Complete Works of Homer

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Complete Works of Homer Page 159

by Homer


  Warlike Eudorus led the second band.

  Him Polymela, graceful in the dance,

  And daughter beautiful of Phylas, bore,

  A mother unsuspected of a child.

  Her worshiping the golden-shafted Queen

  Diana, in full choir, with song and dance,

  The valiant Argicide beheld and loved.

  Ascending with her to an upper room,

  All-bounteous Mercury clandestine there

  Embraced her, who a noble son produced

  Eudorus, swift to run, and bold in fight.

  No sooner Ilithya, arbitress

  Of pangs puerperal, had given him birth,

  And he beheld the beaming sun, than her

  Echechleus, Actor's mighty son, enrich'd

  With countless dower, and led her to his home;

  While ancient Phylas, cherishing her boy

  With fond affection, reared him as his own.

  The third brave troop warlike Pisander led,

  Offspring of Maimalus; he far excell'd

  In spear-fight every Myrmidon, the friend

  Of Peleus' dauntless son alone except.

  The hoary Phœnix of equestrian fame

  The fourth band led to battle, and the fifth

  Laërceus' offspring, bold Alcimedon.

  Thus, all his bands beneath their proper Chiefs

  Marshall'd, Achilles gave them strict command —

  Myrmidons! all that vengeance now inflict,

  Which in this fleet ye ceased not to denounce

  Against the Trojans while my wrath endured.

  Me censuring, ye have proclaim'd me oft

  Obdurate. Oh Achilles! ye have said,

  Thee not with milk thy mother but with bile

  Suckled, who hold'st thy people here in camp

  Thus long imprison'd. Unrelenting Chief!

  Even let us hence in our sea-skimming barks

  To Phthia, since thou can'st not be appeased —

  Thus in full council have ye spoken oft.

  Now, therefore, since a day of glorious toil

  At last appears, such as ye have desired,

  There lies the field — go — give your courage proof.

  So them he roused, and they, their leader's voice

  Hearing elate, to closest order drew.

  As when an architect some palace wall

  With shapely stones upbuilds, cementing close

  A barrier against all the winds of heaven,

  So wedged, the helmets and boss'd bucklers stood;

  Shield, helmet, man, press'd helmet, man, and shield,

  And every bright-arm'd warrior's bushy crest

  Its fellow swept, so dense was their array.

  In front of all, two Chiefs their station took,

  Patroclus and Automedon; one mind

  In both prevail'd, to combat in the van

  Of all the Myrmidons. Achilles, then,

  Retiring to his tent, displaced the lid

  Of a capacious chest magnificent

  By silver-footed Thetis stow'd on board

  His bark, and fill'd with tunics, mantles warm,

  And gorgeous arras; there he also kept

  Secure a goblet exquisitely wrought,

  Which never lip touched save his own, and whence

  He offer'd only to the Sire of all.

  That cup producing from the chest, he first

  With sulphur fumed it, then with water rinsed

  Pellucid of the running stream, and, last

  (His hands clean laved) he charged it high with wine.

  And now, advancing to his middle court,

  He pour'd libation, and with eyes to heaven

  Uplifted pray'd, of Jove not unobserved.

  Pelasgian, Dodonæan Jove supreme,

  Dwelling remote, who on Dodona's heights

  Snow-clad reign'st Sovereign, by thy seers around

  Compass'd the Selli, prophets vow-constrain'd

  To unwash'd feet and slumbers on the ground!

  Plain I behold my former prayer perform'd,

  Myself exalted, and the Greeks abased.

  Now also grant me, Jove, this my desire!

  Here, in my fleet, I shall myself abide,

  But lo! with all these Myrmidons I send

  My friend to battle. Thunder-rolling Jove,

  Send glory with him, make his courage firm!

  That even Hector may himself be taught,

  If my companion have a valiant heart

  When he goes forth alone, or only then

  The noble frenzy feels that Mars inspires

  When I rush also to the glorious field.

  But when he shall have driven the battle-shout

  Once from the fleet, grant him with all his arms,

  None lost, himself unhurt, and my whole band

  Of dauntless warriors with him, safe return!

  Such prayer Achilles offer'd, and his suit

  Jove hearing, part confirm'd, and part refused;

  To chase the dreadful battle from the fleet

  He gave him, but vouchsafed him no return.

  Prayer and libation thus perform'd to Jove

  The Sire of all, Achilles to his tent

  Return'd, replaced the goblet in his chest,

  And anxious still that conflict to behold

  Between the hosts, stood forth before his tent.

  Then rush'd the bands by brave Patroclus led,

  Full on the Trojan host. As wasps forsake

  Their home by the way-side, provoked by boys

  Disturbing inconsiderate their abode,

  Not without nuisance sore to all who pass,

  For if, thenceforth, some traveller unaware

  Annoy them, issuing one and all they swarm

  Around him, fearless in their broods' defence,

  So issued from their fleet the Myrmidons

  Undaunted; clamor infinite arose,

  And thus Patroclus loud his host address'd.

  Oh Myrmidons, attendants in the field

  On Peleus' son, now be ye men, my friends!

  Call now to mind the fury of your might;

  That we, close-fighting servants of the Chief

  Most excellent in all the camp of Greece,

  May glory gain for him, and that the wide-

  Commanding Agamemnon, Atreus' son,

  May learn his fault, that he dishonor'd foul

  The prince in whom Achaia glories most.

  So saying he fired their hearts, and on the van

  Of Troy at once they fell; loud shouted all

  The joyful Grecians, and the navy rang.

  Then, soon as Ilium's host the valiant son

  Saw of Menœtius and his charioteer

  In dazzling armor clad, all courage lost,

  Their closest ranks gave way, believing sure

  That, wrath renounced, and terms of friendship chosen,

  Achilles' self was there; thus thinking, each

  Look'd every way for refuge from his fate.

  Patroclus first, where thickest throng he saw

  Gather'd tumultuous around the bark

  Of brave Protesilaüs, hurl'd direct

  At the whole multitude his glittering spear.

  He smote Pyræchmes; he his horsemen band

  Pœonian led from Amydon, and from

  Broad-flowing Axius. In his shoulder stood

  The spear, and with loud groans supine he fell.

  At once fled all his followers, on all sides

  With consternation fill'd, seeing their Chief

  And their best warrior, by Patroclus slain.

  Forth from the fleet he drove them, quench'd the flames,

  And rescued half the ship. Then scatter'd fled

  With infinite uproar the host of Troy,

  While from between their ships the Danaï

  Pour'd after them, and hideous rout ensued.

  As when the king of lightnings, Jove, dispels
>
  From some huge eminence a gloomy cloud,

  The groves, the mountain-tops, the headland heights

  Shine all, illumined from the boundless heaven,

  So when the Danaï those hostile fires

  Had from their fleet expell'd, awhile they breathed,

  Yet found short respite, for the battle yet

  Ceased not, nor fled the Trojans in all parts

  Alike, but still resisted, from the ships

  Retiring through necessity alone.

  Then, in that scatter'd warfare, every Chief

  Slew one. While Areïlochus his back

  Turn'd on Patroclus, sudden with a lance

  His thigh he pierced, and urged the weapon through,

  Shivering the bone; he headlong smote the ground.

  The hero Menelaus, where he saw

  The breast of Thoas by his slanting shield

  Unguarded, struck and stretch'd him at his feet.

  Phylides, meeting with preventive spear

  The furious onset of Amphiclus, gash'd

  His leg below the knee, where brawny most

  The muscles swell in man; disparted wide

  The tendons shrank, and darkness veil'd his eyes.

  The two Nestoridæ slew each a Chief.

  Of these, Antilochus Atymnius pierced

  Right through his flank, and at his feet he fell.

  With fierce resentment fired Maris beheld

  His brother's fall, and guarding, spear in hand,

  The slain, impetuous on the conqueror flew;

  But godlike Thrasymedes wounded first

  Maris, ere he Antilochus; he pierced

  His upper arm, and with the lance's point

  Rent off and stript the muscles to the bone.

  Sounding he fell, and darkness veil'd his eyes.

  They thus, two brothers by two brothers slain,

  Went down to Erebus, associates both

  Of brave Sarpedon, and spear-practised sons

  Of Amisodarus; of him who fed

  Chimæra, monster, by whom many died.

  Ajax the swift on Cleobulus sprang,

  Whom while he toil'd entangled in the crowd,

  He seized alive, but smote him where he stood

  With his huge-hafted sword full on the neck;

  The blood warm'd all his blade, and ruthless fate

  Benighted dark the dying warrior's eyes.

  Peneleus into close contention rush'd

  And Lycon. Each had hurl'd his glittering spear,

  But each in vain, and now with swords they met.

  He smote Peneleus on the crested casque,

  But snapp'd his falchion; him Peneleus smote

  Beneath his ear; the whole blade entering sank

  Into his neck, and Lycon with his head

  Depending by the skin alone, expired.

  Meriones o'ertaking Acamas

  Ere yet he could ascend his chariot, thrust

  A lance into his shoulder; down he fell

  In dreary death's eternal darkness whelm'd.

  Idomeneus his ruthless spear enforced

  Into the mouth of Erymas. The point

  Stay'd not, but gliding close beneath the brain,

  Transpierced his spine, and started forth beyond.

  It wrench'd his teeth, and fill'd his eyes with blood;

  Blood also blowing through his open mouth

  And nostrils, to the realms of death he pass'd.

  Thus slew these Grecian leaders, each, a foe.

  Sudden as hungry wolves the kids purloin

  Or lambs, which haply some unheeding swain

  Hath left to roam at large the mountains wild;

  They, seeing, snatch them from beside the dams,

  And rend incontinent the feeble prey,

  So swift the Danaï the host assail'd

  Of Ilium; they, into tumultuous flight

  Together driven, all hope, all courage lost.

  Huge Ajax ceaseless sought his spear to cast

  At Hector brazen-mail'd, who, not untaught

  The warrior's art, with bull-hide buckler stood

  Sheltering his ample shoulders, while he mark'd

  The hiss of flying shafts and crash of spears.

  Full sure he saw the shifting course of war

  Now turn'd, but scorning flight, bent all his thoughts

  To rescue yet the remnant of his friends.

  As when the Thunderer spreads a sable storm

  O'er ether, late serene, the cloud that wrapp'd

  Olympus' head escapes into the skies,

  So fled the Trojans from the fleet of Greece

  Clamoring in their flight, nor pass'd the trench

  In fair array; the coursers fleet indeed

  Of Hector, him bore safe with all his arms

  Right through, but in the foss entangled foul

  He left his host, and struggling to escape.

  Then many a chariot-whirling steed, the pole

  Broken at its extremity, forsook

  His driver, while Patroclus with the shout

  Of battle calling his Achaians on,

  Destruction purposed to the powers of Troy.

  They, once dispersed, with clamor and with flight

  Fill'd all the ways, the dust beneath the clouds

  Hung like a tempest, and the steeds firm-hoof'd

  Whirl'd off at stretch the chariots to the town.

  He, wheresoe'er most troubled he perceived

  The routed host, loud-threatening thither drove,

  While under his own axle many a Chief

  Fell prone, and the o'ertumbled chariots rang.

  Right o'er the hollow foss the coursers leap'd

  Immortal, by the Gods to Peleus given,

  Impatient for the plain, nor less desire

  Felt he who drove to smite the Trojan Chief,

  But him his fiery steeds caught swift away.

  As when a tempest from autumnal skies

  Floats all the fields, what time Jove heaviest pours

  Impetuous rain, token of wrath divine

  Against perverters of the laws by force,

  Who drive forth justice, reckless of the Gods;

  The rivers and the torrents, where they dwell,

  Sweep many a green declivity away,

  And plunge at length, groaning, into the Deep

  From the hills headlong, leaving where they pass'd

  No traces of the pleasant works of man,

  So, in their flight, loud groan'd the steeds of Troy.

  And now, their foremost intercepted all,

  Patroclus back again toward the fleet

  Drove them precipitate, nor the ascent

  Permitted them to Troy for which they strove,

  But in the midway space between the ships

  The river and the lofty Trojan wall

  Pursued them ardent, slaughtering whom he reached,

  And vengeance took for many a Grecian slain.

  First then, with glittering spear the breast he pierced

  Of Pronöus, undefended by his shield,

  And stretch'd him dead; loud rang his batter'd arms.

  The son of Enops, Thestor next he smote.

  He on his chariot-seat magnificent

  Low-cowering sat, a fear-distracted form,

  And from his palsied grasp the reins had fallen.

  Then came Patroclus nigh, and through his cheek

  His teeth transpiercing, drew him by his lance

  Sheer o'er the chariot front. As when a man

  On some projecting rock seated, with line

  And splendid hook draws forth a sea-fish huge,

  So him wide-gaping from his seat he drew

  At his spear-point, then shook him to the ground

  Prone on his face, where gasping he expired.

  At Eryalus, next, advancing swift

  He hurl'd a rock; full on the middle front

  He smote him, and within the ponde
rous casque

  His whole head open'd into equal halves.

  With deadliest night surrounded, prone he fell.

  Epaltes, Erymas, Amphoterus,

  Echius, Tlepolemus Damastor's son,

  Evippus, Ipheus, Pyres, Polymelus,

  All these he on the champain, corse on corse

  Promiscuous flung. Sarpedon, when he saw

  Such havoc made of his uncinctured friends

  By Menœtiades, with sharp rebuke

  His band of godlike Lycians loud address'd.

  Shame on you, Lycians! whither would ye fly?

  Now are ye swift indeed! I will oppose

  Myself this conqueror, that I may learn

  Who thus afflicts the Trojan host, of life

  Bereaving numerous of their warriors bold.

  He said, and with his arms leap'd to the ground.

  On the other side, Patroclus at that sight

  Sprang from his chariot. As two vultures clash

  Bow-beak'd, crook-talon'd, on some lofty rock

  Clamoring both, so they together rush'd

  With clamors loud; whom when the son observed

  Of wily Saturn, with compassion moved

  His sister and his spouse he thus bespake.

  Alas, he falls! my most beloved of men

  Sarpedon, vanquished by Patroclus, falls!

  So will the Fates. Yet, doubtful, much I muse

  Whether to place him, snatch'd from furious fight

  In Lycia's wealthy realm, or to permit

  His death by valiant Menœtiades.

  To whom his awful spouse, displeased, replied.

  How speaks the terrible Saturnian Jove!

  Wouldst thou again from pangs of death exempt

  A mortal man, destined long since to die?

  Do it. But small thy praise shall be in heaven,

  Mark thou my words, and in thy inmost breast

  Treasure them. If thou send Sarpedon safe

  To his own home, how many Gods their sons

  May also send from battle? Weigh it well.

  For under yon great city fight no few

  Sprung from Immortals whom thou shalt provoke.

  But if thou love him, and thine heart his lot

  Commiserate, leave him by the hands to fall

  Of Menœtiades in conflict dire;

  But give command to Death and gentle Sleep

  That him of life bereft at once they bear

  To Lycia's ample realm, where, with due rites

  Funereal, his next kindred and his friends

  Shall honor him, a pillar and a tomb

  (The dead man's portion) rearing to his name.

  She said, from whom the Sire of Gods and men

  Dissented not, but on the earth distill'd

  A sanguine shower in honor of a son

  Dear to him, whom Patroclus on the field

  Of fruitful Troy should slay, far from his home.

  Opposite now, small interval between,

 

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