Greaca homerică - Text & comentarii

ἄλλοι μέν ῥα θεοί τε καὶ ἀνέρες ἱπποκορυσταὶ	001

Now all the other gods and men, lords of chariots,


εὗδον παννύχιοι, Δία δ' οὐκ ἔχε νήδυμος ὕπνος,	002

slumbered the whole night through, but Zeus was not holden of sweet sleep,


ἀλλ' ὅ γε μερμήριζε κατὰ φρένα ὡς Ἀχιλῆα	003

for he was pondering in his heart how he might do honour to Achilles


τιμήσῃ, ὀλέσῃ δὲ πολέας ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.	004

and lay many low beside the ships of the Achaeans.


ἥδε δέ οἱ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή,	005

And this plan seemed to his mind the best,


πέμψαι ἐπ' Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι οὖλον ὄνειρον·	006

to send to Agamemnon, son of Atreus, a baneful dream.


καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·	007

So he spake, and addressed him with winged words:


βάσκ' ἴθι οὖλε ὄνειρε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν·	008

"Up, go, thou baneful Dream, unto the swift ships of the Achaeans,


ἐλθὼν ἐς κλισίην Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο	009

and when thou art come to the hut of Agamemnon, son of Atreus,


πάντα μάλ' ἀτρεκέως ἀγορευέμεν ὡς ἐπιτέλλω·	010

tell him all my word truly, even as I charge thee.


θωρῆξαί ἑ κέλευε κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιοὺς	011

Bid him arm the long-haired Achaeans


πανσυδίῃ· νῦν γάρ κεν ἕλοι πόλιν εὐρυάγυιαν	012

with all speed, since now he may take the broad-wayed city


Τρώων· οὐ γὰρ ἔτ' ἀμφὶς Ὀλύμπια δώματ' ἔχοντες	013

of the Trojans. For the immortals, that have homes upon Olympus,


ἀθάνατοι φράζονται· ἐπέγναμψεν γὰρ ἅπαντας	014

are no longer divided in counsel, since Hera hath bent the minds


Ἥρη λισσομένη, Τρώεσσι δὲ κήδε' ἐφῆπται.	015

of all by her supplication, and over the Trojans hang woes."


ὣς φάτο, βῆ δ' ἄρ' ὄνειρος ἐπεὶ τὸν μῦθον ἄκουσε·	016

So spake he, and the Dream went his way, when he had heard this saying.


καρπαλίμως δ' ἵκανε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν,	017

Forthwith he came to the swift ships of the Achaeans,


βῆ δ' ἄρ' ἐπ' Ἀτρεΐδην Ἀγαμέμνονα· τὸν δὲ κίχανεν	018

and went his way to Agamemnon, son of Atreus,


εὕδοντ' ἐν κλισίῃ, περὶ δ' ἀμβρόσιος κέχυθ' ὕπνος.	019

and found him sleeping in his hut, and over him was shed ambrosial slumber.


στῆ δ' ἄρ' ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς Νηληίῳ υἷι ἐοικώς	020

So he took his stand above his head, in the likeness of the son of Neleus, even Nestor,


Νέστορι, τόν ῥα μάλιστα γερόντων τῖ' Ἀγαμέμνων·	021

whom above all the elders Agamemnon held in honour;


τῷ μιν ἐεισάμενος προσεφώνεε θεῖος ὄνειρος·	022

likening himself to him, the Dream from heaven spake, saying:


εὕδεις Ἀτρέος υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἱπποδάμοιο·	023

"Thou sleepest, son of wise-hearted Atreus, the tamer of horses.


οὐ χρὴ παννύχιον εὕδειν βουληφόρον ἄνδρα	024

To sleep the whole night through beseemeth not a man that is a counsellor,


ᾧ λαοί τ' ἐπιτετράφαται καὶ τόσσα μέμηλε·	025

to whom a host is entrusted, and upon whom rest so many cares.


νῦν δ' ἐμέθεν ξύνες ὦκα· Διὸς δέ τοι ἄγγελός εἰμι,	026

But now, hearken thou quickly unto me, for I am a messenger to thee from Zeus,


ὃς σεῦ ἄνευθεν ἐὼν μέγα κήδεται ἠδ' ἐλεαίρει.	027

who, far away though he be, hath exceeding care for thee and pity.


θωρῆξαί σε κέλευσε κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιοὺς	028

He biddeth thee arm the long-haired Achaeans


πανσυδίῃ· νῦν γάρ κεν ἕλοις πόλιν εὐρυάγυιαν	029

with all speed, since now thou mayest take the broad-wayed city


Τρώων· οὐ γὰρ ἔτ' ἀμφὶς Ὀλύμπια δώματ' ἔχοντες	030

of the Trojans. For the immortals that have homes upon Olympus


ἀθάνατοι φράζονται· ἐπέγναμψεν γὰρ ἅπαντας	031

are no longer divided in counsel, since Hera hath bent the minds


Ἥρη λισσομένη, Τρώεσσι δὲ κήδε' ἐφῆπται	032

of all by her supplication, and over the Trojans hang woes


ἐκ Διός· ἀλλὰ σὺ σῇσιν ἔχε φρεσί, μηδέ σε λήθη	033

by the will of Zeus. But do thou keep this in thy heart, nor let


αἱρείτω εὖτ' ἄν σε μελίφρων ὕπνος ἀνήῃ.	034

forgetfulness lay hold of thee, whenso honey-hearted sleep shall let thee go."


ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἀπεβήσετο, τὸν δὲ λίπ' αὐτοῦ	035

So spake the Dream, and departed, and left him there,


τὰ φρονέοντ' ἀνὰ θυμὸν ἅ ῥ' οὐ τελέεσθαι ἔμελλον·	036

pondering in his heart on things that were not to be brought to pass.


φῆ γὰρ ὅ γ' αἱρήσειν Πριάμου πόλιν ἤματι κείνῳ	037

For in sooth he deemed that he should take the city


νήπιος, οὐδὲ τὰ ᾔδη ἅ ῥα Ζεὺς μήδετο ἔργα·	038

of Priam that very day, fool that he was! seeing he knew not what deeds Zeus was purposing,


θήσειν γὰρ ἔτ' ἔμελλεν ἐπ' ἄλγεά τε στοναχάς τε	039

who was yet to bring woes and groanings


Τρωσί τε καὶ Δαναοῖσι διὰ κρατερὰς ὑσμίνας.	040

on Trojans alike and Danaans throughout the course of stubborn fights.


ἔγρετο δ' ἐξ ὕπνου, θείη δέ μιν ἀμφέχυτ' ὀμφή·	041

Then he awoke from sleep, and the divine voice was ringing in his ears.


ἕζετο δ' ὀρθωθείς, μαλακὸν δ' ἔνδυνε χιτῶνα	042

He sat upright and did on his soft tunic,


καλὸν νηγάτεον, περὶ δὲ μέγα βάλλετο φᾶρος·	043

fair and glistering, and about him cast his great cloak,


ποσσὶ δ' ὑπὸ λιπαροῖσιν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα,	044

and beneath his shining feet he bound his fair sandals,


ἀμφὶ δ' ἄρ' ὤμοισιν βάλετο ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον·	045

and about his shoulders flung his silver-studded sword;


εἵλετο δὲ σκῆπτρον πατρώϊον ἄφθιτον αἰεὶ	046

and he grasped the sceptre of his fathers, imperishable ever,


σὺν τῷ ἔβη κατὰ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων·	047

and therewith took his way along the ships of the brazen-coated Achaeans.


ἠὼς μέν ῥα θεὰ προσεβήσετο μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον	048

Now the goddess Dawn went up to high Olympus,


Ζηνὶ φόως ἐρέουσα καὶ ἄλλοις ἀθανάτοισιν·	049

to announce the light to Zeus and the other immortals,


αὐτὰρ ὃ κηρύκεσσι λιγυφθόγγοισι κέλευσε	050

but Agamemnon bade the clear-voiced heralds


κηρύσσειν ἀγορὴν δὲ κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιούς·	051

summon to the place of gathering the long-haired Achaeans.


οἳ μὲν ἐκήρυσσον, τοὶ δ' ἠγείροντο μάλ' ὦκα·	052

And they made summons, and the men gathered full quickly.


βουλὴν δὲ πρῶτον μεγαθύμων ἷζε γερόντων	053

But the king first made the council of the great-souled elders to sit down beside the ship


Νεστορέῃ παρὰ νηὶ Πυλοιγενέος βασιλῆος·	054

of Nestor, the king Pylos-born.


τοὺς ὅ γε συγκαλέσας πυκινὴν ἀρτύνετο βουλήν·	055

And when he had called them together, he contrived a cunning plan, and said:


κλῦτε φίλοι· θεῖός μοι ἐνύπνιον ἦλθεν ὄνειρος	056

"Hearken, my friends, a Dream from heaven came to me in my sleep


ἀμβροσίην διὰ νύκτα· μάλιστα δὲ Νέστορι δίῳ	057

through the ambrosial night, and most like was it to goodly Nestor,


εἶδός τε μέγεθός τε φυήν τ' ἄγχιστα ἐῴκει·	058

in form and in stature and in build.


στῆ δ' ἄρ' ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς καί με πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·	059

It took its stand above my head, and spake to me, saying:


εὕδεις Ἀτρέος υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἱπποδάμοιο·	060

‘Thou sleepest, son of wise-hearted Atreus, the tamer of horses.


οὐ χρὴ παννύχιον εὕδειν βουληφόρον ἄνδρα,	061

To sleep the whole night through beseemeth not a man that is a counsellor,


ᾧ λαοί τ' ἐπιτετράφαται καὶ τόσσα μέμηλε·	062

to whom a host is entrusted, and upon whom rest so many cares.


νῦν δ' ἐμέθεν ξύνες ὦκα· Διὸς δέ τοι ἄγγελός εἰμι,	063

But now, hearken thou quickly unto me, for I am a messenger to thee from Zeus,


ὃς σεῦ ἄνευθεν ἐὼν μέγα κήδεται ἠδ' ἐλεαίρει·	064

who, far away though he be, hath exceeding care for thee and pity.


θωρῆξαί σε κέλευσε κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιοὺς	065

He biddeth thee arm the long-haired Achaeans


πανσυδίῃ· νῦν γάρ κεν ἕλοις πόλιν εὐρυάγυιαν	066

with all speed, since now thou mayest take the broad-wayed city


Τρώων· οὐ γὰρ ἔτ' ἀμφὶς Ὀλύμπια δώματ' ἔχοντες	067

of the Trojans. For the immortals that have homes upon Olympus


ἀθάνατοι φράζονται· ἐπέγναμψεν γὰρ ἅπαντας	068

are no longer divided in counsel, since Hera


Ἥρη λισσομένη, Τρώεσσι δὲ κήδε' ἐφῆπται	069

hath bent the minds of all by her supplication, and over the Trojans hang woes


ἐκ Διός· ἀλλὰ σὺ σῇσιν ἔχε φρεσίν· ὣς ὃ μὲν εἰπὼν	070

by the will of Zeus. But do thou keep this in thy heart.’ So spake he,


ᾤχετ' ἀποπτάμενος, ἐμὲ δὲ γλυκὺς ὕπνος ἀνῆκεν.	071

and was flown away, and sweet sleep let me go.


ἀλλ' ἄγετ' αἴ κέν πως θωρήξομεν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν·	072

Nay, come now, if in any wise we may, let us arm the sons of the Achaeans;


πρῶτα δ' ἐγὼν ἔπεσιν πειρήσομαι, ἣ θέμις ἐστί,	073

but first will I make trial of them in speech, as is right,


καὶ φεύγειν σὺν νηυσὶ πολυκλήισι κελεύσω·	074

and will bid them flee with their benched ships;


ὑμεῖς δ' ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος ἐρητύειν ἐπέεσσιν.	075

but do you from this side and from that bespeak them, and strive to hold them back.


ἤτοι ὅ γ' ὣς εἰπὼν κατ' ἄρ' ἕζετο, τοῖσι δ' ἀνέστη	076

So saying, he sate him down, and among them


Νέστωρ, ὅς ῥα Πύλοιο ἄναξ ἦν ἠμαθόεντος,	077

uprose Nestor, that was king of sandy Pylos.


ὅ σφιν ἐὺ φρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·	078

He with good intent addressed their gathering and spake among them:


ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες	079

"My friends, leaders and rulers of the Argives,


εἰ μέν τις τὸν ὄνειρον Ἀχαιῶν ἄλλος ἔνισπε	080

were it any other of the Achaeans that told us this dream


ψεῦδός κεν φαῖμεν καὶ νοσφιζοίμεθα μᾶλλον·	081

we might deem it a false thing, and turn away therefrom the more;


νῦν δ' ἴδεν ὃς μέγ' ἄριστος Ἀχαιῶν εὔχεται εἶναι·	082

but now hath he seen it who declares himself to be far the mightiest of the Achaeans.


ἀλλ' ἄγετ' αἴ κέν πως θωρήξομεν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.	083

Nay, come then, if in any wise we may arm the sons of the Achaeans."


ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας βουλῆς ἐξῆρχε νέεσθαι,	084

He spake, and led the way forth from the council,


οἳ δ' ἐπανέστησαν πείθοντό τε ποιμένι λαῶν	085

and the other sceptred kings rose up thereat and obeyed the shepherd of the host;


σκηπτοῦχοι βασιλῆες· ἐπεσσεύοντο δὲ λαοί.	086

and the people the while were hastening on.


ἠΰτε ἔθνεα εἶσι μελισσάων ἁδινάων	087

Even as the tribes of thronging bees


πέτρης ἐκ γλαφυρῆς αἰεὶ νέον ἐρχομενάων,	088

go forth from some hollow rock, ever coming on afresh,


βοτρυδὸν δὲ πέτονται ἐπ' ἄνθεσιν εἰαρινοῖσιν·	089

and in clusters over the flowers of spring


αἳ μέν τ' ἔνθα ἅλις πεποτήαται, αἳ δέ τε ἔνθα·	090

fly in throngs, some here, some there;


ὣς τῶν ἔθνεα πολλὰ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων	091

even so from the ships and huts before the low sea-beach


ἠιόνος προπάροιθε βαθείης ἐστιχόωντο	092

marched forth in companies their many tribes to the place of gathering.


ἰλαδὸν εἰς ἀγορήν· μετὰ δέ σφισιν ὄσσα δεδήει	093

And in their midst blazed forth Rumour,


ὀτρύνουσ' ἰέναι Διὸς ἄγγελος· οἳ δ' ἀγέροντο.	094

messenger of Zeus, urging them to go; and they were gathered.


τετρήχει δ' ἀγορή, ὑπὸ δὲ στεναχίζετο γαῖα	095

And the place of gathering was in a turmoil, and the earth groaned beneath them,


λαῶν ἱζόντων, ὅμαδος δ' ἦν· ἐννέα δέ σφεας	096

as the people sate them down, and a din arose. Nine heralds with shouting


κήρυκες βοόωντες ἐρήτυον, εἴ ποτ' ἀϋτῆς	097

sought to restrain them, if so be they might refrain from uproar


σχοίατ', ἀκούσειαν δὲ διοτρεφέων βασιλήων.	098

and give ear to the kings, nurtured of Zeus.


σπουδῇ δ' ἕζετο λαός, ἐρήτυθεν δὲ καθ' ἕδρας	099

Hardly at the last were the people made to sit, and were stayed in their places,


παυσάμενοι κλαγγῆς· ἀνὰ δὲ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων	100

ceasing from their clamour. Then among them lord Agamemnon uprose,


ἔστη σκῆπτρον ἔχων τὸ μὲν Ἥφαιστος κάμε τεύχων.	101

bearing in his hands the sceptre which Hephaestus had wrought with toil.


Ἥφαιστος μὲν δῶκε Διὶ Κρονίωνι ἄνακτι,	102

Hephaestus gave it to king Zeus, son of Cronos,


αὐτὰρ ἄρα Ζεὺς δῶκε διακτόρῳ ἀργεϊφόντῃ·	103

and Zeus gave it to the messenger Argeïphontes;


Ἑρμείας δὲ ἄναξ δῶκεν Πέλοπι πληξίππῳ,	104

and Hermes, the lord, gave it to Pelops, driver of horses,


αὐτὰρ ὃ αὖτε Πέλοψ δῶκ' Ἀτρέϊ ποιμένι λαῶν,	105

and Pelops in turn gave it to Atreus, shepherd of the host;


Ἀτρεὺς δὲ θνῄσκων ἔλιπεν πολύαρνι Θυέστῃ,	106

and Atreus at his death left it to Thyestes, rich in flocks,


αὐτὰρ ὃ αὖτε Θυέστ' Ἀγαμέμνονι λεῖπε φορῆναι,	107

and Thyestes again left it to Agamemnon to bear,


πολλῇσιν νήσοισι καὶ Ἄργεϊ παντὶ ἀνάσσειν.	108

that so he might be lord of many isles and of all Argos.


τῷ ὅ γ' ἐρεισάμενος ἔπε' Ἀργείοισι μετηύδα·	109

Thereon he leaned, and spake his word among the Argives:


ὦ φίλοι ἥρωες Δαναοὶ θεράποντες Ἄρηος	110

"My friends, Danaan warriors, squires of Ares,


Ζεύς με μέγα Κρονίδης ἄτῃ ἐνέδησε βαρείῃ,	111

great Zeus, son of Cronos, hath ensnared me in grievous blindness of heart,


σχέτλιος, ὃς πρὶν μέν μοι ὑπέσχετο καὶ κατένευσεν	112

cruel god! seeing that of old he promised me, and bowed his head thereto,


Ἴλιον ἐκπέρσαντ' εὐτείχεον ἀπονέεσθαι,	113

that not until I had sacked well-walled Ilios should I get me home;


νῦν δὲ κακὴν ἀπάτην βουλεύσατο, καί με κελεύει	114

but now hath he planned cruel deceit, and bids me


δυσκλέα Ἄργος ἱκέσθαι, ἐπεὶ πολὺν ὤλεσα λαόν.	115

return inglorious to Argos, when I have lost much people.


οὕτω που Διὶ μέλλει ὑπερμενέϊ φίλον εἶναι,	116

So, I ween, must be the good pleasure of Zeus, supreme in might,


ὃς δὴ πολλάων πολίων κατέλυσε κάρηνα	117

who hath laid low the heads of many cities,


ἠδ' ἔτι καὶ λύσει· τοῦ γὰρ κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον.	118

yea, and shall yet lay low, for his power is above all.


αἰσχρὸν γὰρ τόδε γ' ἐστὶ καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι	119

A shameful thing is this even for the hearing of men that are yet to be,


μὰψ οὕτω τοιόνδε τοσόνδε τε λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν	120

how that thus vainly so goodly and so great a host of the Achaeans


ἄπρηκτον πόλεμον πολεμίζειν ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι	121

warred a bootless war, and fought with men


ἀνδράσι παυροτέροισι, τέλος δ' οὔ πώ τι πέφανται·	122

fewer than they, and no end thereof hath as yet been seen.


εἴ περ γάρ κ' ἐθέλοιμεν Ἀχαιοί τε Τρῶές τε	123

For should we be minded, both Achaeans and Trojans, to swear a solemn oath


ὅρκια πιστὰ ταμόντες ἀριθμηθήμεναι ἄμφω,	124

with sacrifice, and to number ourselves,


Τρῶας μὲν λέξασθαι ἐφέστιοι ὅσσοι ἔασιν,	125

and should the Trojans be gathered together, even all they that have dwellings in the city,


ἡμεῖς δ' ἐς δεκάδας διακοσμηθεῖμεν Ἀχαιοί,	126

and we Achaeans be marshalled by tens,


Τρώων δ' ἄνδρα ἕκαστοι ἑλοίμεθα οἰνοχοεύειν,	127

and choose, each company of us, a man of the Trojans to pour our wine,


πολλαί κεν δεκάδες δευοίατο οἰνοχόοιο.	128

then would many tens lack a cup-bearer;


τόσσον ἐγώ φημι πλέας ἔμμεναι υἷας Ἀχαιῶν	129

so far, I deem, do the sons of the Achaeans outnumber


Τρώων, οἳ ναίουσι κατὰ πτόλιν· ἀλλ' ἐπίκουροι	130

the Trojans that dwell in the city.


πολλέων ἐκ πολίων ἐγχέσπαλοι ἄνδρες ἔασιν,	131

But allies there be out of many cities, men that wield the spear,


οἵ με μέγα πλάζουσι καὶ οὐκ εἰῶσ' ἐθέλοντα	132

who hinder me mightily, and for all that I am fain, suffer me not


Ἰλίου ἐκπέρσαι εὖ ναιόμενον πτολίεθρον.	133

to sack the well-peopled citadel of Ilios.


ἐννέα δὴ βεβάασι Διὸς μεγάλου ἐνιαυτοί,	134

Already have nine years of great Zeus gone by,


καὶ δὴ δοῦρα σέσηπε νεῶν καὶ σπάρτα λέλυνται·	135

and lo, our ships' timbers are rotted, and the tackling loosed;


αἳ δέ που ἡμέτεραί τ' ἄλοχοι καὶ νήπια τέκνα	136

and our wives, I ween, and little children


εἵατ' ἐνὶ μεγάροις ποτιδέγμεναι· ἄμμι δὲ ἔργον	137

sit in our halls awaiting us; yet is our task wholly


αὔτως ἀκράαντον οὗ εἵνεκα δεῦρ' ἱκόμεσθα.	138

unaccomplished in furtherance whereof we came hither.


ἀλλ' ἄγεθ' ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες·	139

Nay, come, even as I shall bid, let us all obey:


φεύγωμεν σὺν νηυσὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν·	140

let us flee with our ships to our dear native land;


οὐ γὰρ ἔτι Τροίην αἱρήσομεν εὐρυάγυιαν.	141

for no more is there hope that we shall take broad-wayed Troy."


ὣς φάτο, τοῖσι δὲ θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε	142

So spake he, and roused the hearts in the breasts


πᾶσι μετὰ πληθὺν ὅσοι οὐ βουλῆς ἐπάκουσαν·	143

of all throughout the multitude, as many as had not heard the council.


κινήθη δ' ἀγορὴ φὴ κύματα μακρὰ θαλάσσης	144

And the gathering was stirred like the long sea-waves


πόντου Ἰκαρίοιο, τὰ μέν τ' Εὖρός τε Νότος τε	145

of the Icarian main, which the East Wind or the South Wind


ὤρορ' ἐπαΐξας πατρὸς Διὸς ἐκ νεφελάων.	146

has raised, rushing upon them from the clouds of father Zeus.


ὡς δ' ὅτε κινήσῃ Ζέφυρος βαθὺ λήϊον ἐλθὼν	147

And even as when the West Wind at its coming stirreth a deep cornfield


λάβρος ἐπαιγίζων, ἐπί τ' ἠμύει ἀσταχύεσσιν,	148

with its violent blast, and the ears bow thereunder,


ὣς τῶν πᾶσ' ἀγορὴ κινήθη· τοὶ δ' ἀλαλητῷ	149

even so was all their gathering stirred, and they with loud shouting rushed


νῆας ἔπ' ἐσσεύοντο, ποδῶν δ' ὑπένερθε κονίη	150

towards the ships; and from beneath their feet the dust arose on high.


ἵστατ' ἀειρομένη· τοὶ δ' ἀλλήλοισι κέλευον	151

And they called each one to his fellow


ἅπτεσθαι νηῶν ἠδ' ἑλκέμεν εἰς ἅλα δῖαν,	152

to lay hold of the ships and draw them into the bright sea,


οὐρούς τ' ἐξεκάθαιρον· ἀϋτὴ δ' οὐρανὸν ἷκεν	153

and they set themselves to clear the launching-ways, and their shouting went up to heaven,


οἴκαδε ἱεμένων· ὑπὸ δ' ᾕρεον ἕρματα νηῶν.	154

so fain were they of their return home; and they began to take the props from beneath the ships.


ἔνθά κεν Ἀργείοισιν ὑπέρμορα νόστος ἐτύχθη	155

Then would the Argives have accomplished their return even beyond what was ordained,


εἰ μὴ Ἀθηναίην Ἥρη πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·	156

had not Hera spoken a word to Athena, saying:


ὢ πόποι αἰγιόχοιο Διὸς τέκος Ἀτρυτώνη,	157

"Out upon it, child of Zeus that beareth the aegis, unwearied one!


οὕτω δὴ οἶκον δὲ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν	158

Is it thus indeed that the Argives are to flee to their dear native land


Ἀργεῖοι φεύξονται ἐπ' εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης,	159

over the broad back of the sea?


κὰδ δέ κεν εὐχωλὴν Πριάμῳ καὶ Τρωσὶ λίποιεν	160

Aye, and they would leave to Priam and the Trojans their boast,


Ἀργείην Ἑλένην, ἧς εἵνεκα πολλοὶ Ἀχαιῶν	161

even Argive Helen, for whose sake many an Achaean


ἐν Τροίῃ ἀπόλοντο φίλης ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης·	162

hath perished in Troy, far from his dear native land.


ἀλλ' ἴθι νῦν κατὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων·	163

But go thou now throughout the host of the brazen-coated Achaeans;


σοῖς ἀγανοῖς ἐπέεσσιν ἐρήτυε φῶτα ἕκαστον,	164

with thy gentle words seek thou to restrain every man,


μηδὲ ἔα νῆας ἅλα δ' ἑλκέμεν ἀμφιελίσσας.	165

neither suffer them to draw into the sea their curved ships."


ὣς ἔφατ', οὐδ' ἀπίθησε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,	166

So spake she, and the goddess, flashing-eyed Athene, failed not to hearken.


βῆ δὲ κατ' Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων ἀΐξασα·	167

Down from the peaks of Olympus she went darting,


καρπαλίμως δ' ἵκανε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν.	168

and speedily came to the swift ships of the Achaeans.


εὗρεν ἔπειτ' Ὀδυσῆα Διὶ μῆτιν ἀτάλαντον	169

There she found Odysseus, the peer of Zeus in counsel,


ἑσταότ'· οὐδ' ὅ γε νηὸς ἐϋσσέλμοιο μελαίνης	170

as he stood. He laid no hand upon his benched, black ship,


ἅπτετ', ἐπεί μιν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἵκανεν·	171

for that grief had come upon his heart and soul;


ἀγχοῦ δ' ἱσταμένη προσέφη γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·	172

and flashing-eyed Athene stood near him, and said:


διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχαν' Ὀδυσσεῦ,	173

"Son of Laërtes, sprung from Zeus, Odysseus of many wiles,


οὕτω δὴ οἶκον δὲ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν	174

is it thus indeed that ye will fling yourselves on your benched ships


φεύξεσθ' ἐν νήεσσι πολυκλήϊσι πεσόντες,	175

to flee to your dear native land?


κὰδ δέ κεν εὐχωλὴν Πριάμῳ καὶ Τρωσὶ λίποιτε	176

Aye, and ye would leave to Priam and the Trojans


Ἀργείην Ἑλένην, ἧς εἵνεκα πολλοὶ Ἀχαιῶν	177

their boast, even Argive Helen, for whose sake many an Achaean


ἐν Τροίῃ ἀπόλοντο φίλης ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης;	178

hath perished in Troy, far from his dear native land.


ἀλλ' ἴθι νῦν κατὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν, μηδ' ἔτ' ἐρώει,	179

But go thou now throughout the host of the Achaeans, and hold thee back no more;


σοῖς δ' ἀγανοῖς ἐπέεσσιν ἐρήτυε φῶτα ἕκαστον,	180

and with thy gentle words seek thou to restrain every man,


μηδὲ ἔα νῆας ἅλα δ' ἑλκέμεν ἀμφιελίσσας.	181

neither suffer them to draw into the sea their curved ships."


ὣς φάθ', ὃ δὲ ξυνέηκε θεᾶς ὄπα φωνησάσης,	182

So said she, and he knew the voice of the goddess as she spake,


βῆ δὲ θέειν, ἀπὸ δὲ χλαῖναν βάλε· τὴν δὲ κόμισσε	183

and set him to run, and cast from him his cloak, which his herald gathered up,


κῆρυξ Εὐρυβάτης Ἰθακήσιος ὅς οἱ ὀπήδει·	184

even Eurybates of Ithaca, that waited on him.


αὐτὸς δ' Ἀτρεΐδεω Ἀγαμέμνονος ἀντίος ἐλθὼν	185

But himself he went straight to Agamemnon, son of Atreus,


δέξατό οἱ σκῆπτρον πατρώϊον ἄφθιτον αἰεί·	186

and received at his hand the staff of his fathers, imperishable ever,


σὺν τῷ ἔβη κατὰ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων.	187

and therewith went his way along the ships of the brazen-coated Achaeans.


ὅν τινα μὲν βασιλῆα καὶ ἔξοχον ἄνδρα κιχείη	188

Whomsoever he met that was a chieftain or man of note, to his side would he come


τὸν δ' ἀγανοῖς ἐπέεσσιν ἐρητύσασκε παραστάς·	189

and with gentle words seek to restrain him, saying:


δαιμόνι' οὔ σε ἔοικε κακὸν ὣς δειδίσσεσθαι,	190

"Good Sir, it beseems not to seek to affright thee as if thou wert a coward,


ἀλλ' αὐτός τε κάθησο καὶ ἄλλους ἵδρυε λαούς·	191

but do thou thyself sit thee down, and make the rest of thy people to sit.


οὐ γάρ πω σάφα οἶσθ' οἷος νόος Ἀτρεΐωνος·	192

For thou knowest not yet clearly what is the mind of the son of Atreus;


νῦν μὲν πειρᾶται, τάχα δ' ἴψεται υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.	193

now he does but make trial, whereas soon he will smite the sons of the Achaeans.


ἐν βουλῇ δ' οὐ πάντες ἀκούσαμεν οἷον ἔειπε.	194

Did we not all hear what he spake in the council?


μή τι χολωσάμενος ῥέξῃ κακὸν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν·	195

Beware lest waxing wroth he work mischief to the sons of the Achaeans.


θυμὸς δὲ μέγας ἐστὶ διοτρεφέων βασιλήων,	196

Proud is the heart of kings, fostered of heaven;


τιμὴ δ' ἐκ Διός ἐστι, φιλεῖ δέ ἑ μητίετα Ζεύς.	197

for their honour is from Zeus, and Zeus, god of counsel, loveth them."


ὃν δ' αὖ δήμου τ' ἄνδρα ἴδοι βοόωντά τ' ἐφεύροι,	198

But whatsoever man of the people he saw, and found brawling,


τὸν σκήπτρῳ ἐλάσασκεν ὁμοκλήσασκέ τε μύθῳ·	199

him would he smite with his staff; and chide with words, saying,


δαιμόνι' ἀτρέμας ἧσο καὶ ἄλλων μῦθον ἄκουε,	200

"Fellow, sit thou still, and hearken to the words of others


οἳ σέο φέρτεροί εἰσι, σὺ δ' ἀπτόλεμος καὶ ἄναλκις	201

that are better men than thou; whereas thou art unwarlike and a weakling,


οὔτέ ποτ' ἐν πολέμῳ ἐναρίθμιος οὔτ' ἐνὶ βουλῇ·	202

neither to be counted in war nor in counsel.


οὐ μέν πως πάντες βασιλεύσομεν ἐνθάδ' Ἀχαιοί·	203

In no wise shall we Achaeans all be kings here.


οὐκ ἀγαθὸν πολυκοιρανίη· εἷς κοίρανος ἔστω,	204

No good thing is a multitude of lords; let there be one lord,


εἷς βασιλεύς, ᾧ δῶκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω	205

one king, to whom the son of crooked-counselling Cronos hath vouchsafed


σκῆπτρόν τ' ἠδὲ θέμιστας, ἵνά σφισι βουλεύῃσι.	206

the sceptre and judgments, that he may take counsel for his people."


ὣς ὅ γε κοιρανέων δίεπε στρατόν· οἳ δ' ἀγορὴν δὲ	207

Thus masterfully did he range through the host,


αὖτις ἐπεσσεύοντο νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων	208

and they hasted back to the place of gathering from their ships and huts


ἠχῇ, ὡς ὅτε κῦμα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης	209

with noise, as when a wave of the loud-resounding sea


αἰγιαλῷ μεγάλῳ βρέμεται, σμαραγεῖ δέ τε πόντος.	210

thundereth on the long beach, and the deep roareth.


ἄλλοι μέν ῥ' ἕζοντο, ἐρήτυθεν δὲ καθ' ἕδρας·	211

Now the others sate them down and were stayed in their places,


Θερσίτης δ' ἔτι μοῦνος ἀμετροεπὴς ἐκολῴα,	212

only there still kept chattering on Thersites of measureless speech,


ὃς ἔπεα φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἄκοσμά τε πολλά τε ᾔδη	213

whose mind was full of great store of disorderly words,


μάψ, ἀτὰρ οὐ κατὰ κόσμον, ἐριζέμεναι βασιλεῦσιν,	214

wherewith to utter revilings against the kings, idly, and in no orderly wise,


ἀλλ' ὅ τι οἱ εἴσαιτο γελοίϊον Ἀργείοισιν	215

but whatsoever he deemed would raise a laugh among the Argives.


ἔμμεναι· αἴσχιστος δὲ ἀνὴρ ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθε·	216

Evil-favoured was he beyond all men that came to Ilios:


φολκὸς ἔην, χωλὸς δ' ἕτερον πόδα· τὼ δέ οἱ ὤμω	217

he was bandy-legged and lame in the one foot, and his two shoulders


κυρτὼ ἐπὶ στῆθος συνοχωκότε· αὐτὰρ ὕπερθε	218

were rounded, stooping together over his chest,


φοξὸς ἔην κεφαλήν, ψεδνὴ δ' ἐπενήνοθε λάχνη.	219

and above them his head was warped, and a scant stubble grew thereon.


ἔχθιστος δ' Ἀχιλῆϊ μάλιστ' ἦν ἠδ' Ὀδυσῆϊ·	220

Hateful was he to Achilles above all, and to Odysseus,


τὼ γὰρ νεικείεσκε· τότ' αὖτ' Ἀγαμέμνονι δίῳ	221

for it was they twain that he was wont to revile; but now again


ὀξέα κεκλήγων λέγ' ὀνείδεα· τῷ δ' ἄρ' Ἀχαιοὶ	222

with shrill cries he uttered abuse against goodly Agamemnon.


ἐκπάγλως κοτέοντο νεμέσσηθέν τ' ἐνὶ θυμῷ.	223

With him were the Achaeans exceeding wroth, and had indignation in their hearts.


αὐτὰρ ὃ μακρὰ βοῶν Ἀγαμέμνονα νείκεε μύθῳ·	224

Howbeit with loud shoutings he spake and chid Agamemnon:


Ἀτρεΐδη τέο δ' αὖτ' ἐπιμέμφεαι ἠδὲ χατίζεις;	225

"Son of Atreus, with what art thou now again discontent, or what lack is thine?


πλεῖαί τοι χαλκοῦ κλισίαι, πολλαὶ δὲ γυναῖκες	226

Filled are thy huts with bronze, and women


εἰσὶν ἐνὶ κλισίῃς ἐξαίρετοι, ἅς τοι Ἀχαιοὶ	227

full many are in thy huts, chosen spoils that we Achaeans


πρωτίστῳ δίδομεν εὖτ' ἂν πτολίεθρον ἕλωμεν.	228

give thee first of all, whensoe'er we take a citadel.


ἦ ἔτι καὶ χρυσοῦ ἐπιδεύεαι, ὅν κέ τις οἴσει	229

Or dost thou still want gold also, which some man of the horse-taming Trojans


Τρώων ἱπποδάμων ἐξ Ἰλίου υἷος ἄποινα,	230

shall bring thee out of Ilios as a ransom for his son,


ὅν κεν ἐγὼ δήσας ἀγάγω ἢ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν,	231

whom I haply have bound and led away or some other of the Achaeans?


ἠὲ γυναῖκα νέην, ἵνα μίσγεαι ἐν φιλότητι,	232

Or is it some young girl for thee to know in love,


ἥν τ' αὐτὸς ἀπονόσφι κατίσχεαι; οὐ μὲν ἔοικεν	233

whom thou wilt keep apart for thyself? Nay, it beseemeth not


ἀρχὸν ἐόντα κακῶν ἐπιβασκέμεν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.	234

one that is their captain to bring to ill the sons of the Achaeans.


ὦ πέπονες κάκ' ἐλέγχε' Ἀχαιΐδες οὐκέτ' Ἀχαιοὶ	235

Soft fools! base things of shame, ye women of Achaea, men no more,


οἴκαδέ περ σὺν νηυσὶ νεώμεθα, τόνδε δ' ἐῶμεν	236

homeward let us go with our ships, and leave this fellow here


αὐτοῦ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ γέρα πεσσέμεν, ὄφρα ἴδηται	237

in the land of Troy to digest his prizes, that so he may learn


ἤ ῥά τί οἱ χἠμεῖς προσαμύνομεν ἦε καὶ οὐκί·	238

whether in us too there is aught of aid for him or no —


ὃς καὶ νῦν Ἀχιλῆα ἕο μέγ' ἀμείνονα φῶτα	239

for him that hath now done dishonour to Achilles, a man better far than he;


ἠτίμησεν· ἑλὼν γὰρ ἔχει γέρας αὐτὸς ἀπούρας.	240

for he hath taken away, and keepeth his prize by his own arrogant act.


ἀλλὰ μάλ' οὐκ Ἀχιλῆϊ χόλος φρεσίν, ἀλλὰ μεθήμων·	241

Of a surety there is naught of wrath in the heart of Achilles; nay, he heedeth not at all;


ἦ γὰρ ἂν Ἀτρεΐδη νῦν ὕστατα λωβήσαιο·	242

else, son of Atreus, wouldest thou now work insolence for the last time."


ὣς φάτο νεικείων Ἀγαμέμνονα ποιμένα λαῶν,	243

So spake Thersites, railing at Agamemnon, shepherd of the host.


Θερσίτης· τῷ δ' ὦκα παρίστατο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,	244

But quickly to his side came goodly Odysseus,


καί μιν ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν χαλεπῷ ἠνίπαπε μύθῳ·	245

and with an angry glance from beneath his brows, chid him with harsh words, saying:


Θερσῖτ' ἀκριτόμυθε, λιγύς περ ἐὼν ἀγορητής,	246

"Thersites of reckless speech, clear-voiced talker though thou art,


ἴσχεο, μηδ' ἔθελ' οἶος ἐριζέμεναι βασιλεῦσιν·	247

refrain thee, and be not minded to strive singly against kings.


οὐ γὰρ ἐγὼ σέο φημὶ χερειότερον βροτὸν ἄλλον	248

For I deem that there is no viler mortal than thou


ἔμμεναι, ὅσσοι ἅμ' Ἀτρεΐδῃς ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθον.	249

amongst all those that with the sons of Atreus came beneath Ilios.


τὼ οὐκ ἂν βασιλῆας ἀνὰ στόμ' ἔχων ἀγορεύοις,	250

Wherefore 'twere well thou shouldest not take the name of kings in thy mouth


καί σφιν ὀνείδεά τε προφέροις, νόστόν τε φυλάσσοις.	251

as thou pratest, to cast reproaches upon them, and to watch for home-going.


οὐδέ τί πω σάφα ἴδμεν ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα,	252

In no wise do we know clearly as yet how these things are to be,


ἢ εὖ ἦε κακῶς νοστήσομεν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν.	253

whether it be for good or ill that we sons of the Achaeans shall return.


τὼ νῦν Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ποιμένι λαῶν	254

Therefore dost thou now continually utter revilings against Atreus' son, Agamemnon, shepherd of the host,


ἧσαι ὀνειδίζων, ὅτι οἱ μάλα πολλὰ διδοῦσιν	255

for that the Danaan warriors give him gifts full many;


ἥρωες Δαναοί· σὺ δὲ κερτομέων ἀγορεύεις.	256

whereas thou pratest on with railings.


ἀλλ' ἔκ τοι ἐρέω, τὸ δὲ καὶ τετελεσμένον ἔσται·	257

But I will speak out to thee, and this word shall verily be brought to pass:


εἴ κ' ἔτι σ' ἀφραίνοντα κιχήσομαι ὥς νύ περ ὧδε,	258

if I find thee again playing the fool, even as now thou dost,


μηκέτ' ἔπειτ' Ὀδυσῆϊ κάρη ὤμοισιν ἐπείη,	259

then may the head of Odysseus abide no more upon his shoulders,


μηδ' ἔτι Τηλεμάχοιο πατὴρ κεκλημένος εἴην,	260

nor may I any more be called the father of Telemachus,


εἰ μὴ ἐγώ σε λαβὼν ἀπὸ μὲν φίλα εἵματα δύσω,	261

if I take thee not, and strip off thy raiment,


χλαῖνάν τ' ἠδὲ χιτῶνα, τά τ' αἰδῶ ἀμφικαλύπτει,	262

thy cloak, and thy tunic that cover thy nakedness,


αὐτὸν δὲ κλαίοντα θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας ἀφήσω	263

and for thyself send thee wailing to the swift ships,


πεπλήγων ἀγορῆθεν ἀεικέσσι πληγῇσιν.	264

beaten forth from the place of gathering with shameful blows."


ὣς ἄρ' ἔφη, σκήπτρῳ δὲ μετάφρενον ἠδὲ καὶ ὤμω	265

So spake Odysseus, and with his staff smote his back and shoulders;


πλῆξεν· ὃ δ' ἰδνώθη, θαλερὸν δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε δάκρυ·	266

and Thersites cowered down, and a big tear fell from him,


σμῶδιξ δ' αἱματόεσσα μεταφρένου ἐξυπανέστη	267

and a bloody weal rose up on his back beneath


σκήπτρου ὕπο χρυσέου· ὃ δ' ἄρ' ἕζετο τάρβησέν τε,	268

the staff of gold. Then he sate him down, and fear came upon him,


ἀλγήσας δ' ἀχρεῖον ἰδὼν ἀπομόρξατο δάκρυ.	269

and stung by pain with helpless looks he wiped away the tear.


οἳ δὲ καὶ ἀχνύμενοί περ ἐπ' αὐτῷ ἡδὺ γέλασσαν·	270

But the Achaeans, sore vexed at heart though they were, broke into a merry laugh at him,


ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·	271

and thus would one speak with a glance at his neighbour:


ὢ πόποι ἦ δὴ μυρί' Ὀδυσσεὺς ἐσθλὰ ἔοργε	272

"Out upon it! verily hath Odysseus ere now wrought good deeds without number


βουλάς τ' ἐξάρχων ἀγαθὰς πόλεμόν τε κορύσσων·	273

as leader in good counsel and setting battle in array,


νῦν δὲ τόδε μέγ' ἄριστον ἐν Ἀργείοισιν ἔρεξεν,	274

but now is this deed far the best that he hath wrought among the Argives,


ὃς τὸν λωβητῆρα ἐπεσβόλον ἔσχ' ἀγοράων.	275

seeing he hath made this scurrilous babbler to cease from his prating.


οὔ θήν μιν πάλιν αὖτις ἀνήσει θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ	276

Never again, I ween, will his proud spirit henceforth set him on


νεικείειν βασιλῆας ὀνειδείοις ἐπέεσσιν.	277

to rail at kings with words of reviling."


ὣς φάσαν ἣ πληθύς· ἀνὰ δ' ὃ πτολίπορθος Ὀδυσσεὺς	278

So spake the multitude; but up rose Odysseus, sacker of cities,


ἔστη σκῆπτρον ἔχων· παρὰ δὲ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη	279

the sceptre in his hand, and by his side flashing-eyed Athene,


εἰδομένη κήρυκι σιωπᾶν λαὸν ἀνώγει,	280

in the likeness of a herald, bade the host keep silence,


ὡς ἅμα θ' οἳ πρῶτοί τε καὶ ὕστατοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν	281

that the sons of the Achaeans, both the nearest and the farthest,


μῦθον ἀκούσειαν καὶ ἐπιφρασσαίατο βουλήν·	282

might hear his words, and lay to heart his counsel.


ὅ σφιν ἐὺ φρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·	283

He with good intent addressed their gathering and spake among them:


Ἀτρεΐδη νῦν δή σε ἄναξ ἐθέλουσιν Ἀχαιοὶ	284

"Son of Atreus, now verily are the Achaeans minded to make thee, O king,


πᾶσιν ἐλέγχιστον θέμεναι μερόπεσσι βροτοῖσιν,	285

the most despised among all mortal men,


οὐδέ τοι ἐκτελέουσιν ὑπόσχεσιν ἥν περ ὑπέσταν	286

nor will they fulfill the promise that they made to thee,


ἐνθάδ' ἔτι στείχοντες ἀπ' Ἄργεος ἱπποβότοιο	287

while faring hitherward from Argos, the pasture-land of horses,


Ἴλιον ἐκπέρσαντ' εὐτείχεον ἀπονέεσθαι.	288

that not until thou hadst sacked well-walled Ilios shouldest thou get thee home.


ὥς τε γὰρ ἢ παῖδες νεαροὶ χῆραί τε γυναῖκες	289

For like little children or widow women do they wail each to the other


ἀλλήλοισιν ὀδύρονται οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι.	290

in longing to return home.


ἦ μὴν καὶ πόνος ἐστὶν ἀνιηθέντα νέεσθαι·	291

Verily there is toil enough to make a man return disheartened.


καὶ γάρ τίς θ' ἕνα μῆνα μένων ἀπὸ ἧς ἀλόχοιο	292

For he that abideth but one single month far from his wife


ἀσχαλάᾳ σὺν νηὶ πολυζύγῳ, ὅν περ ἄελλαι	293

in his benched ship hath vexation of heart,


χειμέριαι εἰλέωσιν ὀρινομένη τε θάλασσα·	294

even he whom winter blasts and surging seas keep afar;


ἡμῖν δ' εἴνατός ἐστι περιτροπέων ἐνιαυτὸς	295

but for us is the ninth year at its turn,


ἐνθάδε μιμνόντεσσι· τὼ οὐ νεμεσίζομ' Ἀχαιοὺς	296

while we abide here; wherefore I count it not shame that the Achaeans


ἀσχαλάαν παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔμπης	297

have vexation of heart beside their beaked ships; yet even so it is a shameful thing


αἰσχρόν τοι δηρόν τε μένειν κενεόν τε νέεσθαι.	298

to tarry long, and return empty.


τλῆτε φίλοι, καὶ μείνατ' ἐπὶ χρόνον ὄφρα δαῶμεν	299

Endure, my friends, and abide for a time,


ἢ ἐτεὸν Κάλχας μαντεύεται ἦε καὶ οὐκί.	300

that we may know whether the prophecies of Calchas be true, or no.


εὖ γὰρ δὴ τόδε ἴδμεν ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ἐστὲ δὲ πάντες	301

"For this in truth do we know well in our hearts, and ye are all witnesses thereto,


μάρτυροι, οὓς μὴ κῆρες ἔβαν θανάτοιο φέρουσαι·	302

even as many as the fates of death have not borne away.


χθιζά τε καὶ πρωίζ' ὅτ' ἐς Αὐλίδα νῆες Ἀχαιῶν	303

It was but as yesterday or the day before, when the ships of the Achaeans were gathering in Aulis,


ἠγερέθοντο κακὰ Πριάμῳ καὶ Τρωσὶ φέρουσαι,	304

laden with woes for Priam and the Trojans;


ἡμεῖς δ' ἀμφὶ περὶ κρήνην ἱεροὺς κατὰ βωμοὺς	305

and we round about a spring were offering to the immortals


ἕρδομεν ἀθανάτοισι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας	306

upon the holy altars hecatombs that bring fulfillment,


καλῇ ὑπὸ πλατανίστῳ ὅθεν ῥέεν ἀγλαὸν ὕδωρ·	307

beneath a fair plane-tree from whence flowed the bright water;


ἔνθ' ἐφάνη μέγα σῆμα· δράκων ἐπὶ νῶτα δαφοινὸς	308

then appeared a great portent: a serpent,


σμερδαλέος, τόν ῥ' αὐτὸς Ὀλύμπιος ἧκε φόως δέ,	309

blood-red on the back, terrible, whom the Olympian himself had sent forth to the light,


βωμοῦ ὑπαΐξας πρός ῥα πλατάνιστον ὄρουσεν.	310

glided from beneath the altar and darted to the plane-tree.


ἔνθα δ' ἔσαν στρουθοῖο νεοσσοί, νήπια τέκνα,	311

Now upon this were the younglings of a sparrow, tender little ones,


ὄζῳ ἐπ' ἀκροτάτῳ πετάλοις ὑποπεπτηῶτες	312

on the topmost bough, cowering beneath the leaves,


ὀκτώ, ἀτὰρ μήτηρ ἐνάτη ἦν ἣ τέκε τέκνα·	313

eight in all, and the mother that bare them was the ninth,


ἔνθ' ὅ γε τοὺς ἐλεεινὰ κατήσθιε τετριγῶτας·	314

Then the serpent devoured them as they twittered piteously,


μήτηρ δ' ἀμφεποτᾶτο ὀδυρομένη φίλα τέκνα·	315

and the mother fluttered around them, wailing for her dear little ones;


τὴν δ' ἐλελιξάμενος πτέρυγος λάβεν ἀμφιαχυῖαν.	316

howbeit he coiled himself and caught her by the wing as she screamed about him.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ τέκνα φάγε στρουθοῖο καὶ αὐτήν,	317

But when he had devoured the sparrow's little ones and the mother with them,


τὸν μὲν ἀρίζηλον θῆκεν θεὸς ὅς περ ἔφηνε·	318

the god, who had brought him to the light, made him to be unseen;


λᾶαν γάρ μιν ἔθηκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω·	319

for the son of crooked-counselling Cronos turned him to stone;


ἡμεῖς δ' ἑσταότες θαυμάζομεν οἷον ἐτύχθη.	320

and we stood there and marvelled at what was wrought.


ὡς οὖν δεινὰ πέλωρα θεῶν εἰσῆλθ' ἑκατόμβας,	321

So, when the dread portent brake in upon the hecatombs of the gods,


Κάλχας δ' αὐτίκ' ἔπειτα θεοπροπέων ἀγόρευε·	322

then straightway did Calchas prophesy, and address our gathering, saying:


τίπτ' ἄνεῳ ἐγένεσθε κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοί;	323

'Why are ye thus silent, ye long-haired Achaeans?


ἡμῖν μὲν τόδ' ἔφηνε τέρας μέγα μητίετα Ζεὺς	324

To us hath Zeus the counsellor shewed this great sign,


ὄψιμον ὀψιτέλεστον, ὅου κλέος οὔ ποτ' ὀλεῖται.	325

late in coming, late in fulfillment, the fame whereof shall never perish.


ὡς οὗτος κατὰ τέκνα φάγε στρουθοῖο καὶ αὐτὴν	326

Even as this serpent devoured the sparrow's little ones and the mother with them —


ὀκτώ, ἀτὰρ μήτηρ ἐνάτη ἦν ἣ τέκε τέκνα,	327

the eight, and the mother that bare them was the ninth —


ὣς ἡμεῖς τοσσαῦτ' ἔτεα πτολεμίξομεν αὖθι,	328

so shall we war there for so many years,


τῷ δεκάτῳ δὲ πόλιν αἱρήσομεν εὐρυάγυιαν.	329

but in the tenth shall we take the broad-wayed city.'


κεῖνος τὼς ἀγόρευε· τὰ δὴ νῦν πάντα τελεῖται.	330

On this wise spake Calchas, and now all this is verily being brought to pass.


ἀλλ' ἄγε μίμνετε πάντες ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ	331

Nay, come, abide ye all, ye well-greaved Achaeans,


αὐτοῦ εἰς ὅ κεν ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο ἕλωμεν.	332

even where ye are, until we take the great city of Priam."


ὣς ἔφατ', Ἀργεῖοι δὲ μέγ' ἴαχον, ἀμφὶ δὲ νῆες	333

So spake he, and the Argives shouted aloud, and all round about them the ships


σμερδαλέον κονάβησαν ἀϋσάντων ὑπ' Ἀχαιῶν,	334

echoed wondrously beneath the shouting of the Achaeans,


μῦθον ἐπαινήσαντες Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο·	335

as they praised the words of godlike Odysseus.


τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·	336

And there spake among them the horseman, Nestor of Gerenia:


ὦ πόποι ἦ δὴ παισὶν ἐοικότες ἀγοράασθε	337

"Now look you; in very truth are ye holding assembly after the manner of silly boys


νηπιάχοις οἷς οὔ τι μέλει πολεμήϊα ἔργα.	338

that care no whit for deeds of war.


πῇ δὴ συνθεσίαι τε καὶ ὅρκια βήσεται ἥμιν;	339

What then is to be the end of our compacts and our oaths?


ἐν πυρὶ δὴ βουλαί τε γενοίατο μήδεά τ' ἀνδρῶν	340

Nay, into the fire let us cast all counsels and plans of warriors,


σπονδαί τ' ἄκρητοι καὶ δεξιαί, ᾗς ἐπέπιθμεν·	341

the drink-offerings of unmixed wine, and the hand-clasps wherein we put our trust.


αὔτως γὰρ ἐπέεσσ' ἐριδαίνομεν, οὐδέ τι μῆχος	342

For vainly do we wrangle with words, nor can we find any device at all,


εὑρέμεναι δυνάμεσθα, πολὺν χρόνον ἐνθάδ' ἐόντες.	343

for all our long-tarrying here.


Ἀτρεΐδη σὺ δ' ἔθ' ὡς πρὶν ἔχων ἀστεμφέα βουλὴν	344

Son of Atreus, do thou as of old keep unbending purpose,


ἄρχευ' Ἀργείοισι κατὰ κρατερὰς ὑσμίνας,	345

and be leader of the Argives throughout stubborn fights;


τούσδε δ' ἔα φθινύθειν ἕνα καὶ δύο, τοί κεν Ἀχαιῶν	346

and for these, let them perish, the one or two


νόσφιν βουλεύωσ'· ἄνυσις δ' οὐκ ἔσσεται αὐτῶν·	347

of the Achaeans, that take secret counsel apart — yet no accomplishment shall come therefrom —


πρὶν Ἄργος δ' ἰέναι πρὶν καὶ Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο	348

to depart first to Argos or ever we have learned whether the promise of Zeus


γνώμεναι εἴ τε ψεῦδος ὑπόσχεσις εἴ τε καὶ οὐκί.	349

that beareth the aegis be a lie or no.


φημὶ γὰρ οὖν κατανεῦσαι ὑπερμενέα Κρονίωνα	350

For I declare that Cronos' son, supreme in might, gave promise with his nod


ἤματι τῷ ὅτε νηυσὶν ἐν ὠκυπόροισιν ἔβαινον	351

on that day when the Argives went on board their swift-faring ships,


Ἀργεῖοι Τρώεσσι φόνον καὶ κῆρα φέροντες	352

bearing unto the Trojans death and fate;


ἀστράπτων ἐπιδέξι' ἐναίσιμα σήματα φαίνων.	353

for he lightened on our right and shewed forth signs of good.


τὼ μή τις πρὶν ἐπειγέσθω οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι	354

Wherefore let no man make haste to depart homewards


πρίν τινα πὰρ Τρώων ἀλόχῳ κατακοιμηθῆναι,	355

until each have lain with the wife of some Trojan,


τίσασθαι δ' Ἑλένης ὁρμήματά τε στοναχάς τε.	356

and have got him requital for his strivings and groanings for Helen's sake.


εἰ δέ τις ἐκπάγλως ἐθέλει οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι	357

Howbeit, if any man is exceeding fain to depart homewards,


ἁπτέσθω ἧς νηὸς ἐϋσσέλμοιο μελαίνης,	358

let him lay his hand upon his black, well-benched ship,


ὄφρα πρόσθ' ἄλλων θάνατον καὶ πότμον ἐπίσπῃ.	359

that before the face of all he may meet death and fate.


ἀλλὰ ἄναξ αὐτός τ' εὖ μήδεο πείθεό τ' ἄλλῳ·	360

But do thou, O King, thyself take good counsel, and hearken to another;


οὔ τοι ἀπόβλητον ἔπος ἔσσεται ὅττί κεν εἴπω·	361

the word whatsoever I speak, shalt thou not lightly cast aside.


κρῖν' ἄνδρας κατὰ φῦλα κατὰ φρήτρας Ἀγάμεμνον,	362

Separate thy men by tribes, by clans, Agamemnon,


ὡς φρήτρη φρήτρηφιν ἀρήγῃ, φῦλα δὲ φύλοις.	363

that clan may bear aid to clan and tribe to tribe.


εἰ δέ κεν ὣς ἕρξῃς καί τοι πείθωνται Ἀχαιοί,	364

If thou do thus, and the Achaeans obey thee,


γνώσῃ ἔπειθ' ὅς θ' ἡγεμόνων κακὸς ὅς τέ νυ λαῶν	365

thou wilt know then who among thy captains


ἠδ' ὅς κ' ἐσθλὸς ἔῃσι· κατὰ σφέας γὰρ μαχέονται.	366

is a coward, and who among thy men, and who too is brave; for they will fight each clan for itself.


γνώσεαι δ' εἰ καὶ θεσπεσίῃ πόλιν οὐκ ἀλαπάξεις,	367

So shalt thou know whether it is even by the will of heaven that thou shalt not take the city,


ἦ ἀνδρῶν κακότητι καὶ ἀφραδίῃ πολέμοιο.	368

or by the cowardice of thy folk and their witlessness in war."


τὸν δ' ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων·	369

Then in answer to him spake the king, Agamemnon:


ἦ μὰν αὖτ' ἀγορῇ νικᾷς γέρον υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.	370

"Aye verily once more, old sir, art thou pre-eminent in speech above the sons of the Achaeans.


αἲ γὰρ Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον	371

I would, O father Zeus and Athene and Apollo,


τοιοῦτοι δέκα μοι συμφράδμονες εἶεν Ἀχαιῶν·	372

that I had ten such counsellors;


τώ κε τάχ' ἠμύσειε πόλις Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος	373

then would the city of king Priam forthwith bow her head,


χερσὶν ὑφ' ἡμετέρῃσιν ἁλοῦσά τε περθομένη τε.	374

taken and laid waste beneath our hands.


ἀλλά μοι αἰγίοχος Κρονίδης Ζεὺς ἄλγε' ἔδωκεν,	375

But the son of Cronos, even Zeus that beareth the aegis, hath brought sorrows upon me,


ὅς με μετ' ἀπρήκτους ἔριδας καὶ νείκεα βάλλει.	376

in that he casteth me into the midst of fruitless strifes and wranglings.


καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼν Ἀχιλεύς τε μαχεσσάμεθ' εἵνεκα κούρης	377

For verily I and Achilles fought about a girl


ἀντιβίοις ἐπέεσσιν, ἐγὼ δ' ἦρχον χαλεπαίνων·	378

with violent words, and it was I that waxed wroth the first;


εἰ δέ ποτ' ἔς γε μίαν βουλεύσομεν, οὐκέτ' ἔπειτα	379

but if e'er we shall be at one in counsel, then shall there no more be


Τρωσὶν ἀνάβλησις κακοῦ ἔσσεται οὐδ' ἠβαιόν.	380

any putting off of evil for the Trojans, no not for an instant.


νῦν δ' ἔρχεσθ' ἐπὶ δεῖπνον ἵνα ξυνάγωμεν Ἄρηα.	381

But for this present go ye to your meal, that we may join battle.


εὖ μέν τις δόρυ θηξάσθω, εὖ δ' ἀσπίδα θέσθω,	382

Let every man whet well his spear and bestow well his shield,


εὖ δέ τις ἵπποισιν δεῖπνον δότω ὠκυπόδεσσιν,	383

and let him well give to his swift-footed horses their food,


εὖ δέ τις ἅρματος ἀμφὶς ἰδὼν πολέμοιο μεδέσθω,	384

and look well to his chariot on every side, and bethink him of fighting;


ὥς κε πανημέριοι στυγερῷ κρινώμεθ' Ἄρηϊ.	385

that the whole day through we may contend in hateful war.


οὐ γὰρ παυσωλή γε μετέσσεται οὐδ' ἠβαιὸν	386

For of respite shall there intervene, no, not a whit,


εἰ μὴ νὺξ ἐλθοῦσα διακρινέει μένος ἀνδρῶν.	387

until night at its coming shall part the fury of warriors.


ἱδρώσει μέν τευ τελαμὼν ἀμφὶ στήθεσφιν	388

Wet with sweat about the breast of many a man shall be the baldric


ἀσπίδος ἀμφιβρότης, περὶ δ' ἔγχεϊ χεῖρα καμεῖται·	389

of his sheltering shield, and about the spear shall his hand grow weary,


ἱδρώσει δέ τευ ἵππος ἐύ̈ξοον ἅρμα τιταίνων.	390

and wet with sweat shall a man's horse be, as he tugs at the polished car.


ὃν δέ κ' ἐγὼν ἀπάνευθε μάχης ἐθέλοντα νοήσω	391

But whomsoever I shall see minded to tarry apart from the fight


μιμνάζειν παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν, οὔ οἱ ἔπειτα	392

beside the beaked ships,


ἄρκιον ἐσσεῖται φυγέειν κύνας ἠδ' οἰωνούς.	393

for him shall there be no hope thereafter to escape the dogs and birds."


ὣς ἔφατ', Ἀργεῖοι δὲ μέγ' ἴαχον ὡς ὅτε κῦμα	394

So spake he, and the Argives shouted aloud as a wave


ἀκτῇ ἐφ' ὑψηλῇ, ὅτε κινήσῃ Νότος ἐλθών,	395

against a high headland, when the South Wind


προβλῆτι σκοπέλῳ· τὸν δ' οὔ ποτε κύματα λείπει	396

cometh and maketh it to swell — even against a jutting crag that is never left by the waves


παντοίων ἀνέμων, ὅτ' ἂν ἔνθ' ἢ ἔνθα γένωνται.	397

of all the winds that come from this side or from that.


ἀνστάντες δ' ὀρέοντο κεδασθέντες κατὰ νῆας,	398

And they arose and hasted to scatter among the ships,


κάπνισσάν τε κατὰ κλισίας, καὶ δεῖπνον ἕλοντο.	399

and made fires in the huts, and took their meal.


ἄλλος δ' ἄλλῳ ἔρεζε θεῶν αἰειγενετάων	400

And they made sacrifice one to one of the gods that are for ever, and one to another,


εὐχόμενος θάνατόν τε φυγεῖν καὶ μῶλον Ἄρηος.	401

with the prayer that they might escape from death and the moil of war.


αὐτὰρ ὃ βοῦν ἱέρευσε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων	402

But Agamemnon, king of men, slew


πίονα πενταέτηρον ὑπερμενέϊ Κρονίωνι,	403

a fat bull of five years to the son of Cronos, supreme in might,


κίκλησκεν δὲ γέροντας ἀριστῆας Παναχαιῶν,	404

and let call the elders, the chieftains of the Achaean host,


Νέστορα μὲν πρώτιστα καὶ Ἰδομενῆα ἄνακτα,	405

Nestor, first of all, and king Idomeneus,


αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ' Αἴαντε δύω καὶ Τυδέος υἱόν,	406

and thereafter the twain Aiantes and the son of Tydeus,


ἕκτον δ' αὖτ' Ὀδυσῆα Διὶ μῆτιν ἀτάλαντον.	407

and as the sixth Odysseus, the peer of Zeus in counsel.


αὐτόματος δέ οἱ ἦλθε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος·	408

And unbidden came to him Menelaus, good at the war-cry,


ᾔδεε γὰρ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀδελφεὸν ὡς ἐπονεῖτο.	409

for he knew in his heart wherewith his brother was busied.


βοῦν δὲ περιστήσαντο καὶ οὐλοχύτας ἀνέλοντο·	410

About the bull they stood and took up the barley grains,


τοῖσιν δ' εὐχόμενος μετέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων·	411

and in prayer lord Agamemnon spake among them, saying:


Ζεῦ κύδιστε μέγιστε κελαινεφὲς αἰθέρι ναίων	412

"Zeus, most glorious, most great, lord of the dark clouds, that dwellest in the heaven,


μὴ πρὶν ἐπ' ἠέλιον δῦναι καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἐλθεῖν	413

grant that the sun set not, neither darkness come upon us,


πρίν με κατὰ πρηνὲς βαλέειν Πριάμοιο μέλαθρον	414

until I have cast down in headlong ruin the hall of Priam,


αἰθαλόεν, πρῆσαι δὲ πυρὸς δηίοιο θύρετρα,	415

blackened with smoke, and have burned with consuming fire the portals thereof,


Ἑκτόρεον δὲ χιτῶνα περὶ στήθεσσι δαΐξαι	416

and cloven about the breast of Hector his tunic,


χαλκῷ ῥωγαλέον· πολέες δ' ἀμφ' αὐτὸν ἑταῖροι	417

rent with the bronze; and in throngs may his comrades round about him fall


πρηνέες ἐν κονίῃσιν ὀδὰξ λαζοίατο γαῖαν.	418

headlong in the dust, and bite the earth."


ὣς ἔφατ', οὐδ' ἄρα πώ οἱ ἐπεκραίαινε Κρονίων,	419

So spake he; but not as yet would the son of Cronos grant him fulfillment;


ἀλλ' ὅ γε δέκτο μὲν ἱρά, πόνον δ' ἀμέγαρτον ὄφελλεν.	420

nay, he accepted the sacrifice, but toil he made to wax unceasingly.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ' εὔξαντο καὶ οὐλοχύτας προβάλοντο,	421

Then, when they had prayed and had sprinkled the barley grains,


αὐέρυσαν μὲν πρῶτα καὶ ἔσφαξαν καὶ ἔδειραν,	422

they first drew back the victims' heads and cut their throats, and flayed them;


μηρούς τ' ἐξέταμον κατά τε κνίσῃ ἐκάλυψαν	423

and they cut out the thigh-pieces and covered them with a double layer of fat,


δίπτυχα ποιήσαντες, ἐπ' αὐτῶν δ' ὠμοθέτησαν.	424

and laid raw flesh thereon.


καὶ τὰ μὲν ἂρ σχίζῃσιν ἀφύλλοισιν κατέκαιον,	425

These they burned on billets of wood stripped of leaves,


σπλάγχνα δ' ἄρ' ἀμπείραντες ὑπείρεχον Ἡφαίστοιο.	426

and the inner parts they pierced with spits, and held them over the flame of Hephaestus.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ μῆρε κάη καὶ σπλάγχνα πάσαντο,	427

But when the thigh-pieces were wholly burned and they had tasted of the inner parts,


μίστυλλόν τ' ἄρα τἆλλα καὶ ἀμφ' ὀβελοῖσιν ἔπειραν,	428

they cut up the rest and spitted it,


ὤπτησάν τε περιφραδέως, ἐρύσαντό τε πάντα.	429

and roasted it carefully, and drew all off the spits.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ παύσαντο πόνου τετύκοντό τε δαῖτα	430

Then, when they had ceased from their labour and had made ready the meal,


δαίνυντ', οὐδέ τι θυμὸς ἐδεύετο δαιτὸς ἐΐσης.	431

they feasted, nor did their hearts lack aught of the equal feast.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,	432

But when they had put from them the desire of food and drink,


τοῖς ἄρα μύθων ἦρχε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·	433

among them the horseman, Nestor of Gerenia, was first to speak, saying:


Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγάμεμνον,	434

"Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon, king of men,


μηκέτι νῦν δήθ' αὖθι λεγώμεθα, μηδ' ἔτι δηρὸν	435

let us now not any more remain gathered here,


ἀμβαλλώμεθα ἔργον ὃ δὴ θεὸς ἐγγυαλίζει.	436

nor any more put off the work which verily the god vouchsafeth us.


ἀλλ' ἄγε κήρυκες μὲν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων	437

Nay, come, let the heralds of the brazen-coated Achaeans


λαὸν κηρύσσοντες ἀγειρόντων κατὰ νῆας,	438

make proclamation, and gather together the host throughout the ships,


ἡμεῖς δ' ἀθρόοι ὧδε κατὰ στρατὸν εὐρὺν Ἀχαιῶν	439

and let us go thus in a body through the broad camp of the Achaeans,


ἴομεν ὄφρα κε θᾶσσον ἐγείρομεν ὀξὺν Ἄρηα.	440

that we may with the more speed stir up sharp battle."


ὣς ἔφατ', οὐδ' ἀπίθησεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων.	441

So spake he, and the king of men, Agamemnon, failed not to hearken.


αὐτίκα κηρύκεσσι λιγυφθόγγοισι κέλευσε	442

Straightway he bade the clear-voiced heralds


κηρύσσειν πόλεμον δὲ κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιούς·	443

summon to battle the long-haired Achaeans.


οἳ μὲν ἐκήρυσσον, τοὶ δ' ἠγείροντο μάλ' ὦκα.	444

And they made summons, and the host gathered full quickly.


οἳ δ' ἀμφ' Ἀτρεΐωνα διοτρεφέες βασιλῆες	445

The kings, nurtured of Zeus, that were about Atreus' son,


θῦνον κρίνοντες, μετὰ δὲ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη	446

sped swiftly, marshalling the host, and in their midst was the flashing-eyed Athene,


αἰγίδ' ἔχουσ' ἐρίτιμον ἀγήρων ἀθανάτην τε,	447

bearing the priceless aegis, that knoweth neither age nor death,


τῆς ἑκατὸν θύσανοι παγχρύσεοι ἠερέθονται,	448

wherefrom are hung an hundred tassels all of gold, all of them cunningly woven,


πάντες ἐϋπλεκέες, ἑκατόμβοιος δὲ ἕκαστος·	449

and each one of the worth of an hundred oxen.


σὺν τῇ παιφάσσουσα διέσσυτο λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν	450

Therewith she sped dazzling throughout the host of the Achaeans,


ὀτρύνουσ' ἰέναι· ἐν δὲ σθένος ὦρσεν ἑκάστῳ	451

urging them to go forth; and in the heart of each man


καρδίῃ ἄλληκτον πολεμίζειν ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι.	452

she roused strength to war and to battle without ceasing.


τοῖσι δ' ἄφαρ πόλεμος γλυκίων γένετ' ἠὲ νέεσθαι	453

And to them forthwith war became sweeter


ἐν νηυσὶ γλαφυρῇσι φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.	454

than to return in their hollow ships to their dear native land.


ἠΰτε πῦρ ἀΐδηλον ἐπιφλέγει ἄσπετον ὕλην	455

Even as a consuming fire maketh a boundless forest to blaze


οὔρεος ἐν κορυφῇς, ἕκαθεν δέ τε φαίνεται αὐγή,	456

on the peaks of a mountain, and from afar is the glare thereof to be seen,


ὣς τῶν ἐρχομένων ἀπὸ χαλκοῦ θεσπεσίοιο	457

even so from their innumerable bronze, as they marched forth,


αἴγλη παμφανόωσα δι' αἰθέρος οὐρανὸν ἷκε.	458

went the dazzling gleam up through the sky unto the heavens.


τῶν δ' ὥς τ' ὀρνίθων πετεηνῶν ἔθνεα πολλὰ	459

And as the many tribes of winged fowl,


χηνῶν ἢ γεράνων ἢ κύκνων δουλιχοδείρων	460

wild geese or cranes or long-necked swans


Ἀσίω ἐν λειμῶνι Καϋστρίου ἀμφὶ ῥέεθρα	461

on the Asian mead by the streams of Caystrius,


ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα ποτῶνται ἀγαλλόμενα πτερύγεσσι	462

fly this way and that, glorying in their strength of wing,


κλαγγηδὸν προκαθιζόντων, σμαραγεῖ δέ τε λειμών,	463

and with loud cries settle ever onwards, and the mead resoundeth;


ὣς τῶν ἔθνεα πολλὰ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων	464

even so their many tribes poured forth from ships and huts


ἐς πεδίον προχέοντο Σκαμάνδριον· αὐτὰρ ὑπὸ χθὼν	465

into the plain of Scamander, and the earth echoed wondrously


σμερδαλέον κονάβιζε ποδῶν αὐτῶν τε καὶ ἵππων.	466

beneath the tread of men and horses.


ἔσταν δ' ἐν λειμῶνι Σκαμανδρίῳ ἀνθεμόεντι	467

So they took their stand in the flowery mead of Scamander,


μυρίοι, ὅσσά τε φύλλα καὶ ἄνθεα γίγνεται ὥρῃ.	468

numberless, as are the leaves and the flowers in their season.


ἠΰτε μυιάων ἁδινάων ἔθνεα πολλὰ	469

Even as the many tribes of swarming flies that buzz to and fro


αἵ τε κατὰ σταθμὸν ποιμνήϊον ἠλάσκουσιν	470

throughout the herdsman's farmstead


ὥρῃ ἐν εἰαρινῇ ὅτε τε γλάγος ἄγγεα δεύει,	471

in the season of spring, when the milk drenches the pails,


τόσσοι ἐπὶ Τρώεσσι κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοὶ	472

even in such numbers stood the long-haired Achaeans


ἐν πεδίῳ ἵσταντο διαρραῖσαι μεμαῶτες.	473

upon the plain in the face of the men of Troy, eager to rend them asunder.


τοὺς δ' ὥς τ' αἰπόλια πλατέ' αἰγῶν αἰπόλοι ἄνδρες	474

And even as goatherds separate easily the wide-scattered flocks of goats,


ῥεῖα διακρίνωσιν ἐπεί κε νομῷ μιγέωσιν,	475

when they mingle in the pasture,


ὣς τοὺς ἡγεμόνες διεκόσμεον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα	476

so did their leaders marshal them on this side and on that


ὑσμίνην δ' ἰέναι, μετὰ δὲ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων	477

to enter into the battle, and among them lord Agamemnon,


ὄμματα καὶ κεφαλὴν ἴκελος Διὶ τερπικεραύνῳ,	478

his eyes and head like unto Zeus that hurleth the thunderbolt,


Ἄρεϊ δὲ ζώνην, στέρνον δὲ Ποσειδάωνι.	479

his waist like unto Ares, and his breast unto Poseidon.


ἠΰτε βοῦς ἀγέληφι μέγ' ἔξοχος ἔπλετο πάντων	480

Even as a bull among the herd stands forth far the chiefest over all,


ταῦρος· ὃ γάρ τε βόεσσι μεταπρέπει ἀγρομένῃσι·	481

for that he is pre-eminent among the gathering kine,


τοῖον ἄρ' Ἀτρεΐδην θῆκε Ζεὺς ἤματι κείνῳ	482

even such did Zeus make Agamemnon on that day,


ἐκπρεπέ' ἐν πολλοῖσι καὶ ἔξοχον ἡρώεσσιν.	483

pre-eminent among many, and chiefest amid warriors.


ἔσπετε νῦν μοι Μοῦσαι Ὀλύμπια δώματ' ἔχουσαι·	484

Tell me now, ye Muses that have dwellings on Olympus -


ὑμεῖς γὰρ θεαί ἐστε πάρεστέ τε ἴστέ τε πάντα,	485

for ye are goddesses and are at hand and know all things,


ἡμεῖς δὲ κλέος οἶον ἀκούομεν οὐδέ τι ἴδμεν·	486

whereas we hear but a rumour and know not anything —


οἵ τινες ἡγεμόνες Δαναῶν καὶ κοίρανοι ἦσαν·	487

who were the captains of the Danaans and their lords.


πληθὺν δ' οὐκ ἂν ἐγὼ μυθήσομαι οὐδ' ὀνομήνω,	488

But the common folk I could not tell nor name,


οὐδ' εἴ μοι δέκα μὲν γλῶσσαι, δέκα δὲ στόματ' εἶεν,	489

nay, not though ten tongues were mine and ten mouths


φωνὴ δ' ἄρρηκτος, χάλκεον δέ μοι ἦτορ ἐνείη,	490

and a voice unwearying, and though the heart within me were of bronze,


εἰ μὴ Ὀλυμπιάδες Μοῦσαι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο	491

did not the Muses of Olympus, daughters of Zeus that beareth the aegis,


θυγατέρες μνησαίαθ' ὅσοι ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθον·	492

call to my mind all them that came beneath Ilios.


ἀρχοὺς αὖ νηῶν ἐρέω νῆάς τε προπάσας.	493

Now will I tell the captains of the ships and the ships in their order.


Βοιωτῶν μὲν Πηνέλεως καὶ Λήϊτος ἦρχον	494

Of the Boeotians Peneleos and Leïtus were captains,


Ἀρκεσίλαός τε Προθοήνωρ τε Κλονίος τε,	495

and Arcesilaus and Prothoënor and Clonius;


οἵ θ' Ὑρίην ἐνέμοντο καὶ Αὐλίδα πετρήεσσαν	496

these were they that dwelt in Hyria and rocky Aulis


Σχοῖνόν τε Σκῶλόν τε πολύκνημόν τ' Ἐτεωνόν,	497

and Schoenus and Scolus and Eteonus with its many ridges,


Θέσπειαν Γραῖάν τε καὶ εὐρύχορον Μυκαλησσόν,	498

Thespeia, Graea, and spacious Mycalessus;


οἵ τ' ἀμφ' Ἅρμ' ἐνέμοντο καὶ Εἰλέσιον καὶ Ἐρυθράς,	499

and that dwelt about Harma and Eilesium and Erythrae;


οἵ τ' Ἐλεῶν' εἶχον ἠδ' Ὕλην καὶ Πετεῶνα,	500

and that held Eleon and Hyle and Peteon,


Ὠκαλέην Μεδεῶνά τ' ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον,	501

Ocalea and Medeon, the well-built citadel,


Κώπας Εὔτρησίν τε πολυτρήρωνά τε Θίσβην,	502

Copae, Eutresis, and Thisbe, the haunt of doves;


οἵ τε Κορώνειαν καὶ ποιήενθ' Ἁλίαρτον,	503

that dwelt in Coroneia and grassy Haliartus,


οἵ τε Πλάταιαν ἔχον ἠδ' οἳ Γλισᾶντ' ἐνέμοντο,	504

and that held Plataea and dwelt in Glisas;


οἵ θ' Ὑποθήβας εἶχον ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον,	505

that held lower Thebe, the well-built citadel,


Ὀγχηστόν θ' ἱερὸν Ποσιδήϊον ἀγλαὸν ἄλσος,	506

and holy Onchestus, the bright grove of Poseidon;


οἵ τε πολυστάφυλον Ἄρνην ἔχον, οἵ τε Μίδειαν	507

and that held Arne, rich in vines,


Νῖσάν τε ζαθέην Ἀνθηδόνα τ' ἐσχατόωσαν·	508

and Mideia and sacred Nisa and Anthedon on the seaboard.


τῶν μὲν πεντήκοντα νέες κίον, ἐν δὲ ἑκάστῃ	509

Of these there came fifty ships, and on board of each


κοῦροι Βοιωτῶν ἑκατὸν καὶ εἴκοσι βαῖνον.	510

went young men of the Boeotians an hundred and twenty.


οἳ δ' Ἀσπληδόνα ναῖον ἰδ' Ὀρχομενὸν Μινύειον,	511

And they that dwelt in Aspledon and Orchomenus of the Minyae


τῶν ἦρχ' Ἀσκάλαφος καὶ Ἰάλμενος υἷες Ἄρηος	512

were led by Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Ares,


οὓς τέκεν Ἀστυόχη δόμῳ Ἄκτορος Ἀζεΐδαο,	513

whom, in the palace of Actor, son of Azeus,


παρθένος αἰδοίη ὑπερώϊον εἰσαναβᾶσα	514

Astyoche, the honoured maiden, conceived of mighty Ares,


Ἄρηϊ κρατερῷ· ὃ δέ οἱ παρελέξατο λάθρῃ·	515

when she had entered into her upper chamber; for he lay with her in secret.


τοῖς δὲ τριήκοντα γλαφυραὶ νέες ἐστιχόωντο.	516

And with these were ranged thirty hollow ships.


αὐτὰρ Φωκήων Σχεδίος καὶ Ἐπίστροφος ἦρχον	517

And of the Phocians Schedius and Epistrophus were captains,


υἷες Ἰφίτου μεγαθύμου Ναυβολίδαο,	518

sons of great-souled Iphitus, son of Naubolus;


οἳ Κυπάρισσον ἔχον Πυθῶνά τε πετρήεσσαν	519

these were they that held Cyparissus and rocky Pytho,


Κρῖσάν τε ζαθέην καὶ Δαυλίδα καὶ Πανοπῆα,	520

and sacred Crisa and Daulis and Panopeus;


οἵ τ' Ἀνεμώρειαν καὶ Ὑάμπολιν ἀμφενέμοντο,	521

and that dwelt about Anemoreia and Hyampolis,


οἵ τ' ἄρα πὰρ ποταμὸν Κηφισὸν δῖον ἔναιον,	522

and that lived beside the goodly river Cephisus,


οἵ τε Λίλαιαν ἔχον πηγῇς ἔπι Κηφισοῖο·	523

and that held Lilaea by the springs of Cephisus.


τοῖς δ' ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.	524

With these followed forty black ships.


οἳ μὲν Φωκήων στίχας ἵστασαν ἀμφιέποντες,	525

And their leaders busily marshalled the ranks of the Phocians,


Βοιωτῶν δ' ἔμπλην ἐπ' ἀριστερὰ θωρήσσοντο.	526

and made ready for battle hard by the Boeotians on the left.


Λοκρῶν δ' ἡγεμόνευεν Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς Αἴας	527

And the Locrians had as leader the swift son of Oïleus, Aias the less,


μείων, οὔ τι τόσος γε ὅσος Τελαμώνιος Αἴας	528

in no wise as great as Telamonian Aias, but far less.


ἀλλὰ πολὺ μείων· ὀλίγος μὲν ἔην λινοθώρηξ,	529

Small of stature was he, with corselet of linen,


ἐγχείῃ δ' ἐκέκαστο Πανέλληνας καὶ Ἀχαιούς·	530

but with the spear he far excelled the whole host of Hellenes and Achaeans.


οἳ Κῦνόν τ' ἐνέμοντ' Ὀπόεντά τε Καλλίαρόν τε	531

These were they that dwelt in Cynus and Opus and Calliarus


Βῆσσάν τε Σκάρφην τε καὶ Αὐγειὰς ἐρατεινὰς	532

and Bessa and Scarphe and lovely Augeiae


Τάρφην τε Θρόνιον τε Βοαγρίου ἀμφὶ ῥέεθρα·	533

and Tarphe and Thronium about the streams of Boagrius.


τῷ δ' ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο	534

With Aias followed forty black ships


Λοκρῶν, οἳ ναίουσι πέρην ἱερῆς Εὐβοίης.	535

of the Locrians that dwell over against sacred Euboea.


οἳ δ' Εὔβοιαν ἔχον μένεα πνείοντες Ἄβαντες	536

And the Abantes, breathing fury, that held Euboea


Χαλκίδα τ' Εἰρέτριάν τε πολυστάφυλόν θ' Ἱστίαιαν	537

and Chalcis and Eretria and Histiaea,


Κήρινθόν τ' ἔφαλον Δίου τ' αἰπὺ πτολίεθρον,	538

rich in vines, and Cerinthus, hard by the sea, and the steep citadel of Dios;


οἵ τε Κάρυστον ἔχον ἠδ' οἳ Στύρα ναιετάασκον,	539

and that held Carystus and dwelt in Styra, —


τῶν αὖθ' ἡγεμόνευ' Ἐλεφήνωρ ὄζος Ἄρηος	540

all these again had as leader Elephenor, scion of Ares,


Χαλκωδοντιάδης μεγαθύμων ἀρχὸς Ἀβάντων.	541

him that was son of Chalcodon and captain of the great-souled Abantes.


τῷ δ' ἅμ' Ἄβαντες ἕποντο θοοὶ ὄπιθεν κομόωντες	542

And with him followed the swift Abantes, with hair long at the back,


αἰχμηταὶ μεμαῶτες ὀρεκτῇσιν μελίῃσι	543

spearmen eager with outstretched ashen spears


θώρηκας ῥήξειν δηΐων ἀμφὶ στήθεσσι·	544

to rend the corselets about the breasts of the foemen.


τῷ δ' ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.	545

And with him there followed forty black ships.


οἳ δ' ἄρ' Ἀθήνας εἶχον ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον	546

And they that held Athens, the well-built citadel,


δῆμον Ἐρεχθῆος μεγαλήτορος, ὅν ποτ' Ἀθήνη	547

the land of great-hearted Erechtheus, whom of old Athene,


θρέψε Διὸς θυγάτηρ, τέκε δὲ ζείδωρος ἄρουρα,	548

daughter of Zeus, fostered, when the earth, the giver of grain, had borne him;


κὰδ δ' ἐν Ἀθήνῃς εἷσεν ἑῷ ἐν πίονι νηῷ·	549

and she made him to dwell in Athens, in her own rich sanctuary,


ἔνθα δέ μιν ταύροισι καὶ ἀρνειοῖς ἱλάονται	550

and there the youths of the Athenians, as the years roll on in their courses,


κοῦροι Ἀθηναίων περιτελλομένων ἐνιαυτῶν·	551

seek to win his favour with sacrifices of bulls and rams; —


τῶν αὖθ' ἡγεμόνευ' υἱὸς Πετεῶο Μενεσθεύς.	552

these again had as leader Menestheus, son of Peteos.


τῷ δ' οὔ πώ τις ὁμοῖος ἐπιχθόνιος γένετ' ἀνὴρ	553

Like unto him was none other man upon the face of the earth


κοσμῆσαι ἵππους τε καὶ ἀνέρας ἀσπιδιώτας·	554

for the marshalling of chariots and of warriors that bear the shield.


Νέστωρ οἶος ἔριζεν· ὃ γὰρ προγενέστερος ἦεν·	555

Only Nestor could vie with him, for he was the elder.


τῷ δ' ἅμα πεντήκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.	556

And with him there followed fifty black ships.


Αἴας δ' ἐκ Σαλαμῖνος ἄγεν δυοκαίδεκα νῆας,	557

And Aias led from Salamis twelve ships,


στῆσε δ' ἄγων ἵν' Ἀθηναίων ἵσταντο φάλαγγες.	558

and stationed them where the battalions of the Athenians stood.


οἳ δ' Ἄργός τ' εἶχον Τίρυνθά τε τειχιόεσσαν	559

And they that held Argos and Tiryns, famed for its walls,


Ἑρμιόνην Ἀσίνην τε, βαθὺν κατὰ κόλπον ἐχούσας,	560

and Hermione and Asine, that enfold the deep gulf,


Τροιζῆν' Ἠϊόνας τε καὶ ἀμπελόεντ' Ἐπίδαυρον,	561

Troezen and Eïonae and vine-clad Epidaurus,


οἵ τ' ἔχον Αἴγιναν Μάσητά τε κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν,	562

and the youths of the Achaeans that held Aegina and Mases, —


τῶν αὖθ' ἡγεμόνευε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης	563

these again had as leaders Diomedes, good at the war-cry,


καὶ Σθένελος, Καπανῆος ἀγακλειτοῦ φίλος υἱός·	564

and Sthenelus, dear son of glorious Capaneus.


τοῖσι δ' ἅμ' Εὐρύαλος τρίτατος κίεν ἰσόθεος φὼς	565

And with them came a third, Euryalus, a godlike warrior,


Μηκιστέος υἱὸς Ταλαϊονίδαο ἄνακτος·	566

son of king Mecisteus, son of Talaus;


συμπάντων δ' ἡγεῖτο βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·	567

but leader over them all was Diomedes, good at the war-cry.


τοῖσι δ' ἅμ' ὀγδώκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.	568

And with these there followed eighty black ships.


οἳ δὲ Μυκήνας εἶχον ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον	569

And they that held Mycenae, the well-built citadel,


ἀφνειόν τε Κόρινθον ἐϋκτιμένας τε Κλεωνάς,	570

and wealthy Corinth, and well-built Cleonae,


Ὀρνειάς τ' ἐνέμοντο Ἀραιθυρέην τ' ἐρατεινὴν	571

and dwelt in Orneiae and lovely Araethyrea


καὶ Σικυῶν', ὅθ' ἄρ' Ἄδρηστος πρῶτ' ἐμβασίλευεν,	572

and Sicyon, wherein at the first Adrastus was king;


οἵ θ' Ὑπερησίην τε καὶ αἰπεινὴν Γονόεσσαν	573

and they that held Hyperesia and steep Gonoessa


Πελλήνην τ' εἶχον ἠδ' Αἴγιον ἀμφενέμοντο	574

and Pellene, and that dwelt about Aegium


Αἰγιαλόν τ' ἀνὰ πάντα καὶ ἀμφ' Ἑλίκην εὐρεῖαν,	575

and throughout all Aegialus, and about broad Helice, —


τῶν ἑκατὸν νηῶν ἦρχε κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων	576

of these was the son of Atreus, lord Agamemnon, captain, with an hundred ships.


Ἀτρεΐδης· ἅμα τῷ γε πολὺ πλεῖστοι καὶ ἄριστοι	577

With him followed most people


λαοὶ ἕποντ'· ἐν δ' αὐτὸς ἐδύσετο νώροπα χαλκὸν	578

by far and goodliest; and among them he himself did on his gleaming bronze,


κυδιόων, πᾶσιν δὲ μετέπρεπεν ἡρώεσσιν	579

a king all-glorious, and was pre-eminent among all the warriors,


οὕνεκ' ἄριστος ἔην πολὺ δὲ πλείστους ἄγε λαούς.	580

for that he was noblest, and led a people far the most in number.


οἳ δ' εἶχον κοίλην Λακεδαίμονα κητώεσσαν,	581

And they that held the hollow land of Lacedaemon with its many ravines,


Φᾶρίν τε Σπάρτην τε πολυτρήρωνά τε Μέσσην,	582

and Pharis and Sparta and Messe, the haunt of doves,


Βρυσειάς τ' ἐνέμοντο καὶ Αὐγειὰς ἐρατεινάς,	583

and that dwelt in Bryseiae and lovely Augeiae,


οἵ τ' ἄρ' Ἀμύκλας εἶχον Ἕλος τ' ἔφαλον πτολίεθρον,	584

and that held Amyclae and Helus, a citadel hard by the sea,


οἵ τε Λάαν εἶχον ἠδ' Οἴτυλον ἀμφενέμοντο,	585

and that held Laas, and dwelt about Oetylus, —


τῶν οἱ ἀδελφεὸς ἦρχε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος	586

these were led by Agamemnon's brother, even Menelaus, good at the war-cry,


ἑξήκοντα νεῶν· ἀπάτερθε δὲ θωρήσσοντο·	587

with sixty ships; and they were marshalled apart.


ἐν δ' αὐτὸς κίεν ᾗσι προθυμίῃσι πεποιθὼς	588

And himself he moved among them, confident in his zeal,


ὀτρύνων πόλεμον δέ· μάλιστα δὲ ἵετο θυμῷ	589

urging his men to battle; and above all others was his heart fain


τίσασθαι Ἑλένης ὁρμήματά τε στοναχάς τε.	590

to get him requital for his strivings and groanings for Helen's sake.


οἳ δὲ Πύλον τ' ἐνέμοντο καὶ Ἀρήνην ἐρατεινὴν	591

And they that dwelt in Pylos and lovely Arene


καὶ Θρύον Ἀλφειοῖο πόρον καὶ ἐΰκτιτον Αἰπὺ	592

and Thryum, the ford of Alpheius, and fair-founded Aepy,


καὶ Κυπαρισσήεντα καὶ Ἀμφιγένειαν ἔναιον	593

and that had their abodes in Cyparisseïs and Amphigeneia


καὶ Πτελεὸν καὶ Ἕλος καὶ Δώριον, ἔνθά τε Μοῦσαι	594

and Pteleos and Helus and Dorium, where


ἀντόμεναι Θάμυριν τὸν Θρήϊκα παῦσαν ἀοιδῆς	595

the Muses met Thamyris the Thracian and made an end of his singing,


Οἰχαλίηθεν ἰόντα παρ' Εὐρύτου Οἰχαλιῆος·	596

even as he was journeying from Oechalia, from the house of Eurytus the Oechalian:


στεῦτο γὰρ εὐχόμενος νικησέμεν εἴ περ ἂν αὐταὶ	597

for he vaunted with boasting that he would conquer,


Μοῦσαι ἀείδοιεν κοῦραι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο·	598

were the Muses themselves to sing against him, the daughters of Zeus that beareth the aegis;


αἳ δὲ χολωσάμεναι πηρὸν θέσαν, αὐτὰρ ἀοιδὴν	599

but they in their wrath maimed him,


θεσπεσίην ἀφέλοντο καὶ ἐκλέλαθον κιθαριστύν·	600

and took from him his wondrous song, and made him forget his minstrelsy; -


τῶν αὖθ' ἡγεμόνευε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·	601

all these folk again had as leader the horseman, Nestor of Gerenia.


τῷ δ' ἐνενήκοντα γλαφυραὶ νέες ἐστιχόωντο.	602

And with him were ranged ninety hollow ships.


οἳ δ' ἔχον Ἀρκαδίην ὑπὸ Κυλλήνης ὄρος αἰπὺ	603

And they that held Arcadia beneath the steep mountain of Cyllene,


Αἰπύτιον παρὰ τύμβον ἵν' ἀνέρες ἀγχιμαχηταί,	604

beside the tomb of Aepytus, where are warriors that fight


οἳ Φενεόν τ' ἐνέμοντο καὶ Ὀρχομενὸν πολύμηλον	605

in close combat; and they that dwelt in Pheneos and Orchomenus, rich in flocks,


Ῥίπην τε Στρατίην τε καὶ ἠνεμόεσσαν Ἐνίσπην	606

and Rhipe and Stratia and wind-swept Enispe;


καὶ Τεγέην εἶχον καὶ Μαντινέην ἐρατεινὴν	607

and that held Tegea and lovely Mantineia;


Στύμφηλόν τ' εἶχον καὶ Παρρασίην ἐνέμοντο,	608

and that held Stymphalus and dwelt in Parrhasia, —


τῶν ἦρχ' Ἀγκαίοιο πάϊς κρείων Ἀγαπήνωρ	609

all these were led by the son of Ancaeus, Lord Agapenor,


ἑξήκοντα νεῶν· πολέες δ' ἐν νηὶ ἑκάστῃ	610

with sixty ships; and on each ship embarked full


Ἀρκάδες ἄνδρες ἔβαινον ἐπιστάμενοι πολεμίζειν.	611

many Arcadian warriors well-skilled in fight.


αὐτὸς γάρ σφιν δῶκεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων	612

For of himself had the king of men, Agamemnon, given them


νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους περάαν ἐπὶ οἴνοπα πόντον	613

benched ships wherewith to cross over the wine-dark sea,


Ἀτρεΐδης, ἐπεὶ οὔ σφι θαλάσσια ἔργα μεμήλει.	614

even the son of Atreus, for with matters of seafaring had they naught to do.


οἳ δ' ἄρα Βουπράσιόν τε καὶ Ἤλιδα δῖαν ἔναιον	615

And they that dwelt in Buprasium and goodly Elis,


ὅσσον ἐφ' Ὑρμίνη καὶ Μύρσινος ἐσχατόωσα	616

all that part thereof that Hyrmine and Myrsinus on the seaboard


πέτρη τ' Ὠλενίη καὶ Ἀλήσιον ἐντὸς ἐέργει,	617

and the rock of Olen and Alesium enclose between them —


τῶν αὖ τέσσαρες ἀρχοὶ ἔσαν, δέκα δ' ἀνδρὶ ἑκάστῳ	618

these again had four leaders, and ten swift ships followed each one,


νῆες ἕποντο θοαί, πολέες δ' ἔμβαινον Ἐπειοί.	619

and many Epeians embarked thereon.


τῶν μὲν ἄρ' Ἀμφίμαχος καὶ Θάλπιος ἡγησάσθην	620

Of these some were led by Amphimachus and Thalpius,


υἷες ὃ μὲν Κτεάτου, ὃ δ' ἄρ' Εὐρύτου, Ἀκτορίωνε·	621

of the blood of Actor, sons, the one of Cteatus and the other of Eurytus;


τῶν δ' Ἀμαρυγκεΐδης ἦρχε κρατερὸς Διώρης·	622

and of some was the son of Amarynceus captain,


τῶν δὲ τετάρτων ἦρχε Πολύξεινος θεοειδὴς	623

even mighty Diores; and of the fourth company


υἱὸς Ἀγασθένεος Αὐγηιάδαο ἄνακτος.	624

godlike Polyxeinus was captain, son of king Agasthenes, Augeias' son.


οἳ δ' ἐκ Δουλιχίοιο Ἐχινάων θ' ἱεράων	625

And those from Dulichiuni and the Echinae,


νήσων, αἳ ναίουσι πέρην ἁλὸς Ἤλιδος ἄντα,	626

the holy isles, that lie across the sea, over against Elis,


τῶν αὖθ' ἡγεμόνευε Μέγης ἀτάλαντος Ἄρηι	627

these again had as leader Meges, the peer of Ares,


Φυλεΐδης, ὃν τίκτε Διῒ φίλος ἱππότα Φυλεύς,	628

even the son of Phyleus, whom the horseman Phyleus, dear to Zeus, begat —


ὅς ποτε Δουλίχιον δ' ἀπενάσσατο πατρὶ χολωθείς·	629

he that of old had gone to dwell in Dulichium in wrath against his father.


τῷ δ' ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.	630

And with Meges there followed forty black ships.


αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς ἦγε Κεφαλλῆνας μεγαθύμους,	631

And Odysseus led the great-souled Cephallenians that held Ithaca


οἵ ῥ' Ἰθάκην εἶχον καὶ Νήριτον εἰνοσίφυλλον	632

and Neritum, covered with waving forests,


καὶ Κροκύλει' ἐνέμοντο καὶ Αἰγίλιπα τρηχεῖαν,	633

and that dwelt in Crocyleia and rugged Aegilips;


οἵ τε Ζάκυνθον ἔχον ἠδ' οἳ Σάμον ἀμφενέμοντο,	634

and them that held Zacynthus, and that dwelt about Samos,


οἵ τ' ἤπειρον ἔχον ἠδ' ἀντιπέραι' ἐνέμοντο·	635

and held the mainland and dwelt on the shores over against the isles.


τῶν μὲν Ὀδυσσεὺς ἦρχε Διὶ μῆτιν ἀτάλαντος·	636

Of these was Odysseus captain, the peer of Zeus in counsel.


τῷ δ' ἅμα νῆες ἕποντο δυώδεκα μιλτοπάρῃοι.	637

And with him there followed twelve ships with vermilion prows.


Αἰτωλῶν δ' ἡγεῖτο Θόας Ἀνδραίμονος υἱός,	638

And the Aetolians were led by Thoas, Andraemon's son,


οἳ Πλευρῶν' ἐνέμοντο καὶ Ὤλενον ἠδὲ Πυλήνην	639

even they that dwelt in Pleuron and Olenus and Pylene


Χαλκίδα τ' ἀγχίαλον Καλυδῶνά τε πετρήεσσαν·	640

and Chalcis, hard by the sea, and rocky Calydon.


οὐ γὰρ ἔτ' Οἰνῆος μεγαλήτορος υἱέες ἦσαν,	641

For the sons of great-hearted Oeneus were no more,


οὐδ' ἄρ' ἔτ' αὐτὸς ἔην, θάνε δὲ ξανθὸς Μελέαγρος·	642

neither did he himself still live, and fair-haired Meleager was dead,


τῷ δ' ἐπὶ πάντ' ἐτέταλτο ἀνασσέμεν Αἰτωλοῖσι·	643

to whom had commands been given that he should bear full sway among the Aetolians.


τῷ δ' ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.	644

And with Thoas there followed forty black ships.


Κρητῶν δ' Ἰδομενεὺς δουρὶ κλυτὸς ἡγεμόνευεν,	645

And the Cretans had as leader Idomeneus, famed for his spear,


οἳ Κνωσόν τ' εἶχον Γόρτυνά τε τειχιόεσσαν,	646

even they that held Cnosus and Gortys, famed for its walls,


Λύκτον Μίλητόν τε καὶ ἀργινόεντα Λύκαστον	647

Lyctus and Miletus and Lycastus, white with chalk,


Φαιστόν τε Ῥύτιόν τε, πόλεις εὖ ναιετοώσας,	648

and Phaestus and Rhytium, well-peopled cities;


ἄλλοι θ' οἳ Κρήτην ἑκατόμπολιν ἀμφενέμοντο.	649

and all they beside that dwelt in Crete of the hundred cities.


τῶν μὲν ἄρ' Ἰδομενεὺς δουρὶ κλυτὸς ἡγεμόνευε	650

Of all these was Idomeneus, famed for his spear, captain,


Μηριόνης τ' ἀτάλαντος Ἐνυαλίῳ ἀνδρειφόντῃ·	651

and Meriones, the peer of Enyalius, slayer of men.


τοῖσι δ' ἅμ' ὀγδώκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.	652

And with these there followed eighty black ships.


Τληπόλεμος δ' Ἡρακλεΐδης ἠΰς τε μέγας τε	653

And Tlepolemus, son of Heracles, a valiant man and tall,


ἐκ Ῥόδου ἐννέα νῆας ἄγεν Ῥοδίων ἀγερώχων,	654

led from Rhodes nine ships of the lordly Rhodians,


οἳ Ῥόδον ἀμφενέμοντο διὰ τρίχα κοσμηθέντες	655

that dwelt in Rhodes sundered in three divisions —


Λίνδον Ἰηλυσόν τε καὶ ἀργινόεντα Κάμειρον.	656

in Lindos and Ialysus and Cameirus, white with chalk.


τῶν μὲν Τληπόλεμος δουρὶ κλυτὸς ἡγεμόνευεν,	657

These were led by Tlepolemus, famed for his spear,


ὃν τέκεν Ἀστυόχεια βίῃ Ἡρακληείῃ,	658

he that was born to mighty Heracles by Astyocheia,


τὴν ἄγετ' ἐξ Ἐφύρης ποταμοῦ ἄπο Σελλήεντος	659

whom he had led forth out of Ephyre from the river Selleïs,


πέρσας ἄστεα πολλὰ διοτρεφέων αἰζηῶν.	660

when he had laid waste many cities of warriors fostered of Zeus.


Τληπόλεμος δ' ἐπεὶ οὖν τράφ' ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ εὐπήκτῳ,	661

But when Tlepolemus had grown to manhood in the well-fenced palace,


αὐτίκα πατρὸς ἑοῖο φίλον μήτρωα κατέκτα	662

forthwith he slew his own father's dear uncle,


ἤδη γηράσκοντα Λικύμνιον ὄζον Ἄρηος·	663

Licymnius, scion of Ares, who was then waxing old.


αἶψα δὲ νῆας ἔπηξε, πολὺν δ' ὅ γε λαὸν ἀγείρας	664

So he straightway built him ships, and when he had gathered together much people,


βῆ φεύγων ἐπὶ πόντον· ἀπείλησαν γάρ οἱ ἄλλοι	665

went forth in flight over the sea, for that the other sons


υἱέες υἱωνοί τε βίης Ἡρακληείης.	666

and grandsons of mighty Heracles threatened him.


αὐτὰρ ὅ γ' ἐς Ῥόδον ἷξεν ἀλώμενος ἄλγεα πάσχων·	667

But he came to Rhodes in his wanderings, suffering woes,


τριχθὰ δὲ ᾤκηθεν καταφυλαδόν, ἠδὲ φίληθεν	668

and there his people settled in three divisions by tribes, and were loved of Zeus


ἐκ Διός, ὅς τε θεοῖσι καὶ ἀνθρώποισιν ἀνάσσει,	669

that is king among gods and men;


καί σφιν θεσπέσιον πλοῦτον κατέχευε Κρονίων.	670

and upon them was wondrous wealth poured by the son of Cronos.


Νιρεὺς αὖ Σύμηθεν ἄγε τρεῖς νῆας ἐΐσας	671

Moreover Nireus led three shapely ships from Syme,


Νιρεὺς Ἀγλαΐης υἱὸς Χαρόποιό τ' ἄνακτος	672

Nireus that was son of Aglaïa and Charops the king,


Νιρεύς, ὃς κάλλιστος ἀνὴρ ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθε	673

Nireus the comeliest man that came beneath Ilios


τῶν ἄλλων Δαναῶν μετ' ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα·	674

of all the Danaans after the peerless son of Peleus.


ἀλλ' ἀλαπαδνὸς ἔην, παῦρος δέ οἱ εἵπετο λαός.	675

Howbeit he was a weakling, and but few people followed with him.


οἳ δ' ἄρα Νίσυρόν τ' εἶχον Κράπαθόν τε Κάσον τε	676

And they that held Nisyrus and Crapathus and Casus and


καὶ Κῶν Εὐρυπύλοιο πόλιν νήσους τε Καλύδνας,	677

Cos, the city of Eurypylus, and the Calydnian isles,


τῶν αὖ Φείδιππός τε καὶ Ἄντιφος ἡγησάσθην	678

these again were led by Pheidippus and Antiphus,


Θεσσαλοῦ υἷε δύω Ἡρακλεΐδαο ἄνακτος·	679

the two sons of king Thessalus, son of Heracles.


τοῖς δὲ τριήκοντα γλαφυραὶ νέες ἐστιχόωντο.	680

And with them were ranged thirty hollow ships.


νῦν αὖ τοὺς ὅσσοι τὸ Πελασγικὸν Ἄργος ἔναιον,	681

Now all those again that inhabited Pelasgian Argos,


οἵ τ' Ἄλον οἵ τ' Ἀλόπην οἵ τε Τρηχῖνα νέμοντο,	682

and dwelt in Alos and Alope and Trachis,


οἵ τ' εἶχον Φθίην ἠδ' Ἑλλάδα καλλιγύναικα,	683

and that held Phthia and Hellas, the land of fair women,


Μυρμιδόνες δὲ καλεῦντο καὶ Ἕλληνες καὶ Ἀχαιοί,	684

and were called Myrmidons and Hellenes and Achaeans -


τῶν αὖ πεντήκοντα νεῶν ἦν ἀρχὸς Ἀχιλλεύς.	685

of the fifty ships of these men was Achilles captain.


ἀλλ' οἵ γ' οὐ πολέμοιο δυσηχέος ἐμνώοντο·	686

Howbeit they bethought them not of dolorous war,


οὐ γὰρ ἔην ὅς τίς σφιν ἐπὶ στίχας ἡγήσαιτο·	687

since there was no man to lead them forth into the ranks.


κεῖτο γὰρ ἐν νήεσσι ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς	688

For he lay in idleness among the ships, the swift-footed, goodly Achilles,


κούρης χωόμενος Βρισηίδος ἠϋκόμοιο,	689

in wrath because of the fair-haired girl Briseïs,


τὴν ἐκ Λυρνησσοῦ ἐξείλετο πολλὰ μογήσας	690

whom he had taken out of Lyrnessus after sore toil,


Λυρνησσὸν διαπορθήσας καὶ τείχεα Θήβης,	691

when he wasted Lyrnessus and the walls of Thebe,


κὰδ δὲ Μύνητ' ἔβαλεν καὶ Ἐπίστροφον ἐγχεσιμώρους,	692

and laid low Mynes and Epistrophus, warriors that raged with the spear,


υἱέας Εὐηνοῖο Σεληπιάδαο ἄνακτος·	693

sons of king Evenus, Selepus' son.


τῆς ὅ γε κεῖτ' ἀχέων, τάχα δ' ἀνστήσεσθαι ἔμελλεν.	694

In sore grief for her lay Achilles idle; but soon was he to arise again.


οἳ δ' εἶχον Φυλάκην καὶ Πύρασον ἀνθεμόεντα	695

And they that held Phylace and flowery Pyrasus,


Δήμητρος τέμενος, Ἴτωνά τε μητέρα μήλων,	696

the sanctuary of Demeter, and Iton, mother of flocks,


ἀγχίαλόν τ' Ἀντρῶνα ἰδὲ Πτελεὸν λεχεποίην,	697

and Antron, hard by the sea, and Pteleos, couched in grass,


τῶν αὖ Πρωτεσίλαος ἀρήιος ἡγεμόνευε	698

these again had as leader warlike Protesilaus,


ζωὸς ἐών· τότε δ' ἤδη ἔχεν κάτα γαῖα μέλαινα.	699

while yet he lived; howbeit ere now the black earth held him fast.


τοῦ δὲ καὶ ἀμφιδρυφὴς ἄλοχος Φυλάκῃ ἐλέλειπτο	700

His wife, her two cheeks torn in wailing, was left in Phylace


καὶ δόμος ἡμιτελής· τὸν δ' ἔκτανε Δάρδανος ἀνὴρ	701

and his house but half established, while, for himself, a Dardanian warrior slew him


νηὸς ἀποθρῴσκοντα πολὺ πρώτιστον Ἀχαιῶν.	702

as he leapt forth from his ship by far the first of the Achaeans.


οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδ' οἳ ἄναρχοι ἔσαν, πόθεόν γε μὲν ἀρχόν·	703

Yet neither were his men leaderless, though they longed for their leader;


ἀλλά σφεας κόσμησε Ποδάρκης ὄζος Ἄρηος	704

for Podarces, scion of Ares, marshalled them,


Ἰφίκλου υἱὸς πολυμήλου Φυλακίδαο	705

he that was son of Phylacus' son, Iphiclus, rich in flocks,


αὐτοκασίγνητος μεγαθύμου Πρωτεσιλάου	706

own brother to great-souled Protesilaus,


ὁπλότερος γενεῇ· ὁ δ' ἅμα πρότερος καὶ ἀρείων	707

and younger-born; but the other was the elder and the better man,


ἥρως Πρωτεσίλαος ἀρήιος· οὐδέ τι λαοὶ	708

even the warrior, valiant Protesilaus.


δεύονθ' ἡγεμόνος, πόθεόν γε μὲν ἐσθλὸν ἐόντα·	709

So the host in no wise lacked a leader, though they longed for the noble man they had lost.


τῷ δ' ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.	710

And with him there followed forty black ships.


οἳ δὲ Φερὰς ἐνέμοντο παραὶ Βοιβηίδα λίμνην	711

And they that dwelt in Pherae beside the lake Boebeïs,


Βοίβην καὶ Γλαφύρας καὶ ἐϋκτιμένην Ἰαωλκόν,	712

and in Boebe, and Glaphyrae, and well-built Iolcus,


τῶν ἦρχ' Ἀδμήτοιο φίλος πάϊς ἕνδεκα νηῶν	713

these were led by the dear son of Admetus with eleven ships, even by Eumelus,


Εὔμηλος, τὸν ὑπ' Ἀδμήτῳ τέκε δῖα γυναικῶν	714

whom Alcestis, queenly among women, bare to Admetus,


Ἄλκηστις Πελίαο θυγατρῶν εἶδος ἀρίστη.	715

even she, the comeliest of the daughters of Pelias.


οἳ δ' ἄρα Μηθώνην καὶ Θαυμακίην ἐνέμοντο	716

And they that dwelt in Methone and Thaumacia,


καὶ Μελίβοιαν ἔχον καὶ Ὀλιζῶνα τρηχεῖαν,	717

and that held Meliboea and rugged Olizon,


τῶν δὲ Φιλοκτήτης ἦρχεν τόξων ἐῢ εἰδὼς	718

these with their seven ships were led by Philoctetes, well-skilled in archery,


ἑπτὰ νεῶν· ἐρέται δ' ἐν ἑκάστῃ πεντήκοντα	719

and on each ship embarked fifty oarsmen


ἐμβέβασαν τόξων εὖ εἰδότες ἶφι μάχεσθαι.	720

well skilled to fight amain with the bow.


ἀλλ' ὃ μὲν ἐν νήσῳ κεῖτο κρατέρ' ἄλγεα πάσχων	721

But Philoctetes lay suffering grievous pains in an island,


Λήμνῳ ἐν ἠγαθέῃ, ὅθι μιν λίπον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν	722

even in sacred Lemnos, where the sons of the Achaeans had left him


ἕλκεϊ μοχθίζοντα κακῷ ὀλοόφρονος ὕδρου·	723

in anguish with an evil wound from a deadly water-snake.


ἔνθ' ὅ γε κεῖτ' ἀχέων· τάχα δὲ μνήσεσθαι ἔμελλον	724

There he lay suffering; yet full soon were the Argives


Ἀργεῖοι παρὰ νηυσὶ Φιλοκτήταο ἄνακτος.	725

beside their ships to bethink them of king Philoctetes.


οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδ' οἳ ἄναρχοι ἔσαν, πόθεόν γε μὲν ἀρχόν·	726

Howbeit neither were these men leaderless, though they longed for their leader;


ἀλλὰ Μέδων κόσμησεν Ὀϊλῆος νόθος υἱός,	727

but Medon marshalled them, the bastard son of Oïleus,


τόν ῥ' ἔτεκεν Ῥήνη ὑπ' Ὀϊλῆι πτολιπόρθῳ.	728

whom Rhene bare to Oïleus, sacker of cities.


οἳ δ' εἶχον Τρίκκην καὶ Ἰθώμην κλωμακόεσσαν,	729

And they that held Tricca and Ithome of the crags,


οἵ τ' ἔχον Οἰχαλίην πόλιν Εὐρύτου Οἰχαλιῆος,	730

and Oechalia, city of Oechalian Eurytus,


τῶν αὖθ' ἡγείσθην Ἀσκληπιοῦ δύο παῖδε	731

these again were led by the two sons of Asclepius,


ἰητῆρ' ἀγαθὼ Ποδαλείριος ἠδὲ Μαχάων·	732

the skilled leeches Podaleirius and Machaon.


τοῖς δὲ τριήκοντα γλαφυραὶ νέες ἐστιχόωντο.	733

And with these were ranged thirty hollow ships.


οἳ δ' ἔχον Ὀρμένιον, οἵ τε κρήνην Ὑπέρειαν,	734

And they that held Ormenius and the fountain Hypereia,


οἵ τ' ἔχον Ἀστέριον Τιτάνοιό τε λευκὰ κάρηνα,	735

and that held Asterium and the white crests of Titanus,


τῶν ἦρχ' Εὐρύπυλος Εὐαίμονος ἀγλαὸς υἱός·	736

these were led by Eurypylus, the glorious son of Euaemon.


τῷ δ' ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.	737

And with him there followed forty black ships.


οἳ δ' Ἄργισσαν ἔχον καὶ Γυρτώνην ἐνέμοντο,	738

And they that held Argissa, and dwelt in Gyrtone,


Ὄρθην Ἠλώνην τε πόλιν τ' Ὀλοοσσόνα λευκήν,	739

Orthe, and Elone, and the white city of Oloösson,


τῶν αὖθ' ἡγεμόνευε μενεπτόλεμος Πολυποίτης	740

these again had as leader Polypoetes, staunch in fight,


υἱὸς Πειριθόοιο τὸν ἀθάνατος τέκετο Ζεύς·	741

son of Peirithous, whom immortal Zeus begat —


τόν ῥ' ὑπὸ Πειριθόῳ τέκετο κλυτὸς Ἱπποδάμεια	742

even him whom glorious Hippodameia conceived to Peirithous


ἤματι τῷ ὅτε Φῆρας ἐτίσατο λαχνήεντας,	743

on the day when he got him vengeance on the shaggy centaurs,


τοὺς δ' ἐκ Πηλίου ὦσε καὶ Αἰθίκεσσι πέλασσεν·	744

and thrust them forth from Pelium, and drave them to the Aethices.


οὐκ οἶος, ἅμα τῷ γε Λεοντεὺς ὄζος Ἄρηος	745

Not alone was he, but with him was Leonteus, scion of Ares,


υἱὸς ὑπερθύμοιο Κορώνου Καινεΐδαο·	746

the son of Caenus' son, Coronus, high of heart.


τοῖς δ' ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.	747

And with them there followed forty black ships.


Γουνεὺς δ' ἐκ Κύφου ἦγε δύω καὶ εἴκοσι νῆας·	748

And Gouneus led from Cyphus two and twenty ships,


τῷ δ' Ἐνιῆνες ἕποντο μενεπτόλεμοί τε Περαιβοὶ	749

and with him followed the Enienes and the Peraebi,


οἳ περὶ Δωδώνην δυσχείμερον οἰκί' ἔθεντο,	750

staunch in fight, that had set their dwellings about wintry Dodona,


οἵ τ' ἀμφ' ἱμερτὸν Τιταρησσὸν ἔργα νέμοντο	751

and dwelt in the ploughland about lovely Titaressus,


ὅς ῥ' ἐς Πηνειὸν προΐει καλλίρροον ὕδωρ,	752

that poureth his fair-flowing streams into Peneius;


οὐδ' ὅ γε Πηνειῷ συμμίσγεται ἀργυροδίνῃ,	753

yet doth he not mingle with the silver eddies of Peneius,


ἀλλά τέ μιν καθύπερθεν ἐπιρρέει ἠΰτ' ἔλαιον·	754

but floweth on over his waters like unto olive oil;


ὅρκου γὰρ δεινοῦ Στυγὸς ὕδατός ἐστιν ἀπορρώξ.	755

for that he is a branch of the water of Styx, the dread river of oath.


Μαγνήτων δ' ἦρχε Πρόθοος Τενθρηδόνος υἱός,	756

And the Magnetes had as captain Prothous, son of Tenthredon.


οἳ περὶ Πηνειὸν καὶ Πήλιον εἰνοσίφυλλον	757

These were they that dwelt about Peneius and Pelion, covered with waving forests.


ναίεσκον· τῶν μὲν Πρόθοος θοὸς ἡγεμόνευε,	758

Of these was swift Prothous captain;


τῷ δ' ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.	759

and with him there followed forty black ships.


οὗτοι ἄρ' ἡγεμόνες Δαναῶν καὶ κοίρανοι ἦσαν·	760

These were the leaders of the Danaans and their lords.


τίς τὰρ τῶν ὄχ' ἄριστος ἔην σύ μοι ἔννεπε Μοῦσα	761

But who was far the best among them do thou tell me, Muse —


αὐτῶν ἠδ' ἵππων, οἳ ἅμ' Ἀτρεΐδῃσιν ἕποντο.	762

best of the warriors and of the horses that followed with the sons of Atreus.


ἵπποι μὲν μέγ' ἄρισται ἔσαν Φηρητιάδαο,	763

Of horses best by far were the mares of the son of Pheres,


τὰς Εὔμηλος ἔλαυνε ποδώκεας ὄρνιθας ὣς	764

those that Eumelas drave, swift as birds,


ὄτριχας οἰέτεας σταφύλῇ ἐπὶ νῶτον ἐΐσας·	765

like of coat, like of age, their backs as even as a levelling line could make.


τὰς ἐν Πηρείῃ θρέψ' ἀργυρότοξος Ἀπόλλων	766

These had Apollo of the silver bow reared in Pereia,


ἄμφω θηλείας, φόβον Ἄρηος φορεούσας.	767

both of them mares, bearing with them the panic of war.


ἀνδρῶν αὖ μέγ' ἄριστος ἔην Τελαμώνιος Αἴας	768

And of warriors far best was Telamonian Aias,


ὄφρ' Ἀχιλεὺς μήνιεν· ὃ γὰρ πολὺ φέρτατος ἦεν,	769

while yet Achilles cherished his wrath; for Achilles was far the mightiest,


ἵπποι θ' οἳ φορέεσκον ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα.	770

he and the horses that bare the peerless son of Peleus.


ἀλλ' ὃ μὲν ἐν νήεσσι κορωνίσι ποντοπόροισι	771

Howbeit he abode amid his beaked, seafaring ships


κεῖτ' ἀπομηνίσας Ἀγαμέμνονι ποιμένι λαῶν	772

in utter wrath against Agamemnon, Atreus' son, shepherd of the host;


Ἀτρεΐδῃ· λαοὶ δὲ παρὰ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης	773

and his people along the sea-shore


δίσκοισιν τέρποντο καὶ αἰγανέῃσιν ἱέντες	774

took their joy in casting the discus and the javelin,


τόξοισίν θ'· ἵπποι δὲ παρ' ἅρμασιν οἷσιν ἕκαστος	775

and in archery; and their horses each beside his own car,


λωτὸν ἐρεπτόμενοι ἐλεόθρεπτόν τε σέλινον	776

eating lotus and parsley of the marsh,


ἕστασαν· ἅρματα δ' εὖ πεπυκασμένα κεῖτο ἀνάκτων	777

stood idle, while the chariots were set, well covered up,


ἐν κλισίῃς· οἳ δ' ἀρχὸν ἀρηΐφιλον ποθέοντες	778

in the huts of their masters. But the men, longing for their captain, dear to Ares,


φοίτων ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα κατὰ στρατὸν οὐδὲ μάχοντο.	779

roamed hither and thither through the camp, and fought not.


οἳ δ' ἄρ' ἴσαν ὡς εἴ τε πυρὶ χθὼν πᾶσα νέμοιτο·	780

So marched they then as though all the land


γαῖα δ' ὑπεστενάχιζε Διὶ ὣς τερπικεραύνῳ	781

were swept with fire; and the earth groaned beneath them, as beneath Zeus


χωομένῳ ὅτε τ' ἀμφὶ Τυφωέϊ γαῖαν ἱμάσσῃ	782

that hurleth the thunderbolt in his wrath, when he scourgeth the land about Typhoeus


εἰν Ἀρίμοις, ὅθι φασὶ Τυφωέος ἔμμεναι εὐνάς·	783

in the country of the Arimi, where men say is the couch of Typhoeus.


ὣς ἄρα τῶν ὑπὸ ποσσὶ μέγα στεναχίζετο γαῖα	784

Even so the earth groaned greatly beneath their tread


ἐρχομένων· μάλα δ' ὦκα διέπρησσον πεδίοιο.	785

as they went; and full swiftly did they speed across the plain.


Τρωσὶν δ' ἄγγελος ἦλθε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις	786

And to the Trojans went, as a messenger from Zeus that beareth the aegis,


πὰρ Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο σὺν ἀγγελίῃ ἀλεγεινῇ·	787

wind-footed, swift Iris with a grievous message.


οἳ δ' ἀγορὰς ἀγόρευον ἐπὶ Πριάμοιο θύρῃσι	788

These were holding assembly at Priam's gate,


πάντες ὁμηγερέες ἠμὲν νέοι ἠδὲ γέροντες·	789

all gathered in one body, the young men alike and the elders.


ἀγχοῦ δ' ἱσταμένη προσέφη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις·	790

And swift-footed Iris stood near and spake to them;


εἴσατο δὲ φθογγὴν υἷϊ Πριάμοιο Πολίτῃ,	791

and she made her voice like to that of Polites, son of Priam,


ὃς Τρώων σκοπὸς ἷζε ποδωκείῃσι πεποιθὼς	792

who was wont to sit as a sentinel of the Trojans, trusting in his fleetness of foot,


τύμβῳ ἐπ' ἀκροτάτῳ Αἰσυήταο γέροντος,	793

on the topmost part of the barrow of aged Aesyetes,


δέγμενος ὁππότε ναῦφιν ἀφορμηθεῖεν Ἀχαιοί·	794

awaiting until the Achaeans should sally forth from their ships.


τῷ μιν ἐεισαμένη προσέφη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις·	795

Likening herself to him swifted-footed Iris spake to Priam, saying:


ὦ γέρον αἰεί τοι μῦθοι φίλοι ἄκριτοί εἰσιν,	796

"Old sir, ever are endless words dear to thee,


ὥς ποτ' ἐπ' εἰρήνης· πόλεμος δ' ἀλίαστος ὄρωρεν.	797

now even as of yore in time of peace; but war unabating is afoot.


ἤδη μὲν μάλα πολλὰ μάχας εἰσήλυθον ἀνδρῶν,	798

Verily full often have I entered ere now into battles of warriors,


ἀλλ' οὔ πω τοιόνδε τοσόνδέ τε λαὸν ὄπωπα·	799

but never yet have I seen a host so goodly and so great;


λίην γὰρ φύλλοισιν ἐοικότες ἢ ψαμάθοισιν	800

for most like to the leaves or the sands are they,


ἔρχονται πεδίοιο μαχησόμενοι προτὶ ἄστυ.	801

as they march over the plain to fight against the city.


Ἕκτορ σοὶ δὲ μάλιστ' ἐπιτέλλομαι, ὧδε δὲ ῥέξαι·	802

Hector, to thee beyond all others do I give command, and do thou even according to my word.


πολλοὶ γὰρ κατὰ ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμου ἐπίκουροι,	803

Inasmuch as there are allies full many throughout the great city of Priam,


ἄλλη δ' ἄλλων γλῶσσα πολυσπερέων ἀνθρώπων·	804

and tongue differs from tongue among men that are scattered abroad;


τοῖσιν ἕκαστος ἀνὴρ σημαινέτω οἷσί περ ἄρχει,	805

let each one therefore give the word to those whose captain he is,


τῶν δ' ἐξηγείσθω κοσμησάμενος πολιήτας.	806

and these let him lead forth, when he has marshalled the men of his own city."


ὣς ἔφαθ', Ἕκτωρ δ' οὔ τι θεᾶς ἔπος ἠγνοίησεν,	807

So spake she, and Hector in no wise failed to know the voice of the goddess,


αἶψα δ' ἔλυσ' ἀγορήν· ἐπὶ τεύχεα δ' ἐσσεύοντο·	808

but forthwith brake up the gathering; and they rushed to arms.


πᾶσαι δ' ὠΐγνυντο πύλαι, ἐκ δ' ἔσσυτο λαὸς	809

The gates one and all were opened wide, and forth the folk hasted,


πεζοί θ' ἱππῆές τε· πολὺς δ' ὀρυμαγδὸς ὀρώρει.	810

both footmen and charioteers; and a great din arose.


ἔστι δέ τις προπάροιθε πόλιος αἰπεῖα κολώνη	811

Now there is before the city a steep mound afar


ἐν πεδίῳ ἀπάνευθε περίδρομος ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα,	812

out in the plain, with a clear space about it on this side and on that;


τὴν ἤτοι ἄνδρες Βατίειαν κικλήσκουσιν,	813

this do men verily call Batieia,


ἀθάνατοι δέ τε σῆμα πολυσκάρθμοιο Μυρίνης·	814

but the immortals call it the barrow of Myrine, light of step.


ἔνθα τότε Τρῶές τε διέκριθεν ἠδ' ἐπίκουροι.	815

There on this day did the Trojans and their allies separate their companies.


Τρωσὶ μὲν ἡγεμόνευε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ	816

The Trojans were led by great Hector of the flashing helm,


Πριαμίδης· ἅμα τῷ γε πολὺ πλεῖστοι καὶ ἄριστοι	817

the son of Priam, and with him were marshalled the greatest hosts


λαοὶ θωρήσσοντο μεμαότες ἐγχείῃσι.	818

by far and the goodliest, raging with the spear.


Δαρδανίων αὖτ' ἦρχεν ἐῢς πάϊς Ἀγχίσαο	819

Of the Dardanians again the valiant son of Anchises was captain,


Αἰνείας, τὸν ὑπ' Ἀγχίσῃ τέκε δῖ' Ἀφροδίτη	820

even Aeneas, whom fair Aphrodite conceived to Anchises


Ἴδης ἐν κνημοῖσι θεὰ βροτῷ εὐνηθεῖσα,	821

amid the spurs of Ida, a goddess couched with a mortal man.


οὐκ οἶος, ἅμα τῷ γε δύω Ἀντήνορος υἷε	822

Not alone was he; with him were Antenor's two sons,


Ἀρχέλοχός τ' Ἀκάμας τε μάχης εὖ εἰδότε πάσης.	823

Archelochus and Acamas, well skilled in all manner of fighting.


οἳ δὲ Ζέλειαν ἔναιον ὑπαὶ πόδα νείατον Ἴδης	824

And they that dwelt in Zeleia beneath the nethermost foot of Ida,


ἀφνειοὶ πίνοντες ὕδωρ μέλαν Αἰσήποιο	825

men of wealth, that drink the dark water of Aesepus,


Τρῶες, τῶν αὖτ' ἦρχε Λυκάονος ἀγλαὸς υἱὸς	826

even the Troes, these again were led by the glorious son of Lycaon,


Πάνδαρος, ᾧ καὶ τόξον Ἀπόλλων αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν.	827

Pandarus, to whom Apollo himself gave the bow.


οἳ δ' Ἀδρήστειάν τ' εἶχον καὶ δῆμον Ἀπαισοῦ	828

And they that held Adrasteia and the land of Apaesus,


καὶ Πιτύειαν ἔχον καὶ Τηρείης ὄρος αἰπύ,	829

and that held Pityeia and the steep mount of Tereia,


τῶν ἦρχ' Ἄδρηστός τε καὶ Ἄμφιος λινοθώρηξ	830

these were led by Adrastus and Araphius, with corslet of linen,


υἷε δύω Μέροπος Περκωσίου, ὃς περὶ πάντων	831

sons twain of Merops of Percote, that was above all men skilled


ᾔδεε μαντοσύνας, οὐδὲ οὓς παῖδας ἔασκε	832

in prophesying, and would not suffer his sons to go


στείχειν ἐς πόλεμον φθισήνορα· τὼ δέ οἱ οὔ τι	833

into war, the bane of men. But the twain would in no wise hearken,


πειθέσθην· κῆρες γὰρ ἄγον μέλανος θανάτοιο.	834

for the fates of black death were leading them on.


οἳ δ' ἄρα Περκώτην καὶ Πράκτιον ἀμφενέμοντο	835

And they that dwelt about Percote and Practius, and that held Sestus


καὶ Σηστὸν καὶ Ἄβυδον ἔχον καὶ δῖαν Ἀρίσβην,	836

and Abydus and goodly Arisbe,


τῶν αὖθ' Ὑρτακίδης ἦρχ' Ἄσιος ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν,	837

these again were led by Hyrtacus' son Asius, a leader of men —


Ἄσιος Ὑρτακίδης ὃν Ἀρίσβηθεν φέρον ἵπποι	838

Asius, son of Hyrtacus, whom his horses tawny and tall


αἴθωνες μεγάλοι ποταμοῦ ἄπο Σελλήεντος.	839

had borne from Arisbe, from the river Selleïs.


Ἱππόθοος δ' ἄγε φῦλα Πελασγῶν ἐγχεσιμώρων	840

And Hippothous led the tribes of the Pelasgi, that rage with the spear,


τῶν οἳ Λάρισαν ἐριβώλακα ναιετάασκον·	841

even them that dwelt in deep-soiled Larisa;


τῶν ἦρχ' Ἱππόθοός τε Πύλαιός τ' ὄζος Ἄρηος,	842

these were led by Hippothous and Pylaeus, scion of Ares,


υἷε δύω Λήθοιο Πελασγοῦ Τευταμίδαο.	843

sons twain of Pelasgian Lethus, son of Teutamus.


αὐτὰρ Θρήϊκας ἦγ' Ἀκάμας καὶ Πείροος ἥρως	844

But the Thracians Acamas led and Peirous, the warrior,


ὅσσους Ἑλλήσποντος ἀγάρροος ἐντὸς ἐέργει.	845

even all them that the strong stream of the Hellespont encloseth.


Εὔφημος δ' ἀρχὸς Κικόνων ἦν αἰχμητάων	846

And Euphemus was captain of the Ciconian spearmen,


υἱὸς Τροιζήνοιο διοτρεφέος Κεάδαο.	847

the son of Ceas' son Troezenus, nurtured of Zeus.


αὐτὰρ Πυραίχμης ἄγε Παίονας ἀγκυλοτόξους	848

But Pyraechmes led the Paeonians, with curved bows,


τηλόθεν ἐξ Ἀμυδῶνος ἀπ' Ἀξιοῦ εὐρὺ ῥέοντος,	849

from afar, out of Amydon from the wide-flowing Axius —


Ἀξιοῦ οὗ κάλλιστον ὕδωρ ἐπικίδναται αἶαν.	850

Axius the water whereof floweth the fairest over the face of the earth.


Παφλαγόνων δ' ἡγεῖτο Πυλαιμένεος λάσιον κῆρ	851

And the Paphlagonians did Pylaemenes of the shaggy heart


ἐξ Ἐνετῶν, ὅθεν ἡμιόνων γένος ἀγροτεράων,	852

lead from the land of the Eneti, whence is the race of wild she-mules.


οἵ ῥα Κύτωρον ἔχον καὶ Σήσαμον ἀμφενέμοντο	853

These were they that held Cytorus and dwelt about Sesamon,


ἀμφί τε Παρθένιον ποταμὸν κλυτὰ δώματ' ἔναιον	854

and had their famed dwellings around the river Parthenius


Κρῶμνάν τ' Αἰγιαλόν τε καὶ ὑψηλοὺς Ἐρυθίνους.	855

and Cromna and Aegialus and lofty Erythini.


αὐτὰρ Ἁλιζώνων Ὀδίος καὶ Ἐπίστροφος ἦρχον	856

But of the Halizones Odius and Epistrophus were captains


τηλόθεν ἐξ Ἀλύβης, ὅθεν ἀργύρου ἐστὶ γενέθλη.	857

from afar, from Alybe, where is the birth-place of silver.


Μυσῶν δὲ Χρόμις ἦρχε καὶ Ἔννομος οἰωνιστής·	858

And of the Mysians the captains were Chromis and Ennomus the augur;


ἀλλ' οὐκ οἰωνοῖσιν ἐρύσατο κῆρα μέλαιναν,	859

howbeit with his auguries he warded not off black fate,


ἀλλ' ἐδάμη ὑπὸ χερσὶ ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο	860

but was slain beneath the hands of the son of Aeacus, swift of foot,


ἐν ποταμῷ, ὅθι περ Τρῶας κεράϊζε καὶ ἄλλους.	861

in the river, where Achilles was making havoc of the Trojans and the others as well.


Φόρκυς αὖ Φρύγας ἦγε καὶ Ἀσκάνιος θεοειδὴς	862

And Phorcys and godlike Ascanius led the Phrygians


τῆλ' ἐξ Ἀσκανίης· μέμασαν δ' ὑσμῖνι μάχεσθαι.	863

from afar, from Ascania, and were eager to fight in the press of battle.


Μῄοσιν αὖ Μέσθλης τε καὶ Ἄντιφος ἡγησάσθην	864

And the Maeonians had captains twain, Mesthles and Antiphus, the two sons


υἷε Ταλαιμένεος τὼ Γυγαίη τέκε λίμνη,	865

of Talaemenes, whose mother was the nymph of the Gygaean lake;


οἳ καὶ Μῄονας ἦγον ὑπὸ Τμώλῳ γεγαῶτας.	866

and they led the Maeonians, whose birth was beneath Tmolas.


Νάστης αὖ Καρῶν ἡγήσατο βαρβαροφώνων,	867

And Nastes again led the Carians, uncouth of speech,


οἳ Μίλητον ἔχον Φθιρῶν τ' ὄρος ἀκριτόφυλλον	868

who held Miletus and the mountain of Phthires, dense with its leafage,


Μαιάνδρου τε ῥοὰς Μυκάλης τ' αἰπεινὰ κάρηνα·	869

and the streams of Maeander, and the steep crests of Mycale.


τῶν μὲν ἄρ' Ἀμφίμαχος καὶ Νάστης ἡγησάσθην,	870

These were led by captains twain, Amphimachus and Nastes —


Νάστης Ἀμφίμαχός τε Νομίονος ἀγλαὰ τέκνα,	871

Nastes and Amphimachus, the glorious children of Nomion.


ὃς καὶ χρυσὸν ἔχων πόλεμον δ' ἴεν ἠΰτε κούρη	872

And he came to the war all decked with gold, like a girl,


νήπιος, οὐδέ τί οἱ τό γ' ἐπήρκεσε λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον,	873

fool that he was; but his gold in no wise availed to ward off woeful destruction;


ἀλλ' ἐδάμη ὑπὸ χερσὶ ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο	874

nay, he was slain in the river beneath the hands of the son of Aeacus, swift of foot;


ἐν ποταμῷ, χρυσὸν δ' Ἀχιλεὺς ἐκόμισσε δαΐφρων.	875

and Achilles, wise of heart, bare off the gold.


Σαρπηδὼν δ' ἦρχεν Λυκίων καὶ Γλαῦκος ἀμύμων	876

And Sarpedon and peerless Glaucus were captains of the Lycians


τηλόθεν ἐκ Λυκίης, Ξάνθου ἄπο δινήεντος.	877

from afar out of Lycia, from the eddying Xanthus.

The ILIAD

Book II