Iliad, Book 18: Achilles’ Grief

1ὣς οἳ μὲν μάρναντο δέμας πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο,

Ἀντίλοχος δʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ πόδας ταχὺς ἄγγελος ἦλθε.

τὸν δʼ εὗρε προπάροιθε νεῶν ὀρθοκραιράων

τὰ φρονέοντʼ ἀνὰ θυμὸν ἃ δὴ τετελεσμένα ἦεν·

5ὀχθήσας δʼ ἄρα εἶπε πρὸς ὃν μεγαλήτορα θυμόν·

ὤ μοι ἐγώ, τί τʼ ἄρʼ αὖτε κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοὶ

νηυσὶν ἔπι κλονέονται ἀτυζόμενοι πεδίοιο;

μὴ δή μοι τελέσωσι θεοὶ κακὰ κήδεα θυμῷ,

ὥς ποτέ μοι μήτηρ διεπέφραδε καί μοι ἔειπε

10Μυρμιδόνων τὸν ἄριστον ἔτι ζώοντος ἐμεῖο

χερσὶν ὕπο Τρώων λείψειν φάος ἠελίοιο.

ἦ μάλα δὴ τέθνηκε Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱὸς

σχέτλιος· ἦ τʼ ἐκέλευον ἀπωσάμενον δήϊον πῦρ

ἂψ ἐπὶ νῆας ἴμεν, μηδʼ Ἕκτορι ἶφι μάχεσθαι.

1So they fought on, like blazing fire,

and swift-footed Antilochus came as messenger to Achilles.

He found him before the upright-prowed ships,

thinking over in his spirit what had already come to pass.

5Troubled, he spoke to his own great-hearted spirit:

“Ah me! Why again are the long-haired Achaeans

being driven in panic over the plain toward the ships?

May the gods not now fulfill for me those evil griefs for my heart

as my mother once foretold and told me:

10while I am still alive, the best of the Myrmidons

will leave the sunlight beneath the Trojans’ hands.

Surely now the valiant son of Menoetius is dead—

reckless man! I told him, after driving off the consuming fire,

to return to the ships, not fight Hector in force.”

15εἷος ὃ ταῦθʼ ὥρμαινε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,

τόφρά οἱ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθεν ἀγαυοῦ Νέστορος υἱὸς

δάκρυα θερμὰ χέων, φάτο δʼ ἀγγελίην ἀλεγεινήν·

ὤ μοι Πηλέος υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἦ μάλα λυγρῆς

πεύσεαι ἀγγελίης, ἣ μὴ ὤφελλε γενέσθαι.

20κεῖται Πάτροκλος, νέκυος δὲ δὴ ἀμφιμάχονται

γυμνοῦ· ἀτὰρ τά γε τεύχεʼ ἔχει κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ.

15While he weighed these things in mind and spirit,

the son of glorious Nestor came close to him,

shedding hot tears, and spoke the grievous message:

“Ah, son of war-wise Peleus, you will hear

terrible news, which should never have happened.

20Patroclus lies dead, and now they fight around his corpse,

naked; flashing-helmeted Hector has his armor.”

22ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ ἄχεος νεφέλη ἐκάλυψε μέλαινα·

ἀμφοτέρῃσι δὲ χερσὶν ἑλὼν κόνιν αἰθαλόεσσαν

χεύατο κὰκ κεφαλῆς, χαρίεν δʼ ᾔσχυνε πρόσωπον·

25νεκταρέῳ δὲ χιτῶνι μέλαινʼ ἀμφίζανε τέφρη.

αὐτὸς δʼ ἐν κονίῃσι μέγας μεγαλωστὶ τανυσθεὶς

κεῖτο, φίλῃσι δὲ χερσὶ κόμην ᾔσχυνε δαΐζων.

δμῳαὶ δʼ ἃς Ἀχιλεὺς ληΐσσατο Πάτροκλός τε

θυμὸν ἀκηχέμεναι μεγάλʼ ἴαχον, ἐκ δὲ θύραζε

30ἔδραμον ἀμφʼ Ἀχιλῆα δαΐφρονα, χερσὶ δὲ πᾶσαι

στήθεα πεπλήγοντο, λύθεν δʼ ὑπὸ γυῖα ἑκάστης.

Ἀντίλοχος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ὀδύρετο δάκρυα λείβων

χεῖρας ἔχων Ἀχιλῆος· ὃ δʼ ἔστενε κυδάλιμον κῆρ·

δείδιε γὰρ μὴ λαιμὸν ἀπαμήσειε σιδήρῳ.

22So he spoke, and a black cloud of grief covered Achilles.

With both hands he took up soot-black dust

and poured it down over his head, defiling his lovely face;

25black ash settled all around his nectar-fragrant tunic.

He himself lay in the dust, his great body stretched at full length,

and with his own hands he tore and defiled his hair.

The captive women Achilles and Patroclus had taken as plunder

cried out loudly in anguish of heart, and through the doors

30ran out around war-wise Achilles; with their hands they all

beat their breasts, and each woman’s limbs gave way beneath her.

On the other side Antilochus lamented, letting fall tears,

holding Achilles’ hands, while Achilles groaned in his noble heart;

for he feared Achilles might cut his throat with the iron.

35σμερδαλέον δʼ ᾤμωξεν· ἄκουσε δὲ πότνια μήτηρ

ἡμένη ἐν βένθεσσιν ἁλὸς παρὰ πατρὶ γέροντι,

κώκυσέν τʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα· θεαὶ δέ μιν ἀμφαγέροντο

πᾶσαι ὅσαι κατὰ βένθος ἁλὸς Νηρηΐδες ἦσαν.

ἔνθʼ ἄρʼ ἔην Γλαύκη τε Θάλειά τε Κυμοδόκη τε

40Νησαίη Σπειώ τε Θόη θʼ Ἁλίη τε βοῶπις

Κυμοθόη τε καὶ Ἀκταίη καὶ Λιμνώρεια

καὶ Μελίτη καὶ Ἴαιρα καὶ Ἀμφιθόη καὶ Ἀγαυὴ

Δωτώ τε Πρωτώ τε Φέρουσά τε Δυναμένη τε

Δεξαμένη τε καὶ Ἀμφινόμη καὶ Καλλιάνειρα

45Δωρὶς καὶ Πανόπη καὶ ἀγακλειτὴ Γαλάτεια

Νημερτής τε καὶ Ἀψευδὴς καὶ Καλλιάνασσα·

ἔνθα δʼ ἔην Κλυμένη Ἰάνειρά τε καὶ Ἰάνασσα

Μαῖρα καὶ Ὠρείθυια ἐϋπλόκαμός τʼ Ἀμάθεια

ἄλλαι θʼ αἳ κατὰ βένθος ἁλὸς Νηρηΐδες ἦσαν.

50τῶν δὲ καὶ ἀργύφεον πλῆτο σπέος· αἳ δʼ ἅμα πᾶσαι

στήθεα πεπλήγοντο, Θέτις δʼ ἐξῆρχε γόοιο·

35He gave a terrible cry, and his lady mother heard him,

sitting in the depths of the sea beside her aged father.

Then she wailed; the goddesses gathered around her,

all the Nereids who were in the depths of the sea.

There were Glauce, Thalia, and Cymodoce,

40Nesaea, Speio, Thoe, and ox-eyed Halia,

Cymothoe, Actaea, and Limnorea,

Melite, Iaera, Amphithoe, and Agave,

Doto, Proto, Pherusa, and Dynamene,

Dexamene, Amphinome, and Callianeira,

45Doris, Panope, and widely famed Galatea,

Nemertes, Apseudes, and Callianassa;

there too were Clymene, Ianeira, and Ianassa,

Maera, Oreithyia, and lovely-haired Amatheia,

and the other Nereids who were in the depths of the sea.

50Their silver cave was filled with them; together they all

beat their breasts, and Thetis began the lament:

52κλῦτε κασίγνηται Νηρηΐδες, ὄφρʼ ἐῢ πᾶσαι

εἴδετʼ ἀκούουσαι ὅσʼ ἐμῷ ἔνι κήδεα θυμῷ.

ὤ μοι ἐγὼ δειλή, ὤ μοι δυσαριστοτόκεια,

55ἥ τʼ ἐπεὶ ἂρ τέκον υἱὸν ἀμύμονά τε κρατερόν τε

ἔξοχον ἡρώων· ὃ δʼ ἀνέδραμεν ἔρνεϊ ἶσος·

τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ θρέψασα φυτὸν ὣς γουνῷ ἀλωῆς

νηυσὶν ἐπιπροέηκα κορωνίσιν Ἴλιον εἴσω

Τρωσὶ μαχησόμενον· τὸν δʼ οὐχ ὑποδέξομαι αὖτις

60οἴκαδε νοστήσαντα δόμον Πηλήϊον εἴσω.

ὄφρα δέ μοι ζώει καὶ ὁρᾷ φάος ἠελίοιο

ἄχνυται, οὐδέ τί οἱ δύναμαι χραισμῆσαι ἰοῦσα.

ἀλλʼ εἶμʼ, ὄφρα ἴδωμι φίλον τέκος, ἠδʼ ἐπακούσω

ὅττί μιν ἵκετο πένθος ἀπὸ πτολέμοιο μένοντα.

52“Listen, sister Nereids, so that all of you may fully

know by hearing how many sorrows are in my heart.

Ah, wretched me! Ah, ill-fated mother of the best of sons,

55for I bore a son blameless and strong,

outstanding among heroes; he shot up like a sapling.

I raised him like a young plant on the slope of an orchard

and sent him in beaked ships toward Ilium

to fight the Trojans; but I will never welcome him back

60as he returns home to the house of Peleus.

So long as my son lives and sees the light of the sun,

he grieves, and though I go to him I can give him no help.

Yet I will go, to see my dear child and hear

what grief has reached him while he stays away from war.”

65ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα λίπε σπέος· αἳ δὲ σὺν αὐτῇ

δακρυόεσσαι ἴσαν, περὶ δέ σφισι κῦμα θαλάσσης

ῥήγνυτο· ταὶ δʼ ὅτε δὴ Τροίην ἐρίβωλον ἵκοντο

ἀκτὴν εἰσανέβαινον ἐπισχερώ, ἔνθα θαμειαὶ

Μυρμιδόνων εἴρυντο νέες ταχὺν ἀμφʼ Ἀχιλῆα.

70τῷ δὲ βαρὺ στενάχοντι παρίστατο πότνια μήτηρ,

ὀξὺ δὲ κωκύσασα κάρη λάβε παιδὸς ἑοῖο,

καί ῥʼ ὀλοφυρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

65So saying, she left the cave; they went with her

in tears, while the sea wave broke around them.

When they reached rich-soiled Troy,

they came ashore in file, where thickly

the Myrmidon ships were drawn up around swift Achilles.

70His lady mother stood beside him as he groaned heavily;

with a piercing cry, she took her child’s head,

and lamenting addressed him with winged words:

73τέκνον τί κλαίεις; τί δέ σε φρένας ἵκετο πένθος;

ἐξαύδα, μὴ κεῦθε· τὰ μὲν δή τοι τετέλεσται

75ἐκ Διός, ὡς ἄρα δὴ πρίν γʼ εὔχεο χεῖρας ἀνασχὼν

πάντας ἐπὶ πρύμνῃσιν ἀλήμεναι υἷας Ἀχαιῶν

σεῦ ἐπιδευομένους, παθέειν τʼ ἀεκήλια ἔργα.

73“Child, why are you weeping? What grief has reached your heart?

Speak out; do not hide it. These things have now been fulfilled for you

75by Zeus, just as before you prayed, lifting your hands,

that all the sons of the Achaeans should be hemmed in at the sterns,

and suffer shameful deeds, needing you.”

78τὴν δὲ βαρὺ στενάχων προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

μῆτερ ἐμή, τὰ μὲν ἄρ μοι Ὀλύμπιος ἐξετέλεσσεν·

80ἀλλὰ τί μοι τῶν ἦδος ἐπεὶ φίλος ὤλεθʼ ἑταῖρος

Πάτροκλος, τὸν ἐγὼ περὶ πάντων τῖον ἑταίρων

ἶσον ἐμῇ κεφαλῇ; τὸν ἀπώλεσα, τεύχεα δʼ Ἕκτωρ

δῃώσας ἀπέδυσε πελώρια θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι

καλά· τὰ μὲν Πηλῆϊ θεοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα

85ἤματι τῷ ὅτε σε βροτοῦ ἀνέρος ἔμβαλον εὐνῇ.

αἴθʼ ὄφελες σὺ μὲν αὖθι μετʼ ἀθανάτῃς ἁλίῃσι

ναίειν, Πηλεὺς δὲ θνητὴν ἀγαγέσθαι ἄκοιτιν.

νῦν δʼ ἵνα καὶ σοὶ πένθος ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μυρίον εἴη

παιδὸς ἀποφθιμένοιο, τὸν οὐχ ὑποδέξεαι αὖτις

90οἴκαδε νοστήσαντʼ, ἐπεὶ οὐδʼ ἐμὲ θυμὸς ἄνωγε

ζώειν οὐδʼ ἄνδρεσσι μετέμμεναι, αἴ κε μὴ Ἕκτωρ

πρῶτος ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἀπὸ θυμὸν ὀλέσσῃ,

Πατρόκλοιο δʼ ἕλωρα Μενοιτιάδεω ἀποτίσῃ.

78Swift-footed Achilles answered her with a heavy groan:

“Mother, the Olympian has fulfilled all this for me.

80But what pleasure is there in it, since my dear companion has died,

Patroclus, whom I honored above all my companions,

dear to me as my own life? I have lost him, and Hector

cut him down and stripped away that immense armor, a wonder to see,

beautiful armor the gods gave Peleus as glorious gifts

85on the day they placed you in a mortal man’s bed.

I wish you had remained there among the immortal sea goddesses

and Peleus had taken a mortal wife.

Now all this was so you too might have endless grief in your heart

for your dead son, whom you will never welcome again

90returning home; for my spirit no longer urges me

to live or remain among men, unless Hector

first, struck by my spear, loses his life

and pays for making Patroclus, Menoetius’ son, a spoil.”

94τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Θέτις κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα·

95ὠκύμορος δή μοι τέκος ἔσσεαι, οἷʼ ἀγορεύεις·

αὐτίκα γάρ τοι ἔπειτα μεθʼ Ἕκτορα πότμος ἑτοῖμος.

94Then Thetis answered him, shedding tears:

95“Then you will be swift-doomed, my child, from what you say;

for immediately after Hector your own death is ready.”

97τὴν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

αὐτίκα τεθναίην, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἄρʼ ἔμελλον ἑταίρῳ

κτεινομένῳ ἐπαμῦναι· ὃ μὲν μάλα τηλόθι πάτρης

100ἔφθιτʼ, ἐμεῖο δὲ δῆσεν ἀρῆς ἀλκτῆρα γενέσθαι.

νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ οὐ νέομαί γε φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,

οὐδέ τι Πατρόκλῳ γενόμην φάος οὐδʼ ἑτάροισι

τοῖς ἄλλοις, οἳ δὴ πολέες δάμεν Ἕκτορι δίῳ,

ἀλλʼ ἧμαι παρὰ νηυσὶν ἐτώσιον ἄχθος ἀρούρης,

105τοῖος ἐὼν οἷος οὔ τις Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων

ἐν πολέμῳ· ἀγορῇ δέ τʼ ἀμείνονές εἰσι καὶ ἄλλοι.

ὡς ἔρις ἔκ τε θεῶν ἔκ τʼ ἀνθρώπων ἀπόλοιτο

καὶ χόλος, ὅς τʼ ἐφέηκε πολύφρονά περ χαλεπῆναι,

ὅς τε πολὺ γλυκίων μέλιτος καταλειβομένοιο

110ἀνδρῶν ἐν στήθεσσιν ἀέξεται ἠΰτε καπνός·

ὡς ἐμὲ νῦν ἐχόλωσεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων.

ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν προτετύχθαι ἐάσομεν ἀχνύμενοί περ,

θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλον δαμάσαντες ἀνάγκῃ·

νῦν δʼ εἶμʼ ὄφρα φίλης κεφαλῆς ὀλετῆρα κιχείω

115Ἕκτορα· κῆρα δʼ ἐγὼ τότε δέξομαι ὁππότε κεν δὴ

Ζεὺς ἐθέλῃ τελέσαι ἠδʼ ἀθάνατοι θεοὶ ἄλλοι.

οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ βίη Ἡρακλῆος φύγε κῆρα,

ὅς περ φίλτατος ἔσκε Διὶ Κρονίωνι ἄνακτι·

ἀλλά ἑ μοῖρα δάμασσε καὶ ἀργαλέος χόλος Ἥρης.

120ὣς καὶ ἐγών, εἰ δή μοι ὁμοίη μοῖρα τέτυκται,

κείσομʼ ἐπεί κε θάνω· νῦν δὲ κλέος ἐσθλὸν ἀροίμην,

καί τινα Τρωϊάδων καὶ Δαρδανίδων βαθυκόλπων

ἀμφοτέρῃσιν χερσὶ παρειάων ἁπαλάων

δάκρυʼ ὀμορξαμένην ἁδινὸν στοναχῆσαι ἐφείην,

125γνοῖεν δʼ ὡς δὴ δηρὸν ἐγὼ πολέμοιο πέπαυμαι·

μὴ δέ μʼ ἔρυκε μάχης φιλέουσά περ· οὐδέ με πείσεις.

97Swift-footed Achilles answered her, deeply troubled:

“Then let me die at once, since I was not fated to defend

my companion when he was killed. Far from his homeland

100he died, and needed me to stand against his ruin.

Now, since I will not return to my dear native land,

and was no saving light to Patroclus or my other companions,

so many of whom were killed by godlike Hector,

but sit beside the ships, a useless burden on the earth—

105I, who have no equal among the bronze-clad Achaeans

in war, though others are better in assembly—

may strife perish from gods and mortals alike,

and anger, which drives even a thoughtful man to rage,

which is far sweeter than dripping honey

110and grows like smoke within men’s breasts.

So the lord of men Agamemnon angered me.

But grieving though we are, we will let the past be past,

subduing the spirit in our breasts because we must.

Now I will go after the killer of the one I loved as my own life—

115Hector. I will accept my death whenever

Zeus and the other immortal gods wish to fulfill it.

Not even mighty Heracles escaped death,

though he was dearest to lord Zeus son of Cronus;

fate mastered him, and Hera’s bitter anger.

120So too, if the same fate is prepared for me,

I will lie when I am dead. But now may I win noble fame

and make some deep-bosomed Trojan or Dardanian woman

with both hands wipe tears from her tender cheeks

and groan deeply.

125Let them know how long I have stayed out of war.

Do not hold me back from battle, though you love me; you will not persuade me.”

127τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα·

ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε τέκνον ἐτήτυμον οὐ κακόν ἐστι

τειρομένοις ἑτάροισιν ἀμυνέμεν αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.

130ἀλλά τοι ἔντεα καλὰ μετὰ Τρώεσσιν ἔχονται

χάλκεα μαρμαίροντα· τὰ μὲν κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ

αὐτὸς ἔχων ὤμοισιν ἀγάλλεται· οὐδέ ἕ φημι

δηρὸν ἐπαγλαϊεῖσθαι, ἐπεὶ φόνος ἐγγύθεν αὐτῷ.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν μή πω καταδύσεο μῶλον Ἄρηος

135πρίν γʼ ἐμὲ δεῦρʼ ἐλθοῦσαν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδηαι·

ἠῶθεν γὰρ νεῦμαι ἅμʼ ἠελίῳ ἀνιόντι

τεύχεα καλὰ φέρουσα παρʼ Ἡφαίστοιο ἄνακτος.

127Then silver-footed goddess Thetis answered him:

“Yes, child, what you say is indeed no evil:

to ward off sheer destruction from your hard-pressed companions.

130But your beautiful armor is held among the Trojans,

bronze armor flashing; flashing-helmeted Hector

glories in wearing it on his shoulders. Yet I say

he will not glory in it long, for slaughter is near him.

Do not yet enter the melee of Ares

135until you see me return here before your eyes;

for at dawn I will come back with the rising sun,

bringing you beautiful armor from lord Hephaestus.”

138ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα πάλιν τράπεθʼ υἷος ἑοῖο,

καὶ στρεφθεῖσʼ ἁλίῃσι κασιγνήτῃσι μετηύδα·

140ὑμεῖς μὲν νῦν δῦτε θαλάσσης εὐρέα κόλπον

ὀψόμεναί τε γέρονθʼ ἅλιον καὶ δώματα πατρός,

καί οἱ πάντʼ ἀγορεύσατʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον

εἶμι παρʼ Ἥφαιστον κλυτοτέχνην, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν

υἱεῖ ἐμῷ δόμεναι κλυτὰ τεύχεα παμφανόωντα.

145ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἳ δʼ ὑπὸ κῦμα θαλάσσης αὐτίκʼ ἔδυσαν·

ἣ δʼ αὖτʼ Οὔλυμπον δὲ θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα

ἤϊεν ὄφρα φίλῳ παιδὶ κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ ἐνείκαι.

138So saying, she turned away again from her son,

and turning to her sister sea goddesses, said:

140“Now you must plunge into the sea’s broad gulf

to see the aged sea-god and our father’s halls,

and tell him everything. I am going to high Olympus,

to famous craftsman Hephaestus, in hope he will consent

to give my son glorious, all-gleaming armor.”

145So she spoke, and they at once plunged beneath the sea wave;

but silver-footed goddess Thetis set out for Olympus

to bring glorious armor to her dear son.

148τὴν μὲν ἄρʼ Οὔλυμπον δὲ πόδες φέρον· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ

θεσπεσίῳ ἀλαλητῷ ὑφʼ Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο

150φεύγοντες νῆάς τε καὶ Ἑλλήσποντον ἵκοντο.

οὐδέ κε Πάτροκλόν περ ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ

ἐκ βελέων ἐρύσαντο νέκυν θεράποντʼ Ἀχιλῆος·

αὖτις γὰρ δὴ τόν γε κίχον λαός τε καὶ ἵπποι

Ἕκτωρ τε Πριάμοιο πάϊς φλογὶ εἴκελος ἀλκήν.

155τρὶς μέν μιν μετόπισθε ποδῶν λάβε φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ

ἑλκέμεναι μεμαώς, μέγα δὲ Τρώεσσιν ὁμόκλα·

τρὶς δὲ δύʼ Αἴαντες θοῦριν ἐπιειμένοι ἀλκὴν

νεκροῦ ἀπεστυφέλιξαν· ὃ δʼ ἔμπεδον ἀλκὶ πεποιθὼς

ἄλλοτʼ ἐπαΐξασκε κατὰ μόθον, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε

160στάσκε μέγα ἰάχων· ὀπίσω δʼ οὐ χάζετο πάμπαν.

148Her feet carried her toward Olympus; meanwhile the Achaeans,

fleeing before the prodigious battle cry of man-killing Hector,

150reached the ships and the Hellespont.

Nor could the well-greaved Achaeans have drawn the dead Patroclus,

Achilles’ attendant, out from under the missiles;

for again the troops and horses overtook him,

along with Hector son of Priam, whose battle-strength was like flame.

155Three times glorious Hector seized him from behind by the feet,

straining to drag him, and shouted loudly to the Trojans;

three times the two Ajaxes, clothed in furious courage,

beat him back from the corpse. But he, steadfast and trusting his strength,

now charged through the melee, now again

160stood shouting loudly; he never wholly gave ground.

161ὡς δʼ ἀπὸ σώματος οὔ τι λέοντʼ αἴθωνα δύνανται

ποιμένες ἄγραυλοι μέγα πεινάοντα δίεσθαι,

ὥς ῥα τὸν οὐκ ἐδύναντο δύω Αἴαντε κορυστὰ

Ἕκτορα Πριαμίδην ἀπὸ νεκροῦ δειδίξασθαι.

165καί νύ κεν εἴρυσσέν τε καὶ ἄσπετον ἤρατο κῦδος,

εἰ μὴ Πηλεΐωνι ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις

ἄγγελος ἦλθε θέουσʼ ἀπʼ Ὀλύμπου θωρήσσεσθαι

κρύβδα Διὸς ἄλλων τε θεῶν· πρὸ γὰρ ἧκέ μιν Ἥρη.

161As shepherds in the fields cannot drive a tawny lion

from a carcass, famished though he is,

so the two Ajaxes, armed for war, could not

frighten Hector son of Priam away from the corpse.

165He would have dragged him off and won boundless glory

if wind-footed, swift Iris had not come to the son of Peleus,

racing from Olympus as a messenger to bid him arm,

unknown to Zeus and the other gods, for Hera had sent her forth.

169ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

170ὄρσεο Πηλεΐδη, πάντων ἐκπαγλότατʼ ἀνδρῶν·

Πατρόκλῳ ἐπάμυνον, οὗ εἵνεκα φύλοπις αἰνὴ

ἕστηκε πρὸ νεῶν· οἳ δʼ ἀλλήλους ὀλέκουσιν

οἳ μὲν ἀμυνόμενοι νέκυος πέρι τεθνηῶτος,

οἳ δὲ ἐρύσσασθαι ποτὶ Ἴλιον ἠνεμόεσσαν

175Τρῶες ἐπιθύουσι· μάλιστα δὲ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ

ἑλκέμεναι μέμονεν· κεφαλὴν δέ ἑ θυμὸς ἄνωγε

πῆξαι ἀνὰ σκολόπεσσι ταμόνθʼ ἁπαλῆς ἀπὸ δειρῆς.

ἀλλʼ ἄνα μηδʼ ἔτι κεῖσο· σέβας δέ σε θυμὸν ἱκέσθω

Πάτροκλον Τρῳῇσι κυσὶν μέλπηθρα γενέσθαι·

180σοὶ λώβη, αἴ κέν τι νέκυς ᾐσχυμμένος ἔλθῃ.

169Standing close, she addressed him with winged words:

170“Rise, son of Peleus, most terrible of all men!

Defend Patroclus, for whose sake the dreadful battle din

stands before the ships. They are killing one another,

the one side defending the dead corpse,

the Trojans rushing to drag him toward windy Ilium.

175Glorious Hector most of all

is eager to drag him; his spirit urges him to cut

the head from its tender neck and fix it high on stakes.

Up—lie there no longer! Let awe enter your heart at the thought

of Patroclus becoming a plaything for Trojan dogs.

180It is a disgrace to you if the corpse comes back mutilated.”

181τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·

Ἶρι θεὰ τίς γάρ σε θεῶν ἐμοὶ ἄγγελον ἧκε;

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις·

Ἥρη με προέηκε Διὸς κυδρὴ παράκοιτις·

185οὐδʼ οἶδε Κρονίδης ὑψίζυγος οὐδέ τις ἄλλος

ἀθανάτων, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἀγάννιφον ἀμφινέμονται.

181Then swift-footed, godlike Achilles answered her:

“Goddess Iris, which of the gods sent you to me as messenger?”

Then wind-footed, swift Iris answered him:

“Hera, the honored wife of Zeus, sent me.

185The high-throned son of Cronus knows nothing of it, nor does any other

immortal who dwells about snow-covered Olympus.”

187τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

πῶς τὰρ ἴω μετὰ μῶλον; ἔχουσι δὲ τεύχεʼ ἐκεῖνοι·

μήτηρ δʼ οὔ με φίλη πρίν γʼ εἴα θωρήσσεσθαι

190πρίν γʼ αὐτὴν ἐλθοῦσαν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδωμαι·

στεῦτο γὰρ Ἡφαίστοιο πάρʼ οἰσέμεν ἔντεα καλά.

ἄλλου δʼ οὔ τευ οἶδα τεῦ ἂν κλυτὰ τεύχεα δύω,

εἰ μὴ Αἴαντός γε σάκος Τελαμωνιάδαο.

ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ὅ γʼ ἔλπομʼ ἐνὶ πρώτοισιν ὁμιλεῖ

195ἔγχεϊ δηϊόων περὶ Πατρόκλοιο θανόντος.

187Swift-footed Achilles answered her:

“How can I enter battle? Those men hold my armor.

My dear mother would not let me arm

190until I see her return with my own eyes;

for she promised to bring fine armor from Hephaestus.

I know no other man whose glorious armor I could put on,

except the shield of Ajax son of Telamon.

But I expect that he too fights in the foremost ranks,

195laying waste with his spear around dead Patroclus.”

196τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις·

εὖ νυ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἴδμεν ὅ τοι κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ ἔχονται·

ἀλλʼ αὔτως ἐπὶ τάφρον ἰὼν Τρώεσσι φάνηθι,

αἴ κέ σʼ ὑποδείσαντες ἀπόσχωνται πολέμοιο

200Τρῶες, ἀναπνεύσωσι δʼ ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

τειρόμενοι· ὀλίγη δέ τʼ ἀνάπνευσις πολέμοιο.

ἣ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ἀπέβη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις,

196Then wind-footed, swift Iris answered him:

“We know well enough that they hold your glorious armor.

But go as you are to the trench and show yourself to the Trojans,

so they may fear you and draw back from battle,

200and the Achaeans’ warlike sons, worn down as they are, may breathe again.

There is only a little breathing-space in war.”

With that, swift-footed Iris departed.

203αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς ὦρτο Διῒ φίλος· ἀμφὶ δʼ Ἀθήνη

ὤμοις ἰφθίμοισι βάλʼ αἰγίδα θυσσανόεσσαν,

205ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ κεφαλῇ νέφος ἔστεφε δῖα θεάων

χρύσεον, ἐκ δʼ αὐτοῦ δαῖε φλόγα παμφανόωσαν.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε καπνὸς ἰὼν ἐξ ἄστεος αἰθέρʼ ἵκηται

τηλόθεν ἐκ νήσου, τὴν δήϊοι ἀμφιμάχωνται,

οἵ τε πανημέριοι στυγερῷ κρίνονται Ἄρηϊ

210ἄστεος ἐκ σφετέρου· ἅμα δʼ ἠελίῳ καταδύντι

πυρσοί τε φλεγέθουσιν ἐπήτριμοι, ὑψόσε δʼ αὐγὴ

γίγνεται ἀΐσσουσα περικτιόνεσσιν ἰδέσθαι,

αἴ κέν πως σὺν νηυσὶν ἄρεω ἀλκτῆρες ἵκωνται·

ὣς ἀπʼ Ἀχιλλῆος κεφαλῆς σέλας αἰθέρʼ ἵκανε·

203But Achilles, dear to Zeus, rose; Athena

cast the tasselled aegis around his powerful shoulders,

205and, radiant among goddesses, crowned his head with a golden cloud,

and from it kindled a flame shining all around.

As when smoke rising from a city reaches the upper air

from an island far away that enemies are fighting to take,

whose people all day long are tried by hateful Ares

210as they fight from their city; but when the sun goes down,

beacon fires blaze thickly, and their glare shoots upward

for neighboring peoples to see,

in hope that defenders may come by ship to turn back war—

so from Achilles’ head radiance reached the upper air.

215στῆ δʼ ἐπὶ τάφρον ἰὼν ἀπὸ τείχεος, οὐδʼ ἐς Ἀχαιοὺς

μίσγετο· μητρὸς γὰρ πυκινὴν ὠπίζετʼ ἐφετμήν.

ἔνθα στὰς ἤϋσʼ, ἀπάτερθε δὲ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη

φθέγξατʼ· ἀτὰρ Τρώεσσιν ἐν ἄσπετον ὦρσε κυδοιμόν.

ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀριζήλη φωνή, ὅτε τʼ ἴαχε σάλπιγξ

220ἄστυ περιπλομένων δηΐων ὕπο θυμοραϊστέων,

ὣς τότʼ ἀριζήλη φωνὴ γένετʼ Αἰακίδαο.

οἳ δʼ ὡς οὖν ἄϊον ὄπα χάλκεον Αἰακίδαο,

πᾶσιν ὀρίνθη θυμός· ἀτὰρ καλλίτριχες ἵπποι

ἂψ ὄχεα τρόπεον· ὄσσοντο γὰρ ἄλγεα θυμῷ.

225ἡνίοχοι δʼ ἔκπληγεν, ἐπεὶ ἴδον ἀκάματον πῦρ

δεινὸν ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς μεγαθύμου Πηλεΐωνος

δαιόμενον· τὸ δὲ δαῖε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.

τρὶς μὲν ὑπὲρ τάφρου μεγάλʼ ἴαχε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,

τρὶς δὲ κυκήθησαν Τρῶες κλειτοί τʼ ἐπίκουροι.

230ἔνθα δὲ καὶ τότʼ ὄλοντο δυώδεκα φῶτες ἄριστοι

ἀμφὶ σφοῖς ὀχέεσσι καὶ ἔγχεσιν. αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ

ἀσπασίως Πάτροκλον ὑπʼ ἐκ βελέων ἐρύσαντες

κάτθεσαν ἐν λεχέεσσι· φίλοι δʼ ἀμφέσταν ἑταῖροι

μυρόμενοι· μετὰ δέ σφι ποδώκης εἵπετʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς

235δάκρυα θερμὰ χέων, ἐπεὶ εἴσιδε πιστὸν ἑταῖρον

κείμενον ἐν φέρτρῳ δεδαϊγμένον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,

τόν ῥʼ ἤτοι μὲν ἔπεμπε σὺν ἵπποισιν καὶ ὄχεσφιν

ἐς πόλεμον, οὐδʼ αὖτις ἐδέξατο νοστήσαντα.

215He went and stood beside the trench, away from the wall, but did not join

the Achaeans, for he respected his mother’s prudent command.

Standing there, he shouted, while from farther off Pallas Athena

gave voice; among the Trojans she raised boundless tumult.

As piercing is the voice when a trumpet rings

220while murderous enemies close around a city,

so piercing then was the voice of Aeacus’ grandson.

When they heard the bronze voice of Aeacus’ grandson,

every heart was shaken; the fair-maned horses

wheeled the chariots back, for they foresaw anguish in their hearts.

225The charioteers were stunned when they saw the tireless fire

blazing dreadfully above the head of the great-hearted son of Peleus—

the fire bright-eyed Athena had kindled.

Three times godlike Achilles shouted over the trench,

and three times the Trojans and their renowned allies were thrown into confusion.

230Then twelve of their best men died there

among their own chariots and spears. But the Achaeans

gladly drew Patroclus out from beneath the missiles

and laid him on a bier; his dear companions stood around him

weeping. Swift-footed Achilles followed among them,

235shedding hot tears when he saw his faithful companion

lying on the bier, hacked by sharp bronze—

the man he had sent to war with horses and chariot

but did not welcome home again.

239Ἠέλιον δʼ ἀκάμαντα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη

240πέμψεν ἐπʼ Ὠκεανοῖο ῥοὰς ἀέκοντα νέεσθαι·

ἠέλιος μὲν ἔδυ, παύσαντο δὲ δῖοι Ἀχαιοὶ

φυλόπιδος κρατερῆς καὶ ὁμοιΐου πολέμοιο.

Τρῶες δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἀπὸ κρατερῆς ὑσμίνης

χωρήσαντες ἔλυσαν ὑφʼ ἅρμασιν ὠκέας ἵππους,

245ἐς δʼ ἀγορὴν ἀγέροντο πάρος δόρποιο μέδεσθαι.

ὀρθῶν δʼ ἑσταότων ἀγορὴ γένετʼ, οὐδέ τις ἔτλη

ἕζεσθαι· πάντας γὰρ ἔχε τρόμος, οὕνεκʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς

ἐξεφάνη, δηρὸν δὲ μάχης ἐπέπαυτʼ ἀλεγεινῆς.

239Then ox-eyed lady Hera sent the tireless Sun

240to return, unwilling, to the streams of Ocean.

The sun went down, and the godlike Achaeans ceased

from fierce combat and leveling war.

On the other side the Trojans withdrew from the hard struggle

and unyoked their swift horses beneath the chariots,

245then gathered in assembly before thinking of supper.

They held their assembly standing; no one dared

to sit, for trembling gripped them all because Achilles

had appeared after so long an absence from the grievous fighting.

249τοῖσι δὲ Πουλυδάμας πεπνυμένος ἦρχʼ ἀγορεύειν

250Πανθοΐδης· ὃ γὰρ οἶος ὅρα πρόσσω καὶ ὀπίσσω·

Ἕκτορι δʼ ἦεν ἑταῖρος, ἰῇ δʼ ἐν νυκτὶ γένοντο,

ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἂρ μύθοισιν, ὃ δʼ ἔγχεϊ πολλὸν ἐνίκα·

ὅ σφιν ἐϋφρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

ἀμφὶ μάλα φράζεσθε φίλοι· κέλομαι γὰρ ἔγωγε

255ἄστυδε νῦν ἰέναι, μὴ μίμνειν ἠῶ δῖαν

ἐν πεδίῳ παρὰ νηυσίν· ἑκὰς δʼ ἀπὸ τείχεός εἰμεν.

ὄφρα μὲν οὗτος ἀνὴρ Ἀγαμέμνονι μήνιε δίῳ

τόφρα δὲ ῥηΐτεροι πολεμίζειν ἦσαν Ἀχαιοί·

χαίρεσκον γὰρ ἔγωγε θοῇς ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἰαύων

260ἐλπόμενος νῆας αἱρησέμεν ἀμφιελίσσας.

νῦν δʼ αἰνῶς δείδοικα ποδώκεα Πηλεΐωνα·

οἷος κείνου θυμὸς ὑπέρβιος, οὐκ ἐθελήσει

μίμνειν ἐν πεδίῳ, ὅθι περ Τρῶες καὶ Ἀχαιοὶ

ἐν μέσῳ ἀμφότεροι μένος Ἄρηος δατέονται,

265ἀλλὰ περὶ πτόλιός τε μαχήσεται ἠδὲ γυναικῶν.

ἀλλʼ ἴομεν προτὶ ἄστυ, πίθεσθέ μοι· ὧδε γὰρ ἔσται·

νῦν μὲν νὺξ ἀπέπαυσε ποδώκεα Πηλεΐωνα

ἀμβροσίη· εἰ δʼ ἄμμε κιχήσεται ἐνθάδʼ ἐόντας

αὔριον ὁρμηθεὶς σὺν τεύχεσιν, εὖ νύ τις αὐτὸν

270γνώσεται· ἀσπασίως γὰρ ἀφίξεται Ἴλιον ἱρὴν

ὅς κε φύγῃ, πολλοὺς δὲ κύνες καὶ γῦπες ἔδονται

Τρώων· αἲ γὰρ δή μοι ἀπʼ οὔατος ὧδε γένοιτο.

εἰ δʼ ἂν ἐμοῖς ἐπέεσσι πιθώμεθα κηδόμενοί περ,

νύκτα μὲν εἰν ἀγορῇ σθένος ἕξομεν, ἄστυ δὲ πύργοι

275ὑψηλαί τε πύλαι σανίδες τʼ ἐπὶ τῇς ἀραρυῖαι

μακραὶ ἐΰξεστοι ἐζευγμέναι εἰρύσσονται·

πρῶϊ δʼ ὑπηοῖοι σὺν τεύχεσι θωρηχθέντες

στησόμεθʼ ἂμ πύργους· τῷ δʼ ἄλγιον, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν

ἐλθὼν ἐκ νηῶν περὶ τείχεος ἄμμι μάχεσθαι.

280ἂψ πάλιν εἶσʼ ἐπὶ νῆας, ἐπεί κʼ ἐριαύχενας ἵππους

παντοίου δρόμου ἄσῃ ὑπὸ πτόλιν ἠλασκάζων·

εἴσω δʼ οὔ μιν θυμὸς ἐφορμηθῆναι ἐάσει,

οὐδέ ποτʼ ἐκπέρσει· πρίν μιν κύνες ἀργοὶ ἔδονται.

249Wise Polydamas, Panthous’ son, began to speak among them,

250for he alone could see what lay ahead and what lay behind.

He was Hector’s companion, and they were born on the same night,

but one far excelled in counsel, the other with the spear.

With good intent he spoke among them in assembly:

“Friends, think carefully on every side. I urge you

255to go into the city now, not wait for bright Dawn

on the plain beside the ships. We are far from the wall.

As long as this man raged against godlike Agamemnon,

the Achaeans were easier men for us to fight.

I myself rejoiced to spend the night beside the swift ships,

260hoping we would capture the ships curved at both ends.

But now I am terribly afraid of the swift-footed son of Peleus.

Such is his overpowering spirit: he will not choose

to remain on the plain where Trojans and Achaeans

both share between them the battle-force of Ares,

265but will fight for the city and its women.

Come, let us go into the city. Listen to me, for this is what will happen.

For now immortal night has checked the swift-footed son of Peleus,

but if he finds us still here tomorrow

when he charges out in his war gear, every man who meets him

270will know him well. Gladly will that man reach holy Ilium

who escapes, but dogs and vultures will devour many

Trojans. If only such news may stay far from my ears.

If we obey my words, distressed though we are,

we shall hold our strength in assembly through the night, while the city’s towers,

275high gates, and the doors fitted to them—

long, well-polished, firmly joined—will guard it.

And early at dawn arm ourselves in our war gear

and take our stand on the towers. It will be the worse for him if he chooses

to come from the ships and fight us around the wall.

280He will go back again to the ships once he has sated his high-necked horses

with every kind of running as he ranges beneath the city.

His spirit will not let him rush inside,

nor will he ever sack it; swift dogs will eat him first.”

284τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

285Πουλυδάμα σὺ μὲν οὐκέτʼ ἐμοὶ φίλα ταῦτʼ ἀγορεύεις,

ὃς κέλεαι κατὰ ἄστυ ἀλήμεναι αὖτις ἰόντας.

ἦ οὔ πω κεκόρησθε ἐελμένοι ἔνδοθι πύργων;

πρὶν μὲν γὰρ Πριάμοιο πόλιν μέροπες ἄνθρωποι

πάντες μυθέσκοντο πολύχρυσον πολύχαλκον·

290νῦν δὲ δὴ ἐξαπόλωλε δόμων κειμήλια καλά,

πολλὰ δὲ δὴ Φρυγίην καὶ Μῃονίην ἐρατεινὴν

κτήματα περνάμενʼ ἵκει, ἐπεὶ μέγας ὠδύσατο Ζεύς.

νῦν δʼ ὅτε πέρ μοι ἔδωκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω

κῦδος ἀρέσθʼ ἐπὶ νηυσί, θαλάσσῃ τʼ ἔλσαι Ἀχαιούς,

295νήπιε μηκέτι ταῦτα νοήματα φαῖνʼ ἐνὶ δήμῳ·

οὐ γάρ τις Τρώων ἐπιπείσεται· οὐ γὰρ ἐάσω.

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω, πειθώμεθα πάντες.

νῦν μὲν δόρπον ἕλεσθε κατὰ στρατὸν ἐν τελέεσσι,

καὶ φυλακῆς μνήσασθε, καὶ ἐγρήγορθε ἕκαστος·

300Τρώων δʼ ὃς κτεάτεσσιν ὑπερφιάλως ἀνιάζει,

συλλέξας λαοῖσι δότω καταδημοβορῆσαι·

τῶν τινὰ βέλτερόν ἐστιν ἐπαυρέμεν ἤ περ Ἀχαιούς.

πρῶϊ δʼ ὑπηοῖοι σὺν τεύχεσι θωρηχθέντες

νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐγείρομεν ὀξὺν Ἄρηα.

305εἰ δʼ ἐτεὸν παρὰ ναῦφιν ἀνέστη δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,

ἄλγιον αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσι τῷ ἔσσεται· οὔ μιν ἔγωγε

φεύξομαι ἐκ πολέμοιο δυσηχέος, ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ἄντην

στήσομαι, ἤ κε φέρῃσι μέγα κράτος, ἦ κε φεροίμην.

ξυνὸς Ἐνυάλιος, καί τε κτανέοντα κατέκτα.

310ὣς Ἕκτωρ ἀγόρευʼ, ἐπὶ δὲ Τρῶες κελάδησαν

νήπιοι· ἐκ γάρ σφεων φρένας εἵλετο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.

Ἕκτορι μὲν γὰρ ἐπῄνησαν κακὰ μητιόωντι,

Πουλυδάμαντι δʼ ἄρʼ οὔ τις ὃς ἐσθλὴν φράζετο βουλήν.

284Flashing-helmeted Hector looked at him from under his brows and answered:

285“Polydamas, what you are saying no longer pleases me,

you who tell us to go back and be penned inside the city.

Have you not yet had your fill of being confined within the towers?

Before now all mortal men used to call Priam’s city

rich in gold and rich in bronze.

290But now the fine treasures have vanished from its houses,

and much wealth, sold away, has reached Phrygia and lovely Maeonia

since great Zeus grew angry.

Now that the son of crooked-counseling Cronus has granted me

to win glory at the ships and pen the Achaeans against the sea,

295fool, show these thoughts no more among the people.

No Trojan will obey you; I will not permit it.

Come, let us all obey what I say.

Now take your supper throughout the army in your companies,

remember the watch, and let each man keep awake.

300Whichever Trojan is excessively anxious over his possessions,

let him gather them and give them to the troops for public feasting.

Better that one of our own enjoy them than the Achaeans.

And early at dawn arm ourselves in our war gear

and waken sharp Ares beside the hollow ships.

305If godlike Achilles has truly risen beside the ships,

the worse for him if he wishes it. I, for my part,

will not flee from harsh-roaring war but face him squarely,

and either he will carry off great victory or I will.

Enyalios belongs to all, and often kills the killer.”

310So Hector spoke, and the Trojans shouted approval—

fools, for Pallas Athena had taken their wits away.

They praised Hector, who planned ruin,

while no one praised Polydamas, who had framed sound counsel.

314δόρπον ἔπειθʼ εἵλοντο κατὰ στρατόν· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ

315παννύχιοι Πάτροκλον ἀνεστενάχοντο γοῶντες.

τοῖσι δὲ Πηλεΐδης ἁδινοῦ ἐξῆρχε γόοιο

χεῖρας ἐπʼ ἀνδροφόνους θέμενος στήθεσσιν ἑταίρου

πυκνὰ μάλα στενάχων ὥς τε λὶς ἠϋγένειος,

ᾧ ῥά θʼ ὑπὸ σκύμνους ἐλαφηβόλος ἁρπάσῃ ἀνὴρ

320ὕλης ἐκ πυκινῆς· ὃ δέ τʼ ἄχνυται ὕστερος ἐλθών,

πολλὰ δέ τʼ ἄγκεʼ ἐπῆλθε μετʼ ἀνέρος ἴχνιʼ ἐρευνῶν

εἴ ποθεν ἐξεύροι· μάλα γὰρ δριμὺς χόλος αἱρεῖ·

ὣς ὃ βαρὺ στενάχων μετεφώνεε Μυρμιδόνεσσιν·

314Then they took supper throughout the army, while the Achaeans

315groaned and mourned Patroclus all night long.

The son of Peleus led them in their deep lament,

laying his manslaying hands on his companion’s chest

and groaning without cease, like a well-maned lion

whose cubs a deer-hunter has snatched from the dense wood.

320The lion comes too late and grieves;

he crosses many glens, searching the man’s tracks

in hope of finding him, for sharp rage grips him.

So Achilles groaned heavily and spoke among the Myrmidons:

324ὢ πόποι ἦ ῥʼ ἅλιον ἔπος ἔκβαλον ἤματι κείνῳ

325θαρσύνων ἥρωα Μενοίτιον ἐν μεγάροισι·

φῆν δέ οἱ εἰς Ὀπόεντα περικλυτὸν υἱὸν ἀπάξειν

Ἴλιον ἐκπέρσαντα, λαχόντα τε ληΐδος αἶσαν.

ἀλλʼ οὐ Ζεὺς ἄνδρεσσι νοήματα πάντα τελευτᾷ·

ἄμφω γὰρ πέπρωται ὁμοίην γαῖαν ἐρεῦσαι

330αὐτοῦ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ, ἐπεὶ οὐδʼ ἐμὲ νοστήσαντα

δέξεται ἐν μεγάροισι γέρων ἱππηλάτα Πηλεὺς

οὐδὲ Θέτις μήτηρ, ἀλλʼ αὐτοῦ γαῖα καθέξει.

νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν Πάτροκλε σεῦ ὕστερος εἶμʼ ὑπὸ γαῖαν,

οὔ σε πρὶν κτεριῶ πρίν γʼ Ἕκτορος ἐνθάδʼ ἐνεῖκαι

335τεύχεα καὶ κεφαλὴν μεγαθύμου σοῖο φονῆος·

δώδεκα δὲ προπάροιθε πυρῆς ἀποδειροτομήσω

Τρώων ἀγλαὰ τέκνα σέθεν κταμένοιο χολωθείς.

τόφρα δέ μοι παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσι κείσεαι αὔτως,

ἀμφὶ δὲ σὲ Τρῳαὶ καὶ Δαρδανίδες βαθύκολποι

340κλαύσονται νύκτάς τε καὶ ἤματα δάκρυ χέουσαι,

τὰς αὐτοὶ καμόμεσθα βίηφί τε δουρί τε μακρῷ

πιείρας πέρθοντε πόλεις μερόπων ἀνθρώπων.

324“Alas! Truly vain was the word I let fall that day

325when I reassured the hero Menoetius in his halls.

I told him I would bring his glorious son back to Opus

after sacking Ilium and receiving his share of the spoil.

But Zeus does not bring all the plans of men to fulfillment.

Both of us are fated here in Troy to redden the same earth,

330for neither will aged Peleus, driver of horses,

receive me returning in his halls,

nor will my mother Thetis; the earth will hold me here.

Now, Patroclus, since I shall go beneath the earth after you,

I will not perform your funeral rites before I bring here

335the armor and head of great-hearted Hector, your killer.

Before your pyre I will cut the throats of twelve noble sons

of the Trojans, in anger at your death.

Meanwhile you will lie just as you are beside the beaked ships,

and around you Trojan and deep-bosomed Dardanian women

340will weep night and day, shedding tears—

women we ourselves toiled to win by force and the long spear

as we sacked the rich cities of mortal men.”

343ὣς εἰπὼν ἑτάροισιν ἐκέκλετο δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς

ἀμφὶ πυρὶ στῆσαι τρίποδα μέγαν, ὄφρα τάχιστα

345Πάτροκλον λούσειαν ἄπο βρότον αἱματόεντα.

οἳ δὲ λοετροχόον τρίποδʼ ἵστασαν ἐν πυρὶ κηλέῳ,

ἐν δʼ ἄρʼ ὕδωρ ἔχεαν, ὑπὸ δὲ ξύλα δαῖον ἑλόντες.

γάστρην μὲν τρίποδος πῦρ ἄμφεπε, θέρμετο δʼ ὕδωρ·

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ ζέσσεν ὕδωρ ἐνὶ ἤνοπι χαλκῷ,

350καὶ τότε δὴ λοῦσάν τε καὶ ἤλειψαν λίπʼ ἐλαίῳ,

ἐν δʼ ὠτειλὰς πλῆσαν ἀλείφατος ἐννεώροιο·

ἐν λεχέεσσι δὲ θέντες ἑανῷ λιτὶ κάλυψαν

ἐς πόδας ἐκ κεφαλῆς, καθύπερθε δὲ φάρεϊ λευκῷ.

παννύχιοι μὲν ἔπειτα πόδας ταχὺν ἀμφʼ Ἀχιλῆα

355Μυρμιδόνες Πάτροκλον ἀνεστενάχοντο γοῶντες·

343So godlike Achilles spoke and ordered his companions

to set a great tripod over the fire, so that with all speed

345they might wash the bloody gore from Patroclus.

They set the bath-water tripod on the blazing fire,

poured water into it, and brought wood and lit it underneath.

Fire wrapped the tripod’s belly, and the water grew hot.

When the water boiled in the gleaming bronze,

350they washed him and richly anointed him with oil,

then filled his wounds with nine-year-old salve.

They laid him on a bed and covered him with fine linen

from head to foot, and over it spread a white cloak.

Then all night around swift-footed Achilles

355the Myrmidons groaned and mourned Patroclus.

356Ζεὺς δʼ Ἥρην προσέειπε κασιγνήτην ἄλοχόν τε·

ἔπρηξας καὶ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη

ἀνστήσασʼ Ἀχιλῆα πόδας ταχύν· ἦ ῥά νυ σεῖο

ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐγένοντο κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοί.

360τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη·

αἰνότατε Κρονίδη ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες.

καὶ μὲν δή πού τις μέλλει βροτὸς ἀνδρὶ τελέσσαι,

ὅς περ θνητός τʼ ἐστὶ καὶ οὐ τόσα μήδεα οἶδε·

πῶς δὴ ἔγωγʼ, ἥ φημι θεάων ἔμμεν ἀρίστη,

365ἀμφότερον γενεῇ τε καὶ οὕνεκα σὴ παράκοιτις

κέκλημαι, σὺ δὲ πᾶσι μετʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάσσεις,

οὐκ ὄφελον Τρώεσσι κοτεσσαμένη κακὰ ῥάψαι;

ὣς οἳ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον·

356Zeus addressed Hera, his sister and wife:

“So you have brought this about too, ox-eyed lady Hera,

by rousing swift-footed Achilles. Did

the long-haired Achaeans really spring from you yourself?”

360Then ox-eyed lady Hera answered him:

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

Even a mortal, I suppose, can accomplish something against another man,

though he is mortal and knows far fewer designs.

How then could I, who claim to be foremost among goddesses,

365both by birth and because I am called your wife,

while you rule among all the immortals—

how could I fail to weave ruin for the Trojans in my anger?”

So they spoke these words to one another.

369Ἡφαίστου δʼ ἵκανε δόμον Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα

370ἄφθιτον ἀστερόεντα μεταπρεπέʼ ἀθανάτοισι

χάλκεον, ὅν ῥʼ αὐτὸς ποιήσατο κυλλοποδίων.

τὸν δʼ εὗρʼ ἱδρώοντα ἑλισσόμενον περὶ φύσας

σπεύδοντα· τρίποδας γὰρ ἐείκοσι πάντας ἔτευχεν

ἑστάμεναι περὶ τοῖχον ἐϋσταθέος μεγάροιο,

375χρύσεα δέ σφʼ ὑπὸ κύκλα ἑκάστῳ πυθμένι θῆκεν,

ὄφρά οἱ αὐτόματοι θεῖον δυσαίατʼ ἀγῶνα

ἠδʼ αὖτις πρὸς δῶμα νεοίατο θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι.

οἳ δʼ ἤτοι τόσσον μὲν ἔχον τέλος, οὔατα δʼ οὔ πω

δαιδάλεα προσέκειτο· τά ῥʼ ἤρτυε, κόπτε δὲ δεσμούς.

380ὄφρʼ ὅ γε ταῦτʼ ἐπονεῖτο ἰδυίῃσι πραπίδεσσι,

τόφρά οἱ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθε θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα.

369Silver-footed Thetis came to the house of Hephaestus,

370imperishable and starry, preeminent among the immortals,

a house of bronze the god with crooked feet had made himself.

She found him sweating, bustling around his bellows

and hard at work, for he was making twenty tripods in all

to stand along the wall of his well-built hall.

375Beneath the base of each he had set golden wheels,

so that of their own accord they could enter the divine assembly

and return again to his house—a wonder to behold.

They were finished to that point, but their intricate handles were not yet

attached; he was fitting them and hammering the fastenings.

380While he labored at these things with his skilled mind,

silver-footed goddess Thetis came close to him.

382τὴν δὲ ἴδε προμολοῦσα Χάρις λιπαροκρήδεμνος

καλή, τὴν ὤπυιε περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις·

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

385τίπτε Θέτι τανύπεπλε ἱκάνεις ἡμέτερον δῶ

αἰδοίη τε φίλη τε; πάρος γε μὲν οὔ τι θαμίζεις.

ἀλλʼ ἕπεο προτέρω, ἵνα τοι πὰρ ξείνια θείω.

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα πρόσω ἄγε δῖα θεάων.

τὴν μὲν ἔπειτα καθεῖσεν ἐπὶ θρόνου ἀργυροήλου

390καλοῦ δαιδαλέου· ὑπὸ δὲ θρῆνυς ποσὶν ἦεν·

κέκλετο δʼ Ἥφαιστον κλυτοτέχνην εἶπέ τε μῦθον·

Ἥφαιστε πρόμολʼ ὧδε· Θέτις νύ τι σεῖο χατίζει.

382Charis of the shining veil came forward and saw her—

the beautiful goddess whom renowned Hephaestus, lame in both legs, had married.

She clasped her hand, spoke, and called her by name:

385“Why, Thetis of the flowing robe, have you come to our house,

honored and dear? Before now you have not often visited.

Come inside, so I can set guest-fare before you.”

After speaking so, Charis, radiant among goddesses, led her in.

Then she seated her on a beautiful, intricately worked throne

390studded with silver, with a footstool beneath her feet.

She called Hephaestus, famed for his craft, and spoke:

“Hephaestus, come here. Thetis needs something from you.”

393τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις·

ἦ ῥά νύ μοι δεινή τε καὶ αἰδοίη θεὸς ἔνδον,

395ἥ μʼ ἐσάωσʼ ὅτε μʼ ἄλγος ἀφίκετο τῆλε πεσόντα

μητρὸς ἐμῆς ἰότητι κυνώπιδος, ἥ μʼ ἐθέλησε

κρύψαι χωλὸν ἐόντα· τότʼ ἂν πάθον ἄλγεα θυμῷ,

εἰ μή μʼ Εὐρυνόμη τε Θέτις θʼ ὑπεδέξατο κόλπῳ

Εὐρυνόμη θυγάτηρ ἀψορρόου Ὠκεανοῖο.

400τῇσι παρʼ εἰνάετες χάλκευον δαίδαλα πολλά,

πόρπας τε γναμπτάς θʼ ἕλικας κάλυκάς τε καὶ ὅρμους

ἐν σπῆϊ γλαφυρῷ· περὶ δὲ ῥόος Ὠκεανοῖο

ἀφρῷ μορμύρων ῥέεν ἄσπετος· οὐδέ τις ἄλλος

ᾔδεεν οὔτε θεῶν οὔτε θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων,

405ἀλλὰ Θέτις τε καὶ Εὐρυνόμη ἴσαν, αἵ μʼ ἐσάωσαν.

ἣ νῦν ἡμέτερον δόμον ἵκει· τώ με μάλα χρεὼ

πάντα Θέτι καλλιπλοκάμῳ ζῳάγρια τίνειν.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν οἱ παράθες ξεινήϊα καλά,

ὄφρʼ ἂν ἐγὼ φύσας ἀποθείομαι ὅπλά τε πάντα.

393Then renowned Hephaestus, lame in both legs, answered her:

“A goddess I dread and honor is here in my house,

395she who saved me when suffering came upon me after I had fallen far

by the will of my dog-faced mother, who wanted

to hide me because I was lame. Then I would have suffered in heart

had Eurynome and Thetis not received me in their laps—

Eurynome, daughter of Ocean whose current circles back.

400For nine years beside them I forged many intricate works,

brooches, curved spirals, rosettes, and necklaces,

inside the hollow cave, while around me the stream of Ocean

flowed boundless, roaring with foam. No one else

knew, among gods or mortal human beings,

405but Thetis and Eurynome, who saved me.

Now she has come to our home, so I am bound

to repay lovely-haired Thetis in full for saving my life.

But now set fine guest-fare before her

while I put away the bellows and all my tools.”

410ἦ, καὶ ἀπʼ ἀκμοθέτοιο πέλωρ αἴητον ἀνέστη

χωλεύων· ὑπὸ δὲ κνῆμαι ῥώοντο ἀραιαί.

φύσας μέν ῥʼ ἀπάνευθε τίθει πυρός, ὅπλά τε πάντα

λάρνακʼ ἐς ἀργυρέην συλλέξατο, τοῖς ἐπονεῖτο·

σπόγγῳ δʼ ἀμφὶ πρόσωπα καὶ ἄμφω χεῖρʼ ἀπομόργνυ

415αὐχένα τε στιβαρὸν καὶ στήθεα λαχνήεντα,

δῦ δὲ χιτῶνʼ, ἕλε δὲ σκῆπτρον παχύ, βῆ δὲ θύραζε

χωλεύων· ὑπὸ δʼ ἀμφίπολοι ῥώοντο ἄνακτι

χρύσειαι ζωῇσι νεήνισιν εἰοικυῖαι.

τῇς ἐν μὲν νόος ἐστὶ μετὰ φρεσίν, ἐν δὲ καὶ αὐδὴ

420καὶ σθένος, ἀθανάτων δὲ θεῶν ἄπο ἔργα ἴσασιν.

αἳ μὲν ὕπαιθα ἄνακτος ἐποίπνυον· αὐτὰρ ὃ ἔρρων

πλησίον, ἔνθα Θέτις περ, ἐπὶ θρόνου ἷζε φαεινοῦ,

410So he spoke, and the prodigious figure rose from the anvil block,

limping; beneath him his slender legs moved swiftly.

He set the bellows away from the fire and gathered all the tools

he had been working with into a silver chest.

With a sponge he wiped his face and both his hands,

415his sturdy neck and shaggy chest.

He put on a tunic, took up a heavy staff, and went outside,

limping; attendants hurried beneath their lord to support him,

golden attendants resembling living young women.

Within them is understanding in their hearts, and also voice

420and strength; from the immortal gods they know their crafts.

They bustled beside their lord. He moved slowly toward Thetis

and sat beside her on a shining chair.

423ἔν τʼ ἄρα οἱ φῦ χειρὶ ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·

τίπτε Θέτι τανύπεπλε ἱκάνεις ἡμέτερον δῶ

425αἰδοίη τε φίλη τε; πάρος γε μὲν οὔ τι θαμίζεις.

αὔδα ὅ τι φρονέεις· τελέσαι δέ με θυμὸς ἄνωγεν,

εἰ δύναμαι τελέσαι γε καὶ εἰ τετελεσμένον ἐστίν.

423He clasped her hand, spoke, and called her by name:

“Why, Thetis of the flowing robe, have you come to our house,

425honored and dear? Before now you have not often visited.

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

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

428τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Θέτις κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα·

Ἥφαιστʼ, ἦ ἄρα δή τις, ὅσαι θεαί εἰσʼ ἐν Ὀλύμπῳ,

430τοσσάδʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἀνέσχετο κήδεα λυγρὰ

ὅσσʼ ἐμοὶ ἐκ πασέων Κρονίδης Ζεὺς ἄλγεʼ ἔδωκεν;

ἐκ μέν μʼ ἀλλάων ἁλιάων ἀνδρὶ δάμασσεν

Αἰακίδῃ Πηλῆϊ, καὶ ἔτλην ἀνέρος εὐνὴν

πολλὰ μάλʼ οὐκ ἐθέλουσα. ὃ μὲν δὴ γήραϊ λυγρῷ

435κεῖται ἐνὶ μεγάροις ἀρημένος, ἄλλα δέ μοι νῦν·

υἱὸν ἐπεί μοι δῶκε γενέσθαί τε τραφέμεν τε

ἔξοχον ἡρώων· ὃ δʼ ἀνέδραμεν ἔρνεϊ ἶσος·

τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ θρέψασα φυτὸν ὣς γουνῷ ἀλωῆς

νηυσὶν ἐπιπροέηκα κορωνίσιν Ἴλιον εἴσω

440Τρωσὶ μαχησόμενον· τὸν δʼ οὐχ ὑποδέξομαι αὖτις

οἴκαδε νοστήσαντα δόμον Πηλήϊον εἴσω.

ὄφρα δέ μοι ζώει καὶ ὁρᾷ φάος ἠελίοιο

ἄχνυται, οὐδέ τί οἱ δύναμαι χραισμῆσαι ἰοῦσα.

428Then Thetis answered him, shedding tears:

“Hephaestus, is there any goddess among all who dwell on Olympus

430who has endured so many grievous cares in her heart

as the pains Zeus, son of Cronus, has given me beyond them all?

Of all the sea goddesses, he subjected me alone to a man,

Peleus, son of Aeacus, and I endured a mortal husband's bed,

much against my will. He now lies in his halls, worn down

435by cruel old age, while new griefs are mine.

He gave me a son to bear and raise,

outstanding among heroes; he shot up like a sapling.

I raised him like a young plant on the slope of an orchard

and sent him in beaked ships toward Ilium

440to fight the Trojans; but I will never welcome him back

as he returns home to the house of Peleus.

So long as my son lives and sees the light of the sun,

he grieves, and though I go to him I can give him no help.

444κούρην ἣν ἄρα οἱ γέρας ἔξελον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν,

445τὴν ἂψ ἐκ χειρῶν ἕλετο κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων.

ἤτοι ὃ τῆς ἀχέων φρένας ἔφθιεν· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς

Τρῶες ἐπὶ πρύμνῃσιν ἐείλεον, οὐδὲ θύραζε

εἴων ἐξιέναι· τὸν δὲ λίσσοντο γέροντες

Ἀργείων, καὶ πολλὰ περικλυτὰ δῶρʼ ὀνόμαζον.

450ἔνθʼ αὐτὸς μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἠναίνετο λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι,

αὐτὰρ ὃ Πάτροκλον περὶ μὲν τὰ ἃ τεύχεα ἕσσε,

πέμπε δέ μιν πόλεμον δέ, πολὺν δʼ ἅμα λαὸν ὄπασσε.

πᾶν δʼ ἦμαρ μάρναντο περὶ Σκαιῇσι πύλῃσι·

καί νύ κεν αὐτῆμαρ πόλιν ἔπραθον, εἰ μὴ Ἀπόλλων

455πολλὰ κακὰ ῥέξαντα Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμον υἱὸν

ἔκτανʼ ἐνὶ προμάχοισι καὶ Ἕκτορι κῦδος ἔδωκε.

444The girl whom the sons of the Achaeans chose as his prize,

445lord Agamemnon in turn seized from his hands.

Grieving for her, he wasted his heart away. Meanwhile the Trojans

penned the Achaeans beside the sterns and would not let them

come out. The elders of the Argives begged him

and named many splendid gifts.

450Then he himself refused to ward destruction from them,

but he dressed Patroclus in his own armor,

sent him into battle, and gave him many troops as well.

All day they fought around the Scaean Gates,

and that very day they would have sacked the city, had Apollo not

455killed Menoetius' valiant son, who had wrought great harm,

among the foremost fighters, and granted Hector triumph.

457τοὔνεκα νῦν τὰ σὰ γούναθʼ ἱκάνομαι, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα

υἱεῖ ἐμῷ ὠκυμόρῳ δόμεν ἀσπίδα καὶ τρυφάλειαν

καὶ καλὰς κνημῖδας ἐπισφυρίοις ἀραρυίας

460καὶ θώρηχʼ· ὃ γὰρ ἦν οἱ ἀπώλεσε πιστὸς ἑταῖρος

Τρωσὶ δαμείς· ὃ δὲ κεῖται ἐπὶ χθονὶ θυμὸν ἀχεύων.

457Therefore I now come to your knees, in hope that you are willing

to give my swift-doomed son a shield and helmet,

beautiful greaves fitted with ankle guards,

460and a corselet. The armor that was his was lost by his faithful companion,

slain by the Trojans; now my son lies on the ground, grieving at heart.”

462τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις·

θάρσει· μή τοι ταῦτα μετὰ φρεσὶ σῇσι μελόντων.

αἲ γάρ μιν θανάτοιο δυσηχέος ὧδε δυναίμην

465νόσφιν ἀποκρύψαι, ὅτε μιν μόρος αἰνὸς ἱκάνοι,

ὥς οἱ τεύχεα καλὰ παρέσσεται, οἷά τις αὖτε

ἀνθρώπων πολέων θαυμάσσεται, ὅς κεν ἴδηται.

462Then renowned Hephaestus, lame in both legs, answered her:

“Take heart. Do not let these things weigh on your mind.

Would that I could hide him far away from death's harsh cry

465when his terrible fate comes for him, as surely as beautiful armor

will be ready for him—armor that many a man will marvel at

when he looks upon it.”

468ὣς εἰπὼν τὴν μὲν λίπεν αὐτοῦ, βῆ δʼ ἐπὶ φύσας·

τὰς δʼ ἐς πῦρ ἔτρεψε κέλευσέ τε ἐργάζεσθαι.

470φῦσαι δʼ ἐν χοάνοισιν ἐείκοσι πᾶσαι ἐφύσων

παντοίην εὔπρηστον ἀϋτμὴν ἐξανιεῖσαι,

ἄλλοτε μὲν σπεύδοντι παρέμμεναι, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε,

ὅππως Ἥφαιστός τʼ ἐθέλοι καὶ ἔργον ἄνοιτο.

χαλκὸν δʼ ἐν πυρὶ βάλλεν ἀτειρέα κασσίτερόν τε

475καὶ χρυσὸν τιμῆντα καὶ ἄργυρον· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

θῆκεν ἐν ἀκμοθέτῳ μέγαν ἄκμονα, γέντο δὲ χειρὶ

ῥαιστῆρα κρατερήν, ἑτέρηφι δὲ γέντο πυράγρην.

468With that he left her there and went to the bellows.

He turned them toward the fire and ordered them to work.

470All twenty bellows blew into the crucibles,

sending out blasts of every kind, fit to kindle flame,

sometimes to serve him at full speed and sometimes more gently,

as Hephaestus wished and as the work advanced.

Into the fire he cast unyielding bronze and tin,

475precious gold and silver. Then he set

a great anvil on its block, took a mighty hammer in one hand

and took the fire-tongs in the other.

478ποίει δὲ πρώτιστα σάκος μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε

πάντοσε δαιδάλλων, περὶ δʼ ἄντυγα βάλλε φαεινὴν

480τρίπλακα μαρμαρέην, ἐκ δʼ ἀργύρεον τελαμῶνα.

πέντε δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτοῦ ἔσαν σάκεος πτύχες· αὐτὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ

ποίει δαίδαλα πολλὰ ἰδυίῃσι πραπίδεσσιν.

478First he made a great and sturdy shield,

adorning it all over, and around it cast a shining rim,

480triple-layered and gleaming; from it hung a silver strap.

Five layers composed the shield itself, and upon it

he made many intricate designs with knowing skill.

483ἐν μὲν γαῖαν ἔτευξʼ, ἐν δʼ οὐρανόν, ἐν δὲ θάλασσαν,

ἠέλιόν τʼ ἀκάμαντα σελήνην τε πλήθουσαν,

485ἐν δὲ τὰ τείρεα πάντα, τά τʼ οὐρανὸς ἐστεφάνωται,

Πληϊάδας θʼ Ὑάδας τε τό τε σθένος Ὠρίωνος

Ἄρκτόν θʼ, ἣν καὶ Ἄμαξαν ἐπίκλησιν καλέουσιν,

ἥ τʼ αὐτοῦ στρέφεται καί τʼ Ὠρίωνα δοκεύει,

οἴη δʼ ἄμμορός ἐστι λοετρῶν Ὠκεανοῖο.

483On it he fashioned earth, sky, and sea,

the tireless sun and the full moon,

485and all the constellations that crown the heavens:

the Pleiades, the Hyades, mighty Orion,

and the Bear, which they also call the Wagon,

which turns in place and keeps watch on Orion,

alone without a share in the baths of Ocean.

490ἐν δὲ δύω ποίησε πόλεις μερόπων ἀνθρώπων

καλάς. ἐν τῇ μέν ῥα γάμοι τʼ ἔσαν εἰλαπίναι τε,

νύμφας δʼ ἐκ θαλάμων δαΐδων ὕπο λαμπομενάων

ἠγίνεον ἀνὰ ἄστυ, πολὺς δʼ ὑμέναιος ὀρώρει·

κοῦροι δʼ ὀρχηστῆρες ἐδίνεον, ἐν δʼ ἄρα τοῖσιν

495αὐλοὶ φόρμιγγές τε βοὴν ἔχον· αἳ δὲ γυναῖκες

ἱστάμεναι θαύμαζον ἐπὶ προθύροισιν ἑκάστη.

λαοὶ δʼ εἰν ἀγορῇ ἔσαν ἀθρόοι· ἔνθα δὲ νεῖκος

ὠρώρει, δύο δʼ ἄνδρες ἐνείκεον εἵνεκα ποινῆς

ἀνδρὸς ἀποφθιμένου· ὃ μὲν εὔχετο πάντʼ ἀποδοῦναι

500δήμῳ πιφαύσκων, ὃ δʼ ἀναίνετο μηδὲν ἑλέσθαι·

ἄμφω δʼ ἱέσθην ἐπὶ ἴστορι πεῖραρ ἑλέσθαι.

λαοὶ δʼ ἀμφοτέροισιν ἐπήπυον ἀμφὶς ἀρωγοί·

κήρυκες δʼ ἄρα λαὸν ἐρήτυον· οἳ δὲ γέροντες

εἵατʼ ἐπὶ ξεστοῖσι λίθοις ἱερῷ ἐνὶ κύκλῳ,

505σκῆπτρα δὲ κηρύκων ἐν χέρσʼ ἔχον ἠεροφώνων·

τοῖσιν ἔπειτʼ ἤϊσσον, ἀμοιβηδὶς δὲ δίκαζον.

κεῖτο δʼ ἄρʼ ἐν μέσσοισι δύω χρυσοῖο τάλαντα,

τῷ δόμεν ὃς μετὰ τοῖσι δίκην ἰθύντατα εἴποι.

490On it he made two beautiful cities of mortal people.

In one were weddings and feasts.

By the light of blazing torches they led brides from their chambers

through the city, and a loud wedding song arose.

Young dancers whirled, and among them

495pipes and lyres sounded; the women

stood at their own doorways and gazed in wonder.

The people were gathered in the assembly, where a dispute

had arisen. Two men quarreled over compensation

for a man who had been killed. One claimed he had paid it all,

500declaring this before the people; the other denied receiving anything.

Both sought a decision from an arbiter.

The people shouted for both, each side supporting its man,

while heralds restrained the crowd. The elders

sat on polished stones in a sacred circle,

505holding the staffs of the clear-voiced heralds in their hands.

With these they rose in turn and gave their judgments.

Two talents of gold lay in their midst,

to be given to the one among them who pronounced the straightest judgment.

509τὴν δʼ ἑτέρην πόλιν ἀμφὶ δύω στρατοὶ ἥατο λαῶν

510τεύχεσι λαμπόμενοι· δίχα δέ σφισιν ἥνδανε βουλή,

ἠὲ διαπραθέειν ἢ ἄνδιχα πάντα δάσασθαι

κτῆσιν ὅσην πτολίεθρον ἐπήρατον ἐντὸς ἔεργεν·

οἳ δʼ οὔ πω πείθοντο, λόχῳ δʼ ὑπεθωρήσσοντο.

τεῖχος μέν ῥʼ ἄλοχοί τε φίλαι καὶ νήπια τέκνα

515ῥύατʼ ἐφεσταότες, μετὰ δʼ ἀνέρες οὓς ἔχε γῆρας·

οἳ δʼ ἴσαν· ἦρχε δʼ ἄρά σφιν Ἄρης καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη

ἄμφω χρυσείω, χρύσεια δὲ εἵματα ἕσθην,

καλὼ καὶ μεγάλω σὺν τεύχεσιν, ὥς τε θεώ περ

ἀμφὶς ἀριζήλω· λαοὶ δʼ ὑπολίζονες ἦσαν.

520οἳ δʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἵκανον ὅθι σφίσιν εἶκε λοχῆσαι

ἐν ποταμῷ, ὅθι τʼ ἀρδμὸς ἔην πάντεσσι βοτοῖσιν,

ἔνθʼ ἄρα τοί γʼ ἵζοντʼ εἰλυμένοι αἴθοπι χαλκῷ.

τοῖσι δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀπάνευθε δύω σκοποὶ εἵατο λαῶν

δέγμενοι ὁππότε μῆλα ἰδοίατο καὶ ἕλικας βοῦς.

525οἳ δὲ τάχα προγένοντο, δύω δʼ ἅμʼ ἕποντο νομῆες

τερπόμενοι σύριγξι· δόλον δʼ οὔ τι προνόησαν.

οἳ μὲν τὰ προϊδόντες ἐπέδραμον, ὦκα δʼ ἔπειτα

τάμνοντʼ ἀμφὶ βοῶν ἀγέλας καὶ πώεα καλὰ

ἀργεννέων οἰῶν, κτεῖνον δʼ ἐπὶ μηλοβοτῆρας.

530οἳ δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐπύθοντο πολὺν κέλαδον παρὰ βουσὶν

εἰράων προπάροιθε καθήμενοι, αὐτίκʼ ἐφʼ ἵππων

βάντες ἀερσιπόδων μετεκίαθον, αἶψα δʼ ἵκοντο.

στησάμενοι δʼ ἐμάχοντο μάχην ποταμοῖο παρʼ ὄχθας,

βάλλον δʼ ἀλλήλους χαλκήρεσιν ἐγχείῃσιν.

535ἐν δʼ Ἔρις ἐν δὲ Κυδοιμὸς ὁμίλεον, ἐν δʼ ὀλοὴ Κήρ,

ἄλλον ζωὸν ἔχουσα νεούτατον, ἄλλον ἄουτον,

ἄλλον τεθνηῶτα κατὰ μόθον ἕλκε ποδοῖιν·

εἷμα δʼ ἔχʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι δαφοινεὸν αἵματι φωτῶν.

ὡμίλευν δʼ ὥς τε ζωοὶ βροτοὶ ἠδʼ ἐμάχοντο,

540νεκρούς τʼ ἀλλήλων ἔρυον κατατεθνηῶτας.

509Around the other city sat two armies of men,

510their armor flashing. They were divided over a plan:

whether to sack the city or divide in two all the wealth

that the lovely stronghold held within it.

But the people inside would not yet yield and armed themselves for an ambush.

Their dear wives and little children stood guarding the wall,

515together with the men held back by old age; the fighters went out,

led by Ares and Pallas Athena,

both made of gold and clothed in golden garments,

beautiful and tall in their armor, like gods indeed,

standing apart conspicuously; the mortal fighters were smaller.

520When they reached the place that suited their ambush,

beside the river where all the livestock came to drink,

they sat there, wrapped in gleaming bronze.

Two scouts sat apart from the force,

waiting until they saw the sheep and curved-horned cattle.

525They soon came, with two herdsmen following,

delighting in their pipes and wholly unaware of the trap.

The ambushers saw them and rushed upon them. At once

they cut off the cattle herds and the fine flocks

of white sheep and killed the men who tended them.

530The besiegers, when they heard the great uproar among the cattle

as they sat before the council ground, at once mounted

their high-stepping horses and rode in pursuit; they soon arrived.

Forming ranks, they fought beside the riverbanks

and hurled bronze-headed spears at one another.

535Strife and Tumult joined them there, and deadly Fate.

She gripped one man alive though newly wounded, another unwounded,

and dragged a third, already dead, by the feet through the fighting.

The garment around her shoulders was red with human blood.

They met and fought like living mortals

540and dragged away one another's fallen dead.

541ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει νειὸν μαλακὴν πίειραν ἄρουραν

εὐρεῖαν τρίπολον· πολλοὶ δʼ ἀροτῆρες ἐν αὐτῇ

ζεύγεα δινεύοντες ἐλάστρεον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα.

οἳ δʼ ὁπότε στρέψαντες ἱκοίατο τέλσον ἀρούρης,

545τοῖσι δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἐν χερσὶ δέπας μελιηδέος οἴνου

δόσκεν ἀνὴρ ἐπιών· τοὶ δὲ στρέψασκον ἀνʼ ὄγμους,

ἱέμενοι νειοῖο βαθείης τέλσον ἱκέσθαι.

ἣ δὲ μελαίνετʼ ὄπισθεν, ἀρηρομένῃ δὲ ἐῴκει,

χρυσείη περ ἐοῦσα· τὸ δὴ περὶ θαῦμα τέτυκτο.

541On it he set a soft fallow field, rich earth,

broad and three times plowed. Many plowmen within it

drove their teams in winding courses this way and that.

Whenever they turned and reached the field's end,

545a man came forward and placed in their hands a cup

of honey-sweet wine; then they turned back along the furrows,

eager to reach the end of the deep fallow.

The earth darkened behind them and looked as though it had been plowed,

though it was gold: this was an extraordinary wonder.

550ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει τέμενος βασιλήϊον· ἔνθα δʼ ἔριθοι

ἤμων ὀξείας δρεπάνας ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες.

δράγματα δʼ ἄλλα μετʼ ὄγμον ἐπήτριμα πῖπτον ἔραζε,

ἄλλα δʼ ἀμαλλοδετῆρες ἐν ἐλλεδανοῖσι δέοντο.

τρεῖς δʼ ἄρʼ ἀμαλλοδετῆρες ἐφέστασαν· αὐτὰρ ὄπισθε

555παῖδες δραγμεύοντες ἐν ἀγκαλίδεσσι φέροντες

ἀσπερχὲς πάρεχον· βασιλεὺς δʼ ἐν τοῖσι σιωπῇ

σκῆπτρον ἔχων ἑστήκει ἐπʼ ὄγμου γηθόσυνος κῆρ.

κήρυκες δʼ ἀπάνευθεν ὑπὸ δρυῒ δαῖτα πένοντο,

βοῦν δʼ ἱερεύσαντες μέγαν ἄμφεπον· αἳ δὲ γυναῖκες

560δεῖπνον ἐρίθοισιν λεύκʼ ἄλφιτα πολλὰ πάλυνον.

550On it he set a king's estate, where laborers

were reaping with sharp sickles in their hands.

Some handfuls fell thick along the swath to the ground,

while binders tied others into bundles.

Three binders stood nearby; behind them

555boys gathered the handfuls and carried them in their arms,

bringing them without pause. Among them the king stood silently,

holding his staff beside the swath, glad at heart.

Farther off under an oak, heralds prepared a feast.

They had sacrificed a great ox and were tending it, while women

560scattered abundant white barley meal for the laborers' dinner.

561ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει σταφυλῇσι μέγα βρίθουσαν ἀλωὴν

καλὴν χρυσείην· μέλανες δʼ ἀνὰ βότρυες ἦσαν,

ἑστήκει δὲ κάμαξι διαμπερὲς ἀργυρέῃσιν.

ἀμφὶ δὲ κυανέην κάπετον, περὶ δʼ ἕρκος ἔλασσε

565κασσιτέρου· μία δʼ οἴη ἀταρπιτὸς ἦεν ἐπʼ αὐτήν,

τῇ νίσοντο φορῆες ὅτε τρυγόῳεν ἀλωήν.

παρθενικαὶ δὲ καὶ ἠΐθεοι ἀταλὰ φρονέοντες

πλεκτοῖς ἐν ταλάροισι φέρον μελιηδέα καρπόν.

τοῖσιν δʼ ἐν μέσσοισι πάϊς φόρμιγγι λιγείῃ

570ἱμερόεν κιθάριζε, λίνον δʼ ὑπὸ καλὸν ἄειδε

λεπταλέῃ φωνῇ· τοὶ δὲ ῥήσσοντες ἁμαρτῇ

μολπῇ τʼ ἰυγμῷ τε ποσὶ σκαίροντες ἕποντο.

561On it he set a beautiful vineyard, heavily laden with grapes,

all gold, though black clusters hung along it,

and it stood in rows on silver poles throughout.

Around it he drove a dark-blue ditch and a fence

565of tin. One single path led to it,

the way the carriers took whenever they harvested the vineyard.

Young women and young men, with light hearts,

carried the honey-sweet fruit in woven baskets.

In their midst a boy with a clear-toned lyre

570played delightfully and sang the lovely Linos song

in a delicate voice. Together the others struck the rhythm

and followed with song and cries, their feet skipping.

573ἐν δʼ ἀγέλην ποίησε βοῶν ὀρθοκραιράων·

αἳ δὲ βόες χρυσοῖο τετεύχατο κασσιτέρου τε,

575μυκηθμῷ δʼ ἀπὸ κόπρου ἐπεσσεύοντο νομὸν δὲ

πὰρ ποταμὸν κελάδοντα, παρὰ ῥοδανὸν δονακῆα.

χρύσειοι δὲ νομῆες ἅμʼ ἐστιχόωντο βόεσσι

τέσσαρες, ἐννέα δέ σφι κύνες πόδας ἀργοὶ ἕποντο.

σμερδαλέω δὲ λέοντε δύʼ ἐν πρώτῃσι βόεσσι

580ταῦρον ἐρύγμηλον ἐχέτην· ὃ δὲ μακρὰ μεμυκὼς

ἕλκετο· τὸν δὲ κύνες μετεκίαθον ἠδʼ αἰζηοί.

τὼ μὲν ἀναρρήξαντε βοὸς μεγάλοιο βοείην

ἔγκατα καὶ μέλαν αἷμα λαφύσσετον· οἳ δὲ νομῆες

αὔτως ἐνδίεσαν ταχέας κύνας ὀτρύνοντες.

585οἳ δʼ ἤτοι δακέειν μὲν ἀπετρωπῶντο λεόντων,

ἱστάμενοι δὲ μάλʼ ἐγγὺς ὑλάκτεον ἔκ τʼ ἀλέοντο.

573On it he made a herd of straight-horned cattle.

The cattle were fashioned from gold and tin,

575and with lowing they hurried from the farmyard toward the pasture,

beside a sounding river and a waving bed of reeds.

Four golden herdsmen walked beside the cattle,

and nine swift-footed dogs followed them.

Among the foremost cattle two terrible lions

580held a bellowing bull. He was dragged away, lowing loudly,

while the dogs and young men went after him.

The two lions tore through the great bull's hide

and gulped down his entrails and black blood; the herdsmen

set their swift dogs on them, but in vain.

585The dogs shrank from biting the lions,

but stood very close, barking and darting away.

587ἐν δὲ νομὸν ποίησε περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις

ἐν καλῇ βήσσῃ μέγαν οἰῶν ἀργεννάων,

σταθμούς τε κλισίας τε κατηρεφέας ἰδὲ σηκούς.

587On it renowned Hephaestus, lame in both legs, made

a great pasture for white sheep in a beautiful valley,

with sheepfolds, roofed huts, and pens.

590ἐν δὲ χορὸν ποίκιλλε περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις,

τῷ ἴκελον οἷόν ποτʼ ἐνὶ Κνωσῷ εὐρείῃ

Δαίδαλος ἤσκησεν καλλιπλοκάμῳ Ἀριάδνῃ.

ἔνθα μὲν ἠΐθεοι καὶ παρθένοι ἀλφεσίβοιαι

ὀρχεῦντʼ ἀλλήλων ἐπὶ καρπῷ χεῖρας ἔχοντες.

595τῶν δʼ αἳ μὲν λεπτὰς ὀθόνας ἔχον, οἳ δὲ χιτῶνας

εἵατʼ ἐϋννήτους, ἦκα στίλβοντας ἐλαίῳ·

καί ῥʼ αἳ μὲν καλὰς στεφάνας ἔχον, οἳ δὲ μαχαίρας

εἶχον χρυσείας ἐξ ἀργυρέων τελαμώνων.

οἳ δʼ ὁτὲ μὲν θρέξασκον ἐπισταμένοισι πόδεσσι

600ῥεῖα μάλʼ, ὡς ὅτε τις τροχὸν ἄρμενον ἐν παλάμῃσιν

ἑζόμενος κεραμεὺς πειρήσεται, αἴ κε θέῃσιν·

ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖ θρέξασκον ἐπὶ στίχας ἀλλήλοισι.

πολλὸς δʼ ἱμερόεντα χορὸν περιίσταθʼ ὅμιλος

τερπόμενοι· μετὰ δέ σφιν ἐμέλπετο θεῖος ἀοιδὸς

605φορμίζων· δοιὼ δὲ κυβιστητῆρε κατʼ αὐτοὺς

μολπῆς ἐξάρχοντες ἐδίνευον κατὰ μέσσους.

590On it renowned Hephaestus, lame in both legs, fashioned an intricate dancing place,

like the one Daedalus once fashioned in broad Knossos

for fair-haired Ariadne.

There young men and maidens who would bring a bride-price

danced, holding one another by the wrists.

595The women wore fine linen robes, while the men wore tunics

finely woven and faintly gleaming with oil.

The women wore beautiful wreaths, and the men carried daggers

of gold hanging from silver straps.

At times they ran with practiced feet,

600very lightly, as when a potter sits and tests a well-fitted wheel

between his hands to see whether it will run.

At other times they ran in rows toward one another.

A great crowd stood around the lovely dance,

delighting in it. Among them a divine singer sang

605to the lyre, while two acrobats among them,

leading the performance, whirled through the middle.

607ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει ποταμοῖο μέγα σθένος Ὠκεανοῖο

ἄντυγα πὰρ πυμάτην σάκεος πύκα ποιητοῖο.

607On it he set the mighty current of Ocean River

around the outermost rim of the strongly made shield.

609αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τεῦξε σάκος μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε,

610τεῦξʼ ἄρα οἱ θώρηκα φαεινότερον πυρὸς αὐγῆς,

τεῦξε δέ οἱ κόρυθα βριαρὴν κροτάφοις ἀραρυῖαν

καλὴν δαιδαλέην, ἐπὶ δὲ χρύσεον λόφον ἧκε,

τεῦξε δέ οἱ κνημῖδας ἑανοῦ κασσιτέροιο.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πάνθʼ ὅπλα κάμε κλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις,

615μητρὸς Ἀχιλλῆος θῆκε προπάροιθεν ἀείρας.

ἣ δʼ ἴρηξ ὣς ἆλτο κατʼ Οὐλύμπου νιφόεντος

τεύχεα μαρμαίροντα παρʼ Ἡφαίστοιο φέρουσα.

609When he had made the great and sturdy shield,

610he made a corselet for him brighter than firelight,

and made a heavy helmet fitted to his temples,

beautiful and intricately worked, and set a golden crest upon it.

He made greaves for him from pliant tin.

When renowned Hephaestus, lame in both legs, had finished all the armor,

615he lifted it and set it before Achilles' mother.

She swooped like a hawk down from snowy Olympus,

carrying the gleaming armor Hephaestus had made.