Τρώων δʼ οἰώθη καὶ Ἀχαιῶν φύλοπις αἰνή·

So the dread din of Trojans and Achaeans was left to itself;


πολλὰ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθʼ ἴθυσε μάχη πεδίοιο

and this way and that the battle swayed across the plain


ἀλλήλων ἰθυνομένων χαλκήρεα δοῦρα

as they aimed their bronze-pointed spears at one another,


μεσσηγὺς Σιμόεντος ἰδὲ Ξάνθοιο ῥοάων.

midway between the streams of Simois and Xanthus.


Αἴας δὲ πρῶτος Τελαμώνιος ἕρκος Ἀχαιῶν

Ajax first, Telamon's son, wall of the Achaeans,


Τρώων ῥῆξε φάλαγγα, φόως δʼ ἑτάροισιν ἔθηκεν,

broke a Trojan company and made light for his companions,


ἄνδρα βαλὼν ὃς ἄριστος ἐνὶ Θρῄκεσσι τέτυκτο

striking the man who was best among the Thracians,


υἱὸν Ἐϋσσώρου Ἀκάμαντʼ ἠΰν τε μέγαν τε.


τόν ῥʼ ἔβαλε πρῶτος κόρυθος φάλον ἱπποδασείης,

He struck him first on the ridge of his horsehair helmet,


ἐν δὲ μετώπῳ πῆξε, πέρησε δʼ ἄρʼ ὀστέον εἴσω

and the bronze point fixed in his forehead and drove


αἰχμὴ χαλκείη· τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν.

inside the bone; and darkness covered his eyes.


Ἄξυλον δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπεφνε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης

And Diomedes, good at the war-cry, killed Axylus,


Τευθρανίδην, ὃς ἔναιεν ἐϋκτιμένῃ ἐν Ἀρίσβῃ

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


ἀφνειὸς βιότοιο, φίλος δʼ ἦν ἀνθρώποισι.

a man rich in substance, and a friend to all mankind:


πάντας γὰρ φιλέεσκεν ὁδῷ ἔπι οἰκία ναίων.

living in his house by the road, he welcomed all comers.


ἀλλά οἱ οὔ τις τῶν γε τότʼ ἤρκεσε λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον

But not one of them stood before him then to beat off wretched destruction,


πρόσθεν ὑπαντιάσας, ἀλλʼ ἄμφω θυμὸν ἀπηύρα

meeting the enemy for him; Diomedes took the life of both,


αὐτὸν καὶ θεράποντα Καλήσιον, ὅς ῥα τόθʼ ἵππων

the man himself and his aide Calesius, who was then


ἔσκεν ὑφηνίοχος· τὼ δʼ ἄμφω γαῖαν ἐδύτην.

his charioteer; and the two of them went under the earth.


Δρῆσον δʼ Εὐρύαλος καὶ Ὀφέλτιον ἐξενάριξε·

And Euryalus killed Dresus and Opheltius,


βῆ δὲ μετʼ Αἴσηπον καὶ Πήδασον, οὕς ποτε νύμφη

and went after Aesepus and Pedasus, whom once the water-nymph


νηῒς Ἀβαρβαρέη τέκʼ ἀμύμονι Βουκολίωνι.


Βουκολίων δʼ ἦν υἱὸς ἀγαυοῦ Λαομέδοντος


πρεσβύτατος γενεῇ, σκότιον δέ ἑ γείνατο μήτηρ·

eldest born, though his mother bore him in darkness:


ποιμαίνων δʼ ἐπʼ ὄεσσι μίγη φιλότητι καὶ εὐνῇ,

shepherding his flocks he lay with the nymph in love,


ἣ δʼ ὑποκυσαμένη διδυμάονε γείνατο παῖδε.

and she conceived, and bore him twin sons —


καὶ μὲν τῶν ὑπέλυσε μένος καὶ φαίδιμα γυῖα

and Mecisteus' son unstrung the strength and the shining limbs


Μηκιστηϊάδης καὶ ἀπʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἐσύλα.

of both, and stripped the armor from their shoulders.


Ἀστύαλον δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπεφνε μενεπτόλεμος Πολυποίτης·

And Polypoetes steadfast in battle killed Astyalus;


Πιδύτην δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς Περκώσιον ἐξενάριξεν

and Odysseus cut down Pidytes of Percote


ἔγχεϊ χαλκείῳ, Τεῦκρος δʼ Ἀρετάονα δῖον.

with his bronze spear, and Teucer brilliant Aretaon.


Ἀντίλοχος δʼ Ἄβληρον ἐνήρατο δουρὶ φαεινῷ

Antilochus, Nestor's son, took Ablerus with his shining spear,


Νεστορίδης, Ἔλατον δὲ ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων·

and the lord of men Agamemnon took Elatus,


ναῖε δὲ Σατνιόεντος ἐϋρρείταο παρʼ ὄχθας

who lived by the banks of fair-flowing Satnioeis


Πήδασον αἰπεινήν. Φύλακον δʼ ἕλε Λήϊτος ἥρως

in steep Pedasus. And the hero Leïtus caught Phylacus


φεύγοντʼ· Εὐρύπυλος δὲ Μελάνθιον ἐξενάριξεν.

as he ran; and Eurypylus cut down Melanthius.


Ἄδρηστον δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος

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


ζωὸν ἕλʼ· ἵππω γάρ οἱ ἀτυζομένω πεδίοιο

alive: for his two horses, bolting across the plain,


ὄζῳ ἔνι βλαφθέντε μυρικίνῳ ἀγκύλον ἅρμα

fouled in a tamarisk branch, snapped the curved chariot


ἄξαντʼ ἐν πρώτῳ ῥυμῷ αὐτὼ μὲν ἐβήτην

at the pole's tip, and themselves ran on


πρὸς πόλιν, ᾗ περ οἱ ἄλλοι ἀτυζόμενοι φοβέοντο,

toward the city, where the rest were bolting in panic,


αὐτὸς δʼ ἐκ δίφροιο παρὰ τροχὸν ἐξεκυλίσθη

while he rolled from the car beside the wheel,


πρηνὴς ἐν κονίῃσιν ἐπὶ στόμα· πὰρ δέ οἱ ἔστη

face-down in the dust on his mouth. And beside him stood


Ἀτρεΐδης Μενέλαος ἔχων δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος.

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


Ἄδρηστος δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα λαβὼν ἐλίσσετο γούνων·

Then Adrestus clasped his knees and begged him:


ζώγρει Ἀτρέος υἱέ, σὺ δʼ ἄξια δέξαι ἄποινα·

"Take me alive, son of Atreus — and take a worthy ransom.


πολλὰ δʼ ἐν ἀφνειοῦ πατρὸς κειμήλια κεῖται

Many treasures lie stored in my rich father's house,


χαλκός τε χρυσός τε πολύκμητός τε σίδηρος,

bronze, and gold, and iron worked with much labor:


τῶν κέν τοι χαρίσαιτο πατὴρ ἀπερείσιʼ ἄποινα

out of these my father would gladden you with ransom past counting


εἴ κεν ἐμὲ ζωὸν πεπύθοιτʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.

if he learned I was alive by the ships of the Achaeans."


ὣς φάτο, τῷ δʼ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔπειθε·

So he spoke, and was moving the heart in his chest;


καὶ δή μιν τάχʼ ἔμελλε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν

and soon he would have given him to his aide to lead down


δώσειν ᾧ θεράποντι καταξέμεν· ἀλλʼ Ἀγαμέμνων

to the Achaeans' swift ships. But Agamemnon


ἀντίος ἦλθε θέων, καὶ ὁμοκλήσας ἔπος ηὔδα·

came running to meet him, and cried out his word:


ὦ πέπον ὦ Μενέλαε, τί ἢ δὲ σὺ κήδεαι οὕτως

"Soft-hearted Menelaus! Why do you care so tenderly


ἀνδρῶν; ἦ σοὶ ἄριστα πεποίηται κατὰ οἶκον

for men? Were such fine things done in your house


πρὸς Τρώων; τῶν μή τις ὑπεκφύγοι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον

by Trojans? Let not one of them escape sheer destruction


χεῖράς θʼ ἡμετέρας, μηδʼ ὅν τινα γαστέρι μήτηρ

and our hands — not even the boy his mother carries


κοῦρον ἐόντα φέροι, μηδʼ ὃς φύγοι, ἀλλʼ ἅμα πάντες

in her womb, not even he: let all of them together


Ἰλίου ἐξαπολοίατʼ ἀκήδεστοι καὶ ἄφαντοι.

perish out of Ilion, unmourned, and leave no trace."


ὣς εἰπὼν ἔτρεψεν ἀδελφειοῦ φρένας ἥρως

So speaking the hero turned his brother's mind,


αἴσιμα παρειπών· ὃ δʼ ἀπὸ ἕθεν ὤσατο χειρὶ

for his urging was of things due; and Menelaus pushed


ἥρωʼ Ἄδρηστον· τὸν δὲ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων

the hero Adrestus back with his hand, and the lord Agamemnon


οὖτα κατὰ λαπάρην· ὃ δʼ ἀνετράπετʼ, Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ

stabbed him in the flank; he doubled over, and Atreus' son


λὰξ ἐν στήθεσι βὰς ἐξέσπασε μείλινον ἔγχος.

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


Νέστωρ δʼ Ἀργείοισιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·

Then Nestor called to the Argives with a far-carrying shout:


ὦ φίλοι ἥρωες Δαναοὶ θεράποντες Ἄρηος

"Friends, Danaan heroes, squires of Ares —


μή τις νῦν ἐνάρων ἐπιβαλλόμενος μετόπισθε


μιμνέτω ὥς κε πλεῖστα φέρων ἐπὶ νῆας ἵκηται,

to reach the ships carrying the biggest load:


ἀλλʼ ἄνδρας κτείνωμεν· ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τὰ ἕκηλοι

let us kill men. Afterward, at your ease,


νεκροὺς ἂμ πεδίον συλήσετε τεθνηῶτας.

you will strip the corpses dead across the plain."


ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου.

So speaking he stirred the fury and heart of every man.


ἔνθά κεν αὖτε Τρῶες ἀρηϊφίλων ὑπʼ Ἀχαιῶν

Then once more the Trojans, under the Achaeans dear to Ares,


Ἴλιον εἰσανέβησαν ἀναλκείῃσι δαμέντες,

would have climbed back into Ilion, broken by their own cowardice,


εἰ μὴ ἄρʼ Αἰνείᾳ τε καὶ Ἕκτορι εἶπε παραστὰς

had not Helenus, Priam's son, far the best of bird-readers,


Πριαμίδης Ἕλενος οἰωνοπόλων ὄχʼ ἄριστος·


Αἰνεία τε καὶ Ἕκτορ, ἐπεὶ πόνος ὔμμι μάλιστα

"Aeneas and Hector — since on you two above all rests


Τρώων καὶ Λυκίων ἐγκέκλιται, οὕνεκʼ ἄριστοι

the labor of the Trojans and Lycians, because for every venture


πᾶσαν ἐπʼ ἰθύν ἐστε μάχεσθαί τε φρονέειν τε,

you are the best men, for fighting and for counsel:


στῆτʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ λαὸν ἐρυκάκετε πρὸ πυλάων

make your stand here; go everywhere and hold the army


πάντῃ ἐποιχόμενοι πρὶν αὖτʼ ἐν χερσὶ γυναικῶν

before the gates, before they run and fall


φεύγοντας πεσέειν, δηΐοισι δὲ χάρμα γενέσθαι.

into their women's arms, and become a joy to our enemies.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κε φάλαγγας ἐποτρύνητον ἁπάσας,

Then, when you have set all the companies moving,


ἡμεῖς μὲν Δαναοῖσι μαχησόμεθʼ αὖθι μένοντες,

we will hold here and fight the Danaans,


καὶ μάλα τειρόμενοί περ· ἀναγκαίη γὰρ ἐπείγει·

hard-pressed though we are: necessity drives.


Ἕκτορ ἀτὰρ σὺ πόλιν δὲ μετέρχεο, εἰπὲ δʼ ἔπειτα

But you, Hector — go to the city, and speak there


μητέρι σῇ καὶ ἐμῇ· ἣ δὲ ξυνάγουσα γεραιὰς

to your mother and mine: let her gather the older women


νηὸν Ἀθηναίης γλαυκώπιδος ἐν πόλει ἄκρῃ

at grey-eyed Athena's temple on the city's height,


οἴξασα κληῗδι θύρας ἱεροῖο δόμοιο

and open with her key the doors of the holy house,


πέπλον, ὅς οἱ δοκέει χαριέστατος ἠδὲ μέγιστος

and the robe that seems to her the loveliest and amplest


εἶναι ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ καί οἱ πολὺ φίλτατος αὐτῇ,

in the hall, and far the dearest to herself,


θεῖναι Ἀθηναίης ἐπὶ γούνασιν ἠϋκόμοιο,

let her lay it on the knees of lovely-haired Athena,


καί οἱ ὑποσχέσθαι δυοκαίδεκα βοῦς ἐνὶ νηῷ

and vow to sacrifice to her in the temple twelve heifers,


ἤνις ἠκέστας ἱερευσέμεν, αἴ κʼ ἐλεήσῃ

yearlings, never goaded, if she will pity


ἄστύ τε καὶ Τρώων ἀλόχους καὶ νήπια τέκνα,

the town, and the Trojans' wives, and their little children —


ὥς κεν Τυδέος υἱὸν ἀπόσχῃ Ἰλίου ἱρῆς

if she will hold back Tydeus' son from holy Ilion,


ἄγριον αἰχμητὴν κρατερὸν μήστωρα φόβοιο,

that wild spearman, that strong machine of rout,


ὃν δὴ ἐγὼ κάρτιστον Ἀχαιῶν φημι γενέσθαι.

who I say has proved the strongest of the Achaeans.


οὐδʼ Ἀχιλῆά ποθʼ ὧδέ γʼ ἐδείδιμεν ὄρχαμον ἀνδρῶν,

Not even Achilles, that leader of men, ever made us fear so,


ὅν πέρ φασι θεᾶς ἐξέμμεναι· ἀλλʼ ὅδε λίην

who they say was born of a goddess; but this man


μαίνεται, οὐδέ τίς οἱ δύναται μένος ἰσοφαρίζειν.

rages beyond measure, and no one can match his fury."


ὣς ἔφαθʼ, Ἕκτωρ δʼ οὔ τι κασιγνήτῳ ἀπίθησεν.

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


αὐτίκα δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων σὺν τεύχεσιν ἆλτο χαμᾶζε,

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


πάλλων δʼ ὀξέα δοῦρα κατὰ στρατὸν ᾤχετο πάντῃ

and shaking his two sharp spears went everywhere through the army,


ὀτρύνων μαχέσασθαι, ἔγειρε δὲ φύλοπιν αἰνήν.

driving men to fight, and woke the dread din of battle.


οἳ δʼ ἐλελίχθησαν καὶ ἐναντίοι ἔσταν Ἀχαιῶν·

And they wheeled about and stood to face the Achaeans;


Ἀργεῖοι δʼ ὑπεχώρησαν, λῆξαν δὲ φόνοιο,

and the Argives gave ground and left off their killing:


φὰν δέ τινʼ ἀθανάτων ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος

they thought some immortal had come down from the starry sky


Τρωσὶν ἀλεξήσοντα κατελθέμεν, ὡς ἐλέλιχθεν.

to stand by the Trojans, so suddenly they wheeled.


Ἕκτωρ δὲ Τρώεσσιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·

And Hector called to the Trojans with a far-carrying shout:


Τρῶες ὑπέρθυμοι τηλεκλειτοί τʼ ἐπίκουροι

"High-hearted Trojans, and you far-famed allies —


ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι, μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς,

be men, my friends; remember your rushing courage,


ὄφρʼ ἂν ἐγὼ βείω προτὶ Ἴλιον, ἠδὲ γέρουσιν


εἴπω βουλευτῇσι καὶ ἡμετέρῃς ἀλόχοισι


δαίμοσιν ἀρήσασθαι, ὑποσχέσθαι δʼ ἑκατόμβας.

to pray to the divine ones, and vow them hecatombs."


ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἀπέβη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

So speaking Hector of the flashing helmet went;


ἀμφὶ δέ μιν σφυρὰ τύπτε καὶ αὐχένα δέρμα κελαινὸν

and against his ankles and his neck the black oxhide beat,


ἄντυξ ἣ πυμάτη θέεν ἀσπίδος ὀμφαλοέσσης.

the rim that ran outermost on his bossed shield.


Γλαῦκος δʼ Ἱππολόχοιο πάϊς καὶ Τυδέος υἱὸς

Now Glaucus, Hippolochus' son, and Tydeus' son


ἐς μέσον ἀμφοτέρων συνίτην μεμαῶτε μάχεσθαι.

came together in the space between, raging to fight.


οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦσαν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ἰόντε,

And when they were close, advancing on one another,


τὸν πρότερος προσέειπε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·

Diomedes, good at the war-cry, spoke to him first:


τίς δὲ σύ ἐσσι φέριστε καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων;

"Who are you, brave friend, of mortal men?


οὐ μὲν γάρ ποτʼ ὄπωπα μάχῃ ἔνι κυδιανείρῃ

I have never seen you in the battle where men win glory


τὸ πρίν· ἀτὰρ μὲν νῦν γε πολὺ προβέβηκας ἁπάντων

before this; yet now you have come out far in front of all


σῷ θάρσει, ὅ τʼ ἐμὸν δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος ἔμεινας·

in your daring, to stand my long-shadowed spear.


δυστήνων δέ τε παῖδες ἐμῷ μένει ἀντιόωσιν.

Unhappy are the fathers whose sons face my fury!


εἰ δέ τις ἀθανάτων γε κατʼ οὐρανοῦ εἰλήλουθας,

But if you are some immortal come down from the sky —


οὐκ ἂν ἔγωγε θεοῖσιν ἐπουρανίοισι μαχοίμην.


οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ Δρύαντος υἱὸς κρατερὸς Λυκόοργος


δὴν ἦν, ὅς ῥα θεοῖσιν ἐπουρανίοισιν ἔριζεν·

did not live long, who strove with heavenly gods:


ὅς ποτε μαινομένοιο Διωνύσοιο τιθήνας

he once chased the nurses of raving Dionysus


σεῦε κατʼ ἠγάθεον Νυσήϊον· αἳ δʼ ἅμα πᾶσαι

down the holy mountain of Nysa; and all together


θύσθλα χαμαὶ κατέχευαν ὑπʼ ἀνδροφόνοιο Λυκούργου

they flung their sacred wands to the ground, as man-slaughtering


θεινόμεναι βουπλῆγι· Διώνυσος δὲ φοβηθεὶς

Lycurgus beat them with an ox-goad; and Dionysus in terror


δύσεθʼ ἁλὸς κατὰ κῦμα, Θέτις δʼ ὑπεδέξατο κόλπῳ

dived under the salt sea's wave, and Thetis took him,


δειδιότα· κρατερὸς γὰρ ἔχε τρόμος ἀνδρὸς ὁμοκλῇ.

frightened, to her bosom: for a strong trembling held him


τῷ μὲν ἔπειτʼ ὀδύσαντο θεοὶ ῥεῖα ζώοντες,

at the man's shouting. But the gods who live at ease were angered


καί μιν τυφλὸν ἔθηκε Κρόνου πάϊς· οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔτι δὴν

at Lycurgus, and Cronos' son struck him blind; nor did he


ἦν, ἐπεὶ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀπήχθετο πᾶσι θεοῖσιν·

live long after, hated by all the immortal gods.


οὐδʼ ἂν ἐγὼ μακάρεσσι θεοῖς ἐθέλοιμι μάχεσθαι.

I would not choose to fight the blessed gods.


εἰ δέ τίς ἐσσι βροτῶν οἳ ἀρούρης καρπὸν ἔδουσιν,

But if you are a mortal, one of those who eat the fruit of the field,


ἆσσον ἴθʼ ὥς κεν θᾶσσον ὀλέθρου πείραθʼ ἵκηαι.

come closer — and come the sooner to the borders of destruction."


τὸν δʼ αὖθʼ Ἱππολόχοιο προσηύδα φαίδιμος υἱός·

Then Hippolochus' shining son addressed him:


Τυδεΐδη μεγάθυμε τί ἢ γενεὴν ἐρεείνεις;

"Great-hearted son of Tydeus — why ask my lineage?


οἵη περ φύλλων γενεὴ τοίη δὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν.

As the generation of leaves, so is the generation of men.


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

The wind pours some leaves to the ground, and others the forest


τηλεθόωσα φύει, ἔαρος δʼ ἐπιγίγνεται ὥρη·

grows in their fullness when the season of spring comes on:


ὣς ἀνδρῶν γενεὴ ἣ μὲν φύει ἣ δʼ ἀπολήγει.

so with the generations of men — one grows, one dies away.


εἰ δʼ ἐθέλεις καὶ ταῦτα δαήμεναι ὄφρʼ ἐῢ εἰδῇς

But if you wish to hear even this, and to know


ἡμετέρην γενεήν, πολλοὶ δέ μιν ἄνδρες ἴσασιν·


ἔστι πόλις Ἐφύρη μυχῷ Ἄργεος ἱπποβότοιο,

there is a city, Ephyra, in a fold of horse-pasturing Argos,


ἔνθα δὲ Σίσυφος ἔσκεν, ὃ κέρδιστος γένετʼ ἀνδρῶν,

and there lived Sisyphus, craftiest of men —


Σίσυφος Αἰολίδης· ὃ δʼ ἄρα Γλαῦκον τέκεθʼ υἱόν,

Sisyphus, Aeolus' son; and he fathered a son, Glaucus,


αὐτὰρ Γλαῦκος τίκτεν ἀμύμονα Βελλεροφόντην·

and Glaucus fathered blameless Bellerophon.


τῷ δὲ θεοὶ κάλλός τε καὶ ἠνορέην ἐρατεινὴν

To him the gods gave beauty and lovely manhood;


ὤπασαν· αὐτάρ οἱ Προῖτος κακὰ μήσατο θυμῷ,

but Proetus plotted evil against him in his heart,


ὅς ῥʼ ἐκ δήμου ἔλασσεν, ἐπεὶ πολὺ φέρτερος ἦεν,

and drove him out of the land of the Argives — being far


Ἀργείων· Ζεὺς γάρ οἱ ὑπὸ σκήπτρῳ ἐδάμασσε.

the stronger: for Zeus had bowed them under his scepter.


τῷ δὲ γυνὴ Προίτου ἐπεμήνατο δῖʼ Ἄντεια

For Proetus' wife, brilliant Anteia, was mad


κρυπταδίῃ φιλότητι μιγήμεναι· ἀλλὰ τὸν οὔ τι

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


πεῖθʼ ἀγαθὰ φρονέοντα δαΐφρονα Βελλεροφόντην.

move right-minded, war-minded Bellerophon.


ἣ δὲ ψευσαμένη Προῖτον βασιλῆα προσηύδα·


τεθναίης ὦ Προῖτʼ, ἢ κάκτανε Βελλεροφόντην,

'Die yourself, Proetus — or kill Bellerophon,


ὅς μʼ ἔθελεν φιλότητι μιγήμεναι οὐκ ἐθελούσῃ.

who wanted to lie with me in love, and I unwilling.'


ὣς φάτο, τὸν δὲ ἄνακτα χόλος λάβεν οἷον ἄκουσε·

So she spoke, and anger took hold of the king at what he heard.


κτεῖναι μέν ῥʼ ἀλέεινε, σεβάσσατο γὰρ τό γε θυμῷ,

He shrank from killing him — his heart stood in awe of that —


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

but he sent him to Lycia, and gave him baneful signs,


γράψας ἐν πίνακι πτυκτῷ θυμοφθόρα πολλά,

scratching in a folded tablet many life-destroying marks,


δεῖξαι δʼ ἠνώγειν ᾧ πενθερῷ ὄφρʼ ἀπόλοιτο.

and told him to show it to his wife's father: that he might perish.


αὐτὰρ ὁ βῆ Λυκίην δὲ θεῶν ὑπʼ ἀμύμονι πομπῇ.

So he went to Lycia, under the gods' blameless escort.


ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ Λυκίην ἷξε Ξάνθόν τε ῥέοντα,

And when he came to Lycia and the flowing Xanthus,


προφρονέως μιν τῖεν ἄναξ Λυκίης εὐρείης·

the lord of wide Lycia honored him with a ready heart:


ἐννῆμαρ ξείνισσε καὶ ἐννέα βοῦς ἱέρευσεν.

nine days he feasted him, and slaughtered nine oxen.


ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ δεκάτη ἐφάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠὼς

But when the tenth rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,


καὶ τότε μιν ἐρέεινε καὶ ᾔτεε σῆμα ἰδέσθαι

then he questioned him, and asked to see the token,


ὅττί ῥά οἱ γαμβροῖο πάρα Προίτοιο φέροιτο.

whatever it was he brought from his son-in-law Proetus.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ σῆμα κακὸν παρεδέξατο γαμβροῦ,

And when he had received his son-in-law's evil token,


πρῶτον μέν ῥα Χίμαιραν ἀμαιμακέτην ἐκέλευσε

first he ordered him to kill the raging Chimaera —


πεφνέμεν· ἣ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔην θεῖον γένος οὐδʼ ἀνθρώπων,


πρόσθε λέων, ὄπιθεν δὲ δράκων, μέσση δὲ χίμαιρα,

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


δεινὸν ἀποπνείουσα πυρὸς μένος αἰθομένοιο,

breathing out the terrible fury of blazing fire.


καὶ τὴν μὲν κατέπεφνε θεῶν τεράεσσι πιθήσας.

And he killed her, trusting the portents of the gods.


δεύτερον αὖ Σολύμοισι μαχέσσατο κυδαλίμοισι·


καρτίστην δὴ τήν γε μάχην φάτο δύμεναι ἀνδρῶν.

the hardest battle of men, he said, he ever entered.


τὸ τρίτον αὖ κατέπεφνεν Ἀμαζόνας ἀντιανείρας.

Third, he cut down the Amazons, the match of men.


τῷ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀνερχομένῳ πυκινὸν δόλον ἄλλον ὕφαινε·

And as he came back the king wove him another close-set trap:


κρίνας ἐκ Λυκίης εὐρείης φῶτας ἀρίστους


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

he set an ambush; and they never came home again —


πάντας γὰρ κατέπεφνεν ἀμύμων Βελλεροφόντης.


ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ γίγνωσκε θεοῦ γόνον ἠῢν ἐόντα

But when the king came to know he was the brave son of a god,


αὐτοῦ μιν κατέρυκε, δίδου δʼ ὅ γε θυγατέρα ἥν,

he kept him there, and gave him his daughter,


δῶκε δέ οἱ τιμῆς βασιληΐδος ἥμισυ πάσης·

and gave him half of all his kingly honor;


καὶ μέν οἱ Λύκιοι τέμενος τάμον ἔξοχον ἄλλων

and the Lycians cut him a precinct beyond all others,


καλὸν φυταλιῆς καὶ ἀρούρης, ὄφρα νέμοιτο.

fine land for orchard and plowland, to enjoy.


ἣ δʼ ἔτεκε τρία τέκνα δαΐφρονι Βελλεροφόντῃ

And she bore three children to war-minded Bellerophon:


Ἴσανδρόν τε καὶ Ἱππόλοχον καὶ Λαοδάμειαν.

Isander, and Hippolochus, and Laodameia.


Λαοδαμείῃ μὲν παρελέξατο μητίετα Ζεύς,


ἣ δʼ ἔτεκʼ ἀντίθεον Σαρπηδόνα χαλκοκορυστήν.

and she bore godlike Sarpedon of the bronze helmet.


ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ καὶ κεῖνος ἀπήχθετο πᾶσι θεοῖσιν,

But when even Bellerophon came to be hated by all the gods,


ἤτοι ὃ κὰπ πεδίον τὸ Ἀλήϊον οἶος ἀλᾶτο

he wandered alone across the Aleian plain,


ὃν θυμὸν κατέδων, πάτον ἀνθρώπων ἀλεείνων·

eating out his heart, shunning the trodden paths of men;


Ἴσανδρον δέ οἱ υἱὸν Ἄρης ἆτος πολέμοιο

and his son Isander was killed by Ares insatiate of war


μαρνάμενον Σολύμοισι κατέκτανε κυδαλίμοισι·


τὴν δὲ χολωσαμένη χρυσήνιος Ἄρτεμις ἔκτα.

and his daughter — Artemis of the golden reins killed her in anger.


Ἱππόλοχος δέ μʼ ἔτικτε, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ φημι γενέσθαι·

But Hippolochus fathered me: from him I claim my birth.


πέμπε δέ μʼ ἐς Τροίην, καί μοι μάλα πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλεν

He sent me to Troy, and he charged me strictly


αἰὲν ἀριστεύειν καὶ ὑπείροχον ἔμμεναι ἄλλων,

always to be the best, and to hold my head above all others,


μηδὲ γένος πατέρων αἰσχυνέμεν, οἳ μέγʼ ἄριστοι

and not to shame the stock of my fathers, who were far the best


ἔν τʼ Ἐφύρῃ ἐγένοντο καὶ ἐν Λυκίῃ εὐρείῃ.


ταύτης τοι γενεῆς τε καὶ αἵματος εὔχομαι εἶναι.

Of this lineage and this blood I claim to be."


ὣς φάτο, γήθησεν δὲ βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·

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


ἔγχος μὲν κατέπηξεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ,

He planted his spear in the earth that feeds so many


αὐτὰρ ὃ μειλιχίοισι προσηύδα ποιμένα λαῶν·

and spoke with honeyed words to the shepherd of the people:


ἦ ῥά νύ μοι ξεῖνος πατρώϊός ἐσσι παλαιός·

"Why — then you are my guest-friend from our fathers' time!


Οἰνεὺς γάρ ποτε δῖος ἀμύμονα Βελλεροφόντην

For brilliant Oeneus once entertained blameless


ξείνισʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἐείκοσιν ἤματʼ ἐρύξας·

Bellerophon in his halls, and kept him twenty days;


οἳ δὲ καὶ ἀλλήλοισι πόρον ξεινήϊα καλά·

and they gave one another fine gifts of friendship:


Οἰνεὺς μὲν ζωστῆρα δίδου φοίνικι φαεινόν,

Oeneus gave a war-belt bright with crimson,


Βελλεροφόντης δὲ χρύσεον δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον

and Bellerophon a golden two-handled cup —


καί μιν ἐγὼ κατέλειπον ἰὼν ἐν δώμασʼ ἐμοῖσι.


Τυδέα δʼ οὐ μέμνημαι, ἐπεί μʼ ἔτι τυτθὸν ἐόντα

Tydeus I do not remember: I was still small


κάλλιφʼ, ὅτʼ ἐν Θήβῃσιν ἀπώλετο λαὸς Ἀχαιῶν.

when he left me, that time the Achaean host perished at Thebes.


τὼ νῦν σοὶ μὲν ἐγὼ ξεῖνος φίλος Ἄργεϊ μέσσῳ

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


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

and you are mine in Lycia, whenever I come to that country.


ἔγχεα δʼ ἀλλήλων ἀλεώμεθα καὶ διʼ ὁμίλου·

Let us keep clear of each other's spears, even in the crush:


πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἐμοὶ Τρῶες κλειτοί τʼ ἐπίκουροι

there are Trojans enough for me, and famed allies,


κτείνειν ὅν κε θεός γε πόρῃ καὶ ποσσὶ κιχείω,

to kill whomever a god delivers and my feet overtake,


πολλοὶ δʼ αὖ σοὶ Ἀχαιοὶ ἐναιρέμεν ὅν κε δύνηαι.

and Achaeans enough for you, to cut down whom you can.


τεύχεα δʼ ἀλλήλοις ἐπαμείψομεν, ὄφρα καὶ οἵδε

And let us exchange armor with each other, so that these men too


γνῶσιν ὅτι ξεῖνοι πατρώϊοι εὐχόμεθʼ εἶναι.

may know we claim to be guest-friends from our fathers' time."


ὣς ἄρα φωνήσαντε καθʼ ἵππων ἀΐξαντε

So the two spoke, and leapt down from their chariots


χεῖράς τʼ ἀλλήλων λαβέτην καὶ πιστώσαντο·

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


ἔνθʼ αὖτε Γλαύκῳ Κρονίδης φρένας ἐξέλετο Ζεύς,

And then Zeus, Cronos' son, took Glaucus's wits away:


ὃς πρὸς Τυδεΐδην Διομήδεα τεύχεʼ ἄμειβε

he exchanged with Tydeus' son Diomedes armor


χρύσεα χαλκείων, ἑκατόμβοιʼ ἐννεαβοίων.

of gold for bronze — a hundred oxen's worth for nine.


Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς Σκαιάς τε πύλας καὶ φηγὸν ἵκανεν,

Now when Hector came to the Scaean Gates and the oak,


ἀμφʼ ἄρα μιν Τρώων ἄλοχοι θέον ἠδὲ θύγατρες

the Trojans' wives and daughters came running around him,


εἰρόμεναι παῖδάς τε κασιγνήτους τε ἔτας τε

asking after sons and brothers and kinsmen


καὶ πόσιας· ὃ δʼ ἔπειτα θεοῖς εὔχεσθαι ἀνώγει

and husbands. And he told them to pray to the gods,


πάσας ἑξείης· πολλῇσι δὲ κήδεʼ ἐφῆπτο.

all of them, one after another: griefs hung over many.


ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ Πριάμοιο δόμον περικαλλέʼ ἵκανε

But when he came to Priam's beautiful palace,


ξεστῇς αἰθούσῃσι τετυγμένον· αὐτὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ

built with polished colonnades — and in it


πεντήκοντʼ ἔνεσαν θάλαμοι ξεστοῖο λίθοιο


πλησίον ἀλλήλων δεδμημένοι, ἔνθα δὲ παῖδες

built close by one another, where the sons


κοιμῶντο Πριάμοιο παρὰ μνηστῇς ἀλόχοισι,

of Priam slept beside their wedded wives,


κουράων δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐναντίοι ἔνδοθεν αὐλῆς

and for the daughters, opposite, within the court,


δώδεκʼ ἔσαν τέγεοι θάλαμοι ξεστοῖο λίθοιο

were twelve roofed chambers of polished stone,


πλησίον ἀλλήλων δεδμημένοι, ἔνθα δὲ γαμβροὶ

built close by one another, where the sons-in-law


κοιμῶντο Πριάμοιο παρʼ αἰδοίῃς ἀλόχοισιν·

of Priam slept beside their honored wives —


ἔνθά οἱ ἠπιόδωρος ἐναντίη ἤλυθε μήτηρ

there his gentle-giving mother came to meet him,


Λαοδίκην ἐσάγουσα θυγατρῶν εἶδος ἀρίστην·

leading in Laodice, loveliest of her daughters;


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

and she clung to his hand, and spoke a word, and named him:


τέκνον τίπτε λιπὼν πόλεμον θρασὺν εἰλήλουθας;

"Child, why have you left the bold fighting and come here?


ἦ μάλα δὴ τείρουσι δυσώνυμοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

Surely they are wearing you down — those cursed sons


μαρνάμενοι περὶ ἄστυ· σὲ δʼ ἐνθάδε θυμὸς ἀνῆκεν

of the Achaeans, fighting around the town — and your heart sent you


ἐλθόντʼ ἐξ ἄκρης πόλιος Διὶ χεῖρας ἀνασχεῖν.

here, to lift your hands to Zeus from the city's height.


ἀλλὰ μένʼ ὄφρά κέ τοι μελιηδέα οἶνον ἐνείκω,

But wait while I bring you honey-sweet wine,


ὡς σπείσῃς Διὶ πατρὶ καὶ ἄλλοις ἀθανάτοισι

to pour first to father Zeus and the other immortals,


πρῶτον, ἔπειτα δὲ καὐτὸς ὀνήσεαι αἴ κε πίῃσθα.

and then to do yourself good, if you will drink.


ἀνδρὶ δὲ κεκμηῶτι μένος μέγα οἶνος ἀέξει,

Wine greatly swells the strength of a wearied man —


ὡς τύνη κέκμηκας ἀμύνων σοῖσιν ἔτῃσι.

and you are wearied with defending your kinsmen."


τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

Then great Hector of the flashing helmet answered her:


μή μοι οἶνον ἄειρε μελίφρονα πότνια μῆτερ,

"Bring me no wine, honey-hearted lady mother,


μή μʼ ἀπογυιώσῃς μένεος, ἀλκῆς τε λάθωμαι·

or you may unstring my limbs and I forget my courage.


χερσὶ δʼ ἀνίπτοισιν Διὶ λείβειν αἴθοπα οἶνον

And I shrink from pouring gleaming wine to Zeus


ἅζομαι· οὐδέ πῃ ἔστι κελαινεφέϊ Κρονίωνι

with unwashed hands: a man spattered with blood and filth


αἵματι καὶ λύθρῳ πεπαλαγμένον εὐχετάασθαι.

cannot pray to the son of Cronos, lord of the dark cloud.


ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν πρὸς νηὸν Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης

No — you go to the temple of Athena, driver of the spoil,


ἔρχεο σὺν θυέεσσιν ἀολλίσσασα γεραιάς·

with burnt offerings, when you have gathered the older women,


πέπλον δʼ, ὅς τίς τοι χαριέστατος ἠδὲ μέγιστος

and the robe that is loveliest and amplest


ἔστιν ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ καί τοι πολὺ φίλτατος αὐτῇ,

in the hall, and far the dearest to yourself,


τὸν θὲς Ἀθηναίης ἐπὶ γούνασιν ἠϋκόμοιο,

lay it on the knees of lovely-haired Athena,


καί οἱ ὑποσχέσθαι δυοκαίδεκα βοῦς ἐνὶ νηῷ

and vow to sacrifice to her in the temple twelve heifers,


ἤνις ἠκέστας ἱερευσέμεν, αἴ κʼ ἐλεήσῃ

yearlings, never goaded, if she will pity


ἄστύ τε καὶ Τρώων ἀλόχους καὶ νήπια τέκνα,

the town, and the Trojans' wives, and their little children —


αἴ κεν Τυδέος υἱὸν ἀπόσχῃ Ἰλίου ἱρῆς

if she will hold back Tydeus' son from holy Ilion,


ἄγριον αἰχμητὴν κρατερὸν μήστωρα φόβοιο.

that wild spearman, that strong machine of rout.


ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν πρὸς νηὸν Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης

So go to the temple of Athena, driver of the spoil;


ἔρχευ, ἐγὼ δὲ Πάριν μετελεύσομαι ὄφρα καλέσσω

and I will go after Paris, to summon him,


αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσʼ εἰπόντος ἀκουέμεν· ὥς κέ οἱ αὖθι

if he is willing to hear me speak. May the earth gape for him


γαῖα χάνοι· μέγα γάρ μιν Ὀλύμπιος ἔτρεφε πῆμα

where he stands! The Olympian reared him as a great affliction


Τρωσί τε καὶ Πριάμῳ μεγαλήτορι τοῖό τε παισίν.

to the Trojans, and to great-hearted Priam, and Priam's sons.


εἰ κεῖνόν γε ἴδοιμι κατελθόντʼ Ἄϊδος εἴσω

If I could see that man gone down into Hades' house,


φαίην κε φρένʼ ἀτέρπου ὀϊζύος ἐκλελαθέσθαι.

I could say my heart had forgotten its joyless misery."


ὣς ἔφαθʼ, ἣ δὲ μολοῦσα ποτὶ μέγαρʼ ἀμφιπόλοισι

So he spoke; and she went to the hall and called


κέκλετο· ταὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀόλλισσαν κατὰ ἄστυ γεραιάς.

her handmaids, and they gathered the older women through the city.


αὐτὴ δʼ ἐς θάλαμον κατεβήσετο κηώεντα,

She herself went down to the fragrant storeroom


ἔνθʼ ἔσάν οἱ πέπλοι παμποίκιλα ἔργα γυναικῶν

where her robes were kept, the richly patterned work of women


Σιδονίων, τὰς αὐτὸς Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδὴς

of Sidon, whom godlike Alexandros himself


ἤγαγε Σιδονίηθεν ἐπιπλὼς εὐρέα πόντον,

brought from Sidon, sailing the wide sea,


τὴν ὁδὸν ἣν Ἑλένην περ ἀνήγαγεν εὐπατέρειαν·

on that voyage on which he carried home high-born Helen.


τῶν ἕνʼ ἀειραμένη Ἑκάβη φέρε δῶρον Ἀθήνῃ,

Of these Hecuba took one to carry as gift to Athena,


ὃς κάλλιστος ἔην ποικίλμασιν ἠδὲ μέγιστος,

the one that was loveliest in its patterning, and amplest,


ἀστὴρ δʼ ὣς ἀπέλαμπεν· ἔκειτο δὲ νείατος ἄλλων.

and it shone like a star; it lay beneath all the others.


βῆ δʼ ἰέναι, πολλαὶ δὲ μετεσσεύοντο γεραιαί.

Then she set out, and the many older women hurried after.


αἱ δʼ ὅτε νηὸν ἵκανον Ἀθήνης ἐν πόλει ἄκρῃ,

And when they came to Athena's temple on the city's height,


τῇσι θύρας ὤϊξε Θεανὼ καλλιπάρῃος

fair-cheeked Theano opened the doors for them,


Κισσηῒς ἄλοχος Ἀντήνορος ἱπποδάμοιο·

Cisseus' daughter, wife of Antenor, breaker of horses,


τὴν γὰρ Τρῶες ἔθηκαν Ἀθηναίης ἱέρειαν.

whom the Trojans had made priestess of Athena.


αἳ δʼ ὀλολυγῇ πᾶσαι Ἀθήνῃ χεῖρας ἀνέσχον·

With a wailing cry they all lifted their hands to Athena;


ἣ δʼ ἄρα πέπλον ἑλοῦσα Θεανὼ καλλιπάρῃος


θῆκεν Ἀθηναίης ἐπὶ γούνασιν ἠϋκόμοιο,

and laid it on the knees of lovely-haired Athena,


εὐχομένη δʼ ἠρᾶτο Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο·

and vowing she prayed to the daughter of great Zeus:


πότνιʼ Ἀθηναίη ἐρυσίπτολι δῖα θεάων

"Lady Athena, guardian of the city, brilliant among goddesses:


ἆξον δὴ ἔγχος Διομήδεος, ἠδὲ καὶ αὐτὸν

break now the spear of Diomedes, and grant


πρηνέα δὸς πεσέειν Σκαιῶν προπάροιθε πυλάων,

that the man himself fall on his face before the Scaean Gates,


ὄφρά τοι αὐτίκα νῦν δυοκαίδεκα βοῦς ἐνὶ νηῷ

and we will sacrifice to you at once, here in the temple,


ἤνις ἠκέστας ἱερεύσομεν, αἴ κʼ ἐλεήσῃς

twelve heifers, yearlings, never goaded, if you will pity


ἄστύ τε καὶ Τρώων ἀλόχους καὶ νήπια τέκνα.

the town, and the Trojans' wives, and their little children."


ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχομένη, ἀνένευε δὲ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.

So she spoke, vowing. But Pallas Athena turned her head away.


ὣς αἳ μέν ῥʼ εὔχοντο Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο,

So they were praying to the daughter of great Zeus;


Ἕκτωρ δὲ πρὸς δώματʼ Ἀλεξάνδροιο βεβήκει

and Hector had gone to the house of Alexandros,


καλά, τά ῥʼ αὐτὸς ἔτευξε σὺν ἀνδράσιν οἳ τότʼ ἄριστοι

the beautiful house he had built himself with the men


ἦσαν ἐνὶ Τροίῃ ἐριβώλακι τέκτονες ἄνδρες,

who were then the best builders in deep-soiled Troy:


οἵ οἱ ἐποίησαν θάλαμον καὶ δῶμα καὶ αὐλὴν

they had made him a chamber and a hall and a courtyard


ἐγγύθι τε Πριάμοιο καὶ Ἕκτορος ἐν πόλει ἄκρῃ.

close by Priam and Hector, on the city's height.


ἔνθʼ Ἕκτωρ εἰσῆλθε Διῒ φίλος, ἐν δʼ ἄρα χειρὶ

There Hector entered, dear to Zeus, and in his hand


ἔγχος ἔχʼ ἑνδεκάπηχυ· πάροιθε δὲ λάμπετο δουρὸς

he held a spear eleven cubits long; and before him the bronze


αἰχμὴ χαλκείη, περὶ δὲ χρύσεος θέε πόρκης.

point of the shaft shone, and a ring of gold ran round it.


τὸν δʼ εὗρʼ ἐν θαλάμῳ περικαλλέα τεύχεʼ ἕποντα

He found Paris in the chamber busy with his beautiful armor,


ἀσπίδα καὶ θώρηκα, καὶ ἀγκύλα τόξʼ ἁφόωντα·

the shield and the corslet, and handling his curved bow;


Ἀργείη δʼ Ἑλένη μετʼ ἄρα δμῳῇσι γυναιξὶν

and Argive Helen sat among her slave-women,


ἧστο καὶ ἀμφιπόλοισι περικλυτὰ ἔργα κέλευε.

directing her handmaids in their famous work.


τὸν δʼ Ἕκτωρ νείκεσσεν ἰδὼν αἰσχροῖς ἐπέεσσι·

And seeing him Hector raked him with shaming words:


δαιμόνιʼ οὐ μὲν καλὰ χόλον τόνδʼ ἔνθεο θυμῷ,

"Strange man — it is not decent to nurse this anger in your heart.


λαοὶ μὲν φθινύθουσι περὶ πτόλιν αἰπύ τε τεῖχος

The people are dying around the city and the steep wall


μαρνάμενοι· σέο δʼ εἵνεκʼ ἀϋτή τε πτόλεμός τε

as they fight; and it is for your sake that the war-cry and the war


ἄστυ τόδʼ ἀμφιδέδηε· σὺ δʼ ἂν μαχέσαιο καὶ ἄλλῳ,

burn around this town. You would quarrel yourself


ὅν τινά που μεθιέντα ἴδοις στυγεροῦ πολέμοιο.

with any man you saw hanging back from hateful war.


ἀλλʼ ἄνα μὴ τάχα ἄστυ πυρὸς δηΐοιο θέρηται.

Up — before the town is warmed by the enemy's fire!"


τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδής·


Ἕκτορ ἐπεί με κατʼ αἶσαν ἐνείκεσας οὐδʼ ὑπὲρ αἶσαν,

"Hector, you rake me justly, not more than justly;


τοὔνεκά τοι ἐρέω· σὺ δὲ σύνθεο καί μευ ἄκουσον·

so I will tell you — and you mark me, and hear me out.


οὔ τοι ἐγὼ Τρώων τόσσον χόλῳ οὐδὲ νεμέσσι

It was not so much anger at the Trojans, or resentment,


ἥμην ἐν θαλάμῳ, ἔθελον δʼ ἄχεϊ προτραπέσθαι.

that kept me sitting in my chamber: I wanted to give in to grief.


νῦν δέ με παρειποῦσʼ ἄλοχος μαλακοῖς ἐπέεσσιν

But just now my wife, coaxing me with soft words,


ὅρμησʼ ἐς πόλεμον· δοκέει δέ μοι ὧδε καὶ αὐτῷ

urged me back to the war; and it seems even to me


λώϊον ἔσσεσθαι· νίκη δʼ ἐπαμείβεται ἄνδρας.

that it will be better so. Victory shifts from man to man.


ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἐπίμεινον, Ἀρήϊα τεύχεα δύω·

Come then, wait while I put on the gear of Ares —


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

or go, and I will follow: I think I shall overtake you."


ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ οὔ τι προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

So he spoke; and Hector of the flashing helmet answered him nothing.


τὸν δʼ Ἑλένη μύθοισι προσηύδα μειλιχίοισι·

But Helen spoke to Hector with honeyed words:


δᾶερ ἐμεῖο κυνὸς κακομηχάνου ὀκρυοέσσης,

"Brother — brother of me, the dog, the evil-scheming horror:


ὥς μʼ ὄφελʼ ἤματι τῷ ὅτε με πρῶτον τέκε μήτηρ

how I wish that on the day my mother first bore me


οἴχεσθαι προφέρουσα κακὴ ἀνέμοιο θύελλα

some foul storm of wind had carried me off


εἰς ὄρος ἢ εἰς κῦμα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης,

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


ἔνθά με κῦμʼ ἀπόερσε πάρος τάδε ἔργα γενέσθαι.

where the wave would have swept me away before all this was done.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τάδε γʼ ὧδε θεοὶ κακὰ τεκμήραντο,

But since the gods ordained these evils so,


ἀνδρὸς ἔπειτʼ ὤφελλον ἀμείνονος εἶναι ἄκοιτις,

then I wish I had been wife to a better man,


ὃς ᾔδη νέμεσίν τε καὶ αἴσχεα πόλλʼ ἀνθρώπων.

one who felt the world's anger and the long reproaches of men.


τούτῳ δʼ οὔτʼ ἂρ νῦν φρένες ἔμπεδοι οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ὀπίσσω

But this one — his wits are not steady now, and never


ἔσσονται· τὼ καί μιν ἐπαυρήσεσθαι ὀΐω.

will be; and I think he will reap the harvest of it.


ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν εἴσελθε καὶ ἕζεο τῷδʼ ἐπὶ δίφρῳ

But come in now, brother, and sit on this chair,


δᾶερ, ἐπεί σε μάλιστα πόνος φρένας ἀμφιβέβηκεν

since the labor rings your heart above all others' —


εἵνεκʼ ἐμεῖο κυνὸς καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου ἕνεκʼ ἄτης,

for the sake of me, the dog, and for Alexandros's blindness:


οἷσιν ἐπὶ Ζεὺς θῆκε κακὸν μόρον, ὡς καὶ ὀπίσσω

on whom Zeus has set an evil doom, so that hereafter


ἀνθρώποισι πελώμεθʼ ἀοίδιμοι ἐσσομένοισι.

we may be subjects of song for men still to come."


τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ

Then great Hector of the flashing helmet answered her:


μή με κάθιζʼ Ἑλένη φιλέουσά περ· οὐδέ με πείσεις·

"Do not seat me, Helen, though you love me. You will not persuade me.


ἤδη γάρ μοι θυμὸς ἐπέσσυται ὄφρʼ ἐπαμύνω

Already my heart is driving me to stand by


Τρώεσσʼ, οἳ μέγʼ ἐμεῖο ποθὴν ἀπεόντος ἔχουσιν.

the Trojans, who feel their great longing for me gone.


ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ ὄρνυθι τοῦτον, ἐπειγέσθω δὲ καὶ αὐτός,

No — you rouse this man, and let him hurry himself,


ὥς κεν ἔμʼ ἔντοσθεν πόλιος καταμάρψῃ ἐόντα.

so he may catch me still inside the city.


καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼν οἶκον δὲ ἐλεύσομαι ὄφρα ἴδωμαι


οἰκῆας ἄλοχόν τε φίλην καὶ νήπιον υἱόν.

my household, and my dear wife, and my little son:


οὐ γὰρ οἶδʼ εἰ ἔτι σφιν ὑπότροπος ἵξομαι αὖτις,

I do not know if I shall come back to them again,


ἦ ἤδη μʼ ὑπὸ χερσὶ θεοὶ δαμόωσιν Ἀχαιῶν.

or whether the gods will break me now under Achaean hands."


ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἀπέβη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

So speaking Hector of the flashing helmet went.


αἶψα δʼ ἔπειθʼ ἵκανε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,

And quickly he came to his well-settled house —


οὐδʼ εὗρʼ Ἀνδρομάχην λευκώλενον ἐν μεγάροισιν,

but he did not find white-armed Andromache in the hall:


ἀλλʼ ἥ γε ξὺν παιδὶ καὶ ἀμφιπόλῳ ἐϋπέπλῳ

she had gone with the child and one fair-robed handmaid


πύργῳ ἐφεστήκει γοόωσά τε μυρομένη τε.

and stood on the tower, weeping and mourning.


Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς οὐκ ἔνδον ἀμύμονα τέτμεν ἄκοιτιν

When Hector did not find his blameless wife within,


ἔστη ἐπʼ οὐδὸν ἰών, μετὰ δὲ δμῳῇσιν ἔειπεν·

he stopped on the threshold and spoke among the slave-women:


εἰ δʼ ἄγε μοι δμῳαὶ νημερτέα μυθήσασθε·

"Come, slave-women, tell me the truth of it:


πῇ ἔβη Ἀνδρομάχη λευκώλενος ἐκ μεγάροιο;

where has white-armed Andromache gone from the hall?


ἠέ πῃ ἐς γαλόων ἢ εἰνατέρων ἐϋπέπλων

To one of my sisters, or my brothers' fair-robed wives?


ἢ ἐς Ἀθηναίης ἐξοίχεται, ἔνθά περ ἄλλαι

Or out to Athena's temple, where the other


Τρῳαὶ ἐϋπλόκαμοι δεινὴν θεὸν ἱλάσκονται;

lovely-braided women of Troy are appeasing the dread goddess?"


τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ ὀτρηρὴ ταμίη πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·


Ἕκτορ ἐπεὶ μάλʼ ἄνωγας ἀληθέα μυθήσασθαι,

"Hector — since you order me strictly to tell the truth:


οὔτέ πῃ ἐς γαλόων οὔτʼ εἰνατέρων ἐϋπέπλων

not to one of your sisters, nor your brothers' fair-robed wives,


οὔτʼ ἐς Ἀθηναίης ἐξοίχεται, ἔνθά περ ἄλλαι

nor out to Athena's temple, where the other


Τρῳαὶ ἐϋπλόκαμοι δεινὴν θεὸν ἱλάσκονται,

lovely-braided women of Troy are appeasing the dread goddess —


ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ πύργον ἔβη μέγαν Ἰλίου, οὕνεκʼ ἄκουσε

she went up on the great tower of Ilion, because she heard


τείρεσθαι Τρῶας, μέγα δὲ κράτος εἶναι Ἀχαιῶν.

the Trojans were worn down, and the Achaeans' power was great.


ἣ μὲν δὴ πρὸς τεῖχος ἐπειγομένη ἀφικάνει


μαινομένῃ ἐϊκυῖα· φέρει δʼ ἅμα παῖδα τιθήνη.

like a woman gone mad; and the nurse carries the child beside her."


ἦ ῥα γυνὴ ταμίη, ὃ δʼ ἀπέσσυτο δώματος Ἕκτωρ

So the housekeeper spoke; and Hector sped from the house


τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν αὖτις ἐϋκτιμένας κατʼ ἀγυιάς.

back the same way, down the well-built streets.


εὖτε πύλας ἵκανε διερχόμενος μέγα ἄστυ

When, crossing the great city, he reached the gates —


Σκαιάς, τῇ ἄρʼ ἔμελλε διεξίμεναι πεδίον δέ,

the Scaean Gates, by which he meant to go out on the plain —


ἔνθʼ ἄλοχος πολύδωρος ἐναντίη ἦλθε θέουσα

there his richly dowered wife came running to meet him,


Ἀνδρομάχη θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος Ἠετίωνος

Andromache, daughter of great-hearted Eëtion —


Ἠετίων ὃς ἔναιεν ὑπὸ Πλάκῳ ὑληέσσῃ


Θήβῃ Ὑποπλακίῃ Κιλίκεσσʼ ἄνδρεσσιν ἀνάσσων·

in Thebe-under-Placus, lord over the Cilician men:


τοῦ περ δὴ θυγάτηρ ἔχεθʼ Ἕκτορι χαλκοκορυστῇ.

his daughter was wife to Hector of the bronze helmet.


ἥ οἱ ἔπειτʼ ἤντησʼ, ἅμα δʼ ἀμφίπολος κίεν αὐτῇ

She met him there, and with her came the handmaid


παῖδʼ ἐπὶ κόλπῳ ἔχουσʼ ἀταλάφρονα νήπιον αὔτως

holding the child at her breast, all baby-thoughts still, a little one,


Ἑκτορίδην ἀγαπητὸν ἀλίγκιον ἀστέρι καλῷ,

the beloved son of Hector, like a beautiful star:


τόν ῥʼ Ἕκτωρ καλέεσκε Σκαμάνδριον, αὐτὰρ οἱ ἄλλοι

Hector called him Scamandrius, but the others


Ἀστυάνακτʼ· οἶος γὰρ ἐρύετο Ἴλιον Ἕκτωρ.

Astyanax — for Hector alone was the saving of Ilion.


ἤτοι ὃ μὲν μείδησεν ἰδὼν ἐς παῖδα σιωπῇ·

He looked at his boy and smiled in silence;


Ἀνδρομάχη δέ οἱ ἄγχι παρίστατο δάκρυ χέουσα,

but Andromache came and stood close beside him, weeping,


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

and she clung to his hand, and spoke a word, and named him:


δαιμόνιε φθίσει σε τὸ σὸν μένος, οὐδʼ ἐλεαίρεις

"Strange man — your own fury will destroy you. And you have no pity


παῖδά τε νηπίαχον καὶ ἔμʼ ἄμμορον, ἣ τάχα χήρη

for your son, a little child, or for doomed me, who soon


σεῦ ἔσομαι· τάχα γάρ σε κατακτανέουσιν Ἀχαιοὶ

shall be your widow: for soon the Achaeans will kill you,


πάντες ἐφορμηθέντες· ἐμοὶ δέ κε κέρδιον εἴη

falling on you all together. And for me it would be better,


σεῦ ἀφαμαρτούσῃ χθόνα δύμεναι· οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ ἄλλη

losing you, to go under the earth: there will be no other


ἔσται θαλπωρὴ ἐπεὶ ἂν σύ γε πότμον ἐπίσπῃς

comfort ever again, once you have met your doom —


ἀλλʼ ἄχεʼ· οὐδέ μοι ἔστι πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ.

only griefs. And I have no father, no lady mother.


ἤτοι γὰρ πατέρʼ ἁμὸν ἀπέκτανε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,

My father — brilliant Achilles killed him,


ἐκ δὲ πόλιν πέρσεν Κιλίκων εὖ ναιετάουσαν

the day he sacked the well-settled city of the Cilicians,


Θήβην ὑψίπυλον· κατὰ δʼ ἔκτανεν Ἠετίωνα,

Thebe of the high gates. He killed Eëtion —


οὐδέ μιν ἐξενάριξε, σεβάσσατο γὰρ τό γε θυμῷ,

but he did not strip him: his heart stood in awe of that.


ἀλλʼ ἄρα μιν κατέκηε σὺν ἔντεσι δαιδαλέοισιν


ἠδʼ ἐπὶ σῆμʼ ἔχεεν· περὶ δὲ πτελέας ἐφύτευσαν

and heaped a grave-mound over him; and around it the mountain nymphs,


νύμφαι ὀρεστιάδες κοῦραι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.

daughters of aegis-bearing Zeus, planted elm trees.


οἳ δέ μοι ἑπτὰ κασίγνητοι ἔσαν ἐν μεγάροισιν


οἳ μὲν πάντες ἰῷ κίον ἤματι Ἄϊδος εἴσω·

all of them went to Hades' house in a single day:


πάντας γὰρ κατέπεφνε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς

swift-footed brilliant Achilles killed them all


βουσὶν ἐπʼ εἰλιπόδεσσι καὶ ἀργεννῇς ὀΐεσσι.

among their rolling-gaited cattle and their white sheep.


μητέρα δʼ, ἣ βασίλευεν ὑπὸ Πλάκῳ ὑληέσσῃ,

And my mother, who was queen under wooded Placus —


τὴν ἐπεὶ ἂρ δεῦρʼ ἤγαγʼ ἅμʼ ἄλλοισι κτεάτεσσιν,

he brought her here with the rest of the plunder,


ἂψ ὅ γε τὴν ἀπέλυσε λαβὼν ἀπερείσιʼ ἄποινα,

but set her free again, taking ransom past counting,


πατρὸς δʼ ἐν μεγάροισι βάλʼ Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα.

and in her father's halls Artemis who showers arrows struck her down.


Ἕκτορ ἀτὰρ σύ μοί ἐσσι πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ

Hector — so you are my father, and my lady mother,


ἠδὲ κασίγνητος, σὺ δέ μοι θαλερὸς παρακοίτης·

and my brother; and you are my strong young husband.


ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἐλέαιρε καὶ αὐτοῦ μίμνʼ ἐπὶ πύργῳ,

Come, take pity now, and stay here on the tower:


μὴ παῖδʼ ὀρφανικὸν θήῃς χήρην τε γυναῖκα·

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


λαὸν δὲ στῆσον παρʼ ἐρινεόν, ἔνθα μάλιστα

And station the army by the wild fig tree, where the city


ἀμβατός ἐστι πόλις καὶ ἐπίδρομον ἔπλετο τεῖχος.

is easiest to scale, and the wall lies open to assault.


τρὶς γὰρ τῇ γʼ ἐλθόντες ἐπειρήσανθʼ οἱ ἄριστοι

Three times their best men have come there and tried it,


ἀμφʼ Αἴαντε δύω καὶ ἀγακλυτὸν Ἰδομενῆα

the two Ajaxes and famous Idomeneus together,


ἠδʼ ἀμφʼ Ἀτρεΐδας καὶ Τυδέος ἄλκιμον υἱόν·

and the sons of Atreus, and Tydeus' powerful son —


ἤ πού τίς σφιν ἔνισπε θεοπροπίων ἐῢ εἰδώς,

whether someone skilled in god-signs told them of it,


ἤ νυ καὶ αὐτῶν θυμὸς ἐποτρύνει καὶ ἀνώγει.

or their own hearts drive and command them to it."


τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

Then great Hector of the flashing helmet answered her:


ἦ καὶ ἐμοὶ τάδε πάντα μέλει γύναι· ἀλλὰ μάλʼ αἰνῶς

"All this is my care too, wife. But I would stand


αἰδέομαι Τρῶας καὶ Τρῳάδας ἑλκεσιπέπλους,

in terrible shame before the Trojans, and the Trojan women


αἴ κε κακὸς ὣς νόσφιν ἀλυσκάζω πολέμοιο·

with their trailing gowns, if like a coward I skulked apart from the war;


οὐδέ με θυμὸς ἄνωγεν, ἐπεὶ μάθον ἔμμεναι ἐσθλὸς

and my own heart will not let me. I have learned to be brave


αἰεὶ καὶ πρώτοισι μετὰ Τρώεσσι μάχεσθαι

always, and to fight among the foremost Trojans,


ἀρνύμενος πατρός τε μέγα κλέος ἠδʼ ἐμὸν αὐτοῦ.

winning great fame for my father, and for myself.


εὖ γὰρ ἐγὼ τόδε οἶδα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν·

For this I know well in my mind and heart:


ἔσσεται ἦμαρ ὅτʼ ἄν ποτʼ ὀλώλῃ Ἴλιος ἱρὴ

the day will come when holy Ilion shall perish,


καὶ Πρίαμος καὶ λαὸς ἐϋμμελίω Πριάμοιο.

and Priam, and the people of Priam of the good ash spear.


ἀλλʼ οὔ μοι Τρώων τόσσον μέλει ἄλγος ὀπίσσω,

But it is not the Trojans' coming grief that so much moves me —


οὔτʼ αὐτῆς Ἑκάβης οὔτε Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος


οὔτε κασιγνήτων, οἵ κεν πολέες τε καὶ ἐσθλοὶ


ἐν κονίῃσι πέσοιεν ὑπʼ ἀνδράσι δυσμενέεσσιν,

may fall in the dust under enemy hands —


ὅσσον σεῦ, ὅτε κέν τις Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων

as yours: when some bronze-shirted Achaean


δακρυόεσσαν ἄγηται ἐλεύθερον ἦμαρ ἀπούρας·

leads you away in tears, and takes your day of freedom;


καί κεν ἐν Ἄργει ἐοῦσα πρὸς ἄλλης ἱστὸν ὑφαίνοις,

and in Argos you would weave at another woman's loom,


καί κεν ὕδωρ φορέοις Μεσσηΐδος ἢ Ὑπερείης

and carry water from the spring Messeïs or Hypereia,


πόλλʼ ἀεκαζομένη, κρατερὴ δʼ ἐπικείσετʼ ἀνάγκη·

hating it, every step — and hard necessity on you;


καί ποτέ τις εἴπῃσιν ἰδὼν κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσαν·

and someone will say, seeing you letting fall your tears:


Ἕκτορος ἥδε γυνὴ ὃς ἀριστεύεσκε μάχεσθαι

'This is the wife of Hector, who was best in battle


Τρώων ἱπποδάμων ὅτε Ἴλιον ἀμφεμάχοντο.

of all the horse-taming Trojans, when they fought around Ilion.'


ὥς ποτέ τις ἐρέει· σοὶ δʼ αὖ νέον ἔσσεται ἄλγος

So someone will say; and for you it will be fresh grief,


χήτεϊ τοιοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς ἀμύνειν δούλιον ἦμαρ.

for want of such a man to beat off the day of slavery.


ἀλλά με τεθνηῶτα χυτὴ κατὰ γαῖα καλύπτοι

But may the heaped earth cover me, dead,


πρίν γέ τι σῆς τε βοῆς σοῦ θʼ ἑλκηθμοῖο πυθέσθαι.

before I hear your cry and see you dragged away."


ὣς εἰπὼν οὗ παιδὸς ὀρέξατο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·

So speaking, glorious Hector reached out for his boy —


ἂψ δʼ ὃ πάϊς πρὸς κόλπον ἐϋζώνοιο τιθήνης

and the child shrank back, crying, against the breast


ἐκλίνθη ἰάχων πατρὸς φίλου ὄψιν ἀτυχθεὶς

of his fair-belted nurse, terrified at the sight of his own father,


ταρβήσας χαλκόν τε ἰδὲ λόφον ἱππιοχαίτην,

frightened by the bronze and the horsehair crest,


δεινὸν ἀπʼ ἀκροτάτης κόρυθος νεύοντα νοήσας.

seeing it nod terribly from the helmet's top.


ἐκ δʼ ἐγέλασσε πατήρ τε φίλος καὶ πότνια μήτηρ·

And his dear father laughed aloud, and his lady mother;


αὐτίκʼ ἀπὸ κρατὸς κόρυθʼ εἵλετο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ,

at once glorious Hector took the helmet from his head


καὶ τὴν μὲν κατέθηκεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ παμφανόωσαν·

and laid it, all shining, on the ground.


αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ὃν φίλον υἱὸν ἐπεὶ κύσε πῆλέ τε χερσὶν

Then he kissed his dear son, and swung him in his arms,


εἶπε δʼ ἐπευξάμενος Διί τʼ ἄλλοισίν τε θεοῖσι·

and spoke in prayer to Zeus and the other gods:


Ζεῦ ἄλλοι τε θεοὶ δότε δὴ καὶ τόνδε γενέσθαι

"Zeus, and you other gods: grant that this boy,


παῖδʼ ἐμὸν ὡς καὶ ἐγώ περ ἀριπρεπέα Τρώεσσιν,

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


ὧδε βίην τʼ ἀγαθόν, καὶ Ἰλίου ἶφι ἀνάσσειν·

as strong and brave as I; and rule Ilion in strength;


καί ποτέ τις εἴποι πατρός γʼ ὅδε πολλὸν ἀμείνων

and may men someday say he is far better than his father


ἐκ πολέμου ἀνιόντα· φέροι δʼ ἔναρα βροτόεντα

as he comes home from war. May he carry back the bloody spoils


κτείνας δήϊον ἄνδρα, χαρείη δὲ φρένα μήτηρ.

of the enemy he has killed, and his mother's heart be glad."


ὣς εἰπὼν ἀλόχοιο φίλης ἐν χερσὶν ἔθηκε


παῖδʼ ἑόν· ἣ δʼ ἄρα μιν κηώδεϊ δέξατο κόλπῳ

of his dear wife; and she took him to her fragrant breast,


δακρυόεν γελάσασα· πόσις δʼ ἐλέησε νοήσας,

laughing through her tears. And her husband saw, and pitied her,


χειρί τέ μιν κατέρεξεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·

and stroked her with his hand, and spoke a word, and named her:


δαιμονίη μή μοί τι λίην ἀκαχίζεο θυμῷ·

"Strange woman — do not grieve too much for me in your heart.


οὐ γάρ τίς μʼ ὑπὲρ αἶσαν ἀνὴρ Ἄϊδι προϊάψει·

No man will hurl me to Hades beyond my portion;


μοῖραν δʼ οὔ τινά φημι πεφυγμένον ἔμμεναι ἀνδρῶν,

but his fate, I say, no man has ever escaped,


οὐ κακὸν οὐδὲ μὲν ἐσθλόν, ἐπὴν τὰ πρῶτα γένηται.

coward or brave man, once he has been born.


ἀλλʼ εἰς οἶκον ἰοῦσα τὰ σʼ αὐτῆς ἔργα κόμιζε

Go home now, and set your own work in order —


ἱστόν τʼ ἠλακάτην τε, καὶ ἀμφιπόλοισι κέλευε

the loom and the distaff — and tell your handmaids


ἔργον ἐποίχεσθαι· πόλεμος δʼ ἄνδρεσσι μελήσει

to go about their work. War shall be men's concern —


πᾶσι, μάλιστα δʼ ἐμοί, τοὶ Ἰλίῳ ἐγγεγάασιν.

all men's, and mine above all, of all who were born in Ilion."


ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας κόρυθʼ εἵλετο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ

So speaking, glorious Hector took up the helmet


ἵππουριν· ἄλοχος δὲ φίλη οἶκον δὲ βεβήκει

with its horsehair crest; and his dear wife went home,


ἐντροπαλιζομένη, θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα.

turning back again and again, letting the full tears fall.


αἶψα δʼ ἔπειθʼ ἵκανε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας

And quickly she came to the well-settled house


Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο, κιχήσατο δʼ ἔνδοθι πολλὰς

of man-slaughtering Hector, and found inside her many


ἀμφιπόλους, τῇσιν δὲ γόον πάσῃσιν ἐνῶρσεν.

handmaids; and in all of them she stirred lament.


αἳ μὲν ἔτι ζωὸν γόον Ἕκτορα ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ·

So they mourned Hector, still alive, in his own house:


οὐ γάρ μιν ἔτʼ ἔφαντο ὑπότροπον ἐκ πολέμοιο

for they said he would never again come back


ἵξεσθαι προφυγόντα μένος καὶ χεῖρας Ἀχαιῶν.

out of the war, escaping the fury and the hands of the Achaeans.


οὐδὲ Πάρις δήθυνεν ἐν ὑψηλοῖσι δόμοισιν,

Nor did Paris linger long in his high house:


ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ, ἐπεὶ κατέδυ κλυτὰ τεύχεα ποικίλα χαλκῷ,

when he had put on his famed armor, patterned with bronze,


σεύατʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀνὰ ἄστυ ποσὶ κραιπνοῖσι πεποιθώς.

he ran through the city, sure of his quick feet.


ὡς δʼ ὅτε τις στατὸς ἵππος ἀκοστήσας ἐπὶ φάτνῃ

As when a stalled horse, corn-fed at the manger,


δεσμὸν ἀπορρήξας θείῃ πεδίοιο κροαίνων

breaks his tether and gallops drumming across the plain,


εἰωθὼς λούεσθαι ἐϋρρεῖος ποταμοῖο

used to bathing in the fair-flowing river,


κυδιόων· ὑψοῦ δὲ κάρη ἔχει, ἀμφὶ δὲ χαῖται

glorying: he holds his head high, and the mane


ὤμοις ἀΐσσονται· ὃ δʼ ἀγλαΐηφι πεποιθὼς

streams along his shoulders; sure of his own splendor,


ῥίμφά ἑ γοῦνα φέρει μετά τʼ ἤθεα καὶ νομὸν ἵππων·

his knees carry him lightly to the haunts and pastures of horses:


ὣς υἱὸς Πριάμοιο Πάρις κατὰ Περγάμου ἄκρης

so Paris, Priam's son, came striding down from the height


τεύχεσι παμφαίνων ὥς τʼ ἠλέκτωρ ἐβεβήκει

of Pergamos, blazing in his armor like the beaming sun,


καγχαλόων, ταχέες δὲ πόδες φέρον· αἶψα δʼ ἔπειτα

laughing aloud, and his quick feet carried him. And at once


Ἕκτορα δῖον ἔτετμεν ἀδελφεὸν εὖτʼ ἄρʼ ἔμελλε

he came on brilliant Hector, his brother, just turning away


στρέψεσθʼ ἐκ χώρης ὅθι ᾗ ὀάριζε γυναικί.

from the place where he had talked with his wife.


τὸν πρότερος προσέειπεν Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδής·


ἠθεῖʼ ἦ μάλα δή σε καὶ ἐσσύμενον κατερύκω

"Elder brother — surely I have held you back in your hurry,


δηθύνων, οὐδʼ ἦλθον ἐναίσιμον ὡς ἐκέλευες;

lingering so long; I did not come promptly, as you asked."


τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·

Answering him spoke Hector of the flashing helmet:


δαιμόνιʼ οὐκ ἄν τίς τοι ἀνὴρ ὃς ἐναίσιμος εἴη

"Strange man — no fair-minded man could disparage


ἔργον ἀτιμήσειε μάχης, ἐπεὶ ἄλκιμός ἐσσι·

your work in battle: you have your courage.


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

But you hang back by choice; you will not try. And my heart


ἄχνυται ἐν θυμῷ, ὅθʼ ὑπὲρ σέθεν αἴσχεʼ ἀκούω

aches in me when I hear your shame on Trojan lips —


πρὸς Τρώων, οἳ ἔχουσι πολὺν πόνον εἵνεκα σεῖο.

the men who bear this long labor for your sake.


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

But let us go. We will make all this good later, if ever Zeus


δώῃ ἐπουρανίοισι θεοῖς αἰειγενέτῃσι

grants us to set out for the heavenly gods who are forever


κρητῆρα στήσασθαι ἐλεύθερον ἐν μεγάροισιν

the mixing-bowl of freedom in our halls,


ἐκ Τροίης ἐλάσαντας ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς.

when we have driven the strong-greaved Achaeans out of Troy."