登陆注册
26290600000155

第155章 BOOK XXIV(6)

As when some cruel spite has befallen a man that he should have killed some one in his own country, and must fly to a great man's protection in a land of strangers, and all marvel who see him, even so did Achilles marvel as he beheld Priam. The others looked one to another and marvelled also, but Priam besought Achilles saying, "Think of your father, O Achilles like unto the gods, who is such even as Iam, on the sad threshold of old age. It may be that those who dwell near him harass him, and there is none to keep war and ruin from him. Yet when he hears of you being still alive, he is glad, and his days are full of hope that he shall see his dear son come home to him from Troy; but I, wretched man that I am, had the bravest in all Troy for my sons, and there is not one of them left. I had fifty sons when the Achaeans came here; nineteen of them were from a single womb, and the others were borne to me by the women of my household. The greater part of them has fierce Mars laid low, and Hector, him who was alone left, him who was the guardian of the city and ourselves, him have you lately slain; therefore I am now come to the ships of the Achaeans to ransom his body from you with a great ransom. Fear, O Achilles, the wrath of heaven; think on your own father and have compassion upon me, who am the more pitiable, for Ihave steeled myself as no man yet has ever steeled himself before me, and have raised to my lips the hand of him who slew my son."Thus spoke Priam, and the heart of Achilles yearned as he bethought him of his father. He took the old man's hand and moved him gently away. The two wept bitterly- Priam, as he lay at Achilles' feet, weeping for Hector, and Achilles now for his father and now for Patroclous, till the house was filled with their lamentation. But when Achilles was now sated with grief and had unburthened the bitterness of his sorrow, he left his seat and raised the old man by the hand, in pity for his white hair and beard; then he said, "Unhappy man, you have indeed been greatly daring; how could you venture to come alone to the ships of the Achaeans, and enter the presence of him who has slain so many of your brave sons? You must have iron courage: sit now upon this seat, and for all our grief we will hide our sorrows in our hearts, for weeping will not avail us. The immortals know no care, yet the lot they spin for man is full of sorrow; on the floor of Jove's palace there stand two urns, the one filled with evil gifts, and the other with good ones. He for whom Jove the lord of thunder mixes the gifts he sends, will meet now with good and now with evil fortune; but he to whom Jove sends none but evil gifts will be pointed at by the finger of scorn, the hand of famine will pursue him to the ends of the world, and he will go up and down the face of the earth, respected neither by gods nor men. Even so did it befall Peleus; the gods endowed him with all good things from his birth upwards, for he reigned over the Myrmidons excelling all men in prosperity and wealth, and mortal though he was they gave him a goddess for his bride. But even on him too did heaven send misfortune, for there is no race of royal children born to him in his house, save one son who is doomed to die all untimely; nor may I take care of him now that he is growing old, for Imust stay here at Troy to be the bane of you and your children. And you too, O Priam, I have heard that you were aforetime happy. They say that in wealth and plenitude of offspring you surpassed all that is in Lesbos, the realm of Makar to the northward, Phrygia that is more inland, and those that dwell upon the great Hellespont; but from the day when the dwellers in heaven sent this evil upon you, war and slaughter have been about your city continually. Bear up against it, and let there be some intervals in your sorrow. Mourn as you may for your brave son, you will take nothing by it. You cannot raise him from the dead, ere you do so yet another sorrow shall befall you."And Priam answered, "O king, bid me not be seated, while Hector is still lying uncared for in your tents, but accept the great ransom which I have brought you, and give him to me at once that I may look upon him. May you prosper with the ransom and reach your own land in safety, seeing that you have suffered me to live and to look upon the light of the sun."Achilles looked at him sternly and said, "Vex me, sir, no longer;I am of myself minded to give up the body of Hector. My mother, daughter of the old man of the sea, came to me from Jove to bid me deliver it to you. Moreover I know well, O Priam, and you cannot hide it, that some god has brought you to the ships of the Achaeans, for else, no man however strong and in his prime would dare to come to our host; he could neither pass our guard unseen, nor draw the bolt of my gates thus easily; therefore, provoke me no further, lest I sin against the word of Jove, and suffer you not, suppliant though you are, within my tents."The old man feared him and obeyed. Then the son of Peleus sprang like a lion through the door of his house, not alone, but with him went his two squires Automedon and Alcimus who were closer to him than any others of his comrades now that Patroclus was no more. These unyoked the horses and mules, and bade Priam's herald and attendant be seated within the house. They lifted the ransom for Hector's body from the waggon. but they left two mantles and a goodly shirt, that Achilles might wrap the body in them when he gave it to be taken home.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 综漫之客栈一宿

    综漫之客栈一宿

    无限好书尽在阅文。
  • 吸血校草误吻迷糊萝莉

    吸血校草误吻迷糊萝莉

    兔公主苒雪笑正玩着捉迷藏,终于抱住一个结实的腰身,睁眼一看。她居然抱着个正在淋浴的全裸妖孽男。“宝贝,你好心急呢,那我就成全你吧。”她还没反应过来,就被美男含住了双唇。这一夜,她不仅湿身还差点失身,谁能告诉她她怎么跑到吸血鬼世界来了?邪魅男人便是吸血鬼伯爵,并意外发现当他想喝血时,只要喝她流的琥珀眼泪就好了。究竟从天而降的她,是他的克星还是幸运星?
  • 我的美女攻略系统

    我的美女攻略系统

    逗逼的猪脚一边攻略美女,一边打打小怪兽的故事....沐萱:“我的我的全是我的。”柳随心:“楼上说的全是正确的。”林素心:“我对楼上的两二货表示呵呵....”秦秦:“唔,今天要吃点什么呢?”慕容轻柔:“沐羽大大我爱你。”慕容枫雪:“姐姐们淡定点!”沈安妍:“哈哈哈,你们的就是我的,我的还是我的....”
  • 老年口腔疾病防治指南

    老年口腔疾病防治指南

    本书以问答的方式讲述了口腔与牙齿的解剖生理、常见病防治以及口腔保健基本知识,以期达到“无病早防”“有病早治”的目的。
  • 俊美公子俏妖姬

    俊美公子俏妖姬

    她是绝美狐仙,遇见了他,轻易地得到了他的爱,想要在一起却是困难重重;他是翩翩公子,家庭显赫,虽虽然身边美女环绕,却只倾心于她,对于她的冷漠,他依旧一如既往地付出,只为了让她明白。“我们不可能”“没有不可能,只有我们肯不肯!”
  • 虫图腾Ⅲ:疑云虫重

    虫图腾Ⅲ:疑云虫重

    在这硝烟弥漫的空气中却隐藏着骇人惊闻的秘密。一只小小的虫子会有何种能力足以颠覆历史?金木水火土,驱虫家族族的五代君子,各自拥有各自独门的绝技。潘俊掌握着木系的驱虫之术,既可救人于瞬间,又可致人于死地;水系族的时妙妙手中一抖便可放出隐形的三千尺,却还有着千容百貌惊人的易容之术;金系族的五关阵布局,局局设密,生死系于一瞬间……
  • 接生

    接生

    温亚军,现为北京武警总部某文学杂志主编。著有长篇小说伪生活等六部,小说集硬雪、驮水的日子等七部。获第三届鲁迅文学奖,第十一届庄重文文学奖,《小说选刊》《中国作家》和《上海文学》等刊物奖,入选中国小说学会排行榜。中国作家协会会员。
  • 你最喜欢的300篇哲理故事

    你最喜欢的300篇哲理故事

    本套书的编撰基于对青少年成长与认知的角度,精心选取多篇精彩故事,并分类阐述,在于能鼓舞和提升青少年的认知度,使青少年对未来充满信心,对生活充满激情,让他们勇气十足的去追求理想,并发觉人生中的真善美。本套丛书的另一个特点就是,能让读者在不知不觉间,通过此书树立良好的人生心态,并能感动青少年去做一个善良的人,做一个会感动别人的人。
  • 中华传统美德百字经·达:通达明理

    中华传统美德百字经·达:通达明理

    一段历史之所以流传千古,是由于它蕴涵着不朽的精神;一段佳话之所以人所共知,是因为它充满了人性的光辉。阅读《中华传统美德百字经》系列丛书,感悟中华传统美德,获得智慧的启迪和温暖心灵的感动;品味中华美德故事,点燃心灵之光,照亮人生之路。《达·通达明理》这本书就是该系列丛书之一,分为人处世通达明理;淡泊名利,达人之性;达观生死留芳名三篇。
  • 傲血战神

    傲血战神

    古村废材方衍从小不能修炼,却忽然得知自己竟是让大陆颤栗的战血之体,九死一生,斩血续脉,让天颤之,战力无边。带着满腔豪情离开古村,鏖战天地,揭开上古谜团,一路征伐,踏足无上修神之路,逆天改命,续写不朽传奇!