The Iliad of Homer

by Richmond Lattimore

  and was best of her men in fighting next to Asteropaios.

  As this man fell, warlike Asteropaios pitied him

  and he in turn drove forward eager to fight with the Danaäns,

  but was not able to do it, for they, standing about Patroklos,

  355 fenced him behind their shields on all sides, and held their spears out-thrust.

  For Aias ranged their whole extent with his numerous orders,

  and would not let any man give back from the body, nor let one

  go out and fight by himself far in front of the other Achaians,

  but made them stand hard and fast about him and fight at close quarters.

  360 Such were the orders of gigantic Aias. The ground ran

  with red blood, the dead men dropped one after another

  from the ranks alike of Trojans and their mighty companions

  and Danaäns also, since these fought not without bloodletting,

  but far fewer of them went down, since they ever remembered

  365 always to stand massed and beat sudden death from each other.

  So they fought on in the likeness of fire, nor would you have thought

  the sun was still secure in his place in the sky, nor the moon, since

  the mist was closed over all that part of the fight where the bravest

  stood about Patroklos, the fallen son of Menoitios.

  370 Now elsewhere the rest of the Trojans and strong-greaved Achaians

  fought naturally in the bright air, with the sun’s sharp glitter

  everywhere about them, no cloud was showing anywhere

  on earth nor on the mountains. They fought their battle by intervals

  standing each well off at a distance, avoiding the painful

  375 shots from the other side; but they in the middle were suffering

  distress in the mist and the fighting, with the cruel bronze wearing them.

  These men were the bravest, but there were two men of glory,

  Thrasymedes and Antilochos, who had not yet heard

  how Patroklos the blameless had been killed, but still thought

  380 he was alive and fighting in the first shock with the Trojans.

  But these two, watching against death or flight in their company,

  fought their separate battle, since such was their order from Nestor

  as he was urging them forth from the black ships into the fighting.

  So for these daylong the hard bitterness of the wearing

  385 battle rose. With the ever-relentless sweat and the weariness

  knees, legs, and feet that supported from underneath each fighter,

  their hands and eyes also were running wet as they fought on

  over the brave henchman of swift-footed Aiakides.

  As when a man gives the hide of a great ox, a bullock,

  390 drenched first deep in fat, to all his people to stretch out;

  the people take it from him and stand in a circle about it

  and pull, and presently the moisture goes and the fat sinks

  in, with so many pulling, and the bull’s hide is stretched out level;

  so the men of both sides in a cramped space tugged at the body

  395 in both directions; and the hearts of the Trojans were hopeful

  to drag him away to Ilion, those of the Achaians

  to get him back to the hollow ships. And about him a savage

  struggle arose. Not Ares who rallies men, not Athene,

  watching this fight could have scorned it, not even in some strong anger,

  400 such was the wicked work of battle for men and for horses

  Zeus strained tight above Patroklos that day. But the brilliant

  Achilleus did not yet know at all that Patroklos had fallen.

  Since now the men were fighting far away from the fast ships

  under the Trojan wall, and Achilleus had no expectation

  405 that Patroklos was dead, but thought he was alive and close under

  the gates, and would come back. He had not thought that Patroklos

  would storm the city without himself, nor with himself either;

  for often he had word from his mother, not known to mortals;

  she was ever telling him what was the will of great Zeus; but this time

  410 his mother did not tell Achilleus of all the evil

  that had been done, nor how his dearest companion had perished.

  So they about the body gripping their headed spears kept

  inexorably close together, and slaughtered on both sides.

  And such would be the saying of some bronze-armored Achaian:

  415 “Friends, there is no glory for us if we go back again

  to our hollow ships, but here and now let the black earth open

  gaping for all; this would soon be far better for us

  if we give up this man to the Trojans, breakers of horses,

  to take away to their own city and win glory from him.”

  420 And such in turn would be the cry of some high-hearted Trojan:

  “O friends, though it be destined for all of us to be killed here

  over this man, still none of us must give ground from the fighting.”

  Thus a man would speak, and stir the spirit in each one

  of his fellowship. So they fought on, and the iron tumult

  425 went up into the brazen sky through the barren bright air.

  But the horses of Aiakides standing apart from the battle

  wept, as they had done since they heard how their charioteer

  had fallen in the dust at the hands of murderous Hektor.

  In truth Automedon, the powerful son of Diores,

  430 hit them over and over again with the stroke of the flying

  lash, or talked to them, sometimes entreating them, sometimes threatening.

  They were unwilling to go back to the wide passage of Helle

  and the ships, or back into the fighting after the Achaians,

  but still as stands a grave monument which is set over

  435 the mounded tomb of a dead man or lady, they stood there

  holding motionless in its place the fair-wrought chariot,

  leaning their heads along the ground, and warm tears were running

  earthward from underneath the lids of the mourning horses

  who longed for their charioteer, while their bright manes were made dirty

  440 as they streamed down either side of the yoke from under the yoke pad.

  As he watched the mourning horses the son of Kronos pitied them,

  and stirred his head and spoke to his own spirit: “Poor wretches,

  why then did we ever give you to the lord Peleus,

  a mortal man, and you yourselves are immortal and ageless?

  445 Only so that among unhappy men you also might be grieved?

  Since among all creatures that breathe on earth and crawl on it

  there is not anywhere a thing more dismal than man is.

  At least the son of Priam, Hektor, shall not mount behind you

  in the carefully wrought chariot. I will not let him. Is it not

  450 enough for him that he has the armor and glories in wearing it?

  But now I will put vigor into your knees and your spirits

  so that you bring back Automedon out of the fighting

  safe to the hollow ships; since I shall still give the Trojans

  the glory of killing, until they win to the strong-benched vessels,

  455 until the sun goes down and the blessed darkness comes over.”

  So spoke Zeus, and breathed great vigor into the horses,

  and they shaking the dust from their manes to the ground lightly

  carried the running chariot among the Achaians and Trojans.

  Automedon fought from them, though grieving for his companion.

  460 He would dash in, like a vulture among geese, with his horses,

  and lightly get away out of
the Trojans’ confusion

  and lightly charge in again in pursuit of a great multitude,

  and yet could kill no men when he swept in in chase of them.

  He had no way while he was alone in a separate chariot

  465 to lunge with the spear and still keep in hand his fast-running horses.

  But at last there was one of his companions who laid eyes upon him:

  Alkimedon, the son of Laërkes, descended from Haimon.

  He stood behind the chariot and called to Automedon:

  “Automedon, what god put this unprofitable purpose

  470 into your heart, and has taken away the better wits, so that

  you are trying to fight the Trojans in the first shock of encounter

  by yourself, since your companion has been killed, and Hektor

  glories in wearing Aiakides’ armor on his own shoulders?”

  In turn Automedon answered him, the son of Diores:

  475 “Alkimedon, which other of the Achaians could handle

  the management and the strength of immortal horses as you can,

  were it not Patroklos, the equal of the immortals in counsel,

  while he lived? Now death and fate have closed in upon him.

  Therefore take over from me the whip and the glittering guide reins

  480 while I dismount from behind the horses, so I may do battle.”

  He spoke, and Alkimedon vaulted up to the charging chariot

  and quickly gathered up the reins and the lash in his hands, while

  Automedon sprang down. But glorious Hektor saw them

  and immediately spoke to Aineias, who stood close beside him:

  485 “Aineias, lord of the counsels of the bronze-armored Trojans,

  I see before us the horses of swift-footed Aiakides

  who appear now in the fighting with weak charioteers. Therefore

  I could be hopeful of their capture, if you were willing

  in heart to go with me. If we two went forth against them

  490 they would not dare to stand their ground and do battle against us.”

  He spoke, and the strong son of Anchises did not disobey him.

  The two went strongly forward, hooding their shoulders in well-tanned

  and stubborn hides of oxen with deep bronze beaten upon them.

  Along with these went Chromios and godlike Aretos

  495 both together, and the spirit within each had high hopes

  of killing the men and driving away the strong-necked horses;

  poor fools, who were not going to come back from Automedon

  without the shedding of blood; and he with a prayer to Zeus father

  was filled about the darkening heart with war-strength and courage,

  500 and spoke now to Alkimedon his trusted companion:

  “Alkimedon, no longer check the horses back from me

  but keep them breathing right against my back. I have no thought

  that I can stand up to the strength of Hektor the son of Priam.

  Sooner, I think, he will kill us and mount behind the mane-floating

  505 horses of Achilleus, and scatter the ranks of the Argive

  fighting men; or else himself go down in the first rush.”

  He spoke, and called to the two Aiantes and Menelaos:

  “Aiantes, lords of the Argives, and Menelaos, we call you

  to leave the dead man in the care of those who are fittest

  510 to stand bestriding him and fend off the ranks of the Trojans

  while you beat back the day without pity from us who are living.

  For Hektor and Aineias, the greatest men of the Trojans,

  are leaning the weight of their charge this way through the sorrowful battle.

  Yet all these are things that are lying upon the gods’ knees.

  515 I myself will cast; and Zeus will look after the issue.”

  So he spoke, and balanced the spear far-shadowed, and threw it,

  and struck the shield of Aretos on its perfect circle,

  nor could the shield hold off the spear, but the bronze smashed clean through

  and was driven on through the belt to the deep of the belly.

  520 As when a strong-grown man with sharp axe in his hands chops

  at an ox, ranger of the fields, behind the horns, cutting

  all the way through the sinew, and the ox springing forward topples,

  so Aretos sprang forward, then toppled back, and sharp-driven

  into the depth of his belly the quivering spear unstrung him.

  525 Then Hektor made a cast with the shining spear at Automedon,

  but he, keeping his eyes straight on him, avoided the bronze spear.

  For he bent forward, and behind his back the long spearshaft

  was driven into the ground so that the butt end was shaken

  on the spear. Then and there Ares the huge took the force from it.

  530 And now they would have gone for each other with swords at close quarters,

  had not the two Aiantes driven strongly between them,

  who came on through the battle at the call of their companion,

  and in fear before them Hektor and Aineias and godlike

  Chromios gave ground back and away once more, leaving

  535 Aretos lying there where he was with a wound in his vitals.

  Then Automedon, a match for the running god of battles,

  stripped the armor, and spoke a word of boasting above him:

  “Now I have put a little sorrow from my heart for Patroklos’

  death, although the man I killed was not great as he was.”

  540 So he spoke, and took up the bloody war spoils and laid them

  inside the chariot, and himself mounted it, the blood running

  from hands and feet, as on some lion who has eaten a bullock.

  Once again over Patroklos was close drawn a strong battle

  weary and sorrowful, and Athene from the sky descending

  545 waked the bitter fighting, since Zeus of the wide brows sent her

  down to stir the Danaäns, for now his purpose had shifted.

  As when in the sky Zeus strings for mortals the shimmering

  rainbow, to be a portent and sign of war, or of wintry

  storm, when heat perishes, such storm as stops mortals’

  550 work upon the face of the earth, and afflicts their cattle,

  so Athene shrouded in the shimmering cloud about her

  merged among the swarming Achaians, and wakened each man.

  And first she spoke, stirring him on, to the son of Atreus,

  strong Menelaos, since he was the one who was standing close to her.

  555 She likened herself in form and weariless voice to Phoinix:

  “Menelaos, this will be a thing of shame, a reproach said

  of you, if under the wall of the Trojans the dogs in their fury

  can mutilate the staunch companion of haughty Achilleus.

  But hold strongly on, and stir up all the rest of your people.”

  560 Then in turn Menelaos of the great war cry answered her:

  “Phoinix, my father, aged and honored, if only Athene

  would give me such strength, and hold the volleying missiles off from me!

  So for my part I would be willing to stand by Patroklos

  and defend him, since in his death he hurt my heart greatly.

  565 Yet Hektor holds still the awful strength of a fire, nor falters

  in raging with the bronze spear, since Zeus is giving him glory.”

  So he spoke, and the goddess gray-eyed Athene was happy

  that first among all the divinities his prayer had bespoken her.

  She put strength into the man’s shoulders and knees, inspiring

  570 in his breast the persistent daring of that mosquito

  who though it is driven hard away from a man’s skin, even

  so, for the taste of human blood, persists in biting him
.

  With such daring she darkened to fullness the heart inside him.

  He stood over Patroklos, and made a cast with the shining

  575 spear. There was one among the Trojans, Podes, Eëtion’s

  son, a rich man and good, whom Hektor prized above others

  in the countryside, since he was his friend and ate at his table.

  Now fair-haired Menelaos struck this man, at the war belt

  as he swept away in flight, and drove the bronze spear clean through it.

  580 He fell, thunderously, and Atreus’ son Menelaos

  dragged the body away from the Trojans among his companions.

  But now Apollo came and stood beside Hektor, and stirred him,

  assuming the shape of Phainops, Asios’ son, who among all

  guest friends was dearest to Hektor, and lived at home in Abydos.

  585 In the likeness of this man far-striking Apollo spoke to him:

  “Hektor, what other Achaian now shall be frightened before you?

  See,you have shrunk before Menelaos, who in times before this

  was a soft spearfighter; and now he has gone taking off single-handed

  a body from among the Trojans. He has killed your trusted companion,

  590 valiant among the champions, Podes, the son of Eëtion.”

  He spoke, and the dark cloud of sorrow closed over Hektor.

  He took his way among the champions helmed in the shining

  bronze. And now the son of Kronos caught up the betasseled

  glaring aegis, and shrouded Ida in mists. He let go

  595 a lightning flash and a loud thunderstroke, shaking the mountain,

  gave victory to the Trojans, and terrified the Achaians.

  First to begin the flight was Peneleos the Boiotian.

  For he, turning always toward the attack, was hit in the shoulder’s

  end, a slight wound, but the spear of Poulydamas, who had thrown it

  600 from a stance very close to him, had grated the bone’s edge.

  Then Hektor wounded in the hand by the wrist Leïtos,

  the son of great-hearted Alektryon, and halted his warcraft,

  and he drew back staring about him since his spirit had hope no longer

  of holding a spear steady in his hand to fight with the Trojans.

  605 Now as Hektor made a rush for Leïtos, Idomeneus

  struck him on the corselet over the chest by the nipple,

  but the long shaft was broken behind the head, and the Trojans

  shouted. Now Hektor made a cast at Deukalian Idomeneus

  as he stood in his chariot, and missed him by only a little,

  610 but struck the follower and charioteer of Meriones,