tales of troy-第15部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


great　stone；　and　sent　it　against　the　helmet　of　Eurypylus。　　He　was
shaken；　but　he　did　not　fall；　he　drove　his　spear　through　breastplate
and　breast　of　Machaon；　who　fell　and　died。　　With　his　last　breath　he
said；　〃Thou；　too；　shalt　fall；〃　but　Eurypylus　made　answer；　〃So　let
it　be！　　Men　cannot　live　for　ever；　and　such　is　the　fortune　of　war。〃

Thus　the　battle　rang；　and　shone；　and　shifted；　till　few　of　the
Greeks　kept　steadfast；　except　those　with　Menelaus　and　Agamemnon；
for　Diomede　and　Ulysses　were　far　away　upon　the　sea；　bringing　from
Scyros　the　son　of　Achilles。　　But　Teucer　slew　Polydamas；　who　had
warned　Hector　to　come　within　the　walls　of　Troy；　and　Menelaus
wounded　Deiphobus；　the　bravest　of　the　sons　of　Priam　who　were　still
in　arms；　for　many　had　fallen；　and　Agamemnon　slew　certain　spearmen
of　the　Trojans。　　Round　Eurypylus　fought　Paris；　and　Aeneas；　who
wounded　Teucer　with　a　great　stone；　breaking　in　his　helmet；　but　he
drove　back　in　his　chariot　to　the　ships。　　Menelaus　and　Agamemnon
stood　alone　and　fought　in　the　crowd　of　Trojans；　like　two　wild　boars
that　a　circle　of　hunters　surrounds　with　spears；　so　fiercely　they
stood　at　bay。　　There　they　would　both　have　fallen；　but　Idomeneus；
and　Meriones　of　Crete；　and　Thrasymedes；　Nestor's　son；　ran　to　their
rescue；　and　fiercer　grew　the　fighting。　　Eurypylus　desired　to　slay
Agamemnon　and　Menelaus；　and　end　the　war；　but；　as　the　spears　of　the
Scots　encompassed　King　James　at　Flodden　Field　till　he　ran　forward；
and　fell　within　a　lance's　length　of　the　English　general；　so　the　men
of　Crete　and　Pylos　guarded　the　two　princes　with　their　spears。

There　Paris　was　wounded　in　the　thigh　with　a　spear；　and　he　retreated
a　little　way；　and　showered　his　arrows　among　the　Greeks；　and
Idomeneus　lifted　and　hurled　a　great　stone　at　Eurypylus　which　struck
his　spear　out　of　his　hand；　and　he　went　back　to　find　it；　and
Menelaus　and　Agamemnon　had　a　breathing　space　in　the　battle。　　But
soon　Eurypylus　returned；　crying　on　his　men；　and　they　drove　back
foot　by　foot　the　ring　of　spears　round　Agamemnon；　and　Aeneas　and
Paris　slew　men　of　Crete　and　of　Mycenae　till　the　Greeks　were　pushed
to　the　ditch　round　the　camp；　and　then　great　stones　and　spears　and
arrows　rained　down　on　the　Trojans　and　the　people　of　Eurypylus　from
the　battlements　and　towers　of　the　Grecian　wall。　　Now　night　fell；
and　Eurypylus　knew　that　he　could　not　win　the　wall　in　the　dark；　so
he　withdrew　his　men；　and　they　built　great　fires；　and　camped　upon
the　plain。

The　case　of　the　Greeks　was　now　like　that　of　the　Trojans　after　the
death　of　Hector。　　They　buried　Machaon　and　the　other　chiefs　who　had
fallen；　and　they　remained　within　their　ditch　and　their　wall；　for
they　dared　not　come　out　into　the　open　plain。　　They　knew　not　whether
Ulysses　and　Diomede　had　come　safely　to　Scyros；　or　whether　their
ship　had　been　wrecked　or　driven　into　unknown　seas。　　So　they　sent　a
herald　to　Eurypylus；　asking　for　a　truce；　that　they　might　gather
their　dead　and　burn　them；　and　the　Trojans　and　Khita　also　buried
their　dead。

Meanwhile　the　swift　ship　of　Ulysses　had　swept　through　the　sea　to
Scyros；　and　to　the　palace　of　King　Lycomedes。　　There　they　found
Neoptolemus；　the　son　of　Achilles；　in　the　court　before　the　doors。
He　was　as　tall　as　his　father；　and　very　like　him　in　face　and　shape；
and　he　was　practising　the　throwing　of　the　spear　at　a　mark。　　Right
glad　were　Ulysses　and　Diomede　to　behold　him；　and　Ulysses　told
Neoptolemus　who　they　were；　and　why　they　came；　and　implored　him　to
take　pity　on　the　Greeks　and　help　them。

〃My　friend　is　Diomede；　Prince　of　Argos；〃　said　Ulysses；　〃and　I　am
Ulysses　of　Ithaca。　　Come　with　us；　and　we　Greeks　will　give　you
countless　gifts；　and　I　myself　will　present　you　with　the　armour　of
your　father；　such　as　it　is　not　lawful　for　any　other　mortal　man　to
wear；　seeing　that　it　is　golden；　and　wrought　by　the　hands　of　a　God。
Moreover；　when　we　have　taken　Troy；　and　gone　home；　Menelaus　will
give　you　his　daughter；　the　beautiful　Hermione；　to　be　your　wife；
with　gold　in　great　plenty。〃

Then　Neoptolemus　answered：　　〃It　is　enough　that　the　Greeks　need　my
sword。　　To…morrow　we　shall　sail　for　Troy。〃　　He　led　them　into　the
palace　to　dine；　and　there　they　found　his　mother；　beautiful
Deidamia；　in　mourning　raiment；　and　she　wept　when　she　heard　that
they　had　come　to　take　her　son　away。　　But　Neoptolemus　comforted　her；
promising　to　return　safely　with　the　spoils　of　Troy；　〃or；　even　if　I
fall；〃　he　said；　〃it　will　be　after　doing　deeds　worthy　of　my　father's
name。〃　　So　next　day　they　sailed；　leaving　Deidamia　mournful；　like　a
swallow　whose　nest　a　serpent　has　found；　and　has　killed　her　young
ones；　even　so　she　wailed；　and　went　up　and　down　in　the　house。　　But
the　ship　ran　swiftly　on　her　way；　cleaving　the　dark　waves　till
Ulysses　showed　Neoptolemus　the　far　off　snowy　crest　of　Mount　Ida；
and　Tenedos；　the　island　near　Troy；　and　they　passed　the　plain　where
the　tomb　of　Achilles　stands；　but　Ulysses　did　not　tell　the　son　that
it　was　his　father's　tomb。

Now　all　this　time　the　Greeks；　shut　up　within　their　wall　and
fighting　from　their　towers；　were　looking　back　across　the　sea；　eager
to　spy　the　ship　of　Ulysses；　like　men　wrecked　on　a　desert　island；
who　keep　watch　every　day　for　a　sail　afar　off；　hoping　that　the
seamen　will　touch　at　their　isle　and　have　pity　upon　them；　and　carry
them　home；　so　the　Greeks　kept　watch　for　the　ship　bearing
Neoptolemus。

Diomede；　too；　had　been　watching　the　shore；　and　when　they　came　in
sight　of　the　ships　of　the　Greeks；　he　saw　that　they　were　being
besieged　by　the　Trojans；　and　that　all　the　Greek　army　was　penned　up
within　the　wall；　and　was　fighting　from　the　towers。　　Then　he　cried
aloud　to　Ulysses　and　Neoptolemus；　〃Make　haste；　friends；　let　us　arm
before　we　land；　for　some　great　evil　has　fallen　upon　the　Greeks。
The　Trojans　are　attacking　our　wall；　and　soon　they　will　burn　our
ships；　and　for　us　there　will　be　no　return。〃

Then　all　the　men　on　the　ship　of　Ulysses　armed　themselves；　and
Neoptolemus；　in　the　splendid　armour　of　his　father；　was　the　first　to
leap　ashore。　　The　Greeks　could　not　come　from　the　wall　to　welcome
him；　for　they　were　fighting　hard　and　hand…to…hand　with　Eurypylus
and　his　men。　　But　they　glanced　back　over　their　shoulders　and　it
seemed　to　them　that　they　saw　Achilles　himself；　spear　and　sword　in
hand；　rushing　to　help　them。　　They　raised　a　great　battle…cry；　and；
when　Neoptolemus　reached　the　battlements；　he　and　Ulysses；　and
Diomede　leaped　down　to　the　plain；　the　Greeks　following　them；　and
they　all　charged　at　once　on　the　men　of　Eurypylus；　with　levelled
spears；　and　drove　them　from　the　wall。

Then　the　Trojans　trembled；　for　they　knew　the　shields　of　Diomede　and
Ulysses；　and　they　thought　that　the　tall　chief　in　the　armour　of
Achilles　was　Achilles　himself；　come　back　from　the　land　of　the　dead
to　take　vengeance　for　Antilochus。　　The　Trojans　fled；　and　gathered
round　Eurypylus；　as　in　a　thunderstorm　little　children；　afraid　of
the　lightning　and　the　noise；　run　and　cluster　round　their　father；
and　hide　their　faces　on　his　knees。

But　Neoptolemus　was　spearing　the　Trojans；　as　a　man　who　carries　at
night　a　beacon　of　fire　in　his　boat　on　the　sea　spears　the　fishes
that　flock　around；　drawn　by　the　blaze　of　the　flame。　　Cruelly　he
avenged　his　father's　death　on　many　a　Trojan；　and　the　men　whom
Achilles　had　led　followed　Achilles'　son；　slaying　to　right　and　left；
and　smiting　the　Trojans；　as　they　ran；　between　the　shoulders　with
the　spear。　　Thus　they　fought　and　followed　while　daylight　lasted；
but　when　night　fell；　they　led　Neoptolemus　to　his　father's　hut；
where　the　women　washed　him　in　the　bath；　and　then　he　was　taken　to
feast　with　Agamemnon　and　Menelaus　and　the　princes。　　They　all
welcomed　him；　and　gave　him　glorious　gifts；　swords　with　silver
hilts；　and　cups　of　gold　and　silver；　and　they　were　glad；　for　they
had　driven　the　Trojans　from　their　wall；　and　hoped　that　to…morrow
they　would　slay　Eurypylus；　and　take　Troy　town。

But　their　hope　was　not　to　be　fulfilled；　for　though　next　day
Eurypylus　met　Neoptolemus　in　the　battle；　and　was　slain　by　him；　when
the　Greeks　chased　the　Trojans　into　their　city　so　great　a　storm　of
lightning　and　thunder　and　rain　fell　upon　them　that　they　retreated
again　to　their　camp。　　They　believed　that　Zeus；　the　chief　of　the
Gods；　was　angry　with　them；　and　the　days　went　by；　and　Troy　still
stood　unconquered。



THE　SLAYING　OF　PARIS



When　the　Greeks　were　disheartened；　as　they　often　were；　they
consulted　Calchas　the　prophet。　　He　usually　found　that　they　must　do
something；　or　send　for　somebody；　and　in　doing　so　they　diverted
their　minds　from　their　many　misfortunes。　　Now；　as　the　Trojans　were
fighting　more　bravely　than　before；　under　Deiphobus；　a　brother　of
Hector；　the　Greeks　went　to　Calchas　for　advice；　and　he　told　them
that　they　must　send　Ulysses　and　Diomede　to　bring　Philoctetes　the
bowman　from　the　isle　of　Lemnos。　　This　was　an　unhappy　deserted
island；　in　which　the　married　women；　some　years　before；　had　murdered
all　their　husbands；　out　of　jealousy；　in　a　single　night。　　The　Greeks
had　landed　in　Lemnos；　on　their　way　to　Troy；　and　there　Philoctetes
had　shot　an　arrow　at　a　great　water　dragon　which　lived　in　a　well
within　a　cave　in　the　lonely　hills。　　But　when　he　entered　the　cave
the　dragon　bit　him；　and；　though　he　killed　it　at　last；　its　poisonous
teeth　wounded　his　foot。　　The　wound　never　healed；　but　dripped　with
venom；　and　Philoctetes；　in　terrible　pain；　kept　all　the　camp　awake
at　night　by　his　cries。

The　Greeks　were　sorry　for　him；　but　he　was　not　a　pleasant　companion；
shrieking　as　he　did；　and　exuding　poison　wherever　he　came。　　So　they
left　him　on　the　lonely　island；　and　did　not　know　whether　he　was
alive　or　dead。　　Calchas　ought　to　have　told　the　Greeks　not　to　desert
Philoctetes　at　the　time；　if　he　was　so　important　that　Troy；　as　the
prophet　now　said；　could　not　be　taken　without　him。　　But　now；　as　he
must　give　some　advice；　Calchas　said　that　Philoctetes　must　be
brought　back；　so　Ulysses　and　Diomede　went　to　bring　him。　　They
sailed　to　Lemnos；　a　melancholy　place　they　found　it；　with　no　smoke
rising　from　the　ruinous　houses　along　the　shore。　　As　they　were
landing　they　learned　that　Philoctetes　was　not　dead；　for　his　dismal
old　cries　of　pain；　ototototoi；　ai；　ai；　pheu；　pheu；　ototototoi；　came
echoing　from　a　cave　on　the　beach。　　To　this　cave　the　princes　went；
and　found　a　terrible…loo