第 61 节
作者:美丽心点      更新:2021-02-21 16:08      字数:9322
  his armour; and was dragging him away to cut off his head and take the
  body to fling before the dogs of Troy。 But Ajax came up with his
  shield like wall before him; on which Hector withdrew under shelter of
  his men; and sprang on to his chariot; giving the armour over to the
  Trojans to take to the city; as a great trophy for himself; Ajax;
  therefore; covered the body of Patroclus with his broad shield and
  bestrode him; as a lion stands over his whelps if hunters have come
  upon him in a forest when he is with his little ones… in the pride and
  fierceness of his strength he draws his knit brows down till they
  cover his eyes… even so did Ajax bestride the body of Patroclus; and
  by his side stood Menelaus son of Atreus; nursing great sorrow in
  his heart。
  Then Glaucus son of Hippolochus looked fiercely at Hector and
  rebuked him sternly。 〃Hector;〃 said he; 〃you make a brave show; but in
  fight you are sadly wanting。 A runaway like yourself has no claim to
  so great a reputation。 Think how you may now save your town and
  citadel by the hands of your own people born in Ilius; for you will
  get no Lycians to fight for you; seeing what thanks they have had
  for their incessant hardships。 Are you likely; sir; to do anything
  to help a man of less note; after leaving Sarpedon; who was at once
  your guest and comrade in arms; to be the spoil and prey of the
  Danaans? So long as he lived he did good service both to your city and
  yourself; yet you had no stomach to save his body from the dogs。 If
  the Lycians will listen to me; they will go home and leave Troy to its
  fate。 If the Trojans had any of that daring fearless spirit which lays
  hold of men who are fighting for their country and harassing those who
  would attack it; we should soon bear off Patroclus into Ilius。 Could
  we get this dead man away and bring him into the city of Priam; the
  Argives would readily give up the armour of Sarpedon; and we should
  get his body to boot。 For he whose squire has been now killed is the
  foremost man at the ships of the Achaeans… he and his close…fighting
  followers。 Nevertheless you dared not make a stand against Ajax; nor
  face him; eye to eye; with battle all round you; for he is a braver
  man than you are。〃
  Hector scowled at him and answered; 〃Glaucus; you should know
  better。 I have held you so far as a man of more understanding than any
  in all Lycia; but now I despise you for saying that I am afraid of
  Ajax。 I fear neither battle nor the din of chariots; but Jove's will
  is stronger than ours; Jove at one time makes even a strong man draw
  back and snatches victory from his grasp; while at another he will set
  him on to fight。 Come hither then; my friend; stand by me and see
  indeed whether I shall play the coward the whole day through as you
  say; or whether I shall not stay some even of the boldest Danaans from
  fighting round the body of Patroclus。〃
  As he spoke he called loudly on the Trojans saying; 〃Trojans;
  Lycians; and Dardanians; fighters in close combat; be men; my friends;
  and fight might and main; while I put on the goodly armour of
  Achilles; which I took when I killed Patroclus。〃
  With this Hector left the fight; and ran full speed after his men
  who were taking the armour of Achilles to Troy; but had not yet got
  far。 Standing for a while apart from the woeful fight; he changed
  his armour。 His own he sent to the strong city of Ilius and to the
  Trojans; while he put on the immortal armour of the son of Peleus;
  which the gods had given to Peleus; who in his age gave it to his son;
  but the son did not grow old in his father's armour。
  When Jove; lord of the storm…cloud; saw Hector standing aloof and
  arming himself in the armour of the son of Peleus; he wagged his
  head and muttered to himself saying; 〃A! poor wretch; you arm in the
  armour of a hero; before whom many another trembles; and you reck
  nothing of the doom that is already close upon you。 You have killed
  his comrade so brave and strong; but it was not well that you should
  strip the armour from his head and shoulders。 I do indeed endow you
  with great might now; but as against this you shall not return from
  battle to lay the armour of the son of Peleus before Andromache。〃
  The son of Saturn bowed his portentous brows; and Hector fitted
  the armour to his body; while terrible Mars entered into him; and
  filled his whole body with might and valour。 With a shout he strode in
  among the allies; and his armour flashed about him so that he seemed
  to all of them like the great son of Peleus himself。 He went about
  among them and cheered them on… Mesthles; Glaucus; Medon;
  Thersilochus; Asteropaeus; Deisenor and Hippothous; Phorcys;
  Chromius and Ennomus the augur。 All these did he exhort saying;
  〃Hear me; allies from other cities who are here in your thousands;
  it was not in order to have a crowd about me that I called you
  hither each from his several city; but that with heart and soul you
  might defend the wives and little ones of the Trojans from the
  fierce Achaeans。 For this do I oppress my people with your food and
  the presents that make you rich。 Therefore turn; and charge at the
  foe; to stand or fall as is the game of war; whoever shall bring
  Patroclus; dead though he be; into the hands of the Trojans; and shall
  make Ajax give way before him; I will give him one half of the
  spoils while I keep the other。 He will thus share like honour with
  myself。〃
  When he had thus spoken they charged full weight upon the Danaans
  with their spears held out before them; and the hopes of each ran high
  that he should force Ajax son of Telamon to yield up the body… fools
  that they were; for he was about to take the lives of many。 Then
  Ajax said to Menelaus; 〃My good friend Menelaus; you and I shall
  hardly come out of this fight alive。 I am less concerned for the
  body of Patroclus; who will shortly become meat for the dogs and
  vultures of Troy; than for the safety of my own head and yours。 Hector
  has wrapped us round in a storm of battle from every quarter; and
  our destruction seems now certain。 Call then upon the princes of the
  Danaans if there is any who can hear us。〃
  Menelaus did as he said; and shouted to the Danaans for help at
  the top of his voice。 〃My friends;〃 he cried; 〃princes and counsellors
  of the Argives; all you who with Agamemnon and Menelaus drink at the
  public cost; and give orders each to his own people as Jove vouchsafes
  him power and glory; the fight is so thick about me that I cannot
  distinguish you severally; come on; therefore; every man unbidden; and
  think it shame that Patroclus should become meat and morsel for Trojan
  hounds。〃
  Fleet Ajax son of Oileus heard him and was first to force his way
  through the fight and run to help him。 Next came Idomeneus and
  Meriones his esquire; peer of murderous Mars。 As for the others that
  came into the fight after these; who of his own self could name them?
  The Trojans with Hector at their head charged in a body。 As a
  great wave that comes thundering in at the mouth of some heaven…born
  river; and the rocks that jut into the sea ring with the roar of the
  breakers that beat and buffet them… even with such a roar did the
  Trojans come on; but the Achaeans in singleness of heart stood firm
  about the son of Menoetius; and fenced him with their bronze
  shields。 Jove; moreover; hid the brightness of their helmets in a
  thick cloud; for he had borne no grudge against the son of Menoetius
  while he was still alive and squire to the descendant of Aeacus;
  therefore he was loth to let him fall a prey to the dogs of his foes
  the Trojans; and urged his comrades on to defend him。
  At first the Trojans drove the Achaeans back; and they withdrew from
  the dead man daunted。 The Trojans did not succeed in killing any
  one; nevertheless they drew the body away。 But the Achaeans did not
  lose it long; for Ajax; foremost of all the Danaans after the son of
  Peleus alike in stature and prowess; quickly rallied them and made
  towards the front like a wild boar upon the mountains when he stands
  at bay in the forest glades and routs the hounds and lusty youths that
  have attacked him… even so did Ajax son of Telamon passing easily in
  among the phalanxes of the Trojans; disperse those who had
  bestridden Patroclus and were most bent on winning glory by dragging
  him off to their city。 At this moment Hippothous brave son of the
  Pelasgian Lethus; in his zeal for Hector and the Trojans; was dragging
  the body off by the foot through the press of the fight; having
  bound a strap round the sinews near the ancle; but a mischief soon
  befell him from which none of those could save him who would have
  gladly done so; for the son of Telamon sprang forward and smote him on
  his bronze…cheeked helmet。 The plumed headpiece broke about the
  point of the weapon; struck at once by the spear and by the strong
  hand of Ajax; so that the bloody brain came oozing out through the
  crest…socket。 His strength then failed him and he let Patroclus'
  foot drop from his hand; as he fell full length dead upon the body;
  thus he died far from the fertile land of Larissa; and never repaid
  his parents the cost of bringing him up; for his life was cut short
  early by the spear of mighty Ajax。 Hector then took ai