The Iliad of Homer

by Richmond Lattimore

  Nor did it still please great-hearted Aias to stand back

  675 where the other sons of the Achaians had taken position;

  but he went in huge strides up and down the decks of the vessels.

  He wielded in his hands a great pike for sea fighting,

  twenty-two cubits long and joined together by clinchers.

  And as a man who is an expert rider of horses

  680 who when he has chosen and coupled four horses out of many

  makes his way over the plain galloping toward a great city

  along the traveled road, and many turn to admire him,

  men or women, while he steadily and never slipping

  jumps and shifts his stance from one to another as they gallop;

  685 so Aias ranged crossing from deck to deck of the fast ships

  taking huge strides, and his voice went always up to the bright sky

  as he kept up a terrible bellow and urged on the Danaäns

  to defend their ships and their shelters, while on the other side Hektor

  would not stay back among the mass of close-armored Trojans,

  690 but as a flashing eagle makes his plunge upon other

  flying birds as these feed in a swarm by a river,

  whether these be geese or cranes or swans long-throated,

  so Hektor steered the course of his outrush straight for a vessel

  with dark prows, and from behind Zeus was pushing him onward

  695 hard with his big hand, and stirred on his people beside him.

  Now once again a grim battle was fought by the vessels;

  you would say that they faced each other unbruised, unwearied

  in the fighting, from the speed in which they went for each other.

  This was the thought in each as they struggled on: the Achaians

  700 thought they could not get clear of the evil, but must perish,

  while the heart inside each one of the Trojans was hopeful

  to set fire to the ships and kill the fighting men of Achaia.

  With such thoughts in mind they stood up to fight with each other.

  Hektor caught hold of the stern of a grand, fast-running,

  705 seafaring ship, that once had carried Protesilaos

  to Troy, and did not take him back to the land of his fathers.

  It was around his ship that now Achaians and Trojans

  cut each other down at close quarters, nor any longer

  had patience for the volleys exchanged from bows and javelins

  710 but stood up close against each other, matching their fury,

  and fought their battle with sharp hatchets and axes, with great

  swords and with leaf-headed pikes, and many magnificent

  swords were scattered along the ground, black-thonged, heavy-hilted,

  sometimes dropping from the hands, some glancing from shoulders

  715 of men as they fought, so the ground ran black with blood. Hektor

  would not let go of the stern of a ship where he had caught hold of it

  but gripped the sternpost in his hands and called to the Trojans:

  “Bring fire, and give single voice to the clamor of battle.

  Now Zeus has given us a day worth all the rest of them:

  720 the ships’ capture, the ships that came here in spite of the gods’ will

  and have visited much pain on us, by our counselors’ cowardice

  who would not let me fight by the grounded ships, though I wanted to,

  but held me back in restraint, and curbed in our fighters.

  But Zeus of the wide brows, though then he fouled our intentions,

  725 comes now himself to urge us on and give us encouragement.”

  He spoke, and they thereby came on harder against the Argives.

  Their volleys were too much for Aias, who could hold no longer

  his place, but had to give back a little, expecting to die there,

  back to the seven-foot midship, and gave up the high deck of the balanced

  730 ship. There he stood and waited for them, and with his pike always

  beat off any Trojan who carried persistent fire from the vessels.

  He kept up a terrible bellowing, and urged on the Danaäns:

  “Friends and fighting men of the Danaäns, henchmen of Ares,

  be men now, dear friends, remember your furious valor.

  735 Do we think there are others who stand behind us to help us?

  Have we some stronger wall that can rescue men from perdition?

  We have no city built strong with towers lying near us, within which

  we could defend ourselves and hold off this host that matches us.

  We hold position in this plain of the close-armored Trojans,

  740 bent back against the sea, and far from the land of our fathers.

  Salvation’s light is in our hands’ work, not the mercy of battle.”

  He spoke, and came forward with his sharp spear, raging for battle.

  And whenever some Trojan crashed against the hollow ships

  with burning fire, who sought to wake the favor of Hektor,

  745 Aias would wait for him and then stab with the long pike

  and so from close up wounded twelve in front of the vessels.

  BOOK SIXTEEN

  So they fought on both sides for the sake of the strong-benched vessel.

  Meanwhile Patroklos came to the shepherd of the people, Achilleus,

  and stood by him and wept warm tears, like a spring dark-running

  that down the face of a rock impassable drips its dim water;

  5 and swift-footed brilliant Achilleus looked on him in pity,

  and spoke to him aloud and addressed him in winged words: “Why then

  are you crying like some poor little girl, Patroklos,

  who runs after her mother and begs to be picked up and carried,

  and clings to her dress, and holds her back when she tries to hurry,

  10 and gazes tearfully into her face, until she is picked up?

  You are like such a one, Patroklos, dropping these soft tears.

  Could you have some news to tell, for me or the Myrmidons?

  Have you, and nobody else, received some message from Phthia?

  Yet they tell me Aktor’s son Menoitios lives still

  15 and Aiakos’ son Peleus lives still among the Myrmidons.

  If either of these died we should take it hard. Or is it

  the Argives you are mourning over, and how they are dying

  against the hollow ships by reason of their own arrogance?

  Tell me, do not hide it in your mind, and so we shall both know.”

  20 Then groaning heavily, Patroklos the rider, you answered:

  “Son of Peleus, far greatest of the Achaians, Achilleus,

  do not be angry; such grief has fallen upon the Achaians.

  For all those who were before the bravest in battle

  are lying up among the ships with arrow or spear wounds.

  25 The son of Tydeus, strong Diomedes, was hit by an arrow,

  and Odysseus has a pike wound, and Agamemnon the spear-famed,

  and Eurypylos has been wounded in the thigh with an arrow.

  And over these the healers skilled in medicine are working

  to cure their wounds. But you, Achilleus; who can do anything

  30 with you? May no such anger take me as this that you cherish!

  Cursed courage. What other man born hereafter shall be advantaged

  unless you beat aside from the Argives this shameful destruction?

  Pitiless: the rider Peleus was never your father

  nor Thetis was your mother, but it was the gray sea that bore you

  35 and the towering rocks, so sheer the heart in you is turned from us.

  But if you are drawing back from some prophecy known in your own heart

  and by Zeus’ will your honored mother has told you of something,

&nbs
p; then send me out at least, let the rest of the Myrmidon people

  follow me, and I may be a light given to the Danaäns.

  40 Give me your armor to wear on my shoulders into the fighting;

  so perhaps the Trojans might think I am you, and give way

  from their attack, and the fighting sons of the Achaians get wind

  again after hard work. There is little breathing space in the fighting.

  We unwearied might with a mere cry pile men wearied

  45 back upon their city, and away from the ships and the shelters.”

  So he spoke supplicating in his great innocence; this was

  his own death and evil destruction he was entreating.

  But now, deeply troubled, swift-footed Achilleus answered him:

  “Ah, Patroklos, illustrious, what is this you are saying?

  50 I have not any prophecy in mind that I know of;

  there is no word from Zeus my honored mother has told me,

  but this thought comes as a bitter sorrow to my heart and my spirit

  when a man tries to foul one who is his equal, to take back

  a prize of honor, because he goes in greater authority.

  55 This is a bitter thought to me; my desire has been dealt with

  roughly. The girl the sons of the Achaians chose out for my honor,

  and I won her with my own spear, and stormed a strong-fenced city,

  is taken back out of my hands by powerful Agamemnon,

  the son of Atreus, as if I were some dishonored vagabond.

  60 Still, we will let all this be a thing of the past; and it was not

  in my heart to be angry forever; and yet I have said

  I would not give over my anger until that time came

  when the fighting with all its clamor came up to my own ships.

  So do you draw my glorious armor about your shoulders;

  65 lead the Myrmidons whose delight is battle into the fighting,

  if truly the black cloud of the Trojans has taken position

  strongly about our ships, and the others, the Argives, are bent back

  against the beach of the sea, holding only a narrow division

  of land, and the whole city of the Trojans has descended upon them

  70 boldly; because they do not see the face of my helmet

  glaring close; or else they would run and cram full of dead men

  the water-courses; if powerful Agamemnon treated me

  kindly. Now the Argives fight for their very encampment.

  For the spear rages not now in the hands of the son of Tydeus,

  75 Diomedes, to beat destruction aside from the Danaäns,

  nor have I heard the voice of the son of Atreus crying

  from his hated head; no, but the voice of murderous Hektor

  calling to the Trojans crashes about my ears; with their war cry

  they hold the entire plain as they beat the Achaians in battle.

  80 But even so, Patroklos, beat the bane aside from our ships; fall

  upon them with all your strength; let them not with fire’s blazing

  inflame our ships, and take away our desired homecoming.

  But obey to the end this word I put upon your attention

  so that you can win, for me, great honor and glory

  85 in the sight of all the Danaäns, so they will bring back to me

  the lovely girl, and give me shining gifts in addition.

  When you have driven them from the ships, come back; although later

  the thunderous lord of Hera might grant you the winning of glory,

  you must not set your mind on fighting the Trojans, whose delight

  90 is in battle, without me. So you will diminish my honor.

  You must not, in the pride and fury of fighting, go on

  slaughtering the Trojans, and lead the way against Ilion,

  for fear some one of the everlasting gods on Olympos

  might crush you. Apollo who works from afar loves these people

  95 dearly. You must turn back once you bring the light of salvation

  to the ships, and let the others go on fighting in the flat land.

  Father Zeus, Athene and Apollo, if only

  not one of all the Trojans could escape destruction, not one

  of the Argives, but you and I could emerge from the slaughter

  100 so that we two alone could break Troy’s hallowed coronal.”

  Now as these two were talking thus to each other, meanwhile

  the volleys were too much for Aias, who could hold no longer

  his place. The will of Zeus beat him back, and the proud Trojans

  with their spears, and around his temples the shining helmet

  105 clashed horribly under the shower of strokes; he was hit constantly

  on the strong-wrought cheek-pieces, and his left shoulder was tiring

  from always holding up the big glittering shield; yet they could not

  beat him out of his place, though they piled their missiles upon him.

  His breath came ever hard and painful, the sweat ran pouring

  110 down his body from every limb, he could find no means

  to catch his breath, but evil was piled on evil about him.

  Tell me now, you Muses who have your homes on Olympos,

  how fire was first thrown upon the ships of the Achaians.

  Hektor stood up close to Aias and hacked at the ash spear

  115 with his great sword, striking behind the socket of the spearhead,

  and slashed it clean away, so that Telamonian Aias

  shook there in his hand a lopped spear, while far away from him

  the bronze spearhead fell echoing to the ground; and Aias

  knew in his blameless heart, and shivered for knowing it, how this

  120 was gods’ work, how Zeus high-thundering cut across the intention

  in all his battle, how he planned that the Trojans should conquer.

  He drew away out of the missiles, and the Trojans threw weariless fire

  on the fast ship, and suddenly the quenchless flame streamed over it.

  So the fire was at work on the ship’s stern; but Achilleus

  125 struck his hands against both his thighs, and called to Patroklos:

  “Rise up, illustrious Patroklos, rider of horses.

  I see how the ravening fire goes roaring over our vessels.

  They must not get our ships so we cannot run away in them.

  Get on your armor; faster; I will muster our people.”

  130 He spoke, and Patroklos was helming himself in bronze that glittered.

  First he placed along his legs the beautiful greaves, linked

  with silver fastenings to hold the greaves at the ankles.

  Afterward he girt on about his chest the corselet

  starry and elaborate of swift-footed Aiakides.

  135 Across his shoulders he slung the sword with the nails of silver,

  a bronze sword, and above it the great shield, huge and heavy.

  Over his mighty head he set the well-fashioned helmet

  with the horse-hair crest, and the plumes nodded terribly above it.

  He took up two powerful spears that fitted his hand’s grip,

  140 only he did not take the spear of blameless Aiakides,

  huge, heavy, thick, which no one else of all the Achaians

  could handle, but Achilleus alone knew how to wield it;

  the Pelian ash spear which Cheiron had brought to his father

  from high on Pelion to be death for fighters. Patroklos

  145 ordered Automedon rapidly to harness the horses,

  a man he honored most, after Achilleus breaker of battles,

  who stood most staunchly by him against the fury of fighting.

  For him Automedon led the fast-running horses under

  the yoke, Xanthos and Balios, who tore with the winds’ speed,

  150 horses stormy Podarge once con
ceived of the west wind

  and bore, as she grazed in the meadow beside the swirl of the Ocean.

  In the traces beside these he put unfaulted Pedasos

  whom Achilleus brought back once when he stormed Eëtion’s city.

  He, mortal as he was, ran beside the immortal horses.

  155 But Achilleus went meanwhile to the Myrmidons, and arrayed them

  all in their war gear along the shelters. And they, as wolves

  who tear flesh raw, in whose hearts the battle fury is tireless,

  who have brought down a great horned stag in the mountains, and then feed

  on him, till the jowls of every wolf run blood, and then go

  160 all in a pack to drink from a spring of dark-running water,

  lapping with their lean tongues along the black edge of the surface

  and belching up the clotted blood; in the heart of each one

  is a spirit untremulous, but their bellies are full and groaning;

  as such the lords of the Myrmidons and their men of counsel

  165 around the brave henchman of swift-footed Aiakides

  swarmed, and among them was standing warlike Achilleus

  and urged on the fighting men with their shields, and the horses.

  Fifty were the fast-running ships wherein Achilleus

  beloved of Zeus had led his men to Troy, and in each one

  170 were fifty men, his companions in arms, at the rowing benches.

  He had made five leaders among them, and to these entrusted

  the command, while he in his great power was lord over all of them.

  One battalion was led by Menesthios of the shining

  corselet, son of Spercheios, the river swelled from the bright sky,

  175 born of the daughter of Peleus, Polydore the lovely,

  to unremitting Spercheios, when a woman lay with an immortal;

  but born in name to Perieres’ son, Boros, who married

  Polydore formally, and gave gifts beyond count to win her.

  The next battalion was led by warlike Eudoros, a maiden’s

  180 child, born to one lovely in the dance, Polymele,

  daughter of Phylas; whom strong Hermes Argeïphontes

  loved, when he watched her with his eyes among the girls dancing

  in the choir for clamorous Artemis of the golden distaff.

  Presently Hermes the healer went up with her into her chamber

  185 and lay secretly with her, and she bore him a son, the shining

  Eudoros, a surpassing runner and a quick man in battle.

  But after Eileithyia of the hard pains had brought out