The Iliad of Homer Translated into English Blank Verse by...

First Telamonian Ajax,[2] bulwark firm Of the Achaians, broke the Trojan ranks, And kindled for the Greeks a gleam of hope, Slaying the bravest of the Thracian band, Huge Acamas, Eusorus’ son; him first10 Full on the shaggy crest he smote, and urged The spear into his forehead; through his skull The bright point pass’d, and darkness veil’d his eyes. But Diomede, heroic Chief, the son Of Teuthras slew, Axylus.[3] Rich was he,15 And in Arisba (where he dwelt beside The public road, and at his open door Made welcome all) respected and beloved. But of his numerous guests none interposed To avert his woful doom; nor him alone20 He slew, but with him also to the shades Calesius sent, his friend and charioteer.

Opheltius fell and Dresus, by the hand Slain of Euryalus, who, next, his arms On Pedasus and on Æsepus turned25 Brethren and twins. Them Abarbarea bore, A Naiad, to Bucolion, son renown’d Of King Laomedon, his eldest born, But by his mother, at his birth, conceal’d. Bucolion pasturing his flocks, embraced30 The lovely nymph; she twins produced, both whom, Brave as they were and beautiful, thy son[4] Mecisteus! slew, and from their shoulders tore Their armor. Dauntless Polypœtes slew Astyalus. Ulysses with his spear35 Transfixed Pydites, a Percosian Chief, And Teucer Aretaön; Nestor’s pride Antilochus, with his bright lance, of life Bereft Ablerus, and the royal arm Of Agamemnon, Elatus; he dwelt40 Among the hills of lofty Pedasus, On Satnio’s banks, smooth-sliding river pure Phylacus fled, whom Leïtus as swift Soon smote. Melanthius at the feet expired Of the renown’d Eurypylus, and, flush’d45 With martial ardor, Menelaus seized And took alive Adrastus. As it chanced A thicket his affrighted steeds detain’d Their feet entangling; they with restive force At its extremity snapp’d short the pole,50 And to the city, whither others fled, Fled also. From his chariot headlong hurl’d, Adrastus press’d the plain fast by his wheel. Flew Menelaus, and his quivering spear Shook over him; he, life imploring, clasp’d55 Importunate his knees, and thus exclaim’d.

Oh, son of Atreus, let me live! accept Illustrious ransom! In my father’s house Is wealth abundant, gold, and brass, and steel Of truest temper, which he will impart60 Till he have gratified thine utmost wish, Inform’d that I am captive in your fleet.

Now, brother, whence this milkiness of mind, These scruples about blood? Thy Trojan friends Have doubtless much obliged thee. Die the race! May none escape us! neither he who flies,70 Nor even the infant in his mother’s womb Unconscious. Perish universal Troy Unpitied, till her place be found no more![5]

So saying, his brother’s mind the Hero turn’d, Advising him aright; he with his hand75 Thrust back Adrastus, and himself, the King, His bowels pierced. Supine Adrastus fell, And Agamemnon, with his foot the corse Impressing firm, pluck’d forth his ashen spear. Then Nestor, raising high his voice, exclaim’d.80

Hector, and thou, Æneas, since on you The Lycians chiefly and ourselves depend, For that in difficult emprize ye show Most courage; give best counsel; stand yourselves,95 And, visiting all quarters, cause to stand Before the city-gates our scatter’d troops, Ere yet the fugitives within the arms Be slaughter’d of their wives, the scorn of Greece. When thus ye shall have rallied every band100 And roused their courage, weary though we be, Yet since necessity commands, even here Will we give battle to the host of Greece. But, Hector! to the city thou depart; There charge our mother, that she go direct,105 With the assembled matrons, to the fane Of Pallas in the citadel of Troy. Opening her chambers’ sacred doors, of all Her treasured mantles there, let her select The widest, most magnificently wrought,110 And which she values most; that let her spread On Athenæan Pallas’ lap divine.[7] Twelve heifers of the year yet never touch’d With puncture of the goad, let her alike Devote to her, if she will pity Troy,115 Our wives and little ones, and will avert The son of Tydeus from these sacred towers, That dreadful Chief, terror of all our host, Bravest, in my account, of all the Greeks. For never yet Achilles hath himself120 So taught our people fear, although esteemed Son of a Goddess. But this warrior’s rage Is boundless, and his strength past all compare.

So Helenus; nor Hector not complied. Down from his chariot instant to the ground125 All arm’d he leap’d, and, shaking his sharp spears, Through every phalanx pass’d, rousing again Their courage, and rekindling horrid war. They, turning, faced the Greeks; the Greeks repulsed, Ceased from all carnage, nor supposed they less130 Than that some Deity, the starry skies Forsaken, help’d their foes, so firm they stood. But Hector to the Trojans call’d aloud. Ye dauntless Trojans and confederate powers Call’d from afar! now be ye men, my friends,135 Now summon all the fury of your might! I go to charge our senators and wives That they address the Gods with prayers and vows For our success, and hecatombs devote.

Most noble Champion! who of human kind Art thou,[8] whom in the man-ennobling fight I now encounter first? Past all thy peers150 I must esteem thee valiant, who hast dared To meet my coming, and my spear defy. Ah! they are sons of miserable sires Who dare my might; but if a God from heaven Thou come, behold! I fight not with the Gods.155 That war Lycurgus son of Dryas waged, And saw not many years. The nurses he Of brain-disturbing Bacchus down the steep Pursued of sacred Nyssa; they their wands Vine-wreathed cast all away, with an ox-goad160 Chastised by fell Lycurgus. Bacchus plunged Meantime dismay’d into the deep, where him Trembling, and at the Hero’s haughty threats Confounded, Thetis in her bosom hid.[9] Thus by Lycurgus were the blessed powers165 Of heaven offended, and Saturnian Jove Of sight bereaved him, who not long that loss Survived, for he was curst by all above. I, therefore, wage no contest with the Gods; But if thou be of men, and feed on bread170 Of earthly growth, draw nigh, that with a stroke Well-aim’d, I may at once cut short thy days.[10]

To whom the illustrious Lycian Chief replied. Why asks brave Diomede of my descent? For, as the leaves, such is the race of man.[11]175 The wind shakes down the leaves, the budding grove Soon teems with others, and in spring they grow. So pass mankind. One generation meets Its destined period, and a new succeeds. But since thou seem’st desirous to be taught180 My pedigree, whereof no few have heard, Know that in Argos, in the very lap Of Argos, for her steed-grazed meadows famed, Stands Ephyra;[12] there Sisyphus abode, Shrewdest of human kind; Sisyphus, named185 Æolides. Himself a son begat, Glaucus, and he Bellerophon, to whom The Gods both manly force and beauty gave. Him Prœtus (for in Argos at that time Prœtus was sovereign, to whose sceptre Jove190 Had subjected the land) plotting his death, Contrived to banish from his native home. For fair Anteia, wife of Prœtus, mad Through love of young Bellerophon, him oft In secret to illicit joys enticed;195 But she prevail’d not o’er the virtuous mind Discrete of whom she wooed; therefore a lie Framing, she royal Prœtus thus bespake.

So saying, the anger of the King she roused. Slay him himself he would not, for his heart Forbad the deed; him therefore he dismiss’d To Lycia, charged with tales of dire import Written in tablets,[13] which he bade him show,205 That he might perish, to Anteia’s sire. To Lycia then, conducted by the Gods, He went, and on the shores of Xanthus found Free entertainment noble at the hands Of Lycia’s potent King. Nine days complete210 He feasted him, and slew each day an ox. But when the tenth day’s ruddy morn appear’d, He asked him then his errand, and to see Those written tablets from his son-in-law. The letters seen, he bade him, first, destroy215 Chimæra, deem’d invincible, divine In nature, alien from the race of man, Lion in front, but dragon all behind, And in the midst a she-goat breathing forth Profuse the violence of flaming fire.220 Her, confident in signs from heaven, he slew. Next, with the men of Solymæ[14] he fought, Brave warriors far renown’d, with whom he waged, In his account, the fiercest of his wars. And lastly, when in battle he had slain225 The man-resisting Amazons, the king Another stratagem at his return Devised against him, placing close-conceal’d An ambush

for him from the bravest chosen In Lycia; but they saw their homes no more;230 Bellerophon the valiant slew them all. The monarch hence collecting, at the last, His heavenly origin, him there detain’d, And gave him his own daughter, with the half Of all his royal dignity and power.235 The Lycians also, for his proper use, Large lot assigned him of their richest soil,[15] Commodious for the vine, or for the plow. And now his consort fair three children bore To bold Bellerophon; Isandrus one,240 And one, Hippolochus; his youngest born Laodamia was for beauty such That she became a concubine of Jove. She bore Sarpedon of heroic note. But when Bellerophon, at last, himself245 Had anger’d all the Gods, feeding on grief He roam’d alone the Aleian field, exiled, By choice, from every cheerful haunt of man. Mars, thirsty still for blood, his son destroy’d Isandrus, warring with the host renown’d250 Of Solymæ; and in her wrath divine Diana from her chariot golden-rein’d Laodamia slew. Myself I boast Sprung from Hippolochus; he sent me forth To fight for Troy, charging me much and oft255 That I should outstrip always all mankind In worth and valor, nor the house disgrace Of my forefathers,

Thou art my own hereditary friend, Whose noble grandsire was the guest of mine.[16]265 For Oeneus, on a time, full twenty days Regaled Bellerophon, and pledges fair Of hospitality they interchanged. Oeneus a belt radiant with purple gave To brave Bellerophon, who in return270 Gave him a golden goblet. Coming forth I left the kind memorial safe at home. A child was I when Tydeus went to Thebes, Where the Achaians perish’d, and of him Hold no remembrance; but henceforth, my friend,275 Thine host am I in Argos, and thou mine In Lycia, should I chance to sojourn there. We will not clash. Trojans or aids of Troy No few the Gods shall furnish to my spear, Whom I may slaughter; and no want of Greeks280 On whom to prove thy prowess, thou shalt find. But it were well that an exchange ensued Between us; take mine armor, give me thine, That all who notice us may understand Our patrimonial[17] amity and love.285

So they, and each alighting, hand in hand Stood lock’d, faith promising and firm accord. Then Jove of sober judgment so bereft Infatuate Glaucus that with Tydeus’ son He barter’d gold for brass, an hundred beeves290 In value, for the value small of nine.

But Hector at the Scæan gate and beech[18] Meantime arrived, to whose approach the wives And daughters flock’d of Troy, inquiring each The fate of husband, brother, son, or friend.295 He bade them all with solemn prayer the Gods Seek fervent, for that wo was on the wing.

But when he enter’d Priam’s palace, built With splendid porticoes, and which within Had fifty chambers lined with polish’d stone,300 Contiguous all, where Priam’s sons reposed And his sons’ wives, and where, on the other side. In twelve magnificent chambers also lined With polish’d marble and contiguous all, The sons-in-law of Priam lay beside305 His spotless daughters, there the mother queen Seeking the chamber of Laodice, Loveliest of all her children, as she went Met Hector. On his hand she hung and said:

Why leavest thou, O my son! the dangerous field?310 I fear that the Achaians (hateful name!) Compass the walls so closely, that thou seek’st Urged by distress the citadel, to lift Thine hands in prayer to Jove? But pause awhile Till I shall bring thee wine, that having pour’d315 Libation rich to Jove and to the powers Immortal, thou may’st drink and be refresh’d. For wine is mighty to renew the strength Of weary man, and weary thou must be Thyself, thus long defending us and ours.320 To whom her son majestic thus replied.

My mother, whom I reverence! cheering wine Bring none to me, lest I forget my might.[19] I fear, beside, with unwash’d hands to pour Libation forth of sable wine to Jove,325 And dare on none account, thus blood-defiled,[20] Approach the tempest-stirring God in prayer. Thou, therefore, gathering all our matrons, seek The fane of Pallas, huntress of the spoil, Bearing sweet incense; but from the attire330 Treasured within thy chamber, first select The amplest robe, most exquisitely wrought, And which thou prizest most—then spread the gift On Athenæan Pallas’ lap divine. Twelve heifers also of the year, untouch’d335 With puncture of the goad, promise to slay In sacrifice, if she will pity Troy, Our wives and little ones, and will avert The son of Tydeus from these sacred towers, That dreadful Chief, terror of all our host.340 Go then, my mother, seek the hallowed fane Of the spoil-huntress Deity. I, the while, Seek Paris, and if Paris yet can hear, Shall call him forth. But oh that earth would yawn And swallow him, whom Jove hath made a curse345 To Troy, to Priam, and to all his house; Methinks, to see him plunged into the shades For ever, were a cure for all my woes.

He ceased; the Queen, her palace entering, charged Her maidens; they, incontinent, throughout350 All Troy convened the matrons, as she bade. Meantime into her wardrobe incense-fumed, Herself descended; there her treasures lay, Works of Sidonian women,[21] whom her son The godlike Paris, when he cross’d the seas355 With Jove-begotten Helen, brought to Troy. The most magnificent, and varied most With colors radiant, from the rest she chose For Pallas; vivid as a star it shone, And lowest lay of all. Then forth she went,360 The Trojan matrons all following her steps.

But when the long procession reach’d the fane Of Pallas in the heights of Troy, to them The fair Theano ope’d the portals wide, Daughter of Cisseus, brave Antenor’s spouse,365 And by appointment public, at that time, Priestess of Pallas. All with lifted hands[22] In presence of Minerva wept aloud. Beauteous Theano on the Goddess’ lap Then spread the robe, and to the daughter fair370 Of Jove omnipotent her suit address’d.

Goddess[23] of Goddesses, our city’s shield, Adored Minerva, hear! oh! break the lance Of Diomede, and give himself to fall Prone in the dust before the Scæan gate.375 So will we offer to thee at thy shrine, This day twelve heifers of the year, untouch’d By yoke or goad, if thou wilt pity show To Troy, and save our children and our wives.

Such prayer the priestess offer’d, and such prayer380 All present; whom Minerva heard averse. But Hector to the palace sped meantime Of Alexander, which himself had built, Aided by every architect of name Illustrious then in Troy. Chamber it had,385 Wide hall, proud dome, and on the heights of Troy Near-neighboring Hector’s house and Priam’s stood. There enter’d Hector, Jove-beloved, a spear Its length eleven cubits in his hand, Its glittering head bound with a ring of gold.390 He found within his chamber whom he sought, Polishing with exactest care his arms Resplendent, shield and hauberk fingering o’er With curious touch, and tampering with his bow.[24] Helen of Argos with her female train395 Sat occupied, the while, to each in turn Some splendid task assigning. Hector fix’d His eyes on Paris, and him stern rebuked.

Thy sullen humors, Paris, are ill-timed. The people perish at our lofty walls;400 The flames of war have compass’d Troy around And thou hast kindled them; who yet thyself That slackness show’st which in another seen Thou would’st resent to death. Haste, seek the field This moment, lest, the next, all Ilium blaze.405

To whom thus Paris, graceful as a God. Since, Hector, thou hast charged me with a fault, And not unjustly, I will answer make, And give thou special heed. That here I sit, The cause is sorrow, which I wish’d to soothe410 In secret, not displeasure or revenge. I tell thee also, that even now my wife Was urgent with me in most soothing terms That I would forth to battle; and myself, Aware that victory oft changes sides,415 That course prefer. Wait, therefore, thou awhile, Till I shall dress me for the fight, or go Thou first, and I will overtake thee soon.

He ceased, to whom brave Hector answer none Return’d, when Helen him with lenient speech420 Accosted mild.[25] My brother! who in me Hast found a sister worthy of thy hate, Authoress of all calamity to Troy, Oh that the winds, the day when I was born, Had swept me out of sight, whirl’d me aloft425 To some inhospitable mountain-top, Or plunged me in the deep; there I had sunk O’erwhelm’d, and all these ills had never been. But since the Gods would bring these ills to pass, I should, at least, some worthier mate have chosen,430 One not insensible to public shame. But this, oh this, nor hath nor will acquire Hereafter, aught which like discretion shows Or reason, and shall find his just reward. But enter; take this seat; for who as thou435 Labors, or who hath cause like thee to rue The crime, my brother, for which Heaven hath doom’d Both Paris and my most detested self To be the burthens of an endless song?

To whom the warlike Hector huge[26] replied.440 Me bid not, Helen, to a seat, howe’er Thou wish my stay, for thou must not prevail. The Trojans miss me, and myself no less Am anxious to return. But urge in haste This loiterer forth; yea, let him urge himself445 To overtake me ere I quit the town. For I must home in haste, that I may see My loved Andromache, my infant boy, And my domestics, ignorant if e’er I shall behold them more, or if my fate450 Ordain me now to fall by Grecian hands.

So spake the dauntless hero, and withdrew. But reaching soon his own well-built abode He found not fair Andromache; she stood Lamenting Hector, with the nurse who bore455 Her infant, on a turret’s top sublime. He then, not finding his chaste spouse within, Thus from the portal, of her train inquired.

Tell me, ye maidens, whither went from home Andromache the fair?[27] Went she to see460 Her female kindred of my father’s house, Or to Minerva’s temple, where convened The bright-hair’d matrons of the city seek To soothe the awful Goddess? Tell me true.

To whom his household’s governess discreet.465 Since, Hector, truth is thy demand, receive True answer. Neither went she forth to see Her female kindred of thy father’s house, Nor to Minerva’s temple, where convened The bright-haired matrons of the city seek470 To soothe the awful Goddess; but she went Hence to the tower of Troy: for she had heard That the Achaians had prevail’d, and driven The Trojans to the walls; she, therefore, wild With grief, flew thither, and the nurse her steps475 Attended, with thy infant in her arms.

So spake the prudent governess; whose words When Hector heard, issuing from his door He backward trod with hasty steps the streets Of lofty Troy, and having traversed all480 The spacious city, when he now approach’d The Scæan gate, whence he must seek the field, There, hasting home again his noble wife Met him, Andromache the rich-endow’d Fair daughter of Eëtion famed in arms.485 Eëtion, who in Hypoplacian Thebes Umbrageous dwelt, Cilicia’s mighty lord— His daughter valiant Hector had espoused. There she encounter’d him, and with herself The nurse came also, bearing in her arms490 Hectorides, his infant darling boy, Beautiful as a star. Him Hector called Scamandrios, but Astyanax[28] all else In Ilium named him, for that Hector’s arm Alone was the defence and strength of Troy.495 The father, silent, eyed his babe, and smiled. Andromache, meantime, before him stood, With streaming cheeks, hung on his hand, and said.

Thy own great courage will cut short thy days, My noble Hector! neither pitiest thou500 Thy helpless infant, or my hapless self, Whose widowhood is near; for thou wilt fall Ere long, assail’d by the whole host of Greece. Then let me to the tomb, my best retreat When thou art slain. For comfort none or joy505 Can I expect, thy day of life extinct, But thenceforth, sorrow. Father I have none; No mother. When Cilicia’s city, Thebes The populous, was by Achilles sack’d. He slew my father; yet his gorgeous arms510 Stripp’d not through reverence of him, but consumed, Arm’d as it was, his body on the pile, And heap’d his tomb, which the Oreades, Jove’s daughters, had with elms inclosed around.[29] My seven brothers, glory of our house,515 All in one day descended to the shades; For brave Achilles,[30] while they fed their herds And snowy flocks together, slew them all. My mother, Queen of the well-wooded realm Of Hypoplacian Thebes, her hither brought520 Among his other spoils, he loosed again At an inestimable ransom-price, But by Diana pierced, she died at home. Yet Hector—oh my husband! I in thee Find parents, brothers, all that I have lost.525 Come! have compassion on us. Go not hence, But guard this turret, lest of me thou make A widow, and an orphan of thy boy. The city walls are easiest of ascent At yonder fig-tree; station there thy powers;530 For whether by a prophet warn’d, or taught By search and observation, in that part Each Ajax with Idomeneus of Crete, The sons of Atreus, and the valiant son Of Tydeus, have now thrice assail’d the town.535