Complete Works of Homer

by Homer

  Charge too the women, in their houses each,

  To kindle blazing fires; let careful watch

  Be set, lest, in the absence of the men,

  The town by secret ambush be surpris'd.

  Such, valiant Trojans, is th' advice I give;

  And what to-night your wisdom shall approve

  Will I, at morn, before the Trojans speak.

  Hopeful, to Jove I pray, and all the Gods,

  To chase from hence these fate-inflicted hounds,

  By fate sent hither on their dark-ribb'd ships.

  Now keep we through the night our watchful guard;

  And with the early dawn, equipp'd in arms,

  Upon their fleet our angry battle pour.

  Then shall I know if Tydeus' valiant son

  Back from the ships shall drive me to the walls,

  Or I, triumphant, bear his bloody spoils:

  To-morrow morn his courage will decide,

  If he indeed my onset will await.

  But ere to-morrow's sun be high in Heav'n,

  He, 'mid the foremost, if I augur right,

  Wounded and bleeding in the dust shall lie,

  And many a comrade round him. Would to Heav'n

  I were as sure to be from age and death

  Exempt, and held in honour as a God,

  Phoebus, or Pallas, as I am assur'd

  The coming day is fraught with ill to Greece."

  Thus Hector spoke; the Trojans shouted loud:

  Then from the yoke the sweating steeds they loos'd,

  And tether'd each beside their sev'ral cars:

  Next from the city speedily they brought

  Oxen and sheep; the luscious wine procur'd;

  Brought bread from out their houses, and good store

  Of fuel gather'd; wafted from the plain,

  The winds to Heav'n the sav'ry odours bore.

  Full of proud hopes, upon the pass of war,

  All night they camp'd; and frequent blaz'd their fires.

  As when in Heav'n, around the glitt'ring moon

  The stars shine bright amid the breathless air;

  And ev'ry crag, and ev'ry jutting peak

  Stands boldly forth, and ev'ry forest glade;

  Ev'n to the gates of Heav'n is open'd wide

  The boundless sky; shines each particular star

  Distinct; joy fills the gazing shepherd's heart.

  So bright, so thickly scatter'd o'er the plain,

  Before the walls of Troy, between the ships

  And Xanthus' stream, the Trojan watchfires blaz'd.

  A thousand fires burnt brightly; and round each

  Sat fifty warriors in the ruddy glare;

  Champing the provender before them laid,

  Barley and rye, the tether'd horses stood

  Beside the cars, and waited for the morn.

  ARGUMENT.

  THE EMBASSY TO ACHILLES.

  Agamemnon, after the last day's defeat, proposes to the Greeks to quit the siege, and return to their country. Diomed opposes this, and Nestor seconds him, praising his wisdom and resolution. He orders the guard to be strengthened, and a council summoned to deliberate what meabures were to be followed in this emergency. Agamemnon pursues this advice, and Nestor farther prevails upon him to send ambassadors to Achilles in order to move him to a reconciliation. Ulysses and Ajax are make choice of, who are accompanied by old Phoenix. They make, each of them, very moving and pressing speeches, but are rejected with roughness by Achilles, who notwithstanding retains Phoenix in his tent. The ambassadors return unsuccessfully to the camp, and the troops betake themselves to sleep.

  This book, and the next following, take up the space of one night, which is the twenty-seventh from the beginning of the poem. The scene lies on the sea-shore, the station of the Grecian ships.

  BOOK IX.

  Thus kept their watch, the Trojans; but the Greeks

  Dire Panic held, companion of chill Fear,

  Their bravest struck with grief unbearable.

  As when two stormy winds ruffle the sea,

  Boreas and Zephyr, from the hills of Thrace

  With sudden gust descending; the dark waves

  Rear high their angry crests, and toss on shore

  Masses of tangled weed; such stormy grief

  The breast of ev'ry Grecian warrior rent.

  Atrides, heart-struck, wander'd to and fro,

  And to the clear-voic'd heralds gave command

  To call, but not with proclamation loud,

  Each sev'ral man to council; he himself

  Spar'd not his labour, mixing with the chiefs.

  Sadly they sat in council; Atreus' son,

  Weeping, arose; as some dark-water'd fount

  Pours o'er a craggy steep its gloomy stream;

  Then with deep groans th' assembled Greeks address'd:

  "O friends! the chiefs and councillors of Greece,

  Grievous, and all unlook'd for, is the blow

  Which Jove hath dealt me; by his promise led

  I hop'd to raze the strong-built walls of Troy,

  And home return in safety; but it seems

  He falsifies his word, and bids me now

  Return to Argos, frustrate of my hope,

  Dishonour'd, and with grievous loss of men.

  Such now appears th' o'er-ruling sov'reign will

  Of Saturn's son, who oft hath sunk the heads

  Of many a lofty city in the dust,

  And yet will sink; for mighty is his hand.

  Hear then my counsel; let us all agree

  Home to direct our course: since here in vain

  We strive to take the well-built walls of Troy."

  The monarch spoke; they all in silence heard:

  In speechless sorrow long they sat: at length

  Rose valiant Diomed, and thus he spoke:

  "Atrides, I thy folly must confront,

  As is my right, in council: thou, O King!

  Be not offended: once, among the Greeks

  Thou heldest light my prowess, with the name

  Of coward branding me; how justly so

  Is known to all the Greeks, both young and old.

  On thee the deep-designing Saturn's son

  In diff'ring measure hath his gifts bestow'd:

  A throne he gives thee, higher far than all;

  But valour, noblest boon of Heav'n, denies.

  How canst thou hope the sons of Greece shall prove

  Such heartless dastards as thy words suppose?

  If homeward to return thy mind be fix'd,

  Depart; the way is open, and the ships,

  Which from Mycenae follow'd thee in crowds,

  Are close at hand, and ready to be launch'd.

  Yet will the other long-hair'd Greeks remain

  Till Priam's city fall: nay, though the rest

  Betake them to their ships, and sail for home,

  Yet I and Sthenelus, we two, will fight

  Till Troy be ours; for Heav'n is on our side."

  Thus he; the sons of Greece, with loud applause,

  The speech of valiant Diomed confirm'd.

  Then aged Nestor rose, and thus began:

  "Tydides, eminent thou art in war;

  And In the council thy compeers in age

  Must yield to thee; thy present words, no Greek

  Can censure, or gainsay; and yet the end

  Thou hast not reach'd, and object of debate.

  But thou art young, and for thine age mightst be

  My latest born; yet dost thou to the Kings

  Sage counsel give, and well in season speak.

  But now will I, that am thine elder far,

  Go fully through the whole; and none my words

  May disregard, not ev'n Atrides' self.

  Outcast from kindred, law, and hearth is he

  Whose soul delights in fierce internal strife.

  But yield we now to th' influence of night:

  Prepare
the meal; and let the sev'ral guards

  Be posted by the ditch, without the wall.

  This duty on the younger men I lay:

  Then, Agamemnon, thou thy part perform;

  For thou art King supreme; the Elders all,

  As meet and seemly, to the feast invite:

  Thy tents are full of wine, which Grecian ships

  O'er the wide sea bring day by day from Thrace;

  Nor lack'st thou aught thy guests to entertain,

  And many own thy sway; when all are met,

  His counsel take, who gives the best advice;

  Great need we have of counsel wise and good,

  When close beside our ships the hostile fires

  Are burning: who can this unmov'd behold?

  This night our ruin or our safety sees."

  He said; and they, assenting, heard his speech.

  Forth with their followers went th' appointed guards,

  The princely Thrasymedes, Nestor's son,

  Ascalaphus, and bold Ialmenus,

  Two valiant sons of Mars; Meriones,

  And Aphareus, and brave Deipyrus,

  And godlike Lycomedes, Creon's son.

  Sev'n were the leaders; and with each went forth

  A hundred gallant youths, with lances arm'd.

  Between the ditch and wall they took their post;

  There lit their fires, and there the meal prepar'd.

  Then for th' assembled Elders in his tent

  An ample banquet Agamemnon spread;

  They on the viands, set before them, fell:

  The rage of thirst and hunger satisfied,

  The aged Nestor first his mind disclos'd

  He who, before, the sagest counsel gave,

  Now thus with prudent words began, and said:

  "Most mighty Agamemnon, King of men,

  With thee, Atrides, my discourse shall end,

  With thee begin: o'er many nations thou

  Hold'st sov'reign sway; since Jove to thee hath giv'n

  The sceptre, and the high prerogative,

  To be thy people's judge and counsellor,

  'Tis thine to speak the word, 'tis thine to hear

  And to determine, when some other chief

  Suggestions offers in the gen'ral cause:

  What counsel shall prevail, depends on thee:

  Yet will I say what seems to me the best.

  Sounder opinion none can hold than this,

  Which I maintain, and ever have maintain'd,

  Ev'n from the day when thou, great King, didst bear

  The fair Briseis from Achilles' tent

  Despite his anger — not by my advice:

  I fain would have dissuaded thee, but thou,

  Following the dictates of thy wrathful pride,

  Didst to our bravest wrong, dishon'ring him

  Whom ev'n th' Immortals honour'd; for his prize

  Thou took'st and still retain'st; but let us now

  Consider, if ev'n yet, with costly gifts

  And soothing words, we may his wrath appease."

  To whom the monarch Agamemnon thus:

  "Father, too truly thou recall'st my fault:

  I err'd, nor will deny it; as a host

  Is he whom Jove in honour holds, as now

  Achilles hon'ring, he confounds the Greeks,

  But if I err'd, by evil impulse led,

  Fain would I now conciliate him, and pay

  An ample penalty; before you all

  I pledge myself rich presents to bestow.

  Sev'n tripods will I give, untouch'd by fire;

  Of gold, ten talents, twenty caldrons bright,

  Twelve pow'rful horses, on the course renown'd,

  Who by their speed have many prizes won.

  Not empty-handed could that man be deem'd,

  Nor poor in gold, who but so much possess'd

  As by those horses has for me been won.

  Sev'n women too, well skill'd in household cares,

  Lesbians, whom I selected for myself,

  That day he captur'd Lesbos' goodly isle,

  In beauty far surpassing all their sex:

  These will I give; and with them will I send

  The fair Briseis, her whom from his tent

  I bore away; and add a solemn oath,

  I ne'er approach'd her bed, nor held with her

  Such intercourse as man with woman holds.

  All these shall now be his: but if the Gods

  Shall grant us Priam's city to destroy,

  Of gold and brass, when we divide the spoil,

  With countless heaps he shall a vessel freight,

  And twenty captives he himself shall choose,

  All only less than Argive Helen fair.

  And if it be our fate to see again

  The teeming soil of Argos, he shall be

  My son by marriage; and in honour held

  As is Orestes, who, my only son,

  Is rear'd at home in luxury and ease.

  Three daughters fair I have, Chrysothemis,

  Iphianassa, and Laodice;

  Of these, whiche'er he will, to Peleus' house,

  No portion ask'd for, he shall take to wife;

  And with her will I add such wedding gifts,

  As never man before to daughter gave.

  Sev'n prosp'rous towns besides; Cardamyle,

  And Enope, and Ira's grassy plains;

  And Pherae, and Antheia's pastures deep,

  AEpeia fair, and vine-clad Pedasus;

  All by the sea, by sandy Pylos' bounds.

  The dwellers there in flocks and herds are rich,

  And, as a God, shall honour him with gifts,

  And to his sceptre ample tribute pay.

  This will I do, so he his wrath remit:

  Then let him yield (Pluto alone remains

  Unbending and inexorable; and thence

  Of all the Gods is most abhorr'd of men),

  To me submitting, as in royal pow'r

  Superior far, and more advanc'd in age."

  To whom Gerenian Nestor thus replied:

  "Most mighty Agamemnon, King of men,

  Atrides, not unworthy are the gifts,

  Which to Achilles thou design'st to send:

  Then to the tent of Peleus' son in haste

  Let us our chosen messengers despatch:

  Whom I shall choose, let them consent to go.

  Then first of all let Phoenix lead the way,

  Beloved of Jove; the mighty Ajax next:

  With them, Ulysses sage; and let them take,

  Of heralds, Hodius and Eurybates.

  Bring now the hallowing water for our hands;

  And bid be silent, while to Saturn's son,

  That he have mercy, we address our pray'r."

  He said, and well his counsel pleas'd them all;

  The heralds pour'd the water on their hands;

  The youths, attending, crown'd the bowls with wine,

  And in due order serv'd the cups to all.

  Then, their libations made, when each with wine

  Had satisfied his soul, from out the tent

  Of Agamemnon, Atreus' son, they pass'd;

  And many a caution aged Nestor gave,

  With rapid glance to each, Ulysses chief,

  How best to soften Peleus' matchless son.

  Beside the many-dashing ocean's shore

  They mov'd along; and many a pray'r address'd

  To Neptune, Ocean's Earth-surrounding God,

  That he to gentle counsels would incline

  The haughty soul of great AEacides.

  When to the ships and tents they came, where lay

  The warlike Myrmidons, their chief they found

  His spirit soothing with a sweet-ton'd lyre,

  Of curious work, with silver band adorn'd;

  Part of the spoil he took, when he destroy'd

  Eetion's wealthy town; on this he play'd,

  Soothing his soul, and san
g of warriors' deeds.

  Before the chief, in silence and alone

  Patroclus sat, upon Achilles fix'd

  His eyes, awaiting till the song should cease.

  The envoys forward stepp'd, Ulysses first,

  And stood before him; from his couch, amaz'd,

  And holding still his lyre, Achilles sprang,

  Leaving the seat whereon they found him plac'd;

  And at their entrance rose Patroclus too:

  Waving his hand, Achilles, swift of foot,

  Addressed them: "Welcome, friends! as friends ye come:

  Some great occasion surely to my tent

  Hath brought the men who are, of all the Greeks,

  Despite my anger, dearest to my heart."

  Thus as he spoke, he led them in, and plac'd

  On couches spread with, purple carpets o'er,

  Then thus address'd Patroclus at his side:

  "Son of Menoetius, set upon the board

  A larger bowl, and stronger mix the wine,

  And serve a cup to each: beneath my roof

  This night my dearest friends I entertain."

  He said; Patroclus his commands obey'd;

  And in the fire-light plac'd an ample tray,

  And on it laid of goat's flesh and of sheep's

  A saddle each; and with them, rich in fat,

  A chine of well-fed hog; Automedon

  Held fast, while great Achilles carv'd the joints.

  The meat, prepar'd, he fix'd upon the spits:

  Patroclus kindled then a blazing fire;

  And when the fire burnt hotly, and the flame

  Subsided, spread the glowing embers out,

  And hung the spits above; then sprinkled o'er

  The meat with salt, and lifted from the stand.

  The viands cook'd and plac'd upon the board,

  From baskets fair Patroclus portion'd out

  The bread to each; the meat Achilles shar'd.

  Facing the sage Ulysses, sat the host

  On th' other side the tent; and bade his friend,

  Patroclus, give the Gods their honours due:

  He in the fire the wonted off'rings burnt:

  They on the viands set before them fell.

  The rage of thirst and hunger satisfied,

  Ajax to Phoenix sign'd: Ulysses saw

  The sign, and rising, fill'd a cup with wine,

  And pledg'd Achilles thus: "To thee I drink,

  Achilles! nobly is thy table spread,

  As heretofore in Agamemnon's tent,

  So now in thine; abundant is the feast:

  But not the pleasures of the banquet now

  We have in hand: impending o'er our arms

  Grave cause of fear, illustrious chief, we see;

  Grave doubts, to save, or see destroy'd our ships,