Complete Works of Homer

by Homer

His shoulder pierced; unhorsed he fell and died.

  Such slaughter of the Grecians in fierce fight

  Minerva noting, from the Olympian hills

  Flew down to sacred Ilium; whose approach

  Marking from Pergamus, Apollo flew

  To meet her, ardent on the part of Troy.

  Beneath the beech they join'd, when first the King,

  The son of Jove, Apollo thus began.

  Daughter of Jove supreme! why hast thou left

  Olympus, and with such impetuous speed?

  Comest thou to give the Danaï success

  Decisive? For I know that pity none

  Thou feel'st for Trojans, perish as they may

  But if advice of mine can influence thee

  To that which shall be best, let us compose

  This day the furious fight which shall again

  Hereafter rage, till Ilium be destroy'd.

  Since such is Juno's pleasure and thy own.

  Him answer'd then Pallas cærulean-eyed.

  Celestial archer! be it so. I came

  Myself so purposing into the field

  From the Olympian heights. But by what means

  Wilt thou induce the warriors to a pause?

  To whom the King, the son of Jove, replied.

  The courage of equestrian Hector bold

  Let us excite, that he may challenge forth

  To single conflict terrible some chief

  Achaian. The Achaians brazen-mail'd

  Indignant, will supply a champion soon

  To combat with the noble Chief of Troy.

  So spake Apollo, and his counsel pleased

  Minerva; which when Helenus the seer,

  Priam's own son, in his prophetic soul

  Perceived, approaching Hector, thus he spake.

  Jove's peer in wisdom, Hector, Priam's son!

  I am thy brother. Wilt thou list to me?

  Bid cease the battle. Bid both armies sit.

  Call first, thyself, the mightiest of the Greeks

  To single conflict. I have heard the voice

  Of the Eternal Gods, and well-assured

  Foretell thee that thy death not now impends.

  He spake, whom Hector heard with joy elate.

  Before his van striding into the space

  Both hosts between, he with his spear transverse

  Press'd back the Trojans, and they sat. Down sat

  The well-greaved Grecians also at command

  Of Agamemnon; and in shape assumed

  Of vultures, Pallas and Apollo perch'd

  High on the lofty beech sacred to Jove

  The father Ægis-arm'd; delighted thence

  They view'd the peopled plain horrent around

  With shields and helms and glittering spears erect.

  As when fresh-blowing Zephyrus the flood

  Sweeps first, the ocean blackens at the blast,

  Such seem'd the plain whereon the Achaians sat

  And Trojans, whom between thus Hector spake.

  Ye Trojans and Achaians brazen-greaved,

  Attend while I shall speak! Jove high-enthroned

  Hath not fulfill'd the truce, but evil plans

  Against both hosts, till either ye shall take

  Troy's lofty towers, or shall yourselves in flight

  Fall vanquish'd at your billow-cleaving barks.

  With you is all the flower of Greece. Let him

  Whose heart shall move him to encounter sole

  Illustrious Hector, from among you all

  Stand forth, and Jove be witness to us both.

  If he, with his long-pointed lance, of life

  Shall me bereave, my armor is his prize,

  Which he shall hence into your fleet convey;

  Not so my body; that he shall resign

  For burial to the men and wives of Troy.

  But if Apollo make the glory mine,

  And he fall vanquish'd, him will I despoil,

  And hence conveying into sacred Troy

  His arms, will in the temple hang them high

  Of the bow-bender God, but I will send

  His body to the fleet, that him the Greeks

  May grace with rights funereal. On the banks

  Of wide-spread Hellespont ye shall upraise

  His tomb, and as they cleave with oary barks

  The sable deep, posterity shall say —

  "It is a warrior's tomb; in ancient days

  The Hero died; him warlike Hector slew."

  So men shall speak hereafter, and my fame

  Who slew him, and my praise, shall never die.

  He ceased, and all sat mute. His challenge bold

  None dared accept, which yet they blush'd to shun,

  Till Menelaus, at the last, arose

  Groaning profound, and thus reproach'd the Greeks.

  Ah boasters! henceforth women — men no more —

  Eternal shame, shame infinite is ours,

  If none of all the Grecians dares contend

  With Hector. Dastards — deaf to glory's call —

  Rot where ye sit! I will myself take arms

  Against him, for the gods alone dispose,

  At their own pleasure, the events of war.

  He ended, and put on his radiant arms.

  Then, Menelaus, manifest appear'd

  Thy death approaching by the dreadful hands

  Of Hector, mightier far in arms than thou,

  But that the Chiefs of the Achaians all

  Upstarting stay'd thee, and himself the King,

  The son of Atreus, on thy better hand

  Seizing affectionate, thee thus address'd.

  Thou ravest, my royal brother! and art seized

  With needless frenzy. But, however chafed,

  Restrain thy wrath, nor covet to contend

  With Priameian Hector, whom in fight

  All dread, a warrior thy superior far.

  Not even Achilles, in the glorious field

  (Though stronger far than thou) this hero meets

  Undaunted. Go then, and thy seat resume

  In thy own band; the Achaians shall for him,

  Doubtless, some fitter champion furnish forth.

  Brave though he be, and with the toils of war

  Insatiable, he shall be willing yet,

  Seated on his bent knees, to breathe a while,

  Should he escape the arduous brunt severe.

  So saying, the hero by his counsel wise

  His brother's purpose alter'd; he complied,

  And his glad servants eased him of his arms.

  Then Nestor thus the Argive host bespake.

  Great wo, ye Gods! hath on Achaia fallen.

  Now may the warlike Pelaus, hoary Chief,

  Who both with eloquence and wisdom rules

  The Myrmidons, our foul disgrace deplore.

  With him discoursing, erst, of ancient times,

  When all your pedigrees I traced, I made

  His heart bound in him at the proud report.

  But now, when he shall learn how here we sat

  Cowering at the foot of Hector, he shall oft

  His hands uplift to the immortal Gods,

  Praying a swift release into the shades.

  Jove! Pallas! Phœbus! Oh that I were young

  As when the Pylians in fierce fight engaged

  The Arcadians spear-expert, beside the stream

  Of rapid Celadon! Beneath the walls

  We fought of Pheia, where the Jardan rolls.

  There Ereuthalion, Chief of godlike form,

  Stood forth before his van, and with loud voice

  Defied the Pylians. Arm'd he was in steel

  By royal Areïthous whilom worn;

  Brave Areïthous, Corynetes named

  By every tongue; for that in bow and spear

  Nought trusted he, but with an iron mace

  The close-embattled phalanx shatter'd wide.

  Him by address, not by sup
erior force,

  Lycurgus vanquish'd, in a narrow pass,

  Where him his iron whirl-bat nought avail'd.

  Lycurgus stealing on him, with his lance

  Transpierced and fix'd him to the soil supine.

  Him of his arms, bright gift of brazen Mars,

  He stripp'd, which after, in the embattled field

  Lycurgus wore himself, but, growing old,

  Surrender'd them to Ereuthalion's use

  His armor-bearer, high in his esteem,

  And Ereuthalion wore them on the day

  When he defied our best. All hung their heads

  And trembled; none dared meet him; till at last

  With inborn courage warm'd, and nought dismayed,

  Though youngest of them all, I undertook

  That contest, and, by Pallas' aid, prevail'd.

  I slew the man in height and bulk all men

  Surpassing, and much soil he cover'd slain.

  Oh for the vigor of those better days!

  Then should not Hector want a champion long,

  Whose call to combat, ye, although the prime

  And pride of all our land, seem slow to hear.

  He spake reproachful, when at once arose

  Nine heroes. Agamemnon, King of men,

  Foremost arose; then Tydeus' mighty son,

  With either Ajax in fierce prowess clad;

  The Cretan next, Idomeneus, with whom

  Uprose Meriones his friend approved,

  Terrible as the man-destroyer Mars.

  Evæmon's noble offspring next appear'd

  Eurypylus; Andræmon's son the next

  Thoas; and last, Ulysses, glorious Chief.

  All these stood ready to engage in arms

  With warlike Hector, when the ancient King,

  Gerenian Nestor, thus his speech resumed.

  Now cast the lot for all. Who wins the chance

  Shall yield Achaia service, and himself

  Serve also, if successful he escape

  This brunt of hostile hardiment severe.

  So Nestor. They, inscribing each his lot,

  Into the helmet cast it of the son

  Of Atreus, Agamemnon. Then the host

  Pray'd all, their hands uplifting, and with eyes

  To the wide heavens directed, many said —

  Eternal sire! choose Ajax, or the son

  Of Tydeus, or the King himself who sways

  The sceptre in Mycenæ wealth-renown'd!

  Such prayer the people made; then Nestor shook

  The helmet, and forth leaped, whose most they wished,

  The lot of Ajax. Throughout all the host

  To every chief and potentate of Greece,

  From right to left the herald bore the lot

  By all disown'd; but when at length he reach'd

  The inscriber of the lot, who cast it in,

  Illustrious Ajax, in his open palm

  The herald placed it, standing at his side.

  He, conscious, with heroic joy the lot

  Cast at his foot, and thus exclaim'd aloud.

  My friends! the lot is mine, and my own heart

  Rejoices also; for I nothing doubt

  That noble Hector shall be foil'd by me.

  But while I put mine armor on, pray all

  In silence to the King Saturnian Jove,

  Lest, while ye pray, the Trojans overhear.

  Or pray aloud, for whom have we to dread?

  No man shall my firm standing by his strength

  Unsettle, or for ignorance of mine

  Me vanquish, who, I hope, brought forth and train'd

  In Salamis, have, now, not much to learn.

  He ended. They with heaven-directed eyes

  The King in prayer address'd, Saturnian Jove.

  Jove! glorious father! who from Ida's height

  Controlest all below, let Ajax prove

  Victorious; make the honor all his own!

  Or, if not less than Ajax, Hector share

  Thy love and thy regard, divide the prize

  Of glory, and let each achieve renown!

  Then Ajax put his radiant armor on,

  And, arm'd complete, rush'd forward. As huge Mars

  To battle moves the sons of men between

  Whom Jove with heart-devouring thirst inspires

  Of war, so moved huge Ajax to the fight,

  Tower of the Greeks, dilating with a smile

  His martial features terrible; on feet,

  Firm-planted, to the combat he advanced

  Stride after stride, and shook his quivering spear.

  Him viewing, Argos' universal host

  Exulted, while a panic loosed the knees

  Of every Trojan; even Hector's heart

  Beat double, but escape for him remain'd

  None now, or to retreat into his ranks

  Again, from whom himself had challenged forth.

  Ajax advancing like a tower his shield

  Sevenfold, approach'd. It was the labor'd work

  Of Tychius, armorer of matchless skill,

  Who dwelt in Hyla; coated with the hides

  Of seven high-pamper'd bulls that shield he framed

  For Ajax, and the disk plated with brass.

  Advancing it before his breast, the son

  Of Telamon approach'd the Trojan Chief,

  And face to face, him threatening, thus began.

  Now, Hector, prove, by me alone opposed,

  What Chiefs the Danaï can furnish forth

  In absence of the lion-hearted prince

  Achilles, breaker of the ranks of war.

  He, in his billow-cleaving barks incensed

  Against our leader Agamemnon, lies;

  But warriors of my measure, who may serve

  To cope with thee, we want not; numerous such

  Are found amongst us. But begin the fight.

  To whom majestic Hector fierce in arms.

  Ajax! heroic leader of the Greeks!

  Offspring of Telamon! essay not me

  With words to terrify, as I were boy.

  Or girl unskill'd in war; I am a man

  Well exercised in battle, who have shed

  The blood of many a warrior, and have learn'd,

  From hand to hand shifting my shield, to fight

  Unwearied; I can make a sport of war,

  In standing fight adjusting all my steps

  To martial measures sweet, or vaulting light

  Into my chariot, thence can urge the foe.

  Yet in contention with a Chief like thee

  I will employ no stratagem, or seek

  To smite thee privily, but with a stroke

  (If I may reach thee) visible to all.

  So saying, he shook, then hurl'd his massy spear

  At Ajax, and his broad shield sevenfold

  On its eighth surface of resplendent brass

  Smote full; six hides the unblunted weapon pierced,

  But in the seventh stood rooted. Ajax, next,

  Heroic Chief, hurl'd his long shadow'd spear

  And struck the oval shield of Priam's son.

  Through his bright disk the weapon tempest-driven

  Glided, and in his hauberk-rings infixt

  At his soft flank, ripp'd wide his vest within.

  Inclined oblique he 'scaped the dreadful doom

  Then each from other's shield his massy spear

  Recovering quick, like lions hunger-pinch'd

  Or wild boars irresistible in force,

  They fell to close encounter. Priam's son

  The shield of Ajax at its centre smote,

  But fail'd to pierce it, for he bent his point.

  Sprang Ajax then, and meeting full the targe

  Of Hector, shock'd him; through it and beyond

  He urged the weapon with its sliding edge

  Athwart his neck, and blood was seen to start.

  But still, for no such cause, from battle ceased
/>
  Crest-tossing Hector, but retiring, seized

  A huge stone angled sharp and black with age

  That on the champain lay. The bull-hide guard

  Sevenfold of Ajax with that stone he smote

  Full on its centre; sang the circling brass.

  Then Ajax far a heavier stone upheaved;

  He whirled it, and with might immeasurable

  Dismiss'd the mass, which with a mill-stone weight

  Sank through the shield of Hector, and his knees

  Disabled; with his shield supine he fell,

  But by Apollo raised, stood soon again.

  And now, with swords they had each other hewn,

  Had not the messengers of Gods and men

  The heralds wise, Idæus on the part

  Of Ilium, and Talthybius for the Greeks,

  Advancing interposed. His sceptre each

  Between them held, and thus Idæus spake.

  My children, cease! prolong not still the fight.

  Ye both are dear to cloud-assembler Jove,

  Both valiant, and all know it. But the Night

  Hath fallen, and Night's command must be obeyed.

  To him the son of Telamon replied.

  Idæus! bid thy master speak as thou.

  He is the challenger. If such his choice,

  Mine differs not; I wait but to comply.

  Him answer'd then heroic Hector huge.

  Since, Ajax, the immortal powers on thee

  Have bulk pre-eminent and strength bestow'd,

  With such address in battle, that the host

  Of Greece hath not thine equal at the spear,

  Now let the combat cease. We shall not want

  More fair occasion; on some future day

  We will not part till all-disposing heaven

  Shall give thee victory, or shall make her mine.

  But Night hath fallen, and Night must be obey'd,

  That them may'st gratify with thy return

  The Achaians, and especially thy friends

  And thy own countrymen. I go, no less

  To exhilarate in Priam's royal town

  Men and robed matrons, who shall seek the Gods

  For me, with pious ceremonial due.

  But come. We will exchange, or ere we part,

  Some princely gift, that Greece and Troy may say

  Hereafter, with soul-wasting rage they fought,

  But parted with the gentleness of friends.

  So saying, he with his sheath and belt a sword

  Presented bright-emboss'd, and a bright belt

  Purpureal took from Ajax in return.

  Thus separated, one the Grecians sought,

  And one the Trojans; they when him they saw

  From the unconquer'd hands return'd alive

  Of Ajax, with delight their Chief received,

  And to the city led him, double joy

  Conceiving all at his unhoped escape.

  On the other side, the Grecians brazen-mail'd