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