The Iliad (Trans. Caroline Alexander)

by Homer

  was being dragged away, and the dogs and sturdy youths followed after him.

  And the two lions tearing open the great bull’s hide

  were gulping down the entrails and dark blood; at a loss,

  the herdsmen set the swift dogs in pursuit, urging them on,

  but they shrank from biting the lions,

  and standing very close bayed and stayed away.

  And on the shield the famed crook-legged god made a meadow,

  a great meadow for white-fleeced sheep lying in a lovely glen,

  and farmsteads and huts for the shepherds and their folds.

  And on it the famed crook-legged god made a patterned place for dancing,590

  like that which once in broad Knossos

  Daedalus created for Ariadne of the lovely hair.

  There the unwed youths and maidens worth many oxen as their bridal price

  were dancing, holding each other’s hands at the wrist;

  and the girls were wearing finest linen, and the youths wore

  fine-spun tunics, soft shining with oil.

  And the girls wore lovely crowns of flowers, and the youths were carrying

  golden daggers from their silver sword-belts.

  And now the youths with practiced feet would lightly run in rings,

  as when a crouching potter makes trial of the potter’s wheel600

  fitted to his hand, to see if it speeds round;

  and then another time they would run across each other’s lines.

  And a great crowd stood around the stirring dance

  filled with delight; and among them two acrobats,604/5

  leaders of the dance, went whirling through their midst.

  And Hephaestus set on it the great might of the river Ocean,

  along the outmost edge of the thick-made shield.

  And when he had made the great and massive shield,

  then he wrought a breastplate for Achilles more resplendent than the light of fire,610

  and he made a helmet for him, strong and fitted to his temples,

  a thing of beauty, intricately wrought, and set a gold crest on it;

  and then he made greaves for him of pliant tin.

  And when the famed crook-legged god had made all the armor with his toil,

  lifting it up he set it before the mother of Achilles;

  and she like a hawk leapt down from snowy summit of Olympus,

  carrying the glittering armor from Hephaestus.

  19.ILIÁDOS T

  Dawn veiled in saffron rose from the streams of Ocean,

  to carry light to the immortals and to mortal men,

  and Thetis arrived at the ships carrying the gifts from Hephaestus.

  She found her beloved son lying with his arms around Patroclus,

  keening, and his many companions about him

  dissolved in tears; and she stood among them, the shining among goddesses,

  and clasped his hand, and spoke to him and said his name:

  “My child, grieved though we be, we must leave this one

  lie, since by the will of the gods, he has been broken once for all;

  you now take the splendid armor from Hephaestus,10

  exceeding in beauty, such as a mortal man has never worn upon his shoulders.”

  Then so speaking the goddess laid the armor down

  before Achilles; and it clashed loud, all that was elaborately wrought.

  And trembling took all the Myrmidons, nor did any dare

  to look upon it straight, and they shrank afraid; but Achilles

  as he gazed upon it, so anger entered him all the more, and his eyes

  terribly shone out beneath his lids like fire flare;

  and he rejoiced as he held in his hands the glorious gifts of the god.

  And when he had satisfied his heart in looking at its elaborateness,

  then he addressed his mother in winged words:20

  “My mother, the weapons the god has given me are fitting

  handwork of the immortals, not such as mortal man can make.

  Now I will arm myself; yet terribly do I fear

  meanwhile for the brave son of Menoetius,

  that flies burrowing down into his bronze-inflicted wounds

  will breed worms, defile his body—

  for the life is slain from him—and all the flesh be rotted.”

  Then the goddess Thetis of the silver feet answered him:

  “Child, do not let these things be a care to your heart.

  I will set myself to ward off from him the savage throngs,30

  the flies, which consume men slain in battle.

  Were he to lie for the turning of a year’s completion,

  his flesh would be firm always, or even firmer.

  But summon into assembly the Achaean warriors,

  renounce your wrath against Agamemnon the shepherd of the people,

  arm for battle quickly, and put on your might.”

  So speaking she inspired a dauntless spirit in him;

  and then into Patroclus she dripped ambrosia and red nectar

  through his nostrils, in order that his flesh be firm.

  But he, godlike Achilles, went along the shore of the sea40

  crying his terrible cry, and roused the Achaean warriors.

  And even those who before had remained in the gathering place of the ships,

  those who were helmsmen and held the steering oars of the ships

  and those who were stewards beside the ships, the distributors of food,

  even they then came to assembly, because Achilles

  had appeared; he who for a long time had abandoned the painful battle.

  And the two companions of Ares came limping,

  the son of Tydeus, steadfast in war, and brilliant Odysseus,

  leaning on spears; for they still bore grievous wounds;

  and coming they took their seats at the front of the assembly.50

  Then last to come was Agamemnon lord of men,

  nursing a wound; since in the powerful combat

  Koön son of Antenor had struck him too with his bronze-tipped spear.

  Then when all the Achaeans had come together,

  rising up, Achilles of the swift feet addressed them:

  “Son of Atreus, was this then the better way for us both,

  for you and me, that we two, for all our grief at heart,

  raged in life-devouring strife for the sake of a girl?

  Artemis should have killed her with an arrow aboard the ships

  on that day when I took her as a prize after destroying Lyrnessos;60

  then so many Achaeans would not have gripped the broad earth in their teeth

  under the hands of enemy men, while I was deadly angered.

  It was the better way for Hector and the Trojans; but I think that the Achaeans

  will remember for a long time this strife of yours and mine.

  But let us leave these things in the past for all our grief,

  subduing the spirit in our own breasts by necessity.

  Now I surely cease my anger; it is not fitting that I

  be wrathful, unrelenting forever. But come, the more quickly

  rouse the long-haired Achaeans to war,

  so that I can make trial of the Trojans as I go against them,70

  to see if they will indeed still want to keep watch beside our ships. But I think

  that many a one will gladly bend his knee to rest, he who escapes

  from under our spear, out of the deadly war.”

  So he spoke; and the strong-greaved Achaeans exulted

  at the great-hearted son of Peleus renouncing his wrath.

  And the lord of men Agamemnon also addressed them,

  from where he was, from his seat, not rising among them:

  “O friends, Danaan warriors, henchmen of Ares,

  it is good to listen to a man who stands to speak, nor is it seemly

  to interrupt; for that is hard
even for an experienced speaker.80

  Amid a great uproar of men how can one listen

  or speak? Clear speaker though he be, he is made to stumble.

  To the son of Peleus I shall declare myself; but you other

  Argives pay heed, and each mark my word well.

  Many times did the Achaeans speak this charge against me,

  and kept faulting me; but it is not I who am to blame,

  but Zeus and Fate and the Fury who walks in darkness,

  they who in the assembly cast savage Delusion in my mind

  on that day when, on my own authority, I took away Achilles’ prize.

  But what could I do? God accomplishes all things to fulfillment—90

  the elder daughter of Zeus is Delusion, who infatuates all men,

  ruinous one. Her feet are soft; for they do not touch upon the earth,

  but she walks over the heads of men,

  tripping up mankind; so she has trammeled other men before me.

  For indeed even Zeus was once deluded, although they say he is the greatest

  of gods and men; but even him

  Hera, a mere female, deceived with her calculated guile

  on that day when Alkmene was about to give birth to mighty Heracles

  in Thebes, the city crowned with ramparts.

  Bragging, Zeus kept telling all the gods:100

  ‘Hear me, all you gods, and all you goddesses too,

  while I speak those things the spirit in my breast urges.

  This day Eileithyia who brings on women’s birth pain

  will bring to light a man who is to rule all who dwell around him:

  one of the race of those men who are of my blood.’

  Then with calculated guile the lady Hera addressed him:

  ‘You are a liar, nor when the time comes will you fulfill your word.

  Come on now, swear to me, Olympian, a mighty oath,

  that indeed that man will rule all who dwell around him,

  who shall drop between a woman’s feet this day,110

  a man of the race of men who are of your blood.’

  So she spoke; and Zeus did not mark at all her calculated guile,

  but swore a great oath, and therein he was greatly deluded.

  In a flash Hera left the peak of Olympus,

  and swiftly came to Achaean Argos, where she knew of

  the stately wife of Sthenelos, son of Perseus;

  she was pregnant with a dear son, a pregnancy of seven months duration.

  And Hera brought him forth early to the light of day though short of months,

  but stopped the childbirth of Alkmene, holding back the birth pangs of Eileithyia.

  Then she went to announce the news herself, and addressed Zeus the son of Cronus:120

  ‘Father Zeus of the bright thunderbolt, I am going to put some news in your mind.

  Now has a noble man been born who will rule the Argives—

  Eurystheus, the son of Sthenelos, son of Perseus—

  your blood; it is not unfitting for him to rule the Argives.’

  So she spoke; and piercing grief struck Zeus deep down through his heart,

  and he at once seized Delusion by the lustrous tresses of her head,

  raging in his heart, and swore a mighty oath

  that not ever to Olympus and the star-strewn heaven

  should she come again, she Delusion, who infatuates all men.

  So speaking he whirled her with his hand and hurled her130

  from the star-strewn heaven; and she soon found herself in the world of men.

  But Zeus would ever bemoan her, whenever he saw his beloved son

  enduring shameful labor by reason of the trials set by Eurystheus.

  So even I, in my turn, when great Hector of the shimmering helm

  kept destroying Argives by the sterns of our ships,

  could not forget Delusion, by whom I was first deluded.

  But since I was deluded and Zeus took my wits from me,

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

  Come, rise up for war, and rouse the rest of the army.

  And gifts—I am here to hand over everything, all that140

  brilliant Odysseus promised you yesterday in your shelter.

  Or if you wish, wait a little, pressed though you be for war,

  and retainers will take gifts from beside my ships

  and bring them to you, so that you may see that I will give you abundant satisfaction.”

  Then answering him spoke Achilles of the swift feet:

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

  hand over the gifts if you wish, as is fitting,

  or keep them by you. But now let us recollect our fighting spirit

  with all speed—there is no need to spin out time staying here,

  nor to delay, for a great task still is unaccomplished—150

  so that each man may again behold Achilles among the frontline fighters

  with his spear of bronze destroying the ranks of Trojans;

  so let each of you be mindful to go to battle with your man.”

  Then answering him, resourceful Odysseus spoke:

  “Not in this way, skilled though you be, godlike Achilles,

  urge the sons of the Achaeans toward Ilion to fight against the Trojans

  without eating, since this battle din will last no little time,

  when once the ranks of men have massed together,

  and god has breathed fury in both sides.

  Rather order the Achaeans to take food and wine160

  by their swift ships, for this is our strength and courage.

  A man cannot battle the whole day long until the setting of the sun

  in the face of the enemy without taking food;

  for even if he burns in his heart to fight,

  yet the heaviness of his limbs will catch him unawares, and

  thirst and hunger will overtake him, and cause his knees to stumble as he goes.

  But the man who has had his fill of wine and eating

  will go to war with enemy men the whole day through,

  and bold is the heart within him now, nor do his limbs

  give way at all, until the last man has withdrawn from battle.170

  But come, disperse your men and order them to prepare their meal;

  the gifts let Agamemnon lord of men

  bring in the midst of the assembly, so that all Achaeans

  can see with their eyes, and you gladden your heart.

  And let him swear an oath to you, standing up among the Argives,

  that he never mounted the girl’s bed and lay with her;176

  and let the spirit in your own heart be gracious.178

  And then let him make atonement to you with a feast within his quarters,

  a generous feast, so that you not in any way lack justice.180

  Son of Atreus, you also in future be more just to other men;

  there is no blame for a king to make atonement

  to a man, when the king was first to do the violence.”

  Then in turn the lord of men Agamemnon addressed him:

  “I rejoice, son of Laertes, hearing your word;

  you went through and recounted everything in proper measure.

  And I myself wish to swear to the same things, and my spirit urges me,

  nor before the face of god will I swear false oath. Achilles—

  let him wait here meanwhile, pressed though he be for war.

  All you others wait gathered together until the gifts190

  come from my shelter and we make solid oaths by sacrifice.

  And on yourself, Odysseus, I lay this injunction and command;

  choosing the most noble young men of all the Achaeans,

  bring the gifts from beside my ships, all that to Achilles

  we promised yesterday, and lead forth the women.

  And let Talthybios at once make ready in the broad arm
y of Achaeans

  a boar for me to slay as sacrifice to Zeus and Helios.”

  Then answering him spoke Achilles of the swift feet:

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

  far better you should busy yourself about these things another time,200

  when there is some interval in the fighting,

  and the fury is not so great inside my heart.

  For now they lie cut asunder, those whom

  Hector son of Priam brought down, when Zeus gave glory to him—

  and you two are urgent for eating! No, but I

  would command the sons of the Achaeans to go to war now

  without eating, without food, and at the setting of the sun

  to prepare a great meal, after we have avenged the outrage.

  Before this, nothing will go down my own throat,

  neither drink nor food, with my companion dead,210

  who in my shelter, torn asunder by sharp bronze,

  lies turned to face the door, his companions dissolved in tears

  around him; food and drink—these things are of no concern at all within my heart,

  but slaughter is, and blood, and the harsh groaning of men.”

  Then answering him resourceful Odysseus spoke:

  “O Achilles, son of Peleus, far greatest of Achaeans,

  you are mightier than me and greater by no small degree

  with the spear, but in reason I would surpass you

  by much, since I was born first and know more;

  therefore let your heart bear with my words.220

  Men soon have their fill of battle—

  the bronze scythe strews cornstalks thickly on the ground,

  but meager is the harvest when Zeus has tipped his scales,

  Zeus who dispenses war for men.

  It is not possible in any way for the Achaeans to mourn a dead man with their stomachs;

  too many men fall, one after the other, day upon day.

  When can a man pause for breath from this toil?

  We must bury the one who has died

  with pitiless hearts, weeping for the day alone,

  and all who survive this hateful war230

  must remember their drink and food, so that all the more

  we can do battle with enemy men, ceaselessly, forever,

  our bodies clad in unyielding bronze. Let no man

  of this army hang back waiting another summons,

  for this is the summons—evil it will be for he who is left

  by the Argive ships; rather attacking in a body

  let us rouse bitter war against the Trojan horse-breakers.”

  He spoke, and took as companions the sons of glorious Nestor,