General Exam Greek

Ἄνδρα μοι ἔννεπε, Μοῦσα, πολύτροπον, ὃς μάλα πολλὰ πλάγχθη, ἐπεὶ Τροίης ἱερὸν πτολίεθρον ἔπερσεν· πολλῶν δ᾿ ἀνθρώπων ἴδεν ἄστεα καὶ νόον1 ἔγνω, πολλὰ δ᾿ ὅ γ᾿ ἐν πόντῳ πάθεν ἄλγεα ὃν κατὰ θυμόν, 5ἀρνύμενος ἥν τε ψυχὴν καὶ νόστον ἑταίρων. ἀλλ᾿ οὐδ᾿ ὣς ἑτάρους ἐρρύσατο, ἱέμενός περ· αὐτῶν γὰρ σφετέρῃσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὄλοντο, νήπιοι, οἳ κατὰ βοῦς Ὑπερίονος Ἠελίοιο ἤσθιον· αὐτὰρ ὁ τοῖσιν ἀφείλετο νόστιμον ἦμαρ. 10τῶν ἁμόθεν γε, θεά, θύγατερ Διός, εἰπὲ καὶ ἡμῖν.

book 1 Tell me, Muse, of the man of many devices, driven far astray after he had sacked the sacred citadel of Troy. Many were the men whose cities he saw and whose minds he learned, and many the woes he suffered in his heart upon the sea, seeking to win his own life and the return of his comrades. Yet even so he did not save his comrades, for all his desire, for through their own blind folly they perished—fools, who devoured the cattle of Helios Hyperion; whereupon he took from them the day of their returning. Of these things, goddess, daughter of Zeus, beginning where you will, tell us in our turn.

ἔνθ᾿ ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες, ὅσοι φύγον αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον, οἴκοι ἔσαν, πόλεμόν τε πεφευγότες ἠδὲ θάλασσαν· τὸν δ᾿ οἶον νόστου κεχρημένον ἠδὲ γυναικὸς νύμφη πότνι᾿ ἔρυκε Καλυψὼ δῖα θεάων 15ἐν σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσι, λιλαιομένη πόσιν εἶναι. ἀλλ᾿ ὅτε δὴ ἔτος ἦλθε περιπλομένων ἐνιαυτῶν, τῷ οἱ ἐπεκλώσαντο θεοὶ οἶκόνδε νέεσθαι εἰς Ἰθάκην, οὐδ᾿ ἔνθα πεφυγμένος ἦεν ἀέθλων καὶ μετὰ οἷσι φίλοισι. θεοὶ δ᾿ ἐλέαιρον ἅπαντες 20νόσφι Ποσειδάωνος· ὁ δ᾿ ἀσπερχὲς μενέαινεν ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆι πάρος ἣν γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι.

book 1 Now all the rest, as many as had escaped sheer destruction, were at home, safe from both war and sea; but that man alone, filled with longing for his return and for his wife, did the queenly nymph Calypso, that beautiful goddess, keep prisoner in her hollow caves, yearning that he should be her husband. But when, as the seasons revolved, the year came in which the gods had ordained that he should return home to Ithaca, not even then was he free from toils and among his own people. And all the gods pitied him except Poseidon; he continued to rage unceasingly against godlike Odysseus until at length he reached his own land.

ἀλλ᾿ ὁ μὲν Αἰθίοπας μετεκίαθε τηλόθ᾿ ἐόντας, Αἰθίοπας τοὶ διχθὰ δεδαίαται, ἔσχατοι ἀνδρῶν, οἱ μὲν δυσομένου Ὑπερίονος οἱ δ᾿ ἀνιόντος, 25ἀντιόων ταύρων τε καὶ ἀρνειῶν ἑκατόμβης. ἔνθ᾿ ὅ γ᾿ ἐτέρπετο δαιτὶ παρήμενος· οἱ δὲ δὴ ἄλλοι Ζηνὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν Ὀλυμπίου ἁθρόοι ἦσαν. τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε· μνήσατο γὰρ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀμύμονος Αἰγίσθοιο, 30τόν ῥ᾿ Ἀγαμεμνονίδης τηλεκλυτὸς ἔκταν᾿ Ὀρέστης· τοῦ ὅ γ᾿ ἐπιμνησθεὶς ἔπε᾿ ἀθανάτοισι μετηύδα

book 1 But now Poseidon had gone among the far-off Ethiopians—the Ethiopians who dwell divided in two, the farthermost of men, some where Hyperion sets and some where he rises—there to receive a hecatomb of bulls and rams, and there he was taking his joy, sitting at the feast; but the other gods were gathered together in the halls of Olympian Zeus. Among them the father of gods and men was the first to speak, for in his heart he thought of flawless¹ Aegisthus, whom far-famed Orestes, Agamemnon’s son, had slain. Thinking of him he spoke among the immortals, and said:

“ὢ πόποι, οἷον δή νυ θεοὺς βροτοὶ αἰτιόωνται· ἐξ ἡμέων γάρ φασι κάκ᾿ ἔμμεναι, οἱ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ σφῇσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὑπὲρ μόρον ἄλγε᾿ ἔχουσιν, 35ὡς καὶ νῦν Αἴγισθος ὑπὲρ μόρον Ἀτρεΐδαο γῆμ᾿ ἄλοχον μνηστήν, τὸν δ᾿ ἔκτανε νοστήσαντα, εἰδὼς αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον, ἐπεὶ πρό οἱ εἴπομεν ἡμεῖς, Ἑρμείαν πέμψαντες, ἐύσκοπον Ἀργεϊφόντην, μήτ᾿ αὐτὸν κτείνειν μήτε μνάασθαι ἄκοιτιν· 40ἐκ γὰρ Ὀρέσταο τίσις ἔσσεται Ἀτρεΐδαο, ὁππότ᾿ ἂν ἡβήσῃ τε καὶ ἧς ἱμείρεται2 αἴης. ὣς ἔφαθ᾿ Ἑρμείας, ἀλλ᾿ οὐ φρένας Αἰγίσθοιο πεῖθ᾿ ἀγαθὰ φρονέων· νῦν δ᾿ ἁθρόα πάντ᾿ ἀπέτισεν.”

book 1

τὸν δ᾿ ἠμείβετ᾿ ἔπειτα θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη· 45“ὦ πάτερ ἡμέτερε Κρονίδη, ὕπατε κρειόντων, καὶ λίην κεῖνός γε ἐοικότι κεῖται ὀλέθρῳ· ὡς ἀπόλοιτο καὶ ἄλλος, ὅτις τοιαῦτά γε ῥέζοι· ἀλλά μοι ἀμφ᾿ Ὀδυσῆι δαΐφρονι δαίεται ἦτορ, δυσμόρῳ, ὃς δὴ δηθὰ φίλων ἄπο πήματα πάσχει 50νήσῳ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ, ὅθι τ᾿ ὀμφαλός ἐστι θαλάσσης. νῆσος δενδρήεσσα, θεὰ δ᾿ ἐν δώματα ναίει, Ἄτλαντος θυγάτηρ ὀλοόφρονος, ὅς τε θαλάσσης πάσης βένθεα οἶδεν, ἔχει δέ τε κίονας αὐτὸς μακράς, αἳ γαῖάν τε καὶ οὐρανὸν ἀμφὶς ἔχουσιν. 55τοῦ θυγάτηρ δύστηνον ὀδυρόμενον κατερύκει, αἰεὶ δὲ μαλακοῖσι καὶ αἱμυλίοισι λόγοισιν θέλγει, ὅπως Ἰθάκης ἐπιλήσεται· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεύς, ἱέμενος καὶ καπνὸν ἀποθρῴσκοντα νοῆσαι ἧς γαίης, θανέειν ἱμείρεται. οὐδέ νυ σοί περ 60ἐντρέπεται φίλον ἦτορ, Ὀλύμπιε. οὔ νύ τ᾿ Ὀδυσσεὺς Ἀργείων παρὰ νηυσὶ χαρίζετο ἱερὰ ῥέζων Τροίῃ ἐν εὐρείῃ; τί νύ οἱ τόσον ὠδύσαο, Ζεῦ;”

book 1 Then the goddess, flashing-eyed Athene, answered him: “Father of us all, son of Cronus, high above all lords, clearly that man lies low in a destruction that is his due; so, too, let any other also be destroyed who does such deeds. But my heart is torn for wise Odysseus, ill-fated man, who far from his friends has long been suffering woes in a seagirt isle, where is the navel of the sea. It is a wooded isle, and on it dwells a goddess, daughter of Atlas of baneful mind, who knows the depths of every sea, and himself holds the tall pillars which keep earth and heaven apart. His daughter it is that keeps back that unfortunate, sorrowing man; and continually with soft and wheedling words she beguiles him that he may forget Ithaca. But Odysseus, in his longing to see were it but the smoke leaping up from his own land, yearns to die. Yet your heart does not regard it, Olympian. Did not Odysseus beside the ships of the Argives win your favor by his sacrifices in the broad land of Troy? Why then did you will him such pain, O Zeus?”3

τὴν δ᾿ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς· “τέκνον ἐμόν, ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων. 65πῶς ἂν ἔπειτ᾿ Ὀδυσῆος ἐγὼ θείοιο λαθοίμην, ὃς περὶ μὲν νόον ἐστὶ βροτῶν, περὶ δ᾿ ἱρὰ θεοῖσιν ἀθανάτοισιν ἔδωκε, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν; ἀλλὰ Ποσειδάων γαιήοχος ἀσκελὲς αἰεὶ Κύκλωπος κεχόλωται, ὃν ὀφθαλμοῦ ἀλάωσεν, 70ἀντίθεον Πολύφημον, ὅου κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον πᾶσιν Κυκλώπεσσι· Θόωσα δέ μιν τέκε νύμφη, Φόρκυνος θυγάτηρ ἁλὸς ἀτρυγέτοιο μέδοντος, ἐν σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσι Ποσειδάωνι μιγεῖσα. ἐκ τοῦ δὴ Ὀδυσῆα Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων 75οὔ τι κατακτείνει, πλάζει δ᾿ ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης. ἀλλ᾿ ἄγεθ᾿, ἡμεῖς οἵδε περιφραζώμεθα πάντες νόστον, ὅπως ἔλθῃσι· Ποσειδάων δὲ μεθήσει ὃν χόλον· οὐ μὲν γάρ τι δυνήσεται ἀντία πάντων ἀθανάτων ἀέκητι θεῶν ἐριδαινέμεν οἶος.”

book 1 Then Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, answered her and said: “My child, what a word has escaped the barrier of your teeth! How should I, then, forget godlike Odysseus, who is beyond all mortals in wisdom, and beyond all has paid sacrifice to the immortal gods, who hold broad heaven? No, it is Poseidon, the earth-bearer, who is constantly filled with stubborn wrath because of the Cyclops, whose eye Odysseus blinded—namely the godlike Polyphemus, whose strength is greatest among all the Cyclopes; and the nymph Thoösa bore him, daughter of Phorcys who rules over the barren sea; for in the hollow caves she lay with Poseidon. From that time forth Poseidon, the earth-shaker, does not indeed slay Odysseus, but beats him off from his native land. But come, let us who are here all give thought to his return, how he may come home; and Poseidon will let go his anger, for he will in no way be able, against all the immortal gods and in their despite, to contend alone.”

τὴν δὲ πολὺ πρῶτος ἴδε Τηλέμαχος θεοειδής, ἧστο γὰρ ἐν μνηστῆρσι φίλον τετιημένος ἦτορ, 115ὀσσόμενος πατέρ᾿ ἐσθλὸν ἐνὶ φρεσίν, εἴ ποθεν ἐλθὼν μνηστήρων τῶν μὲν σκέδασιν κατὰ δώματα θείη, τιμὴν δ᾿ αὐτὸς ἔχοι καὶ δώμασιν6 οἷσιν ἀνάσσοι. τὰ φρονέων, μνηστῆρσι μεθήμενος, εἴσιδ᾿ Ἀθήνην. βῆ δ᾿ ἰθὺς προθύροιο, νεμεσσήθη δ᾿ ἐνὶ θυμῷ 120ξεῖνον δηθὰ θύρῃσιν ἐφεστάμεν· ἐγγύθι δὲ στὰς χεῖρ᾿ ἕλε δεξιτερὴν καὶ ἐδέξατο χάλκεον ἔγχος, καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

book 1 The godlike Telemachus was far the first to see her, for he was sitting among the suitors, troubled at heart, seeing in thought his noble father, should he perchance come from somewhere and make a scattering of the suitors in the palace, and himself win honor and rule over his own house. As he thought of these things, sitting among the suitors, he beheld Athene, and he went straight to the outer door; for in his heart he counted it shame that a stranger should stand long at the gates. So, drawing near, he clasped her right hand, and took from her the spear of bronze; and he spoke, and addressed her with winged words:

“χαῖρε, ξεῖνε, παρ᾿ ἄμμι φιλήσεαι· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα δείπνου πασσάμενος μυθήσεαι ὅττεό σε χρή.”

ὣς εἰπὼν ἡγεῖθ᾿, ἡ δ᾿ ἕσπετο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη. οἱ δ᾿ ὅτε δή ῥ᾿ ἔντοσθεν ἔσαν δόμου ὑψηλοῖο, ἔγχος μέν ῥ᾿ ἔστησε φέρων πρὸς κίονα μακρὴν δουροδόκης ἔντοσθεν ἐυξόου, ἔνθα περ ἄλλα ἔγχέ᾿ Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος ἵστατο πολλά, 130αὐτὴν δ᾿ ἐς θρόνον εἷσεν ἄγων, ὑπὸ λῖτα πετάσσας, καλὸν δαιδάλεον· ὑπὸ δὲ θρῆνυς ποσὶν ἦεν. πὰρ δ᾿ αὐτὸς κλισμὸν θέτο ποικίλον, ἔκτοθεν ἄλλων μνηστήρων, μὴ ξεῖνος ἀνιηθεὶς ὀρυμαγδῷ δείπνῳ ἁδήσειεν, ὑπερφιάλοισι μετελθών, 135ἠδ᾿ ἵνα μιν περὶ πατρὸς ἀποιχομένοιο ἔροιτο. χέρνιβα δ᾿ ἀμφίπολος προχόῳ ἐπέχευε φέρουσα καλῇ χρυσείῃ, ὑπὲρ ἀργυρέοιο λέβητος, νίψασθαι· παρὰ δὲ ξεστὴν ἐτάνυσσε τράπεζαν. σῖτον δ᾿ αἰδοίη ταμίη παρέθηκε φέρουσα, 140εἴδατα πόλλ᾿ ἐπιθεῖσα, χαριζομένη παρεόντων· δαιτρὸς δὲ κρειῶν πίνακας παρέθηκεν ἀείρας παντοίων, παρὰ δέ σφι τίθει χρύσεια κύπελλα· κῆρυξ δ᾿ αὐτοῖσιν θάμ᾿ ἐπῴχετο οἰνοχοεύων.

book 1 “Hail, stranger; in our house you shall find entertainment, and then, when you have tasted food, you shall tell what you have need of.”

So saying, he led the way, and Pallas Athene followed. And when they were within the lofty house, he carried the spear and set it against a tall pillar in a polished spear-rack, where were set many spears besides, to wit, those of steadfast Odysseus. Athene herself he led and seated on a chair, spreading on it a linen cloth—a beautiful chair, richly wrought, and below was a footstool for the feet. Beside it he placed for himself an inlaid seat, apart from the others, the suitors, lest the stranger, vexed by their din, should loathe the meal, seeing that he was in the company of arrogant men; and also that he might ask him about his father that was gone. Then a handmaid brought water for the hands in a beautiful pitcher of gold, and poured it over a silver basin for them to wash, and beside them drew up a polished table. And the grave housekeeper brought and set before them bread, and with it dainties in abundance, giving freely of her store. And a carver lifted up and placed before them platters of all sorts of meats, and set by them golden goblets, while a herald continually walked to and fro pouring them wine.

αὐτὰρ Τηλέμαχος προσέφη γλαυκῶπιν Ἀθήνην, ἄγχι σχὼν κεφαλήν, ἵνα μὴ πευθοίαθ᾿ οἱ ἄλλοι· “ξεῖνε φίλ᾿, ἦ καί μοι νεμεσήσεαι ὅττι κεν εἴπω; τούτοισιν μὲν ταῦτα μέλει, κίθαρις καὶ ἀοιδή, 160ῥεῖ᾿, ἐπεὶ ἀλλότριον βίοτον νήποινον ἔδουσιν, ἀνέρος, οὗ δή που λεύκ᾿ ὀστέα πύθεται ὄμβρῳ κείμεν᾿ ἐπ᾿ ἠπείρου, ἢ εἰν ἁλὶ κῦμα κυλίνδει. εἰ κεῖνόν γ᾿ Ἰθάκηνδε ἰδοίατο νοστήσαντα, πάντες κ᾿ ἀρησαίατ᾿ ἐλαφρότεροι πόδας εἶναι 165ἢ ἀφνειότεροι χρυσοῖό τε ἐσθῆτός τε. νῦν δ᾿ ὁ μὲν ὣς ἀπόλωλε κακὸν μόρον, οὐδέ τις ἡμῖν θαλπωρή,7 εἴ πέρ τις ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων φῇσιν ἐλεύσεσθαι· τοῦ δ᾿ ὤλετο νόστιμον ἦμαρ. ἀλλ᾿ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον· 170τίς πόθεν εἰς ἀνδρῶν; πόθι τοι πόλις ἠδὲ τοκῆες; ὁπποίης τ᾿ ἐπὶ νηὸς ἀφίκεο· πῶς δέ σε ναῦται ἤγαγον εἰς Ἰθάκην; τίνες ἔμμεναι εὐχετόωντο; οὐ μὲν γάρ τί σε πεζὸν ὀίομαι ἐνθάδ᾿ ἱκέσθαι. καί μοι τοῦτ᾿ ἀγόρευσον ἐτήτυμον, ὄφρ᾿ ἐὺ εἰδῶ, 175ἠὲ νέον μεθέπεις ἦ καὶ πατρώιός ἐσσι ξεῖνος, ἐπεὶ πολλοὶ ἴσαν ἀνέρες ἡμέτερον δῶ ἄλλοι, ἐπεὶ καὶ κεῖνος ἐπίστροφος ἦν ἀνθρώπων.”

book 1 But Telemachus spoke to flashing-eyed Athene, holding his head close, that the others might not hear: “Dear stranger, will you be angry with me for the word that I shall say? These men are busied with things like these, the lyre and song, without misgiving, seeing that without atonement they devour the livelihood of another, of a man whose white bones, it may be, rot in the rain as they lie upon the mainland, or the waves roll them in the sea. Were they to see him returned to Ithaca, they would all pray to be swifter of foot, rather than richer in gold and in raiment. But now he has thus perished by an evil doom, nor for us is there any comfort, no, not though any one of men upon the earth should say that he will come; gone is the day of his returning. But come, tell me this, and declare it truly. Who are you among men, and from where? Where is your city and where your parents? On what sort of ship did you come, and how did sailors bring you to Ithaca? Who did they declare themselves to be? For I do not suppose you came here on foot. And tell me this also truly, that I may be certain of it, whether this is your first visit here, or whether you are indeed a friend of my father’s house. For many were the men who came to our house as guests, since he, too, had traveled much among men.”

“τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι ταῦτα μάλ᾿ ἀτρεκέως ἀγορεύσω. 180Μέντης Ἀγχιάλοιο δαΐφρονος εὔχομαι εἶναι υἱός, ἀτὰρ Ταφίοισι φιληρέτμοισιν ἀνάσσω. νῦν δ᾿ ὧδε ξὺν νηὶ κατήλυθον ἠδ᾿ ἑτάροισιν πλέων ἐπὶ οἴνοπα πόντον ἐπ᾿ ἀλλοθρόους ἀνθρώπους, ἐς Τεμέσην μετὰ χαλκόν, ἄγω δ᾿ αἴθωνα σίδηρον. 185νηῦς δέ μοι ἥδ᾿ ἕστηκεν ἐπ᾿ ἀγροῦ νόσφι πόληος, ἐν λιμένι Ῥείθρῳ ὑπὸ Νηίῳ ὑλήεντι. ξεῖνοι δ᾿ ἀλλήλων πατρώιοι εὐχόμεθ᾿ εἶναι ἐξ ἀρχῆς, εἴ πέρ τε γέροντ᾿ εἴρηαι ἐπελθὼν Λαέρτην ἥρωα, τὸν οὐκέτι φασὶ πόλινδε 190ἔρχεσθ᾿, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπάνευθεν ἐπ᾿ ἀγροῦ πήματα πάσχειν γρηὶ σὺν ἀμφιπόλῳ, ἥ οἱ βρῶσίν τε πόσιν τε παρτιθεῖ, εὖτ᾿ ἄν μιν κάματος κατὰ γυῖα λάβῃσιν ἑρπύζοντ᾿ ἀνὰ γουνὸν ἀλωῆς οἰνοπέδοιο. νῦν δ᾿ ἦλθον· δὴ γάρ μιν ἔφαντ᾿ ἐπιδήμιον εἶναι, 195σὸν πατέρ᾿· ἀλλά νυ τόν γε θεοὶ βλάπτουσι κελεύθου. οὐ γάρ πω τέθνηκεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς, ἀλλ᾿ ἔτι που ζωὸς κατερύκεται εὐρέι πόντῳ νήσῳ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ, χαλεποὶ δέ μιν ἄνδρες ἔχουσιν ἄγριοι, οἵ που κεῖνον ἐρυκανόωσ᾿ ἀέκοντα. 200αὐτὰρ νῦν τοι ἐγὼ μαντεύσομαι, ὡς ἐνὶ θυμῷ ἀθάνατοι βάλλουσι καὶ ὡς τελέεσθαι ὀίω, οὔτε τι μάντις ἐὼν οὔτ᾿ οἰωνῶν σάφα εἰδώς. οὔ τοι ἔτι δηρόν γε φίλης ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης ἔσσεται, οὐδ᾿ εἴ πέρ τε σιδήρεα δέσματ᾿ ἔχῃσιν· 205φράσσεται ὥς κε νέηται, ἐπεὶ πολυμήχανός ἐστιν. ἀλλ᾿ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον, εἰ δὴ ἐξ αὐτοῖο τόσος πάις εἰς Ὀδυσῆος. αἰνῶς μὲν κεφαλήν τε καὶ ὄμματα καλὰ ἔοικας κείνῳ, ἐπεὶ θαμὰ τοῖον ἐμισγόμεθ᾿ ἀλλήλοισιν, 210πρίν γε τὸν ἐς Τροίην ἀναβήμεναι, ἔνθα περ ἄλλοι Ἀργείων οἱ ἄριστοι ἔβαν κοίλῃς ἐνὶ νηυσίν· ἐκ τοῦ δ᾿ οὔτ᾿ Ὀδυσῆα ἐγὼν ἴδον οὔτ᾿ ἔμ᾿ ἐκεῖνος.”

book 1 him: “Therefore I will frankly tell you all. I declare that I am Mentes, the son of wise Anchialus, and I am lord over the oar-loving Taphians. And now I have put in here as you see, with ship and crew, while sailing over the wine-dark sea to men of strange speech, on my way to Temese for copper; and I bear with me shining iron. My ship lies yonder beside the fields away from the city, in the harbor of Rheithron, under woody Neion. Friends of one another do we declare ourselves to be, just as our fathers were, friends from of old. You may, if you will, go and ask the old hero Laertes, who, they say, comes no longer to the city, but afar in the fields suffers woes attended by an aged woman as his handmaid, who sets before him food and drink, after weariness has laid hold of his limbs, as he creeps along the slope of his vineyard plot. And now I have come, for indeed men said that he, your father, was among his people, but it seems the gods are thwarting his return. For not yet has noble Odysseus perished on the earth, but still, I suppose, he lives and is held prisoner on the broad sea in a seagirt isle, and cruel men keep him, a savage folk, that constrain him perhaps against his will. Indeed, I will now prophesy to you, as the immortals put it in my heart, and as I think it shall be brought to pass, though I am no soothsayer, nor one versed in the signs of birds. Not much longer shall he be absent from his own native land, no, not though bonds of iron hold him. He will contrive a way to return, for he is a man of many devices. But come, tell me this and declare it truly, whether indeed, tall as you are, you are the son of Odysseus himself. Wondrously like his are your head and beautiful eyes; for many were the times we consorted with one another before he embarked for the land of Troy, whither others, too, the bravest of the Argives, went in their hollow ships. But since that day neither have I see Odysseus, nor he me.”

τὸν δ᾿ ἐπαλαστήσασα προσηύδα Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη· “ὢ πόποι, ἦ δὴ πολλὸν ἀποιχομένου Ὀδυσῆος δεύῃ, ὅ κε μνηστῆρσιν ἀναιδέσι χεῖρας ἐφείη. 255εἰ γὰρ νῦν ἐλθὼν δόμου ἐν πρώτῃσι θύρῃσι σταίη, ἔχων πήληκα καὶ ἀσπίδα καὶ δύο δοῦρε, τοῖος ἐὼν οἷόν μιν ἐγὼ τὰ πρῶτ᾿ ἐνόησα οἴκῳ ἐν ἡμετέρῳ πίνοντά τε τερπόμενόν τε, ἐξ Ἐφύρης ἀνιόντα παρ᾿ Ἴλου Μερμερίδαο— 260ᾤχετο γὰρ καὶ κεῖσε θοῆς ἐπὶ νηὸς Ὀδυσσεὺς φάρμακον ἀνδροφόνον διζήμενος, ὄφρα οἱ εἴη ἰοὺς χρίεσθαι χαλκήρεας· ἀλλ᾿ ὁ μὲν οὔ οἱ δῶκεν, ἐπεί ῥα θεοὺς νεμεσίζετο αἰὲν ἐόντας, ἀλλὰ πατήρ οἱ δῶκεν ἐμός· φιλέεσκε γὰρ αἰνῶς— 265τοῖος ἐὼν μνηστῆρσιν ὁμιλήσειεν Ὀδυσσεύς· πάντες κ᾿ ὠκύμοροί τε γενοίατο πικρόγαμοί τε. ἀλλ᾿ ἦ τοι μὲν ταῦτα θεῶν ἐν γούνασι κεῖται, ἤ κεν νοστήσας ἀποτίσεται, ἦε καὶ οὐκί, οἷσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισι· σὲ δὲ φράζεσθαι ἄνωγα, 270ὅππως κε μνηστῆρας ἀπώσεαι ἐκ μεγάροιο. εἰ δ᾿ ἄγε νῦν ξυνίει καὶ ἐμῶν ἐμπάζεο μύθων· αὔριον εἰς ἀγορὴν καλέσας ἥρωας Ἀχαιοὺς μῦθον πέφραδε πᾶσι, θεοὶ δ᾿ ἐπὶ μάρτυροι ἔστων. μνηστῆρας μὲν ἐπὶ σφέτερα σκίδνασθαι ἄνωχθι, 275μητέρα δ᾿, εἴ οἱ θυμὸς ἐφορμᾶται γαμέεσθαι, ἂψ ἴτω ἐς μέγαρον πατρὸς μέγα δυναμένοιο· οἱ δὲ γάμον τεύξουσι καὶ ἀρτυνέουσιν ἔεδνα πολλὰ μάλ᾿, ὅσσα ἔοικε φίλης ἐπὶ παιδὸς ἕπεσθαι.8 σοὶ δ᾿ αὐτῷ πυκινῶς ὑποθήσομαι, αἴ κε πίθηαι· 280νῆ᾿ ἄρσας ἐρέτῃσιν ἐείκοσιν, ἥ τις ἀρίστη, ἔρχεο πευσόμενος πατρὸς δὴν οἰχομένοιο, ἤν τίς τοι εἴπῃσι βροτῶν, ἢ ὄσσαν ἀκούσῃς ἐκ Διός, ἥ τε μάλιστα φέρει κλέος ἀνθρώποισι. πρῶτα μὲν ἐς Πύλον ἐλθὲ καὶ εἴρεο Νέστορα δῖον, 285κεῖθεν δὲ Σπάρτηνδε παρὰ ξανθὸν Μενέλαον·9 ὃς γὰρ δεύτατος ἦλθεν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων. εἰ μέν κεν πατρὸς βίοτον καὶ νόστον ἀκούσῃς, ἦ τ᾿ ἂν τρυχόμενός περ ἔτι τλαίης ἐνιαυτόν· εἰ δέ κε τεθνηῶτος ἀκούσῃς μηδ᾿ ἔτ᾿ ἐόντος, 290νοστήσας δὴ ἔπειτα φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν σῆμά τέ οἱ χεῦαι καὶ ἐπὶ κτέρεα κτερεΐξαι πολλὰ μάλ᾿, ὅσσα ἔοικε, καὶ ἀνέρι μητέρα δοῦναι. αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ ταῦτα τελευτήσῃς τε καὶ ἔρξῃς, φράζεσθαι δὴ ἔπειτα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμὸν 295ὅππως κε μνηστῆρας ἐνὶ μεγάροισι τεοῖσι κτείνῃς ἠὲ δόλῳ ἢ ἀμφαδόν· οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ νηπιάας ὀχέειν, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι τηλίκος ἐσσι. ἢ οὐκ ἀίεις οἷον κλέος ἔλλαβε δῖος Ὀρέστης πάντας ἐπ᾿ ἀνθρώπους, ἐπεὶ ἔκτανε πατροφονῆα, 300Αἴγισθον δολόμητιν, ὅ οἱ πατέρα κλυτὸν ἔκτα; καὶ σύ, φίλος, μάλα γάρ σ᾿ ὁρόω καλόν τε μέγαν τε, ἄλκιμος ἔσσ᾿, ἵνα τίς σε καὶ ὀψιγόνων ἐὺ εἴπῃ. αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν κατελεύσομαι ἤδη ἠδ᾿ ἑτάρους, οἵ πού με μάλ᾿ ἀσχαλόωσι μένοντες· 305σοὶ δ᾿ αὐτῷ μελέτω, καὶ ἐμῶν ἐμπάζεο μύθων.”

book 1 Then, stirred to anger, Pallas Athene spoke to him: “Ah, me! You have indeed bitter need of Odysseus who is gone, that he might lay his hands upon the shameless suitors. Would that he might come now and take his stand at the outer gate of the house, with helmet and shield and two spears, such a man as he was when I first saw him in our house drinking and making merry, on his way back from Ephyre, from the house of Ilus, son of Mermerus. For thither, too, went Odysseus in his swift ship in search of a deadly drug, that he might have it to smear his bronzetipped arrows with; yet Ιlus did not give it to him, for he stood in awe of the gods that are forever; but my father gave it, for he was terribly fond of him. Would, I say, that in such strength Odysseus might come among the suitors; then should they all meet with a swift death and a bitter marriage. Yet this lies on the knees of the gods to be sure, whether he shall return and wreak vengeance in his halls, or whether he shall not; but for yourself, I urge you take thought how you may drive out the suitors from the hall. Come now, give ear, and hearken to my words. Tomorrow call to an assembly the Achaean heroes, and speak your word to all, and let the gods be your witnesses. As for the suitors, tell them to scatter, each to his own; and for your mother, if her heart bids her marry, let her go back to the hall of her powerful father, and there they will prepare a wedding feast, and make ready the gifts in their abundance, all that should go with a well-loved daughter. And to yourself I will give wise counsel, if you will listen. Man with twenty rowers the best ship you have, and go to seek tidings of your father, who has been long gone, in case any mortal may tell you, or you may hear a rumor from Zeus, which oftenest brings tidings to men. First go to Pylos and question noble Nestor, and from there to Sparta to fair-haired Menelaus; for he was the last of the brazen-shirted Achaeans to reach home. If you hear that your father is alive and coming home, then surely, though you are much fflicted, you could endure for another year. But if you hear that he is dead and gone, then return to your own native land and heap up a mound for him, and over it pay funeral rites, sumptuous ones as is due, and give your mother to a husband. Then when you have done all this and brought it to an end, thereafter take thought in mind and heart how you may slay the suitors in your halls whether by guile or openly; for it does not beseem you to practice childish ways, since you are no longer of such an age. Or have you not heard what fame the noble Orestes won among all mankind when he slew his father’s murderer, the guileful Aegisthus, because he slew his glorious father? You too, my friend, for I see that you are comely and tall, be valiant, that many a one of men yet to be born may praise you. But now I will go down to my swift ship and my comrades, who, I doubt not, are chafing much at waiting for me. For yourself, give heed and have regard to my words.”

τοῖσι δ᾿ ἀοιδὸς ἄειδε περικλυτός, οἱ δὲ σιωπῇ ἥατ᾿ ἀκούοντες· ὁ δ᾿ Ἀχαιῶν νόστον ἄειδε λυγρόν, ὃν ἐκ Τροίης ἐπετείλατο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη. τοῦ δ᾿ ὑπερωιόθεν φρεσὶ σύνθετο θέσπιν ἀοιδὴν κούρη Ἰκαρίοιο, περίφρων Πηνελόπεια· 330κλίμακα δ᾿ ὑψηλὴν κατεβήσετο οἷο δόμοιο, οὐκ οἴη, ἅμα τῇ γε καὶ ἀμφίπολοι δύ᾿ ἕποντο. ἡ δ᾿ ὅτε δὴ μνηστῆρας ἀφίκετο δῖα γυναικῶν, στῆ ῥα παρὰ σταθμὸν τέγεος πύκα ποιητοῖο, ἄντα παρειάων σχομένη λιπαρὰ κρήδεμνα· 335ἀμφίπολος δ᾿ ἄρα οἱ κεδνὴ ἑκάτερθε παρέστη. δακρύσασα δ᾿ ἔπειτα προσηύδα θεῖον ἀοιδόν·

“Φήμιε, πολλὰ γὰρ ἄλλα βροτῶν θελκτήρια οἶδας, ἔργ᾿ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε, τά τε κλείουσιν ἀοιδοί· τῶν ἕν γέ σφιν ἄειδε παρήμενος, οἱ δὲ σιωπῇ 340οἶνον πινόντων· ταύτης δ᾿ ἀποπαύε᾿ ἀοιδῆς λυγρῆς, ἥ τέ μοι αἰεὶ ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλον κῆρ τείρει, ἐπεί με μάλιστα καθίκετο πένθος ἄλαστον. τοίην γὰρ κεφαλὴν ποθέω μεμνημένη αἰεί,ἀνδρός, τοῦ κλέος εὐρὺ καθ᾿ Ἑλλάδα καὶ μέσον Ἄργος.”

book 1 For them the famous minstrel was singing, and they sat in silence, listening; and he sang of the return of the Achaeans—the woeful return from Troy which Pallas Athene laid upon them. And from her upper chamber the daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, heard his wonderful song, and she went down the high stairway from her chamber, not alone, for two handmaids attended her. Now when the fair lady had come to the suitors, she stood by the doorpost of the well-built hall, holding before her face her shining veil; and a faithful handmaid stood on either side of her. Then, as the tears filled her eyes, she spoke to the divine minstrel:

“Phemius, many other things you know to charm mortals, deeds of men and gods which minstrels make famous. Sing them one of these, as you sit here, and let them drink their wine in silence. But cease from this woeful song which always harrows the heart in my breast, for upon me above all women has come a sorrow not to be forgotten. So dear a face do I always remember with longing, my husband’s, whose fame is wide through Hellas and mid- Argos.”

ἔνθ᾿ ἔβη εἰς εὐνὴν πολλὰ φρεσὶ μερμηρίζων. τῷ δ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἅμ᾿ αἰθομένας δαΐδας φέρε κεδνὰ ἰδυῖα Εὐρύκλει᾿, Ὦπος θυγάτηρ Πεισηνορίδαο, 430τήν ποτε Λαέρτης πρίατο κτεάτεσσιν ἑοῖσιν πρωθήβην ἔτ᾿ ἐοῦσαν, ἐεικοσάβοια δ᾿ ἔδωκεν, ἶσα δέ μιν κεδνῇ ἀλόχῳ τίεν ἐν μεγάροισιν, εὐνῇ δ᾿ οὔ ποτ᾿ ἔμικτο, χόλον δ᾿ ἀλέεινε γυναικός· ἥ οἱ ἅμ᾿ αἰθομένας δαΐδας φέρε, καί ἑ μάλιστα 435δμῳάων φιλέεσκε, καὶ ἔτρεφε τυτθὸν ἐόντα. ὤιξεν δὲ θύρας θαλάμου πύκα ποιητοῖο, ἕζετο δ᾿ ἐν λέκτρῳ, μαλακὸν δ᾿ ἔκδυνε χιτῶνα· καὶ τὸν μὲν γραίης πυκιμηδέος ἔμβαλε χερσίν. ἡ μὲν τὸν πτύξασα καὶ ἀσκήσασα χιτῶνα, 440πασσάλῳ ἀγκρεμάσασα παρὰ τρητοῖσι λέχεσσι βῆ ῥ᾿ ἴμεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο, θύρην δ᾿ ἐπέρυσσε κορώνῃ ἀργυρέῃ, ἐπὶ δὲ κληῖδ᾿ ἐτάνυσσεν ἱμάντι. ἔνθ᾿ ὅ γε παννύχιος, κεκαλυμμένος οἰὸς ἀώτῳ, βούλευε φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ὁδὸν τὴν πέφραδ᾿ Ἀθήνη.

book 1 there he went to his bed, pondering many things in his mind; and with him, bearing blazing torches, went true-hearted Eurycleia, daughter of Ops, son of Peisenor. Her long ago Laertes had bought with his wealth, when she was in her first youth, and gave for her the price of twenty oxen; and he honored her even as he honored his faithful wife in his halls, but he never lay with her in love, for he avoided the wrath of his wife. She it was who bore for Telemachus the blazing torches; for she of all the handmaids loved him most, and had nursed him when he was a child. He opened the doors of the well-built chamber, sat down on the bed, and took off his soft tunic and laid it in the wise old woman’s hands. And she folded and smoothed the tunic and hung it on a peg beside the corded bedstead, and then went forth from the chamber, drawing the door to by its silver handle, and driving the bolt home with the thong. So there, the night through, wrapped in a fleece of wool, he pondered in his mind the journey that Athene had shown him.

Ἦμος δ᾿ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς, ὤρνυτ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἐξ εὐνῆφιν Ὀδυσσῆος φίλος υἱὸς εἵματα ἑσσάμενος, περὶ δὲ ξίφος ὀξὺ θέτ᾿ ὤμῳ, ποσσὶ δ᾿ ὑπὸ λιπαροῖσιν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα, 5βῆ δ᾿ ἴμεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο θεῷ ἐναλίγκιος ἄντην. αἶψα δὲ κηρύκεσσι λιγυφθόγγοισι κέλευσε κηρύσσειν ἀγορήνδε κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιούς. οἱ μὲν ἐκήρυσσον, τοὶ δ᾿ ἠγείροντο μάλ᾿ ὦκα. αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ᾿ ἤγερθεν ὁμηγερέες τ᾿ ἐγένοντο, 10βῆ ῥ᾿ ἴμεν εἰς ἀγορήν, παλάμῃ δ᾿ ἔχε χάλκεον ἔγχος, οὐκ οἶος, ἅμα τῷ γε δύω κύνες¹ ἀργοὶ ἕποντο. θεσπεσίην δ᾿ ἄρα τῷ γε χάριν κατέχευεν Ἀθήνη. τὸν δ᾿ ἄρα πάντες λαοὶ ἐπερχόμενον θηεῦντο· ἕζετο δ᾿ ἐν πατρὸς θώκῳ, εἶξαν δὲ γέροντες.

book 2 As soon as early Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered, up from his bed rose the staunch son of Odysseus and put on his clothing. About his shoulder he slung his sharp sword, and beneath his shining feet bound his fair sandals, and went forth from his chamber like a god to look upon. At once he bade the clear-voiced heralds to summon to the assembly the long-haired Achaeans. And the heralds made the summons, and the Achaeans assembled quickly. Now when they were assembled and met together, Telemachus went his way, holding in his hand a spear of bronze—not alone, for along with him two swift dogs followed; and wondrous was the grace that Athene shed upon him, and all the people marveled at him as he came. He sat down in his father’s seat, and the elders gave place.

τοῖσι δ᾿ ἔπειθ᾿ ἥρως Αἰγύπτιος ἦρχ᾿ ἀγορεύειν, ὃς δὴ γήραϊ κυφὸς ἔην καὶ μυρία ᾔδη. καὶ γὰρ τοῦ φίλος υἱὸς ἅμ᾿ ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆι Ἴλιον εἰς ἐύπωλον ἔβη κοίλῃς ἐνὶ νηυσίν, Ἄντιφος αἰχμητής· τὸν δ᾿ ἄγριος ἔκτανε Κύκλωψ 20ἐν σπῆι γλαφυρῷ, πύματον δ᾿ ὡπλίσσατο δόρπον. τρεῖς δέ οἱ ἄλλοι ἔσαν, καὶ ὁ μὲν μνηστῆρσιν ὁμίλει, Εὐρύνομος, δύο δ᾿ αἰὲν² ἔχον πατρώια ἔργα. ἀλλ᾿ οὐδ᾿ ὣς τοῦ λήθετ᾿ ὀδυρόμενος καὶ ἀχεύων. τοῦ ὅ γε δάκρυ χέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπε·

25“κέκλυτε δὴ νῦν μευ, Ἰθακήσιοι, ὅττι κεν εἴπω· οὔτε ποθ᾿ ἡμετέρη ἀγορὴ γένετ᾿ οὔτε θόωκος ἐξ οὗ Ὀδυσσεὺς δῖος ἔβη κοίλῃς ἐνὶ νηυσί. νῦν δὲ τίς ὧδ᾿ ἤγειρε; τίνα χρειὼ τόσον ἵκει ἠὲ νέων ἀνδρῶν ἢ οἳ προγενέστεροί εἰσιν; 30ἠέ τιν᾿ ἀγγελίην στρατοῦ ἔκλυεν ἐρχομένοιο, ἥν χ᾿ ἡμῖν σάφα εἴποι, ὅτε πρότερός γε πύθοιτο; ἦέ τι δήμιον ἄλλο πιφαύσκεται ἠδ᾿ ἀγορεύει; ἐσθλός μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι, ὀνήμενος. εἴθε οἱ αὐτῷ Ζεὺς ἀγαθὸν τελέσειεν, ὅ τι φρεσὶν ᾗσι μενοινᾷ.”

book 2 Then among them the hero Aegyptius was the first to speak, a man bowed with age and wise with wisdom untold. Now he spoke, because his dear son, the spearman Antiphus, had gone in the hollow ships to Ilium, famed for its horses, in the company of godlike Odysseus. But him the savage Cyclops had slain in his hollow cave, and made of him his latest meal. Three others there were; one, Eurynomus, consorted with the suitors, and two continued to keep their father’s farm. Yet even so, he could not forget that other, mourning and sorrowing; and weeping for him he addressed the assembly, and spoke among them:

“Hearken now to me, men of Ithaca, to the word that I shall say. Never have we held assembly or session since the day when noble Odysseus departed in the hollow ships. And now who has called us together? On whom has such need come either among the young men or among those who are older? Has he heard some tidings of the army’s return, of which he might give us a sure report, having been the first to learn of it? Or is there some other public matter on which he is to speak and address us? A good man he seems in my eyes, a blessed man. May Zeus fulfill for him some good, whatsoever he desires in his heart.”

“ὦ γέρον, οὐχ ἑκὰς οὗτος ἀνήρ, τάχα δ᾿ εἴσεαι αὐτός, ὃς λαὸν ἤγειρα· μάλιστα δέ μ᾿ ἄλγος ἱκάνει. οὔτε τιν᾿ ἀγγελίην στρατοῦ ἔκλυον ἐρχομένοιο, ἥν χ᾿ ὑμῖν σάφα εἴπω, ὅτε πρότερός γε πυθοίμην, οὔτε τι δήμιον ἄλλο πιφαύσκομαι οὐδ᾿ ἀγορεύω, 45ἀλλ᾿ ἐμὸν αὐτοῦ χρεῖος, ὅ μοι κακὰ ἔμπεσεν οἴκῳ δοιά· τὸ μὲν πατέρ᾿ ἐσθλὸν ἀπώλεσα, ὅς ποτ᾿ ἐν ὑμῖν οίσδεσσιν βασίλευε, πατὴρ δ᾿ ὣς ἤπιος ἦεν· νῦν δ᾿ αὖ καὶ πολὺ μεῖζον, ὃ δὴ τάχα οἶκον ἅπαντα πάγχυ διαρραίσει, βίοτον δ᾿ ἀπὸ πάμπαν ὀλέσσει. 50μητέρι μοι μνηστῆρες ἐπέχραον οὐκ ἐθελούσῃ, τῶν ἀνδρῶν φίλοι υἷες, οἳ ἐνθάδε γ᾿ εἰσὶν ἄριστοι, οἳ πατρὸς μὲν ἐς οἶκον ἀπερρίγασι νέεσθαι Ἰκαρίου, ὥς κ᾿ αὐτὸς ἐεδνώσαιτο θύγατρα, δοίη δ᾿ ᾧ κ᾿ ἐθέλοι καί οἱ κεχαρισμένος ἔλθοι· 55οἱ δ᾿ εἰς ἡμέτερον πωλεύμενοι ἤματα πάντα, βοῦς ἱερεύοντες καὶ ὄις καὶ πίονας αἶγας εἰλαπινάζουσιν πίνουσί τε αἴθοπα οἶνον μαψιδίως· τὰ δὲ πολλὰ κατάνεται. οὐ γὰρ ἔπ᾿ ἀνήρ, οἷος Ὀδυσσεὺς ἔσκεν, ἀρὴν ἀπὸ οἴκου ἀμῦναι. 60ἡμεῖς δ᾿ οὔ νύ τι τοῖοι ἀμυνέμεν· ἦ καὶ ἔπειτα λευγαλέοι τ᾿ ἐσόμεσθα καὶ οὐ δεδαηκότες ἀλκήν. ἦ τ᾿ ἂν ἀμυναίμην, εἴ μοι δύναμίς γε παρείη. οὐ γὰρ ἔτ᾿ ἀνσχετὰ ἔργα τετεύχαται, οὐδ᾿ ἔτι καλῶς οἶκος ἐμὸς διόλωλε. νεμεσσήθητε καὶ αὐτοί, 65ἄλλους τ᾿ αἰδέσθητε περικτίονας ἀνθρώπους, οἳ περιναιετάουσι· θεῶν δ᾿ ὑποδείσατε μῆνιν, μή τι μεταστρέψωσιν ἀγασσάμενοι κακὰ ἔργα. λίσσομαι ἠμὲν Ζηνὸς Ὀλυμπίου ἠδὲ Θέμιστος, ἥ τ᾿ ἀνδρῶν ἀγορὰς ἠμὲν λύει ἠδὲ καθίζει· 70σχέσθε, φίλοι, καί μ᾿ οἶον ἐάσατε πένθεϊ λυγρῷ τείρεσθ᾿, εἰ μή πού τι πατὴρ ἐμὸς ἐσθλὸς Ὀδυσσεὺς δυσμενέων κάκ᾿ ἔρεξεν ἐυκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς, τῶν μ᾿ ἀποτινύμενοι κακὰ ῥέζετε δυσμενέοντες, τούτους ὀτρύνοντες. ἐμοὶ δέ κε κέρδιον εἴη ὑμέας ἐσθέμεναι κειμήλιά τε πρόβασίν τε. εἴ χ᾿ ὑμεῖς γε φάγοιτε, τάχ᾿ ἄν ποτε καὶ τίσις εἴη· τόφρα γὰρ ἂν κατὰ ἄστυ ποτιπτυσσοίμεθα μύθῳ χρήματ᾿ ἀπαιτίζοντες, ἕως κ᾿ ἀπὸ πάντα δοθείη· νῦν δέ μοι ἀπρήκτους ὀδύνας ἐμβάλλετε θυμῷ.”

book 2 “Old man, not far off, as you shall soon learn yourself, is that man who has called the host together—even I; for on me above all others has sorrow come. I have neither heard any tidings of the army’s return, of which I might give you a sure report, having been the first to learn of it, nor is there any other public matter on which I am to speak and address you. No, it is my own need, seeing that evil has fallen upon my house in a double form. First, I have lost my noble father who was once king among you here, and was gentle as a father; and now there has come a far greater evil, which will presently altogether destroy my house and ruin all my livelihood. Upon my mother suitors have fastened against her will, own sons of those men who are here the noblest. They shrink from going to the house of her father, Icarius, that he may himself see to his daughter’s bride-gifts, and give her to whom he will, that is, to him who meets his favor; instead, thronging our house day after day they slay our oxen and sheep and fat goats, and keep revel, and drink the sparkling wine recklessly; the larger part of our substance is already gone. For there is no man here, such as Odysseus was, to ward off ruin from the house. We ourselves in no way have the strength for it: in the event we would only prove how feeble we are and how ignorant of battle. Yet truly I would defend myself, if I had but the power; for now deeds past all enduring have been done, and my house has been destroyed beyond all show of fairness. Be ashamed yourselves, and feel shame before your neighbors who dwell round about, and fear the wrath of the gods, lest it happen that they turn against you in anger at evil deeds. I pray you by Olympian Zeus and by Themis who dissolves and gathers the assemblies of men, stop this, my fellow Ithacans, and leave me alone to pine in bitter grief—unless indeed my father, noble Odysseus, in his hostility did evil to the well-greaved Achaeans, in requital whereof you do me evil in your hostility, urging these suitors on. For me it would be better that you should yourselves eat up my treasures and my flocks. If you were to devour them, some day there might be recompense; we should go up and down the city pressing our suit and asking back our goods, until all was given back. But now past cure are the woes you put upon my heart.”

Τηλέμαχ᾿ ὑψαγόρη, μένος ἄσχετε, ποῖον ἔειπες ἡμέας αἰσχύνων· ἐθέλοις δέ κε μῶμον ἀνάψαι. σοὶ δ᾿ οὔ τι μνηστῆρες Ἀχαιῶν αἴτιοί εἰσιν, ἀλλὰ φίλη μήτηρ, ἥ τοι πέρι κέρδεα οἶδεν. ἤδη γὰρ τρίτον ἐστὶν ἔτος, τάχα δ᾿ εἶσι τέταρτον, 90ἐξ οὗ ἀτέμβει θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν. πάντας μέν ῥ᾿ ἔλπει καὶ ὑπίσχεται ἀνδρὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀγγελίας προϊεῖσα, νόος δέ οἱ ἄλλα μενοινᾷ. ἡ δὲ δόλον τόνδ᾿ ἄλλον ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μερμήριξε· στησαμένη μέγαν ἱστὸν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ὕφαινε, 95λεπτὸν καὶ περίμετρον· ἄφαρ δ᾿ ἡμῖν μετέειπε·

“‘κοῦροι ἐμοὶ μνηστῆρες, ἐπεὶ θάνε δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς, μίμνετ᾿ ἐπειγόμενοι τὸν ἐμὸν γάμον, εἰς ὅ κε φᾶρος ἐκτελέσω, μή μοι μεταμώνια νήματ᾿ ὄληται, Λαέρτῃ ἥρωι ταφήιον, εἰς ὅτε κέν μιν 100μοῖρ᾿ ὀλοὴ καθέλῃσι τανηλεγέος θανάτοιο, μή τίς μοι κατὰ δῆμον Ἀχαιιάδων νεμεσήσῃ, αἴ κεν ἄτερ σπείρου κεῖται πολλὰ κτεατίσσας.’

“ὣς ἔφαθ᾿, ἡμῖν δ᾿ αὖτ᾿ ἐπεπείθετο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ. ἔνθα καὶ ἠματίη μὲν ὑφαίνεσκεν μέγαν ἱστόν, 105νύκτας δ᾿ ἀλλύεσκεν, ἐπεὶ δαΐδας παραθεῖτο. ὣς τρίετες μὲν ἔληθε δόλῳ καὶ ἔπειθεν Ἀχαιούς· ἀλλ᾿ ὅτε τέτρατον ἦλθεν ἔτος καὶ ἐπήλυθον ὧραι, καὶ τότε δή τις ἔειπε γυναικῶν, ἣ σάφα ᾔδη, καὶ τήν γ᾿ ἀλλύουσαν ἐφεύρομεν ἀγλαὸν ἱστόν. 110ὣς τὸ μὲν ἐξετέλεσσε καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλουσ᾿ ὑπ᾿ ἀνάγκης· σοὶ δ᾿ ὧδε μνηστῆρες ὑποκρίνονται, ἵν᾿ εἰδῇς αὐτὸς σῷ θυμῷ, εἰδῶσι δὲ πάντες Ἀχαιοί· μητέρα σὴν ἀπόπεμψον, ἄνωχθι δέ μιν γαμέεσθαι τῷ ὅτεῴ τε πατὴρ κέλεται καὶ ἁνδάνει αὐτῇ. 115εἰ δ᾿ ἔτ᾿ ἀνιήσει γε πολὺν χρόνον υἷας Ἀχαιῶν, τὰ φρονέουσ᾿ ἀνὰ θυμόν, ἅ οἱ πέρι δῶκεν Ἀθήνη ἔργα τ᾿ ἐπίστασθαι περικαλλέα καὶ φρένας ἐσθλὰς κέρδεά θ᾿, οἷ᾿ οὔ πώ τιν᾿ ἀκούομεν οὐδὲ παλαιῶν, τάων αἳ πάρος ἦσαν ἐυπλοκαμῖδες Ἀχαιαί, 120Τυρώ τ᾿ Ἀλκμήνη τε ἐυστέφανός τε Μυκήνη· τάων οὔ τις ὁμοῖα νοήματα Πηνελοπείῃ ᾔδη· ἀτὰρ μὲν τοῦτό γ᾿ ἐναίσιμον οὐκ ἐνόησε. τόφρα γὰρ οὖν βίοτόν τε τεὸν καὶ κτήματ᾿ ἔδονται, ὄφρα κε κείνη τοῦτον ἔχῃ νόον, ὅν τινά οἱ νῦν 125ἐν στήθεσσι τιθεῖσι θεοί. μέγα μὲν κλέος αὐτῇ ποιεῖτ᾿, αὐτὰρ σοί γε ποθὴν πολέος βιότοιο. ἡμεῖς δ᾿ οὔτ᾿ ἐπὶ ἔργα πάρος γ᾿ ἴμεν οὔτε πῃ ἄλλῃ, πρίν γ᾿ αὐτὴν γήμασθαι Ἀχαιῶν ᾧ κ᾿ ἐθέλῃσι.”

book 2 “Telemachus, lofty orator, dauntless of spirit, what a thing you have said, putting us to shame; you would like to fasten the blame upon us! But it is not the Achaean suitors who are in any way at fault; it is your own mother, who is clever above all women. For it is now the third year, and the fourth will soon pass, since she has been cheating the hearts of the Achaeans in their breasts. To all she offers hopes, and has promises for each man, sending them messages, but her mind is set on other things. And she contrived in her heart this guileful thing also: she set up in her halls a great web, and fell to weaving—fine of thread was the web and very wide; and at once she spoke among us:

“‘Young men, my suitors, since noble Odysseus is dead, be patient, though eager for my marriage, until I finish this robe—I would not have my spinning come to naught—a shroud for the hero Laertes, against the time when the cruel fate of pitiless death shall strike him down; for fear any of the Achaean women in the land should cast blame upon me, if he were to lie without a shroud who had won great possessions.’

“So she spoke, and our proud hearts consented. Then day by day she would weave at the great web, but by night would unravel it, having had torches placed beside her. Thus for three years she by her craft kept the Achaeans from knowing, and beguiled them; but when the fourth year came as the seasons rolled on, then it was that one of her women, who knew all, told us, and we caught her unraveling the splendid web. So she finished it against her will, perforce. And here is the suitors’ answer to you, that you yourself may know it in your heart, and that all the Achaeans may know: send away your mother, and command her to wed whomever her father bids and whoever is pleasing to her. But if she shall continue for long to vex the sons of the Achaeans, possessing in her mind those advantages with which Athene has endowed her above other women, knowledge of beautiful handiwork, and good sense, and cleverness, such as we have never yet heard that any of the women of old knew, those fair-tressed Achaean women who lived long ago, Tyro and Alcmene and Mycene of the fair crown—of whom not one was like Penelope in shrewd device; yet this at least she devised improperly. For so long shall men devour your livelihood and your possessions, as long, that is, as she shall keep the counsel which the gods now put in her heart. Great fame she wins for herself, but for you regret for your abundant substance. As for us, we will go neither to our lands nor elsewhere, until she marries that one of the Achaeans whom she will.”

“Τηλέμαχ᾿, οὐδ᾿ ὄπιθεν κακὸς ἔσσεαι οὐδ᾿ ἀνοήμων, εἰ δή τοι σοῦ πατρὸς ἐνέστακται μένος ἠύ, οἷος κεῖνος ἔην τελέσαι ἔργον τε ἔπος τε· οὔ τοι ἔπειθ᾿ ἁλίη ὁδὸς ἔσσεται οὐδ᾿ ἀτέλεστος. εἰ δ᾿ οὐ κείνου γ᾿ ἐσσὶ γόνος καὶ Πηνελοπείης, 275οὐ σέ γ᾿ ἔπειτα ἔολπα τελευτήσειν ἃ μενοινᾷς. παῦροι γάρ τοι παῖδες ὁμοῖοι πατρὶ πέλονται, οἱ πλέονες κακίους, παῦροι δέ τε πατρὸς ἀρείους. ἀλλ᾿ ἐπεὶ οὐδ᾿ ὄπιθεν κακὸς ἔσσεαι οὐδ᾿ ἀνοήμων, οὐδέ σε πάγχυ γε μῆτις Ὀδυσσῆος προλέλοιπεν, 280ἐλπωρή τοι ἔπειτα τελευτῆσαι τάδε ἔργα. τῶ νῦν μνηστήρων μὲν ἔα βουλήν τε νόον τε ἀφραδέων, ἐπεὶ οὔ τι νοήμονες οὐδὲ δίκαιοι· οὐδέ τι ἴσασιν θάνατον καὶ κῆρα μέλαιναν, ὃς δή σφι σχεδόν ἐστιν, ἐπ᾿ ἤματι πάντας ὀλέσθαι. 285σοὶ δ᾿ ὁδὸς οὐκέτι δηρὸν ἀπέσσεται ἣν σὺ μενοινᾷς· τοῖος γάρ τοι ἑταῖρος ἐγὼ πατρώιός εἰμι, ὅς τοι νῆα θοὴν στελέω καὶ ἅμ᾿ ἕψομαι αὐτός. ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν πρὸς δώματ᾿ ἰὼν μνηστῆρσιν ὁμίλει, ὅπλισσόν τ᾿ ἤια καὶ ἄγγεσιν ἄρσον ἅπαντα, 290οἶνον ἐν ἀμφιφορεῦσι, καὶ ἄλφιτα, μυελὸν ἀνδρῶν, δέρμασιν ἐν πυκινοῖσιν· ἐγὼ δ᾿ ἀνὰ δῆμον ἑταίρους αἶψ᾿ ἐθελοντῆρας συλλέξομαι. εἰσὶ δὲ νῆες πολλαὶ ἐν ἀμφιάλῳ Ἰθάκῃ, νέαι ἠδὲ παλαιαί· τάων μέν τοι ἐγὼν ἐπιόψομαι ἥ τις ἀρίστη, 295ὦκα δ᾿ ἐφοπλίσσαντες ἐνήσομεν εὐρέι πόντῳ.”

book 2 “Telemachus, hereafter too you shall not be a base man, or a witless one, if indeed your father’s good courage has been instilled in you, such a man was he to fulfill both deed and word. So then shall this journey of yours be neither vain nor unfulfilled. But if you are not the son of him and of Penelope, then I have no hope that you will accomplish your desire. Few sons indeed are like their fathers; most are worse, and those better than their fathers are few. But since hereafter too you shall not be a base man, or witless, nor has the wisdom of Odysseus wholly failed you, there is good hope that you will accomplish this task. Now therefore put from your mind the suitors’ plans and intentions—fools, for they are in no way either prudent or just, nor are they at all aware of death and black fate, which in truth is near at hand for them, to die all on one day. But for yourself, the journey on which your heart is set shall not be long delayed, so true a friend of your father’s house am I, who will equip for you a swift ship, and myself go with you. But go now to the house and join the company of the suitors; make ready stores, and stow them all in vessels—wine in jars, and barley meal, the marrow of men, in stout skins; meanwhile I, going through the town, will quickly gather a crew of volunteers. And ships there are in abundance in seagirt Ithaca, both new and old; of these will I choose out for you the one that is best, and quickly will we make her ready and launch her on the broad deep.”

ἱστὸν δ᾿ εἰλάτινον κοίλης ἔντοσθε μεσόδμης 425στῆσαν ἀείραντες, κατὰ δὲ προτόνοισιν ἔδησαν, ἕλκον δ᾿ ἱστία λευκὰ ἐυστρέπτοισι βοεῦσιν. ἔπρησεν δ᾿ ἄνεμος μέσον ἱστίον, ἀμφὶ δὲ κῦμα στείρῃ πορφύρεον μεγάλ᾿ ἴαχε νηὸς ἰούσης· ἡ δ᾿ ἔθεεν κατὰ κῦμα διαπρήσσουσα κέλευθον. 430δησάμενοι δ᾿ ἄρα ὅπλα θοὴν ἀνὰ νῆα μέλαιναν στήσαντο κρητῆρας ἐπιστεφέας οἴνοιο, λεῖβον δ᾿ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖς αἰειγενέτῃσιν, ἐκ πάντων δὲ μάλιστα Διὸς γλαυκώπιδι κούρῃ. παννυχίη μέν ῥ᾿ ἥ γε καὶ ἠῶ πεῖρε κέλευθον.

405ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασ᾿ ἡγήσατο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη καρπαλίμως· ὁ δ᾿ ἔπειτα μετ᾿ ἴχνια βαῖνε θεοῖο. αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ᾿ ἐπὶ νῆα κατήλυθον ἠδὲ θάλασσαν, εὗρον ἔπειτ᾿ ἐπὶ θινὶ κάρη κομόωντας ἑταίρους. τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειφ᾿ ἱερὴ ἲς Τηλεμάχοιο·

410“δεῦτε, φίλοι, ἤια φερώμεθα· πάντα γὰρ ἤδη ἁθρό᾿ ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ. μήτηρ δ᾿ ἐμὴ οὔ τι πέπυσται, οὐδ᾿ ἄλλαι δμῳαί, μία δ᾿ οἴη μῦθον ἄκουσεν.”

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἡγήσατο, τοὶ δ᾿ ἅμ᾿ ἕποντο. οἱ δ᾿ ἄρα πάντα φέροντες ἐυσσέλμῳ ἐπὶ νηὶ 415κάτθεσαν, ὡς ἐκέλευσεν Ὀδυσσῆος φίλος υἱός. ἂν δ᾿ ἄρα Τηλέμαχος νηὸς βαῖν᾿, ἦρχε δ᾿ Ἀθήνη, νηὶ δ᾿ ἐνὶ πρυμνῇ κατ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἕζετο· ἄγχι δ᾿ ἄρ᾿ αὐτῆς ἕζετο Τηλέμαχος. τοὶ δὲ πρυμνήσι᾿ ἔλυσαν, ἂν δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ βάντες ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον. 420τοῖσιν δ᾿ ἴκμενον οὖρον ἵει γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη, ἀκραῆ Ζέφυρον, κελάδοντ᾿ ἐπὶ οἴνοπα πόντον. Τηλέμαχος δ᾿ ἑτάροισιν ἐποτρύνας ἐκέλευσεν ὅπλων ἅπτεσθαι· τοὶ δ᾿ ὀτρύνοντος ἄκουσαν.

book 2 So saying, Pallas Athene led the way quickly, and he followed in the footsteps of the goddess. And now, when they had come down to the ship and to the sea, they found on shore their long-haired comrades, and the sacred strength³ of Telemachus spoke among them:

“Come, friends, let us fetch the stores, for all are now gathered together in the hall. My mother knows nothing of this, nor the handmaids either: one only heard my word.”

Thus saying, he led the way, and they went along with him. So they brought and stowed everything in the well-benched ship, as the staunch son of Odysseus ordered. Then on board the ship stepped Telemachus, and Athene went before him and sat down in the stern of the ship, and near her sat Telemachus, while the men loosed the stern cables and themselves stepped on board, and sat down upon the benches. And flashing-eyed Athene sent them a favorable wind, a strong-blowing West Wind that sang over the wine-dark sea. And Telemachus called to his men, and told them to lay hold of the tackling, and they hearkened to his call. The mast of fir they raised and set in the hollow socket, and made it fast with forestays, and hauled up the white sail with twisted thongs of oxhide. So the wind filled the belly of the sail, and the dark wave sang loudly about the stem of the ship as she went, and she sped over the wave accomplishing her way. Then, when they had made the tackling fast in the swift black ship, they set forth bowls brimful of wine, and poured libations to the immortal gods that are forever, and chiefest of all to the flashing-eyed daughter of Zeus. So all night long and through the dawn the ship cleft her way.

Μῆνιν ἄειδε, θεά, Πηληιάδεω Ἀχιλῆος1 οὐλομένην, ἣ μυρί᾿ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε᾿ ἔθηκε, πολλὰς δ᾿ ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄϊδι προΐαψεν ἡρώων, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν2 5οἰωνοῖσί τε πᾶσι,3 Διὸς δ᾿ ἐτελείετο βουλή, ἐξ οὗ δὴ τὰ πρῶτα διαστήτην ἐρίσαντε Ἀτρεΐδης τε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν καὶ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.

Τίς τ᾿ ἄρ σφωε θεῶν ἔριδι ξυνέηκε μάχεσθαι; Λητοῦς καὶ Διὸς υἱός· ὁ γὰρ βασιλῆι χολωθεὶς 10νοῦσον ἀνὰ στρατὸν ὦρσε κακήν, ὀλέκοντο δὲ λαοί, οὕνεκα τὸν Χρύσην ἠτίμασεν ἀρητῆρα Ἀτρεΐδης· ὁ γὰρ ἦλθε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν λυσόμενός τε θύγατρα φέρων τ᾿ ἀπερείσι᾿ ἄποινα, στέμματ᾿ ἔχων ἐν χερσὶν ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος 15χρυσέῳ ἀνὰ σκήπτρῳ, καὶ λίσσετο πάντας Ἀχαιούς, Ἀτρεΐδα δὲ μάλιστα δύω, κοσμήτορε λαῶν·

Book 1 The wrath sing, goddess, of Peleus’ son Achilles, the accursed wrath which brought countless sorrows upon the Achaeans, and sent down to Hades many valiant souls of warriors, and made the men themselves to be the spoil for dogs and birds of every kind; and thus the will of Zeus was brought to fulfillment. Of this sing from the time when first there parted in strife Atreus’ son, lord of men, and noble Achilles.

Who then of the gods was it that brought these two together to contend? The son of Leto and Zeus; for he, angered at the king, roused throughout the army an evil pestilence, and the men were perishing, because to Chryses his priest the son of Atreus had done dishonor. For he had come to the swift ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter and he brought with him ransom past counting; and in his hands he held the ribbons of Apollo, who strikes from afar, on a staff of gold, and he implored all the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus, the marshalers of armies:

“Ἀτρεΐδαι τε καὶ ἄλλοι ἐυκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί, ὑμῖν μὲν θεοὶ δοῖεν Ὀλύμπια δώματ᾿ ἔχοντες ἐκπέρσαι Πριάμοιο πόλιν, ἐὺ δ᾿ οἴκαδ᾿ ἱκέσθαι· 20παῖδα δ᾿ ἐμοὶ λύσαιτε φίλην, τὰ δ᾿ ἄποινα δέχεσθαι, ἁζόμενοι Διὸς υἱὸν ἑκηβόλον Ἀπόλλωνα.”

Ἔνθ᾿ ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες ἐπευφήμησαν Ἀχαιοὶ αἰδεῖσθαί θ᾿ ἱερῆα καὶ ἀγλαὰ δέχθαι ἄποινα· ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ἥνδανε θυμῷ, 25ἀλλὰ κακῶς ἀφίει, κρατερὸν δ᾿ ἐπὶ μῦθον ἔτελλε· “μή σε, γέρον, κοίλῃσιν ἐγὼ παρὰ νηυσὶ κιχείω ἢ νῦν δηθύνοντ᾿ ἢ ὕστερον αὖτις ἰόντα, μή νύ τοι οὐ χραίσμῃ σκῆπτρον καὶ στέμμα θεοῖο. τὴν δ᾿ ἐγὼ οὐ λύσω· πρίν μιν καὶ γῆρας ἔπεισιν⁴ 30ἡμετέρῳ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ, ἐν Ἄργεϊ, τηλόθι πάτρης, ἱστὸν ἐποιχομένην καὶ ἐμὸν λέχος ἀντιόωσαν· ἀλλ᾿ ἴθι, μή μ᾿ ἐρέθιζε, σαώτερος ὥς κε νέηαι.”

Book 1 Sons of Atreus, and you other well- greaved Achaeans, to you may the gods who have dwellings on Olympus grant that you sack the city of Priam, and return home safely; but set my dear child free for me, and accept the ransom in reverence for the son of Zeus, Apollo, who strikes from afar.”

Then all the rest of the Achaeans shouted their agreement, to respect the priest and accept the glorious ransom; yet this did not please the heart of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, but he sent him away harshly, and laid on him a stern command: “Let me not find you, old man, by the hollow ships, either loitering now or coming back later, for fear your staff and the god’s ribbon not protect you. But her I will not set free; before that, old age will come on her in our house, in Argos, far from her country, as she walks back and forth in front of the loom and shares my bed. But go; do not anger me, so that you may go the safer.”

Ὣς ἔφατ᾿, ἔδδεισεν δ᾿ ὁ γέρων καὶ ἐπείθετο μύθῳ· βῆ δ᾿ ἀκέων5 παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης· 35πολλὰ δ᾿ ἔπειτ᾿ ἀπάνευθε κιὼν ἠρᾶθ᾿ ὁ γεραιὸς Ἀπόλλωνι ἄνακτι, τὸν ἠύκομος τέκε Λητώ· “κλῦθί μευ, ἀργυρότοξ᾿, ὃς Χρύσην ἀμφιβέβηκας Κίλλαν τε ζαθέην Τενέδοιό τε ἶφι ἀνάσσεις, Σμινθεῦ, εἴ ποτέ τοι χαρίεντ᾿ ἐπὶ νηὸν ἔρεψα, 40ἢ εἰ δή ποτέ τοι κατὰ πίονα μηρί᾿ ἔκηα ταύρων ἠδ᾿ αἰγῶν, τόδε μοι κρήηνον ἐέλδωρ· τίσειαν Δαναοὶ ἐμὰ δάκρυα σοῖσι βέλεσσιν.”

Ὣς ἔφατ᾿ εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δ᾿ ἔκλυε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλ- λων, βῆ δὲ κατ᾿ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων χωόμενος κῆρ, 45τόξ᾿ ὤμοισιν ἔχων ἀμφηρεφέα τε φαρέτρην. ἔκλαγξαν δ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ὀιστοὶ ἐπ᾿ ὤμων χωομένοιο,⁶ αὐτοῦ κινηθέντος. ὁ δ᾿ ἤιε νυκτὶ ἐοικώς.⁷ ἕζετ᾿ ἔπειτ᾿ ἀπάνευθε νεῶν, μετὰ δ᾿ ἰὸν ἕηκε· δεινὴ δὲ κλαγγὴ γένετ᾿ ἀργυρέοιο βιοῖο. 50οὐρῆας μὲν πρῶτον ἐπῴχετο καὶ κύνας ἀργούς, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ᾿ αὐτοῖσι βέλος ἐχεπευκὲς ἐφιεὶς βάλλ᾿· αἰεὶ δὲ πυραὶ νεκύων καίοντο θαμειαί.

Book 1 So he spoke, and the old man was seized with fear and obeyed his words. He went in silence along the shore of the loud-resounding sea; and then, when he had gone apart, the old man prayed earnestly to the lord Apollo, whom fair-haired Leto bore: “Hear me, you of the silver bow, who have under your protection Chryse and sacred Cilla, and who rule mightily over Tenedos, Smintheus, if ever I roofed over a pleasing shrine for you, or if ever I burned to you fat thigh pieces of bulls or goats, fulfill for me this wish: let the Danaans pay for my tears by your arrows.”

So he spoke in prayer, and Phoebus Apollo heard him.Down from the peaks of Olympus he strode, angry at heart, with his bow and covered quiver on his shoulders. The arrows rattled on the shoulders of the angry god as he moved; and his coming was like the night. Then he sat down apart from the ships and let fly an arrow; terrible was the twang of the silver bow. The mules he attacked first and the swift dogs, but then on the men themselves he let fly his stinging arrows, and struck; and ever did the pyres of the dead burn thick.

Ἐννῆμαρ μὲν ἀνὰ στρατὸν ᾤχετο κῆλα θεοῖο, τῇ δεκάτῃ δ᾿ ἀγορήνδε καλέσσατο λαὸν Ἀχιλλεύς· 55τῷ γὰρ ἐπὶ φρεσὶ θῆκε θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη· κήδετο γὰρ Δαναῶν, ὅτι ῥα θνῄσκοντας ὁρᾶτο. οἱ δ᾿ ἐπεὶ οὖν ἤγερθεν ὁμηγερέες τ᾿ ἐγένοντο, τοῖσι δ᾿ ἀνιστάμενος μετέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς· “Ἀτρεΐδη, νῦν ἄμμε παλιμπλαγχθέντας ὀίω 60ἂψ ἀπονοστήσειν, εἴ κεν θάνατόν γε φύγοιμεν, εἰ δὴ ὀμοῦ πόλεμός τε δαμᾷ καὶ λοιμὸς Ἀχαιούς. ἀλλ᾿ ἄγε δή τινα μάντιν ἐρείομεν ἢ ἱερῆα, ἢ καὶ ὀνειροπόλον, καὶ γάρ τ᾿ ὄναρ ἐκ Διός ἐστιν,⁸ ὅς κ᾿ εἴποι ὅ τι τόσσον ἐχώσατο Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων, 65εἴτ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ὅ γ᾿ εὐχωλῆς ἐπιμέμφεται εἴθ᾿ ἑκατόμβης, αἴ κέν πως ἀρνῶν κνίσης αἰγῶν τε τελείων βούλεται ἀντιάσας ἡμῖν ἀπὸ λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι.”

Book 1 For nine days the missiles of the god ranged through the army, but on the tenth Achilles called the army to the place of assembly, for the goddess, white-armed Hera, had put it in his heart; for she pitied the Danaans because she saw them dying. So, when they were assembled and met together, among them rose and spoke Achilles, swift of foot: “Son of Atreus, now I think we shall be driven back and return home, our plans thwarted—if we should escape death, that is—if indeed war and pestilence alike are to subdue the Achaeans. But come, let us ask some seer or priest, or some reader of dreams—for a dream too is from Zeus—who might tell us why Phoebus Apollo has conceived such anger, whether it is because of a vow that he blames us, or a hecatomb; in the hope that perhaps he may accept the savor of lambs and unblemished goats, and be minded to ward off destruction from us.”

Ἦ τοι ὅ γ᾿ ὣς εἰπὼν κατ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἕζετο· τοῖσι δ᾿ ἀνέστη ἥρως Ἀτρεΐδης εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων ἀχνύμενος· μένεος δὲ μέγα φρένες ἀμφὶ μέλαιναι πίμπλαντ᾿, ὄσσε δέ οἱ πυρὶ λαμπετόωντι ἐίκτην. 105Κάλχαντα πρώτιστα κάκ᾿ ὀσσόμενος προσέειπε· “μάντι κακῶν, οὐ πώ ποτέ μοι τὸ κρήγυον εἶπας· αἰεί τοι τὰ κάκ᾿ ἐστὶ φίλα φρεσὶ μαντεύεσθαι, ἐσθλὸν δ᾿ οὔτε τί πω εἶπας ἔπος οὔτ᾿ ἐτέλεσσας. καὶ νῦν ἐν Δαναοῖσι θεοπροπέων ἀγορεύεις 110ὡς δὴ τοῦδ᾿ ἕνεκά σφιν ἑκηβόλος ἄλγεα τεύχει,14 οὕνεκ᾿ ἐγὼ κούρης Χρυσηίδος ἀγλά᾿ ἄποινα οὐκ ἔθελον δέξασθαι, ἐπεὶ πολὺ βούλομαι αὐτὴν οἴκοι ἔχειν. καὶ γάρ ῥα Κλυταιμνήστρης προβέβουλα κουριδίης ἀλόχου, ἐπεὶ οὔ ἑθέν ἐστι χερείων, 115οὐ δέμας οὐδὲ φυήν, οὔτ᾿ ἂρ φρένας οὔτέ τι ἔργα. ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς ἐθέλω δόμεναι πάλιν, εἰ τό γ᾿ ἄμεινον· βούλομ᾿ ἐγὼ λαὸν σόον ἔμμεναι ἢ ἀπολέσθαι.15 αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ γέρας αὐτιχ᾿ ἑτοιμάσατ᾿, ὄφρα μὴ οἶος Ἀργείων ἀγέραστος ἔω, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ ἔοικε·

Book 1 When he had thus spoken, he sat down, and among them rose the warrior, son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, deeply vexed; and with rage was his black heart wholly filled, and his eyes were like blazing fire. To Calchas first of all he spoke, and his look threatened trouble: “Prophet of evil, never yet have you given me a favorable prophecy; always it is dear to your heart to prophesy evil, and no word of good have you ever yet spoken or brought to fulfillment. And among the Danaans in assembly you utter your prophecies, and declare that it is for this reason that the god who strikes from afar is bringing woes on them, because I would not accept the glorious ransom for the girl, the daughter of Chryses, since I would far rather keep her at home. For in fact I prefer her to Clytemnestra, my wedded wife, since she is in no way inferior to her, either in form or in stature, or in mind, or in handiwork. But even so I am minded to give her back if that is better; I would rather have the army safe than perishing. But for me make ready a prize at once, so that I may not be the only one of the Argives without a prize, since that is not right; for you all see this, that my prize goes from me elsewhere.”

Τὸν δ᾿ ἠμείβετ᾿ ἔπειτα ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς· “Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε, φιλοκτεανώτατε πάντων, πῶς γάρ τοι δώσουσι γέρας μεγάθυμοι Ἀχαιοί; οὐδέ τί που ἴδμεν ξυνήια κείμενα πολλά, 125ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν πολίων ἐξεπράθομεν, τὰ δέδασται, λαοὺς δ᾿ οὐκ ἐπέοικε παλίλλογα ταῦτ᾿ ἐπαγείρειν. ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν τήνδε θεῷ πρόες· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ τριπλῇ τετραπλῇ τ᾿ ἀποτίσομεν, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς δῷσι πόλιν Τροίην ἐυτείχεον ἐξαλαπάξαι.”

130Τὸν δ᾿ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη κρείων Ἀγα- μέμνων· “μὴ δὴ οὕτως, ἀγαθός περ ἐών, θεοείκελ᾿ Ἀχιλλεῦ, κλέπτε νόῳ, ἐπεὶ οὐ παρελεύσεαι οὐδέ με πείσεις. ἦ ἐθέλεις, ὄφρ᾿ αὐτὸς ἔχῃς γέρας, αὐτὰρ ἔμ᾿ αὔτως16 ἧσθαι δευόμενον, κέλεαι δέ με τήνδ᾿ ἀποδοῦναι; 135ἀλλ᾿ εἰ μὲν δώσουσι γέρας μεγάθυμοι Ἀχαιοί, ἄρσαντες κατὰ θυμόν, ὅπως ἀντάξιον ἔσται· εἰ δέ κε μὴ δώωσιν, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι ἢ τεὸν ἢ Αἴαντος ἰὼν γέρας, ἢ Ὀδυσῆος ἄξω ἑλών· ὁ δέ κεν κεχολώσεται, ὅν κεν ἵκωμαι.17 140ἀλλ᾿ ἦ τοι μὲν ταῦτα μεταφρασόμεσθα καὶ αὖτις, νῦν δ᾿ ἄγε νῆα μέλαιναν ἐρύσσομεν εἰς ἅλα δῖαν, ἐν δ᾿ ἐρέτας ἐπιτηδὲς ἀγείρομεν, ἐς δ᾿ ἑκατόμβην θείομεν, ἂν δ᾿ αὐτὴν Χρυσηίδα καλλιπάρῃον18 βήσομεν· εἷς δέ τις ἀρχὸς ἀνὴρ βουληφόρος ἔστω, 145ἢ Αἴας ἢ Ἰδομενεὺς ἢ δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς ἠὲ σύ, Πηλεΐδη, πάντων ἐκπαγλότατ᾿ ἀνδρῶν, ὄφρ᾿ ἡμῖν ἑκάεργον ἱλάσσεαι ἱερὰ ῥέξας.”

Book 1 Then in answer to him spoke noble Achilles, swift of foot: “Most glorious son of Atreus, most covetous of all men, how shall the great-hearted Achaeans give you a prize? We know nothing of any wealth laid up in common store, but whatever we took by pillage from the cities has been distributed, and it is not right to take this back from the men. Do you give her up at the god’s command, and we Achaeans will recompense you threefold and fourfold, if ever Zeus grants us to sack the well-walled city of Troy.”

Then in answer to him lord Agamemnon spoke: “Do not in this way, valiant though you are, godlike Achilles, try to deceive me by your cleverness, for you will not outstrip me nor persuade me. Do you really intend, so long as you yourself keep your prize, that I sit here like this lacking one, since you ask me to give her back? Let the greathearted Achaeans give me a prize, suiting it to my heart so that the recompense is equal! But if they do not give it, then I will come myself and take your prize, or that of Aias; or that of Odysseus I will seize and carry off. Angry will he be, to whomever I come. But of these things we will take thought later on; now let us launch a black ship into the bright sea, and man it with a due number of rowers, and place on board a hecatomb, and embark on it the fair-cheeked daughter of Chryses herself. And let one that is a counselor take command, Aias, or Idomeneus, or noble Odysseus, or you, son of Peleus, of all men most daunting, that you may offer sacrifice and appease him who works from afar.”

“ὤ μοι, ἀναιδείην ἐπιειμένε, κερδαλεόφρον, 150πῶς τίς τοι πρόφρων ἔπεσιν πείθηται Ἀχαιῶν ἢ ὁδὸν ἐλθέμεναι ἢ ἀνδράσιν ἶφι μάχεσθαι; οὐ γὰρ ἐγὼ Τρώων ἕνεκ᾿ ἤλυθον αἰχμητάων δεῦρο μαχησόμενος, ἐπεὶ οὔ τί μοι αἴτιοί εἰσιν· οὐ γάρ πώ ποτ᾿ ἐμὰς βοῦς ἤλασαν οὐδὲ μὲν ἵππους, 155οὐδέ ποτ᾿ ἐν Φθίῃ ἐριβώλακι βωτιανείρῃ καρπὸν ἐδηλήσαντ᾿, ἐπεὶ ἦ μάλα πολλὰ μεταξὺ οὔρεά τε σκιόεντα θάλασσά τε ἠχήεσσα· ἀλλὰ σοί, ὦ μέγ᾿ ἀναιδές, ἅμ᾿ ἑσπόμεθ᾿, ὄφρα σὺ χαίρῃς, τιμὴν ἀρνύμενοι Μενελάῳ σοί τε, κυνῶπα, 160πρὸς Τρώων· τῶν οὔ τι μετατρέπῃ οὐδ᾿ ἀλεγίζεις·¹⁹ καὶ δή μοι γέρας αὐτὸς ἀφαιρήσεσθαι ἀπειλεῖς, ᾧ ἔπι πολλὰ μόγησα, δόσαν δέ μοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν. οὐ μὲν σοί ποτε ἶσον ἔχω γέρας, ὁππότ᾿ Ἀχαιοὶ Τρώων ἐκπέρσωσ᾿ ἐὺ ναιόμενον πτολίεθρον· 165ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν πλεῖον πολυάικος πολέμοιο χεῖρες ἐμαὶ διέπουσ᾿· ἀτὰρ ἤν ποτε δασμὸς ἵκηται, σοὶ τὸ γέρας πολὺ μεῖζον, ἐγὼ δ᾿ ὀλίγον τε φίλον τε ἔρχομ᾿ ἔχων ἐπὶ νῆας, ἐπεί κε κάμω πολεμίζων. νῦν δ᾿ εἶμι Φθίηνδ᾿, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερόν ἐστιν 170οἴκαδ᾿ ἴμεν σὺν νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν, οὐδέ σ᾿ ὀίω ἐνθάδ᾿ ἄτιμος ἐὼν ἄφενος καὶ πλοῦτον ἀφύξειν.”

Book 1 “What, you clothed in shamelessness, you crafty of mind, how can any Achaean eagerly obey your words either to go on a journey or to do battle? I did not come here to fight because of the spearmen of Troy, since they are in no way at fault toward me. Never did they drive off my cattle or my horses, nor ever in deep-soiled Phthia, nourisher of men, did they lay waste the grain, for many things lie between us—shadowy mountains and sounding sea. But you, shameless one, we followed here in order to please you, seeking to win recompense for Menelaus and for you, dogface, from the Trojans. This you do not regard or take thought of; and you even threaten that you will yourself take from me the prize for which I toiled much, and the sons of the Achaeans gave it to me. Never do I have a prize like yours, when the Achaeans sack a well-peopled city of the Trojans; my hands bear the brunt of tumultuous battle, but when the distribution comes, your prize is far greater, while I go to my ships with some small thing, yet my own, when I have grown weary with fighting. Now I will go to Phthia, since it is far better to return home with my beaked ships, nor do I intend, while without honor here, to pile up goods and wealth for you.”

Τὸν δ᾿ ἠμείβετ᾿ ἔπειτα ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων· “φεῦγε μάλ᾿, εἴ τοι θυμὸς ἐπέσσυται, οὐδέ σ᾿ ἐγώ γε λίσσομαι εἵνεκ᾿ ἐμεῖο μένειν· πάρ᾿ ἐμοί γε καὶ ἄλλοι 175οἵ κέ με τιμήσουσι, μάλιστα δὲ μητίετα Ζεύς.

ἔχθιστος δέ μοί ἐσσι διοτρεφέων βασιλήων· αἰεὶ γάρ τοι ἔρις τε φίλη πόλεμοί τε μάχαι τε.²⁰ εἰ μάλα καρτερός ἐσσι, θεός που σοὶ τό γ᾿ ἔδωκεν. οἴκαδ᾿ ἰὼν σὺν νηυσί τε σῇς καὶ σοῖς ἑτάροισι 180Μυρμιδόνεσσιν ἄνασσε, σέθεν δ᾿ ἐγὼ οὐκ ἀλεγίζω οὐδ᾿ ὄθομαι κοτέοντος. ἀπειλήσω δέ τοι ὧδε· ὡς ἔμ᾿ ἀφαιρεῖται Χρυσηίδα Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων, τὴν μὲν ἐγὼ σὺν νηί τ᾿ ἐμῇ καὶ ἐμοῖς ἑτάροισι πέμψω, ἐγὼ δέ κ᾿ ἄγω Βρισηίδα καλλιπάρῃον 185αὐτὸς ἰὼν κλισίηνδε, τὸ σὸν γέρας, ὄφρ᾿ ἐὺ εἰδῇς ὅσσον φέρτερός εἰμι σέθεν, στυγέῃ δὲ καὶ ἄλλος ἶσον ἐμοὶ φάσθαι καὶ ὁμοιωθήμεναι ἄντην.”

Book 1 Then answered him Agamemnon, the lord of men: “Flee then, if your heart is set on it; I am not begging you to stay for my sake. With me are others that will do me honor, and above all Zeus, the lord of counsel. Most hateful to me are you of the kings, nurtured by Zeus, for always is strife dear to you, and wars and battles. If you are most powerful, a god, I think, gave you this. Go home with your ships and your men, and lord it over your Myrmidons; for you I care not, nor am I concerned about your anger. And this will be my threat to you: since Phoebus Apollo takes from me the daughter of Chryses, her with a ship of mine and men of mine I will send back, but I will myself come to your hut and take the fair-cheeked Briseïs, that prize of yours, so that you may well know how much mightier I am than you, and another too may shrink from declaring himself my equal and likening himself to me to my face.”

Πηλεΐδης δ᾿ ἐξαῦτις ἀταρτηροῖς ἐπέεσσιν Ἀτρεΐδην προσέειπε, καὶ οὔ πω λῆγε χόλοιο· 225“οἰνοβαρές, κυνὸς ὄμματ᾿ ἔχων, κραδίην δ᾿ ἐλάφοιο,²⁴ οὔτε ποτ᾿ ἐς πόλεμον ἅμα λαῷ θωρηχθῆναι οὔτε λόχονδ᾿ ἰέναι σὺν ἀριστήεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν τέτληκας θυμῷ· τὸ δέ τοι κὴρ εἴδεται εἶναι.

ἦ πολὺ λώιόν ἐστι κατὰ στρατὸν εὐρὺν Ἀχαιῶν 230δῶρ᾿ ἀποαιρεῖσθαι ὅς τις σέθεν ἀντίον εἴπῃ· δημοβόρος βασιλεύς, ἐπεὶ οὐτιδανοῖσιν ἀνάσσεις· ἦ γὰρ ἄν, Ἀτρεΐδη, νῦν ὕστατα λωβήσαιο. ἀλλ᾿ ἔκ τοι ἐρέω καὶ ἐπὶ μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμοῦμαι· ναὶ μὰ τόδε σκῆπτρον, τὸ μὲν οὔ ποτε φύλλα καὶ ὄζους 235φύσει, ἐπεὶ δὴ πρῶτα τομὴν ἐν ὄρεσσι λέλοιπεν, οὐδ᾿ ἀναθηλήσει· περὶ γάρ ῥά ἑ χαλκὸς ἔλεψε φύλλα τε καὶ φλοιόν, νῦν αὖτέ μιν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν ἐν παλάμῃς φορέουσι δικασπόλοι, οἵ τε θέμιστας πρὸς Διὸς εἰρύαται· ὁ δέ τοι μέγας ἔσσεται ὅρκος· 240ἦ ποτ᾿ Ἀχιλλῆος ποθὴ ἵξεται υἷας Ἀχαιῶν σύμπαντας· τότε δ᾿ οὔ τι δυνήσεαι ἀχνύμενός περ χραισμεῖν, εὖτ᾿ ἂν πολλοὶ ὑφ᾿ Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο θνῄσκοντες πίπτωσι· σὺ δ᾿ ἔνδοθι θυμὸν ἀμύξεις χωόμενος ὅ τ᾿ ἄριστον Ἀχαιῶν οὐδὲν ἔτισας.”

Book 1 But the son of Peleus again addressed the son of Atreus with violent words, and did not yet cease from his wrath: “You heavy with wine, with the face of a dog but the heart of a deer, never have you dared to arm yourself for battle with your troops, or to go into an ambush with the chief men of the Achaeans. That seems to you to be death. It is surely far better to take back the gifts of whoever through the wide camp of the Achaeans speaks in opposition to you. People-devouring king, since you rule over nobodies! Otherwise, son of Atreus, you would now be committing your final outrage. But I will speak frankly to you, and will swear a mighty oath on it: by this staff here—that will never again put out leaves or shoots since it first left its stump in the mountains, nor will it again grow green, for the bronze has stripped it of leaves and bark, and now the sons of the Achaeans that give judgment bear it in their hands, those who guard the laws that come from Zeus; and this shall be for you a mighty oath—surely some day longing for Achilles will come on the sons of the Achaeans one and all, and on that day you will in no way be able to help them for all your grief, when many will be laid low at the hands of man-slaying Hector. But you will gnaw your heart within you in wrath that you did not at all honor the best of the Achaeans.”

νίση δ᾿ οὐρανὸν ἷκεν ἑλισσομένη περὶ καπνῷ.

Ὣς οἱ μὲν τὰ πένοντο κατὰ στρατόν· οὐδ᾿ Ἀγα- μέμνων λῆγ᾿ ἔριδος, τὴν πρῶτον ἐπηπείλησ᾿ Ἀχιλῆι, 320ἀλλ᾿ ὅ γε Ταλθύβιόν τε καὶ Εὐρυβάτην προσέειπε, τώ οἱ ἔσαν κήρυκε καὶ ὀτρηρὼ θεράποντε· “ἔρχεσθον κλισίην Πηληιάδεω Ἀχιλῆος· χειρὸς ἑλόντ᾿ ἀγέμεν Βρισηίδα καλλιπάρῃον· εἰ δέ κε μὴ δώῃσιν, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι 325ἐλθὼν σὺν πλεόνεσσι· τό οἱ καὶ ῥίγιον ἔσται.”

Ὣς εἰπὼν προΐει, κρατερὸν δ᾿ ἐπὶ μῦθον ἔτελλε. τὼ δ᾿ ἀέκοντε βάτην παρὰ θῖν᾿ ἁλὸς ἀτρυγέτοιο, Μυρμιδόνων δ᾿ ἐπί τε κλισίας καὶ νῆας ἱκέσθην. τὸν δ᾿ εὗρον παρά τε κλισίῃ καὶ νηὶ μελαίνῃ 330ἥμενον· οὐδ᾿ ἄρα τώ γε ἰδὼν γήθησεν Ἀχιλλεύς. τὼ μὲν ταρβήσαντε καὶ αἰδομένω βασιλῆα στήτην, οὐδέ τί μιν προσεφώνεον οὐδ᾿ ἐρέοντο· αὐτὰρ ὁ ἔγνω ᾗσιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ φώνησέν τε· “χαίρετε, κήρυκες, Διὸς ἄγγελοι ἠδὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν, 335ἆσσον ἴτ᾿· οὔ τί μοι ὔμμες ἐπαίτιοι, ἀλλ᾿ Ἀγαμέμνων,

ὃ σφῶι προΐει Βρισηίδος εἵνεκα κούρης. ἀλλ᾿ ἄγε, διογενὲς Πατρόκλεες, ἔξαγε κούρην καί σφωιν δὸς ἄγειν· τὼ δ᾿ αὐτὼ μάρτυροι ἔστων πρός τε θεῶν μακάρων πρός τε θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων, 340καὶ πρὸς τοῦ βασιλῆος ἀπηνέος, εἴ ποτε δὴ αὖτε χρειὼ ἐμεῖο γένηται ἀεικέα λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι τοῖς ἄλλοις. ἦ γὰρ ὅ γ᾿ ὀλοιῇσι φρεσὶ θύει, οὐδέ τι οἶδε νοῆσαι ἅμα πρόσσω καὶ ὀπίσσω, ὅππως οἱ παρὰ νηυσὶ σόοι μαχέοιντο Ἀχαιοί.”

345Ὣς φάτο, Πάτροκλος δὲ φίλῳ ἐπεπείθεθ᾿ ἑταίρῳ, ἐκ δ᾿ ἄγαγε κλισίης Βρισηίδα καλλιπάρῃον, δῶκε δ᾿ ἄγειν· τὼ δ᾿ αὖτις ἴτην παρὰ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν. ἡ δ᾿ ἀέκουσ᾿ ἅμα τοῖσι γυνὴ κίεν. αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς δακρύσας ἑτάρων ἄφαρ ἔζετο νόσφι λιασθείς, 350θῖν᾿ ἔφ᾿ ἁλὸς πολιῆς, ὁρόων ἐπὶ οἴνοπα²⁹ πόντον· πολλὰ δὲ μητρὶ φίλῃ ἠρήσατο χεῖρας ὀρεγνύς·³⁰ “μῆτερ, ἐπεί μ᾿ ἔτεκές γε μινυνθάδιόν περ ἐόντα, τιμήν πέρ μοι ὄφελλεν Ὀλύμπιος ἐγγυαλίξαι Ζεὺς ὑψιβρεμέτης· νῦν δ᾿ οὐδέ με τυτθὸν ἔτισεν· 355ἦ γάρ μ᾿ Ἀτρεΐδης εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων ἠτίμησεν· ἑλὼν γὰρ ἔχει γέρας, αὐτὸς ἀπούρας.”

Book 1 Thus they were busied throughout the camp; but Agamemnon did not cease from the strife with which he had first threatened Achilles, and he called to Talthybius and Eurybates, who were his heralds and trusty attendants, saying: “Go you two to the hut of Achilles, Peleus’ son, and take by the hand the fair-cheeked Briseïs, and bring her here; and if he does not give her, I will go myself with a larger company and take her; that will be even the worse for him.”

So saying he sent them on their way, and laid on them a stern command. Unwilling the two of them went along the shore of the unresting sea, and came to the huts and the ships of the Myrmidons. Him they found sitting beside his hut and his black ship; nor was Achilles glad at the sight of them. And they, seized with dread and respecting the king, stood, and neither spoke a word to him, nor questioned him; but he knew in his heart, and spoke, saying: “Greetings, heralds, messengers of Zeus and men, draw near. It is not you who are guilty in my sight, but Agamemnon, who sent you for the sake of the girl, Briseïs. But come, Patroclus, sprung from Zeus, bring out the girl, and give her to them to take away. Let these two be witnesses before the blessed gods and mortal men, and before him, that shameless king, if ever in future there is need of me to ward off loathsome destruction from the army. Truly he raves in his destructive mind, and knows not how to look at the same time both before and after, so that his Achaeans might wage war in safety beside their ships.”

So he spoke, and Patroclus obeyed his dear comrade, and out from the hut brought the fair-cheeked Briseïs, and gave her to them to lead away. So they went back beside the ships of the Achaeans, and with them, all unwilling, went the woman. But Achilles burst into tears and drew apart from his comrades, and sat down on the shore of the gray sea, looking out over the wine-dark deep; and earnestly he prayed to his dear mother with outstretched hands: “Mother, since you bore me, though to so brief a span of life, honor surely ought the Olympian to have given into my hands, Zeus who thunders on high; but now he has honored me not at all. In fact the son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, has done me dishonor; for he has taken away and holds my prize through his own arrogant act.”

ἠπείλησεν μῦθον, ὁ δὴ τετελεσμένος ἐστί· τὴν μὲν γὰρ σὺν νηὶ θοῇ ἑλίκωπες Ἀχαιοὶ 390ἐς Χρύσην πέμπουσιν, ἄγουσι δὲ δῶρα ἄνακτι· τὴν δὲ νέον κλισίηθεν ἔβαν κήρυκες ἄγοντες κούρην Βρισῆος, τήν μοι δόσαν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν. ἀλλὰ σύ, εἰ δύνασαί γε, περίσχεο παιδὸς ἑοῖο·³² ἐλθοῦσ᾿ Οὔλυμπόνδε Δία λίσαι, εἴ ποτε δή τι 395ἢ ἔπει ὤνησας κραδίην Διὸς ἠὲ καὶ ἔργῳ. πολλάκι γάρ σεο πατρὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἄκουσα³³ εὐχομένης, ὅτ᾿ ἔφησθα κελαινεφέι Κρονίωνι οἴη ἐν ἀθανάτοισιν ἀεικέα λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι, ὁππότε μιν ξυνδῆσαι Ὀλύμπιοι ἤθελον ἄλλοι, 400Ἥρη τ᾿ ἠδὲ Ποσειδάων καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.³⁴ ἀλλὰ σὺ τόν γ᾿ ἐλθοῦσα, θεά, ὑπελύσαο δεσμῶν, ὦχ᾿ ἑκατόγχειρον καλέσασ᾿ ἐς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον, ὃν Βριάρεων καλέουσι θεοί, ἄνδρες δέ τε πάντες Αἰγαίων᾿· ὁ γὰρ αὖτε βίῃ οὗ πατρὸς ἀμείνων· 405ὅς ῥα παρὰ Κρονίωνι καθέζετο κύδεϊ γαίων· τὸν καὶ ὑπέδδεισαν μάκαρες θεοὶ οὐδέ τ᾿ ἔδησαν. τῶν νῦν μιν μνήσασα παρέζεο καὶ λαβὲ γούνων, αἴ κέν πως ἐθέλῃσιν ἐπὶ Τρώεσσιν ἀρῆξαι, τοὺς δὲ κατὰ πρύμνας τε καὶ ἀμφ᾿ ἅλα ἔλσαι Ἀχαιοὺς 410κτεινομένους, ἵνα πάντες ἐπαύρωνται βασιλῆος, γνῷ δὲ καὶ Ἀτρεΐδης εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων ἣν ἄτην, ὅ τ᾿ ἄριστον Ἀχαιῶν οὐδὲν ἔτισεν.”

“τέκνον, τί κλαίεις; τί δέ σε φρένας ἵκετο πένθος; ἐξαύδα, μὴ κεῦθε νόῳ, ἵνα εἴδομεν ἄμφω.”

Τὴν δὲ βαρὺ στενάχων προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς· 365“οἶσθα. τί ἦ τοι ταῦτα ἰδυίῃ πάντ᾿ ἀγορεύω; ᾠχόμεθ᾿ ἐς Θήβην, ἱερὴν πόλιν Ἠετίωνος, τὴν δὲ διεπράθομέν τε καὶ ἤγομεν ἐνθάδε πάντα. καὶ τὰ μὲν εὖ δάσσαντο μετὰ σφίσιν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν, ἐκ δ᾿ ἕλον Ἀτρεΐδῃ Χρυσηίδα καλλιπάρῃον. 370Χρύσης δ᾿ αὖθ᾿ ἱερεὺς ἑκατηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος ἦλθε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων λυσόμενός τε θύγατρα φέρων τ᾿ ἀπερείσι᾿ ἄποινα,³¹ στέμματ᾿ ἔχων ἐν χερσὶν ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος χρυσέῳ ἀνὰ σκήπτρῳ, καὶ λίσσετο πάντας Ἀχαιούς, 375Ἀτρεΐδα δὲ μάλιστα δύω, κοσμήτορε λαῶν. ἔνθ᾿ ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες ἐπευφήμησαν Ἀχαιοὶ αἰδεῖσθαί θ᾿ ἱερῆα καὶ ἀγλαὰ δέχθαι ἄποινα· ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ Ἀτρΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ἥνδανε θυμῷ, ἀλλὰ κακῶς ἀφίει, κρατερὸν δ᾿ ἐπὶ μῦθον ἔτελλε. 380χωόμενος δ᾿ ὁ γέρων πάλιν ᾤχετο· τοῖο δ᾿ Ἀπόλλων εὐξαμένου ἤκουσεν, ἐπεὶ μάλα οἱ φίλος ἦεν, ἧκε δ᾿ ἐπ᾿ Ἀργείοισι κακὸν βέλος· οἱ δέ νυ λαοὶ θνῇσκον ἐπασσύτεροι, τὰ δ᾿ ἐπῴχετο κῆλα θεοῖο πάντῃ ἀνὰ στρατὸν εὐρὺν Ἀχαιῶν. ἄμμι δὲ μάντις 385εὖ εἰδὼς ἀγόρευε θεοπροπίας ἑκάτοιο. αὐτίκ᾿ ἐγὼ πρῶτος κελόμην θεὸν ἱλάσκεσθαι· Ἀτρεΐωνα δ᾿ ἔπειτα χόλος λάβεν, αἶψα δ᾿ ἀναστὰς

Book 1 him by name: “Child, why do you weep? What sorrow has come upon your heart? Speak out; do not hide it in your mind, so we both may know.”

Then groaning heavily spoke to her Achilles, swift of foot: “You know. Why should I tell the tale to you who know everything? We went to Thebes, the sacred city of Eëtion, and sacked it, and brought here all the spoil. This the sons of the Achaeans divided fairly among themselves, but for the son of Atreus they chose out the fair-cheeked daughter of Chryses. Then Chryses, priest of Apollo who strikes from afar, came to the swift ships of the bronze-clad Achaeans, to win freedom for his daughter, and he brought ransom past counting, holding in his hands on a staff of gold the ribbons of Apollo who strikes from afar, and he implored all the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus, the marshalers of the armies. Then all the other Achaeans shouted their agreement, to respect the priest and accept the glorious ransom, yet this did not please the heart of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, but he sent him away harshly, and laid on him a stern command. So the old man went back again in wrath; and Apollo heard his prayer, for he was very dear to him, and sent against the Argives an evil arrow. Then the men began to die thick and fast, and the shafts of the god ranged everywhere throughout the wide camp of the Achaeans. But to us the prophet with sure knowledge declared the oracles of the god who strikes from afar. At once I was the first to urge them to propitiate the god, but then wrath laid hold of the son of Atreus, and quickly he stood up and made a threat which has now come to pass. For the bright-eyed Achaeans are taking the one girl in a swift ship to Chryse, and are bearing gifts to the god; while heralds have just now taken the other girl from my hut and led her away, the daughter of Briseus, whom the sons of the Achaeans gave me. But you, if you have the power, come to your son’s aid; go to Olympus and beg Zeus, if ever you have gladdened his heart by word or deed. Often I have heard you boasting in the halls of my father, and declaring that you alone among the immortals warded off loathsome destruction from the son of Cronos, lord of the dark clouds, on the day when the other Olympians were minded to put him in bonds, Hera and Poseidon and Pallas Athene. But you came, goddess, and freed him from his bonds, when you had quickly called to high Olympus him of the hundred hands, whom the gods call Briareus, but all men Aegaeon; for he is mightier than his father.² He sat down by the side of the son of Cronos, exulting in his glory, and the blessed gods were seized with fear of him, and did not bind Zeus. Remind him now of this and sit by his side and clasp his knees, in the hope that he may be minded to help the Trojans, and to pen in those others, the Achaeans, among the sterns of their ships and around the sea as they are killed, so that they may all have profit of their king, and the son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, may know his blindness in that he honored the best of the Achaeans not at all.”

Τὸν δ᾿ ἠμείβετ᾿ ἔπειτα Θέτις κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα· “ὤ μοι τέκνον ἐμόν, τί νύ σ᾿ ἔτρεφον αἰνὰ τεκοῦσα; 415αἴθ᾿ ὄφελες παρὰ νηυσὶν ἀδάκρυτος καὶ ἀπήμων ἧσθαι, ἐπεί νύ τοι αἶσα μίνυνθά περ, οὔ τι μάλα δήν· νῦν δ᾿ ἅμα τ᾿ ὠκύμορος καὶ ὀιζυρὸς περὶ πάντων ἔπλεο· τῶ σε κακῇ αἴσῃ τέκον ἐν μεγάροισι. τοῦτο δέ τοι ἐρέουσα ἔπος Διὶ τερπικεραύνῳ 420εἶμ᾿ αὐτὴ πρὸς Ὄλυμπον ἀγάννιφον, αἴ κε πίθηται. ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν νηυσὶ παρήμενος ὠκυπόροισι μήνι᾿ Ἀχαιοῖσιν, πολέμου δ᾿ ἀποπαύεο πάμπαν· Ζεὺς γὰρ ἐς Ὠκεανὸν μετ᾿ ἀμύμονας Αἰθιοπῆας χθιζὸς ἔβη κατὰ δαῖτα, θεοὶ δ᾿ ἅμα πάντες ἕποντο·³⁵ 425δωδεκάτῃ δέ τοι αὖτις ἐλεύσεται Οὔλυμπόνδε, καὶ τότ᾿ ἔπειτά τοι εἶμι Διὸς ποτὶ χαλκοβατὲς δῶ, καί μιν γουνάσομαι καί μιν πείσεσθαι ὀίω.”

Book 1 Then, shedding tears, Thetis answered him: “Alas, my child, why did I rear you, cursed in my child-bearing? If only it had been your lot to stay by your ships without tears and without grief, since your span of life is brief and will not last long; but now you are doomed to a speedy death and are unfortunate above all men; therefore it was for an evil fate that I bore you in our halls. Yet to tell what you have said to Zeus who hurls the thunderbolt I will go myself to snowy Olympus, in the hope that he will listen. But you, sitting by your swift seafaring ships, continue your wrath against the Achaeans and refrain entirely from battle; for Zeus went yesterday for a feast to the incomparable Ethiopians at the Ocean, and all the gods followed with him; but on the twelfth day he will come back again to Olympus, and then I will go to the house of Zeus with its threshold of bronze, and will clasp his knees, and I think I will persuade him.”

Now when the twelfth dawn after this had come, then to Olympus came the gods who are forever, all in one company, and Zeus led the way. And Thetis did not forget her son’s charge, but rose up from the wave of the sea, and early in the morning mounted up to great heaven and Olympus. There she found the son of Cronos, whose voice resounds afar, as he sat apart from the rest on the topmost peak of many-ridged Olympus. So she sat down in front of him, and laid hold of his knees with her left hand, while with her right she clasped him beneath the chin, and she spoke begging lord Zeus, son of Cronos: “Father Zeus, if ever among the immortals I aided you by word or deed, fulfill for me this wish: do honor to my son, who is doomed to a speedy death beyond all other men; but now has Agamemnon, lord of men, put dishonor on him, for he has taken and keeps his prize by his own arrogant act. But do you show him honor, Olympian Zeus, lord of counsel; just so long give might to the Trojans, but only until the Achaeans show respect to my son and honor him by making amends.”

So she spoke; but Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, spoke not a word to her, but sat long in silence. Yet Thetis, just as she had clasped his knees, so she held on to him, clinging close, and asked him again a second time: “Promise me now this thing without fail, and bow your head to it, or else deny me—for there is nothing to make you afraid—so that I may know well how far I am the least honored among the gods.”

Book 1 Now when the twelfth dawn after this had come, then to Olympus came the gods who are forever, all in one company, and Zeus led the way. And Thetis did not forget her son’s charge, but rose up from the wave of the sea, and early in the morning mounted up to great heaven and Olympus. There she found the son of Cronos, whose voice resounds afar, as he sat apart from the rest on the topmost peak of many-ridged Olympus. So she sat down in front of him, and laid hold of his knees with her left hand, while with her right she clasped him beneath the chin, and she spoke begging lord Zeus, son of Cronos: “Father Zeus, if ever among the immortals I aided you by word or deed, fulfill for me this wish: do honor to my son, who is doomed to a speedy death beyond all other men; but now has Agamemnon, lord of men, put dishonor on him, for he has taken and keeps his prize by his own arrogant act. But do you show him honor, Olympian Zeus, lord of counsel; just so long give might to the Trojans, but only until the Achaeans show respect to my son and honor him by making amends.”

So she spoke; but Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, spoke not a word to her, but sat long in silence. Yet Thetis, just as she had clasped his knees, so she held on to him, clinging close, and asked him again a second time: “Promise me now this thing without fail, and bow your head to it, or else deny me—for there is nothing to make you afraid—so that I may know well how far I am the least honored among the gods.”

Τὴν δὲ μέγ᾿ ὀχθήσας προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς· “ἦ δὴ λοίγια ἔργ᾿ ὅ τέ μ᾿ ἐχθοδοπῆσαι ἐφήσεις Ἥρῃ, ὅτ᾿ ἄν μ᾿ ἐρέθῃσιν ὀνειδείοις ἐπέεσσιν. 520ἡ δὲ καὶ αὔτως μ᾿ αἰεὶ ἐν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι νεικεῖ, καί τέ μέ φησι μάχῃ Τρώεσσιν ἀρήγειν. ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν αὖτις ἀπόστιχε, μή τι⁴² νοήσῃ Ἥρη· ἐμοὶ δέ κε ταῦτα μελήσεται, ὄφρα τελέσσω. εἰ δ᾿ ἄγε τοι κεφαλῇ κατανεύσομαι, ὄφρα πεποίθῃς· 525τοῦτο γὰρ ἐξ ἐμέθεν γε μετ᾿ ἀθανάτοισι μέγιστον τέκμωρ· οὐ γὰρ ἐμὸν παλινάγρετον οὐδ᾿ ἀπατηλὸν οὐδ᾿ ἀτελεύτητον, ὅ τί κεν κεφαλῇ κατανεύσω.”

Book 1 Then, greatly troubled, Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, spoke to her: “Surely there will be sorry work here, since you will involve me in strife with Hera, when she angers me with taunting words. As it is she constantly reproaches me among the immortal gods, and says that I aid the Trojans in the fighting. But now go back again, in case Hera notices something; and I will take thought to bring these things to pass. Come now, I will bow my head to you, so that you may be certain, for this from me is the surest token among the immortals; no word of mine may be recalled, nor is false, nor unfulfilled, once I bow my head to it.”

Τώ γ᾿ ὣς βουλεύσαντε διέτμαγεν· ἡ μὲν ἔπειτα εἰς ἅλα ἆλτο βαθεῖαν ἀπ᾿ αἰγλήεντος Ὀλύμπου, Ζεὺς δὲ ἑὸν πρὸς δῶμα· θεοὶ δ᾿ ἅμα πάντες ἀνέσταν ἐξ ἑδέων σφοῦ πατρὸς ἐναντίον· οὐδέ τις ἔτλη 535μεῖναι ἐπερχόμενον, ἀλλ᾿ ἀντίοι ἔσταν ἅπαντες. ὣς ὁ μὲν ἔνθα καθέζετ᾿ ἐπὶ θρόνου· οὐδέ μιν Ἥρη ἠγνοίησεν ἰδοῦσ᾿ ὅτι οἱ συμφράσσατο βουλὰς ἀργυρόπεζα Θέτις, θυγάτηρ ἁλίοιο γέροντος. αὐτίκα κερτομίοισι Δία Κρονίωνα προσηύδα· 540“τίς δὴ αὖ τοι, δολομῆτα, θεῶν συμφράσσατο βουλάς; αἰεί τοι φίλον ἐστὶν ἐμεῦ ἀπονόσφιν ἐόντα κρυπτάδια φρονέοντα δικαζέμεν· οὐδέ τί πώ μοι πρόφρων τέτληκας εἰπεῖν ἔπος ὅττι νοήσῃς.”

Τὴν δ᾿ ἠμείβετ᾿ ἔπειτα πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε·

Iliad

545“Ἥρη, μὴ δὴ πάντας ἐμοὺς ἐπιέλπεο μύθους εἰδήσειν· χαλεποί τοι ἔσοντ᾿ ἀλόχῳ περ ἐούσῃ· ἀλλ᾿ ὃν μέν κ᾿ ἐπιεικὲς ἀκουέμεν, οὔ τις ἔπειτα οὔτε θεῶν πρότερος τόν γ᾿ εἴσεται οὔτ᾿ ἀνθρώπων· ὃν δέ κ᾿ ἐγὼν ἀπάνευθε θεῶν ἐθέλωμι νοῆσαι, 550μή τι σὺ ταῦτα ἕκαστα διείρεο μηδὲ μετάλλα.”

Τὸν δ᾿ ἠμείβετ᾿ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη· “αἰνότατε Κρονίδη, ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες; καὶ λίην σε πάρος γ᾿ οὔτ᾿ εἴρομαι οὔτε μεταλλῶ, ἀλλὰ μάλ᾿ εὔκηλος τὰ φράζεαι ἅσσα θέλῃσθα. 555νῦν δ᾿ αἰνῶς δείδοικα κατὰ φρένα μή σε παρείπῃ ἀργυρόπεζα Θέτις, θυγάτηρ ἁλίοιο γέροντος· ἠερίη γὰρ σοί γε παρέζετο καὶ λάβε γούνων· τῇ σ᾿ ὀίω κατανεῦσαι ἐτήτυμον ὡς Ἀχιλῆα τιμήσῃς, ὀλέσῃς δὲ πολέας ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.”

560Τὴν δ᾿ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς· “δαιμονίη, αἰεὶ μὲν ὀίεαι, οὐδέ σε λήθω· πρῆξαι δ᾿ ἔμπης οὔ τι δυνήσεαι, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ θυμοῦ μᾶλλον ἐμοὶ ἔσεαι· τὸ δέ τοι καὶ ῥίγιον ἔσται. εἰ δ᾿ οὕτω τοῦτ᾿ ἐστίν, ἐμοὶ μέλλει φίλον εἶναι. 565ἀλλ᾿ ἀκέουσα κάθησο, ἐμῷ δ᾿ ἐπιπείθεο μύθῳ, μή νύ τοι οὐ χραίσμωσιν ὅσοι θεοί εἰσ᾿ ἐν Ὀλύμπῳ ἆσσον ἰόνθ᾿, ὅτε κέν τοι ἀάπτους χεῖρας ἐφείω.”

Ὣς ἔφατ᾿, ἔδδεισεν δὲ βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη, καί ῥ᾿ ἀκέουσα καθῆστο, ἐπιγνάμψασα φίλον κῆρ.

5

Book 1 When the two had taken counsel together in this way, they parted; she leapt into the deep sea from gleaming Olympus, and Zeus went to his palace. All the gods together rose from their seats in deference to their father; nor did any dare to remain seated at his coming, but they all rose up to greet him. So he sat down on his throne; but Hera saw, and did not fail to notice that silver-footed Thetis, daughter of the old man of the sea, had taken counsel with him. At once then she spoke to Zeus, son of Cronos, with mocking words: “Who of the gods, crafty one, has been taking counsel with you? Always it is your pleasure to hold aloof from me, and to give judgments which you have pondered in secret, nor have you ever undertaken readily to declare to me the purpose in your mind.”

Then made answer to her the father of men and gods:

“Hera, do not hope to know all my words: hard will they prove for you, though you are my wife. Whatever it is fitting that you should hear, this no other, whether of gods or of men, will know before you; but what I plan to do without consulting the gods, about all this do not in any way make question, or ask.”

Then made answer to him the ox-eyed, queenly Hera: “Most dread son of Cronos, what a word you have said! Never in the past have I asked you or made question, but at your ease you consider all things you wish. But now I am terribly afraid at heart that silver-footed Thetis, daughter of the old man of the sea, has won you over; for at early dawn she sat by you and clasped your knees. To her, I imagine, you bowed your head in sure token that you will honor Achilles, and cause the death of many beside the ships of the Achaeans.”

Then in answer to her spoke Zeus, the cloud-gatherer: “You are incredible!³ You are for ever imagining, and I can keep nothing secret from you; yet you will not be able to accomplish anything, but will be the further from my heart; and that will be the worse for you. If this thing is as you say, then it must be my pleasure. But sit down and be quiet, and obey my words, lest all the gods who are in Olympus be unable to protect you against my coming when I lay irresistible hands on you.”

He spoke, and ox-eyed, queenly Hera was seized with fear, and sat down in silence, curbing her hear

τοῖσιν δ᾿ Ἥφαιστος κλυτοτέχνης ἦρχ᾿ ἀγορεύειν, μητρὶ φίλῃ ἐπὶ ἦρα φέρων, λευκωλένῳ Ἥρῃ· “ἦ δὴ λοίγια ἔργα τάδ᾿ ἔσσεται οὐδ᾿ ἔτ᾿ ἀνεκτά, εἰ δὴ σφὼ ἕνεκα θνητῶν ἐριδαίνετον ὧδε, 575ἐν δὲ θεοῖσι κολῳὸν ἐλαύνετον· οὐδέ τι δαιτὸς ἐσθλῆς ἔσσεται ἧδος, ἐπεὶ τὰ χερείονα νικᾷ. μητρὶ δ᾿ ἐγὼ παράφημι, καὶ αὐτῇ περ νοεούσῃ, πατρὶ φίλῳ ἐπὶ ἦρα φέρειν Διί, ὄφρα μὴ αὖτε νεικείῃσι πατήρ, σὺν δ᾿ ἡμῖν δαῖτα ταράξῃ. 580εἴ περ γάρ κ᾿ ἐθέλῃσιν Ὀλύμπιος ἀστεροπητὴς ἐξ ἑδέων στυφελίξαι· ὁ γὰρ πολὺ φέρτατός ἐστιν. ἀλλὰ σὺ τόν γ᾿ ἐπέεσσι καθάπτεσθαι μαλακοῖσιν· αὐτίκ᾿ ἔπειθ᾿ ἵλαος Ὀλύμπιος ἔσσεται ἡμῖν.”

Ὣς ἄρ᾿ ἔφη, καὶ ἀναΐξας δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον 585μητρὶ φίλῃ ἐν χειρὶ τίθει, καί μιν προσέειπε· “τέτλαθι, μῆτερ ἐμή, καὶ ἀνάσχεο κηδομένη περ, μή σε φίλην περ ἐοῦσαν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδωμαι θεινομένην, τότε δ᾿ οὔ τι δυνήσομαι ἀχνύμενός περ χραισμεῖν· ἀργαλέος γὰρ Ὀλύμπιος ἀντιφέρεσθαι. 590ἤδη γάρ με καὶ ἄλλοτ᾿ ἀλεξέμεναι μεμαῶτα ῥῖψε ποδὸς τεταγὼν ἀπὸ βηλοῦ θεσπεσίοιο, πᾶν δ᾿ ἦμαρ φερόμην, ἅμα δ᾿ ἠελίῳ καταδύντι κάππεσον ἐν Λήμνῳ, ὀλίγος δ᾿ ἔτι θυμὸς ἐνῆεν· ἔνθα με Σίντιες ἄνδρες ἄφαρ κομίσαντο πεσόντα.”

595Ὣς φάτο, μείδησεν δὲ θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη, μειδήσασα δὲ παιδὸς ἐδέξατο χειρὶ κύπελλον·

Book 1 Then the gods of heaven throughout the palace of Zeus were troubled, and among them Hephaestus, the famed craftsman, was first to speak, trying to calm his dear mother, white-armed Hera: “There will be sorry work here indeed and no longer to be borne, if you two are to wrangle like this for mortals’ sakes, and set the gods in tumult; nor will there be any joy in the excellent feast, since evil prevails. And I advise my mother, though she understands this herself, to show favor to our dear father Zeus, so that the father may not upbraid her again and bring confusion to our feast. What if the Olympian, the lord of the lightning, were minded to dash us from our seats! For he is mightiest by far. But engage him with gentle words; then at once the Olympian will be gracious to us.”

So saying, he sprang up and placed in his dear mother’s hand the two-handled cup, and spoke to her: “Bear up, mother, and endure for all your grief, lest, dear as you are to me, I see you being beaten before my eyes, and then I shall in no way be able to help you for all my sorrow; for a hard foe is the Olympian to meet in strife. For another time before this, when I was eager to save you, he caught me by the foot and hurled me from the heavenly threshold; the whole day long I was borne headlong, and at sunset I fell in Lemnos, and but little life was left in me. There the Sintian people promptly took care of me after my fall.”

So he spoke, and the goddess, white-armed Hera, smiled, and smiling took the cup in her hand from her son.

Λῦτο δ᾿ ἀγών, λαοὶ δὲ θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας ἕκαστοι ἐσκίδναντ᾿ ἰέναι. τοὶ μὲν δόρποιο μέδοντο ὕπνου τε γλυκεροῦ ταρπήμεναι· αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς κλαῖε φίλου ἑτάρου μεμνημένος, οὐδέ μιν ὕπνος 5ᾕρει πανδαμάτωρ, ἀλλ᾿ ἐστρέφετ᾿ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα, Πατρόκλου ποθέων ἀνδροτῆτά τε καὶ μένος ἠύ,¹ ἠδ᾿ ὁπόσα τολύπευσε σὺν αὐτῷ καὶ πάθεν ἄλγεα, ἀνδρῶν τε πτολέμους ἀλεγεινά τε κύματα πείρων· τῶν μιμνησκόμενος θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυον εἶβεν, 10ἄλλοτ᾿ ἐπὶ πλευρὰς κατακείμενος, ἄλλοτε δ᾿ αὖτε ὕπτιος, ἄλλοτε δὲ πρηνής· τοτὲ δ᾿ ὀρθὸς ἀναστὰς δινεύεσκ᾿ ἀλύων παρὰ θῖν᾿ ἁλός, οὐδέ μιν Ἠὼς φαινομένη λήθεσκεν ὑπεὶρ ἅλα τ᾿ ἠιόνας τε. ἀλλ᾿ ὅ γ᾿ ἐπεὶ ζεύξειεν ὑφ᾿ ἅρμασιν ὠκέας ἵππους, 15Ἕκτορα δ᾿ ἕλκεσθαι δησάσκετο δίφρου ὄπισθεν, τρὶς δ᾿ ἐρύσας περὶ σῆμα Μενοιτιάδαο θανόντος αὖτις ἐνὶ κλισίῃ παυέσκετο, τὸν δέ τ᾿ ἔασκεν ἐν κόνι ἐκτανύσας προπρηνέα. τοῖο δ᾿ Ἀπόλλων πᾶσαν ἀεικείην ἄπεχε χροῒ φῶτ᾿ ἐλεαίρων 20καὶ τεθνηότα περ· περὶ δ᾿ αἰγίδι πάντα κάλυπτε² χρυσείῃ, ἵνα μή μιν ἀποδρύφοι ἑλκυστάζων.

Book 24 Then was the assembly broken up, and the men scattered, each man to go to his own ship. The rest took thought of a meal and sweet sleep, to take their fill; but Achilles wept, ever remembering his dear comrade, nor did sleep, that subdues all, lay hold of him, but he turned ever this way and that, yearning for the manhood and valiant might of Patroclus, thinking on all he had done with him and all the woes he had borne, passing through wars of men and the grievous waves. Thinking on these things he would shed large tears, lying now on his side, now on his back, and now on his face; and then again he would rise to his feet and roam distraught along the shore of the sea. Nor would he fail to see the Dawn as she shone over the sea and the beaches. But he would yoke his swift horses to the chariot, and bind Hector behind the chariot to drag him; and when he had hauled him thrice about the mound of the dead son of Menoetius, he would rest again in his hut, but would leave Hector outstretched on his face in the dust. But Apollo kept all defacement from his flesh, pitying the warrior even in death, and with the golden aegis he covered him wholly so that Achilles might not tear his body as he dragged him.

Ὣς ὁ μὲν Ἕκτορα δῖον ἀείκιζεν μενεαίνων· τὸν δ᾿ ἐλεαίρεσκον μάκαρες θεοὶ εἰσορόωντες,³ κλέψαι δ᾿ ὀτρύνεσκον ἐύσκοπον Ἀργεϊφόντην. 25ἔνθ᾿ ἄλλοις μὲν πᾶσιν ἑήνδανεν, οὐδέ ποθ᾿ Ἥρῃ οὐδὲ Ποσειδάων᾿ οὐδὲ γλαυκώπιδι κούρῃ, ἀλλ᾿ ἔχον ὥς σφιν πρῶτον ἀπήχθετο Ἴλιος ἱρὴ καὶ Πρίαμος καὶ λαὸς Ἀλεξάνδρου ἕνεκ᾿ ἄτης, ὃς νείκεσσε θεάς, ὅτε οἱ μέσσαυλον ἵκοντο, 30τὴν δ᾿ ᾔνησ᾿ ἥ οἱ πόρε μαχλοσύνην ἀλεγεινήν.⁴ ἀλλ᾿ ὅτε δή ῥ᾿ ἐκ τοῖο δυωδεκάτη γένετ᾿ ἠώς, καὶ τότ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἀθανάτοισι μετηύδα Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων· “σχέτλιοί ἐστε, θεοί, δηλήμονες· οὔ νύ ποθ᾿ ὑμῖν Ἕκτωρ μηρί᾿ ἔκηε βοῶν αἰγῶν τε τελείων; 35τὸν νῦν οὐκ ἔτλητε νέκυν περ ἐόντα σαῶσαι, ᾗ τ᾿ ἀλόχῳ ἰδέειν καὶ μητέρι καὶ τέκεϊ ᾧ καὶ πατέρι Πριάμῳ λαοῖσί τε, τοί κέ μιν ὦκα ἐν πυρὶ κήαιεν καὶ ἐπὶ κτέρεα κτερίσαιεν. ἀλλ᾿ ὀλοῷ Ἀχιλῆι, θεοί, βούλεσθ᾿ ἐπαρήγειν, 40ᾧ οὔτ᾿ ἂρ φρένες εἰσὶν ἐναίσιμοι οὔτε νόημα γναμπτὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι, λέων δ᾿ ὣς ἄγρια οἶδεν, ὅς τ᾿ ἐπεὶ ἂρ μεγάλῃ τε βίῃ καὶ ἀγήνορι θυμῷ εἴξας εἶσ᾿ ἐπὶ μῆλα βροτῶν, ἵνα δαῖτα λάβῃσιν· ὣς Ἀχιλεὺς ἔλεον μὲν ἀπώλεσεν, οὐδέ οἱ αἰδὼς γίγνεται, ἥ τ᾿ ἄνδρας μέγα σίνεται ἠδ᾿ ὀνίνησι.⁵ μέλλει μέν πού τις καὶ φίλτερον ἄλλον ὀλέσσαι, ἠὲ κασίγνητον ὁμογάστριον ἠὲ καὶ υἱόν· ἀλλ᾿ ἦ τοι κλαύσας καὶ ὀδυράμενος μεθέηκε· τλητὸν γὰρ Μοῖραι θυμὸν θέσαν ἀνθρώποισιν. 50αὐτὰρ ὅ γ᾿ Ἕκτορα δῖον, ἐπεὶ φίλον ἦτορ ἀπηύρα, ἵππων ἐξάπτων περὶ σῆμ᾿ ἑτάροιο φίλοιο ἕλκει· οὐ μήν οἱ τό γε κάλλιον οὐδέ τ᾿ ἄμεινον. μὴ ἀγαθῷ περ ἐόντι νεμεσσηθέωμέν οἱ ἡμεῖς· κωφὴν γὰρ δὴ γαῖαν ἀεικίζει μενεαίνων.”

Book 24 Thus Achilles in his fury attempted to disfigure noble Hector; but the blessed gods had pity as they looked on him, and urged the keen-sighted Argeïphontes to steal away the corpse. And though this was pleasing to all the rest, it was not to Hera or Poseidon or the flashing-eyed maiden, but they persisted just as when sacred Ilios at first became hateful in their eyes and Priam and his people, because of the folly of Alexander, who had insulted those goddesses when they came to his farmstead and praised her who furthered his grievous lustfulness.¹ Now when the twelfth morning after this had come, then among the immortals spoke Phoebus Apollo: “Hard are you, you gods, and workers of harm. Did Hector then never burn for you thighs of bulls and goats without blemish? Him now you have not the heart to save, corpse though he is, for his wife to look on and his mother and his child, and his father Priam and his people, who would immediately burn him in the fire and pay him funeral rites. But it is the ruthless Achilles, you gods, that you are eager to assist, him whose mind is in no way right, nor the purpose in his breast one that may be bent; but his heart is wild, like a lion that at the urging of his great might and lordly heart goes out against the flocks of men to win himself a feast; so has Achilles lost all pity, nor has he shame, which harms men greatly and profits them.² A man may have lost one dearer even than this man was—a brother, whom the same mother bore, or perhaps a son; yet surely when he has wept and wailed for him he makes an end; for an enduring heart have the Fates given to men. But this man, when he has robbed noble Hector of life, binds him behind his chariot and drags him about the mound of his dear comrade; surely neither honor nor profit will he have of this. Let him beware lest we grow angry with him, valiant though he is; for in his fury he disfigures the mute earth.”

Ὣς ἔφατ᾿, ὦρτο δὲ Ἶρις ἀελλόπος ἀγγελέουσα. 160ἷξεν δ᾿ ἐς Πριάμοιο, κίχεν δ᾿ ἐνοπήν τε γόον τε. παῖδες μὲν πατέρ᾿ ἀμφὶ καθήμενοι ἔνδοθεν αὐλῆς δάκρυσιν εἵματ᾿ ἔφυρον, ὁ δ᾿ ἐν μέσσοισι γεραιὸς ἐντυπὰς ἐν χλαίνῃ κεκαλυμμένος· ἀμφὶ δὲ πολλὴ κόπρος ἔην κεφαλῇ τε καὶ αὐχένι τοῖο γέροντος, 165τήν ῥα κυλινδόμενος καταμήσατο χερσὶν ἑῇσι· θυγατέρες δ᾿ ἀνὰ δώματ᾿ ἰδὲ νυοὶ ὠδύροντο, τῶν μιμνησκόμεναι οἳ δὴ πολέες τε καὶ ἐσθλοὶ χερσὶν ὑπ᾿ Ἀργείων κέατο ψυχὰς ὀλέσαντες. στῆ δὲ παρὰ Πρίαμον Διὸς ἄγγελος, ἠδὲ προσηύδα 170τυτθὸν φθεγξαμένη· τὸν δὲ τρόμος ἔλλαβε γυῖα· “θάρσει, Δαρδανίδη Πρίαμε, φρεσί, μηδέ τι τάρβει· οὐ μὲν γάρ τοι ἐγὼ κακὸν ὀσσομένη τόδ᾿ ἱκάνω, ἀλλ᾿ ἀγαθὰ φρονέουσα· Διὸς δέ τοι ἄγγελός εἰμι, ὅς σευ ἄνευθεν ἐὼν μέγα κήδεται ἠδ᾿ ἐλεαίρει. 175λύσασθαί σε κέλευσεν Ὀλύμπιος Ἕκτορα δῖον, δῶρα δ᾿ Ἀχιλλῆι φερέμεν, τά κε θυμὸν ἰήνῃ, οἶον, μηδέ τις ἄλλος ἅμα Τρώων ἴτω ἀνήρ· κῆρύξ τίς τοι ἕποιτο γεραίτερος, ὅς κ᾿ ἰθύνοι ἡμιόνους καὶ ἄμαξαν ἐύτροχον, ἠδὲ καὶ αὖτις 180νεκρὸν ἄγοι προτὶ ἄστυ, τὸν ἔκτανε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς. μηδέ τί τοι θάνατος μελέτω φρεσὶ μηδέ τι τάρβος· τοῖος γάρ τοι πομπὸς ἅμ᾿ ἕψεται Ἀργεϊφόντης, ὅς σ᾿ ἄξει ἧός κεν ἄγων Ἀχιλῆι πελάσσῃ. αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν ἀγάγῃσιν ἔσω κλισίην Ἀχιλῆος, 185οὔτ᾿ αὐτὸς κτενέει ἀπό τ᾿ ἄλλους πάντας ἐρύξει· οὔτε γάρ ἐστ᾿ ἄφρων οὔτ᾿ ἄσκοπος οὔτ᾿ ἀλιτήμων, ἀλλὰ μάλ᾿ ἐνδυκέως ἱκέτεω πεφιδήσεται ἀνδρός.”

Book 24 So he spoke, and storm-footed Iris hurried to carry his message. She came to the house of Priam, and found there wailing and lamentation. His sons sat about their father inside the court sullying their garments with their tears, and in their midst was the old king close-wrapped in his mantle; and on the old man’s head and neck was filth in abundance which he had gathered in his hands as he groveled on the earth. And his daughters and his sons’ wives were wailing throughout the house, thinking of those warriors many and noble who were lying dead, having lost their lives at the hands of the Argives. And the messenger of Zeus came up to Priam, and spoke to him; softly she spoke, yet trembling took hold of his limbs: “Take heart, Priam, son of Dardanus, and fear not at all. Not to threaten any evil to you have I come here, but with good intent. I am a messenger to you from Zeus, who, far away though he is, cares for you greatly and pities you. The Olympian tells you to ransom noble Hector, and bring gifts to Achilles which will warm his heart; go alone, and let not any man beside of the Trojans go with you. A herald may attend you, an older man, to guide the mules and the light-running wagon, and to carry back to the city the dead, him whom Achilles slew. Let not death be in your thoughts, nor any fear; such a guide will go with you, Argeïphontes, who will lead you, until in his leading he brings you to Achilles. And when he has led you into the hut, neither will Achilles himself slay you nor allow any other to slay you; for not without sense is he, nor without purpose, nor yet vicious; but with all kindliness will he spare a suppliant man.”

Ἦ, καὶ σκηπανίῳ δίεπ᾿ ἀνέρας· οἱ δ᾿ ἴσαν ἔξω σπερχομένοιο γέροντος. ὁ δ᾿ υἱάσιν οἷσιν ὁμόκλα, νεικείων Ἕλενόν τε Πάριν τ᾿ Ἀγάθωνά τε δῖον 250Πάμμονά τ᾿ Ἀντίφονόν τε βοὴν ἀγαθόν τε Πολίτην Δηίφοβόν τε καὶ Ἱππόθοον καὶ Δῖον ἀγαυόν· ἐννέα τοῖς ὁ γεραιὸς ὁμοκλήσας ἐκέλευε· “σπεύσατέ μοι, κακὰ τέκνα, κατηφόνες· αἴθ᾿ ἅμα πάντες Ἕκτορος ὠφέλετ᾿ ἀντὶ θοῇς ἐπὶ νηυσὶ πεφάσθαι. 255ὤ μοι ἐγὼ πανάποτμος, ἐπεὶ τέκον υἷας ἀρίστους Τροίῃ ἐν εὐρείῃ, τῶν δ᾿ οὔ τινά φημι λελεῖφθαι, Μήστορά τ᾿ ἀντίθεον καὶ Τρωίλον ἱππιοχάρμην Ἕκτορά θ᾿, ὃς θεὸς ἔσκε μετ᾿ ἀνδράσιν, οὐδὲ ἐῴκει ἀνδρός γε θνητοῦ πάις ἔμμεναι, ἀλλὰ θεοῖο· 260τοὺς μὲν ἀπώλεσ᾿ Ἄρης, τὰ δ᾿ ἐλέγχεα πάντα λέλειπ- ται, ψεῦσταί τ᾿ ὀρχησταί τε, χοροιτυπίῃσιν ἄριστοι, ἀρνῶν ἠδ᾿ ἐρίφων ἐπιδήμιοι ἁρπακτῆρες. οὐκ ἂν δή μοι ἄμαξαν ἐφοπλίσσαιτε τάχιστα, ταῦτά τε πάντ᾿ ἐπιθεῖτε, ἵνα πρήσσωμεν ὁδοῖο;”

265Ὣς ἔφαθ᾿, οἱ δ᾿ ἄρα πατρὸς ὑποδδείσαντες ὁμο- κλὴν ἐκ μὲν ἄμαξαν ἄειραν ἐύτροχον ἡμιονείην καλὴν πρωτοπαγέα, πείρινθα δὲ δῆσαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς, κὰδ δ᾿ ἀπὸ πασσαλόφι ζυγὸν ᾕρεον ἡμιόνειον πύξινον ὀμφαλόεν, εὖ οἰήκεσσιν ἀρηρός.¹¹ 270ἐκ δ᾿ ἔφερον ζυγόδεσμον ἅμα ζυγῷ ἐννεάπηχυ. καὶ τὸ μὲν εὖ κατέθηκαν ἐυξέστῳ ἐπὶ ῥυμῷ, πέζῃ ἔπι πρώτῃ, ἐπὶ δὲ κρίκον ἕστορι βάλλον, τρὶς δ᾿ ἑκάτερθεν ἔδησαν ἐπ᾿ ὀμφαλόν, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα ἑξείης κατέδησαν, ὑπὸ γλωχῖνα δ᾿ ἔκαμψαν. 275ἐκ θαλάμου δὲ φέροντες ἐυξέστης ἐπ᾿ ἀπήνης νήεον Ἑκτορέης κεφαλῆς ἀπερείσι᾿ ἄποινα, ζεῦξαν δ᾿ ἡμιόνους κρατερώνυχας ἐντεσιεργούς, τούς ῥά ποτε Πριάμῳ Μυσοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα. ἵππους δὲ Πριάμῳ ὕπαγον ζυγόν, οὓς ὁ γεραιὸς 280αὐτὸς ἔχων ἀτίταλλεν ἐυξέστῃ ἐπὶ φάτνῃ.

Book 24 He spoke, and with his staff went after the men, and they went out from before the old man’s insistence. Then he called aloud to his sons, reproaching Helenus and Paris and noble Agathon and Pammon and Antiphonus and Polites, good at the war cry, and Deïphobus and Hippothous and lordly Dius. To these nine the old man called aloud, and gave command: “Hurry, base children, disgraces; I wish that you all together instead of Hector had been slain at the swift ships! Woe is me, who am completely ill-fated, since I begot sons the best in the broad land of Troy, yet of them I say that not one is left, not godlike Mestor, not Troïlus the warrior charioteer, not Hector who was a god among men, nor did he seem the son of a mortal man, but of a god: all them has Ares slain, yet these things of shame are all that remain, liars and dancers, best at beating the floor in the dance, robbers of lambs and kids in your own country. Will you not make me ready a wagon, and that quickly, and lay all these things in it, so that we may speed on our way?”

So he spoke, and they, seized with fear of their father’s rebuke, brought out the light-running mule wagon, fair and newly made, and bound on it the wicker box; and down from its peg they took the mule yoke, a boxwood yoke with a knob on it, well fitted with guiding rings;⁴ and they brought out the yoke band of nine cubits, and with it the yoke. The yoke they set with care on the polished pole at the upturned end, and cast the ring on the peg; and they bound it fast to the knob with three turns to left and right, and then made it fast to the post, and bent the tongue underneath. Then they brought out from the treasure chamber and heaped on the polished wagon the countless ransom for Hector’s head, and yoked the strong-hoofed mules that toil in harness, which once the Mysians had given to Priam, a glorious gift. And for Priam they led beneath the yoke horses that the old king kept for his own and reared at the polished stall.

Τὸν δ᾿ αὖτε προσέειπε διάκτορος Ἀργεϊφόντης· 390“πειρᾷ ἐμεῖο, γεραιέ, καὶ εἴρεαι Ἕκτορα δῖον. τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ μάλα πολλὰ μάχῃ ἔνι κυδιανείρῃ ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὄπωπα, καὶ εὖτ᾿ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἐλάσσας Ἀργείους κτείνεσκε, δαΐζων ὀξέι χαλκῷ· ἡμεῖς δ᾿ ἑσταότες θαυμάζομεν· οὐ γὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς 395εἴα μάρνασθαι, κεχολωμένος Ἀτρεΐωνι. τοῦ γὰρ ἐγὼ θεράπων, μία δ᾿ ἤγαγε νηῦς εὐεργής· Μυρμιδόνων δ᾿ ἔξ εἰμι, πατὴρ δέ μοί ἐστι Πολύκτωρ. ἀφνειὸς μὲν ὅ γ᾿ ἐστί, γέρων δὲ δὴ ὡς σύ περ ὧδε, ἓξ δέ οἱ υἷες ἔασιν, ἐγὼ δέ οἱ ἕβδομός εἰμι· 400τῶν μέτα παλλόμενος κλήρῳ λάχον ἐνθάδ᾿ ἕπεσθαι. νῦν δ᾿ ἦλθον πεδίονδ᾿ ἀπὸ νηῶν· ἠῶθεν γὰρ θήσονται περὶ ἄστυ μάχην ἑλίκωπες Ἀχαιοί. ἀσχαλόωσι γὰρ οἵδε καθήμενοι, οὐδὲ δύνανται ἴσχειν ἐσσυμένους πολέμου βασιλῆες Ἀχαιῶν.”

405Τὸν δ᾿ ἠμείβετ᾿ ἔπειτα γέρων Πρίαμος θεοειδής· “εἰ μὲν δὴ θεράπων Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος εἶς, ἄγε δή μοι πᾶσαν ἀληθείην κατάλεξον, ἢ ἔτι πὰρ νήεσσιν ἐμὸς πάις, ἦέ μιν ἤδη ᾗσι κυσὶν μελεϊστὶ ταμὼν προὔθηκεν Ἀχιλλεύς.”

Book 24 Then again the messenger, Argeiphontes, spoke to him: “You make trial of me, old sir, in asking me about noble Hector. Him have my own eyes very often seen in battle, where men win glory, and when after driving the Argives to the ships he slew them, cutting them down with the sharp bronze; and we stood there and marveled, for Achilles would not allow us to fight, being angered against the son of Atreus. His attendant am I, and the same well-made ship brought us here. Of the Myrmidons I am one, and my father is Polyctor. He is rich in substance, and an old man just like you, and he has six sons, and I am his seventh. From these by the casting of lots I was chosen to follow here. And now I have come to the plain from the ships; for at dawn the bright-eyed Achaeans will set the battle about the city. For it irks them that they sit idle here, nor can the kings of the Achaeans hold them back in their eagerness for war.”

And the old man, godlike Priam, answered him: “If you are indeed an attendant of Peleus’ son Achilles, come now, tell me all the truth, whether my son is still by the ships, or whether by now Achilles has hewn him limb from limb and cast him before his dogs.”

Τὸν δ᾿ αὖτε προσέειπε διάκτορος Ἀργεϊφόντης· “ὦ γέρον, οὔ πω τόν γε κύνες φάγον οὐδ᾿ οἰωνοί, ἀλλ᾿ ἔτι κεῖνος κεῖται Ἀχιλλῆος παρὰ νηὶ αὔτως ἐν κλισίῃσι· δυωδεκάτη δέ οἱ ἠὼς κειμένῳ, οὐδέ τί οἱ χρὼς σήπεται, οὐδέ μιν εὐλαὶ 415ἔσθουσ᾿, αἵ ῥά τε φῶτας ἀρηιφάτους κατέδουσιν. ἦ μέν μιν περὶ σῆμα ἑοῦ ἑτάροιο φίλοιο ἕλκει ἀκηδέστως, Ἠὼς ὅτε δῖα φανήῃ, οὐδέ μιν αἰσχύνει· θηοῖό κεν αὐτὸς ἐπελθὼν οἷον ἐερσήεις κεῖται, περὶ δ᾿ αἷμα νένιπται, 420οὐδέ ποθι μιαρός· σὺν δ᾿ ἕλκεα πάντα μέμυκεν, ὅσσ᾿ ἐτύπη· πολέες γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ χαλκὸν ἔλασσαν. ὥς τοι κήδονται μάκαρες θεοὶ υἷος ἑοῖο¹³ καὶ νέκυός περ ἐόντος, ἐπεί σφι φίλος περὶ κῆρι.”¹⁴

Ὣς φάτο, γήθησεν δ᾿ ὁ γέρων, καὶ ἀμείβετο μύθῳ· 425“ὦ τέκος, ἦ ῥ᾿ ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἐναίσιμα δῶρα διδοῦναι ἀθανάτοις, ἐπεὶ οὔ ποτ᾿ ἐμὸς πάις, εἴ ποτ᾿ ἔην γε, λήθετ᾿ ἐνὶ μεγάροισι θεῶν, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσι· τῶ οἱ ἀπομνήσαντο καὶ ἐν θανάτοιό περ αἴσῃ. ἀλλ᾿ ἄγε δὴ τόδε δέξαι ἐμεῦ πάρα καλὸν ἄλεισον, 430αὐτόν τε ῥῦσαι, πέμψον δέ με σύν γε θεοῖσιν, ὄφρα κεν ἐς κλισίην Πηληιάδεω ἀφίκωμαι.”

Τὸν δ᾿ αὖτε προσέειπε διάκτορος Ἀργεϊφόντης· “πειρᾷ ἐμεῖο, γεραιέ, νεωτέρου, οὐδέ με πείσεις, ὅς με κέλεαι σέο δῶρα παρὲξ Ἀχιλῆα δέχεσθαι. 435τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ δείδοικα καὶ αἰδέομαι περὶ κῆρι συλεύειν, μή μοί τι κακὸν μετόπισθε γένηται. σοὶ δ᾿ ἂν ἐγὼ πομπὸς καί κε κλυτὸν Ἄργος ἱκοίμην, ἐνδυκέως ἐν νηὶ θοῇ ἢ πεζὸς ὁμαρτέων· οὐκ ἄν τίς τοι πομπὸν ὀνοσσάμενος μαχέσαιτο.”

Book 24 Then again the messenger Argeïphontes spoke to him: “Old sir, not yet have dogs and birds devoured him, but he still lies there beside the ship of Achilles among the huts as he was at the first; and this is now the twelfth day that he lies there, yet his flesh decays not at all, nor do worms consume it, such as feed on men slain in battle. To be sure, Achilles drags him ruthlessly about the mound of his dear comrade, as often as sacred Dawn appears, but he mars him not; you would yourself marvel, were you to come and see how dewy-fresh he lies, and is washed clean of blood, nor is he anywhere stained; and all the wounds are closed with which he was struck, for many there were who drove the bronze into his flesh. In such a way do the blessed gods care for your son, corpse though he is, since he was dear to their hearts.”

So he spoke, and the old man rejoiced, and answered, saying: “My child, a good thing truly is it to give to the immortals such gifts as are due them; for never did my son—if ever in fact he was—forget in our halls the gods who hold Olympus; so they have remembered this for him, even though he is in the doom of death. But come, accept from me this fair goblet, and guard me myself, and guide me with the speeding of the gods until I come to the hut of the son of Peleus.”

And again the messenger, Argeïphontes, spoke to him: “You make trial of me, old sir, a younger man than you; but you will not persuade me, since you are asking me to take gifts from you behind Achilles’ back. Of him I have fear and respect at heart that I should defraud him, lest some evil befall me later. But as your guide I would go even to glorious Argos, attending you with kindly care in a swift ship or on foot; nor would any man scorn your guide and fight with you.”

τοὺς δ᾿ ἔλαθ᾿ εἰσελθὼν Πρίαμος μέγας, ἄγχι δ᾿ ἄρα στὰς χερσὶν Ἀχιλλῆος λάβε γούνατα καὶ κύσε χεῖρας δεινὰς ἀνδροφόνους, αἵ οἱ πολέας κτάνον υἷας. 480ὡς δ᾿ ὅτ᾿ ἂν ἄνδρ᾿ ἄτη πυκινὴ λάβῃ, ὅς τ᾿ ἐνὶ πάτρῃ φῶτα κατακτείνας ἄλλων ἐξίκετο δῆμον, ἀνδρὸς ἐς ἀφνειοῦ, θάμβος δ᾿ ἔχει εἰσορόωντας, ὣς Ἀχιλεὺς θάμβησεν ἰδὼν Πρίαμον θεοειδέα· θάμβησαν δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι, ἐς ἀλλήλους δὲ ἴδοντο. 485τὸν καὶ λισσόμενος Πρίαμος πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε· “μνῆσαι πατρὸς σοῖο, θεοῖς ἐπιείκελ᾿ Ἀχιλλεῦ, τηλίκου ὥς περ ἐγών, ὀλοῷ ἐπὶ γήραος οὐδῷ. καὶ μέν που κεῖνον περιναιέται ἀμφὶς ἐόντες τείρουσ᾿, οὐδέ τις ἔστιν ἀρὴν καὶ λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι. 490ἀλλ᾿ ἦ τοι κεῖνός γε σέθεν ζώοντος ἀκούων χαίρει τ᾿ ἐν θυμῷ, ἐπί τ᾿ ἔλπεται ἤματα πάντα ὄψεσθαι φίλον υἱὸν ἀπὸ Τροίηθεν ἰόντα· αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ πανάποτμος, ἐπεὶ τέκον υἷας ἀρίστους Τροίῃ ἐν εὐρείῃ, τῶν δ᾿ οὔ τινά φημι λελεῖφθαι. 495πεντήκοντά μοι ἦσαν, ὅτ᾿ ἤλυθον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν· ἐννεακαίδεκα μέν μοι ἰῆς ἐκ νηδύος ἦσαν, τοὺς δ᾿ ἄλλους μοι ἔτικτον ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γυναῖκες. τῶν μὲν πολλῶν θοῦρος Ἄρης ὑπὸ γούνατ᾿ ἔλυσεν· ὃς δέ μοι οἶος ἔην, εἴρυτο δὲ ἄστυ καὶ αὐτούς, 500τὸν σὺ πρῴην κτεῖνας ἀμυνόμενον περὶ πάτρης, Ἕκτορα· τοῦ νῦν εἵνεχ᾿ ἱκάνω νῆας Ἀχαιῶν λυσόμενος παρὰ σεῖο, φέρω δ᾿ ἀπερείσι᾿ ἄποινα. ἀλλ᾿ αἰδεῖο θεούς, Ἀχιλεῦ, αὐτόν τ᾿ ἐλέησον, νησάμενος σοῦ πατρός· ἐγὼ δ᾿ ἐλεεινότερός περ, 505ἔτλην δ᾿ οἷ᾿ οὔ πώ τις ἐπιχθόνιος βροτὸς ἄλλος, ἀνδρὸς παιδοφόνοιο ποτὶ στόμα χεῖρ᾿ ὀρέγεσθαι.”

Book 24 Unseen by them great Priam entered in and, coming up to Achilles, clasped his knees in his hands, and kissed his hands, the terrible, man-slaying hands that had slain his many sons. And as when overpowering blindness of heart comes on a man, who in his own country slays another and escapes to a land of strangers, to the house of some man of substance, and amazement comes on those who look on him, so was Achilles struck with wonder at sight of godlike Priam, and struck with wonder were the others likewise, and they glanced at one another. But Priam spoke to him, entreating him, saying: “Remember your father, godlike Achilles, whose years are like mine, on the grievous threshold of old age. Him, too, likely enough, those who dwell round about are treating evilly, nor is there anyone to ward harm and ruin from him. But he, at least, while he hears of you as still living, rejoices in his heart, and hopes day by day that he will see his dear son returning from the land of Troy. But I—I am completely ill-fated, since I begot sons the best in the broad land of Troy, yet of them I say that not one is left. Fifty I had, when the sons of the Achaeans came; nineteen were born to me of the same womb, and the others women of the palace bore. Of these, many as they were, furious Ares has loosed the knees, and the only one I had, who by himself guarded the city and its people, him you slew as he fought for his country—Hector. For his sake I have now come to the ships of the Achaeans to win him back from you, and I bring with me ransom past counting. But respect the gods, Achilles, and take pity on me, remembering your own father. I am more piteous far than he, and have endured what no other mortal on the face of earth has yet endured, to reach out my hand to the face of the man who has slain my sons.”

Ὣς φάτο, τῷ δ᾿ ἄρα πατρὸς ὑφ᾿ ἵμερον ὦρσε γόοιο· ἁψάμενος δ᾿ ἄρα χειρὸς ἀπώσατο ἦκα γέροντα. τὼ δὲ μνησαμένω, ὁ μὲν Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο 510κλαῖ᾿ ἀδινὰ προπάροιθε ποδῶν Ἀχιλῆος ἐλυσθείς, αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς κλαῖεν ἑὸν πατέρ᾿, ἄλλοτε δ᾿ αὖτε Πάτροκλον· τῶν δὲ στοναχὴ κατὰ δώματ᾿ ὀρώρει. αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥα γόοιο τετάρπετο δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς, καί οἱ ἀπὸ πραπίδων ἦλθ᾿ ἵμερος ἠδ᾿ ἀπὸ γυίων,¹⁶ 515αὐτίκ᾿ ἀπὸ θρόνου ὦρτο, γέροντα δὲ χειρὸς ἀνίστη, οἰκτείρων πολιόν τε κάρη πολιόν τε γένειον, καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· “ἆ δείλ᾿, ἦ δὴ πολλὰ κάκ᾿ ἄνσχεο σὸν κατὰ θυμόν. πῶς ἔτλης ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν ἐλθέμεν οἶος, 520ἀνδρὸς ἐς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὅς τοι πολέας τε καὶ ἐσθλοὺς υἱέας ἐξενάριξα; σιδήρειόν νύ τοι ἦτορ. ἀλλ᾿ ἄγε δὴ κατ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἕζευ ἐπὶ θρόνου, ἄλγεα δ᾿ ἔμπης ἐν θυμῷ κατακεῖσθαι ἐάσομεν ἀχνύμενοί περ· οὐ γάρ τις πρῆξις πέλεται κρυεροῖο γόοιο· 525ὣς γὰρ ἐπεκλώσαντο θεοὶ δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσι, ζώειν ἀχνυμένους· αὐτοὶ δέ τ᾿ ἀκηδέες εἰσί. δοιοὶ γάρ τε πίθοι κατακείαται ἐν Διὸς οὔδει δώρων οἷα δίδωσι, κακῶν, ἕτερος δὲ ἑάων· ᾧ μέν κ᾿ ἀμμείξας δώῃ Ζεὺς τερπικέραυνος, 530ἄλλοτε μέν τε κακῷ ὅ γε κύρεται, ἄλλοτε δ᾿ ἐσθλῷ. ᾧ δέ κε τῶν λυγρῶν δώῃ, λωβητὸν ἔθηκε, καί ἑ κακὴ βούβρωστις ἐπὶ χθόνα δῖαν ἐλαύνει, φοιτᾷ δ᾿ οὔτε θεοῖσι τετιμένος οὔτε βροτοῖσιν. ὣς μὲν καὶ Πηλῆι θεοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα 535ἐκ γενετῆς· πάντας γὰρ ἐπ᾿ ἀνθρώπους ἐκέκαστο ὄλβῳ τε πλούτῳ τε, ἄνασσε δὲ Μυρμιδόνεσσι, καί οἱ θνητῷ ἐόντι θεὰν ποίησαν ἄκοιτιν. ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ καὶ τῷ θῆκε θεὸς κακόν, ὅττι οἱ οὔ τι παίδων ἐν μεγάροισι γονὴ γένετο κρειόντων, 540ἀλλ᾿ ἕνα παῖδα τέκεν παναώριον· οὐδέ νυ τόν γε γηράσκοντα κομίζω, ἐπεὶ μάλα τηλόθι πάτρης ἧμαι ἐνὶ Τροίῃ, σέ τε κήδων ἠδὲ σὰ τέκνα. καὶ σέ, γέρον, τὸ πρὶν μὲν ἀκούομεν ὄλβιον εἶναι· ὅσσον Λέσβος ἄνω, Μάκαρος ἕδος, ἐντὸς ἐέργει 545καὶ Φρυγίη καθύπερθε καὶ Ἑλλήσποντος ἀπείρων, τῶν σε, γέρον, πλούτῳ τε καὶ υἱάσι φασὶ κεκάσθαι. αὐτὰρ ἐπεί τοι πῆμα τόδ᾿ ἤγαγον Οὐρανίωνες, αἰεί τοι περὶ ἄστυ μάχαι τ᾿ ἀνδροκτασίαι τε. ἄνσχεο, μηδ᾿ ἀλίαστον ὀδύρεο σὸν κατὰ θυμόν· 550οὐ γάρ τι πρήξεις ἀκαχήμενος υἷος ἑοῖο,¹⁷ οὐδέ μιν ἀνστήσεις, πρὶν καὶ κακὸν ἄλλο πάθῃσθα.”

Book 24 So he spoke, and in Achilles he roused desire to weep for his father; and he took the old man by the hand, and gently pushed him away from him. So the two remembered—the one remembered man-slaying Hector and wept loudly, collapsed at Achilles’ feet, but Achilles wept for his own father, and now again for Patroclus; and the sound of their moaning went up through the house. But when noble Achilles had had his fill of weeping, and the desire of it had gone away from his heart and limbs, immediately then he sprang from his seat, and raised the old man by his hand, pitying his gray head and gray beard; and he spoke and addressed him with winged words: “Ah, unhappy man, many indeed are the evils you have endured in your heart. How could you bring yourself to come alone to the ships of the Achaeans, to meet the eyes of me who have slain your sons many and noble? Of iron surely is your heart. But come, sit on a seat, and our woes let us allow to rest in our hearts, for all our sorrow; for no profit comes of chill lament. For so have the gods spun the thread for wretched mortals, that they should live among sorrows; and they themselves are without care. For two urns are set on Zeus’ floor of gifts that he gives, the one of ills, the other of blessings. To whomever Zeus, who hurls the thunderbolt, gives a mixed lot, that man meets now with evil, now with good; but to whomever he gives only of the baneful, him he makes to be degraded by man, and evil madness⁵ drives him over the face of the sacred earth, and he wanders honored neither by gods nor by mortals. So too did the gods give glorious gifts to Peleus from his birth; for he excelled all men in wealth and substance, and was king over the Myrmidons, and to him who was but a mortal the gods gave a goddess to be his wife. But even on him a god brought evil, in that there sprang up in his halls no offspring of princely sons, but he begot only one son, doomed to an untimely fate. Nor do I tend him as he grows old, since far, far from my own country I sit around in the land of Troy, causing pain to you and your children. And of you, old sir, we hear that once you were happy; how of all that toward the sea Lesbos, the seat of Macar,⁶ encloses, and Phrygia in the upland, and the boundless Hellespont, over all these people, men say, you, old sir, were preeminent because of your wealth and your sons. But from the time when the heavenly gods brought on you this misery, ever around your city are battles and slayings of men. Bear up, and do not grieve ever ceaselessly in your heart; for nothing will you accomplish by grieving for your son, and you will not bring him back to life; before that you will suffer some other ill.”

Τὸν δ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς

Ἀχιλλεύς· 560“μηκέτι νῦν μ᾿ ἐρέθιζε, γέρον· νοέω δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς Ἕκτορά τοι λῦσαι, Διόθεν δέ μοι ἄγγελος ἦλθε μήτηρ, ἥ μ᾿ ἔτεκεν, θυγάτηρ ἁλίοιο γέροντος. καὶ δέ σε γιγνώσκω, Πρίαμε, φρεσίν, οὐδέ με λήθεις, ὅττι θεῶν τίς σ᾿ ἦγε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν. 565οὐ γάρ κε τλαίη βροτὸς ἐλθέμεν, οὐδὲ μάλ᾿ ἡβῶν, ἐς στρατόν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν φυλάκους λάθοι, οὐδέ κ᾿ ὀχῆα ῥεῖα μετοχλίσσειε θυράων ἡμετεράων. τῶ νῦν μή μοι μᾶλλον ἐν ἄλγεσι θυμὸν ὀρίνῃς, μή σε, γέρον, οὐδ᾿ αὐτὸν ἐνὶ κλισίῃσιν ἐάσω 570καὶ ἱκέτην περ ἐόντα, Διὸς δ᾿ ἀλίτωμαι ἐφετμάς.”

Ὣς ἔφατ᾿, ἔδδεισεν δ᾿ ὁ γέρων καὶ ἐπείθετο μύθῳ. Πηλεΐδης δ᾿ οἴκοιο λέων ὣς ἆλτο θύραζε, οὐκ οἶος, ἅμα τῷ γε δύω θεράποντες ἕποντο, ἥρως Αὐτομέδων ἠδ᾿ Ἄλκιμος, οὕς ῥα μάλιστα 575τῖ᾿ Ἀχιλεὺς ἑτάρων μετὰ Πάτροκλόν γε θανόντα, οἳ τόθ᾿ ὑπὸ ζυγόφιν λύον ἵππους ἡμιόνους τε, ἐς δ᾿ ἄγαγον κήρυκα καλήτορα τοῖο γέροντος, κὰδ δ᾿ ἐπὶ δίφρου εἷσαν· ἐυσσώτρου²⁰ δ᾿ ἀπ᾿ ἀπήνης ᾕρεον Ἑκτορέης κεφαλῆς ἀπερείσι᾿ ἄποινα. 580κὰδ δ᾿ ἔλιπον δύο φάρε᾿ ἐύννητόν τε χιτῶνα, ὄφρα νέκυν πυκάσας δοίη οἶκόνδε φέρεσθαι. δμῳὰς δ᾿ ἐκκαλέσας λοῦσαι κέλετ᾿ ἀμφί τ᾿ ἀλεῖψαι, νόσφιν ἀειράσας, ὡς μὴ Πρίαμος ἴδοι υἱόν, μὴ ὁ μὲν ἀχνυμένῃ κραδίῃ χόλον οὐκ ἐρύσαιτο 585παῖδα ἰδών, Ἀχιλῆι δ᾿ ὀρινθείη φίλον ἦτορ, καί ἑ κατακτείνειε, Διὸς δ᾿ ἀλίτηται ἐφετμάς. τὸν δ᾿ ἐπεὶ οὖν δμῳαὶ λοῦσαν καὶ χρῖσαν ἐλαίῳ, ἀμφὶ δέ μιν φᾶρος καλὸν βάλον ἠδὲ χιτῶνα, αὐτὸς τόν γ᾿ Ἀχιλεὺς λεχέων ἐπέθηκεν ἀείρας, 590σὺν δ᾿ ἕταροι ἤειραν ἐυξέστην ἐπ᾿ ἀπήνην. ᾤμωξέν τ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἔπειτα, φίλον δ᾿ ὀνόμηνεν ἑταῖρον· “μή μοι, Πάτροκλε, σκυδμαινέμεν, αἴ κε πύθηαι εἰν Ἄιδός περ ἐὼν ὅτι Ἕκτορα δῖον ἔλυσα πατρὶ φίλῳ, ἐπεὶ οὔ μοι ἀεικέα δῶκεν ἄποινα.²¹ 595σοὶ δ᾿ αὖ ἐγὼ καὶ τῶνδ᾿ ἀποδάσσομαι ὅσσ᾿ ἐπέοικεν.”

Book 24 Then with an angry glance Achilles swift of foot spoke to him: “Do not provoke me further, old sir; I intend myself to give Hector back to you; for from Zeus there came to me a messenger, the mother who bore me, daughter of the old man of the sea. And of you, Priam, I know in my heart—it does not escape me—that some god led you to the swift ships of the Achaeans. For no mortal man, not even a very young and strong man, would dare to come among the army; nor could he then escape the watch, nor easily thrust back the bar of our doors. So now stir my heart no more among my sorrows, lest, old sir, I spare not even you inside the huts, my suppliant though you are, and so transgress the charge of Zeus.”

So he spoke, and the old man was seized with fear, and obeyed his words. But like a lion the son of Peleus sprang out of the house—not alone, for with him went two attendants as well, the warrior Automedon and Alcimus, they whom Achilles honored above all his comrades after the dead Patroclus. These then loosed from beneath the yoke the horses and mules, and led in the herald, the crier of the old king, and set him on a chair; and from the wagon with good felloes they took the countless ransom for Hector’s head. But they left there two robes and a fair-woven tunic so that Achilles might wrap the dead in them and so give him to be taken to his home. Then Achilles called out the handmaids and ordered them to wash and anoint him, carrying him to a place apart so that Priam might not have sight of his son, lest in grief of heart he should not restrain his wrath when he had sight of his son, and Achilles’ own heart be stirred to anger, and he slay him, and so transgress the charge of Zeus. So when the handmaids had washed the body and anointed it with oil, and had cast about it a fair cloak and a tunic, then Achilles himself lifted it and set it on a bier, and his comrades with him lifted it on to the polished wagon. Then he uttered a groan, and called on his dear comrade by name: “Be not angry with me, Patroclus, if you hear even in the house of Hades that I have given back noble Hector to his dear father, since not inadequate is the ransom he has given me. And to you I will give of these things all that is your due share.”

605τοὺς μὲν Ἀπόλλων πέφνεν ἀπ᾿ ἀργυρέοιο βιοῖο χωόμενος Νιόβῃ, τὰς δ᾿ Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα, οὕνεκ᾿ ἄρα Λητοῖ ἰσάσκετο καλλιπαρῄῳ· φῆ δοιὼ τεκέειν, ἡ δ᾿ αὐτὴ γείνατο πολλούς· τὼ δ᾿ ἄρα καὶ δοιώ περ ἐόντ᾿ ἀπὸ πάντας ὄλεσσαν. 610οἱ μὲν ἄρ᾿ ἐννῆμαρ κέατ᾿ ἐν φόνῳ, οὐδέ τις ἦεν κατθάψαι, λαοὺς δὲ λίθους ποίησε Κρονίων· τοὺς δ᾿ ἅρα τῇ δεκάτῃ θάψαν θεοὶ Οὐρανίωνες. ἡ δ᾿ ἄρα σίτου μνήσατ᾿, ἐπεὶ κάμε δάκρυ χέουσα. νῦν δέ που ἐν πέτρῃσιν, ἐν οὔρεσιν οἰοπόλοισιν,²² 615ἐν Σιπύλῳ, ὅθι φασὶ θεάων ἔμμεναι εὐνὰς νυμφάων, αἵ τ᾿ ἀμφ᾿ Ἀχελώιον ἐρρώσαντο, ἔνθα λίθος περ ἐοῦσα θεῶν ἐκ κήδεα πέσσει. ἀλλ᾿ ἄγε δὴ καὶ νῶι μεδώμεθα, δῖε γεραιέ, σίτου· ἔπειτά κεν αὖτε φίλον παῖδα κλαίοισθα, 620Ἴλιον εἰσαγαγών· πολυδάκρυτος δέ τοι ἔσται.”

Ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἐς κλισίην πάλιν ἤιε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς, ἕζετο δ᾿ ἐν κλισμῷ πολυδαιδάλῳ, ἔνθεν ἀνέστη, τοίχου τοῦ ἑτέρου, ποτὶ δὲ Πρίαμον φάτο μῦθον· “υἱὸς μὲν δή τοι λέλυται, γέρον, ὡς ἐκέλευες, 600κεῖται δ᾿ ἐν λεχέεσσ᾿· ἅμα δ᾿ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφιν ὄψεαι αὐτὸς ἄγων· νῦν δὲ μνησώμεθα δόρπου. καὶ γάρ τ᾿ ἠύκομος Νιόβη ἐμνήσατο σίτου, τῇ περ δώδεκα παῖδες ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ὄλοντο, ἓξ μὲν θυγατέρες, ἓξ δ᾿ υἱέες ἡβώοντες.

Book 24 So spoke noble Achilles and went back inside the hut and on the richly inlaid chair from which he had risen sat down by the opposite wall, and he spoke to Priam, saying: “Your son, old sir, has been released according to your wish, and lies on a bier; and at break of day you shall yourself look on him, as you carry him away; but for now let us take thought of a meal. For even the fair-haired Niobe took thought of food, though twelve children perished in her halls, six daughters and six sons in their prime.⁸ The sons Apollo slew with shafts from his silver bow, angered against Niobe, and the daughters the archer Artemis, since Niobe had compared herself to fair-cheeked Leto, saying that the goddess had borne but two, while she herself was mother to many; so they, though they were but two, destroyed them all. For nine days they lay in their blood, nor was there anyone to bury them, for the son of Cronos turned the people to stones;⁹ but on the tenth day the gods of heaven buried them; and Niobe took thought of food, for she was wearied with the shedding of tears. And now somewhere among the rocks, on the lonely mountains, on Sipylus, where, men say, are the couches of goddesses, of the nymphs that range swiftly in the dance about Achelous, there, though a stone, she broods over her woes sent by the gods. But come, let us two likewise, noble old sir, take thought of food; and then you can make lament over your dear son, when you have taken him into Ilios; mourned will he be by you with many tears.”

But when they had now come to the ford of the fair-flowing river, eddying Xanthus, that immortal Zeus begot, then Hermes went away to high Olympus, and Dawn, the saffron-robed, was spreading over all the earth. So they with moaning and wailing drove the horses to the city, and the mules carried the dead. Nor did any one else learn of them, whether man or fair-belted woman; but Cassandra, peer of golden Aphrodite, having gone up on Pergamus, caught sight of her dear father as he stood in the chariot, and the herald, the city’s crier; and him she saw who lay on the bier in the wagon drawn by the mules. She uttered a shrill cry then, and shouted throughout all the town: “Come, men and women of Troy, and look on Hector, if ever while he still lived you rejoiced at his coming back from battle; since great joy was he to the city and to all the people.”

So she spoke, nor was any man left there inside the city, nor any woman, for on all came unbearable grief; and hard by the gates they met Priam, as he brought home the dead. First Hector’s dear wife and queenly mother flung themselves on the light-running wagon and, clasping his head, wailed and tore their hair; and the people thronged about and wept. And now the whole day long until the setting of the sun would they have made lament for Hector with shedding of tears there outside the gates, if the old man had not spoken among the people from the chariot: “Make way for the mules to pass through; then shall you take your fill of wailing, when I have brought him to the house.”

Book 24 Ἀλλ᾿ ὅτε δὴ πόρον ἷξον ἐυρρεῖος ποταμοῖο, Ξάνθου δινήεντος, ὃν ἀθάνατος τέκετο Ζεύς,²³ Ἑρμείας μὲν ἔπειτ᾿ ἀπέβη πρὸς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον, 695Ἠὼς δὲ κροκόπεπλος ἐκίδνατο πᾶσαν ἐπ᾿ αἶαν, οἱ δ᾿ ἐς ἄστυ ἔλων οἰμωγῇ τε στοναχῇ τε ἵππους, ἡμίονοι δὲ νέκυν φέρον. οὐδέ τις ἄλλος ἔγνω πρόσθ᾿ ἀνδρῶν καλλιζώνων τε γυναικῶν, ἀλλ᾿ ἄρα Κασσάνδρη, ἰκέλη χρυσέῃ Ἀφροδίτῃ, 700Πέργαμον εἰσαναβᾶσα φίλον πατέρ᾿ εἰσενόησεν ἑσταότ᾿ ἐν δίφρῳ, κήρυκά τε ἀστυβοώτην· τὸν δ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἐφ᾿ ἡμιόνων ἴδε κείμενον ἐν λεχέεσσι· κώκυσέν τ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἔπειτα γέγωνέ τε πᾶν κατὰ ἄστυ· “ὄψεσθε, Τρῶες καὶ Τρῳάδες, Ἕκτορ᾿ ἰόντες, 705εἴ ποτε καὶ ζώοντι μάχης ἒκ νοστήσαντι χαίρετ᾿, ἐπεὶ μέγα χάρμα πόλει τ᾿ ἦν παντί τε δήμῳ.”

Ὣς ἔφατ᾿, οὐδέ τις αὐτόθ᾿ ἐνὶ πτόλεϊ λίπετ᾿ ἀνὴρ οὐδὲ γυνή· πάντας γὰρ ἀάσχετον ἵκετο πένθος· ἀγχοῦ δὲ ξύμβληντο πυλάων νεκρὸν ἄγοντι. 710πρῶται τόν γ᾿ ἄλοχός τε φίλη καὶ πότνια μήτηρ τιλλέσθην, ἐπ᾿ ἄμαξαν ἐύτροχον ἀΐξασαι, ἁπτόμεναι κεφαλῆς· κλαίων δ᾿ ἀμφίσταθ᾿ ὅμιλος. καί νύ κε δὴ πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα Ἕκτορα δάκρυ χέοντες ὀδύροντο πρὸ πυλάων, 715εἰ μὴ ἄρ᾿ ἐκ δίφροιο γέρων λαοῖσι μετηύδα· “εἴξατέ μοι οὐρεῦσι διελθέμεν· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα ἄσεσθε κλαυθμοῖο, ἐπὴν ἀγάγωμι δόμονδε.”

Ὣς ἔφαθ᾿, οἱ δὲ διέστησαν καὶ εἶξαν ἀπήνῃ. οἱ δ᾿ ἐπεὶ εἰσάγαγον κλυτὰ δώματα, τὸν μὲν ἔπειτα 720τρητοῖς ἐν λεχέεσσι θέσαν, παρὰ δ᾿ εἷσαν ἀοιδοὺς θρήνων ἐξάρχους, οἵ τε στονόεσσαν ἀοιδὴν οἱ μὲν ἄρ᾿ ἐθρήνεον, ἐπὶ δὲ στενάχοντο γυναῖκες. τῇσιν δ᾿ Ἀνδρομάχη λευκώλενος ἦρχε γόοιο, Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο κάρη μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσα· 725“ἆνερ, ἀπ᾿ αἰῶνος νέος²⁴ ὤλεο, κὰδ δέ με χήρην λείπεις ἐν μεγάροισι· πάις δ᾿ ἔτι νήπιος αὔτως, ὃν τέκομεν σύ τ᾿ ἐγώ τε δυσάμμοροι, οὐδέ μιν οἴω ἥβην ἵξεσθαι· πρὶν γὰρ πόλις ἥδε κατ᾿ ἄκρης πέρσεται· ἦ γὰρ ὄλωλας ἐπίσκοπος, ὅς τέ μιν αὐτὴν 730ῥύσκευ, ἔχες δ᾿ ἀλόχους κεδνὰς καὶ νήπια τέκνα· αἳ δή τοι τάχα νηυσὶν ὀχήσονται γλαφυρῇσι, καὶ μὲν ἐγὼ μετὰ τῇσι· σὺ δ᾿ αὖ, τέκος, ἢ ἐμοὶ αὐτῇ ἕψεαι, ἔνθα κεν ἔργα ἀεικέα ἐργάζοιο, ἀθλεύων πρὸ ἄνακτος ἀμειλίχου, ἤ τις Ἀχαιῶν 735ῥίψει χειρὸς ἑλὼν ἀπὸ πύργου, λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον, χωόμενος, ᾧ δή που ἀδελφεὸν ἔκτανεν Ἕκτωρ ἢ πατέρ᾿, ἠὲ καὶ υἱόν, ἐπεὶ μάλα πολλοὶ Ἀχαιῶν Ἕκτορος ἐν παλάμῃσιν ὀδὰξ ἕλον ἄσπετον οὖδας. ὐ γὰρ μείλιχος ἔσκε πατὴρ τεὸς ἐν δαῒ λυγρῇ· 740τῶ καί μιν λαοὶ μὲν ὀδύρονται κατὰ ἄστυ, ἄρρητον δὲ τοκεῦσι γόον καὶ πένθος ἔθηκας, Ἕκτορ· ἐμοὶ δὲ μάλιστα λελείψεται ἄλγεα λυγρά. οὐ γάρ μοι θνῄσκων λεχέων ἐκ χεῖρας ὄρεξας, οὐδέ τί μοι εἶπες πυκινὸν ἔπος, οὗ τέ κεν αἰεὶ 745μεμνῄμην νύκτας τε καὶ ἤματα δάκρυ χέουσα.”

Book 24 So he spoke, and they stood apart and made way for the wagon. But the others, when they had brought him to the glorious house, laid him on a corded bedstead, and by his side set singers, leaders of the dirge, who led the song of lamentation—they chanted the dirge, and to it the women added their laments. And among these white-armed Andromache led the wailing, holding in her hands the head of man-slaying Hector: “Husband, perished out of life are you, still in your youth, and leave me a widow in your halls; and your son is still but a babe, the son born of you and me, both ill-fated; nor do I think that he will come to manhood, for before that will this city be wasted utterly. For you have perished who watched over it, you who guarded it, and kept safe its noble wives and little ones. These will soon be riding on the hollow ships, and I among them; and you, my child, will follow with me to a place where you will labor at ugly tasks, toiling for some ungentle master, or else some Achaean will seize you by the arm and hurl you from the wall, a woeful death, someone angered because Hector slew his brother perhaps, or his father, or his son, since many Achaeans at the hands of Hector have bitten the vast earth with their teeth; for not at all gentle was your father in woeful war. Therefore the people wail for him throughout the city, and grief unspeakable and sorrow have you brought on your parents, Hector; and for me beyond all others will woeful sorrows be left. For at your death you did not stretch out your hands to me from your bed, nor speak to me any word full of meaning that I might have recalled night and day with shedding of tears.”

Ὣς ἔφατο κλαίουσ᾿, ἐπὶ δὲ στενάχοντο γυναῖκες. τῇσιν δ᾿ αὖθ᾿ Ἑκάβη ἁδινοῦ ἐξῆρχε γόοιο· “Ἕκτορ, ἐμῷ θυμῷ πάντων πολὺ φίλτατε παίδων, ἦ μέν μοι ζωός περ ἐὼν φίλος ἦσθα θεοῖσιν· 750οἱ δ᾿ ἄρα σεῦ κήδοντο καὶ ἐν θανάτοιό περ αἴσῃ. ἄλλους μὲν γὰρ παῖδας ἐμοὺς πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεὺς πέρνασχ᾿, ὅν τιν᾿ ἕλεσκε, πέρην ἁλὸς ἀτρυγέτοιο, ἐς Σάμον ἔς τ᾿ Ἴμβρον καὶ Λῆμνον ἀμιχθαλόεσσαν· σεῦ δ᾿ ἐπεὶ ἐξέλετο ψυχὴν ταναήκεϊ χαλκῷ, 755πολλὰ ῥυστάζεσκεν ἑοῦ περὶ σῆμ᾿ ἑτάροιο, Πατρόκλου, τὸν ἔπεφνες· ἀνέστησεν δέ μιν οὐδ᾿ ὧς. νῦν δέ μοι ἑρσήεις καὶ πρόσφατος ἐν μεγάροισι κεῖσαι, τῷ ἴκελος ὅν τ᾿ ἀργυρότοξος Ἀπόλλων οἷς ἀγανοῖσι βέλεσσιν ἐποιχόμενος κατέπεφνεν.”

760Ὣς ἔφατο κλαίουσα, γόον δ᾿ ἀλίαστον ὄρινε. τῇσι δ᾿ ἔπειθ᾿ Ἑλένη τριτάτη ἐξῆρχε γόοιο· “Ἕκτορ, ἐμῷ θυμῷ δαέρων πολὺ φίλτατε πάντων, ἦ μέν μοι πόσις ἐστὶν Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδής, ὅς μ᾿ ἄγαγε Τροίηνδ᾿· ὡς πρὶν ὤφελλον ὀλέσθαι. 765ἤδη γὰρ νῦν μοι τόδ᾿ ἐεικοστὸν ἔτος ἐστὶν ἐξ οὗ κεῖθεν ἔβην καὶ ἐμῆς ἀπελήλυθα πάτρης· ἀλλ᾿ οὔ πω σεῦ ἄκουσα κακὸν ἔπος οὐδ᾿ ἀσύφηλον· ἀλλ᾿ εἴ τίς με καὶ ἄλλος ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἐνίπτοι δαέρων ἢ γαλόων ἢ εἰνατέρων εὐπέπλων, 770ἢ ἑκυρή—ἑκυρὸς δὲ πατὴρ ὣς ἤπιος αἰεί— ἀλλὰ σὺ τὸν ἐπέεσσι παραιφάμενος κατέρυκες, σῇ τ᾿ ἀγανοφροσύνῃ καὶ σοῖς ἀγανοῖς ἐπέεσσι. τῶ σέ θ᾿ ἅμα κλαίω καὶ ἔμ᾿ ἄμμορον ἀχνυμένη κῆρ· οὐ γάρ τίς μοι ἔτ᾿ ἄλλος ἐνὶ Τροίῃ εὐρείῃ 775ἤπιος οὐδὲ φίλος, πάντες δέ με πεφρίκασιν.”

Book 24 So she spoke tearfully, and to it the women added their laments. And among them Hecabe in turn led the vehement wailing: “Hector, far dearest to my heart of all my children, when you were alive you were dear to the gods, and therefore they have cared for you even in the doom of death. For other sons of mine whomever he took would swift-footed Achilles sell beyond the unresting sea, to Samos and Imbros and Lemnos, shrouded in smoke,¹⁰ but when from you he had taken your life with the long-edged bronze often he dragged you about the mound of his comrade, Patroclus, whom you slew; but even so he did not raise him up. But now all dewy-fresh you lie in my halls as if you were newly slain, like one whom Apollo of the silver bow has assailed with his gentle shafts and slain.”

So she spoke wailing, and roused unabating lament. And then Helen was the third to lead the wailing: “Hector, far dearest to my heart of all my husband’s brothers! In truth my husband is godlike Alexander, who brought me to the land of Troy—I wish I had died before then! For this is now the twentieth year from the time when I went from there and have been gone from my native land,¹¹ but never yet have I heard evil or spiteful word from you; but if any other spoke reproachfully of me in the halls, a brother of yours or a sister, or brother’s fair-robed wife, or your mother—but your father was ever gentle as if he had been my own—yet you would turn them with speech and restrain them by your gentleness and your gentle words. So I wail alike for you and for my unlucky self with grief at heart; for no longer have I anyone else in broad Troy who is gentle to me or kind; but all men shudder at me.”

Ὥς ἔφατο κλαίουσ᾿, ἐπὶ δ᾿ ἔστενε δῆμος ἀπείρων. λαοῖσιν δ᾿ ὁ γέρων Πρίαμος μετὰ μῦθον ἔειπεν· “ἄξετε νῦν, Τρῶες, ξύλα ἄστυδε, μηδέ τι θυμῷ δείσητ᾿ Ἀργείων πυκινὸν λόχον· ἦ γὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς 780πέμπων μ᾿ ὧδ᾿ ἐπέτελλε μελαινάων ἀπὸ νηῶν, μὴ πρὶν πημανέειν, πρὶν δωδεκάτη μόλῃ ἠώς.”

Ὣς ἔφαθ᾿, οἱ δ᾿ ὑπ᾿ ἀμάξῃσιν βόας ἡμιόνους τε ζεύγνυσαν, αἶψα δ᾿ ἔπειτα πρὸ ἄστεος ἠγερέθοντο. ἐννῆμαρ μὲν τοί γε ἀγίνεον ἄσπετον ὕλην· 785ἀλλ᾿ ὅτε δὴ δεκάτη ἐφάνη φαεσίμβροτος ἠώς, καὶ τότ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἐξέφερον θρασὺν Ἕκτορα δάκρυ χέοντες, ἐν δὲ πυρῇ ὑπάτῃ νεκρὸν θέσαν, ἐν δ᾿ ἔβαλον πῦρ.

Ἦμος δ᾿ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς, τῆμος ἄρ᾿ ἀμφὶ πυρὴν κλυτοῦ Ἕκτορος ἔγρετο λαός. 790αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ᾿ ἤγερθεν ὁμηγερέες τ᾿ ἐγένοντο,²⁵ πρῶτον μὲν κατὰ πυρκαϊὴν σβέσαν αἴθοπι οἴνῳ πᾶσαν, ὁπόσσον ἐπέσχε πυρὸς μένος· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα ὀστέα λευκὰ λέγοντο κασίγνητοί θ᾿ ἕταροί τε μυρόμενοι, θαλερὸν δὲ κατείβετο δάκρυ παρειῶν. 795καὶ τά γε χρυσείην ἐς λάρνακα θῆκαν ἑλόντες, πορφυρέοις πέπλοισι καλύψαντες μαλακοῖσιν· αἶψα δ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἐς κοίλην κάπετον θέσαν, αὐτὰρ ὕπερθε πυκνοῖσιν λάεσσι κατεστόρεσαν μεγάλοισι· ῥίμφα δὲ σῆμ᾿ ἔχεαν, περὶ δὲ σκοποὶ ἥατο πάντῃ, 800μὴ πρὶν ἐφορμηθεῖεν ἐυκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί. χεύαντες δὲ τὸ σῆμα πάλιν κίον· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα εὖ συναγειρόμενοι δαίνυντ᾿ ἐρικυδέα δαῖτα δώμασιν ἐν Πριάμοιο, διοτρεφέος βασιλῆος.

Ὣς οἵ γ᾿ ἀμφίεπον τάφον Ἕκτορος ἱπποδάμοιο.²⁶

Book 24 So she spoke wailing, and the countless throng made moan. But the old man Priam spoke among the people, saying: “Bring wood now, men of Troy, to the city, and do not have any fear at heart of a cunning ambush of the Argives; for Achilles gave me this assurance when he sent me away from the black ships, that he would do us no hurt until the twelfth dawn comes.”

So he spoke, and they yoked oxen and mules to wagons, and quickly then gathered together before the city. For nine days they brought in abundant wood, but when the tenth dawn arose, giving light to mortals, then they carried bold Hector out, shedding tears, and on the topmost pyre they laid the dead man and cast fire on it.

But as soon as early Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered, then gathered the people about the pyre of glorious Hector. And when they were assembled and met together, first they quenched with ruddy wine all the pyre, so far as the fire’s might had spread, and then his brothers and his comrades gathered up the white bones, mourning, and large tears flowed ever down their cheeks. The bones they took and placed in a golden urn, covering them over with soft purple robes, and quickly laid the urn in a hollow grave, and covered it over with great close-set stones. Then quickly they heaped the mound, and round about were watchers set on every side, lest the well-greaved Achaeans should set on them before the time. And when they had piled the mound, they went back again, and gathering together duly feasted a glorious feast in the halls of Priam, the king nurtured by Zeus.

In this way they held funeral for horse-taming Hector.

Ἶρις δ᾿ αὖθ᾿ Ἑλένῃ λευκωλένῳ ἄγγελος ἦλθεν, εἰδομένη γαλόῳ, Ἀντηνορίδαο δάμαρτι, τὴν Ἀντηνορίδης εἶχε κρείων Ἑλικάων, Λαοδίκην, Πριάμοιο θυγατρῶν εἶδος ἀρίστην. 125τὴν δ᾿ εὗρ᾿ ἐν μεγάρῳ. ἡ δὲ μέγαν ἱστὸν ὕφαινε δίπλακα πορφυρέην,⁹ πολέας δ᾿ ἐνέπασσεν ἀέθλους Τρώων θ᾿ ἱπποδάμων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων, οὓς ἕθεν εἵνεκ᾿ ἔπασχον ὑπ᾿ Ἄρηος παλαμάων. ἀγχοῦ δ᾿ ἱσταμένη προσέφη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις· 130“δεῦρ᾿ ἴθι, νύμφα φίλη, ἵνα θέσκελα ἔργα ἴδηαι Τρώων θ᾿ ἱπποδάμων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων· οἳ πρὶν ἐπ᾿ ἀλλήλοισι φέρον πολύδακρυν Ἄρηα ἐν πεδίῳ, ὀλοοῖο λιλαιόμενοι πολέμοιο, οἱ δὴ νῦν ἕαται σιγῇ, πόλεμος δὲ πέπαυται, 135ἀσπίσι κεκλιμένοι, παρὰ δ᾿ ἔγχεα μακρὰ πέπηγεν. αὐτὰρ Ἀλέξανδρος καὶ ἀρηίφιλος Μενέλαος μακρῇς ἐγχείῃσι μαχήσονται περὶ σεῖο· τῷ δέ κε νικήσαντι φίλη κεκλήσῃ ἄκοιτις.”

Ὣς εἰποῦσα θεὰ γλυκὺν ἵμερον ἔμβαλε θυμῷ 140ἀνδρός τε προτέρου καὶ ἄστεος ἠδὲ τοκήων· αὐτίκα δ᾿ ἀργεννῇσι καλυψαμένη ὀθόνῃσιν ὁρμᾶτ᾿ ἐκ θαλάμοιο τέρεν κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα, οὐκ οἴη, ἅμα τῇ γε καὶ ἀμφίπολοι δύ᾿ ἕποντο, Αἴθρη, Πιτθῆος θυγάτηρ, Κλυμένη τε βοῶπις.¹⁰ 145αἶψα δ᾿ ἔπειθ᾿ ἵκανον ὅθι Σκαιαὶ πύλαι ἦσαν.

Book 3 But Iris went as a messenger to white-armed Helen in the likeness of her husband’s sister, the wife of Antenor’s son, her that lord Helicaon, Antenor’s son, had to wife, Laodice, the fairest of the daughters of Priam. She found Helen in the hall, where she was weaving a great purple web of double fold on which she was embroidering many battles of the horse-taming Trojans and the bronze-clad Achaeans, which for her sake they had endured at the hands of Ares. And swift-footed Iris came up to her, and spoke to her, saying: “Come here, dear sister, so that you may see the wondrous doings of the horse-taming Trojans and the bronze-clad Achaeans. They who formerly were waging tearful war against one another on the plain, their hearts set on deadly battle, they now sit in silence, and the battle has ceased, and they lean on their shields, and beside them their long spears are fixed. But Alexander and Menelaus, dear to Ares, will fight with their long spears for you; and the one who wins, his dear wife will you be called.”

So spoke the goddess, and put into her heart sweet longing for her former husband and her city and parents; and immediately she veiled herself with shining linen, and started out of her chamber, letting fall round tears, not alone, for with her followed two handmaids as well, Aethra, daughter of Pittheus, and ox-eyed Clymene; and quickly they came to the place where were the Scaean gates.

Οἱ δ᾿ ἀμφὶ Πρίαμον καὶ Πάνθοον ἠδὲ Θυμοίτην Λάμπον τε Κλυτίον θ᾿ Ἱκετάονά τ᾿, ὄζον Ἄρηος, Οὐκαλέγων τε καὶ Ἀντήνωρ, πεπνυμένω ἄμφω, ἥατο δημογέροντες ἐπὶ Σκαιῇσι πύλῃσι, 150γήραϊ δὴ πολέμοιο πεπαυμένοι, ἀλλ᾿ ἀγορηταὶ ἐσθλοί, τεττίγεσσιν ἐοικότες, οἵ τε καθ᾿ ὕλην δενδρέῳ ἐφεζόμενοι ὄπα λειριόεσσαν ἱεῖσι· τοῖοι ἄρα Τρώων ἡγήτορες ἧντ᾿ ἐπὶ πύργῳ. οἱ δ᾿ ὡς οὖν εἴδονθ᾿ Ἑλένην ἐπὶ πύργον ἰοῦσαν, 155ἦκα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἔπεα πτερόεντ᾿ ἀγόρευον· “οὐ νέμεσις Τρῶας καὶ ἐυκνήμιδας Ἀχαιοὺς τοιῇδ᾿ ἀμφὶ γυναικὶ πολὺν χρόνον ἄλγεα πάσχειν· αἰνῶς ἀθανάτῃσι θεῇς εἰς ὦπα ἔοικεν· ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς τοίη περ ἐοῦσ᾿ ἐν νηυσὶ νεέσθω, 160μηδ᾿ ἡμῖν τεκέεσσί τ᾿ ὀπίσσω πήμα λίποιτο.”

Ὣς ἄρ᾿ ἔφαν, Πρίαμος δ᾿ Ἑλένην ἐκαλέσσατο φωνῇ· “δεῦρο πάροιθ᾿ ἐλθοῦσα, φίλον τέκος, ἵζευ ἐμεῖο, ὄφρα ἴδῃς πρότερόν τε πόσιν πηούς τε φίλους τε—οὔ τί μοι αἰτίη ἐσσί, θεοί νύ μοι αἴτιοί εἰσιν, 165οἵ μοι ἐφώρμησαν πόλεμον πολύδακρυν Ἀχαιῶν—ὥς μοι καὶ τόνδ᾿ ἄνδρα πελώριον ἐξονομήνῃς, ὅς τις ὅδ᾿ ἐστὶν Ἀχαιὸς ἀνὴρ ἠύς τε μέγας τε. ἦ τοι μὲν κεφαλῇ καὶ μείζονες ἄλλοι ἔασι, καλὸν δ᾿ οὕτω ἐγὼν οὔ πω ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσιν, 170οὐδ᾿ οὕτω γεραρόν· βασιλῆι γὰρ ἀνδρὶ ἔοικε.”

Book 3 And they who were about Priam and Panthous and Thymoetes and Lampus and Clytius and Hicetaon, offshoot of Ares, and Ucalegon and Antenor, men of prudence both, sat as elders of the people at the Scaean gates. Because of old age they had now ceased from battle, but they were good speakers, like cicadas that in a forest sit on a tree and pour out their lily-like² voice; such were the leaders of the Trojans who were sitting on the wall. When they saw Helen coming on to the wall, softly they spoke winged words to one another: “Small blame that Trojans and well-greaved Achaeans should for such a woman long suffer woes; she is dreadfully like immortal goddesses to look on. But even so, though she is like them, let her go home on the ships, and not be left here to be a bane to us and to our children after us.”

So they said, but Priam spoke, and called Helen to him: “Come here, dear child, and sit in front of me, so that you may see your former husband and your kinspeople and those dear to you—you are in no way to blame in my eyes; it is the gods, surely, who are to blame, who roused against me the tearful war of the Achaeans—and so that you may tell me who is this huge warrior, this man of Achaea so powerful and so tall. To be sure there are others who are even taller in stature, but so fair a man have my eyes never yet seen, nor one so royal: for he looks like a kingly man.”

Τὸν δ᾿ Ἑλένη μύθοισιν ἀμείβετο, δῖα γυναικῶν· “αἰδοῖός τέ μοί ἐσσι, φίλε ἑκυρέ, δεινός τε. ὡς ὄφελεν θάνατός μοι ἁδεῖν κακὸς ὁππότε δεῦρο υἱέι σῷ ἑπόμην, θάλαμον γνωτούς τε λιποῦσα 175παῖδά τε τηλυγέτην καὶ ὁμηλικίην ἐρατεινήν. ἀλλὰ τά γ᾿ οὐκ ἐγένοντο· τὸ καὶ κλαίουσα τέτηκα. τοῦτο δέ τοι ἐρέω, ὅ μ᾿ ἀνείρεαι ἠδὲ μεταλλᾷς· οὗτός γ᾿ Ἀτρεΐδης εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων, ἀμφότερον βασιλεύς τ᾿ ἀγαθὸς κρατερός τ᾿ αἰχμητής. 180δαὴρ αὖτ᾿ ἐμὸς ἔσκε κυνώπιδος, εἴ ποτ᾿ ἔην γε.”

Ὣς φάτο, τὸν δ᾿ ὁ γέρων ἠγάσσατο φώνησέν τε· “ὦ μάκαρ Ἀτρεΐδη, μοιρηγενές, ὀλβιόδαιμον, ἦ ῥά νύ τοι πολλοὶ δεδμήατο κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν. ἤδη καὶ Φρυγίην εἰσήλυθον ἀμπελόεσσαν, 185ἔνθα ἴδον πλείστους Φρύγας ἀνέρας αἰολοπώλους, λαοὺς Ὀτρῆος καὶ Μυγδόνος ἀντιθέοιο, οἵ ῥα τότ᾿ ἐστρατόωντο παρ᾿ ὄχθας Σαγγαρίοιο· καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπίκουρος ἐὼν μετὰ τοῖσιν ἐλέχθην ἤματι τῷ ὅτε τ᾿ ἦλθον Ἀμαζόνες ἀντιάνειραι· 190ἀλλ᾿ οὐδ᾿ οἳ τόσοι ἦσαν ὅσαι ἑλίκωπες Ἀχαιοί.”

book 3 And Helen, fair among women, answered him, saying: “Respected are you in my eyes, dear father of my husband, and dread. I wish that evil death had been pleasing to me when I followed your son here, and left my bridal chamber and my kinspeople and my daughter, well-beloved, and the lovely companions of my girlhood. But that was not to be; so I pine away with weeping. But this will I tell you, about which you ask and inquire. That man is the son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, who is both a noble king and a mighty spearman. And he was husband’s brother to shameless me, if ever there was such a one.”

So she spoke, and the old man was seized with wonder, and said: “Ah, happy son of Atreus, child of fortune, blest by the gods; many youths of the Achaeans have been made subject to you I see. Before now I have journeyed to the land of Phrygia, rich in vines, and there I saw in multitudes the Phrygian warriors, masters of glancing steeds, the men of Otreus and godlike Mygdon, who were then encamped along the banks of Sangarius. For I, too, being their ally, was numbered among them on the day when the Amazons came, the peers of men. But not even they were as many as are the bright-eyed Achaeans.”

Δεύτερον αὖτ᾿ Ὀδυσῆα ἰδὼν ἐρέειν᾿ ὁ γεραιός· “εἴπ᾿ ἄγε μοι καὶ τόνδε, φίλον τέκον, ὅς τις ὅδ᾿ ἐστί· μείων μὲν κεφαλῇ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο, εὐρύτερος δ᾿ ὤμοισιν ἰδὲ στέρνοισιν ἰδέσθαι. 195τεύχεα μέν οἱ κεῖται ἐπὶ χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ, αὐτὸς δὲ κτίλος ὣς ἐπιπωλεῖται στίχας ἀνδρῶν· ἀρνειῷ μιν ἔγωγε ἐίσκω πηγεσιμάλλῳ, ὅς τ᾿ οἰῶν μέγα πῶυ διέρχεται ἀργεννάων.”

Τὸν δ᾿ ἠμείβετ᾿ ἔπειθ᾿ Ἑλένη Διὸς ἐκγεγαυῖα· 200“οὗτος δ᾿ αὖ Λαερτιάδης πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς, ὃς τράφη ἐν δήμῳ Ἰθάκης κραναῆς περ ἐούσης εἰδὼς παντοίους τε δόλους καὶ μήδεα πυκνά.”

Τὴν δ᾿ αὖτ᾿ Ἀντήνωρ πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα· “ὦ γύναι, ἦ μάλα τοῦτο ἔπος νημερτὲς ἔειπες· 205ἤδη γὰρ καὶ δεῦρό ποτ᾿ ἤλυθε δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς σεῦ ἕνεκ᾿ ἀγγελίης σὺν ἀρηιφίλῳ Μενελάῳ· τοὺς δ᾿ ἐγὼ ἐξείνισσα καὶ ἐν μεγάροισι φίλησα. ἀμφοτέρων δὲ φυὴν ἐδάην καὶ μήδεα πυκνά. ἀλλ᾿ ὅτε δὴ Τρώεσσιν ἐν ἀγρομένοισιν ἔμιχθεν, 210στάντων μὲν Μενέλαος ὑπείρεχεν εὐρέας ὤμους, ἄμφω δ᾿ ἑζομένω γεραρώτερος ἦεν Ὀδυσσεύς. ἀλλ᾿ ὅτε δὴ μύθους καὶ μήδεα πᾶσιν ὕφαινον, ἦ τοι μὲν Μενέλαος ἐπιτροχάδην ἀγόρευε, παῦρα μέν, ἀλλὰ μάλα λιγέως, ἐπεὶ οὐ πολύμυθος 215οὐδ᾿ ἀφαμαρτοεπής, εἰ καὶ γένει ὕστερος ἦεν. ἀλλ᾿ ὅτε δὴ πολύμητις ἀναΐξειεν Ὀδυσσεύς, στάσκεν, ὑπαὶ δὲ ἴδεσκε κατὰ χθονὸς ὄμματα πήξας, σκῆπτρον δ᾿ οὔτ᾿ ὀπίσω οὔτε προπρηνὲς ἐνώμα, ἀλλ᾿ ἀστεμφὲς ἔχεσκεν, ἀίδρεϊ φωτὶ ἐοικώς· 220φαίης κε ζάκοτόν τέ τιν᾿ ἔμμεναι ἄφρονά τ᾿ αὔτως. ἀλλ᾿ ὅτε δὴ ὄπα τε μεγάλην ἐκ στήθεος εἵη καὶ ἔπεα νιφάδεσσιν ἐοικότα χειμερίῃσιν, οὐκ ἂν ἔπειτ᾿ Ὀδυσῆι γ᾿ ἐρίσσειε βροτὸς ἄλλος· οὐ τότε γ᾿ ὧδ᾿ Ὀδυσῆος ἀγασσάμεθ᾿ εἶδος ἰδόντες.”

book 3 And next the old man saw Odysseus, and asked: “Come now, tell me also of that man there, dear child, who he is. Shorter is he in stature than Agamemnon, son of Atreus, but broader of shoulder and chest to look upon. His battle gear lies on the bounteous earth, but he himself ranges like the bellwether of a herd through the ranks of warriors. To a ram I liken him, a ram of thick fleece, that paces through a great flock of white ewes.”

To him answered Helen, sprung from Zeus: “That one is Laertes’ son, Odysseus of many wiles, who was reared in the land of Ithaca, rugged though it is, and he knows all manner of tricks and cunning devices.”

Then to her in turn answered Antenor, the prudent: “Lady, that is a true word that you have spoken, for once before also noble Odysseus came here on an embassy concerning you, together with Menelaus, dear to Ares; and it was I who gave them hospitality and welcomed them in my halls, and came to know the form and stature of them both and their cunning devices. Now when they mingled with the Trojans in assembly, when they stood, Menelaus overtopped him with his broad shoulders; but when the two were seated, Odysseus was the more royal. But when they began to weave the web of words and of devices in the presence of all, Menelaus to be sure spoke fluently, with few words, but very clearly, since he was not a man of lengthy speech nor rambling, even though in years he was the younger. But whenever Odysseus of many wiles arose, he would stand and look down with eyes fixed on the ground, and his staff he would move neither backwards nor forwards, but would hold it stiff like a man of no understanding; you would have thought him some sort of a churl and nothing but a fool. But when he projected his great voice from his chest, and words like snowflakes on a winter’s day, then could no other mortal man rival Odysseus; then we were not so astonished at Odysseus’ appearance.”

Τὸ τρίτον αὖτ᾿ Αἴαντα ἰδὼν ἐρέειν᾿ ὁ γεραιός· “τίς τ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ὅδ᾿ ἄλλος Ἀχαιὸς ἀνὴρ ἠύς τε μέγας τε, ἔξοχος Ἀργείων κεφαλήν τε καὶ εὐρέας ὤμους;”

Τὸν δ᾿ Ἑλένη τανύπεπλος ἀμείβετο, δῖα γυναικῶν· “οὗτος δ᾿ Αἴας ἐστὶ πελώριος, ἕρκος Ἀχαιῶν· 230Ἰδομενεὺς δ᾿ ἑτέρωθεν ἐνὶ Κρήτεσσι θεὸς ὣς ἕστηκ᾿, ἀμφὶ δέ μιν Κρητῶν ἀγοὶ ἠγερέθονται. πολλάκι μιν ξείνισσεν ἀρηίφιλος Μενέλαος οἴκῳ ἐν ἡμετέρῳ, ὁπότε Κρήτηθεν ἵκοιτο.

νῦν δ᾿ ἄλλους μὲν πάντας ὁρῶ ἑλίκωπας Ἀχαιούς, 235οὕς κεν ἐὺ γνοίην καί τ᾿ οὔνομα μυθησαίμην· δοιὼ δ᾿ οὐ δύναμαι ἰδέειν κοσμήτορε λαῶν, Κάστορά θ᾿ ἱππόδαμον καὶ πὺξ ἀγαθὸν Πολυδεύκεα, αὐτοκασιγνήτω, τώ μοι μία γείνατο μήτηρ. ἢ οὐχ ἑσπέσθην Λακεδαίμονος ἐξ ἐρατεινῆς, 240ἢ δεύρω μὲν ἕποντο νέεσσ᾿ ἔνι ποντοπόροισι, νῦν αὖτ᾿ οὐκ ἐθέλουσι μάχην καταδύμεναι ἀνδρῶν, αἴσχεα δειδιότες καὶ ὀνείδεα πόλλ᾿ ἅ μοί ἐστιν.”

Ὣς φάτο, τοὺς δ᾿ ἤδη κάτεχεν φυσίζοος αἶα ἐν Λακεδαίμονι αὖθι, φίλῃ ἐν πατρίδι γαίῃ.

book 3 And, thirdly, the old man saw Aias, and asked: “Who then is this other Achaean warrior, powerful and tall, towering above the Argives with his head and broad shoulders?”

And to him answered long-robed Helen, fair among women: “That is huge Aias, bulwark of the Achaeans. And Idomeneus stands to one side of him among the Cretans like a god, and about him are gathered the leaders of the Cretans. Often Menelaus, dear to Ares, used to entertain him in our house, whenever he came from Crete. Now I see all the rest of the bright-eyed Achaeans, whom I could well recognize and tell their names; but two marshalers of armies can I not see, Castor, tamer of horses, and Polydeuces, good at boxing, my own brothers, whom the same mother bore. Either they did not follow with the army from lovely Lacedaemon or, though they followed here in their seafaring ships, they are now not minded to enter into the battle of warriors for fear of the reproachful words and the many revilings that are mine.”

So she spoke; but the life-giving earth already held them fast there in Lacedaemon, in their dear native land.

Ὣς φάτο, τῇ δ᾿ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε· καί ῥ᾿ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησε θεᾶς περικαλλέα δειρὴν στήθεά δ᾿ ἱμερόεντα καὶ ὄμματα μαρμαίροντα, θάμβησέν τ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἔπειτα ἔπος τ᾿ ἔφατ᾿ ἔκ τ᾿ ὀνόμαζε·“δαιμονίη, τί με ταῦτα λιλαίεαι ἠπεροπεύειν; 400ἦ πῄ με προτέρω πολίων εὖ ναιομενάων ἄξεις, ἢ Φρυγίης ἢ Μῃονίης ἐρατεινῆς, εἴ τίς τοι καὶ κεῖθι φίλος μερόπων ἀνθρώπων, οὕνεκα δὴ νῦν δῖον Ἀλέξανδρον Μενέλαος νικήσας ἐθέλει στυγερὴν ἐμὲ οἴκαδ᾿ ἄγεσθαι; 405τοὔνεκα δὴ νῦν δεῦρο δολοφρονέουσα παρέστης. ἧσο παρ᾿ αὐτὸν ἰοῦσα, θεῶν δ᾿ ἀπόεικε κελεύθου,¹⁷ μηδ᾿ ἔτι σοῖσι πόδεσσιν ὑποστρέψειας Ὄλυμπον, ἀλλ᾿ αἰεὶ περὶ κεῖνον ὀίζυε καί ἑ φύλασσε, εἰς ὅ κέ σ᾿ ἢ ἄλοχον ποιήσεται, ἢ ὅ γε δούλην. 410κεῖσε δ᾿ ἐγὼν οὐκ εἶμι—νεμεσσητὸν δέ κεν εἴη—κείνου πορσανέουσα λέχος· Τρῳαὶ δέ μ᾿ ὀπίσσω πᾶσαι μωμήσονται· ἔχω δ᾿ ἄχε᾿ ἄκριτα θυμῷ.”

book 3 So she spoke, and stirred Helen’s heart in her breast; and when she caught sight of the beauteous neck of the goddess, her lovely bosom, and her flashing eyes, she was struck with wonder, and she spoke, and addressed her, saying: “Strange goddess, why is your heart set on deceiving me in this way? Will you lead me still further on to one of the well-peopled cities of Phrygia or lovely Maeonia, if there too there is some one of mortal men who is dear to you, because now Menelaus has defeated noble Alexander and is minded to lead hateful me to his home? It is for this reason that you have now come here with guileful thought. Go, sit by his side, and abandon the way of the gods, and turn not your feet back to Olympus; but ever be anxious for him, and guard him, until he makes you his wife, or maybe even his slave. There I will not go—it would be shameful—to share that man’s bed; all the women of Troy will blame me afterwards; and I have measureless griefs at heart.”

Τὴν δὲ χολωσαμένη προσεφώνεε δῖ᾿ Ἀφροδίτη· “μή μ᾿ ἔρεθε, σχετλίη, μὴ χωσαμένη σε μεθείω, 415τὼς δέ σ᾿ ἀπεχθήρω ὡς νῦν ἔκπαγλα φίλησα, μέσσῳ δ᾿ ἀμφοτέρων μητίσομαι ἔχθεα λυγρά, Τρώων καὶ Δαναῶν, σὺ δέ κεν κακὸν οἶτον ὄληαι.”

Ὣς ἔφατ᾿, ἔδδεισεν δ᾿ Ἑλένη Διὸς ἐκγεγαυῖα, βῆ δὲ κατασχομένη ἑανῷ ἀργῆτι φαεινῷ 420σιγῇ, πάσας δὲ Τρῳὰς λάθεν· ἦρχε δὲ δαίμων.

Αἱ δ᾿ ὅτ᾿ Ἀλεξάνδροιο δόμον περικαλλέ᾿ ἵκοντο, ἀμφίπολοι μὲν ἔπειτα θοῶς ἐπὶ ἔργα τράποντο, ἡ δ᾿ εἰς ὑψόροφον θάλαμον κίε δῖα γυναικῶν.¹⁸ τῇ δ᾿ ἄρα δίφρον ἑλοῦσα φιλομμειδὴς Ἀφροδίτη 425ἀντί᾿ Ἀλεξάνδροιο θεὰ κατέθηκε φέρουσα. ἔνθα κάθιζ᾿ Ἑλένη, κούρη Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο, ὄσσε πάλιν κλίνασα, πόσιν δ᾿ ἠνίπαπε μύθῳ· “ἤλυθες ἐκ πολέμου· ὡς ὤφελες αὐτόθ᾿ ὀλέσθαι, ἀνδρὶ δαμεὶς κρατερῷ, ὃς ἐμὸς πρότερος πόσις ἦεν. 430ἦ μὲν δὴ πρίν γ᾿ εὔχε᾿ ἀρηιφίλου Μενελάου σῇ τε βίῃ καὶ χερσὶ καὶ ἔγχεϊ φέρτερος εἶναι. ἀλλ᾿ ἴθι νῦν προκάλεσσαι ἀρηίφιλον Μενέλαον¹⁹ ἐξαῦτις μαχέσασθαι ἐναντίον· ἀλλά σ᾿ ἐγώ γε παύεσθαι κέλομαι, μηδὲ ξανθῷ Μενελάῳ 435ἀντίβιον πόλεμον πολεμίζειν ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι ἀφραδέως, μή πως τάχ᾿ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ δουρὶ δαμήῃς.”

book 3 Angered, fair Aphrodite spoke to her: “Provoke me not, hard woman, lest I desert you in anger, and hate you, just as now I love you exceedingly, and lest I devise grievous hatred of you from both sides, Trojans and Danaans alike; then would you perish of an evil fate.”

So she spoke, and Helen, sprung from Zeus, was seized with fear; and she went, wrapping herself in her bright shining mantle, in silence; and she escaped the notice of the Trojan women; and the goddess led the way.

Now when they had come to the beautiful house of Alexander, the handmaids then turned quickly to their tasks, but she, the fair lady, went to the high-roofed chamber. And the goddess, laughter-loving Aphrodite, took a chair for her, and set it down facing Alexander. On it Helen sat down, the daughter of Zeus who bears the aegis, with eyes turned away; and she scolded her husband, and said: “You have come back from the war; I wish you had died there, vanquished by a mighty man who was my former husband. Once indeed it was your boast that you were a better man than Menelaus, dear to Ares, in the might of your hands and with your spear. But now go, again challenge Menelaus, dear to Ares, to do battle with you, man to man. But as for me, I ask you to stop, and not war man to man against tawny-haired Menelaus, nor fight with him foolishly, lest soon you be vanquished by his spear.”

Τὴν δὲ Πάρις μύθοισιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπε· “μή με, γύναι, χαλεποῖσιν ὀνείδεσι θυμὸν ἔνιπτε. νῦν μὲν γὰρ Μενέλαος ἐνίκησεν σὺν Ἀθήνῃ, 440κεῖνον δ᾿ αὖτις ἐγώ· πάρα γὰρ θεοί εἰσι καὶ ἡμῖν. ἀλλ᾿ ἄγε δὴ φιλότητι τραπείομεν εὐνηθέντε· οὐ γάρ πώ ποτέ μ᾿ ὧδέ γ᾿ ἔρως φρένας ἀμφεκάλυψεν, οὐδ᾿ ὅτε σε πρῶτον Λακεδαίμονος ἐξ ἐρατεινῆς ἔπλεον ἁρπάξας ἐν ποντοπόροισι νέεσσι, 445νήσῳ δ᾿ ἐν Κραναῇ ἐμίγην φιλότητι καὶ εὐνῇ, ὥς σεο νῦν ἔραμαι καί με γλυκὺς ἵμερος αἱρεῖ.”

Ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἄρχε λέχοσδε κιών· ἅμα δ᾿ εἵπετ᾿ ἄκοιτις.

Τὼ μὲν ἄρ᾿ ἐν τρητοῖσι κατεύνασθεν λεχέεσσιν, Ἀτρεΐδης δ᾿ ἀν᾿ ὅμιλον ἐφοίτα θηρὶ ἐοικώς, 450εἴ που ἐσαθρήσειεν Ἀλέξανδρον θεοειδέα. ἀλλ᾿ οὔ τις δύνατο Τρώων κλειτῶν τ᾿ ἐπικούρων δεῖξαι Ἀλέξανδρον τότ᾿ ἀρηιφίλῳ Μενελάῳ. οὐ μὲν γὰρ φιλότητί γ᾿ ἐκεύθανον, εἴ τις ἴδοιτο·

ἶσον γάρ σφιν πᾶσιν ἀπήχθετο κηρὶ μελαίνῃ. 455τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων· “κέκλυτέ μευ, Τρῶες καὶ Δάρδανοι ἠδ᾿ ἐπίκουροι· νίκη μὲν δὴ φαίνετ᾿ ἀρηιφίλου Μενελάου, ὑμεῖς δ᾿ Ἀργείην Ἑλένην καὶ κτήμαθ᾿ ἅμ᾿ αὐτῇ ἔκδοτε, καὶ τιμὴν ἀποτινέμεν ἥν τιν᾿ ἔοικεν, 460ἥ τε καὶ ἐσσομένοισι μετ᾿ ἀνθρώποισι πέληται.”

Ὣς ἔφατ᾿ Ἀτρεΐδης, ἐπὶ δ᾿ ᾔνεον ἄλλοι Ἀχαιοί.

book 3 Then Paris made answer, and spoke to her, saying: “Reproach not my heart, lady, with hard reviling words. For now has Menelaus vanquished me with Athene’s aid, but another time will I vanquish him; on our side too there are gods. But come now, let us take our joy, bedded together in love; for never yet has desire so encompassed my mind—not even when I first snatched you from lovely Lacedaemon and sailed with you on my seafaring ships, and on the isle of Cranae slept with you on the bed of love—as now I love you, and sweet desire seizes me.”

He spoke, and led the way to the bed, and with him followed his wife.

So the two lay down on the corded bed; but the son of Atreus ranged through the throng like a wild beast, hoping that somewhere he might catch sight of godlike Alexander. But no one of the Trojans or their famed allies could then point out Alexander to Menelaus, dear to Ares. Not for love, however, would they have hidden him, if anyone had seen him, for he was hated by all like black death. Then the lord of men, Agamemnon, spoke among them, saying: “Hear me, Trojans and Dardanians and allies. Victory is now clearly seen to rest with Menelaus, dear to Ares; give up Argive Helen and the treasure with her, and pay such recompense as is proper, such as will remain in the minds of men that are yet to be.”

So spoke the son of Atreus, and all the Achaeans shouted assent.

Ἕκτωρ δ᾿ ὡς Σκαιάς τε πύλας καὶ φηγὸν⁹ ἵκανεν, ἀμφ᾿ ἄρα μιν Τρώων ἄλοχοι θέον ἠδὲ θύγατρες εἰρόμεναι παῖδάς τε κασιγνήτους τε ἔτας τε 240καὶ πόσιας· ὁ δ᾿ ἔπειτα θεοῖς εὔχεσθαι ἀνώγει πάσας ἑξείης· πολλῇσι δὲ κήδε᾿ ἐφῆπτο.

Ἀλλ᾿ ὅτε δὴ Πριάμοιο δόμον περικαλλέ᾿ ἵκανε, ξεστῇς αἰθούσῃσι τετυγμένον—αὐτὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ πεντήκοντ᾿ ἔνεσαν θάλαμοι ξεστοῖο λίθοιο, 245πλησίον ἀλλήλων δεδμημένοι· ἔνθα δὲ παῖδες κοιμῶντο Πριάμοιο παρὰ μνηστῇς ἀλόχοισι· κουράων δ᾿ ἑτέρωθεν ἐναντίοι ἔνδοθεν αὐλῆς δώδεκ᾿ ἔσαν τέγεοι θάλαμοι ξεστοῖο λίθοιο, πλησίον ἀλλήλων δεδμημένοι· ἔνθα δὲ γαμβροὶ 250κοιμῶντο Πριάμοιο παρ᾿ αἰδοίῃς ἀλόχοισιν—ἔνθα οἱ ἠπιόδωρος ἐναντίη ἤδυθε μήτηρ Λαοδίκην ἐσάγουσα, θυγατρῶν εἶδος ἀρίστην· ἔν τ᾿ ἄρα οἱ φῦ χειρὶ ἔπος τ᾿ ἔφατ᾿ ἔκ τ᾿ ὀνόμαζε· “τέκνον, τίπτε λιπὼν πόλεμον θρασὺν εἰλήλουθας; 255ἦ μάλα δὴ τείρουσι δυσώνυμοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν μαρνάμενοι περὶ ἄστυ· σὲ δ᾿ ἐνθάδε θυμὸς ἀνῆκεν ἐλθόντ᾿ ἐξ ἄκρης πόλιος Διὶ χεῖρας ἀνασχεῖν. ἀλλὰ μέν᾿, ὄφρα κέ τοι μελιηδέα οἶνον ἐνείκω, ὡς σπείσῃς Διὶ πατρὶ καὶ ἄλλοις ἀθανάτοισι 260πρῶτον, ἔπειτα δὲ καὐτὸς ὀνήσεαι, αἴ κε πίῃσθαι. ἀνδρὶ δὲ κεκμηῶτι μένος μέγα οἶνος ἀέξει, ὡς τύνη κέκμηκας ἀμύνων σοῖσιν ἔτῃσι.”

book 6 But when Hector came to the Scaean gates and the oak tree, round about him came running the wives and daughters of the Trojans asking about their sons and brothers and friends and husbands. But he then commanded all of them in turn to make prayer to the gods; over many were sorrows hung.

But when he came to the beautiful house of Priam, adorned with polished colonnades—and in it were fifty chambers of polished stone, built close to one another; in them the sons of Priam slept beside their wedded wives; and for his daughters on the other side opposite inside the court were twelve roofed chambers of polished stone, built close to one another; in them Priam’s sons-in-law slept beside their respected wives—there his mother of kindly gifts came to meet him, leading in Laodice, fairest of her daughters; and she clasped him by the hand and spoke and addressed him: “My child, why have you left the fierce battle and come here? It must be that the sons of the Achaeans, of evil name, are pressing hard on you as they fight about our city, and your heart has set you on to come here and lift up your hands to Zeus from the citadel. But stay till I have brought you honey-sweet wine so that you may pour libation to Zeus and the other immortals first, and then you shall yourself have benefit of it also, if you will drink. When a man is weary with toil, wine greatly increases his force, just as you are weary with defending your fellows.”

Τὴν δ᾿ ἠμείβετ᾿ ἔπειτα μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ· “μή μοι οἶνον ἄειρε μελίφρονα, πότνια μῆτερ, 265μή μ᾿ ἀπογυιώσῃς, μένεος δ᾿ ἀλκῆς τε λάθωμαι· χερσὶ δ᾿ ἀνίπτοισιν Διὶ λείβειν αἴθοπα οἶνον ἅζομαι· οὐδέ πῃ ἔστι κελαινεφέι Κρονίωνι αἵματι καὶ λύθρῳ πεπαλαγμένον εὐχετάασθαι. ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν πρὸς νηὸν Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης 270ἔρχεο σὺν θυέεσσιν, ἀολλίσσασα γεραιάς· πέπλον δ᾿, ὅς τίς τοι χαριέστατος ἠδὲ μέγιστος ἔστιν ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ καί τοι πολὺ φίλτατος αὐτῇ, τὸν θὲς Ἀθηναίης ἐπὶ γούνασιν ἠυκόμοιο, καί οἱ ὑποσχέσθαι δυοκαίδεκα βοῦς ἐνὶ νηῷ 275ἤνις ἠκέστας ἱερευσέμεν, αἴ κ᾿ ἐλεήσῃ ἄστυ τε καὶ Τρώων ἀλόχους καὶ νήπια τέκνα, αἴ κεν Τυδέος υἱὸν ἀπόσχῃ Ἰλίου ἱρῆς, ἄγριον αἰχμητήν, κρατερὸν μήστωρα φόβοιο. ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν πρὸς νηὸν Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης 280ἔρχευ, ἐγὼ δὲ Πάριν μετελεύσομαι ὄφρα καλέσσω, αἴ κ᾿ ἐθέλῃσ᾿ εἰπόντος ἀκουέμεν· ὥς κέ οἱ αὖθι γαῖα χάνοι· μέγα γάρ μιν Ὀλύμπιος ἔτρεφε πῆμα Τρωσί τε καὶ Πριάμῳ μεγαλήτορι τοῖό τε παισίν. εἰ κεῖνόν γε ἴδοιμι κατελθόντ᾿ Ἄϊδος εἴσω, 285φαίην κεν φίλον ἦτορ¹⁰ ὀιζύος ἐκλελαθέσθαι.”

book 6 In answer to her spoke great Hector of the flashing helmet: “Bring me no honey-hearted wine, queenly mother, lest you cripple me, and I be forgetful of my force and my valor; moreover with hands unwashed I dare not pour libation of ruddy wine to Zeus; nor is it in any way possible for a man to make prayer to the son of Cronos, lord of the dark clouds, all befouled with blood and filth. But you go to the shrine of Athene, driver of the spoil, with burnt offerings, when you have gathered together the older women; and the robe that seems to you the fairest and amplest in your hall, and that is much the most dear to you yourself, this lay on the knees of fair-haired Athene, and vow to her that you will sacrifice in her shrine twelve year-old heifers that have not felt the goad, in the hope that she will have compassion on the city and the Trojans’ wives and their little ones; in hope that she may hold back from sacred Ilios the son of Tydeus, that savage spearman, a mighty deviser of rout. So go to the shrine of Athene, driver of the spoil; and I will go after Paris, to summon him, to see if perhaps he will listen to what I say. I wish that the earth would gape for him at once! For the Olympian has reared him as a great bane to the Trojans and great-hearted Priam, and to the sons of Priam. If I should see him going down to the house of Hades, then I would say that my heart had forgotten its grief.”

Ὣς ἔφαθ᾿, ἡ δὲ μολοῦσα ποτὶ μέγαρ᾿ ἀμφιπόλοισι κέκλετο· ταὶ δ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἀόλλισσαν κατὰ ἄστυ γεραιάς. αὐτὴ δ᾿ ἐς θάλαμον κατεβήσετο κηώεντα, ἔνθ᾿ ἔσαν οἱ πέπλοι παμποίκιλα ἔργα γυναικῶν 290Σιδονίων, τὰς αὐτὸς Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδὴς ἤγαγε Σιδονίηθεν, ἐπιπλὼς εὐρέα πόντον, τὴν ὁδὸν ἣν Ἑλένην περ ἀνήγαγεν εὐπατέρειαν. τῶν ἕν᾿ ἀειραμένη Ἑκάβη φέρε δῶρον Ἀθήνῃ, ὃς κάλλιστος ἔην ποικίλμασιν ἠδὲ μέγιστος, 295ἀστὴρ δ᾿ ὣς ἀπέλαμπεν· ἔκειτο δὲ νείατος ἄλλων. βῆ δ᾿ ἰέναι, πολλαὶ δὲ μετεσσεύοντο γεραιαί.

Αἱ δ᾿ ὅτε νηὸν ἵκανον Ἀθήνης ἐν πόλει ἄκρῃ, τῇσι θύρας ὤιξε Θεανὼ καλλιπάρῃος, Κισσηίς, ἄλοχος Ἀντήνορος ἱπποδάμοιο· 300τὴν γὰρ Τρῶες ἔθηκαν Ἀθηναίης ἱέρειαν. αἱ δ᾿ ὀλολυγῇ πᾶσαι Ἀθήνῃ χεῖρας ἀνέσχον· ἡ δ᾿ ἄρα πέπλον ἑλοῦσα Θεανὼ καλλιπάρῃος θῆκεν Ἀθηναίης ἐπὶ γούνασιν ἠυκόμοιο, εὐχομένη δ᾿ ἠρᾶτο Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο· 305“πότνι᾿ Ἀθηναίη, ῥυσίπτολι, δῖα θεάων, ἆξον δὴ ἔγχος Διομήδεος, ἠδὲ καὶ αὐτὸν πρηνέα δὸς πεσέειν Σκαιῶν προπάροιθε πυλάων, ὄφρα τοι αὐτίκα νῦν δυοκαίδεκα βοῦς ἐνὶ νηῷ ἤνις ἠκέστας ἱερεύσομεν, αἴ κ᾿ ἐλεήσῃς 310ἄστυ τε καὶ Τρώων ἀλόχους καὶ νήπια τέκνα.” ὣς ἔφατ᾿ εὐχομένη, ἀνένευε δὲ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.¹¹

book 6 So he spoke, and she went to the hall and called to her handmaids; and they gathered together the older women throughout the city. But the queen herself went down to the vaulted treasure chamber where were her robes, richly embroidered, the handiwork of Sidonian women, whom godlike Alexander had himself brought from Sidon,as he sailed over the wide sea on that journey on which he brought back high-born Helen. Of these Hecabe took one, and brought it as an offering for Athene, the one that was fairest in its embroiderings and amplest, and shone like a star, and lay beneath all the rest. Then she set out to go, and the throng of older women hurried after her.

When they came to the shrine of Athene in the citadel, the doors were opened for them by fair-cheeked Theano, Cisses’ daughter, wife of Antenor, tamer of horses; for her had the Trojans made priestess of Athene. Then with ecstatic cries they all lifted up their hands to Athene; and fair-cheeked Theano took the robe and laid it on the knees of fair-haired Athene, and with vows made prayer to the daughter of great Zeus: “Lady Athene, you who guard our city, fairest among goddesses, break now the spear of Diomedes, and grant also that he himself may fall headlong before the Scaean gates, so that we may now immediately sacrifice to you in your shrine twelve year-old heifers that have not felt the goad, if you will take pity on the city and the Trojans’ wives and their little ones.” So she spoke praying, but Pallas Athene denied the prayer.

Ὣς αἱ μέν ῥ᾿ εὔχοντο Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο, Ἕκτωρ δὲ πρὸς δώματ᾿ Ἀλεξάνδροιο βεβήκει καλά, τά ῥ᾿ αὐτὸς ἔτευξε σὺν ἀνδράσιν οἵ τότ᾿ ἄριστοι 315ἦσαν ἐνὶ Τροίῃ ἐριβώλακι τέκτονες ἄνδρες. οἵ οἱ ἐποίησαν θάλαμον καὶ δῶμα καὶ αὐλὴν ἐγγύθι τε Πριάμοιο καὶ Ἕκτορος, ἐν πόλει ἄκρῃ. ἔνθ᾿ Ἕκτωρ εἰσῆλθε διιφίλος, ἐν δ᾿ ἄρα χειρὶ ἔγχος ἔχ᾿ ἑνδεκάπηχυ· πάροιθε δὲ λάμπετο δουρὸς 320αἰχμὴ χαλκείη, περὶ δὲ χρύσεος θέε πόρκης. τὸν δ᾿ εὗρ᾿ ἐν θαλάμῳ περικαλλέα τεύχε᾿ ἕποντα, ἀσπίδα καὶ θώρηκα, καὶ ἀγκύλα τόξ᾿ ἁφόωντα· Ἀργείη δ᾿ Ἑλένη μετ᾿ ἄρα δμῳῇσι γυναιξὶν ἧστο, καὶ ἀμφιπόλοισι περικλυτὰ ἔργα κέλευε. 325τὸν δ᾿ Ἕκτωρ νείκεσσεν ἰδὼν αἰσχροῖς ἐπέεσσι· “δαιμόνι᾿, οὐ μὲν καλὰ χόλον τόνδ᾿ ἔνθεο θυμῷ. λαοὶ μὲν φθινύθουσι περὶ πτόλιν αἰπύ τε τεῖχος μαρνάμενοι· σέο δ᾿ εἵνεκ᾿ ἀυτή τε πτόλεμός τε ἄστυ τόδ᾿ ἀμφιδέδηε· σὺ δ᾿ ἂν μαχέσαιο καὶ ἄλλῳ, 330ὅν τινά που μεθιέντα ἴδοις στυγεροῦ πολέμοιο. ἀλλ᾿ ἄνα, μὴ τάχα ἄστυ πυρὸς δηίοιο θέρηται.”

Τὸν δ᾿ αὖτε προσέειπεν Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδής· “Ἕκτορ, ἐπεί με κατ᾿ αἶσαν ἐνείκεσας οὐδ᾿ ὑπὲρ αἶσαν, τοὔνεκά τοι ἐρέω· σὺ δὲ σύνθεο καί μευ ἄκουσον. 335οὔ τοι ἐγὼ Τρώων τόσσον χόλῳ οὐδὲ νεμέσσι ἥμην ἐν θαλάμῳ, ἔθελον δ᾿ ἄχεϊ προτραπέσθαι. νῦν δέ με παρειποῦσ᾿ ἄλοχος μαλακοῖς ἐπέεσσιν ὅρμησ᾿ ἐς πόλεμον· δοκέει δέ μοι ὧδε καὶ αὐτῷ λώιον ἔσσεσθαι· νίκη δ᾿ ἐπαμείβεται ἄνδρας. 340ἀλλ᾿ ἄγε νῦν ἐπίμεινον, ἀρήια τεύχεα δύω· ἢ ἴθ᾿, ἐγὼ δὲ μέτειμι· κιχήσεσθαι δέ σ᾿ ὀίω.”

book 6 Thus were they praying to the daughter of great Zeus, but Hector had gone to the house of Alexander, the fair house that he himself had built with the men who were at that time the best builders in deep-soiled Troy; they had made him a chamber and hall and court hard by the houses of Priam and Hector in the citadel. There Hector, dear to Zeus, entered in and in his hand he held a spear of eleven cubits, and before him blazed the spear-point of bronze, around which ran a ring of gold. He found Paris in his chamber busied with his beautiful arms, his shield and his corselet, and handling his curved bow; and Argive Helen sat among her serving women and was assigning to them their glorious handiwork. And at sight of him Hector rebuked him with reproachful words: “Strange man, it is not good to nurse this anger in your heart. Your people are perishing around the city and the steep wall in battle, and it is because of you that the battle cry and the war are ablaze about this city; you would yourself reproach any other whom you might see shrinking from hateful war. But get up, lest soon the city blaze with consuming fire.”

And to him did godlike Alexander make answer, saying: “Hector, since you rebuke me rightly, and not beyond what is right, therefore will I tell you; and do you reflect and listen to me. Not so much because of wrath and indignation against the Trojans sat I in my chamber, but I was minded to give myself over to sorrow. Just now my wife sought to turn my mind with gentle words and urged me to the war: and I myself think that it will be better so; victory shifts from man to man. But come now, wait a while, let me put on my war gear; or go, and I will follow; and I think I shall overtake you.”

Ὣς φάτο, τὸν δ᾿ οὔ τι προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ· τὸν δ᾿ Ἑλένη μύθοισι προσηύδα μειλιχίοισι· “δᾶερ ἐμεῖο κυνὸς κακομηχάνου ὀκρυοέσσης, 345ὥς μ᾿ ὄφελ᾿ ἤματι τῷ ὅτε με πρῶτον τέκε μήτηρ οἴχεσθαι προφέρουσα κακὴ ἀνέμοιο θύελλα εἰς ὄρος ἢ εἰς κῦμα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης, ἔνθα με κῦμ᾿ ἀπόερσε πάρος τάδε ἔργα γενέσθαι. αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τάδε γ᾿ ὧδε θεοὶ κακὰ τεκμήραντο, 350ἀνδρὸς ἔπειτ᾿ ὤφελλον ἀμείνονος εἶναι ἄκοιτις, ὃς ᾔδη νέμεσίν τε καὶ αἴσχεα πόλλ᾿ ἀνθρώπων. τούτῳ δ᾿ οὔτ᾿ ἂρ νῦν φρένες ἔμπεδοι οὔτ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ὀπίσσω ἔσσονται· τῶ καί μιν ἐπαυρήσεσθαι ὀίω. ἀλλ᾿ ἄγε νῦν εἴσελθε καὶ ἕζεο τῷδ᾿ ἐπὶ δίφρῳ, 355δᾶερ, ἐπεί σε μάλιστα πόνος φρένας ἀμφιβέβηκεν εἵνεκ᾿ ἐμεῖο κυνὸς καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου ἕνεκ᾿ ἄτης,¹² οἷσιν ἐπὶ Ζεὺς θῆκε κακὸν μόρον, ὡς καὶ ὀπίσσω ἀνθρώποισι πελώμεθ᾿ ἀοίδιμοι ἐσσομένοισι.”

So said he, and Hector of the flashing helmet answered him not a word, but to him spoke Helen with gentle words: “O brother of me that am a dog, a contriver of mischief and abhorred by all, I wish that on the day when first my mother gave me birth an evil blast of wind had carried me away to some mountain or to the wave of the loud-resounding sea, where the wave would have swept me away before these things came to pass. But, since the gods so ordained these ills, I wish that I had been wife to a better man, who could feel the indignation of his fellows and their many revilings. But this man’s understanding is not now firm, nor ever will be hereafter; of it he will, I think, enjoy also the fruits. But come now, enter in, and sit on this chair, my brother, since above all others has trouble encompassed your mind because of shameless me, and the folly of Alexander; on us Zeus has brought an evil doom, so that even in days to come we may be a song for men that are yet to be.”

Τὴν δ᾿ ἠμείβετ᾿ ἔπειτα μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ· 360“μή με κάθιζ᾿, Ἑλένη, φιλέουσά περ· οὐδέ με πείσεις· ἤδη γάρ μοι θυμὸς ἐπέσσυται ὄφρ᾿ ἐπαμύνω Τρώεσσ᾿, οἳ μέγ᾿ ἐμεῖο ποθὴν ἀπεόντος ἔχουσιν. ἀλλὰ σύ γ᾿ ὄρνυθι τοῦτον, ἐπειγέσθω δὲ καὶ αὐτός, ὥς κεν ἔμ᾿ ἔντοσθεν πόλιος καταμάρψῃ ἐόντα. 365καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼν οἶκόνδε ἐλεύσομαι, ὄφρα ἴδωμαι οἰκῆας ἄλοχόν τε φίλην καὶ νήπιον υἱόν. οὐ γὰρ οἶδ᾿ εἰ ἔτι σφιν ὑπότροπος ἵξομαι αὖτις, ἢ ἤδη μ᾿ ὑπὸ χερσὶ θεοὶ δαμόωσιν Ἀχαιῶν.”

Ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἀπέβη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ· 370αἶψα δ᾿ ἔπειθ᾿ ἵκανε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας, οὐδ᾿ εὗρ᾿ Ἀνδρομάχην λευκώλενον ἐν μεγάροισιν, ἀλλ᾿ ἥ γε ξὺν παιδὶ καὶ ἀμφιπόλῳ ἐυπέπλῳ πύργῳ ἐφεστήκει γοόωσά τε μυρομένη τε.

Ἕκτωρ δ᾿ ὡς οὐκ ἔνδον ἀμύμονα τέτμεν ἄκοιτιν, 375ἔστη ἐπ᾿ οὐδὸν ἰών, μετὰ δε δμῳῇσιν ἔειπεν· “εἰ δ᾿ ἄγε μοι, δμῳαί, νημερτέα μυθήσασθε· πῇ ἔβη Ἀνδρομάχη λευκώλενος ἐκ μεγάροιο; ἠέ πῃ ἐς γαλόων ἢ εἰνατέρων ἐυπέπλων, ἦ ἐς Ἀθηναίης ἐξοίχεται, ἔνθα περ ἄλλαι 380Τρῳαὶ ἐυπλόκαμοι δεινὴν θεὸν ἱλάσκονται;”

book 6 Then made answer to her great Hector of the flashing helmet: “Do not have me sit, Helen, though you love me; you will not persuade me. For my heart is already impatient to assist the Trojans, who greatly long for me in my absence. But rouse this man, and let him make haste on his own, so that he may overtake me while I am still inside the city. For I shall go home to see my servants, my dear wife, and my infant son; for I know not if any more I shall return home to them again, or if even now the gods will vanquish me at the hands of the Achaeans.”

So saying, Hector of the flashing helmet went away, and came quickly to his well-built house. But he found not white-armed Andromache in his halls; she with her child and a fair-robed handmaid had gone to stand on the wall,weeping and wailing. So Hector, when he found not his incomparable wife inside, went and stood on the threshold, and spoke among the serving women: “Come now, serving women, tell me true; where went white-armed Andromache from the hall? Is she gone to the house of any of my sisters or my brothers’ fair-robed wives, or to the shrine of Athene, where the other fair-tressed women of Troy are seeking to propitiate the dread goddess?”

Τὸν δ᾿ αὖτ᾿ ὀτρηρὴ ταμίη πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν· “Ἕκτορ, ἐπεὶ μάλ᾿ ἄνωγας ἀληθέα μυθήσασθαι, οὔτε πῃ ἐς γαλόων οὔτ᾿ εἰνατέρων ἐυπέπλων οὔτ᾿ ἐς Ἀθηναίης ἐξοίχεται, ἔνθα περ ἄλλαι 385Τρῳαὶ ἐυπλόκαμοι δεινὴν θεὸν ἱλάσκονται, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ πύργον ἔβη μέγαν Ἰλίου, οὕνεκ᾿ ἄκουσε τείρεσθαι Τρῶας, μέγα δὲ κράτος εἶναι Ἀχαιῶν. ἡ μὲν δὴ πρὸς τεῖχος ἐπειγομένη ἀφικάνει, μαινομένῃ ἐικυῖα· φέρει δ᾿ ἅμα παῖδα τιθήνη.”

390Ἦ ῥα γυνὴ ταμίη, ὁ δ᾿ ἀπέσσυτο δώματος Ἕκτωρ τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν αὖτις ἐυκτιμένας κατ᾿ ἀγυιάς. εὖτε πύλας ἵκανε διερχόμενος μέγα ἄστυ Σκαιάς, τῇ ἄρ᾿ ἔμελλε διεξίμεναι πεδίονδε, ἔνθ᾿ ἄλοχος πολύδωρος ἐναντίη ἦλθε θέουσα 395Ἀνδρομάχη, θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος Ἠετίωνος, Ἠετίων, ὃς ἔναιεν ὑπὸ Πλάκῳ ὑληέσσῃ, Θήβῃ Ὑποπλακίῃ, Κιλίκεσσ᾿ ἄνδρεσσιν ἀνάσσων· τοῦ περ δὴ θυγάτηρ ἔχεθ᾿ Ἕκτορι χαλκοκορυστῇ. ἥ οἱ ἔπειτ᾿ ἤντησ᾿, ἅμα δ᾿ ἀμφίπολος κίεν αὐτῇ 400παῖδ᾿ ἐπὶ κόλπῳ ἔχουσ᾿ ἀταλάφρονα, νήπιον αὔτως, Ἑκτορίδην ἀγαπητόν, ἀλίγκιον ἀστέρι καλῷ,

τόν ῥ᾿ Ἕκτωρ καλέεσκε Σκαμάνδριον, αὐτὰρ οἱ ἄλλοι Ἀστυάνακτ᾿· οἶος γὰρ ἐρύετο Ἴλιον Ἕκτωρ. ἦ τοι ὁ μὲν μείδησεν ἰδὼν ἐς παῖδα σιωπῇ· 405Ἀνδρομάχη δέ οἱ ἄγχι παρίστατο δάκρυ χέουσα, ἔν τ᾿ ἄρα οἱ φῦ χειρὶ ἔπος τ᾿ ἔφατ᾿ ἔκ τ᾿ ὀνόμαζε·

book 6 Then a willing housekeeper spoke to him, saying: “Hector, since you urgently command us to tell you true, neither is she gone to any of your sisters or your brothers’ fair-robed wives, nor to the shrine of Athene, where the other fair-tressed Trojan women are seeking to propitiate the dread goddess; but she went to the great wall of Ilios, because she heard that the Trojans were hard pressed, and great victory rested with the Achaeans. So she has gone in haste to the wall, like one beside herself; and with her the nurse is carrying the child.”

So spoke the housekeeper, and Hector hurried from the house back over the same way down along the well-built streets. When he had passed through the great city and come to the gates, the Scaean gates, by which he was about to go out to the plain, there came running to meet him his wife, wooed with many gifts, Andromache, daughter of great-hearted Eëtion, Eëtion who dwelt beneath wooded Placus, in Thebe under Placus, and was lord over the men of Cilicia; for it was his daughter whom Hector, clad in bronze, had as wife. She now met him, and with her came a handmaid holding to her bosom the tender boy, a mere babe, the well-loved son of Hector, like a fair star. Him Hector was used to call Scamandrius, but other men Astyanax; for only Hector guarded Ilios. Then Hector smiled as he glanced at his boy in silence, but Andromache came close to his side weeping, and clasped his hand and spoke to him, saying:

“δαιμόνιε, φθίσει σε τὸ σὸν μένος, οὐδ᾿ ἐλεαίρεις παῖδά τε νηπίαχον καὶ ἔμ᾿ ἄμμορον, ἣ τάχα χήρη σεῦ ἔσομαι· τάχα γάρ σε κατακτανέουσιν Ἀχαιοὶ 410πάντες ἐφορμηθέντες· ἐμοὶ δέ κε κέρδιον εἴη σεῦ ἀφαμαρτούσῃ χθόνα δύμεναι· οὐ γὰρ ἔτ᾿ ἄλλη ἔσται θαλπωρή, ἐπεὶ ἂν σύ γε πότμον ἐπίσπῃς, ἀλλ᾿ ἄχε᾿· οὐδέ μοι ἔστι πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ. ἦ τοι γὰρ πατέρ᾿ ἁμὸν ἀπέκτανε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς, 415ἐκ δὲ πόλιν πέρσεν Κιλίκων ἐὺ ναιετάουσαν, Θήβην ὑψίπυλον· κατὰ δ᾿ ἔκτανεν Ἠετίωνα, οὐδέ μιν ἐξενάριξε, σεβάσσατο γὰρ τό γε θυμῷ, ἀλλ᾿ ἄρα μιν κατέκηε σὺν ἔντεσι δαιδαλέοισιν ἠδ᾿ ἐπὶ σῆμ᾿ ἔχεεν· περὶ δὲ πτελέας ἐφύτευσαν 420νύμφαι ὀρεστιάδες, κοῦραι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο. οἳ δέ μοι ἑπτὰ κασίγνητοι ἔσαν ἐν μεγάροισιν, οἱ μὲν πάντες ἰῷ κίον ἤματι Ἄϊδος εἴσω· πάντας γὰρ κατέπεφνε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς βουσὶν ἐπ᾿ εἰλιπόδεσσι καὶ ἀργεννῇς ὀίεσσι. 425μητέρα δ᾿, ἣ βασίλευεν ὑπὸ Πλάκῳ ὑληέσσῃ, τὴν ἐπεὶ ἂρ δεῦρ᾿ ἤγαγ᾿ ἅμ᾿ ἄλλοισι κτεάτεσσιν, ἂψ ὅ γε τὴν ἀπέλυσε λαβὼν ἀπερείσι᾿ ἄποινα, πατρὸς δ᾿ ἐν μεγάροισι βάλ᾿ Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα. Ἕκτορ, ἀτὰρ σύ μοί ἐσσι πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ ἠδὲ κασίγνητος, σὺ δέ μοι θαλερὸς παρακοίτης· ἀλλ᾿ ἄγε νῦν ἐλέαιρε καὶ αὐτοῦ μίμν᾿ ἐπὶ πύργῳ, μὴ παῖδ᾿ ὀρφανικὸν θήῃς χήρην τε γυναῖκα· λαὸν δὲ στῆσον παρ᾿ ἐρινεόν, ἔνθα μάλιστα¹³ ἀμβατός ἐστι πόλις καὶ ἐπίδρομον ἔπλετο τεῖχος. 435τρὶς γὰρ τῇ γ᾿ ἐλθόντες ἐπειρήσανθ᾿ οἱ ἄριστοι ἀμφ᾿ Αἴαντε δύω καὶ ἀγακλυτὸν Ἰδομενῆα ἠδ᾿ ἀμφ᾿ Ἀτρεΐδας καὶ Τυδέος ἄλκιμον υἱόν· ἤ πού τίς σφιν ἔνισπε θεοπροπίων ἐὺ εἰδώς, ἤ νυ καὶ αὐτῶν θυμὸς ἐποτρύνει καὶ ἀνώγει.”

book 6 “Ah, my husband, this might of yours will be your doom, and you have no pity for your infant child or for unfortunate me, who soon will be your widow; for soon will the Achaeans all set on you and slay you. But for me it would be better to go down to the grave if I lose you, for never more will any comfort be mine, when you have met your fate, but only woes. Neither father have I nor queenly mother. My father noble Achilles slew, and utterly laid waste the well-peopled city of the Cilicians, Thebe of the lofty gates. He slew Eëtion, but he stripped him not of his armor, for he shrank from doing that; but he burnt him in his elaborate armor, and heaped over him a mound; and all about were elm trees planted by nymphs of the mountain, daughters of Zeus who bears the aegis. And the seven brothers of mine in our halls, all these on the very same day entered into the house of Hades, for all were slain by swift-footed, noble Achilles, among their cattle of shambling gait and their white-fleeced sheep. And my mother, who was queen beneath wooded Placus, her brought he here with the rest of the booty, but he set her free again, when he had taken ransom past counting; and in her father’s halls Artemis the archer slew her. Hector, you are to me father and queenly mother, you are brother, and you are my vigorous husband. Come now, have pity, and stay here on the wall, lest you make your son fatherless and your wife a widow. And as for your army, station it by the wild fig tree, where the city may best be scaled, and the wall is open to assault. For thrice at this point came the best men in company with the two Aiantes and glorious Idomeneus and the sons of Atreus and the valiant son of Tydeus, and tried the walls: either someone well skilled in soothsaying told them, or perhaps their own heart urges and commands them to it.”

Τὴν δ᾿ αὖτε προσέειπε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ· “ἦ καὶ ἐμοὶ τάδε πάντα μέλει, γύναι· ἀλλὰ μάλ᾿ αἰνῶς αἰδέομαι Τρῶας καὶ Τρῳάδας ἑλκεσιπέπλους, αἴ κε κακὸς ὣς νόσφιν ἀλυσκάζω πολέμοιο· οὐδέ με θυμὸς ἄνωγεν, ἐπεὶ μάθον ἔμμεναι ἐσθλὸς 445αἰεὶ καὶ πρώτοισι μετὰ Τρώεσσι μάχεσθαι, ἀρνύμενος πατρός τε μέγα κλέος ἠδ᾿ ἐμὸν αὐτοῦ. εὖ γὰρ ἐγὼ τόδε οἶδα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν· ἔσσεται ἦμαρ ὅτ᾿ ἄν ποτ᾿ ὀλώλῃ Ἴλιος ἱρὴ καὶ Πρίαμος καὶ λαὸς ἐυμμελίω Πριάμοιο. 450ἀλλ᾿ οὔ μοι Τρώων τόσσον μέλει ἄλγος ὀπίσσω, οὔτ᾿ αὐτῆς Ἑκάβης οὔτε Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος οὔτε κασιγνήτων, οἵ κεν πολέες τε καὶ ἐσθλοὶ ἐν κονίῃσι πέσοιεν ὑπ᾿ ἀνδράσι δυσμενέεσσιν, ὅσσον σεῦ, ὅτε κέν τις Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων 455δακρυόεσσαν ἄγηται, ἐλεύθερον ἦμαρ ἀπούρας. καί κεν ἐν Ἄργει ἐοῦσα πρὸς ἄλλης ἱστὸν ὑφαίνοις, καί κεν ὕδωρ φορέοις Μεσσηίδος ἢ Ὑπερείης Iliad

πόλλ᾿ ἀεκαζομένη, κρατερὴ δ᾿ ἐπικείσετ᾿ ἀνάγκη. καί ποτέ τις εἴπῃσιν ἰδὼν κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσαν· 460‘Ἕκτορος ἥδε γυνή, ὃς ἀριστεύεσκε μάχεσθαι Τρώων ἱπποδάμων, ὅτε Ἴλιον ἀμφεμάχοντο.’ ὥς ποτέ τις ἐρέει· σοὶ δ᾿ αὖ νέον ἔσσεται ἄλγος χήτεϊ τοιοῦδ᾿ ἀνδρὸς ἀμύνειν δούλιον ἦμαρ. ἀλλά με τεθνηῶτα χυτὴ κατὰ γαῖα καλύπτοι, 465πρίν γέ τι σῆς τε βοῆς σοῦ θ᾿ ἑλκηθμοῖο πυθέσθαι.”

book 6 Then spoke to her great Hector of the flashing helmet: “Woman, I too take thought of all this, but I dreadfully feel shame before the Trojans, and the Trojans’ wives with trailing robes, if like a coward I skulk apart from the battle. Nor does my heart command it, since I have learnt to excel always and to fight among the foremost Trojans, striving to win great glory for my father and myself. For I know this well in my mind and heart: the day will come when sacred Ilios will fall, and Priam, and the people of Priam of the good ashen spear. But not so much does the grief that is to come to the Trojans move me, neither Hecabe’s own, nor king Priam’s, nor that of my brothers, many and noble, who will fall in the dust at the hands of their foes, as does your grief, when some bronze-clad Achaean will lead you away weeping and rob you of your day of freedom. Then perhaps in Argos will you ply the loom at another woman’s bidding, or carry water from Messeïs or Hypereia, much against your will, and strong necessity will be laid on you. And someone will say as he looks at you weeping: ‘This is the wife of Hector, who was preeminent in fight above all the horse-taming Trojans when men were fighting around Ilios.’ So will he say; and to you there will be fresh grief in your lack of a man like me to ward off the day of bondage. But may I lie dead, and may the heaped-up earth cover me, before I hear your cries as they drag you into captivity.”

Ὣς εἰπὼν οὗ παιδὸς ὀρέξατο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ· ἂψ δ᾿ ὁ πάις πρὸς κόλπον ἐυζώνοιο τιθήνης ἐκλίνθη ἰάχων, πατρὸς φίλου ὄψιν ἀτυχθείς, ταρβήσας χαλκόν τε ἰδὲ λόφον ἱππιοχαίτην, 470δεινὸν ἀπ᾿ ἀκροτάτης κόρυθος νεύοντα νοήσας. ἐκ δ᾿ ἐγέλασσε πατήρ τε φίλος καὶ πότνια μήτηρ· αὐτίκ᾿ ἀπὸ κρατὸς κόρυθ᾿ εἵλετο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ, καὶ τὴν μὲν κατέθηκεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ παμφανόωσαν· αὐτὰρ ὅ γ᾿ ὃν φίλον υἱὸν ἐπεὶ κύσε πῆλέ τε χερσίν, 475εἶπεν ἐπευξάμενος Διί τ᾿ ἄλλοισίν τε θεοῖσι· “Ζεῦ ἄλλοι τε θεοί, δότε δὴ καὶ τόνδε γενέσθαι παῖδ᾿ ἐμόν, ὡς καὶ ἐγώ περ, ἀριπρεπέα Τρώεσσιν, ὧδε βίην τ᾿ ἀγαθόν, καὶ Ἰλίου ἶφι ἀνάσσειν· καί ποτέ τις εἴποι ‘πατρός γ᾿ ὅδε πολλὸν ἀμείνων’ 480ἐκ πολέμου ἀνιόντα· φέροι δ᾿ ἔναρα βροτόεντα κτείνας δήιον ἄνδρα, χαρείη δὲ φρένα μήτηρ.”

Ὣς εἰπὼν ἀλόχοιο φίλης ἐν χερσὶν ἔθηκε παῖδ᾿ ἑόν· ἡ δ᾿ ἄρα μιν κηώδεϊ δέξατο κόλπῳ δακρυόεν γελάσασα· πόσις δ᾿ ἐλέησε νοήσας, 485χειρί τέ μιν κατέρεξεν ἔπος τ᾿ ἔφατ᾿ ἔκ τ᾿ ὀνόμαζε· “δαιμονίη, μή μοί τι λίην ἀκαχίζεο θυμῷ· οὐ γάρ τίς μ᾿ ὑπὲρ αἶσαν ἀνὴρ Ἄϊδι προϊάψει· μοῖραν δ᾿ οὔ τινά φημι πεφυγμένον ἔμμεναι ἀνδρῶν, οὐ κακόν, οὐδὲ μὲν ἐσθλόν, ἐπὴν τὰ πρῶτα γένηται. 490ἀλλ᾿ εἰς οἶκον ἰοῦσα τὰ σ᾿ αὐτῆς ἔργα κόμιζε, ἱστόν τ᾿ ἠλακάτην τε, καὶ ἀμφιπόλοισι κέλευε ἔργον ἐποίχεσθαι· πόλεμος δ᾿ ἄνδρεσσι μελήσει πᾶσι, μάλιστα δ᾿ ἐμοί, τοὶ Ἰλίῳ ἐγγεγάασιν.”

Ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας κόρυθ᾿ εἵλετο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ 495ἵππουριν· ἄλοχος δὲ φίλη οἶκόνδε βεβήκει ἐντροπαλιζομένη, θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα. αἶψα δ᾿ ἔπειθ᾿ ἵκανε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο, κιχήσατο δ᾿ ἔνδοθι πολλὰς ἀμφιπόλους, τῇσιν δὲ γόον πάσῃσιν ἐνῶρσεν.

So saying, glorious Hector stretched out his arms to his boy, but back into the bosom of his fair-belted nurse shrank the child crying, frightened at the sight of his dear father, and seized with fear of the bronze and the crest of horsehair, as he caught sight of it waving terribly from the top of the helmet. Aloud then laughed his dear father and queenly mother; and immediately glorious Hector took the helmet from his head and laid it all gleaming on the ground. And he kissed his dear son, and fondled him in his arms, and spoke in prayer to Zeus and the other gods: “Zeus and you other gods, grant that this my child may likewise prove, just like me, preeminent among the Trojans, and as good in strength, and that he may rule mightily over Ilios. And some day may some man say of him as he comes back from war, ‘This one is better far than his father’; and may he carry the blood-stained spoils of the foeman he has slain, and may his mother’s heart rejoice.”

So saying, he placed his child in his dear wife’s arms, and she took him to her fragrant bosom, smiling through her tears; and her husband was touched with pity at sight of her, and he stroked her with his hand, and spoke to her, and called her by name: “Dear wife, in no way, I beg you, grieve excessively at heart for me; no man beyond what is fated shall send me to Hades; but his fate, say I, no man has ever escaped, whether he is base or noble, when once he has been born. But go to the house and busy yourself with your own tasks, the loom and the distaff, and tell your handmaids to ply their work: and war will be the concern for men, all of those who live in Ilios, but especially for me.”

So spoke glorious Hector and took up his helmet with horsehair crest; and his dear wife went immediately to her house, often turning back, and shedding large tears. Quickly then she came to the well-built palace of man-slaying Hector and found there her many handmaids; and among them all she roused lamentation. So in his own house they made lament for Hector while still he lived; for they said that he would never more come back from battle, having escaped from the force and the hands of the Achaeans.