Iliad

Thus did the Trojans watch. But Panic, comrade of blood-stained Rout, had taken fast hold of the Achaeans and their princes were all of them in despair. As when the two winds that blow from Thrace - the north and the northwest - spring up of a sudden and rouse the fury of the main [ pontos ] - in a moment the dark waves uprear their heads and scatter their sea-wrack in all directions - even thus troubled were the hearts of the Achaeans.

ὣς οἱ μὲν Τρῶες φυλακὰς ἔχον· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς

θεσπεσίη ἔχε φύζα φόβου κρυόεντος ἑταίρη,

πένθεϊ δʼ ἀτλήτῳ βεβολήατο πάντες ἄριστοι.

ὡς δʼ ἄνεμοι δύο πόντον ὀρίνετον ἰχθυόεντα

Βορέης καὶ Ζέφυρος, τώ τε Θρῄκηθεν ἄητον

ἐλθόντʼ ἐξαπίνης· ἄμυδις δέ τε κῦμα κελαινὸν

κορθύεται, πολλὸν δὲ παρὲξ ἅλα φῦκος ἔχευεν·

ὣς ἐδαΐζετο θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν.

The son of Atreus in dismay bade the heralds call the people to a council man by man, but not to cry the matter aloud; he made haste also himself to call them, and they sat sorry at heart in their assembly. Agamemnon shed tears as it were a running stream or cataract on the side of some sheer cliff; and thus, with many a heavy sigh he spoke to the Achaeans. "My friends," said he, "princes and councilors, Zeus has tied down with ruin [ atê ] more than any other Argive . The cruel god gave me his solemn promise that I should sack the city of Troy before returning, but he has played me false, and is now bidding me go back to Argos with bad kleos and with the loss of many people. Such is the will of Zeus, who has laid many a proud city in the dust as he will yet lay others, for his power is above all. Now, therefore, let us all do as I say and sail back to our own country, for we shall not take Troy ."

Ἀτρεΐδης δʼ ἄχεϊ μεγάλῳ βεβολημένος ἦτορ

φοίτα κηρύκεσσι λιγυφθόγγοισι κελεύων

κλήδην εἰς ἀγορὴν κικλήσκειν ἄνδρα ἕκαστον,

μὴ δὲ βοᾶν· αὐτὸς δὲ μετὰ πρώτοισι πονεῖτο.

ἷζον δʼ εἰν ἀγορῇ τετιηότες· ἂν δʼ Ἀγαμέμνων

ἵστατο δάκρυ χέων ὥς τε κρήνη μελάνυδρος

ἥ τε κατʼ αἰγίλιπος πέτρης δνοφερὸν χέει ὕδωρ·

ὣς ὃ βαρὺ στενάχων ἔπεʼ Ἀργείοισι μετηύδα·

ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες

Ζεύς με μέγα Κρονίδης ἄτῃ ἐνέδησε βαρείῃ

σχέτλιος, ὃς τότε μέν μοι ὑπέσχετο καὶ κατένευσεν

Ἴλιον ἐκπέρσαντʼ εὐτείχεον ἀπονέεσθαι,

νῦν δὲ κακὴν ἀπάτην βουλεύσατο, καί με κελεύει

δυσκλέα Ἄργος ἱκέσθαι, ἐπεὶ πολὺν ὤλεσα λαόν.

οὕτω που Διὶ μέλλει ὑπερμενέϊ φίλον εἶναι,

ὃς δὴ πολλάων πολίων κατέλυσε κάρηνα

ἠδʼ ἔτι καὶ λύσει· τοῦ γὰρ κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον.

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες·

φεύγωμεν σὺν νηυσὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν·

οὐ γὰρ ἔτι Τροίην αἱρήσομεν εὐρυάγυιαν.

Thus he spoke, and the sons of the Achaeans for a long while sat sorrowful there, but they all held their peace, till at last Diomedes of the loud battle-cry made answer saying,

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ.

δὴν δʼ ἄνεῳ ἦσαν τετιηότες υἷες Ἀχαιῶν·

ὀψὲ δὲ δὴ μετέειπε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·

"Son of Atreus, I will chide your folly, as is my right [themis] in council. Be not then aggrieved that I should do so. In the first place you attacked me before all the Danaans and said that I was a coward and no warrior. The Argives young and old know that you did so. But the son of scheming Kronos endowed you by halves only. He gave you honor as the chief ruler over us, but valor, which is the highest both right and might he did not give you. Sir, think you that the sons of the Achaeans are indeed as unwarlike and cowardly as you say they are? If your own mind is set upon going home - go - the way is open to you; the many ships that followed you from Mycenae stand ranged upon the seashore; but the rest of us stay here till we have sacked Troy . Nay though these too should turn homeward with their ships, Sthenelos and myself will still fight on till we reach the goal of Ilion , for heaven was with us when we came."

Ἀτρεΐδη σοὶ πρῶτα μαχήσομαι ἀφραδέοντι,

ἣ θέμις ἐστὶν ἄναξ ἀγορῇ· σὺ δὲ μή τι χολωθῇς.

ἀλκὴν μέν μοι πρῶτον ὀνείδισας ἐν Δαναοῖσι

φὰς ἔμεν ἀπτόλεμον καὶ ἀνάλκιδα· ταῦτα δὲ πάντα

ἴσασʼ Ἀργείων ἠμὲν νέοι ἠδὲ γέροντες.

σοὶ δὲ διάνδιχα δῶκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω·

σκήπτρῳ μέν τοι δῶκε τετιμῆσθαι περὶ πάντων,

ἀλκὴν δʼ οὔ τοι δῶκεν, ὅ τε κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον.

δαιμόνιʼ οὕτω που μάλα ἔλπεαι υἷας Ἀχαιῶν

ἀπτολέμους τʼ ἔμεναι καὶ ἀνάλκιδας ὡς ἀγορεύεις;

εἰ δέ τοι αὐτῷ θυμὸς ἐπέσσυται ὥς τε νέεσθαι

ἔρχεο· πάρ τοι ὁδός, νῆες δέ τοι ἄγχι θαλάσσης

ἑστᾶσʼ, αἵ τοι ἕποντο Μυκήνηθεν μάλα πολλαί.

ἀλλʼ ἄλλοι μενέουσι κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοὶ

εἰς ὅ κέ περ Τροίην διαπέρσομεν. εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ

φευγόντων σὺν νηυσὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν·

νῶϊ δʼ ἐγὼ Σθένελός τε μαχησόμεθʼ εἰς ὅ κε τέκμωρ

Ἰλίου εὕρωμεν· σὺν γὰρ θεῷ εἰλήλουθμεν.

The sons of the Achaeans shouted approval at the words of Diomedes, and presently Nestor rose to speak. "Son of Tydeus," said he, "in war your prowess is beyond question, and in council you excel all who are of your own years; no one of the Achaeans can make light of what you say nor gainsay it, but you have not yet come to the end [ telos ] of the whole matter. You are still young - you might be the youngest of my own children - still you have spoken wisely and have counseled the chief of the Achaeans not without discretion; nevertheless I am older than you and I will tell you every" thing; therefore let no man, not even King Agamemnon, disregard my saying, for he that foments civil discord is a clanless, hearthless outlaw.

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἐπίαχον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

μῦθον ἀγασσάμενοι Διομήδεος ἱπποδάμοιο.

τοῖσι δʼ ἀνιστάμενος μετεφώνεεν ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

Τυδεΐδη περὶ μὲν πολέμῳ ἔνι καρτερός ἐσσι,

καὶ βουλῇ μετὰ πάντας ὁμήλικας ἔπλευ ἄριστος.

οὔ τίς τοι τὸν μῦθον ὀνόσσεται ὅσσοι Ἀχαιοί,

οὐδὲ πάλιν ἐρέει· ἀτὰρ οὐ τέλος ἵκεο μύθων.

ἦ μὲν καὶ νέος ἐσσί, ἐμὸς δέ κε καὶ πάϊς εἴης

ὁπλότατος γενεῆφιν· ἀτὰρ πεπνυμένα βάζεις

Ἀργείων βασιλῆας, ἐπεὶ κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες.

ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ἐγών, ὃς σεῖο γεραίτερος εὔχομαι εἶναι,

ἐξείπω καὶ πάντα διίξομαι· οὐδέ κέ τίς μοι

μῦθον ἀτιμήσειʼ, οὐδὲ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων.

ἀφρήτωρ ἀθέμιστος ἀνέστιός ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος

ὃς πολέμου ἔραται ἐπιδημίου ὀκρυόεντος.

"Now, however, let us obey the behests of night and get our suppers, but let the sentinels every man of them camp by the trench that is without the wall. I am giving these instructions to the young men; when they have been attended to, do you, son of Atreus, give your orders, for you are the most royal among us all. Prepare a feast for your councilors; it is right and reasonable that you should do so;

ἀλλʼ ἤτοι νῦν μὲν πειθώμεθα νυκτὶ μελαίνῃ

δόρπά τʼ ἐφοπλισόμεσθα· φυλακτῆρες δὲ ἕκαστοι

λεξάσθων παρὰ τάφρον ὀρυκτὴν τείχεος ἐκτός.

κούροισιν μὲν ταῦτʼ ἐπιτέλλομαι· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

Ἀτρεΐδη σὺ μὲν ἄρχε· σὺ γὰρ βασιλεύτατός ἐσσι.

δαίνυ δαῖτα γέρουσιν· ἔοικέ τοι, οὔ τοι ἀεικές.

there is abundance of wine in your tents, which the ships of the Achaeans bring from Thrace daily over the sea [ pontos ]. You have everything at your disposal wherewith to entertain guests, and you have many subjects. When many are got together, you can be guided by him whose counsel is wisest - and sorely do we need shrewd and prudent counsel, for the foe has lit his watchfires hard by our ships. Who can be other than dismayed? This night will either be the ruin of our host, or save it."

πλεῖαί τοι οἴνου κλισίαι, τὸν νῆες Ἀχαιῶν

ἠμάτιαι Θρῄκηθεν ἐπʼ εὐρέα πόντον ἄγουσι·

πᾶσά τοί ἐσθʼ ὑποδεξίη, πολέεσσι δʼ ἀνάσσεις.

πολλῶν δʼ ἀγρομένων τῷ πείσεαι ὅς κεν ἀρίστην

βουλὴν βουλεύσῃ· μάλα δὲ χρεὼ πάντας Ἀχαιοὺς

ἐσθλῆς καὶ πυκινῆς, ὅτι δήϊοι ἐγγύθι νηῶν

καίουσιν πυρὰ πολλά· τίς ἂν τάδε γηθήσειε;

νὺξ δʼ ἧδʼ ἠὲ διαρραίσει στρατὸν ἠὲ σαώσει.

Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said. The sentinels went out in their armor under command of Nestor's son Thrasymedes, a leader of the host, and of the bold warriors Askalaphos and Ialmenos: there were also Meriones, Aphareus and Deipyros, and the son of Kreion, noble Lykomedes. There were seven leaders of the sentinels, and with each there went a hundred youths armed with long spears: they took their places midway between the trench and the wall, and when they had done so they lit their fires and got every man his supper.

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδὲ πίθοντο.

ἐκ δὲ φυλακτῆρες σὺν τεύχεσιν ἐσσεύοντο

ἀμφί τε Νεστορίδην Θρασυμήδεα ποιμένα λαῶν,

ἠδʼ ἀμφʼ Ἀσκάλαφον καὶ Ἰάλμενον υἷας Ἄρηος

ἀμφί τε Μηριόνην Ἀφαρῆά τε Δηΐπυρόν τε,

ἠδʼ ἀμφὶ Κρείοντος υἱὸν Λυκομήδεα δῖον.

ἕπτʼ ἔσαν ἡγεμόνες φυλάκων, ἑκατὸν δὲ ἑκάστῳ

κοῦροι ἅμα στεῖχον δολίχʼ ἔγχεα χερσὶν ἔχοντες·

κὰδ δὲ μέσον τάφρου καὶ τείχεος ἷζον ἰόντες·

ἔνθα δὲ πῦρ κήαντο, τίθεντο δὲ δόρπα ἕκαστος.

The son of Atreus then bade many councilors of the Achaeans to his quarters prepared a great feast in their honor. They laid their hands on the good things that were before them, and as soon as they had enough to eat and drink, old Nestor, whose counsel was ever truest, was the first to lay his mind before them. He, therefore, with all sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus.

Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ γέροντας ἀολλέας ἦγεν Ἀχαιῶν

ἐς κλισίην, παρὰ δέ σφι τίθει μενοεικέα δαῖτα.

οἳ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,

τοῖς ὁ γέρων πάμπρωτος ὑφαίνειν ἤρχετο μῆτιν

Νέστωρ, οὗ καὶ πρόσθεν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή·

ὅ σφιν ἐϋφρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

"With yourself, most noble son of Atreus, king of men, Agamemnon, will I both begin my speech and end it, for you are king over many people. Zeus, moreover, has granted you to wield the scepter and to uphold what is right [ themis ] that you may take thought for your people under you; therefore it behooves you above all others both to speak and to give ear, and to out the counsel of another who shall have been minded to speak wisely. All turns on you and on your commands, therefore I will say what I think will be best. No man will be of a truer mind [ noos ] than that which has been mine from the hour when you, sir, angered Achilles by taking the girl Briseis from his tent against my judgment [ noos ].

Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγάμεμνον

ἐν σοὶ μὲν λήξω, σέο δʼ ἄρξομαι, οὕνεκα πολλῶν

λαῶν ἐσσι ἄναξ καί τοι Ζεὺς ἐγγυάλιξε

σκῆπτρόν τʼ ἠδὲ θέμιστας, ἵνά σφισι βουλεύῃσθα.

τώ σε χρὴ περὶ μὲν φάσθαι ἔπος ἠδʼ ἐπακοῦσαι,

κρηῆναι δὲ καὶ ἄλλῳ, ὅτʼ ἄν τινα θυμὸς ἀνώγῃ

εἰπεῖν εἰς ἀγαθόν· σέο δʼ ἕξεται ὅττί κεν ἄρχῃ.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐρέω ὥς μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι ἄριστα.

οὐ γάρ τις νόον ἄλλος ἀμείνονα τοῦδε νοήσει

οἷον ἐγὼ νοέω ἠμὲν πάλαι ἠδʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν

ἐξ ἔτι τοῦ ὅτε διογενὲς Βρισηΐδα κούρην

χωομένου Ἀχιλῆος ἔβης κλισίηθεν ἀπούρας

I urged you not to do so, but you yielded to your own pride, and dishonored a hero whom heaven itself had honored - for you still hold the prize that had been awarded to him. Now, however, let us think how we may appease him, both with presents and fair speeches that may conciliate him."

οὔ τι καθʼ ἡμέτερόν γε νόον· μάλα γάρ τοι ἔγωγε

πόλλʼ ἀπεμυθεόμην· σὺ δὲ σῷ μεγαλήτορι θυμῷ

εἴξας ἄνδρα φέριστον, ὃν ἀθάνατοί περ ἔτισαν,

ἠτίμησας, ἑλὼν γὰρ ἔχεις γέρας· ἀλλʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν

φραζώμεσθʼ ὥς κέν μιν ἀρεσσάμενοι πεπίθωμεν

δώροισίν τʼ ἀγανοῖσιν ἔπεσσί τε μειλιχίοισι.

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων·

And King Agamemnon answered, "Sir, you have reproved my folly [ atê ] justly. I was wrong. I own it. One whom heaven befriends is in himself a host, and Zeus has shown that he befriends this man by destroying many people of the Achaeans. I was blinded with passion and yielded to my worser mind; therefore I will make amends, and will give him great gifts by way of atonement. I will tell them in the presence of you all. I will give him seven tripods that have never yet been on the fire, and ten talents of gold. I will give him twenty iron cauldrons and twelve strong horses that have won races and carried off prizes. Rich, indeed, both in land and gold is he that has as many prizes as my horses have won me. I will give him seven excellent workwomen, from Lesbos , whom I chose for myself when he took Lesbos - all of surpassing beauty. I will give him these, and with them her whom I erewhile took from him, the daughter of Briseus; and I swear a great oath that I never went up into her couch, nor did I lie down with her, even though it is right [ themis ] for humans, both men and women, to do this.

ὦ γέρον οὔ τι ψεῦδος ἐμὰς ἄτας κατέλεξας·

ἀασάμην, οὐδʼ αὐτὸς ἀναίνομαι. ἀντί νυ πολλῶν

λαῶν ἐστὶν ἀνὴρ ὅν τε Ζεὺς κῆρι φιλήσῃ,

ὡς νῦν τοῦτον ἔτισε, δάμασσε δὲ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν.

ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἀασάμην φρεσὶ λευγαλέῃσι πιθήσας,

ἂψ ἐθέλω ἀρέσαι δόμεναί τʼ ἀπερείσιʼ ἄποινα.

ὑμῖν δʼ ἐν πάντεσσι περικλυτὰ δῶρʼ ὀνομήνω

ἕπτʼ ἀπύρους τρίποδας, δέκα δὲ χρυσοῖο τάλαντα,

αἴθωνας δὲ λέβητας ἐείκοσι, δώδεκα δʼ ἵππους

πηγοὺς ἀθλοφόρους, οἳ ἀέθλια ποσσὶν ἄροντο.

οὔ κεν ἀλήϊος εἴη ἀνὴρ ᾧ τόσσα γένοιτο,

οὐδέ κεν ἀκτήμων ἐριτίμοιο χρυσοῖο,

ὅσσά μοι ἠνείκαντο ἀέθλια μώνυχες ἵπποι.

δώσω δʼ ἑπτὰ γυναῖκας ἀμύμονα ἔργα ἰδυίας

Λεσβίδας, ἃς ὅτε Λέσβον ἐϋκτιμένην ἕλεν αὐτὸς

ἐξελόμην, αἳ κάλλει ἐνίκων φῦλα γυναικῶν.

τὰς μέν οἱ δώσω, μετὰ δʼ ἔσσεται ἣν τότʼ ἀπηύρων

κούρη Βρισῆος· ἐπὶ δὲ μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμοῦμαι

μή ποτε τῆς εὐνῆς ἐπιβήμεναι ἠδὲ μιγῆναι,

ἣ θέμις ἀνθρώπων πέλει ἀνδρῶν ἠδὲ γυναικῶν.

"All these things will I give him now down, and if hereafter the gods grant me to sack the city of Priam, let him come when we Achaeans are dividing the spoil, and load his ship with gold and bronze to his liking; furthermore let him take twenty Trojan women, the loveliest after Helen herself. Then, when we reach Achaean Argos, wealthiest of all lands, he shall be my son-in-law and I will show him like honor with my own dear son Orestes, who is being nurtured in all abundance. I have three daughters, Chrysothemis, Laodike, and Iphianassa, let him take the one of his choice, freely and without gifts of wooing, to the house of Peleus;

ταῦτα μὲν αὐτίκα πάντα παρέσσεται· εἰ δέ κεν αὖτε

ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο θεοὶ δώωσʼ ἀλαπάξαι,

νῆα ἅλις χρυσοῦ καὶ χαλκοῦ νηησάσθω

εἰσελθών, ὅτε κεν δατεώμεθα ληΐδʼ Ἀχαιοί,

Τρωϊάδας δὲ γυναῖκας ἐείκοσιν αὐτὸς ἑλέσθω,

αἴ κε μετʼ Ἀργείην Ἑλένην κάλλισται ἔωσιν.

εἰ δέ κεν Ἄργος ἱκοίμεθʼ Ἀχαιϊκὸν οὖθαρ ἀρούρης

γαμβρός κέν μοι ἔοι· τίσω δέ μιν ἶσον Ὀρέστῃ,

ὅς μοι τηλύγετος τρέφεται θαλίῃ ἔνι πολλῇ.

τρεῖς δέ μοί εἰσι θύγατρες ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ εὐπήκτῳ

Χρυσόθεμις καὶ Λαοδίκη καὶ Ἰφιάνασσα,

τάων ἥν κʼ ἐθέλῃσι φίλην ἀνάεδνον ἀγέσθω

I will add such dower to boot as no man ever yet gave his daughter, and will give him seven well established cities, Kardamyle , Enope, and Hire, where there is grass; holy Pherai and the fertile meadows of Anthea ; Aipeia also, and the vine-clad slopes of Pedasos, all near the sea, and on the borders of sandy Pylos . The men that dwell there are rich in cattle and sheep; they will honor him with gifts as though he were a god, and be obedient to his comfortable ordinances [ themistes ]. All this will I do if he will now forgo his anger. Let him then yield: it is only Hades who is utterly ruthless and unyielding - and hence he is of all gods the one most hateful to humankind. Moreover I am older and more royal than himself. Therefore, let him now obey me."

πρὸς οἶκον Πηλῆος· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐπὶ μείλια δώσω

πολλὰ μάλʼ, ὅσσʼ οὔ πώ τις ἑῇ ἐπέδωκε θυγατρί·

ἑπτὰ δέ οἱ δώσω εὖ ναιόμενα πτολίεθρα

Καρδαμύλην Ἐνόπην τε καὶ Ἱρὴν ποιήεσσαν

Φηράς τε ζαθέας ἠδʼ Ἄνθειαν βαθύλειμον

καλήν τʼ Αἴπειαν καὶ Πήδασον ἀμπελόεσσαν.

πᾶσαι δʼ ἐγγὺς ἁλός, νέαται Πύλου ἠμαθόεντος·

ἐν δʼ ἄνδρες ναίουσι πολύρρηνες πολυβοῦται,

οἵ κέ ἑ δωτίνῃσι θεὸν ὣς τιμήσουσι

καί οἱ ὑπὸ σκήπτρῳ λιπαρὰς τελέουσι θέμιστας.

ταῦτά κέ οἱ τελέσαιμι μεταλήξαντι χόλοιο.

δμηθήτω· Ἀΐδης τοι ἀμείλιχος ἠδʼ ἀδάμαστος,

τοὔνεκα καί τε βροτοῖσι θεῶν ἔχθιστος ἁπάντων·

καί μοι ὑποστήτω ὅσσον βασιλεύτερός εἰμι

ἠδʼ ὅσσον γενεῇ προγενέστερος εὔχομαι εἶναι.

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

Then Nestor answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, king of men, Agamemnon. The gifts you offer are no small ones, let us then send chosen messengers, who may go to the tent of Achilles son of Peleus without delay. Let those go whom I shall name. Let Phoenix, dear to Zeus, lead the way; let Ajax and Odysseus follow, and let the heralds Odios and Eurybates go with them. Now bring water for our hands, and bid all keep silence while we pray to Zeus the son of Kronos, if so be that he may have mercy upon us."

Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγάμεμνον

δῶρα μὲν οὐκέτʼ ὀνοστὰ διδοῖς Ἀχιλῆϊ ἄνακτι·

ἀλλʼ ἄγετε κλητοὺς ὀτρύνομεν, οἵ κε τάχιστα

ἔλθωσʼ ἐς κλισίην Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος.

εἰ δʼ ἄγε τοὺς ἂν ἐγὼ ἐπιόψομαι οἳ δὲ πιθέσθων.

Φοῖνιξ μὲν πρώτιστα Διῒ φίλος ἡγησάσθω,

αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ Αἴας τε μέγας καὶ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

κηρύκων δʼ Ὀδίος τε καὶ Εὐρυβάτης ἅμʼ ἑπέσθων.

φέρτε δὲ χερσὶν ὕδωρ, εὐφημῆσαί τε κέλεσθε,

ὄφρα Διὶ Κρονίδῃ ἀρησόμεθʼ, αἴ κʼ ἐλεήσῃ.

Thus did he speak, and his saying pleased them well. Men-servants poured water over the hands of the guests, while pages filled the mixing-bowls with wine and water, and handed it round after giving every man his drink-offering; then, when they had made their offerings, and had drunk each as much as he was minded, the envoys set out from the tent of Agamemnon son of Atreus; and Nestor, looking first to one and then to another, but most especially at Odysseus, was instant with them that they should prevail with the noble son of Peleus.

ὣς φάτο, τοῖσι δὲ πᾶσιν ἑαδότα μῦθον ἔειπεν.

αὐτίκα κήρυκες μὲν ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἔχευαν,

κοῦροι δὲ κρητῆρας ἐπεστέψαντο ποτοῖο,

νώμησαν δʼ ἄρα πᾶσιν ἐπαρξάμενοι δεπάεσσιν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ σπεῖσάν τʼ ἔπιόν θʼ ὅσον ἤθελε θυμός,

ὁρμῶντʼ ἐκ κλισίης Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο.

τοῖσι δὲ πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ

δενδίλλων ἐς ἕκαστον, Ὀδυσσῆϊ δὲ μάλιστα,

πειρᾶν ὡς πεπίθοιεν ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα.

They went their way by the shore of the sounding sea, and prayed earnestly to earth-encircling Poseidon that the high spirit of the son of Aiakos might incline favorably towards them. When they reached the ships and tents of the Myrmidons,

τὼ δὲ βάτην παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης

πολλὰ μάλʼ εὐχομένω γαιηόχῳ ἐννοσιγαίῳ

ῥηϊδίως πεπιθεῖν μεγάλας φρένας Αἰακίδαο.

Μυρμιδόνων δʼ ἐπί τε κλισίας καὶ νῆας ἱκέσθην,

they found Achilles playing on a lyre, fair, of cunning workmanship, and its cross-bar was of silver. It was part of the spoils which he had taken when he sacked the city of Eetion, and he was now diverting himself with it and singing the glories [ klea ] of heroes. Patroklos alone sat facing him, in silence, waiting till he should cease singing. Odysseus and Ajax now came in - Odysseus leading the way -and stood before him. Achilles sprang from his seat with the lyre still in his hand, and Patroklos, when he saw the strangers, rose also. Achilles then greeted them saying, "All hail and welcome - you must come upon some great matter, you, who for all my anger are still dearest to me of the Achaeans."

τὸν δʼ εὗρον φρένα τερπόμενον φόρμιγγι λιγείῃ

καλῇ δαιδαλέῃ, ἐπὶ δʼ ἀργύρεον ζυγὸν ἦεν,

τὴν ἄρετʼ ἐξ ἐνάρων πόλιν Ἠετίωνος ὀλέσσας·

τῇ ὅ γε θυμὸν ἔτερπεν, ἄειδε δʼ ἄρα κλέα ἀνδρῶν.

Πάτροκλος δέ οἱ οἶος ἐναντίος ἧστο σιωπῇ,

δέγμενος Αἰακίδην ὁπότε λήξειεν ἀείδων,

τὼ δὲ βάτην προτέρω, ἡγεῖτο δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

στὰν δὲ πρόσθʼ αὐτοῖο· ταφὼν δʼ ἀνόρουσεν Ἀχιλλεὺς

αὐτῇ σὺν φόρμιγγι λιπὼν ἕδος ἔνθα θάασσεν.

ὣς δʼ αὔτως Πάτροκλος, ἐπεὶ ἴδε φῶτας, ἀνέστη.

τὼ καὶ δεικνύμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

χαίρετον· ἦ φίλοι ἄνδρες ἱκάνετον ἦ τι μάλα χρεώ,

οἵ μοι σκυζομένῳ περ Ἀχαιῶν φίλτατοί ἐστον.

With this he led them forward, and bade them sit on seats covered with purple rugs; then he said to Patroklos who was close by him, "Son of Menoitios, set a larger bowl upon the table, mix less water with the wine, and give every man his cup, for these are very dear friends, who are now under my roof."

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας προτέρω ἄγε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,

εἷσεν δʼ ἐν κλισμοῖσι τάπησί τε πορφυρέοισιν.

αἶψα δὲ Πάτροκλον προσεφώνεεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντα·

μείζονα δὴ κρητῆρα Μενοιτίου υἱὲ καθίστα,

ζωρότερον δὲ κέραιε, δέπας δʼ ἔντυνον ἑκάστῳ·

οἳ γὰρ φίλτατοι ἄνδρες ἐμῷ ὑπέασι μελάθρῳ.

Patroklos did as his comrade bade him; he set the chopping-block in front of the fire, and on it he laid the loin of a sheep, the loin also of a goat, and the chine of a fat hog. Automedon held the meat while Achilles chopped it; he then sliced the pieces and put them on spits while the son of Menoitios made the fire burn high. When the flame had died down, he spread the embers, laid the spits on top of them, lifting them up and setting them upon the spit-racks; and he sprinkled them with salt. When the meat was roasted, he set it on platters, and handed bread round the table in fair baskets, while Achilles dealt them their portions. Then Achilles took his seat facing Odysseus against the opposite wall, and bade his comrade Patroklos offer sacrifice to the gods; so he cast the offerings into the fire, and they laid their hands upon the good things that were before them. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, Ajax made a sign to Phoenix, and when he saw this, Odysseus filled his cup with wine and pledged Achilles.

ὣς φάτο, Πάτροκλος δὲ φίλῳ ἐπεπείθεθʼ ἑταίρῳ.

αὐτὰρ ὅ γε κρεῖον μέγα κάββαλεν ἐν πυρὸς αὐγῇ,

ἐν δʼ ἄρα νῶτον ἔθηκʼ ὄϊος καὶ πίονος αἰγός,

ἐν δὲ συὸς σιάλοιο ῥάχιν τεθαλυῖαν ἀλοιφῇ.

τῷ δʼ ἔχεν Αὐτομέδων, τάμνεν δʼ ἄρα δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.

καὶ τὰ μὲν εὖ μίστυλλε καὶ ἀμφʼ ὀβελοῖσιν ἔπειρε,

πῦρ δὲ Μενοιτιάδης δαῖεν μέγα ἰσόθεος φώς.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ πῦρ ἐκάη καὶ φλὸξ ἐμαράνθη,

ἀνθρακιὴν στορέσας ὀβελοὺς ἐφύπερθε τάνυσσε,

πάσσε δʼ ἁλὸς θείοιο κρατευτάων ἐπαείρας.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ὤπτησε καὶ εἰν ἐλεοῖσιν ἔχευε,

Πάτροκλος μὲν σῖτον ἑλὼν ἐπένειμε τραπέζῃ

καλοῖς ἐν κανέοισιν, ἀτὰρ κρέα νεῖμεν Ἀχιλλεύς.

αὐτὸς δʼ ἀντίον ἷζεν Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο

τοίχου τοῦ ἑτέροιο, θεοῖσι δὲ θῦσαι ἀνώγει

Πάτροκλον ὃν ἑταῖρον· ὃ δʼ ἐν πυρὶ βάλλε θυηλάς.

οἳ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,

νεῦσʼ Αἴας Φοίνικι· νόησε δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

πλησάμενος δʼ οἴνοιο δέπας δείδεκτʼ Ἀχιλῆα·

"Hail," said he, "Achilles, we have had no scant of good cheer, neither in the tent of Agamemnon, nor yet here; there has been plenty to eat and drink, but our thought turns upon no such matter. Sir, we are in the face of great disaster, and without your help know not whether we shall save our fleet or lose it. The Trojans and their allies have camped hard by our ships and by the wall; they have lit watchfires throughout their host and deem that nothing can now prevent them from falling on our fleet. Zeus, moreover, has sent his lightnings on the right side, as signs [ sêmata ]; Hektor, in all his glory, rages like a maniac; confident that Zeus is with him he fears neither god nor man, but is gone raving mad, and prays for the approach of day. He vows that he will hew the high sterns of our ships in pieces, set fire to their hulls, and make havoc of the Achaeans while they are dazed and smothered in smoke; I much fear that heaven will make good his boasting, and it will prove our lot to perish at Troy far from our home in Argos . Up, then, and late though it be, save the sons of the Achaeans who faint before the fury of the Trojans. You will have grief [ akhos ] hereafter for all time to come if you do not, for when the harm is done there will be no cure for it; consider ere it be too late, and save the Danaans from destruction.

χαῖρʼ Ἀχιλεῦ· δαιτὸς μὲν ἐΐσης οὐκ ἐπιδευεῖς

ἠμὲν ἐνὶ κλισίῃ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο

ἠδὲ καὶ ἐνθάδε νῦν, πάρα γὰρ μενοεικέα πολλὰ

δαίνυσθʼ· ἀλλʼ οὐ δαιτὸς ἐπηράτου ἔργα μέμηλεν,

ἀλλὰ λίην μέγα πῆμα διοτρεφὲς εἰσορόωντες

δείδιμεν· ἐν δοιῇ δὲ σαωσέμεν ἢ ἀπολέσθαι

νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους, εἰ μὴ σύ γε δύσεαι ἀλκήν.

ἐγγὺς γὰρ νηῶν καὶ τείχεος αὖλιν ἔθεντο

Τρῶες ὑπέρθυμοι τηλεκλειτοί τʼ ἐπίκουροι

κηάμενοι πυρὰ πολλὰ κατὰ στρατόν, οὐδʼ ἔτι φασὶ

σχήσεσθʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐν νηυσὶ μελαίνῃσιν πεσέεσθαι.

Ζεὺς δέ σφι Κρονίδης ἐνδέξια σήματα φαίνων

ἀστράπτει· Ἕκτωρ δὲ μέγα σθένεϊ βλεμεαίνων

μαίνεται ἐκπάγλως πίσυνος Διί, οὐδέ τι τίει

ἀνέρας οὐδὲ θεούς· κρατερὴ δέ ἑ λύσσα δέδυκεν.

ἀρᾶται δὲ τάχιστα φανήμεναι Ἠῶ δῖαν·

στεῦται γὰρ νηῶν ἀποκόψειν ἄκρα κόρυμβα

αὐτάς τʼ ἐμπρήσειν μαλεροῦ πυρός, αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς

δῃώσειν παρὰ τῇσιν ὀρινομένους ὑπὸ καπνοῦ.

ταῦτʼ αἰνῶς δείδοικα κατὰ φρένα, μή οἱ ἀπειλὰς

ἐκτελέσωσι θεοί, ἡμῖν δὲ δὴ αἴσιμον εἴη

φθίσθαι ἐνὶ Τροίῃ ἑκὰς Ἄργεος ἱπποβότοιο.

ἀλλʼ ἄνα εἰ μέμονάς γε καὶ ὀψέ περ υἷας Ἀχαιῶν

τειρομένους ἐρύεσθαι ὑπὸ Τρώων ὀρυμαγδοῦ.

αὐτῷ τοι μετόπισθʼ ἄχος ἔσσεται, οὐδέ τι μῆχος

ῥεχθέντος κακοῦ ἔστʼ ἄκος εὑρεῖν· ἀλλὰ πολὺ πρὶν

φράζευ ὅπως Δαναοῖσιν ἀλεξήσεις κακὸν ἦμαρ.

"My good friend, when your father Peleus sent you from Phthia to Agamemnon, did he not charge you saying, ‘Son, Athena and Hera will make you strong if they choose, but check your high temper, for the better part is in goodwill. Eschew vain quarreling, and the Achaeans old and young will respect you more for doing so.’ These were his words, but you have forgotten them. Even now, however, be appeased, and put away your anger from you. Agamemnon will make you great amends if you will forgive him; listen, and I will tell you what he has said in his tent that he will give you. He will give you seven tripods that have never yet been on the fire, and ten talents of gold; twenty iron cauldrons, and twelve strong horses that have won races and carried off prizes.

ὦ πέπον ἦ μὲν σοί γε πατὴρ ἐπετέλλετο Πηλεὺς

ἤματι τῷ ὅτε σʼ ἐκ Φθίης Ἀγαμέμνονι πέμπε·

τέκνον ἐμὸν κάρτος μὲν Ἀθηναίη τε καὶ Ἥρη

δώσουσʼ αἴ κʼ ἐθέλωσι, σὺ δὲ μεγαλήτορα θυμὸν

ἴσχειν ἐν στήθεσσι· φιλοφροσύνη γὰρ ἀμείνων·

ληγέμεναι δʼ ἔριδος κακομηχάνου, ὄφρά σε μᾶλλον

τίωσʼ Ἀργείων ἠμὲν νέοι ἠδὲ γέροντες.

ὣς ἐπέτελλʼ ὃ γέρων, σὺ δὲ λήθεαι· ἀλλʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν

παύεʼ, ἔα δὲ χόλον θυμαλγέα· σοὶ δʼ Ἀγαμέμνων

ἄξια δῶρα δίδωσι μεταλήξαντι χόλοιο.

εἰ δὲ σὺ μέν μευ ἄκουσον, ἐγὼ δέ κέ τοι καταλέξω

ὅσσά τοι ἐν κλισίῃσιν ὑπέσχετο δῶρʼ Ἀγαμέμνων·

ἕπτʼ ἀπύρους τρίποδας, δέκα δὲ χρυσοῖο τάλαντα,

αἴθωνας δὲ λέβητας ἐείκοσι, δώδεκα δʼ ἵππους

Rich indeed both in land and gold is he who has as many prizes as these horses have won for Agamemnon. Moreover he will give you seven excellent workers, women of Lesbos , whom he chose for himself, when you took Lesbos - all of surpassing beauty. He will give you these, and with them her whom he erewhile took from you, the daughter of Briseus, and he will swear a great oath, he has never gone up into her couch nor lain down with her, though it is right [ themis ] for men and women to do so. All these things will he give you now down, and if hereafter the gods grant him to sack the city of Priam, you can come when we Achaeans are dividing the spoil, and load your ship with gold and bronze to your liking. You can take twenty Trojan women, the loveliest after Helen herself. Then, when we reach Achaean Argos, wealthiest of all lands, you shall be his son-in-law, and he will show you like honor with his own dear son Orestes, who is being nurtured in all abundance. Agamemnon has three daughters, Chrysothemis, Laodike, and Iphianassa; you may take the one of your choice, freely and without gifts of wooing, to the house of Peleus; he will add such dower to boot as no man ever yet gave his daughter, and will give you seven well-established cities, Kardamyle , Enope, and Hire where there is grass; holy Pheras and the fertile meadows of Anthea ; Aipeia also, and the vine-clad slopes of Pedasos, all near the sea, and on the borders of sandy Pylos . The men that dwell there are rich in cattle and sheep; they will honor you with gifts as though were a god, and be obedient to your comfortable ordinances [ themistes ]. All this will he do if you will now forgo your anger. Moreover, though you hate both him and his gifts with all your heart, yet pity the rest of the Achaeans who are being harassed in all their host; they will honor you as a god, and you will earn great glory at their hands. You might even kill Hektor; he will come within your reach, for he is infatuated, and declares that not a Danaan whom the ships have brought can hold his own against him."

πηγοὺς ἀθλοφόρους, οἳ ἀέθλια ποσσὶν ἄροντο.

οὔ κεν ἀλήϊος εἴη ἀνὴρ ᾧ τόσσα γένοιτο

οὐδέ κεν ἀκτήμων ἐριτίμοιο χρυσοῖο,

ὅσσʼ Ἀγαμέμνονος ἵπποι ἀέθλια ποσσὶν ἄροντο.

δώσει δʼ ἑπτὰ γυναῖκας ἀμύμονα ἔργα ἰδυίας

Λεσβίδας, ἃς ὅτε Λέσβον ἐϋκτιμένην ἕλες αὐτὸς

ἐξέλεθʼ, αἳ τότε κάλλει ἐνίκων φῦλα γυναικῶν.

τὰς μέν τοι δώσει, μετὰ δʼ ἔσσεται ἣν τότʼ ἀπηύρα

κούρη Βρισῆος· ἐπὶ δὲ μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμεῖται

μή ποτε τῆς εὐνῆς ἐπιβήμεναι ἠδὲ μιγῆναι

ἣ θέμις ἐστὶν ἄναξ ἤτʼ ἀνδρῶν ἤτε γυναικῶν.

ταῦτα μὲν αὐτίκα πάντα παρέσσεται· εἰ δέ κεν αὖτε

ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο θεοὶ δώωσʼ ἀλαπάξαι,

νῆα ἅλις χρυσοῦ καὶ χαλκοῦ νηήσασθαι

εἰσελθών, ὅτε κεν δατεώμεθα ληΐδʼ Ἀχαιοί,

Τρωϊάδας δὲ γυναῖκας ἐείκοσιν αὐτὸς ἑλέσθαι,

αἵ κε μετʼ Ἀργείην Ἑλένην κάλλισται ἔωσιν.

εἰ δέ κεν Ἄργος ἱκοίμεθʼ Ἀχαιϊκὸν οὖθαρ ἀρούρης

γαμβρός κέν οἱ ἔοις· τίσει δέ σε ἶσον Ὀρέστῃ,

ὅς οἱ τηλύγετος τρέφεται θαλίῃ ἔνι πολλῇ.

τρεῖς δέ οἵ εἰσι θύγατρες ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ εὐπήκτῳ

Χρυσόθεμις καὶ Λαοδίκη καὶ Ἰφιάνασσα,

τάων ἥν κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα φίλην ἀνάεδνον ἄγεσθαι

πρὸς οἶκον Πηλῆος· ὃ δʼ αὖτʼ ἐπὶ μείλια δώσει

πολλὰ μάλʼ, ὅσσʼ οὔ πώ τις ἑῇ ἐπέδωκε θυγατρί·

ἑπτὰ δέ τοι δώσει εὖ ναιόμενα πτολίεθρα

Καρδαμύλην Ἐνόπην τε καὶ Ἱρὴν ποιήεσσαν

Φηράς τε ζαθέας ἠδʼ Ἄνθειαν βαθύλειμον

καλήν τʼ Αἴπειαν καὶ Πήδασον ἀμπελόεσσαν.

πᾶσαι δʼ ἐγγὺς ἁλός, νέαται Πύλου ἠμαθόεντος·

ἐν δʼ ἄνδρες ναίουσι πολύρρηνες πολυβοῦται,

οἵ κέ σε δωτίνῃσι θεὸν ὣς τιμήσουσι

καί τοι ὑπὸ σκήπτρῳ λιπαρὰς τελέουσι θέμιστας.

ταῦτά κέ τοι τελέσειε μεταλήξαντι χόλοιο.

εἰ δέ τοι Ἀτρεΐδης μὲν ἀπήχθετο κηρόθι μᾶλλον

αὐτὸς καὶ τοῦ δῶρα, σὺ δʼ ἄλλους περ Παναχαιοὺς

τειρομένους ἐλέαιρε κατὰ στρατόν, οἵ σε θεὸν ὣς

τίσουσʼ· ἦ γάρ κέ σφι μάλα μέγα κῦδος ἄροιο·

νῦν γάρ χʼ Ἕκτορʼ ἕλοις, ἐπεὶ ἂν μάλα τοι σχεδὸν ἔλθοι

λύσσαν ἔχων ὀλοήν, ἐπεὶ οὔ τινά φησιν ὁμοῖον

οἷ ἔμεναι Δαναῶν οὓς ἐνθάδε νῆες ἔνεικαν.

Achilles answered, "Odysseus, noble son of Laertes , I should give you formal notice plainly and in all fixity of purpose that there be no more of this cajoling, from whatsoever quarter it may come. Hateful [ ekhthros ] to me like the gates of Hades is the man who says one thing while he hides another thing in his mind [ phrenes ]; therefore I will say what I mean. I will be appeased neither by Agamemnon son of Atreus nor by any other of the Danaans, for I see that I have no thanks [ kharis ] for all my fighting. He that fights fares no better than he that does not; coward and hero are held in equal honor [ timê ], and death deals like measure to him who works and him who is idle. I have taken nothing by all my hardships - with my life [ psukhê ] ever at risk; as a bird when she has found a morsel takes it to her nestlings, and herself fares hardly, even so many a long night have I been wakeful, and many a bloody battle have I waged by day against those who were fighting for their women. With my ships I have taken twelve cities, and eleven round about Troy have I stormed with my men by land; I took great store of wealth from every one of them, but I gave all up to Agamemnon son of Atreus. He stayed where he was by his ships, yet of what came to him he gave little, and kept much himself.

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ

χρὴ μὲν δὴ τὸν μῦθον ἀπηλεγέως ἀποειπεῖν,

ᾗ περ δὴ φρονέω τε καὶ ὡς τετελεσμένον ἔσται,

ὡς μή μοι τρύζητε παρήμενοι ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος.

ἐχθρὸς γάρ μοι κεῖνος ὁμῶς Ἀΐδαο πύλῃσιν

ὅς χʼ ἕτερον μὲν κεύθῃ ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ἄλλο δὲ εἴπῃ.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐρέω ὥς μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι ἄριστα·

οὔτʼ ἔμεγʼ Ἀτρεΐδην Ἀγαμέμνονα πεισέμεν οἴω

οὔτʼ ἄλλους Δαναούς, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἄρα τις χάρις ἦεν

μάρνασθαι δηΐοισιν ἐπʼ ἀνδράσι νωλεμὲς αἰεί.

ἴση μοῖρα μένοντι καὶ εἰ μάλα τις πολεμίζοι·

ἐν δὲ ἰῇ τιμῇ ἠμὲν κακὸς ἠδὲ καὶ ἐσθλός·

κάτθανʼ ὁμῶς ὅ τʼ ἀεργὸς ἀνὴρ ὅ τε πολλὰ ἐοργώς.

οὐδέ τί μοι περίκειται, ἐπεὶ πάθον ἄλγεα θυμῷ

αἰεὶ ἐμὴν ψυχὴν παραβαλλόμενος πολεμίζειν.

ὡς δʼ ὄρνις ἀπτῆσι νεοσσοῖσι προφέρῃσι

μάστακʼ ἐπεί κε λάβῃσι, κακῶς δʼ ἄρα οἱ πέλει αὐτῇ,

ὣς καὶ ἐγὼ πολλὰς μὲν ἀΰπνους νύκτας ἴαυον,

ἤματα δʼ αἱματόεντα διέπρησσον πολεμίζων

ἀνδράσι μαρνάμενος ὀάρων ἕνεκα σφετεράων.

δώδεκα δὴ σὺν νηυσὶ πόλεις ἀλάπαξʼ ἀνθρώπων,

πεζὸς δʼ ἕνδεκά φημι κατὰ Τροίην ἐρίβωλον·

τάων ἐκ πασέων κειμήλια πολλὰ καὶ ἐσθλὰ

ἐξελόμην, καὶ πάντα φέρων Ἀγαμέμνονι δόσκον

Ἀτρεΐδῃ· ὃ δʼ ὄπισθε μένων παρὰ νηυσὶ θοῇσι

δεξάμενος διὰ παῦρα δασάσκετο, πολλὰ δʼ ἔχεσκεν.

"Nevertheless he did distribute some prizes of honor among the chieftains and kings, and these have them still; from me alone of the Achaeans did he take the woman in whom I delighted - let him keep her and sleep with her. Why, pray, must the Argives needs fight the Trojans? What made the son of Atreus gather the host and bring them? Was it not for the sake of Helen? Are the sons of Atreus the only men in the world who love their wives? Any man of common right feeling will love and cherish her who is his own, as I this woman, with my whole heart, though she was but a fruitling of my spear. Agamemnon has taken her from me; he has played me false; I know him; let him tempt me no further, for he shall not move me. Let him look to you, Odysseus, and to the other princes to save his ships from burning.

ἄλλα δʼ ἀριστήεσσι δίδου γέρα καὶ βασιλεῦσι·

τοῖσι μὲν ἔμπεδα κεῖται, ἐμεῦ δʼ ἀπὸ μούνου Ἀχαιῶν

εἵλετʼ, ἔχει δʼ ἄλοχον θυμαρέα· τῇ παριαύων

τερπέσθω. τί δὲ δεῖ πολεμιζέμεναι Τρώεσσιν

Ἀργείους; τί δὲ λαὸν ἀνήγαγεν ἐνθάδʼ ἀγείρας

Ἀτρεΐδης; ἦ οὐχ Ἑλένης ἕνεκʼ ἠϋκόμοιο;

ἦ μοῦνοι φιλέουσʼ ἀλόχους μερόπων ἀνθρώπων

Ἀτρεΐδαι; ἐπεὶ ὅς τις ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς καὶ ἐχέφρων

τὴν αὐτοῦ φιλέει καὶ κήδεται, ὡς καὶ ἐγὼ τὴν

ἐκ θυμοῦ φίλεον δουρικτητήν περ ἐοῦσαν.

νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ ἐκ χειρῶν γέρας εἵλετο καί μʼ ἀπάτησε

μή μευ πειράτω εὖ εἰδότος· οὐδέ με πείσει.

ἀλλʼ Ὀδυσεῦ σὺν σοί τε καὶ ἄλλοισιν βασιλεῦσι

He has done much without me already. He has built a wall; he has dug a trench deep and wide all round it, and he has planted it within with stakes; but even so he stays not the murderous might of Hektor. So long as I fought the Achaeans Hektor suffered not the battle range far from the city walls; he would come to the Scaean gates and to the oak tree, but no further. Once he stayed to meet me and hardly did he escape my onset: now, however, since I am in no mood to fight him, I will tomorrow offer sacrifice to Zeus and to all the gods; I will draw my ships into the water and then victual them duly; tomorrow morning, if you care to look, you will see my ships on the Hellespont , and my men rowing out to sea with might and main. If great Poseidon grants me a fair passage, in three days I shall be in Phthia . I have much there that I left behind me when I came here to my sorrow, and I shall bring back still further store of gold, of red copper, of fair women, and of iron, my share of the spoils that we have taken; but one prize, he who gave has insolently taken away. Tell him all as I now bid you, and tell him in public that the Achaeans may hate him and beware of him should he think that he can yet dupe others for his effrontery never fails him.

φραζέσθω νήεσσιν ἀλεξέμεναι δήϊον πῦρ.

ἦ μὲν δὴ μάλα πολλὰ πονήσατο νόσφιν ἐμεῖο,

καὶ δὴ τεῖχος ἔδειμε, καὶ ἤλασε τάφρον ἐπʼ αὐτῷ

εὐρεῖαν μεγάλην, ἐν δὲ σκόλοπας κατέπηξεν·

ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὧς δύναται σθένος Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο

ἴσχειν· ὄφρα δʼ ἐγὼ μετʼ Ἀχαιοῖσιν πολέμιζον

οὐκ ἐθέλεσκε μάχην ἀπὸ τείχεος ὀρνύμεν Ἕκτωρ,

ἀλλʼ ὅσον ἐς Σκαιάς τε πύλας καὶ φηγὸν ἵκανεν·

ἔνθά ποτʼ οἶον ἔμιμνε, μόγις δέ μευ ἔκφυγεν ὁρμήν.

νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐθέλω πολεμιζέμεν Ἕκτορι δίῳ

αὔριον ἱρὰ Διὶ ῥέξας καὶ πᾶσι θεοῖσι

νηήσας εὖ νῆας, ἐπὴν ἅλα δὲ προερύσσω,

ὄψεαι, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα καὶ αἴ κέν τοι τὰ μεμήλῃ,

ἦρι μάλʼ Ἑλλήσποντον ἐπʼ ἰχθυόεντα πλεούσας

νῆας ἐμάς, ἐν δʼ ἄνδρας ἐρεσσέμεναι μεμαῶτας·

εἰ δέ κεν εὐπλοίην δώῃ κλυτὸς ἐννοσίγαιος

ἤματί κε τριτάτῳ Φθίην ἐρίβωλον ἱκοίμην.

ἔστι δέ μοι μάλα πολλά, τὰ κάλλιπον ἐνθάδε ἔρρων·

ἄλλον δʼ ἐνθένδε χρυσὸν καὶ χαλκὸν ἐρυθρὸν

ἠδὲ γυναῖκας ἐϋζώνους πολιόν τε σίδηρον

ἄξομαι, ἅσσʼ ἔλαχόν γε· γέρας δέ μοι, ὅς περ ἔδωκεν,

αὖτις ἐφυβρίζων ἕλετο κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων

Ἀτρεΐδης· τῷ πάντʼ ἀγορευέμεν ὡς ἐπιτέλλω

ἀμφαδόν, ὄφρα καὶ ἄλλοι ἐπισκύζωνται Ἀχαιοὶ

εἴ τινά που Δαναῶν ἔτι ἔλπεται ἐξαπατήσειν

"As for me, hound that he is, he dares not look me in the face. I will take no counsel with him, and will undertake nothing in common with him. He has wronged me and deceived me enough, he shall not cozen me further; let him go his own way, for Zeus has robbed him of his reason. Hateful [ ekhthra ] to me are his presents, and for himself care not one straw. He may offer me ten or even twenty times what he has now done, nay- not though it be all that he has in the world, both now or ever shall have; he may promise me the wealth of Orkhomenos or of Egyptian Thebes, which is the richest city in the whole world, for it has a hundred gates through each of which two hundred men may drive at once with their chariots and horses;

αἰὲν ἀναιδείην ἐπιειμένος· οὐδʼ ἂν ἔμοιγε

τετλαίη κύνεός περ ἐὼν εἰς ὦπα ἰδέσθαι·

οὐδέ τί οἱ βουλὰς συμφράσσομαι, οὐδὲ μὲν ἔργον·

ἐκ γὰρ δή μʼ ἀπάτησε καὶ ἤλιτεν· οὐδʼ ἂν ἔτʼ αὖτις

ἐξαπάφοιτʼ ἐπέεσσιν· ἅλις δέ οἱ· ἀλλὰ ἕκηλος

ἐρρέτω· ἐκ γάρ εὑ φρένας εἵλετο μητίετα Ζεύς.

ἐχθρὰ δέ μοι τοῦ δῶρα, τίω δέ μιν ἐν καρὸς αἴσῃ.

οὐδʼ εἴ μοι δεκάκις τε καὶ εἰκοσάκις τόσα δοίη

ὅσσά τέ οἱ νῦν ἔστι, καὶ εἴ ποθεν ἄλλα γένοιτο,

οὐδʼ ὅσʼ ἐς Ὀρχομενὸν ποτινίσεται, οὐδʼ ὅσα Θήβας

Αἰγυπτίας, ὅθι πλεῖστα δόμοις ἐν κτήματα κεῖται,

αἵ θʼ ἑκατόμπυλοί εἰσι, διηκόσιοι δʼ ἀνʼ ἑκάστας

ἀνέρες ἐξοιχνεῦσι σὺν ἵπποισιν καὶ ὄχεσφιν·

he may offer me gifts as the sands of the sea or the dust of the plain in multitude, but even so he shall not move me till I have been revenged in full for the bitter wrong he has done me. I will not marry his daughter; she may be fair as Aphrodite, and skillful as Athena, but I will have none of her: let another take her, who may be a good match for her and who rules a larger kingdom. If the gods spare me to return home, Peleus will find me a wife; there are Achaean women in Hellas and Phthia , daughters of kings that have cities under them; of these I can take whom I will and marry her. Many a time was I minded when at home in Phthia to woo and wed a woman who would make me a suitable wife, and to enjoy the riches of my old father Peleus. My life [ psukhê ] means more to me than all the wealth of Ilion while it was yet at peace before the Achaeans went there, or than all the treasure that lies on the stone floor of Apollo's temple beneath the cliffs of Pytho . Cattle and sheep are to be had for harrying, and a man buy both tripods and horses if he wants them, but when his life has once left him it can neither be bought nor harried back again.

οὐδʼ εἴ μοι τόσα δοίη ὅσα ψάμαθός τε κόνις τε,

οὐδέ κεν ὧς ἔτι θυμὸν ἐμὸν πείσειʼ Ἀγαμέμνων

πρίν γʼ ἀπὸ πᾶσαν ἐμοὶ δόμεναι θυμαλγέα λώβην.

κούρην δʼ οὐ γαμέω Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο,

οὐδʼ εἰ χρυσείῃ Ἀφροδίτῃ κάλλος ἐρίζοι,

ἔργα δʼ Ἀθηναίῃ γλαυκώπιδι ἰσοφαρίζοι·

οὐδέ μιν ὧς γαμέω· ὃ δʼ Ἀχαιῶν ἄλλον ἑλέσθω,

ὅς τις οἷ τʼ ἐπέοικε καὶ ὃς βασιλεύτερός ἐστιν.

ἢν γὰρ δή με σαῶσι θεοὶ καὶ οἴκαδʼ ἵκωμαι,

Πηλεύς θήν μοι ἔπειτα γυναῖκά γε μάσσεται αὐτός.

πολλαὶ Ἀχαιΐδες εἰσὶν ἀνʼ Ἑλλάδα τε Φθίην τε

κοῦραι ἀριστήων, οἵ τε πτολίεθρα ῥύονται,

τάων ἥν κʼ ἐθέλωμι φίλην ποιήσομʼ ἄκοιτιν.

ἔνθα δέ μοι μάλα πολλὸν ἐπέσσυτο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ

γήμαντα μνηστὴν ἄλοχον ἐϊκυῖαν ἄκοιτιν

κτήμασι τέρπεσθαι τὰ γέρων ἐκτήσατο Πηλεύς·

οὐ γὰρ ἐμοὶ ψυχῆς ἀντάξιον οὐδʼ ὅσα φασὶν

Ἴλιον ἐκτῆσθαι εὖ ναιόμενον πτολίεθρον

τὸ πρὶν ἐπʼ εἰρήνης, πρὶν ἐλθεῖν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν,

οὐδʼ ὅσα λάϊνος οὐδὸς ἀφήτορος ἐντὸς ἐέργει

Φοίβου Ἀπόλλωνος Πυθοῖ ἔνι πετρηέσσῃ.

ληϊστοὶ μὲν γάρ τε βόες καὶ ἴφια μῆλα,

κτητοὶ δὲ τρίποδές τε καὶ ἵππων ξανθὰ κάρηνα,

ἀνδρὸς δὲ ψυχὴ πάλιν ἐλθεῖν οὔτε λεϊστὴ

οὔθʼ ἑλετή, ἐπεὶ ἄρ κεν ἀμείψεται ἕρκος ὀδόντων.

"My mother Thetis tells me that there are two ways in which I may meet my end [ telos ]. If I stay here and fight, I shall lose my safe homecoming [ nostos ] but I will have a glory [ kleos ] that is unwilting: whereas if I go home my glory [ kleos ] will die, but it will be a long time before the outcome [ telos ] of death shall take me. To the rest of you, then, I say, ‘Go home, for you will not take Ilion .’ Zeus has held his hand over her to protect her, and her people have taken heart. Go, therefore, as in duty bound, and tell the princes of the Achaeans the message that I have sent them; tell them to find some other plan for the saving of their ships and people, for so long as my displeasure lasts the one that they have now hit upon may not be. As for Phoenix, let him sleep here that he may sail with me in the morning if he so will. But I will not take him by force."

μήτηρ γάρ τέ μέ φησι θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα

διχθαδίας κῆρας φερέμεν θανάτοιο τέλος δέ.

εἰ μέν κʼ αὖθι μένων Τρώων πόλιν ἀμφιμάχωμαι,

ὤλετο μέν μοι νόστος, ἀτὰρ κλέος ἄφθιτον ἔσται·

εἰ δέ κεν οἴκαδʼ ἵκωμι φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,

ὤλετό μοι κλέος ἐσθλόν, ἐπὶ δηρὸν δέ μοι αἰὼν

ἔσσεται, οὐδέ κέ μʼ ὦκα τέλος θανάτοιο κιχείη.

καὶ δʼ ἂν τοῖς ἄλλοισιν ἐγὼ παραμυθησαίμην

οἴκαδʼ ἀποπλείειν, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι δήετε τέκμωρ

Ἰλίου αἰπεινῆς· μάλα γάρ ἑθεν εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς

χεῖρα ἑὴν ὑπερέσχε, τεθαρσήκασι δὲ λαοί.

ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς μὲν ἰόντες ἀριστήεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν

ἀγγελίην ἀπόφασθε· τὸ γὰρ γέρας ἐστὶ γερόντων·

ὄφρʼ ἄλλην φράζωνται ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μῆτιν ἀμείνω,

ἥ κέ σφιν νῆάς τε σαῷ καὶ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν

νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇς, ἐπεὶ οὔ σφισιν ἥδέ γʼ ἑτοίμη

ἣν νῦν ἐφράσσαντο ἐμεῦ ἀπομηνίσαντος·

Φοῖνιξ δʼ αὖθι παρʼ ἄμμι μένων κατακοιμηθήτω,

ὄφρά μοι ἐν νήεσσι φίλην ἐς πατρίδʼ ἕπηται

αὔριον ἢν ἐθέλῃσιν· ἀνάγκῃ δʼ οὔ τί μιν ἄξω.

They all held their peace, dismayed at the sternness with which he had denied them, till presently the old horseman Phoenix in his great fear for the ships of the Achaeans, burst into tears and said, "Noble Achilles, if you are now minded to have your homecoming [ nostos ], and in the fierceness of your anger will do nothing to save the ships from burning, how, my son, can I remain here without you? Your father Peleus bade me go with you when he sent you as a mere lad from Phthia to Agamemnon. You knew nothing neither of war nor of the arts whereby men make their mark in council, and he sent me with you to train you in all excellence of speech and action. Therefore, my son, I will not stay here without you - no, not though heaven itself grant to strip my years from off me, and make me young as I was when I first left Hellas the land of fair women. I was then fleeing the anger of father Amyntor, son of Ormenus, who was furious with me in the matter of his concubine, of whom he was enamored to the wronging of his wife my mother. My mother, therefore, prayed me without ceasing to lie with the woman myself, that so she hate my father, and in the course of time I yielded. But my father soon came to know, and cursed me bitterly, calling the dread Erinyes to witness. He prayed that no son of mine might ever sit upon knees - and the gods, Zeus of the world below and awful Persephone, fulfilled his curse. I took counsel to kill him, but some god stayed my rashness and bade me think on men's evil tongues and how I should be branded as the murderer of my father: nevertheless I could not bear to stay in my father's house with him so bitter a against me. My cousins and clansmen came about me, and pressed me sorely to remain; many a sheep and many an ox did they slaughter, and many a fat hog did they set down to roast before the fire; many a jar, too, did they broach of my father's wine. Nine whole nights did they set a guard over me taking it in turns to watch, and they kept a fire always burning, both in the room of the outer court and in the inner court at the doors of the room wherein I lay;

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ

μῦθον ἀγασσάμενοι· μάλα γὰρ κρατερῶς ἀπέειπεν·

ὀψὲ δὲ δὴ μετέειπε γέρων ἱππηλάτα Φοῖνιξ

δάκρυʼ ἀναπρήσας· περὶ γὰρ δίε νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν·

εἰ μὲν δὴ νόστόν γε μετὰ φρεσὶ φαίδιμʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ

βάλλεαι, οὐδέ τι πάμπαν ἀμύνειν νηυσὶ θοῇσι

πῦρ ἐθέλεις ἀΐδηλον, ἐπεὶ χόλος ἔμπεσε θυμῷ,

πῶς ἂν ἔπειτʼ ἀπὸ σεῖο φίλον τέκος αὖθι λιποίμην

οἶος; σοὶ δέ μʼ ἔπεμπε γέρων ἱππηλάτα Πηλεὺς

ἤματι τῷ ὅτε σʼ ἐκ Φθίης Ἀγαμέμνονι πέμπε

νήπιον οὔ πω εἰδόθʼ ὁμοιΐου πολέμοιο

οὐδʼ ἀγορέων, ἵνα τʼ ἄνδρες ἀριπρεπέες τελέθουσι.

τοὔνεκά με προέηκε διδασκέμεναι τάδε πάντα,

μύθων τε ῥητῆρʼ ἔμεναι πρηκτῆρά τε ἔργων.

ὡς ἂν ἔπειτʼ ἀπὸ σεῖο φίλον τέκος οὐκ ἐθέλοιμι

λείπεσθʼ, οὐδʼ εἴ κέν μοι ὑποσταίη θεὸς αὐτὸς

γῆρας ἀποξύσας θήσειν νέον ἡβώοντα,

οἷον ὅτε πρῶτον λίπον Ἑλλάδα καλλιγύναικα

φεύγων νείκεα πατρὸς Ἀμύντορος Ὀρμενίδαο,

ὅς μοι παλλακίδος περιχώσατο καλλικόμοιο,

τὴν αὐτὸς φιλέεσκεν, ἀτιμάζεσκε δʼ ἄκοιτιν

μητέρʼ ἐμήν· ἣ δʼ αἰὲν ἐμὲ λισσέσκετο γούνων

παλλακίδι προμιγῆναι, ἵνʼ ἐχθήρειε γέροντα.

τῇ πιθόμην καὶ ἔρεξα· πατὴρ δʼ ἐμὸς αὐτίκʼ ὀϊσθεὶς

πολλὰ κατηρᾶτο, στυγερὰς δʼ ἐπεκέκλετʼ Ἐρινῦς,

μή ποτε γούνασιν οἷσιν ἐφέσσεσθαι φίλον υἱὸν

ἐξ ἐμέθεν γεγαῶτα· θεοὶ δʼ ἐτέλειον ἐπαρὰς

Ζεύς τε καταχθόνιος καὶ ἐπαινὴ Περσεφόνεια.

ἔνθʼ ἐμοὶ οὐκέτι πάμπαν ἐρητύετʼ ἐν φρεσὶ θυμὸς

πατρὸς χωομένοιο κατὰ μέγαρα στρωφᾶσθαι.

ἦ μὲν πολλὰ ἔται καὶ ἀνεψιοὶ ἀμφὶς ἐόντες

αὐτοῦ λισσόμενοι κατερήτυον ἐν μεγάροισι,

πολλὰ δὲ ἴφια μῆλα καὶ εἰλίποδας ἕλικας βοῦς

ἔσφαζον, πολλοὶ δὲ σύες θαλέθοντες ἀλοιφῇ

εὑόμενοι τανύοντο διὰ φλογὸς Ἡφαίστοιο,

πολλὸν δʼ ἐκ κεράμων μέθυ πίνετο τοῖο γέροντος.

εἰνάνυχες δέ μοι ἀμφʼ αὐτῷ παρὰ νύκτας ἴαυον·

οἳ μὲν ἀμειβόμενοι φυλακὰς ἔχον, οὐδέ ποτʼ ἔσβη

πῦρ, ἕτερον μὲν ὑπʼ αἰθούσῃ εὐερκέος αὐλῆς,

ἄλλο δʼ ἐνὶ προδόμῳ, πρόσθεν θαλάμοιο θυράων.

but when the darkness of the tenth night came, I broke through the closed doors of my room, and climbed the wall of the outer court after passing quickly and unperceived through the men on guard and the women servants. I then fled through Hellas till I came to fertile Phthia , mother of sheep, and to King Peleus, who made me welcome and treated me as a father treats an only son who will be heir to all his wealth. He made me rich and set me over many people, establishing me on the borders of Phthia where I was chief ruler over the Dolopians.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ δεκάτη μοι ἐπήλυθε νὺξ ἐρεβεννή,

καὶ τότʼ ἐγὼ θαλάμοιο θύρας πυκινῶς ἀραρυίας

ῥήξας ἐξῆλθον, καὶ ὑπέρθορον ἑρκίον αὐλῆς

ῥεῖα, λαθὼν φύλακάς τʼ ἄνδρας δμῳάς τε γυναῖκας.

φεῦγον ἔπειτʼ ἀπάνευθε διʼ Ἑλλάδος εὐρυχόροιο,

Φθίην δʼ ἐξικόμην ἐριβώλακα μητέρα μήλων

ἐς Πηλῆα ἄναχθʼ· ὃ δέ με πρόφρων ὑπέδεκτο,

καί μʼ ἐφίλησʼ ὡς εἴ τε πατὴρ ὃν παῖδα φιλήσῃ

μοῦνον τηλύγετον πολλοῖσιν ἐπὶ κτεάτεσσι,

καί μʼ ἀφνειὸν ἔθηκε, πολὺν δέ μοι ὤπασε λαόν·

ναῖον δʼ ἐσχατιὴν Φθίης Δολόπεσσιν ἀνάσσων.

"It was I, Achilles, who had the making of you; I loved you with all my heart: for you would eat neither at home nor when you had gone out elsewhere, till I had first set you upon my knees, cut up the dainty morsel that you were to eat, and held the wine-cup to your lips. Many a time have you slobbered your wine in baby helplessness over my shirt; I had infinite trouble with you, but I knew that heaven had granted me no offspring of my own, and I made a son of you, Achilles, that in my hour of need you might protect me. Now, therefore, I say battle with your pride and beat it; cherish not your anger for ever; the excellence [ aretê ] and might [ biê ] and honor [ timê ] of the gods are more than ours, but even gods may be appeased; and if a man has erred he prays the gods, and reconciles them to himself by his piteous cries and by frankincense, with drink-offerings and the savor of burnt sacrifice. For prayers are as daughters to great Zeus; halt, wrinkled, with eyes askance, they follow in the footsteps of Derangement [ Atê ], who, being fierce and fleet of foot, leaves them far behind him, and ever baneful to humankind outstrips them even to the ends of the world; but nevertheless the prayers come hobbling and healing after. If a man has pity upon these daughters of Zeus when they draw near him, they will bless him and hear him too when he is praying; but if he deny them and will not listen to them, they go to Zeus the son of Kronos and pray that he may presently fall into derangement [ atê ] - to his ruing bitterly hereafter.

καί σε τοσοῦτον ἔθηκα θεοῖς ἐπιείκελʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ,

ἐκ θυμοῦ φιλέων, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐθέλεσκες ἅμʼ ἄλλῳ

οὔτʼ ἐς δαῖτʼ ἰέναι οὔτʼ ἐν μεγάροισι πάσασθαι,

πρίν γʼ ὅτε δή σʼ ἐπʼ ἐμοῖσιν ἐγὼ γούνεσσι καθίσσας

ὄψου τʼ ἄσαιμι προταμὼν καὶ οἶνον ἐπισχών.

πολλάκι μοι κατέδευσας ἐπὶ στήθεσσι χιτῶνα

οἴνου ἀποβλύζων ἐν νηπιέῃ ἀλεγεινῇ.

ὣς ἐπὶ σοὶ μάλα πολλὰ πάθον καὶ πολλὰ μόγησα,

τὰ φρονέων ὅ μοι οὔ τι θεοὶ γόνον ἐξετέλειον

ἐξ ἐμεῦ· ἀλλὰ σὲ παῖδα θεοῖς ἐπιείκελʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ

ποιεύμην, ἵνα μοί ποτʼ ἀεικέα λοιγὸν ἀμύνῃς.

ἀλλʼ Ἀχιλεῦ δάμασον θυμὸν μέγαν· οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ

νηλεὲς ἦτορ ἔχειν· στρεπτοὶ δέ τε καὶ θεοὶ αὐτοί,

τῶν περ καὶ μείζων ἀρετὴ τιμή τε βίη τε.

καὶ μὲν τοὺς θυέεσσι καὶ εὐχωλῇς ἀγανῇσι

λοιβῇ τε κνίσῃ τε παρατρωπῶσʼ ἄνθρωποι

λισσόμενοι, ὅτε κέν τις ὑπερβήῃ καὶ ἁμάρτῃ.

καὶ γάρ τε λιταί εἰσι Διὸς κοῦραι μεγάλοιο

χωλαί τε ῥυσαί τε παραβλῶπές τʼ ὀφθαλμώ,

αἵ ῥά τε καὶ μετόπισθʼ ἄτης ἀλέγουσι κιοῦσαι.

ἣ δʼ ἄτη σθεναρή τε καὶ ἀρτίπος, οὕνεκα πάσας

πολλὸν ὑπεκπροθέει, φθάνει δέ τε πᾶσαν ἐπʼ αἶαν

βλάπτουσʼ ἀνθρώπους· αἳ δʼ ἐξακέονται ὀπίσσω.

ὃς μέν τʼ αἰδέσεται κούρας Διὸς ἆσσον ἰούσας,

τὸν δὲ μέγʼ ὤνησαν καί τʼ ἔκλυον εὐχομένοιο·

ὃς δέ κʼ ἀνήνηται καί τε στερεῶς ἀποείπῃ,

λίσσονται δʼ ἄρα ταί γε Δία Κρονίωνα κιοῦσαι

τῷ ἄτην ἅμʼ ἕπεσθαι, ἵνα βλαφθεὶς ἀποτίσῃ.

Therefore, Achilles, give these daughters of Zeus due reverence [ timê ], just as every other person does whose mind [ noos ] they change. Were not the son of Atreus offering you gifts and promising others later - if he were still furious and implacable - I am not he that would bid you throw off your anger [ mênis ] and help the Achaeans, no matter how great their need; but he is giving much now, and more hereafter; he has sent his leading men to urge his suit, and has chosen [ krinô ] those who of all the Argives are most near-and-dear [ philoi ] to you; make not then their words and their coming to be of no effect. Your anger has been righteous so far. We have heard in song the glories [ klea ] of heroes of old time: how they quarreled when they were roused to fury, but still they could be won by gifts, and fair words could soothe them.

ἀλλʼ Ἀχιλεῦ πόρε καὶ σὺ Διὸς κούρῃσιν ἕπεσθαι

τιμήν, ἥ τʼ ἄλλων περ ἐπιγνάμπτει νόον ἐσθλῶν.

εἰ μὲν γὰρ μὴ δῶρα φέροι τὰ δʼ ὄπισθʼ ὀνομάζοι

Ἀτρεΐδης, ἀλλʼ αἰὲν ἐπιζαφελῶς χαλεπαίνοι,

οὐκ ἂν ἔγωγέ σε μῆνιν ἀπορρίψαντα κελοίμην

Ἀργείοισιν ἀμυνέμεναι χατέουσί περ ἔμπης·

νῦν δʼ ἅμα τʼ αὐτίκα πολλὰ διδοῖ τὰ δʼ ὄπισθεν ὑπέστη,

ἄνδρας δὲ λίσσεσθαι ἐπιπροέηκεν ἀρίστους

κρινάμενος κατὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιϊκόν, οἵ τε σοὶ αὐτῷ

φίλτατοι Ἀργείων· τῶν μὴ σύ γε μῦθον ἐλέγξῃς

μηδὲ πόδας· πρὶν δʼ οὔ τι νεμεσσητὸν κεχολῶσθαι.

οὕτω καὶ τῶν πρόσθεν ἐπευθόμεθα κλέα ἀνδρῶν

ἡρώων, ὅτε κέν τινʼ ἐπιζάφελος χόλος ἵκοι·

δωρητοί τε πέλοντο παράρρητοί τʼ ἐπέεσσι.

"I totally recall [ memnêmai ] this event of the past - it is not a new thing - and how it happened. You are all near and dear [ philoi ], and I will tell it in your presence. The Curetes and the Aetolians were fighting and killing one another round Calydon - the Aetolians defending the city and the Curetes trying to destroy it. For Artemis of the golden throne was angry and did them hurt because Oeneus had not offered her his harvest first-fruits. The other gods had all been feasted with hecatombs, but to the daughter of great Zeus alone he had made no sacrifice. He had forgotten her, or somehow or other it had escaped him, and this was a grievous derangement. Thereon the archer goddess in her displeasure sent a prodigious creature against him - a savage wild boar with great white tusks that did much harm to his orchard lands, uprooting apple-trees in full bloom and throwing them to the ground. But Meleager son of Oeneus got huntsmen and hounds from many cities and killed it - for it was so monstrous that not a few were needed, and many a man did it stretch upon his funeral pyre. On this the goddess set the Curetes and the Aetolians fighting furiously about the head and skin of the boar. "So long as Meleager was in the field things went badly with the Curetes, and for all their numbers they could not hold their ground under the city walls; but in the course of time the anger weighed heavy on the thinking [ noos ] of Meleager : this can sometimes happen even to a sensible man.

μέμνημαι τόδε ἔργον ἐγὼ πάλαι οὔ τι νέον γε

ὡς ἦν· ἐν δʼ ὑμῖν ἐρέω πάντεσσι φίλοισι.

Κουρῆτές τʼ ἐμάχοντο καὶ Αἰτωλοὶ μενεχάρμαι

ἀμφὶ πόλιν Καλυδῶνα καὶ ἀλλήλους ἐνάριζον,

Αἰτωλοὶ μὲν ἀμυνόμενοι Καλυδῶνος ἐραννῆς,

Κουρῆτες δὲ διαπραθέειν μεμαῶτες Ἄρηϊ.

καὶ γὰρ τοῖσι κακὸν χρυσόθρονος Ἄρτεμις ὦρσε

χωσαμένη ὅ οἱ οὔ τι θαλύσια γουνῷ ἀλωῆς

Οἰνεὺς ῥέξʼ· ἄλλοι δὲ θεοὶ δαίνυνθʼ ἑκατόμβας,

οἴῃ δʼ οὐκ ἔρρεξε Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο.

ἢ λάθετʼ ἢ οὐκ ἐνόησεν· ἀάσατο δὲ μέγα θυμῷ.

ἣ δὲ χολωσαμένη δῖον γένος ἰοχέαιρα

ὦρσεν ἔπι χλούνην σῦν ἄγριον ἀργιόδοντα,

ὃς κακὰ πόλλʼ ἕρδεσκεν ἔθων Οἰνῆος ἀλωήν·

πολλὰ δʼ ὅ γε προθέλυμνα χαμαὶ βάλε δένδρεα μακρὰ

αὐτῇσιν ῥίζῃσι καὶ αὐτοῖς ἄνθεσι μήλων.

τὸν δʼ υἱὸς Οἰνῆος ἀπέκτεινεν Μελέαγρος

πολλέων ἐκ πολίων θηρήτορας ἄνδρας ἀγείρας

καὶ κύνας· οὐ μὲν γάρ κε δάμη παύροισι βροτοῖσι·

τόσσος ἔην, πολλοὺς δὲ πυρῆς ἐπέβησʼ ἀλεγεινῆς.

ἣ δʼ ἀμφʼ αὐτῷ θῆκε πολὺν κέλαδον καὶ ἀϋτὴν

ἀμφὶ συὸς κεφαλῇ καὶ δέρματι λαχνήεντι,

Κουρήτων τε μεσηγὺ καὶ Αἰτωλῶν μεγαθύμων.

ὄφρα μὲν οὖν Μελέαγρος ἄρηι φίλος πολέμιζε,

τόφρα δὲ Κουρήτεσσι κακῶς ἦν, οὐδὲ δύναντο

τείχεος ἔκτοσθεν μίμνειν πολέες περ ἐόντες·

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ Μελέαγρον ἔδυ χόλος, ὅς τε καὶ ἄλλων

οἰδάνει ἐν στήθεσσι νόον πύκα περ φρονεόντων,

He was incensed with his mother Althaia, and therefore stayed at home with his wedded wife fair Cleopatra, who was daughter of Marpessa daughter of Euenos, and of Ides the man then living. He it was who took his bow and faced King Apollo himself for fair Marpessa's sake; her father and mother then named her Halcyone, because her mother had mourned with the strains of the halcyon, bird of much grief [ penthos ], when Phoebus Apollo had carried her off. Meleager, then, stayed at home with Cleopatra, nursing the anger which he felt by reason of his mother's curses. His mother, grieving for the death of her brother, prayed the gods, and beat the earth with her hands, calling upon Hades and on awful Persephone; she went down upon her knees and her bosom was wet with tears as she prayed that they would kill her son - and Erinys that walks in darkness and knows no ruth heard her from Erebos.

ἤτοι ὃ μητρὶ φίλῃ Ἀλθαίῃ χωόμενος κῆρ

κεῖτο παρὰ μνηστῇ ἀλόχῳ καλῇ Κλεοπάτρῃ

κούρῃ Μαρπήσσης καλλισφύρου Εὐηνίνης

Ἴδεώ θʼ, ὃς κάρτιστος ἐπιχθονίων γένετʼ ἀνδρῶν

τῶν τότε· καί ῥα ἄνακτος ἐναντίον εἵλετο τόξον

Φοίβου Ἀπόλλωνος καλλισφύρου εἵνεκα νύμφης,

τὴν δὲ τότʼ ἐν μεγάροισι πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ

Ἀλκυόνην καλέεσκον ἐπώνυμον, οὕνεκʼ ἄρʼ αὐτῆς

μήτηρ ἀλκυόνος πολυπενθέος οἶτον ἔχουσα

κλαῖεν ὅ μιν ἑκάεργος ἀνήρπασε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων·

τῇ ὅ γε παρκατέλεκτο χόλον θυμαλγέα πέσσων

ἐξ ἀρέων μητρὸς κεχολωμένος, ἥ ῥα θεοῖσι

πόλλʼ ἀχέουσʼ ἠρᾶτο κασιγνήτοιο φόνοιο,

πολλὰ δὲ καὶ γαῖαν πολυφόρβην χερσὶν ἀλοία

κικλήσκουσʼ Ἀΐδην καὶ ἐπαινὴν Περσεφόνειαν

πρόχνυ καθεζομένη, δεύοντο δὲ δάκρυσι κόλποι,

παιδὶ δόμεν θάνατον· τῆς δʼ ἠεροφοῖτις Ἐρινὺς

ἔκλυεν ἐξ Ἐρέβεσφιν ἀμείλιχον ἦτορ ἔχουσα.

"Then was heard the din of battle about the gates of Calydon, and the dull thump of the battering against their walls. Thereon the elders of the Aetolians besought Meleager; they sent the chiefest of their priests, and begged him to come out and help them, promising him a great reward. They bade him choose fifty plough-gates, the most fertile in the plain of Calydon, the one-half vineyard and the other open plough-land. The old warrior Oeneus implored him, standing at the threshold of his room and beating the doors in supplication. His sisters and his mother herself besought him sore, but he the more refused them; those of his comrades who were nearest and dearest to him also prayed him, but they could not move him till the foe was battering at the very doors of his chamber, and the Curetes had scaled the walls and were setting fire to the city. Then at last his sorrowing wife detailed the horrors that befall those whose city is taken; she reminded him how the men are slain, and the city is given over to the flames, while the women and children are carried into captivity;

τῶν δὲ τάχʼ ἀμφὶ πύλας ὅμαδος καὶ δοῦπος ὀρώρει

πύργων βαλλομένων· τὸν δὲ λίσσοντο γέροντες

Αἰτωλῶν, πέμπον δὲ θεῶν ἱερῆας ἀρίστους,

ἐξελθεῖν καὶ ἀμῦναι ὑποσχόμενοι μέγα δῶρον·

ὁππόθι πιότατον πεδίον Καλυδῶνος ἐραννῆς,

ἔνθά μιν ἤνωγον τέμενος περικαλλὲς ἑλέσθαι

πεντηκοντόγυον, τὸ μὲν ἥμισυ οἰνοπέδοιο,

ἥμισυ δὲ ψιλὴν ἄροσιν πεδίοιο ταμέσθαι.

πολλὰ δέ μιν λιτάνευε γέρων ἱππηλάτα Οἰνεὺς

οὐδοῦ ἐπεμβεβαὼς ὑψηρεφέος θαλάμοιο

σείων κολλητὰς σανίδας γουνούμενος υἱόν·

πολλὰ δὲ τόν γε κασίγνηται καὶ πότνια μήτηρ

ἐλλίσσονθʼ· ὃ δὲ μᾶλλον ἀναίνετο· πολλὰ δʼ ἑταῖροι,

οἵ οἱ κεδνότατοι καὶ φίλτατοι ἦσαν ἁπάντων·

ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὧς τοῦ θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔπειθον,

πρίν γʼ ὅτε δὴ θάλαμος πύκʼ ἐβάλλετο, τοὶ δʼ ἐπὶ πύργων

βαῖνον Κουρῆτες καὶ ἐνέπρηθον μέγα ἄστυ.

καὶ τότε δὴ Μελέαγρον ἐΰζωνος παράκοιτις

λίσσετʼ ὀδυρομένη, καί οἱ κατέλεξεν ἅπαντα

κήδεʼ, ὅσʼ ἀνθρώποισι πέλει τῶν ἄστυ ἁλώῃ·

ἄνδρας μὲν κτείνουσι, πόλιν δέ τε πῦρ ἀμαθύνει,

τέκνα δέ τʼ ἄλλοι ἄγουσι βαθυζώνους τε γυναῖκας.

when he heard all this, his heart was touched, and he donned his armor to go forth. Thus of his own inward motion he saved the city of the Aetolians; but they now gave him nothing of those rich rewards that they had offered earlier, and though he saved the city he took nothing by it. Be not then, my son, thus minded; let not heaven lure you into any such course. When the ships are burning it will be a harder matter to save them. Take the gifts, and go, for the Achaeans will then honor you as a god [ daimôn ]; whereas if you fight without taking them, you may beat the battle back, but you will not be held in like honor [ timê ]."

τοῦ δʼ ὠρίνετο θυμὸς ἀκούοντος κακὰ ἔργα,

βῆ δʼ ἰέναι, χροῒ δʼ ἔντεʼ ἐδύσετο παμφανόωντα.

ὣς ὃ μὲν Αἰτωλοῖσιν ἀπήμυνεν κακὸν ἦμαρ

εἴξας ᾧ θυμῷ· τῷ δʼ οὐκέτι δῶρα τέλεσσαν

πολλά τε καὶ χαρίεντα, κακὸν δʼ ἤμυνε καὶ αὔτως.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μή μοι ταῦτα νόει φρεσί, μὴ δέ σε δαίμων

ἐνταῦθα τρέψειε φίλος· κάκιον δέ κεν εἴη

νηυσὶν καιομένῃσιν ἀμυνέμεν· ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ δώρων

ἔρχεο· ἶσον γάρ σε θεῷ τίσουσιν Ἀχαιοί.

εἰ δέ κʼ ἄτερ δώρων πόλεμον φθισήνορα δύῃς

οὐκέθʼ ὁμῶς τιμῆς ἔσεαι πόλεμόν περ ἀλαλκών.

And Achilles answered, "Phoenix, old friend and foster-father, I have no need of such honor. I have honor [ timê ] from Zeus himself, which will abide with me at my ships while I have breath in my body, and my limbs are strong. I say further - and lay my saying to your heart - vex me no more with this weeping and lamentation, all to do a favor [ kharis ] for the son of Atreus. Love him so well, and you may lose the love I bear you. You ought to help me rather in troubling those that trouble me; be king as much as I am, and share like honor [ timê ] with myself; the others shall take my answer; stay here yourself and sleep comfortably in your bed; at daybreak we will consider whether to remain or go."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

Φοῖνιξ ἄττα γεραιὲ διοτρεφὲς οὔ τί με ταύτης

χρεὼ τιμῆς· φρονέω δὲ τετιμῆσθαι Διὸς αἴσῃ,

ἥ μʼ ἕξει παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν εἰς ὅ κʼ ἀϋτμὴ

ἐν στήθεσσι μένῃ καί μοι φίλα γούνατʼ ὀρώρῃ.

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

μή μοι σύγχει θυμὸν ὀδυρόμενος καὶ ἀχεύων

Ἀτρεΐδῃ ἥρωϊ φέρων χάριν· οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ

τὸν φιλέειν, ἵνα μή μοι ἀπέχθηαι φιλέοντι.

καλόν τοι σὺν ἐμοὶ τὸν κήδειν ὅς κʼ ἐμὲ κήδῃ·

ἶσον ἐμοὶ βασίλευε καὶ ἥμισυ μείρεο τιμῆς.

οὗτοι δʼ ἀγγελέουσι, σὺ δʼ αὐτόθι λέξεο μίμνων

εὐνῇ ἔνι μαλακῇ· ἅμα δʼ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφι

φρασσόμεθʼ ἤ κε νεώμεθʼ ἐφʼ ἡμέτερʼ ἦ κε μένωμεν.

On this he nodded quietly to Patroklos as a sign that he was to prepare a bed for Phoenix, and that the others should take their leave [ nostos ]. Ajax son of Telamon then said, "Odysseus, noble son of Laertes , let us be gone, for I see that our journey is vain. We must now take our answer, unwelcome though it be, to the Danaans who are waiting to receive it. Achilles is savage and remorseless; he is cruel, and cares nothing for the affection [ philotês ] that his comrades lavished upon him more than on all the others. He is implacable - and yet if a man's brother or son has been slain he will accept a fine by way of amends from him that killed him, and the wrong-doer having paid in full remains in peace in his own district [ dêmos ]; but as for you, Achilles, the gods have put a wicked unforgiving spirit [ thumos ] in your breast, and this, all about one single girl,

ἦ καὶ Πατρόκλῳ ὅ γʼ ἐπʼ ὀφρύσι νεῦσε σιωπῇ

Φοίνικι στορέσαι πυκινὸν λέχος, ὄφρα τάχιστα

ἐκ κλισίης νόστοιο μεδοίατο· τοῖσι δʼ ἄρʼ Αἴας

ἀντίθεος Τελαμωνιάδης μετὰ μῦθον ἔειπε·

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ

ἴομεν· οὐ γάρ μοι δοκέει μύθοιο τελευτὴ

τῇδέ γʼ ὁδῷ κρανέεσθαι· ἀπαγγεῖλαι δὲ τάχιστα

χρὴ μῦθον Δαναοῖσι καὶ οὐκ ἀγαθόν περ ἐόντα

οἵ που νῦν ἕαται ποτιδέγμενοι. αὐτάρ Ἀχιλλεὺς

ἄγριον ἐν στήθεσσι θέτο μεγαλήτορα θυμὸν

σχέτλιος, οὐδὲ μετατρέπεται φιλότητος ἑταίρων

τῆς ᾗ μιν παρὰ νηυσὶν ἐτίομεν ἔξοχον ἄλλων

νηλής· καὶ μέν τίς τε κασιγνήτοιο φονῆος

ποινὴν ἢ οὗ παιδὸς ἐδέξατο τεθνηῶτος·

καί ῥʼ ὃ μὲν ἐν δήμῳ μένει αὐτοῦ πόλλʼ ἀποτίσας,

τοῦ δέ τʼ ἐρητύεται κραδίη καὶ θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ

ποινὴν δεξαμένῳ· σοὶ δʼ ἄληκτόν τε κακόν τε

θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι θεοὶ θέσαν εἵνεκα κούρης

whereas we now offer you the seven best we have, and much else into the bargain. Be then of a more gracious mind, respect the hospitality of your own roof. We are with you as messengers from the host of the Danaans, and would fain he held nearest and dearest to yourself of all the Achaeans."

οἴης· νῦν δέ τοι ἑπτὰ παρίσχομεν ἔξοχʼ ἀρίστας,

ἄλλά τε πόλλʼ ἐπὶ τῇσι· σὺ δʼ ἵλαον ἔνθεο θυμόν,

αἴδεσσαι δὲ μέλαθρον· ὑπωρόφιοι δέ τοί εἰμεν

πληθύος ἐκ Δαναῶν, μέμαμεν δέ τοι ἔξοχον ἄλλων

κήδιστοί τʼ ἔμεναι καὶ φίλτατοι ὅσσοι Ἀχαιοί.

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

"Ajax," replied Achilles, "noble son of Telamon, you have spoken much to my liking, but my blood boils when I think it all over, and remember how the son of Atreus treated me with contumely as though I were some vile tramp, and that too in the presence of the Argives. Go, then, and deliver your message; say that I will have no concern with fighting till Hektor, son of noble Priam, reaches the tents of the Myrmidons in his murderous course, and flings fire upon their ships. For all his lust of battle, I take it he will be held in check when he is at my own tent and ship."

Αἶαν διογενὲς Τελαμώνιε κοίρανε λαῶν

πάντά τί μοι κατὰ θυμὸν ἐείσαο μυθήσασθαι·

ἀλλά μοι οἰδάνεται κραδίη χόλῳ ὁππότε κείνων

μνήσομαι ὥς μʼ ἀσύφηλον ἐν Ἀργείοισιν ἔρεξεν

Ἀτρεΐδης ὡς εἴ τινʼ ἀτίμητον μετανάστην.

ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς ἔρχεσθε καὶ ἀγγελίην ἀπόφασθε·

οὐ γὰρ πρὶν πολέμοιο μεδήσομαι αἱματόεντος

πρίν γʼ υἱὸν Πριάμοιο δαΐφρονος Ἕκτορα δῖον

Μυρμιδόνων ἐπί τε κλισίας καὶ νῆας ἱκέσθαι

κτείνοντʼ Ἀργείους, κατά τε σμῦξαι πυρὶ νῆας.

ἀμφὶ δέ τοι τῇ ἐμῇ κλισίῃ καὶ νηῒ μελαίνῃ

Ἕκτορα καὶ μεμαῶτα μάχης σχήσεσθαι ὀΐω.