hesiod, the homeric hymns, and homerica-第50部分

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Then　Homer；　wishing　to　escape　from　the　impasse　by　an　apt　answer；　replied：　

‘Never　shall　horses　with　clattering　hoofs　break　chariots；　striving　for　victory　about　the　tomb　of　Zeus。'

Here　again　Homer　had　fairly　met　Hesiod；　and　so　the　latter　turned　to　sentences　of　doubtful　meaning　（2）：　he　recited　many　lines　and　required　Homer　to　complete　the　sense　of　each　appropriately。　　The　first　of　the　following　verses　is　Hesiod's　and　the　next　Homer's：　but　sometimes　Hesiod　puts　his　question　in　two　lines。

HESIOD：　‘Then　they　dined　on　the　flesh　of　oxen　and　their　horses'　necks　'

HOMER：　‘They　unyoked　dripping　with　sweat；　when　they　had　had　enough　of　war。'

HESIOD：　‘And　the　Phrygians；　who　of　all　men　are　handiest　at　ships　'

HOMER：　‘To　filch　their　dinner　from　pirates　on　the　beach。'

HESIOD：　‘To　shoot　forth　arrows　against　the　tribes　of　cursed　giants　with　his　hands　'

HOMER：　‘Heracles　unslung　his　curved　bow　from　his　shoulders。'

HESIOD：　‘This　man　is　the　son　of　a　brave　father　and　a　weakling　'

HOMER：　‘Mother；　for　war　is　too　stern　for　any　woman。'

HESIOD：　‘But　for　you；　your　father　and　lady　mother　lay　in　love　'

HOMER：　‘When　they　begot　you　by　the　aid　of　golden　Aphrodite。'

HESIOD：　‘But　when　she　had　been　made　subject　in　love；　Artemis；　who　delights　in　arrows　'

HOMER：　‘Slew　Callisto　with　a　shot　of　her　silver　bow。'

HESIOD：　‘So　they　feasted　all　day　long；　taking　nothing　'

HOMER：　‘From　their　own　houses；　for　Agamemnon；　king　of　men；　supplied　them。'

HESIOD：　‘When　they　had　feasted；　they　gathered　among　the　glowing　ashes　the　bones　of　the　dead　Zeus　'

HOMER：　‘Born　Sarpedon；　that　bold　and　godlike　man。'

HESIOD：　‘Now　we　have　lingered　thus　about　the　plain　of　Simois；　forth　from　the　ships　let　us　go　our　way；　upon　our　shoulders　'

HOMER：　‘Having　our　hilted　swords　and　long…helved　spears。'

HESIOD：　‘Then　the　young　heroes　with　their　hands　from　the　sea　'

HOMER：　‘Gladly　and　swiftly　hauled　out　their　fleet　ship。'

HESIOD：　‘Then　they　came　to　Colchis　and　king　Aeetes　'

HOMER：　‘They　avoided；　for　they　knew　he　was　inhospitable　and　lawless。'

HESIOD：　‘Now　when　they　had　poured　libations　and　deeply　drunk；　the　surging　sea　'

HOMER：　‘They　were　minded　to　traverse　on　well…built　ships。'

HESIOD：　‘The　Son　of　Atreus　prayed　greatly　for　them　that　they　all　might　perish　'

HOMER：　‘At　no　time　in　the　sea：　and　he　opened　his　mouth　said：'

HESIOD：　‘Eat；　my　guests；　and　drink；　and　may　no　one　of　you　return　home　to　his　dear　country　'

HOMER：　‘Distressed；　but　may　you　all　reach　home　again　unscathed。'

When　Homer　had　met　him　fairly　on　every　point　Hesiod　said：

‘Only　tell　me　this　thing　that　I　ask：　How　many　Achaeans　went　to　Ilium　with　the　sons　of　Atreus？'

Homer　answered　in　a　mathematical　problem；　thus：

‘There　were　fifty　hearths；　and　at　each　hearth　were　fifty　spits；　and　on　each　spit　were　fifty　carcases；　and　there　were　thrice　three　hundred　Achaeans　to　each　joint。'

This　is　found　to　be　an　incredible　number；　for　as　there　were　fifty　hearths；　the　number　of　spits　is　two　thousand　five　hundred；　and　of　carcasses；　one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand。。。

Homer；　then；　having　the　advantage　on　every　point；　Hesiod　was　jealous　and　began　again：

‘Homer；　son　of　Meles；　if　indeed　the　Muses；　daughters　of　great　Zeus　the　most　high；　honour　you　as　it　is　said；　tell　me　a　standard　that　is　both　best　and　worst　for　mortal…men；　for　I　long　to　know　it。'　　Homer　replied：　‘Hesiod；　son　of　Dius；　I　am　willing　to　tell　you　what　you　command；　and　very　readily　will　I　answer　you。　　For　each　man　to　be　a　standard　will　I　answer　you。　　For　each　man　to　be　a　standard　to　himself　is　most　excellent　for　the　good；　but　for　the　bad　it　is　the　worst　of　all　things。　　And　now　ask　me　whatever　else　your　heart　desires。'

HESIOD：　‘How　would　men　best　dwell　in　cities；　and　with　what　observances？'

HOMER：　‘By　scorning　to　get　unclean　gain　and　if　the　good　were　honoured；　but　justice　fell　upon　the　unjust。'

HESIOD：　‘What　is　the　best　thing　of　all　for　a　man　to　ask　of　the　gods　in　prayer？'

HOMER：　‘That　he　may　be　always　at　peace　with　himself　continually。'

HESIOD：　‘Can　you　tell　me　in　briefest　space　what　is　best　of　all？'

HOMER：　‘A　sound　mind　in　a　manly　body；　as　I　believe。'

HESIOD：　‘Of　what　effect　are　righteousness　and　courage？'

HOMER：　‘To　advance　the　common　good　by　private　pains。'

HESIOD：　‘What　is　the　mark　of　wisdom　among　men？'

HOMER：　‘To　read　aright　the　present；　and　to　march　with　the　occasion。'

HESIOD：　‘In　what　kind　of　matter　is　it　right　to　trust　in　men？'

HOMER：　‘Where　danger　itself　follows　the　action　close。'

HESIOD：　‘What　do　men　mean　by　happiness？'

HOMER：　‘Death　after　a　life　of　least　pain　and　greatest　pleasure。'

After　these　verses　had　been　spoken；　all　the　Hellenes　called　for　Homer　to　be　crowned。　　But　King　Paneides　bade　each　of　them　recite　the　finest　passage　from　his　own　poems。　　Hesiod；　therefore；　began　as　follows：

‘When　the　Pleiads；　the　daughters　of　Atlas；　begin　to　rise　begin　the　harvest；　and　begin　ploughing　ere　they　set。　　For　forty　nights　and　days　they　are　hidden；　but　appear　again　as　the　year　wears　round；　when　first　the　sickle　is　sharpened。　　This　is　the　law　of　the　plains　and　for　those　who　dwell　near　the　sea　or　live　in　the　rich…soiled　valleys；　far　from　the　wave…tossed　deep：　strip　to　sow；　and　strip　to　plough；　and　strip　to　reap　when　all　things　are　in　season。'　（3）

Then　Homer：

‘The　ranks　stood　firm　about　the　two　Aiantes；　such　that　not　even　Ares　would　have　scorned　them　had　he　met　them；　nor　yet　Athena　who　saves　armies。　　For　there　the　chosen　best　awaited　the　charge　of　the　Trojans　and　noble　Hector；　making　a　fence　of　spears　and　serried　shields。　　Shield　closed　with　shield；　and　helm　with　helm；　and　each　man　with　his　fellow；　and　the　peaks　of　their　head…pieces　with　crests　of　horse…hair　touched　as　they　bent　their　heads：　so　close　they　stood　together。　　The　murderous　battle　bristled　with　the　long；　flesh…rending　spears　they　held；　and　the　flash　of　bronze　from　polished　helms　and　new…burnished　breast…plates　and　gleaming　shields　blinded　the　eyes。　　Very　hard　of　heart　would　he　have　been；　who　could　then　have　seen　that　strife　with　joy　and　felt　no　pang。'　（4）

Here；　again；　the　Hellenes　applauded　Homer　admiringly；　so　far　did　the　verses　exceed　the　ordinary　level；　and　demanded　that　he　should　be　adjudged　the　winner。　　But　the　king　gave　the　crown　to　Hesiod；　declaring　that　it　was　right　that　he　who　called　upon　men　to　follow　peace　and　husbandry　should　have　the　prize　rather　than　one　who　dwelt　on　war　and　slaughter。　　In　this　way；　then；　we　are　told；　Hesiod　gained　the　victory　and　received　a　brazen　tripod　which　he　dedicated　to　the　Muses　with　this　inscription：

‘Hesiod　dedicated　this　tripod　to　the　Muses　of　Helicon　after　he　had　conquered　divine　Homer　at　Chalcis　in　a　contest　of　song。'

After　the　gathering　was　dispersed；　Hesiod　crossed　to　the　mainland　and　went　to　Delphi　to　consult　the　oracle　and　to　dedicate　the　first　fruits　of　his　victory　to　the　god。　　They　say　that　as　he　was　approaching　the　temple；　the　prophetess　became　inspired　and　said：

‘Blessed　is　this　man　who　serves　my　house；　　Hesiod；　who　is　honoured　by　the　deathless　Muses：　surely　his　renown　shall　be　as　wide　as　the　light　of　dawn　is　spread。　　But　beware　of　the　pleasant　grove　of　Nemean　Zeus；　for　there　death's　end　is　destined　to　befall　you。'

When　Hesiod　heard　this　oracle；　he　kept　away　from　the　Peloponnesus；　supposing　that　the　god　meant　the　Nemea　there；　and　coming　to　Oenoe　in　Locris；　he　stayed　with　Amphiphanes　and　Ganyetor　the　sons　of　Phegeus；　thus　unconsciously　fulfilling　the　oracle；　for　all　that　region　was　called　the　sacred　place　of　Nemean　Zeus。　　He　continued　to　stay　a　somewhat　long　time　at　Oenoe；　until　the　young　men；　suspecting　Hesiod　of　seducing　their　sister；　killed　him　and　cast　his　body　into　the　sea　which　separates　Achaea　and　Locris。　　On　the　third　day；　however；　his　body　was　brought　to　land　by　dolphins　while　some　local　feast　of　Ariadne　was　being　held。　　Thereupon；　all　the　people　hurried　to　the　shore；　and　recognized　the　body；　lamented　over　it　and　buried　it；　and　then　began　to　look　for　the　assassins。　　But　these；　fearing　the　anger　of　their　countrymen；　launched　a　fishing　boat；　and　put　out　to　sea　for　Crete：　they　had　finished　half　their　voyage　when　Zeus　sank　them　with　a　thunderbolt；　as　Alcidamas　states　in　his　〃Museum〃。　　Eratosthenes；　however；　says　in　his　〃Hesiod〃　that　Ctimenus　and　Antiphus；　sons　of　Ganyetor；　killed　him　for　the　reason　already　stated；　and　were　sacrificed　by　Eurycles　the　seer　to　the　gods　of　hospitality。　　He　adds　that　the　girl；　sister　of　the　above…named；　hanged　herself　after　she　had　been　seduced；　and　that　she　was　seduced　by　some　stranger；　Demodes　by　name；　who　was　travelling　with　Hesiod；　and　who　was　also　killed　by　the　brothers。　　At　a　later　time　the　men　of　Orchomenus　removed　his　body　as　they　were　directed　by　an　oracle；　and　buried　him　in　their　own　country　where　they　placed　this　inscription　on　his　tomb：

‘Ascra　with　its　many　cornfields　was　his　native　land；　but　in　death　the　land　of　the　horse…driving　Minyans　holds　the　bones　of　Hesiod；　whose　renown　is　greatest　among　men　of　all　who　are　judged　by　the　test　of　wit。'

So　much　for　Hesiod。　　But　Homer；　after　losing　the　victory；　went　from　place　to　place　reciting　his　poems；　and　first　of　all　the　〃Thebais〃　in　seven　thousand　verses　which　begins：　‘Goddess；　sing　of　parched　Argos　whence　kings。。。'；　and　then　the　〃Epigoni〃　in　seven　thousand　verses　beginning：　‘And　now；　Muses；　let　us　begin　to　sing　of　men　of　later　days'；　for　some　say　that　these　poems　also　are　by　Homer。　　Now　Xanthus　and　Gorgus；　son　of　Midas　the　king；　heard　his　epics　and　invited　him　to　compose　a　epitaph　for　the　tomb　of　their　father　on　which　was　a　bronze　figure　of　a　maiden　bewailing　the　death　of　Midas。　　He　wrote　the　following　lines：　

‘I　am　a　maiden　of　bronze　and　sit　upon　the　tomb　of　Midas。　　While　water　flows；　and　tall　trees　put　forth　leaves；　and　rivers　swell；　and　the　sea　breaks　on　the　shore；　while　the　sun　rises　and　shines　and　the　bright　moon　also；　ever　remaining　on　this　mournful　tomb　I　tell　the　passer…by　that　Midas　here　lies　buried。'

For　these　verses　they　gave　him　a　silver　bowl　which　he　dedicated　to　Apollo　at　Delphi　with　this　inscription：　‘Lord　Phoebus；　I；　Homer；　have　given　you　a　noble　gift　for　the　wisdom　I　have　of　you：　do　you　ever　grant　me　renown。'

After　this　he　composed　the　〃Odyssey〃　in　twelve　thousand　verses；　having　previously　written　the　〃Iliad〃　in　fifteen　thou