而
阿基琉斯則衝鋒嚮前，神的囑令使他備受鼓舞，
催勵他殺嚮平原。平野上，水勢滔滔，推涌着
成堆璀璨的盔甲，成片的屍首，慘死疆場的
年輕人，漂逐在翻涌的水面上。阿基琉斯擡腿高跳，
迎着水浪撲進，水面寬闊的河流
擋不住他的進擊——雅典娜給了他巨大的勇力。
但是，斯卡曼得羅斯不願消偃他的暴怒，而是以
加倍的兇狂撲嚮裴琉斯之子，嘯聚起水頭，推出一峰
山一般的巨浪，對西摩埃斯喊道：
“親愛的兄弟，讓我們合力進擊，擋住這個人的
勇力；否則，他會即刻攻破王者普裏阿摩斯
宏偉的城！特洛伊人無力和他面對面地拼鬥。
幫我打跑這個人，要快！用你衆多的溪水，
註滿每一條河道；推漲起你的每一股激流，
捲起一峰撲涌的洪浪，隨着轟雜的聲響，
蕩掃林木和山石，阻滯這個狂人的殺衝——
他正仗着自己的勇力，兇野得就像神明一樣。
他的勇力，告訴你，連同他的英俊，全都救不了他，
他的光燦燦的鎧甲也一樣——它將沉入水底，
掩人淤泥。我將埋藏他的
軀體，用大量的沙粒，成堆的
石礫——阿開亞人將找不到搜聚屍骨的
去處：我將把他深埋在石岩下，河泥裏！
這，便是他的塋塚；如此，阿開亞人便無須
另築墳場，在為他舉行悼儀的時候！”
言罷，河流起身撲嚮阿基琉斯，水流暴急，沸沸揚揚，
騰起高聳的浪塵，發出深沉的嘯吼，衝捲着泡沫、鮮血和屍首。
宙斯澆註的水流掀起一層青黑色的
峰浪，高揚着水頭，對着裴琉斯之子狠砸。
然而，赫拉擔心阿基琉斯的安危，心中焦急，嘶聲尖叫，
怕他被水渦深陷的河流席捲衝掃。
她當即開口發話，對親愛的兒子，赫法伊斯托斯：
“準備行動，我的孩子，瘸腿的天神！我們相信，
你是珊索斯的對手，可以敵戰打着漩渦的水流。
快去營救阿基琉斯，燃起熊熊的烈火！
我將在大海的上空，集聚兇猛的狂飆，驅使
狂烈的西風和駕着白雲的南風，推捲
兇蠻的烈焰，焚毀特洛伊人的
鎧甲和軀身！而你，你要沿着珊索斯河岸，
放火樹木，把河流燒成一片火海，說什麽
也不要讓他把你支頂回來，用中聽的好話，或駡人的惡言！”
不要平息你的狂暴，除非聽到我的
呼喊——那時，你才能收起不知疲倦的烈火！”
赫拉言罷，赫法伊斯托斯燃起了無情的火焰。
首先，他在平原上點起火苗，焚燒遍野的
屍軀，成堆的死者，阿基瓊斯殺倒的壯勇；
烈火炙烤着整個平原，燒退着閃亮的河水。
像秋日的北風，迅速颳幹剛剛
澆過水的林園，使果農笑逐顔開——
其時的平原，一片枯竭；赫法伊斯托斯的火焰焦燒着
倒地的軀幹。接着，他把透亮的烈火引嚮
大河，吞噬着榆樹、柳樹、檉柳，
橫掃着三葉草、燈心草和良薑，連同所有
其他植物，大片地生衍在海岸邊，傍靠着清澈的水流。
水渦裏，河鰻麯身掙紮，魚群
暈頭轉嚮，活蹦亂跳，沿着清湛的河水，
苦受着烈焰的炙烤，心靈手巧的赫法伊斯托斯滾燙的狂飆。
火勢消竭着河流的勇力，後者高聲喊叫着火神的名字：
“赫法伊斯托斯，神祗中誰也無法和你對抗——
我可受不了如此狂暴的烈焰！
收起火勢，停止進攻！卓越的阿基琉斯現在
可把特洛伊人趕離城堡！這場爭鬥於我何於，我又何苦出力
幫忙？”
河流裹着烈焰，嘶聲喊叫，清澈的河面翻滾着沸騰的
水泡，像一口架在火堆上的大鍋，榨熬一頭
肥豬的油膘，仗着幹柴的火勢，
油脂沿着鍋邊沸騰溢爆——珊索斯河裏
大火鋪蔓，滾水沸騰，清澈的水流失去
運行的活力，靜止不動，頂不住火風的炙烤，
心靈手巧的工匠赫法伊斯托斯強有力的伐討。河流
對着赫拉喊叫，用長了翅膀的話語，急切地懇求道：
“赫拉，你的兒子為何攻擾我的水流，以其他神明不曾
遭受過的兇狂？我並沒有得罪過你嘛——
瞧瞧那些神們，如此熱心地幫助特洛伊人戰鬥。
現在，我將退離此地，倘若這是你的命令——
不過，也要請你的兒子退出。我要嚮你保證，
决不替特洛伊人擋開他們的末日，兇險的死亡，
哪怕猖 莽的烈焰吞噬整座特洛伊城堡，
在那阿開亞人嗜戰的兒子們放火燒城的時候！”
白臂女神赫拉聽到了他的求告，
馬上對心愛的兒子赫法伊斯托斯說道：
“收起你的火頭，赫法伊斯托斯，我光榮的兒子！
犯不着為了凡人的瑣事，痛打一位不死的仙神！”
聽罷這番話，赫法伊斯托斯收起狂虐的烈火，
河流蕩着清波，返回自己的水道。
其時，平服了珊索斯的勇力，兩位神祗
息手罷戰，儘管盛怒難消——赫拉中止了他倆的戰鬥。
然而，激烈殘暴的爭鬥，此時卻在其他神祗中
展露身手；神們營壘分明，戰鬥的狂烈如疾風吹掃；
巨力碰頂衝撞，廣袤的大地回聲浩蕩，
無垠的長空轟然作響，像吹奏的長號；宙斯端坐在
俄林波斯山上，耳聞天宇間的轟響，觀望
衆神的格鬥，心花怒放。
一經對陣，他們動手便打；劈刺盾牌的阿瑞斯
首挑戰端，對着雅典娜猛撲，
手握銅矛，開口辱駡，喊道：
“你這狗頭[●]，為何挾着狂烈的風飆，受你那顆高傲的
●狗頭：原文作kunamuia，“狗蠅”。
心靈驅使，再次挑起神對神的爭鬥？
還記得你慫恿狄俄墨得斯、圖丟之子
出槍傷我的事嗎？你親自動手，當着衆神的臉面，抓住投槍，
撥對着我的身軀，捅破我健美的肌膚。
現在，我要回報你的作為，傷我的一切！”
言罷，他出槍刺去可怕的埃吉斯，穗條飄灑的
神物，連宙斯的霹靂也莫它奈何。
對着它，嗜血的阿瑞斯捅出粗長的槍矛，
雅典娜移步後退，伸出壯實的雙手，抱起一塊
睡躺平原的石頭，碩大、烏黑、粗皺，
前人把它放在那裏，作為定分𠔌地的界標。她舉起
石頭，投砸瘋狂的阿瑞斯，打在脖子上，鬆軟了他的四肢。
他翻身倒下，伸攤着手腳，占地七頃，頭髮沾滿
泥塵，鎧甲鏗鏘作響。帕拉絲·雅典娜放聲大笑，
得意洋洋地對着他炫耀，喊出長了翅膀的話語：
“你這個笨蛋！你從來不曾想過——此次亦然——
試比力氣，拼搏打鬥——告訴你——我要比你強健得多！
所以，你母親的憤怒正使你付出代價。
她已勃然大怒，謀劃着使你遭殃，因為你撇下
阿開亞軍隊不管，出力幫助兇頑的特洛伊兵壯！”
言罷，雅典娜睜着閃亮的眼睛，移目它方。
其時，阿芙羅底忒，宙斯之女，握住阿瑞斯的手，
把他帶離戰場，後者一路哀叫，幾乎不能回聚他的力量。
然而，白臂女神赫拉發現了她的行蹤，
隨即發話帕拉絲·雅典娜，用長了翅膀的言語：
“看呢，阿特魯托奈，帶埃吉斯的宙斯的女兒！
那個狗頭故伎重演，又引着殺人不眨眼的阿瑞斯
跑離戰鬥，撤出紛亂的戰場！追上他，趕快！”
她言罷，雅典娜奮起直追，滿心歡喜，
趕到阿芙羅底忒的前頭，伸出有力的臂膀，送去
一拳當胸，打得她雙膝酥軟，心力飄蕩。
兩位神祗伸攤着四肢，躺倒在豐腴的大地上。
雅典娜得意洋洋地對着他們炫耀，喊出長了翅膀的話語：
“但願所有幫助特洛伊人的神祗，全都
遭受這個下場，在攻戰披甲的阿耳吉維人的時候，
像阿芙羅底忒一樣勇猛、頑莽，前往
救護阿瑞斯，迎面受對我的兇狂！
這樣，我們早就可以結束這場爭鬥，
摧毀堅固的城堡，蕩平伊利昂！”
聽罷這番炫耀，白臂女神赫拉的臉上綻出了笑容。
其時，強有力的裂地之神對阿波羅說道：
“福伊波斯，你我為何還不開戰？如此很不合適——
其他神明已交手拼搏。那將是一場莫大的羞辱，倘若
不戰而回，回到俄林波斯，宙斯那青銅鋪地的居所。
你先動手吧，你比我年輕；反之卻不
妥當，因為我比你年長，所知更多。
你這個笨蛋，你的心神竟會如此健忘！
不記得了嗎，我倆在伊利昂遭受的種種折磨？
衆神之中，宙斯衹打發你我下凡，替
高傲的勞墨鼕幹活，充當一年的僕役，爭賺
一筆說定的報酬——由他指派活計，我們以他的指令是從。
我為特洛伊人築了一堵圍城的護墻，
寬厚、極其雄偉、堅不可破；而你
福伊波斯，卻放牧着他的腿步蹣跚的彎角壯牛，
行走在伊達的山面，樹木蔥鬱的嶺坡。
然而，當季節的變化令人高興地結束了我們的
役期，狠毒的勞墨鼕卻貪吞了我們的
工酬，把我們趕走，威脅恫嚇，
揚言要捆綁我們的手腳，把
我們當做奴隸，賣到遠方的海島。
他甚至還打算用銅斧砍落我們的耳朵！
其後，你我返回傢居，懷着滿腔的憤怒，
恨他不付答應我們的工酬。但現在，
對他的屬民，你卻恩寵有加，不想
站到我們一邊，一起滅毀橫蠻的特洛伊人，
把他們斬盡殺絶，連同他們的孩子和尊貴的妻房！”
聽罷這番話，王者、遠射手阿波羅答道：
“裂地之神，你會以為我頭腦發熱，
倘若我和你開打，為了可憐的凡人。
他們像樹葉一樣，一時間風華森茂，勃發出
如火的生機，食用大地催發的碩果；然而，好景不長，
他們枯竭衰老，體毀人亡。所以，我們要
即時停止這場糾紛，讓凡人自己去爭鬥拼搏！”
言罷，他轉身離去，有愧於同
父親的兄弟手對手地開打。但
他的姐妹，獵手阿耳忒彌絲，獸群中的女王，
此時開口咒駡，用尖利刻薄的言詞：
“你不是在撒腿逃命吧，我的遠射手！你把勝利，徹底的勝利，
拱手讓給了波塞鼕。你讓他不動一個指兒，得到這份光榮！
為何攜帶這張硬弓，你這個蠢貨，它就像清風一樣無用！
從今後，不要再讓我聽你自吹自擂，在父親的
廳堂，像你以往常做的那樣，當着衆神的臉面，
說是你可以和波塞鼕戰鬥，較勁拼搏！”
她言罷，遠射手阿波羅一言不發，
但宙斯尊貴的妻侶卻勃然震怒，
咒駡發放箭雨的獵手，用狠毒的言詞：
“你這不要臉的東西，竟敢如此大膽，和我
作對爭鬥！你要和我打鬥，可是兇多吉少，
哪怕你帶着弓箭。宙斯讓你成為女人中的
獅子，給了你隨心所欲地宰殺的權利——
放聰明點，還是去那山上，追獵野獸，
捕殺林地裏的奔鹿，不要試圖和比你強健的神祗爭鬥！
但是，倘若你想嘗嘗打鬥的滋味，那就上來吧，
通過面對面的較量，你就會知道，和你相比，我要強健多少！”
言罷，她伸出左手，抓住阿耳忒彌絲的雙腕，
然後一把奪過弓桿，用她的右手，從後者的肩頭，
舉起奪得的彎弓，劈打她的耳朵，忍俊不住，
看着她避閃的窘相，迅捷的羽箭紛散掉落。
她從赫拉手下脫身逃跑，淚流滿面，像一隻鴿子，
逃避鷹的追捕，展翅驚飛，躲入一道岩縫，
一個洞穴——命運並沒有要它死於鷹的抓捕；就像這樣，
阿耳忒彌絲撇下弓箭，挂着眼淚，奪路奔逃。
與此同時，導者阿耳吉豐忒斯對萊托說道：
“萊紮，我不會和你戰鬥；同宙斯的妻房[●]交手，
●宙斯的妻房：當然，不是嚴格意義上的妻子。
可是件兇多吉少的事情——宙斯，嘯聚烏雲的仙神。
這下，你可隨心所欲地吹擂，告訴
不死的神明，你已把我擊敗，比我強勇。”
他言罷，萊托撿起彎弓和箭矢，
後者橫七竪八地躺落在起伏的泥地裏，
帶着弓箭，朝着女兒離行的方向趕去。
其時，獵手姑娘來到俄林波斯，宙斯的青銅
鋪地的房居，坐身父親的膝腿，淚水橫流，
永不敗壞的裙抱在身上不停地顫動。父親，
剋羅諾斯之子，把女兒摟抱在懷裏，溫和地笑着，問道：
“是誰，我的孩子，是天神中的哪一個，鬍作非為，把你
弄成這個樣子，仿佛你是個被抓現場的歹徒？”
聽罷這番話，頭戴花環、呼叫山野的獵手答道：
“正是你的妻子，父親，是白臂膀的赫拉，出手
打了我！由於她的過錯，衆神已陷入格鬥和拼搏的漩渦！”
正當他倆你來我往，一番答說之際，
福伊波斯·阿波羅進入了神聖的伊利昂，
放心不下城堡堅固的圍墻，
惟恐達奈人，先於命運的安排，今天即會把它攻破。
其他神明全都回到俄林波斯，他們永久的傢居，
有的怒氣衝衝，有的興高采烈，坐在
父親身邊，統掌烏雲的神主。地面上，阿基琉斯
正不停地屠殺特洛伊人和風快的馭馬。
像騰升的煙雲，衝上遼闊的天空，
從一座被燒的城堡，受到神之憤怒的吹慫，
使所有的城民為之苦苦掙紮，許多人為之痛心悲愁——就像
這樣，面對阿基琉斯的衝殺，特洛伊人苦苦掙紮，愁滿心胸。
年邁的普裏阿摩斯站在神築的城樓上，
看到高大魁梧的阿基琉斯以及被他趕得拼命
逃竄的特洛伊人；戰局已經一敗塗地。
他走下城樓，落腳地面，哀聲嘆息，
沿着城墻，對着護守城門的驃健的衛兵們喊道：
“趕快動手，大開城門，接納潰敗
回跑的兵勇！阿基琉斯已咄咄逼近，
趕殺我們的兵壯；可以預見，這裏將有一場血肉橫飛的戰鬥！
但是，當他們蜂擁着退進城裏，可得定神喘息後，
你們要即刻關上城門，插緊門閂。我擔心，
這個殺氣騰騰的傢夥會跳上我們的墻頭！”
他言罷，兵勇們拉開門閂，打開城門，
洞敞的大門為特洛伊人提供了一個藏身的通途。其時，阿波羅
躍出城外，尋會阿基琉斯，為特洛伊兵勇
擋避災亡，後者正拼命朝着城堡和高墻衝跑，
喉嚨幹渴焦燥，踏着平原上的泥塵，撒腿
奔逃；阿基琉斯提着槍矛，發瘋似地追趕，兇暴的狂莽
始終揪揉着他的心房，渴望着為自己爭得榮光。
此時此刻，阿開亞人可能已經拿下城門高聳的伊利昂，
要不是福伊波斯·阿波羅給他們派去卓越的阿格諾耳，
安忒諾耳之子，豪獷、強健的戰勇。
阿波羅把勇氣註入他的心胸，親自站在他的
身邊，為他擋開拖搶人命的死亡，
斜倚在一棵橡樹上，隱身在一團迷霧裏。
當阿格諾耳見到阿基琉斯，城堡的蕩擊者，
馬上收住腳步，就地等待，心潮猶如起伏的波浪，
窘睏煩惱，對自己豪 莽的心魂說道：
“哦，我的天！如果我逃避阿基琉斯的衝殺，
像其他人那樣慌慌張張地奔跑，他仍會追趕上來，
砍斷我的脖子，就像殺死一個貪生怕死的小人。
倘若丟下夥伴，這些被裴瓊斯之子阿基琉斯
趕得撒腿驚跑的兵勇，朝着另一個方向，
蹽腿跑離城墻，穿過伊利昂城前的平野，駐
伊達的坡面，藏身灌木叢中，待至
夜幕降臨，我便可下河洗澡，擦去
身上的汗水，回程伊利昂城堡。
既如此，心魂啊，你為何還要和我爭吵？
看在老天的份上，不要讓他發現我跑離城堡，撒腿平原，
然後奮起直追，憑着他的快腿，把我趕超。
那時，我將無論如何逃不過死的脅迫，命運的追捕——
阿基琉斯的勇力凡人誰也抵擋不了。等一等，要是我
跑到城堡的前面，和他對陣敵戰，此舉如何？
即便是他的肌膚，我想，也抵不住鋒快的銅矛！
他衹有一條性命；人們說，他是一個凡人——
衹是因為宙斯，剋羅諾斯之子，要讓他得享榮光。”
言罷，他鼓起勇氣，迎戰阿基琉斯，狂 莽的
心胸企盼着拼殺和打鬥。
像一隻山豹，鑽出繁密密的枝叢，
面對捕殺她的獵人，聽着獵狗的吠叫，
心中既無懼怕，也不帶逃跑的念頭，
雖然獵人手腳利索，用投槍或刺捅擊殺，
雖然她已身帶槍傷，但卻絲毫沒有怠懈
猛獸的狂暴，要麽逼近撲殺，要麽死在獵人手中。
就像這樣，卓越的阿格諾耳，高傲的安忒諾耳之子，
一步不讓，决心試試阿基琉斯的鋒芒，
攜着溜圓的戰後，擋在胸前，
舉槍瞄準，放聲喊道：
“毫無疑問，閃光的阿基琉斯，你在癡心企望，
企望就在今天，蕩掃高傲的特洛伊人的城堡！
好一個笨蛋！攻奪這座城堡，你們還得承受巨大的悲傷。
我們的城裏，還有衆多善戰的壯勇，
站在我們尊愛的雙親、妻子和兒子的面前，
保衛伊利昂——而正是在這個地方，你將服從命運的
安排，雖然你很強悍、暴莽！”
言罷，他揮動粗壯的大手，投出犀利的銅矛，
不曾虛發，打中膝下的小腿，
新近鍛製的白錫脛甲，發出
可怕的聲響，不曾穿透甲面，被
反彈回來——神賜的禮物擋住了它的衝撞。
接着，裴琉斯之子朝着神一樣的阿格諾耳撲去，
但阿波羅不想讓他爭得這份榮光，
一把帶走阿格諾耳，把他藏捲在濃霧裏，
悄悄地送出戰場，踏上安全的途程。
然後，阿波羅又設計把裴琉斯之子引開逃跑的人群。
摹仿阿格諾耳的形象，遠射手幻化得惟妙惟肖，
站在阿基琉斯面前，後者奮起直追，
蹽開快腿，跑過盛産麥子的平原，
轉嚮斯卡曼得羅斯深捲的漩渦，
而神祗總是略微領先一點，引誘他不停腳地
追跑，抱着不滅的希望，試圖仗着腿快，把神明趕超。
利用這一長段時間，特洛伊人擁攘着跑回
城裏，興高采烈；成群的散兵塞滿了地面。
他們再也不敢留在城墻外，
互相等盼，弄清哪些人生還回來，
哪些人戰死疆場，慌慌忙忙地涌進
城裏，為了保命，人人擺動雙膝，跑出了最快的腿步。
ARGUMENT.
THE BATTLE IN THE RIVER SCAMANDER.(269)
The Trojans fly before Achilles, some towards the town, others to the
river Scamander: he falls upon the latter with great slaughter: takes
twelve captives alive, to sacrifice to the shade of Patroclus; and kills
Lycaon and Asteropeus. Scamander attacks him with all his waves: Neptune
and Pallas assist the hero: Simois joins Scamander: at length Vulcan, by
the instigation of Juno, almost dries up the river. This Combat ended, the
other gods engage each other. Meanwhile Achilles continues the slaughter,
drives the rest into Troy: Agenor only makes a stand, and is conveyed away
in a cloud by Apollo; who (to delude Achilles) takes upon him Agenor's
shape, and while he pursues him in that disguise, gives the Trojans an
opportunity of retiring into their city.
The same day continues. The scene is on the banks and in the stream of
Scamander.
And now to Xanthus' gliding stream they drove,
Xanthus, immortal progeny of Jove.
The river here divides the flying train,
Part to the town fly diverse o'er the plain,
Where late their troops triumphant bore the fight,
Now chased, and trembling in ignoble flight:
(These with a gathered mist Saturnia shrouds,
And rolls behind the rout a heap of clouds:)
Part plunge into the stream: old Xanthus roars,
The flashing billows beat the whiten'd shores:
With cries promiscuous all the banks resound,
And here, and there, in eddies whirling round,
The flouncing steeds and shrieking warriors drown'd.
As the scorch'd locusts from their fields retire,
While fast behind them runs the blaze of fire;
Driven from the land before the smoky cloud,
The clustering legions rush into the flood:
So, plunged in Xanthus by Achilles' force,
Roars the resounding surge with men and horse.
His bloody lance the hero casts aside,
(Which spreading tamarisks on the margin hide,)
Then, like a god, the rapid billows braves,
Arm'd with his sword, high brandish'd o'er the waves:
Now down he plunges, now he whirls it round,
Deep groan'd the waters with the dying sound;
Repeated wounds the reddening river dyed,
And the warm purple circled on the tide.
Swift through the foamy flood the Trojans fly,
And close in rocks or winding caverns lie:
So the huge dolphin tempesting the main,
In shoals before him fly the scaly train,
Confusedly heap'd they seek their inmost caves,
Or pant and heave beneath the floating waves.
Now, tired with slaughter, from the Trojan band
Twelve chosen youths he drags alive to land;
With their rich belts their captive arms restrains
(Late their proud ornaments, but now their chains).
These his attendants to the ships convey'd,
Sad victims destined to Patroclus' shade;
Then, as once more he plunged amid the flood,
The young Lycaon in his passage stood;
The son of Priam; whom the hero's hand
But late made captive in his father's land
(As from a sycamore, his sounding steel
Lopp'd the green arms to spoke a chariot wheel)
To Lemnos' isle he sold the royal slave,
Where Jason's son the price demanded gave;
But kind Eetion, touching on the shore,
The ransom'd prince to fair Arisbe bore.
Ten days were past, since in his father's reign
He felt the sweets of liberty again;
The next, that god whom men in vain withstand
Gives the same youth to the same conquering hand
Now never to return! and doom'd to go
A sadder journey to the shades below.
His well-known face when great Achilles eyed,
(The helm and visor he had cast aside
With wild affright, and dropp'd upon the field
His useless lance and unavailing shield,)
As trembling, panting, from the stream he fled,
And knock'd his faltering knees, the hero said.
"Ye mighty gods! what wonders strike my view!
Is it in vain our conquering arms subdue?
Sure I shall see yon heaps of Trojans kill'd
Rise from the shades, and brave me on the field;
As now the captive, whom so late I bound
And sold to Lemnos, stalks on Trojan ground!
Not him the sea's unmeasured deeps detain,
That bar such numbers from their native plain;
Lo! he returns. Try, then, my flying spear!
Try, if the grave can hold the wanderer;
If earth, at length this active prince can seize,
Earth, whose strong grasp has held down Hercules."
Thus while he spoke, the Trojan pale with fears
Approach'd, and sought his knees with suppliant tears
Loth as he was to yield his youthful breath,
And his soul shivering at the approach of death.
Achilles raised the spear, prepared to wound;
He kiss'd his feet, extended on the ground:
And while, above, the spear suspended stood,
Longing to dip its thirsty point in blood,
One hand embraced them close, one stopp'd the dart,
While thus these melting words attempt his heart:
"Thy well-known captive, great Achilles! see,
Once more Lycaon trembles at thy knee.
Some pity to a suppliant's name afford,
Who shared the gifts of Ceres at thy board;
Whom late thy conquering arm to Lemnos bore,
Far from his father, friends, and native shore;
A hundred oxen were his price that day,
Now sums immense thy mercy shall repay.
Scarce respited from woes I yet appear,
And scarce twelve morning suns have seen me here;
Lo! Jove again submits me to thy hands,
Again, her victim cruel Fate demands!
I sprang from Priam, and Laothoe fair,
(Old Altes' daughter, and Lelegia's heir;
Who held in Pedasus his famed abode,
And ruled the fields where silver Satnio flow'd,)
Two sons (alas! unhappy sons) she bore;
For ah! one spear shall drink each brother's gore,
And I succeed to slaughter'd Polydore.
How from that arm of terror shall I fly?
Some demon urges! 'tis my doom to die!
If ever yet soft pity touch'd thy mind,
Ah! think not me too much of Hector's kind!
Not the same mother gave thy suppliant breath,
With his, who wrought thy loved Patroclus' death."
These words, attended with a shower of tears,
The youth address'd to unrelenting ears:
"Talk not of life, or ransom (he replies):
Patroclus dead, whoever meets me, dies:
In vain a single Trojan sues for grace;
But least, the sons of Priam's hateful race.
Die then, my friend! what boots it to deplore?
The great, the good Patroclus is no more!
He, far thy better, was foredoom'd to die,
And thou, dost thou bewail mortality?
Seest thou not me, whom nature's gifts adorn,
Sprung from a hero, from a goddess born?
The day shall come (which nothing can avert)
When by the spear, the arrow, or the dart,
By night, or day, by force, or by design,
Impending death and certain fate are mine!
Die then,"--He said; and as the word he spoke,
The fainting stripling sank before the stroke:
His hand forgot its grasp, and left the spear,
While all his trembling frame confess'd his fear:
Sudden, Achilles his broad sword display'd,
And buried in his neck the reeking blade.
Prone fell the youth; and panting on the land,
The gushing purple dyed the thirsty sand.
The victor to the stream the carcase gave,
And thus insults him, floating on the wave:
"Lie there, Lycaon! let the fish surround
Thy bloated corpse, and suck thy gory wound:
There no sad mother shall thy funerals weep,
But swift Scamander roll thee to the deep,
Whose every wave some watery monster brings,
To feast unpunish'd on the fat of kings.
So perish Troy, and all the Trojan line!
Such ruin theirs, and such compassion mine.
What boots ye now Scamander's worshipp'd stream,
His earthly honours, and immortal name?
In vain your immolated bulls are slain,
Your living coursers glut his gulfs in vain!
Thus he rewards you, with this bitter fate;
Thus, till the Grecian vengeance is complete:
Thus is atoned Patroclus' honour'd shade,
And the short absence of Achilles paid."
These boastful words provoked the raging god;
With fury swells the violated flood.
What means divine may yet the power employ
To check Achilles, and to rescue Troy?
Meanwhile the hero springs in arms, to dare
The great Asteropeus to mortal war;
The son of Pelagon, whose lofty line
Flows from the source of Axius, stream divine!
(Fair Peribaea's love the god had crown'd,
With all his refluent waters circled round:)
On him Achilles rush'd; he fearless stood,
And shook two spears, advancing from the flood;
The flood impell'd him, on Pelides' head
To avenge his waters choked with heaps of dead.
Near as they drew, Achilles thus began:
"What art thou, boldest of the race of man?
Who, or from whence? Unhappy is the sire
Whose son encounters our resistless ire."
"O son of Peleus! what avails to trace
(Replied the warrior) our illustrious race?
From rich Paeonia's valleys I command,
Arm'd with protended spears, my native band;
Now shines the tenth bright morning since I came
In aid of Ilion to the fields of fame:
Axius, who swells with all the neighbouring rills,
And wide around the floated region fills,
Begot my sire, whose spear much glory won:
Now lift thy arm, and try that hero's son!"
Threatening he said: the hostile chiefs advance;
At once Asteropeus discharged each lance,
(For both his dexterous hands the lance could wield,)
One struck, but pierced not, the Vulcanian shield;
One razed Achilles' hand; the spouting blood
Spun forth; in earth the fasten'd weapon stood.
Like lightning next the Pelean javelin flies:
Its erring fury hiss'd along the skies;
Deep in the swelling bank was driven the spear,
Even to the middle earth; and quiver'd there.
Then from his side the sword Pelides drew,
And on his foe with double fury flew.
The foe thrice tugg'd, and shook the rooted wood;
Repulsive of his might the weapon stood:
The fourth, he tries to break the spear in vain;
Bent as he stands, he tumbles to the plain;
His belly open'd with a ghastly wound,
The reeking entrails pour upon the ground.
Beneath the hero's feet he panting lies,
And his eye darkens, and his spirit flies;
While the proud victor thus triumphing said,
His radiant armour tearing from the dead:
"So ends thy glory! Such the fate they prove,
Who strive presumptuous with the sons of Jove!
Sprung from a river, didst thou boast thy line?
But great Saturnius is the source of mine.
How durst thou vaunt thy watery progeny?
Of Peleus, Æacus, and Jove, am I.
The race of these superior far to those,
As he that thunders to the stream that flows.
What rivers can, Scamander might have shown;
But Jove he dreads, nor wars against his son.
Even Achelous might contend in vain,
And all the roaring billows of the main.
The eternal ocean, from whose fountains flow
The seas, the rivers, and the springs below,
The thundering voice of Jove abhors to hear,
And in his deep abysses shakes with fear."
He said: then from the bank his javelin tore,
And left the breathless warrior in his gore.
The floating tides the bloody carcase lave,
And beat against it, wave succeeding wave;
Till, roll'd between the banks, it lies the food
Of curling eels, and fishes of the flood.
All scatter'd round the stream (their mightiest slain)
The amazed Paeonians scour along the plain;
He vents his fury on the flying crew,
Thrasius, Astyplus, and Mnesus slew;
Mydon, Thersilochus, with Ænius, fell;
And numbers more his lance had plunged to hell,
But from the bottom of his gulfs profound
Scamander spoke; the shores return'd the sound.
"O first of mortals! (for the gods are thine)
In valour matchless, and in force divine!
If Jove have given thee every Trojan head,
'Tis not on me thy rage should heap the dead.
See! my choked streams no more their course can keep,
Nor roll their wonted tribute to the deep.
Turn then, impetuous! from our injured flood;
Content, thy slaughters could amaze a god."
In human form, confess'd before his eyes,
The river thus; and thus the chief replies:
"O sacred stream! thy word we shall obey;
But not till Troy the destined vengeance pay,
Not till within her towers the perjured train
Shall pant, and tremble at our arms again;
Not till proud Hector, guardian of her wall,
Or stain this lance, or see Achilles fall."
He said; and drove with fury on the foe.
Then to the godhead of the silver bow
The yellow flood began: "O son of Jove!
Was not the mandate of the sire above
Full and express, that Phoebus should employ
His sacred arrows in defence of Troy,
And make her conquer, till Hyperion's fall
In awful darkness hide the face of all?"
He spoke in vain--The chief without dismay
Ploughs through the boiling surge his desperate way.
Then rising in his rage above the shores,
From all his deep the bellowing river roars,
Huge heaps of slain disgorges on the coast,
And round the banks the ghastly dead are toss'd.
While all before, the billows ranged on high,
(A watery bulwark,) screen the bands who fly.
Now bursting on his head with thundering sound,
The falling deluge whelms the hero round:
His loaded shield bends to the rushing tide;
His feet, upborne, scarce the strong flood divide,
Sliddering, and staggering. On the border stood
A spreading elm, that overhung the flood;
He seized a bending bough, his steps to stay;
The plant uprooted to his weight gave way.(270)
Heaving the bank, and undermining all;
Loud flash the waters to the rushing fall
Of the thick foliage. The large trunk display'd
Bridged the rough flood across: the hero stay'd
On this his weight, and raised upon his hand,
Leap'd from the channel, and regain'd the land.
Then blacken'd the wild waves: the murmur rose:
The god pursues, a huger billow throws,
And bursts the bank, ambitious to destroy
The man whose fury is the fate of Troy.
He like the warlike eagle speeds his pace
(Swiftest and strongest of the aerial race);
Far as a spear can fly, Achilles springs;
At every bound his clanging armour rings:
Now here, now there, he turns on every side,
And winds his course before the following tide;
The waves flow after, wheresoe'er he wheels,
And gather fast, and murmur at his heels.
So when a peasant to his garden brings
Soft rills of water from the bubbling springs,
And calls the floods from high, to bless his bowers,
And feed with pregnant streams the plants and flowers:
Soon as he clears whate'er their passage stay'd,
And marks the future current with his spade,
Swift o'er the rolling pebbles, down the hills,
Louder and louder purl the falling rills;
Before him scattering, they prevent his pains,
And shine in mazy wanderings o'er the plains.
Still flies Achilles, but before his eyes
Still swift Scamander rolls where'er he flies:
Not all his speed escapes the rapid floods;
The first of men, but not a match for gods.
Oft as he turn'd the torrent to oppose,
And bravely try if all the powers were foes;
So oft the surge, in watery mountains spread,
Beats on his back, or bursts upon his head.
Yet dauntless still the adverse flood he braves,
And still indignant bounds above the waves.
Tired by the tides, his knees relax with toil;
Wash'd from beneath him slides the slimy soil;
When thus (his eyes on heaven's expansion thrown)
Forth bursts the hero with an angry groan:
"Is there no god Achilles to befriend,
No power to avert his miserable end?
Prevent, O Jove! this ignominious date,(271)
And make my future life the sport of fate.
Of all heaven's oracles believed in vain,
But most of Thetis must her son complain;
By Phoebus' darts she prophesied my fall,
In glorious arms before the Trojan wall.
Oh! had I died in fields of battle warm,
Stretch'd like a hero, by a hero's arm!
Might Hector's spear this dauntless bosom rend,
And my swift soul o'ertake my slaughter'd friend.
Ah no! Achilles meets a shameful fate,
Oh how unworthy of the brave and great!
Like some vile swain, whom on a rainy day,
Crossing a ford, the torrent sweeps away,
An unregarded carcase to the sea."
Neptune and Pallas haste to his relief,
And thus in human form address'd the chief:
The power of ocean first: "Forbear thy fear,
O son of Peleus! Lo, thy gods appear!
Behold! from Jove descending to thy aid,
Propitious Neptune, and the blue-eyed maid.
Stay, and the furious flood shall cease to rave
'Tis not thy fate to glut his angry wave.
But thou, the counsel heaven suggests, attend!
Nor breathe from combat, nor thy sword suspend,
Till Troy receive her flying sons, till all
Her routed squadrons pant behind their wall:
Hector alone shall stand his fatal chance,
And Hector's blood shall smoke upon thy lance.
Thine is the glory doom'd." Thus spake the gods:
Then swift ascended to the bright abodes.
Stung with new ardour, thus by heaven impell'd,
He springs impetuous, and invades the field:
O'er all the expanded plain the waters spread;
Heaved on the bounding billows danced the dead,
Floating 'midst scatter'd arms; while casques of gold
And turn'd-up bucklers glitter'd as they roll'd.
High o'er the surging tide, by leaps and bounds,
He wades, and mounts; the parted wave resounds.
Not a whole river stops the hero's course,
While Pallas fills him with immortal force.
With equal rage, indignant Xanthus roars,
And lifts his billows, and o'erwhelms his shores.
Then thus to Simois! "Haste, my brother flood;
And check this mortal that controls a god;
Our bravest heroes else shall quit the fight,
And Ilion tumble from her towery height.
Call then thy subject streams, and bid them roar,
From all thy fountains swell thy watery store,
With broken rocks, and with a load of dead,
Charge the black surge, and pour it on his head.
Mark how resistless through the floods he goes,
And boldly bids the warring gods be foes!
But nor that force, nor form divine to sight,
Shall aught avail him, if our rage unite:
Whelm'd under our dark gulfs those arms shall lie,
That blaze so dreadful in each Trojan eye;
And deep beneath a sandy mountain hurl'd,
Immersed remain this terror of the world.
Such ponderous ruin shall confound the place,
No Greeks shall e'er his perish'd relics grace,
No hand his bones shall gather, or inhume;
These his cold rites, and this his watery tomb."
[Illustration: ACHILLES CONTENDING WITH THE RIVERS.]
ACHILLES CONTENDING WITH THE RIVERS.
He said; and on the chief descends amain,
Increased with gore, and swelling with the slain.
Then, murmuring from his beds, he boils, he raves,
And a foam whitens on the purple waves:
At every step, before Achilles stood
The crimson surge, and deluged him with blood.
Fear touch'd the queen of heaven: she saw dismay'd,
She call'd aloud, and summon'd Vulcan's aid.
"Rise to the war! the insulting flood requires
Thy wasteful arm! assemble all thy fires!
While to their aid, by our command enjoin'd,
Rush the swift eastern and the western wind:
These from old ocean at my word shall blow,
Pour the red torrent on the watery foe,
Corses and arms to one bright ruin turn,
And hissing rivers to their bottoms burn.
Go, mighty in thy rage! display thy power,
Drink the whole flood, the crackling trees devour.
Scorch all the banks! and (till our voice reclaim)
Exert the unwearied furies of the flame!"
The power ignipotent her word obeys:
Wide o'er the plain he pours the boundless blaze;
At once consumes the dead, and dries the soil
And the shrunk waters in their channel boil.
As when autumnal Boreas sweeps the sky,
And instant blows the water'd gardens dry:
So look'd the field, so whiten'd was the ground,
While Vulcan breathed the fiery blast around.
Swift on the sedgy reeds the ruin preys;
Along the margin winds the running blaze:
The trees in flaming rows to ashes turn,
The flowering lotos and the tamarisk burn,
Broad elm, and cypress rising in a spire;
The watery willows hiss before the fire.
Now glow the waves, the fishes pant for breath,
The eels lie twisting in the pangs of death:
Now flounce aloft, now dive the scaly fry,
Or, gasping, turn their bellies to the sky.
At length the river rear'd his languid head,
And thus, short-panting, to the god he said:
"Oh Vulcan! oh! what power resists thy might?
I faint, I sink, unequal to the fight--
I yield--Let Ilion fall; if fate decree--
Ah--bend no more thy fiery arms on me!"
He ceased; wide conflagration blazing round;
The bubbling waters yield a hissing sound.
As when the flames beneath a cauldron rise,(272)
To melt the fat of some rich sacrifice,
Amid the fierce embrace of circling fires
The waters foam, the heavy smoke aspires:
So boils the imprison'd flood, forbid to flow,
And choked with vapours feels his bottom glow.
To Juno then, imperial queen of air,
The burning river sends his earnest prayer:
"Ah why, Saturnia; must thy son engage
Me, only me, with all his wasteful rage?
On other gods his dreadful arm employ,
For mightier gods assert the cause of Troy.
Submissive I desist, if thou command;
But ah! withdraw this all-destroying hand.
Hear then my solemn oath, to yield to fate
Unaided Ilion, and her destined state,
Till Greece shall gird her with destructive flame,
And in one ruin sink the Trojan name."
His warm entreaty touch'd Saturnia's ear:
She bade the ignipotent his rage forbear,
Recall the flame, nor in a mortal cause
Infest a god: the obedient flame withdraws:
Again the branching streams begin to spread,
And soft remurmur in their wonted bed.
While these by Juno's will the strife resign,
The warring gods in fierce contention join:
Rekindling rage each heavenly breast alarms:
With horrid clangour shock the ethereal arms:
Heaven in loud thunder bids the trumpet sound;
And wide beneath them groans the rending ground.
Jove, as his sport, the dreadful scene descries,
And views contending gods with careless eyes.
The power of battles lifts his brazen spear,
And first assaults the radiant queen of war:
"What moved thy madness, thus to disunite
Ethereal minds, and mix all heaven in fight?
What wonder this, when in thy frantic mood
Thou drovest a mortal to insult a god?
Thy impious hand Tydides' javelin bore,
And madly bathed it in celestial gore."
He spoke, and smote the long-resounding shield,
Which bears Jove's thunder on its dreadful field:
The adamantine aegis of her sire,
That turns the glancing bolt and forked fire.
Then heaved the goddess in her mighty hand
A stone, the limit of the neighbouring land,
There fix'd from eldest times; black, craggy, vast;
This at the heavenly homicide she cast.
Thundering he falls, a mass of monstrous size:
And seven broad acres covers as he lies.
The stunning stroke his stubborn nerves unbound:
Loud o'er the fields his ringing arms resound:
The scornful dame her conquest views with smiles,
And, glorying, thus the prostrate god reviles:
"Hast thou not yet, insatiate fury! known
How far Minerva's force transcends thy own?
Juno, whom thou rebellious darest withstand,
Corrects thy folly thus by Pallas' hand;
Thus meets thy broken faith with just disgrace,
And partial aid to Troy's perfidious race."
The goddess spoke, and turn'd her eyes away,
That, beaming round, diffused celestial day.
Jove's Cyprian daughter, stooping on the land,
Lent to the wounded god her tender hand:
Slowly he rises, scarcely breathes with pain,
And, propp'd on her fair arm, forsakes the plain.
This the bright empress of the heavens survey'd,
And, scoffing, thus to war's victorious maid:
"Lo! what an aid on Mars's side is seen!
The smiles' and loves' unconquerable queen!
Mark with what insolence, in open view,
She moves: let Pallas, if she dares, pursue."
Minerva smiling heard, the pair o'ertook,
And slightly on her breast the wanton strook:
She, unresisting, fell (her spirits fled);
On earth together lay the lovers spread.
"And like these heroes be the fate of all
(Minerva cries) who guard the Trojan wall!
To Grecian gods such let the Phrygian be,
So dread, so fierce, as Venus is to me;
Then from the lowest stone shall Troy be moved."
Thus she, and Juno with a smile approved.
Meantime, to mix in more than mortal fight,
The god of ocean dares the god of light.
"What sloth has seized us, when the fields around
Ring with conflicting powers, and heaven returns the sound:
Shall, ignominious, we with shame retire,
No deed perform'd, to our Olympian sire?
Come, prove thy arm! for first the war to wage,
Suits not my greatness, or superior age:
Rash as thou art to prop the Trojan throne,
(Forgetful of my wrongs, and of thy own,)
And guard the race of proud Laomedon!
Hast thou forgot, how, at the monarch's prayer,
We shared the lengthen'd labours of a year?
Troy walls I raised (for such were Jove's commands),
And yon proud bulwarks grew beneath my hands:
Thy task it was to feed the bellowing droves
Along fair Ida's vales and pendant groves.
But when the circling seasons in their train
Brought back the grateful day that crown'd our pain,
With menace stern the fraudful king defied
Our latent godhead, and the prize denied:
Mad as he was, he threaten'd servile bands,
And doom'd us exiles far in barbarous lands.(273)
Incensed, we heavenward fled with swiftest wing,
And destined vengeance on the perjured king.
Dost thou, for this, afford proud Ilion grace,
And not, like us, infest the faithless race;
Like us, their present, future sons destroy,
And from its deep foundations heave their Troy?"
Apollo thus: "To combat for mankind
Ill suits the wisdom of celestial mind;
For what is man? Calamitous by birth,
They owe their life and nourishment to earth;
Like yearly leaves, that now, with beauty crown'd,
Smile on the sun; now, wither on the ground.
To their own hands commit the frantic scene,
Nor mix immortals in a cause so mean."
Then turns his face, far-beaming heavenly fires,
And from the senior power submiss retires:
Him thus retreating, Artemis upbraids,
The quiver'd huntress of the sylvan shades:
"And is it thus the youthful Phoebus flies,
And yields to ocean's hoary sire the prize?
How vain that martial pomp, and dreadful show
Of pointed arrows and the silver bow!
Now boast no more in yon celestial bower,
Thy force can match the great earth-shaking power."
Silent he heard the queen of woods upbraid:
Not so Saturnia bore the vaunting maid:
But furious thus: "What insolence has driven
Thy pride to face the majesty of heaven?
What though by Jove the female plague design'd,
Fierce to the feeble race of womankind,
The wretched matron feels thy piercing dart;
Thy sex's tyrant, with a tiger's heart?
What though tremendous in the woodland chase
Thy certain arrows pierce the savage race?
How dares thy rashness on the powers divine
Employ those arms, or match thy force with mine?
Learn hence, no more unequal war to wage--"
She said, and seized her wrists with eager rage;
These in her left hand lock'd, her right untied
The bow, the quiver, and its plumy pride.
About her temples flies the busy bow;
Now here, now there, she winds her from the blow;
The scattering arrows, rattling from the case,
Drop round, and idly mark the dusty place.
Swift from the field the baffled huntress flies,
And scarce restrains the torrent in her eyes:
So, when the falcon wings her way above,
To the cleft cavern speeds the gentle dove;
(Not fated yet to die;) there safe retreats,
Yet still her heart against the marble beats.
To her Latona hastes with tender care;
Whom Hermes viewing, thus declines the war:
"How shall I face the dame, who gives delight
To him whose thunders blacken heaven with night?
Go, matchless goddess! triumph in the skies,
And boast my conquest, while I yield the prize."
He spoke; and pass'd: Latona, stooping low,
Collects the scatter'd shafts and fallen bow,
That, glittering on the dust, lay here and there
Dishonour'd relics of Diana's war:
Then swift pursued her to her blest abode,
Where, all confused, she sought the sovereign god;
Weeping, she grasp'd his knees: the ambrosial vest
Shook with her sighs, and panted on her breast.
The sire superior smiled, and bade her show
What heavenly hand had caused his daughter's woe?
Abash'd, she names his own imperial spouse;
And the pale crescent fades upon her brows.
Thus they above: while, swiftly gliding down,
Apollo enters Ilion's sacred town;
The guardian-god now trembled for her wall,
And fear'd the Greeks, though fate forbade her fall.
Back to Olympus, from the war's alarms,
Return the shining bands of gods in arms;
Some proud in triumph, some with rage on fire;
And take their thrones around the ethereal sire.
Through blood, through death, Achilles still proceeds,
O'er slaughter'd heroes, and o'er rolling steeds.
As when avenging flames with fury driven
On guilty towns exert the wrath of heaven;
The pale inhabitants, some fall, some fly;
And the red vapours purple all the sky:
So raged Achilles: death and dire dismay,
And toils, and terrors, fill'd the dreadful day.
High on a turret hoary Priam stands,
And marks the waste of his destructive hands;
Views, from his arm, the Trojans' scatter'd flight,
And the near hero rising on his sight!
No stop, no check, no aid! With feeble pace,
And settled sorrow on his aged face,
Fast as he could, he sighing quits the walls;
And thus descending, on the guards he calls:
"You to whose care our city-gates belong,
Set wide your portals to the flying throng:
For lo! he comes, with unresisted sway;
He comes, and desolation marks his way!
But when within the walls our troops take breath,
Lock fast the brazen bars, and shut out death."
Thus charged the reverend monarch: wide were flung
The opening folds; the sounding hinges rung.
Phoebus rush'd forth, the flying bands to meet;
Struck slaughter back, and cover'd the retreat,
On heaps the Trojans crowd to gain the gate,
And gladsome see their last escape from fate.
Thither, all parch'd with thirst, a heartless train,
Hoary with dust, they beat the hollow plain:
And gasping, panting, fainting, labour on
With heavier strides, that lengthen toward the town.
Enraged Achilles follows with his spear;
Wild with revenge, insatiable of war.
Then had the Greeks eternal praise acquired,
And Troy inglorious to her walls retired;
But he, the god who darts ethereal flame,
Shot down to save her, and redeem her fame:
To young Agenor force divine he gave;
(Antenor's offspring, haughty, bold, and brave;)
In aid of him, beside the beech he sate,
And wrapt in clouds, restrain'd the hand of fate.
When now the generous youth Achilles spies.
Thick beats his heart, the troubled motions rise.
(So, ere a storm, the waters heave and roll.)
He stops, and questions thus his mighty soul;
"What, shall I fly this terror of the plain!
Like others fly, and be like others slain?
Vain hope! to shun him by the self-same road
Yon line of slaughter'd Trojans lately trod.
No: with the common heap I scorn to fall--
What if they pass'd me to the Trojan wall,
While I decline to yonder path, that leads
To Ida's forests and surrounding shades?
So may I reach, conceal'd, the cooling flood,
From my tired body wash the dirt and blood,
As soon as night her dusky veil extends,
Return in safety to my Trojan friends.
What if?--But wherefore all this vain debate?
Stand I to doubt, within the reach of fate?
Even now perhaps, ere yet I turn the wall,
The fierce Achilles sees me, and I fall:
Such is his swiftness, 'tis in vain to fly,
And such his valour, that who stands must die.
Howe'er 'tis better, fighting for the state,
Here, and in public view, to meet my fate.
Yet sure he too is mortal; he may feel
(Like all the sons of earth) the force of steel.
One only soul informs that dreadful frame:
And Jove's sole favour gives him all his fame."
He said, and stood, collected, in his might;
And all his beating bosom claim'd the fight.
So from some deep-grown wood a panther starts,
Roused from his thicket by a storm of darts:
Untaught to fear or fly, he hears the sounds
Of shouting hunters, and of clamorous hounds;
Though struck, though wounded, scarce perceives the pain;
And the barb'd javelin stings his breast in vain:
On their whole war, untamed, the savage flies;
And tears his hunter, or beneath him dies.
Not less resolved, Antenor's valiant heir
Confronts Achilles, and awaits the war,
Disdainful of retreat: high held before,
His shield (a broad circumference) he bore;
Then graceful as he stood, in act to throw
The lifted javelin, thus bespoke the foe:
"How proud Achilles glories in his fame!
And hopes this day to sink the Trojan name
Beneath her ruins! Know, that hope is vain;
A thousand woes, a thousand toils remain.
Parents and children our just arms employ,
And strong and many are the sons of Troy.
Great as thou art, even thou may'st stain with gore
These Phrygian fields, and press a foreign shore."
He said: with matchless force the javelin flung
Smote on his knee; the hollow cuishes rung
Beneath the pointed steel; but safe from harms
He stands impassive in the ethereal arms.
Then fiercely rushing on the daring foe,
His lifted arm prepares the fatal blow:
But, jealous of his fame, Apollo shrouds
The god-like Trojan in a veil of clouds.
Safe from pursuit, and shut from mortal view,
Dismiss'd with fame, the favoured youth withdrew.
Meanwhile the god, to cover their escape,
Assumes Agenor's habit, voice and shape,
Flies from the furious chief in this disguise;
The furious chief still follows where he flies.
Now o'er the fields they stretch with lengthen'd strides,
Now urge the course where swift Scamander glides:
The god, now distant scarce a stride before,
Tempts his pursuit, and wheels about the shore;
While all the flying troops their speed employ,
And pour on heaps into the walls of Troy:
No stop, no stay; no thought to ask, or tell,
Who 'scaped by flight, or who by battle fell.
'Twas tumult all, and violence of flight;
And sudden joy confused, and mix'd affright.
Pale Troy against Achilles shuts her gate:
And nations breathe, deliver'd from their fate. 就這樣，特洛伊城裏，曾像小鹿一樣逃跑的兵勇們，
擦去身上的汗水，開懷痛飲，除去喉頭的焦渴，靠着
寬厚的城墻。與此同時，阿開亞人
把盾牌背上肩頭，逼近護墻。然而，
赫剋托耳卻仍然站在伊利昂和斯卡亞
門前，受致人於死地的命運的釘綁。其時，
福伊波斯·阿波羅對着裴琉斯之子嚷道：
“為何追我，裴琉斯的兒子，蹽開迅捷的腿步？——
你，一個凡人，而我乃不死的天神。你還不知道
我是一位神祗嗎？瞧你這風風火火的模樣，試圖把我追逐。
對於你，同特洛伊人的苦鬥，那些個被你趕得惶惶奔逃的
人們，
現在似乎已無關緊要——他們正擁擠在城裏，而你卻跑到這
裏來忙乎。
你殺不了我；死的命運和我無緣！”
捷足的阿基琉斯怒火中燒，喊道：
“你挫阻了我，遠射手，神祗中最兇殘的一個——
若不是你把我引離城墻，弄到這裏，成群的特洛伊人，
在不及逃離伊利昂之前，已經嘴啃泥塵！
現在，你奪走了我的豐功，輕鬆地救下了這些個
特洛伊人。你無憂無慮，不必擔心死的懲罰——
假如我有那份勇力，一定要回報這筆冤仇！”
言罷，他大步離去，朝着城堡的方向，
壯懷激烈，像拉着戰車的賽馬，
輕鬆地撒開蹄腿，奔馳在舒坦的平原上——
阿基琉斯快步嚮前，驅使着他的雙膝和腿腳。
年邁的普裏阿摩斯第一個看到迅跑的阿基琉斯，
飛腿在平野上，像那顆閃光的星星，
升起在收穫的季節，爍爍的光芒
遠比布滿夜空的繁星顯耀，
人們稱之為“俄裏昂的狗”，群星中
數它最亮——儘管它是個不吉利的徵兆，
帶來狂烈的衝殺，給多災多難的凡人。
就像這樣，銅光在他胸前閃爍，伴隨着跑動的腿步。
老人大聲嚎叫，高舉起雙手，
擊打自己的頭腦，悲聲呼喊，
懇求心愛的兒子，其時仍然伫立在城門的
前頭，决心挾着狂烈，和阿基琉斯拼個死活。
老人伸出雙臂，對着他衷聲求告：
“赫剋托耳，我的愛子，不要獨自一人，離開伴友，
站等那個人的進攻！你會掉人命運的手心，
被裴琉斯之子擊倒——此人遠比你強健，
一個冷酷、粗 莽的戰勇。但願神祗對他的鐘愛，不至
超過我對他的喜好！讓他即刻暴屍荒野，成為狗和兀
撲食的目標，消解我心頭鬱積的悲惱！
此人奪走了我的兒子，許多勇敢的兒郎，
不是殺了，便是賣到遠方的海島。就是
現在，我還有兩個找不着的兒子，在擠滿城區的特洛伊人中，
我見不到他倆的身影，勞索娥——女人中的王後——
為我生養的魯卡昂和波魯多羅斯。但是，
如果他倆還活在人間，在敵營裏，我將用
黃金和青銅把他們贖釋。宮居裏珍藏着這類東西，
阿爾忒斯，聲名顯赫的老人，給了我一大批賠送的嫁妝。
倘若他倆已經死了，去了哀地斯的冥府，他們的
母親和我的心裏將會生發多少悲愁——是我倆生養了他們！
然而，對於其他特洛伊人，此事衹會引發短暫的傷愁，
除非你也死了，死在阿基琉斯手中。
回來吧，快進城吧，我的孩子！救救
特洛伊男人和特洛伊婦女，不要墊上你的性命，
讓裴琉斯之子搶得這份輝煌的戰功！
你也得可憐可憐我這個老頭，雖說還能知覺感受，
但災難已經臨頭，當着已經跨入白發暮年的時候。父親宙斯
將用命運的毒棍，蕩掃我的殘生，在我眼見過極度的不幸
之後：兒子被殺，女兒被拉走俘獲；藏聚
財寶的房室被搶劫一空，弱小無助的孩童
被投摔在地面，死於殘暴無情的戰爭中；阿開亞人
會搶拉走我兒子的媳婦，用帶血的雙手！
最後，厄運也不會把我放過，傢門前的狗群
會把我生吞活剝——及待某個阿開亞人，用銅劍
或鋒快的槍矛，把生命搶出我的軀殼。
我把狗群養在廳堂裏，分享我的食物，看守我的
房屋；屆時，它們會伸出貪婪的舌頭，舔食我的血流，
然後躺倒身子，息養在傢院中。一個戰死疆場的年輕人，
他的一切看來都顯得俊美崇高，帶着被鋒快的青銅劃出的
傷痕，躺倒在地，雖說死了，卻襢現出戰爭留給他的
光榮。然而，當一個老人被殺，任由狗群玷污髒損，
髒損他灰白的須發和私處——
痛苦的人生中，還有什麽能比此景更為凄楚？！”
老人苦苦哀求，大把揪住頭上的白發，
用力連根拔出，但卻不能說動赫剋托耳的心胸。
其時，他的母親，站在普裏阿摩斯身邊，開始嚎啕大哭，
一手鬆開衫袍的胸襟，一手抓出一邊的
胸乳，痛哭流涕，對着他大聲喊叫，用長了翅膀的話語：
“赫剋托耳，我的孩子，可憐可憐你的
母親，倘若我曾用這對奶子平撫過你的苦痛！
記住這一切，心愛的兒子，在墻內打退
那個野蠻的人！切莫衝上前去，作為勇士，和那個
殘暴的傢夥戰鬥！如果他把你殺了，我就不能
在屍床邊為你舉哀，你那慷慨的妻子也一樣——哦，一棵茁壯的
樹苗，我親生的兒郎！遠離着我們，在
阿開亞人的船邊，迅跑的犬狗會把你撕食吞咬！”
就這樣，他倆淚流滿面，苦苦懇求
心愛的兒子，但卻不能使他回心轉意。
他等待着迎面撲來的阿基琉斯，一個高大的身影，
像大山上的一條毒蛇，蜷縮在洞邊，等待一個嚮他走去的
凡人，吃夠了帶毒的葉草，體內翻涌着不共戴天的仇恨，
盤麯在洞穴的邊沿，雙眼射出兇險的寒光——就像這樣，
赫剋托耳胸中騰燒着難以撲滅的狂烈，一步不讓，
把閃亮的盾牌斜靠在一堵突出的墻壘上，
禁不住煩惱的騷擾，對自己豪 莽的心魂說道：
“處境不妙，如何是好？倘若現在溜進城門和護墻，
普魯達馬斯會首當其衝，對我出言辱駡——
他曾勸我帶着特洛伊人回返城堡，就在
昨天，那該受詛咒的夜晚，卓越的阿基琉斯重返戰場的時候。
我不曾聽從他的勸告——否則，事情何至於變得如此糟糕！
現在，我以自己的魯莽，毀了我的兵民。
羞愧呀，我愧對特洛伊人和長裙飄擺的
特洛伊婦女！某個比我低劣的小子會這般說道：
‘赫剋托耳盲目崇信自己的勇力，毀掉了他的兵民！’
他們會如此議論評說。現在，可取的上策
當是撲上前去，要麽殺了阿基琉斯，返回城堡，
要麽被他殺死，圖個慘烈，在伊利昂城前。
或許，我是否可放下突鼓的戰盾和
沉重的頭盔，倚着護墻靠放我的槍矛，
徒手迎見豪勇的阿基琉斯，
答應交回海倫和所有屬於她的財物，
亞歷剋山德羅斯用深曠的海船載運回
特洛伊的一切——此事乃引發戰爭的胎禍。
我可把這一切都交給阿特柔斯的兒子們帶走，並和阿開亞人
平分收藏在城內的財物，盡我們的所有；
然後再讓特洛伊人的參議們發誓，
决不隱藏任何東西，均分全部財産，均分
這座宏麗的城堡裏的堆藏，所有的財富。
然而，為何如此爭辯，我的心魂？
我不能這樣走上前去，他不會可憐我，
也不會尊重我；他會把我殺了，衝着我這
無所抵擋的軀身，像對一個不設防護的女人，當我除去甲衣！
現在，可不是從一棵橡樹或一塊石頭開始，和他喃喃細語
的時候，像談情說愛的姑娘小夥，
年輕的朋侶，喊喊私語，情長話多；
現在是戰鬥的時刻，越快越好——
我倒要看看，宙斯會把光榮交給哪一位戰勇！”
就這樣，他權衡斟酌，就地等待，但阿基琉斯已咄咄逼近，
像臨陣的戰神，頭盔閃亮的武士，肩上
顛動着可怕的裴利昂槍矛，(木岑)木的
槍桿，銅甲生光，像
冉冉升起的太陽，熊熊燃燒的烈火。
見此情景，赫剋托耳渾身發抖，再也不敢
原地等候，撒褪便跑，嚇得神魂顛倒；
裴琉斯之子緊追不捨，對自己的快腿充滿信心。
像山地裏的一隻鷹隼，天底下飛得最快的羽鳥，
舒展翅膀，追撲一隻野鴿，後者嚇得嗦嗦發抖，
從它下邊溜跑；飛鷹緊緊追逼，失聲嘶叫，
一次次地衝撲，心急火燎，非欲捕獲——
就像這樣，阿基琉斯挾着狂烈，對着赫剋托耳猛撲，
後者迅速擺動雙腿，沿着特洛伊城墻，快步竄跑。
他們跑過了望點，跑過疾風吹曳的無花果樹，
總是離着墻腳，沿着車道，跑至
兩股泉溪的邊沿，涌着清澈的水流，兩股
噴註的泉水，捲着麯波的斯卡曼得羅斯的灘頭。
一條流着滾燙的熱水，到處蒸發騰升的霧氣，
似乎水底埋着一盆烈火，不停地把它煮燒；
另一條，甚至在夏日裏，總是流水陰涼，冷若冰雹，
像砭人肌骨的積雪和凍結流水的冰層。
這裏，兩條泉流的近旁，有一些石鑿的
水槽，寬闊、溜滑，特洛伊人的妻子和花容玉貌的
女兒們曾在槽裏濯洗閃亮的衣袍，從前，
在過去的日子裏，阿開亞人的兒子們尚未到來的和平時期。
就在那裏，他倆放腿追跑，一個跑，一個追，跑着
固然是個強有力的鬥士，但快步追趕的漢子更是位了不起的
英壯。能不快跑嗎？他們爭搶的不是供作獻祭的牲畜，
也不是牛的皮張，跑場上優勝者的奬品——
不，他倆拼命追跑，為的是馴馬手赫剋托耳的性命一條！
像捷蹄的快馬，掃過拐彎處的樁標，
跑出最快的速度，為了爭奪一註有分量的奬酬，一隻銅鼎
或一個女人，在舉行葬禮時，為尊祭死者而設的車賽中——
他倆蹄開快腿，繞着普裏阿摩斯的城垣，
一連跑了三圈。其時，衆神都在註目觀望；
神和人的父親首先發話，說道：
“瞧瞧這是怎麽回事——一個我所鐘愛的凡人，在我的眼皮底下，
被逼趕得繞着城墻狂跑。我打心眼裏為他難受，
赫剋托耳，曾給我焚祭過多少鍵牛的腿肉，
有時在山巒重選的伊達，平坡的峰脊，有時
在城堡的頂端。現在，卓越的阿基琉斯
正把他窮追猛趕，憑着他的快腿，沿着普裏阿摩斯的城堡。
開動腦筋，不死的衆神，好好想一想，議一議，
是把他救出來，還是——雖然他很驃健——把他擊倒，
讓他死在裴琉斯之子阿基琉斯手中。”
聽罷這番話，灰眼睛女神雅典娜說道：
“父親，雷電和烏雲的主宰，你到底說了些什麽？！
你打算把他救出悲慘的死亡，一個凡人，
一個命裏早就註定要死的凡人？
做去吧，父親，但我等衆神絶不會一致贊同。”
聽罷這番話，彙聚烏雲的宙斯答道：
“不要灰心喪氣，特裏托格內婭，我心愛的女兒。我的話
並不表示嚴肅的意圖；對於你，我總是心懷善意。
去吧，愛做什麽，隨你的心願，不必再剋製拖延。”
宙斯的話語催勵着早已急不可待的雅典娜，
她急速出發，從俄林波斯的峰巔直衝而下。
地面上，迅捷的阿基琉斯繼續追趕赫剋托耳，
毫不鬆懈，像一條獵狗，在山裏追捕一隻跳離
窩巢的小鹿，緊追不捨，穿越山脊和峽𠔌，
儘管小鹿藏身在樹叢下，蜷縮着身姿，
獵狗衝跑過來，嗅出他的蹤跡，奮起進擊——
就像這樣，赫剋托耳怎麽也擺脫不了裴琉斯捷足的兒子。
他一次又一次地衝嚮達耳達尼亞城門，
試圖迅速接近築造堅固的城墻，希望城上的
夥伴投下雨點般的槍械，把他救出絶境，
但阿基琉斯一次又一次地攔住他的路頭，把他
逼回平原，自己則總是飛跑在靠近城堡的一邊。
就像夢裏的場景：兩個人，一追一跑，總難捕獲，
後者拉不開距離，前者亦縮短不了追程；所以，
儘管追者跑得很快，卻總是趕不上巡者，而逃者也總難躲開追
者的逼迫。
赫剋托耳如何能跑脫死之精靈的追趕？他何以
能夠——要不是阿波羅最後一次，是的，最後一次站在他的
身邊，給他註入力量，使他的膝腿敏捷舒快？
卓越的阿基瓊斯一個勁地對着己方的軍士搖頭，
不讓他們投擲犀利的槍矛，對着赫剋托耳，
惟恐別人奪走光榮，使他屈居第二。
但是，當他們第四次跑到兩條溪泉的邊沿，
父親拿起金質的天平，放上兩個表示
命運的砝碼，壓得凡人擡不起頭來的死亡，
一個為阿基琉斯，另一個為赫剋托耳，馴馬的好手，
然後提起秤桿的中端，赫剋托耳的末日壓垂了秤盤，朝着
哀地斯的冥府傾斜——其時，福伊波斯·阿波羅離他而去。
地面上，灰眼睛女神雅典娜找到裴琉斯之子，
站在他的身邊，開口說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“宙斯鐘愛的戰勇，卓著的阿基琉斯，我們的希望終於到了
可以實現的時候。我們將殺掉赫剋托耳，哪怕他嗜戰如狂，
帶着巨大的光榮，回返阿開亞人的海船。
現在，他已絶難逃離我們的追捕，
哪怕遠射手阿波羅願意承擔風險，
跌滾在我們的父親、帶埃吉斯的宙斯面前。
不要追了，停下來喘口氣；我這就去，
趕上那個人，誘說他面對面地和你拼鬥。”
雅典娜言罷，阿基琉斯心裏高興，謹遵不違，
收住腳步，倚着(木岑)木桿的槍矛，桿上頂着帶銅尖的槍頭。
雅典娜離他而去，趕上卓越的赫剋托耳，
以德伊福波斯的形象，摹仿他那不知疲倦的聲音，
站在赫剋托耳身邊，用長了翅膀的話語，對他說道：
“親愛的兄弟，你受苦了，被這殘忍的阿基琉斯逼迫
追趕，仗着他的快腿，沿着普裏阿摩斯的城垣。
來吧，讓我們頂住他的衝擊，打退他的進攻！”
聽罷這番話，高大的赫剋托耳，頂着閃亮的頭盔，答道：
“德伊福波斯，在此之前，你一直是我最鐘愛的兄弟，
是的，在普裏阿摩斯和赫卡貝生養的所有的兒子中！
現在，我要告訴你，我比以前更加尊你愛你——
見我有難，你敢衝出城堡，在
別人藏身城內之際，冒死相助。”
聽罷這話，灰眼睛女神雅典娜答道：
“事情確是這樣，我的兄弟，我們的父親和高貴的母親
曾輪番抱住我的膝蓋，苦苦相求，還有我的夥伴們，
求我呆在城裏——我們的人一個個全部嚇傻了眼。
然而，為了你的境遇，我心痛欲裂。現在，
讓我們直撲上去，奮力苦戰，不要吝惜手中的
槍矛。我們倒要看看，結果到底怎樣，是阿基琉斯
殺了我倆，帶着血染的鎧甲，回到
深曠的海船，還是他自己命歸地府，例死在你的槍下！”
就這樣，雅典娜的話語使他受騙上當。
其時，他倆迎面而行，咄咄逼近；
身材高大、頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳首先開口嚷道：
“夠了，裴琉斯之子，我不打算繼續奔逃，像剛纔那樣，
一連三圈，圍着普裏阿摩斯宏偉的城堡，不敢
和你較量。現在，我的心靈驅我
面對面地和你戰鬥——眼下，不是你死，便是我亡！
過來吧，我們先對神起誓，讓這些至高
無上的旁證，監督我們的誓約。我發誓，
我不會操辱你的屍體，儘管你很殘暴，倘若宙斯
讓我把你拖垮，奪走你的生命。
我會剝掉你光榮的鎧甲，阿基琉斯，但在此之後，我將
把你的遺體交還阿開亞人。發誓吧，你會以同樣的方式待我。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯惡狠狠地盯着他，答道：
“不要對我談論什麽誓約，赫剋托耳，你休想得到我的寬恕！
人和獅子之間不會有誓定的協約，
狼和羊羔之間也不會有共同的意願，
它們永遠是不共戴天的仇敵。
同樣，你我之間沒有什麽愛慕可言，也不會有什麽
誓證協約——在二者中的一人倒地，用熱血
喂飽戰神，從盾牌後砍殺的阿瑞斯的腸胃之前！
來吧，拿出你的每一分勇力，在這死難臨頭的時候，
證明你還是個槍手，一位傢猛的戰勇！
你已無處逃生；帕拉絲·雅典娜即刻便會
把你斷送，用我的槍矛。現在，我要你徹底償報我的
夥伴們的悲愁，所有被你殺死的壯勇，被你那狂暴的槍頭！”
言罷，他持平落影森長的槍矛，奮臂投擲，
但光榮的赫剋托耳雙眼緊盯着他的舉動，見他出手，
蹲身躲避；銅槍飛過他的肩頭，
紮落在泥地上。帕拉絲·雅典娜拔出槍矛，
交還阿基琉斯；兵士的牧者赫剋托耳對此一無所知。
其時，赫剋托耳對着裴琉斯豪勇的兒子喊道：
“你打歪了，瞧！所以，神一樣的阿基琉斯，你並不曾
從宙斯那裏得知我的命運，你衹是在憑空臆造！
你想憑着小聰明，用騙人的話語把我耍弄，
使我見怕於你，消泄我的勇力，根熄戰鬥的激情！
你不能把槍矛紮入我的肩背——我不會轉身逃跑；
你可以把它捅入我的胸膛，倘若神祗給你這個機會，
在我嚮你衝撲的當口！現在，我要你躬避我的銅槍，
但願它從頭至尾，連失帶桿，紮進你的軀身！
這場戰爭將要輕鬆許多，對於我們，
如果你死了，你，特洛伊人最大的災禍。”
言罷，他持平落影森長的槍矛，奮臂投擲，
擊中裴琉斯之子的盾牌，打在正中，卻不曾紮入。
被擋彈出老遠。赫剋托耳心中憤怒，
惱恨奮臂投出的快槍，落得一無所獲的結果。
他木然而立，神情沮喪，手中再無(木岑)木桿的槍矛。
他放開喉嚨，呼喚盾面蒼白的德伊福波斯，
要取一桿粗長的槍矛，但後者已不在他的身旁。
其時，赫剋托耳悟出了事情的真相，嘆道：
“完了，全完了！神們終於把我召上了死的途程。
我以為壯士德伊福波斯近在身旁，其實
他卻呆在城裏——雅典娜的哄騙蒙住了我的眼睛。
現在，可恨的死亡已距我不遠，實是近在眼前；逃生
已成絶望。看來，很久以前，今日的結局便是他們喜聞樂見的
趣事，宙斯和他發箭遠方的兒子，雖然在此之前，
他們常常趕來幫忙。現在，我已必死無疑。
但是，我不能窩窩囊囊地死去，不做一番掙紮；
不，我要打出個壯偉的局面，使後人都能聽誦我的英豪！”
言罷，他抽出跨邊的利劍，寬厚、沉重，鼓起
全身的勇力，直奔撲擊，像一隻搏擊長空的雄鷹，
穿出濃黑的烏雲，對着平原俯衝，
逮住一隻嫩小無助的羊羔或嗦嗦發抖的野兔——
赫剋托耳奮勇出擊，揮舞着利劍，而阿基琉斯
亦迎面撲來，心中騰燒着粗野的狂烈，
胸前擋着一面盾牌，後面絢麗，鑄工
精湛，搖動閃亮的盔蓋，頂着四支
硬角，漂亮的冠飾，搖搖晃晃，純金做就，
赫法伊斯托斯的手藝，嵌顯在冠角的邊旁。
懷着殺死卓越的赫剋托耳的兇念，阿基琉斯
右手揮舞槍矛，槍尖射出熠熠的寒光，
像一顆明星，穿行在繁星點綴的夜空，
赫斯裴耳，黑夜之星，天空中最亮的星座。
他用眼掃瞄赫剋托耳魁偉的身軀，尋找最好的
攻擊部位，但見他全身鎧甲包裹，那副璀璨的
銅甲，殺死強壯的帕特羅剋洛斯後剝搶到手的戰禮——
儘管如此，他還是找到一個露點，瑣骨分接脖子和肩膀的部
位，裸露的咽喉，人體中死之最捷達的通徑。對着這個部位，
卓越的阿基琉斯捅出槍矛，在對手挾着狂烈，嚮他撲來之際，
槍尖穿透鬆軟的脖子，然而，粗重的
(木岑)木桿槍矛，挑着銅尖，卻不曾切斷氣管，
所以，他還能勉強張嘴應對。赫剋托耳
癱倒泥塵，卓越的阿基琉斯高聲炫耀，對着他的軀體：
“毫無疑問，赫剋托耳，你以為殺了帕特羅剋洛斯之後，你仍可
平安無事，因為你不用怕我，我還遠離你們戰鬥的地點。
你這個笨蛋！你忘了，有一個，一個遠比他強健的
復仇者，等在後面，深曠的海船邊——此人便是我，阿基琉斯，
我已毀散了你的勇力！狗和禿鷲會撕毀
你的皮肉，髒污你的軀體；和你相比，帕特羅剋洛斯將收受
阿開亞人厚重的葬儀！”
聽罷這番話，頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳用虛弱的聲音說道：
“求求你，求求你看在你的生命、你的膝蓋和你雙親的份上，
不要讓狗群撕食我的軀體，在這阿開亞人的海船邊！
你可收取大量的青銅和黃金，從我們豐盈的庫藏中，
大堆的贖禮，我父親和高貴的母親會塞送到你的手裏。
把我的遺體交還我的傢人吧——人已死了，
也好讓特洛伊男人和他們的妻子為我舉行火焚的禮儀。”
捷足的阿基琉斯惡狠狠地盯着他，答道：
“不要再哀求了，你這條惡狗一二說什麽看在我的膝蓋和雙親
的份上！我真想挾着激情和狂烈，就此
割下你的皮肉，生吞暴咽——你給我
帶來了多少苦痛！誰也休想阻止狗群
撲食你的屍軀，哪怕給我送來十倍。
二十倍的贖禮，哪怕答應給我更多的東西，
哪怕達耳達諾斯之子普裏阿摩斯願意給我
和你等重的黃金。不！一切都已無濟於事；生你養你的母親，
那位高貴的夫人，不會有把你放上屍床，為你舉哀的機會；
狗和兀鳥會把你連皮帶肉，吃得幹幹淨淨！”
赫剋托耳，吐着微弱的氣息，在閃亮的頭盔下說道：
“我瞭解你的為人，知道命運將如何把我處置。我知道
說服不了你，因為你長着一顆鐵一般冷酷的心。
但是，你也得小心，當心我的詛咒給你招來神的
憤恨，在將來的某一天，帕裏斯和福伊波斯·阿波羅
會不顧你的驃勇，把你殺死在斯卡亞門前！”
話音剛落，死的終極已蒙罩起他的軀體，
心魂飄離他的四肢，墜入死神的府居，
悲悼着他的命運，拋卻青春的年華，剛勇的人生。
其時，雖然他已死去，卓越的阿基琉斯仍然對他嚷道：
“死了，你死了！至於我，我將接受我的死亡，在宙斯
和列位神祗願意把它付諸實現的任何時光！”
言罷，他從軀體裏拔出銅槍，放在
一邊，剝下血跡斑斑的鎧甲，從死者
肩上。阿開亞人的兒子們跑來圍在他的身邊，
凝視着赫剋托耳的身軀，剛勁、健美的
體魄，人人都用手中的利器，給屍體添裂一道新的痕傷，
人們望着身邊的夥伴，開口說道：
“瞧，現在的赫剋托耳可比以前，比他周熊熊
燃燒的火把放火燒船的時候鬆軟得多！”
就這樣，他們站在屍體邊沿，出手捅刺，議論紛紛。
其時，捷足的戰勇、卓越的阿基琉斯已剝光死者身上的一切。
站在阿開亞人中間，喊出長了翅膀的話語：
“朋友們，阿耳吉維人的首領和統治者們！
現在，既然神明已讓我殺了他，這個使我們
深受其害的人——此人創下的禍孽，甚於其他所有的戰勇
加在一起的作為——來吧，讓我們逼近城墻，全副武裝，
弄清特洛伊人下一步的打算，是
準備放棄高聳的城堡，眼見此人已躺倒在地，
還是想繼續呆守；雖然赫剋托耳已經死亡？
然而，為何同我爭辯，我的心魂？
海船邊還躺着一個死人，無人哭祭，不曾埋葬，
帕特羅剋洛斯，我絶不會把他忘懷，絶對不會，
衹要我還活在人間，衹要我的雙膝還能伸屈彎轉！
如果說在死神的府居，亡魂會忘記死去的故人，但我
卻不會，即便在那個地方，我還會記着親愛的帕特羅剋洛斯。
來吧，阿開亞人的兒子們，讓我們高唱凱歌，
回兵深曠的海船，擡着這具屍體！
我們已爭得輝煌的榮譽；我們已殺死赫剋托耳，
一個被特洛伊人，在他們的城裏，尊為神一樣的凡人！”
他如此一番頌耀，心中謀劃着如何羞辱光榮的赫剋托耳。
他捅穿死者的筋腱，在腳背後面，從腳跟到
踝骨的部位，穿進牛皮切出的繩帶，把雙足連在一起，
綁上戰車，讓死者貼着地面，倒懸着頭顱。然後，
他登上戰車，把光榮的鎧甲提進車身，
揚鞭催馬，後者撒開蹄腿，飛馳而去，不帶半點勉強。
駿馬揚蹄迅跑，赫剋托耳身邊捲起騰飛的塵末，
紛亂飄散，整個頭臉，曾是那樣英俊瀟灑的臉面，
跌跌撞撞地磕碰在泥塵裏——宙斯已把他交給
敵人，在故鄉的土地上，由他們褻瀆髒損。
就這樣，他的頭顱席地拖行，沾滿泥塵。城樓上，他的母親
絞拔出自己的頭髮，把閃亮的頭巾扔出老遠，
望着親生的兒子，竭聲嚎啕。他所尊愛的父親，
喊出悲戚的長號，身邊的人們無不
痛哭流涕，哀悼之聲響徹在全城的每一個角落。
此番呼嚎，此番悲烈，似乎高聳的特洛伊城已全部
葬身燒騰的火海，從樓頂到墻垣的根沿！
普裏阿摩斯發瘋似地試圖衝出達耳達尼亞大門，
手下的人們幾乎擋不住老人；他懇求所有的
人們，翻滾在髒雜的污穢裏，呼喊着
每一個人，高聲嘶叫，嚷道：
“我情領各位的好心，但讓我
出城，獨自一人，前往阿開亞人的海船旁！
我必須當面嚮他求告，嚮那個殘忍、兇暴的漢子，
而他或許會尊重我的年齒，生發憐老之情——
他也有自己的父親，和我一樣年邁，
裴琉斯，生下這個兒子，養成特洛伊人的
災禍。他殺了我這麽多年輕力壯的兒子；
他帶給我的哀愁比給誰的都多。
我為每一個兒子的不幸悲慟，但衹有赫剋托耳的陣亡
使我痛不欲生；如此強烈的傷愁會把我
帶入哀地斯的塚府！但願他倒在我的懷裏，這樣，
我們倆，生養他的母親——哦，苦命的女人——
便能和我一起放聲悲哭，盡情哀悼！”
老王悲聲訴說，淚流滿面，市民們伴隨他一齊哭嚎。
赫卡貝帶着特洛伊婦女，領頭唱起麯調凄楚的悲歌：
“咳，我的孩子；哦，我這不幸的女人！你去了，我將如何繼續
生活，帶着此般悲痛！？你，我的驕傲，無論白天和
黑夜，在這座城裏；你，全城的棟梁，
特洛伊男子和特洛伊婦女的主心骨。他們像敬神
似地敬你；生前，你是他們無上的
榮光！現在，我的兒，死亡和命運已把你吞奪！”
她悲聲訴說，淚流滿面，但赫剋托耳的妻子卻還
不曾聽到噩耗；此間無有可信之人登門，通報
她的丈夫站在城門外面，拒敵迎戰的訊息。
其時，她置身高深的房居，在內屋裏，製作一件暗紅色的
雙層裙袍，織出綻開的花朵。
她招呼房內發辮秀美的女僕，
把一口大鍋架上柴火，使赫剋托耳
離戰回傢，能用熱水洗澡——
可憐的女人，她哪裏知道，遠離滾燙的熱水，
丈夫已經死在阿基琉斯手下，被灰眼睛的雅典娜擊倒。
其時，她已耳聞墻邊傳來的哭叫和哀嚎，
禁不住雙腿哆嗦，梭子滑出手中，掉在地上。
她隨即召呼發辮秀美的侍女，說道：
“快來，你們兩個，隨我前行；我要看看外邊發生了什麽。
我已聽到赫剋托耳尊貴的母親的哭聲；我的雙腿
麻木不仁，我的心魂已跳到嗓子眼裏。我知道，
一件不幸的事情正降臨在普裏阿摩斯的兒子們的頭頂！
但願這條消息永遠不要傳入我的耳朵；然而我卻從
心底裏擔心，強健的阿基琉斯可能會切斷他的歸路，
把勇敢的赫剋托耳，把他孤身一人，逼離城堡，趕往平原。
他恐怕已徹底消散了赫剋托耳魯 莽的傲氣——它總是
纏伴着我的夫婿——他從不呆在後面，和大隊聚集在一起，
而是遠遠地衝上前去，挾着狂烈，誰都不放在眼裏！”
言罷，她衝出宮居，像個發瘋的女人，
揣着怦怦亂跳的心髒，帶着兩名待女，緊跟在她後頭。
她快步來到城樓，兵勇們聚結的地方，
停下腳步，站在墻邊，移目探望，發現丈夫
正被拖顛在城堡前面，疾馳的馭馬
拉着他鬍奔亂跑，朝着阿開亞人深曠的海船。
安德羅瑪開頓覺眼前漆黑一片，
嚮後暈倒，喘吐出生命的魂息，甩出
閃亮的頭飾，被甩出老遠，
冠條、發兜、束帶和精工編織的
頭巾，金色的阿芙底忒的禮物，
相贈在她被夫婿帶走的那一天——頭盔閃亮的赫剋托耳
把她帶離厄提昂的傢居，給了數不清的聘禮。
其時，她丈夫的姐妹和兄弟的媳婦們圍站在她的身邊，
把她扶起在她們中間：此刻的安德羅瑪開已瀕臨死的邊緣。
但是，當掙紮着緩過氣來，生命重返她的軀體後，
她放開喉嚨，在特洛伊婦女中悲哭嚎啕：
“哦，毀了，赫剋托耳；毀了，我的一切！你我生來便共有同
一個命運——你，在特洛伊，普裏阿摩斯的傢居；我，
在塞貝，林木森茂的普拉科斯山腳，
厄提昂的傢居；他疼我愛我，在我幼小的時候。
咳，命運險惡的厄提昂，倒黴不幸的我——但願他不曾把我養
育，經受人生的捶搗。
現在，你去了死神的傢府，黑洞洞的大地
深處，把我撇在這裏，承受哭嚎的悲痛，
宮居裏的寡婦，守着尚是嬰兒的男孩，
你我的後代，一對不幸的人兒！你幫不了他，
赫剋托耳，因為你已死去，而他也幫不了你的忙。
即使他能躲過這場悲苦的戰爭，阿開亞人的強攻，
今後的日子也一定充滿艱辛和痛苦。
別人會奪走他的土地，孤兒凄慘的
生活會使他難以交結同齡的朋友。他，
我們的男孩，總是耷拉着腦袋，整日裏淚水洗面，
饑腸轆轆，找到父親舊時的夥伴，
拉着這個人的披篷，攥着那個人的衣衫，
討得一些人的憐憫——有人會給他一小杯飲料，
衹夠沾濕他的嘴唇，卻不能舒緩喉聘的焦渴；
某個雙親都還活着的孩子，會把他打出宴會，
一邊扔着拳頭，一邊張嘴咒駡：
‘滾出去！你的父親不在這裏歡宴，和我們一起！’
男孩挂着眼淚，走嚮他那孤寡的母親——
我的阿斯圖阿納剋斯！從前，坐在父親的腿上，
你衹吃骨髓和羔羊身上最肥美的肉膘。
玩夠以後，趁着睡眠降臨的當口，他就
迷迷糊糊地躺在奶媽懷裏，就着鬆軟的
床鋪，心滿意足地入睡。現在，
失去了親愛的父親，他會吃苦受難，他，
特洛伊人稱其為阿斯圖阿納剋斯，‘城邦的主宰’，
因為衹有你獨身保衛着大門和延綿的墻垣。
但現在，你遠離雙親，躺倒在彎翹的海船邊；
麯倦的爬蟲，會在餓狗飽啖你的血肉後，
鑽食你那一絲不挂的軀體，雖然在你的房居裏，疊放着
做工細膩、美觀華麗的衫衣，女人手製的精品。
現在，我將把它們付之一炬，燒得幹幹淨淨——
你再也不會穿用它們，無需用它們包裹你的軀體。
讓衣服化成烈火，作為特洛伊男女對你的奠祭！”
她真情悲訴，熱淚橫流；婦女們凄聲哀悼，哭誦應和。
ARGUMENT.
THE DEATH OF HECTOR.
The Trojans being safe within the walls, Hector only stays to oppose
Achilles. Priam is struck at his approach, and tries to persuade his son
to re-enter the town. Hecuba joins her entreaties, but in vain. Hector
consults within himself what measures to take; but at the advance of
Achilles, his resolution fails him, and he flies. Achilles pursues him
thrice round the walls of Troy. The gods debate concerning the fate of
Hector; at length Minerva descends to the aid of Achilles. She deludes
Hector in the shape of Deiphobus; he stands the combat, and is slain.
Achilles drags the dead body at his chariot in the sight of Priam and
Hecuba. Their lamentations, tears, and despair. Their cries reach the ears
of Andromache, who, ignorant of this, was retired into the inner part of
the palace: she mounts up to the walls, and beholds her dead husband. She
swoons at the spectacle. Her excess of grief and lamentation.
The thirtieth day still continues. The scene lies under the walls, and on
the battlements of Troy.
Thus to their bulwarks, smit with panic fear,
The herded Ilians rush like driven deer:
There safe they wipe the briny drops away,
And drown in bowls the labours of the day.
Close to the walls, advancing o'er the fields
Beneath one roof of well-compacted shields,
March, bending on, the Greeks' embodied powers,
Far stretching in the shade of Trojan towers.
Great Hector singly stay'd: chain'd down by fate
There fix'd he stood before the Scaean gate;
Still his bold arms determined to employ,
The guardian still of long-defended Troy.
Apollo now to tired Achilles turns:
(The power confess'd in all his glory burns:)
"And what (he cries) has Peleus' son in view,
With mortal speed a godhead to pursue?
For not to thee to know the gods is given,
Unskill'd to trace the latent marks of heaven.
What boots thee now, that Troy forsook the plain?
Vain thy past labour, and thy present vain:
Safe in their walls are now her troops bestow'd,
While here thy frantic rage attacks a god."
The chief incensed--"Too partial god of day!
To check my conquests in the middle way:
How few in Ilion else had refuge found!
What gasping numbers now had bit the ground!
Thou robb'st me of a glory justly mine,
Powerful of godhead, and of fraud divine:
Mean fame, alas! for one of heavenly strain,
To cheat a mortal who repines in vain."
Then to the city, terrible and strong,
With high and haughty steps he tower'd along,
So the proud courser, victor of the prize,
To the near goal with double ardour flies.
Him, as he blazing shot across the field,
The careful eyes of Priam first beheld.
Not half so dreadful rises to the sight,(274)
Through the thick gloom of some tempestuous night,
Orion's dog (the year when autumn weighs),
And o'er the feebler stars exerts his rays;
Terrific glory! for his burning breath
Taints the red air with fevers, plagues, and death.
So flamed his fiery mail. Then wept the sage:
He strikes his reverend head, now white with age;
He lifts his wither'd arms; obtests the skies;
He calls his much-loved son with feeble cries:
The son, resolved Achilles' force to dare,
Full at the Scaean gates expects the war;
While the sad father on the rampart stands,
And thus adjures him with extended hands:
"Ah stay not, stay not! guardless and alone;
Hector! my loved, my dearest, bravest son!
Methinks already I behold thee slain,
And stretch'd beneath that fury of the plain.
Implacable Achilles! might'st thou be
To all the gods no dearer than to me!
Thee, vultures wild should scatter round the shore.
And bloody dogs grow fiercer from thy gore.
How many valiant sons I late enjoy'd,
Valiant in vain! by thy cursed arm destroy'd:
Or, worse than slaughtered, sold in distant isles
To shameful bondage, and unworthy toils.
Two, while I speak, my eyes in vain explore,
Two from one mother sprung, my Polydore,
And loved Lycaon; now perhaps no more!
Oh! if in yonder hostile camp they live,
What heaps of gold, what treasures would I give!
(Their grandsire's wealth, by right of birth their own,
Consign'd his daughter with Lelegia's throne:)
But if (which Heaven forbid) already lost,
All pale they wander on the Stygian coast;
What sorrows then must their sad mother know,
What anguish I? unutterable woe!
Yet less that anguish, less to her, to me,
Less to all Troy, if not deprived of thee.
Yet shun Achilles! enter yet the wall;
And spare thyself, thy father, spare us all!
Save thy dear life; or, if a soul so brave
Neglect that thought, thy dearer glory save.
Pity, while yet I live, these silver hairs;
While yet thy father feels the woes he bears,
Yet cursed with sense! a wretch, whom in his rage
(All trembling on the verge of helpless age)
Great Jove has placed, sad spectacle of pain!
The bitter dregs of fortune's cup to drain:
To fill with scenes of death his closing eyes,
And number all his days by miseries!
My heroes slain, my bridal bed o'erturn'd,
My daughters ravish'd, and my city burn'd,
My bleeding infants dash'd against the floor;
These I have yet to see, perhaps yet more!
Perhaps even I, reserved by angry fate,
The last sad relic of my ruin'd state,
(Dire pomp of sovereign wretchedness!) must fall,
And stain the pavement of my regal hall;
Where famish'd dogs, late guardians of my door,
Shall lick their mangled master's spatter'd gore.
Yet for my sons I thank ye, gods! 'tis well;
Well have they perish'd, for in fight they fell.
Who dies in youth and vigour, dies the best,
Struck through with wounds, all honest on the breast.
But when the fates, in fulness of their rage,
Spurn the hoar head of unresisting age,
In dust the reverend lineaments deform,
And pour to dogs the life-blood scarcely warm:
This, this is misery! the last, the worse,
That man can feel! man, fated to be cursed!"
He said, and acting what no words could say,
Rent from his head the silver locks away.
With him the mournful mother bears a part;
Yet all her sorrows turn not Hector's heart.
The zone unbraced, her bosom she display'd;
And thus, fast-falling the salt tears, she said:
"Have mercy on me, O my son! revere
The words of age; attend a parent's prayer!
If ever thee in these fond arms I press'd,
Or still'd thy infant clamours at this breast;
Ah do not thus our helpless years forego,
But, by our walls secured, repel the foe.
Against his rage if singly thou proceed,
Should'st thou, (but Heaven avert it!) should'st thou bleed,
Nor must thy corse lie honour'd on the bier,
Nor spouse, nor mother, grace thee with a tear!
Far from our pious rites those dear remains
Must feast the vultures on the naked plains."
So they, while down their cheeks the torrents roll;
But fix'd remains the purpose of his soul;
Resolved he stands, and with a fiery glance
Expects the hero's terrible advance.
So, roll'd up in his den, the swelling snake
Beholds the traveller approach the brake;
When fed with noxious herbs his turgid veins
Have gather'd half the poisons of the plains;
He burns, he stiffens with collected ire,
And his red eyeballs glare with living fire.
Beneath a turret, on his shield reclined,
He stood, and question'd thus his mighty mind:(275)
"Where lies my way? to enter in the wall?
Honour and shame the ungenerous thought recall:
Shall proud Polydamas before the gate
Proclaim, his counsels are obey'd too late,
Which timely follow'd but the former night,
What numbers had been saved by Hector's flight?
That wise advice rejected with disdain,
I feel my folly in my people slain.
Methinks my suffering country's voice I hear,
But most her worthless sons insult my ear,
On my rash courage charge the chance of war,
And blame those virtues which they cannot share.
No--if I e'er return, return I must
Glorious, my country's terror laid in dust:
Or if I perish, let her see me fall
In field at least, and fighting for her wall.
And yet suppose these measures I forego,
Approach unarm'd, and parley with the foe,
The warrior-shield, the helm, and lance, lay down.
And treat on terms of peace to save the town:
The wife withheld, the treasure ill-detain'd
(Cause of the war, and grievance of the land)
With honourable justice to restore:
And add half Ilion's yet remaining store,
Which Troy shall, sworn, produce; that injured Greece
May share our wealth, and leave our walls in peace.
But why this thought? Unarm'd if I should go,
What hope of mercy from this vengeful foe,
But woman-like to fall, and fall without a blow?
We greet not here, as man conversing man,
Met at an oak, or journeying o'er a plain;
No season now for calm familiar talk,
Like youths and maidens in an evening walk:
War is our business, but to whom is given
To die, or triumph, that, determine Heaven!"
Thus pondering, like a god the Greek drew nigh;
His dreadful plumage nodded from on high;
The Pelian javelin, in his better hand,
Shot trembling rays that glitter'd o'er the land;
And on his breast the beamy splendour shone,
Like Jove's own lightning, or the rising sun.
As Hector sees, unusual terrors rise,
Struck by some god, he fears, recedes, and flies.
He leaves the gates, he leaves the wall behind:
Achilles follows like the winged wind.
Thus at the panting dove a falcon flies
(The swiftest racer of the liquid skies),
Just when he holds, or thinks he holds his prey,
Obliquely wheeling through the aerial way,
With open beak and shrilling cries he springs,
And aims his claws, and shoots upon his wings:
No less fore-right the rapid chase they held,
One urged by fury, one by fear impell'd:
Now circling round the walls their course maintain,
Where the high watch-tower overlooks the plain;
Now where the fig-trees spread their umbrage broad,
(A wider compass,) smoke along the road.
Next by Scamander's double source they bound,
Where two famed fountains burst the parted ground;
This hot through scorching clefts is seen to rise,
With exhalations steaming to the skies;
That the green banks in summer's heat o'erflows,
Like crystal clear, and cold as winter snows:
Each gushing fount a marble cistern fills,
Whose polish'd bed receives the falling rills;
Where Trojan dames (ere yet alarm'd by Greece)
Wash'd their fair garments in the days of peace.(276)
By these they pass'd, one chasing, one in flight:
(The mighty fled, pursued by stronger might:)
Swift was the course; no vulgar prize they play,
No vulgar victim must reward the day:
(Such as in races crown the speedy strife:)
The prize contended was great Hector's life.
As when some hero's funerals are decreed
In grateful honour of the mighty dead;
Where high rewards the vigorous youth inflame
(Some golden tripod, or some lovely dame)
The panting coursers swiftly turn the goal,
And with them turns the raised spectator's soul:
Thus three times round the Trojan wall they fly.
The gazing gods lean forward from the sky;
To whom, while eager on the chase they look,
The sire of mortals and immortals spoke:
"Unworthy sight! the man beloved of heaven,
Behold, inglorious round yon city driven!
My heart partakes the generous Hector's pain;
Hector, whose zeal whole hecatombs has slain,
Whose grateful fumes the gods received with joy,
From Ida's summits, and the towers of Troy:
Now see him flying; to his fears resign'd,
And fate, and fierce Achilles, close behind.
Consult, ye powers! ('tis worthy your debate)
Whether to snatch him from impending fate,
Or let him bear, by stern Pelides slain,
(Good as he is) the lot imposed on man."
Then Pallas thus: "Shall he whose vengeance forms
The forky bolt, and blackens heaven with storms,
Shall he prolong one Trojan's forfeit breath?
A man, a mortal, pre-ordain'd to death!
And will no murmurs fill the courts above?
No gods indignant blame their partial Jove?"
"Go then (return'd the sire) without delay,
Exert thy will: I give the Fates their way.
Swift at the mandate pleased Tritonia flies,
And stoops impetuous from the cleaving skies.
As through the forest, o'er the vale and lawn,
The well-breath'd beagle drives the flying fawn,
In vain he tries the covert of the brakes,
Or deep beneath the trembling thicket shakes;
Sure of the vapour in the tainted dews,
The certain hound his various maze pursues.
Thus step by step, where'er the Trojan wheel'd,
There swift Achilles compass'd round the field.
Oft as to reach the Dardan gates he bends,
And hopes the assistance of his pitying friends,
(Whose showering arrows, as he coursed below,
From the high turrets might oppress the foe,)
So oft Achilles turns him to the plain:
He eyes the city, but he eyes in vain.
As men in slumbers seem with speedy pace,
One to pursue, and one to lead the chase,
Their sinking limbs the fancied course forsake,
Nor this can fly, nor that can overtake:
No less the labouring heroes pant and strain:
While that but flies, and this pursues in vain.
What god, O muse, assisted Hector's force
With fate itself so long to hold the course?
Phoebus it was; who, in his latest hour,
Endued his knees with strength, his nerves with power:
And great Achilles, lest some Greek's advance
Should snatch the glory from his lifted lance,
Sign'd to the troops to yield his foe the way,
And leave untouch'd the honours of the day.
Jove lifts the golden balances, that show
The fates of mortal men, and things below:
Here each contending hero's lot he tries,
And weighs, with equal hand, their destinies.
Low sinks the scale surcharged with Hector's fate;
Heavy with death it sinks, and hell receives the weight.
Then Phoebus left him. Fierce Minerva flies
To stern Pelides, and triumphing, cries:
"O loved of Jove! this day our labours cease,
And conquest blazes with full beams on Greece.
Great Hector falls; that Hector famed so far,
Drunk with renown, insatiable of war,
Falls by thy hand, and mine! nor force, nor flight,
Shall more avail him, nor his god of light.
See, where in vain he supplicates above,
Roll'd at the feet of unrelenting Jove;
Rest here: myself will lead the Trojan on,
And urge to meet the fate he cannot shun."
Her voice divine the chief with joyful mind
Obey'd; and rested, on his lance reclined
While like Deiphobus the martial dame
(Her face, her gesture, and her arms the same),
In show an aid, by hapless Hector's side
Approach'd, and greets him thus with voice belied:
"Too long, O Hector! have I borne the sight
Of this distress, and sorrow'd in thy flight:
It fits us now a noble stand to make,
And here, as brothers, equal fates partake."
Then he: "O prince! allied in blood and fame,
Dearer than all that own a brother's name;
Of all that Hecuba to Priam bore,
Long tried, long loved: much loved, but honoured more!
Since you, of all our numerous race alone
Defend my life, regardless of your own."
Again the goddess: "Much my father's prayer,
And much my mother's, press'd me to forbear:
My friends embraced my knees, adjured my stay,
But stronger love impell'd, and I obey.
Come then, the glorious conflict let us try,
Let the steel sparkle, and the javelin fly;
Or let us stretch Achilles on the field,
Or to his arm our bloody trophies yield."
Fraudful she said; then swiftly march'd before:
The Dardan hero shuns his foe no more.
Sternly they met. The silence Hector broke:
His dreadful plumage nodded as he spoke:
"Enough, O son of Peleus! Troy has view'd
Her walls thrice circled, and her chief pursued.
But now some god within me bids me try
Thine, or my fate: I kill thee, or I die.
Yet on the verge of battle let us stay,
And for a moment's space suspend the day;
Let Heaven's high powers be call'd to arbitrate
The just conditions of this stern debate,
(Eternal witnesses of all below,
And faithful guardians of the treasured vow!)
To them I swear; if, victor in the strife,
Jove by these hands shall shed thy noble life,
No vile dishonour shall thy corse pursue;
Stripp'd of its arms alone (the conqueror's due)
The rest to Greece uninjured I'll restore:
Now plight thy mutual oath, I ask no more."
"Talk not of oaths (the dreadful chief replies,
While anger flash'd from his disdainful eyes),
Detested as thou art, and ought to be,
Nor oath nor pact Achilles plights with thee:
Such pacts as lambs and rabid wolves combine,
Such leagues as men and furious lions join,
To such I call the gods! one constant state
Of lasting rancour and eternal hate:
No thought but rage, and never-ceasing strife,
Till death extinguish rage, and thought, and life.
Rouse then thy forces this important hour,
Collect thy soul, and call forth all thy power.
No further subterfuge, no further chance;
'Tis Pallas, Pallas gives thee to my lance.
Each Grecian ghost, by thee deprived of breath,
Now hovers round, and calls thee to thy death."
He spoke, and launch'd his javelin at the foe;
But Hector shunn'd the meditated blow:
He stoop'd, while o'er his head the flying spear
Sang innocent, and spent its force in air.
Minerva watch'd it falling on the land,
Then drew, and gave to great Achilles' hand,
Unseen of Hector, who, elate with joy,
Now shakes his lance, and braves the dread of Troy.
"The life you boasted to that javelin given,
Prince! you have miss'd. My fate depends on Heaven,
To thee, presumptuous as thou art, unknown,
Or what must prove my fortune, or thy own.
Boasting is but an art, our fears to blind,
And with false terrors sink another's mind.
But know, whatever fate I am to try,
By no dishonest wound shall Hector die.
I shall not fall a fugitive at least,
My soul shall bravely issue from my breast.
But first, try thou my arm; and may this dart
End all my country's woes, deep buried in thy heart."
The weapon flew, its course unerring held,
Unerring, but the heavenly shield repell'd
The mortal dart; resulting with a bound
From off the ringing orb, it struck the ground.
Hector beheld his javelin fall in vain,
Nor other lance, nor other hope remain;
He calls Deiphobus, demands a spear--
In vain, for no Deiphobus was there.
All comfortless he stands: then, with a sigh;
"'Tis so--Heaven wills it, and my hour is nigh!
I deem'd Deiphobus had heard my call,
But he secure lies guarded in the wall.
A god deceived me; Pallas, 'twas thy deed,
Death and black fate approach! 'tis I must bleed.
No refuge now, no succour from above,
Great Jove deserts me, and the son of Jove,
Propitious once, and kind! Then welcome fate!
'Tis true I perish, yet I perish great:
Yet in a mighty deed I shall expire,
Let future ages hear it, and admire!"
Fierce, at the word, his weighty sword he drew,
And, all collected, on Achilles flew.
So Jove's bold bird, high balanced in the air,
Stoops from the clouds to truss the quivering hare.
Nor less Achilles his fierce soul prepares:
Before his breast the flaming shield he bears,
Refulgent orb! above his fourfold cone
The gilded horse-hair sparkled in the sun.
Nodding at every step: (Vulcanian frame!)
And as he moved, his figure seem'd on flame.
As radiant Hesper shines with keener light,(277)
Far-beaming o'er the silver host of night,
When all the starry train emblaze the sphere:
So shone the point of great Achilles' spear.
In his right hand he waves the weapon round,
Eyes the whole man, and meditates the wound;
But the rich mail Patroclus lately wore
Securely cased the warrior's body o'er.
One space at length he spies, to let in fate,
Where 'twixt the neck and throat the jointed plate
Gave entrance: through that penetrable part
Furious he drove the well-directed dart:
Nor pierced the windpipe yet, nor took the power
Of speech, unhappy! from thy dying hour.
Prone on the field the bleeding warrior lies,
While, thus triumphing, stern Achilles cries:
"At last is Hector stretch'd upon the plain,
Who fear'd no vengeance for Patroclus slain:
Then, prince! you should have fear'd, what now you feel;
Achilles absent was Achilles still:
Yet a short space the great avenger stayed,
Then low in dust thy strength and glory laid.
Peaceful he sleeps, with all our rites adorn'd,
For ever honour'd, and for ever mourn'd:
While cast to all the rage of hostile power,
Thee birds shall mangle, and the gods devour."
Then Hector, fainting at the approach of death:
"By thy own soul! by those who gave thee breath!
By all the sacred prevalence of prayer;
Ah, leave me not for Grecian dogs to tear!
The common rites of sepulture bestow,
To soothe a father's and a mother's woe:
Let their large gifts procure an urn at least,
And Hector's ashes in his country rest."
"No, wretch accursed! relentless he replies;
(Flames, as he spoke, shot flashing from his eyes;)
Not those who gave me breath should bid me spare,
Nor all the sacred prevalence of prayer.
Could I myself the bloody banquet join!
No--to the dogs that carcase I resign.
Should Troy, to bribe me, bring forth all her store,
And giving thousands, offer thousands more;
Should Dardan Priam, and his weeping dame,
Drain their whole realm to buy one funeral flame:
Their Hector on the pile they should not see,
Nor rob the vultures of one limb of thee."
Then thus the chief his dying accents drew:
"Thy rage, implacable! too well I knew:
The Furies that relentless breast have steel'd,
And cursed thee with a heart that cannot yield.
Yet think, a day will come, when fate's decree
And angry gods shall wreak this wrong on thee;
Phoebus and Paris shall avenge my fate,
And stretch thee here before the Scaean gate."(278)
He ceased. The Fates suppress'd his labouring breath,
And his eyes stiffen'd at the hand of death;
To the dark realm the spirit wings its way,
(The manly body left a load of clay,)
And plaintive glides along the dreary coast,
A naked, wandering, melancholy ghost!
Achilles, musing as he roll'd his eyes
O'er the dead hero, thus unheard, replies:
"Die thou the first! When Jove and heaven ordain,
I follow thee"--He said, and stripp'd the slain.
Then forcing backward from the gaping wound
The reeking javelin, cast it on the ground.
The thronging Greeks behold with wondering eyes
His manly beauty and superior size;
While some, ignobler, the great dead deface
With wounds ungenerous, or with taunts disgrace:
"How changed that Hector, who like Jove of late
Sent lightning on our fleets, and scatter'd fate!"
High o'er the slain the great Achilles stands,
Begirt with heroes and surrounding bands;
And thus aloud, while all the host attends:
"Princes and leaders! countrymen and friends!
Since now at length the powerful will of heaven
The dire destroyer to our arm has given,
Is not Troy fallen already? Haste, ye powers!
See, if already their deserted towers
Are left unmann'd; or if they yet retain
The souls of heroes, their great Hector slain.
But what is Troy, or glory what to me?
Or why reflects my mind on aught but thee,
Divine Patroclus! Death hath seal'd his eyes;
Unwept, unhonour'd, uninterr'd he lies!
Can his dear image from my soul depart,
Long as the vital spirit moves my heart?
If in the melancholy shades below,
The flames of friends and lovers cease to glow,
Yet mine shall sacred last; mine, undecay'd,
Burn on through death, and animate my shade.
Meanwhile, ye sons of Greece, in triumph bring
The corpse of Hector, and your paeans sing.
Be this the song, slow-moving toward the shore,
"Hector is dead, and Ilion is no more."
Then his fell soul a thought of vengeance bred;
(Unworthy of himself, and of the dead;)
The nervous ancles bored, his feet he bound
With thongs _insert_ed through the double wound;
These fix'd up high behind the rolling wain,
His graceful head was trail'd along the plain.
Proud on his car the insulting victor stood,
And bore aloft his arms, distilling blood.
He smites the steeds; the rapid chariot flies;
The sudden clouds of circling dust arise.
Now lost is all that formidable air;
The face divine, and long-descending hair,
Purple the ground, and streak the sable sand;
Deform'd, dishonour'd, in his native land,
Given to the rage of an insulting throng,
And, in his parents' sight, now dragg'd along!
The mother first beheld with sad survey;
She rent her tresses, venerable grey,
And cast, far off, the regal veils away.
With piercing shrieks his bitter fate she moans,
While the sad father answers groans with groans
Tears after tears his mournful cheeks o'erflow,
And the whole city wears one face of woe:
No less than if the rage of hostile fires.
From her foundations curling to her spires,
O'er the proud citadel at length should rise,
And the last blaze send Ilion to the skies.
The wretched monarch of the falling state,
Distracted, presses to the Dardan gate.
Scarce the whole people stop his desperate course,
While strong affliction gives the feeble force:
Grief tears his heart, and drives him to and fro,
In all the raging impotence of woe.
At length he roll'd in dust, and thus begun,
Imploring all, and naming one by one:
"Ah! let me, let me go where sorrow calls;
I, only I, will issue from your walls
(Guide or companion, friends! I ask ye none),
And bow before the murderer of my son.
My grief perhaps his pity may engage;
Perhaps at least he may respect my age.
He has a father too; a man like me;
One, not exempt from age and misery
(Vigorous no more, as when his young embrace
Begot this pest of me, and all my race).
How many valiant sons, in early bloom,
Has that cursed hand send headlong to the tomb!
Thee, Hector! last: thy loss (divinely brave)
Sinks my sad soul with sorrow to the grave.
O had thy gentle spirit pass'd in peace,
The son expiring in the sire's embrace,
While both thy parents wept the fatal hour,
And, bending o'er thee, mix'd the tender shower!
Some comfort that had been, some sad relief,
To melt in full satiety of grief!"
Thus wail'd the father, grovelling on the ground,
And all the eyes of Ilion stream'd around.
Amidst her matrons Hecuba appears:
(A mourning princess, and a train in tears;)
"Ah why has Heaven prolong'd this hated breath,
Patient of horrors, to behold thy death?
O Hector! late thy parents' pride and joy,
The boast of nations! the defence of Troy!
To whom her safety and her fame she owed;
Her chief, her hero, and almost her god!
O fatal change! become in one sad day
A senseless corse! inanimated clay!"
But not as yet the fatal news had spread
To fair Andromache, of Hector dead;
As yet no messenger had told his fate,
Not e'en his stay without the Scaean gate.
Far in the close recesses of the dome,
Pensive she plied the melancholy loom;
A growing work employ'd her secret hours,
Confusedly gay with intermingled flowers.
Her fair-haired handmaids heat the brazen urn,
The bath preparing for her lord's return
In vain; alas! her lord returns no more;
Unbathed he lies, and bleeds along the shore!
Now from the walls the clamours reach her ear,
And all her members shake with sudden fear:
Forth from her ivory hand the shuttle falls,
And thus, astonish'd, to her maids she calls:
[Illustration: THE BATH.]
THE BATH.
"Ah follow me! (she cried) what plaintive noise
Invades my ear? 'Tis sure my mother's voice.
My faltering knees their trembling frame desert,
A pulse unusual flutters at my heart;
Some strange disaster, some reverse of fate
(Ye gods avert it!) threats the Trojan state.
Far be the omen which my thoughts suggest!
But much I fear my Hector's dauntless breast
Confronts Achilles; chased along the plain,
Shut from our walls! I fear, I fear him slain!
Safe in the crowd he ever scorn'd to wait,
And sought for glory in the jaws of fate:
Perhaps that noble heat has cost his breath,
Now quench'd for ever in the arms of death."
She spoke: and furious, with distracted pace,
Fears in her heart, and anguish in her face,
Flies through the dome (the maids her steps pursue),
And mounts the walls, and sends around her view.
Too soon her eyes the killing object found,
The godlike Hector dragg'd along the ground.
A sudden darkness shades her swimming eyes:
She faints, she falls; her breath, her colour flies.
Her hair's fair ornaments, the braids that bound,
The net that held them, and the wreath that crown'd,
The veil and diadem flew far away
(The gift of Venus on her bridal day).
Around a train of weeping sisters stands,
To raise her sinking with assistant hands.
Scarce from the verge of death recall'd, again
She faints, or but recovers to complain.
[Illustration: ANDROMACHE FAINTING ON THE WALL.]
ANDROMACHE FAINTING ON THE WALL.
"O wretched husband of a wretched wife!
Born with one fate, to one unhappy life!
For sure one star its baneful beam display'd
On Priam's roof, and Hippoplacia's shade.
From different parents, different climes we came.
At different periods, yet our fate the same!
Why was my birth to great Aetion owed,
And why was all that tender care bestow'd?
Would I had never been!--O thou, the ghost
Of my dead husband! miserably lost!
Thou to the dismal realms for ever gone!
And I abandon'd, desolate, alone!
An only child, once comfort of my pains,
Sad product now of hapless love, remains!
No more to smile upon his sire; no friend
To help him now! no father to defend!
For should he 'scape the sword, the common doom,
What wrongs attend him, and what griefs to come!
Even from his own paternal roof expell'd,
Some stranger ploughs his patrimonial field.
The day, that to the shades the father sends,
Robs the sad orphan of his father's friends:
He, wretched outcast of mankind! appears
For ever sad, for ever bathed in tears;
Amongst the happy, unregarded, he
Hangs on the robe, or trembles at the knee,
While those his father's former bounty fed
Nor reach the goblet, nor divide the bread:
The kindest but his present wants allay,
To leave him wretched the succeeding day.
Frugal compassion! Heedless, they who boast
Both parents still, nor feel what he has lost,
Shall cry, 'Begone! thy father feasts not here:'
The wretch obeys, retiring with a tear.
Thus wretched, thus retiring all in tears,
To my sad soul Astyanax appears!
Forced by repeated insults to return,
And to his widow'd mother vainly mourn:
He, who, with tender delicacy bred,
With princes sported, and on dainties fed,
And when still evening gave him up to rest,
Sunk soft in down upon the nurse's breast,
Must--ah what must he not? Whom Ilion calls
Astyanax, from her well-guarded walls,(279)
Is now that name no more, unhappy boy!
Since now no more thy father guards his Troy.
But thou, my Hector, liest exposed in air,
Far from thy parents' and thy consort's care;
Whose hand in vain, directed by her love,
The martial scarf and robe of triumph wove.
Now to devouring flames be these a prey,
Useless to thee, from this accursed day!
Yet let the sacrifice at least be paid,
An honour to the living, not the dead!"
So spake the mournful dame: her matrons hear,
Sigh back her sighs, and answer tear with tear. 就這樣，他們悲聲哀悼，哭滿全城。與此同時，阿開亞人
回到船邊和赫勒斯龐特沿岸，
解散隊伍，返回各自的海船。惟有
阿基琉斯不願解散慕耳彌鼕人的隊伍，
對着嗜喜搏戰的夥伴們喊道：
“駕馭快馬的慕耳彌鼕人，我所信賴的夥伴們！
不要把蹄腿飛快的馭馬卸出戰車，
我們要趕着車馬，前往帕特羅剋洛斯
息身的去處，悲哭哀悼，此乃死者應該享受的禮遇。
我們要用輓歌和淚水撫慰心中的悲愁，
然後，方可寬出馭馬，一起在此吃喝。”
言罷，全軍痛哭嚎啕，由阿基琉斯挑頭帶領。
他們趕起長鬃飄灑的駿馬，一連跑了三圈，圍着遺體；
兵勇們悲哭哀悼，人群中，塞提絲催恿起慟哭的激情，
淚水透濕沙地，浸儒着戰勇們的鎧甲——如此
深切的懷念，對帕特羅剋洛斯，驅趕逃敵的英壯。
裴琉斯之子領頭唱起麯調凄楚的哀歌，
把殺人的雙手緊貼着摯友的胸脯：“別了，
帕特羅剋洛斯；我要招呼你，即便你已去了死神的府居！
瞧，我已在實踐對你許下的諾言——我說過，
我要把赫剋托耳拉到這裏，讓餓狗生吞
撕咬；砍掉十二個青壯的腦袋，特洛伊人風火正茂的兒子，
在焚你的柴堆前，消泄我對他們殺你的憤惱！”
他如此一番哭喊，心中盤劃着羞辱光榮的赫剋托耳。
他一把撂下死者，任其頭臉貼着泥塵，陪旁着墨諾伊提俄斯
之子的屍床。與此同時，全軍上下，所有的兵勇，全部脫去
閃亮的銅甲，寬出昂頭嘶叫的駿馬，
數千之衆，在船邊坐下，傍臨捷足的阿基琉斯的
海船，後者已備下豐盛的喪宴，
供人們食餐。許多肥亮的壯牛挨宰被殺，
倒在鐵鋒下，還有衆多的綿羊和咩咩哀叫的山羊，一大群
肥豬，露出白亮的尖牙，挂着大片的肥膘。兵勇們
叉起肥豬，架上赫法伊斯托斯的柴火，燒去鬃毛，
舉杯接住潑倒而出的牲血，圍灑在屍軀旁。
其時，阿開亞人的王者們將裴琉斯之子，
捷足的首領，引往尊貴的阿伽門農的住處，
好說歹說，方纔成行——伴友的陣亡使他盛怒難消。
當一行人來到阿伽門農的營棚，
馬上命令嗓音清亮的使者，
把一口大鍋架上柴火，進而勸說
裴琉斯之子洗去身上斑結的污血，但
後者頑蠻地拒絶他們的規勸，發誓道：
“不，不！我要對宙斯起誓，對這位至高至尊的天神，
此舉不當；不要讓浴水碰灑我的頭臉，在我做完這一切事情
之前：我要把帕特羅剋洛斯放上燃燒的柴堆，壘土成瑩，
割下頭髮，尊祭我的伴友——要知道，在我有生之日，
我的心靈再也不會經受如此的傷憂。
眼下，大傢可以飽食我所厭惡的佳餚。明晨拂曉，
王者阿伽門農，你要喚起手下的兵衆，
伐集薪材，備下死者所需的一切——
他藉此上路，走嚮陰森、昏黑的地府。
這樣，熊熊燃燒的烈火就能以最快的速度，把他送出
我們的視野，而兵勇們亦能重上戰場，他們必須前往的去處。”
他如此一番說道，衆人肅靜聆聽，謹遵不違，
趕忙動手做飯，人人吃飽喝足，
誰也不曾少得應有的份額，委屈饑渴的腸肚。
當滿足了吃喝的欲望，他們分手
寢睡，走入自己的營棚。然而，
裴琉斯之子卻躺倒在驚濤震響的
海灘，粗聲哀叫，在慕耳彌鼕營地的近旁，
一片久經海浪衝擊的空淨之處。
睡眠模糊了他的頭腦，甜美深熟的鼾息
趕走了心中的悲痛——快步追趕赫剋托耳，朝着
多風的伊利昂，疲乏了他那閃亮的腿腳。
其時，不幸的帕特羅剋洛斯的幽靈出現在他的面前，
一如生前的音容和形貌，睜着那雙明亮的
眼睛，裹着生前穿用的衫袍，
飄站在他的頭頂，開口說道：
“你在睡覺，阿基琉斯？你已把我忘卻——是否因我死了，
你就這樣待我？我活着的時候，你可從來不曾有過疏忽。
埋葬我，越快越好；讓我通過哀地斯的門戶。
他們把我遠遠地擋在外面，那些個幽魂，死人的虛影，
不讓我渡過陰河，同他們聚首，
我衹能遊蕩在寬大的門外，死神的府居前。
我悲聲求你，伸過你的手來；我再也
不會從冥界回返，一旦你為我舉行過火焚的禮儀。
你我——活着的我——將再也不能坐在一起，離着我們
親愛的夥伴，計謀商議；苦難的命運，
從我出生之日起，便和我朝夕相隨，已張嘴把我吞咬。
你也一樣，神一般的阿基琉斯，也會受到命運的催請，
例死在富足的特洛伊人的城墻下。我還有
一事要說，就此相告於你，懇求你的答從：
不要把我的遺骨和你的分葬，阿基琉斯，
我倆要合葬在一起，就像我們一起長大，在你的傢裏。
墨諾伊提俄斯把我帶出俄普斯——其時，我還是個孩子——
領進你的傢門，為了躲避一樁可悲的命案。
那一天，我殺了安菲達馬斯的兒子——我真傻，
全是出於無意，起始於一場爭吵，玩擲着投弄骰子的遊戲。
那時候，車戰者裴琉斯把我接進房居，
小心翼翼的把我撫養成人，讓我作為你的伴從。
所以，讓同一隻甕罐，你高貴的母親給你的
那衹雙把的金甕，盛裝咱倆的遺骨。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“親愛的兄弟，我的朋友，為何回來找我，
講述這些要我操辦的事情？沒問題，
我會妥辦一切，照你說的去做。哦，
請你再離近點，讓我們互相擁抱，哪怕
衹有短暫的瞬間——用悲傷的眼淚刷洗我們的心房！”
言罷，他伸出雙臂，但卻不能把他
抓抱；靈魂鑽入泥地，像一縷清煙，
伴隨着一聲尖細的喊叫。阿基琉斯跳將起來，大驚失色，
擊打着雙手，悲聲嘆道：“哦，我的天！
即使在死神的府居，也還有某種形式的存在，
人的靈魂和幻象，雖然他們沒有活人的命脈。
整整一個晚上，不幸的帕特羅剋洛斯的鬼魂
懸站在我的頭頂，悲哭啼訴，告訴我要做的
一件件事情，形貌和真人一模一樣！”
一番話在所有人心裏激起了慟哭的悲情。
黎明用玫瑰色的手指送來曙光，照射在他們身上，彙聚在
可悲的遺體周圍，痛哭不已。其時，強有力的阿伽門農
命令兵勇們牽着騾子，走出各自的營棚，
上山伐木，由一位出色的人選帶隊，
墨裏俄奈斯，驃勇的伊多墨紐斯的伴隨。
兵勇們魚貫出動，手握砍樹的斧頭
和緊打密編的繩索，跟行在騾子後頭。
他們翻山越嶺，走過傾斜的崗巒，崎嶇的小道，
來到多泉的伊達，起伏的嶺坡，
開始用鋒快的銅斧砍伐，壓上
全身的重量，放倒聳頂着葉冠的橡樹，
發出轟轟隆隆的聲響。接着，阿開亞人劈開樹幹，
綁上騾背，後者邁出輾裂地層的
腿步，艱難地穿過林區，走嚮平原。
伐木者人人肩扛樹段，遵照
溫雅的伊多墨紐斯的伴從墨裏俄奈斯的命令。
他們撂下肩上的重壓，整齊地排放在灘沿，阿基琉斯選定的
位置，準備為帕特羅剋洛斯和他自己，堆壘一座高大的墳塋。
他們從四面甩下堆積如山的樹段，垛畢，
屈腿下坐，雲聚灘沿。阿基琉斯
當即命令嗜喜搏戰的慕耳彌鼕人
扣上銅甲，並要所有的馭手把馬匹
套入戰車。衆人起身穿披鎧甲，
登上戰車，馭者和他身邊的槍手。
車馬先行，大群步戰的兵勇隨後跟進，
數千之衆。人流裏，夥伴們扛着帕特羅剋洛斯的軀體，
上面滿蓋着他們的頭髮——衆人割下的發綹，拋鋪在
他的身上。在他們身後，卓越的阿基琉斯抱起他的頭顱，
嘶聲痛哭——他在護送一位忠實的伴友，前往哀地斯的傢府。
他們來到阿基琉斯指定的地點，
放下遺體，搬動樹料，迅速壘起一個巨大的柴堆。
其時，卓越的、捷足的阿基琉斯突然想起另一件要做的事情。
他走離木堆，站定，割下一綹金黃色的頭髮——
長期蓄留的發絲，準備獻給河神斯裴耳開俄斯的禮物——
心情痛苦沮喪，凝望着酒藍色的大海，誦道：
“斯裴耳開俄斯，傢父裴琉斯白白辛苦了一場，對你
許下此番誓願：當我回到我所熱愛的故鄉，
我將割發尊祭，舉行一次盛大、神聖的
祭禮，宰殺五十頭不曾去勢的公羊，獻給
你的水流，伴着你的園林和煙火繚繞的祭壇。
這便是老人的誓願，可你卻沒有實現他的企望。
現在，既然我已不打算回返親愛的故鄉，
我將把頭髮獻給帕特羅剋洛斯，讓它陪伴歸去的英雄。”
言罷，他把發綹放入好友的
手心，在所有的人心裏激起了慟哭的悲情。
其時，太陽的光芒將會照射悲哭的人群，
要不是阿基琉斯當即站到阿伽門農身邊，說道：
“阿特桑斯之子，你的命令在全軍中享有
最高的權威。凡事都有限度，哭悼亦然。
現在，你可解散柴堆邊的隊伍，讓他們整備
食餐。我等是死者最親近的朋伴，我們會
操辦這裏的一切。可讓各位首領逗留，和我們一起。”
聽罷這番話，全軍的統帥阿伽門農
當即下令解散隊伍，讓他們返回綫條勻稱的海船。
但是，主要悼祭者們仍然逗留火場，添放着木塊，
壘起一個長寬各達一百步的柴堆，
帶着沉痛的心情，把遺體置放頂面。
柴堆前，他們剝殺和整治了成群的
肥羊和腿步瞞珊的彎角壯牛。心胸豪壯的
阿基琉斯扒下油脂，從所有祭畜的肚腔，包裹屍軀，
從頭到腳，把去皮的畜體排放在死者周圍。
接着，他把一些雙把的分裝着油和蜜的罎罐放在伴友身邊，
緊靠着棺床，哭叫着把四匹頸脖粗長的
駿馬迅速扔上柴堆。高貴的
帕特羅剋洛斯豢養着九條好狗，
他殺了其中的兩條，抹了它們的脖子，放上柴堆；
他還殺了十二名高貴的青壯，心胸豪壯的特洛伊人的兒子，
用他的銅劍，心懷邪惡的意念，把他們付諸柴火鐵一般的狂烈。
然後，他放聲哭叫，呼喊着心愛的伴友，叫着他的名字：
“別了，帕特羅剋洛斯；我要招呼你，即便你已去了死神的府
居！瞧，我已在實踐對你許下的諾言。這裏
躺着十二個高貴的青壯，心胸豪壯的特洛伊人的兒子，
焚化你的烈火將把他們燒成灰泥。至於赫剋托耳，
普裏阿摩斯之子，我不打算把他投放柴火——我要讓犬狗把
他斷裂！”
他如此一番威脅，但犬狗卻不曾撕食赫剋托耳，
阿芙羅底忒，宙斯的女兒，為他擋開狗的侵襲，
夜以繼日，用玫瑰仙油塗抹他的身軀，
使阿基琉斯，在把他來回拖跑的時候，不致豁裂他的肌體。
福伊波斯·阿波羅從天上采下一朵黑雲，
降在平原上，遮住死者息躺的
整塊地皮，使太陽的暴曬不致
枯萎他的身軀、四肢和筋肌。
然而，帕特羅剋洛斯橫躺的柴堆此時卻不曾竄起火苗，卓越的
戰勇、捷足的阿基琉斯由此想到還有一件該做的事情。
他站離柴堆，求告兩飆旋風，
波瑞阿斯和澤夫羅斯，許下豐厚的祭禮，
註滿金質的盞杯，慷慨地潑灑美酒，懇求
他們快來，點發柴堆，以最快的速度
火焚堆頂的軀體。聽聞他的禱告，伊裏絲
帶着信息，急速趕往強風歇腳的去處。其時，
風哥們正聚息在蕩送狂飆的澤夫羅斯的傢裏，
享用主人擺下的食宴；伊裏絲收住疾行的身姿，
站在石鑿的門檻上。他們一見到伊裏絲的身影，
馬上跳將起來，爭先恐後地邀請，請她坐在自己身邊，
但她拒絶了他們的盛情，開口說道：
“不行啊，我必須趕回俄開阿諾斯的水流，
埃西俄比亞人的疆土；他們正舉行隆重的祀祭，
給不死的神祗；我必須享用我的份額，參加神聖的宴禮。
但是，我帶來了阿基琉斯的祈願，禱請波瑞阿斯和狂風怒號的
澤夫羅斯前往助信，許下豐厚的答祭，
要你們吹燃焚屍的柴堆，托着死去的
帕特羅剋洛斯；阿開亞人全都圍聚屍邊，痛哭流涕。”
言罷，伊裏絲動身離去。疾風一掃而起，
發出排山倒海般的響聲，驅散風前的雲朵，
以突起的狂飆掃過洋面，呼嘯的旋風捲起
排空的激浪。他們登臨肥沃的特洛伊地面，
擊打着柴堆，捲起兇暴的烈焰，呼呼作響；
整整一個晚上，他倆吹送出嘶叫的疾風，
騰托起柴堆上的烈火；整整一個晚上，捷足的阿基琉斯
手拿雙把的酒杯，從金兌缸裏舀出一杯杯
醇酒，潑灑在地，透濕泥塵，
呼喚着不幸的帕特羅剋洛斯的亡魂，
像一位哭悼的父親，焚燒着兒子的屍骨，新婚的
兒郎，他的死亡愁煞了不幸的雙親——
就像這樣，阿基琉斯焚燒着伴友的屍骨，痛哭不已，
悲聲哀悼，拖着沉重的腳步，挪行在火堆的近旁。
這時，啓明星升上天空，嚮大地預報
新的一天的來臨，黎明隨之對着大海，抖開金黃色的篷袍；
地面上，柴火已經偃滅，烈焰亦已收熄。
疾風掉轉頭臉，直奔傢門，掃過
斯拉凱洋面——大海為之沸騰，掀起巨浪，悲吼哀鳴。
裴琉斯之子轉身走離火堆，麯腿
躺下，筋疲力盡，心中升起香甜的睡意。
其時，阿特柔斯之子身邊的人們匯成一堆，
邁步走來，喧嚷和蕪雜之聲吵醒了阿基琉斯。
他坐起身子，挺着腰板，開口說道：
“阿特柔斯之子，各位阿開亞人的首領——
首先，用晶亮的醇酒撲滅柴堆上的餘火，
那些仍在騰騰燃燒的木塊；然後，我們
將收撿墨諾伊提俄斯之子帕特羅剋洛斯的遺骨，
要小心在意，雖然辨識並不睏難：
他躺在柴堆中間，其他人則遠離他的身邊，
和馬匹擁雜在一起，焚燒在火堆的邊沿。
讓我們把屍骨放入金甕，用雙層的油脂
封包得嚴嚴實實，直到我自己藏身哀地斯的那一天。
至於墳塚，我的意思，你們不必築得太大，
衹要看來合適就行。日後，阿開亞人可把它
添高加寬，那些有幸活下來的人們，在我
死後，在這些安着凳板的海船邊。”
聽罷這番話，人們動手辦事，按照捷足的阿基琉斯的意願。
首先，他們用晶亮的醇酒撲滅柴堆上的餘火，
不放過每一束火苗；灰燼沾酒塌陷。
接着，他們含淚撿起灰堆中的白骨，溫善的夥伴的遺骸，
用雙層的油脂封包得嚴嚴實實，放入
金甕，送進他的營棚，蓋上一層輕薄的麻布；
隨後，他們開始壘築死者的墳塋。圍着
焚屍的火堆，他們先壘起一堵石墻，然後填人鬆散的泥土，
堆起高高的墳冠。築畢，他們轉身離去。但是，阿基琉斯
留住他們，要他們就地坐下，黑壓壓的一片。
他搬出競賽的奬品，從他的海船，有大鍋、銅鼎。
駿馬、騾子和頸脖粗壯的肥牛，還有
束腰秀美的女子和暗蒙蒙的灰鐵。
首先，他為迅捷的車手設下閃光的奬品。
榮獲第一名者，可帶走一位女子，手工嫻熟精細，
外加一隻帶耳把的銅鼎，容量大至二十二個
衡度；給第二名，他設下一匹未曾上過軛架的
母馬，六歲口，肚裏還揣着一匹騾駒。
為第三名，他設下一口精美的大鍋，從未受過柴火的
炙烤，容量四個衡度，閃閃發光，一件簇新的精品；
給第四名，他設下兩個塔蘭同的黃金；
第五名的奬品是一隻從未經受火烤的雙把罎罐。
他站挺起身子，對着集聚的阿耳吉維人喊道：
“阿特柔斯之子，所有脛甲堅固的阿開亞人！
我已把奬品搬上賽場，正等候着馭手們領取。
當然，、倘若在祭辦另一位英雄的喪事中舉行車賽，
我自己定可把頭奬爭回營棚。
你們知道，我的馬遠比其他馭馬快捷，
那兩匹神駒，波塞鼕送給傢父
裴琉斯的禮物，而裴琉斯又把它們傳給了我。
但今天，我不參賽，我的蹄腿風快的馭馬也一樣。
它們失去了一位聲名遐邇的馭手，一個
好心的人，生前曾無數次地替它們擦洗，
在清亮的水流裏，然後用鬆軟的橄欖油塗抹鬃毛。
難怪它倆垂首位站，深情哀悼，長鬃
鋪地，木然直立，帶着沉痛的心情。
但是，你們其他人，不管是阿開亞人中的哪一個，衹要
信得過自己的馭馬和製合堅固的戰車，現在即可各就各位！”
裴琉斯之子言罷，迅捷的馭手紛聚雲集。
最先起身的是歐墨洛斯，民衆的王者，
阿得墨托斯的愛子，出類拔萃的馭手。
繼他而起的是圖丟斯之子，強健的狄俄墨得斯，
套着兩匹特洛伊駿馬，從埃內阿斯手下
強行奪來的戰禮——而埃內阿斯本人則被阿波羅所教。
接着，人群裏站起阿特柔斯之子，棕發的墨奈勞斯，
天之驕子，車軛下套着一對風快的好馬，
埃賽，阿伽門農的牝馬，和他自己的波達耳戈斯。
厄開波洛斯，安基塞斯之子，把它給了阿伽門農，
作為一份禮物，使他免於跟着聯軍的統帥，進兵多風的伊利昂，
得以留居本地，享受豐裕的生活——宙斯給了他
豐足的財富，傢住地域寬廣的西庫昂。
就是這匹母馬，其時套用在墨奈勞斯車下，急不可待地試圖揚
蹄飛跑。
第四位賽者此時起身套用長鬃飄灑的駿馬，安提洛科斯，
奈琉斯心志高昂的兒男、王者奈斯托耳光榮的兒子。
這對馭馬，蹄腿飛快，道地的普洛斯血種，
拉着他的戰車。其時，奈琉斯站在他的身邊，
對着心智敏捷的兒子，道出一番有益的囑告：
“安提洛科斯，雖說你很年輕，卻得到宙斯和阿波羅的
寵愛；他們已教會你駕車的全套本領。
所以，你並不十分需要我的指點；你早已掌握
如何駕車拐過標桿的技術。但是，你的
馬慢，我以為這將是你獲勝的一個阻礙。
你的對手，雖然駕着快馬，但論馭馬趕車的本領，
他們中誰都不比你高明。要
做到心中有數，我的孩子，善用你的
每一分技巧，不要讓奬品從你手中滑掉！
一個出色的樵夫，靠的是技巧，而不是魯莽。
同樣，憑靠技巧，舵手牢牢把握快船的航嚮，
儘管受到風浪的衝襲，疾馳在酒藍色的洋面上。
馭者攆趕對手，靠的也是技巧。
平庸的馭者，把一切寄托於馭馬和戰車，
大大咧咧地驅車拐彎，使馬車大幅度地左右歪搖，
由於無力製馭奔馬，衹好看着他們跑離車道。
但是，高明的馭手，雖然趕着腿腳相對遲慢的馭馬，
卻總把雙眼盯住前面的桿標，緊貼着它拐彎，
從一開始便收緊牛皮的繮繩，鬆放適時，
把握馭馬的跑嚮，註意領先的對手。
至於轉彎的標桿，本身已相當醒目，你不會把它錯過。
那是一截幹硬的樹樁，離地約有六尺之高，
可能是橡樹，也可能是松樹，還不曾被雨水侵蝕；
樹幹上撐靠着兩塊雪白的石頭，一邊一塊。
此乃去程結束，回程開始之處，周圍是一片舒坦的平野。
這東西或許是一座古墳的遺跡，
也可能是前人設下的一個車賽中拐彎的標記——
現在，捷足的壯勇、卓越的阿基琉斯把它定為轉彎的桿標。
你必須趕着車馬，緊貼着它奔跑；與此同時，
在編綁堅實的戰車裏，你要把重心
略微左傾，舉鞭擊打右邊的馭馬，
催它嚮前，鬆手放出繮繩，讓它用力快跑；
但對左邊的馭馬，你要讓它盡可能貼近轉彎的樹樁，
使車的輪轂看來就像擦着它的邊沿
一般——但要小心，不要真的碰上，
否則，你會傷了馭馬，毀了車輛，
如此結果，衹會讓對手高興，使自己臉上
無光。所以，我的孩子，要多思多想，小心謹慎。
如果你能緊緊咬住對手，在拐彎之處把他們甩下，
那麽，誰也甭想掙紮補救，誰也不能把你趕上，
哪怕你後面的對手趕着了不起的阿裏昂，
阿得瑞斯托斯的駿足，神的後裔，
或勞墨鼕的良駒，特洛伊最好的奔馬。”
言罷，奈斯托耳，奈琉斯之子，坐回自己的
位置；他已把賽車須知的要點，告訴了自己的兒子。
第五位動手套車的賽者是墨裏俄奈斯。
他們登上馬車，把鬮石扔進頭盔。阿基琉斯
擺手搖動，安提洛科斯、奈琉斯之子的石鬮
首先出盔落地；接着，強有力的歐墨洛斯拈中他的車道，
再接着是阿特柔斯之子、著名的槍手墨奈勞斯。
墨裏俄奈斯拈中了他的位置，其後，狄俄墨得斯，
他們中遠為傑出的佼佼者，拈得第五個起跑的車位。
他們在起點上橫隊而立，阿基琉斯指明了轉標的位置，
老遠地竪立在平原上，並已派出一位裁判，
神一樣的福伊尼剋斯，他父親的幫手，
觀記車賽的情況，帶回真實的報告。
其時，賽手們全都高懸起馬鞭，
猛擊馬的股脊，高聲喊叫，催馬
嚮前。奔馬直衝出去，撒蹄平野，
頃刻之間，便把海船遠遠地拋甩。
胸肚下，泥塵升捲飛揚，像天上的雲朵或旋滾的風暴；
頸背上，長鬃飛舞，順着撲面的疾風。馬車疾駛嚮前，
時而貼着養育我們的土地迅跑，
時而離着地面飛滾騰躍；馭手們
站在車裏，揣着怦怦閃跳的心房，
急切地企盼奪取勝利，人人吆喝着自己的
馭馬，後者蹽開蹄腿，穿過泥塵紛飛的平原。
但是，當迅捷的快馬踏上最後一段賽程，
朝着灰藍色的大海回跑時，馭手們全都竭己所能，
各顯身手；賽場上，馭馬擠出了每一分腿力。轉眼之間，
菲瑞斯的孫子歐墨洛斯、駕着那對捷蹄的快馬，搶先
跑到前頭，後面跟着狄俄墨得斯的兩匹兒馬，
特洛伊良駒，緊緊尾隨，相距不遠，
似乎隨時都可能撲上前面的戰車，
噴出騰騰的熱氣，烘烤着歐墨洛斯的脊背和
寬闊的肩膀，馬頭幾乎垂懸在他的身上，飛也似地緊追不捨。
其時，狄俄墨得斯很可能迎頭趕超，或跑出個勝負難分的
局面，要不是福伊波斯·阿波羅，出於對圖丟斯之子
狄俄墨得斯的怨恨，打落他手中的馬鞭。
看着歐墨洛斯的牝馬遠遠地衝到前頭，
而自己的馭馬則因為沒有皮鞭的催趕而腿步鬆弛，
馭手心頭憤恨，淚水奪眶而出。然而，
雅典娜眼見了阿波羅對圖丟斯之子的
調弄，飛降到兵士的牧者身邊，
交還他的馬鞭，把勇力註入馭馬的身腿。
然後，女神挾着憤怒，追趕阿得墨托斯的兒子，
砸爛車前的軛架——馭馬偏嚮分離，
奔跑在車道的兩邊，車桿跌磕碰撞，把歐墨洛斯
甩出車身，撲倒在輪圈旁，
擦爛了手肘、嘴唇和鼻孔，
額頭上，眉毛一帶，摔得皮開肉綻。兩眼
淚水汪汪，粗大的嗓門此時窒息哽塞。
其時，圖丟斯之子駕着蹄腿飛快的馭馬，繞過
對手的馬車，猛衝嚮前，把其他人遠遠地拋在後頭——雅典娜
已給馭馬註入勇力，使馭手爭得光榮。
阿特柔斯之子、棕發的墨奈勞斯跑在他的後面。
安提洛科斯，此時名居第三，對着他父親的馭馬喊道：
“加油哇，你們兩個！快跑，越快越好！我並不
想要你們和領頭的那對馭馬競比，
車術高明的狄俄墨得斯的駿馬，因為雅典娜
已給它們迅跑的勇力，讓馭者爭得光榮。
但是，我要你們加快速度，追趕阿特柔斯之子的馭馬，
不要讓它們把你們拋在後頭；否則，埃賽——別忘了，它是一
匹騍馬——
會把你們羞得無地自容！你們落後了，勇敢的馭馬，為什麽？
奈斯托耳，兵士的牧者，不會再給你們
我要警告你們，此事不帶半點虛假：
撫愛；相反，他會立時宰了你倆，用鋒快的銅刀，
倘若因為你們的怠懈，我們得了次等的酬奬！
還不給我緊緊咬住它們，跑出最快的速度，
我自己亦會想方設法，我有這個能耐，從旁
擠到他的前頭，在路面變窄的地段——他躲不過我的追趕！”
安提洛科斯言罷，馭馬畏於主人的呵斥，
加快腿步，猛跑了一陣。突然，驃勇犟悍的
安提洛科斯看到前面出現一段狹窄的車道，
一個崩裂的泥坑積聚的鼕雨蓄涌
衝刷，在那一帶破開了一片塌陷的路面。其時，
墨奈勞斯驅馬駛近毀裂的地段，試圖單車先過所剩的殘道，
但安提洛科斯卻把腿腳風快的馭馬整個兒
繞出路面，復而轉插回去，緊貼着對手追趕；
阿特柔斯之子心裏害怕，對着他高聲呼喊：
“安提洛科斯，你這也叫趕車？簡直像個瘋子！趕快收住你的
馭馬！此地路面狹窄，但馬上即會寬廣舒坦。
小心，不要碰撞，毀了你的車馬！”
他如此一番警告，但安提洛科斯卻趕得更加起勁，
舉鞭催馬，以求跑得更快，似乎根本沒有聽見他的呼喊。
像一塊飛旋的投餅跑過的距程，出自臂膀的運轉，
擲者是一位年輕的小夥，試圖估量自己的膂力——在此段
距離內，他倆一直平行競馳；其後，阿特柔斯之子的牝馬
漸漸落到後頭，因他主動鬆緩催馬嚮前的勁頭，
擔心風快的馭馬會在道中相撞，
翻倒編綁堅固的戰車，而車上的馭手
則會一頭撲進泥塵，連同他們的掙紮和求勝的希望。
對着超前的馭手，棕發的墨奈勞斯破口大駡：
“安提洛科斯，天底下找不到比你更好毒的無賴！
跑去吧，該死的東西！阿開亞人全都瞎了眼，以為你是個通情
達理之人。
但即便如此，你也休想拿走奬品，除非你發誓詛咒！”
言罷，他又轉而對着自己的馭馬，嚷道：
“不要減速，切莫停步，雖然你們心裏充滿悲痛！
它們的膝腿不如你們的強健，用不了多久
便會疲乏酥軟——閃爍着青春的年華已不再屬於它們！”
聽到主人憤怒的聲音，馭馬心裏害怕，
加快腿步，很快便接近了跑在前面的對手。
其時，阿耳吉維人彙聚賽場，坐地
觀望；平原上，駿馬撒蹄飛跑，穿行在飛揚的泥塵裏。
伊多墨紐斯，剋裏特人的首領，首先眺見回程的馭馬，
離着衆人，坐在一個高聳和利於看視的了望點上，
聽到遠處傳來的喊叫，並已聽出這是
誰的聲音；他還看到一匹兒馬，領先跑在前頭，
引人矚目，通身慄紅，除了前額上的
一塊白斑，形狀溜圓，像盈滿的月亮。伊多墨紐斯
站起身子，對阿耳吉維人喊道：
“朋友們，阿耳吉維人的首領和統治者們！
全軍中是否衹有我，還是你們大傢也行，才能眺見
奔馬的蹤影？現在看來，跑在頭裏的似乎已是另一對馭馬，
由另一位賽者駕馭。歐墨洛斯的牝馬一定在
平原的什麽地方遇到了傷心的事情——去程之中，它們可是
我曾看着它們轉過樁桿，跑在前頭，但
現在卻找不到它們的蹤影，雖然我睜大眼睛，
搜視過特洛伊平原的每一個角落。一定是
馭手抓不住繮繩，在樹樁一帶
失去控製，使馭馬轉彎不成，
就在那裏，我想，他被摔出敗毀的馬車，
馭馬驚恐萬狀，騰起前蹄，跑離車道。
站起來，用你們的眼睛看一看，我辨不太清楚
整個賽況，但跑在最前面的似乎是
那位出生在埃托利亞，現在統治着阿耳吉維人的王者，
調馴烈馬的圖丟斯之子，強有力的狄俄墨得斯！”
其時，迅捷的埃阿斯，俄伊琉斯之子，粗魯地呵斥道：
“伊多墨級斯，為何總愛大話連篇？蹄腿輕快的
駿馬還遠離此地，在那寬廣的平野上迅跑。
你肯定不是全軍中年紀最輕的戰勇，
而你腦門上的那雙眼睛也絶對不比別人的犀利。
但是，你總愛嘮嘮叨叨地口出狂言——你最好不要
大話說個沒完，當着那些比你能說會道的人的臉面！
跑在頭裏的馭馬還是原來的兩匹，歐墨洛斯的
牝馬，其人正手執繮繩，站在它們的後面！”
聽罷這番話，剋裏特人的王者怒火中燒，答道：
“埃阿斯，駡場上的英雄，愚不可及的蠢貨！除此而外，
你固執頑蠻，是阿耳吉維人中最低劣的笨蛋！
來吧，讓我們許物打賭，一隻銅鼎或一口大鍋，
請阿伽門農，阿特柔斯之子，見證仲裁，看看哪對
馭馬領先——在你拿出東西的時候，你就會知曉這一點！”
他言罷，迅捷的埃阿斯，俄伊琉斯之子，站起身子，
怒火中燒，以狠毒的辱駡回報。其時，
這場糾紛還會升溫加熱，若不是
阿基琉斯親自起身調停，對他們說道：
“夠了，埃阿斯和伊多墨紐斯，不要再喊出
惡毒的言詞，互相攻擊謾駡！現在可不是喧囂的時候。
倘若有人如此廝鬧，你等自己亦會怒火滿腔。
還是坐下吧，和衆人一起，目視奔跑的
馭馬，它們正奮力拼搏，爭奪勝利，瞬息之間
便可跑回此地。那時，你倆即可親眼目睹，阿耳吉維人的
馭馬中，哪一對跑搶第一，哪一對名列第二。”
與此同時，圖丟斯之子正以衝刺的速度，對着終點跑來，
不停地揮動皮鞭，擡肩抽打馭馬，後者
高揚起蹄腿，對着終點，跑得更加歡快。
馬蹄捲起紛飛的塵土，夾頭夾腦地撲嚮趕車的馭手，
包着黃金和白錫的戰車疾行在
騰躍的馬蹄後，平淺的泥塵上，
滾動的車輪沒有留下明晰的轍痕——
馭馬像追風似地掃過終點。狄俄墨得斯勒住駿馬，
在聚場的中心，如雨的汗水紛紛滴灑，
掉落泥塵，從它們的脖頸和胸腿。
馭手隨即跳下閃光的馬車，把
馬鞭倚放在軛架前。強健的塞奈洛斯
毫不怠慢，在狄俄墨得斯卸馬之時，
快步跑去，拿過奬品，把那名女子和
安着耳把的銅鼎交給心志高昂的夥伴，帶回營盤。
接着，奈琉斯的後代安提洛科斯驅馬跑完全程，
趕過了墨奈勞斯，不是靠速度，而是憑狡詐。
然而，墨奈勞斯仍然趕着快馬，緊緊追逼，
所隔距離衹有像從車輪到馭馬之間那麽一點：馭馬奮蹄疾跑，
拉着主人和戰車，穿越在平曠的原野，
馬尾的梢端擦掃着滾動的
輪緣——車輪緊追不放，飛滾在舒坦的
平原，二者之間僅隔着狹窄的空間。就像這樣，
墨奈勞斯跑在傢勇的安提洛科斯後面，
差距也衹有這麽一點。起先，落後的距離相當於摔餅的
一次投程，但他奮起直追，縮短了距離，
長鬃飛舞的埃賽，阿伽門農的牝馬，抖開追風的蹄腿。
其時，倘若跑程更長一些，墨奈勞斯
便可把他甩在後頭——這樣，他們就無須為此多言。
墨裏俄奈斯，伊多墨紐斯剛勇的伴從，繼光榮的
墨奈勞斯之後跑至終點，拉下的距離，等於槍矛的一次投程。
他的馭馬，雖說鬃發秀美，卻是腿步最慢的一對，
而他自己亦是賽者中最次劣的馭手。
最後抵達的是阿得墨托斯的兒子，
拖着漂亮的馬車，催趕着走在前頭的馭馬。
見此情景，捷足的戰勇、卓越的阿基琉斯心生伶憫，
起身站在阿耳吉維人中間，開口說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“一位最好的馭手，趕着飛跑的快馬，以末名告終。
這樣吧，讓我們給他一份奬品，該得的份子——
二等奬；一等頭奬要給圖丟斯的兒子。”
阿基琉斯如此說道，他的主張得到衆人的贊同。
如此，他就準備讓阿得墨托斯之子牽走母馬，
若非安提洛科斯，心胸豪壯的奈斯托耳之子，
起身爭辯，面對裴琉斯的男兒，說道：
“阿基瓊斯，倘若你真的這麽做了，
我將非常生氣！你打算轉手我的奬品，
考慮到他的戰車和快馬受到傷損，還有他自己，
一位車技出衆的馭手。他應該祈求長生不老的
神仙——這樣，他就不會落在所有馭者的後面！
但是，如果你可憐他，喜歡他，那也可以，
你的營棚裏有的是黃金、青銅、
肥羊、女僕和蹄腿風快的駿馬。以後，你可
從裏頭拿出一份更豐厚的奬品，賞送此人，
亦可馬上兌現，贏獲阿開亞人的稱頌。
至於這匹母馬，我决然不會放棄；誰想把它帶走，
那就讓他上來，和我對打，用他的雙手！”
他如此一番爭議，但阿基琉斯，卓越的捷足者，出於對
他的喜愛，臉上綻開了笑容，對他鐘愛的夥伴
開口說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“安提洛科斯，你要我從住處搬出另一件東西，
作為和解糾紛的禮物，送給歐墨洛斯，我願按你說的做來。
我要給他一件胸甲，剝自阿斯忒羅派俄斯的戰禮，
青銅鑄就，甲邊鑲着閃亮的
白錫。此份禮物，自會得到他的珍重。”
言罷，他讓親密的伴友奧托墨鼕
速回營棚，拿取胸衣，後者攜甲回歸，
放在得主手裏；歐墨洛斯高興地收下了賞禮。
其時，墨奈勞斯，壓着心頭的楚痛，站起身子，
懷着對安提洛科斯難以消泄的怨憤。使者
把權杖放在他的手裏，召呼阿耳吉維人肅靜
聆聽。他挺胸直立，神一樣的凡人，高聲嚷道：
“安提洛科斯，過去，你是個頭腦清楚的人；可現在，瞧你都幹
了些什麽蠢事！
你損毀了我的車技，滯阻了馭馬的腿步——你，
趕着奔馬，強行衝擠，雖然和我的駿馬相比，它們的速度實在
不值得一提。
來吧，阿耳吉維人的統治者，軍隊的首領，
現在，請你們給我倆評個理，不要徇私偏襢，
使身披銅甲的阿開亞人日後不致以誤談傳世：
（墨奈勞斯擊敗了安提洛科斯，通過欺騙，
帶走那匹母馬——他的馭馬腿腳遠不如對手的迅捷，
但他憑靠權勢和地位，掠取了那份奬品。）
這樣吧，還是讓我自己處置這件事情。我想，達奈人中
誰也不會對我指控責備；我將公平辦事。
宙斯鐘愛的安提洛科斯，你過來，循行我們的規矩。
站在你的車馬前，緊握你剛纔
趕馬的那根細長的皮鞭，
把手放在馭馬上，對着環繞和震撼
大地的神明起誓：你不曾用歪邪的手段，挫阻我的馬車！”
聽罷這番話，聰穎的安提洛科斯答道：
“別說了，我的王爺。我比你年輕許多，
墨奈勞斯，而你比我年長，是個更了不起的人。
你知道，年輕人血氣方剛，總愛逾規越矩；
他心思敏捷，無奈判識膚淺。所以，
願蒙你的海量，容我讓出那匹已經爭獲的母馬，
心甘情願地交到你的手裏。倘若你還想要取比這更好的東西，
從我的庫存，我將馬上取來，高興地奉送
給你，宙斯養育的王者，我不願日後失去
你的寵愛，盟發虛偽的誓證，當着神的臉面。”
言罷，心胸豪壯的奈斯托耳的兒子把母馬牽到
墨奈勞斯身邊，交在他的手裏。後者的憤怒
此時煙消雲散，像晨露滋潤𠔌穗一般，
在那莖稈擁立、𠔌浪翻滾的時節——
就像這樣，墨奈勞斯，你的心田已被平慰鬆軟。
他開口發話，用長了翅膀的言語：
“安提洛科斯，現在，我願消泄怨憤，同你握手言歡，
諒你過去一嚮穩重謙順。衹是今天，
這一回，年輕人的粗莽壓服了你的敏慧。
不過，下次可要小心，不要欺詐地位比你更高的首領。
其他阿開亞人，誰都甭想僅憑三言兩語，平慰我的心靈。
但你卻不同——為了我，你長期苦戰，歷經磨難，
偕同你那高貴的父親，還有你的兄弟。
我願接受你的懇求，甚至還願給你這匹
母馬，雖然它是我的所有，以便讓衆人知道，
我的為人既不固執，也不傲慢。”
言罷，他把母馬交給諾厄蒙、安提洛科斯的夥伴
牽走，自己則拿了那口閃亮的大鍋。
墨裏俄奈斯名列第四，拿走了兩個
塔藍同的黃金；尚剩第五份奬品，那衹帶着兩個
手把的罎罐，沒有得主。拿着它，阿基琉斯走過
集聚的阿耳吉維群隊，捧給奈斯托耳，站在他的身邊，說道：
“收下這個，老人傢，把它當做珍寶收藏，
作為一個紀念，對帕特羅剋洛斯的葬禮。從今後，在阿耳吉
維人的群伍裏，你將再也見不到他的身影。我給你這件奬品，
作為一份贈送的禮物，因為你再也不會參加競鬥，無論是
拳擊還是摔跤，無論是曠場上的投槍，還是
撒開腿步的奔跑——年齡的重壓已在彎擠你的腰背。’”
他如此一番說道，把禮物放在奈斯托耳手裏，後者
高興地收取接納，開口說道，用長了翅膀的話語：
“是的，孩子，你的話句句都對。
我的膝腿已不太堅實，親愛的朋友，我的腳桿也一樣；
我的手臂已不如從前強壯，已不能輕鬆地隨着肩頭揮甩。
我真想重返青壯，像以前那樣，渾身上下有用不完的
力氣——那時，厄利斯人正忙着埋葬王者阿馬侖丘斯，
在布普拉西昂；他的兒子們亦以舉辦競賽奠祭先王。
那地方，厄利斯人中，誰也不是我的對手，就連在
我們普洛斯人或心胸豪壯的埃托利亞人中，情況也一樣。
拳擊中，我打翻了剋魯托墨得斯，厄諾普斯之子；
摔跤中，我撂倒了和我對陣的普琉榮人，安凱俄斯；
賽跑中，我擊敗了伊菲剋洛斯，哪怕他快腿如飛。
我的槍矛超出了波魯多羅斯和夫琉斯的投程。
衹是在車賽中，我輸給了阿剋托耳之子——
仗着人多，硬搶在我的前頭，拼命似地想要
奪取勝利，因為最豐厚的奬品留給了此項比賽的勝者。
他倆孿生同胞，一個緊握繮繩，是的，
緊緊握住繮繩，另一個舉鞭抽趕馭馬。
這便是我，從前的我。現在，此類競鬥要讓當今的
青壯承擔；至於我，我得順從痛苦的晚年，接受
它的規勸。但過去，我確是閃耀在豪傑中的一顆明星。
去吧，繼續進行葬禮中的競賽，奠祭死去的伴友。
我接受你的禮物，感謝你的盛情。我真高興，
你沒有忘記我的友誼，不失時機地
表示對我的尊敬，阿開亞人中，我應該享受的榮譽。
為了你對我所做的一切，願神祗給你帶來幸福，使你歡悅！”
奈斯托耳言罷，裴琉斯之子，帶着贊詞的餘音——
他靜靜地聽完奈斯托耳的每一句贊頌——穿過大隊的
阿開亞兵勇，搬出奬品，準備開始下一項比賽：包孕痛苦的
拳擊。他牽出一頭壯實的騾子，係綁在競比場上，
六歲的牙口，從未上過軛架，那類最難套馭的
犟種。他還拿出一隻雙把的酒杯，賞給負者的奬品。
其時，他站挺起身子，對着集聚的阿耳吉維人喊道：
“阿特桑斯之子，所有脛甲堅固的阿開亞人！
現在，我們邀請兩位戰勇，你們中最好的鬥士，競奪這些奬品，
舉起拳頭拼搏！誰要能受阿波羅的
助信，擊倒對手，並得到全體阿開亞人的見證，
我們就讓他拉走這匹吃苦耐勞的騾子，帶往自己的營棚。
那衹雙把的酒杯將給敗下拳場的賽手。”
他言罷，人群中站起了一位高大、強健的壯勇，
帕諾裴烏斯之子、精於拳擊的厄裴俄斯。
他手搭吃苦耐勞的騾子，開口嚷道：
“誰想領走這個雙把的酒杯，就讓他上來吧！
告訴你們，阿開亞人中誰也甭想把我放倒，用他的拳擊，
帶走這頭騾子——我是無敵的拳手！戰場上，
我不是一流的兵勇，然而，這又
怎麽樣呢？誰也不能樣樣上手精通。
老實告訴你們，而此事確會發生，
我將撕裂對手的皮肉，搗碎他的骨頭！
讓他的親友縮擠在拳場的一邊，
以便在我的拳頭將他砸倒之後，把他擡走！”
他言罷，衆人全被鎮得目瞪口呆，
衹有歐魯阿洛斯起身應戰，神一樣的凡人，
塔勞斯之子、王者墨基斯丟斯的兒子，
其父曾前往塞貝，在過去的年月，俄底浦斯剛死不久的時候，
置身奠祭死者的競賽，擊敗了所有的卡德墨亞人。
圖丟斯之子，著名的槍手，充當歐魯阿洛斯的幫辦，鼓勵他
奮勇搏擊，衷心希望他贏得這場拳鬥。
首先，他替拳手係上腰帶，然後，
包住手指的關節，用切割齊整的皮條，取自漫步草場的
壯牛。兩位拳手係紮就緒，大步跨人賽圈，
面對面地擺開架勢。一時間，粗壯的臂膀
來回伸縮，綳硬的拳頭交相揮舞，
牙齒咬出可怕的聲響，汗水淋濕了
每一塊肌腱。神勇的厄裴俄斯抓住時機，趁他
眼神偏閃的瞬息，一拳暴中他的臉面，打得他
搖搖晃晃，閃亮的膝腿癱軟酥蜷。
像一條海魚，躍出經受北風拂蕩的水面，
復又撲入水草叢生的淺灘，被一峰烏黑的水浪涌埋吞噬——
歐魯阿洛吃不不住拳頭的重擊，癱倒在地，心胸豪壯的
厄裴俄斯伸出雙臂，把他扶站起來。親密的伴友們
舉步嚮前，把他架出拳場，後者拖着雙腿，
口吐濃濁的鮮血，腦袋耷拉在一邊。
夥伴們把他架到群隊的集聚點，見他仍然昏迷不醒，
走上前去，替他領回那衹雙把的杯盞。
其時，裴琉斯之子隨即又拿出兩份奬品，為第三項
比賽，充滿痛苦的摔跤，陳放在達親人面前。
優勝者可得一隻巨大的銅鼎，架在火上的炊具，
按阿開亞人自己估掂，值得十二頭肥牛的換價。
給比賽中的輸者，他帶出一名女子，精熟多種
手工活計，置放在人群裏，價值四頭肥牛。
他站挺起身子，對着集聚的阿耳吉維人喊道：
“起來吧，要兩個人，爭奪此項比賽的奬品！”
話音剛落，人群裏站起了高大魁偉的埃阿斯，忒拉蒙之子；
俄底修斯隨即起身，足智多謀的精英。
兩人係紮就緒，大步跨人賽圈，
緊緊抓住對方粗壯有力的臂膀，像緊扣
在一起的椽子，一位著名工匠的手藝，在一座
高聳的房居，它的屋頂，抵擋疾風的吹掃。
壯士的脊背發出嘎嘎的聲響，承受着大手粗狂的攥壓
和推搡，汗水淋淋，傾盆而下，脅面裏，
肩頭上，暴出一條條血痕，青紫、通紅——
他們拼出全身的力氣，爭奪
競賽的勝利和那口精工製鑄的鼎鍋。
俄底修斯扳不倒埃阿斯，把他扔倒在地，而埃阿斯
也同樣做不到這一點——俄底修斯的巨力推抵着他的進逼。
看着他倆相持競爭，脛甲堅固的阿開亞人産生了膩煩情緒；
終於，埃阿斯，忒拉蒙高大魁偉的兒子，高聲嚷道；
“萊耳忒斯之子，宙斯的後代，足智多謀的俄底修斯，動手吧，
把我提抱起來；要不，我就會把你提抓；成敗由宙斯定奪！”
言罷，埃阿斯舉起俄底修斯，但後者有的是製人的
招數，從後面一腳端中膝窩，鬆軟了
他的筋腱，仰面翻倒在泥地裏；俄底修斯
順勢撲壓在他的胸脯上。人們凝目觀望，驚詫不已。
接着，歷經磨難的鬥士、卓越的俄底修斯試圖抱舉埃阿斯，
但衹能稍稍推動他那碩大的身軀，卻不能把他
抱離地面。於是，他用膝蓋頂彎他的腿窩，一起
倒下，身背相貼，翻滾在泥塵裏。其時，
他們會跳將起來，開始第三輪角鬥，
要不是阿基琉斯親自起身調停，製止了這場混戰：
“停止搏鬥！不要如此折磨自己，弄得筋疲力盡！
你倆並立第一，即可均分奬品，
退回原地，以便讓其他阿開亞人競鬥拼比。”
阿基琉斯一番勸說，二位聽得真切，謹遵不違，
抹去身上的灰泥，穿上自己的衫衣。
裴琉斯之子隨即拿出另一批奬品，賞給競跑的參賽者。
一隻銀製的兌缸，一件工藝精湛的珍品，衹能容納
六個衡度，但瑰麗典雅，精美
絶倫，由技藝高超的西多尼亞工匠手製，
經菲尼基商人運過水勢深森的大洋，
停泊在索阿斯的港口，作為禮物，晉獻給國王。
歐奈俄斯，伊阿宋之子，把它給了英雄帕特羅剋洛斯，
贖回淪為奴隸的魯卡昂，普裏阿摩斯之子；現在，
阿基琉斯把它作為奬品，紀念自己的伴友，
賞給步跑中腿腳最快的賽手。給榮獲第二的賽者，
他還設下一頭碩大的肥牛，擠着鼓鼓囊囊的油膘，
另有半塔蘭同黃金，歸賞名列最後的賽者。
他站挺起身子，對着集聚的阿耳吉維人喊道：
“起來，你們中想要爭獲這份奬品的賽者！”
隨着喊聲，人群裏跳起了迅捷的埃阿斯，俄伊琉斯之子，
還有足智多謀的俄底修斯；接着，奈斯托耳之子
安提洛科斯亦起身參賽，年輕人中首屈一指的快腿。
他們站在起跑點上，阿基琉斯指明了轉彎的標桿。
賽場從起點嚮前延伸，俄伊琉斯之子
很快便搶到了前頭，但卓越的俄底修斯
緊追不放，所隔之距近得就像綫桿離着織女的
前胸——束腰秀美的女子輕輕地帶過綫桿，
把綫軸穿過經綫，將綫桿拉得更近，對着自己的
胸懷。就像這樣，俄底修斯跑在他的後面，緊緊追趕，
踏着前者的腳印，在揚起的泥塵落地之前。
卓著的俄底修斯大口喘着粗氣，噴吐在埃阿斯的後腦勺上，
蹽開腿步，迅猛追跑，阿開亞人全都放聲叫喊，
縱情歡呼，為他加油鼓勁，催他緊追快趕，奪取勝利。
然而，當他們跑人最後一段賽程，俄底修斯便在
心裏默默祈禱，對眼睛灰藍的雅典娜說道：
“聽我說，女神，幫我一把，加快我的腿步！”
他如此一番願禱，帕拉絲·雅典娜聽到了他的聲音，
隨即舒鬆他的四肢，他的腿腳和雙臂。
當他們進入衝刺階段，為了爭奪那份奬品，
雅典娜絆倒了快跑中的埃阿斯，後者偏腿
滑倒在糞堆裏，粗聲吼叫的祭牛的瀉物——
捷足的阿基琉斯宰了它們，祭祀好友帕特羅剋洛斯。
埃阿斯的嘴和鼻孔裏塞滿了牛糞，眼睜睜地看着對手
趕過他的身邊，第一個衝嚮終點——神勇、堅忍的
俄底修斯拿走兌缸，把肥牛留給了光榮的埃阿斯。
他站在那裏，雙手抓住漫步草場的肥牛，它的一支犄角，
吐出嘴裏的牛糞，對着阿耳吉維人嚷道：
“臭死我了，呸！那位女神敗毀了我的衝刺；她總是
站在俄底修斯身邊，就像是他的親娘，助佑着自己的寶貝。”
他如此一番解說，逗得全場的阿開亞人捧腹大笑。
其時，安提洛科斯走上前去，拿走屬於他的末奬，
咧嘴嘻笑，對着身邊的阿耳吉維夥伴，打趣地說道：
“讓我告訴你們一件大傢都知道的事情，我的朋友們：
神們一如既往，今天也仍然偏愛着年長之人。你們瞧，埃阿斯
比我年長，但衹大那麽幾歲，而這位俄底修斯，
他是上一個世代的人，一位舊時的前輩——
然而，按人們的說道，是位老當益壯的人物。阿開亞人中，
誰也跑不過他的快腿，除了推一的例外，我們的阿基琉斯。”
他如此一番說道，贊美捷足的裴琉斯之子，
後者針對他的話語，開口答道：
“你的贊譽，安提洛科斯，不會沒有回報，
我將再給你半塔蘭同黃金，作為附加的酬賞。”
言罷，他把黃金放入安提洛科斯手中，後者高興地收下了
賞禮。
接着，裴琉斯之子提來一枝投影森長的槍矛，置放在
比賽的場圈，隨之放下一面盾牌和一頂頭盔，在槍矛的邊沿，
薩耳裴鼕的裝備，帕特羅剋洛斯剝取的戰禮。
阿基琉斯挺身站立，對着集聚的阿耳吉維人喊道：
“我們邀請兩位戰勇，你們中最好的鬥士，上來競奪這些奬品。
披上你們的鎧甲，抓起裂毀皮肉的銅槍，
面對面地交手，近戰撲擊。哪位鬥士
首先刺中對手白亮的皮肉，捅穿
衣甲，紮出黑血，觸及內臟，
我將賞他這把漂亮的斯拉凱利劍，
把上綴鉚着銀釘，我的戰禮，奪自阿斯忒羅派俄斯的軀體。
但是，二位可共享這些甲械；此外，
我們將盛宴營棚，款待離場的壯漢。”
聽罷此番催勵，人群裏站起了魁偉的埃阿斯，忒拉蒙之子，
以及圖丟斯之子、強健的狄俄墨得斯。
他們分別在人群的兩頭披挂完畢，
走入賽場的中間，帶着格殺的狂烈，
射出兇狠的目光，阿開亞人無不驚贊詫異。
兩人迎面而行，咄咄逼近，對打撲殺，
兇猛進擊，一連三次。埃阿斯
出槍擊中狄俄墨得斯邊圈溜圓的盾牌，
但未能捅開皮肉——護身的胸甲擋住了槍尖。
其時，圖丟斯之子從碩大的盾面上頻頻出手，
閃亮的槍尖時時出現在對手喉管的邊沿；
阿開亞觀衆見此情景，擔心埃阿斯的安全，
高聲呼喊，要他倆停止打鬥，均分奬品。
但英雄阿基琉斯拿起那柄碩大的戰劍，給了
狄俄墨得斯，連同劍鞘和切工齊整的背帶。
接着，裴琉斯之子拿出一大塊生鐵，
曾是強健的厄提昂投扔的物件；以後，
捷足的戰勇、卓越的阿基琉斯殺人劫物，
連同其他財寶，一起船運歸來。
他挺身直立，對着集聚的阿耳吉維人喊道：
“起來，你們中想要爭獲這份奬品的人！
誰能獲勝得奬，這塊生鐵，夠他使用五個
連轉的整年——雖說他那豐足的田莊遠離着我們
置身的海岸——他的收手和農人再也不必因為
缺鐵面進城人鎮，這一塊東西一時半下可耗用不完。”
聽罷這番話，驃勇犟悍的波魯波伊忒斯挺身站立，
另有身強力壯的勒昂丟斯，神一樣的凡人，以及
埃阿斯，忒拉蒙之子，和卓越的厄裴俄斯。
他們依次站成一行，卓越的厄裴俄斯拿起鐵塊，
轉動身子，甩手投扔，引出阿開亞人爆發的哄笑。
接着，勒昂丟斯，阿瑞斯的後代，揮手投擲；
再接着是魁偉的埃阿斯，忒拉蒙之子，
甩開粗壯的臂膀，落點超過了地上所有的痕標。
其時，驃勇犟悍的波魯波伊忒斯伸手抓起鐵塊，
扔出了整個投場，距程之遠，就像牧牛人
摔出的枝杖，旋轉着穿過空間，飛過
食草的牛群——全場的阿開亞人為之歡呼喝彩。
強健的波魯波伊忒斯的伴友跳將起來，
擡着王者的奬品，走嚮深曠的海船。
其時，阿基琉斯又拿出一些灰黑的鐵器，作為弓賽的鄉
他設下二十把鐵斧，分作雙刃和單刃兩種，
各十把，樹起一桿船桅，在遠處的沙灘，
取自烏頭的海船。然後，用一根細繩套住
鴿子的小腿，一隻膽小的野鴿，綁在尾端，挑戰人群裏的
弓手，射落這個活靶：“擊落野鴿的射手，
可以拿走所有的雙面鐵斧！然而，
倘若有人沒有擊中鴿子，但卻射斷了繩綫——很自然，
他是個輸者——仍可拿走這些單刃的斧片。”
他言罷，人群裏站起了強有力的王者丟剋羅斯
以及伊多墨紐斯驍勇的伴從墨裏俄奈斯。
他們投入鬮石，搖動青銅的盔蓋，
丟剋羅斯拈得先射之利，運開臂膀，
射出一枚羽箭，但卻沒有對弓箭之王許願，
答應敬辦隆重的牲祭，用頭胎的羔羊。
所以，他未能箭穿飛鴿，衹因阿波羅不想讓他如願，
但還是擊中鴿腳邊的繩綫，嗖嗖嘶叫
的羽箭切斷長繩，野鴿
展翅疾飛，直衝雲天，留下拴腳的繩頭，
朝着泥地蕩垂。阿開亞人發出贊賞的呼聲。
趁着丟剋羅斯瞄準的當口，墨裏俄奈斯早已拿好
一枚羽箭；眼下，他心急火燎，一把抓過前者手裏的彎弓，
不失時機地許下心願，對遠射手阿波羅，
答應舉辦隆重的祀祭，用頭胎的羔羊。
他瞄見那衹膽小的野鴿，振翅在雲層下，
飛轉盤旋，引弦開弓，正中鳥翅下的要害；
羽箭穿過烏體，墜落空間，掉在
墨裏俄奈斯腳邊。但鴿鳥卻
摔落在木桿的頂端，取自烏頭海船的桅桿，
低垂着腦袋，撲閃的翅膀此時鬆垮疲軟；魂息
飄離它的腿腳，就在霎那之間。它從桅頂
墜入，平躺在地面。人們註目凝望，驚詫不已。
其時，墨裏俄奈斯拿起所有十把雙刃的鐵斧，
而丟剋羅斯則拿起單刃的斧頭，返回深曠的海船。
接着，裴琉斯之子拿出一桿投影森長的槍矛
和一口未曾受過柴火燒烤的大鍋，鍋面上花開朵朵，
等同於一頭牛的換價，放在賽圈裏面。投槍手們起身直立：
阿特柔斯之子，統治着遼闊疆域的阿伽門農，
以及墨裏俄奈斯，伊多墨紐斯強有力的夥伴。
然而，捷足的戰勇、卓越的阿基琉斯此時開口說道：
“阿特柔斯之子，我們全都知道，你遠比我們強健：
你是最好的槍手，臂力之大，全軍無人可及！
拿着這份頭奬，回返深曠的海船。
此外，如果你贊成同意，我們將把這枝槍矛
賞給壯士墨裏俄奈斯——這些便是我的議言。”
聽罷這番話，民衆的王者阿伽門農不予辯違。
於是，阿基琉斯把銅槍給了墨裏俄奈斯，而英雄
阿伽門農則把大鍋交給使者塔爾蘇比俄斯，一件閃光的奬品。
ARGUMENT.
FUNERAL GAMES IN HONOUR OF PATROCLUS.(280)
Achilles and the Myrmidons do honours to the body of Patroclus. After the
funeral feast he retires to the sea-shore, where, falling asleep, the
ghost of his friend appears to him, and demands the rites of burial; the
next morning the soldiers are sent with mules and waggons to fetch wood
for the pyre. The funeral procession, and the offering their hair to the
dead. Achilles sacrifices several animals, and lastly twelve Trojan
captives, at the pile; then sets fire to it. He pays libations to the
Winds, which (at the instance of Iris) rise, and raise the flames. When
the pile has burned all night, they gather the bones, place them in an urn
of gold, and raise the tomb. Achilles institutes the funeral games: the
chariot-race, the fight of the caestus, the wrestling, the foot-race, the
single combat, the discus, the shooting with arrows, the darting the
javelin: the various descriptions of which, and the various success of the
several antagonists, make the greatest part of the book.
In this book ends the thirtieth day. The night following, the ghost of
Patroclus appears to Achilles: the one-and-thirtieth day is employed in
felling the timber for the pile: the two-and-thirtieth in burning it; and
the three-and-thirtieth in the games. The scene is generally on the
sea-shore.
Thus humbled in the dust, the pensive train
Through the sad city mourn'd her hero slain.
The body soil'd with dust, and black with gore,
Lies on broad Hellespont's resounding shore.
The Grecians seek their ships, and clear the strand,
All, but the martial Myrmidonian band:
These yet assembled great Achilles holds,
And the stern purpose of his mind unfolds:
"Not yet, my brave companions of the war,
Release your smoking coursers from the car;
But, with his chariot each in order led,
Perform due honours to Patroclus dead.
Ere yet from rest or food we seek relief,
Some rites remain, to glut our rage of grief."
The troops obey'd; and thrice in order led(281)
(Achilles first) their coursers round the dead;
And thrice their sorrows and laments renew;
Tears bathe their arms, and tears the sands bedew.
For such a warrior Thetis aids their woe,
Melts their strong hearts, and bids their eyes to flow.
But chief, Pelides: thick-succeeding sighs
Burst from his heart, and torrents from his eyes:
His slaughtering hands, yet red with blood, he laid
On his dead friend's cold breast, and thus he said:
"All hail, Patroclus! let thy honour'd ghost
Hear, and rejoice on Pluto's dreary coast;
Behold! Achilles' promise is complete;
The bloody Hector stretch'd before thy feet.
Lo! to the dogs his carcase I resign;
And twelve sad victims, of the Trojan line,
Sacred to vengeance, instant shall expire;
Their lives effused around thy funeral pyre."
Gloomy he said, and (horrible to view)
Before the bier the bleeding Hector threw,
Prone on the dust. The Myrmidons around
Unbraced their armour, and the steeds unbound.
All to Achilles' sable ship repair,
Frequent and full, the genial feast to share.
Now from the well-fed swine black smokes aspire,
The bristly victims hissing o'er the fire:
The huge ox bellowing falls; with feebler cries
Expires the goat; the sheep in silence dies.
Around the hero's prostrate body flow'd,
In one promiscuous stream, the reeking blood.
And now a band of Argive monarchs brings
The glorious victor to the king of kings.
From his dead friend the pensive warrior went,
With steps unwilling, to the regal tent.
The attending heralds, as by office bound,
With kindled flames the tripod-vase surround:
To cleanse his conquering hands from hostile gore,
They urged in vain; the chief refused, and swore:(282)
"No drop shall touch me, by almighty Jove!
The first and greatest of the gods above!
Till on the pyre I place thee; till I rear
The grassy mound, and clip thy sacred hair.
Some ease at least those pious rites may give,
And soothe my sorrows, while I bear to live.
Howe'er, reluctant as I am, I stay
And share your feast; but with the dawn of day,
(O king of men!) it claims thy royal care,
That Greece the warrior's funeral pile prepare,
And bid the forests fall: (such rites are paid
To heroes slumbering in eternal shade:)
Then, when his earthly part shall mount in fire,
Let the leagued squadrons to their posts retire."
He spoke: they hear him, and the word obey;
The rage of hunger and of thirst allay,
Then ease in sleep the labours of the day.
But great Pelides, stretch'd along the shore,
Where, dash'd on rocks, the broken billows roar,
Lies inly groaning; while on either hand
The martial Myrmidons confusedly stand.
Along the grass his languid members fall,
Tired with his chase around the Trojan wall;
Hush'd by the murmurs of the rolling deep,
At length he sinks in the soft arms of sleep.
When lo! the shade, before his closing eyes,
Of sad Patroclus rose, or seem'd to rise:
In the same robe he living wore, he came:
In stature, voice, and pleasing look, the same.
The form familiar hover'd o'er his head,
"And sleeps Achilles? (thus the phantom said:)
Sleeps my Achilles, his Patroclus dead?
Living, I seem'd his dearest, tenderest care,
But now forgot, I wander in the air.
Let my pale corse the rites of burial know,
And give me entrance in the realms below:
Till then the spirit finds no resting-place,
But here and there the unbodied spectres chase
The vagrant dead around the dark abode,
Forbid to cross the irremeable flood.
Now give thy hand; for to the farther shore
When once we pass, the soul returns no more:
When once the last funereal flames ascend,
No more shall meet Achilles and his friend;
No more our thoughts to those we loved make known;
Or quit the dearest, to converse alone.
Me fate has sever'd from the sons of earth,
The fate fore-doom'd that waited from my birth:
Thee too it waits; before the Trojan wall
Even great and godlike thou art doom'd to fall.
Hear then; and as in fate and love we join,
Ah suffer that my bones may rest with thine!
Together have we lived; together bred,
One house received us, and one table fed;
That golden urn, thy goddess-mother gave,
May mix our ashes in one common grave."
"And is it thou? (he answers) To my sight(283)
Once more return'st thou from the realms of night?
O more than brother! Think each office paid,
Whate'er can rest a discontented shade;
But grant one last embrace, unhappy boy!
Afford at least that melancholy joy."
He said, and with his longing arms essay'd
In vain to grasp the visionary shade!
Like a thin smoke he sees the spirit fly,(284)
And hears a feeble, lamentable cry.
Confused he wakes; amazement breaks the bands
Of golden sleep, and starting from the sands,
Pensive he muses with uplifted hands:
"'Tis true, 'tis certain; man, though dead, retains
Part of himself; the immortal mind remains:
The form subsists without the body's aid,
Aerial semblance, and an empty shade!
This night my friend, so late in battle lost,
Stood at my side, a pensive, plaintive ghost:
Even now familiar, as in life, he came;
Alas! how different! yet how like the same!"
Thus while he spoke, each eye grew big with tears:
And now the rosy-finger'd morn appears,
Shows every mournful face with tears o'erspread,
And glares on the pale visage of the dead.
But Agamemnon, as the rites demand,
With mules and waggons sends a chosen band
To load the timber, and the pile to rear;
A charge consign'd to Merion's faithful care.
With proper instruments they take the road,
Axes to cut, and ropes to sling the load.
First march the heavy mules, securely slow,
O'er hills, o'er dales, o'er crags, o'er rocks they go:(285)
Jumping, high o'er the shrubs of the rough ground,
Rattle the clattering cars, and the shock'd axles bound
But when arrived at Ida's spreading woods,(286)
(Fair Ida, water'd with descending floods,)
Loud sounds the axe, redoubling strokes on strokes;
On all sides round the forest hurls her oaks
Headlong. Deep echoing groan the thickets brown;
Then rustling, crackling, crashing, thunder down.
The wood the Grecians cleave, prepared to burn;
And the slow mules the same rough road return
The sturdy woodmen equal burdens bore
(Such charge was given them) to the sandy shore;
There on the spot which great Achilles show'd,
They eased their shoulders, and disposed the load;
Circling around the place, where times to come
Shall view Patroclus' and Achilles' tomb.
The hero bids his martial troops appear
High on their cars in all the pomp of war;
Each in refulgent arms his limbs attires,
All mount their chariots, combatants and squires.
The chariots first proceed, a shining train;
Then clouds of foot that smoke along the plain;
Next these the melancholy band appear;
Amidst, lay dead Patroclus on the bier;
O'er all the corse their scattered locks they throw;
Achilles next, oppress'd with mighty woe,
Supporting with his hands the hero's head,
Bends o'er the extended body of the dead.
Patroclus decent on the appointed ground
They place, and heap the sylvan pile around.
But great Achilles stands apart in prayer,
And from his head divides the yellow hair;
Those curling locks which from his youth he vow'd,(287)
And sacred grew, to Sperchius' honour'd flood:
Then sighing, to the deep his locks he cast,
And roll'd his eyes around the watery waste:
"Sperchius! whose waves in mazy errors lost
Delightful roll along my native coast!
To whom we vainly vow'd, at our return,
These locks to fall, and hecatombs to burn:
Full fifty rams to bleed in sacrifice,
Where to the day thy silver fountains rise,
And where in shade of consecrated bowers
Thy altars stand, perfumed with native flowers!
So vow'd my father, but he vow'd in vain;
No more Achilles sees his native plain;
In that vain hope these hairs no longer grow,
Patroclus bears them to the shades below."
Thus o'er Patroclus while the hero pray'd,
On his cold hand the sacred lock he laid.
Once more afresh the Grecian sorrows flow:
And now the sun had set upon their woe;
But to the king of men thus spoke the chief:
"Enough, Atrides! give the troops relief:
Permit the mourning legions to retire,
And let the chiefs alone attend the pyre;
The pious care be ours, the dead to burn--"
He said: the people to their ships return:
While those deputed to inter the slain
Heap with a rising pyramid the plain.(288)
A hundred foot in length, a hundred wide,
The growing structure spreads on every side;
High on the top the manly corse they lay,
And well-fed sheep and sable oxen slay:
Achilles covered with their fat the dead,
And the piled victims round the body spread;
Then jars of honey, and of fragrant oil,
Suspends around, low-bending o'er the pile.
Four sprightly coursers, with a deadly groan
Pour forth their lives, and on the pyre are thrown.
Of nine large dogs, domestic at his board,
Fall two, _select_ed to attend their lord,
Then last of all, and horrible to tell,
Sad sacrifice! twelve Trojan captives fell.(289)
On these the rage of fire victorious preys,
Involves and joins them in one common blaze.
Smear'd with the bloody rites, he stands on high,
And calls the spirit with a dreadful cry:(290)
"All hail, Patroclus! let thy vengeful ghost
Hear, and exult, on Pluto's dreary coast.
Behold Achilles' promise fully paid,
Twelve Trojan heroes offer'd to thy shade;
But heavier fates on Hector's corse attend,
Saved from the flames, for hungry dogs to rend."
So spake he, threatening: but the gods made vain
His threat, and guard inviolate the slain:
Celestial Venus hover'd o'er his head,
And roseate unguents, heavenly fragrance! shed:
She watch'd him all the night and all the day,
And drove the bloodhounds from their destined prey.
Nor sacred Phoebus less employ'd his care;
He pour'd around a veil of gather'd air,
And kept the nerves undried, the flesh entire,
Against the solar beam and Sirian fire.
[Illustration: THE FUNERAL PILE OF PATROCLUS.]
THE FUNERAL PILE OF PATROCLUS.
Nor yet the pile, where dead Patroclus lies,
Smokes, nor as yet the sullen flames arise;
But, fast beside, Achilles stood in prayer,
Invoked the gods whose spirit moves the air,
And victims promised, and libations cast,
To gentle Zephyr and the Boreal blast:
He call'd the aerial powers, along the skies
To breathe, and whisper to the fires to rise.
The winged Iris heard the hero's call,
And instant hasten'd to their airy hall,
Where in old Zephyr's open courts on high,
Sat all the blustering brethren of the sky.
She shone amidst them, on her painted bow;
The rocky pavement glitter'd with the show.
All from the banquet rise, and each invites
The various goddess to partake the rites.
"Not so (the dame replied), I haste to go
To sacred Ocean, and the floods below:
Even now our solemn hecatombs attend,
And heaven is feasting on the world's green end
With righteous Ethiops (uncorrupted train!)
Far on the extremest limits of the main.
But Peleus' son entreats, with sacrifice,
The western spirit, and the north, to rise!
Let on Patroclus' pile your blast be driven,
And bear the blazing honours high to heaven."
Swift as the word she vanish'd from their view;
Swift as the word the winds tumultuous flew;
Forth burst the stormy band with thundering roar,
And heaps on heaps the clouds are toss'd before.
To the wide main then stooping from the skies,
The heaving deeps in watery mountains rise:
Troy feels the blast along her shaking walls,
Till on the pile the gather'd tempest falls.
The structure crackles in the roaring fires,
And all the night the plenteous flame aspires.
All night Achilles hails Patroclus' soul,
With large libations from the golden bowl.
As a poor father, helpless and undone,
Mourns o'er the ashes of an only son,
Takes a sad pleasure the last bones to burn,
And pours in tears, ere yet they close the urn:
So stay'd Achilles, circling round the shore,
So watch'd the flames, till now they flame no more.
'Twas when, emerging through the shades of night.
The morning planet told the approach of light;
And, fast behind, Aurora's warmer ray
O'er the broad ocean pour'd the golden day:
Then sank the blaze, the pile no longer burn'd,
And to their caves the whistling winds return'd:
Across the Thracian seas their course they bore;
The ruffled seas beneath their passage roar.
Then parting from the pile he ceased to weep,
And sank to quiet in the embrace of sleep,
Exhausted with his grief: meanwhile the crowd
Of thronging Grecians round Achilles stood;
The tumult waked him: from his eyes he shook
Unwilling slumber, and the chiefs bespoke:
"Ye kings and princes of the Achaian name!
First let us quench the yet remaining flame
With sable wine; then, as the rites direct,
The hero's bones with careful view _select_:
(Apart, and easy to be known they lie
Amidst the heap, and obvious to the eye:
The rest around the margin will be seen
Promiscuous, steeds and immolated men:)
These wrapp'd in double cauls of fat, prepare;
And in the golden vase dispose with care;
There let them rest with decent honour laid,
Till I shall follow to the infernal shade.
Meantime erect the tomb with pious hands,
A common structure on the humble sands:
Hereafter Greece some nobler work may raise,
And late posterity record our praise!"
The Greeks obey; where yet the embers glow,
Wide o'er the pile the sable wine they throw,
And deep subsides the ashy heap below.
Next the white bones his sad companions place,
With tears collected, in the golden vase.
The sacred relics to the tent they bore;
The urn a veil of linen covered o'er.
That done, they bid the sepulchre aspire,
And cast the deep foundations round the pyre;
High in the midst they heap the swelling bed
Of rising earth, memorial of the dead.
The swarming populace the chief detains,
And leads amidst a wide extent of plains;
There placed them round: then from the ships proceeds
A train of oxen, mules, and stately steeds,
Vases and tripods (for the funeral games),
Resplendent brass, and more resplendent dames.
First stood the prizes to reward the force
Of rapid racers in the dusty course:
A woman for the first, in beauty's bloom,
Skill'd in the needle, and the labouring loom;
And a large vase, where two bright handles rise,
Of twenty measures its capacious size.
The second victor claims a mare unbroke,
Big with a mule, unknowing of the yoke:
The third, a charger yet untouch'd by flame;
Four ample measures held the shining frame:
Two golden talents for the fourth were placed:
An ample double bowl contents the last.
These in fair order ranged upon the plain,
The hero, rising, thus address'd the train:
"Behold the prizes, valiant Greeks! decreed
To the brave rulers of the racing steed;
Prizes which none beside ourself could gain,
Should our immortal coursers take the plain;
(A race unrivall'd, which from ocean's god
Peleus received, and on his son bestow'd.)
But this no time our vigour to display;
Nor suit, with them, the games of this sad day:
Lost is Patroclus now, that wont to deck
Their flowing manes, and sleek their glossy neck.
Sad, as they shared in human grief, they stand,
And trail those graceful honours on the sand!
Let others for the noble task prepare,
Who trust the courser and the flying car."
Fired at his word the rival racers rise;
But far the first Eumelus hopes the prize,
Famed though Pieria for the fleetest breed,
And skill'd to manage the high-bounding steed.
With equal ardour bold Tydides swell'd,
The steeds of Tros beneath his yoke compell'd
(Which late obey'd the Dardan chiefs command,
When scarce a god redeem'd him from his hand).
Then Menelaus his Podargus brings,
And the famed courser of the king of kings:
Whom rich Echepolus (more rich than brave),
To 'scape the wars, to Agamemnon gave,
(Æthe her name) at home to end his days;
Base wealth preferring to eternal praise.
Next him Antilochus demands the course
With beating heart, and cheers his Pylian horse.
Experienced Nestor gives his son the reins,
Directs his judgment, and his heat restrains;
Nor idly warns the hoary sire, nor hears
The prudent son with unattending ears.
"My son! though youthful ardour fire thy breast,
The gods have loved thee, and with arts have bless'd;
Neptune and Jove on thee conferr'd the skill
Swift round the goal to turn the flying wheel.
To guide thy conduct little precept needs;
But slow, and past their vigour, are my steeds.
Fear not thy rivals, though for swiftness known;
Compare those rivals' judgment and thy own:
It is not strength, but art, obtains the prize,
And to be swift is less than to be wise.
'Tis more by art than force of numerous strokes
The dexterous woodman shapes the stubborn oaks;
By art the pilot, through the boiling deep
And howling tempest, steers the fearless ship;
And 'tis the artist wins the glorious course;
Not those who trust in chariots and in horse.
In vain, unskilful to the goal they strive,
And short, or wide, the ungovern'd courser drive:
While with sure skill, though with inferior steeds,
The knowing racer to his end proceeds;
Fix'd on the goal his eye foreruns the course,
His hand unerring steers the steady horse,
And now contracts, or now extends the rein,
Observing still the foremost on the plain.
Mark then the goal, 'tis easy to be found;
Yon aged trunk, a cubit from the ground;
Of some once stately oak the last remains,
Or hardy fir, unperish'd with the rains:
Inclosed with stones, conspicuous from afar;
And round, a circle for the wheeling car.
(Some tomb perhaps of old, the dead to grace;
Or then, as now, the limit of a race.)
Bear close to this, and warily proceed,
A little bending to the left-hand steed;
But urge the right, and give him all the reins;
While thy strict hand his fellow's head restrains,
And turns him short; till, doubling as they roll,
The wheel's round naves appear to brush the goal.
Yet (not to break the car, or lame the horse)
Clear of the stony heap direct the course;
Lest through incaution failing, thou mayst be
A joy to others, a reproach to me.
So shalt thou pass the goal, secure of mind,
And leave unskilful swiftness far behind:
Though thy fierce rival drove the matchless steed
Which bore Adrastus, of celestial breed;
Or the famed race, through all the regions known,
That whirl'd the car of proud Laomedon."
Thus (nought unsaid) the much-advising sage
Concludes; then sat, stiff with unwieldy age.
Next bold Meriones was seen to rise,
The last, but not least ardent for the prize.
They mount their seats; the lots their place dispose
(Roll'd in his helmet, these Achilles throws).
Young Nestor leads the race: Eumelus then;
And next the brother of the king of men:
Thy lot, Meriones, the fourth was cast;
And, far the bravest, Diomed, was last.
They stand in order, an impatient train:
Pelides points the barrier on the plain,
And sends before old Phoenix to the place,
To mark the racers, and to judge the race.
At once the coursers from the barrier bound;
The lifted scourges all at once resound;
Their heart, their eyes, their voice, they send before;
And up the champaign thunder from the shore:
Thick, where they drive, the dusty clouds arise,
And the lost courser in the whirlwind flies;
Loose on their shoulders the long manes reclined,
Float in their speed, and dance upon the wind:
The smoking chariots, rapid as they bound,
Now seem to touch the sky, and now the ground.
While hot for fame, and conquest all their care,
(Each o'er his flying courser hung in air,)
Erect with ardour, poised upon the rein,
They pant, they stretch, they shout along the plain.
Now (the last compass fetch'd around the goal)
At the near prize each gathers all his soul,
Each burns with double hope, with double pain,
Tears up the shore, and thunders toward the main.
First flew Eumelus on Pheretian steeds;
With those of Tros bold Diomed succeeds:
Close on Eumelus' back they puff the wind,
And seem just mounting on his car behind;
Full on his neck he feels the sultry breeze,
And, hovering o'er, their stretching shadows sees.
Then had he lost, or left a doubtful prize;
But angry Phoebus to Tydides flies,
Strikes from his hand the scourge, and renders vain
His matchless horses' labour on the plain.
Rage fills his eye with anguish, to survey
Snatch'd from his hope the glories of the day.
The fraud celestial Pallas sees with pain,
Springs to her knight, and gives the scourge again,
And fills his steeds with vigour. At a stroke
She breaks his rival's chariot from the yoke:
No more their way the startled horses held;
The car reversed came rattling on the field;
Shot headlong from his seat, beside the wheel,
Prone on the dust the unhappy master fell;
His batter'd face and elbows strike the ground;
Nose, mouth, and front, one undistinguish'd wound:
Grief stops his voice, a torrent drowns his eyes:
Before him far the glad Tydides flies;
Minerva's spirit drives his matchless pace,
And crowns him victor of the labour'd race.
The next, though distant, Menelaus succeeds;
While thus young Nestor animates his steeds:
"Now, now, my generous pair, exert your force;
Not that we hope to match Tydides' horse,
Since great Minerva wings their rapid way,
And gives their lord the honours of the day;
But reach Atrides! shall his mare outgo
Your swiftness? vanquish'd by a female foe?
Through your neglect, if lagging on the plain
The last ignoble gift be all we gain,
No more shall Nestor's hand your food supply,
The old man's fury rises, and ye die.
Haste then: yon narrow road, before our sight,
Presents the occasion, could we use it right."
Thus he. The coursers at their master's threat
With quicker steps the sounding champaign beat.
And now Antilochus with nice survey
Observes the compass of the hollow way.
'Twas where, by force of wintry torrents torn,
Fast by the road a precipice was worn:
Here, where but one could pass, to shun the throng
The Spartan hero's chariot smoked along.
Close up the venturous youth resolves to keep,
Still edging near, and bears him toward the steep.
Atrides, trembling, casts his eye below,
And wonders at the rashness of his foe.
"Hold, stay your steeds--What madness thus to ride
This narrow way! take larger field (he cried),
Or both must fall."--Atrides cried in vain;
He flies more fast, and throws up all the rein.
Far as an able arm the disk can send,
When youthful rivals their full force extend,
So far, Antilochus! thy chariot flew
Before the king: he, cautious, backward drew
His horse compell'd; foreboding in his fears
The rattling ruin of the clashing cars,
The floundering coursers rolling on the plain,
And conquest lost through frantic haste to gain.
But thus upbraids his rival as he flies:
"Go, furious youth! ungenerous and unwise!
Go, but expect not I'll the prize resign;
Add perjury to fraud, and make it thine--"
Then to his steeds with all his force he cries,
"Be swift, be vigorous, and regain the prize!
Your rivals, destitute of youthful force,
With fainting knees shall labour in the course,
And yield the glory yours."--The steeds obey;
Already at their heels they wing their way,
And seem already to retrieve the day.
Meantime the Grecians in a ring beheld
The coursers bounding o'er the dusty field.
The first who mark'd them was the Cretan king;
High on a rising ground, above the ring,
The monarch sat: from whence with sure survey
He well observed the chief who led the way,
And heard from far his animating cries,
And saw the foremost steed with sharpen'd eyes;
On whose broad front a blaze of shining white,
Like the full moon, stood obvious to the sight.
He saw; and rising, to the Greeks begun:
"Are yonder horse discern'd by me alone?
Or can ye, all, another chief survey,
And other steeds than lately led the way?
Those, though the swiftest, by some god withheld,
Lie sure disabled in the middle field:
For, since the goal they doubled, round the plain
I search to find them, but I search in vain.
Perchance the reins forsook the driver's hand,
And, turn'd too short, he tumbled on the strand,
Shot from the chariot; while his coursers stray
With frantic fury from the destined way.
Rise then some other, and inform my sight,
For these dim eyes, perhaps, discern not right;
Yet sure he seems, to judge by shape and air,
The great Ætolian chief, renown'd in war."
"Old man! (Oileus rashly thus replies)
Thy tongue too hastily confers the prize;
Of those who view the course, nor sharpest eyed,
Nor youngest, yet the readiest to decide.
Eumelus' steeds, high bounding in the chase,
Still, as at first, unrivall'd lead the race:
I well discern him, as he shakes the rein,
And hear his shouts victorious o'er the plain."
Thus he. Idomeneus, incensed, rejoin'd:
"Barbarous of words! and arrogant of mind!
Contentious prince, of all the Greeks beside
The last in merit, as the first in pride!
To vile reproach what answer can we make?
A goblet or a tripod let us stake,
And be the king the judge. The most unwise
Will learn their rashness, when they pay the price."
He said: and Ajax, by mad passion borne,
Stern had replied; fierce scorn enhancing scorn
To fell extremes. But Thetis' godlike son
Awful amidst them rose, and thus begun:
"Forbear, ye chiefs! reproachful to contend;
Much would ye blame, should others thus offend:
And lo! the approaching steeds your contest end."
No sooner had he spoke, but thundering near,
Drives, through a stream of dust, the charioteer.
High o'er his head the circling lash he wields:
His bounding horses scarcely touch the fields:
His car amidst the dusty whirlwind roll'd,
Bright with the mingled blaze of tin and gold,
Refulgent through the cloud: no eye could find
The track his flying wheels had left behind:
And the fierce coursers urged their rapid pace
So swift, it seem'd a flight, and not a race.
Now victor at the goal Tydides stands,
Quits his bright car, and springs upon the sands;
From the hot steeds the sweaty torrents stream;
The well-plied whip is hung athwart the beam:
With joy brave Sthenelus receives the prize,
The tripod-vase, and dame with radiant eyes:
These to the ships his train triumphant leads,
The chief himself unyokes the panting steeds.
Young Nestor follows (who by art, not force,
O'erpass'd Atrides) second in the course.
Behind, Atrides urged the race, more near
Than to the courser in his swift career
The following car, just touching with his heel
And brushing with his tail the whirling wheel:
Such, and so narrow now the space between
The rivals, late so distant on the green;
So soon swift Æthe her lost ground regain'd,
One length, one moment, had the race obtain'd.
Merion pursued, at greater distance still,
With tardier coursers, and inferior skill.
Last came, Admetus! thy unhappy son;
Slow dragged the steeds his batter'd chariot on:
Achilles saw, and pitying thus begun:
"Behold! the man whose matchless art surpass'd
The sons of Greece! the ablest, yet the last!
Fortune denies, but justice bids us pay
(Since great Tydides bears the first away)
To him the second honours of the day."
The Greeks consent with loud-applauding cries,
And then Eumelus had received the prize,
But youthful Nestor, jealous of his fame,
The award opposes, and asserts his claim.
"Think not (he cries) I tamely will resign,
O Peleus' son! the mare so justly mine.
What if the gods, the skilful to confound,
Have thrown the horse and horseman to the ground?
Perhaps he sought not heaven by sacrifice,
And vows omitted forfeited the prize.
If yet (distinction to thy friend to show,
And please a soul desirous to bestow)
Some gift must grace Eumelus, view thy store
Of beauteous handmaids, steeds, and shining ore;
An ample present let him thence receive,
And Greece shall praise thy generous thirst to give.
But this my prize I never shall forego;
This, who but touches, warriors! is my foe."
Thus spake the youth; nor did his words offend;
Pleased with the well-turn'd flattery of a friend,
Achilles smiled: "The gift proposed (he cried),
Antilochus! we shall ourself provide.
With plates of brass the corslet cover'd o'er,
(The same renown'd Asteropaeus wore,)
Whose glittering margins raised with silver shine,
(No vulgar gift,) Eumelus! shall be thine."
He said: Automedon at his command
The corslet brought, and gave it to his hand.
Distinguish'd by his friend, his bosom glows
With generous joy: then Menelaus rose;
The herald placed the sceptre in his hands,
And still'd the clamour of the shouting bands.
Not without cause incensed at Nestor's son,
And inly grieving, thus the king begun:
"The praise of wisdom, in thy youth obtain'd,
An act so rash, Antilochus! has stain'd.
Robb'd of my glory and my just reward,
To you, O Grecians! be my wrong declared:
So not a leader shall our conduct blame,
Or judge me envious of a rival's fame.
But shall not we, ourselves, the truth maintain?
What needs appealing in a fact so plain?
What Greek shall blame me, if I bid thee rise,
And vindicate by oath th' ill-gotten prize?
Rise if thou darest, before thy chariot stand,
The driving scourge high-lifted in thy hand;
And touch thy steeds, and swear thy whole intent
Was but to conquer, not to circumvent.
Swear by that god whose liquid arms surround
The globe, and whose dread earthquakes heave the ground!"
The prudent chief with calm attention heard;
Then mildly thus: "Excuse, if youth have err'd;
Superior as thou art, forgive the offence,
Nor I thy equal, or in years, or sense.
Thou know'st the errors of unripen'd age,
Weak are its counsels, headlong is its rage.
The prize I quit, if thou thy wrath resign;
The mare, or aught thou ask'st, be freely thine
Ere I become (from thy dear friendship torn)
Hateful to thee, and to the gods forsworn."
So spoke Antilochus; and at the word
The mare contested to the king restored.
Joy swells his soul: as when the vernal grain
Lifts the green ear above the springing plain,
The fields their vegetable life renew,
And laugh and glitter with the morning dew;
Such joy the Spartan's shining face o'erspread,
And lifted his gay heart, while thus he said:
"Still may our souls, O generous youth! agree
'Tis now Atrides' turn to yield to thee.
Rash heat perhaps a moment might control,
Not break, the settled temper of thy soul.
Not but (my friend) 'tis still the wiser way
To waive contention with superior sway;
For ah! how few, who should like thee offend,
Like thee, have talents to regain the friend!
To plead indulgence, and thy fault atone,
Suffice thy father's merit and thy own:
Generous alike, for me, the sire and son
Have greatly suffer'd, and have greatly done.
I yield; that all may know, my soul can bend,
Nor is my pride preferr'd before my friend."
He said; and pleased his passion to command,
Resign'd the courser to Noemon's hand,
Friend of the youthful chief: himself content,
The shining charger to his vessel sent.
The golden talents Merion next obtain'd;
The fifth reward, the double bowl, remain'd.
Achilles this to reverend Nestor bears.
And thus the purpose of his gift declares:
"Accept thou this, O sacred sire! (he said)
In dear memorial of Patroclus dead;
Dead and for ever lost Patroclus lies,
For ever snatch'd from our desiring eyes!
Take thou this token of a grateful heart,
Though 'tis not thine to hurl the distant dart,
The quoit to toss, the ponderous mace to wield,
Or urge the race, or wrestle on the field:
Thy pristine vigour age has overthrown,
But left the glory of the past thy own."
He said, and placed the goblet at his side;
With joy the venerable king replied:
"Wisely and well, my son, thy words have proved
A senior honour'd, and a friend beloved!
Too true it is, deserted of my strength,
These wither'd arms and limbs have fail'd at length.
Oh! had I now that force I felt of yore,
Known through Buprasium and the Pylian shore!
Victorious then in every solemn game,
Ordain'd to Amarynces' mighty name;
The brave Epeians gave my glory way,
Ætolians, Pylians, all resign'd the day.
I quell'd Clytomedes in fights of hand,
And backward hurl'd Ancaeus on the sand,
Surpass'd Iphyclus in the swift career,
Phyleus and Polydorus with the spear.
The sons of Actor won the prize of horse,
But won by numbers, not by art or force:
For the famed twins, impatient to survey
Prize after prize by Nestor borne away,
Sprung to their car; and with united pains
One lash'd the coursers, while one ruled the reins.
Such once I was! Now to these tasks succeeds
A younger race, that emulate our deeds:
I yield, alas! (to age who must not yield?)
Though once the foremost hero of the field.
Go thou, my son! by generous friendship led,
With martial honours decorate the dead:
While pleased I take the gift thy hands present,
(Pledge of benevolence, and kind intent,)
Rejoiced, of all the numerous Greeks, to see
Not one but honours sacred age and me:
Those due distinctions thou so well canst pay,
May the just gods return another day!"
Proud of the gift, thus spake the full of days:
Achilles heard him, prouder of the praise.
The prizes next are order'd to the field,
For the bold champions who the caestus wield.
A stately mule, as yet by toils unbroke,
Of six years' age, unconscious of the yoke,
Is to the circus led, and firmly bound;
Next stands a goblet, massy, large, and round.
Achilles rising, thus: "Let Greece excite
Two heroes equal to this hardy fight;
Who dare the foe with lifted arms provoke,
And rush beneath the long-descending stroke.
On whom Apollo shall the palm bestow,
And whom the Greeks supreme by conquest know,
This mule his dauntless labours shall repay,
The vanquish'd bear the massy bowl away."
This dreadful combat great Epeus chose;(291)
High o'er the crowd, enormous bulk! he rose,
And seized the beast, and thus began to say:
"Stand forth some man, to bear the bowl away!
(Price of his ruin: for who dares deny
This mule my right; the undoubted victor I)
Others, 'tis own'd, in fields of battle shine,
But the first honours of this fight are mine;
For who excels in all? Then let my foe
Draw near, but first his certain fortune know;
Secure this hand shall his whole frame confound,
Mash all his bones, and all his body pound:
So let his friends be nigh, a needful train,
To heave the batter'd carcase off the plain."
The giant spoke; and in a stupid gaze
The host beheld him, silent with amaze!
'Twas thou, Euryalus! who durst aspire
To meet his might, and emulate thy sire,
The great Mecistheus; who in days of yore
In Theban games the noblest trophy bore,
(The games ordain'd dead OEdipus to grace,)
And singly vanquish the Cadmean race.
Him great Tydides urges to contend,
Warm with the hopes of conquest for his friend;
Officious with the cincture girds him round;
And to his wrist the gloves of death are bound.
Amid the circle now each champion stands,
And poises high in air his iron hands;
With clashing gauntlets now they fiercely close,
Their crackling jaws re-echo to the blows,
And painful sweat from all their members flows.
At length Epeus dealt a weighty blow
Full on the cheek of his unwary foe;
Beneath that ponderous arm's resistless sway
Down dropp'd he, nerveless, and extended lay.
As a large fish, when winds and waters roar,
By some huge billow dash'd against the shore,
Lies panting; not less batter'd with his wound,
The bleeding hero pants upon the ground.
To rear his fallen foe, the victor lends,
Scornful, his hand; and gives him to his friends;
Whose arms support him, reeling through the throng,
And dragging his disabled legs along;
Nodding, his head hangs down his shoulder o'er;
His mouth and nostrils pour the clotted gore;(292)
Wrapp'd round in mists he lies, and lost to thought;
His friends receive the bowl, too dearly bought.
The third bold game Achilles next demands,
And calls the wrestlers to the level sands:
A massy tripod for the victor lies,
Of twice six oxen its reputed price;
And next, the loser's spirits to restore,
A female captive, valued but at four.
Scarce did the chief the vigorous strife prop
When tower-like Ajax and Ulysses rose.
Amid the ring each nervous rival stands,
Embracing rigid with implicit hands.
Close lock'd above, their heads and arms are mix'd:
Below, their planted feet at distance fix'd;
Like two strong rafters which the builder forms,
Proof to the wintry winds and howling storms,
Their tops connected, but at wider space
Fix'd on the centre stands their solid base.
Now to the grasp each manly body bends;
The humid sweat from every pore descends;
Their bones resound with blows: sides, shoulders, thighs
Swell to each gripe, and bloody tumours rise.
Nor could Ulysses, for his art renown'd,
O'erturn the strength of Ajax on the ground;
Nor could the strength of Ajax overthrow
The watchful caution of his artful foe.
While the long strife even tired the lookers on,
Thus to Ulysses spoke great Telamon:
"Or let me lift thee, chief, or lift thou me:
Prove we our force, and Jove the rest decree."
He said; and, straining, heaved him off the ground
With matchless strength; that time Ulysses found
The strength to evade, and where the nerves combine
His ankle struck: the giant fell supine;
Ulysses, following, on his bosom lies;
Shouts of applause run rattling through the skies.
Ajax to lift Ulysses next essays;
He barely stirr'd him, but he could not raise:
His knee lock'd fast, the foe's attempt denied;
And grappling close, they tumbled side by side.
Defiled with honourable dust they roll,
Still breathing strife, and unsubdued of soul:
Again they rage, again to combat rise;
When great Achilles thus divides the prize:
"Your noble vigour, O my friends, restrain;
Nor weary out your generous strength in vain.
Ye both have won: let others who excel,
Now prove that prowess you have proved so well."
The hero's words the willing chiefs obey,
From their tired bodies wipe the dust away,
And, clothed anew, the following games survey.
And now succeed the gifts ordain'd to grace
The youths contending in the rapid race:
A silver urn that full six measures held,
By none in weight or workmanship excell'd:
Sidonian artists taught the frame to shine,
Elaborate, with artifice divine;
Whence Tyrian sailors did the prize transport,
And gave to Thoas at the Lemnian port:
From him descended, good Eunaeus heir'd
The glorious gift; and, for Lycaon spared,
To brave Patroclus gave the rich reward:
Now, the same hero's funeral rites to grace,
It stands the prize of swiftness in the race.
A well-fed ox was for the second placed;
And half a talent must content the last.
Achilles rising then bespoke the train:
"Who hope the palm of swiftness to obtain,
Stand forth, and bear these prizes from the plain."
The hero said, and starting from his place,
Oilean Ajax rises to the race;
Ulysses next; and he whose speed surpass'd
His youthful equals, Nestor's son, the last.
Ranged in a line the ready racers stand;
Pelides points the barrier with his hand;
All start at once; Oileus led the race;
The next Ulysses, measuring pace with pace;
Behind him, diligently close, he sped,
As closely following as the running thread
The spindle follows, and displays the charms
Of the fair spinster's breast and moving arms:
Graceful in motion thus, his foe he plies,
And treads each footstep ere the dust can rise;
His glowing breath upon his shoulders plays:
The admiring Greeks loud acclamations raise:
To him they give their wishes, hearts, and eyes,
And send their souls before him as he flies.
Now three times turn'd in prospect of the goal,
The panting chief to Pallas lifts his soul:
"Assist, O goddess!" thus in thought he pray'd!
And present at his thought descends the maid.
Buoy'd by her heavenly force, he seems to swim,
And feels a pinion lifting every limb.
All fierce, and ready now the prize to gain,
Unhappy Ajax stumbles on the plain
(O'erturn'd by Pallas), where the slippery shore
Was clogg'd with slimy dung and mingled gore.
(The self-same place beside Patroclus' pyre,
Where late the slaughter'd victims fed the fire.)
Besmear'd with filth, and blotted o'er with clay,
Obscene to sight, the rueful racer lay;
The well-fed bull (the second prize) he shared,
And left the urn Ulysses' rich reward.
Then, grasping by the horn the mighty beast,
The baffled hero thus the Greeks address'd:
"Accursed fate! the conquest I forego;
A mortal I, a goddess was my foe;
She urged her favourite on the rapid way,
And Pallas, not Ulysses, won the day."
Thus sourly wail'd he, sputtering dirt and gore;
A burst of laughter echoed through the shore.
Antilochus, more humorous than the rest,
Takes the last prize, and takes it with a jest:
"Why with our wiser elders should we strive?
The gods still love them, and they always thrive.
Ye see, to Ajax I must yield the prize:
He to Ulysses, still more aged and wise;
(A green old age unconscious of decays,
That proves the hero born in better days!)
Behold his vigour in this active race!
Achilles only boasts a swifter pace:
For who can match Achilles? He who can,
Must yet be more than hero, more than man."
The effect succeeds the speech. Pelides cries,
"Thy artful praise deserves a better prize.
Nor Greece in vain shall hear thy friend extoll'd;
Receive a talent of the purest gold."
The youth departs content. The host admire
The son of Nestor, worthy of his sire.
Next these a buckler, spear, and helm, he brings;
Cast on the plain, the brazen burden rings:
Arms which of late divine Sarpedon wore,
And great Patroclus in short triumph bore.
"Stand forth the bravest of our host! (he cries)
Whoever dares deserve so rich a prize,
Now grace the lists before our army's sight,
And sheathed in steel, provoke his foe to fight.
Who first the jointed armour shall explore,
And stain his rival's mail with issuing gore,
The sword Asteropaeus possess'd of old,
(A Thracian blade, distinct with studs of gold,)
Shall pay the stroke, and grace the striker's side:
These arms in common let the chiefs divide:
For each brave champion, when the combat ends,
A sumptuous banquet at our tents attends."
Fierce at the word uprose great Tydeus' son,
And the huge bulk of Ajax Telamon.
Clad in refulgent steel, on either hand,
The dreadful chiefs amid the circle stand;
Louring they meet, tremendous to the sight;
Each Argive bosom beats with fierce delight.
Opposed in arms not long they idly stood,
But thrice they closed, and thrice the charge renew'd.
A furious pass the spear of Ajax made
Through the broad shield, but at the corslet stay'd.
Not thus the foe: his javelin aim'd above
The buckler's margin, at the neck he drove.
But Greece, now trembling for her hero's life,
Bade share the honours, and surcease the strife.
Yet still the victor's due Tydides gains,
With him the sword and studded belt remains.
Then hurl'd the hero, thundering on the ground,
A mass of iron (an enormous round),
Whose weight and size the circling Greeks admire,
Rude from the furnace, and but shaped by fire.
This mighty quoit Aetion wont to rear,
And from his whirling arm dismiss in air;
The giant by Achilles slain, he stow'd
Among his spoils this memorable load.
For this, he bids those nervous artists vie,
That teach the disk to sound along the sky.
"Let him, whose might can hurl this bowl, arise;
Who farthest hurls it, take it as his prize;
If he be one enrich'd with large domain
Of downs for flocks, and arable for grain,
Small stock of iron needs that man provide;
His hinds and swains whole years shall be supplied
From hence; nor ask the neighbouring city's aid
For ploughshares, wheels, and all the rural trade."
Stern Polypoetes stepp'd before the throng,
And great Leonteus, more than mortal strong;
Whose force with rival forces to oppose,
Uprose great Ajax; up Epeus rose.
Each stood in order: first Epeus threw;
High o'er the wondering crowds the whirling circle flew.
Leonteus next a little space surpass'd;
And third, the strength of godlike Ajax cast.
O'er both their marks it flew; till fiercely flung
From Polypoetes' arm the discus sung:
Far as a swain his whirling sheephook throws,
That distant falls among the grazing cows,
So past them all the rapid circle flies:
His friends, while loud applauses shake the skies,
With force conjoin'd heave off the weighty prize.
Those, who in skilful archery contend,
He next invites the twanging bow to bend;
And twice ten axes casts amidst the round,
Ten double-edged, and ten that singly wound
The mast, which late a first-rate galley bore,
The hero fixes in the sandy shore;
To the tall top a milk-white dove they tie,
The trembling mark at which their arrows fly.
"Whose weapon strikes yon fluttering bird, shall bear
These two-edged axes, terrible in war;
The single, he whose shaft divides the cord."
He said: experienced Merion took the word;
And skilful Teucer: in the helm they threw
Their lots inscribed, and forth the latter flew.
Swift from the string the sounding arrow flies;
But flies unbless'd! No grateful sacrifice,
No firstling lambs, unheedful! didst thou vow
To Phoebus, patron of the shaft and bow.
For this, thy well-aim'd arrow turn'd aside,
Err'd from the dove, yet cut the cord that tied:
Adown the mainmast fell the parted string,
And the free bird to heaven displays her wing:
Sea, shores, and skies, with loud applause resound,
And Merion eager meditates the wound:
He takes the bow, directs the shaft above,
And following with his eye the soaring dove,
Implores the god to speed it through the skies,
With vows of firstling lambs, and grateful sacrific
The dove, in airy circles as she wheels,
Amid the clouds the piercing arrow feels;
Quite through and through the point its passage found,
And at his feet fell bloody to the ground.
The wounded bird, ere yet she breathed her last,
With flagging wings alighted on the mast,
A moment hung, and spread her pinions there,
Then sudden dropp'd, and left her life in air.
From the pleased crowd new peals of thunder rise,
And to the ships brave Merion bears the prize.
To close the funeral games, Achilles last
A massy spear amid the circle placed,
And ample charger of unsullied frame,
With flowers high-wrought, not blacken'd yet by flame.
For these he bids the heroes prove their art,
Whose dexterous skill directs the flying dart.
Here too great Merion hopes the noble prize;
Nor here disdain'd the king of men to rise.
With joy Pelides saw the honour paid,
Rose to the monarch, and respectful said:
"Thee first in virtue, as in power supreme,
O king of nations! all thy Greeks proclaim;
In every martial game thy worth attest,
And know thee both their greatest and their best.
Take then the prize, but let brave Merion bear
This beamy javelin in thy brother's war."
Pleased from the hero's lips his praise to hear,
The king to Merion gives the brazen spear:
But, set apart for sacred use, commands
The glittering charger to Talthybius' hands.
[Illustration: CERES.]
CERES. 競賽結束，人群四散離去，走回各自的
快船，心裏想着吃喝和
甜美的睡眠。惟有阿基琉斯仍在
哀聲哭泣，懷念心愛的伴友，所嚮披靡的睡眠
此時卻難以使他就範。他輾轉翻滾，
念想着帕特羅剋洛斯，他的強健和剛勇的人生，回想着
他倆並肩打過的每一場戰鬥——他可是沒有少吃苦頭，
出生人死，闖過拼戰的人群，跨越洶涌的洋流。
他回憶着這些往事，淚如泉涌，滿地翻滾，
時而側臥，時而仰躺，時而頭面
緊貼着沙層。然後，他直挺起身子，
精神恍惚，邁開腿步，沿着海灘行走。黎明
把曙光撒嚮灘沿，照亮了大海，映人了阿基琉斯的眼簾。
其時，他把快馬套入車前的軛架，
將赫剋托耳的屍軀綁在車後，趕馬拉車，
繞着墨諾伊提俄斯陣亡的兒子，他的墳塋，連跑
三圈，然後走入營棚休息，把屍體扔在地上，
四肢攤展，頭臉貼着泥塵。然而，阿波羅
憐憫他的處境，雖然他已死去，保護着
他的遺體，使其免受各種豁裂——他用金製的埃吉斯
蓋住屍軀，從頭到腳，使阿基琉斯的拖拉不能把它損毀。
就這樣，阿基琉斯挾着狂怒，蹂躪着高貴的赫剋托耳。
見此情景，幸福的神祗心裏充滿憐憫，
一再催促眼睛閃亮的阿耳吉豐忒斯前往偷屍。
此舉可以愉悅各位神明，但卻不能博得赫拉。
波塞鼕和那位灰眼睛姑娘的歡心；他們仍然心懷
怨恨，一如當初，對神聖的伊利昂，對
普裏阿摩斯和他的兵民。此事的源頭乃帕裏斯的惡行；
他得罪了兩位女神[●]，在他的羊圈裏，但卻垂青
●兩位女神：指赫拉和雅典娜。
另一位女仙[●]，後者用引來災禍的色欲，換取了他的恭維。
●女仙：指阿芙羅底忒。
其時，當着赫剋托耳死後的第十二個黎明的降臨，
福伊波斯·阿波羅開口發話，對衆神說道：
“你們這些狠心的神祗，殘酷無情的天尊！難道赫剋托耳
沒有祀祭各位，焚燒過肥美的山羊和牛腿？
眼下，你們不願動一個指兒，設法救護——雖然他現在衹是
一具屍體——讓他的妻子再看上一眼，還有他的兒子、母親
以及父親普裏阿摩斯和普裏阿摩斯的子民。他們會馬上
壘起柴堆，焚燒遺體，為他舉行隆重的葬禮。
但你們，你等神祗，卻一心想着幫助兇狂的阿基琉斯，
此人全然不顧禮面，心胸狂蠻，
偏頑執拗，像一頭獅子，
沉溺於自己的高傲和勇力，
撲嚮牧人的羊群，撕食咀嚼。
就像這樣，阿基琉斯已忘卻憐憫，不顧
廉恥——廉恥，既使人受害匪淺，也使人蓄取神益。
不用說，凡人可能失去關係更為密切的
親人，比如兒子或一母所生的兄弟。
他會愁容滿面，他會痛哭流涕，但一切終將過去，
命運給凡人安上了知道容讓和忍耐的心靈。
但是這個人，他殺了高貴的赫剋托耳，奪走他的生命，
把他綁在車後，拖拉奔跑，圍繞着心愛的伴友，
帕特羅剋洛斯的墳塋。試問，如此作為，他得到了什麽好處，爭
到了多少光榮？
讓他小心，不要觸怒神明，雖然他是人中的俊傑——
瞧，他粗狂暴虐，欺辱着沒有知覺的土地！”
聽罷這番話，白臂女神赫拉怒氣衝衝，開口答道：
“你的話或許有點道理，我的銀弓之王，衹是
你應把二者，阿基琉斯和赫剋托耳，放在一樣尊榮的地位。
赫剋托耳是個凡人，吸吮凡女的乳奶，
而阿基琉斯是女神的兒子——我親自
關心照料，把她養大，嫁給壯士
裴琉斯，神祗鐘愛的凡人。你們各位，所有的
神明，全都參加了婚禮，包括你，阿波羅，飲宴在
他們中間，彈着你的竪琴。現在，你卻和該死的特洛伊人
合群——你，從來不講信義！”
聽罷這番話，彙聚烏雲的宙斯答道：
“赫拉，神祗之間，不必動發這麽大的肝火。這兩個凡人
自然不會得到同樣顯貴的尊榮。但是，赫剋托耳也
同樣受到神的鐘愛，伊利昂最傑出的凡人。
我也喜愛此人，他從來不吝嗇禮物，快慰我的心胸。
我的祭壇從來不缺足份的供品，不缺
滿杯的奠酒和甜美的熏煙——此乃我們的權益。
我不同意偷屍的主張；從阿基琉斯身邊
偷出勇敢的赫剋托耳，此事斷難通行——別忘了，他的
母親總在兒子近旁，日夜如此。不過，倒是可讓
一位神祗把塞提絲招來，
使我能對他出言囑告，讓阿基琉斯
接受普裏阿摩斯的贖禮，交回赫剋托耳的遺軀。”
他言罷，駕踩風暴的伊裏絲即刻出發，帶着口信，
從薩摩斯和岩壁粗皺的英勃羅斯之間
跳下大海，灰暗的洋面發出悲沉的咽吼。
她一頭紮到海底，像沉重的鉛塊，在
一支硬角的上面，取自漫步草場的壯牛，劃破水層，
帶着死亡，送給貪食的魚類。她覓到塞提絲的身影，
在岩洞的深處，身邊圍坐着各位姐妹，
海中的女仙。因圍中，她凄聲悲哭
豪勇的兒子，註定的命運，要讓他遠離
故鄉，死在土地肥沃的特洛伊。
快腿的伊裏絲行至她的身邊，對她說道：
“起來，塞提絲。言出必果的宙斯要召見於你。”
聽罷這番話，塞提絲，銀腳女神，答道：
“大神要我前往，有何貴幹？我無顔和
衆神彙聚，心裏悲痛交加，苦不堪言。
儘管如此，我還將前往；他的諭令，絶非兒戲。”
言罷，閃光的女神拿起一條
黑色的頭罩，黑過所有的裙袍。她隨之
起程，腿腳追風的伊裏絲引路先行；
翻滾的波濤破開一條水路，在她倆的身邊。
她們登上泥岸，飛嚮天空，見到
沉雷遠播的宙斯，身邊圍坐着各位
神祗，幸福的、長生不老的仙神。
她在父親宙斯近旁，就座雅典娜讓出的位置。
赫拉將一隻漂亮的金杯放在她的手裏，
好言寬慰，塞提絲喝過飲料，遞還金杯。
神和人的父親首先發話，說道：
“你已來到俄林波斯，帶着你的每一分傷愁，女神塞提絲，
帶着難以忘卻的悲痛。對此，我有深切的心知和感覺。
但儘管如此，我還要對你說告，告知把你召來的目的。
針對赫剋托耳的遺體和蕩劫城堡的
阿基琉斯，神們已經爭論了九天。
他們一再敦促眼睛雪亮的阿耳吉豐忒斯偷盜遺體，
但我卻覺得應該讓阿基琉斯獲得榮譽，從而使你
日後能保持對我的尊敬和熱愛。去吧，盡快
前往地面上的軍營，把我的囑令轉告你的兒子。
告訴他，衆神已對他皺起眉頭，尤其是我，
心中盛怒難平，針對他的偏狂，
扣留赫剋托耳的遺體，在彎翹的船邊，不願把它交回。
或許，他會懾於我的慍怒，交還赫剋托耳的遺體。
與此同時，我要讓伊裏絲找見心志豪 莽的普裏阿摩斯，捎去
我的命令，
要她贖回心愛的兒子，前往阿開亞人的海船，
帶着禮物，平撫阿基琉斯的憤怒。”
他言罷，銀腳女神塞提絲謹遵不違，
急速出發，直衝而下，從俄林波斯山巔，
來到兒子的營棚，衹見他正
潛心悼哭，身邊走動着幾位親密的夥伴，
忙忙碌碌地準備早餐——營棚裏躺着一頭
被宰的綿羊，體形碩大，披着一身濃密的捲毛。
尊貴的母親走至兒子身邊坐下，
用手撫摸着他，叫着他的名字，寬慰道：
“夠了，我的孩子，不要再用痛哭和悲悼
折磨自己的身心，既不吃喝，也不
睡覺。直找個女人，共枕同床，藉此舒慰
你的心胸。我知道，你已來日不多，死亡和
強有力的命運已逼壓在你的身邊。
現在，我要你認真聽講——我給你帶來了宙斯的信言。
他說衆神已對你皺起眉頭，尤其是他自己，
心中盛怒難消，針對你的偏狂，
扣留赫剋托耳的遺體，在彎翹的船邊，不讓贖回。
所以，我勸你交還赫剋托耳，收取贖屍的財禮。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的阿基琉斯答道：
“好吧，就這麽辦。讓來者送進贖禮，帶回屍體，
如果俄林波斯大神執意要我從命。”
如此這般，在木船擱聚的灘沿，母子倆長時間地
交談，吐訴着長了翅膀的話語。與此同時，剋羅諾斯之子
催命伊裏絲下山，前往神聖的伊利昂，說道：
“去吧，迅捷的伊裏絲，離開俄林波斯，我們的傢居，
前往伊利昂，找到心志豪 莽的普裏阿摩斯，要他
贖回心愛的兒子，前往阿開亞人的海船，
帶着禮物，平撫阿基琉斯的憤怒。
但要衹身前往，不帶其他人員，除了
一位年老的使者，跟隨照料，驅趕
騾子和輪圈溜滑的貨車，以便把
死者的遺體，阿基琉斯殺倒的壯勇，拉回城堡。
讓他不要想到死亡，不必擔心害怕，
我將給他派去一位神勇無敵的嚮導，阿耳吉豐忒斯，
一直把他帶到阿基琉斯的住處。當神明
把他引入阿基瓊斯的營棚，後者不僅不會
殺他，而且還會勸阻其他人的殺性——
阿基琉斯不是笨蛋，不是粗魯的莽漢，不會拒絶神的意念；
他會心懷善意，寬恕懇求者的進訪。”
他言罷，腿腳追風的伊裏絲飛也似地離去，帶着口信，
來到普裏阿摩斯的房居，耳邊徹響着連片的慟哭和悲嚎。
他看到兒子們圍坐在父親周圍，在自傢的庭院裏，
淚水濕透了衣衫；老人置身其中，
緊緊地包裹和壓擠在披篷裏。灰白的頭上和
頸項上撒滿了泥屎，由他自己手抓塗放，
翻滾在污穢的糞堆裏。房居裏，前前後後，
他的女兒們，還有他的媳婦們，失聲痛哭，
懷念所有陣亡的壯士，衆多勇敢的兵丁，
效命疆場，倒死在阿耳吉維人手裏。
宙斯的使者站在普裏阿摩斯身邊，對他說道，
雖然話音輕柔，卻已把他嚇得渾身顫嗦。
“勇敢些，普裏阿摩斯，達耳達諾斯之子，不要怕。
我來到此地，懷着友好的心願，
斷然不帶惡意。我是宙斯的使者；他雖然
置身遙遠的地方，但卻十分關心你的處境，憐憫你的遭遇。
俄林波斯大神命你贖回卓越的赫剋托耳，
帶着禮物，平慰阿基琉斯的憤怒。
但要衹身前往，不帶其他人員，除了
一位年老的使者，跟隨照料，驅趕
騾子和輪圈溜滑的貨車，以便把
死者的遺體，阿基琉斯殺倒的壯勇，拉回城堡。
他讓你不要想到死亡，不必擔心害怕；
他將給你派來一位神勇無敵的嚮導，阿耳吉豐忒斯，
一直把你帶到阿基琉斯的住處。當神明
把你引入阿基琉斯的營棚，後者不僅不會
殺你，而且還會勸阻其他人的殺性——
阿基琉斯不是笨蛋，不是粗魯的莽漢，不會抗拒神的意念；
他會心懷善意，寬恕懇求者的進訪。”
言罷，快腿的伊裏絲轉身離去。
普裏阿摩斯命囑兒子們備妥輪圈溜滑的
騾車，把一隻柳條編製的籃子綁在車上；
他自己則步入屋內的藏室，散發着雪鬆的
清香，挑着高高的頂面，堆着許多閃光的珍寶。
他大聲發話，對着赫卡貝說道：
“我的夫人，宙斯派出使者，從俄林波斯山上，給我捎來了口信，
命我必須前往阿開亞人的海船，贖回心愛的兒子，
帶着禮物，平慰阿基琉斯的憤煩。
來吧，告訴我你的見解，我將如何從事？
我的心緒，我的願念正一個勁地催勵，
要我前往海船，進入阿開亞人寬闊的營盤。”
言罷，他的妻子哭叫着答訴，說道：
“不，不能這麽做！你的理智呢？——過去，你曾以此名聲
顯赫，無論是在外邦人裏，還是在由你統治的兵民中！
你怎可企望前往阿開亞人的海船，孤身一人，
面對那個人的目光——他已殺死你的兒子，這許多
勇敢的兒郎？你的心就像鐵塊一般！
如果你落到他的手裏，讓他看見你的身影，
那傢夥生蠻粗野，背信棄義，既不會憐憫你，也不會
尊重你的權益！來吧，我們還是坐在自己的宮居，遠離着
赫剋托耳，哭掉他的死亡。這便是強有力的命運織出的毀滅，
用生命的繩綫，在他出生的時刻，我把他生下來的那一天——
奔跑的餓狗將吞食他的軀體，遠離他的雙親，
死在一個比他強健的人手裏。我真想咬住他的
肝髒，把它咀嚼吞咽！如此，方能仇報
他對我兒的作為——他殺死了一個戰勇，不是貪生的怕死鬼
我的兒子保衛着特洛伊的男兒和束腰緊深的特洛伊
婦女，壓根兒沒有想到逃跑，沒有想到躲避！”
聽罷這番話，年邁的王者、神一樣的普裏阿摩斯答道：
“不要攔我，此行必去無疑！告訴你，不要做一隻
顯示惡兆的飛鳥，撲問在我的宮居！你不能使我回心轉意。
如果是個其他什麽人對我發號施令，一個凡人，
某個辨察熏煙的先知或祭司，
我或許便會把它斥為謊言，加以拒絶。
但現在，我親耳聽到一位神的傳諭，親眼目睹了她的臉面，
所以，我非去不可——他的話語不是戲言。如果我命該
死去，死在身披銅甲的阿開亞人的船邊，那麽，
我將死而無冤。阿基琉斯可以即刻把我殺掉，衹要
讓我擁着我的兒子，哭個痛痛快快！”
言罷，他提起圖紋秀美的箱蓋，
拿出十二件精美絢麗的衫袍，
十二件單面的披篷，十二條床毯，
十二件雪白的披肩，以及同樣數量的衫衣。
他稱出足足十個塔蘭同的黃金，拿出
兩個閃亮的銅鼎，四口大鍋，還有一隻
精美絶倫的酒杯，斯拉凱人給他的禮物，
在他出使該地的時候。現在，老人連它
一齊割愛，清出廳堂——贖回愛子的願望，使他
不顧一切。他大聲吆喝，驅趕柱廊裏的
每一個特洛伊人，駡道：“都給我
滾開，無用的廢物，招羞緻辱的東西！怎麽，在你們
自己傢裏嚎哭不夠，還要跑到我這兒，給我添增愁煩？！
宙斯，剋羅諾斯之子，奪走了我最好的兒子，給了我此番
悲愁，這一切難道還不夠嗎？後果怎樣，你們
亦會知道——赫剋托耳死了，你們成了阿開亞兵壯
手中的玩物。至於我自己，與其看着
城堡被劫，變成廢墟一片，倒不如
趁早撒手人寰，墜入死神的房院！”
他破口大駡，提着棍棒追趕，嚇得他們拔腿奔逃，
懾於老人的狂烈。然後，他轉而怒責自己的兒子，
咒駡赫勒諾斯、帕裏斯和卓越的阿伽鬆，咒駡
帕蒙、安提福諾斯和嘯吼戰場的波利忒斯，以及
德伊福波斯、希波蘇斯和高貴的秋俄斯。對這九個
兒子，老人口氣粗暴，發號施令：
“趕快動手，敗傢的孩子，我的恥辱！但願你們
頂替赫剋托耳，全被殺死在迅捷的海船邊！
我的天！我這艱厄多難的命運！在寬闊的特洛伊，
我有過本地最好的兒子；然而，告訴你們，他們全都離我而去！
神一樣的墨斯托耳，喜好烈馬的特羅伊洛斯，
以及赫剋托耳，凡人中的神明——他似乎不是
凡人的兒子，而是神的子嗣。阿瑞斯殺死了
所有這些兒郎，而剩下的卻是你們這幫廢物，我的恥辱，
騙子、舞棍、舞場上的英雄，從自己的屬民
手裏搶奪羊羔和小山羊的盜賊！
還不動手備車，把所有的東西
放到車上，讓我們登程上路——趕快！”
他破口大駡，兒子們懼怕老人的威烈，
拖出輪圈溜滑的騾車，新近製作，
工藝精美，把一隻柳條編製的大籃綁上車身。
他們從挂鈎上取下黃羊木的騾軛，
帶着渾實的突結，安着導環；取來
軛繩（連同軛架），九個肘尺的長度，
把軛架穩穩地楔人光滑的車桿，
在前伸的桿頭，然後將導環套入釘栓，
綁在突結上，各繞三圈，在左右兩邊，最後
拉緊繩索，拴繞在車桿後端的挂鈎下。
隨後，他們從房室裏擡出難以估價的財禮，堆在
溜光滑亮的騾車上，回贖赫剋托耳的遺軀。接着，
他們把蹄腿強健的騾子套上軛架，一對輓車苦幹的牲畜，
慕西亞人送給普裏阿摩斯的閃光的禮物。
最後，他們拉出普裏阿摩斯的馭馬，套上軛架，
老王親自關心護養的良駒，在滑亮的廄槽前。
就這樣，在高聳的宮居裏，他們套好車輛，替使者和
普裏阿摩斯；二位心事重重，盤想着奔波旅途的事宜。
其時，赫卡貝來到他們身邊，帶着痛心的悲愁，
右手拿着一隻金杯，滿斟着甜美的酒漿，
以便讓他們潑灑祭神，在上路之前。
她站在馭馬前面，對着普裏阿摩斯議勸，說道：
“接過酒杯，祭灑給父親宙斯，求他保你安返
傢園，從仇敵的營壘，既然你不顧
我的意願，執意要去他們的海船。
祈禱吧，對剋羅諾斯之子，席捲烏雲的天神，
高居在伊達山上，俯視着特洛伊大地；求他
遣送一隻預告兆示的飛鳥，他的迅捷的使者，
飛禽中力氣最大、最受宙斯鐘愛的羽鳥，出現在
右邊，使你一旦親眼目睹，便可
取信於它，前往車馬迅捷的達奈人的海船。
但是，如果沉雷遠播的宙斯不給你發送兆示，他的信使，
那麽，我就會再三地懇求，哀求你不要
前往阿耳吉維人的海船，哪怕你有非去不可的倔念！”
聽罷這番話，神一樣的普裏阿摩斯答道：
“我的夫人，我不想拒絶你的敦請；
我應該舉起雙手，祈求宙斯的憐憫。”
老人言罷，告囑身邊的傢僕
倒出清水，淋洗他的雙手。女僕走上前來，
端着洗盆和水罐。他淨過
雙手，接過妻子手中的酒杯，站在
庭院中間，對神祈禱，灑出醇酒，
仰望青天，開口訴誦，說道：
“父親宙斯，從伊達山上督視着我們的大神，光榮的典範，偉大
的象徵！
答應我，阿基琉斯會以慈愛之心，歡迎我的到來，憐憫我的
苦衷。給我遣送一隻預告兆示的飛鳥，你的迅捷的使者，
你最鐘愛、飛禽中力氣最大的羽鳥，出現在
右邊，使我一旦親眼目睹，便可
取信於它，前往車馬快捷的達奈人的海船。”
他如此一番祈禱，多謀善斷的宙斯聽到了他的聲音，
隨即遣下一隻蒼鷹，飛禽中兆示最準的羽鳥，
毛色灰暗的擄掠者，人們稱之為“黑鷹”。
像富人傢裏的門面，封擋着
高大的財庫，緊插着粗重的門閂——雄鷹展開
翅膀，一邊一個，都有此般寬廣，飛越城空，
出現在右邊的上方。人們翹首仰望，
個個興高采烈，精神為之一振。
其時，老人迫不及待地登上馬車，
驅車穿過大門和回聲隆響的柱廊。
騾子拖着四輪貨車，由經驗豐富的
伊代俄斯執繮，跑在前頭；馬車隨後
跟行，老人揚鞭催趕，策馬速跑，
穿越城區；親人們全都跟在後面，
痛哭流涕，仿佛他去後再也不能生還。
當他倆穿過城區，奔嚮寬闊的平野，
送行者們轉身返回伊利昂，普裏阿摩斯的
兒子和女婿們。沉雷遠播的宙斯，其時當然不會忽略
他們，兩位驅車平原的特洛伊人。看着年邁的老頭，
宙斯心生憐憫，馬上招呼心愛的兒子，對他說道：
“赫耳墨斯，伴引凡人是你的樂趣，對此，神明中誰也
沒有你的熱情；你愛傾聽凡人的訴告，那些使你歡心的人們。
去吧，引着普裏阿摩斯，前往阿開亞人
深曠的海船，不要讓達奈人中的任何一個
看到或註意到你的行蹤，進入裴琉斯之子的營棚。”
宙斯如此一番說告，導者阿耳吉豐忒斯謹遵不違。
他隨即穿上精美的條鞋，黃金鑄就，
永不敗壞——穿着它，仙神跨涉蒼海和
無垠的陸基，像疾風一樣輕快。
他操起節杖——用它，赫耳墨斯既可迷合凡人的
瞳眸，衹要他願意，又可讓睡者睜開眼睛。
拿着這根節杖，強有力的阿耳吉豐忒斯一陣風似地離去，
轉眼之間便來到特洛伊和赫勒斯龐特海面。
他提腿步行，從那裏開始，以一位年輕王子的模樣，
留着頭茬的鬍子，正是豐華最茂的歲月。
其時，當兩人驅車跑過伊洛斯高大的墳塋，
他們勒住騍馬，讓牲畜飲水灘沿。
其時，夜色蒙罩大地；昏暗中，使者看見
赫耳墨斯，正從不遠的前方走來。
他放聲呼喊，對着普裏阿摩斯說道：
“用你的心思，達耳達諾斯的後裔，快快想一想——現在，已是
必須小心謹慎的時候！
我看見一個人——我擔心，他會把我們撕裂，就在此時此地！
趕快，讓我們趕着馬車逃跑；不然，
就去抱住他的膝蓋，求他手下留情！”
聽罷這番話，老人心緒昏沌，嚇得眼花繚亂，
全身汗毛堅指，直立在青筋突暴的肌體上。
他本然而立，膛目凝望，幸好神明親自走上前來，
握着老人的手，親切地問道：
“敢問阿爸，在這神賜的夜晚，凡人酣睡的
時候，你趕着騍馬，何處去從？
難道，你不怕那些吞吐狂烈的阿開亞兵漢？
他們恨你，是你的仇敵，近逼在你的眼前。
要是他們中有人瞅見你，運送這許多
財寶，穿行在烏黑、即逝的夜晚——想過嗎，後果將是怎樣
一種情景？
你自己已不年輕，你的侍從亦是個年邁的老人，
無力擊退尋挑事端的漢子。
不過，我卻不會害你，相反，我還會幫你
打開試圖害你的人。你看來就像是我尊愛的父親。”
聽罷這番話，年老的王者，神一樣的普裏阿摩斯答道：
“是的，我的孩子，事情正是這樣，你可沒有說錯。
不過，某位神祗仍然伸着大手，護佑在我的頭頂，
給我送來一位像你這樣的旅行者，一個絶好的
兆頭！瞧你的身材，出奇地俊美，還有
如此聰慧的心智——有這樣的兒子，你的雙親可真夠幸運！”
聽罷這番話，導者阿耳吉辛忒斯答道：
“是的，老人傢，你的話條理分明，說得一點不錯。
不過，煩你告訴我，真實地告訴我，
你帶着這許多珍貴的財物，是不是想把它們
送到城外，讓別人替你看護，代為存管？
或許，你們正傾城出逃，丟棄神聖的伊利昂，
嚇得惶惶不安，眼見一位如此傑出的鬥士，你們中最好的人，
已經倒地身亡，
你的兒子，戰陣中從不屈讓於阿開亞人的壯漢。”
聽罷這番話，年老的王者，神一樣的普裏阿摩斯問道：
“你是誰，高貴的年輕人？你的父母又是誰？
關於我那命運險厄的兒子，關於他的死亡，你怎能說得這樣豪
闊得體？”
聽罷這番話，導者阿耳吉豐忒斯答道：
“你在試探我，老人傢——對我問及卓越的赫剋托耳。
我曾多次目睹他的出現，在人們爭得榮譽的
戰場；也曾親眼見他，在那一天，把阿耳吉維人逼回
海船，揮舞青銅的利械，不停地殺砍。
我們站着觀看，驚詫不已——阿基琉斯
不讓我們參戰，出於對阿伽門農的憤慨。
我是阿基琉斯的隨從，來到此地，同坐一條
堅固的海船。我是個墨耳彌鼕人，父親名叫
波魯剋托耳，殷實富有，早已上了年紀，和你一樣。
他有六個兒子，我是第七個；我們搖石
拈鬮，結果我中鬮出徵。現在，我
剛從海船來到平原：拂曉時分，
眼睛閃亮的阿開亞人將圍城開戰。
他們閑坐營盤，焦躁不安，阿開亞人的
王者們亦無法遏止他們求戰的意願。”
聽罷這番話，年邁的王者，神一樣的普裏阿摩斯說道：
“如果你真是裴琉斯之子阿基琉斯的隨從，
那麽，請你真實地告訴我，我的兒子是否
還躺在海船邊。說不定，阿基琉斯
已把他截肢分解，喂了豢養的狗群。”
聽罷這番話，導者阿耳吉豐忒斯答道：
“老人傢，狗和兀鳥都還不曾把他吞食；
他還躺在營棚裏，阿基琉斯的
海船旁，完好如初。今天，是他躺在那裏的
第十二個拂曉，軀身不曾腐爛，也沒有被蛆蟲
蝕咬——這幫禍害，總把陣亡鬥士的軀體糜耗。
不錯，每日清晨，天天如此，阿基琉斯殘暴地
拖着他迅跑，圍繞着心愛的伴友，他的墳塚，但卻
不能毀裂赫剋托耳的軀體。到那以後，你可親眼目睹，
他的肌膚就像露珠一樣清鮮。血跡已被淨洗，
身上沒有損蝕，所有的傷痕都已修整平填——
那一道道口子，許多人的穿捅，用青銅的槍械。
幸福的神祗如此關心照護你的兒子，
雖然他已死去——神們由衷地喜愛他。”
他言罷，老人喜形於色，答道：
“我的孩子，奉祭神明，用合適的禮品，
日後必有收益。就說我的兒子——他，該不是一場夢吧，
從來不曾疏略傢住俄林波斯的衆神，在他的廳堂裏，
所以，他們記着他的虔誠，即便他已不在人間。來吧，
收下這衹精美的杯盞，求你保護
我的安全，倘若神意亦然，送我
前往裴瓊斯之子的營棚。”
聽罷這番話，導者阿耳吉豐忒斯答道：“
“視我年輕，老人傢，你又來試探於我，但你不能
把我說服，要我背着阿基琉斯，接受你的
禮物。我打心眼裏怕他敬他，斷然不敢
搶奪他的東西——日後，此事會給我帶來悲難。
然而，我卻願真心實意地為你嚮導，哪怕
前往光榮的阿耳戈斯，同坐迅捷的海船，或單靠
你我的雙腿。放心，沒有哪個強人，膽敢蔑視你的嚮導，對你
亮出拳頭！”
言罷，善喜助佑的神祗從馬後一躍
而上，一把抓過皮鞭和繮繩，吹出
巨大的勇力，註入騾子和馭馬。他們驅車
來到圍護海船的壕溝和護墻的前面；
哨兵們正忙忙碌碌，準備食餐。
導者阿耳吉豐忒斯把他們全都催入睡眠，
然後迅速開門，拉開門閂，
引入普裏阿摩斯和整車光燦燦的禮件。
他們一路前行，來到裴琉斯之子的住所，一座高大的
營棚，慕耳彌鼕人合力興建，為他們的王者，
劈開大段的鬆木，墊上澤地的蘆草，
鋪出虯紮、厚實的棚頂；圍着棚屋，
他們欄出一片寬敞的院落，替為王的主人，密密匝匝地
排起木桿。擋插門戶的是一根
鬆木，需要三個阿開亞人方能拴攏，
亦需三個人的力氣才能把它拉出，打開大門——三個普通的
阿開亞人；至於阿基琉斯，僅憑一己之力，即可把它捅入孔眼。
其時，赫耳墨斯，善助凡人的神祗，替老人打開大門，
趕人滿車光燦燦的財物，送給捷足的阿基琉斯的贖禮，
從馬後一躍而下，對普裏阿摩斯說道：
“老人傢，我乃一位長生不老的神祗，赫耳墨斯，站助
在你的身邊。天父差我下凡，引助你的行程。
現在，我要就此歸去，不願出現在
阿基琉斯的眼前，此舉會激起憤怒——
讓一個凡人面對面地招待一位不死的神仙。
但你可走上前去，抱住裴琉斯之子的膝蓋，
苦苦哀求，提及他的父親、長發秀美的母親，
還有他的兒子，以此融軟他的心懷。”
赫耳墨斯言罷，轉身返回俄林波斯的峰脊。
普裏阿摩斯從馬後下車，腳踏泥地，
留下伊代俄斯，原地看守
馭馬和騾子，自己則邁步嚮前，朝着宙斯
鐘愛的阿基琉斯慣常息坐的營們走去。他發現勇士
正坐在裏頭，另有一些夥伴，離着他的位置，平身息坐——
衹有兩個人，壯士奧托墨鼕和阿瑞斯的後代阿爾基摩斯，
其時正忙忽在他的身邊。他剛剛進食完畢，
吃喝了一番，桌子還站放在身前，王者普裏阿摩斯
步入營棚，不為衆人所見，走近阿基琉斯身前，
展臂抱住他的膝蓋，親吻他的雙手，這雙
可怕、屠人的大手，曾經殺過他衆多的兒男。
像一個殺人故土的壯漢，帶着
極度的迷狂，跑人別的國度，求告
一位富足的主人，使旁觀者涼奇詫異一般，
阿基琉斯此時表情愕然，望着普裏阿摩斯，神一樣的
凡人；衆人面面相覷，驚詫不已。
其時，普裏阿摩斯開口說話，用懇求的語言：
“想一想你的父親，神一樣的阿基琉斯，他和我
一樣年邁，跨越蒼黃的門檻，痛苦的暮年！
鄰近的人們必然對他騷憂窘迫，而傢中無人
挺身而出，使他免於困苦和災難。
然而，當他聽說你還活在人間的消息，
心中會蕩起喜悅的波瀾，希望由此産主，日以繼夜，
想望見到心愛的兒子，從特洛伊大地回返鄉園。
至於我，我的命運充滿艱險。我有過最好的兒子，在
遼闊的特洛伊；但是，告訴你，他們全都離我而去！
我有五十個兒子，在阿開亞人進兵此地之際，
十九個出自同一個女人的肚腹，其餘的由
別的女子生孕，在我的宮居。強悍的
阿瑞斯酥軟了他們的膝腿，他們中的大部分，
衹給我留下一個中用的兒郎，保衛我的城堡和兵民——
他為保衛故土而戰，幾天前死在你的手裏，
我的赫剋托耳！為了他，我來到阿開亞人的船邊，
給你帶來難以估價的財禮，打算從你手中贖回我的兒男。
敬畏神明，阿基琉斯，想想你的父親，
憐恤我這個老頭！我比他更值得憐憫；
我忍受了世間其他凡人從未做過的事情：
用我的嘴唇親吻你的雙手，殺我兒郎的軍漢。”
老人一番訴說，在阿基琉斯心裏催發了哭念父親的
激情。他握着老人的手，輕輕地把他推開；
如煙的記憶，籠罩在他倆的心頭。老人蟋縮在
裴琉斯之子的腳邊，哭悼着殺人的赫剋托耳，
而阿基琉斯則時而哭念他的父親，時而悲悼
帕特羅剋洛斯的死亡；悲戚的哭聲在營棚裏回轉。
當卓越的阿基琉斯流夠了辛酸的眼淚，
慟哭的激情隨之離開了肉體和心靈，
他從座椅上起身，握着老人的手，把他
扶站起來，看着他灰白的須發，心中泛起了憐憫之情。
送出長了翅膀的話語，開口說道：
“唉，不幸的老人，你的心靈承受了多少痛苦和悲難！
你怎會有如此的膽量，獨身來到阿開亞人的船邊，
面視我的目光——我曾殺死你的兒子，這麽多
勇敢的兒郎？你的心就像鐵塊一般。來吧，
坐息這張靠椅；儘管痛苦，讓我們，
是的，讓你我把悲愁埋在心底，
如此悲慟哭悼，不會有半點收益。
這便是神的編工，生活的網綫，替不幸的凡人；
我等一生坎坷多難，而神們自己則杏無憂愁。
有兩衹甕罐，停放在宙斯宮居的地面，盛着
不同的禮物，一隻裝着福佑，另一隻填滿苦難。
倘若喜好炸雷的宙斯混合這兩甕禮物，把它交給一個
凡人，那麽，此人既有不幸的時刻，也會有時來運轉的良辰。
然而，當宙斯交送凡人的東西全部取自裝着苦難的甕罐，
那麽，此人就會離鄉背井，忍受轆轆饑腸的驅策，踏着閃亮的
泥地，浪跡四方，受到神和人的鄙棄。
摻和的命運也降臨在裴琉斯的頭頂。神祗給了他一堆堆
閃光的禮物，始於他出身的時候，使他超越衆生，以他的財富，
他的所有，統治墨耳彌鼕兵民。此外，儘管身為
凡人，神們卻給了他一位長生不老的女仙，做他的妻伴。
然而，即便在他頭上，神明也堆起了苦難。他沒有
生下一整代強健的王子，在他的宮居裏，
衹有一個註定會盛年夭折的孩兒——我不能
照顧他，在他的暮年，因我坐在特洛伊城下，
遠離故土，給你和你的孩子們帶來愁難。
你也一樣，老人傢；我們聽說，你也有過興盛的時候，
你的疆土面嚮大海，遠至萊斯波斯，馬卡耳的國度，
東抵弗魯吉亞內陸，北達寬闊的赫勒斯龐特水域——
人們說，老人傢，在這遼闊的地域內，比財富，論兒子，你是
首屈一指的權貴。
以後，上天的神祗給你來這場災難，
城外進行着古無止境的戰鬥，人死人亡。
你必須忍受這一切；不要哭哭啼啼，沒完沒了。
哭子痛心，於事無補——你能把他帶回人間？
决不可能。用不了多久，你會有另一場臨頭的大難。”
聽罷這番話，年邁的王者，神一樣的普裏阿摩斯答道：
“不要叫我息身座椅，宙斯鐘愛的王子，衹要赫剋托耳
還躺在軍營，無人守護看管。把他交還於我，
不要拖延，也好讓我親眼看看，看看我的兒子。收下我們
帶來的贖禮，洋洋灑灑的禮物！享用去吧，回到
你的家乡；你已放我一命，讓我
苟延存活，得見白日的光明。”
其時，捷足的阿基琉斯惡狠狠地盯着他，說道：
“不要惹我發火，老人傢！我已决定把赫剋托耳
交還於你；一位信使已給我帶來宙斯的諭令，
我的生身母親，海洋老人的女兒。
至於你，普裏阿摩斯，我也知道——不要隱瞞——
是某位神明把你引到此地，阿開亞人迅捷的快船邊。
凡人中誰敢闖入我們的營區，哪怕他是個
強壯的年輕漢子？他躲不過哨兵的眼睛，也不能
輕鬆地拉開門後的杠閂。所以，
你不要繼續挑撥我的怒火，在我傷愁之際，
免得惹我，老先生，結果你的性命，在我的營棚裏，
不顧你這懇求者的身份，違背宙斯的訓諭。”
聽罷這番話，老人心裏害怕，服從了他的指令。
裴琉斯之子大步撲嚮門口，像一頭獅子，
並非單行，身後跟着兩位伴從，壯士
奧托墨鼕和阿爾基摩斯——帕特羅剋洛斯
死後，二位是阿基琉斯最尊愛的隨伴。
兩人從軛架下寬出騍馬，帶入
信使，老王的傳話人，讓他坐在
椅子上，然後，從溜光滑亮的騾車裏
搬出難以估價的財禮，回贖赫剋托耳的遺軀，
但卻留下兩件披篷和一件織工精緻的衫衣，
作為裹屍的用物，在他們載着遺體，回轉傢門之際。
阿基琉斯大聲招呼女僕，淨洗屍身，抹上清油，
但要先擡至一邊，以恐讓普裏阿摩斯
見到，以痛子的悲哀，喪子的
憤怒，激起阿基琉斯的怨恨，
殺了老人，違背宙斯的訓諭。
女僕們洗淨屍身，抹上橄欖油，
掩之以一件衫衣和一領漂亮的披篷。
阿基琉斯親自動手，把他抱上屍床，然後，
由夥伴們幫持，把屍床擡上溜光滑亮的車架。
接着，他悲聲哭喊，叫着親愛的伴友的名字：
“不要生我的氣，帕特羅剋洛斯，倘若你聽說此事，
雖然你已墜入哀地斯的府居：我已把卓越的赫剋托耳
交還他鐘愛的父親。他給了我分量相當的贖禮，
我將給你拿出一份，像往常一樣，符合你的身份和地位。”
言罷，卓越的阿基琉斯走回營棚，
下坐剛纔起身離行的靠椅，雕工精緻，
靠着對面的墻壁，對着普裏阿摩斯說道：
“我已交還你的兒子，老人傢，如你要求的那樣。
他正息躺屍床，你老馬上即可親眼日睹他的容顔，
在破曉時分，登程上路之際。眼下，我們宜可進用晚餐；
即便是長發秀美的尼娥北，也不曾斷然絶食，
雖然她的六對兒女全被殺死在她的官居裏，
六個女兒，六個風華正茂的兒子。阿波羅用銀弓
射盡她的兒子，出於對尼娥北的
憤恨，而發箭如雨的阿耳忒彌絲殺盡了她的女兒，
衹因尼娥北自以為可與美貌的萊托攀比，
譏貶後者衹生了兩個子女，而她自己卻是這麽多兒女的母親。
然而，雖然衹有兩個，他倆卻殺了尼娥北所有的兒女。
一連九天，死者躺倒在血泊裏，無人替他們收屍
掩埋——剋羅諾斯之子已把所有的人化作石頭。[●]
●把所有的人化作石頭：可能指捲人此事的人們。
到了第十天，神們下到凡間，把死人收埋。
而尼娥北，雖已哭得死去活來，仍然沒有忘記吃喝。
現在，在岩壁聳立的某地，荒漠的山脊上，
在西普洛斯的峰巒裏——人們說，那裏是女神們息身的去處，
長生不老的女仙嬉舞在阿開洛伊俄斯的灘沿——
化作石頭的尼娥北仍在苦苦回味着神祗緻造的憂愁。
來吧，尊貴的老先生，我們也一樣，不能忘了
吃喝。當你把心愛的兒子拉回伊利昂，
那到候，你可放聲痛哭，用淚水洗面。”
言罷，捷足的阿基琉斯跳將起來，宰掉
一頭雪白的綿羊；夥伴們剝去羊皮，收拾得幹幹淨淨，
把羊肉切成小塊，動作熟練，挑上叉尖，
仔細燒烤後，脫叉備用。
奧托墨鼕拿出面包，就着精美的條籃，放在
桌面上；與此同時，阿基琉斯分放着烤肉。
隨後，他們伸出手來，抓起眼前的佳餚。
當他們滿足了吃喝的欲望，
普裏阿摩斯，達耳達諾斯之子，註目凝視阿基琉斯，
驚慕他的俊美，高大挺拔的身軀，就像
神明一般。與此同時，阿基琉斯亦在註目凝望達耳達諾斯之
子普裏阿摩斯，
驚慕他高貴的長相，聆聽着他的言淡。
當他倆互相看夠了之後，年邁的王者。
神一樣的普裏阿摩斯首先發話，說道：
“快給我安排一個睡覺的地方，宙斯鐘愛的壯勇，
以便讓我躺身床面，享受酣睡的愉悅。
自從我兒死後，死在你的手下，
我就一直沒有合過雙眼，總在慟哭
哀悼，沉湎在受之不盡的愁鬱中，
翻滾在院內的糞堆裏。現在，
我已吃飽食物，閃亮的醇酒已浸潤
我的喉管；在此之前，我啥也沒有碰沾。”
老人言罷，阿基琉斯命囑女僕和夥伴們
動手備床，在門廊的頂面下，鋪開厚實的
紫紅色的褥墊，覆上床毯，
壓上羊毛屈捲的披蓋。女僕們
手握火把，走出廳堂，動手操辦，
頃刻之間鋪出兩個床位。捷足的
阿基琉斯看着普裏阿摩斯，用譏刺的口吻說道：
“睡在外頭吧，親愛的老先生，不要讓阿開亞人的
頭領看見。他們常來常往，坐在我的
身邊，商討謀劃，履行他們的職限。
如果有人見你在此，在這飛逝的黑夜，
他會馬上告訴阿伽門農，軍隊的統帥，
從而遲延回贖遺體的時間。
此外，告訴我，數字要準確，你需要
多少日子，埋葬卓越的赫剋托耳？
在此期間，我將罷息刀槍，也不讓阿開亞兵勇赴戰。”
聽罷這番話，年邁的王者、神一樣的普裏阿摩斯答道：
“如果你真的願意讓我為卓越的赫剋托耳舉行隆重的
葬禮，那麽，阿基琉斯，你要能如此做來，我將
感到由衷的高興。你知道，我們被迫擠在城裏，苦不堪言，
砍伐燒柴要到遙遠的坡地，而特洛伊人都已
嚇得腿腳酥軟。我們將把他放在宮內哭祭，需用九天時間。
準備在第十天上舉行葬禮，讓大夥吃喝一頓；
第十一天上，我們將堆墳築墓；到了
第十二天，兩軍可重新開戰，如果我們必須兵戎相見。”
聽罷這番話，捷足的戰勇、卓越的阿基琉斯答道：
“好吧，老人傢，一切按你說的辦；
我將按兵不動，在你需要的期限。”
言罷，阿基琉斯握住老王的右手腕，
使他不致擔驚受怕。接着，二位來者，
普裏阿摩斯和同來的使者，盤想着回城的方略，
睡寢在廳前帶遮頂的門廊下，
而阿基琉斯則睡在堅固的營棚裏，棚屋的深處，
身邊躺着美貌的布裏塞伊絲。
此時，其他神明和駕馭戰車的凡人
都已酣睡整夜，吞吐着睡眠的舒甜，
惟有善喜助信的赫耳墨斯還不曾屈從睡的催捕，心中
思考着如何護導王者普裏阿摩斯
離開海船，躲過忠於職守的門衛的雙眼。
他懸站在老王頭上，對他說道：
“老人傢，你全然不顧眼前的危險，睡躺在
敵營之中，衹因阿基琉斯不曾把你傷害。
是的，你已贖回你的愛子，付出一大筆財禮；
然而，你傢中的兒子，將付出三倍於此的財物，
回贖你的生命，要是此事傳到阿特柔斯之於阿伽門農
耳邊，傳到所有其他阿開亞人的耳朵裏。”
他言罷，老人心裏害怕，叫醒使者。
赫耳墨斯套好騾車和馬車，
親自馭趕，迅速穿過營區，誰也不曾註意到車馬的蹤跡。
然而，當他們來到清水河的邊岸，
其父宙斯，不死的天神，捲着漩渦的珊索斯的灘沿，
赫耳墨斯離開他們，回程俄林波斯的峰巔；
黎明抖開金紅色的衫袍，遍撒在大地上。
其時，他們趕着馬車，朝着城堡行進，悲聲哀悼，
痛哭流涕。遺體由騾車拉行。城墻裏，誰也
不曾首先見到他們，無論是男人，還是束腰秀美的女子，
誰也不曾先於卡桑德拉，金色的阿芙羅底忒一樣的姑娘，
早已登上裴耳伽摩斯的頂面。她看到
親愛的父親，站在馬車上，由他的信使和傳話人
陪伴。她也見到屍架，騾車上的那個人，
於是尖聲嘶叫，聲音傳響在整個城區：
“來呀，特洛伊的男子和婦女！看看我們的赫剋托耳——
倘若你們，你們曾滿懷喜悅，看着他生還傢園，從殺敵的
戰場！他給我們帶來過巨大的愉悅，給這座城市，所有的
子民！”
聽到此番喊叫，人們傾城而出，包括男人
和女子，個個悲苦異常，痛不欲生。
他們在城門邊圍住運屍進城的普裏阿摩斯，
赫剋托耳的妻子和尊貴的母親最先撲上
輪圈溜滑的騾車，撕絞着自己的頭髮，
撫摸着死者的頭臉；衆人哭喊嚎啕，圍站在她們身邊。
此時此地，在這城門之前，人們會痛哭終日，
淚流滿面，直到太陽西沉。
要不是老人開口發話，在車上高聲叫喊：
“閃開，讓騾車過去！稍後，當我
把他放入宮居，你們可盡情慟哭舉哀。”
他言罷，人們問嚮兩邊，讓出一條過車的通道。
他們把赫剋托耳擡人那座著名的房居，把他
放在一張雕花的床上。引導哀悼的
歌手們坐在他的身邊，唱起麯調
凄楚的輓歌，女人們悲聲哭叫，應答呼號。
白臂膀的安德羅瑪開引導着女人的悲嚎，
懷中抱着丈夫的頭顱，殺人的赫剋托耳：
“我的丈夫，你死得這般年輕！你丟下我，
宮居裏的寡婦，守着尚是嬰兒的男孩。
你我的後代，一對不幸的人兒！我知道，他不會
長大成人：在此之前，我們的城堡將被蕩為平地，
從樓頂到底面的墻沿！因為你已不在人間，你，城堡的衛士
保衛着城內高貴的妻子和無力自衛的孩童——不幸的人們，
將被深曠的海船運往陌生的國度。
我也一樣，隨同被搶的女人；而你，我的孩子，
將隨我前往，超越體力的負荷，替一位苛刻的
主人，幹起沉重的苦活。或許，某個阿開亞強人
會伸手把他奪走，扔下城樓，暴死在墻基邊，
出於內心的憤怒，因為赫剋托耳曾殺死過他的親人，
他的兄弟、父親或兒子——衆多的阿開亞人已面貼廣袤的
大地，嘴啃泥塵，倒死在赫剋托耳手下！
在你死我活的拼殺中，你的父親不是個心慈手軟的儒漢。
所以，赫剋托耳，全城的人們都在悲哭你的死亡；
你給不幸的雙親帶來了難以言喻的痛苦和悲難。
但嘗苦最深、悲痛最烈的是你的妻子，
是我——你沒有死在床上，對我伸出你的雙臂，
也沒有敘告貼心的話語，使我可以終身
懷念，伴隨着我的哭悼，無論是白天，還是黑夜！”
安德羅瑪開縱情哭訴，女人們答之以悲戚的呼喊。
接着，赫卡貝引唱起麯調凄楚的哀歌：
“衆多的兒郎中，赫剋托耳，你是我最鐘愛的一個。
在我們共同生活的日子裏，你是神祗鐘愛的寵人；
他們仍在關心愛護着你，雖然你已離我而去。
捷足的阿基琉斯曾抓過我好幾個兒子，
送過奔騰不息的大海，當做奴隸，賣往
薩摩斯、英勃羅斯和煙霧彌漫的萊姆諾斯。[●]
●煙霧彌漫的萊姆諾斯：萊姆諾斯島偶有火山爆發。
然而你，他用鋒快的銅槍奪走了你的生命，
拖着你一圈圈地圍着墳塋奔跑，圍着被你殺死的
帕特羅剋洛斯。然而，即便如此，他也沒有把心愛的夥伴
帶回人間。現在，你橫躺在廳堂裏，宛如
晨露一般鮮亮，像被銀弓之神阿波羅
擊中放倒的死者，用溫柔的羽箭。”
赫卡貝一番哭訴，引發出哀綿不絶的悲嚎。
接着，海倫，繼二位之後，引唱起悲悼的輓歌：
“在我丈夫的兄弟中，赫剋托耳，你是我最親愛的人！
我的夫婿，亞歷剋山德羅斯、神一樣的凡人，把我
帶到特洛伊——唉，我為什麽還活在人間，在那一天之前！
我來到這裏，已是第二十個年頭，
離開故土，我的家乡。然而，
你對我從來不會說話帶刺，惡語中傷。
而且，若有別的親戚說出難聽的話語，在王傢的廳堂，若有
我丈夫的某個兄弟或姐妹，或某個兄弟的裙衫絢美的妻子，
或是我夫婿的母親——但他的父親卻總是那麽和善，
就像是我的親爹——份總會出面製止，使他們改變
成見；用你善良的心地和溫文爾雅的言談。所以，
帶着悲痛的心情，我哭悼你的死亡，也為
自己艱厄的命運。在寬廣的特洛伊大地，我再也找不到
一個朋友，一位善意待我的人；所有的人都回避和我見面。”
海倫一番哭訴，衆人悲聲呼嚎。其時，
普裏阿摩斯，年邁的王者，對着人們喊道：
“特洛伊人，現在，我要你們上山伐木，“運薪回城！不要擔心
阿耳吉維人的伏擊，藏裹殺機的人群。阿基琉斯
已經答應，在讓我離開烏黑的海船、登程上路之前，
保證决不傷害我們，直到第十二個早晨，黎明降臨的時節。”
他言罷，衆人拉過牛和騾子，套好車輛，
迅速集聚在城堡的前面。一連幾天，
他們運來難以數計的燒柴。當第十個黎明
射出曙光，撒嚮凡人的世界，
他們擡出壯勇的赫剋托耳，痛哭流涕，將遺體
平放在柴堆的頂面，點起焚屍的火焰。
當年輕的黎明，垂着玫瑰紅的手指，重現天際時，
人們復又圍聚在焚燒光榮的赫剋托耳的柴堆邊。
當聚合完畢，人群集中起來後，
他們先用晶亮的醇酒撲滅柴堆上的餘火，
那些仍在騰騰燃燒的木塊，然後，
赫剋托耳的兄弟和夥伴們收撿起白骨，
悲聲哀悼，淚水涌註，沿着面頰流淌。
他們把撿起的白骨放入一隻金甕，
用鬆軟的紫袍層層包裹，
迅速放入墳穴，堆上巨大的
石塊，壘得嚴嚴實實，然後趕緊
堆築墳塚，四面站着負責警戒的哨衛，
以防脛甲堅固的阿開亞人提前進攻的時間。
他們堆起墳塋，舉步回城，
再次匯攏聚合，分享奠祭赫剋托耳的盛宴，
在宙斯哺育的王者、普裏阿摩斯的宮殿。
就這樣，特洛伊人禮葬了赫剋托耳，馴馬的英壯。
ARGUMENT.
THE REDEMPTION OF THE BODY OF HECTOR.
The gods deliberate about the redemption of Hector's body. Jupiter sends
Thetis to Achilles, to dispose him for the restoring it, and Iris to
Priam, to encourage him to go in person and treat for it. The old king,
notwithstanding the remonstrances of his queen, makes ready for the
journey, to which he is encouraged by an omen from Jupiter. He sets forth
in his chariot, with a waggon loaded with presents, under the charge of
Idaeus the herald. Mercury descends in the shape of a young man, and
conducts him to the pavilion of Achilles. Their conversation on the way.
Priam finds Achilles at his table, casts himself at his feet, and begs for
the body of his son: Achilles, moved with compassion, grants his request,
detains him one night in his tent, and the next morning sends him home
with the body: the Trojans run out to meet him. The lamentations of
Andromache, Hecuba, and Helen, with the solemnities of the funeral.
The time of twelve days is employed in this book, while the body of Hector
lies in the tent of Achilles; and as many more are spent in the truce
allowed for his interment. The scene is partly in Achilles' camp, and
partly in Troy.
Now from the finish'd games the Grecian band
Seek their black ships, and clear the crowded strand,
All stretch'd at ease the genial banquet share,
And pleasing slumbers quiet all their care.
Not so Achilles: he, to grief resign'd,
His friend's dear image present to his mind,
Takes his sad couch, more unobserved to weep;
Nor tastes the gifts of all-composing sleep.
Restless he roll'd around his weary bed,
And all his soul on his Patroclus fed:
The form so pleasing, and the heart so kind,
That youthful vigour, and that manly mind,
What toils they shared, what martial works they wrought,
What seas they measured, and what fields they fought;
All pass'd before him in remembrance dear,
Thought follows thought, and tear succeeds to tear.
And now supine, now prone, the hero lay,
Now shifts his side, impatient for the day:
Then starting up, disconsolate he goes
Wide on the lonely beach to vent his woes.
There as the solitary mourner raves,
The ruddy morning rises o'er the waves:
Soon as it rose, his furious steeds he join'd!
The chariot flies, and Hector trails behind.
And thrice, Patroclus! round thy monument
Was Hector dragg'd, then hurried to the tent.
There sleep at last o'ercomes the hero's eyes;
While foul in dust the unhonour'd carcase lies,
But not deserted by the pitying skies:
For Phoebus watch'd it with superior care,
Preserved from gaping wounds and tainting air;
And, ignominious as it swept the field,
Spread o'er the sacred corse his golden shield.
All heaven was moved, and Hermes will'd to go
By stealth to snatch him from the insulting foe:
But Neptune this, and Pallas this denies,
And th' unrelenting empress of the skies,
E'er since that day implacable to Troy,
What time young Paris, simple shepherd boy,
Won by destructive lust (reward obscene),
Their charms rejected for the Cyprian queen.
But when the tenth celestial morning broke,
To heaven assembled, thus Apollo spoke:
[Illustration: HECTOR'S BODY AT THE CAR OF ACHILLES.]
HECTOR'S BODY AT THE CAR OF ACHILLES.
"Unpitying powers! how oft each holy fane
Has Hector tinged with blood of victims slain?
And can ye still his cold remains pursue?
Still grudge his body to the Trojans' view?
Deny to consort, mother, son, and sire,
The last sad honours of a funeral fire?
Is then the dire Achilles all your care?
That iron heart, inflexibly severe;
A lion, not a man, who slaughters wide,
In strength of rage, and impotence of pride;
Who hastes to murder with a savage joy,
Invades around, and breathes but to destroy!
Shame is not of his soul; nor understood,
The greatest evil and the greatest good.
Still for one loss he rages unresign'd,
Repugnant to the lot of all mankind;
To lose a friend, a brother, or a son,
Heaven dooms each mortal, and its will is done:
Awhile they sorrow, then dismiss their care;
Fate gives the wound, and man is born to bear.
But this insatiate, the commission given
By fate exceeds, and tempts the wrath of heaven:
Lo, how his rage dishonest drags along
Hector's dead earth, insensible of wrong!
Brave though he be, yet by no reason awed,
He violates the laws of man and god."
[Illustration: THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS.]
THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS.
"If equal honours by the partial skies
Are doom'd both heroes, (Juno thus replies,)
If Thetis' son must no distinction know,
Then hear, ye gods! the patron of the bow.
But Hector only boasts a mortal claim,
His birth deriving from a mortal dame:
Achilles, of your own ethereal race,
Springs from a goddess by a man's embrace
(A goddess by ourself to Peleus given,
A man divine, and chosen friend of heaven)
To grace those nuptials, from the bright abode
Yourselves were present; where this minstrel-god,
Well pleased to share the feast, amid the quire
Stood proud to hymn, and tune his youthful lyre."
Then thus the Thunderer checks the imperial dame:
"Let not thy wrath the court of heaven inflame;
Their merits, nor their honours, are the same.
But mine, and every god's peculiar grace
Hector deserves, of all the Trojan race:
Still on our shrines his grateful offerings lay,
(The only honours men to gods can pay,)
Nor ever from our smoking altar ceased
The pure libation, and the holy feast:
Howe'er by stealth to snatch the corse away,
We will not: Thetis guards it night and day.
But haste, and summon to our courts above
The azure queen; let her persuasion move
Her furious son from Priam to receive
The proffer'd ransom, and the corse to leave."
He added not: and Iris from the skies,
Swift as a whirlwind, on the message flies,
Meteorous the face of ocean sweeps,
Refulgent gliding o'er the sable deeps.
Between where Samos wide his forests spreads,
And rocky Imbrus lifts its pointed heads,
Down plunged the maid; (the parted waves resound;)
She plunged and instant shot the dark profound.
As bearing death in the fallacious bait,
From the bent angle sinks the leaden weight;
So pass'd the goddess through the closing wave,
Where Thetis sorrow'd in her secret cave:
There placed amidst her melancholy train
(The blue-hair'd sisters of the sacred main)
Pensive she sat, revolving fates to come,
And wept her godlike son's approaching doom.
Then thus the goddess of the painted bow:
"Arise, O Thetis! from thy seats below,
'Tis Jove that calls."--"And why (the dame replies)
Calls Jove his Thetis to the hated skies?
Sad object as I am for heavenly sight!
Ah may my sorrows ever shun the light!
Howe'er, be heaven's almighty sire obey'd--"
She spake, and veil'd her head in sable shade,
Which, flowing long, her graceful person clad;
And forth she paced, majestically sad.
Then through the world of waters they repair
(The way fair Iris led) to upper air.
The deeps dividing, o'er the coast they rise,
And touch with momentary flight the skies.
There in the lightning's blaze the sire they found,
And all the gods in shining synod round.
Thetis approach'd with anguish in her face,
(Minerva rising, gave the mourner place,)
Even Juno sought her sorrows to console,
And offer'd from her hand the nectar-bowl:
She tasted, and resign'd it: then began
The sacred sire of gods and mortal man:
"Thou comest, fair Thetis, but with grief o'ercast;
Maternal sorrows; long, ah, long to last!
Suffice, we know and we partake thy cares;
But yield to fate, and hear what Jove declares
Nine days are past since all the court above
In Hector's cause have moved the ear of Jove;
'Twas voted, Hermes from his godlike foe
By stealth should bear him, but we will'd not so:
We will, thy son himself the corse restore,
And to his conquest add this glory more.
Then hie thee to him, and our mandate bear:
Tell him he tempts the wrath of heaven too far;
Nor let him more (our anger if he dread)
Vent his mad vengeance on the sacred dead;
But yield to ransom and the father's prayer;
The mournful father, Iris shall prepare
With gifts to sue; and offer to his hands
Whate'er his honour asks, or heart demands."
His word the silver-footed queen attends,
And from Olympus' snowy tops descends.
Arrived, she heard the voice of loud lament,
And echoing groans that shook the lofty tent:
His friends prepare the victim, and dispose
Repast unheeded, while he vents his woes;
The goddess seats her by her pensive son,
She press'd his hand, and tender thus begun:
"How long, unhappy! shall thy sorrows flow,
And thy heart waste with life-consuming woe:
Mindless of food, or love, whose pleasing reign
Soothes weary life, and softens human pain?
O snatch the moments yet within thy power;
Not long to live, indulge the amorous hour!
Lo! Jove himself (for Jove's command I bear)
Forbids to tempt the wrath of heaven too far.
No longer then (his fury if thou dread)
Detain the relics of great Hector dead;
Nor vent on senseless earth thy vengeance vain,
But yield to ransom, and restore the slain."
To whom Achilles: "Be the ransom given,
And we submit, since such the will of heaven."
While thus they communed, from the Olympian bowers
Jove orders Iris to the Trojan towers:
"Haste, winged goddess! to the sacred town,
And urge her monarch to redeem his son.
Alone the Ilian ramparts let him leave,
And bear what stern Achilles may receive:
Alone, for so we will; no Trojan near
Except, to place the dead with decent care,
Some aged herald, who with gentle hand
May the slow mules and funeral car command.
Nor let him death, nor let him danger dread,
Safe through the foe by our protection led:
Him Hermes to Achilles shall convey,
Guard of his life, and partner of his way.
Fierce as he is, Achilles' self shall spare
His age, nor touch one venerable hair:
Some thought there must be in a soul so brave,
Some sense of duty, some desire to save."
[Illustration: IRIS ADVISES PRIAM TO OBTAIN THE BODY OF HECTOR.]
IRIS ADVISES PRIAM TO OBTAIN THE BODY OF HECTOR.
Then down her bow the winged Iris drives,
And swift at Priam's mournful court arrives:
Where the sad sons beside their father's throne
Sat bathed in tears, and answer'd groan with groan.
And all amidst them lay the hoary sire,
(Sad scene of woe!) his face his wrapp'd attire
Conceal'd from sight; with frantic hands he spread
A shower of ashes o'er his neck and head.
From room to room his pensive daughters roam;
Whose shrieks and clamours fill the vaulted dome;
Mindful of those, who late their pride and joy,
Lie pale and breathless round the fields of Troy!
Before the king Jove's messenger appears,
And thus in whispers greets his trembling ears:
"Fear not, O father! no ill news I bear;
From Jove I come, Jove makes thee still his care;
For Hector's sake these walls he bids thee leave,
And bear what stern Achilles may receive;
Alone, for so he wills; no Trojan near,
Except, to place the dead with decent care,
Some aged herald, who with gentle hand
May the slow mules and funeral car command.
Nor shalt thou death, nor shall thou danger dread:
Safe through the foe by his protection led:
Thee Hermes to Pelides shall convey,
Guard of thy life, and partner of thy way.
Fierce as he is, Achilles' self shall spare
Thy age, nor touch one venerable hair;
Some thought there must be in a soul so brave,
Some sense of duty, some desire to save."
She spoke, and vanish'd. Priam bids prepare
His gentle mules and harness to the car;
There, for the gifts, a polish'd casket lay:
His pious sons the king's command obey.
Then pass'd the monarch to his bridal-room,
Where cedar-beams the lofty roofs perfume,
And where the treasures of his empire lay;
Then call'd his queen, and thus began to say:
"Unhappy consort of a king distress'd!
Partake the troubles of thy husband's breast:
I saw descend the messenger of Jove,
Who bids me try Achilles' mind to move;
Forsake these ramparts, and with gifts obtain
The corse of Hector, at yon navy slain.
Tell me thy thought: my heart impels to go
Through hostile camps, and bears me to the foe."
The hoary monarch thus. Her piercing cries
Sad Hecuba renews, and then replies:
"Ah! whither wanders thy distemper'd mind?
And where the prudence now that awed mankind?
Through Phrygia once and foreign regions known;
Now all confused, distracted, overthrown!
Singly to pass through hosts of foes! to face
(O heart of steel!) the murderer of thy race!
To view that deathful eye, and wander o'er
Those hands yet red with Hector's noble gore!
Alas! my lord! he knows not how to spare.
And what his mercy, thy slain sons declare;
So brave! so many fallen! To claim his rage
Vain were thy dignity, and vain thy age.
No--pent in this sad palace, let us give
To grief the wretched days we have to live.
Still, still for Hector let our sorrows flow,
Born to his own, and to his parents' woe!
Doom'd from the hour his luckless life begun,
To dogs, to vultures, and to Peleus' son!
Oh! in his dearest blood might I allay
My rage, and these barbarities repay!
For ah! could Hector merit thus, whose breath
Expired not meanly, in unactive death?
He poured his latest blood in manly fight,
And fell a hero in his country's right."
"Seek not to stay me, nor my soul affright
With words of omen, like a bird of night,
(Replied unmoved the venerable man;)
'Tis heaven commands me, and you urge in vain.
Had any mortal voice the injunction laid,
Nor augur, priest, nor seer, had been obey'd.
A present goddess brought the high command,
I saw, I heard her, and the word shall stand.
I go, ye gods! obedient to your call:
If in yon camp your powers have doom'd my fall,
Content--By the same hand let me expire!
Add to the slaughter'd son the wretched sire!
One cold embrace at least may be allow'd,
And my last tears flow mingled with his blood!"
From forth his open'd stores, this said, he drew
Twelve costly carpets of refulgent hue,
As many vests, as many mantles told,
And twelve fair veils, and garments stiff with gold,
Two tripods next, and twice two chargers shine,
With ten pure talents from the richest mine;
And last a large well-labour'd bowl had place,
(The pledge of treaties once with friendly Thrace:)
Seem'd all too mean the stores he could employ,
For one last look to buy him back to Troy!
Lo! the sad father, frantic with his pain,
Around him furious drives his menial train:
In vain each slave with duteous care attends,
Each office hurts him, and each face offends.
"What make ye here, officious crowds! (he cries).
Hence! nor obtrude your anguish on my eyes.
Have ye no griefs at home, to fix ye there:
Am I the only object of despair?
Am I become my people's common show,
Set up by Jove your spectacle of woe?
No, you must feel him too; yourselves must fall;
The same stern god to ruin gives you all:
Nor is great Hector lost by me alone;
Your sole defence, your guardian power is gone!
I see your blood the fields of Phrygia drown,
I see the ruins of your smoking town!
O send me, gods! ere that sad day shall come,
A willing ghost to Pluto's dreary dome!"
He said, and feebly drives his friends away:
The sorrowing friends his frantic rage obey.
Next on his sons his erring fury falls,
Polites, Paris, Agathon, he calls;
His threats Deiphobus and Dius hear,
Hippothous, Pammon, Helenes the seer,
And generous Antiphon: for yet these nine
Survived, sad relics of his numerous line.
"Inglorious sons of an unhappy sire!
Why did not all in Hector's cause expire?
Wretch that I am! my bravest offspring slain.
You, the disgrace of Priam's house, remain!
Mestor the brave, renown'd in ranks of war,
With Troilus, dreadful on his rushing car,(293)
And last great Hector, more than man divine,
For sure he seem'd not of terrestrial line!
All those relentless Mars untimely slew,
And left me these, a soft and servile crew,
Whose days the feast and wanton dance employ,
Gluttons and flatterers, the contempt of Troy!
Why teach ye not my rapid wheels to run,
And speed my journey to redeem my son?"
The sons their father's wretched age revere,
Forgive his anger, and produce the car.
High on the seat the cabinet they bind:
The new-made car with solid beauty shined;
Box was the yoke, emboss'd with costly pains,
And hung with ringlets to receive the reins;
Nine cubits long, the traces swept the ground:
These to the chariot's polish'd pole they bound.
Then fix'd a ring the running reins to guide,
And close beneath the gather'd ends were tied.
Next with the gifts (the price of Hector slain)
The sad attendants load the groaning wain:
Last to the yoke the well-matched mules they bring,
(The gift of Mysia to the Trojan king.)
But the fair horses, long his darling care,
Himself received, and harness'd to his car:
Grieved as he was, he not this task denied;
The hoary herald help'd him, at his side.
While careful these the gentle coursers join'd,
Sad Hecuba approach'd with anxious mind;
A golden bowl that foam'd with fragrant wine,
(Libation destined to the power divine,)
Held in her right, before the steed she stands,
And thus consigns it to the monarch's hands:
"Take this, and pour to Jove; that safe from harms
His grace restore thee to our roof and arms.
Since victor of thy fears, and slighting mine,
Heaven, or thy soul, inspires this bold design;
Pray to that god, who high on Ida's brow
Surveys thy desolated realms below,
His winged messenger to send from high,
And lead thy way with heavenly augury:
Let the strong sovereign of the plumy race
Tower on the right of yon ethereal space.
That sign beheld, and strengthen'd from above,
Boldly pursue the journey mark'd by Jove:
But if the god his augury denies,
Suppress thy impulse, nor reject advice."
"'Tis just (said Priam) to the sire above
To raise our hands; for who so good as Jove?"
He spoke, and bade the attendant handmaid bring
The purest water of the living spring:
(Her ready hands the ewer and bason held:)
Then took the golden cup his queen had fill'd;
On the mid pavement pours the rosy wine,
Uplifts his eyes, and calls the power divine:
"O first and greatest! heaven's imperial lord!
On lofty Ida's holy hill adored!
To stern Achilles now direct my ways,
And teach him mercy when a father prays.
If such thy will, despatch from yonder sky
Thy sacred bird, celestial augury!
Let the strong sovereign of the plumy race
Tower on the right of yon ethereal space;
So shall thy suppliant, strengthen'd from above,
Fearless pursue the journey mark'd by Jove."
Jove heard his prayer, and from the throne on high,
Despatch'd his bird, celestial augury!
The swift-wing'd chaser of the feather'd game,
And known to gods by Percnos' lofty name.
Wide as appears some palace-gate display'd.
So broad, his pinions stretch'd their ample shade,
As stooping dexter with resounding wings
The imperial bird descends in airy rings.
A dawn of joy in every face appears:
The mourning matron dries her timorous tears:
Swift on his car the impatient monarch sprung;
The brazen portal in his passage rung;
The mules preceding draw the loaded wain,
Charged with the gifts: Idaeus holds the rein:
The king himself his gentle steeds controls,
And through surrounding friends the chariot rolls.
On his slow wheels the following people wait,
Mourn at each step, and give him up to fate;
With hands uplifted eye him as he pass'd,
And gaze upon him as they gazed their last.
Now forward fares the father on his way,
Through the lone fields, and back to Ilion they.
Great Jove beheld him as he cross'd the plain,
And felt the woes of miserable man.
Then thus to Hermes: "Thou whose constant cares
Still succour mortals, and attend their prayers;
Behold an object to thy charge consign'd:
If ever pity touch'd thee for mankind,
Go, guard the sire: the observing foe prevent,
And safe conduct him to Achilles' tent."
The god obeys, his golden pinions binds,(294)
And mounts incumbent on the wings of winds,
That high, through fields of air, his flight sustain,
O'er the wide earth, and o'er the boundless main;
Then grasps the wand that causes sleep to fly,
Or in soft slumbers seals the wakeful eye:
Thus arm'd, swift Hermes steers his airy way,
And stoops on Hellespont's resounding sea.
A beauteous youth, majestic and divine,
He seem'd; fair offspring of some princely line!
Now twilight veil'd the glaring face of day,
And clad the dusky fields in sober grey;
What time the herald and the hoary king
(Their chariots stopping at the silver spring,
That circling Ilus' ancient marble flows)
Allow'd their mules and steeds a short repose,
Through the dim shade the herald first espies
A man's approach, and thus to Priam cries:
"I mark some foe's advance: O king! beware;
This hard adventure claims thy utmost care!
For much I fear destruction hovers nigh:
Our state asks counsel; is it best to fly?
Or old and helpless, at his feet to fall,
Two wretched suppliants, and for mercy call?"
The afflicted monarch shiver'd with despair;
Pale grew his face, and upright stood his hair;
Sunk was his heart; his colour went and came;
A sudden trembling shook his aged frame:
When Hermes, greeting, touch'd his royal hand,
And, gentle, thus accosts with kind demand:
"Say whither, father! when each mortal sight
Is seal'd in sleep, thou wanderest through the night?
Why roam thy mules and steeds the plains along,
Through Grecian foes, so numerous and so strong?
What couldst thou hope, should these thy treasures view;
These, who with endless hate thy race pursue?
For what defence, alas! could'st thou provide;
Thyself not young, a weak old man thy guide?
Yet suffer not thy soul to sink with dread;
From me no harm shall touch thy reverend head;
From Greece I'll guard thee too; for in those lines
The living image of my father shines."
"Thy words, that speak benevolence of mind,
Are true, my son! (the godlike sire rejoin'd:)
Great are my hazards; but the gods survey
My steps, and send thee, guardian of my way.
Hail, and be bless'd! For scarce of mortal kind
Appear thy form, thy feature, and thy mind."
"Nor true are all thy words, nor erring wide;
(The sacred messenger of heaven replied;)
But say, convey'st thou through the lonely plains
What yet most precious of thy store remains,
To lodge in safety with some friendly hand:
Prepared, perchance, to leave thy native land?
Or fliest thou now?--What hopes can Troy retain,
Thy matchless son, her guard and glory, slain?"
The king, alarm'd: "Say what, and whence thou art
Who search the sorrows of a parent's heart,
And know so well how godlike Hector died?"
Thus Priam spoke, and Hermes thus replied:
"You tempt me, father, and with pity touch:
On this sad subject you inquire too much.
Oft have these eyes that godlike Hector view'd
In glorious fight, with Grecian blood embrued:
I saw him when, like Jove, his flames he toss'd
On thousand ships, and wither'd half a host:
I saw, but help'd not: stern Achilles' ire
Forbade assistance, and enjoy'd the fire.
For him I serve, of Myrmidonian race;
One ship convey'd us from our native place;
Polyctor is my sire, an honour'd name,
Old like thyself, and not unknown to fame;
Of seven his sons, by whom the lot was cast
To serve our prince, it fell on me, the last.
To watch this quarter, my adventure falls:
For with the morn the Greeks attack your walls;
Sleepless they sit, impatient to engage,
And scarce their rulers check their martial rage."
"If then thou art of stern Pelides' train,
(The mournful monarch thus rejoin'd again,)
Ah tell me truly, where, oh! where are laid
My son's dear relics? what befals him dead?
Have dogs dismember'd (on the naked plains),
Or yet unmangled rest, his cold remains?"
"O favour'd of the skies! (thus answered then
The power that mediates between god and men)
Nor dogs nor vultures have thy Hector rent,
But whole he lies, neglected in the tent:
This the twelfth evening since he rested there,
Untouch'd by worms, untainted by the air.
Still as Aurora's ruddy beam is spread,
Round his friend's tomb Achilles drags the dead:
Yet undisfigured, or in limb or face,
All fresh he lies, with every living grace,
Majestical in death! No stains are found
O'er all the corse, and closed is every wound,
Though many a wound they gave. Some heavenly care,
Some hand divine, preserves him ever fair:
Or all the host of heaven, to whom he led
A life so grateful, still regard him dead."
Thus spoke to Priam the celestial guide,
And joyful thus the royal sire replied:
"Blest is the man who pays the gods above
The constant tribute of respect and love!
Those who inhabit the Olympian bower
My son forgot not, in exalted power;
And heaven, that every virtue bears in mind,
Even to the ashes of the just is kind.
But thou, O generous youth! this goblet take,
A pledge of gratitude for Hector's sake;
And while the favouring gods our steps survey,
Safe to Pelides' tent conduct my way."
To whom the latent god: "O king, forbear
To tempt my youth, for apt is youth to err.
But can I, absent from my prince's sight,
Take gifts in secret, that must shun the light?
What from our master's interest thus we draw,
Is but a licensed theft that 'scapes the law.
Respecting him, my soul abjures the offence;
And as the crime, I dread the consequence.
Thee, far as Argos, pleased I could convey;
Guard of thy life, and partner of thy way:
On thee attend, thy safety to maintain,
O'er pathless forests, or the roaring main."
He said, then took the chariot at a bound,
And snatch'd the reins, and whirl'd the lash around:
Before the inspiring god that urged them on,
The coursers fly with spirit not their own.
And now they reach'd the naval walls, and found
The guards repasting, while the bowls go round;
On these the virtue of his wand he tries,
And pours deep slumber on their watchful eyes:
Then heaved the massy gates, removed the bars,
And o'er the trenches led the rolling cars.
Unseen, through all the hostile camp they went,
And now approach'd Pelides' lofty tent.
On firs the roof was raised, and cover'd o'er
With reeds collected from the marshy shore;
And, fenced with palisades, a hall of state,
(The work of soldiers,) where the hero sat.
Large was the door, whose well-compacted strength
A solid pine-tree barr'd of wondrous length:
Scarce three strong Greeks could lift its mighty weight,
But great Achilles singly closed the gate.
This Hermes (such the power of gods) set wide;
Then swift alighted the celestial guide,
And thus reveal'd--"Hear, prince! and understand
Thou ow'st thy guidance to no mortal hand:
Hermes I am, descended from above,
The king of arts, the messenger of Jove,
Farewell: to shun Achilles' sight I fly;
Uncommon are such favours of the sky,
Nor stand confess'd to frail mortality.
Now fearless enter, and prefer thy prayers;
Adjure him by his father's silver hairs,
His son, his mother! urge him to bestow
Whatever pity that stern heart can know."
Thus having said, he vanish'd from his eyes,
And in a moment shot into the skies:
The king, confirm'd from heaven, alighted there,
And left his aged herald on the car,
With solemn pace through various rooms he went,
And found Achilles in his inner tent:
There sat the hero: Alcimus the brave,
And great Automedon, attendance gave:
These served his person at the royal feast;
Around, at awful distance, stood the rest.
Unseen by these, the king his entry made:
And, prostrate now before Achilles laid,
Sudden (a venerable sight!) appears;
Embraced his knees, and bathed his hands in tears;
Those direful hands his kisses press'd, embrued
Even with the best, the dearest of his blood!
As when a wretch (who, conscious of his crime,
Pursued for murder, flies his native clime)
Just gains some frontier, breathless, pale, amazed,
All gaze, all wonder: thus Achilles gazed:
Thus stood the attendants stupid with surprise:
All mute, yet seem'd to question with their eyes:
Each look'd on other, none the silence broke,
Till thus at last the kingly suppliant spoke:
"Ah think, thou favour'd of the powers divine!(295)
Think of thy father's age, and pity mine!
In me that father's reverend image trace,
Those silver hairs, that venerable face;
His trembling limbs, his helpless person, see!
In all my equal, but in misery!
Yet now, perhaps, some turn of human fate
Expels him helpless from his peaceful state;
Think, from some powerful foe thou seest him fly,
And beg protection with a feeble cry.
Yet still one comfort in his soul may rise;
He hears his son still lives to glad his eyes,
And, hearing, still may hope a better day
May send him thee, to chase that foe away.
No comfort to my griefs, no hopes remain,
The best, the bravest, of my sons are slain!
Yet what a race! ere Greece to Ilion came,
The pledge of many a loved and loving dame:
Nineteen one mother bore--Dead, all are dead!
How oft, alas! has wretched Priam bled!
Still one was left their loss to recompense;
His father's hope, his country's last defence.
Him too thy rage has slain! beneath thy steel,
Unhappy in his country's cause he fell!
"For him through hostile camps I bent my way,
For him thus prostrate at thy feet I lay;
Large gifts proportion'd to thy wrath I bear;
O hear the wretched, and the gods revere!
"Think of thy father, and this face behold!
See him in me, as helpless and as old!
Though not so wretched: there he yields to me,
The first of men in sovereign misery!
Thus forced to kneel, thus grovelling to embrace
The scourge and ruin of my realm and race;
Suppliant my children's murderer to implore,
And kiss those hands yet reeking with their gore!"
These words soft pity in the chief inspire,
Touch'd with the dear remembrance of his sire.
Then with his hand (as prostrate still he lay)
The old man's cheek he gently turn'd away.
Now each by turns indulged the gush of woe;
And now the mingled tides together flow:
This low on earth, that gently bending o'er;
A father one, and one a son deplore:
But great Achilles different passions rend,
And now his sire he mourns, and now his friend.
The infectious softness through the heroes ran;
One universal solemn shower began;
They bore as heroes, but they felt as man.
Satiate at length with unavailing woes,
From the high throne divine Achilles rose;
The reverend monarch by the hand he raised;
On his white beard and form majestic gazed,
Not unrelenting; then serene began
With words to soothe the miserable man:
"Alas, what weight of anguish hast thou known,
Unhappy prince! thus guardless and alone
Two pass through foes, and thus undaunted face
The man whose fury has destroy'd thy race!
Heaven sure has arm'd thee with a heart of steel,
A strength proportion'd to the woes you feel.
Rise, then: let reason mitigate your care:
To mourn avails not: man is born to bear.
Such is, alas! the gods' severe decree:
They, only they are blest, and only free.
Two urns by Jove's high throne have ever stood,
The source of evil one, and one of good;
From thence the cup of mortal man he fills,
Blessings to these, to those distributes ill;
To most he mingles both: the wretch decreed
To taste the bad unmix'd, is cursed indeed;
Pursued by wrongs, by meagre famine driven,
He wanders, outcast both of earth and heaven.
The happiest taste not happiness sincere;
But find the cordial draught is dash'd with care.
Who more than Peleus shone in wealth and power
What stars concurring bless'd his natal hour!
A realm, a goddess, to his wishes given;
Graced by the gods with all the gifts of heaven.
One evil yet o'ertakes his latest day:
No race succeeding to imperial sway;
An only son; and he, alas! ordain'd
To fall untimely in a foreign land.
See him, in Troy, the pious care decline
Of his weak age, to live the curse of thine!
Thou too, old man, hast happier days beheld;
In riches once, in children once excell'd;
Extended Phrygia own'd thy ample reign,
And all fair Lesbos' blissful seats contain,
And all wide Hellespont's unmeasured main.
But since the god his hand has pleased to turn,
And fill thy measure from his bitter urn,
What sees the sun, but hapless heroes' falls?
War, and the blood of men, surround thy walls!
What must be, must be. Bear thy lot, nor shed
These unavailing sorrows o'er the dead;
Thou canst not call him from the Stygian shore,
But thou, alas! may'st live to suffer more!"
To whom the king: "O favour'd of the skies!
Here let me grow to earth! since Hector lies
On the bare beach deprived of obsequies.
O give me Hector! to my eyes restore
His corse, and take the gifts: I ask no more.
Thou, as thou may'st, these boundless stores enjoy;
Safe may'st thou sail, and turn thy wrath from Troy;
So shall thy pity and forbearance give
A weak old man to see the light and live!"
"Move me no more, (Achilles thus replies,
While kindling anger sparkled in his eyes,)
Nor seek by tears my steady soul to bend:
To yield thy Hector I myself intend:
For know, from Jove my goddess-mother came,
(Old Ocean's daughter, silver-footed dame,)
Nor comest thou but by heaven; nor comest alone,
Some god impels with courage not thy own:
No human hand the weighty gates unbarr'd,
Nor could the boldest of our youth have dared
To pass our outworks, or elude the guard.
Cease; lest, neglectful of high Jove's command,
I show thee, king! thou tread'st on hostile land;
Release my knees, thy suppliant arts give o'er,
And shake the purpose of my soul no more."
The sire obey'd him, trembling and o'eraw'd.
Achilles, like a lion, rush'd abroad:
Automedon and Alcimus attend,
(Whom most he honour'd, since he lost his friend,)
These to unyoke the mules and horses went,
And led the hoary herald to the tent;
Next, heap'd on high, the numerous presents bear,
(Great Hector's ransom,) from the polish'd car.
Two splendid mantles, and a carpet spread,
They leave: to cover and enwrap the dead.
Then call the handmaids, with assistant toil
To wash the body and anoint with oil,
Apart from Priam: lest the unhappy sire,
Provoked to passion, once more rouse to ire
The stern Pelides; and nor sacred age,
Nor Jove's command, should check the rising rage.
This done, the garments o'er the corse they spread;
Achilles lifts it to the funeral bed:
Then, while the body on the car they laid,
He groans, and calls on loved Patroclus' shade:
"If, in that gloom which never light must know,
The deeds of mortals touch the ghosts below,
O friend! forgive me, that I thus fulfil
(Restoring Hector) heaven's unquestion'd will.
The gifts the father gave, be ever thine,
To grace thy manes, and adorn thy shrine."(296)
He said, and, entering, took his seat of state;
Where full before him reverend Priam sate;
To whom, composed, the godlike chief begun:
"Lo! to thy prayer restored, thy breathless son;
Extended on the funeral couch he lies;
And soon as morning paints the eastern skies,
The sight is granted to thy longing eyes:
But now the peaceful hours of sacred night
Demand reflection, and to rest invite:
Nor thou, O father! thus consumed with woe,
The common cares that nourish life forego.
Not thus did Niobe, of form divine,
A parent once, whose sorrows equall'd thine:
Six youthful sons, as many blooming maids,
In one sad day beheld the Stygian shades;
Those by Apollo's silver bow were slain,
These, Cynthia's arrows stretch'd upon the plain:
So was her pride chastised by wrath divine,
Who match'd her own with bright Latona's line;
But two the goddess, twelve the queen enjoy'd;
Those boasted twelve, the avenging two destroy'd.
Steep'd in their blood, and in the dust outspread,
Nine days, neglected, lay exposed the dead;
None by to weep them, to inhume them none;
(For Jove had turn'd the nation all to stone.)
The gods themselves, at length relenting gave
The unhappy race the honours of a grave.
Herself a rock (for such was heaven's high will)
Through deserts wild now pours a weeping rill;
Where round the bed whence Achelous springs,
The watery fairies dance in mazy rings;
There high on Sipylus's shaggy brow,
She stands, her own sad monument of woe;
The rock for ever lasts, the tears for ever flow.
"Such griefs, O king! have other parents known;
Remember theirs, and mitigate thy own.
The care of heaven thy Hector has appear'd,
Nor shall he lie unwept, and uninterr'd;
Soon may thy aged cheeks in tears be drown'd,
And all the eyes of Ilion stream around."
He said, and, rising, chose the victim ewe
With silver fleece, which his attendants slew.
The limbs they sever from the reeking hide,
With skill prepare them, and in parts divide:
Each on the coals the separate morsels lays,
And, hasty, snatches from the rising blaze.
With bread the glittering canisters they load,
Which round the board Automedon bestow'd.
The chief himself to each his portion placed,
And each indulging shared in sweet repast.
When now the rage of hunger was repress'd,
The wondering hero eyes his royal guest:
No less the royal guest the hero eyes,
His godlike aspect and majestic size;
Here, youthful grace and noble fire engage;
And there, the mild benevolence of age.
Thus gazing long, the silence neither broke,
(A solemn scene!) at length the father spoke:
"Permit me now, beloved of Jove! to steep
My careful temples in the dew of sleep:
For, since the day that number'd with the dead
My hapless son, the dust has been my bed;
Soft sleep a stranger to my weeping eyes;
My only food, my sorrows and my sighs!
Till now, encouraged by the grace you give,
I share thy banquet, and consent to live."
With that, Achilles bade prepare the bed,
With purple soft and shaggy carpets spread;
Forth, by the flaming lights, they bend their way,
And place the couches, and the coverings lay.
Then he: "Now, father, sleep, but sleep not here;
Consult thy safety, and forgive my fear,
Lest any Argive, at this hour awake,
To ask our counsel, or our orders take,
Approaching sudden to our open'd tent,
Perchance behold thee, and our grace prevent.
Should such report thy honour'd person here,
The king of men the ransom might defer;
But say with speed, if aught of thy desire
Remains unask'd; what time the rites require
To inter thy Hector? For, so long we stay
Our slaughtering arm, and bid the hosts obey."
"If then thy will permit (the monarch said)
To finish all due honours to the dead,
This of thy grace accord: to thee are known
The fears of Ilion, closed within her town;
And at what distance from our walls aspire
The hills of Ide, and forests for the fire.
Nine days to vent our sorrows I request,
The tenth shall see the funeral and the feast;
The next, to raise his monument be given;
The twelfth we war, if war be doom'd by heaven!"
"This thy request (replied the chief) enjoy:
Till then our arms suspend the fall of Troy."
Then gave his hand at parting, to prevent
The old man's fears, and turn'd within the tent;
Where fair Briseis, bright in blooming charms,
Expects her hero with desiring arms.
But in the porch the king and herald rest;
Sad dreams of care yet wandering in their breast.
Now gods and men the gifts of sleep partake;
Industrious Hermes only was awake,
The king's return revolving in his mind,
To pass the ramparts, and the watch to blind.
The power descending hover'd o'er his head:
"And sleep'st thou, father! (thus the vision said:)
Now dost thou sleep, when Hector is restored?
Nor fear the Grecian foes, or Grecian lord?
Thy presence here should stern Atrides see,
Thy still surviving sons may sue for thee;
May offer all thy treasures yet contain,
To spare thy age; and offer all in vain."
Waked with the word the trembling sire arose,
And raised his friend: the god before him goes:
He joins the mules, directs them with his hand,
And moves in silence through the hostile land.
When now to Xanthus' yellow stream they drove,
(Xanthus, immortal progeny of Jove,)
The winged deity forsook their view,
And in a moment to Olympus flew.
Now shed Aurora round her saffron ray,
Sprang through the gates of light, and gave the day:
Charged with the mournful load, to Ilion go
The sage and king, majestically slow.
Cassandra first beholds, from Ilion's spire,
The sad procession of her hoary sire;
Then, as the pensive pomp advanced more near,
(Her breathless brother stretched upon the bier,)
A shower of tears o'erflows her beauteous eyes,
Alarming thus all Ilion with her cries:
"Turn here your steps, and here your eyes employ,
Ye wretched daughters, and ye sons of Troy!
If e'er ye rush'd in crowds, with vast delight,
To hail your hero glorious from the fight,
Now meet him dead, and let your sorrows flow;
Your common triumph, and your common woe."
In thronging crowds they issue to the plains;
Nor man nor woman in the walls remains;
In every face the self-same grief is shown;
And Troy sends forth one universal groan.
At Scaea's gates they meet the mourning wain,
Hang on the wheels, and grovel round the slain.
The wife and mother, frantic with despair,
Kiss his pale cheek, and rend their scatter'd hair:
Thus wildly wailing, at the gates they lay;
And there had sigh'd and sorrow'd out the day;
But godlike Priam from the chariot rose:
"Forbear (he cried) this violence of woes;
First to the palace let the car proceed,
Then pour your boundless sorrows o'er the dead."
The waves of people at his word divide,
Slow rolls the chariot through the following tide;
Even to the palace the sad pomp they wait:
They weep, and place him on the bed of state.
A melancholy choir attend around,
With plaintive sighs, and music's solemn sound:
Alternately they sing, alternate flow
The obedient tears, melodious in their woe.
While deeper sorrows groan from each full heart,
And nature speaks at every pause of art.
First to the corse the weeping consort flew;
Around his neck her milk-white arms she threw,
"And oh, my Hector! Oh, my lord! (she cries)
Snatch'd in thy bloom from these desiring eyes!
Thou to the dismal realms for ever gone!
And I abandon'd, desolate, alone!
An only son, once comfort of our pains,
Sad product now of hapless love, remains!
Never to manly age that son shall rise,
Or with increasing graces glad my eyes:
For Ilion now (her great defender slain)
Shall sink a smoking ruin on the plain.
Who now protects her wives with guardian care?
Who saves her infants from the rage of war?
Now hostile fleets must waft those infants o'er
(Those wives must wait them) to a foreign shore:
Thou too, my son, to barbarous climes shall go,
The sad companion of thy mother's woe;
Driven hence a slave before the victor's sword
Condemn'd to toil for some inhuman lord:
Or else some Greek whose father press'd the plain,
Or son, or brother, by great Hector slain,
In Hector's blood his vengeance shall enjoy,
And hurl thee headlong from the towers of Troy.(297)
For thy stern father never spared a foe:
Thence all these tears, and all this scene of woe!
Thence many evils his sad parents bore,
His parents many, but his consort more.
Why gav'st thou not to me thy dying hand?
And why received not I thy last command?
Some word thou would'st have spoke, which, sadly dear,
My soul might keep, or utter with a tear;
Which never, never could be lost in air,
Fix'd in my heart, and oft repeated there!"
Thus to her weeping maids she makes her moan,
Her weeping handmaids echo groan for groan.
The mournful mother next sustains her part:
"O thou, the best, the dearest to my heart!
Of all my race thou most by heaven approved,
And by the immortals even in death beloved!
While all my other sons in barbarous bands
Achilles bound, and sold to foreign lands,
This felt no chains, but went a glorious ghost,
Free, and a hero, to the Stygian coast.
Sentenced, 'tis true, by his inhuman doom,
Thy noble corse was dragg'd around the tomb;
(The tomb of him thy warlike arm had slain;)
Ungenerous insult, impotent and vain!
Yet glow'st thou fresh with every living grace;
No mark of pain, or violence of face:
Rosy and fair! as Phoebus' silver bow
Dismiss'd thee gently to the shades below."
Thus spoke the dame, and melted into tears.
Sad Helen next in pomp of grief appears;
Fast from the shining sluices of her eyes
Fall the round crystal drops, while thus she cries.
"Ah, dearest friend! in whom the gods had join'd(298)
Tne mildest manners with the bravest mind,
Now twice ten years (unhappy years) are o'er
Since Paris brought me to the Trojan shore,
(O had I perish'd, ere that form divine
Seduced this soft, this easy heart of mine!)
Yet was it ne'er my fate, from thee to find
A deed ungentle, or a word unkind.
When others cursed the authoress of their woe,
Thy pity check'd my sorrows in their flow.
If some proud brother eyed me with disdain,
Or scornful sister with her sweeping train,
Thy gentle accents soften'd all my pain.
For thee I mourn, and mourn myself in thee,
The wretched source of all this misery.
The fate I caused, for ever I bemoan;
Sad Helen has no friend, now thou art gone!
Through Troy's wide streets abandon'd shall I roam!
In Troy deserted, as abhorr'd at home!"
So spoke the fair, with sorrow-streaming eye.
Distressful beauty melts each stander-by.
On all around the infectious sorrow grows;
But Priam check'd the torrent as it rose:
"Perform, ye Trojans! what the rites require,
And fell the forests for a funeral pyre;
Twelve days, nor foes nor secret ambush dread;
Achilles grants these honours to the dead."(299)
[Illustration: FUNERAL OF HECTOR.]
FUNERAL OF HECTOR.
He spoke, and, at his word, the Trojan train
Their mules and oxen harness to the wain,
Pour through the gates, and fell'd from Ida's crown,
Roll back the gather'd forests to the town.
These toils continue nine succeeding days,
And high in air a sylvan structure raise.
But when the tenth fair morn began to shine,
Forth to the pile was borne the man divine,
And placed aloft; while all, with streaming eyes,
Beheld the flames and rolling smokes arise.
Soon as Aurora, daughter of the dawn,
With rosy lustre streak'd the dewy lawn,
Again the mournful crowds surround the pyre,
And quench with wine the yet remaining fire.
The snowy bones his friends and brothers place
(With tears collected) in a golden vase;
The golden vase in purple palls they roll'd,
Of softest texture, and inwrought with gold.
Last o'er the urn the sacred earth they spread,
And raised the tomb, memorial of the dead.
(Strong guards and spies, till all the rites were done,
Watch'd from the rising to the setting sun.)
All Troy then moves to Priam's court again,
A solemn, silent, melancholy train:
Assembled there, from pious toil they rest,
And sadly shared the last sepulchral feast.
Such honours Ilion to her hero paid,
And peaceful slept the mighty Hector's shade.(300) |
|