The Iliad of Homer, Homer [reading fiction TXT] 📗

his dear native land, with empty ships, having left behind him brave Menelaus.' Thus will some one hereafter say: then may the wide earth yawn for me." Footnote 178:(return) The past tense for the future: implying that the hour of retribution is so certain, that it may be considered already arrived.

But him fair-haired Menelaus accosted, cheering him: "Have courage, nor in anywise frighten the people of the Achæans. The sharp arrow has not stuck in a vital part, but before [it reached a vital part], the variegated belt, and the girdle beneath, and the plate which brass-working men forged, warded it off."

King Agamemnon answering him replied: "Would that it were so, O beloved Menelaus; but the physician shall probe the wound, and apply remedies, which may ease thee of thy acute pains."

He spoke; and thus accosted Talthybius, the divine herald: "Talthybius, summon hither with all speed the hero Machaon, son of the blameless physician Æsculapius, that he may see martial Menelaus, the chief of the Greeks, whom some skilful archer of the Trojans, or of the Lycians, has wounded with a shaft; a glory, indeed, to him, but a grief to us."

He spoke; nor did the herald disobey when he had heard. But he proceeded to go through the forces of the brazen-mailed Greeks, looking around for the hero Machaon: him he saw standing, and round him the brave ranks of the shield-bearing hosts, who followed him from steed-nourishing Tricca. Standing near, he spoke winged words:

"Come, O son of Æsculapius, Agamemnon, king of men, calls thee, that thou mayest see martial Menelaus, the son of Atreus, whom some skilful archer of the Trojans or of the Lycians has wounded with a dart; a glory indeed to him, but a grief to us."

Thus he spoke, and incited his soul within his breast. And they proceeded to go through the host, through the wide army of the Greeks; but when they had now arrived where fair-haired Menelaus had been wounded (but around him were collected as many as were bravest, in a circle, while the godlike hero stood in the midst), instantly thereupon he extracted the arrow from the well-fitted belt. But while it was being extracted, the sharp barbs were broken. Then he loosed the variegated belt, and the girdle beneath, and the plated belt which brass-workers had forged. But when he perceived the wound, where the bitter shaft had fallen, having sucked out the blood, he skilfully sprinkled on it soothing remedies, 179 which, benevolent Chiron had formerly given to his father.

Footnote 179:(return) Celsus, Pref. "Podalirius et Machaon, bello Trajano ducem Agamemnonem secuti, non mediocrem opem commilitonibus suis attulerunt. Quos tamen Homerus non in pestilentia neque in variis generibus morborum aliquid attulisse auxilii, sed vulneribus tantummodo ferro et medicamentis mederi solitos esse proposuit. Ex quo apparet, has partes medicinæ solas ab his esse tentatas, easque esse vetustissimas."

Whilst they were thus occupied around warlike Menelaus, meantime the ranks of the shielded Trojans advanced; and these again put on their arms, and were mindful of battle. Then would you not see divine Agamemnon slumbering, nor trembling nor refusing to fight; but hastening quickly to the glorious fight. He left his steeds, indeed, and his brass-variegated chariot; and these his servant Eurymedon, son of Ptolymæus, the son of Piräis, held apart panting. Him he strictly enjoined to keep them near him, against the time when weariness should seize his limbs, commanding over many. But he on foot traversed the ranks of the heroes, and whichever of the swift-horsed Greeks he saw hastening, them standing beside, he encouraged with words:

"Argives! remit nought of your fierce ardour, for father Jove will not be an abettor to falsehoods, but certainly vultures will devour the tender bodies of those very persons, who first offered injury, contrary to the league; and we, after we shall have taken the city, will carry off in our ships their dear wives, and their infant children."

But whomsoever on the other hand he saw declining hateful battle, them he much rebuked with angry words:

"Argives, ye arrow-fighters, 180 subjects for disgrace, are ye not ashamed? Why stand ye here astounded, like fawns, which, when they are wearied, running through the extensive plain, stand, and have no strength in their hearts? Thus do ye stand amazed, nor fight. Do ye await the Trojans until they come near, where your fair-prowed galleys are moored on the shore of the hoary sea, that ye may know whether the son of Saturn will stretch forth his hand over you."

Footnote 180:(return) If it be remembered that archery, in comparison with fighting close-handed, handed, was much despised (cf. Soph. Aj. 1120, sqq.; Eur. Herc. Fur. 160), the term ἰόμωροι (οἱ περὶ τοὺς ἰοὺς μεμορημένοι, Apoll. Lex. and Hesych.) need not be forced into any of the out-of-the-way meanings which Anthon and others have assigned to it.

Thus he, acting as commander, kept going through the ranks of heroes, and he came to the Cretans, going through the throng of men. But they were armed around warlike Idomeneus. Idomeneus, on his part, [commanded] in the van, like a boar in strength; but Meriones urged on the hindmost phalanxes for him. Seeing these, Agamemnon, the king of men, rejoiced, and instantly accosted Idomeneus, in bland words:

"O Idomeneus, I honour thee, indeed, above the swift-horsed Greeks, as well in war, as in any other work, and at the banquet, when the nobles of the Argives mix in their cups the dark-red honourable 181 wine: for though the other crested Greeks drink by certain measures, thy cup always stands full, as [mine] to me, that thou mayest drink when thy mind desires it. But hasten into war, such as formerly thou didst boast to be."

Footnote 181:(return) See my note on Od.

But him Idomeneus, the leader of the Cretans, in turn answered: "Son of Atreus, a very congenial ally will I be to thee, as first I promised and assented. But exhort the other crested Greeks that we may fight with all haste, since the Trojans have confounded the league: death and griefs shall be theirs hereafter, since they first offered injury, contrary to the league."

Thus he spoke: and the son of Atreus passed on, joyous at heart, and he came to the Ajaces, going through the troops of the heroes. But they were armed, and with them followed a cloud of infantry. As when a goat-herd from a hill-top perceives a cloud traversing the deep, beneath the north-western blast; and to him, standing at a distance, it appears while coming over the ocean, darker than pitch, and brings with it a mighty whirlwind; 182 he both shudders on seeing it, and drives his flock into a cave. Such, with the Ajaces, moved into hostile battle the dense dark phalanxes of Jove-nurtured youths, bristling with shields and spears. And king Agamemnon seeing them, rejoiced, and accosting them, spoke winged words:

Footnote 182:(return) The waterspout, which is often followed by hurricanes, is meant. See Arnold.

"Ye Ajaces, leaders of the brazen-mailed Argives, ye two, indeed, for it becomes me not, I in no respect desire to incite; for ye yourselves mightily instigate the people to fight valiantly. Would that, O father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, such courage were in the breasts of all; soon then would the city of king Priam bend to its fall, taken and destroyed by our hands."

Thus having said, he left them there and went to the others; there he found Nestor, the harmonious orator of the Pylians, marshalling his associates, and exhorting them to battle, mighty Pelagon, Alastor, Chromius, and prince Hæmon, and Bias the shepherd of the people. In front, indeed, he placed the cavalry 183 with their horses and chariots, but the foot, both numerous and brave, in the rear, to be the stay of the battle; but the cowards he drove into the middle, that every man, even unwilling, might fight from necessity. At first, indeed, he gave orders to the horsemen; these he commanded to rein in their horses, nor to be confused with the crowd. "And let no person, relying on his skill in horsemanship, and on his strength, desire alone, before the rest, to fight with the Trojans, nor let him retreat: for [if so], ye will be weaker. And whatever man, from his own chariot, can reach that of another, let him stretch out with his spear; 184 for so it is much better: for thus the ancients overturned cities and walls, keeping this purpose and resolution in their breasts."

Footnote 183:(return) I. e. those who fought from chariots. Footnote 184x:(return) With Arnold and Anthon, I follow Köppen's interpretation. The meaning is, whoever, without leaping from his own chariot, can reach that of another, should commence the attack. This was less dangerous than dismounting.

Thus the old man, long since well skilled in wars, exhorted them, and king Agamemnon rejoiced when he saw him; and accosting him, spoke winged words:

"O old man, would that thy knees could so follow thee, and thy strength were firm as is the courage in thy breast. But old age, common alike to all, wearies thee. Would that some other man had thy age, and that thou wert amongst the more youthful."

Him then the Gerenian knight Nestor answered: "Son of Atreus, I myself would much wish to be so, as when I killed Eruthalion. But the gods never give all things at the same time to men. If I were a young man then, now in turn old age invades me. Yet even so, I will be with the horse, and will exhort them with counsel and words: for this is the office of old men. But let the youths, who are younger than I am, and confide in their strength, brandish their spears."

Thus he spoke; and the son of Atreus passed him by, rejoicing at heart. Next he found the horseman Menestheus, son of Peteus, standing, and around him the Athenians skilled in the war-shout: but crafty Ulysses stood near; and round him stood the ranks of the Cephallenians not feeble; for not yet had the troops of these heard the shout, since lately the roused phalanxes of the horse-subduing Trojans and of the Greeks moved along; but they stood waiting till another division of the Greeks, coming on, should charge the Trojans and begin the battle. Having seen these, therefore, Agamemnon, the king of men, reproved them, and, accosting them, spoke winged words:

"O son of Peteus, Jove-nurtured king, and thou, accomplished in evil wiles, crafty-minded [Ulysses], why trembling do ye refrain from battle, and wait for others? It became you, indeed, being amongst the first, to stand and meet the ardent battle. For ye are the first invited by me to the feast when we Greeks prepare a banquet for the chiefs. Then it is pleasant to you to eat the roasted meats, and to quaff cups of sweet wine, as long as ye please. But now would ye in preference be spectators, though ten divisions of the Greeks should fight in your presence with the ruthless brass."

But him sternly regarding, crafty Ulysses answered thus: "Son of Atreus, what a word has escaped the barrier of thy teeth! How canst thou say that we are remiss in fighting? Whenever we Greeks stir up fierce conflict against the horse-taming Trojans, thou shalt see, if thou desirest, and if these things are a care to thee, the beloved father of Telemachus mingled with the foremost of the horse-taming Trojans. But thou sayest these things rashly."

But him king Agamemnon, when he perceived that he was angry, smiling, addressed, and he retracted his words:

"Noble son of Laertes, much-contriving Ulysses, I neither chide thee