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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
own throat。 Then Achilles gave a loud cry and his mother heard him
as she was sitting in the depths of the sea by the old man her father；
whereon she screamed； and all the goddesses daughters of Nereus that
dwelt at the bottom of the sea； came gathering round her。 There were
Glauce； Thalia and Cymodoce； Nesaia； Speo； thoe and dark…eyed Halie；
Cymothoe； Actaea and Limnorea； Melite； Iaera； Amphithoe and Agave；
Doto and Proto； Pherusa and Dynamene； Dexamene； Amphinome and
Callianeira； Doris； Panope； and the famous sea…nymph Galatea；
Nemertes； Apseudes and Callianassa。 There were also Clymene； Ianeira
and Ianassa； Maera； Oreithuia and Amatheia of the lovely locks； with
other Nereids who dwell in the depths of the sea。 The crystal cave was
filled with their multitude and they all beat their breasts while
Thetis led them in their lament。
〃Listen；〃 she cried； 〃sisters； daughters of Nereus； that you may
hear the burden of my sorrows。 Alas； woe is me； woe in that I have
borne the most glorious of offspring。 I bore him fair and strong； hero
among heroes； and he shot up as a sapling； I tended him as a plant
in a goodly garden； and sent him with his ships to Ilius to fight
the Trojans； but never shall I welcome him back to the house of
Peleus。 So long as he lives to look upon the light of the sun he is in
heaviness； and though I go to him I cannot help him。 Nevertheless I
will go； that I may see my dear son and learn what sorrow has befallen
him though he is still holding aloof from battle。〃
She left the cave as she spoke； while the others followed weeping
after； and the waves opened a path before them。 When they reached
the rich plain of Troy； they came up out of the sea in a long line
on to the sands； at the place where the ships of the Myrmidons were
drawn up in close order round the tents of Achilles。 His mother went
up to him as he lay groaning； she laid her hand upon his head and
spoke piteously； saying； 〃My son； why are you thus weeping？ What
sorrow has now befallen you？ Tell me； hide it not from me。 Surely Jove
has granted you the prayer you made him； when you lifted up your hands
and besought him that the Achaeans might all of them be pent up at
their ships； and rue it bitterly in that you were no longer with
them。〃
Achilles groaned and answered； 〃Mother； Olympian Jove has indeed
vouchsafed me the fulfilment of my prayer； but what boots it to me；
seeing that my dear comrade Patroclus has fallen… he whom I valued
more than all others； and loved as dearly as my own life？ I have
lost him； aye； and Hector when he had killed him stripped the wondrous
armour； so glorious to behold； which the gods gave to Peleus when they
laid you in the couch of a mortal man。 Would that you were still
dwelling among the immortal sea…nymphs； and that Peleus had taken to
himself some mortal bride。 For now you shall have grief infinite by
reason of the death of that son whom you can never welcome home…
nay； I will not live nor go about among mankind unless Hector fall
by my spear； and thus pay me for having slain Patroclus son of
Menoetius。〃
Thetis wept and answered； 〃Then； my son； is your end near at hand…
for your own death awaits you full soon after that of Hector。〃
Then said Achilles in his great grief； 〃I would die here and now； in
that I could not save my comrade。 He has fallen far from home； and
in his hour of need my hand was not there to help him。 What is there
for me？ Return to my own land I shall not； and I have brought no
saving neither to Patroclus nor to my other comrades of whom so many
have been slain by mighty Hector； I stay here by my ships a bootless
burden upon the earth； I； who in fight have no peer among the
Achaeans； though in council there are better than I。 Therefore； perish
strife both from among gods and men； and anger； wherein even a
righteous man will harden his heart… which rises up in the soul of a
man like smoke； and the taste thereof is sweeter than drops of
honey。 Even so has Agamemnon angered me。 And yet… so be it； for it
is over； I will force my soul into subjection as I needs must； I
will go； I will pursue Hector who has slain him whom I loved so
dearly； and will then abide my doom when it may please Jove and the
other gods to send it。 Even Hercules； the best beloved of Jove… even
he could not escape the hand of death； but fate and Juno's fierce
anger laid him low； as I too shall lie when I am dead if a like doom
awaits me。 Till then I will win fame； and will bid Trojan and
Dardanian women wring tears from their tender cheeks with both their
hands in the grievousness of their great sorrow； thus shall they
know that he who has held aloof so long will hold aloof no longer。
Hold me not back； therefore； in the love you bear me； for you shall
not move me。〃
Then silver…footed Thetis answered； 〃My son； what you have said is
true。 It is well to save your comrades from destruction； but your
armour is in the hands of the Trojans； Hector bears it in triumph upon
his own shoulders。 Full well I know that his vaunt shall not be
lasting； for his end is close at hand； go not； however； into the press
of battle till you see me return hither； to…morrow at break of day I
shall be here； and will bring you goodly armour from King Vulcan。〃
On this she left her brave son； and as she turned away she said to
the sea…nymphs her sisters； 〃Dive into the bosom of the sea and go
to the house of the old sea…god my father。 Tell him everything； as for
me； I will go to the cunning workman Vulcan on high Olympus； and ask
him to provide my son with a suit of splendid armour。〃
When she had so said； they dived forthwith beneath the waves；
while silver…footed Thetis went her way that she might bring the
armour for her son。
Thus； then； did her feet bear the goddess to Olympus； and
meanwhile the Achaeans were flying with loud cries before murderous
Hector till they reached the ships and the Hellespont； and they
could not draw the body of Mars's servant Patroclus out of reach of
the weapons that were showered upon him； for Hector son of Priam
with his host and horsemen had again caught up to him like the flame
of a fiery furnace； thrice did brave Hector seize him by the feet；
striving with might and main to draw him away and calling loudly on
the Trojans； and thrice did the two Ajaxes； clothed in valour as
with a garment； beat him from off the body； but all undaunted he would
now charge into the thick of the fight； and now again he would stand
still and cry aloud； but he would give no ground。 As upland
shepherds that cannot chase some famished lion from a carcase； even so
could not the two Ajaxes scare Hector son of Priam from the body of
Patroclus。
And now he would even have dragged it off and have won
imperishable glory； had not Iris fleet as the wind； winged her way
as messenger from Olympus to the son of Peleus and bidden him arm。 She
came secretly without the knowledge of Jove and of the other gods； for
Juno sent her； and when she had got close to him she said； 〃Up； son of
Peleus； mightiest of all mankind； rescue Patroclus about whom this
fearful fight is now raging by the ships。 Men are killing one another；
the Danaans in defence