Complete Works of Homer

by Homer

  The serried ranks of Troy, nor dar'd await,

  Despite their numbers, his impetuous charge.

  Him when Lycaon's noble son beheld

  Careering o'er the plain, the serried ranks

  Driving before him, quick at Tydeus' son

  He bent his bow; and onward as he rush'd,

  On the right shoulder, near the breastplate's joint,

  The stinging arrow struck; right through it pass'd,

  And held its way, that blood the breastplate stain'd.

  Then shouted loud Lycaon's noble son:

  "Arouse ye, valiant Trojans, ye who goad

  Your flying steeds; the bravest of the Greeks

  Is wounded, nor, I deem, can long withstand

  My weapon, if indeed from Lycia's shore

  By Phoebus' counsel sent I join'd the war."

  Thus he, vain-glorious; but not so was quell'd

  The godlike chief; back he withdrew, and stood

  Beside his car, and thus to Sthenelus,

  The son of Capaneus, his speech address'd:

  "Up, gentle son of Capaneus, descend

  From off the car, and from my shoulder draw

  This stinging arrow forth." He said, and down

  Leap'd from the chariot Sthenelus, and stood

  Beside him; and as forth he drew the shaft,

  Gush'd out the blood, and dyed the twisted mail.

  Then thus the valiant son of Tydeus pray'd:

  "Hear me, thou child of aegis-bearing Jove,

  Unconquer'd! if amid the deadly fight

  Thy friendly aid my father e'er sustain'd,

  Let me in turn thy favour find; and grant

  Within my reach and compass of my spear

  That man may find himself, who unawares

  Hath wounded me, and vainly boasting deems

  I shall not long behold the light of day."

  Thus pray'd the chief, and Pallas heard his pray'r;

  To all his limbs, to feet and hands alike,

  She gave fresh vigour; and with winged words,

  Beside him as she stood, address'd him thus:

  "Go fearless onward, Diomed, to meet

  The Trojan hosts; for I within thy breast

  Thy father's dauntless courage have infus'd,

  Such as of old in Tydeus' bosom dwelt,

  Bold horseman, buckler-clad; and from thine eyes

  The film that dimm'd them I have purg'd away,

  That thou mayst well 'twixt Gods and men discern.

  If then some God make trial of thy force,

  With other of th' Immortals fight thou not;

  But should Jove's daughter Venus dare the fray

  Thou needst not shun at her to cast thy spear."

  This said, the blue-ey'd Goddess disappear'd.

  Forthwith again amid the foremost ranks

  Tydides mingled; keenly as before

  His spirit against the Trojans burn'd to fight,

  With threefold fury now he sought the fray.

  As when a hungry lion has o'erleap'd

  The sheepfold; him the guardian of the flock

  Has wounded, not disabled; by his wound

  To rage excited, but not forc'd to fly,

  The fold he enters, scares the trembling sheep,

  That, closely huddled, each on other press,

  Then pounces on his prey, and leaps the fence:

  So pounc'd Tydides on the Trojan host.

  Astynous and Hypeiron then he slew,

  His people's guardian; through the breast of one

  He drove his spear, and with his mighty sword

  He smote the other on the collar-bone,

  The shoulder sev'ring from the neck and back.

  Them left he there to lie; of Abas then

  And Polyeidus went in hot pursuit,

  Sons of Eurydamas, an aged seer,

  Whose visions stay'd them not; but both were doom'd

  A prey to valiant Diomed to fall.

  Xanthus and Thoon then the hero slew,

  The sons of Phaenops, children of his age:

  He, worn with years, no other sons begot,

  Heirs of his wealth; they two together fell,

  And to their father left a load of grief,

  That from the battle they return'd not home,

  And distant kindred all his substance shar'd.

  On Chromius and Echemon next he fell,

  Two sons of Priam on one chariot borne;

  And as a lion springs upon a herd,

  And breaks the neck of heifer or of steer,

  Feeding in woodland glade; with such a spring

  These two, in vain resisting, from their car

  Tydides hurl'd; then stripp'd their arms, and bade

  His followers lead their horses to the ships.

  Him when AEneas saw amid the ranks

  Dealing destruction, through the fight and throng

  Of spears he plung'd, if haply he might find

  The godlike Pandarus; Lycaon's son

  He found, of noble birth and stalwart form,

  And stood before him, and address'd him thus:

  "Where, Pandarus, are now thy winged shafts,

  Thy bow, and well-known skill, wherein with thee

  Can no man here contend? nor Lycia boasts,

  Through all her wide-spread plains, a truer aim;

  Then raise to Jove thy hands, and with thy shaft

  Strike down this chief, whoe'er he be, that thus

  Is making fearful havoc in our host,

  Relaxing many a warrior's limbs in death:

  If he be not indeed a God, incens'd

  Against the Trojans for neglected rites;

  For fearful is the vengeance of a God."

  Whom answer'd thus Lycaon's noble son:

  "AEneas, chief and councillor of Troy,

  Most like in all respects to Tydeus' son

  He seems; his shield I know, and visor'd helm,

  And horses; whether he himself be God,

  I cannot tell; but if he be indeed

  The man I think him, Tydeus' valiant son,

  He fights not thus without the aid of Heav'n;

  But by his side, his shoulders veiled in cloud,

  Some God attends his steps, and turns away

  The shaft that just hath reach'd him; for ev'n now

  A shaft I shot, which by the breastplate's joint

  Pierc'd his right shoulder through: full sure I deem'd

  That shaft had sent him to the shades, and yet

  It slew him not; 'tis sure some angry God.

  Nor horse have I, nor car on which to mount;

  But in my sire Lycaon's wealthy house

  Elev'n fair chariots stand, all newly built,

  Each with its cover; by the side of each

  Two steeds on rye and barley white are fed;

  And in his well-built house, when here I came,

  Lycaon, aged warrior, urg'd me oft

  With horses and with chariots high upborne,

  To lead the Trojans in the stubborn fight;

  I hearken'd not — 'twere better if I had —

  Yet fear'd I lest my horses, wont to feed

  In plenty unstinted, by the soldiers' wants

  Might of their custom'd forage be depriv'd;

  I left them there, and hither came on foot,

  And trusting to my bow: vain trust, it seems;

  Two chiefs already have I struck, the sons

  Of Tydeus and of Atreus; with true aim

  Drawn blood from both, yet but increas'd their rage.

  Sad was the hour when down from where it hung

  I took my bow, and hasting to the aid

  Of godlike Hector, hither led my troops;

  But should I e'er return, and see again

  My native land, my wife, my lofty hall,

  Then may a stranger's sword cut off my head,

  If with these hands I shatter not, and burn,

  The
bow that thus hath fail'd me at my need."

  Him answer'd thus AEneas, chief of Troy:

  "Speak thou not thus; our fortunes shall not change

  Till thou and I, with chariot and with horse,

  This chief encounter, and his prowess prove;

  Then mount my car, and see how swift my steeds.

  Hither and thither, in pursuit or flight,

  From those of Tros descended, scour the plain.

  So if the victory to Diomed,

  The son of Tydeus, should by Jove be giv'n,

  We yet may safely reach the walls of Troy.

  Take thou the whip and reins, while I descend

  To fight on foot; or thou the chief engage,

  And leave to me the conduct of the car."

  Whom answer'd thus Lycaon's noble son:

  "AEneas, of thy horses and thy car

  Take thou the charge; beneath th' accustomed hand,

  With more assurance would they draw the car,

  If we from Tydeus' son be forced to fly;

  Nor, struck with panic, and thy voice unheard,

  Refuse to bear us from the battle-field;

  So should ourselves be slain, and Tydeus' son

  In triumph drive thy horses to the ships.

  But thou thy horses and thy chariot guide,

  While I his onset with my lance receive."

  Thus saying, on the car they mounted both,

  And tow'rd Tydides urg'd their eager steeds.

  Them Sthenelus beheld, the noble son

  Of Capaneus, and to Tydides cried:

  "Oh son of Tydeus, dearest to my soul,

  Two men I see, of might invincible,

  Impatient to engage thee; Pandarus,

  Well skill'd in archery, Lycaon's son;

  With him. AEneas, great Anchises' son,

  Who from immortal Venus boasts his birth.

  Then let us timely to the car retreat,

  Lest, moving thus amid the foremost ranks,

  Thy daring pay the forfeit of thy life."

  To whom brave Diomed with stern regard:

  "Talk not to me of flight! I heed thee not!

  It is not in my nature so to fight

  With skulking artifice and faint retreat;

  My strength is yet unbroken; I should shame

  To mount the car; but forward will I go

  To meet these chiefs' encounter; for my soul

  Pallas forbids the touch of fear to know.

  Nor shall their horses' speed procure for both

  A safe return, though one escape my arm.

  This too I say, and bear my words in mind;

  By Pallas' counsel if my hap should be

  To slay them both, leave thou my horses here,

  The reins attaching to the chariot-rail,

  And seize, and from the Trojans to the ships

  Drive off the horses in AEneas' car;

  From those descended, which all-seeing Jove

  On Tros, for Ganymede his son, bestow'd:

  With these may none beneath the sun compare.

  Anchises, King of men, the breed obtain'd

  By cunning, to the horses sending mares

  Without the knowledge of Laomedon.

  Six colts were thus engender'd: four of these

  In his own stalls he rear'd; the other two

  Gave to AEneas, fear-inspiring chief:

  These could we win, our praise were great indeed."

  Such converse while they held, the twain approach'd,

  Their horses urg'd to speed; then thus began,

  To Diomed, Lycaon's noble son:

  "Great son of Tydeus, warrior brave and skill'd,

  My shaft, it seems, has fail'd to reach thy life;

  Try we then now what hap attends my spear."

  He said; and, poising, hurl'd his pond'rous spear,

  And struck Tydides' shield; right through the shield

  Drove the keen weapon, and the breastplate reach'd.

  Then shouted loud Lycaon's noble son:

  "Thou hast it through the flank, nor canst thou long

  Survive the blow; great glory now is mine."

  To whom, unmov'd, the valiant Diomed:

  "Thine aim hath failed, I am not touch'd; and now

  I deem we part not hence till one of ye

  Glut with his blood th' insatiate Lord of War."

  He said: the spear, by Pallas guided, struck

  Beside the nostril, underneath the eye;

  Crash'd thro' the teeth, and cutting thro' the tongue

  Beneath the angle of the jaw came forth:

  Down from the car he fell; and loudly rang

  His glitt'ring arms: aside the startled steeds

  Sprang devious: from his limbs the spirit fled.

  Down leap'd AEneas, spear and shield in hand,

  Against the Greeks to guard the valiant dead;

  And like a lion, fearless in his strength,

  Around the corpse he stalk'd, this way and that,

  His spear and buckler round before him held,

  To all who dar'd approach him threat'ning death,

  With fearful shouts; a rocky fragment then

  Tydides lifted up, a mighty mass,

  Which scarce two men could raise, as men are now:

  But he, unaided, lifted it with ease.

  With this he smote AEneas near the groin,

  Where the thigh-bone, inserted in the hip,

  Turns in the socket-joint; the rugged mass

  The socket crush'd, and both the tendons broke,

  And tore away the flesh: down on his knees,

  Yet resting on his hand, the hero fell;

  And o'er his eyes the shades of darkness spread.

  Then had AEneas, King of men, been slain,

  Had not his mother, Venus, child of Jove,

  Who to Anchises, where he fed his flocks,

  The hero bore, his peril quickly seen:

  Around her son she threw her snowy arms,

  And with a veil, thick-folded, wrapt him round,

  From hostile spears to guard him, lest some Greek

  Should pierce his breast, and rob him of his life.

  She from the battle thus her son removed;

  Nor did the son of Capaneus neglect

  The strict injunction by Tydides giv'n;

  His reins attaching to the chariot-rail,

  Far from the battle-din he check'd, and left,

  His own fleet steeds; then rushing forward, seiz'd,

  And from the Trojans tow'rd the camp drove off,

  The sleek-skinn'd horses of AEneas' car.

  These to Deipylus, his chosen friend,

  He gave, of all his comrades best esteem'd,

  Of soundest judgment, tow'rd the ships to drive.

  Then, his own car remounting, seiz'd the reins,

  And urg'd with eager haste his fiery steeds,

  Seeking Tydides; he, meanwhile, press'd on

  In keen pursuit of Venus; her he knew

  A weak, unwarlike Goddess, not of those

  That like Bellona fierce, or Pallas, range

  Exulting through the blood-stain'd fields of war.

  Her, searching thro' the crowd, at length he found,

  And springing forward, with his pointed spear

  A wound inflicted on her tender hand.

  Piercing th' ambrosial veil, the Graces' work,

  The sharp spear graz'd her palm below the wrist.

  Forth from the wound th' immortal current flow'd,

  Pure ichor, life-stream of the blessed Gods;

  They eat no bread, they drink no ruddy wine,

  And bloodless thence and deathless they become.

  The Goddess shriek'd aloud, and dropp'd her son;

  But in his arms Apollo bore him off

  In a thick cloud envelop'd, lest some Greek

  Might pierce his breast, and rob him of his life.

  Loud shouted brave Tydides, as she fled:r />
  "Daughter of Jove, from battle-fields retire;

  Enough for thee weak woman to delude;

  If war thou seek'st, the lesson thou shalt learn

  Shall cause thee shudder but to hear it nam'd."

  Thus he; but ill at ease, and sorely pain'd,

  The Goddess fled: her, Iris, swift as wind,

  Caught up, and from the tumult bore away,

  Weeping with pain, her fair skin soil'd with blood.

  Mars on the left hand of the battle-field

  She found, his spear reclining by his side,

  And, veil'd in cloud, his car and flying steeds.

  Kneeling, her brother she besought to lend

  The flying steeds, with golden frontlets crown'd:

  "Dear brother, aid me hence, and lend thy car

  To bear me to Olympus, seat of Gods;

  Great is the pain I suffer from a wound

  Receiv'd from Diomed, a mortal man,

  Who now would dare with Jove himself to fight."

  He lent the steeds, with golden frontlets crown'd;

  In deep distress she mounted on the car:

  Beside her Iris stood, and took the reins,

  And urg'd the coursers; nothing loth they flew,

  And soon to high Olympus, seat of Gods,

  They came: swift Iris there the coursers stay'd,

  Loos'd from the chariot, and before them plac'd

  Ambrosial forage: on her mother's lap,

  Dione, Venus fell; she in her arms

  Embrac'd, and sooth'd her with her hand, and said:

  "Which of the heav'nly pow'rs hath wrong'd thee thus,

  My child, as guilty of some open shame?"

  Whom answer'd thus the laughter-loving Queen;

  "The haughty son of Tydeus, Diomed,

  Hath wounded me, because my dearest son,

  AEneas, from the field I bore away.

  No more 'twixt Greeks and Trojans is the fight,

  But with the Gods themselves the Greeks contend."

  To whom Dione, heav'nly Goddess, thus:

  "Have patience, dearest child; though much enforc'd,

  Restrain thine anger: we, in Heav'n who dwell,

  Have much to bear from mortals; and ourselves

  Too oft upon each other suff'rings lay.

  Mars had his suff'rings; by Aloeus' sons,

  Otus and Ephialtes, strongly bound,

  He thirteen months in brazen fetters lay:

  And there had pin'd away the God of War,

  Insatiate Mars, had not their step-mother,

  The beauteous Eriboea, sought the aid

  Of Hermes; he by stealth releas'd the God,

  Sore worn and wasted by his galling chains.

  Juno too suffer'd, when Amphitryon's son

  Through her right breast a three-barb'd arrow sent:

  Dire, and unheard of, were the pangs she bore.

  Great Pluto's self the stinging arrow felt,