Iliad, Book 22: Hector at the Wall

1ὣς οἳ μὲν κατὰ ἄστυ πεφυζότες ἠΰτε νεβροὶ

ἱδρῶ ἀπεψύχοντο πίον τʼ ἀκέοντό τε δίψαν

κεκλιμένοι καλῇσιν ἐπάλξεσιν· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ

τείχεος ἆσσον ἴσαν σάκεʼ ὤμοισι κλίναντες.

5Ἕκτορα δʼ αὐτοῦ μεῖναι ὀλοιὴ μοῖρα πέδησεν

Ἰλίου προπάροιθε πυλάων τε Σκαιάων.

αὐτὰρ Πηλείωνα προσηύδα Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων·

1So they, after fleeing through the city like fawns,

cooled their sweat and quenched their thirst,

leaning against the noble battlements; meanwhile the Achaeans

came closer to the wall, shields sloped against their shoulders.

5But ruinous fate bound Hector to remain there

before Ilium and the Scaean Gates.

Phoebus Apollo addressed Peleus’ son:

8τίπτέ με Πηλέος υἱὲ ποσὶν ταχέεσσι διώκεις

αὐτὸς θνητὸς ἐὼν θεὸν ἄμβροτον; οὐδέ νύ πώ με

10ἔγνως ὡς θεός εἰμι, σὺ δʼ ἀσπερχὲς μενεαίνεις.

ἦ νύ τοι οὔ τι μέλει Τρώων πόνος, οὓς ἐφόβησας,

οἳ δή τοι εἰς ἄστυ ἄλεν, σὺ δὲ δεῦρο λιάσθης.

οὐ μέν με κτενέεις, ἐπεὶ οὔ τοι μόρσιμός εἰμι.

τὸν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

15ἔβλαψάς μʼ ἑκάεργε θεῶν ὀλοώτατε πάντων

ἐνθάδε νῦν τρέψας ἀπὸ τείχεος· ἦ κʼ ἔτι πολλοὶ

γαῖαν ὀδὰξ εἷλον πρὶν Ἴλιον εἰσαφικέσθαι.

νῦν δʼ ἐμὲ μὲν μέγα κῦδος ἀφείλεο, τοὺς δὲ σάωσας

ῥηϊδίως, ἐπεὶ οὔ τι τίσιν γʼ ἔδεισας ὀπίσσω.

20ἦ σʼ ἂν τισαίμην, εἴ μοι δύναμίς γε παρείη.

8“Why, son of Peleus, do you pursue me with your swift feet,

mortal though you are, while I am an immortal god? Have you still not

10recognized me as a god? Yet you press on relentlessly.

Do you care nothing now for the Trojans’ suffering, those you routed?

They are penned inside the city; you veered off here.

You will not kill me, since I am not destined to die.”

Deeply troubled, swift-footed Achilles answered him:

15“You have thwarted me, far-worker, most destructive of all gods,

turning me here, away from the wall. Many more still

would have bitten the earth before reaching Ilium.

Now you have robbed me of great triumph and easily saved them,

because you had no fear of vengeance afterward.

20I would surely punish you, if only I had the power.”

21ὣς εἰπὼν προτὶ ἄστυ μέγα φρονέων ἐβεβήκει,

σευάμενος ὥς θʼ ἵππος ἀεθλοφόρος σὺν ὄχεσφιν,

ὅς ῥά τε ῥεῖα θέῃσι τιταινόμενος πεδίοιο·

ὣς Ἀχιλεὺς λαιψηρὰ πόδας καὶ γούνατʼ ἐνώμα.

25τὸν δʼ ὃ γέρων Πρίαμος πρῶτος ἴδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσι

παμφαίνονθʼ ὥς τʼ ἀστέρʼ ἐπεσσύμενον πεδίοιο,

ὅς ῥά τʼ ὀπώρης εἶσιν, ἀρίζηλοι δέ οἱ αὐγαὶ

φαίνονται πολλοῖσι μετʼ ἀστράσι νυκτὸς ἀμολγῷ,

ὅν τε κύνʼ Ὠρίωνος ἐπίκλησιν καλέουσι.

30λαμπρότατος μὲν ὅ γʼ ἐστί, κακὸν δέ τε σῆμα τέτυκται,

καί τε φέρει πολλὸν πυρετὸν δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσιν·

ὣς τοῦ χαλκὸς ἔλαμπε περὶ στήθεσσι θέοντος.

21So he spoke and strode toward the city, his heart exultant,

surging like a prize-winning horse with its chariot,

one that runs easily, stretched at full speed across the plain;

so Achilles drove his quick feet and knees.

25Aged Priam was the first to see him with his eyes,

blazing as he swept across the plain like a star

rising at harvesttime, whose brilliant rays

shine among countless stars in the dead of night,

the star men call Orion’s Dog.

30Brightest of all, yet it proves an evil sign,

bringing great fever to wretched mortals;

so the bronze shone around Achilles’ chest as he ran.

33ᾤμωξεν δʼ ὃ γέρων, κεφαλὴν δʼ ὅ γε κόψατο χερσὶν

ὑψόσʼ ἀνασχόμενος, μέγα δʼ οἰμώξας ἐγεγώνει

35λισσόμενος φίλον υἱόν· ὃ δὲ προπάροιθε πυλάων

ἑστήκει ἄμοτον μεμαὼς Ἀχιλῆϊ μάχεσθαι·

τὸν δʼ ὃ γέρων ἐλεεινὰ προσηύδα χεῖρας ὀρεγνύς·

33The old man groaned and beat his head with both hands;

lifting them high, he wailed loudly and cried out,

35imploring his dear son; but before the gates Hector

stood, unrelenting, intent on fighting Achilles.

The old man reached out his hands and addressed him in piteous words:

38Ἕκτορ μή μοι μίμνε φίλον τέκος ἀνέρα τοῦτον

οἶος ἄνευθʼ ἄλλων, ἵνα μὴ τάχα πότμον ἐπίσπῃς

40Πηλεΐωνι δαμείς, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερός ἐστι

σχέτλιος· αἴθε θεοῖσι φίλος τοσσόνδε γένοιτο

ὅσσον ἐμοί· τάχα κέν ἑ κύνες καὶ γῦπες ἔδοιεν

κείμενον· ἦ κέ μοι αἰνὸν ἀπὸ πραπίδων ἄχος ἔλθοι·

ὅς μʼ υἱῶν πολλῶν τε καὶ ἐσθλῶν εὖνιν ἔθηκε

45κτείνων καὶ περνὰς νήσων ἔπι τηλεδαπάων.

καὶ γὰρ νῦν δύο παῖδε Λυκάονα καὶ Πολύδωρον

οὐ δύναμαι ἰδέειν Τρώων εἰς ἄστυ ἀλέντων,

τούς μοι Λαοθόη τέκετο κρείουσα γυναικῶν.

ἀλλʼ εἰ μὲν ζώουσι μετὰ στρατῷ, ἦ τʼ ἂν ἔπειτα

50χαλκοῦ τε χρυσοῦ τʼ ἀπολυσόμεθʼ, ἔστι γὰρ ἔνδον·

πολλὰ γὰρ ὤπασε παιδὶ γέρων ὀνομάκλυτος Ἄλτης.

εἰ δʼ ἤδη τεθνᾶσι καὶ εἰν Ἀΐδαο δόμοισιν,

ἄλγος ἐμῷ θυμῷ καὶ μητέρι τοὶ τεκόμεσθα·

λαοῖσιν δʼ ἄλλοισι μινυνθαδιώτερον ἄλγος

55ἔσσεται, ἢν μὴ καὶ σὺ θάνῃς Ἀχιλῆϊ δαμασθείς.

ἀλλʼ εἰσέρχεο τεῖχος ἐμὸν τέκος, ὄφρα σαώσῃς

Τρῶας καὶ Τρῳάς, μὴ δὲ μέγα κῦδος ὀρέξῃς

Πηλεΐδῃ, αὐτὸς δὲ φίλης αἰῶνος ἀμερθῇς.

πρὸς δʼ ἐμὲ τὸν δύστηνον ἔτι φρονέοντʼ ἐλέησον

60δύσμορον, ὅν ῥα πατὴρ Κρονίδης ἐπὶ γήραος οὐδῷ

αἴσῃ ἐν ἀργαλέῃ φθίσει κακὰ πόλλʼ ἐπιδόντα

υἷάς τʼ ὀλλυμένους ἑλκηθείσας τε θύγατρας,

καὶ θαλάμους κεραϊζομένους, καὶ νήπια τέκνα

βαλλόμενα προτὶ γαίῃ ἐν αἰνῇ δηϊοτῆτι,

65ἑλκομένας τε νυοὺς ὀλοῇς ὑπὸ χερσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.

αὐτὸν δʼ ἂν πύματόν με κύνες πρώτῃσι θύρῃσιν

ὠμησταὶ ἐρύουσιν, ἐπεί κέ τις ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ

τύψας ἠὲ βαλὼν ῥεθέων ἐκ θυμὸν ἕληται,

οὓς τρέφον ἐν μεγάροισι τραπεζῆας θυραωρούς,

70οἵ κʼ ἐμὸν αἷμα πιόντες ἀλύσσοντες περὶ θυμῷ

κείσοντʼ ἐν προθύροισι. νέῳ δέ τε πάντʼ ἐπέοικεν

ἄρηϊ κταμένῳ δεδαϊγμένῳ ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ

κεῖσθαι· πάντα δὲ καλὰ θανόντι περ ὅττι φανήῃ·

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ πολιόν τε κάρη πολιόν τε γένειον

75αἰδῶ τʼ αἰσχύνωσι κύνες κταμένοιο γέροντος,

τοῦτο δὴ οἴκτιστον πέλεται δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσιν.

38“Hector, my dear child, do not wait for this man

alone and apart from the others, or soon you will meet your fate,

40overcome by Peleus’ son, for he is far stronger—

merciless man! If only he were as dear to the gods

as he is to me, then soon dogs and vultures would devour him

as he lay there, and savage grief would leave my heart.

He has bereft me of many brave sons,

45killing them and selling them away on distant islands.

Even now I cannot see two sons, Lycaon and Polydorus,

among the Trojans crowded into the city,

whom Laothoe, queen among women, bore me.

But if they live among the army, then later

50we will ransom them with bronze and gold; there is wealth within,

for aged Altes of famous name gave his daughter much.

But if they are already dead in the house of Hades,

that is grief for my heart and for their mother—we who begot them;

for the rest of the people the grief will be shorter-lived,

55unless you too die, overcome by Achilles.

Come inside the wall, my child, so you may save

the Trojans and Trojan women, and not hand great triumph

to Peleus’ son while you yourself are stripped of dear life.

Pity me too, wretched as I am, while I yet have sense,

60ill-fated man, whom father Zeus, at the threshold of old age,

will destroy under cruel fate after I have seen many horrors:

sons destroyed and daughters dragged away,

chambers plundered and infant children

dashed to the ground in savage fighting,

65daughters-in-law dragged off beneath the Achaeans’ ruinous hands.

Last of all, dogs at my front doors will drag me,

raw-flesh eaters, after someone with sharp bronze

stabs or strikes me and takes the life from my limbs—

dogs I raised in my halls, fed at my table to guard the doors,

70who, after drinking my blood, maddened at heart,

will lie in the forecourt. For a young man everything looks fitting

when he lies slain by Ares, cut open by sharp bronze;

everything that shows is beautiful, even though he is dead.

But when dogs defile an old man’s gray head,

75gray beard, and genitals after he is killed,

that is the most pitiful sight for wretched mortals.”

77ἦ ῥʼ ὃ γέρων, πολιὰς δʼ ἄρʼ ἀνὰ τρίχας ἕλκετο χερσὶ

τίλλων ἐκ κεφαλῆς· οὐδʼ Ἕκτορι θυμὸν ἔπειθε.

μήτηρ δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ὀδύρετο δάκρυ χέουσα

80κόλπον ἀνιεμένη, ἑτέρηφι δὲ μαζὸν ἀνέσχε·

καί μιν δάκρυ χέουσʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

77So spoke the old man, tearing at his gray hair with both hands,

pulling it from his head; but he did not persuade Hector’s spirit.

From the other side his mother wailed, shedding tears,

80opening her robe at the breast and lifting one breast with her other hand;

weeping, she addressed him with winged words:

82Ἕκτορ τέκνον ἐμὸν τάδε τʼ αἴδεο καί μʼ ἐλέησον

αὐτήν, εἴ ποτέ τοι λαθικηδέα μαζὸν ἐπέσχον·

τῶν μνῆσαι φίλε τέκνον ἄμυνε δὲ δήϊον ἄνδρα

85τείχεος ἐντὸς ἐών, μὴ δὲ πρόμος ἵστασο τούτῳ

σχέτλιος· εἴ περ γάρ σε κατακτάνῃ, οὔ σʼ ἔτʼ ἔγωγε

κλαύσομαι ἐν λεχέεσσι φίλον θάλος, ὃν τέκον αὐτή,

οὐδʼ ἄλοχος πολύδωρος· ἄνευθε δέ σε μέγα νῶϊν

Ἀργείων παρὰ νηυσὶ κύνες ταχέες κατέδονται.

90ὣς τώ γε κλαίοντε προσαυδήτην φίλον υἱὸν

πολλὰ λισσομένω· οὐδʼ Ἕκτορι θυμὸν ἔπειθον,

ἀλλʼ ὅ γε μίμνʼ Ἀχιλῆα πελώριον ἆσσον ἰόντα.

82“Hector, my child, respect this and pity me

myself, if ever I gave you the breast that soothed your grief.

Remember these things, dear child, and beat back your enemy

85from within the wall; do not stand as champion against him,

that merciless man. For if he kills you, I will never

mourn you on a bier, dear child whom I myself bore,

nor will your richly dowered wife. Far away from us both,

swift dogs will devour you beside the Argive ships.”

90So those two, weeping, addressed their dear son,

pleading at length; but they did not persuade Hector’s spirit.

He waited for colossal Achilles as he came closer.

93ὡς δὲ δράκων ἐπὶ χειῇ ὀρέστερος ἄνδρα μένῃσι

βεβρωκὼς κακὰ φάρμακʼ, ἔδυ δέ τέ μιν χόλος αἰνός,

95σμερδαλέον δὲ δέδορκεν ἑλισσόμενος περὶ χειῇ·

ὣς Ἕκτωρ ἄσβεστον ἔχων μένος οὐχ ὑπεχώρει

πύργῳ ἔπι προὔχοντι φαεινὴν ἀσπίδʼ ἐρείσας·

ὀχθήσας δʼ ἄρα εἶπε πρὸς ὃν μεγαλήτορα θυμόν·

93As a mountain snake at its den waits for a man,

having fed on deadly poison, and dread anger enters it,

95and it coils around its den, glaring terribly,

so Hector, filled with unquenchable battle-force, would not withdraw,

but braced his bright shield against a jutting tower.

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

99ὤ μοι ἐγών, εἰ μέν κε πύλας καὶ τείχεα δύω,

100Πουλυδάμας μοι πρῶτος ἐλεγχείην ἀναθήσει,

ὅς μʼ ἐκέλευε Τρωσὶ ποτὶ πτόλιν ἡγήσασθαι

νύχθʼ ὕπο τήνδʼ ὀλοὴν ὅτε τʼ ὤρετο δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.

ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ οὐ πιθόμην· ἦ τʼ ἂν πολὺ κέρδιον ἦεν.

νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ ὤλεσα λαὸν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ἐμῇσιν,

105αἰδέομαι Τρῶας καὶ Τρῳάδας ἑλκεσιπέπλους,

μή ποτέ τις εἴπῃσι κακώτερος ἄλλος ἐμεῖο·

Ἕκτωρ ἧφι βίηφι πιθήσας ὤλεσε λαόν.

ὣς ἐρέουσιν· ἐμοὶ δὲ τότʼ ἂν πολὺ κέρδιον εἴη

ἄντην ἢ Ἀχιλῆα κατακτείναντα νέεσθαι,

110ἠέ κεν αὐτῷ ὀλέσθαι ἐϋκλειῶς πρὸ πόληος.

εἰ δέ κεν ἀσπίδα μὲν καταθείομαι ὀμφαλόεσσαν

καὶ κόρυθα βριαρήν, δόρυ δὲ πρὸς τεῖχος ἐρείσας

αὐτὸς ἰὼν Ἀχιλῆος ἀμύμονος ἀντίος ἔλθω

καί οἱ ὑπόσχωμαι Ἑλένην καὶ κτήμαθʼ ἅμʼ αὐτῇ,

115πάντα μάλʼ ὅσσά τʼ Ἀλέξανδρος κοίλῃς ἐνὶ νηυσὶν

ἠγάγετο Τροίηνδʼ, ἥ τʼ ἔπλετο νείκεος ἀρχή,

δωσέμεν Ἀτρεΐδῃσιν ἄγειν, ἅμα δʼ ἀμφὶς Ἀχαιοῖς

ἄλλʼ ἀποδάσσεσθαι ὅσα τε πτόλις ἥδε κέκευθε·

Τρωσὶν δʼ αὖ μετόπισθε γερούσιον ὅρκον ἕλωμαι

120μή τι κατακρύψειν, ἀλλʼ ἄνδιχα πάντα δάσασθαι

κτῆσιν ὅσην πτολίεθρον ἐπήρατον ἐντὸς ἐέργει·

ἀλλὰ τί ἤ μοι ταῦτα φίλος διελέξατο θυμός;

μή μιν ἐγὼ μὲν ἵκωμαι ἰών, ὃ δέ μʼ οὐκ ἐλεήσει

οὐδέ τί μʼ αἰδέσεται, κτενέει δέ με γυμνὸν ἐόντα

125αὔτως ὥς τε γυναῖκα, ἐπεί κʼ ἀπὸ τεύχεα δύω.

οὐ μέν πως νῦν ἔστιν ἀπὸ δρυὸς οὐδʼ ἀπὸ πέτρης

τῷ ὀαριζέμεναι, ἅ τε παρθένος ἠΐθεός τε

παρθένος ἠΐθεός τʼ ὀαρίζετον ἀλλήλοιιν.

βέλτερον αὖτʼ ἔριδι ξυνελαυνέμεν ὅττι τάχιστα·

130εἴδομεν ὁπποτέρῳ κεν Ὀλύμπιος εὖχος ὀρέξῃ.

99“Ah me! If I go inside the gates and wall,

100Polydamas will be the first to heap disgrace upon me,

for he urged me to lead the Trojans back toward the city

on this ruinous night when godlike Achilles rose.

But I did not obey him; it would have been far better.

Now, since through my recklessness I have destroyed the host,

105I feel shame before the Trojans and Trojan women in trailing robes

lest some lesser man than I say:

‘Hector trusted his own force and destroyed the host.’

So they will say. Then it would be far better for me

to return after killing Achilles face-to-face,

110or myself die gloriously before the city.

What if I lay down my bossed shield

and heavy helmet, lean my spear against the wall,

and go myself to meet faultless Achilles,

and promise him Helen and the possessions with her—

115all that Alexander in the hollow ships

brought to Troy—Helen, who became the beginning of strife—

to give to Atreus’ sons to carry away, and at the same time to the Achaeans

divide all the rest that this city holds?

Then afterward I could take from the Trojans an elders’ oath

120to conceal nothing, but divide everything in equal halves,

all the wealth this lovely citadel holds within.

But why has my own spirit debated these things with me?

I must not approach him; he will show no pity

nor respect, but kill me naked

125just like a woman, once I strip off my armor.

This is no time now to converse with him from oak or rock,

the way a maiden and young man do—

a maiden and a young man conversing with each other.

Better to clash in strife at once, as fast as we can,

130and see to which of us the Olympian will grant triumph.”

131ὣς ὅρμαινε μένων, ὃ δέ οἱ σχεδὸν ἦλθεν Ἀχιλλεὺς

ἶσος Ἐνυαλίῳ κορυθάϊκι πτολεμιστῇ

σείων Πηλιάδα μελίην κατὰ δεξιὸν ὦμον

δεινήν· ἀμφὶ δὲ χαλκὸς ἐλάμπετο εἴκελος αὐγῇ

135ἢ πυρὸς αἰθομένου ἢ ἠελίου ἀνιόντος.

Ἕκτορα δʼ, ὡς ἐνόησεν, ἕλε τρόμος· οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔτʼ ἔτλη

αὖθι μένειν, ὀπίσω δὲ πύλας λίπε, βῆ δὲ φοβηθείς·

Πηλεΐδης δʼ ἐπόρουσε ποσὶ κραιπνοῖσι πεποιθώς.

ἠΰτε κίρκος ὄρεσφιν ἐλαφρότατος πετεηνῶν

140ῥηϊδίως οἴμησε μετὰ τρήρωνα πέλειαν,

ἣ δέ θʼ ὕπαιθα φοβεῖται, ὃ δʼ ἐγγύθεν ὀξὺ λεληκὼς

ταρφέʼ ἐπαΐσσει, ἑλέειν τέ ἑ θυμὸς ἀνώγει·

ὣς ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἐμμεμαὼς ἰθὺς πέτετο, τρέσε δʼ Ἕκτωρ

τεῖχος ὕπο Τρώων, λαιψηρὰ δὲ γούνατʼ ἐνώμα.

131So he pondered as he stood his ground; Achilles came close to him,

like Enyalius, the helmet-shaking warrior,

brandishing over his right shoulder the Pelian ash spear,

terrible; bronze blazed around him like the glare

135of burning fire or the rising sun.

When Hector saw him, trembling seized him; he could no longer bear

to stand there, but left the gates behind and fled in fear.

Peleus’ son sprang after him, trusting his swift feet.

Like a hawk in the mountains, swiftest of winged things,

140that easily swoops after a trembling dove—

she flees away beneath him, while he, shrilling close behind,

darts at her again and again, and his heart drives him to seize her—

so Achilles flew eagerly straight on, while Hector fled

beneath Troy’s wall, driving his knees on fast.

145οἳ δὲ παρὰ σκοπιὴν καὶ ἐρινεὸν ἠνεμόεντα

τείχεος αἰὲν ὑπʼ ἐκ κατʼ ἀμαξιτὸν ἐσσεύοντο,

κρουνὼ δʼ ἵκανον καλλιρρόω· ἔνθα δὲ πηγαὶ

δοιαὶ ἀναΐσσουσι Σκαμάνδρου δινήεντος.

ἣ μὲν γάρ θʼ ὕδατι λιαρῷ ῥέει, ἀμφὶ δὲ καπνὸς

150γίγνεται ἐξ αὐτῆς ὡς εἰ πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο·

ἣ δʼ ἑτέρη θέρεϊ προρέει ἐϊκυῖα χαλάζῃ,

ἢ χιόνι ψυχρῇ ἢ ἐξ ὕδατος κρυστάλλῳ.

ἔνθα δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτάων πλυνοὶ εὐρέες ἐγγὺς ἔασι

καλοὶ λαΐνεοι, ὅθι εἵματα σιγαλόεντα

155πλύνεσκον Τρώων ἄλοχοι καλαί τε θύγατρες

τὸ πρὶν ἐπʼ εἰρήνης πρὶν ἐλθεῖν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.

τῇ ῥα παραδραμέτην φεύγων ὃ δʼ ὄπισθε διώκων·

πρόσθε μὲν ἐσθλὸς ἔφευγε, δίωκε δέ μιν μέγʼ ἀμείνων

καρπαλίμως, ἐπεὶ οὐχ ἱερήϊον οὐδὲ βοείην

160ἀρνύσθην, ἅ τε ποσσὶν ἀέθλια γίγνεται ἀνδρῶν,

ἀλλὰ περὶ ψυχῆς θέον Ἕκτορος ἱπποδάμοιο.

145Past the lookout and the wind-bent fig tree

they kept rushing away from beneath the wall along the wagon road,

and reached the two fair-flowing fountains, where the springs

of eddying Scamander rise.

One runs with warm water, and steam around it

150rises as though from burning fire;

the other flows out even in summer like hail,

or cold snow, or ice formed from water.

There, close beside them, are the broad washing basins,

fine and built of stone, where the Trojans’ wives

155and lovely daughters used to wash their shining clothes

in the days of peace, before the sons of the Achaeans came.

They ran past there, one fleeing, the other pursuing behind.

A noble man fled in front, but a far greater pursued him

swiftly, for no sacrificial beast, no ox-hide

160were they racing to win, prizes for men’s feet;

they ran for the life of horse-taming Hector.

162ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀεθλοφόροι περὶ τέρματα μώνυχες ἵπποι

ῥίμφα μάλα τρωχῶσι· τὸ δὲ μέγα κεῖται ἄεθλον

ἢ τρίπος ἠὲ γυνὴ ἀνδρὸς κατατεθνηῶτος·

165ὣς τὼ τρὶς Πριάμοιο πόλιν πέρι δινηθήτην

καρπαλίμοισι πόδεσσι· θεοὶ δʼ ἐς πάντες ὁρῶντο·

τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε·

162As prize-winning single-hoofed horses race at full speed

around the turning posts, when a great prize is set out,

a tripod or a woman, at the funeral games for a man—

165so those two wheeled three times around Priam’s city

on flying feet, and all the gods looked on.

Then the father of gods and men began the discussion among them:

168ὢ πόποι ἦ φίλον ἄνδρα διωκόμενον περὶ τεῖχος

ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὁρῶμαι· ἐμὸν δʼ ὀλοφύρεται ἦτορ

170Ἕκτορος, ὅς μοι πολλὰ βοῶν ἐπὶ μηρίʼ ἔκηεν

Ἴδης ἐν κορυφῇσι πολυπτύχου, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε

ἐν πόλει ἀκροτάτῃ· νῦν αὖτέ ἑ δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς

ἄστυ πέρι Πριάμοιο ποσὶν ταχέεσσι διώκει.

ἀλλʼ ἄγετε φράζεσθε θεοὶ καὶ μητιάασθε

175ἠέ μιν ἐκ θανάτοιο σαώσομεν, ἦέ μιν ἤδη

Πηλεΐδῃ Ἀχιλῆϊ δαμάσσομεν ἐσθλὸν ἐόντα.

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

ὦ πάτερ ἀργικέραυνε κελαινεφὲς οἷον ἔειπες·

ἄνδρα θνητὸν ἐόντα πάλαι πεπρωμένον αἴσῃ

180ἂψ ἐθέλεις θανάτοιο δυσηχέος ἐξαναλῦσαι;

ἔρδʼ· ἀτὰρ οὔ τοι πάντες ἐπαινέομεν θεοὶ ἄλλοι.

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·

θάρσει Τριτογένεια φίλον τέκος· οὔ νύ τι θυμῷ

πρόφρονι μυθέομαι, ἐθέλω δέ τοι ἤπιος εἶναι·

185ἔρξον ὅπῃ δή τοι νόος ἔπλετο, μὴ δʼ ἔτʼ ἐρώει.

168“Ah, look—a man dear to me, pursued around the wall,

I see him with my own eyes, and my heart laments

170for Hector, who burned many an ox’s thigh piece for me

on the peaks of Ida’s many folds, and at other times

on the heights of the city. Now godlike Achilles

pursues him on swift feet around Priam’s city.

Come, gods, consider and deliberate:

175shall we save him from death, or shall we now

beat him down under Achilles, Peleus’ son, though he is brave?”

Then the goddess, bright-eyed Athena, answered him:

“Father of the bright thunderbolt, lord of dark clouds, what have you said?

A mortal man long ago allotted to his fate—

180do you mean to release him again from death’s bitter din?

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

Cloud-gathering Zeus answered her:

“Take heart, Tritogeneia, dear child. I am not speaking

from an earnest heart; I mean to be gentle toward you.

185Act just as your mind intends, and hold back no longer.”

186ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε πάρος μεμαυῖαν Ἀθήνην·

βῆ δὲ κατʼ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων ἀΐξασα.

Ἕκτορα δʼ ἀσπερχὲς κλονέων ἔφεπʼ ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε νεβρὸν ὄρεσφι κύων ἐλάφοιο δίηται

190ὄρσας ἐξ εὐνῆς διά τʼ ἄγκεα καὶ διὰ βήσσας·

τὸν δʼ εἴ πέρ τε λάθῃσι καταπτήξας ὑπὸ θάμνῳ,

ἀλλά τʼ ἀνιχνεύων θέει ἔμπεδον ὄφρά κεν εὕρῃ·

ὣς Ἕκτωρ οὐ λῆθε ποδώκεα Πηλεΐωνα.

ὁσσάκι δʼ ὁρμήσειε πυλάων Δαρδανιάων

195ἀντίον ἀΐξασθαι ἐϋδμήτους ὑπὸ πύργους,

εἴ πως οἷ καθύπερθεν ἀλάλκοιεν βελέεσσι,

τοσσάκι μιν προπάροιθεν ἀποστρέψασκε παραφθὰς

πρὸς πεδίον· αὐτὸς δὲ ποτὶ πτόλιος πέτετʼ αἰεί.

ὡς δʼ ἐν ὀνείρῳ οὐ δύναται φεύγοντα διώκειν·

200οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ὃ τὸν δύναται ὑποφεύγειν οὔθʼ ὃ διώκειν·

ὣς ὃ τὸν οὐ δύνατο μάρψαι ποσίν, οὐδʼ ὃς ἀλύξαι.

πῶς δέ κεν Ἕκτωρ κῆρας ὑπεξέφυγεν θανάτοιο,

εἰ μή οἱ πύματόν τε καὶ ὕστατον ἤντετʼ Ἀπόλλων

ἐγγύθεν, ὅς οἱ ἐπῶρσε μένος λαιψηρά τε γοῦνα;

205λαοῖσιν δʼ ἀνένευε καρήατι δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,

οὐδʼ ἔα ἱέμεναι ἐπὶ Ἕκτορι πικρὰ βέλεμνα,

μή τις κῦδος ἄροιτο βαλών, ὃ δὲ δεύτερος ἔλθοι.

186So he spoke and urged Athena, already eager;

she sped down from the peaks of Olympus.

Swift Achilles kept after Hector, driving him relentlessly.

As a hound in the mountains pursues a deer’s fawn,

190rousing it from its bed through valleys and ravines;

though it escape him and crouch under a thicket,

he tracks it and runs steadily until he finds it:

so Hector could not evade swift-footed Peleus’ son.

Whenever he would make a dash toward the Dardanian gates,

195to reach the shelter of the well-built towers,

hoping those above might defend him with missiles,

Achilles would cut ahead and turn him aside,

toward the plain, while Achilles himself kept racing toward the city.

As in a dream a pursuer cannot catch the one who flees—

200neither can the one escape, nor the other overtake—

so Achilles could not catch Hector on foot, nor Hector break away.

How then could Hector have escaped the death-spirits,

if Apollo had not come to meet him one last time,

close beside him, and stirred his force and flying knees?

205Godlike Achilles shook his head at the troops,

and would not let them hurl bitter missiles at Hector,

lest another strike him and win the triumph, while he came second.

208ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὸ τέταρτον ἐπὶ κρουνοὺς ἀφίκοντο,

καὶ τότε δὴ χρύσεια πατὴρ ἐτίταινε τάλαντα,

210ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει δύο κῆρε τανηλεγέος θανάτοιο,

τὴν μὲν Ἀχιλλῆος, τὴν δʼ Ἕκτορος ἱπποδάμοιο,

ἕλκε δὲ μέσσα λαβών· ῥέπε δʼ Ἕκτορος αἴσιμον ἦμαρ,

ᾤχετο δʼ εἰς Ἀΐδαο, λίπεν δέ ἑ Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων.

Πηλεΐωνα δʼ ἵκανε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,

215ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

208But when for the fourth time they reached the fountains,

then the Father raised his golden scales,

210and set within them two fates of death’s long agony,

one for Achilles, one for horse-taming Hector.

Grasping the scales at the center, he raised them; Hector’s appointed day sank,

went down toward Hades, and Phoebus Apollo left him.

Bright-eyed Athena came to Peleus’ son.

215Standing close, she addressed him with winged words:

216νῦν δὴ νῶι ἔολπα Διῒ φίλε φαίδιμʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ

οἴσεσθαι μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιοῖσι προτὶ νῆας

Ἕκτορα δῃώσαντε μάχης ἄατόν περ ἐόντα.

οὔ οἱ νῦν ἔτι γʼ ἔστι πεφυγμένον ἄμμε γενέσθαι,

220οὐδʼ εἴ κεν μάλα πολλὰ πάθοι ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων

προπροκυλινδόμενος πατρὸς Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν στῆθι καὶ ἄμπνυε, τόνδε δʼ ἐγώ τοι

οἰχομένη πεπιθήσω ἐναντίβιον μαχέσασθαι.

216“Now I believe we two, Zeus-beloved, radiant Achilles,

will carry great triumph back to the Achaean ships

after killing Hector, insatiable in battle.

He cannot now escape us any longer,

220not even if Apollo the far-worker suffers greatly,

rolling again and again before Father Zeus the aegis-bearer.

But now stand still and recover your breath, while I

go to him and persuade him to fight face-to-face.”

224ὣς φάτʼ Ἀθηναίη, ὃ δʼ ἐπείθετο, χαῖρε δὲ θυμῷ,

225στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπὶ μελίης χαλκογλώχινος ἐρεισθείς.

ἣ δʼ ἄρα τὸν μὲν ἔλειπε, κιχήσατο δʼ Ἕκτορα δῖον

Δηϊφόβῳ ἐϊκυῖα δέμας καὶ ἀτειρέα φωνήν·

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

ἠθεῖʼ ἦ μάλα δή σε βιάζεται ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεὺς

230ἄστυ πέρι Πριάμοιο ποσὶν ταχέεσσι διώκων·

ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ στέωμεν καὶ ἀλεξώμεσθα μένοντες.

224So Athena spoke; he obeyed and rejoiced in his spirit,

225and stood, leaning on his bronze-pointed ash spear.

She left him there and reached godlike Hector,

assuming Deiphobus’ body and tireless voice.

Standing close, she addressed him with winged words:

“Brother, swift Achilles is pressing you hard,

230pursuing you on swift feet around Priam’s city.

Come, let us stand fast and defend ourselves where we are.”

232τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

Δηΐφοβʼ ἦ μέν μοι τὸ πάρος πολὺ φίλτατος ἦσθα

γνωτῶν οὓς Ἑκάβη ἠδὲ Πρίαμος τέκε παῖδας·

235νῦν δʼ ἔτι καὶ μᾶλλον νοέω φρεσὶ τιμήσασθαι,

ὃς ἔτλης ἐμεῦ εἵνεκʼ, ἐπεὶ ἴδες ὀφθαλμοῖσι,

τείχεος ἐξελθεῖν, ἄλλοι δʼ ἔντοσθε μένουσι.

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

ἠθεῖʼ ἦ μὲν πολλὰ πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ

240λίσσονθʼ ἑξείης γουνούμενοι, ἀμφὶ δʼ ἑταῖροι,

αὖθι μένειν· τοῖον γὰρ ὑποτρομέουσιν ἅπαντες·

ἀλλʼ ἐμὸς ἔνδοθι θυμὸς ἐτείρετο πένθεϊ λυγρῷ.

νῦν δʼ ἰθὺς μεμαῶτε μαχώμεθα, μὴ δέ τι δούρων

ἔστω φειδωλή, ἵνα εἴδομεν εἴ κεν Ἀχιλλεὺς

245νῶϊ κατακτείνας ἔναρα βροτόεντα φέρηται

νῆας ἔπι γλαφυράς, ἦ κεν σῷ δουρὶ δαμήῃ.

232Then great Hector of the flashing helmet answered her:

“Deiphobus, you were already by far the dearest to me

among the brothers born to Hecuba and Priam;

235now in my heart I mean to honor you still more,

because for my sake you dared, when you saw me with your eyes,

to come outside the wall while the others stay within.”

Then the goddess, bright-eyed Athena, answered him:

“Brother, our father and lady mother have pleaded with me again and again,

240clasping my knees in turn, and companions gathered around me too,

to stay there, so greatly do they all tremble before him;

but my spirit inside was worn by bitter grief.

Now let us charge straight on and fight; let there be no sparing

of spears, so we may learn whether Achilles will kill us both

245and carry our bloodstained spoils to the hollow ships,

or whether he will be beaten down by your spear.”

247ὣς φαμένη καὶ κερδοσύνῃ ἡγήσατʼ Ἀθήνη·

οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦσαν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ἰόντες,

τὸν πρότερος προσέειπε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

250οὔ σʼ ἔτι Πηλέος υἱὲ φοβήσομαι, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ

τρὶς περὶ ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμου δίον, οὐδέ ποτʼ ἔτλην

μεῖναι ἐπερχόμενον· νῦν αὖτέ με θυμὸς ἀνῆκε

στήμεναι ἀντία σεῖο· ἕλοιμί κεν ἤ κεν ἁλοίην.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε δεῦρο θεοὺς ἐπιδώμεθα· τοὶ γὰρ ἄριστοι

255μάρτυροι ἔσσονται καὶ ἐπίσκοποι ἁρμονιάων·

οὐ γὰρ ἐγώ σʼ ἔκπαγλον ἀεικιῶ, αἴ κεν ἐμοὶ Ζεὺς

δώῃ καμμονίην, σὴν δὲ ψυχὴν ἀφέλωμαι·

ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἄρ κέ σε συλήσω κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ

νεκρὸν Ἀχαιοῖσιν δώσω πάλιν· ὣς δὲ σὺ ῥέζειν.

247So Athena spoke, and led the way by cunning.

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

great Hector of the flashing helmet spoke first:

250“No longer will I flee from you, son of Peleus, as before,

three times around great Priam’s holy city, never daring

to await your onrush. Now my spirit has driven me

to face you; I may kill you, or be killed.

Come, let us call the gods here to witness; for they will be the best

255witnesses and guardians of our covenant.

I will not outrage you savagely if Zeus grants

me the strength to endure and I take your life;

once I have stripped your glorious armor, Achilles,

I will give your corpse back to the Achaeans. You must do the same.”

260τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

Ἕκτορ μή μοι ἄλαστε συνημοσύνας ἀγόρευε·

ὡς οὐκ ἔστι λέουσι καὶ ἀνδράσιν ὅρκια πιστά,

οὐδὲ λύκοι τε καὶ ἄρνες ὁμόφρονα θυμὸν ἔχουσιν,

ἀλλὰ κακὰ φρονέουσι διαμπερὲς ἀλλήλοισιν,

265ὣς οὐκ ἔστʼ ἐμὲ καὶ σὲ φιλήμεναι, οὐδέ τι νῶϊν

ὅρκια ἔσσονται, πρίν γʼ ἢ ἕτερόν γε πεσόντα

αἵματος ἆσαι Ἄρηα ταλαύρινον πολεμιστήν.

παντοίης ἀρετῆς μιμνήσκεο· νῦν σε μάλα χρὴ

αἰχμητήν τʼ ἔμεναι καὶ θαρσαλέον πολεμιστήν.

270οὔ τοι ἔτʼ ἔσθʼ ὑπάλυξις, ἄφαρ δέ σε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη

ἔγχει ἐμῷ δαμάᾳ· νῦν δʼ ἀθρόα πάντʼ ἀποτίσεις

κήδεʼ ἐμῶν ἑτάρων οὓς ἔκτανες ἔγχεϊ θύων.

260Swift-footed Achilles looked at him from under his brows and said:

“Hector, accursed man, speak to me of no agreements.

Just as there are no faithful oaths between lions and men,

nor are wolves and lambs ever of one mind,

but plot unceasing evil against each other,

265so you and I can never love each other; no oaths

will stand between us until one of us falls

to sate Ares, the shield-bearing warrior, with blood.

Remember every kind of prowess: now you must

be a spearman and a bold warrior.

270There is no escape for you now; Pallas Athena will at once

beat you down beneath my spear. Now all at once you will pay back

the griefs of my companions, whom you killed in fury with your spear.”

273ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἀμπεπαλὼν προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος·

καὶ τὸ μὲν ἄντα ἰδὼν ἠλεύατο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·

275ἕζετο γὰρ προϊδών, τὸ δʼ ὑπέρπτατο χάλκεον ἔγχος,

ἐν γαίῃ δʼ ἐπάγη· ἀνὰ δʼ ἥρπασε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη,

ἂψ δʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ δίδου, λάθε δʼ Ἕκτορα ποιμένα λαῶν.

273He spoke, poised his long-shadowed spear, and cast it;

splendid Hector saw it coming and dodged.

275Watching it, he crouched, and the bronze spear flew over him

and planted in the earth. Pallas Athena snatched it up

and gave it back to Achilles, unseen by Hector, shepherd of the people.

278Ἕκτωρ δὲ προσέειπεν ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα·

ἤμβροτες, οὐδʼ ἄρα πώ τι θεοῖς ἐπιείκελʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ

280ἐκ Διὸς ἠείδης τὸν ἐμὸν μόρον, ἦ τοι ἔφης γε·

ἀλλά τις ἀρτιεπὴς καὶ ἐπίκλοπος ἔπλεο μύθων,

ὄφρά σʼ ὑποδείσας μένεος ἀλκῆς τε λάθωμαι.

οὐ μέν μοι φεύγοντι μεταφρένῳ ἐν δόρυ πήξεις,

ἀλλʼ ἰθὺς μεμαῶτι διὰ στήθεσφιν ἔλασσον

285εἴ τοι ἔδωκε θεός· νῦν αὖτʼ ἐμὸν ἔγχος ἄλευαι

χάλκεον· ὡς δή μιν σῷ ἐν χροῒ πᾶν κομίσαιο.

καί κεν ἐλαφρότερος πόλεμος Τρώεσσι γένοιτο

σεῖο καταφθιμένοιο· σὺ γάρ σφισι πῆμα μέγιστον.

278Then Hector addressed the blameless son of Peleus:

“You missed! You know nothing yet, godlike Achilles,

280from Zeus about my doom, though you claimed you did.

You are a ready speaker, a thief in words,

hoping I would fear you and forget my force and fighting strength.

You will not plant your spear in my back as I flee,

but drive it straight through my chest as I charge,

285if a god gives you the chance. Now in turn avoid my spear,

the bronze one; I wish you might take all of it into your flesh.

The war would become lighter for the Trojans

if you were dead, for you are their greatest scourge.”

289ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἀμπεπαλὼν προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος,

290καὶ βάλε Πηλεΐδαο μέσον σάκος οὐδʼ ἀφάμαρτε·

τῆλε δʼ ἀπεπλάγχθη σάκεος δόρυ· χώσατο δʼ Ἕκτωρ

ὅττί ῥά οἱ βέλος ὠκὺ ἐτώσιον ἔκφυγε χειρός,

στῆ δὲ κατηφήσας, οὐδʼ ἄλλʼ ἔχε μείλινον ἔγχος.

Δηΐφοβον δʼ ἐκάλει λευκάσπιδα μακρὸν ἀΰσας·

295ᾔτεέ μιν δόρυ μακρόν· ὃ δʼ οὔ τί οἱ ἐγγύθεν ἦεν.

Ἕκτωρ δʼ ἔγνω ᾗσιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ φώνησέν τε·

289He spoke, poised his long-shadowed spear, and cast it,

290and struck the center of Peleus’ son’s shield, not missing;

but the spear sprang far back from the shield. Hector raged

that the swift weapon had flown useless from his hand,

and stood downcast; he had no other ashwood spear.

He called to Deiphobus of the white shield with a great shout,

295asking for his long spear; but Deiphobus was nowhere near.

Then Hector knew in his own mind and cried aloud:

297ὢ πόποι ἦ μάλα δή με θεοὶ θάνατόνδε κάλεσσαν·

Δηΐφοβον γὰρ ἔγωγʼ ἐφάμην ἥρωα παρεῖναι·

ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἐν τείχει, ἐμὲ δʼ ἐξαπάτησεν Ἀθήνη.

300νῦν δὲ δὴ ἐγγύθι μοι θάνατος κακός, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἄνευθεν,

οὐδʼ ἀλέη· ἦ γάρ ῥα πάλαι τό γε φίλτερον ἦεν

Ζηνί τε καὶ Διὸς υἷι ἑκηβόλῳ, οἵ με πάρος γε

πρόφρονες εἰρύατο· νῦν αὖτέ με μοῖρα κιχάνει.

μὴ μὰν ἀσπουδί γε καὶ ἀκλειῶς ἀπολοίμην,

305ἀλλὰ μέγα ῥέξας τι καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι.

297“Ah! The gods have surely called me to my death.

I thought the hero Deiphobus was here,

but he is inside the wall, and Athena has deceived me.

300Now evil death is close, no longer far away,

and there is no escape. Long ago this must have been more pleasing

to Zeus and Zeus’s far-shooting son, who before

gladly protected me; now fate has overtaken me.

But may I not die without a struggle or without fame,

305but after some great deed for people yet unborn to hear of.”

306ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας εἰρύσσατο φάσγανον ὀξύ,

τό οἱ ὑπὸ λαπάρην τέτατο μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε,

οἴμησεν δὲ ἀλεὶς ὥς τʼ αἰετὸς ὑψιπετήεις,

ὅς τʼ εἶσιν πεδίον δὲ διὰ νεφέων ἐρεβεννῶν

310ἁρπάξων ἢ ἄρνʼ ἀμαλὴν ἤ πτῶκα λαγωόν·

ὣς Ἕκτωρ οἴμησε τινάσσων φάσγανον ὀξύ.

306So speaking, he drew the sharp sword

that hung beneath his flank, huge and strong,

and gathering himself swooped like a high-flying eagle

that dives to the plain through dark clouds

310to snatch a tender lamb or a cowering hare.

So Hector swooped, brandishing his sharp sword.

312ὁρμήθη δʼ Ἀχιλεύς, μένεος δʼ ἐμπλήσατο θυμὸν

ἀγρίου, πρόσθεν δὲ σάκος στέρνοιο κάλυψε

καλὸν δαιδάλεον, κόρυθι δʼ ἐπένευε φαεινῇ

315τετραφάλῳ· καλαὶ δὲ περισσείοντο ἔθειραι

χρύσεαι, ἃς Ἥφαιστος ἵει λόφον ἀμφὶ θαμειάς.

οἷος δʼ ἀστὴρ εἶσι μετʼ ἀστράσι νυκτὸς ἀμολγῷ

ἕσπερος, ὃς κάλλιστος ἐν οὐρανῷ ἵσταται ἀστήρ,

ὣς αἰχμῆς ἀπέλαμπʼ εὐήκεος, ἣν ἄρʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς

320πάλλεν δεξιτερῇ φρονέων κακὸν Ἕκτορι δίῳ,

εἰσορόων χρόα καλόν, ὅπῃ εἴξειε μάλιστα.

τοῦ δὲ καὶ ἄλλο τόσον μὲν ἔχε χρόα χάλκεα τεύχεα,

καλά, τὰ Πατρόκλοιο βίην ἐνάριξε κατακτάς·

φαίνετο δʼ ᾗ κληῗδες ἀπʼ ὤμων αὐχένʼ ἔχουσι,

325λαυκανίην, ἵνα τε ψυχῆς ὤκιστος ὄλεθρος·

τῇ ῥʼ ἐπὶ οἷ μεμαῶτʼ ἔλασʼ ἔγχεϊ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,

ἀντικρὺ δʼ ἁπαλοῖο διʼ αὐχένος ἤλυθʼ ἀκωκή·

οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἀπʼ ἀσφάραγον μελίη τάμε χαλκοβάρεια,

ὄφρά τί μιν προτιείποι ἀμειβόμενος ἐπέεσσιν.

330ἤριπε δʼ ἐν κονίῃς· ὃ δʼ ἐπεύξατο δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·

312Achilles too charged, his spirit filled

with savage force. Before his chest he held

the lovely, intricately worked shield, while the shining helmet,

315four-bossed, nodded; and beautiful golden crest-hairs

streamed around its crest, as Hephaestus had set them.

As the evening star moves among the stars in the dead of night,

the loveliest star that stands in heaven,

so the keen point flashed from the spear Achilles

320brandished in his right hand, intent on harm for godlike Hector,

searching his fine body for where it would yield most readily.

All the rest of his body was covered by bronze armor,

the fine armor he stripped from mighty Patroclus after killing him;

but a gap showed where the collarbones divide the neck

325from the shoulders, at the throat, where life is most swiftly destroyed.

There godlike Achilles thrust with his spear as Hector charged,

and the point passed straight through the tender neck.

But the bronze-heavy ash spear did not sever the windpipe,

so that Hector could still answer him in words.

330He fell in the dust, and godlike Achilles exulted:

331Ἕκτορ ἀτάρ που ἔφης Πατροκλῆʼ ἐξεναρίζων

σῶς ἔσσεσθʼ, ἐμὲ δʼ οὐδὲν ὀπίζεο νόσφιν ἐόντα,

νήπιε· τοῖο δʼ ἄνευθεν ἀοσσητὴρ μέγʼ ἀμείνων

νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐγὼ μετόπισθε λελείμμην,

335ὅς τοι γούνατʼ ἔλυσα· σὲ μὲν κύνες ἠδʼ οἰωνοὶ

ἑλκήσουσʼ ἀϊκῶς, τὸν δὲ κτεριοῦσιν Ἀχαιοί.

331“Hector, you thought, I suppose, while stripping Patroclus,

that you would be safe; you had no fear of me while I was far away.

Fool! Far from him, a far stronger avenger

remained behind at the hollow ships: I,

335who have broken your knees. Dogs and birds

will drag you in disgrace, but the Achaeans will bury Patroclus with funeral rites.”

337τὸν δʼ ὀλιγοδρανέων προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

λίσσομʼ ὑπὲρ ψυχῆς καὶ γούνων σῶν τε τοκήων,

μή με ἔα παρὰ νηυσὶ κύνας καταδάψαι Ἀχαιῶν,

340ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν χαλκόν τε ἅλις χρυσόν τε δέδεξο,

δῶρα τά τοι δώσουσι πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ,

σῶμα δὲ οἴκαδʼ ἐμὸν δόμεναι πάλιν, ὄφρα πυρός με

Τρῶες καὶ Τρώων ἄλοχοι λελάχωσι θανόντα.

337Still drained of strength, flashing-helmeted Hector answered:

“I beg you by your life, your knees, and your parents:

do not leave me by the Achaean ships for dogs to devour,

340but accept abundant bronze and gold,

the gifts my father and lady mother will give you;

but give my body back home, so that after my death

the Trojans and their wives may grant me my share of fire.”

344τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεὺς·

345μή με κύον γούνων γουνάζεο μὴ δὲ τοκήων·

αἲ γάρ πως αὐτόν με μένος καὶ θυμὸς ἀνήη

ὤμʼ ἀποταμνόμενον κρέα ἔδμεναι, οἷα ἔοργας,

ὡς οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὃς σῆς γε κύνας κεφαλῆς ἀπαλάλκοι,

οὐδʼ εἴ κεν δεκάκις τε καὶ εἰκοσινήριτʼ ἄποινα

350στήσωσʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἄγοντες, ὑπόσχωνται δὲ καὶ ἄλλα,

οὐδʼ εἴ κέν σʼ αὐτὸν χρυσῷ ἐρύσασθαι ἀνώγοι

Δαρδανίδης Πρίαμος· οὐδʼ ὧς σέ γε πότνια μήτηρ

ἐνθεμένη λεχέεσσι γοήσεται ὃν τέκεν αὐτή,

ἀλλὰ κύνες τε καὶ οἰωνοὶ κατὰ πάντα δάσονται.

344Swift-footed Achilles looked at him from under his brows and said:

345“Dog, do not implore me by knees or parents.

I wish my force and spirit could somehow drive me

to carve off and eat your flesh raw myself, for what you have done.

No one can keep the dogs from your head,

not even if tenfold and twentyfold ransom

350were brought and set down here, and still more promised;

not even if he ordered you yourself to be weighed out in gold—

Priam, Dardanus’ son. Not even then will your lady mother lay you on a bier

and mourn the son she bore;

dogs and birds will devour you utterly.”

355τὸν δὲ καταθνῄσκων προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

ἦ σʼ εὖ γιγνώσκων προτιόσσομαι, οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔμελλον

πείσειν· ἦ γὰρ σοί γε σιδήρεος ἐν φρεσὶ θυμός.

φράζεο νῦν, μή τοί τι θεῶν μήνιμα γένωμαι

ἤματι τῷ ὅτε κέν σε Πάρις καὶ Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων

360ἐσθλὸν ἐόντʼ ὀλέσωσιν ἐνὶ Σκαιῇσι πύλῃσιν.

ὣς ἄρα μιν εἰπόντα τέλος θανάτοιο κάλυψε,

ψυχὴ δʼ ἐκ ῥεθέων πταμένη Ἄϊδος δὲ βεβήκει

ὃν πότμον γοόωσα λιποῦσʼ ἀνδροτῆτα καὶ ἥβην.

τὸν καὶ τεθνηῶτα προσηύδα δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·

365τέθναθι· κῆρα δʼ ἐγὼ τότε δέξομαι ὁππότε κεν δὴ

Ζεὺς ἐθέλῃ τελέσαι ἠδʼ ἀθάνατοι θεοὶ ἄλλοι.

355Dying, flashing-helmeted Hector answered him:

“I see you clearly now and know I was never going

to persuade you; your heart within is iron.

But take care that I do not become a cause of the gods’ wrath against you

on the day when Paris and Phoebus Apollo

360destroy you, brave as you are, at the Scaean Gates.”

When he had spoken, death’s fulfillment covered him over.

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

lamenting its lot, leaving manhood and youth behind.

Godlike Achilles addressed him even though he was dead:

365“Lie dead. As for my doom, I will accept it whenever

Zeus and the other immortal gods wish to fulfill it.”

367ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἐκ νεκροῖο ἐρύσσατο χάλκεον ἔγχος,

καὶ τό γʼ ἄνευθεν ἔθηχʼ, ὃ δʼ ἀπʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἐσύλα

αἱματόεντʼ· ἄλλοι δὲ περίδραμον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν,

370οἳ καὶ θηήσαντο φυὴν καὶ εἶδος ἀγητὸν

Ἕκτορος· οὐδʼ ἄρα οἵ τις ἀνουτητί γε παρέστη.

ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·

ὢ πόποι, ἦ μάλα δὴ μαλακώτερος ἀμφαφάασθαι

Ἕκτωρ ἢ ὅτε νῆας ἐνέπρησεν πυρὶ κηλέῳ.

375ὣς ἄρα τις εἴπεσκε καὶ οὐτήσασκε παραστάς.

367He spoke, and drew the bronze spear from the corpse,

and set it apart; then he stripped the armor from the shoulders,

bloodied; and the other sons of the Achaeans ran around him,

370marveling at Hector’s stature and magnificent form;

not one stood near him without stabbing him;

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

“Ah, how much softer Hector is now to handle

than when he set the ships ablaze with searing fire!”

375So each man would say, then step close and stab him.

376τὸν δʼ ἐπεὶ ἐξενάριξε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,

στὰς ἐν Ἀχαιοῖσιν ἔπεα πτερόεντʼ ἀγόρευεν·

ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες

ἐπεὶ δὴ τόνδʼ ἄνδρα θεοὶ δαμάσασθαι ἔδωκαν,

380ὃς κακὰ πόλλʼ ἔρρεξεν ὅσʼ οὐ σύμπαντες οἱ ἄλλοι,

εἰ δʼ ἄγετʼ ἀμφὶ πόλιν σὺν τεύχεσι πειρηθῶμεν,

ὄφρά κʼ ἔτι γνῶμεν Τρώων νόον ὅν τινʼ ἔχουσιν,

ἢ καταλείψουσιν πόλιν ἄκρην τοῦδε πεσόντος,

ἦε μένειν μεμάασι καὶ Ἕκτορος οὐκέτʼ ἐόντος.

385ἀλλὰ τί ἤ μοι ταῦτα φίλος διελέξατο θυμός;

κεῖται πὰρ νήεσσι νέκυς ἄκλαυτος ἄθαπτος

Πάτροκλος· τοῦ δʼ οὐκ ἐπιλήσομαι, ὄφρʼ ἂν ἔγωγε

ζωοῖσιν μετέω καί μοι φίλα γούνατʼ ὀρώρῃ·

εἰ δὲ θανόντων περ καταλήθοντʼ εἰν Ἀΐδαο

390αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ καὶ κεῖθι φίλου μεμνήσομʼ ἑταίρου.

νῦν δʼ ἄγʼ ἀείδοντες παιήονα κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν

νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσι νεώμεθα, τόνδε δʼ ἄγωμεν.

ἠράμεθα μέγα κῦδος· ἐπέφνομεν Ἕκτορα δῖον,

ᾧ Τρῶες κατὰ ἄστυ θεῷ ὣς εὐχετόωντο.

376When swift-footed, godlike Achilles had stripped him,

he stood among the Achaeans and proclaimed these winged words:

“Friends, leaders and rulers of the Argives,

now that the gods have granted us to subdue this man,

380who wrought more evils than all the others together,

come, let us go armed around the city and test them,

so we may learn what purpose the Trojans still hold:

whether they will abandon the citadel now that he has fallen,

or mean to hold firm even with Hector gone.

385But why has my own spirit debated these things with me?

At the ships lies a corpse, unwept, unburied—

Patroclus. I will not forget him so long as I

remain among the living and my own knees still move.

Even if the dead are forgotten in Hades,

390even there I will remember my dear companion.

Now come, young Achaeans: singing a paean,

let us return to the hollow ships and take this man with us.

We have won great triumph; we have killed godlike Hector,

whom the Trojans throughout the city prayed to like a god.”

395ἦ ῥα, καὶ Ἕκτορα δῖον ἀεικέα μήδετο ἔργα.

ἀμφοτέρων μετόπισθε ποδῶν τέτρηνε τένοντε

ἐς σφυρὸν ἐκ πτέρνης, βοέους δʼ ἐξῆπτεν ἱμάντας,

ἐκ δίφροιο δʼ ἔδησε, κάρη δʼ ἕλκεσθαι ἔασεν·

ἐς δίφρον δʼ ἀναβὰς ἀνά τε κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ ἀείρας

400μάστιξέν ῥʼ ἐλάαν, τὼ δʼ οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην.

τοῦ δʼ ἦν ἑλκομένοιο κονίσαλος, ἀμφὶ δὲ χαῖται

κυάνεαι πίτναντο, κάρη δʼ ἅπαν ἐν κονίῃσι

κεῖτο πάρος χαρίεν· τότε δὲ Ζεὺς δυσμενέεσσι

δῶκεν ἀεικίσσασθαι ἑῇ ἐν πατρίδι γαίῃ.

395He spoke, and devised outrages for godlike Hector.

Behind both feet he pierced the tendons

from heel to ankle and threaded oxhide straps through them.

He bound them to the chariot but left the head to drag.

Mounting the chariot and lifting the glorious armor aboard,

400he lashed the horses on, and the pair flew eagerly.

A cloud of dust rose from Hector as he was dragged; around him

his dark hair spread, and all his head in the dust

lay, once so lovely. But then Zeus gave him to his enemies

to defile in his own native land.

405ὣς τοῦ μὲν κεκόνιτο κάρη ἅπαν· ἣ δέ νυ μήτηρ

τίλλε κόμην, ἀπὸ δὲ λιπαρὴν ἔρριψε καλύπτρην

τηλόσε, κώκυσεν δὲ μάλα μέγα παῖδʼ ἐσιδοῦσα·

ᾤμωξεν δʼ ἐλεεινὰ πατὴρ φίλος, ἀμφὶ δὲ λαοὶ

κωκυτῷ τʼ εἴχοντο καὶ οἰμωγῇ κατὰ ἄστυ.

410τῷ δὲ μάλιστʼ ἄρʼ ἔην ἐναλίγκιον ὡς εἰ ἅπασα

Ἴλιος ὀφρυόεσσα πυρὶ σμύχοιτο κατʼ ἄκρης.

λαοὶ μέν ῥα γέροντα μόγις ἔχον ἀσχαλόωντα

ἐξελθεῖν μεμαῶτα πυλάων Δαρδανιάων.

πάντας δʼ ἐλλιτάνευε κυλινδόμενος κατὰ κόπρον,

415ἐξονομακλήδην ὀνομάζων ἄνδρα ἕκαστον·

405So his whole head was covered with dust. Then his mother

tore at her hair and flung her gleaming veil away,

far from her, and wailed terribly when she saw her son.

His dear father groaned in anguish, and all around the people

throughout the city were gripped by wailing and lamentation.

410The sight was just as if all

lofty Ilium were consumed by fire from its heights down.

The people could barely hold the frantic old man,

who strained to go out through the Dardanian gates.

Rolling in dung, he pleaded with them all,

415calling out each man by name:

416σχέσθε φίλοι, καί μʼ οἶον ἐάσατε κηδόμενοί περ

ἐξελθόντα πόληος ἱκέσθʼ ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν.

λίσσωμʼ ἀνέρα τοῦτον ἀτάσθαλον ὀβριμοεργόν,

ἤν πως ἡλικίην αἰδέσσεται ἠδʼ ἐλεήσῃ

420γῆρας· καὶ δέ νυ τῷ γε πατὴρ τοιόσδε τέτυκται

Πηλεύς, ὅς μιν ἔτικτε καὶ ἔτρεφε πῆμα γενέσθαι

Τρωσί· μάλιστα δʼ ἐμοὶ περὶ πάντων ἄλγεʼ ἔθηκε.

τόσσους γάρ μοι παῖδας ἀπέκτανε τηλεθάοντας·

τῶν πάντων οὐ τόσσον ὀδύρομαι ἀχνύμενός περ

425ὡς ἑνός, οὗ μʼ ἄχος ὀξὺ κατοίσεται Ἄϊδος εἴσω,

Ἕκτορος· ὡς ὄφελεν θανέειν ἐν χερσὶν ἐμῇσι·

τώ κε κορεσσάμεθα κλαίοντέ τε μυρομένω τε

μήτηρ θʼ, ἥ μιν ἔτικτε δυσάμμορος, ἠδʼ ἐγὼ αὐτός.

416“Stand back, friends. Though you care for me, let me go alone,

out of the city and make my way to the Achaeans’ ships.

Let me supplicate that reckless, violent man,

in hope he may respect a man of his father’s age and pity

420old age. For his own father too is such a man—

Peleus, who fathered him and raised him to become a scourge

to the Trojans; and Achilles, beyond all others, has filled me with pain.

He killed so many of my sons in the flower of life.

Yet even while I grieve I do not mourn for all of them

425as for this one, whose sharp anguish will bear me down within Hades—

Hector. If only he had died in my arms!

Then we two could have had our fill of tears and mourning,

the ill-fated mother who bore him, and I myself.”

429ὣς ἔφατο κλαίων, ἐπὶ δὲ στενάχοντο πολῖται·

430Τρῳῇσιν δʼ Ἑκάβη ἁδινοῦ ἐξῆρχε γόοιο·

τέκνον ἐγὼ δειλή· τί νυ βείομαι αἰνὰ παθοῦσα

σεῦ ἀποτεθνηῶτος; ὅ μοι νύκτάς τε καὶ ἦμαρ

εὐχωλὴ κατὰ ἄστυ πελέσκεο, πᾶσί τʼ ὄνειαρ

Τρωσί τε καὶ Τρῳῇσι κατὰ πτόλιν, οἵ σε θεὸν ὣς

435δειδέχατʼ· ἦ γὰρ καί σφι μάλα μέγα κῦδος ἔησθα

ζωὸς ἐών· νῦν αὖ θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κιχάνει.

429So he spoke weeping, and the citizens groaned in answer.

430Among the Trojan women Hecuba began the piercing lament:

“My child, why should I live, wretched, after suffering horrors,

now that you are dead? Night and day

you were my boast throughout the city and a blessing to all—

to Trojan men and women across the city, who greeted you

435as a god, for indeed you were their great glory

while you lived; now death and fate have overtaken you.”

437ὣς ἔφατο κλαίουσʼ, ἄλοχος δʼ οὔ πώ τι πέπυστο

Ἕκτορος· οὐ γάρ οἵ τις ἐτήτυμος ἄγγελος ἐλθὼν

ἤγγειλʼ ὅττί ῥά οἱ πόσις ἔκτοθι μίμνε πυλάων,

440ἀλλʼ ἥ γʼ ἱστὸν ὕφαινε μυχῷ δόμου ὑψηλοῖο

δίπλακα πορφυρέην, ἐν δὲ θρόνα ποικίλʼ ἔπασσε.

κέκλετο δʼ ἀμφιπόλοισιν ἐϋπλοκάμοις κατὰ δῶμα

ἀμφὶ πυρὶ στῆσαι τρίποδα μέγαν, ὄφρα πέλοιτο

Ἕκτορι θερμὰ λοετρὰ μάχης ἐκ νοστήσαντι

445νηπίη, οὐδʼ ἐνόησεν ὅ μιν μάλα τῆλε λοετρῶν

χερσὶν Ἀχιλλῆος δάμασε γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.

437So she spoke weeping; but Hector’s wife still had heard nothing

of Hector. No true messenger had come to her

to tell her that her husband had remained outside the gates.

440Instead she wove at her loom in the recess of the high house,

a purple double cloak, working intricate designs across it.

Through the house she called to her well-braided attendants

to set a great tripod over the fire, so there would be

a hot bath for Hector when he came home from battle—

445poor fool; she did not know that far away from any bath

bright-eyed Athena had subdued him through Achilles’ hands.

447κωκυτοῦ δʼ ἤκουσε καὶ οἰμωγῆς ἀπὸ πύργου·

τῆς δʼ ἐλελίχθη γυῖα, χαμαὶ δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε κερκίς·

ἣ δʼ αὖτις δμῳῇσιν ἐϋπλοκάμοισι μετηύδα·

450δεῦτε δύω μοι ἕπεσθον, ἴδωμʼ ὅτινʼ ἔργα τέτυκται.

αἰδοίης ἑκυρῆς ὀπὸς ἔκλυον, ἐν δʼ ἐμοὶ αὐτῇ

στήθεσι πάλλεται ἦτορ ἀνὰ στόμα, νέρθε δὲ γοῦνα

πήγνυται· ἐγγὺς δή τι κακὸν Πριάμοιο τέκεσσιν.

αἲ γὰρ ἀπʼ οὔατος εἴη ἐμεῦ ἔπος· ἀλλὰ μάλʼ αἰνῶς

455δείδω μὴ δή μοι θρασὺν Ἕκτορα δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς

μοῦνον ἀποτμήξας πόλιος πεδίον δὲ δίηται,

καὶ δή μιν καταπαύσῃ ἀγηνορίης ἀλεγεινῆς

ἥ μιν ἔχεσκʼ, ἐπεὶ οὔ ποτʼ ἐνὶ πληθυῖ μένεν ἀνδρῶν,

ἀλλὰ πολὺ προθέεσκε, τὸ ὃν μένος οὐδενὶ εἴκων.

447But she heard wailing and lamentation from the tower.

Her limbs reeled, and the shuttle fell to the ground.

Then she addressed her well-braided serving women again:

450“Come, two of you, follow me; let me see what has happened.

I heard the voice of my honored mother-in-law, and within me

my heart pounds in my breast up to my mouth; below, my knees

are frozen. Some evil is near for Priam’s children.

If only the word had stayed far from my hearing! Yet I deeply

455fear godlike Achilles has cut bold Hector off alone

from the city and is chasing him across the plain,

and now may put an end to the grievous battle-pride

that held him. He never stayed within the press of men

but ran far ahead, yielding to no one in his force.”

460ὣς φαμένη μεγάροιο διέσσυτο μαινάδι ἴση

παλλομένη κραδίην· ἅμα δʼ ἀμφίπολοι κίον αὐτῇ

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πύργόν τε καὶ ἀνδρῶν ἷξεν ὅμιλον

ἔστη παπτήνασʼ ἐπὶ τείχεϊ, τὸν δὲ νόησεν

ἑλκόμενον πρόσθεν πόλιος· ταχέες δέ μιν ἵπποι

465ἕλκον ἀκηδέστως κοίλας ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν.

τὴν δὲ κατʼ ὀφθαλμῶν ἐρεβεννὴ νὺξ ἐκάλυψεν,

ἤριπε δʼ ἐξοπίσω, ἀπὸ δὲ ψυχὴν ἐκάπυσσε.

τῆλε δʼ ἀπὸ κρατὸς βάλε δέσματα σιγαλόεντα,

ἄμπυκα κεκρύφαλόν τε ἰδὲ πλεκτὴν ἀναδέσμην

470κρήδεμνόν θʼ, ὅ ῥά οἱ δῶκε χρυσῆ Ἀφροδίτη

ἤματι τῷ ὅτε μιν κορυθαίολος ἠγάγεθʼ Ἕκτωρ

ἐκ δόμου Ἠετίωνος, ἐπεὶ πόρε μυρία ἕδνα.

ἀμφὶ δέ μιν γαλόῳ τε καὶ εἰνατέρες ἅλις ἔσταν,

αἵ ἑ μετὰ σφίσιν εἶχον ἀτυζομένην ἀπολέσθαι.

475ἣ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔμπνυτο καὶ ἐς φρένα θυμὸς ἀγέρθη

ἀμβλήδην γοόωσα μετὰ Τρῳῇσιν ἔειπεν·

460With these words she rushed through the hall like a maenad,

her heart pounding; her attendants went with her.

When she reached the tower and the crowd of men,

she stood searching from the wall—and saw him

dragged before the city. Swift horses

465hauled him without care toward the Achaeans’ hollow ships.

Black night covered her eyes.

She fell backward, her breath leaving her.

Far from her head she flung the gleaming ornaments—

the headband, cap, and woven hair-binding,

470and the veil golden Aphrodite had given her

on the day flashing-helmeted Hector led her

from Eetion’s house after giving countless bride-gifts.

Around her stood Hector’s sisters and his brothers’ wives,

holding her among them in her deathly shock.

475When at last she drew breath and spirit gathered in her mind,

between gasps she began her lament among the Trojan women:

477Ἕκτορ ἐγὼ δύστηνος· ἰῇ ἄρα γεινόμεθʼ αἴσῃ

ἀμφότεροι, σὺ μὲν ἐν Τροίῃ Πριάμου κατὰ δῶμα,

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ Θήβῃσιν ὑπὸ Πλάκῳ ὑληέσσῃ

480ἐν δόμῳ Ἠετίωνος, ὅ μʼ ἔτρεφε τυτθὸν ἐοῦσαν

δύσμορος αἰνόμορον· ὡς μὴ ὤφελλε τεκέσθαι.

νῦν δὲ σὺ μὲν Ἀΐδαο δόμους ὑπὸ κεύθεσι γαίης

ἔρχεαι, αὐτὰρ ἐμὲ στυγερῷ ἐνὶ πένθεϊ λείπεις

χήρην ἐν μεγάροισι· πάϊς δʼ ἔτι νήπιος αὔτως,

485ὃν τέκομεν σύ τʼ ἐγώ τε δυσάμμοροι· οὔτε σὺ τούτῳ

ἔσσεαι Ἕκτορ ὄνειαρ ἐπεὶ θάνες, οὔτε σοὶ οὗτος.

ἤν περ γὰρ πόλεμόν γε φύγῃ πολύδακρυν Ἀχαιῶν,

αἰεί τοι τούτῳ γε πόνος καὶ κήδεʼ ὀπίσσω

ἔσσοντʼ· ἄλλοι γάρ οἱ ἀπουρίσσουσιν ἀρούρας.

490ἦμαρ δʼ ὀρφανικὸν παναφήλικα παῖδα τίθησι·

πάντα δʼ ὑπεμνήμυκε, δεδάκρυνται δὲ παρειαί,

δευόμενος δέ τʼ ἄνεισι πάϊς ἐς πατρὸς ἑταίρους,

ἄλλον μὲν χλαίνης ἐρύων, ἄλλον δὲ χιτῶνος·

τῶν δʼ ἐλεησάντων κοτύλην τις τυτθὸν ἐπέσχε·

495χείλεα μέν τʼ ἐδίηνʼ, ὑπερῴην δʼ οὐκ ἐδίηνε.

τὸν δὲ καὶ ἀμφιθαλὴς ἐκ δαιτύος ἐστυφέλιξε

χερσὶν πεπλήγων καὶ ὀνειδείοισιν ἐνίσσων·

ἔρρʼ οὕτως· οὐ σός γε πατὴρ μεταδαίνυται ἡμῖν.

δακρυόεις δέ τʼ ἄνεισι πάϊς ἐς μητέρα χήρην

500Ἀστυάναξ, ὃς πρὶν μὲν ἑοῦ ἐπὶ γούνασι πατρὸς

μυελὸν οἶον ἔδεσκε καὶ οἰῶν πίονα δημόν·

αὐτὰρ ὅθʼ ὕπνος ἕλοι, παύσαιτό τε νηπιαχεύων,

εὕδεσκʼ ἐν λέκτροισιν ἐν ἀγκαλίδεσσι τιθήνης

εὐνῇ ἔνι μαλακῇ θαλέων ἐμπλησάμενος κῆρ·

505νῦν δʼ ἂν πολλὰ πάθῃσι φίλου ἀπὸ πατρὸς ἁμαρτὼν

Ἀστυάναξ, ὃν Τρῶες ἐπίκλησιν καλέουσιν·

οἶος γάρ σφιν ἔρυσο πύλας καὶ τείχεα μακρά.

νῦν δὲ σὲ μὲν παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσι νόσφι τοκήων

αἰόλαι εὐλαὶ ἔδονται, ἐπεί κε κύνες κορέσωνται

510γυμνόν· ἀτάρ τοι εἵματʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροισι κέονται

λεπτά τε καὶ χαρίεντα τετυγμένα χερσὶ γυναικῶν.

ἀλλʼ ἤτοι τάδε πάντα καταφλέξω πυρὶ κηλέῳ

οὐδὲν σοί γʼ ὄφελος, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐγκείσεαι αὐτοῖς,

ἀλλὰ πρὸς Τρώων καὶ Τρωϊάδων κλέος εἶναι.

515ὣς ἔφατο κλαίουσʼ, ἐπὶ δὲ στενάχοντο γυναῖκες.

477“Hector, I am wretched. So we were both born to one same lot,

you in Troy, in the house of Priam,

and I in Thebe beneath wooded Placus,

480in Eetion’s house. He raised me from a little child,

ill-fated father of a doomed daughter. Would he had never fathered me!

Now beneath the earth you go to the hidden house of Hades,

while you leave me in hateful grief,

a widow in the halls. And our child is still a mere infant,

485whom you and I, both ill-fated, brought to birth; neither will you

be any help to him, Hector, now you are dead, nor he to you.

For even if he escapes the Achaeans’ tear-bringing war,

toil and sorrow will always await him.

Other men will seize his fields.

490The day of orphanhood leaves a child wholly friendless.

At every turn he hangs his head, his cheeks wet with tears;

in need, the child goes to his father’s companions,

tugging one by the cloak, another by the tunic.

Out of pity one may hold a cup out briefly;

495it wets his lips but does not wet his palate.

And a child with both parents living will drive him from the feast,

striking him with his hands and taunting him with abuse:

‘Get out! Your father does not share our feast.’

Weeping, the child goes back to his widowed mother—

500Astyanax, who before would sit on his father’s knees

and eat only marrow and the rich fat of sheep.

When sleep took him and he stopped his childish play,

he would sleep in a bed, in his nurse’s arms,

on soft bedding, his heart satisfied with rich food.

505Now he will suffer much, deprived of his dear father—

Astyanax, as the Trojans call him by name,

for you alone defended their gates and long walls.

But now beside the beaked ships, far from your parents,

wriggling worms will eat you, once the dogs have had their fill

510of your naked body. Yet in the halls your clothes lie waiting,

fine and lovely, made by women’s hands.

But every one of them I will burn in searing fire.

They are no use to you, since you will not lie in them,

but their burning will be a glory in the eyes of Trojan men and women.”

515So she spoke weeping, and the women groaned in answer.