第 4 节
作者:美丽心点      更新:2021-02-21 16:08      字数:9322
  secret behind my back; and have never yet told me; if you could help
  it; one word of your intentions。〃
  〃Juno;〃 replied the sire of gods and men; 〃you must not expect to be
  informed of all my counsels。 You are my wife; but you would find it
  hard to understand them。 When it is proper for you to hear; there is
  no one; god or man; who will be told sooner; but when I mean to keep a
  matter to myself; you must not pry nor ask questions。〃
  〃Dread son of Saturn;〃 answered Juno; 〃what are you talking about?
  I? Pry and ask questions? Never。 I let you have your own way in
  everything。 Still; I have a strong misgiving that the old merman's
  daughter Thetis has been talking you over; for she was with you and
  had hold of your knees this self…same morning。 I believe; therefore;
  that you have been promising her to give glory to Achilles; and to
  kill much people at the ships of the Achaeans。〃
  〃Wife;〃 said Jove; 〃I can do nothing but you suspect me and find
  it out。 You will take nothing by it; for I shall only dislike you
  the more; and it will go harder with you。 Granted that it is as you
  say; I mean to have it so; sit down and hold your tongue as I bid
  you for if I once begin to lay my hands about you; though all heaven
  were on your side it would profit you nothing。〃
  On this Juno was frightened; so she curbed her stubborn will and sat
  down in silence。 But the heavenly beings were disquieted throughout
  the house of Jove; till the cunning workman Vulcan began to try and
  pacify his mother Juno。 〃It will be intolerable;〃 said he; 〃if you two
  fall to wrangling and setting heaven in an uproar about a pack of
  mortals。 If such ill counsels are to prevail; we shall have no
  pleasure at our banquet。 Let me then advise my mother… and she must
  herself know that it will be better… to make friends with my dear
  father Jove; lest he again scold her and disturb our feast。 If the
  Olympian Thunderer wants to hurl us all from our seats; he can do
  so; for he is far the strongest; so give him fair words; and he will
  then soon be in a good humour with us。〃
  As he spoke; he took a double cup of nectar; and placed it in his
  mother's hand。 〃Cheer up; my dear mother;〃 said he; 〃and make the best
  of it。 I love you dearly; and should be very sorry to see you get a
  thrashing; however grieved I might be; I could not help for there is
  no standing against Jove。 Once before when I was trying to help you;
  he caught me by the foot and flung me from the heavenly threshold。 All
  day long from morn till eve; was I falling; till at sunset I came to
  ground in the island of Lemnos; and there I lay; with very little life
  left in me; till the Sintians came and tended me。〃
  Juno smiled at this; and as she smiled she took the cup from her
  son's hands。 Then Vulcan drew sweet nectar from the mixing…bowl; and
  served it round among the gods; going from left to right; and the
  blessed gods laughed out a loud applause as they saw him ing
  bustling about the heavenly mansion。
  Thus through the livelong day to the going down of the sun they
  feasted; and every one had his full share; so that all were satisfied。
  Apollo struck his lyre; and the Muses lifted up their sweet voices;
  calling and answering one another。 But when the sun's glorious light
  had faded; they went home to bed; each in his own abode; which lame
  Vulcan with his consummate skill had fashioned for them。 So Jove;
  the Olympian Lord of Thunder; hied him to the bed in which he always
  slept; and when he had got on to it he went to sleep; with Juno of the
  golden throne by his side。
  BOOK II
  Now the other gods and the armed warriors on the plain slept
  soundly; but Jove was wakeful; for he was thinking how to do honour to
  Achilles; and destroyed much people at the ships of the Achaeans。 In
  the end he deemed it would be best to send a lying dream to King
  Agamemnon; so he called one to him and said to it; 〃Lying Dream; go to
  the ships of the Achaeans; into the tent of Agamemnon; and say to
  him word to word as I now bid you。 Tell him to get the Achaeans
  instantly under arms; for he shall take Troy。 There are no longer
  divided counsels among the gods; Juno has brought them to her own
  mind; and woe betides the Trojans。〃
  The dream went when it had heard its message; and soon reached the
  ships of the Achaeans。 It sought Agamemnon son of Atreus and found him
  in his tent; wrapped in a profound slumber。 It hovered over his head
  in the likeness of Nestor; son of Neleus; whom Agamemnon honoured
  above all his councillors; and said:…
  〃You are sleeping; son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his
  host and so much other care upon his shoulders should dock his
  sleep。 Hear me at once; for I come as a messenger from Jove; who;
  though he be not near; yet takes thought for you and pities you。 He
  bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms; for you shall take
  Troy。 There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno has
  brought them over to her own mind; and woe betides the Trojans at
  the hands of Jove。 Remember this; and when you wake see that it does
  not escape you。〃
  The dream then left him; and he thought of things that were;
  surely not to be accomplished。 He thought that on that same day he was
  to take the city of Priam; but he little knew what was in the mind
  of Jove; who had many another hard…fought fight in store alike for
  Danaans and Trojans。 Then presently he woke; with the divine message
  still ringing in his ears; so he sat upright; and put on his soft
  shirt so fair and new; and over this his heavy cloak。 He bound his
  sandals on to his comely feet; and slung his silver…studded sword
  about his shoulders; then he took the imperishable staff of his
  father; and sallied forth to the ships of the Achaeans。
  The goddess Dawn now wended her way to vast Olympus that she might
  herald day to Jove and to the other immortals; and Agamemnon sent
  the criers round to call the people in assembly; so they called them
  and the people gathered thereon。 But first he summoned a meeting of
  the elders at the ship of Nestor king of Pylos; and when they were
  assembled he laid a cunning counsel before them。
  〃My friends;〃 said he; 〃I have had a dream from heaven in the dead
  of night; and its face and figure resembled none but Nestor's。 It
  hovered over my head and said; 'You are sleeping; son of Atreus; one
  who has the welfare of his host and so much other care upon his
  shoulders should dock his sleep。 Hear me at once; for I am a messenger
  from Jove; who; though he be not near; yet takes thought for you and
  pities you。 He bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms; for you
  shall take Troy。 There are no longer divided counsels among the
  gods; Juno has brought them over to her own mind; and woe betides
  the Trojans at the hands of Jove。 Remember this。' The dream then
  vanished and I awoke。 Let us now; therefore; arm the sons of the
  Achaeans。 But it will be well that I should first sound them; and to
  this end I will tell them to fly with their ships; but do you others
  go about among the host and prevent their doing so。〃
  He then sat down; and Nestor the prince of Pylos with all
  sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus: 〃My friends;〃 said he;
  〃princes and councillors of the Argives; if any other man of the
  Achaeans had told us of this dream we should have declared it false;
  and would have had nothing to do with it。 But he who has seen it is
  the foremost man among us; we must therefore set about getting the
  people under arms。〃
  With this he led the way from the assembly; and the other sceptred
  kings rose with him in obedience to the word of Agamemnon; but the
  people pressed forward to hear。 They swarmed like bees that sally from
  some hollow cave and flit in countless throng among the spring
  flowers; bunched in knots and clusters; even so did the mighty
  multitude pour from ships and tents to the assembly; and range
  themselves upon the wide…watered shore; while among them ran
  Wildfire Rumour; messenger of Jove; urging them ever to the fore。 Thus
  they gathered in a pell…mell of mad confusion; and the earth groaned
  under the tramp of men as the people sought their places。 Nine heralds
  went crying about among them to stay their tumult and bid them
  listen to the kings; till at last they were got into their several
  places and ceased their clamour。 Then King Agamemnon rose; holding his
  sceptre。 This was the work of Vulcan; who gave it to Jove the son of
  Saturn。 Jove gave it to Mercury; slayer of Argus; guide and
  guardian。 King Mercury gave it to Pelops; the mighty charioteer; and
  Pelops to Atreus; shepherd of his people。 Atreus; when he died; left
  it to Thyestes; rich in flocks; and Thyestes in his turn left it to be
  borne by Agamemnon; that he might be lord of all Argos and of the
  isles。 Leaning; then; on his sceptre; he addressed the Argives。
  〃My friends;〃 he said; 〃heroes; servants of Mars; the hand of heaven
  has been laid heavily upon me。 Cruel Jove gave me his solemn promise
  that I should sack the city of Priam before returning; but he has
  played me false; and is now bidding me go ingloriously back to Argos
  with the loss of much people。 Such is the will of Jove; who has laid
  many a proud city in th