Chapter 47 47

The next day, the Trojans stood on the wall and looked around warily.They worried that Achilles, the mighty victor, would attack at any time, and set up a ladder to climb to the top of Troy.The chiefs were in a meeting, and at the meeting Timotes, an old Trojan, stood up and said: "Friends! I have been thinking about how to get out of this predicament, but I have never been able to think of a way. Since Hector After being killed by the invincible Achilles, I believe that even if a god joins the battle, he will be defeated by the enemy. Achilles subdued the Queen of the Amazons again this time, how many Danae died in the first place She fell, but she was killed anyway. So we now have to consider whether we should abandon this unfortunate city and simply go to another place of safety?"

Priam stood up at his proposal and said: "My dear friends, and all the Trojans and all the allies! We must not be timid to leave our dear home for greater risks. We must find ways Defeat the enemy in fierce battle. At least we can wait for the arrival of Memnon, King of Ethiopia. He is coming to our rescue with a strong army, and is on his way. I sent messengers to him long ago. So let us wait patiently for a few more days!" Memnon was the nephew of Priam.His father's name was Tithonus, the son of Laomedon.His mother was the goddess of the dawn, Eos (aka Aurora). Now that the two opinions were at odds, the shrewd Polydamas stepped up to mediate, expressing his opinion in prudent language. "Dear king, if Memnon really comes, I am willing to look forward to it. However, I am worried that he and his team will also be destroyed and put us in even greater trouble. Of course, I do not agree Leave the country where we have lived for generations. Therefore, I suggest that, although it is too late, it is still the best way, that is, to take the culprit of the war-Helen and the people she brought from Sparta Return all wealth to the Greeks, the sooner the better, lest the enemy take away and burn our city!"

All the Trojans agreed with his proposition in their hearts, but they dared not state it to the king.Helen's husband Paris stood up and accused Polydamas of being a coward and a lobbyist for the Greeks. "The one who makes such a suggestion must be the first to run away," said Paris. "Trojans, think about it, is it wise to follow such a man's advice?" Polydamas knew very well that Paris would rather his troops mutiny and die than give up on Helen.So he stopped talking, and the others were silent.Everyone fell into deep thought, but couldn't think of a good plan.Suddenly, news came from outside that Memnon had led his troops.The Trojans are like sailors who see the twinkling stars after a storm at sea.King Priam was even more happy, because he was sure that the Ethiopian army would defeat the enemy and burn their warships.

After Memnon, the son of Eos, the goddess of dawn, and his army came to Troy, King Priam entertained them with a feast and gave them many precious gifts.The Trojans felt relieved again, and talked about the deeds of the fallen Trojan heroes with respect.Memnon also narrates his long journey from the coast to Mount Ida to the city of Troy, telling stories of his adventures on the road.The king of Troy listened with relish and laughed heartily from time to time.He shook Memnon's hand warmly and friendlyly and said: "Memnon, how I thank God for allowing me to honor you in the palace! You are more like a god than all mortals. Therefore, I am sure you will Destroy our enemies!" As the king raised his glass, he toasted the new Confederates.

Memnon admired the precious wine glass.This is the masterpiece of Hephaestus, which became the heirloom of the royal family of Troy.Memnon looked at it for a while, and then replied: "I don't want to talk big and make promises at the banquet. A man can only show his true qualities on the battlefield. Now let's go to bed and rest, because there is still a fierce battle waiting tomorrow We." With that, the steady Memnon stood up.Priam did not force him to stay, and the other guests followed him. Night fell over the land, and people were all asleep.At this time, the gods on the holy mountain of Olympus were still having a banquet, discussing the battle situation in Troy. Zeus, the son of Cronus, who could predict the future as if he knew the present, first said: "You, some Caring about the Greeks and some about the Trojans is in vain. There are countless horses and soldiers on both sides who will die on the battlefield. You worry about the safety of some people, but don’t imagine that you can ask me for their lives. Plead, for Fortune is as ruthless with me as with you."

None of the gods dared to violate Zeus' will, and they all left the table silently.Each went back to his own room, lying on the bed sadly, and gradually fell asleep. In the early morning of the next day, Eos, the goddess of dawn, reluctantly ascended into the sky, because she also heard Zeus' words and knew what fate would happen to her beloved son Memnon.Memnon woke up early, rubbed his sleepy eyes, and jumped up from the bed. He is ready to fight to the death for friend and foe today.The Trojans also put on their armor tightly, formed a fighting team with the Ethiopians, rushed out of the city gate with confidence, and rushed to the vast battlefield.

The Greeks were surprised to see them rushing, and hastily took up arms and rushed out of the barracks.Achilles, whom they trusted deeply, was among them.He stood tall on the chariot.Memnon in the Trojan army is equally majestic, like a god of war. Soldiers surrounded him tightly, fighting high.The two teams are like two great oceans, arousing turbulent waves and rolling towards each other with turbulent waves.Spears flew, and the sound of killing shook the sky.Soon, the Trojans were killed by Achilles' gun.But Memnon also killed and wounded many Greeks.Two of Nestor's comrades-in-arms had died by his hand.Memnon gradually approached the old man Nestor, because the old man's horse was shot by Paris with an arrow, and the chariot stopped suddenly with a creak.Memnon charged at him with his spear aloft.The old man was taken aback and called out to his son Antilochus in terror.The son responded quickly, covered his father with his body, and threw the spear at the Ethiopian king.Memnon ducked sideways, but the spear hit his friend, Esopus, son of Pehassus.Enraged, Memnon threw himself on Antilochus and shot him in the heart.Antilochus sacrificed himself to save his father.The Achaeans mourned deeply when they saw him lying dead.Especially the father, Nestor, was more distressed, because his son died for him, and he saw him killed by the enemy with his own eyes.But he was still able to calmly call another son, Trasmedes, to rescue and protect the body of Antilochus.Trasmedes heard his father's cry amidst the tumult of the battle, and he and Pheres ran to fight the son of Eos and put down his arrogance.Memnon, however, was full of confidence and kept them approaching, cleverly dodging the spears thrown by the opponent one after another.Although some spears hit his armor, they were all bounced off, because his god mother had cast magical spells on the armor.When they fought others again, Memnon began to strip Antilochus of his armor, and the Greeks could not stop him.Seeing this, Nestor wailed loudly and called to his friends to come and help him.He himself jumped off the chariot, trying to compete with Memnon for his son's body with his weak strength.Seeing him approaching, Memnon was in awe of him, and immediately took the initiative to step aside.

"Old man," he said, "it is impossible for me to fight you. Just now at a distance, I thought you were a young warrior, so I aimed at you. But now I see clearly, you are an old man." .Leave the battlefield quickly, I can't bear to kill you." Sure enough, Nestor took a few steps back and looked at his son lying in the dust, helpless.Trasmedes and Pheres also retreated after him.Memnon and his Ethiopians took the opportunity to advance, and the Argives fled in terror. Nestor had to ask Achilles for help. "O protector of the Argives, my son lies slain. Memnon has stripped him of his armor and taken his arms. Poor his body will be dragged to the dogs. Quick Go save him, only a true friend dares to protect the corpse of a comrade-in-arms!" Achilles rushed towards Memnon immediately after hearing this.Seeing him running, Memnon quickly picked up a stone from the ground and threw it at him, but the stone hit Achilles' armor and fell off.Achilles jumped out of his chariot and attacked Memnon on foot, stabbing him in the shoulder with his spear.Regardless of the injury, Memnon rushed towards Achilles and stabbed him in the arm with a spear, and the blood immediately flowed out and dripped on the ground.Memnon shouted excitedly: "Poor guy, the son of a god is standing in front of you now, and you are no match for him, because my mother Eos is the goddess on the holy mountain of Olympus, she Ten times better than your mother Thetis!"

Achilles smiled and replied: "The end will tell you which of us is of nobler birth! Now I will avenge the young hero Antilochus, as I have for my dead friend Patroclus." Like revenge on Hector." As he spoke, he gripped his spear tightly with both hands, and Memnon also gripped his gun.They came face to face.Zeus also made them stronger and more powerful at this time, ten times stronger than usual.As a result, the two were at a stalemate, and neither of them hurt the other.They looked for opportunities to try to kill each other's legs or abdomen, but they failed.The two approached each other, and the armor jingled when they bumped into each other.The Ethiopians, Trojans, and Argives shouted so loudly that the earth shook.Dust was flying under their feet, the battlefield was foggy, and the teams on both sides were fighting indistinguishably.The gods on the holy mountain of Olympus looked down at this fierce battle, and they were also happy.At this time Zeus summoned the two goddesses of fate and ordered the goddess of darkness to come to Memnon and the goddess of light to come to Achilles.The gods cried aloud when they heard this command, some with joyful cries, others with mournful roars.

The two heroes on the ground were still fighting fiercely, and they didn't feel that the goddess of fate had approached them.Memnon and Achilles attacked each other with spears, swords, and even stones. They were as firm as a rock and would not give in to each other.The soldiers on both sides also fought in a group, inextricably separated, with blood and sweat flowing from their bodies, and the ground was full of corpses.The god of fate finally intervened in the battle.Achilles raised his spear vigorously and stabbed Memnon in the chest, the point of the spear protruding from his back.Memnon fell dead on the battlefield.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the Trojans turned and fled.Achilles chased after him like a storm.Eos uttered a lament in the sky, and was hidden in the dark clouds, and the earth was suddenly dark.She commanded her children, the wind gods, to roll to the earth, snatched her son's body from the hands of the enemy, and rolled the body to the sky, and the blood dripped on the ground.Later, the blood turned into a red river that meandered through the foothills of Mount Ada, and the river had a strong rancid smell.At this time, Fengshen carried the corpse very close to the ground.The Ethiopians could not bear the sight of their king's departure, and weeping, they chased the corpse until it was out of sight.The wind god brought Memnon's body to the river Asophus.The beautiful daughters of the river god built a tomb for him in the sacred grove.Memnon's mother Eos also descended from the sky, and many nymphs descended with her.With tears in their eyes, they mourned the King of Ethiopia.Although the Trojans who returned to the city didn't know where Memnon's body was blown by the wind, they also mourned the hero Memnon very deeply. According to myths and legends, Memnon's comrades-in-arms all turned into birds, and flew to the cemetery every year to mourn their king.Memnon's mother begged Zeus to grant him immortality.Zeus agreed.Later, near Thebes, a huge stone pillar was erected, on which a seated statue of a king was carved.The stone pillars make a wonderful sound before sunrise.It is said that this is Memnon cheering and blessing the rising of his mother, the goddess of dawn.Seeing that her son was still alive, the mother couldn't help but burst into tears, dripping on the flowers and trees, forming crystal clear morning dew.