3059

correcting digitization of the Iliad
git clone git://bvnf.space/3059.git
Log | Files | Refs | README

commit bd57d34a3295daf73f63528029cdd733e8a124c6
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Author: aabacchus <ben@bvnf.space>
Date:   Thu, 30 Dec 2021 23:13:34 +0000

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diff --git a/live/13.htm b/live/13.htm @@ -0,0 +1,834 @@ +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap13"></a>BOOK XIII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Poseidon stirreth up the Achaians to defend the ships. The valour of Idomeneus. +</p> + +<p> +Now Zeus, after that he had brought the Trojans and Hector to the ships, left +them to their toil and endless labour there, but otherwhere again he turned his +shining eyes, and looked upon the land of the Thracian horsebreeders, and the +Mysians, fierce fighters hand to hand, and the proud Hippemolgoi that drink +mare&rsquo;s milk, and the Abioi, the most righteous of men. To Troy no more at +all he turned his shining eyes, for he deemed in his heart that not one of the +Immortals would draw near, to help either Trojans or Danaans. +</p> + +<p> +But the mighty Earth-shaker held no blind watch, who sat and marvelled on the +war and strife, high on the topmost crest of wooded Samothrace, for thence all +Ida was plain to see; and plain to see were the city of Priam, and the ships of +the Achaians. Thither did he go from the sea and sate him down, and he had pity +on the Achaians, that they were subdued to the Trojans, and strong was his +anger against Zeus. +</p> + +<p> +Then forthwith he went down from the rugged hill, faring with swift steps, and +the high hills trembled, and the woodland, beneath the immortal footsteps of +Poseidon as he moved. Three strides he made, and with the fourth he reached his +goal, even Aigae, and there was his famous palace in the deeps of the mere, his +glistering golden mansions builded, imperishable for ever. Thither went he, and +let harness to the car his bronze-hooved horses, swift of flight, clothed with +their golden manes. He girt his own golden array about his body, and seized the +well-wrought lash of gold, and mounted his chariot, and forth he drove across +the waves. And the sea beasts frolicked beneath him, on all sides out of the +deeps, for well they knew their lord, and with gladness the sea stood asunder, +and swiftly they sped, and the axle of bronze was not wetted beneath, and the +bounding steeds bare him on to the ships of the Achaians. +</p> + +<p> +Now there is a spacious cave in the depths of the deep mere, between Tenedos +and rugged Imbros; there did Poseidon, the Shaker of the earth, stay his +horses, and loosed them out of the chariot, and cast before them ambrosial food +to graze withal, and golden tethers he bound about their hooves, tethers +neither to be broken nor loosed, that there the horses might continually await +their lord&rsquo;s return. And he went to the host of the Achaians. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Trojans like flame or storm-wind were following in close array, with +fierce intent, after Hector, son of Priam. With shouts and cries they came, and +thought to take the ships of the Achaians, and to slay thereby all the bravest +of the host. But Poseidon, that girdleth the world, the Shaker of the earth, +was urging on the Argives, and forth he came from the deep salt sea, in form +and untiring voice like unto Kalchas. First he spake to the two Aiantes, that +themselves were eager for battle: &ldquo;Ye Aiantes twain, ye shall save the +people of the Achaians, if ye are mindful of your might, and reckless of chill +fear. For verily I do not otherwhere dread the invincible hands of the Trojans, +that have climbed the great wall in their multitude, nay, the well-greaved +Achaians will hold them all at bay; but hereby verily do I greatly dread lest +some evil befall us, even here where that furious one is leading like a flame +of fire, Hector, who boasts him to be son of mighty Zeus. Nay, but here may +some god put it into the hearts of you twain, to stand sturdily yourselves, and +urge others to do the like; thereby might ye drive him from the fleet-faring +ships, despite his eagerness, yea, even if the Olympian himself is rousing him +to war.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the Shaker of the world, the girdler of the earth, struck the twain +with his staff, and filled them with strong courage, and their limbs he made +light, and their feet, and their hands withal. Then, even as a swift-winged +hawk speeds forth to fly, poised high above a tall sheer rock, and swoops to +chase some other bird across the plain, even so Poseidon sped from them, the +Shaker of the world. And of the twain Oileus&rsquo; son, the swift-footed Aias, +was the first to know the god, and instantly he spake to Aias, son of Telamon: +&ldquo;Aias, since it is one of the gods who hold Olympus, that in the +semblance of a seer commands us now to fight beside the ships-not Kalchas is +he, the prophet and sooth-sayer, for easily I knew the tokens of his feet and +knees as he turned away, and the gods are easy to discern—lo, then mine own +heart within my breast is more eagerly set on war and battle, and my feet +beneath and my hands above are lusting for the fight.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Aias, son of Telamon, answered him saying: &ldquo;Even so, too, my hands +invincible now rage about the spear-shaft, and wrath has risen within me, and +both my feet are swift beneath me; yea, I am keen to meet, even in single +fight, the ceaseless rage of Hector son of Priam.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So they spake to each other, rejoicing in the delight of battle, which the god +put in their heart. Then the girdler of the earth stirred up the Achaians that +were in the rear and were renewing their strength beside the swift ships. Their +limbs were loosened by their grievous toil, yea, and their souls filled with +sorrow at the sight of the Trojans, that had climbed over the great wall in +their multitude. And they looked on them, and shed tears beneath their brows, +thinking that never would they escape destruction. But the Shaker of the earth +right easily came among them, and urged on the strong battalions of warriors. +Teukros first he came and summoned, and Leitos, and the hero Peneleos, and +Thoas, and Deipyros, and Meriones, and Antilochos, lords of the war-cry, all +these he spurred on with winged words: &ldquo;Shame on you, Argives, shame, ye +striplings, in your battle had I trusted for the salvation of our ships. But if +you are to withdraw from grievous war, now indeed the day doth shine that shall +see us conquered by the Trojans. Out on it, for verily a great marvel is this +that mine eyes behold, a terrible thing that methought should never come to +pass, the Trojans advancing against our ships! Of yore they were like fleeting +hinds, that in the wild wood are the prey of jackals, and pards, and wolves, +and wander helpless, strengthless, empty of the joy of battle. Even so the +Trojans of old cared never to wait and face the wrath and the hands of the +Achaians, not for a moment. But now they are fighting far from the town, by the +hollow ships, all through the baseness of our leader and the remissness of the +people, who, being at strife with the chief, have no heart to defend the +swift-faring ships, nay, thereby they are slain. But if indeed and in truth the +hero Agamemnon, the wide-ruling son of Atreus, is the very cause of all, for +that he did dishonour the swift-footed son of Peleus, not even so may we +refrain in any wise from war. Nay, let us right our fault with speed, for +easily righted are the hearts of the brave. No longer do ye well to refrain +from impetuous might, all ye that are the best men of the host. I myself would +not quarrel with one that, being a weakling, abstained from war, but with you I +am heartily wroth. Ah, friends, soon shall ye make the mischief more through +this remissness,—but let each man conceive shame in his heart, and indignation, +for verily great is the strife that hath arisen. Lo, the mighty Hector of the +loud war-cry is fighting at the ships, and the gates and the long bar he hath +burst in sunder.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +On this wise did the Earth-enfolder call to and spur on the Achaians. And +straightway they made a stand around the two Aiantes, strong bands that Ares +himself could not enter and make light of, nor Athene that marshals the host. +Yea, they were the chosen best that abode the Trojans and goodly Hector, and +spear on spear made close-set fence, and shield on serried shield, buckler +pressed on buckler, and helm on helm, and man on man. The horse-hair crests on +the bright helmet-ridges touched each other as they nodded, so close they stood +each by other, and spears brandished in bold hands were interlaced; and their +hearts were steadfast and lusted for battle. +</p> + +<p> +Then the Trojans drave forward in close array, and Hector led them, pressing +straight onwards, like a rolling rock from a cliff, that the winter-swollen +water thrusteth from the crest of a hill, having broken the foundations of the +stubborn rock with its wondrous flood; leaping aloft it flies, and the wood +echoes under it, and unstayed it runs its course, till it reaches the level +plain, and then it rolls no more for all its eagerness,—even so Hector for a +while threatened lightly to win to the sea through the huts and the ships of +the Achaians, slaying as he came, but when he encountered the serried +battalions, he was stayed when he drew near against them. But they of the other +part, the sons of the Achaians, thrust with their swords and double-pointed +spears, and drave him forth from them, that he gave ground and reeled backward. +Then he cried with a piercing voice, calling on the Trojans: &ldquo;Trojans, +and Lykians, and close-fighting Dardanians, hold your ground, for the Achaians +will not long ward me off, nay, though they have arrayed themselves in fashion +like a tower. Rather, methinks, they will flee back before the spear, if verily +the chief of gods has set me on, the loud-thundering lord of Hera.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he spurred on the heart and spirit of each man; and Deiphobos, the +son of Priam, strode among them with high thoughts, and held in front of him +the circle of his shield, and lightly he stepped with his feet, advancing +beneath the cover of his shield. Then Meriones aimed at him with a shining +spear, and struck, and missed not, but smote the circle of the bulls-hide +shield, yet no whit did he pierce it; nay, well ere that might be, the long +spear-shaft snapped in the socket. Now Deiphobos was holding off from him the +bulls-hide shield, and his heart feared the lance of wise Meriones, but that +hero shrunk back among the throng of his comrades, greatly in wrath both for +the loss of victory, and of his spear, that he had shivered. So he set forth to +go to the huts and the ships of the Achaians, to bring a long spear, that he +had left in his hut. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile the others were fighting on, and there arose an inextinguishable cry. +First Teukros, son of Telamon, slew a man, the spearman Imbrios, the son of +Mentor rich in horses. In Pedaion he dwelt, before the coming of the sons of +the Achaians, and he had for wife a daughter of Priam, born out of wedlock, +Medesikaste; but when the curved ships of the Danaans came, he returned again +to Ilios, and was pre-eminent among the Trojans, and dwelt with Priam, who +honoured him like his own children. Him the son of Telemon pierced below the +ear with his long lance, and plucked back the spear. Then he fell like an ash +that on the crest of a far-seen hill is smitten with the axe of bronze, and +brings its delicate foliage to the ground; even so he fell, and round him rang +his armour bedight with bronze. Then Teukros rushed forth, most eager to strip +his armour, and Hector cast at him as he came with his shining spear. But +Teukros, steadily regarding him, avoided by a little the spear of bronze; so +Hector struck Amphimachos, son of Kteatos, son of Aktor, in the breast with the +spear, as he was returning to the battle. With a crash he fell, and his armour +rang upon him. +</p> + +<p> +Then Hector sped forth to tear from the head of great-hearted Amphimachos the +helmet closely fitted to his temples, but Aias aimed at Hector as he came, with +a shining spear, yet in no wise touched his body, for he was all clad in dread +armour of bronze; but he smote the boss of his shield, and drave him back by +main force, and he gave place from behind the two dead men, and the Achaians +drew them out of the battle. So Stichios and goodly Menestheus, leaders of the +Athenians, conveyed Amphimachos back among the host of the Achaians, but +Imbrios the two Aiantes carried, with hearts full of impetuous might. And as +when two lions have snatched away a goat from sharp-toothed hounds, and carry +it through the deep thicket, holding the body on high above the ground in their +jaws, so the two warrior Aiantes held Imbrios aloft and spoiled his arms. Then +the son of Oileus cut his head from his delicate neck, in wrath for the sake of +Amphimachos, and sent it rolling like a ball through the throng, and it dropped +in the dust before the feet of Hector. +</p> + +<p> +Then verily was Poseidon wroth at heart, when his sol&rsquo;s son fell in the +terrible fray. [Kteatos, father of Amphimachos, was Poseidol&rsquo;s son.] So +he set forth to go by the huts and the ships of the Achaians, to spur on the +Danaans, and sorrows he was contriving for the Trojans. Then Idomeneus, +spearman renowned, met him on his way from his comrade that had but newly +returned to him out of the battle, wounded on the knee with the sharp bronze. +Him his comrades carried forth, and Idomeneus gave charge to the leeches, and +so went on to his hut, for he still was eager to face the war. Then the mighty +Shaker of the earth addressed him, in the voice of Thoas, son of Andraimon, +that ruled over the Aitolians in all Pleuron, and mountainous Kalydon, and was +honoured like a god by the people: &ldquo;Idomeneus, thou counsellor of the +Cretans, say, whither have thy threats fared, wherewith the sons of the +Achaians threatened the Trojans?&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Idomeneus, leader of the Cretans, answered him again: &ldquo;O Thaos, now +is there no man to blame, that I wot of, for we all are skilled in war. Neither +is there any man that spiritless fear holds aloof, nor any that gives place to +cowardice, and shuns the cruel war, nay, but even thus, methinks, must it have +seemed good to almighty Kronion, even that the Achaians should perish nameless +here, far away from Argos. But Thoas, seeing that of old thou wert staunch, and +dost spur on some other man, wheresoever thou mayst see any give ground, +therefore slacken not now, but call aloud to every warrior.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Poseidon, the Shaker of the earth, answered him again: &ldquo;Idomeneus, +never may that man go forth out of Troy-land, but here may he be the sport of +dogs, who this day wilfully is slack in battle. Nay, come, take thy weapons and +away: herein we must play the man together, if any avail there may be, though +we are no more than two. Ay, and very cowards get courage from company, but we +twain know well how to battle even with the brave.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the god went back again into the strife of men, but Idomeneus, so +soon as he came to his well-builded hut, did on his fair armour about his body, +and grasped two spears, and set forth like the lightning that Kronion seizes in +his hand and brandishes from radiant Olympus, showing forth a sign to mortal +men, and far seen are the flames thereof. Even so shone the bronze about the +breast of Idomeneus as he ran, and Meriones, his good squire, met him, while he +was still near his hut,—he was going to bring his spear of bronze,—and mighty +Idomeneus spake to him: &ldquo;Meriones son of Molos, fleet of foot, dearest of +my company, wherefore hast thou come hither and left the war and strife? Art +thou wounded at all, and vexed by a dart&rsquo;s point, or dost thou come with +a message for me concerning aught? Verily I myself have no desire to sit in the +huts, but to fight.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Meriones answered him again, saying: &ldquo;I have come to fetch a +spear, if perchance thou hast one left in the huts, for that which before I +carried I have shivered in casting at the shield of proud Deiphobos.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Idomeneus, leader of the Cretans, answered him again: &ldquo;Spears, if +thou wilt, thou shalt find, one, ay, and twenty, standing in the hut, against +the shining side walls, spears of the Trojans whereof I have spoiled their +slain. Yea, it is not my mood to stand and fight with foemen from afar, +wherefore I have spears, and bossy shields, and helms, and corslets of splendid +sheen.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Meriones answered him again: &ldquo;Yea, and in mine own hut and my +black ship are many spoils of the Trojans, but not ready to my hand. Nay, for +methinks that neither am I forgetful of valour; but stand forth among the +foremost to face the glorious war, whensoever ariseth the strife of battle. Any +other, methinks, of the mail-clad Achaians should sooner forget my prowess, but +thou art he that knoweth it.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Idomeneus, leader of the Cretans, answered him again: &ldquo;I know what a +man of valour thou art, wherefore shouldst thou tell me thereof? Nay, if now +beside the ships all the best of us were being chosen for an ambush—wherein the +valour of men is best discerned; there the coward, and the brave man most +plainly declare themselves: for the colour of the coward changes often, and his +spirit cannot abide firm within him, but now he kneels on one knee, now on the +other, and rests on either foot, and his heart beats noisily in his breast, as +he thinks of doom, and his teeth chatter loudly. But the colour of the brave +man does not change, nor is he greatly afraid, from the moment that he enters +the ambush of heroes, but his prayer is to mingle instantly in woeful war. Were +we being chosen for such an ambush, I say, not even then would any man reckon +lightly of thy courage and thy strength. Nay, and even if thou wert stricken in +battle from afar, or smitten in close fight, the dart would not strike thee in +the hinder part of the neck, nor in the back, but would encounter thy breast or +belly, as thou dost press on, towards the gathering of the foremost fighters. +But come, no more let us talk thus, like children, loitering here, lest any man +be vehemently wroth, but go thou to the hut, and bring the strong spear.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and Meriones, the peer of swift Ares, quickly bare the spear of +bronze from the hut, and went after Idomeneus, with high thoughts of battle. +And even as Ares, the bane of men, goes forth into the war, and with him +follows his dear son Panic, stark and fearless, that terrifies even the hardy +warrior; and these twain leave Thrace, and harness them for fight with the +Ephyri, or the great-hearted Phlegyans, yet hearken not to both peoples, but +give honour to one only; like these gods did Meriones and Idomeneus, leaders of +men, set forth into the fight, harnessed in gleaming bronze. And Meriones spake +first to Idomeneus saying: &ldquo;Child of Deukalion, whither art thou eager to +enter into the throng: on the right of all the host, or in the centre, or on +the left? Ay, and no other where, methinks, are the flowing-haired Achaians so +like to fail in fight.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Idomeneus, the leader of the Cretans, answered him again: &ldquo;In the +centre of the ships there are others to bear the brunt, the two Aiantes, and +Teukros, the best bowman of the Achaians, ay, and a good man in close fight; +these will give Hector Priam&rsquo;s son toil enough, howsoever keen he be for +battle; yea, though he be exceeding stalwart. Hard will he find it, with all +his lust for war, to overcome their strength and their hands invincible, and to +fire the ships, unless Kronion himself send down on the swift ships a burning +brand. But not to a man would he yield, the great Telamonian Aias, to a man +that is mortal and eateth Demeter&rsquo;s grain, and may be chosen with the +sword of bronze, and with hurling of great stones. Nay, not even to Achilles +the breaker of the ranks of men would he give way, not in close fight; but for +speed of foot none may in any wise strive with Achilles. But guide us twain, as +thou sayest, to the left hand of the host, that speedily we may learn whether +we are to win glory from others, or other men from us.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and Meriones, the peer of swift Ares, led the way, till they came +to the host, in that place whither he bade him go. +</p> + +<p> +And when the Trojans saw Idomeneus, strong as flame, and his squire with him, +and their glorious armour, they all shouted and made for him through the press. +Then their mellay began, by the sterns of the ships. And as the gusts speed on, +when shrill winds blow, on a day when dust lies thickest on the roads, and the +winds raise together a great cloud of dust, even so their battle clashed +together, and all were fain of heart to slay each other in the press with the +keen bronze. And the battle, the bane of men, bristled with the long spears, +the piercing spears they grasped, and the glitter of bronze from gleaming +helmets dazzled the eyes, and the sheen of new-burnished corslets, and shining +shields, as the men thronged all together. Right hardy of heart would he have +been that joyed and sorrowed not at the sight of this labour of battle. +</p> + +<p> +Thus the two mighty sons of Kronos, with contending will, were contriving +sorrow and anguish for the heroes. Zeus desired victory for the Trojans and +Hector, giving glory to swift-footed Achilles; yet he did not wish the Achaian +host to perish utterly before Ilios, but only to give renown to Thetis and her +strong-hearted son. But Poseidon went among the Argives and stirred them to +war, stealing secretly forth from the grey salt sea: for he was sore vexed that +they were overcome by the Trojans, and was greatly in wrath against Zeus. +Verily both were of the same lineage and the same place of birth, but Zeus was +the elder and the wiser. Therefore also Poseidon avoided to give open aid, but +secretly ever he spurred them on, throughout the host, in the likeness of a +man. These twain had strained the ends of the cords of strong strife and equal +war, and had stretched them over both Trojans and Achaians, a knot that none +might break nor undo, for the loosening of the knees of many. +</p> + +<p> +Even then Idomeneus, though his hair was flecked with grey, called on the +Danaans, and leaping among the Trojans, roused their terror. For he slew +Othryoneus of Kabesos, a sojourner there, who but lately had followed after the +rumour of war, and asked in marriage the fairest of the daughters of Priam, +Kassandra, without gifts of wooing, but with promise of mighty deed, namely +that he would drive perforce out of Troy-land the sons of the Achaians. To him +the old man Priam had promised and appointed that he would give her, so he +fought trusting in his promises. And Idomeneus aimed at him with a bright +spear, and cast and smote him as he came proudly striding on, and the corslet +of bronze that he wore availed not, but the lance struck in the midst of his +belly. And he fell with a crash, and Idomeneus boasted over him, and lifted up +his voice, saying: &ldquo;Othryoneus, verily I praise thee above all mortal +men, if indeed thou shalt accomplish all that thou hast promised Priam, son of +Dardanos, that promised thee again his own daughter. Yea, and we likewise would +promise as much to thee, and fulfil it, and would give thee the fairest +daughter of the son of Atreus, and bring her from Argos, and wed her to thee, +if only thou wilt aid us to take the fair-set citadel of Ilios. Nay, follow us +that we may make a covenant of marriage by the seafaring ships, for we are no +hard exacters of gifts of wooing.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the hero Idomeneus dragged him by the foot across the fierce mellay. +But Asios came to his aid, on foot before his horses that the charioteer guided +so that still their breath touched the shoulders of Asios. And the desire of +his heart was to cast at Idomeneus, who was beforehand with him, and smote him +with the spear in the throat, below the chin, and drove the point straight +through. And he fell as an oak falls, or a poplar, or tall pine tree, that +craftsmen have felled on the hills with new whetted axes, to be a ship&rsquo;s +timber; even so he lay stretched out before the horses and the chariot, +groaning, and clutching the bloody dust. And the charioteer was amazed, and +kept not his wits, as of old, and dared not turn his horses and avoid out of +the hands of foemen; and Antilochos the steadfast in war smote him, and pierced +the middle of his body with a spear. Nothing availed the corslet of bronze he +was wont to wear, but he planted the spear fast in the midst of his belly. +Therewith he fell gasping from the well-wrought chariot, and Antilochos, the +son of great-hearted Nestor, drave the horses out from the Trojans, among the +well-greaved Achaians. Then Deiphobos, in sorrow for Asios, drew very nigh +Idomeneus, and cast at him with his shining spear. But Idomeneus steadily +watching him, avoided the spear of bronze, being hidden beneath the circle of +his shield, the shield covered about with ox-hide and gleaming bronze, that he +allows bore, fitted with two arm-rods: under this he crouched together, and the +spear of bronze flew over. And his shield rang sharply, as the spear grazed +thereon. Yet it flew not vainly from the heavy hand of Deiphobos, but smote +Hypsenor, son of Hippasos, the shepherd of the hosts, in the liver, beneath the +midriff, and instantly unstrung his knees. And Deiphobos boasted over him +terribly, crying aloud: &ldquo;Ah, verily, not unavenged lies Asios, nay, +methinks, that even on his road to Hades, strong Warden of the gate, he will +rejoice at heart, since, lo, I have sent him escort for the way!&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, but grief came on the Argives by reason of his boast, and stirred +above all the soul of the wise-hearted Antilochos, yet, despite his sorrow, he +was not heedless of his dear comrade, but ran and stood over him, and covered +him with his buckler. Then two trusty companions, Mekisteus, son of Echios, and +goodly Alastor, stooped down and lifted him, and with heavy groaning bare him +to the hollow ships. +</p> + +<p> +And Idomeneus relaxed not his mighty force, but ever was striving, either to +cover some one of the Trojans with black night, or himself to fall in warding +off death from the Achaians. There the dear son of Aisyetes, fosterling of +Zeus, even the hero Alkathoos, was slain, who was son-in-law of Anchises, and +had married the eldest of his daughters, Hippodameia, whom her father and her +lady mother dearly loved in the halls, for she excelled all the maidens of her +age in beauty, and skill, and in wisdom, wherefore the best man in wide Troy +took her to wife. This Alkathoos did Poseidon subdue to Idomeneus, throwing a +spell over his shining eyes, and snaring his glorious limbs; so that he might +neither flee backwards, nor avoid the stroke, but stood steady as a pillar, or +a tree with lofty crown of leaves, when the hero Idomeneus smote him in the +midst of the breast with the spear, and rent the coat of bronze about him, that +aforetime warded death from his body, but now rang harsh as it was rent by the +spear. And he fell with a crash, and the lance fixed in his heart, that, still +beating, shook the butt-end of the spear. Then at length mighty Ares spent its +fury there; but Idomeneus boasted terribly, and cried aloud: &ldquo;Deiphobos, +are we to deem it fair acquittal that we have slain three men for one, since +thou boastest thus? Nay, sir, but stand thou up also thyself against me, that +thou mayst know what manner of son of Zeus am I that have come hither! For Zeus +first begat Minos, the warden of Crete, and Minos got him a son, the noble +Deukalion, and Deukalion begat me, a prince over many men in wide Crete, and +now have the ships brought me hither, a bane to thee and thy father, and all +the Trojans.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, but the thoughts of Deiphobos were divided, whether he should +retreat, and call to his aid some one of the great-hearted Trojans, or should +try the adventure alone. And on this wise to his mind it seemed the better, to +go after Aineias, whom he found standing the last in the press, for Aineias was +ever wroth against goodly Priam, for that Priam gave him no honour, despite his +valour among men. So Deiphobos stood by him, and spake winged words to him: +&ldquo;Aineias, thou counsellor of the Trojans, now verily there is great need +that thou shouldst succour thy sister&rsquo;s husband, if any care for kin doth +touch thee. Nay follow, let us succour Alkathoos, thy sister&rsquo;s husband, +who of old did cherish thee in his hall, while thou wert but a little one, and +now, lo, spear-famed Idomeneus hath stripped him of his arms!&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and roused the spirit in the breast of Aineias, who went to seek +Idomeneus, with high thoughts of war. But fear took not hold upon Idomeneus, as +though he had been some tender boy, but he stood at bay, like a boar on the +hills that trusteth to his strength, and abides the great assailing throng of +men in a lonely place, and he bristles up his back, and his eyes shine with +fire, while he whets his tusks, and is right eager to keep at bay both men and +hounds. Even so stood spear-famed Idomeneus at bay against Aineias, that came +to the rescue, and gave ground no whit, but called on his comrades, glancing to +Askalaphos, and Aphareus, and Deipyros, and Meriones, and Antilochos, all +masters of the war-cry; them he spurred up to battle, and spake winged words: +&ldquo;Hither, friends, and rescue me, all alone as I am, and terribly I dread +the onslaught of swift-footed Aineias, that is assailing me; for he is right +strong to destroy men in battle, and he hath the flower of youth, the greatest +avail that may be. Yea, if he and I were of like age, and in this spirit +whereof now we are, speedily should he or I achieve high victory.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and they all, being of one spirit in their hearts, stood hard by +each other, with buckler laid on shoulder. But Aineias, on the other side, +cried to his comrades, glancing to Deiphobos, and Paris, and noble Agenor, that +with him were leaders of the Trojans; and then the hosts followed them, as +sheep follow their leader to the water from the pasture, and the shepherd is +glad at heart; even so the heart of Aineias was glad in his breast, when he saw +the hosts of the people following to aid him. +</p> + +<p> +Then they rushed in close fight around Alkathoos with their long spears, and +round their breasts the bronze rang terribly, as they aimed at each other in +the press, while two men of war beyond the rest, Aineias and Idomeneus, the +peers of Ares, were each striving to hew the flesh of the other with the +pitiless bronze. Now Aineias first cast at Idomeneus, who steadily watching him +avoided the spear of bronze, and the point of Aineias went quivering in the +earth, since vainly it had flown from his stalwart hand. But Idomeneus smote +Oinomaos in the midst of the belly, and brake the plate of his corslet, and the +bronze let forth the bowels through the corslet, and he fell in the dust and +clutched the earth in his palms. And Idomeneus drew forth the far-shadowing +spear from the dead, but could not avail to strip the rest of the fair armour +from his shoulders, for the darts pressed hard on him. Nay, and his feet no +longer served him firmly in a charge, nor could he rush after his own spear, +nor avoid the foe. Wherefore in close fight he still held off the pitiless day +of destiny, but in retreat: his feet no longer bore him swiftly from the +battle. And as he was slowly departing, Deiphobos aimed at him with his shining +spear, for verily he ever cherished a steadfast hatred against Idomeneus. But +this time, too, he missed him, and smote Askalapbos, the son of Enyalios, with +his dart, and the strong spear passed through his shoulder, and he fell in the +dust, and clutched the earth in his outstretched hand. But loud-voiced awful +Ares was not yet aware at all that his son had fallen in strong battle, but he +was reclining on the peak of Olympus, beneath the golden clouds, being held +there by the design of Zeus, where also were the other deathless gods, +restrained from the war. +</p> + +<p> +Now the people rushed in close fight around Askalaphos, and Deiphobos tore from +Askalaphos his shining helm, but Meriones, the peer of swift Ares, leaped +forward and smote the arm of Deiphobos with his spear, and from his hand the +vizored casque fell clanging to the ground. And Meriones sprang forth +instantly, like a vulture, and drew the strong spear from the shoulder of +Deiphobos, and fell back among the throng of his comrades. But the own brother +of Deiphobos, Polites, stretched his hands round his waist, and led him forth +from the evil din of war, even till he came to the swift horses, that waited +for him behind the battle and the fight, with their charioteer, and well-dight +chariot. These bore him heavily groaning to the city, worn with his hurt, and +the blood ran down from his newly wounded arm. +</p> + +<p> +But the rest still were fighting, and the war-cry rose unquenched. There +Aineias rushed on Aphareus, son of Kaletor, and struck his throat, that chanced +to be turned to him, with the keen spear, and his head dropped down and his +shield and helm fell with him, and death that slays the spirit overwhelmed him. +And Antilochos watched Thoon as he turned the other way, and leaped on him, and +wounded him, severing all the vein that runs up the back till it reaches the +neck; this he severed clean, and Thoon fell on his back in the dust, stretching +out both his hands to his comrades dear. Then Antilochos rushed on, and +stripped the armour from his shoulders, glancing around while the Trojans +gathered from here and there, and smote his wide shining shield, yet did not +avail to graze, behind the shield, the delicate flesh of Antilochos with the +pitiless bronze. For verily Poseidon, the Shaker of the earth, did guard on +every side the son of Nestor, even in the midst of the javelins. And never did +Antilochos get free of the foe, but turned him about among them, nor ever was +his spear at rest, but always brandished and shaken, and the aim of his heart +was to smite a foeman from afar, or to set on him at close quarters. But as he +was aiming through the crowd, he escaped not the ken of Adamas, son of Asios, +who smote the midst of his shield with the sharp bronze, setting on nigh at +hand; but Poseidon of the dark locks made his shaft of no avail, grudging him +the life of Antilochos. And part of the spear abode there, like a burned stake, +in the shield of Antilochos, and half lay on the earth, and back retreated +Adamas to the ranks of his comrades, avoiding Fate. But Meriones following +after him as he departed, smote him with a spear between the privy parts and +the navel, where a wound is most baneful to wretched mortals. Even there he +fixed the spear in him and he fell, and writhed about the spear, even as a bull +that herdsmen on the hills drag along perforce when they have bound him with +withes, so he when he was smitten writhed for a moment, not for long, till the +hero Meriones came near, and drew the spear out of his body. And darkness +covered his eyes. +</p> + +<p> +And Helenos in close fight smote Deipyros on the temple, with a great Thracian +sword, and tore away the helm, and the helm, being dislodged, fell on the +ground, and one of the Achaians in the fight picked it up as it rolled between +his feet. But dark night covered the eyes of Deipyros. +</p> + +<p> +Then grief took hold of the son of Atreus, Menelaos of the loud war-cry, and he +went with a threat against the warrior Helenos, the prince, shaking his sharp +spear, while the other drew the centre-piece of his bow. And both at once were +making ready to let fly, one with his sharp spear, the other with the arrow +from the string. Then the son of Priam smote Menelaos on the breast with his +arrow, on the plate of the corslet, and off flew the bitter arrow. Even as from +a broad shovel in a great threshing floor, fly the black-skinned beans and +pulse, before the whistling wind, and the stress of the winnower&rsquo;s +shovel, even so from the corslet of the renowned Menelaos flew glancing far +aside the bitter arrow. But the son of Atreus, Menelaos of the loud war-cry, +smote the hand of Helenos wherein he held the polished bow, and into the bow, +clean through the hand, was driven the spear of bronze. Back he withdrew to the +ranks of his comrades, avoiding Fate, with his hand hanging down at his side, +for the ashen spear dragged after him. And the great-hearted Agenor drew the +spear from his hand, and himself bound up the hand with a band of twisted +sheep&rsquo;s-wool, a sling that a squire carried for him, the shepherd of the +host. +</p> + +<p> +Then Peisandros made straight for renowned Menelaos, but an evil Fate was +leading him to the end of Death; by thee, Menelaos, to be overcome in the dread +strife of battle. Now when the twain had come nigh in onset upon each other, +the son of Atreus missed, and his spear was turned aside, but Peisandros smote +the shield of renowned Menelaos, yet availed not to drive the bronze clean +through, for the wide shield caught it, and the spear brake in the socket, yet +Peisandros rejoiced in his heart, and hoped for the victory. But the son of +Atreus drew his silver-studded sword, and leaped upon Peisandros. And +Peisandros, under his shield, clutched his goodly axe of fine bronze, with long +and polished haft of olive-wood, and the twain set upon each other. Then +Peisandros smote the crest of the helmet shaded with horse hair, close below +the very plume, but Menelaos struck the other, as he came forward, on the brow, +above the base of the nose, and the bones cracked, and the eyes, all bloody, +fell at his feet in the dust. Then he bowed and fell, and Menelaos set his foot +on his breast, and stripped him of his arms, and triumphed, saying: &ldquo;Even +thus then surely, ye will leave the ships of the Danaans of the swift steeds, +ye Trojans overweening, insatiate of the dread din of war. Yea, and ye shall +not lack all other reproof and shame, wherewith ye made me ashamed, ye hounds +of evil, having no fear in your hearts of the strong wrath of loud-thundering +Zeus, the god of guest and host, who one day will destroy your steep citadel. O +ye that wantonly carried away my wedded wife and many of my possessions, when +ye were entertained by her, now again ye are fain to throw ruinous fire on the +seafaring ships, and to slay the Achaian heroes. Nay, but ye will yet refrain +you from battle, for as eager as ye be. O Zeus, verily they say that thou dost +excel in wisdom all others, both gods and men, and all these things are from +thee. How wondrously art thou favouring men of violence, even the Trojans, +whose might is ever iniquitous, nor can they have their fill of the din of +equal war. Of all things there is satiety, yea, even of love and sleep, and of +sweet song, and dance delectable, whereof a man would sooner have his fill than +of war, but the Trojans are insatiable of battle.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus noble Menelaos spake, and stripped the bloody arms from the body, and gave +them to his comrades, and instantly himself went forth again, and mingled in +the forefront of the battle. Then Harpalion, the son of king Pylaimenes, leaped +out against him, Harpalion that followed his dear father to Troy, to the war, +nor ever came again to his own country. He then smote the middle of the shield +of Atreus&rsquo; son with his spear, in close fight, yet availed not to drive +the bronze clean through, but fell back into the host of his comrades, avoiding +Fate, glancing round every way, lest one should wound his flesh with the +bronze. But Meriones shot at him as he retreated with a bronze-shod arrow, and +smote him in the right buttock, and the arrow went right through the bladder +and came out under the bone. And sitting down, even there, in the arms of his +dear comrades, he breathed away his soul, lying stretched like a worm on the +earth, and out flowed the black blood, and wetted the ground. And the +Paphlagonians great of heart, tended him busily, and set him in a chariot, and +drove him to sacred Ilios sorrowing, and with them went his father, shedding +tears, and there was no atonement for his dead son. +</p> + +<p> +Now Paris was very wroth at heart by reason of his slaying, for he had been his +host among the many Paphlagonions, wherefore, in wrath for his sake, he let fly +a bronze-shod arrow. Now there was a certain Euchenor, the son of Polyidos the +seer, a rich man and a good, whose dwelling was in Corinth. And well he knew +his own ruinous fate, when he went on ship-board, for often would the old man, +the good Polyidos, tell him, that he must either perish of a sore disease in +his halls, or go with the ships of the Achaians, and be overcome by the +Trojans. Wherefore he avoided at once the heavy war-fine of the Achaians, and +the hateful disease, that so he might not know any anguish. This man did Paris +smite beneath the jaw and under the ear, and swiftly his spirit departed from +his limbs, and, lo, dread darkness overshadowed him. +</p> + +<p> +So they fought like flaming fire, but Hector, beloved of Zeus had not heard nor +knew at all that, on the left of the ships, his host was being subdued by the +Argives, and soon would the Achaians have won renown, so mighty was the Holder +and Shaker of the earth that urged on the Argives; yea, and himself mightily +defended them. But Hector kept where at first he had leaped within the walls +and the gate, and broken the serried ranks of shield-bearing Danaans, even +where were the ships of Aias and Protesilaos, drawn up on the beach of the +hoary sea, while above the wall was builded lowest, and thereby chiefly the +heroes and their horses were raging in battle. +</p> + +<p> +There the Boiotians, and Ionians with trailing tunics, and Lokrians and +Phthians and illustrious Epeians scarcely availed to stay his onslaught on the +ships, nor yet could they drive back from them noble Hector, like a flame of +fire. And there were the picked men of the Athenians; among them Menestheus son +of Peteos was the leader; and there followed with him Pheidas and Stichios, and +brave Bias, while the Epeians were led by Meges, son of Phyleus, and Amphion +and Drakios, and in front of the Phthians were Medon, and Podarkes resolute in +war. Now the one, Medon, was the bastard son of noble Oileus, and brother of +Aias, and he dwelt in Phylake, far from his own country, for that he had slain +a man, the brother of his stepmother Eriopis, wife of Oileus. But the other, +Podarkes, was the son of Iphiklos son of Phylakos, and they in their armour, in +the van of the great-hearted Phthians, were defending the ships, and fighting +among the Boiotians. +</p> + +<p> +Now never at all did Aias, the swift son of Oileus, depart from the side of +Aias, son of Telamon, nay, not for an instant, but even as in fallow land two +wine-dark oxen with equal heart strain at the shapen plough, and round the +roots of their horns springeth up abundant sweat, and nought sunders them but +the polished yoke, as they labour through the furrow, till the end of the +furrow brings them up, so stood the two Aiantes close by each other. Now verily +did many and noble hosts of his comrades follow with the son of Telamon, and +bore his shield when labour and sweat came upon his limbs. But the Lokrians +followed not with the high-hearted son of Oileus, for their hearts were not +steadfast in close brunt of battle, seeing that they had no helmets of bronze, +shadowy with horse-hair plumes, nor round shields, nor ashen spears, but +trusting in bows and well-twisted slings of sheep&rsquo;s wool, they followed +with him to Ilios. Therewith, in the war, they shot thick and fast, and brake +the ranks of the Trojans. So the one party in front contended with the Trojans, +and with Hector arrayed in bronze, while the others from behind kept shooting +from their ambush, and the Trojans lost all memory of the joy of battle, for +the arrows confounded them. +</p> + +<p> +There then right ruefully from the ships and the huts would the Trojans have +withdrawn to windy Ilios, had not Polydamas come near valiant Hector and said: +&ldquo;Hector, thou art hard to be persuaded by them that would counsel thee; +for that god has given thee excellence in the works of war, therefore in +council also thou art fain to excel other men in knowledge. But in nowise wilt +thou be able to take everything on thyself. For to one man has god given for +his portion the works of war, [to another the dance, to another the lute and +song,] but in the heart of yet another hath far-seeing Zeus placed an excellent +understanding, whereof many men get gain, yea he saveth many an one, and +himself best knoweth it. But, lo, I will speak even as it seemeth best to me. +Behold all about thee the circle of war is blazing, but the great-hearted +Trojans, now that they have got down the wall, are some with their arms +standing aloof and some are fighting, few men against a host, being scattered +among the ships. Nay, withdraw thee, and call hither all the best of the +warriors. Thereafter shall we take all counsel carefully, whether we should +fall on the ships of many benches, if indeed god willeth to give us victory, or +after counsel held, should return unharmed from the ships. For verily I fear +lest the Achaians repay their debt of yesterday, since by the ships there +tarrieth a man insatiate of war, and never, methinks, will he wholly stand +aloof from battle.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake Polydamas, and his safe counsel pleased Hector well, who spake to him +winged words and said: &ldquo;Polydamas, do thou stay here all the best of the +host, but I will go thither to face the war, and swiftly will return again, +when I have straitly laid on them my commands.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and set forth, in semblance like a snowy mountain, and shouting +aloud he flew through the Trojans and allies. And they all sped to Polydamas, +the kindly son of Panthoos, when they heard the voice of Hector. But he went +seeking Deiphobos, and the strong prince Helenos, and Adamas son of Asios, and +Asios son of Hyrtakos, among the warriors in the foremost line, if anywhere he +might find them. But them he found not at all unharmed, nor free of bane, but, +lo, some among the sterns of the ships of the Achaians lay lifeless, slain by +the hands of the Argives, and some were within the wall wounded by thrust or +cast. But one he readily found, on the left of the dolorous battle, goodly +Alexandros, the lord of fair-tressed Helen, heartening his comrades and +speeding them to war. And he drew near to him, and addressed him with words of +shame: &ldquo;Thou evil Paris, fairest of face, thou that lustest for women, +thou seducer, where, prithee, are Deiphobos, and the strong prince Helenos, and +Adamas son of Asios, and Asios son of Hyrtakos, and where is Othryoneus? Now +hath all high Ilios perished utterly. Now, too, thou seest, is sheer +destruction sure.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then godlike Alexandros answered him again saying: &ldquo;Hector, since thy +mind is to blame one that is blameless, some other day might I rather withdraw +me from the war, since my mother bare not even me wholly a coward. For from the +time that thou didst gather the battle of thy comrades about the ships, from +that hour do we abide here, and war with the Danaans ceaselessly; and our +comrades concerning whom thou inquirest are slain. Only Deiphobos and the +strong prince Helenos have both withdrawn, both of them being wounded in the +hand with long spears, for Kronion kept death away from them. But now lead on, +wheresoever thy heart and spirit bid thee, and we will follow with thee +eagerly, nor methinks shall we lack for valour, as far as we have strength; but +beyond his strength may no man fight, howsoever eager he be.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake the hero, and persuaded his brother&rsquo;s heart, and they went forth +where the war and din were thickest, round Kebriones, and noble Polydamas, and +Phalkes, and Orthaios, and godlike Polyphetes, and Palmys, and Askanios, and +Morys, son of Hippotion, who had come in their turn, out of deep-soiled +Askanie, on the morn before, and now Zeus urged them to fight. And these set +forth like the blast of violent winds, that rushes earthward beneath the +thunder of Zeus, and with marvellous din doth mingle with the salt sea, and +therein are many swelling waves of the loud roaring sea, arched over and white +with foam, some vanward, others in the rear; even so the Trojans arrayed in van +and rear and shining with bronze, followed after their leaders. +</p> + +<p> +And Hector son of Priam was leading them, the peer of Ares, the bane of men. In +front he held the circle of his shield, thick with hides, and plates of beaten +bronze, and on his temples swayed his shining helm. And everywhere he went in +advance and made trial of the ranks, if perchance they would yield to him as he +charged under cover of his shield. But he could not confound the heart within +the breast of the Achaians. And Aias, stalking with long strides, challenged +him first: &ldquo;Sir, draw nigh, wherefore dost thou vainly try to dismay the +Argives? We are in no wise ignorant of war, but by the cruel scourge of Zeus +are we Achaians vanquished. Surely now thy heart hopes utterly to spoil the +ships, but we too have hands presently to hold our own. Verily your peopled +city will long ere that beneath our hands be taken and sacked. But for thee, I +tell thee that the time is at hand, when thou shalt pray in thy flight to Zeus, +and the other immortal gods, that thy fair-maned steeds may be fleeter than +falcons: thy steeds that are to bear thee to the city, as they storm in dust +across the plain.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And even as he spake, a bird flew forth on the right hand, an eagle of lofty +flight, and the host of the Achaians shouted thereat, encouraged by the omen, +but renowned Hector answered: &ldquo;Aias, thou blundering boaster, what sayest +thou! Would that indeed I were for ever as surely the son of aegis-bearing +Zeus, and that my mother were lady Hera, and that I were held in such honour as +Apollo and Athene, as verily this day is to bring utter evil on all the +Argives! And thou among them shalt be slain, if thou hast the heart to await my +long spear, which shall rend thy lily skin, and thou shalt glut with thy fat +and flesh the birds and dogs of the Trojans, falling among the ships of the +Achaians.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So he spake and led the way, and they followed with wondrous din, and the whole +host shouted behind. And the Argives on the other side answered with a shout, +and forgot not their valiance, but abode the onslaught of the bravest of the +Trojans. And the cry of the two hosts went up through the higher air, to the +splendour of Zeus. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> diff --git a/live/14.htm b/live/14.htm @@ -0,0 +1,386 @@ +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap14"></a>BOOK XIV.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +How Sleep and Hera beguiled Zeus to slumber on the heights of Ida, and Poseidon +spurred on the Achaians to resist Hector, and how Hector was wounded. +</p> + +<p> +Yet the cry of battle escaped not Nestor, albeit at his wine, but he spake +winged words to the son of Asklepios: &ldquo;Bethink thee, noble Machaon, what +had best be done; lo, louder waxes the cry of the strong warriors by the ships. +Nay, now sit where thou art, and drink the bright wine, till Hekamede of the +fair tresses shall heat warm water for the bath, and wash away the clotted +blood, but I will speedily go forth and come to a place of outlook.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he took the well-wrought shield of his son, horse-taming Thrasymedes, +which was lying in the hut, all glistering with bronze, for the son had the +shield of his father. And he seized a strong spear, with a point of keen +bronze, and stood outside the hut, and straightway beheld a deed of shame, the +Achaians fleeing in rout, and the high-hearted Trojans driving them, and the +wall of the Achaians was overthrown. And as when the great sea is troubled with +a dumb wave, and dimly bodes the sudden paths of the shrill winds, but is still +unmoved nor yet rolled forward or to either side, until some steady gale comes +down from Zeus, even so the old man pondered,—his mind divided this way and +that,—whether he should fare into the press of the Danaans of the swift steeds, +or go after Agamemnon, son of Atreus, shepherd of the host. And thus as he +pondered, it seemed to him the better counsel to go to the son of Atreus. +Meanwhile they were warring and slaying each other, and the stout bronze rang +about their bodies as they were thrust with swords and double-pointed spears. +</p> + +<p> +Now the kings, the fosterlings of Zeus, encountered Nestor, as they went up +from the ships, even they that were wounded with the bronze, Tydeus&rsquo; son, +and Odysseus, and Agamemnon, son of Atreus. For far apart from the battle were +their ships drawn up, on the shore of the grey sea, for these were the first +they had drawn up to the plain, but had builded the wall in front of the +hindmost. For in no wise might the beach, wide as it was, hold all the ships, +and the host was straitened. Wherefore they drew up the ships row within row, +and filled up the wide mouth of all the shore that the headlands held between +them. Therefore the kings were going together, leaning on their spears, to look +on the war and fray, and the heart of each was sore within his breast. And the +old man met them, even Nestor, and caused the spirit to fail within the breasts +of the Achaians. +</p> + +<p> +And mighty Agamemnon spake and accosted him: &ldquo;O Nestor, son of Neleus, +great glory of the Achaians, wherefore dost thou come hither and hast deserted +the war, the bane of men? Lo, I fear the accomplishment of the word that dread +Hector spake, and the threat wherewith he threatened us, speaking in the +assembly of the Trojans, namely, that never would he return to Ilios from the +ships, till he had burned the ships with fire, and slain the men. Even so he +spake, and, lo, now all these things are being fulfilled. Alas, surely even the +other well-greaved Achaians store wrath against me in their hearts, like +Achilles, and have no desire to fight by the rearmost ships.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Nestor of Gerenia the knight answered him saying &ldquo;Verily these +things are now at hand, and being accomplished, nor otherwise could Zeus +himself contrive them, he that thundereth on high. For, lo, the wall is +overthrown, wherein we trusted that it should be an unbroken bulwark of the +ships and of our own bodies. But let us take counsel, how these things may best +be done, if wit may do aught: but into the war I counsel not that we should go +down, for in no wise may a wounded man do battle.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Agamemnon king of men answered him again: &ldquo;Nestor, for that they are +warring by the rearmost ships, and the well-builded wall hath availed not, nor +the trench, whereat the Achaians endured so much labour, hoping in their hearts +that it should be the unbroken bulwark of the ships, and of their own +bodies—such it seemeth must be the will of Zeus supreme, [that the Achaians +should perish here nameless far from Argos]. For I knew it when he was forward +to aid the Danaans, and now I know that he is giving to the Trojans glory like +that of the blessed gods, and hath bound our hands and our strength. But come, +as I declare, let us all obey. Let us drag down the ships that are drawn up in +the first line near to the sea, and speed them all forth to the salt sea +divine, and moor them far out with stones, till the divine night comes, if even +at night the Trojans will refrain from war, and then might we drag down all the +ships. For there is no shame in fleeing from ruin, yea, even in the night. +Better doth he fare who flees from trouble, than he that is overtaken.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then, looking on him sternly, spake Odysseus of many counsels: +&ldquo;Atreus&rsquo; son, what word hath passed the door of thy lips? Man of +mischief, sure thou shouldst lead some other inglorious army, not be king among +us, to whom Zeus hath given it, from youth even unto age, to wind the skein of +grievous wars, till every man of us perish. Art thou indeed so eager to leave +the wide-wayed city of the Trojans, the city for which we endure with sorrow so +many evils? Be silent, lest some other of the Achaians hear this word, that no +man should so much as suffer to pass through his mouth, none that understandeth +in his heart how to speak fit counsel, none that is a sceptred king, and hath +hosts obeying him so many as the Argives over whom thou reignest. And now I +wholly scorn thy thoughts, such a word as thou hast uttered, thou that, in the +midst of war and battle, dost bid us draw down the well-timbered ships to the +sea, that even more than ever the Trojans may possess their desire, albeit they +win the mastery even now, and sheer destruction fall upon us. For the Achaians +will not make good the war, when the ships are drawn down to the salt sea, but +will look round about to flee, and withdraw from battle. There will thy counsel +work a mischief, O marshal of the host!&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then the king of men, Agamemnon, answered him: &ldquo;Odysseus, right sharply +hast thou touched my heart with thy stern reproof: nay, I do not bid the sons +of the Achaians to drag, against their will, the well-timbered ships to the +salt sea. Now perchance there may be one who will utter a wiser counsel than +this of mine,—a young man or an old,—welcome would it be to me.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Diomedes of the loud war-cry spake also among them: &ldquo;The man is +near,—not long shall we seek him, if ye be willing to be persuaded of me, and +each of you be not resentful at all, because in years I am the youngest among +you. Nay, but I too boast me to come by lineage of a noble sire, Tydeus, whom +in Thebes the piled-up earth doth cover. For Portheus had three well-born +children, and they dwelt in Pleuron, and steep Kalydon, even Agrios and Melas, +and the third was Oineus the knight, the father of my father, and in valour he +excelled the others. And there he abode, but my father dwelt at Argos, whither +he had wandered, for so Zeus and the other gods willed that it should be. And +he wedded one of the daughters of Adrastos, and dwelt in a house full of +livelihood, and had wheat-bearing fields enow, and many orchards of trees +apart, and many sheep were his, and in skill with the spear he excelled all the +Achaians: these things ye must have heard, if I speak sooth. Therefore ye could +not say that I am weak and a coward by lineage, and so dishonour my spoken +counsel, that well I may speak. Let us go down to the battle, wounded as we +are, since we needs must; and then might we hold ourselves aloof from the +battle, beyond the range of darts, lest any take wound upon wound; but the +others will we spur on, even them that aforetime gave place to their passion, +and stand apart, and fight not.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and they all heard him readily, and obeyed him. And they set +forth, led by Agamemnon the king of men. +</p> + +<p> +Now the renowned Earth-shaker held no vain watch, but went with them in the +guise of an ancient man, and he seized the right hand of Agamemnon, +Atreus&rsquo; son, and uttering winged words he spake to him, saying: +&ldquo;Atreides, now methinks the ruinous heart of Achilles rejoices in his +breast, as he beholds the slaughter and flight of the Achaians, since he hath +no wisdom, not a grain. Nay, even so may he perish likewise, and god mar him. +But with thee the blessed gods are not utterly wroth, nay, even yet methinks +the leaders and rulers of the Trojans will cover the wide plain with dust, and +thyself shalt see them fleeing to the city from the ships and the huts.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and shouted mightily, as he sped over the plain. And loud as nine +thousand men, or ten thousand cry in battle, when they join the strife of war, +so mighty was the cry that the strong Shaker of the earth sent forth from his +breast, and great strength he put into the heart of each of the Achaians, to +strive and war unceasingly. +</p> + +<p> +Now Hera of the golden throne stood on the peak of Olympus, and saw with her +eyes, and anon knew him that was her brother and her lord&rsquo;s going to and +fro through the glorious fight, and she rejoiced in her heart. And she beheld +Zeus sitting on the topmost crest of many-fountained Ida, and to her heart he +was hateful. Then she took thought, the ox-eyed lady Hera, how she might +beguile the mind of aegis-bearing Zeus. And this seemed to her in her heart to +be the best counsel, namely to fare to Ida, when she had well adorned herself, +if perchance a sweet sleep and a kindly she could pour on his eye lids and his +crafty wits. And she set forth to her bower, that her dear son Hephaistos had +fashioned, and therein had made fast strong doors on the pillars, with a secret +bolt, that no other god might open. There did she enter in and closed the +shining doors. With ambrosia first did she cleanse every stain from her winsome +body, and anointed her with olive oil, ambrosial, soft, and of a sweet savour; +if it were but shaken, in the bronze-floored mansion of Zeus, the savour +thereof went right forth to earth and heaven. Therewith she anointed her fair +body, and combed her hair, and with her hands plaited her shining tresses, fair +and ambrosial, flowing from her immortal head. Then she clad her in her +fragrant robe that Athene wrought delicately for her, and therein set many +things beautifully made, and fastened it over her breast with clasps of gold. +And she girdled it with a girdle arrayed with a hundred tassels, and she set +earrings in her pierced ears, earrings of three drops, and glistering, +therefrom shone grace abundantly. And with a veil over all the peerless goddess +veiled herself, a fair new veil, bright as the sun, and beneath her shining +feet she bound goodly sandals. But when she had adorned her body with all her +array, she went forth from her bower, and called Aphrodite apart from the other +gods, and spake to her, saying: &ldquo;Wilt thou obey me, dear child, in that +which I shall tell thee? or wilt thou refuse, with a grudge in thy heart, +because I succour the Danaans, and thou the Trojans?&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Aphrodite the daughter of Zeus answered her: &ldquo;Hera, goddess queen, +daughter of mighty Kronos, say the thing that is in thy mind, my heart bids me +fulfil it, if fulfil it I may, and if it may be accomplished.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then with crafty purpose the lady Hera answered her: &ldquo;Give me now Love +and Desire wherewith thou dost overcome all the Immortals, and mortal men. For +I am going to visit the limits of the bountiful Earth, and Okeanos, father of +the gods, and mother Tethys, who reared me well and nourished me in their +halls, having taken me from Rhea, when far-seeing Zeus imprisoned Kronos +beneath the earth and the unvintaged sea. Them am I going to visit, and their +endless strife will I loose, for already this long time they hold apart from +each other, since wrath hath settled in their hearts. If with words I might +persuade their hearts, and bring them back to love, ever should I be called +dear to them and worshipful.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then laughter-loving Aphrodite answered her again: &ldquo;It may not be, nor +seemly were it, to deny that thou askest, for thou steepest in the arms of +Zeus, the chief of gods.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Therewith from her breast she loosed the broidered girdle, fair-wrought, +wherein are all her enchantments; therein are love, and desire, and loving +converse, that steals the wits even of the wise. This girdle she laid in her +hands, and spake, and said: &ldquo;Lo now, take this girdle and lay it up in +thy bosom, this fair-wrought girdle, wherein all things are fashioned; methinks +thou wilt not return with that unaccomplished, which in thy heart thou +desirest.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake she, and the ox-eyed lady Hera smiled, and smiling laid up the zone +within her breast. +</p> + +<p> +Then the daughter of Zeus, Aphrodite, went to her house, and Hera, rushing +down, left the peak of Olympus, and sped&rsquo; over the snowy hills of the +Thracian horsemen, even over the topmost crests, nor grazed the ground with her +feet, and from Athos she fared across the foaming sea, and came to Lemnos, the +city of godlike Thoas. There she met Sleep, the brother of Death, and clasped +her hand in his, and spake and called him by name: &ldquo;Sleep, lord of all +gods and of all men, if ever thou didst hear my word, obey me again even now, +and I will be grateful to thee always. Lull me, I pray thee, the shining eyes +of Zeus beneath his brows. And gifts I will give to thee, even a fair throne, +imperishable for ever, a golden throne, that Hephaistos the Lame, mine own +child, shall fashion skilfully, and will set beneath it a footstool for the +feet, for thee to set thy shining feet upon, when thou art at a festival. Nay +come, and I will give thee one of the younger of the Graces, to wed and to be +called thy wife.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and Sleep was glad, and answered and said:—&ldquo;Come now, swear +to me by the inviolable water of Styx, and with one of thy hands grasp the +bounteous earth, and with the other the shining sea, that all may be witnesses +to us, even all the gods below that are with Kronos, that verily thou wilt give +me one of the younger of the Graces, even Pasithea, that myself do long for all +my days.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, nor did she disobey, the white-armed goddess Hera; she sware as he +bade her, and called all the gods by name, even those below Tartaros that are +called Titans. But when she had sworn and ended that oath, the twain left the +citadel of Lemnos, and of Imbros, clothed on in mist, and swiftly they +accomplished the way. To many-fountained Ida they came, the mother of wild +beasts, to Lekton, where first they left the sea, and they twain fared above +the dry land, and the topmost forest waved beneath their feet. There Sleep +halted, ere the eyes of Zeus beheld him, and alighted on a tall pine tree, the +loftiest pine that then in all Ida rose through the nether to the upper air. +But Hera swiftly drew nigh to topmost Gargaros, the highest crest of Ida, and +Zeus the cloud-gatherer beheld her. And as he saw her, so love came over his +deep heart, and he stood before her, and spoke, and said: &ldquo;Hera, with +what desire comest thou thus hither from Olympus, and thy horses and chariot +are not here, whereon thou mightst ascend?&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then with crafty purpose lady Hera answered him: &ldquo;I am going to visit the +limits of the bountiful Earth, and Okeanos, father of the gods, and mother +Tethys, who reared me well and cherished me in their halls. Them am I going to +visit, and their endless strife will I loose, for already this long time they +hold apart from each other, since wrath hath settled in their hearts. But my +horses are standing at the foot of many-fountained Ida, my horses that shall +bear me over wet and dry. And now it is because of thee that I am thus come +hither, down from Olympus, lest perchance thou mightest be wroth with me +hereafter, if silently I were gone to the mansion of deep-flowing +Okeanos.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Zeus, the gatherer of the clouds, answered her and said: &ldquo;Hera, +thither mayst thou go on a later day. For never once as thus did the love of +goddess or woman so mightily overflow and conquer the heart within my +breast.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus slept the Father in quiet on the crest of Gargaros, by Sleep and love +overcome. But sweet Sleep started and ran to the ships of the Achaians, to tell +his tidings to the god that holdeth and shaketh the earth. And he stood near +him, and spake winged words: &ldquo;Eagerly now, Poseidon, do thou aid the +Danaans, and give them glory for a little space, while yet Zeus sleepeth, for +over him have I shed soft slumber, and Hera hath beguiled him.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and passed to the renowned tribes of men, and still the more did +he set on Poseidon to aid the Danaans, who straightway sprang far afront of the +foremost, and called to them: &ldquo;Argives, are we again to yield the victory +to Hector, son of Priam, that he may take our ships and win renown? Nay, even +so he saith and declareth that he will do, for that Achilles by the hollow +ships abides angered at heart. But for him there will be no such extreme +regret, if we spur us on to aid each the other. Nay come, as I command, let us +all obey. Let us harness us in the best shields that are in the host, and the +greatest, and cover our heads with shining helms, and take the longest spears +in our hands, and so go forth. Yea, and I will lead the way, and methinks that +Hector, son of Priam, will not long await us, for all his eagerness. And +whatsoever man is steadfast in battle, and hath a small buckler on his +shoulder, let him give it to a worse man, and harness him in a larger +shield.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and they heard him eagerly and obeyed him. And them the kings +themselves arrayed, wounded as they were, Tydeus&rsquo; son, and Odysseus, and +Agamemnon, son of Atreus. They went through all the host, and made exchange of +weapons of war. The good arms did the good warrior harness him in, the worse he +gave to the worse. But when they had done on the shining bronze about their +bodies, they started on the march, and Poseidon led them, the Shaker of the +earth, with a dread sword of fine edge in his strong hand, like unto lightning; +wherewith it is not permitted that any should mingle in woful war, but fear +holds men afar therefrom. But the Trojans on the other side was renowned Hector +arraying. Then did they now strain the fiercest strife of war, even dark-haired +Poseidon and glorious Hector, one succouring the Trojans, the other with the +Argives. And the sea washed up to the huts and ships of the Argives, and they +gathered together with a mighty cry. Not so loudly bellows the wave of the sea +against the land, stirred up from the deep by the harsh breath of the north +wind, nor so loud is the roar of burning fire in the glades of a mountain, when +it springs to burn up the forest, nor calls the wind so loudly in the high +leafy tresses of the trees, when it rages and roars its loudest, as then was +the cry of the Trojans and Achaians, shouting dreadfully as they rushed upon +each other. +</p> + +<p> +First glorious Hector cast with his spear at Aias, who was facing him full, and +did not miss, striking him where two belts were stretched across his breast, +the belt of his shield, and of his silver-studded sword; these guarded his +tender flesh. And Hector was enraged because his swift spear had flown vainly +from his hand, and he retreated into the throng of his fellows, avoiding Fate. +</p> + +<p> +Then as he was departing the great Telamonian Aias smote him with a huge stone; +for many stones, the props of swift ships, were rolled among the feet of the +fighters; one of these he lifted, and smote Hector on the breast, over the +shield-rim, near the neck, and made him spin like a top with the blow, that he +reeled round and round. And even as when an oak falls uprooted beneath the +stroke of father Zeus, and a dread savour of brimstone arises therefrom, and +whoso stands near and beholds it has no more courage, for dread is the bolt of +great Zeus, even so fell mighty Hector straightway in the dust. And the spear +fell from his hand, but his shield and helm were made fast to him, and round +him rang his arms adorned with bronze. +</p> + +<p> +Then with a loud cry they ran up, the sons of the Achaians, hoping to drag him +away, and they cast showers of darts. But not one availed to wound or smite the +shepherd of the host, before that might be the bravest gathered about him, +Polydamas, and Aineias, and goodly Agenor, and Sarpedon, leader of the Lykians, +and noble Glaukos, and of the rest not one was heedless of him, but they held +their round shields in front of him, and his comrades lifted him in their arms, +and bare him out of the battle, till he reached his swift horses that were +standing waiting for him, with the charioteer and the fair-dight chariot at the +rear of the combat and the war. These toward the city bore him heavily moaning. +Now when they came to the ford of the fair-flowing river, of eddying Xanthos, +that immortal Zeus begat, there they lifted him from the chariot to the ground, +and poured water over him, and he gat back his breath, and looked up with his +eyes, and sitting on his heels kneeling, he vomited black blood. Then again he +sank back on the ground, and black night covered his eyes, the stroke still +conquering his spirit. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> diff --git a/live/15.html b/live/15.html @@ -0,0 +1,322 @@ +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap15"></a>BOOK XV.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Zeus awakening, biddeth Apollo revive Hector, and restore the fortunes of the +Trojans. Fire is thrown on the ship of Protesilaos. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they had sped in flight across the palisade and trench, and many were +overcome at the hands of the Danaans, the rest were stayed, and abode beside +the chariots in confusion, and pale with terror, and Zeus awoke, on the peaks +of Ida, beside Hera of the golden throne. Then he leaped up, and stood, and +beheld the Trojans and Achaians, those in flight, and these driving them on +from the rear, even the Argives, and among them the prince Poseidon. And Hector +he saw lying on the plain, and around him sat his comrades, and he was gasping +with difficult breath, and his mind wandering, and was vomiting blood, for it +was not the weakest of the Achaians that had smitten him. Beholding him, the +father of men and gods had pity on him, and terribly he spoke to Hera, with +fierce look: &ldquo;O thou ill to deal with, Hera, verily it is thy crafty wile +that has made noble Hector cease from the fight, and has terrified the host. +Nay, but yet I know not whether thou mayst not be the first to reap the fruits +of thy cruel treason, and I beat thee with stripes. Dost thou not remember, +when thou wert hung from on high, and from thy feet I suspended two anvils, and +round thy hands fastened a golden bond that might not be broken? And thou didst +hang in the clear air and the clouds, and the gods were wroth in high Olympus, +but they could not come round and unloose thee.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and the ox-eyed lady Hera shuddered, and spake unto him winged +words, saying: &ldquo;Let earth now be witness hereto, and wide heaven above, +and that falling water of Styx, the greatest oath and the most terrible to the +blessed gods, and thine own sacred head, and our own bridal bed, whereby never +would I forswear myself, that not by my will does earth-shaking Poseidon +trouble the Trojans and Hector, and succour them of the other part. Nay, it is +his own soul that urgeth and commandeth him, and he had pity on the Achaians, +when he beheld them hard pressed beside the ships. I would even counsel him +also to go even where thou, lord of the storm-cloud, mayst lead him.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake she, and the father of gods and men smiled, and answering her he spake +winged words: &ldquo;If thou, of a truth, O ox-eyed lady Hera, wouldst +hereafter abide of one mind with me among the immortal gods, thereon would +Poseidon, howsoever much his wish be contrariwise, quickly turn his mind +otherwhere, after thy heart and mine. But if indeed thou speakest the truth and +soothly, go thou now among the tribes of the gods, and call Iris to come +hither, and Apollo, the renowned archer, that Iris may go among the host of +mail-clad Achaians and tell Poseidon the prince to cease from the war, and get +him unto his own house. But let Phoebus Apollo spur Hector on to the war, and +breathe strength into him again, and make him forget his anguish, that now +wears down his heart, and drive the Achaians back again, when he hath stirred +in them craven fear. Let them flee and fall among the many-benched ships of +Achilles son of Peleus, and he shall rouse his own comrade, Patroklos; and him +shall renowned Hector slay with the spear, in front of Ilios, after that he has +slain many other youths, and among them my son, noble Sarpedon. In wrath +therefor shall goodly Achilles slay Hector. From that hour verily will I cause +a new pursuit from the ships, that shall endure continually, even until the +Achaians take steep Ilios, through the counsels of Athene. But before that hour +neither do I cease in my wrath, nor will I suffer any other of the Immortals to +help the Danaans there, before I accomplish that desire of the son of Peleus, +as I promised him at the first, and confirmed the same with a nod of my head, +on that day when the goddess Thetis clasped my knees, imploring me to honour +Achilles, the sacker of cities.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, nor did the white-armed goddess Hera disobey him, and she sped +down from the hills of Ida to high Olympus, and went among the gathering of the +immortal gods. And she called Apollo without the hall and Iris, that is the +messenger of the immortal gods, and she spake winged words, and addressed them, +saying: &ldquo;Zeus bids you go to Ida as swiftly as may be, and when ye have +gone, and looked on the face of Zeus, do ye whatsoever he shall order and +command.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And these twain came before the face of Zeus the cloud gatherer, and stood +there, and he was nowise displeased at heart when he beheld them, for that +speedily they had obeyed the words of his dear wife. And to Iris first he spake +winged words: &ldquo;Go, get thee, swift Iris, to the prince Poseidon, and tell +him all these things, nor be a false messenger. Command him to cease from war +and battle, and to go among the tribes of the gods, or into the bright sea. But +if he will not obey my words, but will hold me in no regard, then let him +consider in his heart and mind, lest he dare not for all his strength to abide +me when I come against him, since I deem me to be far mightier than he, and +elder born.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, nor did the wind-footed fleet Iris disobey him, but went down the +hills of Ida to sacred Ilios. And as when snow or chill hail fleets from the +clouds beneath the stress of the North Wind born in the clear air, so fleetly +she fled in her eagerness, swift Iris, and drew near the renowned Earth-shaker +and spake to him the message of Zeus. And he left the host of the Achaians, and +passed to the sea, and sank, and sorely they missed him, the heroes of the +Achaians. +</p> + +<p> +Then Zeus, the gatherer of the clouds, spake to Apollo, saying: &ldquo;Go now, +dear Phoebus, to Hector of the helm of bronze. Let glorious Hector be thy care, +and rouse in him great wrath even till the Achaians come in their flight to the +ships, and the Hellespont. And from that moment will I devise word and deed +wherewithal the Achaians may take breath again from their toil.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, nor was Apollo deaf to the word of the Father, but he went down +the hills of Ida like a fleet falcon, the bane of doves, that is the swiftest +of flying things. And he found the son of wise-hearted Priam, noble Hector, +sitting up, no longer lying, for he had but late got back his life, and knew +the comrades around him, and his gasping and his sweat had ceased, from the +moment when the will of aegis-bearing Zeus began to revive him. Then +far-darting Apollo stood near him, and spake to him: &ldquo;Hector, son of +Priam, why dost thou sit fainting apart from the others? Is it perchance that +some trouble cometh upon thee?&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then, with faint breath answered him Hector of the glancing helm: &ldquo;Nay, +but who art thou, best of the gods, who enquirest of me face to face? Dost thou +not know that by the hindmost row of the ships of the Achaians, Aias of the +loud war-cry smote me on the breast with a stone, as I was slaying his +comrades, and made me cease from mine impetuous might? And verily I deemed that +this very day I should pass to the dead, and the house of Hades, when I had +gasped my life away.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then prince Apollo the Far-darter answered him again: &ldquo;Take courage now, +so great an ally hath the son of Kronos sent thee out of Ida, to stand by thee +and defend thee, even Phoebus Apollo of the golden sword, me who of old defend +thee, thyself and the steep citadel. But come now, bid thy many charioteers +drive their swift steeds against the hollow ships, and I will go before and +make smooth all the way for the chariots, and will put to flight the Achaian +heroes.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and breathed great might into the shepherd of the host, and even +as when a stalled horse, full fed at the manger, breaks his tether and speedeth +at the gallop over the plain exultingly, being wont to bathe in the +fair-flowing stream, and holds his head on high, and the mane floweth about his +shoulders, and he trusteth in his glory, and nimbly his knees bear him to the +haunts and pasture of the mares, even so Hector lightly moved his feet and +knees, urging on his horsemen, when he heard the voice of the god. But as when +hounds and country folk pursue a horned stag, or a wild goat, that steep rock +and shady wood save from them, nor is it their lot to find him, but at their +clamour a bearded lion hath shown himself on the way, and lightly turned them +all despite their eagerness, even so the Danaans for a while followed on always +in their companies, smiting with swords and double-pointed spears, but when +they saw Hector going up and down the ranks of men, then were they afraid, and +the hearts of all fell to their feet. +</p> + +<p> +Then to them spake Thoas, son of Andraimon, far the best of the Aitolians, +skilled in throwing the dart, and good in close fight, and in council did few +of the Achaians surpass him, when the young men were striving in debate; he +made harangue and spake among them: &ldquo;Alas, and verily a great marvel is +this I behold with mine eyes, how he hath again arisen, and hath avoided the +Fates, even Hector. Surely each of us hoped in his heart, that he had died +beneath the hand of Aias, son of Telamon. But some one of the gods again hath +delivered and saved Hector, who verily hath loosened the knees of many of the +Danaans, as methinks will befall even now, for not without the will of +loud-thundering Zeus doth he rise in the front ranks, thus eager for battle. +But come, as I declare let us all obey. Let us bid the throng turn back to the +ships, but let us as many as avow us to be the best in the host, take our +stand, if perchance first we may meet him, and hold him off with outstretched +spears, and he, methinks, for all his eagerness, will fear at heart to enter +into the press of the Danaans.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and they heard him eagerly, and obeyed him. They that were with +Aias and the prince Idomeneus, and Teukros, and Neriones, and Meges the peer of +Ares, called to all the best of the warriors and sustained the fight with +Hector and the Trojans, but behind them the multitude returned to the ships of +the Achaians. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Trojans drave forward in close ranks, and with long strides Hector led +them, while in front of him went Phoebus Apollo, his shoulders wrapped in +cloud, and still he held the fell aegis, dread, circled with a shaggy fringe, +and gleaming, that Hephaistos the smith gave to Zeus, to bear for the terror of +men; with this in his hands did he lead the host. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Argives abode them in close ranks, and shrill the cry arose on both +sides, and the arrows leaped from the bow-strings, and many spears from +stalwart hands, whereof some stood fast in the flesh of young men swift in +fight, but many halfway, ere ever they reached the white flesh, stuck in the +ground, longing to glut themselves with flesh. Now so long as Phoebus Apollo +held the aegis unmoved in his hands, so long the darts smote either side amain, +and the folk fell. But when he looked face to face on the Danaans of the swift +steeds, and shook the aegis, and himself shouted mightily, he quelled their +heart in their breast, and they forgot their impetuous valour. And as when two +wild beasts drive in confusion a herd of kine, or a great flock of sheep, in +the dark hour of black night, coming swiftly on them when the herdsman is not +by, even so were the Achaians terror-stricken and strengthless, for Apollo sent +a panic among them, but still gave renown to the Trojans and Hector. +</p> + +<p> +And Hector smote his horses on the shoulder with the lash, and called aloud on +the Trojans along the ranks. And they all cried out, and level with his held +the steeds that drew their chariots, with a marvellous din, and in front of +them Phoebus Apollo lightly dashed down with his feet the banks of the deep +ditch, and cast them into the midst thereof, making a bridgeway long and wide +as is a spear-cast, when a man throws to make trial of his strength. Thereby +the Trojans poured forward in their battalions, while in their van Apollo held +the splendid aegis. And most easily did he cast down the wall of the Achaians, +as when a boy scatters the sand beside the sea, first making sand buildings for +sport in his childishness, and then again, in his sport, confounding them with +his feet and hands; even so didst thou, archer Apollo, confound the long toil +and labour of the Argives, and among them rouse a panic fear. +</p> + +<p> +So they were halting, and abiding by the ships, calling each to other; and +lifting their hands to all the gods did each man pray vehemently, and chiefly +prayed Nestor, the Warden of the Achaians, stretching his hand towards the +starry heaven: &ldquo;O father Zeus, if ever any one of us in wheat-bearing +Argos did burn to thee fat thighs of bull or sheep, and prayed that he might +return, and thou didst promise and assent thereto, of these things be thou +mindful, and avert, Olympian, the pitiless day, nor suffer the Trojans thus to +overcome the Achaians.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he in his prayer, and Zeus, the Lord of counsel, thundered loudly, +hearing the prayers of the ancient son of Neleus. +</p> + +<p> +But the Trojans when they heard the thunder of aegis-bearing Zeus, rushed yet +the more eagerly upon the Argives, and were mindful of the joy of battle. And +as when a great wave of the wide sea sweeps over the bulwarks of a ship, the +might of the wind constraining it, which chiefly swells the waves, even so did +the Trojans with a great cry bound over the wall, and drave their horses on, +and at the hindmost row of the ships were fighting hand to hand with +double-pointed spears, the Trojans from the chariots, but the Achaians climbing +up aloft, from the black ships with long pikes that they had lying in the ships +for battle at sea, jointed pikes shod at the head with bronze. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Trojans, like ravening lions, rushed upon the ships, fulfilling the +behests of Zeus, that ever was rousing their great wrath, but softened the +temper of the Argives, and took away their glory, while he spurred on the +others. For the heart of Zeus was set on giving glory to Hector, the son of +Priam, that withal he might cast fierce-blazing fire, unwearied, upon the +beaked ships, and so fulfil all the presumptuous prayer of Thetis; wherefore +wise-counselling Zeus awaited, till his eyes should see the glare of a burning +ship. For even from that hour was he to ordain the backward chase of the +Trojans from the ships, and to give glory to the Danaans. With this design was +he rousing Hector, Priam&rsquo;s son, that himself was right eager, against the +hollow ships. For short of life was he to be, yea, and already Pallas Athene +was urging against him the day of destiny, at the hand of the son of Peleus. +And fain he was to break the ranks of men, trying them wheresoever he saw the +thickest press, and the goodliest harness. Yet not even so might he break them +for all his eagerness. Nay, they stood firm, and embattled like a steep rock +and a great, hard by the hoary sea, a rock that abides the swift paths of the +shrill winds, and the swelling waves that roar against it. Even so the Danaans +steadfastly abode the Trojans and fled not away. But Hector shining with fire +on all sides leaped on the throng, and fell upon them, as when beneath the +storm-clouds a fleet wave reared of the winds falls on a swift ship, and she is +all hidden with foam, and the dread blast of the wind roars against the sail, +and the sailors fear, and tremble in their hearts, for by but a little way are +they borne forth from death, even so the spirit was torn in the breasts of the +Achaians. +</p> + +<p> +So again keen battle was set by the ships. Thou wouldst deem that unwearied and +unworn they met each other in war, so eagerly they fought. And in their +striving they were minded thus; the Achaians verily deemed that never would +they flee from the danger, but perish there, but the heart of each Trojan hoped +in his breast, that they should fire the ships, and slay the heroes of the +Achaians. With these imaginations they stood to each other, and Hector seized +the stern of a seafaring ship, a fair ship, swift on the brine, that had borne +Protesilaos to Troia, but brought him not back again to his own country. Now +round his ship the Achaians and Trojans warred on each other hand to hand, nor +far apart did they endure the flights of arrows, nor of darts, but standing +hard each by other, with one heart, with sharp axes and hatchets they fought, +and with great swords, and double-pointed spears. And many fair brands, +dark-scabbarded and hilted, fell to the ground, some from the hands, some from +off the shoulders of warring men, and the black earth ran with blood. But +Hector, after that once he had seized the ship&rsquo;s stern, left not his +hold, keeping the ensign in his hands, and he called to the Trojans: +&ldquo;Bring fire, and all with one voice do ye raise the war-cry; now hath +Zeus given us the dearest day of all,—to take the ships that came hither +against the will of the gods, and brought many woes upon us, by the cowardice +of the elders, who withheld me when I was eager to fight at the sterns of the +ships, and kept back the host. But if even then far-seeing Zeus did harm our +wits, now he himself doth urge and command us onwards.&rdquo; So spake he, and +they set yet the fiercer on the Argives. And Aias no longer abode their onset, +for he was driven back by the darts, but he withdrew a little,—thinking that +now he should die,—on to the oarsmal&rsquo;s bench of seven feet long, and he +left the decks of the trim ship. There then he stood on the watch, and with his +spear he ever drave the Trojans from the ships, whosoever brought unwearied +fire, and ever he shouted terribly, calling to the Danaans: &ldquo;O friends, +Danaan heroes, men of Ares&rsquo; company, play the man, my friends, and be +mindful of impetuous valour. Do we deem that there be allies at our backs, or +some wall stronger than this to ward off death from men? Verily there is not +hard by any city arrayed with towers, whereby we might defend ourselves, having +a host that could turn the balance of battle. Nay, but we are set down in the +plain of the mailed men of Troy, with our backs against the sea, and far off +from our own land. Therefore is safety in battle, and not in slackening from +the fight.&rdquo; So spake he, and rushed on ravening for battle, with his keen +spear. And whosoever of the Trojans was coming against the ship with blazing +fire, to pleasure Hector at his urging, him would Aias wound, awaiting him with +his long spear, and twelve men in front of the ships at close quarters did he +wound. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> diff --git a/live/16.htm b/live/16.htm @@ -0,0 +1,612 @@ +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap16"></a>BOOK XVI.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +How Patroklos fought in the armour of Achilles, and drove the Trojans from the +ships, but was slain at last by Hector. +</p> + +<p> +So they were warring round the well-timbered ship, but Patroklos drew near +Achilles, shepherd of the host, and he shed warm tears, even as a fountain of +dark water that down a steep cliff pours its cloudy stream. And noble +swift-footed Achilles when he beheld him was grieved for his sake, and accosted +him, and spake winged words, saying: &ldquo;Wherefore weepest thou, Patroklos, +like a fond little maid, that runs by her mother&rsquo;s side, and bids her +mother take her up, snatching at her gown, and hinders her in her going, and +tearfully looks at her, till the mother takes her up? like her, Patroklos, dost +thou let fall soft tears. Hast thou aught to tell to the Myrmidons, or to me +myself, or is it some tidings out of Phthia that thou alone hast beard? Or dost +thou lament for the sake of the Argives,—how they perish by the hollow ships +through their own transgression? Speak out, and hide it not within thy spirit, +that we may both know all.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +But with a heavy groan didst thou speak unto him, O knight Patroklos: &ldquo;O +Achilles, son of Peleus, far the bravest of the Achaians, be not wroth, seeing +that so great calamity has beset the Achaians. For verily all of them that +aforetime were the best are lying among the ships, smitten and wounded. Smitten +is the son of Tydeus, strong Diomedes, and wounded is Odysseus, spearman +renowned, and Agamemnon; and smitten is Eurypylos on the thigh with an arrow. +And about them the leeches skilled in medicines are busy, healing their wounds, +but thou art hard to reconcile, Achilles. Never then may such wrath take hold +of me as that thou nursest; thou brave to the hurting of others. What other men +later born shall have profit of thee, if thou dost not ward off base ruin from +the Argives? Pitiless that thou art, the knight Peleus was not then thy father, +nor Thetis thy mother, but the grey sea bare thee, and the sheer cliffs, so +untoward is thy spirit. But if in thy heart thou art shunning some oracle, and +thy lady mother hath told thee somewhat from Zeus, yet me do thou send forth +quickly, and make the rest of the host of the Myrmidons follow me, if yet any +light may arise from me to the Danaans. And give me thy harness to buckle about +my shoulders, if perchance the Trojans may take me for thee, and so abstain +from battle, and the warlike sons of the Achaians may take breath, wearied as +they be, for brief is the breathing in war. And lightly might we that are fresh +drive men wearied with the battle back to the citadel, away from the ships and +the huts.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So he spake and besought him, in his unwittingness, for truly it was to be his +own evil death and fate that he prayed for. Then to him in great heaviness +spake swift-footed Achilles: &ldquo;Ah me, Patroklos of the seed of Zeus, what +word hast thou spoken? Neither take I heed of any oracle that I wot of, nor yet +has my lady mother told me somewhat from Zeus, but this dread sorrow comes upon +my heart and spirit, from the hour that a man wishes to rob me who am his +equal, and to take away my prize, for that he excels me in power. A dread +sorrow to me is this, after all the toils that my heart hath endured. The +maiden that the sons of the Achaians chose out for me as my prize, and that I +won with my spear when I sacked a well-walled city, her has mighty Agamemnon +the son of Atreus taken back out of my hands, as though I were but some +sojourner dishonourable. But we will let bygones be bygones. No man may be +angry of heart for ever, yet verily I said that I would not cease from my +wrath, until that time when to mine own ships should come the war-cry and the +battle. But do thou on thy shoulders my famous harness, and lead the war-loving +Myrmidons to the fight, to ward off destruction from the ships, lest they even +burn the ships with blazing fire, and take away our desired return. But when +thou hast driven them from the ships, return, and even if the loud-thundering +lord of Hera grant thee to win glory, yet long not thou apart from me to fight +with the war-loving Trojans; thereby wilt thou minish mine honour. Neither do +thou, exulting in war and strife, and slaying the Trojans, lead on toward +Ilios, lest one of the eternal gods from Olympus come against thee; right +dearly doth Apollo the Far-darter love them. Nay, return back when thou halt +brought safety to the ships, and suffer the rest to fight along the plain. For +would, O father Zeus, and Athene, and Apollo, would that not one of all the +Trojans might escape death, nor one of the Argives, but that we twain might +avoid destruction, that alone we might undo the sacred coronal of Troy.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake they each to other, but Aias no longer abode the onset, for he was +overpowered by darts; the counsel of Zeus was subduing him, and the shafts of +the proud Trojans; and his bright helmet, being smitten, kept ringing terribly +about his temples: for always it was smitten upon the fair-wrought +cheek-pieces. Moreover his left shoulder was wearied, as steadfastly he held up +his glittering shield, nor yet could they make him give ground, as they pressed +on with their darts around him. And ever he was worn out with difficult breath, +and much sweat kept running from all his limbs, nor had he a moment to draw +breath, so on all sides was evil heaped on evil. +</p> + +<p> +Tell me now, ye Muses that have mansions in Olympus, how first fire fell on the +ships of the Achaians. Hector drew near, and the ashen spear of Aias he smote +with his great sword, hard by the socket, behind the point, and shore it clean +away, and the son of Telamon brandished in his hand no more than a pointless +spear, and far from him the head of bronze fell ringing on the ground. +</p> + +<p> +And Aias knew in his noble heart, and shuddered at the deeds of the gods, even +how Zeus that thundereth on high did utterly cut off from him avail in war, and +desired victory for the Trojans. Then Aias gave back out of the darts. But the +Trojans cast on the swift ship unwearying fire, and instantly the +inextinguishable flame streamed over her: so the fire begirt the stern, whereon +Achilles smote his thighs, and spake to Patroklos: &ldquo;Arise, Patroklos of +the seed of Zeus, commander of the horsemen, for truly I see by the ships the +rush of the consuming fire. Up then, lest they take the ships, and there be no +more retreat; do on thy harness speedily, and I will summon the host.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, while Patroklos was harnessing him in shining bronze. His goodly +greaves, fitted with silver clasps, he first girt round his legs, and next did +on around his breast the well-dight starry corslet of the swift-footed son of +Aiakos. And round his shoulders he cast a sword of bronze, with studs of +silver, and next took the great and mighty shield, and on his proud head set a +well-wrought helm with a horse-hair crest, and terribly nodded the crest from +above. Then seized he two strong lances that fitted his grasp, only he took not +the spear of the noble son of Aiakos, heavy, and huge, and stalwart, that none +other of the Achaians could wield. And Patroklos bade Automedon to yoke the +horses speedily, even Automedon whom most he honoured after Achilles, the +breaker of the ranks of men, and whom he held trustiest in battle to abide his +call. And for him Automedon led beneath the yoke the swift horses, Xanthos and +Balios, that fly as swift as the winds, the horses that the harpy Podarge bare +to the West Wind, as she grazed on the meadow by the stream of Okeanos. And in +the side-traces he put the goodly Pedasos, that Achilles carried away, when he +took the city of Eetion; and being but a mortal steed, he followed with the +immortal horses. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile Achilles went and harnessed all the Myrmidons in the huts with +armour, and they gathered like ravening wolves with strength in their hearts +unspeakable. And among them all stood warlike Achilles urging on the horses and +the targeteers. And he aroused the heart and valour of each of them, and the +ranks were yet the closer serried when they heard the prince. And as when a man +builds the wall of a high house with close-set stones, to avoid the might of +the winds, even so close were arrayed the helmets and bossy shields, and shield +pressed on shield, helm on helm, and man on man, and the horse-hair crests on +the bright helmet-ridges touched each other when they nodded, so close they +stood by each other. +</p> + +<p> +And straightway they poured forth like wasps that have their dwelling by the +wayside, and that boys are ever wont to vex, always tormenting them in their +nests beside the way in childish sport, and a common evil they make for many. +With heart and spirit like theirs the Myrmidons poured out now from the ships, +and a cry arose unquenchable, and Patroklos called on his comrades, shouting +aloud: &ldquo;Myrmidons, ye comrades of Achilles son of Peleus, be men, my +friends, and be mindful of your impetuous valour, that so we may win honour for +the son of Peleus, that is far the bravest of the Argives by the ships, and +whose close-fighting squires are the best. And let wide-ruling Agamemnon the +son of Atreus learn his own blindness of heart, in that he nothing honoured the +best of the Achaians.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and aroused each mal&rsquo;s heart and courage, and all in a mass +they fell on the Trojans, and the ships around echoed wondrously to the cry of +the Achaians. But when the Trojans beheld the strong son of Menoitios, himself +and his squire, shining in their armour, the heart was stirred in all of them, +and the companies wavered, for they deemed that by the ships the swift-footed +son of Peleus had cast away his wrath, and chosen reconcilement: then each man +glanced round, to see where he might flee sheer destruction. +</p> + +<p> +But Patroklos first with a shining spear cast straight into the press, where +most men were thronging, even by the stern of the ship of great-hearted +Protesilaos, and he smote Pyraichmes, who led his Paionian horsemen out of +Amydon, from the wide water of Axios; him he smote on the right shoulder, and +he fell on his back in the dust with a groan, and his comrades around him, the +Paionians, were afraid, for Patroklos sent fear among them all, when he slew +their leader that was ever the best in fight. Then he drove them out from the +ships, and quenched the burning fire. And the half-burnt ship was left there, +and the Trojans fled, with a marvellous din, and the Danaans poured in among +the hollow ships, and ceaseless was the shouting. And as when from the high +crest of a great hill Zeus, the gatherer of the lightning, hath stirred a dense +cloud, and forth shine all the peaks, and sharp promontories, and glades, and +from heaven the infinite air breaks open, even so the Danaans, having driven +the blazing fire from the ships, for a little while took breath, but there was +no pause in the battle. For not yet were the Trojans driven in utter rout by +the Achaians, dear to Ares, from the black ships, but they still stood up +against them, and only perforce gave ground from the ships. But even as robber +wolves fall on the lambs or kids, choosing them out of the herds, when they are +scattered on hills by the witlessness of the shepherd, and the wolves behold +it, and speedily harry the younglings that have no heart of courage,—even so +the Danaans fell on the Trojans, and they were mindful of ill-sounding flight, +and forgot their impetuous valour. +</p> + +<p> +But that great Aias ever was fain to cast his spear at Hector of the helm of +bronze, but he, in his cunning of war, covered his broad shoulders with his +shield of bulls&rsquo; hide, and watched the hurtling of the arrows, and the +noise of spears. And verily well he knew the change in the mastery of war, but +even so he abode, and was striving to rescue his trusty comrades. +</p> + +<p> +And as when from Olympus a cloud fares into heaven, from the sacred air, when +Zeus spreadeth forth the tempest, even so from the ships came the war-cry and +the rout, nor in order due did they cross the ditch again. But his swift-footed +horses bare Hector forth with his arms, and he left the host of Troy, whom the +delved trench restrained against their will. And in the trench did many swift +steeds that draw the car break the fore-part of the pole, and leave the +chariots of their masters. +</p> + +<p> +But Patroklos followed after, crying fiercely to the Danaans, and full of evil +will against the Trojans, while they with cries and flight filled all the ways, +for they were scattered, and on high the storm of dust was scattered below the +clouds, and the whole-hooved horses strained back towards the city, away from +the ships and the huts. +</p> + +<p> +But even where Patroklos saw the folk thickest in the rout, thither did he +guide his horses with a cry, and under his axle-trees men fell prone from their +chariots, and the cars were overturned with a din of shattering. But straight +over the ditch, in forward flight, leaped the swift horses. And the heart of +Patroklos urged him against Hector, for he was eager to smite him, but his +swift steeds bore Hector forth and away. And even as beneath a tempest the +whole black earth is oppressed, on an autumn day, when Zeus pours forth rain +most vehemently, and all the rivers run full, and many a scaur the torrents +tear away, and down to the dark sea they rush headlong from the hills, roaring +mightily, and minished are the works of men, even so mighty was the roar of the +Trojan horses as they ran. +</p> + +<p> +Now Patroklos when he had cloven the nearest companies, drave them backward +again to the ships, nor suffered them to approach the city, despite their +desire, but between the ships, and the river, and the lofty wall, he rushed on +them, and slew them, and avenged many a comrade slain. There first he smote +Pronoos with a shining spear, where the shield left bare the breast, and +loosened his limbs, and he fell with a crash. Then Thestor the son of Enops he +next assailed, as he sat crouching in the polished chariot, for he was struck +distraught, and the reins flew from his hands. Him he drew near, and smote with +the lance on the right jaw, and clean pierced through his teeth. And Patroklos +caught hold of the spear and dragged him over the rim of the car, as when a man +sits on a jutting rock, and drags a sacred fish forth from the sea, with line +and glittering hook of bronze; so on the bright spear dragged he Thestor gaping +from the chariot, and cast him down on his face and life left him as he fell. +Next, as Euryalos came on, he smote him on the midst of the head with a stone, +and all his head was shattered within the strong helmet, and prone on the earth +he fell, and death that slayeth the spirit overwhelmed him. Next Erymas, and +Amphoteros, and Epaltes and Tlepolemos son of Damastor, and Echios and Pyris, +and Ipheus and Euippos, and Polymelos son of Argeas, all these in turn he +brought low to the bounteous earth. But when Sarpedon beheld his comrades with +ungirdled doublets, subdued beneath the hands of Patroklos son of Menoitios, he +cried aloud, upbraiding the godlike Lykians: &ldquo;Shame, ye Lykians, whither +do ye flee? Now be ye strong, for I will encounter this man that I may know who +he is that conquers here, and verily many evils hath he wrought the Trojans, in +that he hath loosened the knees of many men and noble.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and leaped with his arms from the chariot to the ground. But +Patroklos, on the other side, when he beheld him leaped from his chariot. And +they, like vultures of crooked talons and curved beaks, that war with loud +yells on some high cliff, even so they rushed with cries against each other. +And beholding then the son of Kronos of the crooked counsels took pity on them, +and he spake to Hera, his sister and wife: &ldquo;Ah woe is me for that it is +fated that Sarpedon, the best-beloved of men to me, shall be subdued under +Patroklos son of Menoitios. And in two ways my heart within my breast is +divided, as I ponder whether I should catch him up alive out of the tearful +war, and set him down in the rich land of Lykia, or whether I should now subdue +him beneath the hands of the son of Menoitios.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then the ox-eyed lady Hera made answer to him: &ldquo;Most dread son of Kronos, +what word is this thou hast spoken? A mortal man long doomed to fate dost thou +desire to deliver again from death of evil name? Work thy will, but all we +other gods will in no wise praise thee. And another thing I will tell thee, and +do thou lay it up in thy heart; if thou dost send Sarpedon living to his own +house, consider lest thereon some other god likewise desire to send his own +dear son away out of the strong battle. For round the great citadel of Priam +war many sons of the Immortals, and among the Immortals wilt thou send terrible +wrath. But if he be dear to thee, and thy heart mourns for him, truly then +suffer him to be subdued in the strong battle beneath the hands of Patroklos +son of Menoitios, but when his soul and life leave that warrior, send Death and +sweet Sleep to bear him, even till they come to the land of wide Lykia, there +will his kindred and friends bury him, with a barrow and a pillar, for this is +the due of the dead.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake she, nor did the father of gods and men disregard her. But he shed +bloody raindrops on the earth, honouring his dear son, that Patroklos was about +to slay in the deep-soiled land of Troia, far off from his own country. Now +when they were come near each other in onset, there verily did Patroklos smite +the renowned Thrasymelos, the good squire of the prince Sarpedon, on the lower +part of the belly, and loosened his limbs. But Sarpedon missed him with his +shining javelin, as he in turn rushed on, but wounded the horse Pedasos on the +right shoulder with the spear, and he shrieked as he breathed his life away, +and fell crying in the dust, and his spirit fled from him. But the other twain +reared this way and that, and the yoke creaked, and the reins were confused on +them, when their trace-horse lay in the dust. But thereof did Automedon, the +spearman renowned, find a remedy, and drawing his long-edged sword from his +stout thigh, he leaped forth, and cut adrift the horse, with no delay, and the +pair righted themselves, and strained in the reins, and they met again in +life-devouring war. +</p> + +<p> +Then again Sarpedon missed with his shining dart, and the point of the spear +flew over the left shoulder of Patroklos and smote him not, but he in turn +arose with the bronze, and his javelin flew not vainly from his hand, but +struck Sarpedon even where the midriff clasps the beating heart. And he fell as +falls an oak, or a silver poplar, or a slim pine tree, that on the hills the +shipwrights fell with whetted axes, to be timber for ship-building; even so +before the horses and chariot he lay at length, moaning aloud, and clutching at +the bloody dust. And as when a lion hath fallen on a herd, and slain a bull, +tawny and high of heart, among the kine of trailing gait, and he perishes +groaning beneath the claws of the lion, even so under Patroklos did the leader +of the Lykian shieldmen rage, even in death, and he called to his dear comrade: +&ldquo;Dear Glaukos, warrior among warlike men, now most doth it behove thee to +be a spearman, and a hardy fighter: now let baneful war be dear to thee, if +indeed thou art a man of might. First fare all about and urge on the heroes +that be leaders of the Lykians, to fight for Sarpedon, and thereafter thyself +do battle for me with the sword. For to thee even in time to come shall I be +shame and disgrace for ever, all thy days, if the Achaians strip me of mine +armour, fallen in the gathering of the ships. Nay, hold out manfully, and spur +on all the host.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Even as he spake thus, the end of death veiled over his eyes and his nostrils, +but Patroklos, setting foot on his breast drew the spear out of his flesh, and +the midriff followed with the spear, so that he drew forth together the spear +point, and the soul of Sarpedon; and the Myrmidons held there his panting +steeds, eager to fly afar, since the chariot was reft of its lords. +</p> + +<p> +Then dread sorrow came on Glaukos, when he heard the voice of Sarpedon, and his +heart was stirred, that he availed not to succour him. And with his hand he +caught and held his arm, for the wound galled him, the wound of the arrow +wherewith, as he pressed on towards the lofty wall, Teukros had smitten him, +warding off destruction from his fellows. Then in prayer spake Glaukos to +far-darting Apollo: &ldquo;Hear, O Prince that art somewhere in the rich land +of Lykia, or in Troia, for thou canst listen everywhere to the man that is in +need, as even now need cometh upon me. For I have this stark wound, and mine +arm is thoroughly pierced with sharp pains, nor can my blood be stanched, and +by the wound is my shoulder burdened, and I cannot hold my spear firm, nor go +and fight against the enemy. And the best of men has perished, Sarpedon, the +son of Zeus, and he succours not even his own child. But do thou, O Prince, +heal me this stark wound, and lull my pains, and give me strength, that I may +call on my Lykian kinsmen, and spur them to the war, and myself may fight about +the dead man fallen.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he in his prayer, and Phoebus Apollo heard him. Straightway he made +his pains to cease, and in the grievous wound stanched the black blood, and put +courage into his heart. And Glaukos knew it within him, and was glad, for that +the great god speedily heard his prayer. First went he all about and urged on +them that were leaders of the Lykians to fight around Sarpedon, and thereafter +he went with long strides among the Trojans, to Polydamas son of Panthoos and +noble Agenor, and he went after Aineias, and Hector of the helm of bronze, and +standing by them spake winged words: &ldquo;Hector, now surely art thou utterly +forgetful of the allies, that for thy sake, far from their friends and their +own country, breathe their lives away! but thou carest not to aid them! +Sarpedon lies low, the leader of the Lykian shieldmen, he that defended Lykia +by his dooms and his might, yea him hath mailed Ares subdued beneath the spear +of Patroklos. But, friends, stand by him, and be angry in your hearts lest the +Myrmidons strip him of his harness, and dishonour the dead, in wrath for the +sake of the Danaans, even them that perished, whom we slew with spears by the +swift ships.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and sorrow seized the Trojans utterly, ungovernable and not to be +borne; for Sarpedon was ever the stay of their city, all a stranger as he was, +for many people followed with him, and himself the best warrior of them all. +Then they made straight for the Danaans eagerly, and Hector led them, being +wroth for Sarpedol&rsquo;s sake. But the fierce heart of Patrokloa son of +Menoitios urged on the Achaians. And he spake first to the twain Aiantes that +themselves were right eager: &ldquo;Aiantes, now let defence be your desire, +and be such as afore ye were among men, or even braver yet. That man lies low +who first leaped on to the wall of the Achaians, even Sarpedon. Nay, let us +strive to take him, and work his body shame, and strip the harness from his +shoulders, and many a one of his comrades fighting for his sake let us subdue +with the pitiless bronze.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and they themselves were eager in defence. So on both sides they +strengthened the companies, Trojans and Lykians, Myrmidons and Achaians, and +they joined battle to fight around the dead man fallen; terribly they shouted, +and loud rang the harness of men. And as the din ariseth of woodcutters in the +glades of a mountain, and the sound thereof is heard far away, so rose the din +of them from the wide-wayed earth, the noise of bronze and of well-tanned +bulls&rsquo; hides smitten with swords and double-pointed spears. And now not +even a clear-sighted man could any longer have known noble Sarpedon, for with +darts and blood and dust was he covered wholly from head to foot. And ever men +thronged about the dead, as in a steading flies buzz around the full +milk-pails, in the season of spring, when the milk drenches the bowls, even so +thronged they about the dead. Nor ever did Zeus turn from the strong fight his +shining eyes, but ever looked down on them, and much in his heart he debated of +the slaying of Patroklos, whether there and then above divine Sarpedon glorious +Hector should slay him likewise in strong battle with the sword, and strip his +harness from his shoulders, or whether to more men yet he should deal sheer +labour of war. And thus to him as he pondered it seemed the better way, that +the gallant squire of Achilles, Peleus&rsquo; son, should straightway drive the +Trojans and Hector of the helm of bronze towards the city, and should rob many +of their life. And in Hector first he put a weakling heart, and leaping into +his car Hector turned in flight, and cried on the rest of the Trojans to flee, +for he knew the turning of the sacred scales of Zeus. Thereon neither did the +strong Lykians abide, but fled all in fear, when they beheld their king +stricken to the heart, lying in the company of the dead, for many had fallen +above him, when Kronion made fierce the fight. Then the others stripped from +the shoulders of Sarpedon his shining arms of bronze, and these the strong son +of Menoitios gave to his comrades to bear to the hollow ships. Then Zeus that +gathereth the clouds spake to Apollo: &ldquo;Prithee, dear Phoebus, go take +Sarpedon out of range of darts, and cleanse the black blood from him, and +thereafter bear him far away, and bathe him in the streams of the river, and +anoint him with ambrosia, and clothe him in garments that wax not old, and send +him to be wafted by fleet convoy, by the twin brethren Sleep and Death, that +quickly will set him in the rich land of wide Lykia. There will his kinsmen and +clansmen give him burial, with barrow and pillar, for such is the due of the +dead.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, nor was Apollo disobedient to his father. He went down the hills +of Ida to the dread battle din, and straight way bore goodly Sarpedon out of +the darts, and carried him far away and bathed him in the streams of the river, +and anointed him with ambrosia, and clad him in garments that wax not old, and +sent him to be wafted by fleet convoy, the twin brethren Sleep and Death, that +swiftly set him down in the rich land of wide Lykia. But Patroklos cried to his +horses and Automedon, and after the Trojans and Lykians went he, and so was +blindly forgetful, in his witlessness, for if he had kept the saying of the son +of Peleus, verily he should have escaped the evil fate of black death. But ever +is the wit of Zeus stronger than the wit of men, so now he roused the spirit of +Patroklos in his breast. There whom first, whom last didst thou slay, +Patroklos, when the gods called thee deathward? Adrestos first, and Autonoos, +and Echeklos, and Perimos, son of Megas, and Epistor, and Melanippos, and +thereafter Elasos, and Moulios, and Pylartes; these he slew, but the others +were each man of them fain of flight. Then would the sons of the Achaians have +taken high-gated Troy, by the hands of Patroklos, for around and before him he +raged with the spear, but that Phoebus Apollo stood on the well-builded wall, +with baneful thoughts towards Patroklos, and succouring the Trojans. Thrice +clomb Patroklos on the corner of the lofty wall, and thrice did Apollo force +him back and smote the shining shield with his immortal hands. But when for the +fourth time he came on like a god, then cried far-darting Apollo terribly, and +spake winged words: &ldquo;Give back, Patroklos of the seed of Zeus! Not +beneath thy spear is it fated that the city of the valiant Trojans shall fall, +nay nor beneath Achilles, a man far better than thou.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and Patroklos retreated far back, avoiding the wrath of +far-darting Apollo. But Hector within the Skaian gates was restraining his +whole-hooved horses, pondering whether he should drive again into the din and +fight, or should call unto the host to gather to the wall. While thus he was +thinking, Phoebus Apollo stood by him in the guise of a young man and a strong, +Asios, who was the mother&rsquo;s brother of horse-taming Hector, being own +brother of Hekabe, and son of Dymas, who dwelt in Phrygia, on the streams of +Sangarios. In his guise spake Apollo, son of Zeus, to Hector: &ldquo;Hector, +wherefore dost thou cease from fight? It doth not behove thee. Would that I +were as much stronger than thou as I am weaker, thereon quickly shouldst thou +stand aloof from war to thy hurt. But come, turn against Patroklos thy +strong-hooved horses, if perchance thou mayst slay him, and Apollo give thee +glory.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake the god, and went back again into the moil of men. But renowned Hector +bade wise-hearted Kebriones to lash his horses into the war. Then Apollo went +and passed into the press, and sent a dread panic among the Argives, but to the +Trojans and Hector gave he renown. And Hector let the other Argives be, and +slew none of them, but against Patroklos he turned his strong-hooved horses, +and Patroklos on the other side leaped from his chariot to the ground, with a +spear in his left hand, and in his other hand grasped a shining jagged stone, +that his hand covered. Firmly he planted himself and hurled it, nor long did he +shrink from his foe, nor was his cast in vain, but he struck Kebriones the +charioteer of Hector, the bastard son of renowned Priam, on the brow with the +sharp stone, as he held the reins of the horses. Both his brows the stone drave +together, and his bone held not, but his eyes fell to the ground in the dust, +there, in front of his feet. Then he, like a diver, fell from the well-wrought +car, and his spirit left his bones. Then taunting him didst thou address him, +knightly Patroklos: &ldquo;Out on it, how nimble a man, how lightly he diveth! +Yea, if perchance he were on the teeming deep, this man would satisfy many by +seeking for oysters, leaping from the ship, even if it were stormy weather, so +lightly now he diveth from the chariot into the plain. Verily among the Trojans +too there be diving men.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So speaking he set on the hero Kebriones with the rush of a lion, that while +wasting the cattle-pens is smitten in the breast, and his own valour is his +bane, even so against Kebriones, Patroklos, didst thou leap furiously. But +Hector, on the other side, leaped from his chariot to the ground. And these +twain strove for Kebriones like lions, that on the mountain peaks fight, both +hungering, both high of heart, for a slain hind. Even so for Kebriones&rsquo; +sake these two masters of the war-cry, Patroklos son of Menoitios, and renowned +Hector, were eager each to hew the other&rsquo;s flesh with the ruthless +bronze. +</p> + +<p> +Hector then seized him by the head, and slackened not hold, while Patroklos on +the other side grasped him by the foot, and thereon the others, Trojans and +Danaans, joined strong battle. And as the East wind and the South contend with +one another in shaking a deep wood in the dells of a mountain, shaking beech, +and ash, and smooth-barked cornel tree, that clash against each other their +long boughs with marvellous din, and a noise of branches broken, so the Trojans +and Achaians were leaping on each other and slaying, nor had either side any +thought of ruinous flight. And many sharp darts were fixed around Kebriones, +and winged arrows leaping from the bow-string, and many mighty stones smote the +shields of them that fought around him. But he in the whirl of dust lay mighty +and mightily fallen, forgetful of his chivalry. +</p> + +<p> +Now while the sun was going about mid-heaven, so long the darts smote either +side, and the host fell, but when the sun turned to the time of the loosing of +oxen, lo, then beyond their doom the Achaians proved the better. The hero +Kebriones drew they forth from the darts, out of the tumult of the Trojans, and +stripped the harness from his shoulders, and with ill design against the +Trojans, Patroklos rushed upon them. Three times then rushed he on, peer of +swift Ares, shouting terribly, and thrice he slew nine men. But when the fourth +time he sped on like a god, thereon to thee, Patroklos, did the end of life +appear, for Phoebus met thee in the strong battle, in dreadful wise. And +Patroklos was not ware of him coming through the press, for hidden in thick +mist did he meet him, and stood behind him, and smote his back and broad +shoulders with a down-stroke of his hand, and his eyes were dazed. And from his +head Phoebus Apollo smote the helmet that rolled rattling away with a din +beneath the hooves of the horses, the helm with upright socket, and the crests +were defiled with blood and dust. And all the long-shadowed spear was shattered +in the hands of Patroklos, the spear great and heavy and strong, and sharp, +while from his shoulders the tasselled shield with the baldric fell to the +ground. +</p> + +<p> +And the prince Apollo, son of Zeus, loosed his corslet, and blindness seized +his heart and his shining limbs were unstrung, and he stood in amaze, and at +close quarters from behind a Dardanian smote him on the back, between the +shoulders, with a sharp spear, even Euphorbos, son of Panthoos, who excelled +them of his age in casting the spear, and in horsemanship, and in speed of +foot. Even thus, verily, had he cast down twenty men from their chariots, +though then first had he come with his car to learn the lesson of war. He it +was that first smote a dart into thee, knightly Patroklos, nor overcame thee, +but ran back again and mingled with the throng, first drawing forth from the +flesh his ashen spear, nor did he abide the onset of Patroklos, unarmed as he +was, in the strife. But Patroklos, being overcome by the stroke of the god, and +by the spear, gave ground, and retreated to the host of his comrades, avoiding +Fate. But Hector, when he beheld great-hearted Patroklos give ground, being +smitten with the keen bronze, came nigh unto him through the ranks, and wounded +him with a spear, in the lowermost part of the belly, and drave the bronze +clean through. And he fell with a crash, and sorely grieved the host of +Achaians. And as when a lion hath overcome in battle an untiring boar, they +twain fighting with high heart on the crests of a hill, about a little well, +and both are desirous to drink, and the lion hath by force overcome the boar +that draweth difficult breath; so after that he had slain many did Hector son +of Priam take the life away from the strong son of Menoitios, smiting him at +close quarters with the spear; and boasting over him he spake winged words: +&ldquo;Patroklos, surely thou saidst that thou wouldst sack my town, and from +Trojan women take away the day of freedom, and bring them in ships to thine own +dear country: fool! nay, in front of these were the swift horses of Hector +straining their speed for the fight; and myself in wielding the spear excel +among the war-loving Trojans, even I who ward from them the day of destiny: but +thee shall vultures here devour. Ah, wretch, surely Achilles for all his +valour, availed thee not, who straitly charged thee as thou camest, he abiding +there, saying, &lsquo;Come not to me, Patroklos lord of steeds, to the hollow +ships, till thou hast torn the gory doublet of man-slaying Hector about his +breast;&rsquo; so, surely, he spake to thee, and persuaded the wits of thee in +thy witlessness.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then faintly didst thou answer him, knightly Patroklos: &ldquo;Boast greatly, +as now, Hector, for to thee have Zeus, son of Kronos, and Apollo given the +victory, who lightly have subdued me; for themselves stripped my harness from +my shoulders. But if twenty such as thou had encountered me, here had they all +perished, subdued beneath my spear. But me have ruinous Fate and the son of +Leto slain, and of men Euphorbos, but thou art the third in my slaying. But +another thing will I tell thee, and do thou lay it up in thy heart: verily thou +thyself art not long to live, but already doth Death stand hard by thee, and +strong Fate, that thou art to be subdued by the hands of noble Achilles, of the +seed of Aiakos.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Even as so he spake the end of death overshadowed him. And his soul, fleeting +from his limbs, went down to the house of Hades, wailing its own doom, leaving +manhood and youth. +</p> + +<p> +Then renowned Hector spake to him even in his death: &ldquo;Patroklos, +wherefore to me dolt thou prophesy sheer destruction? who knows but that +Achilles, the child of fair-tressed Thetis, will first be smitten by my spear, +and lose his life?&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and drew the spear of bronze from the wound, setting his foot on +the dead, and cast him off on his back from the spear. And straightway with the +spear he went after Automedon, the godlike squire of the swift-footed Aiakides, +for he was eager to smite him; but his swift-footed immortal horses bare him +out of the battle, horses that the gods gave to Peleus, a splendid gift. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> diff --git a/live/17.htm b/live/17.htm @@ -0,0 +1,472 @@ +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap17"></a>BOOK XVII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Of the battle around the body of Patroklos. +</p> + +<p> +But Atreus&rsquo; son, Menelaos dear to Ares, was not unaware of the slaying of +Patroklos by the Trojans in the fray. He went up through the front of the fight +harnessed in flashing bronze, and strode over the body as above a first-born +calf standeth lowing its mother. Thus above Patroklos strode fair-haired +Menelaos, and before him held his spear and the circle of his shield, eager to +slay whoever should encounter him. Then was Panthoos&rsquo; son of the stout +ashen spear not heedless of noble Patroklos as he lay, and he smote on the +circle of the shield of Menelaos, but the bronze spear brake it not, but the +point was bent back in the stubborn shield. And Menelaos Atreus&rsquo; son in +his turn made at him with his bronze spear, having prayed unto father Zeus, and +as he gave back pierced the nether part of his throat, and threw his weight +into the stroke, following his heavy hand; and sheer through the tender neck +went the point of the spear. And he fell with a crash, and his armour rang upon +him. In blood was his hair drenched that was like unto the hair of the Graces, +and his tresses closely knit with bands of silver and gold. +</p> + +<p> +Then easily would the son of Atreus have borne off the noble spoils of +Panthoos&rsquo; son, had not Phoebus Apollo grudged it to him, and aroused +against him Hector peer of swift Ares, putting on the semblance of a man, of +Mentes chief of the Kikones. And he spake aloud to him winged words: +&ldquo;Hector, now art thou hasting after things unattainable, even the horses +of wise Aiakides; for hard are they to be tamed or driven by mortal man, save +only Achilles whom an immortal mother bare. Meanwhile hath warlike Menelaos +Atreus&rsquo; son stridden over Patroklos and slain the best of the Trojans +there, even Panthoos&rsquo; son Euphorbos, and hath stayed him in his impetuous +might.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying the god went back into the strife of men, but dire grief darkened +Hectors inmost soul, and then he gazed searchingly along the lines, and +straightway was aware of the one man stripping off the noble arms, and the +other lying on the earth; and blood was flowing about the gaping wound. Then he +went through the front of the fight harnessed in flashing bronze, crying a +shrill cry, like unto Hephaistos&rsquo; flame unquenchable. Not deaf to his +shrill cry was Atreus&rsquo; son, and sore troubled he spake to his great +heart: &ldquo;Ay me, if I shall leave behind me these goodly arms, and +Patroklos who here lieth for my vengeance&rsquo; sake, I fear lest some Danaan +beholding it be wroth against me. But if for honour&rsquo;s sake I do battle +alone with Hector and the Trojans, I fear lest they come about me many against +one; for all the Trojans is bright-helmed Hector leading hither. But if I might +somewhere find Aias of the loud war-cry, then both together would we go and be +mindful of battle even were it against the power of heaven, if haply we might +save his dead for Achilles Peleus&rsquo; son: that were best among these +ills.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +While thus he communed with his mind and heart, therewithal the Trojan ranks +came onward, and Hector at their head. Then Menelaos gave backward, and left +the dead man, turning himself ever about like a deep-waned lion which men and +dogs chase from a fold with spears and cries; and his strong heart within him +groweth chill, and loth goeth he from the steading; so from Patroklos went +fair-haired Menelaos, and turned and stood, when he came to the host of his +comrades, searching for mighty Aias Telamol&rsquo;s son. Him very speedily he +espied on the left of the whole battle, cheering his comrades and rousing them +to fight, for great terror had Phoebus Apollo sent on them; and he hasted him +to run, and straightway stood by him and said: &ldquo;This way, beloved Aias; +let us bestir us for the dead Patroklos, if haply his naked corpse at least we +may carry to Achilles, though his armour is held by Hector of the glancing +helm.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and aroused the heart of wise Aias. And he went up through the +front of the fight, and with him fair-haired Menelaos. Now Hector, when he had +stripped from Patroklos his noble armour, was dragging him thence that he might +cut off the head from the shoulders with the keen bronze and carry his body to +give to the dogs of Troy. But Aias came anigh, and the shield that he bare was +as a tower; then Hector gave back into the company of his comrades, and sprang +into his chariot; and the goodly armour he gave to the Trojans to carry to the +city, to be great glory unto him. But Aias spread his broad shield over the son +of Menoitios and stood as it were a lion before his whelps when huntsmen in a +forest encounter him as he leadeth his young. And by his side stood +Atreus&rsquo; son, Menelaos dear to Ares, nursing great sorrow in his breast. +</p> + +<p> +Then Hector called on the Trojans with a mighty shout; &ldquo;Trojans and +Lykians and Dardanians that fight hand to hand, be men, my friends, and bethink +you of impetuous valour, until I do on me the goodly arms of noble Achilles +that I stripped from brave Patroklos when I slew him.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus having spoken went Hector of the glancing helm forth out of the strife of +war, and ran and speedily with fleet feet following overtook his comrades, not +yet far off, who were bearing to the city Peleides&rsquo; glorious arms. And +standing apart from the dolorous battle he changed his armour; his own he gave +the warlike Trojans to carry to sacred Ilios, and he put on the divine arms of +Achilles, Peleus&rsquo; son. +</p> + +<p> +But when Zeus that gathereth the clouds beheld from afar off Hector arming him +in the armour of Peleus&rsquo; godlike son, he shook his head and spake thus +unto his soul: &ldquo;Ah, hapless man, no thought is in thy heart of death that +yet draweth nigh unto thee; thou doest on thee the divine armour of a peerless +man before whom the rest have terror. His comrade, gentle and brave, thou hast +slain, and unmeetly hast stripped the armour from his head and shoulders; yet +now for a while at least I will give into thy hands great might, in recompense +for this, even that nowise shalt thou come home out of the battle, for +Andromache to receive from thee Peleides&rsquo; glorious arms.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake the son of Kronos, and bowed his dark brows therewithal. +</p> + +<p> +But the armour fitted itself unto Hectors body, and Ares the dread war-god +entered into him, and his limbs were filled within with valour and strength. +Then he sped among the noble allies with a mighty cry, and in the flashing of +his armour he seemed to all of them like unto Peleus&rsquo; great-hearted son. +And he came to each and encouraged him with his words—Mesthles and Glaukos and +Medon and Thersilochos and Asteropaios and Deisenor and Hippothoos and Phorkys +and Chromios and the augur Ennomos—these encouraged he and spake to them winged +words: &ldquo;Listen, ye countless tribes of allies that dwell round about. It +was not for mere numbers that I sought or longed when I gathered each of you +from your cities, but that ye might zealously guard the Trojans&rsquo; wives +and infant little ones from the war-loving Achaians. For this end am I wearying +my people by taking gifts and food from them, and nursing thereby the courage +of each of you. Now therefore let all turn straight against the foe and live or +die, for such is the dalliance of war. And whoso shall drag Patroklos, dead +though he be, among the horse-taming men of Troy, and make Aias yield, to him +will I award half the spoils and keep half myself; so shall his glory be great +as mine.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and they against the Danaans charged with all their weight, +levelling their spears, and their hearts were high of hope to drag the corpse +from under Aias, Telamol&rsquo;s son. Fond men! from full many reft he life +over that corpse. And then spake Aias to Menelaos of the loud war-cry: +&ldquo;Dear Menelaos, fosterling of Zeus, no longer count I that we two of +ourselves shall return home out of the war. Nor have I so much dread for the +corpse of Patroklos, that shall soon glut the dogs and birds of the men of +Troy, as for thy head and mine lest some evil fall thereon, for all is shrouded +by a storm-cloud of war, even by Hector, and sheer doom stareth in our face. +But come, call thou to the best men of the Danaans, if haply any hear.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and Menelaos of the loud war-cry disregarded him not, but +shouted unto the Danaans, crying a far-heard cry: &ldquo;O friends, ye leaders +and counsellors of the Argives, who by the side of the sons of Atreus, +Agamemnon and Menelaos, drink at the common cost and are all commanders of the +host, on whom wait glory and honour from Zeus, hard is it for me to distinguish +each chief amid the press—such blaze is there of the strife of war. But let +each go forward of himself and be wroth at heart that Patroklos should become a +sport among the dogs of Troy.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and Oileus&rsquo; son fleet Aias heard him clearly, and was +first to run along the mellay to meet him, and after him Idomeneus, and +Idomeneus&rsquo; brother-in-arms, Meriones, peer of the man-slaying war-god. +And who shall of his own thought tell the names of the rest, even of all that +after these aroused the battle of the Achaians? +</p> + +<p> +Now the Trojans charged forward in close array, and Hector led them. And as +when at the mouth of some heaven-born river a mighty wave roareth against the +stream, and arouseth the high cliffs&rsquo; echo as the salt sea belloweth on +the beach, so loud was the cry wherewith the Trojans came. But the Achaians +stood firm around Menoitios&rsquo; son with one soul all, walled in with +shields of bronze. And over their bright helmets the son of Kronos shed thick +darkness, for in the former time was Menoitios&rsquo; son not unloved of him, +while he was yet alive and squire of Aiakides. So was Zeus loth that he should +become a prey of the dogs of his enemies at Troy, and stirred his comrades to +do battle for him. +</p> + +<p> +Now first the Trojans thrust back the glancing-eyed Achaians, who shrank before +them and left the dead, yet the proud Trojans slew not any of them with spears, +though they were fain, but set to hale the corpse. But little while would the +Achaians hold back therefrom, for very swiftly Aias rallied them, Aias the +first in presence and in deeds of all the Danaans after the noble son of +Peleus. Right through the fighters in the forefront rushed he like a wild boar +in his might that in the mountains when he turneth at bay scattereth lightly +dogs and lusty young men through the glades. Thus did proud Telamol&rsquo;s son +the glorious Aias press on the Trojan battalions and lightly scatter them, as +they had bestrode Patroklos and were full fain to drag him to their city and +win renown. +</p> + +<p> +Then would the Trojans in their turn in their weakness overcome have been +driven back into Ilios by the Achaians dear to Ares, and the Argives would have +won glory even against the appointment of Zeus by their power and might. But +Apollo himself aroused Aineias, putting on the semblance of Periphas the +herald, the son of Epytos, who grew old with his old father in his heraldship, +of friendly thought toward Aineias. In his similitude spake Apollo, son of +Zeus: &ldquo;Aineias, how could ye ever guard high Ilios if it were against the +will of God? Other men have I seen that trust in their own might and power and +valour, and in their host, even though they have scant folk to lead. But here, +albeit Zeus is fainer far to give victory to us than to the Danaans, yet ye are +dismayed exceedingly and fight not.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and Aineias knew far-darting Apollo when he looked upon his +face, and spake unto Hector, shouting loud &ldquo;Hector and ye other leaders +of the Trojans and their allies, shame were this if in our weakness overcome we +were driven back into Ilios by the Achaians dear to Ares. Nay, thus saith a +god, who standeth by my side: Zeus, highest Orderer, is our helper in this +fight. Therefore let us go right onward against the Danaans. Not easily at +least let them take the dead Patroklos to the ships.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and leapt forth far before the fighters in the front. And the +Trojans rallied and stood up against the Achaians. Thus strove they as it had +been fire, nor wouldst thou have thought there was still sun or moon, for over +all the battle where the chiefs stood around the slain son of Menoitios they +were shrouded in darkness, while the other Trojans and well-greaved Achaians +fought at ease in the clear air, and piercing sunlight was spread over them, +and on all the earth and hills there was no cloud seen; and they ceased +fighting now sad again, avoiding each other&rsquo;s dolorous darts and standing +far apart. But they who were in the midst endured affliction of the darkness +and the battle, and all the best men of them were wearied by the pitiless +weight of their bronze arms. +</p> + +<p> +Thus all day long waxed the mighty fray of their sore strife; and unabatingly +ever with the sweat of toil were the knees and legs and feet of each man and +arms anal eyes bedewed as the two hosts did battle around the brave squire of +fleet Aiakides. And as when a man giveth the hide of a great bull to his folk +to stretch, all soaked in fat, and they take and stretch it standing in a +circle, and straightway the moisture thereof departeth and the fat entereth in +under the haling of many hands, and it is all stretched throughout,—thus they +on both sides haled the dead man this way and that in narrow space, for their +hearts were high of hope, the Trojans that they should drag him to Ilios and +the Achaians to the hollow ships; and around him the fray waxed wild, nor might +Ares rouser of hosts nor Athene despise the sight thereof, albeit their anger +were exceeding great. +</p> + +<p> +Such was the grievous travail of men and horses over Patroklos that Zeus on +that day wrought. But not as yet knew noble Achilles aught of Patroklos&rsquo; +death, for far away from the swift ships they were fighting beneath the wall of +the men of Troy. Therefore never deemed he in his heart that he was dead, but +that he should come back alive, after that he had touched the gates; for +neither that other thought had he anywise, that Patroklos should sack the +stronghold without his aid. +</p> + +<p> +Now the rest continually around the dead man with their keen spears made onset +relentlessly and slew each the other. And thus would one speak among the +mail-clad Achaians: &ldquo;Friends, it were verily not glorious for us to go +back to the hollow ships; rather let the black earth yawn for us all beneath +our feet. Far better were that straightway for us if we suffer the horse-taming +Trojans to hale this man to their city and win renown.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And thus on the other side would one of the great-hearted Trojans say: +&ldquo;Friends, though it were our fate that all together we be slain beside +this man, let none yet give backward from the fray.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus would one speak, and rouse the spirit of each. So they fought on, and the +iron din went up through the high desert air unto the brazen heaven. But the +horses of Aiakides that were apart from the battle were weeping, since first +they were aware that their charioteer was fallen in the dust beneath the hand +of man-slaying Hector. Verily Automedon, Diores&rsquo; valiant son, plied them +oft with blows of the swift lash, and oft with gentle words he spake to them +and oft with chiding, yet would they neither go back to the ships at the broad +Hellespont nor yet to the battle after the Achaians, but as a pillar abideth +firm that standeth on the tomb of a man or woman dead, so abode they immovably +with the beautiful chariot, abasing their heads unto the earth. And hot tears +flowed from their eyes to the ground as they mourned in sorrow for their +charioteer, and their rich manes were soiled as they drooped from beneath the +yoke-cushion on both sides beside the yoke. And when the son of Kronos beheld +them mourning he had compassion on them, and shook his head and spake to his +own heart: &ldquo;Ah, hapless pair, why gave we you to king Peleus, a mortal +man, while ye are deathless and ever young? Was it that ye should suffer +sorrows among ill-fated men? For methinketh there is nothing more piteous than +a man among all things that breathe and creep upon the earth. But verily Hector +Priam&rsquo;s son shall not drive you and your deftly-wrought car; that will I +not suffer. Is it a small thing that he holdeth the armour and vaunteth himself +vainly thereupon? Nay, I will put courage into your knees and heart that ye may +bring Automedon also safe out of the war to the hollow ships. For yet further +will I increase victory to the men of Troy, so that they slay until they come +unto the well-timbered ships, and the sun set and divine night come +down.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying he breathed good courage into the horses. And they shook to earth +the dust from their manes, and lightly bare the swift car amid Trojans and +Achaians. And behind them fought Automedon, albeit in grief for his comrade, +swooping with his chariot as a vulture on wild geese; for lightly he would flee +out of the onset of the Trojans and lightly charge, pursuing them through the +thick mellay. Yet could he not slay any man as he halted to pursue them, for it +was impossible that being alone in his sacred car he should at once assail them +with the spear and hold his fleet horses. Then at last espied him a comrade, +even Alkimedon son of Laerkes, son of Haimon, and he halted behind the car and +spake unto Automedon: &ldquo;Automedon, what god hath put into thy breast +unprofitable counsel and taken from thee wisdom, that thus alone thou art +fighting against the Trojans in the forefront of the press? Thy comrade even +now was slain, and Hector goeth proudly, wearing on his own shoulders the +armour of Aiakides.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And Automedon son of Diores answered him, saying: &ldquo;Alkimedon, what other +Achaian hath like skill to guide the spirit of immortal steeds, save only +Patroklos, peer of gods in counsel, while he yet lived? but now have death and +fate overtaken him. But take thou the lash and shining reins, and I will get me +down from my horses, that I may fight.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and Alkimedon leapt on the fleet war-chariot and swiftly took +the lash and reins in his hands, and Automedon leapt down. And noble Hector +espied them, and straightway spake unto Aineias as he stood near: +&ldquo;Aineias, counsellor of mail-clad Trojans, I espy here the two horses of +fleet Aiakides come forth to battle with feeble charioteers. Therefore might I +hope to take them if thou in thy heart art willing, since they would not abide +our onset and stand to do battle against us.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and the brave son of Anchises disregarded him not. And they +twain went right onward, their shoulders shielded by ox-hides dried and tough, +and bronze thick overlaid. And with them went both Chromios and godlike Aretos, +and their hearts were of high hope to slay the men and drive off the +strong-necked horses—fond hope, for not without blood lost were they to get +them back from Automedon. He praying to father Zeus was filled in his inmost +heart with valour and strength. And straightway he spake to Alkimedon, his +faithful comrade: &ldquo;Alkimedon, hold the horses not far from me, but with +their very breath upon my back; for I deem that Hector the son of Priam will +not refrain him from his fury until he mount behind Achilles&rsquo; horses of +goodly manes after slaying us twain, and dismay the ranks of Argive men, or +else himself fall among the foremost.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus said he, and called upon the Aiantes and Menelaos: &ldquo;Aiantes, leaders +of the Argives, and Menelaos, lo now, commit ye the corpse unto whoso may best +avail to bestride it and resist the ranks of men, and come ye to ward the day +of doom from us who are yet alive, for here in the dolorous war are Hector and +Aineias, the best men of the Trojans, pressing hard. Yet verily these issues +lie in the lap of the gods: I too will cast my spear, and the rest shall Zeus +decide.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and poised his far-shadowing spear and hurled it, and smote on the +circle of the shield of Aretos, and the shield sustained not the spear, but +right through went the bronze, and he forced it into his belly low down through +his belt. And as when a strong man with a sharp axe smiting behind the horns of +an ox of the homestead cleaveth the sinew asunder, and the ox leapeth forward +and falleth, so leapt Aretos forward and fell on his back; and the spear in his +entrails very piercingly quivering unstrung his limbs. And Hector hurled at +Automedon with his bright spear, but he looked steadfastly on the bronze +javelin as it came at him and avoided it, for he stooped forward, and the long +spear fixed itself in the ground behind, and the javelin-butt quivered, and +there dread Ares took away its force. And then had they lashed at each other +with their swords hand to hand, had not the Aiantes parted them in their fury, +when they were come through the mellay at their comrades&rsquo; call. Before +them Hector and Aineias and godlike Chromios shrank backward and gave ground +and left Aretos wounded to the death as he lay. And Automedon, peer of swift +Ares, stripped off the armour of the dead, and spake exultingly: &ldquo;Verily, +I have a little eased my heart of grief for the death of Menoitios&rsquo; son, +albeit a worse man than him have I slain.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying he took up the gory spoils and set them in his car, and gat him +thereon, with feet and hands all bloody, as a lion that hath devoured a bull. +</p> + +<p> +Now great-hearted Aias and Menelaos were aware of Zeus how he gave the Trojans +their turn to victory. First of these to speak was great Aias son of Telamon: +&ldquo;Ay me, now may any man, even though he be a very fool, know that father +Zeus himself is helping the Trojans. Come, let us ourselves devise some +excellent means, that we may both hale the corpse away and ourselves return +home to the joy of our friends, who grieve as they look hitherward and deem +that no longer shall the fury of man-slaying Hector&rsquo;s unapproachable hand +refrain itself, but fall upon the black ships. And would there were some +comrade to carry tidings with all speed unto the son of Peleus, since I deem +that he hath not even heard the grievous tidings, how his dear comrade is +slain. But nowhere can I behold such an one among the Achaians, for themselves +and their horses likewise are wrapped in darkness. O father Zeus, deliver thou +the sons of the Achaians from the darkness, and make clear sky and vouchsafe +sight unto our eyes. In the light be it that thou slayest us, since it is thy +good pleasure that we die.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then fair-haired Menelaos departed glancing everywhither, as an eagle which men +say hath keenest sight of all birds under heaven, and though he be far aloft +the fleet-footed hare eludeth him not by crouching beneath a leafy bush, but +the eagle swoopeth thereon and swiftly seizeth her and taketh her life. Thus in +that hour, Menelaos fosterling of Zeus, ranged thy shining eyes everywhither +through the multitude of the host of thy comrades, if haply they might behold +Nestor&rsquo;s son yet alive. Him quickly he perceived at the left of the whole +battle, heartening his comrades and rousing them to fight. And fair-haired +Menelaos came and stood nigh and said unto him: &ldquo;Antilochos, fosterling +of Zeus, come hither that thou mayest learn woful tidings—would it had never +been. Ere now, I ween, thou too hast known by thy beholding that God rolleth +mischief upon the Danaans, and with the Trojans is victory. And slain is the +best man of the Achaians, Patroklos, and great sorrow is wrought for the +Danaans. But run thou to the ships of the Achaians and quickly tell this to +Achilles, if haply he may straightway rescue to his ship the naked corpse: but +his armour is held by Hector of the glancing helmet.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and Antilochos had horror of the word he heard. And long time +speechlessness possessed him, and his eyes were filled with tears, and his full +voice choked. Yet for all this disregarded he not the bidding of Menelaos, but +set him to run, when he had given his armour to a noble comrade, Laodokos, who +close anigh him was wheeling his whole-hooved horses. +</p> + +<p> +So him his feet bare out of the battle weeping, to Achilles son of Peleus +carrying an evil tale. But thy heart, Menelaos fosterling of Zeus, chose not to +stay to aid the wearied comrades from whom Antilochos departed, and great +sorrow was among the Pylians. But to them Menelaos sent noble Thrasymedes, and +himself went again to bestride the hero Patroklos. And he hasted and stood +beside the Aiantes and straightway spake to them: &ldquo;So have I sent that +man to the swift ships to go to fleet-footed Achilles. Yet deem I not that he +will now come, for all his wrath against noble Hector, for he could not fight +unarmed against the men of Troy. But let us ourselves devise some excellent +means, both how we may hale the dead away, and how we ourselves may escape +death and fate amid the Trojans&rsquo; battle-cry.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then answered him great Aias Telamol&rsquo;s son, saying: &ldquo;All this hast +thou said well, most noble Menelaos. But do thou and Meriones put your +shoulders beneath the dead and lift him and bear him swiftly out of the fray, +while we twain behind you shall do battle with the Trojans and noble Hector, +one in heart as we are in name, for from of old time we are wont to await +fierce battle side by side.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and the others took the dead man in their arms and lifted him +mightily on high. But the Trojan host behind cried aloud when they saw the +Achaians lifting the corpse, and charged like hounds that spring in front of +hunter-youths upon a wounded wild boar, and for a while run in haste to rend +him, but when he wheeleth round among them, trusting in his might, then they +give ground and shrink back here and there. Thus for a while the Trojans +pressed on with all their power, striking with swords and double-headed spears, +but when the Aiantes turned about and halted over against them, then they +changed colour, and none dared farther onset to do battle around the dead. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> diff --git a/live/18.htm b/live/18.htm @@ -0,0 +1,502 @@ +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap18"></a>BOOK XVIII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +How Achilles grieved for Patroklos, and how Thetis asked for him new armour of +Hephaistos; and of the making of the armour. +</p> + +<p> +Thus fought the rest in the likeness of blazing fire, while to Achilles came +Antilochos, a messenger fleet of foot. Him found he in front of his ships of +upright horns, boding in his soul the things which even now were accomplished. +And sore troubled he spake to his great heart: &ldquo;Ay me, wherefore again +are the flowing-haired Achaians flocking to the ships and flying in rout over +the plain? May the gods not have wrought against me the grievous fears at my +heart, even as my mother revealed and told me that while I am yet alive the +best man of the Myrmidons must by deed of the men of Troy forsake the light of +the sun. Surely now must Menoitios&rsquo; valiant son be dead—foolhardy! surely +I bade him when he should have beaten off the fire of the foe to come back to +the ships nor with Hector fight amain.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +While thus he held debate in his heart and soul, there drew nigh unto him noble +Nestor&rsquo;s son, shedding hot tears, and spake his grievous tidings: +&ldquo;Ay me, wise Peleus&rsquo; son, very bitter tidings must thou hear, such +as I would had never been. Fallen is Patroklos, and they are fighting around +his body, naked, for his armour is held by Hector of the glancing helm.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and a black cloud of grief enwrapped Achilles, and with both +hands he took dark dust and poured it over his head and defiled his comely +face, and on his fragrant doublet black ashes fell. And himself in the dust lay +mighty and mightily fallen, and with his own hands tore and marred his hair. +And the handmaidens, whom Achilles and Patroklos took captive, cried aloud in +the grief of their hearts, and ran forth around valiant Achilles, and all beat +on their breasts with their hands, and the knees of each of them were unstrung. +And Antilochos on the other side wailed and shed tears, holding Achilles&rsquo; +hands while he groaned in his noble heart, for he feared lest he should cleave +his throat with the sword. Then terribly moaned Achilles; and his lady mother +heard him as she sate in the depths of the sea beside her ancient sire. And +thereon she uttered a cry, and the goddesses flocked around her, all the +daughters of Nereus that were in the deep of the sea. With these the bright +cave was filled, and they all beat together on their breasts, and Thetis led +the lament: &ldquo;Listen, sister Nereids, that ye all hear and know well what +sorrows are in my heart. Ay me unhappy, ay me that bare to my sorrow the first +of men! For after I had borne a son noble and strong, the chief of heroes, and +he shot up like a young branch, then when I had reared him as a plant in a very +fruitful field I sent him in beaked ships to Ilios to fight against the men of +Troy; but never again shall I welcome him back to his home, to the house of +Peleus. And while he yet liveth in my sight and beholdeth the light of the sun, +he sorroweth, neither can I help him any whit though I go unto him. But I will +go, that I may look upon my dear child, and learn what sorrow hath come to him +though he abide aloof from the war.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake she and left the cave; and the nymphs went with her weeping, and +around them the surge of the sea was sundered. And when they came to +deep-soiled Troy-land they went up upon the shore in order, where the ships of +the Myrmidons were drawn up thickly around fleet Achilles. And as he groaned +heavily his lady mother stood beside him, and with a shrill cry clasped the +bead of her child, and spake unto him winged words of lamentation: &ldquo;My +child, why weepest thou? what sorrow hath come to thy heart? Tell it forth, +hide it not. One thing at least hath been accomplished of Zeus according to the +prayer thou madest, holding up to him thy hands, that the sons of the Achaians +should all be pent in at the ships, through lack of thee, and should suffer +hateful things.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then groaning heavily spake unto her Achilles fleet of foot: &ldquo;My mother, +that prayer truly hath the Olympian accomplished for me. But what delight have +I therein, since my dear comrade is dead, Patroklos, whom I honoured above all +my comrades as it were my very self! Him have I lost, and Hector that slew him +hath stripped from him the armour great and fair, a wonder to behold, that the +gods gave to Peleus a splendid gift, on the day when they laid thee in the bed +of a mortal man. Would thou hadst abode among the deathless daughters of the +sea, and Peleus had wedded a mortal bride! But now, that thou mayest have +sorrow a thousand fold in thy heart for a dead son, never shalt thou welcome +him back home, since my soul biddeth me also live no longer nor abide among +men, if Hector be not first smitten by my spear and yield his life, and pay for +his slaughter of Patroklos, Menoitios&rsquo; son.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then answered unto him Thetis shedding tears: &ldquo;Short-lived, I ween, must +thou be then, my child, by what thou sayest, for straightway after Hector is +death appointed unto thee.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then mightily moved spake unto her Achilles fleet of foot: &ldquo;Straightway +may I die, since I might not succour my comrade at his slaying. He hath fallen +afar from his country and lacked my help in his sore need. Now therefore, since +I go not back to my dear native land, neither have at all been succour to +Patroklos nor to all my other comrades that have been slain by noble Hector, +but I sit beside my ships a profitless burden of the earth, I that in war am +such an one as is none else of the mail-clad Achaians, though in council are +others better—may strife perish utterly among gods and men, and wrath that +stirreth even a wise man to be vexed, wrath that far sweeter than trickling +honey waxeth like smoke in the breasts of men, even as I was wroth even now +against Agamemnon king of men. But bygones will we let be, for all our pain, +curbing the heart in our breasts under necessity. Now go I forth, that I may +light on the destroyer of him I loved, on Hector: then will I accept my death +whensoever Zeus willeth to accomplish it and the other immortal gods. For not +even the mighty Herakles escaped death, albeit most dear to Kronian Zeus the +king, but Fate overcame him and Hera&rsquo;s cruel wrath. So also shall I, if +my fate hath been fashioned likewise, lie low when I am dead. But now let me +win high renown, let me set some Trojan woman, some deep-bosomed daughter of +Dardanos, staunching with both hands the tears upon her tender cheeks and +wailing bitterly; yea, let them know that I am come back, though I tarried long +from the war. Hold not me then from the battle in thy love, for thou shalt not +prevail with me.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Thetis the silver-footed goddess answered him, saying: &ldquo;Yea verily, +my child, no blame is in this, that thou ward sheer destruction from thy +comrades in their distress. But thy fair glittering armour of bronze is held +among the Trojans. Hector of the glancing helm beareth it on his shoulders in +triumph, yet not for long, I ween, shall he glory therein, for death is hard +anigh him. But thou, go not yet down into the mellay of war until thou see me +with thine eyes come hither. In the morning will I return, at the coming up of +the sun, bearing fair armour from the king Hephaistos.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake she and turned to go from her son, and as she turned she spake among +her sisters of the sea: &ldquo;Ye now go down within the wide bosom of the +deep, to visit the Ancient One of the Sea and our father&rsquo;s house, and +tell him all. I am going to high Olympus to Hephaistos of noble skill, if haply +he will give unto my son noble armour shining gloriously.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake she, and they forthwith went down beneath the surge of the sea. And +the silver-footed goddess Thetis went on to Olympus that she might bring noble +armour to her son. +</p> + +<p> +So her unto Olympus her feet bore. But the Achaians with terrible cries were +fleeing before man-slaying Hector till they came to the ships and to the +Hellespont. Nor might the well-greaved Achaians drag the corpse of Patroklos +Achilles&rsquo; squire out of the darts, for now again overtook him the host +and the horses of Troy, and Hector son of Priam, in might as it were a flame of +fire. Thrice did glorious Hector seize him from behind by the feet, resolved to +drag him away, and mightily called upon the men of Troy. Thrice did the two +Aiantes, clothed on with impetuous might, beat him off from the dead man, but +he nathless, trusting in his might, anon would charge into the press, anon +would stand and cry aloud, but he gave ground never a whit. As when shepherds +in the field avail nowise to chase a fiery lion in fierce hunger away from a +carcase, so availed not the two warrior Aiantes to scare Hector son of Priam +from the dead. And now would he have won the body and gained renown +unspeakable, had not fleet wind-footed Iris come speeding from Olympus with a +message to the son of Peleus to array him, unknown of Zeus and the other gods, +for Hera sent her. And she stood anigh and spake to him winged words: +&ldquo;Rouse thee, son of Peleus, of all men most redoubtable! Succour +Patroklos, for whose body is terrible battle afoot before the ships. There slay +they one another, these guarding the dead corpse, while the men of Troy are +fierce to hale him unto windy Ilios, and chiefliest noble Hector is fain to +drag him, and his heart biddeth him fix the head on the stakes of the wall when +he hath sundered it from the tender neck. But arise, lie thus no longer! let +awe enter thy heart to forbid that Patroklos become the sport of dogs of Troy. +Thine were the shame if he go down mangled amid the dead.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then answered her fleet-footed noble Achilles: &ldquo;Goddess Iris, what god +sent thee a messenger unto me?&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And to him again spake wind-footed fleet Iris: &ldquo;It was Hera that sent me, +the wise wife of Zeus, nor knoweth the high-throned son of Kronos nor any other +of the Immortals that on snowy Olympus have their dwelling-place.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And Achilles fleet of foot made answer to her and said: &ldquo;And how may I go +into the fray? The Trojans hold my arms; and my dear mother bade me forbear to +array me until I behold her with my eyes returned, for she promised to bring +fair armour from Hephaistos. Other man know I none whose noble armour I might +put on, save it were the shield of Aias Telamol&rsquo;s son. But himself, I +ween, is in the forefront of the press, dealing death with his spear around +Patroklos dead.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then again spake unto him wind-footed fleet Iris: &ldquo;Well are we also aware +that thy noble armour is held from thee. But go forth unto the trench as thou +art and show thyself to the men of Troy, if haply they will shrink back and +refrain them from battle, and the warlike sons of the Achaians take +breath.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake fleet-footed Iris and went her way. But Achilles dear to Zeus arose, +and around his strong shoulders Athene cast her tasselled aegis, and around his +head the bright goddess set a crown of a golden cloud, and kindled therefrom a +blazing flame. And as when a smoke issueth from a city and riseth up into the +upper air, from an island afar off that foes beleaguer, while the others from +their city fight all day in hateful war,—but with the going down of the sun +blaze out the beacon-fires in line, and high aloft rusheth up the glare for +dwellers round about to behold, if haply they may come with ships to help in +need—thus from the head of Achilles soared that blaze toward the heavens. And +he went and stood beyond the wall beside the trench, yet mingled not among the +Achaians, for he minded the wise bidding of his mother. There stood he and +shouted aloud, and afar off Pallas Athene uttered her voice, and spread terror +unspeakable among the men of Troy. Clear as the voice of a clarion when it +soundeth by reason of slaughterous foemen that beleaguer a city, so clear rang +forth the voice of Aiakides. And when they heard the brazen voice of Aiakides, +the souls of all of them were dismayed, and the horses of goodly manes were +fain to turn the chariots backward, for they boded anguish in their hearts, And +the charioteers were amazed when they saw the unwearying fire blaze fierce on +the head of the great-hearted son of Peleus, for the bright-eyed goddess Athene +made it blaze. Thrice from over the trench shouted mightily noble Achilles, and +thrice were the men of Troy confounded and their proud allies. Yea there and +then perished twelve men of their best by their own chariot wheels and spears. +But the Achaians with joy drew Patroklos forth of the darts and laid him on a +litter, and his dear comrades stood around lamenting him; and among them +followed fleet-footed Achilles, shedding hot tears, for his true comrade he saw +lying on the bier, mangled by the keen bronze. Him sent he forth with chariot +and horses unto the battle, but home again welcomed never more. +</p> + +<p> +Then Hera the ox-eyed queen sent down the unwearying Sun to be gone unwillingly +unto the streams of Ocean. So the Sun set, and the noble Achaians made pause +from the stress of battle and the hazardous war. +</p> + +<p> +But the Achaians all night made moan in lamentation for Patroklos. And first of +them in the loud lamentation was the son of Peleus, laying upon the breast of +his comrade his man-slaying hands and moaning very sore, even as a deep-bearded +lion whose whelps some stag-hunter hath snatched away out of a deep wood; and +the lion coming afterward grieveth and through many glens he rangeth on the +track of the footsteps of the man, if anywhere he might find him, for most +bitter anger seizeth him;—thus Achilles moaning heavily spake among the +Myrmidons: &ldquo;Ay me, vain verily was the word I uttered on that day when I +cheered the hero Menoitios in his halls and said that I would bring back to +Opoeis his son in glory from the sack of Ilios with the share of spoil that +should fall unto him. Not all the purposes of men doth Zeus accomplish for +them. It is appointed that both of us redden the same earth with our blood here +in Troy-land, for neither shall the old knight Peleus welcome me back home +within his halls, nor my mother Thetis, but even here shall earth keep hold on +me. Yet now, O Patroklos, since I follow thee under earth, I will not hold thy +funeral till I have brought hither the armour and the head of Hector, thy +high-hearted slayer, and before thy pyre I will cut the throats of twelve noble +sons of the men of Troy, for mine anger thou art slain. Till then beside the +beaked ships shalt thou lie as thou art, and around thee deep-bosomed women, +Trojan and Dardanian, shall mourn thee weeping night and day, even they whom we +toiled to win by our strength and, our long spears when we sacked rich cities +of mortal men.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake noble Achilles, and bade his comrades set a great tripod on the +fire, that with all speed they might wash from Patroklos the bloody gore. So +they set a tripod of ablution on the burning fire, and poured therein water and +took wood and kindled it beneath; and the fire wrapped the belly of the tripod, +and the water grew hot. And when the water boiled in the bright bronze, then +washed they him and anointed with olive oil, and filled his wounds with fresh +ointment, and laid him on a bier and covered him with soft cloth from head to +foot, and thereover a white robe. Then all night around Achilles fleet of foot +the Myrmidons made lament and moan for Patroklos. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile Zeus spake unto Hera his sister and wife: &ldquo;Thou hast +accomplished this, O Hera, ox-eyed queen, thou hast aroused Achilles fleet of +foot. Verily of thine own children must the flowing-haired Achaians be.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then answered unto him Hera the ox-eyed queen: &ldquo;Most dread son of Kronos, +what is this word thou hast said? Truly even a man, I ween, is to accomplish +what he may for another man, albeit he is mortal and hath not wisdom as we. How +then was I who avow me the first of goddesses both by birth and for that I am +called thy wife, and thou art king among all Immortals—how was I not in mine +anger to devise evil against the men of Troy?&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So debated they on this wise with one another. But Thetis of the silver feet +came unto the house of Hephaistos, imperishable, starlike, far seen among the +dwellings of Immortals, a house of bronze, wrought by the crook-footed god +himself. Him found she sweating in toil and busy about his bellows, for he was +forging tripods twenty in all to stand around the wall of his stablished hall, +and beneath the base of each he had set golden wheels, that of their own motion +they might enter the assembly of the gods and again return unto his house, a +marvel to look upon. Thus much were they finished that not yet were away from +the fire, and gathered all his gear wherewith he worked into a silver chest; +and with a sponge he wiped his face and hands and sturdy neck and shaggy +breast, and did on his doublet, and took a stout staff and went forth limping; +but there were handmaidens of gold that moved to help their lord, the +semblances of living maids. In them is understanding at their hearts, in them +are voice and strength, and they have skill of the immortal gods. These moved +beneath their lord, and he gat him haltingly near to where Thetis was, and set +him on a bright seat, and clasped her hand in his and spake and called her by +her name: &ldquo;Wherefore, long-robed Thetis, comest thou to our house, +honoured that thou art and dear? No frequent comer art thou hitherto. Speak +what thou hast at heart; my soul is fain to accomplish it; if accomplish it I +can, and if it be appointed for accomplishment.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then answered unto him Thetis shedding tears: &ldquo;Hephaistos, hath there +verily been any of all goddesses in Olympus that hath endured so many grievous +sorrows at heart as are the woes that Kronian Zeus hath laid upon me above all +others? He chose me from among the sisters of the sea to enthrall me to a man, +even Peleus Aiakos&rsquo; son, and with a man I endured wedlock sore against my +will. Now lieth he in his halls forspent with grievous age, but other griefs +are mine. A son he gave me to bear and nourish, the chief of heroes, and he +shot up like a young branch. Like a plant in a very fruitful field I reared him +and sent him forth on beaked ships to Ilios to fight against the men of Troy, +but never again shall I welcome him back to his home within the house of +Peleus. And while he yet liveth in my sight and beholdeth the light of the sun, +he sorroweth, neither can I help him any whit though I go unto him. The maiden +whom the sons of the Achaians chose out to be his prize, her hath the lord +Agamemnon taken back out of his hands. In grief for her wasted he his heart, +while the men of Troy were driving the Achaians on their ships, nor suffered +them to come forth. And the elders of the Argives entreated him, and told over +many noble gifts. Then albeit himself he refused to ward destruction from them, +he put his armour on Patroklos and sent him to the war, and much people with +him. All day they fought around the Skaian gates and that same day had sacked +the town, but that when now Menoitios&rsquo; valiant son had wrought much harm, +Apollo slew him in the forefront of the battle, and gave glory unto Hector. +Therefore now come I a suppliant unto thy knees, if haply thou be willing to +give my short-lived son shield and helmet, and goodly greaves fitted with +ankle-pieces, and cuirass. For the armour that he had erst, his trusty comrade +lost when he fell beneath the men of Troy; and my son lieth on the earth with +anguish in his soul.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then made answer unto her the lame god of great renown: &ldquo;Be of good +courage, let not these things trouble thy heart. Would that so might I avail to +hide him far from dolorous death, when dread fate cometh upon him, as surely +shall goodly armour be at his need, such as all men afterward shall marvel at, +whatsoever may behold.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying he left her there and went unto his bellows and turned them upon +the fire and bade them work. And the bellows, twenty in all, blew on the +crucibles, sending deft blasts on every side, now to aid his labour and now +anon howsoever Hephaistos willed and the work went on. And he threw bronze that +weareth not into the fire, and tin and precious gold and silver, and next he +set on an anvil-stand a great anvil, and took in his hand a sturdy hammer, and +in the other he took the tongs. +</p> + +<p> +First fashioned he a shield great and strong, adorning it all over, and set +thereto a shining rim, triple, bright-glancing, and therefrom a silver baldric. +Five were the folds of the shield itself; and therein fashioned he much cunning +work from his wise heart. +</p> + +<p> +There wrought he the earth, and the heavens, and the sea, and the unwearying +sun, and the moon waxing to the full, and the signs every one wherewith the +heavens are crowned, Pleiads and Hyads and Oriol&rsquo;s might, and the Bear +that men call also the Wain, her that turneth in her place and watcheth Orion, +and alone hath no part in the baths of Ocean. +</p> + +<p> +Also he fashioned therein two fair cities of mortal men. In the one were +espousals and marriage feasts, and beneath the blaze of torches they were +leading the brides from their chambers through the city, and loud arose the +bridal song. And young men were whirling in the dance, and among them flutes +and viols sounded high; and women standing each at her door were marvelling. +But the folk were gathered in the assembly place; for there a strife was +arisen, two men striving about the blood-price of a man slain; the one claimed +to pay full atonement, expounding to the people, but the other denied him and +would take naught. And the folk were cheering both, as they took part on either +side. And heralds kept order among the folk, while the elders on polished +stones were sitting in the sacred circle, and holding in their hands staves +from the loud-voiced heralds. Then before the people they rose up and gave +judgment each in turn. And in the midst lay two talents of gold, to be given +unto him who should plead among them most righteously. +</p> + +<p> +But around the other city were two armies in siege with glittering arms. And +two counsels found favour among them, either to sack the town or to share all +with the townsfolk even whatsoever substance the fair city held within. But the +besieged were not yet yielding, but arming for an ambushment. On the wall there +stood to guard it their dear wives and infant children, and with these the old +men; but the rest went forth, and their leaders were Ares and Pallas Athene, +both wrought in gold, and golden was the vesture they had on. Goodly and great +were they in their armour, even as gods, far seen around, and the folk at their +feet were smaller. And when they came where it seemed good to them to lay +ambush, in a river bed where there was a common watering-place of herds, there +they set them, clad in glittering bronze. And two scouts were posted by them +afar off to spy the coming of flocks and of oxen with crooked horns. And +presently came the cattle, and with them two herdsmen playing on pipes, that +took no thought of the guile. Then the others when they beheld these ran upon +them and quickly cut off the herds of oxen and fair flocks of white sheep, and +slew the shepherds withal. But the besiegers, as they sat before the +speech-places [from which the orators spoke] and heard much din among the oxen, +mounted forthwith behind their high-stepping horses, and came up with speed. +Then they arrayed their battle and fought beside the river banks, and smote one +another with bronze-shod spears. And among them mingled Strife and Tumult, and +fell Death, grasping one man alive fresh-wounded, another without wound, and +dragging another dead through the mellay by the feet; and the raiment on her +shoulders was red with the blood of men. Like living mortals they hurled +together and fought, and haled the corpses each of the other&rsquo;s slain. +</p> + +<p> +Furthermore he set in the shield a soft fresh-ploughed field, rich tilth and +wide, the third time ploughed; and many ploughers therein drave their yokes to +and fro as they wheeled about. Whensoever they came to the boundary of the +field and turned, then would a man come to each and give into his hands a +goblet of sweet wine, while others would be turning back along the furrows, +fain to reach the boundary of the deep tilth. And the field grew black behind +and seemed as it were a-ploughing, albeit of gold, for this was the great +marvel of the work. +</p> + +<p> +Furthermore he set therein the demesne-land of a king, where hinds were reaping +with sharp sickles in their hands. Some armfuls along the swathe were falling +in rows to the earth, whilst others the sheaf-binders were binding in twisted +bands of straw. Three sheaf-binders stood over them, while behind boys +gathering corn and bearing it in their arms gave it constantly to the binders; +and among them the king in silence was standing at the swathe with his staff, +rejoicing in his heart. And henchmen apart beneath an oak were making ready a +feast, and preparing a great ox they had sacrificed; while the women were +strewing much white barley to be a supper for the hinds. +</p> + +<p> +Also he set therein a vineyard teeming plenteously with clusters, wrought fair +in gold; black were the grapes, but the vines hung throughout on silver poles. +And around it he ran a ditch of cyanus, and round that a fence of tin; and one +single pathway led to it, whereby the vintagers might go when they should +gather the vintage. And maidens and striplings in childish glee bare the sweet +fruit in plaited baskets. And in the midst of them a boy made pleasant music on +a clear-toned viol, and sang thereto a sweet Linos-song [probably a lament for +departing summer] with delicate voice; while the rest with feet falling +together kept time with the music and song. +</p> + +<p> +Also he wrought therein a herd of kine with upright horns, and the kine were +fashioned of gold and tin, and with lowing they hurried from the byre to +pasture beside a murmuring river, beside the waving reed. And herdsmen of gold +were following with the kine, four of them, and nine dogs fleet of foot came +after them. But two terrible lions among the foremost kine had seized a +loud-roaring bull that bellowed mightily as they haled him, and the dogs and +the young men sped after him. The lions rending the great bull&rsquo;s hide +were devouring his vitals and his black blood; while the herdsmen in vain +tarred on their fleet dogs to set on, for they shrank from biting the lions but +stood hard by and barked and swerved away. +</p> + +<p> +Also the glorious lame god wrought therein a pasture in a fair glen, a great +pasture of white sheep, and a steading, and roofed huts, and folds. +</p> + +<p> +Also did the glorious lame god devise a dancing-place like unto that which once +in wide Knosos Daidalos wrought for Ariadne of the lovely tresses. There were +youths dancing and maidens of costly wooing, their hands upon one +another&rsquo;s wrists. Fine linen the maidens had on, and the youths +well-woven doublets faintly glistening with oil. Fair wreaths had the maidens, +and the youths daggers of gold hanging from silver baldrics. And now would they +run round with deft feet exceeding lightly, as when a potter sitting by his +wheel that fitteth between his hands maketh trial of it whether it run: and now +anon they would run in lines to meet each other. And a great company stood +round the lovely dance in joy; and through the midst of them, leading the +measure, two tumblers whirled. +</p> + +<p> +Also he set therein the great might of the River of Ocean around the uttermost +rim of the cunningly-fashioned shield. +</p> + +<p> +Now when he had wrought the shield great and strong, then wrought he him a +corslet brighter than a flame of fire, and he wrought him a massive helmet to +fit his brows, goodly and graven, and set thereon a crest of gold, and he +wrought him greaves of pliant tin. +</p> + +<p> +So when the renowned lame god had finished all the armour, he took and laid it +before the mother of Achilles. Then she like a falcon sprang down from snowy +Olympus, bearing from Hephaistos the glittering arms. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> diff --git a/live/19.htm b/live/19.htm @@ -0,0 +1,397 @@ +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap19"></a>BOOK XIX.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +How Achilles and Agamemnon were reconciled before the assembly of the Achaians, +and Achilles went forth with them to battle. +</p> + +<p> +Now Morning saffron-robed arose from the streams of Ocean to bring light to +gods and men, and Thetis came to the ships, bearing his gift from the god. Her +dear son she found fallen about Patroklos and uttering loud lament; and round +him many of his company made moan. And the bright goddess stood beside him in +their midst, and clasped her hand in his and spake and called upon his name: +&ldquo;My child, him who lieth here we must let be, for all our pain, for by +the will of gods from the beginning was he brought low. But thou take from +Hephaistos arms of pride, arms passing goodly, such as no man on his shoulders +yet hath borne.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake the goddess and in front of Aehifies laid the arms, and they rang +all again in their glory. And awe fell on all the Myrmidons, nor dared any to +gaze thereon, for they were awe-stricken. But when Achilles looked thereon, +then came fury upon him the more, and his eyes blazed terribly forth as it were +a flame beneath their lids: glad was he as he held in his hands that splendid +gift of a god. But when he had satisfied his soul in gazing on the glory of the +arms, straightway to his mother spake he winged words: &ldquo;My mother, the +arms the god has given are such as it beseemeth that the work of Immortals +should be, and that no mortal man should have wrought. Now therefore will I arm +me in them, but I have grievous fear lest meantime on the gashed wounds of +Menoitios&rsquo; valiant son flies light and breed worms therein, and defile +his corpse—for the life is slain out of him—and so all his flesh shall +rot.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then answered him Thetis, goddess of the silver feet: &ldquo;Child, have no +care for this within thy mind. I will see to ward from him the cruel tribes of +flies which prey on men slain in fight: for even though he lie till a whole +year&rsquo;s course be run, yet his flesh shall be sound continually, or better +even than now. But call thou the Achaian warriors to the place of assembly, and +unsay thy wrath against Agamemnon shepherd of the host, and then arm swiftly +for battle, and clothe thee with thy strength.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying she filled him with adventurous might, while on Patroklos she shed +ambrosia and red nectar through his nostrils, that his flesh might abide the +same continually. +</p> + +<p> +But noble Achilles went down the beach of the sea, crying his terrible cry, and +roused the Achaian warriors. And they who before were wont to abide in the +circle of the ships, and they who were helmsmen and kept the steerage of the +ships, or were stewards there and dealt out food, even these came then to the +place of assembly, because Achilles was come forth, after long ceasing from +grievous war. Limping came two of Ares&rsquo; company, Tydeus&rsquo; son +staunch in fight and noble Odysseus, each leaning on his spear, for their +wounds were grievous still; and they went and sate them down in the forefront +of the assembly. And last came Agamemnon king of men, with his wound upon him, +for him too in the stress of battle Kooen Antenor&rsquo;s son had wounded with +his bronze-tipped spear. But when all the Achaians were gathered, then uprose +fleet-footed Achilles and spake in their midst: &ldquo;Son of Atreus, was this +in any wise the better way for both thee and me, what time with grief at our +hearts we waxed fierce in soul-devouring strife for the sake of a girl? Would +that Artemis had slain her with her arrow at the ships, on the day whereon I +took her to me, when I had spoiled Lyrnessos; so should not then so many +Achaians have bitten the wide earth beneath their enemies&rsquo; hands, by +reason of my exceeding wrath. It hath been well for Hector and the Trojans, but +the Achaians I think shall long remember the strife that was betwixt thee and +me. But bygones will we let be, for all our pain, and curb under necessity the +spirit within our breasts. I now will stay my anger: it beseems me not +implacably for ever to be wroth; but come rouse speedily to the fight the +flowing-haired Achaians, that I may go forth against the men of Troy and put +them yet again to the proof, if they be fain to couch hard by the ships. +Methinks that some among them shall be glad to rest their knees when they are +fled out of the fierceness of the battle, and from before our spear.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and the well-greaved Achaians rejoiced that the great-hearted son of +Peleus had made renouncement of his wrath. Then among them spake Agamemnon king +of men, speaking from the place where he sat, not arisen to stand forth in +their midst: &ldquo;O Danaan friends and heroes, men of Ares&rsquo; company, +seemly is it to listen to him who standeth up to speak, nor behoveth it to +break in upon his words: even toward a skilled man that were hard. For amid the +uproar of many men how should one listen, or yet speak? even the +clearest-voiced speech is marred. To the son of Peleus I will declare myself, +but ye other Argives give heed, and each mark well my word. Oft have the +Achaians spoken thus to me, and upbraided me; but it is not I who am the cause, +but Zeus and Destiny and Erinys that walketh in the darkness, who put into my +soul fierce madness on the day when in the assembly I, even I, bereft Achilles +of his meed. What could I do? it is God who accomplisheth all. Eldest daughter +of Zeus is Ate who blindeth all, a power of bane: delicate are her feet, for +not upon the earth she goeth, but walketh over the heads of men, making men +fall; and entangleth this one or that. Ye even Zeus was blinded upon a time, he +who they say is greatest among gods and men; yet even him Hera with a female +wile deceived, on the day when Alkmene in fair-crowned Thebes was to bring +forth the strength of Herakles. For then proclaimed he solemnly among the gods: +&lsquo;Here me ye all, both gods and goddesses, while I utter the council of my +soul within my heart. This day shall Eileithuia, the help of travailing women, +bring to the light a man who shall be lord over all that dwell round about, +among the raise of men who are sprung of me by blood.&rsquo; And to him in +subtlety queen Hera spake: &lsquo;Though wilt play the cheat and not accomplish +thy word. Come now, Olympian, swear me a firm oath that verily and indeed shall +that man be lord over all that dwell round about, who this day shall fall +between a womal&rsquo;s feet, even he among all men who are of the lineage of +thy blood.&rsquo; So spake she, and Zeus no wise perceived her subtlety but +sware a mighty oath, and therewith was he sore blinded. For Hera darted from +Olympus&rsquo; peak and came swiftly to Achaian Argus, were she knew was the +stately wife of Sthenelos son of Perseus, who was also great with child, and +her seventh month had come. Her son Hera brought to the light, though his tale +of months was untold, but she stayed Alkmene&rsquo;s bearing and kept the +Eileithuiai from her aid. Then she brought the tidings herself and to +Kronos&rsquo; son Zeus she spake: &lsquo;Father Zeus of the bright lightning, a +word will I speak to thee for my heed. Today is born a man of valor who shall +rule among the Archives, Eurystheus, son of Sthenelos the son of Perseus, of +thy lineage; not unmeet is it that he be lord among Argives.&rsquo; She said, +but sharp pain smote him in the depths of his soul, and straightway he seized +Ate by her bright-haired head in the anger of his soul, and sware a mighty oath +that never again to Olympus and the starry heaven should Ate come, who blindeth +all alike. He said, and whirling her in his hand flung her from the starry +heaven, and quickly came she down among the works of men. Yet ever he groaned +against her when he beheld his beloved son in cruel travail at +Eurystheus&rsquo; hest. Thus also I, what time great Hector of the glancing +helm was slaying Argives at the sterns of our ships, could not be unmindful of +Ate, who blinded me at the first. But since thus blinded was I, and Zeus bereft +me of my wit, fain am I to make amends, and recompense manifold for the wrong. +Only arise thou to the battle and rouse the rest of the host. Gifts am I ready +to offer, even all that noble Odysseus went yesterday to promise in thy hut. +So, if thou wilt, stay awhile, though eager, from battle, and squires shall +take the gifts from my ship and carry them to thee, that thou mayest see that +what I give sufficeth thee.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then answered him Achilles swift of foot: &ldquo;Most noble son of Atreus, +Agamemnon king of men, for the gifts, to give them as it beseemeth, if so thou +wilt, or to withhold, is in thy choice. But now let us bethink us of battle +with all speed; this is no time to dally here with subtleties, for a great work +is yet undone. Once more must Achilles be seen in the forefront of the battle, +laying waste with his brazen spear the battalions of the men of Troy. Thereof +let each of you think as he fighteth with his man.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him and said: &ldquo;Nay yet, for all +thy valour, godlike Achilles, not against Ilios lead thou the sons of Achaians +fasting to fight the men of Troy, since not of short spell shall the battle be, +when once the ranks of men are met, and God shall breathe valour into both. But +bid the Achaians taste at the swift ships food and wine; for thence is vigour +and might. For no man fasting from food shall be able to fight with the foe all +day till the going down of the sun; for though his spirit be eager for battle +yet his limbs unaware grow weary, and thirst besetteth him, and hunger, and his +knees in his going fail. But the man who having his fill of food and wine +fighteth thus all day against the enemy, his heart is of good cheer within him, +nor anywise tire his limbs, ere all give back from battle. So come, disperse +the host and bid them make ready their meal. And the gifts let Agamemnon king +of men bring forth into the midst of the assembly, that all Achaians may behold +them with their eyes, and thou be glad at heart. And let him swear to thee an +oath, standing in the midst of the Argives, that he hath never gone up into the +damsel&rsquo;s bed or lain with her, [O prince, as is the wont of man with +woman]; and let thine own spirit be placable within thy breast. Then let him +make thee a rich feast of reconcilement in his hut, that thou have nothing +lacking of thy right. And thou, son of Atreus, toward others also shalt be more +righteous hereafter; for no shame it is that a man that is a king should make +amends if he have been the first to deal violently.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then to him spake Agamemnon king of men: &ldquo;Son of Laertes, I rejoice to +listen to thy speech; for rightfully hast thou told over all. And the oath I am +willing to swear, yea my heart biddeth it, nor will I forswear myself before +God. Let Achilles abide for a space, eager for battle though he be, and all ye +others abide together, until the gifts come forth from my hut, and we make +faithful oath with sacrifice. But thee thyself I thus charge and bid. Choose +thee young men, princes of the Achaian folk, and bear my gifts from my ship, +even all that we promised yesterday to Achilles, and take with thee the women. +And let Talthybios speedily make me ready a boar-swine in the midst of the wide +Achaian host, to sacrifice to Zeus and to the Sun.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And to him in answer swift-footed Achilles spake: &ldquo;Most noble son of +Atreus, Agamemnon king of men, at some other time were it even better ye should +be busied thus, when haply there shall be some pause of war, and the spirit +within my breast shall be less fierce. But now they lie mangled on the +field—even they whom Hector son of Priam slew, when Zeus gave him glory—and ye +call men to their food. Verily for my part I would bid the sons of the Achaians +to fight now unfed and fasting, and with the setting sun make ready a mighty +meal, when we shall have avenged the shame. Till then down my throat at least +nor food nor drink shall go, since my comrade is dead, who in my hut is lying +mangled by the sharp spear, with his feet toward the door, and round him our +comrades mourn, wherefore in my heart to no thought of those matters, but of +slaying, and blood, and grievous moans of men.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then answered him Odysseus of many counsels: &ldquo;O Achilles, Peleus&rsquo; +son, mightiest of Achaians far, better and mightier not a little art thou than +I with the spear, but in counsel I may surpass thee greatly, since I was born +first and know more things: wherefore let thy heart endure to listen to my +speech. Quickly have men surfeit of battle, of that wherein the sword streweth +most straw yet is the harvest scantiest, [i.e., in a pitched battle there is +little plunder, the hope of which might help to sustain mel&rsquo;s efforts in +storming a town] when Zeus inclineth his balance, who is disposer of the wars +of men. But it cannot be that the Achaians fast to mourn a corpse; for +exceeding many and thick fall such on every day; when then should there be rest +from toil? Nay, it behoveth to bury him who is dead, steeling our hearts, when +once we have wept him for a day; but such as are left alive from hateful war +must take thought of meat and drink, that yet more against our foes we may +fight relentlessly ever, clad in unyielding bronze. Then let none of the host +hold back awaiting other summons; this is the summons, and ill shall it be for +whoso is left behind at the Argive ships; but all together as one we will rouse +against the horse-taming Trojans the fury of war.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He spoke, and took with him the sons of noble Nestor, and Meges son of Phyleus, +and Thoas, and Meriones, and Lykomedes son of Kreiontes, and Melanippos. And +they went on their way to the hut of Agamemnon, Atreus&rsquo; son. Forthwith as +the word was spoken so was the deed done. Seven tripods they bare from the hut, +as he promised him, and twenty bright caldrons, and twelve horses, and anon +they led forth women skilled in goodly arts, seven, and the eighth was +fair-faced Briseis. Then Odysseus, having weighed ten talents of gold in all, +led the way, and with him young men of the Achaians bare the gifts. These they +set in the midst of the place of assembly, and Agamemnon rose up, and beside +that shepherd of the host stood Talthybios, whose voice was like a god&rsquo;s, +and held a boar between his hands. And the son of Atreus drawing with his hands +his knife, which ever hung beside the mighty scabbard of his sword, cut off the +first hairs from the boar, and lifting up his hands he prayed to Zeus, and all +the Argives sat silent in their places, duly hearkening to the king. And he +prayed aloud, looking up to the wide heaven: &ldquo;Be Zeus before all witness, +highest and best of the gods, and Earth, and Sun, and Erinyes, who under earth +take vengeance upon men, whosoever for-sweareth himself, that never have I laid +hand on the damsel Briseis, neither to lie with her nor anywise else, but she +has abode untouched within my huts. And if aught that I swear be false, may the +gods give me all sorrows manifold, that they send on him who sinneth against +them in his oath.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and cut the boar&rsquo;s throat with the pitiless knife. And the body +Taithybios whirled and threw into the great wash of the hoary sea, to be the +food of fishes; but Achilles arose up and spake in the midst of the warrior +Argives: &ldquo;Father Zeus, sore madness dealest thou verily to men. Never +could the son of Atreus have stirred the soul within my breast, nor led off the +damsel implacably against my will, had not Zeus willed that on many of the +Achaians death should come. But now go forth to your meal, that we may join +battle thereupon.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake and dispersed the assembly with all speed. The rest were +scattered each to his own ship, but the great-hearted Myrmidons took up the +gifts, and bare them to the ship of godlike Achilles. And they laid them in the +huts and set the women there, and gallant squires drave the horses among their +troop. +</p> + +<p> +But Briseis that was like unto golden Aphrodite, when she beheld Patroklos +mangled by the keen spear, fell about him and made shrill lament, and tore with +her hands her breast and tender neck, and beautiful face. And she spake amid +her weeping, that woman like unto goddesses: &ldquo;Patroklos, dearest to my +hapless heart, alive I left thee when I left this hut, but now, O prince of the +people, I am come back to find thee dead; thus evil ever followeth evil in my +lot. My husband, unto whom my father and lady mother gave me, I beheld before +our city mangled with the keen spear, and my three brothers whom my own mother +bore, my near and dear, who all met their day of doom. But thou, when swift +Achilles slew my husband and wasted godlike Mynes&rsquo; city, wouldest ever +that I should not even weep, and saidest that thou wouldst make me godlike +Achilles&rsquo; wedded wife, and that ye would take me in your ships to Phthia +and make me a marriage feast among the Myrmidons. Therefore with all my soul I +mourn thy death, for thou wert ever kind.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake she weeping, and thereon the women wailed, in semblance for +Patroklos, but each for her own woe. But round Achilles gathered the elders of +the Achaians, praying him that he would eat; but he denied them with a groan: +&ldquo;I pray you, if any kind comrade will hearken to me, bid me not sate my +heart with meat and drink, since terrible grief is come upon me. Till the sun +go down I will abide, and endure continually until then.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He spoke, and his speech made the other chiefs depart, but the two sons of +Atreus stayed, and noble Odysseus, and Nestor and Idomeneus and Phoinox, +ancient knight, soothing him in his exceeding sorrow, but he could no whit be +soothed until he had entered the mouth of bloody war. And bethinking him he +sighed very heavily and spake aloud: &ldquo;Thou too, O hapless, dearest of my +friends, thyself wouldst verily of yore set forth in out hut with ready speed a +savoury meal, what time the Achaians hasted to wage against the horse-taming +Trojans dolorous war. But now thou liest mangled, and my heart will none of +meat and drink, that stand within, for desire of thee. Nought worse than this +could I endure, not though I should hear of my father&rsquo;s death, who now I +ween in Phthia is shedding big tears for lack of a son so dear, even me that in +an alien land for sake of baleful Helen do battle with the men of Troy; nor +though it were my beloved son who is reared for me in Skyros (if still at least +is godlike Neoptolemos alive). For hitherto had my soul within me trusted that +I alone should perish far from horse-pasturing Argos, here in the Trojan land, +but that thou shouldest return to Phthia, so that thou mightest take me the +child in thy swift black ship from Skyros and show him everything—my substance +and servants, and high-roofed mighty hall. For Peleus I ween already must be +dead and gone, or else in feeble life he hath sorrow of age, and of waiting +ever for bitter news of me, till he hear that I am dead.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he weeping, and the elders mourned with him, bethinking them what +each had left at home. And when the son of Kronos beheld them sorrowing he +pitied them, and forthwith to Athene spake he winged words: &ldquo;My child, +thou hast then left utterly the man of thy heart. Hath Achilles then no longer +a place within thy thought? He before the steep-prowed ships sits mourning his +dear comrade; the rest are gone to their meal, but he is fasting and unfed. But +go, distil into his breast nectar and pleasant ambrosia, that no pains of +hunger come on him.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying he sped forward Athene who before was fain. And she, like a falcon +wide-winged and shrill-voiced, hurled herself forth from heaven through the +upper air. So while the Achaians were arming presently throughout the camp, she +in Achilles&rsquo; breast distilled nectar and pleasant ambrosia, that grievous +hunger might not assail his knees, and then herself was gone to the firm house +of her mighty father. Then the Achaians poured forth from the swift ships. As +when thick snowflakes flutter down from Zeus, chill beneath the blast of Boreas +born in the upper air, so thick from the ships streamed forth bright glittering +helms and bossy shields, strong-plaited cuirasses and ashen spears. And the +sheen thereof went up to heaven and all the earth around laughed in the flash +of bronze, and there went a sound beneath the feet of the men, and in the midst +of them noble Achilles harnessed him. His teeth gnashed together, and his eyes +blazed as it were the flame of a fire, for into his heart was intolerable +anguish entered in. Thus wroth against the men of Troy he put on the gift of +the god, which Hephaistos wrought him by his art. First on his legs he set the +fair greaves fitted with silver ankle-pieces, and next he donned the cuirass +about his breast. Then round his shoulders he slung the bronze sword +silver-studded; then lastly he took the great and strong shield, and its +brightness shone afar off as the mool&rsquo;s. Or as when over the sea there +appeareth to sailors the brightness of a burning fire, and it burneth on high +among the mountains in some lonely steading—sailors whom storm-blasts bear +unwilling over the sea, the home of fishes, afar from them they love:— so from +Achilles&rsquo; goodly well-dight shield the brightness thereof shot up toward +heaven. And he lifted the stout helmet and set it on his head, and like a star +it shone, the horse-hair crested helmet, and around it waved plumes of gold +that Hephaistos had set thick about the crest. Then noble Achilles proved him +in his armour to know whether it fitted unto him, and whether his glorious +limbs ran free; and it became to him as it were wings, and buoyed up the +shepherd of hosts. +</p> + +<p> +And forth from its stand he drew his father&rsquo;s spear, heavy and great and +strong: that spear could none other of the Achaians wield, but Achilles alone +awaited to wield it, the Pelian ashen spear that Cheiron gave to his father +dear, from a peak of Pelion, to be the death of warriors. And Automedon and +Alkimos went about to yoke the horses, and put on them fair breast-straps, and +bits within their jaws, and stretched the reins behind to the firm-built +chariot. Then Automedon took the bright lash, fitted to his hand, and sprang up +behind the horses, and after him mounted Achilles armed, effulgent in his +armour like bright Hyperion. And terribly he called upon the horses of his +sire: &ldquo;Xanthos and Balios, famed children of Podarge, in other sort take +heed to bring your charioteer safe back to the Danaan host, when we have done +with battle, and leave him not as ye left Patroklos to lie there dead.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then the horse Xanthos of glancing feet made answer unto him from beneath the +yoke;—and he bowed with his head, and all his mane fell from the yoke-cushion +beside the yoke and touched the ground;—for the white-armed goddess Hera gave +him speech: &ldquo;Yea verily for this hour, dread Achilles, we will still bear +thee safe, yet is thy death day nigh at hand, neither shall we be cause +thereof, but a mighty god, and forceful Fate. For not through sloth or +heedlessness of ours did the men of Troy from Patrokios&rsquo; shoulders strip +his arms, but the best of the gods, whom bright-haired Leto bore, slew him in +the forefront of the battle, and to Hector gave renown. We even with the wind +of Zephyr, swiftest, they say, of all winds, well might run; nathless to thee +thyself it is appointed to be slain in fight by a god and by a man.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Now when he had thus spoken the Erinyes stayed his voice. And sore troubled did +fleet-footed Achilles answer him: &ldquo;Xanthos, why prophesiest thou my +death? no wise behoveth it thee. Well know I of myself that it is appointed me +to perish here, far from my father dear and mother; howbeit anywise I will not +refrain till I give the Trojans surfeit of war.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and with a cry among the foremost held on his whole-hooved steeds. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> diff --git a/live/20.htm b/live/20.htm @@ -0,0 +1,489 @@ +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap20"></a>BOOK XX.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +How Achilles made havoc among the men of Troy. +</p> + +<p> +So by the beaked ships around thee, son of Peleus, hungry for war, the Achaians +armed; and over against them the men of Troy, upon the high ground of the +plain. +</p> + +<p> +But Zeus bade Themis call the gods to council from many-folded Olympus&rsquo; +brow; and she ranged all about and bade them to the house of Zeus. There was no +River came not up, save only Ocean, nor any nymph, of all that haunt fair +thickets and springs of rivers and grassy water-meadows. And they came to the +house of Zeus who gathereth the clouds, and sat them down in the polished +colonnades which Hephaistos in the cunning of his heart had wrought for father +Zeus. +</p> + +<p> +Thus gathered they within the doors of Zeus; nor was the Earthshaker heedless +of the goddess&rsquo; call, but from the salt sea came up after the rest, and +set him in the midst, and inquired concerning the purpose of Zeus: +&ldquo;Wherefore, O Lord of the bright lightning, hast thou called the gods +again to council? Say, ponderest thou somewhat concerning the Trojans and +Achaians? for lo, the war and the fighting of them are kindled very +nigh.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And Zeus, who gathered the clouds, answered him, saying: &ldquo;Thou knowest, O +Earthshaker, the purpose within my breast, wherefor I gathered you hither; even +in their perishing have I regard unto them. But for me I will abide here, +sitting within a fold of Olympus, where I will gladden my heart with gazing; +but go all ye forth that ye come among the Trojans and Achaians and succour +these or those, howsoever each of you hath a mind. For if Achilles alone shall +fight against the Trojans, not even a little while shall they hold back the son +of Peleus, the fleet of foot. Nay, but even aforetime they trembled when they +looked upon him; now therefore that his wrath for his friend is waxen terrible +I fear me lest he overleap the bound of fate, and storm the wall.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake the son of Kronos, and roused unabating war. For on this side and on +that the gods went forth to war: to the company of the ships went Hera, and +Pallas Athene, and Poseidon, Earth-enfolder, and the Helper Hermes, pro-eminent +in subtle thoughts; and with these went Hephaistos in the greatness of his +strength, halting, but his shrunk legs moved nimbly under him: but to the +Trojans went Ares of the glancing helm, and with him Phoebus of the unshorn +hair, and archer Artemis, and Leto and Xanthos and laughter-loving Aphrodite. +</p> + +<p> +Now for so long as gods were afar from mortal men, so long waxed the Achaians +glorious, for that Achilles was come forth among them, and his long ceasing +from grim battle was at an end. And the Trojans were smitten with sore +trembling in the limbs of every one of them, in terror when they beheld the son +of Peleus, fleet of foot, blazing in his arms, peer of man-slaying Ares. But +when among the mellay of men the Olympians were come down, then leapt up in her +might Strife, rouser of hosts, then sent forth Athene a cry, now standing by +the hollowed trench without the wall, and now on the echoing shores she shouted +aloud. And a shout uttered Ares against her, terrible as the blackness of the +storm, now from the height of the city to the Trojans calling clear, or again +along Simois shore over Kallikolon he sped. +</p> + +<p> +So urged the blessed gods both hosts to battle, then themselves burst into +fierce war. And terribly thundered the father of gods and men from heaven +above; and from beneath Poseidon made the vast earth shake and the steep +mountain tops. Then trembled all the spurs of many-fountained Ida, and all her +crests, and the city of the Trojans, and the ships of the Achaians. And the +Lord of the Underworld, Aiedoneus, had terror in hell, and leapt from his +throne in that terror and cried aloud, lest the world be cloven above him by +Poseidon, Shaker of earth, and his dwelling-place be laid bare to mortals and +immortals—grim halls, and vast, and lothly to the gods. So loud the roar rose +of that battle of gods. For against King Poseidon stood Phoebus Apollo with his +winged arrows, and against Enyalios stood Athene, bright-eyed goddess, and +against Hera she of the golden shafts and echoing chase, even archer Artemis, +sister of the Far-darter; and against Leto the strong Helper Hermes, and +against Hephaistos the great deep-eddying River, whom gods call Xanthos and men +Skamandros. +</p> + +<p> +Thus gods with gods were matched. Meanwhile Achilles yearned above all to meet +Hector, son of Priam, in the fray; for with that blood chiefliest his spirit +bade him sate Ares, stubborn lord of war. But straightway Apollo, rouser of +hosts, moved Aineias to go to meet the son of Peleus, and filled him with brave +spirit: and he made his own voice like the voice of Lykaon the son of Priam; in +his semblance spake Apollo, son of Zeus: &ldquo;Aineias, counsellor of Trojans, +where now are thy threats wherewith thou didst boast to the Trojan lords over +thy wine, saying thou wouldest stand up in battle against Achilles, +Peleus&rsquo; son?&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And to him Aineias answered and said: &ldquo;Son of Priam, why biddest thou me +thus face the fierce son of Peleus in battle, though I be not fain thereto? Not +for the first time now shall I match me with Achilles, fleet of foot; once +before drave he me with his spear from Ida, when he harried our kine and wasted +Lyrnessos and Pedasos; but Zeus delivered me out of his hand and put strength +into my knees that they were swift. Else had I fallen beneath the hands of +Achilles, and of Athene who went before and gave him light, and urged him to +slay Leleges and Trojans with his spear of bronze. Therefore it is impossible +for man to face Achilles in fight, for that ever some god is at his side to +ward off death. Ay, and at any time his spear flieth straight, neither ceaseth +till it have pierced through flesh of man. But if God once give us fair field +of battle, not lightly shall he overcome me, not though he boast him made of +bronze throughout.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And to him in answer spake Apollo son of Zeus: &ldquo;Yea, hero, pray thou too +to the everliving gods; for thou too, men say, wast born of Aphrodite daughter +of Zeus, and Achilles&rsquo; mother is of less degree among the gods. For thy +mother is child of Zeus, his but of the Ancient One of the Sea. Come, bear up +thy unwearying spear against him, let him no wise turn thee back with revilings +and bitter words.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and breathed high spirit into the shepherd of the host, and he went +onward through the forefront of the fighting, harnessed in flashing bronze. But +white-armed Hera failed not to discern Anchises&rsquo; son as he went through +the press of men to meet the son of Peleus, and gathering the gods about her +she spake among them thus: &ldquo;Consider ye twain, Poseidon and Athene, +within your hearts, what shall come of these things that are done. Here is +Aineias gone forth harnessed in flashing bronze, to meet the son of Peleus, and +it is Phoebus Apollo that hath sent him. Come then, be it ours to turn him back +straightway; or else let some one of us stand likewise beside Achilles and give +him mighty power, so that he fail not in his spirit, but know that they who +love him are the best of the Immortals, and that they who from of old ward war +and fighting from the Trojans are vain as wind. All we from Olympus are come +down to mingle in this fight that he take no hurt among the Trojans on this +day—afterward he shall suffer whatsoever things Fate span for him with her +thread, at his beginning, when his mother bare him. If Achilles learn not this +from voice divine, then shall he be afraid when some god shall come against him +in the battle; for gods revealed are hard to look upon.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then to her made answer Poseidon, Shaker of the earth: &ldquo;Hera, be not +fierce beyond wisdom; it behoveth thee not. Not fain am I at least to match +gods with gods in strife. Let us go now into some high place apart and seat us +there to watch, and battle shall be left to men. Only if Ares or Phoebus Apollo +fall to fighting, or put constraint upon Achilles and hinder him from fight, +then straightway among us too shall go up the battle-cry of strife; right soon, +methinks, shall they hie them from the issue of the fray back to Olympus to the +company of the gods, overcome by the force of our hands.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake the blue-haired god, and led the way to the mounded wall of +heaven-sprung Herakles, that lofty wall built him by the Trojans and Pallas +Athene, that he might escape the monster and be safe from him, what time he +should make his onset from the beach to the plain. There sate them down +Poseidon and the other gods, and clothed their shoulders with impenetrable +cloud. And they of the other part sat down on the brows of Kallikolon around +thee, Archer Phoebus, and Ares waster of cities. Thus they on either side sat +devising counsels, but shrank all from falling to grievous war, and Zeus from +his high seat commanded them. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile the whole plain was filled with men and horses and ablaze with +bronze; and the earth rang with the feet of them as they rushed together in the +fray. Two men far better than the rest were meeting in the midst between the +hosts, eager for battle, Aineias, Anchises&rsquo; son, and noble Achilles. +First came on Aineias threateningly, tossing his strong helm; his rapid shield +he held before his breast, and brandished his bronze spear. And on the other +side the son of Peleus rushed to meet him like a lion, a ravaging lion whom men +desire to slay, a whole tribe assembled: and first he goeth his way unheeding, +but when some warrior youth hath smitten him with a spear, the he gathereth +himself open-mouthed, and foam cometh forth about his teeth, and his stout +spirit groaneth in his heart, and with his tail he scourgeth either side his +ribs and flanks and goadeth himself on to fight, and glaring is borne straight +on them by his passion, to try whether he shall slay some man of them, or +whether himself shall perish in the forefront of the throng: thus was Achilles +driven of his passion and valiant spirit to go forth to meet Aineias great of +heart. And when they were come near against each other, then first to Aineias +spake fleet-footed noble Achilles: &ldquo;Aineias, wherefore hast thou so far +come forward from the crowd to stand against me: doth thy heart bid thee fight +with me in hope of holding Priam&rsquo;s honour and lordship among the +horse-taming Trojans? Nay, though thou slay me, not for that will Priam lay his +kingdom in thy hands, for he hath sons, and is sound and of unshaken mind. Or +have the Trojans allotted thee some lot of ground more choice than all the +rest, fair land of tilth and orchard, that thou mayest dwell therein, if thou +slay me? But methinks thou wilt find the slaying hard; for once before, I ween, +have I made thee flee before my spear. Host thou forgotten the day when thou +wert alone with the kine, and I made thee run swift-footed down Ida&rsquo;s +steeps in haste?—then didst thou not look behind thee in thy flight. Thence +fleddest thou to Lernessos, but I wasted it, having fought against it with the +help of Athene and of father Zeus, and carried away women captive, bereaving +them of their day of freedom: only thee Zeus shielded, and other gods. But not +this time, methinks, shall they shield thee, as thou imaginest in thy heart: +therefore I bid thee go back into the throng and come not forth against me, +while as yet thou art unhurt—after the event even a fool is wise.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then to him in answer again Aineias spake: &ldquo;Son of Peleus, think not with +words to affright me as a child, since I too well know myself how to speak +taunts and unjust speech. We know each other&rsquo;s race and lineage in that +we have heard the fame proclaimed by mortal men, but never hast thou set eyes +on my parents, or I on thine. Thou, they say, art son of nobie Peleus, and of +Thetis of the fair tresses, the daughter of the sea: the sire I boast is +Anchises great of heart, and my mother is Aphrodite. Of these shall one pair or +the other mourn their dear son today; for verily not with idle words shall we +two satisfy our strife and depart out of the battle. But, if thou wilt, learn +also this, that thou mayest well know our lineage, known to full many men: +First Zeus the cloud-gatherer begat Dardanos, and he stablished Dardania, for +not yet was holy Ilios built upon the plain to be a city of mortal men, but +still they dwelt on slopes of many-fountained Ida. Then Dardanos begat a son, +king Erichthonios, who became richest of mortal men. Three thousand mares had +he that pastured along the marsh meadow, rejoicing in their tender foals. Of +them was Boreas enamoured as they grazed, and in semblance of a dark-maned +horse he covered them: then they having conceived bare twelve fillies. These +when they bounded over Earth the grain-giver would run upon the topmost ripened +ears of corn and break them not; and when they bounded over the broad backs of +the sea they would run upon the crests of the breakers of the hoary brine. Then +Erichthonios begat Tros to be load over the Trojans, and to Tros three noble +sons were born, Ilos and Assarakos and godlike Ganymedes, who became the most +beautiful of mortal men. Him the gods caught up to be cupbearer to Zeus, for +sake of his beauty, that he might dwell among immortals. Then Ilos again begat +a son, noble Laomedon, and Laomedon begat Tithonos and Priam and Lamppos and +Klytios and Hiketaon, of the stock of Ares. And Assarakos begat Kapys, and +Kapys Anchises, and Anchises me; but Priam begat the goodly Hector. +</p> + +<p> +&ldquo;Lo then of this blood and lineage declare I myself unto thee. But for +valour, Zeus increaseth it in men or minisheth it according as he will, for he +is lord of all. But come, let us talk thus together no longer like children, +standing in mid onset of war. For there are revilings in plenty for both of us +to utter—a hundred-thwarted ship would not suffice for the load of them. Glib +is the tongue of man, and many words are therein of every kind, and wide is the +range of his speech hither and thither. Whatsoever word thou speak, such wilt +thou hear in answer. But what need that we should bandy strife and wrangling +each against each. Not by speech shalt thou turn me from the battle that I +desire, until we have fought together, point to point: come then, and +straightway we will each try the other with bronze-headed spears.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and against that other&rsquo;s dread and mighty shield hurled his +great spear, and the shield rang loud beneath the spear-point. And the son of +Peleus held away the shield from him with his stout hand, in fear, for he +thought that the far-shadowing spear of Aineias great of heart would lightly +pierce it through—fond man, and knew not in his mind and heart that not lightly +do the glorious gifts of gods yield to force of mortal men. So did not the +great spear of wise Aineias pierce that shield, for the gold resisted it, even +the gift of the god. Yet through two folds he drave it, but three remained, for +five folds had the lame god welded, two bronze, and two inside of tin, and one +of gold; therein was stayed the ashen spear. +</p> + +<p> +Then Achilles in his turn hurled his far-shadowing spear, and smote upon the +circle of the shield of Aineias, beneath the edge of the rim, where the bronze +ran thinnest round, and the bull-hide was thinnest thereon; and right through +sped the Pelian ashen spear, and the shield cracked under it. And Aineias +crouched and held up the shield away from him in dread; and the spear flew over +his back and fixed itself in the earth, having divided asunder the two circles +of the sheltering shield. And having escaped the long spear he stood still, and +a vast anguish drowned his eyes, affrighted that the spear was planted by him +so nigh. But Achilles drew his sharp sword and furiously made at him, crying +his terrible cry: then Aineias grasped in his hand a stone (a mighty deed) such +as two men, as men now are, would not avail to lift, but he with ease wielded +it all alone. Then would Aineias have smitten him with the stone as he charged, +either on helm or shield, which had warded from him bitter death, and then +would the son of Peleus have closed and slain him with his sword, had not +Poseidon, Shaker of earth, marked it with speed, and straightway spoken among +the immortal gods: &ldquo;Alas, woe is me for Aineias great of heart, who +quickly will go down to Hades slain by the son of Peleus, for that he will obey +the words of Apollo the far-darter, fond man, but nowise shall the god help him +from grievous death. But wherefore now is he to suffer ill in his innocence, +causelessly for others&rsquo; wickedness, yet welcome ever are his offerings to +the gods who inhabit the spacious heaven? Come, let us guide him out of +death&rsquo;s way, lest the son of Kronos be wroth, if Achilles slay him; for +it is appointed to him to escape, that the race of Dardanos perish not without +seed or sign, even Dardanos whom the son of Kronos loved above all the children +born to him from the daughters of men. For the race of Priam hath Zeus already +hated. But thus shall the might of Aineias reign among the Trojans, and his +childrel&rsquo;s children, who shall be born in the aftertime.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And him then answered Hera the ox-eyed queen: &ldquo;Shaker of earth, thyself +with thine own mind take counsel, whether thou wilt save Aineias, or leave him +[to be slain, brave though he be, by Achilles, Peleus&rsquo; son]. For by many +oaths among all the Immortals have we two sworn, even Pallas Athene and I, +never to help the Trojans from their evil day, not even when all Troy shall +burn in the burning of fierce fire, and they that burn her shall be the warlike +sons of the Achaians.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Now when Poseidon Shaker of earth heard that, he went up amid the battle and +the clash of spears, and came where Aineias and renowned Achilles were. Then +presently he shed mist over the eyes of Achilles, Peleus&rsquo; son, and drew +the bronze-headed ashen spear from the shield of Aineias great of heart, and +set it before Achilles&rsquo; feet, and lifted Aineias and swung him high from +off the earth. Over many ranks of warriors, of horses many, sprang Aineias +soaring in the hand of the god, and lighted at the farthest verge of the battle +of many onsets, where the Kaukones were arraying them for the fight. Then hard +beside him came Poseidon, Shaker of earth, and spake aloud to him winged words: +&ldquo;Aineias, what god is it that biddeth thee fight infatuate against +Peleus&rsquo; vehement son, who is both a better man than thou and dearer to +Immortals? Rather withdraw thee whensoever thou fallest in with him, lest even +contrary to thy fate thou enter the house of Hades. But when Achilles shall +have met his death and doom, then be thou of good courage to fight among the +foremost, for there shall none other of the Achaians slay thee.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He spoke, and left him there, when he had shown him all these things. Then +quickly from Achilles&rsquo; eyes he purged the magic mist; and he stared with +wide eyes, and in trouble spake unto his proud soul: &ldquo;Ha! verily a great +marvel behold I here with mine eyes. My spear lieth here upon the ground, nor +can I anywise see the man at whom I hurled it with intent to slay him. Truly +then is Aineias likewise dear to the immortal gods, howbeit I deemed that his +boosting thereof was altogether vanity. Away with him! not again will he find +heart to make trial of me, now that once more he has escaped death to his joy. +But come, I will call on the warlike Danaans and go forth to make trial of some +other Trojan face to face.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and leapt along the lines, and called upon each man: &ldquo;No longer +stand afar from the men of Troy, noble Achaians, but come let man match man and +throw his soul into the fight. Hard is it for me, though I be strong, to assail +so vast a folk and fight them all: not even Ares, though an immortal god, nor +Athene, could plunge into the jaws of such a fray and toil therein. But to my +utmost power with hands and feet and strength no whit, I say, will I be slack, +nay, never so little, but right through their line will I go forward, nor deem +I that any Trojan shall be glad who shall come nigh my spear.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he urging them. But to the Trojans glorious Hector called aloud, and +proclaimed that he would go forth against Achilles: &ldquo;High-hearted +Trojans, fear not Peleus&rsquo; son. I too in words could fight even Immortals, +but with the spear it were hard, for they are stronger far. Neither shall +Achilles accomplish all his talk, but part thereof he is to accomplish, and +part to break asunder in the midst. And against him will I go forth, though the +hands of him be even as fire, yea though his hands be as fire and his +fierceness as the flaming steel.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he urging them, and the Trojans raised their spears for battle; and +their fierceness was mingled confusedly, and the battle-cry arose. Then Phoebus +Apollo stood by Hector and spake to him: &ldquo;Hector, no longer challenge +Achilles at all before the lines, but in the throng await him and from amid the +roar of the battle, lest haply he spear thee or come near and smite thee with +his sword.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and Hector again fell back into the crowd of men, for he was +amazed when he heard the sound of a god&rsquo;s voice. +</p> + +<p> +But Achilles sprang in among the Trojans, his heart clothed with strength, +crying his terrible cry, and first he took Iphition, Otrynteus&rsquo; valiant +son, a leader of much people, born of a Naiad nymph to Otrynteus waster of +cities, beneath snowy Tmolos, in Hyde&rsquo;s rich domain. Him as he came right +on did goodly Achilles smite with his hurled spear, down through the midst of +his head, and it was rent asunder utterly. And he fell with a crash, and goodly +Achilles exulted over him; &ldquo;here is thy death, thy birth was on the +Gygaian lake, where is thy sire&rsquo;s demesne, by Hyllos rich in fish and +eddying Hermos.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he exultant, but darkness fell upon the eyes of Iphition: him the +chariots of the Achaians clave with their tires asunder in the forefront of the +battle, and over him Achilles pierced in the temples, through his +bronze-cheeked helmet, Demoleon, brave stemmer of battle, Antenor&rsquo;s son. +No stop made the bronze helmet, but therethrough sped the spear-head and clave +the bone, and the brain within was all scattered: that stroke made ending of +his zeal. Then Hippodamas, as he leapt from his chariot and fled before him, +Achilles wounded in the back with his spear: and he breathed forth his spirit +with a roar, as when a dragged bull roareth that the young men drag to the +altar of the Lord of Helike; for in such hath the Earthshaker his delight: thus +roared Hippodamas as from his bones fled forth his haughty spirit. But Achilles +with his spear went on after godlike Polydoros, Priam&rsquo;s son. Him would +his sire continually forbid to fight, for that among his children he was +youngest born and best beloved, and overcame all in fleetness of foot. Just +then in boyish folly, displaying the swiftness of his feet, he was rushing +through the forefighters, until he lost his life. Him in the midst did +fleet-footed noble Achilles smite with a javelin, in his back as he darted by, +where his belt&rsquo;s golden buckles clasped, and the breast and back plates +overlapped: and right through beside the navel went the spear-head, and he fell +on his knee with a cry, and dark cloud covered him round about, and he clasped +his bowels to him with his hands as he sank. +</p> + +<p> +Then when Hector saw his brother Polydoros clasping his bowels with his hands, +and sinking to the earth, a mist fell over his eyes, nor longer might he endure +to range so far apart, but he came up against Achilles brandishing his sharp +spear, and like flame of fire. And Achilles when he saw him, sprang up, and +spake exultingly: &ldquo;Behold the man who hath deepest stricken into my soul, +who slew my dear-prized friend; not long shall we now shrink from each other +along the highways of the war.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and looking grimly spake unto goodly Hector: &ldquo;Come thou near, +that the sooner thou mayest arrive at the goal of death.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then to him, unterrified, said Hector of the glancing helm: &ldquo;Son of +Peleus, think not with words to affright me as a child, since I too know myself +how to speak taunts and unjust speech. And I know that thou art a man of might, +and a far better man than I. Yet doth this issue lie in the lap of the gods, +whether I though weaker shall take thy life with my hurled spear, for mine too +hath been found keen ere now.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and poised his spear and hurled it, and Athene with a breath turned it +back from glorious Achilles, breathing very lightly; and it came back to goodly +Hector, and fell there before his feet. Then Achilles set fiercely upon him, +eager to slay him, crying his terrible cry. But Apollo caught Hector up, very +easily, as a god may, and hid him in thick mist. Thrice then did fleet-footed +noble Achilles make onset with his spear of bronze, and thrice smote the thick +mist. [But when the fourth time he had come godlike on,] then with dread shout +he spake to him winged words: &ldquo;Dog, thou art now again escaped from +death; yet came ill very nigh thee; but now hath Phoebus Apollo saved thee, to +whom thou must surely pray when thou goest forth amid the clash of spears. +Verily I will slay thee yet when I meet thee hereafter, if any god is helper of +me too. Now will I make after the rest, whomsoever I may seize.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus speaking he pierced Dryops in the midst of his neck with his spear, and he +fell down before his feet. But he left him where he lay, and hurled at Demuchos +Philetor&rsquo;s son, a good man and a tall, and stayed him with a stroke upon +his knees; then smote him with his mighty sword and reft him of life. Then +springing on Laogonos and Dardanos, sons of Bias, he thrust both from their +chariot to the ground, one with a spear-cast smiting and the other in close +battle with his sword. Then Tros, Alastor&rsquo;s son—he came and clasped his +knees to pray him to spare him, and let him live, and slay him not, having +compassion on his like age, fond fool, and knew not that he might not gain his +prayers; for nowise soft of heart or tender was that man, but of fierce +mood—with his hands he touched Achilles&rsquo; knees, eager to entreat him, but +he smote him in the liver with his sword, and his liver fell from him, and +black blood therefrom filled his bosom, and he swooned, and darkness covered +his eyes. Then Achilles came near and struck Mulios in the ear, and right +through the other ear went the bronze spear-head. Then he smote Agenor&rsquo;s +son Echeklos on the midst of the head with his hilted sword, and all the sword +grew hot thereat with blood; and dark death seized his eyes, and forceful fate. +Then next Deukalion, just where the sinews of the elbow join, there pierced he +him through the forearm with his bronze spear-head; so abode he with his arm +weighed down, beholding death before him; and Achilles smiting the neck with +his sword swept far both head and helm, and the marrow rose out of the +backbone, and the corpse lay stretched upon the earth. Then went he onward +after Peires&rsquo; noble son, Rhigmos, who had come from deep-soiled Thrace: +him in the midst he smote with his hurled javelin, and the point fixed in his +lung, and he fell forth of his chariot. And Areithoos his squire, as he turned +the horses round, he pierced in the back with his sharp spear, and thrust him +from the car, and the horse ran wild with fear. +</p> + +<p> +As through deep glens rageth fierce fire on some parched mountain-side, and the +deep forest burneth, and the wind driving it whirleth every way the flame, so +raged he every way with his spear, as it had been a god, pressing hard on the +men he slew; and the black earth ran with blood. For even as when one yoketh +wide-browed bulls to tread white barley in a stablished threshing-floor, and +quickly is it trodden out beneath the feet of the loud-lowing bulls, thus +beneath great-hearted Achilles his whole-hooved horses trampled corpses and +shields together; and with blood all the axletree below was sprinkled and the +rims that ran around the car, for blood-drops from the horses&rsquo; hooves +splashed them, and blood-drops from the tires of the wheels. But the son of +Peleus pressed on to win him glory, flecking with gore his irresistible hands. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> diff --git a/live/21.htm b/live/21.htm @@ -0,0 +1,575 @@ +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap21"></a>BOOK XXI.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +How Achilles fought with the River, and chased the men of Troy within their +gates. +</p> + +<p> +But when now they came unto the ford of the fair-flowing river, even eddying +Xanthos, whom immortal Zeus begat, there sundering them he chased the one part +to the plain toward the city, even where the Achaians were flying in affright +the day before, when glorious Hector was in his fury—thither poured some in +flight, and Hera spread before them thick mist to hinder them:—but half were +pent into the deep-flowing silver eddied river, and fell therein with a mighty +noise, and the steep channel sounded, and the banks around rang loudly; for +with shouting they swam therein hither and thither whirled round the eddies. +And as when at the rush of fire locusts take wing to fly unto a river, and the +unwearying fire flameth forth on them with sudden onset, and they huddle in the +water; so before Achilles was the stream of deep-eddying Xanthos filled with +the roar and the throng of horses and men. +</p> + +<p> +Then the seed of Zeus left behind him his spear upon the bank, leant against +tamarisk bushes, and leapt in, as it were a god, keeping his sword alone, and +devised grim work at heart, and smote as he turned him every way about: and +their groaning went up ghastly as they were stricken by the sword, and the +water reddened with blood. As before a dolphin of huge maw fly other fish and +fill the nooks of some fair-havened bay, in terror, for he devoureth amain +whichsoever of them he may catch; so along the channels of that dread stream +the Trojans crouched beneath the precipitous sides. And when his hands were +weary of slaughter he chose twelve young men alive out of the river, an +atonement for Patroklos, Menoitios&rsquo; son that was dead. These brought he +forth amazed like fawns, and bound behind them their hands with well-cut +thongs, which they themselves wore on their pliant doublets, and gave them to +his comrades to lead down to the hollow ships. Then again he made his onset, +athirst for slaying. +</p> + +<p> +There met he a son of Dardanid Priam, in flight out of the river, Lykaon, whom +once himself he took and brought unwilling out of his father&rsquo;s orchard, +in a night assault; he was cutting with keen bronze young shoots of a wild fig +tree, to be hand-rails of a chariot; but to him an unlooked-for bane came +goodly Achilles. And at that time he sold him into well-peopled Lemnos, sending +him on ship board, and the son of Jason gave a price for him; and thence a +guest friend freed him with a great ransom, Eetion of Imbros, and sent him to +goodly Arisbe; whence flying secretly he came to his father&rsquo;s house. +Eleven days he rejoiced among his friends after he was come from Lemnos, but on +the twelfth once more God brought him into the hands of Achilles, who was to +send him to the house of Hades though nowise fain to go. Him when fleet-footed +noble Achilles saw bare of helm and shield, neither had he a spear, but had +thrown all to the ground; for he sweated grievously as he tried to flee out of +the river, and his knees were failing him for weariness: then in wrath spake +Achilles to his great heart: &ldquo;Ha! verily great marvel is this that I +behold with my eyes. Surely then will the proud Trojans whom I have slain rise +up again from beneath the murky gloom, since thus hath this man come back +escaped from his pitiless fate, though sold into goodly Lemnos, neither hath +the deep of the hoary sea stayed him, that holdeth many against their will. But +come then, of our spear&rsquo;s point shall he taste, that I may see and learn +in my mind whether likewise he shall come back even from beneath, or whether +the life-giving Earth shall hold him down, she that holdeth so even the +strong.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus pondered he in his place; but the other came near amazed, fain to touch +his knees, for his soul longed exceedingly to flee from evil death and black +destruction. Then goodly Achilles lifted his long spear with intent to smite +him, but he stooped and ran under it and caught his knees; and the spear went +over his back and stood in the ground, hungering for flesh of men. Then Lykaon +besought him, with one hand holding his knees, while with the other he held the +sharp spear and loosed it not, and spake to him winged words: &ldquo;I cry thee +mercy, Achilles; have thou regard and pity for me: to thee, O fosterling of +Zeus, am I in the bonds of suppliantship. For at thy table first I tasted meal +of Demeter on the day when thou didst take me captive in the well-ordered +orchard, and didst sell me away from my father and my friends unto goodly +Lemnos, and I fetched thee the price of a hundred oxen. And now have I been +ransomed for thrice that, and this is my twelfth morn since I came to Ilios +after much pain. Now once again hath ruinous fate delivered me unto thy hands; +surely I must be hated of father Zeus, that he hath given me a second time unto +thee; and to short life my mother bare me, Laothoe, old Altes&rsquo; +daughter—Altes who ruleth among the war-loving Leleges, holding steep Pedasos +on the Satnioeis. His daughter Priam had to wife, with many others, and of her +were we two born, and thou wilt butcher both. Him among the foremost of the +foot-soldiers didst thou lay low, even godlike Polydoros, when thou smotest him +with they sharp spear: and now will it go hard with me here, for no hope have I +to escape thy hands, since God hath delivered me thereunto. Yet one thing will +I tell thee, and do thou lay it to heart: slay me not, since I am not of the +same mother as Hector, who slew thy comrade the gentle and brave.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake to him the noble son of Priam, beseeching him with words, but he +heard a voice implacable: &ldquo;Fond fool, proffer me no ransom, nor these +words. Until Patroklos met his fated day, then was it welcomer to my soul to +spare the men of Troy, and many I took alive and sold beyond the sea: but now +there is none shall escape death, whomsoever before Ilios God shall deliver +into my hands—yes, even among all Trojans, but chiefest among Priam&rsquo;s +sons. Ay, friend, thou too must die: why lamentest thou? Patroklos is dead, who +was better far than thou. Seest thou not also what manner of man am I for might +and goodliness? and a good man was my father, and a goddess mother bare me. Yet +over me too hang death and forceful fate. There cometh morn or eve or some +noonday when my life too some man shall take in battle, whether with spear he +smite or arrow from the string.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and the other&rsquo;s knees and heart were unstrung. He let go +Achilles&rsquo; spear, and sat with both hands outspread. But Achilles drew his +sharp sword and smote on the collar-bone beside the neck, and all the two-edged +sword sank into him, and he lay stretched prone upon the earth, and blood +flowed dark from him and soaked the earth. Him seized Achilles by the foot and +sent him down the stream, and over him exulting spake winged words: +&ldquo;There lie thou among the fishes, which shall lick off thy wound&rsquo;s +blood heedlessly, nor shall thy mother lay thee on a bed and mourn for thee, +but Skamandros shall bear thee on his eddies into the broad bosom of the sea. +Leaping along the wave shall many a fish dart up to the dark ripple to eat of +the white flesh of Lykaon. So perish all, until we reach the citadel of sacred +Ilios, ye flying and I behind destroying. Nor even the River, fair-flowing, +silver-eddied, shall avail you, to whom long time forsooth ye sacrifice many +bulls, and among his eddies throw whole-hooved horses down alive. For all this +yet shall ye die the death, until ye pay all for Patroklos&rsquo; slaying and +the slaughter of Achaians whom at the swift ships ye slew while I tarried +afar.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, but the River waxed ever more wroth in his heart, and sought in +his soul how he should stay goodly Achilles from his work, and ward destruction +from the Trojans. Meanwhile the son of Peleus with his far-shadowing spear +leapt, fain to slay him, upon Asteropaios son of Pelegon, whom wide-flowing +Axios begat of Periboia eldest of the daughters of Akessamenos. Upon him set +Achilles, and Asteropaios stood against him from the river, holding two spears; +for Xanthos put courage into his heart, being angered for the slaughtered +youths whom Achilles was slaughtering along the stream and had no pity on them. +Then when the twain were come nigh in onset on each other, unto him first spake +fleet-footed noble Achilles: &ldquo;Who and whence art thou of men, that darest +to come against me? Ill-fated are they whose children match them with my +might.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And to him, made answer Pelegol&rsquo;s noble son: &ldquo;High-hearted son of +Peleus, why askest thou my lineage? I come from deep-soiled Paionia, a land far +off, leading Paionian men with their long spears, and this now is the eleventh +morn since I am come to Ilios. My lineage is of wide-flowing Axios, who begat +Pelegon famous with the spear, and he, men say, was my father. Now fight we, +noble Achilles!&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he in defiance, and goodly Achilles lifted the Pelian ash: but the +warrior Asteropaios hurled with both spears together, for he could use both +hands alike, and with the one spear smote the shield, but pierced it not right +through, for the gold stayed it, the gift of a god; and with the other he +grazed the elbow of Achilles&rsquo; right arm, and there leapt forth dark +blood, but the point beyond him fixed itself in the earth, eager to batten on +flesh. Then in his turn Achilles hurled on Asteropaios his straight-flying ash, +fain to have slain him, but missed the man and struck the high bank, and +quivering half its length in the bank he left the ashen spear. Then the son of +Peleus drew his sharp sword from his thigh and leapt fiercely at him, and he +availed not to draw with his stout hand Achilles&rsquo; ashen shaft from the +steep bank. Thrice shook he it striving to draw it forth, and thrice gave up +the strain, but the fourth time he was fain to bend and break the ashen spear +of the seed of Aiakos, but ere that Achilles closing on him reft him of life +with his sword. For in the belly he smote him beside the navel, and all his +bowels gushed out to the earth, and darkness covered his eyes as he lay +gasping. Then Achilles trampling on his breast stripped off his armour and +spake exultingly: &ldquo;Lie there! It is hard to strive against children of +Kronos&rsquo; mighty son, even though one be sprung from a River-god. Thou +truly declarest thyself the seed of a wide-flowing River, but I avow me of the +linkage of great Zeus. My sire is a man ruling many Myrmidons, Peleus the son +of Aiakos, and Aiakos was begotten of Zeus. As Zeus is mightier than +seaward-murmuring rivers, so is the seed of Zeus made mightier than the seed of +a river. Nay, there is hard beside thee a great river, if he may anywise avail; +but against Zeus the son of Kronos it is not possible to fight. For him not +even king Acheloios is match, nor yet the great strength of deep-flowing Ocean, +from whom all rivers flow and every sea, and all springs and deep wells: yea, +even he hath fear of the lightning of great Zeus and his dread thunder, when it +pealeth out of heaven.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and from the steep bank drew his bronze spear, and left there +Asteropaios whom he had slain, lying in the sands, and the dark water flooded +him. Around him eels and fishes swarmed, tearing and gnawing the fat about his +kidneys. But Achilles went on after the charioted Paiones who still along the +eddying river huddled in fear, when they saw their best man in the stress of +battle slain violently by the hands and the sword of the son of Peleus. There +slew he Thersilochos and Mydon and Astypylos and Mnesos and Thrasios and Ainios +and Ophelestes; and more yet of the Paiones would swift Achilles have slain, +had not the deep-eddying River called unto him in wrath, in semblance of a man, +and from an eddy&rsquo;s depth sent forth a voice: &ldquo;O Achilles, thy might +and thy evil work are beyond the measure of men; for gods themselves are ever +helping thee. If indeed the son of Kronos hath delivered thee all the Trojans +to destroy, at least drive them forth from me and do thy grim deeds on the +plain, for filled with dead men is my pleasant bed, nor can I pour my stream to +the great sea, being choked with dead, and thou slayest ruthlessly. Come then, +let be; I am astonished, O captain of hosts.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And to him answered Achilles fleet of foot: &ldquo;So be it, heaven-sprung +Skamandros, even as thou biddest. But the proud Trojans I will not cease from +slaying until I have driven them into their city, and have made trial with +Hector face to face whether he is to vanquish me or I him.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying, he set upon the Trojans, like a god. Then unto Apollo spake the +deep-eddying River: &ldquo;Out on it, lord of the silver bow, child of Zeus, +thou hast not kept the ordinance of Kronos&rsquo; son, who charged thee +straitly to stand by the Trojans and to help them, until eve come with light +late-setting, and darken the deep-soiled earth.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and spear-famed Achilles sprang from the bank and leapt into his +midst; but he rushed on him in a furious wave, and stirred up all his streams +in tumult, and swept down the many dead who lay thick in him, slain by +Achilles; these out to land he cast with bellowing like a bull, and saved the +living under his fair streams, hiding them within eddies deep and wide. But +terribly around Achilles arose his tumultuous wave, and the stream smote +violently against his shield, nor availed he to stand firm upon his feet. Then +he grasped a tall fair-grown elm, and it fell uprooted and tore away all the +bank, and reached over the fair river bed with its thick shoots, and stemmed +the River himself, falling all within him: and Achilles, struggling out of the +eddy, made haste to fly over the plain with his swift feet, for he was afraid. +But the great god ceased not, but arose upon him with darkness on his crest, +that he might stay noble Achilles from slaughter, and ward destruction from the +men of Troy. And the son of Peleus rushed away a spear&rsquo;s throw, with the +swoop of a black eagle, the mighty hunter, strongest at once and swiftest of +winged birds. Like him he sped, and on his breast the bronze rang terribly as +he fled from beneath the onset, and behind him the River rushed on with a +mighty roar. As when a field-waterer from a dark spring leadeth water along a +bed through crops and garden grounds, a mattock in his hands, casting forth +hindrances from the ditch, and as it floweth all pebbles are swept down, and +swiftly gliding it murmureth down a sloping place, and outrunneth him that is +its guide:—thus ever the river wave caught up Achilles for all his speed; for +gods are mightier than men. For whensoever fleet-footed noble Achilles +struggled to stand against it, and know whether all immortals be upon him who +inhabit spacious heaven, then would a great wave of the heaven-sprung River +beat upon his shoulders from above, and he sprang upward with his feet, sore +vexed at heart; and the River was wearying his knees with violent rush beneath, +devouring the earth from under his feet. Then the son of Peleus cried aloud, +looking up to the broad heaven: &ldquo;Zeus, Father, how doth none of the gods +take it on him in pity to save me from the River! after that let come to me +what may. None other of the inhabitants of Heaven is chargeable so much, but +only my dear mother, who beguiled me with false words, saying that under the +wall of the mail-clad men of Troy I must die by the swift arrows of Apollo. +Would that Hector had slain me, the best of men bred here: then brave had been +the slayer, and a brave man had he slain. But now by a sorry death am I doomed +to die, pent in this mighty river, like a swineherd boy whom a torrent sweepeth +down as he essayeth to cross it in a storm.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and quickly Poseidon and Athene came near and stood beside him, +in the likeness of men, and taking his hands in theirs pledged him in words. +And the first that spake was Poseidon, Shaker of the earth: &ldquo;Son of +Peleus, tremble not, neither be afraid; such helpers of thee are we from the +gods, approved of Zeus, even Pallas Athene and I, for to be vanquished of a +river is not appointed thee, but he will soon give back, and thou wilt thyself +perceive it: but we will give thee wise counsel, if thou wilt obey it; hold not +thy hand from hazardous battle until within Ilios&rsquo; famous walls thou have +pent the Trojan host, even all that flee before thee. But do thou, when thou +hast taken the life of Hector, go back unto the ships; this glory we give unto +thee to win.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +They having thus spoken departed to the immortals, but he toward the plain—for +the bidding of gods was strong upon him—went onward; and all the plain was +filled with water-flood, and many beautiful arms and corpses of slain youths +were drifting there. So upward sprang his knees as he rushed against the stream +right on, nor stayed him the wide-flowing River, for Athene put great strength +in him. Neither did Skamandros slacken his fierceness, but yet more raged +against the son of Peleus, and he curled crestwise the billow of his stream, +lifting himself on high, and on Simoeis he called with a shout: &ldquo;Dear +brother, the strength of this man let us both join to stay, since quickly he +will lay waste the great city of king Priam, and the Trojans abide not in the +battle. Help me with speed, and fill thy streams with water from thy springs, +and urge on all thy torrents, and raise up a great wave, and stir huge roaring +of tree-stumps and stones, that we may stay the fierce man who now is lording +it, and deeming himself match for gods. For neither, I ween, will strength +avail him nor comeliness anywise, nor that armour beautiful, which deep beneath +the flood shall be o&rsquo;erlaid with slime, and himself I will wrap him in my +sands and pour round him countless shingle without stint, nor shall the +Achaians know where to gather his bones, so vast a shroud of silt will I heap +over them. Where he dieth there shall be his tomb, neither shall he have need +of any barrow to be raised, when the Achaians make his funeral.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and rushed in tumult on Achilles, raging from on high, thundering with +foam and blood and bodies of dead men. Then did a dark wave of the +heaven-sprung River stand towering up and overwhelm the son of Peleus. But Hera +cried aloud in terror of Achilles, lest the great deep-eddying River sweep him +away, and straightway she called to Hephaistos, her dear son: &ldquo;Rise, lame +god, O my son; it was against thee we thought that eddying Xanthos was matched +in fight. Help with all speed, put forth large blast of flame. Then will I go +to raise a strong storm out of the sea of the west wind and the white south +which shall utterly consume the dead Trojans and their armour, blowing the +angry flame. Thou along Xanthos&rsquo; banks burn up his trees and wrap himself +in fire, nor let him anywise turn thee back by soft words or by threat, nor +stay thy rage—only when I cry to thee with my voice, then hold the unwearying +fire.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake she, and Hephaistos made ready fierce-blazing fire. First on the +plain fire blazed, and burnt the many dead who lay there thick, slain by +Achilles; and all the plain was parched and the bright water stayed. And as +when in late summer the north wind swiftly parcheth a new watered orchard, and +he that tilleth it is glad, thus was the whole plain parched, and Hephaistos +consumed the dead; then against the river he turned his gleaming flame. Elms +burnt and willow trees and tamarisks, and lotos burnt and rush and galingale +which round the fair streams of the river grew in multitude. And the eels and +fishes beneath the eddies were afflicted, which through the fair streams +tumbled this way and that, in anguish at the blast of crafty Hephaistos. And +the strong River burned, and spake and called to him by name: +&ldquo;Hephaistos, there is no god can match with thee, nor will I fight thee +thus ablaze with fire. Cease strife, yea, let noble Achilles drive the Trojans +forthwith out of their city; what have I to do with strife and succour?&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, burnt with fire, for his fair streams were bubbling. And as a +cauldron boileth within, beset with much fire, melting the lard of some fatted +hog spurting up on all sides, and logs of firewood lie thereunder,—so burned +his fair streams in the fire, and the water boiled. He had no mind to flow, but +refrained him, for the breath of cunning Hephaistos violently afflicted him. +Then unto Hera, earnestly beseeching her,&rsquo; he spake winged words: +&ldquo;Hera, wherefore hath thy son assailed my stream to vex it above others? +I am less chargeable than all the rest that are helpers of the Trojans. But lo, +I will give over, if thou wilt, and let thy son give over too. And I further +will swear even this, that never will I ward the day of evil from the Trojans, +not even when all Troy is burning in the blaze of hungry fire, and the warlike +sons of Achaians are the burners thereof.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then when the white-armed goddess Hera heard his speech, straightway she spake +unto Hephaistos her dear son: &ldquo;Hephaistos, hold, famed son; it befitteth +not thus for mortals&rsquo; sake to do violence to an immortal god.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus said she and Hephaistos quenched the fierce-blazing fire, and the wave +once more rolled down the fair river-bed. +</p> + +<p> +So when the rage of Xanthos was overcome, both ceased, for Hera stayed them, +though in wrath. But among the other gods fell grievous bitter strife, and +their hearts were carried diverse in their breasts. And they clashed together +with a great noise, and the wide earth groaned, and the clarion of great Heaven +rang around. Zeus heard as he sate upon Olympus, and his heart within him +laughed pleasantly when he beheld that strife of gods. Then no longer stood +they asunder, for Ares piercer of shields began the battle and first made for +Athene with his bronze spear, and spake a taunting word: &ldquo;Wherefore, O +dogfly, dost thou match gods with gods in strife, with stormy daring, as thy +great spirit moveth thee? Rememberest thou not how thou movedst Diomedes +Tydeus&rsquo; son to wound me, and thyself didst take a visible spear and +thrust it straight at me and pierce through my fair skin? Therefore deem I now +that thou shalt pay me for all that thou hast done.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying he smote on the dread tasselled aegis that not even the lightning +of Zeus can overcome—thereon smote bloodstained Ares with his long spear. But +she, giving back, grasped with stout hand a stone that lay upon the plain, +black, rugged, huge, which men of old time set to be the landmark of a field; +this hurled she, and smote impetuous Ares on the neck, and unstrung his limbs. +Seven roods he covered in his fall, and soiled his hair with dust, and his +armour rang upon him. And Pallas Athene laughed, and spake to him winged words +exultingly: &ldquo;Fool, not even yet hast thou learnt how far better than thou +I claim to be, that thus thou matchest thy might with mine. Thus shalt thou +satisfy thy mother&rsquo;s curses, who deviseth mischief against thee in her +wrath, for that thou hast left the Achaians and givest the proud Trojal&rsquo;s +aid.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus having said she turned from him her shining eyes. Him did Aphrodite +daughter of Zeus take by the hand and lead away, groaning continually, for +scarce gathered he his spirit back to him. But when the white-armed goddess +Hera was aware of them, straightway she spake unto Athene winged words: +&ldquo;Out on it, child of aegis-bearing Zeus, maiden invincible, lo there the +dogfly is leading Ares destroyer of men out of the fray of battle down the +throng—nay then, pursue her.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +She said, and Athene sped after her with heart exultant, and made at her and +smote her with stout hand upon the breast, and straightway her knees and heart +were unstrung. So they twain lay on the bounteous earth, and she spake winged +words exultingly: &ldquo;Such let all be who give the Trojans aid when they +fight against the mailed Argives. Be they even so bold and brave as Aphrodite +when she came to succour Ares and defied my might. Then should we long ago have +ceased from war, having laid waste the stablished citadel of Ilios.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +[She said, and the white-armed goddess Hera smiled.] Then to Apollo spake the +earth-shaking lord: &ldquo;Phoebus, why stand we apart? It befitteth not after +the rest have begun: that were the more shameful if without fighting we should +go to Olympus to the bronze-thresholded house of Zeus. Begin, for thou art +younger; it were not meet for me, since I was born first and know more. Fond +god, how foolish is thy heart! Thou rememberest not all the ills we twain alone +of gods endured at Ilios, when by ordinance of Zeus we came to proud Laomedon +and served him through a year for promised recompense, and he laid on us his +commands. I round their city built the Trojans a wall, wide and most fair, that +the city might be unstormed, and thou Phoebus, didst herd shambling +crook-horned kine among the spurs of woody many-folded Ida. But when the joyous +seasons were accomplishing the term of hire, then redoubtable Laomedon robbed +us of all hire, and sent us off with threats. He threatened that he would bind +together our feet and hands and sell us into far-off isles, and the ears of +both of us he vowed to shear off with the sword. So we went home with angry +hearts, wroth for the hire he promised and gave us not. To his folk not thou +showest favour, nor essayest with us how the proud Trojans may be brought low +and perish miserably with their children and noble wives.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then to him answered King Apollo the Far-darter: &ldquo;Shaker of the earth, of +no sound mind wouldst thou repute me if I should fight against thee for the +sake of pitiful mortals, who like unto leaves now live in glowing life, +consuming the fruit of the earth, and now again pine into death. Let us with +all speed cease from combat, and let them do battle by themselves.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying he turned away, for he felt shame to deal in blows with his +father&rsquo;s brother. But his sister upbraided him sore, the queen of wild +beasts, huntress Artemis, and spake a taunting word: &ldquo;So then thou +fleest, Far-darter, hast quite yielded to Poseidon the victory, and given him +glory for naught! Fond god, why bearest thou an ineffectual bow in vain? Let me +not hear thee again in the halls of our sire boast as before among the immortal +gods thou wouldst stand up to fight against Poseidon.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake she, but far-darting Apollo answered her not. But angrily the noble +spouse of Zeus [upbraided the Archer Queen with taunting words:] &ldquo;How now +art thou fain, bold vixen, to set thyself against me? Hard were it for thee to +match my might, bow-bearer though thou art, since against women Zeus made thee +a lion, and giveth thee to slay whomso of them thou wilt. Truly it is better on +the mountains to slay wild beasts and deer than to fight amain with mightier +than thou. But if thou wilt, try war, that thou mayest know well how far +stronger am I, since thou matchest thy might with mine.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +She said, and with her left hand caught both the other&rsquo;s hands by the +wrist, and with her right took the bow from off her shoulders, and therewith, +smiling, beat her on the ears as she turned this way and that; and the swift +arrows fell out of her quiver. And weeping from before her the goddess fled +like a dove that from before a falcon flieth to a hollow rock, a cleft—for she +was not fated to be caught;—thus Artemis fled weeping, and left her bow and +arrows where they lay. Then to Leto spake the Guide, the slayer of Argus: +&ldquo;Leto, with thee will I no wise fight; a grievous thing it is to come to +blows with wives of cloud-gathering Zeus; but boast to thy heart&rsquo;s +content among the immortal gods that thou didst vanquish me by might and +main.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus said he, and Leto gathered up the curved bow and arrows fallen hither and +thither amid the whirl of dust: so taking her daughter&rsquo;s bow she went +back. And the maiden came to Olympus, to the bronze-thresholded house of Zeus, +and weeping set herself on her father&rsquo;s knee, while round her her divine +vesture quivered: and her father, Kronos&rsquo; son, took her to him and asked +of her, laughing gently: &ldquo;Who of the inhabitants of heaven, dear child, +hath dealt with thee thus [hastily, as though thou hadst been doing some wrong +thing openly]?&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And to him in answer spake the fair-crowned queen of the echoing chase: +&ldquo;It was thy wife that buffeted me, father, the white-armed Hera, from +whom are strife and contention come upon the immortals.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus talked they unto one another. Then Phoebus Apollo entered into sacred +Ilios, for he was troubled for the wall of the well-builded city, lest the +Danaans waste it before its hour upon that day. But the other ever-living gods +went to Olympus, some angry and some greatly triumphing, and sat down beside +Zeus who hideth himself in dark clouds. +</p> + +<p> +Now Achilles was still slaying the Trojans, both themselves and their +whole-hooved horses. And as when a smoke goeth up to the broad heaven, when a +city burneth, kindled by the wrath of gods, and causeth toil to all, and griefs +to many, thus caused Achilles toil and griefs to the Trojans. And the old man +Priam stood on the sacred tower, and was aware of dread Achilles, how before +him the Trojans thronged in rout, nor was any succour found of them. Then with +a cry he went down from the tower, to rouse the gallant warders along the +walls: &ldquo;Hold open the gates in your hands until the folk come to the city +in their rout, for closely is Achilles chasing them—now trow I there will be +deadly deeds. And when they are gathered within the wall and are taking breath, +then again shut back the gate-wings firmly builded; for I fear lest that +murderous man spring in within the wall.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and they opened the gates and thrust back the bolts; and the +gates flung back gave safety. Then Apollo leapt forth to the front that he +might ward destruction from the Trojans. They straight for the city and the +high wall were fleeing, parched with thirst and dust-grimed from the plain, and +Achilles chased them vehemently with his spear, for strong frenzy possessed his +heart continually, and he thirsted to win him renown. Then would the sons of +the Achaians have taken high-gated Troy, had not Phoebus Apollo aroused goodly +Agenor, Antenor&rsquo;s son, a princely man and strong. In his heart he put +good courage, and himself stood by his side that he might ward off the grievous +visitations of death, leaning against the oak, and he was shrouded in thick +mist. So when Agenor was aware of Achilles waster of cities, he halted, and his +heart much wavered as he stood; and in trouble he spake to his great heart: +&ldquo;Ay me, if I flee before mighty Achilles, there where the rest are driven +terror-struck, nathless will he overtake me and slaughter me as a coward. Or +what if I leave these to be driven before Achilles the son of Peleus, and flee +upon my feet from the wall by another way to the Ileian plain, until I come to +the spurs of Ida, and hide me in the underwood? So then at evening, having +bathed in the river and refreshed me of sweat, I might return to Ilios. Nay, +why doth my heart debate thus within me? Lest he might be aware of me as I get +me from the city for the plain, and speeding after overtake me with swift feet; +then will it no more be possible to avoid the visitation of death, for he is +exceeding mighty above all mankind. What then if in front of the city I go +forth to meet him? Surely his flesh too is penetrable by sharp bronze, and +there is but one life within, and men say he is mortal, howbeit Zeus the son of +Kronos giveth him renown.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying, he gathered himself to await Achilles, and within him his stout +heart was set to strive and fight. As a leopardess goeth forth from a deep +thicket to affront a huntsman, nor is afraid at heart, nor fleeth when she +heareth the bay of hounds; for albeit the man first smite her with thrust or +throw, yet even pierced through with the spear she ceaseth not from her courage +until she either grapple or be slain, so noble Antenor&rsquo;s son, goodly +Agenor, refused to flee till he should put Achilles to the proof, but held +before him the circle of his shield, and aimed at him with his spear, and cried +aloud: &ldquo;Doubtless thou hopest in thy heart, noble Achilles, on this day +to sack the city of the proud men of Troy. Fond man, there shall many woful +things yet be wrought before it, for within it we are many men and staunch, who +in front of our parents dear and wives and sons keep Ilios safe; but thou shalt +here meet death, albeit so redoubtable and bold a man of war.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and hurled his sharp spear with weighty hand, and smote him on the leg +beneath the knee, nor missed his mark, and the greave of new-wrought tin rang +terribly on him; but the bronze bounded back from him it smote, nor pierced +him, for the god&rsquo;s gift drave it back. Then the son of Peleus in his turn +made at godlike Agenor, but Apollo suffered him not to win renown, but caught +away Agenor, and shrouded him in thick mist, and sent him in peace to be gone +out of the war. Then by wile kept the son of Peleus away from the folk, for in +complete semblance of Agenor himself he stood before the feet of Achilles, who +hasted to run upon him and chase him. And while he chased him over the +wheat-bearing plain, edging him toward the deep-eddying river Skamandros, as he +ran but a little in front of him (for by wile Apollo beguiled him that he kept +ever hoping to overtake him in the race), meantime the other Trojans in common +rout came gladly unto their fastness, and the city was filled with the throng +of them. Neither had they heart to await one another outside the city and wall, +and to know who might have escaped and who had perished in the fight, but +impetuously they poured into the city, whomsoever of them his feet and knees +might save. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> diff --git a/live/22.htm b/live/22.htm @@ -0,0 +1,485 @@ +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap22"></a>BOOK XXII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +How Achilles fought with Hector, and slew him, and brought his body to the +ships. +</p> + +<p> +Thus they throughout the city, scared like fawns, were cooling their sweat and +drinking and slaking their thirst, leaning on the fair battlements, while the +Achaians drew near the wall, setting shields to shoulders. But Hector deadly +fate bound to abide in his place, in front of Ilios and the Skaian gates. Then +to the son of Peleus spake Phoebus Apollo: &ldquo;Wherefore, son of Peleus, +pursuest thou me with swift feet, thyself being mortal and I a deathless god? +Thou hast not even yet known me, that I am a god, but strivest vehemently. +Truly thou regardest not thy task among the affliction of the Trojans whom thou +affrightedst, who now are gathered into the city, while thou heat wandered +hither. Me thou wilt never slay, for I am not subject unto death.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then mightily moved spake unto him Achilles fleet of foot: &ldquo;Thou hast +baulked me, Far-darter, most mischievous of all the gods, in that thou hast +turned me hither from the wall: else should full many yet have bitten the dust +or ever within Ilios had they come. Now hast thou robbed me of great renown, +and lightly hast saved them, because thou hadst no vengeance to fear +thereafter. Verily I would avenge me on thee, had I but the power.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying toward the city he was gone in pride of heart, rushing like some +victorious horse in a chariot, that runneth lightly at full speed over the +plain; so swiftly plied Achilles his feet and knees. Him the old man Priam +first beheld as he sped across the plain, blazing as the star that cometh forth +at harvest-time, and plain seen his rays shine forth amid the host of stars in +the darkness of night, the star whose name men call Oriol&rsquo;s Dog. +Brightest of all is he, yet for an evil sign is he set, and bringeth much fever +upon hapless men. Even so on Achilles&rsquo; breast the bronze gleamed as he +ran. And the old man cried aloud and beat upon his head with his hands, raising +them on high, and with a cry called aloud beseeching his dear son; for he +before the gates was standing, all hot for battle with Achilles. And the old +man spake piteously unto him, stretching forth his hands: &ldquo;Hector, +beloved son, I pray thee await not this man alone with none beside thee, lest +thou quickly meet thy doom, slain by the son of Peleus, since he is mightier +far, a merciless man. Would the gods loved him even as do I! then quickly would +dogs and vultures devour him on the field—thereby would cruel pain go from my +heart—the man who hath bereft me of many valiant sons, slaying them and selling +them captive into far-off isles. Ay even now twain of my children, Lykaon and +Polydoros, I cannot see among the Trojans that throng into the fastness, sons +whom Laothoe bare me, a princess among women. If they be yet alive amid the +enemy&rsquo;s host, then will we ransom them with bronze and gold, for there is +store within, for much goods gave the old man famous Altes to his child. If +they be dead, then even in the house of Hades shall they be a sorrow to my soul +and to their mother, even to us who gave them birth, but to the rest of the +folk a briefer sorrow, if but thou die not by Achilles&rsquo; hand. Nay, come +within the wall, my child, that thou preserve the men and women of Troy, +neither give great triumph to the son of Peleus, and be thyself bereft of sweet +life. Have compassion also on me, the helpless one, who still can feel, +ill-fated; whom the father, Kronos&rsquo; son, will bring to naught by a +grievous doom in the path of old age, having seen full many ills, his sons +perishing and his daughters carried away captive, and his chambers laid waste +and infant children hurled to the ground in terrible war, and his sons&rsquo; +wives dragged away by the ruinous hands of the Achaians. Myself then last of +all at the street door will ravening dogs tear, when some one by stroke or +throw of the sharp bronze hath bereft my limbs of life—even the dogs I reared +in my halls about my table and to guard my door, which then having drunk my +blood, maddened at heart shall lie in the gateway. A young man all beseemeth, +even to be slain in war, to be torn by the sharp bronze and lie on the field; +though he be dead yet is all honourable to him, whate&rsquo;er be seen: but +when dogs defile the hoary head and hoary beard of an old man slain, this is +the most piteous thing that cometh upon hapless men.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake the old man, and grasped his hoary hairs, plucking them from his +head, but he persuaded not Hector&rsquo;s soul. Then his mother in her turn +wailed tearfully, loosening the folds of her robe, while with the other hand +she showed her breast; and through her tears spake to him winged words: +&ldquo;Hector, my child, have regard unto this bosom and pity me, if ever I +gave thee consolation of my breast. Think of it, dear child, and from this side +the wall drive back the foe, nor stand in front to meet him. He is merciless; +if he slay thee it will not be on a bed that I or thy wife shall bewail thee, +my own dear child, but far away from us by the ships of the Argives will swift +dogs devour thee.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus they with wailing spake to their dear son, beseeching him sore, yet they +persuaded not Hector&rsquo;s soul, but he stood awaiting Achilles as he drew +nigh in giant might. As a serpent of the mountains upon his den awaiteth a man, +having fed on evil poisons, and fell wrath hath entered into him, and terribly +he glared as he coileth himself about his den, so Hector with courage +unquenchable gave not back, leaning his shining shield against a jutting tower. +Then sore troubled he spake to his great heart: &ldquo;Ay me, if I go within +the gates and walls, Polydamas will be first to bring reproach against me, +since he bade me lead the Trojans to the city during this ruinous night, when +noble Achilles arose. But I regarded him not, yet surely it had been better +far. And now that I have undone the host by my wantonness, I am ashamed before +the men of Troy and women of trailing robes, lest at any time some worse man +than I shall say: &lsquo;Hector by trusting his own might undid the +host.&rsquo; So will they speak; then to me would it be better far to face +Achilles and either slay him and go home, or myself die gloriously before the +city. Or what if I lay down my bossy shield and my stout helm, and lean my +spear against the wall, and go of myself to meet noble Achilles and promise him +that Helen, and with her all possessions that Alexandros brought in hollow +ships to Troy, the beginning of strife, we will give to the Sons of Atreus to +take away, and therewithal to divide in half with the Achaians all else that +this city holdeth: and if thereafter I obtain from the Trojans an oath of the +Elders that they will hide nothing but divide all in twain [whatever wealth the +pleasant city hold within]? But wherefore doth my heart debate thus? I might +come unto him and he would not pity or regard me at all, but presently slay me +unarmed as it were but a woman, if I put off my armour. No time is it now to +dally with him from oaktree or from rock, like youth with maiden, as youth and +maiden hold dalliance one with another. Better is it to join battle with all +speed: let us know upon which of us twain the Olympian shall bestow +renown.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus pondered he as he stood, but nigh on him came Achilles, peer of Enyalios +warrior of the waving helm, brandishing from his right shoulder the Pelian ash, +his terrible spear; and all around the bronze on him flashed like the gleam of +blazing fire or of the Sun as he ariseth. And trembling seized Hector as he was +aware of him, nor endured he to abide in his place, but left the gates behind +him and fled in fear. And the son of Peleus darted after him, trusting in his +swift feet. As a falcon upon the mountains, swiftest of winged things, swoopeth +fleetly after a trembling dove; and she before him fleeth, while he with shrill +screams hard at hand still darteth at her, for his heart urgeth him to seize +her; so Achilles in hot haste flew straight for him, and Hector fled beneath +the Trojans&rsquo; wall, and plied swift knees. They past the watch-place and +wind-waved wild fig-tree sped ever, away from under the wall, along the +waggon-track, and came to the two fair-flowing springs, where two fountains +rise that feed deep-eddying Skamandros. The one floweth with warm water, and +smoke goeth up therefrom around as it were from a blazing fire, while the other +even in summer floweth forth like cold hail or snow or ice that water formeth. +And there beside the springs are broad washing-troughs hard by, fair troughs of +stone, where wives and fair daughters of the men of Troy were wont to wash +bright raiment, in the old time of peace, before the sons of the Achaians came. +Thereby they ran, he flying, he pursuing. Valiant was the flier but far +mightier he who fleetly pursued him. For not for beast of sacrifice or for an +oxhide were they striving, such as are prizes for mel&rsquo;s speed of foot, +but for the life of horse-taming Hector was their race. And as when victorious +whole-hooved horses run rapidly round the turning-points, and some great prize +lieth in sight, be it a tripod or a woman, in honour of a man that is dead, so +thrice around Priam&rsquo;s city circled those twain with flying feet, and all +the gods were gazing on them. Then among them spake first the father of gods +and men: &ldquo;Ay me, a man beloved I see pursued around the wall. My heart is +woe for Hector, who hath burnt for me many thighs of oxen amid the crests of +many-folded Ida, and other times on the city-height; but now is goodly Achilles +pursuing him with swift feet round Priam&rsquo;s town. Come, give your counsel, +gods, and devise whether we shall save him from death or now at last slay him, +valiant though he be, by the hand of Achilles Peleus&rsquo; son.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then to him answered the bright-eyed goddess Athene: &ldquo;O Father, Lord of +the bright lightning and the dark cloud, what is this thou hast said? A man +that is a mortal, doomed long ago by fate, wouldst thou redeem back from +ill-boding death? Do it, but not all we other gods approve.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And unto her in answer spake cloud-gathering Zeus: &ldquo;Be of good cheer, +Trito-born, dear child: not in full earnest speak I, and I would fain be kind +to thee. Do as seemeth good to thy mind, and draw not back.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying he roused Athene, that already was set thereon, and from the crests +of Olympus she darted down. +</p> + +<p> +But after Hector sped fleet Achilles chasing him vehemently. And as when on the +mountains a hound hunteth the fawn of a deer, having started it from its +covert, through glens and glades, and if it crouch to baffle him under a bush, +yet scenting it out the hound runneth constantly until he find it; so Hector +baffled not Peleus&rsquo; fleet-footed son. Oft as he set himself to dart under +the well-built walls over against the Dardanian gates, if haply from above they +might succour him with darts, so oft would Achilles gain on him and turn him +toward the plain, while himself he sped ever on the city-side. And as in a +dream one faileth in chase of a flying man, the one faileth in his flight and +the other in his chase—so failed Achilles to overtake him in the race, and +Hector to escape. And thus would Hector have avoided the visitation of death, +had not this time been utterly the last wherein Apollo came nigh to him, who +nerved his strength and his swift knees. For to the host did noble Achilles +sign with his head, and forbade them to hurl bitter darts against Hector, lest +any smiting him should gain renown, and he himself come second. But when the +fourth time they had reached the springs, then the Father hung his golden +balances, and set therein two lots of dreary death, one of Achilles, one of +horse-taming Hector, and held them by the midst and poised. Then Hector&rsquo;s +fated day sank down, and fell to the house of Hades, and Phoebus Apollo left +him. But to Peleus&rsquo; son came the bright-eyed goddess Athene, and standing +near spake to him winged words: &ldquo;Now verily, glorious Achilles dear to +Zeus, I have hope that we twain shall carry off great glory to the ships for +the Achaians, having slain Hector, for all his thirst for fight. No longer is +it possible for him to escape us, not even though far-darting Apollo should +travail sore, grovelling before the Father, aegis-bearing Zeus. But do thou now +stand and take breath, and I will go and persuade this man to confront thee in +fight.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake Athene, and he obeyed, and was glad at heart, and stood leaning on +his bronze-pointed ashen-spear. And she left him and came to noble Hector, like +unto Deiphobos in shape and in strong voice, and standing near spake to him +winged words: &ldquo;Dear brother, verily fleet Achilles doth thee violence, +chasing thee round Priam&rsquo;s town with swift feet: but come let us make a +stand and await him on our defence.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then answered her great Hector of the glancing helm: &ldquo;Deiphobos, verily +aforetime wert thou far dearest of my brothers, but now methinks I shall honour +thee even more, in that thou hast dared for my sake, when thou sawest me, to +come forth of the wall, while the others tarry within.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then to him again spake the bright-eyed goddess Athene: &ldquo;Dear brother, of +a truth my father and lady mother and my comrades around besought me much, +entreating me in turn, to tarry there, so greatly do they all tremble before +him; but my heart within was sore with dismal grief. And now fight we with +straight-set resolve and let there be no sparing of spears, that we may know +whether Achilles is to slay us and carry our bloody spoils to the hollow ships, +or whether he might be vanquished by thy spear.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying Athene in her subtlety led him on. And when they were come nigh in +onset on one another, to Achilles first spake great Hector of the glancing +helm: &ldquo;No longer, son of Peleus, will I fly thee, as before I thrice ran +round the great town of Priam, and endured not to await thy onset. Now my heart +biddeth me stand up against thee; I will either slay or be slain. But come +hither and let us pledge us by our gods, for they shall be best witnesses and +beholders of covenants: I will entreat thee in no outrageous sort, if Zeus +grant me to outstay thee, and if I take thy life, but when I have despoiled +thee of thy glorious armour, O Achilles, I will give back thy dead body to the +Achaians, and do thou the same.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +But unto him with grim gaze spake Achilles fleet of foot: &ldquo;Hector, talk +not to me, thou madman, of covenants. As between men and lions there is no +pledge of faith, nor wolves and sheep can be of one mind, but imagine evil +continually against each other, so is it impossible for thee and me to be +friends, neither shall be any pledge between us until one or other shall have +fallen and glutted with blood Ares, the stubborn god of war. Bethink thee of +all thy soldiership: now behoveth it thee to quit thee as a good spearman and +valiant man of war. No longer is there way of escape for thee, but Pallas +Athene will straightway subdue thee to my spear; and now in one hour shalt thou +pay back for all my sorrows for my friends whom thou hast slain in the fury of +thy spear.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and poised his far-shadowing spear and hurled. And noble Hector +watched the coming thereof and avoided it; for with his eye on it he crouched, +and the bronze spear flew over him, and fixed itself in the earth; but Pallas +Athene caught it up and gave it back to Achilles, unknown of Hector shepherd of +hosts. Then Hector spake unto the noble son of Peleus: &ldquo;Thou hast missed, +so no wise yet, godlike Achilles, has thou known from Zeus the hour of my doom, +though thou thoughtest it. Cunning of tongue art thou and a deceiver in speech, +that fearing thee I might forget my valour and strength. Not as I flee shalt +thou plant thy spear in my reins, but drive it straight through my breast as I +set on thee, if God hath given thee to do it. Now in thy turn avoid my spear of +bronze. O that thou mightst take it all into thy flesh! Then would the war be +lighter to the Trojans, if but thou wert dead, for thou art their greatest +bane.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and poised his long-shadowed spear and hurled it, and smote the midst +of the shield of Peleus&rsquo; son, and missed him not: but far from the shield +the spear leapt back. And Hector was wroth that his swift weapon had left his +hand in vain, and he stood downcast, for he had no second ashen spear. And he +called with a loud shout to Deiphobos of the white shield, and asked of him a +long spear, but he was no wise nigh. Then Hector knew he truth in his heart, +and spake and said: &ldquo;Ay me, now verily the gods have summoned me to +death. I deemed the warrior Deiphobos was by my side, but he is within the +wall, and it was Athene who played me false. Now therefore is evil death come +very nigh me, not far off, nor is there way of escape. This then was from of +old the pleasure of Zeus and of the far-darting son of Zeus, who yet before +were fain to succour me: but now my fate hath found me. At least let me not die +without a struggle or ingloriously, but in some great deed of arms whereof men +yet to be born shall hear.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying he drew his sharp sword that by his flank hung great and strong, +and gathered himself and swooped like a soaring eagle that darteth to the plain +through the dark clouds to seize a tender lamb or crouching hare. So Hector +swooped, brandishing his sharp sword. And Achilles made at him, for his heart +was filled with wild fierceness, and before his breast he made a covering with +his fair graven shield, and tossed his bright four-plated helm; and round it +waved fair golden plumes [that Hephaistos had set thick about the crest.]. As a +star goeth among stars in the darkness of night, Hesperos, fairest of all stars +set in heaven, so flashed there forth a light from the keen spear Achilles +poised in his right hand, devising mischief against noble Hector, eyeing his +fair flesh to find the fittest place. Now for the rest of him his flesh was +covered by the fair bronze armour he stripped from strong Patroklos when he +slew him, but there was an opening where the collar bones coming from the +shoulders clasp the neck, even at the gullet, where destruction of life cometh +quickliest; there, as he came on, noble Achilles drave at him with his spear, +and right through the tender neck went the point. Yet the bronze-weighted ashen +spear clave not the windpipe, so that he might yet speak words of answer to his +foe. And he fell down in the dust, and noble Achilles spake exultingly: +&ldquo;Hector, thou thoughtest, whilst thou wert spoiling Patroklos, that thou +wouldst be safe, and didst reck nothing of me who was afar, thou fool. But away +among the hollow ships his comrade, a mightier far, even I, was left behind, +who now have unstrung thy knees. Thee shall dogs and birds tear foully, but his +funeral shall the Achaians make.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then with faint breath spake unto him Hector of the glancing helm: &ldquo;I +pray thee by thy life and knees and parents leave me not for dogs of the +Achaians to devour by the ships, but take good store of bronze and gold, gifts +that my father and lady mother shall give to thee, and give them home my body +back again, that the Trojans and Trojans&rsquo; wives give me my due of fire +after my death.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +But unto him with grim gaze spake Achilles fleet of foot: &ldquo;Entreat me +not, dog, by knees or parents. Would that my heart&rsquo;s desire could so bid +me myself to carve and eat raw thy flesh, for the evil thou hast wrought me, as +surely is there none that shall keep the dogs from thee, not even should they +bring ten or twenty fold ransom and here weigh it out, and promise even more, +not even were Priam Dardanos&rsquo; son to bid pay thy weight in gold, not even +so shall thy lady mother lay thee on a bed to mourn her son, but dogs and birds +shall devour thee utterly.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then dying spake unto him Hector of the glancing helm: &ldquo;Verily I know +thee and behold thee as thou art, nor was I destined to persuade thee; truly +thy heart is iron in thy breast. Take heed now lest I draw upon thee wrath of +gods, in the day when Paris and Phoebus Apollo slay thee, for all thy valour, +at the Skaian gate.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He ended, and the shadow of death came down upon him, and his soul flew forth +of his limbs and was gone to the house of Hades, wailing her fate, leaving her +vigour and youth. Then to the dead man spake noble Achilles: &ldquo;Die: for my +death, I will accept it whensoever Zeus and the other immortal gods are minded +to accomplish it.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and from the corpse drew forth his bronze spear, and set it aside, and +stripped the bloody armour from the shoulders. And other sons of Achaians ran +up around, who gazed upon the stature and marvellous goodliness of Hector. Nor +did any stand by but wounded him, and thus would many a man say looking toward +his neighbour: &ldquo;Go to, of a truth far easier to handle is Hector now than +when he burnt the ships with blazing fire.&rdquo; Thus would many a man say, +and wound him as he stood hard by. And when fleet noble Achilles had despoiled +him, he stood up among the Achaians and spake winged words: &ldquo;Friends, +chiefs and counsellors of the Argives, since the gods have vouchsafed us to +vanquish this man who hath done us more evil than all the rest together, come +let us make trial in arms round about the city, that we may know somewhat of +the Trojans&rsquo; purpose, whether since he hath fallen they will forsake the +citadel, or whether they are minded to abide, albeit Hector is no more. But +wherefore doth my heart debate thus? There lieth by the ships a dead man +unbewailed, unburied, Patroklos; him will I not forget, while I abide among the +living and my knees can stir. Nay if even in the house of Hades the dead forget +their dead, yet will I even there be mindful of my dear comrade. But come, ye +sons of the Achaians, let us now, singing our song of victory, go back to the +hollow ships and take with us our foe. Great glory have we won; we have slain +the noble Hector, unto whom the Trojans prayed throughout their city, as he had +been a god.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and devised foul entreatment of noble Hector. The tendons of both feet +behind he slit from heel to ankle-joint, and thrust therethrough thongs of +ox-hide, and bound him to his chariot, leaving his head to trail. And when he +had mounted the chariot and lifted therein the famous armour, he lashed his +horses to speed, and they nothing loth flew on. And dust rose around him that +was dragged, and his dark hair flowed loose on either side, and in the dust lay +all his once fair head, for now had Zeus given him over to his foes to entreat +foully in his own native land. +</p> + +<p> +Thus was his head all grimed with dust. But his mother when she beheld her son, +tore her hair and cast far from her her shining veil, and cried aloud with an +exceeding bitter cry. And piteously moaned his father, and around them the folk +fell to crying and moaning throughout the town. Most like it seemed as though +all beetling Ilios were burning utterly in fire. Scarcely could the folk keep +back the old man in his hot desire to get him forth of the Dardanian gates. For +he besought them all, casting himself down in the mire, and calling on each man +by his name: &ldquo;Hold, friends, and though you love me leave me to get me +forth of the city alone and go unto the ships of the Achaians. Let me pray this +accursed horror-working man, if haply he may feel shame before his age-fellows +and pity an old man. He also hath a father such as I am, Peleus, who begat and +reared him to be a bane of Trojans—and most of all to me hath he brought woe. +So many sons of mine hath he slain in their flower—yet for all my sorrow for +the rest I mourn them all less than this one alone, for whom my sharp grief +will bring me down to the house of Hades—even Hector. Would that he had died in +my arms; then would we have wept and wailed our fill, his mother who bore him +to her ill hap, and I myself.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he wailing, and all the men of the city made moan with him. And +among the women of Troy, Hekabe led the wild lament: &ldquo;My child, ah, woe +is me! wherefore should I live in my pain, now thou art dead, who night and day +wert my boast through the city, and blessing to all, both men and women of Troy +throughout the town, who hailed thee as a god, for verily an exceeding glory to +them wert thou in thy life:—now death and fate have overtaken thee.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake she wailing. But Hector&rsquo;s wife knew not as yet, for no true +messenger had come to tell her how her husband abode without the gates, but in +an inner chamber of the lofty house she was weaving a double purple web, and +broidering therein manifold flowers. Then she called to her goodly-haired +handmaids through the house to set a great tripod on the fire, that Hector +might have warm washing when he came home out of the battle fond heart, and was +unaware how, far from all washings, bright-eyed Athene had slain him by the +hand of Achilles. But she heard shrieks and groans from the battlements, and +her limbs reeled, and the shuttle fell from her hands to earth. Then again +among her goodly-haired maids she spake: &ldquo;Come two of ye this way with me +that I may see what deeds are done. It was the voice of my husband&rsquo;s +noble mother that I heard, and in my own breast my heart leapeth to my mouth +and my knees are numbed beneath me: surely some evil thing is at hand against +the children of Priam. Would that such word might never reach my ear! yet +terribly I dread lest noble Achilles have cut off bold Hector from the city by +himself and chased him to the plain and ere this ended his perilous pride that +possessed him, for never would he tarry among the throng of men but ran out +before them far, yielding place to no man in his hardihood.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying she sped through the chamber like one mad, with beating heart, and +with her went her handmaidens. But when she came to the battlements and the +throng of men, she stood still upon the wall and gazed, and beheld him dragged +before the city:—swift horses dragged him recklessly toward the hollow ships of +the Achaians. Then dark night came on her eyes and shrouded her, and she fell +backward and gasped forth her spirit. From off her head she shook the bright +attiring thereof, frontlet and net and woven band, and veil, the veil that +golden Aphrodite gave her on the day when Hector of the glancing helm led her +forth of the house of Eetion, having given bride-gifts untold. And around her +thronged her husband&rsquo;s sisters and his brothers&rsquo; wives, who held +her up among them, distraught even to death. But when at last she came to +herself and her soul returned into her breast, then wailing with deep sobs she +spake among the women of Troy: &ldquo;O Hector, woe is me! to one fate then +were we both born, thou in Troy in the house of Priam, and I in Thebe under +woody Plakos, in the house of Eetion, who reared me from a little one—ill-fated +sire of cruel-fated child. Ah, would he have begotten me not. Now thou to the +house of Hades beneath the secret places of the earth departest, and me in +bitter mourning thou leavest a widow in thy halls: and thy son is but an infant +child—son of unhappy parents, thee and me—nor shalt thou profit him, Hector, +since thou art dead, neither he thee. For even if he escape the Achaians&rsquo; +woful war, yet shall labour and sorrow cleave unto him hereafter, for other men +shall seize his lands. The day of orphanage sundereth a child from his fellows, +and his head is bowed down ever, and his cheeks are wet with tears. And in his +need the child seeketh his father&rsquo;s friends, plucking this one by cloak +and that by coat, and one of them that pity him holdeth his cup a little to his +mouth, and moisteneth his lips, but his palate he moisteneth not. And some +child unorphaned thrusteth him from the feast with blows and taunting words, +&lsquo;Out with thee! no father of thine is at our board.&rsquo; Then weeping +to his widowed mother shall he return, even Astyanax, who erst upon his +father&rsquo;s knee ate only marrow and fat flesh of sheep; and when sleep fell +on him and he ceased from childish play, then in bed in his nurse&rsquo;s arms +he would slumber softly nested, having satisfied his heart with good things; +but now that he hath lost his father he will suffer many ills, Astyanax—that +name the Trojans gave him, because thou only wet the defence of their gates and +their long walls. But now by the beaked ships, far from thy parents, shall +coiling worms devour thee when the dogs have had their fill, as thou liest +naked; yet in these halls lieth raiment of thine, delicate and fair, wrought by +the hands of women. But verily all these will I consume with burning fire—to +thee no profit, since thou wilt never lie therein, yet that his be honour to +thee from the men and the women of Troy.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake she wailing, and the women joined their moan. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> diff --git a/live/23.htm b/live/23.htm @@ -0,0 +1,796 @@ +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap23"></a>BOOK XXIII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Of the funeral of Patroklos, and the funeral games. +</p> + +<p> +Thus they throughout the city made moan: but the Achaians when they were come +to the ships and to the Hellespont were scattered each to his own ship: only +the Myrmidons Achilles suffered not to be scattered, but spake among his +comrades whose delight was in war: &ldquo;Fleet-horsed Myrmidons, my trusty +comrades, let us not yet unyoke our whole-hooved steeds from their cars, but +with horses and chariots let us go near and mourn Patroklos, for such is the +honour of the dead. Then when we have our fill of grievous wailing, we will +unyoke the horses and all sup here.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and they with one accord made lamentation, and Achilles led their +mourning. So thrice around the dead they drave their well-maned steeds, +moaning; and Thetis stirred among them desire of wailing. Bedewed were the +sands with tears, bedewed the warriors&rsquo; arms; so great a lord of fear +they sorrowed for. And Peleus&rsquo; son led their loud wail, laying his +man-slaying hands on his comrade&rsquo;s breast: &ldquo;All hail, Patroklos, +even in the house of Hades; for all that I promised thee before am I +accomplishing, seeing I have dragged hither Hector to give raw unto dogs to +devour, and twelve noble children of the Trojans to slaughter before thy pyre, +because of mine anger at thy slaying.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and devised foul entreatment of noble Hector, stretching him prone in +the dust beside the bier of Menoitios&rsquo; son. And the rest put off each his +glittering bronze arms, and unyoked their high-neighing horses, and sate them +down numberless beside the ship of fleet-footed Aiakides, and he gave them +ample funeral feast. Many sleek oxen were stretched out, their throats cut with +steel, and many sheep and bleating goats, and many white-tusked boars well +grown in fat were spitted to singe in the flame of Hephaistos; so on all sides +round the corpse in cupfuls blood was flowing. +</p> + +<p> +But the fleet-footed prince, the son of Peleus, was brought to noble Agamemnon +by the Achaian chiefs, hardly persuading him thereto, for his heart was wroth +for his comrade. And when they were come to Agamemnol&rsquo;s hut, forthwith +they bade clear-voiced heralds set a great tripod on the fire, if haply they +might persuade the son of Peleus to wash from him the bloody gore. But he +denied them steadfastly, and sware moreover an oath: &ldquo;Nay, verily by +Zeus, who is highest and best of gods, not lawful is it that water should come +nigh my head or ever I shall have laid Patroklos on the fire, and heaped a +barrow, and shaved my hair, since never again shall second grief thus reach my +heart, while I remain among the living. Yet now for the present let us yield us +to our mournful meal: but with the morning, O king of men Agamemnon, rouse the +folk to bring wood and furnish all that it beseemeth a dead man to have when he +goeth beneath the misty gloom, to the end that untiring fire may burn him +quickly from sight, and the host betake them to their work.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and they listened readily to him and obeyed, and eagerly making +ready each his meal they supped, and no lack had their soul of equal feast. But +when they had put off from them the desire of meat and drink, the rest went +down each man to his tent to take his rest, but the son of Peleus upon the +beach of the sounding sea lay groaning heavily, amid the host of Myrmidons, in +an open place, where waves were breaking on the shore. Now when sleep took hold +on him, easing the cares of his heart, deep sleep that fell about him, (for +sore tired were his glorious knees with onset upon Hector toward windy Ilios), +then came there unto him the spirit of hapless Patroklos, in all things like +his living self, in stature, and fair eyes, and voice, and the raiment of his +body was the same; and he stood above Achilles&rsquo; head and spake to him: +&ldquo;Thou sleepest, and hast forgotten me, O Achilles. Not in my life wast +thou ever unmindful of me, but in my death. Bury me with all speed, that I pass +the gates of Hades. Far off the spirits banish me, the phantoms of men outworn, +nor suffer me to mingle with them beyond the River, but vainly I wander along +the wide-gated dwelling of Hades. Now give me, I pray pitifully of thee, thy +hand, for never more again shall I come back from Hades, when ye have given me +my due of fire. Never among the living shall we sit apart from our dear +comrades and take counsel together, but me hath the harsh fate swallowed up +which was appointed me even from my birth. Yea and thou too thyself, Achilles +peer of gods, beneath the wall of the noble Trojans art doomed to die. Yet one +thing will I say, and charge thee, if haply thou wilt have regard thereto. Lay +not my bones apart from thine, Achilles, but together, even as we were nurtured +in your house, when Menoitios brought me yet a little one from Opoeis to your +country by reason of a grievous man-slaying, on the day when I slew +Amphidamas&rsquo; son, not willing it, in childish wrath over the dice. Then +took me the knight Peleus into his house and reared me kindly and named me thy +squire: so therefore let one coffer hide our bones [a golden coffer, two +handled, thy lady mother&rsquo;s gift].&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then made answer unto him Achilles fleet of foot: &ldquo;Wherefore, O my +brother, hast thou come hither, and chargest me everything that I should do? +Verily I will accomplish all, and have regard unto thy bidding. But stand more +nigh me; for one moment let us throw our arms around each other, and take our +fill of dolorous lament.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and reached forth with his hands, but clasped him not; for like a +vapour the spirit was gone beneath the earth with a faint shriek. And Achilles +sprang up marvelling, and smote his hands together, and spake a word of woe: +&ldquo;Ay me, there remaineth then even in the house of Hades a spirit and +phantom of the dead, albeit the life be not anywise therein: for all night long +hath the spirit of hapless Patroklos stood over me, wailing and making moan, +and charged me everything that I should do, and wondrous like his living self +it seemed.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus said he, and stirred in all of them yearning to make lament; and +rosy-fingered Morn shone forth on them while they still made moan around the +piteous corpse. Then lord Agamemnon sped mules and men from all the huts to +fetch wood; and a man of valour watched thereover, even Meriones, squire of +kindly Idomeneus. And they went forth with wood-cutting axes in their hands and +well-woven ropes, and before them went the mules, and uphill and downhill and +sideways and across they went. But when they came to the spurs of +many-fountained Ida, straightway they set them lustily to hew high-foliaged +oaks with the long-edged bronze, and with loud noise fell the trees. Then +splitting them asunder the Achaians bound them behind the mules, and they tore +up the earth with their feet as they made for the plain through the thick +underwood. And all the wood-cutters bare logs; for thus bade Meriones, squire +of kindly Idomeneus. And on the Shore they threw them down in line, where +Achilles purposed a mighty tomb for Patroklos and for himself. +</p> + +<p> +Then when they had laid down all about great piles of wood, they sate them down +all together and abode. Then straightway Achilles bade the warlike Myrmidons +gird on their arms and each yoke the horses to his chariot; and they arose and +put their armour on, and mounted their chariots, both fighting men and +charioteers. In front were the men in chariots, and a cloud of footmen followed +after, numberless; and in the midst his comrades bare Patroklos. And they +heaped all the corpse with their hair that they cut off and threw thereon; and +behind did goodly Achilles bear the head, sorrowing; for a noble comrade was he +speeding forth unto the realm of Hades. +</p> + +<p> +And when they came to the place where Achilles had bidden them, they set down +the dead, and piled for him abundant wood. Then fleet-footed noble Achilles +bethought him of one thing more: standing apart from the pyre he shore off a +golden lock, the lock whose growth he nursed to offer unto the River +Spercheios, and sore troubled spake be, looking forth over the wine-dark sea: +&ldquo;Spercheios, in other wise vowed my father Peleus unto thee that I +returning thither to my native land should shear my hair for thee and offer a +holy hecatomb, and fifty rams should sacrifice there above thy springs, where +is the sacred close and altar burning spice. So vowed the old man, but thou +hast not accomplished him his desire. And now since I return not to my dear +native land, unto the hero Patroklos I may give this hair to take away.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying he set the hair in the hands of his dear comrade, and stirred in +all of them yearning to make lament. And so would the light of the sun have +gone down on their lamentation, had not Achilles said quickly to Agamemnon as +he stood beside him: &ldquo;Son of Atreus—for to thy words most will the host +of the Achaians have regard—of lamentation they may sate them to the full. But +now disperse them from the burning and bid them make ready their meal, and we +to whom the dead is dearest will take pains for these things; yet let the +chiefs tarry nigh unto us.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then when Agamemnon king of men heard that, he forthwith dispersed the host +among the trim ships, but the nearest to the dead tarried there and piled the +wood, and made a pyre a hundred feet this way and that, and on the pyre&rsquo;s +top set the corpse, with anguish at their hearts. And many lusty sheep and +shambling crook-horned oxen they flayed and made ready before the pyre; and +taking from all of them the fat, great hearted Achilles wrapped the corpse +therein from head to foot, and heaped the flayed bodies round. And he set +therein two-handled jars of honey and oil, leaning them against the bier; and +four strong-necked horses he threw swiftly on the pyre, and groaned aloud. Nine +house-dogs had the dead chief: of them did Achilles slay twain and throw them +on the pyre. And twelve valiant sons of great-hearted Trojans he slew with the +sword—for he devised mischief in his heart and he set to the merciless might of +the fire, to feed thereon. Then moaned he aloud, and called on his dear comrade +by his name: &ldquo;All hail to thee, O Patroklos, even in the house of Hades, +for all that I promised thee before am I now accomplishing. Twelve valiant sons +of great-hearted Trojans, behold these all in company with thee the fire +devoureth: but Hector son of Priam will I nowise give to the fire to feed upon, +but to dogs.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he threatening, but no dogs might deal with Hector, for day and +night Aphrodite daughter of Zeus kept off the dogs, and anointed him with +rose-sweet oil ambrosial that Achilles might not tear him when he dragged him. +And over him Phoebus Apollo brought a dark cloud from heaven to earth and +covered all that place whereon the dead man lay, lest meanwhile the sul&rsquo;s +strength shrivel his flesh round about upon his sinews and limbs. +</p> + +<p> +But the pyre of dead Patroklos kindled not. Then fleet-footed noble Achilles +had a further thought: standing aside from the pyre he prayed to the two Winds +of North and West, and promised them fair offerings, and pouring large +libations from a golden cup besought them to come, that the corpses might blaze +up speedily in the fire, and the wood make haste to be enkindled. Then Iris, +when she heard his prayer, went swiftly with the message to the Winds. They +within the house of the gusty West Wind were feasting all together at meat, +when Iris sped thither, and halted on the threshold of stone. And when they saw +her with their eyes, they sprang up and called to her every one to sit by him. +But she refused to sit, and spake her word: &ldquo;No seat for me; I must go +back to the streams of Ocean, to the Ethiopians&rsquo; land where they +sacrifice hecatombs to the immortal gods, that I too may feast at their rites. +But Achilles is praying the North Wind and the loud West to come, and promising +them fair offerings, that ye may make the pyre be kindled whereon lieth +Patroklos, for whom all the Achaians are making moan.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +She having thus said departed, and they arose with a mighty sound, rolling the +clouds before them. And swiftly they came blowing over the sea, and the wave +rose beneath their shrill blast; and they came to deep-soiled Troy, and fell +upon the pile, and loudly roared the mighty fire. So all night drave they the +flame of the pyre together, blowing shrill; and all night fleet Achilles, +holding a two-handled cup, drew wine from a golden bowl, and poured it forth +and drenched the earth, calling upon the spirit of hapless Patroklos. As a +father waileth when he burneth the bones of his son, new-married, whose death +is woe to his hapless parents, so wailed Achilles as he burnt the bones of his +comrade, going heavily round the burning pile, with many moans. +</p> + +<p> +But at the hour when the Morning star goeth forth to herald light upon the +earth, the star that saffron-mantled Dawn cometh after, and spreadeth over the +salt sea, then grew the burning faint, and the flame died down. And the Winds +went back again to betake them home over the Thracian main, and it roared with +a violent swell. Then the son of Peleus turned away from the burning and lay +down wearied, and sweet sleep leapt on him. But they who were with +Atreus&rsquo; son gathered all together, and the noise and clash of their +approach aroused him; and he sate upright and spake a word to them: &ldquo;Son +of Atreus and ye other chiefs of the Achaians, first quench with gleaming wine +all the burning so far as the fire&rsquo;s strength hath reached, and then let +us gather up the bones of Patroklos, Menoitios&rsquo; son, singling them well, +and easy are they to discern, for he lay in the middle of the pyre, while the +rest apart at the edge burnt-confusedly, horses and men. And his bones let us +put within a golden urn, and double-folded fat, until that I myself be hidden +in Hades. But no huge barrow I bid you toil to raise—a seemly one, no more: +then afterward do ye Achaians build it broad and high, whosoever of you after I +am gone may be left in the benched ships.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and they hearkened to the fleet-footed son of Peleus. First +quenched they with gleaming wine the burning so far as the flame went, and the +ash had settled deep: then with lamentation they gathered up the white bones of +their gentle comrade into a golden urn and double-folded fat, and placed the +urn in the hut and covered it with a linen veil. And they marked the circle of +the barrow, and set the foundations thereof around the pyre, and straightway +heaped thereon a heap of earth. Then when they had heaped up the barrow they +were for going back. But Achilles stayed the folk in that place, and made them +sit in wide assembly, and from his ships he brought forth prizes, caldrons and +tripods, and horses and mules and strong oxen, and fair-girdled women, and grey +iron. +</p> + +<p> +First for fleet chariot-racers he ordained a noble prize, a woman skilled in +fair handiwork for the winner to lead home, and an eared tripod that held +two-and-twenty measures; these for the first man; and for the second he +ordained a six-year-old mare unbroke with a mule foal in her womb; and for the +third he gave a goodly caldron yet untouched by fire, holding four measures, +bright as when first made; and for the fourth he ordained two talents of gold; +and for the fifth a two-handled urn untouched of fire, Then he stood up and +spake a word among the Argives: &ldquo;Son of Atreus and ye other well-greaved +Achaians, for the chariot-racers these prizes lie awaiting them in the lists. +If in some other&rsquo;s honour we Achaians were now holding our games, it +would be I who should win the first prize and bear it to my hut; for ye know +how far my pair of horses are first in excellence, for they are immortal and +Poseidon gave them to my father Peleus, and he again to me. But verily I will +abide, I and my whole-hooved horses, so glorious a charioteer have they lost, +and one so kind, who on their manes full often poured smooth oil, when he had +washed them in clear water. For him they stand and mourn, and their manes are +trailing on the ground, and there stand they with sorrow at their hearts. But +ye others throughout the host get ye to your places, whosoever of the Achalans +hath trust in his horses and firm-jointed car.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake the son of Peleus, and the fleet chariot-racers were gathered. First +of all arose up Eumelos king of men, Admetos&rsquo; son, a skilful charioteer; +and next to him arose Tydeus&rsquo; son, valiant Diomedes, and yoked his horses +of the breed of Tros, which on a time he seized from Aineias, when Apollo saved +their lord. And after him arose Atreus&rsquo; son, fair-haired heaven-sprung +Menelaos, and yoked him a swift pair Aithe, Agamemnol&rsquo;s mare, and his own +horse Podargos. Her unto Agamemnon did Anchises&rsquo; son Echepolos give in +fee, that he might escape from following him to windy Ilios and take his +pleasure at home; for great wealth had Zeus given him, and he dwelt in Sikyon +of spacious lawns:— so Menelaos yoked her, and she longed exceedingly for the +race. And fourth, Antilochos made ready his fair-maned horses, even the noble +son of Nestor, high-hearted king, who was the son of Neleus; and fleet horses +bred at Pylos drew his car. And his father standing by his side spake +counselling him to his profit, though himself was well advised: +&ldquo;Antilochos, verily albeit thou art young, Zeus and Poseidon have loved +thee and taught thee all skill with horses; wherefore to teach thee is no great +need, for thou well knowest how to wheel round the post; yet are thy horses +very slow in the race: therefore methinks there will be sad work for thee. For +the horses of the others are fleeter, yet the men know not more cunning than +thou hast. So come, dear son, store thy mind with all manner of cunning, that +the prize escape thee not. By cunning is a woodman far better than by force; by +cunning doth a helmsman on the wine-dark deep steer his swift ship buffeted by +winds; by cunning hath charioteer the better of charioteer. For whoso trusting +in his horses and car alone wheeleth heedlessly and wide at either end, his +horses swerve on the course, and he keepeth them not in hand. But whoso is of +crafty mind, though he drive worse horses, he ever keeping his eye upon the +post turneth closely by it, neither is unaware how far at first to force his +horses by the ox-hide reins, but holdeth them safe in hand and watcheth the +leader in the race. Now will I tell thee a certain sign, and it shall not +escape thee. A fathom&rsquo;s height above the ground standeth a withered +stump, whether of oak or pine: it decayeth not in the rain, and two white +stones on either side thereof are fixed at the joining of the track, and all +round it is smooth driving ground. Whether it be a monument of some man dead +long ago, or have been made their goal in the race by ancient men, this now is +the mark fixed by fleet-footed Achilles. Wherefore do thou drive close and bear +thy horses and chariot hard thereon, and lean thy body on the well-knit car +slightly to their left, and call upon the off-horse with voice and lash, and +give him rein from thy hand. But let the near horse hug the post so that the +nave of the well-wrought wheel seem to graze it—yet beware of touching the +stone, lest thou wound the horses and break the chariot; so would that be +triumph to the rest and reproach unto thyself. But, dear son, be wise and on +thy guard; for if at the turning-post thou drive past the rest, there is none +shall overtake thee from behind or pass thee by, not though he drave the goodly +Arion in pursuit, the fleet horse of Adrastos, of divine descent, or the horses +of Laomedon, best of all bred in this land.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake Neleian Nestor and sate him down again in his place, when he had +told his son the sum of every matter. +</p> + +<p> +And Meriones was the fifth to make ready his sleek-coated steeds. Then went +they up into their chariots, and cast in the lots: and Achilles shook them, and +forth leapt the lot of Antilochos Nestor&rsquo;s son, and the next lot had lord +Eumelos, and next to him the son of Atreus, spear-famed Menelaos, and next to +him drew Meriones his place; then lastly Tydeides, far the best of all, drew +his lot for his chariot&rsquo;s place. Then they stood side by side, and +Achilles showed to them the turning post, far off in the smooth plain; and +beside it he placed an umpire, godlike Phoinix, his father&rsquo;s follower, +that he might note the running and tell the truth thereof. +</p> + +<p> +Then all together lifted the lash above their steeds, and smote them with the +reins, and called on them eagerly with words: and they forthwith sped swiftly +over the plain, leaving the ships behind; and beneath their breasts stood the +rising dust like a cloud or whirlwind, and their manes waved on the blowing +wind. And the chariots ran sometimes on the bounteous earth, and other whiles +would bound into the air. And the drivers stood in the cars, and the heart of +every man beat in desire of victory, and they called every man to his horses, +that flew amid their dust across the plain. +</p> + +<p> +But when the fleet horses were now running the last part of the course, back +toward the grey sea, then was manifest the prowess of each, and the horses +strained in the race; and presently to the front rushed the fleet mares of +Pheres&rsquo; grandson, and next to them Diomedes&rsquo; stallions of the breed +of Tros, not far apart, but hard anigh, for they seemed ever as they would +mount Eumelos&rsquo; car, and with their breath his back was warm and his broad +shoulders, for they bent their heads upon him as they flew along. Thus would +Tydeus&rsquo; son have either outstripped the other or made it a dead heat, had +not Phoebus Apollo been wroth with him and smitten from his hand the shining +lash. Then from his eyes ran tears of anger, for that he saw the mares still at +speed, even swiftlier than before, while his own horses were thrown out, as +running without spur. But Athene was not unaware of Apollo&rsquo;s guile +against Tydeides, and presently sped after the shepherd of hosts, and gave him +back the lash, and put spirit into his steeds. Then in wrath after the son of +Admetos was the goddess gone, and brake his steeds&rsquo; yoke, and the mares +ran sideways off the course, and the pole was twisted to the ground. And +Eumelos was hurled out of the car beside the wheel, and his elbows and mouth +and nose were flayed, and his forehead bruised above his eyebrows; and his eyes +filled with tears and his lusty voice was choked. Then Tydeides held his +whole-hooved horses on one side, darting far out before the rest, for Athene +put spirit into his steeds and shed glory on himself. Now next after him came +golden-haired Menelaos Atreus&rsquo; son. But Antilochos called to his +father&rsquo;s horses: &ldquo;Go ye too in, strain to your fleetest pace. Truly +I nowise bid you strive with those, the horses of wise Tydeides, unto which +Athene hath now given speed, and shed glory on their charioteer. But overtake +Atreides&rsquo; horses with all haste, and be not outstripped by them, lest +Aithe that is but a mare pour scorn on you. Why are ye outstripped, brave +steeds? Thus will I tell you, and verily it shall be brought to pass—ye will +find no tendance with Nestor shepherd of hosts, but straightway he will slay +you with the edge of the sword if through heedlessness we win but the worse +prize. Have after them at your utmost speed, and I for my part will devise a +plan to pass them in the strait part of the course, and this shall fail me +not.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and they fearing the voice of the prince ran swiftlier some +little while; and presently did the good warrior Antilochos espy a strait place +in a sunk part of the way. There was a rift in the earth, where torrent water +gathered and brake part of the track away, and hollowed all the place; there +drave Menelaos, shunning the encounter of the wheels. But Antilochos turned his +whole-hooved horses out of the track, and followed him a little at one side. +And the son of Atreus took alarm and shouted to Antilochos: &ldquo;Antilochos, +thou art driving recklessly—hold in thy horses! The road is straitened, soon +thou mayest pass me in a wider place, lest thou foul my chariot and undo us +both.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, but Antilochos drave even fiercelier than before, plying his +lash, as though he heard him not. As far as is the range of a disk swung from +the shoulder when a young man hurleth it, making trial of his force, even so +far ran they on; then the mares of Atreus&rsquo; son gave back, for he ceased +of himself to urge them on, lest the whole-hooved steeds should encounter on +the track, and overset the well-knit cars, and the drivers fall in the dust in +their zeal for victory. So upbraiding Antilochos spake golden-haired Menelaos: +&ldquo;Antilochos, no mortal man is more malicious than thou. Go thy mad way, +since falsely have we Achaians called thee wise. Yet even so thou shalt not +bear off the prize unchallenged to an oath.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying he called aloud to his horses: &ldquo;Hold ye not back nor stand +still with sorrow at heart. Their feet and knees will grow weary before yours, +for they both lack youth.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and they fearing the voice of the prince sped faster on, and +were quickly close upon the others. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Argives sitting in concourse were gazing at the horses, and they came +flying amid their dust over the plain. And the first aware of them was +Idomeneus, chief of the Cretans, for he was sitting outside the concourse in +the highest place of view, and when he heard the voice of one that shouted, +though afar off, he knew it; and he was aware of a horse showing plainly in the +front, a chestnut all the rest of him, but in the forehead marked with a white +star round like the moon. And he stood upright and spoke among the Argives: +&ldquo;Friends, chiefs, and counsellors of the Argives, is it I alone who see +the horses, or do ye also? A new pair seem to me now to be in front, and a new +charioteer appeareth; the mares which led in the outward course must have been +thrown out there in the plain. For I saw them turning first the hither post, +but now can see them nowhere, though my eyes are gazing everywhere along the +Trojan plain. Did the reins escape the charioteer so that he could not drive +aright round the post and failed in the turn? There, methinks, must he have +been cast forth, and have broken his chariot, and the mares must have left the +course, in the wildness of their heart. But stand up ye too and look, for +myself I discern not certainly, but the first man seemeth to me one of Aitolian +race, and he ruleth among Argives, the son of horse-taming Tydeus, stalwart +Diomedes.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then fleet Aias Oileus&rsquo; son rebuked him in unseemly sort: +&ldquo;Idomeneus, why art thou a braggart of old? As yet far off the +high-stepping mares are coursing over the wide plain. Neither art thou so far +the youngest among the Argives, nor do thy eyes look so far the keenliest from +thy head, yet continually braggest thou. It beseemeth thee not to be a +braggart, for there are here better men. And the mares leading are they that +led before, Eumelos&rsquo; mares, and he standeth and holdeth the reins within +the car.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then wrathfully in answer spake the chief of Cretans: &ldquo;Aias, master of +railing, ill-counselled, in all else art thou behind other Argives, for thy +mind is unfriendly. Come then let us wager a tripod or caldron, and make +Agamemnon Atreus&rsquo; son our umpire, which mares are leading, that thou +mayest pay and learn.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus said he, and straightway fleet Aias Oileus&rsquo; son arose angrily to +answer with harsh words: and strife between the twain would have gone further, +had not Achilles himself stood up and spake a word: &ldquo;No longer answer +each other with harsh words, Aias and Idomeneus, ill words, for it beseemeth +not. Surely ye are displeased with any other who should do thus. Sit ye in the +concourse and keep your eyes upon the horses; soon they in zeal for victory +will come hither, and then shall ye know each of you the Argives&rsquo; horses, +which follow, and which lead.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and the son of Tydeus came driving up, and with his lash smote now and +again from the shoulder, and his horses were stepping high as they sped swiftly +on their way. And sprinklings of dust smote ever the charioteer, and his +chariot overlaid with gold and tin ran behind his fleet-footed steeds, and +small trace was there of the wheel-tires behind in the fine dust, as they flew +speeding on. Then he drew up in the mid concourse, and much sweat poured from +the horses&rsquo; heads and chests to the ground. And Diomedes leapt to earth +from the shining car, and leant his lash against the yoke. Then stalwart +Sthenelos tarried not, but promptly took the prize, and gave to his proud +comrades the woman to lead and the eared tripod to bear away, and he loosed the +horses from the yoke. +</p> + +<p> +And next after him drave Neleian Antilochos his horses, by craft, not +swiftness, having passed by Menelaos; yet even now Menelaos held his swift +steeds hard anigh. As far as a horse is from the wheel, which draweth his +master, straining with the car over the plain—his hindmost tail-hairs touch the +tire, for the wheel runneth hard anigh nor is much space between, as he +speedeth far over the plain—by so much was Menelaos behind high-born +Antilochos, howbeit at first he was a whole disk-cast behind, but quickly he +was catching Antilochos up, for the high mettle of Agamemnol&rsquo;s mare, +sleek-coated Aithe, was rising in her. And if yet further both had had to run +he would have passed his rival nor left it even a dead heat. But Meriones, +stout squire of Idomeneus, came in a spear-throw behind famous Menelaos, for +tardiest of all were his sleek-coated horses, and slowest he himself to drive a +chariot in the race. Last of them all came Admetos&rsquo; son, dragging his +goodly car driving his steeds in front. Him when fleet-footed noble Achilles +beheld he pitied him, and he stood up and spake winged words among the Argives: +&ldquo;Last driveth his whole-hooved horses the best man of them all. But come +let us give him a prize, as is seemly, prize for the second place, but the +first let the son of Tydeus take.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and all applauded that he bade. And he would have given him the +mare, for the Achaians applauded, had not Antilochos, son of great-hearted +Nestor; risen up and answered Peleian Achilles on behalf of his right: &ldquo;O +Achilles, I shall be sore angered with thee if thou accomplish this word, for +thou art minded to take away my prize, because thou thinkest of how his chariot +and fleet steeds miscarried, and himself withal, good man though he be. Nay, it +behoved him to pray to the Immortals, then would he not have come in last of +all in the race. But if thou pitiest him and he be dear to thy heart, there is +much gold in thy hut, bronze is there and sheep, hand-maids are there and +whole-hooved horses. Thereof take thou and give unto him afterward even a +richer prize, or even now at once, that the Achaians may applaud thee. But the +mare I will not yield; for her let what man will essay the battle at my +hands.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and fleet-footed noble Achilles smiled, pleased with Antilochos, +for he was his dear comrade; and spake in answer to him winged words: +&ldquo;Antilochos, if thou wouldst have me give Eumelos some other thing beside +from out my house, that also will I do. I will give unto him a breast-plate +that I took from Asteropaios, of bronze, whereon a casting of bright tin is +overlaid, and of great worth will it be to him.&rdquo; He said, and bade his +dear comrade Automedon bring it from the hut, and he went and brought it. [Then +he placed it in Eumelos&rsquo; hands, and he received it gladly.] +</p> + +<p> +But Menelaos also arose among them, sore at heart, angered exceedingly against +Antilochos; and the herald set the staff in his hand, and called for silence +among the Argives; then spake among them that godlike man: &ldquo;Antilochos, +who once wert wise, what thing is this thou hast done? Thou hast shamed my +skill and made my horses fail, thrusting thine own in front that are far worse. +Come now, ye chiefs and counsellors of the Argives, give judgment between us +both, and favour neither: lest some one of the mail-clad Achalans say at any +time: &lsquo;By constraining Antilochos through false words hath Menelaos gone +off with the mare, for his horses were far worse, howbeit he hath advantage in +rank and power.&rsquo; Nay, I myself will bring the issue about, and I deem +that none other of the Danaans shall reproach me, for the trial shall be just. +Antilochos, fosterling of Zeus, come thou hither and as it is ordained stand up +before thy horses and chariot and take in thy hand the pliant lash wherewith +thou dravest erst, and touching thy horses swear by the Enfolder and Shaker of +the earth that not wilfully didst thou hinder my chariot by guile.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then answered him wise Antilochos: &ldquo;Bear with me now, for far younger am +I than thou, king Menelaos, and thou art before me and my better. Thou knowest +how a young mal&rsquo;s transgressions come about, for his mind is hastier and +his counsel shallow. So let thy heart suffer me, and I will of myself give to +thee the mare I have taken. Yea, if thou shouldst ask some other greater thing +from my house, I were fain to give it thee straightway, rather than fall for +ever from my place in thy heart, O fosterling of Zeus, and become a sinner +against the gods.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake great-hearted Nestor&rsquo;s son, and brought the mare and put her +in the hand of Menelaos. And his heart was gladdened as when the dew cometh +upon the ears of ripening harvest-corn, what time the fields are bristling. So +gladdened was thy soul, Menelaos, within thy heart. And he spake unto +Antilochos and uttered winged words: &ldquo;Antilochos, now will I of myself +put away mine anger against thee, since no wise formerly wert thou flighty or +light-minded, howbeit now thy reason was overcome of youthfulness. Another time +be loth to outwit better men. Not easily should another of the Achaians have +persuaded me, but thou hast suffered and toiled greatly, and thy brave father +and brother, for my sake: therefore will I hearken to thy prayer, and will even +give unto thee the mare, though she is mine, that these also may know that my +heart was never overweening or implacable.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and gave the mare to Noemon Antilochos&rsquo; comrade to lead away, +and then took the shining caldron. And Meriones took up the two talents of gold +in the fourth place, as he had come in. So the fifth prize was left unclaimed, +a two-handled cup; to Nester gave Achilles this, bearing it to him through the +concourse of Argives, and stood by him and said: &ldquo;Lo now for thee too, +old man, be this a treasure, a memorial of Patroklos&rsquo; burying; for no +more shalt thou behold him among the Argives. Now give I thee this prize unwon, +for not in boxing shalt thou strive, neither wrestle, nor enter on the javelin +match, nor race with thy feet; for grim old age already weigheth on +thee.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus saying he placed it in his hand, and Nestor received it gladly, and spake +unto him winged words: &ldquo;Ay, truly all this, my son, thou hast meetly +said; for no longer are my limbs, friend, firm, nor my feet, nor do my arms at +all swing lightly from my shoulders either side. Would that my youth were such +and my force so firm as when the Epeians were burying lord Amarynkes at +Buprasion, and his sons held the king&rsquo;s funeral games. Then was no man +found like me, neither of the Epeians nor of the Pylians themselves or the +great-hearted Aitolians. In boxing I overcame Klytomedes, son of Enops, and in +wrestling Ankaios of Pleuron, who stood up against me, and in the foot-race I +outran Iphiklos, a right good man, and with the spear outthrew Phyleus and +Polydoros; only in the chariot-race the two sons of Aktor beat me [by crowding +their horses in front of me, jealous for victory, because the chief prizes were +left at home.] Now they were twins—one ever held the reins, the reins he ever +held, the other called on the horses with the lash. Thus was I once, but now +let younger men join in such feats; I must bend to grievous age, but then was I +of mark among heroes. But come hold funeral for thy comrade too with with +games. This gift do I accept with gladness, and my heart rejoiceth that thou +rememberest ever my friendship to thee—(nor forget I thee)—and the honour +wherewith it is meet that I be honoured among the Achaians. And may the gods +for this grant thee due grace.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and Peleides was gone down the full concourse of Achaians, when +he had hearkened to all the thanks of Neleus&rsquo; son. Then he ordained +prizes of the violent boxing match; a sturdy mule he led forth and tethered +amid the assembly, a six-year mule unbroken, hardest of all to break; and for +the loser set a two-handled cup. Then he stood up and spake a word among the +Argives: &ldquo;Son of Atreus and ye other well-greaved Achaians, for these +rewards we summon two men of the best to lift up their hands to box amain. He +to whom Apollo shall grant endurance to the end, and all the Achaians +acknowledge it, let him take the sturdy mule and return with her to his hut; +and the loser shall take with him the two-handled-cup.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and forthwith arose a man great and valiant and skilled in +boxing, Epeios son of Panopeus, and laid his hand on the sturdy mule and said +aloud: &ldquo;Let one come nigh to bear off the two-handled cup; the mule I say +none other of the Achaians shall take for victory with his fists, for I claim +to be the best man here. Sufficeth it not that I fall short of you in battle? +Not possible is it that in all arts a man be skilled. Thus proclaim I, and it +shall be accomplished: I will utterly bruise mine adversary&rsquo;s flesh and +break his bones, so let his friends abide together here to bear him forth when +vanquished by my hands.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and they all kept deep silence. And alone arose against him +Euryalos, a godlike man, son of king Mekisteus the son of Talaos, Mekisteus, +who came on a time to Thebes when Oedipus had fallen, to his burial, and there +he overcame all the sons of Kadmos. Thus Tydeides famous with the spear made +ready Euryalos for the fight, cheering him with speech, and greatly desired for +him victory. And first he cast about him a girdle, and next gave him well-cut +thongs of the hide of an ox of the field. And the two boxers being girt went +into the midst of the ring, and both lifting up their stalwart hands fell to, +and their hands joined battle grievously. Then was there terrible grinding of +teeth, and sweat flowed from all their limbs. And noble Epeios came on, and as +the other spied for an opening, smote him on the cheek, nor could he much more +stand, for his limbs failed straightway under him. And as when beneath the +North Wind&rsquo;s ripple a fish leapeth on a tangle-covered beach, and then +the black wave hideth it, so leapt up Euryalos at that blow. But great-hearted +Epeios took him in his hands and set him upright, and his dear comrades stood +around him, and led him through the ring with trailing feet, spitting out +clotted blood, drooping his head awry, and they set him down in his swoon among +them and themselves went forth and fetched the two-handled cup. +</p> + +<p> +Then Peleus&rsquo; son ordained straightway the prizes for a third contest, +offering them to the Danaans, for the grievous wrestling match: for the winner +a great tripod for standing on the fire, prized by the Achaians among them at +twelve oxens&rsquo; worth; and for the loser he brought a woman into the midst, +skilled in manifold work, and they prized her at four oxen. And he stood up and +spake a word among the Argives: &ldquo;Rise, ye who will essay this +match.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus said he, and there arose great Aias son of Telamon, and Odysseus of many +wiles stood up, the crafty-minded. And the twain being girt went into the midst +of the ring, and clasped each the other in his arms with stalwart hands, like +gable rafters of a lofty house which some famed craftsman joineth, that he may +baffle the wind&rsquo;s force. And their backs creaked, gripped firmly under +the vigorous hands, and sweat ran down in streams, and frequent weals along +their ribs and shoulders sprang up, red with blood, while ever they strove +amain for victory, to win the wrought tripod. Neither could Odysseus trip Aias +and bear him to the ground, nor Aias him, for Odysseus&rsquo; strength withheld +him. But when they began to irk the well-greaved Achaians, then said to +Odysseus great Aias, Telamol&rsquo;s son: &ldquo;Heaven-sprung son of Laertes, +Odysseus of many wiles, or lift thou me, or I will thee, and the issue shall be +with Zeus.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Having thus said he lifted him, but Odysseus was not unmindful of his craft. He +smote deftly from behind the hollow of Aias&rsquo; knee, and loosed his limbs, +and threw him down backward, and Odysseus fell upon his chest, and the folk +gazed and marvelled. Then in his turn much-enduring noble Odysseus tried to +lift, and moved him a little from the ground, but lifted him not, so he crooked +his knee within the other&rsquo;s, and both fell on the ground nigh to each +other, and were soiled with dust, And now starting up again a third time would +they have wrestled, had not Achilles himself arisen and held them back: +&ldquo;No longer press each the other, nor wear you out with pain. Victory is +with both; take equal prizes and depart, that other Achaians may +contend.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and they were fain to hear and to obey, and wiped the dust from +them and put their doublets on. +</p> + +<p> +Then straightway the son of Peleus set forth other prizes for fleetness of +foot; a mixing-bowl of silver, chased; six measures it held, and in beauty it +was far the best in all the earth, for artificers of Sidon wrought it +cunningly, and men of the Phoenicians brought it over the misty sea, and landed +it in harbour, and gave it a gift to Thoas; and Euneos son of Jason gave it to +the hero Patroklos a ransom for Lykaon Priam&rsquo;s son. Now this cup did +Achilles set forth as a prize in honour of his friend, for whoso should be +fleetest in speed of foot. For the second he set an ox great and very fat, and +for the last prize half a talent of gold. And he stood up and spake a word +among the Argives: &ldquo;Rise, ye who will essay this match.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and straightway arose fleet Aias Oileus&rsquo; son, and Odysseus +of many wiles, and after them Nestor&rsquo;s son Antilochos, for he was best of +all the youth in the foot-race. Then they stood side by side, and Achilles +showed to them the goal. Right eager was the running from the start, but +Oileus&rsquo; son forthwith shot to the front, and close behind him came noble +Odysseus, as close as is a weaving-rod to a fair-girdled womal&rsquo;s breast +when she pulleth it deftly with her hands, drawing the spool along the warp, +and holdeth the rod nigh her breast— so close ran Odysseus behind Aias and trod +in his footsteps or ever the dust had settled there, and on his head fell the +breath of noble Odysseus as he ran ever lightly on, and all the Achaians +applauded his struggle for the victory and called on him as he laboured hard. +But when they were running the last part of the course, forthwith Odysseus +prayed in his soul to bright-eyed Athene: &ldquo;Hearken, goddess, come thou a +good helper of my feet.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus prayed he, and Pallas Athene hearkened to him, and made his limbs feel +light, both feet and hands. But when they, were now nigh darting on the prize, +then Aias slipped as he ran, for Athene marred his race, where filth was strewn +from the slaughter of loud-bellowing oxen that fleet Achilles slew in honour of +Patroklos: and Aias&rsquo; mouth and nostrils were filled with that filth of +oxen. So much-enduring noble Odysseus, as he came in first, took up the +mixing-bowl, and famous Aias took the ox. And he stood holding in his hand the +horn of the ox of the field, sputtering away the filth, and spake among the +Argives: &ldquo;Out on it, it was the goddess who marred my running, she who +from of old like a mother standeth by Odysseus&rsquo; side and helpeth +him.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, but they all laughed pleasantly to behold him. Then Antilochos +smiling bore off the last prize, and spake his word among the Argives: +&ldquo;Friends, ye will all bear me witness when I say that even herein also +the immortals favour elder men. For Aias is a little older than I, but Odysseus +of an earlier generation and earlier race of men. A green old age is his, they +say, and hard were it for any Achaian to rival him in speed, save only +Achilles.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and gave honour to the fleet son of Peleus. And Achilles +answered him and said: &ldquo;Antilochos, not unheeded shall thy praise be +given; a half-talent of gold I will give thee over and above.&rdquo; He said, +and set it in his hands, and Antilochos received it gladly. +</p> + +<p> +Then Peleus&rsquo; son brought and set in the ring a far-shadowing spear and a +chaldron that knew not the fire, an ox&rsquo;s worth, embossed with flowers; +and men that were casters of the javelin arose up. There rose Atreus&rsquo; son +wide-ruling Agamemnon, and Meriones, Idomeneus&rsquo; brave squire. And +swift-footed noble Achilles spake among them: &ldquo;Son of Atreus, for that we +know how far thou excellest all, and how far the first thou art in the might of +thy throw, take thou this prize with thee to the hollow ships, and to the hero +Meriones let us give the spear, if thou art willing in thy heart: thus I at +least advise.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, nor disregarded him Agamemnon king of men. So to Meriones he +gave the spear of bronze, but to the herald Talthybios the hero gave the +goodliest prize. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> diff --git a/live/24.htm b/live/24.htm @@ -0,0 +1,805 @@ +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap24"></a>BOOK XXIV.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +How the body of Hector was ransomed, and of his funeral. +</p> + +<p> +Then the assembly was broken up, and the tribes were scattered to betake them +each to their own swift ships. The rest bethought them of supper and sweet +sleep to have joy thereof; but Achilles wept, remembering his dear comrade, nor +did sleep that conquereth all take hold on him, but he kept turning him to this +side and to that, yearning for Patroklos&rsquo; manhood and excellent valour, +and all the toils he achieved with him and the woes he bare, cleaving the +battles of men and the grievous waves. As he thought thereon be shed big tears, +now lying on his side, now on his back, now on his face; and then anon he would +arise upon his feet and roam wildly beside the beach of the salt sea. Nor would +he be unaware of the Dawn when she arose over the sea and shores. But when he +had yoked the swift steeds to his car he would bind Hector behind his chariot +to drag him withal; and having thrice drawn him round the barrow of the dead +son of Menoitios he rested again in his hut, and left Hector lying stretched on +his face in the dust. But Apollo kept away all defacement from his flesh, for +he had pity on him even in death, and covered him all with his golden aegis, +that Achilles might not tear him when he dragged him. +</p> + +<p> +Thus Achilles in his anger entreated noble Hector shamefully; but the blessed +gods when they beheld him pitied him, and urged the clear-sighted slayer of +Argus to steal the corpse away. So to all the others seemed it good, yet not to +Hera or Poseidon or the bright-eyed Maiden, but they continued as when at the +beginning sacred Ilios became hateful to them, and Priam and his people, by +reason of the sin of Alexandros in that he contemned those goddesses when they +came to his steading, and preferred her who brought him deadly lustfulness. But +when the twelfth morn from that day arose, then spake among the Immortals +Phoebus Apollo: &ldquo;Hard of heart are ye, O gods, and cruel Hath Hector +never burnt for you thigh-bones of unblemished bulls and goats? Now have ye not +taken heart to rescue even his corpse for his wife to look upon and his mother +and his child and his father Priam and his people, who speedily would burn him +in the fire and make his funeral. But fell Achilles, O gods, ye are fain to +abet, whose mind is nowise just nor the purpose in his breast to be turned +away, but he is cruelly minded as a lion that in great strength and at the +bidding of his proud heart goeth forth against mel&rsquo;s flocks to make his +meal; even thus Achilles hath cast out pity, neither hath he shame, that doth +both harm and profit men greatly. It must be that many a man lose even some +dearer one than was this, a brother of the same womb born or perchance a son; +yet bringeth he his wailing and lamentation to an end, for an enduring soul +have the Fates given unto men. But Achilles after bereaving noble Hector of his +life bindeth him behind his horses and draggeth him around the tomb of his dear +comrade: not, verily, is that more honourable or better for him. Let him take +heed lest we wax wroth with him, good man though he be, for in his fury he is +entreating shamefully the senseless clay.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then in anger spake unto him white-armed Hera: &ldquo;Even thus mightest thou +speak, O Lord of the silver bow, if ye are to give equal honour to Achilles and +to Hector. Hector is but a mortal and was suckled at a womal&rsquo;s breast, +but Achilles is child of a goddess whom I myself bred up and reared and gave to +a man to be his wife, even to Peleus who was dearest of all men to the +Immortals&rsquo; heart. And all ye gods came to her bridal, and thou among them +wert feasting with thy lyre, O lover of ill company, faithless ever.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then to her in answer spake Zeus who gathereth the clouds: &ldquo;Hera, be not +wroth utterly with the gods: for these mel&rsquo;s honour is not to be the +same, yet Hector also was dearest to the gods of all mortals that are in Ilios. +So was he to me at least, for nowise failed he in the gifts I loved. Never did +my altar lack seemly feast, drink-offering and the steam of sacrifice, even the +honour that falleth to our due. But verily we will say no more of stealing away +brave Hector, for it cannot be hidden from Achilles, for his mother abideth +ever nigh to him night and day. But I were fain that some one of the gods would +call Thetis to come near to me, that I may speak unto her a wise word, so that +Achilles may take gifts from Priam and give Hector back.&rdquo; Thus spake he, +and airy-footed Iris sped forth upon the errand and between Samothrace and +rocky Imbros leapt into the black sea, and the waters closed above her with a +noise. And she sped to the bottom like a weight of lead that mounted on horn of +a field-ox goeth down bearing death to ravenous fishes. And she found Thetis in +a hollow cave; about her sat gathered other goddesses of the seas and she in +their midst was wailing for the fate of her noble son who must perish in +deep-soiled Troy, far from his native land. And standing near, fleet-footed +Iris spake to her: &ldquo;Rise, Thetis; Zeus of immortal counsels calleth +thee.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And to her made answer Thetis the silver-footed goddess: &ldquo;Wherefore +biddeth me that mighty god? I shrink from mingling among the Immortals, for I +have countless woes at heart. Yet go I, nor shall his word be in vain, +whatsoever he saith.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus having said the noble goddess took to her a dark-hued robe, no blacker +raiment was there found than that. Then she went forth, and wind-footed swift +Iris led the way before her, and around them the surge of the sea was sundered. +And when they had come forth upon the shore they sped up to heaven, and found +the far-seeing son of Kronos, and round him sat gathered all the other blessed +gods that are for ever. Then she sat down beside father Zeus, and Athene gave +her place. And Hera set a fair golden cup in her hand and cheered her with +words, and Thetis drank, and gave back the cup. Then began speech to them the +father of gods and men: &ldquo;Thou art come to Olympus, divine Thetis, in thy +sorrow, with violent grief at thy heart; I know it of myself. Nevertheless will +I tell thee wherefore I called thee hither. Nine days hath dispute arisen among +the Immortals concerning the corpse of Hector and Achilles waster of cities. +Fain are they to send clear-sighted Hermes to steal the body away, but now hear +what glory I accord herein to Achilles, that I may keep through times to come +thy honour and good will. Go with all speed to the host and bear to thy son my +bidding. Say to him that the gods are displeased at him, and that I above all +Immortals am wroth, because with furious heart be holdeth Hector at the beaked +ships and hath not given him back, if haply he may fear me and give Hector +back. But I will send Iris to great-hearted Priam to bid him go to the ships of +the Achaians to ransom his dear son, and carry gifts to Achilles that may +gladden his heart.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and Thetis the silver-footed goddess was not disobedient to his +word, and sped darting upon her way down from the peaks of Olympus. And she +came to her sol&rsquo;s hut; there found she him making grievous moan, and his +dear comrades round were swiftly making ready and furnishing their early meal, +and a sheep great and fleecy was being sacrificed in the hut. Then his +lady-mother sate her down close beside him, and stroked him with her hand and +spake to him by his name: &ldquo;My child, how long with lamentation and woe +wilt thou devour thine heart, taking thought of neither food nor rest? good +were even a womal&rsquo;s embrace, for not long shalt thou be left alive to me; +already death and forceful fate are standing nigh thee. But hearken forthwith +unto me, for I am the messenger of Zeus to thee. He saith that the gods are +displeased at thee, and that himself above all Immortals is wroth, because with +furious heart thou holdest Hector at the beaked ships and hast not given him +back. But come restore him, and take ransom for the dead.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then to her in answer spake fleet-footed Achilles: &ldquo;So be it: whoso +bringeth ransom let him take back the dead, if verily with heart&rsquo;s intent +the Olympian biddeth it himself.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +So they in the assembly of the ships, mother and son, spake to each other many +winged words. But the son of Kronos thus bade Iris go to holy Ilios: &ldquo;Go +forth, fleet Iris, leave the abode of Olympus and bear my message within Ilios +to great-hearted Priam that he go to the ships of the Achaians and ransom his +dear son and carry gifts to Achilles that may gladden his heart; let him go +alone, and no other man of the Trojans go with him. Only let some elder herald +attend on him to guide the mules and smooth-wheeled waggon and carry back to +the city the dead man whom noble Achilles slew. Let not death be in his thought +nor any fear; such guide will we give unto him, even the slyer of Argus who +shall lead him until his leading bring him to Achilles. And when he shall have +led him within the hut, neither shall Achilles himself slay him nor suffer any +other herein, for not senseless is he or unforeseeing or wicked, but with all +courtesy he will spare a suppliant man.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and airy-footed Iris sped forth upon the errand. And she came to +the house of Priam, and found therein crying and moan. His children sitting +around their father within the court were bedewing their raiment with their +tears, and the old man in their midst was close wrapped all over in his cloak; +and on his head and neck was much mire that he had gathered in his hands as he +grovelled upon the earth. And his daughters and his sons&rsquo; wives were +wailing throughout the house, bethinking them of all those valiant men who had +lost their lives at the hands of the Argives and were lying low. And the +messenger of Zeus stood beside Priam and spake softly unto him, and trembling +came upon his limbs: &ldquo;Be of good cheer in thy heart, O Priam son of +Dardanos, and be not dismayed for anything, for no evil come I hither to +forebode to thee, but with good will. I am the messenger of Zeus to thee, who, +though he be afar off, hath great care and pity for thee. The Olympian biddeth +thee ransom noble Hector and carry gifts to Achilles that may gladden his +heart: go thou alone, let none other of the Trojans go with thee. Only let some +elder herald attend on thee to guide the mules and the smooth-wheeled waggon to +carry back to the city the dead man whom noble Achilles slew. Let not death be +in thy thought, nor any fear; such guide shall go with thee, even the slayer of +Argus, who shall lead thee until his leading bring thee to Achilles. And when +he shall have led thee into the hut, neither shall Achilles himself slay thee, +nor suffer any other herein, for not senseless is he or unforeseeing or wicked, +but with all courtesy he will spare a suppliant man.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus having spoken fleet Iris departed from him; and he bade his sons make +ready the smooth-wheeled mule waggon, and bind the wicker carriage thereon. And +himself he went down to his fragrant chamber, of cedar wood, high-roofed, that +held full many jewels: and to Hekabe his wife he called and spake: &ldquo;Lady, +from Zeus hath an Olympian messenger come to me, that I go to the ships of the +Achaians and ransom my dear son, and carry gifts to Achilles that may gladden +his heart. Come tell me how seemeth it to thy mind, for of myself at least my +desire and heart bid me mightily to go thither to the ships and enter the wide +camp of the Achaians.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, but his wife lamented aloud and made answer to him: &ldquo;Woe +is me, whither is gone thy mind whereby aforetime thou wert famous among +stranger men and among them thou rulest? How art thou fain to go alone to the +ships of the Achaians, to meet the eyes of the man who hath slain full many of +thy brave sons? of iron verily is thy heart. For if he light on thee and behold +thee with his eyes, a savage and ill-trusted man is this, and he will not pity +thee, neither reverence thee at all. Nay, now let us sit in the hall and make +lament afar off. Even thus did forceful Fate erst spin for Hector with her +thread at his beginning when I bare him, even I, that he should glut +fleet-footed dogs, far from his parents, in the dwelling of a violent man whose +inmost vitals I were fain to fasten and feed upon; then would his deeds against +my son be paid again to him, for not playing the coward was he slain of him, +but championing the men and deep-bosomed women of Troy, neither bethought he +him of shelter or of flight.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +The to her in answer spake the old man godlike Priam: &ldquo;Stay me not, for I +am fain to go, neither be thyself a bird of ill boding in my halls, for thou +wilt not change my mind. Were it some other and a child of earth that bade me +this, whether some seer or of the priests that divine from sacrifice, then +would we declare it false and have no part therein; but now, since I have heard +the voice of the goddess myself and looked upon her face, I will go forth, and +her word shall not be void. And if it be my fate to die by the ships of the +mail-clad Achaians, so would I have it; let Achilles slay me with all speed, +when once I have taken in my arms my son, and have satisfied my desire with +moan.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and opened fair lids of chests wherefrom he chose twelve very goodly +womel&rsquo;s robes and twelve cloaks of single fold and of coverlets a like +number and of fair sheets, and of doublets thereupon. And he weighed and +brought forth talents of gold ten in all, and two shining tripods and four +caldrons, and a goblet exceeding fair that men of Thrace had given him when he +went thither on an embassy, a chattel of great price, yet not that even did the +old man grudge from his halls, for he was exceeding fain at heart to ransom his +dear son. Then he drave out all the Trojans from the colonnade, chiding them +with words of rebuke: &ldquo;Begone, ye that dishonour and do me shame! Have ye +no mourning of your own at home that ye come to vex me here? Think ye it a +small thing that Zeus Kronos&rsquo; son hath given me this sorrow, to lose him +that was the best man of my sons? Nay, but ye too shall feel it, for easier far +shall ye be to the Achaians to slay now he is dead. But for me, ere I behold +with mine eyes the city sacked and wasted, let me go down into the house of +Hades.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and with his staff chased forth the men, and they went forth before +the old man in his haste. Then he called unto his sons, chiding Helenos and +Paris and noble Agathon and Pammon and Antiphonos, and Polites of the loud +war-cry, and Deiphobos and Hippothoos and proud Dios; nine were they whom the +old man called and bade unto him: &ldquo;Haste ye, ill sons, my shame; would +that ye all in Hector&rsquo;s stead had been slain at the swift ships! Woe is +me all unblest, since I begat sons the best men in wide Troy-land, but none of +them is left for me to claim, neither godlike Mestor, nor Troilos with his +chariot of war, nor Hector who was a god among men, neither seemed he as the +son of a mortal man but of a god:—all these hath Ares slain, and here are my +shames all left to me, false-tongued, light-heeled, the heroes of dance, +plunderers of your own people&rsquo;s sheep and kids. Will ye not make me ready +a wain with all speed, and lay all these thereon, that we get us forward on our +way?&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and they fearing their father&rsquo;s voice brought forth the +smooth-running mule chariot, fair and new, and bound the body thereof on the +frame; and from its peg they took down the mule yoke, a boxwood yoke with knob +well fitted with guiding-rings; and they brought forth the yoke-band of nine +cubits with the yoke. The yoke they set firmly on the polished pole on the rest +at the end thereof, and slipped the ring over the upright pin, which with three +turns of the band they lashed to the knob, and then belayed it close round the +pole and turned the tongue thereunder. Then they brought from the chamber and +heaped on the polished wain the countless ransom of Hector&rsquo;s head, and +yoked strong-hooved harness mules, which on a time the Mysians gave to Priam, a +splendid gift. But to Priam&rsquo;s car they yoked the horses that the old man +kept for his use and reared at the polished crib. +</p> + +<p> +Thus in the high palace were Priam and the herald letting yoke their cars, with +wise thoughts at their hearts, when nigh came Hekabe sore at heart, with +honey-sweet wine in her right hand in a golden cup that they might make +libation ere they went. And she stood before the horses and spake a word to +Priam by name: &ldquo;Lo now make libation to father Zeus and pray that thou +mayest come back home from among the enemy, since thy heart speedeth thee forth +to the ships, though fain were I thou wentest not. And next pray to Kronion of +the Storm-cloud, the gods of Ida, that beholdeth all Troy-land beneath, and ask +of him a bird of omen, even the swift messenger that is dearest of all birds to +him and of mightiest strength, to appear upon thy right, that seeing the sign +with thine own eyes thou mayest go in trust thereto unto the ships of the +fleet-horsed Danaans. But if far-seeing Zeus shall not grant unto thee his +messenger, I at least shall not bid thee on to go among the ships of the +Achaians how fain soever thou mayest be.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then answered and spake unto her godlike Priam: &ldquo;Lady, I will not +disregard this hest of thine, for good it is to lift up hands to Zeus, if haply +he will have pity.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake the old man, and bade a house-dame that served him pour pure water +on his hands; and she came near to serve him with water in a ewer to wash +withal. And when he had washed his hands he took a goblet from his wife: then +he stood in the midst of the court and prayed and poured forth wine as he +looked up to heaven, and spake a word aloud: &ldquo;Father Zeus that bearest +sway from Ida, most glorious and most great, grant that I find welcome and pity +under Achilles&rsquo; roof, and send a bird of omen, even the swift messenger +that is dearest of all birds to thee and of mightiest strength, to appear upon +the right, that seeing this sign with mine eyes I may go trusting therein unto +the ships of the fleet-horsed Danaans.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he praying, and Zeus of wise counsels hearkened unto him, and +straightway sent forth an eagle, surest omen of winged birds, the dusky hunter +called of men the Black Eagle. Wide as the door, well locking, fitted close, of +some rich mal&rsquo;s high-roofed hall, so wide were his wings either way; and +he appeared to them speeding on the right hand above the city. And when they +saw the eagle they rejoiced and all their hearts were glad within their +breasts. +</p> + +<p> +Then the old man made haste to go up into his car, and drave forth from the +doorway and the echoing portico. In front the mules drew the four-wheeled wain, +and wise Idaios drave them; behind came the horses which the old man urged with +the lash at speed along the city: and his friends all followed lamenting loud +as though he were faring to his death. And when they were come down from the +city and were now on the plain, then went back again to Ilios his sons and +marriage kin. But the two coming forth upon the plain were not unbeheld of +far-seeing Zeus. But he looked upon the old man and had compassion on him, and +straightway spake unto Hermes his dear son: &ldquo;Hermes, since unto thee +especially is it dear to companion men, and thou hearest whomsoever thou wilt, +go forth and so guide Priam to the hollow ships of the Achaians that no man +behold or be aware of him, among all the Danaans&rsquo; host, until he come to +the son of Peleus.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and the Messenger, the slayer of Argus, was not disobedient unto +his word. Straightway beneath his feet he bound on his fair sandals, golden, +divine, that bare him over wet sea and over the boundless land with the +breathings of the wind. And he took up his wand wherewith he entranceth the +eyes of such men as he will, and others he likewise waketh out of sleep: this +did the strong slayer of Argus take in his hand, and flew. And quickly came he +to Troy-land and the Hellespont, and went on his way in semblance as a young +man that is a prince, with the new down on his chin, as when the youth of men +is the comeliest. +</p> + +<p> +Now the others, when they had driven beyond the great barrow of Ilios, halted +the mules and horses at the river to drink; for darkness was come down over the +earth. Then the herald beheld Hermes from hard by, and marked him, and spake +and said to Priam: &ldquo;Consider, son of Dardanos; this is matter of prudent +thought. I see a man, methinks we shall full soon be rent in pieces. Come, let +us flee in our chariot, or else at least touch his knees and entreat him that +he have mercy on us.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and the old man was confounded, and he was dismayed exceedingly, +and the hair on his pliant limbs stood up, and he stood still amazed. But the +Helper came nigh of himself and took the old mal&rsquo;s hand, and spake and +questioned him: &ldquo;Whither, father, dost thou thus guide these horses and +mules through the divine night, when other mortals are asleep? Hadst thou no +fear of the fierce-breathing Achaians, thy bitter foes that are hard anigh +thee? If one of them should espy thee carrying such treasures through the swift +black night, what then would be thy thought? Neither art thou young thyself, +and thy companion here is old, that ye should make defence against a man that +should assail thee first. But I will no wise harm thee, yea I will keep any +other from thy hurt: for the similitude of my dear father I see in thee.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And to him in answer spake the old man, godlike Priam: &ldquo;Even so, kind +son, are all these things as thou sayest. Nevertheless hath some god stretched +forth his hand even over me in that he hath sent a wayfarer such as thou to +meet me, a bearer of good luck, by the nobleness of thy form and semblance; and +thou art wise of heart and of blessed parents art thou sprung.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And to him again spake the Messenger, the slayer of Argus: &ldquo;All this, old +sire, hast thou verily spoken aright. But come say this and tell me truly +whether thou art taking forth a great and goodly treasure unto alien men, where +it may abide for thee in safety, or whether by this ye are all forsaking holy +Ilios in fear; so far the best man among you hath perished, even thy son; for +of battle with the Achaians abated he never a jot.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And to him in answer spake the old man, godlike Priam, &ldquo;Who art thou, +noble sir, and of whom art born? For meetly hast thou spoken of the fate of my +hapless son.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And to him again spake the Messenger, the slayer of Argus: &ldquo;Thou art +proving me, old sire, in asking me of noble Hector. Him have I full oft seen +with mine eyes in glorious battle, and when at the ships he was slaying the +Argives he drave thither, piercing them with the keen bronze, and we stood +still and marvelled thereat, for Achilles suffered us not to fight, being wroth +against Atreus&rsquo; son. His squire am I, and came in the same well-wrought +ship. From the Myrmidons I come, and my father is Polyktor. Wealthy is he, and +an old man even as thou, and six other sons hath he, and I am his seventh. With +the others I cast lots, and it fell to me to fare hither with the host. And now +am I come from the ships to the plain, for at day-break the glancing-eyed +Achaians will set the battle in array around the town. For it chafeth them to +be sitting here, nor can the Achaian lords hold in their fury for the +fray.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And the old man, godlike Priam, answered him, saying: &ldquo;If verily thou art +a squire of Achilles Peleus&rsquo; son, come tell me all the truth, whether +still my son is by the ships, or whether ere now Achilles hath riven him limb +from limb and cast him to the dogs.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then to him again spake the Messenger the slayer of Argus: &ldquo;Old sire, not +yet have dogs or birds devoured him, but there lieth he still by +Achilles&rsquo; ship, even as he fell, among the huts, and the twelfth morn now +hath risen upon him, nor doth his flesh corrupt at all, neither worms consume +it, such as devour men slain in war. Truly Achilles draggeth him recklessly +around the barrow of his dear comrade so oft as divine day dawneth, yet marreth +he him not; thou wouldst marvel if thou couldst go see thyself how dewy fresh +he lieth, and is washed clean of blood, nor anywhere defiled; and all his +wounds wherewith he was stricken are closed; howbeit many of thy son, though he +be but a dead corpse, for they held him dear at heart.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and the old man rejoiced, and answered him, saying: &ldquo;My +son, it is verily a good thing to give due offerings withal to the Immortals, +for never did my child—if that child indeed I had—forget in our halls the gods +who inhabit Olympus. Therefore have they remembered this for him, albeit his +portion is death. But come now take from me this goodly goblet, and guard me +myself and guide me, under Heaven, that I may come unto the hut of +Peleus&rsquo; son.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then spake unto him again the Messenger the slayer of Argus: &ldquo;Thou art +proving me, old sire, who am younger than thou, but thou wilt not prevail upon +me, in that thou biddest me take gifts from thee without Achilles&rsquo; +privity. I were afraid and shamed at heart to defraud him, lest some evil come +to pass on me hereafter. But as thy guide I would go even unto famous Argos, +accompanying thee courteously in swift ship or on foot. Not from scorn of thy +guide would any assail thee then.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake the Helper, and leaping on the chariot behind the horses he swiftly +took lash and reins into his hand, and breathed brave spirit into horses and +mules. But when they were come to the towers and trench of the ships, there +were the sentinels just busying them about their supper. Then the Messenger, +the slayer of Argus, shed sleep upon them all, and straightway opened the gates +and thrust back the bars, and brought within Priam and the splendid gifts upon +his wain. And they came to the lofty hut of the son of Peleus, which the +Myrmidons made for their king and hewed therefor timber of the pine, and +thatched it with downy thatching-rush that they mowed in the meadows, and +around it made for him their lord a great court with close-set palisades; and +the door was barred by a single bolt of pine that three Achaians wont to drive +home, and three drew back that mighty bar—three of the rest, but Achilles by +himself would drive it home. Then opened the Helper Hermes the door for the old +man, and brought in the splendid gifts for Peleus&rsquo; fleet-footed son, and +descended from the chariot to the earth and spake aloud: &ldquo;Old sire, I +that have come to thee am an immortal god, even Hermes, for my father sent me +to companion thee on thy way. But now will I depart from thee nor come within +Achilles&rsquo; sight; it were cause of wrath that an immortal god should thus +show favour openly unto mortals. But thou go in and clasp the knees of +Peleus&rsquo; son and entreat him for his father&rsquo;s sake and his +mother&rsquo;s of the lovely hair and for his child&rsquo;s sake that thou +mayest move his soul.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus Hermes spake, and departed unto high Olympus. But Priam leapt from the car +to the earth, and left Idaios in his place; he stayed to mind the horses and +mules; but the old man made straight for the house where Achilles dear to Zeus +was wont to sit. And therein he found the man himself, and his comrades sate +apart: two only, the hero Automedon and Alkimos, of the stock of Ares, were +busy in attendance; and he was lately ceased from meat, even from eating and +drinking: and still the table stood beside him. But they were unaware of great +Priam as he came in, and so stood he anigh and clasped in his hands the knees +of Achilles, and kissed his hands, terrible, man-slaying, that slew many of +Priam&rsquo;s sons. And as when a grievous curse cometh upon a man who in his +own country hath slain another and escapeth to a land of strangers, to the +house of some rich man, and wonder possesseth them that look on him—so Achilles +wondered when he saw godlike Priam, and the rest wondered likewise, and looked +upon one another. Then Priam spake and entreated him, saying: &ldquo;Bethink +thee, O Achilles like to gods, of thy father that is of like years with me, on +the grievous pathway of old age. Him haply are the dwellers round about +entreating evilly, nor is there any to ward from him ruin and bane. +Nevertheless while he heareth of thee as yet alive he rejoiceth in his heart, +and hopeth withal day after day that he shall see his dear son returning from +Troy-land. But I, I am utterly unblest, since I begat sons the best men in wide +Troy-land, but declare unto thee that none of them is left. Fifty I had, when +the sons of the Achaians came; nineteen were born to me of one mother, and +concubines bare the rest within my halls. Now of the more part had impetuous +Ares unstrung the knees, and he who was yet left and guarded city and men, him +slewest thou but now as he fought for his country, even Hector. For his sake +come I unto the ships of the Achaians that I may win him back from thee, and I +bring with me untold ransom. Yea, fear thou the gods, Achilles, and have +compassion on me, even me, bethinking thee of thy father. Lo, I am yet more +piteous than he, and have braved what none other man on earth hath braved +before, to stretch forth my hand toward the face of the slayer of my +sons.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and stirred within Achilles desire to make lament for his +father. And he touched the old mal&rsquo;s hand and gently moved him back. And +as they both bethought them of their dead, so Priam for man-slaying Hector wept +sore as he was fallen before Achilles&rsquo; feet, and Achilles wept for his +own father, and now again for Patroklos, and their moan went up throughout the +house. But when noble Achilles had satisfied him with lament, and the desire +thereof departed from his heart and limbs, straightway he sprang from his seat +and raised the old man by his hand, pitying his hoary head and hoary beard, and +spake unto him winged words and said: &ldquo;Ah hapless! many ill things verily +thou hast endured in thy heart. How durst thou come alone to the ships of the +Achaians and to meet the eyes of the man who hath slain full many of the brave +sons? of iron verily is thy heart. But come then set thee on a seat, and we +will let our sorrows lie quiet in our hearts for all our pain, for no avail +cometh of chill lament. This is the lot the gods have spun for miserable men, +that they should live in pain; yet themselves are sorrowless. For two urns +stand upon the floor of Zeus filled with his evil gifts, and one with +blessings. To whomsoever Zeus whose joy is in the lightning dealeth a mingled +lot, that man chanceth now upon ill and now again on good, but to whom he +giveth but of the bad kind him he bringeth to scorn, and evil famine chaseth +him over the goodly earth, and he is a wanderer honoured of neither gods nor +men. Even thus to Peleus gave the gods splendid gifts from his birth, for he +excelled all men in good fortune and wealth, and was king of the Myrmidons, and +mortal though he was the gods gave him a goddess to be his bride. Yet even on +him God brought evil, seeing that there arose to him no offspring of princely +sons in his halls, save that he begat one son to an untimely death. Neither may +I tend him as he groweth old, since very far from my country I am dwelling in +Troy-land, to vex thee and thy children. And of thee, old sire, we have heard +how of old time thou wert happy, even how of all that Lesbos, seat of Makar, +boundeth to the north thereof and Phrygia farther up and the vast Hellespont—of +all these folk, men say, thou wert the richest in wealth and in sons, but after +that the Powers of Heaven brought this bane on thee, ever are battles and +man-slayings around thy city. Keep courage, and lament not unabatingly in thy +heart. For nothing wilt thou avail by grieving for thy son, neither shalt thou +bring him back to life or ever some new evil come upon thee.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then made answer unto him the old man, godlike Priam: &ldquo;Bid me not to a +seat, O fosterling of Zeus, so long as Hector lieth uncared for at the huts, +but straightway give him back that I may behold him with mine eyes; and accept +thou the great ransom that we bring. So mayest thou have pleasure thereof, and +come unto thy native land, since thou hast spared me from the first.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then fleet-footed Achilles looked sternly upon him and said: &ldquo;No longer +chafe me, old sire; of myself am I minded to give Hector back to thee, for +there came to me a messenger from Zeus, even my mother who bare me, daughter of +the Ancient One of the Sea. And I know, O Priam, in my mind, nor am unaware +that some god it is that hath guided thee to the swift ships of the Achaians. +For no mortal man, even though in prime of youth, would dare to come among the +host, for neither could he escape the watch, nor easily thrust back the bolt of +our doors. Therefore now stir my heart no more amid my troubles, lest I leave +not even thee in peace, old sire, within my hut, albeit thou art my suppliant, +and lest I transgress the commandment of Zeus.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and the old man feared, and obeyed his word. And the son of +Peleus leapt like a lion through the door of the house, not alone, for with him +went two squires, the hero Automedon and Alkimos, they whom above all his +comrades Achilles honoured, save only Patroklos that was dead. They then loosed +from under the yoke the horses and mules, and led in the old mal&rsquo;s +crier-herald and set him on a chair, and from the wain of goodly felloes they +took the countless ransom set on Hector&rsquo;s head. But they left two robes +and a well-spun doublet, that Achilles might wrap the dead therein when he gave +him to be carried home. And he called forth handmaids and bade them wash and +anoint him when they had borne him apart, so that Priam should not look upon +his son, lest he should not refrain the wrath at his sorrowing heart when he +should look upon his son, and lest Achilles&rsquo; heart be vexed thereat and +he slay him and transgress the commandment of Zeus. So when the handmaids had +washed the body and anointed it with oil, and had thrown over it a fair robe +and a doublet, then Achilles himself lifted it and laid it on a bier, and his +comrades with him lifted it on to the polished waggon. Then he groaned aloud +and called on his dear comrade by his name: &ldquo;Patroklos, be not vexed with +me if thou hear even in the house of Hades that I have given back noble Hector +unto his dear father, for not unworthy is the ransom he hath given me, whereof +I will deal to thee again thy rightful share.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake noble Achilles, and went back into the hut, and sate him down on the +cunningly-wrought couch whence he had arisen by the opposite wall, and spake a +word to Priam: &ldquo;Thy son, old sire, is given back as thou wouldest and +lieth on a bier, and with the break of day thou shalt see him thyself as thou +carriest him. But now bethink we us of supper. For even fair-haired Niobe +bethought her of meat, she whose twelve children perished in her halls, six +daughters and six lusty sons. The sons Apollo, in his anger against Niobe, slew +with arrows from his silver bow, and the daughters archer Artemis, for that +Niobe matched herself against fair-cheeked Leto, saying that the goddess bare +but twain but herself many children: so they though they were but twain +destroyed the other all. Nine days they lay in their blood, nor was there any +to bury them, for Kronion turned the folk to stones. Yet on the tenth day the +gods of heaven buried them, and she then bethought her of meat, when she was +wearied out with weeping tears. And somewhere now among the cliffs, on the +lonely mountains, even on Sipylos, where they say are the couching-places of +nymphs that dance around Acheloos, there she, albeit a stone, broodeth still +over her troubles from the gods. But come let us too, noble father, take +thought of meat, and afterward thou shalt mourn over thy dear son as thou +carriest him to Ilios; and many tears shall be his due.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake fleet Achilles, and sprang up, and slew a pure white sheep, and his +comrades skinned and made it ready in seemly fashion, and divided it cunningly +and pierced it with spits, and roasted it carefully and drew all off. And +Automedon took bread and served it on a table in fair baskets, while Achilles +dealt out the flesh. And they stretched forth their hands to the good cheer +lying ready before them. But when they had put off the desire of meat and +drink, then Priam son of Dardanos marvelled at Achilles to see how great he was +and how goodly, for he was like a god to look upon. And Achilles marvelled at +Priam son of Dardanos, beholding his noble aspect and hearkening to his words. +But when they had gazed their fill upon one another, then first spake the old +man, godlike Priam, to Achilles: &ldquo;Now presently give me whereon to lie, +fosterling of Zeus, that of sweet sleep also we may now take our fill at rest: +for never yet have mine eyes closed beneath their lids since at thy hands my +son lost his life, but I continually mourn and brood over countless griefs, +grovelling in the courtyard-close amid the mire. Now at last have I tasted +bread and poured bright wine down my throat, but till now I had tasted +naught.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +He said, and Achilles bade his comrades and handmaids to set a bedstead beneath +the portico, and to cast thereon fair shining rugs and spread coverlets above +and thereon to lay thick mantles to be a clothing over all. And the maids went +forth from the inner hail with torches in their hands, and quickly spread two +beds in haste. Then with bitter meaning [in his reference to Agamemnon] said +fleet-footed Achilles unto Priam: &ldquo;Lie thou without, dear sire, lest +there come hither one of the counsellors of the Achaians, such as ever take +counsel with me by my side, as custom is. If any of such should behold thee +through the swift black night, forthwith he might haply tell it to Agamemnon +shepherd of the host, and thus would there be delay in giving back the dead. +But come say this to me and tell it true, how many days&rsquo; space thou art +fain to make funeral for noble Hector, so that for so long I may myself abide +and may keep back the host.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +And the old man, godlike Priam, answered him, saying: &ldquo;If thou art verily +willing that I accomplish noble Hector&rsquo;s funeral, by doing as thou +sayest, O Achilles, thou wilt do me grace. For thou knowest how we are pent +within the city, and wood from the mountain is far to fetch, and the Trojans +are much in fear. Nine days will we make moan for him in our halls, and on the +tenth we will hold funeral and the folk shall feast, and on the eleventh we +will make, a barrow over him, and on the twelfth we will do battle if need +be.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Then again spake the fleet noble Achilles unto him, saying: &ldquo;All this, O +ancient Priam, shall be as thou biddest; for I will hold back the battle even +so long a time as thou tellest me.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus speaking he clasped the old mal&rsquo;s right hand at the wrist, lest he +should be anywise afraid at heart. So they in the forepart of the house laid +them down, Priam and the herald, with wise thoughts at their hearts, but +Achilles slept in a recess of the firm-wrought hut, and beside him lay +fair-cheeked Briseis. +</p> + +<p> +Now all other gods and warriors lords of chariots slumbered all night, by soft +sleep overcome. But not on the Helper Hermes did sleep take hold as he sought +within his heart how he should guide forth king Priam from the ships unespied +of the trusty sentinels. And he stood above his head and spake a word to him: +&ldquo;Old sire, no thought then hast thou of any evil, seeing thou yet +sleepest among men that are thine enemies, for that Achilles spared thee. Truly +now hast thou won back thy dear son, and at great price. But for thy life will +thy sons thou hast left behind be offering threefold ransom, if but Agamemnon +Atreus&rsquo; son be aware of thee, and aware be all the Achaians.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and the old man feared, and roused the herald. And Hermes yoked +the horses and mules for them, and himself drave them lightly through the camp, +and none was aware of them. +</p> + +<p> +But when they came to the ford of the fair-flowing river, [even eddying +Xanthos, begotten of immortal Zeus,] then Hermes departed up to high Olympus, +and Morning of the saffron robe spread over all the earth. And they with wail +and moan drave the horses to the city, and the mules drew the dead. Nor marked +them any man or fair-girdled woman until Kassandra, peer of golden Aphrodite, +having gone up upon Pergamos, was aware of her dear father as he stood in the +car, and the herald that was crier to the town. Then beheld she him that lay +upon the bier behind the mules, and thereat she wailed and cried aloud +throughout all the town: &ldquo;O men and women of Troy, come ye hither and +look upon Hector, if ever while he was alive ye rejoiced when he came back from +battle, since great joy was he to the city and all the folk.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake she, nor was man or woman left within the city, for upon all came +unendurable grief. And near the gates they met Priam bringing home the dead. +First bewailed him his dear wife and lady mother, as they cast them on the +fair-wheeled wain and touched his head; and around them stood the throng and +wept. So all day long unto the setting of the sun they had lamented Hector in +tears without the gate, had not the old man spoken from the car among the folk: +&ldquo;Give me place for the mules to pass through; hereafter ye shall have +your fill of wailing, when I have brought him unto his home.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and they parted asunder and gave place to the wain. And the +others when they had brought him to the famous house, laid him on a fretted +bed, and set beside him minstrel leaders of the dirge, who wailed a mournful +lay, while the women made moan with them. And among the women white-armed +Andromache led the lamentation, while in her hands she held the head of Hector +slayer of men: &ldquo;Husband, thou art gone young from life, and leavest me a +widow in thy halls. And the child is yet but a little one, child of ill-fated +parents, thee and me; nor methinks shall he grow up to manhood, for ere then +shall this city be utterly destroyed. For thou art verily perished who didst +watch over it, who guardedst it and keptest safe its noble wives and infant +little ones. These soon shall be voyaging in the hollow ships, yea and I too +with them, and thou, my child, shalt either go with me unto a place where thou +shalt toil at unseemly tasks, labouring before the face of some harsh lord, or +else some Achaian will take thee by the arm and hurl thee from the battlement, +a grievous death, for that he is wroth because Hector slew his brother or +father or son, since full many of the Achaians in Hector&rsquo;s hands have +bitten the firm earth. For no light hand had thy father in the grievous fray. +Therefore the folk lament him throughout the city, and woe unspeakable and +mourning hast thou left to thy parents, Hector, but with me chiefliest shall +grievous pain abide. For neither didst thou stretch thy hands to me from a bed +in thy death, neither didst speak to me some memorable word that I might have +thought on evermore as my tears fall night and day.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake she wailing, and the women joined their moan. And among them Hekabe +again led the loud lament: &ldquo;Hector, of all my children far dearest to my +heart, verily while thou wert alive dear wert thou to the gods, and even in thy +doom of death have they had care for thee. For other sons of mine whom he took +captive would fleet Achilles sell beyond the unvintaged sea unto Samos and +Imbros and smoking Lemnos, but when with keen-edged bronze he had bereft thee +of thy life he was fain to drag thee oft around the tomb of his comrade, even +Patroklos whom thou slewest, yet might he not raise him up thereby. But now all +dewy and fresh thou liest in our halls, like one on whom Apollo, lord of the +silver bow, hath descended and slain him with his gentle darts.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake she wailing, and stirred unending moan. Then thirdly Helen led their +sore lament: &ldquo;Hector, of all my brethren of Troy far dearest to my heart! +Truly my lord is godlike Alexandros who brought me to Troy-land—would I had +died ere then. For this is now the twentieth year since I went thence and am +gone from my own native land, but never yet heard I evil or despiteful word +from thee; nay, if any other haply upbraided me in the palace-halls, whether +brother or sister of thine or brother&rsquo;s fair-robed wife, or thy +mother—but thy father is ever kind to me as he were my own—then wouldst thou +soothe such with words and refrain them, by the gentleness of thy spirit and by +thy gentle words. Therefore bewail I thee with pain at heart, and my hapless +self with thee, for no more is any left in wide Troy-land to be my friend and +kind to me, but all men shudder at me.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake she wailing, and therewith the great multitude of the people +groaned. But the old man Priam spake a word among the folk: &ldquo;Bring wood, +men of Troy, unto the city, and be not anywise afraid at heart of a crafty +ambush of the Achaians; for this message Achilles gave me when he sent me from +the black ships, that they should do us no hurt until the twelfth morn +arise.&rdquo; +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake he, and they yoked oxen and mules to wains, and quickly then they +flocked before the city. So nine days they gathered great store of wood. But +when the tenth morn rose with light for men, then bare they forth brave Hector, +weeping tears, and on a lofty pyre they laid the dead man, and thereon cast +fire. +</p> + +<p> +But when the daughter of Dawn, rosy-fingered Morning, shone forth, then +gathered the folk around glorious Hector&rsquo;s pyre. First quenched they with +bright wine all the burning, so far as the fire&rsquo;s strength went, and then +his brethren and comrades gathered his white bones lamenting, and big tears +flowed down their cheeks. And the bones they took and laid in a golden urn, +shrouding them in soft purple robes, and straightway laid the urn in a hollow +grave and piled thereon great close-set stones, and heaped with speed a barrow, +while watchers were set everywhere around, lest the well-greaved Achaians +should make onset before the time. And when they had heaped the barrow they +went back, and gathered them together and feasted right well in noble feast at +the palace of Priam, Zeus-fostered king. +</p> + +<p> +Thus held they funeral for Hector tamer of horses.</p> + +</div><!--end chapter-->