第 14 节
作者:希望之舟      更新:2021-02-19 01:13      字数:9322
  of Priam!  Where is Diomede; where is Achilles; where is Aias;
  that; men say; are your bravest?  Will none of them stand before my
  spear?〃  Then she charged again; at the head of the Household of
  Priam; brothers and kinsmen of Hector; and where they came the
  Greeks fell like yellow leaves before the wind of autumn。  The
  white horse that Penthesilea rode; a gift from the wife of the
  North Wind; flashed like lightning through a dark cloud among the
  companies of the Greeks; and the chariots that followed the charge
  of the Amazon rocked as they swept over the bodies of the slain。
  Then the old Trojans; watching from the walls; cried:  〃This is no
  mortal maiden but a Goddess; and to…day she will burn the ships of
  the Greeks; and they will all perish in Troyland; and see Greece
  never more again。〃
  Now it so was that Aias and Achilles had not heard the din and the
  cry of war; for both had gone to weep over the great new grave of
  Patroclus。  Penthesilea and the Trojans had driven back the Greeks
  within their ditch; and they were hiding here and there among the
  ships; and torches were blazing in men's hands to burn the ships;
  as in the day of the valour of Hector:  when Aias heard the din of
  battle; and called to Achilles to make speed towards the ships。
  So they ran swiftly to their huts; and armed themselves; and Aias
  fell smiting and slaying upon the Trojans; but Achilles slew five
  of the bodyguard of Penthesilea。  She; beholding her maidens
  fallen; rode straight against Aias and Achilles; like a dove
  defying two falcons; and cast her spear; but it fell back blunted
  from the glorious shield that the God had made for the son of
  Peleus。  Then she threw another spear at Aias; crying; 〃I am the
  daughter of the God of War;〃 but his armour kept out the spear; and
  he and Achilles laughed aloud。  Aias paid no more heed to the
  Amazon; but rushed against the Trojan men; while Achilles raised
  the heavy spear that none but he could throw; and drove it down
  through breastplate and breast of Penthesilea; yet still her hand
  grasped her sword…hilt。  But; ere she could draw her sword;
  Achilles speared her horse; and horse and rider fell; and died in
  their fall。
  There lay fair Penthesilea in the dust; like a tall poplar tree
  that the wind has overthrown; and her helmet fell; and the Greeks
  who gathered round marvelled to see her lie so beautiful in death;
  like Artemis; the Goddess of the Woods; when she sleeps alone;
  weary with hunting on the hills。  Then the heart of Achilles was
  pierced with pity and sorrow; thinking how she might have been his
  wife in his own country; had he spared her; but he was never to see
  pleasant Phthia; his native land; again。  So Achilles stood and
  wept over Penthesilea dead。
  Now the Greeks; in pity and sorrow; held their hands; and did not
  pursue the Trojans who had fled; nor did they strip the armour from
  Penthesilea and her twelve maidens; but laid the bodies on biers;
  and sent them back in peace to Priam。  Then the Trojans burned
  Penthesilea in the midst of her dead maidens; on a great pile of
  dry wood; and placed their ashes in a golden casket; and buried
  them all in the great hill…grave of Laomedon; an ancient King of
  Troy; while the Greeks with lamentation buried them whom the Amazon
  had slain。
  The old men of Troy and the chiefs now held a council; and Priam
  said that they must not yet despair; for; if they had lost many of
  their bravest warriors; many of the Greeks had also fallen。  Their
  best plan was to fight only with arrows from the walls and towers;
  till King Memnon came to their rescue with a great army of
  Aethiopes。  Now Memnon was the son of the bright Dawn; a beautiful
  Goddess who had loved and married a mortal man; Tithonus。  She had
  asked Zeus; the chief of the Gods; to make her lover immortal; and
  her prayer was granted。  Tithonus could not die; but he began to
  grow grey; and then white haired; with a long white beard; and very
  weak; till nothing of him seemed to be left but his voice; always
  feebly chattering like the grasshoppers on a summer day。
  Memnon was the most beautiful of men; except Paris and Achilles;
  and his home was in a country that borders on the land of
  sunrising。  There he was reared by the lily maidens called
  Hesperides; till he came to his full strength; and commanded the
  whole army of the Aethiopes。  For their arrival Priam wished to
  wait; but Polydamas advised that the Trojans should give back Helen
  to the Greeks; with jewels twice as valuable as those which she had
  brought from the house of Menelaus。  Then Paris was very angry; and
  said that Polydamas was a coward; for it was little to Paris that
  Troy should be taken and burned in a month if for a month he could
  keep Helen of the fair hands。
  At length Memnon came; leading a great army of men who had nothing
  white about them but the teeth; so fiercely the sun burned on them
  in their own country。  The Trojans had all the more hopes of Memnon
  because; on his long journey from the land of sunrising; and the
  river Oceanus that girdles the round world; he had been obliged to
  cross the country of the Solymi。  Now the Solymi were the fiercest
  of men and rose up against Memnon; but he and his army fought them
  for a whole day; and defeated them; and drove them to the hills。
  When Memnon came; Priam gave him a great cup of gold; full of wine
  to the brim; and Memnon drank the wine at one draught。  But he did
  not make great boasts of what he could do; like poor Penthesilea;
  〃for;〃 said he; 〃whether I am a good man at arms will be known in
  battle; where the strength of men is tried。  So now let us turn to
  sleep; for to wake and drink wine all through the night is an ill
  beginning of war。〃
  Then Priam praised his wisdom; and all men betook them to bed; but
  the bright Dawn rose unwillingly next day; to throw light on the
  battle where her son was to risk his fife。  Then Memnon led out the
  dark clouds of his men into the plain; and the Greeks foreboded
  evil when they saw so great a new army of fresh and unwearied
  warriors; but Achilles; leading them in his shining armour; gave
  them courage。  Memnon fell upon the left wing of the Greeks; and on
  the men of Nestor; and first he slew Ereuthus; and then attacked
  Nestor's young son; Antilochus; who; now that Patroclus had fallen;
  was the dearest friend of Achilles。  On him Memnon leaped; like a
  lion on a kid; but Antilochus lifted a huge stone from the plain; a
  pillar that had been set on the tomb of some great warrior long
  ago; and the stone smote full on the helmet of Memnon; who reeled
  beneath the stroke。  But Memnon seized his heavy spear; and drove
  it through shield and corselet of Antilochus; even into his heart;
  and he fell and died beneath his father's eyes。  Then Nestor in
  great sorrow and anger strode across the body of Antilochus and
  called to his other son; Thrasymedes; 〃Come and drive afar this man
  that has slain thy brother; for if fear be in thy heart thou art no
  son of mine; nor of the race of Periclymenus; who stood up in
  battle even against the strong man Heracles!〃
  But Memnon was too strong for Thrasymedes; and drove him off; while
  old Nestor himself charged sword in hand; though Memnon bade him
  begone; for he was not minded to strike so aged a man; and Nestor
  drew back; for he was weak with age。  Then Memnon and his army
  charged the Greeks; slaying and stripping the dead。  But Nestor had
  mounted his chariot and driven to Achilles; weeping; and imploring
  him to come swiftly and save the body of Antilochus; and he sped to
  meet Memnon; who lifted a great stone; the landmark of a field; and
  drove it against the shield of the son of Peleus。  But Achilles was
  not shaken by the blow; he ran forward; and wounded Memnon over the
  rim of his shield。  Yet wounded as he was Memnon fought on and
  struck his spear through the arm of Achilles; for the Greeks fought
  with no sleeves of bronze to protect their arms。
  Then Achilles drew his great sword; and flew on Memnon; and with
  sword…strokes they lashed at each other on shield and helmet; and
  the long horsehair crests of the helmets were shorn off; and flew
  down the wind; and their shields rang terribly beneath the sword
  strokes。  They thrust at each others' throats between shield and
  visor of the helmet; they smote at knee; and thrust at breast; and
  the armour rang about their bodies; and the dust from beneath their
  feet rose up in a cloud around them; like mist round the falls of a
  great river in flood。  So they fought; neither of them yielding a
  step; till Achilles made so rapid a thrust that Memnon could not
  parry it; and the bronze sword passed clean through his body
  beneath the breast…bone; and he fell; and his armour clashed as he
  fell。
  Then Achilles; wounded as he was and weak from loss of blood; did
  not stay to strip the golden armour of Memnon; but shouted his
  warcry; and pressed on; for he hoped to enter the gate of Troy with
  the fleeing Trojans; and all the Greeks followed after him。  So
  they pursued; slaying as they went; and the Scaean gate was choked
  with the crowd of men; pursuing and pursued。  In that hour would
  the Greeks have entered Troy; and burned the city; and taken the
  women captive