20180127  Iliad 24. 372-377

τὸν δ᾽ ἠμείβετ᾽ ἔπειτα γέρων Πρίαμος θεοειδής:

‘οὕτω πῃ τάδε γ᾽ ἐστὶ φίλον τέκος ὡς ἀγορεύεις.

ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι τις καὶ ἐμεῖο θεῶν ὑπερέσχεθε χεῖρα,

ὅς μοι τοιόνδ᾽ ἧκεν ὁδοιπόρον ἀντιβολῆσαι

αἴσιον, οἷος δὴ σὺ δέμας καὶ εἶδος ἀγητός,

πέπνυσαί τε νόῳ, μακάρων δ᾽ ἔξεσσι τοκήων.

Then the old man, godlike Priam, answered him: Just so, dear son, are all these things as you say. But still some god has stretched out his hand even over me, since he has sent a wayfarer such as you to meet me, a good omen, so wondrous in form and beauty, and you are wised in understanding; happy parents are they from who you are sprung.

《伊里亞德》提到的老人(γέρων) Priam，也有神的光燁 (θεοειδής)，儘管內心無比恐懼，為了摯愛的長子，仍隻身夜奔敵營。此時，Hermes佯裝一位美男子，親切地陪伴與鼓勵Priam。Priam把這位「旅伴」(ὁδοιπόρος a wayfarer, traveller)當成此刻的貴人，是神的出手相助，感謝這位俊美、有禮、善解人意的旅伴，並祝福他的家人。

Priam是多麼佩服的典範，即使在患難中仍不抱怨，心存感激，敬天，並善待他人。

μάκαρ blessed, happy

下面圖文出處: http://www.maicar.com/GML/000Iconography/Hermes/slides/8235detail.html

Priam | 8235 (detail): Priam (right); the other perhaps Achilles’ attendant or Hermes. Red-figured cup. Athens c. 480 BC. British Museum, London.

20180125 Iliad 24. 359-361

ὣς φάτο, σὺν δὲ γέροντι νόος χύτο, δείδιε δ᾽ αἰνῶς,

ὀρθαὶ δὲ τρίχες ἔσταν ἐνὶ γναμπτοῖσι μέλεσσι,

στῆ δὲ ταφών:

So he spoke, and the old man’s mind was thrown into confusion, and he was dreadfully afraid, and straight up stood the hair on his pliant limbs, and he stood in a daze.

《伊里亞德》提到的老人(γέροντι)通常是指Priam，為了長子Hector的屍首，老人夜奔敵營，實在是了不起。但是，老人的內心恐懼、焦慮，甚至心智昏亂，這裡描述老人家嚇到頭髮(τρίχες)豎起，腿(μέλεσσι)發軟，整個人呆掉。

但是，不會因為害怕就畏縮不前進。

下面圖文出處: https://www.ebts.org/2014/01/boxwood-in-classical-times-the-greeks-by-mark-v-braimbridge/

Silver cup showing Priam imploring Achilles to return the body of Hector (Photo: Courtesy National Museum, Copenhagen)

20180121 Iliad 24. 275-280

ἐκ θαλάμου δὲ φέροντες ἐϋξέστης ἐπ᾽ ἀπήνης

νήεον Ἑκτορέης κεφαλῆς ἀπερείσι᾽ ἄποινα,

ζεῦξαν δ᾽ ἡμιόνους κρατερώνυχας ἐντεσιεργούς,

τούς ῥά ποτε Πριάμῳ Μυσοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα.

ἵππους δὲ Πριάμῳ ὕπαγον ζυγόν, οὓς ὃ γεραιὸς

αὐτὸς ἔχων ἀτίταλλεν ἐϋξέστῃ ἐπὶ φάτνῃ.

Then they brought out from the treasure chamber and heaped on the polished wagon the countless ransom for Hector’s head, and yoked the strong-hoofed mules that toil in harness, which once the Mysians had given to Priam, a glorious gift. And for Priam they led beneath the yoke horses that the old king kept for his own and reared the polished stall.

備好騾車，又從庫房拿出數不完的寶藏當贖金 (ἄποινα)，推放在車裡。這裡強調這部騾車整理的極佳(ἐϋξέστης)，ἀπήνης通常指四輪的車。還使用十分特別的馬具，據說是小亞細亞Mysia人送的禮物。

從上述的文字，老國王還另外其一匹好馬。

下面圖文出處: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/46216/46216-h/46216-h.htm#Page_30

書名是: Carriages & Coaches: Their History & Their Evolution

Assyrian Chariot

(From Smith’s “Concise History of English Carriages”)

20180120 Iliad 24. 265-270

ὣς ἔφαθ᾽, οἳ δ᾽ ἄρα πατρὸς ὑποδείσαντες ὁμοκλὴν

ἐκ μὲν ἄμαξαν ἄειραν ἐΰτροχον ἡμιονείην

καλὴν πρωτοπαγέα, πείρινθα δὲ δῆσαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς,

κὰδ δ᾽ ἀπὸ πασσαλόφι ζυγὸν ᾕρεον ἡμιόνειον

πύξινον ὀμφαλόεν εὖ οἰήκεσσιν ἀρηρός:

ἐκ δ᾽ ἔφερον ζυγόδεσμον ἅμα ζυγῷ ἐννεάπηχυ.

So he spoke, and they, seized with fear of their father’s rebuke, brought out the light-running mule wagon, fair and newly made, and bound on it the wicker box; and down from its peg they took the mule yoke, a boxwood yoke with a knob on it, well fitted with guiding rings; and they brought out the yoke band of nine cubits, and with it the yoke.

Priam的小孩阻止父親不成，立即幫父親準備「騾車」(ἡμιονείην)，這一部騾車是新制的、也很美觀，用這部騾車運用贖金與禮物給Achilles，才顯得氣派與誠意。荷馬史詩出現「騾車」三次左右 (Od. 6.72, Iliad 24.189，Iliad 24.266)，也說明古希臘已經使用騾當交通運輸工具。

   這一段詳細記載這部「騾車」(ἡμιονείην)的設備：有一個柳條箱(πείρινθα)，應該是用來裝物品。此外有車軛(ζυγὸν)，以木樁(πασσαλόφι)固定；此外在軛的上面有把手(ὀμφαλόεν)，捆著長9單位(ἐννεάπηχυ)長的軛帶。

下圖與文字出處: http://mulography.co.uk/?p=1017

Mules pulling a cisium.

20180118 Iliad 24. 228-235

ὤ μοι ἐγὼ πανάποτμος, ἐπεὶ τέκον υἷας ἀρίστους

Τροίῃ ἐν εὐρείῃ, τῶν δ᾽ οὔ τινά φημι λελεῖφθαι,

Μήστορά τ᾽ ἀντίθεον καὶ Τρωΐλον ἱππιοχάρμην

Ἕκτορά θ᾽, ὃς θεὸς ἔσκε μετ᾽ ἀνδράσιν, οὐδὲ ἐῴκει

ἀνδρός γε θνητοῦ πάϊς ἔμμεναι ἀλλὰ θεοῖο.

Woe is me, who am completely ill-fated, since I begot sons the best in the broad land of Troy, yet of them I say that not one is left, not god-like Mestor, not Troilus the warrior charioteer, not Hector who was a god among men, nor did he seem the son of a mortal man, but of a god.

特洛伊國王悲痛自己的小孩的離世，這裡提到其中的三位: Mestor，Troilus, 和Hector。Mestor被形容成: “not god-like” (ἀντίθεον)，和Hector是對比的，顯然Hector卓越非凡，彷彿神降世人間。

  我思考，一個人散發「神」的氣質，是史詩中的美學觀，那種生命的特質與光芒是神聖的、超凡的。

圖片出處http://www.grethexis.com/achilles-stunning-encounter-priam-king-troy/

20180114 Iliad 24. 228-235

ἦ καὶ φωριαμῶν ἐπιθήματα κάλ᾽ ἀνέῳγεν:

ἔνθεν δώδεκα μὲν περικαλλέας ἔξελε πέπλους,

δώδεκα δ᾽ ἁπλοΐδας χλαίνας, τόσσους δὲ τάπητας,

τόσσα δὲ φάρεα λευκά, τόσους δ᾽ ἐπὶ τοῖσι χιτῶνας.

χρυσοῦ δὲ στήσας ἔφερεν δέκα πάντα τάλαντα,

ἐκ δὲ δύ᾽ αἴθωνας τρίποδας, πίσυρας δὲ λέβητας,

ἐκ δὲ δέπας περικαλλές, ὅ οἱ Θρῇκες πόρον ἄνδρες

ἐξεσίην ἐλθόντι μέγα κτέρας:

He spoke and opened the fair lids of chests, from which he took twelve beautiful robes and twelve cloaks of single fold, and as many coverlets, and as many white mantles, and many tunics as well. And of gold he weighed and carried out talents, ten in all, and tow gleaning tripods, and four cauldrons, and a beautiful cup that the men of Thrace had given him when he went there on an embassy, a great treasure.

特洛伊國王Priam打開華麗無比的寶庫(φωριαμῶν)，準備厚禮當贖金，清單如下：

12 件長袍 (robes, πέπλους)

12 件外衣 (cloaks, χλαίνας)

12 件毯子 (coverlets, τάπητας)

12 件白色斗篷 (mantles, φάρεα)

12 件裡衣 (tunics, χιτῶνας)

重10 talents (τάλαντα)的黃金

 2隻三腳爐架 (tripodes, τρίποδας)

4個大鍋爐 (cauldrons, λέβητας)

Thrace 的大杯 (cup, δέπας)

最後一個大杯是當時Priam出使希臘北方的Thrace，對方餽贈之厚禮；似乎在提醒Priam曾與希臘的交情。

圖文出處 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achilles#/media/File:Achilles-01.jpg

Head of Achilles depicted on a 4th-century BC coin from Kremaste, Phthia. Reverse: Thetis, wearing and holding the shield of Achilles with his AX monogram. 

20180113 Iliad 24. 161-165

παῖδες μὲν πατέρ᾽ ἀμφὶ καθήμενοι (坐) ἔνδοθεν αὐλῆς (開放式的大廳)

δάκρυσιν (眼淚) εἵματ᾽ (外衣) ἔφυρον, ὃ δ᾽ ἐν μέσσοισι γεραιὸς (老人)

ἐντυπὰς (包裹著) ἐν χλαίνῃ (斗篷) κεκαλυμμένος (覆蓋): ἀμφὶ δὲ πολλὴ

κόπρος (髒土) ἔην κεφαλῇ (頭) τε καὶ αὐχένι (脖子) τοῖο γέροντος (老人)

τήν ῥα κυλινδόμενος καταμήσατο χερσὶν ἑῇσι.

His sons sat about their father inside the court sullying their garments with their tears and their midst was the old king close-wrapped in his mantle; and on the old man’s head and neck was filth in abundance which he had gathered in his hands as he groveled on the earth.

特洛伊城裡一片哀淒。Priam 和他的兒子淚水不止，衣服都弄髒了。Priam以老人之形象出現，悲傷戰死之長子，用手挖地上的土，抹髒頭與脖子。這是古希臘人表達悲傷的方式，表達失去親人的方式，我思考那一把土，是一種回歸，也是一種重新連結。為死者（特別是為家庭成員）哀悼是活人的一種義務，對於古代希臘人來說，這也是一種聖法神律。人們遵守此聖法，死者得以安息、諸神得以滿足，而世間的秩序也就得以保持安穩。

下面圖文出處:  https://ticket.wikimedia.org/otrs/index.pl?Action=AgentTicketZoom&TicketNumber=2012021710000834

The lying in state of a body (prothesis) attended by family members, with the women ritually tearing their hair, depicted on a terracotta pinax by the Gela Painter, latter 6th century BC

"Pinakes" (singular "pinax") are decorated plaques made usually of terracotta, but also of wood, ivory, stone, or metal, which were often dedicated as offerings in sanctuaries. The holes were used to hang them within the sanctuary on walls, trees, or even on the cult image of the deity. The terracotta examples were produced by the same pottery workshops that made vases. This black-figure example shows a "prothesis" scene, the lying-in-state of the deceased on a bed, surrounded by his family members, some of whom tear their hair in mourning.

分享一篇文章: http://www.clght.com/show.aspx?id=5119&cid=32

希臘的喪葬禮儀/ 王瑩2001級  

【內容提要】喪葬儀式是一個民族或社會文明程度的指示劑，也是文化傳統的集中體現。古代希臘人達到的高度的城邦文明同樣也體現在喪葬儀式上。他們不懼怕死亡，而把死亡當多另外一種生存的方式。他們重視喪葬禮儀，以為只要妥善安置死者生者才能得到安寧。這一切都是他們熱愛生活、積極向上、嚮往和平、崇尚自然的文化的體現。

20180108 Iliad 24. 117-119

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ Πριάμῳ μεγαλήτορι Ἶριν ἐφήσω

λύσασθαι φίλον υἱὸν ἰόντ᾽ ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν,

δῶρα δ᾽ Ἀχιλλῆϊ φερέμεν, τά κε θυμὸν ἰήνῃ.

But I will send Iris to great-hearted Priam to tell him to go to the ships of the Achaeans to ransom his dear son, and to bring gifts to Achilles that will warm his heart.

　如果Achilles是「暖男」該有多好! 當Achilles殺死仇敵Hector，陷入瘋狂、冷血，虐待敵人的屍體，無法想像這是我們心中的超級偶像英雄。

宙斯不愧是天王，處理此事的方式是雙向的，一方面請Thetis警告Achilles，因為他如此行徑，眾神已生氣；另一方面派Iris去提醒Priam準備厚重贖金、禮物，贖回Hector的屍體。

不過，最重要的是，要重新溫暖他的心 (τά κε θυμὸν ἰήνῃ)! 心(θυμὸν)，是有溫度的，這才是生命的意涵。Θύμον這個字有另一個意思: 克里特香草Cretan thyme, 學名Thymbra capitata

　　

20180107 Iliad 24. 83-86

20180107  Iliad 24. 83-86

εὗρε δ᾽ ἐνὶ σπῆϊ γλαφυρῷ Θέτιν, ἀμφὶ δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἄλλαι

εἵαθ᾽ ὁμηγερέες ἅλιαι θεαί: ἣ δ᾽ ἐνὶ μέσσῃς

κλαῖε μόρον οὗ παιδὸς ἀμύμονος, ὅς οἱ ἔμελλε

φθίσεσθ᾽ ἐν Τροίῃ ἐριβώλακι τηλόθι πάτρης.

　And she found Thetis in the hollow cave and around her other goddesses of the sea gathered together, and she in their midst was weeping for the fate of her incomparable son who was to perish in the deep-soiled land of Troy far from his native land.

Achilles的母親是仙女，但是也有她的悲傷。雖生下優秀無比(ἀμύμονος)的兒子，但知道兒子的命運(μόρον)，所以傷心難過。看來Thetis傷心地不只是因為兒子短命，而是Achilles將死在遙遠的他鄉—葬在特洛伊肥沃的土壤。

  雖是神話故事，但道道地地點出人性的一些弱點。第一，人生本無常，但是有時候我們被綁在所謂的預言，對未來有太多預測，連神仙都痛苦。

   第二，試問Achilles為何會早死? 最明顯的原因是因為好戰，戰爭奪走多少英雄豪傑的生命?葬送多少無辜的老老少少? 另一潛藏的原因是Achilles自視甚高，無法控制的怒氣是很多武士或是戰士的致命傷。

   第三，仙女Thetis的眼淚，一滴一擔心。母親之愛無可比擬，亙古不變。

　　

圖片說明與出處 https://media1.britannica.com/eb-media/73/178773-004-8E8D9A10.jpg

20180106 Iliad 24. 52-54

20180106  Iliad 24. 52-54

οὐ μήν οἱ τό γε κάλλιον (榮譽goodness) οὐδέ τ᾽ ἄμεινον (好處being stronger).

μὴ ἀγαθῷ περ ἐόντι νεμεσσηθέωμέν（生氣）οἱ ἡμεῖς:

κωφὴν（沉默）γὰρ δὴ γαῖαν （大地）ἀεικίζει　（傷害） μενεαίνων.

Surely neither honor nor profit will he have of this. Let him beware lest we grow angry with him, valiant though he is; for in his fury he disfigures the mute earth.

《伊里亞德》的主題是Achilles之憤怒，反覆看到他的義憤填膺、生氣、惱怒….。不過生氣有何益處呢？此時的他，因為氣難消，虐待Hector屍體，眾神也都看不下去，儘管Achilles英勇、優秀、高貴，但是憤怒讓他盲目、麻木不仁。

　英文譯本結語：in his fury he disfigures the mute earth—在憤怒中，他傷害的是仁慈的大地。希臘文中的大地是γαῖαν，蓋亞女神。我反覆思索箇中道理，大地孕育萬物，每個人的聰明才智、能力、擁有的一切都來自天地；當Achilles過度憤怒，失去平衡，終究愧對他與生俱來非凡的能力與才華。

　　

圖片說明與出處 https://salemsmoon.wordpress.com/goddesses/gaia-primal-greek-mother-goddess/

Gaia was the goddess or personification of Earth in ancient Greek religion, one of the Greek primordial deities. Gaia was the great mother of all: the primal Greek Mother Goddess; creator and giver of birth to the Earth and all the Universe. Gaia was the primordial element from which all the gods originated and was worshiped throughout Greece, but later she went into decline and was supplanted by other gods. Her equivalent in the Roman pantheon was Terra.