The Iliad of Homer by Homer (read e book txt) 📖

Ajaces) in the van, with their variously-wrought armour, fought against the Trojans and brazen-armed Hector, whilst (the Locrians) shooting from the rear, lay concealed; nor were the Trojans any longer mindful of combat, for the arrows put them in confusion.

Then surely would the Trojans have retreated with loss from the ships and tents to lofty Ilium, had not Polydamas, standing near, addressed bold Hector:

"Hector, thou art impossible to be persuaded by advice. 446 Because indeed a god hath given thee, above others, warlike deeds, for this reason dost thou also desire to be more skilled than others in counsel? But by no means canst thou thyself obtain all things at once. 447 To one indeed hath the deity given warlike deeds; to another dancing; and to another the harp and singing. To another again far-sounding Jove implants a prudent mind in his bosom, of which many men reap the advantage, as it (prudence) even preserves cities; and he himself (who possesses it) especially knows (its value). Yet will I speak as appears to me best; because the encircling host 448 of war burns round thee on all sides, and the magnanimous Trojans, since they have crossed the walls, some indeed stand apart with their arms, and others fight, the fewer against the greater number, scattered amongst the ships. But retiring back, summon hither all the chiefs. And then we can better discuss the whole plan; whether we shall enter upon the many-benched ships, if indeed the deity will give us victory; or depart uninjured from the barks; because of a truth I fear lest the Greeks repay their debt of yesterday, since a man, insatiate in war, still remains at the ships, who I conceive will no longer abstain entirely from battle." Thus spoke Polydamas, but the faultless advice pleased Hector; and immediately he leaped with his armour from his chariot to the ground, and, addressing him, spoke winged words:

Footnote 445:(return) Τέμει refers to ἄροτρον in v. 703, not to ζυγόν. Footnote 446:(return) Put for ἀμήχανόν ἐστι πείθειν σε. Footnote 447:(return) A favourite proverb. Cf. Duport, Gnom. p. 81. Footnote 448:(return) So "corona," in Latin.

"Polydamas, do thou retain here all the bravest, whilst I will come back again immediately after I have given proper orders to the [troops]." He said, and shouting, he rushed on, like unto a snowy mountain, and flew through the Trojans and the allies. But they all crowded round valour-loving Polydamas, the son of Panthous, as soon as they heard the voice of Hector. He, however, ranged through the foremost combatants, seeking if he could anywhere find Deïphobus, the might of king Helenus, and Adamas, the son of Asias, and Asius, the son of Hyrtacus. Some he found no longer quite unhurt, nor yet destroyed, whilst others again lay at the sterns of the ships of the Greeks, having lost their lives by the hands of the Greeks; and others were stricken or wounded within the wall. But he quickly found noble Alexander, the husband of fair-haired Helen, on the left of the lamentable battle, cheering of his companions, and encouraging them to fight; and, standing near, he addressed him with reproachful words:

"Accursed Paris, fine only in person, woman-mad, seducer, where are Deïphobus and the might of king Helenus, and Adamas, the son of Asias, and Asius, the son of Hyrtacus? Where also is Othryoneus? Now lofty Ilium all perishes from its summit, 449 now is its final destruction certain."

Footnote 449:(return) The Latin "a culmine," as in Virg. Æn. ii. 290, 603. So Æsch.

But him godlike Alexander in turn addressed: "Hector, since it is thy intention to find fault with me when innocent, at some other time perhaps, I may be more neglectful of the fight; [but not now], since neither did my mother bear me altogether unwarlike. For from the time when thou didst stir up the battle of thy companions at the ships, from that time, remaining here, have we engaged incessantly with the Greeks; and those comrades are dead for whom thou inquirest. Deïphobus and the might of king Helenus alone have withdrawn, both wounded in the hand with long spears; but the son of Saturn hath warded off death [from them]. But now lead on, wheresoever thy heart and soul urge thee; and we will follow with determined minds, nor do I think that thou wilt be at all in want of valour, as much strength as is in us. It is not possible even for one, although keenly desirous, to fight beyond his strength."

So saying, the hero persuaded the mind of his brother, and they hastened to advance towards that place where especially was the battle and contest; round Cebriones and excellent Polydamas, Phalces and Orthæus, and godlike Polyphœtes, and Palmys, and Ascanius and Morys, the sons of Hippotion, who the day before had come as a relief guard 450 from fertile Ascania: and Jove then urged them to fight. But they marched like unto the blast of boisterous winds, which rushes down to the plain, urged by the thunder of father Jove, and with a dreadful tumult 451 is mingled with the ocean; and in it [rise] many boiling billows of the much-resounding sea, swollen, whitened with foam, first indeed some and then others following.

Footnote 450:(return) See Buttm. Lexil. p. 358. Choeph. 679: Κατ' ἄκρας ένθάδ' ὡς πορθούμεθα. Soph. Ant. 206: Ἠθέλησε μὲν πυρὶ πρῆσαι κατ' ἄκρας. Eurip. Phœn. 1192: Κατ' ἄκρων περγάμων ἑλεῖν πόλιν. Footnote 451:(return) ολέμου διάδοχοι, τοῖς προτέροις ἷσοι.--Eustathius.

So the Trojans, first indeed some in battle array, and then others glittering in brass, followed along with their leaders. But Hector, the son of Priam, equal to man-slaughtering Mars, led the van, and held before him his shield, equal on all sides, thick with skins; and much brass was laid over it: and round his temples his gleaming helmet was shaken. Stepping forward, he tried the phalanxes around on every side, if perchance they would give way to him, advancing under cover of his shield. Yet he disturbed not the courage of the Greeks in their breasts: but Ajax, far-striding, first challenged him:

"O noble Sir, draw nearer: why dost thou thus frighten the Greeks? We Greeks are by no means unskilful in battle, although we are subdued by the evil scourge 452 of Jove. Thy soul, forsooth, hopes, I suppose, to plunder the ships; but we also have hands ready to repulse thee immediately. Assuredly, long before shall thy well-inhabited city be taken and destroyed by our hands. But to thee thyself, I say, the time draws near, when, flying, thou shalt pray to father Jove and the other immortals, that thy fair-maned steeds, which shall bear thee to the city, raising dust over the plain, may become swifter than hawks."

Footnote 452:(return) See note on xii. 37.

Whilst he was thus speaking, a bird flew over him on the right--a lofty-flying eagle; upon which the people of the Greeks shouted, encouraged by the omen; but illustrious Hector replied:

"O babbling and vain-boasting Ajax, what hast thou said? Would that I were as sure of becoming for ever the child of ægis-bearing Jove, that the venerable Juno had borne me, and that I were honoured as Minerva and Apollo are honoured, as that this day now certainly brings destruction upon all the Greeks; and among others thou shalt be slain, if thou wilt dare to abide my long spear, which shall tear for thee thy dainty person, and thou shalt satiate the dogs and birds of the Trojans with thy fat and flesh, falling at the ships of the Greeks."

Thus then having spoken, he led on; and they followed along with him with a mighty shout, and the troops likewise shouted in the rear. The Greeks, on the other side, raised a shout, nor were they forgetful of their valour, but they awaited the bravest of the Trojans, assaulting. But the clamour of both reached to the æther and the shining splendour 453 of Jove.

Footnote 453:(return) Cf. Pind. Ol. iii. 43: Αὐγαῖς ἁλίου. So "auras ætherias," Virg. Georg. ii. 291. Lucret. i. 208, "Dias-luminis auras."--Kennedy.

BOOK THE FOURTEENTH.

ARGUMENT.

Agamemnon and the other wounded chiefs visit the battle with Nestor. Juno, having borrowed the cestus of Venus, first obtains the assistance of Sleep, and then hastens to Ida to inveigle Jove. She prevails, Jove sleeps, and Neptune seizes the opportunity to aid the Trojans.

But the shouting did not entirely escape the notice of Nestor, although drinking, but he addressed winged words to the son of Æsculapius: "Consider, noble Machaon, how these things will be; greater, certainly, [grows] the shouting of the blooming youths at the ships. But sitting here at present, drink indeed the dark wine, until fair-haired Hecamede has warmed the tepid baths, and washed away the bloody gore; whilst I, going with speed to a watchtower, will gain information."

So saying, he took the well-made shield of his own son, horse-breaking Thrasymedes, [which was] lying in the tent, all shining with brass (for he had the shield of his sire); and seized a strong spear, pointed with sharp brass; and stood without the tent, and soon beheld an unseemly deed,--these [the Greeks] in confusion, and those, the haughty Trojans, routing them in the rear; but the wall of the Greeks had fallen. And as when the vast deep blackens with the noiseless 454 wave, foreboding with no effect, the rapid courses of the shrill blasts, nor yet is it rolled forwards or backwards, before some decisive blast comes down from Jove: so meditated the old man, distracted in his mind between two opinions: whether he should go amongst the throng of fleet-horsed Greeks, or to Agamemnon, the son of Atreus, shepherd of the people. But to him thus reflecting, it appeared better to go in quest of the son of Atreus. Meanwhile they kept slaughtering each other, contending, and the solid brass around their bodies rang, as they were stricken with the swords and two-edged spears.

Footnote 454:(return) Literally, "deaf." So "surdi fluctus," Ovid, Epist. xviii. 211; "Omnia surda tacent," Propert. iv. 3, 53; "Surdaque vota condidit Ionio," Pers. Sat. vi. 28.

But the Jove-cherished kings, coming up from the vessels, met Nestor, as many as had been wounded with the brass,--Tydides, and Ulysses, and Agamemnon, the son of Atreus. Their ships indeed were drawn up upon the shore of the hoary deep, very far away from the battle; for they had drawn the first as far as the plain, and had built a wall at their sterns. For, broad as it was, the shore was by no means able to contain their vessels, and the people were crowded. Wherefore they drew them up in rows one behind the other, and filled the wide mouth of the whole shore, as much as the promontories enclosed. There then were they walking together, leaning upon the spear, in order to behold the tumult and the battle; and the heart in their bosoms was grieved. But aged Nestor met them, and terrified the souls in the breasts of the Greeks: whom first king Agamemnon addressing, said:

"O Neleïan Nestor, great glory of the Greeks, why, leaving the man-destroying battle, comest thou hither? Truly I fear lest impetuous Hector make good his speech, as once he threatened, haranguing among the Trojans, that he would not return to Ilium from the ships, before that he had burned the ships with fire, and slain us also: thus indeed he harangued; and now are all things fulfilling. Ye gods, surely