Iliad, Book 16: Patroclus

1ὣς οἳ μὲν περὶ νηὸς ἐϋσσέλμοιο μάχοντο·

Πάτροκλος δʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ παρίστατο ποιμένι λαῶν

δάκρυα θερμὰ χέων ὥς τε κρήνη μελάνυδρος,

ἥ τε κατʼ αἰγίλιπος πέτρης δνοφερὸν χέει ὕδωρ.

5τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν ᾤκτιρε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

τίπτε δεδάκρυσαι Πατρόκλεες, ἠΰτε κούρη

νηπίη, ἥ θʼ ἅμα μητρὶ θέουσʼ ἀνελέσθαι ἀνώγει

εἱανοῦ ἁπτομένη, καί τʼ ἐσσυμένην κατερύκει,

10δακρυόεσσα δέ μιν ποτιδέρκεται, ὄφρʼ ἀνέληται·

τῇ ἴκελος Πάτροκλε τέρεν κατὰ δάκρυον εἴβεις.

ἠέ τι Μυρμιδόνεσσι πιφαύσκεαι, ἢ ἐμοὶ αὐτῷ,

ἦέ τινʼ ἀγγελίην Φθίης ἐξέκλυες οἶος;

ζώειν μὰν ἔτι φασὶ Μενοίτιον Ἄκτορος υἱόν,

15ζώει δʼ Αἰακίδης Πηλεὺς μετὰ Μυρμιδόνεσσι;

τῶν κε μάλʼ ἀμφοτέρων ἀκαχοίμεθα τεθνηώτων.

ἦε σύ γʼ Ἀργείων ὀλοφύρεαι, ὡς ὀλέκονται

νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ὑπερβασίης ἕνεκα σφῆς;

ἐξαύδα, μὴ κεῦθε νόῳ, ἵνα εἴδομεν ἄμφω.

1So they fought around the well-benched ship.

But Patroclus stood beside Achilles, shepherd of the people,

shedding hot tears like a dark-water spring

that pours shadowed water down a sheer rock face.

5Seeing him, swift-footed godlike Achilles pitied him,

and addressed him with winged words:

“Why are you crying, Patroclus, like a little girl

who runs beside her mother and begs to be picked up,

clutching at her dress and holding her back though she hurries,

10and looking up at her through tears until she lifts her?

Like her, Patroclus, you let a tender tear run down.

Is there something you want to tell the Myrmidons or me?

Or have you alone heard some news from Phthia?

They say Menoetius, son of Actor, is still alive,

15and Peleus, Aeacus’ son, lives among the Myrmidons?

We would grieve deeply for both if they were dead.

Or do you mourn for the Argives, because they are dying

beside their hollow ships because of their own transgression?

Speak it out; do not hide it in your mind, so that we both may know.”

20τὸν δὲ βαρὺ στενάχων προσέφης Πατρόκλεες ἱππεῦ·

ὦ Ἀχιλεῦ Πηλῆος υἱὲ μέγα φέρτατʼ Ἀχαιῶν

μὴ νεμέσα· τοῖον γὰρ ἄχος βεβίηκεν Ἀχαιούς.

οἳ μὲν γὰρ δὴ πάντες, ὅσοι πάρος ἦσαν ἄριστοι,

ἐν νηυσὶν κέαται βεβλημένοι οὐτάμενοί τε.

25βέβληται μὲν ὃ Τυδεΐδης κρατερὸς Διομήδης,

οὔτασται δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς δουρικλυτὸς ἠδʼ Ἀγαμέμνων,

βέβληται δὲ καὶ Εὐρύπυλος κατὰ μηρὸν ὀϊστῷ.

τοὺς μέν τʼ ἰητροὶ πολυφάρμακοι ἀμφιπένονται

ἕλκεʼ ἀκειόμενοι· σὺ δʼ ἀμήχανος ἔπλευ Ἀχιλλεῦ.

30μὴ ἐμέ γʼ οὖν οὗτός γε λάβοι χόλος, ὃν σὺ φυλάσσεις

αἰναρέτη· τί σευ ἄλλος ὀνήσεται ὀψίγονός περ

αἴ κε μὴ Ἀργείοισιν ἀεικέα λοιγὸν ἀμύνῃς;

νηλεές, οὐκ ἄρα σοί γε πατὴρ ἦν ἱππότα Πηλεύς,

οὐδὲ Θέτις μήτηρ· γλαυκὴ δέ σε τίκτε θάλασσα

35πέτραι τʼ ἠλίβατοι, ὅτι τοι νόος ἐστὶν ἀπηνής.

εἰ δέ τινα φρεσὶ σῇσι θεοπροπίην ἀλεείνεις

καί τινά τοι πὰρ Ζηνὸς ἐπέφραδε πότνια μήτηρ,

ἀλλʼ ἐμέ περ πρόες ὦχʼ, ἃμα δʼ ἄλλον λαὸν ὄπασσον

Μυρμιδόνων, ἤν πού τι φόως Δαναοῖσι γένωμαι.

40δὸς δέ μοι ὤμοιιν τὰ σὰ τεύχεα θωρηχθῆναι,

αἴ κʼ ἐμὲ σοὶ ἴσκοντες ἀπόσχωνται πολέμοιο

Τρῶες, ἀναπνεύσωσι δʼ Ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

τειρόμενοι· ὀλίγη δέ τʼ ἀνάπνευσις πολέμοιο.

ῥεῖα δέ κʼ ἀκμῆτες κεκμηότας ἄνδρας ἀϋτῇ

45ὤσαιμεν προτὶ ἄστυ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων.

20Then with a heavy groan you answered, horseman Patroclus:

“Achilles, son of Peleus, far greatest of the Achaeans,

do not resent this; such grief has overwhelmed the Achaeans.

All those who once were our best men

lie at the ships, struck by arrows and wounded by spears.

25Strong Diomedes, son of Tydeus, has been struck by an arrow;

Odysseus, famed for his spear, and Agamemnon have been wounded,

and Eurypylus too has been struck in the thigh by an arrow.

Skilled healers tend them,

treating their wounds—but you, Achilles, are beyond remedy.

30May I never be seized by the anger you cherish,

terrible in courage! What use will you be to anyone born hereafter

if you do not ward off shameful ruin from the Argives?

Pitiless man, Peleus the horseman was not your father,

nor Thetis your mother: the gray sea bore you,

35and towering rocks, so harsh is the mind within you.

But if in your mind you are avoiding some divine prophecy,

and your lady mother has revealed something to you from Zeus,

at least send me out quickly, and give me the rest of the host

of Myrmidons, in case I might become some light for the Danaans.

40Let me put your armor around my shoulders,

so the Trojans may mistake me for you and hold back from battle,

and the warlike sons of the Achaeans may catch their breath, worn down;

There is only a little breathing-space in war.

Fresh as we are, we could easily drive exhausted men with one battle cry

45away from the ships and shelters and toward the city.”

46ὣς φάτο λισσόμενος μέγα νήπιος· ἦ γὰρ ἔμελλεν

οἷ αὐτῷ θάνατόν τε κακὸν καὶ κῆρα λιτέσθαι.

46So he spoke in supplication, great fool; for he was destined

to beg evil death and doom down upon himself.

48τὸν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

ὤ μοι διογενὲς Πατρόκλεες οἷον ἔειπες·

50οὔτε θεοπροπίης ἐμπάζομαι ἥν τινα οἶδα,

οὔτέ τί μοι πὰρ Ζηνὸς ἐπέφραδε πότνια μήτηρ·

ἀλλὰ τόδʼ αἰνὸν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἱκάνει,

ὁππότε δὴ τὸν ὁμοῖον ἀνὴρ ἐθέλῃσιν ἀμέρσαι

καὶ γέρας ἂψ ἀφελέσθαι, ὅ τε κράτεϊ προβεβήκῃ·

55αἰνὸν ἄχος τό μοί ἐστιν, ἐπεὶ πάθον ἄλγεα θυμῷ.

κούρην ἣν ἄρα μοι γέρας ἔξελον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν,

δουρὶ δʼ ἐμῷ κτεάτισσα πόλιν εὐτείχεα πέρσας,

τὴν ἂψ ἐκ χειρῶν ἕλετο κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων

Ἀτρεΐδης ὡς εἴ τινʼ ἀτίμητον μετανάστην.

60ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν προτετύχθαι ἐάσομεν· οὐδʼ ἄρα πως ἦν

ἀσπερχὲς κεχολῶσθαι ἐνὶ φρεσίν· ἤτοι ἔφην γε

οὐ πρὶν μηνιθμὸν καταπαυσέμεν, ἀλλʼ ὁπότʼ ἂν δὴ

νῆας ἐμὰς ἀφίκηται ἀϋτή τε πτόλεμός τε.

τύνη δʼ ὤμοιιν μὲν ἐμὰ κλυτὰ τεύχεα δῦθι,

65ἄρχε δὲ Μυρμιδόνεσσι φιλοπτολέμοισι μάχεσθαι,

εἰ δὴ κυάνεον Τρώων νέφος ἀμφιβέβηκε

νηυσὶν ἐπικρατέως, οἳ δὲ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης

κεκλίαται, χώρης ὀλίγην ἔτι μοῖραν ἔχοντες

Ἀργεῖοι, Τρώων δὲ πόλις ἐπὶ πᾶσα βέβηκε

70θάρσυνος· οὐ γὰρ ἐμῆς κόρυθος λεύσσουσι μέτωπον

ἐγγύθι λαμπομένης· τάχα κεν φεύγοντες ἐναύλους

πλήσειαν νεκύων, εἴ μοι κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων

ἤπια εἰδείη· νῦν δὲ στρατὸν ἀμφιμάχονται.

48Deeply troubled, swift-footed Achilles answered him:

“Ah me, Zeus-born Patroclus, what have you said?

50I am not guarding against any prophecy I know,

nor has my lady mother revealed anything to me from Zeus.

But this terrible grief reaches my heart and spirit:

whenever one man tries to strip his equal

and take his prize back because he surpasses him in power.

55This is terrible grief to me, since I have suffered pain in my spirit.

The girl the sons of the Achaeans chose out as my prize,

whom I won with my spear when I sacked her well-walled city,

lord Agamemnon took back from my hands,

as if I were some dishonored alien without standing.

60But we will let those things lie as they have happened; it was not possible, after all,

for me to be relentless in anger forever. Yet I said

I would not end my wrath until

the cry and battle reached my own ships.

Put my glorious armor about your shoulders

65and lead the war-loving Myrmidons into battle,

if indeed the Trojans’ dark cloud has closed in

around the ships in force, while the Argives against the breaking surf

lean back with only a narrow portion of ground still left,

and Troy’s entire city has come against them,

70emboldened. They do not see my helmet’s brow

shining close by; soon the ravines would be choked

with their corpses as they fled, if lord Agamemnon

knew how to be gentle with me. But now they fight all around the camp.

74οὐ γὰρ Τυδεΐδεω Διομήδεος ἐν παλάμῃσι

75μαίνεται ἐγχείη Δαναῶν ἀπὸ λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι·

οὐδέ πω Ἀτρεΐδεω ὀπὸς ἔκλυον αὐδήσαντος

ἐχθρῆς ἐκ κεφαλῆς· ἀλλʼ Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο

Τρωσὶ κελεύοντος περιάγνυται, οἳ δʼ ἀλαλητῷ

πᾶν πεδίον κατέχουσι μάχῃ νικῶντες Ἀχαιούς.

80ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς Πάτροκλε νεῶν ἄπο λοιγὸν ἀμύνων

ἔμπεσʼ ἐπικρατέως, μὴ δὴ πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο

νῆας ἐνιπρήσωσι, φίλον δʼ ἀπὸ νόστον ἕλωνται.

πείθεο δʼ ὥς τοι ἐγὼ μύθου τέλος ἐν φρεσὶ θείω,

ὡς ἄν μοι τιμὴν μεγάλην καὶ κῦδος ἄρηαι

85πρὸς πάντων Δαναῶν, ἀτὰρ οἳ περικαλλέα κούρην

ἂψ ἀπονάσσωσιν, ποτὶ δʼ ἀγλαὰ δῶρα πόρωσιν.

ἐκ νηῶν ἐλάσας ἰέναι πάλιν· εἰ δέ κεν αὖ τοι

δώῃ κῦδος ἀρέσθαι ἐρίγδουπος πόσις Ἥρης,

μὴ σύ γʼ ἄνευθεν ἐμεῖο λιλαίεσθαι πολεμίζειν

90Τρωσὶ φιλοπτολέμοισιν· ἀτιμότερον δέ με θήσεις·

μὴ δʼ ἐπαγαλλόμενος πολέμῳ καὶ δηϊοτῆτι

Τρῶας ἐναιρόμενος προτὶ Ἴλιον ἡγεμονεύειν,

μή τις ἀπʼ Οὐλύμποιο θεῶν αἰειγενετάων

ἐμβήῃ· μάλα τούς γε φιλεῖ ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων·

95ἀλλὰ πάλιν τρωπᾶσθαι, ἐπὴν φάος ἐν νήεσσι

θήῃς, τοὺς δʼ ἔτʼ ἐᾶν πεδίον κάτα δηριάασθαι.

αἲ γὰρ Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον

μήτέ τις οὖν Τρώων θάνατον φύγοι ὅσσοι ἔασι,

μήτέ τις Ἀργείων, νῶϊν δʼ ἐκδῦμεν ὄλεθρον,

100ὄφρʼ οἶοι Τροίης ἱερὰ κρήδεμνα λύωμεν.

74For Diomedes, Tydeus’ son, no longer has a spear raging in his hands

75to drive destruction from the Danaans.

I have not yet heard the son of Atreus shouting

from his hateful head; instead the voice of man-slaying Hector

rings out as he urges the Trojans on, and with their war cries

they fill the whole plain, defeating the Achaeans in battle.

80Even so, Patroclus, fall on them in force and ward ruin from the ships,

so they do not burn them with blazing fire

and strip away our dear homecoming.

But heed the whole command I lay upon your mind,

so that you may win great honor and glory for me

85from all the Danaans, and they may send the beautiful girl

back and add splendid gifts.

Once you have driven them from the ships, come back. Even if

Hera’s thunderous husband grants you glory,

do not long to fight the war-loving Trojans

90without me; you will make me less honored.

Do not, exulting in war and combat,

lead on toward Ilium while killing Trojans,

lest one of the ever-living gods come down from Olympus;

far-working Apollo loves them dearly.

95Turn back when you have set light among the ships,

and leave the others to contend across the plain.

If only, Father Zeus, Athena, and Apollo,

not one Trojan might escape death, of all who live,

nor one Argive, but we two alone might come clear of destruction,

100so that we alone might loosen Troy’s sacred diadem.”

101ὣς οἳ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,

Αἴας δʼ οὐκ ἔτʼ ἔμιμνε· βιάζετο γὰρ βελέεσσι·

δάμνα μιν Ζηνός τε νόος καὶ Τρῶες ἀγαυοὶ

βάλλοντες· δεινὴν δὲ περὶ κροτάφοισι φαεινὴ

105πήληξ βαλλομένη καναχὴν ἔχε, βάλλετο δʼ αἰεὶ

κὰπ φάλαρʼ εὐποίηθʼ· ὃ δʼ ἀριστερὸν ὦμον ἔκαμνεν

ἔμπεδον αἰὲν ἔχων σάκος αἰόλον· οὐδὲ δύναντο

ἀμφʼ αὐτῷ πελεμίξαι ἐρείδοντες βελέεσσιν.

αἰεὶ δʼ ἀργαλέῳ ἔχετʼ ἄσθματι, κὰδ δέ οἱ ἱδρὼς

110πάντοθεν ἐκ μελέων πολὺς ἔρρεεν, οὐδέ πῃ εἶχεν

ἀμπνεῦσαι· πάντῃ δὲ κακὸν κακῷ ἐστήρικτο.

ἔσπετε νῦν μοι Μοῦσαι Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχουσαι,

ὅππως δὴ πρῶτον πῦρ ἔμπεσε νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.

Ἕκτωρ Αἴαντος δόρυ μείλινον ἄγχι παραστὰς

115πλῆξʼ ἄορι μεγάλῳ αἰχμῆς παρὰ καυλὸν ὄπισθεν,

ἀντικρὺ δʼ ἀπάραξε· τὸ μὲν Τελαμώνιος Αἴας

πῆλʼ αὔτως ἐν χειρὶ κόλον δόρυ, τῆλε δʼ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ

αἰχμὴ χαλκείη χαμάδις βόμβησε πεσοῦσα.

γνῶ δʼ Αἴας κατὰ θυμὸν ἀμύμονα ῥίγησέν τε

120ἔργα θεῶν, ὅ ῥα πάγχυ μάχης ἐπὶ μήδεα κεῖρε

Ζεὺς ὑψιβρεμέτης, Τρώεσσι δὲ βούλετο νίκην·

χάζετο δʼ ἐκ βελέων. τοὶ δʼ ἔμβαλον ἀκάματον πῦρ

νηῒ θοῇ· τῆς δʼ αἶψα κατʼ ἀσβέστη κέχυτο φλόξ.

101So they spoke these words to one another.

But Ajax no longer held his ground, for missiles overpowered him.

The will of Zeus and the proud Trojans

subdued him with their shots. Around his temples, his shining helmet

105rang terribly under blows; it was struck again and again

on its well-made cheekpieces. His left shoulder was tiring

from always holding firm the gleaming shield. Yet they could not

make it shake around him though they pressed him with missiles.

He was constantly seized by painful gasping, and sweat

110poured heavily from every limb; nowhere could he find

breath. Evil was heaped on evil everywhere.

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

how fire first fell upon the Achaeans’ ships.

Hector came close beside Ajax and struck his ash spear

115with his great sword, behind the point at the socket,

and chopped it clean through. Telamonian Ajax

wielded the broken spear uselessly in his hand, while far away

the bronze point fell ringing to the ground.

Ajax knew in his noble spirit and shuddered

120at the work of gods: Zeus who thunders on high had wholly cut short

all plans for battle and wanted victory for the Trojans.

He withdrew from the missiles. They hurled tireless fire

onto the swift ship, and at once an unquenchable flame spread over it.

124ὣς τὴν μὲν πρυμνὴν πῦρ ἄμφεπεν· αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς

125μηρὼ πληξάμενος Πατροκλῆα προσέειπεν·

ὄρσεο διογενὲς Πατρόκλεες ἱπποκέλευθε·

λεύσσω δὴ παρὰ νηυσὶ πυρὸς δηΐοιο ἰωήν·

μὴ δὴ νῆας ἕλωσι καὶ οὐκέτι φυκτὰ πέλωνται·

δύσεο τεύχεα θᾶσσον, ἐγὼ δέ κε λαὸν ἀγείρω.

130ὣς φάτο, Πάτροκλος δὲ κορύσσετο νώροπι χαλκῷ.

κνημῖδας μὲν πρῶτα περὶ κνήμῃσιν ἔθηκε

καλάς, ἀργυρέοισιν ἐπισφυρίοις ἀραρυίας·

δεύτερον αὖ θώρηκα περὶ στήθεσσιν ἔδυνε

ποικίλον ἀστερόεντα ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο.

135ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ὤμοισιν βάλετο ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον

χάλκεον, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα σάκος μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε·

κρατὶ δʼ ἐπʼ ἰφθίμῳ κυνέην εὔτυκτον ἔθηκεν

ἵππουριν· δεινὸν δὲ λόφος καθύπερθεν ἔνευεν.

εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμα δοῦρε, τά οἱ παλάμηφιν ἀρήρει.

140ἔγχος δʼ οὐχ ἕλετʼ οἶον ἀμύμονος Αἰακίδαο

βριθὺ μέγα στιβαρόν· τὸ μὲν οὐ δύνατʼ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν

πάλλειν, ἀλλά μιν οἶος ἐπίστατο πῆλαι Ἀχιλλεὺς

Πηλιάδα μελίην, τὴν πατρὶ φίλῳ πόρε Χείρων

Πηλίου ἐκ κορυφῆς, φόνον ἔμμεναι ἡρώεσσιν.

145ἵππους δʼ Αὐτομέδοντα θοῶς ζευγνῦμεν ἄνωγε,

τὸν μετʼ Ἀχιλλῆα ῥηξήνορα τῖε μάλιστα,

πιστότατος δέ οἱ ἔσκε μάχῃ ἔνι μεῖναι ὁμοκλήν.

τῷ δὲ καὶ Αὐτομέδων ὕπαγε ζυγὸν ὠκέας ἵππους

Ξάνθον καὶ Βαλίον, τὼ ἅμα πνοιῇσι πετέσθην,

150τοὺς ἔτεκε Ζεφύρῳ ἀνέμῳ Ἅρπυια Ποδάργη

βοσκομένη λειμῶνι παρὰ ῥόον Ὠκεανοῖο.

ἐν δὲ παρηορίῃσιν ἀμύμονα Πήδασον ἵει,

τόν ῥά ποτʼ Ἠετίωνος ἑλὼν πόλιν ἤγαγʼ Ἀχιλλεύς,

ὃς καὶ θνητὸς ἐὼν ἕπεθʼ ἵπποις ἀθανάτοισι.

124So fire encircled the stern. Achilles

125struck both thighs and called to Patroclus:

“Up, Zeus-born Patroclus, driver of horses!

I can see the hostile fire raging beside the ships.

They must not take the ships and leave us no escape.

Put on the armor quickly; I will gather the troops.”

130So he spoke, and Patroclus armed himself in flashing bronze.

First he set the handsome greaves around his shins,

fastened securely with silver ankle-clasps.

Then he put the breastplate around his chest,

intricately worked and starred, belonging to the swift-footed son of Aeacus.

135Around his shoulders he slung a bronze sword

studded with silver, then his great strong shield.

On his powerful head he set a well-made helmet

horsehaired, and the crest nodded terribly above it.

He took two strong spears that fit his grip.

140Only the spear of the faultless son of Aeacus he did not take,

heavy, huge, and strong. No other Achaean

could wield it; Achilles alone knew how to wield

the Pelian ash, which Chiron had given his dear father

from the crest of Pelion, to bring death to heroes.

145He ordered Automedon to yoke the horses quickly,

the man he honored most after Achilles, breaker of ranks,

and who was most trusted to stand fast at his call in battle.

Automedon brought the swift horses beneath the yoke for him,

Xanthus and Balius, who flew as fast as the winds,

150born to the West Wind by the Harpy Podarge

as she grazed in a meadow beside Ocean’s stream.

In the traces beside them he put faultless Pedasus,

whom Achilles once brought away after taking Eetion’s city,

a mortal horse who kept pace with immortal ones.

155Μυρμιδόνας δʼ ἄρʼ ἐποιχόμενος θώρηξεν Ἀχιλλεὺς

πάντας ἀνὰ κλισίας σὺν τεύχεσιν· οἳ δὲ λύκοι ὣς

ὠμοφάγοι, τοῖσίν τε περὶ φρεσὶν ἄσπετος ἀλκή,

οἵ τʼ ἔλαφον κεραὸν μέγαν οὔρεσι δῃώσαντες

δάπτουσιν· πᾶσιν δὲ παρήϊον αἵματι φοινόν·

160καί τʼ ἀγεληδὸν ἴασιν ἀπὸ κρήνης μελανύδρου

λάψοντες γλώσσῃσιν ἀραιῇσιν μέλαν ὕδωρ

ἄκρον ἐρευγόμενοι φόνον αἵματος· ἐν δέ τε θυμὸς

στήθεσιν ἄτρομός ἐστι, περιστένεται δέ τε γαστήρ·

τοῖοι Μυρμιδόνων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες

165ἀμφʼ ἀγαθὸν θεράποντα ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο

ῥώοντʼ· ἐν δʼ ἄρα τοῖσιν ἀρήϊος ἵστατʼ Ἀχιλλεύς,

ὀτρύνων ἵππους τε καὶ ἀνέρας ἀσπιδιώτας.

155Achilles moved through all the huts and armed

every Myrmidon with his gear. Like flesh-eating wolves,

with boundless battle-strength around their hearts,

who have killed a great antlered stag in the mountains

and tear it apart, every muzzle red with blood,

160then move in a pack to drink from a dark-water spring,

lapping the surface of the black water with their slender tongues,

belching up blood from the slaughter; the spirit within

their chests is fearless and their bellies are stretched full.

Like them the leaders and rulers of the Myrmidons

165rushed around the brave attendant of the swift-footed son of Aeacus.

And among them stood warlike Achilles,

urging on horses and shield-bearing men.

168πεντήκοντʼ ἦσαν νῆες θοαί, ᾗσιν Ἀχιλλεὺς

ἐς Τροίην ἡγεῖτο Διῒ φίλος· ἐν δὲ ἑκάστῃ

170πεντήκοντʼ ἔσαν ἄνδρες ἐπὶ κληῗσιν ἑταῖροι·

πέντε δʼ ἄρʼ ἡγεμόνας ποιήσατο τοῖς ἐπεποίθει

σημαίνειν· αὐτὸς δὲ μέγα κρατέων ἤνασσε.

τῆς μὲν ἰῆς στιχὸς ἦρχε Μενέσθιος αἰολοθώρηξ

υἱὸς Σπερχειοῖο διιπετέος ποταμοῖο·

175ὃν τέκε Πηλῆος θυγάτηρ καλὴ Πολυδώρη

Σπερχειῷ ἀκάμαντι γυνὴ θεῷ εὐνηθεῖσα,

αὐτὰρ ἐπίκλησιν Βώρῳ Περιήρεος υἷι,

ὅς ῥʼ ἀναφανδὸν ὄπυιε πορὼν ἀπερείσια ἕδνα.

τῆς δʼ ἑτέρης Εὔδωρος ἀρήϊος ἡγεμόνευε

180παρθένιος, τὸν ἔτικτε χορῷ καλὴ Πολυμήλη

Φύλαντος θυγάτηρ· τῆς δὲ κρατὺς ἀργεϊφόντης

ἠράσατʼ, ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδὼν μετὰ μελπομένῃσιν

ἐν χορῷ Ἀρτέμιδος χρυσηλακάτου κελαδεινῆς.

αὐτίκα δʼ εἰς ὑπερῷʼ ἀναβὰς παρελέξατο λάθρῃ

185Ἑρμείας ἀκάκητα, πόρεν δέ οἱ ἀγλαὸν υἱὸν

Εὔδωρον πέρι μὲν θείειν ταχὺν ἠδὲ μαχητήν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τόν γε μογοστόκος Εἰλείθυια

ἐξάγαγε πρὸ φόως δὲ καὶ ἠελίου ἴδεν αὐγάς,

τὴν μὲν Ἐχεκλῆος κρατερὸν μένος Ἀκτορίδαο

190ἠγάγετο πρὸς δώματʼ, ἐπεὶ πόρε μυρία ἕδνα,

τὸν δʼ ὃ γέρων Φύλας εὖ ἔτρεφεν ἠδʼ ἀτίταλλεν

ἀμφαγαπαζόμενος ὡς εἴ θʼ ἑὸν υἱὸν ἐόντα.

τῆς δὲ τρίτης Πείσανδρος ἀρήϊος ἡγεμόνευε

Μαιμαλίδης, ὃς πᾶσι μετέπρεπε Μυρμιδόνεσσιν

195ἔγχεϊ μάρνασθαι μετὰ Πηλεΐωνος ἑταῖρον.

τῆς δὲ τετάρτης ἦρχε γέρων ἱππηλάτα Φοῖνιξ,

πέμπτης δʼ Ἀλκιμέδων Λαέρκεος υἱὸς ἀμύμων.

168There were fifty swift ships in which Achilles,

dear to Zeus, had led his men to Troy. In each

170were fifty comrades at the oarlocks.

He had appointed five leaders, men he trusted,

to give commands; he himself ruled them in might.

Menesthius of the gleaming corselet led one company,

son of the heaven-fed river Spercheius.

175Beautiful Polydora, Peleus’ daughter, bore him

to tireless Spercheius, a woman bedded with a god,

though by name he was son of Borus, Perieres’ son,

who openly married her after giving boundless bride-gifts.

Warlike Eudorus led the second,

180a maiden’s son, borne by beautiful Polymele

daughter of Phylas. The powerful slayer of Argus

desired her when he saw her among the singers

in the dance of clamorous Artemis of the golden distaff.

At once he went up to her upper room and lay with her in secret,

185Hermes the helper, and gave her a splendid son,

Eudorus, outstanding as a swift runner and a fighter.

But after Eileithyia, bringer of labor pains,

brought him out to the light and he saw the sun’s rays,

the mighty Echecles, son of Actor,

190led her to his house after giving countless bride-gifts,

while old Phylas reared and fostered the boy well,

loving him tenderly as though he were his own son.

Warlike Peisander led the third,

son of Maemalus. Among all the Myrmidons he excelled

195in spear fighting, next after the companion of Peleus’ son.

Old Phoenix, driver of horses, led the fourth,

and faultless Alcimedon, son of Laerces, the fifth.

198αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ πάντας ἅμʼ ἡγεμόνεσσιν Ἀχιλλεὺς

στῆσεν ἐῢ κρίνας, κρατερὸν δʼ ἐπὶ μῦθον ἔτελλε·

200Μυρμιδόνες μή τίς μοι ἀπειλάων λελαθέσθω,

ἃς ἐπὶ νηυσὶ θοῇσιν ἀπειλεῖτε Τρώεσσι

πάνθʼ ὑπὸ μηνιθμόν, καί μʼ ᾐτιάασθε ἕκαστος·

σχέτλιε Πηλέος υἱὲ χόλῳ ἄρα σʼ ἔτρεφε μήτηρ,

νηλεές, ὃς παρὰ νηυσὶν ἔχεις ἀέκοντας ἑταίρους·

205οἴκαδέ περ σὺν νηυσὶ νεώμεθα ποντοπόροισιν

αὖτις, ἐπεί ῥά τοι ὧδε κακὸς χόλος ἔμπεσε θυμῷ.

ταῦτά μʼ ἀγειρόμενοι θάμʼ ἐβάζετε· νῦν δὲ πέφανται

φυλόπιδος μέγα ἔργον, ἕης τὸ πρίν γʼ ἐράασθε.

ἔνθά τις ἄλκιμον ἦτορ ἔχων Τρώεσσι μαχέσθω.

210ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου.

μᾶλλον δὲ στίχες ἄρθεν, ἐπεὶ βασιλῆος ἄκουσαν.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε τοῖχον ἀνὴρ ἀράρῃ πυκινοῖσι λίθοισι

δώματος ὑψηλοῖο βίας ἀνέμων ἀλεείνων,

ὣς ἄραρον κόρυθές τε καὶ ἀσπίδες ὀμφαλόεσσαι.

215ἀσπὶς ἄρʼ ἀσπίδʼ ἔρειδε, κόρυς κόρυν, ἀνέρα δʼ ἀνήρ·

ψαῦον δʼ ἱππόκομοι κόρυθες λαμπροῖσι φάλοισι

νευόντων, ὡς πυκνοὶ ἐφέστασαν ἀλλήλοισι.

πάντων δὲ προπάροιθε δύʼ ἀνέρε θωρήσσοντο

Πάτροκλός τε καὶ Αὐτομέδων ἕνα θυμὸν ἔχοντες

220πρόσθεν Μυρμιδόνων πολεμιζέμεν. αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς

198When Achilles had drawn them all up with their leaders

and carefully sorted them, he laid a stern command upon them:

200“Myrmidons, let no one forget the threats

you made against the Trojans beside the swift ships

throughout my wrath, blaming me, each man among you:

‘Cruel son of Peleus, your mother nursed you on anger,

pitiless man, who keep your unwilling comrades beside the ships!

205Let us sail home once more in our seafaring ships,

since such evil anger has fallen on your spirit.’

Gathering together, you often said these things to me. Now

the great work of battle you once longed for lies before you.

Let every man who has a stout heart fight the Trojans.”

210So he spoke and stirred each man's force and spirit.

The ranks closed tighter when they heard their king.

As when a man fits a wall with close-set stones

for a high house, warding off the force of winds,

so helmets and bossed shields fitted close together:

215shield leaned on shield, helmet on helmet, man on man.

Horsehair-crested helmets touched along their shining ridges

as they nodded, so closely did the men stand beside each other.

Before them all, two men armed themselves,

Patroclus and Automedon, one spirit between them

220to fight at the Myrmidons’ head. Achilles, meanwhile,

221βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεν ἐς κλισίην, χηλοῦ δʼ ἀπὸ πῶμʼ ἀνέῳγε

καλῆς δαιδαλέης, τήν οἱ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα

θῆκʼ ἐπὶ νηὸς ἄγεσθαι ἐῢ πλήσασα χιτώνων

χλαινάων τʼ ἀνεμοσκεπέων οὔλων τε ταπήτων.

225ἔνθα δέ οἱ δέπας ἔσκε τετυγμένον, οὐδέ τις ἄλλος

οὔτʼ ἀνδρῶν πίνεσκεν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ αἴθοπα οἶνον,

οὔτέ τεῳ σπένδεσκε θεῶν, ὅτε μὴ Διὶ πατρί.

τό ῥα τότʼ ἐκ χηλοῖο λαβὼν ἐκάθηρε θεείῳ

πρῶτον, ἔπειτα δʼ ἔνιψʼ ὕδατος καλῇσι ῥοῇσι,

230νίψατο δʼ αὐτὸς χεῖρας, ἀφύσσατο δʼ αἴθοπα οἶνον.

εὔχετʼ ἔπειτα στὰς μέσῳ ἕρκεϊ, λεῖβε δὲ οἶνον

οὐρανὸν εἰσανιδών· Δία δʼ οὐ λάθε τερπικέραυνον·

Ζεῦ ἄνα Δωδωναῖε Πελασγικὲ τηλόθι ναίων

Δωδώνης μεδέων δυσχειμέρου, ἀμφὶ δὲ Σελλοὶ

235σοὶ ναίουσʼ ὑποφῆται ἀνιπτόποδες χαμαιεῦναι,

ἠμὲν δή ποτʼ ἐμὸν ἔπος ἔκλυες εὐξαμένοιο,

τίμησας μὲν ἐμέ, μέγα δʼ ἴψαο λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν,

ἠδʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν μοι τόδʼ ἐπικρήηνον ἐέλδωρ·

αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἐγὼ μενέω νηῶν ἐν ἀγῶνι,

240ἀλλʼ ἕταρον πέμπω πολέσιν μετὰ Μυρμιδόνεσσι

μάρνασθαι· τῷ κῦδος ἅμα πρόες εὐρύοπα Ζεῦ,

θάρσυνον δέ οἱ ἦτορ ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ὄφρα καὶ Ἕκτωρ

εἴσεται ἤ ῥα καὶ οἶος ἐπίστηται πολεμίζειν

ἡμέτερος θεράπων, ἦ οἱ τότε χεῖρες ἄαπτοι

245μαίνονθʼ, ὁππότʼ ἐγώ περ ἴω μετὰ μῶλον Ἄρηος.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κʼ ἀπὸ ναῦφι μάχην ἐνοπήν τε δίηται,

ἀσκηθής μοι ἔπειτα θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας ἵκοιτο

τεύχεσί τε ξὺν πᾶσι καὶ ἀγχεμάχοις ἑτάροισιν.

ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δʼ ἔκλυε μητίετα Ζεύς.

250τῷ δʼ ἕτερον μὲν ἔδωκε πατήρ, ἕτερον δʼ ἀνένευσε·

νηῶν μέν οἱ ἀπώσασθαι πόλεμόν τε μάχην τε

δῶκε, σόον δʼ ἀνένευσε μάχης ἐξαπονέεσθαι.

ἤτοι ὃ μὲν σπείσας τε καὶ εὐξάμενος Διὶ πατρὶ

ἂψ κλισίην εἰσῆλθε, δέπας δʼ ἀπέθηκʼ ἐνὶ χηλῷ,

255στῆ δὲ πάροιθʼ ἐλθὼν κλισίης, ἔτι δʼ ἤθελε θυμῷ

εἰσιδέειν Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν φύλοπιν αἰνήν.

221went into his shelter and opened the lid of a chest,

beautiful and richly worked, which silver-footed Thetis

had set aboard his ship, filling it well with tunics,

wind-proof cloaks, and thick woolen blankets.

225Inside he had a well-made cup. No other

man drank the flame-bright wine from it,

nor did he pour to any god from it except father Zeus.

He took it from the chest and first cleansed it with sulfur,

then washed it in fair streams of water,

230washed his own hands, and drew the flame-bright wine.

Then he stood in the middle of the courtyard and prayed, pouring wine

and looking toward heaven. Zeus who delights in thunder did not fail to see him:

“Lord Zeus of Dodona, Pelasgian, dwelling far away,

ruler of wintry Dodona, about you the Selli

235live as your interpreters, with unwashed feet, sleeping on the ground:

as once before you heard my words when I prayed,

honoring me and striking the Achaean host hard,

Fulfill this wish for me now as well:

I myself will remain here in the gathering of ships,

240but I send my companion with many Myrmidons

to fight. Send glory with him, wide-seeing Zeus;

embolden the heart within his breast, so Hector may know

whether our attendant can fight even by himself,

or whether his hands rage invincible only then,

245when I too go into the tumult of Ares.

But once he has driven battle and its cry away from the ships,

let him return to me unharmed at the swift ships,

with all his armor and his close-fighting comrades.”

So he spoke in prayer, and Zeus the counselor heard him.

250The father granted one part but denied the other:

he granted that Patroclus should drive war and battle back from the ships,

but denied him a safe return from battle.

After Achilles had poured and prayed to father Zeus,

he went back into the shelter and set the cup in the chest.

255Then he came out and stood before the shelter, still longing in his spirit

to watch the terrible battle of Trojans and Achaeans.

257οἳ δʼ ἅμα Πατρόκλῳ μεγαλήτορι θωρηχθέντες

ἔστιχον, ὄφρʼ ἐν Τρωσὶ μέγα φρονέοντες ὄρουσαν.

αὐτίκα δὲ σφήκεσσιν ἐοικότες ἐξεχέοντο

260εἰνοδίοις, οὓς παῖδες ἐριδμαίνωσιν ἔθοντες

αἰεὶ κερτομέοντες ὁδῷ ἔπι οἰκίʼ ἔχοντας

νηπίαχοι· ξυνὸν δὲ κακὸν πολέεσσι τιθεῖσι.

τοὺς δʼ εἴ περ παρά τίς τε κιὼν ἄνθρωπος ὁδίτης

κινήσῃ ἀέκων, οἳ δʼ ἄλκιμον ἦτορ ἔχοντες

265πρόσσω πᾶς πέτεται καὶ ἀμύνει οἷσι τέκεσσι.

τῶν τότε Μυρμιδόνες κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἔχοντες

ἐκ νηῶν ἐχέοντο· βοὴ δʼ ἄσβεστος ὀρώρει.

257The Myrmidons, armed beside great-hearted Patroclus,

marched until, with high thoughts, they sprang among the Trojans.

At once they streamed out like roadside wasps

260that boys have made a habit of provoking,

always teasing them beside the road where they have their nests—

little fools, bringing a common evil on many.

And if some traveler passing by

disturbs them unknowingly, they, with valiant hearts,

265all fly straight ahead and defend their offspring.

With the heart and spirit of those wasps, the Myrmidons then

streamed from the ships, and an unquenchable shout arose.

268Πάτροκλος δʼ ἑτάροισιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·

Μυρμιδόνες ἕταροι Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος

270ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι, μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς,

ὡς ἂν Πηλεΐδην τιμήσομεν, ὃς μέγʼ ἄριστος

Ἀργείων παρὰ νηυσὶ καὶ ἀγχέμαχοι θεράποντες,

γνῷ δὲ καὶ Ἀτρεΐδης εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων

ἣν ἄτην, ὅ τʼ ἄριστον Ἀχαιῶν οὐδὲν ἔτισεν.

275ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου,

ἐν δʼ ἔπεσον Τρώεσσιν ἀολλέες· ἀμφὶ δὲ νῆες

σμερδαλέον κονάβησαν ἀϋσάντων ὑπʼ Ἀχαιῶν.

268Patroclus called loudly to his comrades:

“Myrmidons, comrades of Peleus’ son Achilles,

270be men, my friends, and remember your furious courage,

so we may honor Peleus’ son, who is far the best

of the Argives beside the ships, as are his close-fighting attendants,

and wide-ruling Agamemnon, Atreus’ son, may recognize

his delusion, how he gave no honor to the best of the Achaeans.”

275So he spoke and stirred each man's force and spirit,

and they fell upon the Trojans in a mass. Around them the ships

rang terribly beneath the Achaeans’ shouting.

278Τρῶες δʼ ὡς εἴδοντο Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμον υἱὸν

αὐτὸν καὶ θεράποντα σὺν ἔντεσι μαρμαίροντας,

280πᾶσιν ὀρίνθη θυμός, ἐκίνηθεν δὲ φάλαγγες

ἐλπόμενοι παρὰ ναῦφι ποδώκεα Πηλεΐωνα

μηνιθμὸν μὲν ἀπορρῖψαι, φιλότητα δʼ ἑλέσθαι·

πάπτηνεν δὲ ἕκαστος ὅπῃ φύγοι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.

278When the Trojans saw Menoetius’ valiant son,

him and his attendant, blazing in their armor,

280every spirit was shaken and the battle lines stirred,

expecting that by the ships swift-footed Peleus’ son

had cast off his wrath and chosen reconciliation;

and each man looked where he might escape sheer destruction.

284Πάτροκλος δὲ πρῶτος ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ

285ἀντικρὺ κατὰ μέσσον, ὅθι πλεῖστοι κλονέοντο,

νηῒ πάρα πρυμνῇ μεγαθύμου Πρωτεσιλάου,

καὶ βάλε Πυραίχμην, ὃς Παίονας ἱπποκορυστὰς

ἤγαγεν ἐξ Ἀμυδῶνος ἀπʼ Ἀξιοῦ εὐρὺ ῥέοντος·

τὸν βάλε δεξιὸν ὦμον· ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος ἐν κονίῃσι

290κάππεσεν οἰμώξας, ἕταροι δέ μιν ἀμφεφόβηθεν

Παίονες· ἐν γὰρ Πάτροκλος φόβον ἧκεν ἅπασιν

ἡγεμόνα κτείνας, ὃς ἀριστεύεσκε μάχεσθαι.

ἐκ νηῶν δʼ ἔλασεν, κατὰ δʼ ἔσβεσεν αἰθόμενον πῦρ.

ἡμιδαὴς δʼ ἄρα νηῦς λίπετʼ αὐτόθι· τοὶ δὲ φόβηθεν

295Τρῶες θεσπεσίῳ ὁμάδῳ· Δαναοὶ δʼ ἐπέχυντο

νῆας ἀνὰ γλαφυράς· ὅμαδος δʼ ἀλίαστος ἐτύχθη.

284Patroclus was first to cast his shining spear

285straight into the center, where the greatest mass milled,

beside the stern of great-hearted Protesilaus’ ship.

He struck Pyraechmes, who had led the chariot-fighting Paeonians

from Amydon beside the broad-flowing Axius.

He struck him in the right shoulder, and backward in the dust

290he fell with a groan. His Paeonian comrades scattered around him,

for Patroclus sent fear among them all

when he killed their leader, who excelled in battle.

He drove them from the ships and quenched the blazing fire.

The ship was left half burned; the Trojans fled

295with an unearthly din, and the Danaans poured out

among their hollow ships, and unrelenting uproar arose.

297ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀφʼ ὑψηλῆς κορυφῆς ὄρεος μεγάλοιο

κινήσῃ πυκινὴν νεφέλην στεροπηγερέτα Ζεύς,

ἔκ τʼ ἔφανεν πᾶσαι σκοπιαὶ καὶ πρώονες ἄκροι

300καὶ νάπαι, οὐρανόθεν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπερράγη ἄσπετος αἰθήρ,

ὣς Δαναοὶ νηῶν μὲν ἀπωσάμενοι δήϊον πῦρ

τυτθὸν ἀνέπνευσαν, πολέμου δʼ οὐ γίγνετʼ ἐρωή·

οὐ γάρ πώ τι Τρῶες ἀρηϊφίλων ὑπʼ Ἀχαιῶν

προτροπάδην φοβέοντο μελαινάων ἀπὸ νηῶν,

305ἀλλʼ ἔτʼ ἄρʼ ἀνθίσταντο, νεῶν δʼ ὑπόεικον ἀνάγκῃ.

297As when from the high crest of a great mountain

Zeus, gatherer of lightning, moves a dense cloud,

and every lookout height and high headland stands clear,

300and the valleys; boundless upper air breaks open from heaven,

so the Danaans, after driving hostile fire from the ships,

breathed for a little, but there was no pause in the war.

For the Trojans were not yet fleeing headlong

from the black ships before the war-loving Achaeans,

305but still stood against them, yielding from the ships only under compulsion.

306ἔνθα δʼ ἀνὴρ ἕλεν ἄνδρα κεδασθείσης ὑσμίνης

ἡγεμόνων. πρῶτος δὲ Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱὸς

αὐτίκʼ ἄρα στρεφθέντος Ἀρηϊλύκου βάλε μηρὸν

ἔγχεϊ ὀξυόεντι, διὰ πρὸ δὲ χαλκὸν ἔλασσε·

310ῥῆξεν δʼ ὀστέον ἔγχος, ὃ δὲ πρηνὴς ἐπὶ γαίῃ

κάππεσʼ· ἀτὰρ Μενέλαος ἀρήϊος οὖτα Θόαντα

στέρνον γυμνωθέντα παρʼ ἀσπίδα, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα.

Φυλεΐδης δʼ Ἄμφικλον ἐφορμηθέντα δοκεύσας

ἔφθη ὀρεξάμενος πρυμνὸν σκέλος, ἔνθα πάχιστος

315μυὼν ἀνθρώπου πέλεται· περὶ δʼ ἔγχεος αἰχμῇ

νεῦρα διεσχίσθη· τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψε.

306There man killed man as the leaders’ battle broke apart.

First Menoetius’ valiant son

at once struck Areilycus in the thigh as he turned

with his sharp spear, driving the bronze straight through.

310The spear shattered the bone, and face-first on the ground

he fell. Warlike Menelaus stabbed Thoas

in the chest exposed beside his shield and loosed his limbs.

Phyleus’ son watched Amphiclus rushing upon him

and reached him first in the back of the leg, where a man’s muscle

315is thickest. Around the spearpoint

the tendons split apart, and darkness covered his eyes.

317Νεστορίδαι δʼ ὃ μὲν οὔτασʼ Ἀτύμνιον ὀξέϊ δουρὶ

Ἀντίλοχος, λαπάρης δὲ διήλασε χάλκεον ἔγχος·

ἤριπε δὲ προπάροιθε. Μάρις δʼ αὐτοσχεδὰ δουρὶ

320Ἀντιλόχῳ ἐπόρουσε κασιγνήτοιο χολωθεὶς

στὰς πρόσθεν νέκυος· τοῦ δʼ ἀντίθεος Θρασυμήδης

ἔφθη ὀρεξάμενος πρὶν οὐτάσαι, οὐδʼ ἀφάμαρτεν,

ὦμον ἄφαρ· πρυμνὸν δὲ βραχίονα δουρὸς ἀκωκὴ

δρύψʼ ἀπὸ μυώνων, ἀπὸ δʼ ὀστέον ἄχρις ἄραξε·

325δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, κατὰ δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν.

ὣς τὼ μὲν δοιοῖσι κασιγνήτοισι δαμέντε

βήτην εἰς Ἔρεβος Σαρπηδόνος ἐσθλοὶ ἑταῖροι

υἷες ἀκοντισταὶ Ἀμισωδάρου, ὅς ῥα Χίμαιραν

θρέψεν ἀμαιμακέτην πολέσιν κακὸν ἀνθρώποισιν.

317Of Nestor’s sons, Antilochus stabbed Atymnius with his sharp spear

and drove the bronze point through his flank.

He fell before him. Then Maris, enraged for his brother,

320sprang at Antilochus with his spear at close quarters,

standing before the corpse. But godlike Thrasymedes

reached him first, before he could stab, and did not miss:

he struck the shoulder; the spearpoint tore the arm at its root

away from the muscles and smashed the bone clean through.

325He fell with a thud, and darkness covered his eyes.

So those two, subdued by the two brothers,

went down to Erebus—Sarpedon’s noble companions,

the spearman sons of Amisodarus, who had reared

the raging Chimera, a bane to many mortals.

330Αἴας δὲ Κλεόβουλον Ὀϊλιάδης ἐπορούσας

ζωὸν ἕλε βλαφθέντα κατὰ κλόνον· ἀλλά οἱ αὖθι

λῦσε μένος πλήξας ξίφει αὐχένα κωπήεντι.

πᾶν δʼ ὑπεθερμάνθη ξίφος αἵματι· τὸν δὲ κατʼ ὄσσε

ἔλλαβε πορφύρεος θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κραταιή.

330Ajax son of Oileus rushed Cleobulus

and caught him alive, entangled in the melee. But there and then

he ended his force, striking his neck with his hilted sword.

The whole blade grew hot with blood; over his eyes

came purple death and overpowering fate.

335Πηνέλεως δὲ Λύκων τε συνέδραμον· ἔγχεσι μὲν γὰρ

ἤμβροτον ἀλλήλων, μέλεον δʼ ἠκόντισαν ἄμφω·

τὼ δʼ αὖτις ξιφέεσσι συνέδραμον. ἔνθα Λύκων μὲν

ἱπποκόμου κόρυθος φάλον ἤλασεν, ἀμφὶ δὲ καυλὸν

φάσγανον ἐρραίσθη· ὃ δʼ ὑπʼ οὔατος αὐχένα θεῖνε

340Πηνέλεως, πᾶν δʼ εἴσω ἔδυ ξίφος, ἔσχεθε δʼ οἶον

δέρμα, παρηέρθη δὲ κάρη, ὑπέλυντο δὲ γυῖα.

335Peneleos and Lycon charged together. With their spears

they missed each other; both had thrown in vain.

Then they charged again with swords. Lycon

struck the crest-ridge of the horsehair-plumed helmet, but at the hilt

his sword shattered. Peneleos struck his neck below the ear;

340the whole blade sank in, and only the skin held.

His head hung to one side, and his limbs gave way.

342Μηριόνης δʼ Ἀκάμαντα κιχεὶς ποσὶ καρπαλίμοισι

νύξʼ ἵππων ἐπιβησόμενον κατὰ δεξιὸν ὦμον·

ἤριπε δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων, κατὰ δʼ ὀφθαλμῶν κέχυτʼ ἀχλύς.

345Ἰδομενεὺς δʼ Ἐρύμαντα κατὰ στόμα νηλέϊ χαλκῷ

νύξε· τὸ δʼ ἀντικρὺ δόρυ χάλκεον ἐξεπέρησε

νέρθεν ὑπʼ ἐγκεφάλοιο, κέασσε δʼ ἄρʼ ὀστέα λευκά·

ἐκ δʼ ἐτίναχθεν ὀδόντες, ἐνέπλησθεν δέ οἱ ἄμφω

αἵματος ὀφθαλμοί· τὸ δʼ ἀνὰ στόμα καὶ κατὰ ῥῖνας

350πρῆσε χανών· θανάτου δὲ μέλαν νέφος ἀμφεκάλυψεν.

342Meriones overtook Acamas with swift feet

in the right shoulder as he climbed aboard his chariot.

He fell from the car, and mist poured over his eyes.

345Idomeneus stabbed Erymas in the mouth with pitiless bronze.

The bronze spear drove straight through

below the brain and split the white bones.

His teeth were shaken out, and both his eyes

filled with blood; blood spurted through mouth and nostrils

350as he gaped, and death’s black cloud covered him.

351οὗτοι ἄρʼ ἡγεμόνες Δαναῶν ἕλον ἄνδρα ἕκαστος.

ὡς δὲ λύκοι ἄρνεσσιν ἐπέχραον ἢ ἐρίφοισι

σίνται ὑπʼ ἐκ μήλων αἱρεύμενοι, αἵ τʼ ἐν ὄρεσσι

ποιμένος ἀφραδίῃσι διέτμαγεν· οἳ δὲ ἰδόντες

355αἶψα διαρπάζουσιν ἀνάλκιδα θυμὸν ἐχούσας·

ὣς Δαναοὶ Τρώεσσιν ἐπέχραον· οἳ δὲ φόβοιο

δυσκελάδου μνήσαντο, λάθοντο δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς.

Αἴας δʼ ὃ μέγας αἰὲν ἐφʼ Ἕκτορι χαλκοκορυστῇ

ἵετʼ ἀκοντίσσαι· ὃ δὲ ἰδρείῃ πολέμοιο

360ἀσπίδι ταυρείῃ κεκαλυμμένος εὐρέας ὤμους

σκέπτετʼ ὀϊστῶν τε ῥοῖζον καὶ δοῦπον ἀκόντων.

ἦ μὲν δὴ γίγνωσκε μάχης ἑτεραλκέα νίκην·

ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς ἀνέμιμνε, σάω δʼ ἐρίηρας ἑταίρους.

351So each of these Danaan leaders killed his man.

As ravaging wolves fall upon lambs or kids,

snatching them from the flocks when in the mountains

the shepherd’s carelessness has scattered them, and at the sight

355the wolves swiftly seize those whose spirit has no strength,

so the Danaans fell upon the Trojans. The Trojans remembered

clamorous flight and forgot their furious battle-strength.

Great Ajax kept longing to cast at bronze-helmeted Hector,

but Hector, skilled in war,

360covered his broad shoulders with his ox-hide shield

and watched for the hiss of arrows and the thud of spears.

He knew well that victory had changed sides in the battle;

even so he stood fast and saved his loyal companions.

364ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀπʼ Οὐλύμπου νέφος ἔρχεται οὐρανὸν εἴσω

365αἰθέρος ἐκ δίης, ὅτε τε Ζεὺς λαίλαπα τείνῃ,

ὣς τῶν ἐκ νηῶν γένετο ἰαχή τε φόβος τε,

οὐδὲ κατὰ μοῖραν πέραον πάλιν. Ἕκτορα δʼ ἵπποι

ἔκφερον ὠκύποδες σὺν τεύχεσι, λεῖπε δὲ λαὸν

Τρωϊκόν, οὓς ἀέκοντας ὀρυκτὴ τάφρος ἔρυκε.

370πολλοὶ δʼ ἐν τάφρῳ ἐρυσάρματες ὠκέες ἵπποι

ἄξαντʼ ἐν πρώτῳ ῥυμῷ λίπον ἅρματʼ ἀνάκτων,

Πάτροκλος δʼ ἕπετο σφεδανὸν Δαναοῖσι κελεύων

Τρωσὶ κακὰ φρονέων· οἳ δὲ ἰαχῇ τε φόβῳ τε

πάσας πλῆσαν ὁδούς, ἐπεὶ ἂρ τμάγεν· ὕψι δʼ ἀέλλη

375σκίδναθʼ ὑπὸ νεφέων, τανύοντο δὲ μώνυχες ἵπποι

ἄψορρον προτὶ ἄστυ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων.

364As from Olympus a cloud moves into the sky

365out of the bright upper air when Zeus stretches out a tempest,

so from the ships arose the Trojans’ clamor and flight,

and they did not cross back in good order. Hector’s

swift-footed horses bore him away with his armor, while he left the Trojan host,

whom the dug trench held back against their will.

370Many swift chariot horses in the trench,

having snapped the front of the pole, left their masters’ cars behind.

Patroclus pursued, fiercely urging on the Danaans

and bent on harm to the Trojans. With clamor and flight

they filled every road once their ranks had broken. High overhead,

375a whirlwind spread beneath the clouds, and the single-hoofed horses stretched out

back toward the city, away from ships and shelters.

377Πάτροκλος δʼ ᾗ πλεῖστον ὀρινόμενον ἴδε λαόν,

τῇ ῥʼ ἔχʼ ὁμοκλήσας· ὑπὸ δʼ ἄξοσι φῶτες ἔπιπτον

πρηνέες ἐξ ὀχέων, δίφροι δʼ ἀνακυμβαλίαζον.

380ἀντικρὺ δʼ ἄρα τάφρον ὑπέρθορον ὠκέες ἵπποι

ἄμβροτοι, οὓς Πηλῆϊ θεοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα,

πρόσσω ἱέμενοι, ἐπὶ δʼ Ἕκτορι κέκλετο θυμός·

ἵετο γὰρ βαλέειν· τὸν δʼ ἔκφερον ὠκέες ἵπποι.

ὡς δʼ ὑπὸ λαίλαπι πᾶσα κελαινὴ βέβριθε χθὼν

385ἤματʼ ὀπωρινῷ, ὅτε λαβρότατον χέει ὕδωρ

Ζεύς, ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἄνδρεσσι κοτεσσάμενος χαλεπήνῃ,

οἳ βίῃ εἰν ἀγορῇ σκολιὰς κρίνωσι θέμιστας,

ἐκ δὲ δίκην ἐλάσωσι θεῶν ὄπιν οὐκ ἀλέγοντες·

τῶν δέ τε πάντες μὲν ποταμοὶ πλήθουσι ῥέοντες,

390πολλὰς δὲ κλιτῦς τότʼ ἀποτμήγουσι χαράδραι,

ἐς δʼ ἅλα πορφυρέην μεγάλα στενάχουσι ῥέουσαι

ἐξ ὀρέων ἐπικάρ, μινύθει δέ τε ἔργʼ ἀνθρώπων·

ὣς ἵπποι Τρῳαὶ μεγάλα στενάχοντο θέουσαι.

377Wherever Patroclus saw the greatest mass of troops in turmoil,

there he drove with a shout. Men fell beneath the axles,

face-first from their cars, while the chariots overturned.

380Straight across the trench leapt the swift

deathless horses the gods had given Peleus as splendid gifts,

straining forward, while Patroclus’ heart urged him on against Hector;

he longed to strike him, but the swift horses bore Hector away.

As under a tempest all the black earth lies heavy

385on an autumn day when Zeus pours down the fiercest rain,

when in anger he bears hard upon men

who in assembly judge crooked ordinances by force

and drive justice out, with no regard for the gods’ watchful anger;

all their rivers swell and run full,

390and torrents cut away many hillsides,

and streaming headlong from the mountains they roar mightily

into the purple sea, and the works of men diminish—

so the Trojan horses groaned mightily as they ran.

394Πάτροκλος δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν πρώτας ἐπέκερσε φάλαγγας,

395ἂψ ἐπὶ νῆας ἔεργε παλιμπετές, οὐδὲ πόληος

εἴα ἱεμένους ἐπιβαινέμεν, ἀλλὰ μεσηγὺ

νηῶν καὶ ποταμοῦ καὶ τείχεος ὑψηλοῖο

κτεῖνε μεταΐσσων, πολέων δʼ ἀπετίνυτο ποινήν.

ἔνθʼ ἤτοι Πρόνοον πρῶτον βάλε δουρὶ φαεινῷ

400στέρνον γυμνωθέντα παρʼ ἀσπίδα, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα·

δούπησεν δὲ πεσών· ὃ δὲ Θέστορα Ἤνοπος υἱὸν

δεύτερον ὁρμηθείς· ὃ μὲν εὐξέστῳ ἐνὶ δίφρῳ

ἧστο ἀλείς· ἐκ γὰρ πλήγη φρένας, ἐκ δʼ ἄρα χειρῶν

ἡνία ἠΐχθησαν· ὃ δʼ ἔγχεϊ νύξε παραστὰς

405γναθμὸν δεξιτερόν, διὰ δʼ αὐτοῦ πεῖρεν ὀδόντων,

ἕλκε δὲ δουρὸς ἑλὼν ὑπὲρ ἄντυγος, ὡς ὅτε τις φὼς

πέτρῃ ἔπι προβλῆτι καθήμενος ἱερὸν ἰχθὺν

ἐκ πόντοιο θύραζε λίνῳ καὶ ἤνοπι χαλκῷ·

ὣς ἕλκʼ ἐκ δίφροιο κεχηνότα δουρὶ φαεινῷ,

410κὰδ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπὶ στόμʼ ἔωσε· πεσόντα δέ μιν λίπε θυμός.

394When Patroclus had cut off the foremost ranks,

395he drove them back toward the ships once more and would not let them

climb toward the city as they struggled, but in the ground between

the ships, the river, and the high wall

he darted among them and killed, exacting vengeance for many.

There first he struck Pronous with his gleaming spear

400in the chest exposed beside the shield and loosed his limbs.

Pronous fell with a thud. Then Patroclus charged Thestor,

son of Enops. He sat hunched in his polished chariot,

for his wits were stunned, and from his hands

the reins had flown. Patroclus stood beside him and stabbed

405his right jaw with the spear, driving it through his teeth,

then gripped the shaft and dragged him over the chariot rail, as a man

sitting on a projecting rock

draws a mighty fish from the sea with line and shining bronze.

So with his gleaming spear he dragged Thestor gaping from the chariot

410and flung him face-first. As he fell, his spirit left him.

411αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ Ἐρύλαον ἐπεσσύμενον βάλε πέτρῳ

μέσσην κὰκ κεφαλήν· ἣ δʼ ἄνδιχα πᾶσα κεάσθη

ἐν κόρυθι βριαρῇ· ὃ δʼ ἄρα πρηνὴς ἐπὶ γαίῃ

κάππεσεν, ἀμφὶ δέ μιν θάνατος χύτο θυμοραϊστής.

415αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ Ἐρύμαντα καὶ Ἀμφοτερὸν καὶ Ἐπάλτην

Τληπόλεμόν τε Δαμαστορίδην Ἐχίον τε Πύριν τε

Ἰφέα τʼ Εὔιππόν τε καὶ Ἀργεάδην Πολύμηλον

πάντας ἐπασσυτέρους πέλασε χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ.

411Next, as Erylaus rushed in, Patroclus struck him with a stone

square on the head, and all of it split in two

inside the massive helmet. Face-first on the ground

he fell, and spirit-ravaging death poured over him.

415Next Erymas and Amphoterus and Epaltes,

Tlepolemus son of Damastor, Echius and Pyris,

Ipheus and Euippus and Polymelus son of Argeas—

all one after another he laid on the rich-pasturing earth.

419Σαρπηδὼν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἴδʼ ἀμιτροχίτωνας ἑταίρους

420χέρσʼ ὕπο Πατρόκλοιο Μενοιτιάδαο δαμέντας,

κέκλετʼ ἄρʼ ἀντιθέοισι καθαπτόμενος Λυκίοισιν·

αἰδὼς ὦ Λύκιοι· πόσε φεύγετε; νῦν θοοὶ ἔστε.

ἀντήσω γὰρ ἐγὼ τοῦδʼ ἀνέρος, ὄφρα δαείω

ὅς τις ὅδε κρατέει καὶ δὴ κακὰ πολλὰ ἔοργε

425Τρῶας, ἐπεὶ πολλῶν τε καὶ ἐσθλῶν γούνατʼ ἔλυσεν.

ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἐξ ὀχέων σὺν τεύχεσιν ἆλτο χαμᾶζε.

Πάτροκλος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐπεὶ ἴδεν ἔκθορε δίφρου.

οἳ δʼ ὥς τʼ αἰγυπιοὶ γαμψώνυχες ἀγκυλοχεῖλαι

πέτρῃ ἐφʼ ὑψηλῇ μεγάλα κλάζοντε μάχωνται,

430ὣς οἳ κεκλήγοντες ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ὄρουσαν.

419When Sarpedon saw his companions with their tunics ungirt,

420subdued by the hands of Patroclus son of Menoetius,

he called out, rebuking the godlike Lycians:

“Shame, Lycians! Where are you fleeing? Now be swift!

I will face this man myself, so that I may learn

whoever he is who dominates here and has done the Trojans

425so much harm, for he has loosed the knees of many noble men.”

He spoke and leapt from the chariot to the ground in his armor.

When Patroclus saw him, he sprang down from his own car.

Like two vultures, hook-clawed and crook-beaked,

fighting with great screams on a high rock,

430so they came at each other shouting.

431τοὺς δὲ ἰδὼν ἐλέησε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω,

Ἥρην δὲ προσέειπε κασιγνήτην ἄλοχόν τε·

ὤ μοι ἐγών, ὅ τέ μοι Σαρπηδόνα φίλτατον ἀνδρῶν

μοῖρʼ ὑπὸ Πατρόκλοιο Μενοιτιάδαο δαμῆναι.

435διχθὰ δέ μοι κραδίη μέμονε φρεσὶν ὁρμαίνοντι,

ἤ μιν ζωὸν ἐόντα μάχης ἄπο δακρυοέσσης

θείω ἀναρπάξας Λυκίης ἐν πίονι δήμῳ,

ἦ ἤδη ὑπὸ χερσὶ Μενοιτιάδαο δαμάσσω.

431The son of crooked-counseling Cronus saw them and felt pity,

and spoke to Hera, his sister and wife:

“Ah, misery! Sarpedon, dearest to me of men,

is fated to be subdued by Patroclus son of Menoetius.

435My heart is divided as I deliberate within my mind:

whether to snatch him up alive from the tearful battle

and set him down in the rich land of Lycia,

or now subdue him under Menoetius’ son’s hands.”

439τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη·

440αἰνότατε Κρονίδη ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες.

ἄνδρα θνητὸν ἐόντα πάλαι πεπρωμένον αἴσῃ

ἂψ ἐθέλεις θανάτοιο δυσηχέος ἐξαναλῦσαι;

ἔρδʼ· ἀτὰρ οὔ τοι πάντες ἐπαινέομεν θεοὶ ἄλλοι.

ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·

445αἴ κε ζὼν πέμψῃς Σαρπηδόνα ὃν δὲ δόμον δέ,

φράζεο μή τις ἔπειτα θεῶν ἐθέλῃσι καὶ ἄλλος

πέμπειν ὃν φίλον υἱὸν ἀπὸ κρατερῆς ὑσμίνης·

πολλοὶ γὰρ περὶ ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο μάχονται

υἱέες ἀθανάτων, τοῖσιν κότον αἰνὸν ἐνήσεις.

450ἀλλʼ εἴ τοι φίλος ἐστί, τεὸν δʼ ὀλοφύρεται ἦτορ,

ἤτοι μέν μιν ἔασον ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ

χέρσʼ ὕπο Πατρόκλοιο Μενοιτιάδαο δαμῆναι·

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ τόν γε λίπῃ ψυχή τε καὶ αἰών,

πέμπειν μιν θάνατόν τε φέρειν καὶ νήδυμον ὕπνον

455εἰς ὅ κε δὴ Λυκίης εὐρείης δῆμον ἵκωνται,

ἔνθά ἑ ταρχύσουσι κασίγνητοί τε ἔται τε

τύμβῳ τε στήλῃ τε· τὸ γὰρ γέρας ἐστὶ θανόντων.

ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε·

439Then ox-eyed lady Hera answered him:

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

A mortal man long ago allotted to his fate—

do you mean to release him again from death’s bitter din?

Do it—but we other gods will not all approve.

One thing more I will tell you; lay it within your mind:

445if you send Sarpedon home alive,

take care that afterward some other god may also wish

to send a dear son away from the powerful battle.

For many sons of immortals are fighting

around Priam’s great city, and you will stir terrible resentment among the gods.

450But if he is dear to you and your heart mourns him,

then let him be subdued in the powerful battle

beneath the hands of Patroclus son of Menoetius.

But when his life and allotted span have left him,

send Death and sweet Sleep to carry him

455until they reach the land of broad Lycia.

There his brothers and companions will prepare his funeral

with mound and gravestone; for that is the honor due the dead.”

So she spoke, and the father of gods and men did not disobey.

459αἱματοέσσας δὲ ψιάδας κατέχευεν ἔραζε

460παῖδα φίλον τιμῶν, τόν οἱ Πάτροκλος ἔμελλε

φθίσειν ἐν Τροίῃ ἐριβώλακι τηλόθι πάτρης.

459He poured bloody raindrops onto the earth,

460honoring his dear son, whom Patroclus was destined

to kill in fertile Troy, far from his homeland.

462οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦσαν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ἰόντες,

ἔνθʼ ἤτοι Πάτροκλος ἀγακλειτὸν Θρασύμηλον,

ὅς ῥʼ ἠῢς θεράπων Σαρπηδόνος ἦεν ἄνακτος,

465τὸν βάλε νείαιραν κατὰ γαστέρα, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα.

Σαρπηδὼν δʼ αὐτοῦ μὲν ἀπήμβροτε δουρὶ φαεινῷ

δεύτερον ὁρμηθείς, ὃ δὲ Πήδασον οὔτασεν ἵππον

ἔγχεϊ δεξιὸν ὦμον· ὃ δʼ ἔβραχε θυμὸν ἀΐσθων,

κὰδ δʼ ἔπεσʼ ἐν κονίῃσι μακών, ἀπὸ δʼ ἔπτατο θυμός.

470τὼ δὲ διαστήτην, κρίκε δὲ ζυγόν, ἡνία δέ σφι

σύγχυτʼ, ἐπεὶ δὴ κεῖτο παρήορος ἐν κονίῃσι.

τοῖο μὲν Αὐτομέδων δουρικλυτὸς εὕρετο τέκμωρ·

σπασσάμενος τανύηκες ἄορ παχέος παρὰ μηροῦ

ἀΐξας ἀπέκοψε παρήορον οὐδʼ ἐμάτησε·

475τὼ δʼ ἰθυνθήτην, ἐν δὲ ῥυτῆρσι τάνυσθεν·

462When at last they drew near, advancing against each other,

Patroclus first struck renowned Thrasymelus,

the good attendant of lord Sarpedon,

465in the lower belly and loosed his limbs.

Sarpedon next missed Patroclus with his gleaming spear,

but wounded the horse Pedasus

with the spear in the right shoulder. The horse shrieked, breathing out his life,

and fell in the dust with a whinny, and his spirit flew away.

470The other two horses drew apart, the yoke creaked, and their reins

became entangled when the trace horse lay in the dust.

Spear-famed Automedon found the remedy:

drawing the long-edged sword from beside his massive thigh,

he sprang and cut the trace horse loose; his effort was not in vain.

475The pair straightened and stretched taut in the harness.

476τὼ δʼ αὖτις συνίτην ἔριδος πέρι θυμοβόροιο.

ἔνθʼ αὖ Σαρπηδὼν μὲν ἀπήμβροτε δουρὶ φαεινῷ,

Πατρόκλου δʼ ὑπὲρ ὦμον ἀριστερὸν ἤλυθʼ ἀκωκὴ

ἔγχεος, οὐδʼ ἔβαλʼ αὐτόν· ὃ δʼ ὕστερος ὄρνυτο χαλκῷ

480Πάτροκλος· τοῦ δʼ οὐχ ἅλιον βέλος ἔκφυγε χειρός,

ἀλλʼ ἔβαλʼ ἔνθʼ ἄρα τε φρένες ἔρχαται ἀμφʼ ἁδινὸν κῆρ.

ἤριπε δʼ ὡς ὅτε τις δρῦς ἤριπεν ἢ ἀχερωῒς

ἠὲ πίτυς βλωθρή, τήν τʼ οὔρεσι τέκτονες ἄνδρες

ἐξέταμον πελέκεσσι νεήκεσι νήϊον εἶναι·

485ὣς ὃ πρόσθʼ ἵππων καὶ δίφρου κεῖτο τανυσθεὶς

βεβρυχὼς κόνιος δεδραγμένος αἱματοέσσης.

476Then the two men closed again in spirit-devouring strife.

Once more Sarpedon missed with his gleaming spear.

The point passed over Patroclus’ left shoulder

and did not strike him. Then Patroclus attacked in turn

480with bronze; the shaft did not fly uselessly from his hand,

but struck where the midriff closes around the beating heart.

He fell as an oak falls, or a poplar,

or a towering pine that carpenters in the mountains

cut with newly sharpened axes to be a ship’s timber.

485So he lay stretched before the horses and chariot,

groaning and clutching the bloodied dust.

487ἠΰτε ταῦρον ἔπεφνε λέων ἀγέληφι μετελθὼν

αἴθωνα μεγάθυμον ἐν εἰλιπόδεσσι βόεσσι,

ὤλετό τε στενάχων ὑπὸ γαμφηλῇσι λέοντος,

490ὣς ὑπὸ Πατρόκλῳ Λυκίων ἀγὸς ἀσπιστάων

κτεινόμενος μενέαινε, φίλον δʼ ὀνόμηνεν ἑταῖρον·

Γλαῦκε πέπον πολεμιστὰ μετʼ ἀνδράσι νῦν σε μάλα χρὴ

αἰχμητήν τʼ ἔμεναι καὶ θαρσαλέον πολεμιστήν·

νῦν τοι ἐελδέσθω πόλεμος κακός, εἰ θοός ἐσσι.

495πρῶτα μὲν ὄτρυνον Λυκίων ἡγήτορας ἄνδρας

πάντῃ ἐποιχόμενος Σαρπηδόνος ἀμφιμάχεσθαι·

αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα καὶ αὐτὸς ἐμεῦ πέρι μάρναο χαλκῷ.

σοὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ καὶ ἔπειτα κατηφείη καὶ ὄνειδος

ἔσσομαι ἤματα πάντα διαμπερές, εἴ κέ μʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

500τεύχεα συλήσωσι νεῶν ἐν ἀγῶνι πεσόντα.

ἀλλʼ ἔχεο κρατερῶς, ὄτρυνε δὲ λαὸν ἅπαντα.

487As a lion comes among a herd and kills a bull,

a tawny, great-hearted one among the shambling cattle,

and the bull dies groaning beneath the lion’s jaws,

490so under Patroclus the leader of the shield-bearing Lycians,

dying, raged and called his dear companion by name:

“Dear Glaucus, fighter among men, now above all you must

be a spearman and fearless fighter!

Now let grim war be your desire, if you are swift.

495First, go among the Lycian leaders and urge them,

going everywhere to rally them to fight around Sarpedon;

then fight yourself with bronze around my body.

For afterward I will be shame and reproach to you

continually, for all your days, if the Achaeans

500strip my armor after I fall in the battle at the ships.

Hold your ground strongly, and urge on all the host!”

502ὣς ἄρα μιν εἰπόντα τέλος θανάτοιο κάλυψεν

ὀφθαλμοὺς ῥῖνάς θʼ· ὃ δὲ λὰξ ἐν στήθεσι βαίνων

ἐκ χροὸς ἕλκε δόρυ, προτὶ δὲ φρένες αὐτῷ ἕποντο·

505τοῖο δʼ ἅμα ψυχήν τε καὶ ἔγχεος ἐξέρυσʼ αἰχμήν.

Μυρμιδόνες δʼ αὐτοῦ σχέθον ἵππους φυσιόωντας

ἱεμένους φοβέεσθαι, ἐπεὶ λίπον ἅρματʼ ἀνάκτων.

502As he spoke, the end that death brings covered

his eyes and nostrils. Patroclus set his foot on Sarpedon’s chest

and drew the spear from his flesh; the midriff came out with it.

505Together he pulled out Sarpedon’s life and the spearpoint.

There the Myrmidons held the panting horses,

straining to bolt once they had left their masters’ chariots.

508Γλαύκῳ δʼ αἰνὸν ἄχος γένετο φθογγῆς ἀΐοντι·

ὠρίνθη δέ οἱ ἦτορ ὅ τʼ οὐ δύνατο προσαμῦναι.

510χειρὶ δʼ ἑλὼν ἐπίεζε βραχίονα· τεῖρε γὰρ αὐτὸν

ἕλκος, ὃ δή μιν Τεῦκρος ἐπεσσύμενον βάλεν ἰῷ

τείχεος ὑψηλοῖο, ἀρὴν ἑτάροισιν ἀμύνων.

εὐχόμενος δʼ ἄρα εἶπεν ἑκηβόλῳ Ἀπόλλωνι·

κλῦθι ἄναξ ὅς που Λυκίης ἐν πίονι δήμῳ

515εἲς ἢ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ· δύνασαι δὲ σὺ πάντοσʼ ἀκούειν

ἀνέρι κηδομένῳ, ὡς νῦν ἐμὲ κῆδος ἱκάνει.

ἕλκος μὲν γὰρ ἔχω τόδε καρτερόν, ἀμφὶ δέ μοι χεὶρ

ὀξείῃς ὀδύνῃσιν ἐλήλαται, οὐδέ μοι αἷμα

τερσῆναι δύναται, βαρύθει δέ μοι ὦμος ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ·

520ἔγχος δʼ οὐ δύναμαι σχεῖν ἔμπεδον, οὐδὲ μάχεσθαι

ἐλθὼν δυσμενέεσσιν. ἀνὴρ δʼ ὤριστος ὄλωλε

Σαρπηδὼν Διὸς υἱός· ὃ δʼ οὐ οὗ παιδὸς ἀμύνει.

ἀλλὰ σύ πέρ μοι ἄναξ τόδε καρτερὸν ἕλκος ἄκεσσαι,

κοίμησον δʼ ὀδύνας, δὸς δὲ κράτος, ὄφρʼ ἑτάροισι

525κεκλόμενος Λυκίοισιν ἐποτρύνω πολεμίζειν,

αὐτός τʼ ἀμφὶ νέκυι κατατεθνηῶτι μάχωμαι.

ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δʼ ἔκλυε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων.

508Dread grief came over Glaucus when he heard that voice;

his heart was stirred because he could not help.

510Gripping his arm with one hand, he pressed it hard, for the wound tormented him,

the wound Teucer had given him with an arrow when he rushed

against the high wall, warding ruin from his companions.

In prayer he spoke to far-shooting Apollo:

“Hear me, lord, wherever you may be, in Lycia’s rich land

515or in Troy. You have power to hear from every place

a man in grief, as grief has now come upon me.

I have this grievous wound, and sharp pains rack

my arm; the blood

cannot dry; my shoulder is weighed down by it.

520I cannot hold my spear steady or go

to fight the enemy. Our best man has perished,

Sarpedon, son of Zeus—and Zeus does not defend his own child.

But you at least, lord, heal this grievous wound for me,

lull the pains, and grant me power, so that I may call

525and urge my Lycian companions on to battle

and myself fight around the dead man’s body.”

So he spoke in prayer, and Phoebus Apollo heard him.

528αὐτίκα παῦσʼ ὀδύνας ἀπὸ δʼ ἕλκεος ἀργαλέοιο

αἷμα μέλαν τέρσηνε, μένος δέ οἱ ἔμβαλε θυμῷ.

530Γλαῦκος δʼ ἔγνω ᾗσιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ γήθησέν τε

ὅττί οἱ ὦκʼ ἤκουσε μέγας θεὸς εὐξαμένοιο.

πρῶτα μὲν ὄτρυνεν Λυκίων ἡγήτορας ἄνδρας

πάντῃ ἐποιχόμενος Σαρπηδόνος ἀμφιμάχεσθαι·

αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα μετὰ Τρῶας κίε μακρὰ βιβάσθων

535Πουλυδάμαντʼ ἔπι Πανθοΐδην καὶ Ἀγήνορα δῖον,

βῆ δὲ μετʼ Αἰνείαν τε καὶ Ἕκτορα χαλκοκορυστήν,

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

Ἕκτορ νῦν δὴ πάγχυ λελασμένος εἰς ἐπικούρων,

οἳ σέθεν εἵνεκα τῆλε φίλων καὶ πατρίδος αἴης

540θυμὸν ἀποφθινύθουσι· σὺ δʼ οὐκ ἐθέλεις ἐπαμύνειν.

κεῖται Σαρπηδὼν Λυκίων ἀγὸς ἀσπιστάων,

ὃς Λυκίην εἴρυτο δίκῃσί τε καὶ σθένεϊ ᾧ·

τὸν δʼ ὑπὸ Πατρόκλῳ δάμασʼ ἔγχεϊ χάλκεος Ἄρης.

ἀλλὰ φίλοι πάρστητε, νεμεσσήθητε δὲ θυμῷ,

545μὴ ἀπὸ τεύχεʼ ἕλωνται, ἀεικίσσωσι δὲ νεκρὸν

Μυρμιδόνες, Δαναῶν κεχολωμένοι ὅσσοι ὄλοντο,

τοὺς ἐπὶ νηυσὶ θοῇσιν ἐπέφνομεν ἐγχείῃσιν.

528At once he stopped the pains, dried the black blood

from the grievous wound, and cast battle-force into his spirit.

530Glaucus knew it within his mind and rejoiced

that the great god had quickly heard his prayer.

First he went among the Lycian leaders and urged them,

going everywhere to rally them to fight around Sarpedon;

then he strode with long steps among the Trojans

535to Polydamas son of Panthous and godlike Agenor,

and went to Aeneas and bronze-helmeted Hector.

He stood nearby and addressed him with winged words:

“Hector, now you have utterly forgotten your allies,

who far from friends and native land

540wear out their lives for your sake, yet you will not defend them.

Sarpedon lies dead, leader of the shield-bearing Lycians,

who guarded Lycia with his judgments and his strength.

Bronze Ares has subdued him beneath Patroclus’ spear.

But friends, stand beside him, and feel indignation in your hearts:

545do not let the Myrmidons strip away his armor

and mutilate the corpse, enraged for all the Danaans

whom we killed with our spears at the swift ships.”

548ὣς ἔφατο, Τρῶας δὲ κατὰ κρῆθεν λάβε πένθος

ἄσχετον, οὐκ ἐπιεικτόν, ἐπεί σφισιν ἕρμα πόληος

550ἔσκε καὶ ἀλλοδαπός περ ἐών· πολέες γὰρ ἅμʼ αὐτῷ

λαοὶ ἕποντʼ, ἐν δʼ αὐτὸς ἀριστεύεσκε μάχεσθαι·

βὰν δʼ ἰθὺς Δαναῶν λελιημένοι· ἦρχε δʼ ἄρά σφιν

Ἕκτωρ χωόμενος Σαρπηδόνος. αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς

ὦρσε Μενοιτιάδεω Πατροκλῆος λάσιον κῆρ·

555Αἴαντε πρώτω προσέφη μεμαῶτε καὶ αὐτώ·

Αἴαντε νῦν σφῶϊν ἀμύνεσθαι φίλον ἔστω,

οἷοί περ πάρος ἦτε μετʼ ἀνδράσιν ἢ καὶ ἀρείους.

κεῖται ἀνὴρ ὃς πρῶτος ἐσήλατο τεῖχος Ἀχαιῶν

Σαρπηδών· ἀλλʼ εἴ μιν ἀεικισσαίμεθʼ ἑλόντες,

560τεύχεά τʼ ὤμοιιν ἀφελοίμεθα, καί τινʼ ἑταίρων

αὐτοῦ ἀμυνομένων δαμασαίμεθα νηλέϊ χαλκῷ.

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀλέξασθαι μενέαινον.

548So he spoke, and grief seized the Trojans from head to foot,

unbearable and unrelenting, because Sarpedon had been a pillar of their city

550though a foreigner. For many troops

had followed him, and he excelled among them in battle.

They went straight at the Danaans, eager for combat, with Hector leading,

enraged over Sarpedon. But the shaggy heart

of Patroclus son of Menoetius drove the Achaeans on.

555He spoke first to the two Ajaxes, both already eager:

“Ajaxes, now let it be dear to you both to fight in defense,

as you were before among men—or even better.

The man who first leapt onto the Achaean wall lies dead:

Sarpedon. If only we could seize and mutilate him,

560strip the armor from his shoulders, and subdue one of his companions

who defend him here with pitiless bronze.”

So he spoke, and they themselves were eager to hold the enemy off.

563οἳ δʼ ἐπεὶ ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἐκαρτύναντο φάλαγγας

Τρῶες καὶ Λύκιοι καὶ Μυρμιδόνες καὶ Ἀχαιοί,

565σύμβαλον ἀμφὶ νέκυι κατατεθνηῶτι μάχεσθαι

δεινὸν ἀΰσαντες· μέγα δʼ ἔβραχε τεύχεα φωτῶν.

Ζεὺς δʼ ἐπὶ νύκτʼ ὀλοὴν τάνυσε κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ,

ὄφρα φίλῳ περὶ παιδὶ μάχης ὀλοὸς πόνος εἴη.

ὦσαν δὲ πρότεροι Τρῶες ἑλίκωπας Ἀχαιούς·

570βλῆτο γὰρ οὔ τι κάκιστος ἀνὴρ μετὰ Μυρμιδόνεσσιν

υἱὸς Ἀγακλῆος μεγαθύμου δῖος Ἐπειγεύς,

ὅς ῥʼ ἐν Βουδείῳ εὖ ναιομένῳ ἤνασσε

τὸ πρίν· ἀτὰρ τότε γʼ ἐσθλὸν ἀνεψιὸν ἐξεναρίξας

ἐς Πηλῆʼ ἱκέτευσε καὶ ἐς Θέτιν ἀργυρόπεζαν·

575οἳ δʼ ἅμʼ Ἀχιλλῆϊ ῥηξήνορι πέμπον ἕπεσθαι

Ἴλιον εἰς εὔπωλον, ἵνα Τρώεσσι μάχοιτο.

τόν ῥα τόθʼ ἁπτόμενον νέκυος βάλε φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ

χερμαδίῳ κεφαλήν· ἣ δʼ ἄνδιχα πᾶσα κεάσθη

ἐν κόρυθι βριαρῇ· ὃ δʼ ἄρα πρηνὴς ἐπὶ νεκρῷ

580κάππεσεν, ἀμφὶ δέ μιν θάνατος χύτο θυμοραϊστής.

563When both sides had strengthened their ranks—

Trojans and Lycians, Myrmidons and Achaeans—

565they clashed to fight around the dead man’s body

with a terrible shout, and the men’s armor rang loud.

Zeus stretched ruinous night over the powerful battle,

so that the deadly labor of battle would close around his dear son.

At first the Trojans drove back the bright-eyed Achaeans,

570for a man by no means the worst among the Myrmidons was struck,

godlike Epeigeus, son of great-hearted Agacles.

He had once ruled in well-settled Budeum,

but after killing a noble cousin,

he came as a suppliant to Peleus and silver-footed Thetis.

575They sent him to accompany rank-breaking Achilles

to horse-rich Ilium, there to fight the Trojans.

As he grasped the corpse, glorious Hector struck him

on the head with a stone, and all of it split in two

inside the massive helmet. Face-first on the corpse

580he fell, and spirit-ravaging death poured over him.

581Πατρόκλῳ δʼ ἄρʼ ἄχος γένετο φθιμένου ἑτάροιο,

ἴθυσεν δὲ διὰ προμάχων ἴρηκι ἐοικὼς

ὠκέϊ, ὅς τʼ ἐφόβησε κολοιούς τε ψῆράς τε·

ὣς ἰθὺς Λυκίων Πατρόκλεες ἱπποκέλευθε

585ἔσσυο καὶ Τρώων, κεχόλωσο δὲ κῆρ ἑτάροιο.

καί ῥʼ ἔβαλε Σθενέλαον Ἰθαιμένεος φίλον υἱὸν

αὐχένα χερμαδίῳ, ῥῆξεν δʼ ἀπὸ τοῖο τένοντας.

χώρησαν δʼ ὑπό τε πρόμαχοι καὶ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ.

ὅσση δʼ αἰγανέης ῥιπὴ ταναοῖο τέτυκται,

590ἥν ῥά τʼ ἀνὴρ ἀφέῃ πειρώμενος ἢ ἐν ἀέθλῳ

ἠὲ καὶ ἐν πολέμῳ δηΐων ὕπο θυμοραϊστέων,

τόσσον ἐχώρησαν Τρῶες, ὤσαντο δʼ Ἀχαιοί.

581Grief came upon Patroclus for his fallen companion.

He drove through the front ranks like a swift

hawk that scatters jackdaws and starlings.

So straight against Lycians and Trojans, horse-driving Patroclus,

585you rushed, angry at heart for your companion.

He struck Sthenelaus, dear son of Ithaemenes,

in the neck with a stone and tore its tendons apart.

The front ranks and glorious Hector gave ground.

As far as the cast of a long throwing-spear reaches,

590when a man hurls it to test himself in a contest

or in war under the pressure of life-destroying enemies,

so far the Trojans gave ground, and the Achaeans drove them.

593Γλαῦκος δὲ πρῶτος Λυκίων ἀγὸς ἀσπιστάων

ἐτράπετʼ, ἔκτεινεν δὲ Βαθυκλῆα μεγάθυμον

595Χάλκωνος φίλον υἱόν, ὃς Ἑλλάδι οἰκία ναίων

ὄλβῳ τε πλούτῳ τε μετέπρεπε Μυρμιδόνεσσι.

τὸν μὲν ἄρα Γλαῦκος στῆθος μέσον οὔτασε δουρὶ

στρεφθεὶς ἐξαπίνης, ὅτε μιν κατέμαρπτε διώκων·

δούπησεν δὲ πεσών· πυκινὸν δʼ ἄχος ἔλλαβʼ Ἀχαιούς,

600ὡς ἔπεσʼ ἐσθλὸς ἀνήρ· μέγα δὲ Τρῶες κεχάροντο,

στὰν δʼ ἀμφʼ αὐτὸν ἰόντες ἀολλέες· οὐδʼ ἄρʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

ἀλκῆς ἐξελάθοντο, μένος δʼ ἰθὺς φέρον αὐτῶν.

593Glaucus, leader of the shield-bearing Lycians, was first

to turn about; he killed great-hearted Bathycles,

595dear son of Chalcon, who made his home in Hellas

and stood out among the Myrmidons for wealth and prosperity.

Glaucus struck him with his spear in the middle of the chest,

turning suddenly when Bathycles overtook him in pursuit.

He fell with a thud, and deep grief seized the Achaeans

600at the fall of so good a man; the Trojans rejoiced greatly

and came to stand around him in a mass. Yet the Achaeans

did not forget their courage, but carried their battle-force straight at them.

603ἔνθʼ αὖ Μηριόνης Τρώων ἕλεν ἄνδρα κορυστὴν

Λαόγονον θρασὺν υἱὸν Ὀνήτορος, ὃς Διὸς ἱρεὺς

605Ἰδαίου ἐτέτυκτο, θεὸς δʼ ὣς τίετο δήμῳ.

τὸν βάλʼ ὑπὸ γναθμοῖο καὶ οὔατος· ὦκα δὲ θυμὸς

ᾤχετʼ ἀπὸ μελέων, στυγερὸς δʼ ἄρα μιν σκότος εἷλεν.

Αἰνείας δʼ ἐπὶ Μηριόνῃ δόρυ χάλκεον ἧκεν·

ἔλπετο γὰρ τεύξεσθαι ὑπασπίδια προβιβῶντος.

610ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἄντα ἰδὼν ἠλεύατο χάλκεον ἔγχος·

πρόσσω γὰρ κατέκυψε, τὸ δʼ ἐξόπιθεν δόρυ μακρὸν

οὔδει ἐνισκίμφθη, ἐπὶ δʼ οὐρίαχος πελεμίχθη

ἔγχεος· ἔνθα δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀφίει μένος ὄβριμος Ἄρης.

αἰχμὴ δʼ Αἰνείαο κραδαινομένη κατὰ γαίης

615ᾤχετʼ, ἐπεί ῥʼ ἅλιον στιβαρῆς ἀπὸ χειρὸς ὄρουσεν.

603Then Meriones in turn killed a Trojan champion,

bold Laogonus, son of Onetor, who was priest

605of Zeus on Ida and was honored by the people like a god.

He struck him below the jaw and ear; his spirit swiftly

left his limbs, and hateful darkness seized him.

Aeneas hurled his bronze spear at Meriones,

hoping to hit him as he advanced beneath his shield.

610But Meriones saw the bronze spear coming and dodged it,

crouching forward; the long spear behind him

drove into the ground, and the butt of the spear quivered

until mighty Ares spent its force there,

while Aeneas’ spearhead, quivering, went down into the earth

615after leaping in vain from his strong hand.

616Αἰνείας δʼ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐχώσατο φώνησέν τε·

Μηριόνη τάχα κέν σε καὶ ὀρχηστήν περ ἐόντα

ἔγχος ἐμὸν κατέπαυσε διαμπερές, εἴ σʼ ἔβαλόν περ.

τὸν δʼ αὖ Μηριόνης δουρικλυτὸς ἀντίον ηὔδα·

620Αἰνεία χαλεπόν σε καὶ ἴφθιμόν περ ἐόντα

πάντων ἀνθρώπων σβέσσαι μένος, ὅς κέ σευ ἄντα

ἔλθῃ ἀμυνόμενος· θνητὸς δέ νυ καὶ σὺ τέτυξαι.

εἰ καὶ ἐγώ σε βάλοιμι τυχὼν μέσον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,

αἶψά κε καὶ κρατερός περ ἐὼν καὶ χερσὶ πεποιθὼς

625εὖχος ἐμοὶ δοίης, ψυχὴν δʼ Ἄϊδι κλυτοπώλῳ.

616Aeneas grew angry at heart and said:

“Meriones, dancer though you are, my spear

would soon have stopped you for good, if only I had struck you.”

Spear-famed Meriones answered him directly:

620“Aeneas, powerful though you are, it is hard for you

to quench the battle-force of every man who comes

against you in defense. You too were born mortal.

If I should strike you squarely with sharp bronze,

then at once, strong as you are and trusting in your hands,

625you would give me triumph, and your life to Hades of the noble horses.”

626ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ ἐνένιπε Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱός·

Μηριόνη τί σὺ ταῦτα καὶ ἐσθλὸς ἐὼν ἀγορεύεις;

ὦ πέπον οὔ τοι Τρῶες ὀνειδείοις ἐπέεσσι

νεκροῦ χωρήσουσι· πάρος τινὰ γαῖα καθέξει.

630ἐν γὰρ χερσὶ τέλος πολέμου, ἐπέων δʼ ἐνὶ βουλῇ·

τὼ οὔ τι χρὴ μῦθον ὀφέλλειν, ἀλλὰ μάχεσθαι.

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

626So he spoke, but the strong son of Menoetius rebuked him:

“Meriones, why do you, good as you are, talk this way?

My friend, the Trojans will not yield the corpse

to taunting words; before that, the earth will hold someone.

630The end of war is in hands; words belong in council.

So there is no need to multiply speech, but to fight.”

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

633τῶν δʼ ὥς τε δρυτόμων ἀνδρῶν ὀρυμαγδὸς ὀρώρει

οὔρεος ἐν βήσσῃς, ἕκαθεν δέ τε γίγνετʼ ἀκουή,

635ὣς τῶν ὄρνυτο δοῦπος ἀπὸ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης

χαλκοῦ τε ῥινοῦ τε βοῶν τʼ εὐποιητάων,

νυσσομένων ξίφεσίν τε καὶ ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοισιν.

οὐδʼ ἂν ἔτι φράδμων περ ἀνὴρ Σαρπηδόνα δῖον

ἔγνω, ἐπεὶ βελέεσσι καὶ αἵματι καὶ κονίῃσιν

640ἐκ κεφαλῆς εἴλυτο διαμπερὲς ἐς πόδας ἄκρους.

οἳ δʼ αἰεὶ περὶ νεκρὸν ὁμίλεον, ὡς ὅτε μυῖαι

σταθμῷ ἔνι βρομέωσι περιγλαγέας κατὰ πέλλας

ὥρῃ ἐν εἰαρινῇ, ὅτε τε γλάγος ἄγγεα δεύει·

ὣς ἄρα τοὶ περὶ νεκρὸν ὁμίλεον, οὐδέ ποτε Ζεὺς

645τρέψεν ἀπὸ κρατερῆς ὑσμίνης ὄσσε φαεινώ,

633A din rose from them like the clamor of woodcutters

in a mountain’s glens, and the sound carries far away.

635So their pounding rose from the broad-pathed earth,

from bronze and hide and well-made oxhide shields

stabbed by swords and double-edged spears.

Not even a discerning man could now have recognized godlike Sarpedon,

for missiles, blood, and dust had covered him

640entirely, from the crown of his head to the tips of his feet.

They crowded ceaselessly around the corpse, as flies

buzz through a farmstead around brimming milk pails

in springtime, when milk drenches the vessels.

So they crowded around the corpse. Zeus never once

645turned his bright eyes away from the fierce battle,

646ἀλλὰ κατʼ αὐτοὺς αἰὲν ὅρα καὶ φράζετο θυμῷ,

πολλὰ μάλʼ ἀμφὶ φόνῳ Πατρόκλου μερμηρίζων,

ἢ ἤδη καὶ κεῖνον ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ

αὐτοῦ ἐπʼ ἀντιθέῳ Σαρπηδόνι φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ

650χαλκῷ δῃώσῃ, ἀπό τʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἕληται,

ἦ ἔτι καὶ πλεόνεσσιν ὀφέλλειεν πόνον αἰπύν.

ὧδε δέ οἱ φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι

ὄφρʼ ἠῢς θεράπων Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος

ἐξαῦτις Τρῶάς τε καὶ Ἕκτορα χαλκοκορυστὴν

655ὤσαιτο προτὶ ἄστυ, πολέων δʼ ἀπὸ θυμὸν ἕλοιτο.

Ἕκτορι δὲ πρωτίστῳ ἀνάλκιδα θυμὸν ἐνῆκεν·

ἐς δίφρον δʼ ἀναβὰς φύγαδʼ ἔτραπε, κέκλετο δʼ ἄλλους

Τρῶας φευγέμεναι· γνῶ γὰρ Διὸς ἱρὰ τάλαντα.

ἔνθʼ οὐδʼ ἴφθιμοι Λύκιοι μένον, ἀλλὰ φόβηθεν

660πάντες, ἐπεὶ βασιλῆα ἴδον βεβλαμμένον ἦτορ

κείμενον ἐν νεκύων ἀγύρει· πολέες γὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ

κάππεσον, εὖτʼ ἔριδα κρατερὴν ἐτάνυσσε Κρονίων.

οἳ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀπʼ ὤμοιιν Σαρπηδόνος ἔντεʼ ἕλοντο

χάλκεα μαρμαίροντα, τὰ μὲν κοίλας ἐπὶ νῆας

665δῶκε φέρειν ἑτάροισι Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱός.

646but kept watching them and pondering in his heart,

weighing many things concerning Patroclus’ death:

whether glorious Hector should already kill him

there in the fierce battle over godlike Sarpedon

650with bronze and strip the armor from his shoulders,

or whether Patroclus should increase the bitter labor for still more men.

As he considered, this seemed the better course:

that the brave attendant of Peleus’ son Achilles

should drive the Trojans and bronze-helmeted Hector

655back once more toward the city and take the lives of many.

First of all Zeus put a cowardly spirit into Hector.

Hector mounted his chariot and turned in flight, calling on the other

Trojans to flee, for he recognized the sacred scales of Zeus.

Then not even the mighty Lycians stood firm; they all fled

660when they saw their king, struck to the heart,

in a heap of corpses, for many had fallen over him

when the son of Cronus stretched the fierce strife tight.

The Achaeans then stripped the armor from Sarpedon’s shoulders,

the gleaming bronze, and the strong son of Menoetius

665gave it to his companions to carry to the hollow ships.

666καὶ τότʼ Ἀπόλλωνα προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·

εἰ δʼ ἄγε νῦν φίλε Φοῖβε, κελαινεφὲς αἷμα κάθηρον

ἐλθὼν ἐκ βελέων Σαρπηδόνα, καί μιν ἔπειτα

πολλὸν ἀπὸ πρὸ φέρων λοῦσον ποταμοῖο ῥοῇσι

670χρῖσόν τʼ ἀμβροσίῃ, περὶ δʼ ἄμβροτα εἵματα ἕσσον·

πέμπε δέ μιν πομποῖσιν ἅμα κραιπνοῖσι φέρεσθαι

ὕπνῳ καὶ θανάτῳ διδυμάοσιν, οἵ ῥά μιν ὦκα

θήσουσʼ ἐν Λυκίης εὐρείης πίονι δήμῳ,

ἔνθά ἑ ταρχύσουσι κασίγνητοί τε ἔται τε

675τύμβῳ τε στήλῃ τε· τὸ γὰρ γέρας ἐστὶ θανόντων.

666Then cloud-gathering Zeus addressed Apollo:

“Come now, dear Phoebus: cleanse the dark blood from Sarpedon

once you have lifted him out of the missiles, and then

carry him far away and wash him in a river’s streams.

670Anoint him with ambrosia and clothe him in immortal garments,

then send him away to be borne by swift escorts,

Sleep and Death, the twin brothers, who will swiftly

set him down in the rich land of broad Lycia.

There his brothers and companions will prepare his funeral

675with mound and gravestone; for that is the honor due the dead.”

676ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα πατρὸς ἀνηκούστησεν Ἀπόλλων.

βῆ δὲ κατʼ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων ἐς φύλοπιν αἰνήν,

αὐτίκα δʼ ἐκ βελέων Σαρπηδόνα δῖον ἀείρας

πολλὸν ἀπὸ πρὸ φέρων λοῦσεν ποταμοῖο ῥοῇσι

680χρῖσέν τʼ ἀμβροσίῃ, περὶ δʼ ἄμβροτα εἵματα ἕσσε·

πέμπε δέ μιν πομποῖσιν ἅμα κραιπνοῖσι φέρεσθαι,

ὕπνῳ καὶ θανάτῳ διδυμάοσιν, οἵ ῥά μιν ὦκα

κάτθεσαν ἐν Λυκίης εὐρείης πίονι δήμῳ.

676So he spoke, and Apollo did not disobey his father.

He went down from the mountains of Ida into the terrible battle,

at once lifted godlike Sarpedon out of the missiles,

carried him far away, and washed him in a river’s streams.

680He anointed him with ambrosia and clothed him in immortal garments,

then sent him away to be borne by swift escorts,

Sleep and Death, the twin brothers, who will swiftly

set him down in the rich land of broad Lycia.

684Πάτροκλος δʼ ἵπποισι καὶ Αὐτομέδοντι κελεύσας

685Τρῶας καὶ Λυκίους μετεκίαθε, καὶ μέγʼ ἀάσθη

νήπιος· εἰ δὲ ἔπος Πηληϊάδαο φύλαξεν

ἦ τʼ ἂν ὑπέκφυγε κῆρα κακὴν μέλανος θανάτοιο.

ἀλλʼ αἰεί τε Διὸς κρείσσων νόος ἠέ περ ἀνδρῶν·

ὅς τε καὶ ἄλκιμον ἄνδρα φοβεῖ καὶ ἀφείλετο νίκην

690ῥηϊδίως, ὅτε δʼ αὐτὸς ἐποτρύνῃσι μάχεσθαι·

ὅς οἱ καὶ τότε θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀνῆκεν.

ἔνθα τίνα πρῶτον τίνα δʼ ὕστατον ἐξενάριξας

Πατρόκλεις, ὅτε δή σε θεοὶ θάνατον δὲ κάλεσσαν;

Ἄδρηστον μὲν πρῶτα καὶ Αὐτόνοον καὶ Ἔχεκλον

695καὶ Πέριμον Μεγάδην καὶ Ἐπίστορα καὶ Μελάνιππον,

αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ Ἔλασον καὶ Μούλιον ἠδὲ Πυλάρτην·

τοὺς ἕλεν· οἳ δʼ ἄλλοι φύγαδε μνώοντο ἕκαστος.

684But Patroclus urged on the horses and Automedon

685and pursued the Trojans and Lycians—and fell into terrible error,

fool that he was. Had he kept the word of Peleus’ son,

he would have escaped the evil fate of black death.

But the mind of Zeus is always stronger than the mind of men:

he can put even a valiant man to flight and take victory from him

690with ease, and at another time urge him on to fight.

So then he roused the spirit in Patroclus’ chest.

Whom did you cut down first, whom last, Patroclus,

when the gods summoned you toward death?

Adrestus first, then Autonous and Echeclus,

695Perimus, son of Megas, Epistor, and Melanippus,

then Elasus, Mulius, and Pylartes.

These he killed; the rest each thought only of flight.

698ἔνθά κεν ὑψίπυλον Τροίην ἕλον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

Πατρόκλου ὑπὸ χερσί, περὶ πρὸ γὰρ ἔγχεϊ θῦεν,

700εἰ μὴ Ἀπόλλων Φοῖβος ἐϋδμήτου ἐπὶ πύργου

ἔστη τῷ ὀλοὰ φρονέων, Τρώεσσι δʼ ἀρήγων.

τρὶς μὲν ἐπʼ ἀγκῶνος βῆ τείχεος ὑψηλοῖο

Πάτροκλος, τρὶς δʼ αὐτὸν ἀπεστυφέλιξεν Ἀπόλλων

χείρεσσʼ ἀθανάτῃσι φαεινὴν ἀσπίδα νύσσων.

705ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὸ τέταρτον ἐπέσσυτο δαίμονι ἶσος,

δεινὰ δʼ ὁμοκλήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

χάζεο διογενὲς Πατρόκλεες· οὔ νύ τοι αἶσα

σῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ πόλιν πέρθαι Τρώων ἀγερώχων,

οὐδʼ ὑπʼ Ἀχιλλῆος, ὅς περ σέο πολλὸν ἀμείνων.

710ὣς φάτο, Πάτροκλος δʼ ἀνεχάζετο πολλὸν ὀπίσσω

μῆνιν ἀλευάμενος ἑκατηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος.

698Then the sons of the Achaeans would have taken high-gated Troy

under Patroclus’ hands, for he raged far in front with his spear,

700had Phoebus Apollo not stood upon the well-built tower,

thinking ruin for him and giving aid to the Trojans.

Three times Patroclus stepped onto the angle of the high wall,

and three times Apollo hurled him away,

striking the shining shield with his immortal hands.

705But when for the fourth time he charged, like a god,

Apollo shouted terribly and addressed him with winged words:

“Draw back, Zeus-born Patroclus. It is not your allotted part

to sack the city of the proud Trojans beneath your spear,

nor Achilles’ either, though he is far better than you.”

710So he spoke, and Patroclus drew far back,

avoiding the wrath of far-shooting Apollo.

712Ἕκτωρ δʼ ἐν Σκαιῇσι πύλῃς ἔχε μώνυχας ἵππους·

δίζε γὰρ ἠὲ μάχοιτο κατὰ κλόνον αὖτις ἐλάσσας,

ἦ λαοὺς ἐς τεῖχος ὁμοκλήσειεν ἀλῆναι.

715ταῦτʼ ἄρα οἱ φρονέοντι παρίστατο Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων

ἀνέρι εἰσάμενος αἰζηῷ τε κρατερῷ τε

Ἀσίῳ, ὃς μήτρως ἦν Ἕκτορος ἱπποδάμοιο

αὐτοκασίγνητος Ἑκάβης, υἱὸς δὲ Δύμαντος,

ὃς Φρυγίῃ ναίεσκε ῥοῇς ἔπι Σαγγαρίοιο·

720τῷ μιν ἐεισάμενος προσέφη Διὸς υἱὸς Ἀπόλλων·

Ἕκτορ τίπτε μάχης ἀποπαύεαι; οὐδέ τί σε χρή.

αἴθʼ ὅσον ἥσσων εἰμί, τόσον σέο φέρτερος εἴην·

τώ κε τάχα στυγερῶς πολέμου ἀπερωήσειας.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε Πατρόκλῳ ἔφεπε κρατερώνυχας ἵππους,

725αἴ κέν πώς μιν ἕλῃς, δώῃ δέ τοι εὖχος Ἀπόλλων.

ὣς εἰπὼν ὃ μὲν αὖτις ἔβη θεὸς ἂμ πόνον ἀνδρῶν,

Κεβριόνῃ δʼ ἐκέλευσε δαΐφρονι φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ

ἵππους ἐς πόλεμον πεπληγέμεν. αὐτὰρ Ἀπόλλων

δύσεθʼ ὅμιλον ἰών, ἐν δὲ κλόνον Ἀργείοισιν

730ἧκε κακόν, Τρωσὶν δὲ καὶ Ἕκτορι κῦδος ὄπαζεν.

712Hector was holding his single-hoofed horses at the Scaean gates,

uncertain whether to drive back into the tumult and fight,

or call the troops to gather inside the wall.

715As he pondered, Phoebus Apollo stood beside him,

taking the shape of a vigorous and powerful man,

Asius, the maternal uncle of horse-taming Hector,

Hecuba’s own brother and a son of Dymas,

who lived in Phrygia beside the streams of the Sangarius.

720In his shape, Apollo, son of Zeus, addressed Hector:

“Hector, why have you stopped fighting? You should not.

If only I were as much your superior as I am your inferior—

then you would soon withdraw from the war to your sorrow.

Come, drive your strong-hoofed horses after Patroclus,

725in hope you may take him and Apollo grant you triumph.”

So he spoke, and the god went back into the labor of men.

Glorious Hector ordered battle-wise Cebriones

to lash the horses into the fighting. Apollo, meanwhile,

entered the throng and sent evil turmoil

730among the Argives, while granting ascendancy to the Trojans and Hector.

731Ἕκτωρ δʼ ἄλλους μὲν Δαναοὺς ἔα οὐδʼ ἐνάριζεν·

αὐτὰρ ὃ Πατρόκλῳ ἔφεπε κρατερώνυχας ἵππους.

Πάτροκλος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἀφʼ ἵππων ἆλτο χαμᾶζε

σκαιῇ ἔγχος ἔχων· ἑτέρηφι δὲ λάζετο πέτρον

735μάρμαρον ὀκριόεντα τόν οἱ περὶ χεὶρ ἐκάλυψεν,

ἧκε δʼ ἐρεισάμενος, οὐδὲ δὴν χάζετο φωτός,

οὐδʼ ἁλίωσε βέλος, βάλε δʼ Ἕκτορος ἡνιοχῆα

Κεβριόνην νόθον υἱὸν ἀγακλῆος Πριάμοιο

ἵππων ἡνίʼ ἔχοντα μετώπιον ὀξέϊ λᾶϊ.

740ἀμφοτέρας δʼ ὀφρῦς σύνελεν λίθος, οὐδέ οἱ ἔσχεν

ὀστέον, ὀφθαλμοὶ δὲ χαμαὶ πέσον ἐν κονίῃσιν

αὐτοῦ πρόσθε ποδῶν· ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀρνευτῆρι ἐοικὼς

κάππεσʼ ἀπʼ εὐεργέος δίφρου, λίπε δʼ ὀστέα θυμός.

731Hector left the other Danaans alone and killed none of them;

he drove his strong-hoofed horses after Patroclus.

Patroclus, from the other side, leapt down from his chariot,

holding his spear in his left hand; with the other he seized a stone,

735jagged and gleaming, large enough to fill his hand.

He leaned into the throw and let it fly, not shrinking long from the man,

nor did he launch his missile in vain: he struck Hector’s charioteer,

Cebriones, a bastard son of renowned Priam,

as he held the horses’ reins, on the forehead with the sharp stone.

740The stone crushed both brows together, and the bone did not stop it;

and his eyes dropped to the ground in the dust

there before his feet. Like a diver,

he plunged from the well-made chariot, and his spirit left his bones.

744τὸν δʼ ἐπικερτομέων προσέφης Πατρόκλεες ἱππεῦ·

745ὢ πόποι ἦ μάλʼ ἐλαφρὸς ἀνήρ, ὡς ῥεῖα κυβιστᾷ.

εἰ δή που καὶ πόντῳ ἐν ἰχθυόεντι γένοιτο,

πολλοὺς ἂν κορέσειεν ἀνὴρ ὅδε τήθεα διφῶν

νηὸς ἀποθρῴσκων, εἰ καὶ δυσπέμφελος εἴη,

ὡς νῦν ἐν πεδίῳ ἐξ ἵππων ῥεῖα κυβιστᾷ.

750ἦ ῥα καὶ ἐν Τρώεσσι κυβιστητῆρες ἔασιν.

744You mocked him, horseman Patroclus, and said:

745“Look at that—what a nimble man! How easily he dives!

If he were somewhere out on the fish-filled sea,

this man could feed many people by searching for oysters,

leaping from a ship even in rough water,

as easily as he now dives from his horses on the plain.

750So there are divers even among the Trojans!”

751ὣς εἰπὼν ἐπὶ Κεβριόνῃ ἥρωϊ βεβήκει

οἶμα λέοντος ἔχων, ὅς τε σταθμοὺς κεραΐζων

ἔβλητο πρὸς στῆθος, ἑή τέ μιν ὤλεσεν ἀλκή·

ὣς ἐπὶ Κεβριόνῃ Πατρόκλεες ἆλσο μεμαώς.

755Ἕκτωρ δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἀφʼ ἵππων ἆλτο χαμᾶζε.

τὼ περὶ Κεβριόναο λέονθʼ ὣς δηρινθήτην,

ὥ τʼ ὄρεος κορυφῇσι περὶ κταμένης ἐλάφοιο

ἄμφω πεινάοντε μέγα φρονέοντε μάχεσθον·

ὣς περὶ Κεβριόναο δύω μήστωρες ἀϋτῆς

760Πάτροκλός τε Μενοιτιάδης καὶ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ

ἵεντʼ ἀλλήλων ταμέειν χρόα νηλέϊ χαλκῷ.

Ἕκτωρ μὲν κεφαλῆφιν ἐπεὶ λάβεν οὐχὶ μεθίει·

Πάτροκλος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἔχεν ποδός· οἳ δὲ δὴ ἄλλοι

Τρῶες καὶ Δαναοὶ σύναγον κρατερὴν ὑσμίνην.

751So he spoke and advanced against the hero Cebriones

with the rush of a lion that, while ravaging the folds,

is struck in the chest, and its own battle-strength destroys it.

With just such eagerness, Patroclus, you sprang upon Cebriones.

755From the other side Hector leapt down from his chariot.

The two fought over Cebriones like lions

that on the peaks of a mountain fight over a slain deer,

both hungry and high-hearted.

So over Cebriones the two masters of the war cry,

760Patroclus, son of Menoetius, and glorious Hector,

were eager to cleave each other’s flesh with pitiless bronze.

Hector seized Cebriones by the head and would not let go;

Patroclus held him by the foot from the other side, while the rest,

Trojans and Danaans joined a fierce battle.

765ὡς δʼ Εὖρός τε Νότος τʼ ἐριδαίνετον ἀλλήλοιιν

οὔρεος ἐν βήσσῃς βαθέην πελεμιζέμεν ὕλην

φηγόν τε μελίην τε τανύφλοιόν τε κράνειαν,

αἵ τε πρὸς ἀλλήλας ἔβαλον τανυήκεας ὄζους

ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ, πάταγος δέ τε ἀγνυμενάων,

770ὣς Τρῶες καὶ Ἀχαιοὶ ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισι θορόντες

δῄουν, οὐδʼ ἕτεροι μνώοντʼ ὀλοοῖο φόβοιο.

πολλὰ δὲ Κεβριόνην ἀμφʼ ὀξέα δοῦρα πεπήγει

ἰοί τε πτερόεντες ἀπὸ νευρῆφι θορόντες,

πολλὰ δὲ χερμάδια μεγάλʼ ἀσπίδας ἐστυφέλιξαν

775μαρναμένων ἀμφʼ αὐτόν· ὃ δʼ ἐν στροφάλιγγι κονίης

κεῖτο μέγας μεγαλωστί, λελασμένος ἱπποσυνάων.

ὄφρα μὲν Ἠέλιος μέσον οὐρανὸν ἀμφιβεβήκει,

τόφρα μάλʼ ἀμφοτέρων βέλεʼ ἥπτετο, πῖπτε δὲ λαός·

ἦμος δʼ Ἠέλιος μετενίσετο βουλυτὸν δέ,

780καὶ τότε δή ῥʼ ὑπὲρ αἶσαν Ἀχαιοὶ φέρτεροι ἦσαν.

ἐκ μὲν Κεβριόνην βελέων ἥρωα ἔρυσσαν

Τρώων ἐξ ἐνοπῆς, καὶ ἀπʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἕλοντο,

Πάτροκλος δὲ Τρωσὶ κακὰ φρονέων ἐνόρουσε.

765As the East Wind and South Wind contend with each other

in a mountain glen, shaking a deep forest—

beech, ash, and smooth-barked cornel—

and the trees strike their long branches against each other

with an unearthly roar and the crash of breaking timber,

770so Trojans and Achaeans leapt against each other

and cut one another down; neither side thought of ruinous flight.

Many sharp spears had fixed themselves around Cebriones,

and winged arrows had sprung from bowstrings;

many great stones battered the shields

775of those fighting around him. He lay in a whirl of dust,

great in his greatness, his horsemanship forgotten.

As long as the Sun bestrode the middle of heaven,

weapons struck thickly on both sides, and the troops kept falling.

But when the Sun had turned toward the cattle-loosing hour,

780the Achaeans became stronger beyond their allotted measure.

They dragged the hero Cebriones out from under the missiles,

away from the Trojans’ battle cry, and stripped the armor from his shoulders.

Patroclus rushed upon the Trojans with ruin in mind.

784τρὶς μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἐπόρουσε θοῷ ἀτάλαντος Ἄρηϊ

785σμερδαλέα ἰάχων, τρὶς δʼ ἐννέα φῶτας ἔπεφνεν.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὸ τέταρτον ἐπέσσυτο δαίμονι ἶσος,

ἔνθʼ ἄρα τοι Πάτροκλε φάνη βιότοιο τελευτή·

ἤντετο γάρ τοι Φοῖβος ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ

δεινός· ὃ μὲν τὸν ἰόντα κατὰ κλόνον οὐκ ἐνόησεν,

790ἠέρι γὰρ πολλῇ κεκαλυμμένος ἀντεβόλησε·

στῆ δʼ ὄπιθεν, πλῆξεν δὲ μετάφρενον εὐρέε τʼ ὤμω

χειρὶ καταπρηνεῖ, στρεφεδίνηθεν δέ οἱ ὄσσε.

τοῦ δʼ ἀπὸ μὲν κρατὸς κυνέην βάλε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων·

ἣ δὲ κυλινδομένη καναχὴν ἔχε ποσσὶν ὑφʼ ἵππων

795αὐλῶπις τρυφάλεια, μιάνθησαν δὲ ἔθειραι

αἵματι καὶ κονίῃσι· πάρος γε μὲν οὐ θέμις ἦεν

ἱππόκομον πήληκα μιαίνεσθαι κονίῃσιν,

ἀλλʼ ἀνδρὸς θείοιο κάρη χαρίεν τε μέτωπον

ῥύετʼ Ἀχιλλῆος· τότε δὲ Ζεὺς Ἕκτορι δῶκεν

800ᾗ κεφαλῇ φορέειν, σχεδόθεν δέ οἱ ἦεν ὄλεθρος.

784Three times he charged, the equal of swift Ares,

785shouting terribly, and each time he killed nine men.

But when for the fourth time he charged, like a god,

then, Patroclus, the end of your life appeared.

Phoebus met you in the fierce battle,

terrible; Patroclus did not see him coming through the tumult,

790for he met him hidden in thick mist.

Apollo stood behind him and struck his back and broad shoulders

with the flat of his hand, and his eyes spun.

Phoebus Apollo knocked the helmet from his head.

It rolled clattering beneath the horses’ feet,

795the socketed helmet, and its horsehair plumes were fouled

with blood and dust. Before this it had not been permitted

for that horsehair helmet to be fouled with dust,

but it protected the head and handsome brow of a godlike man,

Achilles. But now Zeus gave it to Hector

800to wear upon his head, while doom was near him.

801πᾶν δέ οἱ ἐν χείρεσσιν ἄγη δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος

βριθὺ μέγα στιβαρὸν κεκορυθμένον· αὐτὰρ ἀπʼ ὤμων

ἀσπὶς σὺν τελαμῶνι χαμαὶ πέσε τερμιόεσσα.

λῦσε δέ οἱ θώρηκα ἄναξ Διὸς υἱὸς Ἀπόλλων.

805τὸν δʼ ἄτη φρένας εἷλε, λύθεν δʼ ὑπὸ φαίδιμα γυῖα,

στῆ δὲ ταφών· ὄπιθεν δὲ μετάφρενον ὀξέϊ δουρὶ

ὤμων μεσσηγὺς σχεδόθεν βάλε Δάρδανος ἀνὴρ

Πανθοΐδης Εὔφορβος, ὃς ἡλικίην ἐκέκαστο

ἔγχεΐ θʼ ἱπποσύνῃ τε πόδεσσί τε καρπαλίμοισι·

810καὶ γὰρ δὴ τότε φῶτας ἐείκοσι βῆσεν ἀφʼ ἵππων

πρῶτʼ ἐλθὼν σὺν ὄχεσφι διδασκόμενος πολέμοιο·

ὅς τοι πρῶτος ἐφῆκε βέλος Πατρόκλεες ἱππεῦ

οὐδὲ δάμασσʼ· ὃ μὲν αὖτις ἀνέδραμε, μίκτο δʼ ὁμίλῳ,

ἐκ χροὸς ἁρπάξας δόρυ μείλινον, οὐδʼ ὑπέμεινε

815Πάτροκλον γυμνόν περ ἐόντʼ ἐν δηϊοτῆτι.

Πάτροκλος δὲ θεοῦ πληγῇ καὶ δουρὶ δαμασθεὶς

ἂψ ἑτάρων εἰς ἔθνος ἐχάζετο κῆρʼ ἀλεείνων.

801His whole long-shadowed spear shattered in Patroclus’ hands,

heavy, huge, strong, and bronze-shod; from his shoulders

his fringed shield fell to the ground with its strap.

Lord Apollo, son of Zeus, loosened his breastplate.

805Delusion seized his mind, and his shining limbs went slack.

He stood stunned. From close behind, between his shoulders,

a Dardanian man struck his back with a sharp spear:

Euphorbus, son of Panthous, who surpassed his age-mates

with spear, horsemanship, and swift-running feet.

810Even then he had brought twenty men down from their horses

on his first arrival with his chariot, while still learning the work of war.

He was the first to launch a missile at you, horseman Patroclus,

but did not subdue you. He ran back and merged with the throng,

snatching his ash spear from your flesh; he did not await

815Patroclus in the fighting, though Patroclus was stripped of armor.

Mastered by the god’s blow and by the spear, Patroclus

withdrew into the mass of his companions, trying to escape fate.

818Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς εἶδεν Πατροκλῆα μεγάθυμον

ἂψ ἀναχαζόμενον βεβλημένον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,

820ἀγχίμολόν ῥά οἱ ἦλθε κατὰ στίχας, οὖτα δὲ δουρὶ

νείατον ἐς κενεῶνα, διὰ πρὸ δὲ χαλκὸν ἔλασσε·

δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, μέγα δʼ ἤκαχε λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν·

ὡς δʼ ὅτε σῦν ἀκάμαντα λέων ἐβιήσατο χάρμῃ,

ὥ τʼ ὄρεος κορυφῇσι μέγα φρονέοντε μάχεσθον

825πίδακος ἀμφʼ ὀλίγης· ἐθέλουσι δὲ πιέμεν ἄμφω·

πολλὰ δέ τʼ ἀσθμαίνοντα λέων ἐδάμασσε βίηφιν·

ὣς πολέας πεφνόντα Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμον υἱὸν

Ἕκτωρ Πριαμίδης σχεδὸν ἔγχεϊ θυμὸν ἀπηύρα,

καί οἱ ἐπευχόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

818When Hector saw great-hearted Patroclus

drawing back, wounded by sharp bronze,

820he came close through the ranks and struck him with his spear

in the lowest part of the flank, driving the bronze straight through.

He fell with a thud, and brought great grief to the Achaean host.

As when a lion overcomes a tireless boar in battle

as the two fight high-hearted on a mountain’s peaks

825over a little spring, both longing to drink,

and the lion subdues the boar by force as it pants hard—

so, after the strong son of Menoetius had killed many,

Hector, son of Priam, robbed him of life at close range with his spear.

He exulted over him and addressed him with winged words:

830Πάτροκλʼ ἦ που ἔφησθα πόλιν κεραϊξέμεν ἁμήν,

Τρωϊάδας δὲ γυναῖκας ἐλεύθερον ἦμαρ ἀπούρας

ἄξειν ἐν νήεσσι φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν

νήπιε· τάων δὲ πρόσθʼ Ἕκτορος ὠκέες ἵπποι

ποσσὶν ὀρωρέχαται πολεμίζειν· ἔγχεϊ δʼ αὐτὸς

835Τρωσὶ φιλοπτολέμοισι μεταπρέπω, ὅ σφιν ἀμύνω

ἦμαρ ἀναγκαῖον· σὲ δέ τʼ ἐνθάδε γῦπες ἔδονται.

ἆ δείλʼ, οὐδέ τοι ἐσθλὸς ἐὼν χραίσμησεν Ἀχιλλεύς,

ὅς πού τοι μάλα πολλὰ μένων ἐπετέλλετʼ ἰόντι·

μή μοι πρὶν ἰέναι Πατρόκλεες ἱπποκέλευθε

840νῆας ἔπι γλαφυρὰς πρὶν Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο

αἱματόεντα χιτῶνα περὶ στήθεσσι δαΐξαι.

ὥς πού σε προσέφη, σοὶ δὲ φρένας ἄφρονι πεῖθε.

τὸν δʼ ὀλιγοδρανέων προσέφης Πατρόκλεες ἱππεῦ·

ἤδη νῦν Ἕκτορ μεγάλʼ εὔχεο· σοὶ γὰρ ἔδωκε

845νίκην Ζεὺς Κρονίδης καὶ Ἀπόλλων, οἵ με δάμασσαν

ῥηιδίως· αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀπʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἕλοντο.

τοιοῦτοι δʼ εἴ πέρ μοι ἐείκοσιν ἀντεβόλησαν,

πάντές κʼ αὐτόθʼ ὄλοντο ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ δαμέντες.

ἀλλά με μοῖρʼ ὀλοὴ καὶ Λητοῦς ἔκτανεν υἱός,

850ἀνδρῶν δʼ Εὔφορβος· σὺ δέ με τρίτος ἐξεναρίζεις.

ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·

οὔ θην οὐδʼ αὐτὸς δηρὸν βέῃ, ἀλλά τοι ἤδη

ἄγχι παρέστηκεν θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κραταιὴ

χερσὶ δαμέντʼ Ἀχιλῆος ἀμύμονος Αἰακίδαο.

830“Patroclus, you claimed, I suppose, that you would sack our city,

rob the Trojan women of their day of freedom,

and carry them in ships to your dear fatherland,

fool. But before them Hector’s swift horses

stretch their legs for war, and I myself with my spear

835stand foremost among the war-loving Trojans, defending them

from the day of slavery. But vultures will eat you here.

Poor wretch, Achilles, brave though he was, could not help you,

though he stayed behind and gave you many orders as you went:

‘Horse-driving Patroclus, do not return to me

840by the hollow ships before you have torn

the bloodstained tunic around man-slaying Hector’s chest.’

So he must have told you, and he persuaded your foolish mind.”

Then, failing fast, you answered him, horseman Patroclus:

“Now, Hector, boast greatly, for victory was given you

845by Zeus, son of Cronus, and Apollo, who subdued me

with ease, for they themselves stripped the armor from my shoulders.

If twenty men such as you had met me,

all would have died here, brought down beneath my spear.

But deadly fate and Leto’s son killed me,

850and among men Euphorbus; you are the third to kill me.

One thing more I will tell you; lay it within your mind:

you yourself will not live much longer. Already

death and mighty fate stand close beside you:

you will fall beneath the hands of Achilles, blameless descendant of Aeacus.”

855ὣς ἄρα μιν εἰπόντα τέλος θανάτοιο κάλυψε·

ψυχὴ δʼ ἐκ ῥεθέων πταμένη Ἄϊδος δὲ βεβήκει

ὃν πότμον γοόωσα λιποῦσʼ ἀνδροτῆτα καὶ ἥβην.

τὸν καὶ τεθνηῶτα προσηύδα φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·

Πατρόκλεις τί νύ μοι μαντεύεαι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον;

860τίς δʼ οἶδʼ εἴ κʼ Ἀχιλεὺς Θέτιδος πάϊς ἠϋκόμοιο

φθήῃ ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἀπὸ θυμὸν ὀλέσσαι;

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας δόρυ χάλκεον ἐξ ὠτειλῆς

εἴρυσε λὰξ προσβάς, τὸν δʼ ὕπτιον ὦσʼ ἀπὸ δουρός.

αὐτίκα δὲ ξὺν δουρὶ μετʼ Αὐτομέδοντα βεβήκει

865ἀντίθεον θεράποντα ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο·

ἵετο γὰρ βαλέειν· τὸν δʼ ἔκφερον ὠκέες ἵπποι

ἄμβροτοι, οὓς Πηλῆϊ θεοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα.

855As he spoke, the end that death brings covered him.

His soul flew from his limbs and went down to Hades,

lamenting its lot, leaving manhood and youth behind.

Glorious Hector addressed him even in death:

“Patroclus, why do you prophesy sheer destruction for me?

860Who knows whether Achilles, son of lovely-haired Thetis,

may not lose his life first, struck beneath my spear?”

So he spoke and drew the bronze spear from the wound,

bracing with his foot; he shoved the body backward off the spear.

At once he went with his spear after Automedon,

865the godlike attendant of the swift-footed son of Aeacus,

for he was eager to strike him. But the swift horses bore Automedon away,

the immortal horses the gods had given Peleus as glorious gifts.