第 17 节
作者:
恐龙王 更新:2022-07-12 16:21 字数:9322
fight with the sword; so the company of the Twelve were thinned; the
bodyguard of Penthesilea。
The Trojans and Greeks kept slaying each other; but Penthesilea
avenged her maidens; driving the ranks of Greece as a lioness drives the
cattle on the hills; for they could not stand before her。 Then she shouted;
〃Dogs! to…day shall you pay for the sorrows 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
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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;
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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
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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 Peri