1  ὣς οἳ μὲν κατὰ ἄστυ πεφυζότες ἠΰτε νεβροὶ
2  ἱδρῶ ἀπεψύχοντο πίον τʼ ἀκέοντό τε δίψαν
3  κεκλιμένοι καλῇσιν ἐπάλξεσιν· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ
4  τείχεος ἆσσον ἴσαν σάκεʼ ὤμοισι κλίναντες.
5  Ἕκτορα δʼ αὐτοῦ μεῖναι ὀλοιὴ μοῖρα πέδησεν
6  Ἰλίου προπάροιθε πυλάων τε Σκαιάων.
7  αὐτὰρ Πηλείωνα προσηύδα Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων·
8  τίπτέ με Πηλέος υἱὲ ποσὶν ταχέεσσι διώκεις
9  αὐτὸς θνητὸς ἐὼν θεὸν ἄμβροτον; οὐδέ νύ πώ με
10  ἔγνως ὡς θεός εἰμι, σὺ δʼ ἀσπερχὲς μενεαίνεις.
11  ἦ νύ τοι οὔ τι μέλει Τρώων πόνος, οὓς ἐφόβησας,
12  οἳ δή τοι εἰς ἄστυ ἄλεν, σὺ δὲ δεῦρο λιάσθης.
13  οὐ μέν με κτενέεις, ἐπεὶ οὔ τοι μόρσιμός εἰμι.
14  τὸν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
15  ἔβλαψάς μʼ ἑκάεργε θεῶν ὀλοώτατε πάντων
16  ἐνθάδε νῦν τρέψας ἀπὸ τείχεος· ἦ κʼ ἔτι πολλοὶ
17  γαῖαν ὀδὰξ εἷλον πρὶν Ἴλιον εἰσαφικέσθαι.
18  νῦν δʼ ἐμὲ μὲν μέγα κῦδος ἀφείλεο, τοὺς δὲ σάωσας
19  ῥηϊδίως, ἐπεὶ οὔ τι τίσιν γʼ ἔδεισας ὀπίσσω.
20  ἦ σʼ ἂν τισαίμην, εἴ μοι δύναμίς γε παρείη.
21  ὣς εἰπὼν προτὶ ἄστυ μέγα φρονέων ἐβεβήκει,
22  σευάμενος ὥς θʼ ἵππος ἀεθλοφόρος σὺν ὄχεσφιν,
23  ὅς ῥά τε ῥεῖα θέῃσι τιταινόμενος πεδίοιο·
24  ὣς Ἀχιλεὺς λαιψηρὰ πόδας καὶ γούνατʼ ἐνώμα.
25  τὸν δʼ ὃ γέρων Πρίαμος πρῶτος ἴδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσι
26  παμφαίνονθʼ ὥς τʼ ἀστέρʼ ἐπεσσύμενον πεδίοιο,
27  ὅς ῥά τʼ ὀπώρης εἶσιν, ἀρίζηλοι δέ οἱ αὐγαὶ
28  φαίνονται πολλοῖσι μετʼ ἀστράσι νυκτὸς ἀμολγῷ,
29  ὅν τε κύνʼ Ὠρίωνος ἐπίκλησιν καλέουσι.
30  λαμπρότατος μὲν ὅ γʼ ἐστί, κακὸν δέ τε σῆμα τέτυκται,
31  καί τε φέρει πολλὸν πυρετὸν δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσιν·
32  ὣς τοῦ χαλκὸς ἔλαμπε περὶ στήθεσσι θέοντος.
33  ᾤμωξεν δʼ ὃ γέρων, κεφαλὴν δʼ ὅ γε κόψατο χερσὶν
34  ὑψόσʼ ἀνασχόμενος, μέγα δʼ οἰμώξας ἐγεγώνει
35  λισσόμενος φίλον υἱόν· ὃ δὲ προπάροιθε πυλάων
36  ἑστήκει ἄμοτον μεμαὼς Ἀχιλῆϊ μάχεσθαι·
37  τὸν δʼ ὃ γέρων ἐλεεινὰ προσηύδα χεῖρας ὀρεγνύς·
38  Ἕκτορ μή μοι μίμνε φίλον τέκος ἀνέρα τοῦτον
39  οἶος ἄνευθʼ ἄλλων, ἵνα μὴ τάχα πότμον ἐπίσπῃς
40  Πηλεΐωνι δαμείς, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερός ἐστι
41  σχέτλιος· αἴθε θεοῖσι φίλος τοσσόνδε γένοιτο
42  ὅσσον ἐμοί· τάχα κέν ἑ κύνες καὶ γῦπες ἔδοιεν
43  κείμενον· ἦ κέ μοι αἰνὸν ἀπὸ πραπίδων ἄχος ἔλθοι·
44  ὅς μʼ υἱῶν πολλῶν τε καὶ ἐσθλῶν εὖνιν ἔθηκε
45  κτείνων καὶ περνὰς νήσων ἔπι τηλεδαπάων.
46  καὶ γὰρ νῦν δύο παῖδε Λυκάονα καὶ Πολύδωρον
47  οὐ δύναμαι ἰδέειν Τρώων εἰς ἄστυ ἀλέντων,
48  τούς μοι Λαοθόη τέκετο κρείουσα γυναικῶν.
49  ἀλλʼ εἰ μὲν ζώουσι μετὰ στρατῷ, ἦ τʼ ἂν ἔπειτα
50  χαλκοῦ τε χρυσοῦ τʼ ἀπολυσόμεθʼ, ἔστι γὰρ ἔνδον·
51  πολλὰ γὰρ ὤπασε παιδὶ γέρων ὀνομάκλυτος Ἄλτης.
52  εἰ δʼ ἤδη τεθνᾶσι καὶ εἰν Ἀΐδαο δόμοισιν,
53  ἄλγος ἐμῷ θυμῷ καὶ μητέρι τοὶ τεκόμεσθα·
54  λαοῖσιν δʼ ἄλλοισι μινυνθαδιώτερον ἄλγος
55  ἔσσεται, ἢν μὴ καὶ σὺ θάνῃς Ἀχιλῆϊ δαμασθείς.
56  ἀλλʼ εἰσέρχεο τεῖχος ἐμὸν τέκος, ὄφρα σαώσῃς
57  Τρῶας καὶ Τρῳάς, μὴ δὲ μέγα κῦδος ὀρέξῃς
58  Πηλεΐδῃ, αὐτὸς δὲ φίλης αἰῶνος ἀμερθῇς.
59  πρὸς δʼ ἐμὲ τὸν δύστηνον ἔτι φρονέοντʼ ἐλέησον
60  δύσμορον, ὅν ῥα πατὴρ Κρονίδης ἐπὶ γήραος οὐδῷ
61  αἴσῃ ἐν ἀργαλέῃ φθίσει κακὰ πόλλʼ ἐπιδόντα
62  υἷάς τʼ ὀλλυμένους ἑλκηθείσας τε θύγατρας,
63  καὶ θαλάμους κεραϊζομένους, καὶ νήπια τέκνα
64  βαλλόμενα προτὶ γαίῃ ἐν αἰνῇ δηϊοτῆτι,
65  ἑλκομένας τε νυοὺς ὀλοῇς ὑπὸ χερσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.
66  αὐτὸν δʼ ἂν πύματόν με κύνες πρώτῃσι θύρῃσιν
67  ὠμησταὶ ἐρύουσιν, ἐπεί κέ τις ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ
68  τύψας ἠὲ βαλὼν ῥεθέων ἐκ θυμὸν ἕληται,
69  οὓς τρέφον ἐν μεγάροισι τραπεζῆας θυραωρούς,
70  οἵ κʼ ἐμὸν αἷμα πιόντες ἀλύσσοντες περὶ θυμῷ
71  κείσοντʼ ἐν προθύροισι. νέῳ δέ τε πάντʼ ἐπέοικεν
72  ἄρηϊ κταμένῳ δεδαϊγμένῳ ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ
73  κεῖσθαι· πάντα δὲ καλὰ θανόντι περ ὅττι φανήῃ·
74  ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ πολιόν τε κάρη πολιόν τε γένειον
75  αἰδῶ τʼ αἰσχύνωσι κύνες κταμένοιο γέροντος,
76  τοῦτο δὴ οἴκτιστον πέλεται δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσιν.
77  ἦ ῥʼ ὃ γέρων, πολιὰς δʼ ἄρʼ ἀνὰ τρίχας ἕλκετο χερσὶ
78  τίλλων ἐκ κεφαλῆς· οὐδʼ Ἕκτορι θυμὸν ἔπειθε.
79  μήτηρ δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ὀδύρετο δάκρυ χέουσα
80  κόλπον ἀνιεμένη, ἑτέρηφι δὲ μαζὸν ἀνέσχε·
81  καί μιν δάκρυ χέουσʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
82  Ἕκτορ τέκνον ἐμὸν τάδε τʼ αἴδεο καί μʼ ἐλέησον
83  αὐτήν, εἴ ποτέ τοι λαθικηδέα μαζὸν ἐπέσχον·
84  τῶν μνῆσαι φίλε τέκνον ἄμυνε δὲ δήϊον ἄνδρα
85  τείχεος ἐντὸς ἐών, μὴ δὲ πρόμος ἵστασο τούτῳ
86  σχέτλιος· εἴ περ γάρ σε κατακτάνῃ, οὔ σʼ ἔτʼ ἔγωγε
87  κλαύσομαι ἐν λεχέεσσι φίλον θάλος, ὃν τέκον αὐτή,
88  οὐδʼ ἄλοχος πολύδωρος· ἄνευθε δέ σε μέγα νῶϊν
89  Ἀργείων παρὰ νηυσὶ κύνες ταχέες κατέδονται.
90  ὣς τώ γε κλαίοντε προσαυδήτην φίλον υἱὸν
91  πολλὰ λισσομένω· οὐδʼ Ἕκτορι θυμὸν ἔπειθον,
92  ἀλλʼ ὅ γε μίμνʼ Ἀχιλῆα πελώριον ἆσσον ἰόντα.
93  ὡς δὲ δράκων ἐπὶ χειῇ ὀρέστερος ἄνδρα μένῃσι
94  βεβρωκὼς κακὰ φάρμακʼ, ἔδυ δέ τέ μιν χόλος αἰνός,
95  σμερδαλέον δὲ δέδορκεν ἑλισσόμενος περὶ χειῇ·
96  ὣς Ἕκτωρ ἄσβεστον ἔχων μένος οὐχ ὑπεχώρει
97  πύργῳ ἔπι προὔχοντι φαεινὴν ἀσπίδʼ ἐρείσας·
98  ὀχθήσας δʼ ἄρα εἶπε πρὸς ὃν μεγαλήτορα θυμόν·
99  ὤ μοι ἐγών, εἰ μέν κε πύλας καὶ τείχεα δύω,
100  Πουλυδάμας μοι πρῶτος ἐλεγχείην ἀναθήσει,
101  ὅς μʼ ἐκέλευε Τρωσὶ ποτὶ πτόλιν ἡγήσασθαι
102  νύχθʼ ὕπο τήνδʼ ὀλοὴν ὅτε τʼ ὤρετο δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.
103  ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ οὐ πιθόμην· ἦ τʼ ἂν πολὺ κέρδιον ἦεν.
104  νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ ὤλεσα λαὸν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ἐμῇσιν,
105  αἰδέομαι Τρῶας καὶ Τρῳάδας ἑλκεσιπέπλους,
106  μή ποτέ τις εἴπῃσι κακώτερος ἄλλος ἐμεῖο·
107  Ἕκτωρ ἧφι βίηφι πιθήσας ὤλεσε λαόν.
108  ὣς ἐρέουσιν· ἐμοὶ δὲ τότʼ ἂν πολὺ κέρδιον εἴη
109  ἄντην ἢ Ἀχιλῆα κατακτείναντα νέεσθαι,
110  ἠέ κεν αὐτῷ ὀλέσθαι ἐϋκλειῶς πρὸ πόληος.
111  εἰ δέ κεν ἀσπίδα μὲν καταθείομαι ὀμφαλόεσσαν
112  καὶ κόρυθα βριαρήν, δόρυ δὲ πρὸς τεῖχος ἐρείσας
113  αὐτὸς ἰὼν Ἀχιλῆος ἀμύμονος ἀντίος ἔλθω
114  καί οἱ ὑπόσχωμαι Ἑλένην καὶ κτήμαθʼ ἅμʼ αὐτῇ,
115  πάντα μάλʼ ὅσσά τʼ Ἀλέξανδρος κοίλῃς ἐνὶ νηυσὶν
116  ἠγάγετο Τροίηνδʼ, ἥ τʼ ἔπλετο νείκεος ἀρχή,
117  δωσέμεν Ἀτρεΐδῃσιν ἄγειν, ἅμα δʼ ἀμφὶς Ἀχαιοῖς
118  ἄλλʼ ἀποδάσσεσθαι ὅσα τε πτόλις ἥδε κέκευθε·
119  Τρωσὶν δʼ αὖ μετόπισθε γερούσιον ὅρκον ἕλωμαι
120  μή τι κατακρύψειν, ἀλλʼ ἄνδιχα πάντα δάσασθαι
121  κτῆσιν ὅσην πτολίεθρον ἐπήρατον ἐντὸς ἐέργει·
122  ἀλλὰ τί ἤ μοι ταῦτα φίλος διελέξατο θυμός;
123  μή μιν ἐγὼ μὲν ἵκωμαι ἰών, ὃ δέ μʼ οὐκ ἐλεήσει
124  οὐδέ τί μʼ αἰδέσεται, κτενέει δέ με γυμνὸν ἐόντα
125  αὔτως ὥς τε γυναῖκα, ἐπεί κʼ ἀπὸ τεύχεα δύω.
126  οὐ μέν πως νῦν ἔστιν ἀπὸ δρυὸς οὐδʼ ἀπὸ πέτρης
127  τῷ ὀαριζέμεναι, ἅ τε παρθένος ἠΐθεός τε
128  παρθένος ἠΐθεός τʼ ὀαρίζετον ἀλλήλοιιν.
129  βέλτερον αὖτʼ ἔριδι ξυνελαυνέμεν ὅττι τάχιστα·
130  εἴδομεν ὁπποτέρῳ κεν Ὀλύμπιος εὖχος ὀρέξῃ.
131  ὣς ὅρμαινε μένων, ὃ δέ οἱ σχεδὸν ἦλθεν Ἀχιλλεὺς
132  ἶσος Ἐνυαλίῳ κορυθάϊκι πτολεμιστῇ
133  σείων Πηλιάδα μελίην κατὰ δεξιὸν ὦμον
134  δεινήν· ἀμφὶ δὲ χαλκὸς ἐλάμπετο εἴκελος αὐγῇ
135  ἢ πυρὸς αἰθομένου ἢ ἠελίου ἀνιόντος.
136  Ἕκτορα δʼ, ὡς ἐνόησεν, ἕλε τρόμος· οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔτʼ ἔτλη
137  αὖθι μένειν, ὀπίσω δὲ πύλας λίπε, βῆ δὲ φοβηθείς·
138  Πηλεΐδης δʼ ἐπόρουσε ποσὶ κραιπνοῖσι πεποιθώς.
139  ἠΰτε κίρκος ὄρεσφιν ἐλαφρότατος πετεηνῶν
140  ῥηϊδίως οἴμησε μετὰ τρήρωνα πέλειαν,
141  ἣ δέ θʼ ὕπαιθα φοβεῖται, ὃ δʼ ἐγγύθεν ὀξὺ λεληκὼς
142  ταρφέʼ ἐπαΐσσει, ἑλέειν τέ ἑ θυμὸς ἀνώγει·
143  ὣς ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἐμμεμαὼς ἰθὺς πέτετο, τρέσε δʼ Ἕκτωρ
144  τεῖχος ὕπο Τρώων, λαιψηρὰ δὲ γούνατʼ ἐνώμα.
145  οἳ δὲ παρὰ σκοπιὴν καὶ ἐρινεὸν ἠνεμόεντα
146  τείχεος αἰὲν ὑπʼ ἐκ κατʼ ἀμαξιτὸν ἐσσεύοντο,
147  κρουνὼ δʼ ἵκανον καλλιρρόω· ἔνθα δὲ πηγαὶ
148  δοιαὶ ἀναΐσσουσι Σκαμάνδρου δινήεντος.
149  ἣ μὲν γάρ θʼ ὕδατι λιαρῷ ῥέει, ἀμφὶ δὲ καπνὸς
150  γίγνεται ἐξ αὐτῆς ὡς εἰ πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο·
151  ἣ δʼ ἑτέρη θέρεϊ προρέει ἐϊκυῖα χαλάζῃ,
152  ἢ χιόνι ψυχρῇ ἢ ἐξ ὕδατος κρυστάλλῳ.
153  ἔνθα δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτάων πλυνοὶ εὐρέες ἐγγὺς ἔασι
154  καλοὶ λαΐνεοι, ὅθι εἵματα σιγαλόεντα
155  πλύνεσκον Τρώων ἄλοχοι καλαί τε θύγατρες
156  τὸ πρὶν ἐπʼ εἰρήνης πρὶν ἐλθεῖν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.
157  τῇ ῥα παραδραμέτην φεύγων ὃ δʼ ὄπισθε διώκων·
158  πρόσθε μὲν ἐσθλὸς ἔφευγε, δίωκε δέ μιν μέγʼ ἀμείνων
159  καρπαλίμως, ἐπεὶ οὐχ ἱερήϊον οὐδὲ βοείην
160  ἀρνύσθην, ἅ τε ποσσὶν ἀέθλια γίγνεται ἀνδρῶν,
161  ἀλλὰ περὶ ψυχῆς θέον Ἕκτορος ἱπποδάμοιο.
162  ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀεθλοφόροι περὶ τέρματα μώνυχες ἵπποι
163  ῥίμφα μάλα τρωχῶσι· τὸ δὲ μέγα κεῖται ἄεθλον
164  ἢ τρίπος ἠὲ γυνὴ ἀνδρὸς κατατεθνηῶτος·
165  ὣς τὼ τρὶς Πριάμοιο πόλιν πέρι δινηθήτην
166  καρπαλίμοισι πόδεσσι· θεοὶ δʼ ἐς πάντες ὁρῶντο·
167  τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε·
168  ὢ πόποι ἦ φίλον ἄνδρα διωκόμενον περὶ τεῖχος
169  ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὁρῶμαι· ἐμὸν δʼ ὀλοφύρεται ἦτορ
170  Ἕκτορος, ὅς μοι πολλὰ βοῶν ἐπὶ μηρίʼ ἔκηεν
171  Ἴδης ἐν κορυφῇσι πολυπτύχου, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε
172  ἐν πόλει ἀκροτάτῃ· νῦν αὖτέ ἑ δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς
173  ἄστυ πέρι Πριάμοιο ποσὶν ταχέεσσι διώκει.
174  ἀλλʼ ἄγετε φράζεσθε θεοὶ καὶ μητιάασθε
175  ἠέ μιν ἐκ θανάτοιο σαώσομεν, ἦέ μιν ἤδη
176  Πηλεΐδῃ Ἀχιλῆϊ δαμάσσομεν ἐσθλὸν ἐόντα.
177  τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·
178  ὦ πάτερ ἀργικέραυνε κελαινεφὲς οἷον ἔειπες·
179  ἄνδρα θνητὸν ἐόντα πάλαι πεπρωμένον αἴσῃ
180  ἂψ ἐθέλεις θανάτοιο δυσηχέος ἐξαναλῦσαι;
181  ἔρδʼ· ἀτὰρ οὔ τοι πάντες ἐπαινέομεν θεοὶ ἄλλοι.
182  τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·
183  θάρσει Τριτογένεια φίλον τέκος· οὔ νύ τι θυμῷ
184  πρόφρονι μυθέομαι, ἐθέλω δέ τοι ἤπιος εἶναι·
185  ἔρξον ὅπῃ δή τοι νόος ἔπλετο, μὴ δʼ ἔτʼ ἐρώει.
186  ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε πάρος μεμαυῖαν Ἀθήνην·
187  βῆ δὲ κατʼ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων ἀΐξασα.
188  Ἕκτορα δʼ ἀσπερχὲς κλονέων ἔφεπʼ ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς.
189  ὡς δʼ ὅτε νεβρὸν ὄρεσφι κύων ἐλάφοιο δίηται
190  ὄρσας ἐξ εὐνῆς διά τʼ ἄγκεα καὶ διὰ βήσσας·
191  τὸν δʼ εἴ πέρ τε λάθῃσι καταπτήξας ὑπὸ θάμνῳ,
192  ἀλλά τʼ ἀνιχνεύων θέει ἔμπεδον ὄφρά κεν εὕρῃ·
193  ὣς Ἕκτωρ οὐ λῆθε ποδώκεα Πηλεΐωνα.
194  ὁσσάκι δʼ ὁρμήσειε πυλάων Δαρδανιάων
195  ἀντίον ἀΐξασθαι ἐϋδμήτους ὑπὸ πύργους,
196  εἴ πως οἷ καθύπερθεν ἀλάλκοιεν βελέεσσι,
197  τοσσάκι μιν προπάροιθεν ἀποστρέψασκε παραφθὰς
198  πρὸς πεδίον· αὐτὸς δὲ ποτὶ πτόλιος πέτετʼ αἰεί.
199  ὡς δʼ ἐν ὀνείρῳ οὐ δύναται φεύγοντα διώκειν·
200  οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ὃ τὸν δύναται ὑποφεύγειν οὔθʼ ὃ διώκειν·
201  ὣς ὃ τὸν οὐ δύνατο μάρψαι ποσίν, οὐδʼ ὃς ἀλύξαι.
202  πῶς δέ κεν Ἕκτωρ κῆρας ὑπεξέφυγεν θανάτοιο,
203  εἰ μή οἱ πύματόν τε καὶ ὕστατον ἤντετʼ Ἀπόλλων
204  ἐγγύθεν, ὅς οἱ ἐπῶρσε μένος λαιψηρά τε γοῦνα;
205  λαοῖσιν δʼ ἀνένευε καρήατι δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,
206  οὐδʼ ἔα ἱέμεναι ἐπὶ Ἕκτορι πικρὰ βέλεμνα,
207  μή τις κῦδος ἄροιτο βαλών, ὃ δὲ δεύτερος ἔλθοι.
208  ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὸ τέταρτον ἐπὶ κρουνοὺς ἀφίκοντο,
209  καὶ τότε δὴ χρύσεια πατὴρ ἐτίταινε τάλαντα,
210  ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει δύο κῆρε τανηλεγέος θανάτοιο,
211  τὴν μὲν Ἀχιλλῆος, τὴν δʼ Ἕκτορος ἱπποδάμοιο,
212  ἕλκε δὲ μέσσα λαβών· ῥέπε δʼ Ἕκτορος αἴσιμον ἦμαρ,
213  ᾤχετο δʼ εἰς Ἀΐδαο, λίπεν δέ ἑ Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων.
214  Πηλεΐωνα δʼ ἵκανε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,
215  ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
216  νῦν δὴ νῶι ἔολπα Διῒ φίλε φαίδιμʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ
217  οἴσεσθαι μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιοῖσι προτὶ νῆας
218  Ἕκτορα δῃώσαντε μάχης ἄατόν περ ἐόντα.
219  οὔ οἱ νῦν ἔτι γʼ ἔστι πεφυγμένον ἄμμε γενέσθαι,
220  οὐδʼ εἴ κεν μάλα πολλὰ πάθοι ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων
221  προπροκυλινδόμενος πατρὸς Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.
222  ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν στῆθι καὶ ἄμπνυε, τόνδε δʼ ἐγώ τοι
223  οἰχομένη πεπιθήσω ἐναντίβιον μαχέσασθαι.
224  ὣς φάτʼ Ἀθηναίη, ὃ δʼ ἐπείθετο, χαῖρε δὲ θυμῷ,
225  στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπὶ μελίης χαλκογλώχινος ἐρεισθείς.
226  ἣ δʼ ἄρα τὸν μὲν ἔλειπε, κιχήσατο δʼ Ἕκτορα δῖον
227  Δηϊφόβῳ ἐϊκυῖα δέμας καὶ ἀτειρέα φωνήν·
228  ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
229  ἠθεῖʼ ἦ μάλα δή σε βιάζεται ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεὺς
230  ἄστυ πέρι Πριάμοιο ποσὶν ταχέεσσι διώκων·
231  ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ στέωμεν καὶ ἀλεξώμεσθα μένοντες.
232  τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·
233  Δηΐφοβʼ ἦ μέν μοι τὸ πάρος πολὺ φίλτατος ἦσθα
234  γνωτῶν οὓς Ἑκάβη ἠδὲ Πρίαμος τέκε παῖδας·
235  νῦν δʼ ἔτι καὶ μᾶλλον νοέω φρεσὶ τιμήσασθαι,
236  ὃς ἔτλης ἐμεῦ εἵνεκʼ, ἐπεὶ ἴδες ὀφθαλμοῖσι,
237  τείχεος ἐξελθεῖν, ἄλλοι δʼ ἔντοσθε μένουσι.
238  τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·
239  ἠθεῖʼ ἦ μὲν πολλὰ πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ
240  λίσσονθʼ ἑξείης γουνούμενοι, ἀμφὶ δʼ ἑταῖροι,
241  αὖθι μένειν· τοῖον γὰρ ὑποτρομέουσιν ἅπαντες·
242  ἀλλʼ ἐμὸς ἔνδοθι θυμὸς ἐτείρετο πένθεϊ λυγρῷ.
243  νῦν δʼ ἰθὺς μεμαῶτε μαχώμεθα, μὴ δέ τι δούρων
244  ἔστω φειδωλή, ἵνα εἴδομεν εἴ κεν Ἀχιλλεὺς
245  νῶϊ κατακτείνας ἔναρα βροτόεντα φέρηται
246  νῆας ἔπι γλαφυράς, ἦ κεν σῷ δουρὶ δαμήῃ.
247  ὣς φαμένη καὶ κερδοσύνῃ ἡγήσατʼ Ἀθήνη·
248  οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦσαν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ἰόντες,
249  τὸν πρότερος προσέειπε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·
250  οὔ σʼ ἔτι Πηλέος υἱὲ φοβήσομαι, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ
251  τρὶς περὶ ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμου δίον, οὐδέ ποτʼ ἔτλην
252  μεῖναι ἐπερχόμενον· νῦν αὖτέ με θυμὸς ἀνῆκε
253  στήμεναι ἀντία σεῖο· ἕλοιμί κεν ἤ κεν ἁλοίην.
254  ἀλλʼ ἄγε δεῦρο θεοὺς ἐπιδώμεθα· τοὶ γὰρ ἄριστοι
255  μάρτυροι ἔσσονται καὶ ἐπίσκοποι ἁρμονιάων·
256  οὐ γὰρ ἐγώ σʼ ἔκπαγλον ἀεικιῶ, αἴ κεν ἐμοὶ Ζεὺς
257  δώῃ καμμονίην, σὴν δὲ ψυχὴν ἀφέλωμαι·
258  ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἄρ κέ σε συλήσω κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ
259  νεκρὸν Ἀχαιοῖσιν δώσω πάλιν· ὣς δὲ σὺ ῥέζειν.
260  τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
261  Ἕκτορ μή μοι ἄλαστε συνημοσύνας ἀγόρευε·
262  ὡς οὐκ ἔστι λέουσι καὶ ἀνδράσιν ὅρκια πιστά,
263  οὐδὲ λύκοι τε καὶ ἄρνες ὁμόφρονα θυμὸν ἔχουσιν,
264  ἀλλὰ κακὰ φρονέουσι διαμπερὲς ἀλλήλοισιν,
265  ὣς οὐκ ἔστʼ ἐμὲ καὶ σὲ φιλήμεναι, οὐδέ τι νῶϊν
266  ὅρκια ἔσσονται, πρίν γʼ ἢ ἕτερόν γε πεσόντα
267  αἵματος ἆσαι Ἄρηα ταλαύρινον πολεμιστήν.
268  παντοίης ἀρετῆς μιμνήσκεο· νῦν σε μάλα χρὴ
269  αἰχμητήν τʼ ἔμεναι καὶ θαρσαλέον πολεμιστήν.
270  οὔ τοι ἔτʼ ἔσθʼ ὑπάλυξις, ἄφαρ δέ σε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη
271  ἔγχει ἐμῷ δαμάᾳ· νῦν δʼ ἀθρόα πάντʼ ἀποτίσεις
272  κήδεʼ ἐμῶν ἑτάρων οὓς ἔκτανες ἔγχεϊ θύων.
273  ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἀμπεπαλὼν προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος·
274  καὶ τὸ μὲν ἄντα ἰδὼν ἠλεύατο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·
275  ἕζετο γὰρ προϊδών, τὸ δʼ ὑπέρπτατο χάλκεον ἔγχος,
276  ἐν γαίῃ δʼ ἐπάγη· ἀνὰ δʼ ἥρπασε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη,
277  ἂψ δʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ δίδου, λάθε δʼ Ἕκτορα ποιμένα λαῶν.
278  Ἕκτωρ δὲ προσέειπεν ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα·
279  ἤμβροτες, οὐδʼ ἄρα πώ τι θεοῖς ἐπιείκελʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ
280  ἐκ Διὸς ἠείδης τὸν ἐμὸν μόρον, ἦ τοι ἔφης γε·
281  ἀλλά τις ἀρτιεπὴς καὶ ἐπίκλοπος ἔπλεο μύθων,
282  ὄφρά σʼ ὑποδείσας μένεος ἀλκῆς τε λάθωμαι.
283  οὐ μέν μοι φεύγοντι μεταφρένῳ ἐν δόρυ πήξεις,
284  ἀλλʼ ἰθὺς μεμαῶτι διὰ στήθεσφιν ἔλασσον
285  εἴ τοι ἔδωκε θεός· νῦν αὖτʼ ἐμὸν ἔγχος ἄλευαι
286  χάλκεον· ὡς δή μιν σῷ ἐν χροῒ πᾶν κομίσαιο.
287  καί κεν ἐλαφρότερος πόλεμος Τρώεσσι γένοιτο
288  σεῖο καταφθιμένοιο· σὺ γάρ σφισι πῆμα μέγιστον.
289  ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἀμπεπαλὼν προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος,
290  καὶ βάλε Πηλεΐδαο μέσον σάκος οὐδʼ ἀφάμαρτε·
291  τῆλε δʼ ἀπεπλάγχθη σάκεος δόρυ· χώσατο δʼ Ἕκτωρ
292  ὅττί ῥά οἱ βέλος ὠκὺ ἐτώσιον ἔκφυγε χειρός,
293  στῆ δὲ κατηφήσας, οὐδʼ ἄλλʼ ἔχε μείλινον ἔγχος.
294  Δηΐφοβον δʼ ἐκάλει λευκάσπιδα μακρὸν ἀΰσας·
295  ᾔτεέ μιν δόρυ μακρόν· ὃ δʼ οὔ τί οἱ ἐγγύθεν ἦεν.
296  Ἕκτωρ δʼ ἔγνω ᾗσιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ φώνησέν τε·
297  ὢ πόποι ἦ μάλα δή με θεοὶ θάνατόνδε κάλεσσαν·
298  Δηΐφοβον γὰρ ἔγωγʼ ἐφάμην ἥρωα παρεῖναι·
299  ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἐν τείχει, ἐμὲ δʼ ἐξαπάτησεν Ἀθήνη.
300  νῦν δὲ δὴ ἐγγύθι μοι θάνατος κακός, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἄνευθεν,
301  οὐδʼ ἀλέη· ἦ γάρ ῥα πάλαι τό γε φίλτερον ἦεν
302  Ζηνί τε καὶ Διὸς υἷι ἑκηβόλῳ, οἵ με πάρος γε
303  πρόφρονες εἰρύατο· νῦν αὖτέ με μοῖρα κιχάνει.
304  μὴ μὰν ἀσπουδί γε καὶ ἀκλειῶς ἀπολοίμην,
305  ἀλλὰ μέγα ῥέξας τι καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι.
306  ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας εἰρύσσατο φάσγανον ὀξύ,
307  τό οἱ ὑπὸ λαπάρην τέτατο μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε,
308  οἴμησεν δὲ ἀλεὶς ὥς τʼ αἰετὸς ὑψιπετήεις,
309  ὅς τʼ εἶσιν πεδίον δὲ διὰ νεφέων ἐρεβεννῶν
310  ἁρπάξων ἢ ἄρνʼ ἀμαλὴν ἤ πτῶκα λαγωόν·
311  ὣς Ἕκτωρ οἴμησε τινάσσων φάσγανον ὀξύ.
312  ὁρμήθη δʼ Ἀχιλεύς, μένεος δʼ ἐμπλήσατο θυμὸν
313  ἀγρίου, πρόσθεν δὲ σάκος στέρνοιο κάλυψε
314  καλὸν δαιδάλεον, κόρυθι δʼ ἐπένευε φαεινῇ
315  τετραφάλῳ· καλαὶ δὲ περισσείοντο ἔθειραι
316  χρύσεαι, ἃς Ἥφαιστος ἵει λόφον ἀμφὶ θαμειάς.
317  οἷος δʼ ἀστὴρ εἶσι μετʼ ἀστράσι νυκτὸς ἀμολγῷ
318  ἕσπερος, ὃς κάλλιστος ἐν οὐρανῷ ἵσταται ἀστήρ,
319  ὣς αἰχμῆς ἀπέλαμπʼ εὐήκεος, ἣν ἄρʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς
320  πάλλεν δεξιτερῇ φρονέων κακὸν Ἕκτορι δίῳ,
321  εἰσορόων χρόα καλόν, ὅπῃ εἴξειε μάλιστα.
322  τοῦ δὲ καὶ ἄλλο τόσον μὲν ἔχε χρόα χάλκεα τεύχεα,
323  καλά, τὰ Πατρόκλοιο βίην ἐνάριξε κατακτάς·
324  φαίνετο δʼ ᾗ κληῗδες ἀπʼ ὤμων αὐχένʼ ἔχουσι,
325  λαυκανίην, ἵνα τε ψυχῆς ὤκιστος ὄλεθρος·
326  τῇ ῥʼ ἐπὶ οἷ μεμαῶτʼ ἔλασʼ ἔγχεϊ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,
327  ἀντικρὺ δʼ ἁπαλοῖο διʼ αὐχένος ἤλυθʼ ἀκωκή·
328  οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἀπʼ ἀσφάραγον μελίη τάμε χαλκοβάρεια,
329  ὄφρά τί μιν προτιείποι ἀμειβόμενος ἐπέεσσιν.
330  ἤριπε δʼ ἐν κονίῃς· ὃ δʼ ἐπεύξατο δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·
331  Ἕκτορ ἀτάρ που ἔφης Πατροκλῆʼ ἐξεναρίζων
332  σῶς ἔσσεσθʼ, ἐμὲ δʼ οὐδὲν ὀπίζεο νόσφιν ἐόντα,
333  νήπιε· τοῖο δʼ ἄνευθεν ἀοσσητὴρ μέγʼ ἀμείνων
334  νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐγὼ μετόπισθε λελείμμην,
335  ὅς τοι γούνατʼ ἔλυσα· σὲ μὲν κύνες ἠδʼ οἰωνοὶ
336  ἑλκήσουσʼ ἀϊκῶς, τὸν δὲ κτεριοῦσιν Ἀχαιοί.
337  τὸν δʼ ὀλιγοδρανέων προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·
338  λίσσομʼ ὑπὲρ ψυχῆς καὶ γούνων σῶν τε τοκήων,
339  μή με ἔα παρὰ νηυσὶ κύνας καταδάψαι Ἀχαιῶν,
340  ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν χαλκόν τε ἅλις χρυσόν τε δέδεξο,
341  δῶρα τά τοι δώσουσι πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ,
342  σῶμα δὲ οἴκαδʼ ἐμὸν δόμεναι πάλιν, ὄφρα πυρός με
343  Τρῶες καὶ Τρώων ἄλοχοι λελάχωσι θανόντα.
344  τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεὺς·
345  μή με κύον γούνων γουνάζεο μὴ δὲ τοκήων·
346  αἲ γάρ πως αὐτόν με μένος καὶ θυμὸς ἀνήη
347  ὤμʼ ἀποταμνόμενον κρέα ἔδμεναι, οἷα ἔοργας,
348  ὡς οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὃς σῆς γε κύνας κεφαλῆς ἀπαλάλκοι,
349  οὐδʼ εἴ κεν δεκάκις τε καὶ εἰκοσινήριτʼ ἄποινα
350  στήσωσʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἄγοντες, ὑπόσχωνται δὲ καὶ ἄλλα,
351  οὐδʼ εἴ κέν σʼ αὐτὸν χρυσῷ ἐρύσασθαι ἀνώγοι
352  Δαρδανίδης Πρίαμος· οὐδʼ ὧς σέ γε πότνια μήτηρ
353  ἐνθεμένη λεχέεσσι γοήσεται ὃν τέκεν αὐτή,
354  ἀλλὰ κύνες τε καὶ οἰωνοὶ κατὰ πάντα δάσονται.
355  τὸν δὲ καταθνῄσκων προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·
356  ἦ σʼ εὖ γιγνώσκων προτιόσσομαι, οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔμελλον
357  πείσειν· ἦ γὰρ σοί γε σιδήρεος ἐν φρεσὶ θυμός.
358  φράζεο νῦν, μή τοί τι θεῶν μήνιμα γένωμαι
359  ἤματι τῷ ὅτε κέν σε Πάρις καὶ Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων
360  ἐσθλὸν ἐόντʼ ὀλέσωσιν ἐνὶ Σκαιῇσι πύλῃσιν.
361  ὣς ἄρα μιν εἰπόντα τέλος θανάτοιο κάλυψε,
362  ψυχὴ δʼ ἐκ ῥεθέων πταμένη Ἄϊδος δὲ βεβήκει
363  ὃν πότμον γοόωσα λιποῦσʼ ἀνδροτῆτα καὶ ἥβην.
364  τὸν καὶ τεθνηῶτα προσηύδα δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·
365  τέθναθι· κῆρα δʼ ἐγὼ τότε δέξομαι ὁππότε κεν δὴ
366  Ζεὺς ἐθέλῃ τελέσαι ἠδʼ ἀθάνατοι θεοὶ ἄλλοι.
367  ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἐκ νεκροῖο ἐρύσσατο χάλκεον ἔγχος,
368  καὶ τό γʼ ἄνευθεν ἔθηχʼ, ὃ δʼ ἀπʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἐσύλα
369  αἱματόεντʼ· ἄλλοι δὲ περίδραμον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν,
370  οἳ καὶ θηήσαντο φυὴν καὶ εἶδος ἀγητὸν
371  Ἕκτορος· οὐδʼ ἄρα οἵ τις ἀνουτητί γε παρέστη.
372  ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·
373  ὢ πόποι, ἦ μάλα δὴ μαλακώτερος ἀμφαφάασθαι
374  Ἕκτωρ ἢ ὅτε νῆας ἐνέπρησεν πυρὶ κηλέῳ.
375  ὣς ἄρα τις εἴπεσκε καὶ οὐτήσασκε παραστάς.
376  τὸν δʼ ἐπεὶ ἐξενάριξε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,
377  στὰς ἐν Ἀχαιοῖσιν ἔπεα πτερόεντʼ ἀγόρευεν·
378  ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες
379  ἐπεὶ δὴ τόνδʼ ἄνδρα θεοὶ δαμάσασθαι ἔδωκαν,
380  ὃς κακὰ πόλλʼ ἔρρεξεν ὅσʼ οὐ σύμπαντες οἱ ἄλλοι,
381  εἰ δʼ ἄγετʼ ἀμφὶ πόλιν σὺν τεύχεσι πειρηθῶμεν,
382  ὄφρά κʼ ἔτι γνῶμεν Τρώων νόον ὅν τινʼ ἔχουσιν,
383  ἢ καταλείψουσιν πόλιν ἄκρην τοῦδε πεσόντος,
384  ἦε μένειν μεμάασι καὶ Ἕκτορος οὐκέτʼ ἐόντος.
385  ἀλλὰ τί ἤ μοι ταῦτα φίλος διελέξατο θυμός;
386  κεῖται πὰρ νήεσσι νέκυς ἄκλαυτος ἄθαπτος
387  Πάτροκλος· τοῦ δʼ οὐκ ἐπιλήσομαι, ὄφρʼ ἂν ἔγωγε
388  ζωοῖσιν μετέω καί μοι φίλα γούνατʼ ὀρώρῃ·
389  εἰ δὲ θανόντων περ καταλήθοντʼ εἰν Ἀΐδαο
390  αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ καὶ κεῖθι φίλου μεμνήσομʼ ἑταίρου.
391  νῦν δʼ ἄγʼ ἀείδοντες παιήονα κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν
392  νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσι νεώμεθα, τόνδε δʼ ἄγωμεν.
393  ἠράμεθα μέγα κῦδος· ἐπέφνομεν Ἕκτορα δῖον,
394  ᾧ Τρῶες κατὰ ἄστυ θεῷ ὣς εὐχετόωντο.
395  ἦ ῥα, καὶ Ἕκτορα δῖον ἀεικέα μήδετο ἔργα.
396  ἀμφοτέρων μετόπισθε ποδῶν τέτρηνε τένοντε
397  ἐς σφυρὸν ἐκ πτέρνης, βοέους δʼ ἐξῆπτεν ἱμάντας,
398  ἐκ δίφροιο δʼ ἔδησε, κάρη δʼ ἕλκεσθαι ἔασεν·
399  ἐς δίφρον δʼ ἀναβὰς ἀνά τε κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ ἀείρας
400  μάστιξέν ῥʼ ἐλάαν, τὼ δʼ οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην.
401  τοῦ δʼ ἦν ἑλκομένοιο κονίσαλος, ἀμφὶ δὲ χαῖται
402  κυάνεαι πίτναντο, κάρη δʼ ἅπαν ἐν κονίῃσι
403  κεῖτο πάρος χαρίεν· τότε δὲ Ζεὺς δυσμενέεσσι
404  δῶκεν ἀεικίσσασθαι ἑῇ ἐν πατρίδι γαίῃ.
405  ὣς τοῦ μὲν κεκόνιτο κάρη ἅπαν· ἣ δέ νυ μήτηρ
406  τίλλε κόμην, ἀπὸ δὲ λιπαρὴν ἔρριψε καλύπτρην
407  τηλόσε, κώκυσεν δὲ μάλα μέγα παῖδʼ ἐσιδοῦσα·
408  ᾤμωξεν δʼ ἐλεεινὰ πατὴρ φίλος, ἀμφὶ δὲ λαοὶ
409  κωκυτῷ τʼ εἴχοντο καὶ οἰμωγῇ κατὰ ἄστυ.
410  τῷ δὲ μάλιστʼ ἄρʼ ἔην ἐναλίγκιον ὡς εἰ ἅπασα
411  Ἴλιος ὀφρυόεσσα πυρὶ σμύχοιτο κατʼ ἄκρης.
412  λαοὶ μέν ῥα γέροντα μόγις ἔχον ἀσχαλόωντα
413  ἐξελθεῖν μεμαῶτα πυλάων Δαρδανιάων.
414  πάντας δʼ ἐλλιτάνευε κυλινδόμενος κατὰ κόπρον,
415  ἐξονομακλήδην ὀνομάζων ἄνδρα ἕκαστον·
416  σχέσθε φίλοι, καί μʼ οἶον ἐάσατε κηδόμενοί περ
417  ἐξελθόντα πόληος ἱκέσθʼ ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν.
418  λίσσωμʼ ἀνέρα τοῦτον ἀτάσθαλον ὀβριμοεργόν,
419  ἤν πως ἡλικίην αἰδέσσεται ἠδʼ ἐλεήσῃ
420  γῆρας· καὶ δέ νυ τῷ γε πατὴρ τοιόσδε τέτυκται
421  Πηλεύς, ὅς μιν ἔτικτε καὶ ἔτρεφε πῆμα γενέσθαι
422  Τρωσί· μάλιστα δʼ ἐμοὶ περὶ πάντων ἄλγεʼ ἔθηκε.
423  τόσσους γάρ μοι παῖδας ἀπέκτανε τηλεθάοντας·
424  τῶν πάντων οὐ τόσσον ὀδύρομαι ἀχνύμενός περ
425  ὡς ἑνός, οὗ μʼ ἄχος ὀξὺ κατοίσεται Ἄϊδος εἴσω,
426  Ἕκτορος· ὡς ὄφελεν θανέειν ἐν χερσὶν ἐμῇσι·
427  τώ κε κορεσσάμεθα κλαίοντέ τε μυρομένω τε
428  μήτηρ θʼ, ἥ μιν ἔτικτε δυσάμμορος, ἠδʼ ἐγὼ αὐτός.
429  ὣς ἔφατο κλαίων, ἐπὶ δὲ στενάχοντο πολῖται·
430  Τρῳῇσιν δʼ Ἑκάβη ἁδινοῦ ἐξῆρχε γόοιο·
431  τέκνον ἐγὼ δειλή· τί νυ βείομαι αἰνὰ παθοῦσα
432  σεῦ ἀποτεθνηῶτος; ὅ μοι νύκτάς τε καὶ ἦμαρ
433  εὐχωλὴ κατὰ ἄστυ πελέσκεο, πᾶσί τʼ ὄνειαρ
434  Τρωσί τε καὶ Τρῳῇσι κατὰ πτόλιν, οἵ σε θεὸν ὣς
435  δειδέχατʼ· ἦ γὰρ καί σφι μάλα μέγα κῦδος ἔησθα
436  ζωὸς ἐών· νῦν αὖ θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κιχάνει.
437  ὣς ἔφατο κλαίουσʼ, ἄλοχος δʼ οὔ πώ τι πέπυστο
438  Ἕκτορος· οὐ γάρ οἵ τις ἐτήτυμος ἄγγελος ἐλθὼν
439  ἤγγειλʼ ὅττί ῥά οἱ πόσις ἔκτοθι μίμνε πυλάων,
440  ἀλλʼ ἥ γʼ ἱστὸν ὕφαινε μυχῷ δόμου ὑψηλοῖο
441  δίπλακα πορφυρέην, ἐν δὲ θρόνα ποικίλʼ ἔπασσε.
442  κέκλετο δʼ ἀμφιπόλοισιν ἐϋπλοκάμοις κατὰ δῶμα
443  ἀμφὶ πυρὶ στῆσαι τρίποδα μέγαν, ὄφρα πέλοιτο
444  Ἕκτορι θερμὰ λοετρὰ μάχης ἐκ νοστήσαντι
445  νηπίη, οὐδʼ ἐνόησεν ὅ μιν μάλα τῆλε λοετρῶν
446  χερσὶν Ἀχιλλῆος δάμασε γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.
447  κωκυτοῦ δʼ ἤκουσε καὶ οἰμωγῆς ἀπὸ πύργου·
448  τῆς δʼ ἐλελίχθη γυῖα, χαμαὶ δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε κερκίς·
449  ἣ δʼ αὖτις δμῳῇσιν ἐϋπλοκάμοισι μετηύδα·
450  δεῦτε δύω μοι ἕπεσθον, ἴδωμʼ ὅτινʼ ἔργα τέτυκται.
451  αἰδοίης ἑκυρῆς ὀπὸς ἔκλυον, ἐν δʼ ἐμοὶ αὐτῇ
452  στήθεσι πάλλεται ἦτορ ἀνὰ στόμα, νέρθε δὲ γοῦνα
453  πήγνυται· ἐγγὺς δή τι κακὸν Πριάμοιο τέκεσσιν.
454  αἲ γὰρ ἀπʼ οὔατος εἴη ἐμεῦ ἔπος· ἀλλὰ μάλʼ αἰνῶς
455  δείδω μὴ δή μοι θρασὺν Ἕκτορα δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς
456  μοῦνον ἀποτμήξας πόλιος πεδίον δὲ δίηται,
457  καὶ δή μιν καταπαύσῃ ἀγηνορίης ἀλεγεινῆς
458  ἥ μιν ἔχεσκʼ, ἐπεὶ οὔ ποτʼ ἐνὶ πληθυῖ μένεν ἀνδρῶν,
459  ἀλλὰ πολὺ προθέεσκε, τὸ ὃν μένος οὐδενὶ εἴκων.
460  ὣς φαμένη μεγάροιο διέσσυτο μαινάδι ἴση
461  παλλομένη κραδίην· ἅμα δʼ ἀμφίπολοι κίον αὐτῇ
462  αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πύργόν τε καὶ ἀνδρῶν ἷξεν ὅμιλον
463  ἔστη παπτήνασʼ ἐπὶ τείχεϊ, τὸν δὲ νόησεν
464  ἑλκόμενον πρόσθεν πόλιος· ταχέες δέ μιν ἵπποι
465  ἕλκον ἀκηδέστως κοίλας ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν.
466  τὴν δὲ κατʼ ὀφθαλμῶν ἐρεβεννὴ νὺξ ἐκάλυψεν,
467  ἤριπε δʼ ἐξοπίσω, ἀπὸ δὲ ψυχὴν ἐκάπυσσε.
468  τῆλε δʼ ἀπὸ κρατὸς βάλε δέσματα σιγαλόεντα,
469  ἄμπυκα κεκρύφαλόν τε ἰδὲ πλεκτὴν ἀναδέσμην
470  κρήδεμνόν θʼ, ὅ ῥά οἱ δῶκε χρυσῆ Ἀφροδίτη
471  ἤματι τῷ ὅτε μιν κορυθαίολος ἠγάγεθʼ Ἕκτωρ
472  ἐκ δόμου Ἠετίωνος, ἐπεὶ πόρε μυρία ἕδνα.
473  ἀμφὶ δέ μιν γαλόῳ τε καὶ εἰνατέρες ἅλις ἔσταν,
474  αἵ ἑ μετὰ σφίσιν εἶχον ἀτυζομένην ἀπολέσθαι.
475  ἣ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔμπνυτο καὶ ἐς φρένα θυμὸς ἀγέρθη
476  ἀμβλήδην γοόωσα μετὰ Τρῳῇσιν ἔειπεν·
477  Ἕκτορ ἐγὼ δύστηνος· ἰῇ ἄρα γεινόμεθʼ αἴσῃ
478  ἀμφότεροι, σὺ μὲν ἐν Τροίῃ Πριάμου κατὰ δῶμα,
479  αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ Θήβῃσιν ὑπὸ Πλάκῳ ὑληέσσῃ
480  ἐν δόμῳ Ἠετίωνος, ὅ μʼ ἔτρεφε τυτθὸν ἐοῦσαν
481  δύσμορος αἰνόμορον· ὡς μὴ ὤφελλε τεκέσθαι.
482  νῦν δὲ σὺ μὲν Ἀΐδαο δόμους ὑπὸ κεύθεσι γαίης
483  ἔρχεαι, αὐτὰρ ἐμὲ στυγερῷ ἐνὶ πένθεϊ λείπεις
484  χήρην ἐν μεγάροισι· πάϊς δʼ ἔτι νήπιος αὔτως,
485  ὃν τέκομεν σύ τʼ ἐγώ τε δυσάμμοροι· οὔτε σὺ τούτῳ
486  ἔσσεαι Ἕκτορ ὄνειαρ ἐπεὶ θάνες, οὔτε σοὶ οὗτος.
487  ἤν περ γὰρ πόλεμόν γε φύγῃ πολύδακρυν Ἀχαιῶν,
488  αἰεί τοι τούτῳ γε πόνος καὶ κήδεʼ ὀπίσσω
489  ἔσσοντʼ· ἄλλοι γάρ οἱ ἀπουρίσσουσιν ἀρούρας.
490  ἦμαρ δʼ ὀρφανικὸν παναφήλικα παῖδα τίθησι·
491  πάντα δʼ ὑπεμνήμυκε, δεδάκρυνται δὲ παρειαί,
492  δευόμενος δέ τʼ ἄνεισι πάϊς ἐς πατρὸς ἑταίρους,
493  ἄλλον μὲν χλαίνης ἐρύων, ἄλλον δὲ χιτῶνος·
494  τῶν δʼ ἐλεησάντων κοτύλην τις τυτθὸν ἐπέσχε·
495  χείλεα μέν τʼ ἐδίηνʼ, ὑπερῴην δʼ οὐκ ἐδίηνε.
496  τὸν δὲ καὶ ἀμφιθαλὴς ἐκ δαιτύος ἐστυφέλιξε
497  χερσὶν πεπλήγων καὶ ὀνειδείοισιν ἐνίσσων·
498  ἔρρʼ οὕτως· οὐ σός γε πατὴρ μεταδαίνυται ἡμῖν.
499  δακρυόεις δέ τʼ ἄνεισι πάϊς ἐς μητέρα χήρην
500  Ἀστυάναξ, ὃς πρὶν μὲν ἑοῦ ἐπὶ γούνασι πατρὸς
501  μυελὸν οἶον ἔδεσκε καὶ οἰῶν πίονα δημόν·
502  αὐτὰρ ὅθʼ ὕπνος ἕλοι, παύσαιτό τε νηπιαχεύων,
503  εὕδεσκʼ ἐν λέκτροισιν ἐν ἀγκαλίδεσσι τιθήνης
504  εὐνῇ ἔνι μαλακῇ θαλέων ἐμπλησάμενος κῆρ·
505  νῦν δʼ ἂν πολλὰ πάθῃσι φίλου ἀπὸ πατρὸς ἁμαρτὼν
506  Ἀστυάναξ, ὃν Τρῶες ἐπίκλησιν καλέουσιν·
507  οἶος γάρ σφιν ἔρυσο πύλας καὶ τείχεα μακρά.
508  νῦν δὲ σὲ μὲν παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσι νόσφι τοκήων
509  αἰόλαι εὐλαὶ ἔδονται, ἐπεί κε κύνες κορέσωνται
510  γυμνόν· ἀτάρ τοι εἵματʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροισι κέονται
511  λεπτά τε καὶ χαρίεντα τετυγμένα χερσὶ γυναικῶν.
512  ἀλλʼ ἤτοι τάδε πάντα καταφλέξω πυρὶ κηλέῳ
513  οὐδὲν σοί γʼ ὄφελος, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐγκείσεαι αὐτοῖς,
514  ἀλλὰ πρὸς Τρώων καὶ Τρωϊάδων κλέος εἶναι.
515  ὣς ἔφατο κλαίουσʼ, ἐπὶ δὲ στενάχοντο γυναῖκες.


The funeral of Patroclus, and the funeral games.

      Thus did they make their moan throughout the city, while the
      Achaeans when they reached the Hellespont went back every man to
      his own ship. But Achilles would not let the Myrmidons go, and
      spoke to his brave comrades saying, “Myrmidons, famed horsemen
      and my own trusted friends, not yet, forsooth, let us unyoke, but
      with horse and chariot draw near to the body and mourn Patroclus,
      in due honour to the dead. When we have had full comfort of
      lamentation we will unyoke our horses and take supper all of us
      here.”

      On this they all joined in a cry of wailing and Achilles led them
      in their lament. Thrice did they drive their chariots all
      sorrowing round the body, and Thetis stirred within them a still
      deeper yearning. The sands of the sea-shore and the men’s armour
      were wet with their weeping, so great a minister of fear was he
      whom they had lost. Chief in all their mourning was the son of
      Peleus: he laid his blood-stained hand on the breast of his
      friend. “Fare well,” he cried, “Patroclus, even in the house of
      Hades. I will now do all that I erewhile promised you; I will
      drag Hector hither and let dogs devour him raw; twelve noble sons
      of Trojans will I also slay before your pyre to avenge you.”

      As he spoke he treated the body of noble Hector with contumely,
      laying it at full length in the dust beside the bier of
      Patroclus. The others then put off every man his armour, took the
      horses from their chariots, and seated themselves in great
      multitude by the ship of the fleet descendant of Aeacus, who
      thereon feasted them with an abundant funeral banquet. Many a
      goodly ox, with many a sheep and bleating goat did they butcher
      and cut up; many a tusked boar moreover, fat and well-fed, did
      they singe and set to roast in the flames of Vulcan; and rivulets
      of blood flowed all round the place where the body was lying.

      Then the princes of the Achaeans took the son of Peleus to
      Agamemnon, but hardly could they persuade him to come with them,
      so wroth was he for the death of his comrade. As soon as they
      reached Agamemnon’s tent they told the serving-men to set a large
      tripod over the fire in case they might persuade the son of
      Peleus to wash the clotted gore from this body, but he denied
      them sternly, and swore it with a solemn oath, saying, “Nay, by
      King Jove, first and mightiest of all gods, it is not meet that
      water should touch my body, till I have laid Patroclus on the
      flames, have built him a barrow, and shaved my head—for so long
      as I live no such second sorrow shall ever draw nigh me. Now,
      therefore, let us do all that this sad festival demands, but at
      break of day, King Agamemnon, bid your men bring wood, and
      provide all else that the dead may duly take into the realm of
      darkness; the fire shall thus burn him out of our sight the
      sooner, and the people shall turn again to their own labours.”

      Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said. They made
      haste to prepare the meal, they ate, and every man had his full
      share so that all were satisfied. As soon as they had had enough
      to eat and drink, the others went to their rest each in his own
      tent, but the son of Peleus lay grieving among his Myrmidons by
      the shore of the sounding sea, in an open place where the waves
      came surging in one after another. Here a very deep slumber took
      hold upon him and eased the burden of his sorrows, for his limbs
      were weary with chasing Hector round windy Ilius. Presently the
      sad spirit of Patroclus drew near him, like what he had been in
      stature, voice, and the light of his beaming eyes, clad, too, as
      he had been clad in life. The spirit hovered over his head and
      said—

      “You sleep, Achilles, and have forgotten me; you loved me living,
      but now that I am dead you think for me no further. Bury me with
      all speed that I may pass the gates of Hades; the ghosts, vain
      shadows of men that can labour no more, drive me away from them;
      they will not yet suffer me to join those that are beyond the
      river, and I wander all desolate by the wide gates of the house
      of Hades. Give me now your hand I pray you, for when you have
      once given me my dues of fire, never shall I again come forth out
      of the house of Hades. Nevermore shall we sit apart and take
      sweet counsel among the living; the cruel fate which was my
      birth-right has yawned its wide jaws around me—nay, you too
      Achilles, peer of gods, are doomed to die beneath the wall of the
      noble Trojans.

      “One prayer more will I make you, if you will grant it; let not
      my bones be laid apart from yours, Achilles, but with them; even
      as we were brought up together in your own home, what time
      Menoetius brought me to you as a child from Opoeis because by a
      sad spite I had killed the son of Amphidamas—not of set purpose,
      but in childish quarrel over the dice. The knight Peleus took me
      into his house, entreated me kindly, and named me to be your
      squire; therefore let our bones lie in but a single urn, the
      two-handled golden vase given to you by your mother.”

      And Achilles answered, “Why, true heart, are you come hither to
      lay these charges upon me? I will of my own self do all as you
      have bidden me. Draw closer to me, let us once more throw our
      arms around one another, and find sad comfort in the sharing of
      our sorrows.”

      He opened his arms towards him as he spoke and would have clasped
      him in them, but there was nothing, and the spirit vanished as a
      vapour, gibbering and whining into the earth. Achilles sprang to
      his feet, smote his two hands, and made lamentation saying, “Of a
      truth even in the house of Hades there are ghosts and phantoms
      that have no life in them; all night long the sad spirit of
      Patroclus has hovered over head making piteous moan, telling me
      what I am to do for him, and looking wondrously like himself.”

      Thus did he speak and his words set them all weeping and mourning
      about the poor dumb dead, till rosy-fingered morn appeared. Then
      King Agamemnon sent men and mules from all parts of the camp, to
      bring wood, and Meriones, squire to Idomeneus, was in charge over
      them. They went out with woodmen’s axes and strong ropes in their
      hands, and before them went the mules. Up hill and down dale did
      they go, by straight ways and crooked, and when they reached the
      heights of many-fountained Ida, they laid their axes to the roots
      of many a tall branching oak that came thundering down as they
      felled it. They split the trees and bound them behind the mules,
      which then wended their way as they best could through the thick
      brushwood on to the plain. All who had been cutting wood bore
      logs, for so Meriones squire to Idomeneus had bidden them, and
      they threw them down in a line upon the sea-shore at the place
      where Achilles would make a mighty monument for Patroclus and for
      himself.

      When they had thrown down their great logs of wood over the whole
      ground, they stayed all of them where they were, but Achilles
      ordered his brave Myrmidons to gird on their armour, and to yoke
      each man his horses; they therefore rose, girded on their armour
      and mounted each his chariot—they and their charioteers with
      them. The chariots went before, and they that were on foot
      followed as a cloud in their tens of thousands after. In the
      midst of them his comrades bore Patroclus and covered him with
      the locks of their hair which they cut off and threw upon his
      body. Last came Achilles with his head bowed for sorrow, so noble
      a comrade was he taking to the house of Hades.

      When they came to the place of which Achilles had told them they
      laid the body down and built up the wood. Achilles then bethought
      him of another matter. He went a space away from the pyre, and
      cut off the yellow lock which he had let grow for the river
      Spercheius. He looked all sorrowfully out upon the dark sea, and
      said, “Spercheius, in vain did my father Peleus vow to you that
      when I returned home to my loved native land I should cut off
      this lock and offer you a holy hecatomb; fifty she-goats was I to
      sacrifice to you there at your springs, where is your grove and
      your altar fragrant with burnt-offerings. Thus did my father vow,
      but you have not fulfilled his prayer; now, therefore, that I
      shall see my home no more, I give this lock as a keepsake to the
      hero Patroclus.”

      As he spoke he placed the lock in the hands of his dear comrade,
      and all who stood by were filled with yearning and lamentation.
      The sun would have gone down upon their mourning had not Achilles
      presently said to Agamemnon, “Son of Atreus, for it is to you
      that the people will give ear, there is a time to mourn and a
      time to cease from mourning; bid the people now leave the pyre
      and set about getting their dinners: we, to whom the dead is
      dearest, will see to what is wanted here, and let the other
      princes also stay by me.”

      When King Agamemnon heard this he dismissed the people to their
      ships, but those who were about the dead heaped up wood and built
      a pyre a hundred feet this way and that; then they laid the dead
      all sorrowfully upon the top of it. They flayed and dressed many
      fat sheep and oxen before the pyre, and Achilles took fat from
      all of them and wrapped the body therein from head to foot,
      heaping the flayed carcases all round it. Against the bier he
      leaned two-handled jars of honey and unguents; four proud horses
      did he then cast upon the pyre, groaning the while he did so. The
      dead hero had had house-dogs; two of them did Achilles slay and
      threw upon the pyre; he also put twelve brave sons of noble
      Trojans to the sword and laid them with the rest, for he was full
      of bitterness and fury. Then he committed all to the resistless
      and devouring might of the fire; he groaned aloud and called on
      his dead comrade by name. “Fare well,” he cried, “Patroclus, even
      in the house of Hades; I am now doing all that I have promised
      you. Twelve brave sons of noble Trojans shall the flames consume
      along with yourself, but dogs, not fire, shall devour the flesh
      of Hector son of Priam.”

      Thus did he vaunt, but the dogs came not about the body of
      Hector, for Jove’s daughter Venus kept them off him night and
      day, and anointed him with ambrosial oil of roses that his flesh
      might not be torn when Achilles was dragging him about. Phoebus
      Apollo moreover sent a dark cloud from heaven to earth, which
      gave shade to the whole place where Hector lay, that the heat of
      the sun might not parch his body.

      Now the pyre about dead Patroclus would not kindle. Achilles
      therefore bethought him of another matter; he went apart and
      prayed to the two winds Boreas and Zephyrus vowing them goodly
      offerings. He made them many drink-offerings from the golden cup
      and besought them to come and help him that the wood might make
      haste to kindle and the dead bodies be consumed. Fleet Iris heard
      him praying and started off to fetch the winds. They were holding
      high feast in the house of boisterous Zephyrus when Iris came
      running up to the stone threshold of the house and stood there,
      but as soon as they set eyes on her they all came towards her and
      each of them called her to him, but Iris would not sit down. “I
      cannot stay,” she said, “I must go back to the streams of Oceanus
      and the land of the Ethiopians who are offering hecatombs to the
      immortals, and I would have my share; but Achilles prays that
      Boreas and shrill Zephyrus will come to him, and he vows them
      goodly offerings; he would have you blow upon the pyre of
      Patroclus for whom all the Achaeans are lamenting.”

      With this she left them, and the two winds rose with a cry that
      rent the air and swept the clouds before them. They blew on and
      on until they came to the sea, and the waves rose high beneath
      them, but when they reached Troy they fell upon the pyre till the
      mighty flames roared under the blast that they blew. All night
      long did they blow hard and beat upon the fire, and all night
      long did Achilles grasp his double cup, drawing wine from a
      mixing-bowl of gold, and calling upon the spirit of dead
      Patroclus as he poured it upon the ground until the earth was
      drenched. As a father mourns when he is burning the bones of his
      bridegroom son whose death has wrung the hearts of his parents,
      even so did Achilles mourn while burning the body of his comrade,
      pacing round the bier with piteous groaning and lamentation.

      At length as the Morning Star was beginning to herald the light
      which saffron-mantled Dawn was soon to suffuse over the sea, the
      flames fell and the fire began to die. The winds then went home
      beyond the Thracian sea, which roared and boiled as they swept
      over it. The son of Peleus now turned away from the pyre and lay
      down, overcome with toil, till he fell into a sweet slumber.
      Presently they who were about the son of Atreus drew near in a
      body, and roused him with the noise and tramp of their coming. He
      sat upright and said, “Son of Atreus, and all other princes of
      the Achaeans, first pour red wine everywhere upon the fire and
      quench it; let us then gather the bones of Patroclus son of
      Menoetius, singling them out with care; they are easily found,
      for they lie in the middle of the pyre, while all else, both men
      and horses, has been thrown in a heap and burned at the outer
      edge. We will lay the bones in a golden urn, in two layers of
      fat, against the time when I shall myself go down into the house
      of Hades. As for the barrow, labour not to raise a great one now,
      but such as is reasonable. Afterwards, let those Achaeans who may
      be left at the ships when I am gone, build it both broad and
      high.”

      Thus he spoke and they obeyed the word of the son of Peleus.
      First they poured red wine upon the thick layer of ashes and
      quenched the fire. With many tears they singled out the whitened
      bones of their loved comrade and laid them within a golden urn in
      two layers of fat: they then covered the urn with a linen cloth
      and took it inside the tent. They marked off the circle where the
      barrow should be, made a foundation for it about the pyre, and
      forthwith heaped up the earth. When they had thus raised a mound
      they were going away, but Achilles stayed the people and made
      them sit in assembly. He brought prizes from the ships—cauldrons,
      tripods, horses and mules, noble oxen, women with fair girdles,
      and swart iron.

      The first prize he offered was for the chariot races—a woman
      skilled in all useful arts, and a three-legged cauldron that had
      ears for handles, and would hold twenty-two measures. This was
      for the man who came in first. For the second there was a
      six-year old mare, unbroken, and in foal to a he-ass; the third
      was to have a goodly cauldron that had never yet been on the
      fire; it was still bright as when it left the maker, and would
      hold four measures. The fourth prize was two talents of gold, and
      the fifth a two-handled urn as yet unsoiled by smoke. Then he
      stood up and spoke among the Argives saying—

      “Son of Atreus, and all other Achaeans, these are the prizes that
      lie waiting the winners of the chariot races. At any other time I
      should carry off the first prize and take it to my own tent; you
      know how far my steeds excel all others—for they are immortal;
      Neptune gave them to my father Peleus, who in his turn gave them
      to myself; but I shall hold aloof, I and my steeds that have lost
      their brave and kind driver, who many a time has washed them in
      clear water and anointed their manes with oil. See how they stand
      weeping here, with their manes trailing on the ground in the
      extremity of their sorrow. But do you others set yourselves in
      order throughout the host, whosoever has confidence in his horses
      and in the strength of his chariot.”

      Thus spoke the son of Peleus and the drivers of chariots
      bestirred themselves. First among them all uprose Eumelus, king
      of men, son of Admetus, a man excellent in horsemanship. Next to
      him rose mighty Diomed son of Tydeus; he yoked the Trojan horses
      which he had taken from Aeneas, when Apollo bore him out of the
      fight. Next to him, yellow-haired Menelaus son of Atreus rose and
      yoked his fleet horses, Agamemnon’s mare Aethe, and his own horse
      Podargus. The mare had been given to Agamemnon by Echepolus son
      of Anchises, that he might not have to follow him to Ilius, but
      might stay at home and take his ease; for Jove had endowed him
      with great wealth and he lived in spacious Sicyon. This mare, all
      eager for the race, did Menelaus put under the yoke.

      Fourth in order Antilochus, son to noble Nestor son of Neleus,
      made ready his horses. These were bred in Pylos, and his father
      came up to him to give him good advice of which, however, he
      stood in but little need. “Antilochus,” said Nestor, “you are
      young, but Jove and Neptune have loved you well, and have made
      you an excellent horseman. I need not therefore say much by way
      of instruction. You are skilful at wheeling your horses round the
      post, but the horses themselves are very slow, and it is this
      that will, I fear, mar your chances. The other drivers know less
      than you do, but their horses are fleeter; therefore, my dear
      son, see if you cannot hit upon some artifice whereby you may
      insure that the prize shall not slip through your fingers. The
      woodman does more by skill than by brute force; by skill the
      pilot guides his storm-tossed barque over the sea, and so by
      skill one driver can beat another. If a man go wide in rounding
      this way and that, whereas a man who knows what he is doing may
      have worse horses, but he will keep them well in hand when he
      sees the doubling-post; he knows the precise moment at which to
      pull the rein, and keeps his eye well on the man in front of him.
      I will give you this certain token which cannot escape your
      notice. There is a stump of a dead tree—oak or pine as it may
      be—some six feet above the ground, and not yet rotted away by
      rain; it stands at the fork of the road; it has two white stones
      set one on each side, and there is a clear course all round it.
      It may have been a monument to some one long since dead, or it
      may have been used as a doubling-post in days gone by; now,
      however, it has been fixed on by Achilles as the mark round which
      the chariots shall turn; hug it as close as you can, but as you
      stand in your chariot lean over a little to the left; urge on
      your right-hand horse with voice and lash, and give him a loose
      rein, but let the left-hand horse keep so close in, that the nave
      of your wheel shall almost graze the post; but mind the stone, or
      you will wound your horses and break your chariot in pieces,
      which would be sport for others but confusion for yourself.
      Therefore, my dear son, mind well what you are about, for if you
      can be first to round the post there is no chance of any one
      giving you the go-by later, not even though you had Adrestus’s
      horse Arion behind you—a horse which is of divine race—or those
      of Laomedon, which are the noblest in this country.”

      When Nestor had made an end of counselling his son he sat down in
      his place, and fifth in order Meriones got ready his horses. They
      then all mounted their chariots and cast lots. Achilles shook the
      helmet, and the lot of Antilochus son of Nestor fell out first;
      next came that of King Eumelus, and after his, those of Menelaus
      son of Atreus and of Meriones. The last place fell to the lot of
      Diomed son of Tydeus, who was the best man of them all. They took
      their places in line; Achilles showed them the doubling-post
      round which they were to turn, some way off upon the plain; here
      he stationed his father’s follower Phoenix as umpire, to note the
      running, and report truly.

      At the same instant they all of them lashed their horses, struck
      them with the reins, and shouted at them with all their might.
      They flew full speed over the plain away from the ships, the dust
      rose from under them as it were a cloud or whirlwind, and their
      manes were all flying in the wind. At one moment the chariots
      seemed to touch the ground, and then again they bounded into the
      air; the drivers stood erect, and their hearts beat fast and
      furious in their lust of victory. Each kept calling on his
      horses, and the horses scoured the plain amid the clouds of dust
      that they raised.

      It was when they were doing the last part of the course on their
      way back towards the sea that their pace was strained to the
      utmost and it was seen what each could do. The horses of the
      descendant of Pheres now took the lead, and close behind them
      came the Trojan stallions of Diomed. They seemed as if about to
      mount Eumelus’s chariot, and he could feel their warm breath on
      his back and on his broad shoulders, for their heads were close
      to him as they flew over the course. Diomed would have now passed
      him, or there would have been a dead heat, but Phoebus Apollo to
      spite him made him drop his whip. Tears of anger fell from his
      eyes as he saw the mares going on faster than ever, while his own
      horses lost ground through his having no whip. Minerva saw the
      trick which Apollo had played the son of Tydeus, so she brought
      him his whip and put spirit into his horses; moreover she went
      after the son of Admetus in a rage and broke his yoke for him;
      the mares went one to one side of the course, and the other to
      the other, and the pole was broken against the ground. Eumelus
      was thrown from his chariot close to the wheel; his elbows,
      mouth, and nostrils were all torn, and his forehead was bruised
      above his eyebrows; his eyes filled with tears and he could find
      no utterance. But the son of Tydeus turned his horses aside and
      shot far ahead, for Minerva put fresh strength into them and
      covered Diomed himself with glory.

      Menelaus son of Atreus came next behind him, but Antilochus
      called to his father’s horses. “On with you both,” he cried, “and
      do your very utmost. I do not bid you try to beat the steeds of
      the son of Tydeus, for Minerva has put running into them, and has
      covered Diomed with glory; but you must overtake the horses of
      the son of Atreus and not be left behind, or Aethe who is so
      fleet will taunt you. Why, my good fellows, are you lagging? I
      tell you, and it shall surely be—Nestor will keep neither of you,
      but will put both of you to the sword, if we win any the worse a
      prize through your carelessness. Fly after them at your utmost
      speed; I will hit on a plan for passing them in a narrow part of
      the way, and it shall not fail me.”

      They feared the rebuke of their master, and for a short space
      went quicker. Presently Antilochus saw a narrow place where the
      road had sunk. The ground was broken, for the winter’s rain had
      gathered and had worn the road so that the whole place was
      deepened. Menelaus was making towards it so as to get there
      first, for fear of a foul, but Antilochus turned his horses out
      of the way, and followed him a little on one side. The son of
      Atreus was afraid and shouted out, “Antilochus, you are driving
      recklessly; rein in your horses; the road is too narrow here, it
      will be wider soon, and you can pass me then; if you foul my
      chariot you may bring both of us to a mischief.”

      But Antilochus plied his whip, and drove faster, as though he had
      not heard him. They went side by side for about as far as a young
      man can hurl a disc from his shoulder when he is trying his
      strength, and then Menelaus’s mares drew behind, for he left off
      driving for fear the horses should foul one another and upset the
      chariots; thus, while pressing on in quest of victory, they might
      both come headlong to the ground. Menelaus then upbraided
      Antilochus and said, “There is no greater trickster living than
      you are; go, and bad luck go with you; the Achaeans say not well
      that you have understanding, and come what may you shall not bear
      away the prize without sworn protest on my part.”

      Then he called on his horses and said to them, “Keep your pace,
      and slacken not; the limbs of the other horses will weary sooner
      than yours, for they are neither of them young.”

      The horses feared the rebuke of their master, and went faster, so
      that they were soon nearly up with the others.

      Meanwhile the Achaeans from their seats were watching how the
      horses went, as they scoured the plain amid clouds of their own
      dust. Idomeneus captain of the Cretans was first to make out the
      running, for he was not in the thick of the crowd, but stood on
      the most commanding part of the ground. The driver was a long way
      off, but Idomeneus could hear him shouting, and could see the
      foremost horse quite plainly—a chestnut with a round white star,
      like the moon, on its forehead. He stood up and said among the
      Argives, “My friends, princes and counsellors of the Argives, can
      you see the running as well as I can? There seems to be another
      pair in front now, and another driver; those that led off at the
      start must have been disabled out on the plain. I saw them at
      first making their way round the doubling-post, but now, though I
      search the plain of Troy, I cannot find them. Perhaps the reins
      fell from the driver’s hand so that he lost command of his horses
      at the doubling-post, and could not turn it. I suppose he must
      have been thrown out there, and broken his chariot, while his
      mares have left the course and gone off wildly in a panic. Come
      up and see for yourselves, I cannot make out for certain, but the
      driver seems an Aetolian by descent, ruler over the Argives,
      brave Diomed the son of Tydeus.”

      Ajax the son of Oileus took him up rudely and said, “Idomeneus,
      why should you be in such a hurry to tell us all about it, when
      the mares are still so far out upon the plain? You are none of
      the youngest, nor your eyes none of the sharpest, but you are
      always laying down the law. You have no right to do so, for there
      are better men here than you are. Eumelus’s horses are in front
      now, as they always have been, and he is on the chariot holding
      the reins.”

      The captain of the Cretans was angry, and answered, “Ajax you are
      an excellent railer, but you have no judgement, and are wanting
      in much else as well, for you have a vile temper. I will wager
      you a tripod or cauldron, and Agamemnon son of Atreus shall
      decide whose horses are first. You will then know to your cost.”

      Ajax son of Oileus was for making him an angry answer, and there
      would have been yet further brawling between them, had not
      Achilles risen in his place and said, “Cease your railing, Ajax
      and Idomeneus; it is not seemly; you would be scandalised if you
      saw any one else do the like: sit down and keep your eyes on the
      horses; they are speeding towards the winning-post and will be
      here directly. You will then both of you know whose horses are
      first, and whose come after.”

      As he was speaking, the son of Tydeus came driving in, plying his
      whip lustily from his shoulder, and his horses stepping high as
      they flew over the course. The sand and grit rained thick on the
      driver, and the chariot inlaid with gold and tin ran close behind
      his fleet horses. There was little trace of wheel-marks in the
      fine dust, and the horses came flying in at their utmost speed.
      Diomed stayed them in the middle of the crowd, and the sweat from
      their manes and chests fell in streams on to the ground.
      Forthwith he sprang from his goodly chariot, and leaned his whip
      against his horses’ yoke; brave Sthenelus now lost no time, but
      at once brought on the prize, and gave the woman and the
      ear-handled cauldron to his comrades to take away. Then he
      unyoked the horses.

      Next after him came in Antilochus of the race of Neleus, who had
      passed Menelaus by a trick and not by the fleetness of his
      horses; but even so Menelaus came in as close behind him as the
      wheel is to the horse that draws both the chariot and its master.
      The end hairs of a horse’s tail touch the tyre of the wheel, and
      there is never much space between wheel and horse when the
      chariot is going; Menelaus was no further than this behind
      Antilochus, though at first he had been a full disc’s throw
      behind him. He had soon caught him up again, for Agamemnon’s mare
      Aethe kept pulling stronger and stronger, so that if the course
      had been longer he would have passed him, and there would not
      even have been a dead heat. Idomeneus’s brave squire Meriones was
      about a spear’s cast behind Menelaus. His horses were slowest of
      all, and he was the worst driver. Last of them all came the son
      of Admetus, dragging his chariot and driving his horses on in
      front. When Achilles saw him he was sorry, and stood up among the
      Argives saying, “The best man is coming in last. Let us give him
      a prize for it is reasonable. He shall have the second, but the
      first must go to the son of Tydeus.”

      Thus did he speak and the others all of them applauded his
      saying, and were for doing as he had said, but Nestor’s son
      Antilochus stood up and claimed his rights from the son of
      Peleus. “Achilles,” said he, “I shall take it much amiss if you
      do this thing; you would rob me of my prize, because you think
      Eumelus’s chariot and horses were thrown out, and himself too,
      good man that he is. He should have prayed duly to the immortals;
      he would not have come in last if he had done so. If you are
      sorry for him and so choose, you have much gold in your tents,
      with bronze, sheep, cattle and horses. Take something from this
      store if you would have the Achaeans speak well of you, and give
      him a better prize even than that which you have now offered; but
      I will not give up the mare, and he that will fight me for her,
      let him come on.”

      Achilles smiled as he heard this, and was pleased with
      Antilochus, who was one of his dearest comrades. So he said—

      “Antilochus, if you would have me find Eumelus another prize, I
      will give him the bronze breastplate with a rim of tin running
      all round it which I took from Asteropaeus. It will be worth much
      money to him.”

      He bade his comrade Automedon bring the breastplate from his
      tent, and he did so. Achilles then gave it over to Eumelus, who
      received it gladly.

      But Menelaus got up in a rage, furiously angry with Antilochus.
      An attendant placed his staff in his hands and bade the Argives
      keep silence: the hero then addressed them. “Antilochus,” said
      he, “what is this from you who have been so far blameless? You
      have made me cut a poor figure and baulked my horses by flinging
      your own in front of them, though yours are much worse than mine
      are; therefore, O princes and counsellors of the Argives, judge
      between us and show no favour, lest one of the Achaeans say,
      ‘Menelaus has got the mare through lying and corruption; his
      horses were far inferior to Antilochus’s, but he has greater
      weight and influence.’ Nay, I will determine the matter myself,
      and no man will blame me, for I shall do what is just. Come here,
      Antilochus, and stand, as our custom is, whip in hand before your
      chariot and horses; lay your hand on your steeds, and swear by
      earth-encircling Neptune that you did not purposely and
      guilefully get in the way of my horses.”

      And Antilochus answered, “Forgive me; I am much younger, King
      Menelaus, than you are; you stand higher than I do and are the
      better man of the two; you know how easily young men are betrayed
      into indiscretion; their tempers are more hasty and they have
      less judgement; make due allowances therefore, and bear with me;
      I will of my own accord give up the mare that I have won, and if
      you claim any further chattel from my own possessions, I would
      rather yield it to you, at once, than fall from your good graces
      henceforth, and do wrong in the sight of heaven.”

      The son of Nestor then took the mare and gave her over to
      Menelaus, whose anger was thus appeased; as when dew falls upon a
      field of ripening corn, and the lands are bristling with the
      harvest—even so, O Menelaus, was your heart made glad within you.
      He turned to Antilochus and said, “Now, Antilochus, angry though
      I have been, I can give way to you of my own free will; you have
      never been headstrong nor ill-disposed hitherto, but this time
      your youth has got the better of your judgement; be careful how
      you outwit your betters in future; no one else could have brought
      me round so easily, but your good father, your brother, and
      yourself have all of you had infinite trouble on my behalf; I
      therefore yield to your entreaty, and will give up the mare to
      you, mine though it indeed be; the people will thus see that I am
      neither harsh nor vindictive.”

      With this he gave the mare over to Antilochus’s comrade Noemon,
      and then took the cauldron. Meriones, who had come in fourth,
      carried off the two talents of gold, and the fifth prize, the
      two-handled urn, being unawarded, Achilles gave it to Nestor,
      going up to him among the assembled Argives and saying, “Take
      this, my good old friend, as an heirloom and memorial of the
      funeral of Patroclus—for you shall see him no more among the
      Argives. I give you this prize though you cannot win one; you can
      now neither wrestle nor fight, and cannot enter for the
      javelin-match nor foot-races, for the hand of age has been laid
      heavily upon you.”

      So saying he gave the urn over to Nestor, who received it gladly
      and answered, “My son, all that you have said is true; there is
      no strength now in my legs and feet, nor can I hit out with my
      hands from either shoulder. Would that I were still young and
      strong as when the Epeans were burying King Amarynceus in
      Buprasium, and his sons offered prizes in his honour. There was
      then none that could vie with me neither of the Epeans nor the
      Pylians themselves nor the Aetolians. In boxing I overcame
      Clytomedes son of Enops, and in wrestling, Ancaeus of Pleuron who
      had come forward against me. Iphiclus was a good runner, but I
      beat him, and threw farther with my spear than either Phyleus or
      Polydorus. In chariot-racing alone did the two sons of Actor
      surpass me by crowding their horses in front of me, for they were
      angry at the way victory had gone, and at the greater part of the
      prizes remaining in the place in which they had been offered.
      They were twins, and the one kept on holding the reins, and
      holding the reins, while the other plied the whip. Such was I
      then, but now I must leave these matters to younger men; I must
      bow before the weight of years, but in those days I was eminent
      among heroes. And now, sir, go on with the funeral contests in
      honour of your comrade: gladly do I accept this urn, and my heart
      rejoices that you do not forget me but are ever mindful of my
      goodwill towards you, and of the respect due to me from the
      Achaeans. For all which may the grace of heaven be vouchsafed you
      in great abundance.”

      Thereon the son of Peleus, when he had listened to all the thanks
      of Nestor, went about among the concourse of the Achaeans, and
      presently offered prizes for skill in the painful art of boxing.
      He brought out a strong mule, and made it fast in the middle of
      the crowd—a she-mule never yet broken, but six years old—when it
      is hardest of all to break them: this was for the victor, and for
      the vanquished he offered a double cup. Then he stood up and said
      among the Argives, “Son of Atreus, and all other Achaeans, I
      invite our two champion boxers to lay about them lustily and
      compete for these prizes. He to whom Apollo vouchsafes the
      greater endurance, and whom the Achaeans acknowledge as victor,
      shall take the mule back with him to his own tent, while he that
      is vanquished shall have the double cup.”

      As he spoke there stood up a champion both brave and of great
      stature, a skilful boxer, Epeus, son of Panopeus. He laid his
      hand on the mule and said, “Let the man who is to have the cup
      come hither, for none but myself will take the mule. I am the
      best boxer of all here present, and none can beat me. Is it not
      enough that I should fall short of you in actual fighting? Still,
      no man can be good at everything. I tell you plainly, and it
      shall come true; if any man will box with me I will bruise his
      body and break his bones; therefore let his friends stay here in
      a body and be at hand to take him away when I have done with
      him.”

      They all held their peace, and no man rose save Euryalus son of
      Mecisteus, who was son of Talaus. Mecisteus went once to Thebes
      after the fall of Oedipus, to attend his funeral, and he beat all
      the people of Cadmus. The son of Tydeus was Euryalus’s second,
      cheering him on and hoping heartily that he would win. First he
      put a waistband round him and then he gave him some well-cut
      thongs of ox-hide; the two men being now girt went into the
      middle of the ring, and immediately fell to; heavily indeed did
      they punish one another and lay about them with their brawny
      fists. One could hear the horrid crashing of their jaws, and they
      sweated from every pore of their skin. Presently Epeus came on
      and gave Euryalus a blow on the jaw as he was looking round;
      Euryalus could not keep his legs; they gave way under him in a
      moment and he sprang up with a bound, as a fish leaps into the
      air near some shore that is all bestrewn with sea-wrack, when
      Boreas furs the top of the waves, and then falls back into deep
      water. But noble Epeus caught hold of him and raised him up; his
      comrades also came round him and led him from the ring, unsteady
      in his gait, his head hanging on one side, and spitting great
      clots of gore. They set him down in a swoon and then went to
      fetch the double cup.

      The son of Peleus now brought out the prizes for the third
      contest and showed them to the Argives. These were for the
      painful art of wrestling. For the winner there was a great tripod
      ready for setting upon the fire, and the Achaeans valued it among
      themselves at twelve oxen. For the loser he brought out a woman
      skilled in all manner of arts, and they valued her at four oxen.
      He rose and said among the Argives, “Stand forward, you who will
      essay this contest.”

      Forthwith uprose great Ajax the son of Telamon, and crafty
      Ulysses, full of wiles, rose also. The two girded themselves and
      went into the middle of the ring. They gripped each other in
      their strong hands like the rafters which some master-builder
      frames for the roof of a high house to keep the wind out. Their
      backbones cracked as they tugged at one another with their mighty
      arms—and sweat rained from them in torrents. Many a bloody weal
      sprang up on their sides and shoulders, but they kept on striving
      with might and main for victory and to win the tripod. Ulysses
      could not throw Ajax, nor Ajax him; Ulysses was too strong for
      him; but when the Achaeans began to tire of watching them, Ajax
      said to Ulysses, “Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, you shall either
      lift me, or I you, and let Jove settle it between us.”

      He lifted him from the ground as he spoke, but Ulysses did not
      forget his cunning. He hit Ajax in the hollow at back of his
      knee, so that he could not keep his feet, but fell on his back
      with Ulysses lying upon his chest, and all who saw it marvelled.
      Then Ulysses in turn lifted Ajax and stirred him a little from
      the ground but could not lift him right off it, his knee sank
      under him, and the two fell side by side on the ground and were
      all begrimed with dust. They now sprang towards one another and
      were for wrestling yet a third time, but Achilles rose and stayed
      them. “Put not each other further,” said he, “to such cruel
      suffering; the victory is with both alike, take each of you an
      equal prize, and let the other Achaeans now compete.”

      Thus did he speak and they did even as he had said, and put on
      their shirts again after wiping the dust from off their bodies.

      The son of Peleus then offered prizes for speed in running—a
      mixing-bowl beautifully wrought, of pure silver. It would hold
      six measures, and far exceeded all others in the whole world for
      beauty; it was the work of cunning artificers in Sidon, and had
      been brought into port by Phoenicians from beyond the sea, who
      had made a present of it to Thoas. Eueneus son of Jason had given
      it to Patroclus in ransom of Priam’s son Lycaon, and Achilles now
      offered it as a prize in honour of his comrade to him who should
      be the swiftest runner. For the second prize he offered a large
      ox, well fattened, while for the last there was to be half a
      talent of gold. He then rose and said among the Argives, “Stand
      forward, you who will essay this contest.”

      Forthwith uprose fleet Ajax son of Oileus, with cunning Ulysses,
      and Nestor’s son Antilochus, the fastest runner among all the
      youth of his time. They stood side by side and Achilles showed
      them the goal. The course was set out for them from the
      starting-post, and the son of Oileus took the lead at once, with
      Ulysses as close behind him as the shuttle is to a woman’s bosom
      when she throws the woof across the warp and holds it close up to
      her; even so close behind him was Ulysses—treading in his
      footprints before the dust could settle there, and Ajax could
      feel his breath on the back of his head as he ran swiftly on. The
      Achaeans all shouted applause as they saw him straining his
      utmost, and cheered him as he shot past them; but when they were
      now nearing the end of the course Ulysses prayed inwardly to
      Minerva. “Hear me,” he cried, “and help my feet, O goddess.” Thus
      did he pray, and Pallas Minerva heard his prayer; she made his
      hands and his feet feel light, and when the runners were at the
      point of pouncing upon the prize, Ajax, through Minerva’s spite
      slipped upon some offal that was lying there from the cattle
      which Achilles had slaughtered in honour of Patroclus, and his
      mouth and nostrils were all filled with cow dung. Ulysses
      therefore carried off the mixing-bowl, for he got before Ajax and
      came in first. But Ajax took the ox and stood with his hand on
      one of its horns, spitting the dung out of his mouth. Then he
      said to the Argives, “Alas, the goddess has spoiled my running;
      she watches over Ulysses and stands by him as though she were his
      own mother.” Thus did he speak and they all of them laughed
      heartily.

      Antilochus carried off the last prize and smiled as he said to
      the bystanders, “You all see, my friends, that now too the gods
      have shown their respect for seniority. Ajax is somewhat older
      than I am, and as for Ulysses, he belongs to an earlier
      generation, but he is hale in spite of his years, and no man of
      the Achaeans can run against him save only Achilles.”

      He said this to pay a compliment to the son of Peleus, and
      Achilles answered, “Antilochus, you shall not have praised me to
      no purpose; I shall give you an additional half talent of gold.”
      He then gave the half talent to Antilochus, who received it
      gladly.

      Then the son of Peleus brought out the spear, helmet and shield
      that had been borne by Sarpedon, and were taken from him by
      Patroclus. He stood up and said among the Argives, “We bid two
      champions put on their armour, take their keen blades, and make
      trial of one another in the presence of the multitude; whichever
      of them can first wound the flesh of the other, cut through his
      armour, and draw blood, to him will I give this goodly Thracian
      sword inlaid with silver, which I took from Asteropaeus, but the
      armour let both hold in partnership, and I will give each of them
      a hearty meal in my own tent.”

      Forthwith uprose great Ajax the son of Telamon, as also mighty
      Diomed son of Tydeus. When they had put on their armour each on
      his own side of the ring, they both went into the middle eager to
      engage, and with fire flashing from their eyes. The Achaeans
      marvelled as they beheld them, and when the two were now close up
      with one another, thrice did they spring forward and thrice try
      to strike each other in close combat. Ajax pierced Diomed’s round
      shield, but did not draw blood, for the cuirass beneath the
      shield protected him; thereon the son of Tydeus from over his
      huge shield kept aiming continually at Ajax’s neck with the point
      of his spear, and the Achaeans alarmed for his safety bade them
      leave off fighting and divide the prize between them. Achilles
      then gave the great sword to the son of Tydeus, with its
      scabbard, and the leathern belt with which to hang it.

      Achilles next offered the massive iron quoit which mighty Eetion
      had erewhile been used to hurl, until Achilles had slain him and
      carried it off in his ships along with other spoils. He stood up
      and said among the Argives, “Stand forward, you who would essay
      this contest. He who wins it will have a store of iron that will
      last him five years as they go rolling round, and if his fair
      fields lie far from a town his shepherd or ploughman will not
      have to make a journey to buy iron, for he will have a stock of
      it on his own premises.”

      Then uprose the two mighty men Polypoetes and Leonteus, with Ajax
      son of Telamon and noble Epeus. They stood up one after the other
      and Epeus took the quoit, whirled it, and flung it from him,
      which set all the Achaeans laughing. After him threw Leonteus of
      the race of Mars. Ajax son of Telamon threw third, and sent the
      quoit beyond any mark that had been made yet, but when mighty
      Polypoetes took the quoit he hurled it as though it had been a
      stockman’s stick which he sends flying about among his cattle
      when he is driving them, so far did his throw out-distance those
      of the others. All who saw it roared applause, and his comrades
      carried the prize for him and set it on board his ship.

      Achilles next offered a prize of iron for archery—ten
      double-edged axes and ten with single edges: he set up a ship’s
      mast, some way off upon the sands, and with a fine string tied a
      pigeon to it by the foot; this was what they were to aim at.
      “Whoever,” he said, “can hit the pigeon shall have all the axes
      and take them away with him; he who hits the string without
      hitting the bird will have taken a worse aim and shall have the
      single-edged axes.”

      Then uprose King Teucer, and Meriones the stalwart squire of
      Idomeneus rose also, They cast lots in a bronze helmet and the
      lot of Teucer fell first. He let fly with his arrow forthwith,
      but he did not promise hecatombs of firstling lambs to King
      Apollo, and missed his bird, for Apollo foiled his aim; but he
      hit the string with which the bird was tied, near its foot; the
      arrow cut the string clean through so that it hung down towards
      the ground, while the bird flew up into the sky, and the Achaeans
      shouted applause. Meriones, who had his arrow ready while Teucer
      was aiming, snatched the bow out of his hand, and at once
      promised that he would sacrifice a hecatomb of firstling lambs to
      Apollo lord of the bow; then espying the pigeon high up under the
      clouds, he hit her in the middle of the wing as she was circling
      upwards; the arrow went clean through the wing and fixed itself
      in the ground at Meriones’ feet, but the bird perched on the
      ship’s mast hanging her head and with all her feathers drooping;
      the life went out of her, and she fell heavily from the mast.
      Meriones, therefore, took all ten double-edged axes, while Teucer
      bore off the single-edged ones to his ships.

      Then the son of Peleus brought in a spear and a cauldron that had
      never been on the fire; it was worth an ox, and was chased with a
      pattern of flowers; and those that throw the javelin stood up—to
      wit the son of Atreus, king of men Agamemnon, and Meriones,
      stalwart squire of Idomeneus. But Achilles spoke saying, “Son of
      Atreus, we know how far you excel all others both in power and in
      throwing the javelin; take the cauldron back with you to your
      ships, but if it so please you, let us give the spear to
      Meriones; this at least is what I should myself wish.”

      King Agamemnon assented. So he gave the bronze spear to Meriones,
      and handed the goodly cauldron to Talthybius his esquire.