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

shall begin the combat, or Apollo, or shall restrain Achilles, and not suffer him to fight, then immediately shall the strife of contention there arise to us; and I think that they, having very speedily decided it, will return to Olympus, and mix with the assembly of other gods, violently subdued by necessity under our hands."

Thus then having spoken, the azure-haired [god] led the way to the lofty mound-raised wall of divine Hercules, which the Trojans and Pallas Minerva had made, that, flying, he might escape from the sea-monster, when pursued from the shore to the plain. There then Neptune sat down, and the other gods, and drew an indissoluble cloud around their shoulders; whilst on the other side they sat upon the tops of Callicolone, around thee, O archer Apollo, and Mars, the sacker of cities. Thus they sat on both sides, planning designs, yet both were unwilling to commence grievous war; but Jove, sitting aloft, cheered them on. All the plain, however, was filled with them, and glittered with the brass of men and horses, and the earth echoed under the feet of them rushing together. But two heroes, by far the most valiant, advanced towards [each other] into the midst of both armies, eager to fight,--Æneas, the son of Anchises, and noble Achilles. And first Æneas, threatening, advanced, nodding with his strong casque; and before his breast he held his impetuous shield, and shook his brazen spear. But on the other side Pelides rushed against him like a destructive lion, which men assembled together, a whole village, are anxious to kill. He, however, at first despising them, proceeds; but when some one of vigorous youths has wounded him with a dart, yawning, he collects himself [for a spring], 649 and the foam arises round his teeth, and his valiant soul groans within his breast, and he lashes his sides and thighs on both sides with his tail, and rouses himself to battle; then, grimly glaring, he is borne straight on by his strength, if he can kill some of the men, or is himself destroyed in the first crowd. Thus did his might and noble soul urge Achilles to go against magnanimous Æneas. But when now, advancing, they approached each other, swift-footed, noble Achilles first addressed the other:

Footnote 645:(return) See Duport, p. 114. On the web woven by the Fates for man's life, see Virg. Ecl. iv. 46; Catullus, lxiv. 328. But this passage of Homer seems to imply the ancient notion, that the Fates might be delayed, but never set aside. Cf. Nemes. de Nat. Horn. i. 36; Censorin. de die Nat. xiv.; Serv. on Æn. vii. 398. Footnote 646:(return) "Deos manifesto in lumine vidi."--Virg. Æn. iv. 358. On the belief that the sight of a god was attended with danger, cf. Liv. i. xvi. where Proculus beseeches the apparition of Romulus "ut contra intueri fas esset." See intpp. on Exod. xxxiii. 20; Judges xiii. 22. Footnote 647:(return) I am half inclined to condemn this verse as spurious, with Ernesti. It is wanting in MS. Lips, and ed. Rom., and does not appear to have been read by Eustathius. Footnote 648:(return) Compare the "Contemplantes" of Lucan, sub init., where the gods seek a similar place of observation. Footnote 649:(return) So ἀλεὶς in xv. 403. "It is also used in the same way of a warrior, who, whilst he is preparing to rush on his enemy, or expecting his attack, draws himself up together, or, as we say, puts himself in an attitude of attack or defence."--Buttm. Lexil. p. 258.

"Why, O Æneas, coming through so great a length of crowd, dost thou stand against me? Does then thy soul urge thee to fight with me, hoping that thou wilt govern the horse-breaking Trojans in the place 650 of Priam? Yet even if thou shalt slay me, not thus will Priam place this reward in thy hand: for he has sons; and he is himself steady, nor inconstant. Or, if thou slayest me, have the Trojans cut off for thee an enclosure 651 of soil surpassing others, suited to vines and the plough, that thou mayest cultivate it? Still I hope thou wilt effect it with difficulty. For I think I have at some other time put thee to flight with my spear. Dost thou not remember when I impetuously drove thee, when alone, from the oxen, with rapid feet, down the Idæan mountains? Then indeed thou didst never turn round while flying, but didst escape thence into Lyrnessus; but I wasted it, having attacked it with the aid of Minerva and father Jove. The women also I led away captives, having taken away their day of freedom; but Jove and the other gods preserved thee. However, I do not think they will protect thee now, as thou castest in thy mind; but I exhort thee, retiring, to go into the crowd, nor stand against me, before thou suffer some evil; but [it is] a fool [who] knows a thing [only] when it is done."

Footnote 650:(return) Άγτὶ..... βασιλείας is Gaza's correct paraphrase. Footnote 651:(return) Cf 194.

But him Æneas answered in turn, and said:

"Do not think, O son of Peleus, to affright me, like an infant boy, with words; since I also well know how to utter both threats and reproaches. But we know each other's race, and we know our parents, hearing the words of mortal men long since uttered; although by sight, indeed, neither dost thou know mine, nor I thine. They say, indeed, that thou art the offspring of renowned Peleus, and of thy mother Thetis, the fair-haired sea-nymph; whereas I boast myself to be sprung from magnanimous Anchises, and Venus is my mother. Of these the one or the other shall this day lament their beloved son; for I think we shall not return from the battle thus separated by childish words. But if thou desirest to be taught these matters, that thou mayest well know our race (for many men know it), cloud-compelling Jove indeed first begat Dardanus. 652 And he built Dardania, for sacred Ilium, the city of articulate-speaking men, was not as yet built in the plain, and they still dwelt at the foot of many-rilled Ida. Dardanus again begat a son, king Erichthonius, who was then the richest of mortal men; whose three thousand mares pastured through the marsh, rejoicing in their tender foals. Boreas, however, was enamoured of some of these when pasturing, and having likened himself to an azure-maned steed, covered them; and they, becoming pregnant, brought forth twelve female foals; which when they bounded upon the fruitful earth, ran over the highest fruit of the stalks of corn, nor did they break them: 653 but when they sported over the broad back of the ocean, they ran along the surface of the ridge of the hoary sea. But Erichthonius begat Tros, king of the Trojans. From Tros again were descended three illustrious sons, Ilus, Assaracus, and godlike Ganymede, who indeed was the handsomest of mortal men; and whom the gods caught up into heaven, to pour out wine for Jove, 654 that, on account of his beauty, he might be with the immortals. Ilus again begat his renowned son Laomedon; but Laomedon begat Tithonus and Priam, Lampus, Clytius, and Hicetaon, a branch of Mars; and Assaracus Capys, who also begat his son Anchises. But Anchises begat me, and Priam noble Hector. Of this race and blood do I boast myself to be. But Jove increases and diminishes valour to men, as he pleases; for he is the most powerful of all. But come, let us no longer talk of these things, like little boys, standing in the middle combat of the strife. For it is possible for both to utter very many reproaches, so that a hundred-oared galley 655 would not contain the burthen; for the language of mortals is voluble, 656 and the discourses in it numerous and varied: and vast is the distribution 657 of words here and there. Whatsoever word thou mayest speak, such also wilt thou hear. But what need is there to us of disputes and railing, that we should quarrel with each other like women, who, being angry with a soul-destroying strife, proceeding into the middle of the way, chide each other with many things true and not true: for rage also suggests those things? 658 With words, however, thou shalt not turn me, courageous, from my valour, before thou lightest against me with thy brass; but come, quickly let us make trial of each other with brazen spears."

Footnote 652:(return) On Dardanus, the eponymus of Dardania, see Grote, vol. i. p. 387, where the whole legend of Troy is admirably discussed. Cf. Virg. Æn. i. 292; iii. 167, where the Roman poet has made use of Homer in tracing the pedigree of Æneas to Jove. Footnote 653:(return) This hyperbole has been emulated by numberless poets. Cf. Oppian, Cyn. i. 231; Apollon. Rh. i. 183; Quintus Calab. viii. 156; Virg. Æn. vii. 808; Claudian in 3rd Cons. Hon. i. 97. Footnote 654:(return) Cf. Pindar, Ol. i. 69, and Serv. on Æn. i. 32. Footnote 655:(return) Compare the Latin phrase, "plaustra convitiorum," and Duport, p. 116.] Footnote 656:(return) Στρεπτή--ὑyρa καί εύλύγιστος.--Eustath. Footnote 657:(return) Νομος, έπινέμησις έφ' έκάτεοα.--Eustath. See Kennedy. Footnote 658:(return) "I.e. prompts to utter all sorts of things, true and false."--Oxf. Tr.

He spoke, and hurled his brazen spear against the dreadful shield, terrible [to be seen], and the huge buckler resounded with the stroke of the javelin. But the son of Peleus, alarmed, held the shield from him with his strong hand, for he supposed that the long spear of great-hearted Æneas would easily penetrate; foolish! nor did he reflect in his mind and soul, that the glorious gifts of the gods are not easy to be subdued by mortal men, nor to yield. Nor then did the heavy spear of warlike Æneas penetrate the shield; but the gold stopped it, the gift of the god. It penetrated, however, through two folds, but there were still three; since Vulcan had drawn five folds over it, two brazen, two inside of tin, and one golden; in which the brazen spear was stopped. But Achilles next sent forth his long-shadowed spear, and struck against the shield of Æneas, equal on all sides, at the outside edge, where the thinnest brass ran round it, and the ox-hide was thinnest upon it; but the Pelian ash broke through, and the shield was crushed by it. But Æneas crouched, 659 and being terrified, held the shield from him; whilst the spear [passing] over his back, stuck in the earth eager [to go on], for it had burst through both orbs of the mighty 660 shield. But he, having escaped the long spear, stood still, but immoderate sadness was poured over his eyes, terrified, because the weapon had stuck so near him. But Achilles eagerly sprang upon him, drawing his sharp sword, and shouting dreadfully. Then Æneas seized in his hand a stone, a great weight, which not two men could bear, such as men now are; but he, though alone, easily wielded it. Then indeed had Æneas smitten him, rushing on, with the stone, either upon the helmet or the shield, which kept off grievous destruction from him; and