Greek mythology’s greatest warrior - Iseult Gillespie

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Ruan Xiu Ze 阮修泽

Achilles was a demigod destined for greatness.

阿基里斯是一個注定 成就非凡的半神半人。

He was born to a sea nymph and a king.

他是海洋女神與國王生下的孩子。

And like the legendary Heracles before him,

和比他更早的傳奇人物 海克力斯一樣，

he was trained by the centaur Chiron in hunting, music, and medicine.

他也曾接受半人馬凱隆的訓練， 學習打獵、音樂，和醫學。

Meanwhile, his closest companion since boyhood was Patroclus,

自幼起，他的摯友 就是帕特羅克洛斯，

a mortal with no divine parentage or lofty prophecies tied to his name.

這位凡人沒有神祇血統，也沒有 和他的名字相關的崇高預言。

Despite these differences, the two loved one another unconditionally.

儘管有這些差異存在， 他們還是無條件地愛著彼此。

But when Greece declared war on Troy,

但當希臘對特洛伊宣戰時，

Achilles was called upon as a crucial weapon.

阿基里斯被召喚去扮演關鍵的武器。

Helen, the wife of a Greek king,

希臘國王的妻子海倫

had vanished to Troy with Paris, a Trojan prince.

與特洛伊王子帕里斯 一起消失在特洛伊。

An army of Greeks assembled, determined to retrieve her.

希臘人組成一支軍隊， 決心要把她找回來。

And as war loomed, the gods themselves took sides

戰爭近在眼前，眾神也開始選邊站，

and argued over the mortals’ fates.

並爭論凡人的命運會如何。

Achilles knew the war was written into his destiny.

阿基里斯知道這場戰爭 是他逃不掉的命運。

And with horses born from the west wind and a spear wrought from a mountain peak,

帶著一匹西風生的馬 和一支由山峰鑄造的長槍，

he readied himself.

他做好了準備。

But he wouldn’t be alone: Patroclus was by his side.

但他並不孤單： 身邊還有帕特羅克洛斯。

They sailed to Troy along with 1,186 ships and surged into battle.

他們與一千一百八十六艘船 一起航向特洛伊， 衝入戰場。

The Trojans were led by the formidable Prince Hector,

特洛伊人的領袖 是強大的赫克特王子，

brother of Paris and son of King Priam.

他和帕里斯是兄弟， 同為普利安國王的兒子。

But they were no match for Achilles,

但他們不敵阿基里斯，

who held the upper hand for the Greeks with his striking skill.

阿基里斯驚人的戰技 讓希臘人佔盡上風。

Some said Achilles was invincible because his mother dipped him into the Styx;

有人說阿基里斯之所以所向無敵

是因為他母親曾將他 浸入斯堤克斯河裡。

others said that she bathed him in ambrosia, the nectar of immortality.

也有人說他母親曾用 象徵永生的神仙甘露為他洗澡。

Despite his talent, the war wore on for nine years

儘管他才華洋溢， 戰爭仍持續了九年之久，

and internal conflicts crystallized.

內部衝突漸漸明朗化。

Early on, Achilles took a woman named Briseis captive.

早期，阿基里斯曾經抓了 一名叫做布里塞伊絲的女子。

But the Greek army’s leader, King Agamemnon,

但希臘軍隊的領袖阿伽門農國王

had grown jealous of Achilles and seized Briseis for himself.

越來越嫉妒阿基里斯， 因而把布里塞伊絲搶過去。

Incensed, Achilles went on strike and the situation became dire without him.

憤怒的阿基里斯拒絕參戰，

少了他，情況變得十分危急。

Patroclus witnessed the carnage firsthand.

帕特羅克洛斯親眼 目睹了這場大屠殺。

But still Achilles refused to fight.

但阿基里斯仍不肯出戰。

Panicked at the sight of the Trojans entering the Greek encampment,

因為看到特洛伊人進入 希臘營地而慌張起來的

Patroclus urged Achilles to lend him his armor.

帕特羅克洛斯急忙 向阿基里斯借了戰甲。

The sight of Achilles alone, he argued, would drive the Trojans back.

他認為，光是看到阿基里斯， 就足以讓特洛伊人打道回府。

Achilles agreed— provided Patroclus avoid the gates of Troy,

阿基里斯同意了——條件是 帕特羅克洛斯要遠離特洛伊的城門，

from which the god Apollo protected the city.

因為神祇阿波羅 在城門上保護該城市。

Suiting Patroclus in the armor, Achilles prayed for his safe return.

阿基里斯幫帕特羅克洛斯穿上 戰甲，祈禱他能平安歸來。

Leading a swarm of Greeks,

穿著偽裝的帕特羅克洛斯領導 一群希臘人把特洛伊人趕走。

the disguised Patroclus drove the Trojans away.

And for a few precious moments he felt as untouchable as Achilles himself.

在珍貴的短短幾刻間，他覺得 自己好像就是無敵的阿基里斯。

He hurtled towards Troy— until Apollo struck him down, knocking away his armor.

他衝向特洛伊，

直到阿波羅把他擊倒， 擊飛了他的戰甲。

Hector seized the opportunity,

赫克特抓住這個機會，

claiming Patroclus’ life— and Achilles’ armor.

奪走了帕特羅克洛斯的生命—— 及阿基里斯的戰甲。

Overcome by guilt and grief,

背著沉重的內疚感和悲傷，

Achilles vowed not to bury his beloved until he was avenged.

阿基里斯發誓，在他完成 復仇之前不會埋葬他的愛人。

He threw himself into battle, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.

他投身戰鬥，所經之處屍橫遍野。

Soon, all Trojans had fled or perished—

沒多久，特洛伊人 全都逃走或戰死了——

all but Hector, clad in the armor that had failed to protect Patroclus.

唯一的例外是赫克特，

他穿著沒能保護 帕特羅克洛斯的戰甲。

Their spears clashed, but Achilles knew the armor's weak spot.

他們的長槍激烈交鋒，

但阿基里斯知道那戰甲的弱點。

With a deadly strike, he took his revenge.

他發動致命的一擊，完成了復仇。

And yet, his grief and fury weren’t satisfied.

但，他的悲傷和憤怒沒有得到滿足。

Achilles seized Hector’s body.

阿基里斯帶走了赫克特的屍體。

Denying him burial was a heinous offense, but nothing felt sacred anymore.

不讓他被埋葬是種極惡的冒犯，

但已經沒什麼感覺是神聖的了。

He dragged the body behind his chariot, jeering at the Trojans all the while.

他把屍體拖在他的戰車後面，

同時不斷嘲諷特洛伊人。

At night, the ghost of Patroclus appeared to Achilles,

晚上，帕特羅克洛斯的鬼魂 出現在阿基里斯面前，

warning that his death was imminent

警告他他的死亡將至，

and asking that their bones be laid to rest together.

並請求將他們的骨頭放在一起。

Achilles agreed and tried to embrace him, but the apparition disappeared.

阿基里斯同意了，並試圖擁抱他，

但亡靈卻消失了。

Meanwhile, Priam, the Trojan king, was also tormented by grief.

與此同時，特洛伊國王 普利安也為悲傷所苦。

He finally resolved to go to Achilles and ask him for mercy.

他終於下定決心去找 阿基里斯，求他寬恕。

He kissed the hands that killed his son and offered payment for Hector's body.

他親吻了殺害他兒子的那雙手，

並提議買回赫克特的屍體。

Together, they wept and shared a meal.

他們一起哭泣並共進了一餐。

Achilles returned Hector’s corpse, praying to Patroclus for forgiveness.

阿基里斯歸還了赫克特的屍體，

向帕特羅克洛斯祈求原諒。

And with little left to lose, he returned to battle,

已經沒剩什麼可以 失去的他，返回了戰場，

defeating even the most skilled warriors.

連戰技最棒的戰士都被他擊敗了。

But, just as Patroclus had predicted, Achilles wouldn’t live long.

但，如帕特羅克洛斯所預言，

阿基里斯沒多久可活了。

Paris struck his heel with an arrow that some say was guided by Apollo.

帕里斯用箭射中他的腳跟，

有人說那支箭是阿波羅引導的。

The remains of Achilles and Patroclus were mingled for eternity.

阿基里斯和帕特羅克洛斯的 遺骸永遠交融在一起。

And the Greeks went on to win the war.

希臘人後來打贏了這場戰爭。

But, in the course of battle,

但是，在過程中，雙方都失去了 當時最偉大的一些英雄。

each side lost some of the greatest heroes of their time—

their zeal turning into heartbreak,

即使他們的故事被打造為傳奇， 他們的熱情還是化成了心碎。

even as their stories hardened into legend.