Iliad

Thus then did they fight as it were a flaming fire. Meanwhile the fleet runner Antilokhos, who had been sent as messenger, reached Achilles, and found him sitting by his tall ships and boding that which was indeed too surely true. "Alas," said he to himself in the heaviness of his heart, "why are the Achaeans again scouring the plain and flocking towards the ships? Heaven grant the gods be not now bringing that sorrow upon me of which my mother Thetis spoke, saying that while I was yet alive the bravest of the Myrmidons should fall before the Trojans, and see the light of the sun no longer. I fear the brave son of Menoitios has fallen through his own daring and yet I bade him return to the ships as soon as he had driven back those that were bringing fire against them, and not join battle with Hektor."

ὣς οἳ μὲν μάρναντο δέμας πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο,

Ἀντίλοχος δʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ πόδας ταχὺς ἄγγελος ἦλθε.

τὸν δʼ εὗρε προπάροιθε νεῶν ὀρθοκραιράων

τὰ φρονέοντʼ ἀνὰ θυμὸν ἃ δὴ τετελεσμένα ἦεν·

ὀχθήσας δʼ ἄρα εἶπε πρὸς ὃν μεγαλήτορα θυμόν·

ὤ μοι ἐγώ, τί τʼ ἄρʼ αὖτε κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοὶ

νηυσὶν ἔπι κλονέονται ἀτυζόμενοι πεδίοιο;

μὴ δή μοι τελέσωσι θεοὶ κακὰ κήδεα θυμῷ,

ὥς ποτέ μοι μήτηρ διεπέφραδε καί μοι ἔειπε

Μυρμιδόνων τὸν ἄριστον ἔτι ζώοντος ἐμεῖο

χερσὶν ὕπο Τρώων λείψειν φάος ἠελίοιο.

ἦ μάλα δὴ τέθνηκε Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱὸς

σχέτλιος· ἦ τʼ ἐκέλευον ἀπωσάμενον δήϊον πῦρ

ἂψ ἐπὶ νῆας ἴμεν, μηδʼ Ἕκτορι ἶφι μάχεσθαι.

As he was thus pondering, the son of Nestor came up to him and told his sad tale, weeping bitterly the while. "Alas," he cried, "son of noble Peleus, I bring you bad tidings, would indeed that they were untrue. Patroklos has fallen, and a fight is raging about his naked body - for Hektor holds his armor."

εἷος ὃ ταῦθʼ ὥρμαινε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,

τόφρά οἱ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθεν ἀγαυοῦ Νέστορος υἱὸς

δάκρυα θερμὰ χέων, φάτο δʼ ἀγγελίην ἀλεγεινήν·

ὤ μοι Πηλέος υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἦ μάλα λυγρῆς

πεύσεαι ἀγγελίης, ἣ μὴ ὤφελλε γενέσθαι.

κεῖται Πάτροκλος, νέκυος δὲ δὴ ἀμφιμάχονται

γυμνοῦ· ἀτὰρ τά γε τεύχεʼ ἔχει κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ.

A dark cloud of grief [ akhos ] fell upon Achilles as he listened. He filled both hands with dust from off the ground, and poured it over his head, disfiguring his comely face, and letting the refuse settle over his shirt so fair and new. He flung himself down all huge and hugely at full length, and tore his hair with his hands.

ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ ἄχεος νεφέλη ἐκάλυψε μέλαινα·

ἀμφοτέρῃσι δὲ χερσὶν ἑλὼν κόνιν αἰθαλόεσσαν

χεύατο κὰκ κεφαλῆς, χαρίεν δʼ ᾔσχυνε πρόσωπον·

νεκταρέῳ δὲ χιτῶνι μέλαινʼ ἀμφίζανε τέφρη.

αὐτὸς δʼ ἐν κονίῃσι μέγας μεγαλωστὶ τανυσθεὶς

κεῖτο, φίλῃσι δὲ χερσὶ κόμην ᾔσχυνε δαΐζων.

The bondswomen whom Achilles and Patroklos had taken captive screamed aloud for grief, beating their breasts, and with their limbs failing them for sorrow. Antilokhos bent over him the while, weeping and holding both his hands as he lay groaning for he feared that he might plunge a knife into his own throat. Then Achilles gave a loud cry and his mother heard him as she was sitting in the depths of the sea by the old man her father, whereon she screamed, and all the goddesses daughters of Nereus that dwelt at the bottom of the sea, came gathering round her. There were Glauke, Thalia and Kymodoke, Nesaia, Speo, Thoe, and dark-eyed Halie, Kymothoe, Aktaia and Limnorea, Melite, Iaira, Amphithoe and Agaue, Doto and Proto, Pherousa and Dynamene, Dexamene, Amphinome and Kallianeira, Doris, Panope, and the famous sea-nymph Galatea, Nemertes, Apseudes and Kallianassa. There were also Klymene, Ianeira and Ianassa, Maira , Oreithuia and Amatheia of the lovely locks, with other Nereids who dwell in the depths of the sea. The crystal cave was filled with their multitude and they all beat their breasts while Thetis led them in their lament.

δμῳαὶ δʼ ἃς Ἀχιλεὺς ληΐσσατο Πάτροκλός τε

θυμὸν ἀκηχέμεναι μεγάλʼ ἴαχον, ἐκ δὲ θύραζε

ἔδραμον ἀμφʼ Ἀχιλῆα δαΐφρονα, χερσὶ δὲ πᾶσαι

στήθεα πεπλήγοντο, λύθεν δʼ ὑπὸ γυῖα ἑκάστης.

Ἀντίλοχος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ὀδύρετο δάκρυα λείβων

χεῖρας ἔχων Ἀχιλῆος· ὃ δʼ ἔστενε κυδάλιμον κῆρ·

δείδιε γὰρ μὴ λαιμὸν ἀπαμήσειε σιδήρῳ.

σμερδαλέον δʼ ᾤμωξεν· ἄκουσε δὲ πότνια μήτηρ

ἡμένη ἐν βένθεσσιν ἁλὸς παρὰ πατρὶ γέροντι,

κώκυσέν τʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα· θεαὶ δέ μιν ἀμφαγέροντο

πᾶσαι ὅσαι κατὰ βένθος ἁλὸς Νηρηΐδες ἦσαν.

ἔνθʼ ἄρʼ ἔην Γλαύκη τε Θάλειά τε Κυμοδόκη τε

Νησαίη Σπειώ τε Θόη θʼ Ἁλίη τε βοῶπις

Κυμοθόη τε καὶ Ἀκταίη καὶ Λιμνώρεια

καὶ Μελίτη καὶ Ἴαιρα καὶ Ἀμφιθόη καὶ Ἀγαυὴ

Δωτώ τε Πρωτώ τε Φέρουσά τε Δυναμένη τε

Δεξαμένη τε καὶ Ἀμφινόμη καὶ Καλλιάνειρα

Δωρὶς καὶ Πανόπη καὶ ἀγακλειτὴ Γαλάτεια

Νημερτής τε καὶ Ἀψευδὴς καὶ Καλλιάνασσα·

ἔνθα δʼ ἔην Κλυμένη Ἰάνειρά τε καὶ Ἰάνασσα

Μαῖρα καὶ Ὠρείθυια ἐϋπλόκαμός τʼ Ἀμάθεια

ἄλλαι θʼ αἳ κατὰ βένθος ἁλὸς Νηρηΐδες ἦσαν.

τῶν δὲ καὶ ἀργύφεον πλῆτο σπέος· αἳ δʼ ἅμα πᾶσαι

στήθεα πεπλήγοντο, Θέτις δʼ ἐξῆρχε γόοιο·

"Listen," she cried, "sisters, daughters of Nereus, that you may hear the burden of my sorrows. Alas, woe is me, woe in that I have borne the most glorious of offspring. I bore him fair and strong, hero among heroes, and he shot up as a sapling; I tended him as a plant in a goodly garden, and sent him with his ships to Ilion to fight the Trojans, but never shall I welcome him back to the house of Peleus. So long as he lives to look upon the light of the sun he is in heaviness, and though I go to him I cannot help him. Nevertheless I will go, that I may see my dear son and learn what sorrow [ penthos ] has befallen him though he is still holding aloof from battle."

κλῦτε κασίγνηται Νηρηΐδες, ὄφρʼ ἐῢ πᾶσαι

εἴδετʼ ἀκούουσαι ὅσʼ ἐμῷ ἔνι κήδεα θυμῷ.

ὤ μοι ἐγὼ δειλή, ὤ μοι δυσαριστοτόκεια,

ἥ τʼ ἐπεὶ ἂρ τέκον υἱὸν ἀμύμονά τε κρατερόν τε

ἔξοχον ἡρώων· ὃ δʼ ἀνέδραμεν ἔρνεϊ ἶσος·

τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ θρέψασα φυτὸν ὣς γουνῷ ἀλωῆς

νηυσὶν ἐπιπροέηκα κορωνίσιν Ἴλιον εἴσω

Τρωσὶ μαχησόμενον· τὸν δʼ οὐχ ὑποδέξομαι αὖτις

οἴκαδε νοστήσαντα δόμον Πηλήϊον εἴσω.

ὄφρα δέ μοι ζώει καὶ ὁρᾷ φάος ἠελίοιο

ἄχνυται, οὐδέ τί οἱ δύναμαι χραισμῆσαι ἰοῦσα.

ἀλλʼ εἶμʼ, ὄφρα ἴδωμι φίλον τέκος, ἠδʼ ἐπακούσω

ὅττί μιν ἵκετο πένθος ἀπὸ πτολέμοιο μένοντα.

She left the cave as she spoke, while the others followed weeping after, and the waves opened a path before them. When they reached the fertile plain of Troy , they came up out of the sea in a long line on to the sands, at the place where the ships of the Myrmidons were drawn up in close order round the tents of Achilles. His mother went up to him as he lay groaning; she laid her hand upon his head and spoke piteously, saying, "My son, why are you thus weeping? What sorrow [penthos] has now befallen you? Tell me; hide it not from me. Surely Zeus has granted you the prayer you made him, when you lifted up your hands and besought him that the Achaeans might all of them be pent up at their ships, and rue it bitterly in that you were no longer with them."

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα λίπε σπέος· αἳ δὲ σὺν αὐτῇ

δακρυόεσσαι ἴσαν, περὶ δέ σφισι κῦμα θαλάσσης

ῥήγνυτο· ταὶ δʼ ὅτε δὴ Τροίην ἐρίβωλον ἵκοντο

ἀκτὴν εἰσανέβαινον ἐπισχερώ, ἔνθα θαμειαὶ

Μυρμιδόνων εἴρυντο νέες ταχὺν ἀμφʼ Ἀχιλῆα.

τῷ δὲ βαρὺ στενάχοντι παρίστατο πότνια μήτηρ,

ὀξὺ δὲ κωκύσασα κάρη λάβε παιδὸς ἑοῖο,

καί ῥʼ ὀλοφυρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

τέκνον τί κλαίεις; τί δέ σε φρένας ἵκετο πένθος;

ἐξαύδα, μὴ κεῦθε· τὰ μὲν δή τοι τετέλεσται

ἐκ Διός, ὡς ἄρα δὴ πρίν γʼ εὔχεο χεῖρας ἀνασχὼν

πάντας ἐπὶ πρύμνῃσιν ἀλήμεναι υἷας Ἀχαιῶν

σεῦ ἐπιδευομένους, παθέειν τʼ ἀεκήλια ἔργα.

Achilles groaned and answered, "Mother, Olympian Zeus has indeed granted me the fulfillment of my prayer, but what boots it to me, seeing that my dear comrade Patroklos has fallen - he whom I valued more than all others, and loved as dearly as my own life? I have lost him; aye, and Hektor when he had killed him stripped the wondrous armor, so glorious to behold, which the gods gave to Peleus when they laid you in the couch of a mortal man. Would that you were still dwelling among the immortal sea-nymphs, and that Peleus had taken to himself some mortal bride. For now you shall have grief [ penthos ] infinite by reason of the death of that son whom you can never welcome home- nay, I will not live nor go about among humankind unless Hektor fall by my spear, and thus pay me for having slain Patroklos son of Menoitios."

τὴν δὲ βαρὺ στενάχων προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

μῆτερ ἐμή, τὰ μὲν ἄρ μοι Ὀλύμπιος ἐξετέλεσσεν·

ἀλλὰ τί μοι τῶν ἦδος ἐπεὶ φίλος ὤλεθʼ ἑταῖρος

Πάτροκλος, τὸν ἐγὼ περὶ πάντων τῖον ἑταίρων

ἶσον ἐμῇ κεφαλῇ; τὸν ἀπώλεσα, τεύχεα δʼ Ἕκτωρ

δῃώσας ἀπέδυσε πελώρια θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι

καλά· τὰ μὲν Πηλῆϊ θεοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα

ἤματι τῷ ὅτε σε βροτοῦ ἀνέρος ἔμβαλον εὐνῇ.

αἴθʼ ὄφελες σὺ μὲν αὖθι μετʼ ἀθανάτῃς ἁλίῃσι

ναίειν, Πηλεὺς δὲ θνητὴν ἀγαγέσθαι ἄκοιτιν.

νῦν δʼ ἵνα καὶ σοὶ πένθος ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μυρίον εἴη

παιδὸς ἀποφθιμένοιο, τὸν οὐχ ὑποδέξεαι αὖτις

οἴκαδε νοστήσαντʼ, ἐπεὶ οὐδʼ ἐμὲ θυμὸς ἄνωγε

ζώειν οὐδʼ ἄνδρεσσι μετέμμεναι, αἴ κε μὴ Ἕκτωρ

πρῶτος ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἀπὸ θυμὸν ὀλέσσῃ,

Πατρόκλοιο δʼ ἕλωρα Μενοιτιάδεω ἀποτίσῃ.

Thetis wept and answered, "Then, my son, is your end near at hand- for your own death awaits you full soon after that of Hektor."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Θέτις κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα·

ὠκύμορος δή μοι τέκος ἔσσεαι, οἷʼ ἀγορεύεις·

αὐτίκα γάρ τοι ἔπειτα μεθʼ Ἕκτορα πότμος ἑτοῖμος.

Then said Achilles in his great grief, "I would die here and now, in that I could not save my comrade. He has fallen far from home, and in his hour of need my hand was not there to help him. What is there for me? Return to my own land I shall not, and I have brought no saving neither to Patroklos nor to my other comrades of whom so many have been slain by mighty Hektor; I stay here by my ships a bootless burden upon the earth, I, who in fight have no peer among the Achaeans, though in council there are better than I.

τὴν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

αὐτίκα τεθναίην, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἄρʼ ἔμελλον ἑταίρῳ

κτεινομένῳ ἐπαμῦναι· ὃ μὲν μάλα τηλόθι πάτρης

ἔφθιτʼ, ἐμεῖο δὲ δῆσεν ἀρῆς ἀλκτῆρα γενέσθαι.

νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ οὐ νέομαί γε φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,

οὐδέ τι Πατρόκλῳ γενόμην φάος οὐδʼ ἑτάροισι

τοῖς ἄλλοις, οἳ δὴ πολέες δάμεν Ἕκτορι δίῳ,

ἀλλʼ ἧμαι παρὰ νηυσὶν ἐτώσιον ἄχθος ἀρούρης,

τοῖος ἐὼν οἷος οὔ τις Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων

ἐν πολέμῳ· ἀγορῇ δέ τʼ ἀμείνονές εἰσι καὶ ἄλλοι.

Therefore, perish strife both from among gods and men, and anger, wherein even a righteous man will harden his heart - which rises up in the soul of a man like smoke, and the taste thereof is sweeter than drops of honey. Even so has Agamemnon angered me. And yet - so be it, for it is over; I will force my soul into subjection as I needs must; I will go; I will pursue Hektor who has slain him whom I loved so dearly, and will then abide my doom when it may please Zeus and the other gods to send it. Even Herakles, the best beloved of Zeus - even he could not escape the hand of death, but fate and Hera's fierce anger laid him low, as I too shall lie when I am dead if a like doom awaits me. Till then I will win fame [ kleos ], and will bid Trojan and Dardanian women wring tears from their tender cheeks with both their hands in the grievousness of their great sorrow; thus shall they know that he who has held aloof so long will hold aloof no longer. Hold me not back, therefore, in the love you bear me, for you shall not move me."

ὡς ἔρις ἔκ τε θεῶν ἔκ τʼ ἀνθρώπων ἀπόλοιτο

καὶ χόλος, ὅς τʼ ἐφέηκε πολύφρονά περ χαλεπῆναι,

ὅς τε πολὺ γλυκίων μέλιτος καταλειβομένοιο

ἀνδρῶν ἐν στήθεσσιν ἀέξεται ἠΰτε καπνός·

ὡς ἐμὲ νῦν ἐχόλωσεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων.

ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν προτετύχθαι ἐάσομεν ἀχνύμενοί περ,

θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλον δαμάσαντες ἀνάγκῃ·

νῦν δʼ εἶμʼ ὄφρα φίλης κεφαλῆς ὀλετῆρα κιχείω

Ἕκτορα· κῆρα δʼ ἐγὼ τότε δέξομαι ὁππότε κεν δὴ

Ζεὺς ἐθέλῃ τελέσαι ἠδʼ ἀθάνατοι θεοὶ ἄλλοι.

οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ βίη Ἡρακλῆος φύγε κῆρα,

ὅς περ φίλτατος ἔσκε Διὶ Κρονίωνι ἄνακτι·

ἀλλά ἑ μοῖρα δάμασσε καὶ ἀργαλέος χόλος Ἥρης.

ὣς καὶ ἐγών, εἰ δή μοι ὁμοίη μοῖρα τέτυκται,

κείσομʼ ἐπεί κε θάνω· νῦν δὲ κλέος ἐσθλὸν ἀροίμην,

καί τινα Τρωϊάδων καὶ Δαρδανίδων βαθυκόλπων

ἀμφοτέρῃσιν χερσὶ παρειάων ἁπαλάων

δάκρυʼ ὀμορξαμένην ἁδινὸν στοναχῆσαι ἐφείην,

γνοῖεν δʼ ὡς δὴ δηρὸν ἐγὼ πολέμοιο πέπαυμαι·

μὴ δέ μʼ ἔρυκε μάχης φιλέουσά περ· οὐδέ με πείσεις.

Then silver-footed Thetis answered, "My son, what you have said is true. It is well to save your comrades from destruction, but your armor is in the hands of the Trojans; Hektor bears it in triumph upon his own shoulders. Full well I know that his vaunt shall not be lasting, for his end is close at hand; go not, however, into the press of battle till you see me return hither; tomorrow at break of day I shall be here, and will bring you goodly armor from King Hephaistos."

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα·

ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε τέκνον ἐτήτυμον οὐ κακόν ἐστι

τειρομένοις ἑτάροισιν ἀμυνέμεν αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.

ἀλλά τοι ἔντεα καλὰ μετὰ Τρώεσσιν ἔχονται

χάλκεα μαρμαίροντα· τὰ μὲν κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ

αὐτὸς ἔχων ὤμοισιν ἀγάλλεται· οὐδέ ἕ φημι

δηρὸν ἐπαγλαϊεῖσθαι, ἐπεὶ φόνος ἐγγύθεν αὐτῷ.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν μή πω καταδύσεο μῶλον Ἄρηος

πρίν γʼ ἐμὲ δεῦρʼ ἐλθοῦσαν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδηαι·

ἠῶθεν γὰρ νεῦμαι ἅμʼ ἠελίῳ ἀνιόντι

τεύχεα καλὰ φέρουσα παρʼ Ἡφαίστοιο ἄνακτος.

On this she left her brave son, and as she turned away she said to the sea-nymphs her sisters, "Dive into the bosom of the sea and go to the house of the old sea-god my father. Tell him everything; as for me, I will go to the cunning workman Hephaistos on high Olympus , and ask him to provide my son with a suit of splendid armor."

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα πάλιν τράπεθʼ υἷος ἑοῖο,

καὶ στρεφθεῖσʼ ἁλίῃσι κασιγνήτῃσι μετηύδα·

ὑμεῖς μὲν νῦν δῦτε θαλάσσης εὐρέα κόλπον

ὀψόμεναί τε γέρονθʼ ἅλιον καὶ δώματα πατρός,

καί οἱ πάντʼ ἀγορεύσατʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον

εἶμι παρʼ Ἥφαιστον κλυτοτέχνην, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν

υἱεῖ ἐμῷ δόμεναι κλυτὰ τεύχεα παμφανόωντα.

When she had so said, they dived forthwith beneath the waves, while silver-footed Thetis went her way that she might bring the armor for her son.

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἳ δʼ ὑπὸ κῦμα θαλάσσης αὐτίκʼ ἔδυσαν·

ἣ δʼ αὖτʼ Οὔλυμπον δὲ θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα

ἤϊεν ὄφρα φίλῳ παιδὶ κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ ἐνείκαι.

Thus, then, did her feet bear the goddess to Olympus , and meanwhile the Achaeans were fleeing with loud cries before murderous Hektor till they reached the ships and the Hellespont , and they could not draw the body of Ares' squire [ therapôn ] Patroklos out of reach of the weapons that were showered upon him, for Hektor son of Priam with his host and horsemen had again caught up to him like the flame of a fiery furnace; thrice did brave Hektor seize him by the feet, striving with might and main to draw him away and calling loudly on the Trojans, and thrice did the two Ajaxes, clothed in valor as with a garment, beat him from off the body; but all undaunted he would now charge into the thick of the fight, and now again he would stand still and cry aloud, but he would give no ground. As upland shepherds that cannot chase some famished lion from a carcass, even so could not the two Ajaxes scare Hektor son of Priam from the body of Patroklos.

τὴν μὲν ἄρʼ Οὔλυμπον δὲ πόδες φέρον· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ

θεσπεσίῳ ἀλαλητῷ ὑφʼ Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο

φεύγοντες νῆάς τε καὶ Ἑλλήσποντον ἵκοντο.

οὐδέ κε Πάτροκλόν περ ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ

ἐκ βελέων ἐρύσαντο νέκυν θεράποντʼ Ἀχιλῆος·

αὖτις γὰρ δὴ τόν γε κίχον λαός τε καὶ ἵπποι

Ἕκτωρ τε Πριάμοιο πάϊς φλογὶ εἴκελος ἀλκήν.

τρὶς μέν μιν μετόπισθε ποδῶν λάβε φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ

ἑλκέμεναι μεμαώς, μέγα δὲ Τρώεσσιν ὁμόκλα·

τρὶς δὲ δύʼ Αἴαντες θοῦριν ἐπιειμένοι ἀλκὴν

νεκροῦ ἀπεστυφέλιξαν· ὃ δʼ ἔμπεδον ἀλκὶ πεποιθὼς

ἄλλοτʼ ἐπαΐξασκε κατὰ μόθον, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε

στάσκε μέγα ἰάχων· ὀπίσω δʼ οὐ χάζετο πάμπαν.

ὡς δʼ ἀπὸ σώματος οὔ τι λέοντʼ αἴθωνα δύνανται

ποιμένες ἄγραυλοι μέγα πεινάοντα δίεσθαι,

ὥς ῥα τὸν οὐκ ἐδύναντο δύω Αἴαντε κορυστὰ

Ἕκτορα Πριαμίδην ἀπὸ νεκροῦ δειδίξασθαι.

And now he would even have dragged it off and have won imperishable glory, had not Iris fleet as the wind, winged her way as messenger from Olympus to the son of Peleus and bidden him arm. She came secretly without the knowledge of Zeus and of the other gods, for Hera sent her, and when she had got close to him she said, "Up, son of Peleus, mightiest of all humankind; rescue Patroklos about whom this fearful fight is now raging by the ships. Men are killing one another, the Danaans in defense of the dead body, while the Trojans are trying to hale it away, and take it to windy Ilion : Hektor is the most furious of them all; he is for cutting the head from the body and fixing it on the stakes of the wall. Up, then, and bide here no longer; shrink from the thought that Patroklos may become meat for the dogs of Troy . Shame on you, should his body suffer any kind of outrage."

καί νύ κεν εἴρυσσέν τε καὶ ἄσπετον ἤρατο κῦδος,

εἰ μὴ Πηλεΐωνι ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις

ἄγγελος ἦλθε θέουσʼ ἀπʼ Ὀλύμπου θωρήσσεσθαι

κρύβδα Διὸς ἄλλων τε θεῶν· πρὸ γὰρ ἧκέ μιν Ἥρη.

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

ὄρσεο Πηλεΐδη, πάντων ἐκπαγλότατʼ ἀνδρῶν·

Πατρόκλῳ ἐπάμυνον, οὗ εἵνεκα φύλοπις αἰνὴ

ἕστηκε πρὸ νεῶν· οἳ δʼ ἀλλήλους ὀλέκουσιν

οἳ μὲν ἀμυνόμενοι νέκυος πέρι τεθνηῶτος,

οἳ δὲ ἐρύσσασθαι ποτὶ Ἴλιον ἠνεμόεσσαν

Τρῶες ἐπιθύουσι· μάλιστα δὲ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ

ἑλκέμεναι μέμονεν· κεφαλὴν δέ ἑ θυμὸς ἄνωγε

πῆξαι ἀνὰ σκολόπεσσι ταμόνθʼ ἁπαλῆς ἀπὸ δειρῆς.

ἀλλʼ ἄνα μηδʼ ἔτι κεῖσο· σέβας δέ σε θυμὸν ἱκέσθω

Πάτροκλον Τρῳῇσι κυσὶν μέλπηθρα γενέσθαι·

σοὶ λώβη, αἴ κέν τι νέκυς ᾐσχυμμένος ἔλθῃ.

And Achilles said, "Iris, which of the gods was it that sent you to me?"

τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·

Ἶρι θεὰ τίς γάρ σε θεῶν ἐμοὶ ἄγγελον ἧκε;

Iris answered, "It was Hera the royal spouse of Zeus, but the son of Kronos does not know of my coming, nor yet does any other of the immortals who dwell on the snowy summits of Olympus ."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις·

Ἥρη με προέηκε Διὸς κυδρὴ παράκοιτις·

οὐδʼ οἶδε Κρονίδης ὑψίζυγος οὐδέ τις ἄλλος

ἀθανάτων, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἀγάννιφον ἀμφινέμονται.

Then fleet Achilles answered her saying, "How can I go up into the battle? They have my armor. My mother forbade me to arm till I should see her come, for she promised to bring me goodly armor from Hephaistos; I know no man whose arms I can put on, save only the shield of Ajax son of Telamon, and he surely must be fighting in the front rank and wielding his spear about the body of dead Patroklos."

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

πῶς τὰρ ἴω μετὰ μῶλον; ἔχουσι δὲ τεύχεʼ ἐκεῖνοι·

μήτηρ δʼ οὔ με φίλη πρίν γʼ εἴα θωρήσσεσθαι

πρίν γʼ αὐτὴν ἐλθοῦσαν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδωμαι·

στεῦτο γὰρ Ἡφαίστοιο πάρʼ οἰσέμεν ἔντεα καλά.

ἄλλου δʼ οὔ τευ οἶδα τεῦ ἂν κλυτὰ τεύχεα δύω,

εἰ μὴ Αἴαντός γε σάκος Τελαμωνιάδαο.

ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ὅ γʼ ἔλπομʼ ἐνὶ πρώτοισιν ὁμιλεῖ

ἔγχεϊ δηϊόων περὶ Πατρόκλοιο θανόντος.

Iris said, ‘We know that your armor has been taken, but go as you are; go to the deep trench and show yourself before the Trojans, that they may fear you and cease fighting. Thus will the fainting sons of the Achaeans gain some brief breathing-time, which in battle may hardly be."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις·

εὖ νυ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἴδμεν ὅ τοι κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ ἔχονται·

ἀλλʼ αὔτως ἐπὶ τάφρον ἰὼν Τρώεσσι φάνηθι,

αἴ κέ σʼ ὑποδείσαντες ἀπόσχωνται πολέμοιο

Τρῶες, ἀναπνεύσωσι δʼ ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

τειρόμενοι· ὀλίγη δέ τʼ ἀνάπνευσις πολέμοιο.

Iris left him when she had so spoken. But Achilles dear to Zeus arose, and Athena flung her tasseled aegis round his strong shoulders; she crowned his head with a halo of golden cloud from which she kindled a glow of gleaming fire. As the smoke that goes up into heaven from some city that is being beleaguered on an island far out at sea - all day long do men sally from the city and fight their hardest, and at the going down of the sun the line of beacon-fires blazes forth, flaring high for those that dwell near them to behold, if so be that they may come with their ships and succor them - even so did the light flare from the head of Achilles, as he stood by the trench, going beyond the wall - but he aid not join the Achaeans for he heeded the charge which his mother laid upon him.

ἣ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ἀπέβη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις,

αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς ὦρτο Διῒ φίλος· ἀμφὶ δʼ Ἀθήνη

ὤμοις ἰφθίμοισι βάλʼ αἰγίδα θυσσανόεσσαν,

ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ κεφαλῇ νέφος ἔστεφε δῖα θεάων

χρύσεον, ἐκ δʼ αὐτοῦ δαῖε φλόγα παμφανόωσαν.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε καπνὸς ἰὼν ἐξ ἄστεος αἰθέρʼ ἵκηται

τηλόθεν ἐκ νήσου, τὴν δήϊοι ἀμφιμάχωνται,

οἵ τε πανημέριοι στυγερῷ κρίνονται Ἄρηϊ

ἄστεος ἐκ σφετέρου· ἅμα δʼ ἠελίῳ καταδύντι

πυρσοί τε φλεγέθουσιν ἐπήτριμοι, ὑψόσε δʼ αὐγὴ

γίγνεται ἀΐσσουσα περικτιόνεσσιν ἰδέσθαι,

αἴ κέν πως σὺν νηυσὶν ἄρεω ἀλκτῆρες ἵκωνται·

ὣς ἀπʼ Ἀχιλλῆος κεφαλῆς σέλας αἰθέρʼ ἵκανε·

στῆ δʼ ἐπὶ τάφρον ἰὼν ἀπὸ τείχεος, οὐδʼ ἐς Ἀχαιοὺς

μίσγετο· μητρὸς γὰρ πυκινὴν ὠπίζετʼ ἐφετμήν.

There did he stand and shout aloud. Athena also raised her voice from afar, and spread terror unspeakable among the Trojans. Ringing as the note of a trumpet that sounds alarm then the foe is at the gates of a city, even so brazen was the voice of the son of Aiakos, and when the Trojans heard its clarion tones they were dismayed; the horses turned back with their chariots for they boded mischief, and their drivers were awe-struck by the steady flame which the gray-eyed goddess had kindled above the head of the great son of Peleus.

ἔνθα στὰς ἤϋσʼ, ἀπάτερθε δὲ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη

φθέγξατʼ· ἀτὰρ Τρώεσσιν ἐν ἄσπετον ὦρσε κυδοιμόν.

ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀριζήλη φωνή, ὅτε τʼ ἴαχε σάλπιγξ

ἄστυ περιπλομένων δηΐων ὕπο θυμοραϊστέων,

ὣς τότʼ ἀριζήλη φωνὴ γένετʼ Αἰακίδαο.

οἳ δʼ ὡς οὖν ἄϊον ὄπα χάλκεον Αἰακίδαο,

πᾶσιν ὀρίνθη θυμός· ἀτὰρ καλλίτριχες ἵπποι

ἂψ ὄχεα τρόπεον· ὄσσοντο γὰρ ἄλγεα θυμῷ.

ἡνίοχοι δʼ ἔκπληγεν, ἐπεὶ ἴδον ἀκάματον πῦρ

δεινὸν ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς μεγαθύμου Πηλεΐωνος

δαιόμενον· τὸ δὲ δαῖε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.

τρὶς μὲν ὑπὲρ τάφρου μεγάλʼ ἴαχε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,

Thrice did Achilles raise his loud cry as he stood by the trench, and thrice were the Trojans and their brave allies thrown into confusion; whereon twelve of their noblest champions fell beneath the wheels of their chariots and perished by their own spears. The Achaeans to their great joy then drew Patroklos out of reach of the weapons, and laid him on a litter: his comrades stood mourning round him, and among them fleet Achilles who wept bitterly as he saw his true comrade lying dead upon his bier. He had sent him out with horses and chariots into battle, but his return he was not to welcome.

τρὶς δὲ κυκήθησαν Τρῶες κλειτοί τʼ ἐπίκουροι.

ἔνθα δὲ καὶ τότʼ ὄλοντο δυώδεκα φῶτες ἄριστοι

ἀμφὶ σφοῖς ὀχέεσσι καὶ ἔγχεσιν. αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ

ἀσπασίως Πάτροκλον ὑπʼ ἐκ βελέων ἐρύσαντες

κάτθεσαν ἐν λεχέεσσι· φίλοι δʼ ἀμφέσταν ἑταῖροι

μυρόμενοι· μετὰ δέ σφι ποδώκης εἵπετʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς

δάκρυα θερμὰ χέων, ἐπεὶ εἴσιδε πιστὸν ἑταῖρον

κείμενον ἐν φέρτρῳ δεδαϊγμένον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,

τόν ῥʼ ἤτοι μὲν ἔπεμπε σὺν ἵπποισιν καὶ ὄχεσφιν

ἐς πόλεμον, οὐδʼ αὖτις ἐδέξατο νοστήσαντα.

Then Hera sent the busy sun, loath though he was, into the waters of Okeanos; so he set, and the Achaeans had rest from the tug and turmoil of war.

Ἠέλιον δʼ ἀκάμαντα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη

πέμψεν ἐπʼ Ὠκεανοῖο ῥοὰς ἀέκοντα νέεσθαι·

ἠέλιος μὲν ἔδυ, παύσαντο δὲ δῖοι Ἀχαιοὶ

φυλόπιδος κρατερῆς καὶ ὁμοιΐου πολέμοιο.

Now the Trojans when they had come out of the fight, unyoked their horses and gathered in assembly before preparing their supper. They kept their feet, nor would any dare to sit down, for fear had fallen upon them all because Achilles had shown himself after having held aloof so long from battle. Polydamas son of Panthoos was first to speak, a man of judgment, who alone among them could look both before and after. He was comrade to Hektor, and they had been born upon the same night; with all sincerity and goodwill, therefore, he addressed them thus:-

Τρῶες δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἀπὸ κρατερῆς ὑσμίνης

χωρήσαντες ἔλυσαν ὑφʼ ἅρμασιν ὠκέας ἵππους,

ἐς δʼ ἀγορὴν ἀγέροντο πάρος δόρποιο μέδεσθαι.

ὀρθῶν δʼ ἑσταότων ἀγορὴ γένετʼ, οὐδέ τις ἔτλη

ἕζεσθαι· πάντας γὰρ ἔχε τρόμος, οὕνεκʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς

ἐξεφάνη, δηρὸν δὲ μάχης ἐπέπαυτʼ ἀλεγεινῆς.

τοῖσι δὲ Πουλυδάμας πεπνυμένος ἦρχʼ ἀγορεύειν

Πανθοΐδης· ὃ γὰρ οἶος ὅρα πρόσσω καὶ ὀπίσσω·

Ἕκτορι δʼ ἦεν ἑταῖρος, ἰῇ δʼ ἐν νυκτὶ γένοντο,

ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἂρ μύθοισιν, ὃ δʼ ἔγχεϊ πολλὸν ἐνίκα·

ὅ σφιν ἐϋφρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

"Look to it well, my friends; I would urge you to go back now to your city and not wait here by the ships till morning, for we are far from our walls. So long as this man has anger [ mênis ] against Agamemnon, the Achaeans were easier to deal with, and I would have gladly camped by the ships in the hope of taking them; but now I go in great fear of the fleet son of Peleus; he is so daring that he will never bide here on the plain whereon the Trojans and Achaeans fight with equal valor, but he will try to storm our city and carry off our women.

ἀμφὶ μάλα φράζεσθε φίλοι· κέλομαι γὰρ ἔγωγε

ἄστυδε νῦν ἰέναι, μὴ μίμνειν ἠῶ δῖαν

ἐν πεδίῳ παρὰ νηυσίν· ἑκὰς δʼ ἀπὸ τείχεός εἰμεν.

ὄφρα μὲν οὗτος ἀνὴρ Ἀγαμέμνονι μήνιε δίῳ

τόφρα δὲ ῥηΐτεροι πολεμίζειν ἦσαν Ἀχαιοί·

χαίρεσκον γὰρ ἔγωγε θοῇς ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἰαύων

ἐλπόμενος νῆας αἱρησέμεν ἀμφιελίσσας.

νῦν δʼ αἰνῶς δείδοικα ποδώκεα Πηλεΐωνα·

οἷος κείνου θυμὸς ὑπέρβιος, οὐκ ἐθελήσει

μίμνειν ἐν πεδίῳ, ὅθι περ Τρῶες καὶ Ἀχαιοὶ

ἐν μέσῳ ἀμφότεροι μένος Ἄρηος δατέονται,

Do then as I say, and let us retreat. For this is what will happen. The darkness of night will for a time stay the son of Peleus, but if he find us here in the morning when he sallies forth in full armor, we shall have knowledge of him in good earnest. Glad indeed will he be who can escape and get back to Ilion , and many a Trojan will become meat for dogs and vultures may I never live to hear it. If we do as I say, little though we may like it, we shall have strength in counsel during the night, and the great gates with the doors that close them will protect the city. At dawn we can arm and take our stand on the walls; he will then rue it if he sallies from the ships to fight us. He will go back when he has given his horses their fill of being driven in every which direction under our walls, and will be in no mind to try and force his way into the city. Neither will he ever sack it, dogs shall devour him ere he do so."

ἀλλὰ περὶ πτόλιός τε μαχήσεται ἠδὲ γυναικῶν.

ἀλλʼ ἴομεν προτὶ ἄστυ, πίθεσθέ μοι· ὧδε γὰρ ἔσται·

νῦν μὲν νὺξ ἀπέπαυσε ποδώκεα Πηλεΐωνα

ἀμβροσίη· εἰ δʼ ἄμμε κιχήσεται ἐνθάδʼ ἐόντας

αὔριον ὁρμηθεὶς σὺν τεύχεσιν, εὖ νύ τις αὐτὸν

γνώσεται· ἀσπασίως γὰρ ἀφίξεται Ἴλιον ἱρὴν

ὅς κε φύγῃ, πολλοὺς δὲ κύνες καὶ γῦπες ἔδονται

Τρώων· αἲ γὰρ δή μοι ἀπʼ οὔατος ὧδε γένοιτο.

εἰ δʼ ἂν ἐμοῖς ἐπέεσσι πιθώμεθα κηδόμενοί περ,

νύκτα μὲν εἰν ἀγορῇ σθένος ἕξομεν, ἄστυ δὲ πύργοι

ὑψηλαί τε πύλαι σανίδες τʼ ἐπὶ τῇς ἀραρυῖαι

μακραὶ ἐΰξεστοι ἐζευγμέναι εἰρύσσονται·

πρῶϊ δʼ ὑπηοῖοι σὺν τεύχεσι θωρηχθέντες

στησόμεθʼ ἂμ πύργους· τῷ δʼ ἄλγιον, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν

ἐλθὼν ἐκ νηῶν περὶ τείχεος ἄμμι μάχεσθαι.

ἂψ πάλιν εἶσʼ ἐπὶ νῆας, ἐπεί κʼ ἐριαύχενας ἵππους

παντοίου δρόμου ἄσῃ ὑπὸ πτόλιν ἠλασκάζων·

εἴσω δʼ οὔ μιν θυμὸς ἐφορμηθῆναι ἐάσει,

οὐδέ ποτʼ ἐκπέρσει· πρίν μιν κύνες ἀργοὶ ἔδονται.

Hektor looked fiercely at him and answered, "Polydamas, your words are not to my liking in that you bid us go back and be pent within the city. Have you not had enough of being cooped up behind walls? In the old-days the city of Priam was famous the whole world over for its wealth of gold and bronze, but our treasures are wasted out of our houses, and much goods have been sold away to Phrygia and fair Meonia, for the hand of Zeus has been laid heavily upon us. Now, therefore, that the son of scheming Kronos has granted me to win glory here and to hem the Achaeans in at their ships, prate no more in this fool's wise among the population [ dêmos ]. You will have no man with you; it shall not be; do all of you as I now say; - take your suppers in your companies throughout the host, and keep your watches and be wakeful every man of you. If any Trojan is uneasy about his possessions, let him gather them and give them out among the people. Better let these, rather than the Achaeans, have them. At daybreak we will arm and fight about the ships; granted that Achilles has again come forward to defend them, let it be as he will, but it shall go hard with him. I shall not shun him, but will fight him, to fall or conquer. The god of war deals out like measure to all, and the slayer may yet be slain."

τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

Πουλυδάμα σὺ μὲν οὐκέτʼ ἐμοὶ φίλα ταῦτʼ ἀγορεύεις,

ὃς κέλεαι κατὰ ἄστυ ἀλήμεναι αὖτις ἰόντας.

ἦ οὔ πω κεκόρησθε ἐελμένοι ἔνδοθι πύργων;

πρὶν μὲν γὰρ Πριάμοιο πόλιν μέροπες ἄνθρωποι

πάντες μυθέσκοντο πολύχρυσον πολύχαλκον·

νῦν δὲ δὴ ἐξαπόλωλε δόμων κειμήλια καλά,

πολλὰ δὲ δὴ Φρυγίην καὶ Μῃονίην ἐρατεινὴν

κτήματα περνάμενʼ ἵκει, ἐπεὶ μέγας ὠδύσατο Ζεύς.

νῦν δʼ ὅτε πέρ μοι ἔδωκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω

κῦδος ἀρέσθʼ ἐπὶ νηυσί, θαλάσσῃ τʼ ἔλσαι Ἀχαιούς,

νήπιε μηκέτι ταῦτα νοήματα φαῖνʼ ἐνὶ δήμῳ·

οὐ γάρ τις Τρώων ἐπιπείσεται· οὐ γὰρ ἐάσω.

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω, πειθώμεθα πάντες.

νῦν μὲν δόρπον ἕλεσθε κατὰ στρατὸν ἐν τελέεσσι,

καὶ φυλακῆς μνήσασθε, καὶ ἐγρήγορθε ἕκαστος·

Τρώων δʼ ὃς κτεάτεσσιν ὑπερφιάλως ἀνιάζει,

συλλέξας λαοῖσι δότω καταδημοβορῆσαι·

τῶν τινὰ βέλτερόν ἐστιν ἐπαυρέμεν ἤ περ Ἀχαιούς.

πρῶϊ δʼ ὑπηοῖοι σὺν τεύχεσι θωρηχθέντες

νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐγείρομεν ὀξὺν Ἄρηα.

εἰ δʼ ἐτεὸν παρὰ ναῦφιν ἀνέστη δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,

ἄλγιον αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσι τῷ ἔσσεται· οὔ μιν ἔγωγε

φεύξομαι ἐκ πολέμοιο δυσηχέος, ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ἄντην

στήσομαι, ἤ κε φέρῃσι μέγα κράτος, ἦ κε φεροίμην.

ξυνὸς Ἐνυάλιος, καί τε κτανέοντα κατέκτα.

Thus spoke Hektor; and the Trojans, fools that they were, shouted in approval, for Pallas Athena had robbed them of their understanding. They gave ear to Hektor with his evil counsel, but the wise words of Polydamas no man would heed. They took their supper throughout the host, and meanwhile through the whole night the Achaeans mourned Patroklos, and the son of Peleus led them in their lament. He laid his murderous hands upon the breast of his comrade, groaning again and again as a bearded lion when a man who was chasing deer has robbed him of his young in some dense forest; when the lion comes back he is furious, and searches dingle and dell to track the hunter if he can find him, for he is mad with rage - even so with many a sigh did Achilles speak among the Myrmidons saying, "Alas! vain were the words with which I cheered the hero Menoitios in his own house; I said that I would bring his brave son back again to Opoeis after he had sacked Ilion and taken his share of the spoils - but Zeus does not give all men their heart's desire. The same soil shall be reddened here at Troy by the blood of us both, for I too shall never be welcomed home by the old horseman Peleus, nor by my mother Thetis, but even in this place shall the earth cover me. Nevertheless, O Patroklos, now that I am left behind you, I will not bury you, till I have brought hither the head and armor of mighty Hektor who has slain you. Twelve noble sons of Trojans will I behead before your bier to avenge you; till I have done so you shall lie as you are by the ships, and fair women of Troy and Dardanos, whom we have taken with spear and strength of arm when we sacked men's goodly cities, shall weep over you both night and day."

ὣς Ἕκτωρ ἀγόρευʼ, ἐπὶ δὲ Τρῶες κελάδησαν

νήπιοι· ἐκ γάρ σφεων φρένας εἵλετο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.

Ἕκτορι μὲν γὰρ ἐπῄνησαν κακὰ μητιόωντι,

Πουλυδάμαντι δʼ ἄρʼ οὔ τις ὃς ἐσθλὴν φράζετο βουλήν.

δόρπον ἔπειθʼ εἵλοντο κατὰ στρατόν· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ

παννύχιοι Πάτροκλον ἀνεστενάχοντο γοῶντες.

τοῖσι δὲ Πηλεΐδης ἁδινοῦ ἐξῆρχε γόοιο

χεῖρας ἐπʼ ἀνδροφόνους θέμενος στήθεσσιν ἑταίρου

πυκνὰ μάλα στενάχων ὥς τε λὶς ἠϋγένειος,

ᾧ ῥά θʼ ὑπὸ σκύμνους ἐλαφηβόλος ἁρπάσῃ ἀνὴρ

ὕλης ἐκ πυκινῆς· ὃ δέ τʼ ἄχνυται ὕστερος ἐλθών,

πολλὰ δέ τʼ ἄγκεʼ ἐπῆλθε μετʼ ἀνέρος ἴχνιʼ ἐρευνῶν

εἴ ποθεν ἐξεύροι· μάλα γὰρ δριμὺς χόλος αἱρεῖ·

ὣς ὃ βαρὺ στενάχων μετεφώνεε Μυρμιδόνεσσιν·

ὢ πόποι ἦ ῥʼ ἅλιον ἔπος ἔκβαλον ἤματι κείνῳ

θαρσύνων ἥρωα Μενοίτιον ἐν μεγάροισι·

φῆν δέ οἱ εἰς Ὀπόεντα περικλυτὸν υἱὸν ἀπάξειν

Ἴλιον ἐκπέρσαντα, λαχόντα τε ληΐδος αἶσαν.

ἀλλʼ οὐ Ζεὺς ἄνδρεσσι νοήματα πάντα τελευτᾷ·

ἄμφω γὰρ πέπρωται ὁμοίην γαῖαν ἐρεῦσαι

αὐτοῦ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ, ἐπεὶ οὐδʼ ἐμὲ νοστήσαντα

δέξεται ἐν μεγάροισι γέρων ἱππηλάτα Πηλεὺς

οὐδὲ Θέτις μήτηρ, ἀλλʼ αὐτοῦ γαῖα καθέξει.

νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν Πάτροκλε σεῦ ὕστερος εἶμʼ ὑπὸ γαῖαν,

οὔ σε πρὶν κτεριῶ πρίν γʼ Ἕκτορος ἐνθάδʼ ἐνεῖκαι

τεύχεα καὶ κεφαλὴν μεγαθύμου σοῖο φονῆος·

δώδεκα δὲ προπάροιθε πυρῆς ἀποδειροτομήσω

Τρώων ἀγλαὰ τέκνα σέθεν κταμένοιο χολωθείς.

τόφρα δέ μοι παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσι κείσεαι αὔτως,

ἀμφὶ δὲ σὲ Τρῳαὶ καὶ Δαρδανίδες βαθύκολποι

κλαύσονται νύκτάς τε καὶ ἤματα δάκρυ χέουσαι,

τὰς αὐτοὶ καμόμεσθα βίηφί τε δουρί τε μακρῷ

πιείρας πέρθοντε πόλεις μερόπων ἀνθρώπων.

Then Achilles told his men to set a large tripod upon the fire that they might wash the clotted gore from off Patroklos. Thereon they set a tripod full of bath water on to a clear fire: they threw sticks on to it to make it blaze, and the water became hot as the flame played about the belly of the tripod. When the water in the cauldron was boiling they washed the body, anointed it with oil, and closed its wounds with ointment that had been kept nine years. Then they laid it on a bier and covered it with a linen cloth from head to foot, and over this they laid a fair white robe. Thus all night long did the Myrmidons gather round Achilles to mourn Patroklos.

ὣς εἰπὼν ἑτάροισιν ἐκέκλετο δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς

ἀμφὶ πυρὶ στῆσαι τρίποδα μέγαν, ὄφρα τάχιστα

Πάτροκλον λούσειαν ἄπο βρότον αἱματόεντα.

οἳ δὲ λοετροχόον τρίποδʼ ἵστασαν ἐν πυρὶ κηλέῳ,

ἐν δʼ ἄρʼ ὕδωρ ἔχεαν, ὑπὸ δὲ ξύλα δαῖον ἑλόντες.

γάστρην μὲν τρίποδος πῦρ ἄμφεπε, θέρμετο δʼ ὕδωρ·

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ ζέσσεν ὕδωρ ἐνὶ ἤνοπι χαλκῷ,

καὶ τότε δὴ λοῦσάν τε καὶ ἤλειψαν λίπʼ ἐλαίῳ,

ἐν δʼ ὠτειλὰς πλῆσαν ἀλείφατος ἐννεώροιο·

ἐν λεχέεσσι δὲ θέντες ἑανῷ λιτὶ κάλυψαν

ἐς πόδας ἐκ κεφαλῆς, καθύπερθε δὲ φάρεϊ λευκῷ.

παννύχιοι μὲν ἔπειτα πόδας ταχὺν ἀμφʼ Ἀχιλῆα

Μυρμιδόνες Πάτροκλον ἀνεστενάχοντο γοῶντες·

Then Zeus said to Hera his sister-wife, "So, Queen Hera, you have gained your end, and have roused fleet Achilles. One would think that the Achaeans were of your own flesh and blood."

Ζεὺς δʼ Ἥρην προσέειπε κασιγνήτην ἄλοχόν τε·

ἔπρηξας καὶ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη

ἀνστήσασʼ Ἀχιλῆα πόδας ταχύν· ἦ ῥά νυ σεῖο

ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐγένοντο κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοί.

And Hera answered, "Dread son of Kronos, why should you say this thing? May not a man though he be only mortal and knows less than we do, do what he can for another person? And shall not I - foremost of all goddesses both by descent and as wife to you who reign in heaven - devise evil for the Trojans if I am angry with them?"

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη·

αἰνότατε Κρονίδη ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες.

καὶ μὲν δή πού τις μέλλει βροτὸς ἀνδρὶ τελέσσαι,

ὅς περ θνητός τʼ ἐστὶ καὶ οὐ τόσα μήδεα οἶδε·

πῶς δὴ ἔγωγʼ, ἥ φημι θεάων ἔμμεν ἀρίστη,

ἀμφότερον γενεῇ τε καὶ οὕνεκα σὴ παράκοιτις

κέκλημαι, σὺ δὲ πᾶσι μετʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάσσεις,

οὐκ ὄφελον Τρώεσσι κοτεσσαμένη κακὰ ῥάψαι;

Thus did they converse. Meanwhile Thetis came to the house of Hephaistos, imperishable [ aphthitos ], star-bespangled, fairest of the abodes in heaven, a house of bronze wrought by the lame god's own hands. She found him busy with his bellows, sweating and hard at work, for he was making twenty tripods that were to stand by the wall of his house, and he set wheels of gold under them all that they might go of their own selves to the assemblies [ agôn ] of the gods, and come back again - marvels indeed to see. They were finished all but the ears of cunning workmanship which yet remained to be fixed to them: these he was now fixing, and he was hammering at the rivets. While he was thus at work silver-footed Thetis came to the house. Kharis, of graceful head-dress, wife to the far-famed lame god, came towards her as soon as she saw her, and took her hand in her own, saying, "Why have you come to our house, Thetis, honored and ever welcome - for you do not visit us often? Come inside and let me set refreshment before you."

ὣς οἳ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον·

Ἡφαίστου δʼ ἵκανε δόμον Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα

ἄφθιτον ἀστερόεντα μεταπρεπέʼ ἀθανάτοισι

χάλκεον, ὅν ῥʼ αὐτὸς ποιήσατο κυλλοποδίων.

τὸν δʼ εὗρʼ ἱδρώοντα ἑλισσόμενον περὶ φύσας

σπεύδοντα· τρίποδας γὰρ ἐείκοσι πάντας ἔτευχεν

ἑστάμεναι περὶ τοῖχον ἐϋσταθέος μεγάροιο,

χρύσεα δέ σφʼ ὑπὸ κύκλα ἑκάστῳ πυθμένι θῆκεν,

ὄφρά οἱ αὐτόματοι θεῖον δυσαίατʼ ἀγῶνα

ἠδʼ αὖτις πρὸς δῶμα νεοίατο θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι.

οἳ δʼ ἤτοι τόσσον μὲν ἔχον τέλος, οὔατα δʼ οὔ πω

δαιδάλεα προσέκειτο· τά ῥʼ ἤρτυε, κόπτε δὲ δεσμούς.

ὄφρʼ ὅ γε ταῦτʼ ἐπονεῖτο ἰδυίῃσι πραπίδεσσι,

τόφρά οἱ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθε θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα.

τὴν δὲ ἴδε προμολοῦσα Χάρις λιπαροκρήδεμνος

καλή, τὴν ὤπυιε περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις·

ἔν τʼ ἄρα οἱ φῦ χειρὶ ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·

τίπτε Θέτι τανύπεπλε ἱκάνεις ἡμέτερον δῶ

αἰδοίη τε φίλη τε; πάρος γε μὲν οὔ τι θαμίζεις.

ἀλλʼ ἕπεο προτέρω, ἵνα τοι πὰρ ξείνια θείω.

The goddess led the way as she spoke, and bade Thetis sit on a richly decorated seat inlaid with silver; there was a footstool also under her feet. Then she called Hephaistos and said, "Hephaistos, come here, Thetis wants you"; and the far-famed lame god answered, "Then it is indeed an august and honored goddess who has come here; she it was that took care of me when I was suffering from the heavy fall which I had through my cruel mother's anger - for she would have got rid of me because I was lame. It would have gone hardly with me had not Eurynome, daughter of the ever-encircling waters of Okeanos, and Thetis, taken me to their bosom. Nine years did I stay with them, and many beautiful works in bronze, brooches, spiral armlets, cups, and chains, did I make for them in their cave, with the roaring waters of Okeanos foaming as they rushed ever past it; and no one knew, neither of gods nor men, save only Thetis and Eurynome who took care of me. If, then, Thetis has come to my house I must make her due requital for having saved me; entertain her, therefore, with all hospitality, while I put by my bellows and all my tools."

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα πρόσω ἄγε δῖα θεάων.

τὴν μὲν ἔπειτα καθεῖσεν ἐπὶ θρόνου ἀργυροήλου

καλοῦ δαιδαλέου· ὑπὸ δὲ θρῆνυς ποσὶν ἦεν·

κέκλετο δʼ Ἥφαιστον κλυτοτέχνην εἶπέ τε μῦθον·

Ἥφαιστε πρόμολʼ ὧδε· Θέτις νύ τι σεῖο χατίζει.

τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις·

ἦ ῥά νύ μοι δεινή τε καὶ αἰδοίη θεὸς ἔνδον,

ἥ μʼ ἐσάωσʼ ὅτε μʼ ἄλγος ἀφίκετο τῆλε πεσόντα

μητρὸς ἐμῆς ἰότητι κυνώπιδος, ἥ μʼ ἐθέλησε

κρύψαι χωλὸν ἐόντα· τότʼ ἂν πάθον ἄλγεα θυμῷ,

εἰ μή μʼ Εὐρυνόμη τε Θέτις θʼ ὑπεδέξατο κόλπῳ

Εὐρυνόμη θυγάτηρ ἀψορρόου Ὠκεανοῖο.

τῇσι παρʼ εἰνάετες χάλκευον δαίδαλα πολλά,

πόρπας τε γναμπτάς θʼ ἕλικας κάλυκάς τε καὶ ὅρμους

ἐν σπῆϊ γλαφυρῷ· περὶ δὲ ῥόος Ὠκεανοῖο

ἀφρῷ μορμύρων ῥέεν ἄσπετος· οὐδέ τις ἄλλος

ᾔδεεν οὔτε θεῶν οὔτε θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων,

ἀλλὰ Θέτις τε καὶ Εὐρυνόμη ἴσαν, αἵ μʼ ἐσάωσαν.

ἣ νῦν ἡμέτερον δόμον ἵκει· τώ με μάλα χρεὼ

πάντα Θέτι καλλιπλοκάμῳ ζῳάγρια τίνειν.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν οἱ παράθες ξεινήϊα καλά,

ὄφρʼ ἂν ἐγὼ φύσας ἀποθείομαι ὅπλά τε πάντα.

On this the mighty monster hobbled off from his anvil, his thin legs plying lustily under him. He set the bellows away from the fire, and gathered his tools into a silver chest. Then he took a sponge and washed his face and hands, his shaggy chest and brawny neck; he donned his shirt, grasped his strong staff, and limped towards the door. There were golden handmaids also who worked for him, and were like real young women, with sense and reason [ noos ], voice also and strength, and all the learning of the immortals; these busied themselves as the king bade them, while he drew near to Thetis, seated her upon a goodly seat, and took her hand in his own, saying, "Why have you come to our house, Thetis honored and ever welcome - for you do not visit us often? Say what you want, and I will do it for you at once if I can, and if it can be done at all."

ἦ, καὶ ἀπʼ ἀκμοθέτοιο πέλωρ αἴητον ἀνέστη

χωλεύων· ὑπὸ δὲ κνῆμαι ῥώοντο ἀραιαί.

φύσας μέν ῥʼ ἀπάνευθε τίθει πυρός, ὅπλά τε πάντα

λάρνακʼ ἐς ἀργυρέην συλλέξατο, τοῖς ἐπονεῖτο·

σπόγγῳ δʼ ἀμφὶ πρόσωπα καὶ ἄμφω χεῖρʼ ἀπομόργνυ

αὐχένα τε στιβαρὸν καὶ στήθεα λαχνήεντα,

δῦ δὲ χιτῶνʼ, ἕλε δὲ σκῆπτρον παχύ, βῆ δὲ θύραζε

χωλεύων· ὑπὸ δʼ ἀμφίπολοι ῥώοντο ἄνακτι

χρύσειαι ζωῇσι νεήνισιν εἰοικυῖαι.

τῇς ἐν μὲν νόος ἐστὶ μετὰ φρεσίν, ἐν δὲ καὶ αὐδὴ

καὶ σθένος, ἀθανάτων δὲ θεῶν ἄπο ἔργα ἴσασιν.

αἳ μὲν ὕπαιθα ἄνακτος ἐποίπνυον· αὐτὰρ ὃ ἔρρων

πλησίον, ἔνθα Θέτις περ, ἐπὶ θρόνου ἷζε φαεινοῦ,

ἔν τʼ ἄρα οἱ φῦ χειρὶ ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·

τίπτε Θέτι τανύπεπλε ἱκάνεις ἡμέτερον δῶ

αἰδοίη τε φίλη τε; πάρος γε μὲν οὔ τι θαμίζεις.

αὔδα ὅ τι φρονέεις· τελέσαι δέ με θυμὸς ἄνωγεν,

εἰ δύναμαι τελέσαι γε καὶ εἰ τετελεσμένον ἐστίν.

Thetis wept and answered, "Hephaistos, is there another goddess in Olympus whom the son of Kronos has been pleased to try with so much affliction as he has me? Me alone of the marine goddesses did he make subject to a mortal husband, Peleus son of Aiakos, and sorely against my will did I submit to the embraces of one who was but mortal, and who now stays at home worn out with age. Neither is this all. Heaven granted me a son, hero among heroes, and he shot up as a sapling. I tended him as a plant in a goodly garden and sent him with his ships to Ilion to fight the Trojans, but never shall I welcome him back to the house of Peleus. So long as he lives to look upon the light of the sun, he is in heaviness, and though I go to him I cannot help him; King Agamemnon has made him give up the maiden whom the sons of the Achaeans had awarded him, and he wastes with sorrow [ akhos ] for her sake. Then the Trojans hemmed the Achaeans in at their ships' sterns and would not let them come forth; the elders, therefore, of the Argives besought Achilles and offered him great treasure, whereon he refused to bring deliverance to them himself, but put his own armor on Patroklos and sent him into the fight with many people after him. All day long they fought by the Scaean gates and would have taken the city there and then, had not Apollo granted glory to Hektor and slain the valiant son of Menoitios after he had done the Trojans much evil. Therefore I am suppliant at your knees if haply you may be pleased to provide my son, whose end is near at hand, with helmet and shield, with goodly greaves fitted with ankle-clasps, and with a breastplate, for he lost his own when his true comrade fell at the hands of the Trojans, and he now lies stretched on earth in the bitterness of his soul."

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Θέτις κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα·

Ἥφαιστʼ, ἦ ἄρα δή τις, ὅσαι θεαί εἰσʼ ἐν Ὀλύμπῳ,

τοσσάδʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἀνέσχετο κήδεα λυγρὰ

ὅσσʼ ἐμοὶ ἐκ πασέων Κρονίδης Ζεὺς ἄλγεʼ ἔδωκεν;

ἐκ μέν μʼ ἀλλάων ἁλιάων ἀνδρὶ δάμασσεν

Αἰακίδῃ Πηλῆϊ, καὶ ἔτλην ἀνέρος εὐνὴν

πολλὰ μάλʼ οὐκ ἐθέλουσα. ὃ μὲν δὴ γήραϊ λυγρῷ

κεῖται ἐνὶ μεγάροις ἀρημένος, ἄλλα δέ μοι νῦν·

υἱὸν ἐπεί μοι δῶκε γενέσθαί τε τραφέμεν τε

ἔξοχον ἡρώων· ὃ δʼ ἀνέδραμεν ἔρνεϊ ἶσος·

τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ θρέψασα φυτὸν ὣς γουνῷ ἀλωῆς

νηυσὶν ἐπιπροέηκα κορωνίσιν Ἴλιον εἴσω

Τρωσὶ μαχησόμενον· τὸν δʼ οὐχ ὑποδέξομαι αὖτις

οἴκαδε νοστήσαντα δόμον Πηλήϊον εἴσω.

ὄφρα δέ μοι ζώει καὶ ὁρᾷ φάος ἠελίοιο

ἄχνυται, οὐδέ τί οἱ δύναμαι χραισμῆσαι ἰοῦσα.

κούρην ἣν ἄρα οἱ γέρας ἔξελον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν,

τὴν ἂψ ἐκ χειρῶν ἕλετο κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων.

ἤτοι ὃ τῆς ἀχέων φρένας ἔφθιεν· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς

Τρῶες ἐπὶ πρύμνῃσιν ἐείλεον, οὐδὲ θύραζε

εἴων ἐξιέναι· τὸν δὲ λίσσοντο γέροντες

Ἀργείων, καὶ πολλὰ περικλυτὰ δῶρʼ ὀνόμαζον.

ἔνθʼ αὐτὸς μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἠναίνετο λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι,

αὐτὰρ ὃ Πάτροκλον περὶ μὲν τὰ ἃ τεύχεα ἕσσε,

πέμπε δέ μιν πόλεμον δέ, πολὺν δʼ ἅμα λαὸν ὄπασσε.

πᾶν δʼ ἦμαρ μάρναντο περὶ Σκαιῇσι πύλῃσι·

καί νύ κεν αὐτῆμαρ πόλιν ἔπραθον, εἰ μὴ Ἀπόλλων

πολλὰ κακὰ ῥέξαντα Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμον υἱὸν

ἔκτανʼ ἐνὶ προμάχοισι καὶ Ἕκτορι κῦδος ἔδωκε.

τοὔνεκα νῦν τὰ σὰ γούναθʼ ἱκάνομαι, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα

υἱεῖ ἐμῷ ὠκυμόρῳ δόμεν ἀσπίδα καὶ τρυφάλειαν

καὶ καλὰς κνημῖδας ἐπισφυρίοις ἀραρυίας

καὶ θώρηχʼ· ὃ γὰρ ἦν οἱ ἀπώλεσε πιστὸς ἑταῖρος

Τρωσὶ δαμείς· ὃ δὲ κεῖται ἐπὶ χθονὶ θυμὸν ἀχεύων.

And Hephaistos answered, "Take heart, and be no more disquieted about this matter; would that I could hide him from death's sight when his hour is come, so surely as I can find him armor that shall amaze the eyes of all who behold it."

τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις·

θάρσει· μή τοι ταῦτα μετὰ φρεσὶ σῇσι μελόντων.

αἲ γάρ μιν θανάτοιο δυσηχέος ὧδε δυναίμην

νόσφιν ἀποκρύψαι, ὅτε μιν μόρος αἰνὸς ἱκάνοι,

ὥς οἱ τεύχεα καλὰ παρέσσεται, οἷά τις αὖτε

ἀνθρώπων πολέων θαυμάσσεται, ὅς κεν ἴδηται.

When he had so said he left her and went to his bellows, turning them towards the fire and bidding them do their office. Twenty bellows blew upon the melting-pots, and they blew blasts of every kind, some fierce to help him when he had need of them, and others less strong as Hephaistos willed it in the course of his work. He threw tough copper into the fire, and tin, with silver and gold; he set his great anvil on its block, and with one hand grasped his mighty hammer while he took the tongs in the other.

ὣς εἰπὼν τὴν μὲν λίπεν αὐτοῦ, βῆ δʼ ἐπὶ φύσας·

τὰς δʼ ἐς πῦρ ἔτρεψε κέλευσέ τε ἐργάζεσθαι.

φῦσαι δʼ ἐν χοάνοισιν ἐείκοσι πᾶσαι ἐφύσων

παντοίην εὔπρηστον ἀϋτμὴν ἐξανιεῖσαι,

ἄλλοτε μὲν σπεύδοντι παρέμμεναι, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε,

ὅππως Ἥφαιστός τʼ ἐθέλοι καὶ ἔργον ἄνοιτο.

χαλκὸν δʼ ἐν πυρὶ βάλλεν ἀτειρέα κασσίτερόν τε

καὶ χρυσὸν τιμῆντα καὶ ἄργυρον· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

θῆκεν ἐν ἀκμοθέτῳ μέγαν ἄκμονα, γέντο δὲ χειρὶ

ῥαιστῆρα κρατερήν, ἑτέρηφι δὲ γέντο πυράγρην.

First he shaped the shield so great and strong, adorning it all over and binding it round with a gleaming circuit in three layers; and the baldric was made of silver. He made the shield in five thicknesses, and with many a wonder did his cunning hand enrich it.

ποίει δὲ πρώτιστα σάκος μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε

πάντοσε δαιδάλλων, περὶ δʼ ἄντυγα βάλλε φαεινὴν

τρίπλακα μαρμαρέην, ἐκ δʼ ἀργύρεον τελαμῶνα.

πέντε δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτοῦ ἔσαν σάκεος πτύχες· αὐτὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ

ποίει δαίδαλα πολλὰ ἰδυίῃσι πραπίδεσσιν.

He wrought the earth, the heavens, and the sea; the moon also at her full and the untiring sun, with all the signs that glorify the face of heaven - the Pleiads, the Hyads, huge Orion, and the Bear, which men also call the Wain and which turns round ever in one place, facing. Orion, and alone never dips into the stream of Okeanos.

ἐν μὲν γαῖαν ἔτευξʼ, ἐν δʼ οὐρανόν, ἐν δὲ θάλασσαν,

ἠέλιόν τʼ ἀκάμαντα σελήνην τε πλήθουσαν,

ἐν δὲ τὰ τείρεα πάντα, τά τʼ οὐρανὸς ἐστεφάνωται,

Πληϊάδας θʼ Ὑάδας τε τό τε σθένος Ὠρίωνος

Ἄρκτόν θʼ, ἣν καὶ Ἄμαξαν ἐπίκλησιν καλέουσιν,

ἥ τʼ αὐτοῦ στρέφεται καί τʼ Ὠρίωνα δοκεύει,

οἴη δʼ ἄμμορός ἐστι λοετρῶν Ὠκεανοῖο.

He wrought also two cities, fair to see and busy with the hum of men. In the one were weddings and wedding-feasts, and they were going about the city with brides whom they were escorting by torchlight from their chambers. Loud rose the cry of Hymen, and the youths danced to the music of flute and lyre, while the women stood each at her house door to see them.

ἐν δὲ δύω ποίησε πόλεις μερόπων ἀνθρώπων

καλάς. ἐν τῇ μέν ῥα γάμοι τʼ ἔσαν εἰλαπίναι τε,

νύμφας δʼ ἐκ θαλάμων δαΐδων ὕπο λαμπομενάων

ἠγίνεον ἀνὰ ἄστυ, πολὺς δʼ ὑμέναιος ὀρώρει·

κοῦροι δʼ ὀρχηστῆρες ἐδίνεον, ἐν δʼ ἄρα τοῖσιν

αὐλοὶ φόρμιγγές τε βοὴν ἔχον· αἳ δὲ γυναῖκες

ἱστάμεναι θαύμαζον ἐπὶ προθύροισιν ἑκάστη.

Meanwhile the people were gathered in assembly, for there was a quarrel [ neikos ], and two men were wrangling about the blood-price for a man who had died, the one claiming to the dêmos that he had the right to pay off the damages in full, and the other refusing to accept anything. Each was seeking a limit [ peirar ], in the presence of an arbitrator [ histôr ], and the people took sides, each man backing the side that he had taken;

λαοὶ δʼ εἰν ἀγορῇ ἔσαν ἀθρόοι· ἔνθα δὲ νεῖκος

ὠρώρει, δύο δʼ ἄνδρες ἐνείκεον εἵνεκα ποινῆς

ἀνδρὸς ἀποφθιμένου· ὃ μὲν εὔχετο πάντʼ ἀποδοῦναι

δήμῳ πιφαύσκων, ὃ δʼ ἀναίνετο μηδὲν ἑλέσθαι·

ἄμφω δʼ ἱέσθην ἐπὶ ἴστορι πεῖραρ ἑλέσθαι.

but the heralds kept them back, and the elders sat on their seats of stone in a solemn circle, holding the staves which the heralds had put into their hands. Then they rose and each in his turn gave judgment [ dikê ], and there were two measures of gold laid down, to be given to him whose judgment [ dikê ] should be deemed the fairest.

λαοὶ δʼ ἀμφοτέροισιν ἐπήπυον ἀμφὶς ἀρωγοί·

κήρυκες δʼ ἄρα λαὸν ἐρήτυον· οἳ δὲ γέροντες

εἵατʼ ἐπὶ ξεστοῖσι λίθοις ἱερῷ ἐνὶ κύκλῳ,

σκῆπτρα δὲ κηρύκων ἐν χέρσʼ ἔχον ἠεροφώνων·

τοῖσιν ἔπειτʼ ἤϊσσον, ἀμοιβηδὶς δὲ δίκαζον.

κεῖτο δʼ ἄρʼ ἐν μέσσοισι δύω χρυσοῖο τάλαντα,

τῷ δόμεν ὃς μετὰ τοῖσι δίκην ἰθύντατα εἴποι.

About the other city there lay encamped two hosts in gleaming armor, and they were divided whether to sack it, or to spare it and accept the half of what it contained. But the men of the city would not yet consent, and armed themselves for a surprise; their wives and little children kept guard upon the walls, and with them were the men who were past fighting through age; but the others sallied forth with Ares and Pallas Athena at their head - both of them wrought in gold and clad in golden raiment, great and fair with their armor as befitting gods, while they that followed were smaller. When they reached the place where they would lay their ambush, it was on a riverbed to which live stock of all kinds would come from far and near to water; here, then, they lay concealed, clad in full armor. Some way off them there were two scouts who were on the look-out for the coming of sheep or cattle, which presently came, followed by two shepherds who were playing on their pipes, and had not so much as a thought of danger. When those who were in ambush saw this, they cut off the flocks and herds and killed the shepherds. Meanwhile the besiegers, when they heard much noise among the cattle as they sat in council, sprang to their horses, and made with all speed towards them; when they reached them they set battle in array by the banks of the river, and the hosts aimed their bronze-shod spears at one another. With them were Strife and Riot, and fell Fate who was dragging three men after her, one with a fresh wound, and the other unwounded, while the third was dead, and she was dragging him along by his heel: and her robe was bedrabbled in men's blood. They went in and out with one another and fought as though they were living people haling away one another's dead.

τὴν δʼ ἑτέρην πόλιν ἀμφὶ δύω στρατοὶ ἥατο λαῶν

τεύχεσι λαμπόμενοι· δίχα δέ σφισιν ἥνδανε βουλή,

ἠὲ διαπραθέειν ἢ ἄνδιχα πάντα δάσασθαι

κτῆσιν ὅσην πτολίεθρον ἐπήρατον ἐντὸς ἔεργεν·

οἳ δʼ οὔ πω πείθοντο, λόχῳ δʼ ὑπεθωρήσσοντο.

τεῖχος μέν ῥʼ ἄλοχοί τε φίλαι καὶ νήπια τέκνα

ῥύατʼ ἐφεσταότες, μετὰ δʼ ἀνέρες οὓς ἔχε γῆρας·

οἳ δʼ ἴσαν· ἦρχε δʼ ἄρά σφιν Ἄρης καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη

ἄμφω χρυσείω, χρύσεια δὲ εἵματα ἕσθην,

καλὼ καὶ μεγάλω σὺν τεύχεσιν, ὥς τε θεώ περ

ἀμφὶς ἀριζήλω· λαοὶ δʼ ὑπολίζονες ἦσαν.

οἳ δʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἵκανον ὅθι σφίσιν εἶκε λοχῆσαι

ἐν ποταμῷ, ὅθι τʼ ἀρδμὸς ἔην πάντεσσι βοτοῖσιν,

ἔνθʼ ἄρα τοί γʼ ἵζοντʼ εἰλυμένοι αἴθοπι χαλκῷ.

τοῖσι δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀπάνευθε δύω σκοποὶ εἵατο λαῶν

δέγμενοι ὁππότε μῆλα ἰδοίατο καὶ ἕλικας βοῦς.

οἳ δὲ τάχα προγένοντο, δύω δʼ ἅμʼ ἕποντο νομῆες

τερπόμενοι σύριγξι· δόλον δʼ οὔ τι προνόησαν.

οἳ μὲν τὰ προϊδόντες ἐπέδραμον, ὦκα δʼ ἔπειτα

τάμνοντʼ ἀμφὶ βοῶν ἀγέλας καὶ πώεα καλὰ

ἀργεννέων οἰῶν, κτεῖνον δʼ ἐπὶ μηλοβοτῆρας.

οἳ δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐπύθοντο πολὺν κέλαδον παρὰ βουσὶν

εἰράων προπάροιθε καθήμενοι, αὐτίκʼ ἐφʼ ἵππων

βάντες ἀερσιπόδων μετεκίαθον, αἶψα δʼ ἵκοντο.

στησάμενοι δʼ ἐμάχοντο μάχην ποταμοῖο παρʼ ὄχθας,

βάλλον δʼ ἀλλήλους χαλκήρεσιν ἐγχείῃσιν.

ἐν δʼ Ἔρις ἐν δὲ Κυδοιμὸς ὁμίλεον, ἐν δʼ ὀλοὴ Κήρ,

ἄλλον ζωὸν ἔχουσα νεούτατον, ἄλλον ἄουτον,

ἄλλον τεθνηῶτα κατὰ μόθον ἕλκε ποδοῖιν·

εἷμα δʼ ἔχʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι δαφοινεὸν αἵματι φωτῶν.

ὡμίλευν δʼ ὥς τε ζωοὶ βροτοὶ ἠδʼ ἐμάχοντο,

νεκρούς τʼ ἀλλήλων ἔρυον κατατεθνηῶτας.

He wrought also a fair fallow field, large and thrice ploughed already. Many men were working at the plough within it, turning their oxen to and fro, furrow after furrow. Each time that they turned on reaching the headland a man would come up to them and give them a cup of wine, and they would go back to their furrows looking forward to the time when they should again reach the headland. The part that they had ploughed was dark behind them, so that the field, though it was of gold, still looked as if it were being ploughed - very curious to behold.

ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει νειὸν μαλακὴν πίειραν ἄρουραν

εὐρεῖαν τρίπολον· πολλοὶ δʼ ἀροτῆρες ἐν αὐτῇ

ζεύγεα δινεύοντες ἐλάστρεον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα.

οἳ δʼ ὁπότε στρέψαντες ἱκοίατο τέλσον ἀρούρης,

τοῖσι δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἐν χερσὶ δέπας μελιηδέος οἴνου

δόσκεν ἀνὴρ ἐπιών· τοὶ δὲ στρέψασκον ἀνʼ ὄγμους,

ἱέμενοι νειοῖο βαθείης τέλσον ἱκέσθαι.

ἣ δὲ μελαίνετʼ ὄπισθεν, ἀρηρομένῃ δὲ ἐῴκει,

χρυσείη περ ἐοῦσα· τὸ δὴ περὶ θαῦμα τέτυκτο.

He wrought also a field of harvest grain, and the reapers were reaping with sharp sickles in their hands. Swathe after swathe fell to the ground in a straight line behind them, and the binders bound them in bands of twisted straw. There were three binders, and behind them there were boys who gathered the cut grain in armfuls and kept on bringing them to be bound: among them all the owner of the land stood by in silence and was glad. The servants were getting a meal ready under an oak, for they had sacrificed a great ox, and were busy cutting him up, while the women were making a porridge of much white barley for the laborers' dinner.

ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει τέμενος βασιλήϊον· ἔνθα δʼ ἔριθοι

ἤμων ὀξείας δρεπάνας ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες.

δράγματα δʼ ἄλλα μετʼ ὄγμον ἐπήτριμα πῖπτον ἔραζε,

ἄλλα δʼ ἀμαλλοδετῆρες ἐν ἐλλεδανοῖσι δέοντο.

τρεῖς δʼ ἄρʼ ἀμαλλοδετῆρες ἐφέστασαν· αὐτὰρ ὄπισθε

παῖδες δραγμεύοντες ἐν ἀγκαλίδεσσι φέροντες

ἀσπερχὲς πάρεχον· βασιλεὺς δʼ ἐν τοῖσι σιωπῇ

σκῆπτρον ἔχων ἑστήκει ἐπʼ ὄγμου γηθόσυνος κῆρ.

κήρυκες δʼ ἀπάνευθεν ὑπὸ δρυῒ δαῖτα πένοντο,

βοῦν δʼ ἱερεύσαντες μέγαν ἄμφεπον· αἳ δὲ γυναῖκες

δεῖπνον ἐρίθοισιν λεύκʼ ἄλφιτα πολλὰ πάλυνον.

He wrought also a vineyard, golden and fair to see, and the vines were loaded with grapes. The bunches overhead were black, but the vines were trained on poles of silver. He ran a ditch of dark metal all round it, and fenced it with a fence of tin; there was only one path to it, and by this the vintagers went when they would gather the vintage. Youths and maidens all blithe and full of glee, carried the luscious fruit in plaited baskets; and with them there went a boy who made sweet music with his lyre, and sang the Linus-song with his clear boyish voice.

ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει σταφυλῇσι μέγα βρίθουσαν ἀλωὴν

καλὴν χρυσείην· μέλανες δʼ ἀνὰ βότρυες ἦσαν,

ἑστήκει δὲ κάμαξι διαμπερὲς ἀργυρέῃσιν.

ἀμφὶ δὲ κυανέην κάπετον, περὶ δʼ ἕρκος ἔλασσε

κασσιτέρου· μία δʼ οἴη ἀταρπιτὸς ἦεν ἐπʼ αὐτήν,

τῇ νίσοντο φορῆες ὅτε τρυγόῳεν ἀλωήν.

παρθενικαὶ δὲ καὶ ἠΐθεοι ἀταλὰ φρονέοντες

πλεκτοῖς ἐν ταλάροισι φέρον μελιηδέα καρπόν.

τοῖσιν δʼ ἐν μέσσοισι πάϊς φόρμιγγι λιγείῃ

ἱμερόεν κιθάριζε, λίνον δʼ ὑπὸ καλὸν ἄειδε

λεπταλέῃ φωνῇ· τοὶ δὲ ῥήσσοντες ἁμαρτῇ

μολπῇ τʼ ἰυγμῷ τε ποσὶ σκαίροντες ἕποντο.

He wrought also a herd of horned cattle. He made the cows of gold and tin, and they lowed as they came full speed out of the yards to go and feed among the waving reeds that grow by the banks of the river. Along with the cattle there went four shepherds, all of them in gold, and their nine fleet dogs went with them. Two terrible lions had fastened on a bellowing bull that was with the foremost cows, and bellow as he might they haled him, while the dogs and men gave chase: the lions tore through the bull's thick hide and were gorging on his blood and bowels, but the herdsmen were afraid to do anything, and only hounded on their dogs; the dogs dared not fasten on the lions but stood by barking and keeping out of harm's way.

ἐν δʼ ἀγέλην ποίησε βοῶν ὀρθοκραιράων·

αἳ δὲ βόες χρυσοῖο τετεύχατο κασσιτέρου τε,

μυκηθμῷ δʼ ἀπὸ κόπρου ἐπεσσεύοντο νομὸν δὲ

πὰρ ποταμὸν κελάδοντα, παρὰ ῥοδανὸν δονακῆα.

χρύσειοι δὲ νομῆες ἅμʼ ἐστιχόωντο βόεσσι

τέσσαρες, ἐννέα δέ σφι κύνες πόδας ἀργοὶ ἕποντο.

σμερδαλέω δὲ λέοντε δύʼ ἐν πρώτῃσι βόεσσι

ταῦρον ἐρύγμηλον ἐχέτην· ὃ δὲ μακρὰ μεμυκὼς

ἕλκετο· τὸν δὲ κύνες μετεκίαθον ἠδʼ αἰζηοί.

τὼ μὲν ἀναρρήξαντε βοὸς μεγάλοιο βοείην

ἔγκατα καὶ μέλαν αἷμα λαφύσσετον· οἳ δὲ νομῆες

αὔτως ἐνδίεσαν ταχέας κύνας ὀτρύνοντες.

οἳ δʼ ἤτοι δακέειν μὲν ἀπετρωπῶντο λεόντων,

ἱστάμενοι δὲ μάλʼ ἐγγὺς ὑλάκτεον ἔκ τʼ ἀλέοντο.

The god wrought also a pasture in a fair mountain dell, and large flock of sheep, with a homestead and huts, and sheltered sheepfolds.

ἐν δὲ νομὸν ποίησε περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις

ἐν καλῇ βήσσῃ μέγαν οἰῶν ἀργεννάων,

σταθμούς τε κλισίας τε κατηρεφέας ἰδὲ σηκούς.

Furthermore he wrought a green, like that which Daedalus once made in Knossos for lovely Ariadne. Here was a dance [khoros] of youths and maidens, whom all would woo, all with their hands on one another's wrists. The maidens wore robes of light linen, and the youths well woven shirts that were slightly oiled. The girls were crowned with garlands, while the young men had daggers of gold that hung by silver baldrics; sometimes they would dance deftly in a ring with merry twinkling feet, as it were a potter sitting at his work and making trial of his wheel to see whether it will run, and sometimes they would go all in line with one another, and many people was gathered joyously about the place of dancing [ khoros ]. There was a bard also to sing to them and play his lyre, while two tumblers went about performing in the midst of them when the man struck up with his tune.

ἐν δὲ χορὸν ποίκιλλε περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις,

τῷ ἴκελον οἷόν ποτʼ ἐνὶ Κνωσῷ εὐρείῃ

Δαίδαλος ἤσκησεν καλλιπλοκάμῳ Ἀριάδνῃ.

ἔνθα μὲν ἠΐθεοι καὶ παρθένοι ἀλφεσίβοιαι

ὀρχεῦντʼ ἀλλήλων ἐπὶ καρπῷ χεῖρας ἔχοντες.

τῶν δʼ αἳ μὲν λεπτὰς ὀθόνας ἔχον, οἳ δὲ χιτῶνας

εἵατʼ ἐϋννήτους, ἦκα στίλβοντας ἐλαίῳ·

καί ῥʼ αἳ μὲν καλὰς στεφάνας ἔχον, οἳ δὲ μαχαίρας

εἶχον χρυσείας ἐξ ἀργυρέων τελαμώνων.

οἳ δʼ ὁτὲ μὲν θρέξασκον ἐπισταμένοισι πόδεσσι

ῥεῖα μάλʼ, ὡς ὅτε τις τροχὸν ἄρμενον ἐν παλάμῃσιν

ἑζόμενος κεραμεὺς πειρήσεται, αἴ κε θέῃσιν·

ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖ θρέξασκον ἐπὶ στίχας ἀλλήλοισι.

πολλὸς δʼ ἱμερόεντα χορὸν περιίσταθʼ ὅμιλος

τερπόμενοι· μετὰ δέ σφιν ἐμέλπετο θεῖος ἀοιδὸς

φορμίζων· δοιὼ δὲ κυβιστητῆρε κατʼ αὐτοὺς

μολπῆς ἐξάρχοντες ἐδίνευον κατὰ μέσσους.

All round the outermost rim of the shield he set the mighty stream of the river Okeanos.

ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει ποταμοῖο μέγα σθένος Ὠκεανοῖο

ἄντυγα πὰρ πυμάτην σάκεος πύκα ποιητοῖο.

Then when he had fashioned the shield so great and strong, he made a breastplate also that shone brighter than fire. He made helmet, close fitting to the brow, and richly worked, with a golden plume overhanging it; and he made greaves also of beaten tin.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τεῦξε σάκος μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε,

τεῦξʼ ἄρα οἱ θώρηκα φαεινότερον πυρὸς αὐγῆς,

τεῦξε δέ οἱ κόρυθα βριαρὴν κροτάφοις ἀραρυῖαν

καλὴν δαιδαλέην, ἐπὶ δὲ χρύσεον λόφον ἧκε,

τεῦξε δέ οἱ κνημῖδας ἑανοῦ κασσιτέροιο.

Lastly, when the famed lame god had made all the armor, he took it and set it before the mother of Achilles; whereon she darted like a falcon from the snowy summits of Olympus and bore away the gleaming armor from the house of Hephaistos.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πάνθʼ ὅπλα κάμε κλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις,

μητρὸς Ἀχιλλῆος θῆκε προπάροιθεν ἀείρας.

ἣ δʼ ἴρηξ ὣς ἆλτο κατʼ Οὐλύμπου νιφόεντος

τεύχεα μαρμαίροντα παρʼ Ἡφαίστοιο φέρουσα.