Iliad, Book 6: Hector & Andromache

1Τρώων δʼ οἰώθη καὶ Ἀχαιῶν φύλοπις αἰνή·

πολλὰ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθʼ ἴθυσε μάχη πεδίοιο

ἀλλήλων ἰθυνομένων χαλκήρεα δοῦρα

μεσσηγὺς Σιμόεντος ἰδὲ Ξάνθοιο ῥοάων.

1The terrible clash of Trojans and Achaeans was left to itself;

battle swept now this way, now that, across the plain,

as men on both sides aimed bronze-shod spears at one another,

between the streams of Simoeis and Xanthus.

5Αἴας δὲ πρῶτος Τελαμώνιος ἕρκος Ἀχαιῶν

Τρώων ῥῆξε φάλαγγα, φόως δʼ ἑτάροισιν ἔθηκεν,

ἄνδρα βαλὼν ὃς ἄριστος ἐνὶ Θρῄκεσσι τέτυκτο

υἱὸν Ἐϋσσώρου Ἀκάμαντʼ ἠΰν τε μέγαν τε.

τόν ῥʼ ἔβαλε πρῶτος κόρυθος φάλον ἱπποδασείης,

10ἐν δὲ μετώπῳ πῆξε, πέρησε δʼ ἄρʼ ὀστέον εἴσω

αἰχμὴ χαλκείη· τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν.

5Telamonian Ajax, the Achaeans’ bulwark, was first

to break the Trojan formation and bring light to his comrades,

striking a man who was the best among the Thracians,

Acamas, Eussorus’ son, a great and valiant man.

He struck first at the ridge of his horsehair-crested helmet

10and drove the bronze point into his forehead; it pierced

the bone within, and darkness covered his eyes.

12Ἄξυλον δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπεφνε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης

Τευθρανίδην, ὃς ἔναιεν ἐϋκτιμένῃ ἐν Ἀρίσβῃ

ἀφνειὸς βιότοιο, φίλος δʼ ἦν ἀνθρώποισι.

15πάντας γὰρ φιλέεσκεν ὁδῷ ἔπι οἰκία ναίων.

ἀλλά οἱ οὔ τις τῶν γε τότʼ ἤρκεσε λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον

πρόσθεν ὑπαντιάσας, ἀλλʼ ἄμφω θυμὸν ἀπηύρα

αὐτὸν καὶ θεράποντα Καλήσιον, ὅς ῥα τόθʼ ἵππων

ἔσκεν ὑφηνίοχος· τὼ δʼ ἄμφω γαῖαν ἐδύτην.

12Diomedes, good at the war cry, killed Axylus,

Teuthras’ son, who lived in well-built Arisbe,

wealthy in goods and dear to people.

15His house stood beside the road, and he welcomed everyone.

Yet none of them came then to ward grim destruction from him

by coming forward to face his attacker. Diomedes took the life from both,

Axylus himself and his attendant Calesius, who then

served as charioteer; together they went down into the earth.

20Δρῆσον δʼ Εὐρύαλος καὶ Ὀφέλτιον ἐξενάριξε·

βῆ δὲ μετʼ Αἴσηπον καὶ Πήδασον, οὕς ποτε νύμφη

νηῒς Ἀβαρβαρέη τέκʼ ἀμύμονι Βουκολίωνι.

Βουκολίων δʼ ἦν υἱὸς ἀγαυοῦ Λαομέδοντος

πρεσβύτατος γενεῇ, σκότιον δέ ἑ γείνατο μήτηρ·

25ποιμαίνων δʼ ἐπʼ ὄεσσι μίγη φιλότητι καὶ εὐνῇ,

ἣ δʼ ὑποκυσαμένη διδυμάονε γείνατο παῖδε.

καὶ μὲν τῶν ὑπέλυσε μένος καὶ φαίδιμα γυῖα

Μηκιστηϊάδης καὶ ἀπʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἐσύλα.

20Euryalus killed Dresus and Opheltius,

then went after Aesepus and Pedasus, whom once

Abarbarea, a water nymph, bore to blameless Bucolion.

Bucolion was a son of noble Laomedon,

the eldest by birth, though his mother bore him in secret.

25While tending sheep, he joined the nymph in love and bed;

she conceived and gave birth to twin sons.

The son of Mecisteus unstrung the force and shining limbs of both,

then stripped the armor from their shoulders.

29Ἀστύαλον δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπεφνε μενεπτόλεμος Πολυποίτης·

30Πιδύτην δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς Περκώσιον ἐξενάριξεν

ἔγχεϊ χαλκείῳ, Τεῦκρος δʼ Ἀρετάονα δῖον.

Ἀντίλοχος δʼ Ἄβληρον ἐνήρατο δουρὶ φαεινῷ

Νεστορίδης, Ἔλατον δὲ ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων·

ναῖε δὲ Σατνιόεντος ἐϋρρείταο παρʼ ὄχθας

35Πήδασον αἰπεινήν. Φύλακον δʼ ἕλε Λήϊτος ἥρως

φεύγοντʼ· Εὐρύπυλος δὲ Μελάνθιον ἐξενάριξεν.

29Polypoetes, steadfast in battle, killed Astyalus;

30Odysseus killed Pidytes of Percote

with his bronze spear, and Teucer killed godlike Aretaon.

Antilochus, Nestor’s son, slew Ablerus with his shining spear,

and Agamemnon, lord of men, killed Elatus,

who lived beside the banks of the fair-flowing Satnioeis,

35in steep Pedasus. The hero Leitus killed Phylacus

as he fled, and Eurypylus killed Melanthius.

37Ἄδρηστον δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος

ζωὸν ἕλʼ· ἵππω γάρ οἱ ἀτυζομένω πεδίοιο

ὄζῳ ἔνι βλαφθέντε μυρικίνῳ ἀγκύλον ἅρμα

40ἄξαντʼ ἐν πρώτῳ ῥυμῷ αὐτὼ μὲν ἐβήτην

πρὸς πόλιν, ᾗ περ οἱ ἄλλοι ἀτυζόμενοι φοβέοντο,

αὐτὸς δʼ ἐκ δίφροιο παρὰ τροχὸν ἐξεκυλίσθη

πρηνὴς ἐν κονίῃσιν ἐπὶ στόμα· πὰρ δέ οἱ ἔστη

Ἀτρεΐδης Μενέλαος ἔχων δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος.

45Ἄδρηστος δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα λαβὼν ἐλίσσετο γούνων·

ζώγρει Ἀτρέος υἱέ, σὺ δʼ ἄξια δέξαι ἄποινα·

πολλὰ δʼ ἐν ἀφνειοῦ πατρὸς κειμήλια κεῖται

χαλκός τε χρυσός τε πολύκμητός τε σίδηρος,

τῶν κέν τοι χαρίσαιτο πατὴρ ἀπερείσιʼ ἄποινα

50εἴ κεν ἐμὲ ζωὸν πεπύθοιτʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.

37Then Menelaus, good at the war cry, took Adrestus

alive. His two horses, bolting in terror across the plain,

were caught in the branch of a tamarisk and broke the curved chariot

40at the forward end of the pole; the pair ran on

toward the city, where the others were fleeing in panic,

but Adrestus rolled from the chariot beside the wheel,

face-first in the dust. Over him stood

Menelaus, Atreus’ son, holding his long-shadowed spear.

45Adrestus grasped his knees and begged him:

“Take me alive, son of Atreus, and accept a worthy ransom.

Many treasures lie in my wealthy father’s house—

bronze and gold and much-worked iron.

From these my father would gladly give you ransom beyond counting,

50if he learned I was alive beside the Achaean ships.”

51ὣς φάτο, τῷ δʼ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔπειθε·

καὶ δή μιν τάχʼ ἔμελλε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν

δώσειν ᾧ θεράποντι καταξέμεν· ἀλλʼ Ἀγαμέμνων

ἀντίος ἦλθε θέων, καὶ ὁμοκλήσας ἔπος ηὔδα·

55ὦ πέπον ὦ Μενέλαε, τί ἢ δὲ σὺ κήδεαι οὕτως

ἀνδρῶν; ἦ σοὶ ἄριστα πεποίηται κατὰ οἶκον

πρὸς Τρώων; τῶν μή τις ὑπεκφύγοι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον

χεῖράς θʼ ἡμετέρας, μηδʼ ὅν τινα γαστέρι μήτηρ

κοῦρον ἐόντα φέροι, μηδʼ ὃς φύγοι, ἀλλʼ ἅμα πάντες

60Ἰλίου ἐξαπολοίατʼ ἀκήδεστοι καὶ ἄφαντοι.

ὣς εἰπὼν ἔτρεψεν ἀδελφειοῦ φρένας ἥρως

αἴσιμα παρειπών· ὃ δʼ ἀπὸ ἕθεν ὤσατο χειρὶ

ἥρωʼ Ἄδρηστον· τὸν δὲ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων

οὖτα κατὰ λαπάρην· ὃ δʼ ἀνετράπετʼ, Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ

65λὰξ ἐν στήθεσι βὰς ἐξέσπασε μείλινον ἔγχος.

51So he spoke and persuaded the spirit within Menelaus’ breast.

He was just about to hand Adrestus over to his attendant

to lead him to the swift Achaean ships, when Agamemnon

came running to meet him, shouted a rebuke, and said:

55“Dear Menelaus, why do you show such care

for these men? Have the Trojans treated you so well in your own house?

Let not one of them escape sheer destruction

at our hands—not even the boy a mother carries

in her womb; let not even he escape, but let them all

60perish utterly from Ilium, without funeral care and out of sight.”

So the hero spoke and turned his brother’s mind

by speaking what was fitting. Menelaus pushed him away with his hand—

the hero Adrestus—and wide-ruling Agamemnon

stabbed him in the flank. He toppled backward, and Atreus’ son

65planted a heel on his chest and pulled out the ash spear.

66Νέστωρ δʼ Ἀργείοισιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·

ὦ φίλοι ἥρωες Δαναοὶ θεράποντες Ἄρηος

μή τις νῦν ἐνάρων ἐπιβαλλόμενος μετόπισθε

μιμνέτω ὥς κε πλεῖστα φέρων ἐπὶ νῆας ἵκηται,

70ἀλλʼ ἄνδρας κτείνωμεν· ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τὰ ἕκηλοι

νεκροὺς ἂμ πεδίον συλήσετε τεθνηῶτας.

ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου.

66Nestor called to the Argives in a far-carrying shout:

“Friends, Danaan heroes, attendants of Ares:

let no one linger behind now, intent on spoils,

hoping to reach the ships with the greatest haul.

70Let us kill the men; afterward, at your ease,

you can strip the dead bodies across the plain.”

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

73ἔνθά κεν αὖτε Τρῶες ἀρηϊφίλων ὑπʼ Ἀχαιῶν

Ἴλιον εἰσανέβησαν ἀναλκείῃσι δαμέντες,

75εἰ μὴ ἄρʼ Αἰνείᾳ τε καὶ Ἕκτορι εἶπε παραστὰς

Πριαμίδης Ἕλενος οἰωνοπόλων ὄχʼ ἄριστος·

Αἰνεία τε καὶ Ἕκτορ, ἐπεὶ πόνος ὔμμι μάλιστα

Τρώων καὶ Λυκίων ἐγκέκλιται, οὕνεκʼ ἄριστοι

πᾶσαν ἐπʼ ἰθύν ἐστε μάχεσθαί τε φρονέειν τε,

80στῆτʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ λαὸν ἐρυκάκετε πρὸ πυλάων

πάντῃ ἐποιχόμενοι πρὶν αὖτʼ ἐν χερσὶ γυναικῶν

φεύγοντας πεσέειν, δηΐοισι δὲ χάρμα γενέσθαι.

73Then the Trojans, hard pressed by the war-loving Achaeans,

would have climbed back into Ilium, subdued by lack of battle-strength,

75if Helenus, Priam’s son, had not stood beside Aeneas and Hector

and spoken—the best by far of the diviners who read birds:

“Aeneas and Hector, since the burden rests chiefly on you

among Trojans and Lycians, because you are the best

in every undertaking, both in battle and in counsel,

80stand here and hold the host before the gates,

ranging everywhere, before they fall into the women’s arms

as they flee and become a delight to the enemy.

83αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κε φάλαγγας ἐποτρύνητον ἁπάσας,

ἡμεῖς μὲν Δαναοῖσι μαχησόμεθʼ αὖθι μένοντες,

85καὶ μάλα τειρόμενοί περ· ἀναγκαίη γὰρ ἐπείγει·

Ἕκτορ ἀτὰρ σὺ πόλιν δὲ μετέρχεο, εἰπὲ δʼ ἔπειτα

μητέρι σῇ καὶ ἐμῇ· ἣ δὲ ξυνάγουσα γεραιὰς

νηὸν Ἀθηναίης γλαυκώπιδος ἐν πόλει ἄκρῃ

οἴξασα κληῗδι θύρας ἱεροῖο δόμοιο

90πέπλον, ὅς οἱ δοκέει χαριέστατος ἠδὲ μέγιστος

εἶναι ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ καί οἱ πολὺ φίλτατος αὐτῇ,

θεῖναι Ἀθηναίης ἐπὶ γούνασιν ἠϋκόμοιο,

καί οἱ ὑποσχέσθαι δυοκαίδεκα βοῦς ἐνὶ νηῷ

ἤνις ἠκέστας ἱερευσέμεν, αἴ κʼ ἐλεήσῃ

95ἄστύ τε καὶ Τρώων ἀλόχους καὶ νήπια τέκνα,

ὥς κεν Τυδέος υἱὸν ἀπόσχῃ Ἰλίου ἱρῆς

ἄγριον αἰχμητὴν κρατερὸν μήστωρα φόβοιο,

ὃν δὴ ἐγὼ κάρτιστον Ἀχαιῶν φημι γενέσθαι.

οὐδʼ Ἀχιλῆά ποθʼ ὧδέ γʼ ἐδείδιμεν ὄρχαμον ἀνδρῶν,

100ὅν πέρ φασι θεᾶς ἐξέμμεναι· ἀλλʼ ὅδε λίην

μαίνεται, οὐδέ τίς οἱ δύναται μένος ἰσοφαρίζειν.

83When you two have roused all the formations,

we will remain here and fight the Danaans,

85worn down though we are, for necessity presses hard.

But Hector, go into the city and tell

your mother and mine to gather the elder women

at the temple of bright-eyed Athena on the citadel.

Let her unlock the doors of the sacred house

90and take the robe she considers the loveliest and largest

in her hall, the one far dearest to her,

and lay it upon the knees of lovely-haired Athena.

Let her promise the goddess twelve cows in her temple,

yearling heifers, unbroken by the goad, to sacrifice if she will pity

95the city, the Trojan wives, and their infant children,

and keep Tydeus’ son away from sacred Ilium—

that fierce spearman, mighty deviser of rout,

whom I now say is the strongest of the Achaeans.

Never have we feared Achilles so, the leader of men,

100though they say he was born from a goddess. But this man rages

beyond all bounds, and no one can match his battle-force.”

102ὣς ἔφαθʼ, Ἕκτωρ δʼ οὔ τι κασιγνήτῳ ἀπίθησεν.

αὐτίκα δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων σὺν τεύχεσιν ἆλτο χαμᾶζε,

πάλλων δʼ ὀξέα δοῦρα κατὰ στρατὸν ᾤχετο πάντῃ

105ὀτρύνων μαχέσασθαι, ἔγειρε δὲ φύλοπιν αἰνήν.

οἳ δʼ ἐλελίχθησαν καὶ ἐναντίοι ἔσταν Ἀχαιῶν·

Ἀργεῖοι δʼ ὑπεχώρησαν, λῆξαν δὲ φόνοιο,

φὰν δέ τινʼ ἀθανάτων ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος

Τρωσὶν ἀλεξήσοντα κατελθέμεν, ὡς ἐλέλιχθεν.

102So he spoke, and Hector did not disobey his brother.

At once he leapt from his chariot to the ground in his armor.

Brandishing sharp spears, he went throughout the army,

105urging them to fight and waking the terrible clash.

They wheeled and stood facing the Achaeans;

the Argives gave ground and ceased from slaughter.

They thought one of the immortals had come down from starry heaven

to defend the Trojans, seeing how sharply they had wheeled.

110Ἕκτωρ δὲ Τρώεσσιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·

Τρῶες ὑπέρθυμοι τηλεκλειτοί τʼ ἐπίκουροι

ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι, μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς,

ὄφρʼ ἂν ἐγὼ βείω προτὶ Ἴλιον, ἠδὲ γέρουσιν

εἴπω βουλευτῇσι καὶ ἡμετέρῃς ἀλόχοισι

115δαίμοσιν ἀρήσασθαι, ὑποσχέσθαι δʼ ἑκατόμβας.

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἀπέβη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

ἀμφὶ δέ μιν σφυρὰ τύπτε καὶ αὐχένα δέρμα κελαινὸν

ἄντυξ ἣ πυμάτη θέεν ἀσπίδος ὀμφαλοέσσης.

110Hector called to the Trojans in a far-carrying shout:

“High-hearted Trojans and allies famed afar,

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

while I go to Ilium and tell the elders,

our counselors, and our wives

115to pray to the gods and promise hecatombs.”

So Hector of the flashing helmet spoke and went away.

The black hide beat against his ankles and his neck—

the outer rim that ran around his bossed shield.

119Γλαῦκος δʼ Ἱππολόχοιο πάϊς καὶ Τυδέος υἱὸς

120ἐς μέσον ἀμφοτέρων συνίτην μεμαῶτε μάχεσθαι.

οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦσαν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ἰόντε,

τὸν πρότερος προσέειπε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·

τίς δὲ σύ ἐσσι φέριστε καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων;

οὐ μὲν γάρ ποτʼ ὄπωπα μάχῃ ἔνι κυδιανείρῃ

125τὸ πρίν· ἀτὰρ μὲν νῦν γε πολὺ προβέβηκας ἁπάντων

σῷ θάρσει, ὅ τʼ ἐμὸν δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος ἔμεινας·

δυστήνων δέ τε παῖδες ἐμῷ μένει ἀντιόωσιν.

εἰ δέ τις ἀθανάτων γε κατʼ οὐρανοῦ εἰλήλουθας,

οὐκ ἂν ἔγωγε θεοῖσιν ἐπουρανίοισι μαχοίμην.

130οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ Δρύαντος υἱὸς κρατερὸς Λυκόοργος

δὴν ἦν, ὅς ῥα θεοῖσιν ἐπουρανίοισιν ἔριζεν·

ὅς ποτε μαινομένοιο Διωνύσοιο τιθήνας

σεῦε κατʼ ἠγάθεον Νυσήϊον· αἳ δʼ ἅμα πᾶσαι

θύσθλα χαμαὶ κατέχευαν ὑπʼ ἀνδροφόνοιο Λυκούργου

135θεινόμεναι βουπλῆγι· Διώνυσος δὲ φοβηθεὶς

δύσεθʼ ἁλὸς κατὰ κῦμα, Θέτις δʼ ὑπεδέξατο κόλπῳ

δειδιότα· κρατερὸς γὰρ ἔχε τρόμος ἀνδρὸς ὁμοκλῇ.

τῷ μὲν ἔπειτʼ ὀδύσαντο θεοὶ ῥεῖα ζώοντες,

καί μιν τυφλὸν ἔθηκε Κρόνου πάϊς· οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔτι δὴν

140ἦν, ἐπεὶ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀπήχθετο πᾶσι θεοῖσιν·

οὐδʼ ἂν ἐγὼ μακάρεσσι θεοῖς ἐθέλοιμι μάχεσθαι.

εἰ δέ τίς ἐσσι βροτῶν οἳ ἀρούρης καρπὸν ἔδουσιν,

ἆσσον ἴθʼ ὥς κεν θᾶσσον ὀλέθρου πείραθʼ ἵκηαι.

119Glaucus, son of Hippolochus, and the son of Tydeus

120came together between the two armies, eager to fight.

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

Diomedes, good at the war cry, spoke first:

“Who are you, best of mortal men?

Never before have I seen you in battle, where men win glory,

125yet now you have advanced far ahead of all the rest

in courage, since you have stood before my long-shadowed spear.

It is the sons of wretched men who come against my force.

But if you are one of the immortals come down from heaven,

I would not fight the gods of heaven.

130For not even strong Lycurgus, Dryas' son,

lived long—he who contended with the gods of heaven.

Once he chased the nurses of raving Dionysus

down holy Nysa; all of them together

cast their sacred wands to the ground when man-killing Lycurgus

135struck them with an ox-goad. Dionysus fled in terror,

plunging beneath the sea’s wave; Thetis received him in her lap,

as a powerful trembling gripped him at the man’s threatening cry.

Then the gods who live at ease grew angry with Lycurgus,

and Cronus' son made him blind. Nor did he live

140long, since he had become hated by all the immortal gods.

Nor would I wish to fight the blessed gods.

But if you are one of the mortals who eat the fruit of the tilled field,

come closer, so you may sooner reach the bounds of death.”

144τὸν δʼ αὖθʼ Ἱππολόχοιο προσηύδα φαίδιμος υἱός·

145Τυδεΐδη μεγάθυμε τί ἢ γενεὴν ἐρεείνεις;

οἵη περ φύλλων γενεὴ τοίη δὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν.

φύλλα τὰ μέν τʼ ἄνεμος χαμάδις χέει, ἄλλα δέ θʼ ὕλη

τηλεθόωσα φύει, ἔαρος δʼ ἐπιγίγνεται ὥρη·

ὣς ἀνδρῶν γενεὴ ἣ μὲν φύει ἣ δʼ ἀπολήγει.

150εἰ δʼ ἐθέλεις καὶ ταῦτα δαήμεναι ὄφρʼ ἐῢ εἰδῇς

ἡμετέρην γενεήν, πολλοὶ δέ μιν ἄνδρες ἴσασιν·

144Hippolochus' radiant son answered him:

145“Great-hearted son of Tydeus, why do you ask my lineage?

As the generations of leaves are, so are the generations of men.

The wind scatters some leaves to the ground; the flourishing forest

puts forth others when the season of spring comes on.

So one generation of men grows, and another dies away.

150Yet if you wish to learn even this, so you may know fully

our lineage—and many men know it—

152ἔστι πόλις Ἐφύρη μυχῷ Ἄργεος ἱπποβότοιο,

ἔνθα δὲ Σίσυφος ἔσκεν, ὃ κέρδιστος γένετʼ ἀνδρῶν,

Σίσυφος Αἰολίδης· ὃ δʼ ἄρα Γλαῦκον τέκεθʼ υἱόν,

155αὐτὰρ Γλαῦκος τίκτεν ἀμύμονα Βελλεροφόντην·

τῷ δὲ θεοὶ κάλλός τε καὶ ἠνορέην ἐρατεινὴν

ὤπασαν· αὐτάρ οἱ Προῖτος κακὰ μήσατο θυμῷ,

ὅς ῥʼ ἐκ δήμου ἔλασσεν, ἐπεὶ πολὺ φέρτερος ἦεν,

Ἀργείων· Ζεὺς γάρ οἱ ὑπὸ σκήπτρῳ ἐδάμασσε.

160τῷ δὲ γυνὴ Προίτου ἐπεμήνατο δῖʼ Ἄντεια

κρυπταδίῃ φιλότητι μιγήμεναι· ἀλλὰ τὸν οὔ τι

πεῖθʼ ἀγαθὰ φρονέοντα δαΐφρονα Βελλεροφόντην.

ἣ δὲ ψευσαμένη Προῖτον βασιλῆα προσηύδα·

τεθναίης ὦ Προῖτʼ, ἢ κάκτανε Βελλεροφόντην,

165ὅς μʼ ἔθελεν φιλότητι μιγήμεναι οὐκ ἐθελούσῃ.

ὣς φάτο, τὸν δὲ ἄνακτα χόλος λάβεν οἷον ἄκουσε·

κτεῖναι μέν ῥʼ ἀλέεινε, σεβάσσατο γὰρ τό γε θυμῷ,

πέμπε δέ μιν Λυκίην δέ, πόρεν δʼ ὅ γε σήματα λυγρὰ

γράψας ἐν πίνακι πτυκτῷ θυμοφθόρα πολλά,

170δεῖξαι δʼ ἠνώγειν ᾧ πενθερῷ ὄφρʼ ἀπόλοιτο.

152there is a city, Ephyra, deep in horse-nurturing Argos,

where Sisyphus lived, the most cunning of men,

Sisyphus, Aeolus' son. He fathered a son, Glaucus,

155and Glaucus fathered blameless Bellerophon.

The gods granted him beauty and lovely manly vigor.

But Proetus plotted evil against him in his heart

and drove him from the Argives’ land, for Proetus was far stronger;

for Zeus had brought them beneath his scepter.

160Radiant Anteia, Proetus' wife, became mad with desire

to lie with him in secret love; but she could not

persuade war-wise Bellerophon, whose thoughts were honorable.

Then she lied and addressed King Proetus:

‘May you die, Proetus—or else kill Bellerophon,

165who wanted to lie with me in love against my will.’

So she spoke, and anger seized the king when he heard what she said.

He shrank from killing him, for in his heart he stood in awe of that act;

instead he sent him to Lycia and gave him deadly signs,

many life-destroying marks he had inscribed on a folded tablet,

170and ordered him to show them to Proetus' father-in-law, so Bellerophon would die.

171αὐτὰρ ὁ βῆ Λυκίην δὲ θεῶν ὑπʼ ἀμύμονι πομπῇ.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ Λυκίην ἷξε Ξάνθόν τε ῥέοντα,

προφρονέως μιν τῖεν ἄναξ Λυκίης εὐρείης·

ἐννῆμαρ ξείνισσε καὶ ἐννέα βοῦς ἱέρευσεν.

175ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ δεκάτη ἐφάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠὼς

καὶ τότε μιν ἐρέεινε καὶ ᾔτεε σῆμα ἰδέσθαι

ὅττί ῥά οἱ γαμβροῖο πάρα Προίτοιο φέροιτο.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ σῆμα κακὸν παρεδέξατο γαμβροῦ,

πρῶτον μέν ῥα Χίμαιραν ἀμαιμακέτην ἐκέλευσε

180πεφνέμεν· ἣ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔην θεῖον γένος οὐδʼ ἀνθρώπων,

πρόσθε λέων, ὄπιθεν δὲ δράκων, μέσση δὲ χίμαιρα,

δεινὸν ἀποπνείουσα πυρὸς μένος αἰθομένοιο,

καὶ τὴν μὲν κατέπεφνε θεῶν τεράεσσι πιθήσας.

δεύτερον αὖ Σολύμοισι μαχέσσατο κυδαλίμοισι·

185καρτίστην δὴ τήν γε μάχην φάτο δύμεναι ἀνδρῶν.

τὸ τρίτον αὖ κατέπεφνεν Ἀμαζόνας ἀντιανείρας.

τῷ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀνερχομένῳ πυκινὸν δόλον ἄλλον ὕφαινε·

κρίνας ἐκ Λυκίης εὐρείης φῶτας ἀρίστους

εἷσε λόχον· τοὶ δʼ οὔ τι πάλιν οἶκον δὲ νέοντο·

190πάντας γὰρ κατέπεφνεν ἀμύμων Βελλεροφόντης.

171He went to Lycia under the gods' faultless escort.

When he reached Lycia and flowing Xanthus,

the lord of broad Lycia honored him wholeheartedly:

for nine days he received him as a guest and sacrificed nine oxen.

175But when rosy-fingered Dawn appeared on the tenth day,

then he questioned him and asked to see the sign

he had brought from his son-in-law Proetus.

When he had received the evil sign from his son-in-law,

first he ordered Bellerophon to kill the raging Chimaera.

180She was of divine stock, not human:

a lion in front, a serpent behind, a goat in the middle,

breathing out the terrible force of blazing fire.

He killed her, obeying signs from the gods.

Next he fought the glorious Solymi;

185he said it was the hardest battle with men he had ever fought.

Third he killed the Amazons, a match for men.

As Bellerophon returned, the king wove another intricate trap:

choosing the best men from broad Lycia,

he set an ambush. Not one of them returned home,

190for blameless Bellerophon killed them all.

191ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ γίγνωσκε θεοῦ γόνον ἠῢν ἐόντα

αὐτοῦ μιν κατέρυκε, δίδου δʼ ὅ γε θυγατέρα ἥν,

δῶκε δέ οἱ τιμῆς βασιληΐδος ἥμισυ πάσης·

καὶ μέν οἱ Λύκιοι τέμενος τάμον ἔξοχον ἄλλων

195καλὸν φυταλιῆς καὶ ἀρούρης, ὄφρα νέμοιτο.

ἣ δʼ ἔτεκε τρία τέκνα δαΐφρονι Βελλεροφόντῃ

Ἴσανδρόν τε καὶ Ἱππόλοχον καὶ Λαοδάμειαν.

Λαοδαμείῃ μὲν παρελέξατο μητίετα Ζεύς,

ἣ δʼ ἔτεκʼ ἀντίθεον Σαρπηδόνα χαλκοκορυστήν.

200ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ καὶ κεῖνος ἀπήχθετο πᾶσι θεοῖσιν,

ἤτοι ὃ κὰπ πεδίον τὸ Ἀλήϊον οἶος ἀλᾶτο

ὃν θυμὸν κατέδων, πάτον ἀνθρώπων ἀλεείνων·

Ἴσανδρον δέ οἱ υἱὸν Ἄρης ἆτος πολέμοιο

μαρνάμενον Σολύμοισι κατέκτανε κυδαλίμοισι·

205τὴν δὲ χολωσαμένη χρυσήνιος Ἄρτεμις ἔκτα.

Ἱππόλοχος δέ μʼ ἔτικτε, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ φημι γενέσθαι·

πέμπε δέ μʼ ἐς Τροίην, καί μοι μάλα πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλεν

αἰὲν ἀριστεύειν καὶ ὑπείροχον ἔμμεναι ἄλλων,

μηδὲ γένος πατέρων αἰσχυνέμεν, οἳ μέγʼ ἄριστοι

210ἔν τʼ Ἐφύρῃ ἐγένοντο καὶ ἐν Λυκίῃ εὐρείῃ.

ταύτης τοι γενεῆς τε καὶ αἵματος εὔχομαι εἶναι.

191But when the king recognized Bellerophon as the noble offspring of a god,

he kept him there and gave him his daughter,

and granted him half of all the royal honor.

The Lycians also marked out an estate for him, surpassing all others,

195fine with orchard and plowland, for him to possess.

His wife bore three children to war-wise Bellerophon:

Isander, Hippolochus, and Laodameia.

Zeus, lord of counsel, lay with Laodameia,

and she bore godlike, bronze-helmeted Sarpedon.

200But when Bellerophon too became hated by all the gods,

he wandered alone over the Aleian plain,

eating his heart away and avoiding the paths of men.

Ares, insatiate for war, killed his son Isander

as he fought the glorious Solymi;

205and golden-reined Artemis, in anger, killed Laodameia.

Hippolochus fathered me; from him I claim descent.

He sent me to Troy and laid many commands upon me:

always to excel and stand above all others,

never to shame the lineage of my fathers, who were far the best

210in Ephyra and in broad Lycia.

That is the lineage and blood I declare as mine.”

212ὣς φάτο, γήθησεν δὲ βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·

ἔγχος μὲν κατέπηξεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ,

αὐτὰρ ὃ μειλιχίοισι προσηύδα ποιμένα λαῶν·

215ἦ ῥά νύ μοι ξεῖνος πατρώϊός ἐσσι παλαιός·

Οἰνεὺς γάρ ποτε δῖος ἀμύμονα Βελλεροφόντην

ξείνισʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἐείκοσιν ἤματʼ ἐρύξας·

οἳ δὲ καὶ ἀλλήλοισι πόρον ξεινήϊα καλά·

Οἰνεὺς μὲν ζωστῆρα δίδου φοίνικι φαεινόν,

220Βελλεροφόντης δὲ χρύσεον δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον

καί μιν ἐγὼ κατέλειπον ἰὼν ἐν δώμασʼ ἐμοῖσι.

Τυδέα δʼ οὐ μέμνημαι, ἐπεί μʼ ἔτι τυτθὸν ἐόντα

κάλλιφʼ, ὅτʼ ἐν Θήβῃσιν ἀπώλετο λαὸς Ἀχαιῶν.

212So he spoke, and Diomedes, good at the war cry, rejoiced.

He planted his spear in the earth that nourishes many,

then addressed the shepherd of the people with gentle words:

215“Then you truly are my guest-friend from our fathers' time!

For godlike Oeneus once received blameless Bellerophon as a guest

and kept him in his halls for twenty days.

The two gave each other fine guest-gifts:

Oeneus gave a belt shining with crimson,

220and Bellerophon a golden cup with handles on both sides.

I left it behind in my house when I came here.

I do not remember Tydeus, for he left me when I was very small,

when the Achaean host perished at Thebes.

224τὼ νῦν σοὶ μὲν ἐγὼ ξεῖνος φίλος Ἄργεϊ μέσσῳ

225εἰμί, σὺ δʼ ἐν Λυκίῃ ὅτε κεν τῶν δῆμον ἵκωμαι.

ἔγχεα δʼ ἀλλήλων ἀλεώμεθα καὶ διʼ ὁμίλου·

πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἐμοὶ Τρῶες κλειτοί τʼ ἐπίκουροι

κτείνειν ὅν κε θεός γε πόρῃ καὶ ποσσὶ κιχείω,

πολλοὶ δʼ αὖ σοὶ Ἀχαιοὶ ἐναιρέμεν ὅν κε δύνηαι.

230τεύχεα δʼ ἀλλήλοις ἐπαμείψομεν, ὄφρα καὶ οἵδε

γνῶσιν ὅτι ξεῖνοι πατρώϊοι εὐχόμεθʼ εἶναι.

224So now I am your dear guest-friend in the heart of Argos,

225and you are mine in Lycia whenever I come to that land.

Let us avoid each other's spears even through the battle's press.

For there are many Trojans and renowned allies for me

to kill, whoever a god grants me and I overtake on foot,

and many Achaeans for you to slay, whoever you can.

230Let us exchange armor with one another, so that these men too

may know that we claim to be ancestral guest-friends.”

232ὣς ἄρα φωνήσαντε καθʼ ἵππων ἀΐξαντε

χεῖράς τʼ ἀλλήλων λαβέτην καὶ πιστώσαντο·

ἔνθʼ αὖτε Γλαύκῳ Κρονίδης φρένας ἐξέλετο Ζεύς,

235ὃς πρὸς Τυδεΐδην Διομήδεα τεύχεʼ ἄμειβε

χρύσεα χαλκείων, ἑκατόμβοιʼ ἐννεαβοίων.

232So they spoke, sprang down from their chariots,

took each other's hands, and pledged their faith.

But then Zeus, Cronus' son, took Glaucus' judgment away:

235he exchanged armor with Diomedes, Tydeus' son,

gold for bronze, worth a hundred oxen for nine.

237Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς Σκαιάς τε πύλας καὶ φηγὸν ἵκανεν,

ἀμφʼ ἄρα μιν Τρώων ἄλοχοι θέον ἠδὲ θύγατρες

εἰρόμεναι παῖδάς τε κασιγνήτους τε ἔτας τε

240καὶ πόσιας· ὃ δʼ ἔπειτα θεοῖς εὔχεσθαι ἀνώγει

πάσας ἑξείης· πολλῇσι δὲ κήδεʼ ἐφῆπτο.

237When Hector reached the Scaean Gates and the oak,

the wives and daughters of the Trojans ran around him,

asking after sons and brothers, kinsmen

240and husbands. He told them all to pray to the gods,

one after another; grief had fastened upon many.

242ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ Πριάμοιο δόμον περικαλλέʼ ἵκανε

ξεστῇς αἰθούσῃσι τετυγμένον· αὐτὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ

πεντήκοντʼ ἔνεσαν θάλαμοι ξεστοῖο λίθοιο

245πλησίον ἀλλήλων δεδμημένοι, ἔνθα δὲ παῖδες

κοιμῶντο Πριάμοιο παρὰ μνηστῇς ἀλόχοισι,

κουράων δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐναντίοι ἔνδοθεν αὐλῆς

δώδεκʼ ἔσαν τέγεοι θάλαμοι ξεστοῖο λίθοιο

πλησίον ἀλλήλων δεδμημένοι, ἔνθα δὲ γαμβροὶ

250κοιμῶντο Πριάμοιο παρʼ αἰδοίῃς ἀλόχοισιν·

ἔνθά οἱ ἠπιόδωρος ἐναντίη ἤλυθε μήτηρ

Λαοδίκην ἐσάγουσα θυγατρῶν εἶδος ἀρίστην·

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

τέκνον τίπτε λιπὼν πόλεμον θρασὺν εἰλήλουθας;

255ἦ μάλα δὴ τείρουσι δυσώνυμοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

μαρνάμενοι περὶ ἄστυ· σὲ δʼ ἐνθάδε θυμὸς ἀνῆκεν

ἐλθόντʼ ἐξ ἄκρης πόλιος Διὶ χεῖρας ἀνασχεῖν.

ἀλλὰ μένʼ ὄφρά κέ τοι μελιηδέα οἶνον ἐνείκω,

ὡς σπείσῃς Διὶ πατρὶ καὶ ἄλλοις ἀθανάτοισι

260πρῶτον, ἔπειτα δὲ καὐτὸς ὀνήσεαι αἴ κε πίῃσθα.

ἀνδρὶ δὲ κεκμηῶτι μένος μέγα οἶνος ἀέξει,

ὡς τύνη κέκμηκας ἀμύνων σοῖσιν ἔτῃσι.

τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

242But when he reached the magnificent house of Priam,

built with polished porticoes—in the palace itself

there were fifty chambers of polished stone,

245built close beside one another, where Priam’s sons

slept beside their wedded wives.

On the other side, opposite them across the courtyard,

stood twelve roofed chambers of polished stone,

built close beside one another, where Priam’s sons-in-law

250slept beside their honored wives.

There his gracious mother came to meet him,

leading Laodice, the most beautiful of Priam’s daughters.

She clasped his hand, spoke, and called him by name:

“My child, why have you left the furious battle and come here?

255Surely the accursed sons of the Achaeans are wearing you down

as they fight around the city, and your spirit drove you

to raise your hands to Zeus from the height of the city.

But wait while I bring you honey-sweet wine,

so you may first pour a libation to father Zeus and the other immortals,

260and then you yourself will benefit, if you drink.

Wine greatly increases the force of a weary man,

as you are weary from defending your own people.”

Then great Hector of the flashing helmet answered her:

264μή μοι οἶνον ἄειρε μελίφρονα πότνια μῆτερ,

265μή μʼ ἀπογυιώσῃς μένεος, ἀλκῆς τε λάθωμαι·

χερσὶ δʼ ἀνίπτοισιν Διὶ λείβειν αἴθοπα οἶνον

ἅζομαι· οὐδέ πῃ ἔστι κελαινεφέϊ Κρονίωνι

αἵματι καὶ λύθρῳ πεπαλαγμένον εὐχετάασθαι.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν πρὸς νηὸν Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης

270ἔρχεο σὺν θυέεσσιν ἀολλίσσασα γεραιάς·

πέπλον δʼ, ὅς τίς τοι χαριέστατος ἠδὲ μέγιστος

ἔστιν ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ καί τοι πολὺ φίλτατος αὐτῇ,

τὸν θὲς Ἀθηναίης ἐπὶ γούνασιν ἠϋκόμοιο,

καί οἱ ὑποσχέσθαι δυοκαίδεκα βοῦς ἐνὶ νηῷ

275ἤνις ἠκέστας ἱερευσέμεν, αἴ κʼ ἐλεήσῃ

ἄστύ τε καὶ Τρώων ἀλόχους καὶ νήπια τέκνα,

αἴ κεν Τυδέος υἱὸν ἀπόσχῃ Ἰλίου ἱρῆς

ἄγριον αἰχμητὴν κρατερὸν μήστωρα φόβοιο.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν πρὸς νηὸν Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης

280ἔρχευ, ἐγὼ δὲ Πάριν μετελεύσομαι ὄφρα καλέσσω

αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσʼ εἰπόντος ἀκουέμεν· ὥς κέ οἱ αὖθι

γαῖα χάνοι· μέγα γάρ μιν Ὀλύμπιος ἔτρεφε πῆμα

Τρωσί τε καὶ Πριάμῳ μεγαλήτορι τοῖό τε παισίν.

εἰ κεῖνόν γε ἴδοιμι κατελθόντʼ Ἄϊδος εἴσω

285φαίην κε φρένʼ ἀτέρπου ὀϊζύος ἐκλελαθέσθαι.

264“Do not offer me honey-sweet wine, lady mother,

265lest you sap my force and make me forget my courage.

With unwashed hands I shrink from pouring fiery wine to Zeus;

one may not pray to the dark-clouded son of Cronus

when spattered with blood and gore.

Go instead to the temple of Athena, gatherer of spoil,

270with offerings, gathering the elder women together.

Take the robe you consider the loveliest and largest

in your hall, the one far dearest to you,

and lay it upon the knees of lovely-haired Athena.

Promise the goddess twelve cows in her temple,

275yearling heifers, unbroken by the goad, to sacrifice if she will pity

the city, the Trojan wives, and their infant children,

and keep Tydeus’ son away from sacred Ilium—

that fierce spearman, mighty deviser of rout.

Go instead to the temple of Athena, gatherer of spoil;

280I will seek out Paris and call him,

if he will listen when I speak. May the earth gape open beneath him!

Olympian Zeus has reared him as a great calamity

for the Trojans, for great-hearted Priam, and for Priam’s children.

If I could see him going down within Hades,

285I would say I had put joyless misery out of mind.”

286ὣς ἔφαθʼ, ἣ δὲ μολοῦσα ποτὶ μέγαρʼ ἀμφιπόλοισι

κέκλετο· ταὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀόλλισσαν κατὰ ἄστυ γεραιάς.

αὐτὴ δʼ ἐς θάλαμον κατεβήσετο κηώεντα,

ἔνθʼ ἔσάν οἱ πέπλοι παμποίκιλα ἔργα γυναικῶν

290Σιδονίων, τὰς αὐτὸς Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδὴς

ἤγαγε Σιδονίηθεν ἐπιπλὼς εὐρέα πόντον,

τὴν ὁδὸν ἣν Ἑλένην περ ἀνήγαγεν εὐπατέρειαν·

τῶν ἕνʼ ἀειραμένη Ἑκάβη φέρε δῶρον Ἀθήνῃ,

ὃς κάλλιστος ἔην ποικίλμασιν ἠδὲ μέγιστος,

295ἀστὴρ δʼ ὣς ἀπέλαμπεν· ἔκειτο δὲ νείατος ἄλλων.

βῆ δʼ ἰέναι, πολλαὶ δὲ μετεσσεύοντο γεραιαί.

286So he spoke. She went into the palace and called to her attendants,

and they gathered the elder women throughout the city.

Hecuba herself went down into the fragrant chamber,

where her robes lay, richly patterned works of Sidonian women

290whom godlike Alexander himself

had brought from Sidon, sailing over the broad sea

on the voyage when he brought Helen of noble parentage.

Hecuba lifted one of these and carried it as a gift for Athena,

the most beautiful in pattern and the largest of them all;

295it shone like a star and lay beneath the rest.

She set out, and many elder women hurried after her.

297αἱ δʼ ὅτε νηὸν ἵκανον Ἀθήνης ἐν πόλει ἄκρῃ,

τῇσι θύρας ὤϊξε Θεανὼ καλλιπάρῃος

Κισσηῒς ἄλοχος Ἀντήνορος ἱπποδάμοιο·

300τὴν γὰρ Τρῶες ἔθηκαν Ἀθηναίης ἱέρειαν.

αἳ δʼ ὀλολυγῇ πᾶσαι Ἀθήνῃ χεῖρας ἀνέσχον·

ἣ δʼ ἄρα πέπλον ἑλοῦσα Θεανὼ καλλιπάρῃος

θῆκεν Ἀθηναίης ἐπὶ γούνασιν ἠϋκόμοιο,

εὐχομένη δʼ ἠρᾶτο Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο·

305πότνιʼ Ἀθηναίη ἐρυσίπτολι δῖα θεάων

ἆξον δὴ ἔγχος Διομήδεος, ἠδὲ καὶ αὐτὸν

πρηνέα δὸς πεσέειν Σκαιῶν προπάροιθε πυλάων,

ὄφρά τοι αὐτίκα νῦν δυοκαίδεκα βοῦς ἐνὶ νηῷ

ἤνις ἠκέστας ἱερεύσομεν, αἴ κʼ ἐλεήσῃς

310ἄστύ τε καὶ Τρώων ἀλόχους καὶ νήπια τέκνα.

ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχομένη, ἀνένευε δὲ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.

297When they reached Athena’s temple on the citadel,

fair-cheeked Theano opened the doors for them,

daughter of Cisseus and wife of horse-taming Antenor;

300the Trojans had appointed her priestess of Athena.

All the women raised their hands to Athena with a ritual cry.

Then fair-cheeked Theano took the robe

and laid it upon the knees of lovely-haired Athena.

Praying aloud, she appealed to the daughter of mighty Zeus:

305“Lady Athena, defender of the city, radiant among goddesses,

break Diomedes’ spear, and grant that he himself

fall face-first before the Scaean Gates,

and now at once we will sacrifice twelve cows in your temple,

yearling heifers, unbroken by the goad, if you take pity

310on the city, the wives of the Trojans, and their infant children.”

So she spoke in prayer, but Pallas Athena shook her head in refusal.

312ὣς αἳ μέν ῥʼ εὔχοντο Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο,

Ἕκτωρ δὲ πρὸς δώματʼ Ἀλεξάνδροιο βεβήκει

καλά, τά ῥʼ αὐτὸς ἔτευξε σὺν ἀνδράσιν οἳ τότʼ ἄριστοι

315ἦσαν ἐνὶ Τροίῃ ἐριβώλακι τέκτονες ἄνδρες,

οἵ οἱ ἐποίησαν θάλαμον καὶ δῶμα καὶ αὐλὴν

ἐγγύθι τε Πριάμοιο καὶ Ἕκτορος ἐν πόλει ἄκρῃ.

ἔνθʼ Ἕκτωρ εἰσῆλθε Διῒ φίλος, ἐν δʼ ἄρα χειρὶ

ἔγχος ἔχʼ ἑνδεκάπηχυ· πάροιθε δὲ λάμπετο δουρὸς

320αἰχμὴ χαλκείη, περὶ δὲ χρύσεος θέε πόρκης.

τὸν δʼ εὗρʼ ἐν θαλάμῳ περικαλλέα τεύχεʼ ἕποντα

ἀσπίδα καὶ θώρηκα, καὶ ἀγκύλα τόξʼ ἁφόωντα·

Ἀργείη δʼ Ἑλένη μετʼ ἄρα δμῳῇσι γυναιξὶν

ἧστο καὶ ἀμφιπόλοισι περικλυτὰ ἔργα κέλευε.

325τὸν δʼ Ἕκτωρ νείκεσσεν ἰδὼν αἰσχροῖς ἐπέεσσι·

312So the women prayed to the daughter of mighty Zeus,

while Hector went toward Alexander’s beautiful house,

which he himself had built with the finest

315craftsmen then in fertile Troy.

They had made him a chamber, hall, and courtyard

near the houses of Priam and Hector on the city’s height.

Hector, dear to Zeus, entered there. In his hand

he held an eleven-cubit spear; before him the bronze

320point gleamed, and a golden ring ran around the shaft.

He found Alexander in the chamber handling his splendid armor—

shield and corselet—and fingering his curved bow.

Argive Helen sat among her serving women,

directing their splendid work.

325When Hector saw him, he rebuked him with words of scorn:

326δαιμόνιʼ οὐ μὲν καλὰ χόλον τόνδʼ ἔνθεο θυμῷ,

λαοὶ μὲν φθινύθουσι περὶ πτόλιν αἰπύ τε τεῖχος

μαρνάμενοι· σέο δʼ εἵνεκʼ ἀϋτή τε πτόλεμός τε

ἄστυ τόδʼ ἀμφιδέδηε· σὺ δʼ ἂν μαχέσαιο καὶ ἄλλῳ,

330ὅν τινά που μεθιέντα ἴδοις στυγεροῦ πολέμοιο.

ἀλλʼ ἄνα μὴ τάχα ἄστυ πυρὸς δηΐοιο θέρηται.

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδής·

Ἕκτορ ἐπεί με κατʼ αἶσαν ἐνείκεσας οὐδʼ ὑπὲρ αἶσαν,

τοὔνεκά τοι ἐρέω· σὺ δὲ σύνθεο καί μευ ἄκουσον·

335οὔ τοι ἐγὼ Τρώων τόσσον χόλῳ οὐδὲ νεμέσσι

ἥμην ἐν θαλάμῳ, ἔθελον δʼ ἄχεϊ προτραπέσθαι.

νῦν δέ με παρειποῦσʼ ἄλοχος μαλακοῖς ἐπέεσσιν

ὅρμησʼ ἐς πόλεμον· δοκέει δέ μοι ὧδε καὶ αὐτῷ

λώϊον ἔσσεσθαι· νίκη δʼ ἐπαμείβεται ἄνδρας.

340ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἐπίμεινον, Ἀρήϊα τεύχεα δύω·

ἢ ἴθʼ, ἐγὼ δὲ μέτειμι· κιχήσεσθαι δέ σʼ ὀΐω.

ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ οὔ τι προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

326“Strange man, this anger you nurse in your heart is not right.

The people are dying as they fight around the city

and its steep wall; for your sake the battle cry and war

blaze around this city. You yourself would fight any other man

330you saw hanging back from hateful war.

Up now, before the city is consumed by enemy fire.”

Then godlike Alexander answered him:

“Hector, since you rebuke me rightly, and not beyond what is right,

that is why I will tell you; take it to heart and hear me.

335It was not so much from anger or indignation against the Trojans

that I sat in the chamber; I wished to give way to grief.

But now my wife has spoken to me with gentle words

and urged me into battle. To me as well, this seems

the better course. Victory passes from man to man.

340Come, wait now while I put on my war gear;

or go, and I will follow—I think I can catch you.”

So he spoke, but Hector of the flashing helmet gave no answer.

343τὸν δʼ Ἑλένη μύθοισι προσηύδα μειλιχίοισι·

δᾶερ ἐμεῖο κυνὸς κακομηχάνου ὀκρυοέσσης,

345ὥς μʼ ὄφελʼ ἤματι τῷ ὅτε με πρῶτον τέκε μήτηρ

οἴχεσθαι προφέρουσα κακὴ ἀνέμοιο θύελλα

εἰς ὄρος ἢ εἰς κῦμα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης,

ἔνθά με κῦμʼ ἀπόερσε πάρος τάδε ἔργα γενέσθαι.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τάδε γʼ ὧδε θεοὶ κακὰ τεκμήραντο,

350ἀνδρὸς ἔπειτʼ ὤφελλον ἀμείνονος εἶναι ἄκοιτις,

ὃς ᾔδη νέμεσίν τε καὶ αἴσχεα πόλλʼ ἀνθρώπων.

τούτῳ δʼ οὔτʼ ἂρ νῦν φρένες ἔμπεδοι οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ὀπίσσω

ἔσσονται· τὼ καί μιν ἐπαυρήσεσθαι ὀΐω.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν εἴσελθε καὶ ἕζεο τῷδʼ ἐπὶ δίφρῳ

355δᾶερ, ἐπεί σε μάλιστα πόνος φρένας ἀμφιβέβηκεν

εἵνεκʼ ἐμεῖο κυνὸς καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου ἕνεκʼ ἄτης,

οἷσιν ἐπὶ Ζεὺς θῆκε κακὸν μόρον, ὡς καὶ ὀπίσσω

ἀνθρώποισι πελώμεθʼ ἀοίδιμοι ἐσσομένοισι.

τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ

360μή με κάθιζʼ Ἑλένη φιλέουσά περ· οὐδέ με πείσεις·

ἤδη γάρ μοι θυμὸς ἐπέσσυται ὄφρʼ ἐπαμύνω

Τρώεσσʼ, οἳ μέγʼ ἐμεῖο ποθὴν ἀπεόντος ἔχουσιν.

ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ ὄρνυθι τοῦτον, ἐπειγέσθω δὲ καὶ αὐτός,

ὥς κεν ἔμʼ ἔντοσθεν πόλιος καταμάρψῃ ἐόντα.

365καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼν οἶκον δὲ ἐλεύσομαι ὄφρα ἴδωμαι

οἰκῆας ἄλοχόν τε φίλην καὶ νήπιον υἱόν.

οὐ γὰρ οἶδʼ εἰ ἔτι σφιν ὑπότροπος ἵξομαι αὖτις,

ἦ ἤδη μʼ ὑπὸ χερσὶ θεοὶ δαμόωσιν Ἀχαιῶν.

343Then Helen addressed Hector with gentle words:

“My brother-in-law—I am a hateful, scheming bitch.

345If only, on the day my mother first gave birth to me,

an evil gale had swept me away

to a mountain or into the wave of the roaring sea,

where the wave might have carried me off before these deeds were done.

But since the gods ordained these evils so,

350I should have been the wife of a better man,

one who understood men’s indignation and their many reproaches.

This man’s mind is not steady now, nor will it be

hereafter, and I think he will feel the consequences.

But come inside now and sit upon this stool,

355brother, for toil weighs on your mind more than on any other,

because of me, the bitch, and Alexander’s delusion.

Zeus has laid an evil doom upon us, so that even hereafter

we may be a theme of song for people yet to be born.”

Then great Hector of the flashing helmet answered her:

360“Do not ask me to sit, Helen, though you love me; you will not persuade me.

My spirit is already surging to aid

the Trojans, who feel a great longing for me while I am away.

But rouse this man, and let him hurry too,

so he may catch me while I am still inside the city.

365I too am going home, so that I may see

my household, my dear wife, and my infant son.

For I do not know whether I shall ever return to them again,

or whether the gods will subdue me now beneath Achaean hands.”

369ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἀπέβη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

370αἶψα δʼ ἔπειθʼ ἵκανε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,

οὐδʼ εὗρʼ Ἀνδρομάχην λευκώλενον ἐν μεγάροισιν,

ἀλλʼ ἥ γε ξὺν παιδὶ καὶ ἀμφιπόλῳ ἐϋπέπλῳ

πύργῳ ἐφεστήκει γοόωσά τε μυρομένη τε.

Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς οὐκ ἔνδον ἀμύμονα τέτμεν ἄκοιτιν

375ἔστη ἐπʼ οὐδὸν ἰών, μετὰ δὲ δμῳῇσιν ἔειπεν·

εἰ δʼ ἄγε μοι δμῳαὶ νημερτέα μυθήσασθε·

πῇ ἔβη Ἀνδρομάχη λευκώλενος ἐκ μεγάροιο;

ἠέ πῃ ἐς γαλόων ἢ εἰνατέρων ἐϋπέπλων

ἢ ἐς Ἀθηναίης ἐξοίχεται, ἔνθά περ ἄλλαι

380Τρῳαὶ ἐϋπλόκαμοι δεινὴν θεὸν ἱλάσκονται;

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ ὀτρηρὴ ταμίη πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·

Ἕκτορ ἐπεὶ μάλʼ ἄνωγας ἀληθέα μυθήσασθαι,

οὔτέ πῃ ἐς γαλόων οὔτʼ εἰνατέρων ἐϋπέπλων

οὔτʼ ἐς Ἀθηναίης ἐξοίχεται, ἔνθά περ ἄλλαι

385Τρῳαὶ ἐϋπλόκαμοι δεινὴν θεὸν ἱλάσκονται,

ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ πύργον ἔβη μέγαν Ἰλίου, οὕνεκʼ ἄκουσε

τείρεσθαι Τρῶας, μέγα δὲ κράτος εἶναι Ἀχαιῶν.

ἣ μὲν δὴ πρὸς τεῖχος ἐπειγομένη ἀφικάνει

μαινομένῃ ἐϊκυῖα· φέρει δʼ ἅμα παῖδα τιθήνη.

390ἦ ῥα γυνὴ ταμίη, ὃ δʼ ἀπέσσυτο δώματος Ἕκτωρ

τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν αὖτις ἐϋκτιμένας κατʼ ἀγυιάς.

369So Hector of the flashing helmet spoke and went away.

370Soon he reached his well-inhabited home,

but did not find white-armed Andromache in the halls.

Instead, with her child and a well-robed attendant,

she was standing on the tower, lamenting and shedding tears.

When Hector did not find his blameless wife inside,

375he went and stood upon the threshold, then said to the maids:

“Come, maids, tell me the unerring truth.

Where has white-armed Andromache gone from the house?

Has she gone to my sisters, or to my brothers’ well-robed wives,

or has she gone to Athena’s temple, where the other

380lovely-haired Trojan women are appeasing the dread goddess?”

The diligent housekeeper answered him:

“Hector, since you insist that I tell you the truth,

she has not gone to your sisters or your brothers’ well-robed wives,

nor has she gone to Athena’s temple, where the other

385lovely-haired Trojan women are appeasing the dread goddess.

She has gone instead to the great tower of Ilium, because she heard

the Trojans are hard pressed and the Achaeans hold great power.

She has hurried to the wall,

like a madwoman; the nurse carries the child with her.”

390So the housekeeper spoke, and Hector rushed from the house

back along the same road through the well-built streets.

392εὖτε πύλας ἵκανε διερχόμενος μέγα ἄστυ

Σκαιάς, τῇ ἄρʼ ἔμελλε διεξίμεναι πεδίον δέ,

ἔνθʼ ἄλοχος πολύδωρος ἐναντίη ἦλθε θέουσα

395Ἀνδρομάχη θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος Ἠετίωνος

Ἠετίων ὃς ἔναιεν ὑπὸ Πλάκῳ ὑληέσσῃ

Θήβῃ Ὑποπλακίῃ Κιλίκεσσʼ ἄνδρεσσιν ἀνάσσων·

τοῦ περ δὴ θυγάτηρ ἔχεθʼ Ἕκτορι χαλκοκορυστῇ.

ἥ οἱ ἔπειτʼ ἤντησʼ, ἅμα δʼ ἀμφίπολος κίεν αὐτῇ

400παῖδʼ ἐπὶ κόλπῳ ἔχουσʼ ἀταλάφρονα νήπιον αὔτως

Ἑκτορίδην ἀγαπητὸν ἀλίγκιον ἀστέρι καλῷ,

τόν ῥʼ Ἕκτωρ καλέεσκε Σκαμάνδριον, αὐτὰρ οἱ ἄλλοι

Ἀστυάνακτʼ· οἶος γὰρ ἐρύετο Ἴλιον Ἕκτωρ.

ἤτοι ὃ μὲν μείδησεν ἰδὼν ἐς παῖδα σιωπῇ·

405Ἀνδρομάχη δέ οἱ ἄγχι παρίστατο δάκρυ χέουσα,

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

392When, after crossing the great city, he reached

the Scaean Gates, where he was about to pass out to the plain,

his richly dowered wife came running to meet him,

395Andromache, daughter of great-hearted Eetion.

Eetion had lived beneath wooded Placus

in Thebe under Placus, ruling the Cilician men.

His daughter was wedded to bronze-helmeted Hector.

She met him there; her attendant came beside her,

400holding at her breast the tender child, still only an infant,

Hector’s beloved son, like a lovely star.

Hector called him Scamandrius, but all the others

called him Astyanax, for Hector alone defended Ilium.

Hector looked at his son and smiled in silence.

405Andromache stood close beside him, shedding tears;

she clasped his hand, spoke, and called him by name:

407δαιμόνιε φθίσει σε τὸ σὸν μένος, οὐδʼ ἐλεαίρεις

παῖδά τε νηπίαχον καὶ ἔμʼ ἄμμορον, ἣ τάχα χήρη

σεῦ ἔσομαι· τάχα γάρ σε κατακτανέουσιν Ἀχαιοὶ

410πάντες ἐφορμηθέντες· ἐμοὶ δέ κε κέρδιον εἴη

σεῦ ἀφαμαρτούσῃ χθόνα δύμεναι· οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ ἄλλη

ἔσται θαλπωρὴ ἐπεὶ ἂν σύ γε πότμον ἐπίσπῃς

ἀλλʼ ἄχεʼ· οὐδέ μοι ἔστι πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ.

ἤτοι γὰρ πατέρʼ ἁμὸν ἀπέκτανε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,

415ἐκ δὲ πόλιν πέρσεν Κιλίκων εὖ ναιετάουσαν

Θήβην ὑψίπυλον· κατὰ δʼ ἔκτανεν Ἠετίωνα,

οὐδέ μιν ἐξενάριξε, σεβάσσατο γὰρ τό γε θυμῷ,

ἀλλʼ ἄρα μιν κατέκηε σὺν ἔντεσι δαιδαλέοισιν

ἠδʼ ἐπὶ σῆμʼ ἔχεεν· περὶ δὲ πτελέας ἐφύτευσαν

420νύμφαι ὀρεστιάδες κοῦραι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.

οἳ δέ μοι ἑπτὰ κασίγνητοι ἔσαν ἐν μεγάροισιν

οἳ μὲν πάντες ἰῷ κίον ἤματι Ἄϊδος εἴσω·

πάντας γὰρ κατέπεφνε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς

βουσὶν ἐπʼ εἰλιπόδεσσι καὶ ἀργεννῇς ὀΐεσσι.

425μητέρα δʼ, ἣ βασίλευεν ὑπὸ Πλάκῳ ὑληέσσῃ,

τὴν ἐπεὶ ἂρ δεῦρʼ ἤγαγʼ ἅμʼ ἄλλοισι κτεάτεσσιν,

ἂψ ὅ γε τὴν ἀπέλυσε λαβὼν ἀπερείσιʼ ἄποινα,

πατρὸς δʼ ἐν μεγάροισι βάλʼ Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα.

Ἕκτορ ἀτὰρ σύ μοί ἐσσι πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ

430ἠδὲ κασίγνητος, σὺ δέ μοι θαλερὸς παρακοίτης·

ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἐλέαιρε καὶ αὐτοῦ μίμνʼ ἐπὶ πύργῳ,

μὴ παῖδʼ ὀρφανικὸν θήῃς χήρην τε γυναῖκα·

λαὸν δὲ στῆσον παρʼ ἐρινεόν, ἔνθα μάλιστα

ἀμβατός ἐστι πόλις καὶ ἐπίδρομον ἔπλετο τεῖχος.

435τρὶς γὰρ τῇ γʼ ἐλθόντες ἐπειρήσανθʼ οἱ ἄριστοι

ἀμφʼ Αἴαντε δύω καὶ ἀγακλυτὸν Ἰδομενῆα

ἠδʼ ἀμφʼ Ἀτρεΐδας καὶ Τυδέος ἄλκιμον υἱόν·

ἤ πού τίς σφιν ἔνισπε θεοπροπίων ἐῢ εἰδώς,

ἤ νυ καὶ αὐτῶν θυμὸς ἐποτρύνει καὶ ἀνώγει.

407“Strange man, your own force will destroy you. You have no pity

for your little child or for wretched me, soon to be

your widow. Soon the Achaeans will kill you,

410all rushing upon you. For me it would be better,

when I lose you, to go beneath the earth. No other

comfort will remain when you meet your death,

only grief. I have no father or lady mother.

Godlike Achilles killed my father

415and sacked the well-inhabited city of the Cilicians,

high-gated Thebe; there he killed Eetion.

Yet he did not strip him, for in his heart he felt reverence,

but burned him with his richly wrought armor

and heaped a mound above him; around it the mountain nymphs,

420daughters of aegis-bearing Zeus, planted elms.

I had seven brothers in the halls.

All went down to Hades on a single day,

for swift-footed godlike Achilles killed them all

among their shambling cattle and white sheep.

425My mother, who was queen beneath wooded Placus,

he brought here with all the other possessions,

then released her again for a boundless ransom;

but in her father’s halls arrow-showering Artemis struck her down.

Hector, you are father to me and lady mother,

430and brother; you are my husband in the flower of strength.

Come now, take pity and stay here upon the tower;

do not make your child an orphan and your wife a widow.

Station the troops beside the fig tree, where the city

is easiest to scale and the wall most open to attack.

435Three times the best men have come and tested it there—

the two Ajaxes, renowned Idomeneus,

the sons of Atreus, and the strong son of Tydeus.

Either some man skilled in prophecy told them,

or their own spirit urges and commands them.”

440τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

ἦ καὶ ἐμοὶ τάδε πάντα μέλει γύναι· ἀλλὰ μάλʼ αἰνῶς

αἰδέομαι Τρῶας καὶ Τρῳάδας ἑλκεσιπέπλους,

αἴ κε κακὸς ὣς νόσφιν ἀλυσκάζω πολέμοιο·

οὐδέ με θυμὸς ἄνωγεν, ἐπεὶ μάθον ἔμμεναι ἐσθλὸς

445αἰεὶ καὶ πρώτοισι μετὰ Τρώεσσι μάχεσθαι

ἀρνύμενος πατρός τε μέγα κλέος ἠδʼ ἐμὸν αὐτοῦ.

εὖ γὰρ ἐγὼ τόδε οἶδα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν·

ἔσσεται ἦμαρ ὅτʼ ἄν ποτʼ ὀλώλῃ Ἴλιος ἱρὴ

καὶ Πρίαμος καὶ λαὸς ἐϋμμελίω Πριάμοιο.

450ἀλλʼ οὔ μοι Τρώων τόσσον μέλει ἄλγος ὀπίσσω,

οὔτʼ αὐτῆς Ἑκάβης οὔτε Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος

οὔτε κασιγνήτων, οἵ κεν πολέες τε καὶ ἐσθλοὶ

ἐν κονίῃσι πέσοιεν ὑπʼ ἀνδράσι δυσμενέεσσιν,

ὅσσον σεῦ, ὅτε κέν τις Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων

455δακρυόεσσαν ἄγηται ἐλεύθερον ἦμαρ ἀπούρας·

καί κεν ἐν Ἄργει ἐοῦσα πρὸς ἄλλης ἱστὸν ὑφαίνοις,

καί κεν ὕδωρ φορέοις Μεσσηΐδος ἢ Ὑπερείης

πόλλʼ ἀεκαζομένη, κρατερὴ δʼ ἐπικείσετʼ ἀνάγκη·

καί ποτέ τις εἴπῃσιν ἰδὼν κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσαν·

460Ἕκτορος ἥδε γυνὴ ὃς ἀριστεύεσκε μάχεσθαι

Τρώων ἱπποδάμων ὅτε Ἴλιον ἀμφεμάχοντο.

ὥς ποτέ τις ἐρέει· σοὶ δʼ αὖ νέον ἔσσεται ἄλγος

χήτεϊ τοιοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς ἀμύνειν δούλιον ἦμαρ.

ἀλλά με τεθνηῶτα χυτὴ κατὰ γαῖα καλύπτοι

465πρίν γέ τι σῆς τε βοῆς σοῦ θʼ ἑλκηθμοῖο πυθέσθαι.

440Then great Hector of the flashing helmet answered her:

“All this concerns me too, wife. But I would feel terrible shame

before the Trojans and Trojan women in trailing robes

if I hung back from war like a coward.

Nor does my spirit command it. I have learned to be brave

445always and to fight among the foremost Trojans,

winning great fame for my father and myself.

For I know this well, in mind and spirit:

the day will come when sacred Ilium falls,

with Priam and the people of Priam, skilled with the spear.

450Yet I do not grieve so much for the Trojans’ suffering to come,

nor for Hecuba herself, nor for lord Priam,

nor my brothers, many and brave though they may be,

who may fall in the dust beneath enemy hands,

as I grieve for you, when some bronze-clad Achaean

455leads you away in tears, taking away your day of freedom.

Then in Argos you may weave at another woman’s loom

and carry water from Messeis or Hypereia,

much against your will, while harsh necessity presses on you.

And someday someone may say, seeing you shed tears,

460‘This is the wife of Hector, who was always foremost in battle

among horse-taming Trojans when they fought around Ilium.’

So someone will say, and fresh grief will come upon you

for lack of such a husband to ward off the day of slavery.

But may the heaped earth cover me when I am dead

465before I hear your cries and learn of your being dragged away.”

466ὣς εἰπὼν οὗ παιδὸς ὀρέξατο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·

ἂψ δʼ ὃ πάϊς πρὸς κόλπον ἐϋζώνοιο τιθήνης

ἐκλίνθη ἰάχων πατρὸς φίλου ὄψιν ἀτυχθεὶς

ταρβήσας χαλκόν τε ἰδὲ λόφον ἱππιοχαίτην,

470δεινὸν ἀπʼ ἀκροτάτης κόρυθος νεύοντα νοήσας.

ἐκ δʼ ἐγέλασσε πατήρ τε φίλος καὶ πότνια μήτηρ·

αὐτίκʼ ἀπὸ κρατὸς κόρυθʼ εἵλετο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ,

καὶ τὴν μὲν κατέθηκεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ παμφανόωσαν·

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ὃν φίλον υἱὸν ἐπεὶ κύσε πῆλέ τε χερσὶν

475εἶπε δʼ ἐπευξάμενος Διί τʼ ἄλλοισίν τε θεοῖσι·

Ζεῦ ἄλλοι τε θεοὶ δότε δὴ καὶ τόνδε γενέσθαι

παῖδʼ ἐμὸν ὡς καὶ ἐγώ περ ἀριπρεπέα Τρώεσσιν,

ὧδε βίην τʼ ἀγαθόν, καὶ Ἰλίου ἶφι ἀνάσσειν·

καί ποτέ τις εἴποι πατρός γʼ ὅδε πολλὸν ἀμείνων

480ἐκ πολέμου ἀνιόντα· φέροι δʼ ἔναρα βροτόεντα

κτείνας δήϊον ἄνδρα, χαρείη δὲ φρένα μήτηρ.

ὣς εἰπὼν ἀλόχοιο φίλης ἐν χερσὶν ἔθηκε

παῖδʼ ἑόν· ἣ δʼ ἄρα μιν κηώδεϊ δέξατο κόλπῳ

δακρυόεν γελάσασα· πόσις δʼ ἐλέησε νοήσας,

485χειρί τέ μιν κατέρεξεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·

466So glorious Hector spoke and reached out for his son.

But the child shrank back into the well-girded nurse’s breast,

crying, frightened by the sight of his dear father,

afraid of the bronze and the horsehair crest

470he saw nodding dreadfully from the helmet’s peak.

His dear father and lady mother both laughed aloud.

At once glorious Hector took the helmet from his head

and set it on the ground, all flashing.

Then he kissed his dear son and dandled him in his hands,

475and prayed aloud to Zeus and the other gods:

“Zeus and you other gods, grant that this son of mine

may become, as I am, preeminent among the Trojans,

great in strength, and rule Ilium by his might.

And may someone someday say, ‘This man is far better than his father,’

480as he comes back from battle carrying bloodied spoils

after killing an enemy warrior, and may his mother’s heart rejoice.”

So speaking, he placed his son in the hands of his dear wife.

She took him to her fragrant breast,

smiling through tears. Her husband saw her and pitied her.

485He stroked her with his hand, spoke, and called her by name:

486δαιμονίη μή μοί τι λίην ἀκαχίζεο θυμῷ·

οὐ γάρ τίς μʼ ὑπὲρ αἶσαν ἀνὴρ Ἄϊδι προϊάψει·

μοῖραν δʼ οὔ τινά φημι πεφυγμένον ἔμμεναι ἀνδρῶν,

οὐ κακὸν οὐδὲ μὲν ἐσθλόν, ἐπὴν τὰ πρῶτα γένηται.

490ἀλλʼ εἰς οἶκον ἰοῦσα τὰ σʼ αὐτῆς ἔργα κόμιζε

ἱστόν τʼ ἠλακάτην τε, καὶ ἀμφιπόλοισι κέλευε

ἔργον ἐποίχεσθαι· πόλεμος δʼ ἄνδρεσσι μελήσει

πᾶσι, μάλιστα δʼ ἐμοί, τοὶ Ἰλίῳ ἐγγεγάασιν.

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας κόρυθʼ εἵλετο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ

495ἵππουριν· ἄλοχος δὲ φίλη οἶκον δὲ βεβήκει

ἐντροπαλιζομένη, θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα.

αἶψα δʼ ἔπειθʼ ἵκανε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας

Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο, κιχήσατο δʼ ἔνδοθι πολλὰς

ἀμφιπόλους, τῇσιν δὲ γόον πάσῃσιν ἐνῶρσεν.

500αἳ μὲν ἔτι ζωὸν γόον Ἕκτορα ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ·

οὐ γάρ μιν ἔτʼ ἔφαντο ὑπότροπον ἐκ πολέμοιο

ἵξεσθαι προφυγόντα μένος καὶ χεῖρας Ἀχαιῶν.

486“Strange woman, do not let your heart grieve too deeply for me.

No man will send me to Hades beyond my allotted fate;

and no man, I tell you, has ever escaped his portion,

coward or brave, once he has been born.

490Go home now and attend to your own work,

the loom and distaff, and order your attendants

to go about their work. War will be the concern of the men,

all who were born in Ilium, and me above all.”

So glorious Hector spoke and took up his horsehair-crested helmet.

495His dear wife went on home,

turning back again and again, shedding abundant tears.

Soon she reached the well-inhabited home

of man-killing Hector and found many attendants inside;

she stirred lament among them all.

500In his own house they mourned Hector while he was still alive,

for they did not think he would come back again from battle,

having escaped the force and hands of the Achaeans.

503οὐδὲ Πάρις δήθυνεν ἐν ὑψηλοῖσι δόμοισιν,

ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ, ἐπεὶ κατέδυ κλυτὰ τεύχεα ποικίλα χαλκῷ,

505σεύατʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀνὰ ἄστυ ποσὶ κραιπνοῖσι πεποιθώς.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε τις στατὸς ἵππος ἀκοστήσας ἐπὶ φάτνῃ

δεσμὸν ἀπορρήξας θείῃ πεδίοιο κροαίνων

εἰωθὼς λούεσθαι ἐϋρρεῖος ποταμοῖο

κυδιόων· ὑψοῦ δὲ κάρη ἔχει, ἀμφὶ δὲ χαῖται

510ὤμοις ἀΐσσονται· ὃ δʼ ἀγλαΐηφι πεποιθὼς

ῥίμφά ἑ γοῦνα φέρει μετά τʼ ἤθεα καὶ νομὸν ἵππων·

ὣς υἱὸς Πριάμοιο Πάρις κατὰ Περγάμου ἄκρης

τεύχεσι παμφαίνων ὥς τʼ ἠλέκτωρ ἐβεβήκει

καγχαλόων, ταχέες δὲ πόδες φέρον· αἶψα δʼ ἔπειτα

515Ἕκτορα δῖον ἔτετμεν ἀδελφεὸν εὖτʼ ἄρʼ ἔμελλε

στρέψεσθʼ ἐκ χώρης ὅθι ᾗ ὀάριζε γυναικί.

503Paris too did not linger in his high-roofed house.

Once he had put on his glorious armor, richly worked with bronze,

505he rushed through the city, trusting in his swift feet.

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

breaks its tether and races, pounding over the plain,

accustomed to bathe in the fair-flowing river,

exulting; it holds its head high, and its mane

510streams over its shoulders. Proud in its splendor,

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

so Paris, Priam’s son, came down from Pergamus’ height,

his armor flashing like the sun,

laughing aloud; his swift feet carried him. Soon

515he met his brother, godlike Hector, just as Hector

was about to turn from the place where he had spoken with his wife.

517τὸν πρότερος προσέειπεν Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδής·

ἠθεῖʼ ἦ μάλα δή σε καὶ ἐσσύμενον κατερύκω

δηθύνων, οὐδʼ ἦλθον ἐναίσιμον ὡς ἐκέλευες;

520τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

δαιμόνιʼ οὐκ ἄν τίς τοι ἀνὴρ ὃς ἐναίσιμος εἴη

ἔργον ἀτιμήσειε μάχης, ἐπεὶ ἄλκιμός ἐσσι·

ἀλλὰ ἑκὼν μεθιεῖς τε καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλεις· τὸ δʼ ἐμὸν κῆρ

ἄχνυται ἐν θυμῷ, ὅθʼ ὑπὲρ σέθεν αἴσχεʼ ἀκούω

525πρὸς Τρώων, οἳ ἔχουσι πολὺν πόνον εἵνεκα σεῖο.

ἀλλʼ ἴομεν· τὰ δʼ ὄπισθεν ἀρεσσόμεθʼ, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς

δώῃ ἐπουρανίοισι θεοῖς αἰειγενέτῃσι

κρητῆρα στήσασθαι ἐλεύθερον ἐν μεγάροισιν

ἐκ Τροίης ἐλάσαντας ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς.

517Godlike Alexander addressed him first:

“Brother, have I really held you back, eager as you were,

by lingering and failing to come in time, as you ordered?”

520Hector of the flashing helmet answered him:

“Strange man, no fair-minded man

would dishonor your work in battle, since you are brave.

But you hang back deliberately and will not fight; my heart

aches within me whenever I hear reproaches against you

525from the Trojans, who endure so much toil because of you.

But let us go; we will make amends hereafter, if ever Zeus

grants that we may set for the everlasting gods of heaven

a mixing bowl of freedom in our halls,

after driving the well-greaved Achaeans out of Troy.”