第 42 节
作者:美丽心点      更新:2021-02-21 16:08      字数:9322
  nor bid you do so; but death in ten thousand shapes hangs ever over
  our heads; and no man can elude him; therefore let us go forward and
  either win glory for ourselves; or yield it to another。〃
  Glaucus heeded his saying; and the pair forthwith led on the host of
  Lycians。 Menestheus son of Peteos was dismayed when he saw them; for
  it was against his part of the wall that they came… bringing
  destruction with them; he looked along the wall for some chieftain
  to support his comrades and saw the two Ajaxes; men ever eager for the
  fray; and Teucer; who had just come from his tent; standing near them;
  but he could not make his voice heard by shouting to them; so great an
  uproar was there from crashing shields and helmets and the battering
  of gates with a din which reached the skies。 For all the gates had
  been closed; and the Trojans were hammering at them to try and break
  their way through them。 Menestheus; therefore; sent Thootes with a
  message to Ajax。 〃Run; good Thootes;〃 said and call Ajax; or better
  still bid both come; for it will be all over with us here directly;
  the leaders of the Lycians are upon us; men who have ever fought
  desperately heretofore。 But if the have too much on their hands to let
  them come; at any rate let Ajax son of Telamon do so; and let Teucer
  the famous bowman come with him。〃
  The messenger did as he was told; and set off running along the wall
  of the Achaeans。 When he reached the Ajaxes he said to them; 〃Sirs;
  princes of the Argives; the son of noble Peteos bids you come to him
  for a while and help him。 You had better both come if you can; or it
  will be all over with him directly; the leaders of the Lycians are
  upon him; men who have ever fought desperately heretofore; if you have
  too much on your hands to let both come; at any rate let Ajax son of
  Telamon do so; and let Teucer the famous bowman come with him。〃
  Great Ajax; son of Telamon; heeded the message; and at once spoke to
  the son of Oileus。 〃Ajax;〃 said he; 〃do you two; yourself and brave
  Lycomedes; stay here and keep the Danaans in heart to fight their
  hardest。 I will go over yonder; and bear my part in the fray; but I
  will come back here at once as soon as I have given them the help they
  need。〃
  With this; Ajax son of Telamon set off; and Teucer his brother by
  the same father went also; with Pandion to carry Teucer's bow。 They
  went along inside the wall; and when they came to the tower where
  Menestheus was (and hard pressed indeed did they find him) the brave
  captains and leaders of the Lycians were storming the battlements as
  it were a thick dark cloud; fighting in close quarters; and raising
  the battle…cry aloud。
  First; Ajax son of Telamon killed brave Epicles; a comrade of
  Sarpedon; hitting him with a jagged stone that lay by the
  battlements at the very top of the wall。 As men now are; even one
  who is in the bloom of youth could hardly lift it with his two
  hands; but Ajax raised it high aloft and flung it down; smashing
  Epicles' four…crested helmet so that the bones of his head were
  crushed to pieces; and he fell from the high wall as though he were
  diving; with no more life left in him。 Then Teucer wounded Glaucus the
  brave son of Hippolochus as he was coming on to attack the wall。 He
  saw his shoulder bare and aimed an arrow at it; which made Glaucus
  leave off fighting。 Thereon he sprang covertly down for fear some of
  the Achaeans might see that he was wounded and taunt him。 Sarpedon was
  stung with grief when he saw Glaucus leave him; still he did not leave
  off fighting; but aimed his spear at Alcmaon the son of Thestor and
  hit him。 He drew his spear back again Alcmaon came down headlong after
  it with his bronzed armour rattling round him。 Then Sarpedon seized
  the battlement in his strong hands; and tugged at it till it an gave
  way together; and a breach was made through which many might pass。
  Ajax and Teucer then both of them attacked him。 Teucer hit him
  with an arrow on the band that bore the shield which covered his body;
  but Jove saved his son from destruction that he might not fall by
  the ships' sterns。 Meanwhile Ajax sprang on him and pierced his
  shield; but the spear did not go clean through; though it hustled
  him back that he could come on no further。 He therefore retired a
  little space from the battlement; yet without losing all his ground;
  for he still thought to cover himself with glory。 Then he turned round
  and shouted to the brave Lycians saying; 〃Lycians; why do you thus
  fail me? For all my prowess I cannot break through the wall and open a
  way to the ships single…handed。 Come close on behind me; for the
  more there are of us the better。〃
  The Lycians; shamed by his rebuke; pressed closer round him who
  was their counsellor their king。 The Argives on their part got their
  men in fighting order within the wall; and there was a deadly struggle
  between them。 The Lycians could not break through the wall and force
  their way to the ships; nor could the Danaans drive the Lycians from
  the wall now that they had once reached it。 As two men; measuring…rods
  in hand; quarrel about their boundaries in a field that they own in
  common; and stickle for their rights though they be but in a mere
  strip; even so did the battlements now serve as a bone of
  contention; and they beat one another's round shields for their
  possession。 Many a man's body was wounded with the pitiless bronze; as
  he turned round and bared his back to the foe; and many were struck
  clean through their shields; the wall and battlements were
  everywhere deluged with the blood alike of Trojans and of Achaeans。
  But even so the Trojans could not rout the Achaeans; who still held
  on; and as some honest hard…working woman weighs wool in her balance
  and sees that the scales be true; for she would gain some pitiful
  earnings for her little ones; even so was the fight balanced evenly
  between them till the time came when Jove gave the greater glory to
  Hector son of Priam; who was first to spring towards the wall of the
  Achaeans。 As he did so; he cried aloud to the Trojans; 〃Up; Trojans;
  break the wall of the Argives; and fling fire upon their ships。〃
  Thus did he hound them on; and in one body they rushed straight at
  the wall as he had bidden them; and scaled the battlements with
  sharp spears in their hands。 Hector laid hold of a stone that lay just
  outside the gates and was thick at one end but pointed at the other;
  two of the best men in a town; as men now are; could hardly raise it
  from the ground and put it on to a waggon; but Hector lifted it
  quite easily by himself; for the son of scheming Saturn made it
  light for him。 As a shepherd picks up a ram's fleece with one hand and
  finds it no burden; so easily did Hector lift the great stone and
  drive it right at the doors that closed the gates so strong and so
  firmly set。 These doors were double and high; and were kept closed
  by two cross…bars to which there was but one key。 When he had got
  close up to them; Hector strode towards them that his blow might
  gain in force and struck them in the middle; leaning his whole
  weight against them。 He broke both hinges; and the stone fell inside
  by reason of its great weight。 The portals re…echoed with the sound;
  the bars held no longer; and the doors flew open; one one way; and the
  other the other; through the force of the blow。 Then brave Hector
  leaped inside with a face as dark as that of flying night。 The
  gleaming bronze flashed fiercely about his body and he had tow
  spears in his hand。 None but a god could have withstood him as he
  flung himself into the gateway; and his eyes glared like fire。 Then he
  turned round towards the Trojans and called on them to scale the wall;
  and they did as he bade them… some of them at once climbing over the
  wall; while others passed through the gates。 The Danaans then fled
  panic…stricken towards their ships; and all was uproar and confusion。
  BOOK XIII
  NOW when Jove had thus brought Hector and the Trojans to the
  ships; he left them to their never…ending toil; and turned his keen
  eyes away; looking elsewhither towards the horse…breeders of Thrace;
  the Mysians; fighters at close quarters; the noble Hippemolgi; who
  live on milk; and the Abians; justest of mankind。 He no longer
  turned so much as a glance towards Troy; for he did not think that any
  of the immortals would go and help either Trojans or Danaans。
  But King Neptune had kept no blind look…out; he had been looking
  admiringly on the battle from his seat on the topmost crests of wooded
  Samothrace; whence he could see all Ida; with the city of Priam and
  the ships of the Achaeans。 He had come from under the sea and taken
  his place here; for he pitied the Achaeans who were being overcome
  by the Trojans; and he was furiously angry with Jove。
  Presently he came down from his post on the mountain top; and as
  he strode swiftly onwards the high hills and the forest quaked beneath
  the tread of his immortal feet。 Three strides he took; and with the
  fourth he reached his goal… Aegae; where is his glittering golden
  palace; imperishable; in the depths of the sea。 When he got there;
  he yoked his fleet brazen…footed steeds with their manes of gold all
  flying