The Iliad of Homer
Page 15
but Podarkes, scion of Ares, set them in order,
705 child of Iphikles, who in turn was son to Phylakos
rich in flocks, full brother of high-hearted Protesilaos,
younger born; but the elder man was braver also,
Protesilaos, a man of battle; yet still the people
lacked not a leader, though they longed for him and his valor.
710 Following along with Podarkes were forty black ships.
They who lived by Pherai beside the lake Boibeis,
by Boibe and Glaphyrai and strong-founded Iolkos,
of their eleven ships the dear son of Admetos was leader,
Eumelos, born to Admetos by the beauty among women
715 Alkestis, loveliest of all the daughters of Pelias.
They who lived about Thaumakia and Methone,
they who held Meliboia and rugged Olizon,
of their seven ships the leader was Philoktetes
skilled in the bow’s work, and aboard each vessel were fifty
720 oarsmen, each well skilled in the strength of the bow in battle.
Yet he himself lay apart in the island, suffering strong pains,
in Lemnos the sacrosanct, where the sons of the Achaians had left him
in agony from the sore bite of the wicked water snake.
There he lay apart in his pain; yet soon the Argives
725 beside their ships were to remember lord Philoktetes.
Yet these, longing as they did for their leader, did not go leaderless,
but Medon, the bastard son of Oïleus, set them in order,
whom Rhene bore to Oïleus the sacker of cities.
They who held Trikke and the terraced place of Ithome,
730 and Oichalia, the city of Oichalian Eurytos,
of these in turn the leaders were two sons of Asklepios,
good healers both themselves, Podaleirios and Machaon.
In their command were marshaled thirty hollow vessels.
They who held Ormenios and the spring Hypereia,
735 they who held Asterion and the pale peaks of Titanos,
Eurypylos led these, the shining son of Euaimon.
Following along with him were forty black ships.
They who held Argissa and dwelt about Gyrtone,
Orthe and Elone and the white city Oloösson,
740 of these the leader was Polypoites, stubborn in battle,
son of Peirithoös whose father was Zeus immortal,
he whom glorious Hippodameia bore to Peirithoös
on that day when he wreaked vengeance on the hairy beast men
and drove them from Pelion and hurled them against the Aithikes;
745 not by himself, for Leonteus was with him, scion of Ares,
Leonteus, son of high-hearted Koronos the son of Kaineus.
Following in the guidance of these were forty black ships.
Gouneus from Kyphos led two and twenty vessels,
and the Enienes and the Perrhaibians stubborn in battle
750 followed him, they who made their homes by wintry Dodona,
and they who by lovely Titaressos held the tilled acres,
Titaressos, who into Peneios casts his bright current:
yet he is not mixed with the silver whirls of Peneios,
but like oil is floated along the surface above him:
755 since he is broken from the water of Styx, the fearful oath-river.
Prothoös son of Tenthredon was leader of the Magnesians,
those who dwelt about Peneios and leaf-trembling
Pelion. Of these Prothoös the swift-footed was leader.
Following along with him were forty black ships.
760 These then were the leaders and the princes among the Danaäns.
Tell me then, Muse, who of them all was the best and bravest
of the men, and the men’s horses, who went with the sons of Atreus.
Best by far among the horses were the mares of Eumelos
Pheres’ son, that he drove, swift-moving like birds, alike in
765 texture of coat, in age, both backs drawn level like a plumb-line.
These Apollo of the silver bow had bred in Pereia,
mares alike, who went with the terror of the god of battle.
Among the men far the best was Telamonian Aias
while Achilleus stayed angry, since he was far best of all of them,
770 and the horses also, who carried the blameless son of Peleus.
But Achilleus lay apart among his curved sea-wandering
vessels, raging at Agamemnon, the shepherd of the people,
Atreus’ son; and his men beside the break of the sea-beach
amused themselves with discs and with light spears for throwing
775 and bows; and the horses, standing each beside his chariot,
champed their clover and the parsley that grows in wet places,
resting, while the chariots of their lords stood covered
in the shelters, and the men forlorn of their warlike leader
wandered here and there in the camp, and did no fighting.
780 But the rest went forward, as if all the earth with flame were eaten,
and the ground echoed under them, as if Zeus who delights in thunder
were angry, as when he batters the earth about Typhoeus,
in the land of the Arimoi, where they say Typhoeus lies prostrate.
Thus beneath their feet the ground re-echoed loudly
785 to men marching, who made their way through the plain in great speed.
Now to the Trojans came as messenger wind-footed Iris,
in her speed, with the dark message from Zeus of the aegis.
These were holding assembly in front of the doors of Priam
gathered together in one place, the elders and the young men.
790 Standing close at hand swift-running Iris spoke to them,
and likened her voice to that of the son of Priam, Polites,
who confident in the speed of his feet kept watch for the Trojans
aloft the ancient burial mound of ancient Aisyetes,
waiting for the time when the Achaians should move from their vessels.
795 In this man’s likeness Iris the swift-running spoke to them:
“Old sir, dear to you forever are words beyond number
as once, when there was peace; but stintless war has arisen.
In my time I have gone into many battles among men,
yet never have I seen a host like this, not one so numerous.
800 These look terribly like leaves, or the sands of the seashore,
as they advance across the plain to fight by the city.
Hektor, on you beyond all I urge this, to do as I tell you:
all about the great city of Priam are many companions,
but multitudinous is the speech of the scattered nations:
805 let each man who is their leader give orders to these men,
and let each set his citizens in order, and lead them.”
She spoke, nor did Hektor fail to mark the word of the goddess.
Instantly he broke up the assembly; they ran to their weapons.
All the gates were opened and the people swept through them
810 on foot, and with horses, and a clamor of shouting rose up.
Near the city but apart from it there is a steep hill
in the plain by itself, so you pass one side or the other.
This men call the Hill of the Thicket, but the immortal
gods have named it the burial mound of dancing Myrina.
815 There the Trojans and their companions were marshaled in order.
Tall Hektor of the shining helm was leader of the Trojans,
Priam’s son; and with him far the best and the bravest
fighting men were armed and eager to fight with the spear’s edge.
The strong son of Anchises was leader of the Dardanians,
820 Aineias, whom divine
Aphrodite bore to Anchises
in the folds of Ida, a goddess lying in love with a mortal:
not Aineias alone, but with him were two sons of Antenor,
Archelochos and Akamas, both skilled in all fighting.
They who lived in Zeleia below the foot of Mount Ida,
825 men of wealth, who drank the dark water of Aisepos,
Trojans: of these the leader was the shining son of Lykaon,
Pandaros, with the bow that was actual gift of Apollo.
They who held Adresteia and the countryside of Apaisos,
they who held Pityeia and the sheer hill of Tereia,
830 these were led by Adrestos and Amphios armored in linen,
sons both of Merops of Perkote, who beyond all men
knew the art of prophecy, and tried to prevent his two sons
from going into the battle where men die. Yet these would not
listen, for the spirits of dark death were driving them onward.
835 They who dwelt in the places about Perkote and Praktion,
who held Sestos and Abydos and brilliant Arisbe,
their leader was Asios, Hyrtakos’ son, a prince of the people,
Asios, son of Hyrtakos, whom huge and shining
horses carried from Arisbe and the river Selleëis.
840 Hippothoös led the tribes of spear-fighting Pelasgians,
they who dwelt where the soil is rich about Larissa;
Hippothoös and Pylaios, scion of Ares, led these,
sons alike of Pelasgian Lethos, son of Teutamos.
Akamas led the men of Thrace with the fighter Peiroös,
845 all the Thracians held within the hard stream of the Hellespont.
Euphemos was leader of the Kikonian spearmen,
son of Troizenos, Keas’ son, the king whom the gods loved.
Pyraichmes in turn led the Paionians with their curved bows,
from Amydon far away and the broad stream of Axios,
850 Axios, whose stream on all earth is the loveliest water.
Pylaimones the wild heart was leader of the Paphlagonēs,
from the land of the Enetoi where the wild mules are engendered,
those who held Kytoros and those who dwelt about Sesamos,
those whose renowned homes were about Parthenios river,
855 and Kromna and Aigialos and high Erythinoi.
Odios and Epistrophos led the Halizones
from Alybē far away, where silver was first begotten.
Chromis, with Ennomos the augur, was lord of the Mysians;
yet his reading of birds could not keep off dark destruction
860 but he went down under the hands of swift-running Aiakides
in the river, as he slew other Trojans beside him.
Phorkys and godlike Askanios were lords of the Phrygians
from Askania far away, eager to fight in the onfall.
Mesthles and Antiphos were leaders of the Maionians,
865 sons of Talaimenes, who was born of the lake Gygaian:
these led the Maionian men whose home was beneath Mount Tmolos.
The Karians of the outland speech were led by Nastes,
they who held Miletos and the leaf-deep mountain of Phthiron,
the waters of Maiandros and the headlong peaks of Mykalē;
870 of these the two leaders were Amphimachos and Nastes,
Nastes and Amphimachos, the shining sons of Nomion.
Nastes came like a girl to the fighting in golden raiment,
poor fool, nor did this avail to keep dismal death back;
but he went down under the hands of swift-running Aiakides
875 in the river, and fiery Achilleus stripped the gold from him.
Sarpedon with unfaulted Glaukos was lord of the Lykians
from Lykia far away, and the whirling waters of Xanthos.
BOOK THREE
Now when the men of both sides were set in order by their leaders,
the Trojans came on with clamor and shouting, like wildfowl,
as when the clamor of cranes goes high to the heavens,
when the cranes escape the winter time and the rains unceasing
5 and clamorously wing their way to the streaming Ocean,
bringing to the Pygmaian men bloodshed and destruction:
at daybreak they bring on the baleful battle against them.
But the Achaian men went silently, breathing valor,
stubbornly minded each in his heart to stand by the others.
10 As on the peaks of a mountain the south wind scatters the thick mist,
no friend to the shepherd, but better than night for the robber,
and a man can see before him only so far as a stone cast,
so beneath their feet the dust drove up in a stormcloud
of men marching, who made their way through the plain in great speed.
15 Now as these in their advance had come close together,
Alexandros the godlike leapt from the ranks of the Trojans,
as challenger wearing across his shoulders the hide of a leopard,
curved bow and sword; while in his hands shaking two javelins
pointed with bronze, he challenged all the best of the Argives
20 to fight man to man against him in bitter combat.
Now as soon as Menelaos the warlike caught sight of him
making his way with long strides out in front of the army,
he was glad, like a lion who comes on a mighty carcass,
in his hunger chancing upon the body of a horned stag
25 or wild goat; who eats it eagerly, although against him
are hastening the hounds in their speed and the stalwart young men:
thus Menelaos was happy finding godlike Alexandros
there in front of his eyes, and thinking to punish the robber,
straightway in all his armor he sprang to the ground from his chariot.
30 But Alexandros the godlike when he saw Menelaos
showing among the champions, the heart was shaken within him;
to avoid death he shrank into the host of his own companions.
As a man who has come on a snake in the mountain valley
suddenly steps back, and the shivers come over his body,
35 and he draws back and away, cheeks seized with a green pallor;
so in terror of Atreus’ son godlike Alexandros
lost himself again in the host of the haughty Trojans.
But Hektor saw him and in words of shame rebuked him:
“Evil Paris, beautiful, woman-crazy, cajoling,
40 better had you never been born, or killed unwedded.
Truly I could have wished it so; it would be far better
than to have you with us to our shame, for others to sneer at.
Surely now the flowing-haired Achaians laugh at us,
thinking you are our bravest champion, only because your
45 looks are handsome, but there is no strength in your heart, no courage.
Were you like this that time when in sea-wandering vessels
assembling oarsmen to help you you sailed over the water,
and mixed with the outlanders, and carried away a fair woman
from a remote land, whose lord’s kin were spearmen and fighters,
50 to your father a big sorrow, and your city, and all your people,
to yourself a thing shameful but bringing joy to the enemy?
And now you would not stand up against warlike Menelaos?
Thus you would learn of the man whose blossoming wife you have taken.
The lyre would not help you then, nor the favors of Aphrodite,
55 nor your locks, when you rolled in the dust, nor all your beauty.
No, but the Trojans are cowards in truth, else long before this
you had worn a mantle of flying stones for the wrong you did us.”
Then in answer Alexandros the godlike spoke to him:
“Hektor, seeing y
ou have scolded me rightly, not beyond measure—
60 still, your heart forever is weariless, like an axe-blade
driven by a man’s strength through the timber, one who, well skilled,
hews a piece for a ship, driven on by the force of a man’s strength:
such is the heart in your breast, unshakable: yet do not
bring up against me the sweet favors of golden Aphrodite.
65 Never to be cast away are the gifts of the gods, magnificent,
which they give of their own will; no man could have them for wanting them.
Now though, if you wish me to fight it out and do battle,
make the rest of the Trojans sit down, and all the Achaians,
and set me in the middle with Menelaos the warlike
70 to fight together for the sake of Helen and all her possessions.
That one of us who wins and is proved stronger, let him
take the possessions fairly and the woman, and lead her homeward.
But the rest of you, having cut your oaths of faith and friendship,
dwell, you in Troy where the soil is rich, while those others return home
75 to horse-pasturing Argos, and Achaia the land of fair women.”
So he spoke, and Hektor hearing his word was happy
and went into the space between and forced back the Trojan battalions
holding his spear by the middle until they were all seated.
But the flowing-haired Achaians kept pointing their bows at him
80 with arrows and with flung stones striving ever to strike him
until Agamemnon lord of men cried out in a great voice:
“Argives, hold: cast at him no longer, O sons of the Achaians.
Hektor of the shining helm is trying to tell us something.”
So he spoke, and they stopped fighting and suddenly all fell
85 silent; but Hektor between them spoke now to both sides:
“Hear from me, Trojans and strong-greaved Achaians, the word
of Alexandros, for whose sake this strife has arisen.
He would have all the rest of the Trojans and all the Achaians
lay aside on the bountiful earth their splendid armor
90 while he himself in the middle and warlike Menelaos
fight alone for the sake of Helen and all her possessions.
That one of them who wins and is proved stronger, let him
take the possessions fairly and the woman, and lead her homeward
while the rest of us cut our oaths of faith and friendship.”
95 So he spoke, and all of them stayed stricken to silence;
but among them spoke out Menelaos of the great war cry: