第 14 节
作者:美丽心点      更新:2021-02-21 16:08      字数:9322
  upon each other like wolves; man and man crushing one upon the other。
  Forthwith Ajax; son of Telamon; slew the fair youth Simoeisius;
  son of Anthemion; whom his mother bore by the banks of the Simois;
  as she was coming down from Mt。 Ida; where she had been with her
  parents to see their flocks。 Therefore he was named Simoeisius; but he
  did not live to pay his parents for his rearing; for he was cut off
  untimely by the spear of mighty Ajax; who struck him in the breast
  by the right nipple as he was coming on among the foremost fighters;
  the spear went right through his shoulder; and he fell as a poplar
  that has grown straight and tall in a meadow by some mere; and its top
  is thick with branches。 Then the wheelwright lays his axe to its roots
  that he may fashion a felloe for the wheel of some goodly chariot; and
  it lies seasoning by the waterside。 In such wise did Ajax fell to
  earth Simoeisius; son of Anthemion。 Thereon Antiphus of the gleaming
  corslet; son of Priam; hurled a spear at Ajax from amid the crowd
  and missed him; but he hit Leucus; the brave comrade of Ulysses; in
  the groin; as he was dragging the body of Simoeisius over to the other
  side; so he fell upon the body and loosed his hold upon it。 Ulysses
  was furious when he saw Leucus slain; and strode in full armour
  through the front ranks till he was quite close; then he glared
  round about him and took aim; and the Trojans fell back as he did
  so。 His dart was not sped in vain; for it struck Democoon; the bastard
  son of Priam; who had come to him from Abydos; where he had charge
  of his father's mares。 Ulysses; infuriated by the death of his
  comrade; hit him with his spear on one temple; and the bronze point
  came through on the other side of his forehead。 Thereon darkness
  veiled his eyes; and his armour rang rattling round him as he fell
  heavily to the ground。 Hector; and they that were in front; then
  gave round while the Argives raised a shout and drew off the dead;
  pressing further forward as they did so。 But Apollo looked down from
  Pergamus and called aloud to the Trojans; for he was displeased。
  〃Trojans;〃 he cried; 〃rush on the foe; and do not let yourselves be
  thus beaten by the Argives。 Their skins are not stone nor iron that
  when hit them you do them no harm。 Moreover; Achilles; the son of
  lovely Thetis; is not fighting; but is nursing his anger at the
  ships。〃
  Thus spoke the mighty god; crying to them from the city; while
  Jove's redoubtable daughter; the Trito…born; went about among the host
  of the Achaeans; and urged them forward whenever she beheld them
  slackening。
  Then fate fell upon Diores; son of Amarynceus; for he was struck
  by a jagged stone near the ancle of his right leg。 He that hurled it
  was Peirous; son of Imbrasus; captain of the Thracians; who had come
  from Aenus; the bones and both the tendons were crushed by the
  pitiless stone。 He fell to the ground on his back; and in his death
  throes stretched out his hands towards his comrades。 But Peirous;
  who had wounded him; sprang on him and thrust a spear into his
  belly; so that his bowels came gushing out upon the ground; and
  darkness veiled his eyes。 As he was leaving the body; Thoas of Aetolia
  struck him in the chest near the nipple; and the point fixed itself in
  his lungs。 Thoas came close up to him; pulled the spear out of his
  chest; and then drawing his sword; smote him in the middle of the
  belly so that he died; but he did not strip him of his armour; for his
  Thracian comrades; men who wear their hair in a tuft at the top of
  their heads; stood round the body and kept him off with their long
  spears for all his great stature and valour; so he was driven back。
  Thus the two corpses lay stretched on earth near to one another; the
  one captain of the Thracians and the other of the Epeans; and many
  another fell round them。
  And now no man would have made light of the fighting if he could
  have gone about among it scatheless and unwounded; with Minerva
  leading him by the hand; and protecting him from the storm of spears
  and arrows。 For many Trojans and Achaeans on that day lay stretched
  side by side face downwards upon the earth。
  BOOK V
  Then Pallas Minerva put valour into the heart of Diomed; son of
  Tydeus; that he might excel all the other Argives; and cover himself
  with glory。 She made a stream of fire flare from his shield and helmet
  like the star that shines most brilliantly in summer after its bath in
  the waters of Oceanus… even such a fire did she kindle upon his head
  and shoulders as she bade him speed into the thickest hurly…burly of
  the fight。
  Now there was a certain rich and honourable man among the Trojans;
  priest of Vulcan; and his name was Dares。 He had two sons; Phegeus and
  Idaeus; both of them skilled in all the arts of war。 These two came
  forward from the main body of Trojans; and set upon Diomed; he being
  on foot; while they fought from their chariot。 When they were close up
  to one another; Phegeus took aim first; but his spear went over
  Diomed's left shoulder without hitting him。 Diomed then threw; and his
  spear sped not in vain; for it hit Phegeus on the breast near the
  nipple; and he fell from his chariot。 Idaeus did not dare to
  bestride his brother's body; but sprang from the chariot and took to
  flight; or he would have shared his brother's fate; whereon Vulcan
  saved him by wrapping him in a cloud of darkness; that his old
  father might not be utterly overwhelmed with grief; but the son of
  Tydeus drove off with the horses; and bade his followers take them
  to the ships。 The Trojans were scared when they saw the two sons of
  Dares; one of them in fright and the other lying dead by his
  chariot。 Minerva; therefore; took Mars by the hand and said; 〃Mars;
  Mars; bane of men; bloodstained stormer of cities; may we not now
  leave the Trojans and Achaeans to fight it out; and see to which of
  the two Jove will vouchsafe the victory? Let us go away; and thus
  avoid his anger。〃
  So saying; she drew Mars out of the battle; and set him down upon
  the steep banks of the Scamander。 Upon this the Danaans drove the
  Trojans back; and each one of their chieftains killed his man。 First
  King Agamemnon flung mighty Odius; captain of the Halizoni; from his
  chariot。 The spear of Agamemnon caught him on the broad of his back;
  just as he was turning in flight; it struck him between the
  shoulders and went right through his chest; and his armour rang
  rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground。
  Then Idomeneus killed Phaesus; son of Borus the Meonian; who had
  come from Varne。 Mighty Idomeneus speared him on the right shoulder as
  he was mounting his chariot; and the darkness of death enshrouded
  him as he fell heavily from the car。
  The squires of Idomeneus spoiled him of his armour; while
  Menelaus; son of Atreus; killed Scamandrius the son of Strophius; a
  mighty huntsman and keen lover of the chase。 Diana herself had
  taught him how to kill every kind of wild creature that is bred in
  mountain forests; but neither she nor his famed skill in archery could
  now save him; for the spear of Menelaus struck him in the back as he
  was flying; it struck him between the shoulders and went right through
  his chest; so that he fell headlong and his armour rang rattling round
  him。
  Meriones then killed Phereclus the son of Tecton; who was the son of
  Hermon; a man whose hand was skilled in all manner of cunning
  workmanship; for Pallas Minerva had dearly loved him。 He it was that
  made the ships for Alexandrus; which were the beginning of all
  mischief; and brought evil alike both on the Trojans and on Alexandrus
  himself; for he heeded not the decrees of heaven。 Meriones overtook
  him as he was flying; and struck him on the right buttock。 The point
  of the spear went through the bone into the bladder; and death came
  upon him as he cried aloud and fell forward on his knees。
  Meges; moreover; slew Pedaeus; son of Antenor; who; though he was
  a bastard; had been brought up by Theano as one of her own children;
  for the love she bore her husband。 The son of Phyleus got close up
  to him and drove a spear into the nape of his neck: it went under
  his tongue all among his teeth; so he bit the cold bronze; and fell
  dead in the dust。
  And Eurypylus; son of Euaemon; killed Hypsenor; the son of noble
  Dolopion; who had been made priest of the river Scamander; and was
  honoured among the people as though he were a god。 Eurypylus gave
  him chase as he was flying before him; smote him with his sword upon
  the arm; and lopped his strong hand from off it。 The bloody hand
  fell to the ground; and the shades of death; with fate that no man can
  withstand; came over his eyes。
  Thus furiously did the battle rage between them。 As for the son of
  Tydeus; you could not say whether he was more among the Achaeans or
  the Trojans。 He rushed across the plain like a winter torrent that has
  burst its barrier in full flood; no dykes; no walls of fruitful
  vineyards can embank it when it is swollen with rain from heaven;
  but in a moment it comes tearing onward; and lays many a field waste
  that many a strong man hand has reclaimed… even so were the dense
  phalanxes of the Trojans driven in rout by the son o