1 Achilles

CHAPTER 1 Achilles When our story begins, the Trojan War had been going on for almost ten years. Many battles had been fought, and many men had died. Soldiers and generals from both sides were exhausted. The Achaean men wanted to go home, but they were loyal to King Agamemnon. If he said they should continue fighting, that was what they would do. Agamemnon and his men had captured many Trojans after an important battle. These people were soldiers and women from a nearby town. The Achaeans planned to sell

当我们的故事开始时，特洛伊战争已经进行了将近十年。 打了许多仗，死了许多人。 双方的士兵和将军都筋疲力尽。 亚该亚人想回家，但他们忠于阿伽门农国王。 如果他说他们应该继续战斗，他们就会这样做。 在一次重要的战役后，阿伽门农和他的士兵俘虏了许多特洛伊人。 这些人是附近城镇的士兵和妇女。 亚该亚人打算卖掉

these Trojans as slaves. One of the prisoners was the daughter of Apollo's priest, Chryses. Chryses begged the Achaeans to free his daughter. He promised them riches in return. "I will give you more riches than you would make by selling my daughter as a slave," he said. The Achaean soldiers thought this was a good deal. King Agamemnon did not. He would not give Chryses's daughter back no matter how big the fortune was. In fact, he decided to keep the young woman as his slave rather than sell her. "Do you think you can control the will of a king? I will not be swayed by your promise of money," Agamemnon told Chryses. "No one, especially a Trojan priest, tells me what I should or should not do!" He laughed at the priest and waved his arm in the air. "Leave now, old man," Agamemnon shouted. "If I see you again, it will mean the end for you

这些特洛伊人是奴隶。其中一个囚犯是阿波罗的牧师克丽丝的女儿。 克里西斯恳求亚该亚人释放他的女儿。 他答应给他们财富作为回报。 他说：“我要给你更多的财富，比你卖我女儿为奴所得的还要多。” 亚该亚士兵认为这是一笔好交易。 阿伽门农国王却没有。不管钱有多大，他都不会把克丽丝的女儿还给他。 事实上，他决定把这个年轻的女人作为他的奴隶而不是卖掉她。 “你认为你能控制国王的意志吗？” 我不会被你许诺的钱所动摇，”阿伽门农对克丽丝说。 “没有人，尤其是特洛伊的牧师，告诉我应该或不应该做什么！”他嘲笑牧师，并在空中挥舞着手臂。 “现在离开吧，老家伙。”阿伽门农喊道。 “如果我再见到你，你就完蛋了

and your daughter!" The priest Chryses was terrified. He returned to his ship and set sail for home. The priest prayed to the god Apollo. "Hear me, Apollo! God of the silver bow! You know that I have prayed to you for years. I have built you temples and offered sacrifices to you. Please listen to my prayer now. Claim revenge upon the Achaeans for what they have done to my daughter and me. Send your arrows in place of my tears!" Apollo heard the old priest's prayer. He protected those who honored him with temples and songs. Apollo strode down from Mount Olympus with his bow and arrows slung over his shoulders. The arrows clanged as the god shook with rage. Apollo dropped to a knee and let an arrow fly near the Achaean ships. A terrifying clash rang out from the great silver bow. Then he shot arrow after arrow at the Achaean ships.

还有你的女儿！”牧师Chryses吓坏了。 他回到船上，起航回家。 牧师向阿波罗神祈祷。 “听我说，阿波罗！”银弓之神！你知道我向你祈祷了这么多年。 我为你建造了殿宇，向你献祭。 现在请听我的祷告。 向亚该亚人报复他们对我女儿和我所做的一切。 射你的箭代替我的眼泪吧！”阿波罗听到了老牧师的祈祷。 他保护那些用寺庙和歌曲来纪念他的人。 阿波罗肩上挎着弓和箭，大步走下奥林匹斯山。 神气得发抖，箭矢铿锵作响。 阿波罗单膝跪地，让一支箭飞到亚该亚人的船只附近。 巨大的银弓上响起了可怕的撞击声。 然后他向亚该亚人的船只射出一支又一支的箭。

The men were not expecting this attack. They were unprepared for such force. Apollo's arrows rained over their camps night and day with no end in sight. Apollo punished all of Agamemnon's men. Men were dying because Agamemnon had rejected Apollo's priest's pleas. Apollo's arrows rained down on the Achaeans for nine days. Many men fell. On the tenth day, Achilles spoke to the Achaeans. "King Agamemnon, I fear we are close to defeat," said Achilles. "The war is almost lost. If we can escape our deaths—which might be hard while Apollo rages against us—we should sail home." The soldiers around Achilles all agreed. "First, though," Achilles continued, "we need to find out why the god Apollo rages against us. We must set it right." The wisest of the prophets rose. He was

士兵们没有预料到这次袭击。 他们对这样的力量毫无准备。 阿波罗的箭日夜不停地落在他们的营地上，看不见尽头。 阿波罗惩罚了阿伽门农的所有手下。 人们因为阿伽门农拒绝了阿波罗的牧师请求而死去。 阿波罗的箭像雨点般落在亚该亚人身上，持续了九天。 许多人倒下了。第十天，阿喀琉斯对亚该亚人讲话。 阿喀琉斯说：“阿伽门农国王，恐怕我们就要失败了。” “战争几乎要失败了。如果我们能逃过一死——在阿波罗对我们大发雷霆的时候，这可能很难做到——我们就应该坐船回家。” 阿喀琉斯周围的士兵都同意了。 “不过，首先，”阿喀琉斯继续说，“我们需要弄清楚阿波罗神为什么对我们大发雷霆。 我们必须纠正它。”最聪明的先知站了起来。 他是

able to see the past, present, and future. The prophet stood beside Achilles and spoke to him. "Achilles," he said. "I can explain Apollo's anger. I will tell you everything. But you must promise me something first. Swear that you will defend me with all your heart and all your strength. Someone will be angry when I speak the truth. He is a powerful man. He is a king. Think about this carefully, Achilles. Will you stand by me?" Achilles reassured the prophet. "Be brave! Speak your mind. I swear by Zeus, no one will lay a hand on you while I am alive." The prophet spoke out bravely. "Beware! Apollo is enraged because King Agamemnon refused to free Chryses's daughter. Apollo will continue to bring us pain until we return the girl to her father. Only then will Apollo forgive us." The prophet sat down. Agamemnon rose. His eyes were afire with

能够看到过去、现在和未来。 先知站在阿喀琉斯身边，对他说话。 “阿喀琉斯，”他说。“我可以解释阿波罗的愤怒。 我会告诉你一切。 但你得先答应我一件事。 发誓你会全心全意地保护我。 当我说真话时，有人会生气的。 他是一个有权势的人。他是国王。 仔细想想，阿喀琉斯。 你会支持我吗？”阿喀琉斯安抚了先知。 “勇敢!说出你的想法。 我向宙斯发誓，只要我活着，就没有人敢动你一根毫毛。” 先知勇敢地说了出来。 “小心!阿波罗被激怒了，因为阿伽门农国王拒绝释放克丽丝的女儿。 阿波罗会继续给我们带来痛苦直到我们把女孩送回她父亲身边。 只有到那时，阿波罗才会原谅我们。” 先知坐了下来。阿伽门农上升。 他的眼睛里充满了

anger. He faced the prophet and gave him a deadly look. "Prophet of misery! It is my fault Apollo has turned against us?! All because I refused to give back the girl? Fine! I will give her back if that will stop Apollo's anger and save my people. But I shall not suffer for this. If I must lose my prize, then I must have another." Achilles answered him quickly. "Agamemnon, how can you receive a prize now? We have no treasure. And we cannot take from the good soldiers who fight for us. Return the girl and we will find a prize for you later. When we destroy Troy, you will receive many prizes." "Achilles," Agamemnon said. "Are you trying to trick me? You will keep your prize, but must I lose mine? You asked the prophet for an answer. I cannot help it if you do not like my response. I will give back Chryses's daughter to him. And then you will hand

愤怒。他面对着先知，恶狠狠地看了他一眼。 “苦难的先知！”阿波罗背叛我们是我的错吗！就因为我不肯把女孩还给她吗？ 好啊!如果能平息阿波罗的愤怒，拯救我的族人，我愿意把她还给他。 但我不会为此受苦。 如果我必须失去我的战利品，那么我必须再得到一个。” 阿喀琉斯很快回答了他。 “阿伽门农，你现在怎么能得奖呢？” 我们没有财宝。我们不能剥夺为我们而战的优秀士兵。 把女孩还给你，我们会给你找奖品的。 当我们摧毁特洛伊城时，你会得到很多奖励。” “阿喀琉斯，”阿伽门农说。 “你想骗我吗？” 你可以保留你的战利品，而我必须失去我的吗？ 你向先知寻求答案。 如果你不喜欢我的回答，我也没办法。 我会把克丽丝的女儿还给他。 然后你会举手