Iliad

Now the gods were sitting with Zeus in council upon the golden floor while Hebe went round pouring out nectar for them to drink, and as they pledged one another in their cups of gold they looked down upon the town of Troy . The son of Kronos then began to tease Hera, talking at her so as to provoke her. "Menelaos," said he, "has two good friends among the goddesses, Hera of Argos , and Athena of Alalkomene, but they only sit still and look on, while Aphrodite keeps ever by Alexander's side to defend him in any danger; indeed she has just rescued him when he made sure that it was all over with him - for the victory really did lie with Menelaos. We must consider what we shall do about all this; shall we set them fighting anew or make peace between them? If you will agree to this last Menelaos can take back Helen and the city of Priam may remain still inhabited."

οἳ δὲ θεοὶ πὰρ Ζηνὶ καθήμενοι ἠγορόωντο

χρυσέῳ ἐν δαπέδῳ, μετὰ δέ σφισι πότνια Ἥβη

νέκταρ ἐοινοχόει· τοὶ δὲ χρυσέοις δεπάεσσι

δειδέχατʼ ἀλλήλους, Τρώων πόλιν εἰσορόωντες·

αὐτίκʼ ἐπειρᾶτο Κρονίδης ἐρεθιζέμεν Ἥρην

κερτομίοις ἐπέεσσι παραβλήδην ἀγορεύων·

δοιαὶ μὲν Μενελάῳ ἀρηγόνες εἰσὶ θεάων

Ἥρη τʼ Ἀργείη καὶ Ἀλαλκομενηῒς Ἀθήνη.

ἀλλʼ ἤτοι ταὶ νόσφι καθήμεναι εἰσορόωσαι

τέρπεσθον· τῷ δʼ αὖτε φιλομειδὴς Ἀφροδίτη

αἰεὶ παρμέμβλωκε καὶ αὐτοῦ κῆρας ἀμύνει·

καὶ νῦν ἐξεσάωσεν ὀϊόμενον θανέεσθαι.

ἀλλʼ ἤτοι νίκη μὲν ἀρηϊφίλου Μενελάου·

ἡμεῖς δὲ φραζώμεθʼ ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα,

ἤ ῥʼ αὖτις πόλεμόν τε κακὸν καὶ φύλοπιν αἰνὴν

ὄρσομεν, ἦ φιλότητα μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισι βάλωμεν.

εἰ δʼ αὖ πως τόδε πᾶσι φίλον καὶ ἡδὺ γένοιτο,

ἤτοι μὲν οἰκέοιτο πόλις Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος,

αὖτις δʼ Ἀργείην Ἑλένην Μενέλαος ἄγοιτο.

Athena and Hera muttered their discontent as they sat side by side hatching mischief for the Trojans. Athena scowled at her father, for she was in a furious passion with him, and said nothing, but Hera could not contain herself. "Dread son of Kronos," said she, "what, pray, is the meaning of all this? Is my trouble [ ponos ], then, to go for nothing,

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἳ δʼ ἐπέμυξαν Ἀθηναίη τε καὶ Ἥρη·

πλησίαι αἵ γʼ ἥσθην, κακὰ δὲ Τρώεσσι μεδέσθην.

ἤτοι Ἀθηναίη ἀκέων ἦν οὐδέ τι εἶπε

σκυζομένη Διὶ πατρί, χόλος δέ μιν ἄγριος ᾕρει·

Ἥρῃ δʼ οὐκ ἔχαδε στῆθος χόλον, ἀλλὰ προσηύδα·

αἰνότατε Κρονίδη ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες·

πῶς ἐθέλεις ἅλιον θεῖναι πόνον ἠδʼ ἀτέλεστον,

and the sweat that I have sweated, to say nothing of my horses, while getting the people together against Priam and his children? Do as you will, but we other gods shall not all of us approve your counsel."

ἱδρῶ θʼ ὃν ἵδρωσα μόγῳ, καμέτην δέ μοι ἵπποι

λαὸν ἀγειρούσῃ, Πριάμῳ κακὰ τοῖό τε παισίν.

ἕρδʼ· ἀτὰρ οὔ τοι πάντες ἐπαινέομεν θεοὶ ἄλλοι.

Zeus was angry and answered, "My dear, what harm have Priam and his sons done you that you are so hotly bent on sacking the city of Ilion ? Will nothing do for you but you must within their walls and eat Priam raw, with his sons and all the other Trojans to boot? Have it your own way then; for I would not have this matter become a bone of contention between us. I say further, and lay my saying to your heart, if ever I want to sack a city belonging to friends of yours, you must not try to stop me; you will have to let me do it, for I am giving in to you sorely against my will. Of all inhabited cities under the sun and stars of heaven, there was none that I so much respected as Ilion with Priam and his whole people. Equitable feasts were never wanting about my altar, nor the savor of burning fat, which is honor due to ourselves."

τὴν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·

δαιμονίη τί νύ σε Πρίαμος Πριάμοιό τε παῖδες

τόσσα κακὰ ῥέζουσιν, ὅ τʼ ἀσπερχὲς μενεαίνεις

Ἰλίου ἐξαλαπάξαι ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον;

εἰ δὲ σύ γʼ εἰσελθοῦσα πύλας καὶ τείχεα μακρὰ

ὠμὸν βεβρώθοις Πρίαμον Πριάμοιό τε παῖδας

ἄλλους τε Τρῶας, τότε κεν χόλον ἐξακέσαιο.

ἕρξον ὅπως ἐθέλεις· μὴ τοῦτό γε νεῖκος ὀπίσσω

σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ μέγʼ ἔρισμα μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισι γένηται.

ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·

ὁππότε κεν καὶ ἐγὼ μεμαὼς πόλιν ἐξαλαπάξαι

τὴν ἐθέλω ὅθι τοι φίλοι ἀνέρες ἐγγεγάασι,

μή τι διατρίβειν τὸν ἐμὸν χόλον, ἀλλά μʼ ἐᾶσαι·

καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ σοὶ δῶκα ἑκὼν ἀέκοντί γε θυμῷ·

αἳ γὰρ ὑπʼ ἠελίῳ τε καὶ οὐρανῷ ἀστερόεντι

ναιετάουσι πόληες ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων,

τάων μοι περὶ κῆρι τιέσκετο Ἴλιος ἱρὴ

καὶ Πρίαμος καὶ λαὸς ἐϋμμελίω Πριάμοιο.

οὐ γάρ μοί ποτε βωμὸς ἐδεύετο δαιτὸς ἐΐσης

λοιβῆς τε κνίσης τε· τὸ γὰρ λάχομεν γέρας ἡμεῖς.

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη·

"My own three favorite cities," answered Hera, "are Argos , Sparta , and Mycenae . Sack them whenever you may be displeased with them. I shall not defend them and I shall not care. Even if I did, and tried to stay you, I should take nothing by it, for you are much stronger than I am, but I will not have my own work wasted. I too am a god and of the same race with yourself. I am Kronos' eldest daughter, and am honorable not on this ground only, but also because I am your wife, and you are king over the gods. Let it be a case, then, of give-and-take between us, and the rest of the gods will follow our lead. Tell Athena to go and take part in the fight at once, and let her contrive that the Trojans shall be the first to break their oaths and set upon the Achaeans."

ἤτοι ἐμοὶ τρεῖς μὲν πολὺ φίλταταί εἰσι πόληες

Ἄργός τε Σπάρτη τε καὶ εὐρυάγυια Μυκήνη·

τὰς διαπέρσαι ὅτʼ ἄν τοι ἀπέχθωνται περὶ κῆρι·

τάων οὔ τοι ἐγὼ πρόσθʼ ἵσταμαι οὐδὲ μεγαίρω.

εἴ περ γὰρ φθονέω τε καὶ οὐκ εἰῶ διαπέρσαι,

οὐκ ἀνύω φθονέουσʼ ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερός ἐσσι.

ἀλλὰ χρὴ καὶ ἐμὸν θέμεναι πόνον οὐκ ἀτέλεστον·

καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ θεός εἰμι, γένος δέ μοι ἔνθεν ὅθεν σοί,

καί με πρεσβυτάτην τέκετο Κρόνος ἀγκυλομήτης,

ἀμφότερον γενεῇ τε καὶ οὕνεκα σὴ παράκοιτις

κέκλημαι, σὺ δὲ πᾶσι μετʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάσσεις.

ἀλλʼ ἤτοι μὲν ταῦθʼ ὑποείξομεν ἀλλήλοισι,

σοὶ μὲν ἐγώ, σὺ δʼ ἐμοί· ἐπὶ δʼ ἕψονται θεοὶ ἄλλοι

ἀθάνατοι· σὺ δὲ θᾶσσον Ἀθηναίῃ ἐπιτεῖλαι

ἐλθεῖν ἐς Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν φύλοπιν αἰνήν,

πειρᾶν δʼ ὥς κε Τρῶες ὑπερκύδαντας Ἀχαιοὺς

ἄρξωσι πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσασθαι.

The sire of gods and men heeded her words, and said to Athena, "Go at once into the Trojan and Achaean hosts, and contrive that the Trojans shall be the first to break their oaths and set upon the Achaeans."

ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε·

αὐτίκʼ Ἀθηναίην ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

αἶψα μάλʼ ἐς στρατὸν ἐλθὲ μετὰ Τρῶας καὶ Ἀχαιούς,

πειρᾶν δʼ ὥς κε Τρῶες ὑπερκύδαντας Ἀχαιοὺς

ἄρξωσι πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσασθαι.

This was what Athena was already eager to do, so down she darted from the topmost summits of Olympus . She shot through the sky as some brilliant meteor which the son of scheming Kronos has sent as a sign to mariners or to some great army, and a fiery train of light follows in its wake. The Trojans and Achaeans were struck with awe as they beheld, and one would turn to his neighbor, saying, "Either we shall again have war and din of combat, or Zeus the lord of battle will now make peace between us."

ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε πάρος μεμαυῖαν Ἀθήνην,

βῆ δὲ κατʼ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων ἀΐξασα.

οἷον δʼ ἀστέρα ἧκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω

ἢ ναύτῃσι τέρας ἠὲ στρατῷ εὐρέϊ λαῶν

λαμπρόν· τοῦ δέ τε πολλοὶ ἀπὸ σπινθῆρες ἵενται·

τῷ ἐϊκυῖʼ ἤϊξεν ἐπὶ χθόνα Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη,

κὰδ δʼ ἔθορʼ ἐς μέσσον· θάμβος δʼ ἔχεν εἰσορόωντας

Τρῶάς θʼ ἱπποδάμους καὶ ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς·

ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·

ἦ ῥʼ αὖτις πόλεμός τε κακὸς καὶ φύλοπις αἰνὴ

ἔσσεται, ἢ φιλότητα μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισι τίθησι

Ζεύς, ὅς τʼ ἀνθρώπων ταμίης πολέμοιο τέτυκται.

Thus did they converse. Then Athena took the form of Laodokos, son of Antenor, and went through the ranks of the Trojans to find Pandaros, the redoubtable son of Lykaon. She found him standing among the stalwart heroes who had followed him from the banks of the Aesepos, so she went close up to him and said, "Brave son of Lykaon, will you do as I tell you? If you dare send an arrow at Menelaos you will win honor and thanks [ kharis ] from all the Trojans, and especially from prince Alexander - he would be the first to requite you very handsomely if he could see Menelaos mount his funeral pyre, slain by an arrow from your hand. Take your home aim then, and pray to Lycian Apollo, the famous archer; vow that when you get home to your strong city of Zelea you will offer a hecatomb of firstling lambs in his honor."

ὣς ἄρα τις εἴπεσκεν Ἀχαιῶν τε Τρώων τε.

ἣ δʼ ἀνδρὶ ἰκέλη Τρώων κατεδύσεθʼ ὅμιλον

Λαοδόκῳ Ἀντηνορίδῃ κρατερῷ αἰχμητῇ,

Πάνδαρον ἀντίθεον διζημένη εἴ που ἐφεύροι.

εὗρε Λυκάονος υἱὸν ἀμύμονά τε κρατερόν τε

ἑσταότʼ· ἀμφὶ δέ μιν κρατεραὶ στίχες ἀσπιστάων

λαῶν, οἵ οἱ ἕποντο ἀπʼ Αἰσήποιο ῥοάων·

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

ἦ ῥά νύ μοί τι πίθοιο Λυκάονος υἱὲ δαΐφρον.

τλαίης κεν Μενελάῳ ἐπιπροέμεν ταχὺν ἰόν,

πᾶσι δέ κε Τρώεσσι χάριν καὶ κῦδος ἄροιο,

ἐκ πάντων δὲ μάλιστα Ἀλεξάνδρῳ βασιλῆϊ.

τοῦ κεν δὴ πάμπρωτα παρʼ ἀγλαὰ δῶρα φέροιο,

αἴ κεν ἴδῃ Μενέλαον ἀρήϊον Ἀτρέος υἱὸν

σῷ βέλεϊ δμηθέντα πυρῆς ἐπιβάντʼ ἀλεγεινῆς.

ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ὀΐστευσον Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο,

εὔχεο δʼ Ἀπόλλωνι Λυκηγενέϊ κλυτοτόξῳ

ἀρνῶν πρωτογόνων ῥέξειν κλειτὴν ἑκατόμβην

οἴκαδε νοστήσας ἱερῆς εἰς ἄστυ Ζελείης.

His fool's heart was persuaded, and he took his bow from its case. This bow was made from the horns of a wild ibex which he had killed as it was bounding from a rock; he had stalked it, and it had fallen as the arrow struck it to the heart. Its horns were sixteen palms long, and a worker in horn had made them into a bow, smoothing them well down, and giving them tips of gold. When Pandaros had strung his bow he laid it carefully on the ground, and his brave followers held their shields before him lest the Achaeans should set upon him before he had shot Menelaos. Then he opened the lid of his quiver and took out a winged arrow that had yet been shot, fraught with the pangs of death.

ὣς φάτʼ Ἀθηναίη, τῷ δὲ φρένας ἄφρονι πεῖθεν·

αὐτίκʼ ἐσύλα τόξον ἐΰξοον ἰξάλου αἰγὸς

ἀγρίου, ὅν ῥά ποτʼ αὐτὸς ὑπὸ στέρνοιο τυχήσας

πέτρης ἐκβαίνοντα δεδεγμένος ἐν προδοκῇσι

βεβλήκει πρὸς στῆθος· ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος ἔμπεσε πέτρῃ.

τοῦ κέρα ἐκ κεφαλῆς ἑκκαιδεκάδωρα πεφύκει·

καὶ τὰ μὲν ἀσκήσας κεραοξόος ἤραρε τέκτων,

πᾶν δʼ εὖ λειήνας χρυσέην ἐπέθηκε κορώνην.

καὶ τὸ μὲν εὖ κατέθηκε τανυσσάμενος ποτὶ γαίῃ

ἀγκλίνας· πρόσθεν δὲ σάκεα σχέθον ἐσθλοὶ ἑταῖροι

μὴ πρὶν ἀναΐξειαν ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

πρὶν βλῆσθαι Μενέλαον ἀρήϊον Ἀτρέος υἱόν.

αὐτὰρ ὁ σύλα πῶμα φαρέτρης, ἐκ δʼ ἕλετʼ ἰὸν

ἀβλῆτα πτερόεντα μελαινέων ἕρμʼ ὀδυνάων·

He laid the arrow on the string and prayed to Lycian Apollo, the famous archer, vowing that when he got home to his strong city of Zelea he would offer a hecatomb of firstling lambs in his honor. He laid the notch of the arrow on the oxhide bowstring, and drew both notch and string to his breast till the arrow-head was near the bow; then when the bow was arched into a half-circle he let fly, and the bow twanged, and the string sang as the arrow flew gladly on over the heads of the throng.

αἶψα δʼ ἐπὶ νευρῇ κατεκόσμει πικρὸν ὀϊστόν,

εὔχετο δʼ Ἀπόλλωνι Λυκηγενέϊ κλυτοτόξῳ

ἀρνῶν πρωτογόνων ῥέξειν κλειτὴν ἑκατόμβην

οἴκαδε νοστήσας ἱερῆς εἰς ἄστυ Ζελείης.

ἕλκε δʼ ὁμοῦ γλυφίδας τε λαβὼν καὶ νεῦρα βόεια·

νευρὴν μὲν μαζῷ πέλασεν, τόξῳ δὲ σίδηρον.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ κυκλοτερὲς μέγα τόξον ἔτεινε,

λίγξε βιός, νευρὴ δὲ μέγʼ ἴαχεν, ἆλτο δʼ ὀϊστὸς

ὀξυβελὴς καθʼ ὅμιλον ἐπιπτέσθαι μενεαίνων.

οὐδὲ σέθεν Μενέλαε θεοὶ μάκαρες λελάθοντο

ἀθάνατοι, πρώτη δὲ Διὸς θυγάτηρ ἀγελείη,

But the blessed gods did not forget you, O Menelaos, and Zeus' daughter, driver of the spoil, was the first to stand before you and ward off the piercing arrow. She turned it from his skin as a mother whisks a fly from off her child when it is sleeping sweetly; she guided it to the part where the golden buckles of the belt that passed over his double cuirass were fastened, so the arrow struck the belt that went tightly round him. It went right through this and through the cuirass of cunning workmanship; it also pierced the belt beneath it, which he wore next his skin to keep out darts or arrows; it was this that served him in the best stead, nevertheless the arrow went through it and grazed the top of the skin, so that blood began flowing from the wound.

ἥ τοι πρόσθε στᾶσα βέλος ἐχεπευκὲς ἄμυνεν.

ἣ δὲ τόσον μὲν ἔεργεν ἀπὸ χροὸς ὡς ὅτε μήτηρ

παιδὸς ἐέργῃ μυῖαν ὅθʼ ἡδέϊ λέξεται ὕπνῳ,

αὐτὴ δʼ αὖτʼ ἴθυνεν ὅθι ζωστῆρος ὀχῆες

χρύσειοι σύνεχον καὶ διπλόος ἤντετο θώρηξ.

ἐν δʼ ἔπεσε ζωστῆρι ἀρηρότι πικρὸς ὀϊστός·

διὰ μὲν ἂρ ζωστῆρος ἐλήλατο δαιδαλέοιο,

καὶ διὰ θώρηκος πολυδαιδάλου ἠρήρειστο

μίτρης θʼ, ἣν ἐφόρει ἔρυμα χροὸς ἕρκος ἀκόντων,

ἥ οἱ πλεῖστον ἔρυτο· διὰ πρὸ δὲ εἴσατο καὶ τῆς.

ἀκρότατον δʼ ἄρʼ ὀϊστὸς ἐπέγραψε χρόα φωτός·

αὐτίκα δʼ ἔρρεεν αἷμα κελαινεφὲς ἐξ ὠτειλῆς.

As when some woman of Meonia or Caria strains purple dye on to a piece of ivory that is to be the cheek-piece of a horse, and is to be laid up in a treasure house - many a horseman is fain to bear it, but the king keeps it as an ornament [ kosmos ] of which both horse and driver may be proud - even so, O Menelaos, were your shapely thighs and your legs down to your fair ankles stained with blood.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε τίς τʼ ἐλέφαντα γυνὴ φοίνικι μιήνῃ

Μῃονὶς ἠὲ Κάειρα παρήϊον ἔμμεναι ἵππων·

κεῖται δʼ ἐν θαλάμῳ, πολέες τέ μιν ἠρήσαντο

ἱππῆες φορέειν· βασιλῆϊ δὲ κεῖται ἄγαλμα,

ἀμφότερον κόσμός θʼ ἵππῳ ἐλατῆρί τε κῦδος·

τοῖοί τοι Μενέλαε μιάνθην αἵματι μηροὶ

εὐφυέες κνῆμαί τε ἰδὲ σφυρὰ κάλʼ ὑπένερθε.

When King Agamemnon saw the blood flowing from the wound he was afraid, and so was brave Menelaos himself till he saw that the barbs of the arrow and the thread that bound the arrow-head to the shaft were still outside the wound. Then he took heart, but Agamemnon heaved a deep sigh as he held Menelaos' hand in his own, and his comrades made moan in concert.

ῥίγησεν δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων

ὡς εἶδεν μέλαν αἷμα καταρρέον ἐξ ὠτειλῆς·

ῥίγησεν δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀρηΐφιλος Μενέλαος.

ὡς δὲ ἴδεν νεῦρόν τε καὶ ὄγκους ἐκτὸς ἐόντας

ἄψορρόν οἱ θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀγέρθη.

τοῖς δὲ βαρὺ στενάχων μετέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων

"Dear brother, "he cried, "I have been the death of you in pledging this covenant and letting you come forward as our champion. The Trojans have trampled on their oaths and have wounded you; nevertheless the oath, the blood of lambs, the drink-offerings and the right hands of fellowship in which have put our trust shall not be vain. If he that rules Olympus fulfill it not here and now, he. will yet fulfill it hereafter, and they shall pay dearly with their lives and with their wives and children. The day will surely come when mighty Ilion shall be laid low, with Priam and Priam's people, when the son of Kronos from his high throne shall overshadow them with his awful aegis in punishment of their present treachery. This shall surely be; but how, Menelaos, shall I feel grief [ akhos ] for you, if it be your lot now to die? I should return to Argos as a by-word, for the Achaeans will at once go home. We shall leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, and the earth will rot your bones as you lie here at Troy with your purpose not fulfilled. Then shall some braggart Trojan leap upon your tomb and say, ‘Ever thus may Agamemnon wreak his vengeance; he brought his army in vain; he is gone home to his own land with empty ships, and has left Menelaos behind him.’ Thus will one of them say, and may the earth then swallow me."

χειρὸς ἔχων Μενέλαον, ἐπεστενάχοντο δʼ ἑταῖροι·

φίλε κασίγνητε θάνατόν νύ τοι ὅρκιʼ ἔταμνον

οἶον προστήσας πρὸ Ἀχαιῶν Τρωσὶ μάχεσθαι,

ὥς σʼ ἔβαλον Τρῶες, κατὰ δʼ ὅρκια πιστὰ πάτησαν.

οὐ μέν πως ἅλιον πέλει ὅρκιον αἷμά τε ἀρνῶν

σπονδαί τʼ ἄκρητοι καὶ δεξιαὶ ᾗς ἐπέπιθμεν.

εἴ περ γάρ τε καὶ αὐτίκʼ Ὀλύμπιος οὐκ ἐτέλεσσεν,

ἔκ τε καὶ ὀψὲ τελεῖ, σύν τε μεγάλῳ ἀπέτισαν

σὺν σφῇσιν κεφαλῇσι γυναιξί τε καὶ τεκέεσσιν.

εὖ γὰρ ἐγὼ τόδε οἶδα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν·

ἔσσεται ἦμαρ ὅτʼ ἄν ποτʼ ὀλώλῃ Ἴλιος ἱρὴ

καὶ Πρίαμος καὶ λαὸς ἐϋμμελίω Πριάμοιο,

Ζεὺς δέ σφι Κρονίδης ὑψίζυγος αἰθέρι ναίων

αὐτὸς ἐπισσείῃσιν ἐρεμνὴν αἰγίδα πᾶσι

τῆσδʼ ἀπάτης κοτέων· τὰ μὲν ἔσσεται οὐκ ἀτέλεστα·

ἀλλά μοι αἰνὸν ἄχος σέθεν ἔσσεται ὦ Μενέλαε

αἴ κε θάνῃς καὶ πότμον ἀναπλήσῃς βιότοιο.

καί κεν ἐλέγχιστος πολυδίψιον Ἄργος ἱκοίμην·

αὐτίκα γὰρ μνήσονται Ἀχαιοὶ πατρίδος αἴης·

κὰδ δέ κεν εὐχωλὴν Πριάμῳ καὶ Τρωσὶ λίποιμεν

Ἀργείην Ἑλένην· σέο δʼ ὀστέα πύσει ἄρουρα

κειμένου ἐν Τροίῃ ἀτελευτήτῳ ἐπὶ ἔργῳ.

καί κέ τις ὧδʼ ἐρέει Τρώων ὑπερηνορεόντων

τύμβῳ ἐπιθρῴσκων Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο·

αἴθʼ οὕτως ἐπὶ πᾶσι χόλον τελέσειʼ Ἀγαμέμνων,

ὡς καὶ νῦν ἅλιον στρατὸν ἤγαγεν ἐνθάδʼ Ἀχαιῶν,

καὶ δὴ ἔβη οἶκον δὲ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν

σὺν κεινῇσιν νηυσὶ λιπὼν ἀγαθὸν Μενέλαον.

ὥς ποτέ τις ἐρέει· τότε μοι χάνοι εὐρεῖα χθών.

τὸν δʼ ἐπιθαρσύνων προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

But Menelaos reassured him and said, "Take heart, and do not alarm the people; the arrow has not struck me in a mortal part, for my outer belt of burnished metal first stayed it, and under this my cuirass and the belt of mail which the bronze-smiths made me."

θάρσει, μηδέ τί πω δειδίσσεο λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν·

οὐκ ἐν καιρίῳ ὀξὺ πάγη βέλος, ἀλλὰ πάροιθεν

εἰρύσατο ζωστήρ τε παναίολος ἠδʼ ὑπένερθε

ζῶμά τε καὶ μίτρη, τὴν χαλκῆες κάμον ἄνδρες.

And Agamemnon answered, "I trust, dear Menelaos, that it may be even so, but the surgeon shall examine your wound and lay herbs upon it to relieve your pain."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων·

αἲ γὰρ δὴ οὕτως εἴη φίλος ὦ Μενέλαε·

ἕλκος δʼ ἰητὴρ ἐπιμάσσεται ἠδʼ ἐπιθήσει

φάρμαχʼ ἅ κεν παύσῃσι μελαινάων ὀδυνάων.

ἦ καὶ Ταλθύβιον θεῖον κήρυκα προσηύδα·

He then said to Talthybios, "Talthybios, tell Machaon, son to the great physician, Asklepios, to come and see Menelaos immediately. Some Trojan or Lycian archer has wounded him with an arrow to our dismay [ penthos ], and to his own great glory [ kleos ]."

Ταλθύβιʼ ὅττι τάχιστα Μαχάονα δεῦρο κάλεσσον

φῶτʼ Ἀσκληπιοῦ υἱὸν ἀμύμονος ἰητῆρος,

ὄφρα ἴδῃ Μενέλαον ἀρήϊον Ἀτρέος υἱόν,

ὅν τις ὀϊστεύσας ἔβαλεν τόξων ἐῢ εἰδὼς

Τρώων ἢ Λυκίων, τῷ μὲν κλέος, ἄμμι δὲ πένθος.

Talthybios did as he was told, and went about the host trying to find Machaon. Presently he found standing amid the brave warriors who had followed him from Tricca ; thereon he went up to him and said, "Son of Asklepios, King Agamemnon says you are to come and see Menelaos immediately. Some Trojan or Lycian archer has wounded him with an arrow to our dismay [ penthos ] and to his own great glory [ kleos ]."

ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα οἱ κῆρυξ ἀπίθησεν ἀκούσας,

βῆ δʼ ἰέναι κατὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων

παπταίνων ἥρωα Μαχάονα· τὸν δὲ νόησεν

ἑσταότʼ· ἀμφὶ δέ μιν κρατεραὶ στίχες ἀσπιστάων

λαῶν, οἵ οἱ ἕποντο Τρίκης ἐξ ἱπποβότοιο.

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

ὄρσʼ Ἀσκληπιάδη, καλέει κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων,

ὄφρα ἴδῃς Μενέλαον ἀρήϊον ἀρχὸν Ἀχαιῶν,

ὅν τις ὀϊστεύσας ἔβαλεν τόξων ἐῢ εἰδὼς

Τρώων ἢ Λυκίων, τῷ μὲν κλέος, ἄμμι δὲ πένθος.

Thus did he speak, and Machaon was moved to go. They passed through the spreading host of the Achaeans and went on till they came to the place where Menelaos had been wounded and was lying with the chieftains gathered in a circle round him. Machaon passed into the middle of the ring and at once drew the arrow from the belt, bending its barbs back through the force with which he pulled it out. He undid the burnished belt, and beneath this the cuirass and the belt of mail which the bronze-smiths had made; then, when he had seen the wound, he wiped away the blood and applied some soothing drugs which Chiron had given to Asklepios out of the good will he bore him.

ὣς φάτο, τῷ δʼ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε·

βὰν δʼ ἰέναι καθʼ ὅμιλον ἀνὰ στρατὸν εὐρὺν Ἀχαιῶν.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἵκανον ὅθι ξανθὸς Μενέλαος

βλήμενος ἦν, περὶ δʼ αὐτὸν ἀγηγέραθʼ ὅσσοι ἄριστοι

κυκλόσʼ, ὃ δʼ ἐν μέσσοισι παρίστατο ἰσόθεος φώς,

αὐτίκα δʼ ἐκ ζωστῆρος ἀρηρότος ἕλκεν ὀϊστόν·

τοῦ δʼ ἐξελκομένοιο πάλιν ἄγεν ὀξέες ὄγκοι.

λῦσε δέ οἱ ζωστῆρα παναίολον ἠδʼ ὑπένερθε

ζῶμά τε καὶ μίτρην, τὴν χαλκῆες κάμον ἄνδρες.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ ἴδεν ἕλκος ὅθʼ ἔμπεσε πικρὸς ὀϊστός,

αἷμʼ ἐκμυζήσας ἐπʼ ἄρʼ ἤπια φάρμακα εἰδὼς

πάσσε, τά οἵ ποτε πατρὶ φίλα φρονέων πόρε Χείρων.

While they were thus busy about Menelaos, the Trojans came forward against them, for they had put on their armor, and now renewed the fight.

ὄφρα τοὶ ἀμφεπένοντο βοὴν ἀγαθὸν Μενέλαον,

τόφρα δʼ ἐπὶ Τρώων στίχες ἤλυθον ἀσπιστάων·

οἳ δʼ αὖτις κατὰ τεύχεʼ ἔδυν, μνήσαντο δὲ χάρμης.

You would not have then found Agamemnon asleep nor cowardly and unwilling to fight, but eager rather for the fray. He left his chariot rich with bronze and his panting steeds in charge of the squire [ therapôn ] Eurymedon, son of Ptolemaios the son of Peiraios, and bade him hold them in readiness against the time his limbs should weary of going about and giving orders to so many, for he went among the ranks on foot. When he saw men hastening to the front he stood by them and cheered them on. "Argives," said he, "slacken not one whit in your onset; father Zeus will be no helper of liars;

ἔνθʼ οὐκ ἂν βρίζοντα ἴδοις Ἀγαμέμνονα δῖον

οὐδὲ καταπτώσσοντʼ οὐδʼ οὐκ ἐθέλοντα μάχεσθαι,

ἀλλὰ μάλα σπεύδοντα μάχην ἐς κυδιάνειραν.

ἵππους μὲν γὰρ ἔασε καὶ ἅρματα ποικίλα χαλκῷ·

καὶ τοὺς μὲν θεράπων ἀπάνευθʼ ἔχε φυσιόωντας

Εὐρυμέδων υἱὸς Πτολεμαίου Πειραΐδαο·

τῷ μάλα πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλε παρισχέμεν ὁππότε κέν μιν

γυῖα λάβῃ κάματος πολέας διὰ κοιρανέοντα·

αὐτὰρ ὃ πεζὸς ἐὼν ἐπεπωλεῖτο στίχας ἀνδρῶν·

καί ῥʼ οὓς μὲν σπεύδοντας ἴδοι Δαναῶν ταχυπώλων,

τοὺς μάλα θαρσύνεσκε παριστάμενος ἐπέεσσιν·

Ἀργεῖοι μή πώ τι μεθίετε θούριδος ἀλκῆς·

οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ ψευδέσσι πατὴρ Ζεὺς ἔσσετʼ ἀρωγός,

the Trojans have been the first to break their oaths and to attack us; therefore they shall be devoured of vultures; we shall take their city and carry off their wives and children in our ships."

ἀλλʼ οἵ περ πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσαντο

τῶν ἤτοι αὐτῶν τέρενα χρόα γῦπες ἔδονται,

ἡμεῖς αὖτʼ ἀλόχους τε φίλας καὶ νήπια τέκνα

ἄξομεν ἐν νήεσσιν, ἐπὴν πτολίεθρον ἕλωμεν.

But he angrily rebuked those whom he saw shirking and disinclined to fight. "Argives," he cried, "cowardly miserable creatures, have you no shame to stand here like frightened fawns who, when they can no longer scud over the plain, huddle together, but show no fight? You are as dazed and spiritless as deer. Would you wait till the Trojans reach the sterns of our ships as they lie on the shore, to see, whether the son of Kronos will hold his hand over you to protect you?"

οὕς τινας αὖ μεθιέντας ἴδοι στυγεροῦ πολέμοιο,

τοὺς μάλα νεικείεσκε χολωτοῖσιν ἐπέεσσιν·

Ἀργεῖοι ἰόμωροι ἐλεγχέες οὔ νυ σέβεσθε;

τίφθʼ οὕτως ἔστητε τεθηπότες ἠΰτε νεβροί,

αἵ τʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔκαμον πολέος πεδίοιο θέουσαι

ἑστᾶσʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα τίς σφι μετὰ φρεσὶ γίγνεται ἀλκή·

ὣς ὑμεῖς ἔστητε τεθηπότες οὐδὲ μάχεσθε.

ἦ μένετε Τρῶας σχεδὸν ἐλθέμεν ἔνθά τε νῆες

εἰρύατʼ εὔπρυμνοι πολιῆς ἐπὶ θινὶ θαλάσσης,

ὄφρα ἴδητʼ αἴ κʼ ὔμμιν ὑπέρσχῃ χεῖρα Κρονίων;

Thus did he go about giving his orders among the ranks. Passing through the crowd, he came presently on the Cretans, arming round Idomeneus, who was at their head, fierce as a wild boar, while Meriones was bringing up the battalions that were in the rear. Agamemnon was glad when he saw him, and spoke him fairly. "Idomeneus," said he, "I treat you with greater distinction than I do any others of the Achaeans, whether in war or in other things, or at table. When the princes are mixing my choicest wines in the mixing-bowls, they have each of them a fixed allowance, but your cup is kept always full like my own, that you may drink whenever you are minded. Go, therefore, into battle, and show yourself the man you have been always proud to be."

ὣς ὅ γε κοιρανέων ἐπεπωλεῖτο στίχας ἀνδρῶν·

ἦλθε δʼ ἐπὶ Κρήτεσσι κιὼν ἀνὰ οὐλαμὸν ἀνδρῶν.

οἳ δʼ ἀμφʼ Ἰδομενῆα δαΐφρονα θωρήσσοντο·

Ἰδομενεὺς μὲν ἐνὶ προμάχοις συῒ εἴκελος ἀλκήν,

Μηριόνης δʼ ἄρα οἱ πυμάτας ὄτρυνε φάλαγγας.

τοὺς δὲ ἰδὼν γήθησεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων,

αὐτίκα δʼ Ἰδομενῆα προσηύδα μειλιχίοισιν·

Ἰδομενεῦ περὶ μέν σε τίω Δαναῶν ταχυπώλων

ἠμὲν ἐνὶ πτολέμῳ ἠδʼ ἀλλοίῳ ἐπὶ ἔργῳ

ἠδʼ ἐν δαίθʼ, ὅτε πέρ τε γερούσιον αἴθοπα οἶνον

Ἀργείων οἳ ἄριστοι ἐνὶ κρητῆρι κέρωνται.

εἴ περ γάρ τʼ ἄλλοι γε κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοὶ

δαιτρὸν πίνωσιν, σὸν δὲ πλεῖον δέπας αἰεὶ

ἕστηχʼ, ὥς περ ἐμοί, πιέειν ὅτε θυμὸς ἀνώγοι.

ἀλλʼ ὄρσευ πόλεμον δʼ οἷος πάρος εὔχεαι εἶναι.

Idomeneus answered, "I will be a trusty comrade, as I promised you from the first I would be. Urge on the other Achaeans, that we may join battle at once, for the Trojans have trampled upon their covenants. Death and destruction shall be theirs, seeing they have been the first to break their oaths and to attack us."

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἰδομενεὺς Κρητῶν ἀγὸς ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Ἀτρεΐδη μάλα μέν τοι ἐγὼν ἐρίηρος ἑταῖρος

ἔσσομαι, ὡς τὸ πρῶτον ὑπέστην καὶ κατένευσα·

ἀλλʼ ἄλλους ὄτρυνε κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιοὺς

ὄφρα τάχιστα μαχώμεθʼ, ἐπεὶ σύν γʼ ὅρκιʼ ἔχευαν

Τρῶες· τοῖσιν δʼ αὖ θάνατος καὶ κήδεʼ ὀπίσσω

ἔσσετʼ ἐπεὶ πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσαντο.

The son of Atreus went on, glad at heart, till he came upon the two Ajaxes arming themselves amid a host of foot-soldiers. As when a goat-herd from some high post watches a storm drive over the deep [ pontos ] before the west wind

ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ παρῴχετο γηθόσυνος κῆρ·

ἦλθε δʼ ἐπʼ Αἰάντεσσι κιὼν ἀνὰ οὐλαμὸν ἀνδρῶν·

τὼ δὲ κορυσσέσθην, ἅμα δὲ νέφος εἵπετο πεζῶν.

ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀπὸ σκοπιῆς εἶδεν νέφος αἰπόλος ἀνὴρ

ἐρχόμενον κατὰ πόντον ὑπὸ Ζεφύροιο ἰωῆς·

- black as pitch is the offing and a mighty whirlwind draws towards him, so that he is afraid and drives his flock into a cave - even thus did the ranks of stalwart youths move in a dark mass to battle under the Ajaxes, horrid with shield and spear. Glad was King Agamemnon when he saw them. "No need," he cried, "to give orders to such leaders of the Argives as you are, for of your own selves you spur your men on to fight with might and main. Would, by father Zeus, Athena, and Apollo that all were so minded as you are, for the city of Priam would then soon fall beneath our hands, and we should sack it."

τῷ δέ τʼ ἄνευθεν ἐόντι μελάντερον ἠΰτε πίσσα

φαίνετʼ ἰὸν κατὰ πόντον, ἄγει δέ τε λαίλαπα πολλήν,

ῥίγησέν τε ἰδών, ὑπό τε σπέος ἤλασε μῆλα·

τοῖαι ἅμʼ Αἰάντεσσι διοτρεφέων αἰζηῶν

δήϊον ἐς πόλεμον πυκιναὶ κίνυντο φάλαγγες

κυάνεαι, σάκεσίν τε καὶ ἔγχεσι πεφρικυῖαι.

καὶ τοὺς μὲν γήθησεν ἰδὼν κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων,

καί σφεας φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

Αἴαντʼ Ἀργείων ἡγήτορε χαλκοχιτώνων,

σφῶϊ μέν· οὐ γὰρ ἔοικʼ ὀτρυνέμεν· οὔ τι κελεύω·

αὐτὼ γὰρ μάλα λαὸν ἀνώγετον ἶφι μάχεσθαι.

αἲ γὰρ Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον

τοῖος πᾶσιν θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι γένοιτο·

τώ κε τάχʼ ἠμύσειε πόλις Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος

χερσὶν ὑφʼ ἡμετέρῃσιν ἁλοῦσά τε περθομένη τε.

With this he left them and went onward to Nestor, the facile speaker of the Pylians, who was marshaling his men and urging them on, in company with Pelagon, Alastor, Chromios, Haimon, and Bias shepherd of his people. He placed his horsemen with their chariots and horses in the front rank, while the foot-soldiers, brave men and many, whom he could trust, were in the rear. The cowards he drove into the middle, that they might fight whether they would or no. He gave his orders to the horsemen first, bidding them hold their horses well in hand, so as to avoid confusion. "Let no man," he said, "relying on his strength or horsemanship, get before the others and engage singly with the Trojans, nor yet let him lag behind or you will weaken your attack; but let each when he meets an enemy's chariot throw his spear from his own; this be much the best; this is how the men of old took towns and strongholds; in this wise was their thinking [ noos ]."

ὣς εἰπὼν τοὺς μὲν λίπεν αὐτοῦ, βῆ δὲ μετʼ ἄλλους·

ἔνθʼ ὅ γε Νέστορʼ ἔτετμε λιγὺν Πυλίων ἀγορητὴν

οὓς ἑτάρους στέλλοντα καὶ ὀτρύνοντα μάχεσθαι

ἀμφὶ μέγαν Πελάγοντα Ἀλάστορά τε Χρομίον τε

Αἵμονά τε κρείοντα Βίαντά τε ποιμένα λαῶν·

ἱππῆας μὲν πρῶτα σὺν ἵπποισιν καὶ ὄχεσφι,

πεζοὺς δʼ ἐξόπιθε στῆσεν πολέας τε καὶ ἐσθλοὺς

ἕρκος ἔμεν πολέμοιο· κακοὺς δʼ ἐς μέσσον ἔλασσεν,

ὄφρα καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλων τις ἀναγκαίῃ πολεμίζοι.

ἱππεῦσιν μὲν πρῶτʼ ἐπετέλλετο· τοὺς γὰρ ἀνώγει

σφοὺς ἵππους ἐχέμεν μηδὲ κλονέεσθαι ὁμίλῳ·

μηδέ τις ἱπποσύνῃ τε καὶ ἠνορέηφι πεποιθὼς

οἶος πρόσθʼ ἄλλων μεμάτω Τρώεσσι μάχεσθαι,

μηδʼ ἀναχωρείτω· ἀλαπαδνότεροι γὰρ ἔσεσθε.

ὃς δέ κʼ ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ ὧν ὀχέων ἕτερʼ ἅρμαθʼ ἵκηται

ἔγχει ὀρεξάσθω, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερον οὕτω.

ὧδε καὶ οἱ πρότεροι πόλεας καὶ τείχεʼ ἐπόρθεον

τόνδε νόον καὶ θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔχοντες.

Thus did the old man charge them, for he had been in many a fight, and King Agamemnon was glad. "I wish," he said to him, that your limbs were as supple and your strength [ biê ] as sure as your judgment is; but age, the common enemy of humankind, has laid his hand upon you; would that it had fallen upon some other, and that you were still young."

ὣς ὃ γέρων ὄτρυνε πάλαι πολέμων ἐῢ εἰδώς·

καὶ τὸν μὲν γήθησεν ἰδὼν κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

ὦ γέρον εἴθʼ ὡς θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισιν

ὥς τοι γούναθʼ ἕποιτο, βίη δέ τοι ἔμπεδος εἴη·

ἀλλά σε γῆρας τείρει ὁμοίϊον· ὡς ὄφελέν τις

ἀνδρῶν ἄλλος ἔχειν, σὺ δὲ κουροτέροισι μετεῖναι.

And Nestor, horseman of Gerene, answered, "Son of Atreus, I too would gladly be the man I was when I slew mighty Ereuthalion; but the gods will not give us everything at one and the same time. I was then young, and now I am old;

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

Ἀτρεΐδη μάλα μέν τοι ἐγὼν ἐθέλοιμι καὶ αὐτὸς

ὣς ἔμεν ὡς ὅτε δῖον Ἐρευθαλίωνα κατέκταν.

ἀλλʼ οὔ πως ἅμα πάντα θεοὶ δόσαν ἀνθρώποισιν·

εἰ τότε κοῦρος ἔα νῦν αὖτέ με γῆρας ὀπάζει.

still I can go with my horsemen and give them that counsel which old men have a right to give. The wielding of the spear I leave to those who are younger and has more force [ biê ] than myself."

ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς ἱππεῦσι μετέσσομαι ἠδὲ κελεύσω

βουλῇ καὶ μύθοισι· τὸ γὰρ γέρας ἐστὶ γερόντων.

αἰχμὰς δʼ αἰχμάσσουσι νεώτεροι, οἵ περ ἐμεῖο

ὁπλότεροι γεγάασι πεποίθασίν τε βίηφιν.

Agamemnon went his way rejoicing, and presently found Menestheus, son of Peteos, tarrying in his place, and with him were the Athenians loud of tongue in battle. Near him also tarried cunning Odysseus, with his sturdy Cephallenians round him; they had not yet heard the battle-cry, for the ranks of Trojans and Achaeans had only just begun to move, so they were standing still, waiting for some other columns of the Achaeans to attack the Trojans and begin the fighting. When he saw this Agamemnon rebuked them and said, "Son of Peteos, and you other, steeped in cunning, heart of guile, why stand you here cowering and waiting on others? You two should be of all men foremost when there is hard fighting to be done, for you are ever foremost to accept my invitation when we councilors of the Achaeans are holding feast. You are glad enough then to take your fill of roast meats and to drink wine as long as you please, whereas now you would not care though you saw ten columns of Achaeans engage the enemy in front of you."

ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ παρῴχετο γηθόσυνος κῆρ.

εὗρʼ υἱὸν Πετεῶο Μενεσθῆα πλήξιππον

ἑσταότʼ· ἀμφὶ δʼ Ἀθηναῖοι μήστωρες ἀϋτῆς·

αὐτὰρ ὃ πλησίον ἑστήκει πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς,

πὰρ δὲ Κεφαλλήνων ἀμφὶ στίχες οὐκ ἀλαπαδναὶ

ἕστασαν· οὐ γάρ πώ σφιν ἀκούετο λαὸς ἀϋτῆς,

ἀλλὰ νέον συνορινόμεναι κίνυντο φάλαγγες

Τρώων ἱπποδάμων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν· οἳ δὲ μένοντες

ἕστασαν ὁππότε πύργος Ἀχαιῶν ἄλλος ἐπελθὼν

Τρώων ὁρμήσειε καὶ ἄρξειαν πολέμοιο.

τοὺς δὲ ἰδὼν νείκεσσεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων,

καί σφεας φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

ὦ υἱὲ Πετεῶο διοτρεφέος βασιλῆος,

καὶ σὺ κακοῖσι δόλοισι κεκασμένε κερδαλεόφρον

τίπτε καταπτώσσοντες ἀφέστατε, μίμνετε δʼ ἄλλους;

σφῶϊν μέν τʼ ἐπέοικε μετὰ πρώτοισιν ἐόντας

ἑστάμεν ἠδὲ μάχης καυστείρης ἀντιβολῆσαι·

πρώτω γὰρ καὶ δαιτὸς ἀκουάζεσθον ἐμεῖο,

ὁππότε δαῖτα γέρουσιν ἐφοπλίζωμεν Ἀχαιοί.

ἔνθα φίλʼ ὀπταλέα κρέα ἔδμεναι ἠδὲ κύπελλα

οἴνου πινέμεναι μελιηδέος ὄφρʼ ἐθέλητον·

νῦν δὲ φίλως χʼ ὁρόῳτε καὶ εἰ δέκα πύργοι Ἀχαιῶν

ὑμείων προπάροιθε μαχοίατο νηλέϊ χαλκῷ.

Odysseus glared at him and answered, "Son of Atreus, what are you talking about? How can you say that we are slack? When the Achaeans are in full fight with the Trojans, you shall see, if you care to do so, that the father of Telemakhos will join battle with the foremost of them. You are talking idly."

τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Ἀτρεΐδη ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων;

πῶς δὴ φῂς πολέμοιο μεθιέμεν ὁππότʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

Τρωσὶν ἐφʼ ἱπποδάμοισιν ἐγείρομεν ὀξὺν Ἄρηα;

ὄψεαι αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα καὶ αἴ κέν τοι τὰ μεμήλῃ

Τηλεμάχοιο φίλον πατέρα προμάχοισι μιγέντα

Τρώων ἱπποδάμων· σὺ δὲ ταῦτʼ ἀνεμώλια βάζεις.

When Agamemnon saw that Odysseus was angry, he smiled pleasantly at him and withdrew his words. "Odysseus," said he, "noble son of Laertes , excellent in all good counsel, I have neither fault to find nor orders to give you, for I know your heart is right, and that you and I are of a mind. Enough; I will make you amends for what I have said, and if any ill has now been spoken may the gods bring it to nothing."

τὸν δʼ ἐπιμειδήσας προσέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων

ὡς γνῶ χωομένοιο· πάλιν δʼ ὅ γε λάζετο μῦθον·

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ

οὔτέ σε νεικείω περιώσιον οὔτε κελεύω·

οἶδα γὰρ ὥς τοι θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισιν

ἤπια δήνεα οἶδε· τὰ γὰρ φρονέεις ἅ τʼ ἐγώ περ.

ἀλλʼ ἴθι ταῦτα δʼ ὄπισθεν ἀρεσσόμεθʼ εἴ τι κακὸν νῦν

εἴρηται, τὰ δὲ πάντα θεοὶ μεταμώνια θεῖεν.

He then left them and went on to others. Presently he saw the son of Tydeus, noble Diomedes, standing by his chariot and horses, with Sthenelos the son of Kapaneus beside him; whereon he began to upbraid him. "Son of Tydeus," he said, "why stand you cowering here upon the brink of battle? Tydeus did not shrink thus, but was ever ahead of his men when leading them on against the foe - so, at least, say they that saw him in battle, for I never set eyes upon him myself. They say that there was no man like him. He came once to Mycenae , not as an enemy but as a guest, in company with Polyneikes to recruit his forces, for they were levying war against the strong city of Thebes , and prayed our people for a body of picked men to help them. The men of Mycenae were willing to let them have one, but Zeus dissuaded them by showing them unfavorable omens [ sêmata ]. Tydeus, therefore, and Polyneikes went their way. When they had got as far the deep-meadowed and rush-grown banks of the Aesepos, the Achaeans sent Tydeus as their envoy, and he found the Cadmeans gathered in great numbers to a banquet in the house of Eteokles. Stranger though he was, he knew no fear on finding himself single-handed among so many, but challenged them to contests of all kinds, and in each one of them was at once victorious, so mightily did Athena help him. The Cadmeans were incensed at his success, and set a force of fifty youths with two leaders - the godlike hero Maion, son of Haimon, and Polyphontes, son of Autophonos - at their head, to lie in wait for him on his return journey; but Tydeus slew every man of them, save only Maion, whom he let go in obedience to heaven's omens. Such was Tydeus of Aetolia . His son can talk more glibly, but he cannot fight as his father did."

ὣς εἰπὼν τοὺς μὲν λίπεν αὐτοῦ, βῆ δὲ μετʼ ἄλλους.

εὗρε δὲ Τυδέος υἱὸν ὑπέρθυμον Διομήδεα

ἑσταότʼ ἔν θʼ ἵπποισι καὶ ἅρμασι κολλητοῖσι·

πὰρ δέ οἱ ἑστήκει Σθένελος Καπανήϊος υἱός.

καὶ τὸν μὲν νείκεσσεν ἰδὼν κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

ὤ μοι Τυδέος υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἱπποδάμοιο

τί πτώσσεις, τί δʼ ὀπιπεύεις πολέμοιο γεφύρας;

οὐ μὲν Τυδέϊ γʼ ὧδε φίλον πτωσκαζέμεν ἦεν,

ἀλλὰ πολὺ πρὸ φίλων ἑτάρων δηΐοισι μάχεσθαι,

ὡς φάσαν οἵ μιν ἴδοντο πονεύμενον· οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε

ἤντησʼ οὐδὲ ἴδον· περὶ δʼ ἄλλων φασὶ γενέσθαι.

ἤτοι μὲν γὰρ ἄτερ πολέμου εἰσῆλθε Μυκήνας

ξεῖνος ἅμʼ ἀντιθέῳ Πολυνείκεϊ λαὸν ἀγείρων·

οἳ δὲ τότʼ ἐστρατόωνθʼ ἱερὰ πρὸς τείχεα Θήβης,

καί ῥα μάλα λίσσοντο δόμεν κλειτοὺς ἐπικούρους·

οἳ δʼ ἔθελον δόμεναι καὶ ἐπῄνεον ὡς ἐκέλευον·

ἀλλὰ Ζεὺς ἔτρεψε παραίσια σήματα φαίνων.

οἳ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν ᾤχοντο ἰδὲ πρὸ ὁδοῦ ἐγένοντο,

Ἀσωπὸν δʼ ἵκοντο βαθύσχοινον λεχεποίην,

ἔνθʼ αὖτʼ ἀγγελίην ἐπὶ Τυδῆ στεῖλαν Ἀχαιοί.

αὐτὰρ ὃ βῆ, πολέας δὲ κιχήσατο Καδμεΐωνας

δαινυμένους κατὰ δῶμα βίης Ἐτεοκληείης.

ἔνθʼ οὐδὲ ξεῖνός περ ἐὼν ἱππηλάτα Τυδεὺς

τάρβει, μοῦνος ἐὼν πολέσιν μετὰ Καδμείοισιν,

ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ ἀεθλεύειν προκαλίζετο, πάντα δʼ ἐνίκα

ῥηϊδίως· τοίη οἱ ἐπίρροθος ἦεν Ἀθήνη.

οἳ δὲ χολωσάμενοι Καδμεῖοι κέντορες ἵππων

ἂψ ἄρʼ ἀνερχομένῳ πυκινὸν λόχον εἷσαν ἄγοντες

κούρους πεντήκοντα· δύω δʼ ἡγήτορες ἦσαν,

Μαίων Αἱμονίδης ἐπιείκελος ἀθανάτοισιν,

υἱός τʼ Αὐτοφόνοιο μενεπτόλεμος Πολυφόντης.

Τυδεὺς μὲν καὶ τοῖσιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφῆκε·

πάντας ἔπεφνʼ, ἕνα δʼ οἶον ἵει οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι·

Μαίονʼ ἄρα προέηκε θεῶν τεράεσσι πιθήσας.

τοῖος ἔην Τυδεὺς Αἰτώλιος· ἀλλὰ τὸν υἱὸν

γείνατο εἷο χέρεια μάχῃ, ἀγορῇ δέ τʼ ἀμείνω.

Diomedes made no answer, for he was shamed by the rebuke of Agamemnon; but the son of Kapaneus took up his words and said, "Son of Atreus, tell no lies, for you can speak truth if you will.

ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ οὔ τι προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης

αἰδεσθεὶς βασιλῆος ἐνιπὴν αἰδοίοιο·

τὸν δʼ υἱὸς Καπανῆος ἀμείψατο κυδαλίμοιο·

We boast ourselves as even better men than our fathers; we took seven-gated Thebes , though the wall was stronger and our men were fewer in number, for we trusted in the omens of the gods and in the help of Zeus, whereas they perished through their own sheer folly; hold not, then, our fathers in like honor [ timê ] with us."

Ἀτρεΐδη μὴ ψεύδεʼ ἐπιστάμενος σάφα εἰπεῖν·

ἡμεῖς τοι πατέρων μέγʼ ἀμείνονες εὐχόμεθʼ εἶναι·

ἡμεῖς καὶ Θήβης ἕδος εἵλομεν ἑπταπύλοιο

παυρότερον λαὸν ἀγαγόνθʼ ὑπὸ τεῖχος ἄρειον,

πειθόμενοι τεράεσσι θεῶν καὶ Ζηνὸς ἀρωγῇ·

κεῖνοι δὲ σφετέρῃσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὄλοντο·

τὼ μή μοι πατέρας ποθʼ ὁμοίῃ ἔνθεο τιμῇ.

Diomedes looked sternly at him and said, "Hold your peace, my friend, as I bid you. It is not amiss that Agamemnon should urge the Achaeans forward, for the glory will be his if we take the city, and his the grief [ penthos ] if we are vanquished. Therefore let us acquit ourselves with valor."

τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης·

τέττα, σιωπῇ ἧσο, ἐμῷ δʼ ἐπιπείθεο μύθῳ·

οὐ γὰρ ἐγὼ νεμεσῶ Ἀγαμέμνονι ποιμένι λαῶν

ὀτρύνοντι μάχεσθαι ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς·

τούτῳ μὲν γὰρ κῦδος ἅμʼ ἕψεται εἴ κεν Ἀχαιοὶ

Τρῶας δῃώσωσιν ἕλωσί τε Ἴλιον ἱρήν,

τούτῳ δʼ αὖ μέγα πένθος Ἀχαιῶν δῃωθέντων.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ καὶ νῶϊ μεδώμεθα θούριδος ἀλκῆς.

As he spoke he sprang from his chariot, and his armor rang so fiercely about his body that even a brave man might well have been scared to hear it.

ἦ ῥα καὶ ἐξ ὀχέων σὺν τεύχεσιν ἆλτο χαμᾶζε·

δεινὸν δʼ ἔβραχε χαλκὸς ἐπὶ στήθεσσιν ἄνακτος

ὀρνυμένου· ὑπό κεν ταλασίφρονά περ δέος εἷλεν.

As when some mighty wave that thunders on the beach when the west wind has lashed it into fury at sea [ pontos ]- it has reared its head afar and now comes crashing down on the shore; it bows its arching crest high over the jagged rocks and spews its salt foam in all directions - even so did the serried phalanxes of the Danaans march steadfastly to battle. The chiefs gave orders each to his own people, but the men said never a word; no man would think it, for huge as the host was, it seemed as though there was not a tongue among them, so silent were they in their obedience; and as they marched the armor about their bodies glistened in the sun. But the clamor of the Trojan ranks was as that of many thousand ewes that stand waiting to be milked in the yards of some rich flockmaster, and bleat incessantly in answer to the bleating of their lambs; for they had not one speech nor language, but their tongues were diverse, and they came from many different places. These were inspired of Ares, but the others by Athena - and with them came Panic, Rout, and Strife whose fury never tires, sister and friend of murderous Ares, who, from being at first but low in stature, grows till she uprears her head to heaven, though her feet are still on earth. She it was that went about among them and flung down discord to the waxing of sorrow with even hand between them.

ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἐν αἰγιαλῷ πολυηχέϊ κῦμα θαλάσσης

ὄρνυτʼ ἐπασσύτερον Ζεφύρου ὕπο κινήσαντος·

πόντῳ μέν τε πρῶτα κορύσσεται, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

χέρσῳ ῥηγνύμενον μεγάλα βρέμει, ἀμφὶ δέ τʼ ἄκρας

κυρτὸν ἐὸν κορυφοῦται, ἀποπτύει δʼ ἁλὸς ἄχνην·

ὣς τότʼ ἐπασσύτεραι Δαναῶν κίνυντο φάλαγγες

νωλεμέως πόλεμον δέ· κέλευε δὲ οἷσιν ἕκαστος

ἡγεμόνων· οἳ δʼ ἄλλοι ἀκὴν ἴσαν, οὐδέ κε φαίης

τόσσον λαὸν ἕπεσθαι ἔχοντʼ ἐν στήθεσιν αὐδήν,

σιγῇ δειδιότες σημάντορας· ἀμφὶ δὲ πᾶσι

τεύχεα ποικίλʼ ἔλαμπε, τὰ εἱμένοι ἐστιχόωντο.

Τρῶες δʼ, ὥς τʼ ὄϊες πολυπάμονος ἀνδρὸς ἐν αὐλῇ

μυρίαι ἑστήκασιν ἀμελγόμεναι γάλα λευκὸν

ἀζηχὲς μεμακυῖαι ἀκούουσαι ὄπα ἀρνῶν,

ὣς Τρώων ἀλαλητὸς ἀνὰ στρατὸν εὐρὺν ὀρώρει·

οὐ γὰρ πάντων ἦεν ὁμὸς θρόος οὐδʼ ἴα γῆρυς,

ἀλλὰ γλῶσσα μέμικτο, πολύκλητοι δʼ ἔσαν ἄνδρες.

ὄρσε δὲ τοὺς μὲν Ἄρης, τοὺς δὲ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη

Δεῖμός τʼ ἠδὲ Φόβος καὶ Ἔρις ἄμοτον μεμαυῖα,

Ἄρεος ἀνδροφόνοιο κασιγνήτη ἑτάρη τε,

ἥ τʼ ὀλίγη μὲν πρῶτα κορύσσεται, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

οὐρανῷ ἐστήριξε κάρη καὶ ἐπὶ χθονὶ βαίνει·

ἥ σφιν καὶ τότε νεῖκος ὁμοίϊον ἔμβαλε μέσσῳ

ἐρχομένη καθʼ ὅμιλον ὀφέλλουσα στόνον ἀνδρῶν.

When they were got together in one place shield clashed with shield and spear with spear in the rage of battle. The bossed shields beat one upon another, and there was a tramp as of a great multitude - death-cry and shout of triumph of slain and slayers, and the earth ran red with blood. As torrents swollen with rain course madly down their deep channels till the angry floods meet in some gorge, and the shepherd the hillside hears their roaring from afar - even such was the toil [ ponos ] and uproar of the hosts as they joined in battle.

οἳ δʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἐς χῶρον ἕνα ξυνιόντες ἵκοντο,

σύν ῥʼ ἔβαλον ῥινούς, σὺν δʼ ἔγχεα καὶ μένεʼ ἀνδρῶν

χαλκεοθωρήκων· ἀτὰρ ἀσπίδες ὀμφαλόεσσαι

ἔπληντʼ ἀλλήλῃσι, πολὺς δʼ ὀρυμαγδὸς ὀρώρει.

ἔνθα δʼ ἅμʼ οἰμωγή τε καὶ εὐχωλὴ πέλεν ἀνδρῶν

ὀλλύντων τε καὶ ὀλλυμένων, ῥέε δʼ αἵματι γαῖα.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε χείμαρροι ποταμοὶ κατʼ ὄρεσφι ῥέοντες

ἐς μισγάγκειαν συμβάλλετον ὄβριμον ὕδωρ

κρουνῶν ἐκ μεγάλων κοίλης ἔντοσθε χαράδρης,

τῶν δέ τε τηλόσε δοῦπον ἐν οὔρεσιν ἔκλυε ποιμήν·

ὣς τῶν μισγομένων γένετο ἰαχή τε πόνος τε.

First Antilokhos slew an armed warrior of the Trojans, Ekhepolos, son of Thalysios, fighting in the foremost ranks. He struck at the projecting part of his helmet and drove the spear into his brow; the point of bronze pierced the bone, and darkness veiled his eyes; headlong as a tower he fell amid the press of the fight, and as he dropped King Elephenor, son of Khalkodon and leader of the proud Abantes began dragging him out of reach of the darts that were falling around him, in haste to strip him of his armor. But his purpose was not for long; Agenor saw him haling the body away, and smote him in the side with his bronze-shod spear - for as he stooped his side was left unprotected by his shield - and thus he perished. Then the fight between Trojans and Achaeans grew furious over his body, and they flew upon each other like wolves, man and man crushing one upon the other.

πρῶτος δʼ Ἀντίλοχος Τρώων ἕλεν ἄνδρα κορυστὴν

ἐσθλὸν ἐνὶ προμάχοισι Θαλυσιάδην Ἐχέπωλον·

τόν ῥʼ ἔβαλε πρῶτος κόρυθος φάλον ἱπποδασείης,

ἐν δὲ μετώπῳ πῆξε, πέρησε δʼ ἄρʼ ὀστέον εἴσω

αἰχμὴ χαλκείη· τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν,

ἤριπε δʼ ὡς ὅτε πύργος ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ.

τὸν δὲ πεσόντα ποδῶν ἔλαβε κρείων Ἐλεφήνωρ

Χαλκωδοντιάδης μεγαθύμων ἀρχὸς Ἀβάντων,

ἕλκε δʼ ὑπʼ ἐκ βελέων, λελιημένος ὄφρα τάχιστα

τεύχεα συλήσειε· μίνυνθα δέ οἱ γένεθʼ ὁρμή.

νεκρὸν γὰρ ἐρύοντα ἰδὼν μεγάθυμος Ἀγήνωρ

πλευρά, τά οἱ κύψαντι παρʼ ἀσπίδος ἐξεφαάνθη,

οὔτησε ξυστῷ χαλκήρεϊ, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα.

ὣς τὸν μὲν λίπε θυμός, ἐπʼ αὐτῷ δʼ ἔργον ἐτύχθη

ἀργαλέον Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν· οἳ δὲ λύκοι ὣς

ἀλλήλοις ἐπόρουσαν, ἀνὴρ δʼ ἄνδρʼ ἐδνοπάλιζεν.

Forthwith Ajax, son of Telamon, slew the fair youth Simoeisios, son of Anthemion, whom his mother bore by the banks of the Simoeis, as she was coming down from Mount Ida , where she had been with her parents to see their flocks. Therefore he was named Simoeisios, but he did not live to pay his parents for his rearing, for he was cut off untimely by the spear of mighty Ajax, who struck him in the breast by the right nipple as he was coming on among the foremost fighters;

ἔνθʼ ἔβαλʼ Ἀνθεμίωνος υἱὸν Τελαμώνιος Αἴας

ἠΐθεον θαλερὸν Σιμοείσιον, ὅν ποτε μήτηρ

Ἴδηθεν κατιοῦσα παρʼ ὄχθῃσιν Σιμόεντος

γείνατʼ, ἐπεί ῥα τοκεῦσιν ἅμʼ ἕσπετο μῆλα ἰδέσθαι·

τοὔνεκά μιν κάλεον Σιμοείσιον· οὐδὲ τοκεῦσι

θρέπτρα φίλοις ἀπέδωκε, μινυνθάδιος δέ οἱ αἰὼν

ἔπλεθʼ ὑπʼ Αἴαντος μεγαθύμου δουρὶ δαμέντι.

πρῶτον γάρ μιν ἰόντα βάλε στῆθος παρὰ μαζὸν

the spear went right through his shoulder, and he fell as a poplar that has grown straight and tall in a meadow by some mere, and its top is thick with branches. Then the wheelwright lays his axe to its roots that he may fashion a felloe for the wheel of some goodly chariot, and it lies seasoning by the waterside. In such wise did Ajax fell to earth Simoeisios, son of Anthemion. Thereon Antiphos of the gleaming corselet, son of Priam, hurled a spear at Ajax from amid the crowd and missed him, but he hit Leukos, the brave comrade of Odysseus, in the groin, as he was dragging the body of Simoeisios over to the other side; so he fell upon the body and loosed his hold upon it. Odysseus was furious when he saw Leukos slain, and strode in full armor through the front ranks till he was quite close; then he glared round about him and took aim, and the Trojans fell back as he did so. His dart was not sped in vain, for it struck Demokoön, the bastard son of Priam, who had come to him from Abydos , where he had charge of his father's mares. Odysseus, infuriated by the death of his comrade, hit him with his spear on one temple, and the bronze point came through on the other side of his forehead. Thereon darkness veiled his eyes, and his armor rang rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground. Hektor, and they that were in front, then gave round while the Argives raised a shout and drew off the dead, pressing further forward as they did so. But Apollo looked down from Pergamos and called aloud to the Trojans, for he was displeased. "Trojans," he cried, "rush on the foe, and do not let yourselves be thus beaten by the Argives. Their skins are not stone nor iron that when hit them you do them no harm. Moreover, Achilles, the son of lovely Thetis, is not fighting, but is nursing his anger at the ships."

δεξιόν· ἀντικρὺ δὲ διʼ ὤμου χάλκεον ἔγχος

ἦλθεν· ὁ δʼ ἐν κονίῃσι χαμαὶ πέσεν αἴγειρος ὣς

ἥ ῥά τʼ ἐν εἱαμενῇ ἕλεος μεγάλοιο πεφύκει

λείη, ἀτάρ τέ οἱ ὄζοι ἐπʼ ἀκροτάτῃ πεφύασι·

τὴν μέν θʼ ἁρματοπηγὸς ἀνὴρ αἴθωνι σιδήρῳ

ἐξέταμʼ, ὄφρα ἴτυν κάμψῃ περικαλλέϊ δίφρῳ·

ἣ μέν τʼ ἀζομένη κεῖται ποταμοῖο παρʼ ὄχθας.

τοῖον ἄρʼ Ἀνθεμίδην Σιμοείσιον ἐξενάριξεν

Αἴας διογενής· τοῦ δʼ Ἄντιφος αἰολοθώρηξ

Πριαμίδης καθʼ ὅμιλον ἀκόντισεν ὀξέϊ δουρί.

τοῦ μὲν ἅμαρθʼ, ὃ δὲ Λεῦκον Ὀδυσσέος ἐσθλὸν ἑταῖρον

βεβλήκει βουβῶνα, νέκυν ἑτέρωσʼ ἐρύοντα·

ἤριπε δʼ ἀμφʼ αὐτῷ, νεκρὸς δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε χειρός.

τοῦ δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς μάλα θυμὸν ἀποκταμένοιο χολώθη,

βῆ δὲ διὰ προμάχων κεκορυθμένος αἴθοπι χαλκῷ,

στῆ δὲ μάλʼ ἐγγὺς ἰὼν καὶ ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ

ἀμφὶ ἓ παπτήνας· ὑπὸ δὲ Τρῶες κεκάδοντο

ἀνδρὸς ἀκοντίσσαντος· ὃ δʼ οὐχ ἅλιον βέλος ἧκεν,

ἀλλʼ υἱὸν Πριάμοιο νόθον βάλε Δημοκόωντα

ὅς οἱ Ἀβυδόθεν ἦλθε παρʼ ἵππων ὠκειάων.

τόν ῥʼ Ὀδυσεὺς ἑτάροιο χολωσάμενος βάλε δουρὶ

κόρσην· ἣ δʼ ἑτέροιο διὰ κροτάφοιο πέρησεν

αἰχμὴ χαλκείη· τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψε,

δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, ἀράβησε δὲ τεύχεʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ.

χώρησαν δʼ ὑπό τε πρόμαχοι καὶ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·

Ἀργεῖοι δὲ μέγα ἴαχον, ἐρύσαντο δὲ νεκρούς,

ἴθυσαν δὲ πολὺ προτέρω· νεμέσησε δʼ Ἀπόλλων

Περγάμου ἐκκατιδών, Τρώεσσι δὲ κέκλετʼ ἀΰσας·

ὄρνυσθʼ ἱππόδαμοι Τρῶες μηδʼ εἴκετε χάρμης

Ἀργείοις, ἐπεὶ οὔ σφι λίθος χρὼς οὐδὲ σίδηρος

χαλκὸν ἀνασχέσθαι ταμεσίχροα βαλλομένοισιν·

οὐ μὰν οὐδʼ Ἀχιλεὺς Θέτιδος πάϊς ἠϋκόμοιο

μάρναται, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶ χόλον θυμαλγέα πέσσει.

Thus spoke the mighty god, crying to them from the city, while Zeus' redoubtable daughter, the Trito-born, went about among the host of the Achaeans, and urged them forward whenever she beheld them slackening.

ὣς φάτʼ ἀπὸ πτόλιος δεινὸς θεός· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς

ὦρσε Διὸς θυγάτηρ κυδίστη Τριτογένεια

ἐρχομένη καθʼ ὅμιλον, ὅθι μεθιέντας ἴδοιτο.

Then fate fell upon Diores, son of Amarynkeus, for he was struck by a jagged stone near the ankle of his right leg. He that hurled it was Peirous, son of Imbrasos, leader of the Thracians, who had come from Ainos ; the bones and both the tendons were crushed by the pitiless stone. He fell to the ground on his back, and in his death throes stretched out his hands towards his comrades. But Peirous, who had wounded him, sprang on him and thrust a spear into his belly, so that his bowels came gushing out upon the ground, and darkness veiled his eyes. As he was leaving the body, Thoas of Aetolia struck him in the chest near the nipple, and the point fixed itself in his lungs. Thoas came close up to him, pulled the spear out of his chest, and then drawing his sword, smote him in the middle of the belly so that he died; but he did not strip him of his armor, for his Thracian comrades, men who wear their hair in a tuft at the top of their heads, stood round the body and kept him off with their long spears for all his great stature and valor; so he was driven back. Thus the two corpses lay stretched on earth near to one another, the one leader of the Thracians and the other of the Epeans; and many another fell round them.

ἔνθʼ Ἀμαρυγκείδην Διώρεα μοῖρα πέδησε·

χερμαδίῳ γὰρ βλῆτο παρὰ σφυρὸν ὀκριόεντι

κνήμην δεξιτερήν· βάλε δὲ Θρῃκῶν ἀγὸς ἀνδρῶν

Πείρως Ἰμβρασίδης ὃς ἄρʼ Αἰνόθεν εἰληλούθει.

ἀμφοτέρω δὲ τένοντε καὶ ὀστέα λᾶας ἀναιδὴς

ἄχρις ἀπηλοίησεν· ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος ἐν κονίῃσι

κάππεσεν ἄμφω χεῖρε φίλοις ἑτάροισι πετάσσας

θυμὸν ἀποπνείων· ὃ δʼ ἐπέδραμεν ὅς ῥʼ ἔβαλέν περ

Πείροος, οὖτα δὲ δουρὶ παρʼ ὀμφαλόν· ἐκ δʼ ἄρα πᾶσαι

χύντο χαμαὶ χολάδες, τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψε.

τὸν δὲ Θόας Αἰτωλὸς ἀπεσσύμενον βάλε δουρὶ

στέρνον ὑπὲρ μαζοῖο, πάγη δʼ ἐν πνεύμονι χαλκός·

ἀγχίμολον δέ οἱ ἦλθε Θόας, ἐκ δʼ ὄβριμον ἔγχος

ἐσπάσατο στέρνοιο, ἐρύσσατο δὲ ξίφος ὀξύ,

τῷ ὅ γε γαστέρα τύψε μέσην, ἐκ δʼ αἴνυτο θυμόν.

τεύχεα δʼ οὐκ ἀπέδυσε· περίστησαν γὰρ ἑταῖροι

Θρήϊκες ἀκρόκομοι δολίχʼ ἔγχεα χερσὶν ἔχοντες,

οἵ ἑ μέγαν περ ἐόντα καὶ ἴφθιμον καὶ ἀγαυὸν

ὦσαν ἀπὸ σφείων· ὃ δὲ χασσάμενος πελεμίχθη.

ὣς τώ γʼ ἐν κονίῃσι παρʼ ἀλλήλοισι τετάσθην,

ἤτοι ὃ μὲν Θρῃκῶν, ὃ δʼ Ἐπειῶν χαλκοχιτώνων

ἡγεμόνες· πολλοὶ δὲ περὶ κτείνοντο καὶ ἄλλοι.

And now no man would have made light of the fighting if he could have gone about among it scatheless and unwounded, with Athena leading him by the hand, and protecting him from the storm of spears and arrows. For many Trojans and Achaeans on that day lay stretched side by side face downwards upon the earth.

ἔνθά κεν οὐκέτι ἔργον ἀνὴρ ὀνόσαιτο μετελθών,

ὅς τις ἔτʼ ἄβλητος καὶ ἀνούτατος ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ

δινεύοι κατὰ μέσσον, ἄγοι δέ ἑ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη

χειρὸς ἑλοῦσʼ, αὐτὰρ βελέων ἀπερύκοι ἐρωήν·

πολλοὶ γὰρ Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν ἤματι κείνῳ

πρηνέες ἐν κονίῃσι παρʼ ἀλλήλοισι τέταντο.