tales of troy-第9章

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from　heel　to　ankle；　and　thrust　thongs　through；　and　bound　him　by　the
thongs　to　his　chariot　and　trailed　the　body　in　the　dust。　　All　the
women　of　Troy　who　were　on　the　walls　raised　a　shriek；　and　Hector's
wife；　Andromache；　heard　the　sound。　　She　had　been　in　an　inner　room
of　her　house；　weaving　a　purple　web；　and　embroidering　flowers　on　it；
and　she　was　calling　her　bower　maidens　to　make　ready　a　bath　for
Hector　when　he　should　come　back　tired　from　battle。　　But　when　she
heard　the　cry　from　the　wall　she　trembled；　and　the　shuttle　with
which　she　was　weaving　fell　from　her　hands。　　〃Surely　I　heard　the　cry
of　my　husband's　mother；〃　she　said；　and　she　bade　two　of　her　maidens
come　with　her　to　see　why　the　people　lamented。

She　ran　swiftly；　and　reached　the　battlements；　and　thence　she　saw
her　dear　husband's　body　being　whirled　through　the　dust　towards　the
ships；　behind　the　chariot　of　Achilles。　　Then　night　came　over　her
eyes　and　she　fainted。　　But　when　she　returned　to　herself　she　cried
out　that　now　none　would　defend　her　little　boy；　and　other　children
would　push　him　away　from　feasts；　saying；　〃Out　with　you；　no　father
of　thine　is　at　our　table；〃　and　his　father；　Hector；　would　lie　naked
at　the　ships；　unclad；　unburned；　unlamented。　　To　be　unburned　and
unburied　was　thought　the　greatest　of　misfortunes；　because　the　dead
man　unburned　could　not　go　into　the　House　of　Hades；　God　of　the　Dead；
but　must　always　wander；　alone　and　comfortless；　in　the　dark
borderland　between　the　dead　and　the　living。



THE　CRUELTY　OF　ACHILLES；　AND　THE　RANSOMING　OF　HECTOR



When　Achilles　was　asleep　that　night　the　ghost　of　Patroclus　came；
saying；　〃Why　dost　thou　not　burn　and　bury　me？　for　the　other　shadows
of　dead　men　suffer　me　not　to　come　near　them；　and　lonely　I　wander
along　the　dark　dwelling　of　Hades。〃　　Then　Achilles　awoke；　and　he
sent　men　to　cut　down　trees；　and　make　a　huge　pile　of　fagots　and
logs。　　On　this　they　laid　Patroclus；　covered　with　white　linen；　and
then　they　slew　many　cattle；　and　Achilles　cut　the　throats　of　twelve
Trojan　prisoners　of　war；　meaning　to　burn　them　with　Patroclus　to　do
him　honour。　　This　was　a　deed　of　shame；　for　Achilles　was　mad　with
sorrow　and　anger　for　the　death　of　his　friend。　　Then　they　drenched
with　wine　the　great　pile　of　wood；　which　was　thirty　yards　long　and
broad；　and　set　fire　to　it；　and　the　fire　blazed　all　through　the
night　and　died　down　in　the　morning。　　They　put　the　white　bones　of
Patroclus　in　a　golden　casket；　and　laid　it　in　the　hut　of　Achilles；
who　said　that；　when　he　died；　they　must　burn　his　body；　and　mix　the
ashes　with　the　ashes　of　his　friend；　and　build　over　it　a　chamber　of
stone；　and　cover　the　chamber　with　a　great　hill　of　earth；　and　set　a
pillar　of　stone　above　it。　　This　is　one　of　the　hills　on　the　plain　of
Troy；　but　the　pillar　has　fallen　from　the　tomb；　long　ago。

Then；　as　the　custom　was；　Achilles　held　gameschariot　races；　foot
races；　boxing；　wrestling；　and　archeryin　honour　of　Patroclus。
Ulysses　won　the　prize　for　the　foot　race；　and　for　the　wrestling；　so
now　his　wound　must　have　been　healed。

But　Achilles　still　kept　trailing　Hector's　dead　body　each　day　round
the　hill　that　had　been　raised　for　the　tomb　of　Patroclus；　till　the
Gods　in　heaven　were　angry；　and　bade　Thetis　tell　her　son　that　he
must　give　back　the　dead　body　to　Priam；　and　take　ransom　for　it；　and
they　sent　a　messenger　to　Priam　to　bid　him　redeem　the　body　of　his
son。　　It　was　terrible　for　Priam　to　have　to　go　and　humble　himself
before　Achilles；　whose　hands　had　been　red　with　the　blood　of　his
sons；　but　he　did　not　disobey　the　Gods。　　He　opened　his　chests；　and
took　out　twenty…four　beautiful　embroidered　changes　of　raiment；　and
he　weighed　out　ten　heavy　bars；　or　talents；　of　gold；　and　chose　a
beautiful　golden　cup；　and　he　called　nine　of　his　sons；　Paris；　and
Helenus；　and　Deiphobus；　and　the　rest；　saying；　〃Go；　ye　bad　sons；　my
shame；　would　that　Hector　lived　and　all　of　you　were　dead！〃　for
sorrow　made　him　angry；　〃go；　and　get　ready　for　me　a　wain；　and　lay　on
it　these　treasures。〃　　So　they　harnessed　mules　to　the　wain；　and
placed　in　it　the　treasures；　and；　after　praying；　Priam　drove　through
the　night　to　the　hut　of　Achilles。　　In　he　went；　when　no　man　looked
for　him；　and　kneeled　to　Achilles；　and　kissed　his　terrible　death…
dealing　hands。　　〃Have　pity　on　me；　and　fear　the　Gods；　and　give　me
back　my　dead　son；〃　he　said；　〃and　remember　thine　own　father。　　Have
pity　on　me；　who　have　endured　to　do　what　no　man　born　has　ever　done
before；　to　kiss　the　hands　that　slew　my　sons。〃

Then　Achilles　remembered　his　own　father；　far　away；　who　now　was　old
and　weak：　　and　he　wept；　and　Priam　wept　with　him；　and　then　Achilles
raised　Priam　from　his　knees　and　spoke　kindly　to　him；　admiring　how
beautiful　he　still　was　in　his　old　age；　and　Priam　himself　wondered
at　the　beauty　of　Achilles。　　And　Achilles　thought　how　Priam　had　long
been　rich　and　happy；　like　his　own　father；　Peleus；　and　now　old　age
and　weakness　and　sorrow　were　laid　upon　both　of　them；　for　Achilles
knew　that　his　own　day　of　death　was　at　hand；　even　at　the　doors。　　So
Achilles　bade　the　women　make　ready　the　body　of　Hector　for　burial；
and　they　clothed　him　in　a　white　mantle　that　Priam　had　brought；　and
laid　him　in　the　wain；　and　supper　was　made　ready；　and　Priam　and
Achilles　ate　and　drank　together；　and　the　women　spread　a　bed　for
Priam；　who　would　not　stay　long；　but　stole　away　back　to　Troy　while
Achilles　was　asleep。

All　the　women　came　out　to　meet　him；　and　to　lament　for　Hector。　　They
carried　the　body　into　the　house　of　Andromache　and　laid　it　on　a　bed；
and　the　women　gathered　around；　and　each　in　turn　sang　her　song　over
the　great　dead　warrior。　　His　mother　bewailed　him；　and　his　wife；　and
Helen　of　the　fair　hands；　clad　in　dark　mourning　raiment；　lifted　up
her　white　arms；　and　said：　　〃Hector；　of　all　my　brethren　in　Troy　thou
wert　the　dearest；　since　Paris　brought　me　hither。　　Would　that　ere
that　day　I　had　died！　　For　this　is　now　the　twentieth　year　since　I
came；　and　in　all　these　twenty　years　never　heard　I　a　word　from　thee
that　was　bitter　and　unkind；　others　might　upbraid　me；　thy　sisters　or
thy　mother；　for　thy　father　was　good　to　me　as　if　he　had　been　my　own；
but　then　thou　wouldst　restrain　them　that　spoke　evil　by　the　courtesy
of　thy　heart　and　thy　gentle　words。　　Ah！　woe　for　thee；　and　woe　for
me；　whom　all　men　shudder　at；　for　there　is　now　none　in　wide　Troyland
to　be　my　friend　like　thee；　my　brother　and　my　friend！〃

So　Helen　lamented；　but　now　was　done　all　that　men　might　do；　a　great
pile　of　wood　was　raised；　and　Hector　was　burned；　and　his　ashes　were
placed　in　a　golden　urn；　in　a　dark　chamber　of　stone；　within　a　hollow
hill。



HOW　ULYSSES　STOLE　THE　LUCK　OF　TROY



After　Hector　was　buried；　the　siege　went　on　slowly；　as　it　had　done
during　the　first　nine　years　of　the　war。　　The　Greeks　did　not　know　at
that　time　how　to　besiege　a　city；　as　we　saw；　by　way　of　digging
trenches　and　building　towers；　and　battering　the　walls　with　machines
that　threw　heavy　stones。　　The　Trojans　had　lost　courage；　and　dared
not　go　into　the　open　plain；　and　they　were　waiting　for　the　coming　up
of　new　armies　of　alliesthe　Amazons；　who　were　girl　warriors　from
far　away；　and　an　Eastern　people　called　the　Khita；　whose　king　was
Memnon；　the　son　of　the　Bright　Dawn。

Now　everyone　knew　that；　in　the　temple　of　the　Goddess　Pallas　Athene；
in　Troy；　was　a　sacred　image；　which　fell　from　heaven；　called　the
Palladium；　and　this　very　ancient　image　was　the　Luck　of　Troy。　　While
it　remained　safe　in　the　temple　people　believed　that　Troy　could
never　be　taken；　but　as　it　was　in　a　guarded　temple　in　the　middle　of
the　town；　and　was　watched　by　priestesses　day　and　night；　it　seemed
impossible　that　the　Greeks　should　ever　enter　the　city　secretly　and
steal　the　Luck　away。

As　Ulysses　was　the　grandson　of　Autolycus；　the　Master　Thief；　he
often　wished　that　the　old　man　was　with　the　Greeks；　for　if　there　was
a　thing　to　steal　Autolycus　could　steal　it。　　But　by　this　time
Autolycus　was　dead；　and　so　Ulysses　could　only　puzzle　over　the　way
to　steal　the　Luck　of　Troy；　and　wonder　how　his　grandfather　would
have　set　about　it。　　He　prayed　for　help　secretly　to　Hermes；　the　God
of　Thieves；　when　he　sacrificed　goats　to　him；　and　at　last　he　had　a
plan。

There　was　a　story　that　Anius；　the　King　of　the　Isle　of　Delos；　had
three　daughters；　named　OEno；　Spermo；　and　Elais；　and　that　OEno　could
turn　water　into　wine；　while　Spermo　could　turn　stones　into　bread；
and　Elais　could　change　mud　into　olive　oil。　　Those　fairy　gifts；
people　said；　were　given　to　the　maidens　by　the　Wine　God；　Dionysus；
and　by　the　Goddess　of　Corn；　Demeter。　　Now　corn；　and　wine；　and　oil
were　sorely　needed　by　the　Greeks；　who　were　tired　of　paying　much
gold　and　bronze　to　the　Phoenician　merchants　for　their　supplies。
Ulysses　therefore　went　to　Agamemnon　one　day；　and　asked　leave　to
take　his　ship　and　voyage　to　Delos；　to　bring；　if　he　could；　the　three
maidens　to　the　camp；　if　indeed　they　could　do　these　miracles。　　As　no
fighting　was　going　on；　Agamemnon　gave　Ulysses　leave　to　depart；　so
he　went　on　board　his　ship；　with　a　crew　of　fifty　men　of　Ithaca；　and
away　they　sailed；　promising　to　return　in　a　month。

Two　or　three　days　after　that；　a　dirty　old　beggar　man　began　to　be
seen　in　the　Greek　camp。　　He　had　crawled　in　late　one　evening；
dressed　in　a　dirty　smock　and　a　very　dirty　old　cloak；　full　of　holes；
and　stained　with　smoke。　　Over　everything　he　wore　the　skin　of　a
stag；　with　half　the　hair　worn　off；　and　he　carried　a　staff；　and　a
filthy　tattered　wallet；　to　put　food　in；　which　swung　from　his　neck
by　a　cord。　　He　came　crouching　and　smiling　up　to　the　door　of　the　hut
of　Diomede；　and　sat　down　just　within　the　doorway；　where　beggars
still　sit　in　the　East。　　Diomede　saw　him；　and　sent　him　a　loaf　and
two　handfuls　of　flesh；　which　the　beggar　laid　on　his　wallet；　between
his　feet；　and　he　made　his　supper　greedily；　gnawing　a　bone　like　a
dog。

After　supper　Diomede　asked　him　who　he　was　and　whence　he　came；　and
he　told　a　long　story　about　how　he　had　been　a　Cretan　pirate；　and　had
been　taken　prisoner　by　the　Egyptians　when　he　was　robbing　there；　and
how　he　had　worked　for　many　years　in　their　stone　quarries；　where　the
sun　had　burned　him　brown；　and　had　escaped　by　hiding　among　the　great
stones；　carried　down　the　Nile　in　a　raft；　for　building　a　temple　on
the　seashore。　　The　raft　arrived　at　night；　and　the　beggar　said　that
he　stole　out　from　it　in　the　dark　and　found　a　Phoenician　ship　in　the
harbour；　and　the　Phoenicians　took　him　on　board；　meaning　to　sell　him
somewhere　as　a　slave。　　But　a　tempest　came　on　and　wrecked　the　ship
off　the　Isle　of　Tenedos；　which　is　near　Troy；　and　the　beggar　alone
escaped　to　the　island　on　a　plank　of　the　ship。　　From　Tenedos　he　had
come　to　Troy　in　a　fisher's　boat；　hoping　to　make　himself　useful　in
the　camp；　and　earn　enough　to　keep　body　and　soul　together　till　he
could　find　a　ship　sailing　to　Crete。

He　made　his　story　rather　amusing；　describing　the　strange　ways　of
the　Egyptians；　how　they　worshipped　cats　and　bulls；　and　did
everything　in　just　the　opposite　of　the　Greek　way　of　doing　things。
So　Diomede　let　him　have　a　rug　and　blankets　to　sleep　on　in　the
portico　of　the　hut；　and　next　day　the　old　wretch　went　begging　about
the　camp　and　talking　with　the　soldiers。　　Now　he　was　a　most　impudent
and　annoying　old　vagabond；　and　was　always　in　quarrels。　　If　there
was　a　disagreeable　story　about　the　father　or　grand