THE ILIAD XI

And now Dawn arose from her couch beside noble Tithonus, that she might bear light to the immortals and to mortal men. Then Zeus sent forth Strife to the swift ships of the Achaeans, grievous Strife, who held in her hands the terrible portent of war. She took her stand upon the great black ship of Odysseus, which lay in the middle of the line, so that a cry from there could be heard on either side, reaching both the huts of Telamonian Ajax and those of Achilles, who had drawn up their well-balanced ships at the very ends of the line, trusting in their valor and the might of their arms. There the goddess stood and uttered a great and terrible cry, a piercing shriek that cast immense strength into the heart of each Achaean, inspiring a relentless will to fight and to do battle. And at once the war seemed sweeter to them than returning in their hollow ships to their own dear native land. The son of Atreus shouted aloud and commanded the Argives to gird themselves for battle, while he himself donned his gleaming bronze. First, he clasped upon his legs the fine greaves, fitted with anklets of silver. Next, around his chest he drew the cuirass that Cinyras had once given him as a gift of hospitality. For the great fame had reached Cinyras in Cyprus that the Achaeans were about to sail in their ships to Troy; for this reason he gave the king this breastplate, to win his favor. In it were ten bands of dark blue enamel, twelve of gold, and twenty of tin. And snakes of blue enamel writhed up towards the neck, three on each side, like the rainbows that the son of Cronos fixes in the clouds, a portent for mortal men. Around his shoulders he slung his sword; upon it, golden studs glittered brightly, and the silver scabbard that held it was hung from golden straps. Then he took up his shield, a stout and intricate work that covered a man entirely, a thing of beauty, around which were ten circles of bronze. Upon it were twenty bosses of white tin, and in the very center was one of dark blue enamel. Encircling this was the Gorgon with her grim and terrifying gaze, and about her were Terror and Rout. The shield-strap was of silver, and upon it a blue serpent was coiled, with three heads that twisted from a single neck. Upon his head he set a helmet with two horns and four crests, with a horsehair plume that nodded menacingly from its top. And he took up two powerful spears, tipped with bronze and sharp, and the bronze of them blazed far off, up into the very heavens. And at this sight, Athena and Hera thundered from above, to honor the king of Mycenae, rich in gold. Then each man gave orders to his own charioteer to hold his horses in good order by the trench, while they themselves, the foot soldiers, armed for battle and rushed forward. An unquenchable clamor arose in the early dawn. They formed their ranks by the trench, well before the horsemen, who followed a little way behind. And the son of Cronos stirred a dire confusion among them, and from the high air he sent down dewdrops steeped in blood, for he intended to send many valiant heads down to the house of Hades. The Trojans, on the other side, arrayed themselves on the rising ground of the plain, around great Hector and the blameless Polydamas, and Aeneas, who was honored by the Trojan people like a god. With them were the three sons of Antenor: Polybus, noble Agenor, and the young Acamas, who was like unto the immortals. Hector, among the foremost, bore his shield, perfectly balanced. And just as a baleful star appears from behind the clouds, shining brightly, and then vanishes again into the shadowy haze, so Hector would at one moment appear among the first ranks and at another be in the rear, giving commands. And he was all clad in bronze, and flashed like the lightning of father Zeus who bears the aegis. And they, like reapers who, facing one another, drive their swathes through a rich man’s field of wheat or barley, while the handfuls of grain fall thick and fast; so the Trojans and Achaeans leapt upon one another and hewed each other down, and neither side thought of ruinous flight. The battle lines held equal, and they raged like wolves. And Strife, who delights in groans, rejoiced as she looked on, for she alone of all the gods was present with the warriors. The other gods were not there, but sat peacefully in their own halls, where for each a beautiful dwelling had been built among the folds of Olympus. And all of them blamed the son of Cronos, lord of the dark clouds, because he wished to grant glory to the Trojans. But the father paid them no heed; he drew apart from the others and sat alone, exulting in his glory, gazing out upon the city of the Trojans and the ships of the Achaeans, upon the flash of bronze, and upon the slayers and the slain. For as long as it was morning and the sacred day grew brighter, the missiles of both armies found their mark, and the men fell. But at the hour when a woodcutter prepares his meal in the glades of a mountain, when his arms have grown weary of felling tall trees, and a deep exhaustion comes over his spirit, and the longing for sweet food seizes his heart, at that very hour the Danaans, by their valor, broke the enemy phalanxes, calling out to their comrades along the ranks. And Agamemnon was the first to charge forth; he slew the warrior Bianor, a shepherd of his people, and then his companion, Oileus the charioteer. Oileus had leaped down from his chariot and stood to face him, but as he rushed straight forward, Agamemnon struck him on the forehead with his sharp spear. The heavy bronze helmet could not hold it back, but the spear point passed through it and through the bone, and all the brain inside was spattered about; and so he subdued him in his fury. And Agamemnon, lord of men, left them there, their chests gleaming white where he had stripped them of their tunics. Then he went on to slay Isus and Antiphus, two sons of Priam, one a bastard and one legitimate, both in a single chariot. The bastard, Isus, held the reins, while the renowned Antiphus fought beside him. Achilles had once captured them on the slopes of Ida, as they were tending their flocks, and had bound them with supple willow-withes, but had freed them for a ransom. But now the son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, struck Isus above the nipple on the chest with his spear, and Antiphus he smote beside the ear with his sword and cast him from the chariot. In great haste he stripped them of their fine armor, for he recognized them; he had seen them before by the swift ships, when swift-footed Achilles had brought them from Ida. And as a lion comes upon the nesting place of a swift hind and seizes her tender fawns, shattering them with ease in his strong jaws and robbing them of their gentle lives; and the mother, even if she chances to be near, cannot help them, for she herself is seized by a terrible trembling and darts swiftly through the thick oak woods and the forest, fleeing and sweating from the onslaught of the mighty beast; so then no one among the Trojans could save these two from their doom, for they themselves were fleeing before the Argives. Next he came upon Peisander and Hippolochus, steadfast in battle, sons of the war-wise Antimachus, who, having accepted gold from Alexander and other splendid gifts, had been foremost in opposing the return of Helen to fair-haired Menelaus. Lord Agamemnon captured his two sons, who were together in one chariot, trying to control their swift horses; for the gleaming reins had slipped from their hands, and the two horses were in confusion. The son of Atreus rushed upon them like a lion, and from their chariot they began to plead with him: “Take us alive, son of Atreus, and you shall receive a worthy ransom. In the halls of Antimachus lie many treasures, bronze and gold and finely wrought iron, and from these our father would gladly grant you a ransom beyond counting, if he were to learn that we are alive at the ships of the Achaeans.” Thus the two of them, weeping, spoke to the king with words of supplication, but the voice they heard was pitiless. “If you are indeed the sons of the war-wise Antimachus, who once in the Trojan assembly urged that Menelaus, who had come as an envoy with godlike Odysseus, should be slain on the spot and not allowed to return to the Achaeans, then now you shall pay for your father’s foul outrage.” He spoke, and thrust Peisander from his chariot to the ground, striking him in the chest with his spear, and he lay there on his back upon the earth. Hippolochus leaped down, but Agamemnon slew him on the ground, shearing off his hands with his sword and striking off his neck, and then he sent the trunk rolling like a mortar-stone through the throng. He left them there, and where the phalanxes were thickest in their confusion, there he plunged in, and with him followed the other well-greaved Achaeans. Foot soldiers slew fleeing foot soldiers as they were forced to run, and horsemen slew horsemen—and from the plain beneath them rose a cloud of dust stirred up by the thundering hooves of the horses— slaying them with the bronze. And lord Agamemnon, ever killing, followed after, urging on the Argives. As when a destructive fire falls upon a virgin forest, and the wind, whirling it about, carries it everywhere, and the bushes are torn up by the roots and fall before the onslaught of the flames, so before Agamemnon, son of Atreus, fell the heads of the fleeing Trojans. And many strong-necked horses rattled empty chariots through the pathways of the battle, longing for their flawless charioteers; but they lay dead upon the earth, a sight far more welcome to the vultures than to their wives. But Zeus drew Hector out from the range of the missiles, out of the dust, out of the slaughter and the blood and the turmoil. And the son of Atreus pressed on, calling sharply to the Danaans. They rushed past the tomb of Ilus, the ancient son of Dardanus, across the middle of the plain past the wild fig tree, striving to reach the city. And ever the son of Atreus followed, shouting, his invincible hands spattered with gore. But when they reached the Scaean Gates and the oak tree, there they finally halted and waited for one another. But some were still fleeing across the middle of the plain like cattle that a lion has terrified, coming upon them in the dead of night; he brings sheer destruction upon one of them, seizing it first and breaking its neck with his strong teeth, and then he laps up the blood and all the entrails. So did the son of Atreus, lord Agamemnon, pursue them, ever killing the one who was last; and they fled in terror. And many fell from their chariots, both on their faces and on their backs, at the hands of the son of Atreus, for he raged with the spear above and beyond all others. But when he was about to come upon the city and the high wall, the father of men and gods came down from the heavens and sat upon the peaks of Ida, rich in springs, holding a lightning bolt in his hands. He summoned Iris of the golden wings and sent her with a message: “Go, swift Iris, and take this message to Hector. So long as he sees Agamemnon, shepherd of the people, raging among the foremost fighters and cutting down the ranks of men, for so long must he himself withdraw from the battle, and urge the rest of his army to fight the enemy in the fierce fray. But when Agamemnon, struck by a spear or wounded by an arrow, leaps back into his chariot, then I will grant Hector the strength to kill until he reaches the well-benched ships, and the sun sets and sacred darkness comes on.” So he spoke, and wind-footed, swift Iris did not disobey. She went down from the mountains of Ida to sacred Ilium. She found the son of the war-wise Priam, noble Hector, standing among the horses and the jointed chariots. Standing close beside him, swift-footed Iris spoke: “Hector, son of Priam, peer of Zeus in counsel, father Zeus has sent me to you with this message. So long as you see Agamemnon, shepherd of the people, raging among the foremost fighters and cutting down the ranks of men, for so long must you withdraw from the battle, and urge the rest of your army to fight the enemy in the fierce fray. But when he, struck by a spear or wounded by an arrow, leaps back into his chariot, then Zeus will grant you the strength to kill until you reach the well-benched ships, and the sun sets and sacred darkness comes on.” Having spoken thus, swift-footed Iris departed. Hector leaped from his chariot to the ground, armor and all, and brandishing two sharp spears he went everywhere through the army, urging them to fight, and he stirred up the terrible din of battle. And they wheeled about and stood to face the Achaeans, and the Argives on their side strengthened their phalanxes. The battle was joined, and they stood face to face. And Agamemnon was the first to charge, for he wished to fight far in front of all the others. Tell me now, O Muses who have your dwellings on Olympus, who was the first to come against Agamemnon, whether of the Trojans themselves or of their renowned allies. It was Iphidamas, son of Antenor, a man both tall and valiant, who was raised in Thrace, mother of flocks and rich in soil. Cisses, his mother’s father, who was the father of fair-cheeked Theano, raised him in his own house when he was but a little child. And when he reached the measure of glorious manhood, Cisses sought to keep him there, and offered him his own daughter. But as soon as he was married, he left the bridal chamber and, hearing the fame of the Achaeans, came to Troy with twelve curved ships that followed him. He left these balanced ships at Percote, and came himself on foot to Ilium; and it was he who now came to face Agamemnon, son of Atreus. When they were close to one another, advancing one against the other, the son of Atreus cast his spear and missed, and the point turned aside. But Iphidamas struck him on the belt, below the breastplate, and leaning into the blow with all his heavy hand, he drove it home. Yet he did not pierce the gleaming belt, for long before it could, the spear-point struck the silver and was bent back like lead. Then wide-ruling Agamemnon seized it in his hand and, raging like a lion, pulled it toward him; he wrenched it from the hand of Iphidamas and struck him on the neck with his sword, and his limbs were undone. So he fell there and slept the sleep of bronze, a pitiable death, far from his wedded wife, fighting for his countrymen; she for whom he had given much, but whose charms he had never known. First he had given a hundred oxen, and then he promised a thousand more, goats and sheep together, from the numberless flocks he pastured. And now Agamemnon, son of Atreus, stripped him of his armor and went back through the throng of the Achaeans, bearing the fine armor. When Coön, a man of illustrious name and the eldest son of Antenor, saw this, a powerful grief veiled his eyes for his fallen brother. He stood to one side with his spear, unseen by noble Agamemnon, and stabbed him in the middle of the arm, below the elbow, and the gleaming point of the spear passed clean through. Then the lord of men, Agamemnon, shuddered; but not even so did he cease from battle or from war. He charged upon Coön, holding his wind-nurtured spear. Coön was dragging his brother Iphidamas, his kinsman, by the foot, calling out to all the bravest warriors. But as he dragged him through the throng, Agamemnon wounded him with his bronze-tipped spear beneath his bossed shield, and his limbs were undone. And standing over him, he struck off his head over the body of Iphidamas. And there the sons of Antenor, at the hands of King Agamemnon, fulfilled their destiny and went down into the house of Hades. But Agamemnon ranged through the other ranks of men with spear and sword and with great stones, for as long as the blood was still warm and flowed from his wound. But when the wound had dried and the flow of blood ceased, sharp pains began to pierce the strength of the son of Atreus. As when a sharp pang seizes a woman in the throes of childbirth, a piercing shaft sent by the Eileithyiai, the goddesses of labor, daughters of Hera who hold the power of bitter pains; so did sharp pains pierce the strength of the son of Atreus. He leaped into his chariot and ordered his charioteer to drive to the hollow ships, for he was stricken to the heart. And he cried out in a piercing voice to the Danaans: “O my friends, leaders and counselors of the Argives, it is for you now to ward off the grievous din of battle from the sea-going ships, since Zeus the counselor does not permit me to fight against the Trojans for the whole day.” So he spoke, and the charioteer lashed the fair-maned horses toward the hollow ships; and they flew onward, not unwillingly. Their chests were white with foam, and they were spattered with dust from beneath, as they carried the wounded king away from the battle. But when Hector saw Agamemnon departing, he called out with a great cry to the Trojans and the Lycians: “Trojans and Lycians and Dardanians who fight in close combat, be men, my friends, and remember your furious valor. Their bravest man is gone, and Zeus, the son of Cronos, has given me great glory. But drive your single-hoofed horses straight at the mighty Danaans, so that you may win even greater glory.” With these words, he stirred the spirit and courage of every man. As when a hunter sets his white-toothed hounds upon a wild boar or a lion, so Hector, son of Priam, like Ares the bane of mortals, set the great-hearted Trojans upon the Achaeans. He himself, with high thoughts, strode among the foremost, and fell upon the battle like a tempestuous squall that leaps down and stirs the violet-colored sea. Then whom first and whom last did Hector, son of Priam, slay, when Zeus granted him glory? Asaeus first, and Autonous and Opites, and Dolops, son of Clytius, and Opheltius and Agelaus, and Aesymnus and Orus and Hipponous, steadfast in battle. These leaders of the Danaans he slew, and after them the common soldiers. As when the West Wind drives and scatters the clouds of the white South Wind, striking them with a violent squall, and the great swelling wave rolls on, and the spray is tossed high by the wandering gusts of the wind; so were the many heads of the soldiers struck down by Hector. Then there would have been ruin and irreparable deeds done, and the fleeing Achaeans would have fallen back upon their ships, had not Odysseus called out to Diomedes, son of Tydeus: “Son of Tydeus, what has come over us that we have forgotten our furious valor? Come here, my friend, and stand by my side, for it will be a great shame if Hector of the flashing helm should take our ships.” And the mighty Diomedes answered him: “I will indeed stay and endure, but our pleasure in this will be brief, since cloud-gathering Zeus wishes to give the victory to the Trojans rather than to us.” He spoke, and thrust Thymbraeus from his chariot to the ground, striking him with his spear in the left breast; and Odysseus slew Molion, the godlike squire of that lord. These they let be, since they had made them cease from war. Then the two of them went on, creating havoc through the throng, as when two boars, full of pride, fall upon the hunting hounds. So they turned back upon the Trojans and slew them, and the Achaeans, fleeing from noble Hector, gladly caught their breath. Then they captured a chariot and two of the bravest men of the people, the two sons of Merops of Percote, who knew more of the seer’s art than any other man, and would not permit his sons to go into the man-destroying war. But they did not obey him, for the fates of black death were leading them on. Diomedes, son of Tydeus, famed for his spear, robbed them of spirit and of life, and stripped them of their renowned armor. And Odysseus slew Hippodamus and Hypeirochus. Then the son of Cronos, looking down from Ida, stretched the battle taut between them, and they slew one another. The son of Tydeus wounded the hero Agastrophus, son of Paeon, in the hip with his spear. His horses were not near for him to escape, for he had made a great error in his heart. His squire held them at a distance, while he himself ranged on foot through the front ranks, until he lost his own dear life. Hector was quick to notice this along the ranks, and he rushed upon them with a shout, and with him followed the phalanxes of the Trojans. Seeing him, Diomedes of the loud war-cry shuddered, and at once spoke to Odysseus, who was near him: “Upon us now this bane is rolling, the mighty Hector. But come, let us stand our ground and await his charge.” He spoke, and balancing his long-shadowed spear, he cast it, and aiming at the head, he did not miss. He struck the very crest of the helmet, but the bronze was turned aside by the bronze, and did not reach the fair flesh; for the three-layered, hollow-eyed helmet which Phoebus Apollo had given him held it off. Hector sprang back a great distance and mingled with the throng. He fell to his knees and supported himself with his stout hand on the ground, and a black night veiled his eyes. While the son of Tydeus went after his spear, far through the front ranks where it had fallen to the ground, Hector recovered his breath and, leaping back into his chariot, drove out into the crowd and escaped black death. And rushing after him with his spear, the mighty Diomedes spoke: “Once again you have escaped death, you dog. Yet evil was close upon you. But Phoebus Apollo has saved you once more, he to whom you must pray when you go into the clash of spears. I will surely finish you if I meet you later, if there is any god who is an ally to me also. For now, I will go after the others, whomever I can catch.” He spoke, and went to strip the armor from the son of Paeon, renowned for his spear. But Alexander, husband of fair-haired Helen, aimed his bow at the son of Tydeus, shepherd of the people, leaning against a pillar on the man-made tomb of Ilus, son of Dardanus, an elder of the people in ancient days. Diomedes was taking the gleaming breastplate from the chest of the mighty Agastrophus, and the shield from his shoulders and the heavy helmet, when Paris drew the horn of his bow and shot, and the arrow did not fly from his hand in vain. It struck the flat of the right foot, and the arrow went clean through and stuck fast in the ground. And Paris, laughing with great pleasure, leaped out from his hiding place and boasted, crying out: “You are hit! The arrow did not fly in vain. Would that I had struck you in the base of the belly and taken your life! Then the Trojans might have had some respite from their suffering, they who shudder before you as bleating goats do before a lion.” But mighty Diomedes, unafraid, answered him: “Archer, you scoundrel, glorious in your bow, you girl-watcher! If you would but try me face to face in full armor, your bow and your showering arrows would be of no avail to you. Now you boast idly because you have grazed the sole of my foot. I care not, any more than if a woman had struck me, or a witless child. For the missile of a weak and worthless man is a thing of no account. It is otherwise with a shaft from me; even if it but touches a man lightly, it is sharp, and at once lays him low. His wife’s cheeks are torn in grief, and his children are fatherless; and he, reddening the earth with his blood, rots away, and there are more birds around him than women.” So he spoke, and Odysseus, famed for his spear, came near and stood before him. Diomedes sat down behind him and drew the swift arrow from his foot, and a sharp pain shot through his flesh. He leaped into his chariot and ordered his charioteer to drive to the hollow ships, for he was stricken to the heart. Odysseus, famed for his spear, was left alone; not one of the Argives remained beside him, since fear had seized them all. And troubled, he spoke to his own great-hearted spirit: “Alas, what will become of me? It is a great evil if I flee, fearing their numbers; but it would be worse still if I am captured alone, for the son of Cronos has put the other Danaans to flight. But why does my own spirit debate these things with me? For I know that it is cowards who shrink from the battle, but whoever is brave in a fight must stand his ground firmly, whether he be struck or strike another.” While he pondered these things in his mind and in his heart, the ranks of the shield-bearing Trojans advanced upon him and enclosed him in their midst, bringing disaster upon themselves. As when hounds and lusty young men press upon a wild boar, and he comes forth from a deep thicket, whetting his white tusk between his crooked jaws, and they rush about him, and the sound of the gnashing of his tusks is heard, and they stand their ground, though he is a fearsome beast; so then the Trojans pressed around Odysseus, dear to Zeus. But he, leaping forward with his sharp spear, first wounded the blameless Deiopites in the shoulder from above. And after him he slew Thoon and Ennomus. Then he struck Chersidamas as he was leaping from his chariot, with his spear in the navel below his bossed shield. He fell in the dust and clawed the earth with his hand. These he left, and with his spear he wounded Charops, son of Hippasus, the own brother of wealthy Socus. And Socus, a godlike man, came to his brother’s aid. He came and stood very near him and spoke these words: “O renowned Odysseus, insatiable in your tricks and your toils, today you will either boast of having slain two sons of Hippasus, two such men, and stripped them of their armor, or you will be struck by my spear and lose your own life.” So speaking, he struck the shield of Odysseus, which was balanced on all sides. The mighty spear went through the shining shield and forced its way through the intricately worked breastplate, and tore away all the flesh from his ribs. But Pallas Athena did not allow it to mingle with the man’s entrails. And Odysseus knew that the blow had not been a fatal one, and drawing back he spoke to Socus: “Ah, you wretch, sheer destruction is surely upon you now. You have indeed made me cease from fighting against the Trojans, but I say to you that here, on this very day, death and black fate will be yours. Subdued by my spear, you will give glory to me, and your soul to Hades of the famed horses.” He spoke, and Socus had already turned and begun to flee, but as he turned, Odysseus fixed his spear in his back, between the shoulders, and drove it through his chest. He fell with a thud, and noble Odysseus boasted over him: “O Socus, son of the war-wise horse-tamer Hippasus, the end of death has come upon you too soon, and you could not escape it. Ah, you wretch, your father and your honored mother will not be there to close your eyes in death, but flesh-eating birds will tear at you, beating their thick wings about you. But if I should die, the noble Achaeans will give me burial rites.” So speaking, he drew the mighty spear of the war-wise Socus from his own flesh and from his bossed shield. And as it was pulled out, his blood gushed forth and his spirit was troubled. When the great-hearted Trojans saw the blood of Odysseus, they called to one another through the throng and all came down upon him. But he drew back, calling to his comrades. Three times he shouted then, as loud as a man’s head can hold a cry, and three times Menelaus, beloved of Ares, heard him shouting. At once he spoke to Ajax, who was near him: “Ajax, son of Telamon, born of Zeus, leader of your people, the cry of steadfast Odysseus has reached me, like that of a man whom the Trojans have cut off in the fierce battle and are overpowering, now that he is alone. Let us go through the throng, for it is better to defend him. I fear lest he suffer some harm, being left alone among the Trojans, great though he is, and the Danaans will feel his loss greatly.” So speaking, he led the way, and the other, a godlike man, followed with him. They soon found Odysseus, beloved of Zeus, and the Trojans were pressing around him as tawny jackals in the mountains press around a horned stag that has been wounded, which a hunter has shot with an arrow from his bowstring. The stag has escaped by the speed of his feet while the blood is warm and his knees are nimble, but when the swift arrow has overcome him, the flesh-eating jackals tear at him in a shadowy grove in the mountains. But then some god brings a ravening lion; the jackals scatter in terror, and the lion devours the prey. So then around Odysseus, the wise and cunning, the Trojans pressed, many and valiant. But the hero, darting out with his spear, was warding off the pitiless day of his doom. Then Ajax came near, bearing his shield like a tower, and stood beside him, and the Trojans scattered in terror, this way and that. And Menelaus, beloved of Ares, took Odysseus by the hand and led him out of the throng, while his squire drove his horses up close. But Ajax, leaping upon the Trojans, slew Doryclus, a bastard son of Priam. Then he wounded Pandocus, and he wounded Lysander and Pyrasus and Pylartes. As when a river in flood comes down upon the plain, a winter torrent from the mountains, swollen by the rain of Zeus, and it carries away many dry oaks and many pines, and casts much debris into the sea; so glorious Ajax charged across the plain that day, wreaking havoc upon horses and men alike. Hector did not yet know of this, for he was fighting on the far left of the battle, by the banks of the river Scamander, where the heads of men were falling thickest and an unquenchable shouting had arisen around great Nestor and warlike Idomeneus. Hector was engaged with them, doing terrible deeds with his spear and his horsemanship, and he was laying waste to the phalanxes of the young men. Yet the noble Achaeans would not have given way from their course, had not Alexander, husband of fair-haired Helen, stopped Machaon, shepherd of the people, in his brave deeds, by striking him on the right shoulder with a three-barbed arrow. The Achaeans, breathing fury, were seized with fear for him, lest the Trojans capture him as the tide of battle turned. At once Idomeneus spoke to noble Nestor: “O Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans, come, mount your chariot, and let Machaon get in beside you, and drive your single-hoofed horses with all speed to the ships. For a healer is a man worth many other men, for cutting out arrows and for spreading soothing remedies.” So he spoke, and the Gerenian horseman Nestor did not disobey. At once he mounted his chariot, and beside him climbed Machaon, son of the blameless healer Asclepius. He whipped the horses, and they flew onward, not unwillingly, toward the hollow ships, for that was where their hearts desired to be. But Cebriones, standing beside Hector, saw the Trojans in confusion, and he spoke to him, saying: “Hector, while we two are engaged with the Danaans here at the edge of the resounding battle, the other Trojans are being thrown into confusion, horses and men alike. Telamonian Ajax is driving them back; I know him well, for he bears that broad shield upon his shoulders. But let us also drive our horses and our chariot there, where the horsemen and the foot soldiers, hurling bitter strife, are slaying one another, and an unquenchable shouting has arisen.” So speaking, he lashed the fair-maned horses with his sharp whip, and they, hearing the blow, swiftly bore the swift chariot among the Trojans and Achaeans, trampling upon the dead and upon the shields. The axle beneath was all spattered with blood, as were the rails around the chariot, which were struck by the drops cast up from the horses’ hooves and from the chariot wheels. And Hector was eager to plunge into the throng of men, to break through it and leap upon them. He brought evil turmoil upon the Danaans and gave little rest to his spear. He ranged through the ranks of the other men with his spear and his sword and with great stones, but he avoided battle with Ajax, son of Telamon. But father Zeus, who sits on high, stirred fear in Ajax. He stood there stunned, and cast his seven-layered shield of ox-hide behind him. He looked about him in terror at the throng, like a wild beast, turning this way and that, and slowly retreating, moving one knee after another. As when dogs and country folk drive a tawny lion away from a cattle pen, and will not let him take the fattest of the herd, for they keep watch all night long; and he, craving meat, rushes forward, but accomplishes nothing, for many javelins fly against him from bold hands, and blazing torches, which he fears for all his eagerness; and at dawn he slinks away, his heart heavy with frustration. So Ajax then retreated from the Trojans, his heart heavy with frustration, and much against his will, for he feared for the ships of the Achaeans. And as when a stubborn donkey, passing by a field, gets the better of some boys, a lazy beast on whose back many clubs have been broken, and he goes in and grazes on the deep crop, and the boys beat him with their clubs, but their strength is childish; and with great effort they drive him out, but only after he has eaten his fill. So then the proud Trojans and their many allies pressed upon great Ajax, son of Telamon, ever striking the middle of his shield with their spears. And Ajax would at one moment remember his furious valor and turn back to hold off the phalanxes of the horse-taming Trojans, and at another he would turn to flee. But he prevented them all from making their way to the swift ships, and he himself raged, standing between the Trojans and the Achaeans. And spears, hurled from bold hands, some stuck fast in his great shield as they flew onward, and many fell to the ground midway, before they could reach his white flesh, eager to taste his skin. When Eurypylus, the glorious son of Euaemon, saw him being overwhelmed by a shower of missiles, he came and stood by his side and cast his shining spear. He struck Apisaon, son of Phausias, a shepherd of his people, in the liver beneath the diaphragm, and at once his knees gave way. Eurypylus rushed forward to strip the armor from his shoulders. But when godlike Alexander saw him stripping the armor from Apisaon, he at once drew his bow on Eurypylus and struck him in the right thigh with an arrow. The shaft of the arrow broke off, and his thigh was weighed down. He drew back into the company of his comrades, avoiding his fate, and he cried out in a piercing voice to the Danaans: “O my friends, leaders and counselors of the Argives, turn and stand and ward off the pitiless day of doom from Ajax, who is being overwhelmed by missiles. I do not think he will escape from the resounding battle. But stand fast and rally around great Ajax, son of Telamon.” So spoke Eurypylus, who had been wounded. And they stood close by him, leaning their shields upon their shoulders and holding their spears high. And Ajax came to meet them. He turned and stood his ground when he had reached the company of his comrades. So they fought on like a blazing fire. And the Neleian horses, dripping with sweat, carried Nestor away from the battle, and with him they brought Machaon, shepherd of the people. And swift-footed, noble Achilles saw him and took note, for he was standing on the stern of his great ship, watching the terrible toil and the tearful rout. At once he called to his companion Patroclus, calling from beside the ship. And Patroclus, hearing him from within the hut, came forth like Ares; and this, for him, was the beginning of his doom. The valiant son of Menoetius spoke to him first: “Why do you call me, Achilles? What need have you of me?” And swift-footed Achilles answered him: “Noble son of Menoetius, you who are so dear to my heart, now I think the Achaeans will stand before my knees in supplication, for a need has come upon them that is no longer bearable. But go now, Patroclus, beloved of Zeus, and ask Nestor who it is he is bringing, wounded, from the battle. From behind, he looks in every way like Machaon, the son of Asclepius, but I did not see the man’s face, for the horses rushed past me, eager to press onward.” So he spoke, and Patroclus obeyed his dear comrade. He went on the run past the huts and the ships of the Achaeans. When they reached the hut of the son of Neleus, they themselves dismounted onto the bounteous earth, and Eurymedon, the old man’s squire, unyoked the horses from the chariot. They stood in the breeze by the shore of the sea to dry the sweat from their tunics, and then they went into the hut and sat down on chairs. And fair-haired Hecamede prepared a potion for them. The old man had brought her from Tenedos when Achilles sacked it, the daughter of great-hearted Arsinoos, whom the Achaeans had chosen for him because he excelled all others in counsel. First she drew forward for them a beautiful, well-polished table with feet of blue enamel. Upon it she placed a bronze basket, and in it an onion as a relish for their drink, and pale honey, and beside it the sacred flour of barley. And beside these she set a magnificent cup, which the old man had brought from home, studded with golden nails. It had four handles, and on each handle two golden doves were feeding, and below were two supports. Another man would have struggled to move it from the table when it was full, but Nestor, the old man, could lift it without effort. In this cup the woman, who was like a goddess, mixed for them a potion with Pramnian wine. She grated goat’s cheese over it with a bronze grater and sprinkled white barley flour on top. And she bade them drink, when she had prepared the potion. When the two of them had drunk and quenched their parching thirst, they took pleasure in speaking words to one another. And Patroclus, a man like a god, stood at the door. When the old man saw him, he rose from his shining chair and, taking him by the hand, led him in and bade him be seated. But Patroclus, from the other side, refused and spoke: “This is no time for sitting, old man, cherished by Zeus, nor will you persuade me. He who sent me is a man to be respected and feared, and he sent me to find out who it is you are bringing, wounded. But I know him myself, for I see it is Machaon, shepherd of the people. Now I will go back as a messenger to deliver my report to Achilles. And you know well, old man, cherished by Zeus, what a terrible man he is. He might well find fault even with one who is blameless.” And the Gerenian horseman Nestor answered him: “Why then does Achilles feel such pity for the sons of the Achaeans, for all those who have been struck by missiles? He has no idea of the sorrow that has arisen throughout the army. For our best men lie by the ships, struck or wounded. The mighty Diomedes, son of Tydeus, has been struck, and Odysseus, famed for his spear, is wounded, as is Agamemnon. Eurypylus has been hit in the thigh with an arrow. And this other man I have just brought from the battle, struck by an arrow from a bowstring. But Achilles, great warrior though he is, has no care for the Danaans, and no pity. Is he waiting until the swift ships by the sea are consumed by hostile fire, against the will of the Argives, and we ourselves are slain one after another? For my strength is not what it once was in my supple limbs. If only I were as young and my strength as firm as when a quarrel arose between the Eleans and us over a cattle raid, when I killed Itymoneus, the brave son of Hypeirochus, who dwelt in Elis. He was defending his cattle when I was driving them off as spoils, and he was struck by a javelin from my hand among the foremost fighters. He fell, and the country folk around him fled in terror. And we drove a great spoil from the plain: fifty herds of cattle, as many flocks of sheep, as many droves of swine, as many wide herds of goats, and a hundred and fifty bay horses, all of them mares, and many of them had foals at their side. And these we drove into Pylos of Neleus, bringing them to the city by night. And Neleus was glad in his heart that so much had come to me, a young man going to war. And at the break of dawn, the heralds cried out for all those to come to whom a debt was owed in noble Elis. And the leaders of the Pylians gathered and made a division of the spoils, for the Epeians owed a debt to many, since we in Pylos were few and had suffered greatly. For the mighty Heracles had come and laid us waste in the years before, and all our best men had been slain. For we were twelve sons of the blameless Neleus, and I alone was left; all the others perished. And because of this, the bronze-clad Epeians grew arrogant and, insulting us, devised wicked deeds. The old king took for himself a herd of cattle and a great flock of sheep, choosing three hundred of them, and their shepherds with them. For a great debt was owed to him in noble Elis: four prize-winning horses with their chariot, which had gone to compete for a prize, for they were to race for a tripod. But Augeias, lord of men, kept them there and sent the driver away, grieving for his horses. The old king, angered by his words and his deeds, took a vast amount, and gave the rest to the people to divide among themselves, so that no one should go away deprived of his fair share. So we were settling each of these things and performing sacred rites to the gods throughout the city. But on the third day, they all came, both they themselves in great numbers and their single-hoofed horses, in full force. And with them, the two Moliones armed themselves for battle, though they were still boys and did not yet know much of furious valor. There is a city, Thryoessa, a steep hill far off on the Alpheius, at the edge of sandy Pylos. This they besieged, eager to sack it. But when they had crossed the whole plain, Athena came to us, a messenger rushing down from Olympus by night, bidding us to arm. And she did not gather an unwilling army in Pylos, but one that was very eager to fight. Neleus would not let me arm myself, and he hid my horses, for he said I knew nothing yet of the deeds of war. But even so, I was preeminent among our horsemen, even though I was on foot, for so Athena led the battle. There is a river, Minyeius, that flows into the sea near Arene, where we, the horsemen of the Pylians, waited for the divine Dawn, and the companies of foot soldiers flowed in after us. From there, armed in full force, we came at midday to the sacred stream of the Alpheius. There we made fine sacrifices to almighty Zeus, and a bull to the Alpheius, and a bull to Poseidon, and a herd-cow to Athena of the flashing eyes. Then we took our supper by companies throughout the army, and each man lay down to sleep in his armor by the currents of the river. But the great-hearted Epeians had surrounded the city, eager to sack it. But before they could, a great work of Ares appeared to them. For when the shining sun stood high above the earth, we joined battle, praying to Zeus and to Athena. And when the strife between the Pylians and the Epeians had begun, I was the first to slay a man and capture his single-hoofed horses: the spearman Mulius. He was a son-in-law of Augeias, and had married his eldest daughter, the fair-haired Agamede, who knew as many potent herbs as the wide earth nourishes. As he came forward, I struck him with my bronze-tipped spear, and he fell in the dust. I leaped into his chariot and stood among the foremost fighters. And the great-hearted Epeians fled, this way and that, when they saw the man fall who was the leader of their horsemen and who excelled in fighting. And I rushed upon them like a black tempest, and captured fifty chariots, and from each of them two men bit the dust, subdued by my spear. And I would have slain the two sons of Actor, the Moliones, had not their father, the wide-ruling Earth-Shaker, saved them from the war, covering them in a thick mist. Then Zeus granted great strength to the Pylians, for we pursued them across the wide plain, killing them and gathering up their fine armor, until we brought our horses to Bouprasion, rich in wheat, and to the Olenian rock, and to the hill that is called Alision. From there Athena turned the army back again. There I left the last man I had killed. And the Achaeans drove their swift horses back from Bouprasion to Pylos, and all gave glory to Zeus among the gods, and to Nestor among men. Such was I, if ever I was, among men. But Achilles will enjoy his valor alone. I think he will lament it greatly when the army is destroyed. My friend, Menoetius surely commanded you thus on that day when he sent you from Phthia to Agamemnon. We two, myself and noble Odysseus, were inside the hall and heard everything he commanded you. For we had come to the well-built house of Peleus, gathering the army throughout Achaea, rich in soil. There we found the hero Menoetius inside, and you, and Achilles beside you. And the old horseman Peleus was burning the fat thighs of an ox to Zeus who delights in thunder, in the courtyard of his home. He held a golden cup and was pouring gleaming wine over the burning offerings. You two were busy with the meat of the ox, and then we stood in the doorway. Achilles leaped up in amazement, and taking us by the hand, he led us in and bade us be seated. And he set before us good hospitality, as is proper for guests. But when we had taken our pleasure in food and drink, I began to speak, urging you both to follow with us. You were both very willing, and they both gave you many commands. The old man Peleus commanded his son Achilles always to be the best and to be preeminent above all others. But to you, Menoetius, son of Actor, commanded thus: ‘My child, by birth Achilles is of higher rank than you, but you are the elder. Yet he is far stronger. But you must speak a wise word to him and advise him and guide him, and he will obey you for his own good.’ So the old man commanded, but you have forgotten. But even now you could speak these things to the war-wise Achilles, and perhaps he will listen. Who knows if, with a god’s help, you might stir his spirit by your persuasion? For the persuasion of a comrade is a good thing. But if he is holding back because of some prophecy in his heart, and his honored mother has told him something from Zeus, then let him at least send you forth, and let the rest of the Myrmidon army follow with you, in the hope that you might become a light to the Danaans. And let him give you his own fine armor to wear into battle, in the hope that the Trojans, mistaking you for him, will hold back from the war, and the warlike sons of the Achaeans, who are hard-pressed, may have a breathing space. For the breathing space in war is short. You, being fresh, could easily drive weary men back toward the city from the ships and the huts.” So he spoke, and he stirred the spirit in Patroclus’s breast, and he set off at a run past the ships to Achilles, descendant of Aeacus. But when Patroclus, in his running, reached the ships of godlike Odysseus, where their place of assembly and judgment was, and where their altars to the gods had been built, there Eurypylus, the Zeus-born son of Euaemon, met him, wounded in the thigh with an arrow, limping from the battle. The sweat ran down from his shoulders and his head, and from his grievous wound the black blood trickled, yet his mind was unshaken. The valiant son of Menoetius took pity on him when he saw him, and lamenting, he spoke winged words: “Ah, you wretched leaders and counselors of the Danaans, so it was destined that you, far from your friends and your native land, should glut the swift dogs in Troy with your white fat. But come, tell me this, Eurypylus, hero cherished by Zeus, will the Achaeans still somehow hold back the monstrous Hector, or will they now perish, subdued by his spear?” And the wounded Eurypylus answered him in turn: “No longer, Zeus-born Patroclus, will there be any defense for the Achaeans, but they will fall back upon their black ships. For all of them, all who were once our bravest, lie by the ships, struck or wounded at the hands of the Trojans, whose strength rises ever higher. But save me now, lead me to my black ship, and cut this arrow from my thigh, and wash the black blood from it with warm water, and spread soothing remedies upon it, good remedies, which they say you were taught by Achilles, whom Cheiron, most righteous of the Centaurs, instructed. For as to our healers, Podaleirius and Machaon, I think one of them is in the huts with a wound of his own, and himself in need of a blameless healer, while the other on the plain awaits the sharp onset of Ares.” And the valiant son of Menoetius answered him again: “How can these things be? What shall we do, hero Eurypylus? I am on my way to take a message to the war-wise Achilles, a message which Nestor of Gerenia, guardian of the Achaeans, commanded me to give. But not even so will I abandon you in your suffering.” He spoke, and taking the shepherd of the people under the chest, he led him to his hut, and a squire, seeing them, spread out ox-hides. There he laid him out at length and with a knife cut the sharp, stinging arrow from his thigh. He washed the black blood from it with warm water and on it he placed a bitter root, which he had crushed in his hands, a pain-killing root that checked all his pains. The wound dried, and the blood ceased to flow.

ἸΛΙΆΣ 11

Ἠὼς δ’ ἐκ λεχέων παρ’ ἀγαυοῦ Τιθωνοῖο
ὄρνυθ’, ἵν’ ἀθανάτοισι φόως φέροι ἠδὲ βροτοῖσι·
Ζεὺς δ’ Ἔριδα προΐαλλε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
ἀργαλέην, πολέμοιο τέρας μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσαν.
στῆ δ’ ἐπ’ Ὀδυσσῆος μεγακήτεϊ νηῒ μελαίνῃ,
ἥ ῥ’ ἐν μεσσάτῳ ἔσκε γεγωνέμεν ἀμφοτέρωσε,
ἠμὲν ἐπ’ Αἴαντος κλισίας Τελαμωνιάδαο
ἠδ’ ἐπ’ Ἀχιλλῆος, τοί ῥ’ ἔσχατα νῆας ἐΐσας
εἴρυσαν ἠνορέῃ πίσυνοι καὶ κάρτεϊ χειρῶν .
ἔνθα στᾶσ’ ἤϋσε θεὰ μέγα τε δεινόν τε
ὄρθι’, Ἀχαιοῖσιν δὲ μέγα σθένος ἔμβαλ’ ἑκάστῳ
καρδίῃ ἄληκτον πολεμίζειν ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι.
τοῖσι δ’ ἄφαρ πόλεμος γλυκίων γένετ’ ἠὲ νέεσθαι
ἐν νηυσὶ γλαφυρῇσι φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.
Ἀτρεΐδης δ’ ἐβόησεν ἰδὲ ζώννυσθαι ἄνωγεν
Ἀργείους· ἐν δ’ αὐτὸς ἐδύσετο νώροπα χαλκόν.
κνημῖδας μὲν πρῶτα περὶ κνήμῃσιν ἔθηκε
καλὰς ἀργυρέοισιν ἐπισφυρίοις ἀραρυίας·
δεύτερον αὖ θώρηκα περὶ στήθεσσιν ἔδυνε,
τόν ποτέ οἱ Κινύρης δῶκε ξεινήϊον εἶναι.
πεύθετο γὰρ Κύπρον δὲ μέγα κλέος οὕνεκ’ Ἀχαιοὶ

ἐς Τροίην νήεσσιν ἀναπλεύσεσθαι ἔμελλον·
τοὔνεκά οἱ τὸν δῶκε χαριζόμενος βασιλῆϊ.
τοῦ δ' ἤτοι δέκα οἶμοι ἔσαν μέλανος κυάνοιο,
δώδεκα δὲ χρυσοῖο καὶ εἴκοσι κασσιτέροιο·
κυάνεοι δὲ δράκοντες ὀρωρέχατο προτὶ δειρὴν
τρεῖς ἑκάτερθ’ ἴρισσιν ἐοικότες, ἅς τε Κρονίων
ἐν νέφεϊ στήριξε, τέρας μερόπων ἀνθρώπων.
ἀμφὶ δ’ ἄρ’ ὤμοισιν βάλετο ξίφος· ἐν δέ οἱ ἧλοι
χρύσειοι πάμφαινον, ἀτὰρ περὶ κουλεὸν ἦεν
ἀργύρεον χρυσέοισιν ἀορτήρεσσιν ἀρηρός.
ἂν δ’ ἕλετ’ ἀμφιβρότην πολυδαίδαλον ἀσπίδα θοῦριν
καλήν, ἣν πέρι μὲν κύκλοι δέκα χάλκεοι ἦσαν,
ἐν δέ οἱ ὀμφαλοὶ ἦσαν ἐείκοσι κασσιτέροιο
λευκοί, ἐν δὲ μέσοισιν ἔην μέλανος κυάνοιο.
τῇ δ’ ἐπὶ μὲν Γοργὼ βλοσυρῶπις ἐστεφάνωτο
δεινὸν δερκομένη, περὶ δὲ Δεῖμός τε Φόβος τε.
τῆς δ’ ἐξ ἀργύρεος τελαμὼν ἦν· αὐτὰρ ἐπ’ αὐτοῦ
κυάνεος ἐλέλικτο δράκων, κεφαλαὶ δέ οἱ ἦσαν
τρεῖς ἀμφιστρεφέες ἑνὸς αὐχένος ἐκπεφυυῖαι.
κρατὶ δ’ ἐπ’ ἀμφίφαλον κυνέην θέτο τετραφάληρον
ἵππουριν· δεινὸν δὲ λόφος καθύπερθεν ἔνευεν.
εἵλετο δ’ ἄλκιμα δοῦρε δύω κεκορυθμένα χαλκῷ
ὀξέα· τῆλε δὲ χαλκὸς ἀπ’ αὐτόφιν οὐρανὸν εἴσω
λάμπ’· ἐπὶ δ’ ἐγδούπησαν Ἀθηναίη τε καὶ Ἥρη,
τιμῶσαι βασιλῆα πολυχρύσοιο Μυκήνης.
Ἡνιόχῳ μὲν ἔπειτα ἑῷ ἐπέτελλεν ἕκαστος
ἵππους εὖ κατὰ κόσμον ἐρυκέμεν αὖθ’ ἐπὶ τάφρῳ,
αὐτοὶ δὲ πρυλέες σὺν τεύχεσι θωρηχθέντες

ῥώοντ’· ἄσβεστος δὲ βοὴ γένετ’ ἠῶθι πρό.
φθὰν δὲ μέγ’ ἱππήων ἐπὶ τάφρῳ κοσμηθέντες,
ἱππῆες δ’ ὀλίγον μετεκίαθον· ἐν δὲ κυδοιμὸν
ὦρσε κακὸν Κρονίδης, κατὰ δ’ ὑψόθεν ἧκεν ἐέρσας
αἵματι μυδαλέας ἐξ αἰθέρος, οὕνεκ’ ἔμελλε
πολλὰς ἰφθίμους κεφαλὰς Ἄϊδι προϊάψειν.
Τρῶες δ’ αὖθ’ ἑτέρωθεν ἐπὶ θρωσμῷ πεδίοιο
Ἕκτορά τ’ ἀμφὶ μέγαν καὶ ἀμύμονα Πουλυδάμαντα
Αἰνείαν θ’, ὃς Τρωσὶ θεὸς ὣς τίετο δήμῳ,
τρεῖς τ’ Ἀντηνορίδας Πόλυβον καὶ Ἀγήνορα δῖον
ἠΐθεόν τ’ Ἀκάμαντ’ ἐπιείκελον ἀθανάτοισιν.
Ἕκτωρ δ’ ἐν πρώτοισι φέρ’ ἀσπίδα πάντοσ’ ἐΐσην,
οἷος δ’ ἐκ νεφέων ἀναφαίνεται οὔλιος ἀστὴρ
παμφαίνων, τοτὲ δ’ αὖτις ἔδυ νέφεα σκιόεντα,
ὣς Ἕκτωρ ὁτὲ μέν τε μετὰ πρώτοισι φάνεσκεν,
ἄλλοτε δ’ ἐν πυμάτοισι κελεύων· πᾶς δ’ ἄρα χαλκῷ
λάμφ’ ὥς τε στεροπὴ πατρὸς Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.
Οἱ δ’, ὥς τ’ ἀμητῆρες ἐναντίοι ἀλλήλοισιν
ὄγμον ἐλαύνωσιν ἀνδρὸς μάκαρος κατ’ ἄρουραν
πυρῶν ἢ κριθῶν· τὰ δὲ δράγματα ταρφέα πίπτει·
ὣς Τρῶες καὶ Ἀχαιοὶ ἐπ’ ἀλλήλοισι θορόντες
δῄουν, οὐδ’ ἕτεροι μνώοντ’ ὀλοοῖο φόβοιο.
ἴσας δ’ ὑσμίνη κεφαλὰς ἔχεν, οἱ δὲ λύκοι ὣς
θῦνον· Ἔρις δ’ ἄρ’ ἔχαιρε πολύστονος εἰσορόωσα·
οἴη γάρ ῥα θεῶν παρετύγχανε μαρναμένοισιν,
οἱ δ’ ἄλλοι οὔ σφιν πάρεσαν θεοί, ἀλλὰ ἕκηλοι
σφοῖσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισι καθήατο, ἧχι ἑκάστῳ
δώματα καλὰ τέτυκτο κατὰ πτύχας Οὐλύμποιο.

πάντες δ’ ᾐτιόωντο κελαινεφέα Κρονίωνα,
οὕνεκ’ ἄρα Τρώεσσιν ἐβούλετο κῦδος ὀρέξαι.
τῶν μὲν ἄρ’ οὐκ ἀλέγιζε πατήρ· ὁ δὲ νόσφι λιασθεὶς
τῶν ἄλλων ἀπάνευθε καθέζετο κύδεϊ γαίων,
εἰσορόων Τρώων τε πόλιν καὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
χαλκοῦ τε στεροπήν, ὀλλύντάς τ’ ὀλλυμένους τε.
Ὄφρα μὲν ἠὼς ἦν καὶ ἀέξετο ἱερὸν ἦμαρ
τόφρα μάλ’ ἀμφοτέρων βέλε’ ἥπτετο, πῖπτε δὲ λαός·
ἦμος δὲ δρυτόμος περ ἀνὴρ ὁπλίσσατο δεῖπνον
οὔρεος ἐν βήσσῃσιν, ἐπεί τ’ ἐκορέσσατο χεῖρας
τάμνων δένδρεα μακρά, ἅδος τέ μιν ἵκετο θυμόν,
σίτου τε γλυκεροῖο περὶ φρένας ἵμερος αἱρεῖ,
τῆμος σφῇ ἀρετῇ Δαναοὶ ῥήξαντο φάλαγγας,
κεκλόμενοι ἑτάροισι κατὰ στίχας· ἐν δ’ Ἀγαμέμνων
πρῶτος ὄρουσ’, ἕλε δ’ ἄνδρα Βιάνορα ποιμένα λαῶν,
αὐτόν, ἔπειτα δ’ ἑταῖρον Ὀϊλῆα πλήξιππον.
ἤτοι ὅ γ’ ἐξ ἵππων κατεπάλμενος ἀντίος ἔστη·
τὸν δ’ ἰθὺς μεμαῶτα μετώπιον ὀξέϊ δουρὶ
νύξ’, οὐδὲ στεφάνη δόρυ οἱ σχέθε χαλκοβάρεια,
ἀλλὰ δι’ αὐτῆς ἦλθε καὶ ὀστέου, ἐγκέφαλος δὲ
ἔνδον ἅπας πεπάλακτο· δάμασσε δέ μιν μεμαῶτα.
καὶ τοὺς μὲν λίπεν αὖθι ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων
στήθεσι παμφαίνοντας, ἐπεὶ περίδυσε χιτῶνας·
αὐτὰρ ὁ βῆ Ἶσόν τε καὶ Ἄντιφον ἐξεναρίξων,
υἷε δύω Πριάμοιο νόθον καὶ γνήσιον ἄμφω
εἰν ἑνὶ δίφρῳ ἐόντας· ὁ μὲν νόθος ἡνιόχευεν,
Ἄντιφος αὖ παρέβασκε περικλυτός· ὥ ποτ’ Ἀχιλλεὺς
Ἴδης ἐν κνημοῖσι δίδη μόσχοισι λύγοισι,

ποιμαίνοντ’ ἐπ’ ὄεσσι λαβών, καὶ ἔλυσεν ἀποίνων.
δὴ τότε γ’ Ἀτρεΐδης εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων
τὸν μὲν ὑπὲρ μαζοῖο κατὰ στῆθος βάλε δουρί,
Ἄντιφον αὖ παρὰ οὖς ἔλασε ξίφει, ἐκ δ’ ἔβαλ’ ἵππων.
σπερχόμενος δ’ ἀπὸ τοῖιν ἐσύλα τεύχεα καλὰ
γιγνώσκων· καὶ γάρ σφε πάρος παρὰ νηυσὶ θοῇσιν
εἶδεν, ὅτ’ ἐξ Ἴδης ἄγαγεν πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς.
ὡς δὲ λέων ἐλάφοιο ταχείης νήπια τέκνα
ῥηϊδίως συνέαξε λαβὼν κρατεροῖσιν ὀδοῦσιν
ἐλθὼν εἰς εὐνήν, ἁπαλόν τέ σφ’ ἦτορ ἀπηύρα·
ἣ δ’ εἴ πέρ τε τύχῃσι μάλα σχεδόν, οὐ δύναταί σφι
χραισμεῖν· αὐτὴν γάρ μιν ὑπὸ τρόμος αἰνὸς ἱκάνει·
καρπαλίμως δ’ ἤϊξε διὰ δρυμὰ πυκνὰ καὶ ὕλην
σπεύδουσ’ ἱδρώουσα κραταιοῦ θηρὸς ὑφ’ ὁρμῆς·
ὣς ἄρα τοῖς οὔ τις δύνατο χραισμῆσαι ὄλεθρον
Τρώων, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ ὑπ’ Ἀργείοισι φέβοντο.
Αὐτὰρ ὁ Πείσανδρόν τε καὶ Ἱππόλοχον μενεχάρμην
υἱέας Ἀντιμάχοιο δαΐφρονος, ὅς ῥα μάλιστα
χρυσὸν Ἀλεξάνδροιο δεδεγμένος ἀγλαὰ δῶρα
οὐκ εἴασχ’ Ἑλένην δόμεναι ξανθῷ Μενελάῳ,
τοῦ περ δὴ δύο παῖδε λάβε κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων
εἰν ἑνὶ δίφρῳ ἐόντας, ὁμοῦ δ’ ἔχον ὠκέας ἵππους·
ἐκ γάρ σφεας χειρῶν φύγον ἡνία σιγαλόεντα,
τὼ δὲ κυκηθήτην· ὁ δ’ ἐναντίον ὦρτο λέων ὣς
Ἀτρεΐδης· τὼ δ’ αὖτ’ ἐκ δίφρου γουναζέσθην·
«ζώγρει Ἀτρέος υἱέ, σὺ δ’ ἄξια δέξαι ἄποινα·
πολλὰ δ’ ἐν Ἀντιμάχοιο δόμοις κειμήλια κεῖται
χαλκός τε χρυσός τε πολύκμητός τε σίδηρος,
τῶν κέν τοι χαρίσαιτο πατὴρ ἀπερείσι’ ἄποινα,

εἰ νῶϊ ζωοὺς πεπύθοιτ’ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.»
Ὣς τώ γε κλαίοντε προσαυδήτην βασιλῆα
μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσιν· ἀμείλικτον δ’ ὄπ’ ἄκουσαν·
«εἰ μὲν δὴ Ἀντιμάχοιο δαΐφρονος υἱέες ἐστόν,
ὅς ποτ’ ἐνὶ Τρώων ἀγορῇ Μενέλαον ἄνωγεν,
ἀγγελίην ἐλθόντα σὺν ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆϊ
αὖθι κατακτεῖναι μηδ’ ἐξέμεν ἂψ ἐς Ἀχαιούς,
νῦν μὲν δὴ τοῦ πατρὸς ἀεικέα τίσετε λώβην.»
Ἦ, καὶ Πείσανδρον μὲν ἀφ’ ἵππων ὦσε χαμᾶζε
δουρὶ βαλὼν πρὸς στῆθος· ὁ δ’ ὕπτιος οὔδει ἐρείσθη.
Ἱππόλοχος δ’ ἀπόρουσε, τὸν αὖ χαμαὶ ἐξενάριξε,
χεῖρας ἀπὸ ξίφεϊ τμήξας ἀπό τ’ αὐχένα κόψας,
ὅλμον δ’ ὣς ἔσσευε κυλίνδεσθαι δι’ ὁμίλου.
τοὺς μὲν ἔασ’· ὁ δ’ ὅθι πλεῖσται κλονέοντο φάλαγγες,
τῇ ῥ’ ἐνόρουσ’, ἅμα δ’ ἄλλοι ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί.
πεζοὶ μὲν πεζοὺς ὄλεκον φεύγοντας ἀνάγκῃ,
ἱππεῖς δ’ ἱππῆας—ὑπὸ δέ σφισιν ὦρτο κονίη
ἐκ πεδίου, τὴν ὦρσαν ἐρίγδουποι πόδες ἵππων—
χαλκῷ δηϊόωντες· ἀτὰρ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων
αἰὲν ἀποκτείνων ἕπετ’ Ἀργείοισι κελεύων.
ὡς δ’ ὅτε πῦρ ἀΐδηλον ἐν ἀξύλῳ ἐμπέσῃ ὕλῃ,
πάντῃ τ’ εἰλυφόων ἄνεμος φέρει, οἱ δέ τε θάμνοι
πρόῤῥιζοι πίπτουσιν ἐπειγόμενοι πυρὸς ὁρμῇ·
ὣς ἄρ’ ὑπ’ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι πῖπτε κάρηνα
Τρώων φευγόντων, πολλοὶ δ’ ἐριαύχενες ἵπποι
κείν’ ὄχεα κροτάλιζον ἀνὰ πτολέμοιο γεφύρας
ἡνιόχους ποθέοντες ἀμύμονας· οἱ δ’ ἐπὶ γαίῃ
κείατο, γύπεσσιν πολὺ φίλτεροι ἢ ἀλόχοισιν.
Ἕκτορα δ’ ἐκ βελέων ὕπαγε Ζεὺς ἔκ τε κονίης

ἔκ τ’ ἀνδροκτασίης ἔκ θ’ αἵματος ἔκ τε κυδοιμοῦ·
Ἀτρεΐδης δ’ ἕπετο σφεδανὸν Δαναοῖσι κελεύων.
οἱ δὲ παρ’ Ἴλου σῆμα παλαιοῦ Δαρδανίδαο
μέσσον κὰπ πεδίον παρ’ ἐρινεὸν ἐσσεύοντο
ἱέμενοι πόλιος· ὃ δὲ κεκλήγων ἕπετ’ αἰεὶ
Ἀτρεΐδης, λύθρῳ δὲ παλάσσετο χεῖρας ἀάπτους.
ἀλλ’ ὅτε δὴ Σκαιάς τε πύλας καὶ φηγὸν ἵκοντο,
ἔνθ’ ἄρα δὴ ἵσταντο καὶ ἀλλήλους ἀνέμιμνον.
οἱ δ’ ἔτι κὰμ μέσσον πεδίον φοβέοντο βόες ὥς,
ἅς τε λέων ἐφόβησε μολὼν ἐν νυκτὸς ἀμολγῷ
πάσας· τῇ δέ τ’ ἰῇ ἀναφαίνεται αἰπὺς ὄλεθρος·
τῆς δ’ ἐξ αὐχέν’ ἔαξε λαβὼν κρατεροῖσιν ὀδοῦσι
πρῶτον, ἔπειτα δέ θ’ αἷμα καὶ ἔγκατα πάντα λαφύσσει·
ὣς τοὺς Ἀτρεΐδης ἔφεπε κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων,
αἰὲν ἀποκτείνων τὸν ὀπίστατον· οἱ δ’ ἐφέβοντο.
πολλοὶ δὲ πρηνεῖς τε καὶ ὕπτιοι ἔκπεσον ἵππων
Ἀτρεΐδεω ὑπὸ χερσί· περὶ πρὸ γὰρ ἔγχεϊ θῦεν.
ἀλλ’ ὅτε δὴ τάχ’ ἔμελλεν ὑπὸ πτόλιν αἰπύ τε τεῖχος
ἵξεσθαι, τότε δή ῥα πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε
Ἴδης ἐν κορυφῇσι καθέζετο πιδηέσσης,
οὐρανόθεν καταβάς· ἔχε δ’ ἀστεροπὴν μετὰ χερσίν.
Ἶριν δ’ ὄτρυνε χρυσόπτερον ἀγγελέουσαν·
«βάσκ’ ἴθι Ἶρι ταχεῖα, τὸν Ἕκτορι μῦθον ἐνίσπες·
ὄφρ’ ἂν μέν κεν ὁρᾷ Ἀγαμέμνονα ποιμένα λαῶν
θύνοντ’ ἐν προμάχοισιν ἐναίροντα στίχας ἀνδρῶν,
τόφρ’ ἀναχωρείτω, τὸν δ’ ἄλλον λαὸν ἀνώχθω
μάρνασθαι δηΐοισι κατὰ κρατερὴν ὑσμίνην.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κ’ ἢ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἢ βλήμενος ἰῷ
εἰς ἵππους ἅλεται, τότε οἱ κράτος ἐγγυαλίξω
κτείνειν εἰς ὅ κε νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους ἀφίκηται
δύῃ τ’ ἠέλιος καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἱερὸν ἔλθῃ.»

Ὣς ἔφατ’, οὐδ’ ἀπίθησε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις,
βῆ δὲ κατ’ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων εἰς Ἴλιον ἱρήν.
εὗρ’ υἱὸν Πριάμοιο δαΐφρονος Ἕκτορα δῖον,
ἑσταότ’ ἔν θ’ ἵπποισι καὶ ἅρμασι κολλητοῖσιν·
ἀγχοῦ δ’ ἱσταμένη προσέφη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις·
«Ἕκτορ υἱὲ Πριάμοιο Διὶ μῆτιν ἀτάλαντε
Ζεύς με πατὴρ προέηκε τεῒν τάδε μυθήσασθαι.
ὄφρ’ ἂν μέν κεν ὁρᾷς Ἀγαμέμνονα ποιμένα λαῶν
θύνοντ’ ἐν προμάχοισιν, ἐναίροντα στίχας ἀνδρῶν,
τόφρ’ ὑπόεικε μάχης, τὸν δ’ ἄλλον λαὸν ἄνωχθι
μάρνασθαι δηΐοισι κατὰ κρατερὴν ὑσμίνην.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κ’ ἢ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἢ βλήμενος ἰῷ
εἰς ἵππους ἅλεται, τότε τοι κράτος ἐγγυαλίξει
κτείνειν, εἰς ὅ κε νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους ἀφίκηαι
δύῃ τ’ ἠέλιος καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἱερὸν ἔλθῃ.»
Ἡ μὲν ἄρ’ ὣς εἰποῦσ’ ἀπέβη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις,
Ἕκτωρ δ’ ἐξ ὀχέων σὺν τεύχεσιν ἆλτο χαμᾶζε,
πάλλων δ’ ὀξέα δοῦρα κατὰ στρατὸν ᾤχετο πάντῃ,
ὀτρύνων μαχέσασθαι, ἔγειρε δὲ φύλοπιν αἰνήν.
οἱ δ’ ἐλελίχθησαν καὶ ἐναντίοι ἔσταν Ἀχαιῶν,
Ἀργεῖοι δ’ ἑτέρωθεν ἐκαρτύναντο φάλαγγας.
ἀρτύνθη δὲ μάχη, στὰν δ’ ἀντίοι· ἐν δ’ Ἀγαμέμνων
πρῶτος ὄρουσ’, ἔθελεν δὲ πολὺ προμάχεσθαι ἁπάντων.
Ἔσπετε νῦν μοι Μοῦσαι Ὀλύμπια δώματ’ ἔχουσαι,
ὅς τις δὴ πρῶτος Ἀγαμέμνονος ἀντίον ἦλθεν
ἢ αὐτῶν Τρώων ἠὲ κλειτῶν ἐπικούρων.
Ἰφιδάμας Ἀντηνορίδης ἠΰς τε μέγας τε
ὃς τράφη ἐν Θρῄκῃ ἐριβώλακι μητέρι μήλων·
Κισσῆς τόν γ’ ἔθρεψε δόμοις ἔνι τυτθὸν ἐόντα
μητροπάτωρ, ὃς τίκτε Θεανὼ καλλιπάρῃον·

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ’ ἥβης ἐρικυδέος ἵκετο μέτρον,
αὐτοῦ μιν κατέρυκε, δίδου δ’ ὅ γε θυγατέρα ἥν·
γήμας δ’ ἐκ θαλάμοιο μετὰ κλέος ἵκετ’ Ἀχαιῶν
σὺν δυοκαίδεκα νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν, αἵ οἱ ἕποντο.
τὰς μὲν ἔπειτ’ ἐν Περκώτῃ λίπε νῆας ἐΐσας,
αὐτὰρ ὃ πεζὸς ἐὼν ἐς Ἴλιον εἰληλούθει·
ὅς ῥα τότ’ Ἀτρεΐδεω Ἀγαμέμνονος ἀντίον ἦλθεν.
οἱ δ’ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦσαν ἐπ’ ἀλλήλοισιν ἰόντες,
Ἀτρεΐδης μὲν ἅμαρτε, παραὶ δέ οἱ ἐτράπετ’ ἔγχος,
Ἰφιδάμας δὲ κατὰ ζώνην θώρηκος ἔνερθε
νύξ’, ἐπὶ δ’ αὐτὸς ἔρεισε βαρείῃ χειρὶ πιθήσας·
οὐδ’ ἔτορε ζωστῆρα παναίολον, ἀλλὰ πολὺ πρὶν
ἀργύρῳ ἀντομένη μόλιβος ὣς ἐτράπετ’ αἰχμή.
καὶ τό γε χειρὶ λαβὼν εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων
ἕλκ’ ἐπὶ οἷ μεμαὼς ὥς τε λίς, ἐκ δ’ ἄρα χειρὸς
σπάσσατο· τὸν δ’ ἄορι πλῆξ’ αὐχένα, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα.
ὣς ὃ μὲν αὖθι πεσὼν κοιμήσατο χάλκεον ὕπνον
οἰκτρὸς ἀπὸ μνηστῆς ἀλόχου, ἀστοῖσιν ἀρήγων,
κουριδίης, ἧς οὔ τι χάριν ἴδε, πολλὰ δ’ ἔδωκε·
πρῶθ’ ἑκατὸν βοῦς δῶκεν, ἔπειτα δὲ χίλι’ ὑπέστη
αἶγας ὁμοῦ καὶ ὄϊς, τά οἱ ἄσπετα ποιμαίνοντο.
δὴ τότε γ’ Ἀτρεΐδης Ἀγαμέμνων ἐξενάριξε,
βῆ δὲ φέρων ἀν’ ὅμιλον Ἀχαιῶν τεύχεα καλά.
Τὸν δ’ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησε Κόων ἀριδείκετος ἀνδρῶν
πρεσβυγενὴς Ἀντηνορίδης, κρατερόν ῥά ἑ πένθος
ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐκάλυψε κασιγνήτοιο πεσόντος.
στῆ δ’ εὐρὰξ σὺν δουρὶ λαθὼν Ἀγαμέμνονα δῖον,
νύξε δέ μιν κατὰ χεῖρα μέσην ἀγκῶνος ἔνερθε,
ἀντικρὺ δὲ διέσχε φαεινοῦ δουρὸς ἀκωκή.
ῥίγησέν τ’ ἄρ’ ἔπειτα ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων·
ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ ὧς ἀπέληγε μάχης ἠδὲ πτολέμοιο,
ἀλλ’ ἐπόρουσε Κόωνι ἔχων ἀνεμοτρεφὲς ἔγχος.

ἤτοι ὁ Ἰφιδάμαντα κασίγνητον καὶ ὄπατρον
ἕλκε ποδὸς μεμαώς, καὶ ἀΰτει πάντας ἀρίστους·
τὸν δ’ ἕλκοντ’ ἀν’ ὅμιλον ὑπ’ ἀσπίδος ὀμφαλοέσσης
οὔτησε ξυστῷ χαλκήρεϊ, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα·
τοῖο δ’ ἐπ’ Ἰφιδάμαντι κάρη ἀπέκοψε παραστάς.
ἔνθ’ Ἀντήνορος υἷες ὑπ’ Ἀτρεΐδῃ βασιλῆϊ
πότμον ἀναπλήσαντες ἔδυν δόμον Ἄϊδος εἴσω.
Αὐτὰρ ὁ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπεπωλεῖτο στίχας ἀνδρῶν
ἔγχεΐ τ’ ἄορί τε μεγάλοισί τε χερμαδίοισιν,
ὄφρά οἱ αἷμ’ ἔτι θερμὸν ἀνήνοθεν ἐξ ὠτειλῆς.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τὸ μὲν ἕλκος ἐτέρσετο, παύσατο δ’ αἷμα,
ὀξεῖαι δ’ ὀδύναι δῦνον μένος Ἀτρεΐδαο.
ὡς δ’ ὅτ’ ἂν ὠδίνουσαν ἔχῃ βέλος ὀξὺ γυναῖκα,
δριμύ, τό τε προϊεῖσι μογοστόκοι Εἰλείθυιαι
Ἥρης θυγατέρες πικρὰς ὠδῖνας ἔχουσαι,
ὣς ὀξεῖ’ ὀδύναι δῦνον μένος Ἀτρεΐδαο.
ἐς δίφρον δ’ ἀνόρουσε, καὶ ἡνιόχῳ ἐπέτελλε
νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐλαυνέμεν· ἤχθετο γὰρ κῆρ.
ἤϋσεν δὲ διαπρύσιον Δαναοῖσι γεγωνώς·
«ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες,
ὑμεῖς μὲν νῦν νηυσὶν ἀμύνετε ποντοπόροισι
φύλοπιν ἀργαλέην, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐμὲ μητίετα Ζεὺς
εἴασε Τρώεσσι πανημέριον πολεμίζειν.»
Ὣς ἔφαθ’, ἡνίοχος δ’ ἵμασεν καλλίτριχας ἵππους
νῆας ἔπι γλαφυράς· τὼ δ’ οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην·
ἄφρεον δὲ στήθεα, ῥαίνοντο δὲ νέρθε κονίῃ,
τειρόμενον βασιλῆα μάχης ἀπάνευθε φέροντες.
Ἕκτωρ δ’ ὡς ἐνόησ’ Ἀγαμέμνονα νόσφι κιόντα,
Τρωσί τε καὶ Λυκίοισιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·
«Τρῶες καὶ Λύκιοι καὶ Δάρδανοι ἀγχιμαχηταί,
ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι, μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς.

οἴχετ’ ἀνὴρ ὤριστος, ἐμοὶ δὲ μέγ’ εὖχος ἔδωκε
Ζεὺς Κρονίδης· ἀλλ’ ἰθὺς ἐλαύνετε μώνυχας ἵππους
ἰφθίμων Δαναῶν, ἵν’ ὑπέρτερον εὖχος ἄρησθε.
Ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου.
ὡς δ’ ὅτε πού τις θηρητὴρ κύνας ἀργιόδοντας
σεύῃ ἐπ’ ἀγροτέρῳ συῒ καπρίῳ ἠὲ λέοντι,
ὣς ἐπ’ Ἀχαιοῖσιν σεῦε Τρῶας μεγαθύμους
Ἕκτωρ Πριαμίδης βροτολοιγῷ ἶσος Ἄρηϊ.
αὐτὸς δ’ ἐν πρώτοισι μέγα φρονέων ἐβεβήκει,
ἐν δ’ ἔπεσ’ ὑσμίνῃ ὑπεραέϊ ἶσος ἀέλλῃ,
ἥ τε καθαλλομένη ἰοειδέα πόντον ὀρίνει.
Ἔνθα τίνα πρῶτον, τίνα δ’ ὕστατον ἐξενάριξεν
Ἕκτωρ Πριαμίδης, ὅτε οἱ Ζεὺς κῦδος ἔδωκεν;
Ἀσαῖον μὲν πρῶτα καὶ Αὐτόνοον καὶ Ὀπίτην
καὶ Δόλοπα Κλυτίδην καὶ Ὀφέλτιον ἠδ’ Ἀγέλαον
Αἴσυμνόν τ’ Ὦρόν τε καὶ Ἱππόνοον μενεχάρμην.
τοὺς ἄρ’ ὅ γ’ ἡγεμόνας Δαναῶν ἕλεν, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα
πληθύν, ὡς ὁπότε νέφεα Ζέφυρος στυφελίξῃ
ἀργεστᾶο Νότοιο βαθείῃ λαίλαπι τύπτων·
πολλὸν δὲ τρόφι κῦμα κυλίνδεται, ὑψόσε δ’ ἄχνη
σκίδναται ἐξ ἀνέμοιο πολυπλάγκτοιο ἰωῆς·
ὣς ἄρα πυκνὰ καρήαθ’ ὑφ’ Ἕκτορι δάμνατο λαῶν.
Ἔνθά κε λοιγὸς ἔην καὶ ἀμήχανα ἔργα γένοντο,
καί νύ κεν ἐν νήεσσι πέσον φεύγοντες Ἀχαιοί,
εἰ μὴ Τυδεΐδῃ Διομήδεϊ κέκλετ’ Ὀδυσσεύς·
«Τυδεΐδη τί παθόντε λελάσμεθα θούριδος ἀλκῆς;
ἀλλ’ ἄγε δεῦρο πέπον, παρ’ ἔμ’ ἵσταο· δὴ γὰρ ἔλεγχος
ἔσσεται εἴ κεν νῆας ἕλῃ κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ.»
Τὸν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης·

«ἤτοι ἐγὼ μενέω καὶ τλήσομαι· ἀλλὰ μίνυνθα
ἡμέων ἔσσεται ἦδος, ἐπεὶ νεφεληγερέτα Ζεὺς
Τρωσὶν δὴ βόλεται δοῦναι κράτος ἠέ περ ἡμῖν.»
Ἦ καὶ Θυμβραῖον μὲν ἀφ’ ἵππων ὦσε χαμᾶζε,
δουρὶ βαλὼν κατὰ μαζὸν ἀριστερόν· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς
ἀντίθεον θεράποντα Μολίονα τοῖο ἄνακτος.
τοὺς μὲν ἔπειτ’ εἴασαν, ἐπεὶ πολέμου ἀπέπαυσαν·
τὼ δ’ ἀν’ ὅμιλον ἰόντε κυδοίμεον, ὡς ὅτε κάπρω
ἐν κυσὶ θηρευτῇσι μέγα φρονέοντε πέσητον·
ὣς ὄλεκον Τρῶας πάλιν ὀρμένω· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ
ἀσπασίως φεύγοντες ἀνέπνεον Ἕκτορα δῖον.
Ἔνθ’ ἑλέτην δίφρόν τε καὶ ἀνέρε δήμου ἀρίστω,
υἷε δύω Μέροπος Περκωσίου, ὃς περὶ πάντων
ᾔδεε μαντοσύνας, οὐδὲ οὓς παῖδας ἔασκε
στείχειν ἐς πόλεμον φθισήνορα· τὼ δέ οἱ οὔ τι
πειθέσθην· κῆρες γὰρ ἄγον μέλανος θανάτοιο.
τοὺς μὲν Τυδεΐδης δουρικλειτὸς Διομήδης
θυμοῦ καὶ ψυχῆς κεκαδὼν κλυτὰ τεύχε’ ἀπηύρα·
Ἱππόδαμον δ’ Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ Ὑπείροχον ἐξενάριξεν.
Ἔνθά σφιν κατὰ ἶσα μάχην ἐτάνυσσε Κρονίων
ἐξ Ἴδης καθορῶν· τοὶ δ’ ἀλλήλους ἐνάριζον.
ἤτοι Τυδέος υἱὸς Ἀγάστροφον οὔτασε δουρὶ
Παιονίδην ἥρωα κατ’ ἰσχίον· οὐ δέ οἱ ἵπποι
ἐγγὺς ἔσαν προφυγεῖν, ἀάσατο δὲ μέγα θυμῷ.
τοὺς μὲν γὰρ θεράπων ἀπάνευθ’ ἔχεν, αὐτὰρ ὁ πεζὸς
θῦνε διὰ προμάχων, εἷος φίλον ὤλεσε θυμόν.
Ἕκτωρ δ’ ὀξὺ νόησε κατὰ στίχας, ὦρτο δ’ ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς
κεκλήγων· ἅμα δὲ Τρώων εἵποντο φάλαγγες.
τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν ῥίγησε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης,

αἶψα δ’ Ὀδυσσῆα προσεφώνεεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντα·
«νῶϊν δὴ τόδε πῆμα κυλίνδεται ὄβριμος Ἕκτωρ·
ἀλλ’ ἄγε δὴ στέωμεν καὶ ἀλεξώμεσθα μένοντες.»
Ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἀμπεπαλὼν προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος
καὶ βάλεν, οὐδ’ ἀφάμαρτε τιτυσκόμενος κεφαλῆφιν,
ἄκρην κὰκ κόρυθα· πλάγχθη δ’ ἀπὸ χαλκόφι χαλκός,
οὐδ’ ἵκετο χρόα καλόν· ἐρύκακε γὰρ τρυφάλεια
τρίπτυχος αὐλῶπις, τήν οἱ πόρε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων.
Ἕκτωρ δ’ ὦκ’ ἀπέλεθρον ἀνέδραμε, μίκτο δ’ ὁμίλῳ,
στῆ δὲ γνὺξ ἐριπὼν καὶ ἐρείσατο χειρὶ παχείῃ
γαίης· ἀμφὶ δὲ ὄσσε κελαινὴ νὺξ ἐκάλυψεν.
ὄφρα δὲ Τυδεΐδης μετὰ δούρατος ᾤχετ’ ἐρωὴν
τῆλε διὰ προμάχων, ὅθι οἱ καταείσατο γαίης
τόφρ’ Ἕκτωρ ἔμπνυτο, καὶ ἂψ ἐς δίφρον ὀρούσας
ἐξέλασ’ ἐς πληθύν, καὶ ἀλεύατο κῆρα μέλαιναν.
δουρὶ δ’ ἐπαΐσσων προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης·
«ἐξ αὖ νῦν ἔφυγες θάνατον κύον· ἦ τέ τοι ἄγχι
ἦλθε κακόν· νῦν αὖτέ σ’ ἐρύσατο Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων,
ᾧ μέλλεις εὔχεσθαι ἰὼν ἐς δοῦπον ἀκόντων.
ἦ θήν σ’ ἐξανύω γε καὶ ὕστερον ἀντιβολήσας,
εἴ πού τις καὶ ἔμοιγε θεῶν ἐπιτάῤῥοθός ἐστι.
νῦν αὖ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐπιείσομαι, ὅν κε κιχείω.»
Ἦ, καὶ Παιονίδην δουρὶ κλυτὸν ἐξενάριζεν.
αὐτὰρ Ἀλέξανδρος Ἑλένης πόσις ἠϋκόμοιο,
Τυδεΐδῃ ἔπι τόξα τιταίνετο ποιμένι λαῶν,
στήλῃ κεκλιμένος ἀνδροκμήτῳ ἐπὶ τύμβῳ
Ἴλου Δαρδανίδαο, παλαιοῦ δημογέροντος.
ἤτοι ὃ μὲν θώρηκα Ἀγαστρόφου ἰφθίμοιο
αἴνυτ’ ἀπὸ στήθεσφι παναίολον ἀσπίδα τ’ ὤμων
καὶ κόρυθα βριαρήν· ὃ δὲ τόξου πῆχυν ἄνελκε

καὶ βάλεν, οὐδ’ ἄρα μιν ἅλιον βέλος ἔκφυγε χειρός,
ταρσὸν δεξιτεροῖο ποδός· διὰ δ’ ἀμπερὲς ἰὸς
ἐν γαίῃ κατέπηκτο· ὁ δὲ μάλα ἡδὺ γελάσσας
ἐκ λόχου ἀμπήδησε καὶ εὐχόμενος ἔπος ηὔδα·
«βέβληαι οὐδ’ ἅλιον βέλος ἔκφυγεν· ὡς ὄφελόν τοι
νείατον ἐς κενεῶνα βαλὼν ἐκ θυμὸν ἑλέσθαι.
οὕτω κεν καὶ Τρῶες ἀνέπνευσαν κακότητος,
οἵ τέ σε πεφρίκασι λέονθ’ ὡς μηκάδες αἶγες.»
Τὸν δ’ οὐ ταρβήσας προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης·
«τοξότα λωβητὴρ κέρᾳ ἀγλαὲ παρθενοπῖπα,
εἰ μὲν δὴ ἀντίβιον σὺν τεύχεσι πειρηθείης,
οὐκ ἄν τοι χραίσμῃσι βιὸς καὶ ταρφέες ἰοί·
νῦν δέ μ’ ἐπιγράψας ταρσὸν ποδὸς εὔχεαι αὔτως.
οὐκ ἀλέγω, ὡς εἴ με γυνὴ βάλοι ἢ πάϊς ἄφρων·
κωφὸν γὰρ βέλος ἀνδρὸς ἀνάλκιδος οὐτιδανοῖο.
ἦ τ’ ἄλλως ὑπ’ ἐμεῖο, καὶ εἴ κ' ὀλίγον περ ἐπαύρῃ,
ὀξὺ βέλος πέλεται, καὶ ἀκήριον αἶψα τίθησι.
τοῦ δὲ γυναικὸς μέν τ’ ἀμφίδρυφοί εἰσι παρειαί,
παῖδες δ’ ὀρφανικοί· ὁ δέ θ’ αἵματι γαῖαν ἐρεύθων
πύθεται, οἰωνοὶ δὲ περὶ πλέες ἠὲ γυναῖκες.»
Ὣς φάτο, τοῦ δ’ Ὀδυσεὺς δουρικλυτὸς ἐγγύθεν ἐλθὼν
ἔστη πρόσθ’· ὁ δ’ ὄπισθε καθεζόμενος βέλος ὠκὺ
ἐκ πόδος ἕλκ’, ὀδύνη δὲ διὰ χροὸς ἦλθ’ ἀλεγεινή.
ἐς δίφρον δ’ ἀνόρουσε, καὶ ἡνιόχῳ ἐπέτελλε
νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐλαυνέμεν· ἤχθετο γὰρ κῆρ.
Οἰώθη δ’ Ὀδυσεὺς δουρὶ κλυτός, οὐδέ τις αὐτῷ
Ἀργείων παρέμεινεν, ἐπεὶ φόβος ἔλλαβε πάντας·
ὀχθήσας δ’ ἄρα εἶπε πρὸς ὃν μεγαλήτορα θυμόν·
«ὤ μοι ἐγὼ τί πάθω; μέγα μὲν κακὸν αἴ κε φέβωμαι

πληθὺν ταρβήσας· τὸ δὲ ῥίγιον αἴ κεν ἁλώω
μοῦνος· τοὺς δ’ ἄλλους Δαναοὺς ἐφόβησε Κρονίων.
ἀλλὰ τί ἤ μοι ταῦτα φίλος διελέξατο θυμός;
οἶδα γὰρ ὅττι κακοὶ μὲν ἀποίχονται πολέμοιο,
ὃς δέ κ’ ἀριστεύῃσι μάχῃ ἔνι τὸν δὲ μάλα χρεὼ
ἑστάμεναι κρατερῶς, ἤ τ’ ἔβλητ’ ἤ τ’ ἔβαλ’ ἄλλον.»
Ἧος ὁ ταῦθ’ ὥρμαινε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,
τόφρα δ’ ἐπὶ Τρώων στίχες ἤλυθον ἀσπιστάων,
ἔλσαν δ’ ἐν μέσσοισι, μετὰ σφίσι πῆμα τιθέντες.
ὡς δ’ ὅτε κάπριον ἀμφὶ κύνες θαλεροί τ’ αἰζηοὶ
σεύωνται, ὁ δέ τ’ εἶσι βαθείης ἐκ ξυλόχοιο
θήγων λευκὸν ὀδόντα μετὰ γναμπτῇσι γένυσσιν,
ἀμφὶ δέ τ’ ἀΐσσονται, ὑπαὶ δέ τε κόμπος ὀδόντων
γίγνεται, οἳ δὲ μένουσιν ἄφαρ δεινόν περ ἐόντα,
ὥς ῥα τότ’ ἀμφ’ Ὀδυσῆα Διῒ φίλον ἐσσεύοντο
Τρῶες· ὁ δὲ πρῶτον μὲν ἀμύμονα Δηϊοπίτην
οὔτασεν ὦμον ὕπερθεν ἐπάλμενος ὀξέϊ δουρί,
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα Θόωνα καὶ Ἔννομον ἐξενάριξε.
Χερσιδάμαντα δ’ ἔπειτα καθ’ ἵππων ἀΐξαντα
δουρὶ κατὰ πρότμησιν ὑπ’ ἀσπίδος ὀμφαλοέσσης
νύξεν· ὁ δ’ ἐν κονίῃσι πεσὼν ἕλε γαῖαν ἀγοστῷ.
τοὺς μὲν ἔασ’, ὁ δ’ ἄρ’ Ἱππασίδην Χάροπ’ οὔτασε δουρὶ
αὐτοκασίγνητον εὐηφενέος Σώκοιο.
τῷ δ’ ἐπαλεξήσων Σῶκος κίεν ἰσόθεος φώς,
στῆ δὲ μάλ’ ἐγγὺς ἰὼν καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν
«ὦ Ὀδυσεῦ πολύαινε δόλων ἆτ’ ἠδὲ πόνοιο,
σήμερον ἢ δοιοῖσιν ἐπεύξεαι Ἱππασίδῃσι
τοιώδ’ ἄνδρε κατακτείνας καὶ τεύχε’ ἀπούρας,
ἤ κεν ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἀπὸ θυμὸν ὀλέσσῃς.»

Ὣς εἰπὼν οὔτησε κατ’ ἀσπίδα πάντοσ’ ἐΐσην.
διὰ μὲν ἀσπίδος ἦλθε φαεινῆς ὄβριμον ἔγχος,
καὶ διὰ θώρηκος πολυδαιδάλου ἠρήρειστο,
πάντα δ’ ἀπὸ πλευρῶν χρόα ἔργαθεν, οὐδ’ ἔτ’ ἔασε
Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίη μιχθήμεναι ἔγκασι φωτός.
γνῶ δ’ Ὀδυσεὺς ὅ οἱ οὔ τι τέλος κατακαίριον ἦλθεν,
ἂψ δ’ ἀναχωρήσας Σῶκον πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·
«ἆ δείλ’ ἦ μάλα δή σε κιχάνεται αἰπὺς ὄλεθρος.
ἤτοι μέν ῥ’ ἔμ’ ἔπαυσας ἐπὶ Τρώεσσι μάχεσθαι·
σοὶ δ’ ἐγὼ ἐνθάδε φημὶ φόνον καὶ κῆρα μέλαιναν
ἤματι τῷδ’ ἔσσεσθαι, ἐμῷ δ’ ὑπὸ δουρὶ δαμέντα
εὖχος ἐμοὶ δώσειν, ψυχὴν δ’ Ἄϊδι κλυτοπώλῳ.»
Ἦ, καὶ ὃ μὲν φύγαδ’ αὖτις ὑποστρέψας ἐβεβήκει,
τῷ δὲ μεταστρεφθέντι μεταφρένῳ ἐν δόρυ πῆξεν
ὤμων μεσσηγύς, διὰ δὲ στήθεσφιν ἔλασσε,
δούπησεν δὲ πεσών· ὃ δ’ ἐπεύξατο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·
«ὦ Σῶχ’ Ἱππάσου υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἱπποδάμοιο
φθῆ σε τέλος θανάτοιο κιχήμενον, οὐδ’ ὑπάλυξας.
ἆ δείλ’ οὐ μὲν σοί γε πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ
ὄσσε καθαιρήσουσι θανόντι περ, ἀλλ’ οἰωνοὶ
ὠμησταὶ ἐρύουσι, περὶ πτερὰ πυκνὰ βαλόντες.
αὐτὰρ ἔμ’, εἴ κε θάνω, κτεριοῦσί γε δῖοι Ἀχαιοί.»
Ὣς εἰπὼν Σώκοιο δαΐφρονος ὄβριμον ἔγχος
ἔξω τε χροὸς ἕλκε καὶ ἀσπίδος ὀμφαλοέσσης·
αἷμα δέ οἱ σπασθέντος ἀνέσσυτο, κῆδε δὲ θυμόν.
Τρῶες δὲ μεγάθυμοι ὅπως ἴδον αἷμ’ Ὀδυσῆος
κεκλόμενοι καθ’ ὅμιλον ἐπ’ αὐτῷ πάντες ἔβησαν.
αὐτὰρ ὅ γ’ ἐξοπίσω ἀνεχάζετο, αὖε δ’ ἑταίρους.
τρὶς μὲν ἔπειτ’ ἤϋσεν ὅσον κεφαλὴ χάδε φωτός,

τρὶς δ’ ἄϊεν ἰάχοντος ἄρηι φίλος Μενέλαος.
αἶψα δ’ ἄρ’ Αἴαντα προσεφώνεεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντα·
«Αἶαν διογενὲς Τελαμώνιε κοίρανε λαῶν,
ἀμφί μ’ Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος ἵκετ’ ἀϋτή,
τῷ ἰκέλη ὡς εἴ ἑ βιῴατο μοῦνον ἐόντα
Τρῶες ἀποτμήξαντες ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ.
ἀλλ’ ἴομεν καθ’ ὅμιλον· ἀλεξέμεναι γὰρ ἄμεινον.
δείδω μή τι πάθῃσιν ἐνὶ Τρώεσσι μονωθεὶς
ἐσθλὸς ἐών, μεγάλη δὲ ποθὴ Δαναοῖσι γένηται.»
Ὣς εἰπὼν ὁ μὲν ἦρχ’, ὁ δ’ ἅμ’ ἕσπετο ἰσόθεος φώς.
εὗρον ἔπειτ’ Ὀδυσῆα Διῒ φίλον· ἀμφὶ δ’ ἄρ’ αὐτὸν
Τρῶες ἕπονθ’ ὡς εἴ τε δαφοινοὶ θῶες ὄρεσφιν
ἀμφ’ ἔλαφον κεραὸν βεβλημένον, ὅν τ’ ἔβαλ’ ἀνὴρ
ἰῷ ἀπὸ νευρῆς· τὸν μέν τ’ ἤλυξε πόδεσσι
φεύγων, ὄφρ’ αἷμα λιαρὸν καὶ γούνατ’ ὀρώρῃ·
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τόν γε δαμάσσεται ὠκὺς ὀϊστός,
ὠμοφάγοι μιν θῶες ἐν οὔρεσι δαρδάπτουσιν
ἐν νέμεϊ σκιερῷ· ἐπί τε λῖν ἤγαγε δαίμων
σίντην· θῶες μέν τε διέτρεσαν, αὐτὰρ ὁ δάπτει·
ὥς ῥα τότ’ ἀμφ’ Ὀδυσῆα δαΐφρονα ποικιλομήτην
Τρῶες ἕπον πολλοί τε καὶ ἄλκιμοι, αὐτὰρ ὅ γ’ ἥρως
ἀΐσσων ᾧ ἔγχει ἀμύνετο νηλεὲς ἦμαρ.
Αἴας δ’ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθε φέρων σάκος ἠΰτε πύργον,
στῆ δὲ παρέξ· Τρῶες δὲ διέτρεσαν ἄλλυδις ἄλλος.
ἤτοι τὸν Μενέλαος ἀρήϊος ἔξαγ’ ὁμίλου
χειρὸς ἔχων, εἷος θεράπων σχεδὸν ἤλασεν ἵππους.
Αἴας δὲ Τρώεσσιν ἐπάλμενος εἷλε Δόρυκλον
Πριαμίδην νόθον υἱόν, ἔπειτα δὲ Πάνδοκον οὖτα,
οὖτα δὲ Λύσανδρον καὶ Πύρασον ἠδὲ Πυλάρτην.

ὡς δ’ ὁπότε πλήθων ποταμὸς πεδίον δὲ κάτεισι
χειμάρρους κατ’ ὄρεσφιν ὀπαζόμενος Διὸς ὄμβρῳ,
πολλὰς δὲ δρῦς ἀζαλέας, πολλὰς δέ τε πεύκας
ἐσφέρεται, πολλὸν δέ τ’ ἀφυσγετὸν εἰς ἅλα βάλλει,
ὣς ἔφεπε κλονέων πεδίον τότε φαίδιμος Αἴας,
δαΐζων ἵππους τε καὶ ἀνέρας· οὐδέ πω Ἕκτωρ
πεύθετ’, ἐπεί ῥα μάχης ἐπ’ ἀριστερὰ μάρνατο πάσης,
ὄχθας πὰρ ποταμοῖο Σκαμάνδρου, τῇ ῥα μάλιστα
ἀνδρῶν πῖπτε κάρηνα, βοὴ δ’ ἄσβεστος ὀρώρει
Νέστορά τ’ ἀμφὶ μέγαν καὶ ἀρήϊον Ἰδομενῆα.
Ἕκτωρ μὲν μετὰ τοῖσιν ὁμίλει μέρμερα ῥέζων
ἔγχεΐ θ’ ἱπποσύνῃ τε, νέων δ’ ἀλάπαζε φάλαγγας·
οὐδ’ ἄν πω χάζοντο κελεύθου δῖοι Ἀχαιοί,
εἰ μὴ Ἀλέξανδρος Ἑλένης πόσις ἠϋκόμοιο,
παῦσεν ἀριστεύοντα Μαχάονα ποιμένα λαῶν,
ἰῷ τριγλώχινι βαλὼν κατὰ δεξιὸν ὦμον.
τῷ ῥα περίδεισαν μένεα πνείοντες Ἀχαιοί,
μή πώς μιν πολέμοιο μετακλινθέντος ἕλοιεν.
αὐτίκα δ’ Ἰδομενεὺς προσεφώνεε Νέστορα δῖον·
«ὦ Νέστορ Νηληϊάδη μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιῶν,
ἄγρει σῶν ὀχέων ἐπιβήσεο, πὰρ δὲ Μαχάων
βαινέτω, ἐς νῆας δὲ τάχιστ’ ἔχε μώνυχας ἵππους·
ἰητρὸς γὰρ ἀνὴρ πολλῶν ἀντάξιος ἄλλων
ἰούς τ’ ἐκτάμνειν ἐπί τ’ ἤπια φάρμακα πάσσειν.»
Ὣς ἔφατ’, οὐδ’ ἀπίθησε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ.
αὐτίκα δ’ ὧν ὀχέων ἐπεβήσετο, πὰρ δὲ Μαχάων
βαῖν’ Ἀσκληπιοῦ υἱὸς ἀμύμονος ἰητῆρος·
μάστιξεν δ’ ἵππους, τὼ δ’ οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην
νῆας ἔπι γλαφυράς· τῇ γὰρ φίλον ἔπλετο θυμῷ.

Κεβριόνης δὲ Τρῶας ὀρινομένους ἐνόησεν
Ἕκτορι παρβεβαώς, καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·
«Ἕκτορ νῶϊ μὲν ἐνθάδ’ ὁμιλέομεν Δαναοῖσιν
ἐσχατιῇ πολέμοιο δυσηχέος· οἱ δὲ δὴ ἄλλοι
Τρῶες ὀρίνονται ἐπιμὶξ ἵπποι τε καὶ αὐτοί.
Αἴας δὲ κλονέει Τελαμώνιος· εὖ δέ μιν ἔγνων·
εὐρὺ γὰρ ἀμφ’ ὤμοισιν ἔχει σάκος· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμεῖς
κεῖσ’ ἵππους τε καὶ ἅρμ’ ἰθύνομεν, ἔνθα μάλιστα
ἱππῆες πεζοί τε κακὴν ἔριδα προβαλόντες
ἀλλήλους ὀλέκουσι, βοὴ δ’ ἄσβεστος ὄρωρεν.»
Ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἵμασεν καλλίτριχας ἵππους
μάστιγι λιγυρῇ· τοὶ δὲ πληγῆς ἀΐοντες
ῥίμφ’ ἔφερον θοὸν ἅρμα μετὰ Τρῶας καὶ Ἀχαιούς,
στείβοντες νέκυάς τε καὶ ἀσπίδας· αἵματι δ’ ἄξων
νέρθεν ἅπας πεπάλακτο καὶ ἄντυγες αἳ περὶ δίφρον,
ἃς ἄρ’ ἀφ’ ἱππείων ὁπλέων ῥαθάμιγγες ἔβαλλον
αἵ τ’ ἀπ’ ἐπισσώτρων. ὁ δὲ ἵετο δῦναι ὅμιλον
ἀνδρόμεον ῥῆξαί τε μετάλμενος· ἐν δὲ κυδοιμὸν
ἧκε κακὸν Δαναοῖσι, μίνυνθα δὲ χάζετο δουρός.
αὐτὰρ ὁ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπεπωλεῖτο στίχας ἀνδρῶν
ἔγχεΐ τ’ ἄορί τε μεγάλοισί τε χερμαδίοισιν,
Αἴαντος δ’ ἀλέεινε μάχην Τελαμωνιάδαο.
Ζεὺς δὲ πατὴρ Αἴανθ’ ὑψίζυγος ἐν φόβον ὦρσε·
στῆ δὲ ταφών, ὄπιθεν δὲ σάκος βάλεν ἑπταβόειον,
τρέσσε δὲ παπτήνας ἐφ’ ὁμίλου θηρὶ ἐοικώς,
ἐντροπαλιζόμενος ὀλίγον γόνυ γουνὸς ἀμείβων.
ὡς δ’ αἴθωνα λέοντα βοῶν ἀπὸ μεσσαύλοιο

ἐσσεύαντο κύνες τε καὶ ἀνέρες ἀγροιῶται,
οἵ τέ μιν οὐκ εἰῶσι βοῶν ἐκ πῖαρ ἑλέσθαι
πάννυχοι ἐγρήσσοντες· ὁ δὲ κρειῶν ἐρατίζων
ἰθύει, ἀλλ’ οὔ τι πρήσσει· θαμέες γὰρ ἄκοντες
ἀντίον ἀΐσσουσι θρασειάων ἀπὸ χειρῶν
καιόμεναί τε δεταί, τάς τε τρεῖ ἐσσύμενός περ·
ἠῶθεν δ’ ἀπὸ νόσφιν ἔβη τετιηότι θυμῷ·
ὣς Αἴας τότ’ ἀπὸ Τρώων τετιημένος ἦτορ
ἤϊε πόλλ’ ἀέκων· περὶ γὰρ δίε νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.
ὡς δ’ ὅτ’ ὄνος παρ’ ἄρουραν ἰὼν ἐβιήσατο παῖδας
νωθής, ᾧ δὴ πολλὰ περὶ ῥόπαλ’ ἀμφὶς ἐάγῃ,
κείρει τ’ εἰσελθὼν βαθὺ λήϊον· οἱ δέ τε παῖδες
τύπτουσιν ῥοπάλοισι· βίη δέ τε νηπίη αὐτῶν·
σπουδῇ τ’ ἐξήλασσαν, ἐπεί τ’ ἐκορέσσατο φορβῆς·
ὣς τότ’ ἔπειτ’ Αἴαντα μέγαν Τελαμώνιον υἱὸν
Τρῶες ὑπέρθυμοι πολυηγερέες τ’ ἐπίκουροι
νύσσοντες ξυστοῖσι μέσον σάκος αἰὲν ἕποντο.
Αἴας δ’ ἄλλοτε μὲν μνησάσκετο θούριδος ἀλκῆς
αὖτις ὑποστρεφθείς, καὶ ἐρητύσασκε φάλαγγας
Τρώων ἱπποδάμων· ὁτὲ δὲ τρωπάσκετο φεύγειν.
πάντας δὲ προέεργε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας ὁδεύειν,
αὐτὸς δὲ Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν θῦνε μεσηγὺ
ἱστάμενος· τὰ δὲ δοῦρα θρασειάων ἀπὸ χειρῶν
ἄλλα μὲν ἐν σάκεϊ μεγάλῳ πάγεν ὄρμενα πρόσσω,
πολλὰ δὲ καὶ μεσσηγύ, πάρος χρόα λευκὸν ἐπαυρεῖν,
ἐν γαίῃ ἵσταντο λιλαιόμενα χροὸς ἆσαι.
Τὸν δ’ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησ’ Εὐαίμονος ἀγλαὸς υἱὸς
Εὐρύπυλος πυκινοῖσι βιαζόμενον βελέεσσι,
στῆ ῥα παρ’ αὐτὸν ἰών, καὶ ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ,
καὶ βάλε Φαυσιάδην Ἀπισάονα ποιμένα λαῶν
ἧπαρ ὑπὸ πραπίδων, εἶθαρ δ’ ὑπὸ γούνατ’ ἔλυσεν·

Εὐρύπυλος δ’ ἐπόρουσε καὶ αἴνυτο τεύχε’ ἀπ’ ὤμων.
τὸν δ’ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησεν Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδὴς
τεύχε’ ἀπαινύμενον Ἀπισάονος, αὐτίκα τόξον
ἕλκετ’ ἐπ’ Εὐρυπύλῳ, καί μιν βάλε μηρὸν ὀϊστῷ
δεξιόν· ἐκλάσθη δὲ δόναξ, ἐβάρυνε δὲ μηρόν.
ἂψ δ’ ἑτάρων εἰς ἔθνος ἐχάζετο κῆρ’ ἀλεείνων,
ἤϋσεν δὲ διαπρύσιον Δαναοῖσι γεγωνώς·
«ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες
στῆτ’ ἐλελιχθέντες καὶ ἀμύνετε νηλεὲς ἦμαρ
Αἴανθ’, ὃς βελέεσσι βιάζεται, οὐδέ ἕ φημι
φεύξεσθ’ ἐκ πολέμοιο δυσηχέος· ἀλλὰ μάλ’ ἄντην
ἵστασθ’ ἀμφ’ Αἴαντα μέγαν Τελαμώνιον υἱόν.»
Ὣς ἔφατ’ Εὐρύπυλος βεβλημένος· οἱ δὲ παρ’ αὐτὸν
πλησίοι ἔστησαν σάκε’ ὤμοισι κλίναντες
δούρατ’ ἀνασχόμενοι· τῶν δ’ ἀντίος ἤλυθεν Αἴας.
στῆ δὲ μεταστρεφθείς, ἐπεὶ ἵκετο ἔθνος ἑταίρων.
Ὣς οἱ μὲν μάρναντο δέμας πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο·
Νέστορα δ’ ἐκ πολέμοιο φέρον Νηλήϊαι ἵπποι
ἱδρῶσαι, ἦγον δὲ Μαχάονα ποιμένα λαῶν.
τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν ἐνόησε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·
ἑστήκει γὰρ ἐπὶ πρυμνῇ μεγακήτεϊ νηΐ,
εἰσορόων πόνον αἰπὺν ἰῶκά τε δακρυόεσσαν.
αἶψα δ’ ἑταῖρον ἑὸν Πατροκλῆα προσέειπε
φθεγξάμενος παρὰ νηός· ὃ δὲ κλισίηθεν ἀκούσας
ἔκμολεν ἶσος Ἄρηϊ, κακοῦ δ’ ἄρα οἱ πέλεν ἀρχή.
τὸν πρότερος προσέειπε Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱός·
«τίπτέ με κικλήσκεις Ἀχιλεῦ; τί δέ σε χρεὼ ἐμεῖο;»
τὸν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
«δῖε Μενοιτιάδη τῷ ἐμῷ κεχαρισμένε θυμῷ,

νῦν ὀΐω περὶ γούνατ’ ἐμὰ στήσεσθαι Ἀχαιοὺς
λισσομένους· χρειὼ γὰρ ἱκάνεται οὐκέτ’ ἀνεκτός.
ἀλλ’ ἴθι νῦν Πάτροκλε Διῒ φίλε Νέστορ’ ἔρειο
ὅν τινα τοῦτον ἄγει βεβλημένον ἐκ πολέμοιο·
ἤτοι μὲν τά γ’ ὄπισθε Μαχάονι πάντα ἔοικε
τῷ Ἀσκληπιάδῃ, ἀτὰρ οὐκ ἴδον ὄμματα φωτός·
ἵπποι γάρ με παρήϊξαν πρόσσω μεμαυῖαι.»
Ὣς φάτο, Πάτροκλος δὲ φίλῳ ἐπεπείθεθ’ ἑταίρῳ,
βῆ δὲ θέειν παρά τε κλισίας καὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν.
Οἱ δ’ ὅτε δὴ κλισίην Νηληϊάδεω ἀφίκοντο,
αὐτοὶ μέν ῥ’ ἀπέβησαν ἐπὶ χθόνα πουλυβότειραν,
ἵππους δ’ Εὐρυμέδων θεράπων λύε τοῖο γέροντος
ἐξ ὀχέων· τοὶ δ’ ἱδρῶ ἀπεψύχοντο χιτώνων
στάντε ποτὶ πνοιὴν παρὰ θῖν’ ἁλός· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα
ἐς κλισίην ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ κλισμοῖσι κάθιζον.
τοῖσι δὲ τεῦχε κυκειῶ ἐϋπλόκαμος Ἑκαμήδη,
τὴν ἄρετ’ ἐκ Τενέδοιο γέρων, ὅτε πέρσεν Ἀχιλλεύς,
θυγατέρ’ Ἀρσινόου μεγαλήτορος, ἥν οἱ Ἀχαιοὶ
ἔξελον οὕνεκα βουλῇ ἀριστεύεσκεν ἁπάντων.
ἥ σφωϊν πρῶτον μὲν ἐπιπροΐηλε τράπεζαν
καλὴν κυανόπεζαν ἐΰξοον, αὐτὰρ ἐπ’ αὐτῆς
χάλκειον κάνεον, ἐπὶ δὲ κρόμυον ποτῷ ὄψον,
ἠδὲ μέλι χλωρόν, παρὰ δ’ ἀλφίτου ἱεροῦ ἀκτήν,
πὰρ δὲ δέπας περικαλλές, ὁ οἴκοθεν ἦγ’ ὁ γεραιός,
χρυσείοις ἥλοισι πεπαρμένον· οὔατα δ’ αὐτοῦ
τέσσαρ’ ἔσαν, δοιαὶ δὲ πελειάδες ἀμφὶς ἕκαστον
χρύσειαι νεμέθοντο, δύω δ’ ὑπὸ πυθμένες ἦσαν.
ἄλλος μὲν μογέων ἀποκινήσασκε τραπέζης
πλεῖον ἐόν, Νέστωρ δ’ ὁ γέρων ἀμογητὶ ἄειρεν.

ἐν τῷ ῥά σφι κύκησε γυνὴ ἐϊκυῖα θεῇσιν
οἴνῳ Πραμνείῳ, ἐπὶ δ’ αἴγειον κνῆ τυρὸν
κνήστι χαλκείῃ, ἐπὶ δ’ ἄλφιτα λευκὰ πάλυνε,
πινέμεναι δ’ ἐκέλευσεν, ἐπεί ῥ’ ὥπλισσε κυκειῶ.
τὼ δ’ ἐπεὶ οὖν πίνοντ’ ἀφέτην πολυκαγκέα δίψαν
μύθοισιν τέρποντο πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐνέποντες,
Πάτροκλος δὲ θύρῃσιν ἐφίστατο ἰσόθεος φώς.
τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν ὁ γεραιὸς ἀπὸ θρόνου ὦρτο φαεινοῦ,
ἐς δ’ ἄγε χειρὸς ἑλών, κατὰ δ’ ἑδριάασθαι ἄνωγε.
Πάτροκλος δ’ ἑτέρωθεν ἀναίνετο εἶπέ τε μῦθον·
«οὐχ ἕδος ἐστὶ γεραιὲ διοτρεφές, οὐδέ με πείσεις.
αἰδοῖος νεμεσητὸς ὅ με προέηκε πυθέσθαι
ὅν τινα τοῦτον ἄγεις βεβλημένον· ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς
γιγνώσκω, ὁρόω δὲ Μαχάονα ποιμένα λαῶν.
νῦν δὲ ἔπος ἐρέων πάλιν ἄγγελος εἶμ’ Ἀχιλῆϊ.
εὖ δὲ σὺ οἶσθα γεραιὲ διοτρεφές, οἷος ἐκεῖνος
δεινὸς ἀνήρ· τάχα κεν καὶ ἀναίτιον αἰτιόῳτο.»
Τὸν δ’ ἠμείβετ’ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·
«τίπτε τὰρ ὧδ’ Ἀχιλεὺς ὀλοφύρεται υἷας Ἀχαιῶν,
ὅσσοι δὴ βέλεσιν βεβλήαται; οὐδέ τι οἶδε
πένθεος, ὅσσον ὄρωρε κατὰ στρατόν· οἳ γὰρ ἄριστοι
ἐν νηυσὶν κέαται βεβλημένοι οὐτάμενοί τε.
βέβληται μὲν ὁ Τυδεΐδης κρατερὸς Διομήδης,
οὔτασται δ’ Ὀδυσεὺς δουρὶ κλυτὸς ἠδ’ Ἀγαμέμνων·
βέβληται δὲ καὶ Εὐρύπυλος κατὰ μηρὸν ὀϊστῷ·
τοῦτον δ’ ἄλλον ἐγὼ νέον ἤγαγον ἐκ πολέμοιο
ἰῷ ἀπὸ νευρῆς βεβλημένον. αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς
ἐσθλὸς ἐὼν Δαναῶν οὐ κήδεται οὐδ’ ἐλεαίρει.
ἦ μένει εἰς ὅ κε δὴ νῆες θοαὶ ἄγχι θαλάσσης

Ἀργείων ἀέκητι πυρὸς δηΐοιο θέρωνται,
αὐτοί τε κτεινώμεθ’ ἐπισχερώ;—οὐ γὰρ ἐμὴ ἲς
ἔσθ’ οἵη πάρος ἔσκεν ἐνὶ γναμπτοῖσι μέλεσσιν.
εἴθ’ ὣς ἡβώοιμι βίη δέ μοι ἔμπεδος εἴη,
ὡς ὁπότ’ Ἠλείοισι καὶ ἡμῖν νεῖκος ἐτύχθη
ἀμφὶ βοηλασίῃ, ὅτ’ ἐγὼ κτάνον Ἰτυμονῆα
ἐσθλὸν Ὑπειροχίδην, ὃς ἐν Ἤλιδι ναιετάασκε,
ῥύσι’ ἐλαυνόμενος· ὁ δ’ ἀμύνων ᾗσι βόεσσιν
ἔβλητ’ ἐν πρώτοισιν ἐμῆς ἀπὸ χειρὸς ἄκοντι,
κὰδ δ’ ἔπεσεν, λαοὶ δὲ περίτρεσαν ἀγροιῶται.
ληΐδα δ’ ἐκ πεδίου συνελάσσαμεν ἤλιθα πολλὴν
πεντήκοντα βοῶν ἀγέλας, τόσα πώεα οἰῶν,
τόσσα συῶν συβόσια, τόσ’ αἰπόλια πλατέ’ αἰγῶν,
ἵππους δὲ ξανθὰς ἑκατὸν καὶ πεντήκοντα,
πάσας θηλείας, πολλῇσι δὲ πῶλοι ὑπῆσαν.
καὶ τὰ μὲν ἠλασάμεσθα Πύλον Νηλήϊον εἴσω
ἐννύχιοι προτὶ ἄστυ· γεγήθει δὲ φρένα Νηλεύς,
οὕνεκά μοι τύχε πολλὰ νέῳ πόλεμον δὲ κιόντι.
κήρυκες δ’ ἐλίγαινον ἅμ’ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφι
τοὺς ἴμεν οἷσι χρεῖος ὀφείλετ’ ἐν Ἤλιδι δίῃ·
οἱ δὲ συναγρόμενοι Πυλίων ἡγήτορες ἄνδρες
δαίτρευον· πολέσιν γὰρ Ἐπειοὶ χρεῖος ὄφειλον,
ὡς ἡμεῖς παῦροι κεκακωμένοι ἐν Πύλῳ ἦμεν·
ἐλθὼν γάρ ῥ’ ἐκάκωσε βίη Ἡρακληείη
τῶν προτέρων ἐτέων, κατὰ δ’ ἔκταθεν ὅσσοι ἄριστοι·
δώδεκα γὰρ Νηλῆος ἀμύμονος υἱέες ἦμεν·
τῶν οἶος λιπόμην, οἱ δ’ ἄλλοι πάντες ὄλοντο.
ταῦθ’ ὑπερηφανέοντες Ἐπειοὶ χαλκοχίτωνες,
ἡμέας ὑβρίζοντες ἀτάσθαλα μηχανόωντο.

ἐκ δ’ ὁ γέρων ἀγέλην τε βοῶν καὶ πῶϋ μέγ’ οἰῶν
εἵλετο κρινάμενος τριηκόσι’ ἠδὲ νομῆας.
καὶ γὰρ τῷ χρεῖος μέγ’ ὀφείλετ’ ἐν Ἤλιδι δίῃ,
τέσσαρες ἀθλοφόροι ἵπποι αὐτοῖσιν ὄχεσφιν,
ἐλθόντες μετ’ ἄεθλα· περὶ τρίποδος γὰρ ἔμελλον
θεύσεσθαι· τοὺς δ’ αὖθι ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Αὐγείας
κάσχεθε, τὸν δ’ ἐλατῆρ’ ἀφίει ἀκαχήμενον ἵππων.
τῶν ὁ γέρων ἐπέων κεχολωμένος ἠδὲ καὶ ἔργων
ἐξέλετ’ ἄσπετα πολλά· τὰ δ’ ἄλλ’ ἐς δῆμον ἔδωκε
δαιτρεύειν, μή τίς οἱ ἀτεμβόμενος κίοι ἴσης.
ἡμεῖς μὲν τὰ ἕκαστα διείπομεν, ἀμφί τε ἄστυ
ἕρδομεν ἱρὰ θεοῖς· οἱ δὲ τρίτῳ ἤματι πάντες
ἦλθον ὁμῶς αὐτοί τε πολεῖς καὶ μώνυχες ἵπποι
πανσυδίῃ· μετὰ δέ σφι Μολίονε θωρήσσοντο
παῖδ’ ἔτ’ ἐόντ’, οὔ πω μάλα εἰδότε θούριδος ἀλκῆς.
ἔστι δέ τις Θρυόεσσα πόλις αἰπεῖα κολώνη,
τηλοῦ ἐπ’ Ἀλφειῷ, νεάτη Πύλου ἠμαθόεντος·
τὴν ἀμφεστρατόωντο διαῤῥαῖσαι μεμαῶτες.
ἀλλ’ ὅτε πᾶν πεδίον μετεκίαθον, ἄμμι δ’ Ἀθήνη
ἄγγελος ἦλθε θέουσ’ ἀπ’ Ὀλύμπου θωρήσσεσθαι
ἔννυχος, οὐδ’ ἀέκοντα Πύλον κάτα λαὸν ἄγειρεν,
ἀλλὰ μάλ’ ἐσσυμένους πολεμίζειν. οὐδέ με Νηλεὺς
εἴα θωρήσσεσθαι, ἀπέκρυψεν δέ μοι ἵππους·
οὐ γάρ πώ τί μ’ ἔφη ἴδμεν πολεμήϊα ἔργα.
ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς ἱππεῦσι μετέπρεπον ἡμετέροισι
καὶ πεζός περ ἐών, ἐπεὶ ὧς ἄγε νεῖκος Ἀθήνη.
ἔστι δέ τις ποταμὸς Μινυήϊος εἰς ἅλα βάλλων
ἐγγύθεν Ἀρήνης, ὅθι μείναμεν Ἠῶ δῖαν
ἱππῆες Πυλίων, τὰ δ’ ἐπέῤῥεον ἔθνεα πεζῶν.
ἔνθεν πανσυδίῃ σὺν τεύχεσι θωρηχθέντες
ἔνδιοι ἱκόμεσθ’ ἱερὸν ῥόον Ἀλφειοῖο.

ἔνθα Διὶ ῥέξαντες ὑπερμενεῖ ἱερὰ καλά,
ταῦρον δ’ Ἀλφειῷ, ταῦρον δὲ Ποσειδάωνι,
αὐτὰρ Ἀθηναίη γλαυκώπιδι βοῦν ἀγελαίην,
δόρπον ἔπειθ’ ἑλόμεσθα κατὰ στρατὸν ἐν τελέεσσι,
καὶ κατεκοιμήθημεν ἐν ἔντεσιν οἷσιν ἕκαστος
ἀμφὶ ῥοὰς ποταμοῖο. ἀτὰρ μεγάθυμοι Ἐπειοὶ
ἀμφέσταν δὴ ἄστυ διαῤῥαῖσαι μεμαῶτες·
ἀλλά σφι προπάροιθε φάνη μέγα ἔργον Ἄρηος·
εὖτε γὰρ ἠέλιος φαέθων ὑπερέσχεθε γαίης,
συμφερόμεσθα μάχῃ Διί τ’ εὐχόμενοι καὶ Ἀθήνῃ.
ἀλλ’ ὅτε δὴ Πυλίων καὶ Ἐπειῶν ἔπλετο νεῖκος,
πρῶτος ἐγὼν ἕλον ἄνδρα, κόμισσα δὲ μώνυχας ἵππους,
Μούλιον αἰχμητήν· γαμβρὸς δ’ ἦν Αὐγείαο,
πρεσβυτάτην δὲ θύγατρ’ εἶχε ξανθὴν Ἀγαμήδην,
ἣ τόσα φάρμακα ᾔδη ὅσα τρέφει εὐρεῖα χθών.
τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ προσιόντα βάλον χαλκήρεϊ δουρί,
ἤριπε δ’ ἐν κονίῃσιν· ἐγὼ δ’ ἐς δίφρον ὀρούσας
στῆν ῥα μετὰ προμάχοισιν· ἀτὰρ μεγάθυμοι Ἐπειοὶ
ἔτρεσαν ἄλλυδις ἄλλος, ἐπεὶ ἴδον ἄνδρα πεσόντα
ἡγεμόν’ ἱππήων, ὃς ἀριστεύεσκε μάχεσθαι.
αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπόρουσα κελαινῇ λαίλαπι ἶσος,
πεντήκοντα δ’ ἕλον δίφρους, δύο δ’ ἀμφὶς ἕκαστον
φῶτες ὀδὰξ ἕλον οὖδας ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ δαμέντες.
καί νύ κεν Ἀκτορίωνε Μολίονε παῖδ’ ἀλάπαξα,
εἰ μή σφωε πατὴρ εὐρὺ κρείων ἐνοσίχθων
ἐκ πολέμου ἐσάωσε καλύψας ἠέρι πολλῇ.
ἔνθα Ζεὺς Πυλίοισι μέγα κράτος ἐγγυάλιξε·
τόφρα γὰρ οὖν ἑπόμεσθα διὰ σπιδέος πεδίοιο,
κτείνοντές τ’ αὐτοὺς ἀνά τ’ ἔντεα καλὰ λέγοντες,

ὄφρ’ ἐπὶ Βουπρασίου πολυπύρου βήσαμεν ἵππους
πέτρης τ’ Ὠλενίης, καὶ Ἀλησίου ἔνθα κολώνη
κέκληται· ὅθεν αὖτις ἀπέτραπε λαὸν Ἀθήνη.
ἔνθ’ ἄνδρα κτείνας πύματον λίπον· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ
ἂψ ἀπὸ Βουπρασίοιο Πύλονδ’ ἔχον ὠκέας ἵππους,
πάντες δ’ εὐχετόωντο θεῶν Διὶ Νέστορί τ’ ἀνδρῶν.
ὣς ἔον, εἴ ποτ’ ἔον γε, μετ’ ἀνδράσιν. αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς
οἶος τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀπονήσεται· ἦ τέ μιν οἴω
πολλὰ μετακλαύσεσθαι ἐπεί κ’ ἀπὸ λαὸς ὄληται.
ὦ πέπον ἦ μὲν σοί γε Μενοίτιος ὧδ’ ἐπέτελλεν
ἤματι τῷ ὅτε σ’ ἐκ Φθίης Ἀγαμέμνονι πέμπε.
νῶϊ δέ τ’ ἔνδον ἐόντες ἐγὼ καὶ δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς
πάντα μάλ’ ἐν μεγάροις ἠκούομεν ὡς ἐπέτελλε.
Πηλῆος δ’ ἱκόμεσθα δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας
λαὸν ἀγείροντες κατ’ Ἀχαιΐδα πουλυβότειραν.
ἔνθα δ’ ἔπειθ’ ἥρωα Μενοίτιον εὕρομεν ἔνδον
ἠδὲ σέ, πὰρ δ’ Ἀχιλῆα· γέρων δ’ ἱππηλάτα Πηλεὺς
πίονα μηρία καῖε βοὸς Διὶ τερπικεραύνῳ
αὐλῆς ἐν χόρτῳ· ἔχε δὲ χρύσειον ἄλεισον
σπένδων αἴθοπα οἶνον ἐπ’ αἰθομένοις ἱεροῖσι.
σφῶϊ μὲν ἀμφὶ βοὸς ἕπετον κρέα, νῶϊ δ’ ἔπειτα
στῆμεν ἐνὶ προθύροισι· ταφὼν δ’ ἀνόρουσεν Ἀχιλλεύς,
ἐς δ’ ἄγε χειρὸς ἑλών, κατὰ δ’ ἑδριάασθαι ἄνωγε,
ξείνιά τ’ εὖ παρέθηκεν, ἅ τε ξείνοις θέμις ἐστίν.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τάρπημεν ἐδητύος ἠδὲ ποτῆτος,
ἦρχον ἐγὼ μύθοιο κελεύων ὔμμ’ ἅμ’ ἕπεσθαι·
σφὼ δὲ μάλ’ ἠθέλετον, τὼ δ’ ἄμφω πόλλ’ ἐπέτελλον.
Πηλεὺς μὲν ᾧ παιδὶ γέρων ἐπέτελλ’ Ἀχιλῆϊ

αἰὲν ἀριστεύειν καὶ ὑπείροχον ἔμμεναι ἄλλων·
σοὶ δ’ αὖθ’ ὧδ’ ἐπέτελλε Μενοίτιος Ἄκτορος υἱός·
“τέκνον ἐμὸν γενεῇ μὲν ὑπέρτερός ἐστιν Ἀχιλλεύς,
πρεσβύτερος δὲ σύ ἐσσι· βίῃ δ’ ὅ γε πολλὸν ἀμείνων.
ἀλλ’ εὖ οἱ φάσθαι πυκινὸν ἔπος ἠδ’ ὑποθέσθαι
καί οἱ σημαίνειν· ὁ δὲ πείσεται εἰς ἀγαθόν περ.”
ὣς ἐπέτελλ’ ὁ γέρων, σὺ δὲ λήθεαι· ἀλλ’ ἔτι καὶ νῦν
ταῦτ’ εἴποις Ἀχιλῆϊ δαΐφρονι αἴ κε πίθηται.
τίς δ’ οἶδ’ εἴ κέν οἱ σὺν δαίμονι θυμὸν ὀρίναις
παρειπών; ἀγαθὴ δὲ παραίφασίς ἐστιν ἑταίρου.
εἰ δέ τινα φρεσὶν ᾗσι θεοπροπίην ἀλεείνει
καί τινά οἱ πὰρ Ζηνὸς ἐπέφραδε πότνια μήτηρ,
ἀλλὰ σέ περ προέτω, ἅμα δ’ ἄλλος λαὸς ἑπέσθω
Μυρμιδόνων, αἴ κέν τι φόως Δαναοῖσι γένηαι·
καί τοι τεύχεα καλὰ δότω πόλεμον δὲ φέρεσθαι,
αἴ κέ σε τῷ εἴσκοντες ἀπόσχωνται πολέμοιο
Τρῶες, ἀναπνεύσωσι δ’ ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν
τειρόμενοι· ὀλίγη δέ τ’ ἀνάπνευσις πολέμοιο.
ῥεῖα δέ κ’ ἀκμῆτες κεκμηότας ἄνδρας ἀϋτῇ
ὤσαισθε προτὶ ἄστυ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων.»
Ὣς φάτο, τῷ δ’ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε,
βῆ δὲ θέειν παρὰ νῆας ἐπ’ Αἰακίδην Ἀχιλῆα.
ἀλλ’ ὅτε δὴ κατὰ νῆας Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο
ἷξε θέων Πάτροκλος, ἵνά σφ’ ἀγορή τε θέμις τε

ἤην, τῇ δὴ καί σφι θεῶν ἐτετεύχατο βωμοί,
ἔνθά οἱ Εὐρύπυλος βεβλημένος ἀντεβόλησε
διογενὴς Εὐαιμονίδης κατὰ μηρὸν ὀϊστῷ,
σκάζων ἐκ πολέμου· κατὰ δὲ νότιος ῥέεν ἱδρὼς
ὤμων καὶ κεφαλῆς, ἀπὸ δ’ ἕλκεος ἀργαλέοιο
αἷμα μέλαν κελάρυζε· νόος γε μὲν ἔμπεδος ἦεν.
τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν ᾤκτειρε Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱός,
καί ῥ’ ὀλοφυρόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
«ἆ δειλοὶ Δαναῶν ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες
ὣς ἄρ’ ἐμέλλετε τῆλε φίλων καὶ πατρίδος αἴης
ἄσειν ἐν Τροίῃ ταχέας κύνας ἀργέτι δημῷ.
ἀλλ’ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ διοτρεφὲς Εὐρύπυλ’ ἥρως,
ἤ ῥ’ ἔτι που σχήσουσι πελώριον Ἕκτορ’ Ἀχαιοί,
ἦ ἤδη φθίσονται ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ δουρὶ δαμέντες;»
Τὸν δ’ αὖτ’ Εὐρύπυλος βεβλημένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·
«οὐκέτι διογενὲς Πατρόκλεες ἄλκαρ Ἀχαιῶν
ἔσσεται, ἀλλ’ ἐν νηυσὶ μελαίνῃσιν πεσέονται.
οἱ μὲν γὰρ δὴ πάντες, ὅσοι πάρος ἦσαν ἄριστοι,
ἐν νηυσὶν κέαται βεβλημένοι οὐτάμενοί τε
χερσὶν ὕπο Τρώων· τῶν δὲ σθένος ὄρνυται αἰέν.
ἀλλ’ ἐμὲ μὲν σὺ σάωσον ἄγων ἐπὶ νῆα μέλαιναν,
μηροῦ δ’ ἔκταμ’ ὀϊστόν, ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ δ’ αἷμα κελαινὸν
νίζ’ ὕδατι λιαρῷ, ἐπὶ δ’ ἤπια φάρμακα πάσσεν,
ἐσθλά, τά σε προτί φασιν Ἀχιλλῆος δεδιδάχθαι,
ὃν Χείρων ἐδίδαξε δικαιότατος Κενταύρων.

ἰητροὶ μὲν γὰρ Ποδαλείριος ἠδὲ Μαχάων,
τὸν μὲν ἐνὶ κλισίῃσιν ὀΐομαι ἕλκος ἔχοντα,
χρηΐζοντα καὶ αὐτὸν ἀμύμονος ἰητῆρος,
κεῖσθαι· ὁ δ’ ἐν πεδίῳ Τρώων μένει ὀξὺν Ἄρηα.»
Τὸν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπε Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱός·
«πῶς τὰρ ἔοι τάδε ἔργα; τί ῥέξομεν Εὐρύπυλ’ ἥρως;
ἔρχομαι ὄφρ’ Ἀχιλῆϊ δαΐφρονι μῦθον ἐνίσπω
ὃν Νέστωρ ἐπέτελλε Γερήνιος οὖρος Ἀχαιῶν·
ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ ὧς περ σεῖο μεθήσω τειρομένοιο.»
Ἦ, καὶ ὑπὸ στέρνοιο λαβὼν ἄγε ποιμένα λαῶν
ἐς κλισίην· θεράπων δὲ ἰδὼν ὑπέχευε βοείας.
ἔνθά μιν ἐκτανύσας ἐκ μηροῦ τάμνε μαχαίρῃ
ὀξὺ βέλος περιπευκές, ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ δ’ αἷμα κελαινὸν
νίζ’ ὕδατι λιαρῷ, ἐπὶ δὲ ῥίζαν βάλε πικρὴν
χερσὶ διατρίψας ὀδυνήφατον, ἥ οἱ ἁπάσας
ἔσχ’ ὀδύνας· τὸ μὲν ἕλκος ἐτέρσετο, παύσατο δ’ αἷμα.


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