Iliad, Book 15: Fire at the Ships

1αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ διά τε σκόλοπας καὶ τάφρον ἔβησαν

φεύγοντες, πολλοὶ δὲ δάμεν Δαναῶν ὑπὸ χερσίν,

οἳ μὲν δὴ παρʼ ὄχεσφιν ἐρητύοντο μένοντες

χλωροὶ ὑπαὶ δείους πεφοβημένοι· ἔγρετο δὲ Ζεὺς

5Ἴδης ἐν κορυφῇσι παρὰ χρυσοθρόνου Ἥρης,

στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀναΐξας, ἴδε δὲ Τρῶας καὶ Ἀχαιοὺς

τοὺς μὲν ὀρινομένους, τοὺς δὲ κλονέοντας ὄπισθεν

Ἀργείους, μετὰ δέ σφι Ποσειδάωνα ἄνακτα·

Ἕκτορα δʼ ἐν πεδίῳ ἴδε κείμενον, ἀμφὶ δʼ ἑταῖροι

10εἵαθʼ, ὃ δʼ ἀργαλέῳ ἔχετʼ ἄσθματι κῆρ ἀπινύσσων

αἷμʼ ἐμέων, ἐπεὶ οὔ μιν ἀφαυρότατος βάλʼ Ἀχαιῶν.

τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν ἐλέησε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε,

1But when they crossed the stakes and the ditch

in flight, and many had fallen beneath the Danaans’ hands,

the rest halted beside their chariots and held their ground,

pale with fear, seized by panic. Then Zeus awoke

5on Ida’s heights beside golden-throned Hera.

He sprang to his feet and saw Trojans and Achaeans—

the Trojans in confusion, the Argives driving them from behind,

and among them lord Poseidon. He saw Hector

lying on the plain, his companions seated around him;

10he was gripped by painful gasping, his heart fainting,

vomiting blood, for it was not the weakest Achaean who had struck him.

Seeing him, the father of gods and men took pity.

13δεινὰ δʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν Ἥρην πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·

ἦ μάλα δὴ κακότεχνος ἀμήχανε σὸς δόλος Ἥρη

15Ἕκτορα δῖον ἔπαυσε μάχης, ἐφόβησε δὲ λαούς.

οὐ μὰν οἶδʼ εἰ αὖτε κακορραφίης ἀλεγεινῆς

πρώτη ἐπαύρηαι καί σε πληγῇσιν ἱμάσσω.

ἦ οὐ μέμνῃ ὅτε τʼ ἐκρέμω ὑψόθεν, ἐκ δὲ ποδοῖιν

ἄκμονας ἧκα δύω, περὶ χερσὶ δὲ δεσμὸν ἴηλα

20χρύσεον ἄρρηκτον; σὺ δʼ ἐν αἰθέρι καὶ νεφέλῃσιν

ἐκρέμω· ἠλάστεον δὲ θεοὶ κατὰ μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον,

λῦσαι δʼ οὐκ ἐδύναντο παρασταδόν· ὃν δὲ λάβοιμι

ῥίπτασκον τεταγὼν ἀπὸ βηλοῦ ὄφρʼ ἂν ἵκηται

γῆν ὀλιγηπελέων· ἐμὲ δʼ οὐδʼ ὧς θυμὸν ἀνίει

25ἀζηχὴς ὀδύνη Ἡρακλῆος θείοιο,

τὸν σὺ ξὺν Βορέῃ ἀνέμῳ πεπιθοῦσα θυέλλας

πέμψας ἐπʼ ἀτρύγετον πόντον κακὰ μητιόωσα,

καί μιν ἔπειτα Κόων δʼ εὖ ναιομένην ἀπένεικας.

τὸν μὲν ἐγὼν ἔνθεν ῥυσάμην καὶ ἀνήγαγον αὖτις

30Ἄργος ἐς ἱππόβοτον καὶ πολλά περ ἀθλήσαντα.

τῶν σʼ αὖτις μνήσω ἵνʼ ἀπολλήξῃς ἀπατάων,

ὄφρα ἴδῃ ἤν τοι χραίσμῃ φιλότης τε καὶ εὐνή,

ἣν ἐμίγης ἐλθοῦσα θεῶν ἄπο καί μʼ ἀπάτησας.

13Then he glared terribly from under his brows and spoke to Hera:

“Hera, you incorrigible schemer, your evil-working trick

15has stopped godlike Hector from battle and routed the army.

You may well be the first once more to reap the fruit

of your cruel plotting, and I may lash you with blows.

Do you not remember when I hung you from on high and from your feet

suspended two anvils, while around your hands I fastened

20a golden, unbreakable bond? You hung in the upper air and clouds,

and the gods raged throughout high Olympus,

but could not free you even standing near. Whichever one I caught,

I would seize and hurl from the threshold until he reached

the earth, barely alive. Yet even so the unrelenting pain in my spirit

25for godlike Heracles would not let up,

whom you, after winning over the storm winds with Boreas,

sent across the barren sea, devising harm,

and then carried him away to well-settled Cos.

But I rescued him from there and brought him back again

30to horse-pasturing Argos after all his labors.

I will remind you of these things again, so you cease your deceptions

and learn whether lovemaking and the bed will help you—

the bed where you joined me after coming away from the gods and deceived me.”

34ὣς φάτο, ῥίγησεν δὲ βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη,

35καί μιν φωνήσασʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

ἴστω νῦν τόδε Γαῖα καὶ Οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ὕπερθε

καὶ τὸ κατειβόμενον Στυγὸς ὕδωρ, ὅς τε μέγιστος

ὅρκος δεινότατός τε πέλει μακάρεσσι θεοῖσι,

σή θʼ ἱερὴ κεφαλὴ καὶ νωΐτερον λέχος αὐτῶν

40κουρίδιον, τὸ μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ ποτε μὰψ ὀμόσαιμι·

μὴ διʼ ἐμὴν ἰότητα Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων

πημαίνει Τρῶάς τε καὶ Ἕκτορα, τοῖσι δʼ ἀρήγει,

ἀλλά που αὐτὸν θυμὸς ἐποτρύνει καὶ ἀνώγει,

τειρομένους δʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἰδὼν ἐλέησεν Ἀχαιούς.

45αὐτάρ τοι καὶ κείνῳ ἐγὼ παραμυθησαίμην

τῇ ἴμεν ᾗ κεν δὴ σὺ κελαινεφὲς ἡγεμονεύῃς.

34So he spoke, and ox-eyed lady Hera shuddered,

35and called out, addressing the other with winged words:

“Now let Earth know this, and broad Heaven above,

and the water of Styx that flows below—the greatest

and most terrible oath among the blessed gods—

and your sacred head, and our own

40wedded bed, by which I would never swear recklessly:

it is not by my will that Poseidon, shaker of earth,

harms the Trojans and Hector and gives aid to the others;

rather his own spirit urges and commands him,

and he took pity when he saw the Achaeans hard-pressed beside the ships.

45But I would advise even him

to go wherever you, lord of the dark clouds, may lead.”

47ὣς φάτο, μείδησεν δὲ πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε,

καί μιν ἀμειβόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

εἰ μὲν δὴ σύ γʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη

50ἶσον ἐμοὶ φρονέουσα μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι καθίζοις,

τώ κε Ποσειδάων γε, καὶ εἰ μάλα βούλεται ἄλλῃ,

αἶψα μεταστρέψειε νόον μετὰ σὸν καὶ ἐμὸν κῆρ.

ἀλλʼ εἰ δή ῥʼ ἐτεόν γε καὶ ἀτρεκέως ἀγορεύεις,

ἔρχεο νῦν μετὰ φῦλα θεῶν, καὶ δεῦρο κάλεσσον

55Ἶρίν τʼ ἐλθέμεναι καὶ Ἀπόλλωνα κλυτότοξον,

ὄφρʼ ἣ μὲν μετὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων

ἔλθῃ, καὶ εἴπῃσι Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι

παυσάμενον πολέμοιο τὰ ἃ πρὸς δώμαθʼ ἱκέσθαι,

Ἕκτορα δʼ ὀτρύνῃσι μάχην ἐς Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων,

60αὖτις δʼ ἐμπνεύσῃσι μένος, λελάθῃ δʼ ὀδυνάων

αἳ νῦν μιν τείρουσι κατὰ φρένας, αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς

αὖτις ἀποστρέψῃσιν ἀνάλκιδα φύζαν ἐνόρσας,

φεύγοντες δʼ ἐν νηυσὶ πολυκλήϊσι πέσωσι

Πηλεΐδεω Ἀχιλῆος· ὃ δʼ ἀνστήσει ὃν ἑταῖρον

65Πάτροκλον· τὸν δὲ κτενεῖ ἔγχεϊ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ

Ἰλίου προπάροιθε πολέας ὀλέσαντʼ αἰζηοὺς

τοὺς ἄλλους, μετὰ δʼ υἱὸν ἐμὸν Σαρπηδόνα δῖον.

τοῦ δὲ χολωσάμενος κτενεῖ Ἕκτορα δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.

ἐκ τοῦ δʼ ἄν τοι ἔπειτα παλίωξιν παρὰ νηῶν

70αἰὲν ἐγὼ τεύχοιμι διαμπερὲς εἰς ὅ κʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

Ἴλιον αἰπὺ ἕλοιεν Ἀθηναίης διὰ βουλάς.

τὸ πρὶν δʼ οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ἐγὼ παύω χόλον οὔτέ τινʼ ἄλλον

ἀθανάτων Δαναοῖσιν ἀμυνέμεν ἐνθάδʼ ἐάσω

πρίν γε τὸ Πηλεΐδαο τελευτηθῆναι ἐέλδωρ,

75ὥς οἱ ὑπέστην πρῶτον, ἐμῷ δʼ ἐπένευσα κάρητι,

ἤματι τῷ ὅτʼ ἐμεῖο θεὰ Θέτις ἥψατο γούνων,

λισσομένη τιμῆσαι Ἀχιλλῆα πτολίπορθον.

47So she spoke, and the father of gods and men smiled,

and answering her, addressed her with winged words:

“If from now on, ox-eyed lady Hera,

50you sit among the immortals thinking in harmony with me,

then Poseidon, though he strongly desires otherwise,

would quickly turn his mind to accord with your heart and mine.

But if you speak truly and exactly,

go now among the tribes of gods, and summon here

55Iris and Apollo, famed for his bow,

so that she may go among the bronze-clad Achaeans

and tell lord Poseidon

to cease from war and return to his own house;

while Phoebus Apollo rouses Hector into battle,

60breathes force into him again, and makes him forget the pains

that now oppress his mind. Then let him turn the Achaeans back once more,

rousing cowardly flight among them,

until in their flight they fall among the many-benched ships

of Achilles, Peleus’ son. He will raise up his companion

65Patroclus, but glorious Hector will kill him with the spear

before Ilium, after Patroclus has killed many other vigorous young men,

and among them my own son, godlike Sarpedon.

Angered over Patroclus, godlike Achilles will kill Hector.

From that point onward I will bring about a continual reversal

70from the ships, without a break, until the Achaeans

take steep Ilium through Athena’s counsels.

Before then I will neither cease my anger nor allow any other

immortal to defend the Danaans here

until the desire of Peleus’ son has been fulfilled,

75just as I promised her at the first and nodded my assent,

on the day the goddess Thetis clasped my knees,

begging me to honor Achilles, sacker of cities.”

78ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη,

βῆ δʼ ἐξ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων ἐς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον.

80ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ἀΐξῃ νόος ἀνέρος, ὅς τʼ ἐπὶ πολλὴν

γαῖαν ἐληλουθὼς φρεσὶ πευκαλίμῃσι νοήσῃ

ἔνθʼ εἴην ἢ ἔνθα, μενοινήῃσί τε πολλά,

ὣς κραιπνῶς μεμαυῖα διέπτατο πότνια Ἥρη·

ἵκετο δʼ αἰπὺν Ὄλυμπον, ὁμηγερέεσσι δʼ ἐπῆλθεν

85ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι Διὸς δόμῳ· οἳ δὲ ἰδόντες

πάντες ἀνήϊξαν καὶ δεικανόωντο δέπασσιν.

78So he spoke, and the white-armed goddess Hera did not disobey.

She went from the mountains of Ida to high Olympus.

80As when the mind of a man darts—a man who has traveled

over much of the earth—and in his knowing mind reflects,

‘I wish I were here or there,’ and ranges over many things,

so swiftly in her eagerness lady Hera sped.

She reached steep Olympus and came among the assembled

85immortal gods in Zeus’s house. When they saw her,

they all sprang up and greeted her with cups.

87ἣ δʼ ἄλλους μὲν ἔασε, Θέμιστι δὲ καλλιπαρῄῳ

δέκτο δέπας· πρώτη γὰρ ἐναντίη ἦλθε θέουσα,

καί μιν φωνήσασʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

90Ἥρη τίπτε βέβηκας; ἀτυζομένῃ δὲ ἔοικας·

ἦ μάλα δή σʼ ἐφόβησε Κρόνου πάϊς, ὅς τοι ἀκοίτης.

τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη·

μή με θεὰ Θέμι ταῦτα διείρεο· οἶσθα καὶ αὐτὴ

οἷος κείνου θυμὸς ὑπερφίαλος καὶ ἀπηνής.

95ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ ἄρχε θεοῖσι δόμοις ἔνι δαιτὸς ἐΐσης·

ταῦτα δὲ καὶ μετὰ πᾶσιν ἀκούσεαι ἀθανάτοισιν

οἷα Ζεὺς κακὰ ἔργα πιφαύσκεται· οὐδέ τί φημι

πᾶσιν ὁμῶς θυμὸν κεχαρησέμεν, οὔτε βροτοῖσιν

οὔτε θεοῖς, εἴ πέρ τις ἔτι νῦν δαίνυται εὔφρων.

87She let the others be, but took the cup from fair-cheeked Themis,

for she came running first to meet her,

and called out, addressing the other with winged words:

90“Hera, why have you come? You look terrified.

Surely Cronus’ son, your husband, has frightened you.”

Then the white-armed goddess Hera answered her:

“Goddess Themis, do not ask me this. You yourself know

what an overbearing and harsh spirit he has.

95But begin the gods’ equal feast here in the house.

You will hear, along with all the immortals,

what evil deeds Zeus is making known. And I do not think

all will rejoice alike in spirit—mortals

or gods—even if someone still feasts in good cheer.”

100ἣ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰποῦσα καθέζετο πότνια Ἥρη,

ὄχθησαν δʼ ἀνὰ δῶμα Διὸς θεοί· ἣ δʼ ἐγέλασσε

χείλεσιν, οὐδὲ μέτωπον ἐπʼ ὀφρύσι κυανέῃσιν

ἰάνθη· πᾶσιν δὲ νεμεσσηθεῖσα μετηύδα·

νήπιοι οἳ Ζηνὶ μενεαίνομεν ἀφρονέοντες·

105ἦ ἔτι μιν μέμαμεν καταπαυσέμεν ἆσσον ἰόντες

ἢ ἔπει ἠὲ βίῃ· ὃ δʼ ἀφήμενος οὐκ ἀλεγίζει

οὐδʼ ὄθεται· φησὶν γὰρ ἐν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι

κάρτεΐ τε σθένεΐ τε διακριδὸν εἶναι ἄριστος.

τὼ ἔχεθʼ ὅττί κεν ὔμμι κακὸν πέμπῃσιν ἑκάστῳ.

110ἤδη γὰρ νῦν ἔλπομʼ Ἄρηΐ γε πῆμα τετύχθαι·

υἱὸς γάρ οἱ ὄλωλε μάχῃ ἔνι φίλτατος ἀνδρῶν

Ἀσκάλαφος, τόν φησιν ὃν ἔμμεναι ὄβριμος Ἄρης.

100So spoke lady Hera and sat down.

The gods groaned throughout Zeus’s house, but she laughed

with her lips, though the brow above her dark eyebrows

did not soften. Indignant, she addressed them all:

“Fools that we are, raging against Zeus without sense!

105Do we still intend to approach and restrain him,

by word or force? He sits aloof and neither cares

nor gives heed, for he claims that among the immortal gods

he is decisively greatest in strength and might.

So endure whatever evil he sends upon each of you.

110Even now, I expect, disaster has befallen Ares:

his son has died in battle, dearest to him of men,

Ascalaphus, whom mighty Ares claims as his own.”

113ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ Ἄρης θαλερὼ πεπλήγετο μηρὼ

χερσὶ καταπρηνέσσʼ, ὀλοφυρόμενος δʼ ἔπος ηὔδα·

115μὴ νῦν μοι νεμεσήσετʼ Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχοντες

τίσασθαι φόνον υἷος ἰόντʼ ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν,

εἴ πέρ μοι καὶ μοῖρα Διὸς πληγέντι κεραυνῷ

κεῖσθαι ὁμοῦ νεκύεσσι μεθʼ αἵματι καὶ κονίῃσιν.

ὣς φάτο, καί ῥʼ ἵππους κέλετο Δεῖμόν τε Φόβον τε

120ζευγνύμεν, αὐτὸς δʼ ἔντεʼ ἐδύσετο παμφανόωντα.

113So she spoke. Then Ares struck both sturdy thighs

with his palms, and spoke in lamentation:

115“Do not blame me now, you who hold Olympian halls,

if I go to the Achaean ships to avenge my son’s death,

even if it is my fate, struck by Zeus’s thunderbolt,

to lie among the corpses in blood and dust.”

So he spoke and ordered Terror and Rout to yoke his horses,

120while he put on his own glittering armor.

121ἔνθά κʼ ἔτι μείζων τε καὶ ἀργαλεώτερος ἄλλος

πὰρ Διὸς ἀθανάτοισι χόλος καὶ μῆνις ἐτύχθη,

εἰ μὴ Ἀθήνη πᾶσι περιδείσασα θεοῖσιν

ὦρτο διὲκ προθύρου, λίπε δὲ θρόνον ἔνθα θάασσε,

125τοῦ δʼ ἀπὸ μὲν κεφαλῆς κόρυθʼ εἵλετο καὶ σάκος ὤμων,

ἔγχος δʼ ἔστησε στιβαρῆς ἀπὸ χειρὸς ἑλοῦσα

χάλκεον· ἣ δʼ ἐπέεσσι καθάπτετο θοῦρον Ἄρηα·

μαινόμενε φρένας ἠλὲ διέφθορας· ἦ νύ τοι αὔτως

οὔατʼ ἀκουέμεν ἐστί, νόος δʼ ἀπόλωλε καὶ αἰδώς.

130οὐκ ἀΐεις ἅ τέ φησι θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη

ἣ δὴ νῦν πὰρ Ζηνὸς Ὀλυμπίου εἰλήλουθεν;

ἦ ἐθέλεις αὐτὸς μὲν ἀναπλήσας κακὰ πολλὰ

ἂψ ἴμεν Οὔλυμπον δὲ καὶ ἀχνύμενός περ ἀνάγκῃ,

αὐτὰρ τοῖς ἄλλοισι κακὸν μέγα πᾶσι φυτεῦσαι;

135αὐτίκα γὰρ Τρῶας μὲν ὑπερθύμους καὶ Ἀχαιοὺς

λείψει, ὃ δʼ ἡμέας εἶσι κυδοιμήσων ἐς Ὄλυμπον,

μάρψει δʼ ἑξείης ὅς τʼ αἴτιος ὅς τε καὶ οὐκί.

τώ σʼ αὖ νῦν κέλομαι μεθέμεν χόλον υἷος ἑῆος·

ἤδη γάρ τις τοῦ γε βίην καὶ χεῖρας ἀμείνων

140ἢ πέφατʼ, ἢ καὶ ἔπειτα πεφήσεται· ἀργαλέον δὲ

πάντων ἀνθρώπων ῥῦσθαι γενεήν τε τόκον τε.

ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ἵδρυσε θρόνῳ ἔνι θοῦρον Ἄρηα.

121Then from Zeus an even greater and more grievous

anger and wrath would have arisen against the immortals,

had Athena not grown afraid for all the gods

and sprung through the doorway, leaving the throne where she sat.

125She took the helmet from his head and the shield from his shoulders,

seized the bronze spear from his strong hand and stood it aside,

then assailed furious Ares with words:

“Madman, witless fool, you have ruined your mind! Are your ears merely

there to hear, while your reason and sense of shame are gone?

130Do you not hear what white-armed goddess Hera says,

now that she has come from Olympian Zeus?

Do you wish to return to Olympus yourself, after suffering

many evils, grieving though compelled,

and plant great evil for all the rest of us?

135He will leave the high-hearted Trojans and Achaeans at once

and come to Olympus to throw us into confusion;

he will seize us one after another, guilty and innocent alike.

So now I tell you to let go your anger for your son.

Another man stronger in force and hands than he

140has already been killed, or will be hereafter. It is hard

to save the lineage and offspring of every mortal.”

So saying, she seated furious Ares on his throne.

143Ἥρη δʼ Ἀπόλλωνα καλέσσατο δώματος ἐκτὸς

Ἶρίν θʼ, ἥ τε θεοῖσι μετάγγελος ἀθανάτοισι,

145καί σφεας φωνήσασʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

Ζεὺς σφὼ εἰς Ἴδην κέλετʼ ἐλθέμεν ὅττι τάχιστα·

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν ἔλθητε, Διός τʼ εἰς ὦπα ἴδησθε,

ἕρδειν ὅττί κε κεῖνος ἐποτρύνῃ καὶ ἀνώγῃ.

ἣ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰποῦσα πάλιν κίε πότνια Ἥρη,

150ἕζετο δʼ εἰνὶ θρόνῳ· τὼ δʼ ἀΐξαντε πετέσθην.

143Then Hera called Apollo out of the house,

and Iris, the messenger among the immortal gods,

145and she called to them and addressed them with winged words:

“Zeus orders you both to go to Ida as swiftly as possible.

Once you have arrived and looked upon Zeus’s face,

do whatever he urges and commands.”

So spoke lady Hera and went back,

150and sat upon her throne; the two sprang up and flew.

151Ἴδην δʼ ἵκανον πολυπίδακα μητέρα θηρῶν,

εὗρον δʼ εὐρύοπα Κρονίδην ἀνὰ Γαργάρῳ ἄκρῳ

ἥμενον· ἀμφὶ δέ μιν θυόεν νέφος ἐστεφάνωτο.

τὼ δὲ πάροιθʼ ἐλθόντε Διὸς νεφεληγερέταο

155στήτην· οὐδέ σφωϊν ἰδὼν ἐχολώσατο θυμῷ,

ὅττί οἱ ὦκʼ ἐπέεσσι φίλης ἀλόχοιο πιθέσθην.

151They came to Ida, mother of wild beasts, rich in springs,

and found the far-seeing son of Cronus seated on topmost

Gargarus, with a fragrant cloud wreathed around him.

The two came and stood before cloud-gathering Zeus.

155He did not grow angry at heart when he saw them,

because they had quickly obeyed the words of his dear wife.

157Ἶριν δὲ προτέρην ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

βάσκʼ ἴθι Ἶρι ταχεῖα, Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι

πάντα τάδʼ ἀγγεῖλαι, μὴ δὲ ψευδάγγελος εἶναι.

160παυσάμενόν μιν ἄνωχθι μάχης ἠδὲ πτολέμοιο

ἔρχεσθαι μετὰ φῦλα θεῶν ἢ εἰς ἅλα δῖαν.

εἰ δέ μοι οὐκ ἐπέεσσʼ ἐπιπείσεται, ἀλλʼ ἀλογήσει,

φραζέσθω δὴ ἔπειτα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμὸν

μή μʼ οὐδὲ κρατερός περ ἐὼν ἐπιόντα ταλάσσῃ

165μεῖναι, ἐπεί εὑ φημὶ βίῃ πολὺ φέρτερος εἶναι

καὶ γενεῇ πρότερος· τοῦ δʼ οὐκ ὄθεται φίλον ἦτορ

ἶσον ἐμοὶ φάσθαι, τόν τε στυγέουσι καὶ ἄλλοι.

157To Iris first he addressed winged words:

“Go now, swift Iris, and report everything I say

to lord Poseidon—do not be a false messenger.

160Command him to cease from battle and war

and go among the tribes of gods or into the bright sea.

But if he will not obey my words and disregards them,

let him consider well in mind and spirit

whether, strong though he is, he will dare to stand against me

165when I come upon him, for I declare myself far stronger than he

in force and older in birth. Yet his own heart does not shrink

from claiming equality with me, whom even the others dread.”

168ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις,

βῆ δὲ κατʼ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων εἰς Ἴλιον ἱρήν.

170ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ἐκ νεφέων πτῆται νιφὰς ἠὲ χάλαζα

ψυχρὴ ὑπὸ ῥιπῆς αἰθρηγενέος Βορέαο,

ὣς κραιπνῶς μεμαυῖα διέπτατο ὠκέα Ἶρις,

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη προσέφη κλυτὸν ἐννοσίγαιον·

ἀγγελίην τινά τοι γαιήοχε κυανοχαῖτα

175ἦλθον δεῦρο φέρουσα παραὶ Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.

παυσάμενόν σʼ ἐκέλευσε μάχης ἠδὲ πτολέμοιο

ἔρχεσθαι μετὰ φῦλα θεῶν ἢ εἰς ἅλα δῖαν.

εἰ δέ οἱ οὐκ ἐπέεσσʼ ἐπιπείσεαι, ἀλλʼ ἀλογήσεις,

ἠπείλει καὶ κεῖνος ἐναντίβιον πολεμίξων

180ἐνθάδʼ ἐλεύσεσθαι· σὲ δʼ ὑπεξαλέασθαι ἄνωγε

χεῖρας, ἐπεὶ σέο φησὶ βίῃ πολὺ φέρτερος εἶναι

καὶ γενεῇ πρότερος· σὸν δʼ οὐκ ὄθεται φίλον ἦτορ

ἶσόν οἱ φάσθαι, τόν τε στυγέουσι καὶ ἄλλοι.

168So he spoke, and swift Iris, fleet as the wind, did not disobey.

She went down from the mountains of Ida to holy Ilium

170as when cold snow or hail flies from the clouds

beneath the blast of the clear-born North Wind,

so swiftly in her eagerness swift Iris sped.

She stood close and addressed the renowned Earth-shaker:

“Earth-holder of the dark hair, I have come here

175bearing a message for you from Zeus who bears the aegis.

He commands you to cease from battle and war

and go among the tribes of gods or into the bright sea.

But if you will not obey his words and disregard them,

he threatened that he too would come here

180to fight you face-to-face. He tells you to avoid

his hands, for he claims he is far stronger than you

in force and older in birth. Yet your own heart does not shrink

from claiming equality with him, whom even the others dread.”

184τὴν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη κλυτὸς ἐννοσίγαιος·

185ὢ πόποι ἦ ῥʼ ἀγαθός περ ἐὼν ὑπέροπλον ἔειπεν

εἴ μʼ ὁμότιμον ἐόντα βίῃ ἀέκοντα καθέξει.

τρεῖς γάρ τʼ ἐκ Κρόνου εἰμὲν ἀδελφεοὶ οὓς τέκετο Ῥέα

Ζεὺς καὶ ἐγώ, τρίτατος δʼ Ἀΐδης ἐνέροισιν ἀνάσσων.

τριχθὰ δὲ πάντα δέδασται, ἕκαστος δʼ ἔμμορε τιμῆς·

190ἤτοι ἐγὼν ἔλαχον πολιὴν ἅλα ναιέμεν αἰεὶ

παλλομένων, Ἀΐδης δʼ ἔλαχε ζόφον ἠερόεντα,

Ζεὺς δʼ ἔλαχʼ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἐν αἰθέρι καὶ νεφέλῃσι·

γαῖα δʼ ἔτι ξυνὴ πάντων καὶ μακρὸς Ὄλυμπος.

τώ ῥα καὶ οὔ τι Διὸς βέομαι φρεσίν, ἀλλὰ ἕκηλος

195καὶ κρατερός περ ἐὼν μενέτω τριτάτῃ ἐνὶ μοίρῃ.

χερσὶ δὲ μή τί με πάγχυ κακὸν ὣς δειδισσέσθω·

θυγατέρεσσιν γάρ τε καὶ υἱάσι βέλτερον εἴη

ἐκπάγλοις ἐπέεσσιν ἐνισσέμεν οὓς τέκεν αὐτός,

οἵ ἑθεν ὀτρύνοντος ἀκούσονται καὶ ἀνάγκῃ.

184Deeply troubled, the renowned Earth-shaker answered her:

185“Ah! Strong though he is, he has spoken arrogantly

if he intends to hold me back by force against my will, though I am his equal in honor.

For we are three brothers, sons of Cronus, whom Rhea bore:

Zeus and I, and Hades the third, lord of those below.

All things were divided three ways, and each received his allotted honor.

190When the lots were shaken, I received the gray sea to inhabit forever,

Hades received the misty darkness,

and Zeus received broad heaven in the upper air and clouds.

But the earth and high Olympus still remain common to all.

So I will not yield to Zeus’s purposes; let him stay at peace,

195strong though he is, within his third share.

And let him not try to frighten me with his hands as if I were some coward.

It would be better for him to rail at his daughters and sons

with terrible words—the children he himself fathered—

who will obey him when he urges them, even under compulsion.”

200τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις·

οὕτω γὰρ δή τοι γαιήοχε κυανοχαῖτα

τόνδε φέρω Διὶ μῦθον ἀπηνέα τε κρατερόν τε,

ἦ τι μεταστρέψεις; στρεπταὶ μέν τε φρένες ἐσθλῶν.

οἶσθʼ ὡς πρεσβυτέροισιν Ἐρινύες αἰὲν ἕπονται.

200Then swift Iris, fleet as the wind, answered him:

“Earth-holder of the dark hair, shall I truly carry

this harsh and forceful answer back to Zeus,

or will you turn? The hearts of the noble can be turned.

You know how the Furies always attend upon the elder-born.”

205τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων·

Ἶρι θεὰ μάλα τοῦτο ἔπος κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες·

ἐσθλὸν καὶ τὸ τέτυκται ὅτʼ ἄγγελος αἴσιμα εἰδῇ.

ἀλλὰ τόδʼ αἰνὸν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἱκάνει

ὁππότʼ ἂν ἰσόμορον καὶ ὁμῇ πεπρωμένον αἴσῃ

210νεικείειν ἐθέλῃσι χολωτοῖσιν ἐπέεσσιν.

ἀλλʼ ἤτοι νῦν μέν κε νεμεσσηθεὶς ὑποείξω·

ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, καὶ ἀπειλήσω τό γε θυμῷ·

αἴ κεν ἄνευ ἐμέθεν καὶ Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης

Ἥρης Ἑρμείω τε καὶ Ἡφαίστοιο ἄνακτος

215Ἰλίου αἰπεινῆς πεφιδήσεται, οὐδʼ ἐθελήσει

ἐκπέρσαι, δοῦναι δὲ μέγα κράτος Ἀργείοισιν,

ἴστω τοῦθʼ ὅτι νῶϊν ἀνήκεστος χόλος ἔσται.

205Then Poseidon, shaker of earth, answered her:

“Goddess Iris, this word you have spoken is right and fitting.

It is a good thing when a messenger knows what is fitting.

But this dreadful grief reaches my heart and spirit:

whenever he wishes to rebuke one allotted an equal share

210and destined to the same lot, with angry words.

Yet now I will yield, indignant though I am.

But I will tell you another thing, and make this threat from my heart:

if without me and Athena, gatherer of spoil,

and Hera, Hermes, and lord Hephaestus,

215he spares steep Ilium and refuses

to sack it and give great power to the Argives,

let him know that between the two of us there will be anger beyond healing.”

218ὣς εἰπὼν λίπε λαὸν Ἀχαιϊκὸν ἐννοσίγαιος,

δῦνε δὲ πόντον ἰών, πόθεσαν δʼ ἥρωες Ἀχαιοί.

218So saying, the Earth-shaker left the Achaean host

and plunged into the sea. The Achaean heroes missed him.

220καὶ τότʼ Ἀπόλλωνα προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·

ἔρχεο νῦν φίλε Φοῖβε μεθʼ Ἕκτορα χαλκοκορυστήν·

ἤδη μὲν γάρ τοι γαιήοχος ἐννοσίγαιος

οἴχεται εἰς ἅλα δῖαν ἀλευάμενος χόλον αἰπὺν

ἡμέτερον· μάλα γάρ κε μάχης ἐπύθοντο καὶ ἄλλοι,

225οἵ περ ἐνέρτεροί εἰσι θεοὶ Κρόνον ἀμφὶς ἐόντες.

ἀλλὰ τόδʼ ἠμὲν ἐμοὶ πολὺ κέρδιον ἠδέ οἱ αὐτῷ

ἔπλετο, ὅττι πάροιθε νεμεσσηθεὶς ὑπόειξε

χεῖρας ἐμάς, ἐπεὶ οὔ κεν ἀνιδρωτί γʼ ἐτελέσθη.

ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ ἐν χείρεσσι λάβʼ αἰγίδα θυσσανόεσσαν,

230τῇ μάλʼ ἐπισσείων φοβέειν ἥρωας Ἀχαιούς·

σοὶ δʼ αὐτῷ μελέτω ἑκατηβόλε φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·

τόφρα γὰρ οὖν οἱ ἔγειρε μένος μέγα, ὄφρʼ ἂν Ἀχαιοὶ

φεύγοντες νῆάς τε καὶ Ἑλλήσποντον ἵκωνται.

κεῖθεν δʼ αὐτὸς ἐγὼ φράσομαι ἔργον τε ἔπος τε,

235ὥς κε καὶ αὖτις Ἀχαιοὶ ἀναπνεύσωσι πόνοιο.

220Then cloud-gathering Zeus addressed Apollo:

“Go now, dear Phoebus, to bronze-helmeted Hector.

For already the Earth-holding Earth-shaker

has gone into the bright sea, avoiding our sharp anger.

Otherwise the battle would have been heard of by others too,

225the gods below who dwell around Cronus.

This has proved far better both for me and for him:

that, indignant though he was, he yielded before

my hands, since the struggle would not have ended without sweat.

But take in your hands the tasseled aegis

230and shake it hard to put the Achaean heroes to flight.

And you yourself, far-shooter, take care of glorious Hector.

For now rouse great force in him, until the Achaeans

flee and reach their ships and the Hellespont.

From there I myself will devise both action and word

235so that the Achaeans in turn may breathe again from toil.”

236ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα πατρὸς ἀνηκούστησεν Ἀπόλλων,

βῆ δὲ κατʼ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων ἴρηκι ἐοικὼς

ὠκέϊ φασσοφόνῳ, ὅς τʼ ὤκιστος πετεηνῶν.

εὗρʼ υἱὸν Πριάμοιο δαΐφρονος Ἕκτορα δῖον

240ἥμενον, οὐδʼ ἔτι κεῖτο, νέον δʼ ἐσαγείρετο θυμόν,

ἀμφὶ ἓ γιγνώσκων ἑτάρους· ἀτὰρ ἆσθμα καὶ ἱδρὼς

παύετʼ, ἐπεί μιν ἔγειρε Διὸς νόος αἰγιόχοιο.

236So he spoke, and Apollo did not disobey his father.

He went down from the mountains of Ida like a hawk,

a swift killer of doves, the fastest of winged creatures,

and found godlike Hector, son of wise Priam,

240sitting, no longer lying down, and gathering fresh spirit within him,

recognizing the companions around him. His panting and sweat

had ceased, for the purpose of aegis-bearing Zeus had roused him.

243ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος προσέφη ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων·

Ἕκτορ υἱὲ Πριάμοιο, τί ἢ δὲ σὺ νόσφιν ἀπʼ ἄλλων

245ἧσʼ ὀλιγηπελέων; ἦ πού τί σε κῆδος ἱκάνει;

τὸν δʼ ὀλιγοδρανέων προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

τίς δὲ σύ ἐσσι φέριστε θεῶν ὅς μʼ εἴρεαι ἄντην;

οὐκ ἀΐεις ὅ με νηυσὶν ἔπι πρυμνῇσιν Ἀχαιῶν

οὓς ἑτάρους ὀλέκοντα βοὴν ἀγαθὸς βάλεν Αἴας

250χερμαδίῳ πρὸς στῆθος, ἔπαυσε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς;

καὶ δὴ ἔγωγʼ ἐφάμην νέκυας καὶ δῶμʼ Ἀΐδαο

ἤματι τῷδʼ ἵξεσθαι, ἐπεὶ φίλον ἄϊον ἦτορ.

243The far-working Apollo stood near and said to him:

“Hector, son of Priam, why do you sit apart from the others,

245faint with weakness? Has some trouble come upon you?”

Still drained of strength, flashing-helmeted Hector answered:

“Who are you, mightiest of the gods, who question me face to face?

Did you not hear how, beside the sterns of the Achaeans’ ships,

as I was killing his companions, Ajax, good at the war cry, struck me

250in the chest with a stone and stopped my furious courage?

I truly thought I would reach the dead and the house of Hades

this very day, when I felt my dear life fading.”

253τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν ἄναξ ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων·

θάρσει νῦν· τοῖόν τοι ἀοσσητῆρα Κρονίων

255ἐξ Ἴδης προέηκε παρεστάμεναι καὶ ἀμύνειν

Φοῖβον Ἀπόλλωνα χρυσάορον, ὅς σε πάρος περ

ῥύομʼ, ὁμῶς αὐτόν τε καὶ αἰπεινὸν πτολίεθρον.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἱππεῦσιν ἐπότρυνον πολέεσσι

νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐλαυνέμεν ὠκέας ἵππους·

260αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ προπάροιθε κιὼν ἵπποισι κέλευθον

πᾶσαν λειανέω, τρέψω δʼ ἥρωας Ἀχαιούς.

ὣς εἰπὼν ἔμπνευσε μένος μέγα ποιμένι λαῶν.

253Then the lord, far-working Apollo, answered him:

“Take heart now. The son of Cronus has sent you such a helper

255from Ida to stand beside you and defend you—

Phoebus Apollo of the golden sword—I who before now

have protected both you and the steep citadel.

Come now, urge the many chariot fighters

to drive their swift horses against the hollow ships.

260I will go ahead of the horses and smooth the whole road

and turn the Achaean heroes to flight.”

So he spoke and breathed great battle-force into the shepherd of the host.

263ὡς δʼ ὅτε τις στατὸς ἵππος ἀκοστήσας ἐπὶ φάτνῃ

δεσμὸν ἀπορρήξας θείῃ πεδίοιο κροαίνων

265εἰωθὼς λούεσθαι ἐϋρρεῖος ποταμοῖο

κυδιόων· ὑψοῦ δὲ κάρη ἔχει, ἀμφὶ δὲ χαῖται

ὤμοις ἀΐσσονται· ὃ δʼ ἀγλαΐηφι πεποιθὼς

ῥίμφά ἑ γοῦνα φέρει μετά τʼ ἤθεα καὶ νομὸν ἵππων·

ὣς Ἕκτωρ λαιψηρὰ πόδας καὶ γούνατʼ ἐνώμα

270ὀτρύνων ἱππῆας, ἐπεὶ θεοῦ ἔκλυεν αὐδήν.

263As a stall-fed horse that has eaten its fill at the manger

breaks its tether and races, pounding over the plain,

265accustomed to bathe in the fair-flowing river,

exulting; it holds its head high, and its mane

streams over its shoulders. Proud in its splendor,

its knees carry it swiftly to the haunts and pasture of horses—

so Hector moved his nimble feet and knees,

270urging on the chariot fighters when he heard the god’s voice.

271οἳ δʼ ὥς τʼ ἢ ἔλαφον κεραὸν ἢ ἄγριον αἶγα

ἐσσεύαντο κύνες τε καὶ ἀνέρες ἀγροιῶται·

τὸν μέν τʼ ἠλίβατος πέτρη καὶ δάσκιος ὕλη

εἰρύσατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα τέ σφι κιχήμεναι αἴσιμον ἦεν·

275τῶν δέ θʼ ὑπὸ ἰαχῆς ἐφάνη λὶς ἠϋγένειος

εἰς ὁδόν, αἶψα δὲ πάντας ἀπέτραπε καὶ μεμαῶτας·

ὣς Δαναοὶ εἷος μὲν ὁμιλαδὸν αἰὲν ἕποντο

νύσσοντες ξίφεσίν τε καὶ ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοισιν·

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ ἴδον Ἕκτορʼ ἐποιχόμενον στίχας ἀνδρῶν

280τάρβησαν, πᾶσιν δὲ παραὶ ποσὶ κάππεσε θυμός.

271As dogs and country people rush after

a horned deer or a wild goat,

but a sheer rock and shadowed woodland shelter it,

and it is not their allotted fate to catch it;

275then at their shouting a well-maned lion appears

in the path and quickly turns them all back, eager though they are—

so long as the Danaans pressed forward together in pursuit,

stabbing with swords and double-edged spears;

but when they saw Hector ranging through the ranks of men,

280they were terrified, and every man’s spirit fell at his feet.

281τοῖσι δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀγόρευε Θόας Ἀνδραίμονος υἱός,

Αἰτωλῶν ὄχʼ ἄριστος ἐπιστάμενος μὲν ἄκοντι

ἐσθλὸς δʼ ἐν σταδίῃ· ἀγορῇ δέ ἑ παῦροι Ἀχαιῶν

νίκων, ὁππότε κοῦροι ἐρίσσειαν περὶ μύθων·

285ὅ σφιν ἐϋφρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

ὢ πόποι ἦ μέγα θαῦμα τόδʼ ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὁρῶμαι,

οἷον δʼ αὖτʼ ἐξαῦτις ἀνέστη κῆρας ἀλύξας

Ἕκτωρ· ἦ θήν μιν μάλα ἔλπετο θυμὸς ἑκάστου

χερσὶν ὑπʼ Αἴαντος θανέειν Τελαμωνιάδαο.

290ἀλλά τις αὖτε θεῶν ἐρρύσατο καὶ ἐσάωσεν

Ἕκτορʼ, ὃ δὴ πολλῶν Δαναῶν ὑπὸ γούνατʼ ἔλυσεν,

ὡς καὶ νῦν ἔσσεσθαι ὀΐομαι· οὐ γὰρ ἄτερ γε

Ζηνὸς ἐριγδούπου πρόμος ἵσταται ὧδε μενοινῶν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼν εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες.

295πληθὺν μὲν ποτὶ νῆας ἀνώξομεν ἀπονέεσθαι·

αὐτοὶ δʼ, ὅσσοι ἄριστοι ἐνὶ στρατῷ εὐχόμεθʼ εἶναι,

στήομεν, εἴ κεν πρῶτον ἐρύξομεν ἀντιάσαντες

δούρατʼ ἀνασχόμενοι· τὸν δʼ οἴω καὶ μεμαῶτα

θυμῷ δείσεσθαι Δαναῶν καταδῦναι ὅμιλον.

300ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδὲ πίθοντο·

281Then Thoas, son of Andraemon, spoke among them,

far the best of the Aetolians, skilled at throwing the spear

and strong in close combat; few Achaeans surpassed him

in assembly whenever young men contended over speeches.

285With good intent he spoke among them in assembly:

“What a sight! I see with my own eyes a great

wonder—how Hector has risen again after escaping the death-spirits!

Surely every man’s heart expected

him to die at the hands of Telamonian Ajax.

290But once again some god has rescued and saved

Hector, who has already loosened the knees of many Danaans,

as I think he will do again now; for not without

loud-thundering Zeus does he stand so eager among the foremost.

Come then, let us all do as I propose:

295we will order the main body to withdraw toward the ships,

but we ourselves, all who claim to be the best in the army,

will stand and see if we can meet him first and hold him back,

our spears raised. Eager though he is, I think

he will fear in his heart to plunge into the Danaan throng.”

300So he spoke, and they listened closely and obeyed.

301οἳ μὲν ἄρʼ ἀμφʼ Αἴαντα καὶ Ἰδομενῆα ἄνακτα

Τεῦκρον Μηριόνην τε Μέγην τʼ ἀτάλαντον Ἄρηϊ

ὑσμίνην ἤρτυνον ἀριστῆας καλέσαντες

Ἕκτορι καὶ Τρώεσσιν ἐναντίον· αὐτὰρ ὀπίσσω

305ἣ πληθὺς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν ἀπονέοντο.

Τρῶες δὲ προὔτυψαν ἀολλέες, ἦρχε δʼ ἄρʼ Ἕκτωρ

μακρὰ βιβάς· πρόσθεν δὲ κίʼ αὐτοῦ Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων

εἱμένος ὤμοιιν νεφέλην, ἔχε δʼ αἰγίδα θοῦριν

δεινὴν ἀμφιδάσειαν ἀριπρεπέʼ, ἣν ἄρα χαλκεὺς

310Ἥφαιστος Διὶ δῶκε φορήμεναι ἐς φόβον ἀνδρῶν·

τὴν ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἐν χείρεσσιν ἔχων ἡγήσατο λαῶν.

301The men around Ajax and King Idomeneus,

Teucer, Meriones, and Meges, peer of Ares,

arrayed the battle line, calling the champions

to face Hector and the Trojans; behind them

305the mass of Achaeans withdrew toward the ships.

The Trojans struck them in a mass, with Hector leading,

taking long strides; Phoebus Apollo went before him,

his shoulders wrapped in cloud, holding the furious aegis,

terrible, conspicuous, and shaggy-fringed, which the smith

310Hephaestus gave Zeus to carry and drive men to rout.

Holding it in his hands, Apollo led the troops.

312Ἀργεῖοι δʼ ὑπέμειναν ἀολλέες, ὦρτο δʼ ἀϋτὴ

ὀξεῖʼ ἀμφοτέρωθεν, ἀπὸ νευρῆφι δʼ ὀϊστοὶ

θρῷσκον· πολλὰ δὲ δοῦρα θρασειάων ἀπὸ χειρῶν

315ἄλλα μὲν ἐν χροῒ πήγνυτʼ ἀρηϊθόων αἰζηῶν,

πολλὰ δὲ καὶ μεσσηγὺ πάρος χρόα λευκὸν ἐπαυρεῖν

ἐν γαίῃ ἵσταντο λιλαιόμενα χροὸς ἆσαι.

ὄφρα μὲν αἰγίδα χερσὶν ἔχʼ ἀτρέμα Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων,

τόφρα μάλʼ ἀμφοτέρων βέλεʼ ἥπτετο, πῖπτε δὲ λαός.

320αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατʼ ἐνῶπα ἰδὼν Δαναῶν ταχυπώλων

σεῖσʼ, ἐπὶ δʼ αὐτὸς ἄϋσε μάλα μέγα, τοῖσι δὲ θυμὸν

ἐν στήθεσσιν ἔθελξε, λάθοντο δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς.

οἳ δʼ ὥς τʼ ἠὲ βοῶν ἀγέλην ἢ πῶϋ μέγʼ οἰῶν

θῆρε δύω κλονέωσι μελαίνης νυκτὸς ἀμολγῷ

325ἐλθόντʼ ἐξαπίνης σημάντορος οὐ παρεόντος,

ὣς ἐφόβηθεν Ἀχαιοὶ ἀνάλκιδες· ἐν γὰρ Ἀπόλλων

ἧκε φόβον, Τρωσὶν δὲ καὶ Ἕκτορι κῦδος ὄπαζεν.

312The Argives stood firm in a mass, and a piercing cry rose

from both sides; arrows leapt from bowstrings,

and many spears flew from the hands of bold men.

315Some lodged in the flesh of warlike youths,

and many flew midway before they could touch white flesh,

and stood in the ground, eager to glut themselves on flesh.

As long as Phoebus Apollo held the aegis motionless in his hands,

missiles from both sides struck home, and men fell.

320But when he looked straight into the faces of the swift-horsed Danaans

and shook it, then gave a tremendous shout, he bewitched the spirit

within their chests, and they forgot their furious courage.

As when two beasts drive a herd of cattle or a great flock of sheep

into panic in the dead of black night,

325coming suddenly while the herdsman is away,

so the Achaeans were routed, stripped of courage; for Apollo

sent rout among them and granted ascendancy to Hector and the Trojans.

328ἔνθα δʼ ἀνὴρ ἕλεν ἄνδρα κεδασθείσης ὑσμίνης.

Ἕκτωρ μὲν Στιχίον τε καὶ Ἀρκεσίλαον ἔπεφνε,

330τὸν μὲν Βοιωτῶν ἡγήτορα χαλκοχιτώνων,

τὸν δὲ Μενεσθῆος μεγαθύμου πιστὸν ἑταῖρον·

Αἰνείας δὲ Μέδοντα καὶ Ἴασον ἐξενάριξεν.

ἤτοι ὃ μὲν νόθος υἱὸς Ὀϊλῆος θείοιο

ἔσκε Μέδων Αἴαντος ἀδελφεός· αὐτὰρ ἔναιεν

335ἐν Φυλάκῃ γαίης ἄπο πατρίδος ἄνδρα κατακτὰς

γνωτὸν μητρυιῆς Ἐριώπιδος, ἣν ἔχʼ Ὀϊλεύς·

Ἴασος αὖτʼ ἀρχὸς μὲν Ἀθηναίων ἐτέτυκτο,

υἱὸς δὲ Σφήλοιο καλέσκετο Βουκολίδαο.

Μηκιστῆ δʼ ἕλε Πουλυδάμας, Ἐχίον δὲ Πολίτης

340πρώτῃ ἐν ὑσμίνῃ, Κλονίον δʼ ἕλε δῖος Ἀγήνωρ.

Δηΐοχον δὲ Πάρις βάλε νείατον ὦμον ὄπισθε

φεύγοντʼ ἐν προμάχοισι, διὰ πρὸ δὲ χαλκὸν ἔλασσεν.

328Then man killed man as the battle scattered.

Hector killed Stichius and Arcesilaus,

330one a leader of the bronze-armored Boeotians,

the other a trusted companion of great-hearted Menestheus.

Aeneas killed Medon and Iasus.

Medon was the bastard son of godlike Oileus

and brother to Ajax. He lived in Phylace,

335far from his native land, after killing a man—

a kinsman of his stepmother Eriopis, the wife of Oileus.

Iasus had been made a leader of the Athenians

and was called the son of Sphelus, son of Bucolus.

Polydamas killed Mecisteus, Polites killed Echios

340in the foremost fight, and godlike Agenor killed Clonius.

Paris struck Deiochus from behind at the base of the shoulder

as he fled among the foremost, and drove the bronze straight through.

343ὄφρʼ οἳ τοὺς ἐνάριζον ἀπʼ ἔντεα, τόφρα δʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

τάφρῳ καὶ σκολόπεσσιν ἐνιπλήξαντες ὀρυκτῇ

345ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα φέβοντο, δύοντο δὲ τεῖχος ἀνάγκῃ.

Ἕκτωρ δὲ Τρώεσσιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας

νηυσὶν ἐπισσεύεσθαι, ἐᾶν δʼ ἔναρα βροτόεντα·

ὃν δʼ ἂν ἐγὼν ἀπάνευθε νεῶν ἑτέρωθι νοήσω,

αὐτοῦ οἱ θάνατον μητίσομαι, οὐδέ νυ τόν γε

350γνωτοί τε γνωταί τε πυρὸς λελάχωσι θανόντα,

ἀλλὰ κύνες ἐρύουσι πρὸ ἄστεος ἡμετέροιο.

ὣς εἰπὼν μάστιγι κατωμαδὸν ἤλασεν ἵππους

κεκλόμενος Τρώεσσι κατὰ στίχας· οἳ δὲ σὺν αὐτῷ

πάντες ὁμοκλήσαντες ἔχον ἐρυσάρματας ἵππους

355ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ· προπάροιθε δὲ Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων

ῥεῖʼ ὄχθας καπέτοιο βαθείης ποσσὶν ἐρείπων

ἐς μέσσον κατέβαλλε, γεφύρωσεν δὲ κέλευθον

μακρὴν ἠδʼ εὐρεῖαν, ὅσον τʼ ἐπὶ δουρὸς ἐρωὴ

γίγνεται, ὁππότʼ ἀνὴρ σθένεος πειρώμενος ᾗσι.

360τῇ ῥʼ οἵ γε προχέοντο φαλαγγηδόν, πρὸ δʼ Ἀπόλλων

αἰγίδʼ ἔχων ἐρίτιμον· ἔρειπε δὲ τεῖχος Ἀχαιῶν

ῥεῖα μάλʼ, ὡς ὅτε τις ψάμαθον πάϊς ἄγχι θαλάσσης,

ὅς τʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν ποιήσῃ ἀθύρματα νηπιέῃσιν

ἂψ αὖτις συνέχευε ποσὶν καὶ χερσὶν ἀθύρων.

365ὥς ῥα σὺ ἤϊε Φοῖβε πολὺν κάματον καὶ ὀϊζὺν

σύγχεας Ἀργείων, αὐτοῖσι δὲ φύζαν ἐνῶρσας.

343While the Trojans stripped the armor from these men, the Achaeans,

tumbling into the dug trench and onto its stakes,

345fled this way and that and were forced inside the wall.

Hector called to the Trojans in a far-carrying shout:

“Rush against the ships and leave the bloodied spoils!

Whomever I see away from the ships, anywhere apart,

I will devise his death right there; his kinsmen

350and kinswomen will not give his corpse its share of fire;

dogs will drag him before our city.”

So he spoke and lashed the horses across their shoulders,

calling to the Trojans through the ranks. Together with him

they all shouted and drove their chariot-drawing horses

355with a marvelous din. Phoebus Apollo went before them,

easily kicking down the banks of the deep trench

and casting them into its middle, bridging a road

long and broad—as far as the flight of a spear

when a man casts it to test his strength.

360Through it they streamed in ranks, while Apollo went before them

holding the honored aegis. He brought down the Achaeans’ wall

with perfect ease, as a child beside the sea

makes playthings out of sand in childish sport,

then scatters them again with hands and feet for play.

365So, Phoebus, you brought the Argives’ long labor and hardship

to ruin, and roused rout among the Argives themselves.

367ὣς οἳ μὲν παρὰ νηυσὶν ἐρητύοντο μένοντες,

ἀλλήλοισί τε κεκλόμενοι καὶ πᾶσι θεοῖσι

χεῖρας ἀνίσχοντες μεγάλʼ εὐχετόωντο ἕκαστος·

370Νέστωρ αὖτε μάλιστα Γερήνιος οὖρος Ἀχαιῶν

εὔχετο χεῖρʼ ὀρέγων εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀστερόεντα·

Ζεῦ πάτερ εἴ ποτέ τίς τοι ἐν Ἄργεΐ περ πολυπύρῳ

ἢ βοὸς ἢ οἰὸς κατὰ πίονα μηρία καίων

εὔχετο νοστῆσαι, σὺ δʼ ὑπέσχεο καὶ κατένευσας,

375τῶν μνῆσαι καὶ ἄμυνον Ὀλύμπιε νηλεὲς ἦμαρ,

μηδʼ οὕτω Τρώεσσιν ἔα δάμνασθαι Ἀχαιούς.

ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, μέγα δʼ ἔκτυπε μητίετα Ζεύς,

ἀράων ἀΐων Νηληϊάδαο γέροντος.

Τρῶες δʼ ὡς ἐπύθοντο Διὸς κτύπον αἰγιόχοιο,

380μᾶλλον ἐπʼ Ἀργείοισι θόρον, μνήσαντο δὲ χάρμης.

οἳ δʼ ὥς τε μέγα κῦμα θαλάσσης εὐρυπόροιο

νηὸς ὑπὲρ τοίχων καταβήσεται, ὁππότʼ ἐπείγῃ

ἲς ἀνέμου· ἣ γάρ τε μάλιστά γε κύματʼ ὀφέλλει·

ὣς Τρῶες μεγάλῃ ἰαχῇ κατὰ τεῖχος ἔβαινον,

385ἵππους δʼ εἰσελάσαντες ἐπὶ πρύμνῃσι μάχοντο

ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοις αὐτοσχεδόν, οἳ μὲν ἀφʼ ἵππων,

οἳ δʼ ἀπὸ νηῶν ὕψι μελαινάων ἐπιβάντες

μακροῖσι ξυστοῖσι, τά ῥά σφʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἔκειτο

ναύμαχα κολλήεντα, κατὰ στόμα εἱμένα χαλκῷ.

367They halted beside the ships and held their ground,

calling to one another and to all the gods,

each raising his hands and praying loudly.

370Most of all Nestor, the Gerenian bulwark of the Achaeans,

prayed, reaching his hands toward starry heaven:

“Father Zeus, if ever in wheat-rich Argos anyone

burned the fat thigh pieces of an ox or sheep for you

and prayed to return, and you promised and bowed your head,

375remember those offerings, Olympian, and ward off this pitiless day;

do not let the Achaeans be subdued by the Trojans like this.”

So he spoke in prayer, and Zeus the counselor thundered loudly,

hearing the prayers of the old son of Neleus.

When the Trojans heard the crash of aegis-bearing Zeus,

380they leapt all the more against the Argives and remembered the joy of battle.

As a great wave of the broad-pathed sea

crashes over a ship’s sides when driven on

by the force of wind, which above all makes the waves swell—

so the Trojans came down over the wall with a great cry,

385drove their horses in, and fought beside the sterns

with double-edged spears at close quarters, some from their chariots,

others from high on the black ships they had boarded,

using the long pikes that lay aboard the ships—

jointed weapons for fighting at sea, sheathed at the point in bronze.

390Πάτροκλος δʼ εἷος μὲν Ἀχαιοί τε Τρῶές τε

τείχεος ἀμφεμάχοντο θοάων ἔκτοθι νηῶν,

τόφρʼ ὅ γʼ ἐνὶ κλισίῃ ἀγαπήνορος Εὐρυπύλοιο

ἧστό τε καὶ τὸν ἔτερπε λόγοις, ἐπὶ δʼ ἕλκεϊ λυγρῷ

φάρμακʼ ἀκέσματʼ ἔπασσε μελαινάων ὀδυνάων.

395αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τεῖχος ἐπεσσυμένους ἐνόησε

Τρῶας, ἀτὰρ Δαναῶν γένετο ἰαχή τε φόβος τε,

ᾤμωξέν τʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα καὶ ὣ πεπλήγετο μηρὼ

χερσὶ καταπρηνέσσʼ, ὀλοφυρόμενος δʼ ἔπος ηὔδα·

Εὐρύπυλʼ οὐκ ἔτι τοι δύναμαι χατέοντί περʼ ἔμπης

400ἐνθάδε παρμενέμεν· δὴ γὰρ μέγα νεῖκος ὄρωρεν·

ἀλλὰ σὲ μὲν θεράπων ποτιτερπέτω, αὐτὰρ ἔγωγε

σπεύσομαι εἰς Ἀχιλῆα, ἵνʼ ὀτρύνω πολεμίζειν.

τίς δʼ οἶδʼ εἴ κέν οἱ σὺν δαίμονι θυμὸν ὀρίνω

παρειπών; ἀγαθὴ δὲ παραίφασίς ἐστιν ἑταίρου.

390As long as the Achaeans and Trojans

fought around the wall outside the swift ships,

Patroclus remained seated in the hut of valiant Eurypylus,

cheering him with talk and spreading over his grievous wound

healing medicines to quiet the black pains.

395But when he saw the Trojans rushing against the wall,

and a cry and rout arose among the Danaans,

he cried aloud and struck both thighs

with his palms, and spoke in lamentation:

“Eurypylus, though you need me, I can no longer

400stay here beside you—a great conflict has now broken out.

Let an attendant comfort you; I

will hurry to Achilles and urge him to fight.

Who knows whether, with a god’s help, I may stir his spirit

by speaking to him? A companion’s persuasion is a good thing.”

405τὸν μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰπόντα πόδες φέρον· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ

Τρῶας ἐπερχομένους μένον ἔμπεδον, οὐδʼ ἐδύναντο

παυροτέρους περ ἐόντας ἀπώσασθαι παρὰ νηῶν·

οὐδέ ποτε Τρῶες Δαναῶν ἐδύναντο φάλαγγας

ῥηξάμενοι κλισίῃσι μιγήμεναι ἠδὲ νέεσσιν.

410ἀλλʼ ὥς τε στάθμη δόρυ νήϊον ἐξιθύνει

τέκτονος ἐν παλάμῃσι δαήμονος, ὅς ῥά τε πάσης

εὖ εἰδῇ σοφίης ὑποθημοσύνῃσιν Ἀθήνης,

ὣς μὲν τῶν ἐπὶ ἶσα μάχη τέτατο πτόλεμός τε·

ἄλλοι δʼ ἀμφʼ ἄλλῃσι μάχην ἐμάχοντο νέεσσιν,

415Ἕκτωρ δʼ ἄντʼ Αἴαντος ἐείσατο κυδαλίμοιο.

τὼ δὲ μιῆς περὶ νηὸς ἔχον πόνον, οὐδὲ δύναντο

οὔθʼ ὃ τὸν ἐξελάσαι καὶ ἐνιπρῆσαι πυρὶ νῆα

οὔθʼ ὃ τὸν ἂψ ὤσασθαι, ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐπέλασσέ γε δαίμων.

405So he spoke, and his feet carried him away. The Achaeans

stood firm against the advancing Trojans, but could not

drive them from the ships, even though the Trojans were fewer;

nor could the Trojans break through the Danaan ranks

and mingle among the huts and ships.

410As a leveling line straightens a ship’s timber

in the hands of a skilled carpenter, one who

knows the whole craft well through Athena’s instruction,

so battle and war were stretched evenly between them;

Other men fought around other ships,

415but Hector came face to face with glorious Ajax.

The two labored over a single ship, and neither could:

Hector could not drive Ajax off and burn the ship with fire,

nor Ajax thrust Hector back, since a god had brought him near.

419ἔνθʼ υἷα Κλυτίοιο Καλήτορα φαίδιμος Αἴας

420πῦρ ἐς νῆα φέροντα κατὰ στῆθος βάλε δουρί.

δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, δαλὸς δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε χειρός.

Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς ἐνόησεν ἀνεψιὸν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν

ἐν κονίῃσι πεσόντα νεὸς προπάροιθε μελαίνης,

Τρωσί τε καὶ Λυκίοισιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·

425Τρῶες καὶ Λύκιοι καὶ Δάρδανοι ἀγχιμαχηταὶ

μὴ δή πω χάζεσθε μάχης ἐν στείνεϊ τῷδε,

ἀλλʼ υἷα Κλυτίοιο σαώσατε, μή μιν Ἀχαιοὶ

τεύχεα συλήσωσι νεῶν ἐν ἀγῶνι πεσόντα.

ὣς εἰπὼν Αἴαντος ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ.

430τοῦ μὲν ἅμαρθʼ, ὃ δʼ ἔπειτα Λυκόφρονα Μάστορος υἱὸν

Αἴαντος θεράποντα Κυθήριον, ὅς ῥα παρʼ αὐτῷ

ναῖʼ, ἐπεὶ ἄνδρα κατέκτα Κυθήροισι ζαθέοισι,

τόν ῥʼ ἔβαλεν κεφαλὴν ὑπὲρ οὔατος ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ

ἑσταότʼ ἄγχʼ Αἴαντος· ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος ἐν κονίῃσι

435νηὸς ἄπο πρυμνῆς χαμάδις πέσε, λύντο δὲ γυῖα.

Αἴας δʼ ἐρρίγησε, κασίγνητον δὲ προσηύδα·

Τεῦκρε πέπον δὴ νῶϊν ἀπέκτατο πιστὸς ἑταῖρος

Μαστορίδης, ὃν νῶϊ Κυθηρόθεν ἔνδον ἐόντα

ἶσα φίλοισι τοκεῦσιν ἐτίομεν ἐν μεγάροισι·

440τὸν δʼ Ἕκτωρ μεγάθυμος ἀπέκτανε. ποῦ νύ τοι ἰοὶ

ὠκύμοροι καὶ τόξον ὅ τοι πόρε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων;

419Then glorious Ajax struck Caletor, son of Clytius,

420in the chest with his spear as he carried fire toward the ship.

He fell with a thud, and the firebrand dropped from his hand.

When Hector saw with his own eyes his cousin

fallen in the dust before the black ship,

he called to the Trojans and Lycians with a great shout:

425“Trojans and Lycians and Dardanians, close fighters,

do not withdraw from battle in this narrow place;

rescue the son of Clytius, so the Achaeans do not

strip his armor after he fell in the battle at the ships.”

So he spoke and cast his shining spear at Ajax.

430He missed Ajax. But Lycophron, son of Mastor—

Ajax’s attendant from Cythera, who lived beside him

after he had killed a man on holy Cythera—

that man Hector struck in the head above the ear with keen bronze

as he stood near Ajax; backward into the dust

435he fell from the ship’s stern to the ground, and his limbs gave way.

Ajax shuddered and addressed his brother:

“Dear Teucer, now a trusted companion of ours has been killed—

Mastor’s son, whom in our home after he came from Cythera

we honored as dearly as our own parents.

440Great-hearted Hector has killed him. Where now are your arrows,

swift to bring death, and the bow Phoebus Apollo gave you?”

442ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δὲ ξυνέηκε, θέων δέ οἱ ἄγχι παρέστη,

τόξον ἔχων ἐν χειρὶ παλίντονον ἠδὲ φαρέτρην

ἰοδόκον· μάλα δʼ ὦκα βέλεα Τρώεσσιν ἐφίει.

445καί ῥʼ ἔβαλε Κλεῖτον Πεισήνορος ἀγλαὸν υἱὸν

Πουλυδάμαντος ἑταῖρον ἀγαυοῦ Πανθοΐδαο

ἡνία χερσὶν ἔχοντα· ὃ μὲν πεπόνητο καθʼ ἵππους·

τῇ γὰρ ἔχʼ ᾗ ῥα πολὺ πλεῖσται κλονέοντο φάλαγγες

Ἕκτορι καὶ Τρώεσσι χαριζόμενος· τάχα δʼ αὐτῷ

450ἦλθε κακόν, τό οἱ οὔ τις ἐρύκακεν ἱεμένων περ.

αὐχένι γάρ οἱ ὄπισθε πολύστονος ἔμπεσεν ἰός·

ἤριπε δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων, ὑπερώησαν δέ οἱ ἵπποι

κείνʼ ὄχεα κροτέοντες. ἄναξ δʼ ἐνόησε τάχιστα

Πουλυδάμας, καὶ πρῶτος ἐναντίος ἤλυθεν ἵππων.

455τοὺς μὲν ὅ γʼ Ἀστυνόῳ Προτιάονος υἱέϊ δῶκε,

πολλὰ δʼ ἐπότρυνε σχεδὸν ἴσχειν εἰσορόωντα

ἵππους· αὐτὸς δʼ αὖτις ἰὼν προμάχοισιν ἐμίχθη.

442So he spoke. Teucer understood and ran to stand close beside him,

holding in his hand the recurved bow and a quiver

full of arrows, and he swiftly shot his missiles at the Trojans.

445He struck Clitus, the splendid son of Peisenor,

a companion of proud Polydamas, Panthous’ son,

who held the reins in his hands and labored among the horses.

He drove his team where the greatest number of ranks surged in confusion,

seeking favor with Hector and the Trojans; but soon

450evil came upon him, which none could ward off, eager though they were.

The groan-bringing arrow struck him from behind in the neck.

He fell from the chariot, and his swift-footed horses shied;

they rattled the empty chariot. Lord Polydamas saw at once

and was the first to come before the horses.

455He gave them to Astynous, son of Protiaon,

urging him repeatedly to keep the horses close at hand and keep watch;

then he went back and joined the foremost fighters.

458Τεῦκρος δʼ ἄλλον ὀϊστὸν ἐφʼ Ἕκτορι χαλκοκορυστῇ

αἴνυτο, καί κεν ἔπαυσε μάχης ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν,

460εἴ μιν ἀριστεύοντα βαλὼν ἐξείλετο θυμόν.

ἀλλʼ οὐ λῆθε Διὸς πυκινὸν νόον, ὅς ῥʼ ἐφύλασσεν

Ἕκτορʼ, ἀτὰρ Τεῦκρον Τελαμώνιον εὖχος ἀπηύρα,

ὅς οἱ ἐϋστρεφέα νευρὴν ἐν ἀμύμονι τόξῳ

ῥῆξʼ ἐπὶ τῷ ἐρύοντι· παρεπλάγχθη δέ οἱ ἄλλῃ

465ἰὸς χαλκοβαρής, τόξον δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε χειρός.

Τεῦκρος δʼ ἐρρίγησε, κασίγνητον δὲ προσηύδα·

ὢ πόποι ἦ δὴ πάγχυ μάχης ἐπὶ μήδεα κείρει

δαίμων ἡμετέρης, ὅ τέ μοι βιὸν ἔκβαλε χειρός,

νευρὴν δʼ ἐξέρρηξε νεόστροφον, ἣν ἐνέδησα

470πρώϊον, ὄφρʼ ἀνέχοιτο θαμὰ θρῴσκοντας ὀϊστούς.

458Teucer took another arrow for bronze-helmeted Hector,

and would have stopped him from fighting beside the Achaeans’ ships

460if he had struck him at the height of his valor and taken away his life.

But this did not escape the shrewd mind of Zeus, who guarded

Hector and deprived Telamonian Teucer of his triumph.

Zeus snapped the well-twisted string on his flawless bow

as he drew it; the bronze-weighted arrow veered away,

465and the bow dropped from his hand.

Teucer shuddered and addressed his brother:

“Look—some god is utterly cutting down the plans

of our battle: he knocked the bow from my hand

and snapped the newly twisted string I tied

470this morning, so it could bear the arrows springing thick and fast.”

471τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας·

ὦ πέπον ἀλλὰ βιὸν μὲν ἔα καὶ ταρφέας ἰοὺς

κεῖσθαι, ἐπεὶ συνέχευε θεὸς Δαναοῖσι μεγήρας·

αὐτὰρ χερσὶν ἑλὼν δολιχὸν δόρυ καὶ σάκος ὤμῳ

475μάρναό τε Τρώεσσι καὶ ἄλλους ὄρνυθι λαούς.

μὴ μὰν ἀσπουδί γε δαμασσάμενοί περ ἕλοιεν

νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους, ἀλλὰ μνησώμεθα χάρμης.

471Then great Telamonian Ajax answered him:

“Dear man, leave the bow and the close-packed arrows

lying there, since a god, resenting the Danaans, has brought them to ruin.

Take a long spear in your hands and a shield on your shoulder;

475fight the Trojans and rouse the rest of the troops.

Even if they subdue us, they must not take

our well-benched ships without a fight. Let us remember the joy of battle.”

478ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δὲ τόξον μὲν ἐνὶ κλισίῃσιν ἔθηκεν,

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι σάκος θέτο τετραθέλυμνον,

480κρατὶ δʼ ἐπʼ ἰφθίμῳ κυνέην εὔτυκτον ἔθηκεν

ἵππουριν, δεινὸν δὲ λόφος καθύπερθεν ἔνευεν·

εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος ἀκαχμένον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,

βῆ δʼ ἰέναι, μάλα δʼ ὦκα θέων Αἴαντι παρέστη.

478So he spoke, and Teucer laid his bow inside the huts,

then slung a four-hide shield about his shoulders.

480On his powerful head he set a well-made helmet

with a horsehair crest; the plume nodded terribly above.

He took a sturdy spear sharpened with keen bronze

and set out; running very swiftly, he took his stand beside Ajax.

484Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς εἶδεν Τεύκρου βλαφθέντα βέλεμνα,

485Τρωσί τε καὶ Λυκίοισιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·

Τρῶες καὶ Λύκιοι καὶ Δάρδανοι ἀγχιμαχηταὶ

ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι, μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς

νῆας ἀνὰ γλαφυράς· δὴ γὰρ ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσιν

ἀνδρὸς ἀριστῆος Διόθεν βλαφθέντα βέλεμνα.

490ῥεῖα δʼ ἀρίγνωτος Διὸς ἀνδράσι γίγνεται ἀλκή,

ἠμὲν ὁτέοισιν κῦδος ὑπέρτερον ἐγγυαλίξῃ,

ἠδʼ ὅτινας μινύθῃ τε καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλῃσιν ἀμύνειν,

ὡς νῦν Ἀργείων μινύθει μένος, ἄμμι δʼ ἀρήγει.

ἀλλὰ μάχεσθʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἀολλέες· ὃς δέ κεν ὑμέων

495βλήμενος ἠὲ τυπεὶς θάνατον καὶ πότμον ἐπίσπῃ

τεθνάτω· οὔ οἱ ἀεικὲς ἀμυνομένῳ περὶ πάτρης

τεθνάμεν· ἀλλʼ ἄλοχός τε σόη καὶ παῖδες ὀπίσσω,

καὶ οἶκος καὶ κλῆρος ἀκήρατος, εἴ κεν Ἀχαιοὶ

οἴχωνται σὺν νηυσὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.

500ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου.

484When Hector saw Teucer’s shots thwarted,

485he called to the Trojans and Lycians with a great shout:

“Trojans and Lycians and Dardanians, close fighters,

be men, my friends, and remember your furious courage.

Fight among the hollow ships! For I saw with my own eyes

the shots of a foremost warrior thwarted by Zeus.

490Zeus’s battle-strength is easily recognized among men—

whether he places higher ascendancy in their hands

or diminishes their force and refuses to defend them—

as now he diminishes the Argives’ force and aids us.

Fight in a body at the ships. Whoever among you,

495struck by a cast or blow, meets his death and doom,

let him die. It is no disgrace to die defending one’s fatherland;

his wife and children remain safe behind him,

his house and allotment untouched, if the Achaeans

depart with their ships for their dear native land.”

500So he spoke and stirred each man's force and spirit.

501Αἴας δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐκέκλετο οἷς ἑτάροισιν·

αἰδὼς Ἀργεῖοι· νῦν ἄρκιον ἢ ἀπολέσθαι

ἠὲ σαωθῆναι καὶ ἀπώσασθαι κακὰ νηῶν.

ἦ ἔλπεσθʼ ἢν νῆας ἕλῃ κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ

505ἐμβαδὸν ἵξεσθαι ἣν πατρίδα γαῖαν ἕκαστος;

ἦ οὐκ ὀτρύνοντος ἀκούετε λαὸν ἅπαντα

Ἕκτορος, ὃς δὴ νῆας ἐνιπρῆσαι μενεαίνει;

οὐ μὰν ἔς γε χορὸν κέλετʼ ἐλθέμεν, ἀλλὰ μάχεσθαι.

ἡμῖν δʼ οὔ τις τοῦδε νόος καὶ μῆτις ἀμείνων

510ἢ αὐτοσχεδίῃ μῖξαι χεῖράς τε μένος τε.

βέλτερον ἢ ἀπολέσθαι ἕνα χρόνον ἠὲ βιῶναι

ἢ δηθὰ στρεύγεσθαι ἐν αἰνῇ δηϊοτῆτι

ὧδʼ αὔτως παρὰ νηυσὶν ὑπʼ ἀνδράσι χειροτέροισιν.

ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου.

501From the other side Ajax called to his companions:

“Shame, Argives! Now we face the decisive choice: either perish

or be saved and drive disaster away from the ships.

Do you suppose, if flashing-helmeted Hector takes the ships,

505each of you will reach his native land on foot?

Do you not hear Hector urging all his host—

Hector, who is furious to burn the ships?

He is not calling them to come to a dance, but to fight.

For us there is no better plan or counsel than this:

510to meet them hand-to-hand, force against force, in close combat.

Better either to perish in a single instant or survive

than to be worn down for long in grim battle

like this beside the ships by men worse than ourselves.”

So he spoke and stirred each man's force and spirit.

515ἔνθʼ Ἕκτωρ μὲν ἕλε Σχεδίον Περιμήδεος υἱὸν

ἀρχὸν Φωκήων, Αἴας δʼ ἕλε Λαοδάμαντα

ἡγεμόνα πρυλέων Ἀντήνορος ἀγλαὸν υἱόν·

Πουλυδάμας δʼ Ὦτον Κυλλήνιον ἐξενάριξε

Φυλεΐδεω ἕταρον, μεγαθύμων ἀρχὸν Ἐπειῶν.

520τῷ δὲ Μέγης ἐπόρουσεν ἰδών· ὃ δʼ ὕπαιθα λιάσθη

Πουλυδάμας· καὶ τοῦ μὲν ἀπήμβροτεν· οὐ γὰρ Ἀπόλλων

εἴα Πάνθου υἱὸν ἐνὶ προμάχοισι δαμῆναι·

αὐτὰρ ὅ γε Κροίσμου στῆθος μέσον οὔτασε δουρί.

δούπησεν δὲ πεσών· ὃ δʼ ἀπʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἐσύλα.

515Then Hector killed Schedius, Perimedes’ son,

leader of the Phocians, and Ajax killed Laodamas,

commander of infantry, Antenor’s splendid son.

Polydamas killed Cyllenian Otus,

companion of Phyleus’ son and leader of the great-hearted Epeians.

520Meges saw him and sprang, but Polydamas swerved away

beneath the cast, and Meges missed. Apollo would not allow

Panthous’ son to be cut down among the foremost.

Instead Meges stabbed Croesmus squarely in the chest with his spear.

He fell with a thud, and Meges stripped the armor from his shoulders.

525τόφρα δὲ τῷ ἐπόρουσε Δόλοψ αἰχμῆς ἐῢ εἰδὼς

Λαμπετίδης, ὃν Λάμπος ἐγείνατο φέρτατον υἱὸν

Λαομεδοντιάδης εὖ εἰδότα θούριδος ἀλκῆς,

ὃς τότε Φυλεΐδαο μέσον σάκος οὔτασε δουρὶ

ἐγγύθεν ὁρμηθείς· πυκινὸς δέ οἱ ἤρκεσε θώρηξ,

530τόν ῥʼ ἐφόρει γυάλοισιν ἀρηρότα· τόν ποτε Φυλεὺς

ἤγαγεν ἐξ Ἐφύρης, ποταμοῦ ἄπο Σελλήεντος.

ξεῖνος γάρ οἱ ἔδωκεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Εὐφήτης

ἐς πόλεμον φορέειν δηΐων ἀνδρῶν ἀλεωρήν·

ὅς οἱ καὶ τότε παιδὸς ἀπὸ χροὸς ἤρκεσʼ ὄλεθρον.

535τοῦ δὲ Μέγης κόρυθος χαλκήρεος ἱπποδασείης

κύμβαχον ἀκρότατον νύξʼ ἔγχεϊ ὀξυόεντι,

ῥῆξε δʼ ἀφʼ ἵππειον λόφον αὐτοῦ· πᾶς δὲ χαμᾶζε

κάππεσεν ἐν κονίῃσι νέον φοίνικι φαεινός.

εἷος ὃ τῷ πολέμιζε μένων, ἔτι δʼ ἔλπετο νίκην,

540τόφρα δέ οἱ Μενέλαος ἀρήϊος ἦλθεν ἀμύντωρ,

στῆ δʼ εὐρὰξ σὺν δουρὶ λαθών, βάλε δʼ ὦμον ὄπισθεν·

αἰχμὴ δὲ στέρνοιο διέσσυτο μαιμώωσα

πρόσσω ἱεμένη· ὃ δʼ ἄρα πρηνὴς ἐλιάσθη.

525Meanwhile Dolops, skilled in the spear, rushed at him—

son of Lampus, whom Lampus, son of Laomedon,

begot as his strongest son, well skilled in furious courage.

He charged from close by and stabbed the middle of Meges’ shield,

but the close-fitted corselet protected him,

530the one he wore, joined with curved plates. Once Phyleus

had brought it from Ephyra, from the river Selleeis.

His guest-friend Euphetes, lord of men, had given it to him

to wear in war as protection from enemy warriors;

and now it kept destruction from Phyleus’ son’s body.

535Meges struck the bronze-bound, horsehair-crested helmet

at the very top of its crown with his sharp spear,

and tore away the horsehair plume; the whole crest fell

to the ground in the dust, shining bright with fresh purple.

While Dolops stood and fought him, still hoping for victory,

540warlike Menelaus came to support Meges.

He took his stand unseen at Dolops’ flank and struck his shoulder from behind;

the point drove ravening through his chest,

lunging forward, and Dolops pitched face-down.

544τὼ μὲν ἐεισάσθην χαλκήρεα τεύχεʼ ἀπʼ ὤμων

545συλήσειν· Ἕκτωρ δὲ κασιγνήτοισι κέλευσε

πᾶσι μάλα, πρῶτον δʼ Ἱκεταονίδην ἐνένιπεν

ἴφθιμον Μελάνιππον. ὃ δʼ ὄφρα μὲν εἰλίποδας βοῦς

βόσκʼ ἐν Περκώτῃ δηΐων ἀπὸ νόσφιν ἐόντων·

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Δαναῶν νέες ἤλυθον ἀμφιέλισσαι,

550ἂψ εἰς Ἴλιον ἦλθε, μετέπρεπε δὲ Τρώεσσι,

ναῖε δὲ πὰρ Πριάμῳ, ὃ δέ μιν τίεν ἶσα τέκεσσι·

τόν ῥʼ Ἕκτωρ ἐνένιπεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

οὕτω δὴ Μελάνιππε μεθήσομεν; οὐδέ νυ σοί περ

ἐντρέπεται φίλον ἦτορ ἀνεψιοῦ κταμένοιο;

555οὐχ ὁράᾳς οἷον Δόλοπος περὶ τεύχεʼ ἕπουσιν;

ἀλλʼ ἕπευ· οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ ἔστιν ἀποσταδὸν Ἀργείοισι

μάρνασθαι, πρίν γʼ ἠὲ κατακτάμεν ἠὲ κατʼ ἄκρης

Ἴλιον αἰπεινὴν ἑλέειν κτάσθαι τε πολίτας.

ὣς εἰπὼν ὃ μὲν ἦρχʼ, ὃ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕσπετο ἰσόθεος φώς·

544The two rushed to strip the bronze armor from his shoulders,

545but Hector called urgently to all his kinsmen

and first rebuked powerful Melanippus, Hicetaon’s son.

As long as the enemy stayed far away, Melanippus pastured

shambling cattle in Percote.

But when the Danaans’ curved ships arrived,

550he returned to Ilium and stood out among the Trojans.

He lived with Priam, who honored him like his own children.

Hector rebuked him, named him, and spoke:

“Are we giving way like this, Melanippus? Does your own heart

feel no concern for your cousin, now he is slain?

555Do you not see how they press around Dolops’ armor?

Come, follow! There can be no more distant fighting with the Argives—

either we kill them, or they storm

steep Ilium from end to end and slaughter its citizens.”

So he spoke and led the way, while the godlike man followed.

560Ἀργείους δʼ ὄτρυνε μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας·

ὦ φίλοι ἀνέρες ἔστε, καὶ αἰδῶ θέσθʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ,

ἀλλήλους τʼ αἰδεῖσθε κατὰ κρατερὰς ὑσμίνας.

αἰδομένων δʼ ἀνδρῶν πλέονες σόοι ἠὲ πέφανται·

φευγόντων δʼ οὔτʼ ἂρ κλέος ὄρνυται οὔτέ τις ἀλκή.

565ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀλέξασθαι μενέαινον,

ἐν θυμῷ δʼ ἐβάλοντο ἔπος, φράξαντο δὲ νῆας

ἕρκεϊ χαλκείῳ· ἐπὶ δὲ Ζεὺς Τρῶας ἔγειρεν.

560Great Telamonian Ajax urged the Argives:

“Friends, be men, and set shame in your hearts;

have regard for one another in the hard fighting.

Of men with such regard, more are saved than killed;

but for those who flee, neither fame nor any battle-strength arises.”

565So he spoke, and they themselves were eager to defend;

they took his word to heart and fenced the ships

with a barrier of bronze, while Zeus roused the Trojans against them.

568Ἀντίλοχον δʼ ὄτρυνε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος·

Ἀντίλοχʼ οὔ τις σεῖο νεώτερος ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν,

570οὔτε ποσὶν θάσσων οὔτʼ ἄλκιμος ὡς σὺ μάχεσθαι·

εἴ τινά που Τρώων ἐξάλμενος ἄνδρα βάλοισθα.

ὣς εἰπὼν ὃ μὲν αὖτις ἀπέσσυτο, τὸν δʼ ὀρόθυνεν·

ἐκ δʼ ἔθορε προμάχων, καὶ ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ

ἀμφὶ ἓ παπτήνας· ὑπὸ δὲ Τρῶες κεκάδοντο

575ἀνδρὸς ἀκοντίσσαντος· ὃ δʼ οὐχ ἅλιον βέλος ἧκεν,

ἀλλʼ Ἱκετάονος υἱὸν ὑπέρθυμον Μελάνιππον

νισόμενον πόλεμον δὲ βάλε στῆθος παρὰ μαζόν.

δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν.

Ἀντίλοχος δʼ ἐπόρουσε κύων ὥς, ὅς τʼ ἐπὶ νεβρῷ

580βλημένῳ ἀΐξῃ, τόν τʼ ἐξ εὐνῆφι θορόντα

θηρητὴρ ἐτύχησε βαλών, ὑπέλυσε δὲ γυῖα·

ὣς ἐπὶ σοὶ Μελάνιππε θόρʼ Ἀντίλοχος μενεχάρμης

τεύχεα συλήσων· ἀλλʼ οὐ λάθεν Ἕκτορα δῖον,

ὅς ῥά οἱ ἀντίος ἦλθε θέων ἀνὰ δηϊοτῆτα.

585Ἀντίλοχος δʼ οὐ μεῖνε θοός περ ἐὼν πολεμιστής,

ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ ἄρʼ ἔτρεσε θηρὶ κακὸν ῥέξαντι ἐοικώς,

ὅς τε κύνα κτείνας ἢ βουκόλον ἀμφὶ βόεσσι

φεύγει πρίν περ ὅμιλον ἀολλισθήμεναι ἀνδρῶν·

ὣς τρέσε Νεστορίδης, ἐπὶ δὲ Τρῶές τε καὶ Ἕκτωρ

590ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ βέλεα στονόεντα χέοντο·

στῆ δὲ μεταστρεφθείς, ἐπεὶ ἵκετο ἔθνος ἑταίρων.

568Menelaus, good at the war cry, urged Antilochus:

“Antilochus, no other Achaean is younger than you,

570nor quicker on his feet nor as strong as you in battle.

If only you would leap out and strike some Trojan!”

So he spoke and darted away again, but stirred Antilochus.

He sprang beyond the foremost and hurled his shining spear,

looking all around him; the Trojans shrank back

575from the man’s cast. He did not launch his weapon in vain,

but struck proud Melanippus, Hicetaon’s son,

as he advanced into battle, in the chest beside the nipple.

He fell with a thud, and darkness covered his eyes.

Antilochus sprang upon him like a dog rushing at a fawn,

580wounded as it leapt from its bed, when a hunter

struck it with a lucky shot and loosened its limbs.

So on you, Melanippus, steadfast Antilochus sprang

to strip your armor; but he did not escape godlike Hector’s notice.

Hector came straight against him, running through the battle.

585Antilochus did not stand, though he was a swift fighter,

but turned and fled like a beast that has done great harm,

killing a dog or herdsman among the cattle,

and escapes before the crowd of men can gather.

So Nestor’s son fled; the Trojans and Hector pressed after him,

590with a prodigious cry, pouring down groan-bringing missiles;

then wheeled and stood once he reached the mass of his companions.

592Τρῶες δὲ λείουσιν ἐοικότες ὠμοφάγοισι

νηυσὶν ἐπεσσεύοντο, Διὸς δʼ ἐτέλειον ἐφετμάς,

ὅ σφισιν αἰὲν ἔγειρε μένος μέγα, θέλγε δὲ θυμὸν

595Ἀργείων καὶ κῦδος ἀπαίνυτο, τοὺς δʼ ὀρόθυνεν.

Ἕκτορι γάρ οἱ θυμὸς ἐβούλετο κῦδος ὀρέξαι

Πριαμίδῃ, ἵνα νηυσὶ κορωνίσι θεσπιδαὲς πῦρ

ἐμβάλοι ἀκάματον, Θέτιδος δʼ ἐξαίσιον ἀρὴν

πᾶσαν ἐπικρήνειε· τὸ γὰρ μένε μητίετα Ζεὺς

600νηὸς καιομένης σέλας ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδέσθαι.

ἐκ γὰρ δὴ τοῦ μέλλε παλίωξιν παρὰ νηῶν

θησέμεναι Τρώων, Δαναοῖσι δὲ κῦδος ὀρέξειν.

τὰ φρονέων νήεσσιν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἔγειρεν

Ἕκτορα Πριαμίδην μάλα περ μεμαῶτα καὶ αὐτόν.

592The Trojans, like raw-flesh-eating lions,

surged at the ships and brought Zeus’s commands to completion.

He kept rousing their great force, while he bewitched the Argives’ spirit

595and robbed them of ascendancy, but urged the Trojans on.

For his heart desired to grant ascendancy to Hector,

Priam’s son, so he might cast terribly blazing, tireless fire

upon the beaked ships and fulfill Thetis’s extraordinary prayer in full.

This was what Zeus the counselor awaited:

600to see with his own eyes the glare of a burning ship.

From that moment he meant to turn the pursuit back from the ships

upon the Trojans and grant the Danaans ascendancy.

With this in mind he roused Hector, Priam’s son,

against the hollow ships, though Hector himself was already eager.

605μαίνετο δʼ ὡς ὅτʼ Ἄρης ἐγχέσπαλος ἢ ὀλοὸν πῦρ

οὔρεσι μαίνηται βαθέης ἐν τάρφεσιν ὕλης·

ἀφλοισμὸς δὲ περὶ στόμα γίγνετο, τὼ δέ οἱ ὄσσε

λαμπέσθην βλοσυρῇσιν ὑπʼ ὀφρύσιν, ἀμφὶ δὲ πήληξ

σμερδαλέον κροτάφοισι τινάσσετο μαρναμένοιο

610Ἕκτορος· αὐτὸς γάρ οἱ ἀπʼ αἰθέρος ἦεν ἀμύντωρ

Ζεύς, ὅς μιν πλεόνεσσι μετʼ ἀνδράσι μοῦνον ἐόντα

τίμα καὶ κύδαινε. μινυνθάδιος γὰρ ἔμελλεν

ἔσσεσθʼ· ἤδη γάρ οἱ ἐπόρνυε μόρσιμον ἦμαρ

Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίη ὑπὸ Πηλεΐδαο βίηφιν.

615καί ῥʼ ἔθελεν ῥῆξαι στίχας ἀνδρῶν πειρητίζων,

ᾗ δὴ πλεῖστον ὅμιλον ὅρα καὶ τεύχεʼ ἄριστα·

ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὧς δύνατο ῥῆξαι μάλα περ μενεαίνων·

ἴσχον γὰρ πυργηδὸν ἀρηρότες, ἠΰτε πέτρη

ἠλίβατος μεγάλη πολιῆς ἁλὸς ἐγγὺς ἐοῦσα,

620ἥ τε μένει λιγέων ἀνέμων λαιψηρὰ κέλευθα

κύματά τε τροφόεντα, τά τε προσερεύγεται αὐτήν·

ὣς Δαναοὶ Τρῶας μένον ἔμπεδον οὐδὲ φέβοντο.

605He raged like spear-wielding Ares, or like destroying fire

raging on the mountains in thickets of deep forest.

Foam formed around his mouth, and his eyes

flashed beneath his grim brows; around his temples

the helmet shook terribly as Hector fought.

610For Zeus himself was his defender from the sky,

and among so many men he honored Hector alone

and exalted him. For he was destined to be short-lived;

already Pallas Athena was bringing his fated day

upon him beneath the force of Peleus’ son.

615He tried to break the ranks, testing them

wherever he saw the largest crowd and finest armor;

but even so he could not break them, though furiously eager.

They held tower-like, locked together, like a rock

great and sheer beside the gray sea,

620which withstands the swift paths of shrill winds

and the heaving waves that belch against it.

So the Danaans stood firm against the Trojans and did not flee.

623αὐτὰρ ὃ λαμπόμενος πυρὶ πάντοθεν ἔνθορʼ ὁμίλῳ,

ἐν δʼ ἔπεσʼ ὡς ὅτε κῦμα θοῇ ἐν νηῒ πέσῃσι

625λάβρον ὑπαὶ νεφέων ἀνεμοτρεφές· ἣ δέ τε πᾶσα

ἄχνῃ ὑπεκρύφθη, ἀνέμοιο δὲ δεινὸς ἀήτη

ἱστίῳ ἐμβρέμεται, τρομέουσι δέ τε φρένα ναῦται

δειδιότες· τυτθὸν γὰρ ὑπʼ ἐκ θανάτοιο φέρονται·

ὣς ἐδαΐζετο θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν.

623Hector, blazing like fire on every side, leapt into the mass

and fell upon them like a wave crashing on a swift ship,

625violent beneath the clouds and fed by wind. The whole ship

is hidden under foam, and a terrible gust

roars in the sail; the sailors tremble at heart

in fear, for they are borne only a little clear of death;

so the Achaeans’ spirit was torn apart within their chests.

630αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ὥς τε λέων ὀλοόφρων βουσὶν ἐπελθών,

αἵ ῥά τʼ ἐν εἱαμενῇ ἕλεος μεγάλοιο νέμονται

μυρίαι, ἐν δέ τε τῇσι νομεὺς οὔ πω σάφα εἰδὼς

θηρὶ μαχέσσασθαι ἕλικος βοὸς ἀμφὶ φονῇσιν·

ἤτοι ὃ μὲν πρώτῃσι καὶ ὑστατίῃσι βόεσσιν

635αἰὲν ὁμοστιχάει, ὃ δέ τʼ ἐν μέσσῃσιν ὀρούσας

βοῦν ἔδει, αἳ δέ τε πᾶσαι ὑπέτρεσαν· ὣς τότʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

θεσπεσίως ἐφόβηθεν ὑφʼ Ἕκτορι καὶ Διὶ πατρὶ

πάντες, ὃ δʼ οἶον ἔπεφνε Μυκηναῖον Περιφήτην,

Κοπρῆος φίλον υἱόν, ὃς Εὐρυσθῆος ἄνακτος

640ἀγγελίης οἴχνεσκε βίῃ Ἡρακληείῃ.

τοῦ γένετʼ ἐκ πατρὸς πολὺ χείρονος υἱὸς ἀμείνων

παντοίας ἀρετάς, ἠμὲν πόδας ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι,

καὶ νόον ἐν πρώτοισι Μυκηναίων ἐτέτυκτο·

ὅς ῥα τόθʼ Ἕκτορι κῦδος ὑπέρτερον ἐγγυάλιξε.

645στρεφθεὶς γὰρ μετόπισθεν ἐν ἀσπίδος ἄντυγι πάλτο,

τὴν αὐτὸς φορέεσκε ποδηνεκέʼ ἕρκος ἀκόντων·

τῇ ὅ γʼ ἐνὶ βλαφθεὶς πέσεν ὕπτιος, ἀμφὶ δὲ πήληξ

σμερδαλέον κονάβησε περὶ κροτάφοισι πεσόντος.

Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὀξὺ νόησε, θέων δέ οἱ ἄγχι παρέστη,

650στήθεϊ δʼ ἐν δόρυ πῆξε, φίλων δέ μιν ἐγγὺς ἑταίρων

κτεῖνʼ· οἳ δʼ οὐκ ἐδύναντο καὶ ἀχνύμενοί περ ἑταίρου

χραισμεῖν· αὐτοὶ γὰρ μάλα δείδισαν Ἕκτορα δῖον.

630Hector came like a murderous lion upon cattle,

countless cattle grazing in the low meadow of a great marsh,

with them a herdsman not yet skilled enough

to fight a beast over the death of a curving-horned cow.

The herdsman keeps beside the leading and rearmost cattle,

635always ranged in line with them; but the lion springs among the middle

and devours a cow; all the rest scatter. So then the Achaeans

were swept in wondrous rout before Hector and Father Zeus,

all of them; but Hector killed one man only, Periphetes of Mycenae,

dear son of Copreus, who carried messages for lord Eurystheus

640to the mighty force of Heracles.

From that far worse father came a better son,

superior in every excellence—in running and fighting,

and in judgment he ranked among the foremost Mycenaeans.

It was he who placed higher ascendancy in Hector’s hands.

645Turning backward, he stumbled against the rim of the shield

he always carried, reaching to his feet as a defense against spears.

Caught by it, he fell on his back; his helmet

clanged terribly around his temples as he fell.

Hector saw at once, ran, and stood close to him,

650drove a spear into his chest, and killed him near his companions.

Though grieving, they could not help their comrade,

for they themselves greatly feared godlike Hector.

653εἰσωποὶ δʼ ἐγένοντο νεῶν, περὶ δʼ ἔσχεθον ἄκραι

νῆες ὅσαι πρῶται εἰρύατο· τοὶ δʼ ἐπέχυντο.

655Ἀργεῖοι δὲ νεῶν μὲν ἐχώρησαν καὶ ἀνάγκῃ

τῶν πρωτέων, αὐτοῦ δὲ παρὰ κλισίῃσιν ἔμειναν

ἁθρόοι, οὐδὲ κέδασθεν ἀνὰ στρατόν· ἴσχε γὰρ αἰδὼς

καὶ δέος· ἀζηχὲς γὰρ ὁμόκλεον ἀλλήλοισι.

Νέστωρ αὖτε μάλιστα Γερήνιος οὖρος Ἀχαιῶν

660λίσσεθʼ ὑπὲρ τοκέων γουνούμενος ἄνδρα ἕκαστον·

ὦ φίλοι ἀνέρες ἔστε καὶ αἰδῶ θέσθʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ

ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων, ἐπὶ δὲ μνήσασθε ἕκαστος

παίδων ἠδʼ ἀλόχων καὶ κτήσιος ἠδὲ τοκήων,

ἠμὲν ὅτεῳ ζώουσι καὶ ᾧ κατατεθνήκασι·

665τῶν ὕπερ ἐνθάδʼ ἐγὼ γουνάζομαι οὐ παρεόντων

ἑστάμεναι κρατερῶς, μὴ δὲ τρωπᾶσθε φόβον δέ.

ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου.

653They found themselves facing the ships; around them stood the outermost

ships, all those first drawn up, and the Trojans poured upon them.

655The Argives withdrew under compulsion from the foremost ships,

but remained right there beside the huts in a close mass,

not scattered through the camp; shame and fear held them.

Without cease they shouted at one another.

Most of all Nestor, the Gerenian bulwark of the Achaeans,

660clasped each man’s knees, pleading by the name of his parents:

“Friends, be men, and set shame in your hearts

before other people. Remember, each of you,

your children, wives, possessions, and parents,

whether your parents are alive or dead.

665For their sake, though they are absent, I clasp your knees here:

to stand firm and not turn toward rout.”

So he spoke and stirred each man's force and spirit.

668τοῖσι δʼ ἀπʼ ὀφθαλμῶν νέφος ἀχλύος ὦσεν Ἀθήνη

θεσπέσιον· μάλα δέ σφι φόως γένετʼ ἀμφοτέρωθεν

670ἠμὲν πρὸς νηῶν καὶ ὁμοιΐου πολέμοιο.

Ἕκτορα δὲ φράσσαντο βοὴν ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἑταίρους,

ἠμὲν ὅσοι μετόπισθεν ἀφέστασαν οὐδὲ μάχοντο,

ἠδʼ ὅσσοι παρὰ νηυσὶ μάχην ἐμάχοντο θοῇσιν.

668Athena drove from their eyes a wondrous cloud of mist;

bright light came to them from both sides,

670both on the ships’ side and across the common battle.

They saw Hector, good at the war cry, and his companions,

both those who stood behind and did not fight

and all who fought in battle beside the swift ships.

674οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔτʼ Αἴαντι μεγαλήτορι ἥνδανε θυμῷ

675ἑστάμεν ἔνθά περ ἄλλοι ἀφέστασαν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν·

ἀλλʼ ὅ γε νηῶν ἴκριʼ ἐπῴχετο μακρὰ βιβάσθων,

νώμα δὲ ξυστὸν μέγα ναύμαχον ἐν παλάμῃσι

κολλητὸν βλήτροισι δυωκαιεικοσίπηχυ.

674It no longer pleased great-hearted Ajax

675to stand still where the other sons of the Achaeans held back;

he strode over the ships’ half-decks with long steps,

wielding in his hands a huge polished sea-pike,

joined with bands and twenty-two cubits long.

679ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀνὴρ ἵπποισι κελητίζειν ἐῢ εἰδώς,

680ὅς τʼ ἐπεὶ ἐκ πολέων πίσυρας συναείρεται ἵππους,

σεύας ἐκ πεδίοιο μέγα προτὶ ἄστυ δίηται

λαοφόρον καθʼ ὁδόν· πολέες τέ ἑ θηήσαντο

ἀνέρες ἠδὲ γυναῖκες· ὃ δʼ ἔμπεδον ἀσφαλὲς αἰεὶ

θρῴσκων ἄλλοτʼ ἐπʼ ἄλλον ἀμείβεται, οἳ δὲ πέτονται·

685ὣς Αἴας ἐπὶ πολλὰ θοάων ἴκρια νηῶν

φοίτα μακρὰ βιβάς, φωνὴ δέ οἱ αἰθέρʼ ἵκανεν,

αἰεὶ δὲ σμερδνὸν βοόων Δαναοῖσι κέλευε

νηυσί τε καὶ κλισίῃσιν ἀμυνέμεν. οὐδὲ μὲν Ἕκτωρ

μίμνεν ἐνὶ Τρώων ὁμάδῳ πύκα θωρηκτάων·

690ἀλλʼ ὥς τʼ ὀρνίθων πετεηνῶν αἰετὸς αἴθων

ἔθνος ἐφορμᾶται ποταμὸν πάρα βοσκομενάων

χηνῶν ἢ γεράνων ἢ κύκνων δουλιχοδείρων,

ὣς Ἕκτωρ ἴθυσε νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο

ἀντίος ἀΐξας· τὸν δὲ Ζεὺς ὦσεν ὄπισθε

695χειρὶ μάλα μεγάλῃ, ὄτρυνε δὲ λαὸν ἅμʼ αὐτῷ.

679As a man well skilled at vaulting on horses,

680who brings four horses together out of many

and drives them racing from the plain toward a great city

down the public road; many people watch him,

men and women, while always sure and steady

he leaps and passes from one horse to another as they fly—

685so Ajax ranged across many half-decks of the swift ships

with long strides, and his voice reached the upper air.

Always shouting terribly, he called on the Danaans

to defend their ships and huts. Nor did Hector

remain in the clamor of the closely armored Trojans,

690but as a tawny eagle swoops upon a flock of winged birds

feeding beside a river—

geese, or cranes, or long-necked swans—

so Hector rushed straight at a blue-prowed ship,

springing against it. Zeus thrust him on from behind

695with his mighty hand and urged the host along with him.

696αὖτις δὲ δριμεῖα μάχη παρὰ νηυσὶν ἐτύχθη·

φαίης κʼ ἀκμῆτας καὶ ἀτειρέας ἀλλήλοισιν

ἄντεσθʼ ἐν πολέμῳ, ὡς ἐσσυμένως ἐμάχοντο.

τοῖσι δὲ μαρναμένοισιν ὅδʼ ἦν νόος· ἤτοι Ἀχαιοὶ

700οὐκ ἔφασαν φεύξεσθαι ὑπʼ ἐκ κακοῦ, ἀλλʼ ὀλέεσθαι,

Τρωσὶν δʼ ἔλπετο θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἑκάστου

νῆας ἐνιπρήσειν κτενέειν θʼ ἥρωας Ἀχαιούς.

οἳ μὲν τὰ φρονέοντες ἐφέστασαν ἀλλήλοισιν·

696Again sharp battle rose beside the ships.

You would have said unwearied and unbroken men

met one another in war, so furiously they fought.

This was their thought as they fought: the Achaeans

700said there would be no escape from disaster, only death;

while each Trojan’s spirit within his chest hoped

to burn the ships and kill the Achaean heroes.

With these thoughts they stood against one another.

704Ἕκτωρ δὲ πρυμνῆς νεὸς ἥψατο ποντοπόροιο

705καλῆς ὠκυάλου, ἣ Πρωτεσίλαον ἔνεικεν

ἐς Τροίην, οὐδʼ αὖτις ἀπήγαγε πατρίδα γαῖαν.

τοῦ περ δὴ περὶ νηὸς Ἀχαιοί τε Τρῶές τε

δῄουν ἀλλήλους αὐτοσχεδόν· οὐδʼ ἄρα τοί γε

τόξων ἀϊκὰς ἀμφὶς μένον οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἀκόντων,

710ἀλλʼ οἵ γʼ ἐγγύθεν ἱστάμενοι ἕνα θυμὸν ἔχοντες

ὀξέσι δὴ πελέκεσσι καὶ ἀξίνῃσι μάχοντο

καὶ ξίφεσιν μεγάλοισι καὶ ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοισι.

πολλὰ δὲ φάσγανα καλὰ μελάνδετα κωπήεντα

ἄλλα μὲν ἐκ χειρῶν χαμάδις πέσον, ἄλλα δʼ ἀπʼ ὤμων

715ἀνδρῶν μαρναμένων· ῥέε δʼ αἵματι γαῖα μέλαινα.

704Hector grasped the stern of a seagoing ship,

705beautiful and swift, which had carried Protesilaus

to Troy but had not brought him home again.

Around this very ship the Achaeans and Trojans

were killing one another at close quarters; no longer did they

wait at a distance for volleys from bows or javelins,

710but stood close with a single spirit

and fought with keen axes and battle-axes,

with great swords and double-edged spears.

Many fine swords with black mountings and hilts

fell to the ground, some from hands, others from shoulders

715of fighting men; the black earth ran with blood.

716Ἕκτωρ δὲ πρύμνηθεν ἐπεὶ λάβεν οὐχὶ μεθίει

ἄφλαστον μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχων, Τρωσὶν δὲ κέλευεν·

οἴσετε πῦρ, ἅμα δʼ αὐτοὶ ἀολλέες ὄρνυτʼ ἀϋτήν·

νῦν ἡμῖν πάντων Ζεὺς ἄξιον ἦμαρ ἔδωκε

720νῆας ἑλεῖν, αἳ δεῦρο θεῶν ἀέκητι μολοῦσαι

ἡμῖν πήματα πολλὰ θέσαν, κακότητι γερόντων,

οἵ μʼ ἐθέλοντα μάχεσθαι ἐπὶ πρυμνῇσι νέεσσιν

αὐτόν τʼ ἰσχανάασκον ἐρητύοντό τε λαόν·

ἀλλʼ εἰ δή ῥα τότε βλάπτε φρένας εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς

725ἡμετέρας, νῦν αὐτὸς ἐποτρύνει καὶ ἀνώγει.

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα μᾶλλον ἐπʼ Ἀργείοισιν ὄρουσαν.

716Once Hector seized the stern he would not let go,

holding the stern ornament in his hands and calling to the Trojans:

“Bring fire, and all together raise the battle cry!

Now Zeus has given us a day worth all the rest:

720to take the ships that came here against the gods’ will

and brought us many sufferings through the elders’ cowardice.

When I wished to fight beside the ships’ sterns,

they held me back in person and restrained the host.

But if far-seeing Zeus impaired our minds then,

725now he himself urges and commands us.”

So he spoke; they charged the Argives more fiercely.

727Αἴας δʼ οὐκέτʼ ἔμιμνε· βιάζετο γὰρ βελέεσσιν·

ἀλλʼ ἀνεχάζετο τυτθόν, ὀϊόμενος θανέεσθαι

θρῆνυν ἐφʼ ἑπταπόδην, λίπε δʼ ἴκρια νηὸς ἐΐσης.

730ἔνθʼ ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἑστήκει δεδοκημένος, ἔγχεϊ δʼ αἰεὶ

Τρῶας ἄμυνε νεῶν, ὅς τις φέροι ἀκάματον πῦρ·

αἰεὶ δὲ σμερδνὸν βοόων Δαναοῖσι κέλευε·

ὦ φίλοι ἥρωες Δαναοὶ θεράποντες Ἄρηος

ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι, μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς.

735ἠέ τινάς φαμεν εἶναι ἀοσσητῆρας ὀπίσσω,

ἦέ τι τεῖχος ἄρειον, ὅ κʼ ἀνδράσι λοιγὸν ἀμύναι;

οὐ μέν τι σχεδόν ἐστι πόλις πύργοις ἀραρυῖα,

ᾗ κʼ ἀπαμυναίμεσθʼ ἑτεραλκέα δῆμον ἔχοντες·

ἀλλʼ ἐν γὰρ Τρώων πεδίῳ πύκα θωρηκτάων

740πόντῳ κεκλιμένοι ἑκὰς ἥμεθα πατρίδος αἴης·

τὼ ἐν χερσὶ φόως, οὐ μειλιχίῃ πολέμοιο.

727Ajax could no longer hold his ground, overborne by missiles;

he drew back a little, thinking he would die,

onto the seven-foot gangway, leaving the well-balanced ship’s half-deck.

730There he stood on watch and with his spear always

warded from the ships any Trojan carrying tireless fire.

Always shouting terribly, he called on the Danaans:

“Friends, Danaan heroes, attendants of Ares:

be men, my friends, and remember your furious courage.

735Do we suppose there are rescuers behind us,

or some stronger wall that could ward destruction from men?

No tower-built city stands nearby

where we might resist, with a host to turn the fight our way.

Here in the plain of the closely armored Trojans,

740we sit backed against the sea, far from our native land.

So salvation is in our hands, not in slackness in battle.”

742ἦ, καὶ μαιμώων ἔφεπʼ ἔγχεϊ ὀξυόεντι.

ὅς τις δὲ Τρώων κοίλῃς ἐπὶ νηυσὶ φέροιτο

σὺν πυρὶ κηλείῳ, χάριν Ἕκτορος ὀτρύναντος,

745τὸν δʼ Αἴας οὔτασκε δεδεγμένος ἔγχεϊ μακρῷ·

δώδεκα δὲ προπάροιθε νεῶν αὐτοσχεδὸν οὖτα.

742He spoke and pressed forward fiercely with his sharp spear.

Whenever a Trojan moved toward the hollow ships

with consuming fire at Hector’s urging, to win his favor,

745Ajax waited and kept stabbing him with his long spear;

at close quarters before the ships he struck twelve.