The Iliad by Homer

Even then Idomeneus,

though his hair was flecked with grey,

called on the Danaans,

and leaping among the Trojans,

roused their terror.

For he slew Othryoneus of Kabesos,

a sojourner there,

who but lately had followed after the rumour of war,

and asked in marriage the fairest of the daughters of Priam,

Kassandra,

without gifts of wooing,

but with promise of mighty deed,

namely that he would drive perforce out of Troy-land the sons of the Achaians.

To him the old man Priam had promised and appointed that he would give her,

so he fought trusting in his promises.

And Idomeneus aimed at him with a bright spear,

and cast and smote him as he came proudly striding on,

and the corslet of bronze that he wore availed not,

but the lance struck in the midst of his belly.

And he fell with a crash,

and Idomeneus boasted over him,

and lifted up his voice,

saying:

“Othryoneus,

verily I praise thee above all mortal men,

if indeed thou shalt accomplish all that thou hast promised Priam,

son of Dardanos,

that promised thee again his own daughter.

Yea,

and we likewise would promise as much to thee,

and fulfil it,

and would give thee the fairest daughter of the son of Atreus,

and bring her from Argos,

and wed her to thee,

if only thou wilt aid us to take the fair-set citadel of Ilios.

Nay,

follow us that we may make a covenant of marriage by the seafaring ships,

for we are no hard exacters of gifts of wooing.”

Therewith the hero Idomeneus dragged him by the foot across the fierce mellay.

But Asios came to his aid,

on foot before his horses that the charioteer guided so that still their breath touched the shoulders of Asios.

And the desire of his heart was to cast at Idomeneus,

who was beforehand with him,

and smote him with the spear in the throat,

below the chin,

and drove the point straight through.

And he fell as an oak falls,

or a poplar,

or tall pine tree,

that craftsmen have felled on the hills with new whetted axes,

to be a ship’s timber;

even so he lay stretched out before the horses and the chariot,

groaning,

and clutching the bloody dust.

And the charioteer was amazed,

and kept not his wits,

as of old,

and dared not turn his horses and avoid out of the hands of foemen;

and Antilochos the steadfast in war smote him,

and pierced the middle of his body with a spear.

Nothing availed the corslet of bronze he was wont to wear,

but he planted the spear fast in the midst of his belly.

Therewith he fell gasping from the well-wrought chariot,

and Antilochos,

the son of great-hearted Nestor,

drave the horses out from the Trojans,

among the well-greaved Achaians.

Then Deiphobos,

in sorrow for Asios,

drew very nigh Idomeneus,

and cast at him with his shining spear.

But Idomeneus steadily watching him,

avoided the spear of bronze,

being hidden beneath the circle of his shield,

the shield covered about with ox-hide and gleaming bronze,

that he allows bore,

fitted with two arm-rods:

under this he crouched together,

and the spear of bronze flew over.

And his shield rang sharply,

as the spear grazed thereon.

Yet it flew not vainly from the heavy hand of Deiphobos,

but smote Hypsenor,

son of Hippasos,

the shepherd of the hosts,

in the liver,

beneath the midriff,

and instantly unstrung his knees.

And Deiphobos boasted over him terribly,

crying aloud:

“Ah,

verily,

not unavenged lies Asios,

nay,

methinks,

that even on his road to Hades,

strong Warden of the gate,

he will rejoice at heart,

since,

lo,

I have sent him escort for the way!”

So spake he,

but grief came on the Argives by reason of his boast,

and stirred above all the soul of the wise-hearted Antilochos,

yet,

despite his sorrow,

he was not heedless of his dear comrade,

but ran and stood over him,

and covered him with his buckler.

Then two trusty companions,

Mekisteus,

son of Echios,

and goodly Alastor,

stooped down and lifted him,

and with heavy groaning bare him to the hollow ships.

And Idomeneus relaxed not his mighty force,

but ever was striving,

either to cover some one of the Trojans with black night,

or himself to fall in warding off death from the Achaians.

There the dear son of Aisyetes,

fosterling of Zeus,

even the hero Alkathoos,

was slain,

who was son-in-law of Anchises,

and had married the eldest of his daughters,

Hippodameia,

whom her father and her lady mother dearly loved in the halls,

for she excelled all the maidens of her age in beauty,

and skill,

and in wisdom,

wherefore the best man in wide Troy took her to wife.

This Alkathoos did Poseidon subdue to Idomeneus,

throwing a spell over his shining eyes,

and snaring his glorious limbs;

so that he might neither flee backwards,

nor avoid the stroke,

but stood steady as a pillar,

or a tree with lofty crown of leaves,

when the hero Idomeneus smote him in the midst of the breast with the spear,

and rent the coat of bronze about him,

that aforetime warded death from his body,

but now rang harsh as it was rent by the spear.

And he fell with a crash,

and the lance fixed in his heart,

that,

still beating,

shook the butt-end of the spear.

Then at length mighty Ares spent its fury there;

but Idomeneus boasted terribly,

and cried aloud:

“Deiphobos,

are we to deem it fair acquittal that we have slain three men for one,

since thou boastest thus?

Nay,

sir,

but stand thou up also thyself against me,

that thou mayst know what manner of son of Zeus am I that have come hither!

For Zeus first begat Minos,

the warden of Crete,

and Minos got him a son,

the noble Deukalion,

and Deukalion begat me,

a prince over many men in wide Crete,

and now have the ships brought me hither,

a bane to thee and thy father,

and all the Trojans.”

Thus he spake,

but the thoughts of Deiphobos were divided,

whether he should retreat,

and call to his aid some one of the great-hearted Trojans,

or should try the adventure alone.

And on this wise to his mind it seemed the better,

to go after Aineias,

whom he found standing the last in the press,

for Aineias was ever wroth against goodly Priam,

for that Priam gave him no honour,

despite his valour among men.

So Deiphobos stood by him,

and spake winged words to him:

“Aineias, thou counsellor of the Trojans,

now verily there is great need that thou shouldst succour thy sister’s husband,

if any care for kin doth touch thee.

Nay follow,

let us succour Alkathoos,

thy sister’s husband,

who of old did cherish thee in his hall,

while thou wert but a little one,

and now,

lo,

spear-famed Idomeneus hath stripped him of his arms!”

So he spake,

and roused the spirit in the breast of Aineias,

who went to seek Idomeneus,

with high thoughts of war.

But fear took not hold upon Idomeneus,

as though he had been some tender boy,

but he stood at bay,

like a boar on the hills that trusteth to his strength,

and abides the great assailing throng of men in a lonely place,

and he bristles up his back,

and his eyes shine with fire,

while he whets his tusks,

and is right eager to keep at bay both men and hounds.

Even so stood spear-famed Idomeneus at bay against Aineias,

that came to the rescue,

and gave ground no whit,

but called on his comrades,

glancing to Askalaphos,

and Aphareus,

and Deipyros,

and Meriones,

and Antilochos,

all masters of the war-cry;

them he spurred up to battle,

and spake winged words:

“Hither,

friends,

and rescue me,

all alone as I am,

and terribly I dread the onslaught of swift-footed Aineias,

that is assailing me;

for he is right strong to destroy men in battle,

and he hath the flower of youth,

the greatest avail that may be.

Yea,

if he and I were of like age,

and in this spirit whereof now we are,

speedily should he or I achieve high victory.”

So he spake,

and they all,

being of one spirit in their hearts,

stood hard by each other,

with buckler laid on shoulder.

But Aineias,

on the other side,

cried to his comrades,

glancing to Deiphobos,

and Paris,

and noble Agenor,

that with him were leaders of the Trojans;

and then the hosts followed them,

as sheep follow their leader to the water from the pasture,

and the shepherd is glad at heart;

even so the heart of Aineias was glad in his breast,

when he saw the hosts of the people following to aid him.

Then they rushed in close fight around Alkathoos with their long spears,

and round their breasts the bronze rang terribly,

as they aimed at each other in the press,

while two men of war beyond the rest,

Aineias and Idomeneus,

the peers of Ares,

were each striving to hew the flesh of the other with the pitiless bronze.

Now Aineias first cast at Idomeneus,

who steadily watching him avoided the spear of bronze,

and the point of Aineias went quivering in the earth,

since vainly it had flown from his stalwart hand.

But Idomeneus smote Oinomaos in the midst of the belly,

and brake the plate of his corslet,

and the bronze let forth the bowels through the corslet,

and he fell in the dust and clutched the earth in his palms.

And Idomeneus drew forth the far-shadowing spear from the dead,

but could not avail to strip the rest of the fair armour from his shoulders,

for the darts pressed hard on him.

Nay,

and his feet no longer served him firmly in a charge,

nor could he rush after his own spear,

nor avoid the foe.

Wherefore in close fight he still held off the pitiless day of destiny,

but in retreat:

his feet no longer bore him swiftly from the battle.

And as he was slowly departing,

Deiphobos aimed at him with his shining spear,

for verily he ever cherished a steadfast hatred against Idomeneus.

But this time,

too,

he missed him,

and smote Askalapbos,

the son of Enyalios,

with his dart,

and the strong spear passed through his shoulder,

and he fell in the dust,

and clutched the earth in his outstretched hand.

But loud-voiced awful Ares was not yet aware at all that his son had fallen in strong battle,

but he was reclining on the peak of Olympus,

beneath the golden clouds,

being held there by the design of Zeus,

where also were the other deathless gods,

restrained from the war.

Now the people rushed in close fight around Askalaphos,

and Deiphobos tore from Askalaphos his shining helm,

but Meriones,

the peer of swift Ares,

leaped forward and smote the arm of Deiphobos with his spear,

and from his hand the vizored casque fell clanging to the ground.

And Meriones sprang forth instantly,

like a vulture,

and drew the strong spear from the shoulder of Deiphobos,

and fell back among the throng of his comrades.

But the own brother of Deiphobos,

Polites,

stretched his hands round his waist,

and led him forth from the evil din of war,

even till he came to the swift horses,

that waited for him behind the battle and the fight,

with their charioteer,

and well-dight chariot.

These bore him heavily groaning to the city,

worn with his hurt,

and the blood ran down from his newly wounded arm.

But the rest still were fighting,

and the war-cry rose unquenched.

There Aineias rushed on Aphareus,

son of Kaletor,

and struck his throat,

that chanced to be turned to him,

with the keen spear,

and his head dropped down

and his shield and helm fell with him,

and death that slays the spirit overwhelmed him.

And Antilochos watched Thoon as he turned the other way,

and leaped on him,

and wounded him,

severing all the vein that runs up the back till it reaches the neck;

this he severed clean,

and Thoon fell on his back in the dust,

stretching out both his hands to his comrades dear.

Then Antilochos rushed on,

and stripped the armour from his shoulders,

glancing around while the Trojans gathered from here and there,

and smote his wide shining shield,

yet did not avail to graze,

behind the shield,

the delicate flesh of Antilochos with the pitiless bronze.

For verily Poseidon,

the Shaker of the earth,

did guard on every side the son of Nestor,

even in the midst of the javelins.

And never did Antilochos get free of the foe,

but turned him about among them,

nor ever was his spear at rest,

but always brandished and shaken,

and the aim of his heart was to smite a foeman from afar,

or to set on him at close quarters.

But as he was aiming through the crowd,

he escaped not the ken of Adamas,

son of Asios,

who smote the midst of his shield with the sharp bronze,

setting on nigh at hand;

but Poseidon of the dark locks made his shaft of no avail,

grudging him the life of Antilochos.

And part of the spear abode there,

like a burned stake,

in the shield of Antilochos,

and half lay on the earth,

and back retreated Adamas to the ranks of his comrades,

avoiding Fate.

But Meriones following after him as he departed,

smote him with a spear between the privy parts and the navel,

where a wound is most baneful to wretched mortals.

Even there he fixed the spear in him and he fell,

and writhed about the spear,

even as a bull that herdsmen on the hills drag along perforce when they have bound him with withes,

so he when he was smitten writhed for a moment,

not for long,

till the hero Meriones came near,

and drew the spear out of his body.

And darkness covered his eyes.

And Helenos in close fight smote Deipyros on the temple,

with a great Thracian sword,

and tore away the helm,

and the helm,

being dislodged,

fell on the ground,

and one of the Achaians in the fight picked it up as it rolled between his feet.

But dark night covered the eyes of Deipyros.

Then grief took hold of the son of Atreus,

Menelaos of the loud war-cry,

and he went with a threat against the warrior Helenos,

the prince,

shaking his sharp spear,

while the other drew the centre-piece of his bow.

And both at once were making ready to let fly,

one with his sharp spear,

the other with the arrow from the string.

Then the son of Priam smote Menelaos on the breast with his arrow,

on the plate of the corslet,

and off flew the bitter arrow.

Even as from a broad shovel in a great threshing floor,

fly the black-skinned beans and pulse,

before the whistling wind,

and the stress of the winnower’s shovel,

even so from the corslet of the renowned Menelaos flew glancing far aside the bitter arrow.

But the son of Atreus,

Menelaos of the loud war-cry,

smote the hand of Helenos wherein he held the polished bow,

and into the bow,

clean through the hand,

was driven the spear of bronze.

Back he withdrew to the ranks of his comrades,

avoiding Fate,

with his hand hanging down at his side,

for the ashen spear dragged after him.

And the great-hearted Agenor drew the spear from his hand,

and himself bound up the hand with a band of twisted sheep’s-wool,

a sling that a squire carried for him,

the shepherd of the host.

Then Peisandros made straight for renowned Menelaos,

but an evil Fate was leading him to the end of Death;

by thee,

Menelaos,

to be overcome in the dread strife of battle.

Now when the twain had come nigh in onset upon each other,

the son of Atreus missed,

and his spear was turned aside,

but Peisandros smote the shield of renowned Menelaos,

yet availed not to drive the bronze clean through,

for the wide shield caught it,

and the spear brake in the socket,

yet Peisandros rejoiced in his heart,

and hoped for the victory.

But the son of Atreus drew his silver-studded sword,

and leaped upon Peisandros.

And Peisandros,

under his shield,

clutched his goodly axe of fine bronze,

with long and polished haft of olive-wood,

and the twain set upon each other.

Then Peisandros smote the crest of the helmet shaded with horse hair,

close below the very plume,

but Menelaos struck the other,

as he came forward,

on the brow,

above the base of the nose,

and the bones cracked,

and the eyes,

all bloody,

fell at his feet in the dust.

Then he bowed and fell,

and Menelaos set his foot on his breast,

and stripped him of his arms,

and triumphed,

saying:

“Even thus then surely,

ye will leave the ships of the Danaans of the swift steeds,

ye Trojans overweening,

insatiate of the dread din of war.

Yea,

and ye shall not lack all other reproof and shame,

wherewith ye made me ashamed,

ye hounds of evil,

having no fear in your hearts of the strong wrath of loud-thundering Zeus,

the god of guest and host,

who one day will destroy your steep citadel.

O ye that wantonly carried away my wedded wife and many of my possessions,

when ye were entertained by her,

now again ye are fain to throw ruinous fire on the seafaring ships,

and to slay the Achaian heroes.

Nay,

but ye will yet refrain you from battle,

for as eager as ye be.

O Zeus,

verily they say that thou dost excel in wisdom all others,

both gods and men,

and all these things are from thee.

How wondrously art thou favouring men of violence,

even the Trojans,

whose might is ever iniquitous,

nor can they have their fill of the din of equal war.

Of all things there is satiety,

yea,

even of love and sleep,

and of sweet song,

and dance delectable,

whereof a man would sooner have his fill than of war,

but the Trojans are insatiable of battle.”

Thus noble Menelaos spake,

and stripped the bloody arms from the body,

and gave them to his comrades,

and instantly himself went forth again,

and mingled in the forefront of the battle.

Then Harpalion,

the son of king Pylaimenes,

leaped out against him,

Harpalion that followed his dear father to Troy,

to the war,

nor ever came again to his own country.

He then smote the middle of the shield of Atreus’ son with his spear,

in close fight,

yet availed not to drive the bronze clean through,

but fell back into the host of his comrades,

avoiding Fate,

glancing round every way,

lest one should wound his flesh with the bronze.

But Meriones shot at him as he retreated with a bronze-shod arrow,

and smote him in the right buttock,

and the arrow went right through the bladder and came out under the bone.

And sitting down,

even there,

in the arms of his dear comrades,

he breathed away his soul,

lying stretched like a worm on the earth,

and out flowed the black blood,

and wetted the ground.

And the Paphlagonians great of heart,

tended him busily,

and set him in a chariot,

and drove him to sacred Ilios sorrowing,

and with them went his father,

shedding tears,

and there was no atonement for his dead son.

Now Paris was very wroth at heart by reason of his slaying,

for he had been his host among the many Paphlagonions,

wherefore,

in wrath for his sake,

he let fly a bronze-shod arrow.

Now there was a certain Euchenor,

the son of Polyidos the seer,

a rich man and a good,

whose dwelling was in Corinth.

And well he knew his own ruinous fate,

when he went on ship-board,

for often would the old man,

the good Polyidos,

tell him,

that he must either perish of a sore disease in his halls,

or go with the ships of the Achaians,

and be overcome by the Trojans.

Wherefore he avoided at once the heavy war-fine of the Achaians,

and the hateful disease,

that so he might not know any anguish.

This man did Paris smite beneath the jaw and under the ear,

and swiftly his spirit departed from his limbs,

and,

lo,

dread darkness overshadowed him.

So they fought like flaming fire,

but Hector,

beloved of Zeus had not heard nor knew at all that,

on the left of the ships,

his host was being subdued by the Argives,

and soon would the Achaians have won renown,

so mighty was the Holder and Shaker of the earth that urged on the Argives;

yea,

and himself mightily defended them.

But Hector kept where at first he had leaped within the walls and the gate,

and broken the serried ranks of shield-bearing Danaans,

even where were the ships of Aias and Protesilaos,

drawn up on the beach of the hoary sea,

while above the wall was builded lowest,

and thereby chiefly the heroes and their horses were raging in battle.

There the Boiotians,

and Ionians with trailing tunics,

and Lokrians and Phthians and illustrious Epeians scarcely availed to stay his onslaught on the ships,

nor yet could they drive back from them noble Hector,

like a flame of fire.

And there were the picked men of the Athenians;

among them Menestheus son of Peteos was the leader;

and there followed with him Pheidas and Stichios,

and brave Bias,

while the Epeians were led by Meges,

son of Phyleus,

and Amphion and Drakios,

and in front of the Phthians were Medon,

and Podarkes resolute in war.

Now the one,

Medon,

was the bastard son of noble Oileus,

and brother of Aias,

and he dwelt in Phylake,

far from his own country,

for that he had slain a man,

the brother of his stepmother Eriopis,

wife of Oileus.

But the other,

Podarkes,

was the son of Iphiklos son of Phylakos,

and they in their armour,

in the van of the great-hearted Phthians,

were defending the ships,

and fighting among the Boiotians.

Now never at all did Aias,

the swift son of Oileus,

depart from the side of Aias,

son of Telamon,

nay,

not for an instant,

but even as in fallow land two wine-dark oxen with equal heart strain at the shapen plough,

and round the roots of their horns springeth up abundant sweat,

and nought sunders them but the polished yoke,

as they labour through the furrow,

till the end of the furrow brings them up,

so stood the two Aiantes close by each other.

Now verily did many and noble hosts of his comrades follow with the son of Telamon,

and bore his shield when labour and sweat came upon his limbs.

But the Lokrians followed not with the high-hearted son of Oileus,

for their hearts were not steadfast in close brunt of battle,

seeing that they had no helmets of bronze,

shadowy with horse-hair plumes,

nor round shields,

nor ashen spears,

but trusting in bows and well-twisted slings of sheep’s wool,

they followed with him to Ilios.

Therewith,

in the war,

they shot thick and fast,

and brake the ranks of the Trojans.

So the one party in front contended with the Trojans,

and with Hector arrayed in bronze,

while the others from behind kept shooting from their ambush,

and the Trojans lost all memory of the joy of battle,

for the arrows confounded them.

There then right ruefully from the ships and the huts would the Trojans have withdrawn to windy Ilios,

had not Polydamas come near valiant Hector and said:

“Hector,

thou art hard to be persuaded by them that would counsel thee;

for that god has given thee excellence in the works of war,

therefore in council also thou art fain to excel other men in knowledge.

But in nowise wilt thou be able to take everything on thyself.

For to one man has god given for his portion the works of war,

[to another the dance, to another the lute and song,]

but in the heart of yet another hath far-seeing Zeus placed an excellent understanding,

whereof many men get gain,

yea he saveth many an one,

and himself best knoweth it.

But,

lo,

I will speak even as it seemeth best to me.

Behold all about thee the circle of war is blazing,

but the great-hearted Trojans,

now that they have got down the wall,

are some with their arms standing aloof and some are fighting,

few men against a host,

being scattered among the ships.

Nay,

withdraw thee,

and call hither all the best of the warriors.

Thereafter shall we take all counsel carefully,

whether we should fall on the ships of many benches,

if indeed god willeth to give us victory,

or after counsel held,

should return unharmed from the ships.

For verily I fear lest the Achaians repay their debt of yesterday,

since by the ships there tarrieth a man insatiate of war,

and never,

methinks,

will he wholly stand aloof from battle.”

So spake Polydamas,

and his safe counsel pleased Hector well,

who spake to him winged words and said:

“Polydamas,

do thou stay here all the best of the host,

but I will go thither to face the war,

and swiftly will return again,

when I have straitly laid on them my commands.”

So he spake,

and set forth,

in semblance like a snowy mountain,

and shouting aloud he flew through the Trojans and allies.

And they all sped to Polydamas,

the kindly son of Panthoos,

when they heard the voice of Hector.

But he went seeking Deiphobos,

and the strong prince Helenos,

and Adamas son of Asios,

and Asios son of Hyrtakos,

among the warriors in the foremost line,

if anywhere he might find them.

But them he found not at all unharmed,

nor free of bane,

but,

lo,

some among the sterns of the ships of the Achaians lay lifeless,

slain by the hands of the Argives,

and some were within the wall wounded by thrust or cast.

But one he readily found,

on the left of the dolorous battle,

goodly Alexandros,

the lord of fair-tressed Helen,

heartening his comrades and speeding them to war.

And he drew near to him,

and addressed him with words of shame:

“Thou evil Paris,

fairest of face,

thou that lustest for women,

thou seducer,

where,

prithee,

are Deiphobos,

and the strong prince Helenos,

and Adamas son of Asios,

and Asios son of Hyrtakos,

and where is Othryoneus?

Now hath all high Ilios perished utterly.

Now,

too,

thou seest,

is sheer destruction sure.”

Then godlike Alexandros answered him again saying:

“Hector,

since thy mind is to blame one that is blameless,

some other day might I rather withdraw me from the war,

since my mother bare not even me wholly a coward.

For from the time that thou didst gather the battle of thy comrades about the ships,

from that hour do we abide here,

and war with the Danaans ceaselessly;

and our comrades concerning whom thou inquirest are slain.

Only Deiphobos and the strong prince Helenos have both withdrawn,

both of them being wounded in the hand with long spears,

for Kronion kept death away from them.

But now lead on,

wheresoever thy heart and spirit bid thee,

and we will follow with thee eagerly,

nor methinks shall we lack for valour,

as far as we have strength;

but beyond his strength may no man fight,

howsoever eager he be.”

So spake the hero,

and persuaded his brother’s heart,

and they went forth where the war and din were thickest,

round Kebriones,

and noble Polydamas,

and Phalkes,

and Orthaios,

and godlike Polyphetes,

and Palmys,

and Askanios,

and Morys,

son of Hippotion,

who had come in their turn,

out of deep-soiled Askanie,

on the morn before,

and now Zeus urged them to fight.

And these set forth like the blast of violent winds,

that rushes earthward beneath the thunder of Zeus,

and with marvellous din doth mingle with the salt sea,

and therein are many swelling waves of the loud roaring sea,

arched over and white with foam,

some vanward,

others in the rear;

even so the Trojans arrayed in van and rear and shining with bronze,

followed after their leaders.

And Hector son of Priam was leading them,

the peer of Ares,

the bane of men.

In front he held the circle of his shield,

thick with hides,

and plates of beaten bronze,

and on his temples swayed his shining helm.

And everywhere he went in advance and made trial of the ranks,

if perchance they would yield to him as he charged under cover of his shield.

But he could not confound the heart within the breast of the Achaians.

And Aias,

stalking with long strides,

challenged him first:

“Sir,

draw nigh,

wherefore dost thou vainly try to dismay the Argives?

We are in no wise ignorant of war,

but by the cruel scourge of Zeus are we Achaians vanquished.

Surely now thy heart hopes utterly to spoil the ships,

but we too have hands presently to hold our own.

Verily your peopled city will long ere that beneath our hands be taken and sacked.

But for thee,

I tell thee that the time is at hand,

when thou shalt pray in thy flight to Zeus,

and the other immortal gods,

that thy fair-maned steeds may be fleeter than falcons:

thy steeds that are to bear thee to the city,

as they storm in dust across the plain.”

And even as he spake,

a bird flew forth on the right hand,

an eagle of lofty flight,

and the host of the Achaians shouted thereat,

encouraged by the omen,

but renowned Hector answered:

“Aias,

thou blundering boaster,

what sayest thou!

Would that indeed I were for ever as surely the son of aegis-bearing Zeus,

and that my mother were lady Hera,

and that I were held in such honour as Apollo and Athene,

as verily this day is to bring utter evil on all the Argives!

And thou among them shalt be slain,

if thou hast the heart to await my long spear,

which shall rend thy lily skin,

and thou shalt glut with thy fat and flesh the birds and dogs of the Trojans,

falling among the ships of the Achaians.”

So he spake and led the way,

and they followed with wondrous din,

and the whole host shouted behind.

And the Argives on the other side answered with a shout,

and forgot not their valiance,

but abode the onslaught of the bravest of the Trojans.

And the cry of the two hosts went up through the higher air,

to the splendour of Zeus.

BOOK XIV.​

How Sleep and Hera beguiled Zeus to slumber on the heights of Ida,

and Poseidon spurred on the Achaians to resist Hector,

and how Hector was wounded.

Yet the cry of battle escaped not Nestor,

albeit at his wine,

but he spake winged words to the son of Asklepios:

“Bethink thee,

noble Machaon,

what had best be done;

lo,

louder waxes the cry of the strong warriors by the ships.

Nay,

now sit where thou art,

and drink the bright wine,

till Hekamede of the fair tresses shall heat warm water for the bath,

and wash away the clotted blood,

but I will speedily go forth and come to a place of outlook.”

Therewith he took the well-wrought shield of his son,

horse-taming Thrasymedes,

which was lying in the hut,

all glistering with bronze,

for the son had the shield of his father.

And he seized a strong spear,

with a point of keen bronze,

and stood outside the hut,

and straightway beheld a deed of shame,

the Achaians fleeing in rout,

and the high-hearted Trojans driving them,

and the wall of the Achaians was overthrown.

And as when the great sea is troubled with a dumb wave,

and dimly bodes the sudden paths of the shrill winds,

but is still unmoved nor yet rolled forward or to either side,

until some steady gale comes down from Zeus,

even so the old man pondered,

—his mind divided this way and that,

—whether he should fare into the press of the Danaans of the swift steeds,

or go after Agamemnon,

son of Atreus,

shepherd of the host.

And thus as he pondered,

it seemed to him the better counsel to go to the son of Atreus.

Meanwhile they were warring and slaying each other,

and the stout bronze rang about their bodies as they were thrust with swords and double-pointed spears.

Now the kings,

the fosterlings of Zeus,

encountered Nestor,

as they went up from the ships,

even they that were wounded with the bronze,

Tydeus’ son,

and Odysseus,

and Agamemnon,

son of Atreus.

For far apart from the battle were their ships drawn up,

on the shore of the grey sea,

for these were the first they had drawn up to the plain,

but had builded the wall in front of the hindmost.

For in no wise might the beach,

wide as it was,

hold all the ships,

and the host was straitened.

Wherefore they drew up the ships row within row,

and filled up the wide mouth of all the shore that the headlands held between them.

Therefore the kings were going together,

leaning on their spears,

to look on the war and fray,

and the heart of each was sore within his breast.

And the old man met them,

even Nestor,

and caused the spirit to fail within the breasts of the Achaians.

And mighty Agamemnon spake and accosted him:

“O Nestor,

son of Neleus,

great glory of the Achaians,

wherefore dost thou come hither and hast deserted the war,

the bane of men?

Lo,

I fear the accomplishment of the word that dread Hector spake,

and the threat wherewith he threatened us,

speaking in the assembly of the Trojans,

namely,

that never would he return to Ilios from the ships,

till he had burned the ships with fire,

and slain the men.

Even so he spake,

and,

lo,

now all these things are being fulfilled.

Alas,

surely even the other well-greaved Achaians store wrath against me in their hearts,

like Achilles,

and have no desire to fight by the rearmost ships.”

Then Nestor of Gerenia the knight answered him saying

“Verily these things are now at hand,

and being accomplished,

nor otherwise could Zeus himself contrive them,

he that thundereth on high.

For,

lo,

the wall is overthrown,

wherein we trusted that it should be an unbroken bulwark of the ships and of our own bodies.

But let us take counsel,

how these things may best be done,

if wit may do aught:

but into the war I counsel not that we should go down,

for in no wise may a wounded man do battle.”

Then Agamemnon king of men answered him again:

“Nestor,

for that they are warring by the rearmost ships,

and the well-builded wall hath availed not,

nor the trench,

whereat the Achaians endured so much labour,

hoping in their hearts that it should be the unbroken bulwark of the ships,

and of their own bodies

—such it seemeth must be the will of Zeus supreme,

[that the Achaians should perish here nameless far from Argos].

For I knew it when he was forward to aid the Danaans,

and now I know that he is giving to the Trojans glory like that of the blessed gods,

and hath bound our hands and our strength.

But come,

as I declare,

let us all obey.

Let us drag down the ships that are drawn up in the first line near to the sea,

and speed them all forth to the salt sea divine,

and moor them far out with stones,

till the divine night comes,

if even at night the Trojans will refrain from war,

and then might we drag down all the ships.

For there is no shame in fleeing from ruin,

yea,

even in the night.

Better doth he fare who flees from trouble,

than he that is overtaken.”

Then,

looking on him sternly,

spake Odysseus of many counsels:

“Atreus’ son,

what word hath passed the door of thy lips?

Man of mischief,

sure thou shouldst lead some other inglorious army,

not be king among us,

to whom Zeus hath given it,

from youth even unto age,

to wind the skein of grievous wars,

till every man of us perish.

Art thou indeed so eager to leave the wide-wayed city of the Trojans,

the city for which we endure with sorrow so many evils?

Be silent,

lest some other of the Achaians hear this word,

that no man should so much as suffer to pass through his mouth,

none that understandeth in his heart how to speak fit counsel,

none that is a sceptred king,

and hath hosts obeying him so many as the Argives over whom thou reignest.

And now I wholly scorn thy thoughts,

such a word as thou hast uttered,

thou that,

in the midst of war and battle,

dost bid us draw down the well-timbered ships to the sea,

that even more than ever the Trojans may possess their desire,

albeit they win the mastery even now,

and sheer destruction fall upon us.

For the Achaians will not make good the war,

when the ships are drawn down to the salt sea,

but will look round about to flee,

and withdraw from battle.

There will thy counsel work a mischief,

O marshal of the host!”

Then the king of men,

Agamemnon,

answered him:

“Odysseus,

right sharply hast thou touched my heart with thy stern reproof:

nay,

I do not bid the sons of the Achaians to drag,

against their will,

the well-timbered ships to the salt sea.

Now perchance there may be one who will utter a wiser counsel than this of mine,

—a young man or an old,

—welcome would it be to me.”

Then Diomedes of the loud war-cry spake also among them:

“The man is near,

—not long shall we seek him,

if ye be willing to be persuaded of me,

and each of you be not resentful at all,

because in years I am the youngest among you.

Nay,

but I too boast me to come by lineage of a noble sire,

Tydeus,

whom in Thebes the piled-up earth doth cover.

For Portheus had three well-born children,

and they dwelt in Pleuron,

and steep Kalydon,

even Agrios and Melas,

and the third was Oineus the knight,

the father of my father,

and in valour he excelled the others.

And there he abode, but my father dwelt at Argos,

whither he had wandered,

for so Zeus and the other gods willed that it should be.

And he wedded one of the daughters of Adrastos,

and dwelt in a house full of livelihood,

and had wheat-bearing fields enow,

and many orchards of trees apart,

and many sheep were his,

and in skill with the spear he excelled all the Achaians:

these things ye must have heard,

if I speak sooth.

Therefore ye could not say that I am weak and a coward by lineage,

and so dishonour my spoken counsel,

that well I may speak.

Let us go down to the battle,

wounded as we are,

since we needs must;

and then might we hold ourselves aloof from the battle,

beyond the range of darts,

lest any take wound upon wound;

but the others will we spur on,

even them that aforetime gave place to their passion,

and stand apart,

and fight not.”

So he spake,

and they all heard him readily,

and obeyed him.

And they set forth,

led by Agamemnon the king of men.

Now the renowned Earth-shaker held no vain watch,

but went with them in the guise of an ancient man,

and he seized the right hand of Agamemnon,

Atreus’ son,

and uttering winged words he spake to him,

saying:

“Atreides,

now methinks the ruinous heart of Achilles rejoices in his breast,

as he beholds the slaughter and flight of the Achaians,

since he hath no wisdom,

not a grain.

Nay,

even so may he perish likewise,

and god mar him.

But with thee the blessed gods are not utterly wroth,

nay,

even yet methinks the leaders and rulers of the Trojans will cover the wide plain with dust,

and thyself shalt see them fleeing to the city from the ships and the huts.”

So spake he,

and shouted mightily,

as he sped over the plain.

And loud as nine thousand men,

or ten thousand cry in battle,

when they join the strife of war,

so mighty was the cry that the strong Shaker of the earth sent forth from his breast,

and great strength he put into the heart of each of the Achaians,

to strive and war unceasingly.