{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_3059/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_3059","id":"gutenberg_3059","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3059","summary":null,"tags":["Achilles (Mythological character)","Category: Classics of Literature","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Category: Poetry","Classical Antiquity","Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English","Trojan War"],"text":"THE\nILIAD OF HOMER\n\n\nDone into English Prose\nby\n\nAndrew Lang, M.A.                 Walter Leaf, Litt. D.\nLate fellow of Merton College,    Late fellow of Trinity College,\nOxford                            Cambridge\n\nand\n\nErnest Meyers, M.A.\nLate fellow of Wadham College,\nOxford\n\n_REVISED EDITION_\n\n\n\n\nMACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED\nST. MARTINS STREET, LONDON\n1911\n\n\nContents\n\n PREFATORY NOTE.\n\n THE ILIAD OF HOMER\n BOOK I.\n BOOK II.\n BOOK III.\n BOOK IV.\n BOOK V.\n BOOK VI.\n BOOK VII.\n BOOK VIII.\n BOOK IX.\n BOOK X.\n BOOK XI.\n BOOK XII.\n BOOK XIII.\n BOOK XIV.\n BOOK XV.\n BOOK XVI.\n BOOK XVII.\n BOOK XVIII.\n BOOK XIX.\n BOOK XX.\n BOOK XXI.\n BOOK XXII.\n BOOK XXIII.\n BOOK XXIV.\n\n\n\n\nPREFATORY NOTE.\n\n\nThe execution of this version of the _Iliad_ has been entrusted to the\nthree Translators in the following three parts:\n\nBooks I.\u2014IX. . . . . W. LEAF.\nBooks X.\u2014XVI. . . . . A. LANG.\nBooks XVII.\u2014XXIV. . . . . E. MYERS.\n\n\nEach Translator is therefore responsible for his own portion; but the\nwhole has been revised by all three Translators, and the rendering of\npassages or phrases recurring in more than one portion has been\ndetermined after deliberation in common. Even in these, however, a\ncertain elasticity has been deemed desirable.\n\nOn a few doubtful points, though very rarely, the opinion of two of the\ntranslators has had to be adopted to the suppression of that held by\nthe third. Thus, for instance, the Translator of Books X.\u2014XVI. Would\nhave preferred \u201cc\u201d and \u201cus\u201d to \u201ck\u201d and \u201cos\u201d in the spelling of all\nproper names.\n\nThe text followed has been that of La Roche (Leipzig, 1873), except\nwhere the adoption of a different reading has been specified in a\nfootnote. Where the balance of evidence, external and internal, has\nseemed to the Translator to be against the genuineness of the passage,\nsuch passage has been enclosed in brackets [].\n\nThe Translator of Books X.\u2014XVI. has to thank Mr. R.W. RAPER, Fellow of\nTrinity College, Oxford, for his valuable aid in revising the\nproof-sheets of these Books.\n\nNOTE TO REVISED EDITION\n\nIn the present Edition the translation has been carefully revised\nthroughout, and numerous minor corrections have been made. The Notes at\nthe end of the volume have been, with a few exceptions, omitted; one of\nthe Translators hopes to publish very shortly a Companion to the Iliad\nfor English readers, which will deal fully with most of the points\ntherein referred to.\n\nThe use of square brackets has in this edition been restricted to\npassages where there is external evidence, such as absence from the\nbest MSS., for believing in interpolation. One or two departures from\nthis rule are noticed in footnotes.\n\n_November_ 1891\n\n\n\n\nThe sacred soil of Ilios is rent\nWith shaft and pit; foiled waters wander slow\nThrough plains where Simois and Scamander went\nTo war with gods and heroes long ago.\nNot yet to dark Cassandra lying low\nIn rich Mycenae do the Fates relent;\nThe bones of Agamemnon are a show,\nAnd ruined is his royal monument.\nThe dust and awful treasures of the dead\nHath learning scattered wide; but vainly thee,\nHomer, she meteth with her Lesbian lead,\nAnd strives to rend thy songs, too blind is she\nTo know the crown on thine immortal head\nOf indivisible supremacy.\n\n                    A.L.\n\n\n\n\nAthwart the sunrise of our western day\nThe form of great Achilles, high and clear,\nStands forth in arms, wielding the Pelian spear.\nThe sanguine tides of that immortal fray,\nSwept on by gods, around him surge and sway,\nWherethrough the helms of many a warrior peer,\nStrong men and swift, their tossing plumes uprear.\nBut stronger, swifter, goodlier he than they,\nMore awful, more divine. Yet mark anigh;\nSome fiery pang hath rent his soul within,\nSome hovering shade his brows encompasseth.\nWhat gifts hath Fate for all his chivalry?\nEven such as hearts heroic oftenest win;\nHonour, a friend, anguish, untimely death.\n\n                    E.M.\n\n\n\n\nTHE ILIAD OF HOMER\n\n\n\n\nBOOK I.\n\n\nHow Agamemnon and Achilles fell out at the siege of Troy; and Achilles\nwithdrew himself from battle, and won from Zeus a pledge that his wrong\nshould be avenged on Agamemnon and the Achaians.\n\n\nSing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles Peleus\u2019 son, the ruinous wrath\nthat brought on the Achaians woes innumerable, and hurled down into\nHades many strong souls of heroes, and gave their bodies to be a prey\nto dogs and all winged fowls; and so the counsel of Zeus wrought out\nits accomplishment from the day when first strife parted Atreides king\nof men and noble Achilles.\n\nWho then among the gods set the twain at strife and variance? Even the\nson of Leto and of Zeus; for he in anger at the king sent a sore plague\nupon the host, that the folk began to perish, because Atreides had done\ndishonour to Chryses the priest. For he had come to the Achaians\u2019 fleet\nships to win his daughter\u2019s freedom, and brought a ransom beyond\ntelling; and bare in his hands the fillet of Apollo the Far-darter upon\na golden staff; and made his prayer unto all the Achaians, and most of\nall to the two sons of Atreus, orderers of the host: \u201cYe sons of Atreus\nand all ye well-greaved Achaians, now may the gods that dwell in the\nmansions of Olympus grant you to lay waste the city of Priam, and to\nfare happily homeward; only set ye my dear child free, and accept the\nransom in reverence to the son of Zeus, far-darting Apollo.\u201d\n\nThen all the other Achaians cried assent, to reverence the priest and\naccept his goodly ransom; yet the thing pleased not the heart of\nAgamemnon son of Atreus, but he roughly sent him away, and laid stern\ncharge upon him, saying: \u201cLet me not find thee, old man, amid the\nhollow ships, whether tarrying now or returning again hereafter, lest\nthe staff and fillet of the god avail thee naught. And her will I not\nset free; nay, ere that shall old age come on her in our house, in\nArgos, far from her native land, where she shall ply the loom and serve\nmy couch. But depart, provoke me not, that thou mayest the rather go in\npeace.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and the old man was afraid and obeyed his word, and fared\nsilently along the shore of the loud-sounding sea. Then went that aged\nman apart and prayed aloud to king Apollo, whom Leto of the fair locks\nbare: \u201cHear me, god of the silver bow, that standest over Chryse and\nholy Killa, and rulest Tenedos with might, O Smintheus! If ever I built\na temple gracious in thine eyes, or if ever I burnt to thee fat flesh\nof thighs of bulls or goats, fulfil thou this my desire; let the\nDanaans pay by thine arrows for my tears.\u201d\n\nSo spake he in prayer, and Phoebus Apollo heard him, and came down from\nthe peaks of Olympus wroth at heart, bearing on his shoulders his bow\nand covered quiver. And the arrows clanged upon his shoulders in wrath,\nas the god moved; and he descended like to night. Then he sate him\naloof from the ships, and let an arrow fly; and there was heard a dread\nclanging of the silver bow. First did he assail the mules and fleet\ndogs, but afterward, aiming at the men his piercing dart, he smote; and\nthe pyres of the dead burnt continually in multitude.\n\nNow for nine days ranged the god\u2019s shafts through the host; but on the\ntenth Achilles summoned the folk to assembly, for in his mind did\ngoddess Hera of the white arms put the thought, because she had pity on\nthe Danaans when she beheld them perishing. Now when they had gathered\nand were met in assembly, then Achilles fleet of foot stood up and\nspake among them: \u201cSon of Atreus, now deem I that we shall return\nwandering home again\u2014if verily we might escape death\u2014if war at once and\npestilence must indeed ravage the Achaians. But come, let us now\ninquire of some soothsayer or priest, yea, or an interpreter of\ndreams\u2014seeing that a dream too is of Zeus\u2014who shall say wherefore\nPhoebus Apollo is so wroth, whether he blame us by reason of vow or\nhecatomb; if perchance he would accept the savour of lambs or\nunblemished goats, and so would take away the pestilence from us.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and sate him down; and there stood up before them Kalchas\nson of Thestor, most excellent far of augurs, who knew both things that\nwere and that should be and that had been before, and guided the ships\nof the Achaians to Ilios by his soothsaying that Phoebus Apollo\nbestowed on him. He of good intent made harangue and spake amid them:\n\u201cAchilles, dear to Zeus, thou biddest me tell the wrath of Apollo, the\nking that smiteth afar. Therefore will I speak; but do thou make\ncovenant with me, and swear that verily with all thy heart thou wilt\naid me both by word and deed. For of a truth I deem that I shall\nprovoke one that ruleth all the Argives with might, and whom the\nAchaians obey. For a king is more of might when he is wroth with a\nmeaner man; even though for the one day he swallow his anger, yet doth\nhe still keep his displeasure thereafter in his breast till he\naccomplish it. Consider thou, then, if thou wilt hold me safe.\u201d\n\nAnd Achilles fleet of foot made answer and spake to him: \u201cYea, be of\ngood courage, speak whatever soothsaying thou knowest; for by Apollo\ndear to Zeus, him by whose worship thou, O Kalchas, declarest thy\nsoothsaying to the Danaans, no man while I live and behold light on\nearth shall lay violent hands upon thee amid the hollow ships, no man\nof all the Danaans, not even if thou mean Agamemnon, that now avoweth\nhim to be greatest far of the Achaians.\u201d\n\nThen was the noble seer of good courage, and spake: \u201cNeither by reason\nof a vow is he displeased, nor for any hecatomb, but for his priest\u2019s\nsake to whom Agamemnon did despite, and set not his daughter free and\naccepted not the ransom; therefore hath the Far-darter brought woes\nupon us, yea, and will bring. Nor will he ever remove the loathly\npestilence from the Danaans till we have given the bright-eyed damsel\nto her father, unbought, unransomed, and carried a holy hecatomb to\nChryse; then might we propitiate him to our prayer.\u201d\n\nSo said he and sate him down, and there stood up before them the hero\nson of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, sore displeased; and his dark\nheart within him was greatly filled with anger, and his eyes were like\nflashing fire. To Kalchas first spake he with look of ill: \u201cThou seer\nof evil, never yet hast thou told me the thing that is pleasant. Evil\nis ever the joy of thy heart to prophesy, but never yet didst thou tell\nany good matter nor bring to pass. And now with soothsaying thou makest\nharangue among the Danaans, how that the Far-darter bringeth woes upon\nthem because, forsooth, I would not take the goodly ransom of the\ndamsel Chryseis, seeing I am the rather fain to keep her own self\nwithin mine house. Yea, I prefer her before Klytaimnestra my wedded\nwife; in no wise is she lacking beside her, neither in favour nor\nstature, nor wit nor skill. Yet for all this will I give her back, if\nthat is better; rather would I see my folk whole than perishing. Only\nmake ye me ready a prize of honour forthwith, lest I alone of all the\nArgives be disprized, which thing beseemeth not; for ye all behold how\nmy prize is departing from me.\u201d\n\nTo him then made answer fleet-footed goodly Achilles: \u201cMost noble son\nof Atreus, of all men most covetous, how shall the great-hearted\nAchaians give thee a meed of honour? We know naught of any wealth of\ncommon store, but what spoil soe\u2019er we took from captured cities hath\nbeen apportioned, and it beseemeth not to beg all this back from the\nfolk. Nay, yield thou the damsel to the god, and we Achaians will pay\nthee back threefold and fourfold, if ever Zeus grant us to sack some\nwell-walled town of Troy-land.\u201d*\n\nReading with Cobet \u03a4\u03c1\u1ff3\u03ae\u03bd for \u03a4\u03c1\u03bf\u03af\u03b7\u03bd.\n\n\nTo him lord Agamemnon made answer and said: \u201cNot in this wise, strong\nas thou art, O godlike Achilles, beguile thou me by craft; thou shalt\nnot outwit me nor persuade me. Dost thou wish, that thou mayest keep\nthy meed of honour, for me to sit idle in bereavement, and biddest me\ngive her back? Nay, if the great-hearted Achaians will give me a meed\nsuited to my mind, that the recompense be equal\u2014but if they give it\nnot, then I myself will go and take a meed of honour, thine be it or\nAias\u2019, or Odysseus\u2019 that I will take unto me; wroth shall he be to\nwhomsoever I come. But for this we will take counsel hereafter; now let\nus launch a black ship on the great sea, and gather picked oarsmen, and\nset therein a hecatomb, and embark Chryseis of the fair cheeks herself,\nand let one of our counsellors be captain, Aias or Idomeneus or goodly\nOdysseus, or thou, Peleides, most redoubtable of men, to do sacrifice\nfor us and propitiate the Far-darter.\u201d\n\nThen Achilles fleet of foot looked at him scowling and said: \u201cAh me,\nthou clothed in shamelessness, thou of crafty mind, how shall any\nAchaian hearken to thy bidding with all his heart, be it to go a\njourney or to fight the foe amain? Not by reason of the Trojan spearmen\ncame I hither to fight, for they have not wronged me; never did they\nharry mine oxen nor my horses, nor ever waste my harvest in deep-soiled\nPhthia, the nurse of men; seeing there lieth between us long space of\nshadowy mountains and sounding sea; but thee, thou shameless one,\nfollowed we hither to make thee glad, by earning recompense at the\nTrojans\u2019 hands for Menelaos and for thee, thou dog-face! All this thou\nthreatenest thyself to take my meed of honour, wherefor I travailed\nmuch, and the sons of the Achaians gave it me. Never win I meed like\nunto thine, when the Achaians sack any populous citadel of Trojan men;\nmy hands bear the brunt of furious war, but when the apportioning\ncometh then is thy meed far ampler, and I betake me to the ships with\nsome small thing, yet mine own, when I have fought to weariness. Now\nwill I depart to Phthia, seeing it is far better to return home on my\nbeaked ships; nor am I minded here in dishonour to draw thee thy fill\nof riches and wealth.\u201d\n\nThen Agamemnon king of men made answer to him \u201cYea, flee, if thy soul\nbe set thereon. It is not I that beseech thee to tarry for my sake; I\nhave others by my side that shall do me honour, and above all Zeus,\nlord of counsel. Most hateful art thou to me of all kings, fosterlings\nof Zeus; thou ever lovest strife and wars and fightings. Though thou be\nvery strong, yet that I ween is a gift to thee of God. Go home with thy\nships and company and lord it among thy Myrmidons; I reck not aught of\nthee nor care I for thine indignation; and all this shall be my threat\nto thee: seeing Phoebus Apollo bereaveth me of Chryseis, her with my\nship and my company will I send back; and mine own self will I go to\nthy hut and take Briseis of the fair cheeks, even that thy meed of\nhonour, that thou mayest well know how far greater I am than thou, and\nso shall another hereafter abhor to match his words with mine and rival\nme to my face.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and grief came upon Peleus\u2019 son, and his heart within his\nshaggy breast was divided in counsel, whether to draw his keen blade\nfrom his thigh and set the company aside and so slay Atreides, or to\nassuage his anger and curb his soul. While yet he doubted thereof in\nheart and soul, and was drawing his great sword from his sheath, Athene\ncame to him from heaven, sent forth of the white-armed goddess Hera,\nwhose heart loved both alike and had care for them. She stood behind\nPeleus\u2019 son and caught him by his golden hair, to him only visible, and\nof the rest no man beheld her. Then Achilles marvelled, and turned him\nabout, and straightway knew Pallas Athene; and terribly shone her eyes.\nHe spake to her winged words, and said: \u201cWhy now art thou come hither,\nthou daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus? Is it to behold the insolence of\nAgamemnon, son of Atreus. Yea, I will tell thee that I deem shall even\nbe brought to pass: by his own haughtinesses shall he soon lose his\nlife.\u201d\n\nThen the bright-eyed goddess Athene spake to him again: \u201cI came from\nheaven to stay thine anger, if perchance thou wilt hearken to me, being\nsent forth if the white-armed goddess Hera, that loveth you twain alike\nand careth for you. Go to now, cease from strife, and let not thine\nhand draw the sword; yet with words indeed revile him, even as it shall\ncome to pass. For thus will I say to thee, and so it shall be\nfulfilled; hereafter shall goodly gifts come to thee, yea in threefold\nmeasure, by reason of this despite; hold thou thine hand, and hearken\nto us.\u201d\n\nAnd Achilles fleet of foot made answer and said to her: \u201cGoddess, needs\nmust a man observe the saying of you twain, even though he be very\nwroth at heart; for so is the better way. Whosoever obeyeth the gods,\nto him they gladly hearken.\u201d\n\nHe said, and stayed his heavy hand on the silver hilt, and thrust the\ngreat sword back into the sheath, and was not disobedient to the saying\nof Athene; and she forthwith was departed to Olympus, to the other gods\nin the palace of aegis-bearing Zeus.\n\nThen Peleus\u2019 son spake again with bitter words to Atreus\u2019 son, and in\nno wise ceased from anger: \u201cThou heavy with wine, thou with face of dog\nand heart of deer, never didst thou take courage to arm for battle\namong thy folk or to lay ambush with the princes of the Achaians; that\nto thee were even as death. Far better booteth it, forsooth, to seize\nfor thyself the meed of honour of every man through the wide host of\nthe Achaians that speaketh contrary to thee. Folk-devouring king!\nseeing thou rulest men of naught; else were this despite, thou son of\nAtreus, thy last. But I will speak my word to thee, and swear a mighty\noath therewith: verily by this staff that shall no more put forth leaf\nor twig, seeing it hath for ever left its trunk among the hills,\nneither shall it grow green again, because the axe hath stripped it of\nleaves and bark; and now the sons of the Achaians that exercise\njudgment bear it in their hands, even they that by Zeus\u2019 command watch\nover the traditions\u2014so shall this be a mighty oath in thine eyes\u2014verily\nshall longing for Achilles come hereafter upon the sons of the Achaians\none and all; and then wilt thou in no wise avail to save them, for all\nthy grief, when multitudes fall dying before manslaying Hector. Then\nshalt thou tear thy heart within thee for anger that thou didst in no\nwise honour the best of the Achaians.\u201d\n\nSo said Peleides and dashed to earth the staff studded with golden\nnails, and himself sat down; and over against him Atreides waxed\nfurious. Then in their midst rose up Nestor, pleasant of speech, the\nclear-voiced orator of the Pylians, he from whose tongue flowed\ndiscourse sweeter than honey. Two generations of mortal men already had\nhe seen perish, that had been of old time born and nurtured with him in\ngoodly Pylos, and he was king among the third. He of good intent made\nharangue to them and said: \u201cAlas, of a truth sore lamentation cometh\nupon the land of Achaia. Verily Priam would be glad and Priam\u2019s sons,\nand all the Trojans would have great joy of heart, were they to hear\nall this tale of strife between you twain that are chiefest of the\nDanaans in counsel and chiefest in battle. Nay, hearken to me; ye are\nyounger both than I. Of old days held I converse with better men even\nthan you, and never did they make light of me. Yea, I never beheld such\nwarriors, nor shall behold, as were Peirithoos and Dryas shepherd of\nthe host and Kaineus and Exadios and godlike Polyphemos [and Theseus\nson of Aigeus, like to the immortals]. Mightiest of growth were they of\nall men upon the earth; mightiest they were and with the mightiest\nfought they, even the wild tribes of the mountain caves, and destroyed\nthem utterly. And with these held I converse, being come from Pylos,\nfrom a distant land afar; for of themselves they summoned me. So I\nplayed my part in fight; and with them could none of men that are now\non earth do battle. And they laid to heart my counsels and hearkened to\nmy voice. Even so hearken ye also, for better is it to hearken. Neither\ndo thou, though thou art very great, seize from him his damsel, but\nleave her as she was given at the first by the sons of the Achaians to\nbe a meed of honour; nor do thou, son of Peleus, think to strive with a\nking, might against might; seeing that no common honour pertaineth to a\nsceptred king to whom Zeus apportioneth glory. Though thou be strong,\nand a goddess mother bare thee, yet his is the greater place, for he is\nking over more. And thou, Atreides, abate thy fury; nay, it is even I\nthat beseech thee to let go thine anger with Achilles, who is made unto\nall the Achaians a mighty bulwark of evil war.\u201d\n\nThen lord Agamemnon answered and said: \u201cYea verily, old man, all this\nthou sayest is according unto right. But this fellow would be above all\nothers, he would be lord of all and king among all and captain to all;\nwherein I deem none will hearken to him. Though the immortal gods made\nhim a spearman, do they therefore put revilings in his mouth for him to\nutter?\u201d\n\nThen goodly Achilles brake in on him and answered: \u201cYea, for I should\nbe called coward and man of naught, if I yield to thee in every matter,\nhowsoe\u2019er thou bid. To others give now thine orders, not to me [play\nmaster; for thee I deem that I shall no more obey]. This, moreover,\nwill I say to thee, and do thou lay it to thy heart. Know that not by\nviolence will I strive for the damsel\u2019s sake, neither with thee nor any\nother; ye gave and ye have taken away. But of all else that is mine\nbeside my fleet black ship, thereof shalt thou not take anything or\nbear it away against my will. Yea, go to now, make trial, that all\nthese may see; forthwith thy dark blood shall gush about my spear.\u201d\n\nNow when the twain had thus finished the battle of violent words, they\nstood up and dissolved the assembly beside the Achaian ships. Peleides\nwent his way to his huts and trim ships with Menoitios\u2019 son* and his\ncompany; and Atreides launched a fleet ship on the sea, and picked\ntwenty oarsmen therefor, and embarked the hecatomb for the god, and\nbrought Chryseis of the fair cheeks and set her therein; and Odysseus\nof many devices went to be their captain.\n\n* Patroklos\n\n\nSo these embarked and sailed over the wet ways; and Atreides bade the\nfolk purify themselves. So they purified themselves, and cast the\ndefilements into the sea and did sacrifice to Apollo, even unblemished\nhecatombs of bulls and goats, along the shore of the unvintaged sea;\nand the sweet savour arose to heaven eddying amid the smoke.\n\nThus were they busied throughout the host; but Agamemnon ceased not\nfrom the strife wherewith he threatened Achilles at the first; he spake\nto Talthybios and Eurybates that were his heralds and nimble squires:\n\u201cGo ye to the tent of Achilles Peleus\u2019 son, and take Briseis of the\nfair cheeks by the hand and lead her hither; and if he give her not,\nthen will I myself go, and more with me, and seize her; and that will\nbe yet more grievous for him.\u201d\n\nSo saying he sent them forth, and laid stern charge upon them.\nUnwillingly went they along the beach of the unvintaged sea, and came\nto the huts and ships of the Myrmidons. Him found they sitting beside\nhis hut and black ship; nor when he saw them was Achilles glad. So they\nin dread and reverence of the king stood, and spake to him no word, nor\nquestioned him. But he knew in his heart, and spake to them: \u201cAll hail,\nye heralds, messengers of Zeus and men, come near; ye are not guilty in\nmy sight, but Agamemnon that sent you for the sake of the damsel\nBriseis. Go now, heaven-sprung Patroklos, bring forth the damsel, and\ngive them her to lead away. Moreover, let the twain themselves be my\nwitnesses before the face of the blessed gods and mortal men, yea and\nof him, that king untoward, against the day when there cometh need of\nme hereafter to save them all from shameful wreck. Of a truth he raveth\nwith baleful mind, and hath not knowledge to look before and after,\nthat so his Achaians might battle in safety beside their ships.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and Patroklos hearkened to his dear comrade, and led forth\nfrom the hut Briseis of the fair cheeks, and gave them her to lead\naway. So these twain took their way back along the Achaians\u2019 ships, and\nwith them went the woman all unwilling. Then Achilles wept anon, and\nsat him down apart, aloof from his comrades on the beach of the grey\nsea, gazing across the boundless main; he stretched forth his hands and\nprayed instantly to his dear mother: \u201cMother, seeing thou didst of a\ntruth bear me to so brief span of life, honour at the least ought the\nOlympian to have granted me, even Zeus that thundereth on high; but now\ndoth he not honour me, no, not one whit. Verily Atreus\u2019 son,\nwide-ruling Agamemnon, hath done me dishonour; for he hath taken away\nmy meed of honour and keepeth her of his own violent deed.\u201d\n\nSo spake he weeping, and his lady mother heard him as she sate in the\nsea-depths beside her aged sire. With speed arose she from the grey\nsea, like a mist, and sate her before the face of her weeping son, and\nstroked him with her hand, and spake and called on his name: \u201cMy child,\nwhy weepest thou? What sorrow hath entered into they heart? Speak it\nforth, hide it not in thy mind, that both may know it.\u201d\n\nThen with heavy moan Achilles fleet of foot spake to her: \u201cThou knowest\nit; why should I tell this to thee that knowest all! We had fared to\nThebe, the holy city of E\u00ebtion, and laid it waste and carried hither\nall the spoils. So the sons of the Achaians divided among them all\naright; and for Atreides they set apart Chryseis of the fair cheeks.\nBut Chryses, priest of Apollo the Far-darter, came unto the fleet ships\nof the mail-clad Achaians to win his daughter\u2019s freedom, and brought a\nransom beyond telling, and bare in his hands the fillet of Apollo the\nFar-darter upon a golden staff, and made his prayer unto all the\nAchaians, and most of all to the two sons of Atreus, orderers of the\nhost. Then all the other Achaians cried assent, to reverence the priest\nand accept his goodly ransom; yet the thing pleased not the heart of\nAgamemnon son of Atreus, but he roughly sent him away and laid stern\ncharge upon him. So the old man went back in anger; and Apollo heard\nhis prayers, seeing he loved him greatly, and he aimed against the\nArgives his deadly darts. So the people began to perish in multitudes,\nand the god\u2019s shafts ranged everywhither throughout the wide host of\nthe Achaians. Then of full knowledge the seer declared to us the oracle\nof the Far-darter. Forthwith I first bade propitiate the god; but wrath\ngat hold upon Atreus\u2019 son thereat, and anon he stood up and spake a\nthreatening word, that hath now been accomplished. Her the\nglancing-eyed Achaians are bringing on their fleet ship to Chryse, and\nbear with them offerings to the king; and the other but now the heralds\nwent and took from my hut, even the daughter of Briseus, whom the sons\nof the Achaians gave me. Thou therefore, if indeed thou canst, guard\nthine own* son; betake thee to Olympus and beseech Zeus by any deed or\nword whereby thou ever didst make glad his heart. For oft have I heard\nthee proclaiming in my father\u2019s halls and telling that thou alone amid\nthe immortals didst save the son of Kronos, lord of the storm-cloud,\nfrom shameful wreck, when all the other Olympians would have bound him,\neven Hera and Poseidon and Pallas Athene. Then didst thou, O goddess,\nenter in and loose him from his bonds, having with speed summoned to\nhigh Olympus him of the hundred arms whom gods call Briareus, but all\nmen call Aigaion; for he is mightier even than his father\u2014so he sate\nhim by Kronion\u2019s side rejoicing in his triumph, and the blessed gods\nfeared him withal and bound not Zeus. This bring thou to his\nremembrance and sit by him and clasp his knees, if perchance he will\ngive succour to the Trojans; and for the Achaians, hem them among their\nships\u2019 sterns about the bay, given over to slaughter; that they may\nmake trial of their king, and that even Atreides, wide-ruling\nAgamemnon, may perceive his blindness, in that he honoured not at all\nthe best of the Achaians.\u201d\n\n* Reading \u1f11\u03bf\u1fd6\u03bf.\n\n\nThen Thetis weeping made answer to him: \u201cAh me, my child, why reared I\nthee, cursed in my motherhood? Would thou hadst been left tearless and\ngriefless amid the ships, seeing thy lot is very brief and endureth no\nlong while; but now art thou made short-lived alike and lamentable\nbeyond all men; in an evil hour I bare thee in our halls. But I will go\nmyself to snow-clad Olympus to tell this thy saying to Zeus, whose joy\nis in the thunder*, if perchance he may hearken to me. But tarry thou\nnow amid thy fleet-faring ships, and continue wroth with the Achaians,\nand refrain utterly from battle: for Zeus went yesterday to Okeanos,\nunto the noble Ethiopians for a feast, and all the gods followed with\nhim; but on the twelfth day will he return to Olympus, and then will I\nfare to Zeus\u2019 palace of the bronze threshold, and will kneel to him and\nthink to win him.\u201d\n\n* perhaps rather, \u201churler of the thunderbolt.\u201d\n\n\nSo saying she went her way and left him there, vexed in spirit for the\nfair-girdled woman\u2019s sake, whom they had taken perforce despite his\nwill: and meanwhile Odysseus came to Chryse with the holy hecatomb.\nWhen they were now entered within the deep haven, they furled their\nsails and laid them in the black ship, and lowered the mast by the\nforestays and brought it to the crutch with speed, and rowed her with\noars to the anchorage. Then they cast out the mooring stones and made\nfast the hawsers, and so themselves went forth on to the sea-beach, and\nforth they brought the hecatomb for the Far-darter Apollo, and forth\ncame Chryseis withal from the seafaring ship. Then Odysseus of many\ncounsels brought her to the altar and gave her into her father\u2019s arms,\nand spake unto him: \u201cChryses, Agamemnon king of men sent me hither to\nbring thee thy daughter, and to offer to Phoebus a holy hecatomb on the\nDanaans\u2019 behalf, wherewith to propitiate the king that hath now brought\nsorrow and lamentation on the Argives.\u201d\n\nSo saying he gave her to his arms, and he gladly took his dear child;\nand anon they set in order for the god the holy hecatomb about his\nwell-builded altar; next washed they their hands and took up the barley\nmeal. Then Chryses lifted up his hands and prayed aloud for them:\n\u201cHearken to me, god of the silver bow that standest over Chryse and\nholy Killa, and rulest Tenedos with might; even as erst thou heardest\nmy prayer, and didst me honour, and mightily afflictest the people of\nthe Achaians, even so now fulfil me this my desire: remove thou from\nthe Danaans forthwith the loathly pestilence.\u201d\n\nSo spake he in prayer, and Phoebus Apollo heard him. Now when they had\nprayed and sprinkled the barley meal, first they drew back the victims\u2019\nheads and slaughtered them and flayed them, and cut slices from the\nthighs and wrapped them in fat, making a double fold, and laid raw\ncollops thereon, and the old man burnt them on cleft wood and made\nlibation over them of gleaming wine; and at his side the young men in\ntheir hands held five-pronged forks. Now when the thighs were burnt and\nthey had tasted the vitals, then sliced they all the rest and pierced\nit through with spits, and roasted it carefully, and drew all off\nagain. So when they had rest from the task and had made ready the\nbanquet, they feasted, nor was their heart aught stinted of the fair\nbanquet. But when they had put away from them the desire of meat and\ndrink, the young men crowned the bowls with wine, and gave each man his\nportion after the drink-offering had been poured into the cups. So all\nday long worshipped they the god with music, singing the beautiful\npaean, the sons of the Achaians making music to the Far-darter;* and\nhis heart was glad to hear. And when the sun went down and darkness\ncame on them, they laid them to sleep beside the ship\u2019s hawsers; and\nwhen rosy-fingered Dawn appeared, the child of morning, then set they\nsail for the wide camp of the Achaians; and Apollo the Far-darter sent\nthem a favouring gale. They set up their mast and spread the white\nsails forth, and the wind filled the sail\u2019s belly and the dark wave\nsang loud about the stem as the ship made way, and she sped across the\nwave, accomplishing her journey. So when they were now come to the wide\ncamp of the Achaians, they drew up their black ship to land high upon\nthe sands, and set in line the long props beneath her; and themselves\nwere scattered amid their huts and ships.\n\n* Or, \u201cthe Averter\u201d (of pestilence).\n\n\nBut he sat by his swift-faring ships, still wroth, even the\nheaven-sprung son of Peleus, Achilles fleet of foot; he betook him\nneither to the assembly that is the hero\u2019s glory, neither to war, but\nconsumed his heart in tarrying in his place, and yearned for the\nwar-cry and for battle.\n\nNow when the twelfth morn thereafter was come, then the gods that are\nfor ever fared to Olympus all in company, led of Zeus. And Thetis\nforgat not her son\u2019s charge, but rose up from the sea-wave, and at\nearly morn mounted up to great heaven and Olympus. There found she\nKronos\u2019 son of the far-sounding voice sitting apart from all on the\ntopmost peak of many-ridged Olympus. So she sat before his face and\nwith her left hand clasped his knees, and with her right touched him\nbeneath his chin, and spake in prayer to king Zeus son of Kronos:\n\u201cFather Zeus, if ever I gave thee aid amid the immortal gods, whether\nby word or deed, fulfil thou this my desire: do honour to my son, that\nis doomed to earliest death of all men: now hath Agamemnon king of men\ndone him dishonour, for he hath taken away his meed of honour and\nkeepeth her of his own violent deed. But honour thou him, Zeus of\nOlympus, lord of counsel; grant thou victory to the Trojans the while\nuntil the Achaians do my son honour and exalt him with recompense.\u201d\n\nSo spake she; but Zeus the cloud-gatherer said no word to her, and sat\nlong time in silence. But even as Thetis had clasped his knees, so held\nshe by him clinging, and questioned him yet a second time: \u201cPromise me\nnow this thing verily, and bow thy head thereto; or else deny me,\nseeing there is naught for thee to fear; that I may know full well how\nI among all gods am least in honour.\u201d\n\nThen Zeus the cloud-gatherer, sore troubled, spake to her: \u201cVerily it\nis a sorry matter, if thou wilt set me at variance with Hera, whene\u2019er\nshe provoketh me with taunting words. Even now she upbraideth me ever\namid the immortal gods, and saith that I aid the Trojans in battle. But\ndo thou now depart again, lest Hera mark aught; and I will take thought\nfor these things to fulfil them. Come now, I will bow my head to thee,\nthat thou mayest be of good courage; for that, of my part, is the\nsurest token amid the immortals; no word of mine is revocable nor false\nnor unfulfilled when the bowing of my head hath pledged it.\u201d\n\nKronion spake, and bowed his dark brow, and the ambrosial locks waved\nfrom the king\u2019s immortal head; and he made great Olympus quake.\n\nThus the twain took counsel and parted; she leapt therewith into the\ndeep sea from glittering Olympus, and Zeus fared to his own palace. All\nthe gods in company arose from their seats before their father\u2019s face;\nneither ventured any to await his coming, but stood up all before him.\nSo he sate him there upon his throne; but Hera saw, and was not\nignorant how that the daughter of the Ancient of the sea, Thetis the\nsilver-footed, had devised counsel with him. Anon with taunting words\nspake she to Zeus the son of Kronos: \u201cNow who among the gods, thou\ncrafty of mind, hath devised counsel with thee? It is ever thy good\npleasure to hold aloof from me and in secret meditation to give thy\njudgments, nor of thine own good will hast thou ever brought thyself to\ndeclare unto me the thing thou purposest.\u201d\n\nThen the father of gods and men made answer her: \u201cHera, think not thou\nto know all my sayings; hard they are for thee, even though thou art my\nwife. But whichsoever it is seemly for thee to hear, none sooner than\nthou shall know, be he god or man. Only when I will to take thought\naloof from the gods, then do not thou ask of every matter nor make\nquestion.\u201d\n\nThen Hera the ox-eyed queen made answer to him. \u201cMost dread son of\nKronos, what word is this thou hast spoken? Yea, surely of old I have\nnot asked thee nor made question, but in my heart sore afraid lest thou\nhave been won over by silver-footed Thetis, daughter of the Ancient of\nthe sea, for she at early morn sat by thee and clasped thy knees. To\nher I deem thou gavest a sure pledge that thou wilt do honour to\nAchilles, and lay many low beside the Achaians\u2019 ships.\u201d\n\nTo her made answer Zeus the cloud-gatherer: \u201cLady, Good lack! ever art\nthou imagining, nor can I escape thee; yet shalt thou in no wise have\npower to fulfil, but wilt be the further from my heart; that shall be\neven the worse for thee. And if it be so, then such must my good\npleasure be. Abide thou in silence and hearken to my bidding, lest all\nthe gods that are in Olympus keep not off from thee my visitation, when\nI put forth my hands unapproachable against thee.\u201d\n\nHe said, and Hera the ox-eyed queen was afraid, and sat in silence,\ncurbing her heart; but throughout Zeus\u2019 palace the gods of heaven were\ntroubled. Then Hephaistos the famed craftsman began to make harangue\namong them, to do kindness to his mother, white-armed Hera: \u201cVerily\nthis will be a sorry matter, neither any more endurable, if ye twain\nthus fight for mortals\u2019 sakes, and bring wrangling among the gods;\nneither will there any more be joy of the goodly feast, seeing that\nevil triumpheth. So I give counsel to my mother, though herself is\nwise, to do kindness to our dear father Zeus, that our father upbraid\nus not again and cast the banquet in confusion. What if the Olympian,\nthe lord of the lightning, will to dash us from our seats! for he is\nstrongest far. Nay, approach thou him with gentle words, then will the\nOlympian forthwith be gracious unto us.\u201d\n\nSo speaking he rose up and sat in his dear mother\u2019s hand the\ntwy-handled cup, and spake to her: \u201cBe of good courage, mother mine,\nand endure, though thou art vexed, lest I behold thee, thou art so\ndear, chastised before mine eyes, and then shall I not be able for all\nmy sorrow to save thee; for the Olympian is a hard foe to face. Yea,\nonce ere this, when I was fain to save thee, he caught me by my foot\nand hurled me from the heavenly threshold; all day I flew, and at the\nset of sun I fell in Lemnos, and little life was in me. There did the\nSintian folk forthwith tend me for my fall.\u201d\n\nHe spake, and the white-armed goddess Hera smiled, and smiling took the\ncup at her son\u2019s hand. Then he poured wine to all the other gods from\nright to left, ladling the sweet nectar from the bowl. And laughter\nunquenchable arose amid the blessed gods to see Hephaistos bustling\nthrough the palace.\n\nSo feasted they all day till the setting of the sun; nor was their soul\naught stinted of the fair banquet, nor of the beauteous lyre that\nApollo held, and the Muses singing alternately with sweet voice.\n\nNow when the bright light of the sun was set, these went each to his\nown house to sleep, where each one had his palace made with cunning\ndevice by famed Hephaistos the lame god; and Zeus the Olympian, the\nlord of lightning, departed to his couch where he was wont of old to\ntake his rest, whenever sweet sleep visited him. There went he up and\nslept, and beside him was Hera of the golden throne.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK II.\n\n\nHow Zeus beguiled Agamemnon by a dream; and of the assembly of the\nAchaians and their marching forth to battle. And of the names and\nnumbers of the hosts of the Achaians and the Trojans.\n\n\nNow all other gods and chariot-driving men slept all night long, only\nZeus was not holden of sweet sleep; rather was he pondering in his\nheart how he should do honour to Achilles and destroy many beside the\nAchaians\u2019 ships. And this design seemed to his mind the best, to wit,\nto send a baneful dream upon Agamemnon son of Atreus. So he spake, and\nuttered to him winged words: \u201cCome now, thou baneful Dream, go to the\nAchaians\u2019 fleet ships, enter into the hut of Agamemnon son of Atreus,\nand tell him every word plainly as I charge thee. Bid him call to arms\nthe flowing-haired Achaians with all speed, for that now he may take\nthe wide-wayed city of the Trojans. For the immortals that dwell in the\nhalls of Olympus are no longer divided in counsel, since Hera hath\nturned the minds of all by her beseeching, and over the Trojans sorrows\nhang.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and the Dream went his way when he had heard the charge.\nWith speed he came to the Achaians\u2019 fleet ships, and went to Agamemnon\nson of Atreus, and found him sleeping in his hut, and ambrosial slumber\npoured over him. So he stood over his head in seeming like unto the son\nof Neleus, even Nestor, whom most of all the elders Agamemnon honoured;\nin his likeness spake to him the heavenly Dream:\n\n\u201cSleepest thou, son of wise Atreus tamer of horses? To sleep all night\nthrough beseemeth not one that is a counsellor, to whom peoples are\nentrusted and so many cares belong. But now hearken straightway to me,\nfor I am a messenger to thee from Zeus, who though he be afar yet hath\ngreat care for thee and pity. He biddeth thee call to arms the\nflowing-haired Achaians with all speed, for that now thou mayest take\nthe wide-wayed city of the Trojans. For the immortals that dwell in the\nhalls of Olympus are no longer divided in counsel, since Hera hath\nturned the minds of all by her beseeching, and over the Trojans sorrows\nhang by the will of Zeus. But do thou keep this in thy heart, not let\nforgetfulness come upon thee when honeyed sleep shall leave thee.\u201d\n\nSo spake the Dream, and departed and left him there, deeming in his\nmind things that were not to be fulfilled. For indeed he thought to\ntake Priam\u2019s city that very day; fond man, in that he knew not the\nplans that Zeus had in mind, who was willed to bring yet more grief and\nwailing on Trojans alike and Danaans throughout the course of stubborn\nfights. Then woke he from sleep, and the heavenly voice was in his\nears. So he rose up sitting, and donned his soft tunic, fair and\nbright, and cast around him his great cloak, and beneath his glistering\nfeet he bound his fair sandals, and over his shoulders cast his\nsilver-studded sword, and grasped his sires\u2019 sceptre, imperishable for\never, wherewith he took his way amid the mail-clad Achaians\u2019 ships.\n\nNow went the goddess Dawn to high Olympus, foretelling daylight to Zeus\nand all the immortals; and the king bade the clear-voiced heralds\nsummon to the assembly the flowing-haired Achaians. So did those\nsummon, and these gathered with speed.\n\nBut first the council of the great-hearted elders met beside the ship\nof king Nestor the Pylos-born. And he that had assembled them framed\nhis cunning counsel: \u201cHearken, my friends. A dream from heaven came to\nme in my sleep through the ambrosial night, and chiefly to goodly\nNestor was very like in shape and bulk and stature. And it stood over\nmy head and charged me saying: \u2018Sleepest thou, son of wise Atreus tamer\nof horses? To sleep all night through beseemeth not one that is a\ncounsellor, to whom peoples are entrusted and so many cares belong. But\nnow hearken straightway to me, for I am a messenger to thee from Zeus,\nwho though he be afar yet hath great care for thee and pity. He biddeth\nthee call to arms the flowing-haired Achaians with all speed, for that\nnow thou mayest take the wide-wayed city of the Trojans. For the\nimmortals that dwell in the palaces of Olympus are no longer divided in\ncounsel, since Hera hath turned the minds of all by her beseeching, and\nover the Trojans sorrows hang by the will of Zeus. But do thou keep\nthis in thy heart.\u2019 So spake the dream and was flown away, and sweet\nsleep left me. So come, let us now call to arms as we may the sons of\nthe Achaians. But first I will speak to make trial of them as is\nfitting, and bid them flee with their benched ships; only do ye from\nthis side and from that speak to hold them back.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and sate him down; and there stood up among them Nestor,\nwho was king of sandy Pylos. He of good intent made harangue to them\nand said: \u201cMy friends, captains and rulers of the Argives, had any\nother of the Achaians told us this dream we might deem it a false\nthing, and rather turn away therefrom; but now he hath seen it who of\nall Achaians avoweth himself far greatest. So come, let us call to arms\nas we may the sons of the Achaians.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and led the way forth from the council, and all the other\nsceptred chiefs rose with him and obeyed the shepherd of the host; and\nthe people hastened to them. Even as when the tribes of thronging bees\nissue from the hollow rock, ever in fresh procession, and fly\nclustering among the flowers of spring, and some on this hand and some\non that fly thick; even so from ships and huts before the low beach\nmarched forth their many tribes by companies to the place of assembly.\nAnd in their midst blazed forth Rumour, messenger of Zeus, urging them\nto go; and so they gathered. And the place of assemblage was in an\nuproar, and the earth echoed again as the hosts sate them down, and\nthere was turmoil. Nine heralds restrained them with shouting, if\nperchance they might refrain from clamour, and hearken to their kings,\nthe fosterlings of Zeus. And hardly at the last would the people sit,\nand keep them to their benches and cease from noise. Then stood up lord\nAgamemnon bearing his sceptre, that Hephaistos had wrought curiously.\nHephaistos gave it to king Zeus son of Kronos, and then Zeus gave it to\nthe messenger-god the slayer of Argus;* and king Hermes gave it to\nPelops the charioteer, and Pelops again gave it to Atreus shepherd of\nthe host. And Atreus dying left it to Thyestes rich in flocks, and\nThyestes in his turn left it to Agamemnon to bear, that over many\nislands and all Argos he should be lord. Thereon he leaned and spake\nhis saying to the Argives:\n\n* Or, possibly, \u201cthe swift-appearing\u201d\n\n\n\u201cMy friends, Danaan warriors, men of Ares\u2019 company, Zeus Kronos\u2019 son\nhath bound me with might in grievous blindness of soul; hard of heart\nis he, for that erewhile he promised me and pledged his nod that not\ntill I had wasted well-walled Ilios should I return; but now see I that\nhe planned a cruel wile and biddeth me return to Argos dishonoured,\nwith the loss of many of my folk. So meseems it pleaseth most mighty\nZeus, who hath laid low the head of many a city, yea, and shall lay\nlow; for his is highest power. Shame is this even for them that come\nafter to hear; how so goodly and great a folk of the Achaians thus\nvainly warred a bootless war, and fought scantier enemies, and no end\nthereof is yet seen. For if perchance we were minded, both Achaians and\nTrojans, to swear a solemn truce, and to number ourselves, and if the\nTrojans should gather together all that have their dwellings in the\ncity, and we Achaians should marshal ourselves by tens, and every\ncompany choose a Trojan to pour their wine, then would many tens lack a\ncup-bearer: so much, I say, do the sons of the Achaians outnumber the\nTrojans that dwell within the city. But allies from many cities, even\nwarriors that wield the spear, are therein, and they hinder me\nperforce, and for all my will suffer me not to waste the populous\ncitadel of Ilios. Already have nine years of great Zeus passed away,\nand our ships\u2019 timbers have rotted and the tackling is loosed; while\nthere our wives and little children sit in our halls awaiting us; yet\nis our task utterly unaccomplished wherefor we came hither. So come,\neven as I bid let us all obey. Let us flee with our ships to our dear\nnative land; for now shall we never take wide-wayed Troy.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and stirred the spirit in the breasts of all throughout\nthe multitude, as many as had not heard the council. And the assembly\nswayed like high sea-waves of the Icarian Main that east wind and south\nwind raise, rushing upon them from the clouds of father Zeus; and even\nas when the west wind cometh to stir a deep cornfield with violent\nblast, and the ears bow down, so was all the assembly stirred, and they\nwith shouting hasted toward the ships; and the dust from beneath their\nfeet rose and stood on high. And they bade each man his neighbor to\nseize the ships and drag them into the bright salt sea, and cleared out\nthe launching-ways, and the noise went up to heaven of their hurrying\nhomewards; and they began to take the props from beneath the ships.\n\nThen would the Argives have accomplished their return against the will\nof fate, but that Hera spake a word to Athene: \u201cOut on it, daughter of\naegis-bearing Zeus, unwearied maiden! Shall the Argives thus indeed\nflee homeward to their dear native land over the sea\u2019s broad back? But\nthey would leave to Priam and the Trojans their boast, even Helen of\nArgos, for whose sake many an Achaian hath perished in Troy, far away\nfrom his dear native land. But go thou now amid the host of the\nmail-clad Achaians; with thy gentle words refrain thou every man,\nneither suffer them to draw their curved ships down to the salt sea.\u201d\n\nSo spake she, and the bright-eyed goddess Athene disregarded not; but\nwent darting down from the peaks of Olympus, and came with speed to the\nfleet ships of the Achaians. There found she Odysseus standing, peer of\nZeus in counsel, neither laid he any hand upon his decked black ship,\nbecause grief had entered into his heart and soul. And bright-eyed\nAthene stood by him and said: \u201cHeaven-sprung son of Laertes, Odysseus\nof many devices, will ye indeed fling yourselves upon your benched\nships to flee homeward to your dear native land? But ye would leave to\nPriam and the Trojans their boast, even Helen of Argos, for whose sake\nmany an Achaian hath perished in Troy, far from his dear native land.\nBut go thou now amid the host of the Achaians, and tarry not; and with\ngentle words refrain every man, neither suffer them to draw their\ncurved ships down to the salt sea.\u201d\n\nSo said she, and he knew the voice of the goddess speaking to him, and\nset him to run, and cast away his mantle, the which his herald gathered\nup, even Eurybates of Ithaca, that waited on him. And himself he went\nto meet Agamemnon son of Atreus, and at his hand received the sceptre\nof his sires, imperishable for ever, wherewith he took his way amid the\nships of the mail-clad Achaians.\n\nWhenever he found one that was a captain and a man of mark, he stood by\nhis side, and refrained him with gentle words: \u201cGood sir, it is not\nseemly to affright thee like a coward, but do thou sit thyself and make\nall thy folk sit down. For thou knowest not yet clearly what is the\npurpose of Atreus\u2019 son; now is he but making trial, and soon he will\nafflict the sons of the Achaians. And heard we not all of us what he\nspake in the council? Beware lest in his anger he evilly entreat the\nsons of the Achaians. For proud is the soul of heaven-fostered kings;\nbecause their honour is of Zeus, and the god of counsel loveth them.\u201d*\n\nReading \u03b4\u03b9\u03bf\u03c4\u03c1\u03b5\u03c6\u03ad\u03c9\u03bd \u03b2\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03bb\u03ae\u03c9\u03bd with Zenodotos.\n\n\nBut whatever man of the people he saw and found him shouting, him he\ndrave with his sceptre and chode him with loud words: \u201cGood sir, sit\nstill and hearken to the words of others that are thy betters; but thou\nart no warrior, and a weakling, never reckoned whether in battle or in\ncouncil. In no wise can we Achaians all be kings here. A multitude of\nmasters is no good thing; let there be one master, one king, to whom\nthe son of crooked-counselling Kronos hath granted it, [even the\nsceptre and judgments, that he may rule among you\u201d].\n\nSo masterfully ranged he the host; and they hasted back to the assembly\nfrom ships and huts, with noise as when a wave of loud-sounding sea\nroareth on the long beach and the main resoundeth.\n\nNow all the rest sat down and kept their place upon the benches, only\nThersites still chattered on, the uncontrolled of speech, whose mind\nwas full of words many and disorderly, wherewith to strive against the\nchiefs idly and in no good order, but even as he deemed that he should\nmake the Argives laugh. And he was ill-favored beyond all men that came\nto Ilios. Bandy-legged was he, and lame of one foot, and his two\nshoulders rounded, arched down upon his chest; and over them his head\nwas warped, and a scanty stubble sprouted on it. Hateful was he to\nAchilles above all and to Odysseus, for them he was wont to revile. But\nnow with shrill shout he poured forth his upbraidings upon goodly\nAgamemnon. With him the Achaians were sore vexed and had indignation in\ntheir souls. But he with loud shout spake and reviled Agamemnon:\n\u201cAtreides, for what art thou now ill content and lacking? Surely thy\nhuts are full of bronze and many women are in they huts, the chosen\nspoils that we Achaians give thee first of all, whene\u2019er we take a\ntown. Can it be that thou yet wantest gold as well, such as some one of\nthe horse-taming Trojans may bring from Ilios to ransom his son, whom I\nperchance or some other Achaian have led captive; or else some young\ngirl, to know in love, whom thou mayest keep apart to thyself? But it\nis not seemly for one that is their captain to bring the sons of the\nAchaians to ill. Soft fools, base things of shame, ye women of Achaia\nand men no more, let us depart home with our ships, and leave this\nfellow here in Troy-land to gorge him with meeds of honour, that he may\nsee whether our aid avail him aught or no; even he that hath now done\ndishonour to Achilles, a far better man than he; for he hath taken away\nhis meed of honour and keepeth it by his own violent deed. Of a very\nsurety is there no wrath at all in Achilles\u2019 mind, but he is slack;\nelse this despite, thou son of Atreus, were thy last.\u201d\n\nSo spake Thersites, reviling Agamemnon shepherd of the host. But goodly\nOdysseus came straight to his side, and looking sternly at him with\nhard words rebuked him: \u201cThersites, reckless in words, shrill orator\nthough thou art, refrain thyself, nor aim to strive singly against\nkings. For I deem that no mortal is baser than thou of all that with\nthe sons of Atreus came before Ilios. Therefore were it well that thou\nshouldest not have kings in thy mouth as thou talkest, and utter\nrevilings against them and be on the watch for departure. We know not\nyet clearly how these things shall be, whether we sons of the Achaians\nshall return for good or for ill. Therefore now dost thou revile\ncontinually Agamemnon son of Atreus, shepherd of the host, because the\nDanaan warriors give him many gifts, and so thou talkest tauntingly.\nBut I will tell thee plain, and that I say shall even be brought to\npass: if I find thee again raving as now thou art, then may Odysseus\u2019\nhead no longer abide upon his shoulders, nor may I any more be called\nfather of Telemachos, if I take thee not and strip from thee thy\ngarments, thy mantle and tunic that cover thy nakedness, and for\nthyself send thee weeping to the fleet ships, and beat thee out of the\nassembly with shameful blows.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and with his staff smote his back and shoulders: and he\nbowed down and a big tear fell from him, and a bloody weal stood up\nfrom his back beneath the golden sceptre. Then he sat down and was\namazed, and in pain with helpless look wiped away the tear. But the\nrest, though they were sotty, laughed lightly at him, and thus would\none speak looking at another standing by: \u201cGo to, of a truth Odysseus\nhath wrought good deeds without number ere now, standing foremost in\nwise counsels and setting battle in array, but now is this thing the\nbest by far that he hath wrought among the Argives, to wit, that he\nhath stayed this prating railer from his harangues. Never again,\nforsooth, will his proud soul henceforth bid him revile the kings with\nslanderous words.\u201d\n\nSo said the common sort; but up rose Odysseus waster of cities, with\nsceptre in his hand. And by his side bright-eyed Athene in the likeness\nof a herald bade the multitude keep silence, that the sons of the\nAchaians, both the nearest and the farthest, might hear his words\ntogether and give heed to his counsel. He of good intent made harangue\nto them and said: \u201cAtreides, now surely are the Achaians for making\nthee, O king, most despised among all mortal men, nor will they fulfil\nthe promise that they pledged thee when they still were marching hither\nfrom horse-pasturing Argos; that thou shouldest not return till thou\nhadst laid well-walled Ilios waste. For like young children or widow\nwomen do they wail each to the other of returning home. Yea, here is\ntoil to make a man depart disheartened. For he that stayeth away but\none single month far from his wife in his benched ship fretteth himself\nwhen winter storms and the furious sea imprison him; but for us, the\nninth year of our stay here is upon us in its course. Therefore do I\nnot marvel that the Achaians should fret beside their beaked ships; yet\nnevertheless is it shameful to wait long and to depart empty. Be of\ngood heart, my friends, and wait a while, until we learn whether\nKalchas be a true prophet or no. For this thing verily we know well in\nour hearts, and ye all are witnesses thereof, even as many as the fates\nof death have not borne away. It was as it were but yesterday or the\nday before that the Achaians\u2019 ships were gathering in Aulis, freighted\nwith trouble for Priam and the Trojans; and we round about a spring\nwere offering on the holy altars unblemished hecatombs to the\nimmortals, beneath a fair plane-tree whence flowed bright water, when\nthere was seen a great portent: a snake blood-red on the back,\nterrible, whom the god of Olympus himself had sent forth to the light\nof day, sprang from beneath the altar and darted to the plane-tree. Now\nthere were there the brood of a sparrow, tender little ones, upon the\ntopmost branch, nestling beneath the leaves; eight were they and the\nmother of the little ones was the ninth, and the snake swallowed these\ncheeping pitifully. And the mother fluttered around wailing for her\ndear little ones; but he coiled himself and caught her by the wing as\nshe screamed about him. Now when he had swallowed the sparrow\u2019s little\nones and the mother with them, the god who revealed him made of him a\nsign; for the son of crooked-counselling Kronos turned him to stone,\nand we stood by and marvelled to see what was done. So when the dread\nportent brake in upon the hecatombs of the gods, then did Kalchas\nforthwith prophesy, and said: \u2018Why hold ye your peace, ye\nflowing-haired Achaians? To us hath Zeus the counsellor shown this\ngreat sign, late come, of late fulfilment, the fame whereof shall never\nperish. Even as he swallowed the sparrow\u2019s little ones and herself, the\neight wherewith the mother that bare the little ones was the ninth, so\nshall we war there so many years, but in the tenth year shall we take\nthe wide-wayed city.\u2019 So spake the seer; and now are all these things\nbeing fulfilled. So come, abide ye all, ye well-greaved Achaians, even\nwhere ye are, until we have taken the great city of Priam.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and the Argives shouted aloud, and all round the ships\nechoed terribly to the voice of the Achaians as they praised the saying\nof god-like Odysseus. And then spake among them knightly Nestor of\nGerenia: \u201cOut on it; in very truth ye hold assembly like silly boys\nthat have no care for deeds of war. What shall come of our covenants\nand our oaths? Let all counsels be cast into the fire and all devices\nof warriors and the pure drink-offerings and the right hands of\nfellowship wherein we trusted. For we are vainly striving with words\nnor can we find any device at all, for all our long tarrying here. Son\nof Atreus, do thou still, as erst, keep steadfast purpose and lead the\nArgives amid the violent fray; and for these, let them perish, the one\nor two Achaians that take secret counsel\u2014though fulfilment shall not\ncome thereof\u2014to depart to Argos first, before they know whether the\npromise of aegis-bearing Zeus be a lie or no. Yea, for I say that most\nmighty Kronion pledged us his word that day when the Argives embarked\nupon their fleet ships, bearing unto the Trojans death and fate; for by\nhis lightning upon our right he manifested signs of good. Therefore let\nTrojan\u2019s wife and paid back his strivings and groans for Helen\u2019s sake.\nBut if any man is overmuch desirous to depart homewards, let him lay\nhis hand upon his decked black ship, that before all men he may\nencounter death and fate. But do thou, my king, take good counsel\nthyself, and hearken to another that shall give it; the word that I\nspeak, whate\u2019er it be, shall not be cast away. Separate thy warriors by\ntribes and by clans, Agamemnon, that clan may give aid to clan and\ntribe to tribe. If thou do thus and the Achaians hearken to thee, then\nwilt thou know who among thy captains and who of the common sort is a\ncoward, and who too is brave; for they will fight each after their\nsort. So wilt thou know whether it is even by divine command that thou\nshalt not take the city, or by the baseness of thy warriors and their\nill skill in battle.\u201d\n\nAnd lord Agamemnon answered and said to him: \u201cVerily hast thou again\noutdone the sons of the Achaians in speech, old man. Ah, father Zeus\nand Athene and Apollo, would that among the Achaians I had ten such\ncouncillors; then would the city of king Priam soon bow beneath our\nhands, captive and wasted. But aegis-bearing Zeus, the son of Kronos,\nhath brought sorrows upon me, in that he casteth my lot amid fruitless\nwranglings and strifes. For in truth I and Achilles fought about a\ndamsel with violent words, and I was first to be angry; but if we can\nonly be at one in council, then will there no more be any putting off\nthe day of evil for the Trojans, no not for an instant. But now go ye\nto your meal that we may join battle. Let each man sharpen well his\nspear and bestow well his shield, and let him well give his\nfleet-footed steeds their meal, and look well to his chariot on every\nside and take thought for battle, that all day long we may contend in\nhateful war. For of respite shall there intervene no, not a whit, only\nthat the coming of night shall part the fury of warriors. On each man\u2019s\nbreast shall the baldrick of his covering shield be wet with sweat, and\nhis hand shall grow faint about the spear, and each man\u2019s horse shall\nsweat as he draweth the polished chariot. And whomsoever I perceive\nminded to tarry far from the fight beside the beaked ships, for him\nshall there be no hope hereafter to escape the dogs and birds of prey.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and the Argives shouted aloud, like to a wave on a steep\nshore, when the south wind cometh and stirreth it; even on a jutting\nrock, that is never left at peace by the waves of all winds that rise\nfrom this side and from that. And they stood up and scattered in haste\nthroughout the ships, and made fires in the huts and took their meal.\nAnd they did sacrifice each man to one of the everlasting gods, praying\nfor escape from death and the tumult of battle. But Agamemnon king of\nmen slew a fat bull of five years to most mighty Kronion, and called\nthe elders, the princes of the Achaian host, Nestor first and king\nIdomeneus, and then the two Aiantes and Tydeus\u2019 son, and sixthly\nOdysseus peer of Zeus in counsel. And Menelaos of the loud war-cry came\nto him unbidden, for he knew in his heart how his brother toiled. Then\nstood they around the bull and took the barley-meal. And Agamemnon made\nhis prayer in their midst and said: \u201cZeus, most glorious, most great,\ngod of the storm-cloud, that dwellest in the heaven, vouchsafe that the\nsun set not upon us nor the darkness come near, till I have laid low\nupon the earth Priam\u2019s palace smirched with smoke, and burnt the\ndoorways thereof with consuming fire, and rent on Hector\u2019s breast his\ndoublet cleft with the blade; and about him may full many of his\ncomrades prone in the dust bite the earth.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, but not as yet would Kronion grant him fulfilment; he\naccepted the sacrifice, but made toil to wax increasingly.\n\nNow when they had prayed and sprinkled the barley-meal they first drew\nback the bull\u2019s head and cut his throat and flayed him, and cut slices\nfrom the thighs and wrapped them in fat, making a double fold, and laid\nraw collops thereon. And these they burnt on cleft wood stript of\nleaves, and spitted the vitals and held them over Hephaistos\u2019 flame.\nNow when the thighs were burnt and they had tasted the vitals, then\nsliced they all the rest and pierced it through with spits, and roasted\nit carefully and drew all off again. So when they had rest from the\ntask and had made ready the banquet, they feasted, nor was their heart\naught stinted of the fair banquet. But when they had put away from them\nthe desire of meat and drink, then did knightly Nestor of Gerenia open\nhis saying to them: \u201cMost noble son of Atreus, Agamemnon king of men,\nlet us not any more hold long converse here, nor for long delay the\nwork that god putteth in our hands; but come, let the heralds of the\nmail-clad Achaians make proclamation to the folk and gather them\nthroughout the ships; and let us go thus in concert through the wide\nhost of the Achaians, that the speedier we may arouse keen war.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and Agamemnon king of men disregarded not. Straightway he\nbade the clear-voiced heralds summon to battle the flowing-haired\nAchaians. So those summoned and these gathered with all speed. And the\nkings, the fosterlings of Zeus that were about Atreus\u2019 son, eagerly\nmarshalled them, and bright-eyed Athene in the midst, bearing the holy\naegis that knoweth neither age nor death, whereon wave an hundred\ntassels of pure gold, all deftly woven and each one an hundred oxen\nworth. Therewith she passed dazzling through the Achaian folk, urging\nthem forth; and in every man\u2019s heart she roused strength to battle\nwithout ceasing and to fight. So was war made sweeter to them than to\ndepart in their hollow ships to their dear native land. Even as\nravaging fire kindleth a boundless forest on a mountain\u2019s peaks, and\nthe blaze is seen from afar, even so as they marched went the dazzling\ngleam from the innumerable bronze through the sky even unto the\nheavens.\n\nAnd as the many tribes of feathered birds, wild geese or cranes or\nlong-necked swans, on the Asian mead by Kaystrios\u2019 stream, fly hither\nand thither joying in their plumage, and with loud cries settle ever\nonwards, and the mead resounds; even so poured forth the many tribes of\nwarriors from ships and huts into the Skamandrian plain. And the earth\nechoed terribly beneath the tread of men and horses. So stood they in\nthe flowery Skamandrian plain, unnumbered as are leaves and flowers in\ntheir season. Even as the many tribes of thick flies that hover about a\nherdsman\u2019s steading in the spring season, when milk drencheth the\npails, even in like number stood the flowing-haired Achaians upon the\nplain in face of the Trojans, eager to rend them asunder. And even as\nthe goatherds easily divide the ranging flocks of goats when they\nmingle in the pasture, so did their captains marshal them on this side\nand that, to enter into the fray, and in their midst lord Agamemnon,\nhis head and eyes like unto Zeus whose joy is in the thunder, and his\nwaist like unto Ares and his breast unto Poseidon. Even as a bull\nstandeth out far foremost amid the herd, for he is pre-eminent amid the\npasturing kine, even such did Zeus make Atreides on that day,\npre-eminent among many and chief amid heroes.\n\nTell me now, ye Muses that dwell in the mansions of Olympus\u2014seeing that\nye are goddesses and are at hand and know all things, but we hear only\na rumour and know not anything\u2014who were the captains of the Danaans and\ntheir lords. But the common sort could I not number nor name, nay, not\nif ten tongues were mine and ten mouths, and a voice unwearied, and my\nheart of bronze within me, did not the Muses of Olympus, daughters of\naegis-bearing Zeus, put into my mind all that came to Ilios. So will I\ntell the captains of the ships and all the ships in order.\n\nOf the Boiotians Peneleos and Leitos were captains, and Arkesilaos and\nProtho\u00ebnor and Klonios; these were they that dwelt in Hyria and rocky\nAulis and Schoinos and Skolos and Eteonos full of ridges, Thespeia and\nGraia and Mykalessos with wide lawns; and that dwelt about Harma and\nEilesion and Erythrai, and they that possessed Eleon and Peteon and\nHyle, Okalea and the stablished fortress of Medeon, Kopai and Eutresis\nand Thisbe haunt of doves; and they of Koroneia and grassy Haliartos,\nand that possessed Plataia and that dwelt in Glisas, and that possessed\nthe stablished fortress of lesser Thebes and holy Onchestos, Poseidon\u2019s\nbright grove; and that possessed Arne rich in vineyards, and Mideia and\nsacred Nisa and Anthedon on the furthest borders. Of these there came\nfifty ships, and in each one embarked young men of the Boiotians an\nhundred and twenty. And they that dwelt in Aspledon and Orchomenos of\nthe Minyai were led of Askalaphos and Ialmenos, sons of Ares, whom\nAstyoche conceived of the mighty god in the palace of Aktor son of\nAzeus, having entered her upper chamber, a stately maiden; for mighty\nAres lay with her privily. And with them sailed thirty hollow ships.\n\nAnd the Phokians were led of Schedios and Epistrophos, sons of\ngreat-hearted Iphitos son of Naubolos; these were they that possessed\nKyparissos and rocky Pytho and sacred Krisa and Daulis and Panopeus,\nand they that dwelt about Anemoreia and Hyampolis, yea, and they that\nlived by the goodly river Kephisos and possessed Lilaia by Kephisos\u2019\nsprings. And with them followed forty black ships. So they marshalled\nthe ranks of the Phokians diligently, and had their station hard by the\nBoiotians on the left.\n\nAnd of the Lokrians the fleet son of Oileus was captain, Aias the less,\nthat was not so great as was the Telamonian Aias but far less. Small\nwas he, with linen corslet, but with the spear he far outdid all the\nHellenes and Achaians. These were they that dwelt in Kynos and Opus and\nKalliaros and Bessa and Skarphe and lovely Augeiai and Tarphe and\nThronion, about the streams of Boagrios. And with Aias followed forty\nblack ships of the Lokrians that dwell over against holy Euboia.\n\nAnd the Abantes breathing fury, they that possessed Euboia and Chalkis\nand Eiretria and Histiaia rich in vines, and Kerinthos by the sea and\nthe steep fortress of Dios, and they that possessed Karytos, and they\nthat dwelt in Styra, all these again were led of Elephenor of the stock\nof Ares, even the son of Chalkodon, and captain of the proud Abantes.\nAnd with him followed the fleet Abantes with hair flowing behind,\nspearmen eager with ashen shafts outstretched to tear the corslets on\nthe breasts of the foes. And with him forty black ships followed.\n\nAnd they that possessed the goodly citadel of Athens, the domain of\nErechtheus the high-hearted, whom erst Athene daughter of Zeus fostered\nwhen Earth, the grain-giver, brought him to birth;\u2014and she gave him a\nresting-place in Athens in her own rich sanctuary; and there the sons\nof the Athenians worship him with bulls and rams as the years turn in\ntheir courses\u2014these again were led of Menestheus son of Peteos. And\nthere was no man upon the face of earth that was like him for the\nmarshalling of horsemen and warriors that bear the shield. Only Nestor\nrivalled him, for he was the elder by birth. And with him rivalled him,\nfor he was the elder by birth. And with him fifty black ships followed.\n\nAnd Aias led twelve ships from Salamis, [and brought them and set them\nwhere the battalions of the Athenians stood.]\n\nAnd they that possessed Argos and Tiryns of the great walls, Hermione\nand Asine that enfold the deep gulf, Troizen and E\u00efonai and Epidauros\nfull of vines, and the youths of the Achaians that possessed Aigina and\nMases, these were led of Diomedes of the loud war-cry and Sthenelos,\ndear son of famous Kapaneus. And the third with them came Euryalos, a\ngodlike warrior, the son of king Mekisteus son of Talaos. But Diomedes\nof the loud war-cry was lord over all. And with them eighty black ships\nfollowed.\n\nAnd of them that possessed the stablished fortress of Mykene and\nwealthy Corinth and stablished Kleonai, and dwelt in Orneiai and lovely\nAraithyrea and Sikyon, wherein Adrestos was king at the first; and of\nthem that possessed Hyperesie and steep Gonoessa and Pellene, and dwelt\nabout Aigion and through all the coast-land and about broad Helike, of\nthem did lord Agamemnon son of Atreus lead an hundred ships. With him\nfollowed most and goodliest folk by far; and in their midst himself was\nclad in flashing bronze, all glorious, and was pre-eminent amid all\nwarriors, because he was goodliest and led folk far greatest in number.\n\nAnd of them that possessed Lakedaimon lying low amid the rifted hills,\nand Pharis and Sparta and Messe, the haunt of doves, and dwelt in\nBryseiai and lovely Augeiai, and of them too that possessed Amyklai and\nthe sea-coast fortress of Helos, and that possessed Laas and dwelt\nabout Oitylos, of these was the king\u2019s brother leader, even Menelaos of\nthe loud war-cry, leader of sixty ships, and these were arrayed apart.\nAnd himself marched among them confident in his zeal, urging his men to\nbattle: and his heart most of all was set to take vengeance for his\nstrivings and groans for Helen\u2019s sake.*\n\n* Or, \u201cfor Helen\u2019s searchings of heart and groans.\u201d\n\n\nAnd of them that dwelt in Pylos and lovely Arene and Thryon the\nfording-place of Alpheios, and in established Aipy, and were\ninhabitants of Kyparisseis and Amphigeneia and Pteleos and Helos and\nDorion\u2014where the Muses met Thamyris the Thracian, and made an end of\nhis singing, as he was faring from Oichalia, from Eurytos the\nOichalian; for he averred with boasting that he would conquer, even did\nthe Muses themselves sing against him, the daughters of aegis-bearing\nZeus; but they in their anger maimed him, moreover they took from him\nthe high gift of song and made him to forget his harping\u2014of all these\nwas knightly Nestor of Gerenia leader, and with him sailed ninety\nhollow ships.\n\nAnd of them that possessed Arkadia beneath the steep mountain of\nKyllene, beside the tomb of Aipytos, where are warriors that fight hand\nto hand; and of them that dwelt in Pheneos and Orchomenos abounding in\nflocks, and Rhipe and Stratie and windy Enispe, and that possessed\nTegea and lovely Mantineia, and possessed Stymphelos and dwelt in\nParrhasie, of these was Ankaios\u2019 son lord Agapenor leader, even of\nsixty ships; and in each ship embarked many Arkadian warriors skilled\nin fight. For Agamemnon king of men himself gave them benched ships\nwherewith to cross the wine-dark sea, even he the son of Atreus; for\nmatters of seafaring concerned them not.\n\nAnd they too that inhabited Bouprasion and goodly Elis, so much thereof\nas Hyrmine and Myrsinos upon the borders and the Olenian rock and\nAleision bound between them, of these men there were four captains, and\nten swift ships followed each one, and many Epeians embarked thereon.\nSo some were led of Amphimachos and Thalpios, of the lineage of Aktor,\nsons one of Kteatos and one of Eurytos; and of some was stalwart Diores\ncaptain, son of Amarynkes; and of the fourth company godlike Polyxeinos\nwas captain, son of king Agasthenes Augeias\u2019 son.\n\nAnd them of Doulichion and the holy Echinean Isles that stand beyond\nthe sea over against Elis, even these did Meges lead, the peer of Ares,\nPhyleides to wit, for he was begotten of knightly Phyleus dear to Zeus,\nhim that erst changed his habitation to Doulichion for anger against\nhis father. And with him followed forty black ships.\n\nAnd Odysseus led the great-hearted Kephallenians, them that possessed\nIthaka and Neriton with quivering leafage, and dwelt in Krokyleia and\nrugged Aigilips, and them that possessed Zakynthos and that dwelt in\nSamos, and possessed the mainland and dwelt in the parts over against\nthe isles. Them did Odysseus lead, the peer of Zeus in counsel, and\nwith him followed twelve ships with vermillion prow.\n\nAnd of the Aitolians Thoas was captain, the son of Andraimon, even of\nthem that dwelt in Pleuron and Olenos and Pylene, and Chalkis on the\nsea-shore and rocky Kalydon. For the sons of great-hearted Oineus were\nno more, neither did he still live, and golden-haired Meleagros was\ndead, to whose hands all had been committed, for him to be king of the\nAitolians. And with Thoas there followed forty black ships.\n\nAnd of the Cretans Idomeneus the famous spearman was leader, even of\nthem that possessed Knosos and Gortys of the great walls, Lyktos and\nMiletos and chalky Lykastos and Phaistos and Rhytion, stablished cities\nall; and of all others that dwelt in Crete of the hundred cities. Of\nthese men was Idomeneus the famous spearman leader, and Meriones peer\nof the man-slaying war-god. With these followed eighty black ships.\n\nAnd Tlepolemmos, Herakles\u2019 son goodly and tall, led from Rhodes nine\nships of the lordly Rhodians, that dwelt in Rhodes in threefold\nordering, in Lindos and Ialysos and chalky Kameiros. These were led of\nTlepolemos the famous spearman, that was born to great Herakles by\nAstyocheia, whom he had brought away from Ephyre by the river Selle\u00ebis,\nwhen he laid waste many cities of strong men, fosterlings of Zeus. Now\nwhen Tlepolemos had grown to manhood within the strong palace walls,\nanon he slew his own father\u2019s dear uncle, an old man now, Likymnios of\nthe stock of Ares. Then with speed built he ships and gathered much\nfolk together, and went fleeing across the deep, because the other sons\nand grandsons of great Herakles threatened him. So he came to Rhodes a\nwanderer, enduring hardships, and his folk settled by kinship in three\ntribes, and were loved of Zeus that is king among gods and men; and\nKronion poured upon them exceeding great wealth.\n\nNireus, moreover, led three trim ships from Syme, Nireus son of Aglaia\nand king Charopos, Nireus the most beauteous man that came up under\nIlios of all the Danaans, after the noble son of Peleus. Howbeit he was\na weakling, and a scanty host followed him.\n\nAnd of them that possessed Nisyros and Krapathos and Kasos and Kos the\ncity of Eurypylos, and the Kalydnian Isles, of them Pheidippos and\nAntiphos were leaders, the two sons of king Thessalos son of Herakles.\nWith them were arrayed thirty hollow ships.\n\nNow all moreover that dwelt in the Pelasgian Argos and inhabited Alos\nand Alope and Trachis and possessed Phthia and Hellas the home of fair\nwomen, and were called Myrmidons and Hellenes and Achaians; of all\nthese, even fifty ships, Achilles was captain. But these took no\nthought of noisy war; for there was no man to array them in line of\nbattle. For fleet-footed goodly Achilles lay idle amid the ships, wroth\nfor the sake of a damsel, Briseis of the lovely hair, whom he had won\nfrom Lyrnessos with much travail, what time he laid waste Lyrnessos and\nthe walls of Thebe, and overthrew Mynes and Epistrophos, warriors that\nbare the spear, sons of king Euenos Selepos\u2019 son. For her sake lay\nAchilles sorrowing; but soon was he to arise again.\n\nAnd of them that possessed Phylake and flowery Pyrasos, Demeter\u2019s\nsanctuary, and Iton mother of flocks, and Antron by the sea-shore and\nPteleos couched in grass, of all these was warlike Protesilaos leader\nwhile yet he lived; but now ere this the black earth held him fast. His\nwife with marred visage was left alone in Phylake, yea, and his bridal\nchamber half builded; for a Dardanian warrior slew him as he leapt from\nhis ship far first of the Achaians. Yet neither were his men\nleaderless, though they sorrowed for their leader; for Podarkes of the\nstock of Ares marshalled them, son of Phylakos\u2019 son Iphiklos was he,\nthe lord of many flocks, own brother of great-hearted Protesilaos, and\nyounger-born than he: but the other was alike the elder and the braver,\neven Protesilaos, that mighty man of war. Yet did not the host lack at\nall a leader, only they yearned for the noble dead. With him followed\nforty black ships.\n\nAnd of them that dwelt in Pherai by the Boibeian mere, in Boibe and\nGlaphyre and stablished Iolkos, of them, even eleven ships, Admetos\u2019\ndear son was leader, Eumelos whom Alkestis, fair among women, bare to\nAdmetos, she that was most beauteous to look upon of the daughters of\nPelias.\n\nAnd of them that dwelt in Methone and Thaumakie, and possessed Meliboia\nand rugged Olizon, of these, even seven ships, was Philoktetes leader,\nthe cunning archer; and in each ship sailed fifty oarsmen skilled to\nfight amain with the bow. But their captain lay enduring sore pain in\nthe isle of goodly Lemnos, where the sons of the Achaians left him sick\nof a grievous wound from a deadly water-snake. There lay he pining; yet\nwere the Argives soon to bethink them beside their ships of king\nPhiloktetes. Yet neither were his men leaderless, only they sorrowed\nfor their leader; but Medon marshalled them, Oileus\u2019 bastard son, whom\nRhene bare to Oileus waster of cities.\n\nAnd of them that possessed Trikke and terraced Ithome and that\npossessed Oichalia city of Eurytos the Oichalian, of these again\nAsklepios\u2019 two sons were leaders, the cunning leeches Podaleirios and\nMachaon. And with them were arrayed thirty hollow ships.\n\nAnd of them that possessed Ormenios and the fountain of Hypereia, and\npossessed Asterion and the white crests of Titanos, of these was\nEurypylos leader, Euaimon\u2019s glorious son; and with him forty black\nships followed.\n\nAnd of them that possessed Argissa and dwelt in Gyrtona, Orthe and\nElone and the white city of Oloosson, of these was captain unflinching\nPolypoites, son of Peirithoos that immortal Zeus begat: and Polypoites\ndid famed Hippodameia conceive of Peirithoos on that day when he took\nvengeance of the shaggy wild folk, and thrust them forth from Pelion\nand drave them to the Aithikes. And Polypoites ruled not alone, but\nwith him was Leonteus of the stock of Ares, son of high-hearted Koronos\nKaineus\u2019s son. And with them forty black ships followed.\n\nAnd Gouneus from Kyphos led two-and-twenty ships, and with him followed\nthe Enienes and unflinching Peraibians that had pitched their homes\nabout wintry Dodona, and dwelt on the tilth about lovely Titaresios\nthat poureth his fair-flowing stream into Peneios. Yet doth he not\nmingle with the silver eddies of Peneios, but floweth on over him like\nunto oil, seeing that he is an offspring from the water of Styx, the\ndread river of the oath.\n\nAnd the Magnetes were led of Prothoos son of Tenthredon, even they that\ndwelt about Peneios and Pelion with trembling leafage. These did fleet\nProthoos lead, and with him forty black ships followed.\n\nSo these were the leaders of the Danaans and their captains. Now tell\nme, O Muse, who among them was first and foremost, of warriors alike\nand horses that followed the sons of Atreus. Of horses they of Pheres\u2019\nson were far goodliest, those that Eumelos drave, swift as birds, like\nof coat, like of age, matched to the measure of a levelling line across\ntheir backs. These were reared in Peraia by Apollo of the silver bow,\ntwo mares carrying onward the terror of battle. But of warriors far\nbest was the Telamonian Aias, while the wrath of Achilles yet endured;\nfor he was greatest of all, he and his horses that bore him, even\nPeleus\u2019 noble son. But he lay idle among his seafaring ships, in sore\nwrath against Agamemnon Atreus\u2019 son, shepherd of the host; and his folk\nalong the sea-shore sported with quoits and with casting of javelins\nand archery; and the horses each beside his own chariot stood idle,\nchamping clover and parsley of the marsh, and their lords\u2019 chariots lay\nwell covered up within the huts, while the men yearned for their\nwarrior chief, and wandered hither and thither through the camp and\nfought not.\n\nSo marched they then as though all the land were consuming with fire;\nand the earth groaned beneath them as at the wrath of Zeus whose joy is\nin the thunder, when he lasheth the earth about Typhoeus in the country\nof the Arimoi, where men say is Typhoeus\u2019 couch. Even so groaned the\nearth aloud at their tread as they went: and with speed advanced they\nacross the plain.\n\nNow fleet Iris the wind-footed went to the Trojans, a messenger from\naegis-bearing Zeus, with a grievous message. These were holding\nassembly at Priam\u2019s gate, being gathered all together both young men\nand old. And fleet-footed Iris stood hard by and spake to them; and she\nmade her voice like to the voice of Polites son of Priam, who was the\nsentinel of the Trojans and was wont to sit trusting in his fleetness\nupon the barrow of Aisyetes of old, and on the top thereof wait the\nsallying of the Achaians forth from their ships. Even in his likeness\ndid fleet-footed Iris speak to Priam: \u201cOld man, words beyond number are\nstill pleasant to thee as erst in the days of peace; but war without\nrespite is upon us. Of a truth have I very oft ere now entered into\nbattles of the warriors, yet have I never seen so goodly a host and so\ngreat; for in the very likeness of the leaves of the forest or the\nsands of the sea are they marching along the plain to fight against the\ncity. But Hector, thee do I charge beyond all to do even as I shall\nsay. Seeing that the allies are very many throughout Priam\u2019s great\ncity, and diverse men, being scattered abroad, have diverse tongues;\ntherefore let each one give the word to those whose chieftain he is,\nand them let him lead forth and have the ordering of his countrymen.\u201d\n\nSo spake she, and Hector failed not to know the voice of the goddess,\nand straightway dismissed the assembly, and they rushed to arms. And\nthe gates were thrown open wide, and the host issued forth, footmen and\nhorsemen, and mighty din arose.\n\nNow there is before the city a certain steep mound apart in the plain,\nwith a clear way about it on this side and on that; and men indeed call\nthis \u201cBatieia,\u201d but the immortals call it \u201cThe tomb of lithe Myrine.\u201d\nThere did the Trojans and their allies divide their companies.\n\nAmid the Trojans great Hector of the glancing helm was leader, the son\nof Priam; with him the greatest hosts by far and the goodliest were\narrayed, eager warriors of the spear.\n\nBut the Dardanians were led of the princely son of Anchises, Aineias,\nwhom bright Aphrodite conceived to Anchises amids the spurs of Ida, a\ngoddess wedded to a mortal. Neither was he alone; with him were\nAntenor\u2019s two sons, Archelochos and Akamas, well skilled in all the\nways of war.\n\nAnd of them that dwelt in Zeleia beneath the nethermost foot of Ida,\nthe men of substance that drink the dark waters of Aisepos, even the\nTroes; of these Lykaon\u2019s glorious son was leader, Pandaros, to whom\nApollo himself gave the bow.\n\nAnd of them that possessed Adresteia and the land of Apaisos and\npossessed Pityeia and the steep hill of Tereia, of these Adrestos was\ncaptain, and Amphios of the linen corslet, the two sons of Merops of\nPerkote, that beyond all men knew soothsaying, and would have hindered\nhis children marching to murderous war. But they gave him no heed, for\nthe fates of black death led them on.\n\nAnd they that dwelt about Perkote and Praktios and possessed Sestos and\nAbydos and bright Arisbe, these were led of Hyrtakos\u2019 son Asios, a\nprince of men, Asios son of Hyrtakos, whom his tall sorrel steeds\nbrought from Arisbe, from the river Selle\u00ebis.\n\nAnd Hippothoos led the tribes of the Pelasgians that fight with spears,\nthem that inhabited deep-soiled Larisa. These were led of Hippothoos\nand Pylaios of the stock of Ares, twain sons of Pelasgian Lethos son of\nTeutamos.\n\nAnd the Thracians were led of Akamas and hero Peiroos, even all they\nthat the strong stream of Hellespont shutteth in. And Euphemos was\ncaptain of the Kikonian spearmen, the son of Troizenos Keos\u2019 son,\nfosterling of Zeus.\n\nBut Pyraichmes led the Paionians with curving bows, from far away in\nAmydon, from the broad stream of Axios, Axios whose water is the\nfairest that floweth over the face of the earth.\n\nAnd Pylaimenes of rugged heart led the Paphlagonians from the land of\nthe Eneti, whence is the breed of wild mules. This folk were they that\npossessed Kytoros and dwelt about Sesamon, and inhabited their famed\ndwellings round the river Parthenios and Kromna and Aigialos and lofty\nErythini.\n\nAnd the Alizones were led of Odios and Epistrophos, from far away in\nAlybe, where is the birthplace of silver.\n\nAnd the Mysians were led of Chromis and Ennomos the augur, yet with all\nhis auguries warded he not black fate from him, but was vanguished by\nthe hand of fleet-footed Aiakides in the river, when he made havoc of\nthe Trojans there and of the rest.\n\nAnd Phorkys and godlike Askanios led the Phrygians from far Askania,\nand these were eager to fight in the battle-throng.\n\nAnd the Maionians were commanded of Mesthles and Antiphos, Talaimenes\u2019\ntwo sons, whose mother was the Gygaian mere. So these led the\nMaionians, whose birthplace was under Tmolos.\n\nBut Nastes led the Karians, uncouth of speech, that possessed Miletos\nand the mountain of Phthires, of leafage numberless, and the streams of\nMaiandros and the steep crest of Mykale. These were led of Amphimachos\nand Nastes: Nastes and Amphimachos the glorious children of Nomion. And\nhe came, forsooth, to battle with golden attire like a girl\u2014fond man:\nthat held not back in any wise grievous destruction, but he was\nvanguished by the hands of fleet-footed Aiakides in the river, and\nwise-hearted Achilles carried away his gold.\n\nAnd Sarpedon and blameless Glaukos led the Lykians from far away in\nLykia by eddying Xanthos.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK III.\n\n\nHow Menelaos and Paris fought in single combat; and Aphrodite rescued\nParis. And how Helen and Priam beheld the Achaian host from the walls\nof Troy.\n\n\nNow when they were arrayed, each company with their captains, the\nTrojans marched with clamour and with shouting like unto birds, even as\nwhen there goeth up before heaven a clamour of cranes which flee from\nthe coming of winter and sudden rain, and fly with clamour towards the\nstreams of ocean, bearing slaughter and fate to the Pigmy men, and in\nearly morn offer cruel battle. But on the other side marched the\nAchaians in silence breathing courage, eager at heart to give succour\nman to man.\n\nEven as when the south wind sheddeth mist over the crests of a\nmountain, mist unwelcome to the shepherd, but to the robber better than\nnight, and a man can see no further than he casteth a stone; even so\nthick arose the gathering dust-clouds at their tread as they went; and\nwith all speed they advanced across the plain.\n\nSo when they were now come nigh in onset on each other, godlike\nAlexandros played champion to the Trojans, wearing upon his shoulders\npanther-skin and curved bow and sword; and he brandished two\nbronze-headed spears and challenged all the chieftains of the Argives\nto fight him man to man in deadly combat. But when Menelaos dear to\nAres marked him coming in the forefront of the multitude with long\nstrides, then even as a lion is glad when he lighteth upon a great\ncarcase, a horned stag, or a wild goat that he hath found, being an\nhungered; and so he devoureth it amain, even though the fleet hounds\nand lusty youths set upon him; even thus was Menelaos glad when his\neyes beheld godlike Alexandros; for he thought to take vengeance upon\nthe sinner. So straightway he leapt in his armour from his chariot to\nthe ground.\n\nBut when godlike Alexandros marked him appear amid the champions, his\nheart was smitten, and he shrank back into the host of his comrades,\navoiding death. And even as a man that hath seen a serpent in a\nmountain glade starteth backward and trembling seizeth his feet beneath\nhim, and he retreateth back again, and paleness hath hold of his\ncheeks, even so did godlike Alexandros for fear of Atreus\u2019 son shrink\nback into the throng of lordly Trojans. But Hector beheld and upbraided\nhim with scornful words: \u201cIll Paris, most fair in semblance, thou\ndeceiver woman-mad, would thou hadst been unborn and died unwed. Yea,\nthat were my desire, and it were far better than thus to be our shame\nand looked at askance of all men. I ween that the flowing-haired\nAchaians laugh, deeming that a prince is our champion only because a\ngoodly favour is his; but in his heart is there no strength nor any\ncourage. Art thou indeed such an one that in thy seafaring ships thou\ndidst sail over the deep with the company of thy trusty comrades, and\nin converse with strangers didst bring back a fair woman from a far\ncountry, one that was by marriage daughter to warriors that bear the\nspear, that she might be a sore mischief to thy father and city and all\nthe realm, but to our foes a rejoicing, and to thyself a hanging of the\nhead? And canst thou not indeed abide Menelaos dear to Ares? Thou\nmightest see what sort of warrior is he whose lovely wife thou hast.\nThy lyre will not avail thee nor the gifts of Aphrodite, those thy\nlocks and fair favour, when thou grovellest in the dust. But the\nTrojans are very cowards: else ere this hadst thou donned a robe of\nstone* for all the ill thou hast wrought.\u201d\n\n* _i.e_., been stoned by the people.\n\n\nAnd godlike Alexandros made answer to him again: \u201cHector, since in\nmeasure thou chidest me and not beyond measure\u2014thy heart is ever keen,\neven as an axe that pierceth a beam at the hand of a man that shapeth a\nship\u2019s timber with skill, and thereby is the man\u2019s blow strengthened;\neven such is thy heart undaunted in thy breast. Cast not in my teeth\nthe lovely gifts of golden Aphrodite; not to be flung aside are the\ngods\u2019 glorious gifts that of their own good will they give; for by his\ndesire can no man win them. But now if thou wilt have me do battle and\nfight, make the other Trojans sit down and all the Achaians, and set ye\nme in the midst, and Menelaos dear to Ares, to fight for Helen and all\nher wealth. And whichsoever shall vanquish and gain the upper hand, let\nhim take all the wealth aright, and the woman, and bear them home. And\nlet the rest pledge friendship and sure oaths; so may ye dwell in\ndeep-soiled Troy, and let them depart to Argos pasture-land of horses,\nand Achaia home of fair women.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and Hector rejoiced greatly to hear his saying, and went\ninto the midst and restrained the battalions of the Trojans, with his\nspear grasped by the middle; and they all sate them down. But the\nflowing-haired Achaians kept shooting at him, aiming with arrows and\ncasting stones. But Agamemnon king of men cried aloud: \u201cRefrain, ye\nArgives; shoot not, ye sons of the Achaians; for Hector of the glancing\nhelm hath set himself to say somewhat.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and they refrained from battle and made silence speedily.\nAnd Hector spake between the two hosts, \u201cHear of me, Trojans and\nwell-greaved Achaians, the saying of Alexandros, for whose sake strife\nhath come about. He biddeth the other Trojans and all the Achaians to\nlay down their goodly armour on the bounteous earth, and himself in the\nmidst and Menelaos dear to Ares to fight alone for Helen and all her\nwealth. And whichsoever shall vanquish and gain the upper hand, let him\ntake all the wealth aright, and the woman, and bear them home; but let\nall of us pledge friendship and sure oaths.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and they all kept silence and were still. Then in their\nmidst spake Menelaos of the loud war-cry: \u201cHearken ye now to me, too;\nfor into my heart most of all is grief entered; and I deem that the\nparting of Argives and Trojans hath come at last; seeing ye have\nendured many ills because of my quarrel and the first sin of\nAlexandros. And for whichsoever of us death and fate are prepared, let\nhim lie dead: and be ye all parted with speed. Bring ye two lambs, one\nwhite ram and one black ewe, for earth and sun; and let us bring one\nfor Zeus. And call hither great Priam, that he may pledge the oath\nhimself, seeing he hath sons that are overweening and faithless, lest\nany by transgression do violence to the oath of Zeus; for young men\u2019s\nhearts are ever lifted up. But wheresoever an old man entereth in, he\nlooketh both before and after, whereby the best issue shall come for\neither side.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and Achaians and Trojans were glad, deeming that they\nshould have rest from grievous war. So they refrained their chariots to\nthe ranks, and themselves alighted and doffed their arms. And these\nthey laid upon the earth each close to each, and there was but small\nspace between. And Hector sent two heralds to the city will all speed,\nto bring the lambs, and to call Priam. And lord Agamemnon sent forth\nTalthybios to go to the hollow ships, and bade him bring a ram; and he\nwas not disobedient to noble Agamemnon.\n\nNow Iris went with a message to white-armed Helen in the likeness of\nher husband\u2019s sister, the spouse of Antenor\u2019s son, even her that lord\nHelikaon Antenor\u2019s son had to wife, Laodike fairest favoured of Priam\u2019s\ndaughters. And in the hall she found Helen weaving a great purple web\nof double fold, and embroidering thereon many battles of horse-taming\nTrojans and mail-clad Achaians, that they had endured for her sake at\nthe hands of Ares. So fleet-footed Iris stood by her side and said:\n\u201cCome hither, dear sister, that thou mayest see the wondrous doings of\nhorse-taming Trojans and mail-clad Achaians. They that erst waged\ntearful war upon each other in the plain, eager for deadly battle, even\nthey sit now in silence, and the tall spears are planted by their\nsides. But Alexandros and Menelaos dear to Ares will fight with their\ntall spears for thee; and thou wilt be declared the dear wife of him\nthat conquereth.\u201d\n\nSo spake the goddess, and put into her heart sweet longing for her\nformer husband and her city and parents.\n\nForthwith she veiled her face in shining linen, and hastened from her\nchamber, letting fall a round tear; not unattended, for there followed\nwith her two handmaidens, Aithre daughter of Pittheus and ox-eyed\nKlymene. Then came she straightway to the place of the Skaian gates.\nAnd they that were with Priam and Panthoos and Thymoites and Lampos and\nKlytios and Hiketaon of the stock of Ares, Oukalegon withal and\nAntenor, twain sages, being elders of the people, sat at the Skaian\ngates. These had now ceased from battle for old age, yet were they\nright good orators, like grasshoppers that in a forest sit upon a tree\nand utter their lily-like* voice; even so sat the elders of the Trojans\nupon the tower. Now when they saw Helen coming to the tower they softly\nspake winged words one to the other: \u201cSmall blame is it that Trojans\nand well-greaved Achaians should for such a woman long time suffer\nhardships; marvellously like is she to the immortal goddesses to look\nupon. Yet even so, though she be so goodly, let her go upon their ships\nand not stay to vex us and our children after us.\u201d\n\n* Supposed to mean \u201cdelicate\u201d or \u201ctender\u201d.\n\n\nSo said they, and Priam lifted up his voice and called to Helen: \u201cCome\nhither, dear child, and sit before me, that thou mayest see thy former\nhusband and they kinsfolk and thy friends. I hold thee not to blame;\nnay, I hold the gods to blame who brought on me the dolorous war of the\nAchaians\u2014so mayest thou now tell me who is this huge hero, this Achaian\nwarrior so goodly and great. Of a truth there are others even taller by\na head; yet mine eyes never behold a man so beautiful nor so royal; for\nhe is like unto one that is a king.\u201d\n\nAnd Helen, fair among women, spake and answered him: \u201cReverend art thou\nto me and dread, dear father of my lord; would that sore death had been\nmy pleasure when I followed thy son hither, and left my home and my\nkinsfolk and my daughter in her girlhood and the lovely company of mine\nage-fellows. But that was not so, wherefore I pine with weeping. Now\nwill I tell thee that whereof thou askest me and enquirest. This is\nAtreides, wide-ruling Agamemnon, one that is both a goodly king and\nmighty spearman. And he was my husband\u2019s brother to me, ah shameless\nme; if ever such an one there was.\u201d\n\nSo said she, and the old man marvelled at him, and said: \u201cAh, happy\nAtreides, child of fortune, blest of heaven; now know I that many sons\nof the Achaians are subject to thee. Erewhile fared I to Phrygia, the\nland of vines, and there saw I that the men of Phrygia, they of the\nnimble steeds, were very many, even the hosts of Otreus and godlike\nMygdon, that were then encamped along the banks of Sangarios. For I too\nbeing their ally was numbered among them on the day that the Amazons\ncame, the peers of men. Yet were not even they so many as are the\nglancing-eyed Achaians.\u201d\n\nAnd next the old man saw Odysseus, and asked: \u201cCome now, tell me of\nthis man too, dear child, who is he, shorter by a head than Agamemnon\nson of Atreus, but broader of shoulder and of chest to behold? His\narmour lieth upon the bounteous earth, and himself like a bell-wether\nrangeth the ranks of warriors. Yea, I liken him to a thick-fleeced ram\nordering a great flock of ewes.\u201d\n\nThen Helen sprung of Zeus made answer to him: \u201cNow this is Laertes\u2019\nson, crafty Odysseus, that was reared in the realm of Ithaka, rugged\nthough it be, and skilled in all the ways of wile and cunning device.\u201d\n\nThen sage Antenor made answer to her: \u201cLady, verily the thing thou\nsayest is true indeed, for erst came goodly Odysseus hither also on an\nembassage for thee, in the company of Menelaos dear to Ares; and I gave\nthem entertainment and welcomed them in my halls, and learnt the aspect\nof both and their wise devices. Now when they mingled with the Trojans\nin the assembly, while all stood up Menelaos overpassed them all by the\nmeasure of his broad shoulders; but when both sat down, Odysseus was\nthe more stately. And when they began to weave the web of words and\ncounsel in the face of all, then Menelaos harangued fluently, in few\nwords, but very clearly, seeing he was not long of speech, neither\nrandom, though in years he was the younger. But whenever Odysseus full\nof wiles rose up, he stood and looked down, with eyes fixed upon the\nground, and waved not his staff whether backwards or forwards, but held\nit stiff, like to a man of no understanding; one would deem him to be\nchurlish, and naught but a fool. But when he uttered his great voice\nfrom his chest, and words like unto the snowflakes of winter, then\ncould no mortal man contend with Odysseus; then marvelled we not thus\nto behold Odysseus\u2019 aspect.\u201d\n\nAnd thirdly the old man say Aias, and asked: \u201cWho then is this other\nAchaian warrior, goodly and great, preeminent among the Archives by the\nmeasure of his head and broad shoulders?\u201d\n\nAnd long-robed Helen, fair among women, answered: \u201cThis is huge Aias,\nbulwark of the Achaians. And on the other side amid the Cretans\nstandeth Idomeneus like a god, and about him are gathered the captains\nof the Cretans. Oft did Menelaos dear to Ares entertain him in our\nhouse whene\u2019er he came from Crete. And now behold I all the other\nglancing-eyed Achaians, whom well I could discern and tell their names;\nbut two captains of the host can I not see, even Kastor tamer of horses\nand Polydeukes the skilful boxer, mine own brethren, whom the same\nmother bare. Either they came not in the company from lovely\nLakedaimon; or they came hither indeed in their seafaring ships, but\nnow will not enter into the battle of the warriors, for fear of the\nmany scornings and revilings that are mine.\u201d\n\nSo said she; but them the life-giving earth held fast there in\nLakedaimon, in their dear native land.\n\nMeanwhile were the heralds bearing through the city the holy\noath-offerings, two lambs and strong-hearted wine, the fruit of the\nearth, in a goat-skin bottle. And the herald Idaios bare the shining\nbowl and golden cups; and came to the old man and summoned him and\nsaid: \u201cRise, thou son of Laomedon. The chieftains of the horse-taming\nTrojans and mail-clad Achaians call on thee to go down into the plain,\nthat ye may pledge a trusty oath. But Alexandros and Menelaos dear to\nAres will fight with their long spears for the lady\u2019s sake; and let\nlady and treasure go with him that shall conquer. And may we that are\nleft pledge friendship and trusty oaths and dwell in deep-soiled Troy,\nand they shall depart to Argos pasture-land of horses and Achaia home\nof fair women.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and the old man shuddered and base his companions yoke the\nhorses; and they with speed obeyed. Then Priam mounted and drew back\nthe reins, and by his side Antenor mounted the splendid chariot. So the\ntwo drave the fleet horses through the Skaian gates to the plain. And\nwhen they had come even to the Trojans and Achaians, they went down\nfrom the chariots upon the bounteous earth, and marched into the midst\nof Trojans and Achaians. Then forthwith rose up Agamemnon king of men,\nand up rose Odysseus the man of wiles; and the lordly heralds gathered\ntogether the holy oath-offerings of the gods, and mingled the wine in a\nbowl, and poured water over the princes\u2019 hands. And Atreides put forth\nhis hand and drew his knife that hung ever beside his sword\u2019s great\nsheath, and cut the hair from off the lambs\u2019 heads; and then the\nheralds portioned it among the chief of the Trojans and Achaians. Then\nin their midst Atreus\u2019 son lifted up his hands and prayed aloud:\n\u201cFather Zeus, that rulest from Ida, most glorious, most great, and thou\nSun that seest all things and hearest all things, and ye Rivers and\nthou Earth, and ye that in the underworld punish men outworn, whosoever\nsweareth falsely; be ye witnesses, and watch over the faithful oath. If\nAlexandros slay Menelaos, then let him have Helen to himself and all\nher possessions; and we will depart on our seafaring ships. But if\ngolden-haired Menelaos slay Alexandros, then let the Trojans give back\nHelen and all her possessions and pay the Argives the recompense that\nis seemly, such as shall live among men that shall be hereafter. But if\nso be that Priam and Priam\u2019s sons will not pay the recompense unto me\nwhen Alexandros falleth, then will I fight on thereafter for the price\nof sin, and abide here till I compass the end of war.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and cut the lambs\u2019 throats with the pitiless knife. Them he\nlaid gasping upon the ground, failing of breath, for the knife had\ntaken their strength from them; and next they drew the wine from the\nbowl into the cups, and poured it forth and prayed to the gods that\nlive for ever. And thus would say many an one of Achaians and Trojans:\n\u201cZeus most glorious, most great, and all ye immortal gods, which folk\nsoe\u2019er be first to sin against the oaths, may their brains be so poured\nforth upon the earth even as this wine, theirs and their children\u2019s;\nand let their wives be made subject unto strangers.\u201d\n\nSo spake they, but the son of Kronos vouchsafed not yet fulfilment. And\nin their midst Priam of the seed of Dardanos uttered his saying:\n\u201cHearken to me, Trojans and well-greaved Achaians. I verily will return\nback to windy Ilios, seeing that I can in no wise bear to behold with\nmine eyes my dear son fighting with Menelaos dear to Ares. But Zeus\nknoweth, and all the immortal gods, for whether of the twain the doom\nof death is appointed.\u201d\n\nSo spake the godlike man, and laid the lambs in his chariot, and\nentered in himself, and drew back the reins; and by his side Antenor\nmounted the splendid chariot. So they departed back again to Ilios; and\nHector son of Priam and goodly Odysseus first meted out a space, and\nthen they took the lots, and shook them in a bronze-bound helmet, to\nknow whether of the twain should first cast his spear of bronze. And\nthe people prayed and lifted up their hands to the gods; and thus would\nsay many an one of Achaians and Trojans: \u201cFather Zeus, that rulest from\nIda, most glorious, most great; whichsoe\u2019er it be that brought this\ntrouble upon both peoples, vouchsafe that he may die and enter the\nhouse of Hades; that so for us peace may be assured and trusty oaths.\u201d\n\nSo said they; and great Hector of the glancing plume shook the helmet,\nlooking behind him; and quickly leapt forth the lot of Paris. Then the\npeople sat them down by ranks where each man\u2019s high-stepping horses and\ninwrought armour lay. And upon his shoulders goodly Alexandros donned\nhis beauteous armour, even he that was lord to Helen of the lovely\nhair. First upon his legs set he his greaves, beautiful, fastened with\nsilver ankle-clasps; next upon his breast he donned the corslet of his\nbrother Lykaon, and fitted it upon himself. And over his shoulders cast\nhe his silver-studded sword of bronze, and then a shield great and\nsturdy. And on his mighty head he set a wrought helmet of horse-hair\ncrest, whereover the plume nodded terribly, and he took him a strong\nspear fitted to his grasp. And in like wise warlike Menelaos donned his\narmour.\n\nSo when they had armed themselves on either side in the throng, they\nstrode between Trojans and Achaians, fierce of aspect, and wonder came\non them that beheld, both on the Trojans tamers of horses and on the\nwell-greaved Achaians. Then took they their stand near together in the\nmeasured space, brandishing their spears in wrath each against other.\nFirst Alexandros hurled his far shadowing spear, and smote on Atreides\u2019\nround shield; but the bronze brake not through, for its point was\nturned in the stout shield. Next Menelaos son of Atreus lifted up his\nhand to cast, and made prayer to father Zeus: \u201cKing Zeus, grant me\nrevenge on him that was first to do me wrong, even on goodly\nAlexandros, and subdue thou him at my hands; so that many an one of men\nthat shall be hereafter may shudder to wrong his host that hath shown\nhim kindness.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and poised his far-shadowing spear, and hurled, and smote\non the round shield of the son of Priam. Through the bright shield went\nthe ponderous spear and through the inwrought breastplate it pressed\non; and straight beside his flank the spear rent the tunic, but he\nswerved and escaped black death. Then Atreides drew his silver-studded\nsword, and lifted up his hand and smote the helmet-ridge; but the sword\nshattered upon it into three, yea four, and fell from his hand. Thereat\nAtreides looked up to the wide heaven and cried: \u201cFather Zeus, surely\nnone of the gods is crueller than thou. Verily I thought to have gotten\nvengeance on Alexandros for his wickedness, but now my sword breaketh\nin my hand, and my spear sped from my grasp in vain, and I have not\nsmitten him.\u201d\n\nSo saying, he leapt upon him and caught him by his horse-hair crest,\nand swinging him round dragged him towards the well-greaved Achaians;\nand he was strangled by the embroidered strap beneath his soft throat,\ndrawn tight below his chin to hold his helm. Now would Menelaos have\ndragged him away and won glory unspeakable, but that Zeus\u2019 daughter\nAphrodite was swift to mark, and tore asunder for him the strap of\nslaughtered ox\u2019s hide; so the helmet came away empty in his stalwart\nhand. Thereat Menelaos cast it with a swing toward the well-greaved\nAchaians, and his trusty comrades took it up; and himself sprang back\nagain eager to slay him with spear of bronze. But Aphrodite snatched up\nParis, very easily as a goddess may, and hid him in thick darkness, and\nsent him down in his fragrant perfumed chamber; and herself went to\nsummon Helen. Her she found on the high tower, and about her the Trojan\nwomen thronged. So with her hand she plucked her perfumed raiment and\nshook it and spake to her in the likeness of an aged dame, a woolcomber\nthat was wont to work for her fair wool when she dwelt in Lakedaimon,\nwhom too she greatly loved. Even in her likeness fair Aphrodite spake:\n\u201cCome hither; Alexandros summoneth thee to go homeward. There is he in\nhis chamber and inlaid bed, radiant in beauty and vesture; nor wouldst\nthou deem him to be come from fighting his foe, but rather to be faring\nto the dance, or from the dance to be just resting and set down.\u201d\n\nSo said she, and stirred Helen\u2019s soul within her breast; and when now\nshe marked the fair neck and lovely breast and sparkling eyes of the\ngoddess, she marvelled straightway and spake a word and called upon her\nname: \u201cStrange queen, why art thou desirous now to beguile me? Verily\nthou wilt lead me further on to some one of the people cities of\nPhrygia or lovely Maionia, if there too thou hast perchance some other\ndarling among mortal men, because even now Menelaos hath conquered\ngoodly Alexandros, and will lead me, accursed me, to his home.\nTherefore thou comest hither with guileful intent. Go and sit thou by\nhis side, and depart from the way of the gods; neither let thy feet\never bear thee back to Olympus, but still be vexed for his sake and\nguard him till he make thee his wife or perchance his slave. But\nthither will I not go\u2014 that were a sinful thing\u2014to array the bed of\nhim; all the women of Troy will blame me hereafter; and I have griefs\nuntold within my soul.\u201d\n\nThen in wrath bright Aphrodite spake to her: \u201cProvoke me not, rash\nwoman, lest in mine anger I desert thee, and hate thee even as now I\nlove thee beyond measure, and lest I devise grievous enmities between\nboth, even betwixt Trojans and Achaians, and so thou perish in evil\nwise.\u201d\n\nSo said she, and Helen sprung of Zeus was afraid, and went wrapped in\nher bright radiant vesture, silently, and the Trojan women marked her\nnot; and the goddess led the way.\n\nNow when they were come to the beautiful house of Alexandros the\nhandmaidens turned straightway to their tasks, and the fair lady went\nto the high-roofed chamber; and laughter-loving Aphrodite took for her\na chair and brought it, even she the goddess, and set it before the\nface of Paris. There Helen took her seat, the child of aegis-bearing\nZeus, and with eyes turned askance spake and chode her lord: \u201cThou\ncomest back from battle; would thou hadst perished there, vanquished of\nthat great warrior that was my former husband. Verily it was once thy\nboast that thou wast a better man than Menelaos dear to Ares, in the\nmight of thine arm and thy spear. But go now, challenge Menelaos, dear\nto Ares to fight thee again face to face. Nay, but I, even I, bid thee\nrefrain, nor fight a fight with golden-haired Menelaos man to man,\nneither attack him recklessly, lest perchance thou fall to his spear\nanon.\u201d\n\nAnd Paris made answer to her and said: \u201cChide not my soul, lady, with\ncruel taunts. For now indeed hath Menelaos vanquished me with Athene\u2019s\naid, but another day may I do so unto him; for we too have gods with\nus. But come now, let us have joy of love upon our couch; for never yet\nhath love so enwrapped my heart\u2014not even then when first I snatched\nthee from lovely Lakedaimon and sailed with thee on my seafaring ships,\nand in the isle of Krana\u00eb had converse with thee upon thy couch in\nlove\u2014as I love thee now and sweet desire taketh hold upon me.\u201d So\nsaying he led the way to the couch, and the lady followed with him.\n\nThus laid they them upon their fretted couch; but Atreides the while\nstrode through the host like to a wild beast, if anywhere he might set\neyes on godlike Alexandros. But none of the Trojans or their famed\nallies could discover Alexandros to Menelaos dear to Ares. Yet surely\ndid they in no wise hide him for kindliness, could any have seen him;\nfor he was hated of all even as black death. So Agamemnon king of men\nspake among them there: \u201cHearken to me, Trojans and Dardanians and\nallies. Now is victory declared for Menelaos dear to Ares; give ye back\nHelen of Argos and the possessions with her, and pay ye the recompense\nsuch as is seemly, that it may live even among men that shall be\nhereafter.\u201d So said Atreides, and all the Achaians gave assent.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK IV.\n\n\nHow Pandaros wounded Menelaos by treachery; and Agamemnon exhorted his\nchief captains to battle.\n\n\nNow the gods sat by Zeus and held assembly on the golden floor, and in\nthe midst the lady Hebe poured them their nectar: they with golden\ngoblets pledged one another, and gazed upon the city of the Trojans.\nThen did Kronos\u2019 son essay to provoke Hera with vexing words, and spake\nmaliciously: \u201cTwain goddesses hath Menelaos for his helpers, even Hera\nof Argos and Alalkomenean Athene. Yet these sit apart and take their\npleasure in beholding; but beside that other ever standeth\nlaughter-loving Aphrodite and wardeth off fate from him, and now hath\nshe saved him as he thought to perish. But of a truth the victory is to\nMenelaos dear to Ares; so let us take thought how these things shall\nbe; whether once more we shall arouse ill war and the dread battle-din,\nor put friendship between the foes. Moreover if this were welcome to\nall and well pleasing, may the city of king Priam yet be an habitation,\nand Menelaos take back Helen of Argos.\u201d\n\nSo said he, but Athene and Hera murmured thereat, who were sitting by\nhim and devising ills for the Trojans. Now Athene held her peace and\nsaid not anything, for wrath at father Zeus, and fierce anger gat hold\nupon her: But Hera\u2019s breast contained not her anger, and she spake:\n\u201cMost dread son of Kronos, what word is this thou hast spoken? How hast\nthou the will to make my labour void and of none effect, and the sweat\nof my toil that I sweated, when my horses were wearied with my\nsummoning of the host, to be the plague of Priam and his sons? Do as\nthou wilt; but we other gods do not all approve thee.\u201d\n\nThen in sore anger Zeus the cloud-gatherer spake to her: \u201cGood lack,\nhow have Priam and Priam\u2019s sons done thee such great wrong that thou\nart furiously minded to sack the stablished citadel of Ilios? Perchance\nwert thou to enter within the gates and long walls and devour Priam\nraw, and Priam\u2019s sons and all the Trojans, then mightest thou assuage\nthine anger. Do as thou art minded, only let not this quarrel hereafter\nbe to me and thee a sore strife between us both. And this moreover will\nI say to thee, and do thou lay it to thy heart; whene\u2019er I too be of\neager mind to lay waste a city where is the race of men that are dear\nto thee, hinder thou not my wrath, but let me be, even as I yield to\nthee of free will, yet with soul unwilling. For of all cities beneath\nsun and starry heaven that are the dwelling of mortal men, holy Ilios\nwas most honoured of my heart, and Priam and the folk of Priam of the\ngood ashen spear. For never did mine altar lack the seemly feast, even\ndrink-offering and burnt-offering, the worship that is our due.\u201d\n\nThen Helen the ox-eyed queen made answer to him: \u201cOf a surety three\ncities are there that be dearest far to me, Argos and Sparta and\nwide-wayed Mykene; these lay thou waste whene\u2019er they are found hateful\nto thy heart; not for them will I stand forth, nor do I grudge thee\nthem. For even if I be jealous and would forbid thee to overthrow them,\nyet will my jealousy not avail, seeing that thou art stronger far than\nI. Still must my labour too not be made of none effect; for I also am a\ngod, and my lineage is even as thine, and Kronos the crooked counsellor\nbegat me to the place of honour in double wise, by birthright, and\nbecause I am named thy spouse, and thou art king among all the\nimmortals. Let us indeed yield each to other herein, I to thee and thou\nto me, and the rest of the immortal gods will follow with us; and do\nthou with speed charge Athene to betake her to the fierce battle din of\nTrojans and Achaians, and to essay that the Trojans may first take upon\nthem to do violence to the Achaians in their triumph, despite the\noaths.\u201d\n\nSo said she, and the father of men and gods disregarded not; forthwith\nhe spake to Athene winged words: \u201cBetake thee with all speed to the\nhost, to the midst of Trojans and Achaians, and essay that the Trojans\nmay first take upon them to do violence to the Achaians in their\ntriumph, despite the oaths.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and roused Athene that already was set thereon; and from\nOlympus\u2019 heights she darted down. Even as the son of Kronos the crooked\ncounsellor sendeth a star, a portent for mariners or a wide host of\nmen, bright shining, and therefrom are scattered sparks in multitude;\neven in such guise sped Pallas Athene to earth, and leapt into their\nmidst; and astonishment came on them that beheld, on horse-taming\nTrojans and well-greaved Achaians. And thus would many an one say,\nlooking at his neighbor: \u201cOf a surety either shall sore war and the\nfierce battle din return again; or else Zeus doth stablish peace\nbetween the foes, even he that is men\u2019s dispenser of battle.\u201d\n\nThus would many an one of Achaians and Trojans say. Then the goddess\nentered the throng of Trojans in the likeness of a man, even Antenor\u2019s\nson Laodokos, a stalwart warrior, and sought for godlike Pandaros, if\nhaply she might find him. Lykaon\u2019s son found she, the noble and\nstalwart, standing, and about him the stalwart ranks of the\nshield-bearing host that followed him from the streams of Aisepos. So\nshe came near and spake winged words: \u201cWilt thou now hearken to me,\nthou wise son of Lykaon? Then wouldst thou take heart to shoot a swift\narrow at Menelaos, and wouldst win favour and glory before all the\nTrojans, and before king Alexandros most of all. Surely from him first\nof any wouldst thou receive glorious gifts, if perchance he see\nMenelaos, Atreus\u2019 warrior son, vanquished by thy dart and brought to\nthe grievous pyre. Go to now, shoot at glorious Menelaos, and vow to\nApollo, the son of light,* the lord of archery, to sacrifice a goodly\nhecatomb of firstling lambs when thou art returned to thy home, in the\ncity of holy Zeleia.\u201d\n\n* Or, perhaps, \u201cthe Wolf-born.\u201d\n\n\nSo spake Athene, and persuaded his fool\u2019s heart. Forthwith he\nunsheathed his polished bow of horn of a wild ibex that he himself had\nerst smitten beneath the breast as it came forth from a rock, the while\nhe awaited in a lurking-place; and had pierced it in the chest, so that\nit fell backward on the rock. Now from its head sprang there horns of\nsixteen palms; these the artificer, even the worker in horn, joined\ncunningly together, and polished them all well and set the top of gold\nthereon. So he laid it down when he had well strung it, by resting it\nupon the ground; and his staunch comrades held their shields before\nhim, lest the warrior sons of the Achaians should first set on them,\nere Menelaos, Atreus\u2019 warrior son, were smitten. Then opened he the lid\nof his quiver and took forth a feathered arrow, never yet shot, a\nsource of grievous pangs; and anon he laid the bitter dart upon the\nstring and vowed to Apollo, the son of light, the lord of archery, to\nsacrifice a goodly hecatomb of firstling lambs when he should have\nreturned to his home in the city of holy Zeleia. Then he took the notch\nand string of oxes\u2019 sinew together, and drew, bringing to his breast\nthe string, and to the bow the iron head. So when he had now bent the\ngreat bow into a round, the horn twanged, and the string sang aloud,\nand the keen arrow leapt eager to wing his way amid the throng.\n\nBut the blessed gods immortal forgat not thee, Menelaos; and before all\nthe daughter of Zeus, the driver of the spoil, who stood before thee\nand warded off the piercing dart. She turned it just aside from the\nflesh, even as a mother driveth a fly from her child that lieth in\nsweet slumber; and with her own hand guided it where the golden buckles\nof the belt were clasped and the doubled breastplate met them. So the\nbitter arrow lighted upon the firm belt; through the inwrought belt it\nsped and through the curiously wrought breastplate it pressed on and\nthrough the taslet* he wore to shield his flesh, a barrier against\ndarts; and this best shielded him, yet it passed on even through this.\nThen did the arrow graze the warrior\u2019s outermost flesh, and forthwith\nthe dusky blood flowed from the wound.\n\n* An apron or belt set with metal, worn below the corslet.\n\n\nAs when some woman of Maionia or Karia staineth ivory with purple, to\nmake a cheek-piece for horses, and it is laid up in the treasure\nchamber, and many a horseman prayeth for it to wear; but it is laid up\nto be a king\u2019s boast, alike an adornment for his horse and a glory for\nhis charioteer; even in such wise, Menelaos, were thy shapely thighs\nstained with blood and thy legs and thy fair ankles beneath.\n\nThereat shuddered Agamemnon king of men when he saw the black blood\nflowing from the wound. And Menelaos dear to Ares likewise shuddered;\nbut when he saw how thread* and barbs were without, his spirit was\ngathered in his breast again. Then lord Agamemnon moaned deep, and\nspake among them, holding Menelaos by the hand; and his comrades made\nmoan the while: \u201cDear brother, to thy death, meseemeth, pledged I these\noaths, setting thee forth to fight the Trojans alone before the face of\nthe Achaians; seeing that the Trojans have so smitten thee, and trodden\nunder foot the trusty oaths. Yet in no wise is an oath of none effect,\nand the blood of lambs and pure drink-offerings and the right hands of\nfellowship wherein we trusted. For even if the Olympian bring not about\nthe fulfilment forthwith, yet doth he fulfil at last, and men make dear\namends, even with their own heads and their wives and little ones. Yea\nof a surety I know this in heart and soul; the day shall come for holy\nIlios to be laid low, and Priam and the folk of Priam of the good ashen\nspear; and Zeus the son of Kronos enthroned on high, that dwelleth in\nthe heaven, himself shall brandish over them all his lowring aegis, in\nindignation at this deceit. Then shall all this not be void; yet shall\nI have sore sorrow for thee, Menelaos, if thou die and fulfil the lot\nof life. Yea in utter shame should I return to thirsty Argos, seeing\nthat the Achaians will forthwith bethink them of their native land, and\nso should we leave to Priam and the Trojans their boast, even Helen of\nArgos. And the earth shall rot thy bones as thou liest in Troy with thy\ntask unfinished: and thus shall many an overweening Trojan say as he\nleapeth upon the tomb of glorious Menelaos: \u2018Would to God Agamemnon\nmight so fulfil his wrath in every matter, even as now he led hither\nthe host of the Achaians for naught, and hath gone home again to his\ndear native land with empty ships, and hath left noble Menelaos\nbehind.\u2019 Thus shall men say hereafter: in that day let the wide earth\ngape for me.\u201d\n\n* By which the iron head was attached to the shaft.\n\n\nBut golden-haired Menelaos encouraged him and said: \u201cBe of good\ncourage, neither dismay at all the host of the Achaians. The keen dart\nlighted not upon a deadly spot; my glistening belt in front stayed it,\nand the kirtle of mail beneath, and the taslet that the coppersmiths\nfashioned.\u201d\n\nThen lord Agamemnon answered him and said: \u201cWould it may be so, dear\nMenelaos. But the leech shall feel the wound, and lay thereon drugs\nthat shall assuage thy dire pangs.\u201d\n\nSo saying he spake to godlike Talthybios, his herald: \u201cTalthybios, with\nall speed call Machaon hither, the hero son of Asklepios the noble\nleech, to see Menelaos, Atreus\u2019 warrior son, whom one well skilled in\narchery, some Trojan or Lykian, hath wounded with a bow-shot, to his\nglory and our grief.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and the herald heard him and disregarded not, and went his\nway through the host of mail-clad Achaians to spy out the hero Machaon.\nHim he found standing, and about him the stalwart ranks of the\nshield-bearing host that followed him from Trike, pasture land of\nhorses. So he came near and spake his winged words: \u201cArise, thou son of\nAsklepios. Lord Agamemnon calleth thee to see Menelaos, captain of the\nAchaians, whom one well skilled in archery, some Trojan or Lykian, hath\nwounded with a bow-shot, to his glory and our grief.\u201d\n\nSo saying he aroused his spirit in his breast, and they went their way\namid the throng, through the wide host of the Achaians. And when they\nwere now come where was golden-haired Menelaos wounded, and all as many\nas were chieftains gathered around him in a circle, the godlike hero\ncame and stood in their midst, and anon drew forth the arrow from the\nclasped belt; and as it was drawn forth the keen barbs were broken\nbackwards. Then he loosed the glistering belt and kirtle of mail\nbeneath and taslet that the coppersmiths fashioned; and when he saw the\nwound where the bitter arrow had lighted, he sucked out the blood and\ncunningly spread thereon soothing drugs, such as Cheiron of his good\nwill had imparted to his sire.\n\nWhile these were tending Menelaos of the loud war-cry, the ranks of\nshield-bearing Trojans came on; so the Achaians donned their arms\nagain, and bethought them of the fray. Now wouldest thou not see noble\nAgamemnon slumbering, nor cowering, nor unready to fight, but very\neager for glorious battle. He left his horses and his chariot adorned\nwith bronze; and his squire, even Eurymedon son of Ptolemaios\nPeiraieus\u2019 son, kept apart the snorting steeds; and he straitly charged\nhim to have them at hand whenever weariness should come upon his limbs\nwith marshalling so many; and thus on foot ranged he through the ranks\nof warriors. And whomsoever of all the fleet-horsed Danaans he found\neager, he stood by them and by his words encouraged them: \u201cYe Argives,\nrelax not in any wise your impetuous valour; for father Zeus will be no\nhelper of liars, but as these were first to transgress against the\noaths, so shall their own tender flesh be eaten of the vultures, and we\nshall bear away their dear wives and little children in our ships, when\nonce we take the stronghold.\u201d\n\nBut whomsoever he found shrinking from hateful battle, these he chode\nsore with angry words: \u201cYe Argives, warriors of the bow, ye men of\ndishonour, have ye no shame? Why stand ye thus dazed like fawns that\nare weary with running over the long plain and so stand still, and no\nvalour is found in their hearts at all? Even thus stand ye dazed, and\nfight not. Is it that ye wait for the Trojans to come near where your\ngood ships\u2019 sterns are drawn up on the shore of the grey sea, to see if\nKronion will stretch his arm over you indeed?\u201d\n\nSo masterfully ranged he through the ranks of warriors. Then came he to\nthe Cretans as he went through the throng of warriors; and these were\ntaking arms around wise Idomeneus; Idomeneus amid the foremost, valiant\nas a wild boar, and Meriones the while was hastening his hindermost\nbattalions. Then Agamemnon king of men rejoiced to see them, and anon\nspake to Idomeneus with kindly words: \u201cIdomeneus, more than all the\nfleet-horsed Danaans do I honour thee, whether in war or in task of\nother sort or in the feast, when the chieftains of the Argives mingle\nin the bowl the gleaming wine of the counsellor. For even though all\nthe other flowing-haired Achaians drink one allotted portion, yet thy\ncup standeth ever full even as mine, to drink as oft as they soul\nbiddeth thee. Now arouse thee to war like such an one as thou avowest\nthyself to be of old.\u201d\n\nAnd Idomeneus the captain of the Cretans made answer to him: \u201cAtreides,\nof very truth will I be to thee a trusty comrade even as at the first I\npromised and gave my pledge; but do thou urge on all the flowing-haired\nAchaians, that we may fight will all speed, seeing the Trojans have\ndisannulled the oaths. But for all that death and sorrow hereafter\nshall be their lot, because they were the first to transgress against\nthe oaths.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and Agamemnon passed on glad at heart. Then came he to the\nAiantes as he went through the throng of warriors; and these twain were\narming, and a cloud of footmen followed with them. Even as when a\ngoatherd from a place of outlook seeth a cloud coming across the deep\nbefore the blast of the west wind; and to him being afar it seemeth\never blacker, even as pitch, as it goeth along the deep, and bringeth a\ngreat whirlwind, and he shuddereth to see it and driveth his flock\nbeneath a cave; even in such wise moved the serried battalions of young\nmen, the fosterlings of Zeus, by the side of the Aiantes into furious\nwar, battalions dark of line, bristling with shields and spears. And\nlord Agamemnon rejoiced to see them and spake to them winged words, and\nsaid: \u201cAiantes, leaders of the mail-clad Argives, to you twain, seeing\nit is not seemly to urge you, give I no charge; for of your own selves\nye do indeed bid your folk to fight amain. Ah, father Zeus and Athene\nand Apollo, would that all had like spirit in their breasts; then would\nking Priam\u2019s city soon bow captive and wasted beneath our hands.\u201d\n\nSo saying he left them there, and went to others. Then found he Nestor,\nthe clear-voiced orator of the Pylians, arraying his comrades, and\nurging them to fight, around great Pelagon and Alastor and Chromios and\nlord Haimon and Bias shepherd of the host. And first he arrayed the\nhorsemen with horses and chariots, and behind them the footmen many and\nbrave, to be a bulwark of battle; but the cowards he drave into the\nmidst, that every man, even though he would not, yet of necessity must\nfight. First he laid charge upon the horsemen; these he bade hold in\ntheir horses nor be entangled in the throng. \u201cNeither let any man,\ntrusting in his horsemanship and manhood, be eager to fight the Trojans\nalone before the rest, nor yet let him draw back, for so will ye be\nenfeebled. But whomsoever a warrior from the place of his own car can\ncome at a chariot of the foe, let him thrust forth with his spear; even\nso is the far better way. Thus moreover did men of old time lay low\ncities and walls, because they had this mind and spirit in their\nbreasts.\u201d\n\nSo did the old man charge them, being well skilled of yore in battles.\nAnd lord Agamemnon rejoiced to see hem, and spake to him winged words,\nand said: \u201cOld man, would to god that, even as thy spirit is in thine\nown breast, thy limbs might obey and thy strength be unabated. But the\ncommon lot of age is heavy upon thee; would that it had come upon some\nother man, and thou wert amid the young.\u201d\n\nThen knightly Nestor of Gerenia answered him: \u201cAtreides, I verily, even\nI too, would wish to be as on the day when I slew noble Ereuthalion.\nBut the gods in no wise grant men all things at once. As I was then a\nyouth, so doth old age now beset me. Yet even so will I abide among the\nhorsemen and urge them by counsel and words; for that is the right of\nelders. But the young men shall wield the spear, they that are more\nyouthful than I and have confidence in their strength.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and Atreides passed on glad at heart. He found Menestheus\nthe charioteer, the son of Peteos, standing still, and round him were\nthe Athenians, masters of the battle-cry. And hard by stood crafty\nOdysseus, and round about him the ranks of Kephallenians, no feeble\nfolk, stood still; for their host had not yet heard the battle-cry,\nseeing the battalions of horse-taming Trojans and Achaians had but just\nbestirred them to move; so these stood still tarrying till some other\ncolumn of the Achaians should advance to set upon the Trojans and begin\nthe battle. But when Agamemnon king of men saw it, he upbraided them,\nand spake to them winged words, saying: \u201cO son of king Peteos\nfosterling of Zeus, and thou skilled in evil wiles, thou cunning of\nmind, why stand ye shrinking apart, and tarry for others? You beseemeth\nit to stand in your place amid the foremost and to front the fiery\nbattle; for ye are the first to hear my bidding to the feast, as oft as\nwe Achaians prepare a feast for the counsellors. Then are ye glad to\neat roast meat and drink your cups of honey-sweet wine as long as ye\nwill. But now would ye gladly behold it, yea, if ten columns of\nAchaians in front of you were fighting with the pitiless sword.\u201d\n\nBut Odysseus of many counsels looked fiercely at him and said:\n\u201cAtreides, what word is this that hath escaped the barrier of thy lips?\nHow sayest thou that we are slack in battle? When once our* Achaians\nlaunch furious war on the Trojans, tamers of horses, then shalt thou,\nif thou wilt, and if thou hast any care therefor, behold Telemachos\u2019\ndear father mingling with the champions of the Trojans, the tamers of\nhorses. But that thou sayest is empty as air.\u201d\n\n* Or, \u201cthat we are slack in battle, when once we Achaians,\u201d putting the\nnote of interrogation after \u201ctamers of horses.\u201d\n\n\nThen lord Agamemnon spake to him smiling, seeing how he was wroth, and\ntook back his saying: \u201cHeaven-sprung son of Laertes, Odysseus full of\ndevices, neither do I chide thee beyond measure nor urge thee; for I\nknow that thy heart within thy breast is kindly disposed; for thy\nthoughts are as my thoughts. Go to, we will make amends hereafter, if\nany ill word hath been spoken now; may the gods bring it all to none\neffect.\u201d\n\nSo saying he left them there and went on to others. The son of Tydeus\nfound he, high-hearted Diomedes, standing still with horses and chariot\nwell compact; and by him stood Sthenelos son of Kapaneus. Him lord\nAgamemnon saw and upbraided, and spake to him winged words, and said:\n\u201cAh me, thou son of wise Tydeus tamer of horses, why shrinkest thou,\nwhy gazest thou at the highways of the battle? Not thus was Tydeus wont\nto shrink, but rather to fight his enemies far in front of his dear\ncomrades, as they say that beheld him at the task; for never did I meet\nhim nor behold him, but men say that he was preeminent amid all. Of a\ntruth he came to Mykene, not in enmity, but as a guest with godlike\nPolyneikes, to raise him an army for the war that they were levying\nagainst the holy walls of Thebes; and they besought earnestly that\nvaliant allies might be given them, and our folk were fain to grant\nthem and made assent to their entreaty, only Zeus showed omens of ill\nand turned their minds. So when these were departed and were come on\ntheir way, and had attained to Asopos deep in rushes, that maketh his\nbed in grass, there did the Achaians appoint Tydeus to be their\nambassador. So he went and found the multitude of the sons of Kadmos\nfeasting in the palace of mighty Eteokles. Yet was knightly Tydeus,\neven though a stranger, not afraid, being alone amid the multitude of\nthe Kadmeians, but challenged them all to feats of strength, and in\nevery one vanquished he them easily; so present a helper was Athene\nunto him. But the Kadmeians, the urgers of horses, were wroth, and as\nhe fared back again they brought and set a strong ambush, even fifty\nyoung men, whose leaders were twain, Maion son of Haimon, like to the\nimmortals, and Autophonos\u2019 son Polyphontes staunch in battle. Still\neven on the Tydeus brought shameful death; he slew them all, save one\nthat he sent home alone; Maion to wit he sent away in obedience to the\nomens of heaven. Such was Tydeus of Aitolia; but he begat a son that in\nbattle is worse than he; only in harangue is he the better.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and stalwart Diomedes made no answer, but had respect to\nthe chiding of the king revered. But the son of glorious Kapaneus\nanswered him: \u201cAtreides, utter not falsehood, seeing thou knowest how\nto speak truly. We avow ourselves to be better men by far than our\nfathers were: we did take the seat of Thebes the seven gated, though we\nled a scantier host against a stronger wall, because we followed the\nomens of the gods and the salvation of Zeus; but they perished by their\nown iniquities. Do not thou therefore in any wise have our fathers in\nlike honour with us.\u201d\n\nBut stalwart Diomedes looked sternly at him, and said: \u201cBrother, sit\nsilent and obey my saying. I grudge not that Agamemnon shepherd of the\nhost should urge on the well-greaved Achaians to fight; for him the\nglory will attend if the Achaians lay the Trojans low and take holy\nIlios; and his will be the great sorrow if the Achaians be laid low. Go\nto now, let us too bethink us of impetuous valour.\u201d\n\nHe spake and leapt in his armour from the chariot to earth, and\nterribly rang the bronze upon the chieftain\u2019s breast as he moved;\nthereat might fear have come even upon one stout-hearted.\n\nAs when on the echoing beach the sea-wave lifteth up itself in close\narray before the driving of the west wind; out on the deep doth it\nfirst raise its head, and then breaketh upon the land and belloweth\naloud and goeth with arching crest about the promontories, and speweth\nthe foaming brine afar; even so in close array moved the battalions of\nthe Danaans without pause to battle. Each captain gave his men the\nword, and the rest went silently; thou wouldest not deem that all the\ngreat host following them had any voice within their breasts; in\nsilence feared they their captains. On every man glittered the\ninwrought armour wherewith they went clad. But for the Trojans, like\nsheep beyond number that stand in the courtyard of a man of great\nsubstance, to be milked of their white milk, and bleat without ceasing\nto hear their lambs\u2019 cry, even so arose the clamour of the Trojans\nthrough the wide host. For they had not all like speech nor one\nlanguage, but their tongues were mingled, and they were brought from\nmany lands. These were urged on of Ares, and those of bright-eyed\nAthene, and Terror and Rout, and Strife whose fury wearieth not, sister\nand friend of murderous Ares; her crest is but lowly at the first, but\nafterward she holdeth up her head in heaven and her feet walk upon the\nearth. She now cast common discord in their midst, as she fared through\nthe throng and made the lamentation of men to wax.\n\nNow when they were met together and come unto one spot, then clashed\nthey targe and spear and fury of bronze-clad warrior; the bossed\nshields pressed each on each and mighty din arose. Then were heard the\nvoice of groaning and the voice of triumph together of the slayers and\nthe slain, and the earth streamed with blood. As when two winter\ntorrents flow down the mountains to a watersmeet and join their furious\nflood within the deep ravine from their great springs, and the shepherd\nheareth the roaring far off among the hills: even so from the joining\nof battle came there forth shouting and travail. Antilochos first slew\na Trojan warrior in full array, valiant amid the champions, Echepolos\nson of Thalysios; him was he first to smite upon the ridge of his\ncrested helmet, and he drave the spear into his brow and the point of\nbronze passed within the bone; darkness clouded his eyes, and he\ncrashed like a tower amid the press of fight. As he fell lord Elephenor\ncaught him by the foot, Chalkodon\u2019s son, captain of the great-hearted\nAbantes, and dragged him from beneath the darts, eager with all speed\nto despoil him of his armour. Yet but for a little endured his essay;\ngreat-hearted Agenor saw him haling away the corpse, and where his side\nwas left uncovered of his buckler as he bowed him down, there smote he\nhim with bronze-tipped spear-shaft and unstrung his limbs. So his life\ndeparted from him, and over his corpse the task of Trojans and Achaians\ngrew hot; like wolves leapt they one at another, and man lashed at man.\n\nNext Telamonian Aias smote Anthemion\u2019s son, the lusty stripling\nSimoeisios, whose erst his mother bare beside the banks of Simoeis on\nthe way down from Ida whither she had followed with her parents to see\ntheir flocks. Therefore they called him Simoeisios, but he repaid not\nhis dear parents the recompense of his nurture; scanty was his span of\nlife by reason of the spear of great-hearted Aias that laid him low.\nFor as he went he first was smitten on his right breast beside the pap;\nstraight through his shoulder passed the spear of bronze, and he fell\nto the ground in the dust like a poplar-tree, that hath grown up smooth\nin the lowland of a great marsh, and its branches grow upon the top\nthereof; this hath a wainwright felled with gleaming steel, to bend him\na felloe for a goodly chariot, and so it lies drying by a river\u2019s\nbanks. In such a fashion did heaven-sprung Aias slay Simoeisios son of\nAnthemion; then at him Antiphos of the glancing corslet, Priam\u2019s son,\nmade a cast with his keen javelin across the throng. Him he missed, but\nsmote Odysseus\u2019 valiant comrade Leukos in the groin as he drew the\ncorpse his way, so that he fell upon it and the body dropped from his\nhands. Then Odysseus was very wroth at heart for the slaying of him,\nand strode through the forefront of the battle harnessed in flashing\nbronze, and went and stood hard by and glanced around him, and cast his\nbright javelin; and the Trojans shrank before the casting of the hero.\nHe sped not the dart in vain, but smote Demokoon, Priam\u2019s bastard son\nthat had come to him from tending his fleet mares in Abydos. Him\nOdysseus, being wroth for his comrade\u2019s sake, smote with his javelin on\none temple; and through both temples passed the point of bronze, and\ndarkness clouded his eyes, and he fell with a crash and his armour\nclanged upon him. Then the forefighters and glorious Hector yielded,\nand the Argives shouted aloud, and drew the bodies unto them, and\npressed yet further onward. But Apollo looked down from Pergamos, and\nhad indignation, and with a shout called to the Trojans: \u201cArise, ye\nTrojans, tamers of horses; yield not to the Argives in fight; not of\nstone nor iron is their flesh, that it should resist the piercing\nbronze when they are smitten. Moreover Achilles, son of Thetis of the\nfair tresses, fighteth not, but amid the ships broodeth on his bitter\nanger.\u201d\n\nSo spake the dread god from the city; and the Achaians likewise were\nurged on of Zeus\u2019 daughter the Triton-born, most glorious, as she\npassed through the throng wheresoever she beheld them slackening.\n\nNext was Diores son of Amrynkeus caught in the snare of fate; for he\nwas smitten by a jagged stone on the right leg hard by the ankle, and\nthe caster thereof was captain of the men of Thrace, Peiro\u00f6s son of\nImbrasos that had come from Ainos. The pitiless stone crushed utterly\nthe two sinews and the bones; back fell he in the dust, and stretched\nout both his hands to his dear comrades, gasping out his soul. Then he\nthat smote him, even Peiroos, sprang at him and pierced him with a\nspear beside the navel; so all his bowels gushed forth upon the ground,\nand darkness clouded his eyes. But even as Peiroos departed from him\nThoas of Aitolia smote with a spear his chest above the pap, and the\npoint fixed in his lung. Then Thoas came close, and plucked out from\nhis breast the ponderous spear, and drew his sharp sword, wherewith he\nsmote his belly in the midst, and took his life. Yet he stripped not\noff his armour; for his comrades, the men of Thrace that wear the\ntop-knot, stood around, their long spears in their hands, and albeit he\nwas great and valiant and proud they drave him off from them and he\ngave ground reeling. So were the two captains stretched in the dust\nside by side, he of the Thracians and he of the mail-clad Epeians; and\naround them were many others likewise slain.\n\nNow would none any more enter in and make light of the battle, could it\nbe that a man yet unwounded by dart or thrust of keen bronze might roam\nin the midst, being led of Pallas Athene by the hand, and by her\nguarded from the flying shafts. For many Trojans that day and many\nAchaians were laid side by side upon their faces in the dust.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK V.\n\n\nHow Diomedes by his great valour made havoc of the Trojans, and wounded\neven Aphrodite and Ares by the help of Athene.\n\n\nBut now to Tydeus\u2019 son Diomedes Pallas Athene gave might and courage,\nfor him to be pre-eminent amid all the Argives and win glorious renown.\nShe kindled flame unwearied from his helmet and shield, like to the\nstar of summer that above all others glittereth bright after he hath\nbathed in the ocean stream. In such wise kindled she flame from his\nhead and shoulders and sent him into the midst, where men thronged the\nthickest.\n\nNow there was amid the Trojans one Dares, rich and noble, priest of\nHephaistos; and he had two sons, Phegeus and Idaios, well skilled in\nall the art of battle. These separated themselves and assailed him face\nto face, they setting on him from their car and he on foot upon the\nground. And when they were now come near in onset on each other, first\nPhegeus hurled his far-shadowing spear; and over Tydeides\u2019 left\nshoulder the spear point passed, and smote not his body. Then next\nTydeides made a spear-cast, and the javelin sped not from his hand in\nvain, but smote his breast between the nipples, and thrust him from the\nchariot. So Idaios sprang away, leaving his beautiful car, and dared\nnot to bestride his slain brother; else had neither he himself escaped\nblack fate: but Hephaistos guarded him and saved him in a veil of\ndarkness, that he might not have his aged priest all broken with\nsorrow. And the son of great-hearted Tydeus drave away the horses and\ngave them to his men to take to the hollow ships. But when the\ngreat-hearted Trojans beheld the sons of Dares, how one was fled, and\none was slain beside his chariot, the spirit of all was stirred. But\nbright-eyed Athene took impetuous Ares by the hand and spake to him and\nsaid: \u201cAres, Ares, blood-stained bane of mortals, thou stormer of\nwalls, can we not now leave the Trojans and Achaians to fight, on\nwhichsoever it be that father Zeus bestoweth glory? But let us twain\ngive place, and escape the wrath of Zeus.\u201d\n\nSo saying she led impetuous Ares from the battle. Then she made him sit\ndown beside loud Skamandros, and the Danaans pushed the Trojans back.\nEach one of the captains slew his man; first Agamemnon king of men\nthrust from his chariot the lord of the Halizonians, great Odios; for\nas he first turned to flight Agamemnon thrust his dart into his back\nbetween his shoulders, and drave it through his breast. And he fell\nwith a crash, and his armour clanged upon him.\n\nAnd Idomeneus slew Phaistos son of Boros the Maionian, that came from\ndeep-soiled Tarne. Him in the act to mount upon his car spear-famed\nIdomeneus pierced with his long dart through his right shoulder; and he\nfell from the car and hateful darkness gat hold of him.\n\nHim then Idomeneus\u2019 squires despoiled; and Skamandrios, son of\nStrophios, cunning in the chase, fell to the keen-pointed spear of\nMenelaos son of Atreus; even he the mighty hunter, whom Artemis herself\nhad taught to shoot all manner of wild things that the mountain forest\nbreedeth. But now did Archer Artemis avail him naught nor all his\nmarksmanship wherein of old time he excelled; but spear-famed Menelaos\nson of Atreus smote him with his dart as he fled before him, in his\nback [between his shoulders, and pierced through his breast]. So he\nfell prone and his armour clanged upon him.\n\nAnd Meriones slew Phereklos, son of Tekton Harmon\u2019s son, whose hands\nwere cunning to make all manner of curious work; for Pallas Athene\nloved him more than all men. He likewise built Alexandros the trim\nships, source of ills, that were made the bane of all the Trojans and\nof himself, because he knew not the oracles of heaven. Him Meriones\npursued, and overtaking him smote him in the right buttock, and right\nthrough passed the point straight to the bladder beneath the bone; and\nhe fell to his knees with a cry, and death overshadowed him.\n\nThen Meges slew Pedaios Antenor\u2019s son, that was a bastard; yet goodly\nTheano nurtured him carefully like to her own children, to do her\nhusband pleasure. To him Phyleus\u2019 spear-famed son came near, and with\nkeen dart smote him upon the sinew of the head; and right through amid\nthe teeth the point of bronze cleft the tongue\u2019s root. So he fell in\nthe dust, and bit the cold bronze with his teeth.\n\nAnd by Eurypylos, Euaimon\u2019s son, noble Hypsenor son of high-hearted\nDolopion that was appointed Skamandros\u2019 priest and like to a god was\nheld in honour of the folk\u2014by Eurypylos Euaimon\u2019s glorious son, he as\nhe fled before him was pursued and smitten on the shoulder with a\nsword-thrust, and his heavy arm was shorn away. All bleeding the arm\nfell upon the earth; and over his eyes came gloomy death and forceful\nfate.\n\nSo laboured these in the violent mellay; but of Tydeides man could not\ntell with whom he were joined, whether he consorted with Trojans or\nwith Achaians. For he stormed across the plain like a winter torrent at\nthe full, that in swift course scattereth the causeys; neither can the\nlong lines of* causeys hold it in, nor the fences of fruitful orchards\nstay its sudden coming when the rain of heaven driveth it; and so\nbefore it perish in multitudes the fair works of the sons of men. Thus\nbefore Tydeides the serried battalions of the Trojans were overthrown,\nand they abode him not for all they were so many.\n\n* Reading \u1f10\u03b5\u03c1\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9, with Aristarchos.\n\n\nBut when Lykaon\u2019s glorious son marked him storming across the plain,\noverthrowing battalions before him, anon he bent his crooked bow\nagainst Tydeides, and smote him as he sped onwards, hitting hard by his\nright shoulder the plate of his corslet; the bitter arrow flew through\nand held straight upon its way, and the corslet was dabbled with blood.\nOver him then loudly shouted Lykaon\u2019s glorious son: \u201cBestir you,\ngreat-hearted Trojans, urgers of horses; the best man of the Achaians\nis wounded, and I deem that he shall not for long endure the violent\ndart, if verily the king, the son of Zeus,* sped me on my way from\nLykia.\u201d\n\n* Apollo\n\n\nSo spake he boasting; yet was the other not vanquished of the swift\ndart, only he gave place and stood before his horses and his chariot\nand spake to Sthenelos son of Kapaneus: \u201cHaste thee, dear son of\nKapaneus; descend from thy chariot, to draw me from my shoulder the\nbitter arrow.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and Sthenelos leapt from his chariot to earth and stood\nbeside him and drew the swift shaft right through, out of his shoulder;\nand the blood darted up through the pliant tunic. Then Diomedes of the\nloud war-cry prayed thereat: \u201cHear me, daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus,\nunwearied maiden! If ever in kindly mood thou stoodest by my father in\nthe heat of battle, even so now be thou likewise kind to me, Athene.\nGrant me to slay this man, and bring within my spear-cast him that took\nadvantage to shoot me, and boasteth over me, deeming that not for long\nshall I see the bright light of the sun.\u201d\n\nSo spake he in prayer, and Pallas Athene heard him, and made his limbs\nnimble, his feet and his hands withal, and came near and spake winged\nwords: \u201cBe of good courage now, Diomedes, to fight the Trojans; for in\nthy breast I have set thy father\u2019s courage undaunted, even as it was in\nknightly Tydeus, wielder of the buckler. Moreover I have taken from\nthine eyes the mist that erst was on them, that thou mayest well\ndiscern both god and man. Therefore if any god come hither to make\ntrial of thee, fight not thou face to face with any of the immortal\ngods; save only if Aphrodite daughter of Zeus enter into the battle,\nher smite thou with the keen bronze.\u201d\n\nSo saying bright-eyed Athene went her way and Tydeides returned and\nentered the forefront of the battle; even though erst his soul was\neager to do battle with the Trojans, yet now did threefold courage come\nupon him, as upon a lion whom some shepherd in the field guarding his\nfleecy sheep hath wounded, being sprung into the fold, yet hath not\nvanquished him; he hath roused his might, and then cannot beat him\nback, but lurketh amid the steading, and his forsaken flock is\naffrighted; so the sheep are cast in heaps, one upon the other, and the\nlion in his fury leapeth out of the high fold; even so in fury mingled\nmighty Diomedes with the Trojans.\n\nThere slew he Astynoos and Hypeiron shepherd of the host; the one he\npierced above the nipple with his bronze-shod dart, the other with his\ngreat sword upon the collar-bone beside the shoulder he smote, and\nsevered the shoulder from neck and back. Them left he there, and\npursued after Abas and Polyidos, sons of old Eurydamas dreamer of\ndreams; yet discerned he no dreams for them when they went,* but\nstalwart Diomedes despoiled them. Then went he after Xanthos and Thoon,\nsons of Phainops, striplings both; but their father was outworn of\ngrievous age, and begat no other son for his possessions after him.\nThen Diomedes slew them and bereft the twain of their dear life, and\nfor their father left only lamentation and sore distress, seeing he\nwelcomed them not alive returned from battle; and kinsmen divided his\nsubstance.\n\n* Or, \u201cyet came they not home for him to discern dreams for them.\u201d\n\n\nThen caught he two sons of Priam of the seed of Dardanos, riding in one\nchariot, Echemmon and Chromios. As a lion leapeth among the kine and\nbreaketh the neck of cow or heifer grazing in a woodland pasture, so\nTydeus\u2019 son thrust in ill wise from their chariot both of them\nunwilling, and thereafter despoiled them of their arms; and the horses\ngave he to his comrades to drive them to the ships.\n\nHim Aineias beheld making havoc of the ranks of warriors, and went his\nway along the battle and amid the hurtling of spears, seeking godlike\nPandaros, if haply he might find him. Lykaon\u2019s son he found, the noble\nand stalwart, and stood before his face, and spake a word unto him.\n\u201cPandaros, where now are thy bow and thy winged arrows, and the fame\nwherein no man of this land rivalleth thee, nor any in Lykia boasteth\nto be thy better? Go to now, lift thy hands in prayer to Zeus and shoot\nthy dart at this fellow, whoe\u2019er he be that lordeth it here and hath\nalready wrought the Trojans much mischief, seeing he hath unstrung the\nknees of many a brave man; if indeed it be not some god wroth with the\nTrojans, in anger by reason of sacrifices; the wrath of god is a sore\nthing to fall on men.\u201d*\n\n* Or, \u201cand the wrath of gods be heavy upon us.\u201d\n\n\nAnd Lykaon\u2019s glorious son made answer to him: \u201cAineias, counsellor of\nthe mail-clad Trojans, in everything liken I him to the wise son of\nTydeus; I discern him by his shield and crested helmet, and by the\naspect of his horses; yet know I not surely if it be not a god. But if\nit be the man I deem, even the wise son of Tydeus, then not without\nhelp of a god is he thus furious, but some immortal standeth beside him\nwith a cloud wrapped about his shoulders and turned aside from him my\nswift dart even as it lighted. For already have I shot my dart at him\nand smote his right shoulder right through the breastplate of his\ncorslet, yea and I thought to hurl him headlong to Aidoneus, yet I\nvanquished him not; surely it is some wrathful god. And I have no\nsteeds at hand nor any chariot whereon to mount\u2014yet in Lykaon\u2019s halls\nare eleven fair chariots, new wrought, with gear all fresh, and cloths\nspread over them; and beside each standeth a yoke of horses, champing\nwhite barley and spelt. Moreover Lykaon the aged spearman at my\ndeparting laid instant charge upon me in our well-builded house; he\nbade me mount horse and chariot to lead the Trojans in the violent\nmellay; but I obeyed him not\u2014far better had that been!\u2014but spared the\nhorses lest in the great crowd of men they should lack fodder that had\nbeen wont to feed their fill. Therefore I left them and am come on foot\nto Ilios, trusting to my bow; and now must my bow not help me! Already\nhave I aimed at two princes, Tydeus\u2019 and Atreus\u2019 sons, and both I smote\nand surely drew forth blood, yet only roused them the more. Therefore\nin an evil hour I took from the peg my curved bow on that day when I\nled my Trojans to lovely Ilios, to do noble Hector pleasure. But if I\nreturn and mine eyes behold my native land and wife and great palace\nlofty-roofed, then may an alien forthwith cut my head from me if I\nbreak not this bow with mine hands and cast it upon the blazing fire;\nworthless is its service to me as air.\u201d\n\nThen Aineias captain of the Trojans answered him: \u201cNay, talk not thus;\nnaught shall be mended before that we with horses and chariot have gone\nto face this man, and made trial of him in arms. Come then, mount upon\nmy car that thou mayest see of what sort are the steeds of Tros, well\nskilled for following or for fleeing hither or thither very fleetly\nacross the plain; they will e\u2019en bring us to the city safe and sound,\neven though Zeus hereafter give victory to Diomedes son of Tydeus. Come\ntherefore, take thou the lash and shining reins, and I will stand upon\nthe car to fight;* or else withstand thou him, and to the horses will I\nlook.\u201d\n\n* Reading \u1f10\u03c0\u03b9\u03b2\u03ae\u03c3\u03bf\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9, with Zenodotos.\n\n\nTo him made answer Lykaon\u2019s glorious son: \u201cAineias, take thou thyself\nthe reins and thine own horses; better will they draw the curved car\nfor their wonted charioteer, if perchance it hap that we must flee from\nTydeus\u2019 son; lest they go wild for fear and will not take us from the\nfight, for lack of thy voice, and so the son of great-hearted Tydeus\nattack us and slay us both and drive away the whole-hooved horses. So\ndrive thou thyself thy chariot and thy horses, and I will await his\nonset with my keen spear.\u201d So saying mounted they upon the well-dight\nchariot, and eagerly drave the fleet horses against Tydeides. And\nSthenelos, the glorious son of Kapaneus, saw them, and anon spake to\nTydeides winged words: \u201cDiomedes son of Tydeus, dear to mine heart, I\nbehold two stalwart warriors eager to fight against thee, endued with\nmight beyond measure. The one is well skilled in the bow, even\nPandaros, and he moreover boasteth him to be Lykaon\u2019s son; and Aineias\nboasteth himself to be born son of great-hearted Anchises, and his\nmother is Aphrodite. Come now, let us give place upon the chariot,\nneither rage thou thus, I pray thee, in the forefront of battle, lest\nperchance thou lose thy life.\u201d\n\nThen stalwart Diomedes looked sternly at him and said: \u201cSpeak to me no\nword of flight, for I ween that thou shalt not at all persuade me; not\nin my blood is it to fight a skulking fight or cower down; my force is\nsteadfast still. I have no mind to mount the chariot, nay, even as I am\nwill I go to face them; Pallas Athene biddeth me not be afraid. And as\nfor these, their fleet horses shall not take both back from us again,\neven if one or other escape. And this moreover tell I thee, and lay\nthou it to heart: if Athene rich in counsel grant me this glory, to\nslay them both, then refrain thou here these my fleet horses, and bind\nthe reins tight to the chariot rim; and be mindful to leap upon\nAineias\u2019 horses, and drive them forth from the Trojans amid the\nwell-greaved Achaians. For they are of that breed whereof farseeing*\nZeus gave to Tros recompense for Ganymede his child, because they were\nthe best of all horses beneath the daylight and the sun. That blood\nAnchises king of men stole of Laomedon, privily putting mares to them.\nThereof a stock was born him in his palace, even six; four kept he\nhimself and reared them at the stall, and the other twain gave he to\nAineias deviser of rout.** Them could we seize, we should win us great\nrenown.\u201d\n\n* Or, \u201cZeus of the far-borne voice.\u201d\n\n\n** Reading \u03bc\u03ae\u03c3\u03c4\u03c9\u03c1\u03b9.\n\n\nIn such wise talked they one to the other, and anon those other twain\ncame near, driving their fleet horses. First to him spake Lykaon\u2019s\nglorious son: \u201cO thou strong-souled and cunning, son of proud Tydeus,\nverily my swift dart vanquished thee not, the bitter arrow; so now will\nI make trial with my spear if I can hit thee.\u201d\n\nHe spake and poised and hurled his far-shadowing spear, and smote upon\nTydeides\u2019 shield; right through it sped the point of bronze and reached\nthe breastplate. So over him shouted loudly Lykaon\u2019s glorious son:\n\u201cThou art smitten on the belly right through, and I ween thou shalt not\nlong hold up thine head; so thou givest me great renown.\u201d\n\nBut mighty Diomedes unaffrighted answered him: \u201cThou hast missed, and\nnot hit; but ye twain I deem shall not cease till one or other shall\nhave fallen and glutted with blood Ares the stubborn god of war.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and hurled; and Athene guided the dart upon his nose beside\nthe eye, and it pierced through his white teeth. So the hard bronze cut\nthrough his tongue at the root and the point issued forth by the base\nof the chin. He fell from his chariot, and his splendid armour gleaming\nclanged upon him, and the fleet-footed horses swerved aside; so there\nhis soul and strength were unstrung.\n\nThen Aineias leapt down with shield and long spear, fearing lest\nperchance the Achaians might take from him the corpse; and strode over\nhim like a lion confident in his strength, and held before him his\nspear and the circle of his shield, eager to slay whoe\u2019er should come\nto face him, crying his terrible cry. Then Tydeides grasped in his hand\na stone\u2014a mighty deed\u2014such as two men, as men now are, would not avail\nto lift; yet he with ease wielded it all alone. Therewith he smote\nAineias on the hip where the thigh turneth in the hip-joint, and this\nmen call the \u201ccup-bone.\u201d So he crushed his cup-bone, and brake both\nsinews withal, and the jagged stone tore apart the skin. Then the hero\nstayed fallen upon his knees and with stout hand leant upon the earth;\nand the darkness of night veiled his eyes. And now might Aineias king\nof men have perished, but that Aphrodite daughter of Zeus was swift to\nmark, even his mother that conceived him by Anchises as he tended the\nkine. About her dear son wound she her white arms, and spread before\nhis face a fold of her radiant vesture, to be a covering from the\ndarts, lest any of the fleet-horsed Danaans might hurl the spear into\nhis breast and take away his life.\n\nSo was she bearing her dear son away from battle; but the son of\nKapaneus forgat not the behest that Diomedes of the loud war-cry had\nlaid upon him; he refrained his own whole-hooved horses away from the\ntumult, binding the reins tight to the chariot-rim, and leapt on the\nsleek-coated horses of Aineias, and drave them from the Trojans to the\nwell-greaved Achaians, and gave them to De\u00efpylos his dear comrade whom\nhe esteemed above all that were his age-fellows, because he was\nlike-minded with himself; and bade him drive them to the hollow ships.\nThen did the hero mount his own chariot and take the shining reins and\nforthwith drive his strong-hooved horses in quest of Tydeides, eagerly.\nNow Tydeides had made onslaught with pitiless weapon on Kypris,*\nknowing how she was a coward goddess and none of those that have\nmastery in battle of the warriors\u2014no Athene she nor Enyo waster of\ncities. Now when he had pursued her through the dense throng and come\non her, then great-hearted Tydeus\u2019 son thrust with his keen spear, and\nleapt on her and wounded the skin of her weak hand; straight through\nthe ambrosial raiment that the Graces themselves had woven her pierced\nthe dart into the flesh, above the springing of the palm. Then flowed\nthe goddess\u2019s immortal blood, such ichor as floweth in the blessed\ngods; for they eat no bread neither drink they gleaming wine, wherefore\nthey are bloodless and are named immortals. And she with a great cry\nlet fall her son: him Phoebus Apollo took into his arms and saved him\nin a dusky cloud, lest any of the fleet-horsed Danaans might hurl the\nspear into his breast and take away his life. But over her Diomedes of\nthe loud war-cry shouted afar: \u201cRefrain thee, thou daughter of Zeus,\nfrom war and fighting. Is it not enough that thou beguilest feeble\nwomen? But if in battle thou wilt mingle, verily I deem that thou shalt\nshudder at the name of battle, if thou hear it even afar off.\u201d\n\n* Aphrodite.\n\n\nSo spake he, and she departed in amaze and was sore troubled: and\nwind-footed Iris took her and led her from the throng tormented with\nher pain, and her fair skin was stained. There found she impetuous Ares\nsitting, on the battle\u2019s left; and his spear rested upon a cloud, and\nhis fleet steeds. Then she fell on her knees and with instant prayer\nbesought of her dear brother his golden-frontleted steeds: \u201cDear\nbrother, save me and give me thy steeds, that I may win to Olympus,\nwhere is the habitation of the immortals. Sorely am I afflicted with a\nwound wherewith a mortal smote me, even Tydeides, who now would fight\neven with father Zeus.\u201d\n\nSo spake she, and Ares gave her his golden-frontleted steeds, and she\nmounted on the chariot sore at heart. By her side mounted Iris, and in\nher hands grasped the reins and lashed the horses to start them; and\nthey flew onward nothing loth. Thus soon they came to the habitation of\nthe gods, even steep Olympus. There wind-footed fleet Iris loosed the\nhorses from the chariot and stabled them, and set ambrosial forage\nbefore them; but fair Aphrodite fell upon Dione\u2019s knees that was her\nmother. She took her daughter in her arms and stroked her with her\nhand, and spake and called upon her name: \u201cWho now of the sons of\nheaven, dear child, hath entreated thee thus wantonly, as though thou\nwert a wrong-doer in the face of all?\u201d\n\nThen laughter-loving Aphrodite made answer to her: \u201cTydeus\u2019 son wounded\nme, high-hearted Diomedes, because I was saving from the battle my dear\nson Aineias, who to me is dearest far of all men. For no more is the\nfierce battle-cry for Trojans and Achaians, but the Danaans now are\nfighting even the immortals.\u201d\n\nThen the fair goddess Dione answered her: \u201cBe of good heart, my child,\nand endure for all thy pain; for many of us that inhabit the mansions\nof Olympus have suffered through men, in bringing grievous woes one\nupon another. So suffered Ares, when Otos and stalwart Ephialtes, sons\nof Aloeus, bound him in a strong prison-house; yea in a vessel of\nbronze lay he bound thirteen months. Then might Ares insatiate of\nbattle have perished, but that the step-mother of Aloeus\u2019 sons, fair\nE\u00ebriboia, gave tidings to Hermes, and he stole away Ares, already\npining; for the grievous prison-house was wearing him out. So suffered\nHera when Amphitryon\u2019s stalwart son smote her on the right breast with\na three-barbed arrow, so that pain unassuageable gat hold of her\nlikewise. So suffered awful Hades a swift arrow like the rest, when\nthis same man, the son of aegis-bearing Zeus, smote him in Pylos* amid\nthe dead and gave him over to anguish. And he went to the mansion of\nZeus and to high Olympus, grieved at heart, pierced through with\nanguish; for the arrow was driven into his stout shoulder, and vexed\nhis soul. But Paieon spread soothing drugs upon the wound and healed\nhim; seeing that verily he was of no mortal substance. Headstrong man\nand violent of deed, that recked not of his evil doings, and with his\narchery vexed the gods that dwell in Olympus! So upon thee was this man\nsent by the bright-eyed goddess Athene; fond man\u2014for the heart of\nTydeus\u2019 son knoweth not this, that he of a surety is not long-lived\nthat fighteth with immortals, nor ever do his children prattle upon his\nknees at his returning from war and terrible fray. Therefore now let\nTydeides, though he be very mighty, beware lest one better than thou\nencounter him; and so Aigialeia, wise daughter of Adrestos, wake from\nsleep with lamentations all her household, bewailing her wedded lord,\nthe best man of the Achaians, even she that is the brave wife of\nhorse-taming Diomedes.\u201d\n\n* Or, \u201cat the gate of hell.\u201d according to Aristarchos.\n\n\nSo saying with both hands she wiped the ichor from the arm; her arm was\ncomforted, and the grievous pangs assuaged. But Athene and Hera beheld,\nand with bitter words provoked Zeus the son of Kronos. Of them was the\nbright-eyed goddess Athene first to speak: \u201cFather Zeus, wilt thou\nindeed be wroth with me whate\u2019er I say? Verily I ween that Kypris was\nurging some woman of Achaia to join her unto the Trojans whom she so\nmarvellously loveth; and stroking such an one of the fair-robed women\nof Achaia, she tore upon the golden brooch her delicate hand.\u201d\n\nSo spake she, and the father of gods and men smiled, and called unto\nhim golden Aphrodite and said: \u201cNot unto thee, my child, are given the\nworks of war; but follow thou after the loving tasks of wedlock, and to\nall these things shall fleet Ares and Athene look.\u201d\n\nNow while they thus spake in converse one with the other, Diomedes of\nthe loud war-cry leapt upon Aineias, knowing full well that Apollo\nhimself had spread his arms over him; yet reverenced he not even the\ngreat god, but still was eager to slay Aineias and strip from him his\nglorious armour. So thrice he leapt on him, fain to slay him, and\nthrice Apollo beat back his glittering shield. And when the fourth time\nhe sprang at him like a god, then Apollo the Far-darter spake to him\nwith terrible shout: \u201cThink, Tydeides, and shrink, nor desire to match\nthy spirit with gods; seeing there is no comparison of the race of\nimmortal gods and of men that walk upon the earth.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and Tydeides shrank a short space backwards, to avoid the\nwrath of Apollo the Far-darter. Then Apollo set Aineias away from the\nthrong in holy Pergamos where his temple stood. There Leto and Archer\nArtemis healed him in the mighty sanctuary, and gave him glory; but\nApollo of the silver bow made a wraith like unto Aineias\u2019 self, and in\nsuch armour as his; and over the wraith Trojans and goodly Achaians\neach hewed the others\u2019 bucklers on their breasts, their round shields\nand fluttering targes.\n\nThen to impetuous Ares said Phoebus Apollo: \u201cAres, Ares, blood-stained\nbane of mortals, thou stormer of walls, wilt thou not follow after this\nman and withdraw him from the battle, this Tydeides, who now would\nfight even with father Zeus? First in close fight he wounded Kypris in\nher hand hard by the wrist, and then sprang he upon myself like unto a\ngod.\u201d\n\nSo saying he sate himself upon the height of Pergamos, and baleful Ares\nentered among the Trojan ranks and aroused them in the likeness of\nfleet Akamas, captain of the Thracians. On the heaven-nurtured sons of\nPriam he called saying: \u201cO ye sons of Priam, the heaven-nurtured king,\nhow long will ye yet suffer your host to be slain of the Achaians?\nShall it be even until they fight about our well-builded gates? Low\nlieth the warrior whom we esteemed like unto goodly Hector, even\nAineias son of Anchises great of heart. Go to now, let us save from the\ntumult our valiant comrade.\u201d\n\nSo saying he aroused the spirit and soul of every man. Thereat Sarpedon\nsorely chode noble Hector: \u201cHector, where now is the spirit gone that\nerst thou hadst? Thou saidst forsooth that without armies or allies\nthou wouldest hold the city, alone with thy sisters\u2019 husbands and thy\nbrothers; but now can I not see any of these neither perceive them, but\nthey are cowering like hounds about a lion; and we are fighting that\nare but allies among you. Yea I being an ally am come from very far;\nfar off is Lykia upon eddying Xanthos, where I left my dear wife and\ninfant son, and left my great wealth that each one coveteth that is in\nneed. Yet for all that I urge on my Lykians, and myself am eager to\nfight my man, though here is naught of mine such as the Achaians might\nplunder or harry. But thou standest, nay thou dost not even urge all\nthine hosts to abide and guard their wives. Only beware lest, as though\ntangled in meshes of all-ensnaring flax, ye be made unto your foemen a\nprey and a spoil; and they will soon lay waste your well-peopled city.\nThee it behoveth to give thought to all these things both by night and\nday, and to beseech the captains of thy far-famed allies to hold on\nunflinchingly; and so shalt thou put away their sore rebuking from\nthee.\u201d\n\nSo spake Sarpedon, and his word stung Hector to the heart, Forthwith he\nleapt from his chariot in his armour to the earth, and brandishing two\nkeen spears went everywhere through the host, urging them to fight, and\nroused the dread battle-cry. So they were rallied and stood to face the\nAchaians: and the Argives withstood them in close array and fled not.\nEven as a wind carrieth the chaff about the sacred threshing-floors\nwhen men are winnowing, what time golden-haired Demeter in rush of wind\nmaketh division of grain and chaff, and so the chaff-heaps grow\nwhite\u2014so now grew the Achaians white with falling dust which in their\nmidst the horses\u2019 hooves beat up into the brazen heaven, as fight was\njoined again, and the charioteers wheeled round. Thus bare they forward\nthe fury of their hands: and impetuous Ares drew round them a veil of\nnight to aid the Trojans in the battle,* ranging everywhere; so\nfulfilled he the behest of Phoebus Apollo of the golden sword, who bade\nhim rouse the Trojans\u2019 spirit when he beheld Pallas Athene departed;\nfor she was helper to the Danaans. And Apollo himself sent forth\nAineias from his rich sanctuary and put courage in the heart of him,\nshepherd of the hosts. So Aineias took his place amid his comrades, and\nthey were glad to see him come among them alive and sound and full of\nvaliant spirit. Yet they questioned him not at all, for all the toil\nforbade them that the god of the silver bow was stirring and Ares bane\nof men and Strife raging insatiably.\n\n* Or, drew round the battle a veil of night to help the Trojans.\n\n\nAnd on the other side the two Aiantes and Odysseus and Diomedes stirred\nthe Danaans to fight; yet these of themselves feared neither the\nTrojans\u2019 violence nor assaults, but stood like mists that Kronos\u2019 son\nsetteth in windless air on the mountain tops, at peace, while the might\nof the north wind sleepeth and of all the violent winds that blow with\nkeen breath and scatter apart the shadowing clouds. Even so the Danaans\nwithstood the Trojans steadfastly and fled not. And Atreides ranged\nthrough the throng exhorting instantly: \u201cMy friends, quit you like men\nand take heart of courage, and shun dishonour in one another\u2019s eyes\namid the stress of battle. Of men that shun dishonour more are saved\nthan slain, but for them that flee is neither glory found nor any\nsafety.\u201d\n\nSo saying he darted swiftly with his javelin and smote a foremost\nwarrior, even great-hearted Aineias\u2019 comrade De\u00efkoon son of Pergasos,\nwhom the Trojans held in like honour with Priam\u2019s sons, because he was\nswift to do battle amid the foremost. Him lord Agamemnon smote with his\ndart upon the shield, and it stayed not the spear, but the point passed\nthrough, so that he drave it through the belt into his nethermost\nbelly: and he fell with a crash and his armour clanged upon him.\n\nThen did Aineias slay two champions of the Danaans, even the sons of\nDiokles, Krethon and Orsilochos, whose father dwelt in stablished\nPhere, a man full of substance, whose lineage was of the river\nAlpheios, that floweth in broad stream through the land of the Pylians;\nAlpheios begat Orsilochos to be king of many men, and Orsilochos begat\ngreat-hearted Diokles, and of Diokles were born twin sons, even Krethon\nand Orsilochos, well skilled in all the ways of war. Now when these\nwere of full age, they bare the Argives company on their black ships to\nIlios home of horses, to win recompense for Atreus\u2019 sons, Agamemnon and\nMenelaos; but now the issue of death shrouded them about. Like them,\ntwo lions on the mountain tops are nurtured by their dam in the deep\nforest thickets; and these harry the kine and goodly sheep and make\nhavoc of the farmsteads of men, till in their turn they too are slain\nat men\u2019s hands with the keen bronze; in such wise were these twain\nvanquished at Aineias\u2019 hands and fell like tall pine-trees.\n\nBut Menelaos dear to Ares had pity of them in their fall, and strode\nthrough the forefront, harnessed in flashing bronze, brandishing his\nspear; and Ares stirred his courage, with intent that he might fall\nbeneath Aineias\u2019 hand. But Antilochos, great-hearted Nestor\u2019s son,\nbeheld him, and strode through the forefront; because he feared\nexceedingly for the shepherd of the host, lest aught befall him and\ndisappoint them utterly of their labour. So those two were now holding\nforth their hands and sharp spears each against the other, eager to do\nbattle; when Antilochos came and stood hard by the shepherd of the\nhost. But Aineias faced them not, keen warrior though he was, when he\nbeheld two men abiding side by side; so these haled away the corpses to\nthe Achaians\u2019 host, and laid the hapless twain in their comrades\u2019 arms,\nand themselves turned back and fought on amid the foremost.\n\nThen slew they Pylaimenes, peer of Ares, captain of the great-hearted\nPaphlagonians bearers of the shield. Him as he stood still Atreus\u2019 son,\nspear-famed Menelaos, pierced with his javelin, smiting upon the\ncollar-bone; and Antilochos hurled at Mydon, his squire and charioteer,\nAtymnios\u2019 brave son, even as he was wheeling the whole-hooved horses,\nand with a stone smote his elbow in the midst; so the reins white with\nivory fell from his hands to earth, even into the dust. Then Antilochos\nsprang on him and drave the sword into his temple, and he fell gasping\nfrom the well-wrought chariot headlong in the dust on crown and\nshoulders. A while he stood there, being lighted on deep sand, until\nhis horses spurned him and cast him to earth, even in the dust; and\nthem Antilochos lashed, and drave them to the Achaians\u2019 host.\n\nBut Hector marked them across the ranks, and sprang on them with a\nshout, and the battalions of the Trojans followed him in their might:\nand Ares led them on and dread Enyo, she bringing ruthless turmoil of\nwar, the while Ares wielded in his hands his monstrous spear, and\nranged now before Hector\u2019s face, and now behind.\n\nThen Diomedes of the loud war-cry shuddered to behold him; and even as\na shiftless man crossing a great plain cometh on a swift-streaming\nriver flowing on to the sea, and seeing it boil with foam springeth\nbackwards, even so now Tydeides shrank back and spake to the host:\n\u201cFriends, how marvel we that noble Hector is a spearman and bold man of\nwar! Yet ever is there beside him some god that wardeth off\ndestruction; even as now Ares is there by him in likeness of a mortal\nman. But with faces towards the Trojans still give ground backwards,\nneither be desirous to fight amain with gods.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and the Trojans came very close upon them. Then Hector slew\ntwo that knew well the battle joy, riding in one chariot, even\nMenesthes and Anchialos. And the great Telamonian Aias had pity of them\nin their fall, and came hard by and darted with his bright javelin, and\nsmote Amphios son of Selagos, that dwelt in Paisos, a man rich in\nsubstance, rich in meadow land; but fate led him to bring succour to\nPriam and his sons. Him Telamonian Aias smote upon the belt, and in his\nnether belly the far-shadowing spear stuck and he fell with a crash.\nThen glorious Aias ran at him to strip him of his armour, and the\nTrojans rained on him keen javelins glittering, and his shield caught\nmany thereof. But he set his heel upon the corpse and plucked forth the\nspear of bronze; only he could not strip from his shoulders all the\nfair armour therewith, being overwhelmed of spears. Moreover he feared\nthe haughty Trojans\u2019 stout defence, they being many and brave that with\ntheir spears pressed on him, so that for all he was so great and\nvaliant and proud they thrust him from them; and he was shaken and\nshrank back.\n\nThus toiled these in violent battle; and Tlepolemos son of Herakles,\nvaliant and tall, was driven of forceful fate against godlike Sarpedon.\nThen when the twain were come nigh in onset on each other, even the son\nand grandson of Zeus the cloud-gatherer, then first to the other spake\nTlepolemos: \u201cSarpedon, counsellor of the Lykians, why must thou be\nskulking here, being a man unskilled in battle? Falsely do men say that\nthou art offspring of aegis-bearing Zeus, seeing thou art found lacking\ngreatly beside those men that in days of old were born of Zeus. Ah,\nwhat an one do men say* was mighty Herakles, even my father the\nsteadfast lion-heart, who erst came hither for Laomedon\u2019s mares with\nbut six ships and a scantier host, yet sacked the city of Ilios and\nmade her highways desolate. But thine is a base spirit, and thy folk\nare minishing. I ween that thou art in no wise come from Lykia to be a\nbulwark unto the Trojans, for all thy great strength, but that thou\nshalt be vanquished at my hand and pass the gates of Hades.\u201d\n\n* Or, \u201cof other sort, men say,\u201d if we read \u1f00\u03bb\u03bb\u03bf\u1fd6\u03bf\u03bd for \u1f00\u03bb\u03bb\u2019 \u03bf\u1fd6\u03bf\u03bd.\n\n\nThen Sarpedon captain of the Lykians answered him: \u201cTlepolemos, he\nverily overthrew holy Ilios by the folly of the proud man Laomedon,\nthat rewarded his good deed with harsh upbraiding, and paid him not the\nsteeds wherefor he came from afar. And for thee I say that slaughter\nand black death shall come about here at my hands; vanquished by my\nspear thou shalt yield to me my glory, and thy life to Hades of the\ngoodly steeds.\u201d\n\nSo spake Sarpedon, and Tlepolemos lifted his ashen spear, and both\ntheir long javelins sped from their hands together. Sarpedon smote the\nmidst of his neck, and the grievous point past right through, and the\ndarkness of night fell on his eyes and shrouded him: and Tlepolemos\nwith long spear smote the other\u2019s left thigh, and the point sped\nthrough furiously, grazing the bone; but his father yet warded off\ndestruction.\n\nSo his goodly comrades bare away godlike Sarpedon from the battle, but\nthe long spear dragging was heavy upon him, and no man marked it or\ntook thought in their haste to draw the ashen spear out from his thigh\nthat he might stand upright; such labour had they in tending him. And\nover against them the well-greaved Achaians bare Tlepolemos from the\nbattle. And noble Odysseus of the patient soul marked it, and his heart\nwas stirred within him. Then doubted he in mind and soul whether first\nto pursue the son of Zeus the loud thunderer, or take the lives of the\ncommon sort of the Lykians. But it was not destined to great-hearted\nOdysseus to slay with his keen blade the mighty son of Zeus; so Athene\nturned his fury upon the multitude of the Lykians. Then slew he\nKoiranos and Alastor and Chromios and Alkandros and Halios and No\u00ebmon\nand Prytanis; and yet more Lykians had noble Odysseus slain but that\ngreat Hector of the glancing helm was swift to mark him, and strode\nthrough the forefront of battle, harnessed in flashing bronze, and\nbrought terror to the Danaans; but Sarpedon the son of Zeus was glad at\nhis coming, and spake to him a word of pain: \u201cO son of Priam, let me\nnot now be left a prey unto the Danaans, but bring me succour; howbeit\nthereafter let my life depart from me in your city, seeing it might not\nbe that I should return home to my dear native land, to make glad my\ndear wife and infant son.\u201d\n\nSo said he, but Hector of the glancing helm spake no word to him, but\nhastened on, desirous with all speed to thrust back the Argives and\ntake the lives of many. So his goodly comrades made godlike Sarpedon to\nsit beneath a fair oak-tree of aegis-bearing Zeus, and valiant Pelagon\nthat was his dear comrade thrust forth from his thigh the ashen spear;\nand his spirit failed him and mist overspread his eyes. Then breathed\nhe again, and the breath of the north wind blew round about him and\nbrought him to life from the grievous swoon of his soul.\n\nNow the Argives before the face of Ares and mail-clad Hector neither\nturned them round about toward their black ships, nor charged forward\nin battle, but still fell backward, when they heard of Ares amid the\nTrojans. And now who first was slaughtered, and who last, by Hector son\nof Priam and brazen Ares? Even godlike Teuthras, and thereafter Orestes\nthe charioteer, and Trechos spearman of Aitolia, and Oinomaos and\nHelenos son of Oinops and Oresbios with gleaming taslets, who dwelt in\nHyle and had great care of his substance, lying beside the Kephisian\nmere; and near him dwelt all the Boiotians, inhabiters of a full rich\ndomain.\n\nNow when the white-armed goddess Hera marked them making havoc of the\nArgives in the press of battle, anon she spake winged words to Athene:\n\u201cOut on it, thou daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus, unwearied maiden! Was\nit for naught we pledged our word to Menelaos, that he should not\ndepart till he had laid waste well-walled Ilios,\u2014if thus we let baleful\nAres rage? Go to now, let us twain also take thought of impetuous\nvalour.\u201d\n\nSo said she, and the bright-eyed goddess Athene disregarded not. So\nHera the goddess queen, daughter of Kronos, went her way to harness the\ngold-frontleted steeds; and Hebe quickly put to the car the curved\nwheels of bronze, eight-spoked, upon their axle-tree of iron. Golden is\ntheir felloe, imperishable, and tires of bronze are fitted thereover, a\nmarvel to look upon; and the naves are of silver, to turn about on\neither side. And the car is plaited tight with gold and silver thongs,\nand two rails run round about it. And the silver pole stood out\ntherefrom; upon the end bound she the fair golden yoke, and set thereon\nthe fair breaststraps of gold, and Hera led beneath the yoke the horses\nfleet of foot, and hungered for strife and the battle-cry. And Athene,\ndaughter of aegis-bearing Zeus, cast down at her father\u2019s threshold her\nwoven vesture many-coloured, that herself had wrought and her hands had\nfashioned, and put on her the tunic of Zeus the cloud-gatherer, and\narrayed her in her armour for dolorous battle. About her shoulders cast\nshe the tasselled aegis terrible, whereon is Panic as a crown all round\nabout, and Strife is therein and Valour and horrible Onslaught withal,\nand therein is the dreadful monster\u2019s Gorgon head, dreadful and grim,\nportent of aegis-bearing Zeus. Upon her head set she the two-crested\ngolden helm with fourfold plate, bedecked with men-at-arms of a hundred\ncities. Upon the flaming chariot set she her foot, and grasped her\nheavy spear, great and stout, wherewith she vanquisheth the ranks of\nmen, even of heroes with whom she of the awful sire is wroth. Then Hera\nswiftly smote the horses with the lash; self-moving groaned upon their\nhinges the gates of heaven whereof the Hours are warders, to whom is\ncommitted great heaven and Olympus, whether to throw open the thick\ncloud or set it to. There through the gates guided they their horses\npatient of the lash. And they found the son of Kronos sitting apart\nfrom all the gods on the topmost peak of many-ridged Olympus. Then the\nwhite-armed goddess Hera stayed her horses and questioned the most high\nZeus, the son of Kronos, and said: \u201cFather Zeus, hast thou no\nindignation with Ares for these violent deeds? How great and goodly a\ncompany of Achaians hath he destroyed recklessly and in unruly wise,\nunto my sorrow. But here in peace Kypris and Apollo of the silver bow\ntake their pleasure, having set on this mad one that knoweth not any\nlaw. Father Zeus, wilt thou at all be wroth with me if I smite Ares and\nchase him from the battle in sorry plight?\u201d\n\nAnd Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered and said to her: \u201cGo to now, set\nupon him Athene driver of the spoil, who most is wont to bring sore\npain upon him.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and the white-armed goddess Hera disregarded not, and\nlashed her horses; they nothing loth flew on between earth and starry\nheaven. As far as a man seeth with his eyes into the haze of distance\nas he sitteth on a place of outlook and gazeth over the wine-dark sea,\nso far leap the loudly neighing horses of the gods. Now when they came\nto Troy and the two flowing rivers, even to where Simoeis and\nSkamandros join their streams, there the white-armed goddess Hera\nstayed her horses and loosed them from the car and poured thick mist\nround about them, and Simoeis made ambrosia spring up for them to\ngraze. So the goddesses went their way with step like unto\nturtle-doves, being fain to bring succour to the men of Argos. And when\nthey were now come where the most and most valiant stood, thronging\nabout mighty Diomedes tamer of horses, in the semblance of ravening\nlions or wild boars whose strength is nowise feeble, then stood the\nwhite-armed goddess Hera and shouted in the likeness of great-hearted\nStentor with voice of bronze, whose cry was loud as the cry of fifty\nother men: \u201cFie upon you, Argives, base things of shame, so brave in\nsemblance! While yet noble Achilles entered continually into battle,\nthen issued not the Trojans even from the Dardanian gate; for they had\ndread of his terrible spear. But now fight they far from the city at\nthe hollow ships.\u201d\n\nSo saying she aroused the spirit and soul of every man. And to\nTydeides\u2019 side sprang the bright-eyed goddess Athene. That lord she\nfound beside his horses and chariot, cooling the wound that Pandaros\nwith his dart had pierced, for his sweat vexed it by reason of the\nbroad baldrick of his round shield; therewith was he vexed and his arm\ngrew weary, so he was lifting up the baldrick and wiping away the dusky\nblood. Then the goddess laid her hand on his horses\u2019 yoke, and said:\n\u201cOf a truth Tydeus begat a son little after his own likeness. Tydeus\nwas short of stature, but a man of war; yea even when I would not have\nhim fight nor make display\u2014what time he came apart from the Achaians on\nan embassage to Thebes, to the midst of the multitude of the Kadmeians,\nI bade him feast in their halls at peace; but he, possessing his\nvaliant soul as of old time, challenged the young men of the Kadmeians\nand in everything vanquished them [easily; so sure a helper was I unto\nhim]. But for thee, beside thee stand I and guard thee and with all my\nheart bid thee fight the Trojans; yet either hath weariness of much\nstriving entered into thy limbs, or disheartening terror hath taken\nhold of thee. If that be so, no offspring art thou of Tydeus, the wise\nson of Oineus.\u201d\n\nAnd stalwart Diomedes made answer to her and said: \u201cI know thee,\ngoddess daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus: therefore with my whole heart\nwill I tell thee my thought and hide it not. Neither hath disheartening\nterror taken hold upon me, nor any faintness, but I am still mindful of\nthy behest that thou didst lay upon me. Thou forbadest me to fight face\nto face with all the blessed gods, save only if Zeus\u2019 daughter\nAphrodite should enter into battle, then to wound her with the keen\nbronze. Therefore do I now give ground myself and have bidden all the\nArgives likewise to gather here together; for I discern Ares lording it\nin the fray.\u201d\n\nThen the bright-eyed goddess Athene answered him: \u201cDiomedes son of\nTydeus, thou joy of mine heart, fear thou, for that, neither Ares nor\nany other of the immortals; so great a helper am I to thee. Go to now,\nat Ares first guide thou thy whole-hooved horses, and smite him hand to\nhand, nor have any awe of impetuous Ares, raving here, a curse\nincarnate, the renegade that of late in converse with me and Hera\npledged him to fight against the Trojans and give succour to the\nArgives, but now consorteth with the Trojans and hath forgotten these.\u201d\n\nSo speaking, with her hand she drew back Sthenelos and thrust him from\nthe chariot to earth, and instantly leapt he down; so the goddess\nmounted the car by noble Diomedes\u2019 side right eagerly. The oaken axle\ncreaked loud with its burden, bearing the dread goddess and the man of\nmight. Then Pallas Athene grasped the whip and reins; forthwith against\nAres first guided she the whole-hooved horses. Now he was stripping\nhuge Periphas, most valiant far of the Aitolians, Ochesios\u2019 glorious\nson. Him was blood-stained Ares stripping; and Athene donned the helm\nof Hades, that terrible Ares might not behold her. Now when Ares\nscourge of mortals beheld noble Diomedes, he left huge Periphas lying\nthere, where at the first he had slain him and taken away his life, and\nmade straight at Diomedes tamer of horses. Now when they were come nigh\nin onset on one another, first Ares thrust over the yoke and horse\u2019s\nreins with spear of bronze, eager to take away his life. But the\nbright-eyed goddess Athene with her hand seized the spear and thrust it\nup over* the car, to spend itself in vain. Next Diomedes of the loud\nwar-cry attacked with spear of bronze; and Pallas Athene drave it home\nagainst Ares\u2019 nethermost belly, where his taslets were girt about him.\nThere smote he him and wounded him, rending through his fair skin, and\nplucked forth the spear again. Then brazen Ares bellowed loud as nine\nthousand warriors or ten thousand cry in battle as they join in strife\nand fray. Thereat trembling gat hold of Achaians and Trojans for fear,\nso mightily bellowed Ares insatiate of battle.\n\nReading \u1f51\u03c0\u03ad\u03c1 with the best MS. for \u1f50\u03c0\u2019 \u1f10\u03ba.\n\n\nEven as gloomy mist appeareth from the clouds when after heat a stormy\nwind ariseth, even so to Tydeus\u2019 son Diomedes brazen Ares appeared amid\nclouds, faring to wide heaven. Swiftly came he to the gods\u2019 dwelling,\nsteep Olympus, and sat beside Zeus son of Kronos with grief at heart,\nand shewed the immortal blood flowing from the wound, and piteously\nspake to him winged words: \u201cFather Zeus, hast thou no indignation to\nbehold these violent deeds? For ever cruelly suffer we gods by one\nanother\u2019s devices, in shewing men grace. With thee are we all at\nvariance, because thou didst beget that reckless maiden and baleful,\nwhose thought is ever of iniquitous deeds. For all the other gods that\nare in Olympus hearken to thee, and we are subject every one; only her\nthou chastenest not, neither in deed nor word, but settest her on,\nbecause this pestilent one is thine own offspring. Now hath she urged\non Tydeus\u2019 son, even overweening Diomedes, to rage furiously against\nthe immortal gods. Kypris first he wounded in close fight, in the wrist\nof her hand, and then assailed he me, even me, with the might of a god.\nHowbeit my swift feet bare me away; else had I long endured anguish\nthere amid the grisly heaps of dead, or else had lived strengthless\nfrom the smitings of the spear.\u201d\n\nThen Zeus the cloud-gatherer looked sternly at him and said: \u201cNay, thou\nrenegade, sit not by me and whine. Most hateful to me art thou of all\ngods that dwell in Olympus: thou ever lovest strife and wars and\nbattles. Truly thy mother\u2019s spirit is intolerable, unyielding, even\nHera\u2019s; her can I scarce rule with words. Therefore I deem that by her\nprompting thou art in this plight. Yet will I no longer endure to see\nthee in anguish; mine offspring art thou, and to me thy mother bare\nthee. But wert thou born of any other god unto this violence, long ere\nthis hadst thou been lower than the sons of Heaven.\u201d*\n\n* The Titans, imprisoned in Tartaros. Others explain \u201clower than the\nheavenly gods.\u201d Zenodotos read \u1f10\u03bd\u03ad\u03c1\u03c4\u03b1\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2, \u201clowest of the sons of\nheaven.\u201d\n\n\nSo spake he and bade Paieon heal him. And Paieon laid assuaging drugs\nupon the wound [and healed him; seeing he was verily of no mortal\nsubstance]. Even as fig juice maketh haste to thicken white milk, that\nis liquid but curdleth speedily as a man stirreth, even so swiftly\nhealed he impetuous Ares. And Hebe bathed him, and clothed him in\ngracious raiment, and he sate him down by Zeus son of Kronos, glorying\nin his might.\n\nThen fared the twain back to the mansion of great Zeus, even Hera of\nArgos and Alalkomenean Athene, having stayed Ares scourge of mortals\nfrom his man-slaying.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK VI.\n\n\nHow Diomedes and Glaukos, being about to fight, were known to each\nother, and parted in friendliness. And how Hector returning to the city\nbade farewell to Andromache his wife.\n\n\nSo was the dread fray of Trojans and Achaians left to itself, and the\nbattle swayed oft this way and that across the plain, as they aimed\nagainst each other their bronze-shod javelins, between Simoeis and the\nstreams of Xanthos.\n\nFirst Aias son of Telamon, bulwark of the Achaians, brake a battalion\nof the Trojans and brought his comrades salvation, smiting a warrior\nthat was chiefest among the Thracians, Eussoros\u2019 son Akamas the goodly\nand great. Him first he smote upon his thick-crested helmet-ridge and\ndrave into his forehead, so that the point of bronze pierced into the\nbone; and darkness shrouded his eyes.\n\nThen Diomedes of the loud wrar-cry slew Axylos Teuthranos\u2019 son that\ndwelt in stablished Arisbe, a man of substance dear to his fellows; for\nhis dwelling was by the roadside and he entertained all men. Howbeit of\nall these was there then not one to meet the foe before his face and\nsave him from fell destruction; but Diomedes took the life of both of\nthem, even of him and Kalesios his squire that now was the driver of\nhis chariot; so passed both below the earth.\n\nAnd Euryalos slew Dresos and Opheltios, and followed after Aisepos and\nPedasos whom erst the fountain-nymph Abarbarea bare to noble Boukolion.\nNow Boukolion was son of proud Laomedon, his eldest born, begotten of a\nmother unwedded; and as he tended his flocks he had converse with the\nnymph in love, and she conceived and bare twin sons. And lo, the\nstrength of these and their glorious limbs Mekisteus\u2019 son unstrung, and\nstripped the armour from their shoulders. And stubborn Polypoites slew\nAstyalos, and Odysseus with spear of bronze laid low Pidytes of\nPerkote, and so did Teukros to goodly Aretaon. Then was Ableros killed\nby the glistening spear of Antilochos, Nestor\u2019s son, and Elatos by\nAgamemnon king of men; beside the banks of fair-flowing Satnioeis dwelt\nhe in steep Pedasos. And Le\u00eftos the warrior caught Phylakos, as he\nfled; and Eurypylos slew Melanthios.\n\nNow did Menelaos of the loud war-cry take Adrestos alive; for his\nhorses took flight across the plain, and stumbling in a tamarisk bough\nbrake the curved car at the pole\u2019s foot; so they themselves fared\ntowards the city where the rest were fleeing in rout, and their lord\nrolled from out the car beside the wheel, prone in the dust upon his\nface. Then came Atreus\u2019 son Menelaos to his side bearing his far-\nshadowing spear. Thereat Adrestos caught him by his knees and besought\nhim: \u201cTake me captive, thou son of Atreus, and accept a worthy ransom;\nmany a treasure is stored up in my father\u2019s rich palace, bronze and\ngold and smithied iron; thereof would my father yield thee ransom\nbeyond the telling, if he but heard that I am alive at the ships of the\nAchaians.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and moved the spirit in his breast. And now had he\nforthwith given him to his squire to lead him to the Achaians\u2019 fleet\nships, but that Agamemnon came running to meet him, and spake a word of\nchiding to him: \u201cGood Menelaos, why art thou so careful of the foemen?\nHave then such good deeds been wrought thee in thy house by Trojans? Of\nthem let not one escape sheer destruction at our hands, not even the\nman-child that the mother beareth in her womb; let not even him escape,\nbut all perish together out of Ilios, uncared for and unknown.\u201d\n\nSo spake the hero and turned his brother\u2019s mind with righteous\npersuasion; so with his hand he thrust the hero Adrestos from him, and\nlord Agamemnon smote him in the flank, and he was overthrown, and\nAtreus\u2019 son set his heel upon his chest and plucked forth his ashen\nspear.\n\nThen Nestor called to the Argives with far-reaching shout: \u201cMy friends,\nDanaan warriors, men of Ares\u2019 company, let no man now take thought of\nspoils to tarry behind, that he may bring the greatest burden to the\nships; but let us slay the foemen. Thereafter shall ye at your ease\nalso strip of their spoil the dead corpses about the plain.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and stirred the spirit and soul of every man. Now had the\nTrojans been chased again by the Achaians, dear to Ares, up into Ilios,\nin their weakness overcome, but that Priam\u2019s son Helenos, far best of\naugurs, stood by Aineias\u2019 side and Hector\u2019s, and spake to them:\n\u201cAineias and Hector, seeing that on you lieth the task of war in chief\nof Trojans and Lykians, because for every issue ye are foremost both\nfor fight and counsel, stand ye your ground, and range the host\neverywhither to rally them before the gates, ere yet they fall fleeing\nin their women\u2019s arms, and be made a rejoicing to the foe. Then when ye\nhave aroused all our battalions we will abide here and fight the\nDanaans, though in sore weariness; for necessity presseth us hard: but\nthou, Hector, go into the city, and speak there to thy mother and mine;\nlet her gather the aged wives to bright-eyed Athene\u2019s temple in the\nupper city, and with her key open the doors of the holy house; and let\nher lay the robe, that seemeth to her the most gracious and greatest in\nher hall and far dearest unto herself, upon the knees of\nbeauteous-haired Athene; and vow to her to sacrifice in her temple\ntwelve sleek kine, that have not felt the goad, if she will have mercy\non the city and the Trojans\u2019 wives and little children. So may she\nperchance hold back Tydeus\u2019 son from holy Ilios, the furious spearman,\nthe mighty deviser of rout, whom in good sooth I deem to have proved\nhimself mightiest of the Achaians. Never in this wise feared we\nAchilles, prince of men, who they say is born of a goddess; nay, but he\nthat we see is beyond measure furious; none can match him for might.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and Hector disregarded not his brother\u2019s word, but leapt\nforthwith from his chariot in his armour to earth, and brandishing two\nsharp spears passed everywhere through the host, rousing them to\nbattle, and stirred the dread war-cry. So they were rallied and stood\nto face the Achaians, and the Argives gave ground and ceased from\nslaughter, and deemed that some immortal had descended from starry\nheaven to bring the Trojans succour, in such wise rallied they. Then\nHector called to the Trojans with far-reaching shout: \u201cO high-souled\nTrojans and ye far-famed allies, quit you like men, my friends, and\ntake thought of impetuous courage, while I depart to Ilios and bid the\nelders of the council and our wives pray to the gods and vow them\nhecatombs.\u201d\n\nSo saying Hector of the glancing helm departed, and the black hide beat\non either side against his ankles and his neck, even the rim that ran\nuttermost about his bossed shield.\n\nNow Glaukos son of Hippolochos and Tydeus\u2019 son met in the mid-space of\nthe foes, eager to do battle. Thus when the twain were come nigh in\nonset on each other, to him first spake Diomedes of the loud war-cry:\n\u201cWho art thou, noble sir, of mortal men? For never have I beheld thee\nin glorious battle ere this, yet now hast thou far outstripped all men\nin thy hardihood, seeing thou abidest my far-shadowing spear. Luckless\nare the fathers whose children face my might. But if thou art some\nimmortal come down from heaven, then will not I fight with heavenly\ngods. Nay moreover even Dryas\u2019 son mighty Lykurgos was not for long\nwhen he strove with heavenly gods, he that erst chased through the\ngoodly land of Nysa the nursing-mothers of frenzied Dionysos; and they\nall cast their wands upon the ground, smitten with murderous Lykurgos\u2019\nox-goad. Then Dionysos fled and plunged beneath the salt sea-wave, and\nThetis took him to her bosom, affrighted, for a mighty trembling had\nseized him at his foe\u2019s rebuke. But with Lykurgos the gods that live at\nease were wroth, and Kronos\u2019 son made him blind, and he was not for\nlong, because he was hated of all the immortal gods. So would neither I\nbe fain to fight the blessed gods. But if thou art of men that eat the\nfruit of the field, come nigh, that anon thou mayest enter the toils of\ndestruction.\u201d\n\nThen Hippolochos\u2019 glorious son made answer to him: \u201cGreat-hearted\nTydeides, why enquirest thou of my generation? Even as are the\ngenerations of leaves such are those likewise of men; the leaves that\nbe the wind scattereth on the earth, and the forest buddeth and putteth\nforth more again, when the season of spring is at hand; so of the\ngenerations of men one putteth forth and another ceaseth. Yet if thou\nwilt, have thine answer, that thou mayest well know our lineage,\nwhereof many men have knowledge. There is a city Ephyre in the heart of\nArgos, pasture land of horses, and there dwelt Sisyphos that was\ncraftiest of men, Sisyphos son of Aiolos; and he begat a son, even\nGlaukos, and Glaukos begat noble Bellerophon. To him the gods granted\nbeauty and lovely manhood; but Proitos in his heart devised ill for\nhim, and being mightier far drave him from the land of the Argives,\nwhom Zeus had made subject to his sceptre.* Now Proitos\u2019 wife, goodly\nAnteia, lusted after him, to have converse in secret love, but no whit\nprevailed she, for the uprightness of his heart, on wise Bellerophon.\nThen spake she lyingly to king Proitos: \u201cDie, Proitos, or else slay\nBellerophon, that would have converse in love with me against my will.\u201d\nSo spake she, and anger gat hold upon the king at that he heard. To\nslay him he forbare, for his soul had shame of that; but he sent him to\nLykia, and gave him tokens of woe, graving in a folded tablet many\ndeadly things, and bade him shew these to Anteia\u2019s father, that he\nmight be slain. So fared he to Lykia by the blameless convoy of the\ngods. Now when he came to Lykia and the stream of Xanthos, then did the\nking of wide Lykia honour him with all his heart; nine days he\nentertained him and killed nine oxen. And when on the tenth day\nrosy-fingered dawn appeared, then he questioned him and asked to see\nwhat token he bare from his son-in-law, even Proitos. Now when he had\nreceived of him Proitos\u2019 evil token, first he bade him slay Chimaira\nthe unconquerable. Of divine birth was she and not of men, in front a\nlion, and behind a serpent, and in the midst a goat; and she breathed\ndread fierceness of blazing fire. And her he slew, obedient to the\nsigns of heaven. Next fought he with the famed Solymi; this, said he,\nwas the mightiest battle of warriors wherein he entered. And thirdly he\nslew the Amazons, women peers of men. And as he turned back therefrom,\nthe king devised another cunning wile; he picked from wide Lykia the\nbravest men, and set an ambush. But these returned nowise home again;\nfor noble Bellerophon slew them all. So when the king now knew that he\nwas the brave offspring of a god, he kept him there, and plighted him\nhis daughter, and gave him the half of all the honour of his kingdom;\nmoreover the Lykians meted him a domain preeminent above all, fair with\nvineyards and tilth to possess it.** And his wife bare wise Bellerophon\nthree children, Isandros and Hippolochos and Laodameia. With Laodameia\nlay Zeus the lord of counsel, and she bare godlike Sarpedon, the\nwarrior with arms of bronze. But when even Bellerophon came to be hated\nof all the gods, then wandered he alone in the Aleian plain, devouring\nhis own soul, and avoiding the paths of men; and Isandros his son was\nslain by Ares insatiate of battle, as he fought against the famed\nSolymi, and his daughter was slain in wrath of gold-gleaming***\nArtemis. But Hippolochos begat me, and of him do I declare me to be\nsprung; he sent me to Troy and bade me very instantly to be ever the\nbest and to excel all other men, nor put to shame the lineage of my\nfathers that were of noblest blood in Ephyre and in wide Lykia. This is\nthe lineage and blood whereof I avow myself to be.\u201d\n\n* Or, \u201cfor Zeus had brought him [Bellerophon] under his sceptre\u2019s\nsway.\u201d\n\n\n** Or, if we read \u03c0\u03c5\u03c1\u03bf\u03c6\u03cc\u03c1\u03bf\u03b9\u03bf, \u201ctilth of wheat-land.\u201d\n\n\n*** Or, \u201cArtemis of the golden reins.\u201d\n\n\nSo said he, and Diomedes of the loud war-cry was glad. He planted his\nspear in the bounteous earth and with soft words spake to the shepherd\nof the host: \u201cSurely then thou art to me a guest-friend of old times\nthrough my father: for goodly Oineus of yore entertained noble\nBellerophon in his halls and kept him twenty days. Moreover they gave\neach the other goodly gifts of friendship; Oineus gave a belt bright\nwith purple, and Bellerophon a gold twy-handled cup, the which when I\ncame I left in my palace. But of Tydeus I remember naught, seeing I was\nyet little when he left me, what time the Achaian host perished at\nThebes. Therefore now am I to thee a dear guest-friend in midmost\nArgos, and thou in Lykia, whene\u2019er I fare to your land. So let us shun\neach other\u2019s spears, even amid the throng; Trojans are there in\nmultitudes and famous allies for me to slay, whoe\u2019er it be that God\nvouchsafeth me and my feet overtake; and for thee are there Achaians in\nmultitude, to slay whome\u2019er thou canst. But let us make exchange of\narms between us, that these also may know how we avow ourselves to be\nguest-friends by lineage.\u201d\n\nSo spake the twain, and leaping from their cars clasped each the other\nby his hand, and pledged their faith. But now Zeus son of Kronos took\nfrom Glaukos his wits, in that he made exchange with Diomedes Tydeus\u2019\nson of golden armour for bronze, the price of five score oxen for the\nprice of nine.\n\nNow when Hector came to the Skaian gates and to the oak-tree, there\ncame running round about him the Trojans\u2019 wives and daughters,\nenquiring of sons and brethren and friends and husbands. But he bade\nthem thereat all in turn pray to the gods; but sorrow hung over many.\n\nBut when he came to Priam\u2019s beautiful palace, adorned with polished\ncolonnades\u2014and in it were fifty chambers of polished stone, builded\nhard by one another, wherein Priam\u2019s sons slept beside their wedded\nwives; and for his daughters over against them on the other side within\nthe courtyard were twelve roofed chambers of polished stone builded\nhard by one another, wherein slept Priam\u2019s sons-in-law beside their\nchaste wives\u2014then came there to meet him his bountiful mother, leading\nwith her Laodike, fairest of her daughters to look on; and she clasped\nher hand in his, and spake, and called upon his name: \u201cMy son, why hast\nthou left violent battle to come hither? Surely the sons of the\nAchaians\u2014name of evil!\u2014press thee hard in fight about thy city, and so\nthy spirit hath brought thee hither, to come and stretch forth thy\nhands to Zeus from the citadel. But tarry till I bring thee honey-sweet\nwine, that thou mayest pour libation to Zeus and all the immortals\nfirst, and then shalt thou thyself also be refreshed if thou wilt\ndrink. When a man is awearied wine greatly maketh his strength to wax,\neven as thou art awearied in fighting for thy fellows.\u201d\n\nThen great Hector of the glancing helm answered her: \u201cBring me no\nhoney-hearted wine, my lady mother, lest thou cripple me of my courage\nand I be forgetful of my might.* Moreover I have awe to make libation\nof gleaming wine to Zeus with hands unwashen; nor can it be in any wise\nthat one should pray to the son of Kronos, god of storm-cloud, all\ndefiled with blood and filth. But go thou to the temple of Athene,\ndriver of the spoil, with offerings, and gather the aged wives\ntogether; and the robe that seemeth to thee the most gracious and\ngreatest in thy palace, and dearest unto thyself, that lay thou upon\nthe knees of beauteous-haired Athene, and vow to her to sacrifice in\nher temple twelve sleek kine, that have not felt the goad, if she will\nhave mercy on the city and the Trojans\u2019 wives and little children. So\nmay she perchance hold back Tydeus\u2019 son from holy Ilios, the furious\nspearman, the mighty deviser of rout. So go thou to the temple of\nAthene, driver of the spoil; and I will go after Paris, to summon him,\nif perchance he will hearken to my voice. Would that the earth\nforthwith might swallow him up! The Olympian fostered him to be a sore\nbane to the Trojans and to great-hearted Priam, and to Priam\u2019s sons. If\nI but saw him going down to the gates of death, then might I deem that\nmy heart had forgotten its sorrow.\u201d**\n\n* Omitting \u03b4\u2019 after \u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b5\u03bf\u03c2, with the best MSS. and probably\nAristarchos. So also Plato, Crat. 415 A.\n\n\n** Reading with Zenodotos \u03c6\u03af\u03bb\u03bf\u03bd for \u03c6\u03c1\u03ad\u03bd\u2019 \u1f00\u03c4\u03ad\u03c1\u03c0\u03bf\u03c5.\n\n\nSo said he, and she went unto the hall, and called to her handmaidens,\nand they gathered the aged wives throughout the city. Then she herself\nwent down to her fragrant chamber where were her embroidered robes, the\nwork of Sidonian women, whom godlike Alexandros himself brought from\nSidon, when he sailed over the wide sea, that journey wherein he\nbrought home high-born Helen. Of these Hekabe took one to bear for an\noffering to Athene, the one that was fairest for adornment and\ngreatest, and shone like a star, and lay nethermost of all. Then went\nshe her way and the multitude of aged wives hasted after her.\n\nNow when they came to the temple of Athene in the citadel, fair-cheeked\nTheano opened them the doors, even Kisseus\u2019 daughter, wife of\nhorse-taming Antenor; for her the Trojans had made priestess of Athene.\nThen lifted they all their hands to Athene with lamentation: and\nfair-cheeked Theano took the robe and laid it on the knees of\nbeauteous-haired Athene, and lifted up her voice and prayed to the\ndaughter of great Zeus: \u201cLady Athene, saviour of the city, fair among\ngoddesses, break now Diomedes\u2019 spear, and grant moreover that himself\nmay fall prone before the Skaian gates; that we may sacrifice thee now\nforthwith in thy temple twelve sleek kine, that have not felt the goad,\nif thou wilt have mercy on the city and the Trojans\u2019 wives and little\nchildren.\u201d So spake she praying, but Pallas Athene denied the prayer.\n\nSo were these praying to the daughter of great Zeus; and Hector was\ncome to Alexandros\u2019 fair palace, that himself had builded with them\nthat were most excellent carpenters then in deep-soiled Troy-land;\nthese made him his chamber and hall and courtyard hard by to Priam and\nHector, in the upper city. There entered in Hector dear to Zeus, and\nhis hand bare his spear, eleven cubits long: before his face glittered\nthe bronze spear-point, and a ring of gold ran round about it. And he\nfound Paris in his chamber busied with his beauteous arms, his shield\nand breastplate, and handling his curved bow; and Helen of Argos sate\namong her serving-women and appointed brave handiwork for her\nhandmaidens. Then when Hector saw him he rebuked him with scornful\nwords: \u201cGood sir, thou dost not well to cherish this rancour in thy\nheart. The folk are perishing about the city and high wall in battle,\nand for thy sake the battle-cry is kindled and war around this city;\nyea thyself wouldest thou fall out with another, didst thou see him\nshrinking from hateful war. Up then, lest the city soon be scorched\nwith burning fire.\u201d\n\nAnd godlike Alexandros answered him: \u201cHector, since in measure thou\nchidest me and not beyond measure, therefore will I tell thee; lay thou\nit to thine heart and hearken to me. Not by reason so much of the\nTrojans, for wrath and indignation, sate I me in my chamber, but fain\nwould I yield me to my sorrow. Even now my wife hath persuaded me with\nsoft words, and urged me into battle; and I moreover, even I, deem that\nit will be better so; for victory shifteth from man to man. Go to then,\ntarry awhile, let me put on my armour of war; or else fare thou forth,\nand I will follow; and I think to overtake thee.\u201d\n\nSo said he, but Hector of the glancing helm answered him not a word.\nBut Helen spake to him with gentle words: \u201cMy brother, even mine that\nam a dog, mischievous and abominable, would that on the day when my\nmother bare me at the first, an evil storm-wind had caught me away to a\nmountain or a billow of the loud-sounding sea, where the billow might\nhave swept me away before all these things came to pass. Howbeit,\nseeing the gods devised all these ills in this wise, would that then I\nhad been mated with a better man, that felt dishonour and the multitude\nof men\u2019s reproachings. But as for him, neither hath he now sound heart,\nnor ever will have; thereof deem I moreover that he will reap the\nfruit. But now come, enter in and sit thee here upon this bench, my\nbrother, since thy heart chiefly trouble hath encompassed, for the sake\nof me, that am a dog, and for Alexandros\u2019 sin; on whom Zeus bringeth\nevil doom, that even in days to come we may be a song in the ears of\nmen that shall be hereafter.\u201d\n\nThen great Hector of the glancing helm answered her: \u201cBid me not sit,\nHelen, of thy love; thou wilt not persuade me. Already my heart is set\nto succour the men of Troy, that have great desire for me that am not\nwith them. But rouse thou this fellow, yea let himself make speed, to\novertake me yet within the city. For I shall go into mine house to\nbehold my housefolk and my dear wife, and infant boy; for I know not if\nI shall return home to them again, or if the gods will now overthrow me\nat the hands of the Achaians.\u201d\n\nSo spake Hector of the glancing helm and departed; and anon he came to\nhis well stablished house. But he found not white-armed Andromache in\nthe halls; she with her boy and fair-robed handmaiden had taken her\nstand upon the tower, weeping and wailing. And when Hector found not\nhis noble wife within, he came and stood upon the threshold and spake\namid the serving women: \u201cCome tell me now true, my serving women.\nWhither went white-armed Andromache forth from the hall? Hath she gone\nout to my sisters or unto my brothers\u2019 fair-robed wives, or to Athene\u2019s\ntemple, where all the fair-tressed Trojan women propitiate the awful\ngoddess?\u201d\n\nThen a busy housedame spake in answer to him: \u201cHector, seeing thou\nstraitly chargest us tell thee true, neither hath she gone out to any\nof thy sisters or thy brothers\u2019 fair-robed wives, neither to Athene\u2019s\ntemple, where all the fair-tressed Trojan women are propitiating the\nawful goddess; but she went to the great tower of Ilios, because she\nheard the Trojans were hard pressed, and great victory was for the\nAchaians. So hath she come in haste to the wall, like unto one\nfrenzied; and the nurse with her beareth the child.\u201d\n\nSo spake the housedame, and Hector hastened from his house back by the\nsame way down the well-builded streets. When he had passed through the\ngreat city and was come to the Skaian gates, whereby he was minded to\nissue upon the plain, then came his dear-won* wife, running to meet\nhim, even Andromache daughter of great-hearted E\u00ebtion, E\u00ebtion that\ndwelt beneath wooded Plakos, in Thebe under Plakos, and was king of the\nmen of Kilikia; for his daughter was wife to bronze-harnessed Hector.\nSo she met him now, and with her went the handmaid bearing in her bosom\nthe tender boy, the little child, Hector\u2019s loved son, like unto a\nbeautiful star. Him Hector called Skamandrios, but all the folk\nAstyanax; for only Hector guarded Ilios.** So now he smiled and gazed\nat his boy silently, and Andromache stood by his side weeping, and\nclasped her hand in his, and spake and called upon his name. \u201cDear my\nlord, this thy hardihood will undo thee, neither hast thou any pity for\nthine infant boy, nor for me forlorn that soon shall be thy widow; for\nsoon will the Achaians all set upon thee and slay thee. But it were\nbetter for me to go down to the grave if I lose thee; for never more\nwill any comfort be mine, when once thou, even thou, hast met thy fate,\nbut only sorrow. Moreover I have no father nor lady mother: my father\nwas slain of goodly Achilles, for he wasted the populous city of the\nKilikians, even high-gated Thebe, and slew E\u00ebtion; yet he despoiled him\nnot, for his soul had shame of that, but he burnt him in his inlaid\narmour and raised a barrow over him; and all about were elm-trees\nplanted by the mountain nymphs, daughters of aegis-bearing Zeus. And\nthe seven brothers that were mine within our halls, all these on the\nselfsame day went within the house of Hades; for fleet-footed goodly\nAchilles slew them all amid their kine of trailing gait and\nwhite-fleeced sheep. And my mother, that was queen beneath wooded\nPlakos, her brought he hither with the other spoils, but afterward took\na ransom untold to set her free; but in her father\u2019s halls was she\nsmitten by the Archer Artemis. Nay, Hector, thou art to me father and\nlady mother, yea and brother, even as thou art my goodly husband. Come\nnow, have pity and abide here upon the tower, lest thou make thy child\nan orphan and thy wife a widow. And stay thy folk beside the fig-tree,\nwhere best the city may be scaled and the wall is assailable. Thrice\ncame thither the most valiant that are with the two Aiantes and famed\nIdomeneus and the sons of Atreus and Tydeus\u2019 valiant son, and essayed\nto enter; whether one skilled in soothsaying revealed it to them, or\nwhether their own spirit urgeth and biddeth them on.\u201d\n\n* Or, \u201cbounteous.\u201d\n\n\n** Astyanax = \u201cCity King.\u201d\n\n\nThen great Hector of the glancing helm answered her: \u201cSurely I take\nthought for all these things, my wife; but I have very sore shame of\nthe Trojans and Trojan dames with trailing robes, if like a coward I\nshrink away from battle. Moreover mine own soul forbiddeth me, seeing I\nhave learnt ever to be valiant and fight in the forefront of the\nTrojans, winning my father\u2019s great glory and mine own. Yea of a surety\nI know this in heart and soul; the day shall come for holy Ilios to be\nlaid low, and Priam and the folk of Priam of the good ashen spear. Yet\ndoth the anguish of the Trojans hereafter not so much trouble me,\nneither Hekabe\u2019s own, neither king Priam\u2019s, neither my brethren\u2019s, the\nmany and brave that shall fall in the dust before their foemen, as doth\nthine anguish in the day when some mail-clad Achaian shall lead thee\nweeping and rob thee of the light of freedom. So shalt thou abide in\nArgos and ply the loom at another woman\u2019s bidding, and bear water from\nfount Messeis or Hypereia, being grievously entreated, and sore\nconstraint shall be laid upon thee. And then shall one say that\nbeholdeth thee weep: \u2018This is the wife of Hector, that was foremost in\nbattle of the horse-taming Trojans when men fought about Ilios.\u2019 Thus\nshall one say hereafter, and fresh grief will be thine for lack of such\nan husband as thou hadst to ward off the day of thraldom. But me in\ndeath may the heaped-up earth be covering, ere I hear thy crying and\nthy carrying into captivity.\u201d\n\nSo spake glorious Hector, and stretched out his arm to his boy. But the\nchild shrunk crying to the bosom of his fair-girdled nurse, dismayed at\nhis dear father\u2019s aspect, and in dread at the bronze and horse-hair\ncrest that he beheld nodding fiercely from the helmet\u2019s top. Then his\ndear father laughed aloud, and his lady mother; forthwith glorious\nHector took the helmet from his head, and laid it, all gleaming, upon\nthe earth; then kissed he his dear son and dandled him in his arms, and\nspake in prayer to Zeus and all the gods, \u201cO Zeus and all ye gods,\nvouchsafe ye that this my son may likewise prove even as I, pre-eminent\namid the Trojans, and as valiant in might, and be a great king of\nIlios. Then may men say of him, \u2018Far greater is he than his father\u2019 as\nhe returneth home from battle; and may he bring with him blood-stained\nspoils from the foeman he hath slain, and may his mother\u2019s heart be\nglad.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and laid his son in his dear wife\u2019s arms; and she took him\nto her fragrant bosom, smiling tearfully. And her husband had pity to\nsee her, and caressed her with his hand, and spake and called upon her\nname: \u201cDear one, I pray thee be not of oversorrowful heart; no man\nagainst my fate shall hurl me to Hades; only destiny, I ween, no man\nhath escaped, be he coward or be he valiant, when once he hath been\nborn. But go thou to thine house and see to thine own tasks, the loom\nand distaff, and bid thine handmaidens ply their work; but for war\nshall men provide, and I in chief of all men that dwell in Ilios.\u201d\n\nSo spake glorious Hector, and took up his horse-hair crested helmet;\nand his dear wife departed to her home, oft looking back, and letting\nfall big tears. Anon she came to the well-stablished house of\nman-slaying Hector, and found therein her many handmaidens, and stirred\nlamentation in them all. So bewailed they Hector, while yet he lived,\nwithin his house: for they deemed that he would no more come back to\nthem from battle, nor escape the fury of the hands of the Achaians.\n\nNeither lingered Paris long in his lofty house, but clothed on him his\nbrave armour, bedight with bronze, and hasted through the city,\ntrusting to his nimble feet. Even as when a stalled horse, full-fed at\nthe manger, breaketh his tether and speedeth at the gallop across the\nplain, being wont to bathe him in the fair-flowing stream, exultingly;\nand holdeth his head on high, and his mane floateth about his\nshoulders, and he trusteth in his glory, and nimbly his limbs bear him\nto the haunts and pasturages of mares; even so Priam\u2019s son Paris,\nglittering in his armour like the shining sun, strode down from high\nPergamos laughingly, and his swift feet bare him. Forthwith he overtook\nhis brother noble Hector, even as he was on the point to turn him away\nfrom the spot where he had dallied with his wife. To him first spake\ngodlike Alexandros: \u201cSir, in good sooth I have delayed thee in thine\nhaste by my tarrying, and came not rightly as thou badest me.\u201d\n\nAnd Hector of the glancing helm answered him and said: \u201cGood brother,\nno man that is rightminded could make light of thy doings in fight,\nseeing thou art strong: but thou art wilfully remiss and hast no care;\nand for this my heart is grieved within me, that I hear shameful words\nconcerning thee in the Trojans\u2019 mouths, who for thy sake endure much\ntoil. But let us be going; all this will we make good hereafter, if\nZeus ever vouchsafe us to set before the heavenly gods that are for\neverlasting the cup of deliverance in our halls, when we have chased\nout of Troy-land the well-greaved Achaians.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nBOOK VII.\n\n\nOf the single combat between Aias and Hector, and of the burying of the\ndead, and the building of a wall about the Achaian ships.\n\n\nSo spake glorious Hector and issued from the gates, and with him went\nhis brother Alexandros; and both were eager of soul for fight and\nbattle. Even as God giveth to longing seamen fair wind when they have\ngrown weary of beating the main with polished oars, and their limbs are\nfordone with toil, even so appeared these to the longing Trojans.\n\nThen the one of them slew king Are\u00eftho\u00f6s\u2019 son, Menesthios dwelling in\nArne, whom Are\u00eftho\u00f6s the Mace-man and ox-eyed Phylomedusa begat; and\nthe other, even Hector, with his sharp spear smote E\u00efoneus\u2019 neck\nbeneath his bronze helmet-rim, and unstrung his limbs. And Glaukos son\nof Hippolochos, captain of the men of Lykia, cast his spear at Iphinoos\nthrough the press of battle, even at the son of Dexios, as he sprang up\nbehind his fleet mares, and smote his shoulder; so fell he from his\nchariot to earth and his limbs were unstrung.\n\nNow when the goddess bright-eyed Athene marked them making havoc of the\nArgives in the press of battle, she darted down from the crests of\nOlympus to holy Ilios. But Apollo rose to meet her, for he beheld her\nfrom Pergamos, and would have victory for the Trojans. So the twain met\neach the other by the oak-tree. To her spake first king Apollo son of\nZeus: \u201cWhy now art thou come thus eagerly from Olympus, thou daughter\nof great Zeus, and why hath thy high heart sent thee? Surely it is to\ngive the Danaans unequal victory in battle! seeing thou hast no mercy\non the Trojans, that perish. But if thou wouldest hearken to me\u2014and it\nwere far better so\u2014let us now stay battle and warring for the day;\nhereafter shall they fight again, till they reach the goal of Ilios,\nsince thus it seemeth good to your hearts, goddesses immortal, to lay\nwaste this city.\u201d\n\nAnd the goddess bright-eyed Athene made answer to him: \u201cSo be it,\nFar-darter; in this mind I likewise came from Olympus to the midst of\nTrojans and Achaians. But come, how thinkest thou to stay the battle of\nthe warriors?\u201d\n\nAnd king Apollo, son of Zeus, made answer to her: \u201cLet us arouse the\nstalwart spirit of horse-taming Hector, if so be he will challenge some\none of the Danaans in single fight man to man to meet him in deadly\ncombat. So shall the bronze-greaved Achaians be jealous and stir up one\nto fight singly with goodly Hector.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and the bright-eyed goddess Athene disregarded not. Now\nHelenos Priam\u2019s dear son understood in spirit their resolve that the\ngods in counsel had approved; and he went to Hector and stood beside\nhim, and spake a word to him: \u201cHector son of Priam, peer of Zeus in\ncounsel, wouldest thou now hearken at all to me? for I am thy brother.\nMake the other Trojans sit, and all the Achaians, and thyself challenge\nhim that is best of the Achaians to meet thee man to man in deadly\ncombat. It is not yet thy destiny to die and meet thy doom; for thus\nheard I the voice of the gods that are from everlasting.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and Hector rejoiced greatly to hear his saying, and went\ninto the midst and refrained the battalions of the Trojans with his\nspear grasped by the middle; and they all sate them down: and Agamemnon\nmade the well-greaved Achaians sit. And Athene withal and Apollo of the\nsilver bow, in the likeness of vulture birds, sate them upon a tall oak\nholy to aegis-bearing father Zeus, rejoicing in their warriors; and the\nranks of all of them sate close together, bristling with shields and\nplumes and spears. Even as there spreadeth across the main the ripple\nof the west wind newly risen, and the sea grows black beneath it, so\nsate the ranks of Achaians and Trojans upon the plain. And Hector spake\nbetween both hosts: \u201cHearken to me, Trojans and well-greaved Achaians,\nthat I may speak what my mind within my breast biddeth me. Our oaths of\ntruce Kronos\u2019 son, enthroned on high, accomplished not; but evil is his\nintent and ordinance for both our hosts, until either ye take\nfair-towered Troy or yourselves be vanquished beside your seafaring\nships. But in the midst of you are the chiefest of all the Achaians;\ntherefore now let the man whose heart biddeth him fight with me come\nhither from among you all to be your champion against goodly Hector.\nAnd this declare I, and be Zeus our witness thereto; if that man slay\nme with the long-edged sword, let him spoil me of my armour and bear it\nto the hollow ships, but give back my body to my home, that Trojans and\nTrojans\u2019 wives may give me my due of burning in my death. But if I slay\nhim and Apollo vouchsafe me glory, I will spoil him of his armour and\nbear it to holy Ilios and hang it upon the temple of far-darting\nApollo, but his corpse will I render back to the well-decked ships,\nthat the flowing-haired Achaians may entomb him, and build him a barrow\nbeside wide Hellespont. So shall one say even of men that be late born,\nas he saileth in his benched ship over the wine-dark sea: \u2018This is the\nbarrow of a man that died in days of old, a champion whom glorious\nHector slew.\u2019 So shall a man say hereafter, and this my glory shall\nnever die.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and they all were silent and held their peace; to deny him\nthey were ashamed, and feared to meet him. But at the last stood up\nMenelaos and spake amid them and chiding upbraided them, and groaned\ndeep at heart: \u201cAh me, vain threateners, ye women of Achaia and no more\nmen, surely all this shall be a shame, evil of evil, if no one of the\nDanaans now goeth to meet Hector. Nay, turn ye all to earth and water,\nsitting there each man disheartened, helplessly inglorious; against him\nwill I myself array me; and from on high the threads of victory are\nguided of the immortal gods.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and donned his fair armour. And now, O Menelaos, had the\nend of life appeared for thee at Hector\u2019s hands, seeing he was stronger\nfar, but that the princes of the Achaians started up and caught thee.\nAnd Atreus\u2019 son himself, wide-ruling Agamemnon, took him by his right\nhand and spake a word and called upon his name: \u201cThou doest madly,\nMenelaos fosterling of Zeus; yet is it no time for this thy madness.\nDraw back, though it be with pain, nor think for contention\u2019s sake to\nfight with one better than thou, with Hector Priam\u2019s son, whom others\nbeside thee abhor. Yea, this man even Achilles dreadeth to meet in\nbattle, wherein is the warrior\u2019s glory; and Achilles is better far than\nthou. Go therefore now and sit amid the company of thy fellows; against\nhim shall the Achaians put forth another champion. Fearless though he\nbe and insatiate of turmoil, I ween that he shall be fain to rest his\nknees, if he escape from the fury of war and terrible fray.\u201d\n\nSo spake the hero and persuaded his brother\u2019s heart with just counsel;\nand he obeyed. So his squires thereat with gladness took his armour\nfrom his shoulders; and Nestor stood up and spake amid the Argives:\n\u201cFie upon it, verily sore lamentation cometh on the land of Achaia.\nVerily old Peleus driver of chariots would groan sore, that goodly\ncounsellor of the Myrmidons and orator, who erst questioned me in his\nhouse, and rejoiced greatly, inquiring of the lineage and birth of all\nthe Argives. If he heard now of those that all were cowering before\nHector, then would he lift his hands to the immortals, instantly\npraying that his soul might depart from his limbs down to the house of\nHades. Ah would to father Zeus and Athene and Apollo I were young as\nwhen beside swift-flowing Keladon the Pylians gathered together to\nbattle and the Arkadians that bear the spear, beneath the walls of\nPheia, about the streams of Iardanos. Then stood up for their champion\nEreuthalion, a man the peer of gods, bearing upon his shoulders the\narmour of king Are\u00eftho\u00f6s, goodly Are\u00eftho\u00f6s that by men and fair-girdled\nwomen was surnamed the Mace-man, because he fought not with bow and\nlong spear, but with an iron mace clave the battalions. Him Lykurgos\nslew by guile, and not by strength, in a narrow way, where his mace of\niron saved him not from destruction: ere that, Lykurgos came on him\nunawares and pierced him through the midst with his dart, and he was\nhurled backward upon the earth. Then Lykurgos despoiled him of his arms\nthat brazen Ares had given him; and these himself he bare thereafter\ninto the mellay of war. But when Lykurgos grew old within his halls he\ngave them to Ereuthalion his dear squire to wear. So with his arms upon\nhim he challenged all our best; but they trembled sore and were afraid,\nand no man took heart. But me my hardy spirit aroused to meet him in my\nconfidence;* yet was I youngest in years of all. So fought I with him\nand Athene vouchsafed me glory. Tallest was he and strongest of men\nthat I have slain; as one of huge bulk he lay spread this way and that.\nWould to God I were thus young and my strength were sound; then would\nHector of the glancing helm soon find his combat. But of those of you\nthat be chieftains of the host of the Achaians, yet desireth no man of\ngood heart to meet Hector face to face.\u201d\n\n* Or, \u201cto meet his might,\u201d according to the usual interpretation of \u1fa6.\n\n\nSo the old man upbraided them, and there stood up nine in all. Far\nfirst arose Agamemnon king of men, and after him rose Tydeus\u2019 son\nstalwart Diomedes, and after them the Aiantes clothed with impetuous\nmight, and after them Idomeneus and Idomeneus\u2019 brother-in-arms\nMeriones, peer of Enyalios slayer of men, and after them Eurypylos\nEuaimon\u2019s glorious son; and up rose Thoas Andraimon\u2019s son and goodly\nOdysseus. So all these were fain to fight with goodly Hector. And among\nthem spake again knightly Nestor of Gerenia: \u201cNow cast ye the lot from\nthe first unto the last, for him that shall be chosen; for he shall in\ntruth profit the well-greaved Achaians, yea and he shall have profit of\nhis own soul, if he escape from the fury of war and terrible fray.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and they marked each man his lot and cast them in the\nhelmet of Agamemnon Atreus\u2019 son; and the hosts prayed and lifted up\ntheir hands to the gods. And thus would one say, looking up to wide\nheaven: \u201cO father Zeus, vouchsafe that the lot fall upon Aias or\nTydeus\u2019 son, or else on the king of Mykene rich in gold.\u201d\n\nSo spake they, and knightly Nestor of Gerenia shook the helmet, and\nthere leapt forth the lot that themselves desired, even the lot of\nAias. The herald bare it everywhither through the throng, shewing it\nfrom right to left to all the princes of the Achaians; but they knew it\nnot, and every man denied it. But when he came, bearing it everywhither\nthrough the throng, to him that had marked it and cast it in the helm,\neven glorious Aias, then he held forth his hand, and the herald stood\nby him and put it therein. And Aias saw and knew the token upon the\nlot, and rejoiced in heart. He cast it by his foot upon the earth, and\nspake: \u201cMy friends, verily the lot is mine, yea and myself am glad at\nheart, because I deem that I shall vanquish goodly Hector. But come\nnow, while I clothe me in my armour of battle, pray ye the while to\nKronos\u2019 son king Zeus, in silence to yourselves, that the Trojans hear\nyou not\u2014nay rather, openly if ye will, for we have no fear of any man\nsoever. For none by force shall chase me, he willing me unwilling,\nneither by skill; seeing I hope that not so skill-less, either, was I\nborn in Salamis nor nurtured.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and they prayed to Kronos\u2019 son, king Zeus; and thus would\none speak, looking up to wide heaven: \u201cO father Zeus that rulest from\nIda, most glorious, most great, vouchsafe to Aias victory and the\nwinning of great glory. But if thou so lovest Hector indeed, and carest\nfor him, grant unto either equal prowess and renown.\u201d\n\nSo said they, while Aias arrayed him in flashing bronze. And when he\nhad now clothed upon his flesh all his armour, then marched he as huge\nAres coming forth, when he goeth to battle amid heroes whom Kronos\u2019 son\nsetteth to fight in fury of heart-consuming strife. So rose up huge\nAias, bulwark of the Achaians, with a smile on his grim face: and went\nwith long strides of his feet beneath him, shaking his far-shadowing\nspear. Then moreover the Argives rejoiced to look upon him, but sore\ntrembling came upon the Trojans, on the limbs of every man, and\nHector\u2019s own heart beat within his breast. But in no wise could he now\nflee nor shrink back into the throng of the host, seeing he had\nchallenged him to battle. And Aias came near bearing his tower-like\nshield of bronze, with sevenfold ox-hide, that Tychios had wrought him\ncunningly; Tychios far best of curriers, that had his home in Hyle, who\nmade him his glancing shield, of sevenfold hides of stalwart bulls, and\noverlaid the seven with bronze. This bare Telamonian Aias before his\nbreast, and stood near to Hector, and spake to him threatening:\n\u201cHector, now verily shalt thou well know, man to man, what manner of\nprinces the Danaans likewise have among them, even after Achilles,\nrender of men, the lion-hearted. But he amid his beaked seafaring ships\nlieth in sore wrath with Agamemnon shepherd of the host; yet are we\nsuch as to face thee, yea and many of us. But make thou beginning of\nwar and battle.\u201d\n\nAnd great Hector of the glancing helm answered him: \u201cAias of the seed\nof Zeus, son of Telamon, chieftain of the host, tempt not thou me like\nsome puny boy or woman that knoweth not deeds of battle. But I well\nknow wars and slaughterings. To right know I, to left know I the\nwielding of my tough targe; therein I deem is stalwart soldiership. And\nI know how to charge into the mellay of fleet chariots, and how in\nclose battle to join in furious Ares\u2019 dance. Howbeit, I have no mind to\nsmite thee, being such an one as thou art, by spying thee unawares; but\nrather openly, if perchance I may hit thee.\u201d\n\nHe spake, and poised his far-shadowing spear, and hurled and smote\nAias\u2019 dread shield of sevenfold hide upon the uttermost bronze, the\neighth layer that was thereon. Through six folds went the stubborn\nbronze cleaving, but in the seventh hide it stayed. Then heaven-sprung\nAias hurled next his far-shadowing spear, and smote upon the circle of\nthe shield of Priam\u2019s son. Through the bright shield passed the violent\nspear, and through the curiously wrought corslet pressed it on; and\nstraight forth beside the flank the spear rent his doublet; but he\nswerved aside and escaped black death. Then both together with their\nhands plucked forth their long spears and fell to like ravening lions\nor wild boars whose might is nowise feeble. Then Priam\u2019s son smote the\nshield\u2019s midst with his dart, but the bronze brake not through, for the\npoint turned back; but Aias leapt on him and pierced his buckler, and\nstraight through went the spear and staggered him in his onset, and\ncleft its way unto his neck, so that the dark blood gushed up. Yet even\nthen did not Hector of the glancing helm cease from fight, but yielded\nground and with stout hand seized a stone lying upon the plain, black\nand rugged and great; therewith hurled he and smote Aias\u2019 dread shield\nof sevenfold ox-hide in the midst upon the boss, and the bronze\nresounded. Next Aias lifted a far greater stone, and swung and hurled\nit, putting might immeasurable therein. So smote he the buckler and\nburst it inwards with the rock like unto a millstone, and beat down his\nknees; and he was stretched upon his back, pressed into his shield; but\nApollo straightway raised him up. And now had they been smiting hand to\nhand with swords, but that the heralds, messengers of gods and men,\ncame, one from the Trojans, one from the mail-clad Achaians, even\nTalthybios and Idaios, both men discreet. Between the two held they\ntheir staves, and herald Idaios spake a word, being skilled in wise\ncounsel: \u201cFight ye no more, dear sons, neither do battle; seeing Zeus\nthe cloud-gatherer loveth you both, and both are men of war; that\nverily know we all. But night already is upon us: it is well withal to\nobey the hest of night.\u201d\n\nThen Telamonian Aias answered and said to him: \u201cIdaios, bid ye Hector\nto speak those words; of his own self he challenged to combat all our\nbest. Let him be first, and I will surely follow as he saith.\u201d\n\nThen great Hector of the glancing helm said to him: \u201cAias, seeing God\ngave thee stature and might and wisdom, and with the spear thou art\nexcellent above all the Achaians, let us now cease from combat and\nbattle for the day; but hereafter will we fight until God judge between\nus, giving to one of us the victory. But night already is upon us; it\nis well withal to obey the hest of night; that so thou mayest rejoice\nall the Achaians beside their ships, and chiefly the kinsmen and\nfellows that are thine; and I throughout the great city of king Priam\nwill rejoice the Trojan men and Trojan dames with trailing robes, that\nwith prayer I ween will enter the holy assemblage. But come, let us\ngive each the other famous gifts, that men may thus say, Achaians alike\nand Trojans: \u2018These, having fought for sake of heart-consuming strife,\nparted again reconciled in friendship.\u2019\u201d\n\nSo said he, and gave him his silver-studded sword, with scabbard and\nwell-cut baldrick; and Aias gave his belt bright with purple. So they\nparted, and one went to the Achaian host, and one betook him to the\nthrong of Trojans. And these rejoiced to behold him come to them alive\nand sound, escaped from the fury of Aias and his hands unapproachable;\nand they brought him to the city saved beyond their hope. And Aias on\ntheir side the well-greaved Achaians brought to noble Agamemnon,\nexulting in his victory.\n\nSo when these were come unto the huts of Atreides, then did Agamemnon\nking of men slay them an ox, a male of five years old, for the most\nmighty son of Kronos. This they flayed and made ready, and divided it\nall, and minced it cunningly, and pierced it through with spits, and\nroasted it carefully, and drew all off again. Then as soon as they had\nrest from the task and had made ready the meal, they began the feast,\nnor was their soul aught stinted of the equal banquet. And the hero son\nof Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, gave to Aias slices of the chine\u2019s\nfull length for his honour. And when they had put from them the desire\nof meat and drink, then first the old man began to weave the web of\ncounsel, even Nestor whose rede of old time was proved most excellent.\nHe of good intent made harangue among them and said: \u201cSon of Atreus and\nye other princes of the Achaians, seeing that many flowing-haired\nAchaians are dead, and keen Ares hath spilt their dusky blood about\nfair-flowing Skamandros, and their souls have gone down to the house of\nHades; therefore it behoveth thee to make the battle of the Achaians\ncease with daybreak; and we will assemble to wheel hither the corpses\nwith oxen and mules; so let us burn them [a little way from the ships,\nthat each man may bear their bones home to their children, whene\u2019er we\nreturn again to our native land]; and let us heap one barrow about the\npyre, rearing it from the plain for all alike; and thereto build with\nspeed high towers, a bulwark for our ships and for ourselves. In the\nmidst thereof let us make gates well compact, that through them may be\na way for chariot-driving. And without let us dig a deep foss hard by,\nto be about it and to hinder horses and footmen, lest the battle of the\nlordly Trojans be heavy on us hereafter.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and all the chiefs gave assent. But meanwhile there was in\nthe high town of Ilios an assembly of the Trojans, fierce, confused,\nbeside Priam\u2019s gate. To them discreet Antenor began to make harangue:\n\u201cHearken to me, Trojans and Dardanians and allies, that I may tell you\nthat my soul within my breast commandeth me. Lo, go to now, let us give\nHelen of Argos and the wealth with her for the sons of Atreus to take\naway. Now fight we in guilt against the oaths of faith; therefore is\nthere no profit for us that I hope to see fulfilled, unless we do\nthus.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and sate him down; and there stood up among them noble\nAlexandros, lord of Helen beautiful-haired; he made him answer and\nspake winged words: \u201cAntenor, these words from thee are no longer to my\npleasure; yet thou hast it in thee to devise other sayings more\nexcellent than this. But if indeed thou sayest this in earnest, then\nverily the gods themselves have destroyed thy wit. But I will speak\nforth amid the horse-taming Trojans, and declare outright; my wife will\nI not give back; but the wealth I brought from Argos to our home, all\nthat I have a mind to give, and add more of mine own substance.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and sate him down, and there stood up among them Priam of\nthe seed of Dardanos, the peer of gods in counsel; he made harangue to\nthem, and said: \u201cHearken to me, Trojans and Dardanians and allies, that\nI may tell you that my soul within my breast commandeth me. Now eat\nyour supper throughout the city as of old, and take thought to keep\nwatch, and be wakeful every man. And at dawn let Idaios fare to the\nhollow ships to tell to Atreus\u2019 sons Agamemnon and Menelaos the saying\nof Alexandros, for whose sake strife is come about: and likewise to ask\nthem this wise word, whether they are minded to refrain from noisy war\ntill we have burned our dead; afterwards will we fight again, till\nheaven part us and give one or other victory.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and they hearkened diligently to him and obeyed; [then\ntook they their supper throughout the host by ranks,] and at dawn\nIdaios fared to the hollow ships. He found the Danaans in assembly, the\nmen of Ares\u2019 company, beside the stern of Agamemnon\u2019s ship; and so the\nloud-voiced herald stood in their midst and said unto them: \u201cAtreides\nand ye other princes of the Achaians, Priam and all the noble Trojans\nbade me tell you\u2014if perchance it might find favour and acceptance with\nyou\u2014the saying of Alexandros, for whose sake strife hath come about.\nThe wealth that Alexandros brought in his hollow ships to Troy\u2014would he\nhad perished first!\u2014all that he hath a mind to give, and to add more\nthereto of his substance. But the wedded wife of glorious Menelaos he\nsaith he will not give; yet verily the Trojans bid him do it. Moreover\nthey bade me ask this thing of you; whether ye are minded to refrain\nfrom noisy war until we have burned our dead; afterwards will we fight\nagain, till heaven part us and give one or other victory.\u201d\n\nSo said he and they all kept silence and were still. But at the last\nspake Diomedes of the loud war-cry in their midst: \u201cLet no man now\naccept Alexandros\u2019 substance, neither Helen\u2019s self; known is it, even\nto him that hath no wit at all, how that the issues of destruction hang\nalready over the Trojans.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and all the sons of the Achaians shouted, applauding the\nsaying of horse-taming Diomedes. And then lord Agamemnon spake to\nIdaios: \u201cIdaios, thyself thou hearest the saying of the Achaians, how\nthey answer thee; and the like seemeth good to me. But as concerning\nthe dead, I grudge you not to burn them; for dead corpses is there no\nstinting; when they once are dead, of the swift propitiation of fire.\nAnd for the oaths let Zeus be witness, the loud-thundering lord of\nHera.\u201d\n\nSo saying he lifted up his sceptre in the sight of all the gods, and\nIdaios departed back to holy Ilios. Now Trojans and Dardanians sate in\nassembly, gathered all together to wait till Idaios should come; and he\ncame and stood in their midst and declared his message. Then they made\nthem ready very swiftly for either task, some to bring the dead, and\nsome to seek for wood. And on their part the Argives hasted from their\nwell-decked ships, some to bring the dead and some to seek for wood.\n\nNow the sun was newly beating on the fields as he climbed heaven from\nthe deep stream of gently-flowing Ocean, when both sides met together.\nThen was it a hard matter to know each man again; but they washed them\nwith water clean of clotted gore, and with shedding of hot tears lifted\nthem upon the wains. But great Priam bade them not wail aloud; so in\nsilence heaped they the corpses on the pyre, stricken at heart; and\nwhen they had burned them with fire departed to holy Ilios. And in like\nmanner on their side the well-greaved Achaians heaped the corpses on\nthe pyre, stricken at heart, and when they had burned them with fire\ndeparted to the hollow ships.\n\nAnd when day was not yet, but still twilight of night, then was the\nchosen folk of the Achaians gathered together* around the pyre, and\nmade one barrow about it, rearing it from the plain for all alike; and\nthereto built they a wall and lofty towers, a bulwark for their ships\nand for themselves. In the midst thereof made they gates\nwell-compacted, that through them might be a way for chariot-driving.\nAnd without they dug a deep foss beside it, broad and great, and\nplanted a palisade therein.\n\nReading \u1f24\u03b3\u03c1\u03b5\u03c4\u03bf for \u1f14\u03b3\u03c1\u03b5\u03c4\u03bf.\n\n\nThus toiled the flowing-haired Achaians: and the gods sate by Zeus, the\nlord of lightning, and marvelled at the great work of the mail-clad\nAchaians. And Poseidon shaker of earth spake first to them: \u201cO father\nZeus, is there any man throughout the boundless earth that will any\nmore declare to the immortals his mind and counsel? Seest thou not how\nthe flowing-haired Achaians have now again built them a wall before\ntheir ships, and drawn a foss around it, but gave not excellent\nhecatombs to the gods? Verily the fame thereof shall reach as far as\nthe dawn spreadeth, and men will forget the wall that I and Phoebus\nApollo built with travail for the hero Laomedon.\u201d\n\nAnd Zeus the cloud-gatherer said to him, sore troubled: \u201cOut on it,\nfar-swaying Shaker of earth, for this thing thou sayest. Well might\nsome other god fear this device, one that were far feebler than thou in\nthe might of his hands: but thine shall be the fame as far as the dawn\nspreadeth. Go to now, hereafter when the flowing-haired Achaians be\ndeparted upon their ships to their dear native land, then burst thou\nthis wall asunder and scatter it all into the sea, and cover the great\nsea-beach over with sand again, that the great wall of the Achaians be\nbrought to naught.\u201d\n\nSuch converse held these one with the other, and the sun went down, and\nthe work of the Achaians was accomplished; and they slaughtered oxen\namid the huts, and took supper. And many ships from Lemnos, bearing\nwine, were at hand, sent of Jason\u2019s son Euneos, whom Hypsipyle bare to\nJason shepherd of the host. And specially for Atreus\u2019 sons, Agamemnon\nand Menelaos, Jason\u2019s son gave a freight of wine, even a thousand\nmeasures. So the flowing-haired Achaians bought them wine thence, some\nfor bronze and some for gleaming iron, and some with hides and some\nwith whole kine, and some with captives; and they set a rich feast\nbefore them. Then all night long feasted the flowing-haired Achaians,\nand in the city the Trojans and allies; and all night long Zeus the\nlord of counsel devised them ill with terrible thunderings. Then pale\nfear gat hold upon them, and they spilt wine from their cups upon the\nearth, neither durst any drink till he had made libation to most mighty\nKronion. Then laid they them to rest and took the boon of sleep.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK VIII.\n\n\nHow Zeus bethought him of his promise to avenge Achilles\u2019 wrong on\nAgamemnon: and therefore bade the gods refrain from war, and gave\nvictory to the Trojans.\n\n\nNow Dawn the saffron-robed was spreading over all the earth, and Zeus\nwhose joy is in the thunder let call an assembly of the gods upon the\ntopmost peak of many-ridged Olympus, and himself made harangue to them\nand all the gods gave ear: \u201cHearken to me, all gods and all ye\ngoddesses, that I may tell you what my heart within my breast\ncommandeth me. One thing let none essay, be it goddess or be it god, to\nwit, to thwart my saying; approve ye it all together, that with all\nspeed I may accomplish these things. Whomsoever I shall perceive minded\nto go, apart from the gods, to succour Trojans or Danaans, chastened in\nno seemly wise shall he return to Olympus, or I will take and cast him\ninto misty Tartaros, right far away, where is the deepest gulf beneath\nthe earth; there are the gate of iron and threshold of bronze, as far\nbeneath Hades as heaven is high above the earth: then shall he know how\nfar I am mightiest of all gods. Go to now, ye gods, make trial that ye\nall may know. Fasten ye a rope of gold from heaven, and all ye gods lay\nhold thereof and all goddesses; yet could ye not drag from heaven to\nearth Zeus, counsellor supreme, not though ye toiled sore. But once I\nlikewise were minded to draw with all my heart, then should I draw you\nup with very earth and sea withal. Thereafter would I bind the rope\nabout a pinnacle of Olympus, and so should all those things be hung in\nair. By so much am I beyond gods and beyond men.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and they all kept silence and were still, marvelling at his\nsaying; for he spake very masterfully. But at the last there spake to\nthem the bright-eyed goddess Athene: \u201cO our father Kronides, supreme of\nlords, well we know, even we, that thy might is unyielding; yet still\nhave we pity for the Danaan spearmen, that now shall perish and fulfil\na grievous fate. Yet will we refrain from battle as thou biddest us,\nbut counsel will we offer to the Argives for their profit, that they\nperish not all at thy wrath.\u201d\n\nThen Zeus the cloud-gatherer smiled at her and said: \u201cBe of good\ncomfort, dear child, Trito-born; I speak not at all of earnest purpose,\nbut I am minded to be kindly to thee\u201d\n\nSo saying he let harness to his chariot his bronze-shod horses, fleet\nof foot, with flowing manes of gold; and himself clad him with gold\nupon his flesh, and grasped the whip of gold, well-wrought, and mounted\nupon his car, and lashed the horses to start them; they nothing loth\nsped on between earth and starry heaven. So fared he to many-fountained\nIda, mother of wild beasts, even unto Gargaros, where is his demesne\nand fragrant altar. There did the father of men and gods stay his\nhorses, and unloose them from the car, and cast thick mist about them;\nand himself sate on the mountain-tops rejoicing in his glory, to behold\nthe city of the Trojans and ships of the Achaians.\n\nNow the flowing-haired Achaians took meat hastily among the huts and\nthereafter arrayed themselves. Likewise the Trojans on their side armed\nthem throughout the town\u2014a smaller host, yet for all that were they\neager to fight in battle, of forceful need, for their children\u2019s sake\nand their wives\u2019. And the gates were opened wide and the host issued\nforth, footmen and horsemen; and mighty din arose.\n\nSo when they were met together and come unto one spot, then clashed\nthey targe and spear and fury of bronze-clad warrior; the bossed\nshields pressed each on each, and mighty din arose. Then were heard the\nvoice of groaning and the voice of triumph together of the slayers and\nthe slain, and the earth streamed with blood.\n\nNow while it yet was morn and the divine day waxed, so long from either\nside lighted the darts amain and the people fell. But when the sun\nbestrode mid-heaven, then did the Father balance his golden scales, and\nput therein two fates of death that layeth men at their length,* one\nfor horse-taming Trojans, one for mail-clad Achaians; and he took the\nscale-yard by the midst and lifted it, and the Achaians\u2019 day of destiny\nsank down. So lay the Achaians\u2019 fates on the bounteous earth, and the\nTrojans\u2019 fates were lifted up towards wide heaven. And the god\nthundered aloud from Ida, and sent his blazing flash amid the host of\nthe Achaians; and they saw and were astonished, and pale fear gat hold\nupon all.\n\n* Perhaps rather \u201cdeath that bringeth long woe.\u201d\n\n\nThen had Idomeneus no heart to stand, neither Agamemnon, neither stood\nthe twain Aiantes, men of Ares\u2019 company. Only Nestor of Gerenia stood\nhis ground, he the Warden of the Achaians; neither he of purpose, but\nhis horse was fordone, which noble Alexandros, beauteous-haired Helen\u2019s\nlord, had smitten with an arrow upon the top of the crest where the\nforemost hairs of horses grow upon the skull; and there is the most\ndeadly spot. So the horse leapt up in anguish and the arrow sank into\nhis brain, and he brought confusion on the steeds as he writhed upon\nthe dart. While the old man leapt forth and with his sword began to hew\nthe traces, came Hector\u2019s fleet horses through the tumult, bearing a\nbold charioteer, even Hecktor. And now had the old man lost his life,\nbut that Diomedes of the loud war-cry was swift to mark. Terribly\nshouted he, summoning Odysseus: \u201cHeaven-born son of Laertes, Odysseus\nof many wiles, whither fleest thou with thy back turned, like a coward\nin the throng? Beware lest as thou fleest one plant a spear between thy\nshoulders. Nay, stand thy ground, till we thrust back from the old man\nhis furious foe.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, but much-enduring noble Odysseus heard him not, but\nhastened by to the hollow ships of the Achaians. Yet Tydeides, though\nbut one, mingled amid the fighters in the forefront, and took his stand\nbefore the steeds of the old man, Neleus\u2019 son, and spake to him winged\nwords, and said: \u201cOld man, of a truth young warriors beset thee hard;\nand thy force is abated, and old age is sore upon thee, and thy squire\nis but a weakling, and thy steeds are slow. Come then, mount upon my\ncar, that thou mayest see of what sort are the steeds of Tros, well\nskilled for following or fleeing hither or thither very fleetly across\nthe plain, even those that erst I took from Aineias inspirer of fear.*\nThine let our squires tend, and these let us guide straight against the\nhorse-taming Trojans, that even Hector may know whether my spear also\nrageth in my hands.\u201d\n\n* Reading \u03bc\u03ae\u03c3\u03c4\u03c9\u03c1\u03b1. See Book V. 272.\n\n\nSo said he, and knightly Nestor of Gerenia disregarded not. Then the\ntwo squires tended Nestor\u2019s horses, even Sthenelos the valiant and\nkindly Eurymedon: and the other twain both mounted upon Diomedes\u2019 car.\nAnd Nestor took into his hands the shining reins, and lashed the\nhorses; and soon they drew nigh Hector. Then Tydeus\u2019 son hurled at him\nas he charged straight upon them: him missed he, but his squire that\ndrave his chariot, Eniopeus, high-hearted Thebaios\u2019 son, even him as he\nheld the reins, he smote upon the breast beside the nipple. So he fell\nfrom out the car, and his fleet-footed horses swerved aside; and there\nhis soul and spirit were unstrung. Then sore grief encompassed Hector\u2019s\nsoul for sake of his charioteer. Yet left he him there lying, though he\nsorrowed for his comrade, and drave in quest of a bold charioteer; and\nhis horses lacked not long a master, for anon he found Iphitos\u2019 son,\nbold Archeptolemos, and him he made mount behind his fleet horses, and\ngave the reins into his hands.\n\nThen had destruction come and deeds beyond remedy been wrought, and so\nhad they been penned in Ilios like lambs, had not the father of gods\nand men been swift to mark. So he thundered terribly and darted his\nwhite lightning and hurled it before Diomedes\u2019 steeds to earth; and\nthere arose a terrible flame of sulphur burning, and the two horses\nwere affrighted and cowered beneath the car. And the shining reins\ndropped from Nestor\u2019s hands, and he was afraid at heart and spake to\nDiomedes: \u201cCome now Tydeides, turn back thy whole-hooved horses to\nflight: seest thou not that victory from Zeus attendeth not on thee?\nNow doth Kronos\u2019 son vouchsafe glory to this Hector, for the day;\nhereafter shall he grant it us likewise, if he will. A man may not at\nall ward off the will of Zeus, not though one be very valiant; he\nverily is mightier far.\u201d\n\nThen Diomedes of the loud war-cry answered him: \u201cYea verily, old man,\nall this thou sayest is according unto right. But this is the sore\ngrief that entereth my heart and soul; Hector some day shall say as he\nmaketh harangue amid the Trojans: \u2018Tydeides betook him to the ships in\nflight before my face.\u2019 So shall he boast\u2014in that day let the wide\nearth yawn for me.\u201d\n\nThen knightly Nestor of Gerenia answered him: \u201cAh me, thou son of wise\nTydeus, that thou shouldest speak on this wise! Even though Hector call\nthee a base man and coward, yet will not the Trojans hearken to him nor\nthe Dardanians, neither the wives of the great-hearted men of Troy,\nbearers of the shield, the wives whose lusty bedfellows thou hast laid\nlow in the dust.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and turned the whole-hooved horses to flight, back through\nthe tumult; and the Trojans and Hector with wondrous uproar poured upon\nthem their dolorous darts. And over him shouted loudly great Hector of\nthe glancing helm: \u201cTydeides, the fleet-horsed Danaans were wont to\nhonour thee with the highest place, and meats, and cups brimful, but\nnow will they disdain thee; thou art after all no better than a woman.\nBegone, poor puppet; not for my flinching shalt thou climb on our\ntowers, neither carry our wives away upon thy ships; ere that will I\ndeal thee thy fate.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and Tydeides was of divided mind, whether to wheel his\nhorses and fight him face to face. Thrice doubted he in heart and soul,\nand thrice from Ida\u2019s mountains thundered Zeus the lord of counsel, and\ngave to the Trojans a sign, the turning of the course of battle. And\nHector with loud shout called to the Trojans: \u201cTrojans and Lykians and\nDardanians that love close fight, be men, my friends, and bethink you\nof impetuous valour. I perceive that of good will Kronion vouchsafest\nme victory and great glory, and to the Danaans destruction. Fools, that\ndevised these walls weak and of none account; they shall not withhold\nour fury, and lightly shall our steeds overleap the delved foss. But\nwhen I be once come amid the hollow ships, then be thought taken of\nconsuming fire, that with fire I may burn the ships and slay the men,\neven the Argives amid their ships, in confusion beneath the smoke.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and shouted to his steeds, and said: \u201cXanthos, and thou\nPodargos, and Aithon and goodly Lampos, now pay me back your tending,\neven the abundance that Andromache, great-hearted E\u00ebtion\u2019s daughter,\nset before you of honey-hearted wheat, and mingled wine to drink at the\nheart\u2019s bidding, sooner than for me, that verily avow me to be her\nlusty spouse. Pursue ye now and haste, that we may seize Nestor\u2019s\nshield, the fame whereof now reacheth unto heaven, how that it is of\ngold throughout, armrods and all; and may seize moreover from\nhorse-taming Diomedes\u2019 shoulders his richly dight breastplate that\nHephaistos wrought cunningly. Could we but take these, then might I\nhope this very night to make the Achaians to embark on their fleet\nships.\u201d\n\nSo spake he boastfully, and queen Hera had indignation, and stirred her\nupon her throne and made high Olympus quake, and answered and said to\nthe great god Poseidon: \u201cOut on it, far-swaying Shaker of Earth; not\neven thine heart within thy breast hath pity on the Danaans perishing.\nYet bring they to thee in Helike and Aigai offerings many and gracious:\nwish thou them victory. Did we but will, we that are confederate with\nthe Danaans, to drive the Trojans back and withhold far-seeing Zeus,\nthen would he vex himself that he should sit there alone in Ida.\u201d\n\nThen was the lord the Shaker of earth sore troubled and made answer:\n\u201cHera headstrong in speech, what is this thing thou sayest? I am not he\nthat would fain see us all at strife with Zeus Kronion, for he verily\nis mightier far.\u201d\n\nThus spake they to each other; and now was all the space that from the\nships the moat enclosed, even unto the wall, filled full of horses\ntogether and shield-bearing warriors pent: so pent them Hector Priam\u2019s\nson, peer of fleet Ares, now that Zeus vouchsafed him glory. And now\nhad he burned the trim ships with blazing fire, but that queen Hera put\nit in Agamemnon\u2019s heart himself to bestir him and swiftly arouse the\nAchaians. So he went his way along the huts and ships of the Achaians,\nholding a great cloak of purple in his stalwart hand, and stood by\nOdysseus\u2019 black ship of mighty burden, that was in the midst, so that a\nvoice could be heard to either end, whether to the huts of Aias son of\nTelamon, or of Achilles; for these had drawn their trim ships up at the\nuttermost ends, trusting to their valour and to the might of their\nhands. Then shouted he in a piercing voice, and called to the Danaans\naloud: \u201cFie upon you, Argives, ye sorry things of shame, so brave in\nsemblance! Whither are gone our boastings when we said that we were\nbravest, the boasts ye uttered vaingloriously when in Lemnos, as ye ate\nyour fill of flesh of tall-horned oxen and drank goblets crowned with\nwine, and said that every man should stand in war to face fivescore yea\ntenscore Trojans? yet now can we not match one, even this Hector that\nanon will burn our ships with flame of fire. O Father Zeus, didst ever\nthou blind with such a blindness any mighty king, and rob him of great\nglory? Yet I ween that never in my benched ship passed I by a fair\naltar of thine on my mad way hither, but upon all I burnt fat and\nthighs of oxen, being eager to lay waste well-walled Troy. Nay, Zeus,\nthis hope fulfil thou me; suffer that we ourselves at least flee and\nescape, neither suffer that the Achaians be thus vanquished of the\nTrojans.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and the Father had pity on him as he wept, and vouchsafed\nhim that his folk should be saved and perish not. Forthwith sent he an\neagle\u2014surest sign among winged fowl\u2014holding in his claws a fawn, the\nyoung of a fleet hind; beside the beautiful altar of Zeus he let fall\nthe fawn, where the Achaians did sacrifice unto Zeus lord of all\noracles. So when they saw that the bird was come from Zeus, they sprang\nthe more upon the Trojans and bethought them of the joy of battle.\n\nNow could no man of the Danaans, for all they were very many, boast\nthat he before Tydeus\u2019 son had guided his fleet horses forth, and\ndriven them across the trench and fought man to man; first by far was\nTydeides to slay a warrior of the Trojans in full array, even Agelaos\nson of Phradmon. Now he had turned his steeds to flee; but as he\nwheeled the other plunged the spear into his back between his\nshoulders, and drave it through his breast. So fell he from his\nchariot, and his armour clanged upon him.\n\nAnd after him came Atreus\u2019 sons, even Agamemnon and Menelaos, and after\nthem the Aiantes clothed upon with impetuous valour, and after them\nIdomeneus and Idomeneus\u2019 brother in arms Meriones, peer of Enyalios\nslayer of men, and after them Eurypylos, Euaimon\u2019s glorious son. And\nninth came Teukros, stretching his back-bent bow, and took his stand\nbeneath the shield of Aias son of Telamon. And so Aias would stealthily\nwithdraw the shield, and Teukros would spy his chance; and when he had\nshot and smitten one in the throng, then fell such an one and gave up\nthe ghost, and Teukros would return, and as a child beneath his mother,\nso gat he him to Aias; who hid him with the shining shield.\n\nNow who first of the Trojans was slain of noble Teukros? Orsilochos\nfirst and Ormenos and Ophelestes and Daitor and Chromios and godlike\nLykophontes and Amopaon Polyaimon\u2019s son and Melanippos; all these in\nturn laid he upon the bounteous earth. And Agamemnon king of men\nrejoiced to behold him making havoc with his stalwart bow of the\nbattalions of the Trojans, and he came and stood by his side and spake\nto him, saying: \u201cTeukros, dear heart, thou son of Telamon, prince of\nthe host, shoot on in this wise, if perchance thou mayest be found the\nsalvation of the Danaans and glory of thy father Telamon; who nurtured\nthee when thou wast little, and reared thee, though a bastard, in his\nhouse; exalt thou him to honour, though he be afar. Moreover I will say\nto thee that which shall indeed be fulfilled. If aegis-bearing Zeus and\nAthene vouchsafe me to lay waste the stablished city of Ilios, in thine\nhand first, after myself, will I bestow the meed of honour, be it a\ntripod or two steeds with their chariot, or a woman that shall go up\ninto thy bed.\u201d\n\nAnd noble Teukros made answer and said to him: \u201cMost noble son of\nAtreus, why urgest thou me that myself am eager? Verily with such\nstrength as is in me forbear I not, but ever since we drave them\ntowards Ilios I watch with my bow to slay the foemen. Eight long-barbed\narrows have I now sped, and all are buried in the flesh of young men\nswift in battle; only this mad dog can I not smite.\u201d\n\nHe said, and shot another arrow from the string right against Hector;\nand his heart was fain to smite him. Yet him he missed, but noble\nGorgythion, Priam\u2019s good son, he smote with an arrow in the breast, him\nborn of a mother wedded from Aisyme, even fair Kastianeira, of favour\nlike unto the gods. Even as in a garden a poppy droopeth its head\naside, being heavy with fruit and the showers of spring; so bowed he\naside his head laden with his helm.\n\nAnd Teukros shot another arrow from the string, right against Hector,\nand his heart was fain to smite him. Yet missed he once again, for\nApollo turned the dart away; but Archeptolemos, Hector\u2019s bold\ncharioteer, he smote on the breast beside the nipple as he hasted into\nbattle: so he fell from his car and his fleet-footed horses swerved\naside; and there his soul and spirit were unstrung. Then sore grief\nencompassed Hector\u2019s soul for his charioteer\u2019s sake; yet left he him,\nthough he sorrowed for his comrade, and bade Kebriones his own brother,\nbeing hard by, take the chariot reins; and he heard and disregarded\nnot. And himself he leapt to earth from the resplendent car, with a\nterrible shout; and in his hand he caught a stone, and made right at\nTeukros, and his heart bade him smite him. Now Teukros had plucked\nforth from his quiver a keen arrow, and laid it on the string; but even\nas he drew it back, Hector of the glancing helm smote him with the\njagged stone, as he aimed eagerly against him, even beside his\nshoulder, where the collar-bone fenceth off neck and breast, and where\nis the most deadly spot; and he brake the bowstring,* and his hand from\nthe wrist grew numb, and he stayed fallen upon his knee, and his bow\ndropped from his hand. But Aias disregarded not his brother\u2019s fall, but\nran and strode across him and hid him with his shield. Then two trusty\ncomrades bent down to him, even Mekisteus son of Echios and goodly\nAlastor, and bare him, groaning sorely, to the hollow ships. And once\nagain the Olympian aroused the spirit of the Trojans. So they drove the\nAchaians straight toward the deep foss, and amid the foremost went\nHector exulting in his strength. And even as when a hound behind wild\nboar or lion, with swift feet pursuing snatcheth at him, at flank or\nbuttock, and watcheth for him as he wheeleth, so Hector pressed hard on\nthe flowing-haired Achaians, slaying ever the hindmost, and they fled\non. But when they were passed in flight through palisade and foss, and\nmany were fallen beneath the Trojans\u2019 hands, then halted they and\ntarried beside the ships, calling one upon another, and lifting up\ntheir hands to all the gods prayed each one instantly. But Hector\nwheeled round his beauteous-maned steeds this way and that, and his\neyes were as the eyes of Gorgon or Ares bane of mortals.\n\n* \u03bd\u03b5\u03c5\u03c1\u03ae\u03bd may mean \u201cthe sinew of his arm.\u201d\n\n\nNow at the sight of them the white-armed goddess Hera had compassion,\nand anon spake winged words to Athene: \u201cOut on it, thou child of\naegis-bearing Zeus, shall not we twain any more take thought for the\nDanaans that perish, if only for this last time? Now will they fill up\nthe measure of evil destiny and perish by one man\u2019s onslaught; seeing\nthat he is furious now beyond endurance, this Hector son of Priam, and\nverily hath wrought many a deed of ill.\u201d\n\nAnd the bright-eyed goddess Athene made answer to her, \u201cYea in good\nsooth, may this fellow yield up strength and life, and perish at the\nArgives\u2019 hands in his native land; only mine own sire is furious, with\nno good intent, headstrong, ever sinful, the foiler of my purposes.\nNeither remembereth he at all those many times and oft that I saved his\nson fordone with Eurystheus\u2019 tasks. For he would make lament toward\nheaven, and me would Zeus speed forth from heaven to succour him. Had I\nbut known all this in my prudent heart, what time Eurystheus sent him\nforth to the house of Hades the Warder of the Gate, to bring from\nErebos the hound of loathed Hades, then had he not escaped the sheer\nstream of the water of Styx. But now Zeus hateth me, and fulfilleth the\npurposes of Thetis, that kissed his knees and with her hand touched his\nbeard, beseeching him to do honour to Achilles waster of cities. Verily\nthe day shall come when he shall call me again his bright-eyed darling.\nBut now make thou ready our whole-hooved horses, while I enter into the\npalace of aegis-bearing Zeus and gird me in my armour for battle, that\nI may see if Priam\u2019s son, Hector of the glancing helm, shall be glad at\nthe appearing of us twain amid the highways of the battle. Surely shall\nmany a Trojan likewise glut dogs and birds with fat and flesh, fallen\ndead at the ships of the Achaians.\u201d\n\nSo said she, and the white-armed goddess Hera disregarded not. So Hera,\nthe goddess queen, daughter of great Kronos, went her way and harnessed\nthe golden-frontleted steeds; and Athene, daughter of aegis-bearing\nZeus, cast down at her father\u2019s threshold her woven vesture\nmany-coloured, that herself had wrought and her hands had fashioned;\nand put on her the tunic of Zeus the cloud-gatherer, and arrayed her in\nher armour for dolorous battle. Upon the flaming chariot set she her\nfoot, and grasped her heavy spear great and stout, wherewith she\nvanquisheth the ranks of men, even of heroes with whom she of the awful\nsire is wroth. Then Hera swiftly smote the horses with the lash;\nself-moving groaned upon their hinges the gates of heaven whereof the\nHours are warders, to whom is committed great heaven and Olympus,\nwhether to throw open the thick cloud or set it to. There through the\ngates guided they their horses patient of the lash.\n\nBut when father Zeus beheld from Ida, he was sore wroth, and sped Iris\ngolden-winged to bear a message: \u201cGo thy way, fleet Iris, turn them\nback neither suffer them to face me; for in no happy wise shall we join\nin combat. For thus will I declare, and even so shall the fulfilment\nbe; I will maim their fleet horses in the chariot, and them will I hurl\nout from the car, and will break in pieces the chariot; neither within\nthe courses of ten years shall they heal them of the wounds the\nthunderbolt shall tear; that the bright-eyed one may know the end when\nshe striveth against her father. But with Hera have I not so great\nindignation nor wrath: seeing it ever is her wont to thwart me,\nwhate\u2019er I have decreed.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and whirlwind-footed Iris arose to bear the message, and\ndeparted from the mountains of Ida unto high Olympus. And even at the\nentrance of the gates of Olympus many-folded she met them and stayed\nthem, and told them the saying of Zeus: \u201cWhither hasten ye? Why are\nyour hearts furious within your breasts? Kronides forbiddeth you to\ngive the Argives succour. For thus the son of Kronos threateneth, even\nas he will fulfil; to wit, to maim your fleet horses in the chariot,\nand you will he hurl out from the car, and break the chariot in pieces;\nneither within the courses of ten years shall ye heal you of the wounds\nthat the thunderbolt shall tear; that thou, bright-eyed goddess, mayst\nknow the end when thou strivest against thy father. But with Hera hath\nhe not so great indignation nor wrath; seeing it ever is her wont to\nthwart him, whate\u2019er he have decreed. But most fell art thou, reckless\nvixen! if thou indeed wilt dare to lift thy huge spear against the face\nof Zeus.\u201d\n\nSo said fleet-footed Iris, and departed; but Hera spake to Athene and\nsaid: \u201cOut on it, thou child of aegis-bearing Zeus, I verily would no\nmore have us war against Zeus for mortals\u2019 sake. Of them let one man\nperish and another live, even as the lot falleth; and for him, let him\ntake counsel for himself in his heart, and give judgment for Trojans\nand for Danaans, as is meet.\u201d\n\nSo saying she turned back her whole-hooved horses. Then the Hours\nunyoked them their beauteous-maned horses, and tethered them to their\nambrosial mangers, and leant the chariots against the shining faces of\nthe gateway; and the goddesses sate them upon their golden thrones amid\nthe throng of all the gods, and were grieved at heart.\n\nAnd father Zeus drave from Ida his fair-wheeled chariot and horses unto\nOlympus, and came unto the session of the gods. For him also the noble\nShaker of Earth unyoked the steeds, and set the car upon the stand, and\nspread a cloth thereover; and far-seeing Zeus himself sate upon his\ngolden throne, and beneath his feet great Olympus quaked. Only Athene\nand Hera sate apart from Zeus, and spake no word to him neither\nquestioned him. But he was ware thereof in his heart, and said, \u201cWhy\nare ye thus vexed, Athene and Hera? Surely ye are not wearied of making\nhavoc in glorious battle of the Trojans, for whom ye cherish bitter\nhate! Howsoever, seeing that my might is so great and my hands\ninvincible, all the gods that are in Olympus could not turn me: and for\nyou twain, trembling erst gat hold upon your bright limbs ere that ye\nbeheld war and war\u2019s fell deeds. For thus will I declare, and even so\nhad the fulfilment been\u2014never had ye, once smitten with the\nthunderbolt, fared on your chariots back unto Olympus where is the\nhabitation of the immortals.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and Athene and Hera murmured, that were sitting by him and\ndevising ills for the Trojans. Now Athene held her peace, and said not\nanything, for wrath at father Zeus, and fierce anger gat hold upon her;\nbut Hera\u2019s heart contained not her anger, and she spake: \u201cMost dread\nson of Kronos, what word is this thou hast said? Well know we, even we,\nthat thy might is no wise puny; yet still have we pity for the Danaan\nspearmen, that now shall perish and fill up the measure of grievous\nfate. Yet will we refrain from battle, if thou biddest us; but counsel\nwill we offer to the Argives, such as shall profit them, that they\nperish not all at thy wrath.\u201d\n\nAnd Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered and said: \u201cAt morn shalt thou\nbehold most mighty Kronion, if thou wilt have it so, O Hera, ox-eyed\nqueen, making yet more havoc of the vast army of Argive spearmen; for\nheadlong Hector shall not refrain from battle till that Peleus\u2019 son\nfleet of foot have arisen beside the ships, that day when these shall\nfight amid the sterns in most grievous stress, around Patroklos fallen.\nSuch is the doom of heaven. And for thine anger reck I not, not even\nthough thou go to the nethermost bounds of earth and sea, where sit\nIapetos and Kronos and have no joy in the beams of Hyperion the\nSun-god, neither in any breeze, but deep Tartaros is round about them.\nThough thou shouldest wander till thou come even thither, yet reck I\nnot of thy vexation, seeing there is no thing more unabashed than\nthou.\u201d\n\nSo said he, but white-armed Hera spake him no word. And the sun\u2019s\nbright light dropped into Ocean, drawing black night across Earth the\ngrain-giver. Against the Trojans\u2019 will daylight departed, but welcome,\nthrice prayed for, to the Achaians came down the murky night.\n\nNow glorious Hector made an assembly of the Trojans, taking them apart\nfrom the ships, beside the eddying river, in an open space where was\nfound a spot clear of dead. And they came down from their chariots to\nthe ground to hear the word that Hector, dear unto Zeus, proclaimed. He\nin his hand held his spear eleven cubits long; before his face gleamed\nthe spear-head of bronze, and a ring of gold ran round about it.\nThereon he leaned and spake to the Trojans, saying: \u201cHearken to me,\nTrojans and Dardanians and allies. I thought but now to make havoc of\nthe ships and all the Achaians and depart back again to windy Ilios;\nbut dusk came too soon, and that in chief hath now saved the Argives\nand the ships beside the beach of the sea. So let us now yield to black\nnight, and make our supper ready; unyoke ye from the chariots your\nfair-maned horses, and set fodder beside them. And from the city bring\nkine and goodly sheep with speed; and provide you with honey-hearted\nwine, and corn from your houses, and gather much wood withal, that all\nnight long until early-springing dawn we may burn many fires, and the\ngleam may reach to heaven; lest perchance even by night the\nflowing-haired Achaians strive to take flight over the broad back of\nthe sea. Verily must they not embark upon their ships unvexed, at ease:\nbut see ye that many a one of them have a wound to nurse even at home,\nbeing stricken with arrow or keen-pointed spear as he leapeth upon his\nship; that so many another man may dread to wage dolorous war on the\nhorse-taming men of Troy. And let the heralds dear to Zeus proclaim\nthroughout the city that young maidens and old men of hoary heads camp\nround the city on the battlements builded of the gods; and let the\nwomen folk burn a great fire each in her hall; and let there be a sure\nwatch set, lest an ambush enter the city when the host is absent. Thus\nbe it, great-hearted Trojans, as I proclaim; the counsel that now is\nsound, let that stand spoken; further will I proclaim at dawn amid the\nhorse-taming men of Troy. I pray with good hope to Zeus and all the\ngods, to drive from hence these dogs borne onward by the fates, them\nthat the fates bear on in the black ships. Howbeit for the night will\nwe guard our own selves, and at morn by daybreak, arrayed in our\narmour, let us awake keen battle at the hollow ships. I will know\nwhether Tydeus\u2019 son stalwart Diomedes shall thrust me from the ships\nback to the wall, or I shall lay him low with my spear and bear away\nhis gory spoils. Tomorrow shall he prove his valour, whether he can\nabide the onslaught of my spear. But he amid the foremost, I ween,\nshall lie stricken, and many comrades round about their lord at the\nrising of tomorrow\u2019s sun. Would that I were immortal and ageless all my\ndays and honoured like as Athene is honoured and Apollo, so surely as\nthis day bringeth the Argives ill.\u201d\n\nSo Hector made harangue, and the Trojans clamoured applause. And they\nloosed their sweating steeds from the yoke, and tethered them with\nthongs, each man beside his chariot; and from the city they brought\nkine and goodly sheep with speed, and provided them with honey-hearted\nwine and corn from their houses, and gathered much wood withal; and\nsacrificed to the immortals unblemished hecatombs. And from the plain\nthe winds bare into heaven the sweet savour. But the blessed gods\nregaled not themselves nor would they aught thereof; for sore was holy\nIlios hated of them, and Priam and the folk of Priam of the good ashen\nspear. But these with high hopes sate them all night along the highways\nof the battle, and their watchfires burned in multitude. Even as when\nin heaven the stars about the bright moon shine clear to see, when the\nair is windless, and all the peaks appear and the tall headlands and\nglades, and from heaven breaketh open the infinite air, and all stars\nare seen, and the shepherd\u2019s heart is glad; even in like multitude\nbetween the ships and the streams of Xanthos appeared the watchfires\nthat the Trojans kindled in front of Ilios. A thousand fires burned in\nthe plain and by the side of each sate fifty in the gleam of blazing\nfire. And the horses champed white barley and spelt, and standing by\ntheir chariots waited for the throned Dawn.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK IX.\n\n\nHow Agamemnon sent an embassage to Achilles, beseeching him to be\nappeased; and how Achilles denied him.\n\n\nThus kept the Trojans watch; but the Achaians were holden of\nheaven-sent panic, handmaid of palsying fear, and all their best were\nstricken to the heart with grief intolerable. Like as two winds stir up\nthe main, the home of fishes, even the north wind and the west wind\nthat blow from Thrace, coming suddenly; and the dark billow straightway\nlifteth up its crest and casteth much tangle out along the sea; even so\nwas the Achaians\u2019 spirit troubled in their breast.\n\nBut Atreides was stricken to the heart with sore grief, and went about\nbidding the clear-voiced heralds summon every man by name to the\nassembly, but not to shout aloud; and himself he toiled amid the\nforemost. So they sat sorrowful in assembly, and Agamemnon stood up\nweeping like unto a fountain of dark water that from a beetling cliff\npoureth down its black stream; even so with deep groaning he spake amid\nthe Argives and said: \u201cMy friends, leaders and captains of the Argives,\nZeus son of Kronos hath bound me with might in grievous blindness of\nsoul; hard of heart is he, for that erewhile he promised and gave his\npledge that not till I had laid waste well-walled Ilios should I\ndepart, but now hath planned a cruel wile, and biddeth me return in\ndishonour to Argos with the loss of many of my folk. Such meseemeth is\nthe good pleasure of most mighty Zeus, that hath laid low the heads of\nmany cities, yea and shall lay low; for his is highest power. So come,\neven as I shall bid let us all obey; let us flee with our ships to our\ndear native land, for now shall we never take wide-wayed Troy.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and they all held their peace and kept silence. Long time\nwere the sons of the Achaians voiceless for grief, but at the last\nDiomedes of the loud war-cry spake amid them and said: \u201cAtreides: with\nthee first in thy folly will I contend, where it is just, O king, even\nin the assembly; be not thou wroth therefor. My valour didst thou blame\nin chief amid the Danaans, and saidst that I was no man of war but a\ncoward; and all this know the Argives both young and old. But the son\nof crooked-counselling Kronos hath endowed thee but by halves; he\ngranted thee to have the honour of the sceptre above all men, but\nvalour he gave thee not, wherein is highest power. Sir, deemest thou\nthat the sons of the Achaians are thus indeed cowards and weaklings as\nthou sayest? If thine own heart be set on departing, go thy way; the\nway is before thee, and thy ships stand beside the sea, even the great\nmultitude that followed thee from Mykene. But all the other\nflowing-haired Achaians will tarry here until we lay waste Troy. Nay,\nlet them too flee on their ships to their dear native land; yet will we\ntwain, even I and Sthenelos, fight till we attain the goal of Ilios;\nfor in God\u2019s name are we come.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and all the sons of the Achaians shouted aloud, applauding\nthe saying of horse-taming Diomedes. Then knightly Nestor arose and\nsaid amid them: \u201cTydeides, in battle art thou passing mighty, and in\ncouncil art thou best among thine equals in years; none of all the\nAchaians will make light of thy word nor gainsay it; but thou hast not\nmade a full end of thy words. Moreover thou art a young man indeed, and\nmightest even be my son, my youngest-born; yet thou counsellest\nprudently the princes of the Achaians, because thou speakest according\nunto right. But lo, I that avow me to be older than thou will speak\nforth and expound everything; neither shall any man despise my saying,\nnot even the lord Agamemnon. A tribeless, lawless, homeless man is he\nthat loveth bitter civil strife. Howbeit now let us yield to black\nnight and make ready now let us yield to black night and make ready our\nmeal; and let the sentinels bestow them severally along the deep-delved\nfoss without the wall. This charge give I to the young men; and thou,\nAtreides, lead then the way, for thou art the most royal. Spread thou a\nfeast for the councillors; that is thy place and seemly for thee. Thy\nhuts are full of wine that the ships of the Achaians bring thee by day\nfrom Thrace across the wide sea; all entertainment is for thee, being\nking over many. In the gathering of many shalt thou listen to him that\ndeviseth the most excellent counsel; sore need have all the Achaians of\nsuch as is good and prudent, because hard by the ships our foemen are\nburning their watch-fires in multitude; what man can rejoice thereat?\nThis night shall either destroy or save the host.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and they gladly hearkened to him and obeyed. Forth sallied\nthe sentinels in their harness, around Thrasymedes Nestor\u2019s son,\nshepherd of the host, and Askalaphos and Ialmenos sons of Ares, and\nMeriones and Aphareus and De\u00efpyros and Kreion\u2019s son noble Lykomedes.\nSeven were the captains of the sentinels, and with each went fivescore\nyoung men bearing their long spears in their hands; and they took post\nmidway betwixt foss and wall, and kindled a fire and made ready each\nman his meal.\n\nThen Atreides gathered the councillors of the Achaians, and led them to\nhis hut, and spread before them an abundant feast. So they put forth\ntheir hands to the good cheer that lay before them. And when they had\nput away from them the desire of meat and drink, then the old man first\nbegan to weave his counsel, even Nestor, whose rede of old time was\napproved the best. He of good intent spake to them and said: \u201cMost\nnoble son of Atreus, Agamemnon king of men, in thy name will I end and\nwith thy name begin, because thou art king over many hosts, and to thy\nhand Zeus hath entrusted sceptre and law, that thou mayest take counsel\nfor thy folk. Thee therefore more than any it behoveth both to speak\nand hearken, and to accomplish what another than thou may say, when his\nheart biddeth him speak for profit: wheresoever thou leadest all shall\nturn on thee, so I will speak as meseemeth best. No other man shall\nhave a more excellent thought than this that I bear in mind from old\ntime even until now, since the day when thou, O heaven-sprung king,\ndidst go and take the damsel Briseis from angry Achilles\u2019 hut by no\nconsent of ours. Nay, I right heartily dissuaded thee; but thou\nyieldedst to thy proud spirit, and dishonouredst a man of valour whom\neven the immortals honoured; for thou didst take and keepest from him\nhis meed of valour. Still let us even now take thought how we may\nappease him and persuade him with gifts of friendship and kindly\nwords.\u201d\n\nAnd Agamemnon king of men answered and said to him: \u201cOld sir, in no\nfalse wise hast thou accused my folly. Fool was I, I myself deny it\nnot. Worth many hosts is he whom Zeus loveth in his heart, even as now\nhe honoureth this man and destroyeth the host of the Achaians. But\nseeing I was a fool in that I yielded to my sorry passion, I will make\namends and give a recompense beyond telling. In the midst of you all I\nwill name the excellent gifts; seven tripods untouched of fire, and ten\ntalents of gold and twenty gleaming caldrons, and twelve stalwart\nhorses, winners in the race, that have taken prizes by their speed. No\nlackwealth were that man, neither undowered of precious gold, whose\nsubstance were as great as the prizes my whole-hooved steeds have borne\nme off. And seven women will I give, skilled in excellent handiwork,\nLesbians whom I chose me from the spoils the day that he himself took\nstablished Lesbos, surpassing womankind in beauty. These will I give\nhim, and with them shall be she whom erst I took from him, even the\ndaughter of Briseus; moreover I will swear a great oath that never I\nwent up into her bed nor had with her converse as is the wont of\nmankind, even of men and women. All these things shall be set\nstraightway before him; and if hereafter the gods grant us to lay waste\nthe great city of Priam, then let him enter in when we Achaians be\ndividing the spoil, and lade his ship full of gold and bronze, and\nhimself choose twenty Trojan women, the fairest that there be after\nHelen of Argos. And if we win to the richest of lands, even Achaian\nArgos, he shall be my son and I will hold him in like honour with\nOrestes, my stripling boy that is nurtured in all abundance. Three\ndaughters are mine in my well-builded hall, Chrysothemis and Laodike\nand Iphianassa; let him take of them which he will, without gifts of\nwooing, to Peleus\u2019 house; and I will add a great dower such as no man\never yet gave with his daughter. And seven well-peopled cities will I\ngive him, Kardamyle and Enope and grassy Hire and holy Pherai and\nAntheia deep in meads, and fair Aipeia and Pedasos land of vines. And\nall are nigh to the salt sea, on the uttermost border of sandy Pylos;\ntherein dwell men abounding in flocks and kine, men that shall worship\nhim like a god with gifts, and beneath his sway fulfil his prosperous\nordinances. All this will I accomplish so he but cease from wrath. Let\nhim yield; Hades I ween is not to be softened neither overcome, and\ntherefore is he hatefullest of all gods to mortals. Yea, let him be\nruled by me, inasmuch as I am more royal and avow me to be the elder in\nyears.\u201d\n\nThen knightly Nestor of Gerenia answered and said: \u201cMost noble son of\nAtreus, Agamemnon king of men, now are these gifts not lightly to be\nesteemed that thou offerest king Achilles. Come therefore, let us speed\nforth picked men to go with all haste to the hut of Peleus\u2019 son\nAchilles. Lo now, whomsoever I appoint let them consent. First let\nPhoinix dear to Zeus lead the way, and after him great Aias and noble\nOdysseus; and for heralds let Odios and Eurybates be their companions.\nAnd now bring water for our hands, and bid keep holy silence, that we\nmay pray unto Zeus the son of Kronos, if perchance he will have mercy\nupon us.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and spake words that were well-pleasing unto all. Forthwith\nthe heralds poured water on their hands, and the young men crowned the\nbowls with drink and gave each man his portion after they had poured\nthe libation in the cups. And when they had made libation and drunk as\ntheir heart desired, they issued forth from the hut of Agamemnon son of\nAtreus. And knightly Nestor of Gerenia gave them full charge, with many\na glance to each, and chiefest to Odysseus, how they should essay to\nprevail on Peleus\u2019 noble son.\n\nSo the twain went along the shore of the loud-sounding sea, making\ninstant prayer to the earth-embracer, the Shaker of the Earth, that\nthey might with ease prevail on Aiakides\u2019 great heart. So they came to\nthe huts and ships of the Myrmidons, and found their king taking his\npleasure of a loud lyre, fair, of curious work, with a silver cross-bar\nupon it; one that he had taken from the spoils when he laid E\u00ebtion\u2019s\ncity waste. Therein he was delighting his soul, and singing the glories\nof heroes. And over against him sate Patroklos alone in silence,\nwatching till Aiakides should cease from singing. So the twain came\nforward, and noble Odysseus led the way, and they stood before his\nface; and Achilles sprang up amazed with the lyre in his hand, and left\nthe seat where he was sitting, and in like manner Patroklos when he\nbeheld the men arose. Then Achilles fleet of foot greeted them and\nsaid: \u201cWelcome; verily ye are friends that are come\u2014sore indeed is the\nneed\u2014even ye that are dearest of the Achaians to me even in my wrath.\u201d\n\nSo spake noble Achilles and led them forward, and made them sit on\nsettles and carpets of purple; and anon he spake to Patroklos being\nnear: \u201cBring forth a greater bowl, thou son of Menoitios; mingle\nstronger drink, and prepare each man a cup, for dearest of men are\nthese that are under my roof.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and Patroklos hearkened to his dear comrade. He cast down a\ngreat fleshing-block in the fire-light, and laid thereon a sheep\u2019s back\nand a fat goat\u2019s, and a great hog\u2019s chine rich with fat. And Automedon\nheld them for him, while Achilles carved. Then he sliced well the meat\nand pierced it through with spits, and Menoitios\u2019 son, that godlike\nhero, made the fire burn high. Then when the fire was burned down and\nthe flame waned, he scattered the embers and laid the spits thereover,\nresting them on the spit-racks, when he had sprinkled them with holy\nsalt. Then when he had roasted the meat and apportioned it in the\nplatters, Patroklos took bread and dealt it forth on the table in fair\nbaskets, and Achilles dealt the meat. And he sate him over against\ngodlike Odysseus by the other wall, and bade his comrade Patroklos do\nsacrifice to the gods; so he cast the first-fruits into the fire. Then\nput they forth their hands to the good cheer lying before them. And\nwhen they had put from them the desire of meat and drink, Aias nodded\nto Phoinix. But noble Odysseus marked it, and filled a cup with wine\nand pledged Achilles: \u201cHail, O Achilles! The fair feast lack we not\neither in the hut of Agamemnon son of Atreus neither now in thine; for\nfeasting is there abundance to our heart\u2019s desire, but our thought is\nnot for matters of the delicious feast; nay, we behold very sore\ndestruction, thou fosterling of Zeus, and are afraid. Now is it in\ndoubt whether we save the benched ships or behold them perish, if thou\nput not on thy might. Nigh unto ships and wall have the high-hearted\nTrojans and famed allies pitched their camp, and kindled many fires\nthroughout their host, and ween that they shall no more be withheld but\nwill fall on our black ships. And Zeus son of Kronos sheweth them signs\nupon the right by lightning, and Hector greatly exulteth in his might\nand rageth furiously, trusting in Zeus, and recketh not of god nor man,\nfor mighty madness hath possessed him. He prayeth bright Dawn to shine\nforth with all speed, for he bath passed his word to smite off from the\nships the ensigns\u2019 tops, and to fire the hulls with devouring flame,\nand hard thereby to make havoc of the Achaians confounded by the smoke.\nTherefore am I sore afraid in my heart lest the gods fulfil his\nboastings, and it be fated for us to perish here in Troy-land, far from\nArgos pasture-land of horses. Up then! if thou art minded even at the\nlast to save the failing sons of the Achaians from the war-din of the\nTrojans. Thyself shalt have grief hereafter, and when the ill is done\nis there no way to find a cure therefor; in good time rather take thou\nthought to ward the evil day from the Danaans. Friend, surely to thee\nthy father Peleus gave commandment the day he sent thee to Agamemnon\nforth from Phthia: \u2018My son, strength shall Athene and Hera give thee if\nthey will; but do thou refrain thy proud soul in thy breast, for\ngentlemindedness is the better part; and withdraw from mischievous\nstrife, that so the Argives may honour thee the more, both young and\nold.\u2019 Thus the old man charged thee, but thou forgettest. Yet cease now\nat the last, and eschew thy grievous wrath; Agamemnon offereth thee\nworthy gifts, so thou wilt cease from anger. Lo now, hearken thou to\nme, and I will tell thee all the gifts that in his hut Agamemnon\npromised thee: seven tripods untouched of fire, and ten talents of gold\nand twenty gleaming caldrons and twelve stalwart horses, winners in the\nrace, that have taken prizes by their speed. No lackwealth were that\nman, neither undowered of precious gold, whose substance were as great\nas the prizes Agamemnon\u2019s steeds have borne him off. And seven women\nwill he give, skilled in excellent handiwork, Lesbians whom he chose\nhim from the spoils the day that thou thyself tookest Lesbos,\nsurpassing womankind in beauty. These will he give thee, and with them\nshall be she whom erst he took from thee, even the daughter of Briseus;\nmoreover he will swear a great oath that never he went up into her bed\nnor had with her converse as is the wont of mankind, O king, even of\nmen and women. All these things shall be set straightway before thee;\nand if hereafter the gods grant us to lay waste the great city of\nPriam, then enter thou in when we Achaians be dividing the spoil, and\nlade thy ship full of gold and bronze, and thyself choose twenty Trojan\nwomen, the fairest that there be after Helen of Argos. And if we win to\nthe richest of lands, even Achaian Argos, thou shalt be his son and he\nwill hold thee in like honour with Orestes, his stripling boy that is\nnurtured in all abundance. Three daughters are his in his well-builded\nhall, Chrysothemis and Laodike and Iphianassa; take thou of them which\nthou wilt, without gifts of wooing, to Peleus\u2019 house; and he will add a\ngreat dower such as no man ever yet gave with his daughter. And seven\nwell-peopled cities will he give thee, Kardamyle and Enope and grassy\nHire and holy Pherai and Antheia deep in meads, and fair Aipeia and\nPedasos land of vines. And all are nigh to the sea, on the uttermost\nborder of sandy Pylos; therein dwell men abounding in flocks and kine,\nmen that shall worship thee like a god with gifts, and beneath thy sway\nfulfil thy prosperous ordinances. All this will he accomplish so thou\nbut cease from wrath. But and if Agamemnon be too hateful to thy heart,\nboth he and his gifts, yet have thou pity on all the Achaians that\nfaint throughout the host; these shall honour thee as a god, for verily\nthou wilt earn exceeding great glory at their hands. Yea now mightest\nthou slay Hector, for he would come very near thee in his deadly\nmadness, because he deemeth that there is no man like unto him among\nthe Danaans that the ships brought hither.\u201d\n\nAnd Achilles fleet of foot answered and said unto him: \u201cHeaven-sprung\nson of Laertes, Odysseus of many wiles, in openness must I now declare\nunto you my saying, even as I am minded and as the fulfilment thereof\nshall be, that ye may not sit before me and coax this way and that. For\nhateful to me even as the gates of hell is he that hideth one thing in\nhis heart and uttereth another: but I will speak what meseemeth best.\nNot me, I ween, shall Agamemnon son of Atreus persuade, nor the other\nDanaans, seeing we were to have no thank for battling with the foemen\never without respite. He that abideth at home hath equal share with him\nthat fighteth his best, and in like honour are held both the coward and\nthe brave; death cometh alike to the untoiling and to him that hath\ntoiled long. Neither have I any profit for that I endured tribulation\nof soul, ever staking my life in fight. Even as a hen bringeth her\nunfledged chickens each morsel as she winneth it, and with herself it\ngoeth hard, even so I was wont to watch out many a sleepless night and\npass through many bloody days of battle, warring with folk for their\nwomen\u2019s sake. Twelve cities of men have I laid waste from ship-board,\nand from land eleven, I do you to wit, throughout deep-soiled\nTroy-land; out of all these took I many goodly treasures and would\nbring and give them all to Agamemnon son of Atreus, and he staying\nbehind amid the fleet ships would take them and portion out some few\nbut keep the most. Now some he gave to be meeds of honour to the\nprinces and the kings, and theirs are left untouched; only from me of\nall the Achaians took he my darling lady and keepeth her\u2014let him sleep\nbeside her and take his joy! But why must the Argives make war on the\nTrojans? why hath Atreides gathered his host and led them hither? is it\nnot for lovely-haired Helen\u2019s sake? Do then the sons of Atreus alone of\nmortal men love their wives? surely whatsoever man is good and sound of\nmind loveth his own and cherisheth her, even as I too loved mine with\nall my heart, though but the captive of my spear. But now that he hath\ntaken my meed of honour from mine arms and hath deceived me, let him\nnot tempt me that know him full well; he shall not prevail. Nay,\nOdysseus, let him take counsel with thee and all the princes to ward\nfrom the ships the consuming fire. Verily without mine aid he hath\nwrought many things, and built a wall and dug a foss about it wide and\ndeep, and set a palisade therein; yet even so can he not stay murderous\nHector\u2019s might. But so long as I was fighting amid the Achaians, Hector\nhad no mind to array his battle far from the wall, but scarce came unto\nthe Skaian gates and to the oak-tree; there once he awaited me alone\nand scarce escaped my onset. But now, seeing I have no mind to fight\nwith noble Hector, I will to-morrow do sacrifice to Zeus and all the\ngods, and store well my ships when I have launched them on the salt\nsea\u2014then shalt thou see, if thou wilt and hast any care therefor, my\nships sailing at break of day over Hellespont, the fishes\u2019 home, and my\nmen right eager at the oar; and if the great Shaker of the Earth grant\nme good journey, on the third day should I reach deep-soiled Phthia.\nThere are my great possessions that I left when I came hither to my\nhurt; and yet more gold and ruddy bronze shall I bring from hence, and\nfair-girdled women and grey iron, all at least that were mine by lot;\nonly my meed of honour hath he that gave it me taken back in his\ndespitefulness, even lord Agamemnon son of Atreus. To him declare ye\neverything even as I charge you, openly, that all the Achaians likewise\nmay have indignation, if haply he hopeth to beguile yet some other\nDanaan, for that he is ever clothed in shamelessness. Verily not in my\nface would he dare to look, though he have the front of a dog. Neither\nwill I devise counsel with him nor any enterprise, for utterly he hath\ndeceived me and done wickedly; but never again shall he beguile me with\nfair speech\u2014let this suffice him. Let him begone in peace; Zeus the\nlord of counsel hath taken away his wits. Hateful to me are his gifts,\nand I hold him at a straw\u2019s worth. Not even if he gave me ten times,\nyea twenty, all that now is his, and all that may come to him\notherwhence, even all the revenue of Orchomenos or Egyptian Thebes\nwhere the treasure-houses are stored fullest\u2014Thebes of the hundred\ngates, whence sally forth two hundred warriors through each with horses\nand chariots\u2014nay, nor gifts in number as sand or dust; not even so\nshall Agamemnon persuade my soul till he have paid me back all the\nbitter despite. And the daughter of Agamemnon son of Atreus will I not\nwed, not were she rival of golden Aphrodite for fairness and for\nhandiwork matched bright-eyed Athene\u2014not even then will I wed her; let\nhim choose him of the Achaians another that is his peer and is more\nroyal than I. For if the gods indeed preserve me and I come unto my\nhome, then will Peleus himself seek me a wife. Many Achaian maidens are\nthere throughout Hellas and Phthia, daughters of princes that ward\ntheir cities; whomsoever of these I wish will I make my dear lady. Very\noften was my high soul moved to take me there a wedded wife, a help\nmeet for me, and have joy of the possessions that the old man Peleus\npossesseth. For not of like worth with life hold I even all the wealth\nthat men say was possessed of the well-peopled city of Ilios in days of\npeace gone by, before the sons of the Achaians came; neither all the\ntreasure that the stone threshold of the archer Phoebus Apollo\nencompasseth in rocky Pytho. For kine and goodly flocks are to be had\nfor the harrying, and tripods and chestnut horses for the purchasing;\nbut to bring back man\u2019s life neither harrying nor earning availeth when\nonce it hath passed the barrier of his lips. For thus my goddess mother\ntelleth me, Thetis the silver-footed, that twain fates are bearing me\nto the issue of death. If I abide here and besiege the Trojans\u2019 city,\nthen my returning home is taken from me, but my fame shall be\nimperishable; but if I go home to my dear native land, my high fame is\ntaken from me, but my life shall endure long while, neither shall the\nissue of death soon reach me. Moreover I would counsel you all to set\nsail homeward, seeing ye shall never reach your goal of steep Ilios; of\na surety far-seeing Zeus holdeth his hand over her and her folk are of\ngood courage. So go your way and tell my answer to the princes of the\nAchaians, even as is the office of elders, that they may devise in\ntheir hearts some other better counsel, such as shall save them their\nships and the host of the Achaians amid the hollow ships: since this\ncounsel availeth them naught that they have now devised, by reason of\nmy fierce wrath. But let Phoinix now abide with us and lay him to rest,\nthat he may follow with me on my ships to our dear native land\nto-morrow, if he will; for I will not take him perforce.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and they all held their peace and were still, and\nmarvelled at his saying; for he denied them very vehemently. But at the\nlast spake to them the old knight Phoinix, bursting into tears, because\nhe was sore afraid for the ships of the Achaians: \u201cIf indeed thou\nponderest departure in thy heart, glorious Achilles, and hast no mind\nat all to save the fleet ships from consuming fire, because that wrath\nhath entered into thy heart; how can I be left of thee, dear son, alone\nthereafter? To thee did the old knight Peleus send me the day he sent\nthee to Agamemnon forth from Phthia, a stripling yet unskilled in equal\nwar and in debate wherein men wax pre-eminent. Therefore sent he me to\nteach thee all these things, to be both a speaker of words and a doer\nof deeds. So would I not be left alone of thee, dear son, not even if\ngod himself should take on him to strip my years from me, and make me\nfresh and young as in the day when first I left Hellas the home of fair\nwomen, fleeing from strife against my father Amyntor son of Ormenos:\nfor he was sore angered with me by reason of his lovely-haired\nconcubine, whom he ever cherished and wronged his wife my mother. So\nshe besought me continually by my knees to go in first unto the\nconcubine, that the old man might be hateful to her. I hearkened to her\nand did the deed; but my sire was ware thereof forthwith and cursed me\nmightily, and called the dire Erinyes to look that never should any\ndear son sprung of my body sit upon my* knees: and the gods fulfilled\nhis curse, even Zeus of the underworld and dread Persephone. [Then took\nI counsel to slay him with the keen sword; but some immortal stayed\nmine anger, bringing to my mind the people\u2019s voice and all the\nreproaches of men, lest I should be called a father-slayer amid the\nAchaians.] Then would my soul no more be refrained at all within my\nbreast to tarry in the halls of mine angered father. Now my fellows and\nmy kinsmen came about me with many prayers, and refrained me there\nwithin the halls, and slaughtered many goodly sheep and shambling kine\nwith crooked horns; and many swine rich with fat were stretched to\nsinge over the flames of Hephaistos, and wine from that old man\u2019s jars\nwas drunken without stint. Nine nights long slept they all night around\nmy body; they kept watch in turn, neither were the fires quenched, one\nbeneath the colonnade of the fenced courtyard and another in the porch\nbefore the chamber doors. But when the tenth dark night was come upon\nme, then burst I my cunningly fitted chamber doors, and issued forth\nand overleapt the courtyard fence lightly, unmarked of watchmen and\nhandmaidens. Then fled I far through Hellas of wide lawns, and came to\ndeep-soiled Phthia, mother of flocks, even unto king Peleus; and he\nreceived me kindly and cherished me as a father cherisheth his only\nson, his stripling heir of great possessions; and he made me rich and\ngave much people to me, and I dwelt in the uttermost part of Phthia and\nwas king over the Dolopians. Yea, I reared thee to this greatness, thou\ngodlike Achilles, with my heart\u2019s love; for with none other wouldest\nthou go unto the feast, neither take meat in the hall, till that I had\nset thee upon my knees and stayed thee with the savoury morsel cut\nfirst for thee, and put the wine-cup to thy lips. Oft hast thou stained\nthe doublet on my breast with sputtering of wine in thy sorry\nhelplessness. Thus I suffered much with thee and much I toiled, being\nmindful that the gods in nowise created any issue of my body; but I\nmade thee my son, thou godlike Achilles, that thou mayest yet save me\nfrom grievous destruction. Therefore, Achilles, rule thy high spirit;\nneither beseemeth it thee to have a ruthless heart. Nay, even the very\ngods can bend, and theirs withal is loftier majesty and honour and\nmight. Their hearts by incense and reverent vows and drink-offering and\nburnt-offering men turn with prayer, so oft as any transgresseth and\ndoeth sin. Moreover Prayers of penitence are daughters of great Zeus,\nhalting and wrinkled and of eyes askance, that have their task withal\nto go in the steps of Sin. For Sin is strong and fleet of foot,\nwherefore she far outrunneth all prayers, and goeth before them over\nall the earth making men fall, and Prayers follow behind to heal the\nharm. Now whosoever reverenceth Zeus\u2019 daughters when they draw near,\nhim they greatly bless and hear his petitions; but when one denieth\nthem and stiffly refuseth, then depart they and make prayer unto Zeus\nthe son of Kronos that sin may come upon such an one, that he may fall\nand pay the price. Nay, Achilles, look thou too that there attend upon\nthe daughters of Zeus the reverence that bendeth the heart of all men\nthat be right-minded. For if Atreides brought thee not gifts and\nforetold thee not more hereafter, but were ever furiously wroth, then I\nwere not he that should bid thee cast aside thine anger and save the\nArgives, even in their sore need of thee. But now he both offereth thee\nforthwith many gifts, and promiseth thee more hereafter, and hath sent\nheroes to beseech thee, the best men chosen throughout the host of the\nAchaians and that to thyself are dearest of the Argives; dishonour not\nthou their petition nor their journey hither; though erst it were no\nwrong that thou wast wroth. Even in like manner have we heard the fame\nof those heroes that were of old, as oft as furious anger came on any;\nthey might be won by gifts and prevailed upon by speech. This tale have\nI in mind of old time and not of yesterday, even as it was; and I will\ntell it among you that all are friends. The Kuretes** fought and the\nstaunch Aitolians about the city of Kalydon, and slew one another, the\nAitolians defending lovely Kalydon, the Kuretes eager to lay it waste\nin war. For Artemis of the golden throne had brought a plague upon\nthem, in wrath that Oineus offered her not the harvest first-fruits on\nthe fat of his garden land; for all the other gods had their feast of\nhecatombs, and only to the daughter of great Zeus offered he not,\nwhether he forgat or marked it not; and therein sinned he sore in his\nheart. So the Archer-goddess was wroth and sent against him a creature\nof heaven, a fierce wild boar, white-tusked, that wrought sore ill\ncontinually on Oineus\u2019 garden land; many a tall tree laid he low\nutterly, even root and apple blossom therewith. But him slew Meleagros\nthe son of Oineus, having gathered together from many cities huntsmen\nand hounds; for not of few men could the boar be slain, so mighty was\nhe; and many an one brought he to the grievous pyre. But the goddess\nmade much turmoil over him and tumult concerning the boar\u2019s head and\nshaggy hide, between the Kuretes and great-hearted Aitolians. Now so\nlong as Meleagros dear to Ares fought, so long it went ill with the\nKuretes, neither dared they face him without their city walls, for all\nthey were very many. But when Meleagros grew full of wrath, such as\nswelleth the hearts of others likewise in their breasts, though they be\nwise of mind, then in anger of heart at his dear mother Althaia he\ntarried beside his wedded wife, fair Kleopatra, daughter of Marpessa\nfair-ankled daughter of Euenos, and of Ides that was strongest of men\nthat were then upon the earth; he it was that took the bow to face the\nking Phoebus Apollo for sake of the fair-ankled damsel***. And she was\ncalled Alkyone of her father and lady mother by surname in their hall,\nbecause her mother in the plight of the plaintive halcyon-bird wept\nwhen the far-darter Phoebus Apollo snatched her away. By her side lay\nMeleagros, brooding on his grievous anger, being wroth by reason of his\nmother\u2019s curses: for she, grieved for her brethren\u2019s death, prayed\ninstantly to the gods, and with her hands likewise beat instantly upon\nthe fertile earth, calling on Hades and dread Persephone, while she\nknelt upon her knees and made her bosom wet with tears, to bring her\nson to death; and Erinnys that walketh in darkness, whose heart knoweth\nnot ruth, heard her from Erebos, Now was the din of foemen about their\ngates quickly risen, and a noise of battering of towers; and the elders\nof the Aitolians sent the best of the gods\u2019 priests and besought him to\ncome forth and save them, with promise of a mighty gift; to wit, they\nbade him, where the plain of lovely Kalydon was fattest, to choose him\nout a fair demesne of fifty plough-gates, the half thereof vine-land\nand the half open plough-land, to be cut from out the plain. And old\nknightly Oineus prayed him instantly, and stood upon the threshold of\nhis high-roofed chamber, and shook the morticed doors to beseech his\nson; him too his sisters and his lady mother prayed instantly\u2014but he\ndenied them yet more\u2014instantly too his comrades prayed, that were\nnearest him and dearest of all men. Yet even so persuaded they not his\nheart within his breast, until his chamber was now hotly battered and\nthe Kuretes were climbing upon the towers and firing the great city.\nThen did his fair-girdled wife pray Meleagros with lamentation, and\ntold him all the woes that come on men whose city is taken; the\nwarriors are slain, and the city is wasted of fire, and the children\nand the deep-girdled women are led captive of strangers. And his soul\nwas stirred to hear the grievous tale, and he went his way and donned\nhis glittering armour. So he saved the Aitolians from the evil day,\nobeying his own will; but they paid him not now the gifts many and\ngracious; yet nevertheless he drave away destruction. But be not thine\nheart thus minded, neither let heaven so guide thee, dear son; that\nwere a hard thing, to save the ships already burning. Nay, come for the\ngifts; the Achaians shall honour thee even as a god. But if without\ngifts thou enter into battle the bane of men, thou wilt not be held in\nlike honour, even though thou avert the fray.\u201d\n\n* Or \u201chis knees,\u201d according to the more usual interpretation of \u03bf\u1fd6\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd.\n\n\n** Note 2.\n\n\n*** Note 3.\n\n\nAnd Achilles fleet of foot made answer and said to him: \u201cPhoinix my\nfather, thou old man fosterling of Zeus, such honour need I in no wise;\nfor I deem that I have been honoured by the judgment of Zeus, which\nshall abide upon me amid my beaked ships as long as breath tarrieth in\nmy body and my limbs are strong. Moreover I will say this thing to thee\nand lay thou it to thine heart; trouble not my soul by weeping and\nlamentation, to do the pleasure of warrior Atreides; neither beseemeth\nit thee to cherish him, lest thou be hated of me that cherish thee. It\nwere good that thou with me shouldest vex him that vexeth me. Be thou\nking even as I, and share my sway by halves, but these shall bear my\nmessage. So tarry thou here and lay thee to rest in a soft bed, and\nwith break of day will we consider whether to depart unto our own, or\nto abide.\u201d\n\nHe spake, and nodded his brow in silence unto Patroklos to spread for\nPhoinix a thick couch, that the others might bethink them to depart\nfrom the hut with speed. Then spake to them Aias, Telamon\u2019s godlike\nson, and said: \u201cHeaven-sprung son of Laertes, Odysseus of many wiles,\nlet us go hence; for methinks the purpose of our charge will not by\nthis journey be accomplished; and we must tell the news, though it be\nno wise good, with all speed unto the Danaans, that now sit awaiting.\nBut Achilles hath wrought his proud soul to fury within him\u2014stubborn\nman, that recketh naught of his comrades\u2019 love, wherein we worshipped\nhim beyond all men amid the ships\u2014unmerciful! Yet doth a man accept\nrecompense of his brother\u2019s murderer or for his dead son; and so the\nman-slayer for a great price abideth in his own land, and the kinsman\u2019s\nheart is appeased, and his proud soul, when he hath taken the\nrecompense. But for thee, the gods have put within thy breast a spirit\nimplacable and evil, by reason of one single damsel. And now we offer\nthee seven damsels, far best of all, and many other gifts besides;\nentertain thou then a kindly spirit, and have respect unto thine home;\nbecause we are guests of thy roof, sent of the multitude of Danaans,\nand we would fain be nearest to thee and dearest beyond all other\nAchaians, as many as there be.\u201d\n\nAnd Achilles fleet of foot made answer and said to him: \u201cAias sprung of\nZeus, thou son of Telamon, prince of the folk, thou seemest to speak\nall this almost after mine own mind; but my heart swelleth with wrath\nas oft as I bethink me of those things, how Atreides entreated me\narrogantly among the Argives, as though I were some worthless\nsojourner. But go ye and declare my message; I will not take thought of\nbloody war until that wise Priam\u2019s son, noble Hector, come to the\nMyrmidons\u2019 huts and ships, slaying the Argives, and smirch the ships\nwith fire. But about mine hut and black ship I ween that Hector, though\nhe be very eager for battle, shall be refrained.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and they took each man a two-handled cup, and made libation\nand went back along the line of ships; and Odysseus led the way. And\nPatroklos bade his fellows and handmaidens spread with all speed a\nthick couch for Phoinix; and they obeyed and spread a couch as he\nordained, fleeces and rugs and fine flock of linen. Then the old man\nlaid him down and tarried for bright Dawn. And Achilles slept in the\ncorner of the morticed hut, and by his side lay a woman that he brought\nfrom Lesbos, even Phorbas\u2019 daughter fair-cheeked Diomede. And on the\nother side Patroklos lay, and by his side likewise fair-girdled Iphis,\nwhom noble Achilles gave him at the taking of steep Skyros, the city of\nEnyeus.\n\n\nNow when those were come unto Atreides\u2019 huts, the sons of the Achaians\nstood up on this side and on that, and pledged them in cups of gold,\nand questioned them; and Agamemnon king of men asked them first: \u201cCome\nnow, tell me, Odysseus full of praise, thou great glory of the\nAchaians; will he save the ships from consuming fire, or said he nay,\nand hath wrath yet hold of his proud spirit?\u201d\n\nAnd steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him: \u201cMost noble son of Atreus,\nAgamemnon king of men, he yonder hath no mind to quench his wrath, but\nis yet more filled of fury, and spurneth thee and thy gifts. He biddeth\nthee take counsel for thyself amid the Argives, how to save the ships\nand folk of the Achaians. And for himself he threateneth that at break\nof day he will launch upon the sea his trim well-benched ships.\nMoreover he said that he would counsel all to sail for home, because ye\nnow shall never reach your goal of steep Ilios; surely far-seeing Zeus\nholdeth his hand over her and her folk are of good courage. Even so\nsaid he, and here are also these to tell the tale that were my\ncompanions, Aias and the two heralds, both men discreet. But the old\nman Phoinix laid him there to rest, even as Achilles bade him, that he\nmay follow with him on his ships to his dear native land to-morrow, if\nhe will; for he will not take him perforce.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and they all held their peace and were still, marvelling at\nhis saying, for he harangued very vehemently. Long were the sons of the\nAchaians voiceless for grief, but at the last Diomedes of the loud\nwar-cry spake amid them: \u201cMost noble son of Atreus, Agamemnon king of\nmen, would thou hadst never besought Peleus\u2019 glorious son with offer of\ngifts innumerable; proud is he at any time, but now hast thou yet far\nmore encouraged him in his haughtiness. Howbeit we will let him bide,\nwhether he go or tarry; hereafter he shall fight, whenever his heart\nwithin him biddeth and god arouseth him. Come now, even as I shall say\nlet us all obey. Go ye now to rest, full to your hearts\u2019 desire of meat\nand wine, wherein courage is and strength; but when fair rosy-fingered\nDawn appeareth, array thou with all speed before the ships thy folk and\nhorsemen, and urge them on; and fight thyself amid the foremost.\u201d\n\nSo said he, and all the princes gave assent, applauding the saying of\nDiomedes tamer of horses. And then they made libation and went every\nman to his hut, and there laid them to rest and took the boon of sleep.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK X.\n\n\nHow Diomedes and Odysseus slew Dolon, a spy of the Trojans, and\nthemselves spied on the Trojan camp, and took the horses of Rhesos, the\nThracian king.\n\n\nNow beside the ships the other leaders of the whole Achaian host were\nsleeping all night long, by soft Sleep overcome, but Agamemnon son of\nAtreus, shepherd of the host, sweet Sleep held not, so many things he\ndebated in his mind. And even as when the lord of fair-tressed Hera\nlighteneth, fashioning either a mighty rain unspeakable, or hail, or\nsnow, when the flakes sprinkle all the ploughed lands, or fashioning\nperchance the wide mouth of bitter war, even so oft in his breast\ngroaned Agamemnon, from the very deep of his heart, and his spirits\ntrembled within him. And whensoever he looked toward that Trojan plain,\nhe marvelled at the many fires that blazed in front of Ilios, and at\nthe sound of flutes and pipes, and the noise of men; but whensoever to\nthe ships he glanced and the host of the Achaians, then rent he many a\nlock clean forth from his head, to Zeus that is above, and greatly\ngroaned his noble heart.\n\nAnd this in his soul seemed to him the best counsel, to go first of all\nto Nestor son of Neleus, if perchance he might contrive with him some\nright device that should be for the warding off of evil from all the\nDanaans.\n\nThen he rose, and did on his doublet about his breast, and beneath his\nshining feet he bound on fair sandals, and thereafter clad him in the\ntawny skin of a lion fiery and great, a skin that reached to the feet,\nand he grasped his spear.\n\nAnd even in like wise did trembling fear take hold on Menelaos, (for\nneither on his eyelids did Sleep settle down,) lest somewhat should\nbefall the Argives, who verily for his sake over wide waters were come\nto Troy-land, with fierce war in their thoughts.\n\nWith a dappled pard\u2019s skin first he covered his broad shoulders, and he\nraised and set on his head a casque of bronze, and took a spear in his\nstrong hand. Then went he on his way to rouse his brother, that\nmightily ruled over all the Argives, and as a god was honoured by the\npeople. Him found he harnessing his goodly gear about his shoulders, by\nthe stern of the ship, and glad to his brother was his coming. Then\nMenelaos of the loud war-cry first accosted him: \u201cWherefore thus, dear\nbrother, art thou arming? Wilt thou speed forth any of thy comrades to\nspy on the Trojans? Nay, terribly I fear lest none should undertake for\nthee this deed, even to go and spy out the foeman alone through the\nambrosial night; needs must he be a man right hardy of heart.\u201d\n\nThen the lord Agamemnon answered him and spake: \u201cNeed of good counsel\nhave I and thou, Menelaos fosterling of Zeus, of counsel that will help\nand save the Argives and the ships, since the heart of Zeus hath turned\nagain. Surely on the sacrifices of Hector hath he set his heart rather\nthan on ours. For never did I see, nor heard any tell, that one man\ndevised so many terrible deeds in one day, as Hector, dear to Zeus,\nhath wrought on the sons of the Achaians, unaided; though no dear son\nof a goddess is he, nor of a god. He hath done deeds that methinks will\nbe a sorrow to the Argives, lasting and long, such evils hath he\ndevised against the Achaians. But go now, run swiftly by the ships, and\nsummon Aias and Idomeneus, but I will betake me to noble Nestor, and\nbid him arise, if perchance he will be fain to go to the sacred company\nof the sentinels and lay on them his command. For to him above others\nwould they listen, for his own son is chief among the sentinels, he and\nthe brother in arms of Idomeneus, even Meriones, for to them above all\nwe entrusted this charge.\u201d\n\nThen Menelaos of the loud war-cry answered him: \u201cHow meanest thou this\nword wherewith thou dost command and exhort me? Am I to abide there\nwith them, waiting till thou comest, or run back again to thee when I\nhave well delivered to them thy commandment?\u201d\n\nThen the king of men, Agamemnon, answered him again: \u201cThere do thou\nabide lest we miss each other as we go, for many are the paths through\nthe camp. But call aloud, wheresoever thou goest, and bid men awake,\nnaming each man by his lineage, and his father\u2019s name, and giving all\ntheir dues of honour, nor be thou proud of heart. Nay rather let us\nourselves be labouring, for even thus did Zeus from our very birth\ndispense to us the heaviness of toil.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and sent his brother away, having clearly laid on him his\ncommandment. Then went he himself after Nestor, the shepherd of the\nhost, whom he found by his hut and black ship, in his soft bed: beside\nhim lay his fair dight arms, a shield, and two spears, and a shining\nhelmet. Beside him lay his glittering girdle wherewith the old man was\nwont to gird himself when he harnessed him for war, the bane of men,\nand led on the host, for he yielded not to grievous old age. Then he\nraised him on his elbow, lifting his head, and spake to the son of\nAtreus, inquiring of him with this word: \u201cWho art thou that farest\nalone by the ships, through the camp in the dark night, when other\nmortals are sleeping? Seekest thou one of thy mules, or of thy\ncomrades? speak, and come not silently upon me. What need hast thou?\u201d\n\nThen the king of men, Agamemnon, answered him: \u201cO Nestor, son of\nNeleus, great glory of the Achaians, thou shalt know Agamemnon, son of\nAtreus, whom above all men Zeus hath planted for ever among labours,\nwhile my breath abides within my breast, and my knees move. I wander\nthus, for that sweet sleep rests not on mine eyes, but war is my care,\nand the troubles of the Achaians. Yea, greatly I fear for the sake of\nthe Danaans, nor is my heart firm, but I am tossed to and fro, and my\nheart is leaping from my breast, and my good knees tremble beneath me.\nBut if thou wilt do aught, since neither on thee cometh sleep, let us\ngo thither to the sentinels, that we may see them, lest they be fordone\nwith toil and drowsihead, and so are slumbering, and have quite\nforgotten to keep watch. And hostile men camp hard by, nor know we at\nall but that they are keen to do battle in the night.\u201d\n\nThen knightly Nestor of Gerenia answered him: \u201cMost renowned son of\nAtreus, Agamemnon king of men, assuredly not all his designs will\nwise-counselling Zeus fulfil for Hector, even all that now he thinketh;\nnay methinks he will contend with even more troubles if but Achilles\nturn back his heart from grievous anger. And verily will I follow after\nthee, but let us also rouse others again, both the son of Tydeus,\nspearman renowned, and Odysseus, and swift Aias, and the strong son of\nPhyleus. But well it would be if one were to go and call those also,\nthe godlike Aias, and Idomeneus the prince; for their ships are\nfurthest of all, and nowise close at hand. But Menelaos will I blame,\ndear as he is and worshipful, yea, even if thou be angry with me, nor\nwill I hide my thought, for that he slumbereth, and to thee alone hath\nleft the toil; now should he be toiling among all the chiefs and\nbeseeching them, for need no longer tolerable is coming upon us.\u201d\n\nAnd the king of men, Agamemnon, answered him again: \u201cOld man, another\nday I even bid thee blame him, for often is he slack, and willeth not\nto labour, yielding neither to unreadiness nor heedlessness of heart,\nbut looking toward me, and expecting mine instance. But now he awoke\nfar before me, and came to me, and him I sent forward to call those\nconcerning whom thou inquirest. But let us be gone, and them shall we\nfind before the gates, among the sentinels, for there I bade them\ngather.\u201d\n\nThen knightly Nestor of Gerenia answered him: \u201cSo will none of the\nArgives be wroth with him or disobey him, when soever he doth urge any\none, and give him his commands.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and did on his doublet about his breast, and beneath his\nbright feet he bound goodly shoon, and all around him buckled a purple\ncloak, with double folds and wide, and thick down all over it.\n\nAnd he took a strong spear, pointed with sharp bronze, and he went\namong the ships of the mail-clad Achaians. Then Odysseus first, the\npeer of Zeus in counsel, did knightly Gerenian Nestor arouse out of\nsleep, with his voice, and quickly the cry came all about his heart,\nand he came forth from the hut and spake to them saying: \u201cWherefore\nthus among the ships and through the camp do ye wander alone, in the\nambrosial night; what so great need cometh upon you?\u201d\n\nThen knightly Nestor of Gerenia answered him: \u201cLaertes\u2019 son, of the\nseed of Zeus, Odysseus of many a wile, be not wroth, for great trouble\nbesetteth the Achaians. Nay follow, that we may arouse others too, even\nall that it behoveth to take counsel, whether we should fly, or fight.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and Odysseus of the many counsels came to the hut, and\ncast a shield  bedight about his shoulders, and went after them.\n\nAnd they went to seek Diomedes, son of Tydeus, and him they found\noutside his hut, with his arms, and around him his comrades were\nsleeping with their shields beneath their heads, but their spears were\ndriven into the ground erect on the spikes of the butts, and afar shone\nthe bronze, like the lightning of father Zeus. Now that hero was\nasleep, and under him was strewn the hide of an ox of the field, but\nbeneath his head was stretched a shining carpet. Beside him went and\nstood knightly Nestor of Gerenia and stirred him with a touch of his\nfoot, and aroused him, chiding him to his face, saying: \u201cWake, son of\nTydeus, why all night long dost thou sleep? Knowest thou not that the\nTrojans on the high place of the plain are camped near the ships, and\nbut a little space holdeth them apart?\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and Diomedes sprang swiftly up out of sleep, and spake to\nhim winged words: \u201cHard art thou, old man, and from toil thou never\nceasest. Now are there not other younger sons of the Achaians, who\nmight rouse when there is need each of the kings, going all around the\nhost? but thou, old man, art indomitable.\u201d\n\nAnd him knightly Nestor of Gerenia answered again, \u201cNay verily, my son,\nall this that thou sayest is according unto right. Noble sons have I,\nand there be many of the host, of whom each man might go and call the\nothers. But a right great need hath assailed the Achaians. For now to\nall of us it standeth on a razor\u2019s edge, either pitiful ruin for the\nAchaians, or life. But come now, if indeed thou dost pity me, rouse\nswift Aias, and the son of Phyleus, for thou art younger than I.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and Diomedes cast round his shoulders the skin of a great\nfiery lion, that reached to his feet, and he grasped his spear, and\nstarted on his way, and roused the others from their place and led them\non.\n\nNow when they had come among the assembled sentinels, they found not\nthe leaders of the sentinels asleep, but they all sat wide awake with\ntheir arms. And even as hounds keep difficult guard round the sheep in\na fold, having heard a hardy wild beast that cometh through the wood\namong the hills, and much clamour riseth round him of hounds and men,\nand sleep perisheth from them, even so sweet sleep did perish from\ntheir eyes, as they watched through the wicked night, for ever were\nthey turning toward the plains, when they heard the Trojans moving.\n\nAnd that old man was glad when he saw them, and heartened them with his\nsaying, and calling out to them he spake winged words: \u201cEven so now,\ndear children, do ye keep watch, nor let sleep take any man, lest we\nbecome a cause of rejoicing to them that hate us.\u201d\n\nSo saying he sped through the moat, and they followed with him, the\nkings of the Argives, who had been called to the council. And with them\nwent Meriones, and the glorious son of Nestor, for they called them to\nshare their counsel. So they went clean out of the delved foss, and sat\ndown in the open, where the mid-space was clear of dead men fallen,\nwhere fierce Hector had turned again from destroying the Argives, when\nnight covered all. There sat they down, and declared their saying each\nto the other, and to them knightly Nestor of Gerenia began discourse:\n\u201cO friends, is there then no man that would trust to his own daring\nspirit, to go among the great-hearted Trojans, if perchance he might\ntake some straggler of the enemy, yea, or hear perchance some rumour\namong the Trojans, and what things they devise among themselves,\nwhether they are fain to abide there by the ships, away from the city,\nor will retreat again to the city, now that they have conquered the\nAchaians? All this might such an one learn, and back to us come\nscathless: great would be his fame under heaven among all men, and a\ngoodly gift will be given him. For all the best men that bear sway by\nthe ships, each and all of them will give him a black ewe, with her\nlamb at her foot,\u2014no chattel may compare with her,\u2014and ever will he be\npresent at feasts and clan-drinkings.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and thereon were they all silent, holding their peace, but\nto them spake Diomedes of the loud war-cry: \u201cNestor, my heart and\nmanful spirit urge me to enter the camp of the foemen hard by, even of\nthe Trojans: but and if some other man will follow with me, more\ncomfort and more courage will there be. If two go together, one before\nanother perceiveth a matter, how there may be gain therein; but if one\nalone perceive aught, even so his wit is shorter, and weak his device.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and many were they that wished to follow Diomedes. The two\nAiantes were willing, men of Ares\u2019 company, and Meriones was willing,\nand right willing the son of Nestor, and the son of Atreus, Menelaos,\nspearman renowned, yea and the hardy Odysseus was willing to steal into\nthe throng of Trojans, for always daring was his heart within him. But\namong them spake the king of men, Agamemnon: \u201cDiomedes son of Tydeus,\njoy of mine heart, thy comrade verily shalt thou choose, whomsoever\nthou wilt, the best of them that be here, for many are eager. But do\nnot thou, out of reverent heart, leave the better man behind, and give\nthyself the worse companion, yielding to regard for any, and looking to\ntheir lineage, even if one be more kingly born.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, but was in fear for the sake of fair-haired Menelaos. But\nto them again answered Diomedes of the loud war-cry: \u201cIf indeed ye bid\nme choose myself a comrade, how then could I be unmindful of godlike\nOdysseus, whose heart is passing eager, and his spirit so manful in all\nmanner of toils; and Pallas Athene loveth him. But while he cometh with\nme, even out of burning fire might we both return, for he excelleth in\nunderstanding.\u201d\n\nThen him again answered the steadfast noble Odysseus: \u201cSon of Tydeus,\npraise me not overmuch, neither blame me aught, for thou speakest thus\namong the Argives that themselves know all. But let us be going, for\ntruly the night is waning, and near is the dawn, and the stars have\ngone onward, and the night has advanced more than two watches, but the\nthird watch is yet left.\u201d\n\nSo spake they, and harnessed them in their dread armour. To the son of\nTydeus did Thrasymedes steadfast in war give a two-edged sword (for his\nown was left by his ship) and a shield, and about his head set a helm\nof bull\u2019s hide, without cone or crest, that is called a skull-cap, and\nkeeps the heads of stalwart youths. And Meriones gave Odysseus a bow\nand a quiver, and a sword, and on his head set a helm made of leather,\nand with many a thong was it stiffly wrought within, while without the\nwhite teeth of a boar of flashing tusks were arrayed thick set on\neither side, well and cunningly, and in the midst was fixed a cap of\nfelt. This casque Autolykos once stole from Amyntor son of Ormenos, out\nof Eleon, breaking into his well-builded house; and he gave it to\nAmphidamas of Kythera to take to Skandeia and Amphidamas gave it for a\nguest-gift to Molos, who gave it to his own son Meriones to wear, and\nnow it was set to cover the head of Odysseus.\n\nSo when these twain had harnessed them in their dread armour, they set\nforth to go, and left there all the best of the host. And to them did\nPallas Athene send forth an omen on the right, a heron hard by the way,\nand they beheld it not with their eyes, through the dark night, but\nthey heard its shrill cry. And Odysseus was glad in the omen of the\nbird, and prayed to Athene: \u201cListen to me, thou child of aegis-bearing\nZeus, that ever in all toils dost stand by me, nor doth any motion of\nmine escape thee: but now again above all be thou friendly to me,\nAthene, and grant that we come back with renown to the ships, having\nwrought a great work, that shall be sorrow to the Trojans.\u201d\n\nNext again prayed Diomedes of the loud war-cry: \u201cListen now likewise to\nme, thou child of Zeus, unwearied maiden, and follow with me as when\nwith my father thou didst follow, even noble Tydeus, into Thebes, when\nhe went forth as a messenger from the Achaians. And them he left by the\nAsopos, the mail-clad Achaians, and a honeyed word he bare to the\nKadmeians in that place; but on his backward way he devised right\nterrible deeds, with thee, fair goddess, for eager didst thou stand by\nhim. Even so now stand thou by me willingly, and protect me. And to\nthee will I sacrifice a yearling heifer, broad of brow, unbroken, that\nnever yet hath man led below the yoke. Her will I sacrifice to thee,\nand gild her horns with gold.\u201d\n\nSo spake they in their prayer, and Pallas Athene heard them. And when\nthey had prayed to the daughter of mighty Zeus, they went forth on\ntheir way, like two lions, through the dark night, amid the slaughter,\namid the slain men, through the arms and the black blood.\n\nNay, nor the stout-hearted Trojans did Hector suffer to sleep, but he\ncalled together all the best of them, all that were chiefs and leaders\nof the Trojans, them did he call together, and contrived a crafty\ncounsel: \u201cWho is there that would promise and perform for me this deed,\nfor a great gift? yea his reward shall be sufficient. For I will give\nhim a chariot, and two horses of arching neck, the best that be at the\nswift ships of the Achaians, to whosoever shall dare the deed, and for\nhimself shall win glory. And the deed is this; to go near the\nswift-faring ships, and seek out whether the swift ships are guarded,\nas of old, or whether already, being subdued beneath our hands, the\nfoes are devising of flight among themselves, and have no care to watch\nthrough the night, being fordone with dread weariness.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, but they were all silent and held their peace. Now there\nwas among the Trojans one Dolon, the son of Eumedes the godlike herald,\nand he was rich in gold, and rich in bronze: and verily he was ill\nfavoured to look upon, but swift of foot; now he was an only son among\nfive sisters. So he spake then a word to the Trojans and to Hector:\n\u201cHector, my heart and manful spirit urge me to go near the swift-faring\nships, and spy out all. But come, I pray thee, hold up the staff, and\nswear to me, that verily thou wilt give me the horses and the chariots\nbedight with bronze that bear the noble son of Peleus. But to thee I\nwill prove no vain spy, nor disappoint thy hope. For I will go straight\nto the camp, until I may come to the ship of Agamemnon, where surely\nthe chiefs are like to hold council, whether to fight or flee.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and Hector took the staff in his hand, and sware to him:\n\u201cNow let Zeus himself be witness, the loud-thundering lord of Hera,\nthat no other man of the Trojans shall mount those horses, but thou, I\ndeclare, shalt rejoice in them for ever.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and sware a bootless oath thereto, and aroused Dolon to\ngo. And straightway he cast on his shoulders his crooked bow, and did\non thereover the skin of a grey wolf, and on his head a helm of\nferret-skin, and took a sharp javelin, and went on his way to the ships\nfrom the host. But he was not like to come back from the ships and\nbring word to Hector.\n\nBut when he had left the throng of men and horses, he went forth\neagerly on the way, and Odysseus of the seed of Zeus was ware of him as\nhe approached, and said unto Diomedes: \u201cLo, here is some man, Diomedes,\ncoming from the camp, I know not whether as a spy to our ships, or to\nstrip certain of the dead men fallen. But let us suffer him to pass by\nus a little way on the plain, and thereafter may we rush on him and\ntake him speedily, and if it chance that he outrun us by speed of foot,\never do thou hem him in towards the ships and away from the camp,\nrushing on him with thy spear, lest in any wise he escape towards the\ncity.\u201d\n\nSo they spake, and turning out of the path they lay down among the\nbodies of the dead; and swiftly Dolon ran past them in his witlessness.\nBut when he was as far off as is the length of the furrow made by\nmules, (for better far are they than kine, tho drag the jointed plough\nthrough the deep fallow,) these twain ran after him, and he stood still\nwhen he heard the sound, supposing in his heart that they were friends\ncome from among the Trojans to turn him back, at the countermand of\nHector. But when they were about a spear-cast off, or even less, he\nknew them for foemen, and stirred his swift limbs to fly, and speedily\nthey started in pursuit.\n\nAnd as when two sharp-toothed hounds, well skilled in the chase, press\never hard on a doe or a hare through a wooded land, and it runs\nscreaming before them, even so Tydeus\u2019 son and Odysseus the sacker of\ncities cut Dolon off from the host, and ever pursued hard after him.\nBut when he was just about to come among the sentinels, in his flight\ntowards the ships, then Athene poured strength into the son of Tydeus,\nthat none of the mail-clad Achaians might boast himself the first to\nsmite, and he come second. And strong Diomedes leaped upon him with the\nspear, and said: \u201cStand, or I shall overtake thee with the spear, and\nmethinks that thou shalt not long avoid sheer destruction at my hand.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and threw his spear, but of his own will he missed the\nman, and passing over his right shoulder the point of the polished\nspear stuck fast in the ground: and Dolon stood still, in great dread\nand trembling, and the teeth chattered in his mouth, and he was green\nwith fear. Then the twain came up with him, panting, and gripped his\nhands, and weeping he spake: \u201cTake me alive, and I will ransom myself,\nfor within our house there is bronze, and gold, and smithied iron,\nwherefrom my father would do you grace with ransom untold, if he should\nlearn that I am alive among the ships of the Achaians.\u201d\n\nThen Odysseus of the many counsels answered him and said: \u201cTake\ncourage, let not death be in thy mind, but come speak and tell me truly\nall the tale, why thus from the host lost thou come all alone among the\nships, through the black night, when other mortals are sleeping? Comest\nthou to strip certain of the dead men fallen, or did Hector send thee\nforth to spy out everything at the hollow ships, or did thine own\nspirit urge thee on?\u201d\n\nThen Dolon answered him, his limbs trembling beneath him: \u201cWith many a\nblind hope did Hector lead my wits astray, who vowed to give me the\nwhole-hooved horses of the proud son of Peleus, and his car bedight\nwith bronze: and he bade me fare through the swift black night, and\ndraw nigh the foemen, and seek out whether the swift ships are guarded,\nas of old, or whether, already, being subdued beneath our hands, they\nare devising of flight among themselves, and have no care to watch\nthrough the night, being fordone with dread weariness.\u201d\n\nAnd smiling thereat did Odysseus of the many counsels make him answer:\n\u201cVerily now thy soul was set on great rewards, even the horses of the\nwise son of Aiakos, but hard are they for mortal men to master, and\nhard to drive, for any but Achilles only, whom a deathless mother bare.\nBut come, tell me all this truly, all the tale: where when thou camest\nhither didst thou leave Hector, shepherd of the host, and where lie his\nwarlike gear, and where his horses? And how are disposed the watches,\nand the beds of the other Trojans? And what counsel take they among\nthemselves; are they fain to abide there nigh the ships, afar from the\ncity, or will they return to the city again, seeing that they have\nsubdued unto them the Achaians?\u201d\n\nThen Dolon son of Eumedes made him answer again: \u201cLo, now all these\nthings will I recount to thee most truly. Hector with them that are\ncounsellors holdeth council by the barrow of godlike Ilos, apart from\nthe din, but as for the guards whereof thou askest, oh hero, no chosen\nwatch nor guard keepeth the host. As for all the watch fires of the\nTrojans\u2014on them is necessity, so that they watch and encourage each\nother to keep guard; but, for the allies called from many lands, they\nare sleeping and to the Trojans they leave it to keep watch, for no\nwise near dwell the children and wives of the allies.\u201d\n\nThen Odysseus of the many counsels answered him and said: \u201cHow stands\nit now, do they sleep amidst the horse-taming Trojans, or apart? tell\nme clearly, that I may know.\u201d\n\nThen answered him Dolon son of Eumedes: \u201cVerily all this likewise will\nI recount to thee truly. Towards the sea lie the Karians, and Paionians\nof the bended bow, and the Leleges and Kaukones, and noble Pelasgoi.\nAnd towards Thymbre the Lykians have their place, and the haughty\nMysians, and the Phrygians that fight from chariots, and Maionians\nlords of chariots. But wherefore do ye inquire of me throughly\nconcerning all these things? for if ye desire to steal into the throng\nof Trojans, lo, there be those Thracians, new comers, at the furthest\npoint apart from the rest, and among them their king Rhesos, son of\nE\u00efoneus. His be the fairest horses that ever I beheld, and the\ngreatest, whiter than snow, and for speed like the winds. And his\nchariot is fashioned well with gold and silver, and golden is his\narmour that he brought with him, marvellous, a wonder to behold; such\nas it is in no wise fit for mortal men to bear, but for the deathless\ngods. But bring me now to the swift ships, or leave me here, when ye\nhave bound me with a ruthless bond, that ye may go and make trial of me\nwhether I have spoken to you truth, or lies.\u201d\n\nThen strong Diomedes, looking grimly on him, said: \u201cPut no thought of\nescape, Dolon, in thy heart, for all the good tidings thou hast\nbrought, since once thou hast come into our hands. For if now we\nrelease thee or let thee go, on some later day wilt thou come to the\nswift ships of the Achaians, either to play the spy, or to fight in\nopen war, but if subdued beneath my hands thou lose thy life, never\nagain wilt thou prove a bane to the Argives.\u201d\n\nHe spake, and that other with strong hand was about to touch his chin,\nand implore his mercy, but Diomedes smote him on the midst of the neck,\nrushing on him with the sword, and cut through both the sinews, and the\nhead of him still speaking was mingled with the dust. And they stripped\nhim of the casque of ferret\u2019s skin from off his head, and of his\nwolf-skin, and his bended bow, and his long spear, and these to Athene\nthe Giver of Spoil did noble Odysseus hold aloft in his hand, and he\nprayed and spake a word: \u201cRejoice, O goddess, in these, for to thee\nfirst of all the Immortals in Olympus will we call for aid; nay, but\nyet again send us on against the horses and the sleeping places of the\nThracian men.\u201d\n\nSo spake he aloud, and lifted from him the spoils on high, and set them\non a tamarisk bush, and raised thereon a mark right plain to see,\ngathering together reeds, and luxuriant shoots of tamarisk, lest they\nshould miss the place as they returned again through the swift dark\nnight.\n\nSo the twain went forward through the arms, and the black blood, and\nquickly they came to the company of Thracian men. Now they were\nslumbering, fordone with toil, but their goodly weapons lay by them on\nthe ground, all orderly, in three rows, and by each man his pair of\nsteeds. And Rhesos slept in the midst, and beside him his swift horses\nwere bound with thongs to the topmost rim of the chariot. Him Odysseus\nspied from afar, and showed him unto Diomedes: \u201cLo, Diomedes, this is\nthe man, and these are the horses whereof Dolon that we slew did give\nus tidings. But come now, put forth thy great strength; it doth not\nbehove thee to stand idle with thy weapons: nay, loose the horses; or\ndo thou slay the men, and of the horses will I take heed.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and into that other bright-eyed Athene breathed might, and\nhe began slaying on this side and on that, and hideously went up their\ngroaning, as they were smitten with the sword, and the earth was\nreddened with blood. And like as a lion cometh on flocks without a\nherdsman, on goats or sheep, and leaps upon them with evil will, so set\nthe son of Tydeus on the men of Thrace, till he had slain twelve. But\nwhomsoever the son of Tydeus drew near and smote with the sword, him\ndid Odysseus of the many counsels seize by the foot from behind, and\ndrag him out of the way, with this design in his heart, that the\nfair-maned horses might lightly issue forth, and not tremble in spirit,\nwhen they trod over the dead; for they were not yet used to dead men.\nBut when the son of Tydeus came upon the king, he was the thirteenth\nfrom whom he took sweet life away, as he was breathing hard, for an\nevil dream stood above his head that night, even the seed of Oineus,\nthrough the device of Athene. Meanwhile the hardy Odysseus loosed the\nwhole-hooved horses, and bound them together with thongs, and drave\nthem out of the press, smiting them with his bow, since he had not\ntaken thought to lift the shining whip with his hands from the\nwell-dight chariot: then he whistled for a sign to noble Diomedes.\n\nBut Diomedes stood and pondered what most daring deed he might do,\nwhether he should take the chariot, where lay the fair-dight armour,\nand drag it out by the pole, or lift it upon high, and so bear it\nforth, or whether he should take the life away from yet more of the\nThracians. And while he was pondering this in his heart, then Athene\ndrew near, and stood, and spake to noble Diomedes: \u201cBethink thee of\nreturning, O son of great-hearted Tydeus, to the hollow ships, lest\nperchance thou come thither in flight, and perchance another god rouse\nup the Trojans likewise.\u201d\n\nSo spake she, and he observed the voice of the utterance of the\ngoddess, and swiftly he sprang upon the steeds, and Odysseus smote them\nwith his bow, and they sped to the swift ships of the Achaians.\n\nNay, nor a vain watch kept Apollo of the silver bow, when he beheld\nAthene caring for the son of Tydeus; in wrath against her he stole\namong the crowded press of Trojans, and aroused a counsellor of the\nThracians, Hippokoon, the noble kinsman of Rhesos. And he started out\nof sleep, when he beheld the place desolate where the swift horses had\nstood, and beheld the men gasping in the death struggle; then he\ngroaned aloud, and called out by name to his comrade dear. And a\nclamour arose and din unspeakable of the Trojans hasting together, and\nthey marvelled at the terrible deeds, even all that the heroes had\nwrought, and had gone thereafter to the hollow ships.\n\nBut when those others came to the place where they had slain the spy of\nHector, there Odysseus, dear to Zeus, checked the swift horses, and\nTydeus\u2019 son, leaping to the ground, set the bloody spoil in the hands\nof Odysseus, and again mounted, and lashed the horses, and they sped\nonward nothing loth. [to the hollow ships, for there they fain would\nbe]. But Nestor first heard the sound, and said: \u201cO friends, leaders\nand counsellors of the Argives, shall I be wrong or speak sooth? for my\nheart bids me speak. The sound of swift-footed horses strikes upon mine\nears. Would to god that Odysseus and that strong Diomedes may even\ninstantly be driving the whole-hooved horses from among the Trojans;\nbut terribly I fear in mine heart lest the bravest of the Argives\nsuffer aught through the Trojans\u2019 battle din.\u201d\n\nNot yet was his whole word spoken, when they came themselves, and\nleaped down to earth, but gladly the others welcomed them with\nhand-clasping, and with honeyed words. And first did knightly Nestor of\nGerenia make question: \u201cCome, tell me now, renowned Odysseus, great\nglory of the Achaians, how ye twain took those horses? Was it by\nstealing into the press of Trojans? Or did some god meet you, and give\nyou them? Wondrous like are they to rays of the sun. Ever with the\nTrojans do I mix in fight, nor methinks do I tarry by the ships, old\nwarrior as I am. But never yet saw I such horses, nor deemed of such.\nNay, methinks some god must have encountered you and given you these.\nFor both of you doth Zeus the cloud-gatherer love, and the maiden of\naegis-bearing Zeus, bright-eyed Athene.\u201d\n\nAnd him answered Odysseus of the many counsels: \u201cO Nestor, son of\nNeleus, great glory of the Achaians, lightly could a god, if so he\nwould, give even better steeds than these, for the gods are far\nstronger than we. But as for these new come horses, whereof, old man,\nthou askest me, they are Thracian, but their lord did brave Diomedes\nslay, and beside him all the twelve best men of his company. The\nthirteenth man was a spy we took near the ships, one that Hector and\nthe other haughty Trojans sent forth to pry upon our camp.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and drave the whole-hooved horses through the fosse,\nlaughing; and the other Achaians went with him joyfully. But when they\nhad come to the well-built hut of the son of Tydeus, they bound the\nhorses with well-cut thongs, at the mangers where the swift horses of\nDiomedes stood eating honey-sweet barley.\n\nAnd Odysseus placed the bloody spoils of Dolon in the stern of the\nship, that they might make ready a sacred offering to Athene. But for\nthemselves, they went into the sea, and washed off the thick sweat from\nshins, and neck, and thighs. But when the wave of the sea had washed\nthe thick sweat from their skin, and their hearts revived again, they\nwent into polished baths, and were cleansed.\n\nAnd when they had washed, and anointed them with olive oil, they sat\ndown at supper, and from the full mixing bowl they drew off the\nhoney-sweet wine, and poured it forth to Athene.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XI.\n\n\nDespite the glorious deeds of Agamemnon, the Trojans press hard on the\nAchaians, and the beginning of evil comes on Patroklos.\n\n\nNow Dawn arose from her couch beside proud Tithonos, to bring light to\nthe Immortals and to mortal men. But Zeus sent forth fierce Discord\nunto the fleet ships of the Achaians, and in her hands she held the\nsignal of war. And she stood upon the huge black ship of Odysseus, that\nwas in the midst, to make her voice heard on either side, both to the\nhuts of Aias, son of Telamon, and to the huts of Achilles, for these\ntwain, trusting in their valour and the might of their hands, had drawn\nup their trim ships at the two ends of the line. There stood the\ngoddess and cried shrilly in a great voice and terrible, and mighty\nstrength she set in the heart of each of the Achaians, to war and fight\nunceasingly. And straightway to them war grew sweeter than to depart in\nthe hollow ships to their dear native land.\n\nThen the son of Atreus cried aloud, and bade the Argives arm them, and\nhimself amid them did on the flashing bronze. First he fastened fair\ngreaves about his legs, fitted with ankle-clasps of silver; next again\nhe did his breastplate about his breast, the breastplate that in time\npast Kinyras gave him for a guest-gift. For afar in Cyprus did Kinyras\nhear the mighty rumour how that the Achaians were about to sail forth\nto Troy in their ships, wherefore did Kinyras give him the breastplate,\nto do pleasure to the king. Now therein were ten courses of black\ncyanus, and twelve of gold, and twenty of tin, and dark blue snakes\nwrithed up towards the neck, three on either side, like rainbows that\nthe son of Kronos hath set in the clouds, a marvel of the mortal tribes\nof men. And round his shoulders he cast his sword, wherein shone studs\nof gold, but the scabbard about it was silver, fitted with golden\nchains. And he took the richly-dight shield of his valour that covereth\nall the body of a man, a fair shield, and round about it were ten\ncircles of bronze, and thereon were twenty white bosses of tin, and one\nin the midst of black cyanus. And thereon was embossed the Gorgon fell\nof aspect glaring terribly, and about her were Dread and Terror. And\nfrom the shield was hung a baldric of silver, and thereon was curled a\nsnake of cyanus; three heads interlaced had he, growing out of one\nneck. And on his head Agamemnon set a two-crested helm with fourfold\nplate, and plume of horse-hair, and terribly the crest nodded from\nabove. And he grasped two strong spears, shod with bronze and keen, and\nfar forth from him into the heaven shone the bronze; and thereat Hera\nand Athene thundered, honouring the king of Mykene rich in gold.\n\nThen each man gave in charge his horses to his charioteer, to hold them\nin by the fosse, well and orderly, and themselves as heavy men at arms\nwere hasting about, being harnessed in their gear, and unquenchable the\ncry arose into the Dawn. And long before the charioteers were they\narrayed at the fosse, but after them a little way came up the drivers.\nAnd among them the son of Kronos aroused an evil din, and from above\nrained down dew danked with blood out of the upper air, for that he was\nabout to send many strong men down to Hades.\n\nBut the Trojans on the other side, on the high ground of the plain,\ngathered them around great Hector, and noble Polydamus, and Aineias\nthat as a god was honoured by the people of the Trojans, and the three\nsons of Antenor, Polybos, and noble Agenor, and young Akamas like unto\nthe Immortals. And Hector in the foremost rank bare the circle of his\nshield. And as from amid the clouds appeareth glittering a baneful\nstar, and then again sinketh within the shadowy clouds, even so Hector\nwould now appear among the foremost ranks, and again would be giving\ncommand in the rear, and all in bronze he shone, like the lightning of\naegis-bearing father Zeus.\n\nAnd even as when reapers over against each other drive their swaths\nthrough a rich man\u2019s field of wheat or barley, and thick fall the\nhandfuls, even so the Trojans and Achaians leaped upon each other,\ndestroying, and neither side took thought of ruinous flight; and equal\nheads had the battle, and they rushed on like wolves. And woful Discord\nwas glad at the sight, for she alone of the gods was with them in the\nwar; for the other gods were not beside them, but in peace they sat\nwithin their halls, where the goodly mansion of each was builded in the\nfolds of Olympus. And they all were blaming the son of Kronos, lord of\nthe storm-cloud, for that he willed to give glory to the Trojans. But\nof them took the father no heed, but aloof from the others he sat\napart, glad in his glory, looking toward the city of the Trojans, and\nthe ships of the Achaians, and the glitter of bronze, and the slayers\nand the slain.\n\nSo long as morning was, and the sacred day still waxed, so long did the\nshafts of both hosts strike, and the folk fell, but about the hour when\na woodman maketh ready his meal, in the dells of a mountain, when he\nhath tired his hands with felling tall trees, and weariness cometh on\nhis soul, and desire of sweet food taketh his heart, even then the\nDanaans by their valour brake the battalions, and called on their\ncomrades through the lines. And in rushed Agamemnon first of all, and\nslew a man, even Bienor, shepherd of the hosts, first himself, and next\nhis comrade O\u00efleus, the charioteer. He verily leaped from the chariot\nand stood and faced Agamemnon, but the king smote the brow of him with\nthe sharp spear as he came eagerly on, and his vizor heavy with bronze\nheld not off the spear, but through vizor and bone it sped, and the\nbrain within was all scattered, and so was O\u00efleus overcome despite his\neagerness.\n\nAnd them did Agamemnon king of men leave in that place, with their\nbreasts gleaming, when he had stripped them of their corslets, and he\nwent on to destroy Isos and Antiphos, two sons of Priam, one born in\nwedlock, the other a bastard, and both were in one chariot: the bastard\nheld the reins, but renowned Antiphos was fighting by him. These twain\ndid Achilles on the spurs of Ida once bind with fresh withes, taking\nthem as they herded the sheep, and he ransomed them for a price. But\nnow Agamemnon, son of Atreus, of the wide domain, smote Isos on the\nbreast, above the nipple, with his spear, but Antiphos he struck hard\nby the ear, with the sword, and dashed him from the chariot. Then made\nhe haste, and stripped from them their goodly harness, well knowing who\nthey were, for he had seen them before beside the fleet ships when\nswift-footed Achilles led them from Ida. And as a lion easily crusheth\nthe young fawns of a swift hind, when that he hath seized them in his\nstrong teeth, and hath come to their lair, and taketh their tender life\naway,\u2014and the hind, even if she chance to be near at hand, cannot help\nthem, for on herself too cometh dread terror, and swiftly she speedeth\nthrough the thick coppice and the woodland, hasting and sweating before\nthe onslaught of the mighty beast,\u2014even so not one of the Trojans did\navail to save them from their bane, but themselves were fleeing in fear\nbefore the Argives.\n\nNext took he Peisandros and Hippolochos, steadfast in fight. These were\nsons of wise-hearted Antimachos, who chiefly had taken the gold of\nAlexandros, goodly gifts, and therefore never would consent to give\nHelen to fair-haired Menelaos. His two sons then lord Agamemnon took,\nboth being in one car, and together they were driving the swift steeds;\nfor the shining reins had fallen from their hands, and the horses were\nall distraught with dread, and he set on against them, like a\nlion,\u2014even the son of Atreus,\u2014but from their chariot the twain did\nsupplicate him: \u201cTake us alive, O son of Atreus, and receive worthy\nransom, for in the halls of Antimachos lie many possessions, bronze,\nand gold, and smithied iron; out of these could our father do thee\ngrace with ransom past telling, if he heard that we twain were alive by\nthe ships of the Achaians.\u201d\n\nSo did the twain weeping beseech the king with soft words, but they\nheard a voice wherein was no softness at all: \u201cIf indeed ye be the sons\nof wise Antimachos, who once in the assembly of the Trojans bade slay\nMenelaos there, when he came on an embassy with godlike Odysseus, nor\never let him return to the Achaians, now verily shall ye pay the price\nof your father\u2019s foul shame.\u201d\n\nHe spake and dashed Peisandros from his chariot to the earth, smiting\nhim with the spear upon the breast, and he lay supine on the ground.\nBut Hippolochos rushed away, and him too he smote to earth, and cut off\nhis arms and his neck with the sword, then tossed him like a ball of\nstone to roll through the throng. Then left he them, and where thickest\nclashed the battalions, there he set on, and with him all the\nwell-greaved Achaians. Footmen kept slaying footmen as they were driven\nin flight, and horsemen slaying horsemen with the sword, and from\nbeneath them rose up the dust from the plain, stirred by the thundering\nhooves of horses. And the lord Agamemnon, ever slaying, followed after,\ncalling on the Argives. And as when ruinous fire falleth on dense\nwoodland, and the whirling wind beareth it everywhere, and the thickets\nfall utterly before it, being smitten by the onset of the fire, even so\nbeneath Agamemnon son of Atreus fell the heads of the Trojans as they\nfled; and many strong-necked horses rattled empty cars along the\nhighways of the battle, lacking their noble charioteers; but they on\nthe earth were lying, far more dear to the vultures than to their\nwives.\n\nBut Hector did Zeus draw forth from the darts and the dust, from the\nman-slaying, and the blood, and the din, and the son of Atreus followed\non, crying eagerly to the Danaans. And past the tomb of ancient Ilos,\nson of Dardanos, across the mid plain, past the place of the wild\nfig-tree they sped, making for the city, and ever the son of Atreus\nfollowed shouting, and his invincible hands were defiled with gore. But\nwhen they were come to the Skaian gates, and the oak-tree, there then\nthey halted, and awaited each other. But some were still in full flight\nthrough the mid plain, like kine that a lion hath scattered, coming on\nthem in the dead of night; all hath he scattered, but to one sheer\ndeath appeareth instantly, and he breaketh her neck first, seizing her\nwith strong teeth, and thereafter swalloweth greedily the blood and all\nthe guts; even so lord Agamemnon son of Atreus followed hard on the\nTrojans, ever slaying the hindmost man, and they were scattered in\nflight, and on face or back many of them fell from their chariots\nbeneath the hands of Agamemnon, for mightily he raged with the spear.\nBut when he was now about coming below the city, and the steep wall,\nthen did the father of men and gods sit him down on the crests of\nmany-fountained Ida, from heaven descending, with the thunderbolt in\nhis hands.\n\nThen sent he forth Iris of the golden wings, to bear his word: \u201cUp and\ngo, swift Iris, and tell this word unto Hector: So long as he sees\nAgamemnon, shepherd of the host, raging among the foremost fighters,\nand ruining the ranks of men, so long let him hold back, but bid the\nrest of the host war with the foe in strong battle. But when, or\nsmitten with the spear or wounded with arrow shot, Agamemnon leapeth\ninto his chariot, then will I give Hector strength to slay till he come\neven to the well-timbered ships, and the sun go down, and sacred\ndarkness draw on.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and wind-footed swift Iris disobeyed him not, but she went\ndown from the hills of Ida to sacred Ilios, and she found the son of\nwise-hearted Priam, noble Hector, standing among the horses, and\nfirm-bound chariots, and swift-footed Iris drew near and spake to him:\n\u201cHector, son of Priam, peer of Zeus in counsel; lo, Zeus the father\nhath sent me forth, to bear thee this command: So long as thou seest\nAgamemnon, the shepherd of the host, raging among the foremost\nfighters, and ruining the ranks of men, so long hold back from the\nfight, but bid the rest of the host war with the foe in strong battle.\nBut when, or smitten with the spear or wounded with arrow shot,\nAgamemnon leapeth into his chariot, then will Zeus give thee strength\nto slay till thou come even to the well-timbered ships, and the sun go\ndown and sacred darkness draw on.\u201d\n\nSo spake swift-footed Iris and departed, but Hector with his harness\nleaped from the chariot to the ground, and, shaking his sharp spears\nwent through all the host, stirring up his men to fight, and he roused\nthe dread din of battle. And they wheeled round, and stood and faced\nthe Achaians, while the Argives on the other side strengthened their\nbattalions. And battle was made ready, and they stood over against each\nother, and Agamemnon first rushed in, being eager to fight far in front\nof all.\n\nTell me now, ye Muses that inhabit mansions in Olympus, who was he that\nfirst encountered Agamemnon, whether of the Trojans themselves, or of\ntheir allies renowned? It was Iphidamas, son of Antenor, great and\nmighty, who was nurtured in Thrace rich of soil, the mother of sheep,\nand Kisses his mother\u2019s father reared him in the halls, while he was\nbut a little child,\u2014even the father of Theano fair of face. Then when\nhe came to the measure of glorious youth, he tried to keep him there,\nand offered him his own daughter; but a bridegroom new wed, he went\nfrom his bridal chamber after the tidings of the coming of the\nAchaians, with twelve beaked ships that followed after him. These trim\nships he left in Perkote, but himself came by land to Ilios; he it was\nthat then encountered Agamemnon son of Atreus. And when they were come\nnear in onset against each other, Atreus\u2019 son missed, and his spear was\nturned aside, but Iphidamas smote him on the girdle, below the corslet,\nand himself pressed on, trusting to his heavy hand, but pierced not the\ngleaming girdle, for long ere that the point struck on the silver, and\nwas bent like lead. Then wide-ruling Agamemnon caught the spear with\nhis hand and drew it toward him furiously, like a lion, and snatched it\nout of the hand of Iphidamas, and smote his neck with the sword, and\nunstrung his limbs. So even there he fell, and slept a sleep of bronze\nmost piteously, far from his wedded wife, helping the folk of the\ncity,\u2014far from his bride, of whom he had known no joy, and much had he\ngiven for her: first a hundred kine he gave, and thereafter promised a\nthousand, goats and sheep together, whereof he had herds unspeakable.\nThen did Agamemnon son of Atreus strip him, and went bearing his goodly\nharness into the throng of the Achaians.\n\nNow when Ko\u00f6n beheld him, Ko\u00f6n Antenor\u2019s eldest son, illustrious among\nmen, strong sorrow came on him, covering his eyes, for his brother\u2019s\nfall: and he stood on one side with his spear, and unmarked of noble\nAgamemnon smote him on the mid-arm, beneath the elbow, and clean\nthrough went the point of the shining spear. Then Agamemnon king of men\nshuddered, yet not even so did he cease from battle and war, but rushed\nagainst Ko\u00f6n, grasping his wind-nurtured spear. Verily then Ko\u00f6n seized\nright lustily by the foot Iphidamas, his brother, and his father\u2019s son,\nand called to all the best of his men; but him, as he dragged the dead\nthrough the press, beneath his bossy shield Agamemnon wounded with a\nbronze-shod spear, and unstrung his limbs, and drew near and cut off\nhis head over Iphidamas. There the sons of Antenor, at the hands of\nAgamemnon the king, filled up the measure of their fate, and went down\nwithin the house of Hades.\n\nBut Agamemnon ranged among the ranks of men, with spear, and sword, and\ngreat stones for throwing, while yet the blood welled warm from his\nwound. But when the wound waxed dry, and the blood ceased to flow, then\nkeen pangs came on the might of the son of Atreus. And even as when the\nkeen shaft cometh upon a woman in her travail, the piercing shaft that\nthe goddesses of the birth-pangs send, even the Eilithyiai, the\ndaughters of Hera that have hitter pangs in their gift, even so keen\npains sank into the might of the son of Atreus. Then leaped he into his\nchariot, and bade his charioteer drive to the hollow ships, for he was\nsore vexed at heart. And he called in a piercing voice, and shouted to\nthe Danaans: \u201cO friends, leaders and counsellors of the Argives, do ye\nnow ward from the seafaring ships the harsh din of battle, for Zeus the\ncounsellor suffers me not all day to war with the Trojans.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and his charioteer lashed the fair-maned steeds toward the\nhollow ships, and they flew onward nothing loth, and their breasts were\ncovered with foam, and their bellies were stained with dust, as they\nbore the wounded king away from the war.\n\nBut Hector, when he beheld Agamemnon departed, cried to the Trojans and\nLykians with a loud shout: \u201cYe Trojans and Lykians, and Dardanians that\nwar in close fight, be men, my friends, and be mindful of your\nimpetuous valour. The best man of them hath departed and to me hath\nZeus, the son of Kronos, given great renown. But straightway drive ye\nthe whole-hooved horses against the mighty Danaans, that ye may be the\nmasters and bear away the higher glory.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and aroused the might and spirit of every man. And even as\nwhen some hunter tars on his white-toothed hounds against a boar of the\nwild, or a lion, even so did Hector, son of Priam, like unto Ares the\nbane of men, tar on the great-hearted Trojans against the Achaians.\nHimself with high thoughts he fared among the foremost, and fell upon\nthe fight; like a roaring blast, that leapeth down and stirreth the\nviolet-coloured deep. There whom first, whom last did he slay, even\nHector, son of Priam, when Zeus vouchsafed him renown?\n\nAsaios first, and Autonoos, and Opites, and Dolops, son of Klytios, and\nOpheltios, and Agelaos, and Aisymnos, and Oros, and Hipponoos steadfast\nin the fight; these leaders of the Danaans he slew, and thereafter\nsmote the multitude, even as when the West Wind driveth the clouds of\nthe white South Wind, smiting with deep storm, and the wave swelleth\nhuge, rolling onward, and the spray is scattered on high beneath the\nrush of the wandering wind; even so many heads of the host were smitten\nby Hector.\n\nThere had ruin begun, and deeds remedeless been wrought, and now would\nall the Achaians have fled and fallen among the ships, if Odysseus had\nnot called to Diomedes, son of Tydeus: \u201cTydeus\u2019 son, what ails us that\nwe forget our impetuous valour? Nay, come hither, friend, and take thy\nstand by me, for verily it will be shame if Hector of the glancing helm\ntake the ships.\u201d\n\nAnd to him strong Diomedes spake in answer: \u201cVerily will I abide and\nendure, but short will be all our profit, for Zeus, the cloud-gatherer,\nclearly desireth to give victory to the Trojans rather than to us.\u201d\n\nHe spake, and drave Thymbraios from his chariot to the ground, smiting\nhim with the spear in the left breast, and Odysseus smote Molion the\ngod-like squire of that prince. These then they let be, when they had\nmade them cease from war, and then the twain fared through the crowd\nwith a din, as when two boars full of valour fall on the hunting\nhounds; so rushed they on again, and slew the Trojans, while gladly the\nAchaians took breath again in their flight from noble Hector.\n\nThere took they a chariot and two of the best men of the people, two\nsons of Merops of Perkote, who above all men was skilled in\nsoothsaying, nor would he suffer his children to go to ruinous war; but\nin nowise did the twain obey him, for the Fates of black death led them\non. Them did the son of Tydeus, Diomedes, spearman renowned, deprive of\nlife and spirit, and took away their glorious harness. And Odysseus\nstripped Hippodamos and Hypeirochos. Then Kronion stretched for them\nthe line of battle level, as he looked down from Ida, and they kept\nslaying each other. Then Tydeus\u2019 son smote the hero Agastrophos, son of\nPaion, on the hip-joint, with his spear; nor were his horses near, for\nhim to flee, and great blindness was on his spirit; for the squire held\nthem aloof, but on foot he was charging through the foremost fighters,\ntill he lost his life. But Hector quickly spied them among the ranks,\nand rushed upon them shouting, and with him followed the battalions of\nthe Trojans. And beholding him, Diomedes of the loud war-cry shuddered,\nand straightway spake to Odysseus that was hard by: \u201cLo, on us this\nruin, even mighty Hector, is rolling: let us stand, and await him, and\nward off his onset.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and swayed and sent forth his far-shadowing spear, and\nsmote him nor missed, for he aimed at the head, on the summit of the\ncrest, and bronze by bronze was turned, nor reached his fair flesh, for\nit was stopped by the threefold helm with its socket, that Phoebus\nApollo to Hector gave. But Hector sprang back a wondrous way, and\nmingled with the throng, and he rested, fallen on his knee, and leaned\non the ground with his stout hand, and dark night veiled his eyes.\n\nBut while Tydeus\u2019 son was following after his spear-cast, far through\nthe foremost fighters, where he saw it sink into the earth, Hector gat\nbreath again, and leaping back into his chariot drave out into the\nthrong, and avoided black Fate. Then rushing on with his spear mighty\nDiomedes spake to him: \u201cDog, thou art now again escaped from death; yet\ncame ill very nigh thee: but now hath Phoebus Apollo saved thee, to\nwhom thou must surely pray when thou goest amid the clash of spears.\nVerily I will slay thee yet when I meet thee hereafter, if any god is\nhelper of me too. Now will I make after the rest, whomsoever I may\nseize.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and stripped the son of Paeon, spearman renowned. But\nAlexandros, the lord of fair-tressed Helen, aimed with his arrows at\nTydeides, shepherd of the host; leaning as he aimed against a pillar on\nthe barrow, by men fashioned, of Ilos, son of Dardanos, an elder of the\npeople in time gone by. Now Diomedes was stripping the shining corslet\nof strong Agastrophos from about his breast, and the shield from his\nshoulders, and his strong helmet, when Paris drew the centre of his\nbow; nor vainly did the shaft fly from his hand, for he smote the flat\nof the right foot of Diomedes, and the arrow went clean through, and\nstood fixed in the earth; and right sweetly laughing Paris leaped up\nfrom his lair, and boasted, and said: \u201cThou art smitten, nor vainly\nhath the dart flown forth; would that I had smitten thee in the nether\nbelly, and taken thy life away. So should the Trojans have breathed\nagain from their trouble, they that shudder at thee, as bleating goats\nat a lion.\u201d\n\nBut him answered strong Diomedes, no wise dismayed: \u201cBowman, reviler,\nproud in thy bow of horn*, thou gaper after girls, verily if thou\nmadest trial in full harness, man to man, thy bow and showers of shafts\nwould nothing avail thee, but now thou boastest vainly, for that thou\nhast grazed the sole of my foot. I care not, more than if a woman had\nstruck me or a senseless boy, for feeble is the dart of a craven man\nand a worthless. In other wise from my hand, yea, if it do but touch,\nthe sharp shaft flieth, and straightway layeth low its man, and torn\nare the cheeks of his wife, and fatherless his children, and he,\nreddening the earth with his blood, doth rot away, more birds than\nwomen round him.\u201d\n\n* Or, rather, \u201cresplendent with thy lovelock.\u201d\n\n\nSo spake he, and Odysseus, spearman renowned, drew near, and stood in\nfront of him, and Diomedes sat down behind him, and drew the sharp\narrow from his foot, and a sore pang passed through his flesh. Then\nsprang he into his car, and bade his charioteer drive back to the\nhollow ships, for he was hurt at heart. Then Odysseus, spearman\nrenowned, was left alone, nor did one of the Argives abide by him, for\nfear had fallen on them all. Then in heaviness he spoke to his own\ngreat-hearted spirit: \u201cAh me, what thing shall befall me! A great evil\nit is if I flee, in dread of the throng; yet worse is this, if I be\ntaken all alone, for the other Danaans hath Kronion scattered in\nflight. But wherefore doth my heart thus converse with herself? for I\nknow that they are cowards, who flee the fight, but whosoever is a hero\nin war, him it mainly behoves to stand stubbornly, whether he be\nsmitten, or whether he smite another.\u201d\n\nWhile he pondered thus in heart and spirit, the ranks came on of the\nTrojans under shield, and hemmed him in the midst, setting among them\ntheir own bane. And even as when hounds and young men in their bloom\npress round a boar, and he cometh forth from his deep lair, whetting\nhis white tusk between crooked jaws, and round him they rush, and the\nsound of the gnashing of tusks ariseth, and straightway they await his\nassault, so dread as he is, even so then round Odysseus, dear to Zeus,\nrushed the Trojans. And first he wounded noble De\u00efopites, from above,\nin the shoulder, leaping on him with sharp spear, and next he slew\nThoon and Ennomos, and next Chersidamas, being leapt down from his\nchariot, he smote with the spear on the navel beneath the bossy shield,\nand he fell in the dust and clutched the ground with the hollow of his\nhand. These left he, and wounded Charops, son of Hippasos, with the\nspear, the brother of high-born Sokos. And to help him came Sokos, a\ngodlike man, and stood hard by him, and spake saying: \u201cO renowned\nOdysseus, insatiable of craft and toil, to-day shalt thou either boast\nover two sons of Hippasos, as having slain two such men of might, and\nstripped their harness, or smitten by my spear shalt lose thy life.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and smote him on the circle of his shield; through the\nshining shield passed the strong spear, and through the fair-dight\ncorslet it was thrust, and tore clean off the flesh of the flanks, but\nPallas Athene did not suffer it to mingle with the bowels of the hero,\nand Odysseus knew that the dart had in nowise lighted on a deadly spot,\nand drawing backward, he spake unto Sokos: \u201cAh, wretched one, verily\nsheer destruction is come upon thee. Surely thou hast made me to cease\nfrom warring among the Trojans, but here to thee I declare that slaying\nand black Fate will be upon thee this day, and beneath my spear\noverthrown shalt thou give glory to me, and thy soul to Hades of the\nnoble steeds.\u201d\n\nHe spake, and the other turned, and started to flee, and in his back as\nhe turned he fixed the spear, between the shoulders, and drave it\nthrough the breast. Then he fell with a crash, and noble Odysseus\nboasted over him: \u201cAh, Sokos, son of wise-hearted Hippasos the tamer of\nhorses, the end of death hath come upon and caught thee, nor hast thou\navoided. Ah, wretch, thy father and lady mother shall not close thine\neyes in death, but birds that eat flesh raw shall tear thee, shrouding\nthee in the multitude of their wings. But to me, if I die, the noble\nAchaians will yet give due burial.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and drew the mighty spear of wise-hearted Sokos forth from\nhis flesh, and from his bossy shield, and his blood flowed forth when\nthe spear was drawn away, and afflicted his spirit. And the\ngreat-hearted Trojans when they beheld the blood of Odysseus, with\nclamour through the throng came all together against him. But he gave\nground, and shouted unto his comrades: thrice he shouted then, as loud\nas man\u2019s mouth might cry, and thrice did Menelaos dear to Zeus hear his\ncall, and quickly he spake to Aias that was hard by him: \u201cAias, of the\nseed of Zeus, child of Telamon, lord of the hosts, the shout of\nOdysseus of the hardy heart rings round me, like as though the Trojans\nwere oppressing him alone among them, and had cut him off in the strong\nbattle. Nay, let us speed into the throng, for better it is to rescue\nhim. I fear lest he suffer some evil, being alone among the Trojans, so\nbrave as he is, and lest great sorrow for his loss come upon the\nDanaans.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and led the way, and the other followed him, a godlike\nman. Then found they Odysseus dear to Zeus, and the Trojans beset him\nlike tawny jackals from the hills round a wounded horned stag, that a\nman hath smitten with an arrow from the bow-string, and the stag hath\nfled from him by speed of foot, as long as the blood is warm and his\nlimbs are strong, but when the swift arrow hath overcome him, then do\nthe ravening jackals rend him in the hills, in a dark wood, and then\ngod leadeth a murderous lion thither, and the jackals flee before him,\nbut he rendeth them, so then, round wise-hearted Odysseus of the crafty\ncounsels, did the Trojans gather, many and mighty, but that hero\nthrusting on with the spear held off the pitiless day. Then Aias drew\nnear, bearing his shield like a tower, and stood thereby, and the\nTrojans fled from him, where each man might. Then warlike Menelaos led\nOdysseus out of the press, holding him by the hand, till the squire\ndrave up the horses.\n\nThen Aias leaped on the Trojans, and slew Doyrklos, bastard son of\nPriam, and thereafter wounded he Pandokos, and he wounded Lysandros,\nand Pyrasos, and Pylartes. And as when a brimming river cometh down\nupon the plain, in winter flood from the hills, swollen by the rain of\nZeus, and many dry oaks and many pines it sucketh in, and much soil it\ncasteth into the sea, even so renowned Aias charged them, pursuing\nthrough the plain, slaying horses and men. Nor wist Hector thereof at\nall, for he was fighting on the left of all the battle, by the banks of\nthe river Skamandros, whereby chiefly fell the heads of men, and an\nunquenchable cry arose, around great Nestor and warlike Idomeneus. And\nHector with them was warring, and terrible things did he, with the\nspear and in horsemanship, and he ravaged the battalions of the young\nmen. Nor would the noble Achaians have yet given ground from the path,\nif Alexandros, the lord of fair-tressed Helen, had not stayed Machaon\nshepherd of the host in his valorous deeds, and smitten him on the\nright shoulder with a three-barbed arrow. Therefore were the Achaians,\nbreathing valour, in great fear, lest men should seize Machaon in the\nturning of the fight.\n\nThen Idomeneus spake to noble Nestor: \u201cO Nestor, son of Neleus, great\nglory of the Achaians, arise, get thee up into thy chariot, and with\nthee let Machaon go, and swiftly drive to the ships the whole-hooved\nhorses. For a leech is worth many other men, to cut out arrows, and\nspread soothing medicaments.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, nor did knightly Nestor of Gerenia disobey him, but\nstraightway gat up into his chariot, and with him went Machaon, son of\nAsklepios the good leech, and he lashed the horses, and willingly flew\nthey forward to the hollow ships, where they desired to be.\n\nBut Kebriones, the charioteer of Hector, beheld the Trojans driven in\nflight, and spake to him, and said: \u201cHector, here do we contend with\nthe Danaans, at the limit of the wailful war, but, lo, the other\nTrojans are driven in flight confusedly, men and horses. And Aias son\nof Telamon is driving them; well I know him, for wide is the shield\nround his shoulders. Nay, let us too urge thither the horses and\nchariot, there where horsemen and footmen thickest in the forefront of\nevil strife are slaying each other, and the cry goes up unquenchable.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and smote the fair-maned horses with the shrill-sounding\nwhip, and they felt the lash, and fleetly bore the swift chariot among\nthe Trojans and Achaians, treading on the dead, and the shields, and\nwith blood was sprinkled all the axle-tree beneath, and the rims round\nthe car with the drops from the hooves of the horses, and with drops\nfrom the tires about the wheels. And Hector was eager to enter the\npress of men, and to leap in and break through, and evil din of battle\nhe brought among the Danaans, and brief space rested he from smiting\nwith the spear. Nay, but he ranged among the ranks of other men, with\nspear, and sword, and with great stones, but he avoided the battle of\nAias son of Telamon, [for Zeus would have been wroth with him, if he\nfought with a better man than himself].\n\nNow father Zeus, throned in the highest, roused dread in Aias, and he\nstood in amaze, and cast behind him his sevenfold shield of bull\u2019s\nhide, and gazed round in fear upon the throng, like a wild beast,\nturning this way and that, and slowly retreating step by step. And as\nwhen hounds and country folk drive a tawny lion from the mid-fold of\nthe kine, and suffer him not to carry away the fattest of the herd; all\nnight they watch, and he in great desire for the flesh maketh his\nonset, but takes nothing thereby, for thick the darts fly from strong\nhands against him, and the burning brands, and these he dreads for all\nhis fury, and in the dawn he departeth with vexed heart; even so at\nthat time departed Aias, vexed at heart, from among the Trojans, right\nunwillingly, for he feared sore for the ships of the Achaians. And as\nwhen a lazy ass going past a field hath the better of the boys with\nhim, an ass that hath had many a cudgel broken about his sides, and he\nfareth into the deep crop, and wasteth it, while the boys smite him\nwith cudgels, and feeble is the force of them, but yet with might and\nmain they drive him forth, when he hath had his fill of fodder, even so\ndid the high-hearted Trojans and allies, called from many lands, smite\ngreat Aias, son of Telamon, with darts on the centre of his shield, and\never followed after him. And Aias would now be mindful of his impetuous\nvalour, and turn again, and hold at bay the battalions of the\nhorse-taming Trojans, and once more he would turn him again to flee.\nYet he hindered them all from making their way to the fleet ships, and\nhimself stood and smote between the Trojans and the Achaians, and the\nspears from strong hands stuck some of them in his great shield, fain\nto win further, and many or ever they reached his white body stood fast\nhalfway in the earth, right eager to sate themselves with his flesh.\n\nBut when Eurypylos, the glorious son of Euaimon, beheld him oppressed\nby showers of darts, he went and took his stand by him, and cast with\nhis shining spear, and smote Apisaon, son of Phausios, shepherd of the\nhost, in the liver, below the midriff, and straightway loosened his\nknees; and Eurypylos sprang on him, and stripped the harness from his\nshoulders.\n\nBut when godlike Alexandros beheld him stripping the harness from\nApisaon, straightway he drew his bow against Eurypylos, and smote him\nwith a shaft on the right thigh, and the reed of the shaft brake, and\nweighed down the thigh. Then Eurypylos withdrew back into the host of\nhis comrades, avoiding fate, and with a piercing voice he shouted to\nthe Danaans: \u201cO friends, leaders and counsellors of the Argives, turn\nand stand and ward off the pitiless day from Aias, that is oppressed\nwith darts, nor methinks will he escape out of the evil din of battle.\nNay, stand ye the rather at bay round great Aias, son of Telamon.\u201d\n\nSo spake Eurypylos being wounded, and they stood close together beside\nhim, sloping the shields on their shoulders, and holding up their\nspears, and Aias came to meet them, and turned and stood when he\nreached the host of his comrades.\n\nSo they fought like unto burning fire.\n\nBut the mares of Neleus all sweating bare Nestor out of the battle, and\nalso carried they Machaon, shepherd of the host. Then the noble\nAchilles, swift of foot, beheld and was ware of him, for Achilles was\nstanding by the stern of his great ship, watching the dire toil, and\nthe woful rout of battle. And straightway he spake to his own comrade,\nPatroklos, calling to him from beside the ship, and he heard, and from\nthe hut he came, like unto Ares; and this to him was the beginning of\nevil. Then the strong son of Menoitios spake first to Achilles: \u201cWhy\ndost thou call me, Achilles, what need hast thou of me?\u201d\n\nThen swift-footed Achilles answered him and spake: \u201cNoble son of\nMenoitios, dear to my heart, now methinks that the Achaians will stand\nin prayer about my knees, for need no longer tolerable cometh upon\nthem. But go now, Patroklos dear to Zeus, and ask Nestor who is this\nthat he bringeth wounded from the war. Verily from behind he is most\nlike Machaon, that child of Asklepios, but I beheld not the eyes of the\nman, for the horses sped past me, straining forward eagerly.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and Patroklos obeyed his dear comrade, and started and ran\npast the ships, and the huts of the Achaians.\n\nNow when they came to the hut of the son of Neleus, they lighted down\non the bounteous earth, and the squire, Eurymedon, loosed the horses of\nthat old man from the car, and they dried the sweat from their\ndoublets, standing before the breeze, by the shore of the sea, and\nthereafter came they to the hut, and sat them down on chairs. And\nfair-tressed Hekamede mixed for them a mess, Hekamede that the old man\nwon from Tenedos, when Achilles sacked it, and she was the daughter of\ngreat-hearted Arsinoos, and her the Achaians chose out for him, because\nalways in counsel he excelled them all. First she drew before them a\nfair table, polished well, with feet of cyanus, and thereon a vessel of\nbronze, with onion, for relish to the drink, and pale honey, and the\ngrain of sacred barley, and beside it a right goodly cup, that the old\nman brought from home, embossed with studs of gold, and four handles\nthere were to it, and round each two golden doves were feeding, and to\nthe cup were two feet below. Another man could scarce have lifted the\ncup from the table, when it was full, but Nestor the Old raised it\neasily. In this cup the woman, like unto the goddesses, mixed a mess\nfor them, with Pramnian wine, and therein grated cheese of goats\u2019 milk,\nwith a grater of bronze, and scattered white barley thereover, and bade\nthem drink, whenas she had made ready the mess.\n\nSo when the twain had drunk, and driven away parching thirst, they took\ntheir pleasure in discourse, speaking each to the other. Now Patroklos\nstood at the doors, a godlike man, and when the old man beheld him, he\narose from his shining chair, and took him by the hand, and led him in,\nand bade him be seated. But Patroklos, from over against him, was for\nrefusing, and spake and said: \u201cNo time to sit have I, old man,\nfosterling of Zeus, nor wilt thou persuade me. Revered and dreaded is\nhe that sent me forth to ask thee who this man is that thou bringest\nhome wounded. Nay, but I know myself, for I see Machaon, shepherd of\nthe host. And now will I go back again, a messenger, to speak a word to\nAchilles. And well dost thou know, old man, fosterling of Zeus, how\nterrible a man he is; lightly would he blame even one that is\nblameless.\u201d\n\nThen knightly Nestor of Gerenia answered him again: \u201cWherefore is\nAchilles thus sorry for the sons of the Achaians, for as many as are\nwounded with darts? He knoweth not at all what grief hath arisen in the\ncamp: for the best men lie in the ships, wounded by shaft or smitten by\nspear. Wounded with the shaft is strong Diomedes, son of Tydeus, and\nsmitten is Odysseus, spearman renowned, and Agamemnon, [and Eurypylos\nhath been shot with an arrow in the thigh], and this other have I but\nnewly carried out of battle, wounded with an arrow from the bowstring.\nBut Achilles, for all his valiance, careth not for the Danaans, nor\npities them at all. Doth he wait till the fleet ships hard by the shore\nshall burn, maugre the Archives, in the consuming fire, and till we be\nslain one upon another? For my strength is no longer what it was before\nin my supple limbs. Would that I were in such youth, and my might as\nsteadfast, as when a strife was set between the Eleians and ourselves,\nabout a raid on the kine; what time I slew Itymoneus, the brave son of\nHypeirochos, a dweller in Elis, when I was driving the spoil. And in\nfighting for his kine was he smitten in the foremost rank by a spear\nfrom my hand, and he fell, and about him were the country folk in great\nfear. And a prey exceeding abundant did we drive together out of the\nplain, fifty herds of kine, and as many flocks of sheep, and as many\ndroves of swine, and as many wide flocks of goats, and chestnut horses\na hundred and fifty, all mares, and many with their foals at their\nfeet. And these by night we drave within Neleian Pylos to the citadel,\nand Neleus was glad at heart, for that so much wealth came to me, the\nfirst time I went to war. And the heralds cried aloud, with the coming\nof the dawn, that all men should meet that had a debt owing to them in\ngoodly Elis. And the men that were leaders of the Pylians gathered\ntogether and divided all, for to many did the Epeians owe a debt, for\nfew we were, and oppressed, that dwelt in Pylos. For the mighty\nHerakles had come and oppressed us, in the former years, and all our\nbest men were slain. For twelve sons were we of noble Neleus, whereof I\nalone was left, and all the others perished. And being lifted up with\npride because of these things, the mail-clad Epeians did us despite,\nand devised deeds of violence. And out of the spoil that old man, even\nNeleus, took him a herd of kine, and a great flock of sheep, choosing\nthree hundred, and the shepherds with them. For to him was a great debt\nowing in goodly Elis: four horses, winners of prizes, with their\nchariot had gone to the games, and were to run for a tripod; but these\ndid Augeias, king of men, hold in bond in that place, but sent away the\ndriver sorrowing for the horses. By which words and deeds was the old\nman angered, so he chose out much booty, uncountable, and the rest he\ngave to the people to divide, lest any man should depart deprived by\nhim of his equal share. So we ordered each thing, and offered victims\nto the gods about the city; and on the third day all the Eleians came\ntogether, many men and whole-hooved horses in full array, and with them\nthe two Moliones in their harness, being still but lads, nor yet well\nskilled in impetuous valour. Now there is a certain city, Thryoessa, a\nsteep burg, far off on Alpheios, the uttermost city of sandy Pylos,\nround this they pitched their camp, being eager to raze it utterly. But\nwhen they had passed through all the plain, to us came Athene by night\nrushing down from Olympus, with the message that we should arm us. Nor\nwere the folk unwilling that she gathered in Pylos, but right eager for\nwar. Now Neleus would not suffer me to arm myself, but hid my horses\naway, for he deemed that I knew naught as yet of the deeds of war. Yet\neven so did I shine among our horsemen, on foot though I was, for so\nAthene led the fight. There is a river Minye\u00efos, that falleth into the\nsea near Arene, where the horsemen of us Pylians waited the fair dawn,\nand thither those ranks of footmen flowed onward. Thence in full array,\nand harnessed in our gear, we came at midday to the sacred stream of\nAlpheios. There to Zeus pre-eminent in might we sacrificed goodly\nvictims, and a bull to Alpheios, and a bull to Poseidon, but to\nbright-eyed Athene a heifer of the herd, and thereafter took we supper\nin ranks throughout the camp, and lay down to sleep each man in his\narms, about the streams of the river. Now the great-hearted Epeians\nwere gathered round the citadel, being eager to sack it utterly. But\nere that might be, there appeared unto them a great deed of war. For\nwhen the bright sun came up above the earth, we joined battle, with\nprayer to Zeus, and Athene. But when the strife of the Pylians and\nEpeians began, I was the first that slew a man, and got me his\nwhole-hooved steeds,\u2014the warrior Mulios was he, who had to wife\nfair-haired Agamede, the eldest daughter of Augeias, and she knew all\ndrugs that the wide earth nourisheth. Him as he came on I smote with a\nbronze-shod spear, and he fell in the dust and I leaped into the car,\nand stood among the foremost fighters. But the great-hearted Epeians\nfled this way and that when they saw the man fall, even the leader of\nthe horsemen, who excelled in battle. But I sprang upon them, like a\nblack tempest, and fifty chariots I took, and beside each chariot two\nmen bit the earth with their teeth, subdued beneath my spear. And now\nshould I have overthrown the twin Moliones, sons of Aktor, if their\nsire, the Earthshaker of wide sway, had not saved them out of the\nbattle, and covered them with a thick mist.* There Zeus gave great\nmight to the Pylians, for we followed through the wide plain, slaying\nthe foe and gathering their goodly arms, even till we brought our\nhorses to Bouprasion, rich in wheat, and the rock Olenian, and where is\nthe hill called the hill of Alision, whence Athene turned the people\nagain. There slew I the last man and left him there, but the Achaians\ndrave back their swift horses from Bouprasion to Pylos, and all gave\npraise, among the gods to Zeus, and among men to Nestor. Such was I, if\never among men I was such an one. But Achilles is for reaping alone the\nreward of his valour; surely methinks that he will repent, and lament\nsore when the host perisheth. O friend, surely Menoitios thus gave thee\ncommand, on that day when he sent thee out of Phthia to Agamemnon. And\nwe twain were within the house, I and goodly Odysseus, and in the halls\nheard we all things even as he commanded thee. For we had come to the\nfair-set halls of Peleus, gathering the host throughout Achaia of the\nfair dames. There then we found the hero Menoitios within, and thee,\nand with thee Achilles. And Peleus the Old, the lord of horses, was\nburning the fat thighs of kine to Zeus, whose joy is in the thunder, in\nthe precinct of his court, and held in his hand a chalice of gold,\npouring forth the bright wine upon the burning offerings. And ye were\nbusy about the flesh of the ox, and then stood we in the doorway, and\nAchilles leaped up in amazement, and took us by the hand, and led us\nin, and bade us be seated, and set before us well the entertainment of\nstrangers, all that is their due. But when we had taken delight in\neating and drinking, I began the discourse, and bade you follow with\nus, and ye were right eager, and those twain laid on you many commands.\nPeleus the Old bade his son Achilles be ever the boldest in fight, and\npre-eminent over others, but to thee did Menoitios thus give command,\nthe son of Aktor: \u2018My child, of lineage is Achilles higher than thou,\nand thou art elder, but in might he is better far. But do thou speak to\nhim well a word of wisdom, and put it to him gently, and show him what\nthings he should do, and he will obey thee to his profit.\u2019 So did the\nold man give thee command, but thou art forgetful. Nay, but even now\nspeak thou thus and thus to wise-hearted Achilles, if perchance he will\nobey thee. Who knows but that, God helping, thou mightst stir his\nspirit with thy persuading? and good is the persuasion of a friend. But\nif in his heart he be shunning some oracle of God, and his lady mother\nhath told him somewhat from Zeus, natheless let him send forth thee,\nand let the rest of the host of the Myrmidons follow with thee, if\nperchance any light shall arise from thee to the Danaans; and let him\ngive thee his fair harness, to bear into the war, if perchance the\nTrojans may take thee for him, and withhold them from the strife, and\nthe warlike sons of the Achaians might take breath, being wearied; for\nbrief is the breathing time in battle. And lightly might ye, being\nunwearied, drive men wearied in the war unto the city, away from the\nships and the huts.\u201d\n\n* Aktor was the putative, Poseidon the real father of the Moliones.\n\n\nSo spake he, and roused his heart within his breast, and he started and\nran by the ships to Achilles of the seed of Aiakos. But when Patroklos\ncame in his running to the ships of godlike Odysseus, where was their\nassembly and place of law, and whereby also were their altars of the\ngods established, there did Eurypylos meet him, Euaimon\u2019s son, of the\nseed of Zeus, wounded in the thigh with an arrow, and limping out of\nthe battle. And sweat ran down streaming from his head and shoulders,\nand from his cruel wound the black blood was welling, but his mind was\nunshaken. And the strong son of Menoitios had pity on him when he\nbeheld him, and lamenting he spake winged words: \u201cAh, wretched men, ye\nleaders and counsellors of the Danaans. How are ye now doomed, far from\nyour friends and your own country, to feed full with your white fat the\nswift hounds in Troia! But come, tell me this, Eurypylos, hero and\nfosterling of Zeus, will the Achaians yet in any wise restrain mighty\nHector, or will they perish even now, subdued beneath his spear?\u201d\n\nAnd to him again did the wounded Eurypylos make answer: \u201cNo more,\nPatroklos of the seed of Zeus, will there be any defence of the\nAchaians, but they will fall among the black ships. For verily all of\nthem, that afore were bravest, are lying in the ships wounded and\nsmitten by the hands of the Trojans, whose strength is waxing always.\nBut me do thou succour, and lead me to the black ship, and cut the\narrow out of my thigh, and wash away the black blood from it with warm\nwater, and smear soft healing drugs thereover, these good herbs whereof\nthey say that thou hast learned from Achilles, whom Cheiron taught, the\nmost righteous of the Centaurs. For of the leeches, Podaleirios and\nMachaon, one methinks, is wounded in the huts, and himself hath need of\na good leech, and the other on the plain abideth the keen battle of the\nTrojans.\u201d\n\nThen the strong son of Menoitios answered him again: \u201cHow should these\nthings be? what shall we do, hero Eurypylos? I am on my way to carry a\nsaying to wise-hearted Achilles, even the command of Nestor of Gerenia,\nwarden of the Achaians; nay, but not even so will I be heedless of thee\nthat art wounded.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and clasped the shepherd of the host below the breast, and\nled him to the hut; and the squire when he beheld them cast on the\nground the skins of oxen. There he stretched him at length, and cut\nwith a knife the sharp arrow from his thigh, and washed from it the\nblack blood with warm water. And thereon he cast a bitter root rubbing\nit between his hands, a root that took pain away, and ended all his\nanguish, and the wound began to dry, and the blood ceased.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XII.\n\n\nHow the Trojans and allies broke within the wall of the Achaians.\n\n\nSo in the huts the strong son of Menoitios was tending the wounded\nEurypylos, but still they fought confusedly, the Argives and Trojans.\nNor were the fosse of the Danaans and their wide wall above, long to\nprotect them, the wall they had builded for defence of the ships, and\nthe fosse they had drawn round about; for neither had they given goodly\nhecatombs to the gods, that it might guard with its bounds their swift\nships, and rich spoil. Nay, maugre the deathless gods was it builded,\nwherefore it abode steadfast for no long time. While Hector yet lived,\nand yet Achilles kept his wrath, and unsacked was the city of Priam the\nking, so long the great wall of the Achaians likewise abode steadfast.\nBut when all the bravest of the Trojans died, and many of the\nArgives,\u2014some were taken, and some were left,\u2014and the city of Priam was\nsacked in the tenth year, and the Argives had gone back in their ships\nto their own dear country, then verily did Poseidon and Apollo take\ncounsel to wash away the wall, bringing in the might of the rivers, of\nall that flow from the hills of Ida to the sea. Rhesos there was, and\nHeptaporos, and Karesos, and Rhodios, Grenikos, and Aisepos, and goodly\nSkamandros, and Simoeis, whereby many shields and helms fell in the\ndust, and the generation of men half divine; the mouths of all these\nwaters did Phoebus Apollo turn together, and for nine days he drave\ntheir stream against the wall; and still Zeus rained unceasingly, that\nthe quicker he might mingle the wall with the salt sea. And the Shaker\nof the earth, with his trident in his hands, was himself the leader,\nand sent forth into the waves all the foundations of beams and stones\nthat the Achaians had laid with toil, and made all smooth by the strong\ncurrent of the Hellespont, and covered again the great beach with sand,\nwhen he had swept away the wall, and turned the rivers back to flow in\ntheir channel, where of old they poured down their fair flow of water.\n\nSo were Poseidon and Apollo to do in the aftertime; but then war and\nthe din of war sounded about the well-builded wall, and the beams of\nthe towers rang beneath the strokes; while the Argives, subdued by the\nscourge of Zeus, were penned and driven in by the hollow ships, in\ndread of Hector, the mighty maker of flight, but he, as aforetime,\nfought like a whirlwind. And as when, among hounds and hunting men, a\nboar or lion wheeleth him about, raging in his strength, and these\narray themselves in fashion like a tower, and stand up against him,\ncasting many javelins from their hands; but never is his stout heart\nconfused nor afraid, and his courage is his bane, and often he wheeleth\nhim about, and maketh trial of the ranks of men, and wheresoever he\nmaketh onset there the ranks of men give way, even so Hector went and\nbesought his comrades through the press, and spurred them on to cross\nthe dyke. But his swift-footed horses dared not, but loud they neighed,\nstanding by the sheer edge, for the wide fosse affrighted them, neither\neasy to leap from hard by, nor to cross, for overhanging banks stood\nround about it all on either hand, and above it was furnished with\nsharp stakes that the sons of the Achaians had planted there, thick set\nand great, a bulwark against hostile men. Thereby not lightly might a\nhorse enter, drawing a well-wheeled chariot; but the footmen were\neager, if they might accomplish it. Then Polydamas drew near valiant\nHector, and spake to him: \u201cHector and ye other leaders of the Trojans\nand allies, foolishly do we drive our fleet horses through the dyke;\nnay right hard it is to cross, for sharp stakes stand in it, and over\nagainst them the wall of the Achaians. Thereby none may go down and\nfight in chariots, for strait is the place wherein, methinks, we might\ncome by a mischief. For if Zeus that thunders on high is utterly to\ndestroy them in his evil will, and is minded to help the Trojans,\nverily then I too would desire that even instantly this might be, that\nthe Achaians should perish here nameless far from Argos: but and if\nthey turn again, and we flee back from among the ships, and rush into\nthe delved ditch, then methinks that not even one from among us to bear\nthe tidings will win back to the city before the force of the Achaians\nwhen they rally. But come as I declare, let us all obey. Let our\nsquires hold the horses by the dyke, while we being harnessed in our\ngear as foot soldiers follow all together with Hector, and the Achaians\nwill not withstand us, if indeed the bands of death be made fast upon\nthem.\u201d\n\nSo spake Polydamas, and his wise word pleased Hector well, and\nstraightway in his harness he leaped from his chariot to the ground.\nNor were the other Trojans gathered upon the chariots, but they all\nleaped forth, when they beheld goodly Hector. There each gave it into\nthe charge of his own charioteer, to keep the horses orderly there by\nthe fosse. And they divided, and arrayed themselves, and ordered in\nfive companies they followed with the leaders.\n\nNow they that went with Hector and noble Polydamas, these were most,\nand bravest, and most were eager to break the wall, and fight by the\nhollow ships; and with them followed Kebriones for the third, for\nHector had left another man with his chariot, a weaker warrior than\nKebriones. The second company Paris led, and Alkathoos, and Agenor: and\nthe third company Helenos led, and godlike Deiphobos,\u2014two sons of\nPriam,\u2014the third was the warrior Asios, Asios Hyrtakos\u2019 son, whom his\ntall sorrel steeds brought out of Arisbe, from the river Selle\u00ebis. And\nof the fourth company was the brave son of Anchises leader, even\nAineias; and with him were two sons of Antenor, Archelochos and Akamas,\nboth well skilled in all warfare.\n\nAnd Sarpedon led the glorious allies, and to be with him he chose\nGlaukos and warlike Asteropaios, for they seemed to him to be\nmanifestly the bravest of all after himself but he was excellent, yea,\nabove all the host. And these when they had arrayed one another with\nwell-fashioned shields of bulls\u2019 hide, went straight and eager against\nthe Danaans, nor deemed that they could longer resist them, but that\nthemselves should fall on the black ships.\n\nThen the rest of the Trojans and the far-famed allies obeyed the\ncounsel of blameless Polydamas, but Asios, son of Hyrtakos, leader of\nmen, willed not to leave his horses there, and his squire the\ncharioteer, but with them he drew near the swift ships, fond man! for\nnever was he, avoiding evil Fates, to return, rejoicing in his horses\nand chariot, back from the ships to windy Ilios. Nay, ere that the Fate\nof ill name overshadowed him, by the spear of Idomeneus, the haughty\nson of Deukalion. For Asios went against the left flank of the ships,\nwhereby the Achaians returned out of the plain with chariots and\nhorses: there he drave through his horses and his car, nor found he the\ndoors shut on the gates, and the long bar, but men were holding them\nopen if perchance they might save any of their comrades fleeing out of\nthe battle towards the ships. Straight thereby held he his horses with\nunswerving aim, and his men followed him, crying shrilly, for they\ndeemed that the Achaians could no longer hold them off, but that\nthemselves would fall on the black ships: fools, for in the gates they\nfound two men of the bravest, the high-hearted sons of the warrior\nLapithae, one the son of Peirithoos, strong Polypoites, and one\nLeonteus, peer of Ares the bane of men. These twain stood in front of\nthe lofty gates, like high-crested oak trees in the hills, that for\never abide the wind and rain, firm fixed with roots great and long;\neven so these twain, trusting to the mightiness of their hands, abode\nthe coming of great Asios, and fled not. But straight came the Trojans\nagainst the well-builded wall, holding their shields of dry bulls\u2019 hide\non high, with mighty clamour, round the prince Asios, and Iamenos, and\nOrestes, and Adamas, son of Asios, and Thoon, and Oinomaos. But the\nother twain for a while, being within the wall, urged the well-greaved\nAchaians to fight for the ships; but when they saw the Trojans\nassailing the wall, while the Danaans cried and turned in flight, then\nforth rushed the twain, and fought in front of the gates like wild\nboars that in the mountains abide the assailing crew of men and dogs,\nand charging on either flank they crush the wood around them, cutting\nit at the root, and the clatter of their tusks waxes loud, till one\nsmite them and take their life away: so clattered the bright bronze on\nthe breasts of the twain, as they were smitten in close fight, for\nright hardily they fought, trusting to the host above them, and to\ntheir own strength.\n\nFor the men above were casting with stones from the well-builded towers\nin defence of themselves and of the huts, and of the swift-faring\nships. And like snowflakes the stones fell earthward, flakes that a\ntempestuous wind, as it driveth the dark clouds, rains thickly down on\nthe bounteous earth: so thick fell the missiles from the hands of\nAchaians and Trojans alike, and their helms rang harsh and their bossy\nshields, being smitten with mighty stones. Verily then Asios, son of\nHyrtakos, groaned and smote both his thighs, and indignantly he spake:\n\u201cFather Zeus, verily thou too dost greatly love a lie, for I deemed not\nthat the Achaian heroes could withstand our might and our hands\ninvincible. But they like wasps of nimble body, or bees that have made\ntheir dwellings in a rugged path, and leave not their hollow hold, but\nabide and keep the hunters at bay for the sake of their little ones,\neven so these men have no will to give ground from the gates, though\nthey are but two, ere they slay or be slain.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, nor with his speech did he persuade the mind of Zeus, for\nhis will was to give renown to Hector.\n\n[But the others were fighting about the other gates, and hard it were\nfor me like a god to tell all these things, for everywhere around the\nwall of stone rose the fire divine; the Argives, for all their sorrow,\ndefending the ships of necessity; and all the gods were grieved at\nheart, as many as were defenders of the Danaans in battle. And together\nthe Lapithae waged war and strife.]\n\nThere the son of Peirithoos, mighty Polypoites, smote Damasos with the\nspear, through the helmet with cheekpieces of bronze; nor did the\nbronze helm stay the spear, but the point of bronze brake clean through\nthe bone, and all the brain within was scattered, and the spear\novercame him in his eagerness. Thereafter he slew Pylon and Ormenos.\nAnd Leonteus of the stock of Ares smote Hippomachos, son of Antimachos,\nwith the spear, striking him on the girdle. Then again he drew his\nsharp sword from the sheath, and smote Antiphates first in close fight,\nrushing on him through the throng, that he fell on his back on the\nground; and thereafter he brought down Menon, and Iamenos, and Orestes\none after the other, to the bounteous earth.\n\nWhile they were stripping from these the shining arms, the young men\nwho followed with Polydamas and Hector, they that were most in number\nand bravest, and most were eager to break the wall and set the ships on\nfire, these still stood doubtful by the fosse, for as they were eager\nto pass over a bird had appeared to them, an eagle of lofty flight,\nskirting the host on the left hand. In its talons it bore a blood-red\nmonstrous snake, alive, and struggling still; yea, not yet had it\nforgotten the joy of battle, but writhed backward and smote the bird\nthat held it on the breast, beside the neck, and the bird cast it from\nhim down to the earth, in sore pain, and dropped it in the midst of the\nthrong; then with a cry sped away down the gusts of the wind. And the\nTrojans shuddered when they saw the gleaming snake lying in the midst\nof them; an omen of aegis-bearing Zeus.\n\nThen verily Polydamas stood by brave Hector, and spake: \u201cHector, ever\ndost thou rebuke me in the assemblies, though I counsel wisely; since\nit by no means beseemeth one of the people to speak contrary to thee,\nin council or in war, but always to increase thy power; but now again\nwill I say all that seemeth to me to be best. Let us not advance and\nfight with the Danaans for the ships. For even thus, methinks, the end\nwill be, if indeed this bird hath come for the Trojans when they were\neager to cross the dyke, this eagle of lofty flight, skirting the host\non the left hand, bearing in his talons a blood-red monstrous snake,\nyet living; then straightway left he hold of him, before he reached his\nown nest, nor brought him home in the end to give to his nestlings.\nEven so shall we, though we burst with mighty force the gates and wall\nof the Achaians, and the Achaians give ground, even so we shall return\nin disarray from the ships by the way we came; for many of the Trojans\nshall we leave behind, whom the Achaians will slay with the sword, in\ndefence of the ships. Even so would a soothsayer interpret that in his\nheart had clear knowledge of omens, and whom the people obeyed.\u201d\n\nThen Hector of the glancing helm lowered on him and said: \u201cPolydamas,\nthat thou speakest is no longer pleasing to me; yea, thou knowest how\nto conceive another counsel better than this. But if thou verily\nspeakest thus in earnest, then the gods themselves have utterly\ndestroyed thy wits; thou that bidst us forget the counsels of\nloud-thundering Zeus, that himself promised me, and confirmed with a\nnod of his head! But thou bidst us be obedient to birds long of wing,\nwhereto I give no heed, nor take any care thereof, whether they fare to\nthe right, to the dawn and to the sun, or to the left, to mist and\ndarkness. Nay, for us, let us trust to the counsel of mighty Zeus, who\nis king over all mortals and immortals. One omen is best, to fight for\nour own country. And wherefore dost thou fear war and battle? For if\nall the rest of us be slain by the ships of the Argives, yet needst\nthou not fear to perish, for thy heart is not warlike, nor enduring in\nbattle. But if thou dost hold aloof from the fight, or winnest any\nother with thy words to turn him from war, straightway by my spear\nshalt thou be smitten, and lose thy life.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and led on, and they followed with a wondrous din; and\nZeus that joyeth in the thunder roused from the hills of Ida a blast of\nwind, which bare the dust straight against the ships; and he made weak\nthe heart of the Achaians, but gave renown to the Trojans and to\nHector. Trusting then in his omens, and their might, they strove to\nbreak the great wall of the Achaians. They dragged down the\nmachicolations of the towers, and overthrew the battlements, and heaved\nup the projecting buttresses, that the Achaians set first in the earth,\nto be the props of the towers. These they overthrew, and hoped to break\nthe wall of the Achaians. Nor even now did the Danaans give ground from\nthe path, but closed up the battlements with shields of bulls\u2019 hides,\nand cast from them at the foemen as they went below the walls.\n\nNow the two Aiantes went everywhere on the towers, ever urging, and\narousing the courage of the Achaians. One they would accost with\nhoneyed words, another with hard words they would rebuke, whomsoever\nthey saw utterly giving ground from the fight: \u201cO friends, whosoever is\neminent, or whosoever is of middle station among the Argives, ay, or\nlower yet, for in no wise are all men equal in war, now is there work\nfor all, and this yourselves well know. Let none turn back to the\nships, for that he hath heard one threatening aloud; nay, get ye\nforward, and cheer another on, if perchance Olympian Zeus, the lord of\nlightning, will grant us to drive back the assault, and push the foe to\nthe city.\u201d\n\nSo these twain shouted in the front, and aroused the battle of the\nAchaians. But as flakes of snow fall thick on a winter day, when Zeus\nthe Counsellor hath begun to snow, showing forth these arrows of his to\nmen, and he hath lulled the winds, and he snoweth continually, till he\nhath covered the crests of the high hills, and the uttermost headlands,\nand the grassy plains, and rich tillage of men; and the snow is\nscattered over the havens and shores of the grey sea, and only the wave\nas it rolleth in keeps off the snow, but all other things are swathed\nover, when the shower of Zeus cometh heavily, so from both sides their\nstones flew thick, some towards the Trojans, and some from the Trojans\nagainst the Achaians, while both sides were smitten, and over all the\nwall the din arose.\n\nYet never would the Trojans, then, and renowned Hector have broken the\ngates of the wall, and the long bar, if Zeus the Counsellor had not\nroused his son Sarpedon against the Argives, like a lion against the\nkine of crooked horn. Straightway he held forth his fair round shield,\nof hammered bronze, that the bronze-smith had hammered out, and within\nhad stitched many bulls\u2019 hides with rivets of gold, all round the\ncircle, this held he forth, and shook two spears; and sped on his way,\nlike a mountain-nurtured lion, that long lacketh meat, and his brave\nspirit urgeth him to make assail on the sheep, and come even against a\nwell-builded homestead. Nay, even if he find herdsmen thereby, guarding\nthe sheep with hounds and spears, yet hath he no mind to be driven\nwithout an effort from the steading, but he either leapeth on a sheep,\nand seizeth it, or himself is smitten in the foremost place with a dart\nfrom a strong hand. So did his heart then urge on the godlike Sarpedon\nto rush against the wall, and break through the battlements. And\ninstantly he spake to Glaukos, son of Hippolochos: \u201cGlaukos, wherefore\nhave we twain the chiefest honour,\u2014seats of honour, and messes, and\nfull cups in Lykia, and all men look on us as gods? And wherefore hold\nwe a great demesne by the banks of Xanthos, a fair demesne of\norchard-land, and wheat-bearing tilth? Therefore now it behoveth us to\ntake our stand in the first rank of the Lykians, and encounter fiery\nbattle, that certain of the well-corsleted Lykians may say, \u2018Verily our\nkings that rule Lykia be no inglorious men, they that eat fat sheep,\nand drink the choice wine honey-sweet: nay, but they are also of\nexcellent might, for they war in the foremost ranks of the Lykians.\u2019\nAh, friend, if once escaped from this battle we were for ever to be\nageless and immortal, neither would I fight myself in the foremost\nranks, nor would I send thee into the war that giveth men renown, but\nnow\u2014for assuredly ten thousand fates of death do every way beset us,\nand these no mortal may escape nor avoid\u2014now let us go forward, whether\nwe shall give glory to other men, or others to us.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and Glaukos turned not apart, nor disobeyed him, and they\ntwain went straight forward, leading the great host of the Lykians.\n\nThen Menestheus son of Peteos shuddered when he beheld them, for\nagainst his tower they went, bringing with them ruin; and he looked\nalong the tower of the Achaians if perchance he might see any of the\nleaders, that would ward off destruction from his comrades, and he\nbeheld the two Aiantes, insatiate of war, standing there, and Teukros\nhard by, newly come from his hut; but he could not cry to be heard of\nthem, so great was the din, and the noise went up unto heaven of\nsmitten shields and helms with horse-hair crests, and of the gates, for\nthey had all been shut, and the Trojans stood beside them, and strove\nby force to break them, and enter in. Swiftly then to Aias he sent the\nherald Tho\u00f6tes: \u201cGo, noble Tho\u00f6tes, and run, and call Aias: or rather\nthe twain, for that will be far the best of all, since quickly here\nwill there be wrought utter ruin. For hereby press the leaders of the\nLykians, who of old are fierce in strong battle. But if beside them too\nwar and toil arise, yet at least let the strong Telamonian Aias come\nalone, and let Teukros the skilled bowman follow with him.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and the herald listened and disobeyed him not, but started\nand ran by the wall of the mail-clad Achaians, and came, and stood by\nthe Aiantes, and straightway spake: \u201cYe twain Aiantes, leaders of the\nmail-clad Achaians, the dear son of Peteos, fosterling of Zeus, biddeth\nyou go thither, that, if it be but for a little while, ye may take your\npart in battle: both of you he more desireth, for that will be far the\nbest of all, since quickly there will there be wrought utter ruin. For\nthereby press the leaders of the Lykians, who of old are fierce in\nstrong battle. But if beside you too war and toil arise, yet at least\nlet the strong Telamonian Aias come alone, and let Teukros the skilled\nbowman follow with him.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, nor did the strong Telamonian Aias disobey, but instantly\nspake winged words to the son of Oileus: \u201cAias, do ye twain stand here,\nthyself and strong Lykomedes, and urge the Danaans to war with all\ntheir might; but I go thither, to take my part in battle, and quickly\nwill I come again, when I have well aided them.\u201d\n\nSo spake Telamonian Aias and departed, and Teukros went with him, his\nbrother by the same father, and with them Pandion bare the bended bow\nof Teukros.\n\nNow when they came to the tower of great-hearted Menestheus, passing\nwithin the wall,\u2014and to men sore pressed they came,\u2014the foe were\nclimbing upon the battlements, like a dark whirlwind, even the strong\nleaders and counsellors of the Lykians; and they hurled together into\nthe war and the battle-cry arose. Now first did Aias Telamon\u2019s son slay\na man, Epikles great of heart, the comrade of Sarpedon. With a jagged\nstone he smote him, a great stone that lay uppermost within the wall,\nby the battlements. Not lightly could a man hold it in both hands,\nhowever strong in his youth, of such mortals as now are, but Aias\nlifted it, and cast it from above, and shattered the helm of fourfold\ncrest, and broke the bones of the head, and he fell like a diver from\nthe lofty tower, and his life left his bones. And Teukros smote\nGlaukos, the strong son of Hippolochos, as he came on, with an arrow\nfrom the lofty wall; even where he saw his shoulder bare he smote him,\nand made him cease from delight in battle. Back from the wall he leapt\nsecretly, lest any of the Achaians should see him smitten, and speak\nboastfully. But sorrow came on Sarpedon when Glaukos departed, so soon\nas he was aware thereof, but he forgot not the joy of battle. He aimed\nat Alkmaon, son of Thestor, with the spear, and smote him, and drew out\nthe spear. And Alkmaon following the spear fell prone, and his\nbronze-dight arms rang round him. Then Sarpedon seized with strong\nhands the battlement, and dragged, and it all gave way together, while\nabove the wall was stripped bare, and made a path for many.\n\nThen Aias and Teukros did encounter him: Teukros smote him with an\narrow, on the bright baldric of his covering shield, about the breast,\nbut Zeus warded off the Fates from his son, that he should not be\novercome beside the ships\u2019 sterns. Then Aias leaped on and smote his\nshield, nor did the spear pass clean through, yet shook he Sarpedon in\nhis eagerness. He gave ground a little way from the battlement, yet\nretreated not wholly, since his heart hoped to win renown. Then he\nturned and cried to the godlike Lykians: \u201cO Lykians, wherefore thus are\nye slack in impetuous valour. Hard it is for me, stalwart as I am,\nalone to break through, and make a path to the ships, nay, follow hard\nafter me, for the more men, the better work.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and they, dreading the rebuke of their king, pressed on\nthe harder around the counsellor and king. And the Argives on the other\nside made strong their battalions within the wall, and mighty toil\nbegan for them. For neither could the strong Lykians burst through the\nwall of the Danaans, and make a way to the ships, nor could the warlike\nDanaans drive back the Lykians from the wall, when once they had drawn\nnear thereto. But as two men contend about the marches of their land,\nwith measuring rods in their hands, in a common field, when in narrow\nspace they strive for equal shares, even so the battlements divided\nthem, and over those they smote the round shields of ox hide about the\nbreasts of either side, and the fluttering bucklers. And many were\nwounded in the flesh with the ruthless bronze, whensoever the back of\nany of the warriors was laid bare as he turned, ay, and many clean\nthrough the very shield. Yea, everywhere the towers and battlements\nswam with the blood of men shed on either side, by Trojans and\nAchaians. But even so they could not put the Argives to rout, but they\nheld their ground, as an honest woman that laboureth with her hands\nholds the balance, and raises the weight and the wool together,\nbalancing them, that she may win scant wages for her children; so\nevenly was strained their war and battle, till the moment when Zeus\ngave the greater renown to Hector, son of Priam, who was the first to\nleap within the wall of the Achaians. In a piercing voice he cried\naloud to the Trojans: \u201cRise, ye horse-taming Trojans, break the wall of\nthe Argives, and cast among the ships fierce blazing fire.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, spurring them on, and they all heard him with their ears,\nand in one mass rushed straight against the wall, and with sharp spears\nin their hands climbed upon the machicolations of the towers. And\nHector seized and carried a stone that lay in front of the gates, thick\nin the hinder part, but sharp at point: a stone that not the two best\nmen of the people, such as mortals now are, could lightly lift from the\nground on to a wain, but easily he wielded it alone, for the son of\ncrooked-counselling Kronos made it light for him. And as when a\nshepherd lightly beareth the fleece of a ram, taking it in one hand,\nand little doth it burden him, so Hector lifted the stone, and bare it\nstraight against the doors that closely guarded the stubborn-set\nportals, double gates and tall, and two cross bars held them within,\nand one bolt fastened them. And he came, and stood hard by, and firmly\nplanted himself, and smote them in the midst, setting his legs well\napart, that his cast might lack no strength. And he brake both the\nhinges, and the stone fell within by reason of its weight, and the\ngates rang loud around, and the bars held not, and the doors burst this\nway and that beneath the rush of the stone. Then glorious Hector leaped\nin, with face like the sudden night, shining in wondrous mail that was\nclad about his body, and with two spears in his hands. No man that met\nhim could have held him back when once he leaped within the gates: none\nbut the gods, and his eyes shone with fire. Turning towards the throng\nhe cried to the Trojans to overleap the wall, and they obeyed his\nsummons, and speedily some overleaped the wall, and some poured into\nthe fair-wrought gateways, and the Danaans fled in fear among the\nhollow ships, and a ceaseless clamour arose.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XIII.\n\n\nPoseidon stirreth up the Achaians to defend the ships. The valour of\nIdomeneus.\n\n\nNow Zeus, after that he had brought the Trojans and Hector to the\nships, left them to their toil and endless labour there, but otherwhere\nagain he turned his shining eyes, and looked upon the land of the\nThracian horsebreeders, and the Mysians, fierce fighters hand to hand,\nand the proud Hippemolgoi that drink mare\u2019s milk, and the Abioi, the\nmost righteous of men. To Troy no more at all he turned his shining\neyes, for he deemed in his heart that not one of the Immortals would\ndraw near, to help either Trojans or Danaans.\n\nBut the mighty Earthshaker held no blind watch, who sat and marvelled\non the war and strife, high on the topmost crest of wooded Samothrace,\nfor thence all Ida was plain to see; and plain to see were the city of\nPriam, and the ships of the Achaians. Thither did he go from the sea\nand sate him down, and he had pity on the Achaians, that they were\nsubdued to the Trojans, and strong was his anger against Zeus.\n\nThen forthwith he went down from the rugged hill, faring with swift\nsteps, and the high hills trembled, and the woodland, beneath the\nimmortal footsteps of Poseidon as he moved. Three strides he made, and\nwith the fourth he reached his goal, even Aigae, and there was his\nfamous palace in the deeps of the mere, his glistering golden mansions\nbuilded, imperishable for ever. Thither went he, and let harness to the\ncar his bronze-hooved horses, swift of flight, clothed with their\ngolden manes. He girt his own golden array about his body, and seized\nthe well-wrought lash of gold, and mounted his chariot, and forth he\ndrove across the waves. And the sea beasts frolicked beneath him, on\nall sides out of the deeps, for well they knew their lord, and with\ngladness the sea stood asunder, and swiftly they sped, and the axle of\nbronze was not wetted beneath, and the bounding steeds bare him on to\nthe ships of the Achaians.\n\nNow there is a spacious cave in the depths of the deep mere, between\nTenedos and rugged Imbros; there did Poseidon, the Shaker of the earth,\nstay his horses, and loosed them out of the chariot, and cast before\nthem ambrosial food to graze withal, and golden tethers he bound about\ntheir hooves, tethers neither to be broken nor loosed, that there the\nhorses might continually await their lord\u2019s return. And he went to the\nhost of the Achaians.\n\nNow the Trojans like flame or storm-wind were following in close array,\nwith fierce intent, after Hector, son of Priam. With shouts and cries\nthey came, and thought to take the ships of the Achaians, and to slay\nthereby all the bravest of the host. But Poseidon, that girdleth the\nworld, the Shaker of the earth, was urging on the Argives, and forth he\ncame from the deep salt sea, in form and untiring voice like unto\nKalchas. First he spake to the two Aiantes, that themselves were eager\nfor battle: \u201cYe Aiantes twain, ye shall save the people of the\nAchaians, if ye are mindful of your might, and reckless of chill fear.\nFor verily I do not otherwhere dread the invincible hands of the\nTrojans, that have climbed the great wall in their multitude, nay, the\nwell-greaved Achaians will hold them all at bay; but hereby verily do I\ngreatly dread lest some evil befall us, even here where that furious\none is leading like a flame of fire, Hector, who boasts him to be son\nof mighty Zeus. Nay, but here may some god put it into the hearts of\nyou twain, to stand sturdily yourselves, and urge others to do the\nlike; thereby might ye drive him from the fleet-faring ships, despite\nhis eagerness, yea, even if the Olympian himself is rousing him to\nwar.\u201d\n\nTherewith the Shaker of the world, the girdler of the earth, struck the\ntwain with his staff, and filled them with strong courage, and their\nlimbs he made light, and their feet, and their hands withal. Then, even\nas a swift-winged hawk speeds forth to fly, poised high above a tall\nsheer rock, and swoops to chase some other bird across the plain, even\nso Poseidon sped from them, the Shaker of the world. And of the twain\nOileus\u2019 son, the swift-footed Aias, was the first to know the god, and\ninstantly he spake to Aias, son of Telamon: \u201cAias, since it is one of\nthe gods who hold Olympus, that in the semblance of a seer commands us\nnow to fight beside the ships\u2014not Kalchas is he, the prophet and\nsoothsayer, for easily I knew the tokens of his feet and knees as he\nturned away, and the gods are easy to discern\u2014lo, then mine own heart\nwithin my breast is more eagerly set on war and battle, and my feet\nbeneath and my hands above are lusting for the fight.\u201d\n\nThen Aias, son of Telamon, answered him saying: \u201cEven so, too, my hands\ninvincible now rage about the spear-shaft, and wrath has risen within\nme, and both my feet are swift beneath me; yea, I am keen to meet, even\nin single fight, the ceaseless rage of Hector son of Priam.\u201d\n\nSo they spake to each other, rejoicing in the delight of battle, which\nthe god put in their heart. Then the girdler of the earth stirred up\nthe Achaians that were in the rear and were renewing their strength\nbeside the swift ships. Their limbs were loosened by their grievous\ntoil, yea, and their souls filled with sorrow at the sight of the\nTrojans, that had climbed over the great wall in their multitude. And\nthey looked on them, and shed tears beneath their brows, thinking that\nnever would they escape destruction. But the Shaker of the earth right\neasily came among them, and urged on the strong battalions of warriors.\nTeukros first he came and summoned, and Le\u00eftos, and the hero Peneleos,\nand Thoas, and De\u00efpyros, and Meriones, and Antilochos, lords of the\nwar-cry, all these he spurred on with winged words: \u201cShame on you,\nArgives, shame, ye striplings, in your battle had I trusted for the\nsalvation of our ships. But if you are to withdraw from grievous war,\nnow indeed the day doth shine that shall see us conquered by the\nTrojans. Out on it, for verily a great marvel is this that mine eyes\nbehold, a terrible thing that methought should never come to pass, the\nTrojans advancing against our ships! Of yore they were like fleeting\nhinds, that in the wild wood are the prey of jackals, and pards, and\nwolves, and wander helpless, strengthless, empty of the joy of battle.\nEven so the Trojans of old cared never to wait and face the wrath and\nthe hands of the Achaians, not for a moment. But now they are fighting\nfar from the town, by the hollow ships, all through the baseness of our\nleader and the remissness of the people, who, being at strife with the\nchief, have no heart to defend the swift-faring ships, nay, thereby\nthey are slain. But if indeed and in truth the hero Agamemnon, the\nwide-ruling son of Atreus, is the very cause of all, for that he did\ndishonour the swift-footed son of Peleus, not even so may we refrain in\nany wise from war. Nay, let us right our fault with speed, for easily\nrighted are the hearts of the brave. No longer do ye well to refrain\nfrom impetuous might, all ye that are the best men of the host. I\nmyself would not quarrel with one that, being a weakling, abstained\nfrom war, but with you I am heartily wroth. Ah, friends, soon shall ye\nmake the mischief more through this remissness,\u2014but let each man\nconceive shame in his heart, and indignation, for verily great is the\nstrife that hath arisen. Lo, the mighty Hector of the loud war-cry is\nfighting at the ships, and the gates and the long bar he hath burst in\nsunder.\u201d\n\nOn this wise did the Earth-enfolder call to and spur on the Achaians.\nAnd straightway they made a stand around the two Aiantes, strong bands\nthat Ares himself could not enter and make light of, nor Athene that\nmarshals the host. Yea, they were the chosen best that abode the\nTrojans and goodly Hector, and spear on spear made close-set fence, and\nshield on serried shield, buckler pressed on buckler, and helm on helm,\nand man on man. The horse-hair crests on the bright helmet-ridges\ntouched each other as they nodded, so close they stood each by other,\nand spears brandished in bold hands were interlaced; and their hearts\nwere steadfast and lusted for battle.\n\nThen the Trojans drave forward in close array, and Hector led them,\npressing straight onwards, like a rolling rock from a cliff, that the\nwinter-swollen water thrusteth from the crest of a hill, having broken\nthe foundations of the stubborn rock with its wondrous flood; leaping\naloft it flies, and the wood echoes under it, and unstayed it runs its\ncourse, till it reaches the level plain, and then it rolls no more for\nall its eagerness,\u2014even so Hector for a while threatened lightly to win\nto the sea through the huts and the ships of the Achaians, slaying as\nhe came, but when he encountered the serried battalions, he was stayed\nwhen he drew near against them. But they of the other part, the sons of\nthe Achaians, thrust with their swords and double-pointed spears, and\ndrave him forth from them, that he gave ground and reeled backward.\nThen he cried with a piercing voice, calling on the Trojans: \u201cTrojans,\nand Lykians, and close-fighting Dardanians, hold your ground, for the\nAchaians will not long ward me off, nay, though they have arrayed\nthemselves in fashion like a tower. Rather, methinks, they will flee\nback before the spear, if verily the chief of gods has set me on, the\nloud-thundering lord of Hera.\u201d\n\nTherewith he spurred on the heart and spirit of each man; and\nDe\u00efphobos, the son of Priam, strode among them with high thoughts, and\nheld in front of him the circle of his shield, and lightly he stepped\nwith his feet, advancing beneath the cover of his shield. Then Meriones\naimed at him with a shining spear, and struck, and missed not, but\nsmote the circle of the bulls\u2019-hide shield, yet no whit did he pierce\nit; nay, well ere that might be, the long spear-shaft snapped in the\nsocket. Now Deiphobos was holding off from him the bulls\u2019-hide shield,\nand his heart feared the lance of wise Meriones, but that hero shrunk\nback among the throng of his comrades, greatly in wrath both for the\nloss of victory, and of his spear, that he had shivered. So he set\nforth to go to the huts and the ships of the Achaians, to bring a long\nspear, that he had left in his hut.\n\nMeanwhile the others were fighting on, and there arose an\ninextinguishable cry. First Teukros, son of Telamon, slew a man, the\nspearman Imbrios, the son of Mentor rich in horses. In Pedaion he\ndwelt, before the coming of the sons of the Achaians, and he had for\nwife a daughter of Priam, born out of wedlock, Medesikaste; but when\nthe curved ships of the Danaans came, he returned again to Ilios, and\nwas pre-eminent among the Trojans, and dwelt with Priam, who honoured\nhim like his own children. Him the son of Telemon pierced below the ear\nwith his long lance, and plucked back the spear. Then he fell like an\nash that on the crest of a far-seen hill is smitten with the axe of\nbronze, and brings its delicate foliage to the ground; even so he fell,\nand round him rang his armour bedight with bronze. Then Teukros rushed\nforth, most eager to strip his armour, and Hector cast at him as he\ncame with his shining spear. But Teukros, steadily regarding him,\navoided by a little the spear of bronze; so Hector struck Amphimachos,\nson of Kteatos, son of Aktor, in the breast with the spear, as he was\nreturning to the battle. With a crash he fell, and his armour rang upon\nhim.\n\nThen Hector sped forth to tear from the head of great-hearted\nAmphimachos the helmet closely fitted to his temples, but Aias aimed at\nHector as he came, with a shining spear, yet in no wise touched his\nbody, for he was all clad in dread armour of bronze; but he smote the\nboss of his shield, and drave him back by main force, and he gave place\nfrom behind the two dead men, and the Achaians drew them out of the\nbattle. So Stichios and goodly Menestheus, leaders of the Athenians,\nconveyed Amphimachos back among the host of the Achaians, but Imbrios\nthe two Aiantes carried, with hearts full of impetuous might. And as\nwhen two lions have snatched away a goat from sharp-toothed hounds, and\ncarry it through the deep thicket, holding the body on high above the\nground in their jaws, so the two warrior Aiantes held Imbrios aloft and\nspoiled his arms. Then the son of Oileus cut his head from his delicate\nneck, in wrath for the sake of Amphimachos, and sent it rolling like a\nball through the throng, and it dropped in the dust before the feet of\nHector.\n\nThen verily was Poseidon wroth at heart, when his son\u2019s son fell in the\nterrible fray.* So he set forth to go by the huts and the ships of the\nAchaians, to spur on the Danaans, and sorrows he was contriving for the\nTrojans. Then Idomeneus, spearman renowned, met him on his way from his\ncomrade that had but newly returned to him out of the battle, wounded\non the knee with the sharp bronze. Him his comrades carried forth, and\nIdomeneus gave charge to the leeches, and so went on to his hut, for he\nstill was eager to face the war. Then the mighty Shaker of the earth\naddressed him, in the voice of Thoas, son of Andraimon, that ruled over\nthe Aitolians in all Pleuron, and mountainous Kalydon, and was honoured\nlike a god by the people: \u201cIdomeneus, thou counsellor of the Cretans,\nsay, whither have thy threats fared, wherewith the sons of the Achaians\nthreatened the Trojans?\u201d\n\n* Kteatos, father of Amphimachos, was Poseidon\u2019s son.\n\n\nThen Idomeneus, leader of the Cretans, answered him again: \u201cO Thaos,\nnow is there no man to blame, that I wot of, for we all are skilled in\nwar. Neither is there any man that spiritless fear holds aloof, nor any\nthat gives place to cowardice, and shuns the cruel war, nay, but even\nthus, methinks, must it have seemed good to almighty Kronion, even that\nthe Achaians should perish nameless here, far away from Argos. But\nThoas, seeing that of old thou wert staunch, and dost spur on some\nother man, wheresoever thou mayst see any give ground, therefore\nslacken not now, but call aloud to every warrior.\u201d\n\nThen Poseidon, the Shaker of the earth, answered him again: \u201cIdomeneus,\nnever may that man go forth out of Troy-land, but here may he be the\nsport of dogs, who this day wilfully is slack in battle. Nay, come,\ntake thy weapons and away: herein we must play the man together, if any\navail there may be, though we are no more than two. Ay, and very\ncowards get courage from company, but we twain know well how to battle\neven with the brave.\u201d\n\nTherewith the god went back again into the strife of men, but\nIdomeneus, so soon as he came to his well-builded hut, did on his fair\narmour about his body, and grasped two spears, and set forth like the\nlightning that Kronion seizes in his hand and brandishes from radiant\nOlympus, showing forth a sign to mortal men, and far seen are the\nflames thereof. Even so shone the bronze about the breast of Idomeneus\nas he ran, and Meriones, his good squire, met him, while he was still\nnear his hut,\u2014he was going to bring his spear of bronze,\u2014and mighty\nIdomeneus spake to him: \u201cMeriones son of Molos, fleet of foot, dearest\nof my company, wherefore hast thou come hither and left the war and\nstrife? Art thou wounded at all, and vexed by a dart\u2019s point, or dost\nthou come with a message for me concerning aught? Verily I myself have\nno desire to sit in the huts, but to fight.\u201d\n\nThen wise Meriones answered him again, saying: \u201c[Idomeneus, thou\ncounsellor of the mail-clad Cretans,] I have come to fetch a spear, if\nperchance thou hast one left in the huts, for that which before I\ncarried I have shivered in casting at the shield of proud Deiphobos.\u201d\n\nThen Idomeneus, leader of the Cretans, answered him again: \u201cSpears, if\nthou wilt, thou shalt find, one, ay, and twenty, standing in the hut,\nagainst the shining side walls, spears of the Trojans whereof I have\nspoiled their slain. Yea, it is not my mood to stand and fight with\nfoemen from afar, wherefore I have spears, and bossy shields, and\nhelms, and corslets of splendid sheen.\u201d\n\nThen wise Meriones answered him again: \u201cYea, and in mine own hut and my\nblack ship are many spoils of the Trojans, but not ready to my hand.\nNay, for methinks that neither am I forgetful of valour; but stand\nforth among the foremost to face the glorious war, whensoever ariseth\nthe strife of battle. Any other, methinks, of the mail-clad Achaians\nshould sooner forget my prowess, but thou art he that knoweth it.\u201d\n\nThen Idomeneus, leader of the Cretans, answered him again: \u201cI know what\na man of valour thou art, wherefore shouldst thou tell me thereof? Nay,\nif now beside the ships all the best of us were being chosen for an\nambush\u2014wherein the valour of men is best discerned; there the coward,\nand the brave man most plainly declare themselves: for the colour of\nthe coward changes often, and his spirit cannot abide firm within him,\nbut now he kneels on one knee, now on the other, and rests on either\nfoot, and his heart beats noisily in his breast, as he thinks of doom,\nand his teeth chatter loudly. But the colour of the brave man does not\nchange, nor is he greatly afraid, from the moment that he enters the\nambush of heroes, but his prayer is to mingle instantly in woful war.\nWere we being chosen for such an ambush, I say, not even then would any\nman reckon lightly of thy courage and thy strength. Nay, and even if\nthou wert stricken in battle from afar, or smitten in close fight, the\ndart would not strike thee in the hinder part of the neck, nor in the\nback, but would encounter thy breast or belly, as thou dost press on,\ntowards the gathering of the foremost fighters. But come, no more let\nus talk thus, like children, loitering here, lest any man be vehemently\nwroth, but go thou to the hut, and bring the strong spear.\u201d\n\nThus he spake, and Meriones, the peer of swift Ares, quickly bare the\nspear of bronze from the hut, and went after Idomeneus, with high\nthoughts of battle. And even as Ares, the bane of men, goes forth into\nthe war, and with him follows his dear son Panic, stark and fearless,\nthat terrifies even the hardy warrior; and these twain leave Thrace,\nand harness them for fight with the Ephyri, or the great-hearted\nPhlegyans, yet hearken not to both peoples, but give honour to one\nonly; like these gods did Meriones and Idomeneus, leaders of men, set\nforth into the fight, harnessed in gleaming bronze. And Meriones spake\nfirst to Idomeneus saying: \u201cChild of Deukalion, whither art thou eager\nto enter into the throng: on the right of all the host, or in the\ncentre, or on the left? Ay, and no other where, methinks, are the\nflowing-haired Achaians so like to fail in fight.\u201d\n\nThen Idomeneus, the leader of the Cretans, answered him again: \u201cIn the\ncentre of the ships there are others to bear the brunt, the two\nAiantes, and Teukros, the best bowman of the Achaians, ay, and a good\nman in close fight; these will give Hector Priam\u2019s son toil enough,\nhowsoever keen he be for battle; yea, though he be exceeding stalwart.\nHard will he find it, with all his lust for war, to overcome their\nstrength and their hands invincible, and to fire the ships, unless\nKronion himself send down on the swift ships a burning brand. But not\nto a man would he yield, the great Telamonian Aias, to a man that is\nmortal and eateth Demeter\u2019s grain, and may be cloven with the sword of\nbronze, and with hurling of great stones. Nay, not even to Achilles the\nbreaker of the ranks of men would he give way, not in close fight; but\nfor speed of foot none may in any wise strive with Achilles. But guide\nus twain, as thou sayest, to the left hand of the host, that speedily\nwe may learn whether we are to win glory from others, or other men from\nus.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and Meriones, the peer of swift Ares, led the way, till\nthey came to the host, in that place whither he bade him go.\n\nAnd when the Trojans saw Idomeneus, strong as flame, and his squire\nwith him, and their glorious armour, they all shouted and made for him\nthrough the press. Then their mellay began, by the sterns of the ships.\nAnd as the gusts speed on, when shrill winds blow, on a day when dust\nlies thickest on the roads, and the winds raise together a great cloud\nof dust, even so their battle clashed together, and all were fain of\nheart to slay each other in the press with the keen bronze. And the\nbattle, the bane of men, bristled with the long spears, the piercing\nspears they grasped, and the glitter of bronze from gleaming helmets\ndazzled the eyes, and the sheen of new-burnished corslets, and shining\nshields, as the men thronged all together. Right hardy of heart would\nhe have been that joyed and sorrowed not at the sight of this labour of\nbattle.\n\nThus the two mighty sons of Kronos, with contending will, were\ncontriving sorrow and anguish for the heroes. Zeus desired victory for\nthe Trojans and Hector, giving glory to swift-footed Achilles; yet he\ndid not wish the Achaian host to perish utterly before Ilios, but only\nto give renown to Thetis and her strong-hearted son. But Poseidon went\namong the Argives and stirred them to war, stealing secretly forth from\nthe grey salt sea: for he was sore vexed that they were overcome by the\nTrojans, and was greatly in wrath against Zeus. Verily both were of the\nsame lineage and the same place of birth, but Zeus was the elder and\nthe wiser. Therefore also Poseidon avoided to give open aid, but\nsecretly ever he spurred them on, throughout the host, in the likeness\nof a man. These twain had strained the ends of the cords of strong\nstrife and equal war, and had stretched them over both Trojans and\nAchaians, a knot that none might break nor undo, for the loosening of\nthe knees of many.\n\nEven then Idomeneus, though his hair was flecked with grey, called on\nthe Danaans, and leaping among the Trojans, roused their terror. For he\nslew Othryoneus of Kabesos, a sojourner there, who but lately had\nfollowed after the rumour of war, and asked in marriage the fairest of\nthe daughters of Priam, Kassandra, without gifts of wooing, but with\npromise of mighty deed, namely that he would drive perforce out of\nTroy-land the sons of the Achaians. To him the old man Priam promised\nand appointed that he would give her, so he fought trusting in his\npromises. And Idomeneus aimed at him with a bright spear, and cast and\nsmote him as he came proudly striding on, and the corslet of bronze\nthat he wore availed not, but the lance struck in the midst of his\nbelly. And he fell with a crash, and Idomeneus boasted over him, and\nlifted up his voice, saying: \u201cOthryoneus, verily I praise thee above\nall mortal men, if indeed thou shalt accomplish all that thou hast\npromised to Priam, son of Dardanos, that promised thee again his own\ndaughter. Yea, and we likewise would promise as much to thee, and\nfulfil it, and would give thee the fairest daughter of the son of\nAtreus, and bring her from Argos, and wed her to thee, if only thou\nwilt aid us to take the fair-set citadel of Ilios. Nay, follow us that\nwe may make a covenant of marriage by the seafaring ships, for we are\nno hard exacters of gifts of wooing.\u201d\n\nTherewith the hero Idomeneus dragged him by the foot across the fierce\nmellay. But Asios came to his aid, on foot before his horses that the\ncharioteer guided so that still their breath touched the shoulders of\nAsios. And the desire of his heart was to cast at Idomeneus, who was\nbeforehand with him, and smote him with the spear in the throat, below\nthe chin, and drove the point straight through. And he fell as an oak\nfalls, or a poplar, or tall pine tree, that craftsmen have felled on\nthe hills with new whetted axes, to be a ship\u2019s timber, even so he lay\nstretched out before the horses and the chariot, groaning, and\nclutching the bloody dust. And the charioteer was amazed, and kept not\nhis wits, as of old, and dared not turn his horses and avoid out of the\nhands of foemen; and Antilochos the steadfast in war smote him, and\npierced the middle of his body with a spear. Nothing availed the\ncorslet of bronze he was wont to wear, but he planted the spear fast in\nthe midst of his belly. Therewith he fell gasping from the well-wrought\nchariot, and Antilochos, the son of great-hearted Nestor, drave the\nhorses out from the Trojans, among the well-greaved Achaians. Then\nDeiphobos, in sorrow for Asios, drew very nigh Idomeneus, and cast at\nhim with his shining spear. But Idomeneus steadily watching him,\navoided the spear of bronze, being hidden beneath the circle of his\nshield, the shield covered about with ox-hide and gleaming bronze, that\nhe always bore, fitted with two arm-rods: under this he crouched\ntogether, and the spear of bronze flew over. And his shield rang\nsharply, as the spear grazed thereon. Yet it flew not vainly from the\nheavy hand of Deiphobos, but smote Hypsenor, son of Hippasos, the\nshepherd of the hosts, in the liver, beneath the midriff, and instantly\nunstrung his knees. And Deiphobos boasted over him terribly, crying\naloud: \u201cAh, verily, not unavenged lies Asios, nay, methinks, that even\non his road to Hades, strong Warden of the gate, he will rejoice at\nheart, since, lo, I have sent him escort for the way!\u201d\n\nSo spake he, but grief came on the Argives by reason of his boast, and\nstirred above all the soul of the wise-hearted Antilochos, yet, despite\nhis sorrow, he was not heedless of his dear comrade, but ran and stood\nover him, and covered him with his buckler. Then two trusty companions,\nMekisteus, son of Echios, and goodly Alastor, stooped down and lifted\nhim, and with heavy groaning bare him to the hollow ships.\n\nAnd Idomeneus relaxed not his mighty force, but ever was striving,\neither to cover some one of the Trojans with black night, or himself to\nfall in warding off death from the Achaians. There the dear son of\nAisyetes, fosterling of Zeus, even the hero Alkathoos, was slain, who\nwas son-in-law of Anchises, and had married the eldest of his\ndaughters, Hippodameia, whom her father and her lady mother dearly\nloved in the halls, for she excelled all the maidens of her age in\nbeauty, and skill, and in wisdom, wherefore the best man in wide Troy\ntook her to wife. This Alkathoos did Poseidon subdue to Idomeneus,\nthrowing a spell over his shining eyes, and snaring his glorious limbs;\nso that he might neither flee backwards, nor avoid the stroke, but\nstood steady as a pillar, or a tree with lofty crown of leaves, when\nthe hero Idomeneus smote him in the midst of the breast with the spear,\nand rent the coat of bronze about him, that aforetime warded death from\nhis body, but now rang harsh as it was rent by the spear. And he fell\nwith a crash, and the lance fixed in his heart, that, still beating,\nshook the butt-end of the spear. Then at length mighty Ares spent its\nfury there; but Idomeneus boasted terribly, and cried aloud:\n\u201cDeiphobos, are we to deem it fair acquittal that we have slain three\nmen for one, since thou boastest thus? Nay, sir, but stand thou up also\nthyself against me, that thou mayst know what manner of son of Zeus am\nI that have come hither! For Zeus first begat Minos, the warden of\nCrete, and Minos got him a son, the noble Deukalion, and Deukalion\nbegat me, a prince over many men in wide Crete, and now have the ships\nbrought me hither, a bane to thee and thy father, and all the Trojans.\u201d\n\nThus he spake, but the thoughts of Deiphobos were divided, whether he\nshould retreat, and call to his aid some one of the great-hearted\nTrojans, or should try the adventure alone. And on this wise to his\nmind it seemed the better, to go after Aineias, whom he found standing\nthe last in the press, for Aineias was ever wroth against goodly Priam,\nfor that Priam gave him no honour, despite his valour among men. So\nDeiphobos stood by him, and spake winged words to him: \u201cAineias, thou\ncounsellor of the Trojans, now verily there is great need that thou\nshouldst succour thy sister\u2019s husband, if any care for kin doth touch\nthee. Nay follow, let us succour Alkathoos, thy sister\u2019s husband, who\nof old did cherish thee in his hall, while thou wert but a little one,\nand now, lo, spear-famed Idomeneus hath stripped him of his arms!\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and roused the spirit in the breast of Aineias, who went\nto seek Idomeneus, with high thoughts of war. But fear took not hold\nupon Idomeneus, as though he had been some tender boy, but he stood at\nbay, like a boar on the hills that trusteth to his strength, and abides\nthe great assailing throng of men in a lonely place, and he bristles up\nhis back, and his eyes shine with fire, while he whets his tusks, and\nis right eager to keep at bay both men and hounds. Even so stood\nspear-famed Idomeneus at bay against Aineias, that came to the rescue,\nand gave ground no whit, but called on his comrades, glancing to\nAskalaphos, and Aphareus, and Deipyros, and Meriones, and Antilochos,\nall masters of the war-cry; them he spurred up to battle, and spake\nwinged words: \u201cHither, friends, and rescue me, all alone as I am, and\nterribly I dread the onslaught of swift-footed Aineias, that is\nassailing me; for he is right strong to destroy men in battle, and he\nhath the flower of youth, the greatest avail that may be. Yea, if he\nand I were of like age, and in this spirit whereof now we are, speedily\nshould he or I achieve high victory.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and they all, being of one spirit in their hearts, stood\nhard by each other, with buckler laid on shoulder. But Aineias, on the\nother side, cried to his comrades, glancing to Deiphobos, and Paris,\nand noble Agenor, that with him were leaders of the Trojans; and then\nthe hosts followed them, as sheep follow their leader to the water from\nthe pasture, and the shepherd is glad at heart; even so the heart of\nAineias was glad in his breast, when he saw the hosts of the people\nfollowing to aid him.\n\nThen they rushed in close fight around Alkathoos with their long\nspears, and round their breasts the bronze rang terribly, as they aimed\nat each other in the press, while two men of war beyond the rest,\nAineias and Idomeneus, the peers of Ares, were each striving to hew the\nflesh of the other with the pitiless bronze. Now Aineias first cast at\nIdomeneus, who steadily watching him avoided the spear of bronze, and\nthe point of Aineias went quivering in the earth, since vainly it had\nflown from his stalwart hand. But Idomeneus smote Oinomaos in the midst\nof the belly, and brake the plate of his corslet, and the bronze let\nforth the bowels through the corslet, and he fell in the dust and\nclutched the earth in his palms. And Idomeneus drew forth the\nfar-shadowing spear from the dead, but could not avail to strip the\nrest of the fair armour from his shoulders, for the darts pressed hard\non him. Nay, and his feet no longer served him firmly in a charge, nor\ncould he rush after his own spear, nor avoid the foe. Wherefore in\nclose fight he still held off the pitiless day of destiny, but in\nretreat his feet no longer bore him swiftly from the battle. And as he\nwas slowly departing, Deiphobos aimed at him with his shining spear,\nfor, verily he ever cherished a steadfast hatred against Idomeneus. But\nthis time, too, he missed him, and smote Askalaphos, the son of\nEnyalios, with his dart, and the strong spear passed through his\nshoulder, and he fell in the dust, and clutched the earth in his\noutstretched hand. But loud-voiced awful Ares was not yet aware at all\nthat his son had fallen in strong battle, but he was reclining on the\npeak of Olympus, beneath the golden clouds, being held there by the\ndesign of Zeus, where also were the other deathless gods, restrained\nfrom the war.\n\nNow the people rushed in close fight around Askalaphos, and Deiphobos\ntore from Askalaphos his shining helm, but Meriones, the peer of swift\nAres, leaped forward and smote the arm of Deiphobos with his spear, and\nfrom his hand the vizored casque fell clanging to the ground. And\nMeriones sprang forth instantly, like a vulture, and drew the strong\nspear from the shoulder of Deiphobos, and fell back among the throng of\nhis comrades. But the own brother of Deiphobos, Polites, stretched his\nhands round his waist, and led him forth from the evil din of war, even\ntill he came to the swift horses, that waited for him behind the battle\nand the fight, with their charioteer, and well-dight chariot. These\nbore him heavily groaning to the city, worn with his hurt, and the\nblood ran down from his newly wounded arm.\n\nBut the rest still were fighting, and the war-cry rose unquenched.\nThere Aineias rushed on Aphareus, son of Kaletor, and struck his\nthroat, that chanced to be turned to him, with the keen spear, and his\nhead dropped down and his shield and helm fell with him, and death that\nslays the spirit overwhelmed him. And Antilochos watched Thoon as he\nturned the other way, and leaped on him, and wounded him, severing all\nthe vein that runs up the back till it reaches the neck; this he\nsevered clean, and Thoon fell on his back in the dust, stretching out\nboth his hands to his comrades dear. Then Antilochos rushed on, and\nstripped the armour from his shoulders, glancing around while the\nTrojans gathered from here and there, and smote his wide shining\nshield, yet did not avail to graze, behind the shield, the delicate\nflesh of Antilochos with the pitiless bronze. For verily Poseidon, the\nShaker of the earth, did guard on every side the son of Nestor, even in\nthe midst of the javelins. And never did Antilochos get free of the\nfoe, but turned him about among them, nor ever was his spear at rest,\nbut always brandished and shaken, and the aim of his heart was to smite\na foeman from afar, or to set on him at close quarters. But as he was\naiming through the crowd, he escaped not the ken of Adamas, son of\nAsios, who smote the midst of his shield with the sharp bronze, setting\non nigh at hand; but Poseidon of the dark locks made his shaft of no\navail, grudging him the life of Antilochos. And part of the spear abode\nthere, like a burned stake, in the shield of Antilochos, and half lay\non the earth, and back retreated Adamas to the ranks of his comrades,\navoiding Fate. But Meriones following after him as he departed, smote\nhim with a spear between the privy parts and the navel, where a wound\nis most baneful to wretched mortals. Even there he fixed the spear in\nhim and he fell, and writhed about the spear, even as a bull that\nherdsmen on the hills drag along perforce when they have bound him with\nwithes, so he when he was smitten writhed for a moment, not for long,\ntill the hero Meriones came near, and drew the spear out of his body.\nAnd darkness covered his eyes.\n\nAnd Helenos in close fight smote Deipyros on the temple, with a great\nThracian sword, and tore away the helm, and the helm, being dislodged,\nfell on the ground, and one of the Achaians in the fight picked it up\nas it rolled between his feet. But dark night covered the eyes of\nDeipyros.\n\nThen grief took hold of the son of Atreus, Menelaos of the loud\nwar-cry, and he went with a threat against the warrior Helenos, the\nprince, shaking his sharp spear, while the other drew the centre-piece\nof his bow. And both at once were making ready to let fly, one with his\nsharp spear, the other with the arrow from the string. Then the son of\nPriam smote Menelaos on the breast with his arrow, on the plate of the\ncorslet, and off flew the bitter arrow. Even as from a broad shovel in\na great threshing floor, fly the black-skinned beans and pulse, before\nthe whistling wind, and the stress of the winnower\u2019s shovel, even so\nfrom the corslet of the renowned Menelaos flew glancing far aside the\nbitter arrow. But the son of Atreus, Menelaos of the loud war-cry,\nsmote the hand of Helenos wherein he held the polished bow, and into\nthe bow, clean through the hand, was driven the spear of bronze. Back\nhe withdrew to the ranks of his comrades, avoiding Fate, with his hand\nhanging down at his side, for the ashen spear dragged after him. And\nthe great-hearted Agenor drew the spear from his hand, and himself\nbound up the hand with a band of twisted sheep\u2019s-wool, a sling that a\nsquire carried for him, the shepherd of the host.\n\nThen Peisandros made straight for renowned Menelaos, but an evil Fate\nwas leading him to the end of Death; by thee, Menelaos, to be overcome\nin the dread strife of battle. Now when the twain had come nigh in\nonset upon each other, the son of Atreus missed, and his spear was\nturned aside, but Peisandros smote the shield of renowned Menelaos, yet\navailed not to drive the bronze clean through, for the wide shield\ncaught it, and the spear brake in the socket, yet Peisandros rejoiced\nin his heart, and hoped for the victory. But the son of Atreus drew his\nsilver-studded sword, and leaped upon Peisandros. And Peisandros, under\nhis shield, clutched his goodly axe of fine bronze, with long and\npolished haft of olive-wood, and the twain set upon each other. Then\nPeisandros smote the crest of the helmet shaded with horse hair, close\nbelow the very plume, but Menelaos struck the other, as he came\nforward, on the brow, above the base of the nose, and the bones\ncracked, and the eyes, all bloody, fell at his feet in the dust. Then\nhe bowed and fell, and Menelaos set his foot on his breast, and\nstripped him of his arms, and triumphed, saying: \u201cEven thus then\nsurely, ye will leave the ships of the Danaans of the swift steeds, ye\nTrojans overweening, insatiate of the dread din of war. Yea, and ye\nshall not lack all other reproof and shame, wherewith ye made me\nashamed, ye hounds of evil, having no fear in your hearts of the strong\nwrath of loud-thundering Zeus, the god of guest and host, who one day\nwill destroy your steep citadel. O ye that wantonly carried away my\nwedded wife and many of my possessions, when ye were entertained by\nher, now again ye are fain to throw ruinous fire on the seafaring\nships, and to slay the Achaian heroes. Nay, but ye will yet refrain you\nfrom battle, for as eager as ye be. O father Zeus, verily they say that\nthou dost excel in wisdom all others, both gods and men, and all these\nthings are from thee. How wondrously art thou favouring men of\nviolence, even the Trojans, whose might is ever iniquitous, nor can\nthey have their fill of the din of equal war. Of all things there is\nsatiety, yea, even of love and sleep, and of sweet song, and dance\ndelectable, whereof a man would sooner have his fill than of war, but\nthe Trojans are insatiable of battle.\u201d\n\nThus noble Menelaos spake, and stripped the bloody arms from the body,\nand gave them to his comrades, and instantly himself went forth again,\nand mingled in the forefront of the battle. Then Harpalion, the son of\nking Pylaimenes, leaped out against him, Harpalion that followed his\ndear father to Troy, to the war, nor ever came again to his own\ncountry. He then smote the middle of the shield of Atreus\u2019 son with his\nspear, in close fight, yet availed not to drive the bronze clean\nthrough, but fell back into the host of his comrades, avoiding Fate,\nglancing round every way, lest one should wound his flesh with the\nbronze. But Meriones shot at him as he retreated with a bronze-shod\narrow, and smote him in the right buttock, and the arrow went right\nthrough the bladder and came out under the bone. And sitting down, even\nthere, in the arms of his dear comrades, he breathed away his soul,\nlying stretched like a worm on the earth, and out flowed the black\nblood, and wetted the ground. And the Paphlagonians great of heart,\ntended him busily, and set him in a chariot, and drove him to sacred\nIlios sorrowing, and with them went his father, shedding tears, and\nthere was no atonement for his dead son.\n\nNow Paris was very wroth at heart by reason of his slaying, for he had\nbeen his host among the many Paphlagonions, wherefore, in wrath for his\nsake, he let fly a bronze-shod arrow. Now there was a certain Euchenor,\nthe son of Polyidos the seer, a rich man and a good, whose dwelling was\nin Corinth. And well he knew his own ruinous fate, when he went on\nship-board, for often would the old man, the good Polyidos, tell him,\nthat he must either perish of a sore disease in his halls, or go with\nthe ships of the Achaians, and be overcome by the Trojans. Wherefore he\navoided at once the heavy war-fine of the Achaians, and the hateful\ndisease, that so he might not know any anguish. This man did Paris\nsmite beneath the jaw and under the ear, and swiftly his spirit\ndeparted from his limbs, and, lo, dread darkness overshadowed him.\n\nSo they fought like flaming fire, but Hector, beloved of Zeus, had not\nheard nor knew at all that, on the left of the ships, his host was\nbeing subdued by the Argives, and soon would the Achaians have won\nrenown, so mighty was the Holder and Shaker of the earth that urged on\nthe Argives; yea, and himself mightily defended them. But Hector kept\nwhere at first he had leaped within the walls and the gate, and broken\nthe serried ranks of shield-bearing Danaans, even where were the ships\nof Aias and Protesilaos, drawn up on the beach of the hoary sea, while\nabove the wall was builded lowest, and thereby chiefly the heroes and\ntheir horses were raging in battle.\n\nThere the Boiotians, and Ionians with trailing tunics, and Lokrians and\nPhthians and illustrious Epeians scarcely availed to stay his onslaught\non the ships, nor yet could they drive back from them noble Hector,\nlike a flame of fire. And there were the picked men of the Athenians;\namong them Menestheus son of Peteos was the leader; and there followed\nwith him Pheidas and Stichios, and brave Bias, while the Epeians were\nled by Meges, son of Phyleus, and Amphion and Drakios, and in front of\nthe Phthians were Medon, and Podarkes resolute in war. Now the one,\nMedon, was the bastard son of noble Oileus, and brother of Aias, and he\ndwelt in Phylake, far from his own country, for that he had slain a\nman, the brother of his stepmother Eriopis, wife of Oileus. But the\nother, Podarkes, was the son of Iphiklos son of Phylakos, and they in\ntheir armour, in the van of the great-hearted Phthians, were defending\nthe ships, and fighting among the Boiotians.\n\nNow never at all did Aias, the swift son of Oileus, depart from the\nside of Aias, son of Telamon, nay, not for an instant, but even as in\nfallow land two wine-dark oxen with equal heart strain at the shapen\nplough, and round the roots of their horns springeth up abundant sweat,\nand nought sunders them but the polished yoke, as they labour through\nthe furrow, till the end of the furrow brings them up, so stood the two\nAiantes close by each other. Now verily did many and noble hosts of his\ncomrades follow with the son of Telamon, and bore his shield when\nlabour and sweat came upon his limbs. But the Lokrians followed not\nwith the high-hearted son of Oileus, for their hearts were not\nsteadfast in close brunt of battle, seeing that they had no helmets of\nbronze, shadowy with horse-hair plumes, nor round shields, nor ashen\nspears, but trusting in bows and well-twisted slings of sheep\u2019s wool,\nthey followed with him to Ilios. Therewith, in the war, they shot thick\nand fast, and brake the ranks of the Trojans. So the one party in\nfront, with their well-dight arms contended with the Trojans, and with\nHector arrayed in bronze, while the others from behind kept shooting\nfrom their ambush, and the Trojans lost all memory of the joy of\nbattle, for the arrows confounded them.\n\nThere then right ruefully from the ships and the huts would the Trojans\nhave withdrawn to windy Ilios, had not Polydamas come near valiant\nHector and said: \u201cHector, thou art hard to be persuaded by them that\nwould counsel thee; for that god has given thee excellence in the works\nof war, therefore in council also thou art fain to excel other men in\nknowledge. But in nowise wilt thou be able to take everything on\nthyself. For to one man has god given for his portion the works of war,\n[to another the dance, to another the lute and song,] but in the heart\nof yet another hath far-seeing Zeus placed an excellent understanding,\nwhereof many men get gain, yea he saveth many an one, and himself best\nknoweth it. But, lo, I will speak even as it seemeth best to me. Behold\nall about thee the circle of war is blazing, but the great-hearted\nTrojans, now that they have got down the wall, are some with their arms\nstanding aloof and some are fighting, few men against a host, being\nscattered among the ships. Nay, withdraw thee, and call hither all the\nbest of the warriors. Thereafter shall we take all counsel carefully,\nwhether we should fall on the ships of many benches, if indeed god\nwilleth to give us victory, or after counsel held, should return\nunharmed from the ships. For verily I fear lest the Achaians repay\ntheir debt of yesterday, since by the ships there tarrieth a man\ninsatiate of war, and never, methinks, will he wholly stand aloof from\nbattle.\u201d\n\nSo spake Polydamas, and his safe counsel pleased Hector well, who\n[straightaway sprang to earth from the chariot with his arms, and]\nspake to him winged words and said: \u201cPolydamas, do thou stay here all\nthe best of the host, but I will go thither to face the war, and\nswiftly will return again, when I have straitly laid on them my\ncommands.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and set forth, in semblance like a snowy mountain, and\nshouting aloud he flew through the Trojans and allies. And they all\nsped to Polydamas, the kindly son of Panthoos, when they heard the\nvoice of Hector. But he went seeking Deiphobos, and the strong prince\nHelenos, and Adamas son of Asios, and Asios son of Hyrtakos, among the\nwarriors in the foremost line, if anywhere he might find them. But them\nhe found not at all unharmed, nor free of bane, but, lo, some among the\nsterns of the ships of the Achaians lay lifeless, slain by the hands of\nthe Argives, and some were within the wall wounded by thrust or cast.\nBut one he readily found, on the left of the dolorous battle, goodly\nAlexandros, the lord of fair-tressed Helen, heartening his comrades and\nspeeding them to war. And he drew near to him, and addressed him with\nwords of shame: \u201cThou evil Paris, fairest of face, thou that lustest\nfor women, thou seducer, where, prithee, are Deiphobos, and the strong\nprince Helenos, and Adamas son of Asios, and Asios son of Hyrtakos, and\nwhere is Othryoneus? Now hath all high Ilios perished utterly. Now,\ntoo, thou seest, is sheer destruction sure.\u201d\n\nThen godlike Alexandros answered him again saying: \u201cHector, since thy\nmind is to blame one that is blameless, some other day might I rather\nwithdraw me from the war, since my mother bare not even me wholly a\ncoward. For from the time that thou didst gather the battle of thy\ncomrades about the ships, from that hour do we abide here, and war with\nthe Danaans ceaselessly; and our comrades concerning whom thou\ninquirest are slain. Only Deiphobos and the strong prince Helenos have\nboth withdrawn, both of them being wounded in the hand with long\nspears, for Kronion kept death away from them. But now lead on,\nwheresoever thy heart and spirit bid thee, and we will follow with thee\neagerly, nor methinks shall we lack for valour, as far as we have\nstrength; but beyond his strength may no man fight, howsoever eager he\nbe.\u201d\n\nSo spake the hero, and persuaded his brother\u2019s heart, and they went\nforth where the war and din were thickest, round Kebriones, and noble\nPolydamas, and Phalkes, and Orthaios, and godlike Polyphetes, and\nPalmys, and Askanios, and Morys, son of Hippotion, who had come in\ntheir turn, out of deep-soiled Askanie, on the morn before, and now\nZeus urged them to fight. And these set forth like the blast of violent\nwinds, that rushes earthward beneath the thunder of father Zeus, and\nwith marvellous din doth mingle with the salt sea, and therein are many\nswelling waves of the loud roaring sea, arched over and white with\nfoam, some vanward, others in the rear; even so the Trojans arrayed in\nvan and rear and shining with bronze, followed after their leaders. And\nHector son of Priam was leading them, the peer of Ares, the bane of\nmen. In front he held the circle of his shield, thick with hides, and\nplates of beaten bronze, and on his temples swayed his shining helm.\nAnd everywhere he went in advance and made trial of the ranks, if\nperchance they would yield to him as he charged under cover of his\nshield. But he could not confound the heart within the breast of the\nAchaians. And Aias, stalking with long strides, challenged him first:\n\u201cSir, draw nigh, wherefore dost thou vainly try to dismay the Argives?\nWe are in no wise ignorant of war, but by the cruel scourge of Zeus are\nwe Achaians vanquished. Surely now thy heart hopes utterly to spoil the\nships, but we too have hands presently to hold our own. Verily your\npeopled city will long ere that beneath our hands be taken and sacked.\nBut for thee, I tell thee that the time is at hand, when thou shalt\npray in thy flight to father Zeus, and the other immortal gods, that\nthy fair-maned steeds may be fleeter than falcons: thy steeds that are\nto bear thee to the city, as they storm in dust across the plain.\u201d\n\nAnd even as he spake, a bird flew forth on the right hand, an eagle of\nlofty flight, and the host of the Achaians shouted thereat, encouraged\nby the omen, but renowned Hector answered: \u201cAias, thou blundering\nboaster, what sayest thou! Would that indeed I were for ever as surely\nthe son of aegis-bearing Zeus, and that my mother were lady Hera, and\nthat I were held in such honour as Apollo and Athene, as verily this\nday is to bring utter evil on all the Argives! And thou among them\nshalt be slain, if thou hast the heart to await my long spear, which\nshall rend thy lily skin, and thou shalt glut with thy fat and flesh\nthe birds and dogs of the Trojans, falling among the ships of the\nAchaians.\u201d\n\nSo he spake and led the way, and they followed with wondrous din, and\nthe whole host shouted behind. And the Argives on the other side\nanswered with a shout, and forgot not their valiance, but abode the\nonslaught of the bravest of the Trojans. And the cry of the two hosts\nwent up through the higher air, to the splendour of Zeus.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XIV.\n\n\nHow Sleep and Hera beguiled Zeus to slumber on the heights of Ida, and\nPoseidon spurred on the Achaians to resist Hector, and how Hector was\nwounded.\n\n\nYet the cry of battle escaped not Nestor, albeit at his wine, but he\nspake winged words to the son of Asklepios: \u201cBethink thee, noble\nMachaon, what had best be done; lo, louder waxes the cry of the strong\nwarriors by the ships. Nay, now sit where thou art, and drink the\nbright wine, till Hekamede of the fair tresses shall heat warm water\nfor the bath, and wash away the clotted blood, but I will speedily go\nforth and come to a place of outlook.\u201d\n\nTherewith he took the well-wrought shield of his son, horse-taming\nThrasymedes, which was lying in the hut, all glistering with bronze,\nfor the son had the shield of his father. And he seized a strong spear,\nwith a point of keen bronze, and stood outside the hut, and straightway\nbeheld a deed of shame, the Achaians fleeing in rout, and the\nhigh-hearted Trojans driving them, and the wall of the Achaians was\noverthrown. And as when the great sea is troubled with a dumb wave, and\ndimly bodes the sudden paths of the shrill winds, but is still unmoved\nnor yet rolled forward or to either side, until some steady gale comes\ndown from Zeus, even so the old man pondered,\u2014his mind divided this way\nand that,\u2014whether he should fare into the press of the Danaans of the\nswift steeds, or go after Agamemnon, son of Atreus, shepherd of the\nhost. And thus as he pondered, it seemed to him the better counsel to\ngo to the son of Atreus. Meanwhile they were warring and slaying each\nother, and the stout bronze rang about their bodies as they were thrust\nwith swords and double-pointed spears.\n\nNow the kings, the fosterlings of Zeus, encountered Nestor, as they\nwent up from the ships, even they that were wounded with the bronze,\nTydeus\u2019 son, and Odysseus, and Agamemnon, son of Atreus. For far apart\nfrom the battle were their ships drawn up, on the shore of the grey\nsea, for these were the first they had drawn up to the plain, but had\nbuilded the wall in front of the hindmost. For in no wise might the\nbeach, for as wide as it was, hold all the ships, and the host was\nstraitened. Wherefore they drew up the ships row within row, and filled\nup the wide mouth of all the shore that the headlands held between\nthem. Therefore the kings were going together, leaning on their spears,\nto look on the war and fray, and the heart of each was sore within his\nbreast. And the old man met them, even Nestor, and caused the spirit to\nfail within the breasts of the Achaians.\n\nAnd mighty Agamemnon spake and accosted him: \u201cO Nestor, son of Neleus,\ngreat glory of the Achaians, wherefore dost thou come hither and hast\ndeserted the war, the bane of men? Lo, I fear the accomplishment of the\nword that dread Hector spake, and the threat wherewith he threatened\nus, speaking in the assembly of the Trojans, namely, that never would\nhe return to Ilios from the ships, till he had burned the ships with\nfire, and slain the men. Even so he spake, and, lo, now all these\nthings are being fulfilled. Alas, surely even the other well-greaved\nAchaians store wrath against me in their hearts, like Achilles, and\nhave no desire to fight by the rearmost ships.\u201d\n\nThen Nestor of Gerenia the knight answered him saying \u201cVerily these\nthings are now at hand, and being accomplished, nor otherwise could\nZeus himself contrive them, he that thundereth on high. For, lo, the\nwall is overthrown, wherein we trusted that it should be an unbroken\nbulwark of the ships and of our own bodies. And these men by the swift\nships have endless battle without sparing, and no more couldst thou\ntell, howsoever closely thou mightst spy, from what side the Achaians\nare driven in rout, so confusedly are they slain, and the cry of battle\ngoeth up to heaven. But let us take counsel, how these things may best\nbe done, if wit may do aught: but into the war I counsel not that we\nshould go down, for in no wise may a wounded man do battle.\u201d\n\nThen Agamemnon king of men answered him again: \u201cNestor, for that they\nare warring by the rearmost ships, and the well-builded wall hath\navailed not, nor the trench, whereat the Achaians endured so much\nlabour, hoping in their hearts that it should be the unbroken bulwark\nof the ships, and of their own bodies\u2014such it seemeth must be the will\nof Zeus supreme, [that the Achaians should perish here nameless far\nfrom Argos]. For I knew it when he was forward to aid the Danaans, and\nnow I know that he is giving to the Trojans glory like that of the\nblessed gods, and hath bound our hands and our strength. But come, as I\ndeclare, let us all obey. Let us drag down the ships that are drawn up\nin the first line near to the sea, and speed them all forth to the salt\nsea divine, and moor them far out with stones, till the divine night\ncomes, if even at night the Trojans will refrain from war, and then\nmight we drag down all the ships. For there is no shame in fleeing from\nruin, yea, even in the night. Better doth he fare who flees from\ntrouble, than he that is overtaken.\u201d\n\nThen, looking on him sternly, spake Odysseus of many counsels: \u201cAtreus\u2019\nson, what word hath passed the door of thy lips? Man of mischief, sure\nthou shouldst lead some other inglorious army, not be king among us, to\nwhom Zeus hath given it, from youth even unto age, to wind the skein of\ngrievous wars, till every man of us perish. Art thou indeed so eager to\nleave the wide-wayed city of the Trojans, the city for which we endure\nwith sorrow so many evils? Be silent, lest some other of the Achaians\nhear this word, that no man should so much as suffer to pass through\nhis mouth, none that understandeth in his heart how to speak fit\ncounsel, none that is a sceptred king, and hath hosts obeying him so\nmany as the Argives over whom thou reignest. And now I wholly scorn thy\nthoughts, such a word as thou hast uttered, thou that, in the midst of\nwar and battle, dost bid us draw down the well-timbered ships to the\nsea, that even more than ever the Trojans may possess their desire,\nalbeit they win the mastery even now, and sheer destruction fall upon\nus. For the Achaians will not make good the war, when the ships are\ndrawn down to the salt sea, but will look round about to flee, and\nwithdraw from battle. There will thy counsel work a mischief, O marshal\nof the host!\u201d\n\nThen the king of men, Agamemnon, answered him: \u201cOdysseus, right sharply\nhast thou touched my heart with thy stern reproof: nay, I do not bid\nthe sons of the Achaians to drag, against their will, the well-timbered\nships to the salt sea. Now perchance there may be one who will utter a\nwiser counsel than this of mine,\u2014a young man or an old,\u2014welcome would\nit be to me.\u201d\n\nThen Diomedes of the loud war-cry spake also among them: \u201cThe man is\nnear,\u2014not long shall we seek him, if ye be willing to be persuaded of\nme, and each of you be not resentful at all, because in years I am the\nyoungest among you. Nay, but I too boast me to come by lineage of a\nnoble sire, Tydeus, whom in Thebes the piled-up earth doth cover. For\nPortheus had three well-born children, and they dwelt in Pleuron, and\nsteep Kalydon, even Agrios and Melas, and the third was Oineus the\nknight, the father of my father, and in valour he excelled the others.\nAnd there he abode, but my father dwelt at Argos, whither he had\nwandered, for so Zeus and the other gods willed that it should be. And\nhe wedded one of the daughters of Adrastos, and dwelt in a house full\nof livelihood, and had wheat-bearing fields enow, and many orchards of\ntrees apart, and many sheep were his, and in skill with the spear he\nexcelled all the Achaians: these things ye must have heard, if I speak\nsooth. Therefore ye could not say that I am weak and a coward by\nlineage, and so dishonour my spoken counsel, that well I may speak. Let\nus go down to the battle, wounded as we are, since we needs must; and\nthen might we hold ourselves aloof from the battle, beyond the range of\ndarts, lest any take wound upon wound; but the others will we spur on,\neven them that aforetime gave place to their passion, and stand apart,\nand fight not.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and they all heard him readily, and obeyed him. And they\nset forth, led by Agamemnon the king of men.\n\nNow the renowned Earth-shaker held no vain watch, but went with them in\nthe guise of an ancient man, and he seized the right hand of Agamemnon,\nAtreus\u2019 son, and uttering winged words he spake to him, saying:\n\u201cAtreides, now methinks the ruinous heart of Achilles rejoices in his\nbreast, as he beholds the slaughter and flight of the Achaians, since\nhe hath no wisdom, not a grain. Nay, even so may he perish likewise,\nand god mar him. But with thee the blessed gods are not utterly wroth,\nnay, even yet methinks the leaders and rulers of the Trojans will cover\nthe wide plain with dust, and thyself shalt see them fleeing to the\ncity from the ships and the huts.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and shouted mightily, as he sped over the plain. And loud\nas nine thousand men, or ten thousand cry in battle, when they join the\nstrife of war, so mighty was the cry that the strong Shaker of the\nearth sent forth from his breast, and great strength he put into the\nheart of each of the Achaians, to strive and war unceasingly.\n\nNow Hera of the golden throne stood on the peak of Olympus, and saw\nwith her eyes, and anon knew him that was her brother and her lord\u2019s\ngoing to and fro through the glorious fight, and she rejoiced in her\nheart. And she beheld Zeus sitting on the topmost crest of\nmany-fountained Ida, and to her heart he was hateful. Then she took\nthought, the ox-eyed lady Hera, how she might beguile the mind of\naegis-bearing Zeus. And this seemed to her in her heart to be the best\ncounsel, namely to fare to Ida, when she had well adorned herself, if\nperchance he would desire to sleep beside her and embrace her body in\nlove, and a sweet sleep and a kindly she could pour on his eyelids and\nhis crafty wits. And she set forth to her bower, that her dear son\nHephaistos had fashioned, and therein had made fast strong doors on the\npillars, with a secret bolt, that no other god might open. There did\nshe enter in and closed the shining doors. With ambrosia first did she\ncleanse every stain from her winsome body, and anointed her with olive\noil, ambrosial, soft, and of a sweet savour; if it were but shaken, in\nthe bronze-floored mansion of Zeus, the savour thereof went right forth\nto earth and heaven. Therewith she anointed her fair body, and combed\nher hair, and with her hands plaited her shining tresses, fair and\nambrosial, flowing from her immortal head. Then she clad her in her\nfragrant robe that Athene wrought delicately for her, and therein set\nmany things beautifully made, and fastened it over her breast with\nclasps of gold. And she girdled it with a girdle arrayed with a hundred\ntassels, and she set earrings in her pierced ears, earrings of three\ndrops, and glistering, therefrom shone grace abundantly. And with a\nveil over all the peerless goddess veiled herself, a fair new veil,\nbright as the sun, and beneath her shining feet she bound goodly\nsandals. But when she had adorned her body with all her array, she went\nforth from her bower, and called Aphrodite apart from the other gods,\nand spake to her, saying: \u201cWilt thou obey me, dear child, in that which\nI shall tell thee? or wilt thou refuse, with a grudge in thy heart,\nbecause I succour the Danaans, and thou the Trojans?\u201d\n\nThen Aphrodite the daughter of Zeus answered her: \u201cHera, goddess queen,\ndaughter of mighty Kronos, say the thing that is in thy mind, my heart\nbids me fulfil it, if fulfil it I may, and if it may be accomplished.\u201d\n\nThen with crafty purpose the lady Hera answered her: \u201cGive me now Love\nand Desire wherewith thou dost overcome all the Immortals, and mortal\nmen. For I am going to visit the limits of the bountiful Earth, and\nOkeanos, father of the gods, and mother Tethys, who reared me well and\nnourished me in their halls, having taken me from Rhea, when far-seeing\nZeus imprisoned Kronos beneath the earth and the unvintaged sea. Them\nam I going to visit, and their endless strife will I loose, for already\nthis long time they hold apart from each other, apart from love and the\nmarriage bed, since wrath hath settled in their hearts. If with words I\nmight persuade their hearts, and bring them back to love and the\nmarriage bed, ever should I be called dear to them and worshipful.\u201d\n\nThen laughter-loving Aphrodite answered her again: \u201cIt may not be, nor\nseemly were it to deny that thou askest, for thou sleepest in the arms\nof Zeus, the chief of gods.\u201d\n\nTherewith from her breast she loosed the broidered girdle,\nfair-wrought, wherein are all her enchantments; therein are love, and\ndesire, and loving converse, that steals the wits even of the wise.\nThis girdle she laid in her hands, and spake, and said: \u201cLo now, take\nthis girdle and lay it up in thy bosom, this fair-wrought girdle,\nwherein all things are fashioned; methinks thou wilt not return with\nthat unaccomplished, which in thy heart thou desirest.\u201d\n\nSo spake she, and the ox-eyed lady Hera smiled, and smiling laid up the\nzone within her breast.\n\nThen the daughter of Zeus, Aphrodite, went to her house, and Hera,\nrushing down, left the peak of Olympus, and touched on Pieria and\npleasant Emathia, and sped over the snowy hills of the Thracian\nhorsemen, even over the topmost crests, nor grazed the ground with her\nfeet, and from Athos she fared across the foaming sea, and came to\nLemnos, the city of godlike Thoas. There she met Sleep, the brother of\nDeath, and clasped her hand in his, and spake and called him by name:\n\u201cSleep, lord of all gods and of all men, if ever thou didst hear my\nword, obey me again even now, and I will be grateful to thee always.\nLull me, I pray thee, the shining eyes of Zeus beneath his brows, so\nsoon as I have laid me down by him in love. And gifts I will give to\nthee, even a fair throne, imperishable for ever, a golden throne, that\nHephaistos the Lame, mine own child, shall fashion skilfully, and will\nset beneath it a footstool for the feet, for thee to set thy shining\nfeet upon, when thou art at a festival.\u201d\n\nThen sweet Sleep answered her and said: \u201cHera, goddess and queen,\ndaughter of mighty Kronos, another of the eternal gods might I lightly\nlull to slumber, yea, were it the streams of Okeanos himself, that is\nthe father of them all. But to Zeus the son of Kronos might I not draw\nnear, nor lull him to slumber, unless himself commanded it. For ere now\ndid a behest of thine teach me a lesson, on the day when that famed\nhigh-hearted son of Zeus sailed from Ilios, when he had sacked the city\nof the Trojans. Then verily I lulled the soul of aegis-bearing Zeus,\nwith my sweet influence poured about him, and thou didst contrive evil\nagainst him in thy heart, and didst rouse over the sea the blasts of\nviolent winds, and Herakles thou then didst bear to well-peopled Kos,\nfar from all his friends. But Zeus, when he wakened, was wrathful, and\ndashed the gods about his mansion, and me above all he sought, and he\nwould have cast me from the upper air to perish in the deep, if Night\nhad not saved me, Night, that subdues both gods and men. To her I came\nas a suppliant in my flight, and he ceased from pursuing, wrathful as\nhe was, for he was in awe of doing aught displeasing to swift Night.\nAnd now again thou biddest me accomplish this other task that may not\nbe accomplished.\u201d\n\nThen the ox-eyed lady Hera answered him again: \u201cSleep, wherefore dost\nthou consider these things in thy heart? dost thou deem that Zeus of\nthe far-borne voice will succour the Trojans even as he was wroth for\nthe sake of Herakles, his own child? Nay come, and I will give thee one\nof the younger of the Graces, to wed and to be called thy wife [even\nPasithea, that ever thou longest for all thy days].\u201d\n\nSo she spake, and Sleep was glad, and answered and said: \u201cCome now,\nswear to me by the inviolable water of Styx, and with one of thy hands\ngrasp the bounteous earth, and with the other the shining sea, that all\nmay be witnesses to us, even all the gods below that are with Kronos,\nthat verily thou wilt give me one of the younger of the Graces, even\nPasithea, that myself do long for all my days.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, nor did she disobey, the white-armed goddess Hera; she\nsware as he bade her, and called all the gods by name, even those below\nTartaros that are called Titans. But when she had sworn and ended that\noath, the twain left the citadel of Lemnos, and of Imbros, clothed on\nin mist, and swiftly they accomplished the way. To many-fountained Ida\nthey came, the mother of wild beasts, to Lekton, where first they left\nthe sea, and they twain fared above the dry land, and the topmost\nforest waved beneath their feet. There Sleep halted, ere the eyes of\nZeus beheld him, and alighted on a tall pine tree, the loftiest pine\nthat then in all Ida rose through the nether to the upper air. Therein\nsat he, hidden by the branches of the pine, in the likeness of the\nshrill bird that on the mountains the gods call _chalkis_, but men\n_kymindis_.* But Hera swiftly drew nigh to topmost Gargaros, the\nhighest crest of Ida, and Zeus the cloud-gatherer beheld her. And as he\nsaw her, so love came over his deep heart, even as when first they\nmingled with each other in delight, and went together to the couch,\ntheir dear parents knowing it not. And he stood before her, and spoke,\nand said: \u201cHera, with what desire comest thou thus hither from Olympus,\nand thy horses and chariot are not here, whereon thou mightst ascend?\u201d\n\n* The names of Night-jar, Goat-sucker, Doehawk, and Fern-owl are given\nin Bewick for this bird, which is really a kind of swift.\u2014R. W. R.\n\n\nThen with crafty purpose lady Hera answered him: \u201cI am going to visit\nthe limits of the bountiful Earth, and Okeanos, father of the gods, and\nmother Tethys, who reared me well and cherished me in their halls. Them\nam I going to visit, and their endless strife will I loose, for already\nthis long time they hold apart from each other, from love and the\nmarriage bed, since wrath hath settled in their hearts. But my horses\nare standing at the foot of many-fountained Ida, my horses that shall\nbear me over wet and dry. And now it is because of thee that I am thus\ncome hither, down from Olympus, lest perchance thou mightest be wroth\nwith me hereafter, if silently I were gone to the mansion of\ndeep-flowing Okeanos.\u201d\n\nThen Zeus, the gatherer of the clouds, answered her and said: \u201cHera,\nthither mayst thou go on a later day. But come let us twain take\npleasure in the bed of love. For never once as thus did the love of\ngoddess or woman so mightily overflow and conquer the heart within my\nbreast. Not when I loved the wife of Ixion, who bore Pirithoos, the\npeer of gods in counsel, nor when I loved Danae of the fair ankles,\ndaughter of Akrisios, who bore Perseus, most renowned of all men, nor\nwhen I loved the famed daughter of Phoinix, who bore me Minos, and\ngodlike Rhadamanthys, nay, nor even when I loved Semele, nor Alkmene in\nThebes, and she bore Herakles, a child hardy of heart, but Semele bore\nDionysos, a delight to mortals, nay, nor when I loved the fair-tressed\nqueen, Demeter, nor renowned Leto, nay, nor thy very self, as now I\nlove thee, and sweet desire possesses me.\u201d\n\nAnd him the lady Hera answered with crafty purpose: \u201cMost dread son of\nKronos, what a word thou hast spoken! If now thou dost long to be\ncouched in love on the crests of Ida, and all stands plain to view, how\nwould it be if someone of the eternal gods should see us slumbering,\nand go and tell it to all the gods? It is not I that could arise from\nthe couch and go again to thy house, nay, it would be a thing for\nrighteous anger. But if thou wilt, and it is dear to thy heart, thou\nhast a chamber that thine own son Hephaistos builded, and fastened\nstrong doors to the pillars, thither let us go and lie down, if the\ncouch be thy desire.\u201d\n\nThen Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered her and said: \u201cHera, fear not\nlest any god, or any man should spy the thing, so great a golden cloud\nwill I cast all over thee. Nay, methinks not even the sun might see\nthrough it, the sun, whose light is keenest of all to behold.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and the son of Kronos clasped his consort in his arms. And\nbeneath them the divine earth sent forth fresh new grass, and dewy\nlotus, and crocus, and hyacinth, thick and soft, that raised them aloft\nfrom the ground. Therein they lay, and were clad on with a fair golden\ncloud, whence fell drops of glittering dew.\n\nThus slept the Father in quiet on the crest of Gargaros, by Sleep and\nlove overcome, with his bedfellow in his arms. But sweet Sleep started\nand ran to the ships of the Achaians, to tell his tidings to the god\nthat holdeth and shaketh the earth. And he stood near him, and spake\nwinged words: \u201cEagerly now, Poseidon, do thou aid the Danaans, and give\nthem glory for a little space, while yet Zeus sleepeth, for over him\nhave I shed soft slumber, and Hera hath beguiled him to couch in love.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and passed to the renowned tribes of men, and still the\nmore did he set on Poseidon to aid the Danaans, who straightway sprang\nfar afront of the foremost, and called to them: \u201cArgives, are we again\nto yield the victory to Hector, son of Priam, that he may take our\nships and win renown? Nay, even so he saith and declareth that he will\ndo, for that Achilles by the hollow ships abides angered at heart. But\nfor him there will be no such extreme regret, if we spur us on to aid\neach the other. Nay come, as I command, let us all obey. Let us harness\nus in the best shields that are in the host, and the greatest, and\ncover our heads with shining helms, and take the longest spears in our\nhands, and so go forth. Yea, and I will lead the way, and methinks that\nHector, son of Priam, will not long await us, for all his eagerness.\nAnd whatsoever man is steadfast in battle, and hath a small buckler on\nhis shoulder, let him give it to a worse man, and harness him in a\nlarger shield.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and they heard him eagerly and obeyed him. And them the\nkings themselves arrayed, wounded as they were, Tydeus\u2019 son, and\nOdysseus, and Agamemnon, son of Atreus. They went through all the host,\nand made exchange of weapons of war. The good arms did the good warrior\nharness him in, the worse he gave to the worse. But when they had done\non the shining bronze about their bodies, they started on the march,\nand Poseidon led them, the Shaker of the earth, with a dread sword of\nfine edge in his strong hand, like unto lightning; wherewith it is not\npermitted that any should mingle in woful war, but fear holds men afar\ntherefrom. But the Trojans on the other side was renowned Hector\narraying. Then did they now strain the fiercest strife of war, even\ndark-haired Poseidon and glorious Hector, one succouring the Trojans,\nthe other with the Argives. And the sea washed up to the huts and ships\nof the Argives, and they gathered together with a mighty cry. Not so\nloudly bellows the wave of the sea against the land, stirred up from\nthe deep by the harsh breath of the north wind, nor so loud is the roar\nof burning fire in the glades of a mountain, when it springs to burn up\nthe forest, nor calls the wind so loudly in the high leafy tresses of\nthe trees, when it rages and roars its loudest, as then was the cry of\nthe Trojans and Achaians, shouting dreadfully as they rushed upon each\nother.\n\nFirst glorious Hector cast with his spear at Aias, who was facing him\nfull, and did not miss, striking him where two belts were stretched\nacross his breast, the belt of his shield, and of his silver-studded\nsword; these guarded his tender flesh. And Hector was enraged because\nhis swift spear had flown vainly from his hand, and he retreated into\nthe throng of his fellows, avoiding Fate.\n\nThen as he was departing the great Telamonian Aias smote him with a\nhuge stone; for many stones, the props of swift ships, were rolled\namong the feet of the fighters; one of these he lifted, and smote\nHector on the breast, over the shield-rim, near the neck, and made him\nspin like a top with the blow, that he reeled round and round. And even\nas when an oak falls uprooted beneath the stroke of father Zeus, and a\ndread savour of brimstone arises therefrom, and whoso stands near and\nbeholds it has no more courage, for dread is the bolt of great Zeus,\neven so fell mighty Hector straightway in the dust. And the spear fell\nfrom his hand, but his shield and helm were made fast to him, and round\nhim rang his arms adorned with bronze.\n\nThen with a loud cry they ran up, the sons of the Achaians, hoping to\ndrag him away, and they cast showers of darts. But not one availed to\nwound or smite the shepherd of the host, before that might be the\nbravest gathered about him, Polydamas, and Aineias, and goodly Agenor,\nand Sarpedon, leader of the Lykians, and noble Glaukos, and of the rest\nnot one was heedless of him, but they held their round shields in front\nof him, and his comrades lifted him in their arms, and bare him out of\nthe battle, till he reached his swift horses that were standing waiting\nfor him, with the charioteer and the fair-dight chariot at the rear of\nthe combat and the war. These toward the city bore him heavily moaning.\nNow when they came to the ford of the fair-flowing river, of eddying\nXanthos, that immortal Zeus begat, there they lifted him from the\nchariot to the ground, and poured water over him, and he gat back his\nbreath, and looked up with his eyes, and sitting on his heels kneeling,\nhe vomited black blood. Then again he sank back on the ground, and\nblack night covered his eyes, the stroke still conquering his spirit.\n\nNow the Argives when they saw Hector departed rushed yet the more upon\nthe Trojans, and were mindful of the delight of battle. There far the\nforemost did swift Aias, son of Oileus, leap on Satnios, son of Enops,\nand wounded him with his sharp spear; Satnios whom the fair Naiad-nymph\nbore to Enops as he herded his flocks by the banks of Satnioeis. Him\ndid the spear-famed son of Oileus draw nigh, and wounded him on the\nflank, and he fell, and round him did Trojans and Danaans join in\nstrong battle. Then to his aid came Polydamas, the wielder of the\nspear, son of Panthoos, and smote Prothoenor on the right shoulder,\nProthoenor, son of Are\u00eflykos, and through his shoulder went the mighty\nspear, and he fell in the dust, and clutched the earth with his palm.\nAnd Polydamas boasted over him terribly, crying aloud: \u201cVerily methinks\nthat again from the strong hand of the high-hearted son of Panthoos,\nthe spear hath not leaped in vain. Nay, one of the Argives hath caught\nit in his flesh, and leaning thereon for a staff, methinks that he will\ngo down within the house of Hades.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and sorrow came on the Argives by reason of his boasting.\nAnd chiefly he roused the wrath of the wise son of Telamon, Aias, for\nthe man fell close by him. Swiftly he cast at the other, as he\ndeparted, with his shining spear. And Polydamas himself avoided black\nFate, starting to one side, but Archelochos, son of Antenor, received\nthe spear, for the gods had willed his death. Him the spear struck at\nthe meeting of the head and neck, on the last joint of the spine, and\ncut in twain both the tendons. And his head, and mouth, and nose, as he\nfell, reached the earth long before his legs and knees, and Aias again\nshouted to noble Polydamas: \u201cConsider, Polydamas, and tell me truly,\nwhether thou sayst not that this man is worth slaying in place of\nProthoenor: he seems to me no coward, nor born of cowards, but a\nbrother of horse-taming Antenor, or a child, for he most closely\nfavoureth his house.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, knowing the truth right well, and sorrow seized the hearts\nof the Trojans. Then Akamas wounded Promachos the Boiotian with his\nspear, from where he stood above his brother, that Promachos was\ndragging away by the feet. Over him Akamas boasted terribly, shouting\naloud: \u201cYe Argive bowmen, insatiate of threats, verily not for us alone\nshall there be struggle and toil, nay, but even as we shall ye likewise\nperish. Consider how your Promachos sleepeth, vanquished by my spear,\nthat my brother\u2019s blood-price may not be long unpaid. Even for this it\nis that a man may well pray to leave some kinsman in his halls, that\nwill avenge his fall.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and sorrow came on the Argives at his boast. And chiefly\nhe stirred the heart of the wise Peneleos, who made for Akamas, and\nAkamas abode not the onset of the prince Peneleos. But Peneleos wounded\nIlioneus, the son of Phorbas, rich in herds, that Hermes loved most\ndearly of all the Trojans, and gave him wealth. Now his mother bare\nIlioneus, an only child, to Phorbas. Him did Peneleos wound beneath the\nbrows, at the bases of the eye, and drave out the eyeball, and the\nspear went clean through the eye and through the nape of the neck, and\nhe fell back, stretching out both his hands. And Peneleos, drawing\nforth his sharp sword, smote him on the middle of the neck, and smote\noff even to the ground the head with the helmet, and still the strong\nspear stood in the eye, and lifting it up like a poppy head, he showed\nit to the Trojans, and spoke his boastful words: \u201cYe Trojans, I pray\nyou bid the dear father and the mother of proud Ilioneus to wail in\ntheir halls, for neither will the wife of Promachos, son of Alegenor,\nrejoice in her dear husband\u2019s coming, in that hour when we youths of\nthe Achaians return with our ships out of Troy-land.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and fear fell on the limbs of all of them; and each man\nlooked about to see where he might flee sheer destruction.\n\nTell me now, ye Muses, that dwell in the mansions of Olympus, who was\nthe first of the Achaians to lift the bloody spoils, when once the\nrenowned Shaker of the earth turned the battle.\n\nVerily it was Aias, son of Telamon, that first wounded Hyrtios, the son\nof Gyrtias, the leader of the Mysians strong of heart, and Antilochos\nstripped the spoils from Phalkes and Mermeros, and Meriones slew Morys\nand Hippotion, and Teukros slew Prothoon and Periphetes, and next\nAtreus\u2019 son wounded in the flank Hyperenor, the shepherd of the host,\nand the bronze point tore through and let out the entrails, and the\nsoul through the stricken wound fled hastily, and darkness covered his\neyes. But most men did Aias slay, the swift-footed son of Oileus, for\nthere was none so speedy of foot as he, to follow when men fled, when\nZeus sent terror among them.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XV.\n\n\nZeus awakening, biddeth Apollo revive Hector, and restore the fortunes\nof the Trojans. Fire is thrown on the ship of Protesilaos.\n\n\nNow when they had sped in flight across the palisade and trench, and\nmany were overcome at the hands of the Danaans, the rest were stayed,\nand abode beside the chariots in confusion, and pale with terror, and\nZeus awoke, on the peaks of Ida, beside Hera of the golden throne. Then\nhe leaped up, and stood, and beheld the Trojans and Achaians, those in\nflight, and these driving them on from the rear, even the Argives, and\namong them the prince Poseidon. And Hector he saw lying on the plain,\nand around him sat his comrades, and he was gasping with difficult\nbreath, and his mind wandering, and was vomiting blood, for it was not\nthe weakest of the Achaians that had smitten him. Beholding him, the\nfather of men and gods had pity on him, and terribly he spoke to Hera,\nwith fierce look: \u201cO thou ill to deal with, Hera, verily it is thy\ncrafty wile that has made noble Hector cease from the fight, and has\nterrified the host. Nay, but yet I know not whether thou mayst not be\nthe first to reap the fruits of thy cruel treason, and I beat thee with\nstripes. Dost thou not remember, when thou wert hung from on high, and\nfrom thy feet I suspended two anvils,* and round thy hands fastened a\ngolden bond that might not be broken? And thou didst hang in the clear\nair and the clouds, and the gods were wroth in high Olympus, but they\ncould not come round and unloose thee.\u201d Nay, whomsoever I might take, I\nwould clutch, and throw from the threshold, to come fainting to the\nearth, yd verily not even so did the ceaseless sorrow leave my soul\nfree: sorrow for godlike Herakles. Him didst thou drive, when thou\nhadst suborned the tempest, with the help of the North Wind, over the\nunvintaged deep, out of thine evil counsel, and then didst carry him\naway to well-peopled Kos. Him did I rescue thence, and lead again to\nArgos, the pastureland of horses, after his much labour. Of these\nthings will I mind thee again, that thou mayst cease from thy wiles,\nthat thou mayst know if it profit thee at all, the dalliance and the\nlove, wherein thou didst lie with me, when thou hadst come from among\nthe gods, and didst beguile me.\u201d\n\n* Or, \u201cthunderbolts\u201d; _i.e._ meteoric stones.\n\n\nSo spake he, and the ox-eyed lady Hera shuddered, and spake unto him\nwinged words, saying: \u201cLet earth now be witness hereto, and wide heaven\nabove, and that falling water of Styx, the greatest oath and the most\nterrible to the blessed gods, and thine own sacred head, and our own\nbridal bed, whereby never would I forswear myself, that not by my will\ndoes earth-shaking Poseidon trouble the Trojans and Hector, and succour\nthem of the other part. Nay, it is his own soul that urgeth and\ncommandeth him, and he had pity on the Achaians, when he beheld them\nhard pressed beside the ships. I would even counsel him also to go even\nwhere thou, lord of the storm-cloud, mayst lead him.\u201d\n\nSo spake she, and the father of gods and men smiled, and answering her\nhe spake winged words: \u201cIf thou, of a truth, O ox-eyed lady Hera,\nwouldst hereafter abide of one mind with me among the immortal gods,\nthereon would Poseidon, howsoever much his wish be contrariwise,\nquickly turn his mind otherwhere, after thy heart and mine. But if\nindeed thou speakest the truth and soothly, go thou now among the\ntribes of the gods, and call Iris to come hither, and Apollo, the\nrenowned archer, that Iris may go among the host of mail-clad Achaians\nand tell Poseidon the prince to cease from the war, and get him unto\nhis own house. But let Phoebus Apollo spur Hector on to the war, and\nbreathe strength into him again, and make him forget his anguish, that\nnow wears down his heart, and drive the Achaians back again, when he\nhath stirred in them craven fear. Let them flee and fall among the\nmany-benched ships of Achilles son of Peleus, and he shall rouse his\nown comrade, Patroklos; and him shall renowned Hector slay with the\nspear, in front of Ilios, after that he has slain many other youths,\nand among them my son, noble Sarpedon. In wrath therefor shall goodly\nAchilles slay Hector. From that hour verily will I cause a new pursuit\nfrom the ships, that shall endure continually, even until the Achaians\ntake steep Ilios, through the counsels of Athene. But before that hour\nneither do I cease in my wrath, nor will I suffer any other of the\nImmortals to help the Danaans there, before I accomplish that desire of\nthe son of Peleus, as I promised him at the first, and confirmed the\nsame with a nod of my head, on that day when the goddess Thetis clasped\nmy knees, imploring me to honour Achilles, the sacker of cities.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, nor did the white-armed goddess Hera disobey him, and she\nsped down from the hills of Ida to high Olympus. And even as when the\nmind of a man darts speedily, of one that hath travelled over far\nlands, and considers in his wise heart, \u201cWould that I were here or\nthere,\u201d and he thinketh him of many things, so swiftly fled she in her\neagerness, the lady Hera, and came to steep Olympus, and went among the\ngathering of the immortal gods in the house of Zeus, and when they\nbeheld her they all rose up together, and held out their cups to her in\nwelcome. The others she left alone, but took the cup of Themis of the\nfair cheeks, for she was the first that came running to meet her, and\nspeaking winged words accosted her: \u201cHera, wherefore hast thou come?\nthou seemest like one confounded; verily the son of Kronos hath made\nthee adread, thine own husband.\u201d\n\nThen the white-armed goddess Hera answered her, saying: \u201cAsk me not\nconcerning this, O goddess Themis; thyself knowest it, how overweening\nis his heart, and unyielding. But do thou begin the equal banquet of\nthe gods in the halls, and thus shalt thou hear among all the\nImmortals, even what evil deeds Zeus declareth. Nay, methinks, not\nequally will it delight the minds of all, neither of gods nor mortals,\nif even now any still sit with pleasure at the feast.\u201d\n\nSo spake the lady Hera, and sat her down, while the gods were heavy at\nheart in the hall of Zeus. And she laughed with her lips, but her\nforehead above her dark brows was not gladdened, and indignantly she\nspake among them all: \u201cWitless that we are to be wroth in our folly\nagainst Zeus! Even still we are eager to draw nigh to him, and let him\nfrom his will, by word or deed, but he sits apart and careth not, nor\ntakes any thought thereof, for he deems that among the immortal gods he\nis manifestly pre-eminent in force and might. Wherefore do ye content\nyourselves with whatsoever sorrow he sends on each of you. Already,\nmethinks, has sorrow been wrought for Ares, for his son has fallen in\nthe fight, even the dearest of men, Askalaphos, that dread Ares deemeth\nto be verily his own.\u201d\n\nSo spake she, but Ares smote his strong thighs with his hands\nflatlings, and sorrowing he spake: \u201cHold me not now to blame, ye that\nkeep the mansions of Olympus, if I avenge the slaying of my son, and go\nto the ships of the Achaians, even if it be my doom to be smitten with\nthe bolt of Zeus, and lie among the dead, in the dust and blood.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and bade yoke his horses, Fear and Dread, and himself did\non his shining harness. Thereby would yet a greater and more implacable\nwrath and anger have been caused between Zeus and the Immortals, had\nnot Athene, in terror for the sake of all the gods, leaped out through\nthe doorway, and left the throne wherein she sat, and taken from Ares\u2019\nhead the helmet, and the shield from his shoulders, and drawn the spear\nof bronze from his stalwart hand, and set it apart, and then with words\nshe rebuked the impetuous Ares: \u201cMad that thou art, and distraught of\nwit\u2014this is thy bane! Verily thou hast ears and hearest not, and\nperished have thine understanding and thine awe. Hearest thou not what\nshe saith, the white-armed goddess Hera, that even now is come from\nOlympian Zeus? Dost thou wish both thyself to fill up the measure of\nmischief and so return to Olympus ruefully, of necessity, and for all\nthe other gods to sow the seed of a great wrong? For straightway will\nhe leave the high-hearted Trojans and the Achaians, and to us will he\ncome to make tumult in Olympus: and he will clutch us each in turn, the\nblameless with the guilty. Wherefore now again I bid thee to abate\nthine anger for thy son, for already many a man stronger than he, and\nmore hardy of his hands, has fallen, or yet will fall; and a hard thing\nit is to save the lineage and offspring of all men.\u201d\n\nSo spake she, and made impetuous Ares sit down on his throne. But Hera\ncalled Apollo without the hall and Iris, that is the messenger of the\nimmortal gods, and she spake winged words, and addressed them, saying:\n\u201cZeus bids you go to Ida as swiftly as may be, and when ye have gone,\nand looked on the face of Zeus, do ye whatsoever he shall order and\ncommand.\u201d\n\nSo spake she, and returned again, the lady Hera, and sat down on her\nthrone, and they flew forward speedily, and came to many-fountained\nIda, mother of wild beasts, and found far-seeing Zeus seated on topmost\nGargaros, and round him a fragrant cloud was circled like a crown. And\nthese twain came before the face of Zeus the cloud-gatherer, and stood\nthere, and he was no wise displeased at heart when he beheld them, for\nthat speedily they had obeyed the words of his dear wife. And to Iris\nfirst he spake winged words: \u201cGo, get thee, swift Iris, to the prince\nPoseidon, and tell him all these things, nor be a false messenger.\nCommand him to cease from war and battle, and to go among the tribes of\nthe gods, or into the bright sea. But if he will not obey my words, but\nwill hold me in no regard, then let him consider in his heart and mind,\nlest he dare not for all his strength to abide me when I come against\nhim, since I deem me to be far mightier than he, and elder born. But\nthis his heart feareth not,\u2014to call himself the peer of me whom even\nthe other gods do hold in dread.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, nor did the wind-footed fleet Iris disobey him, but went\ndown the hills of Ida to sacred Ilios. And as when snow or chill hail\nfleets from the clouds beneath the stress of the North Wind born in the\nclear air, so fleetly she fled in her eagerness, swift Iris, and drew\nnear the renowned Earth-shaker and spake to him, saying: \u201cA certain\nmessage to thee, O dark-haired embracer of the earth, have I come\nhither to bring from aegis-bearing Zeus. He biddeth thee cease from the\nbattle and war, and go among the tribes of the gods, or into the bright\nsea. And if thou wilt not obey his word, but wilt hold him in no\nregard, he threatens that even himself will come hither against thee in\nbattle, and he biddeth thee avoid thee out of his hands since he\ndeemeth him far mightier than thou, and elder born, but thy heart\nfeareth not to call thyself the peer of him whom even the other gods do\nhold in dread.\u201d\n\nThen, in great displeasure the renowned Shaker of the earth answered\nher: \u201cOut on it, verily now, for as strong as he is, he hath spoken\nover-haughtily, if indeed he will subdue by force, against my will, me\nthat am his equal in honour. For three brethren are we, and sons of\nKronos, whom Rhea bare, Zeus, and myself, and Hades is the third, the\nruler of the folk in the under-world. And in three lots are all things\ndivided, and each drew a domain of his own, and to me fell the hoary\nsea, to be my habitation for ever, when we shook the lots: and Hades\ndrew the murky darkness, and Zeus the wide heaven, in clear air and\nclouds, but the earth and high Olympus are yet common to all. Wherefore\nno whit will I walk after the will of Zeus, but quietly let him abide,\nfor all his strength, in his third portion. And with the might of his\nhands let him not strive to terrify me withal, as if I were a coward.\nBetter for him were it to threaten with terrible words his daughters\nand his sons, that himself begat, who will perforce listen to whatso he\nenjoins.\u201d\n\nThen the fleet wind-footed Iris answered him: \u201cIs it indeed thy will, O\ndark-haired embracer of the earth, that even thus I shall carry to Zeus\nthis message, hard and froward, or wilt thou turn thee at all, for the\nhearts of the good may be turned? Thou knowest how the Erinyes do\nalways follow to aid the elder-born.\u201d\n\nThen he answered her again, Poseidon, the Shaker of the earth: \u201cGoddess\nIris, most duly hast thou spoken this word. Yea, an excellent thing is\nthis, when the bearer of a message has a prudent wit. Yet this is a\nterrible grief that cometh on heart and spirit, whenso any desireth to\nupbraid with angry words his peer to whom fate hath assigned an equal\nshare with himself. But verily now will I yield, for all mine anger;\nbut another thing will I tell thee, and make this threat in my heart,\nthat if against my will, and the will of Athene, the driver of the\nprey, and of Hera and Hermes, and prince Hephaistos, Zeus shall spare\nsteep Ilios, nor choose utterly to destroy it, and give great might to\nthe Argives, let him know this, that our wrath will be inappeasable.\u201d\n\nSo spake the Shaker of the earth, and left the host of the Achaians,\nand passed to the sea, and sank, and sorely they missed him, the heroes\nof the Achaians.\n\nThen Zeus, the gatherer of the clouds, spake to Apollo, saying: \u201cGo\nnow, dear Phoebus, to Hector of the helm of bronze, for, lo, already\nthe embracer of the world, the Earthshaker, is gone to the bright sea,\nshunning our utter wrath, ay, and had he not done so, even the others\nwould have heard of our strife, even the gods of the nether world, that\nare with Kronos. But better far is this, both for me, and for him,\nthat, despite his wrath, he should yield to my hands, for not without\nsweat would this strife have been accomplished. But do thou take in thy\nhands the tasselled aegis, and shake it fiercely and affright the\nAchaian heroes. But, thou Archer-God, let glorious Hector be thy care,\nand rouse in him great wrath even till the Achaians come in their\nflight to the ships, and the Hellespont. And from that moment will I\ndevise word and deed wherewithal the Achaians may take breath again\nfrom their toil.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, nor was Apollo deaf to the word of the Father, but he went\ndown the hills of Ida like a fleet falcon, the bane of doves, that is\nthe swiftest of flying things. And he found the son of wise-hearted\nPriam, noble Hector, sitting up, no longer lying, for he had but late\ngot back his life, and knew the comrades around him, and his gasping\nand his sweat had ceased, from the moment when the will of\naegis-bearing Zeus began to revive him. Then far-darting Apollo stood\nnear him, and spake to him: \u201cHector, son of Priam, why dost thou sit\nfainting apart from the others? Is it perchance that some trouble\ncometh upon thee?\u201d\n\nThen, with faint breath answered him Hector of the glancing helm: \u201cNay,\nbut who art thou, best of the gods, who enquirest of me face to face?\nDost thou not know that by the hindmost row of the ships of the\nAchaians, Aias of the loud war-cry smote me on the breast with a stone,\nas I was slaying his comrades, and made me cease from mine impetuous\nmight? And verily I deemed that this very day I should pass to the\ndead, and the house of Hades, when I had gasped my life away.\u201d\n\nThen prince Apollo the Far-darter answered him again: \u201cTake courage\nnow, so great an ally hath the son of Kronos sent thee out of Ida, to\nstand by thee and defend thee, even Phoebus Apollo of the golden sword,\nme who of old defend thee, thyself and the steep citadel. But come now\nbid thy many charioteers drive their swift steeds against the hollow\nships, and I will go before and make smooth all the way for the\nchariots, and will put to flight the Achaian heroes.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and breathed great might into the shepherd of the host,\nand even as when a stalled horse, full fed at the manger, breaks his\ntether and speedeth at the gallop over the plain exultingly, being wont\nto bathe in the fair-flowing stream, and holds his head on high, and\nthe mane floweth about his shoulders, and he trusteth in his glory, and\nnimbly his knees bear him to the haunts and pasture of the mares, even\nso Hector lightly moved his feet and knees, urging on his horsemen,\nwhen he heard the voice of the god. But as when hounds and country folk\npursue a horned stag, or a wild goat, that steep rock and shady wood\nsave from them, nor is it their lot to find him, but at their clamour a\nbearded lion hath shown himself on the way, and lightly turned them all\ndespite their eagerness, even so the Danaans for a while followed on\nalways in their companies, smiting with swords and double-pointed\nspears, but when they saw Hector going up and down the ranks of men,\nthen were they afraid, and the hearts of all fell to their feet.\n\nThen to them spake Thoas, son of Andraimon, far the best of the\nAitolians, skilled in throwing the dart, and good in close fight, and\nin council did few of the Achaians surpass him, when the young men were\nstriving in debate; with good intent he made harangue and spake among\nthem: \u201cAlas, and verily a great marvel is this I behold with mine eyes,\nhow he hath again arisen, and hath avoided the Fates, even Hector.\nSurely each of us hoped in his heart, that he had died beneath the hand\nof Aias, son of Telamon. But some one of the gods again hath delivered\nand saved Hector, who verily hath loosened the knees of many of the\nDanaans, as methinks will befall even now, for not without the will of\nloud-thundering Zeus doth he rise in the front ranks, thus eager for\nbattle. But come, as I declare let us all obey. Let us bid the throng\nturn back to the ships, but let us as many as avow us to be the best in\nthe host, take our stand, if perchance first we may meet him, and hold\nhim off with outstretched spears, and he, methinks, for all his\neagerness, will fear at heart to enter into the press of the Danaans.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and they heard him eagerly, and obeyed him. They that were\nwith Aias and the prince Idomeneus, and Teukros, and Meriones, and\nMeges the peer of Ares, called to all the best of the warriors and\nsustained the fight with Hector and the Trojans, but behind them the\nmultitude returned to the ships of the Achaians.\n\nNow the Trojans drave forward in close ranks, and with long strides\nHector led them, while in front of him went Phoebus Apollo, his\nshoulders wrapped in cloud, and still he held the fell aegis, dread,\ncircled with a shaggy fringe, and gleaming, that Hephaistos the smith\ngave to Zeus, to bear for the terror of men; with this in his hands did\nhe lead the host.\n\nNow the Argives abode them in close ranks, and shrill the cry arose on\nboth sides, and the arrows leaped from the bow-strings, and many spears\nfrom stalwart hands, whereof some stood fast in the flesh of young men\nswift in fight, but many halfway, ere ever they reached the white\nflesh, stuck in the ground, longing to glut themselves with flesh. Now\nso long as Phoebus Apollo held the aegis unmoved in his hands, so long\nthe darts smote either side amain, and the folk fell. But when he\nlooked face to face on the Danaans of the swift steeds, and shook the\naegis, and himself shouted mightily, he quelled their heart in their\nbreast, and they forgot their impetuous valour. And as when two wild\nbeasts drive in confusion a herd of kine, or a great flock of sheep, in\nthe dark hour of black night, coming swiftly on them when the herdsman\nis not by, even so were the Achaians terror-stricken and strengthless,\nfor Apollo sent a panic among them, but still gave renown to the\nTrojans and Hector.\n\nThen man fell upon man, when the close fight was scattered. Hector slew\nStichios, and Arkesilaos, one a leader of the mail-clad Boiotians, the\nother the true comrade of great-hearted Menestheus. And Aineias slew\nMedon and Iasos, whereof one was the bastard son of divine Oileus, even\nMedon, brother of Aias, but he dwelt in Phylake, far from his own\ncountry, for that he had slain a man the brother of his stepmother\nEriopis, the wife of Oileus. But Iasos was a leader of the Athenians,\nand was called the son of Sphelos, the son of Boukolos. And Polydamas\nslew Mekisteus, and Polites Echios in the forefront of the battle, and\nnoble Agenor overcame Klonios. And De\u00efochos as he was flying among the\nfighters in the foremost rank Paris smote behind the lower part of the\nshoulder, and drave the bronze clean through.\n\nNow while they were stripping the spoil from these, even then the\nAchaians were dashing into the delved fosse, and against the palisade,\nfleeing hither and thither in their terror, and were driven perforce\nwithin the wall, but Hector called with a loud shout to the Trojans:\n\u201cMake ye against the ships, and leave the bloody spoils. Whomsoever I\nshall see apart from the ships on the other side, his death will I\nthere devise, nor forthwith shall his kinsmen and kinswomen lay him\ndead on the funeral fire, but dogs shall tear him in front of our\ncitadel.\u201d\n\nSo speaking he smote his horses on the shoulder with the lash, and\ncalled aloud on the Trojans along the ranks. And they all cried out,\nand level with his held the steeds that drew their chariots, with a\nmarvellous din, and in front of them Phoebus Apollo lightly dashed down\nwith his feet the banks of the deep ditch, and cast them into the midst\nthereof, making a bridgeway long and wide as is a spear-cast, when a\nman throws to make trial of his strength. Thereby the Trojans poured\nforward in their battalions, while in their van Apollo held the\nsplendid aegis. And most easily did he cast down the wall of the\nAchaians, as when a boy scatters the sand beside the sea, first making\nsand buildings for sport in his childishness, and then again, in his\nsport, confounding them with his feet and hands; even so didst thou,\narcher Apollo, confound the long toil and labour of the Argives, and\namong them rouse a panic fear.\n\nSo they were halting, and abiding by the ships, calling each to other;\nand lifting their hands to all the gods did each man pray vehemently,\nand chiefly prayed Gerenian Nestor, the Warden of the Achaians,\nstretching his hand towards the starry heaven: \u201cO father Zeus, if ever\nany one of us in wheat-bearing Argos did burn to thee fat thighs of\nbull or sheep, and prayed that he might return, and thou didst promise\nand assent thereto, of these things be thou mindful, and avert,\nOlympian, the pitiless day, nor suffer the Trojans thus to overcome the\nAchaians.\u201d\n\nSo spake he in his prayer, and Zeus, the Lord of counsel, thundered\nloudly, hearing the prayers of the ancient son of Neleus.\n\nBut the Trojans when they heard the thunder of aegis-bearing Zeus,\nrushed yet the more eagerly upon the Argives, and were mindful of the\njoy of battle. And as when a great wave of the wide sea sweeps over the\nbulwarks of a ship, the might of the wind constraining it, which\nchiefly swells the waves, even so did the Trojans with a great cry\nbound over the wall, and drave their horses on, and at the hindmost row\nof the ships were fighting hand to hand with double-pointed spears, the\nTrojans from the chariots, but the Achaians climbing up aloft, from the\nblack ships with long pikes that they had lying in the ships for battle\nat sea, jointed pikes shod at the head with bronze.\n\nNow Patroklos, as long as the Achaians and Trojans were fighting about\nthe wall, without the swift ships, sat in the hut of kindly Eurypylos,\nand was making him glad with talk, and on his cruel wound was laying\nherbs, to medicine his dark pain. But when he perceived the Trojans\nrushing over the wall, and the din and flight of the Danaans began,\nthen did he groan, and smote his two thighs with his hands flatlings,\nand sorrowing he spake: \u201cEurypylos, no longer at all may I abide with\nthee here, though great thy need, for verily a great strife has arisen.\nBut thee let thy squire comfort, while I hasten to Achilles, that I may\nurge him to join the battle. Who knows but with god\u2019s help I may arouse\nhis spirit with my persuasion? and a good thing is the persuasion of a\nfriend.\u201d\n\nEven as he spake, his feet were bearing him away, but the Achaians abode the\nonset of the Trojans steadfastly, yet availed not to drive them, though fewer\nthey were, from the ships: neither at all could the Trojans break the ranks of\nthe Danaans and pour among the huts and the ships. But even as the carpenter\u2019s\nline doth straighten the timber of a ship, in the hands of a cunning shipwright\nthat is well skilled in all craft, by the inspiration of Athene, so equally was\nstrained their war and battle, and divers of them were fighting about divers\nships. Now Hector made for renowned Aias, and they twain were warring about the\nsame ship, nor could the one drive back the other and set fire to the ship, nor\ncould the other thrust him away, since the god urged him on. There did glorious\nAias smite Kaletor son of Klytios in the breast with a spear, as he was\ncarrying fire against the ship, and he fell with a crash, and the torch dropped\nfrom his hand. But Hector, when he beheld with his eyes his cousin fallen in\nthe dust, in front of the black ship, called with a loud cry to the Trojans and\nLykians: \u201cYe Trojans, and Lykians, and Dardanians that fight hand to hand,\nslacken not at all from the battle in this strait, but save the son of Klytios;\nlest the Achaians spoil him of his harness, now that he hath fallen in the\nprecinct of the ships.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and hurled at Aias with a shining spear and Aias he\nmissed, but Lykophron, the son of Mastor, the Kytherian squire of Aias,\nwho dwelt with him, having slain a man in divine Kythera, him Hector\nsmote on the head above the ear with the sharp bronze, even as he stood\nnear Aias; and backward in the dust he fell to earth from the stern of\nthe ship, and his limbs were loosened. And Aias shuddered, and spake to\nhis brother: \u201cDear Teukros, lo our true comrade hath been slain, even\nthe son of Mastor out of Kythera whom we honoured at home in the halls\nlike our own parents. Him hath great-hearted Hector slain. Where now\nare thy swift shafts of doom, and the bow that Phoebus Apollo gave\nthee?\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and the other marked him, and ran, and came and stood\nclose by him, with the bended bow in his hand, and the quiver with the\narrows, and right swiftly he showered his shafts upon the Trojans. And\nhe smote Kleitos, the splendid son of Peisenor, the comrade of\nPolydamas, the haughty son of Panthoos, with the reins in his hand, as\nhe was busy with the horses, for thither was he driving them where far\nthe most of the companies were broken in confusion, and he was showing\na favour to Hector and the Trojans. But swiftly on himself came his\nbane, that not one of them could ward off from him, despite their\ndesire. For the woful arrow lighted on the back of his neck, and he\nfell from the chariot, and back started his horses, shaking the empty\ncar. But straightway the prince Polydamas beheld it, and was the first\nto come over against the horses. Them he gave to Astynoos, the son of\nProtiaon, and enjoined him straitly to hold the horses close at hand,\nand look on, and himself went back, and mingled with the foremost\nfighters. Then Teukros aimed another shaft against Hector of the helm\nof bronze, and would have made cease the battle by the ships of the\nAchaians, if he had smitten him in his prowess and taken his life away.\nBut he escaped not the wise mind of Zeus, who guarded Hector, but took\naway the praise from Teukros son of Telamon, for he brake the\nwell-twisted string on the goodly bow, even as Teukros was aiming at\nHector, and his arrow weighted with bronze wandered otherwhere, and the\nbow fell from his hands. But Teukros shuddered, and spake to his\nbrother saying: \u201cAlas, now verily the god breaks altogether the purpose\nof our battle, in that he hath cast the bow from my hand, and hath\nbroken the newly twisted cord, which I bound on but this morning, that\nit might sustain the many shafts that should leap from the bow.\u201d\n\nThen the great Aias son of Telamon answered him saying: \u201cYea, friend,\nbut let the bow and the many arrows lie, even so, since the god has\nconfounded them, being jealous of the Danaans, but take in thy hands a\nlong spear, and a shield on thy shoulder, and war with the Trojans, and\narouse the rest of the host. Verily not without labour, for all their\nvictory, let them take the well-timbered ships, nay, let us be mindful\nof the delight of battle.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and Teukros set the bow within the huts again, but round\nhis shoulder he set a fourfold shield, and on his mighty head a\nwell-wrought helmet, [with a horse-hair plume, and terribly the crest\nnodded above.] And he seized a strong spear, shod with sharp bronze,\nand started on his way, and started and running right speedily stood\nbeside Aias.\n\nBut when Hector saw the artillery of Teukros harmed, he cried, with a\nmighty shout, to the Trojans and Lykians: \u201cTrojans, and Lykians, and\nDardanians that love close fight, play the man, my friends, and be\nmindful of impetuous valour, here by the hollow ships, for I have seen\nwith mine eyes, how the artillery of the bravest warrior was harmed by\nZeus. And most easily discerned is the aid of Zeus to men both to\nwhomso he gives the meed of the greater honour and whom he would minish\nand hath no will to aid, as even now he minisheth the strength of the\nArgives, but us he aideth. But fight in your firm companies at the\nships, and whosoever of you be smitten by dart or blow and meeteth\ndeath and fate, so let him die. Lo, it is no dishonourable thing for\nhim to fall fighting for his country, but his wife and his children\nafter him are safe, and his house unharmed, and his lot of land, if but\nthe Achaians fare with their ships to their dear native land.\u201d\n\nSo spake he and aroused the might and the spirit of every man.\n\nBut Aias again, on the other side, called unto his comrades: \u201cShame on\nyou, Argives: now is one thing sure, either that we must perish\nutterly, or be saved and drive the peril from the ships. Think ye that\nif Hector of the glancing helm take the ships, ye will come by dry land\neach to his own country? Hear ye not Hector exhorting all the host, so\neager, verily, is he to burn the ships? Truly he bids not men to the\ndance but to battle. And for us there is no better counsel nor device,\nbut to put forth our hands and all our might in close combat. Better it\nwere to risk life or death, once for all, than long to be straitened in\nthe dread stress of battle, thus vainly by the ships, at the hands of\nworse men than we be.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and aroused the might and the spirit of every man. Then\nHector slew Schedios, the son of Perimedes, a leader of the Phokians,\nwhile Aias slew Laodamas, the leader of the foot-men, the noble son of\nAntenor, and Polydamas slew Otos, of Kyllene, comrade of Phyleides, a\nchief of the high-hearted Epeians. And Meges, when he beheld it rushed\non him, but Polydamas stooped downwards, and him Meges missed,\u2014for\nApollo suffered not the son of Panthoos to be smitten among the\nforemost fighters,\u2014but he wounded Kroismos in the midst of the breast\nwith his spear. And he fell with a crash, and the other set to\nstripping the harness from his shoulders. Then Dolops rose against him,\na warrior skilled, Dolops son of Lampos, whom Lampos Laomedon\u2019s son\nbegat, his bravest son, well skilled in impetuous valour; who then\nsmote the midst of the shield of Phyleus\u2019 son, setting on him at close\nquarters. But his well-wrought corslet guarded him, the corslet that he\nwore, fashioned of plates of mail. This corslet did Phyleus once bear\nout of Ephyre, from the river Selle\u00ebis. For a guest friend of his had\ngiven him the same, even Euphetes, king of men, that he might bear it\nin war, a defence against foemen; and now from his son\u2019s flesh too it\nwarded off his bane. Now Meges smote with sharpened spear at the\ntopmost crest of his helmet of bronze with horse-hair plume, and brake\noff his plume of horse-hair, and it all fell earthward in the dust,\nshining with its new scarlet dye. Now while he abode, and fought, and\nyet hoped for victory, there came against him to the rescue warlike\nMenelaos, and stood unmarked on his flank with his spear, and smote him\non the shoulder from behind, and the eager spear rushed through his\nbreast, in forward flight, and then fell he forward. Then the twain\nmade for him to strip from his shoulders his harness of bronze. But\nHector called to all his kinsmen, and first he chid the son of\nHiketaon, the strong Melanippos. Now till then was Melanippos wont to\nfeed his kine of trailing gait in Perkote, far off from hostile men,\nbut when the curved ships of the Danaans came, he returned to Ilios,\nand excelled among the Trojans, and dwelt hard by Priam, who honoured\nhim equally with his own children. Him did Hector chide, and spake out,\nand called him by name: \u201cMelanippos, are we to be thus slack? Is thy\nheart not moved at all, at sight of thy kinsman slain? Seest thou not\nhow they are busied about the harness of Dolops? nay, follow on, for no\nlonger may we fight with the Argives from afar, till either we slay\nthem, or they utterly take steep Ilios, and slay her people.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and led on, while the other followed him, a godlike man.\nBut the great Aias, son of Telamon, exhorted the Argives, saying: \u201cO\nfriends, play the man, and take shame in your hearts; yea, have shame\neach of the other\u2019s contempt, in the strong battle. For of men thus\nshamefast more escape than fall, but of men that flee cometh neither\nglory, nor any avail.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and they likewise themselves were eager to drive off the\nothers, and laid up his word in their hearts, and begirt the ships with\na ring of bronze, while Zeus urged on the Trojans. Then Menelaos of the\nloud war-cry exhorted Antilochos, \u201cAntilochos, not one of the Achaians\nis younger than thou, nor swifter of foot, nor strong as art thou in\nfight; see now if thou canst leap out, and smite some man of the\nTrojans.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and hasted back again, having heartened the other, and\nforth Antilochos leaped from the foremost ranks, and cast his shining\nspear, glancing all around him, and the Trojans gave ground before him\nwhen he threw. And no vain dart threw he, but smote Melanippos, the\nproud son of Hiketaon, as he was returning to the combat; on the breast\nhard by the nipple he smote him. And he fell with a crash, and darkness\ncovered his eyes. And Antilochos set on like a hound that rushes upon a\nwounded fawn, that the hunter hath aimed at and smitten as it leaped\nfrom its lair, and hath loosened all its limbs. Even so upon thee,\nMelanippos, leaped Antilochos steadfast in battle, to spoil thy\nharness. But noble Hector marked him, and came running against him\nthrough the battle. But Antilochos abode not his onset, swift warrior\nthough he was, but he fled, like a wild beast that hath done some evil\nthing, having slain a dog, or a herdsman by the kine, and flees, before\nthe press of men can gather; even so fled the son of Nestor. Now the\nTrojans and Hector, with wonderful clamour, showered upon him their\ndolorous darts, but he turned, and stood, when he had reached the host\nof his comrades.\n\nNow the Trojans, like ravening lions, rushed upon the ships, fulfilling\nthe behests of Zeus, that ever was rousing their great wrath, but\nsoftened the temper of the Argives, and took away their glory, while he\nspurred on the others. For the heart of Zeus was set on giving glory to\nHector, the son of Priam, that withal he might cast fierce-blazing\nfire, unwearied, upon the beaked ships, and so fulfil all the\npresumptuous prayer of Thetis; wherefore wise-counselling Zeus awaited,\ntill his eyes should see the glare of a burning ship. For even from\nthat hour was he to ordain the backward chase of the Trojans from the\nships, and to give glory to the Danaans. With this design was he\nrousing Hector, Priam\u2019s son, that himself was right eager, against the\nhollow ships. And he was raging, like Ares, the brandisher of the\nspear, or as when ruinous fire rages on the hills, in the folds of a\ndeep woodland; and foam grew about his mouth, and his eyes shone\nbeneath his dreadful brows, and around the temples of Hector as he\nfought his helm shook terribly. For Zeus out of heaven was his ally,\nand gave him honour and renown, he being but one man against so many.\nFor short of life was he to be, yea, and already Pallas Athene was\nurging against him the day of destiny, at the hand of the son of\nPeleus. And fain he was to break the ranks of men, trying them\nwheresoever he saw the thickest press, and the goodliest harness. Yet\nnot even so might he break them for all his eagerness. Nay, they stood\nfirm, and embattled like a steep rock and a great, hard by the hoary\nsea, a rock that abides the swift paths of the shrill winds, and the\nswelling waves that roar against it. Even so the Danaans steadfastly\nabode the Trojans and fled not away. But Hector shining with fire on\nall sides leaped on the throng, and fell upon them, as when beneath the\nstorm-clouds a fleet wave reared of the winds falls on a swift ship,\nand she is all hidden with foam, and the dread blast of the wind roars\nagainst the sail, and the sailors fear, and tremble in their hearts,\nfor by but a little way are they borne forth from death, even so the\nspirit was torn in the breasts of the Achaians. But he came on like a\nravening lion making against the kine, that are feeding innumerable in\nthe low-lying land of a great marsh, and among them is a herdsman that\nas yet knoweth not well how to fight with a wild beast concerning the\nslaughter of the kine of crooked horn, and ever he paces abreast with\nthe rear or the van of the cattle, but the lion leaps into the midst,\nand devours a cow, and they all tremble for fear, even so the Achaians\nall were made terribly adread by Hector and father Zeus. But Hector\nslew Periphetes of Mykene only, the dear son of Kopreus, that was wont\nto go on the errands of Eurystheus, to the mighty Herakles. From him, a\nfar baser father, was born a better son, in all manner of excellence,\nin fleetness of foot, and in war, and of mind he was wise among the\nfirst of the Mykenaeans. He thus then yielded Hector the greater glory.\nFor as he turned back, he tripped against the rim of his shield which\nhe was wont to bear, a shield that reached to the feet, a fence against\njavelins\u2014thereon he stumbled, and fell back, and his helm rang\nwrondrously around his temples as he fell. And Hector quickly spied it,\nand ran up swiftly and stood by him, and fixed a spear in his breast,\nand slew him hard by his dear comrades that could not aid him, despite\nall their sorrow for their friend, for themselves greatly dreaded noble\nHector.\n\nNow were they come between the ships, and the prows protected them, the\nprows of the ships drawn up in the first line, but the Trojans rushed\nin after them. And the Argives were compelled even of necessity to give\nback from the foremost ships, yet there they abode in close rank beside\nthe huts, and did not scatter throughout the camp. For shame and fear\nrestrained them and ceaselessly they kept shouting each to other. Now\nGerenian Nestor above all, the Warden of the Achaians, implored each\nman by the memory of them that begat him, and spake beseechingly: \u201cO\nfriends, play the man, and set shame of other men\u2019s contempt in hearts.\nLet each also be mindful of children and wives, and of his possessions,\nand of them that begat him, whether any have parents yet alive or they\nbe already dead. For their sake do I here beseech you, for the sake of\nthem that are not with us, to stand stoutly, nor turn to flight.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and roused each man\u2019s courage and might, and from their\neyes Athene lifted the wondrous cloud of mist, and light came mightily\nupon them from either side, both from the side of the ships, and from\nthe quarter of even-balanced war. And they beheld Hector of the loud\nwar-cry, and his comrades, both them that stood in the rear and were\nnot fighting, and all them that fought in the battle by the swift\nships.\n\nNor yet did it please the spirit of high-hearted Aias, to stand in the\nplace whereto the other sons of the Achaians had withdrawn, but he kept\nfaring with long strides, up and down the decks of the ships, and he\nwielded in his hands a great pike for sea-battles, jointed with rings,\ntwo and twenty cubits in length. And even as a man right well skilled\nin horsemanship that couples four horses out of many, and hurrying them\nfrom the plain towards a great city, drives along the public way, many\nmen and women marvelling on him, and firmly ever he leaps, and changes\nhis stand from horse to horse, while they fly along, even so Aias went\nwith long strides, over many a deck of the swift ships, and his voice\nwent up unto heaven. And always with terrible cries he summoned the\nDanaans to defend the ships and the huts. Nor did Hector abide in the\nthrong of well-armed Trojans, but even as a tawny eagle rushes on a\nflock of winged fowl, that are feeding by a riverside, a flock of\ngeese, or cranes, or long-necked swans, even so Hector made straight\nfor a black-beaked ship, rushing right on it, and mightily Zeus urged\nhim on from behind with his strong hand, and roused on the host along\nwith him.\n\nSo again keen battle was set by the ships. Thou wouldst deem that\nunwearied and unworn they met each other in war, so eagerly they\nfought. And in their striving they were minded thus; the Achaians\nverily deemed that never would they flee from the danger, but perish\nthere, but the heart of each Trojan hoped in his breast, that they\nshould fire the ships, and slay the heroes of the Achaians. With these\nimaginations they stood to each other, and Hector seized the stern of a\nseafaring ship, a fair ship, swift on the brine, that had borne\nProtesilaos to Troia, but brought him not back again to his own\ncountry. Now round his ship the Achaians and Trojans warred on each\nother hand to hand, nor far apart did they endure the flights of\narrows, nor of darts, but standing hard each by other, with one heart,\nwith sharp axes and hatchets they fought, and with great swords, and\ndouble-pointed spears. And many fair brands, dark-scabbarded and\nhilted, fell to the ground, some from the hands, some from off the\nshoulders of warring men, and the black earth ran with blood. But\nHector, after that once he had seized the ship\u2019s stern, left not his\nhold, keeping the ensign in his hands, and he called to the Trojans:\n\u201cBring fire, and all with one voice do ye raise the war-cry; now hath\nZeus given us the dearest day of all,\u2014to take the ships that came\nhither against the will of the gods, and brought many woes upon us, by\nthe cowardice of the elders, who withheld me when I was eager to fight\nat the sterns of the ships, and kept back the host. But if even then\nfar-seeing Zeus did harm our wits, now he himself doth urge and command\nus onwards.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and they set yet the fiercer on the Argives. And Aias no\nlonger abode their onset, for he was driven back by the darts, but he\nwithdrew a little,\u2014thinking that now he should die,\u2014on to the oarsman\u2019s\nbench of seven feet long, and he left the decks of the trim ship. There\nthen he stood on the watch, and with his spear he ever drave the\nTrojans from the ships, whosoever brought unwearied fire, and ever he\nshouted terribly, calling to the Danaans: \u201cO friends, Danaan heroes,\nmen of Ares\u2019 company, play the man, my friends, and be mindful of\nimpetuous valour. Do we deem that there be allies at our backs, or some\nwall stronger than this to ward off death from men? Verily there is not\nhard by any city arrayed with towers, whereby we might defend\nourselves, having a host that could turn the balance of battle. Nay,\nbut we are set down in the plain of the mailed men of Troy, with our\nbacks against the sea, and far off from our own land. Therefore is\nsafety in battle, and not in slackening from the fight.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and rushed on ravening for battle, with his keen spear.\nAnd whosoever of the Trojans was coming against the ship with blazing\nfire, to pleasure Hector at his urging, him would Aias wound, awaiting\nhim with his long spear, and twelve men in front of the ships at close\nquarters did he wound.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XVI.\n\n\nHow Patroklos fought in the armour of Achilles, and drove the Trojans\nfrom the ships, but was slain at last by Hector.\n\n\nSo they were warring round the well-timbered ship, but Patroklos drew\nnear Achilles, shepherd of the host, and he shed warm tears, even as a\nfountain of dark water that down a steep cliff pours its cloudy stream.\nAnd noble swift-footed Achilles when he beheld him was grieved for his\nsake, and accosted him, and spake winged words, saying: \u201cWherefore\nweepest thou, Patroklos, like a fond little maid, that runs by her\nmother\u2019s side, and bids her mother take her up, snatching at her gown,\nand hinders her in her going, and tearfully looks at her, till the\nmother takes her up? like her, Patroklos, dost thou let fall soft\ntears. Hast thou aught to tell to the Myrmidons, or to me myself, or is\nit some tidings out of Phthia that thou alone hast beard? Or dost thou\nlament for the sake of the Argives,\u2014how they perish by the hollow ships\nthrough their own transgression? Speak out, and hide it not within thy\nspirit, that we may both know all.\u201d\n\nBut with a heavy groan didst thou speak unto him, O knight Patroklos:\n\u201cO Achilles, son of Peleus, far the bravest of the Achaians, be not\nwroth, seeing that so great calamity has beset the Achaians. For verily\nall of them that aforetime were the best are lying among the ships,\nsmitten and wounded. Smitten is the son of Tydeus, strong Diomedes, and\nwounded is Odysseus, spearman renowned, and Agamemnon; and smitten is\nEurypylos on the thigh with an arrow. And about them the leeches\nskilled in medicines are busy, healing their wounds, but thou art hard\nto reconcile, Achilles. Never then may such wrath take hold of me as\nthat thou nursest; thou brave to the hurting of others. What other men\nlater born shall have profit of thee, if thou dost not ward off base\nruin from the Argives? Pitiless that thou art, the knight Peleus was\nnot then thy father, nor Thetis thy mother, but the grey sea bare thee,\nand the sheer cliffs, so untoward is thy spirit. But if in thy heart\nthou art shunning some oracle, and thy lady mother hath told thee\nsomewhat from Zeus, yet me do thou send forth quickly, and make the\nrest of the host of the Myrmidons follow me, if yet any light may arise\nfrom me to the Danaans. And give me thy harness to buckle about my\nshoulders, if perchance the Trojans may take me for thee, and so\nabstain from battle, and the warlike sons of the Achaians may take\nbreath, wearied as they be, for brief is the breathing in war. And\nlightly might we that are fresh drive men wearied with the battle back\nto the citadel, away from the ships and the huts.\u201d\n\nSo he spake and besought him, in his unwittingness, for truly it was to\nbe his own evil death and fate that he prayed for. Then to him in great\nheaviness spake swift-footed Achilles: \u201cAh me, Patroklos of the seed of\nZeus, what word hast thou spoken? Neither take I heed of any oracle\nthat I wot of, nor yet has my lady mother told me somewhat from Zeus,\nbut this dread sorrow comes upon my heart and spirit, from the hour\nthat a man wishes to rob me who am his equal, and to take away my\nprize, for that he excels me in power. A dread sorrow to me is this,\nafter all the toils that my heart hath endured. The maiden that the\nsons of the Achaians chose out for me as my prize, and that I won with\nmy spear when I sacked a well-walled city, her has mighty Agamemnon the\nson of Atreus taken back out of my hands, as though I were but some\nsojourner dishonourable. But we will let bygones be bygones. No man may\nbe angry of heart for ever, yet verily I said that I would not cease\nfrom my wrath, until that time when to mine own ships should come the\nwar-cry and the battle. But do thou on thy shoulders my famous harness,\nand lead the war-loving Myrmidons to the fight, to ward off destruction\nfrom the ships, lest they even burn the ships with blazing fire, and\ntake away our desired return. But when thou hast driven them from the\nships, return, and even if the loud-thundering lord of Hera grant thee\nto win glory, yet long not thou apart from me to fight with the\nwar-loving Trojans; thereby wilt thou minish mine honour. Neither do\nthou, exulting in war and strife, and slaying the Trojans, lead on\ntoward Ilios, lest one of the eternal gods from Olympus come against\nthee; right dearly doth Apollo the Far-darter love them. Nay, return\nback when thou halt brought safety to the ships, and suffer the rest to\nfight along the plain. For would, O father Zeus, and Athene, and\nApollo, would that not one of all the Trojans might escape death, nor\none of the Argives, but that we twain might avoid destruction, that\nalone we might undo the sacred coronal of Troy.\u201d\n\nSo spake they each to other, but Aias no longer abode the onset, for he\nwas overpowered by darts; the counsel of Zeus was subduing him, and the\nshafts of the proud Trojans; and his bright helmet, being smitten, kept\nringing terribly about his temples: for always it was smitten upon the\nfair-wrought cheek-pieces. Moreover his left shoulder was wearied, as\nsteadfastly he held up his glittering shield, nor yet could they make\nhim give ground, as they pressed on with their darts around him. And\never he was worn out with difficult breath, and much sweat kept running\nfrom all his limbs, nor had he a moment to draw breath, so on all sides\nwas evil heaped on evil.\n\nTell me now, ye Muses that have mansions in Olympus, how first fire\nfell on the ships of the Achaians. Hector drew near, and the ashen\nspear of Aias he smote with his great sword, hard by the socket, behind\nthe point, and shore it clean away, and the son of Telamon brandished\nin his hand no more than a pointless spear, and far from him the head\nof bronze fell ringing on the ground.\n\nAnd Aias knew in his noble heart, and shuddered at the deeds of the\ngods, even how Zeus that thundereth on high did utterly cut off from\nhim avail in war, and desired victory for the Trojans. Then Aias gave\nback out of the darts. But the Trojans cast on the swift ship\nunwearying fire, and instantly the inextinguishable flame streamed over\nher: so the fire begirt the stern, whereon Achilles smote his thighs,\nand spake to Patroklos: \u201cArise, Patroklos of the seed of Zeus,\ncommander of the horsemen, for truly I see by the ships the rush of the\nconsuming fire. Up then, lest they take the ships, and there be no more\nretreat; do on thy harness speedily, and I will summon the host.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, while Patroklos was harnessing him in shining bronze. His\ngoodly greaves, fitted with silver clasps, he first girt round his\nlegs, and next did on around his breast the well-dight starry corslet\nof the swift-footed son of Aiakos. And round his shoulders he cast a\nsword of bronze, with studs of silver, and next took the great and\nmighty shield, and on his proud head set a well-wrought helm with a\nhorse-hair crest, and terribly nodded the crest from above. Then seized\nhe two strong lances that fitted his grasp, only he took not the spear\nof the noble son of Aiakos, heavy, and huge, and stalwart, that none\nother of the Achaians could wield. And Patroklos bade Automedon to yoke\nthe horses speedily, even Automedon whom most he honoured after\nAchilles, the breaker of the ranks of men, and whom he held trustiest\nin battle to abide his call. And for him Automedon led beneath the yoke\nthe swift horses, Xanthos and Balios, that fly as swift as the winds,\nthe horses that the harpy Podarge bare to the West Wind, as she grazed\non the meadow by the stream of Okeanos. And in the side-traces he put\nthe goodly Pedasos, that Achilles carried away, when he took the city\nof Eetion; and being but a mortal steed, he followed with the immortal\nhorses.\n\nMeanwhile Achilles went and harnessed all the Myrmidons in the huts\nwith armour, and they gathered like ravening wolves with strength in\ntheir hearts unspeakable. And among them all stood warlike Achilles\nurging on the horses and the targeteers. And he aroused the heart and\nvalour of each of them, and the ranks were yet the closer serried when\nthey heard the prince. And as when a man builds the wall of a high\nhouse with close-set stones, to avoid the might of the winds, even so\nclose were arrayed the helmets and bossy shields, and shield pressed on\nshield, helm on helm, and man on man, and the horse-hair crests on the\nbright helmet-ridges touched each other when they nodded, so close they\nstood by each other.\n\nAnd straightway they poured forth like wasps that have their dwelling\nby the wayside, and that boys are ever wont to vex, always tormenting\nthem in their nests beside the way in childish sport, and a common evil\nthey make for many. With heart and spirit like theirs the Myrmidons\npoured out now from the ships, and a cry arose unquenchable, and\nPatroklos called on his comrades, shouting aloud: \u201cMyrmidons, ye\ncomrades of Achilles son of Peleus, be men, my friends, and be mindful\nof your impetuous valour, that so we may win honour for the son of\nPeleus, that is far the bravest of the Argives by the ships, and whose\nclose-fighting squires are the best. And let wide-ruling Agamemnon the\nson of Atreus learn his own blindness of heart, in that he nothing\nhonoured the best of the Achaians.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and aroused each man\u2019s heart and courage, and all in a\nmass they fell on the Trojans, and the ships around echoed wondrously\nto the cry of the Achaians. But when the Trojans beheld the strong son\nof Menoitios, himself and his squire, shining in their armour, the\nheart was stirred in all of them, and the companies wavered, for they\ndeemed that by the ships the swift-footed son of Peleus had cast away\nhis wrath, and chosen reconcilement: then each man glanced round, to\nsee where he might flee sheer destruction.\n\nBut Patroklos first with a shining spear cast straight into the press,\nwhere most men were thronging, even by the stern of the ship of\ngreat-hearted Protesilaos, and he smote Pyraichmes, who led his\nPaionian horsemen out of Amydon, from the wide water of Axios; him he\nsmote on the right shoulder, and he fell on his back in the dust with a\ngroan, and his comrades around him, the Paionians, were afraid, for\nPatroklos sent fear among them all, when he slew their leader that was\never the best in fight. Then he drove them out from the ships, and\nquenched the burning fire. And the half-burnt ship was left there, and\nthe Trojans fled, with a marvellous din, and the Danaans poured in\namong the hollow ships, and ceaseless was the shouting. And as when\nfrom the high crest of a great hill Zeus, the gatherer of the\nlightning, hath stirred a dense cloud, and forth shine all the peaks,\nand sharp promontories, and glades, and from heaven the infinite air\nbreaks open, even so the Danaans, having driven the blazing fire from\nthe ships, for a little while took breath, but there was no pause in\nthe battle. For not yet were the Trojans driven in utter rout by the\nAchaians, dear to Ares, from the black ships, but they still stood up\nagainst them, and only perforce gave ground from the ships. But even as\nrobber wolves fall on the lambs or kids, choosing them out of the\nherds, when they are scattered on hills by the witlessness of the\nshepherd, and the wolves behold it, and speedily harry the younglings\nthat have no heart of courage,\u2014even so the Danaans fell on the Trojans,\nand they were mindful of ill-sounding flight, and forgot their\nimpetuous valour.\n\nBut that great Aias ever was fain to cast his spear at Hector of the\nhelm of bronze, but he, in his cunning of war, covered his broad\nshoulders with his shield of bulls\u2019 hide, and watched the hurtling of\nthe arrows, and the noise of spears. And verily well he knew the change\nin the mastery of war, but even so he abode, and was striving to rescue\nhis trusty comrades.\n\nAnd as when from Olympus a cloud fares into heaven, from the sacred\nair, when Zeus spreadeth forth the tempest, even so from the ships came\nthe war-cry and the rout, nor in order due did they cross the ditch\nagain. But his swift-footed horses bare Hector forth with his arms, and\nhe left the host of Troy, whom the delved trench restrained against\ntheir will. And in the trench did many swift steeds that draw the car\nbreak the fore-part of the pole, and leave the chariots of their\nmasters.\n\nBut Patroklos followed after, crying fiercely to the Danaans, and full\nof evil will against the Trojans, while they with cries and flight\nfilled all the ways, for they were scattered, and on high the storm of\ndust was scattered below the clouds, and the whole-hooved horses\nstrained back towards the city, away from the ships and the huts.\n\nBut even where Patroklos saw the folk thickest in the rout, thither did\nhe guide his horses with a cry, and under his axle-trees men fell prone\nfrom their chariots, and the cars were overturned with a din of\nshattering. But straight over the ditch, in forward flight, leaped the\nswift horses. And the heart of Patroklos urged him against Hector, for\nhe was eager to smite him, but his swift steeds bore Hector forth and\naway. And even as beneath a tempest the whole black earth is oppressed,\non an autumn day, when Zeus pours forth rain most vehemently, and all\nthe rivers run full, and many a scaur the torrents tear away, and down\nto the dark sea they rush headlong from the hills, roaring mightily,\nand minished are the works of men, even so mighty was the roar of the\nTrojan horses as they ran.\n\nNow Patroklos when he had cloven the nearest companies, drave them\nbackward again to the ships, nor suffered them to approach the city,\ndespite their desire, but between the ships, and the river, and the\nlofty wall, he rushed on them, and slew them, and avenged many a\ncomrade slain. There first he smote Pronoos with a shining spear, where\nthe shield left bare the breast, and loosened his limbs, and he fell\nwith a crash. Then Thestor the son of Enops he next assailed, as he sat\ncrouching in the polished chariot, for he was struck distraught, and\nthe reins flew from his hands. Him he drew near, and smote with the\nlance on the right jaw, and clean pierced through his teeth. And\nPatroklos caught hold of the spear and dragged him over the rim of the\ncar, as when a man sits on a jutting rock, and drags a sacred fish\nforth from the sea, with line and glittering hook of bronze; so on the\nbright spear dragged he Thestor gaping from the chariot, and cast him\ndown on his face and life left him as he fell. Next, as Euryalos came\non, he smote him on the midst of the head with a stone, and all his\nhead was shattered within the strong helmet, and prone on the earth he\nfell, and death that slayeth the spirit overwhelmed him. Next Erymas,\nand Amphoteros, and Epaltes and Tlepolemos son of Damastor, and Echios\nand Pyris, and Ipheus and Euippos, and Polymelos son of Argeas, all\nthese in turn he brought low to the bounteous earth. But when Sarpedon\nbeheld his comrades with ungirdled doublets, subdued beneath the hands\nof Patroklos son of Menoitios, he cried aloud, upbraiding the godlike\nLykians: \u201cShame, ye Lykians, whither do ye flee? Now be ye strong, for\nI will encounter this man that I may know who he is that conquers here,\nand verily many evils hath he wrought the Trojans, in that he hath\nloosened the knees of many men and noble.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and leaped with his arms from the chariot to the ground.\nBut Patroklos, on the other side, when he beheld him leaped from his\nchariot. And they, like vultures of crooked talons and curved beaks,\nthat war with loud yells on some high cliff, even so they rushed with\ncries against each other. And beholding then the son of Kronos of the\ncrooked counsels took pity on them, and he spake to Hera, his sister\nand wife: \u201cAh woe is me for that it is fated that Sarpedon, the\nbest-beloved of men to me, shall be subdued under Patroklos son of\nMenoitios. And in two ways my heart within my breast is divided, as I\nponder whether I should catch him up alive out of the tearful war, and\nset him down in the rich land of Lykia, or whether I should now subdue\nhim beneath the hands of the son of Menoitios.\u201d\n\nThen the ox-eyed lady Hera made answer to him: \u201cMost dread son of\nKronos, what word is this thou hast spoken? A mortal man long doomed to\nfate dost thou desire to deliver again from death of evil name? Work\nthy will, but all we other gods will in no wise praise thee. And\nanother thing I will tell thee, and do thou lay it up in thy heart; if\nthou dost send Sarpedon living to his own house, consider lest thereon\nsome other god likewise desire to send his own dear son away out of the\nstrong battle. For round the great citadel of Priam war many sons of\nthe Immortals, and among the Immortals wilt thou send terrible wrath.\nBut if he be dear to thee, and thy heart mourns for him, truly then\nsuffer him to be subdued in the strong battle beneath the hands of\nPatroklos son of Menoitios, but when his soul and life leave that\nwarrior, send Death and sweet Sleep to bear him, even till they come to\nthe land of wide Lykia, there will his kindred and friends bury him,\nwith a barrow and a pillar, for this is the due of the dead.\u201d\n\nSo spake she, nor did the father of gods and men disregard her. But he\nshed bloody raindrops on the earth, honouring his dear son, that\nPatroklos was about to slay in the deep-soiled land of Troia, far off\nfrom his own country. Now when they were come near each other in onset,\nthere verily did Patroklos smite the renowned Thrasymelos, the good\nsquire of the prince Sarpedon, on the lower part of the belly, and\nloosened his limbs. But Sarpedon missed him with his shining javelin,\nas he in turn rushed on, but wounded the horse Pedasos on the right\nshoulder with the spear, and he shrieked as he breathed his life away,\nand fell crying in the dust, and his spirit fled from him. But the\nother twain reared this way and that, and the yoke creaked, and the\nreins were confused on them, when their trace-horse lay in the dust.\nBut thereof did Automedon, the spearman renowned, find a remedy, and\ndrawing his long-edged sword from his stout thigh, he leaped forth, and\ncut adrift the horse, with no delay, and the pair righted themselves,\nand strained in the reins, and they met again in life-devouring war.\n\nThen again Sarpedon missed with his shining dart, and the point of the\nspear flew over the left shoulder of Patroklos and smote him not, but\nhe in turn arose with the bronze, and his javelin flew not vainly from\nhis hand, but struck Sarpedon even where the midriff clasps the beating\nheart. And he fell as falls an oak, or a silver poplar, or a slim pine\ntree, that on the hills the shipwrights fell with whetted axes, to be\ntimber for ship-building; even so before the horses and chariot he lay\nat length, moaning aloud, and clutching at the bloody dust. And as when\na lion hath fallen on a herd, and slain a bull, tawny and high of\nheart, among the kine of trailing gait, and he perishes groaning\nbeneath the claws of the lion, even so under Patroklos did the leader\nof the Lykian shieldmen rage, even in death, and he called to his dear\ncomrade: \u201cDear Glaukos, warrior among warlike men, now most doth it\nbehove thee to be a spearman, and a hardy fighter: now let baneful war\nbe dear to thee, if indeed thou art a man of might. First fare all\nabout and urge on the heroes that be leaders of the Lykians, to fight\nfor Sarpedon, and thereafter thyself do battle for me with the sword.\nFor to thee even in time to come shall I be shame and disgrace for\never, all thy days, if the Achaians strip me of mine armour, fallen in\nthe gathering of the ships. Nay, hold out manfully, and spur on all the\nhost.\u201d\n\nEven as he spake thus, the end of death veiled over his eyes and his\nnostrils, but Patroklos, setting foot on his breast drew the spear out\nof his flesh, and the midriff followed with the spear, so that he drew\nforth together the spear point, and the soul of Sarpedon; and the\nMyrmidons held there his panting steeds, eager to fly afar, since the\nchariot was reft of its lords.\n\nThen dread sorrow came on Glaukos, when he heard the voice of Sarpedon,\nand his heart was stirred, that he availed not to succour him. And with\nhis hand he caught and held his arm, for the wound galled him, the\nwound of the arrow wherewith, as he pressed on towards the lofty wall,\nTeukros had smitten him, warding off destruction from his fellows. Then\nin prayer spake Glaukos to far-darting Apollo: \u201cHear, O Prince that art\nsomewhere in the rich land of Lykia, or in Troia, for thou canst listen\neverywhere to the man that is in need, as even now need cometh upon me.\nFor I have this stark wound, and mine arm is thoroughly pierced with\nsharp pains, nor can my blood be stanched, and by the wound is my\nshoulder burdened, and I cannot hold my spear firm, nor go and fight\nagainst the enemy. And the best of men has perished, Sarpedon, the son\nof Zeus, and he succours not even his own child. But do thou, O Prince,\nheal me this stark wound, and lull my pains, and give me strength, that\nI may call on my Lykian kinsmen, and spur them to the war, and myself\nmay fight about the dead man fallen.\u201d\n\nSo spake he in his prayer, and Phoebus Apollo heard him. Straightway he\nmade his pains to cease, and in the grievous wound stanched the black\nblood, and put courage into his heart. And Glaukos knew it within him,\nand was glad, for that the great god speedily heard his prayer. First\nwent he all about and urged on them that were leaders of the Lykians to\nfight around Sarpedon, and thereafter he went with long strides among\nthe Trojans, to Polydamas son of Panthoos and noble Agenor, and he went\nafter Aineias, and Hector of the helm of bronze, and standing by them\nspake winged words: \u201cHector, now surely art thou utterly forgetful of\nthe allies, that for thy sake, far from their friends and their own\ncountry, breathe their lives away! but thou carest not to aid them!\nSarpedon lies low, the leader of the Lykian shieldmen, he that defended\nLykia by his dooms and his might, yea him hath mailed Ares subdued\nbeneath the spear of Patroklos. But, friends, stand by him, and be\nangry in your hearts lest the Myrmidons strip him of his harness, and\ndishonour the dead, in wrath for the sake of the Danaans, even them\nthat perished, whom we slew with spears by the swift ships.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and sorrow seized the Trojans utterly, ungovernable and\nnot to be borne; for Sarpedon was ever the stay of their city, all a\nstranger as he was, for many people followed with him, and himself the\nbest warrior of them all. Then they made straight for the Danaans\neagerly, and Hector led them, being wroth for Sarpedon\u2019s sake. But the\nfierce heart of Patrokloa son of Menoitios urged on the Achaians. And\nhe spake first to the twain Aiantes that themselves were right eager:\n\u201cAiantes, now let defence be your desire, and be such as afore ye were\namong men, or even braver yet. That man lies low who first leaped on to\nthe wall of the Achaians, even Sarpedon. Nay, let us strive to take\nhim, and work his body shame, and strip the harness from his shoulders,\nand many a one of his comrades fighting for his sake let us subdue with\nthe pitiless bronze.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and they themselves were eager in defence. So on both\nsides they strengthened the companies, Trojans and Lykians, Myrmidons\nand Achaians, and they joined battle to fight around the dead man\nfallen; terribly they shouted, and loud rang the harness of men. And as\nthe din ariseth of woodcutters in the glades of a mountain, and the\nsound thereof is heard far away, so rose the din of them from the\nwide-wayed earth, the noise of bronze and of well-tanned bulls\u2019 hides\nsmitten with swords and double-pointed spears. And now not even a\nclear-sighted man could any longer have known noble Sarpedon, for with\ndarts and blood and dust was he covered wholly from head to foot. And\never men thronged about the dead, as in a steading flies buzz around\nthe full milk-pails, in the season of spring, when the milk drenches\nthe bowls, even so thronged they about the dead. Nor ever did Zeus turn\nfrom the strong fight his shining eyes, but ever looked down on them,\nand much in his heart he debated of the slaying of Patroklos, whether\nthere and then above divine Sarpedon glorious Hector should slay him\nlikewise in strong battle with the sword, and strip his harness from\nhis shoulders, or whether to more men yet he should deal sheer labour\nof war. And thus to him as he pondered it seemed the better way, that\nthe gallant squire of Achilles, Peleus\u2019 son, should straightway drive\nthe Trojans and Hector of the helm of bronze towards the city, and\nshould rob many of their life. And in Hector first he put a weakling\nheart, and leaping into his car Hector turned in flight, and cried on\nthe rest of the Trojans to flee, for he knew the turning of the sacred\nscales of Zeus. Thereon neither did the strong Lykians abide, but fled\nall in fear, when they beheld their king stricken to the heart, lying\nin the company of the dead, for many had fallen above him, when Kronion\nmade fierce the fight. Then the others stripped from the shoulders of\nSarpedon his shining arms of bronze, and these the strong son of\nMenoitios gave to his comrades to bear to the hollow ships. Then Zeus\nthat gathereth the clouds spake to Apollo: \u201cPrithee, dear Phoebus, go\ntake Sarpedon out of range of darts, and cleanse the black blood from\nhim, and thereafter bear him far away, and bathe him in the streams of\nthe river, and anoint him with ambrosia, and clothe him in garments\nthat wax not old, and send him to be wafted by fleet convoy, by the\ntwin brethren Sleep and Death, that quickly will set him in the rich\nland of wide Lykia. There will his kinsmen and clansmen give him\nburial, with barrow and pillar, for such is the due of the dead.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, nor was Apollo disobedient to his father. He went down the\nhills of Ida to the dread battle din, and straight way bore goodly\nSarpedon out of the darts, and carried him far away and bathed him in\nthe streams of the river, and anointed him with ambrosia, and clad him\nin garments that wax not old, and sent him to be wafted by fleet\nconvoy, the twin brethren Sleep and Death, that swiftly set him down in\nthe rich land of wide Lykia. But Patroklos cried to his horses and\nAutomedon, and after the Trojans and Lykians went he, and so was\nblindly forgetful, in his witlessness, for if he had kept the saying of\nthe son of Peleus, verily he should have escaped the evil fate of black\ndeath. But ever is the wit of Zeus stronger than the wit of men, so now\nhe roused the spirit of Patroklos in his breast. There whom first, whom\nlast didst thou slay, Patroklos, when the gods called thee deathward?\nAdrestos first, and Autonoos, and Echeklos, and Perimos, son of Megas,\nand Epistor, and Melanippos, and thereafter Elasos, and Moulios, and\nPylartes; these he slew, but the others were each man of them fain of\nflight. Then would the sons of the Achaians have taken high-gated Troy,\nby the hands of Patroklos, for around and before him he raged with the\nspear, but that Phoebus Apollo stood on the well-builded wall, with\nbaneful thoughts towards Patroklos, and succouring the Trojans. Thrice\nclomb Patroklos on the corner of the lofty wall, and thrice did Apollo\nforce him back and smote the shining shield with his immortal hands.\nBut when for the fourth time he came on like a god, then cried\nfar-darting Apollo terribly, and spake winged words: \u201cGive back,\nPatroklos of the seed of Zeus! Not beneath thy spear is it fated that\nthe city of the valiant Trojans shall fall, nay nor beneath Achilles, a\nman far better than thou.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and Patroklos retreated far back, avoiding the wrath of\nfar-darting Apollo. But Hector within the Skaian gates was restraining\nhis whole-hooved horses, pondering whether he should drive again into\nthe din and fight, or should call unto the host to gather to the wall.\nWhile thus he was thinking, Phoebus Apollo stood by him in the guise of\na young man and a strong, Asios, who was the mother\u2019s brother of\nhorse-taming Hector, being own brother of Hekabe, and son of Dymas, who\ndwelt in Phrygia, on the streams of Sangarios. In his guise spake\nApollo, son of Zeus, to Hector: \u201cHector, wherefore dost thou cease from\nfight? It doth not behove thee. Would that I were as much stronger than\nthou as I am weaker, thereon quickly shouldst thou stand aloof from war\nto thy hurt. But come, turn against Patroklos thy strong-hooved horses,\nif perchance thou mayst slay him, and Apollo give thee glory.\u201d\n\nSo spake the god, and went back again into the moil of men. But\nrenowned Hector bade wise-hearted Kebriones to lash his horses into the\nwar. Then Apollo went and passed into the press, and sent a dread panic\namong the Argives, but to the Trojans and Hector gave he renown. And\nHector let the other Argives be, and slew none of them, but against\nPatroklos he turned his strong-hooved horses, and Patroklos on the\nother side leaped from his chariot to the ground, with a spear in his\nleft hand, and in his other hand grasped a shining jagged stone, that\nhis hand covered. Firmly he planted himself and hurled it, nor long did\nhe shrink from his foe, nor was his cast in vain, but he struck\nKebriones the charioteer of Hector, the bastard son of renowned Priam,\non the brow with the sharp stone, as he held the reins of the horses.\nBoth his brows the stone drave together, and his bone held not, but his\neyes fell to the ground in the dust, there, in front of his feet. Then\nhe, like a diver, fell from the well-wrought car, and his spirit left\nhis bones. Then taunting him didst thou address him, knightly\nPatroklos: \u201cOut on it, how nimble a man, how lightly he diveth! Yea, if\nperchance he were on the teeming deep, this man would satisfy many by\nseeking for oysters, leaping from the ship, even if it were stormy\nweather, so lightly now he diveth from the chariot into the plain.\nVerily among the Trojans too there be diving men.\u201d\n\nSo speaking he set on the hero Kebriones with the rush of a lion, that\nwhile wasting the cattle-pens is smitten in the breast, and his own\nvalour is his bane, even so against Kebriones, Patroklos, didst thou\nleap furiously. But Hector, on the other side, leaped from his chariot\nto the ground. And these twain strove for Kebriones like lions, that on\nthe mountain peaks fight, both hungering, both high of heart, for a\nslain hind. Even so for Kebriones\u2019 sake these two masters of the\nwar-cry, Patroklos son of Menoitios, and renowned Hector, were eager\neach to hew the other\u2019s flesh with the ruthless bronze.\n\nHector then seized him by the head, and slackened not hold, while\nPatroklos on the other side grasped him by the foot, and thereon the\nothers, Trojans and Danaans, joined strong battle. And as the East wind\nand the South contend with one another in shaking a deep wood in the\ndells of a mountain, shaking beech, and ash, and smooth-barked cornel\ntree, that clash against each other their long boughs with marvellous\ndin, and a noise of branches broken, so the Trojans and Achaians were\nleaping on each other and slaying, nor had either side any thought of\nruinous flight. And many sharp darts were fixed around Kebriones, and\nwinged arrows leaping from the bow-string, and many mighty stones smote\nthe shields of them that fought around him. But he in the whirl of dust\nlay mighty and mightily fallen, forgetful of his chivalry.\n\nNow while the sun was going about mid-heaven, so long the darts smote\neither side, and the host fell, but when the sun turned to the time of\nthe loosing of oxen, lo, then beyond their doom the Achaians proved the\nbetter. The hero Kebriones drew they forth from the darts, out of the\ntumult of the Trojans, and stripped the harness from his shoulders, and\nwith ill design against the Trojans, Patroklos rushed upon them. Three\ntimes then rushed he on, peer of swift Ares, shouting terribly, and\nthrice he slew nine men. But when the fourth time he sped on like a\ngod, thereon to thee, Patroklos, did the end of life appear, for\nPhoebus met thee in the strong battle, in dreadful wise. And Patroklos\nwas not ware of him coming through the press, for hidden in thick mist\ndid he meet him, and stood behind him, and smote his back and broad\nshoulders with a down-stroke of his hand, and his eyes were dazed. And\nfrom his head Phoebus Apollo smote the helmet that rolled rattling away\nwith a din beneath the hooves of the horses, the helm with upright\nsocket, and the crests were defiled with blood and dust. And all the\nlong-shadowed spear was shattered in the hands of Patroklos, the spear\ngreat and heavy and strong, and sharp, while from his shoulders the\ntasselled shield with the baldric fell to the ground.\n\nAnd the prince Apollo, son of Zeus, loosed his corslet, and blindness\nseized his heart and his shining limbs were unstrung, and he stood in\namaze, and at close quarters from behind a Dardanian smote him on the\nback, between the shoulders, with a sharp spear, even Euphorbos, son of\nPanthoos, who excelled them of his age in casting the spear, and in\nhorsemanship, and in speed of foot. Even thus, verily, had he cast down\ntwenty men from their chariots, though then first had he come with his\ncar to learn the lesson of war. He it was that first smote a dart into\nthee, knightly Patroklos, nor overcame thee, but ran back again and\nmingled with the throng, first drawing forth from the flesh his ashen\nspear, nor did he abide the onset of Patroklos, unarmed as he was, in\nthe strife. But Patroklos, being overcome by the stroke of the god, and\nby the spear, gave ground, and retreated to the host of his comrades,\navoiding Fate. But Hector, when he beheld great-hearted Patroklos give\nground, being smitten with the keen bronze, came nigh unto him through\nthe ranks, and wounded him with a spear, in the lowermost part of the\nbelly, and drave the bronze clean through. And he fell with a crash,\nand sorely grieved the host of Achaians. And as when a lion hath\novercome in battle an untiring boar, they twain fighting with high\nheart on the crests of a hill, about a little well, and both are\ndesirous to drink, and the lion hath by force overcome the boar that\ndraweth difficult breath; so after that he had slain many did Hector\nson of Priam take the life away from the strong son of Menoitios,\nsmiting him at close quarters with the spear; and boasting over him he\nspake winged words: \u201cPatroklos, surely thou saidst that thou wouldst\nsack my town, and from Trojan women take away the day of freedom, and\nbring them in ships to thine own dear country: fool! nay, in front of\nthese were the swift horses of Hector straining their speed for the\nfight; and myself in wielding the spear excel among the war-loving\nTrojans, even I who ward from them the day of destiny: but thee shall\nvultures here devour. Ah, wretch, surely Achilles for all his valour,\navailed thee not, who straitly charged thee as thou camest, he abiding\nthere, saying, \u2018Come not to me, Patroklos lord of steeds, to the hollow\nships, till thou hast torn the gory doublet of man-slaying Hector about\nhis breast;\u2019 so, surely, he spake to thee, and persuaded the wits of\nthee in thy witlessness.\u201d\n\nThen faintly didst thou answer him, knightly Patroklos: \u201cBoast greatly,\nas now, Hector, for to thee have Zeus, son of Kronos, and Apollo given\nthe victory, who lightly have subdued me; for themselves stripped my\nharness from my shoulders. But if twenty such as thou had encountered\nme, here had they all perished, subdued beneath my spear. But me have\nruinous Fate and the son of Leto slain, and of men Euphorbos, but thou\nart the third in my slaying. But another thing will I tell thee, and do\nthou lay it up in thy heart: verily thou thyself art not long to live,\nbut already doth Death stand hard by thee, and strong Fate, that thou\nart to be subdued by the hands of noble Achilles, of the seed of\nAiakos.\u201d\n\nEven as so he spake the end of death overshadowed him. And his soul,\nfleeting from his limbs, went down to the house of Hades, wailing its\nown doom, leaving manhood and youth.\n\nThen renowned Hector spake to him even in his death: \u201cPatroklos,\nwherefore to me dolt thou prophesy sheer destruction? who knows but\nthat Achilles, the child of fair-tressed Thetis, will first be smitten\nby my spear, and lose his life?\u201d\n\nSo spake he, and drew the spear of bronze from the wound, setting his\nfoot on the dead, and cast him off on his back from the spear. And\nstraightway with the spear he went after Automedon, the godlike squire\nof the swift-footed Aiakides, for he was eager to smite him; but his\nswift-footed immortal horses bare him out of the battle, horses that\nthe gods gave to Peleus, a splendid gift.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XVII.\n\n\nOf the battle around the body of Patroklos.\n\n\nBut Atreus\u2019 son, Menelaos dear to Ares, was not unaware of the slaying\nof Patroklos by the Trojans in the fray. He went up through the front\nof the fight harnessed in flashing bronze, and strode over the body as\nabove a first-born calf standeth lowing its mother. Thus above\nPatroklos strode fair-haired Menelaos, and before him held his spear\nand the circle of his shield, eager to slay whoever should encounter\nhim. Then was Panthoos\u2019 son of the stout ashen spear not heedless of\nnoble Patroklos as he lay, and he smote on the circle of the shield of\nMenelaos, but the bronze spear brake it not, but the point was bent\nback in the stubborn shield. And Menelaos Atreus\u2019 son in his turn made\nat him with his bronze spear, having prayed unto father Zeus, and as he\ngave back pierced the nether part of his throat, and threw his weight\ninto the stroke, following his heavy hand; and sheer through the tender\nneck went the point of the spear. And he fell with a crash, and his\narmour rang upon him. In blood was his hair drenched that was like unto\nthe hair of the Graces, and his tresses closely knit with bands of\nsilver and gold.\n\nThen easily would the son of Atreus have borne off the noble spoils of\nPanthoos\u2019 son, had not Phoebus Apollo grudged it to him, and aroused\nagainst him Hector peer of swift Ares, putting on the semblance of a\nman, of Mentes chief of the Kikones. And he spake aloud to him winged\nwords: \u201cHector, now art thou hasting after things unattainable, even\nthe horses of wise Aiakides; for hard are they to be tamed or driven by\nmortal man, save only Achilles whom an immortal mother bare. Meanwhile\nhath warlike Menelaos Atreus\u2019 son stridden over Patroklos and slain the\nbest of the Trojans there, even Panthoos\u2019 son Euphorbos, and hath\nstayed him in his impetuous might.\u201d\n\nThus saying the god went back into the strife of men, but dire grief\ndarkened Hectors inmost soul, and then he gazed searchingly along the\nlines, and straightway was aware of the one man stripping off the noble\narms, and the other lying on the earth; and blood was flowing about the\ngaping wound. Then he went through the front of the fight harnessed in\nflashing bronze, crying a shrill cry, like unto Hephaistos\u2019 flame\nunquenchable. Not deaf to his shrill cry was Atreus\u2019 son, and sore\ntroubled he spake to his great heart: \u201cAy me, if I shall leave behind\nme these goodly arms, and Patroklos who here lieth for my vengeance\u2019\nsake, I fear lest some Danaan beholding it be wroth against me. But if\nfor honour\u2019s sake I do battle alone with Hector and the Trojans, I fear\nlest they come about me many against one; for all the Trojans is\nbright-helmed Hector leading hither. But if I might somewhere find Aias\nof the loud war-cry, then both together would we go and be mindful of\nbattle even were it against the power of heaven, if haply we might save\nhis dead for Achilles Peleus\u2019 son: that were best among these ills.\u201d\n\nWhile thus he communed with his mind and heart, therewithal the Trojan\nranks came onward, and Hector at their head. Then Menelaos gave\nbackward, and left the dead man, turning himself ever about like a\ndeep-waned lion which men and dogs chase from a fold with spears and\ncries; and his strong heart within him groweth chill, and loth goeth he\nfrom the steading; so from Patroklos went fair-haired Menelaos, and\nturned and stood, when he came to the host of his comrades, searching\nfor mighty Aias Telamon\u2019s son. Him very speedily he espied on the left\nof the whole battle, cheering his comrades and rousing them to fight,\nfor great terror had Phoebus Apollo sent on them; and he hasted him to\nrun, and straightway stood by him and said: \u201cThis way, beloved Aias;\nlet us bestir us for the dead Patroklos, if haply his naked corpse at\nleast we may carry to Achilles, though his armour is held by Hector of\nthe glancing helm.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and aroused the heart of wise Aias. And he went up\nthrough the front of the fight, and with him fair-haired Menelaos. Now\nHector, when he had stripped from Patroklos his noble armour, was\ndragging him thence that he might cut off the head from the shoulders\nwith the keen bronze and carry his body to give to the dogs of Troy.\nBut Aias came anigh, and the shield that he bare was as a tower; then\nHector gave back into the company of his comrades, and sprang into his\nchariot; and the goodly armour he gave to the Trojans to carry to the\ncity, to be great glory unto him. But Aias spread his broad shield over\nthe son of Menoitios and stood as it were a lion before his whelps when\nhuntsmen in a forest encounter him as he leadeth his young. And by his\nside stood Atreus\u2019 son, Menelaos dear to Ares, nursing great sorrow in\nhis breast.\n\nThen Hector called on the Trojans with a mighty shout; \u201cTrojans and\nLykians and Dardanians that fight hand to hand, be men, my friends, and\nbethink you of impetuous valour, until I do on me the goodly arms of\nnoble Achilles that I stripped from brave Patroklos when I slew him.\u201d\n\nThus having spoken went Hector of the glancing helm forth out of the\nstrife of war, and ran and speedily with fleet feet following overtook\nhis comrades, not yet far off, who were bearing to the city Peleides\u2019\nglorious arms. And standing apart from the dolorous battle he changed\nhis armour; his own he gave the warlike Trojans to carry to sacred\nIlios, and he put on the divine arms of Achilles, Peleus\u2019 son.\n\nBut when Zeus that gathereth the clouds beheld from afar off Hector\narming him in the armour of Peleus\u2019 godlike son, he shook his head and\nspake thus unto his soul: \u201cAh, hapless man, no thought is in thy heart\nof death that yet draweth nigh unto thee; thou doest on thee the divine\narmour of a peerless man before whom the rest have terror. His comrade,\ngentle and brave, thou hast slain, and unmeetly hast stripped the\narmour from his head and shoulders; yet now for a while at least I will\ngive into thy hands great might, in recompense for this, even that\nnowise shalt thou come home out of the battle, for Andromache to\nreceive from thee Peleides\u2019 glorious arms.\u201d\n\nThus spake the son of Kronos, and bowed his dark brows therewithal.\n\nBut the armour fitted itself unto Hectors body, and Ares the dread\nwar-god entered into him, and his limbs were filled within with valour\nand strength. Then he sped among the noble allies with a mighty cry,\nand in the flashing of his armour he seemed to all of them like unto\nPeleus\u2019 great-hearted son. And he came to each and encouraged him with\nhis words\u2014Mesthles and Glaukos and Medon and Thersilochos and\nAsteropaios and Deisenor and Hippothoos and Phorkys and Chromios and\nthe augur Ennomos\u2014these encouraged he and spake to them winged words:\n\u201cListen, ye countless tribes of allies that dwell round about. It was\nnot for mere numbers that I sought or longed when I gathered each of\nyou from your cities, but that ye might zealously guard the Trojans\u2019\nwives and infant little ones from the war-loving Achaians. For this end\nam I wearying my people by taking gifts and food from them, and nursing\nthereby the courage of each of you. Now therefore let all turn straight\nagainst the foe and live or die, for such is the dalliance of war. And\nwhoso shall drag Patroklos, dead though he be, among the horse-taming\nmen of Troy, and make Aias yield, to him will I award half the spoils\nand keep half myself; so shall his glory be great as mine.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and they against the Danaans charged with all their\nweight, levelling their spears, and their hearts were high of hope to\ndrag the corpse from under Aias, Telamon\u2019s son. Fond men! from full\nmany reft he life over that corpse. And then spake Aias to Menelaos of\nthe loud war-cry: \u201cDear Menelaos, fosterling of Zeus, no longer count I\nthat we two of ourselves shall return home out of the war. Nor have I\nso much dread for the corpse of Patroklos, that shall soon glut the\ndogs and birds of the men of Troy, as for thy head and mine lest some\nevil fall thereon, for all is shrouded by a storm-cloud of war, even by\nHector, and sheer doom stareth in our face. But come, call thou to the\nbest men of the Danaans, if haply any hear.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and Menelaos of the loud war-cry disregarded him not,\nbut shouted unto the Danaans, crying a far-heard cry: \u201cO friends, ye\nleaders and counsellors of the Argives, who by the side of the sons of\nAtreus, Agamemnon and Menelaos, drink at the common cost and are all\ncommanders of the host, on whom wait glory and honour from Zeus, hard\nis it for me to distinguish each chief amid the press\u2014such blaze is\nthere of the strife of war. But let each go forward of himself and be\nwroth at heart that Patroklos should become a sport among the dogs of\nTroy.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and Oileus\u2019 son fleet Aias heard him clearly, and was\nfirst to run along the mellay to meet him, and after him Idomeneus, and\nIdomeneus\u2019 brother-in-arms, Meriones, peer of the man-slaying war-god.\nAnd who shall of his own thought tell the names of the rest, even of\nall that after these aroused the battle of the Achaians?\n\nNow the Trojans charged forward in close array, and Hector led them.\nAnd as when at the mouth of some heaven-born river a mighty wave\nroareth against the stream, and arouseth the high cliffs\u2019 echo as the\nsalt sea belloweth on the beach, so loud was the cry wherewith the\nTrojans came. But the Achaians stood firm around Menoitios\u2019 son with\none soul all, walled in with shields of bronze. And over their bright\nhelmets the son of Kronos shed thick darkness, for in the former time\nwas Menoitios\u2019 son not unloved of him, while he was yet alive and\nsquire of Aiakides. So was Zeus loth that he should become a prey of\nthe dogs of his enemies at Troy, and stirred his comrades to do battle\nfor him.\n\nNow first the Trojans thrust back the glancing-eyed Achaians, who\nshrank before them and left the dead, yet the proud Trojans slew not\nany of them with spears, though they were fain, but set to hale the\ncorpse. But little while would the Achaians hold back therefrom, for\nvery swiftly Aias rallied them, Aias the first in presence and in deeds\nof all the Danaans after the noble son of Peleus. Right through the\nfighters in the forefront rushed he like a wild boar in his might that\nin the mountains when he turneth at bay scattereth lightly dogs and\nlusty young men through the glades. Thus did proud Telamon\u2019s son the\nglorious Aias press on the Trojan battalions and lightly scatter them,\nas they had bestrode Patroklos and were full fain to drag him to their\ncity and win renown.\n\nThen would the Trojans in their turn in their weakness overcome have\nbeen driven back into Ilios by the Achaians dear to Ares, and the\nArgives would have won glory even against the appointment of Zeus by\ntheir power and might. But Apollo himself aroused Aineias, putting on\nthe semblance of Periphas the herald, the son of Epytos, who grew old\nwith his old father in his heraldship, of friendly thought toward\nAineias. In his similitude spake Apollo, son of Zeus: \u201cAineias, how\ncould ye ever guard high Ilios if it were against the will of God?\nOther men have I seen that trust in their own might and power and\nvalour, and in their host, even though they have scant folk to lead.\nBut here, albeit Zeus is fainer far to give victory to us than to the\nDanaans, yet ye are dismayed exceedingly and fight not.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and Aineias knew far-darting Apollo when he looked upon\nhis face, and spake unto Hector, shouting loud \u201cHector and ye other\nleaders of the Trojans and their allies, shame were this if in our\nweakness overcome we were driven back into Ilios by the Achaians dear\nto Ares. Nay, thus saith a god, who standeth by my side: Zeus, highest\nOrderer, is our helper in this fight. Therefore let us go right onward\nagainst the Danaans. Not easily at least let them take the dead\nPatroklos to the ships.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and leapt forth far before the fighters in the front.\nAnd the Trojans rallied and stood up against the Achaians. Thus strove\nthey as it had been fire, nor wouldst thou have thought there was still\nsun or moon, for over all the battle where the chiefs stood around the\nslain son of Menoitios they were shrouded in darkness, while the other\nTrojans and well-greaved Achaians fought at ease in the clear air, and\npiercing sunlight was spread over them, and on all the earth and hills\nthere was no cloud seen; and they ceased fighting now sad again,\navoiding each other\u2019s dolorous darts and standing far apart. But they\nwho were in the midst endured affliction of the darkness and the\nbattle, and all the best men of them were wearied by the pitiless\nweight of their bronze arms.\n\nThus all day long waxed the mighty fray of their sore strife; and\nunabatingly ever with the sweat of toil were the knees and legs and\nfeet of each man and arms anal eyes bedewed as the two hosts did battle\naround the brave squire of fleet Aiakides. And as when a man giveth the\nhide of a great bull to his folk to stretch, all soaked in fat, and\nthey take and stretch it standing in a circle, and straightway the\nmoisture thereof departeth and the fat entereth in under the haling of\nmany hands, and it is all stretched throughout,\u2014thus they on both sides\nhaled the dead man this way and that in narrow space, for their hearts\nwere high of hope, the Trojans that they should drag him to Ilios and\nthe Achaians to the hollow ships; and around him the fray waxed wild,\nnor might Ares rouser of hosts nor Athene despise the sight thereof,\nalbeit their anger were exceeding great.\n\nSuch was the grievous travail of men and horses over Patroklos that\nZeus on that day wrought. But not as yet knew noble Achilles aught of\nPatroklos\u2019 death, for far away from the swift ships they were fighting\nbeneath the wall of the men of Troy. Therefore never deemed he in his\nheart that he was dead, but that he should come back alive, after that\nhe had touched the gates; for neither that other thought had he\nanywise, that Patroklos should sack the stronghold without his aid.\n\nNow the rest continually around the dead man with their keen spears\nmade onset relentlessly and slew each the other. And thus would one\nspeak among the mail-clad Achaians: \u201cFriends, it were verily not\nglorious for us to go back to the hollow ships; rather let the black\nearth yawn for us all beneath our feet. Far better were that\nstraightway for us if we suffer the horse-taming Trojans to hale this\nman to their city and win renown.\u201d\n\nAnd thus on the other side would one of the great-hearted Trojans say:\n\u201cFriends, though it were our fate that all together we be slain beside\nthis man, let none yet give backward from the fray.\u201d\n\nThus would one speak, and rouse the spirit of each. So they fought on,\nand the iron din went up through the high desert air unto the brazen\nheaven. But the horses of Aiakides that were apart from the battle were\nweeping, since first they were aware that their charioteer was fallen\nin the dust beneath the hand of man-slaying Hector. Verily Automedon,\nDiores\u2019 valiant son, plied them oft with blows of the swift lash, and\noft with gentle words he spake to them and oft with chiding, yet would\nthey neither go back to the ships at the broad Hellespont nor yet to\nthe battle after the Achaians, but as a pillar abideth firm that\nstandeth on the tomb of a man or woman dead, so abode they immovably\nwith the beautiful chariot, abasing their heads unto the earth. And hot\ntears flowed from their eyes to the ground as they mourned in sorrow\nfor their charioteer, and their rich manes were soiled as they drooped\nfrom beneath the yoke-cushion on both sides beside the yoke. And when\nthe son of Kronos beheld them mourning he had compassion on them, and\nshook his head and spake to his own heart: \u201cAh, hapless pair, why gave\nwe you to king Peleus, a mortal man, while ye are deathless and ever\nyoung? Was it that ye should suffer sorrows among ill-fated men? For\nmethinketh there is nothing more piteous than a man among all things\nthat breathe and creep upon the earth. But verily Hector Priam\u2019s son\nshall not drive you and your deftly-wrought car; that will I not\nsuffer. Is it a small thing that he holdeth the armour and vaunteth\nhimself vainly thereupon? Nay, I will put courage into your knees and\nheart that ye may bring Automedon also safe out of the war to the\nhollow ships. For yet further will I increase victory to the men of\nTroy, so that they slay until they come unto the well-timbered ships,\nand the sun set and divine night come down.\u201d\n\nThus saying he breathed good courage into the horses. And they shook to\nearth the dust from their manes, and lightly bare the swift car amid\nTrojans and Achaians. And behind them fought Automedon, albeit in grief\nfor his comrade, swooping with his chariot as a vulture on wild geese;\nfor lightly he would flee out of the onset of the Trojans and lightly\ncharge, pursuing them through the thick mellay. Yet could he not slay\nany man as he halted to pursue them, for it was impossible that being\nalone in his sacred car he should at once assail them with the spear\nand hold his fleet horses. Then at last espied him a comrade, even\nAlkimedon son of Laerkes, son of Haimon, and he halted behind the car\nand spake unto Automedon: \u201cAutomedon, what god hath put into thy breast\nunprofitable counsel and taken from thee wisdom, that thus alone thou\nart fighting against the Trojans in the forefront of the press? Thy\ncomrade even now was slain, and Hector goeth proudly, wearing on his\nown shoulders the armour of Aiakides.\u201d\n\nAnd Automedon son of Diores answered him, saying: \u201cAlkimedon, what\nother Achaian hath like skill to guide the spirit of immortal steeds,\nsave only Patroklos, peer of gods in counsel, while he yet lived? but\nnow have death and fate overtaken him. But take thou the lash and\nshining reins, and I will get me down from my horses, that I may\nfight.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and Alkimedon leapt on the fleet war-chariot and swiftly\ntook the lash and reins in his hands, and Automedon leapt down. And\nnoble Hector espied them, and straightway spake unto Aineias as he\nstood near: \u201cAineias, counsellor of mail-clad Trojans, I espy here the\ntwo horses of fleet Aiakides come forth to battle with feeble\ncharioteers. Therefore might I hope to take them if thou in thy heart\nart willing, since they would not abide our onset and stand to do\nbattle against us.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and the brave son of Anchises disregarded him not. And\nthey twain went right onward, their shoulders shielded by ox-hides\ndried and tough, and bronze thick overlaid. And with them went both\nChromios and godlike Aretos, and their hearts were of high hope to slay\nthe men and drive off the strong-necked horses\u2014fond hope, for not\nwithout blood lost were they to get them back from Automedon. He\npraying to father Zeus was filled in his inmost heart with valour and\nstrength. And straightway he spake to Alkimedon, his faithful comrade:\n\u201cAlkimedon, hold the horses not far from me, but with their very breath\nupon my back; for I deem that Hector the son of Priam will not refrain\nhim from his fury until he mount behind Achilles\u2019 horses of goodly\nmanes after slaying us twain, and dismay the ranks of Argive men, or\nelse himself fall among the foremost.\u201d\n\nThus said he, and called upon the Aiantes and Menelaos: \u201cAiantes,\nleaders of the Argives, and Menelaos, lo now, commit ye the corpse unto\nwhoso may best avail to bestride it and resist the ranks of men, and\ncome ye to ward the day of doom from us who are yet alive, for here in\nthe dolorous war are Hector and Aineias, the best men of the Trojans,\npressing hard. Yet verily these issues lie in the lap of the gods: I\ntoo will cast my spear, and the rest shall Zeus decide.\u201d\n\nHe said, and poised his far-shadowing spear and hurled it, and smote on\nthe circle of the shield of Aretos, and the shield sustained not the\nspear, but right through went the bronze, and he forced it into his\nbelly low down through his belt. And as when a strong man with a sharp\naxe smiting behind the horns of an ox of the homestead cleaveth the\nsinew asunder, and the ox leapeth forward and falleth, so leapt Aretos\nforward and fell on his back; and the spear in his entrails very\npiercingly quivering unstrung his limbs. And Hector hurled at Automedon\nwith his bright spear, but he looked steadfastly on the bronze javelin\nas it came at him and avoided it, for he stooped forward, and the long\nspear fixed itself in the ground behind, and the javelin-butt quivered,\nand there dread Ares took away its force. And then had they lashed at\neach other with their swords hand to hand, had not the Aiantes parted\nthem in their fury, when they were come through the mellay at their\ncomrades\u2019 call. Before them Hector and Aineias and godlike Chromios\nshrank backward and gave ground and left Aretos wounded to the death as\nhe lay. And Automedon, peer of swift Ares, stripped off the armour of\nthe dead, and spake exultingly: \u201cVerily, I have a little eased my heart\nof grief for the death of Menoitios\u2019 son, albeit a worse man than him\nhave I slain.\u201d\n\nThus saying he took up the gory spoils and set them in his car, and gat\nhim thereon, with feet and hands all bloody, as a lion that hath\ndevoured a bull.\n\nNow great-hearted Aias and Menelaos were aware of Zeus how he gave the\nTrojans their turn to victory. First of these to speak was great Aias\nson of Telamon: \u201cAy me, now may any man, even though he be a very fool,\nknow that father Zeus himself is helping the Trojans. Come, let us\nourselves devise some excellent means, that we may both hale the corpse\naway and ourselves return home to the joy of our friends, who grieve as\nthey look hitherward and deem that no longer shall the fury of\nman-slaying Hector\u2019s unapproachable hand refrain itself, but fall upon\nthe black ships. And would there were some comrade to carry tidings\nwith all speed unto the son of Peleus, since I deem that he hath not\neven heard the grievous tidings, how his dear comrade is slain. But\nnowhere can I behold such an one among the Achaians, for themselves and\ntheir horses likewise are wrapped in darkness. O father Zeus, deliver\nthou the sons of the Achaians from the darkness, and make clear sky and\nvouchsafe sight unto our eyes. In the light be it that thou slayest us,\nsince it is thy good pleasure that we die.\u201d\n\nThen fair-haired Menelaos departed glancing everywhither, as an eagle\nwhich men say hath keenest sight of all birds under heaven, and though\nhe be far aloft the fleet-footed hare eludeth him not by crouching\nbeneath a leafy bush, but the eagle swoopeth thereon and swiftly\nseizeth her and taketh her life. Thus in that hour, Menelaos fosterling\nof Zeus, ranged thy shining eyes everywhither through the multitude of\nthe host of thy comrades, if haply they might behold Nestor\u2019s son yet\nalive. Him quickly he perceived at the left of the whole battle,\nheartening his comrades and rousing them to fight. And fair-haired\nMenelaos came and stood nigh and said unto him: \u201cAntilochos, fosterling\nof Zeus, come hither that thou mayest learn woful tidings\u2014would it had\nnever been. Ere now, I ween, thou too hast known by thy beholding that\nGod rolleth mischief upon the Danaans, and with the Trojans is victory.\nAnd slain is the best man of the Achaians, Patroklos, and great sorrow\nis wrought for the Danaans. But run thou to the ships of the Achaians\nand quickly tell this to Achilles, if haply he may straightway rescue\nto his ship the naked corpse: but his armour is held by Hector of the\nglancing helmet.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and Antilochos had horror of the word he heard. And long\ntime speechlessness possessed him, and his eyes were filled with tears,\nand his full voice choked. Yet for all this disregarded he not the\nbidding of Menelaos, but set him to run, when he had given his armour\nto a noble comrade, Laodokos, who close anigh him was wheeling his\nwhole-hooved horses.\n\nSo him his feet bare out of the battle weeping, to Achilles son of\nPeleus carrying an evil tale. But thy heart, Menelaos fosterling of\nZeus, chose not to stay to aid the wearied comrades from whom\nAntilochos departed, and great sorrow was among the Pylians. But to\nthem Menelaos sent noble Thrasymedes, and himself went again to\nbestride the hero Patroklos. And he hasted and stood beside the Aiantes\nand straightway spake to them: \u201cSo have I sent that man to the swift\nships to go to fleet-footed Achilles. Yet deem I not that he will now\ncome, for all his wrath against noble Hector, for he could not fight\nunarmed against the men of Troy. But let us ourselves devise some\nexcellent means, both how we may hale the dead away, and how we\nourselves may escape death and fate amid the Trojans\u2019 battle-cry.\u201d\n\nThen answered him great Aias Telamon\u2019s son, saying: \u201cAll this hast thou\nsaid well, most noble Menelaos. But do thou and Meriones put your\nshoulders beneath the dead and lift him and bear him swiftly out of the\nfray, while we twain behind you shall do battle with the Trojans and\nnoble Hector, one in heart as we are in name, for from of old time we\nare wont to await fierce battle side by side.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and the others took the dead man in their arms and\nlifted him mightily on high. But the Trojan host behind cried aloud\nwhen they saw the Achaians lifting the corpse, and charged like hounds\nthat spring in front of hunter-youths upon a wounded wild boar, and for\na while run in haste to rend him, but when he wheeleth round among\nthem, trusting in his might, then they give ground and shrink back here\nand there. Thus for a while the Trojans pressed on with all their\npower, striking with swords and double-headed spears, but when the\nAiantes turned about and halted over against them, then they changed\ncolour, and none dared farther onset to do battle around the dead.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XVIII.\n\n\nHow Achilles grieved for Patroklos, and how Thetis asked for him new\narmour of Hephaistos; and of the making of the armour.\n\n\nThus fought the rest in the likeness of blazing fire, while to Achilles\ncame Antilochos, a messenger fleet of foot. Him found he in front of\nhis ships of upright horns, boding in his soul the things which even\nnow were accomplished. And sore troubled he spake to his great heart:\n\u201cAy me, wherefore again are the flowing-haired Achaians flocking to the\nships and flying in rout over the plain? May the gods not have wrought\nagainst me the grievous fears at my heart, even as my mother revealed\nand told me that while I am yet alive the best man of the Myrmidons\nmust by deed of the men of Troy forsake the light of the sun. Surely\nnow must Menoitios\u2019 valiant son be dead\u2014foolhardy! surely I bade him\nwhen he should have beaten off the fire of the foe to come back to the\nships nor with Hector fight amain.\u201d\n\nWhile thus he held debate in his heart and soul, there drew nigh unto\nhim noble Nestor\u2019s son, shedding hot tears, and spake his grievous\ntidings: \u201cAy me, wise Peleus\u2019 son, very bitter tidings must thou hear,\nsuch as I would had never been. Fallen is Patroklos, and they are\nfighting around his body, naked, for his armour is held by Hector of\nthe glancing helm.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and a black cloud of grief enwrapped Achilles, and with\nboth hands he took dark dust and poured it over his head and defiled\nhis comely face, and on his fragrant doublet black ashes fell. And\nhimself in the dust lay mighty and mightily fallen, and with his own\nhands tore and marred his hair. And the handmaidens, whom Achilles and\nPatroklos took captive, cried aloud in the grief of their hearts, and\nran forth around valiant Achilles, and all beat on their breasts with\ntheir hands, and the knees of each of them were unstrung. And\nAntilochos on the other side wailed and shed tears, holding Achilles\u2019\nhands while he groaned in his noble heart, for he feared lest he should\ncleave his throat with the sword. Then terribly moaned Achilles; and\nhis lady mother heard him as she sate in the depths of the sea beside\nher ancient sire. And thereon she uttered a cry, and the goddesses\nflocked around her, all the daughters of Nereus that were in the deep\nof the sea. With these the bright cave was filled, and they all beat\ntogether on their breasts, and Thetis led the lament: \u201cListen, sister\nNereids, that ye all hear and know well what sorrows are in my heart.\nAy me unhappy, ay me that bare to my sorrow the first of men! For after\nI had borne a son noble and strong, the chief of heroes, and he shot up\nlike a young branch, then when I had reared him as a plant in a very\nfruitful field I sent him in beaked ships to Ilios to fight against the\nmen of Troy; but never again shall I welcome him back to his home, to\nthe house of Peleus. And while he yet liveth in my sight and beholdeth\nthe light of the sun, he sorroweth, neither can I help him any whit\nthough I go unto him. But I will go, that I may look upon my dear\nchild, and learn what sorrow hath come to him though he abide aloof\nfrom the war.\u201d\n\nThus spake she and left the cave; and the nymphs went with her weeping,\nand around them the surge of the sea was sundered. And when they came\nto deep-soiled Troy-land they went up upon the shore in order, where\nthe ships of the Myrmidons were drawn up thickly around fleet Achilles.\nAnd as he groaned heavily his lady mother stood beside him, and with a\nshrill cry clasped the bead of her child, and spake unto him winged\nwords of lamentation: \u201cMy child, why weepest thou? what sorrow hath\ncome to thy heart? Tell it forth, hide it not. One thing at least hath\nbeen accomplished of Zeus according to the prayer thou madest, holding\nup to him thy hands, that the sons of the Achaians should all be pent\nin at the ships, through lack of thee, and should suffer hateful\nthings.\u201d\n\nThen groaning heavily spake unto her Achilles fleet of foot: \u201cMy\nmother, that prayer truly hath the Olympian accomplished for me. But\nwhat delight have I therein, since my dear comrade is dead, Patroklos,\nwhom I honoured above all my comrades as it were my very self! Him have\nI lost, and Hector that slew him hath stripped from him the armour\ngreat and fair, a wonder to behold, that the gods gave to Peleus a\nsplendid gift, on the day when they laid thee in the bed of a mortal\nman. Would thou hadst abode among the deathless daughters of the sea,\nand Peleus had wedded a mortal bride! But now, that thou mayest have\nsorrow a thousand fold in thy heart for a dead son, never shalt thou\nwelcome him back home, since my soul biddeth me also live no longer nor\nabide among men, if Hector be not first smitten by my spear and yield\nhis life, and pay for his slaughter of Patroklos, Menoitios\u2019 son.\u201d\n\nThen answered unto him Thetis shedding tears: \u201cShort-lived, I ween,\nmust thou be then, my child, by what thou sayest, for straightway after\nHector is death appointed unto thee.\u201d\n\nThen mightily moved spake unto her Achilles fleet of foot: \u201cStraightway\nmay I die, since I might not succour my comrade at his slaying. He hath\nfallen afar from his country and lacked my help in his sore need. Now\ntherefore, since I go not back to my dear native land, neither have at\nall been succour to Patroklos nor to all my other comrades that have\nbeen slain by noble Hector, but I sit beside my ships a profitless\nburden of the earth, I that in war am such an one as is none else of\nthe mail-clad Achaians, though in council are others better\u2014may strife\nperish utterly among gods and men, and wrath that stirreth even a wise\nman to be vexed, wrath that far sweeter than trickling honey waxeth\nlike smoke in the breasts of men, even as I was wroth even now against\nAgamemnon king of men. But bygones will we let be, for all our pain,\ncurbing the heart in our breasts under necessity. Now go I forth, that\nI may light on the destroyer of him I loved, on Hector: then will I\naccept my death whensoever Zeus willeth to accomplish it and the other\nimmortal gods. For not even the mighty Herakles escaped death, albeit\nmost dear to Kronian Zeus the king, but Fate overcame him and Hera\u2019s\ncruel wrath. So also shall I, if my fate hath been fashioned likewise,\nlie low when I am dead. But now let me win high renown, let me set some\nTrojan woman, some deep-bosomed daughter of Dardanos, staunching with\nboth hands the tears upon her tender cheeks and wailing bitterly; yea,\nlet them know that I am come back, though I tarried long from the war.\nHold not me then from the battle in thy love, for thou shalt not\nprevail with me.\u201d\n\nThen Thetis the silver-footed goddess answered him, saying: \u201cYea\nverily, my child, no blame is in this, that thou ward sheer destruction\nfrom thy comrades in their distress. But thy fair glittering armour of\nbronze is held among the Trojans. Hector of the glancing helm beareth\nit on his shoulders in triumph, yet not for long, I ween, shall he\nglory therein, for death is hard anigh him. But thou, go not yet down\ninto the mellay of war until thou see me with thine eyes come hither.\nIn the morning will I return, at the coming up of the sun, bearing fair\narmour from the king Hephaistos.\u201d\n\nThus spake she and turned to go from her son, and as she turned she\nspake among her sisters of the sea: \u201cYe now go down within the wide\nbosom of the deep, to visit the Ancient One of the Sea and our father\u2019s\nhouse, and tell him all. I am going to high Olympus to Hephaistos of\nnoble skill, if haply he will give unto my son noble armour shining\ngloriously.\u201d\n\nThus spake she, and they forthwith went down beneath the surge of the\nsea. And the silver-footed goddess Thetis went on to Olympus that she\nmight bring noble armour to her son.\n\nSo her unto Olympus her feet bore. But the Achaians with terrible cries\nwere fleeing before man-slaying Hector till they came to the ships and\nto the Hellespont. Nor might the well-greaved Achaians drag the corpse\nof Patroklos Achilles\u2019 squire out of the darts, for now again overtook\nhim the host and the horses of Troy, and Hector son of Priam, in might\nas it were a flame of fire. Thrice did glorious Hector seize him from\nbehind by the feet, resolved to drag him away, and mightily called upon\nthe men of Troy. Thrice did the two Aiantes, clothed on with impetuous\nmight, beat him off from the dead man, but he nathless, trusting in his\nmight, anon would charge into the press, anon would stand and cry\naloud, but he gave ground never a whit. As when shepherds in the field\navail nowise to chase a fiery lion in fierce hunger away from a\ncarcase, so availed not the two warrior Aiantes to scare Hector son of\nPriam from the dead. And now would he have won the body and gained\nrenown unspeakable, had not fleet wind-footed Iris come speeding from\nOlympus with a message to the son of Peleus to array him, unknown of\nZeus and the other gods, for Hera sent her. And she stood anigh and\nspake to him winged words: \u201cRouse thee, son of Peleus, of all men most\nredoubtable! Succour Patroklos, for whose body is terrible battle afoot\nbefore the ships. There slay they one another, these guarding the dead\ncorpse, while the men of Troy are fierce to hale him unto windy Ilios,\nand chiefliest noble Hector is fain to drag him, and his heart biddeth\nhim fix the head on the stakes of the wall when he hath sundered it\nfrom the tender neck. But arise, lie thus no longer! let awe enter thy\nheart to forbid that Patroklos become the sport of dogs of Troy. Thine\nwere the shame if he go down mangled amid the dead.\u201d\n\nThen answered her fleet-footed noble Achilles: \u201cGoddess Iris, what god\nsent thee a messenger unto me?\u201d\n\nAnd to him again spake wind-footed fleet Iris: \u201cIt was Hera that sent\nme, the wise wife of Zeus, nor knoweth the high-throned son of Kronos\nnor any other of the Immortals that on snowy Olympus have their\ndwelling-place.\u201d\n\nAnd Achilles fleet of foot made answer to her and said: \u201cAnd how may I\ngo into the fray? The Trojans hold my arms; and my dear mother bade me\nforbear to array me until I behold her with my eyes returned, for she\npromised to bring fair armour from Hephaistos. Other man know I none\nwhose noble armour I might put on, save it were the shield of Aias\nTelamon\u2019s son. But himself, I ween, is in the forefront of the press,\ndealing death with his spear around Patroklos dead.\u201d\n\nThen again spake unto him wind-footed fleet Iris: \u201cWell are we also\naware that thy noble armour is held from thee. But go forth unto the\ntrench as thou art and show thyself to the men of Troy, if haply they\nwill shrink back and refrain them from battle, and the warlike sons of\nthe Achaians take breath.\u201d\n\nThus spake fleet-footed Iris and went her way. But Achilles dear to\nZeus arose, and around his strong shoulders Athene cast her tasselled\naegis, and around his head the bright goddess set a crown of a golden\ncloud, and kindled therefrom a blazing flame. And as when a smoke\nissueth from a city and riseth up into the upper air, from an island\nafar off that foes beleaguer, while the others from their city fight\nall day in hateful war,\u2014but with the going down of the sun blaze out\nthe beacon-fires in line, and high aloft rusheth up the glare for\ndwellers round about to behold, if haply they may come with ships to\nhelp in need\u2014thus from the head of Achilles soared that blaze toward\nthe heavens. And he went and stood beyond the wall beside the trench,\nyet mingled not among the Achaians, for he minded the wise bidding of\nhis mother. There stood he and shouted aloud, and afar off Pallas\nAthene uttered her voice, and spread terror unspeakable among the men\nof Troy. Clear as the voice of a clarion when it soundeth by reason of\nslaughterous foemen that beleaguer a city, so clear rang forth the\nvoice of Aiakides. And when they heard the brazen voice of Aiakides,\nthe souls of all of them were dismayed, and the horses of goodly manes\nwere fain to turn the chariots backward, for they boded anguish in\ntheir hearts, And the charioteers were amazed when they saw the\nunwearying fire blaze fierce on the head of the great-hearted son of\nPeleus, for the bright-eyed goddess Athene made it blaze. Thrice from\nover the trench shouted mightily noble Achilles, and thrice were the\nmen of Troy confounded and their proud allies. Yea there and then\nperished twelve men of their best by their own chariot wheels and\nspears. But the Achaians with joy drew Patroklos forth of the darts and\nlaid him on a litter, and his dear comrades stood around lamenting him;\nand among them followed fleet-footed Achilles, shedding hot tears, for\nhis true comrade he saw lying on the bier, mangled by the keen bronze.\nHim sent he forth with chariot and horses unto the battle, but home\nagain welcomed never more.\n\nThen Hera the ox-eyed queen sent down the unwearying Sun to be gone\nunwillingly unto the streams of Ocean. So the Sun set, and the noble\nAchaians made pause from the stress of battle and the hazardous war.\n\nBut the Achaians all night made moan in lamentation for Patroklos. And\nfirst of them in the loud lamentation was the son of Peleus, laying\nupon the breast of his comrade his man-slaying hands and moaning very\nsore, even as a deep-bearded lion whose whelps some stag-hunter hath\nsnatched away out of a deep wood; and the lion coming afterward\ngrieveth and through many glens he rangeth on the track of the\nfootsteps of the man, if anywhere he might find him, for most bitter\nanger seizeth him;\u2014thus Achilles moaning heavily spake among the\nMyrmidons: \u201cAy me, vain verily was the word I uttered on that day when\nI cheered the hero Menoitios in his halls and said that I would bring\nback to Opoeis his son in glory from the sack of Ilios with the share\nof spoil that should fall unto him. Not all the purposes of men doth\nZeus accomplish for them. It is appointed that both of us redden the\nsame earth with our blood here in Troy-land, for neither shall the old\nknight Peleus welcome me back home within his halls, nor my mother\nThetis, but even here shall earth keep hold on me. Yet now, O\nPatroklos, since I follow thee under earth, I will not hold thy funeral\ntill I have brought hither the armour and the head of Hector, thy\nhigh-hearted slayer, and before thy pyre I will cut the throats of\ntwelve noble sons of the men of Troy, for mine anger thou art slain.\nTill then beside the beaked ships shalt thou lie as thou art, and\naround thee deep-bosomed women, Trojan and Dardanian, shall mourn thee\nweeping night and day, even they whom we toiled to win by our strength\nand, our long spears when we sacked rich cities of mortal men.\u201d\n\nThus spake noble Achilles, and bade his comrades set a great tripod on\nthe fire, that with all speed they might wash from Patroklos the bloody\ngore. So they set a tripod of ablution on the burning fire, and poured\ntherein water and took wood and kindled it beneath; and the fire\nwrapped the belly of the tripod, and the water grew hot. And when the\nwater boiled in the bright bronze, then washed they him and anointed\nwith olive oil, and filled his wounds with fresh ointment, and laid him\non a bier and covered him with soft cloth from head to foot, and\nthereover a white robe. Then all night around Achilles fleet of foot\nthe Myrmidons made lament and moan for Patroklos.\n\nMeanwhile Zeus spake unto Hera his sister and wife: \u201cThou hast\naccomplished this, O Hera, ox-eyed queen, thou hast aroused Achilles\nfleet of foot. Verily of thine own children must the flowing-haired\nAchaians be.\u201d\n\nThen answered unto him Hera the ox-eyed queen: \u201cMost dread son of\nKronos, what is this word thou hast said? Truly even a man, I ween, is\nto accomplish what he may for another man, albeit he is mortal and hath\nnot wisdom as we. How then was I who avow me the first of goddesses\nboth by birth and for that I am called thy wife, and thou art king\namong all Immortals\u2014how was I not in mine anger to devise evil against\nthe men of Troy?\u201d\n\nSo debated they on this wise with one another. But Thetis of the silver\nfeet came unto the house of Hephaistos, imperishable, starlike, far\nseen among the dwellings of Immortals, a house of bronze, wrought by\nthe crook-footed god himself. Him found she sweating in toil and busy\nabout his bellows, for he was forging tripods twenty in all to stand\naround the wall of his stablished hall, and beneath the base of each he\nhad set golden wheels, that of their own motion they might enter the\nassembly of the gods and again return unto his house, a marvel to look\nupon. Thus much were they finished that not yet were away from the\nfire, and gathered all his gear wherewith he worked into a silver\nchest; and with a sponge he wiped his face and hands and sturdy neck\nand shaggy breast, and did on his doublet, and took a stout staff and\nwent forth limping; but there were handmaidens of gold that moved to\nhelp their lord, the semblances of living maids. In them is\nunderstanding at their hearts, in them are voice and strength, and they\nhave skill of the immortal gods. These moved beneath their lord, and he\ngat him haltingly near to where Thetis was, and set him on a bright\nseat, and clasped her hand in his and spake and called her by her name:\n\u201cWherefore, long-robed Thetis, comest thou to our house, honoured that\nthou art and dear? No frequent comer art thou hitherto. Speak what thou\nhast at heart; my soul is fain to accomplish it; if accomplish it I\ncan, and if it be appointed for accomplishment.\u201d\n\nThen answered unto him Thetis shedding tears: \u201cHephaistos, hath there\nverily been any of all goddesses in Olympus that hath endured so many\ngrievous sorrows at heart as are the woes that Kronian Zeus hath laid\nupon me above all others? He chose me from among the sisters of the sea\nto enthrall me to a man, even Peleus Aiakos\u2019 son, and with a man I\nendured wedlock sore against my will. Now lieth he in his halls\nforspent with grievous age, but other griefs are mine. A son he gave me\nto bear and nourish, the chief of heroes, and he shot up like a young\nbranch. Like a plant in a very fruitful field I reared him and sent him\nforth on beaked ships to Ilios to fight against the men of Troy, but\nnever again shall I welcome him back to his home within the house of\nPeleus. And while he yet liveth in my sight and beholdeth the light of\nthe sun, he sorroweth, neither can I help him any whit though I go unto\nhim. The maiden whom the sons of the Achaians chose out to be his\nprize, her hath the lord Agamemnon taken back out of his hands. In\ngrief for her wasted he his heart, while the men of Troy were driving\nthe Achaians on their ships, nor suffered them to come forth. And the\nelders of the Argives entreated him, and told over many noble gifts.\nThen albeit himself he refused to ward destruction from them, he put\nhis armour on Patroklos and sent him to the war, and much people with\nhim. All day they fought around the Skaian gates and that same day had\nsacked the town, but that when now Menoitios\u2019 valiant son had wrought\nmuch harm, Apollo slew him in the forefront of the battle, and gave\nglory unto Hector. Therefore now come I a suppliant unto thy knees, if\nhaply thou be willing to give my short-lived son shield and helmet, and\ngoodly greaves fitted with ankle-pieces, and cuirass. For the armour\nthat he had erst, his trusty comrade lost when he fell beneath the men\nof Troy; and my son lieth on the earth with anguish in his soul.\u201d\n\nThen made answer unto her the lame god of great renown: \u201cBe of good\ncourage, let not these things trouble thy heart. Would that so might I\navail to hide him far from dolorous death, when dread fate cometh upon\nhim, as surely shall goodly armour be at his need, such as all men\nafterward shall marvel at, whatsoever may behold.\u201d\n\nThus saying he left her there and went unto his bellows and turned them\nupon the fire and bade them work. And the bellows, twenty in all, blew\non the crucibles, sending deft blasts on every side, now to aid his\nlabour and now anon howsoever Hephaistos willed and the work went on.\nAnd he threw bronze that weareth not into the fire, and tin and\nprecious gold and silver, and next he set on an anvil-stand a great\nanvil, and took in his hand a sturdy hammer, and in the other he took\nthe tongs.\n\nFirst fashioned he a shield great and strong, adorning it all over, and\nset thereto a shining rim, triple, bright-glancing, and therefrom a\nsilver baldric. Five were the folds of the shield itself; and therein\nfashioned he much cunning work from his wise heart.\n\nThere wrought he the earth, and the heavens, and the sea, and the\nunwearying sun, and the moon waxing to the full, and the signs every\none wherewith the heavens are crowned, Pleiads and Hyads and Orion\u2019s\nmight, and the Bear that men call also the Wain, her that turneth in\nher place and watcheth Orion, and alone hath no part in the baths of\nOcean.\n\nAlso he fashioned therein two fair cities of mortal men. In the one\nwere espousals and marriage feasts, and beneath the blaze of torches\nthey were leading the brides from their chambers through the city, and\nloud arose the bridal song. And young men were whirling in the dance,\nand among them flutes and viols sounded high; and women standing each\nat her door were marvelling. But the folk were gathered in the assembly\nplace; for there a strife was arisen, two men striving about the\nblood-price of a man slain; the one claimed to pay full atonement,\nexpounding to the people, but the other denied him and would take\nnaught. And the folk were cheering both, as they took part on either\nside. And heralds kept order among the folk, while the elders on\npolished stones were sitting in the sacred circle, and holding in their\nhands staves from the loud-voiced heralds. Then before the people they\nrose up and gave judgment each in turn. And in the midst lay two\ntalents of gold, to be given unto him who should plead among them most\nrighteously.\n\nBut around the other city were two armies in siege with glittering\narms. And two counsels found favour among them, either to sack the town\nor to share all with the townsfolk even whatsoever substance the fair\ncity held within. But the besieged were not yet yielding, but arming\nfor an ambushment. On the wall there stood to guard it their dear wives\nand infant children, and with these the old men; but the rest went\nforth, and their leaders were Ares and Pallas Athene, both wrought in\ngold, and golden was the vesture they had on. Goodly and great were\nthey in their armour, even as gods, far seen around, and the folk at\ntheir feet were smaller. And when they came where it seemed good to\nthem to lay ambush, in a river bed where there was a common\nwatering-place of herds, there they set them, clad in glittering\nbronze. And two scouts were posted by them afar off to spy the coming\nof flocks and of oxen with crooked horns. And presently came the\ncattle, and with them two herdsmen playing on pipes, that took no\nthought of the guile. Then the others when they beheld these ran upon\nthem and quickly cut off the herds of oxen and fair flocks of white\nsheep, and slew the shepherds withal. But the besiegers, as they sat\nbefore the speech-places [from which the orators spoke] and heard much\ndin among the oxen, mounted forthwith behind their high-stepping\nhorses, and came up with speed. Then they arrayed their battle and\nfought beside the river banks, and smote one another with bronze-shod\nspears. And among them mingled Strife and Tumult, and fell Death,\ngrasping one man alive fresh-wounded, another without wound, and\ndragging another dead through the mellay by the feet; and the raiment\non her shoulders was red with the blood of men. Like living mortals\nthey hurled together and fought, and haled the corpses each of the\nother\u2019s slain.\n\nFurthermore he set in the shield a soft fresh-ploughed field, rich\ntilth and wide, the third time ploughed; and many ploughers therein\ndrave their yokes to and fro as they wheeled about. Whensoever they\ncame to the boundary of the field and turned, then would a man come to\neach and give into his hands a goblet of sweet wine, while others would\nbe turning back along the furrows, fain to reach the boundary of the\ndeep tilth. And the field grew black behind and seemed as it were\na-ploughing, albeit of gold, for this was the great marvel of the work.\n\nFurthermore he set therein the demesne-land of a king, where hinds were\nreaping with sharp sickles in their hands. Some armfuls along the\nswathe were falling in rows to the earth, whilst others the\nsheaf-binders were binding in twisted bands of straw. Three\nsheaf-binders stood over them, while behind boys gathering corn and\nbearing it in their arms gave it constantly to the binders; and among\nthem the king in silence was standing at the swathe with his staff,\nrejoicing in his heart. And henchmen apart beneath an oak were making\nready a feast, and preparing a great ox they had sacrificed; while the\nwomen were strewing much white barley to be a supper for the hinds.\n\nAlso he set therein a vineyard teeming plenteously with clusters,\nwrought fair in gold; black were the grapes, but the vines hung\nthroughout on silver poles. And around it he ran a ditch of cyanus, and\nround that a fence of tin; and one single pathway led to it, whereby\nthe vintagers might go when they should gather the vintage. And maidens\nand striplings in childish glee bare the sweet fruit in plaited\nbaskets. And in the midst of them a boy made pleasant music on a\nclear-toned viol, and sang thereto a sweet Linos-song [probably a\nlament for departing summer] with delicate voice; while the rest with\nfeet falling together kept time with the music and song.\n\nAlso he wrought therein a herd of kine with upright horns, and the kine\nwere fashioned of gold and tin, and with lowing they hurried from the\nbyre to pasture beside a murmuring river, beside the waving reed. And\nherdsmen of gold were following with the kine, four of them, and nine\ndogs fleet of foot came after them. But two terrible lions among the\nforemost kine had seized a loud-roaring bull that bellowed mightily as\nthey haled him, and the dogs and the young men sped after him. The\nlions rending the great bull\u2019s hide were devouring his vitals and his\nblack blood; while the herdsmen in vain tarred on their fleet dogs to\nset on, for they shrank from biting the lions but stood hard by and\nbarked and swerved away.\n\nAlso the glorious lame god wrought therein a pasture in a fair glen, a\ngreat pasture of white sheep, and a steading, and roofed huts, and\nfolds.\n\nAlso did the glorious lame god devise a dancing-place like unto that\nwhich once in wide Knosos Daidalos wrought for Ariadne of the lovely\ntresses. There were youths dancing and maidens of costly wooing, their\nhands upon one another\u2019s wrists. Fine linen the maidens had on, and the\nyouths well-woven doublets faintly glistening with oil. Fair wreaths\nhad the maidens, and the youths daggers of gold hanging from silver\nbaldrics. And now would they run round with deft feet exceeding\nlightly, as when a potter sitting by his wheel that fitteth between his\nhands maketh trial of it whether it run: and now anon they would run in\nlines to meet each other. And a great company stood round the lovely\ndance in joy; and through the midst of them, leading the measure, two\ntumblers whirled.\n\nAlso he set therein the great might of the River of Ocean around the\nuttermost rim of the cunningly-fashioned shield.\n\nNow when he had wrought the shield great and strong, then wrought he\nhim a corslet brighter than a flame of fire, and he wrought him a\nmassive helmet to fit his brows, goodly and graven, and set thereon a\ncrest of gold, and he wrought him greaves of pliant tin.\n\nSo when the renowned lame god had finished all the armour, he took and\nlaid it before the mother of Achilles. Then she like a falcon sprang\ndown from snowy Olympus, bearing from Hephaistos the glittering arms.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XIX.\n\n\nHow Achilles and Agamemnon were reconciled before the assembly of the\nAchaians, and Achilles went forth with them to battle.\n\n\nNow Morning saffron-robed arose from the streams of Ocean to bring\nlight to gods and men, and Thetis came to the ships, bearing his gift\nfrom the god. Her dear son she found fallen about Patroklos and\nuttering loud lament; and round him many of his company made moan. And\nthe bright goddess stood beside him in their midst, and clasped her\nhand in his and spake and called upon his name: \u201cMy child, him who\nlieth here we must let be, for all our pain, for by the will of gods\nfrom the beginning was he brought low. But thou take from Hephaistos\narms of pride, arms passing goodly, such as no man on his shoulders yet\nhath borne.\u201d\n\nThus spake the goddess and in front of Aehifies laid the arms, and they\nrang all again in their glory. And awe fell on all the Myrmidons, nor\ndared any to gaze thereon, for they were awe-stricken. But when\nAchilles looked thereon, then came fury upon him the more, and his eyes\nblazed terribly forth as it were a flame beneath their lids: glad was\nhe as he held in his hands that splendid gift of a god. But when he had\nsatisfied his soul in gazing on the glory of the arms, straightway to\nhis mother spake he winged words: \u201cMy mother, the arms the god has\ngiven are such as it beseemeth that the work of Immortals should be,\nand that no mortal man should have wrought. Now therefore will I arm me\nin them, but I have grievous fear lest meantime on the gashed wounds of\nMenoitios\u2019 valiant son flies light and breed worms therein, and defile\nhis corpse\u2014for the life is slain out of him\u2014and so all his flesh shall\nrot.\u201d\n\nThen answered him Thetis, goddess of the silver feet: \u201cChild, have no\ncare for this within thy mind. I will see to ward from him the cruel\ntribes of flies which prey on men slain in fight: for even though he\nlie till a whole year\u2019s course be run, yet his flesh shall be sound\ncontinually, or better even than now. But call thou the Achaian\nwarriors to the place of assembly, and unsay thy wrath against\nAgamemnon shepherd of the host, and then arm swiftly for battle, and\nclothe thee with thy strength.\u201d\n\nThus saying she filled him with adventurous might, while on Patroklos\nshe shed ambrosia and red nectar through his nostrils, that his flesh\nmight abide the same continually.\n\nBut noble Achilles went down the beach of the sea, crying his terrible\ncry, and roused the Achaian warriors. And they who before were wont to\nabide in the circle of the ships, and they who were helmsmen and kept\nthe steerage of the ships, or were stewards there and dealt out food,\neven these came then to the place of assembly, because Achilles was\ncome forth, after long ceasing from grievous war. Limping came two of\nAres\u2019 company, Tydeus\u2019 son staunch in fight and noble Odysseus, each\nleaning on his spear, for their wounds were grievous still; and they\nwent and sate them down in the forefront of the assembly. And last came\nAgamemnon king of men, with his wound upon him, for him too in the\nstress of battle Kooen Antenor\u2019s son had wounded with his bronze-tipped\nspear. But when all the Achaians were gathered, then uprose\nfleet-footed Achilles and spake in their midst: \u201cSon of Atreus, was\nthis in any wise the better way for both thee and me, what time with\ngrief at our hearts we waxed fierce in soul-devouring strife for the\nsake of a girl? Would that Artemis had slain her with her arrow at the\nships, on the day whereon I took her to me, when I had spoiled\nLyrnessos; so should not then so many Achaians have bitten the wide\nearth beneath their enemies\u2019 hands, by reason of my exceeding wrath. It\nhath been well for Hector and the Trojans, but the Achaians I think\nshall long remember the strife that was betwixt thee and me. But\nbygones will we let be, for all our pain, and curb under necessity the\nspirit within our breasts. I now will stay my anger: it beseems me not\nimplacably for ever to be wroth; but come rouse speedily to the fight\nthe flowing-haired Achaians, that I may go forth against the men of\nTroy and put them yet again to the proof, if they be fain to couch hard\nby the ships. Methinks that some among them shall be glad to rest their\nknees when they are fled out of the fierceness of the battle, and from\nbefore our spear.\u201d\n\nHe spake, and the well-greaved Achaians rejoiced that the great-hearted\nson of Peleus had made renouncement of his wrath. Then among them spake\nAgamemnon king of men, speaking from the place where he sat, not arisen\nto stand forth in their midst: \u201cO Danaan friends and heroes, men of\nAres\u2019 company, seemly is it to listen to him who standeth up to speak,\nnor behoveth it to break in upon his words: even toward a skilled man\nthat were hard. For amid the uproar of many men how should one listen,\nor yet speak? even the clearest-voiced speech is marred. To the son of\nPeleus I will declare myself, but ye other Argives give heed, and each\nmark well my word. Oft have the Achaians spoken thus to me, and\nupbraided me; but it is not I who am the cause, but Zeus and Destiny\nand Erinys that walketh in the darkness, who put into my soul fierce\nmadness on the day when in the assembly I, even I, bereft Achilles of\nhis meed. What could I do? it is God who accomplisheth all. Eldest\ndaughter of Zeus is Ate who blindeth all, a power of bane: delicate are\nher feet, for not upon the earth she goeth, but walketh over the heads\nof men, making men fall; and entangleth this one or that. Ye even Zeus\nwas blinded upon a time, he who they say is greatest among gods and\nmen; yet even him Hera with a female wile deceived, on the day when\nAlkmene in fair-crowned Thebes was to bring forth the strength of\nHerakles. For then proclaimed he solemnly among the gods: \u2018Here me ye\nall, both gods and goddesses, while I utter the council of my soul\nwithin my heart. This day shall Eileithuia, the help of travailing\nwomen, bring to the light a man who shall be lord over all that dwell\nround about, among the raise of men who are sprung of me by blood.\u2019 And\nto him in subtlety queen Hera spake: \u2018Though wilt play the cheat and\nnot accomplish thy word. Come now, Olympian, swear me a firm oath that\nverily and indeed shall that man be lord over all that dwell round\nabout, who this day shall fall between a woman\u2019s feet, even he among\nall men who are of the lineage of thy blood.\u2019 So spake she, and Zeus no\nwise perceived her subtlety but sware a mighty oath, and therewith was\nhe sore blinded. For Hera darted from Olympus\u2019 peak and came swiftly to\nAchaian Argus, were she knew was the stately wife of Sthenelos son of\nPerseus, who was also great with child, and her seventh month had come.\nHer son Hera brought to the light, though his tale of months was\nuntold, but she stayed Alkmene\u2019s bearing and kept the Eileithuiai from\nher aid. Then she brought the tidings herself and to Kronos\u2019 son Zeus\nshe spake: \u2018Father Zeus of the bright lightning, a word will I speak to\nthee for my heed. Today is born a man of valor who shall rule among the\nArchives, Eurystheus, son of Sthenelos the son of Perseus, of thy\nlineage; not unmeet is it that he be lord among Argives.\u2019 She said, but\nsharp pain smote him in the depths of his soul, and straightway he\nseized Ate by her bright-haired head in the anger of his soul, and\nsware a mighty oath that never again to Olympus and the starry heaven\nshould Ate come, who blindeth all alike. He said, and whirling her in\nhis hand flung her from the starry heaven, and quickly came she down\namong the works of men. Yet ever he groaned against her when he beheld\nhis beloved son in cruel travail at Eurystheus\u2019 hest. Thus also I, what\ntime great Hector of the glancing helm was slaying Argives at the\nsterns of our ships, could not be unmindful of Ate, who blinded me at\nthe first. But since thus blinded was I, and Zeus bereft me of my wit,\nfain am I to make amends, and recompense manifold for the wrong. Only\narise thou to the battle and rouse the rest of the host. Gifts am I\nready to offer, even all that noble Odysseus went yesterday to promise\nin thy hut. So, if thou wilt, stay awhile, though eager, from battle,\nand squires shall take the gifts from my ship and carry them to thee,\nthat thou mayest see that what I give sufficeth thee.\u201d\n\nThen answered him Achilles swift of foot: \u201cMost noble son of Atreus,\nAgamemnon king of men, for the gifts, to give them as it beseemeth, if\nso thou wilt, or to withhold, is in thy choice. But now let us bethink\nus of battle with all speed; this is no time to dally here with\nsubtleties, for a great work is yet undone. Once more must Achilles be\nseen in the forefront of the battle, laying waste with his brazen spear\nthe battalions of the men of Troy. Thereof let each of you think as he\nfighteth with his man.\u201d\n\nThen Odysseus of many counsels answered him and said: \u201cNay yet, for all\nthy valour, godlike Achilles, not against Ilios lead thou the sons of\nAchaians fasting to fight the men of Troy, since not of short spell\nshall the battle be, when once the ranks of men are met, and God shall\nbreathe valour into both. But bid the Achaians taste at the swift ships\nfood and wine; for thence is vigour and might. For no man fasting from\nfood shall be able to fight with the foe all day till the going down of\nthe sun; for though his spirit be eager for battle yet his limbs\nunaware grow weary, and thirst besetteth him, and hunger, and his knees\nin his going fail. But the man who having his fill of food and wine\nfighteth thus all day against the enemy, his heart is of good cheer\nwithin him, nor anywise tire his limbs, ere all give back from battle.\nSo come, disperse the host and bid them make ready their meal. And the\ngifts let Agamemnon king of men bring forth into the midst of the\nassembly, that all Achaians may behold them with their eyes, and thou\nbe glad at heart. And let him swear to thee an oath, standing in the\nmidst of the Argives, that he hath never gone up into the damsel\u2019s bed\nor lain with her, [O prince, as is the wont of man with woman]; and let\nthine own spirit be placable within thy breast. Then let him make thee\na rich feast of reconcilement in his hut, that thou have nothing\nlacking of thy right. And thou, son of Atreus, toward others also shalt\nbe more righteous hereafter; for no shame it is that a man that is a\nking should make amends if he have been the first to deal violently.\u201d\n\nThen to him spake Agamemnon king of men: \u201cSon of Laertes, I rejoice to\nlisten to thy speech; for rightfully hast thou told over all. And the\noath I am willing to swear, yea my heart biddeth it, nor will I\nforswear myself before God. Let Achilles abide for a space, eager for\nbattle though he be, and all ye others abide together, until the gifts\ncome forth from my hut, and we make faithful oath with sacrifice. But\nthee thyself I thus charge and bid. Choose thee young men, princes of\nthe Achaian folk, and bear my gifts from my ship, even all that we\npromised yesterday to Achilles, and take with thee the women. And let\nTalthybios speedily make me ready a boar-swine in the midst of the wide\nAchaian host, to sacrifice to Zeus and to the Sun.\u201d\n\nAnd to him in answer swift-footed Achilles spake: \u201cMost noble son of\nAtreus, Agamemnon king of men, at some other time were it even better\nye should be busied thus, when haply there shall be some pause of war,\nand the spirit within my breast shall be less fierce. But now they lie\nmangled on the field\u2014even they whom Hector son of Priam slew, when Zeus\ngave him glory\u2014and ye call men to their food. Verily for my part I\nwould bid the sons of the Achaians to fight now unfed and fasting, and\nwith the setting sun make ready a mighty meal, when we shall have\navenged the shame. Till then down my throat at least nor food nor drink\nshall go, since my comrade is dead, who in my hut is lying mangled by\nthe sharp spear, with his feet toward the door, and round him our\ncomrades mourn, wherefore in my heart to no thought of those matters,\nbut of slaying, and blood, and grievous moans of men.\u201d\n\nThen answered him Odysseus of many counsels: \u201cO Achilles, Peleus\u2019 son,\nmightiest of Achaians far, better and mightier not a little art thou\nthan I with the spear, but in counsel I may surpass thee greatly, since\nI was born first and know more things: wherefore let thy heart endure\nto listen to my speech. Quickly have men surfeit of battle, of that\nwherein the sword streweth most straw yet is the harvest scantiest,\n[i.e., in a pitched battle there is little plunder, the hope of which\nmight help to sustain men\u2019s efforts in storming a town] when Zeus\ninclineth his balance, who is disposer of the wars of men. But it\ncannot be that the Achaians fast to mourn a corpse; for exceeding many\nand thick fall such on every day; when then should there be rest from\ntoil? Nay, it behoveth to bury him who is dead, steeling our hearts,\nwhen once we have wept him for a day; but such as are left alive from\nhateful war must take thought of meat and drink, that yet more against\nour foes we may fight relentlessly ever, clad in unyielding bronze.\nThen let none of the host hold back awaiting other summons; this is the\nsummons, and ill shall it be for whoso is left behind at the Argive\nships; but all together as one we will rouse against the horse-taming\nTrojans the fury of war.\u201d\n\nHe spoke, and took with him the sons of noble Nestor, and Meges son of\nPhyleus, and Thoas, and Meriones, and Lykomedes son of Kreiontes, and\nMelanippos. And they went on their way to the hut of Agamemnon, Atreus\u2019\nson. Forthwith as the word was spoken so was the deed done. Seven\ntripods they bare from the hut, as he promised him, and twenty bright\ncaldrons, and twelve horses, and anon they led forth women skilled in\ngoodly arts, seven, and the eighth was fair-faced Briseis. Then\nOdysseus, having weighed ten talents of gold in all, led the way, and\nwith him young men of the Achaians bare the gifts. These they set in\nthe midst of the place of assembly, and Agamemnon rose up, and beside\nthat shepherd of the host stood Talthybios, whose voice was like a\ngod\u2019s, and held a boar between his hands. And the son of Atreus drawing\nwith his hands his knife, which ever hung beside the mighty scabbard of\nhis sword, cut off the first hairs from the boar, and lifting up his\nhands he prayed to Zeus, and all the Argives sat silent in their\nplaces, duly hearkening to the king. And he prayed aloud, looking up to\nthe wide heaven: \u201cBe Zeus before all witness, highest and best of the\ngods, and Earth, and Sun, and Erinyes, who under earth take vengeance\nupon men, whosoever for-sweareth himself, that never have I laid hand\non the damsel Briseis, neither to lie with her nor anywise else, but\nshe has abode untouched within my huts. And if aught that I swear be\nfalse, may the gods give me all sorrows manifold, that they send on him\nwho sinneth against them in his oath.\u201d\n\nHe said, and cut the boar\u2019s throat with the pitiless knife. And the\nbody Taithybios whirled and threw into the great wash of the hoary sea,\nto be the food of fishes; but Achilles arose up and spake in the midst\nof the warrior Argives: \u201cFather Zeus, sore madness dealest thou verily\nto men. Never could the son of Atreus have stirred the soul within my\nbreast, nor led off the damsel implacably against my will, had not Zeus\nwilled that on many of the Achaians death should come. But now go forth\nto your meal, that we may join battle thereupon.\u201d\n\nThus he spake and dispersed the assembly with all speed. The rest were\nscattered each to his own ship, but the great-hearted Myrmidons took up\nthe gifts, and bare them to the ship of godlike Achilles. And they laid\nthem in the huts and set the women there, and gallant squires drave the\nhorses among their troop.\n\nBut Briseis that was like unto golden Aphrodite, when she beheld\nPatroklos mangled by the keen spear, fell about him and made shrill\nlament, and tore with her hands her breast and tender neck, and\nbeautiful face. And she spake amid her weeping, that woman like unto\ngoddesses: \u201cPatroklos, dearest to my hapless heart, alive I left thee\nwhen I left this hut, but now, O prince of the people, I am come back\nto find thee dead; thus evil ever followeth evil in my lot. My husband,\nunto whom my father and lady mother gave me, I beheld before our city\nmangled with the keen spear, and my three brothers whom my own mother\nbore, my near and dear, who all met their day of doom. But thou, when\nswift Achilles slew my husband and wasted godlike Mynes\u2019 city, wouldest\never that I should not even weep, and saidest that thou wouldst make me\ngodlike Achilles\u2019 wedded wife, and that ye would take me in your ships\nto Phthia and make me a marriage feast among the Myrmidons. Therefore\nwith all my soul I mourn thy death, for thou wert ever kind.\u201d\n\nThus spake she weeping, and thereon the women wailed, in semblance for\nPatroklos, but each for her own woe. But round Achilles gathered the\nelders of the Achaians, praying him that he would eat; but he denied\nthem with a groan: \u201cI pray you, if any kind comrade will hearken to me,\nbid me not sate my heart with meat and drink, since terrible grief is\ncome upon me. Till the sun go down I will abide, and endure continually\nuntil then.\u201d\n\nHe spoke, and his speech made the other chiefs depart, but the two sons\nof Atreus stayed, and noble Odysseus, and Nestor and Idomeneus and\nPhoinox, ancient knight, soothing him in his exceeding sorrow, but he\ncould no whit be soothed until he had entered the mouth of bloody war.\nAnd bethinking him he sighed very heavily and spake aloud: \u201cThou too, O\nhapless, dearest of my friends, thyself wouldst verily of yore set\nforth in out hut with ready speed a savoury meal, what time the\nAchaians hasted to wage against the horse-taming Trojans dolorous war.\nBut now thou liest mangled, and my heart will none of meat and drink,\nthat stand within, for desire of thee. Nought worse than this could I\nendure, not though I should hear of my father\u2019s death, who now I ween\nin Phthia is shedding big tears for lack of a son so dear, even me that\nin an alien land for sake of baleful Helen do battle with the men of\nTroy; nor though it were my beloved son who is reared for me in Skyros\n(if still at least is godlike Neoptolemos alive). For hitherto had my\nsoul within me trusted that I alone should perish far from\nhorse-pasturing Argos, here in the Trojan land, but that thou shouldest\nreturn to Phthia, so that thou mightest take me the child in thy swift\nblack ship from Skyros and show him everything\u2014my substance and\nservants, and high-roofed mighty hall. For Peleus I ween already must\nbe dead and gone, or else in feeble life he hath sorrow of age, and of\nwaiting ever for bitter news of me, till he hear that I am dead.\u201d\n\nThus spake he weeping, and the elders mourned with him, bethinking them\nwhat each had left at home. And when the son of Kronos beheld them\nsorrowing he pitied them, and forthwith to Athene spake he winged\nwords: \u201cMy child, thou hast then left utterly the man of thy heart.\nHath Achilles then no longer a place within thy thought? He before the\nsteep-prowed ships sits mourning his dear comrade; the rest are gone to\ntheir meal, but he is fasting and unfed. But go, distil into his breast\nnectar and pleasant ambrosia, that no pains of hunger come on him.\u201d\n\nThus saying he sped forward Athene who before was fain. And she, like a\nfalcon wide-winged and shrill-voiced, hurled herself forth from heaven\nthrough the upper air. So while the Achaians were arming presently\nthroughout the camp, she in Achilles\u2019 breast distilled nectar and\npleasant ambrosia, that grievous hunger might not assail his knees, and\nthen herself was gone to the firm house of her mighty father. Then the\nAchaians poured forth from the swift ships. As when thick snowflakes\nflutter down from Zeus, chill beneath the blast of Boreas born in the\nupper air, so thick from the ships streamed forth bright glittering\nhelms and bossy shields, strong-plaited cuirasses and ashen spears. And\nthe sheen thereof went up to heaven and all the earth around laughed in\nthe flash of bronze, and there went a sound beneath the feet of the\nmen, and in the midst of them noble Achilles harnessed him. His teeth\ngnashed together, and his eyes blazed as it were the flame of a fire,\nfor into his heart was intolerable anguish entered in. Thus wroth\nagainst the men of Troy he put on the gift of the god, which Hephaistos\nwrought him by his art. First on his legs he set the fair greaves\nfitted with silver ankle-pieces, and next he donned the cuirass about\nhis breast. Then round his shoulders he slung the bronze sword\nsilver-studded; then lastly he took the great and strong shield, and\nits brightness shone afar off as the moon\u2019s. Or as when over the sea\nthere appeareth to sailors the brightness of a burning fire, and it\nburneth on high among the mountains in some lonely steading\u2014sailors\nwhom storm-blasts bear unwilling over the sea, the home of fishes, afar\nfrom them they love:\u2014 so from Achilles\u2019 goodly well-dight shield the\nbrightness thereof shot up toward heaven. And he lifted the stout\nhelmet and set it on his head, and like a star it shone, the horse-hair\ncrested helmet, and around it waved plumes of gold that Hephaistos had\nset thick about the crest. Then noble Achilles proved him in his armour\nto know whether it fitted unto him, and whether his glorious limbs ran\nfree; and it became to him as it were wings, and buoyed up the shepherd\nof hosts.\n\nAnd forth from its stand he drew his father\u2019s spear, heavy and great\nand strong: that spear could none other of the Achaians wield, but\nAchilles alone awaited to wield it, the Pelian ashen spear that Cheiron\ngave to his father dear, from a peak of Pelion, to be the death of\nwarriors. And Automedon and Alkimos went about to yoke the horses, and\nput on them fair breast-straps, and bits within their jaws, and\nstretched the reins behind to the firm-built chariot. Then Automedon\ntook the bright lash, fitted to his hand, and sprang up behind the\nhorses, and after him mounted Achilles armed, effulgent in his armour\nlike bright Hyperion. And terribly he called upon the horses of his\nsire: \u201cXanthos and Balios, famed children of Podarge, in other sort\ntake heed to bring your charioteer safe back to the Danaan host, when\nwe have done with battle, and leave him not as ye left Patroklos to lie\nthere dead.\u201d\n\nThen the horse Xanthos of glancing feet made answer unto him from\nbeneath the yoke;\u2014and he bowed with his head, and all his mane fell\nfrom the yoke-cushion beside the yoke and touched the ground;\u2014for the\nwhite-armed goddess Hera gave him speech: \u201cYea verily for this hour,\ndread Achilles, we will still bear thee safe, yet is thy death day nigh\nat hand, neither shall we be cause thereof, but a mighty god, and\nforceful Fate. For not through sloth or heedlessness of ours did the\nmen of Troy from Patrokios\u2019 shoulders strip his arms, but the best of\nthe gods, whom bright-haired Leto bore, slew him in the forefront of\nthe battle, and to Hector gave renown. We even with the wind of Zephyr,\nswiftest, they say, of all winds, well might run; nathless to thee\nthyself it is appointed to be slain in fight by a god and by a man.\u201d\n\nNow when he had thus spoken the Erinyes stayed his voice. And sore\ntroubled did fleet-footed Achilles answer him: \u201cXanthos, why\nprophesiest thou my death? no wise behoveth it thee. Well know I of\nmyself that it is appointed me to perish here, far from my father dear\nand mother; howbeit anywise I will not refrain till I give the Trojans\nsurfeit of war.\u201d\n\nHe said, and with a cry among the foremost held on his whole-hooved\nsteeds.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XX.\n\n\nHow Achilles made havoc among the men of Troy.\n\n\nSo by the beaked ships around thee, son of Peleus, hungry for war, the\nAchaians armed; and over against them the men of Troy, upon the high\nground of the plain.\n\nBut Zeus bade Themis call the gods to council from many-folded Olympus\u2019\nbrow; and she ranged all about and bade them to the house of Zeus.\nThere was no River came not up, save only Ocean, nor any nymph, of all\nthat haunt fair thickets and springs of rivers and grassy\nwater-meadows. And they came to the house of Zeus who gathereth the\nclouds, and sat them down in the polished colonnades which Hephaistos\nin the cunning of his heart had wrought for father Zeus.\n\nThus gathered they within the doors of Zeus; nor was the Earthshaker\nheedless of the goddess\u2019 call, but from the salt sea came up after the\nrest, and set him in the midst, and inquired concerning the purpose of\nZeus: \u201cWherefore, O Lord of the bright lightning, hast thou called the\ngods again to council? Say, ponderest thou somewhat concerning the\nTrojans and Achaians? for lo, the war and the fighting of them are\nkindled very nigh.\u201d\n\nAnd Zeus, who gathered the clouds, answered him, saying: \u201cThou knowest,\nO Earthshaker, the purpose within my breast, wherefor I gathered you\nhither; even in their perishing have I regard unto them. But for me I\nwill abide here, sitting within a fold of Olympus, where I will gladden\nmy heart with gazing; but go all ye forth that ye come among the\nTrojans and Achaians and succour these or those, howsoever each of you\nhath a mind. For if Achilles alone shall fight against the Trojans, not\neven a little while shall they hold back the son of Peleus, the fleet\nof foot. Nay, but even aforetime they trembled when they looked upon\nhim; now therefore that his wrath for his friend is waxen terrible I\nfear me lest he overleap the bound of fate, and storm the wall.\u201d\n\nThus spake the son of Kronos, and roused unabating war. For on this\nside and on that the gods went forth to war: to the company of the\nships went Hera, and Pallas Athene, and Poseidon, Earth-enfolder, and\nthe Helper Hermes, pro-eminent in subtle thoughts; and with these went\nHephaistos in the greatness of his strength, halting, but his shrunk\nlegs moved nimbly under him: but to the Trojans went Ares of the\nglancing helm, and with him Phoebus of the unshorn hair, and archer\nArtemis, and Leto and Xanthos and laughter-loving Aphrodite.\n\nNow for so long as gods were afar from mortal men, so long waxed the\nAchaians glorious, for that Achilles was come forth among them, and his\nlong ceasing from grim battle was at an end. And the Trojans were\nsmitten with sore trembling in the limbs of every one of them, in\nterror when they beheld the son of Peleus, fleet of foot, blazing in\nhis arms, peer of man-slaying Ares. But when among the mellay of men\nthe Olympians were come down, then leapt up in her might Strife, rouser\nof hosts, then sent forth Athene a cry, now standing by the hollowed\ntrench without the wall, and now on the echoing shores she shouted\naloud. And a shout uttered Ares against her, terrible as the blackness\nof the storm, now from the height of the city to the Trojans calling\nclear, or again along Simois shore over Kallikolon he sped.\n\nSo urged the blessed gods both hosts to battle, then themselves burst\ninto fierce war. And terribly thundered the father of gods and men from\nheaven above; and from beneath Poseidon made the vast earth shake and\nthe steep mountain tops. Then trembled all the spurs of many-fountained\nIda, and all her crests, and the city of the Trojans, and the ships of\nthe Achaians. And the Lord of the Underworld, Aiedoneus, had terror in\nhell, and leapt from his throne in that terror and cried aloud, lest\nthe world be cloven above him by Poseidon, Shaker of earth, and his\ndwelling-place be laid bare to mortals and immortals\u2014grim halls, and\nvast, and lothly to the gods. So loud the roar rose of that battle of\ngods. For against King Poseidon stood Phoebus Apollo with his winged\narrows, and against Enyalios stood Athene, bright-eyed goddess, and\nagainst Hera she of the golden shafts and echoing chase, even archer\nArtemis, sister of the Far-darter; and against Leto the strong Helper\nHermes, and against Hephaistos the great deep-eddying River, whom gods\ncall Xanthos and men Skamandros.\n\nThus gods with gods were matched. Meanwhile Achilles yearned above all\nto meet Hector, son of Priam, in the fray; for with that blood\nchiefliest his spirit bade him sate Ares, stubborn lord of war. But\nstraightway Apollo, rouser of hosts, moved Aineias to go to meet the\nson of Peleus, and filled him with brave spirit: and he made his own\nvoice like the voice of Lykaon the son of Priam; in his semblance spake\nApollo, son of Zeus: \u201cAineias, counsellor of Trojans, where now are thy\nthreats wherewith thou didst boast to the Trojan lords over thy wine,\nsaying thou wouldest stand up in battle against Achilles, Peleus\u2019 son?\u201d\n\nAnd to him Aineias answered and said: \u201cSon of Priam, why biddest thou\nme thus face the fierce son of Peleus in battle, though I be not fain\nthereto? Not for the first time now shall I match me with Achilles,\nfleet of foot; once before drave he me with his spear from Ida, when he\nharried our kine and wasted Lyrnessos and Pedasos; but Zeus delivered\nme out of his hand and put strength into my knees that they were swift.\nElse had I fallen beneath the hands of Achilles, and of Athene who went\nbefore and gave him light, and urged him to slay Leleges and Trojans\nwith his spear of bronze. Therefore it is impossible for man to face\nAchilles in fight, for that ever some god is at his side to ward off\ndeath. Ay, and at any time his spear flieth straight, neither ceaseth\ntill it have pierced through flesh of man. But if God once give us fair\nfield of battle, not lightly shall he overcome me, not though he boast\nhim made of bronze throughout.\u201d\n\nAnd to him in answer spake Apollo son of Zeus: \u201cYea, hero, pray thou\ntoo to the everliving gods; for thou too, men say, wast born of\nAphrodite daughter of Zeus, and Achilles\u2019 mother is of less degree\namong the gods. For thy mother is child of Zeus, his but of the Ancient\nOne of the Sea. Come, bear up thy unwearying spear against him, let him\nno wise turn thee back with revilings and bitter words.\u201d\n\nHe said, and breathed high spirit into the shepherd of the host, and he\nwent onward through the forefront of the fighting, harnessed in\nflashing bronze. But white-armed Hera failed not to discern Anchises\u2019\nson as he went through the press of men to meet the son of Peleus, and\ngathering the gods about her she spake among them thus: \u201cConsider ye\ntwain, Poseidon and Athene, within your hearts, what shall come of\nthese things that are done. Here is Aineias gone forth harnessed in\nflashing bronze, to meet the son of Peleus, and it is Phoebus Apollo\nthat hath sent him. Come then, be it ours to turn him back straightway;\nor else let some one of us stand likewise beside Achilles and give him\nmighty power, so that he fail not in his spirit, but know that they who\nlove him are the best of the Immortals, and that they who from of old\nward war and fighting from the Trojans are vain as wind. All we from\nOlympus are come down to mingle in this fight that he take no hurt\namong the Trojans on this day\u2014afterward he shall suffer whatsoever\nthings Fate span for him with her thread, at his beginning, when his\nmother bare him. If Achilles learn not this from voice divine, then\nshall he be afraid when some god shall come against him in the battle;\nfor gods revealed are hard to look upon.\u201d\n\nThen to her made answer Poseidon, Shaker of the earth: \u201cHera, be not\nfierce beyond wisdom; it behoveth thee not. Not fain am I at least to\nmatch gods with gods in strife. Let us go now into some high place\napart and seat us there to watch, and battle shall be left to men. Only\nif Ares or Phoebus Apollo fall to fighting, or put constraint upon\nAchilles and hinder him from fight, then straightway among us too shall\ngo up the battle-cry of strife; right soon, methinks, shall they hie\nthem from the issue of the fray back to Olympus to the company of the\ngods, overcome by the force of our hands.\u201d\n\nThus spake the blue-haired god, and led the way to the mounded wall of\nheaven-sprung Herakles, that lofty wall built him by the Trojans and\nPallas Athene, that he might escape the monster and be safe from him,\nwhat time he should make his onset from the beach to the plain. There\nsate them down Poseidon and the other gods, and clothed their shoulders\nwith impenetrable cloud. And they of the other part sat down on the\nbrows of Kallikolon around thee, Archer Phoebus, and Ares waster of\ncities. Thus they on either side sat devising counsels, but shrank all\nfrom falling to grievous war, and Zeus from his high seat commanded\nthem.\n\nMeanwhile the whole plain was filled with men and horses and ablaze\nwith bronze; and the earth rang with the feet of them as they rushed\ntogether in the fray. Two men far better than the rest were meeting in\nthe midst between the hosts, eager for battle, Aineias, Anchises\u2019 son,\nand noble Achilles. First came on Aineias threateningly, tossing his\nstrong helm; his rapid shield he held before his breast, and brandished\nhis bronze spear. And on the other side the son of Peleus rushed to\nmeet him like a lion, a ravaging lion whom men desire to slay, a whole\ntribe assembled: and first he goeth his way unheeding, but when some\nwarrior youth hath smitten him with a spear, the he gathereth himself\nopen-mouthed, and foam cometh forth about his teeth, and his stout\nspirit groaneth in his heart, and with his tail he scourgeth either\nside his ribs and flanks and goadeth himself on to fight, and glaring\nis borne straight on them by his passion, to try whether he shall slay\nsome man of them, or whether himself shall perish in the forefront of\nthe throng: thus was Achilles driven of his passion and valiant spirit\nto go forth to meet Aineias great of heart. And when they were come\nnear against each other, then first to Aineias spake fleet-footed noble\nAchilles: \u201cAineias, wherefore hast thou so far come forward from the\ncrowd to stand against me: doth thy heart bid thee fight with me in\nhope of holding Priam\u2019s honour and lordship among the horse-taming\nTrojans? Nay, though thou slay me, not for that will Priam lay his\nkingdom in thy hands, for he hath sons, and is sound and of unshaken\nmind. Or have the Trojans allotted thee some lot of ground more choice\nthan all the rest, fair land of tilth and orchard, that thou mayest\ndwell therein, if thou slay me? But methinks thou wilt find the slaying\nhard; for once before, I ween, have I made thee flee before my spear.\nHost thou forgotten the day when thou wert alone with the kine, and I\nmade thee run swift-footed down Ida\u2019s steeps in haste?\u2014then didst thou\nnot look behind thee in thy flight. Thence fleddest thou to Lernessos,\nbut I wasted it, having fought against it with the help of Athene and\nof father Zeus, and carried away women captive, bereaving them of their\nday of freedom: only thee Zeus shielded, and other gods. But not this\ntime, methinks, shall they shield thee, as thou imaginest in thy heart:\ntherefore I bid thee go back into the throng and come not forth against\nme, while as yet thou art unhurt\u2014after the event even a fool is wise.\u201d\n\nThen to him in answer again Aineias spake: \u201cSon of Peleus, think not\nwith words to affright me as a child, since I too well know myself how\nto speak taunts and unjust speech. We know each other\u2019s race and\nlineage in that we have heard the fame proclaimed by mortal men, but\nnever hast thou set eyes on my parents, or I on thine. Thou, they say,\nart son of nobie Peleus, and of Thetis of the fair tresses, the\ndaughter of the sea: the sire I boast is Anchises great of heart, and\nmy mother is Aphrodite. Of these shall one pair or the other mourn\ntheir dear son today; for verily not with idle words shall we two\nsatisfy our strife and depart out of the battle. But, if thou wilt,\nlearn also this, that thou mayest well know our lineage, known to full\nmany men: First Zeus the cloud-gatherer begat Dardanos, and he\nstablished Dardania, for not yet was holy Ilios built upon the plain to\nbe a city of mortal men, but still they dwelt on slopes of\nmany-fountained Ida. Then Dardanos begat a son, king Erichthonios, who\nbecame richest of mortal men. Three thousand mares had he that pastured\nalong the marsh meadow, rejoicing in their tender foals. Of them was\nBoreas enamoured as they grazed, and in semblance of a dark-maned horse\nhe covered them: then they having conceived bare twelve fillies. These\nwhen they bounded over Earth the grain-giver would run upon the topmost\nripened ears of corn and break them not; and when they bounded over the\nbroad backs of the sea they would run upon the crests of the breakers\nof the hoary brine. Then Erichthonios begat Tros to be load over the\nTrojans, and to Tros three noble sons were born, Ilos and Assarakos and\ngodlike Ganymedes, who became the most beautiful of mortal men. Him the\ngods caught up to be cupbearer to Zeus, for sake of his beauty, that he\nmight dwell among immortals. Then Ilos again begat a son, noble\nLaomedon, and Laomedon begat Tithonos and Priam and Lamppos and Klytios\nand Hiketaon, of the stock of Ares. And Assarakos begat Kapys, and\nKapys Anchises, and Anchises me; but Priam begat the goodly Hector.\n\n\u201cLo then of this blood and lineage declare I myself unto thee. But for\nvalour, Zeus increaseth it in men or minisheth it according as he will,\nfor he is lord of all. But come, let us talk thus together no longer\nlike children, standing in mid onset of war. For there are revilings in\nplenty for both of us to utter\u2014a hundred-thwarted ship would not\nsuffice for the load of them. Glib is the tongue of man, and many words\nare therein of every kind, and wide is the range of his speech hither\nand thither. Whatsoever word thou speak, such wilt thou hear in answer.\nBut what need that we should bandy strife and wrangling each against\neach. Not by speech shalt thou turn me from the battle that I desire,\nuntil we have fought together, point to point: come then, and\nstraightway we will each try the other with bronze-headed spears.\u201d\n\nHe said, and against that other\u2019s dread and mighty shield hurled his\ngreat spear, and the shield rang loud beneath the spear-point. And the\nson of Peleus held away the shield from him with his stout hand, in\nfear, for he thought that the far-shadowing spear of Aineias great of\nheart would lightly pierce it through\u2014fond man, and knew not in his\nmind and heart that not lightly do the glorious gifts of gods yield to\nforce of mortal men. So did not the great spear of wise Aineias pierce\nthat shield, for the gold resisted it, even the gift of the god. Yet\nthrough two folds he drave it, but three remained, for five folds had\nthe lame god welded, two bronze, and two inside of tin, and one of\ngold; therein was stayed the ashen spear.\n\nThen Achilles in his turn hurled his far-shadowing spear, and smote\nupon the circle of the shield of Aineias, beneath the edge of the rim,\nwhere the bronze ran thinnest round, and the bull-hide was thinnest\nthereon; and right through sped the Pelian ashen spear, and the shield\ncracked under it. And Aineias crouched and held up the shield away from\nhim in dread; and the spear flew over his back and fixed itself in the\nearth, having divided asunder the two circles of the sheltering shield.\nAnd having escaped the long spear he stood still, and a vast anguish\ndrowned his eyes, affrighted that the spear was planted by him so nigh.\nBut Achilles drew his sharp sword and furiously made at him, crying his\nterrible cry: then Aineias grasped in his hand a stone (a mighty deed)\nsuch as two men, as men now are, would not avail to lift, but he with\nease wielded it all alone. Then would Aineias have smitten him with the\nstone as he charged, either on helm or shield, which had warded from\nhim bitter death, and then would the son of Peleus have closed and\nslain him with his sword, had not Poseidon, Shaker of earth, marked it\nwith speed, and straightway spoken among the immortal gods: \u201cAlas, woe\nis me for Aineias great of heart, who quickly will go down to Hades\nslain by the son of Peleus, for that he will obey the words of Apollo\nthe far-darter, fond man, but nowise shall the god help him from\ngrievous death. But wherefore now is he to suffer ill in his innocence,\ncauselessly for others\u2019 wickedness, yet welcome ever are his offerings\nto the gods who inhabit the spacious heaven? Come, let us guide him out\nof death\u2019s way, lest the son of Kronos be wroth, if Achilles slay him;\nfor it is appointed to him to escape, that the race of Dardanos perish\nnot without seed or sign, even Dardanos whom the son of Kronos loved\nabove all the children born to him from the daughters of men. For the\nrace of Priam hath Zeus already hated. But thus shall the might of\nAineias reign among the Trojans, and his children\u2019s children, who shall\nbe born in the aftertime.\u201d\n\nAnd him then answered Hera the ox-eyed queen: \u201cShaker of earth, thyself\nwith thine own mind take counsel, whether thou wilt save Aineias, or\nleave him [to be slain, brave though he be, by Achilles, Peleus\u2019 son].\nFor by many oaths among all the Immortals have we two sworn, even\nPallas Athene and I, never to help the Trojans from their evil day, not\neven when all Troy shall burn in the burning of fierce fire, and they\nthat burn her shall be the warlike sons of the Achaians.\u201d\n\nNow when Poseidon Shaker of earth heard that, he went up amid the\nbattle and the clash of spears, and came where Aineias and renowned\nAchilles were. Then presently he shed mist over the eyes of Achilles,\nPeleus\u2019 son, and drew the bronze-headed ashen spear from the shield of\nAineias great of heart, and set it before Achilles\u2019 feet, and lifted\nAineias and swung him high from off the earth. Over many ranks of\nwarriors, of horses many, sprang Aineias soaring in the hand of the\ngod, and lighted at the farthest verge of the battle of many onsets,\nwhere the Kaukones were arraying them for the fight. Then hard beside\nhim came Poseidon, Shaker of earth, and spake aloud to him winged\nwords: \u201cAineias, what god is it that biddeth thee fight infatuate\nagainst Peleus\u2019 vehement son, who is both a better man than thou and\ndearer to Immortals? Rather withdraw thee whensoever thou fallest in\nwith him, lest even contrary to thy fate thou enter the house of Hades.\nBut when Achilles shall have met his death and doom, then be thou of\ngood courage to fight among the foremost, for there shall none other of\nthe Achaians slay thee.\u201d\n\nHe spoke, and left him there, when he had shown him all these things.\nThen quickly from Achilles\u2019 eyes he purged the magic mist; and he\nstared with wide eyes, and in trouble spake unto his proud soul: \u201cHa!\nverily a great marvel behold I here with mine eyes. My spear lieth here\nupon the ground, nor can I anywise see the man at whom I hurled it with\nintent to slay him. Truly then is Aineias likewise dear to the immortal\ngods, howbeit I deemed that his boosting thereof was altogether vanity.\nAway with him! not again will he find heart to make trial of me, now\nthat once more he has escaped death to his joy. But come, I will call\non the warlike Danaans and go forth to make trial of some other Trojan\nface to face.\u201d\n\nHe said, and leapt along the lines, and called upon each man: \u201cNo\nlonger stand afar from the men of Troy, noble Achaians, but come let\nman match man and throw his soul into the fight. Hard is it for me,\nthough I be strong, to assail so vast a folk and fight them all: not\neven Ares, though an immortal god, nor Athene, could plunge into the\njaws of such a fray and toil therein. But to my utmost power with hands\nand feet and strength no whit, I say, will I be slack, nay, never so\nlittle, but right through their line will I go forward, nor deem I that\nany Trojan shall be glad who shall come nigh my spear.\u201d\n\nThus spake he urging them. But to the Trojans glorious Hector called\naloud, and proclaimed that he would go forth against Achilles:\n\u201cHigh-hearted Trojans, fear not Peleus\u2019 son. I too in words could fight\neven Immortals, but with the spear it were hard, for they are stronger\nfar. Neither shall Achilles accomplish all his talk, but part thereof\nhe is to accomplish, and part to break asunder in the midst. And\nagainst him will I go forth, though the hands of him be even as fire,\nyea though his hands be as fire and his fierceness as the flaming\nsteel.\u201d\n\nThus spake he urging them, and the Trojans raised their spears for\nbattle; and their fierceness was mingled confusedly, and the battle-cry\narose. Then Phoebus Apollo stood by Hector and spake to him: \u201cHector,\nno longer challenge Achilles at all before the lines, but in the throng\nawait him and from amid the roar of the battle, lest haply he spear\nthee or come near and smite thee with his sword.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and Hector again fell back into the crowd of men, for he\nwas amazed when he heard the sound of a god\u2019s voice.\n\nBut Achilles sprang in among the Trojans, his heart clothed with\nstrength, crying his terrible cry, and first he took Iphition,\nOtrynteus\u2019 valiant son, a leader of much people, born of a Naiad nymph\nto Otrynteus waster of cities, beneath snowy Tmolos, in Hyde\u2019s rich\ndomain. Him as he came right on did goodly Achilles smite with his\nhurled spear, down through the midst of his head, and it was rent\nasunder utterly. And he fell with a crash, and goodly Achilles exulted\nover him; \u201chere is thy death, thy birth was on the Gygaian lake, where\nis thy sire\u2019s demesne, by Hyllos rich in fish and eddying Hermos.\u201d\n\nThus spake he exultant, but darkness fell upon the eyes of Iphition:\nhim the chariots of the Achaians clave with their tires asunder in the\nforefront of the battle, and over him Achilles pierced in the temples,\nthrough his bronze-cheeked helmet, Demoleon, brave stemmer of battle,\nAntenor\u2019s son. No stop made the bronze helmet, but therethrough sped\nthe spear-head and clave the bone, and the brain within was all\nscattered: that stroke made ending of his zeal. Then Hippodamas, as he\nleapt from his chariot and fled before him, Achilles wounded in the\nback with his spear: and he breathed forth his spirit with a roar, as\nwhen a dragged bull roareth that the young men drag to the altar of the\nLord of Helike; for in such hath the Earthshaker his delight: thus\nroared Hippodamas as from his bones fled forth his haughty spirit. But\nAchilles with his spear went on after godlike Polydoros, Priam\u2019s son.\nHim would his sire continually forbid to fight, for that among his\nchildren he was youngest born and best beloved, and overcame all in\nfleetness of foot. Just then in boyish folly, displaying the swiftness\nof his feet, he was rushing through the forefighters, until he lost his\nlife. Him in the midst did fleet-footed noble Achilles smite with a\njavelin, in his back as he darted by, where his belt\u2019s golden buckles\nclasped, and the breast and back plates overlapped: and right through\nbeside the navel went the spear-head, and he fell on his knee with a\ncry, and dark cloud covered him round about, and he clasped his bowels\nto him with his hands as he sank.\n\nThen when Hector saw his brother Polydoros clasping his bowels with his\nhands, and sinking to the earth, a mist fell over his eyes, nor longer\nmight he endure to range so far apart, but he came up against Achilles\nbrandishing his sharp spear, and like flame of fire. And Achilles when\nhe saw him, sprang up, and spake exultingly: \u201cBehold the man who hath\ndeepest stricken into my soul, who slew my dear-prized friend; not long\nshall we now shrink from each other along the highways of the war.\u201d\n\nHe said, and looking grimly spake unto goodly Hector: \u201cCome thou near,\nthat the sooner thou mayest arrive at the goal of death.\u201d\n\nThen to him, unterrified, said Hector of the glancing helm: \u201cSon of\nPeleus, think not with words to affright me as a child, since I too\nknow myself how to speak taunts and unjust speech. And I know that thou\nart a man of might, and a far better man than I. Yet doth this issue\nlie in the lap of the gods, whether I though weaker shall take thy life\nwith my hurled spear, for mine too hath been found keen ere now.\u201d\n\nHe said, and poised his spear and hurled it, and Athene with a breath\nturned it back from glorious Achilles, breathing very lightly; and it\ncame back to goodly Hector, and fell there before his feet. Then\nAchilles set fiercely upon him, eager to slay him, crying his terrible\ncry. But Apollo caught Hector up, very easily, as a god may, and hid\nhim in thick mist. Thrice then did fleet-footed noble Achilles make\nonset with his spear of bronze, and thrice smote the thick mist. [But\nwhen the fourth time he had come godlike on,] then with dread shout he\nspake to him winged words: \u201cDog, thou art now again escaped from death;\nyet came ill very nigh thee; but now hath Phoebus Apollo saved thee, to\nwhom thou must surely pray when thou goest forth amid the clash of\nspears. Verily I will slay thee yet when I meet thee hereafter, if any\ngod is helper of me too. Now will I make after the rest, whomsoever I\nmay seize.\u201d\n\nThus speaking he pierced Dryops in the midst of his neck with his\nspear, and he fell down before his feet. But he left him where he lay,\nand hurled at Demuchos Philetor\u2019s son, a good man and a tall, and\nstayed him with a stroke upon his knees; then smote him with his mighty\nsword and reft him of life. Then springing on Laogonos and Dardanos,\nsons of Bias, he thrust both from their chariot to the ground, one with\na spear-cast smiting and the other in close battle with his sword. Then\nTros, Alastor\u2019s son\u2014he came and clasped his knees to pray him to spare\nhim, and let him live, and slay him not, having compassion on his like\nage, fond fool, and knew not that he might not gain his prayers; for\nnowise soft of heart or tender was that man, but of fierce mood\u2014with\nhis hands he touched Achilles\u2019 knees, eager to entreat him, but he\nsmote him in the liver with his sword, and his liver fell from him, and\nblack blood therefrom filled his bosom, and he swooned, and darkness\ncovered his eyes. Then Achilles came near and struck Mulios in the ear,\nand right through the other ear went the bronze spear-head. Then he\nsmote Agenor\u2019s son Echeklos on the midst of the head with his hilted\nsword, and all the sword grew hot thereat with blood; and dark death\nseized his eyes, and forceful fate. Then next Deukalion, just where the\nsinews of the elbow join, there pierced he him through the forearm with\nhis bronze spear-head; so abode he with his arm weighed down, beholding\ndeath before him; and Achilles smiting the neck with his sword swept\nfar both head and helm, and the marrow rose out of the backbone, and\nthe corpse lay stretched upon the earth. Then went he onward after\nPeires\u2019 noble son, Rhigmos, who had come from deep-soiled Thrace: him\nin the midst he smote with his hurled javelin, and the point fixed in\nhis lung, and he fell forth of his chariot. And Areithoos his squire,\nas he turned the horses round, he pierced in the back with his sharp\nspear, and thrust him from the car, and the horse ran wild with fear.\n\nAs through deep glens rageth fierce fire on some parched mountain-side,\nand the deep forest burneth, and the wind driving it whirleth every way\nthe flame, so raged he every way with his spear, as it had been a god,\npressing hard on the men he slew; and the black earth ran with blood.\nFor even as when one yoketh wide-browed bulls to tread white barley in\na stablished threshing-floor, and quickly is it trodden out beneath the\nfeet of the loud-lowing bulls, thus beneath great-hearted Achilles his\nwhole-hooved horses trampled corpses and shields together; and with\nblood all the axletree below was sprinkled and the rims that ran around\nthe car, for blood-drops from the horses\u2019 hooves splashed them, and\nblood-drops from the tires of the wheels. But the son of Peleus pressed\non to win him glory, flecking with gore his irresistible hands.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XXI.\n\n\nHow Achilles fought with the River, and chased the men of Troy within\ntheir gates.\n\n\nBut when now they came unto the ford of the fair-flowing river, even\neddying Xanthos, whom immortal Zeus begat, there sundering them he\nchased the one part to the plain toward the city, even where the\nAchaians were flying in affright the day before, when glorious Hector\nwas in his fury\u2014thither poured some in flight, and Hera spread before\nthem thick mist to hinder them:\u2014but half were pent into the\ndeep-flowing silver eddied river, and fell therein with a mighty noise,\nand the steep channel sounded, and the banks around rang loudly; for\nwith shouting they swam therein hither and thither whirled round the\neddies. And as when at the rush of fire locusts take wing to fly unto a\nriver, and the unwearying fire flameth forth on them with sudden onset,\nand they huddle in the water; so before Achilles was the stream of\ndeep-eddying Xanthos filled with the roar and the throng of horses and\nmen.\n\nThen the seed of Zeus left behind him his spear upon the bank, leant\nagainst tamarisk bushes, and leapt in, as it were a god, keeping his\nsword alone, and devised grim work at heart, and smote as he turned him\nevery way about: and their groaning went up ghastly as they were\nstricken by the sword, and the water reddened with blood. As before a\ndolphin of huge maw fly other fish and fill the nooks of some\nfair-havened bay, in terror, for he devoureth amain whichsoever of them\nhe may catch; so along the channels of that dread stream the Trojans\ncrouched beneath the precipitous sides. And when his hands were weary\nof slaughter he chose twelve young men alive out of the river, an\natonement for Patroklos, Menoitios\u2019 son that was dead. These brought he\nforth amazed like fawns, and bound behind them their hands with\nwell-cut thongs, which they themselves wore on their pliant doublets,\nand gave them to his comrades to lead down to the hollow ships. Then\nagain he made his onset, athirst for slaying.\n\nThere met he a son of Dardanid Priam, in flight out of the river,\nLykaon, whom once himself he took and brought unwilling out of his\nfather\u2019s orchard, in a night assault; he was cutting with keen bronze\nyoung shoots of a wild fig tree, to be hand-rails of a chariot; but to\nhim an unlooked-for bane came goodly Achilles. And at that time he sold\nhim into well-peopled Lemnos, sending him on ship board, and the son of\nJason gave a price for him; and thence a guest friend freed him with a\ngreat ransom, Eetion of Imbros, and sent him to goodly Arisbe; whence\nflying secretly he came to his father\u2019s house. Eleven days he rejoiced\namong his friends after he was come from Lemnos, but on the twelfth\nonce more God brought him into the hands of Achilles, who was to send\nhim to the house of Hades though nowise fain to go. Him when\nfleet-footed noble Achilles saw bare of helm and shield, neither had he\na spear, but had thrown all to the ground; for he sweated grievously as\nhe tried to flee out of the river, and his knees were failing him for\nweariness: then in wrath spake Achilles to his great heart: \u201cHa! verily\ngreat marvel is this that I behold with my eyes. Surely then will the\nproud Trojans whom I have slain rise up again from beneath the murky\ngloom, since thus hath this man come back escaped from his pitiless\nfate, though sold into goodly Lemnos, neither hath the deep of the\nhoary sea stayed him, that holdeth many against their will. But come\nthen, of our spear\u2019s point shall he taste, that I may see and learn in\nmy mind whether likewise he shall come back even from beneath, or\nwhether the life-giving Earth shall hold him down, she that holdeth so\neven the strong.\u201d\n\nThus pondered he in his place; but the other came near amazed, fain to\ntouch his knees, for his soul longed exceedingly to flee from evil\ndeath and black destruction. Then goodly Achilles lifted his long spear\nwith intent to smite him, but he stooped and ran under it and caught\nhis knees; and the spear went over his back and stood in the ground,\nhungering for flesh of men. Then Lykaon besought him, with one hand\nholding his knees, while with the other he held the sharp spear and\nloosed it not, and spake to him winged words: \u201cI cry thee mercy,\nAchilles; have thou regard and pity for me: to thee, O fosterling of\nZeus, am I in the bonds of suppliantship. For at thy table first I\ntasted meal of Demeter on the day when thou didst take me captive in\nthe well-ordered orchard, and didst sell me away from my father and my\nfriends unto goodly Lemnos, and I fetched thee the price of a hundred\noxen. And now have I been ransomed for thrice that, and this is my\ntwelfth morn since I came to Ilios after much pain. Now once again hath\nruinous fate delivered me unto thy hands; surely I must be hated of\nfather Zeus, that he hath given me a second time unto thee; and to\nshort life my mother bare me, Laothoe, old Altes\u2019 daughter\u2014Altes who\nruleth among the war-loving Leleges, holding steep Pedasos on the\nSatnioeis. His daughter Priam had to wife, with many others, and of her\nwere we two born, and thou wilt butcher both. Him among the foremost of\nthe foot-soldiers didst thou lay low, even godlike Polydoros, when thou\nsmotest him with they sharp spear: and now will it go hard with me\nhere, for no hope have I to escape thy hands, since God hath delivered\nme thereunto. Yet one thing will I tell thee, and do thou lay it to\nheart: slay me not, since I am not of the same mother as Hector, who\nslew thy comrade the gentle and brave.\u201d\n\nThus spake to him the noble son of Priam, beseeching him with words,\nbut he heard a voice implacable: \u201cFond fool, proffer me no ransom, nor\nthese words. Until Patroklos met his fated day, then was it welcomer to\nmy soul to spare the men of Troy, and many I took alive and sold beyond\nthe sea: but now there is none shall escape death, whomsoever before\nIlios God shall deliver into my hands\u2014yes, even among all Trojans, but\nchiefest among Priam\u2019s sons. Ay, friend, thou too must die: why\nlamentest thou? Patroklos is dead, who was better far than thou. Seest\nthou not also what manner of man am I for might and goodliness? and a\ngood man was my father, and a goddess mother bare me. Yet over me too\nhang death and forceful fate. There cometh morn or eve or some noonday\nwhen my life too some man shall take in battle, whether with spear he\nsmite or arrow from the string.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and the other\u2019s knees and heart were unstrung. He let go\nAchilles\u2019 spear, and sat with both hands outspread. But Achilles drew\nhis sharp sword and smote on the collar-bone beside the neck, and all\nthe two-edged sword sank into him, and he lay stretched prone upon the\nearth, and blood flowed dark from him and soaked the earth. Him seized\nAchilles by the foot and sent him down the stream, and over him\nexulting spake winged words: \u201cThere lie thou among the fishes, which\nshall lick off thy wound\u2019s blood heedlessly, nor shall thy mother lay\nthee on a bed and mourn for thee, but Skamandros shall bear thee on his\neddies into the broad bosom of the sea. Leaping along the wave shall\nmany a fish dart up to the dark ripple to eat of the white flesh of\nLykaon. So perish all, until we reach the citadel of sacred Ilios, ye\nflying and I behind destroying. Nor even the River, fair-flowing,\nsilver-eddied, shall avail you, to whom long time forsooth ye sacrifice\nmany bulls, and among his eddies throw whole-hooved horses down alive.\nFor all this yet shall ye die the death, until ye pay all for\nPatroklos\u2019 slaying and the slaughter of Achaians whom at the swift\nships ye slew while I tarried afar.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, but the River waxed ever more wroth in his heart, and\nsought in his soul how he should stay goodly Achilles from his work,\nand ward destruction from the Trojans. Meanwhile the son of Peleus with\nhis far-shadowing spear leapt, fain to slay him, upon Asteropaios son\nof Pelegon, whom wide-flowing Axios begat of Periboia eldest of the\ndaughters of Akessamenos. Upon him set Achilles, and Asteropaios stood\nagainst him from the river, holding two spears; for Xanthos put courage\ninto his heart, being angered for the slaughtered youths whom Achilles\nwas slaughtering along the stream and had no pity on them. Then when\nthe twain were come nigh in onset on each other, unto him first spake\nfleet-footed noble Achilles: \u201cWho and whence art thou of men, that\ndarest to come against me? Ill-fated are they whose children match them\nwith my might.\u201d\n\nAnd to him, made answer Pelegon\u2019s noble son: \u201cHigh-hearted son of\nPeleus, why askest thou my lineage? I come from deep-soiled Paionia, a\nland far off, leading Paionian men with their long spears, and this now\nis the eleventh morn since I am come to Ilios. My lineage is of\nwide-flowing Axios, who begat Pelegon famous with the spear, and he,\nmen say, was my father. Now fight we, noble Achilles!\u201d\n\nThus spake he in defiance, and goodly Achilles lifted the Pelian ash:\nbut the warrior Asteropaios hurled with both spears together, for he\ncould use both hands alike, and with the one spear smote the shield,\nbut pierced it not right through, for the gold stayed it, the gift of a\ngod; and with the other he grazed the elbow of Achilles\u2019 right arm, and\nthere leapt forth dark blood, but the point beyond him fixed itself in\nthe earth, eager to batten on flesh. Then in his turn Achilles hurled\non Asteropaios his straight-flying ash, fain to have slain him, but\nmissed the man and struck the high bank, and quivering half its length\nin the bank he left the ashen spear. Then the son of Peleus drew his\nsharp sword from his thigh and leapt fiercely at him, and he availed\nnot to draw with his stout hand Achilles\u2019 ashen shaft from the steep\nbank. Thrice shook he it striving to draw it forth, and thrice gave up\nthe strain, but the fourth time he was fain to bend and break the ashen\nspear of the seed of Aiakos, but ere that Achilles closing on him reft\nhim of life with his sword. For in the belly he smote him beside the\nnavel, and all his bowels gushed out to the earth, and darkness covered\nhis eyes as he lay gasping. Then Achilles trampling on his breast\nstripped off his armour and spake exultingly: \u201cLie there! It is hard to\nstrive against children of Kronos\u2019 mighty son, even though one be\nsprung from a River-god. Thou truly declarest thyself the seed of a\nwide-flowing River, but I avow me of the linkage of great Zeus. My sire\nis a man ruling many Myrmidons, Peleus the son of Aiakos, and Aiakos\nwas begotten of Zeus. As Zeus is mightier than seaward-murmuring\nrivers, so is the seed of Zeus made mightier than the seed of a river.\nNay, there is hard beside thee a great river, if he may anywise avail;\nbut against Zeus the son of Kronos it is not possible to fight. For him\nnot even king Acheloios is match, nor yet the great strength of\ndeep-flowing Ocean, from whom all rivers flow and every sea, and all\nsprings and deep wells: yea, even he hath fear of the lightning of\ngreat Zeus and his dread thunder, when it pealeth out of heaven.\u201d\n\nHe said, and from the steep bank drew his bronze spear, and left there\nAsteropaios whom he had slain, lying in the sands, and the dark water\nflooded him. Around him eels and fishes swarmed, tearing and gnawing\nthe fat about his kidneys. But Achilles went on after the charioted\nPaiones who still along the eddying river huddled in fear, when they\nsaw their best man in the stress of battle slain violently by the hands\nand the sword of the son of Peleus. There slew he Thersilochos and\nMydon and Astypylos and Mnesos and Thrasios and Ainios and Ophelestes;\nand more yet of the Paiones would swift Achilles have slain, had not\nthe deep-eddying River called unto him in wrath, in semblance of a man,\nand from an eddy\u2019s depth sent forth a voice: \u201cO Achilles, thy might and\nthy evil work are beyond the measure of men; for gods themselves are\never helping thee. If indeed the son of Kronos hath delivered thee all\nthe Trojans to destroy, at least drive them forth from me and do thy\ngrim deeds on the plain, for filled with dead men is my pleasant bed,\nnor can I pour my stream to the great sea, being choked with dead, and\nthou slayest ruthlessly. Come then, let be; I am astonished, O captain\nof hosts.\u201d\n\nAnd to him answered Achilles fleet of foot: \u201cSo be it, heaven-sprung\nSkamandros, even as thou biddest. But the proud Trojans I will not\ncease from slaying until I have driven them into their city, and have\nmade trial with Hector face to face whether he is to vanquish me or I\nhim.\u201d\n\nThus saying, he set upon the Trojans, like a god. Then unto Apollo\nspake the deep-eddying River: \u201cOut on it, lord of the silver bow, child\nof Zeus, thou hast not kept the ordinance of Kronos\u2019 son, who charged\nthee straitly to stand by the Trojans and to help them, until eve come\nwith light late-setting, and darken the deep-soiled earth.\u201d\n\nHe said, and spear-famed Achilles sprang from the bank and leapt into\nhis midst; but he rushed on him in a furious wave, and stirred up all\nhis streams in tumult, and swept down the many dead who lay thick in\nhim, slain by Achilles; these out to land he cast with bellowing like a\nbull, and saved the living under his fair streams, hiding them within\neddies deep and wide. But terribly around Achilles arose his tumultuous\nwave, and the stream smote violently against his shield, nor availed he\nto stand firm upon his feet. Then he grasped a tall fair-grown elm, and\nit fell uprooted and tore away all the bank, and reached over the fair\nriver bed with its thick shoots, and stemmed the River himself, falling\nall within him: and Achilles, struggling out of the eddy, made haste to\nfly over the plain with his swift feet, for he was afraid. But the\ngreat god ceased not, but arose upon him with darkness on his crest,\nthat he might stay noble Achilles from slaughter, and ward destruction\nfrom the men of Troy. And the son of Peleus rushed away a spear\u2019s\nthrow, with the swoop of a black eagle, the mighty hunter, strongest at\nonce and swiftest of winged birds. Like him he sped, and on his breast\nthe bronze rang terribly as he fled from beneath the onset, and behind\nhim the River rushed on with a mighty roar. As when a field-waterer\nfrom a dark spring leadeth water along a bed through crops and garden\ngrounds, a mattock in his hands, casting forth hindrances from the\nditch, and as it floweth all pebbles are swept down, and swiftly\ngliding it murmureth down a sloping place, and outrunneth him that is\nits guide:\u2014thus ever the river wave caught up Achilles for all his\nspeed; for gods are mightier than men. For whensoever fleet-footed\nnoble Achilles struggled to stand against it, and know whether all\nimmortals be upon him who inhabit spacious heaven, then would a great\nwave of the heaven-sprung River beat upon his shoulders from above, and\nhe sprang upward with his feet, sore vexed at heart; and the River was\nwearying his knees with violent rush beneath, devouring the earth from\nunder his feet. Then the son of Peleus cried aloud, looking up to the\nbroad heaven: \u201cZeus, Father, how doth none of the gods take it on him\nin pity to save me from the River! after that let come to me what may.\nNone other of the inhabitants of Heaven is chargeable so much, but only\nmy dear mother, who beguiled me with false words, saying that under the\nwall of the mail-clad men of Troy I must die by the swift arrows of\nApollo. Would that Hector had slain me, the best of men bred here: then\nbrave had been the slayer, and a brave man had he slain. But now by a\nsorry death am I doomed to die, pent in this mighty river, like a\nswineherd boy whom a torrent sweepeth down as he essayeth to cross it\nin a storm.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and quickly Poseidon and Athene came near and stood\nbeside him, in the likeness of men, and taking his hands in theirs\npledged him in words. And the first that spake was Poseidon, Shaker of\nthe earth: \u201cSon of Peleus, tremble not, neither be afraid; such helpers\nof thee are we from the gods, approved of Zeus, even Pallas Athene and\nI, for to be vanquished of a river is not appointed thee, but he will\nsoon give back, and thou wilt thyself perceive it: but we will give\nthee wise counsel, if thou wilt obey it; hold not thy hand from\nhazardous battle until within Ilios\u2019 famous walls thou have pent the\nTrojan host, even all that flee before thee. But do thou, when thou\nhast taken the life of Hector, go back unto the ships; this glory we\ngive unto thee to win.\u201d\n\nThey having thus spoken departed to the immortals, but he toward the\nplain\u2014for the bidding of gods was strong upon him\u2014went onward; and all\nthe plain was filled with water-flood, and many beautiful arms and\ncorpses of slain youths were drifting there. So upward sprang his knees\nas he rushed against the stream right on, nor stayed him the\nwide-flowing River, for Athene put great strength in him. Neither did\nSkamandros slacken his fierceness, but yet more raged against the son\nof Peleus, and he curled crestwise the billow of his stream, lifting\nhimself on high, and on Simoeis he called with a shout: \u201cDear brother,\nthe strength of this man let us both join to stay, since quickly he\nwill lay waste the great city of king Priam, and the Trojans abide not\nin the battle. Help me with speed, and fill thy streams with water from\nthy springs, and urge on all thy torrents, and raise up a great wave,\nand stir huge roaring of tree-stumps and stones, that we may stay the\nfierce man who now is lording it, and deeming himself match for gods.\nFor neither, I ween, will strength avail him nor comeliness anywise,\nnor that armour beautiful, which deep beneath the flood shall be\no\u2019erlaid with slime, and himself I will wrap him in my sands and pour\nround him countless shingle without stint, nor shall the Achaians know\nwhere to gather his bones, so vast a shroud of silt will I heap over\nthem. Where he dieth there shall be his tomb, neither shall he have\nneed of any barrow to be raised, when the Achaians make his funeral.\u201d\n\nHe said, and rushed in tumult on Achilles, raging from on high,\nthundering with foam and blood and bodies of dead men. Then did a dark\nwave of the heaven-sprung River stand towering up and overwhelm the son\nof Peleus. But Hera cried aloud in terror of Achilles, lest the great\ndeep-eddying River sweep him away, and straightway she called to\nHephaistos, her dear son: \u201cRise, lame god, O my son; it was against\nthee we thought that eddying Xanthos was matched in fight. Help with\nall speed, put forth large blast of flame. Then will I go to raise a\nstrong storm out of the sea of the west wind and the white south which\nshall utterly consume the dead Trojans and their armour, blowing the\nangry flame. Thou along Xanthos\u2019 banks burn up his trees and wrap\nhimself in fire, nor let him anywise turn thee back by soft words or by\nthreat, nor stay thy rage\u2014only when I cry to thee with my voice, then\nhold the unwearying fire.\u201d\n\nThus spake she, and Hephaistos made ready fierce-blazing fire. First on\nthe plain fire blazed, and burnt the many dead who lay there thick,\nslain by Achilles; and all the plain was parched and the bright water\nstayed. And as when in late summer the north wind swiftly parcheth a\nnew watered orchard, and he that tilleth it is glad, thus was the whole\nplain parched, and Hephaistos consumed the dead; then against the river\nhe turned his gleaming flame. Elms burnt and willow trees and\ntamarisks, and lotos burnt and rush and galingale which round the fair\nstreams of the river grew in multitude. And the eels and fishes beneath\nthe eddies were afflicted, which through the fair streams tumbled this\nway and that, in anguish at the blast of crafty Hephaistos. And the\nstrong River burned, and spake and called to him by name: \u201cHephaistos,\nthere is no god can match with thee, nor will I fight thee thus ablaze\nwith fire. Cease strife, yea, let noble Achilles drive the Trojans\nforthwith out of their city; what have I to do with strife and\nsuccour?\u201d\n\nThus spake he, burnt with fire, for his fair streams were bubbling. And\nas a cauldron boileth within, beset with much fire, melting the lard of\nsome fatted hog spurting up on all sides, and logs of firewood lie\nthereunder,\u2014so burned his fair streams in the fire, and the water\nboiled. He had no mind to flow, but refrained him, for the breath of\ncunning Hephaistos violently afflicted him. Then unto Hera, earnestly\nbeseeching her,\u2019 he spake winged words: \u201cHera, wherefore hath thy son\nassailed my stream to vex it above others? I am less chargeable than\nall the rest that are helpers of the Trojans. But lo, I will give over,\nif thou wilt, and let thy son give over too. And I further will swear\neven this, that never will I ward the day of evil from the Trojans, not\neven when all Troy is burning in the blaze of hungry fire, and the\nwarlike sons of Achaians are the burners thereof.\u201d\n\nThen when the white-armed goddess Hera heard his speech, straightway\nshe spake unto Hephaistos her dear son: \u201cHephaistos, hold, famed son;\nit befitteth not thus for mortals\u2019 sake to do violence to an immortal\ngod.\u201d\n\nThus said she and Hephaistos quenched the fierce-blazing fire, and the\nwave once more rolled down the fair river-bed.\n\nSo when the rage of Xanthos was overcome, both ceased, for Hera stayed\nthem, though in wrath. But among the other gods fell grievous bitter\nstrife, and their hearts were carried diverse in their breasts. And\nthey clashed together with a great noise, and the wide earth groaned,\nand the clarion of great Heaven rang around. Zeus heard as he sate upon\nOlympus, and his heart within him laughed pleasantly when he beheld\nthat strife of gods. Then no longer stood they asunder, for Ares\npiercer of shields began the battle and first made for Athene with his\nbronze spear, and spake a taunting word: \u201cWherefore, O dogfly, dost\nthou match gods with gods in strife, with stormy daring, as thy great\nspirit moveth thee? Rememberest thou not how thou movedst Diomedes\nTydeus\u2019 son to wound me, and thyself didst take a visible spear and\nthrust it straight at me and pierce through my fair skin? Therefore\ndeem I now that thou shalt pay me for all that thou hast done.\u201d\n\nThus saying he smote on the dread tasselled aegis that not even the\nlightning of Zeus can overcome\u2014thereon smote bloodstained Ares with his\nlong spear. But she, giving back, grasped with stout hand a stone that\nlay upon the plain, black, rugged, huge, which men of old time set to\nbe the landmark of a field; this hurled she, and smote impetuous Ares\non the neck, and unstrung his limbs. Seven roods he covered in his\nfall, and soiled his hair with dust, and his armour rang upon him. And\nPallas Athene laughed, and spake to him winged words exultingly: \u201cFool,\nnot even yet hast thou learnt how far better than thou I claim to be,\nthat thus thou matchest thy might with mine. Thus shalt thou satisfy\nthy mother\u2019s curses, who deviseth mischief against thee in her wrath,\nfor that thou hast left the Achaians and givest the proud Trojan\u2019s\naid.\u201d\n\nThus having said she turned from him her shining eyes. Him did\nAphrodite daughter of Zeus take by the hand and lead away, groaning\ncontinually, for scarce gathered he his spirit back to him. But when\nthe white-armed goddess Hera was aware of them, straightway she spake\nunto Athene winged words: \u201cOut on it, child of aegis-bearing Zeus,\nmaiden invincible, lo there the dogfly is leading Ares destroyer of men\nout of the fray of battle down the throng\u2014nay then, pursue her.\u201d\n\nShe said, and Athene sped after her with heart exultant, and made at\nher and smote her with stout hand upon the breast, and straightway her\nknees and heart were unstrung. So they twain lay on the bounteous\nearth, and she spake winged words exultingly: \u201cSuch let all be who give\nthe Trojans aid when they fight against the mailed Argives. Be they\neven so bold and brave as Aphrodite when she came to succour Ares and\ndefied my might. Then should we long ago have ceased from war, having\nlaid waste the stablished citadel of Ilios.\u201d\n\n[She said, and the white-armed goddess Hera smiled.] Then to Apollo\nspake the earth-shaking lord: \u201cPhoebus, why stand we apart? It\nbefitteth not after the rest have begun: that were the more shameful if\nwithout fighting we should go to Olympus to the bronze-thresholded\nhouse of Zeus. Begin, for thou art younger; it were not meet for me,\nsince I was born first and know more. Fond god, how foolish is thy\nheart! Thou rememberest not all the ills we twain alone of gods endured\nat Ilios, when by ordinance of Zeus we came to proud Laomedon and\nserved him through a year for promised recompense, and he laid on us\nhis commands. I round their city built the Trojans a wall, wide and\nmost fair, that the city might be unstormed, and thou Phoebus, didst\nherd shambling crook-horned kine among the spurs of woody many-folded\nIda. But when the joyous seasons were accomplishing the term of hire,\nthen redoubtable Laomedon robbed us of all hire, and sent us off with\nthreats. He threatened that he would bind together our feet and hands\nand sell us into far-off isles, and the ears of both of us he vowed to\nshear off with the sword. So we went home with angry hearts, wroth for\nthe hire he promised and gave us not. To his folk not thou showest\nfavour, nor essayest with us how the proud Trojans may be brought low\nand perish miserably with their children and noble wives.\u201d\n\nThen to him answered King Apollo the Far-darter: \u201cShaker of the earth,\nof no sound mind wouldst thou repute me if I should fight against thee\nfor the sake of pitiful mortals, who like unto leaves now live in\nglowing life, consuming the fruit of the earth, and now again pine into\ndeath. Let us with all speed cease from combat, and let them do battle\nby themselves.\u201d\n\nThus saying he turned away, for he felt shame to deal in blows with his\nfather\u2019s brother. But his sister upbraided him sore, the queen of wild\nbeasts, huntress Artemis, and spake a taunting word: \u201cSo then thou\nfleest, Far-darter, hast quite yielded to Poseidon the victory, and\ngiven him glory for naught! Fond god, why bearest thou an ineffectual\nbow in vain? Let me not hear thee again in the halls of our sire boast\nas before among the immortal gods thou wouldst stand up to fight\nagainst Poseidon.\u201d\n\nThus spake she, but far-darting Apollo answered her not. But angrily\nthe noble spouse of Zeus [upbraided the Archer Queen with taunting\nwords:] \u201cHow now art thou fain, bold vixen, to set thyself against me?\nHard were it for thee to match my might, bow-bearer though thou art,\nsince against women Zeus made thee a lion, and giveth thee to slay\nwhomso of them thou wilt. Truly it is better on the mountains to slay\nwild beasts and deer than to fight amain with mightier than thou. But\nif thou wilt, try war, that thou mayest know well how far stronger am\nI, since thou matchest thy might with mine.\u201d\n\nShe said, and with her left hand caught both the other\u2019s hands by the\nwrist, and with her right took the bow from off her shoulders, and\ntherewith, smiling, beat her on the ears as she turned this way and\nthat; and the swift arrows fell out of her quiver. And weeping from\nbefore her the goddess fled like a dove that from before a falcon\nflieth to a hollow rock, a cleft\u2014for she was not fated to be\ncaught;\u2014thus Artemis fled weeping, and left her bow and arrows where\nthey lay. Then to Leto spake the Guide, the slayer of Argus: \u201cLeto,\nwith thee will I no wise fight; a grievous thing it is to come to blows\nwith wives of cloud-gathering Zeus; but boast to thy heart\u2019s content\namong the immortal gods that thou didst vanquish me by might and main.\u201d\n\nThus said he, and Leto gathered up the curved bow and arrows fallen\nhither and thither amid the whirl of dust: so taking her daughter\u2019s bow\nshe went back. And the maiden came to Olympus, to the\nbronze-thresholded house of Zeus, and weeping set herself on her\nfather\u2019s knee, while round her her divine vesture quivered: and her\nfather, Kronos\u2019 son, took her to him and asked of her, laughing gently:\n\u201cWho of the inhabitants of heaven, dear child, hath dealt with thee\nthus [hastily, as though thou hadst been doing some wrong thing\nopenly]?\u201d\n\nAnd to him in answer spake the fair-crowned queen of the echoing chase:\n\u201cIt was thy wife that buffeted me, father, the white-armed Hera, from\nwhom are strife and contention come upon the immortals.\u201d\n\nThus talked they unto one another. Then Phoebus Apollo entered into\nsacred Ilios, for he was troubled for the wall of the well-builded\ncity, lest the Danaans waste it before its hour upon that day. But the\nother ever-living gods went to Olympus, some angry and some greatly\ntriumphing, and sat down beside Zeus who hideth himself in dark clouds.\n\nNow Achilles was still slaying the Trojans, both themselves and their\nwhole-hooved horses. And as when a smoke goeth up to the broad heaven,\nwhen a city burneth, kindled by the wrath of gods, and causeth toil to\nall, and griefs to many, thus caused Achilles toil and griefs to the\nTrojans. And the old man Priam stood on the sacred tower, and was aware\nof dread Achilles, how before him the Trojans thronged in rout, nor was\nany succour found of them. Then with a cry he went down from the tower,\nto rouse the gallant warders along the walls: \u201cHold open the gates in\nyour hands until the folk come to the city in their rout, for closely\nis Achilles chasing them\u2014now trow I there will be deadly deeds. And\nwhen they are gathered within the wall and are taking breath, then\nagain shut back the gate-wings firmly builded; for I fear lest that\nmurderous man spring in within the wall.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and they opened the gates and thrust back the bolts; and\nthe gates flung back gave safety. Then Apollo leapt forth to the front\nthat he might ward destruction from the Trojans. They straight for the\ncity and the high wall were fleeing, parched with thirst and\ndust-grimed from the plain, and Achilles chased them vehemently with\nhis spear, for strong frenzy possessed his heart continually, and he\nthirsted to win him renown. Then would the sons of the Achaians have\ntaken high-gated Troy, had not Phoebus Apollo aroused goodly Agenor,\nAntenor\u2019s son, a princely man and strong. In his heart he put good\ncourage, and himself stood by his side that he might ward off the\ngrievous visitations of death, leaning against the oak, and he was\nshrouded in thick mist. So when Agenor was aware of Achilles waster of\ncities, he halted, and his heart much wavered as he stood; and in\ntrouble he spake to his great heart: \u201cAy me, if I flee before mighty\nAchilles, there where the rest are driven terror-struck, nathless will\nhe overtake me and slaughter me as a coward. Or what if I leave these\nto be driven before Achilles the son of Peleus, and flee upon my feet\nfrom the wall by another way to the Ileian plain, until I come to the\nspurs of Ida, and hide me in the underwood? So then at evening, having\nbathed in the river and refreshed me of sweat, I might return to Ilios.\nNay, why doth my heart debate thus within me? Lest he might be aware of\nme as I get me from the city for the plain, and speeding after overtake\nme with swift feet; then will it no more be possible to avoid the\nvisitation of death, for he is exceeding mighty above all mankind. What\nthen if in front of the city I go forth to meet him? Surely his flesh\ntoo is penetrable by sharp bronze, and there is but one life within,\nand men say he is mortal, howbeit Zeus the son of Kronos giveth him\nrenown.\u201d\n\nThus saying, he gathered himself to await Achilles, and within him his\nstout heart was set to strive and fight. As a leopardess goeth forth\nfrom a deep thicket to affront a huntsman, nor is afraid at heart, nor\nfleeth when she heareth the bay of hounds; for albeit the man first\nsmite her with thrust or throw, yet even pierced through with the spear\nshe ceaseth not from her courage until she either grapple or be slain,\nso noble Antenor\u2019s son, goodly Agenor, refused to flee till he should\nput Achilles to the proof, but held before him the circle of his\nshield, and aimed at him with his spear, and cried aloud: \u201cDoubtless\nthou hopest in thy heart, noble Achilles, on this day to sack the city\nof the proud men of Troy. Fond man, there shall many woful things yet\nbe wrought before it, for within it we are many men and staunch, who in\nfront of our parents dear and wives and sons keep Ilios safe; but thou\nshalt here meet death, albeit so redoubtable and bold a man of war.\u201d\n\nHe said, and hurled his sharp spear with weighty hand, and smote him on\nthe leg beneath the knee, nor missed his mark, and the greave of\nnew-wrought tin rang terribly on him; but the bronze bounded back from\nhim it smote, nor pierced him, for the god\u2019s gift drave it back. Then\nthe son of Peleus in his turn made at godlike Agenor, but Apollo\nsuffered him not to win renown, but caught away Agenor, and shrouded\nhim in thick mist, and sent him in peace to be gone out of the war.\nThen by wile kept the son of Peleus away from the folk, for in complete\nsemblance of Agenor himself he stood before the feet of Achilles, who\nhasted to run upon him and chase him. And while he chased him over the\nwheat-bearing plain, edging him toward the deep-eddying river\nSkamandros, as he ran but a little in front of him (for by wile Apollo\nbeguiled him that he kept ever hoping to overtake him in the race),\nmeantime the other Trojans in common rout came gladly unto their\nfastness, and the city was filled with the throng of them. Neither had\nthey heart to await one another outside the city and wall, and to know\nwho might have escaped and who had perished in the fight, but\nimpetuously they poured into the city, whomsoever of them his feet and\nknees might save.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XXII.\n\n\nHow Achilles fought with Hector, and slew him, and brought his body to\nthe ships.\n\n\nThus they throughout the city, scared like fawns, were cooling their\nsweat and drinking and slaking their thirst, leaning on the fair\nbattlements, while the Achaians drew near the wall, setting shields to\nshoulders. But Hector deadly fate bound to abide in his place, in front\nof Ilios and the Skaian gates. Then to the son of Peleus spake Phoebus\nApollo: \u201cWherefore, son of Peleus, pursuest thou me with swift feet,\nthyself being mortal and I a deathless god? Thou hast not even yet\nknown me, that I am a god, but strivest vehemently. Truly thou\nregardest not thy task among the affliction of the Trojans whom thou\naffrightedst, who now are gathered into the city, while thou heat\nwandered hither. Me thou wilt never slay, for I am not subject unto\ndeath.\u201d\n\nThen mightily moved spake unto him Achilles fleet of foot: \u201cThou hast\nbaulked me, Far-darter, most mischievous of all the gods, in that thou\nhast turned me hither from the wall: else should full many yet have\nbitten the dust or ever within Ilios had they come. Now hast thou\nrobbed me of great renown, and lightly hast saved them, because thou\nhadst no vengeance to fear thereafter. Verily I would avenge me on\nthee, had I but the power.\u201d\n\nThus saying toward the city he was gone in pride of heart, rushing like\nsome victorious horse in a chariot, that runneth lightly at full speed\nover the plain; so swiftly plied Achilles his feet and knees. Him the\nold man Priam first beheld as he sped across the plain, blazing as the\nstar that cometh forth at harvest-time, and plain seen his rays shine\nforth amid the host of stars in the darkness of night, the star whose\nname men call Orion\u2019s Dog. Brightest of all is he, yet for an evil sign\nis he set, and bringeth much fever upon hapless men. Even so on\nAchilles\u2019 breast the bronze gleamed as he ran. And the old man cried\naloud and beat upon his head with his hands, raising them on high, and\nwith a cry called aloud beseeching his dear son; for he before the\ngates was standing, all hot for battle with Achilles. And the old man\nspake piteously unto him, stretching forth his hands: \u201cHector, beloved\nson, I pray thee await not this man alone with none beside thee, lest\nthou quickly meet thy doom, slain by the son of Peleus, since he is\nmightier far, a merciless man. Would the gods loved him even as do I!\nthen quickly would dogs and vultures devour him on the field\u2014thereby\nwould cruel pain go from my heart\u2014the man who hath bereft me of many\nvaliant sons, slaying them and selling them captive into far-off isles.\nAy even now twain of my children, Lykaon and Polydoros, I cannot see\namong the Trojans that throng into the fastness, sons whom Laothoe bare\nme, a princess among women. If they be yet alive amid the enemy\u2019s host,\nthen will we ransom them with bronze and gold, for there is store\nwithin, for much goods gave the old man famous Altes to his child. If\nthey be dead, then even in the house of Hades shall they be a sorrow to\nmy soul and to their mother, even to us who gave them birth, but to the\nrest of the folk a briefer sorrow, if but thou die not by Achilles\u2019\nhand. Nay, come within the wall, my child, that thou preserve the men\nand women of Troy, neither give great triumph to the son of Peleus, and\nbe thyself bereft of sweet life. Have compassion also on me, the\nhelpless one, who still can feel, ill-fated; whom the father, Kronos\u2019\nson, will bring to naught by a grievous doom in the path of old age,\nhaving seen full many ills, his sons perishing and his daughters\ncarried away captive, and his chambers laid waste and infant children\nhurled to the ground in terrible war, and his sons\u2019 wives dragged away\nby the ruinous hands of the Achaians. Myself then last of all at the\nstreet door will ravening dogs tear, when some one by stroke or throw\nof the sharp bronze hath bereft my limbs of life\u2014even the dogs I reared\nin my halls about my table and to guard my door, which then having\ndrunk my blood, maddened at heart shall lie in the gateway. A young man\nall beseemeth, even to be slain in war, to be torn by the sharp bronze\nand lie on the field; though he be dead yet is all honourable to him,\nwhate\u2019er be seen: but when dogs defile the hoary head and hoary beard\nof an old man slain, this is the most piteous thing that cometh upon\nhapless men.\u201d\n\nThus spake the old man, and grasped his hoary hairs, plucking them from\nhis head, but he persuaded not Hector\u2019s soul. Then his mother in her\nturn wailed tearfully, loosening the folds of her robe, while with the\nother hand she showed her breast; and through her tears spake to him\nwinged words: \u201cHector, my child, have regard unto this bosom and pity\nme, if ever I gave thee consolation of my breast. Think of it, dear\nchild, and from this side the wall drive back the foe, nor stand in\nfront to meet him. He is merciless; if he slay thee it will not be on a\nbed that I or thy wife shall bewail thee, my own dear child, but far\naway from us by the ships of the Argives will swift dogs devour thee.\u201d\n\nThus they with wailing spake to their dear son, beseeching him sore,\nyet they persuaded not Hector\u2019s soul, but he stood awaiting Achilles as\nhe drew nigh in giant might. As a serpent of the mountains upon his den\nawaiteth a man, having fed on evil poisons, and fell wrath hath entered\ninto him, and terribly he glared as he coileth himself about his den,\nso Hector with courage unquenchable gave not back, leaning his shining\nshield against a jutting tower. Then sore troubled he spake to his\ngreat heart: \u201cAy me, if I go within the gates and walls, Polydamas will\nbe first to bring reproach against me, since he bade me lead the\nTrojans to the city during this ruinous night, when noble Achilles\narose. But I regarded him not, yet surely it had been better far. And\nnow that I have undone the host by my wantonness, I am ashamed before\nthe men of Troy and women of trailing robes, lest at any time some\nworse man than I shall say: \u2018Hector by trusting his own might undid the\nhost.\u2019 So will they speak; then to me would it be better far to face\nAchilles and either slay him and go home, or myself die gloriously\nbefore the city. Or what if I lay down my bossy shield and my stout\nhelm, and lean my spear against the wall, and go of myself to meet\nnoble Achilles and promise him that Helen, and with her all possessions\nthat Alexandros brought in hollow ships to Troy, the beginning of\nstrife, we will give to the Sons of Atreus to take away, and\ntherewithal to divide in half with the Achaians all else that this city\nholdeth: and if thereafter I obtain from the Trojans an oath of the\nElders that they will hide nothing but divide all in twain [whatever\nwealth the pleasant city hold within]? But wherefore doth my heart\ndebate thus? I might come unto him and he would not pity or regard me\nat all, but presently slay me unarmed as it were but a woman, if I put\noff my armour. No time is it now to dally with him from oaktree or from\nrock, like youth with maiden, as youth and maiden hold dalliance one\nwith another. Better is it to join battle with all speed: let us know\nupon which of us twain the Olympian shall bestow renown.\u201d\n\nThus pondered he as he stood, but nigh on him came Achilles, peer of\nEnyalios warrior of the waving helm, brandishing from his right\nshoulder the Pelian ash, his terrible spear; and all around the bronze\non him flashed like the gleam of blazing fire or of the Sun as he\nariseth. And trembling seized Hector as he was aware of him, nor\nendured he to abide in his place, but left the gates behind him and\nfled in fear. And the son of Peleus darted after him, trusting in his\nswift feet. As a falcon upon the mountains, swiftest of winged things,\nswoopeth fleetly after a trembling dove; and she before him fleeth,\nwhile he with shrill screams hard at hand still darteth at her, for his\nheart urgeth him to seize her; so Achilles in hot haste flew straight\nfor him, and Hector fled beneath the Trojans\u2019 wall, and plied swift\nknees. They past the watch-place and wind-waved wild fig-tree sped\never, away from under the wall, along the waggon-track, and came to the\ntwo fair-flowing springs, where two fountains rise that feed\ndeep-eddying Skamandros. The one floweth with warm water, and smoke\ngoeth up therefrom around as it were from a blazing fire, while the\nother even in summer floweth forth like cold hail or snow or ice that\nwater formeth. And there beside the springs are broad washing-troughs\nhard by, fair troughs of stone, where wives and fair daughters of the\nmen of Troy were wont to wash bright raiment, in the old time of peace,\nbefore the sons of the Achaians came. Thereby they ran, he flying, he\npursuing. Valiant was the flier but far mightier he who fleetly pursued\nhim. For not for beast of sacrifice or for an oxhide were they\nstriving, such as are prizes for men\u2019s speed of foot, but for the life\nof horse-taming Hector was their race. And as when victorious\nwhole-hooved horses run rapidly round the turning-points, and some\ngreat prize lieth in sight, be it a tripod or a woman, in honour of a\nman that is dead, so thrice around Priam\u2019s city circled those twain\nwith flying feet, and all the gods were gazing on them. Then among them\nspake first the father of gods and men: \u201cAy me, a man beloved I see\npursued around the wall. My heart is woe for Hector, who hath burnt for\nme many thighs of oxen amid the crests of many-folded Ida, and other\ntimes on the city-height; but now is goodly Achilles pursuing him with\nswift feet round Priam\u2019s town. Come, give your counsel, gods, and\ndevise whether we shall save him from death or now at last slay him,\nvaliant though he be, by the hand of Achilles Peleus\u2019 son.\u201d\n\nThen to him answered the bright-eyed goddess Athene: \u201cO Father, Lord of\nthe bright lightning and the dark cloud, what is this thou hast said? A\nman that is a mortal, doomed long ago by fate, wouldst thou redeem back\nfrom ill-boding death? Do it, but not all we other gods approve.\u201d\n\nAnd unto her in answer spake cloud-gathering Zeus: \u201cBe of good cheer,\nTrito-born, dear child: not in full earnest speak I, and I would fain\nbe kind to thee. Do as seemeth good to thy mind, and draw not back.\u201d\n\nThus saying he roused Athene, that already was set thereon, and from\nthe crests of Olympus she darted down.\n\nBut after Hector sped fleet Achilles chasing him vehemently. And as\nwhen on the mountains a hound hunteth the fawn of a deer, having\nstarted it from its covert, through glens and glades, and if it crouch\nto baffle him under a bush, yet scenting it out the hound runneth\nconstantly until he find it; so Hector baffled not Peleus\u2019 fleet-footed\nson. Oft as he set himself to dart under the well-built walls over\nagainst the Dardanian gates, if haply from above they might succour him\nwith darts, so oft would Achilles gain on him and turn him toward the\nplain, while himself he sped ever on the city-side. And as in a dream\none faileth in chase of a flying man, the one faileth in his flight and\nthe other in his chase\u2014so failed Achilles to overtake him in the race,\nand Hector to escape. And thus would Hector have avoided the visitation\nof death, had not this time been utterly the last wherein Apollo came\nnigh to him, who nerved his strength and his swift knees. For to the\nhost did noble Achilles sign with his head, and forbade them to hurl\nbitter darts against Hector, lest any smiting him should gain renown,\nand he himself come second. But when the fourth time they had reached\nthe springs, then the Father hung his golden balances, and set therein\ntwo lots of dreary death, one of Achilles, one of horse-taming Hector,\nand held them by the midst and poised. Then Hector\u2019s fated day sank\ndown, and fell to the house of Hades, and Phoebus Apollo left him. But\nto Peleus\u2019 son came the bright-eyed goddess Athene, and standing near\nspake to him winged words: \u201cNow verily, glorious Achilles dear to Zeus,\nI have hope that we twain shall carry off great glory to the ships for\nthe Achaians, having slain Hector, for all his thirst for fight. No\nlonger is it possible for him to escape us, not even though far-darting\nApollo should travail sore, grovelling before the Father, aegis-bearing\nZeus. But do thou now stand and take breath, and I will go and persuade\nthis man to confront thee in fight.\u201d\n\nThus spake Athene, and he obeyed, and was glad at heart, and stood\nleaning on his bronze-pointed ashen-spear. And she left him and came to\nnoble Hector, like unto Deiphobos in shape and in strong voice, and\nstanding near spake to him winged words: \u201cDear brother, verily fleet\nAchilles doth thee violence, chasing thee round Priam\u2019s town with swift\nfeet: but come let us make a stand and await him on our defence.\u201d\n\nThen answered her great Hector of the glancing helm: \u201cDeiphobos, verily\naforetime wert thou far dearest of my brothers, but now methinks I\nshall honour thee even more, in that thou hast dared for my sake, when\nthou sawest me, to come forth of the wall, while the others tarry\nwithin.\u201d\n\nThen to him again spake the bright-eyed goddess Athene: \u201cDear brother,\nof a truth my father and lady mother and my comrades around besought me\nmuch, entreating me in turn, to tarry there, so greatly do they all\ntremble before him; but my heart within was sore with dismal grief. And\nnow fight we with straight-set resolve and let there be no sparing of\nspears, that we may know whether Achilles is to slay us and carry our\nbloody spoils to the hollow ships, or whether he might be vanquished by\nthy spear.\u201d\n\nThus saying Athene in her subtlety led him on. And when they were come\nnigh in onset on one another, to Achilles first spake great Hector of\nthe glancing helm: \u201cNo longer, son of Peleus, will I fly thee, as\nbefore I thrice ran round the great town of Priam, and endured not to\nawait thy onset. Now my heart biddeth me stand up against thee; I will\neither slay or be slain. But come hither and let us pledge us by our\ngods, for they shall be best witnesses and beholders of covenants: I\nwill entreat thee in no outrageous sort, if Zeus grant me to outstay\nthee, and if I take thy life, but when I have despoiled thee of thy\nglorious armour, O Achilles, I will give back thy dead body to the\nAchaians, and do thou the same.\u201d\n\nBut unto him with grim gaze spake Achilles fleet of foot: \u201cHector, talk\nnot to me, thou madman, of covenants. As between men and lions there is\nno pledge of faith, nor wolves and sheep can be of one mind, but\nimagine evil continually against each other, so is it impossible for\nthee and me to be friends, neither shall be any pledge between us until\none or other shall have fallen and glutted with blood Ares, the\nstubborn god of war. Bethink thee of all thy soldiership: now behoveth\nit thee to quit thee as a good spearman and valiant man of war. No\nlonger is there way of escape for thee, but Pallas Athene will\nstraightway subdue thee to my spear; and now in one hour shalt thou pay\nback for all my sorrows for my friends whom thou hast slain in the fury\nof thy spear.\u201d\n\nHe said, and poised his far-shadowing spear and hurled. And noble\nHector watched the coming thereof and avoided it; for with his eye on\nit he crouched, and the bronze spear flew over him, and fixed itself in\nthe earth; but Pallas Athene caught it up and gave it back to Achilles,\nunknown of Hector shepherd of hosts. Then Hector spake unto the noble\nson of Peleus: \u201cThou hast missed, so no wise yet, godlike Achilles, has\nthou known from Zeus the hour of my doom, though thou thoughtest it.\nCunning of tongue art thou and a deceiver in speech, that fearing thee\nI might forget my valour and strength. Not as I flee shalt thou plant\nthy spear in my reins, but drive it straight through my breast as I set\non thee, if God hath given thee to do it. Now in thy turn avoid my\nspear of bronze. O that thou mightst take it all into thy flesh! Then\nwould the war be lighter to the Trojans, if but thou wert dead, for\nthou art their greatest bane.\u201d\n\nHe said, and poised his long-shadowed spear and hurled it, and smote\nthe midst of the shield of Peleus\u2019 son, and missed him not: but far\nfrom the shield the spear leapt back. And Hector was wroth that his\nswift weapon had left his hand in vain, and he stood downcast, for he\nhad no second ashen spear. And he called with a loud shout to Deiphobos\nof the white shield, and asked of him a long spear, but he was no wise\nnigh. Then Hector knew he truth in his heart, and spake and said: \u201cAy\nme, now verily the gods have summoned me to death. I deemed the warrior\nDeiphobos was by my side, but he is within the wall, and it was Athene\nwho played me false. Now therefore is evil death come very nigh me, not\nfar off, nor is there way of escape. This then was from of old the\npleasure of Zeus and of the far-darting son of Zeus, who yet before\nwere fain to succour me: but now my fate hath found me. At least let me\nnot die without a struggle or ingloriously, but in some great deed of\narms whereof men yet to be born shall hear.\u201d\n\nThus saying he drew his sharp sword that by his flank hung great and\nstrong, and gathered himself and swooped like a soaring eagle that\ndarteth to the plain through the dark clouds to seize a tender lamb or\ncrouching hare. So Hector swooped, brandishing his sharp sword. And\nAchilles made at him, for his heart was filled with wild fierceness,\nand before his breast he made a covering with his fair graven shield,\nand tossed his bright four-plated helm; and round it waved fair golden\nplumes [that Hephaistos had set thick about the crest.]. As a star\ngoeth among stars in the darkness of night, Hesperos, fairest of all\nstars set in heaven, so flashed there forth a light from the keen spear\nAchilles poised in his right hand, devising mischief against noble\nHector, eyeing his fair flesh to find the fittest place. Now for the\nrest of him his flesh was covered by the fair bronze armour he stripped\nfrom strong Patroklos when he slew him, but there was an opening where\nthe collar bones coming from the shoulders clasp the neck, even at the\ngullet, where destruction of life cometh quickliest; there, as he came\non, noble Achilles drave at him with his spear, and right through the\ntender neck went the point. Yet the bronze-weighted ashen spear clave\nnot the windpipe, so that he might yet speak words of answer to his\nfoe. And he fell down in the dust, and noble Achilles spake exultingly:\n\u201cHector, thou thoughtest, whilst thou wert spoiling Patroklos, that\nthou wouldst be safe, and didst reck nothing of me who was afar, thou\nfool. But away among the hollow ships his comrade, a mightier far, even\nI, was left behind, who now have unstrung thy knees. Thee shall dogs\nand birds tear foully, but his funeral shall the Achaians make.\u201d\n\nThen with faint breath spake unto him Hector of the glancing helm: \u201cI\npray thee by thy life and knees and parents leave me not for dogs of\nthe Achaians to devour by the ships, but take good store of bronze and\ngold, gifts that my father and lady mother shall give to thee, and give\nthem home my body back again, that the Trojans and Trojans\u2019 wives give\nme my due of fire after my death.\u201d\n\nBut unto him with grim gaze spake Achilles fleet of foot: \u201cEntreat me\nnot, dog, by knees or parents. Would that my heart\u2019s desire could so\nbid me myself to carve and eat raw thy flesh, for the evil thou hast\nwrought me, as surely is there none that shall keep the dogs from thee,\nnot even should they bring ten or twenty fold ransom and here weigh it\nout, and promise even more, not even were Priam Dardanos\u2019 son to bid\npay thy weight in gold, not even so shall thy lady mother lay thee on a\nbed to mourn her son, but dogs and birds shall devour thee utterly.\u201d\n\nThen dying spake unto him Hector of the glancing helm: \u201cVerily I know\nthee and behold thee as thou art, nor was I destined to persuade thee;\ntruly thy heart is iron in thy breast. Take heed now lest I draw upon\nthee wrath of gods, in the day when Paris and Phoebus Apollo slay thee,\nfor all thy valour, at the Skaian gate.\u201d\n\nHe ended, and the shadow of death came down upon him, and his soul flew\nforth of his limbs and was gone to the house of Hades, wailing her\nfate, leaving her vigour and youth. Then to the dead man spake noble\nAchilles: \u201cDie: for my death, I will accept it whensoever Zeus and the\nother immortal gods are minded to accomplish it.\u201d\n\nHe said, and from the corpse drew forth his bronze spear, and set it\naside, and stripped the bloody armour from the shoulders. And other\nsons of Achaians ran up around, who gazed upon the stature and\nmarvellous goodliness of Hector. Nor did any stand by but wounded him,\nand thus would many a man say looking toward his neighbour: \u201cGo to, of\na truth far easier to handle is Hector now than when he burnt the ships\nwith blazing fire.\u201d Thus would many a man say, and wound him as he\nstood hard by. And when fleet noble Achilles had despoiled him, he\nstood up among the Achaians and spake winged words: \u201cFriends, chiefs\nand counsellors of the Argives, since the gods have vouchsafed us to\nvanquish this man who hath done us more evil than all the rest\ntogether, come let us make trial in arms round about the city, that we\nmay know somewhat of the Trojans\u2019 purpose, whether since he hath fallen\nthey will forsake the citadel, or whether they are minded to abide,\nalbeit Hector is no more. But wherefore doth my heart debate thus?\nThere lieth by the ships a dead man unbewailed, unburied, Patroklos;\nhim will I not forget, while I abide among the living and my knees can\nstir. Nay if even in the house of Hades the dead forget their dead, yet\nwill I even there be mindful of my dear comrade. But come, ye sons of\nthe Achaians, let us now, singing our song of victory, go back to the\nhollow ships and take with us our foe. Great glory have we won; we have\nslain the noble Hector, unto whom the Trojans prayed throughout their\ncity, as he had been a god.\u201d\n\nHe said, and devised foul entreatment of noble Hector. The tendons of\nboth feet behind he slit from heel to ankle-joint, and thrust\ntherethrough thongs of ox-hide, and bound him to his chariot, leaving\nhis head to trail. And when he had mounted the chariot and lifted\ntherein the famous armour, he lashed his horses to speed, and they\nnothing loth flew on. And dust rose around him that was dragged, and\nhis dark hair flowed loose on either side, and in the dust lay all his\nonce fair head, for now had Zeus given him over to his foes to entreat\nfoully in his own native land.\n\nThus was his head all grimed with dust. But his mother when she beheld\nher son, tore her hair and cast far from her her shining veil, and\ncried aloud with an exceeding bitter cry. And piteously moaned his\nfather, and around them the folk fell to crying and moaning throughout\nthe town. Most like it seemed as though all beetling Ilios were burning\nutterly in fire. Scarcely could the folk keep back the old man in his\nhot desire to get him forth of the Dardanian gates. For he besought\nthem all, casting himself down in the mire, and calling on each man by\nhis name: \u201cHold, friends, and though you love me leave me to get me\nforth of the city alone and go unto the ships of the Achaians. Let me\npray this accursed horror-working man, if haply he may feel shame\nbefore his age-fellows and pity an old man. He also hath a father such\nas I am, Peleus, who begat and reared him to be a bane of Trojans\u2014and\nmost of all to me hath he brought woe. So many sons of mine hath he\nslain in their flower\u2014yet for all my sorrow for the rest I mourn them\nall less than this one alone, for whom my sharp grief will bring me\ndown to the house of Hades\u2014even Hector. Would that he had died in my\narms; then would we have wept and wailed our fill, his mother who bore\nhim to her ill hap, and I myself.\u201d\n\nThus spake he wailing, and all the men of the city made moan with him.\nAnd among the women of Troy, Hekabe led the wild lament: \u201cMy child, ah,\nwoe is me! wherefore should I live in my pain, now thou art dead, who\nnight and day wert my boast through the city, and blessing to all, both\nmen and women of Troy throughout the town, who hailed thee as a god,\nfor verily an exceeding glory to them wert thou in thy life:\u2014now death\nand fate have overtaken thee.\u201d\n\nThus spake she wailing. But Hector\u2019s wife knew not as yet, for no true\nmessenger had come to tell her how her husband abode without the gates,\nbut in an inner chamber of the lofty house she was weaving a double\npurple web, and broidering therein manifold flowers. Then she called to\nher goodly-haired handmaids through the house to set a great tripod on\nthe fire, that Hector might have warm washing when he came home out of\nthe battle fond heart, and was unaware how, far from all washings,\nbright-eyed Athene had slain him by the hand of Achilles. But she heard\nshrieks and groans from the battlements, and her limbs reeled, and the\nshuttle fell from her hands to earth. Then again among her\ngoodly-haired maids she spake: \u201cCome two of ye this way with me that I\nmay see what deeds are done. It was the voice of my husband\u2019s noble\nmother that I heard, and in my own breast my heart leapeth to my mouth\nand my knees are numbed beneath me: surely some evil thing is at hand\nagainst the children of Priam. Would that such word might never reach\nmy ear! yet terribly I dread lest noble Achilles have cut off bold\nHector from the city by himself and chased him to the plain and ere\nthis ended his perilous pride that possessed him, for never would he\ntarry among the throng of men but ran out before them far, yielding\nplace to no man in his hardihood.\u201d\n\nThus saying she sped through the chamber like one mad, with beating\nheart, and with her went her handmaidens. But when she came to the\nbattlements and the throng of men, she stood still upon the wall and\ngazed, and beheld him dragged before the city:\u2014swift horses dragged him\nrecklessly toward the hollow ships of the Achaians. Then dark night\ncame on her eyes and shrouded her, and she fell backward and gasped\nforth her spirit. From off her head she shook the bright attiring\nthereof, frontlet and net and woven band, and veil, the veil that\ngolden Aphrodite gave her on the day when Hector of the glancing helm\nled her forth of the house of Eetion, having given bride-gifts untold.\nAnd around her thronged her husband\u2019s sisters and his brothers\u2019 wives,\nwho held her up among them, distraught even to death. But when at last\nshe came to herself and her soul returned into her breast, then wailing\nwith deep sobs she spake among the women of Troy: \u201cO Hector, woe is me!\nto one fate then were we both born, thou in Troy in the house of Priam,\nand I in Thebe under woody Plakos, in the house of Eetion, who reared\nme from a little one\u2014ill-fated sire of cruel-fated child. Ah, would he\nhave begotten me not. Now thou to the house of Hades beneath the secret\nplaces of the earth departest, and me in bitter mourning thou leavest a\nwidow in thy halls: and thy son is but an infant child\u2014son of unhappy\nparents, thee and me\u2014nor shalt thou profit him, Hector, since thou art\ndead, neither he thee. For even if he escape the Achaians\u2019 woful war,\nyet shall labour and sorrow cleave unto him hereafter, for other men\nshall seize his lands. The day of orphanage sundereth a child from his\nfellows, and his head is bowed down ever, and his cheeks are wet with\ntears. And in his need the child seeketh his father\u2019s friends, plucking\nthis one by cloak and that by coat, and one of them that pity him\nholdeth his cup a little to his mouth, and moisteneth his lips, but his\npalate he moisteneth not. And some child unorphaned thrusteth him from\nthe feast with blows and taunting words, \u2018Out with thee! no father of\nthine is at our board.\u2019 Then weeping to his widowed mother shall he\nreturn, even Astyanax, who erst upon his father\u2019s knee ate only marrow\nand fat flesh of sheep; and when sleep fell on him and he ceased from\nchildish play, then in bed in his nurse\u2019s arms he would slumber softly\nnested, having satisfied his heart with good things; but now that he\nhath lost his father he will suffer many ills, Astyanax\u2014that name the\nTrojans gave him, because thou only wet the defence of their gates and\ntheir long walls. But now by the beaked ships, far from thy parents,\nshall coiling worms devour thee when the dogs have had their fill, as\nthou liest naked; yet in these halls lieth raiment of thine, delicate\nand fair, wrought by the hands of women. But verily all these will I\nconsume with burning fire\u2014to thee no profit, since thou wilt never lie\ntherein, yet that his be honour to thee from the men and the women of\nTroy.\u201d\n\nThus spake she wailing, and the women joined their moan.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XXIII.\n\n\nOf the funeral of Patroklos, and the funeral games.\n\n\nThus they throughout the city made moan: but the Achaians when they\nwere come to the ships and to the Hellespont were scattered each to his\nown ship: only the Myrmidons Achilles suffered not to be scattered, but\nspake among his comrades whose delight was in war: \u201cFleet-horsed\nMyrmidons, my trusty comrades, let us not yet unyoke our whole-hooved\nsteeds from their cars, but with horses and chariots let us go near and\nmourn Patroklos, for such is the honour of the dead. Then when we have\nour fill of grievous wailing, we will unyoke the horses and all sup\nhere.\u201d\n\nHe said, and they with one accord made lamentation, and Achilles led\ntheir mourning. So thrice around the dead they drave their well-maned\nsteeds, moaning; and Thetis stirred among them desire of wailing.\nBedewed were the sands with tears, bedewed the warriors\u2019 arms; so great\na lord of fear they sorrowed for. And Peleus\u2019 son led their loud wail,\nlaying his man-slaying hands on his comrade\u2019s breast: \u201cAll hail,\nPatroklos, even in the house of Hades; for all that I promised thee\nbefore am I accomplishing, seeing I have dragged hither Hector to give\nraw unto dogs to devour, and twelve noble children of the Trojans to\nslaughter before thy pyre, because of mine anger at thy slaying.\u201d\n\nHe said, and devised foul entreatment of noble Hector, stretching him\nprone in the dust beside the bier of Menoitios\u2019 son. And the rest put\noff each his glittering bronze arms, and unyoked their high-neighing\nhorses, and sate them down numberless beside the ship of fleet-footed\nAiakides, and he gave them ample funeral feast. Many sleek oxen were\nstretched out, their throats cut with steel, and many sheep and\nbleating goats, and many white-tusked boars well grown in fat were\nspitted to singe in the flame of Hephaistos; so on all sides round the\ncorpse in cupfuls blood was flowing.\n\nBut the fleet-footed prince, the son of Peleus, was brought to noble\nAgamemnon by the Achaian chiefs, hardly persuading him thereto, for his\nheart was wroth for his comrade. And when they were come to Agamemnon\u2019s\nhut, forthwith they bade clear-voiced heralds set a great tripod on the\nfire, if haply they might persuade the son of Peleus to wash from him\nthe bloody gore. But he denied them steadfastly, and sware moreover an\noath: \u201cNay, verily by Zeus, who is highest and best of gods, not lawful\nis it that water should come nigh my head or ever I shall have laid\nPatroklos on the fire, and heaped a barrow, and shaved my hair, since\nnever again shall second grief thus reach my heart, while I remain\namong the living. Yet now for the present let us yield us to our\nmournful meal: but with the morning, O king of men Agamemnon, rouse the\nfolk to bring wood and furnish all that it beseemeth a dead man to have\nwhen he goeth beneath the misty gloom, to the end that untiring fire\nmay burn him quickly from sight, and the host betake them to their\nwork.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and they listened readily to him and obeyed, and eagerly\nmaking ready each his meal they supped, and no lack had their soul of\nequal feast. But when they had put off from them the desire of meat and\ndrink, the rest went down each man to his tent to take his rest, but\nthe son of Peleus upon the beach of the sounding sea lay groaning\nheavily, amid the host of Myrmidons, in an open place, where waves were\nbreaking on the shore. Now when sleep took hold on him, easing the\ncares of his heart, deep sleep that fell about him, (for sore tired\nwere his glorious knees with onset upon Hector toward windy Ilios),\nthen came there unto him the spirit of hapless Patroklos, in all things\nlike his living self, in stature, and fair eyes, and voice, and the\nraiment of his body was the same; and he stood above Achilles\u2019 head and\nspake to him: \u201cThou sleepest, and hast forgotten me, O Achilles. Not in\nmy life wast thou ever unmindful of me, but in my death. Bury me with\nall speed, that I pass the gates of Hades. Far off the spirits banish\nme, the phantoms of men outworn, nor suffer me to mingle with them\nbeyond the River, but vainly I wander along the wide-gated dwelling of\nHades. Now give me, I pray pitifully of thee, thy hand, for never more\nagain shall I come back from Hades, when ye have given me my due of\nfire. Never among the living shall we sit apart from our dear comrades\nand take counsel together, but me hath the harsh fate swallowed up\nwhich was appointed me even from my birth. Yea and thou too thyself,\nAchilles peer of gods, beneath the wall of the noble Trojans art doomed\nto die. Yet one thing will I say, and charge thee, if haply thou wilt\nhave regard thereto. Lay not my bones apart from thine, Achilles, but\ntogether, even as we were nurtured in your house, when Menoitios\nbrought me yet a little one from Opoeis to your country by reason of a\ngrievous man-slaying, on the day when I slew Amphidamas\u2019 son, not\nwilling it, in childish wrath over the dice. Then took me the knight\nPeleus into his house and reared me kindly and named me thy squire: so\ntherefore let one coffer hide our bones [a golden coffer, two handled,\nthy lady mother\u2019s gift].\u201d\n\nThen made answer unto him Achilles fleet of foot: \u201cWherefore, O my\nbrother, hast thou come hither, and chargest me everything that I\nshould do? Verily I will accomplish all, and have regard unto thy\nbidding. But stand more nigh me; for one moment let us throw our arms\naround each other, and take our fill of dolorous lament.\u201d\n\nHe spake, and reached forth with his hands, but clasped him not; for\nlike a vapour the spirit was gone beneath the earth with a faint\nshriek. And Achilles sprang up marvelling, and smote his hands\ntogether, and spake a word of woe: \u201cAy me, there remaineth then even in\nthe house of Hades a spirit and phantom of the dead, albeit the life be\nnot anywise therein: for all night long hath the spirit of hapless\nPatroklos stood over me, wailing and making moan, and charged me\neverything that I should do, and wondrous like his living self it\nseemed.\u201d\n\nThus said he, and stirred in all of them yearning to make lament; and\nrosy-fingered Morn shone forth on them while they still made moan\naround the piteous corpse. Then lord Agamemnon sped mules and men from\nall the huts to fetch wood; and a man of valour watched thereover, even\nMeriones, squire of kindly Idomeneus. And they went forth with\nwood-cutting axes in their hands and well-woven ropes, and before them\nwent the mules, and uphill and downhill and sideways and across they\nwent. But when they came to the spurs of many-fountained Ida,\nstraightway they set them lustily to hew high-foliaged oaks with the\nlong-edged bronze, and with loud noise fell the trees. Then splitting\nthem asunder the Achaians bound them behind the mules, and they tore up\nthe earth with their feet as they made for the plain through the thick\nunderwood. And all the wood-cutters bare logs; for thus bade Meriones,\nsquire of kindly Idomeneus. And on the Shore they threw them down in\nline, where Achilles purposed a mighty tomb for Patroklos and for\nhimself.\n\nThen when they had laid down all about great piles of wood, they sate\nthem down all together and abode. Then straightway Achilles bade the\nwarlike Myrmidons gird on their arms and each yoke the horses to his\nchariot; and they arose and put their armour on, and mounted their\nchariots, both fighting men and charioteers. In front were the men in\nchariots, and a cloud of footmen followed after, numberless; and in the\nmidst his comrades bare Patroklos. And they heaped all the corpse with\ntheir hair that they cut off and threw thereon; and behind did goodly\nAchilles bear the head, sorrowing; for a noble comrade was he speeding\nforth unto the realm of Hades.\n\nAnd when they came to the place where Achilles had bidden them, they\nset down the dead, and piled for him abundant wood. Then fleet-footed\nnoble Achilles bethought him of one thing more: standing apart from the\npyre he shore off a golden lock, the lock whose growth he nursed to\noffer unto the River Spercheios, and sore troubled spake be, looking\nforth over the wine-dark sea: \u201cSpercheios, in other wise vowed my\nfather Peleus unto thee that I returning thither to my native land\nshould shear my hair for thee and offer a holy hecatomb, and fifty rams\nshould sacrifice there above thy springs, where is the sacred close and\naltar burning spice. So vowed the old man, but thou hast not\naccomplished him his desire. And now since I return not to my dear\nnative land, unto the hero Patroklos I may give this hair to take\naway.\u201d\n\nThus saying he set the hair in the hands of his dear comrade, and\nstirred in all of them yearning to make lament. And so would the light\nof the sun have gone down on their lamentation, had not Achilles said\nquickly to Agamemnon as he stood beside him: \u201cSon of Atreus\u2014for to thy\nwords most will the host of the Achaians have regard\u2014of lamentation\nthey may sate them to the full. But now disperse them from the burning\nand bid them make ready their meal, and we to whom the dead is dearest\nwill take pains for these things; yet let the chiefs tarry nigh unto\nus.\u201d\n\nThen when Agamemnon king of men heard that, he forthwith dispersed the\nhost among the trim ships, but the nearest to the dead tarried there\nand piled the wood, and made a pyre a hundred feet this way and that,\nand on the pyre\u2019s top set the corpse, with anguish at their hearts. And\nmany lusty sheep and shambling crook-horned oxen they flayed and made\nready before the pyre; and taking from all of them the fat, great\nhearted Achilles wrapped the corpse therein from head to foot, and\nheaped the flayed bodies round. And he set therein two-handled jars of\nhoney and oil, leaning them against the bier; and four strong-necked\nhorses he threw swiftly on the pyre, and groaned aloud. Nine house-dogs\nhad the dead chief: of them did Achilles slay twain and throw them on\nthe pyre. And twelve valiant sons of great-hearted Trojans he slew with\nthe sword\u2014for he devised mischief in his heart and he set to the\nmerciless might of the fire, to feed thereon. Then moaned he aloud, and\ncalled on his dear comrade by his name: \u201cAll hail to thee, O Patroklos,\neven in the house of Hades, for all that I promised thee before am I\nnow accomplishing. Twelve valiant sons of great-hearted Trojans, behold\nthese all in company with thee the fire devoureth: but Hector son of\nPriam will I nowise give to the fire to feed upon, but to dogs.\u201d\n\nThus spake he threatening, but no dogs might deal with Hector, for day\nand night Aphrodite daughter of Zeus kept off the dogs, and anointed\nhim with rose-sweet oil ambrosial that Achilles might not tear him when\nhe dragged him. And over him Phoebus Apollo brought a dark cloud from\nheaven to earth and covered all that place whereon the dead man lay,\nlest meanwhile the sun\u2019s strength shrivel his flesh round about upon\nhis sinews and limbs.\n\nBut the pyre of dead Patroklos kindled not. Then fleet-footed noble\nAchilles had a further thought: standing aside from the pyre he prayed\nto the two Winds of North and West, and promised them fair offerings,\nand pouring large libations from a golden cup besought them to come,\nthat the corpses might blaze up speedily in the fire, and the wood make\nhaste to be enkindled. Then Iris, when she heard his prayer, went\nswiftly with the message to the Winds. They within the house of the\ngusty West Wind were feasting all together at meat, when Iris sped\nthither, and halted on the threshold of stone. And when they saw her\nwith their eyes, they sprang up and called to her every one to sit by\nhim. But she refused to sit, and spake her word: \u201cNo seat for me; I\nmust go back to the streams of Ocean, to the Ethiopians\u2019 land where\nthey sacrifice hecatombs to the immortal gods, that I too may feast at\ntheir rites. But Achilles is praying the North Wind and the loud West\nto come, and promising them fair offerings, that ye may make the pyre\nbe kindled whereon lieth Patroklos, for whom all the Achaians are\nmaking moan.\u201d\n\nShe having thus said departed, and they arose with a mighty sound,\nrolling the clouds before them. And swiftly they came blowing over the\nsea, and the wave rose beneath their shrill blast; and they came to\ndeep-soiled Troy, and fell upon the pile, and loudly roared the mighty\nfire. So all night drave they the flame of the pyre together, blowing\nshrill; and all night fleet Achilles, holding a two-handled cup, drew\nwine from a golden bowl, and poured it forth and drenched the earth,\ncalling upon the spirit of hapless Patroklos. As a father waileth when\nhe burneth the bones of his son, new-married, whose death is woe to his\nhapless parents, so wailed Achilles as he burnt the bones of his\ncomrade, going heavily round the burning pile, with many moans.\n\nBut at the hour when the Morning star goeth forth to herald light upon\nthe earth, the star that saffron-mantled Dawn cometh after, and\nspreadeth over the salt sea, then grew the burning faint, and the flame\ndied down. And the Winds went back again to betake them home over the\nThracian main, and it roared with a violent swell. Then the son of\nPeleus turned away from the burning and lay down wearied, and sweet\nsleep leapt on him. But they who were with Atreus\u2019 son gathered all\ntogether, and the noise and clash of their approach aroused him; and he\nsate upright and spake a word to them: \u201cSon of Atreus and ye other\nchiefs of the Achaians, first quench with gleaming wine all the burning\nso far as the fire\u2019s strength hath reached, and then let us gather up\nthe bones of Patroklos, Menoitios\u2019 son, singling them well, and easy\nare they to discern, for he lay in the middle of the pyre, while the\nrest apart at the edge burnt-confusedly, horses and men. And his bones\nlet us put within a golden urn, and double-folded fat, until that I\nmyself be hidden in Hades. But no huge barrow I bid you toil to raise\u2014a\nseemly one, no more: then afterward do ye Achaians build it broad and\nhigh, whosoever of you after I am gone may be left in the benched\nships.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and they hearkened to the fleet-footed son of Peleus.\nFirst quenched they with gleaming wine the burning so far as the flame\nwent, and the ash had settled deep: then with lamentation they gathered\nup the white bones of their gentle comrade into a golden urn and\ndouble-folded fat, and placed the urn in the hut and covered it with a\nlinen veil. And they marked the circle of the barrow, and set the\nfoundations thereof around the pyre, and straightway heaped thereon a\nheap of earth. Then when they had heaped up the barrow they were for\ngoing back. But Achilles stayed the folk in that place, and made them\nsit in wide assembly, and from his ships he brought forth prizes,\ncaldrons and tripods, and horses and mules and strong oxen, and\nfair-girdled women, and grey iron.\n\nFirst for fleet chariot-racers he ordained a noble prize, a woman\nskilled in fair handiwork for the winner to lead home, and an eared\ntripod that held two-and-twenty measures; these for the first man; and\nfor the second he ordained a six-year-old mare unbroke with a mule foal\nin her womb; and for the third he gave a goodly caldron yet untouched\nby fire, holding four measures, bright as when first made; and for the\nfourth he ordained two talents of gold; and for the fifth a two-handled\nurn untouched of fire, Then he stood up and spake a word among the\nArgives: \u201cSon of Atreus and ye other well-greaved Achaians, for the\nchariot-racers these prizes lie awaiting them in the lists. If in some\nother\u2019s honour we Achaians were now holding our games, it would be I\nwho should win the first prize and bear it to my hut; for ye know how\nfar my pair of horses are first in excellence, for they are immortal\nand Poseidon gave them to my father Peleus, and he again to me. But\nverily I will abide, I and my whole-hooved horses, so glorious a\ncharioteer have they lost, and one so kind, who on their manes full\noften poured smooth oil, when he had washed them in clear water. For\nhim they stand and mourn, and their manes are trailing on the ground,\nand there stand they with sorrow at their hearts. But ye others\nthroughout the host get ye to your places, whosoever of the Achalans\nhath trust in his horses and firm-jointed car.\u201d\n\nThus spake the son of Peleus, and the fleet chariot-racers were\ngathered. First of all arose up Eumelos king of men, Admetos\u2019 son, a\nskilful charioteer; and next to him arose Tydeus\u2019 son, valiant\nDiomedes, and yoked his horses of the breed of Tros, which on a time he\nseized from Aineias, when Apollo saved their lord. And after him arose\nAtreus\u2019 son, fair-haired heaven-sprung Menelaos, and yoked him a swift\npair Aithe, Agamemnon\u2019s mare, and his own horse Podargos. Her unto\nAgamemnon did Anchises\u2019 son Echepolos give in fee, that he might escape\nfrom following him to windy Ilios and take his pleasure at home; for\ngreat wealth had Zeus given him, and he dwelt in Sikyon of spacious\nlawns:\u2014 so Menelaos yoked her, and she longed exceedingly for the race.\nAnd fourth, Antilochos made ready his fair-maned horses, even the noble\nson of Nestor, high-hearted king, who was the son of Neleus; and fleet\nhorses bred at Pylos drew his car. And his father standing by his side\nspake counselling him to his profit, though himself was well advised:\n\u201cAntilochos, verily albeit thou art young, Zeus and Poseidon have loved\nthee and taught thee all skill with horses; wherefore to teach thee is\nno great need, for thou well knowest how to wheel round the post; yet\nare thy horses very slow in the race: therefore methinks there will be\nsad work for thee. For the horses of the others are fleeter, yet the\nmen know not more cunning than thou hast. So come, dear son, store thy\nmind with all manner of cunning, that the prize escape thee not. By\ncunning is a woodman far better than by force; by cunning doth a\nhelmsman on the wine-dark deep steer his swift ship buffeted by winds;\nby cunning hath charioteer the better of charioteer. For whoso trusting\nin his horses and car alone wheeleth heedlessly and wide at either end,\nhis horses swerve on the course, and he keepeth them not in hand. But\nwhoso is of crafty mind, though he drive worse horses, he ever keeping\nhis eye upon the post turneth closely by it, neither is unaware how far\nat first to force his horses by the ox-hide reins, but holdeth them\nsafe in hand and watcheth the leader in the race. Now will I tell thee\na certain sign, and it shall not escape thee. A fathom\u2019s height above\nthe ground standeth a withered stump, whether of oak or pine: it\ndecayeth not in the rain, and two white stones on either side thereof\nare fixed at the joining of the track, and all round it is smooth\ndriving ground. Whether it be a monument of some man dead long ago, or\nhave been made their goal in the race by ancient men, this now is the\nmark fixed by fleet-footed Achilles. Wherefore do thou drive close and\nbear thy horses and chariot hard thereon, and lean thy body on the\nwell-knit car slightly to their left, and call upon the off-horse with\nvoice and lash, and give him rein from thy hand. But let the near horse\nhug the post so that the nave of the well-wrought wheel seem to graze\nit\u2014yet beware of touching the stone, lest thou wound the horses and\nbreak the chariot; so would that be triumph to the rest and reproach\nunto thyself. But, dear son, be wise and on thy guard; for if at the\nturning-post thou drive past the rest, there is none shall overtake\nthee from behind or pass thee by, not though he drave the goodly Arion\nin pursuit, the fleet horse of Adrastos, of divine descent, or the\nhorses of Laomedon, best of all bred in this land.\u201d\n\nThus spake Neleian Nestor and sate him down again in his place, when he\nhad told his son the sum of every matter.\n\nAnd Meriones was the fifth to make ready his sleek-coated steeds. Then\nwent they up into their chariots, and cast in the lots: and Achilles\nshook them, and forth leapt the lot of Antilochos Nestor\u2019s son, and the\nnext lot had lord Eumelos, and next to him the son of Atreus,\nspear-famed Menelaos, and next to him drew Meriones his place; then\nlastly Tydeides, far the best of all, drew his lot for his chariot\u2019s\nplace. Then they stood side by side, and Achilles showed to them the\nturning post, far off in the smooth plain; and beside it he placed an\numpire, godlike Phoinix, his father\u2019s follower, that he might note the\nrunning and tell the truth thereof.\n\nThen all together lifted the lash above their steeds, and smote them\nwith the reins, and called on them eagerly with words: and they\nforthwith sped swiftly over the plain, leaving the ships behind; and\nbeneath their breasts stood the rising dust like a cloud or whirlwind,\nand their manes waved on the blowing wind. And the chariots ran\nsometimes on the bounteous earth, and other whiles would bound into the\nair. And the drivers stood in the cars, and the heart of every man beat\nin desire of victory, and they called every man to his horses, that\nflew amid their dust across the plain.\n\nBut when the fleet horses were now running the last part of the course,\nback toward the grey sea, then was manifest the prowess of each, and\nthe horses strained in the race; and presently to the front rushed the\nfleet mares of Pheres\u2019 grandson, and next to them Diomedes\u2019 stallions\nof the breed of Tros, not far apart, but hard anigh, for they seemed\never as they would mount Eumelos\u2019 car, and with their breath his back\nwas warm and his broad shoulders, for they bent their heads upon him as\nthey flew along. Thus would Tydeus\u2019 son have either outstripped the\nother or made it a dead heat, had not Phoebus Apollo been wroth with\nhim and smitten from his hand the shining lash. Then from his eyes ran\ntears of anger, for that he saw the mares still at speed, even\nswiftlier than before, while his own horses were thrown out, as running\nwithout spur. But Athene was not unaware of Apollo\u2019s guile against\nTydeides, and presently sped after the shepherd of hosts, and gave him\nback the lash, and put spirit into his steeds. Then in wrath after the\nson of Admetos was the goddess gone, and brake his steeds\u2019 yoke, and\nthe mares ran sideways off the course, and the pole was twisted to the\nground. And Eumelos was hurled out of the car beside the wheel, and his\nelbows and mouth and nose were flayed, and his forehead bruised above\nhis eyebrows; and his eyes filled with tears and his lusty voice was\nchoked. Then Tydeides held his whole-hooved horses on one side, darting\nfar out before the rest, for Athene put spirit into his steeds and shed\nglory on himself. Now next after him came golden-haired Menelaos\nAtreus\u2019 son. But Antilochos called to his father\u2019s horses: \u201cGo ye too\nin, strain to your fleetest pace. Truly I nowise bid you strive with\nthose, the horses of wise Tydeides, unto which Athene hath now given\nspeed, and shed glory on their charioteer. But overtake Atreides\u2019\nhorses with all haste, and be not outstripped by them, lest Aithe that\nis but a mare pour scorn on you. Why are ye outstripped, brave steeds?\nThus will I tell you, and verily it shall be brought to pass\u2014ye will\nfind no tendance with Nestor shepherd of hosts, but straightway he will\nslay you with the edge of the sword if through heedlessness we win but\nthe worse prize. Have after them at your utmost speed, and I for my\npart will devise a plan to pass them in the strait part of the course,\nand this shall fail me not.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and they fearing the voice of the prince ran swiftlier\nsome little while; and presently did the good warrior Antilochos espy a\nstrait place in a sunk part of the way. There was a rift in the earth,\nwhere torrent water gathered and brake part of the track away, and\nhollowed all the place; there drave Menelaos, shunning the encounter of\nthe wheels. But Antilochos turned his whole-hooved horses out of the\ntrack, and followed him a little at one side. And the son of Atreus\ntook alarm and shouted to Antilochos: \u201cAntilochos, thou art driving\nrecklessly\u2014hold in thy horses! The road is straitened, soon thou mayest\npass me in a wider place, lest thou foul my chariot and undo us both.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, but Antilochos drave even fiercelier than before, plying\nhis lash, as though he heard him not. As far as is the range of a disk\nswung from the shoulder when a young man hurleth it, making trial of\nhis force, even so far ran they on; then the mares of Atreus\u2019 son gave\nback, for he ceased of himself to urge them on, lest the whole-hooved\nsteeds should encounter on the track, and overset the well-knit cars,\nand the drivers fall in the dust in their zeal for victory. So\nupbraiding Antilochos spake golden-haired Menelaos: \u201cAntilochos, no\nmortal man is more malicious than thou. Go thy mad way, since falsely\nhave we Achaians called thee wise. Yet even so thou shalt not bear off\nthe prize unchallenged to an oath.\u201d\n\nThus saying he called aloud to his horses: \u201cHold ye not back nor stand\nstill with sorrow at heart. Their feet and knees will grow weary before\nyours, for they both lack youth.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and they fearing the voice of the prince sped faster on,\nand were quickly close upon the others.\n\nNow the Argives sitting in concourse were gazing at the horses, and\nthey came flying amid their dust over the plain. And the first aware of\nthem was Idomeneus, chief of the Cretans, for he was sitting outside\nthe concourse in the highest place of view, and when he heard the voice\nof one that shouted, though afar off, he knew it; and he was aware of a\nhorse showing plainly in the front, a chestnut all the rest of him, but\nin the forehead marked with a white star round like the moon. And he\nstood upright and spoke among the Argives: \u201cFriends, chiefs, and\ncounsellors of the Argives, is it I alone who see the horses, or do ye\nalso? A new pair seem to me now to be in front, and a new charioteer\nappeareth; the mares which led in the outward course must have been\nthrown out there in the plain. For I saw them turning first the hither\npost, but now can see them nowhere, though my eyes are gazing\neverywhere along the Trojan plain. Did the reins escape the charioteer\nso that he could not drive aright round the post and failed in the\nturn? There, methinks, must he have been cast forth, and have broken\nhis chariot, and the mares must have left the course, in the wildness\nof their heart. But stand up ye too and look, for myself I discern not\ncertainly, but the first man seemeth to me one of Aitolian race, and he\nruleth among Argives, the son of horse-taming Tydeus, stalwart\nDiomedes.\u201d\n\nThen fleet Aias Oileus\u2019 son rebuked him in unseemly sort: \u201cIdomeneus,\nwhy art thou a braggart of old? As yet far off the high-stepping mares\nare coursing over the wide plain. Neither art thou so far the youngest\namong the Argives, nor do thy eyes look so far the keenliest from thy\nhead, yet continually braggest thou. It beseemeth thee not to be a\nbraggart, for there are here better men. And the mares leading are they\nthat led before, Eumelos\u2019 mares, and he standeth and holdeth the reins\nwithin the car.\u201d\n\nThen wrathfully in answer spake the chief of Cretans: \u201cAias, master of\nrailing, ill-counselled, in all else art thou behind other Argives, for\nthy mind is unfriendly. Come then let us wager a tripod or caldron, and\nmake Agamemnon Atreus\u2019 son our umpire, which mares are leading, that\nthou mayest pay and learn.\u201d\n\nThus said he, and straightway fleet Aias Oileus\u2019 son arose angrily to\nanswer with harsh words: and strife between the twain would have gone\nfurther, had not Achilles himself stood up and spake a word: \u201cNo longer\nanswer each other with harsh words, Aias and Idomeneus, ill words, for\nit beseemeth not. Surely ye are displeased with any other who should do\nthus. Sit ye in the concourse and keep your eyes upon the horses; soon\nthey in zeal for victory will come hither, and then shall ye know each\nof you the Argives\u2019 horses, which follow, and which lead.\u201d\n\nHe said, and the son of Tydeus came driving up, and with his lash smote\nnow and again from the shoulder, and his horses were stepping high as\nthey sped swiftly on their way. And sprinklings of dust smote ever the\ncharioteer, and his chariot overlaid with gold and tin ran behind his\nfleet-footed steeds, and small trace was there of the wheel-tires\nbehind in the fine dust, as they flew speeding on. Then he drew up in\nthe mid concourse, and much sweat poured from the horses\u2019 heads and\nchests to the ground. And Diomedes leapt to earth from the shining car,\nand leant his lash against the yoke. Then stalwart Sthenelos tarried\nnot, but promptly took the prize, and gave to his proud comrades the\nwoman to lead and the eared tripod to bear away, and he loosed the\nhorses from the yoke.\n\nAnd next after him drave Neleian Antilochos his horses, by craft, not\nswiftness, having passed by Menelaos; yet even now Menelaos held his\nswift steeds hard anigh. As far as a horse is from the wheel, which\ndraweth his master, straining with the car over the plain\u2014his hindmost\ntail-hairs touch the tire, for the wheel runneth hard anigh nor is much\nspace between, as he speedeth far over the plain\u2014by so much was\nMenelaos behind high-born Antilochos, howbeit at first he was a whole\ndisk-cast behind, but quickly he was catching Antilochos up, for the\nhigh mettle of Agamemnon\u2019s mare, sleek-coated Aithe, was rising in her.\nAnd if yet further both had had to run he would have passed his rival\nnor left it even a dead heat. But Meriones, stout squire of Idomeneus,\ncame in a spear-throw behind famous Menelaos, for tardiest of all were\nhis sleek-coated horses, and slowest he himself to drive a chariot in\nthe race. Last of them all came Admetos\u2019 son, dragging his goodly car\ndriving his steeds in front. Him when fleet-footed noble Achilles\nbeheld he pitied him, and he stood up and spake winged words among the\nArgives: \u201cLast driveth his whole-hooved horses the best man of them\nall. But come let us give him a prize, as is seemly, prize for the\nsecond place, but the first let the son of Tydeus take.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and all applauded that he bade. And he would have given\nhim the mare, for the Achaians applauded, had not Antilochos, son of\ngreat-hearted Nestor; risen up and answered Peleian Achilles on behalf\nof his right: \u201cO Achilles, I shall be sore angered with thee if thou\naccomplish this word, for thou art minded to take away my prize,\nbecause thou thinkest of how his chariot and fleet steeds miscarried,\nand himself withal, good man though he be. Nay, it behoved him to pray\nto the Immortals, then would he not have come in last of all in the\nrace. But if thou pitiest him and he be dear to thy heart, there is\nmuch gold in thy hut, bronze is there and sheep, hand-maids are there\nand whole-hooved horses. Thereof take thou and give unto him afterward\neven a richer prize, or even now at once, that the Achaians may applaud\nthee. But the mare I will not yield; for her let what man will essay\nthe battle at my hands.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and fleet-footed noble Achilles smiled, pleased with\nAntilochos, for he was his dear comrade; and spake in answer to him\nwinged words: \u201cAntilochos, if thou wouldst have me give Eumelos some\nother thing beside from out my house, that also will I do. I will give\nunto him a breast-plate that I took from Asteropaios, of bronze,\nwhereon a casting of bright tin is overlaid, and of great worth will it\nbe to him.\u201d He said, and bade his dear comrade Automedon bring it from\nthe hut, and he went and brought it. [Then he placed it in Eumelos\u2019\nhands, and he received it gladly.]\n\nBut Menelaos also arose among them, sore at heart, angered exceedingly\nagainst Antilochos; and the herald set the staff in his hand, and\ncalled for silence among the Argives; then spake among them that\ngodlike man: \u201cAntilochos, who once wert wise, what thing is this thou\nhast done? Thou hast shamed my skill and made my horses fail, thrusting\nthine own in front that are far worse. Come now, ye chiefs and\ncounsellors of the Argives, give judgment between us both, and favour\nneither: lest some one of the mail-clad Achalans say at any time: \u2018By\nconstraining Antilochos through false words hath Menelaos gone off with\nthe mare, for his horses were far worse, howbeit he hath advantage in\nrank and power.\u2019 Nay, I myself will bring the issue about, and I deem\nthat none other of the Danaans shall reproach me, for the trial shall\nbe just. Antilochos, fosterling of Zeus, come thou hither and as it is\nordained stand up before thy horses and chariot and take in thy hand\nthe pliant lash wherewith thou dravest erst, and touching thy horses\nswear by the Enfolder and Shaker of the earth that not wilfully didst\nthou hinder my chariot by guile.\u201d\n\nThen answered him wise Antilochos: \u201cBear with me now, for far younger\nam I than thou, king Menelaos, and thou art before me and my better.\nThou knowest how a young man\u2019s transgressions come about, for his mind\nis hastier and his counsel shallow. So let thy heart suffer me, and I\nwill of myself give to thee the mare I have taken. Yea, if thou\nshouldst ask some other greater thing from my house, I were fain to\ngive it thee straightway, rather than fall for ever from my place in\nthy heart, O fosterling of Zeus, and become a sinner against the gods.\u201d\n\nThus spake great-hearted Nestor\u2019s son, and brought the mare and put her\nin the hand of Menelaos. And his heart was gladdened as when the dew\ncometh upon the ears of ripening harvest-corn, what time the fields are\nbristling. So gladdened was thy soul, Menelaos, within thy heart. And\nhe spake unto Antilochos and uttered winged words: \u201cAntilochos, now\nwill I of myself put away mine anger against thee, since no wise\nformerly wert thou flighty or light-minded, howbeit now thy reason was\novercome of youthfulness. Another time be loth to outwit better men.\nNot easily should another of the Achaians have persuaded me, but thou\nhast suffered and toiled greatly, and thy brave father and brother, for\nmy sake: therefore will I hearken to thy prayer, and will even give\nunto thee the mare, though she is mine, that these also may know that\nmy heart was never overweening or implacable.\u201d\n\nHe said, and gave the mare to Noemon Antilochos\u2019 comrade to lead away,\nand then took the shining caldron. And Meriones took up the two talents\nof gold in the fourth place, as he had come in. So the fifth prize was\nleft unclaimed, a two-handled cup; to Nester gave Achilles this,\nbearing it to him through the concourse of Argives, and stood by him\nand said: \u201cLo now for thee too, old man, be this a treasure, a memorial\nof Patroklos\u2019 burying; for no more shalt thou behold him among the\nArgives. Now give I thee this prize unwon, for not in boxing shalt thou\nstrive, neither wrestle, nor enter on the javelin match, nor race with\nthy feet; for grim old age already weigheth on thee.\u201d\n\nThus saying he placed it in his hand, and Nestor received it gladly,\nand spake unto him winged words: \u201cAy, truly all this, my son, thou hast\nmeetly said; for no longer are my limbs, friend, firm, nor my feet, nor\ndo my arms at all swing lightly from my shoulders either side. Would\nthat my youth were such and my force so firm as when the Epeians were\nburying lord Amarynkes at Buprasion, and his sons held the king\u2019s\nfuneral games. Then was no man found like me, neither of the Epeians\nnor of the Pylians themselves or the great-hearted Aitolians. In boxing\nI overcame Klytomedes, son of Enops, and in wrestling Ankaios of\nPleuron, who stood up against me, and in the foot-race I outran\nIphiklos, a right good man, and with the spear outthrew Phyleus and\nPolydoros; only in the chariot-race the two sons of Aktor beat me [by\ncrowding their horses in front of me, jealous for victory, because the\nchief prizes were left at home.] Now they were twins\u2014one ever held the\nreins, the reins he ever held, the other called on the horses with the\nlash. Thus was I once, but now let younger men join in such feats; I\nmust bend to grievous age, but then was I of mark among heroes. But\ncome hold funeral for thy comrade too with with games. This gift do I\naccept with gladness, and my heart rejoiceth that thou rememberest ever\nmy friendship to thee\u2014(nor forget I thee)\u2014and the honour wherewith it\nis meet that I be honoured among the Achaians. And may the gods for\nthis grant thee due grace.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and Peleides was gone down the full concourse of\nAchaians, when he had hearkened to all the thanks of Neleus\u2019 son. Then\nhe ordained prizes of the violent boxing match; a sturdy mule he led\nforth and tethered amid the assembly, a six-year mule unbroken, hardest\nof all to break; and for the loser set a two-handled cup. Then he stood\nup and spake a word among the Argives: \u201cSon of Atreus and ye other\nwell-greaved Achaians, for these rewards we summon two men of the best\nto lift up their hands to box amain. He to whom Apollo shall grant\nendurance to the end, and all the Achaians acknowledge it, let him take\nthe sturdy mule and return with her to his hut; and the loser shall\ntake with him the two-handled-cup.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and forthwith arose a man great and valiant and skilled\nin boxing, Epeios son of Panopeus, and laid his hand on the sturdy mule\nand said aloud: \u201cLet one come nigh to bear off the two-handled cup; the\nmule I say none other of the Achaians shall take for victory with his\nfists, for I claim to be the best man here. Sufficeth it not that I\nfall short of you in battle? Not possible is it that in all arts a man\nbe skilled. Thus proclaim I, and it shall be accomplished: I will\nutterly bruise mine adversary\u2019s flesh and break his bones, so let his\nfriends abide together here to bear him forth when vanquished by my\nhands.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and they all kept deep silence. And alone arose against\nhim Euryalos, a godlike man, son of king Mekisteus the son of Talaos,\nMekisteus, who came on a time to Thebes when Oedipus had fallen, to his\nburial, and there he overcame all the sons of Kadmos. Thus Tydeides\nfamous with the spear made ready Euryalos for the fight, cheering him\nwith speech, and greatly desired for him victory. And first he cast\nabout him a girdle, and next gave him well-cut thongs of the hide of an\nox of the field. And the two boxers being girt went into the midst of\nthe ring, and both lifting up their stalwart hands fell to, and their\nhands joined battle grievously. Then was there terrible grinding of\nteeth, and sweat flowed from all their limbs. And noble Epeios came on,\nand as the other spied for an opening, smote him on the cheek, nor\ncould he much more stand, for his limbs failed straightway under him.\nAnd as when beneath the North Wind\u2019s ripple a fish leapeth on a\ntangle-covered beach, and then the black wave hideth it, so leapt up\nEuryalos at that blow. But great-hearted Epeios took him in his hands\nand set him upright, and his dear comrades stood around him, and led\nhim through the ring with trailing feet, spitting out clotted blood,\ndrooping his head awry, and they set him down in his swoon among them\nand themselves went forth and fetched the two-handled cup.\n\nThen Peleus\u2019 son ordained straightway the prizes for a third contest,\noffering them to the Danaans, for the grievous wrestling match: for the\nwinner a great tripod for standing on the fire, prized by the Achaians\namong them at twelve oxens\u2019 worth; and for the loser he brought a woman\ninto the midst, skilled in manifold work, and they prized her at four\noxen. And he stood up and spake a word among the Argives: \u201cRise, ye who\nwill essay this match.\u201d\n\nThus said he, and there arose great Aias son of Telamon, and Odysseus\nof many wiles stood up, the crafty-minded. And the twain being girt\nwent into the midst of the ring, and clasped each the other in his arms\nwith stalwart hands, like gable rafters of a lofty house which some\nfamed craftsman joineth, that he may baffle the wind\u2019s force. And their\nbacks creaked, gripped firmly under the vigorous hands, and sweat ran\ndown in streams, and frequent weals along their ribs and shoulders\nsprang up, red with blood, while ever they strove amain for victory, to\nwin the wrought tripod. Neither could Odysseus trip Aias and bear him\nto the ground, nor Aias him, for Odysseus\u2019 strength withheld him. But\nwhen they began to irk the well-greaved Achaians, then said to Odysseus\ngreat Aias, Telamon\u2019s son: \u201cHeaven-sprung son of Laertes, Odysseus of\nmany wiles, or lift thou me, or I will thee, and the issue shall be\nwith Zeus.\u201d\n\nHaving thus said he lifted him, but Odysseus was not unmindful of his\ncraft. He smote deftly from behind the hollow of Aias\u2019 knee, and loosed\nhis limbs, and threw him down backward, and Odysseus fell upon his\nchest, and the folk gazed and marvelled. Then in his turn much-enduring\nnoble Odysseus tried to lift, and moved him a little from the ground,\nbut lifted him not, so he crooked his knee within the other\u2019s, and both\nfell on the ground nigh to each other, and were soiled with dust, And\nnow starting up again a third time would they have wrestled, had not\nAchilles himself arisen and held them back: \u201cNo longer press each the\nother, nor wear you out with pain. Victory is with both; take equal\nprizes and depart, that other Achaians may contend.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and they were fain to hear and to obey, and wiped the\ndust from them and put their doublets on.\n\nThen straightway the son of Peleus set forth other prizes for fleetness\nof foot; a mixing-bowl of silver, chased; six measures it held, and in\nbeauty it was far the best in all the earth, for artificers of Sidon\nwrought it cunningly, and men of the Phoenicians brought it over the\nmisty sea, and landed it in harbour, and gave it a gift to Thoas; and\nEuneos son of Jason gave it to the hero Patroklos a ransom for Lykaon\nPriam\u2019s son. Now this cup did Achilles set forth as a prize in honour\nof his friend, for whoso should be fleetest in speed of foot. For the\nsecond he set an ox great and very fat, and for the last prize half a\ntalent of gold. And he stood up and spake a word among the Argives:\n\u201cRise, ye who will essay this match.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and straightway arose fleet Aias Oileus\u2019 son, and\nOdysseus of many wiles, and after them Nestor\u2019s son Antilochos, for he\nwas best of all the youth in the foot-race. Then they stood side by\nside, and Achilles showed to them the goal. Right eager was the running\nfrom the start, but Oileus\u2019 son forthwith shot to the front, and close\nbehind him came noble Odysseus, as close as is a weaving-rod to a\nfair-girdled woman\u2019s breast when she pulleth it deftly with her hands,\ndrawing the spool along the warp, and holdeth the rod nigh her breast\u2014\nso close ran Odysseus behind Aias and trod in his footsteps or ever the\ndust had settled there, and on his head fell the breath of noble\nOdysseus as he ran ever lightly on, and all the Achaians applauded his\nstruggle for the victory and called on him as he laboured hard. But\nwhen they were running the last part of the course, forthwith Odysseus\nprayed in his soul to bright-eyed Athene: \u201cHearken, goddess, come thou\na good helper of my feet.\u201d\n\nThus prayed he, and Pallas Athene hearkened to him, and made his limbs\nfeel light, both feet and hands. But when they, were now nigh darting\non the prize, then Aias slipped as he ran, for Athene marred his race,\nwhere filth was strewn from the slaughter of loud-bellowing oxen that\nfleet Achilles slew in honour of Patroklos: and Aias\u2019 mouth and\nnostrils were filled with that filth of oxen. So much-enduring noble\nOdysseus, as he came in first, took up the mixing-bowl, and famous Aias\ntook the ox. And he stood holding in his hand the horn of the ox of the\nfield, sputtering away the filth, and spake among the Argives: \u201cOut on\nit, it was the goddess who marred my running, she who from of old like\na mother standeth by Odysseus\u2019 side and helpeth him.\u201d\n\nSo spake he, but they all laughed pleasantly to behold him. Then\nAntilochos smiling bore off the last prize, and spake his word among\nthe Argives: \u201cFriends, ye will all bear me witness when I say that even\nherein also the immortals favour elder men. For Aias is a little older\nthan I, but Odysseus of an earlier generation and earlier race of men.\nA green old age is his, they say, and hard were it for any Achaian to\nrival him in speed, save only Achilles.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and gave honour to the fleet son of Peleus. And Achilles\nanswered him and said: \u201cAntilochos, not unheeded shall thy praise be\ngiven; a half-talent of gold I will give thee over and above.\u201d He said,\nand set it in his hands, and Antilochos received it gladly.\n\nThen Peleus\u2019 son brought and set in the ring a far-shadowing spear and\na chaldron that knew not the fire, an ox\u2019s worth, embossed with\nflowers; and men that were casters of the javelin arose up. There rose\nAtreus\u2019 son wide-ruling Agamemnon, and Meriones, Idomeneus\u2019 brave\nsquire. And swift-footed noble Achilles spake among them: \u201cSon of\nAtreus, for that we know how far thou excellest all, and how far the\nfirst thou art in the might of thy throw, take thou this prize with\nthee to the hollow ships, and to the hero Meriones let us give the\nspear, if thou art willing in thy heart: thus I at least advise.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, nor disregarded him Agamemnon king of men. So to\nMeriones he gave the spear of bronze, but to the herald Talthybios the\nhero gave the goodliest prize.\n\n\n\n\nBOOK XXIV.\n\n\nHow the body of Hector was ransomed, and of his funeral.\n\n\nThen the assembly was broken up, and the tribes were scattered to\nbetake them each to their own swift ships. The rest bethought them of\nsupper and sweet sleep to have joy thereof; but Achilles wept,\nremembering his dear comrade, nor did sleep that conquereth all take\nhold on him, but he kept turning him to this side and to that, yearning\nfor Patroklos\u2019 manhood and excellent valour, and all the toils he\nachieved with him and the woes he bare, cleaving the battles of men and\nthe grievous waves. As he thought thereon be shed big tears, now lying\non his side, now on his back, now on his face; and then anon he would\narise upon his feet and roam wildly beside the beach of the salt sea.\nNor would he be unaware of the Dawn when she arose over the sea and\nshores. But when he had yoked the swift steeds to his car he would bind\nHector behind his chariot to drag him withal; and having thrice drawn\nhim round the barrow of the dead son of Menoitios he rested again in\nhis hut, and left Hector lying stretched on his face in the dust. But\nApollo kept away all defacement from his flesh, for he had pity on him\neven in death, and covered him all with his golden aegis, that Achilles\nmight not tear him when he dragged him.\n\nThus Achilles in his anger entreated noble Hector shamefully; but the\nblessed gods when they beheld him pitied him, and urged the\nclear-sighted slayer of Argus to steal the corpse away. So to all the\nothers seemed it good, yet not to Hera or Poseidon or the bright-eyed\nMaiden, but they continued as when at the beginning sacred Ilios became\nhateful to them, and Priam and his people, by reason of the sin of\nAlexandros in that he contemned those goddesses when they came to his\nsteading, and preferred her who brought him deadly lustfulness. But\nwhen the twelfth morn from that day arose, then spake among the\nImmortals Phoebus Apollo: \u201cHard of heart are ye, O gods, and cruel Hath\nHector never burnt for you thigh-bones of unblemished bulls and goats?\nNow have ye not taken heart to rescue even his corpse for his wife to\nlook upon and his mother and his child and his father Priam and his\npeople, who speedily would burn him in the fire and make his funeral.\nBut fell Achilles, O gods, ye are fain to abet, whose mind is nowise\njust nor the purpose in his breast to be turned away, but he is cruelly\nminded as a lion that in great strength and at the bidding of his proud\nheart goeth forth against men\u2019s flocks to make his meal; even thus\nAchilles hath cast out pity, neither hath he shame, that doth both harm\nand profit men greatly. It must be that many a man lose even some\ndearer one than was this, a brother of the same womb born or perchance\na son; yet bringeth he his wailing and lamentation to an end, for an\nenduring soul have the Fates given unto men. But Achilles after\nbereaving noble Hector of his life bindeth him behind his horses and\ndraggeth him around the tomb of his dear comrade: not, verily, is that\nmore honourable or better for him. Let him take heed lest we wax wroth\nwith him, good man though he be, for in his fury he is entreating\nshamefully the senseless clay.\u201d\n\nThen in anger spake unto him white-armed Hera: \u201cEven thus mightest thou\nspeak, O Lord of the silver bow, if ye are to give equal honour to\nAchilles and to Hector. Hector is but a mortal and was suckled at a\nwoman\u2019s breast, but Achilles is child of a goddess whom I myself bred\nup and reared and gave to a man to be his wife, even to Peleus who was\ndearest of all men to the Immortals\u2019 heart. And all ye gods came to her\nbridal, and thou among them wert feasting with thy lyre, O lover of ill\ncompany, faithless ever.\u201d\n\nThen to her in answer spake Zeus who gathereth the clouds: \u201cHera, be\nnot wroth utterly with the gods: for these men\u2019s honour is not to be\nthe same, yet Hector also was dearest to the gods of all mortals that\nare in Ilios. So was he to me at least, for nowise failed he in the\ngifts I loved. Never did my altar lack seemly feast, drink-offering and\nthe steam of sacrifice, even the honour that falleth to our due. But\nverily we will say no more of stealing away brave Hector, for it cannot\nbe hidden from Achilles, for his mother abideth ever nigh to him night\nand day. But I were fain that some one of the gods would call Thetis to\ncome near to me, that I may speak unto her a wise word, so that\nAchilles may take gifts from Priam and give Hector back.\u201d Thus spake\nhe, and airy-footed Iris sped forth upon the errand and between\nSamothrace and rocky Imbros leapt into the black sea, and the waters\nclosed above her with a noise. And she sped to the bottom like a weight\nof lead that mounted on horn of a field-ox goeth down bearing death to\nravenous fishes. And she found Thetis in a hollow cave; about her sat\ngathered other goddesses of the seas and she in their midst was wailing\nfor the fate of her noble son who must perish in deep-soiled Troy, far\nfrom his native land. And standing near, fleet-footed Iris spake to\nher: \u201cRise, Thetis; Zeus of immortal counsels calleth thee.\u201d\n\nAnd to her made answer Thetis the silver-footed goddess: \u201cWherefore\nbiddeth me that mighty god? I shrink from mingling among the Immortals,\nfor I have countless woes at heart. Yet go I, nor shall his word be in\nvain, whatsoever he saith.\u201d\n\nThus having said the noble goddess took to her a dark-hued robe, no\nblacker raiment was there found than that. Then she went forth, and\nwind-footed swift Iris led the way before her, and around them the\nsurge of the sea was sundered. And when they had come forth upon the\nshore they sped up to heaven, and found the far-seeing son of Kronos,\nand round him sat gathered all the other blessed gods that are for\never. Then she sat down beside father Zeus, and Athene gave her place.\nAnd Hera set a fair golden cup in her hand and cheered her with words,\nand Thetis drank, and gave back the cup. Then began speech to them the\nfather of gods and men: \u201cThou art come to Olympus, divine Thetis, in\nthy sorrow, with violent grief at thy heart; I know it of myself.\nNevertheless will I tell thee wherefore I called thee hither. Nine days\nhath dispute arisen among the Immortals concerning the corpse of Hector\nand Achilles waster of cities. Fain are they to send clear-sighted\nHermes to steal the body away, but now hear what glory I accord herein\nto Achilles, that I may keep through times to come thy honour and good\nwill. Go with all speed to the host and bear to thy son my bidding. Say\nto him that the gods are displeased at him, and that I above all\nImmortals am wroth, because with furious heart be holdeth Hector at the\nbeaked ships and hath not given him back, if haply he may fear me and\ngive Hector back. But I will send Iris to great-hearted Priam to bid\nhim go to the ships of the Achaians to ransom his dear son, and carry\ngifts to Achilles that may gladden his heart.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and Thetis the silver-footed goddess was not disobedient\nto his word, and sped darting upon her way down from the peaks of\nOlympus. And she came to her son\u2019s hut; there found she him making\ngrievous moan, and his dear comrades round were swiftly making ready\nand furnishing their early meal, and a sheep great and fleecy was being\nsacrificed in the hut. Then his lady-mother sate her down close beside\nhim, and stroked him with her hand and spake to him by his name: \u201cMy\nchild, how long with lamentation and woe wilt thou devour thine heart,\ntaking thought of neither food nor rest? good were even a woman\u2019s\nembrace, for not long shalt thou be left alive to me; already death and\nforceful fate are standing nigh thee. But hearken forthwith unto me,\nfor I am the messenger of Zeus to thee. He saith that the gods are\ndispleased at thee, and that himself above all Immortals is wroth,\nbecause with furious heart thou holdest Hector at the beaked ships and\nhast not given him back. But come restore him, and take ransom for the\ndead.\u201d\n\nThen to her in answer spake fleet-footed Achilles: \u201cSo be it: whoso\nbringeth ransom let him take back the dead, if verily with heart\u2019s\nintent the Olympian biddeth it himself.\u201d\n\nSo they in the assembly of the ships, mother and son, spake to each\nother many winged words. But the son of Kronos thus bade Iris go to\nholy Ilios: \u201cGo forth, fleet Iris, leave the abode of Olympus and bear\nmy message within Ilios to great-hearted Priam that he go to the ships\nof the Achaians and ransom his dear son and carry gifts to Achilles\nthat may gladden his heart; let him go alone, and no other man of the\nTrojans go with him. Only let some elder herald attend on him to guide\nthe mules and smooth-wheeled waggon and carry back to the city the dead\nman whom noble Achilles slew. Let not death be in his thought nor any\nfear; such guide will we give unto him, even the slyer of Argus who\nshall lead him until his leading bring him to Achilles. And when he\nshall have led him within the hut, neither shall Achilles himself slay\nhim nor suffer any other herein, for not senseless is he or\nunforeseeing or wicked, but with all courtesy he will spare a suppliant\nman.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and airy-footed Iris sped forth upon the errand. And she\ncame to the house of Priam, and found therein crying and moan. His\nchildren sitting around their father within the court were bedewing\ntheir raiment with their tears, and the old man in their midst was\nclose wrapped all over in his cloak; and on his head and neck was much\nmire that he had gathered in his hands as he grovelled upon the earth.\nAnd his daughters and his sons\u2019 wives were wailing throughout the\nhouse, bethinking them of all those valiant men who had lost their\nlives at the hands of the Argives and were lying low. And the messenger\nof Zeus stood beside Priam and spake softly unto him, and trembling\ncame upon his limbs: \u201cBe of good cheer in thy heart, O Priam son of\nDardanos, and be not dismayed for anything, for no evil come I hither\nto forebode to thee, but with good will. I am the messenger of Zeus to\nthee, who, though he be afar off, hath great care and pity for thee.\nThe Olympian biddeth thee ransom noble Hector and carry gifts to\nAchilles that may gladden his heart: go thou alone, let none other of\nthe Trojans go with thee. Only let some elder herald attend on thee to\nguide the mules and the smooth-wheeled waggon to carry back to the city\nthe dead man whom noble Achilles slew. Let not death be in thy thought,\nnor any fear; such guide shall go with thee, even the slayer of Argus,\nwho shall lead thee until his leading bring thee to Achilles. And when\nhe shall have led thee into the hut, neither shall Achilles himself\nslay thee, nor suffer any other herein, for not senseless is he or\nunforeseeing or wicked, but with all courtesy he will spare a suppliant\nman.\u201d\n\nThus having spoken fleet Iris departed from him; and he bade his sons\nmake ready the smooth-wheeled mule waggon, and bind the wicker carriage\nthereon. And himself he went down to his fragrant chamber, of cedar\nwood, high-roofed, that held full many jewels: and to Hekabe his wife\nhe called and spake: \u201cLady, from Zeus hath an Olympian messenger come\nto me, that I go to the ships of the Achaians and ransom my dear son,\nand carry gifts to Achilles that may gladden his heart. Come tell me\nhow seemeth it to thy mind, for of myself at least my desire and heart\nbid me mightily to go thither to the ships and enter the wide camp of\nthe Achaians.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, but his wife lamented aloud and made answer to him: \u201cWoe\nis me, whither is gone thy mind whereby aforetime thou wert famous\namong stranger men and among them thou rulest? How art thou fain to go\nalone to the ships of the Achaians, to meet the eyes of the man who\nhath slain full many of thy brave sons? of iron verily is thy heart.\nFor if he light on thee and behold thee with his eyes, a savage and\nill-trusted man is this, and he will not pity thee, neither reverence\nthee at all. Nay, now let us sit in the hall and make lament afar off.\nEven thus did forceful Fate erst spin for Hector with her thread at his\nbeginning when I bare him, even I, that he should glut fleet-footed\ndogs, far from his parents, in the dwelling of a violent man whose\ninmost vitals I were fain to fasten and feed upon; then would his deeds\nagainst my son be paid again to him, for not playing the coward was he\nslain of him, but championing the men and deep-bosomed women of Troy,\nneither bethought he him of shelter or of flight.\u201d\n\nThe to her in answer spake the old man godlike Priam: \u201cStay me not, for\nI am fain to go, neither be thyself a bird of ill boding in my halls,\nfor thou wilt not change my mind. Were it some other and a child of\nearth that bade me this, whether some seer or of the priests that\ndivine from sacrifice, then would we declare it false and have no part\ntherein; but now, since I have heard the voice of the goddess myself\nand looked upon her face, I will go forth, and her word shall not be\nvoid. And if it be my fate to die by the ships of the mail-clad\nAchaians, so would I have it; let Achilles slay me with all speed, when\nonce I have taken in my arms my son, and have satisfied my desire with\nmoan.\u201d\n\nHe spake, and opened fair lids of chests wherefrom he chose twelve very\ngoodly women\u2019s robes and twelve cloaks of single fold and of coverlets\na like number and of fair sheets, and of doublets thereupon. And he\nweighed and brought forth talents of gold ten in all, and two shining\ntripods and four caldrons, and a goblet exceeding fair that men of\nThrace had given him when he went thither on an embassy, a chattel of\ngreat price, yet not that even did the old man grudge from his halls,\nfor he was exceeding fain at heart to ransom his dear son. Then he\ndrave out all the Trojans from the colonnade, chiding them with words\nof rebuke: \u201cBegone, ye that dishonour and do me shame! Have ye no\nmourning of your own at home that ye come to vex me here? Think ye it a\nsmall thing that Zeus Kronos\u2019 son hath given me this sorrow, to lose\nhim that was the best man of my sons? Nay, but ye too shall feel it,\nfor easier far shall ye be to the Achaians to slay now he is dead. But\nfor me, ere I behold with mine eyes the city sacked and wasted, let me\ngo down into the house of Hades.\u201d\n\nHe said, and with his staff chased forth the men, and they went forth\nbefore the old man in his haste. Then he called unto his sons, chiding\nHelenos and Paris and noble Agathon and Pammon and Antiphonos, and\nPolites of the loud war-cry, and Deiphobos and Hippothoos and proud\nDios; nine were they whom the old man called and bade unto him: \u201cHaste\nye, ill sons, my shame; would that ye all in Hector\u2019s stead had been\nslain at the swift ships! Woe is me all unblest, since I begat sons the\nbest men in wide Troy-land, but none of them is left for me to claim,\nneither godlike Mestor, nor Troilos with his chariot of war, nor Hector\nwho was a god among men, neither seemed he as the son of a mortal man\nbut of a god:\u2014all these hath Ares slain, and here are my shames all\nleft to me, false-tongued, light-heeled, the heroes of dance,\nplunderers of your own people\u2019s sheep and kids. Will ye not make me\nready a wain with all speed, and lay all these thereon, that we get us\nforward on our way?\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and they fearing their father\u2019s voice brought forth the\nsmooth-running mule chariot, fair and new, and bound the body thereof\non the frame; and from its peg they took down the mule yoke, a boxwood\nyoke with knob well fitted with guiding-rings; and they brought forth\nthe yoke-band of nine cubits with the yoke. The yoke they set firmly on\nthe polished pole on the rest at the end thereof, and slipped the ring\nover the upright pin, which with three turns of the band they lashed to\nthe knob, and then belayed it close round the pole and turned the\ntongue thereunder. Then they brought from the chamber and heaped on the\npolished wain the countless ransom of Hector\u2019s head, and yoked\nstrong-hooved harness mules, which on a time the Mysians gave to Priam,\na splendid gift. But to Priam\u2019s car they yoked the horses that the old\nman kept for his use and reared at the polished crib.\n\nThus in the high palace were Priam and the herald letting yoke their\ncars, with wise thoughts at their hearts, when nigh came Hekabe sore at\nheart, with honey-sweet wine in her right hand in a golden cup that\nthey might make libation ere they went. And she stood before the horses\nand spake a word to Priam by name: \u201cLo now make libation to father Zeus\nand pray that thou mayest come back home from among the enemy, since\nthy heart speedeth thee forth to the ships, though fain were I thou\nwentest not. And next pray to Kronion of the Storm-cloud, the gods of\nIda, that beholdeth all Troy-land beneath, and ask of him a bird of\nomen, even the swift messenger that is dearest of all birds to him and\nof mightiest strength, to appear upon thy right, that seeing the sign\nwith thine own eyes thou mayest go in trust thereto unto the ships of\nthe fleet-horsed Danaans. But if far-seeing Zeus shall not grant unto\nthee his messenger, I at least shall not bid thee on to go among the\nships of the Achaians how fain soever thou mayest be.\u201d\n\nThen answered and spake unto her godlike Priam: \u201cLady, I will not\ndisregard this hest of thine, for good it is to lift up hands to Zeus,\nif haply he will have pity.\u201d\n\nThus spake the old man, and bade a house-dame that served him pour pure\nwater on his hands; and she came near to serve him with water in a ewer\nto wash withal. And when he had washed his hands he took a goblet from\nhis wife: then he stood in the midst of the court and prayed and poured\nforth wine as he looked up to heaven, and spake a word aloud: \u201cFather\nZeus that bearest sway from Ida, most glorious and most great, grant\nthat I find welcome and pity under Achilles\u2019 roof, and send a bird of\nomen, even the swift messenger that is dearest of all birds to thee and\nof mightiest strength, to appear upon the right, that seeing this sign\nwith mine eyes I may go trusting therein unto the ships of the\nfleet-horsed Danaans.\u201d\n\nThus spake he praying, and Zeus of wise counsels hearkened unto him,\nand straightway sent forth an eagle, surest omen of winged birds, the\ndusky hunter called of men the Black Eagle. Wide as the door, well\nlocking, fitted close, of some rich man\u2019s high-roofed hall, so wide\nwere his wings either way; and he appeared to them speeding on the\nright hand above the city. And when they saw the eagle they rejoiced\nand all their hearts were glad within their breasts.\n\nThen the old man made haste to go up into his car, and drave forth from\nthe doorway and the echoing portico. In front the mules drew the\nfour-wheeled wain, and wise Idaios drave them; behind came the horses\nwhich the old man urged with the lash at speed along the city: and his\nfriends all followed lamenting loud as though he were faring to his\ndeath. And when they were come down from the city and were now on the\nplain, then went back again to Ilios his sons and marriage kin. But the\ntwo coming forth upon the plain were not unbeheld of far-seeing Zeus.\nBut he looked upon the old man and had compassion on him, and\nstraightway spake unto Hermes his dear son: \u201cHermes, since unto thee\nespecially is it dear to companion men, and thou hearest whomsoever\nthou wilt, go forth and so guide Priam to the hollow ships of the\nAchaians that no man behold or be aware of him, among all the Danaans\u2019\nhost, until he come to the son of Peleus.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and the Messenger, the slayer of Argus, was not\ndisobedient unto his word. Straightway beneath his feet he bound on his\nfair sandals, golden, divine, that bare him over wet sea and over the\nboundless land with the breathings of the wind. And he took up his wand\nwherewith he entranceth the eyes of such men as he will, and others he\nlikewise waketh out of sleep: this did the strong slayer of Argus take\nin his hand, and flew. And quickly came he to Troy-land and the\nHellespont, and went on his way in semblance as a young man that is a\nprince, with the new down on his chin, as when the youth of men is the\ncomeliest.\n\nNow the others, when they had driven beyond the great barrow of Ilios,\nhalted the mules and horses at the river to drink; for darkness was\ncome down over the earth. Then the herald beheld Hermes from hard by,\nand marked him, and spake and said to Priam: \u201cConsider, son of\nDardanos; this is matter of prudent thought. I see a man, methinks we\nshall full soon be rent in pieces. Come, let us flee in our chariot, or\nelse at least touch his knees and entreat him that he have mercy on\nus.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and the old man was confounded, and he was dismayed\nexceedingly, and the hair on his pliant limbs stood up, and he stood\nstill amazed. But the Helper came nigh of himself and took the old\nman\u2019s hand, and spake and questioned him: \u201cWhither, father, dost thou\nthus guide these horses and mules through the divine night, when other\nmortals are asleep? Hadst thou no fear of the fierce-breathing\nAchaians, thy bitter foes that are hard anigh thee? If one of them\nshould espy thee carrying such treasures through the swift black night,\nwhat then would be thy thought? Neither art thou young thyself, and thy\ncompanion here is old, that ye should make defence against a man that\nshould assail thee first. But I will no wise harm thee, yea I will keep\nany other from thy hurt: for the similitude of my dear father I see in\nthee.\u201d\n\nAnd to him in answer spake the old man, godlike Priam: \u201cEven so, kind\nson, are all these things as thou sayest. Nevertheless hath some god\nstretched forth his hand even over me in that he hath sent a wayfarer\nsuch as thou to meet me, a bearer of good luck, by the nobleness of thy\nform and semblance; and thou art wise of heart and of blessed parents\nart thou sprung.\u201d\n\nAnd to him again spake the Messenger, the slayer of Argus: \u201cAll this,\nold sire, hast thou verily spoken aright. But come say this and tell me\ntruly whether thou art taking forth a great and goodly treasure unto\nalien men, where it may abide for thee in safety, or whether by this ye\nare all forsaking holy Ilios in fear; so far the best man among you\nhath perished, even thy son; for of battle with the Achaians abated he\nnever a jot.\u201d\n\nAnd to him in answer spake the old man, godlike Priam, \u201cWho art thou,\nnoble sir, and of whom art born? For meetly hast thou spoken of the\nfate of my hapless son.\u201d\n\nAnd to him again spake the Messenger, the slayer of Argus: \u201cThou art\nproving me, old sire, in asking me of noble Hector. Him have I full oft\nseen with mine eyes in glorious battle, and when at the ships he was\nslaying the Argives he drave thither, piercing them with the keen\nbronze, and we stood still and marvelled thereat, for Achilles suffered\nus not to fight, being wroth against Atreus\u2019 son. His squire am I, and\ncame in the same well-wrought ship. From the Myrmidons I come, and my\nfather is Polyktor. Wealthy is he, and an old man even as thou, and six\nother sons hath he, and I am his seventh. With the others I cast lots,\nand it fell to me to fare hither with the host. And now am I come from\nthe ships to the plain, for at day-break the glancing-eyed Achaians\nwill set the battle in array around the town. For it chafeth them to be\nsitting here, nor can the Achaian lords hold in their fury for the\nfray.\u201d\n\nAnd the old man, godlike Priam, answered him, saying: \u201cIf verily thou\nart a squire of Achilles Peleus\u2019 son, come tell me all the truth,\nwhether still my son is by the ships, or whether ere now Achilles hath\nriven him limb from limb and cast him to the dogs.\u201d\n\nThen to him again spake the Messenger the slayer of Argus: \u201cOld sire,\nnot yet have dogs or birds devoured him, but there lieth he still by\nAchilles\u2019 ship, even as he fell, among the huts, and the twelfth morn\nnow hath risen upon him, nor doth his flesh corrupt at all, neither\nworms consume it, such as devour men slain in war. Truly Achilles\ndraggeth him recklessly around the barrow of his dear comrade so oft as\ndivine day dawneth, yet marreth he him not; thou wouldst marvel if thou\ncouldst go see thyself how dewy fresh he lieth, and is washed clean of\nblood, nor anywhere defiled; and all his wounds wherewith he was\nstricken are closed; howbeit many of thy son, though he be but a dead\ncorpse, for they held him dear at heart.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and the old man rejoiced, and answered him, saying: \u201cMy\nson, it is verily a good thing to give due offerings withal to the\nImmortals, for never did my child\u2014if that child indeed I had\u2014forget in\nour halls the gods who inhabit Olympus. Therefore have they remembered\nthis for him, albeit his portion is death. But come now take from me\nthis goodly goblet, and guard me myself and guide me, under Heaven,\nthat I may come unto the hut of Peleus\u2019 son.\u201d\n\nThen spake unto him again the Messenger the slayer of Argus: \u201cThou art\nproving me, old sire, who am younger than thou, but thou wilt not\nprevail upon me, in that thou biddest me take gifts from thee without\nAchilles\u2019 privity. I were afraid and shamed at heart to defraud him,\nlest some evil come to pass on me hereafter. But as thy guide I would\ngo even unto famous Argos, accompanying thee courteously in swift ship\nor on foot. Not from scorn of thy guide would any assail thee then.\u201d\n\nThus spake the Helper, and leaping on the chariot behind the horses he\nswiftly took lash and reins into his hand, and breathed brave spirit\ninto horses and mules. But when they were come to the towers and trench\nof the ships, there were the sentinels just busying them about their\nsupper. Then the Messenger, the slayer of Argus, shed sleep upon them\nall, and straightway opened the gates and thrust back the bars, and\nbrought within Priam and the splendid gifts upon his wain. And they\ncame to the lofty hut of the son of Peleus, which the Myrmidons made\nfor their king and hewed therefor timber of the pine, and thatched it\nwith downy thatching-rush that they mowed in the meadows, and around it\nmade for him their lord a great court with close-set palisades; and the\ndoor was barred by a single bolt of pine that three Achaians wont to\ndrive home, and three drew back that mighty bar\u2014three of the rest, but\nAchilles by himself would drive it home. Then opened the Helper Hermes\nthe door for the old man, and brought in the splendid gifts for Peleus\u2019\nfleet-footed son, and descended from the chariot to the earth and spake\naloud: \u201cOld sire, I that have come to thee am an immortal god, even\nHermes, for my father sent me to companion thee on thy way. But now\nwill I depart from thee nor come within Achilles\u2019 sight; it were cause\nof wrath that an immortal god should thus show favour openly unto\nmortals. But thou go in and clasp the knees of Peleus\u2019 son and entreat\nhim for his father\u2019s sake and his mother\u2019s of the lovely hair and for\nhis child\u2019s sake that thou mayest move his soul.\u201d\n\nThus Hermes spake, and departed unto high Olympus. But Priam leapt from\nthe car to the earth, and left Idaios in his place; he stayed to mind\nthe horses and mules; but the old man made straight for the house where\nAchilles dear to Zeus was wont to sit. And therein he found the man\nhimself, and his comrades sate apart: two only, the hero Automedon and\nAlkimos, of the stock of Ares, were busy in attendance; and he was\nlately ceased from meat, even from eating and drinking: and still the\ntable stood beside him. But they were unaware of great Priam as he came\nin, and so stood he anigh and clasped in his hands the knees of\nAchilles, and kissed his hands, terrible, man-slaying, that slew many\nof Priam\u2019s sons. And as when a grievous curse cometh upon a man who in\nhis own country hath slain another and escapeth to a land of strangers,\nto the house of some rich man, and wonder possesseth them that look on\nhim\u2014so Achilles wondered when he saw godlike Priam, and the rest\nwondered likewise, and looked upon one another. Then Priam spake and\nentreated him, saying: \u201cBethink thee, O Achilles like to gods, of thy\nfather that is of like years with me, on the grievous pathway of old\nage. Him haply are the dwellers round about entreating evilly, nor is\nthere any to ward from him ruin and bane. Nevertheless while he heareth\nof thee as yet alive he rejoiceth in his heart, and hopeth withal day\nafter day that he shall see his dear son returning from Troy-land. But\nI, I am utterly unblest, since I begat sons the best men in wide\nTroy-land, but declare unto thee that none of them is left. Fifty I\nhad, when the sons of the Achaians came; nineteen were born to me of\none mother, and concubines bare the rest within my halls. Now of the\nmore part had impetuous Ares unstrung the knees, and he who was yet\nleft and guarded city and men, him slewest thou but now as he fought\nfor his country, even Hector. For his sake come I unto the ships of the\nAchaians that I may win him back from thee, and I bring with me untold\nransom. Yea, fear thou the gods, Achilles, and have compassion on me,\neven me, bethinking thee of thy father. Lo, I am yet more piteous than\nhe, and have braved what none other man on earth hath braved before, to\nstretch forth my hand toward the face of the slayer of my sons.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and stirred within Achilles desire to make lament for\nhis father. And he touched the old man\u2019s hand and gently moved him\nback. And as they both bethought them of their dead, so Priam for\nman-slaying Hector wept sore as he was fallen before Achilles\u2019 feet,\nand Achilles wept for his own father, and now again for Patroklos, and\ntheir moan went up throughout the house. But when noble Achilles had\nsatisfied him with lament, and the desire thereof departed from his\nheart and limbs, straightway he sprang from his seat and raised the old\nman by his hand, pitying his hoary head and hoary beard, and spake unto\nhim winged words and said: \u201cAh hapless! many ill things verily thou\nhast endured in thy heart. How durst thou come alone to the ships of\nthe Achaians and to meet the eyes of the man who hath slain full many\nof the brave sons? of iron verily is thy heart. But come then set thee\non a seat, and we will let our sorrows lie quiet in our hearts for all\nour pain, for no avail cometh of chill lament. This is the lot the gods\nhave spun for miserable men, that they should live in pain; yet\nthemselves are sorrowless. For two urns stand upon the floor of Zeus\nfilled with his evil gifts, and one with blessings. To whomsoever Zeus\nwhose joy is in the lightning dealeth a mingled lot, that man chanceth\nnow upon ill and now again on good, but to whom he giveth but of the\nbad kind him he bringeth to scorn, and evil famine chaseth him over the\ngoodly earth, and he is a wanderer honoured of neither gods nor men.\nEven thus to Peleus gave the gods splendid gifts from his birth, for he\nexcelled all men in good fortune and wealth, and was king of the\nMyrmidons, and mortal though he was the gods gave him a goddess to be\nhis bride. Yet even on him God brought evil, seeing that there arose to\nhim no offspring of princely sons in his halls, save that he begat one\nson to an untimely death. Neither may I tend him as he groweth old,\nsince very far from my country I am dwelling in Troy-land, to vex thee\nand thy children. And of thee, old sire, we have heard how of old time\nthou wert happy, even how of all that Lesbos, seat of Makar, boundeth\nto the north thereof and Phrygia farther up and the vast Hellespont\u2014of\nall these folk, men say, thou wert the richest in wealth and in sons,\nbut after that the Powers of Heaven brought this bane on thee, ever are\nbattles and man-slayings around thy city. Keep courage, and lament not\nunabatingly in thy heart. For nothing wilt thou avail by grieving for\nthy son, neither shalt thou bring him back to life or ever some new\nevil come upon thee.\u201d\n\nThen made answer unto him the old man, godlike Priam: \u201cBid me not to a\nseat, O fosterling of Zeus, so long as Hector lieth uncared for at the\nhuts, but straightway give him back that I may behold him with mine\neyes; and accept thou the great ransom that we bring. So mayest thou\nhave pleasure thereof, and come unto thy native land, since thou hast\nspared me from the first.\u201d\n\nThen fleet-footed Achilles looked sternly upon him and said: \u201cNo longer\nchafe me, old sire; of myself am I minded to give Hector back to thee,\nfor there came to me a messenger from Zeus, even my mother who bare me,\ndaughter of the Ancient One of the Sea. And I know, O Priam, in my\nmind, nor am unaware that some god it is that hath guided thee to the\nswift ships of the Achaians. For no mortal man, even though in prime of\nyouth, would dare to come among the host, for neither could he escape\nthe watch, nor easily thrust back the bolt of our doors. Therefore now\nstir my heart no more amid my troubles, lest I leave not even thee in\npeace, old sire, within my hut, albeit thou art my suppliant, and lest\nI transgress the commandment of Zeus.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and the old man feared, and obeyed his word. And the son\nof Peleus leapt like a lion through the door of the house, not alone,\nfor with him went two squires, the hero Automedon and Alkimos, they\nwhom above all his comrades Achilles honoured, save only Patroklos that\nwas dead. They then loosed from under the yoke the horses and mules,\nand led in the old man\u2019s crier-herald and set him on a chair, and from\nthe wain of goodly felloes they took the countless ransom set on\nHector\u2019s head. But they left two robes and a well-spun doublet, that\nAchilles might wrap the dead therein when he gave him to be carried\nhome. And he called forth handmaids and bade them wash and anoint him\nwhen they had borne him apart, so that Priam should not look upon his\nson, lest he should not refrain the wrath at his sorrowing heart when\nhe should look upon his son, and lest Achilles\u2019 heart be vexed thereat\nand he slay him and transgress the commandment of Zeus. So when the\nhandmaids had washed the body and anointed it with oil, and had thrown\nover it a fair robe and a doublet, then Achilles himself lifted it and\nlaid it on a bier, and his comrades with him lifted it on to the\npolished waggon. Then he groaned aloud and called on his dear comrade\nby his name: \u201cPatroklos, be not vexed with me if thou hear even in the\nhouse of Hades that I have given back noble Hector unto his dear\nfather, for not unworthy is the ransom he hath given me, whereof I will\ndeal to thee again thy rightful share.\u201d\n\nThus spake noble Achilles, and went back into the hut, and sate him\ndown on the cunningly-wrought couch whence he had arisen by the\nopposite wall, and spake a word to Priam: \u201cThy son, old sire, is given\nback as thou wouldest and lieth on a bier, and with the break of day\nthou shalt see him thyself as thou carriest him. But now bethink we us\nof supper. For even fair-haired Niobe bethought her of meat, she whose\ntwelve children perished in her halls, six daughters and six lusty\nsons. The sons Apollo, in his anger against Niobe, slew with arrows\nfrom his silver bow, and the daughters archer Artemis, for that Niobe\nmatched herself against fair-cheeked Leto, saying that the goddess bare\nbut twain but herself many children: so they though they were but twain\ndestroyed the other all. Nine days they lay in their blood, nor was\nthere any to bury them, for Kronion turned the folk to stones. Yet on\nthe tenth day the gods of heaven buried them, and she then bethought\nher of meat, when she was wearied out with weeping tears. And somewhere\nnow among the cliffs, on the lonely mountains, even on Sipylos, where\nthey say are the couching-places of nymphs that dance around Acheloos,\nthere she, albeit a stone, broodeth still over her troubles from the\ngods. But come let us too, noble father, take thought of meat, and\nafterward thou shalt mourn over thy dear son as thou carriest him to\nIlios; and many tears shall be his due.\u201d\n\nThus spake fleet Achilles, and sprang up, and slew a pure white sheep,\nand his comrades skinned and made it ready in seemly fashion, and\ndivided it cunningly and pierced it with spits, and roasted it\ncarefully and drew all off. And Automedon took bread and served it on a\ntable in fair baskets, while Achilles dealt out the flesh. And they\nstretched forth their hands to the good cheer lying ready before them.\nBut when they had put off the desire of meat and drink, then Priam son\nof Dardanos marvelled at Achilles to see how great he was and how\ngoodly, for he was like a god to look upon. And Achilles marvelled at\nPriam son of Dardanos, beholding his noble aspect and hearkening to his\nwords. But when they had gazed their fill upon one another, then first\nspake the old man, godlike Priam, to Achilles: \u201cNow presently give me\nwhereon to lie, fosterling of Zeus, that of sweet sleep also we may now\ntake our fill at rest: for never yet have mine eyes closed beneath\ntheir lids since at thy hands my son lost his life, but I continually\nmourn and brood over countless griefs, grovelling in the\ncourtyard-close amid the mire. Now at last have I tasted bread and\npoured bright wine down my throat, but till now I had tasted naught.\u201d\n\nHe said, and Achilles bade his comrades and handmaids to set a bedstead\nbeneath the portico, and to cast thereon fair shining rugs and spread\ncoverlets above and thereon to lay thick mantles to be a clothing over\nall. And the maids went forth from the inner hail with torches in their\nhands, and quickly spread two beds in haste. Then with bitter meaning\n[in his reference to Agamemnon] said fleet-footed Achilles unto Priam:\n\u201cLie thou without, dear sire, lest there come hither one of the\ncounsellors of the Achaians, such as ever take counsel with me by my\nside, as custom is. If any of such should behold thee through the swift\nblack night, forthwith he might haply tell it to Agamemnon shepherd of\nthe host, and thus would there be delay in giving back the dead. But\ncome say this to me and tell it true, how many days\u2019 space thou art\nfain to make funeral for noble Hector, so that for so long I may myself\nabide and may keep back the host.\u201d\n\nAnd the old man, godlike Priam, answered him, saying: \u201cIf thou art\nverily willing that I accomplish noble Hector\u2019s funeral, by doing as\nthou sayest, O Achilles, thou wilt do me grace. For thou knowest how we\nare pent within the city, and wood from the mountain is far to fetch,\nand the Trojans are much in fear. Nine days will we make moan for him\nin our halls, and on the tenth we will hold funeral and the folk shall\nfeast, and on the eleventh we will make, a barrow over him, and on the\ntwelfth we will do battle if need be.\u201d\n\nThen again spake the fleet noble Achilles unto him, saying: \u201cAll this,\nO ancient Priam, shall be as thou biddest; for I will hold back the\nbattle even so long a time as thou tellest me.\u201d\n\nThus speaking he clasped the old man\u2019s right hand at the wrist, lest he\nshould be anywise afraid at heart. So they in the forepart of the house\nlaid them down, Priam and the herald, with wise thoughts at their\nhearts, but Achilles slept in a recess of the firm-wrought hut, and\nbeside him lay fair-cheeked Briseis.\n\nNow all other gods and warriors lords of chariots slumbered all night,\nby soft sleep overcome. But not on the Helper Hermes did sleep take\nhold as he sought within his heart how he should guide forth king Priam\nfrom the ships unespied of the trusty sentinels. And he stood above his\nhead and spake a word to him: \u201cOld sire, no thought then hast thou of\nany evil, seeing thou yet sleepest among men that are thine enemies,\nfor that Achilles spared thee. Truly now hast thou won back thy dear\nson, and at great price. But for thy life will thy sons thou hast left\nbehind be offering threefold ransom, if but Agamemnon Atreus\u2019 son be\naware of thee, and aware be all the Achaians.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and the old man feared, and roused the herald. And\nHermes yoked the horses and mules for them, and himself drave them\nlightly through the camp, and none was aware of them.\n\nBut when they came to the ford of the fair-flowing river, [even eddying\nXanthos, begotten of immortal Zeus,] then Hermes departed up to high\nOlympus, and Morning of the saffron robe spread over all the earth. And\nthey with wail and moan drave the horses to the city, and the mules\ndrew the dead. Nor marked them any man or fair-girdled woman until\nKassandra, peer of golden Aphrodite, having gone up upon Pergamos, was\naware of her dear father as he stood in the car, and the herald that\nwas crier to the town. Then beheld she him that lay upon the bier\nbehind the mules, and thereat she wailed and cried aloud throughout all\nthe town: \u201cO men and women of Troy, come ye hither and look upon\nHector, if ever while he was alive ye rejoiced when he came back from\nbattle, since great joy was he to the city and all the folk.\u201d\n\nThus spake she, nor was man or woman left within the city, for upon all\ncame unendurable grief. And near the gates they met Priam bringing home\nthe dead. First bewailed him his dear wife and lady mother, as they\ncast them on the fair-wheeled wain and touched his head; and around\nthem stood the throng and wept. So all day long unto the setting of the\nsun they had lamented Hector in tears without the gate, had not the old\nman spoken from the car among the folk: \u201cGive me place for the mules to\npass through; hereafter ye shall have your fill of wailing, when I have\nbrought him unto his home.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and they parted asunder and gave place to the wain. And\nthe others when they had brought him to the famous house, laid him on a\nfretted bed, and set beside him minstrel leaders of the dirge, who\nwailed a mournful lay, while the women made moan with them. And among\nthe women white-armed Andromache led the lamentation, while in her\nhands she held the head of Hector slayer of men: \u201cHusband, thou art\ngone young from life, and leavest me a widow in thy halls. And the\nchild is yet but a little one, child of ill-fated parents, thee and me;\nnor methinks shall he grow up to manhood, for ere then shall this city\nbe utterly destroyed. For thou art verily perished who didst watch over\nit, who guardedst it and keptest safe its noble wives and infant little\nones. These soon shall be voyaging in the hollow ships, yea and I too\nwith them, and thou, my child, shalt either go with me unto a place\nwhere thou shalt toil at unseemly tasks, labouring before the face of\nsome harsh lord, or else some Achaian will take thee by the arm and\nhurl thee from the battlement, a grievous death, for that he is wroth\nbecause Hector slew his brother or father or son, since full many of\nthe Achaians in Hector\u2019s hands have bitten the firm earth. For no light\nhand had thy father in the grievous fray. Therefore the folk lament him\nthroughout the city, and woe unspeakable and mourning hast thou left to\nthy parents, Hector, but with me chiefliest shall grievous pain abide.\nFor neither didst thou stretch thy hands to me from a bed in thy death,\nneither didst speak to me some memorable word that I might have thought\non evermore as my tears fall night and day.\u201d\n\nThus spake she wailing, and the women joined their moan. And among them\nHekabe again led the loud lament: \u201cHector, of all my children far\ndearest to my heart, verily while thou wert alive dear wert thou to the\ngods, and even in thy doom of death have they had care for thee. For\nother sons of mine whom he took captive would fleet Achilles sell\nbeyond the unvintaged sea unto Samos and Imbros and smoking Lemnos, but\nwhen with keen-edged bronze he had bereft thee of thy life he was fain\nto drag thee oft around the tomb of his comrade, even Patroklos whom\nthou slewest, yet might he not raise him up thereby. But now all dewy\nand fresh thou liest in our halls, like one on whom Apollo, lord of the\nsilver bow, hath descended and slain him with his gentle darts.\u201d\n\nThus spake she wailing, and stirred unending moan. Then thirdly Helen\nled their sore lament: \u201cHector, of all my brethren of Troy far dearest\nto my heart! Truly my lord is godlike Alexandros who brought me to\nTroy-land\u2014would I had died ere then. For this is now the twentieth year\nsince I went thence and am gone from my own native land, but never yet\nheard I evil or despiteful word from thee; nay, if any other haply\nupbraided me in the palace-halls, whether brother or sister of thine or\nbrother\u2019s fair-robed wife, or thy mother\u2014but thy father is ever kind to\nme as he were my own\u2014then wouldst thou soothe such with words and\nrefrain them, by the gentleness of thy spirit and by thy gentle words.\nTherefore bewail I thee with pain at heart, and my hapless self with\nthee, for no more is any left in wide Troy-land to be my friend and\nkind to me, but all men shudder at me.\u201d\n\nThus spake she wailing, and therewith the great multitude of the people\ngroaned. But the old man Priam spake a word among the folk: \u201cBring\nwood, men of Troy, unto the city, and be not anywise afraid at heart of\na crafty ambush of the Achaians; for this message Achilles gave me when\nhe sent me from the black ships, that they should do us no hurt until\nthe twelfth morn arise.\u201d\n\nThus spake he, and they yoked oxen and mules to wains, and quickly then\nthey flocked before the city. So nine days they gathered great store of\nwood. But when the tenth morn rose with light for men, then bare they\nforth brave Hector, weeping tears, and on a lofty pyre they laid the\ndead man, and thereon cast fire.\n\nBut when the daughter of Dawn, rosy-fingered Morning, shone forth, then\ngathered the folk around glorious Hector\u2019s pyre. First quenched they\nwith bright wine all the burning, so far as the fire\u2019s strength went,\nand then his brethren and comrades gathered his white bones lamenting,\nand big tears flowed down their cheeks. And the bones they took and\nlaid in a golden urn, shrouding them in soft purple robes, and\nstraightway laid the urn in a hollow grave and piled thereon great\nclose-set stones, and heaped with speed a barrow, while watchers were\nset everywhere around, lest the well-greaved Achaians should make onset\nbefore the time. And when they had heaped the barrow they went back,\nand gathered them together and feasted right well in noble feast at the\npalace of Priam, Zeus-fostered king.\n\nThus held they funeral for Hector tamer of horses.","title":"The Iliad","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":157684}