Iliad, Book 2: Dream & Catalogue

1ἄλλοι μέν ῥα θεοί τε καὶ ἀνέρες ἱπποκορυσταὶ

εὗδον παννύχιοι, Δία δʼ οὐκ ἔχε νήδυμος ὕπνος,

ἀλλʼ ὅ γε μερμήριζε κατὰ φρένα ὡς Ἀχιλῆα

τιμήσῃ, ὀλέσῃ δὲ πολέας ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.

5ἥδε δέ οἱ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή,

πέμψαι ἐπʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι οὖλον ὄνειρον·

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

βάσκʼ ἴθι οὖλε ὄνειρε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν·

ἐλθὼν ἐς κλισίην Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο

10πάντα μάλʼ ἀτρεκέως ἀγορευέμεν ὡς ἐπιτέλλω·

θωρῆξαί ἑ κέλευε κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιοὺς

πανσυδίῃ· νῦν γάρ κεν ἕλοι πόλιν εὐρυάγυιαν

Τρώων· οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ ἀμφὶς Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχοντες

ἀθάνατοι φράζονται· ἐπέγναμψεν γὰρ ἅπαντας

15Ἥρη λισσομένη, Τρώεσσι δὲ κήδεʼ ἐφῆπται.

1All the other gods and chariot-fighting warriors

slept all through the night; but restful sleep did not hold Zeus.

Instead, he kept pondering in his mind how to honor Achilles

and destroy many Achaeans beside their ships.

5This plan seemed best to his spirit:

to send a ruinous Dream upon Agamemnon, Atreus’ son.

He called to the Dream and addressed him with winged words:

“Go now, ruinous Dream, to the Achaeans’ swift ships.

Go to the shelter of Agamemnon, Atreus’ son,

10and tell him everything exactly as I command.

Bid him arm the long-haired Achaeans

in full force. For now he may take the broad-streeted city

of the Trojans. No longer are the immortals who dwell in Olympian halls

divided in counsel; for Hera has bent them all

15by her supplication, and sorrows now hang over the Trojans.”

16ὣς φάτο, βῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ὄνειρος ἐπεὶ τὸν μῦθον ἄκουσε·

καρπαλίμως δʼ ἵκανε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν,

βῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπʼ Ἀτρεΐδην Ἀγαμέμνονα· τὸν δὲ κίχανεν

εὕδοντʼ ἐν κλισίῃ, περὶ δʼ ἀμβρόσιος κέχυθʼ ὕπνος.

20στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς Νηληΐῳ υἷι ἐοικώς

Νέστορι, τόν ῥα μάλιστα γερόντων τῖʼ Ἀγαμέμνων·

τῷ μιν ἐεισάμενος προσεφώνεε θεῖος ὄνειρος·

εὕδεις Ἀτρέος υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἱπποδάμοιο·

οὐ χρὴ παννύχιον εὕδειν βουληφόρον ἄνδρα

25ᾧ λαοί τʼ ἐπιτετράφαται καὶ τόσσα μέμηλε·

νῦν δʼ ἐμέθεν ξύνες ὦκα· Διὸς δέ τοι ἄγγελός εἰμι,

ὃς σεῦ ἄνευθεν ἐὼν μέγα κήδεται ἠδʼ ἐλεαίρει.

θωρῆξαί σε κέλευσε κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιοὺς

πανσυδίῃ· νῦν γάρ κεν ἕλοις πόλιν εὐρυάγυιαν

30Τρώων· οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ ἀμφὶς Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχοντες

ἀθάνατοι φράζονται· ἐπέγναμψεν γὰρ ἅπαντας

Ἥρη λισσομένη, Τρώεσσι δὲ κήδεʼ ἐφῆπται

ἐκ Διός· ἀλλὰ σὺ σῇσιν ἔχε φρεσί, μηδέ σε λήθη

αἱρείτω εὖτʼ ἄν σε μελίφρων ὕπνος ἀνήῃ.

16So he spoke; the Dream set out once he had heard his command.

Quickly he reached the Achaeans’ swift ships.

He went to Agamemnon, Atreus’ son, and found him

asleep in his shelter, with ambrosial sleep enfolding him.

20He stood over his head in the likeness of Neleus’ son,

Nestor, whom Agamemnon honored above all the elders.

Taking that likeness, the divine Dream addressed him:

“Are you asleep, son of Atreus the war-wise horse-tamer?

A man charged with counsel must not sleep all night,

25with the troops entrusted to him and so much in his care.

Now listen to me at once. I am a messenger from Zeus,

who, far away though he is, cares deeply for you and pities you.

He commands you to arm the long-haired Achaeans

in full force. For now you may take the broad-streeted city

30of the Trojans. No longer are the immortals who dwell in Olympian halls

divided in counsel; for Hera has bent them all

by her supplication, and sorrows now hang over the Trojans

from Zeus. Keep this in your mind, and let no forgetfulness

seize you when honey-sweet sleep releases you.”

35ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἀπεβήσετο, τὸν δὲ λίπʼ αὐτοῦ

τὰ φρονέοντʼ ἀνὰ θυμὸν ἅ ῥʼ οὐ τελέεσθαι ἔμελλον·

φῆ γὰρ ὅ γʼ αἱρήσειν Πριάμου πόλιν ἤματι κείνῳ

νήπιος, οὐδὲ τὰ ᾔδη ἅ ῥα Ζεὺς μήδετο ἔργα·

θήσειν γὰρ ἔτʼ ἔμελλεν ἐπʼ ἄλγεά τε στοναχάς τε

40Τρωσί τε καὶ Δαναοῖσι διὰ κρατερὰς ὑσμίνας.

ἔγρετο δʼ ἐξ ὕπνου, θείη δέ μιν ἀμφέχυτʼ ὀμφή·

ἕζετο δʼ ὀρθωθείς, μαλακὸν δʼ ἔνδυνε χιτῶνα

καλὸν νηγάτεον, περὶ δὲ μέγα βάλλετο φᾶρος·

ποσσὶ δʼ ὑπὸ λιπαροῖσιν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα,

45ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ὤμοισιν βάλετο ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον·

εἵλετο δὲ σκῆπτρον πατρώϊον ἄφθιτον αἰεὶ

σὺν τῷ ἔβη κατὰ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων·

35Having spoken so, he went away and left him there,

pondering in his spirit things that were not to be fulfilled.

He thought he would take Priam’s city that very day—

fool; he did not know the deeds Zeus was devising.

For Zeus still meant to lay sufferings and groans

40upon Trojans and Danaans through the press of mighty battles.

He woke from sleep, and the divine voice still flowed around him.

He sat upright and drew on a soft tunic,

fine and new, then wrapped a great cloak about him.

Beneath his gleaming feet he bound fine sandals,

45slung a silver-studded sword about his shoulders,

and took his ancestral scepter, forever imperishable.

With it he went along the ships of the bronze-clad Achaeans.

48ἠὼς μέν ῥα θεὰ προσεβήσετο μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον

Ζηνὶ φόως ἐρέουσα καὶ ἄλλοις ἀθανάτοισιν·

50αὐτὰρ ὃ κηρύκεσσι λιγυφθόγγοισι κέλευσε

κηρύσσειν ἀγορὴν δὲ κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιούς·

οἳ μὲν ἐκήρυσσον, τοὶ δʼ ἠγείροντο μάλʼ ὦκα·

βουλὴν δὲ πρῶτον μεγαθύμων ἷζε γερόντων

Νεστορέῃ παρὰ νηῒ Πυλοιγενέος βασιλῆος·

55τοὺς ὅ γε συγκαλέσας πυκινὴν ἀρτύνετο βουλήν·

48Dawn the goddess went up to high Olympus

to proclaim daylight to Zeus and the other immortals.

50But Agamemnon ordered the clear-voiced heralds

to summon the long-haired Achaeans to assembly.

They made proclamation, and the men assembled swiftly.

First he convened a council of the great-hearted elders

beside the ship of Nestor, the Pylos-born king.

55He gathered them and framed a shrewd plan:

56κλῦτε φίλοι· θεῖός μοι ἐνύπνιον ἦλθεν ὄνειρος

ἀμβροσίην διὰ νύκτα· μάλιστα δὲ Νέστορι δίῳ

εἶδός τε μέγεθός τε φυήν τʼ ἄγχιστα ἐῴκει·

στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς καί με πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·

60εὕδεις Ἀτρέος υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἱπποδάμοιο·

οὐ χρὴ παννύχιον εὕδειν βουληφόρον ἄνδρα,

ᾧ λαοί τʼ ἐπιτετράφαται καὶ τόσσα μέμηλε·

νῦν δʼ ἐμέθεν ξύνες ὦκα· Διὸς δέ τοι ἄγγελός εἰμι,

ὃς σεῦ ἄνευθεν ἐὼν μέγα κήδεται ἠδʼ ἐλεαίρει·

65θωρῆξαί σε κέλευσε κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιοὺς

πανσυδίῃ· νῦν γάρ κεν ἕλοις πόλιν εὐρυάγυιαν

Τρώων· οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ ἀμφὶς Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχοντες

ἀθάνατοι φράζονται· ἐπέγναμψεν γὰρ ἅπαντας

Ἥρη λισσομένη, Τρώεσσι δὲ κήδεʼ ἐφῆπται

70ἐκ Διός· ἀλλὰ σὺ σῇσιν ἔχε φρεσίν· ὣς ὃ μὲν εἰπὼν

ᾤχετʼ ἀποπτάμενος, ἐμὲ δὲ γλυκὺς ὕπνος ἀνῆκεν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ αἴ κέν πως θωρήξομεν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν·

πρῶτα δʼ ἐγὼν ἔπεσιν πειρήσομαι, ἣ θέμις ἐστί,

καὶ φεύγειν σὺν νηυσὶ πολυκλήϊσι κελεύσω·

75ὑμεῖς δʼ ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος ἐρητύειν ἐπέεσσιν.

56“Listen, friends. A divine Dream came to me while I slept

through the ambrosial night; it was most like godlike Nestor

in appearance, height, and build.

It stood above my head and addressed me with these words:

60‘Are you asleep, son of Atreus the war-wise horse-tamer?

A man charged with counsel must not sleep all night,

with the troops entrusted to him and so much in his care.

Now listen to me at once. I am a messenger from Zeus,

who, far away though he is, cares deeply for you and pities you.

65He commands you to arm the long-haired Achaeans

in full force. For now you may take the broad-streeted city

of the Trojans. No longer are the immortals who dwell in Olympian halls

divided in counsel; for Hera has bent them all

by her supplication, and sorrows now hang over the Trojans

70from Zeus. Keep this in your mind.’ So he spoke

and flew away; then sweet sleep released me.

Come, let us see if somehow we can arm the sons of the Achaeans.

First I will test them with words, as is customary,

and command them to flee with their many-benched ships;

75you, each from a different quarter, restrain them with words.”

76ἤτοι ὅ γʼ ὣς εἰπὼν κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο, τοῖσι δʼ ἀνέστη

Νέστωρ, ὅς ῥα Πύλοιο ἄναξ ἦν ἠμαθόεντος,

ὅ σφιν ἐὺ φρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες

80εἰ μέν τις τὸν ὄνειρον Ἀχαιῶν ἄλλος ἔνισπε

ψεῦδός κεν φαῖμεν καὶ νοσφιζοίμεθα μᾶλλον·

νῦν δʼ ἴδεν ὃς μέγʼ ἄριστος Ἀχαιῶν εὔχεται εἶναι·

ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ αἴ κέν πως θωρήξομεν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.

76So he spoke and sat down. Before them rose

Nestor, lord of sandy Pylos.

With good will toward them, he addressed the assembly and said:

“Friends, leaders and rulers of the Argives,

80if another of the Achaeans had told this dream,

we would call it a lie and reject it all the more.

But now the man who claims to be far the best of the Achaeans has seen it.

Come, let us see if somehow we can arm the sons of the Achaeans.”

84ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας βουλῆς ἐξῆρχε νέεσθαι,

85οἳ δʼ ἐπανέστησαν πείθοντό τε ποιμένι λαῶν

σκηπτοῦχοι βασιλῆες· ἐπεσσεύοντο δὲ λαοί.

ἠΰτε ἔθνεα εἶσι μελισσάων ἁδινάων

πέτρης ἐκ γλαφυρῆς αἰεὶ νέον ἐρχομενάων,

βοτρυδὸν δὲ πέτονται ἐπʼ ἄνθεσιν εἰαρινοῖσιν·

90αἳ μέν τʼ ἔνθα ἅλις πεποτήαται, αἳ δέ τε ἔνθα·

ὣς τῶν ἔθνεα πολλὰ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων

ἠϊόνος προπάροιθε βαθείης ἐστιχόωντο

ἰλαδὸν εἰς ἀγορήν· μετὰ δέ σφισιν ὄσσα δεδήει

ὀτρύνουσʼ ἰέναι Διὸς ἄγγελος· οἳ δʼ ἀγέροντο.

95τετρήχει δʼ ἀγορή, ὑπὸ δὲ στεναχίζετο γαῖα

λαῶν ἱζόντων, ὅμαδος δʼ ἦν· ἐννέα δέ σφεας

κήρυκες βοόωντες ἐρήτυον, εἴ ποτʼ ἀϋτῆς

σχοίατʼ, ἀκούσειαν δὲ διοτρεφέων βασιλήων.

σπουδῇ δʼ ἕζετο λαός, ἐρήτυθεν δὲ καθʼ ἕδρας

100παυσάμενοι κλαγγῆς· ἀνὰ δὲ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων

ἔστη σκῆπτρον ἔχων τὸ μὲν Ἥφαιστος κάμε τεύχων.

Ἥφαιστος μὲν δῶκε Διὶ Κρονίωνι ἄνακτι,

αὐτὰρ ἄρα Ζεὺς δῶκε διακτόρῳ ἀργεϊφόντῃ·

Ἑρμείας δὲ ἄναξ δῶκεν Πέλοπι πληξίππῳ,

105αὐτὰρ ὃ αὖτε Πέλοψ δῶκʼ Ἀτρέϊ ποιμένι λαῶν,

Ἀτρεὺς δὲ θνῄσκων ἔλιπεν πολύαρνι Θυέστῃ,

αὐτὰρ ὃ αὖτε Θυέστʼ Ἀγαμέμνονι λεῖπε φορῆναι,

πολλῇσιν νήσοισι καὶ Ἄργεϊ παντὶ ἀνάσσειν.

84So he spoke and led them out from the council.

85They rose after him and obeyed the shepherd of the people,

the scepter-bearing kings; and the troops came streaming on.

As when close-thronging swarms of bees pour out,

coming ever afresh from a hollow rock,

and fly in clusters over the flowers of spring—

90some hover thickly here, and others there—

so their many companies, from ships and shelters,

filed in ranks before the deep beach,

company by company into assembly; among them Rumor blazed,

Zeus’s messenger, urging them to go; and they gathered.

95The assembly was in tumult; beneath them the earth groaned

as the troops sat down, and there was clamor. Nine

heralds shouted to restrain them, if at last they might stop

their cries and listen to the Zeus-nurtured kings.

With difficulty the troops sat down, held in their places,

100when they had ceased their clamor. Then lord Agamemnon

stood, holding the scepter Hephaestus had labored to fashion.

Hephaestus gave it to lord Zeus, son of Cronus;

Zeus in turn gave it to the guide, Argus-slayer;

and lord Hermes gave it to Pelops, driver of horses.

105Pelops in turn gave it to Atreus, shepherd of the people;

Atreus, when dying, left it to Thyestes rich in flocks,

and Thyestes in turn left it for Agamemnon to bear

and rule over many islands and all Argos.

109τῷ ὅ γʼ ἐρεισάμενος ἔπεʼ Ἀργείοισι μετηύδα·

110ὦ φίλοι ἥρωες Δαναοὶ θεράποντες Ἄρηος

Ζεύς με μέγα Κρονίδης ἄτῃ ἐνέδησε βαρείῃ,

σχέτλιος, ὃς πρὶν μέν μοι ὑπέσχετο καὶ κατένευσεν

Ἴλιον ἐκπέρσαντʼ εὐτείχεον ἀπονέεσθαι,

νῦν δὲ κακὴν ἀπάτην βουλεύσατο, καί με κελεύει

115δυσκλέα Ἄργος ἱκέσθαι, ἐπεὶ πολὺν ὤλεσα λαόν.

οὕτω που Διὶ μέλλει ὑπερμενέϊ φίλον εἶναι,

ὃς δὴ πολλάων πολίων κατέλυσε κάρηνα

ἠδʼ ἔτι καὶ λύσει· τοῦ γὰρ κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον.

αἰσχρὸν γὰρ τόδε γʼ ἐστὶ καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι

120μὰψ οὕτω τοιόνδε τοσόνδε τε λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν

ἄπρηκτον πόλεμον πολεμίζειν ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι

ἀνδράσι παυροτέροισι, τέλος δʼ οὔ πώ τι πέφανται·

109Leaning upon it, he addressed these words to the Argives:

110“Friends, Danaan heroes, attendants of Ares:

Zeus, son of Cronus, has bound me fast in grievous delusion—

cruel god! Before, he promised me and bowed his head in assent

that I would return after sacking well-walled Ilium.

But now he has devised a wicked deception and orders me

115to reach Argos without glory, after bringing so great a host to ruin.

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

who has brought down the crowns of many cities

and will bring down still more—for his power is greatest.

For this is shameful, even for those yet to come to hear:

120how vainly an Achaean host of such strength and size

has waged an unavailing war and fought

against fewer men, with no end yet revealed;

123εἴ περ γάρ κʼ ἐθέλοιμεν Ἀχαιοί τε Τρῶές τε

ὅρκια πιστὰ ταμόντες ἀριθμηθήμεναι ἄμφω,

125Τρῶας μὲν λέξασθαι ἐφέστιοι ὅσσοι ἔασιν,

ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐς δεκάδας διακοσμηθεῖμεν Ἀχαιοί,

Τρώων δʼ ἄνδρα ἕκαστοι ἑλοίμεθα οἰνοχοεύειν,

πολλαί κεν δεκάδες δευοίατο οἰνοχόοιο.

τόσσον ἐγώ φημι πλέας ἔμμεναι υἷας Ἀχαιῶν

130Τρώων, οἳ ναίουσι κατὰ πτόλιν· ἀλλʼ ἐπίκουροι

πολλέων ἐκ πολίων ἐγχέσπαλοι ἄνδρες ἔασιν,

οἵ με μέγα πλάζουσι καὶ οὐκ εἰῶσʼ ἐθέλοντα

Ἰλίου ἐκπέρσαι εὖ ναιόμενον πτολίεθρον.

ἐννέα δὴ βεβάασι Διὸς μεγάλου ἐνιαυτοί,

135καὶ δὴ δοῦρα σέσηπε νεῶν καὶ σπάρτα λέλυνται·

αἳ δέ που ἡμέτεραί τʼ ἄλοχοι καὶ νήπια τέκνα

εἵατʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροις ποτιδέγμεναι· ἄμμι δὲ ἔργον

αὔτως ἀκράαντον οὗ εἵνεκα δεῦρʼ ἱκόμεσθα.

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες·

140φεύγωμεν σὺν νηυσὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν·

οὐ γὰρ ἔτι Τροίην αἱρήσομεν εὐρυάγυιαν.

123for even if we Achaeans and Trojans wished

to cut a faithful truce and number both sides,

125and the native Trojans were counted, household by household,

while we Achaeans were marshalled in groups of ten,

and every group chose one Trojan to pour its wine,

many tens would go without a wine-pourer.

So greatly, I say, do the sons of the Achaeans outnumber

130the Trojans who inhabit the city. But spear-fighting allies

are here from many towns,

who turn me far aside and will not let me, eager though I am,

sack Ilium, that well-inhabited stronghold.

Nine years of great Zeus have now passed,

135and now our ships’ timbers have rotted and their cables hang loose.

Somewhere our wives and little children

sit in our halls waiting; yet our task

lies wholly unaccomplished, the task for which we came.

Come then, let us all do as I propose:

140let us flee in our ships to our dear native land,

for we shall no longer take broad-streeted Troy.”

142ὣς φάτο, τοῖσι δὲ θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε

πᾶσι μετὰ πληθὺν ὅσοι οὐ βουλῆς ἐπάκουσαν·

κινήθη δʼ ἀγορὴ φὴ κύματα μακρὰ θαλάσσης

145πόντου Ἰκαρίοιο, τὰ μέν τʼ Εὖρός τε Νότος τε

ὤρορʼ ἐπαΐξας πατρὸς Διὸς ἐκ νεφελάων.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε κινήσῃ Ζέφυρος βαθὺ λήϊον ἐλθὼν

λάβρος ἐπαιγίζων, ἐπί τʼ ἠμύει ἀσταχύεσσιν,

ὣς τῶν πᾶσʼ ἀγορὴ κινήθη· τοὶ δʼ ἀλαλητῷ

150νῆας ἔπʼ ἐσσεύοντο, ποδῶν δʼ ὑπένερθε κονίη

ἵστατʼ ἀειρομένη· τοὶ δʼ ἀλλήλοισι κέλευον

ἅπτεσθαι νηῶν ἠδʼ ἑλκέμεν εἰς ἅλα δῖαν,

οὐρούς τʼ ἐξεκάθαιρον· ἀϋτὴ δʼ οὐρανὸν ἷκεν

οἴκαδε ἱεμένων· ὑπὸ δʼ ᾕρεον ἕρματα νηῶν.

142So he spoke, and stirred the spirit in every breast

throughout the multitude, all who had not heard the council.

The assembly heaved like long waves of the sea,

145the Icarian deep, when East Wind and South Wind

swoop down and rouse them from Father Zeus’s clouds.

As when West Wind arrives and stirs a deep field of grain,

storming hard, and the crop bows its ears,

so the whole assembly stirred. With shouting,

150they swept toward the ships; under their feet dust

rose and hung in the air. They called to one another

to seize the ships and haul them into the shining sea;

they cleared the launching ways, and their cry reached heaven

as they yearned for home and pulled the ships’ supports away.

155ἔνθά κεν Ἀργείοισιν ὑπέρμορα νόστος ἐτύχθη

εἰ μὴ Ἀθηναίην Ἥρη πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·

ὢ πόποι αἰγιόχοιο Διὸς τέκος Ἀτρυτώνη,

οὕτω δὴ οἶκον δὲ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν

Ἀργεῖοι φεύξονται ἐπʼ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης,

160κὰδ δέ κεν εὐχωλὴν Πριάμῳ καὶ Τρωσὶ λίποιεν

Ἀργείην Ἑλένην, ἧς εἵνεκα πολλοὶ Ἀχαιῶν

ἐν Τροίῃ ἀπόλοντο φίλης ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης·

ἀλλʼ ἴθι νῦν κατὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων·

σοῖς ἀγανοῖς ἐπέεσσιν ἐρήτυε φῶτα ἕκαστον,

165μηδὲ ἔα νῆας ἅλα δʼ ἑλκέμεν ἀμφιελίσσας.

155Then a homecoming beyond their allotted fate would have come to pass for the Argives,

if Hera had not spoken these words to Athena:

“Ah, child of aegis-bearing Zeus, unwearied one,

are the Argives really to flee homeward, to their dear native land,

across the sea’s broad back,

160and leave behind a boast for Priam and the Trojans—

Argive Helen, for whose sake many Achaeans

perished at Troy, away from their dear native land?

Go now through the host of bronze-clad Achaeans;

with your gentle words hold back each man,

165and do not let them drag the ships curved at both ends into the sea.”

166ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,

βῆ δὲ κατʼ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων ἀΐξασα·

καρπαλίμως δʼ ἵκανε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν.

εὗρεν ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆα Διὶ μῆτιν ἀτάλαντον

170ἑσταότʼ· οὐδʼ ὅ γε νηὸς ἐϋσσέλμοιο μελαίνης

ἅπτετʼ, ἐπεί μιν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἵκανεν·

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη προσέφη γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

οὕτω δὴ οἶκον δὲ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν

175φεύξεσθʼ ἐν νήεσσι πολυκλήϊσι πεσόντες,

κὰδ δέ κεν εὐχωλὴν Πριάμῳ καὶ Τρωσὶ λίποιτε

Ἀργείην Ἑλένην, ἧς εἵνεκα πολλοὶ Ἀχαιῶν

ἐν Τροίῃ ἀπόλοντο φίλης ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης;

ἀλλʼ ἴθι νῦν κατὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν, μηδʼ ἔτʼ ἐρώει,

180σοῖς δʼ ἀγανοῖς ἐπέεσσιν ἐρήτυε φῶτα ἕκαστον,

μηδὲ ἔα νῆας ἅλα δʼ ἑλκέμεν ἀμφιελίσσας.

166So she spoke, and the goddess, bright-eyed Athena, did not disobey.

She darted down from the peaks of Olympus

and quickly reached the Achaeans’ swift ships.

There she found Odysseus, a match for Zeus in counsel,

170standing there; he was not taking hold of his black, well-benched ship,

for grief had come upon his heart and spirit.

Standing close beside him, bright-eyed Athena addressed him:

“Zeus-born son of Laertes, resourceful Odysseus,

are you really to flee homeward, to your dear native land,

175flinging yourselves aboard your many-benched ships,

and leave behind a boast for Priam and the Trojans—

Argive Helen, for whose sake many Achaeans

perished at Troy, away from their dear native land?

Go now through the host of the Achaeans, and do not linger any longer;

180with your gentle words hold back each man,

and do not let them drag the ships curved at both ends into the sea.”

182ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δὲ ξυνέηκε θεᾶς ὄπα φωνησάσης,

βῆ δὲ θέειν, ἀπὸ δὲ χλαῖναν βάλε· τὴν δὲ κόμισσε

κῆρυξ Εὐρυβάτης Ἰθακήσιος ὅς οἱ ὀπήδει·

185αὐτὸς δʼ Ἀτρεΐδεω Ἀγαμέμνονος ἀντίος ἐλθὼν

δέξατό οἱ σκῆπτρον πατρώϊον ἄφθιτον αἰεί·

σὺν τῷ ἔβη κατὰ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων.

ὅν τινα μὲν βασιλῆα καὶ ἔξοχον ἄνδρα κιχείη

τὸν δʼ ἀγανοῖς ἐπέεσσιν ἐρητύσασκε παραστάς·

190δαιμόνιʼ οὔ σε ἔοικε κακὸν ὣς δειδίσσεσθαι,

ἀλλʼ αὐτός τε κάθησο καὶ ἄλλους ἵδρυε λαούς·

οὐ γάρ πω σάφα οἶσθʼ οἷος νόος Ἀτρεΐωνος·

νῦν μὲν πειρᾶται, τάχα δʼ ἴψεται υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.

ἐν βουλῇ δʼ οὐ πάντες ἀκούσαμεν οἷον ἔειπε.

195μή τι χολωσάμενος ῥέξῃ κακὸν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν·

θυμὸς δὲ μέγας ἐστὶ διοτρεφέων βασιλήων,

τιμὴ δʼ ἐκ Διός ἐστι, φιλεῖ δέ ἑ μητίετα Ζεύς.

182So she spoke, and he recognized the voice of the goddess speaking.

He broke into a run and threw off his cloak; it was gathered up

by the Ithacan herald Eurybates, who attended him.

185Odysseus himself went to meet Agamemnon, Atreus’ son,

and received from him the ancestral scepter, forever imperishable.

With it he went among the ships of the bronze-clad Achaeans.

Whenever he came upon a king or an eminent man,

he stood beside him and restrained him with gentle words:

190“My lord, it does not suit you to be frightened like a coward.

Sit down yourself, and make the other troops sit down.

You do not yet know clearly what Atreus’ son intends.

Now he is testing them; soon he will bring pain upon the sons of the Achaeans.

Not all of us heard what he said in council.

195Take care that in anger he does no harm to the sons of the Achaeans.

For the anger of Zeus-nurtured kings is great;

a king’s honor comes from Zeus, and Zeus, lord of counsel, loves him.”

198ὃν δʼ αὖ δήμου τʼ ἄνδρα ἴδοι βοόωντά τʼ ἐφεύροι,

τὸν σκήπτρῳ ἐλάσασκεν ὁμοκλήσασκέ τε μύθῳ·

200δαιμόνιʼ ἀτρέμας ἧσο καὶ ἄλλων μῦθον ἄκουε,

οἳ σέο φέρτεροί εἰσι, σὺ δʼ ἀπτόλεμος καὶ ἄναλκις

οὔτέ ποτʼ ἐν πολέμῳ ἐναρίθμιος οὔτʼ ἐνὶ βουλῇ·

οὐ μέν πως πάντες βασιλεύσομεν ἐνθάδʼ Ἀχαιοί·

οὐκ ἀγαθὸν πολυκοιρανίη· εἷς κοίρανος ἔστω,

205εἷς βασιλεύς, ᾧ δῶκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω

σκῆπτρόν τʼ ἠδὲ θέμιστας, ἵνά σφισι βουλεύῃσι.

ὣς ὅ γε κοιρανέων δίεπε στρατόν· οἳ δʼ ἀγορὴν δὲ

αὖτις ἐπεσσεύοντο νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων

ἠχῇ, ὡς ὅτε κῦμα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης

210αἰγιαλῷ μεγάλῳ βρέμεται, σμαραγεῖ δέ τε πόντος.

198But whenever he saw a man of the people and found him shouting,

he struck him with the scepter and rebuked him with words:

200“You there, sit still and listen to the words of others

who are better than you. You are unwarlike and weak,

counted for nothing either in battle or in council.

We Achaeans cannot all be kings here.

Rule by many is no good thing. Let there be one ruler,

205one king, to whom the son of crooked-counseling Cronus gave

the scepter and ordinances, so that he might take counsel for them.”

Thus he ranged through the army in command; and back to assembly

they streamed again from ships and shelters

with a roar, as when a wave of the resounding sea

210thunders against a broad shore, and the sea crashes.

211ἄλλοι μέν ῥʼ ἕζοντο, ἐρήτυθεν δὲ καθʼ ἕδρας·

Θερσίτης δʼ ἔτι μοῦνος ἀμετροεπὴς ἐκολῴα,

ὃς ἔπεα φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἄκοσμά τε πολλά τε ᾔδη

μάψ, ἀτὰρ οὐ κατὰ κόσμον, ἐριζέμεναι βασιλεῦσιν,

215ἀλλʼ ὅ τι οἱ εἴσαιτο γελοίϊον Ἀργείοισιν

ἔμμεναι· αἴσχιστος δὲ ἀνὴρ ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθε·

φολκὸς ἔην, χωλὸς δʼ ἕτερον πόδα· τὼ δέ οἱ ὤμω

κυρτὼ ἐπὶ στῆθος συνοχωκότε· αὐτὰρ ὕπερθε

φοξὸς ἔην κεφαλήν, ψεδνὴ δʼ ἐπενήνοθε λάχνη.

220ἔχθιστος δʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ μάλιστʼ ἦν ἠδʼ Ὀδυσῆϊ·

τὼ γὰρ νεικείεσκε· τότʼ αὖτʼ Ἀγαμέμνονι δίῳ

ὀξέα κεκλήγων λέγʼ ὀνείδεα· τῷ δʼ ἄρʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

ἐκπάγλως κοτέοντο νεμέσσηθέν τʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ.

αὐτὰρ ὃ μακρὰ βοῶν Ἀγαμέμνονα νείκεε μύθῳ·

211The others sat down and were held in place upon their seats;

Thersites alone still squawked on, measureless in speech.

His mind was full of many unruly words,

fit for wrangling recklessly with kings, without decorum—

215whatever he thought might raise a laugh among the Argives.

He was the ugliest man who came beneath Ilium:

bow-legged and lame in one foot; his two shoulders

were hunched and drawn together over his chest; above them

his head rose to a point, with sparse hair sprouting over it.

220He was most hateful of all to Achilles and Odysseus,

for he was always abusing those two. Now, in turn, at godlike Agamemnon

he shrieked sharply and spoke insults. The Achaeans

were fiercely angry with him and indignant in their hearts.

But he, shouting loudly, railed at Agamemnon in a speech:

225Ἀτρεΐδη τέο δʼ αὖτʼ ἐπιμέμφεαι ἠδὲ χατίζεις;

πλεῖαί τοι χαλκοῦ κλισίαι, πολλαὶ δὲ γυναῖκες

εἰσὶν ἐνὶ κλισίῃς ἐξαίρετοι, ἅς τοι Ἀχαιοὶ

πρωτίστῳ δίδομεν εὖτʼ ἂν πτολίεθρον ἕλωμεν.

ἦ ἔτι καὶ χρυσοῦ ἐπιδεύεαι, ὅν κέ τις οἴσει

230Τρώων ἱπποδάμων ἐξ Ἰλίου υἷος ἄποινα,

ὅν κεν ἐγὼ δήσας ἀγάγω ἢ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν,

ἠὲ γυναῖκα νέην, ἵνα μίσγεαι ἐν φιλότητι,

ἥν τʼ αὐτὸς ἀπονόσφι κατίσχεαι; οὐ μὲν ἔοικεν

ἀρχὸν ἐόντα κακῶν ἐπιβασκέμεν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.

235ὦ πέπονες κάκʼ ἐλέγχεʼ Ἀχαιΐδες οὐκέτʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

οἴκαδέ περ σὺν νηυσὶ νεώμεθα, τόνδε δʼ ἐῶμεν

αὐτοῦ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ γέρα πεσσέμεν, ὄφρα ἴδηται

ἤ ῥά τί οἱ χἠμεῖς προσαμύνομεν ἦε καὶ οὐκί·

ὃς καὶ νῦν Ἀχιλῆα ἕο μέγʼ ἀμείνονα φῶτα

240ἠτίμησεν· ἑλὼν γὰρ ἔχει γέρας αὐτὸς ἀπούρας.

ἀλλὰ μάλʼ οὐκ Ἀχιλῆϊ χόλος φρεσίν, ἀλλὰ μεθήμων·

ἦ γὰρ ἂν Ἀτρεΐδη νῦν ὕστατα λωβήσαιο·

225“Son of Atreus, what are you complaining of now, and what do you lack?

Your shelters are full of bronze, and many women

are in your shelters, specially chosen, whom we Achaeans

give you first whenever we capture a city.

Or are you still in need of gold, which some son

230of the horse-taming Trojans may bring from Ilium as ransom—

a man I may lead here bound, or another Achaean may?

Or do you want a young woman, so that you may lie with her,

one you keep apart for yourself? It is not fitting

for a leader to bring the sons of the Achaeans into misery.

235You weaklings, shameful disgraces—Achaean women, Achaeans no longer!

Let us at least sail home in our ships and abandon this man

here in Troy to digest his prizes, so that he may discover

whether we too lend him any aid, or none.

He has even now dishonored Achilles, a man far better than he,

240for he took away Achilles’ prize and now holds it himself.

But Achilles has no anger in his heart at all—he is too slack!

Otherwise, son of Atreus, this outrage would be your last.”

243ὣς φάτο νεικείων Ἀγαμέμνονα ποιμένα λαῶν,

Θερσίτης· τῷ δʼ ὦκα παρίστατο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

245καί μιν ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν χαλεπῷ ἠνίπαπε μύθῳ·

Θερσῖτʼ ἀκριτόμυθε, λιγύς περ ἐὼν ἀγορητής,

ἴσχεο, μηδʼ ἔθελʼ οἶος ἐριζέμεναι βασιλεῦσιν·

οὐ γὰρ ἐγὼ σέο φημὶ χερειότερον βροτὸν ἄλλον

ἔμμεναι, ὅσσοι ἅμʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃς ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθον.

250τὼ οὐκ ἂν βασιλῆας ἀνὰ στόμʼ ἔχων ἀγορεύοις,

καί σφιν ὀνείδεά τε προφέροις, νόστόν τε φυλάσσοις.

οὐδέ τί πω σάφα ἴδμεν ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα,

ἢ εὖ ἦε κακῶς νοστήσομεν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν.

τὼ νῦν Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ποιμένι λαῶν

255ἧσαι ὀνειδίζων, ὅτι οἱ μάλα πολλὰ διδοῦσιν

ἥρωες Δαναοί· σὺ δὲ κερτομέων ἀγορεύεις.

ἀλλʼ ἔκ τοι ἐρέω, τὸ δὲ καὶ τετελεσμένον ἔσται·

εἴ κʼ ἔτι σʼ ἀφραίνοντα κιχήσομαι ὥς νύ περ ὧδε,

μηκέτʼ ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆϊ κάρη ὤμοισιν ἐπείη,

260μηδʼ ἔτι Τηλεμάχοιο πατὴρ κεκλημένος εἴην,

εἰ μὴ ἐγώ σε λαβὼν ἀπὸ μὲν φίλα εἵματα δύσω,

χλαῖνάν τʼ ἠδὲ χιτῶνα, τά τʼ αἰδῶ ἀμφικαλύπτει,

αὐτὸν δὲ κλαίοντα θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας ἀφήσω

πεπλήγων ἀγορῆθεν ἀεικέσσι πληγῇσιν.

243So he spoke, reviling Agamemnon, shepherd of the people—

Thersites. At once godlike Odysseus stood beside him,

245looked at him from under his brows, and rebuked him in a harsh speech:

“Thersites, reckless in speech, clear-voiced though you are in assembly,

hold yourself back, and do not seek alone to contend with kings.

For I say there is no mortal baser than you

among all who came with Atreus’ sons beneath Ilium.

250So do not keep kings upon your tongue when you speak,

casting reproaches at them and keeping your eye on the journey home.

We do not yet know clearly how these matters will turn out,

whether we sons of the Achaeans will make a good homecoming or a bad.

And so you sit there reviling Agamemnon, Atreus’ son, shepherd of the people,

255because the Danaan heroes give him so much,

while you harangue him with taunts.

But I will tell you plainly, and it shall be fulfilled:

if I catch you acting like a fool again, as you do now,

then may Odysseus’ head no longer rest upon his shoulders,

260and may I no longer be called Telemachus’ father,

if I do not seize you and strip away your own clothes—

cloak and tunic, which cover your nakedness—

and send you weeping to the swift ships,

beating you out of the assembly with shameful blows.”

265ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, σκήπτρῳ δὲ μετάφρενον ἠδὲ καὶ ὤμω

πλῆξεν· ὃ δʼ ἰδνώθη, θαλερὸν δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε δάκρυ·

σμῶδιξ δʼ αἱματόεσσα μεταφρένου ἐξυπανέστη

σκήπτρου ὕπο χρυσέου· ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο τάρβησέν τε,

ἀλγήσας δʼ ἀχρεῖον ἰδὼν ἀπομόρξατο δάκρυ.

270οἳ δὲ καὶ ἀχνύμενοί περ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ ἡδὺ γέλασσαν·

ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·

ὢ πόποι ἦ δὴ μυρίʼ Ὀδυσσεὺς ἐσθλὰ ἔοργε

βουλάς τʼ ἐξάρχων ἀγαθὰς πόλεμόν τε κορύσσων·

νῦν δὲ τόδε μέγʼ ἄριστον ἐν Ἀργείοισιν ἔρεξεν,

275ὃς τὸν λωβητῆρα ἐπεσβόλον ἔσχʼ ἀγοράων.

οὔ θήν μιν πάλιν αὖτις ἀνήσει θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ

νεικείειν βασιλῆας ὀνειδείοις ἐπέεσσιν.

265So he spoke, and with the scepter across the back and shoulders

he struck him. Thersites doubled over, and a great tear fell from him;

a bloody welt rose upon his back

from the golden scepter. He sat down in fear,

and in pain, looking helpless, wiped away the tear.

270Though distressed themselves, the others laughed sweetly at him,

and one man would look at the man beside him and say:

“Ah, Odysseus has indeed done countless fine deeds,

taking the lead in sound counsel and mustering men for battle;

but now this is by far the best deed he has done among the Argives:

275he has stopped that abusive word-flinger from speaking in assembly.

His proud spirit will surely never drive him again

to revile kings with reproachful words.”

278ὣς φάσαν ἣ πληθύς· ἀνὰ δʼ ὃ πτολίπορθος Ὀδυσσεὺς

ἔστη σκῆπτρον ἔχων· παρὰ δὲ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη

280εἰδομένη κήρυκι σιωπᾶν λαὸν ἀνώγει,

ὡς ἅμα θʼ οἳ πρῶτοί τε καὶ ὕστατοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

μῦθον ἀκούσειαν καὶ ἐπιφρασσαίατο βουλήν·

ὅ σφιν ἐὺ φρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

Ἀτρεΐδη νῦν δή σε ἄναξ ἐθέλουσιν Ἀχαιοὶ

285πᾶσιν ἐλέγχιστον θέμεναι μερόπεσσι βροτοῖσιν,

οὐδέ τοι ἐκτελέουσιν ὑπόσχεσιν ἥν περ ὑπέσταν

ἐνθάδʼ ἔτι στείχοντες ἀπʼ Ἄργεος ἱπποβότοιο

Ἴλιον ἐκπέρσαντʼ εὐτείχεον ἀπονέεσθαι.

ὥς τε γὰρ ἢ παῖδες νεαροὶ χῆραί τε γυναῖκες

290ἀλλήλοισιν ὀδύρονται οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι.

ἦ μὴν καὶ πόνος ἐστὶν ἀνιηθέντα νέεσθαι·

καὶ γάρ τίς θʼ ἕνα μῆνα μένων ἀπὸ ἧς ἀλόχοιο

ἀσχαλάᾳ σὺν νηῒ πολυζύγῳ, ὅν περ ἄελλαι

χειμέριαι εἰλέωσιν ὀρινομένη τε θάλασσα·

295ἡμῖν δʼ εἴνατός ἐστι περιτροπέων ἐνιαυτὸς

ἐνθάδε μιμνόντεσσι· τὼ οὐ νεμεσίζομʼ Ἀχαιοὺς

ἀσχαλάαν παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔμπης

αἰσχρόν τοι δηρόν τε μένειν κενεόν τε νέεσθαι.

τλῆτε φίλοι, καὶ μείνατʼ ἐπὶ χρόνον ὄφρα δαῶμεν

300ἢ ἐτεὸν Κάλχας μαντεύεται ἦε καὶ οὐκί.

278So spoke the crowd; then Odysseus, sacker of cities,

stood holding the scepter. Beside him bright-eyed Athena,

280in a herald’s likeness, ordered the people to be silent,

so that the first and last alike among the sons of the Achaeans

might hear his words and consider his counsel.

With good will toward them, he addressed the assembly and said:

“Son of Atreus, my lord, now the Achaeans mean to make you

285the most disgraced of all mortal men,

and they are not fulfilling the promise they made you

while still marching here from horse-pasturing Argos:

to return only after sacking well-walled Ilium.

Like young children or widowed women,

290they lament to one another about going home.

Indeed, it is hard to return home in distress.

Even one who stays a single month away from his wife

chafes aboard his many-benched ship when winter storms

and the heaving sea confine him.

295But for us this is the ninth revolving year

we have remained here. So I do not blame the Achaeans

for chafing beside the curved ships. Yet even so,

it is shameful to stay so long and then return empty-handed.

Endure, friends, and remain for a time, until we learn

300whether Calchas prophesies truly or not.

301εὖ γὰρ δὴ τόδε ἴδμεν ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ἐστὲ δὲ πάντες

μάρτυροι, οὓς μὴ κῆρες ἔβαν θανάτοιο φέρουσαι·

χθιζά τε καὶ πρωΐζʼ ὅτʼ ἐς Αὐλίδα νῆες Ἀχαιῶν

ἠγερέθοντο κακὰ Πριάμῳ καὶ Τρωσὶ φέρουσαι,

305ἡμεῖς δʼ ἀμφὶ περὶ κρήνην ἱεροὺς κατὰ βωμοὺς

ἕρδομεν ἀθανάτοισι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας

καλῇ ὑπὸ πλατανίστῳ ὅθεν ῥέεν ἀγλαὸν ὕδωρ·

ἔνθʼ ἐφάνη μέγα σῆμα· δράκων ἐπὶ νῶτα δαφοινὸς

σμερδαλέος, τόν ῥʼ αὐτὸς Ὀλύμπιος ἧκε φόως δέ,

310βωμοῦ ὑπαΐξας πρός ῥα πλατάνιστον ὄρουσεν.

ἔνθα δʼ ἔσαν στρουθοῖο νεοσσοί, νήπια τέκνα,

ὄζῳ ἐπʼ ἀκροτάτῳ πετάλοις ὑποπεπτηῶτες

ὀκτώ, ἀτὰρ μήτηρ ἐνάτη ἦν ἣ τέκε τέκνα·

ἔνθʼ ὅ γε τοὺς ἐλεεινὰ κατήσθιε τετριγῶτας·

315μήτηρ δʼ ἀμφεποτᾶτο ὀδυρομένη φίλα τέκνα·

τὴν δʼ ἐλελιξάμενος πτέρυγος λάβεν ἀμφιαχυῖαν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ τέκνα φάγε στρουθοῖο καὶ αὐτήν,

τὸν μὲν ἀρίζηλον θῆκεν θεὸς ὅς περ ἔφηνε·

λᾶαν γάρ μιν ἔθηκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω·

320ἡμεῖς δʼ ἑσταότες θαυμάζομεν οἷον ἐτύχθη.

301For we know this well in our minds, and you are all

witnesses—all whom the dooms of death have not carried away.

It seems only yesterday or the day before, when the Achaean ships

were gathering at Aulis, bringing ruin to Priam and the Trojans,

305and we, around a spring at the sacred altars,

were offering perfect hecatombs to the immortals

beneath a fair plane tree from which bright water flowed.

There a great sign appeared: a serpent, blood-red along its back,

terrible, whom the Olympian himself sent into the light.

310It darted from beneath the altar and rushed toward the plane tree.

There were a sparrow’s nestlings, helpless young,

on the highest branch, cowering beneath the leaves—

eight, and the mother who bore them was the ninth.

The serpent devoured them as they cheeped pitifully;

315the mother fluttered around them, mourning her dear young.

Twisting around, it caught her by the wing as she shrieked.

But when it had devoured the sparrow’s young and the mother too,

the god who had revealed it made the serpent a conspicuous sign:

the son of crooked-counseling Cronus turned it to stone,

320while we stood marveling at what had happened.

321ὡς οὖν δεινὰ πέλωρα θεῶν εἰσῆλθʼ ἑκατόμβας,

Κάλχας δʼ αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτα θεοπροπέων ἀγόρευε·

τίπτʼ ἄνεῳ ἐγένεσθε κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοί;

ἡμῖν μὲν τόδʼ ἔφηνε τέρας μέγα μητίετα Ζεὺς

325ὄψιμον ὀψιτέλεστον, ὅου κλέος οὔ ποτʼ ὀλεῖται.

ὡς οὗτος κατὰ τέκνα φάγε στρουθοῖο καὶ αὐτὴν

ὀκτώ, ἀτὰρ μήτηρ ἐνάτη ἦν ἣ τέκε τέκνα,

ὣς ἡμεῖς τοσσαῦτʼ ἔτεα πτολεμίξομεν αὖθι,

τῷ δεκάτῳ δὲ πόλιν αἱρήσομεν εὐρυάγυιαν.

330κεῖνος τὼς ἀγόρευε· τὰ δὴ νῦν πάντα τελεῖται.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μίμνετε πάντες ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ

αὐτοῦ εἰς ὅ κεν ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο ἕλωμεν.

321When these dread portents broke in upon the gods’ hecatombs,

Calchas at once spoke out in prophecy:

‘Why have you fallen silent, long-haired Achaeans?

Zeus, lord of counsel, showed us this great sign,

325late-coming, late-fulfilled, whose fame will never perish.

As this serpent devoured the sparrow’s young and the mother too—

eight, and the mother who bore them was the ninth—

so for that many years we shall wage war here,

but in the tenth we shall take the broad-streeted city.’

330So he spoke, and now all these things are being fulfilled.

Come then, remain here, all you well-greaved Achaeans,

until we take the great city of Priam.”

333ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀργεῖοι δὲ μέγʼ ἴαχον, ἀμφὶ δὲ νῆες

σμερδαλέον κονάβησαν ἀϋσάντων ὑπʼ Ἀχαιῶν,

335μῦθον ἐπαινήσαντες Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο·

τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

ὦ πόποι ἦ δὴ παισὶν ἐοικότες ἀγοράασθε

νηπιάχοις οἷς οὔ τι μέλει πολεμήϊα ἔργα.

πῇ δὴ συνθεσίαι τε καὶ ὅρκια βήσεται ἥμιν;

340ἐν πυρὶ δὴ βουλαί τε γενοίατο μήδεά τʼ ἀνδρῶν

σπονδαί τʼ ἄκρητοι καὶ δεξιαί, ᾗς ἐπέπιθμεν·

αὔτως γὰρ ἐπέεσσʼ ἐριδαίνομεν, οὐδέ τι μῆχος

εὑρέμεναι δυνάμεσθα, πολὺν χρόνον ἐνθάδʼ ἐόντες.

Ἀτρεΐδη σὺ δʼ ἔθʼ ὡς πρὶν ἔχων ἀστεμφέα βουλὴν

345ἄρχευʼ Ἀργείοισι κατὰ κρατερὰς ὑσμίνας,

τούσδε δʼ ἔα φθινύθειν ἕνα καὶ δύο, τοί κεν Ἀχαιῶν

νόσφιν βουλεύωσʼ· ἄνυσις δʼ οὐκ ἔσσεται αὐτῶν·

πρὶν Ἄργος δʼ ἰέναι πρὶν καὶ Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο

γνώμεναι εἴ τε ψεῦδος ὑπόσχεσις εἴ τε καὶ οὐκί.

333So he spoke; the Argives gave a great shout, and all around the ships

rang terribly beneath the Achaeans’ cry,

335as they praised the speech of godlike Odysseus.

Then Gerenian Nestor, horseman, also addressed them:

“Ah, you speak in assembly like children,

mere infants who care nothing for the works of war.

Where, then, will our compacts and sworn oaths go?

340Into the fire with the counsels and designs of men,

the unmixed libations and the right hands in which we trusted!

For we wrangle with words to no purpose, and no remedy

can we find, though we have been here a long time.

Son of Atreus, keep your purpose unshaken as before

345and lead the Argives through the fierce battles.

Let these one or two waste away, whoever may be

plotting apart from the Achaeans; their purpose will not be fulfilled—

to go to Argos before we learn

whether the promise of aegis-bearing Zeus is false or not.

350φημὶ γὰρ οὖν κατανεῦσαι ὑπερμενέα Κρονίωνα

ἤματι τῷ ὅτε νηυσὶν ἐν ὠκυπόροισιν ἔβαινον

Ἀργεῖοι Τρώεσσι φόνον καὶ κῆρα φέροντες

ἀστράπτων ἐπιδέξιʼ ἐναίσιμα σήματα φαίνων.

τὼ μή τις πρὶν ἐπειγέσθω οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι

355πρίν τινα πὰρ Τρώων ἀλόχῳ κατακοιμηθῆναι,

τίσασθαι δʼ Ἑλένης ὁρμήματά τε στοναχάς τε.

εἰ δέ τις ἐκπάγλως ἐθέλει οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι

ἁπτέσθω ἧς νηὸς ἐϋσσέλμοιο μελαίνης,

ὄφρα πρόσθʼ ἄλλων θάνατον καὶ πότμον ἐπίσπῃ.

360ἀλλὰ ἄναξ αὐτός τʼ εὖ μήδεο πείθεό τʼ ἄλλῳ·

οὔ τοι ἀπόβλητον ἔπος ἔσσεται ὅττί κεν εἴπω·

κρῖνʼ ἄνδρας κατὰ φῦλα κατὰ φρήτρας Ἀγάμεμνον,

ὡς φρήτρη φρήτρηφιν ἀρήγῃ, φῦλα δὲ φύλοις.

εἰ δέ κεν ὣς ἕρξῃς καί τοι πείθωνται Ἀχαιοί,

365γνώσῃ ἔπειθʼ ὅς θʼ ἡγεμόνων κακὸς ὅς τέ νυ λαῶν

ἠδʼ ὅς κʼ ἐσθλὸς ἔῃσι· κατὰ σφέας γὰρ μαχέονται.

γνώσεαι δʼ εἰ καὶ θεσπεσίῃ πόλιν οὐκ ἀλαπάξεις,

ἦ ἀνδρῶν κακότητι καὶ ἀφραδίῃ πολέμοιο.

350For I say that the son of Cronus in his surpassing might bowed assent

on the day when the Argives boarded their swift-faring ships,

bringing death and doom to the Trojans,

flashing lightning on our right and showing favorable signs.

So let no one hurry to return home

355until each man has lain with a Trojan’s wife

and avenged Helen’s struggles and groans.

But if anyone desperately wishes to return home,

let him lay his hand upon his own black, well-benched ship,

so that before all others he may encounter death and doom.

360But you, my king, take good counsel yourself and heed another.

The word I speak to you will not be cast aside:

separate the men by tribes and clans, Agamemnon,

so that clan may support clan, and tribe support tribe.

If you do this and the Achaeans obey you,

365then you will know which among the leaders is a coward and which among the troops,

and who is brave; for they will fight in their own divisions.

You will know whether it is by divine will that you fail to sack the city,

or through the men’s cowardice and ignorance of war.”

369τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων·

370ἦ μὰν αὖτʼ ἀγορῇ νικᾷς γέρον υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.

αἲ γὰρ Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον

τοιοῦτοι δέκα μοι συμφράδμονες εἶεν Ἀχαιῶν·

τώ κε τάχʼ ἠμύσειε πόλις Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος

χερσὶν ὑφʼ ἡμετέρῃσιν ἁλοῦσά τε περθομένη τε.

375ἀλλά μοι αἰγίοχος Κρονίδης Ζεὺς ἄλγεʼ ἔδωκεν,

ὅς με μετʼ ἀπρήκτους ἔριδας καὶ νείκεα βάλλει.

καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼν Ἀχιλεύς τε μαχεσσάμεθʼ εἵνεκα κούρης

ἀντιβίοις ἐπέεσσιν, ἐγὼ δʼ ἦρχον χαλεπαίνων·

εἰ δέ ποτʼ ἔς γε μίαν βουλεύσομεν, οὐκέτʼ ἔπειτα

380Τρωσὶν ἀνάβλησις κακοῦ ἔσσεται οὐδʼ ἠβαιόν.

369Wide-ruling Agamemnon answered him:

370“Indeed, old man, once again you prevail over the sons of the Achaeans in assembly.

If only, Father Zeus, Athena, and Apollo,

I had ten such men among the Achaeans to join me in counsel;

then soon the city of lord Priam would bow,

taken and sacked beneath our hands.

375But Zeus, the aegis-bearing son of Cronus, has given me sorrows,

casting me into fruitless strifes and quarrels.

For Achilles and I fought over a girl

with words set force against force, and I was the first to grow angry;

But if ever we join in one common counsel,

380then disaster for the Trojans will not be delayed a moment.

381νῦν δʼ ἔρχεσθʼ ἐπὶ δεῖπνον ἵνα ξυνάγωμεν Ἄρηα.

εὖ μέν τις δόρυ θηξάσθω, εὖ δʼ ἀσπίδα θέσθω,

εὖ δέ τις ἵπποισιν δεῖπνον δότω ὠκυπόδεσσιν,

εὖ δέ τις ἅρματος ἀμφὶς ἰδὼν πολέμοιο μεδέσθω,

385ὥς κε πανημέριοι στυγερῷ κρινώμεθʼ Ἄρηϊ.

οὐ γὰρ παυσωλή γε μετέσσεται οὐδʼ ἠβαιὸν

εἰ μὴ νὺξ ἐλθοῦσα διακρινέει μένος ἀνδρῶν.

ἱδρώσει μέν τευ τελαμὼν ἀμφὶ στήθεσφιν

ἀσπίδος ἀμφιβρότης, περὶ δʼ ἔγχεϊ χεῖρα καμεῖται·

390ἱδρώσει δέ τευ ἵππος ἐΰξοον ἅρμα τιταίνων.

ὃν δέ κʼ ἐγὼν ἀπάνευθε μάχης ἐθέλοντα νοήσω

μιμνάζειν παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν, οὔ οἱ ἔπειτα

ἄρκιον ἐσσεῖται φυγέειν κύνας ἠδʼ οἰωνούς.

381Now go to your meal, so that we may join battle.

Let each man sharpen his spear well and set his shield in order;

let each feed his swift-footed horses well,

inspect his chariot carefully on every side, and take thought for war,

385so that all day long we may contend in hateful battle.

No respite will come between, not even the least,

unless night arrives and divides the fighting strength of men.

The strap of a man-covering shield will sweat around many a man’s chest,

and his hand will grow weary about the spear;

390many a horse will sweat, straining at the polished chariot.

Whoever I see choosing to linger apart from battle

beside the curved ships—for him thereafter

there will be no sure escape from dogs and birds.”

394ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀργεῖοι δὲ μέγʼ ἴαχον ὡς ὅτε κῦμα

395ἀκτῇ ἐφʼ ὑψηλῇ, ὅτε κινήσῃ Νότος ἐλθών,

προβλῆτι σκοπέλῳ· τὸν δʼ οὔ ποτε κύματα λείπει

παντοίων ἀνέμων, ὅτʼ ἂν ἔνθʼ ἢ ἔνθα γένωνται.

ἀνστάντες δʼ ὀρέοντο κεδασθέντες κατὰ νῆας,

κάπνισσάν τε κατὰ κλισίας, καὶ δεῖπνον ἕλοντο.

400ἄλλος δʼ ἄλλῳ ἔρεζε θεῶν αἰειγενετάων

εὐχόμενος θάνατόν τε φυγεῖν καὶ μῶλον Ἄρηος.

αὐτὰρ ὃ βοῦν ἱέρευσε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων

πίονα πενταέτηρον ὑπερμενέϊ Κρονίωνι,

κίκλησκεν δὲ γέροντας ἀριστῆας Παναχαιῶν,

405Νέστορα μὲν πρώτιστα καὶ Ἰδομενῆα ἄνακτα,

αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ Αἴαντε δύω καὶ Τυδέος υἱόν,

ἕκτον δʼ αὖτʼ Ὀδυσῆα Διὶ μῆτιν ἀτάλαντον.

αὐτόματος δέ οἱ ἦλθε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος·

ᾔδεε γὰρ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀδελφεὸν ὡς ἐπονεῖτο.

410βοῦν δὲ περιστήσαντο καὶ οὐλοχύτας ἀνέλοντο·

τοῖσιν δʼ εὐχόμενος μετέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων·

394So he spoke, and the Argives gave a great shout, like a wave

395on a high shore when the South Wind comes and drives it

against a jutting rock, which the waves never leave

under winds of every kind, whenever they rise from here or there.

They stood and hurried away, scattering among the ships;

they made smoke rise from their huts and took their meal.

400One man sacrificed to one of the everlasting gods, another to another,

praying to escape death and the battle-clash of Ares.

But Agamemnon, lord of men, sacrificed an ox,

fat and five years old, to the mighty son of Cronus,

and summoned the elders, the best men of all the Achaeans:

405Nestor first, and lord Idomeneus,

then the two Ajaxes and Tydeus’ son,

and Odysseus sixth, a match for Zeus in counsel.

Menelaus, good at the war cry, came to him unbidden,

for he knew in his spirit how his brother was laboring.

410They stood around the ox and took up the barley grains.

Then among them wide-ruling Agamemnon prayed:

412Ζεῦ κύδιστε μέγιστε κελαινεφὲς αἰθέρι ναίων

μὴ πρὶν ἐπʼ ἠέλιον δῦναι καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἐλθεῖν

πρίν με κατὰ πρηνὲς βαλέειν Πριάμοιο μέλαθρον

415αἰθαλόεν, πρῆσαι δὲ πυρὸς δηΐοιο θύρετρα,

Ἑκτόρεον δὲ χιτῶνα περὶ στήθεσσι δαΐξαι

χαλκῷ ῥωγαλέον· πολέες δʼ ἀμφʼ αὐτὸν ἑταῖροι

πρηνέες ἐν κονίῃσιν ὀδὰξ λαζοίατο γαῖαν.

ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα πώ οἱ ἐπεκραίαινε Κρονίων,

420ἀλλʼ ὅ γε δέκτο μὲν ἱρά, πόνον δʼ ἀμέγαρτον ὄφελλεν.

412“Most glorious and greatest Zeus, dark-clouded, dwelling in the sky,

may the sun not set, nor darkness come,

before I cast Priam’s smoke-blackened palace headlong

415and burn its doorways with ravaging fire,

and rend Hector’s tunic about his chest,

torn by bronze, while many companions around him

lie face down in the dust and bite the earth with their teeth.”

So he spoke, but the son of Cronus did not yet fulfill his prayer.

420He accepted the sacrifice, but increased the dire toil.

421αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ εὔξαντο καὶ οὐλοχύτας προβάλοντο,

αὐέρυσαν μὲν πρῶτα καὶ ἔσφαξαν καὶ ἔδειραν,

μηρούς τʼ ἐξέταμον κατά τε κνίσῃ ἐκάλυψαν

δίπτυχα ποιήσαντες, ἐπʼ αὐτῶν δʼ ὠμοθέτησαν.

425καὶ τὰ μὲν ἂρ σχίζῃσιν ἀφύλλοισιν κατέκαιον,

σπλάγχνα δʼ ἄρʼ ἀμπείραντες ὑπείρεχον Ἡφαίστοιο.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ μῆρε κάη καὶ σπλάγχνα πάσαντο,

μίστυλλόν τʼ ἄρα τἆλλα καὶ ἀμφʼ ὀβελοῖσιν ἔπειραν,

ὤπτησάν τε περιφραδέως, ἐρύσαντό τε πάντα.

430αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ παύσαντο πόνου τετύκοντό τε δαῖτα

δαίνυντʼ, οὐδέ τι θυμὸς ἐδεύετο δαιτὸς ἐΐσης.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,

τοῖς ἄρα μύθων ἦρχε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

421When they had prayed and scattered the barley grains forward,

they first drew back the victim’s head, slaughtered it, and flayed it.

They cut out the thigh pieces and covered them with fat,

folding it double, and laid raw strips of flesh upon them.

425They burned these over leafless split wood,

and spitted the entrails, holding them over Hephaestus’ fire.

When the thigh pieces were entirely burned and they had tasted the entrails,

they carved the rest into pieces and threaded them on spits,

roasted everything carefully, and drew it all from the fire.

430When they had finished their work and prepared the feast,

they feasted, and no one’s spirit lacked an equal share.

When they had satisfied their desire for food and drink,

Gerenian Nestor, horseman, began speaking among them:

434Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγάμεμνον,

435μηκέτι νῦν δήθʼ αὖθι λεγώμεθα, μηδʼ ἔτι δηρὸν

ἀμβαλλώμεθα ἔργον ὃ δὴ θεὸς ἐγγυαλίζει.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε κήρυκες μὲν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων

λαὸν κηρύσσοντες ἀγειρόντων κατὰ νῆας,

ἡμεῖς δʼ ἀθρόοι ὧδε κατὰ στρατὸν εὐρὺν Ἀχαιῶν

440ἴομεν ὄφρα κε θᾶσσον ἐγείρομεν ὀξὺν Ἄρηα.

434“Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon lord of men,

435let us not go on talking here any longer, nor keep delaying

the work a god has placed into our hands.

Come, let the heralds of the bronze-clad Achaeans

make proclamation and gather the troops among the ships,

while we go together through the Achaeans’ broad army,

440so that we may rouse sharp Ares all the sooner.”

441ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων.

αὐτίκα κηρύκεσσι λιγυφθόγγοισι κέλευσε

κηρύσσειν πόλεμον δὲ κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιούς·

οἳ μὲν ἐκήρυσσον, τοὶ δʼ ἠγείροντο μάλʼ ὦκα.

445οἳ δʼ ἀμφʼ Ἀτρεΐωνα διοτρεφέες βασιλῆες

θῦνον κρίνοντες, μετὰ δὲ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη

αἰγίδʼ ἔχουσʼ ἐρίτιμον ἀγήρων ἀθανάτην τε,

τῆς ἑκατὸν θύσανοι παγχρύσεοι ἠερέθονται,

πάντες ἐϋπλεκέες, ἑκατόμβοιος δὲ ἕκαστος·

450σὺν τῇ παιφάσσουσα διέσσυτο λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν

ὀτρύνουσʼ ἰέναι· ἐν δὲ σθένος ὦρσεν ἑκάστῳ

καρδίῃ ἄλληκτον πολεμίζειν ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι.

τοῖσι δʼ ἄφαρ πόλεμος γλυκίων γένετʼ ἠὲ νέεσθαι

ἐν νηυσὶ γλαφυρῇσι φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.

441So he spoke, and Agamemnon, lord of men, did not disobey.

At once he ordered the clear-voiced heralds

to summon the long-haired Achaeans to battle.

They made proclamation, and the men gathered very swiftly.

445The Zeus-nurtured kings around Atreus’ son

rushed about, sorting the men; among them bright-eyed Athena

held the precious aegis, ageless and immortal.

From it a hundred tassels, all of gold, fluttered,

each well woven and each worth a hundred oxen.

450With it she flashed through the host of the Achaeans,

urging them onward; in every man she roused strength

in his heart to fight and battle without cease.

At once war became sweeter to them than returning

in hollow ships to their dear native land.

455ἠΰτε πῦρ ἀΐδηλον ἐπιφλέγει ἄσπετον ὕλην

οὔρεος ἐν κορυφῇς, ἕκαθεν δέ τε φαίνεται αὐγή,

ὣς τῶν ἐρχομένων ἀπὸ χαλκοῦ θεσπεσίοιο

αἴγλη παμφανόωσα διʼ αἰθέρος οὐρανὸν ἷκε.

455As a devouring fire sets boundless woodland ablaze

on a mountain’s peaks, and its glow is seen from far away,

so from the wondrous bronze of the men as they came

a dazzling radiance went through the upper air to heaven.

459τῶν δʼ ὥς τʼ ὀρνίθων πετεηνῶν ἔθνεα πολλὰ

460χηνῶν ἢ γεράνων ἢ κύκνων δουλιχοδείρων

Ἀσίω ἐν λειμῶνι Καϋστρίου ἀμφὶ ῥέεθρα

ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα ποτῶνται ἀγαλλόμενα πτερύγεσσι

κλαγγηδὸν προκαθιζόντων, σμαραγεῖ δέ τε λειμών,

ὣς τῶν ἔθνεα πολλὰ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων

465ἐς πεδίον προχέοντο Σκαμάνδριον· αὐτὰρ ὑπὸ χθὼν

σμερδαλέον κονάβιζε ποδῶν αὐτῶν τε καὶ ἵππων.

ἔσταν δʼ ἐν λειμῶνι Σκαμανδρίῳ ἀνθεμόεντι

μυρίοι, ὅσσά τε φύλλα καὶ ἄνθεα γίγνεται ὥρῃ.

459As the many tribes of winged birds—

460geese, or cranes, or long-necked swans—

in the Asian meadow beside the streams of Cayster

fly here and there, glorying in their wings,

and settle in clamor while the meadow resounds,

so their many companies from ships and shelters

465poured onto the Scamandrian plain; beneath them the earth

rang terribly under the feet of the men and horses.

They stood in the flowering Scamandrian meadow,

countless as the leaves and flowers that grow in season.

469ἠΰτε μυιάων ἁδινάων ἔθνεα πολλὰ

470αἵ τε κατὰ σταθμὸν ποιμνήϊον ἠλάσκουσιν

ὥρῃ ἐν εἰαρινῇ ὅτε τε γλάγος ἄγγεα δεύει,

τόσσοι ἐπὶ Τρώεσσι κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοὶ

ἐν πεδίῳ ἵσταντο διαρραῖσαι μεμαῶτες.

469As the many close swarms of flies

470wander through a shepherd’s fold

in springtime, when milk wets the vessels,

so many long-haired Achaeans stood against the Trojans

on the plain, eager to tear them apart.

474τοὺς δʼ ὥς τʼ αἰπόλια πλατέʼ αἰγῶν αἰπόλοι ἄνδρες

475ῥεῖα διακρίνωσιν ἐπεί κε νομῷ μιγέωσιν,

ὣς τοὺς ἡγεμόνες διεκόσμεον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα

ὑσμίνην δʼ ἰέναι, μετὰ δὲ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων

ὄμματα καὶ κεφαλὴν ἴκελος Διὶ τερπικεραύνῳ,

Ἄρεϊ δὲ ζώνην, στέρνον δὲ Ποσειδάωνι.

480ἠΰτε βοῦς ἀγέληφι μέγʼ ἔξοχος ἔπλετο πάντων

ταῦρος· ὃ γάρ τε βόεσσι μεταπρέπει ἀγρομένῃσι·

τοῖον ἄρʼ Ἀτρεΐδην θῆκε Ζεὺς ἤματι κείνῳ

ἐκπρεπέʼ ἐν πολλοῖσι καὶ ἔξοχον ἡρώεσσιν.

474As goatherds easily separate broad flocks of goats

475after they have mingled in the pasture,

so the leaders arrayed the men here and there

to go into battle; among them was lord Agamemnon,

in eyes and head like Zeus who delights in thunder,

in waist like Ares, and in chest like Poseidon.

480As a bull stands out far above all in the herd—

a bull conspicuous among the cattle when they gather—

so Zeus made Atreus’ son on that day,

conspicuous among the multitude and foremost among heroes.

484ἔσπετε νῦν μοι Μοῦσαι Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχουσαι·

485ὑμεῖς γὰρ θεαί ἐστε πάρεστέ τε ἴστέ τε πάντα,

ἡμεῖς δὲ κλέος οἶον ἀκούομεν οὐδέ τι ἴδμεν·

οἵ τινες ἡγεμόνες Δαναῶν καὶ κοίρανοι ἦσαν·

πληθὺν δʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐγὼ μυθήσομαι οὐδʼ ὀνομήνω,

οὐδʼ εἴ μοι δέκα μὲν γλῶσσαι, δέκα δὲ στόματʼ εἶεν,

490φωνὴ δʼ ἄρρηκτος, χάλκεον δέ μοι ἦτορ ἐνείη,

εἰ μὴ Ὀλυμπιάδες Μοῦσαι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο

θυγατέρες μνησαίαθʼ ὅσοι ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθον·

ἀρχοὺς αὖ νηῶν ἐρέω νῆάς τε προπάσας.

484Tell me now, Muses who dwell in Olympian halls—

485for you are goddesses, you are present, and you know all things,

while we hear only the report and know nothing—

who were the leaders and rulers of the Danaans?

The multitude I could not recount or name,

not even if I had ten tongues and ten mouths,

490a voice that never broke, and a heart of bronze within me,

unless the Olympian Muses, daughters of aegis-bearing Zeus,

called to mind how many came beneath Ilium.

But I will tell the leaders of the ships, and all the ships.

494Βοιωτῶν μὲν Πηνέλεως καὶ Λήϊτος ἦρχον

495Ἀρκεσίλαός τε Προθοήνωρ τε Κλονίος τε,

οἵ θʼ Ὑρίην ἐνέμοντο καὶ Αὐλίδα πετρήεσσαν

Σχοῖνόν τε Σκῶλόν τε πολύκνημόν τʼ Ἐτεωνόν,

Θέσπειαν Γραῖάν τε καὶ εὐρύχορον Μυκαλησσόν,

οἵ τʼ ἀμφʼ Ἅρμʼ ἐνέμοντο καὶ Εἰλέσιον καὶ Ἐρυθράς,

500οἵ τʼ Ἐλεῶνʼ εἶχον ἠδʼ Ὕλην καὶ Πετεῶνα,

Ὠκαλέην Μεδεῶνά τʼ ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον,

Κώπας Εὔτρησίν τε πολυτρήρωνά τε Θίσβην,

οἵ τε Κορώνειαν καὶ ποιήενθʼ Ἁλίαρτον,

οἵ τε Πλάταιαν ἔχον ἠδʼ οἳ Γλισᾶντʼ ἐνέμοντο,

505οἵ θʼ Ὑποθήβας εἶχον ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον,

Ὀγχηστόν θʼ ἱερὸν Ποσιδήϊον ἀγλαὸν ἄλσος,

οἵ τε πολυστάφυλον Ἄρνην ἔχον, οἵ τε Μίδειαν

Νῖσάν τε ζαθέην Ἀνθηδόνα τʼ ἐσχατόωσαν·

τῶν μὲν πεντήκοντα νέες κίον, ἐν δὲ ἑκάστῃ

510κοῦροι Βοιωτῶν ἑκατὸν καὶ εἴκοσι βαῖνον.

494Peneleos and Leitus led the Boeotians,

495and Arcesilaus and Prothoenor and Clonius—

those who inhabited Hyria and rocky Aulis,

Schoenus and Scolus and many-ridged Eteonus,

Thespia and Graea and Mycalessus of the broad dancing grounds,

those who lived around Harma, Eilesium, and Erythrae,

500those who held Eleon and Hyle and Peteon,

Ocalea and the well-built stronghold Medeon,

Copae, Eutresis, and Thisbe where doves abound,

those who held Coronea and grassy Haliartus,

those who held Plataea and inhabited Glisas,

505those who held the well-built stronghold Hypothebes,

and sacred Onchestus, Poseidon’s splendid grove,

those who held vine-rich Arne and those who held Mideia,

holy Nisa and Anthedon at the farthest edge.

Fifty ships went with them, and in each

510one hundred and twenty young Boeotians embarked.

511οἳ δʼ Ἀσπληδόνα ναῖον ἰδʼ Ὀρχομενὸν Μινύειον,

τῶν ἦρχʼ Ἀσκάλαφος καὶ Ἰάλμενος υἷες Ἄρηος

οὓς τέκεν Ἀστυόχη δόμῳ Ἄκτορος Ἀζεΐδαο,

παρθένος αἰδοίη ὑπερώϊον εἰσαναβᾶσα

515Ἄρηϊ κρατερῷ· ὃ δέ οἱ παρελέξατο λάθρῃ·

τοῖς δὲ τριήκοντα γλαφυραὶ νέες ἐστιχόωντο.

511Those who lived in Aspledon and Minyan Orchomenus

were led by Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Ares,

whom Astyoche, in the house of Actor, son of Azeus,

a revered maiden who had gone up into the upper chamber,

515bore to mighty Ares; he lay beside her there in secret.

With them thirty hollow ships filed in order.

517αὐτὰρ Φωκήων Σχεδίος καὶ Ἐπίστροφος ἦρχον

υἷες Ἰφίτου μεγαθύμου Ναυβολίδαο,

οἳ Κυπάρισσον ἔχον Πυθῶνά τε πετρήεσσαν

520Κρῖσάν τε ζαθέην καὶ Δαυλίδα καὶ Πανοπῆα,

οἵ τʼ Ἀνεμώρειαν καὶ Ὑάμπολιν ἀμφενέμοντο,

οἵ τʼ ἄρα πὰρ ποταμὸν Κηφισὸν δῖον ἔναιον,

οἵ τε Λίλαιαν ἔχον πηγῇς ἔπι Κηφισοῖο·

τοῖς δʼ ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.

525οἳ μὲν Φωκήων στίχας ἵστασαν ἀμφιέποντες,

Βοιωτῶν δʼ ἔμπλην ἐπʼ ἀριστερὰ θωρήσσοντο.

517Schedius and Epistrophus led the Phocians,

sons of great-hearted Iphitus, the son of Naubolus—

those who held Cyparissus and rocky Pytho,

520holy Crisa and Daulis and Panopeus,

those who inhabited Anemorea and Hyampolis,

those who lived beside the divine river Cephisus,

and those who held Lilaea by the springs of Cephisus.

With them forty black ships followed.

525The two moved among the Phocians, setting their ranks in order,

and armed close beside the Boeotians, on the left.

527Λοκρῶν δʼ ἡγεμόνευεν Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς Αἴας

μείων, οὔ τι τόσος γε ὅσος Τελαμώνιος Αἴας

ἀλλὰ πολὺ μείων· ὀλίγος μὲν ἔην λινοθώρηξ,

530ἐγχείῃ δʼ ἐκέκαστο Πανέλληνας καὶ Ἀχαιούς·

οἳ Κῦνόν τʼ ἐνέμοντʼ Ὀπόεντά τε Καλλίαρόν τε

Βῆσσάν τε Σκάρφην τε καὶ Αὐγειὰς ἐρατεινὰς

Τάρφην τε Θρόνιον τε Βοαγρίου ἀμφὶ ῥέεθρα·

τῷ δʼ ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο

535Λοκρῶν, οἳ ναίουσι πέρην ἱερῆς Εὐβοίης.

527Swift Ajax, son of Oileus, led the Locrians,

the lesser—not nearly so great as Telamonian Ajax,

but far smaller; he was a small man in a linen corselet,

530yet with the spear he surpassed the Panhellenes and Achaeans—

those who inhabited Cynus and Opus and Calliarus,

Bessa and Scarphe and lovely Augeiae,

Tarphe and Thronium around the streams of Boagrius.

Forty black ships followed with him,

535bearing Locrians who live across from sacred Euboea.

536οἳ δʼ Εὔβοιαν ἔχον μένεα πνείοντες Ἄβαντες

Χαλκίδα τʼ Εἰρέτριάν τε πολυστάφυλόν θʼ Ἱστίαιαν

Κήρινθόν τʼ ἔφαλον Δίου τʼ αἰπὺ πτολίεθρον,

οἵ τε Κάρυστον ἔχον ἠδʼ οἳ Στύρα ναιετάασκον,

540τῶν αὖθʼ ἡγεμόνευʼ Ἐλεφήνωρ ὄζος Ἄρηος

Χαλκωδοντιάδης μεγαθύμων ἀρχὸς Ἀβάντων.

τῷ δʼ ἅμʼ Ἄβαντες ἕποντο θοοὶ ὄπιθεν κομόωντες

αἰχμηταὶ μεμαῶτες ὀρεκτῇσιν μελίῃσι

θώρηκας ῥήξειν δηΐων ἀμφὶ στήθεσσι·

545τῷ δʼ ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.

536The Abantes, breathing fury, held Euboea:

Chalcis and Eretria and vine-rich Histiaea,

Cerinthus by the sea and the steep stronghold Dium,

those who held Carystus and those who lived in Styra.

540Elephenor, branch of Ares, was their leader,

Chalcodon’s son, commander of the great-hearted Abantes.

With him followed the swift Abantes, wearing their hair long behind,

spearmen eager, with outstretched ashwood spears,

to burst the corselets around their enemies’ chests.

545Forty black ships followed with him.

546οἳ δʼ ἄρʼ Ἀθήνας εἶχον ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον

δῆμον Ἐρεχθῆος μεγαλήτορος, ὅν ποτʼ Ἀθήνη

θρέψε Διὸς θυγάτηρ, τέκε δὲ ζείδωρος ἄρουρα,

κὰδ δʼ ἐν Ἀθήνῃς εἷσεν ἑῷ ἐν πίονι νηῷ·

550ἔνθα δέ μιν ταύροισι καὶ ἀρνειοῖς ἱλάονται

κοῦροι Ἀθηναίων περιτελλομένων ἐνιαυτῶν·

τῶν αὖθʼ ἡγεμόνευʼ υἱὸς Πετεῶο Μενεσθεύς.

τῷ δʼ οὔ πώ τις ὁμοῖος ἐπιχθόνιος γένετʼ ἀνὴρ

κοσμῆσαι ἵππους τε καὶ ἀνέρας ἀσπιδιώτας·

555Νέστωρ οἶος ἔριζεν· ὃ γὰρ προγενέστερος ἦεν·

τῷ δʼ ἅμα πεντήκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.

546Those who held Athens, its well-built citadel,

the domain of great-hearted Erechtheus, whom Athena,

daughter of Zeus, once reared, though the life-giving earth bore him,

and settled at Athens in her own rich temple;

550there the young men of Athens propitiate him with bulls and rams

as the years circle round.

These were led by Menestheus, son of Peteos.

No mortal man upon the earth had ever equaled him

in marshalling horses and shield-bearing men.

555Nestor alone could rival him, for he was the elder.

With him followed fifty black ships.

557Αἴας δʼ ἐκ Σαλαμῖνος ἄγεν δυοκαίδεκα νῆας,

στῆσε δʼ ἄγων ἵνʼ Ἀθηναίων ἵσταντο φάλαγγες.

557Ajax led twelve ships from Salamis

and stationed them where the Athenian battle lines stood.

559οἳ δʼ Ἄργός τʼ εἶχον Τίρυνθά τε τειχιόεσσαν

560Ἑρμιόνην Ἀσίνην τε, βαθὺν κατὰ κόλπον ἐχούσας,

Τροιζῆνʼ Ἠϊόνας τε καὶ ἀμπελόεντʼ Ἐπίδαυρον,

οἵ τʼ ἔχον Αἴγιναν Μάσητά τε κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν,

τῶν αὖθʼ ἡγεμόνευε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης

καὶ Σθένελος, Καπανῆος ἀγακλειτοῦ φίλος υἱός·

565τοῖσι δʼ ἅμʼ Εὐρύαλος τρίτατος κίεν ἰσόθεος φὼς

Μηκιστέος υἱὸς Ταλαϊονίδαο ἄνακτος·

συμπάντων δʼ ἡγεῖτο βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·

τοῖσι δʼ ἅμʼ ὀγδώκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.

559Those who held Argos and walled Tiryns,

560Hermione and Asine, lying along the deep gulf,

Troezen, Eionae, and vine-rich Epidaurus,

and the Achaean youths who held Aegina and Mases,

were led by Diomedes, good at the war cry,

and Sthenelus, dear son of renowned Capaneus.

565With them Euryalus went as the third, a godlike man,

son of lord Mecisteus, son of Talaus;

but Diomedes, good at the war cry, led them all.

With them followed eighty black ships.

569οἳ δὲ Μυκήνας εἶχον ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον

570ἀφνειόν τε Κόρινθον ἐϋκτιμένας τε Κλεωνάς,

Ὀρνειάς τʼ ἐνέμοντο Ἀραιθυρέην τʼ ἐρατεινὴν

καὶ Σικυῶνʼ, ὅθʼ ἄρʼ Ἄδρηστος πρῶτʼ ἐμβασίλευεν,

οἵ θʼ Ὑπερησίην τε καὶ αἰπεινὴν Γονόεσσαν

Πελλήνην τʼ εἶχον ἠδʼ Αἴγιον ἀμφενέμοντο

575Αἰγιαλόν τʼ ἀνὰ πάντα καὶ ἀμφʼ Ἑλίκην εὐρεῖαν,

τῶν ἑκατὸν νηῶν ἦρχε κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων

Ἀτρεΐδης· ἅμα τῷ γε πολὺ πλεῖστοι καὶ ἄριστοι

λαοὶ ἕποντʼ· ἐν δʼ αὐτὸς ἐδύσετο νώροπα χαλκὸν

κυδιόων, πᾶσιν δὲ μετέπρεπεν ἡρώεσσιν

580οὕνεκʼ ἄριστος ἔην πολὺ δὲ πλείστους ἄγε λαούς.

569Those who held Mycenae, its well-built citadel,

570wealthy Corinth and well-built Cleonae,

and dwelt in Orneae and lovely Araethyrea,

and Sicyon, where Adrastus first was king,

and those who held Hyperesia and steep Gonoessa,

Pellene, and dwelt around Aegium,

575throughout all Aegialus and around broad Helice—

their hundred ships were led by wide-ruling Agamemnon,

son of Atreus. With him by far the most numerous and best

troops followed; among them he himself put on gleaming bronze,

exulting, and stood out among all the heroes,

580because he was the best and led by far the greatest host.

581οἳ δʼ εἶχον κοίλην Λακεδαίμονα κητώεσσαν,

Φᾶρίν τε Σπάρτην τε πολυτρήρωνά τε Μέσσην,

Βρυσειάς τʼ ἐνέμοντο καὶ Αὐγειὰς ἐρατεινάς,

οἵ τʼ ἄρʼ Ἀμύκλας εἶχον Ἕλος τʼ ἔφαλον πτολίεθρον,

585οἵ τε Λάαν εἶχον ἠδʼ Οἴτυλον ἀμφενέμοντο,

τῶν οἱ ἀδελφεὸς ἦρχε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος

ἑξήκοντα νεῶν· ἀπάτερθε δὲ θωρήσσοντο·

ἐν δʼ αὐτὸς κίεν ᾗσι προθυμίῃσι πεποιθὼς

ὀτρύνων πόλεμον δέ· μάλιστα δὲ ἵετο θυμῷ

590τίσασθαι Ἑλένης ὁρμήματά τε στοναχάς τε.

581Those who held hollow Lacedaemon, full of ravines,

Pharis, Sparta, and dove-thronged Messe,

and dwelt in Bryseae and lovely Augeiae,

and those who held Amyclae and Helos, the seaside citadel,

585and held Laas and dwelt around Oetylus—

these his brother Menelaus, good at the war cry, led,

with sixty ships; they armed themselves apart.

Among them he himself went, trusting in his own ardor,

urging them toward war; most of all he longed in his spirit

590to avenge Helen’s struggles and groans.

591οἳ δὲ Πύλον τʼ ἐνέμοντο καὶ Ἀρήνην ἐρατεινὴν

καὶ Θρύον Ἀλφειοῖο πόρον καὶ ἐΰκτιτον Αἰπὺ

καὶ Κυπαρισσήεντα καὶ Ἀμφιγένειαν ἔναιον

καὶ Πτελεὸν καὶ Ἕλος καὶ Δώριον, ἔνθά τε Μοῦσαι

595ἀντόμεναι Θάμυριν τὸν Θρήϊκα παῦσαν ἀοιδῆς

Οἰχαλίηθεν ἰόντα παρʼ Εὐρύτου Οἰχαλιῆος·

στεῦτο γὰρ εὐχόμενος νικησέμεν εἴ περ ἂν αὐταὶ

Μοῦσαι ἀείδοιεν κοῦραι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο·

αἳ δὲ χολωσάμεναι πηρὸν θέσαν, αὐτὰρ ἀοιδὴν

600θεσπεσίην ἀφέλοντο καὶ ἐκλέλαθον κιθαριστύν·

τῶν αὖθʼ ἡγεμόνευε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

τῷ δʼ ἐνενήκοντα γλαφυραὶ νέες ἐστιχόωντο.

591Those who dwelt in Pylos and lovely Arene,

Thryon at the ford of the Alpheius, and well-built Aepy,

and lived in Cyparisseis and Amphigeneia,

and Pteleos and Helos and Dorium, where the Muses

595met Thamyris the Thracian and stopped him from singing

as he came from Oechalia, away from Eurytus the Oechalian;

for he had boasted and declared that he would win, even if they themselves,

the Muses, daughters of aegis-bearing Zeus, should sing.

But they grew angry and maimed him, and took away

600his divinely given song and made him forget how to play the lyre.

These were led by Gerenian Nestor, horseman;

with him ninety hollow ships filed in order.

603οἳ δʼ ἔχον Ἀρκαδίην ὑπὸ Κυλλήνης ὄρος αἰπὺ

Αἰπύτιον παρὰ τύμβον ἵνʼ ἀνέρες ἀγχιμαχηταί,

605οἳ Φενεόν τʼ ἐνέμοντο καὶ Ὀρχομενὸν πολύμηλον

Ῥίπην τε Στρατίην τε καὶ ἠνεμόεσσαν Ἐνίσπην

καὶ Τεγέην εἶχον καὶ Μαντινέην ἐρατεινὴν

Στύμφηλόν τʼ εἶχον καὶ Παρρασίην ἐνέμοντο,

τῶν ἦρχʼ Ἀγκαίοιο πάϊς κρείων Ἀγαπήνωρ

610ἑξήκοντα νεῶν· πολέες δʼ ἐν νηῒ ἑκάστῃ

Ἀρκάδες ἄνδρες ἔβαινον ἐπιστάμενοι πολεμίζειν.

αὐτὸς γάρ σφιν δῶκεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων

νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους περάαν ἐπὶ οἴνοπα πόντον

Ἀτρεΐδης, ἐπεὶ οὔ σφι θαλάσσια ἔργα μεμήλει.

603Those who held Arcadia beneath steep Mount Cyllene,

beside Aepytus’ tomb, where men fight at close quarters;

605who inhabited Pheneus and sheep-rich Orchomenus,

Rhipe, Stratie, and windy Enispe;

who held Tegea and lovely Mantinea,

held Stymphalus and inhabited Parrhasia—

powerful Agapenor, son of Ancaeus, led them

610with sixty ships; aboard each ship were many

Arcadian men, skilled in warfare.

For Agamemnon himself, lord of men, gave them

well-benched ships to cross the wine-dark sea,

Atreus’ son, since they had no care for works of the sea.

615οἳ δʼ ἄρα Βουπράσιόν τε καὶ Ἤλιδα δῖαν ἔναιον

ὅσσον ἐφʼ Ὑρμίνη καὶ Μύρσινος ἐσχατόωσα

πέτρη τʼ Ὠλενίη καὶ Ἀλήσιον ἐντὸς ἐέργει,

τῶν αὖ τέσσαρες ἀρχοὶ ἔσαν, δέκα δʼ ἀνδρὶ ἑκάστῳ

νῆες ἕποντο θοαί, πολέες δʼ ἔμβαινον Ἐπειοί.

620τῶν μὲν ἄρʼ Ἀμφίμαχος καὶ Θάλπιος ἡγησάσθην

υἷες ὃ μὲν Κτεάτου, ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ Εὐρύτου, Ἀκτορίωνε·

τῶν δʼ Ἀμαρυγκεΐδης ἦρχε κρατερὸς Διώρης·

τῶν δὲ τετάρτων ἦρχε Πολύξεινος θεοειδὴς

υἱὸς Ἀγασθένεος Αὐγηϊάδαο ἄνακτος.

615Those who lived in Buprasium and shining Elis,

throughout all the land that Hyrmine and frontier Myrsinus,

the Olenian Rock and Alesium enclose within—

these had four leaders, and for each man ten

swift ships followed, with many Epeians aboard.

620Amphimachus and Thalpius led two contingents,

one son of Cteatus, the other of Eurytus, both of Actor’s line.

Strong Diores, son of Amarynceus, led another,

and godlike Polyxenus led the fourth,

son of Agasthenes, whose father was lord Augeas.

625οἳ δʼ ἐκ Δουλιχίοιο Ἐχινάων θʼ ἱεράων

νήσων, αἳ ναίουσι πέρην ἁλὸς Ἤλιδος ἄντα,

τῶν αὖθʼ ἡγεμόνευε Μέγης ἀτάλαντος Ἄρηϊ

Φυλεΐδης, ὃν τίκτε Διῒ φίλος ἱππότα Φυλεύς,

ὅς ποτε Δουλίχιον δʼ ἀπενάσσατο πατρὶ χολωθείς·

630τῷ δʼ ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.

625Those from Dulichium and the sacred Echinades,

islands lying across the sea facing Elis—

Meges, a match for Ares, commanded them,

Phyleus’ son, whom horseman Phyleus, dear to Zeus, begot.

Phyleus once withdrew to Dulichium, angered at his father.

630Forty black ships followed Meges.

631αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς ἦγε Κεφαλλῆνας μεγαθύμους,

οἵ ῥʼ Ἰθάκην εἶχον καὶ Νήριτον εἰνοσίφυλλον

καὶ Κροκύλειʼ ἐνέμοντο καὶ Αἰγίλιπα τρηχεῖαν,

οἵ τε Ζάκυνθον ἔχον ἠδʼ οἳ Σάμον ἀμφενέμοντο,

635οἵ τʼ ἤπειρον ἔχον ἠδʼ ἀντιπέραιʼ ἐνέμοντο·

τῶν μὲν Ὀδυσσεὺς ἦρχε Διὶ μῆτιν ἀτάλαντος·

τῷ δʼ ἅμα νῆες ἕποντο δυώδεκα μιλτοπάρῃοι.

631But Odysseus led the great-hearted Cephallenians,

who held Ithaca and leaf-shaking Neriton,

inhabited Crocyleia and rugged Aegilips,

held Zacynthus, and dwelt around Same,

635held the mainland and inhabited the facing shores.

Odysseus, a match for Zeus in counsel, led them,

and with him followed twelve red-cheeked ships.

638Αἰτωλῶν δʼ ἡγεῖτο Θόας Ἀνδραίμονος υἱός,

οἳ Πλευρῶνʼ ἐνέμοντο καὶ Ὤλενον ἠδὲ Πυλήνην

640Χαλκίδα τʼ ἀγχίαλον Καλυδῶνά τε πετρήεσσαν·

οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ Οἰνῆος μεγαλήτορος υἱέες ἦσαν,

οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔτʼ αὐτὸς ἔην, θάνε δὲ ξανθὸς Μελέαγρος·

τῷ δʼ ἐπὶ πάντʼ ἐτέταλτο ἀνασσέμεν Αἰτωλοῖσι·

τῷ δʼ ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.

638Thoas, son of Andraemon, led the Aetolians,

who inhabited Pleuron, Olenus, and Pylene,

640sea-near Chalcis and rocky Calydon.

For great-hearted Oeneus’ sons were no longer alive,

nor was Oeneus himself; fair-haired Meleager had died.

To Thoas the entire rule over the Aetolians had been entrusted,

and with him forty black ships followed.

645Κρητῶν δʼ Ἰδομενεὺς δουρὶ κλυτὸς ἡγεμόνευεν,

οἳ Κνωσόν τʼ εἶχον Γόρτυνά τε τειχιόεσσαν,

Λύκτον Μίλητόν τε καὶ ἀργινόεντα Λύκαστον

Φαιστόν τε Ῥύτιόν τε, πόλεις εὖ ναιετοώσας,

ἄλλοι θʼ οἳ Κρήτην ἑκατόμπολιν ἀμφενέμοντο.

650τῶν μὲν ἄρʼ Ἰδομενεὺς δουρὶ κλυτὸς ἡγεμόνευε

Μηριόνης τʼ ἀτάλαντος Ἐνυαλίῳ ἀνδρειφόντῃ·

τοῖσι δʼ ἅμʼ ὀγδώκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.

645Idomeneus, famous with the spear, led the Cretans,

who held Cnossus and walled Gortyn,

Lyctus, Miletus, and white Lycastus,

Phaestus and Rhytium, cities well inhabited,

and all the others who dwelt throughout hundred-citied Crete.

650Idomeneus, famous with the spear, led them,

and Meriones, a match for man-slaying Enyalius;

with them followed eighty black ships.

653Τληπόλεμος δʼ Ἡρακλεΐδης ἠΰς τε μέγας τε

ἐκ Ῥόδου ἐννέα νῆας ἄγεν Ῥοδίων ἀγερώχων,

655οἳ Ῥόδον ἀμφενέμοντο διὰ τρίχα κοσμηθέντες

Λίνδον Ἰηλυσόν τε καὶ ἀργινόεντα Κάμειρον.

τῶν μὲν Τληπόλεμος δουρὶ κλυτὸς ἡγεμόνευεν,

ὃν τέκεν Ἀστυόχεια βίῃ Ἡρακληείῃ,

τὴν ἄγετʼ ἐξ Ἐφύρης ποταμοῦ ἄπο Σελλήεντος

660πέρσας ἄστεα πολλὰ διοτρεφέων αἰζηῶν.

Τληπόλεμος δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν τράφʼ ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ εὐπήκτῳ,

αὐτίκα πατρὸς ἑοῖο φίλον μήτρωα κατέκτα

ἤδη γηράσκοντα Λικύμνιον ὄζον Ἄρηος·

αἶψα δὲ νῆας ἔπηξε, πολὺν δʼ ὅ γε λαὸν ἀγείρας

665βῆ φεύγων ἐπὶ πόντον· ἀπείλησαν γάρ οἱ ἄλλοι

υἱέες υἱωνοί τε βίης Ἡρακληείης.

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἐς Ῥόδον ἷξεν ἀλώμενος ἄλγεα πάσχων·

τριχθὰ δὲ ᾤκηθεν καταφυλαδόν, ἠδὲ φίληθεν

ἐκ Διός, ὅς τε θεοῖσι καὶ ἀνθρώποισιν ἀνάσσει,

670καί σφιν θεσπέσιον πλοῦτον κατέχευε Κρονίων.

653Tlepolemus, brave and great, the son of Heracles,

led nine ships of proud Rhodians from Rhodes,

655men who inhabited Rhodes, arrayed in three divisions:

Lindus, Ialysus, and white Camirus.

Tlepolemus, famous with the spear, led them,

whom Astyocheia bore to mighty Heracles.

Heracles had brought her from Ephyra beside the river Selleeis

660after sacking many towns of Zeus-nurtured warriors.

But when Tlepolemus had grown up in the well-built hall,

he at once killed his father’s dear maternal uncle,

Likymnius, already aging, a branch of Ares.

Quickly he built ships and gathered a great host,

665then fled over the sea, for the other sons

and grandsons of mighty Heracles had threatened him.

He reached Rhodes after wandering and suffering pain.

They settled there in three groups, tribe by tribe, and were loved

by Zeus, who rules over gods and mortals;

670and the son of Cronus poured wondrous wealth upon them.

671Νιρεὺς αὖ Σύμηθεν ἄγε τρεῖς νῆας ἐΐσας

Νιρεὺς Ἀγλαΐης υἱὸς Χαρόποιό τʼ ἄνακτος

Νιρεύς, ὃς κάλλιστος ἀνὴρ ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθε

τῶν ἄλλων Δαναῶν μετʼ ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα·

675ἀλλʼ ἀλαπαδνὸς ἔην, παῦρος δέ οἱ εἵπετο λαός.

671Nireus in turn led three well-balanced ships from Syme—

Nireus, son of Aglaea and lord Charopus,

Nireus, the most beautiful man who came beneath Ilium

of all the other Danaans after the blameless son of Peleus.

675But he was weak, and few troops followed him.

676οἳ δʼ ἄρα Νίσυρόν τʼ εἶχον Κράπαθόν τε Κάσον τε

καὶ Κῶν Εὐρυπύλοιο πόλιν νήσους τε Καλύδνας,

τῶν αὖ Φείδιππός τε καὶ Ἄντιφος ἡγησάσθην

Θεσσαλοῦ υἷε δύω Ἡρακλεΐδαο ἄνακτος·

680τοῖς δὲ τριήκοντα γλαφυραὶ νέες ἐστιχόωντο.

676Those who held Nisyros, Carpathos, and Casos,

and Cos, the city of Eurypylus, and the Calydnian islands,

were led in turn by Pheidippus and Antiphus,

the two sons of lord Thessalus, a son of Heracles.

680With them thirty hollow ships filed in order.

681νῦν αὖ τοὺς ὅσσοι τὸ Πελασγικὸν Ἄργος ἔναιον,

οἵ τʼ Ἄλον οἵ τʼ Ἀλόπην οἵ τε Τρηχῖνα νέμοντο,

οἵ τʼ εἶχον Φθίην ἠδʼ Ἑλλάδα καλλιγύναικα,

Μυρμιδόνες δὲ καλεῦντο καὶ Ἕλληνες καὶ Ἀχαιοί,

685τῶν αὖ πεντήκοντα νεῶν ἦν ἀρχὸς Ἀχιλλεύς.

ἀλλʼ οἵ γʼ οὐ πολέμοιο δυσηχέος ἐμνώοντο·

οὐ γὰρ ἔην ὅς τίς σφιν ἐπὶ στίχας ἡγήσαιτο·

κεῖτο γὰρ ἐν νήεσσι ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς

κούρης χωόμενος Βρισηΐδος ἠϋκόμοιο,

690τὴν ἐκ Λυρνησσοῦ ἐξείλετο πολλὰ μογήσας

Λυρνησσὸν διαπορθήσας καὶ τείχεα Θήβης,

κὰδ δὲ Μύνητʼ ἔβαλεν καὶ Ἐπίστροφον ἐγχεσιμώρους,

υἱέας Εὐηνοῖο Σεληπιάδαο ἄνακτος·

τῆς ὅ γε κεῖτʼ ἀχέων, τάχα δʼ ἀνστήσεσθαι ἔμελλεν.

681Now in turn, those who lived in Pelasgian Argos,

who inhabited Alos, Alope, and Trachis,

who held Phthia and Hellas, land of beautiful women,

and were called Myrmidons, Hellenes, and Achaeans—

685Achilles commanded their fifty ships.

But they had no thought of harsh-sounding war,

for there was no one to lead their ranks.

Swift-footed, godlike Achilles lay among the ships,

angry over the girl, fair-haired Briseis,

690whom he had taken from Lyrnessus after much toil,

after sacking Lyrnessus and the walls of Thebe

and bringing down Mynes and Epistrophus, fighters with spears,

sons of king Evenus, son of Selepius.

For her he lay grieving, though soon he was destined to rise.

695οἳ δʼ εἶχον Φυλάκην καὶ Πύρασον ἀνθεμόεντα

Δήμητρος τέμενος, Ἴτωνά τε μητέρα μήλων,

ἀγχίαλόν τʼ Ἀντρῶνα ἰδὲ Πτελεὸν λεχεποίην,

τῶν αὖ Πρωτεσίλαος ἀρήϊος ἡγεμόνευε

ζωὸς ἐών· τότε δʼ ἤδη ἔχεν κάτα γαῖα μέλαινα.

700τοῦ δὲ καὶ ἀμφιδρυφὴς ἄλοχος Φυλάκῃ ἐλέλειπτο

καὶ δόμος ἡμιτελής· τὸν δʼ ἔκτανε Δάρδανος ἀνὴρ

νηὸς ἀποθρῴσκοντα πολὺ πρώτιστον Ἀχαιῶν.

οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδʼ οἳ ἄναρχοι ἔσαν, πόθεόν γε μὲν ἀρχόν·

ἀλλά σφεας κόσμησε Ποδάρκης ὄζος Ἄρηος

705Ἰφίκλου υἱὸς πολυμήλου Φυλακίδαο

αὐτοκασίγνητος μεγαθύμου Πρωτεσιλάου

ὁπλότερος γενεῇ· ὁ δʼ ἅμα πρότερος καὶ ἀρείων

ἥρως Πρωτεσίλαος ἀρήϊος· οὐδέ τι λαοὶ

δεύονθʼ ἡγεμόνος, πόθεόν γε μὲν ἐσθλὸν ἐόντα·

710τῷ δʼ ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.

695Those who held Phylace and flowery Pyrasus,

Demeter’s precinct, and Iton, mother of flocks,

Antron by the sea and grassy Pteleum,

were led by warlike Protesilaus

while he lived; but now the black earth already held him.

700His wife was left in Phylace with both cheeks torn,

and his house half finished. A Dardanian man killed him

as he leapt from his ship, by far the first of the Achaeans.

Yet they were not leaderless, though they missed their leader.

Podarces, branch of Ares, arrayed them,

705son of Iphiclus, rich in sheep, son of Phylacus,

great-hearted Protesilaus’ own brother,

younger by birth; the other was both older and better,

the hero, warlike Protesilaus. The troops did not

lack a leader, though they missed him because he was noble.

710With Podarces forty black ships followed.

711οἳ δὲ Φερὰς ἐνέμοντο παραὶ Βοιβηΐδα λίμνην

Βοίβην καὶ Γλαφύρας καὶ ἐϋκτιμένην Ἰαωλκόν,

τῶν ἦρχʼ Ἀδμήτοιο φίλος πάϊς ἕνδεκα νηῶν

Εὔμηλος, τὸν ὑπʼ Ἀδμήτῳ τέκε δῖα γυναικῶν

715Ἄλκηστις Πελίαο θυγατρῶν εἶδος ἀρίστη.

711Those who inhabited Pherae beside Lake Boebeis,

Boebe, Glaphyrae, and well-built Iolcus,

were led in eleven ships by Admetus’ dear son,

Eumelus, whom Alcestis, divine among women, bore to Admetus,

715the loveliest in appearance of the daughters of Pelias.

716οἳ δʼ ἄρα Μηθώνην καὶ Θαυμακίην ἐνέμοντο

καὶ Μελίβοιαν ἔχον καὶ Ὀλιζῶνα τρηχεῖαν,

τῶν δὲ Φιλοκτήτης ἦρχεν τόξων ἐῢ εἰδὼς

ἑπτὰ νεῶν· ἐρέται δʼ ἐν ἑκάστῃ πεντήκοντα

720ἐμβέβασαν τόξων εὖ εἰδότες ἶφι μάχεσθαι.

ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἐν νήσῳ κεῖτο κρατέρʼ ἄλγεα πάσχων

Λήμνῳ ἐν ἠγαθέῃ, ὅθι μιν λίπον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

ἕλκεϊ μοχθίζοντα κακῷ ὀλοόφρονος ὕδρου·

ἔνθʼ ὅ γε κεῖτʼ ἀχέων· τάχα δὲ μνήσεσθαι ἔμελλον

725Ἀργεῖοι παρὰ νηυσὶ Φιλοκτήταο ἄνακτος.

οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδʼ οἳ ἄναρχοι ἔσαν, πόθεόν γε μὲν ἀρχόν·

ἀλλὰ Μέδων κόσμησεν Ὀϊλῆος νόθος υἱός,

τόν ῥʼ ἔτεκεν Ῥήνη ὑπʼ Ὀϊλῆϊ πτολιπόρθῳ.

716Those who inhabited Methone and Thaumacia,

and held Meliboea and rugged Olizon,

were led by Philoctetes, skilled with the bow,

in seven ships; in each, fifty rowers

720had embarked, skilled in fighting mightily with bows.

But he lay on an island suffering terrible pains,

on sacred Lemnos, where the sons of the Achaeans had left him,

tormented by a grievous wound from a deadly water snake.

There he lay grieving; but soon the Argives

725beside the ships were to remember lord Philoctetes.

Yet they were not leaderless, though they missed their leader.

Medon arrayed them, Oileus’ illegitimate son,

whom Rhene bore to Oileus, sacker of cities.

729οἳ δʼ εἶχον Τρίκκην καὶ Ἰθώμην κλωμακόεσσαν,

730οἵ τʼ ἔχον Οἰχαλίην πόλιν Εὐρύτου Οἰχαλιῆος,

τῶν αὖθʼ ἡγείσθην Ἀσκληπιοῦ δύο παῖδε

ἰητῆρʼ ἀγαθὼ Ποδαλείριος ἠδὲ Μαχάων·

τοῖς δὲ τριήκοντα γλαφυραὶ νέες ἐστιχόωντο.

729Those who held Tricca and craggy Ithome,

730and held Oechalia, the city of Eurytus the Oechalian,

were led in turn by the two sons of Asclepius,

the good physicians Podalirius and Machaon.

With them thirty hollow ships filed in order.

734οἳ δʼ ἔχον Ὀρμένιον, οἵ τε κρήνην Ὑπέρειαν,

735οἵ τʼ ἔχον Ἀστέριον Τιτάνοιό τε λευκὰ κάρηνα,

τῶν ἦρχʼ Εὐρύπυλος Εὐαίμονος ἀγλαὸς υἱός·

τῷ δʼ ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.

734Those who held Ormenium and the Hyperian spring,

735and held Asterium and the white peaks of Titan,

were led by Eurypylus, glorious son of Euaemon.

With him forty black ships followed.

738οἳ δʼ Ἄργισσαν ἔχον καὶ Γυρτώνην ἐνέμοντο,

Ὄρθην Ἠλώνην τε πόλιν τʼ Ὀλοοσσόνα λευκήν,

740τῶν αὖθʼ ἡγεμόνευε μενεπτόλεμος Πολυποίτης

υἱὸς Πειριθόοιο τὸν ἀθάνατος τέκετο Ζεύς·

τόν ῥʼ ὑπὸ Πειριθόῳ τέκετο κλυτὸς Ἱπποδάμεια

ἤματι τῷ ὅτε Φῆρας ἐτίσατο λαχνήεντας,

τοὺς δʼ ἐκ Πηλίου ὦσε καὶ Αἰθίκεσσι πέλασσεν·

745οὐκ οἶος, ἅμα τῷ γε Λεοντεὺς ὄζος Ἄρηος

υἱὸς ὑπερθύμοιο Κορώνου Καινεΐδαο·

τοῖς δʼ ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.

738Those who held Argissa and inhabited Gyrtone,

Orthe, Elone, and the white city Oloosson,

740were led in turn by Polypoetes, steadfast in battle,

son of Pirithous, whom immortal Zeus begot.

Famed Hippodameia bore Polypoetes to Pirithous

on the day when he punished the shaggy beast-men,

drove them from Pelion, and brought them near the Aethices.

745He was not alone; with him was Leonteus, branch of Ares,

son of high-spirited Coronus, son of Caeneus.

With them forty black ships followed.

748Γουνεὺς δʼ ἐκ Κύφου ἦγε δύω καὶ εἴκοσι νῆας·

τῷ δʼ Ἐνιῆνες ἕποντο μενεπτόλεμοί τε Περαιβοὶ

750οἳ περὶ Δωδώνην δυσχείμερον οἰκίʼ ἔθεντο,

οἵ τʼ ἀμφʼ ἱμερτὸν Τιταρησσὸν ἔργα νέμοντο

ὅς ῥʼ ἐς Πηνειὸν προΐει καλλίρροον ὕδωρ,

οὐδʼ ὅ γε Πηνειῷ συμμίσγεται ἀργυροδίνῃ,

ἀλλά τέ μιν καθύπερθεν ἐπιρρέει ἠΰτʼ ἔλαιον·

755ὅρκου γὰρ δεινοῦ Στυγὸς ὕδατός ἐστιν ἀπορρώξ.

748Guneus led twenty-two ships from Cyphus.

The Aenianes followed him, and the steadfast Perrhaebians,

750who made their homes around wintry Dodona,

and worked the land around lovely Titaresius,

which sends its fair-flowing water into the Peneius,

yet does not mingle with the silver-eddying Peneius,

but flows over it like oil;

755for it is an offshoot of the water of Styx, the dread oath.

756Μαγνήτων δʼ ἦρχε Πρόθοος Τενθρηδόνος υἱός,

οἳ περὶ Πηνειὸν καὶ Πήλιον εἰνοσίφυλλον

ναίεσκον· τῶν μὲν Πρόθοος θοὸς ἡγεμόνευε,

τῷ δʼ ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.

756Prothous, son of Tenthredon, led the Magnetes,

who lived around the Peneius and leaf-shaking Pelion.

Swift Prothous commanded them,

and with him forty black ships followed.

760οὗτοι ἄρʼ ἡγεμόνες Δαναῶν καὶ κοίρανοι ἦσαν·

τίς τὰρ τῶν ὄχʼ ἄριστος ἔην σύ μοι ἔννεπε Μοῦσα

αὐτῶν ἠδʼ ἵππων, οἳ ἅμʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃσιν ἕποντο.

760These, then, were the leaders and rulers of the Danaans.

Which of them was far the best? Tell me, Muse—

of the men themselves and the horses that followed Atreus’ sons.

763ἵπποι μὲν μέγʼ ἄρισται ἔσαν Φηρητιάδαο,

τὰς Εὔμηλος ἔλαυνε ποδώκεας ὄρνιθας ὣς

765ὄτριχας οἰέτεας σταφύλῇ ἐπὶ νῶτον ἐΐσας·

τὰς ἐν Πηρείῃ θρέψʼ ἀργυρότοξος Ἀπόλλων

ἄμφω θηλείας, φόβον Ἄρηος φορεούσας.

ἀνδρῶν αὖ μέγʼ ἄριστος ἔην Τελαμώνιος Αἴας

ὄφρʼ Ἀχιλεὺς μήνιεν· ὃ γὰρ πολὺ φέρτατος ἦεν,

770ἵπποι θʼ οἳ φορέεσκον ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα.

ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἐν νήεσσι κορωνίσι ποντοπόροισι

κεῖτʼ ἀπομηνίσας Ἀγαμέμνονι ποιμένι λαῶν

Ἀτρεΐδῃ· λαοὶ δὲ παρὰ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης

δίσκοισιν τέρποντο καὶ αἰγανέῃσιν ἱέντες

775τόξοισίν θʼ· ἵπποι δὲ παρʼ ἅρμασιν οἷσιν ἕκαστος

λωτὸν ἐρεπτόμενοι ἐλεόθρεπτόν τε σέλινον

ἕστασαν· ἅρματα δʼ εὖ πεπυκασμένα κεῖτο ἀνάκτων

ἐν κλισίῃς· οἳ δʼ ἀρχὸν ἀρηΐφιλον ποθέοντες

φοίτων ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα κατὰ στρατὸν οὐδὲ μάχοντο.

763By far the best horses were those of Pheres’ son,

the mares Eumelus drove, swift-footed as birds,

765matched in coat and age, their backs level as a plumb line.

Silver-bowed Apollo had reared them in Pereia,

both mares, bearing the terror of Ares.

Of the men, Telamonian Ajax was far the best

while Achilles maintained his wrath; for Achilles was far superior,

770and so were the horses that bore the blameless son of Peleus.

But he lay among his curved, seafaring ships,

withdrawn in wrath against Agamemnon, shepherd of the people,

Atreus’ son. His troops beside the breaking sea

took pleasure in discuses and throwing javelins,

775and in bows; beside each man’s chariot, his horses

stood cropping lotus and marsh-grown celery.

Their lords’ well-covered chariots lay

in the shelters; the men, longing for their war-loving leader,

wandered here and there through the camp and did not fight.

780οἳ δʼ ἄρʼ ἴσαν ὡς εἴ τε πυρὶ χθὼν πᾶσα νέμοιτο·

γαῖα δʼ ὑπεστενάχιζε Διὶ ὣς τερπικεραύνῳ

χωομένῳ ὅτε τʼ ἀμφὶ Τυφωέϊ γαῖαν ἱμάσσῃ

εἰν Ἀρίμοις, ὅθι φασὶ Τυφωέος ἔμμεναι εὐνάς·

ὣς ἄρα τῶν ὑπὸ ποσσὶ μέγα στεναχίζετο γαῖα

785ἐρχομένων· μάλα δʼ ὦκα διέπρησσον πεδίοιο.

780The Achaeans marched as though all the earth were consumed by fire.

The ground groaned beneath them, as it groans beneath Zeus who delights in thunder

when in anger he lashes the earth around Typhoeus

in Arima, where they say Typhoeus has his bed.

So the earth groaned loudly beneath the feet

785of the advancing host, and swiftly they crossed the plain.

786Τρωσὶν δʼ ἄγγελος ἦλθε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις

πὰρ Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο σὺν ἀγγελίῃ ἀλεγεινῇ·

οἳ δʼ ἀγορὰς ἀγόρευον ἐπὶ Πριάμοιο θύρῃσι

πάντες ὁμηγερέες ἠμὲν νέοι ἠδὲ γέροντες·

790ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη προσέφη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις·

εἴσατο δὲ φθογγὴν υἷϊ Πριάμοιο Πολίτῃ,

ὃς Τρώων σκοπὸς ἷζε ποδωκείῃσι πεποιθὼς

τύμβῳ ἐπʼ ἀκροτάτῳ Αἰσυήταο γέροντος,

δέγμενος ὁππότε ναῦφιν ἀφορμηθεῖεν Ἀχαιοί·

795τῷ μιν ἐεισαμένη προσέφη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις·

ὦ γέρον αἰεί τοι μῦθοι φίλοι ἄκριτοί εἰσιν,

ὥς ποτʼ ἐπʼ εἰρήνης· πόλεμος δʼ ἀλίαστος ὄρωρεν.

ἤδη μὲν μάλα πολλὰ μάχας εἰσήλυθον ἀνδρῶν,

ἀλλʼ οὔ πω τοιόνδε τοσόνδέ τε λαὸν ὄπωπα·

800λίην γὰρ φύλλοισιν ἐοικότες ἢ ψαμάθοισιν

ἔρχονται πεδίοιο μαχησόμενοι προτὶ ἄστυ.

Ἕκτορ σοὶ δὲ μάλιστʼ ἐπιτέλλομαι, ὧδε δὲ ῥέξαι·

πολλοὶ γὰρ κατὰ ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμου ἐπίκουροι,

ἄλλη δʼ ἄλλων γλῶσσα πολυσπερέων ἀνθρώπων·

805τοῖσιν ἕκαστος ἀνὴρ σημαινέτω οἷσί περ ἄρχει,

τῶν δʼ ἐξηγείσθω κοσμησάμενος πολιήτας.

786Wind-footed, swift Iris came as messenger to the Trojans,

from aegis-bearing Zeus, bearing a grievous message.

They were debating in assembly at Priam’s doors,

all gathered together, young and old alike.

790Standing close, swift-footed Iris addressed Priam,

making her voice like that of Polites, Priam’s son,

who sat as the Trojans’ lookout, trusting in his speed,

on the highest point of old Aesyetes’ tomb,

waiting to see when the Achaeans would move out from their ships.

795Taking his likeness, swift-footed Iris addressed Priam:

“Old man, endless speeches are always dear to you,

just as they were once in time of peace; but relentless war has risen.

Many battles of men have I entered before,

but never yet have I seen such a host, so vast.

800For like leaves or grains of sand beyond counting,

they come across the plain to fight before the city.

Hector, to you above all I give this command; act as follows.

Many are the allies throughout Priam’s great city,

and each of the far-scattered peoples has a different tongue.

805Let each man give orders to those whom he rules,

and lead them forth after marshaling his own countrymen.”

807ὣς ἔφαθʼ, Ἕκτωρ δʼ οὔ τι θεᾶς ἔπος ἠγνοίησεν,

αἶψα δʼ ἔλυσʼ ἀγορήν· ἐπὶ τεύχεα δʼ ἐσσεύοντο·

πᾶσαι δʼ ὠΐγνυντο πύλαι, ἐκ δʼ ἔσσυτο λαὸς

810πεζοί θʼ ἱππῆές τε· πολὺς δʼ ὀρυμαγδὸς ὀρώρει.

ἔστι δέ τις προπάροιθε πόλιος αἰπεῖα κολώνη

ἐν πεδίῳ ἀπάνευθε περίδρομος ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα,

τὴν ἤτοι ἄνδρες Βατίειαν κικλήσκουσιν,

ἀθάνατοι δέ τε σῆμα πολυσκάρθμοιο Μυρίνης·

815ἔνθα τότε Τρῶές τε διέκριθεν ἠδʼ ἐπίκουροι.

807So she spoke, and Hector did not fail to understand the goddess’s word.

At once he dissolved the assembly, and they rushed to their armor.

All the gates were opened, and the host streamed out,

810men on foot and chariot-fighters; a great uproar rose.

Before the city there is a steep mound,

standing apart in the plain, open to passage on every side.

Mortals call it Batieia,

but the immortals call it the tomb of nimble Myrine.

815There the Trojans and their allies were then sorted into divisions.

816Τρωσὶ μὲν ἡγεμόνευε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ

Πριαμίδης· ἅμα τῷ γε πολὺ πλεῖστοι καὶ ἄριστοι

λαοὶ θωρήσσοντο μεμαότες ἐγχείῃσι.

816Great Hector of the flashing helmet led the Trojans,

Priam’s son; with him by far the most numerous and best

troops armed themselves, eager with their spears.

819Δαρδανίων αὖτʼ ἦρχεν ἐῢς πάϊς Ἀγχίσαο

820Αἰνείας, τὸν ὑπʼ Ἀγχίσῃ τέκε δῖʼ Ἀφροδίτη

Ἴδης ἐν κνημοῖσι θεὰ βροτῷ εὐνηθεῖσα,

οὐκ οἶος, ἅμα τῷ γε δύω Ἀντήνορος υἷε

Ἀρχέλοχός τʼ Ἀκάμας τε μάχης εὖ εἰδότε πάσης.

819Then the noble son of Anchises led the Dardanians,

820Aeneas, whom divine Aphrodite bore to Anchises

on the slopes of Ida, a goddess who lay with a mortal.

He was not alone; with him were two sons of Antenor,

Archelochus and Acamas, skilled in every kind of battle.

824οἳ δὲ Ζέλειαν ἔναιον ὑπαὶ πόδα νείατον Ἴδης

825ἀφνειοὶ πίνοντες ὕδωρ μέλαν Αἰσήποιο

Τρῶες, τῶν αὖτʼ ἦρχε Λυκάονος ἀγλαὸς υἱὸς

Πάνδαρος, ᾧ καὶ τόξον Ἀπόλλων αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν.

824Those who dwelt in Zeleia beneath Ida’s lowest foothill,

825wealthy Trojans who drank the dark water of the Aesepus,

were led in turn by Lycaon’s glorious son,

Pandarus, to whom Apollo himself had given a bow.

828οἳ δʼ Ἀδρήστειάν τʼ εἶχον καὶ δῆμον Ἀπαισοῦ

καὶ Πιτύειαν ἔχον καὶ Τηρείης ὄρος αἰπύ,

830τῶν ἦρχʼ Ἄδρηστός τε καὶ Ἄμφιος λινοθώρηξ

υἷε δύω Μέροπος Περκωσίου, ὃς περὶ πάντων

ᾔδεε μαντοσύνας, οὐδὲ οὓς παῖδας ἔασκε

στείχειν ἐς πόλεμον φθισήνορα· τὼ δέ οἱ οὔ τι

πειθέσθην· κῆρες γὰρ ἄγον μέλανος θανάτοιο.

828Those who held Adresteia and the district of Apaisus,

and held Pityeia and the steep mountain of Tereia,

830were led by Adrastus and linen-armored Amphius,

the two sons of Merops of Percote, who above all men

understood the arts of prophecy and would not let his sons

go to man-destroying war; but the two did not

obey him, for the dooms of black death were leading them on.

835οἳ δʼ ἄρα Περκώτην καὶ Πράκτιον ἀμφενέμοντο

καὶ Σηστὸν καὶ Ἄβυδον ἔχον καὶ δῖαν Ἀρίσβην,

τῶν αὖθʼ Ὑρτακίδης ἦρχʼ Ἄσιος ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν,

Ἄσιος Ὑρτακίδης ὃν Ἀρίσβηθεν φέρον ἵπποι

αἴθωνες μεγάλοι ποταμοῦ ἄπο Σελλήεντος.

835Those who dwelt around Percote and Practius,

and held Sestus and Abydus and splendid Arisbe,

were led in turn by Asius, son of Hyrtacus, leader of men—

Asius, son of Hyrtacus, whom horses bore from Arisbe,

great fiery horses from the river Selleeis.

840Ἱππόθοος δʼ ἄγε φῦλα Πελασγῶν ἐγχεσιμώρων

τῶν οἳ Λάρισαν ἐριβώλακα ναιετάασκον·

τῶν ἦρχʼ Ἱππόθοός τε Πύλαιός τʼ ὄζος Ἄρηος,

υἷε δύω Λήθοιο Πελασγοῦ Τευταμίδαο.

840Hippothous led the tribes of spear-fighting Pelasgians,

those who dwelt in rich-soiled Larissa.

Hippothous and Pylaeus, branch of Ares, led them,

the two sons of Pelasgian Lethus, son of Teutamus.

844αὐτὰρ Θρήϊκας ἦγʼ Ἀκάμας καὶ Πείροος ἥρως

845ὅσσους Ἑλλήσποντος ἀγάρροος ἐντὸς ἐέργει.

844Acamas and the hero Peirous led the Thracians,

845all those whom the strong-flowing Hellespont bounds within.

846Εὔφημος δʼ ἀρχὸς Κικόνων ἦν αἰχμητάων

υἱὸς Τροιζήνοιο διοτρεφέος Κεάδαο.

846Euphemus commanded the Ciconian spearmen,

son of Zeus-nurtured Troezenus, son of Ceas.

848αὐτὰρ Πυραίχμης ἄγε Παίονας ἀγκυλοτόξους

τηλόθεν ἐξ Ἀμυδῶνος ἀπʼ Ἀξιοῦ εὐρὺ ῥέοντος,

850Ἀξιοῦ οὗ κάλλιστον ὕδωρ ἐπικίδναται αἶαν.

848Pyraechmes led the Paeonians with curved bows,

from far-off Amydon beside the broad-flowing Axius—

850the Axius, whose water, fairest of all, spreads over the land.

851Παφλαγόνων δʼ ἡγεῖτο Πυλαιμένεος λάσιον κῆρ

ἐξ Ἐνετῶν, ὅθεν ἡμιόνων γένος ἀγροτεράων,

οἵ ῥα Κύτωρον ἔχον καὶ Σήσαμον ἀμφενέμοντο

ἀμφί τε Παρθένιον ποταμὸν κλυτὰ δώματʼ ἔναιον

855Κρῶμνάν τʼ Αἰγιαλόν τε καὶ ὑψηλοὺς Ἐρυθίνους.

851Shaggy-hearted Pylaemenes led the Paphlagonians

from Eneti, where the breed of wild mules arises;

those who held Cytorus and dwelt around Sesamus,

and lived in glorious houses about the river Parthenius,

855in Cromna, Aegialus, and lofty Erythini.

856αὐτὰρ Ἁλιζώνων Ὀδίος καὶ Ἐπίστροφος ἦρχον

τηλόθεν ἐξ Ἀλύβης, ὅθεν ἀργύρου ἐστὶ γενέθλη.

856Odius and Epistrophus led the Halizones

from far-off Alybe, where silver is born.

858Μυσῶν δὲ Χρόμις ἦρχε καὶ Ἔννομος οἰωνιστής·

ἀλλʼ οὐκ οἰωνοῖσιν ἐρύσατο κῆρα μέλαιναν,

860ἀλλʼ ἐδάμη ὑπὸ χερσὶ ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο

ἐν ποταμῷ, ὅθι περ Τρῶας κεράϊζε καὶ ἄλλους.

858Chromis led the Mysians, and Ennomus the bird-seer;

yet his birds did not save him from black death.

860He was killed beneath the hands of the swift-footed Aeacid

in the river, where that hero also cut down Trojans and others.

862Φόρκυς αὖ Φρύγας ἦγε καὶ Ἀσκάνιος θεοειδὴς

τῆλʼ ἐξ Ἀσκανίης· μέμασαν δʼ ὑσμῖνι μάχεσθαι.

862In turn Phorcys and godlike Ascanius led the Phrygians

from far-off Ascania, eager to fight in the battle press.

864Μῄοσιν αὖ Μέσθλης τε καὶ Ἄντιφος ἡγησάσθην

865υἷε Ταλαιμένεος τὼ Γυγαίη τέκε λίμνη,

οἳ καὶ Μῄονας ἦγον ὑπὸ Τμώλῳ γεγαῶτας.

864Mesthles and Antiphus led the Maeonians,

865the two sons of Talaemenes, whom the Gygaean Lake bore;

they led the Maeonians born beneath Tmolus.

867Νάστης αὖ Καρῶν ἡγήσατο βαρβαροφώνων,

οἳ Μίλητον ἔχον Φθιρῶν τʼ ὄρος ἀκριτόφυλλον

Μαιάνδρου τε ῥοὰς Μυκάλης τʼ αἰπεινὰ κάρηνα·

870τῶν μὲν ἄρʼ Ἀμφίμαχος καὶ Νάστης ἡγησάσθην,

Νάστης Ἀμφίμαχός τε Νομίονος ἀγλαὰ τέκνα,

ὃς καὶ χρυσὸν ἔχων πόλεμον δʼ ἴεν ἠΰτε κούρη

νήπιος, οὐδέ τί οἱ τό γʼ ἐπήρκεσε λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον,

ἀλλʼ ἐδάμη ὑπὸ χερσὶ ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο

875ἐν ποταμῷ, χρυσὸν δʼ Ἀχιλεὺς ἐκόμισσε δαΐφρων.

867Nastes, in turn, led the Carians of foreign speech,

who held Miletus and the mountain of Phthires with its countless leaves,

the streams of Maeander and the steep peaks of Mycale.

870Amphimachus and Nastes were their leaders—

Nastes and Amphimachus, splendid sons of Nomion.

One of them, wearing gold, went to war like a girl—

the fool; but that did not save him from grievous destruction.

He was killed beneath the hands of the swift-footed Aeacid

875in the river, and war-wise Achilles carried off the gold.

876Σαρπηδὼν δʼ ἦρχεν Λυκίων καὶ Γλαῦκος ἀμύμων

τηλόθεν ἐκ Λυκίης, Ξάνθου ἄπο δινήεντος.

876Sarpedon led the Lycians, and blameless Glaucus,

from far-off Lycia and the eddying Xanthus.