The Iliad, Homer [librera reader .TXT] 📗

the stroke of death.

Withdrawing then their weapons, each on each They fell, like lions fierce, or tusked boars, In strength the mightiest of the forest beasts.

Then Hector fairly on the centre struck The stubborn shield; yet drove not through the spear; For the stout brass the blunted point repell’d.

But Ajax, with a forward bound, the shield Of Hector pierc’d; right through the weapon pass’d; Arrested with rude shock the warrior’s course, And graz’d his neck, that spouted forth the blood.

Yet did not Hector of the glancing helm Flinch from the contest: stooping to the ground, With his broad hand a pond’rous stone he seiz’d, That lay upon the plain, dark, jagg’d, and huge, And hurl’d against the sev’n-fold shield, and struck Full on the central boss; loud rang the brass: Then Ajax rais’d a weightier mass of rock And sent it whirling, giving to his arm Unmeasur’d impulse; with a millstone’s weight It crush’d the buckler; Hector’s knees gave way; Backward he stagger’d, yet upon his shield Sustain’d, till Phoebus rais’d him to his feet.

Now had they hand to hand with swords engag’d, Had not the messengers of Gods and men, The heralds, interpos’d; the one for Troy, The other umpire for the brass-clad Greeks, Talthybius and Idaeus, well approv’d.

Between the chiefs they held their wands, and thus Idaeus both with prudent speech address’d: “No more, brave youths! no longer wage the fight: To cloud-compelling Jove ye both are dear, Both valiant spearmen; that, we all have seen.

Night is at hand; behoves us yield to night.”

 

Whom answer’d thus the son of Telamon: “Idaeus, bid that Hector speak those words: He challeng’d all our chiefs; let him begin: If he be willing, I shall not refuse.”

 

To whom great Hector of the glancing helm: “Ajax, since God hath giv’n thee size, and strength, And skill; and with the spear, of all the Greeks None is thine equal; cease we for to-day The fight; hereafter we may meet, and Heav’n Decide our cause, and one with vict’ry crown.

Night is at hand; behoves us yield to night.

So by the ships shalt thou rejoice the Greeks, And most of all, thy comrades and thy friends; And so shall I, in Priam’s royal town, Rejoice the men of Troy, and long-rob’d dames, Who shall with grateful pray’rs the temples throng.

But make we now an interchange of gifts, That both the Trojans and the Greeks may say, ‘On mortal quarrel did those warriors meet, Yet parted thence in friendly bonds conjoin’d.’”

 

This said, a silver-studded sword he gave, With scabbard and with well-cut belt complete; Ajax a girdle, rich with crimson dye.

They parted; Ajax to the Grecian camp, And Hector to the ranks of Troy return’d: Great was the joy when him they saw approach, Alive and safe; escap’d from Ajax’ might And arm invincible; and tow’rd the town They led him back, beyond their hope preserv’d; While to Atrides’ tent the well-greav’d Greeks Led Ajax, glorying in his triumph gain’d.

 

But when to Agamemnon’s tents they came, The King of men to Saturn’s royal son

A bullock slew, a male of five years old; The carcase then they flay’d; and cutting up, Sever’d the joints; then fixing on the spits, Roasted with care, and from the fire withdrew.

Their labours ended, and the feast prepar’d, They shar’d the social meal, nor lack’d there aught.

To Ajax then the chine’s continuous length, As honour’s meed, the mighty monarch gave.

The rage of thirst and hunger satisfied, The aged Nestor first his mind disclos’d; He who, before, the sagest counsel gave, Now thus with prudent speech began, and said: “Atrides, and ye other chiefs of Greece, Since many a long-hair’d Greek hath fall’n in fight, Whose blood, beside Scamander’s flowing stream, Fierce Mars has shed, while to the viewless shades Their spirits are gone, behoves thee with the morn The warfare of the Greeks to intermit: Then we, with oxen and with mules, the dead From all the plain will draw; and, from the ships A little space remov’d, will burn with fire: That we, returning to our native land, May to their children bear our comrades’ bones.

Then will we go, and on the plain erect Around the pyre one common mound for all; Then quickly build before it lofty tow’rs To screen both ships and men; and in the tow’rs Make ample portals, with well-fitting gates, That through the midst a carriage-way may pass: And a deep trench around it dig, to guard Both men and chariots, lest on our defence The haughty Trojans should too hardly press.”

 

He said; and all the Kings his words approv’d.

Meanwhile, on Ilium’s height, at Priam’s gate The Trojan chiefs a troubled council held; Which op’ning, thus the sage Antenor spoke: “Hear now, ye Trojans, Dardans, and Allies, The words I speak, the promptings of my soul.

Back to the sons of Atreus let us give The Argive Helen, and the goods she brought; For now in breach of plighted faith we fight: Nor can I hope, unless to my advice

Ye listen, that success will crown our arms.”

Thus having said, he sat; and next arose The godlike Paris, fair-hair’d Helen’s Lord; Who thus with winged words the chiefs address’d: “Hostile to me, Antenor, is thy speech; Thy better judgment better counsel knows; But if in earnest such is thine advice, Thee of thy senses have the Gods bereft.

Now, Trojans, hear my answer; I reject The counsel, nor the woman will restore; But for the goods, whate’er I hither brought To Troy from Argos, I am well content

To give them all, and others add beside.”

 

This said, he sat; and aged Priam next, A God in council, Dardan’s son, arose, Who thus with prudent speech began, and said: “Hear now, ye Trojans, Dardans, and Allies, The words I speak, the promptings of my soul: Now through the city take your wonted meal; Look to your watch, let each man keep his guard: To-morrow shall Idaeus to the ships

Of Greece, to both the sons of Atreus, bear The words of Paris, cause of all this war; And ask besides, if from the deadly strife Such truce they will accord us as may serve To burn the dead; hereafter we may fight Till Heav’n decide, and one with vict’ry crown.”

 

He said; and they, obedient to his word, Throughout the ranks prepar’d the wonted meal: But with the morning to the ships of Greece Idaeus took his way: in council there

By Agamemnon’s leading ship he found

The Grecian chiefs, the ministers of Mars: And ‘mid them all the clear-voic’d herald spoke: “Ye sons of Atreus, and ye chiefs of Greece, From Priam, and the gallant sons of Troy, I come, to bear, if ye be pleas’d to hear, The words of Paris, cause of all this war: The goods which hither in his hollow ships (Would he had perish’d rather!) Paris brought, He will restore, and others add beside; But further says, the virgin-wedded wife Of Menelaus, though the gen’ral voice

Of Troy should bid him. he will not restore: Then bids me ask, if from the deadly strife Such truce ye will accord us as may serve To burn the dead: hereafter we may fight Till Heav’n decide, and one with vict’ry crown.”

 

Thus he: they all in silence heard; at length Uprose the valiant Diomed, and said;

“Let none from Paris now propose to accept Or goods, or Helen’s self; a child may see That now the doom of Troy is close at hand.”

He said; the sons of Greece, with loud applause, The speech of valiant Diomed confirm’d.

 

Then to Idaeus Agamemnon thus:

“Idaeus, thou hast heard what answer give The chiefs of Greece—their answer I approve.

But for the truce, for burial of the dead, I nought demur; no shame it is to grace With fun’ral rites the corpse of slaughter’d foes.

Be witness, Jove! and guard the plighted truce.”

 

He said: and heav’nward rais’d his staff; and back To Ilium’s walls Idaeus took his way.

Trojans and Dardans there in council met Expecting sat, till from the Grecian camp Idaeus should return; he came, and stood In mid assembly, and his message gave: Then all in haste their sev’ral ways dispers’d, For fuel some, and some to bring the dead.

The Greeks too from their well-mann’d ships went forth, For fuel some, and some to bring the dead.

The sun was newly glancing on the earth.

From out the ocean’s smoothly-flowing depths Climbing the Heav’ns, when on the plain they met.

Hard was it then to recognize the dead; But when the gory dust was wash’d away, Shedding hot tears, they plac’d them on the wains.

Nor loud lament, by Priam’s high command, Was heard; in silence they, with grief suppress’d, Heap’d up their dead upon the fun’ral pyre; Then burnt with fire, and back return’d to Troy.

The well-greav’d Greeks, they too, with grief suppress’d, Heap’d up their dead upon the fun’ral pyre; Then burnt with fire, and to the ships return’d.

 

But ere ‘twas morn, while daylight strove with night, About the pyre a chosen band of Greeks Had kept their vigil, and around it rais’d Upon the plain one common mound for all; And built in front a wall, with lofty tow’rs To screen both ships and men; and in the tow’rs Made ample portals with well-fitting gates, That through the midst a carriage-way might pass: Then dug a trench around it, deep and wide, And in the trench a palisade they fix’d.

 

Thus labour’d thro’ the night the long-hair’d Greeks: The Gods, assembled in the courts of Jove, With wonder view’d the mighty work; and thus Neptune, Earth-shaking King, his speech began: “O Father Jove, in all the wide-spread earth Shall men be found, in counsel and design To rival us Immortals? see’st thou not How round their ships the long-hair’d Greeks have built A lofty wall, and dug a trench around, Nor to the Gods have paid their off’rings due!

Wide as the light extends shall be the fame Of this great work, and men shall lightly deem Of that which I and Phoebus jointly rais’d, With toil and pain, for great Laomedon.”

 

To whom in wrath the Cloud-compeller thus: “Neptune, Earth-shaking King, what words are these?

This bold design to others of the Gods, Of feebler hands, and pow’r less great than thine, Might cause alarm; but, far as light extends, Of this great work to thee shall be the fame: When with their ships the long-hair’d Greeks shall take Their homeward voyage to their native land, This wall shall by the waves be broken through, And sink, a shapeless ruin, in the sea: O’er the wide shore again thy sands shall spread, And all the boasted work of Greece o’erwhelm.”

 

Amid themselves such converse held the Gods.

The sun was set; the Grecian work was done; They slew, and shar’d, by tents, the ev’ning meal.

From Lemnos’ isle a num’rous fleet had come Freighted with wine; and by Euneus sent, Whom fair Hypsipyle to Jason bore.

For Atreus’ sons, apart from all the rest, Of wine, the son of Jason had despatch’d A thousand measures; all the other Greeks Hasten’d to purchase, some with brass, and some With gleaming iron; other some with hides, Cattle, or slaves; and joyous wax’d the feast.

All night the long-hair’d Greeks their revels held, And so in Troy, the Trojans and Allies: But through the night his anger Jove express’d With awful thunderings; pale they turn’d with fear: To earth the wine was from the goblets shed, Nor dar’d they drink, until libations due Had first been pour’d to Saturn’s mighty son.

 

Then lay they down, and sought the boon of sleep.

 

ARGUMENT.

 

THE SECOND BATTLE, AND THE