第 20 节
作者:美丽心点      更新:2021-02-21 16:08      字数:9322
  even their great champion Achilles; son of a goddess though he be;
  as we do this man: his rage is beyond all bounds; and there is none
  can vie with him in prowess〃
  Hector did as his brother bade him。 He sprang from his chariot;
  and went about everywhere among the host; brandishing his spears;
  urging the men on to fight; and raising the dread cry of battle。
  Thereon they rallied and again faced the Achaeans; who gave ground and
  ceased their murderous onset; for they deemed that some one of the
  immortals had come down from starry heaven to help the Trojans; so
  strangely had they rallied。 And Hector shouted to the Trojans;
  〃Trojans and allies; be men; my friends; and fight with might and
  main; while I go to Ilius and tell the old men of our council and
  our wives to pray to the gods and vow hecatombs in their honour。〃
  With this he went his way; and the black rim of hide that went round
  his shield beat against his neck and his ancles。
  Then Glaucus son of Hippolochus; and the son of Tydeus went into the
  open space between the hosts to fight in single combat。 When they were
  close up to one another Diomed of the loud war…cry was the first to
  speak。 〃Who; my good sir;〃 said he; 〃who are you among men? I have
  never seen you in battle until now; but you are daring beyond all
  others if you abide my onset。 Woe to those fathers whose sons face
  my might。 If; however; you are one of the immortals and have come down
  from heaven; I will not fight you; for even valiant Lycurgus; son of
  Dryas; did not live long when he took to fighting with the gods。 He it
  was that drove the nursing women who were in charge of frenzied
  Bacchus through the land of Nysa; and they flung their thyrsi on the
  ground as murderous Lycurgus beat them with his oxgoad。 Bacchus
  himself plunged terror…stricken into the sea; and Thetis took him to
  her bosom to comfort him; for he was scared by the fury with which the
  man reviled him。 Thereon the gods who live at ease were angry with
  Lycurgus and the son of Saturn struck him blind; nor did he live
  much longer after he had become hateful to the immortals。 Therefore
  I will not fight with the blessed gods; but if you are of them that
  eat the fruit of the ground; draw near and meet your doom。〃
  And the son of Hippolochus answered; son of Tydeus; why ask me of my
  lineage? Men come and go as leaves year by year upon the trees。
  Those of autumn the wind sheds upon the ground; but when spring
  returns the forest buds forth with fresh vines。 Even so is it with the
  generations of mankind; the new spring up as the old are passing away。
  If; then; you would learn my descent; it is one that is well known
  to many。 There is a city in the heart of Argos; pasture land of
  horses; called Ephyra; where Sisyphus lived; who was the craftiest
  of all mankind。 He was the son of Aeolus; and had a son named Glaucus;
  who was father to Bellerophon; whom heaven endowed with the most
  surpassing comeliness and beauty。 But Proetus devised his ruin; and
  being stronger than he; drove him from the land of the Argives; over
  which Jove had made him ruler。 For Antea; wife of Proetus; lusted
  after him; and would have had him lie with her in secret; but
  Bellerophon was an honourable man and would not; so she told lies
  about him to Proteus。 'Proetus;' said she; 'kill Bellerophon or die;
  for he would have had converse with me against my will。' The king
  was angered; but shrank from killing Bellerophon; so he sent him to
  Lycia with lying letters of introduction; written on a folded
  tablet; and containing much ill against the bearer。 He bade
  Bellerophon show these letters to his father…in…law; to the end that
  he might thus perish; Bellerophon therefore went to Lycia; and the
  gods convoyed him safely。
  〃When he reached the river Xanthus; which is in Lycia; the king
  received him with all goodwill; feasted him nine days; and killed nine
  heifers in his honour; but when rosy…fingered morning appeared upon
  the tenth day; he questioned him and desired to see the letter from
  his son…in…law Proetus。 When he had received the wicked letter he
  first commanded Bellerophon to kill that savage monster; the Chimaera;
  who was not a human being; but a goddess; for she had the head of a
  lion and the tail of a serpent; while her body was that of a goat; and
  she breathed forth flames of fire; but Bellerophon slew her; for he
  was guided by signs from heaven。 He next fought the far…famed
  Solymi; and this; he said; was the hardest of all his battles。
  Thirdly; he killed the Amazons; women who were the peers of men; and
  as he was returning thence the king devised yet another plan for his
  destruction; he picked the bravest warriors in all Lycia; and placed
  them in ambuscade; but not a man ever came back; for Bellerophon
  killed every one of them。 Then the king knew that he must be the
  valiant offspring of a god; so he kept him in Lycia; gave him his
  daughter in marriage; and made him of equal honour in the kingdom with
  himself; and the Lycians gave him a piece of land; the best in all the
  country; fair with vineyards and tilled fields; to have and to hold。
  〃The king's daughter bore Bellerophon three children; Isander;
  Hippolochus; and Laodameia。 Jove; the lord of counsel; lay with
  Laodameia; and she bore him noble Sarpedon; but when Bellerophon
  came to be hated by all the gods; he wandered all desolate and
  dismayed upon the Alean plain; gnawing at his own heart; and
  shunning the path of man。 Mars; insatiate of battle; killed his son
  Isander while he was fighting the Solymi; his daughter was killed by
  Diana of the golden reins; for she was angered with her; but
  Hippolochus was father to myself; and when he sent me to Troy he urged
  me again and again to fight ever among the foremost and outvie my
  peers; so as not to shame the blood of my fathers who were the noblest
  in Ephyra and in all Lycia。 This; then; is the descent I claim。〃
  Thus did he speak; and the heart of Diomed was glad。 He planted
  his spear in the ground; and spoke to him with friendly words。 〃Then;〃
  he said; you are an old friend of my father's house。 Great Oeneus once
  entertained Bellerophon for twenty days; and the two exchanged
  presents。 Oeneus gave a belt rich with purple; and Bellerophon a
  double cup; which I left at home when I set out for Troy。 I do not
  remember Tydeus; for he was taken from us while I was yet a child;
  when the army of the Achaeans was cut to pieces before Thebes。
  Henceforth; however; I must be your host in middle Argos; and you mine
  in Lycia; if I should ever go there; let us avoid one another's spears
  even during a general engagement; there are many noble Trojans and
  allies whom I can kill; if I overtake them and heaven delivers them
  into my hand; so again with yourself; there are many Achaeans whose
  lives you may take if you can; we two; then; will exchange armour;
  that all present may know of the old ties that subsist between us。〃
  With these words they sprang from their chariots; grasped one
  another's hands; and plighted friendship。 But the son of Saturn made
  Glaucus take leave of his wits; for he exchanged golden armour for
  bronze; the worth of a hundred head of cattle for the worth of nine。
  Now when Hector reached the Scaean gates and the oak tree; the wives
  and daughters of the Trojans came running towards him to ask after
  their sons; brothers; kinsmen; and husbands: he told them to set about
  praying to the gods; and many were made sorrowful as they heard him。
  Presently he reached the splendid palace of King Priam; adorned with
  colonnades of hewn stone。 In it there were fifty bedchambers… all of
  hewn stone… built near one another; where the sons of Priam slept;
  each with his wedded wife。 Opposite these; on the other side the
  courtyard; there were twelve upper rooms also of hewn stone for
  Priam's daughters; built near one another; where his sons…in…law slept
  with their wives。 When Hector got there; his fond mother came up to
  him with Laodice the fairest of her daughters。 She took his hand
  within her own and said; 〃My son; why have you left the battle to come
  hither? Are the Achaeans; woe betide them; pressing you hard about the
  city that you have thought fit to come and uplift your hands to Jove
  from the citadel? Wait till I can bring you wine that you may make
  offering to Jove and to the other immortals; and may then drink and be
  refreshed。 Wine gives a man fresh strength when he is wearied; as
  you now are with fighting on behalf of your kinsmen。〃
  And Hector answered; 〃Honoured mother; bring no wine; lest you unman
  me and I forget my strength。 I dare not make a drink…offering to
  Jove with unwashed hands; one who is bespattered with blood and
  filth may not pray to the son of Saturn。 Get the matrons together; and
  go with offerings to the temple of Minerva driver of the spoil; there;
  upon the knees of Minerva; lay the largest and fairest robe you have
  in your house… the one you set most store by; promise; moreover; to
  sacrifice twelve yearling heifers that have never yet felt the goad;
  in the temple of the goddess if she will take pity on the town; with
  the wives and little ones of the Trojans; and keep the son of Tydeus
  from off the goodly city of Ilius; for he fights with