第 72 节
作者:美丽心点      更新:2021-02-21 16:08      字数:9322
  had not Neptune lord of the earthquake been quick to mark; and said
  forthwith to the immortals; 〃Alas; I am sorry for great Aeneas; who
  will now go down to the house of Hades; vanquished by the son of
  Peleus。 Fool that he was to give ear to the counsel of Apollo。
  Apollo will never save him from destruction。 Why should this man
  suffer when he is guiltless; to no purpose; and in another's
  quarrel? Has he not at all times offered acceptable sacrifice to the
  gods that dwell in heaven? Let us then snatch him from death's jaws;
  lest the son of Saturn be angry should Achilles slay him。 It is fated;
  moreover; that he should escape; and that the race of Dardanus; whom
  Jove loved above all the sons born to him of mortal women; shall not
  perish utterly without seed or sign。 For now indeed has Jove hated the
  blood of Priam; while Aeneas shall reign over the Trojans; he and
  his children's children that shall be born hereafter。〃
  Then answered Juno; 〃Earth…shaker; look to this matter yourself; and
  consider concerning Aeneas; whether you will save him; or suffer
  him; brave though he be; to fall by the hand of Achilles son of
  Peleus。 For of a truth we two; I and Pallas Minerva; have sworn full
  many a time before all the immortals; that never would we shield
  Trojans from destruction; not even when all Troy is burning in the
  flames that the Achaeans shall kindle。〃
  When earth…encircling Neptune heard this he went into the battle
  amid the clash of spears; and came to the place where Achilles and
  Aeneas were。 Forthwith he shed a darkness before the eyes of the son
  of Peleus; drew the bronze…headed ashen spear from the shield of
  Aeneas; and laid it at the feet of Achilles。 Then he lifted Aeneas
  on high from off the earth and hurried him away。 Over the heads of
  many a band of warriors both horse and foot did he soar as the god's
  hand sped him; till he came to the very fringe of the battle where the
  Cauconians were arming themselves for fight。 Neptune; shaker of the
  earth; then came near to him and said; Aeneas; what god has egged
  you on to this folly in fighting the son of Peleus; who is both a
  mightier man of valour and more beloved of heaven than you are? Give
  way before him whensoever you meet him; lest you go down to the
  house of Hades even though fate would have it otherwise。 When Achilles
  is dead you may then fight among the foremost undaunted; for none
  other of the Achaeans shall slay you。〃
  The god left him when he had given him these instructions; and at
  once removed the darkness from before the eyes of Achilles; who opened
  them wide indeed and said in great anger; 〃Alas! what marvel am I
  now beholding? Here is my spear upon the ground; but I see not him
  whom I meant to kill when I hurled it。 Of a truth Aeneas also must
  be under heaven's protection; although I had thought his boasting
  was idle。 Let him go hang; he will be in no mood to fight me
  further; seeing how narrowly he has missed being killed。 I will now
  give my orders to the Danaans and attack some other of the Trojans。〃
  He sprang forward along the line and cheered his men on as he did
  so。 〃Let not the Trojans;〃 he cried; 〃keep you at arm's length;
  Achaeans; but go for them and fight them man for man。 However
  valiant I may be; I cannot give chase to so many and fight all of
  them。 Even Mars; who is an immortal; or Minerva; would shrink from
  flinging himself into the jaws of such a fight and laying about him;
  nevertheless; so far as in me lies I will show no slackness of hand or
  foot nor want of endurance; not even for a moment; I will utterly
  break their ranks; and woe to the Trojan who shall venture within
  reach of my spear。〃
  Thus did he exhort them。 Meanwhile Hector called upon the Trojans
  and declared that he would fight Achilles。 〃Be not afraid; proud
  Trojans;〃 said he; 〃to face the son of Peleus; I could fight gods
  myself if the battle were one of words only; but they would be more
  than a match for me; if we had to use our spears。 Even so the deed
  of Achilles will fall somewhat short of his word; he will do in
  part; and the other part he will clip short。 I will go up against
  him though his hands be as fire… though his hands be fire and his
  strength iron。〃
  Thus urged the Trojans lifted up their spears against the
  Achaeans; and raised the cry of battle as they flung themselves into
  the midst of their ranks。 But Phoebus Apollo came up to Hector and
  said; 〃Hector; on no account must you challenge Achilles to single
  combat; keep a lookout for him while you are under cover of the others
  and away from the thick of the fight; otherwise he will either hit you
  with a spear or cut you down at close quarters。〃
  Thus he spoke; and Hector drew back within the crowd; for he was
  afraid when he heard what the god had said to him。 Achilles then
  sprang upon the Trojans with a terrible cry; clothed in valour as with
  a garment。 First he killed Iphition son of Otrynteus; a leader of much
  people whom a naiad nymph had borne to Otrynteus waster of cities;
  in the land of Hyde under the snowy heights of Mt。 Tmolus。 Achilles
  struck him full on the head as he was coming on towards him; and split
  it clean in two; whereon he fell heavily to the ground and Achilles
  vaunted over him saying; 〃You he low; son of Otrynteus; mighty hero;
  your death is here; but your lineage is on the Gygaean lake where your
  father's estate lies; by Hyllus; rich in fish; and the eddying
  waters of Hermus。〃
  Thus did he vaunt; but darkness closed the eyes of the other。 The
  chariots of the Achaeans cut him up as their wheels passed over him in
  the front of the battle; and after him Achilles killed Demoleon; a
  valiant man of war and son to Antenor。 He struck him on the temple
  through his bronze…cheeked helmet。 The helmet did not stay the
  spear; but it went right on; crushing the bone so that the brain
  inside was shed in all directions; and his lust of fighting was ended。
  Then he struck Hippodamas in the midriff as he was springing down from
  his chariot in front of him; and trying to escape。 He breathed his
  last; bellowing like a bull bellows when young men are dragging him to
  offer him in sacrifice to the King of Helice; and the heart of the
  earth…shaker is glad; even so did he bellow as he lay dying。
  Achilles then went in pursuit of Polydorus son of Priam; whom his
  father had always forbidden to fight because he was the youngest of
  his sons; the one he loved best; and the fastest runner。 He; in his
  folly and showing off the fleetness of his feet; was rushing about
  among front ranks until he lost his life; for Achilles struck him in
  the middle of the back as he was darting past him: he struck him
  just at the golden fastenings of his belt and where the two pieces
  of the double breastplate overlapped。 The point of the spear pierced
  him through and came out by the navel; whereon he fell groaning on
  to his knees and a cloud of darkness overshadowed him as he sank
  holding his entrails in his hands。
  When Hector saw his brother Polydorus with his entrails in his hands
  and sinking down upon the ground; a mist came over his eyes; and he
  could not bear to keep longer at a distance; he therefore poised his
  spear and darted towards Achilles like a flame of fire。 When
  Achilles saw him he bounded forward and vaunted saying; 〃This is he
  that has wounded my heart most deeply and has slain my beloved
  comrade。 Not for long shall we two quail before one another on the
  highways of war。〃
  He looked fiercely on Hector and said; 〃Draw near; that you may meet
  your doom the sooner。〃 Hector feared him not and answered; 〃Son of
  Peleus; think not that your words can scare me as though I were a
  child; I too if I will can brag and talk unseemly; I know that you are
  a mighty warrior; mightier by far than I; nevertheless the issue
  lies in the the lap of heaven whether I; worse man though I be; may
  not slay you with my spear; for this too has been found keen ere now。〃
  He hurled his spear as he spoke; but Minerva breathed upon it; and
  though she breathed but very lightly she turned it back from going
  towards Achilles; so that it returned to Hector and lay at his feet in
  front of him。 Achilles then sprang furiously on him with a loud cry;
  bent on killing him; but Apollo caught him up easily as a god can; and
  hid him in a thick darkness。 Thrice did Achilles spring towards him
  spear in hand; and thrice did he waste his blow upon the air。 When
  he rushed forward for the fourth time as though he were a god; he
  shouted aloud saying; 〃Hound; this time too you have escaped death…
  but of a truth it came exceedingly near you。 Phoebus Apollo; to whom
  it seems you pray before you go into battle; has again saved you;
  but if I too have any friend among the gods I will surely make an
  end of you when I come across you at some other time。 Now; however;
  I will pursue and overtake other Trojans。〃
  On this he struck Dryops with his spear; about the middle of his
  neck; and he fell headlong at his feet。 There he let him lie and
  stayed Demouchus son of Philetor; a man both brave and of great
  stature; by hitting him on the knee with a spear; then he smote him
  with his sword and killed him。 After this he sprang on Laogonus and
  Dardanus; sons of Bias;