The Iliad (Penguin Classics)

by Homer

  Nestor then called out to the Greeks in a loud voice:

  ‘Friends, Greek warriors, servants of the War-god Ares! No looting now! No lingering behind to get back to the ships with (70) the biggest share! Let us kill Trojans. Afterwards, at your leisure, you can strip the dead on the battlefield.’

  With these words he put fresh heart and courage into every man; and it looked as though the Trojans, weakened and demoralized, would be driven back into Ilium by the war-loving Greeks. But at this point, Priam’s son Helenus, the best prophet in Troy, went up to Aeneas and Hector and said:

  Hector to sacrifice to ATHENE

  ‘Aeneas and Hector, more than all the other Trojans and Lycians together you two bear the brunt of the fighting because, whatever the enterprise, you have never failed us in the council-chamber (80) or on the battlefield. Now make a stand here. Visit every part of the battlefield yourselves and regroup the troops in front of the gates before they run for it, fall into their women’s arms and make the enemy happy men. When you two have rallied all our forces, we’ll stand our ground and fight the Greeks here, exhausted though we are – we have no choice in the matter.

  ‘Meanwhile, Hector, go into the town and speak to our mother. Tell her to collect the older women at the temple of grey-eyed Athene on the town heights and unlock the doors of (90) the holy shrine. Let her choose a robe from her palace, the loveliest and biggest she can find in the house and the one most precious to her, and lay it on the knees of lovely-haired Athene. And let her promise to sacrifice in her shrine a dozen year-old heifers that have never worked, if only she will have pity on the town and on the Trojans’ wives and little children and keep that savage spearman and master of the rout, Diomedes, clear of sacred Ilium. He, in my opinion, is now our most powerful Greek adversary. We were never so terrified even of Achilles, (100) leader of men, and said to be a goddess’ son. But Diomedes here is quite uncontrollable and not a man can hold him.’

  So he spoke, and Hector complied. Fully armed, he immediately leapt from his chariot to the ground and, brandishing a pair of sharp spears, went everywhere among his men, urging them to fight and rousing their spirit for grim battle. As a result the Trojans turned and faced the Greeks, who now gave ground and killed no more of the enemy. Indeed, the Trojans rallied so effectively that the Greeks thought some god must have come (110) down from the starry sky to help them. Hector then called out to the Trojans in a loud voice:

  ‘Proud Trojans and famous allies, be men, my comrades, and call up that fighting spirit of yours, while I go into Ilium to tell our elders and our wives to pray to the gods and promise them a sacrifice.’

  With these words Hector of the flashing helmet went off towards the town. As he walked, the dark leather rim of the bossed shield slung over his shoulder tapped him above and below, on the ankles and on the back of the neck.

  Glaucus son of Hippolochus and Diomedes son of Tydeus (120) now approached one another in the space between the two armies, determined to do battle. When they had come within range of each other, Diomedes, master of the battle-cry, spoke first:

  Glaucus and Diomedes meet

  ‘What mortal man are you, sir? I have not seen you in battle where men win glory – till now. Yet in facing the long-shadowed spear in my hand you have shown far greater courage than any of your comrades. Pity those fathers whose sons face me in my fury!

  ‘But if you are one of the immortals descended from Olympus, I am not the man to fight against the gods of the skies. Why, not (130) even powerful Lycurgus, Dryas’ son, survived his quarrel with the gods of the skies for very long. This murderous Lycurgus chased the nurses of the wild god Dionysus down from the holy hills of Nysa, and they all scattered the god’s emblems to the ground as he struck them with his ox-goad. Dionysus fled and found sanctuary under the salt sea waves where the Sea-nymph Thetis took him to her bosom, terrified and shaking violently from Lycurgus’ threats. But the immortals who live at ease resented what Lycurgus had done – and Zeus struck him blind. (140) He did not live long after that, since all the immortals hated him. So I will not be fighting against the blessed gods.

  ‘But if you are one of us mortals who eat the fruit of the earth, come on, and the sooner your fate will be sealed.’

  Glaucus, glorious son of Hippolochus, spoke:

  ‘Great-hearted Diomedes, why ask after my family? The family of man is like the leaves of the trees. The wind scatters them on the ground, but the trees burst into bud and grow fresh leaves when the spring comes round. So with the family (150) of man: one generation grows, the other fades. But if you really wish to learn about my family, I will tell you. Most people know my story already.

  Story of Bellerophon

  ‘There is a town called Ephyre in a corner of Argos where the horses graze. Here lived a man called Sisyphus, a man as crafty as they come. Aeolus was his father’s name. Sisyphus had a son called Glaucus; and Glaucus in his turn was father of matchless Bellerophon.

  ‘The gods endowed Bellerophon with fine looks and every desirable manly virtue. But Zeus made him subject to Proetus from Argos, who was far more powerful; and Proetus, who had trouble in mind for Bellerophon, expelled him from the town. (160) The reason was that Proetus’ wife godlike Anteia was mad for him to make secret love to her. But prudent Bellerophon was a man of sound principles and refused. So Anteia went to lord Proetus with a lying tale and said: ‘‘Proetus, Bellerophon wanted to seduce me, but I refused. Kill him, or may you die yourself.’’

  ‘So she spoke, and Proetus was enraged at what he heard. He stopped short of putting Bellerophon to death – he did not think it right to do so – but instead sent him off to Lycia carrying a fatal message, a folded tablet on which he had written signs (170) with a deadly meaning. Proetus told Bellerophon to hand this tablet to his father-in-law, the ruler of Lycia, thus ensuring Bellerophon’s death.

  ‘The journey was smoothly overseen by the gods and, when Bellerophon reached Lycia and the flowing River Xanthus, he was welcomed as an honoured guest by the ruler of those broad lands. His host entertained him for nine days and slaughtered an ox every day. But when rosy-fingered Dawn rose for the tenth day, he questioned Bellerophon, asked to see what message he had brought from Proetus and was given the tablet with the fatal instructions that Proetus had sent.

  ‘The Lycian ruler’s first step was to order Bellerophon to kill (180) the raging Chimaera, a creature born of the gods, not men. She had a lion’s head, a serpent’s tail and the body of a goat; and her breath came out in terrible blasts of burning flame. But Bellerophon let himself be guided by the gods and succeeded in killing her. His second mission was to fight the illustrious Solymi – Bellerophon spoke of that as the most terrific battle he had ever fought against men. And by way of a third task, he killed the Amazons, women who were a match for men.

  ‘But the ruler of Lycia thought of something different and set a clever trap to catch him on his return from this adventure. He picked out the best men in all Lycia and stationed them in (190) ambush. Not one of them came home – matchless Bellerophon killed them all. In the end, he realized Bellerophon was a true son of the gods. So he kept him in Lycia and gave him his daughter’s hand and half his kingdom, while the Lycians also sectioned off a piece of their best land with rich vineyards and cornfields for him to cultivate.

  ‘Bellerophon’s wife bore him three children – Isander, Hippolochus and Laodameia, who slept with Zeus wise in counsel and became the mother of the godlike warrior Sarpedon. But the (200) time came when Bellerophon incurred the enmity of all the gods and wandered off in solitude across the Aleian Plain, eating his heart out and avoiding all contact with men. Ares, the insatiable War-god, killed his son Isander in battle with the illustrious Solymi, and Artemis, whose chariot has golden reins, killed Laodameia in anger.

  ‘That left Hippolochus – and they say I am his son. He sent me to Troy and often used to tell me always to be the best and excel all others and never disgrace our forefathers who were (210) b
y far the best men in Ephyre and Lycia.

  ‘That, then, is my family; that is the blood I claim as mine.’

  So he spoke, and Glaucus’ tale delighted Diomedes, master of the battle-cry. He stuck his spear into the bountiful earth and warmly addressed this shepherd of the people:

  Glaucus and Diomedes exchange armour

  ‘Surely your family and mine are linked by old-established ties. Godlike Oeneus my grandfather once entertained matchless Bellerophon in his palace and kept him there for twenty days, after which they gave each other the usual splendid gifts that host and guest exchange. Oeneus gave Bellerophon a belt bright with (220) purple, and Bellerophon gave Oeneus a gold two-handled cup which I left behind at home when I set out here for Troy. (As for my father Tydeus, however, I don’t remember him, as I was only a baby when he joined the Greek expedition that was destroyed at Thebes.) So now you will have a good friend in me in the heart of Argos, and I shall have you in Lycia if ever I visit that country.

  ‘So let us avoid each other’s spears even in the tumult of battle, since there are plenty of other Trojans and their famous allies for me to kill, if the god provides them and I have the speed to catch them, and plenty of Greeks for you to slaughter, (230) if you can. And let us exchange our armour so that everyone will know our grandfathers’ friendship has made friends of us.’

  With these words they leapt from their chariots, took each other by the hand and gave their word of honour. But Zeus robbed Glaucus of his wits since he exchanged his golden armour for Diomedes’ bronze, a hundred oxen’s worth for the value of nine.

  Meanwhile Hector had reached the oak-tree at the Scaean gate and was at once besieged by Trojan wives and daughters running up to ask about their sons and brothers, their husbands (240) and their friends. He told them all in turn to pray to the gods. Grief was in store for many.

  Then he made his way to Priam’s magnificent palace. It was fronted with rows of polished columns, and in the main building behind there were fifty apartments of polished stone adjoining each other, where Priam’s sons slept with their wives. His daughters had separate quarters, on the other side of the courtyard, where twelve adjoining bedrooms had been built for them, of polished stone and well roofed in. Here Priam’s sons-in-law (250) slept with their honoured wives.

  Hector meets Hecabe

  Hector was met at the palace by his gentle, generous mother Hecabe who was coming in with Laodice, the most beautiful of her daughters. Putting her hand in his she said:

  ‘Hector! Why have you left the brave conflict to come here, my child? It is true, then, that those hateful Greeks are getting the better of us in the fighting round the town; and your spirit moved you to return here and lift your hands in prayer to Zeus on the town’s heights. But wait a moment while I fetch you some sweet wine, so that you can first make a libation to Father (260) Zeus and the other immortals and then, if you like, refresh yourself with a drink as well. Wine is a great comfort to a weary man, and you must be exhausted after fighting so hard for your loved ones.’

  Great Hector of the flashing helmet replied:

  ‘My lady mother, don’t bring me any delicious wine or you will deprive me of my strength and leave me unfit to fight. And I shrink from offering Zeus sparkling wine with unwashed hands. A man cannot pray to Zeus, who darkens the clouds, when he is bespattered with blood and filth.

  (270) ’No, it is you who must pray. Collect the older women and go with offerings to the temple of the war-leader Athene. Choose a robe, the loveliest and biggest you can find in the house and the one most precious to you, and lay it on the knees of lovely-haired Athene. Promise to sacrifice in her shrine a dozen year-old heifers that have never worked, if only she will have pity on the town and on the Trojans’ wives and little children and keep that savage spearman and mighty master of the rout, Diomedes, clear of sacred Ilium.

  (280) ’Go, then, to the war-leader Athene’s shrine, while I go after Paris and order him out, though I doubt he is willing to listen to me. Indeed, I wish the earth would open and swallow him up. What a scourge Olympian Zeus raised him to be for the Trojans, great-hearted Priam and his sons! If I could see him on his way down to Hades’ halls, I would say my troubles were over.’

  So he spoke, and Hector’s mother went into the palace and gave instructions to her waiting-women. While these were going round the town to collect the older women, she went down to the scented storeroom where she kept her embroidered robes. (290) These were the work of Sidonian women whom godlike Paris himself had brought across the sea from Sidon, on the same journey he escorted highborn Helen back to Ilium. Hecabe picked out the longest and most richly decorated of these as a gift for Athene. It had lain underneath all the rest and glittered like a star. With this she set out, and a number of the older women hurried along at her side.

  Trojan offering to ATHENE

  When they reached the temple of Athene on the town heights, the doors were opened for them by fair-cheeked Theano, daughter of Cisses and wife of horse-taming Antenor, who had been made priestess (300) of Athene by the Trojans. With a loud cry in which everyone joined, the women lifted their hands to Athene, while fair-cheeked Theano took the robe, laid it on Athene’s knees and prayed to the daughter of great Zeus:

  ‘Lady Athene, protectress of cities, celestial goddess, break Diomedes’ spear. Bring him crashing headlong down in front of the Scaean gate. And we will sacrifice here and now in your shrine a dozen year-old heifers that have never worked, if only (310) you will have pity on the town and on the Trojans’ wives and little children.’

  So Theano prayed, but for answer Pallas Athene shook her head.

  So the women prayed to the daughter of great Zeus, and Hector made his way to the fine house where Paris lived. Paris had built it himself using the best workmen to be found in the fertile land of Troy. They built it for him complete with sleeping-quarters, hall and court-yard, close to the houses of Priam and Hector on the town heights. There Hector dear to Zeus stepped inside. He was carrying a spear five metres long. (320) The bronze point glittered in front of him, and a gold ring clamped the socket tight to the shaft.

  Hector meets Paris (3.380 ff.)

  He found Paris in his bedroom, seeing to his superb armour, his shield and body-armour, and examining his curved bow, while Helen sat beside him with her waiting-women and supervised their excellent work. Seeing Paris, Hector attacked him sharply:

  ‘What do you think you are doing? It doesn’t do you much credit to sit and sulk by yourself like this, while our men are falling in action round the town and its steep walls. It’s your fault this town flares with the sound and fury of battle, and you (330) would be the first to quarrel with anyone else you found shirking the horrors of war. Back into action with you now, before the town goes up in flames!’

  Godlike Paris replied:

  ‘Hector, your taunts are justified, nothing more than what I deserve. But let me say something, and you listen and pay attention too. I am not sulking. I have no grudge against the Trojans, but came and sat down in my room to wallow in my grief. However, my wife has just been gently urging me to return to the front. And I think she is right – victory switches (340) from one man to another. So give me a moment while I arm for battle, or else go on ahead and I will follow. I can soon catch you up.’

  So he spoke, but Hector of the flashing helmet made no reply. Helen now warmly addressed Hector:

  ‘My brother-in-law, what a cold, evil-minded slut I am! How I wish that, on the very day when my mother bore me, the storm-fiend had swept me off into the mountains or into the waves of the sounding sea, to be overwhelmed before all this could happen. And next to that, since the gods have ordained (350) things to this evil end, I wish I had found a better husband, one with some feelings for the anger and contempt that his fellow men had for him. But as it is, this husband of mine hasn’t a brain in his head and never will; though one day he will pay for it, if I am not mistaken.

  ‘But come in now, my dear brother-in
-law, and sit down on this chair. No one in Troy bears a greater burden of responsibility for the fighting than you – and all because of me, slut that I am, and Paris’ blind folly. Zeus surely has an evil end in store for us, intending us to figure in the songs of people yet unborn.’

  Great Hector of the flashing helmet replied:

  (360) ’Helen, you are very kind, but don’t ask me to sit down. You will not persuade me. I am already anxious to return and help the Trojans who miss me badly when I am gone. What you can do is to hurry this fellow up. And he had better get a move on himself. Then he could catch me up before I leave the town, since I intend to look into my own house to see my house-slaves and my dear wife and little boy. I can’t tell whether I shall ever come back to them again, or the gods have destined me to fall to the Greeks this very day.’

  With these words Hector of the flashing helmet took his leave (370) and soon reached his own welcoming house. But he did not find his white-armed wife Andromache at home. She had gone up to a tower on the wall with her child and well-robed waiting-woman and was standing there crying her heart out. Failing to find his matchless wife in the house, Hector went to the threshold and said to the serving-women:

  ‘Women, tell me what’s happened. Where has white-armed Andromache gone to from the house? Is she visiting one of my sisters or my brothers’ well-robed wives? Or has she gone to (380) Athene’s shrine where the rest of the Trojan woman with their lovely hair are interceding with that august goddess?’

  A busy serving-woman replied:

  ‘Hector, since you order me to tell the truth, she is not visiting your sisters or your brothers’ well-robed wives and she has not gone to Athene’s shrine with the rest of the women to pray to that august goddess. She has gone to the great tower of Ilium. She had heard that our men were being ground down, and the Greeks were well on top. So she rushed out like a woman possessed and must have arrived at the walls. The nurse followed her with the baby in her arms.’