The Iliad (Trans. Caroline Alexander)

by Homer

  that not the whole band of gods upon Olympus could turn me back.

  But trembling seized your shining limbs even

  before seeing war or the baneful deeds of war.

  For I say this outright, and it will be accomplished;

  blasted from your chariot by my lightning bolt,

  you two would not have returned to Olympus, where is the seat of the gods.”

  So he spoke; and they, Athena and Hera, muttered.

  They sat close together, devising evil for the Trojans.

  And Athena was silent and said nothing,

  seething at Zeus her father, savage anger gripping her.460

  But Hera’s breast could not contain her anger, and she spoke out:

  “Most dread son of Cronus, what sort of word have you spoken?

  Indeed we too well know that your strength is not to be resisted;

  but nonetheless we pity the Danaan spearmen,

  who filling their measure of evil destiny will perish.”465

  And answering her spoke Zeus who gathers the clouds:469

  “In the morning you will see an even more powerful son of Cronus,470

  if you should wish, lady Hera of the brown eyes,

  destroying a great army of Argive spearmen.

  For mighty Hector will not cease from fighting

  before Peleus’ swift-footed son is stirred beside the ships,

  on that day when the men fight beside their sterns

  in a most terrible narrow space about dead Patroclus;

  for thus it is decreed by heaven. And I take no care of your

  anger, not if you were to go to the lowest limits

  of the earth and sea, where Iapetos and Cronus

  sit, cheered neither by the light of Helios Hyperion,480

  nor by winds, but Tartaros is deep about them;

  not if you arrived there in your wandering, I have no care for

  your being angry, since nothing is more dog-like than you.”

  So he spoke; and to him Hera of the white arms said not a thing.

  The sun’s radiant light dropped into Ocean,

  and dragged black night upon the grain-giving fields.

  For the Trojans the light sank against their will, but for the Achaeans

  welcome, thrice prayed for, came the murky night.

  And shining Hector made assembly of the Trojans,

  leading them away from the ships to the eddying water,490

  in a clear space, where the ground could be seen through the bodies.

  Descending from their chariots to the ground, they listened to his word,

  the word Hector beloved by Zeus spoke in the assembly; in one hand

  he held his spear of eleven cubits length; before him gleamed

  the bronze point of the spear shaft, round which ran a golden binding ring.

  Leaning on this, he addressed the Trojans:

  “Hear me, Trojans and Dardanians and allies.

  I thought now that having destroyed the ships and all Achaeans

  we would return back home to windy Ilion.

  But the darkness came before, which most of all has now saved500

  the Argives and their ships beside the breaking surf.

  Let us yield now to night’s darkness

  and let us prepare our meals; release the horses with their splendid manes

  from under their chariot yokes, and drop fodder by them;

  and fetch from the city oxen and fat sheep

  with all speed, and get honey-hearted wine

  and grain from the houses, and collect a mass of firewood besides,

  so that the whole night long until dawn, born of morning,

  we can burn our many fires, and the blaze go up to heaven,

  lest by chance, even in the night, the long-haired Achaeans510

  move themselves to flight across the broad back of ocean.

  And let them not embark their ships without a struggle, without hindrance,

  but in such a way that many a one of them will nurse a wound even back home,

  struck by an arrow or sharp spear

  as he leapt upon his ship—so that another man will shudder

  to carry war and all its tears to the horse-breaking Trojans.

  And let the heralds, beloved by Zeus, announce throughout the city

  that the boys in the bloom of youth and the white-headed elders

  will camp out all around the city, on our ramparts that were built by gods;

  and let the females, the women each in her own home,520

  kindle a great fire; and let each man stand firm guard,

  lest an ambush enter the city while the army is away.

  Let this be, great-hearted Trojans, as I declare;

  let the speech I have spoken serve for the present—

  that for tomorrow I will announce later to the horse-breaking Trojans.

  I hope, after praying to Zeus and the other gods,

  to drive from here these dogs carried by the fates of death,

  those whom the fates bore on their black ships.

  We shall guard ourselves for night,

  and in early morning, having armed in our weapons with the dawn,530

  let us by the hollow ships awaken piercing war;

  and I shall see whether the powerful son of Tydeus, Diomedes,

  will drive me from their ships to the wall, or whether

  slashing him with bronze, I shall carry away the bloody spoils of his armor.

  Tomorrow he will learn the value of his courage, and whether

  he can withstand the approach of my spear; but I think among the front fighters,

  he will lie wounded with his many comrades by him,

  with the rising of the sun into the morrow. Would that I were

  immortal and ageless all my days,

  and honored as are honored Apollo and Athena,540

  as surely as this day now bears evil for the Argives!”

  Thus Hector spoke to the assembly, and the Trojans shouted their applause.

  And they released their dripping horses from under the harness,

  and tethered them with reins, each by his own chariot;

  and they fetched from the city oxen and fat sheep

  with all speed, and got honey-hearted wine

  and grain from the houses, and collected a mass of firewood besides;547

  and the winds bore the smoke from the plain into heaven.549

  And they in high confidence between the lines of battle553

  set down the night long, and their many fires blazed.

  As when in heaven stars about the bright moon

  shine conspicuous, when the upper air turns windless,

  and all the peaks and jutting cliffs are shown,

  and valleys, and from heaven above the boundless bright air is rent with light

  and all the stars are seen, and the shepherd’s heart rejoices,

  so between the ships and streams of Xanthos560

  in such multitude shone the watchfires of the Trojans’ burning, before Ilion.

  A thousand fires were burning on the plain, and by each one

  sat fifty men in the glow of fire’s gleaming;

  and the horses munched their white barley and their grain

  standing beside their chariots as they awaited Dawn on her fair throne.

  9.ILIÁDOS I

  So the Trojans held their guard; but preternatural Panic,

  handmaid of cold Flight, held the Achaeans,

  and all the best of them were stricken with grief too great to bear.

  As dual winds rouse the fish-filled sea,

  Northern Boreas and Zephyros from the West, both blowing from Thrace,

  coming on a sudden; and the wave massed to darkness

  rises in a crest, and far along the salt sea it scatters seaweed;

  so was the sprit rent in the breasts of the Achaeans.

  And the son of Atreus, stricken at heart with great grief,<
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  went back and forth commanding the clear-voiced heralds10

  to summon by name each man to the assembly,

  but with no hue and cry, he himself went to work with the foremost.

  They took their seat in the assembly, stricken; and Agamemnon

  stood up, streaming tears like a dark-water spring,

  which down sheer rock streams somber water;

  so groaning deeply he addressed words to the Argives:

  “O friends, leaders and protectors of the Argives—

  greatly has Zeus the son of Cronus bound me in grievous deception,

  hard he is, who at one time promised me and gave assurance

  that I would return home after sacking well-walled Troy.20

  Now he has devised an evil deceit and bids me

  go back to Argos dishonored, since I have destroyed a multitude of men.

  This, it seems, must please Zeus, supreme in might,

  who has brought to ruin the citadels of many cities,

  and will destroy yet more; for his is the greatest power.

  But come—let us all be persuaded to do as I say;

  let us flee with our ships to our beloved homeland,

  for we will not ever take Troy of the wide ways.”

  So he spoke, and all the men were hushed in silence;

  for a long time the sons of the Achaeans were quiet with sorrow.30

  At length Diomedes of the war cry addressed him:

  “Son of Atreus, I will first combat your folly,

  which is one’s right, my lord, in the assembly; and do you not be angered.

  You first reviled my courage before the Danaans,

  you said that I was unwarlike and a coward; all these things

  the Argives know, both young and old.

  To you the son of devious Cronus gave half measure;

  he granted that by your scepter you would be honored beyond all men,

  but courage he did not give you, which is the greatest power.

  What possesses you? Do you really suppose that the sons of Achaeans are so40

  unwarlike and cowardly, as you declare?

  But if your own spirit is set on departing,

  go—the way lies open, your ships stand by the sea,

  those so many ships that followed you from Mycenae;

  but the rest of the long-haired Achaeans will remain,

  until we sack Troy. Come! Let even they

  flee in their ships to the beloved fatherland,

  we two, I and Sthenelos, will fight until we learn firsthand

  the fated end of Ilion; for it was with god we came.”

  So he spoke; and all the sons of the Achaeans shouted assent,50

  in admiration of the word of Diomedes breaker of horses.

  And standing among them the horseman Nestor addressed them:

  “Son of Tydeus, in war you are strong beyond all,

  and in council you are best among all your age.

  No man of all the Achaeans will slight your word,

  nor speak against it; but your words have not reached a conclusion.

  How young you are yet—you might even be my son,

  the youngest by birth—but you talk good sense to

  the Argive kings, for what you say is proper.

  But come, I who claim to be older than you,60

  I will speak plainly and thoroughly. No man can

  discredit my word, not even lord Agamemnon;

  without tribe, lawless, without home is that man,

  who desires cold-blooded war among his own people.

  Let us yield now to night’s darkness

  and prepare our meals; let the guards each

  camp out along the ditch dug outside the wall.

  On the young men I lay all these charges. And then,

  son of Atreus, do you take the lead; for you are the most kingly;

  make a banquet for the senior leaders. It is fitting for you, it is not unseemly;70

  your shelters are full of wine that Achaean ships

  bring every day from Thrace across the broad high sea.

  All hospitality is yours—you are lord of many—

  and when a multitude is assembled, listen to that man who gives the best

  counsel. Very great is the need of all Achaeans

  for good and shrewd counsel, when close by their ships the enemy

  burn their many watchfires; who could take joy in this?

  This is the night that will either destroy the army or save it.”

  So he spoke; and they listened closely and obeyed.

  Forth the guards hastened under arms80

  mustered about Nestor’s son Thrasymedes, shepherd of the people,

  and about Askalaphos and Ialmenos, sons of Ares,

  and about Meriones and Aphareus and Deïpyros and

  about the son of Kreion, shining Lykomedes.

  Seven leaders of the guards there were, and with each a hundred

  young men proceeded grasping long spears in their hands.

  On arrival, they settled in the space between the ditch and rampart,

  and there they kindled fires, and each prepared his meal.

  And the son of Atreus led the Achaeans’ senior leaders in a body

  into his shelter, and before them set a hearty feast;90

  and they reached out their hands to the good things set ready before them.

  And when they had put away desire for eating and drinking,

  the old man taking the lead began to weave his plan to them,

  Nestor, whose counsel in time past had proved best,

  he in his wisdom spoke and addressed them:

  “Most glorious son of Atreus, lord of men Agamemnon,

  with you I will end, with you begin, since over many

  men are you lord and Zeus has put into your hand

  both scepter and tradition, that you might take counsel in their interest.

  Therefore you beyond others should speak out what you have to say, and also listen,100

  and even fulfill the advice of another, when the spirit moves him

  to speak some word for good; for whatever he may begin will depend on you.

  So then, I will speak as it seems best to me.

  Nor shall any other man have in mind counsel better than this,

  such as I have turned in mind both in the past and still now—

  turned since that time when you, O descended from Zeus, went and took

  the girl Briseïs from the shelter of Achilles, for all his anger,

  not at all in accordance with our counsel; for I did indeed

  strongly dissuade you; but you, yielding to your great-hearted fury,

  dishonored the best of men, one whom the very gods esteem;110

  for you have taken and hold his prize. Still, even now

  let us consider how we might, making atonement, win him over

  with propitiatory gifts and gentle words.”

  Then answered him the lord of men, Agamemnon:

  “Old one, not at all falsely have you recounted my delusion—

  I was struck with delusion, I myself make no denial. Worth many

  warriors is the man whom Zeus loves in his heart,

  as now he honors this one, and brings defeat to the Achaean people.

  But since I was struck with delusion, guided by my wretched sense,

  I am willing to make amends and to offer untold recompense.120

  To all of you I will enumerate the illustrious gifts:

  seven tripods untouched by fire, ten talents of gold,

  twenty gleaming cauldrons, twelve horses—

  muscular, bearers of prizes, who won contests with their speed of feet.

  A man would not be bereft of possessions,

  nor lacking in valuable gold, who owned as much

  as the single-hoofed horses have won for me in prizes.

  And I will give seven women, skilled in flawless works of hand,

>   women of Lesbos, whom, when he himself took strong-founded Lesbos,

  I selected, who in beauty surpass all tribes of women;130

  these I will give to him, and among them will be the one I took away,

  the daughter of Briseus. And more—I will swear a great oath,

  that I never mounted her bed and lay with her,

  which is the custom of humankind, of men and of women.

  These things, all of them, will be his at once; and if later

  the gods grant us to sack the great city of Priam,

  let him heap his ship with gold and bronze in abundance,

  coming in when we Achaeans divide among ourselves the spoils;

  and let he himself chose twenty Trojan women,

  who, after Helen of Argos, are most beautiful.140

  And if we return to Achaean Argos, nurturer of tilled fields,

  he will be my son-in-law, and I will honor him equally with Orestes,

  who, late-born to me, was raised in great luxury.

  I have three daughters in my well-built halls,

  Chrysothemis and Laodike and Iphianassa;

  of these, let him take which he will as his own, without bride-price,

  to the house of Peleus; and I will give bride-gifts with her,

  a great many, such as no man has yet bestowed upon his daughter.

  Seven citadels I will give to him, well-inhabited,

  Kardamyle and Enope and grassy Hire,150

  sacred Pherai and Antheia of the deep meadows,

  and lovely Aipeia and Pedasos with its vines.

  All are near the sea, on the border of sandy Pylos,

  and in them dwell men who are rich in sheep and rich in cattle,

  who will honor him with gifts as they would a god,

  and who under scepter of his rule will fulfill his prospering laws.

  These things I will accomplish for him if he gives over his anger.

  Let him give way—Hades is implacable and unyielding;

  and therefore is for mortal men most hateful of all the gods—

  let him submit to me, since I am the greater king160

  and since I claim myself to be in age the elder.”

  Then answered him the Gerenian horseman Nestor:

  “Most glorious son of Atreus, lord of men Agamemnon,

  the gifts you offer lord Achilles cannot now be slighted;

  come, let us dispatch chosen men, who with all swiftness

  will go to the shelter of Peleus’ son Achilles.

  Come now, those men I select, let them do as I say.

  Let Phoinix beloved of Zeus lead first of all,

  and then great Ajax and godlike Odysseus;