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)