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！
sick or in distress； should sleep at night on the floors of the temples。
They did this hoping that the God would send them a dream to show them
how their diseases might be cured； or how they might find what they had
53
… Page 54…
Tales of Troy
lost； or might escape from their distresses。
Ulysses slept in more than one temple； and once in that of Pallas
Athene； and the priests and priestesses were kind to him； and gave him
food in the morning when the gates of the temple were opened。
In the temple of Pallas Athene； where the Luck of Troy lay always on
her altar； the custom was that priestesses kept watch； each for two hours；
all through the night； and soldiers kept guard within call。 So one night
Ulysses slept there； on the floor； with other distressed people； seeking for
dreams from the Gods。 He lay still all through the night till the turn of
the last priestess came to watch。 The priestess used to walk up and down
with bare feet among the dreaming people； having a torch in her hand； and
muttering hymns to the Goddess。 Then Ulysses； when her back was
turned； slipped the gold phial out of his rags； and let it lie on the polished
floor beside him。 When the priestess came back again； the light from her
torch fell on the glittering phial； and she stooped and picked it up； and
looked at it curiously。 There came from it a sweet fragrance； and she
opened it； and tasted the drug。 It seemed to her the sweetest thing that
ever she had tasted； and she took more and more； and then closed the phial
and laid it down； and went along murmuring her hymn。
But soon a great drowsiness came over her； and she sat down on the
step of the altar； and fell sound asleep； and the torch sunk in her hand； and
went out； and all was dark。 Then Ulysses put the phial in his wallet； and
crept very cautiously to the altar； in the dark； and stole the Luck of Troy。
It was only a small black mass of what is now called meteoric iron； which
sometimes comes down with meteorites from the sky； but it was shaped
like a shield； and the people thought it an image of the warlike shielded
Goddess； fallen from Heaven。 Such sacred shields； made of glass and
ivory； are found deep in the earth in the ruined cities of Ulysses' time。
Swiftly Ulysses hid the Luck in his rags and left in its place on the altar a
copy of the Luck； which he had made of blackened clay。 Then he stole
back to the place where he had lain； and remained there till dawn appeared；
and the sleepers who sought for dreams awoke； and the temple gates were
opened； and Ulysses walked out with the rest of them。
He stole down a lane； where as yet no people were stirring； and crept
54
… Page 55…
Tales of Troy
along； leaning on his staff； till he came to the eastern gate； at the back of
the city； which the Greeks never attacked； for they had never drawn their
army in a circle round the town。 There Ulysses explained to the sentinels
that he had gathered food enough to last for a long journey to some other
town； and opened his bag； which seemed full of bread and broken meat。
The soldiers said he was a lucky beggar； and let him out。 He walked
slowly along the waggon road by which wood was brought into Troy from
the forests on Mount Ida； and when he found that nobody was within sight
he slipped into the forest； and stole into a dark thicket； hiding beneath the
tangled boughs。 Here he lay and slept till evening； and then took the new
clothes which Helen had given him out of his wallet； and put them on； and
threw the belt of the sword over his shoulder； and hid the Luck of Troy in
his bosom。 He washed himself clean in a mountain brook； and now all
who saw him must have known that he was no beggar； but Ulysses of
Ithaca； Laertes' son。
So he walked cautiously down the side of the brook which ran
between high banks deep in trees； and followed it till it reached the river
Xanthus； on the left of the Greek lines。 Here he found Greek sentinels
set to guard the camp； who cried aloud in joy and surprise； for his ship had
not yet returned from Delos； and they could not guess how Ulysses had
come back alone across the sea。 So two of the sentinels guarded Ulysses
to the hut of Agamemnon； where he and Achilles and all the chiefs were
sitting at a feast。 They all leaped up； but when Ulysses took the Luck of
Troy from within his mantle； they cried that this was the bravest deed that
had been done in the war； and they sacrificed ten oxen to Zeus。
〃So you were the old beggar；〃 said young Thrasymedes。
〃Yes；〃 said Ulysses； 〃and when next you beat a beggar； Thrasymedes；
do not strike so hard and so long。〃
That night all the Greeks were full of hope； for now they had the Luck
of Troy； but the Trojans were in despair； and guessed that the beggar was
the thief； and that Ulysses had been the beggar。 The priestess； Theano；
could tell them nothing； they found her； with the extinguished torch
drooping in her hand； asleep； as she sat on the step of the altar； and she
never woke again。
55
… Page 56…
Tales of Troy
56
… Page 57…
Tales of Troy
THE BATTLES WITH THE
AMAZONS AND MEMNONTHE
57
… Page 58…
Tales of Troy
DEATH OF ACHILLES
Ulysses thought much and often of Helen； without whose kindness he
could not have saved the Greeks by stealing the Luck of Troy。 He saw
that； though she remained as beautiful as when the princes all sought her
hand； she was most unhappy； knowing herself to be the cause of so much
misery； and fearing what the future might bring。 Ulysses told nobody
about the secret which she had let fall； the coming of the Amazons。
The Amazons were a race of warlike maids； who lived far away on the
banks of the river Thermodon。 They had fought against Troy in former
times； and one of the great hill…graves on the plain of Troy covered the
ashes of an Amazon； swift…footed Myrine。 People believed that they
were