tales of troy-第7部分

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a　good　watch；　or　whether　perhaps　they　were　getting　ready　their
ships　to　sail　homewards　in　the　dawn。　　So　Hector　offered　a　reward　to
any　man　who　would　creep　through　the　night　and　spy　on　the　Greeks；　he
said　he　would　give　the　spy　the　two　best　horses　in　the　Greek　camp。

Now　among　the　Trojans　there　was　a　young　man　named　Dolon；　the　son　of
a　rich　father；　and　he　was　the　only　boy　in　a　family　of　five　sisters。
He　was　ugly；　but　a　very　swift　runner；　and　he　cared　for　horses　more
than　for　anything　else　in　the　world。　　Dolon　arose　and　said；　〃If　you
will　swear　to　give　me　the　horses　and　chariot　of　Achilles；　son　of
Peleus；　I　will　steal　to　the　hut　of　Agamemnon　and　listen　and　find
out　whether　the　Greeks　mean　to　fight　or　flee。〃　　Hector　swore　to
give　these　horses；　which　were　the　best　in　the　world；　to　Dolon；　so
he　took　his　bow　and　threw　a　grey　wolf's　hide　over　his　shoulders；
and　ran　towards　the　ships　of　the　Greeks。

Now　Ulysses　saw　Dolon　as　he　came；　and　said　to　Diomede；　〃Let　us
suffer　him　to　pass　us；　and　then　do　you　keep　driving　him　with　your
spear　towards　the　ships；　and　away　from　Troy。〃　　So　Ulysses　and
Diomede　lay　down　among　the　dead　men　who　had　fallen　in　the　battle；
and　Dolon　ran　on　past　them　towards　the　Greeks。　　Then　they　rose　and
chased　him　as　two　greyhounds　course　a　hare；　and；　when　Dolon　was
near　the　sentinels；　Diomede　cried　〃Stand；　or　I　will　slay　you　with
my　spear！〃　and　he　threw　his　spear　just　over　Dolon's　shoulder。　　So
Dolon　stood　still；　green　with　fear；　and　with　his　teeth　chattering。
When　the　two　came　up；　he　cried；　and　said　that　his　father　was　a　rich
man；　who　would　pay　much　gold；　and　bronze；　and　iron　for　his　ransom。

Ulysses　said；　〃Take　heart；　and　put　death　out　of　your　mind；　and　tell
us　what　you　are　doing　here。〃　　Dolon　said　that　Hector　had　promised
him　the　horses　of　Achilles　if　he　would　go　and　spy　on　the　Greeks。
〃You　set　your　hopes　high；〃　said　Ulysses；　〃for　the　horses　of
Achilles　are　not　earthly　steeds；　but　divine；　a　gift　of　the　Gods；
and　Achilles　alone　can　drive　them。　　But；　tell　me；　do　the　Trojans
keep　good　watch；　and　where　is　Hector　with　his　horses？〃　for　Ulysses
thought　that　it　would　be　a　great　adventure　to　drive　away　the　horses
of　Hector。

〃Hector　is　with　the　chiefs；　holding　council　at　the　tomb　of　Ilus；〃
said　Dolon；　〃but　no　regular　guard　is　set。　　The　people　of　Troy；
indeed；　are　round　their　watch　fires；　for　they　have　to　think　of　the
safety　of　their　wives　and　children；　but　the　allies　from　far　lands
keep　no　watch；　for　their　wives　and　children　are　safe　at　home。〃
Then　he　told　where　all　the　different　peoples　who　fought　for　Priam
had　their　stations；　but；　said　he；　〃if　you　want　to　steal　horses；　the
best　are　those　of　Rhesus；　King　of　the　Thracians；　who　has　only
joined　us　to…night。　　He　and　his　men　are　asleep　at　the　furthest　end
of　the　line；　and　his　horses　are　the　best　and　greatest　that　ever　I
saw：　　tall；　white　as　snow；　and　swift　as　the　wind；　and　his　chariot
is　adorned　with　gold　and　silver；　and　golden　is　his　armour。　　Now
take　me　prisoner　to　the　ships；　or　bind　me　and　leave　me　here　while
you　go　and　try　whether　I　have　told　you　truth　or　lies。〃

〃No；〃　said　Diomede；　〃if　I　spare　your　life　you　may　come　spying
again；〃　and　he　drew　his　sword　and　smote　off　the　head　of　Dolon。
They　hid　his　cap　and　bow　and　spear　where　they　could　find　them
easily；　and　marked　the　spot；　and　went　through　the　night　to　the　dark
camp　of　King　Rhesus；　who　had　no　watch…fire　and　no　guards。　　Then
Diomede　silently　stabbed　each　sleeping　man　to　the　heart；　and
Ulysses　seized　the　dead　by　the　feet　and　threw　them　aside　lest　they
should　frighten　the　horses；　which　had　never　been　in　battle；　and
would　shy　if　they　were　led　over　the　bodies　of　dead　men。　　Last　of
all　Diomede　killed　King　Rhesus；　and　Ulysses　led　forth　his　horses；
beating　them　with　his　bow；　for　he　had　forgotten　to　take　the　whip
from　the　chariot。　　Then　Ulysses　and　Diomede　leaped　on　the　backs　of
the　horses；　as　they　had　not　time　to　bring　away　the　chariot；　and
they　galloped　to　the　ships；　stopping　to　pick　up　the　spear；　and　bow；
and　cap　of　Dolon。　　They　rode　to　the　princes；　who　welcomed　them；　and
all　laughed　for　glee　when　they　saw　the　white　horses　and　heard　that
King　Rhesus　was　dead；　for　they　guessed　that　all　his　army　would　now
go　home　to　Thrace。　　This　they　must　have　done；　for　we　never　hear　of
them　in　the　battles　that　followed；　so　Ulysses　and　Diomede　deprived
the　Trojans　of　thousands　of　men。　　The　other　princes　went　to　bed　in
good　spirits；　but　Ulysses　and　Diomede　took　a　swim　in　the　sea；　and
then　went　into　hot　baths；　and　so　to　breakfast；　for　rosy…fingered
Dawn　was　coming　up　the　sky。



BATTLE　AT　THE　SHIPS



With　dawn　Agamemnon　awoke；　and　fear　had　gone　out　of　his　heart。　　He
put　on　his　armour；　and　arrayed　the　chiefs　on　foot　in　front　of　their
chariots；　and　behind　them　came　the　spearmen；　with　the　bowmen　and
slingers　on　the　wings　of　the　army。　　Then　a　great　black　cloud　spread
over　the　sky；　and　red　was　the　rain　that　fell　from　it。　　The　Trojans
gathered　on　a　height　in　the　plain；　and　Hector；　shining　in　armour；
went　here　and　there；　in　front　and　rear；　like　a　star　that　now　gleams
forth　and　now　is　hidden　in　a　cloud。

The　armies　rushed　on　each　other　and　hewed　each　other　down；　as
reapers　cut　their　way　through　a　field　of　tall　corn。　　Neither　side
gave　ground；　though　the　helmets　of　the　bravest　Trojans　might　be
seen　deep　in　the　ranks　of　the　Greeks；　and　the　swords　of　the　bravest
Greeks　rose　and　fell　in　the　ranks　of　the　Trojans；　and　all　the　while
the　arrows　showered　like　rain。　　But　at　noon…day；　when　the　weary
woodman　rests　from　cutting　trees；　and　takes　his　dinner　in　the　quiet
hills；　the　Greeks　of　the　first　line　made　a　charge；　Agamemnon
running　in　front　of　them；　and　he　speared　two　Trojans；　and　took
their　breastplates；　which　he　laid　in　his　chariot；　and　then　he
speared　one　brother　of　Hector　and　struck　another　down　with　his
sword；　and　killed　two　more　who　vainly　asked　to　be　made　prisoners　of
war。　　Footmen　slew　footmen；　and　chariot　men　slew　chariot　men；　and
they　broke　into　the　Trojan　line　as　fire　falls　on　a　forest　in　a
windy　day；　leaping　and　roaring　and　racing　through　the　trees。　　Many
an　empty　chariot　did　the　horses　hurry　madly　through　the　field；　for
the　charioteers　were　lying　dead；　with　the　greedy　vultures　hovering
above　them；　flapping　their　wide　wings。　　Still　Agamemnon　followed
and　slew　the　hindmost　Trojans；　but　the　rest　fled　till　they　came　to
the　gates；　and　the　oak　tree　that　grew　outside　the　gates；　and　there
they　stopped。

But　Hector　held　his　hands　from　fighting；　for　in　the　meantime　he　was
making　his　men　face　the　enemy　and　form　up　in　line　and　take　breath；
and　was　encouraging　them；　for　they　had　retreated　from　the　wall　of
the　Greeks　across　the　whole　plain；　past　the　hill　that　was　the　tomb
of　Ilus；　a　king　of　old；　and　past　the　place　of　the　wild　fig…tree。
Much　ado　had　Hector　to　rally　the　Trojans；　but　he　knew　that　when　men
do　turn　again　they　are　hard　to　beat。　　So　it　proved；　for　when　the
Trojans　had　rallied　and　formed　in　line；　Agamemnon　slew　a　Thracian
chief　who　had　come　to　fight　for　Troy　before　King　Rhesus　came。　　But
the　eldest　brother　of　the　slain　man　smote　Agamemnon　through　the　arm
with　his　spear；　and；　though　Agamemnon　slew　him　in　turn；　his　wound
bled　much　and　he　was　in　great　pain；　so　he　leaped　into　his　chariot
and　was　driven　back　to　the　ships。

Then　Hector　gave　the　word　to　charge；　as　a　huntsman　cries　on　his
hounds　against　a　lion；　and　he　rushed　forward　at　the　head　of　the
Trojan　line；　slaying　as　he　went。　　Nine　chiefs　of　the　Greeks　he
slew；　and　fell　upon　the　spearmen　and　scattered　them；　as　the　spray
of　the　waves　is　scattered　by　the　wandering　wind。

Now　the　ranks　of　the　Greeks　were　broken；　and　they　would　have　been
driven　among　their　ships　and　killed　without　mercy；　had　not　Ulysses
and　Diomede　stood　firm　in　the　centre；　and　slain　four　Trojan
leaders。　　The　Greeks　began　to　come　back　and　face　their　enemies　in
line　of　battle　again；　though　Hector；　who　had　been　fighting　on　the
Trojan　right；　rushed　against　them。　　But　Diomede　took　good　aim　with
his　spear　at　the　helmet　of　Hector；　and　struck　it　fairly。　　The
spear…point　did　not　go　through　the　helmet；　but　Hector　was　stunned
and　fell；　and；　when　he　came　to　himself；　he　leaped　into　his　chariot；
and　his　squire　drove　him　against　the　Pylians　and　Cretans；　under
Nestor　and　Idomeneus；　who　were　on　the　left　wing　of　the　Greek　army。
Then　Diomede　fought　on　till　Paris；　who　stood　beside　the　pillar　on
the　hillock　that　was　the　tomb　of　old　King　Ilus；　sent　an　arrow　clean
through　his　foot。　　Ulysses　went　and　stood　in　front　of　Diomede；　who
sat　down；　and　Ulysses　drew　the　arrow　from　his　foot；　and　Diomede
stepped　into　his　chariot　and　was　driven　back　to　the　ships。

Ulysses　was　now　the　only　Greek　chief　that　still　fought　in　the
centre。　　The　Greeks　all　fled；　and　he　was　alone　in　the　crowd　of
Trojans；　who　rushed　on　him　as　hounds　and　hunters　press　round　a　wild
boar　that　stands　at　bay　in　a　wood。　　〃They　are　cowards　that　flee
from　the　fight；〃　said　Ulysses　to　himself；　〃but　I　will　stand　here；
one　man　against　a　multitude。〃　　He　covered　the　front　of　his　body
with　his　great　shield；　that　hung　by　a　belt　round　his　neck；　and　he
smote　four　Trojans　and　wounded　a　fifth。　　But　the　brother　of　the
wounded　man　drove　a　spear　through　the　shield　and　breastplate　of
Ulysses；　and　tore　clean　through　his　side。　　Then　Ulysses　turned　on
this　Trojan；　and　he　fled；　and　Ulysses　sent　a　spear　through　his
shoulder　and　out　at　his　breast；　and　he　died。　　Ulysses　dragged　from
his　own　side　the　spear　that　had　wounded　him；　and　called　thrice　with
a　great　voice　to　the　other　Greeks；　and　Menelaus　and　Aias　rushed　to
rescue　him；　for　many　Trojans　were　round　him；　like　jackals　round　a
wounded　stag　that　a　man　has　struck　with　an　arrow。　　But　Aias　ran　and
covered　the　wounded　Ulysses　with　his　huge　shield　till　he　could
climb　into　the　chariot　of　Menelaus；　who　drove　him　back　to　the
ships。

Meanwhile；　Hector　was　slaying　the　Greeks　on　the　left　of　their
battle；　and　Paris　struck　the　Greek　surgeon；　Machaon；　with　an　arrow；
and　Idomeneus　bade　Nestor　put　Machaon　in　his　chariot　and　drive　him
to　Nestor's　hut；　where　his　wound　might　be　tended。　　Meanwhile；
Hector　sped　to　the　centre　of　the　line；　where　Aias　was　slaying　the
Trojans；　but　Eurypylus；　a　Greek　chief；　was　wounded　by　an　arrow　from
the　bow　of　Paris