tales of troy-第6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！


my　lord！　　Go　forth　again　and　challenge　him　to　fight　thee　face　to
face。〃　　But　Paris　had　no　more　desire　to　fight；　and　the　Goddess
threatened　Helen；　and　compelled　her　to　remain　with　him　in　Troy；
coward　as　he　had　proved　himself。　　Yet　on　other　days　Paris　fought
well；　it　seems　that　he　was　afraid　of　Menelaus　because；　in　his
heart；　he　was　ashamed　of　himself。

Meanwhile　Menelaus　was　seeking　for　Paris　everywhere；　and　the
Trojans；　who　hated　him；　would　have　shown　his　hiding　place。　　But
they　knew　not　where　he　was；　and　the　Greeks　claimed　the　victory；　and
thought　that；　as　Paris　had　the　worst　of　the　fight；　Helen　would　be
restored　to　them；　and　they　would　all　sail　home。



TROJAN　VICTORIES



The　war　might　now　have　ended；　but　an　evil　and　foolish　thought　came
to　Pandarus；　a　prince　of　Ida；　who　fought　for　the　Trojans。　　He　chose
to　shoot　an　arrow　at　Menelaus；　contrary　to　the　sworn　vows　of　peace；
and　the　arrow　pierced　the　breastplate　of　Menelaus　through　the　place
where　the　clasped　plates　meet；　and　drew　his　blood。　　Then　Agamemnon；
who　loved　his　brother　dearly；　began　to　lament；　saying　that　if　he
died；　the　army　would　all　go　home　and　Trojans　would　dance　on　the
grave　of　Menelaus。　　〃Do　not　alarm　all　our　army；〃　said　Menelaus；
〃the　arrow　has　done　me　little　harm；〃　and　so　it　proved；　for　the
surgeon　easily　drew　the　arrow　out　of　the　wound。

Then　Agamemnon　hastened　here　and　there；　bidding　the　Greeks　arm　and
attack　the　Trojans；　who　would　certainly　be　defeated；　for　they　had
broken　the　oaths　of　peace。　　But　with　his　usual　insolence　he　chose
to　accuse　Ulysses　and　Diomede　of　cowardice；　though　Diomede　was　as
brave　as　any　man；　and　Ulysses　had　just　prevented　the　whole　army
from　launching　their　ships　and　going　home。　　Ulysses　answered　him
with　spirit；　but　Diomede　said　nothing　at　the　moment；　later　he　spoke
his　mind。　　He　leaped　from　his　chariot；　and　all　the　chiefs　leaped
down　and　advanced　in　line；　the　chariots　following　them；　while　the
spearmen　and　bowmen　followed　the　chariots。　　The　Trojan　army
advanced；　all　shouting　in　their　different　languages；　but　the　Greeks
came　on　silently。　　Then　the　two　front　lines　clashed；　shield　against
shield；　and　the　noise　was　like　the　roaring　of　many　flooded　torrents
among　the　hills。　　When　a　man　fell　he　who　had　slain　him　tried　to
strip　off　his　armour；　and　his　friends　fought　over　his　body　to　save
the　dead　from　this　dishonour。

Ulysses　fought　above　a　wounded　friend；　and　drove　his　spear　through
head　and　helmet　of　a　Trojan　prince；　and　everywhere　men　were　falling
beneath　spears　and　arrows　and　heavy　stones　which　the　warriors
threw。　　Here　Menelaus　speared　the　man　who　built　the　ships　with
which　Paris　had　sailed　to　Greece；　and　the　dust　rose　like　a　cloud；
and　a　mist　went　up　from　the　fighting　men；　while　Diomede　stormed
across　the　plain　like　a　river　in　flood；　leaving　dead　bodies　behind
him　as　the　river　leaves　boughs　of　trees　and　grass　to　mark　its
course。　　Pandarus　wounded　Diomede　with　an　arrow；　but　Diomede　slew
him；　and　the　Trojans　were　being　driven　in　flight；　when　Sarpedon　and
Hector　turned　and　hurled　themselves　on　the　Greeks；　and　even　Diomede
shuddered　when　Hector　came　on；　and　charged　at　Ulysses；　who　was
slaying　Trojans　as　he　went；　and　the　battle　swayed　this　way　and
that；　and　the　arrows　fell　like　rain。

But　Hector　was　sent　into　the　city　to　bid　the　women　pray　to　the
goddess　Athene　for　help；　and　he　went　to　the　house　of　Paris；　whom
Helen　was　imploring　to　go　and　fight　like　a　man；　saying：　　〃Would
that　the　winds　had　wafted　me　away；　and　the　tides　drowned　me；
shameless　that　I　am；　before　these　things　came　to　pass！〃

Then　Hector　went　to　see　his　dear　wife；　Andromache；　whose　father　had
been　slain　by　Achilles　early　in　the　siege；　and　he　found　her　and　her
nurse　carrying　her　little　boy；　Hector's　son；　and　like　a　star　upon
her　bosom　lay　his　beautiful　and　shining　golden　head。　　Now；　while
Helen　urged　Paris　to　go　into　the　fight；　Andromache　prayed　Hector　to
stay　with　her　in　the　town；　and　fight　no　more　lest　he　should　be
slain　and　leave　her　a　widow；　and　the　boy　an　orphan；　with　none　to
protect　him。　　The　army　she　said；　should　come　back　within　the　walls；
where　they　had　so　long　been　safe；　not　fight　in　the　open　plain。　　But
Hector　answered　that　he　would　never　shrink　from　battle；　〃yet　I　know
this　in　my　heart；　the　day　shall　come　for　holy　Troy　to　be　laid　low；
and　Priam　and　the　people　of　Priam。　　But　this　and　my　own　death　do
not　trouble　me　so　much　as　the　thought　of　you；　when　you　shall　be
carried　as　a　slave　to　Greece；　to　spin　at　another　woman's　bidding；
and　bear　water　from　a　Grecian　well。　　May　the　heaped　up　earth　of　my
tomb　cover　me　ere　I　hear　thy　cries　and　the　tale　of　thy　captivity。〃

Then　Hector　stretched　out　his　hands　to　his　little　boy；　but　the
child　was　afraid　when　he　saw　the　great　glittering　helmet　of　his
father　and　the　nodding　horsehair　crest。　　So　Hector　laid　his　helmet
on　the　ground　and　dandled　the　child　in　his　arms；　and　tried　to
comfort　his　wife；　and　said　good…bye　for　the　last　time；　for　he　never
came　back　to　Troy　alive。　　He　went　on　his　way　back　to　the　battle；
and　Paris　went　with　him；　in　glorious　armour；　and　soon　they　were
slaying　the　princes　of　the　Greeks。

The　battle　raged　till　nightfall；　and　in　the　night　the　Greeks　and
Trojans　burned　their　dead；　and　the　Greeks　made　a　trench　and　wall
round　their　camp；　which　they　needed　for　safety　now　that　the　Trojans
came　from　their　town　and　fought　in　the　open　plain。

Next　day　the　Trojans　were　so　successful　that　they　did　not　retreat
behind　their　walls　at　night；　but　lit　great　fires　on　the　plain：　　a
thousand　fires；　with　fifty　men　taking　supper　round　each　of　them；
and　drinking　their　wine　to　the　music　of　flutes。　　But　the　Greeks
were　much　discouraged；　and　Agamemnon　called　the　whole　army
together；　and　proposed　that　they　should　launch　their　ships　in　the
night　and　sail　away　home。　　Then　Diomede　stood　up；　and　said：　　〃You
called　me　a　coward　lately。　　You　are　the　coward！　　Sail　away　if　you
are　afraid　to　remain　here；　but　all　the　rest　of　us　will　fight　till
we　take　Troy　town。〃

Then　all　shouted　in　praise　of　Diomede；　and　Nestor　advised　them　to
send　five　hundred　young　men；　under　his　own　son；　Thrasymedes；　to
watch　the　Trojans；　and　guard　the　new　wall　and　the　ditch；　in　case
the　Trojans　attacked　them　in　the　darkness。　　Next　Nestor　counselled
Agamemnon　to　send　Ulysses　and　Aias　to　Achilles；　and　promise　to　give
back　Briseis；　and　rich　presents　of　gold；　and　beg　pardon　for　his
insolence。　　If　Achilles　would　be　friends　again　with　Agamemnon；　and
fight　as　he　used　to　fight；　the　Trojans　would　soon　be　driven　back
into　the　town。

Agamemnon　was　very　ready　to　beg　pardon；　for　he　feared　that　the
whole　army　would　be　defeated；　and　cut　off　from　their　ships；　and
killed　or　kept　as　slaves。　　So　Ulysses　and　Aias　and　the　old　tutor　of
Achilles；　Phoenix；　went　to　Achilles　and　argued　with　him；　praying
him　to　accept　the　rich　presents；　and　help　the　Greeks。　　But　Achilles
answered　that　he　did　not　believe　a　word　that　Agamemnon　said；
Agamemnon　had　always　hated　him；　and　always　would　hate　him。　　No；　he
would　not　cease　to　be　angry；　he　would　sail　away　next　day　with　all
his　men；　and　he　advised　the　rest　to　come　with　him。　　〃Why　be　so
fierce？〃　said　tall　Aias；　who　seldom　spoke。　　〃Why　make　so　much
trouble　about　one　girl？　　We　offer　you　seven　girls；　and　plenty　of
other　gifts。〃

Then　Achilles　said　that　he　would　not　sail　away　next　day；　but　he
would　not　fight　till　the　Trojans　tried　to　burn　his　own　ships；　and
there　he　thought　that　Hector　would　find　work　enough　to　do。　　This
was　the　most　that　Achilles　would　promise；　and　all　the　Greeks　were
silent　when　Ulysses　delivered　his　message。　　But　Diomede　arose　and
said　that；　with　or　without　Achilles；　fight　they　must；　and　all　men；
heavy　at　heart；　went　to　sleep　in　their　huts　or　in　the　open　air　at
their　doors。

Agamemnon　was　much　too　anxious　to　sleep。　　He　saw　the　glow　of　the
thousand　fires　of　the　Trojans　in　the　dark；　and　heard　their　merry
flutes；　and　he　groaned　and　pulled　out　his　long　hair　by　handfuls。
When　he　was　tired　of　crying　and　groaning　and　tearing　his　hair；　he
thought　that　he　would　go　for　advice　to　old　Nestor。　　He　threw　a　lion
skin；　the　coverlet　of　his　bed；　over　his　shoulder；　took　his　spear；
went　out　and　met　Menelausfor　he；　too；　could　not　sleepand
Menelaus　proposed　to　send　a　spy　among　the　Trojans；　if　any　man　were
brave　enough　to　go；　for　the　Trojan　camp　was　all　alight　with　fires；
and　the　adventure　was　dangerous。　　Therefore　the　two　wakened　Nestor
and　the　other　chiefs；　who　came　just　as　they　were；　wrapped　in　the
fur　coverlets　of　their　beds；　without　any　armour。　　First　they
visited　the　five　hundred　young　men　set　to　watch　the　wall；　and　then
they　crossed　the　ditch　and　sat　down　outside　and　considered　what
might　be　done。　　〃Will　nobody　go　as　a　spy　among　the　Trojans？〃　said
Nestor；　he　meant　would　none　of　the　young　men　go。　　Diomede　said　that
he　would　take　the　risk　if　any　other　man　would　share　it　with　him；
and；　if　he　might　choose　a　companion；　he　would　take　Ulysses。

〃Come；　then；　let　us　be　going；〃　said　Ulysses；　〃for　the　night　is
late；　and　the　dawn　is　near。〃　　As　these　two　chiefs　had　no　armour　on；
they　borrowed　shields　and　leather　caps　from　the　young　men　of　the
guard；　for　leather　would　not　shine　as　bronze　helmets　shine　in　the
firelight。　　The　cap　lent　to　Ulysses　was　strengthened　outside　with
rows　of　boars'　tusks。　　Many　of　these　tusks；　shaped　for　this
purpose；　have　been　found；　with　swords　and　armour；　in　a　tomb　in
Mycenae；　the　town　of　Agamemnon。　　This　cap　which　was　lent　to　Ulysses
had　once　been　stolen　by　his　grandfather；　Autolycus；　who　was　a
Master　Thief；　and　he　gave　it　as　a　present　to　a　friend；　and　so；
through　several　hands；　it　had　come　to　young　Meriones　of　Crete；　one
of　the　five　hundred　guards；　who　now　lent　it　to　Ulysses。　　So　the　two
princes　set　forth　in　the　dark；　so　dark　it　was　that　though　they
heard　a　heron　cry；　they　could　not　see　it　as　it　flew　away。

While　Ulysses　and　Diomede　stole　through　the　night　silently；　like
two　wolves　among　the　bodies　of　dead　men；　the　Trojan　leaders　met　and
considered　what　they　ought　to　do。　　They　did　not　know　whether　the
Greeks　had　set　sentinels　and　outposts；　as　usual；　to　give　warning　if
the　enemy　were　approaching；　or　whether　they　were　too　weary　to　keep
a　good　watch；　or　whether　perhaps　they　were　getting　ready　their