Iliad, Book 14: Hera’s Deception

1Νέστορα δʼ οὐκ ἔλαθεν ἰαχὴ πίνοντά περ ἔμπης,

ἀλλʼ Ἀσκληπιάδην ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

φράζεο δῖε Μαχᾶον ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα·

μείζων δὴ παρὰ νηυσὶ βοὴ θαλερῶν αἰζηῶν.

5ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν πῖνε καθήμενος αἴθοπα οἶνον

εἰς ὅ κε θερμὰ λοετρὰ ἐϋπλόκαμος Ἑκαμήδη

θερμήνῃ καὶ λούσῃ ἄπο βρότον αἱματόεντα·

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐλθὼν τάχα εἴσομαι ἐς περιωπήν.

1Even as Nestor drank, the battle cry did not escape him,

and he addressed Machaon, Asclepius’ son, with winged words:

“Consider, noble Machaon, how these events will turn out;

the shouting of vigorous young men beside the ships is growing louder.

5Sit here now and drink the glowing wine

until lovely-haired Hecamede heats water for a warm bath

and washes the bloody gore from you.

But I will go to a lookout and quickly learn what is happening.”

9ὣς εἰπὼν σάκος εἷλε τετυγμένον υἷος ἑοῖο

10κείμενον ἐν κλισίῃ Θρασυμήδεος ἱπποδάμοιο

χαλκῷ παμφαῖνον· ὃ δʼ ἔχʼ ἀσπίδα πατρὸς ἑοῖο.

εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος ἀκαχμένον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,

στῆ δʼ ἐκτὸς κλισίης, τάχα δʼ εἴσιδεν ἔργον ἀεικὲς

τοὺς μὲν ὀρινομένους, τοὺς δὲ κλονέοντας ὄπισθε

15Τρῶας ὑπερθύμους· ἐρέριπτο δὲ τεῖχος Ἀχαιῶν.

9So saying, he took the well-made shield of his son,

10horse-taming Thrasymedes, which lay inside the hut

gleaming with bronze; his son had his father’s shield.

He took a sturdy spear sharpened with keen bronze

and stood outside the hut. At once he saw a shameful sight:

the Achaeans driven in confusion, and behind them

15the high-hearted Trojans routing them; the Achaean wall had fallen.

16ὡς δʼ ὅτε πορφύρῃ πέλαγος μέγα κύματι κωφῷ

ὀσσόμενον λιγέων ἀνέμων λαιψηρὰ κέλευθα

αὔτως, οὐδʼ ἄρα τε προκυλίνδεται οὐδετέρωσε,

πρίν τινα κεκριμένον καταβήμεναι ἐκ Διὸς οὖρον,

20ὣς ὃ γέρων ὅρμαινε δαϊζόμενος κατὰ θυμὸν

διχθάδιʼ, ἢ μεθʼ ὅμιλον ἴοι Δαναῶν ταχυπώλων,

ἦε μετʼ Ἀτρεΐδην Ἀγαμέμνονα ποιμένα λαῶν.

ὧδε δέ οἱ φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι

βῆναι ἐπʼ Ἀτρεΐδην. οἳ δʼ ἀλλήλους ἐνάριζον

25μαρνάμενοι· λάκε δέ σφι περὶ χροῒ χαλκὸς ἀτειρὴς

νυσσομένων ξίφεσίν τε καὶ ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοισι.

16As when the great sea darkens beneath a soundless swell,

foreseeing the swift courses of the shrill winds,

but rolls forward in neither direction

until some chosen wind comes down from Zeus,

20so the old man pondered, divided in his spirit

between two courses: whether to enter the throng of swift-horsed Danaans

or go to Atreus’ son Agamemnon, shepherd of the people.

As he considered, this seemed the better course:

to go to Atreus’ son. Meanwhile the armies fought and killed

25one another, and unyielding bronze rang around their bodies

as they stabbed with swords and double-edged spears.

27Νέστορι δὲ ξύμβληντο διοτρεφέες βασιλῆες

πὰρ νηῶν ἀνιόντες ὅσοι βεβλήατο χαλκῷ

Τυδεΐδης Ὀδυσεύς τε καὶ Ἀτρεΐδης Ἀγαμέμνων.

30πολλὸν γάρ ῥʼ ἀπάνευθε μάχης εἰρύατο νῆες

θῖνʼ ἔφʼ ἁλὸς πολιῆς· τὰς γὰρ πρώτας πεδίον δὲ

εἴρυσαν, αὐτὰρ τεῖχος ἐπὶ πρύμνῃσιν ἔδειμαν.

οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδʼ εὐρύς περ ἐὼν ἐδυνήσατο πάσας

αἰγιαλὸς νῆας χαδέειν, στείνοντο δὲ λαοί·

35τώ ῥα προκρόσσας ἔρυσαν, καὶ πλῆσαν ἁπάσης

ἠϊόνος στόμα μακρόν, ὅσον συνεέργαθον ἄκραι.

τώ ῥʼ οἵ γʼ ὀψείοντες ἀϋτῆς καὶ πολέμοιο

ἔγχει ἐρειδόμενοι κίον ἀθρόοι· ἄχνυτο δέ σφι

θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν. ὃ δὲ ξύμβλητο γεραιὸς

40Νέστωρ, πτῆξε δὲ θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν.

27The Zeus-nurtured kings met Nestor

as they came up from the ships, all who had been wounded by bronze:

Tydeus’ son, Odysseus, and Atreus’ son Agamemnon.

30For the ships had been drawn up far away from the fighting

along the shore of the gray sea. The first ships they had hauled toward the plain,

then built the wall beside their sterns.

For not even the shore, broad though it was, could hold

all the ships, and the troops were crowded.

35So they drew the ships up in terraced rows and filled

the whole long mouth of the shore enclosed by the headlands.

Longing for the battle cry and war, the kings

walked together, leaning on their spears, and their hearts

grieved within their breasts. Old Nestor met them,

40and made the spirit in the Achaeans’ breasts quail.

41τὸν καὶ φωνήσας προσέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων·

ὦ Νέστορ Νηληϊάδη μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιῶν

τίπτε λιπὼν πόλεμον φθισήνορα δεῦρʼ ἀφικάνεις;

δείδω μὴ δή μοι τελέσῃ ἔπος ὄβριμος Ἕκτωρ,

45ὥς ποτʼ ἐπηπείλησεν ἐνὶ Τρώεσσʼ ἀγορεύων

μὴ πρὶν πὰρ νηῶν προτὶ Ἴλιον ἀπονέεσθαι

πρὶν πυρὶ νῆας ἐνιπρῆσαι, κτεῖναι δὲ καὶ αὐτούς.

κεῖνος τὼς ἀγόρευε· τὰ δὴ νῦν πάντα τελεῖται.

ὢ πόποι ἦ ῥα καὶ ἄλλοι ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ

50ἐν θυμῷ βάλλονται ἐμοὶ χόλον ὥς περ Ἀχιλλεὺς

οὐδʼ ἐθέλουσι μάχεσθαι ἐπὶ πρυμνῇσι νέεσσι.

41Lord Agamemnon called out to him and said:

“Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans,

why have you left man-destroying battle and come here?

I fear mighty Hector may fulfill his word against me,

45the threat he once made while speaking among the Trojans:

he would not return from the ships to Ilium

until he had burned the ships with fire and killed the men themselves.

So he spoke, and now all these things are being fulfilled.

Gods! Are the other well-greaved Achaeans too

50harboring anger against me in their hearts, just like Achilles,

and refusing to fight beside the ships’ sterns?”

52τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

ἦ δὴ ταῦτά γʼ ἑτοῖμα τετεύχαται, οὐδέ κεν ἄλλως

Ζεὺς ὑψιβρεμέτης αὐτὸς παρατεκτήναιτο.

55τεῖχος μὲν γὰρ δὴ κατερήριπεν, ᾧ ἐπέπιθμεν

ἄρρηκτον νηῶν τε καὶ αὐτῶν εἶλαρ ἔσεσθαι·

οἳ δʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶ θοῇσι μάχην ἀλίαστον ἔχουσι

νωλεμές· οὐδʼ ἂν ἔτι γνοίης μάλα περ σκοπιάζων

ὁπποτέρωθεν Ἀχαιοὶ ὀρινόμενοι κλονέονται,

60ὡς ἐπιμὶξ κτείνονται, ἀϋτὴ δʼ οὐρανὸν ἵκει.

ἡμεῖς δὲ φραζώμεθʼ ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα

εἴ τι νόος ῥέξει· πόλεμον δʼ οὐκ ἄμμε κελεύω

δύμεναι· οὐ γάρ πως βεβλημένον ἐστὶ μάχεσθαι.

52Then Gerenian Nestor, horseman, answered:

“These things are already finished and done; not even

high-thundering Zeus himself could shape them otherwise.

55The wall has fallen—the wall we trusted

to be an unbreakable bulwark for the ships and for ourselves—

and they wage unrelenting battle at the swift ships

without respite. Even watching closely, you could no longer tell

from which side the Achaeans are driven and thrown into confusion,

60so pell-mell are they being killed, and the battle cry reaches heaven.

Let us consider, then, how these events shall go:

if counsel can accomplish anything. I do not urge us

to enter battle; there is no way for a wounded man to fight.”

64τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων·

65Νέστορ ἐπεὶ δὴ νηυσὶν ἔπι πρυμνῇσι μάχονται,

τεῖχος δʼ οὐκ ἔχραισμε τετυγμένον, οὐδέ τι τάφρος,

ᾗ ἔπι πολλὰ πάθον Δαναοί, ἔλποντο δὲ θυμῷ

ἄρρηκτον νηῶν τε καὶ αὐτῶν εἶλαρ ἔσεσθαι·

οὕτω που Διὶ μέλλει ὑπερμενέϊ φίλον εἶναι

70νωνύμνους ἀπολέσθαι ἀπʼ Ἄργεος ἐνθάδʼ Ἀχαιούς.

ᾔδεα μὲν γὰρ ὅτε πρόφρων Δαναοῖσιν ἄμυνεν,

οἶδα δὲ νῦν ὅτε τοὺς μὲν ὁμῶς μακάρεσσι θεοῖσι

κυδάνει, ἡμέτερον δὲ μένος καὶ χεῖρας ἔδησεν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼν εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες.

75νῆες ὅσαι πρῶται εἰρύαται ἄγχι θαλάσσης

ἕλκωμεν, πάσας δὲ ἐρύσσομεν εἰς ἅλα δῖαν,

ὕψι δʼ ἐπʼ εὐνάων ὁρμίσσομεν, εἰς ὅ κεν ἔλθῃ

νὺξ ἀβρότη, ἢν καὶ τῇ ἀπόσχωνται πολέμοιο

Τρῶες· ἔπειτα δέ κεν ἐρυσαίμεθα νῆας ἁπάσας.

80οὐ γάρ τις νέμεσις φυγέειν κακόν, οὐδʼ ἀνὰ νύκτα.

βέλτερον ὃς φεύγων προφύγῃ κακὸν ἠὲ ἁλώῃ.

64Then Agamemnon, lord of men, answered him:

65“Nestor, since they are fighting beside the ships’ sterns,

and neither the well-made wall nor the trench has helped—

though the Danaans labored greatly over it and expected it

to be an unbreakable bulwark for the ships and for ourselves—

So this, it seems, must be dear to Zeus in his surpassing might,

70for the Achaeans to perish here without a name, far from Argos.

I knew it when he eagerly defended the Danaans,

and I know it now, as he exalts the Trojans alongside the blessed gods

but has bound our force and our hands.

Come then, let us all do as I propose:

75As many ships as were drawn up first, close to the sea,

let us haul down and launch them all into the bright sea,

then moor them offshore upon their anchors until

immortal night comes, in case even then the Trojans hold back from battle.

After that we can launch all the ships.

80There is no shame in fleeing disaster, even by night.

Better that a man escape disaster by flight than be caught.”

82τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Ἀτρεΐδη ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων·

οὐλόμενʼ αἴθʼ ὤφελλες ἀεικελίου στρατοῦ ἄλλου

85σημαίνειν, μὴ δʼ ἄμμιν ἀνασσέμεν, οἷσιν ἄρα Ζεὺς

ἐκ νεότητος ἔδωκε καὶ ἐς γῆρας τολυπεύειν

ἀργαλέους πολέμους, ὄφρα φθιόμεσθα ἕκαστος.

οὕτω δὴ μέμονας Τρώων πόλιν εὐρυάγυιαν

καλλείψειν, ἧς εἵνεκʼ ὀϊζύομεν κακὰ πολλά;

90σίγα, μή τίς τʼ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν τοῦτον ἀκούσῃ

μῦθον, ὃν οὔ κεν ἀνήρ γε διὰ στόμα πάμπαν ἄγοιτο

ὅς τις ἐπίσταιτο ᾗσι φρεσὶν ἄρτια βάζειν

σκηπτοῦχός τʼ εἴη, καί οἱ πειθοίατο λαοὶ

τοσσοίδʼ ὅσσοισιν σὺ μετʼ Ἀργείοισιν ἀνάσσεις·

95νῦν δέ σευ ὠνοσάμην πάγχυ φρένας, οἷον ἔειπες·

ὃς κέλεαι πολέμοιο συνεσταότος καὶ ἀϋτῆς

νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους ἅλαδʼ ἑλκέμεν, ὄφρʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον

Τρωσὶ μὲν εὐκτὰ γένηται ἐπικρατέουσί περ ἔμπης,

ἡμῖν δʼ αἰπὺς ὄλεθρος ἐπιρρέπῃ. οὐ γὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ

100σχήσουσιν πόλεμον νηῶν ἅλα δʼ ἑλκομενάων,

ἀλλʼ ἀποπαπτανέουσιν, ἐρωήσουσι δὲ χάρμης.

ἔνθά κε σὴ βουλὴ δηλήσεται ὄρχαμε λαῶν.

82Resourceful Odysseus looked at him from under his brows and said:

“Atreus’ son, what word has escaped the barrier of your teeth?

Doomed man, you should have commanded some other, worthless army,

85not ruled over us, to whom Zeus has given

from youth into old age the task of winding through

grievous wars until each one of us perishes.

Are you truly bent on abandoning the Trojans’ broad-streeted city,

for whose sake we have suffered so many evils?

90Be silent, before some other Achaean hears

this proposal—a word no man should ever bring through his mouth

if he knows in his own mind how to speak soundly,

holds the scepter, and has people who obey him,

as many as the Argives over whom you rule.

95Now I utterly despise your judgment for what you have said:

you order us, while battle is joined and the war cry sounds,

to haul the well-benched ships toward the sea, so that

the Trojans’ prayer may be fulfilled still further, though they already prevail,

and sheer destruction may tilt down upon us. The Achaeans

100will not hold their ground in battle while the ships are being hauled seaward;

they will keep looking back and withdraw from the fighting.

Then your counsel will ruin us, marshal of the people.”

103τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων·

ὦ Ὀδυσεῦ μάλα πώς με καθίκεο θυμὸν ἐνιπῇ

105ἀργαλέῃ· ἀτὰρ οὐ μὲν ἐγὼν ἀέκοντας ἄνωγα

νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους ἅλα δʼ ἑλκέμεν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.

νῦν δʼ εἴη ὃς τῆσδέ γʼ ἀμείνονα μῆτιν ἐνίσποι

ἢ νέος ἠὲ παλαιός· ἐμοὶ δέ κεν ἀσμένῳ εἴη.

103Then Agamemnon, lord of men, answered him:

“Odysseus, your harsh rebuke has struck deep into my heart.

105But I am not ordering the sons of the Achaeans against their will

to haul the well-benched ships toward the sea.

Now may someone propose a better plan than this,

young or old; it would be welcome to me.”

109τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·

110ἐγγὺς ἀνήρ· οὐ δηθὰ ματεύσομεν· αἴ κʼ ἐθέλητε

πείθεσθαι, καὶ μή τι κότῳ ἀγάσησθε ἕκαστος

οὕνεκα δὴ γενεῆφι νεώτατός εἰμι μεθʼ ὑμῖν·

πατρὸς δʼ ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ ἐγὼ γένος εὔχομαι εἶναι

Τυδέος, ὃν Θήβῃσι χυτὴ κατὰ γαῖα καλύπτει.

115πορθεῖ γὰρ τρεῖς παῖδες ἀμύμονες ἐξεγένοντο,

οἴκεον δʼ ἐν Πλευρῶνι καὶ αἰπεινῇ Καλυδῶνι

Ἄγριος ἠδὲ Μέλας, τρίτατος δʼ ἦν ἱππότα Οἰνεὺς

πατρὸς ἐμοῖο πατήρ· ἀρετῇ δʼ ἦν ἔξοχος αὐτῶν.

ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν αὐτόθι μεῖνε, πατὴρ δʼ ἐμὸς Ἄργεϊ νάσθη

120πλαγχθείς· ὡς γάρ που Ζεὺς ἤθελε καὶ θεοὶ ἄλλοι.

Ἀδρήστοιο δʼ ἔγημε θυγατρῶν, ναῖε δὲ δῶμα

ἀφνειὸν βιότοιο, ἅλις δέ οἱ ἦσαν ἄρουραι

πυροφόροι, πολλοὶ δὲ φυτῶν ἔσαν ὄρχατοι ἀμφίς,

πολλὰ δέ οἱ πρόβατʼ ἔσκε· κέκαστο δὲ πάντας Ἀχαιοὺς

125ἐγχείῃ· τὰ δὲ μέλλετʼ ἀκουέμεν, εἰ ἐτεόν περ.

τὼ οὐκ ἄν με γένος γε κακὸν καὶ ἀνάλκιδα φάντες

μῦθον ἀτιμήσαιτε πεφασμένον ὅν κʼ ἐῢ εἴπω.

δεῦτʼ ἴομεν πόλεμον δὲ καὶ οὐτάμενοί περ ἀνάγκῃ.

ἔνθα δʼ ἔπειτʼ αὐτοὶ μὲν ἐχώμεθα δηϊοτῆτος

130ἐκ βελέων, μή πού τις ἐφʼ ἕλκεϊ ἕλκος ἄρηται·

ἄλλους δʼ ὀτρύνοντες ἐνήσομεν, οἳ τὸ πάρος περ

θυμῷ ἦρα φέροντες ἀφεστᾶσʼ οὐδὲ μάχονται.

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

βὰν δʼ ἴμεν, ἦρχε δʼ ἄρά σφιν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων.

109Then Diomedes, good at the war cry, spoke among them:

110“The man is near; we will not search long, if you are willing

to obey and will not each resent me in anger

because by birth I am the youngest among you.

I too claim descent from a noble father,

Tydeus, whom the heaped earth covers at Thebes.

115Portheus had three blameless sons,

who lived in Pleuron and steep Calydon:

Agrius and Melas, and third was horseman Oeneus,

my father’s father, who surpassed them in prowess.

He remained there, while my father settled in Argos

120after wandering from home, as Zeus and the other gods must have willed.

He married one of Adrastus’ daughters and lived in a house

rich in possessions; he had abundant fields

bearing wheat and many orchards planted all around,

and he had many flocks. With the spear he surpassed all Achaeans—

125you are likely to have heard these things, if they are true.

So you should not call me base by birth and cowardly

and slight the well-spoken counsel I may offer.

Come, let us go to battle, wounded though we are—we must.

Once there, we ourselves will keep clear of the fighting,

130out of missile range, lest someone take wound upon wound.

But we will urge the others and send in those who until now,

indulging their own spirit, have stood apart and would not fight.”

So he spoke, and they listened closely and obeyed.

They set out, with Agamemnon, lord of men, leading them.

135οὐδʼ ἀλαοσκοπιὴν εἶχε κλυτὸς ἐννοσίγαιος,

ἀλλὰ μετʼ αὐτοὺς ἦλθε παλαιῷ φωτὶ ἐοικώς,

δεξιτερὴν δʼ ἕλε χεῖρʼ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

Ἀτρεΐδη νῦν δή που Ἀχιλλῆος ὀλοὸν κῆρ

140γηθεῖ ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φόνον καὶ φύζαν Ἀχαιῶν

δερκομένῳ, ἐπεὶ οὔ οἱ ἔνι φρένες οὐδʼ ἠβαιαί.

ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ὣς ἀπόλοιτο, θεὸς δέ ἑ σιφλώσειε·

σοὶ δʼ οὔ πω μάλα πάγχυ θεοὶ μάκαρες κοτέουσιν,

ἀλλʼ ἔτι που Τρώων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες

145εὐρὺ κονίσουσιν πεδίον, σὺ δʼ ἐπόψεαι αὐτὸς

φεύγοντας προτὶ ἄστυ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων.

ὣς εἰπὼν μέγʼ ἄϋσεν ἐπεσσύμενος πεδίοιο.

ὅσσόν τʼ ἐννεάχιλοι ἐπίαχον ἢ δεκάχιλοι

ἀνέρες ἐν πολέμῳ ἔριδα ξυνάγοντες Ἄρηος,

150τόσσην ἐκ στήθεσφιν ὄπα κρείων ἐνοσίχθων

ἧκεν· Ἀχαιοῖσιν δὲ μέγα σθένος ἔμβαλʼ ἑκάστῳ

καρδίῃ, ἄληκτον πολεμίζειν ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι.

135Nor was the renowned Earth-shaker blind to what was happening.

Instead, he came after them in the likeness of an old man,

and took the right hand of Atreus’ son Agamemnon.

He called to Agamemnon and addressed him with winged words:

“Atreus’ son, now surely the destructive heart of Achilles

140rejoices within his breast as he watches the Achaeans’ slaughter and rout,

since there is no sense in him, not even a little.

So may he perish, and may a god maim him!

But the blessed gods are not yet wholly angry with you.

The leaders and rulers of the Trojans will still

145raise dust across the broad plain, and you yourself will see them

fleeing toward the city from the ships and huts.”

So saying, he rushed over the plain and gave a mighty shout,

as loudly as nine thousand or ten thousand men

shout in war when they join in the strife of Ares,

150so great a voice from his chest did the lordly Earth-shaker

send forth; and he put great strength in every Achaean’s

heart to fight and battle without ceasing.

153Ἥρη δʼ εἰσεῖδε χρυσόθρονος ὀφθαλμοῖσι

στᾶσʼ ἐξ Οὐλύμποιο ἀπὸ ῥίου· αὐτίκα δʼ ἔγνω

155τὸν μὲν ποιπνύοντα μάχην ἀνὰ κυδιάνειραν

αὐτοκασίγνητον καὶ δαέρα, χαῖρε δὲ θυμῷ·

Ζῆνα δʼ ἐπʼ ἀκροτάτης κορυφῆς πολυπίδακος Ἴδης

ἥμενον εἰσεῖδε, στυγερὸς δέ οἱ ἔπλετο θυμῷ.

μερμήριξε δʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη

160ὅππως ἐξαπάφοιτο Διὸς νόον αἰγιόχοιο·

ἥδε δέ οἱ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλὴ

ἐλθεῖν εἰς Ἴδην εὖ ἐντύνασαν ἓ αὐτήν,

εἴ πως ἱμείραιτο παραδραθέειν φιλότητι

ᾗ χροιῇ, τῷ δʼ ὕπνον ἀπήμονά τε λιαρόν τε

165χεύῃ ἐπὶ βλεφάροισιν ἰδὲ φρεσὶ πευκαλίμῃσι.

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν ἐς θάλαμον, τόν οἱ φίλος υἱὸς ἔτευξεν

Ἥφαιστος, πυκινὰς δὲ θύρας σταθμοῖσιν ἐπῆρσε

κληῗδι κρυπτῇ, τὴν δʼ οὐ θεὸς ἄλλος ἀνῷγεν·

ἔνθʼ ἥ γʼ εἰσελθοῦσα θύρας ἐπέθηκε φαεινάς.

153Golden-throned Hera looked out with her own eyes,

standing on a ridge of Olympus. At once she recognized

155the one moving busily through man-glorifying battle—

her own brother and her husband’s brother—and her spirit rejoiced.

But Zeus she saw seated on the highest summit of Ida of many springs,

and he was hateful to her heart.

Then ox-eyed lady Hera pondered

160how she might deceive the mind of aegis-bearing Zeus.

This plan seemed best to her spirit:

to go to Ida after carefully adorning herself,

in hope he might desire to lie beside her in love,

against her body, and she might pour harmless, soothing sleep

165over his eyelids and his discerning mind.

She went to the chamber her dear son had built for her,

Hephaestus, who had fitted close-set doors upon the posts

with a secret bolt that no other god could open.

She entered there and closed the shining doors.

170ἀμβροσίῃ μὲν πρῶτον ἀπὸ χροὸς ἱμερόεντος

λύματα πάντα κάθηρεν, ἀλείψατο δὲ λίπʼ ἐλαίῳ

ἀμβροσίῳ ἑδανῷ, τό ῥά οἱ τεθυωμένον ἦεν·

τοῦ καὶ κινυμένοιο Διὸς κατὰ χαλκοβατὲς δῶ

ἔμπης ἐς γαῖάν τε καὶ οὐρανὸν ἵκετʼ ἀϋτμή.

175τῷ ῥʼ ἥ γε χρόα καλὸν ἀλειψαμένη ἰδὲ χαίτας

πεξαμένη χερσὶ πλοκάμους ἔπλεξε φαεινοὺς

καλοὺς ἀμβροσίους ἐκ κράατος ἀθανάτοιο.

ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀμβρόσιον ἑανὸν ἕσαθʼ, ὅν οἱ Ἀθήνη

ἔξυσʼ ἀσκήσασα, τίθει δʼ ἐνὶ δαίδαλα πολλά·

180χρυσείῃς δʼ ἐνετῇσι κατὰ στῆθος περονᾶτο.

ζώσατο δὲ ζώνῃ ἑκατὸν θυσάνοις ἀραρυίῃ,

ἐν δʼ ἄρα ἕρματα ἧκεν ἐϋτρήτοισι λοβοῖσι

τρίγληνα μορόεντα· χάρις δʼ ἀπελάμπετο πολλή.

κρηδέμνῳ δʼ ἐφύπερθε καλύψατο δῖα θεάων

185καλῷ νηγατέῳ· λευκὸν δʼ ἦν ἠέλιος ὥς·

ποσσὶ δʼ ὑπὸ λιπαροῖσιν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ πάντα περὶ χροῒ θήκατο κόσμον

βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο, καλεσσαμένη δʼ Ἀφροδίτην

τῶν ἄλλων ἀπάνευθε θεῶν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε·

170First with ambrosia she cleansed every stain from her lovely body;

then she richly anointed herself with oil,

ambrosial and sweet, which had been perfumed for her.

Whenever it was stirred in Zeus’s bronze-floored house,

its fragrance reached even earth and heaven.

175With it she anointed her beautiful body, then combed her hair

and with her hands braided her gleaming tresses,

beautiful and ambrosial, from her immortal head.

Then she dressed herself in an ambrosial robe that Athena

had wrought with skill and adorned with many designs;

180she pinned it across her breast with golden brooches.

She girded herself with a belt fitted with a hundred tassels,

and set earrings into her pierced lobes,

three-clustered and berry-shaped; abundant grace shone from them.

Above it all, radiant among goddesses, she drew a veil,

185beautiful and newly made; it was white as the sun.

Beneath her gleaming feet she bound fine sandals.

When she had set every adornment about her body,

she left her chamber, then called Aphrodite

apart from the other gods and spoke this word:

190ἦ ῥά νύ μοί τι πίθοιο φίλον τέκος ὅττί κεν εἴπω,

ἦέ κεν ἀρνήσαιο κοτεσσαμένη τό γε θυμῷ,

οὕνεκʼ ἐγὼ Δαναοῖσι, σὺ δὲ Τρώεσσιν ἀρήγεις;

τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Διὸς θυγάτηρ Ἀφροδίτη·

Ἥρη πρέσβα θεὰ θύγατερ μεγάλοιο Κρόνοιο

195αὔδα ὅ τι φρονέεις· τελέσαι δέ με θυμὸς ἄνωγεν,

εἰ δύναμαι τελέσαι γε καὶ εἰ τετελεσμένον ἐστίν.

τὴν δὲ δολοφρονέουσα προσηύδα πότνια Ἥρη·

δὸς νῦν μοι φιλότητα καὶ ἵμερον, ᾧ τε σὺ πάντας

δαμνᾷ ἀθανάτους ἠδὲ θνητοὺς ἀνθρώπους.

200εἶμι γὰρ ὀψομένη πολυφόρβου πείρατα γαίης,

Ὠκεανόν τε θεῶν γένεσιν καὶ μητέρα Τηθύν,

οἵ μʼ ἐν σφοῖσι δόμοισιν ἐῢ τρέφον ἠδʼ ἀτίταλλον

δεξάμενοι Ῥείας, ὅτε τε Κρόνον εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς

γαίης νέρθε καθεῖσε καὶ ἀτρυγέτοιο θαλάσσης·

205τοὺς εἶμʼ ὀψομένη, καί σφʼ ἄκριτα νείκεα λύσω·

ἤδη γὰρ δηρὸν χρόνον ἀλλήλων ἀπέχονται

εὐνῆς καὶ φιλότητος, ἐπεὶ χόλος ἔμπεσε θυμῷ.

εἰ κείνω ἐπέεσσι παραιπεπιθοῦσα φίλον κῆρ

εἰς εὐνὴν ἀνέσαιμι ὁμωθῆναι φιλότητι,

210αἰεί κέ σφι φίλη τε καὶ αἰδοίη καλεοίμην.

τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε φιλομειδὴς Ἀφροδίτη·

οὐκ ἔστʼ οὐδὲ ἔοικε τεὸν ἔπος ἀρνήσασθαι·

Ζηνὸς γὰρ τοῦ ἀρίστου ἐν ἀγκοίνῃσιν ἰαύεις.

ἦ, καὶ ἀπὸ στήθεσφιν ἐλύσατο κεστὸν ἱμάντα

215ποικίλον, ἔνθα δέ οἱ θελκτήρια πάντα τέτυκτο·

ἔνθʼ ἔνι μὲν φιλότης, ἐν δʼ ἵμερος, ἐν δʼ ὀαριστὺς

πάρφασις, ἥ τʼ ἔκλεψε νόον πύκα περ φρονεόντων.

τόν ῥά οἱ ἔμβαλε χερσὶν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·

τῆ νῦν τοῦτον ἱμάντα τεῷ ἐγκάτθεο κόλπῳ

220ποικίλον, ᾧ ἔνι πάντα τετεύχαται· οὐδέ σέ φημι

ἄπρηκτόν γε νέεσθαι, ὅ τι φρεσὶ σῇσι μενοινᾷς.

ὣς φάτο, μείδησεν δὲ βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη,

μειδήσασα δʼ ἔπειτα ἑῷ ἐγκάτθετο κόλπῳ.

190“Dear child, will you do something I ask,

or will you refuse me, angry in your heart

because I aid the Danaans while you aid the Trojans?”

Then Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, answered her:

“Hera, august goddess, daughter of great Cronus,

195speak what you are thinking. My spirit urges me to fulfill it,

if I am able to fulfill it and it is a thing that can be done.”

Lady Hera, plotting deception, answered her:

“Give me now the love and desire with which you

overcome all immortals and mortal men.

200I am going to visit the limits of the all-nourishing earth,

Ocean, source of the gods, and mother Tethys,

who in their own halls raised me well and cherished me,

having taken me from Rhea when far-seeing Zeus

set Cronus beneath the earth and the barren sea.

205I am going to visit them and end their unresolved quarrels;

for a long time now they have kept apart from one another’s

bed and love, since anger fell upon their spirits.

If with persuasive words I could win over the dear hearts of those two

and bring them back to bed, to be joined together in love,

210they would forever call me dear and worthy of reverence.”

Then Aphrodite, lover of smiles, answered her:

“It is neither possible nor fitting to refuse your word,

for you sleep in the arms of Zeus, the highest.”

She spoke, and from her breast unbound the embroidered strap,

215many-colored, where all her enchantments were fashioned:

in it were love, desire, lovers’ whispered talk,

and coaxing persuasion that steals the mind even of the wise.

She placed it in Hera’s hands, spoke, and called her by name:

“Here now, hide this strap within the fold of your breast,

220many-colored, with all things fashioned in it. I tell you,

you will not return unsuccessful in whatever your mind intends.”

So she spoke, and ox-eyed lady Hera smiled,

and smiling tucked it within the fold of her breast.

224ἣ μὲν ἔβη πρὸς δῶμα Διὸς θυγάτηρ Ἀφροδίτη,

225Ἥρη δʼ ἀΐξασα λίπεν ῥίον Οὐλύμποιο,

Πιερίην δʼ ἐπιβᾶσα καὶ Ἠμαθίην ἐρατεινὴν

σεύατʼ ἐφʼ ἱπποπόλων Θρῃκῶν ὄρεα νιφόεντα

ἀκροτάτας κορυφάς· οὐδὲ χθόνα μάρπτε ποδοῖιν·

ἐξ Ἀθόω δʼ ἐπὶ πόντον ἐβήσετο κυμαίνοντα,

230Λῆμνον δʼ εἰσαφίκανε πόλιν θείοιο Θόαντος.

ἔνθʼ Ὕπνῳ ξύμβλητο κασιγνήτῳ Θανάτοιο,

ἔν τʼ ἄρα οἱ φῦ χειρὶ ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

Ὕπνε ἄναξ πάντων τε θεῶν πάντων τʼ ἀνθρώπων,

ἠμὲν δή ποτʼ ἐμὸν ἔπος ἔκλυες, ἠδʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν

235πείθευ· ἐγὼ δέ κέ τοι ἰδέω χάριν ἤματα πάντα.

κοίμησόν μοι Ζηνὸς ὑπʼ ὀφρύσιν ὄσσε φαεινὼ

αὐτίκʼ ἐπεί κεν ἐγὼ παραλέξομαι ἐν φιλότητι.

δῶρα δέ τοι δώσω καλὸν θρόνον ἄφθιτον αἰεὶ

χρύσεον· Ἥφαιστος δέ κʼ ἐμὸς πάϊς ἀμφιγυήεις

240τεύξειʼ ἀσκήσας, ὑπὸ δὲ θρῆνυν ποσὶν ἥσει,

τῷ κεν ἐπισχοίης λιπαροὺς πόδας εἰλαπινάζων.

224Then Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, went toward her house,

225while Hera darted away and left the ridge of Olympus.

She passed over Pieria and lovely Emathia,

and sped above the snowy mountains of the horse-breeding Thracians,

over their highest peaks; her feet never touched the ground.

From Athos she stepped onto the surging sea,

230and reached Lemnos, city of godlike Thoas.

There she met Sleep, brother of Death,

clasped his hand, spoke, and called him by name:

“Sleep, lord of all gods and all men,

as you once listened to my word, so even now

235obey me; I will be grateful to you all my days.

Lull the two bright eyes beneath Zeus’s brows to sleep

as soon as I have lain beside him in love.

As a gift I will give you a beautiful throne, imperishable forever,

of gold. My son Hephaestus, lame in both legs,

240will fashion it with skill and set beneath it a stool for your feet,

where you may rest your gleaming feet when you feast.”

242τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσεφώνεε νήδυμος Ὕπνος·

Ἥρη πρέσβα θεὰ θύγατερ μεγάλοιο Κρόνοιο

ἄλλον μέν κεν ἔγωγε θεῶν αἰειγενετάων

245ῥεῖα κατευνήσαιμι, καὶ ἂν ποταμοῖο ῥέεθρα

Ὠκεανοῦ, ὅς περ γένεσις πάντεσσι τέτυκται·

Ζηνὸς δʼ οὐκ ἂν ἔγωγε Κρονίονος ἆσσον ἱκοίμην

οὐδὲ κατευνήσαιμʼ, ὅτε μὴ αὐτός γε κελεύοι.

ἤδη γάρ με καὶ ἄλλο τεὴ ἐπίνυσσεν ἐφετμὴ

250ἤματι τῷ ὅτε κεῖνος ὑπέρθυμος Διὸς υἱὸς

ἔπλεεν Ἰλιόθεν Τρώων πόλιν ἐξαλαπάξας.

ἤτοι ἐγὼ μὲν ἔλεξα Διὸς νόον αἰγιόχοιο

νήδυμος ἀμφιχυθείς· σὺ δέ οἱ κακὰ μήσαο θυμῷ

ὄρσασʼ ἀργαλέων ἀνέμων ἐπὶ πόντον ἀήτας,

255καί μιν ἔπειτα Κόων δʼ εὖ ναιομένην ἀπένεικας

νόσφι φίλων πάντων. ὃ δʼ ἐπεγρόμενος χαλέπαινε

ῥιπτάζων κατὰ δῶμα θεούς, ἐμὲ δʼ ἔξοχα πάντων

ζήτει· καί κέ μʼ ἄϊστον ἀπʼ αἰθέρος ἔμβαλε πόντῳ,

εἰ μὴ Νὺξ δμήτειρα θεῶν ἐσάωσε καὶ ἀνδρῶν·

260τὴν ἱκόμην φεύγων, ὃ δʼ ἐπαύσατο χωόμενός περ.

ἅζετο γὰρ μὴ Νυκτὶ θοῇ ἀποθύμια ἕρδοι.

νῦν αὖ τοῦτό μʼ ἄνωγας ἀμήχανον ἄλλο τελέσσαι.

242Sweet Sleep answered her:

“Hera, august goddess, daughter of great Cronus,

I could easily lull to rest any other

245of the ever-living gods, even the streams of river

Ocean, who is established as the source of all;

but I would not draw near Zeus, son of Cronus,

or lull him to sleep unless he himself commanded me.

Already another command of yours taught me caution,

250on that day when the high-hearted son of Zeus

sailed from Ilium after sacking the Trojans’ city.

I lulled the mind of aegis-bearing Zeus,

pouring sweet sleep around him; but you plotted harm in your heart,

raising blasts of bitter winds over the sea,

255then swept Heracles away to well-settled Cos,

far from all his friends. When Zeus woke, he raged,

hurling gods about the house; but above all he

searched for me. He would have made me vanish, flinging me from heaven into the sea

had Night, subduer of gods and men, not saved me.

260I reached her in my flight, and he stopped, angry though he was,

for he shrank from doing anything displeasing to swift Night.

Now again you urge me to perform another impossible deed.”

263τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη·

Ὕπνε τί ἢ δὲ σὺ ταῦτα μετὰ φρεσὶ σῇσι μενοινᾷς;

265ἦ φῂς ὣς Τρώεσσιν ἀρηξέμεν εὐρύοπα Ζῆν

ὡς Ἡρακλῆος περιχώσατο παῖδος ἑοῖο;

ἀλλʼ ἴθʼ, ἐγὼ δέ κέ τοι Χαρίτων μίαν ὁπλοτεράων

δώσω ὀπυιέμεναι καὶ σὴν κεκλῆσθαι ἄκοιτιν.

263Then ox-eyed lady Hera answered him:

“Sleep, why do you ponder these things in your mind?

265Do you really think far-seeing Zeus will aid the Trojans

as he raged over Heracles, his own son?

Come now, and I will give you one of the younger Graces

to marry and to be called your wife.”

270ὣς φάτο, χήρατο δʼ Ὕπνος, ἀμειβόμενος δὲ προσηύδα·

ἄγρει νῦν μοι ὄμοσσον ἀάατον Στυγὸς ὕδωρ,

χειρὶ δὲ τῇ ἑτέρῃ μὲν ἕλε χθόνα πουλυβότειραν,

τῇ δʼ ἑτέρῃ ἅλα μαρμαρέην, ἵνα νῶϊν ἅπαντες

μάρτυροι ὦσʼ οἳ ἔνερθε θεοὶ Κρόνον ἀμφὶς ἐόντες,

275ἦ μὲν ἐμοὶ δώσειν Χαρίτων μίαν ὁπλοτεράων

Πασιθέην, ἧς τʼ αὐτὸς ἐέλδομαι ἤματα πάντα.

ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη,

ὄμνυε δʼ ὡς ἐκέλευε, θεοὺς δʼ ὀνόμηνεν ἅπαντας

τοὺς ὑποταρταρίους οἳ Τιτῆνες καλέονται.

280αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ὄμοσέν τε τελεύτησέν τε τὸν ὅρκον,

τὼ βήτην Λήμνου τε καὶ Ἴμβρου ἄστυ λιπόντε

ἠέρα ἑσσαμένω ῥίμφα πρήσσοντε κέλευθον.

270So she spoke; Sleep rejoiced and answered her:

“Come then, swear to me by the inviolable water of Styx.

With one hand take hold of the all-nourishing earth,

and with the other the gleaming sea, so that all the gods

below around Cronus may be witnesses for us

275that you truly will give me one of the younger Graces,

Pasithea, whom I desire all my days.”

So he spoke, and the white-armed goddess Hera did not disobey.

She swore as he commanded and named all the gods

beneath Tartarus, those who are called Titans.

280When she had sworn and completed the oath,

the two set out, leaving behind the cities of Lemnos and Imbros,

clothed in mist and speeding swiftly on their way.

283Ἴδην δʼ ἱκέσθην πολυπίδακα μητέρα θηρῶν

Λεκτόν, ὅθι πρῶτον λιπέτην ἅλα· τὼ δʼ ἐπὶ χέρσου

285βήτην, ἀκροτάτη δὲ ποδῶν ὕπο σείετο ὕλη.

ἔνθʼ Ὕπνος μὲν ἔμεινε πάρος Διὸς ὄσσε ἰδέσθαι

εἰς ἐλάτην ἀναβὰς περιμήκετον, ἣ τότʼ ἐν Ἴδῃ

μακροτάτη πεφυυῖα διʼ ἠέρος αἰθέρʼ ἵκανεν·

ἔνθʼ ἧστʼ ὄζοισιν πεπυκασμένος εἰλατίνοισιν

290ὄρνιθι λιγυρῇ ἐναλίγκιος, ἥν τʼ ἐν ὄρεσσι

χαλκίδα κικλήσκουσι θεοί, ἄνδρες δὲ κύμινδιν.

283They reached Ida of many springs, mother of wild beasts,

at Lectum, where first they left the sea; there over dry land

285they went, and the high woods trembled beneath their feet.

There Sleep halted before Zeus’s eyes could see him

and climbed a towering fir, the tallest then on Ida,

grown so high it reached through the air into the upper sky.

There he sat, hidden thick among the fir branches,

290like the clear-voiced bird that in the mountains

the gods call Chalcis and men call Cymindis.

292Ἥρη δὲ κραιπνῶς προσεβήσετο Γάργαρον ἄκρον

Ἴδης ὑψηλῆς· ἴδε δὲ νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς.

ὡς δʼ ἴδεν, ὥς μιν ἔρως πυκινὰς φρένας ἀμφεκάλυψεν,

295οἷον ὅτε πρῶτόν περ ἐμισγέσθην φιλότητι

εἰς εὐνὴν φοιτῶντε, φίλους λήθοντε τοκῆας.

στῆ δʼ αὐτῆς προπάροιθεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

Ἥρη πῇ μεμαυῖα κατʼ Οὐλύμπου τόδʼ ἱκάνεις;

ἵπποι δʼ οὐ παρέασι καὶ ἅρματα τῶν κʼ ἐπιβαίης.

300τὸν δὲ δολοφρονέουσα προσηύδα πότνια Ἥρη·

ἔρχομαι ὀψομένη πολυφόρβου πείρατα γαίης,

Ὠκεανόν τε θεῶν γένεσιν καὶ μητέρα Τηθύν,

οἵ με σφοῖσι δόμοισιν ἐῢ τρέφον ἠδʼ ἀτίταλλον·

τοὺς εἶμʼ ὀψομένη, καί σφʼ ἄκριτα νείκεα λύσω·

305ἤδη γὰρ δηρὸν χρόνον ἀλλήλων ἀπέχονται

εὐνῆς καὶ φιλότητος, ἐπεὶ χόλος ἔμπεσε θυμῷ.

ἵπποι δʼ ἐν πρυμνωρείῃ πολυπίδακος Ἴδης

ἑστᾶσʼ, οἵ μʼ οἴσουσιν ἐπὶ τραφερήν τε καὶ ὑγρήν.

νῦν δὲ σεῦ εἵνεκα δεῦρο κατʼ Οὐλύμπου τόδʼ ἱκάνω,

310μή πώς μοι μετέπειτα χολώσεαι, αἴ κε σιωπῇ

οἴχωμαι πρὸς δῶμα βαθυρρόου Ὠκεανοῖο.

292Hera swiftly approached the summit of Gargaron

on high Ida, and cloud-gathering Zeus saw her.

The moment he saw her, desire enveloped his discerning mind,

295as when they first joined together in love

and went to bed without their dear parents’ knowledge.

He stood before her, spoke, and called her by name:

“Hera, where are you bound, coming down from Olympus like this?

No horses or chariot are here for you to mount.”

300Lady Hera, plotting deception, answered him:

“I am going to visit the limits of the all-nourishing earth,

Ocean, source of the gods, and mother Tethys,

who in their own halls raised me well and cherished me.

I am going to visit them and end their unresolved quarrels;

305for a long time now they have kept apart from one another’s

bed and love, since anger fell upon their spirits.

My horses stand in the foothills of Ida of many springs,

and they will carry me over land and water.

But now for your sake I have come down here from Olympus,

310so that you may not be angry with me afterward if in silence

I go away to the house of deep-flowing Ocean.”

312τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·

Ἥρη κεῖσε μὲν ἔστι καὶ ὕστερον ὁρμηθῆναι,

νῶϊ δʼ ἄγʼ ἐν φιλότητι τραπείομεν εὐνηθέντε.

315οὐ γάρ πώ ποτέ μʼ ὧδε θεᾶς ἔρος οὐδὲ γυναικὸς

θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι περιπροχυθεὶς ἐδάμασσεν,

οὐδʼ ὁπότʼ ἠρασάμην Ἰξιονίης ἀλόχοιο,

ἣ τέκε Πειρίθοον θεόφιν μήστωρʼ ἀτάλαντον·

οὐδʼ ὅτε περ Δανάης καλλισφύρου Ἀκρισιώνης,

320ἣ τέκε Περσῆα πάντων ἀριδείκετον ἀνδρῶν·

οὐδʼ ὅτε Φοίνικος κούρης τηλεκλειτοῖο,

ἣ τέκε μοι Μίνων τε καὶ ἀντίθεον Ῥαδάμανθυν·

οὐδʼ ὅτε περ Σεμέλης οὐδʼ Ἀλκμήνης ἐνὶ Θήβῃ,

ἥ ῥʼ Ἡρακλῆα κρατερόφρονα γείνατο παῖδα·

325ἣ δὲ Διώνυσον Σεμέλη τέκε χάρμα βροτοῖσιν·

οὐδʼ ὅτε Δήμητρος καλλιπλοκάμοιο ἀνάσσης,

οὐδʼ ὁπότε Λητοῦς ἐρικυδέος, οὐδὲ σεῦ αὐτῆς,

ὡς σέο νῦν ἔραμαι καί με γλυκὺς ἵμερος αἱρεῖ.

312Cloud-gathering Zeus answered her:

“Hera, you can set out for there later;

come now, let us turn to love and lie together.

315Never before has desire for goddess or woman

so flooded and mastered the heart in my breast—

not when I desired the wife of Ixion,

who bore Peirithous, a counselor equal to the gods;

not when I desired Danae of the beautiful ankles, daughter of Acrisius,

320who bore Perseus, outstanding among all men;

not when I desired the daughter of far-famed Phoenix,

who bore me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthys;

not when I desired Semele or Alcmene in Thebes—

Alcmene who bore strong-hearted Heracles as her son,

325and Semele who bore Dionysus, joy to mortals;

not when I desired the queen Demeter of the lovely hair,

nor glorious Leto, nor even you yourself,

as I desire you now, and sweet longing seizes me.”

329τὸν δὲ δολοφρονέουσα προσηύδα πότνια Ἥρη·

330αἰνότατε Κρονίδη ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες.

εἰ νῦν ἐν φιλότητι λιλαίεαι εὐνηθῆναι

Ἴδης ἐν κορυφῇσι, τὰ δὲ προπέφανται ἅπαντα·

πῶς κʼ ἔοι εἴ τις νῶϊ θεῶν αἰειγενετάων

εὕδοντʼ ἀθρήσειε, θεοῖσι δὲ πᾶσι μετελθὼν

335πεφράδοι; οὐκ ἂν ἔγωγε τεὸν πρὸς δῶμα νεοίμην

ἐξ εὐνῆς ἀνστᾶσα, νεμεσσητὸν δέ κεν εἴη.

ἀλλʼ εἰ δή ῥʼ ἐθέλεις καί τοι φίλον ἔπλετο θυμῷ,

ἔστιν τοι θάλαμος, τόν τοι φίλος υἱὸς ἔτευξεν

Ἥφαιστος, πυκινὰς δὲ θύρας σταθμοῖσιν ἐπῆρσεν·

340ἔνθʼ ἴομεν κείοντες, ἐπεί νύ τοι εὔαδεν εὐνή.

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·

Ἥρη μήτε θεῶν τό γε δείδιθι μήτέ τινʼ ἀνδρῶν

ὄψεσθαι· τοῖόν τοι ἐγὼ νέφος ἀμφικαλύψω

χρύσεον· οὐδʼ ἂν νῶϊ διαδράκοι Ἠέλιός περ,

345οὗ τε καὶ ὀξύτατον πέλεται φάος εἰσοράασθαι.

329Lady Hera, plotting deception, answered him:

330“Most dreadful son of Cronus, what is this you have said?

If now you long to lie together in love

on Ida’s heights, where everything lies open to view,

what if one of the ever-living gods

should see us sleeping, then go among all the gods

335and tell them? I could never return to your house

after rising from that bed; it would be shameful.

But if this is truly your wish and is dear to your heart,

you have a chamber your dear son built for you,

Hephaestus, and fitted close-set doors upon its posts.

340Let us go there and lie together, since that is what pleases you.”

Cloud-gathering Zeus answered her:

“Hera, do not fear that any god or man

will see us; I will wrap you in such a cloud

of gold that not even the Sun could see through to us,

345though his light is keenest of all for seeing.”

346ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀγκὰς ἔμαρπτε Κρόνου παῖς ἣν παράκοιτιν·

τοῖσι δʼ ὑπὸ χθὼν δῖα φύεν νεοθηλέα ποίην,

λωτόν θʼ ἑρσήεντα ἰδὲ κρόκον ἠδʼ ὑάκινθον

πυκνὸν καὶ μαλακόν, ὃς ἀπὸ χθονὸς ὑψόσʼ ἔεργε.

350τῷ ἔνι λεξάσθην, ἐπὶ δὲ νεφέλην ἕσσαντο

καλὴν χρυσείην· στιλπναὶ δʼ ἀπέπιπτον ἔερσαι.

ὣς ὃ μὲν ἀτρέμας εὗδε πατὴρ ἀνὰ Γαργάρῳ ἄκρῳ,

ὕπνῳ καὶ φιλότητι δαμείς, ἔχε δʼ ἀγκὰς ἄκοιτιν·

346So the son of Cronus spoke and grasped his wife in his arms.

Beneath them divine earth made fresh grass spring,

dewy lotus and crocus and hyacinth,

thick and soft, lifting them high above the ground.

350There they lay down and drew over themselves a cloud,

beautiful and golden; glistening dewdrops fell from it.

So the father slept motionless on Gargaron’s summit,

overcome by sleep and love, holding his wife in his arms.

354βῆ δὲ θέειν ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν νήδυμος Ὕπνος

355ἀγγελίην ἐρέων γαιηόχῳ ἐννοσιγαίῳ·

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

πρόφρων νῦν Δαναοῖσι Ποσείδαον ἐπάμυνε,

καί σφιν κῦδος ὄπαζε μίνυνθά περ, ὄφρʼ ἔτι εὕδει

Ζεύς, ἐπεὶ αὐτῷ ἐγὼ μαλακὸν περὶ κῶμʼ ἐκάλυψα·

360Ἥρη δʼ ἐν φιλότητι παρήπαφεν εὐνηθῆναι.

354Sweet Sleep ran toward the Achaeans’ ships

355to bring his message to the earth-holding Earth-shaker.

He stood nearby and addressed him with winged words:

“Poseidon, now give the Danaans your willing aid;

grant them ascendancy, if only briefly, while Zeus still sleeps,

since I have wrapped soft slumber all around him;

360Hera tricked him into sharing her bed in lovemaking.”

361ὣς εἰπὼν ὃ μὲν ᾤχετʼ ἐπὶ κλυτὰ φῦλʼ ἀνθρώπων,

τὸν δʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ἀνῆκεν ἀμυνέμεναι Δαναοῖσιν.

αὐτίκα δʼ ἐν πρώτοισι μέγα προθορὼν ἐκέλευσεν·

Ἀργεῖοι καὶ δʼ αὖτε μεθίεμεν Ἕκτορι νίκην

365Πριαμίδῃ, ἵνα νῆας ἕλῃ καὶ κῦδος ἄρηται;

ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν οὕτω φησὶ καὶ εὔχεται οὕνεκʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς

νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσι μένει κεχολωμένος ἦτορ·

κείνου δʼ οὔ τι λίην ποθὴ ἔσσεται, εἴ κεν οἳ ἄλλοι

ἡμεῖς ὀτρυνώμεθʼ ἀμυνέμεν ἀλλήλοισιν.

370ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες·

ἀσπίδες ὅσσαι ἄρισται ἐνὶ στρατῷ ἠδὲ μέγισται

ἑσσάμενοι, κεφαλὰς δὲ παναίθῃσιν κορύθεσσι

κρύψαντες, χερσίν τε τὰ μακρότατʼ ἔγχεʼ ἑλόντες

ἴομεν· αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἡγήσομαι, οὐδʼ ἔτι φημὶ

375Ἕκτορα Πριαμίδην μενέειν μάλα περ μεμαῶτα.

ὃς δέ κʼ ἀνὴρ μενέχαρμος, ἔχει δʼ ὀλίγον σάκος ὤμῳ,

χείρονι φωτὶ δότω, ὃ δʼ ἐν ἀσπίδι μείζονι δύτω.

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

361So Sleep spoke and went away among the famous tribes of mortals,

and he roused Poseidon still more to defend the Danaans.

At once he sprang far forward among the foremost men and called:

“Argives, are we again yielding victory to Hector,

365Priam’s son, so he may take the ships and win ascendancy?

That is what he claims and boasts, because Achilles

stays by the hollow ships, angry at heart.

But we shall not miss him greatly if the rest of us

rouse ourselves to defend one another.

370Come then, let us all do as I propose:

put on the finest and largest shields in the army,

cover our heads with helmets all ablaze,

take the longest spears in our hands,

and advance. I will lead; and I no longer think

375Hector, Priam’s son, will stand, however fierce his ardor.

Let any man steadfast in battle who carries a small shield on his shoulder

give it to a weaker man and arm himself with a larger shield.”

So he spoke, and they listened closely and obeyed.

379τοὺς δʼ αὐτοὶ βασιλῆες ἐκόσμεον οὐτάμενοί περ

380Τυδεΐδης Ὀδυσεύς τε καὶ Ἀτρεΐδης Ἀγαμέμνων·

οἰχόμενοι δʼ ἐπὶ πάντας ἀρήϊα τεύχεʼ ἄμειβον·

ἐσθλὰ μὲν ἐσθλὸς ἔδυνε, χέρεια δὲ χείρονι δόσκεν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἕσσαντο περὶ χροῒ νώροπα χαλκὸν

βάν ῥʼ ἴμεν· ἦρχε δʼ ἄρά σφι Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων

385δεινὸν ἄορ τανύηκες ἔχων ἐν χειρὶ παχείῃ

εἴκελον ἀστεροπῇ· τῷ δʼ οὐ θέμις ἐστὶ μιγῆναι

ἐν δαῒ λευγαλέῃ, ἀλλὰ δέος ἰσχάνει ἄνδρας.

Τρῶας δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐκόσμει φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ.

δή ῥα τότʼ αἰνοτάτην ἔριδα πτολέμοιο τάνυσσαν

390κυανοχαῖτα Ποσειδάων καὶ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ,

ἤτοι ὃ μὲν Τρώεσσιν, ὃ δʼ Ἀργείοισιν ἀρήγων.

ἐκλύσθη δὲ θάλασσα ποτὶ κλισίας τε νέας τε

Ἀργείων· οἳ δὲ ξύνισαν μεγάλῳ ἀλαλητῷ.

οὔτε θαλάσσης κῦμα τόσον βοάᾳ ποτὶ χέρσον

395ποντόθεν ὀρνύμενον πνοιῇ Βορέω ἀλεγεινῇ·

οὔτε πυρὸς τόσσός γε ποτὶ βρόμος αἰθομένοιο

οὔρεος ἐν βήσσῃς, ὅτε τʼ ὤρετο καιέμεν ὕλην·

οὔτʼ ἄνεμος τόσσόν γε περὶ δρυσὶν ὑψικόμοισι

ἠπύει, ὅς τε μάλιστα μέγα βρέμεται χαλεπαίνων,

400ὅσση ἄρα Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν ἔπλετο φωνὴ

δεινὸν ἀϋσάντων, ὅτʼ ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ὄρουσαν.

379The wounded kings themselves arrayed the troops—

380Diomedes, Odysseus, and Agamemnon, Atreus’ son.

Going among all the men, they redistributed the battle gear:

the brave donned good armor and gave the poorer gear to weaker men.

When they had clothed their bodies in gleaming bronze,

they advanced, and Poseidon the Earth-shaker led them,

385holding a terrible, long-edged sword in his stout hand,

like lightning. No mortal may meet it

in grim battle; fear holds warriors back.

From the other side glorious Hector arrayed the Trojans.

Then they drew taut the most terrible strife of war,

390dark-haired Poseidon and glorious Hector,

Hector aiding the Trojans, Poseidon the Argives.

The sea surged toward the Argives’ huts and ships,

and the armies met with a tremendous battle cry.

No wave of the sea roars so loudly against the shore,

395rising from the deep beneath harsh Boreas’ blast;

no roar of blazing fire is so great

in a mountain glen, when it rises to burn the forest;

no wind shrieks so loudly among high-crested oaks,

the wind that roars most terribly in its rage,

400so loud was the cry of Trojans and Achaeans

as they shouted terribly and charged one another.

402Αἴαντος δὲ πρῶτος ἀκόντισε φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ

ἔγχει, ἐπεὶ τέτραπτο πρὸς ἰθύ οἱ, οὐδʼ ἀφάμαρτε,

τῇ ῥα δύω τελαμῶνε περὶ στήθεσσι τετάσθην,

405ἤτοι ὃ μὲν σάκεος, ὃ δὲ φασγάνου ἀργυροήλου·

τώ οἱ ῥυσάσθην τέρενα χρόα. χώσατο δʼ Ἕκτωρ,

ὅττί ῥά οἱ βέλος ὠκὺ ἐτώσιον ἔκφυγε χειρός,

ἂψ δʼ ἑτάρων εἰς ἔθνος ἐχάζετο κῆρʼ ἀλεείνων.

τὸν μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἀπιόντα μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας

410χερμαδίῳ, τά ῥα πολλὰ θοάων ἔχματα νηῶν

πὰρ ποσὶ μαρναμένων ἐκυλίνδετο, τῶν ἓν ἀείρας

στῆθος βεβλήκει ὑπὲρ ἄντυγος ἀγχόθι δειρῆς,

στρόμβον δʼ ὣς ἔσσευε βαλών, περὶ δʼ ἔδραμε πάντῃ.

ὡς δʼ ὅθʼ ὑπὸ πληγῆς πατρὸς Διὸς ἐξερίπῃ δρῦς

415πρόρριζος, δεινὴ δὲ θεείου γίγνεται ὀδμὴ

ἐξ αὐτῆς, τὸν δʼ οὔ περ ἔχει θράσος ὅς κεν ἴδηται

ἐγγὺς ἐών, χαλεπὸς δὲ Διὸς μεγάλοιο κεραυνός,

ὣς ἔπεσʼ Ἕκτορος ὦκα χαμαὶ μένος ἐν κονίῃσι·

χειρὸς δʼ ἔκβαλεν ἔγχος, ἐπʼ αὐτῷ δʼ ἀσπὶς ἑάφθη

420καὶ κόρυς, ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ βράχε τεύχεα ποικίλα χαλκῷ.

402Glorious Hector was first to cast his spear at Ajax,

who had turned straight toward him; and he did not miss

the place where two straps stretched across his chest—

405one for his shield, the other for his silver-studded sword.

Those saved his tender flesh. Hector grew angry

that the swift weapon had flown useless from his hand,

and he shrank back into the mass of his comrades, fleeing death.

As Hector withdrew, huge Telamonian Ajax

410raised one of the stones used as props for the swift ships—

many were rolling at the fighters’ feet—and with it

struck Hector’s chest above the shield rim, close to the neck.

The blow sent him spinning like a top, whirling in every direction.

As an oak, uprooted by the stroke of Father Zeus, crashes down,

415and a dreadful smell of sulfur rises from it;

no courage holds the man who sees it

standing nearby, so terrible is great Zeus’s thunderbolt—

so Hector fell swiftly to the ground in the dust.

The spear dropped from his hand, and his shield collapsed over him

420with his helmet; his bronze-adorned armor clattered around him.

421οἳ δὲ μέγα ἰάχοντες ἐπέδραμον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

ἐλπόμενοι ἐρύεσθαι, ἀκόντιζον δὲ θαμειὰς

αἰχμάς· ἀλλʼ οὔ τις ἐδυνήσατο ποιμένα λαῶν

οὐτάσαι οὐδὲ βαλεῖν· πρὶν γὰρ περίβησαν ἄριστοι

425Πουλυδάμας τε καὶ Αἰνείας καὶ δῖος Ἀγήνωρ

Σαρπηδών τʼ ἀρχὸς Λυκίων καὶ Γλαῦκος ἀμύμων.

τῶν δʼ ἄλλων οὔ τίς εὑ ἀκήδεσεν, ἀλλὰ πάροιθεν

ἀσπίδας εὐκύκλους σχέθον αὐτοῦ. τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ἑταῖροι

χερσὶν ἀείραντες φέρον ἐκ πόνου, ὄφρʼ ἵκεθʼ ἵππους

430ὠκέας, οἵ οἱ ὄπισθε μάχης ἠδὲ πτολέμοιο

ἕστασαν ἡνίοχόν τε καὶ ἅρματα ποικίλʼ ἔχοντες·

οἳ τόν γε προτὶ ἄστυ φέρον βαρέα στενάχοντα.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ πόρον ἷξον ἐϋρρεῖος ποταμοῖο

Ξάνθου δινήεντος, ὃν ἀθάνατος τέκετο Ζεύς,

435ἔνθά μιν ἐξ ἵππων πέλασαν χθονί, κὰδ δέ οἱ ὕδωρ

χεῦαν· ὃ δʼ ἀμπνύνθη καὶ ἀνέδρακεν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,

ἑζόμενος δʼ ἐπὶ γοῦνα κελαινεφὲς αἷμʼ ἀπέμεσσεν·

αὖτις δʼ ἐξοπίσω πλῆτο χθονί, τὼ δέ οἱ ὄσσε

νὺξ ἐκάλυψε μέλαινα· βέλος δʼ ἔτι θυμὸν ἐδάμνα.

421The sons of the Achaeans rushed upon him with a great shout,

hoping to drag him away, and hurled showers

of spears; but none could wound or strike the shepherd of the people

before the foremost Trojans closed around him:

425Polydamas, Aeneas, and godlike Agenor,

Sarpedon, leader of the Lycians, and faultless Glaucus.

None of the other men neglected him; they held

their round shields before him, while his companions

lifted him in their arms and bore him out of battle until he reached

430his swift horses, which stood behind the battle and the fighting

with their charioteer and ornate chariot.

They carried him toward the city as he groaned heavily.

But when they reached the ford of the fair-flowing river,

eddying Xanthus, whom immortal Zeus fathered,

435they lowered him from the horses to the ground and poured water over him.

He caught his breath and looked up with his eyes open;

then he sat up on his knees and vomited dark blood.

Again he sank backward onto the ground, and

black night covered his eyes; the blow still subdued his spirit.

440Ἀργεῖοι δʼ ὡς οὖν ἴδον Ἕκτορα νόσφι κιόντα

μᾶλλον ἐπὶ Τρώεσσι θόρον, μνήσαντο δὲ χάρμης.

ἔνθα πολὺ πρώτιστος Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς Αἴας

Σάτνιον οὔτασε δουρὶ μετάλμενος ὀξυόεντι

Ἠνοπίδην, ὃν ἄρα νύμφη τέκε νηῒς ἀμύμων

445Ἤνοπι βουκολέοντι παρʼ ὄχθας Σατνιόεντος.

τὸν μὲν Ὀϊλιάδης δουρὶ κλυτὸς ἐγγύθεν ἐλθὼν

οὖτα κατὰ λαπάρην· ὃ δʼ ἀνετράπετʼ, ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτῷ

Τρῶες καὶ Δαναοὶ σύναγον κρατερὴν ὑσμίνην.

440When the Argives saw Hector being carried away,

they leapt more fiercely upon the Trojans and remembered battle.

First by far, swift Ajax, Oileus’ son,

sprang and stabbed Satnius with his sharp spear,

Enops’ son, whom a blameless naiad nymph had borne

445to Enops while he tended cattle on the banks of the Satnioeis.

The famed son of Oileus came close

and stabbed him in the flank. He toppled backward, and around him

Trojans and Danaans joined a fierce battle.

449τῷ δʼ ἐπὶ Πουλυδάμας ἐγχέσπαλος ἦλθεν ἀμύντωρ

450Πανθοΐδης, βάλε δὲ Προθοήνορα δεξιὸν ὦμον

υἱὸν Ἀρηϊλύκοιο, διʼ ὤμου δʼ ὄβριμον ἔγχος

ἔσχεν, ὃ δʼ ἐν κονίῃσι πεσὼν ἕλε γαῖαν ἀγοστῷ.

Πουλυδάμας δʼ ἔκπαγλον ἐπεύξατο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·

οὐ μὰν αὖτʼ ὀΐω μεγαθύμου Πανθοΐδαο

455χειρὸς ἄπο στιβαρῆς ἅλιον πηδῆσαι ἄκοντα,

ἀλλά τις Ἀργείων κόμισε χροΐ, καί μιν ὀΐω

αὐτῷ σκηπτόμενον κατίμεν δόμον Ἄϊδος εἴσω.

ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀργείοισι δʼ ἄχος γένετʼ εὐξαμένοιο·

Αἴαντι δὲ μάλιστα δαΐφρονι θυμὸν ὄρινε

460τῷ Τελαμωνιάδῃ· τοῦ γὰρ πέσεν ἄγχι μάλιστα.

καρπαλίμως δʼ ἀπιόντος ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ.

Πουλυδάμας δʼ αὐτὸς μὲν ἀλεύατο κῆρα μέλαιναν

λικριφὶς ἀΐξας, κόμισεν δʼ Ἀντήνορος υἱὸς

Ἀρχέλοχος· τῷ γάρ ῥα θεοὶ βούλευσαν ὄλεθρον.

465τόν ῥʼ ἔβαλεν κεφαλῆς τε καὶ αὐχένος ἐν συνεοχμῷ,

νείατον ἀστράγαλον, ἀπὸ δʼ ἄμφω κέρσε τένοντε·

τοῦ δὲ πολὺ προτέρη κεφαλὴ στόμα τε ῥῖνές τε

οὔδεϊ πλῆντʼ ἤ περ κνῆμαι καὶ γοῦνα πεσόντος.

449Spear-fighting Polydamas, Panthous’ son,

450came to defend him and struck Prothoenor in the right shoulder,

Areilycus’ son; the massive spear drove through his shoulder.

He fell in the dust and clutched the earth in his fist.

Polydamas boasted terribly, shouting at full pitch:

“I do not think a spear from the strong hand

455of great-hearted Panthous’ son leapt in vain again;

some Argive caught it in his flesh, and I think

he will lean upon it as he goes down into the house of Hades.”

So he spoke; his boast brought pain to the Argives,

and stirred the spirit of battle-wise Ajax above all,

460Telamon’s son, for the man had fallen nearest him.

He quickly hurled his shining spear as Polydamas withdrew.

Polydamas himself escaped black doom

by springing sideways, but Antenor’s son received it,

Archelochus, for the gods had planned his destruction.

465Ajax struck him at the junction of head and neck,

at the last vertebra, and severed both tendons.

His head, mouth, and nose reached

the ground far before his shins and knees as he fell.

469Αἴας δʼ αὖτʼ ἐγέγωνεν ἀμύμονι Πουλυδάμαντι·

470φράζεο Πουλυδάμα καί μοι νημερτὲς ἐνίσπες

ἦ ῥʼ οὐχ οὗτος ἀνὴρ Προθοήνορος ἀντὶ πεφάσθαι

ἄξιος; οὐ μέν μοι κακὸς εἴδεται οὐδὲ κακῶν ἔξ,

ἀλλὰ κασίγνητος Ἀντήνορος ἱπποδάμοιο

ἢ πάϊς· αὐτῷ γὰρ γενεὴν ἄγχιστα ἐῴκει.

475ἦ ῥʼ εὖ γιγνώσκων, Τρῶας δʼ ἄχος ἔλλαβε θυμόν.

469Ajax called aloud to faultless Polydamas:

470“Consider, Polydamas, and tell me truly:

Is this man not a worthy exchange for Prothoenor’s death?

He does not look base to me, nor born of base stock,

but a brother of horse-taming Antenor

or a son, for by lineage he seemed closest to him.”

475So he spoke, recognizing him well; grief seized the Trojans’ hearts.

476ἔνθʼ Ἀκάμας Πρόμαχον Βοιώτιον οὔτασε δουρὶ

ἀμφὶ κασιγνήτῳ βεβαώς· ὃ δʼ ὕφελκε ποδοῖιν.

τῷ δʼ Ἀκάμας ἔκπαγλον ἐπεύξατο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·

Ἀργεῖοι ἰόμωροι ἀπειλάων ἀκόρητοι

480οὔ θην οἴοισίν γε πόνος τʼ ἔσεται καὶ ὀϊζὺς

ἡμῖν, ἀλλά ποθʼ ὧδε κατακτενέεσθε καὶ ὔμμες.

φράζεσθʼ ὡς ὑμῖν Πρόμαχος δεδμημένος εὕδει

ἔγχει ἐμῷ, ἵνα μή τι κασιγνήτοιό γε ποινὴ

δηρὸν ἄτιτος ἔῃ· τὼ καί κέ τις εὔχεται ἀνὴρ

485γνωτὸν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἀρῆς ἀλκτῆρα λιπέσθαι.

476Then Acamas stabbed the Boeotian Promachus with his spear

while standing over his brother as Promachus dragged the corpse by its feet.

Acamas boasted terribly, shouting at full pitch:

“Argive bowmen, insatiable in threats,

480surely toil and misery will not fall upon us alone;

someday you too will be killed like this.

See how Promachus sleeps, overcome

by my spear, so my brother’s recompense

may not remain unpaid for long. This is why a man prays

485to leave a kinsman in his halls to ward away destruction.”

486ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀργείοισι δʼ ἄχος γένετʼ εὐξαμένοιο·

Πηνέλεῳ δὲ μάλιστα δαΐφρονι θυμὸν ὄρινεν·

ὁρμήθη δʼ Ἀκάμαντος· ὃ δʼ οὐχ ὑπέμεινεν ἐρωὴν

Πηνελέωο ἄνακτος· ὃ δʼ οὔτασεν Ἰλιονῆα

490υἱὸν Φόρβαντος πολυμήλου, τόν ῥα μάλιστα

Ἑρμείας Τρώων ἐφίλει καὶ κτῆσιν ὄπασσε·

τῷ δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὸ μήτηρ μοῦνον τέκεν Ἰλιονῆα.

τὸν τόθʼ ὑπʼ ὀφρύος οὖτα κατʼ ὀφθαλμοῖο θέμεθλα,

ἐκ δʼ ὦσε γλήνην· δόρυ δʼ ὀφθαλμοῖο διὰ πρὸ

495καὶ διὰ ἰνίου ἦλθεν, ὃ δʼ ἕζετο χεῖρε πετάσσας

ἄμφω· Πηνέλεως δὲ ἐρυσσάμενος ξίφος ὀξὺ

αὐχένα μέσσον ἔλασσεν, ἀπήραξεν δὲ χαμᾶζε

αὐτῇ σὺν πήληκι κάρη· ἔτι δʼ ὄβριμον ἔγχος

ἦεν ἐν ὀφθαλμῷ· ὃ δὲ φὴ κώδειαν ἀνασχὼν

500πέφραδέ τε Τρώεσσι καὶ εὐχόμενος ἔπος ηὔδα·

εἰπέμεναί μοι Τρῶες ἀγαυοῦ Ἰλιονῆος

πατρὶ φίλῳ καὶ μητρὶ γοήμεναι ἐν μεγάροισιν·

οὐδὲ γὰρ ἣ Προμάχοιο δάμαρ Ἀλεγηνορίδαο

ἀνδρὶ φίλῳ ἐλθόντι γανύσσεται, ὁππότε κεν δὴ

505ἐκ Τροίης σὺν νηυσὶ νεώμεθα κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν.

ὣς φάτο, τοὺς δʼ ἄρα πάντας ὑπὸ τρόμος ἔλλαβε γυῖα,

πάπτηνεν δὲ ἕκαστος ὅπῃ φύγοι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.

486So he spoke; his boast brought pain to the Argives,

and stirred the spirit of battle-wise Peneleos above all.

He rushed at Acamas, who did not withstand the onset

of lord Peneleos; but Peneleos stabbed Ilioneus,

490son of Phorbas, rich in flocks, the man whom

Hermes loved most among the Trojans and granted wealth;

Ilioneus was the only child his mother bore to Phorbas.

He stabbed him beneath the eyebrow at the root of the eye

and forced the eyeball out. The spear went on through the eye

495and through the back of the skull; he sat down, spreading both hands.

Peneleos drew his sharp sword

and drove it through the middle of his neck, striking

his head, helmet and all, from his body to the ground; the massive spear

still stood in the eye. He raised the head like a poppy capsule,

500showed it to the Trojans, and spoke this boast:

“Trojans, tell noble Ilioneus’

dear father and mother to mourn him in their halls;

for the wife of Promachus, Alegenor’s son,

will not rejoice at her dear husband’s return when

505we Achaean youths sail home from Troy.”

So he spoke; trembling seized all their limbs,

and each man looked where he might escape sheer destruction.

508ἔσπετε νῦν μοι Μοῦσαι Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχουσαι

ὅς τις δὴ πρῶτος βροτόεντʼ ἀνδράγριʼ Ἀχαιῶν

510ἤρατʼ, ἐπεί ῥʼ ἔκλινε μάχην κλυτὸς ἐννοσίγαιος.

508“Tell me now, Muses who have your homes on Olympus,

who was the first among the Achaeans to take bloody spoils

510after the renowned Earth-shaker turned the battle?”

511Αἴας ῥα πρῶτος Τελαμώνιος Ὕρτιον οὖτα

Γυρτιάδην Μυσῶν ἡγήτορα καρτεροθύμων·

Φάλκην δʼ Ἀντίλοχος καὶ Μέρμερον ἐξενάριξε·

Μηριόνης δὲ Μόρυν τε καὶ Ἱπποτίωνα κατέκτα,

515Τεῦκρος δὲ Προθόωνά τʼ ἐνήρατο καὶ Περιφήτην·

Ἀτρεΐδης δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειθʼ Ὑπερήνορα ποιμένα λαῶν

οὖτα κατὰ λαπάρην, διὰ δʼ ἔντερα χαλκὸς ἄφυσσε

δῃώσας· ψυχὴ δὲ κατʼ οὐταμένην ὠτειλὴν

ἔσσυτʼ ἐπειγομένη, τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψε.

520πλείστους δʼ Αἴας εἷλεν Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς υἱός·

οὐ γάρ οἵ τις ὁμοῖος ἐπισπέσθαι ποσὶν ἦεν

ἀνδρῶν τρεσσάντων, ὅτε τε Ζεὺς ἐν φόβον ὄρσῃ.

511Telamonian Ajax was first; he stabbed Hyrtius,

Gyrtius’ son, leader of the stout-hearted Mysians.

Antilochus killed and stripped Phalces and Mermerus;

Meriones killed Morys and Hippotion;

515Teucer slew Prothoon and Periphetes.

Then Menelaus, Atreus’ son, struck Hyperenor, shepherd of the people,

in the flank; the bronze tore through and drew out his entrails

as it ravaged him. His life rushed through the gaping wound,

hurrying away, and darkness covered his eyes.

520Swift Ajax, Oileus’ son, killed the most,

for no one could match him on foot in pursuing

men fleeing when Zeus rouses rout.