# The Iliad, Book 11: Agamemnon's Day of Glory

Ἰλιάς · Homer · The Patrocleia

Agamemnon's day of glory ends with a wound. Diomedes, Odysseus and Machaon are hit. Nestor asks Patroclus to plead with Achilles.

Source: https://1732studios.com/books/iliad/11. Data: https://1732studios.com/books/iliad/11.json. Audio: https://audio.1732studios.com/iliad/<line id>.m4a.

**1** Ἠὼς δʼ ἐκ λεχέων παρʼ ἀγαυοῦ Τιθωνοῖο  
Dawn, from her bed beside glorious Tithonus,

**2** ὄρνυθʼ, ἵνʼ ἀθανάτοισι φόως φέροι ἠδὲ βροτοῖσι·  
rose, to bring light to immortals and to mortals;
> Purpose with the optative: ἵνα introduces Dawn's purpose, while φέροι is a present optative following the past-tense ὄρνυτο: she rose "so that she might bring" light. Homeric Greek often uses the optative in a purpose clause viewed from a past narrative setting.

**3** Ζεὺς δʼ Ἔριδα προΐαλλε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν  
and Zeus sent Strife to the swift ships of the Achaeans,

**4** ἀργαλέην, πολέμοιο τέρας μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσαν.  
grievous, holding in her hands the sign of war.
> The sign of war: τέρας is a sign or portent, often one with divine force. Homer leaves the object in Strife's hands undescribed beyond calling it the sign of war, so the image remains ominous rather than mechanically specific.

**5** στῆ δʼ ἐπʼ Ὀδυσσῆος μεγακήτεϊ νηῒ μελαίνῃ,  
and stood upon Odysseus' huge black ship,

**6** ἥ ῥʼ ἐν μεσσάτῳ ἔσκε γεγωνέμεν ἀμφοτέρωσε,  
which lay at the middle, so a shout could carry both ways,

**7** ἠμὲν ἐπʼ Αἴαντος κλισίας Τελαμωνιάδαο  
toward the huts of Ajax, son of Telamon,

**8** ἠδʼ ἐπʼ Ἀχιλλῆος, τοί ῥʼ ἔσχατα νῆας ἐΐσας  
and toward Achilles'; these had drawn their balanced ships

**9** εἴρυσαν ἠνορέῃ πίσυνοι καὶ κάρτεϊ χειρῶν  
at the farthest ends, trusting in their manhood and the strength of their hands.

**10** ἔνθα στᾶσʼ ἤϋσε θεὰ μέγα τε δεινόν τε  
Standing there, the goddess gave a great and terrible cry,

**11** ὄρθιʼ, Ἀχαιοῖσιν δὲ μέγα σθένος ἔμβαλʼ ἑκάστῳ  
high-pitched; and into every Achaean she poured great strength,

**12** καρδίῃ ἄληκτον πολεμίζειν ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι.  
into his heart, to wage war and fight without cease.

**13** τοῖσι δʼ ἄφαρ πόλεμος γλυκίων γένετʼ ἠὲ νέεσθαι  
At once war became sweeter to them than to return

**14** ἐν νηυσὶ γλαφυρῇσι φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.  
in the hollow ships to their own dear native land.

**15** Ἀτρεΐδης δʼ ἐβόησεν ἰδὲ ζώννυσθαι ἄνωγεν  
The son of Atreus shouted and ordered the Argives to arm;

**16** Ἀργείους· ἐν δʼ αὐτὸς ἐδύσετο νώροπα χαλκόν.  
and he himself put on the flashing bronze.

**17** κνημῖδας μὲν πρῶτα περὶ κνήμῃσιν ἔθηκε  
First he set greaves about his shins,

**18** καλὰς ἀργυρέοισιν ἐπισφυρίοις ἀραρυίας·  
fine ones, fitted with silver ankle-pieces;

**19** δεύτερον αὖ θώρηκα περὶ στήθεσσιν ἔδυνε,  
next he put the corselet about his chest,

**20** τόν ποτέ οἱ Κινύρης δῶκε ξεινήϊον εἶναι.  
which Cinyras once had given him as a guest-gift.

**21** πεύθετο γὰρ Κύπρον δὲ μέγα κλέος οὕνεκʼ Ἀχαιοὶ  
For he had heard in Cyprus the great report, that the Achaeans

**22** ἐς Τροίην νήεσσιν ἀναπλεύσεσθαι ἔμελλον·  
were soon to sail in ships to Troy;

**23** τοὔνεκά οἱ τὸν δῶκε χαριζόμενος βασιλῆϊ.  
therefore he gave it to him, seeking to please the king.

**24** τοῦ δʼ ἤτοι δέκα οἶμοι ἔσαν μέλανος κυάνοιο,  
On it were ten bands of dark-blue inlay,
> Dark-blue kuanos: κύανος names a dark-blue decorative material, but its exact substance in Homer is uncertain; blue glass paste, enamel-like work, and lapis-like inlay have all been proposed. "Dark-blue inlay" preserves the visible color without claiming more certainty than the Greek allows.

**25** δώδεκα δὲ χρυσοῖο καὶ εἴκοσι κασσιτέροιο·  
twelve of gold and twenty of tin;

**26** κυάνεοι δὲ δράκοντες ὀρωρέχατο προτὶ δειρὴν  
and dark-blue serpents reared up toward the neck,
> Serpents, not winged dragons: δράκων here is a great snake or serpent, named for its fearsome gaze. The later European image of a winged, fire-breathing dragon should not be read into the three coiling creatures on the corselet.

**27** τρεῖς ἑκάτερθʼ ἴρισσιν ἐοικότες, ἅς τε Κρονίων  
three on either side, like the rainbows the son of Cronos

**28** ἐν νέφεϊ στήριξε, τέρας μερόπων ἀνθρώπων.  
sets firm in cloud, a sign for mortal men.

**29** ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ὤμοισιν βάλετο ξίφος· ἐν δέ οἱ ἧλοι  
About his shoulders he slung a sword; its golden studs

**30** χρύσειοι πάμφαινον, ἀτὰρ περὶ κουλεὸν ἦεν  
shone all around, while the sheath about it was

**31** ἀργύρεον χρυσέοισιν ἀορτήρεσσιν ἀρηρός.  
silver, hung from golden straps.

**32** ἂν δʼ ἕλετʼ ἀμφιβρότην πολυδαίδαλον ἀσπίδα θοῦριν  
He lifted his man-enclosing, richly wrought battle-shield,
> A shield enclosing its bearer: ἀμφιβρότη combines the ideas of "around" and "mortal": the shield encloses or covers the man who bears it. The compound stresses its full protective breadth before Homer turns to its ornament.

**33** καλήν, ἣν πέρι μὲν κύκλοι δέκα χάλκεοι ἦσαν,  
beautiful, with ten circles of bronze around its rim;

**34** ἐν δέ οἱ ὀμφαλοὶ ἦσαν ἐείκοσι κασσιτέροιο  
and on it were twenty bosses of tin,

**35** λευκοί, ἐν δὲ μέσοισιν ἔην μέλανος κυάνοιο.  
white, and at their center one of dark-blue inlay.

**36** τῇ δʼ ἐπὶ μὲν Γοργὼ βλοσυρῶπις ἐστεφάνωτο  
And crowning it was the grim-faced Gorgon,

**37** δεινὸν δερκομένη, περὶ δὲ Δεῖμός τε Φόβος τε.  
glaring terribly, with Terror and Rout around her.

**38** τῆς δʼ ἐξ ἀργύρεος τελαμὼν ἦν· αὐτὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ  
Its carrying strap was silver; upon it

**39** κυάνεος ἐλέλικτο δράκων, κεφαλαὶ δέ οἱ ἦσαν  
a dark-blue serpent coiled, with three heads

**40** τρεῖς ἀμφιστρεφέες ἑνὸς αὐχένος ἐκπεφυυῖαι.  
twisting each way, sprung from a single neck.

**41** κρατὶ δʼ ἐπʼ ἀμφίφαλον κυνέην θέτο τετραφάληρον  
Upon his head he set the double-crested, four-bossed helmet,

**42** ἵππουριν· δεινὸν δὲ λόφος καθύπερθεν ἔνευεν.  
with a horsehair crest; and terribly the plume nodded above it;

**43** εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμα δοῦρε δύω κεκορυθμένα χαλκῷ  
and he took two strong spears, tipped with bronze,

**44** ὀξέα· τῆλε δὲ χαλκὸς ἀπʼ αὐτόφιν οὐρανὸν εἴσω  
sharp; far from them, into heaven, the bronze

**45** λάμπʼ· ἐπὶ δʼ ἐγδούπησαν Ἀθηναίη τε καὶ Ἥρη  
flashed; and Athena and Hera thundered above,

**46** τιμῶσαι βασιλῆα πολυχρύσοιο Μυκήνης.  
honoring the king of gold-rich Mycenae.

**47** ἡνιόχῳ μὲν ἔπειτα ἑῷ ἐπέτελλεν ἕκαστος  
Then each man ordered his own charioteer

**48** ἵππους εὖ κατὰ κόσμον ἐρυκέμεν αὖθʼ ἐπὶ τάφρῳ,  
to hold the horses well and in due order there beside the trench,

**49** αὐτοὶ δὲ πρυλέες σὺν τεύχεσι θωρηχθέντες  
while they themselves, foot fighters armed in their war gear,

**50** ῥώοντʼ· ἄσβεστος δὲ βοὴ γένετʼ ἠῶθι πρό.  
rushed forward; and at dawn an unquenchable shout arose.

**51** φθὰν δὲ μέγʼ ἱππήων ἐπὶ τάφρῳ κοσμηθέντες,  
Marshaled by the trench, they were far ahead of the horsemen,

**52** ἱππῆες δʼ ὀλίγον μετεκίαθον· ἐν δὲ κυδοιμὸν  
who followed a little behind; and among them an evil din

**53** ὦρσε κακὸν Κρονίδης, κατὰ δʼ ὑψόθεν ἧκεν ἐέρσας  
the son of Cronos stirred, and from on high sent down a dew

**54** αἵματι μυδαλέας ἐξ αἰθέρος, οὕνεκʼ ἔμελλε  
drenched in blood from the clear sky, because he meant

**55** πολλὰς ἰφθίμους κεφαλὰς Ἄϊδι προϊάψειν.  
to hurl many mighty heads down to Hades.

**56** Τρῶες δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐπὶ θρωσμῷ πεδίοιο  
The Trojans, on the other side, upon a rise of the plain,

**57** Ἕκτορά τʼ ἀμφὶ μέγαν καὶ ἀμύμονα Πουλυδάμαντα  
stood round great Hector and blameless Polydamas,

**58** Αἰνείαν θʼ, ὃς Τρωσὶ θεὸς ὣς τίετο δήμῳ,  
and Aeneas, honored like a god among the Trojan people,

**59** τρεῖς τʼ Ἀντηνορίδας Πόλυβον καὶ Ἀγήνορα δῖον  
and Antenor's three sons, Polybus and godlike Agenor
> The three sons of Antenor: Ἀντηνορίδας is a plural patronymic, "sons of Antenor." The three are Polybus, Agenor, and Acamas; the last name is delayed into the following line, but all three belong under the one family label.

**60** ἠΐθεόν τʼ Ἀκάμαντʼ ἐπιείκελον ἀθανάτοισιν.  
and young Acamas, like the immortals.

**61** Ἕκτωρ δʼ ἐν πρώτοισι φέρʼ ἀσπίδα πάντοσʼ ἐΐσην,  
In the front ranks Hector carried his shield, round on every side.

**62** οἷος δʼ ἐκ νεφέων ἀναφαίνεται οὔλιος ἀστὴρ  
As a baneful star emerges from the clouds,
> A baneful star: οὔλιος means destructive or deadly. Homer does not name the star here; what matters is the threatening brilliance that flashes out and vanishes again, a pattern Hector's movement through the ranks will repeat.

**63** παμφαίνων, τοτὲ δʼ αὖτις ἔδυ νέφεα σκιόεντα,  
blazing bright, then sinks again into shadowy clouds,

**64** ὣς Ἕκτωρ ὁτὲ μέν τε μετὰ πρώτοισι φάνεσκεν,  
so Hector now appeared among the foremost,

**65** ἄλλοτε δʼ ἐν πυμάτοισι κελεύων· πᾶς δʼ ἄρα χαλκῷ  
now among the last, urging them on; and his whole body in bronze

**66** λάμφʼ ὥς τε στεροπὴ πατρὸς Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.  
flashed like lightning from father Zeus who bears the aegis.

**67** οἳ δʼ, ὥς τʼ ἀμητῆρες ἐναντίοι ἀλλήλοισιν  
And as reapers facing one another

**68** ὄγμον ἐλαύνωσιν ἀνδρὸς μάκαρος κατʼ ἄρουραν  
drive their swath across a rich man's field

**69** πυρῶν ἢ κριθῶν· τὰ δὲ δράγματα ταρφέα πίπτει·  
of wheat or barley, and the thick handfuls fall,

**70** ὣς Τρῶες καὶ Ἀχαιοὶ ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισι θορόντες  
so Trojans and Achaeans, leaping upon one another,

**71** δῄουν, οὐδʼ ἕτεροι μνώοντʼ ὀλοοῖο φόβοιο.  
slew; neither side thought of ruinous flight.

**72** ἴσας δʼ ὑσμίνη κεφαλὰς ἔχεν, οἳ δὲ λύκοι ὣς  
The battle held their heads level, and like wolves
> The battle holds them level: The image says that battle "held their heads equal": neither army had forced the other's heads down or gained the upper hand. The unusual physical idiom makes the deadlock visible before the warriors charge on like wolves.

**73** θῦνον· Ἔρις δʼ ἄρʼ ἔχαιρε πολύστονος εἰσορόωσα·  
they rushed; and Strife of many groans rejoiced to watch.

**74** οἴη γάρ ῥα θεῶν παρετύγχανε μαρναμένοισιν,  
For she alone of the gods was there among the fighters;

**75** οἳ δʼ ἄλλοι οὔ σφιν πάρεσαν θεοί, ἀλλὰ ἕκηλοι  
the other gods were not among them, but sat at ease

**76** σφοῖσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισι καθήατο, ἧχι ἑκάστῳ  
in their own halls, where for each of them

**77** δώματα καλὰ τέτυκτο κατὰ πτύχας Οὐλύμποιο.  
a fair house was built among the folds of Olympus.

**78** πάντες δʼ ᾐτιόωντο κελαινεφέα Κρονίωνα  
And all blamed the dark-clouded son of Cronos,

**79** οὕνεκʼ ἄρα Τρώεσσιν ἐβούλετο κῦδος ὀρέξαι.  
because he wished to grant glory to the Trojans.

**80** τῶν μὲν ἄρʼ οὐκ ἀλέγιζε πατήρ· ὃ δὲ νόσφι λιασθεὶς  
But the father paid them no heed; withdrawing apart,

**81** τῶν ἄλλων ἀπάνευθε καθέζετο κύδεϊ γαίων  
far from the others, he sat exulting in his glory,

**82** εἰσορόων Τρώων τε πόλιν καὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν  
gazing on Troy's city and the ships of the Achaeans,

**83** χαλκοῦ τε στεροπήν, ὀλλύντάς τʼ ὀλλυμένους τε.  
the flash of bronze, and men killing and being killed.
> Killing and being killed: Homer places two participles from the same verb side by side: active ὀλλύντας, "those killing," and middle ὀλλυμένους, "those perishing" or "being killed." The repeated root closes the scene by holding the agents and victims of battle in one balanced phrase.

**84** ὄφρα μὲν ἠὼς ἦν καὶ ἀέξετο ἱερὸν ἦμαρ,  
As long as morning lasted and the sacred day grew stronger,
> As long as ... so long: The temporal pair ὄφρα ... τόφρα frames two actions over the same span: as long as morning grows, the weapons strike both sides. The answering τόφρα comes at the opening of the next line.

**85** τόφρα μάλʼ ἀμφοτέρων βέλεʼ ἥπτετο, πῖπτε δὲ λαός·  
the weapons struck both sides, and the people fell.

**86** ἦμος δὲ δρυτόμος περ ἀνὴρ ὁπλίσσατο δεῖπνον  
But when a woodcutter makes ready his meal

**87** οὔρεος ἐν βήσσῃσιν, ἐπεί τʼ ἐκορέσσατο χεῖρας  
in the mountain glens, when he has wearied his hands

**88** τάμνων δένδρεα μακρά, ἅδος τέ μιν ἵκετο θυμόν,  
cutting tall trees, and weariness comes upon his spirit,

**89** σίτου τε γλυκεροῖο περὶ φρένας ἵμερος αἱρεῖ,  
and desire for sweet food grips his heart,

**90** τῆμος σφῇ ἀρετῇ Δαναοὶ ῥήξαντο φάλαγγας  
then by their own valor the Danaans broke the battalions,
> By their own valor: The dative ἀρετῇ expresses means: the Danaans break the Trojan battalions by valor of their own. The possessive σφῇ makes the achievement emphatically theirs.

**91** κεκλόμενοι ἑτάροισι κατὰ στίχας· ἐν δʼ Ἀγαμέμνων  
calling to their comrades down the ranks; and among them Agamemnon

**92** πρῶτος ὄρουσʼ, ἕλε δʼ ἄνδρα Βιάνορα ποιμένα λαῶν  
sprang first and slew a man, Bienor, shepherd of the people,

**93** αὐτόν, ἔπειτα δʼ ἑταῖρον Ὀϊλῆα πλήξιππον.  
him, and then his companion Oileus, driver of horses.
> Oileus, driver of horses: This Oileus is Bienor's fighting companion, not the older Oileus known as the father of the lesser Ajax. πλήξιππος, literally one who strikes or urges horses, retains the established epithet “driver of horses.”

**94** ἤτοι ὅ γʼ ἐξ ἵππων κατεπάλμενος ἀντίος ἔστη·  
He leapt down from his chariot and stood facing him;

**95** τὸν δʼ ἰθὺς μεμαῶτα μετώπιον ὀξέϊ δουρὶ  
and as he rushed straight on, Agamemnon stabbed him in the forehead with the sharp spear,

**96** νύξʼ, οὐδὲ στεφάνη δόρυ οἱ σχέθε χαλκοβάρεια,  
nor did the bronze-heavy helmet-rim hold back the spear,
> The helmet-rim: στεφάνη is the encircling rim or crown of the helmet. χαλκοβάρεια makes it “heavy with bronze,” but even that reinforced edge cannot stop Agamemnon's spear.

**97** ἀλλὰ διʼ αὐτῆς ἦλθε καὶ ὀστέου, ἐγκέφαλος δὲ  
but it passed through it and through the bone, and all the brain

**98** ἔνδον ἅπας πεπάλακτο· δάμασσε δέ μιν μεμαῶτα.  
within was spattered; and he brought him down as he charged.

**99** καὶ τοὺς μὲν λίπεν αὖθι ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων  
And Agamemnon, lord of men, left them there,

**100** στήθεσι παμφαίνοντας, ἐπεὶ περίδυσε χιτῶνας·  
their bare chests gleaming, once he had stripped away their tunics;

**101** αὐτὰρ ὃ βῆ Ἶσόν τε καὶ Ἄντιφον ἐξεναρίξων  
then he went to strip Isus and Antiphus,

**102** υἷε δύω Πριάμοιο νόθον καὶ γνήσιον ἄμφω  
two sons of Priam, one bastard, one legitimate,
> Priam's two sons: υἷε and δύω are dual forms, marking a pair: Isus and Antiphus. The paired adjectives distinguish them within that pair, Isus as Priam's bastard son and Antiphus as his legitimate son.

**103** εἰν ἑνὶ δίφρῳ ἐόντας· ὃ μὲν νόθος ἡνιόχευεν,  
both in a single chariot: the bastard drove the team,

**104** Ἄντιφος αὖ παρέβασκε περικλυτός· ὥ ποτʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς  
while renowned Antiphus rode beside him. Once Achilles

**105** Ἴδης ἐν κνημοῖσι δίδη μόσχοισι λύγοισι,  
had bound them on Ida's slopes with pliant willow-twigs,

**106** ποιμαίνοντʼ ἐπʼ ὄεσσι λαβών, καὶ ἔλυσεν ἀποίνων.  
catching them as they tended sheep, and freed them for ransom.

**107** δὴ τότε γʼ Ἀτρεΐδης εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων  
Then the wide-ruling lord Agamemnon

**108** τὸν μὲν ὑπὲρ μαζοῖο κατὰ στῆθος βάλε δουρί,  
struck one with his spear in the chest above the nipple,

**109** Ἄντιφον αὖ παρὰ οὖς ἔλασε ξίφει, ἐκ δʼ ἔβαλʼ ἵππων.  
and Antiphus he struck beside the ear with his sword and hurled from the chariot.

**110** σπερχόμενος δʼ ἀπὸ τοῖιν ἐσύλα τεύχεα καλὰ  
In haste he stripped the fine armor from them,

**111** γιγνώσκων· καὶ γάρ σφε πάρος παρὰ νηυσὶ θοῇσιν  
knowing them; for he had seen them before beside the swift ships,

**112** εἶδεν, ὅτʼ ἐξ Ἴδης ἄγαγεν πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς.  
when swift-footed Achilles brought them from Ida.

**113** ὡς δὲ λέων ἐλάφοιο ταχείης νήπια τέκνα  
As a lion finds the tender fawns of a swift doe

**114** ῥηϊδίως συνέαξε λαβὼν κρατεροῖσιν ὀδοῦσιν  
and easily crushes them in his strong teeth,

**115** ἐλθὼν εἰς εὐνήν, ἁπαλόν τέ σφʼ ἦτορ ἀπηύρα·  
coming into their lair, and robs them of their tender hearts;

**116** ἣ δʼ εἴ πέρ τε τύχῃσι μάλα σχεδόν, οὐ δύναταί σφι  
and though she chances to be very near, she cannot

**117** χραισμεῖν· αὐτὴν γάρ μιν ὑπὸ τρόμος αἰνὸς ἱκάνει·  
save them, for dreadful trembling seizes the doe herself;

**118** καρπαλίμως δʼ ἤϊξε διὰ δρυμὰ πυκνὰ καὶ ὕλην  
and swiftly she darts through dense thickets and woodland,

**119** σπεύδουσʼ ἱδρώουσα κραταιοῦ θηρὸς ὑφʼ ὁρμῆς·  
hurrying, sweating, before the mighty beast's onslaught—

**120** ὣς ἄρα τοῖς οὔ τις δύνατο χραισμῆσαι ὄλεθρον  
so no Trojan could ward destruction from those two,

**121** Τρώων, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ ὑπʼ Ἀργείοισι φέβοντο.  
but they themselves fled before the Argives.

**122** αὐτὰρ ὃ Πείσανδρόν τε καὶ Ἱππόλοχον μενεχάρμην  
Then Pisander and Hippolochus, steadfast in battle,
> Hippolochus, steadfast in battle: This Hippolochus is the son of Antimachus, not the Lycian Hippolochus in Glaucus' ancestry. μενεχάρμης praises one who stands firm in battle and follows the established “steadfast in battle” rendering-family.

**123** υἱέας Ἀντιμάχοιο δαΐφρονος, ὅς ῥα μάλιστα  
sons of wise Antimachus, who above all,

**124** χρυσὸν Ἀλεξάνδροιο δεδεγμένος ἀγλαὰ δῶρα  
having received gold from Paris, splendid gifts,

**125** οὐκ εἴασχʼ Ἑλένην δόμεναι ξανθῷ Μενελάῳ,  
would not allow Helen to be given back to golden-haired Menelaus—

**126** τοῦ περ δὴ δύο παῖδε λάβε κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων  
those two the lord Agamemnon seized

**127** εἰν ἑνὶ δίφρῳ ἐόντας, ὁμοῦ δʼ ἔχον ὠκέας ἵππους·  
together in one chariot, both controlling the swift horses;

**128** ἐκ γάρ σφεας χειρῶν φύγον ἡνία σιγαλόεντα,  
for the shining reins had slipped from their hands,

**129** τὼ δὲ κυκηθήτην· ὃ δʼ ἐναντίον ὦρτο λέων ὣς  
and the pair were thrown into confusion; he sprang against them like a lion,

**130** Ἀτρεΐδης· τὼ δʼ αὖτʼ ἐκ δίφρου γουναζέσθην·  
the son of Atreus; and from the chariot the two clasped his knees:

**131** ζώγρει Ἀτρέος υἱέ, σὺ δʼ ἄξια δέξαι ἄποινα·  
"Take me alive, son of Atreus, and accept a worthy ransom.
> A repeated ransom plea: This line repeats verbatim the captive Adrastus' plea in Book 6 and therefore keeps the same English. Here Homer places the singular formula in a scene where two brothers plead together, before their speech shifts explicitly to “we two.”

**132** πολλὰ δʼ ἐν Ἀντιμάχοιο δόμοις κειμήλια κεῖται  
Many treasures lie in Antimachus' house,

**133** χαλκός τε χρυσός τε πολύκμητός τε σίδηρος,  
bronze and gold and iron wrought with toil.

**134** τῶν κέν τοι χαρίσαιτο πατὴρ ἀπερείσιʼ ἄποινα,  
From these my father would grant you boundless ransom

**135** εἰ νῶϊ ζωοὺς πεπύθοιτʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.  
if he learned that we two were alive beside the ships of the Achaeans."

**136** ὣς τώ γε κλαίοντε προσαυδήτην βασιλῆα  
So the two, weeping, addressed the king
> The two brothers in the dual: The pronoun τώ, participle κλαίοντε, and verb προσαυδήτην are all dual. Greek grammar keeps Pisander and Hippolochus tightly bound as one pleading pair until Agamemnon answers them.

**137** μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσιν· ἀμείλικτον δʼ ὄπʼ ἄκουσαν·  
with gentle words; but a pitiless voice they heard:

**138** εἰ μὲν δὴ Ἀντιμάχοιο δαΐφρονος υἱέες ἐστόν,  
"If indeed you are the sons of wise Antimachus,

**139** ὅς ποτʼ ἐνὶ Τρώων ἀγορῇ Μενέλαον ἄνωγεν  
who once in the assembly of the Trojans urged that Menelaus,

**140** ἀγγελίην ἐλθόντα σὺν ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆϊ  
when he came as an envoy with godlike Odysseus,

**141** αὖθι κατακτεῖναι μηδʼ ἐξέμεν ἂψ ἐς Ἀχαιούς,  
be killed there and not sent back again to the Achaeans,

**142** νῦν μὲν δὴ τοῦ πατρὸς ἀεικέα τίσετε λώβην.  
now you shall pay for your father's shameful outrage."

**143** ἦ, καὶ Πείσανδρον μὲν ἀφʼ ἵππων ὦσε χαμᾶζε  
He spoke, and thrust Pisander down from the chariot to the ground,

**144** δουρὶ βαλὼν πρὸς στῆθος· ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος οὔδει ἐρείσθη.  
striking him in the chest with his spear; he fell back upon the earth.

**145** Ἱππόλοχος δʼ ἀπόρουσε, τὸν αὖ χαμαὶ ἐξενάριξε  
Hippolochus leapt down; him again he slew on the ground,

**146** χεῖρας ἀπὸ ξίφεϊ τμήξας ἀπό τʼ αὐχένα κόψας,  
cutting off his hands with the sword and striking off his head,

**147** ὅλμον δʼ ὣς ἔσσευε κυλίνδεσθαι διʼ ὁμίλου.  
and sent him rolling like a log through the throng.
> Rolling like a holmos: A ὅλμος is a heavy rounded object, often understood here as a log or roller. The image makes Hippolochus' mutilated body tumble through the packed fighters like a blunt cylinder.

**148** τοὺς μὲν ἔασʼ· ὃ δʼ ὅθι πλεῖσται κλονέοντο φάλαγγες,  
He left them; then where the battalions were driven thickest,

**149** τῇ ῥʼ ἐνόρουσʼ, ἅμα δʼ ἄλλοι ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί.  
there he leapt in, and with him the other well-greaved Achaeans.

**150** πεζοὶ μὲν πεζοὺς ὄλεκον φεύγοντας ἀνάγκῃ,  
Footmen killed footmen fleeing under compulsion,

**151** ἱππεῖς δʼ ἱππῆας· ὑπὸ δέ σφισιν ὦρτο κονίη  
horsemen killed horsemen; beneath them dust rose

**152** ἐκ πεδίου, τὴν ὦρσαν ἐρίγδουποι πόδες ἵππων  
from the plain, raised by the thunderous hooves of horses,

**153** χαλκῷ δηϊόωντες· ἀτὰρ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων  
as the men laid waste with bronze; but the lord Agamemnon

**154** αἰὲν ἀποκτείνων ἕπετʼ Ἀργείοισι κελεύων.  
followed, ever killing, and urged on the Argives.

**155** ὡς δʼ ὅτε πῦρ ἀΐδηλον ἐν ἀξύλῳ ἐμπέσῃ ὕλῃ,  
As when consuming fire falls upon an uncut forest,

**156** πάντῃ τʼ εἰλυφόων ἄνεμος φέρει, οἳ δέ τε θάμνοι  
and the wind, veering everywhere, carries it on, and the thickets

**157** πρόρριζοι πίπτουσιν ἐπειγόμενοι πυρὸς ὁρμῇ·  
fall root and branch, beaten down by the fire's assault,

**158** ὣς ἄρʼ ὑπʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι πῖπτε κάρηνα  
so beneath Atreus' son Agamemnon fell the heads

**159** Τρώων φευγόντων, πολλοὶ δʼ ἐριαύχενες ἵπποι  
of fleeing Trojans, and many high-necked horses

**160** κείνʼ ὄχεα κροτάλιζον ἀνὰ πτολέμοιο γεφύρας  
rattled empty chariots along the causeways of battle,
> The causeways of battle: Homer's “causeways of battle” are the lanes or contested ground across which the chariots run. The ancient image is difficult and remains deliberately concrete here, following the established rendering.

**161** ἡνιόχους ποθέοντες ἀμύμονας· οἳ δʼ ἐπὶ γαίῃ  
longing for their blameless charioteers; but they upon the ground

**162** κείατο, γύπεσσιν πολὺ φίλτεροι ἢ ἀλόχοισιν.  
lay, far dearer to vultures than to their wives.

**163** Ἕκτορα δʼ ἐκ βελέων ὕπαγε Ζεὺς ἔκ τε κονίης  
But Zeus led Hector out of the missiles and the dust,

**164** ἔκ τʼ ἀνδροκτασίης ἔκ θʼ αἵματος ἔκ τε κυδοιμοῦ·  
out of the slaughter of men, the blood, and the battle-din;

**165** Ἀτρεΐδης δʼ ἕπετο σφεδανὸν Δαναοῖσι κελεύων.  
and the son of Atreus followed, fiercely urging on the Danaans.

**166** οἳ δὲ παρʼ Ἴλου σῆμα παλαιοῦ Δαρδανίδαο  
Past the tomb of old Ilus, son of Dardanus,

**167** μέσσον κὰπ πεδίον παρʼ ἐρινεὸν ἐσσεύοντο  
across the middle of the plain, past the fig tree, they rushed,

**168** ἱέμενοι πόλιος· ὃ δὲ κεκλήγων ἕπετʼ αἰεὶ  
straining for the city; and he followed always, shouting,

**169** Ἀτρεΐδης, λύθρῳ δὲ παλάσσετο χεῖρας ἀάπτους.  
the son of Atreus, his irresistible hands splashed with gore.
> Irresistible hands: The recurring phrase calls the hands ἄαπτοι, literally not to be grasped or held back. The established rendering “irresistible hands” makes Agamemnon's unchecked force concrete while the gore upon them records what that force has done.

**170** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ Σκαιάς τε πύλας καὶ φηγὸν ἵκοντο,  
But when they reached the Scaean gates and the oak tree,

**171** ἔνθʼ ἄρα δὴ ἵσταντο καὶ ἀλλήλους ἀνέμιμνον.  
there at last they stood and waited for one another.

**172** οἳ δʼ ἔτι κὰμ μέσσον πεδίον φοβέοντο βόες ὥς,  
Others still fled down the middle of the plain like cattle,

**173** ἅς τε λέων ἐφόβησε μολὼν ἐν νυκτὸς ἀμολγῷ  
a whole herd a lion has scattered, coming in the dead of night;

**174** πάσας· τῇ δέ τʼ ἰῇ ἀναφαίνεται αἰπὺς ὄλεθρος·  
but for one cow sheer destruction comes into view.
> One singled from the herd: The feminine dative phrase means “for one of them.” After the lion scatters all the cattle, Homer narrows the simile to the single cow whose death now becomes visible and certain.

**175** τῆς δʼ ἐξ αὐχένʼ ἔαξε λαβὼν κρατεροῖσιν ὀδοῦσι  
Seizing her, he first breaks her neck with his strong teeth,

**176** πρῶτον, ἔπειτα δέ θʼ αἷμα καὶ ἔγκατα πάντα λαφύσσει·  
then gulps down all her blood and entrails;

**177** ὣς τοὺς Ἀτρεΐδης ἔφεπε κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων  
so the son of Atreus, the lord Agamemnon, pursued them,

**178** αἰὲν ἀποκτείνων τὸν ὀπίστατον· οἳ δʼ ἐφέβοντο.  
always killing the hindmost man, while the rest fled on.

**179** πολλοὶ δὲ πρηνεῖς τε καὶ ὕπτιοι ἔκπεσον ἵππων  
Many fell headlong or backward from their chariots

**180** Ἀτρεΐδεω ὑπὸ χερσί· περὶ πρὸ γὰρ ἔγχεϊ θῦεν.  
beneath the son of Atreus' hands, for his spear raged far before him.

**181** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τάχʼ ἔμελλεν ὑπὸ πτόλιν αἰπύ τε τεῖχος  
But when he was soon to come beneath the city and its steep wall,

**182** ἵξεσθαι, τότε δή ῥα πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε  
then the father of men and gods

**183** Ἴδης ἐν κορυφῇσι καθέζετο πιδηέσσης  
sat upon the peaks of many-springed Ida,
> Many-springed Ida: The adjective πιδήεις marks Ida as rich in springs. Zeus takes his seat on the mountain's peaks above Troy, the same commanding landscape from which he has watched and directed the battle.

**184** οὐρανόθεν καταβάς· ἔχε δʼ ἀστεροπὴν μετὰ χερσίν.  
having come down from heaven, and held the lightning in his hands.

**185** Ἶριν δʼ ὄτρυνε χρυσόπτερον ἀγγελέουσαν·  
and urged golden-winged Iris to carry his message:

**186** βάσκʼ ἴθι Ἶρι ταχεῖα, τὸν Ἕκτορι μῦθον ἐνίσπες·  
"Go now, swift Iris, and tell this message to Hector:
> A chain of commands: Zeus opens with three imperative forms: βάσκε and ἴθι double two verbs of motion into one urgent “Go now,” before ἐνίσπες, “tell.” The piled commands give Iris no pause between receiving the order and carrying it to Hector.

**187** ὄφρʼ ἂν μέν κεν ὁρᾷ Ἀγαμέμνονα ποιμένα λαῶν  
as long as he sees Agamemnon, shepherd of the people,
> As long as ... so long: The temporal frame begins here with ὄφρα and is answered by τόφρα at line 189. Hector must hold back for precisely as long as Agamemnon remains visibly active in the front ranks.

**188** θύνοντʼ ἐν προμάχοισιν ἐναίροντα στίχας ἀνδρῶν,  
raging among the front ranks and slaying ranks of men,

**189** τόφρʼ ἀναχωρείτω, τὸν δʼ ἄλλον λαὸν ἀνώχθω  
so long let him withdraw, but command the rest of the host

**190** μάρνασθαι δηΐοισι κατὰ κρατερὴν ὑσμίνην.  
to fight their foes throughout the mighty combat.

**191** αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κʼ ἢ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἢ βλήμενος ἰῷ  
But when, struck by a spear or hit by an arrow,

**192** εἰς ἵππους ἅλεται, τότε οἱ κράτος ἐγγυαλίξω  
he leaps into his chariot, then I shall grant Hector strength

**193** κτείνειν εἰς ὅ κε νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους ἀφίκηται  
to kill until he reaches the well-benched ships

**194** δύῃ τʼ ἠέλιος καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἱερὸν ἔλθῃ.  
and the sun goes down and sacred darkness comes on."

**195** ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις,  
So he spoke, and wind-footed swift Iris did not disobey,
> Wind-footed swift Iris: ποδήνεμος, “wind-footed,” is Iris' fuller speed epithet here. It remains distinct from the shorter πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις, “swift-footed Iris,” used when she reaches Hector.

**196** βῆ δὲ κατʼ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων εἰς Ἴλιον ἱρήν.  
but went down from the mountains of Ida to sacred Ilion.

**197** εὗρʼ υἱὸν Πριάμοιο δαΐφρονος Ἕκτορα δῖον  
She found the son of wise Priam, godlike Hector,

**198** ἑσταότʼ ἔν θʼ ἵπποισι καὶ ἅρμασι κολλητοῖσιν·  
standing among his horses and well-jointed chariots;
> Well-jointed chariots: κολλητός describes parts joined closely and soundly together. The established “well-jointed” keeps this construction term distinct from other words rendered “close-fitted” or “smooth-running.”

**199** ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη προσέφη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις·  
Standing close by, swift-footed Iris spoke to him:
> A formula with a local object: The Greek line does not state the object of προσέφη, so English must supply it from the scene. Here Iris addresses Hector, and the inherited formula therefore takes the masculine object “him.”

**200** Ἕκτορ υἱὲ Πριάμοιο Διὶ μῆτιν ἀτάλαντε  
"Hector, son of Priam, the equal of Zeus in counsel,

**201** Ζεύς με πατὴρ προέηκε τεῒν τάδε μυθήσασθαι.  
father Zeus sent me to tell you this:

**202** ὄφρʼ ἂν μέν κεν ὁρᾷς Ἀγαμέμνονα ποιμένα λαῶν  
as long as you see Agamemnon, shepherd of the people,
> The message shifts to you: Iris faithfully reports Zeus' instruction but changes the third-person ὁρᾷ, “he sees,” to second-person ὁρᾷς, “you see.” The repeated message must preserve this grammatical shift because Hector is now the direct addressee.

**203** θύνοντʼ ἐν προμάχοισιν, ἐναίροντα στίχας ἀνδρῶν,  
raging among the front ranks and slaying ranks of men,

**204** τόφρʼ ὑπόεικε μάχης, τὸν δʼ ἄλλον λαὸν ἄνωχθι  
so long give ground from battle, but command the rest of the host

**205** μάρνασθαι δηΐοισι κατὰ κρατερὴν ὑσμίνην.  
to fight their foes throughout the mighty combat.

**206** αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κʼ ἢ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἢ βλήμενος ἰῷ  
But when, struck by a spear or hit by an arrow,

**207** εἰς ἵππους ἅλεται, τότε τοι κράτος ἐγγυαλίξει  
he leaps into his chariot, then Zeus will grant you strength
> To him becomes to you: Zeus promises οἱ, “to him,” when speaking about Hector; Iris reports the promise as τοι, “to you.” The giver remains Zeus, while the beneficiary shifts with the change from instruction to direct report.

**208** κτείνειν, εἰς ὅ κε νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους ἀφίκηαι  
to kill until you reach the well-benched ships

**209** δύῃ τʼ ἠέλιος καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἱερὸν ἔλθῃ.  
and the sun goes down and sacred darkness comes on."

**210** ἣ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ἀπέβη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις,  
So speaking, swift-footed Iris departed,

**211** Ἕκτωρ δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων σὺν τεύχεσιν ἆλτο χαμᾶζε,  
and Hector leapt from his chariot to the ground in his armor,

**212** πάλλων δʼ ὀξέα δοῦρα κατὰ στρατὸν ᾤχετο πάντῃ  
and, brandishing his sharp spears, went everywhere through the army,

**213** ὀτρύνων μαχέσασθαι, ἔγειρε δὲ φύλοπιν αἰνήν.  
urging them to fight, and stirred the dreadful din of battle.

**214** οἳ δʼ ἐλελίχθησαν καὶ ἐναντίοι ἔσταν Ἀχαιῶν,  
They wheeled about and stood facing the Achaeans;

**215** Ἀργεῖοι δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐκαρτύναντο φάλαγγας.  
and the Argives on the other side strengthened their battalions.

**216** ἀρτύνθη δὲ μάχη, στὰν δʼ ἀντίοι· ἐν δʼ Ἀγαμέμνων  
Battle was arrayed, and they stood opposed; among them Agamemnon

**217** πρῶτος ὄρουσʼ, ἔθελεν δὲ πολὺ προμάχεσθαι ἁπάντων.  
sprang first, for he wished to fight far ahead of all.

**218** ἔσπετε νῦν μοι Μοῦσαι Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχουσαι  
Tell me now, Muses, who hold your homes on Olympus —

**219** ὅς τις δὴ πρῶτος Ἀγαμέμνονος ἀντίον ἦλθεν  
who first came against Agamemnon,

**220** ἢ αὐτῶν Τρώων ἠὲ κλειτῶν ἐπικούρων.  
whether one of the Trojans themselves or of their famous allies.

**221** Ἰφιδάμας Ἀντηνορίδης ἠΰς τε μέγας τε  
It was Iphidamas, son of Antenor, both noble and tall,

**222** ὃς τράφη ἐν Θρῄκῃ ἐριβώλακι μητέρι μήλων·  
who was raised in Thrace of the rich soil, mother of flocks.

**223** Κισσῆς τόν γʼ ἔθρεψε δόμοις ἔνι τυτθὸν ἐόντα  
Cisseus raised him in his halls when he was little,

**224** μητροπάτωρ, ὃς τίκτε Θεανὼ καλλιπάρῃον·  
his mother's father, who begot fair-cheeked Theano;
> His mother's father: μητροπάτωρ is the precise compound “mother's father”: Cisseus is Iphidamas' maternal grandfather. Because Cisseus later gives him his own daughter, Iphidamas' bride is also his maternal aunt.

**225** αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἥβης ἐρικυδέος ἵκετο μέτρον,  
but when he reached the full measure of glorious youth,

**226** αὐτοῦ μιν κατέρυκε, δίδου δʼ ὅ γε θυγατέρα ἥν·  
he kept him there and gave him his own daughter,

**227** γήμας δʼ ἐκ θαλάμοιο μετὰ κλέος ἵκετʼ Ἀχαιῶν  
yet once married he left the bridal chamber and came after the Achaeans' fame

**228** σὺν δυοκαίδεκα νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν, αἵ οἱ ἕποντο.  
with twelve curved ships that followed him.
> Curved ships: κορωνίς describes the ships by their curved or hooked form, probably their rising ends. This is a distinct ship epithet and is not folded into the established black, hollow, balanced, or swift ship formulas.

**229** τὰς μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἐν Περκώτῃ λίπε νῆας ἐΐσας,  
Those balanced ships he then left at Percote,

**230** αὐτὰρ ὃ πεζὸς ἐὼν ἐς Ἴλιον εἰληλούθει·  
while he himself had come on foot to Ilion;

**231** ὅς ῥα τότʼ Ἀτρεΐδεω Ἀγαμέμνονος ἀντίον ἦλθεν.  
and he it was who then came against Atreus' son Agamemnon.

**232** οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦσαν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ἰόντες,  
Now when they had come near, advancing on one another,

**233** Ἀτρεΐδης μὲν ἅμαρτε, παραὶ δέ οἱ ἐτράπετʼ ἔγχος,  
the son of Atreus missed, and his spear turned aside from him,

**234** Ἰφιδάμας δὲ κατὰ ζώνην θώρηκος ἔνερθε  
but Iphidamas stabbed him at the belt below the corselet,

**235** νύξʼ, ἐπὶ δʼ αὐτὸς ἔρεισε βαρείῃ χειρὶ πιθήσας·  
and leaned his weight upon it, trusting in his heavy hand;

**236** οὐδʼ ἔτορε ζωστῆρα παναίολον, ἀλλὰ πολὺ πρὶν  
yet he did not pierce the gleaming belt, but long before that,
> The gleaming war-belt: The ζωστήρ is the outer war-belt worn with the corselet. Here its gleaming metalwork stops Iphidamas' thrust before the point can reach Agamemnon's body.

**237** ἀργύρῳ ἀντομένη μόλιβος ὣς ἐτράπετʼ αἰχμή.  
meeting silver, the point was turned aside like lead.
> Silver turns the spear: The spearpoint meets the belt's silver and turns aside “like lead.” Homer makes the failed penetration physical: the softer-metal comparison belongs to the deflected point, not to Agamemnon's flesh or armor as a whole.

**238** καὶ τό γε χειρὶ λαβὼν εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων  
Then the wide-ruling lord Agamemnon seized the spear in his hand

**239** ἕλκʼ ἐπὶ οἷ μεμαὼς ὥς τε λίς, ἐκ δʼ ἄρα χειρὸς  
and pulled it toward himself, raging like a lion, and from Iphidamas' hand

**240** σπάσσατο· τὸν δʼ ἄορι πλῆξʼ αὐχένα, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα.  
wrenched it; then struck his neck with the sword and loosed his limbs.

**241** ὣς ὃ μὲν αὖθι πεσὼν κοιμήσατο χάλκεον ὕπνον  
So he fell there and slept a bronze sleep,
> A bronze sleep: “Bronze sleep” is a death-image made from the weapon that brings it. The phrase keeps the killing material in view even as death is described as sleep.

**242** οἰκτρὸς ἀπὸ μνηστῆς ἀλόχου, ἀστοῖσιν ἀρήγων,  
pitiful, far from his wedded wife, while aiding his countrymen,

**243** κουριδίης, ἧς οὔ τι χάριν ἴδε, πολλὰ δʼ ἔδωκε·  
his lawful bride, whose joy he never knew, though he gave much for her:

**244** πρῶθʼ ἑκατὸν βοῦς δῶκεν, ἔπειτα δὲ χίλιʼ ὑπέστη  
first he gave a hundred cattle, then promised a thousand

**245** αἶγας ὁμοῦ καὶ ὄϊς, τά οἱ ἄσπετα ποιμαίνοντο.  
goats and sheep together, which were pastured for him beyond count.

**246** δὴ τότε γʼ Ἀτρεΐδης Ἀγαμέμνων ἐξενάριξε,  
Then Atreus' son Agamemnon stripped him

**247** βῆ δὲ φέρων ἀνʼ ὅμιλον Ἀχαιῶν τεύχεα καλά.  
and went through the Achaean throng carrying his fine armor.

**248** τὸν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησε Κόων ἀριδείκετος ἀνδρῶν  
But when Coon, distinguished among men, saw him,

**249** πρεσβυγενὴς Ἀντηνορίδης, κρατερόν ῥά ἑ πένθος  
the elder son of Antenor, mighty grief

**250** ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐκάλυψε κασιγνήτοιο πεσόντος.  
covered his eyes at the sight of his fallen brother.

**251** στῆ δʼ εὐρὰξ σὺν δουρὶ λαθὼν Ἀγαμέμνονα δῖον,  
He stood to one side with his spear, unseen by godlike Agamemnon,
> Striking from the side: εὐράξ places Coon sideways or on Agamemnon's flank. He does not meet the king head-on: he takes an unseen position and drives the spear into the arm from there.

**252** νύξε δέ μιν κατὰ χεῖρα μέσην ἀγκῶνος ἔνερθε,  
and stabbed him through the middle of the arm, below the elbow;

**253** ἀντικρὺ δὲ διέσχε φαεινοῦ δουρὸς ἀκωκή.  
and the point of the shining spear passed clean through.
> The point passes through: ἀντικρύ marks a through-and-through wound: the spearpoint does not merely lodge in Agamemnon's arm but emerges on the far side. The later pain belongs to this precise injury below the elbow.

**254** ῥίγησέν τʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων·  
Then Agamemnon, lord of men, shuddered;

**255** ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὧς ἀπέληγε μάχης ἠδὲ πτολέμοιο,  
but not even then did he cease from battle and war,

**256** ἀλλʼ ἐπόρουσε Κόωνι ἔχων ἀνεμοτρεφὲς ἔγχος.  
but rushed upon Coon with his wind-nurtured spear.

**257** ἤτοι ὃ Ἰφιδάμαντα κασίγνητον καὶ ὄπατρον  
Coon was dragging Iphidamas, his brother by the same father,

**258** ἕλκε ποδὸς μεμαώς, καὶ ἀΰτει πάντας ἀρίστους·  
eagerly by the foot, and calling to all the champions;

**259** τὸν δʼ ἕλκοντʼ ἀνʼ ὅμιλον ὑπʼ ἀσπίδος ὀμφαλοέσσης  
and as he dragged him through the throng beneath his bossed shield, Agamemnon struck

**260** οὔτησε ξυστῷ χαλκήρεϊ, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα·  
with his bronze-shod spear, and loosed his limbs.

**261** τοῖο δʼ ἐπʼ Ἰφιδάμαντι κάρη ἀπέκοψε παραστάς.  
Then, standing over Iphidamas, he cut off Coon's head.

**262** ἔνθʼ Ἀντήνορος υἷες ὑπʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃ βασιλῆϊ  
There the sons of Antenor, beneath the son of Atreus, the king,

**263** πότμον ἀναπλήσαντες ἔδυν δόμον Ἄϊδος εἴσω.  
fulfilled their fate and went down into the house of Hades.
> Fulfilling their fate: The idiom says that the brothers “filled up” or fulfilled their allotted fate. Their deaths are then pictured as a descent into Hades' house, preserving both parts of Homer's closing formula.

**264** αὐτὰρ ὃ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπεπωλεῖτο στίχας ἀνδρῶν  
But he ranged through the ranks of the other men

**265** ἔγχεΐ τʼ ἄορί τε μεγάλοισί τε χερμαδίοισιν,  
with spear and sword and great stones,

**266** ὄφρά οἱ αἷμʼ ἔτι θερμὸν ἀνήνοθεν ἐξ ὠτειλῆς.  
as long as the blood still welled warm from his wound.

**267** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τὸ μὲν ἕλκος ἐτέρσετο, παύσατο δʼ αἷμα,  
But when the wound dried and the blood ceased,

**268** ὀξεῖαι δʼ ὀδύναι δῦνον μένος Ἀτρεΐδαο.  
sharp pains entered the might of Atreus' son.

**269** ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ὠδίνουσαν ἔχῃ βέλος ὀξὺ γυναῖκα  
As when a sharp, piercing shaft grips a woman in labor,

**270** δριμύ, τό τε προϊεῖσι μογοστόκοι Εἰλείθυιαι  
such as the Eileithyiae, bringers of travail, send,

**271** Ἥρης θυγατέρες πικρὰς ὠδῖνας ἔχουσαι,  
Hera's daughters who hold the bitter pangs,

**272** ὣς ὀξεῖʼ ὀδύναι δῦνον μένος Ἀτρεΐδαο.  
so sharp pains entered the might of Atreus' son.

**273** ἐς δίφρον δʼ ἀνόρουσε, καὶ ἡνιόχῳ ἐπέτελλε  
He sprang into his chariot and ordered his charioteer

**274** νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐλαυνέμεν· ἤχθετο γὰρ κῆρ.  
to drive toward the hollow ships, for his heart was heavy.

**275** ἤϋσεν δὲ διαπρύσιον Δαναοῖσι γεγωνώς·  
There he cried in a piercing voice to the Danaans:

**276** ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες  
Friends, leaders and rulers of the Argives,

**277** ὑμεῖς μὲν νῦν νηυσὶν ἀμύνετε ποντοπόροισι  
you now must defend the seafaring ships

**278** φύλοπιν ἀργαλέην, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐμὲ μητίετα Ζεὺς  
from the grievous battle-din, since Zeus the counselor has not

**279** εἴασε Τρώεσσι πανημέριον πολεμίζειν.  
allowed me to fight the Trojans for the whole day.

**280** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, ἡνίοχος δʼ ἵμασεν καλλίτριχας ἵππους  
So he spoke, and the charioteer lashed the lovely-maned horses

**281** νῆας ἔπι γλαφυράς· τὼ δʼ οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην·  
toward the hollow ships, and the pair flew onward willingly;
> The team in the dual: Both τώ, “the two,” and πετέσθην, “they flew,” are dual forms. Homer treats Agamemnon's two-horse team as a matched pair carrying the wounded king from battle.

**282** ἄφρεον δὲ στήθεα, ῥαίνοντο δὲ νέρθε κονίῃ  
their chests foamed, and beneath they were spattered with dust

**283** τειρόμενον βασιλῆα μάχης ἀπάνευθε φέροντες.  
as they bore the stricken king away from the battle.

**284** Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς ἐνόησʼ Ἀγαμέμνονα νόσφι κιόντα  
When Hector saw Agamemnon going apart from battle,

**285** Τρωσί τε καὶ Λυκίοισιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·  
he called to the Trojans and Lycians with a long shout:

**286** Τρῶες καὶ Λύκιοι καὶ Δάρδανοι ἀγχιμαχηταὶ  
"Trojans and Lycians and Dardanians, close fighters,

**287** ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι, μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς.  
be men, my friends, and remember your furious valor.

**288** οἴχετʼ ἀνὴρ ὤριστος, ἐμοὶ δὲ μέγʼ εὖχος ἔδωκε  
The best man is gone, and Zeus, son of Cronos, has granted me

**289** Ζεὺς Κρονίδης· ἀλλʼ ἰθὺς ἐλαύνετε μώνυχας ἵππους  
great glory. Drive your single-hoofed horses straight

**290** ἰφθίμων Δαναῶν, ἵνʼ ὑπέρτερον εὖχος ἄρησθε.  
against the mighty Danaans, so that you may win the greater glory."

**291** ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου.  
So he spoke and stirred the strength and spirit of every man.

**292** ὡς δʼ ὅτε πού τις θηρητὴρ κύνας ἀργιόδοντας  
As when some hunter sets his white-toothed dogs
> White-toothed dogs: ἀργιόδοντας is a compound describing the dogs by their flashing white teeth. Homer makes Hector the hunter who unleashes the Trojan charge.

**293** σεύῃ ἐπʼ ἀγροτέρῳ συῒ καπρίῳ ἠὲ λέοντι,  
upon a wild boar or a lion of the fields,

**294** ὣς ἐπʼ Ἀχαιοῖσιν σεῦε Τρῶας μεγαθύμους  
so Hector set the high-hearted Trojans upon the Achaeans,

**295** Ἕκτωρ Πριαμίδης βροτολοιγῷ ἶσος Ἄρηϊ.  
Hector, son of Priam, equal to Ares, bane of mortals.
> Equal to the bane of mortals: βροτολοιγός is Ares' standing title as a destroyer of mortals. The comparison makes Hector Ares' equal in ruinous battle, without transferring the god's identity to him.

**296** αὐτὸς δʼ ἐν πρώτοισι μέγα φρονέων ἐβεβήκει,  
He himself strode among the foremost, high-hearted,

**297** ἐν δʼ ἔπεσʼ ὑσμίνῃ ὑπεραέϊ ἶσος ἀέλλῃ,  
and fell upon the combat like a storm wind rushing from above,

**298** ἥ τε καθαλλομένη ἰοειδέα πόντον ὀρίνει.  
which plunges down and stirs the violet-dark sea.

**299** ἔνθα τίνα πρῶτον, τίνα δʼ ὕστατον ἐξενάριξεν  
Whom first, and whom last, did he strip and kill —
> Whom first, whom last?: The repeated interrogative τίνα frames the coming kill-list as a question. The answer then follows name by name, giving Hector's charge the shape of a grim catalogue.

**300** Ἕκτωρ Πριαμίδης, ὅτε οἱ Ζεὺς κῦδος ἔδωκεν;  
Hector, son of Priam, when Zeus granted him glory?

**301** Ἀσαῖον μὲν πρῶτα καὶ Αὐτόνοον καὶ Ὀπίτην  
First Asaeus, and Autonous, and Opites,

**302** καὶ Δόλοπα Κλυτίδην καὶ Ὀφέλτιον ἠδʼ Ἀγέλαον  
and Dolops, son of Clytius, and Opheltius, and Agelaus,

**303** Αἴσυμνόν τʼ Ὦρόν τε καὶ Ἱππόνοον μενεχάρμην.  
Aesymnus and Orus and Hipponous, steadfast in battle.

**304** τοὺς ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἡγεμόνας Δαναῶν ἕλεν, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα  
Those leaders of the Danaans he killed, and then the multitude,

**305** πληθύν, ὡς ὁπότε νέφεα Ζέφυρος στυφελίξῃ  
as when Zephyrus batters the clouds

**306** ἀργεστᾶο Νότοιο βαθείῃ λαίλαπι τύπτων·  
of the clearing South Wind, striking them with a deep gale;

**307** πολλὸν δὲ τρόφι κῦμα κυλίνδεται, ὑψόσε δʼ ἄχνη  
the swollen wave rolls high, and foam above it

**308** σκίδναται ἐξ ἀνέμοιο πολυπλάγκτοιο ἰωῆς·  
scatters beneath the blast of the far-wandering wind —

**309** ὣς ἄρα πυκνὰ καρήαθʼ ὑφʼ Ἕκτορι δάμνατο λαῶν.  
so the close-packed heads of the host were beaten down beneath Hector.

**310** ἔνθά κε λοιγὸς ἔην καὶ ἀμήχανα ἔργα γένοντο,  
Then ruin would have come, and deeds beyond all remedy,

**311** καί νύ κεν ἐν νήεσσι πέσον φεύγοντες Ἀχαιοί,  
and the Achaeans, fleeing, would have fallen among their ships,

**312** εἰ μὴ Τυδεΐδῃ Διομήδεϊ κέκλετʼ Ὀδυσσεύς·  
had Odysseus not called to Diomedes, son of Tydeus:

**313** Τυδεΐδη τί παθόντε λελάσμεθα θούριδος ἀλκῆς;  
"Son of Tydeus, what has come upon us both, that we forget our furious valor?
> Two men marked by the dual: παθόντε is a dual participle: Odysseus asks what has happened to precisely the two of them. The plural verb λελάσμεθα then includes both men in the charge that they have forgotten their valor.

**314** ἀλλʼ ἄγε δεῦρο πέπον, παρʼ ἔμʼ ἵσταο· δὴ γὰρ ἔλεγχος  
Come here, friend, and stand beside me; for it will be shame

**315** ἔσσεται εἴ κεν νῆας ἕλῃ κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ.  
if Hector of the flashing helm takes the ships."

**316** τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης·  
Then mighty Diomedes answered him and said:

**317** ἤτοι ἐγὼ μενέω καὶ τλήσομαι· ἀλλὰ μίνυνθα  
"I will indeed stand and endure; but only brief

**318** ἡμέων ἔσσεται ἦδος, ἐπεὶ νεφεληγερέτα Ζεὺς  
will be our joy, since Zeus the cloud-gatherer
> A brief joy: The phrase completes μίνυνθα from the preceding line: Diomedes says their pleasure or advantage will last only a short time. He agrees to stand, but expects the gain won by their resistance to be brief.

**319** Τρωσὶν δὴ βόλεται δοῦναι κράτος ἠέ περ ἡμῖν.  
now wishes to give might to the Trojans rather than to us."

**320** ἦ καὶ Θυμβραῖον μὲν ἀφʼ ἵππων ὦσε χαμᾶζε  
He spoke, and thrust Thymbraeus from his chariot to the ground,

**321** δουρὶ βαλὼν κατὰ μαζὸν ἀριστερόν· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς  
striking him with his spear beneath the left nipple; while Odysseus struck down

**322** ἀντίθεον θεράποντα Μολίονα τοῖο ἄνακτος.  
Molion, the godlike attendant of that lord.

**323** τοὺς μὲν ἔπειτʼ εἴασαν, ἐπεὶ πολέμου ἀπέπαυσαν·  
Then they left the two, once they had stopped them from war;

**324** τὼ δʼ ἀνʼ ὅμιλον ἰόντε κυδοίμεον, ὡς ὅτε κάπρω  
and the pair ranged through the throng in havoc, as when two boars
> The fighting pair: The pronoun τώ and participle ἰόντε are dual, marking Diomedes and Odysseus as a coordinated pair. The verb then pictures the two of them together throwing the Trojan mass into confusion.

**325** ἐν κυσὶ θηρευτῇσι μέγα φρονέοντε πέσητον·  
fall among hunting dogs, proud in heart;

**326** ὣς ὄλεκον Τρῶας πάλιν ὀρμένω· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ  
so they wheeled and destroyed the Trojans; and the Achaeans,

**327** ἀσπασίως φεύγοντες ἀνέπνεον Ἕκτορα δῖον.  
gladly fleeing godlike Hector, caught their breath again.

**328** ἔνθʼ ἑλέτην δίφρόν τε καὶ ἀνέρε δήμου ἀρίστω  
There they took a chariot and two men, the best of the people —

**329** υἷε δύω Μέροπος Περκωσίου, ὃς περὶ πάντων  
two sons of Merops of Percote, who beyond all men

**330** ᾔδεε μαντοσύνας, οὐδὲ οὓς παῖδας ἔασκε  
knew the arts of prophecy, and would not let his own sons

**331** στείχειν ἐς πόλεμον φθισήνορα· τὼ δέ οἱ οὔ τι  
go into man-destroying war; but the two of them would not

**332** πειθέσθην· κῆρες γὰρ ἄγον μέλανος θανάτοιο.  
obey him, for the fates of black death led them on.

**333** τοὺς μὲν Τυδεΐδης δουρικλειτὸς Διομήδης  
Diomedes, son of Tydeus, famed with the spear,

**334** θυμοῦ καὶ ψυχῆς κεκαδὼν κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ ἀπηύρα·  
robbed them of spirit and life, and stripped their splendid armor;

**335** Ἱππόδαμον δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ Ὑπείροχον ἐξενάριξεν.  
and Odysseus stripped and killed Hippodamus and Hypeirochus.

**336** ἔνθά σφιν κατὰ ἶσα μάχην ἐτάνυσσε Κρονίων  
Then the son of Cronos stretched the battle level between them,

**337** ἐξ Ἴδης καθορῶν· τοὶ δʼ ἀλλήλους ἐνάριζον.  
looking down from Ida; and they kept killing one another.

**338** ἤτοι Τυδέος υἱὸς Ἀγάστροφον οὔτασε δουρὶ  
Then the son of Tydeus wounded Agastrophus with his spear,

**339** Παιονίδην ἥρωα κατʼ ἰσχίον· οὐ δέ οἱ ἵπποι  
the hero son of Paeon, at the hip; but his horses were not

**340** ἐγγὺς ἔσαν προφυγεῖν, ἀάσατο δὲ μέγα θυμῷ.  
near for his escape, for he had been deeply blinded in heart.
> Deluded in his own heart: ἀάσατο is middle voice: Agastrophus acted under ruinous blindness in his own heart. The next lines explain the mistake — he left his team far away and fought on foot.

**341** τοὺς μὲν γὰρ θεράπων ἀπάνευθʼ ἔχεν, αὐτὰρ ὃ πεζὸς  
His attendant held them far off, while he on foot

**342** θῦνε διὰ προμάχων, εἷος φίλον ὤλεσε θυμόν.  
charged through the front ranks until he lost his dear life.

**343** Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὀξὺ νόησε κατὰ στίχας, ὦρτο δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς  
Hector saw them quickly through the ranks and rushed upon them,

**344** κεκλήγων· ἅμα δὲ Τρώων εἵποντο φάλαγγες.  
shouting aloud; and the strong battalions of Trojans followed with him.

**345** τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν ῥίγησε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης,  
Seeing him, Diomedes, good at the war-cry, shuddered,
> Diomedes shudders: ῥίγησε states a physical shudder at Hector's oncoming mass. The reaction does not make Diomedes flee: his next words call for both men to stand and defend themselves.

**346** αἶψα δʼ Ὀδυσσῆα προσεφώνεεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντα·  
and at once he spoke to Odysseus standing near:

**347** νῶϊν δὴ τόδε πῆμα κυλίνδεται ὄβριμος Ἕκτωρ·  
"Upon us now this ruin rolls — mighty Hector.

**348** ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ στέωμεν καὶ ἀλεξώμεσθα μένοντες.  
Come, let us stand and defend ourselves, holding our ground."

**349** ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἀμπεπαλὼν προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος  
So he spoke, and poising it, hurled his long-shadowed spear,

**350** καὶ βάλεν, οὐδʼ ἀφάμαρτε τιτυσκόμενος κεφαλῆφιν,  
and struck; nor did he miss as he aimed at Hector's head,

**351** ἄκρην κὰκ κόρυθα· πλάγχθη δʼ ἀπὸ χαλκόφι χαλκός,  
but hit the helmet's crown; bronze glanced away from bronze

**352** οὐδʼ ἵκετο χρόα καλόν· ἐρύκακε γὰρ τρυφάλεια  
and did not reach his fair skin, for the helmet checked it —

**353** τρίπτυχος αὐλῶπις, τήν οἱ πόρε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων.  
three-ply and hollow-eyed, which Phoebus Apollo had given him.
> Hector's three-ply helmet: τρίπτυχος makes the helmet three-layered or threefold, while αὐλῶπις describes its hollow, tube-like openings. The armor turns the spearhead before it reaches Hector's skin.

**354** Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὦκʼ ἀπέλεθρον ἀνέδραμε, μίκτο δʼ ὁμίλῳ,  
Hector ran far back at once and merged with the throng;

**355** στῆ δὲ γνὺξ ἐριπὼν καὶ ἐρείσατο χειρὶ παχείῃ  
he fell to his knees and braced his thick hand

**356** γαίης· ἀμφὶ δὲ ὄσσε κελαινὴ νὺξ ἐκάλυψεν.  
against the earth, and dark night covered his eyes.
> Dark night over the eyes: The darkness here marks Hector's stunned loss of awareness, not death. He recovers his breath while Diomedes goes after the spear and then escapes by chariot.

**357** ὄφρα δὲ Τυδεΐδης μετὰ δούρατος ᾤχετʼ ἐρωὴν  
While the son of Tydeus went after the flight of his spear

**358** τῆλε διὰ προμάχων, ὅθι οἱ καταείσατο γαίης  
far through the front ranks, where it had sunk into the earth,

**359** τόφρʼ Ἕκτωρ ἔμπνυτο, καὶ ἂψ ἐς δίφρον ὀρούσας  
Hector meanwhile regained his breath, sprang back into his chariot,

**360** ἐξέλασʼ ἐς πληθύν, καὶ ἀλεύατο κῆρα μέλαιναν.  
and drove into the multitude, escaping black death.

**361** δουρὶ δʼ ἐπαΐσσων προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης·  
Rushing at him with his spear, mighty Diomedes spoke:

**362** ἐξ αὖ νῦν ἔφυγες θάνατον κύον· ἦ τέ τοι ἄγχι  
"Again now you have escaped death, dog, though evil came

**363** ἦλθε κακόν· νῦν αὖτέ σʼ ἐρύσατο Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων  
close to you. Now once more Phoebus Apollo has saved you,

**364** ᾧ μέλλεις εὔχεσθαι ἰὼν ἐς δοῦπον ἀκόντων.  
to whom you must pray whenever you enter the din of spears.

**365** ἦ θήν σʼ ἐξανύω γε καὶ ὕστερον ἀντιβολήσας,  
Surely I shall finish you later, when I meet you again,
> A threat carried forward: The present ἐξανύω has future force in Diomedes' threat, while the aorist participle ἀντιβολήσας makes the next meeting the condition for its fulfillment: he will finish Hector when he meets him again.

**366** εἴ πού τις καὶ ἔμοιγε θεῶν ἐπιτάρροθός ἐστι.  
if some god also stands as helper beside me.

**367** νῦν αὖ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐπιείσομαι, ὅν κε κιχείω.  
For now I shall fall upon the others, whoever I meet."

**368** ἦ, καὶ Παιονίδην δουρὶ κλυτὸν ἐξενάριζεν.  
He spoke, and stripped the son of Paeon, famed with the spear.

**369** αὐτὰρ Ἀλέξανδρος Ἑλένης πόσις ἠϋκόμοιο  
But Paris, husband of lovely-haired Helen,

**370** Τυδεΐδῃ ἔπι τόξα τιταίνετο ποιμένι λαῶν,  
drew his bow against the son of Tydeus, shepherd of the people,

**371** στήλῃ κεκλιμένος ἀνδροκμήτῳ ἐπὶ τύμβῳ  
leaning against a man-made pillar upon the burial mound

**372** Ἴλου Δαρδανίδαο, παλαιοῦ δημογέροντος.  
of Ilus, son of Dardanus, an elder of long ago.

**373** ἤτοι ὃ μὲν θώρηκα Ἀγαστρόφου ἰφθίμοιο  
Diomedes was stripping the corselet from mighty Agastrophus'

**374** αἴνυτʼ ἀπὸ στήθεσφι παναίολον ἀσπίδα τʼ ὤμων  
chest, the gleaming shield from his shoulders,

**375** καὶ κόρυθα βριαρήν· ὃ δὲ τόξου πῆχυν ἄνελκε  
and the heavy helmet; but Paris drew back the bow's stave

**376** καὶ βάλεν, οὐδʼ ἄρα μιν ἅλιον βέλος ἔκφυγε χειρός,  
and shot. The shaft did not fly vainly from his hand,

**377** ταρσὸν δεξιτεροῖο ποδός· διὰ δʼ ἀμπερὲς ἰὸς  
but struck the sole of his right foot; straight through went the arrow
> The right foot: ταρσός here is the sole or broad underside of the foot. Paris' arrow passes completely through Diomedes' right foot and pins itself into the ground beneath it.

**378** ἐν γαίῃ κατέπηκτο· ὃ δὲ μάλα ἡδὺ γελάσσας  
and fixed itself in the earth. Then Paris laughed very sweetly,

**379** ἐκ λόχου ἀμπήδησε καὶ εὐχόμενος ἔπος ηὔδα·  
sprang up from his ambush, and spoke a word in triumph:

**380** βέβληαι οὐδʼ ἅλιον βέλος ἔκφυγεν· ὡς ὄφελόν τοι  
"You are hit, and my shaft did not fly in vain. Would that I had

**381** νείατον ἐς κενεῶνα βαλὼν ἐκ θυμὸν ἑλέσθαι.  
struck you in the lowest belly and torn the life from you.

**382** οὕτω κεν καὶ Τρῶες ἀνέπνευσαν κακότητος,  
Then the Trojans too would have breathed again from misery,

**383** οἵ τέ σε πεφρίκασι λέονθʼ ὡς μηκάδες αἶγες.  
for they shudder at you as bleating goats shudder at a lion."

**384** τὸν δʼ οὐ ταρβήσας προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης·  
But mighty Diomedes answered him without fear:

**385** τοξότα λωβητὴρ κέρᾳ ἀγλαὲ παρθενοπῖπα  
"Archer, mocker, proud of your bow, girl-ogler —
> Diomedes' fourfold insult: Diomedes piles four taunts on Paris: archer, reviler, one who glories in the bow, and watcher of girls. The last word attacks Paris as a spectator and seducer rather than a fighter who meets men face-to-face.

**386** εἰ μὲν δὴ ἀντίβιον σὺν τεύχεσι πειρηθείης,  
if you were tested face-to-face with your armor,
> A hypothetical challenge: πειρηθείης is an aorist passive optative after εἰ. Diomedes imagines the possibility of Paris being put to the test in open combat instead of shooting from ambush.

**387** οὐκ ἄν τοι χραίσμῃσι βιὸς καὶ ταρφέες ἰοί·  
your bow and crowded arrows would not protect you.

**388** νῦν δέ μʼ ἐπιγράψας ταρσὸν ποδὸς εὔχεαι αὔτως.  
Now you have only grazed the sole of my foot, and you boast in vain.

**389** οὐκ ἀλέγω, ὡς εἴ με γυνὴ βάλοι ἢ πάϊς ἄφρων·  
I care no more than if a woman struck me, or a witless child,

**390** κωφὸν γὰρ βέλος ἀνδρὸς ἀνάλκιδος οὐτιδανοῖο.  
for dull is the shaft of a cowardly, worthless man.

**391** ἦ τʼ ἄλλως ὑπʼ ἐμεῖο, καὶ εἴ κʼ ὀλίγον περ ἐπαύρῃ,  
But a shaft from me is otherwise: even if it merely grazes,

**392** ὀξὺ βέλος πέλεται, καὶ ἀκήριον αἶψα τίθησι.  
it is sharp, and swiftly makes a man lifeless.

**393** τοῦ δὲ γυναικὸς μέν τʼ ἀμφίδρυφοί εἰσι παρειαί,  
His wife's cheeks are torn on both sides,

**394** παῖδες δʼ ὀρφανικοί· ὃ δέ θʼ αἵματι γαῖαν ἐρεύθων  
and his children are orphans; staining the earth red with blood,

**395** πύθεται, οἰωνοὶ δὲ περὶ πλέες ἠὲ γυναῖκες.  
he rots, and the birds around him are more numerous than the women."

**396** ὣς φάτο, τοῦ δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς δουρικλυτὸς ἐγγύθεν ἐλθὼν  
So he spoke, and Odysseus, famed with the spear, came near

**397** ἔστη πρόσθʼ· ὃ δʼ ὄπισθε καθεζόμενος βέλος ὠκὺ  
and stood before him; behind, Diomedes sat and drew the swift shaft

**398** ἐκ ποδὸς ἕλκʼ, ὀδύνη δὲ διὰ χροὸς ἦλθʼ ἀλεγεινή.  
from his foot, and grievous pain passed through his flesh.

**399** ἐς δίφρον δʼ ἀνόρουσε, καὶ ἡνιόχῳ ἐπέτελλε  
He sprang into his chariot and ordered his charioteer

**400** νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐλαυνέμεν· ἤχθετο γὰρ κῆρ.  
to drive toward the hollow ships, for his heart was heavy.

**401** οἰώθη δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς δουρὶ κλυτός, οὐδέ τις αὐτῷ  
Odysseus, famed with the spear, was left alone, and no one
> Famed with the spear: The epithet praises Odysseus for renown won with the spear. It brings his martial strength to the front as he is left alone, alongside the cunning for which he is better known.

**402** Ἀργείων παρέμεινεν, ἐπεὶ φόβος ἔλλαβε πάντας·  
of the Argives remained beside him, since panic seized them all;

**403** ὀχθήσας δʼ ἄρα εἶπε πρὸς ὃν μεγαλήτορα θυμόν·  
then in anguish he spoke to his own great-hearted spirit:

**404** ὤ μοι ἐγὼ τί πάθω; μέγα μὲν κακὸν αἴ κε φέβωμαι  
"Ah me, what shall I do? It is a great evil if I flee

**405** πληθὺν ταρβήσας· τὸ δὲ ῥίγιον αἴ κεν ἁλώω  
in fear of the multitude; yet worse if I am taken

**406** μοῦνος· τοὺς δʼ ἄλλους Δαναοὺς ἐφόβησε Κρονίων.  
alone. The son of Cronos has routed the other Danaans.

**407** ἀλλὰ τί ἤ μοι ταῦτα φίλος διελέξατο θυμός;  
But why has my dear spirit debated this with me?

**408** οἶδα γὰρ ὅττι κακοὶ μὲν ἀποίχονται πολέμοιο,  
For I know that cowards withdraw from war,

**409** ὃς δέ κʼ ἀριστεύῃσι μάχῃ ἔνι τὸν δὲ μάλα χρεὼ  
but whoever wins excellence in battle must
> A general relative clause: The relative pronoun ὅς with κεν and the subjunctive ἀριστεύῃσι describes whoever may prove best in battle, not one named warrior. The construction states a general rule of heroic conduct.

**410** ἑστάμεναι κρατερῶς, ἤ τʼ ἔβλητʼ ἤ τʼ ἔβαλʼ ἄλλον.  
stand firm, whether he is struck or strikes another."

**411** εἷος ὃ ταῦθʼ ὥρμαινε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,  
While he pondered these things in mind and spirit,

**412** τόφρα δʼ ἐπὶ Τρώων στίχες ἤλυθον ἀσπιστάων,  
the ranks of shield-bearing Trojans came on

**413** ἔλσαν δʼ ἐν μέσσοισι, μετὰ σφίσι πῆμα τιθέντες.  
and penned him in among them, bringing ruin on themselves.

**414** ὡς δʼ ὅτε κάπριον ἀμφὶ κύνες θαλεροί τʼ αἰζηοὶ  
As when dogs and lusty young men rush around a boar,

**415** σεύωνται, ὃ δέ τʼ εἶσι βαθείης ἐκ ξυλόχοιο  
and he comes out from a deep thicket,

**416** θήγων λευκὸν ὀδόντα μετὰ γναμπτῇσι γένυσσιν,  
whetting his white tusk between his curving jaws,
> Whetting the white tusk: θήγων means sharpening or whetting. The boar works its white tusk between its curved jaws before the ring of hunters, making the comparison as physical and threatening as Odysseus' spear-work.

**417** ἀμφὶ δέ τʼ ἀΐσσονται, ὑπαὶ δέ τε κόμπος ὀδόντων  
and they dart around him, while beneath them the tusks clash

**418** γίγνεται, οἳ δὲ μένουσιν ἄφαρ δεινόν περ ἐόντα,  
and ring; yet they stand fast at once, terrible though he is —

**419** ὥς ῥα τότʼ ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆα Διῒ φίλον ἐσσεύοντο  
so then the Trojans rushed around Odysseus, dear to Zeus.

**420** Τρῶες· ὃ δὲ πρῶτον μὲν ἀμύμονα Δηϊοπίτην  
First he wounded blameless Deiopites,

**421** οὔτασεν ὦμον ὕπερθεν ἐπάλμενος ὀξέϊ δουρί,  
leaping upon him and stabbing his shoulder from above with his sharp spear;

**422** αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα Θόωνα καὶ Ἔννομον ἐξενάριξε.  
then after him he slew Thoon and Ennomus.

**423** Χερσιδάμαντα δʼ ἔπειτα καθʼ ἵππων ἀΐξαντα  
Then Chersidamas, as he sprang down from his chariot,

**424** δουρὶ κατὰ πρότμησιν ὑπʼ ἀσπίδος ὀμφαλοέσσης  
he stabbed with his spear in the lower belly beneath the bossed shield;
> A thrust to the lower belly: πρότμησις marks the lower front of the belly, exposed beneath the shield's edge as Chersidamas jumps down. Homer locates the spear-thrust precisely rather than merely saying that the man was wounded.

**425** νύξεν· ὃ δʼ ἐν κονίῃσι πεσὼν ἕλε γαῖαν ἀγοστῷ.  
he fell in the dust and clutched the earth in his palm.

**426** τοὺς μὲν ἔασʼ, ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ Ἱππασίδην Χάροπʼ οὔτασε δουρὶ  
He left those men, then wounded Charops, son of Hippasus, with his spear,

**427** αὐτοκασίγνητον εὐηφενέος Σώκοιο.  
the own brother of wealthy Socus.

**428** τῷ δʼ ἐπαλεξήσων Σῶκος κίεν ἰσόθεος φώς,  
To defend him came Socus, a godlike hero;

**429** στῆ δὲ μάλʼ ἐγγὺς ἰὼν καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν  
he came and stood very near, and spoke a word to him:

**430** ὦ Ὀδυσεῦ πολύαινε δόλων ἆτʼ ἠδὲ πόνοιο  
"Odysseus, much-praised, insatiate in guile and toil,
> Praise turned into a taunt: πολύαινος, much-praised, is a genuine honorific for Odysseus, but Socus couples it with being insatiable in guile and toil. The line makes the hero's endurance and cunning sound predatory in an enemy's mouth.

**431** σήμερον ἢ δοιοῖσιν ἐπεύξεαι Ἱππασίδῃσι  
today either you will boast over the two sons of Hippasus,

**432** τοιώδʼ ἄνδρε κατακτείνας καὶ τεύχεʼ ἀπούρας,  
after killing two such men as us and stripping our armor,

**433** ἤ κεν ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἀπὸ θυμὸν ὀλέσσῃς.  
or, struck beneath my spear, you will lose your life."

**434** ὣς εἰπὼν οὔτησε κατʼ ἀσπίδα πάντοσʼ ἐΐσην.  
So speaking, he struck the shield, round on every side.

**435** διὰ μὲν ἀσπίδος ἦλθε φαεινῆς ὄβριμον ἔγχος,  
Through the shining shield went the mighty spear,

**436** καὶ διὰ θώρηκος πολυδαιδάλου ἠρήρειστο,  
and through the corselet, richly worked, it drove on,

**437** πάντα δʼ ἀπὸ πλευρῶν χρόα ἔργαθεν, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἔασε  
and tore all the flesh away from his ribs; nor did

**438** Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίη μιχθήμεναι ἔγκασι φωτός.  
Pallas Athena allow it to mingle with the man's entrails.

**439** γνῶ δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς ὅ οἱ οὔ τι τέλος κατακαίριον ἦλθεν,  
Odysseus knew that no fatal end had reached him,

**440** ἂψ δʼ ἀναχωρήσας Σῶκον πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·  
and, drawing back, he spoke a word to Socus:

**441** ἆ δείλʼ ἦ μάλα δή σε κιχάνεται αἰπὺς ὄλεθρος.  
"Ah, wretch, sheer destruction is surely overtaking you.

**442** ἤτοι μέν ῥʼ ἔμʼ ἔπαυσας ἐπὶ Τρώεσσι μάχεσθαι·  
You have indeed stopped me from fighting among the Trojans;

**443** σοὶ δʼ ἐγὼ ἐνθάδε φημὶ φόνον καὶ κῆρα μέλαιναν  
But for you I declare that slaughter and black doom

**444** ἤματι τῷδʼ ἔσσεσθαι, ἐμῷ δʼ ὑπὸ δουρὶ δαμέντα  
will be here this day; struck down beneath my spear,

**445** εὖχος ἐμοὶ δώσειν, ψυχὴν δʼ Ἄϊδι κλυτοπώλῳ.  
you will give glory to me, and your life to Hades of the famous horses."
> Hades of the famous horses: κλυτοπώλος is Hades' rare horse-epithet, built from words for fame and horse or foal. The fixed phrase gives the underworld god the same concrete honorific force as a warrior.

**446** ἦ, καὶ ὃ μὲν φύγαδʼ αὖτις ὑποστρέψας ἐβεβήκει,  
He spoke, and Socus turned again and fled,

**447** τῷ δὲ μεταστρεφθέντι μεταφρένῳ ἐν δόρυ πῆξεν  
As he turned, Odysseus planted the spear into his back
> The turn comes first: μεταστρεφθέντι is an aorist passive participle used in an intransitive sense, referring to Socus after he has turned away. Odysseus then drives the spear into the back of the fleeing man.

**448** ὤμων μεσσηγύς, διὰ δὲ στήθεσφιν ἔλασσε,  
between the shoulders, and drove it through his chest;

**449** δούπησεν δὲ πεσών· ὃ δʼ ἐπεύξατο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·  
he fell with a thud, and godlike Odysseus vaunted over him:

**450** ὦ Σῶχʼ Ἱππάσου υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἱπποδάμοιο  
"Socus, son of Hippasus the war-skilled tamer of horses,

**451** φθῆ σε τέλος θανάτοιο κιχήμενον, οὐδʼ ὑπάλυξας.  
death's end was first to overtake you, and you did not escape it.

**452** ἆ δείλʼ οὐ μὲν σοί γε πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ  
Wretch, your father and queenly mother will not

**453** ὄσσε καθαιρήσουσι θανόντι περ, ἀλλʼ οἰωνοὶ  
close your eyes, though you are dead, but birds

**454** ὠμησταὶ ἐρύουσι, περὶ πτερὰ πυκνὰ βαλόντες.  
that eat raw flesh will tear you, wrapping thick wings around you.

**455** αὐτὰρ ἔμʼ, εἴ κε θάνω, κτεριοῦσί γε δῖοι Ἀχαιοί.  
But if I die, the godlike Achaeans will bury me."

**456** ὣς εἰπὼν Σώκοιο δαΐφρονος ὄβριμον ἔγχος  
So speaking, he drew warlike Socus' mighty spear

**457** ἔξω τε χροὸς ἕλκε καὶ ἀσπίδος ὀμφαλοέσσης·  
out of his flesh and out of the bossed shield;

**458** αἷμα δέ οἱ σπασθέντος ἀνέσσυτο, κῆδε δὲ θυμόν.  
blood spurted up as it was drawn, and troubled his spirit.
> Blood follows the spear: The blood spurts upward only when Odysseus pulls the spear free. The sequence matters: Athena has spared his entrails, but removing the weapon opens the wound and brings immediate danger.

**459** Τρῶες δὲ μεγάθυμοι ὅπως ἴδον αἷμʼ Ὀδυσῆος  
When the great-hearted Trojans saw Odysseus' blood,

**460** κεκλόμενοι καθʼ ὅμιλον ἐπʼ αὐτῷ πάντες ἔβησαν.  
calling through the throng, they all advanced upon him.

**461** αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἐξοπίσω ἀνεχάζετο, αὖε δʼ ἑταίρους.  
But he gave ground backward and called to his companions.

**462** τρὶς μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἤϋσεν ὅσον κεφαλὴ χάδε φωτός,  
Three times he shouted as loud as a man's head could hold,
> A headful of voice: The compressed formula says that Odysseus cries as much as a man's head can contain. The bodily measure makes this a full-voiced battlefield call, repeated three times.

**463** τρὶς δʼ ἄϊεν ἰάχοντος ἄρηι φίλος Μενέλαος.  
and three times Menelaus, dear to Ares, heard his cry.

**464** αἶψα δʼ ἄρʼ Αἴαντα προσεφώνεεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντα·  
At once he called to Ajax, who was near:

**465** Αἶαν διογενὲς Τελαμώνιε κοίρανε λαῶν  
"Ajax, sprung from Zeus, son of Telamon, marshal of men,
> Four vocatives for Ajax: Ajax's name and three titles all stand in the vocative case: Ajax, sprung from Zeus, son of Telamon, marshal of men. The piled address gives urgency and identifies the greater Ajax without ambiguity.

**466** ἀμφί μʼ Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος ἵκετʼ ἀϋτὴ  
the cry of stout-hearted Odysseus has reached me,
> Stout-hearted Odysseus: ταλασίφρων means enduring in spirit or mind. It is a standing Odyssean epithet that suits this scene precisely: wounded and isolated, Odysseus still holds his ground and calls for aid.

**467** τῷ ἰκέλη ὡς εἴ ἑ βιῴατο μοῦνον ἐόντα  
as if the Trojans were overpowering him there alone,

**468** Τρῶες ἀποτμήξαντες ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ.  
cutting him off in the furious battle.

**469** ἀλλʼ ἴομεν καθʼ ὅμιλον· ἀλεξέμεναι γὰρ ἄμεινον.  
But let us go through the throng; it is better to defend him.

**470** δείδω μή τι πάθῃσιν ἐνὶ Τρώεσσι μονωθεὶς  
I fear he may suffer harm among the Trojans, left alone,

**471** ἐσθλὸς ἐών, μεγάλη δὲ ποθὴ Δαναοῖσι γένηται.  
noble as he is, and great longing come upon the Danaans."

**472** ὣς εἰπὼν ὃ μὲν ἦρχʼ, ὃ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕσπετο ἰσόθεος φώς.  
So speaking, Menelaus led, and the godlike hero followed with him.

**473** εὗρον ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆα Διῒ φίλον· ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτὸν  
Then they found Odysseus, dear to Zeus; around him

**474** Τρῶες ἕπονθʼ ὡς εἴ τε δαφοινοὶ θῶες ὄρεσφιν  
the Trojans pressed like blood-red jackals in the mountains
> Blood-red jackals: δαφοινός evokes the tawny red of blood, while θῶες are jackals or similar wild scavengers. The comparison casts the massed Trojans as a hungry pack closing on a wounded quarry.

**475** ἀμφʼ ἔλαφον κεραὸν βεβλημένον, ὅν τʼ ἔβαλʼ ἀνὴρ  
around a horned stag that has been wounded, one a man struck

**476** ἰῷ ἀπὸ νευρῆς· τὸν μέν τʼ ἤλυξε πόδεσσι  
with an arrow from the string; the stag escaped him on foot

**477** φεύγων, ὄφρʼ αἷμα λιαρὸν καὶ γούνατʼ ὀρώρῃ·  
as it fled, while its blood was warm and its knees still moved;

**478** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τόν γε δαμάσσεται ὠκὺς ὀϊστός,  
but when the swift arrow overpowers it,

**479** ὠμοφάγοι μιν θῶες ἐν οὔρεσι δαρδάπτουσιν  
raw-flesh-eating jackals devour it in the mountains

**480** ἐν νέμεϊ σκιερῷ· ἐπί τε λῖν ἤγαγε δαίμων  
in a shady woodland; then a god brings a lion against them,

**481** σίντην· θῶες μέν τε διέτρεσαν, αὐτὰρ ὃ δάπτει·  
a ravager; the jackals scatter, but the lion devours the stag.

**482** ὥς ῥα τότʼ ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆα δαΐφρονα ποικιλομήτην  
So then around Odysseus, skilled in war and intricate in counsel,
> Warcraft and intricate counsel: Two epithets are paired in the accusative. δαΐφρων marks Odysseus as skilled in the work of battle, while ποικιλομήτης praises a mind of intricate, many-patterned counsel.

**483** Τρῶες ἕπον πολλοί τε καὶ ἄλκιμοι, αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἥρως  
many brave Trojans pressed, but the hero

**484** ἀΐσσων ᾧ ἔγχει ἀμύνετο νηλεὲς ἦμαρ.  
darting with his spear, held off the pitiless day.

**485** Αἴας δʼ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθε φέρων σάκος ἠΰτε πύργον,  
Ajax came near, bearing a shield like a tower,
> A shield like a tower: Ajax's great shield is likened to a defensive tower. Its arrival changes the scene at once: the moving wall covers wounded Odysseus and breaks the Trojan ring.

**486** στῆ δὲ παρέξ· Τρῶες δὲ διέτρεσαν ἄλλυδις ἄλλος.  
and stood beside him; the Trojans scattered, each a different way.

**487** ἤτοι τὸν Μενέλαος ἀρήϊος ἔξαγʼ ὁμίλου  
Then Menelaus, dear to Ares, led Odysseus out of the throng

**488** χειρὸς ἔχων, εἷος θεράπων σχεδὸν ἤλασεν ἵππους.  
holding him by the hand, while an attendant drove the horses near.

**489** Αἴας δὲ Τρώεσσιν ἐπάλμενος εἷλε Δόρυκλον  
Ajax leapt upon the Trojans and slew Doryclus,

**490** Πριαμίδην νόθον υἱόν, ἔπειτα δὲ Πάνδοκον οὖτα,  
Priam's bastard son; then he wounded Pandocus,

**491** οὖτα δὲ Λύσανδρον καὶ Πύρασον ἠδὲ Πυλάρτην.  
and wounded Lysander, Pyrasus, and Pylartes.

**492** ὡς δʼ ὁπότε πλήθων ποταμὸς πεδίον δὲ κάτεισι  
As when a river in flood comes down toward the plain,
> Opening a full simile: ὡς with ὁπότε opens an extended comparison: Ajax's charge will be matched to a swollen mountain river. The answering ὥς that brings the poem back to Ajax comes at line 496.

**493** χειμάρρους κατʼ ὄρεσφιν ὀπαζόμενος Διὸς ὄμβρῳ,  
a mountain torrent from the hills, fed by the rain of Zeus,

**494** πολλὰς δὲ δρῦς ἀζαλέας, πολλὰς δέ τε πεύκας  
and sweeps along many dry oaks and many pines,

**495** ἐσφέρεται, πολλὸν δέ τʼ ἀφυσγετὸν εἰς ἅλα βάλλει,  
and casts a great mass of driftwood into the sea,
> The river's wreckage: ἀφυσγετός is the mass of broken wood and debris swept up by the flood. The image makes Ajax's victims the wreckage carried helplessly across the plain.

**496** ὣς ἔφεπε κλονέων πεδίον τότε φαίδιμος Αἴας,  
so glorious Ajax drove them in rout across the plain,

**497** δαΐζων ἵππους τε καὶ ἀνέρας· οὐδέ πω Ἕκτωρ  
slaughtering horses and men. Hector had not yet

**498** πεύθετʼ, ἐπεί ῥα μάχης ἐπʼ ἀριστερὰ μάρνατο πάσης  
learned of it, for he fought on the far left of the whole battle,

**499** ὄχθας πὰρ ποταμοῖο Σκαμάνδρου, τῇ ῥα μάλιστα  
beside the banks of the river Scamander, where most of all

**500** ἀνδρῶν πῖπτε κάρηνα, βοὴ δʼ ἄσβεστος ὀρώρει  
the heads of men were falling and an unceasing cry had risen

**501** Νέστορά τʼ ἀμφὶ μέγαν καὶ ἀρήϊον Ἰδομενῆα.  
around great Nestor and warlike Idomeneus.

**502** Ἕκτωρ μὲν μετὰ τοῖσιν ὁμίλει μέρμερα ῥέζων  
Hector moved among them, working terrible deeds

**503** ἔγχεΐ θʼ ἱπποσύνῃ τε, νέων δʼ ἀλάπαζε φάλαγγας·  
with spear and horsemanship, and ravaged the ranks of young men.
> Hector's horsemanship: ἱπποσύνη is skill with horses and chariot-driving. Hector's attack here joins that chariot skill to the spear; the line does not make him mounted cavalry.

**504** οὐδʼ ἄν πω χάζοντο κελεύθου δῖοι Ἀχαιοὶ  
Nor would the godlike Achaeans yet have yielded from their path

**505** εἰ μὴ Ἀλέξανδρος Ἑλένης πόσις ἠϋκόμοιο  
if Paris, husband of lovely-haired Helen,

**506** παῦσεν ἀριστεύοντα Μαχάονα ποιμένα λαῶν,  
had not checked Machaon, shepherd of the people, in his triumph,

**507** ἰῷ τριγλώχινι βαλὼν κατὰ δεξιὸν ὦμον.  
striking his right shoulder with a triple-barbed arrow.
> A triple-barbed arrow: τριγλώχινος describes an arrowhead furnished with three barbs or points. Paris strikes Machaon specifically in the right shoulder, a wound that prompts the healer's immediate removal from battle.

**508** τῷ ῥα περίδεισαν μένεα πνείοντες Ἀχαιοὶ  
Then the Achaeans, breathing fury, feared greatly for him,

**509** μή πώς μιν πολέμοιο μετακλινθέντος ἕλοιεν.  
lest somehow, as the battle turned, the Trojans seize him.

**510** αὐτίκα δʼ Ἰδομενεὺς προσεφώνεε Νέστορα δῖον·  
At once Idomeneus called to godlike Nestor:

**511** ὦ Νέστορ Νηληϊάδη μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιῶν  
"Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans,
> Nestor in direct address: The particle ὦ and the vocative Νέστορ mark direct address. The patronymic and the phrase “great glory of the Achaeans” stand beside his name as further titles in the same urgent summons.

**512** ἄγρει σῶν ὀχέων ἐπιβήσεο, πὰρ δὲ Μαχάων  
come, mount your chariot, and let Machaon beside you

**513** βαινέτω, ἐς νῆας δὲ τάχιστʼ ἔχε μώνυχας ἵππους·  
mount too; drive the single-hoofed horses swiftly to the ships.

**514** ἰητρὸς γὰρ ἀνὴρ πολλῶν ἀντάξιος ἄλλων  
For one healer is worth many other men

**515** ἰούς τʼ ἐκτάμνειν ἐπί τʼ ἤπια φάρμακα πάσσειν.  
for cutting out arrows and sprinkling on soothing medicines."

**516** ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ.  
So he spoke, and Nestor, the Gerenian horseman, did not disobey.

**517** αὐτίκα δʼ ὧν ὀχέων ἐπεβήσετο, πὰρ δὲ Μαχάων  
At once he mounted his own chariot, and beside him Machaon

**518** βαῖνʼ Ἀσκληπιοῦ υἱὸς ἀμύμονος ἰητῆρος·  
mounted, son of Asclepius, the blameless healer.

**519** μάστιξεν δʼ ἵππους, τὼ δʼ οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην  
he lashed them, and the pair flew onward willingly

**520** νῆας ἔπι γλαφυράς· τῇ γὰρ φίλον ἔπλετο θυμῷ.  
toward the hollow ships, for that way pleased their hearts.

**521** Κεβριόνης δὲ Τρῶας ὀρινομένους ἐνόησεν  
Then Cebriones saw the Trojans being driven in rout

**522** Ἕκτορι παρβεβαώς, καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·  
as he stood beside Hector, and he spoke to him:

**523** Ἕκτορ νῶϊ μὲν ἐνθάδʼ ὁμιλέομεν Δαναοῖσιν  
"Hector, we two are fighting the Danaans here
> We two: νῶϊ is the first-person dual pronoun, “we two.” Cebriones singles out himself and Hector as the pair fighting on this edge of the battle before contrasting them with the rest of the Trojans.

**524** ἐσχατιῇ πολέμοιο δυσηχέος· οἳ δὲ δὴ ἄλλοι  
at the edge of the harsh-sounding war; but all the other

**525** Τρῶες ὀρίνονται ἐπιμὶξ ἵπποι τε καὶ αὐτοί.  
Trojans are driven pell-mell, horses and men alike.

**526** Αἴας δὲ κλονέει Τελαμώνιος· εὖ δέ μιν ἔγνων·  
Ajax, son of Telamon, is routing them; I know him well,

**527** εὐρὺ γὰρ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισιν ἔχει σάκος· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμεῖς  
for the shield spread broad about his shoulders. But let us too

**528** κεῖσʼ ἵππους τε καὶ ἅρμʼ ἰθύνομεν, ἔνθα μάλιστα  
steer the horses and chariot there, where most of all

**529** ἱππῆες πεζοί τε κακὴν ἔριδα προβαλόντες  
chariot-fighters and footmen have set bitter strife before them

**530** ἀλλήλους ὀλέκουσι, βοὴ δʼ ἄσβεστος ὄρωρεν.  
and kill one another, and an unceasing cry has risen."

**531** ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἵμασεν καλλίτριχας ἵππους  
So speaking, he lashed the lovely-maned horses

**532** μάστιγι λιγυρῇ· τοὶ δὲ πληγῆς ἀΐοντες  
with the shrill whip; and when they felt the blow,

**533** ῥίμφʼ ἔφερον θοὸν ἅρμα μετὰ Τρῶας καὶ Ἀχαιοὺς  
they swiftly bore the racing chariot among Trojans and Achaeans,

**534** στείβοντες νέκυάς τε καὶ ἀσπίδας· αἵματι δʼ ἄξων  
trampling corpses and shields; and with blood the axle

**535** νέρθεν ἅπας πεπάλακτο καὶ ἄντυγες αἳ περὶ δίφρον,  
beneath was wholly spattered, and the rails around the chariot,

**536** ἃς ἄρʼ ἀφʼ ἱππείων ὁπλέων ῥαθάμιγγες ἔβαλλον  
struck by droplets flung from the horses' hooves

**537** αἵ τʼ ἀπʼ ἐπισσώτρων. ὃ δὲ ἵετο δῦναι ὅμιλον  
and from the wheel rims. Hector yearned to plunge into the throng

**538** ἀνδρόμεον ῥῆξαί τε μετάλμενος· ἐν δὲ κυδοιμὸν  
of men and break it open with his charge; and he cast savage turmoil

**539** ἧκε κακὸν Δαναοῖσι, μίνυνθα δὲ χάζετο δουρός.  
among the Danaans, and gave his spear little rest.

**540** αὐτὰρ ὃ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπεπωλεῖτο στίχας ἀνδρῶν  
But he ranged through the ranks of the other men
> Ranging through the ranks: The verb pictures a commander moving through and along ordered ranks. This whole Greek line exactly repeats 11.264, so its English is repeated without variation.

**541** ἔγχεΐ τʼ ἄορί τε μεγάλοισί τε χερμαδίοισιν,  
with spear and sword and great stones,

**542** Αἴαντος δʼ ἀλέεινε μάχην Τελαμωνιάδαο.  
but he avoided battle with Ajax, son of Telamon.

**544** Ζεὺς δὲ πατὴρ Αἴανθʼ ὑψίζυγος ἐν φόβον ὦρσε·  
Then father Zeus, throned on high, roused Ajax into flight.

**545** στῆ δὲ ταφών, ὄπιθεν δὲ σάκος βάλεν ἑπταβόειον,  
He stood amazed, then slung behind him his sevenfold shield,
> The sevenfold shield: ἑπταβόειος means made from seven oxhides. The layered shield is Ajax's great defense throughout the retreat, receiving spear after spear while he moves backward.

**546** τρέσσε δὲ παπτήνας ἐφʼ ὁμίλου θηρὶ ἐοικὼς  
and drew back, glancing toward the host like a wild beast,

**547** ἐντροπαλιζόμενος ὀλίγον γόνυ γουνὸς ἀμείβων.  
turning again and again, giving ground one knee at a time.

**548** ὡς δʼ αἴθωνα λέοντα βοῶν ἀπὸ μεσσαύλοιο  
As dogs and country men drive a tawny lion
> Ajax as the driven lion: The comparison makes Ajax the lion kept from the cattle-yard, not the hunters who pursue it. Its long resistance, frustrated charge, and angry withdrawal preserve both his strength and his forced retreat.

**549** ἐσσεύαντο κύνες τε καὶ ἀνέρες ἀγροιῶται,  
away from the cattle-yard,

**550** οἵ τέ μιν οὐκ εἰῶσι βοῶν ἐκ πῖαρ ἑλέσθαι  
and will not let him seize the cattle's fat,

**551** πάννυχοι ἐγρήσσοντες· ὃ δὲ κρειῶν ἐρατίζων  
keeping watch all night; and craving flesh,

**552** ἰθύει, ἀλλʼ οὔ τι πρήσσει· θαμέες γὰρ ἄκοντες  
he charges straight on, but gains nothing, for spears in a mass

**553** ἀντίον ἀΐσσουσι θρασειάων ἀπὸ χειρῶν  
fly against him from bold hands,

**554** καιόμεναί τε δεταί, τάς τε τρεῖ ἐσσύμενός περ·  
and burning brands, which he fears, eager though he is;

**555** ἠῶθεν δʼ ἀπὸ νόσφιν ἔβη τετιηότι θυμῷ·  
and at dawn he goes away from them, grieving at heart;

**556** ὣς Αἴας τότʼ ἀπὸ Τρώων τετιημένος ἦτορ  
so Ajax then went from the Trojans, grieved at heart

**557** ἤϊε πόλλʼ ἀέκων· περὶ γὰρ δίε νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.  
and deeply unwilling, for he feared for the ships of the Achaeans.

**558** ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ὄνος παρʼ ἄρουραν ἰὼν ἐβιήσατο παῖδας  
And as a sluggish ass, passing beside a field, overpowers the boys,
> Ajax as the stubborn ass: A second simile shifts from the lion's grandeur to an ass whose mass and stubbornness defeat the boys' blows. The comparison is not mockery of cowardice: it stresses how hard Ajax is to move even under constant attack.

**559** νωθής, ᾧ δὴ πολλὰ περὶ ῥόπαλʼ ἀμφὶς ἐάγῃ,  
slow though he is, and many cudgels are broken around him,

**560** κείρει τʼ εἰσελθὼν βαθὺ λήϊον· οἳ δέ τε παῖδες  
and enters and crops the deep-standing grain; and the boys

**561** τύπτουσιν ῥοπάλοισι· βίη δέ τε νηπίη αὐτῶν·  
beat him with cudgels, but their strength is childish,

**562** σπουδῇ τʼ ἐξήλασσαν, ἐπεί τʼ ἐκορέσσατο φορβῆς·  
and with hard work they drive him out, once he is sated with fodder;

**563** ὣς τότʼ ἔπειτʼ Αἴαντα μέγαν Τελαμώνιον υἱὸν  
so then great Ajax, son of Telamon,

**564** Τρῶες ὑπέρθυμοι πολυηγερέες τʼ ἐπίκουροι  
the high-hearted Trojans and allies gathered from many lands

**565** νύσσοντες ξυστοῖσι μέσον σάκος αἰὲν ἕποντο.  
followed him always, thrusting their spears into the middle of his shield.

**566** Αἴας δʼ ἄλλοτε μὲν μνησάσκετο θούριδος ἀλκῆς  
At times Ajax remembered his furious valor
> Repeated turns to fight: The iterative -σκ- form presents an action repeated over time: Ajax kept remembering his valor and turning back. The matching iterative verbs in the next two lines make the retreat a cycle of standing and yielding, not a single flight.

**567** αὖτις ὑποστρεφθείς, καὶ ἐρητύσασκε φάλαγγας  
and turned again to hold back the ranks

**568** Τρώων ἱπποδάμων· ὁτὲ δὲ τρωπάσκετο φεύγειν.  
of the horse-taming Trojans; at other times he turned to flee.

**569** πάντας δὲ προέεργε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας ὁδεύειν,  
He kept them all from making their way to the swift ships,

**570** αὐτὸς δὲ Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν θῦνε μεσηγὺ  
while he himself charged midway between Trojans and Achaeans,

**571** ἱστάμενος· τὰ δὲ δοῦρα θρασειάων ἀπὸ χειρῶν  
standing his ground; and the spears from bold hands,

**572** ἄλλα μὲν ἐν σάκεϊ μεγάλῳ πάγεν ὄρμενα πρόσσω,  
some lodged in his great shield as they sped onward,

**573** πολλὰ δὲ καὶ μεσσηγύ, πάρος χρόα λευκὸν ἐπαυρεῖν,  
while many fell midway, before they could touch his white flesh,

**574** ἐν γαίῃ ἵσταντο λιλαιόμενα χροὸς ἆσαι.  
and stood in the earth, longing to glut themselves on flesh.

**575** τὸν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησʼ Εὐαίμονος ἀγλαὸς υἱὸς  
But when Eurypylus, the glorious son of Euaemon, saw Ajax

**576** Εὐρύπυλος πυκινοῖσι βιαζόμενον βελέεσσι,  
overborne by the thick rain of missiles,

**577** στῆ ῥα παρʼ αὐτὸν ἰών, καὶ ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ,  
he came and stood beside him, and cast his shining spear,

**578** καὶ βάλε Φαυσιάδην Ἀπισάονα ποιμένα λαῶν  
and struck Apisaon, son of Phausius, shepherd of the people,

**579** ἧπαρ ὑπὸ πραπίδων, εἶθαρ δʼ ὑπὸ γούνατʼ ἔλυσεν·  
in the liver below the midriff, and at once loosed his knees.
> The wound below the midriff: The spear reaches the liver beneath the diaphragm or midriff. Homer names both the organ and its bodily position before the familiar collapse formula, “loosed his knees.”

**580** Εὐρύπυλος δʼ ἐπόρουσε καὶ αἴνυτο τεύχεʼ ἀπʼ ὤμων.  
Eurypylus sprang upon him and stripped the armor from his shoulders.

**581** τὸν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησεν Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδὴς  
But when godlike Paris marked him

**582** τεύχεʼ ἀπαινύμενον Ἀπισάονος, αὐτίκα τόξον  
stripping the armor from Apisaon, at once he drew his bow

**583** ἕλκετʼ ἐπʼ Εὐρυπύλῳ, καί μιν βάλε μηρὸν ὀϊστῷ  
at Eurypylus, and struck him in the right thigh with an arrow;

**584** δεξιόν· ἐκλάσθη δὲ δόναξ, ἐβάρυνε δὲ μηρόν.  
the reed shaft broke, and the arrow weighed down his thigh.
> The broken reed shaft: δόναξ is the reed shaft of the arrow. The Greek says that it breaks and burdens Eurypylus' thigh; it does not specify here that a separate arrowhead remains in the wound.

**585** ἂψ δʼ ἑτάρων εἰς ἔθνος ἐχάζετο κῆρʼ ἀλεείνων,  
and he shrank back into the throng of his comrades, avoiding death.

**586** ἤϋσεν δὲ διαπρύσιον Δαναοῖσι γεγωνώς·  
There he cried in a piercing voice to the Danaans:

**587** ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες  
Friends, leaders and rulers of the Argives,

**588** στῆτʼ ἐλελιχθέντες καὶ ἀμύνετε νηλεὲς ἦμαρ  
turn and stand, and ward the pitiless day from
> Turn, stand, defend: The aorist imperative στῆτε and present imperative ἀμύνετε frame the order: take a stand, then keep defending. The intervening participle ἐλελιχθέντες adds the physical turn back toward Ajax.

**589** Αἴανθʼ, ὃς βελέεσσι βιάζεται, οὐδέ ἕ φημι  
Ajax, who is overborne by missiles; I do not think that he

**590** φεύξεσθʼ ἐκ πολέμοιο δυσηχέος· ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ἄντην  
will escape from the harsh-sounding war. Stand squarely

**591** ἵστασθʼ ἀμφʼ Αἴαντα μέγαν Τελαμώνιον υἱόν.  
around great Ajax, son of Telamon."

**592** ὣς ἔφατʼ Εὐρύπυλος βεβλημένος· οἳ δὲ παρʼ αὐτὸν  
So wounded Eurypylus spoke; and they beside him

**593** πλησίοι ἔστησαν σάκεʼ ὤμοισι κλίναντες  
stood close, leaning their shields upon their shoulders

**594** δούρατʼ ἀνασχόμενοι· τῶν δʼ ἀντίος ἤλυθεν Αἴας.  
and lifting their spears; and Ajax came to meet them.

**595** στῆ δὲ μεταστρεφθείς, ἐπεὶ ἵκετο ἔθνος ἑταίρων.  
He stood and turned about when he reached the host of his comrades.

**596** ὣς οἳ μὲν μάρναντο δέμας πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο·  
So they fought on, like the blaze of burning fire.
> Like burning fire: δέμας with the genitive gives a compressed comparison, “in form like burning fire.” The line closes the chunk with the whole battle blazing, not with either side yet victorious.

**597** Νέστορα δʼ ἐκ πολέμοιο φέρον Νηλήϊαι ἵπποι  
The horses of Neleus bore Nestor out of battle,

**598** ἱδρῶσαι, ἦγον δὲ Μαχάονα ποιμένα λαῶν.  
sweating, and they carried Machaon, shepherd of the people.

**599** τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν ἐνόησε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·  
Swift-footed godlike Achilles saw the wounded man and marked him;

**600** ἑστήκει γὰρ ἐπὶ πρυμνῇ μεγακήτεϊ νηῒ  
for he stood upon the stern of his huge ship,

**601** εἰσορόων πόνον αἰπὺν ἰῶκά τε δακρυόεσσαν.  
watching the battle's harsh toil and tearful rout.

**602** αἶψα δʼ ἑταῖρον ἑὸν Πατροκλῆα προσέειπε  
At once he called to his own companion Patroclus,

**603** φθεγξάμενος παρὰ νηός· ὃ δὲ κλισίηθεν ἀκούσας  
shouting from beside the ship; and hearing him from the hut,

**604** ἔκμολεν ἶσος Ἄρηϊ, κακοῦ δʼ ἄρα οἱ πέλεν ἀρχή.  
Patroclus came forth like Ares; and this was the beginning of evil for him.

**605** τὸν πρότερος προσέειπε Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱός·  
The valiant son of Menoetius spoke to him first:

**606** τίπτέ με κικλήσκεις Ἀχιλεῦ; τί δέ σε χρεὼ ἐμεῖο;  
"Why do you call me, Achilles? What need have you of me?"

**607** τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·  
Then swift-footed Achilles answered him and said:
> Achilles' inherited answer formula: The whole Greek line repeats earlier speech introductions for swift-footed Achilles. Its accepted English therefore returns unchanged, including the fuller formula “answered him and said.”

**608** δῖε Μενοιτιάδη τῷ ἐμῷ κεχαρισμένε θυμῷ  
"Godlike son of Menoetius, dearest to my heart,

**609** νῦν ὀΐω περὶ γούνατʼ ἐμὰ στήσεσθαι Ἀχαιοὺς  
now I think the Achaeans will stand about my knees

**610** λισσομένους· χρειὼ γὰρ ἱκάνεται οὐκέτʼ ἀνεκτός.  
begging me, for need has come that can no longer be borne.

**611** ἀλλʼ ἴθι νῦν Πάτροκλε Διῒ φίλε Νέστορʼ ἔρειο  
But go now, Patroclus, dear to Zeus, and ask Nestor

**612** ὅν τινα τοῦτον ἄγει βεβλημένον ἐκ πολέμοιο·  
what man this is he brings wounded from battle;

**613** ἤτοι μὲν τά γʼ ὄπισθε Μαχάονι πάντα ἔοικε  
surely, seen from behind, he is like Machaon in every way,

**614** τῷ Ἀσκληπιάδῃ, ἀτὰρ οὐκ ἴδον ὄμματα φωτός·  
the son of Asclepius; yet I did not see the man's eyes,

**615** ἵπποι γάρ με παρήϊξαν πρόσσω μεμαυῖαι.  
for the horses swept past me, straining forward."

**616** ὣς φάτο, Πάτροκλος δὲ φίλῳ ἐπεπείθεθʼ ἑταίρῳ,  
So he spoke, and Patroclus obeyed his dear companion,
> Patroclus obeys his companion: This Greek line repeats earlier moments when Patroclus obeys Achilles. The accepted English is therefore preserved exactly, with Patroclus as subject and his dear companion as the one obeyed.

**617** βῆ δὲ θέειν παρά τε κλισίας καὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν.  
and set off running past the huts and ships of the Achaeans.

**618** οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ κλισίην Νηληϊάδεω ἀφίκοντο,  
When they came to the hut of the son of Neleus,

**619** αὐτοὶ μέν ῥʼ ἀπέβησαν ἐπὶ χθόνα πουλυβότειραν,  
the two themselves stepped down upon the all-nurturing earth,

**620** ἵππους δʼ Εὐρυμέδων θεράπων λύε τοῖο γέροντος  
and Eurymedon, the old man's attendant, loosed the horses

**621** ἐξ ὀχέων· τοὶ δʼ ἱδρῶ ἀπεψύχοντο χιτώνων  
from the chariot; the two let the sweat dry from their tunics,

**622** στάντε ποτὶ πνοιὴν παρὰ θῖνʼ ἁλός· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα  
standing toward the breeze beside the shore of the sea; then

**623** ἐς κλισίην ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ κλισμοῖσι κάθιζον.  
they entered the hut and sat down upon chairs.

**624** τοῖσι δὲ τεῦχε κυκειῶ ἐϋπλόκαμος Ἑκαμήδη,  
For them well-tressed Hecamede prepared a kykeon,

**625** τὴν ἄρετʼ ἐκ Τενέδοιο γέρων, ὅτε πέρσεν Ἀχιλλεύς,  
whom the old man had chosen from Tenedos when Achilles sacked it,

**626** θυγατέρʼ Ἀρσινόου μεγαλήτορος, ἥν οἱ Ἀχαιοὶ  
the daughter of great-hearted Arsinous, whom the Achaeans

**627** ἔξελον οὕνεκα βουλῇ ἀριστεύεσκεν ἁπάντων.  
had picked out for him because he surpassed them all in counsel.

**628** ἥ σφωϊν πρῶτον μὲν ἐπιπροΐηλε τράπεζαν  
First she drew up before the two of them a table,

**629** καλὴν κυανόπεζαν ἐΰξοον, αὐτὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτῆς  
beautiful, blue-footed, and well-polished; then upon it

**630** χάλκειον κάνεον, ἐπὶ δὲ κρόμυον ποτῷ ὄψον,  
a bronze basket, and an onion as relish for the drink,

**631** ἠδὲ μέλι χλωρόν, παρὰ δʼ ἀλφίτου ἱεροῦ ἀκτήν,  
and pale honey, and beside it a heap of sacred barley meal,

**632** πὰρ δὲ δέπας περικαλλές, ὃ οἴκοθεν ἦγʼ ὁ γεραιός,  
and nearby a very beautiful cup, which the old man had brought from home,

**633** χρυσείοις ἥλοισι πεπαρμένον· οὔατα δʼ αὐτοῦ  
studded with golden nails; its handles

**634** τέσσαρʼ ἔσαν, δοιαὶ δὲ πελειάδες ἀμφὶς ἕκαστον  
were four, and around each two golden doves

**635** χρύσειαι νεμέθοντο, δύω δʼ ὑπὸ πυθμένες ἦσαν.  
fed, while beneath it were two bases.

**636** ἄλλος μὲν μογέων ἀποκινήσασκε τραπέζης  
Any other man would strain to move it from the table

**637** πλεῖον ἐόν, Νέστωρ δʼ ὁ γέρων ἀμογητὶ ἄειρεν.  
when it was full, but old Nestor lifted it without effort.

**638** ἐν τῷ ῥά σφι κύκησε γυνὴ ἐϊκυῖα θεῇσιν  
In it the woman like the goddesses mixed for them

**639** οἴνῳ Πραμνείῳ, ἐπὶ δʼ αἴγειον κνῆ τυρὸν  
Pramnian wine, and grated goat's cheese over it

**640** κνήστι χαλκείῃ, ἐπὶ δʼ ἄλφιτα λευκὰ πάλυνε,  
with a bronze grater, and sprinkled white barley meal upon it;

**641** πινέμεναι δʼ ἐκέλευσεν, ἐπεί ῥʼ ὥπλισσε κυκειῶ.  
then she bade them drink, once she had prepared the kykeon.

**642** τὼ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν πίνοντʼ ἀφέτην πολυκαγκέα δίψαν  
When the two had drunk and sent away their parching thirst,

**643** μύθοισιν τέρποντο πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐνέποντες,  
they delighted in words, speaking to one another,

**644** Πάτροκλος δὲ θύρῃσιν ἐφίστατο ἰσόθεος φώς.  
but Patroclus, a godlike man, stood in the doorway.

**645** τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν ὁ γεραιὸς ἀπὸ θρόνου ὦρτο φαεινοῦ,  
Seeing him, the old man rose from his shining chair,

**646** ἐς δʼ ἄγε χειρὸς ἑλών, κατὰ δʼ ἑδριάασθαι ἄνωγε.  
and took him by the hand, led him in, and bade him sit down.
> A hospitality line seeded for return: This whole line returns at line 778 when Nestor recalls Achilles welcoming visitors in Phthia. The context-stable English established here must recur there exactly: “and took him by the hand, led him in, and bade him sit down.”

**647** Πάτροκλος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἀναίνετο εἶπέ τε μῦθον·  
But Patroclus in turn refused and spoke:

**648** οὐχ ἕδος ἐστὶ γεραιὲ διοτρεφές, οὐδέ με πείσεις.  
"There is no sitting, Zeus-nurtured elder; you will not persuade me.

**649** αἰδοῖος νεμεσητὸς ὅ με προέηκε πυθέσθαι  
One to revere and fear is he who sent me to learn

**650** ὅν τινα τοῦτον ἄγεις βεβλημένον· ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς  
what man this is you bring wounded; but I myself

**651** γιγνώσκω, ὁρόω δὲ Μαχάονα ποιμένα λαῶν.  
know him now, and I see Machaon, shepherd of the people.

**652** νῦν δὲ ἔπος ἐρέων πάλιν ἄγγελος εἶμʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ.  
Now I shall go back as messenger to bring word to Achilles.

**653** εὖ δὲ σὺ οἶσθα γεραιὲ διοτρεφές, οἷος ἐκεῖνος  
You know well, Zeus-nurtured elder, what he is like,

**654** δεινὸς ἀνήρ· τάχα κεν καὶ ἀναίτιον αἰτιόῳτο.  
a terrible man; soon he might blame even one who is blameless."
> He might blame the blameless: The optative αἰτιόῳτο with κεν presents what Achilles might readily do: find fault even with someone who is without blame. Patroclus' closing warning explains why he will not sit and delay the report.

**655** τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·  
Then Nestor, the Gerenian horseman, answered him:
> Nestor, the Gerenian horseman: This standing name-and-epithet unit is held to the same wording used throughout the poem. Gerenian may preserve a link with a place called Gerenia, while ἱππότα marks Nestor as a horseman.

**656** τίπτε τὰρ ὧδʼ Ἀχιλεὺς ὀλοφύρεται υἷας Ἀχαιῶν,  
Why then does Achilles lament the sons of the Achaeans so much,

**657** ὅσσοι δὴ βέλεσιν βεβλήαται; οὐδέ τι οἶδε  
all who have now been struck by missiles? He knows nothing

**658** πένθεος, ὅσσον ὄρωρε κατὰ στρατόν· οἳ γὰρ ἄριστοι  
of the grief that has risen through the camp; for our best men

**659** ἐν νηυσὶν κέαται βεβλημένοι οὐτάμενοί τε.  
lie in the ships, struck and wounded.
> Struck and wounded: The perfect participle βεβλημένοι presents men who have been hit and remain disabled, while οὐτάμενοι adds wounds made in close combat. The same Greek line returns at 11.826 and requires this exact English wording there.

**660** βέβληται μὲν ὃ Τυδεΐδης κρατερὸς Διομήδης,  
Mighty Diomedes, son of Tydeus, has been struck,

**661** οὔτασται δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς δουρὶ κλυτὸς ἠδʼ Ἀγαμέμνων·  
and Odysseus, famed with the spear, and Agamemnon have been wounded;

**662** βέβληται δὲ καὶ Εὐρύπυλος κατὰ μηρὸν ὀϊστῷ·  
Eurypylus too has been struck in the thigh by an arrow;

**663** τοῦτον δʼ ἄλλον ἐγὼ νέον ἤγαγον ἐκ πολέμοιο  
and this other man I have just brought from the battle,

**664** ἰῷ ἀπὸ νευρῆς βεβλημένον. αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς  
struck by an arrow from the bowstring. But Achilles,

**665** ἐσθλὸς ἐὼν Δαναῶν οὐ κήδεται οὐδʼ ἐλεαίρει.  
though a noble man, neither cares for the Danaans nor pities them.

**666** ἦ μένει εἰς ὅ κε δὴ νῆες θοαὶ ἄγχι θαλάσσης  
Does he wait until the swift ships beside the sea

**667** Ἀργείων ἀέκητι πυρὸς δηΐοιο θέρωνται,  
burn beneath consuming fire despite the Argives,

**668** αὐτοί τε κτεινώμεθʼ ἐπισχερώ; οὐ γὰρ ἐμὴ ἲς  
and we ourselves are slain one after another? For my strength

**669** ἔσθʼ οἵη πάρος ἔσκεν ἐνὶ γναμπτοῖσι μέλεσσιν.  
is no longer what it once was in my supple limbs.

**670** εἴθʼ ὣς ἡβώοιμι βίη δέ μοι ἔμπεδος εἴη  
Would that I were young again, and my strength stood firm,
> A wish beyond reach: εἴθε with the optative ἡβώοιμι voices Nestor's unattainable wish that he might be young again. The following optative εἴη extends the same wish to the strength he once possessed.

**671** ὡς ὁπότʼ Ἠλείοισι καὶ ἡμῖν νεῖκος ἐτύχθη  
as when strife arose between the Eleans and us

**672** ἀμφὶ βοηλασίῃ, ὅτʼ ἐγὼ κτάνον Ἰτυμονῆα  
over a cattle raid, when I killed Itymoneus,

**673** ἐσθλὸν Ὑπειροχίδην, ὃς ἐν Ἤλιδι ναιετάασκε,  
the noble son of Hypeirochus, who lived in Elis,

**674** ῥύσιʼ ἐλαυνόμενος· ὃ δʼ ἀμύνων ᾗσι βόεσσιν  
as I drove off the cattle. Defending his own herd,

**675** ἔβλητʼ ἐν πρώτοισιν ἐμῆς ἀπὸ χειρὸς ἄκοντι,  
he was struck among the foremost by a cast from my hand,

**676** κὰδ δʼ ἔπεσεν, λαοὶ δὲ περίτρεσαν ἀγροιῶται.  
and fell; and the country folk around him fled in terror.

**677** ληΐδα δʼ ἐκ πεδίου συνελάσσαμεν ἤλιθα πολλὴν  
From the plain we gathered and drove away an immense mass of spoil:

**678** πεντήκοντα βοῶν ἀγέλας, τόσα πώεα οἰῶν,  
fifty herds of cattle, as many flocks of sheep,

**679** τόσσα συῶν συβόσια, τόσʼ αἰπόλια πλατέʼ αἰγῶν,  
as many droves of pigs, as many broad herds of goats,

**680** ἵππους δὲ ξανθὰς ἑκατὸν καὶ πεντήκοντα  
and a hundred and fifty chestnut horses,

**681** πάσας θηλείας, πολλῇσι δὲ πῶλοι ὑπῆσαν.  
all mares, with many foals beneath them.
> Mares with foals: πῶλοι are young horses or foals, and ὑπῆσαν pictures them beneath or beside their mothers. The captured horses are all mares, many still accompanied by young.

**682** καὶ τὰ μὲν ἠλασάμεσθα Πύλον Νηλήϊον εἴσω  
All these we drove inside Neleian Pylos

**683** ἐννύχιοι προτὶ ἄστυ· γεγήθει δὲ φρένα Νηλεύς,  
by night, toward the town; and Neleus rejoiced in heart

**684** οὕνεκά μοι τύχε πολλὰ νέῳ πόλεμον δὲ κιόντι.  
because so much had fallen to me when I went young into war.

**685** κήρυκες δʼ ἐλίγαινον ἅμʼ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφι  
At the showing of dawn the heralds cried aloud

**686** τοὺς ἴμεν οἷσι χρεῖος ὀφείλετʼ ἐν Ἤλιδι δίῃ·  
that those to whom a debt was owed in holy Elis should come.
> A debt was owed: χρεῖος with ὀφείλετο describes an outstanding obligation or property claim. The Pylians divide the captured wealth among those whom the Epeians had wronged.

**687** οἳ δὲ συναγρόμενοι Πυλίων ἡγήτορες ἄνδρες  
The men who were leaders of the Pylians gathered

**688** δαίτρευον· πολέσιν γὰρ Ἐπειοὶ χρεῖος ὄφειλον,  
and made the division, for the Epeians owed debts to many,

**689** ὡς ἡμεῖς παῦροι κεκακωμένοι ἐν Πύλῳ ἦμεν·  
since we were few in Pylos and had suffered harm.

**690** ἐλθὼν γάρ ῥʼ ἐκάκωσε βίη Ἡρακληείη  
For the might of Heracles had come in former years

**691** τῶν προτέρων ἐτέων, κατὰ δʼ ἔκταθεν ὅσσοι ἄριστοι·  
and ravaged us, and all our best men had been killed.

**692** δώδεκα γὰρ Νηλῆος ἀμύμονος υἱέες ἦμεν·  
For we were twelve sons of blameless Neleus;

**693** τῶν οἶος λιπόμην, οἳ δʼ ἄλλοι πάντες ὄλοντο.  
I alone was left, and all the others perished.

**694** ταῦθʼ ὑπερηφανέοντες Ἐπειοὶ χαλκοχίτωνες  
Proud of this, the bronze-clad Epeians

**695** ἡμέας ὑβρίζοντες ἀτάσθαλα μηχανόωντο.  
treated us with outrage and plotted reckless deeds.

**696** ἐκ δʼ ὃ γέρων ἀγέλην τε βοῶν καὶ πῶϋ μέγʼ οἰῶν  
From the spoil the old man chose a herd of cattle and a great flock of sheep,

**697** εἵλετο κρινάμενος τριηκόσιʼ ἠδὲ νομῆας.  
three hundred head when counted, and their herdsmen too.

**698** καὶ γὰρ τῷ χρεῖος μέγʼ ὀφείλετʼ ἐν Ἤλιδι δίῃ  
For a great debt was owed to him in holy Elis as well:

**699** τέσσαρες ἀθλοφόροι ἵπποι αὐτοῖσιν ὄχεσφιν  
four prize-winning horses with their own chariots

**700** ἐλθόντες μετʼ ἄεθλα· περὶ τρίποδος γὰρ ἔμελλον  
had gone to the games, for they were to run

**701** θεύσεσθαι· τοὺς δʼ αὖθι ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Αὐγείας  
for a tripod; but Augeas, lord of men, held them there

**702** κάσχεθε, τὸν δʼ ἐλατῆρʼ ἀφίει ἀκαχήμενον ἵππων.  
and sent away the driver, grieving for the horses.

**703** τῶν ὃ γέρων ἐπέων κεχολωμένος ἠδὲ καὶ ἔργων  
Angered by those words and deeds, the old man

**704** ἐξέλετʼ ἄσπετα πολλά· τὰ δʼ ἄλλʼ ἐς δῆμον ἔδωκε  
took an immense return; but the rest he gave to the people

**705** δαιτρεύειν, μή τίς οἱ ἀτεμβόμενος κίοι ἴσης.  
to divide, so no man might go deprived of his fair share.

**706** ἡμεῖς μὲν τὰ ἕκαστα διείπομεν, ἀμφί τε ἄστυ  
We saw to each of these things, and throughout the town

**707** ἕρδομεν ἱρὰ θεοῖς· οἳ δὲ τρίτῳ ἤματι πάντες  
offered sacrifice to the gods. But on the third day they all

**708** ἦλθον ὁμῶς αὐτοί τε πολεῖς καὶ μώνυχες ἵπποι  
came together, many men and single-hoofed horses,

**709** πανσυδίῃ· μετὰ δέ σφι Μολίονε θωρήσσοντο  
in full force; and among them the two Moliones armed,
> The Moliones as a pair: Μολίονε is dual, naming the paired Moliones, and the sentence continues to describe both as still young. These twins must not be confused with Molion, the single attendant killed earlier in Book 11.

**710** παῖδʼ ἔτʼ ἐόντʼ, οὔ πω μάλα εἰδότε θούριδος ἀλκῆς.  
still boys, not yet well skilled in furious valor.

**711** ἔστι δέ τις Θρυόεσσα πόλις αἰπεῖα κολώνη  
There is a city called Thryoessa, a steep hill

**712** τηλοῦ ἐπʼ Ἀλφειῷ, νεάτη Πύλου ἠμαθόεντος·  
far off beside the Alpheus, at the edge of sandy Pylos.

**713** τὴν ἀμφεστρατόωντο διαρραῖσαι μεμαῶτες.  
They camped around it, eager to tear it down.

**714** ἀλλʼ ὅτε πᾶν πεδίον μετεκίαθον, ἄμμι δʼ Ἀθήνη  
But when they had crossed the whole plain, Athena came to us,

**715** ἄγγελος ἦλθε θέουσʼ ἀπʼ Ὀλύμπου θωρήσσεσθαι  
a messenger speeding from Olympus, bidding us arm,

**716** ἔννυχος, οὐδʼ ἀέκοντα Πύλον κάτα λαὸν ἄγειρεν  
by night; and through Pylos she gathered no unwilling host,

**717** ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ἐσσυμένους πολεμίζειν. οὐδέ με Νηλεὺς  
but men fiercely eager to fight. Yet Neleus would not

**718** εἴα θωρήσσεσθαι, ἀπέκρυψεν δέ μοι ἵππους·  
let me arm, and he hid my horses from me,

**719** οὐ γάρ πώ τί μʼ ἔφη ἴδμεν πολεμήϊα ἔργα.  
for he said I knew nothing yet of the works of war.

**720** ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς ἱππεῦσι μετέπρεπον ἡμετέροισι  
Even so, I stood out among our chariot-fighters,

**721** καὶ πεζός περ ἐών, ἐπεὶ ὧς ἄγε νεῖκος Ἀθήνη.  
though I went on foot, for so Athena led the strife.

**722** ἔστι δέ τις ποταμὸς Μινυήϊος εἰς ἅλα βάλλων  
There is a river, the Minyeius, flowing into the sea

**723** ἐγγύθεν Ἀρήνης, ὅθι μείναμεν Ἠῶ δῖαν  
near Arene; there we Pylian chariot-fighters waited for shining Dawn,

**724** ἱππῆες Πυλίων, τὰ δʼ ἐπέρρεον ἔθνεα πεζῶν.  
while the companies of footmen streamed after us.

**725** ἔνθεν πανσυδίῃ σὺν τεύχεσι θωρηχθέντες  
From there, armed in our war gear and all together,

**726** ἔνδιοι ἱκόμεσθʼ ἱερὸν ῥόον Ἀλφειοῖο.  
we reached the sacred stream of the Alpheus at noon.

**727** ἔνθα Διὶ ῥέξαντες ὑπερμενεῖ ἱερὰ καλά,  
There we made fair sacrifices to the exceedingly mighty Zeus,

**728** ταῦρον δʼ Ἀλφειῷ, ταῦρον δὲ Ποσειδάωνι,  
a bull to Alpheus and a bull to Poseidon,

**729** αὐτὰρ Ἀθηναίη γλαυκώπιδι βοῦν ἀγελαίην,  
and a heifer from the herd to bright-eyed Athena.

**730** δόρπον ἔπειθʼ ἑλόμεσθα κατὰ στρατὸν ἐν τελέεσσι,  
Then we took supper throughout the host by companies,

**731** καὶ κατεκοιμήθημεν ἐν ἔντεσιν οἷσιν ἕκαστος  
and each man lay down in his own armor

**732** ἀμφὶ ῥοὰς ποταμοῖο. ἀτὰρ μεγάθυμοι Ἐπειοὶ  
beside the river's streams. But the great-hearted Epeians

**733** ἀμφέσταν δὴ ἄστυ διαρραῖσαι μεμαῶτες·  
stood round the town, eager now to tear it down;

**734** ἀλλά σφι προπάροιθε φάνη μέγα ἔργον Ἄρηος·  
but before them a great work of Ares appeared.

**735** εὖτε γὰρ ἠέλιος φαέθων ὑπερέσχεθε γαίης,  
For when the blazing sun rose above the earth,

**736** συμφερόμεσθα μάχῃ Διί τʼ εὐχόμενοι καὶ Ἀθήνῃ.  
we met in battle, praying to Zeus and Athena.

**737** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ Πυλίων καὶ Ἐπειῶν ἔπλετο νεῖκος,  
But when the strife of Pylians and Epeians began,

**738** πρῶτος ἐγὼν ἕλον ἄνδρα, κόμισσα δὲ μώνυχας ἵππους,  
I was first to take a man, and I carried off his single-hoofed horses:

**739** Μούλιον αἰχμητήν· γαμβρὸς δʼ ἦν Αὐγείαο,  
Mulius the spearman, who was Augeas' son-in-law,

**740** πρεσβυτάτην δὲ θύγατρʼ εἶχε ξανθὴν Ἀγαμήδην,  
for he had his eldest daughter, golden-haired Agamede,

**741** ἣ τόσα φάρμακα ᾔδη ὅσα τρέφει εὐρεῖα χθών.  
who knew all the healing drugs the broad earth nourishes.
> Agamede's knowledge: φάρμακα can include medicines, herbs, and potent drugs rather than only modern pharmaceutical remedies. Agamede knows the full range of such substances nourished by the earth.

**742** τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ προσιόντα βάλον χαλκήρεϊ δουρί,  
As he came on, I struck him with my bronze-shod spear,

**743** ἤριπε δʼ ἐν κονίῃσιν· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐς δίφρον ὀρούσας  
and he fell in the dust; then I sprang into his chariot

**744** στῆν ῥα μετὰ προμάχοισιν· ἀτὰρ μεγάθυμοι Ἐπειοὶ  
and took my stand among the foremost. The great-hearted Epeians

**745** ἔτρεσαν ἄλλυδις ἄλλος, ἐπεὶ ἴδον ἄνδρα πεσόντα  
fled, one man one way, one another, when they saw their man fallen,

**746** ἡγεμόνʼ ἱππήων, ὃς ἀριστεύεσκε μάχεσθαι.  
the leader of the horsemen, who had excelled in battle.

**747** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπόρουσα κελαινῇ λαίλαπι ἶσος,  
But I swept upon them like a black whirlwind,

**748** πεντήκοντα δʼ ἕλον δίφρους, δύο δʼ ἀμφὶς ἕκαστον  
and took fifty chariots; beside each one, two

**749** φῶτες ὀδὰξ ἕλον οὖδας ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ δαμέντες.  
men bit the ground, broken beneath my spear.

**750** καί νύ κεν Ἀκτορίωνε Μολίονε παῖδʼ ἀλάπαξα,  
And then I would have destroyed the two Actoriones, the Moliones,
> Two names for the twins: Both Ἀκτορίωνε and Μολίονε are dual forms, naming the same pair as Actoriones and Moliones. The patronymic is conventional, while the next line identifies Poseidon as their actual father.

**751** εἰ μή σφωε πατὴρ εὐρὺ κρείων ἐνοσίχθων  
had not their father, the wide-ruling shaker of the earth,

**752** ἐκ πολέμου ἐσάωσε καλύψας ἠέρι πολλῇ.  
saved the two from battle, wrapping them in thick mist.

**753** ἔνθα Ζεὺς Πυλίοισι μέγα κράτος ἐγγυάλιξε·  
Then Zeus placed great strength in the hands of the Pylians;

**754** τόφρα γὰρ οὖν ἑπόμεσθα διὰ σπιδέος πεδίοιο  
for so long we followed them across the broad plain,

**755** κτείνοντές τʼ αὐτοὺς ἀνά τʼ ἔντεα καλὰ λέγοντες,  
killing the men themselves and gathering their fine armor,

**756** ὄφρʼ ἐπὶ Βουπρασίου πολυπύρου βήσαμεν ἵππους  
until we drove our horses to wheat-rich Buprasium

**757** πέτρης τʼ Ὠλενίης, καὶ Ἀλησίου ἔνθα κολώνη  
and the Olenian Rock, and to the place where the hill of Alesium

**758** κέκληται· ὅθεν αὖτις ἀπέτραπε λαὸν Ἀθήνη.  
is called; from there Athena turned the host back again.

**759** ἔνθʼ ἄνδρα κτείνας πύματον λίπον· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ  
There I killed the last man and left him; but the Achaeans

**760** ἂψ ἀπὸ Βουπρασίοιο Πύλονδʼ ἔχον ὠκέας ἵππους,  
drove their swift horses back from Buprasium toward Pylos,

**761** πάντες δʼ εὐχετόωντο θεῶν Διὶ Νέστορί τʼ ἀνδρῶν.  
and all gave glory among the gods to Zeus, among men to Nestor.
> Zeus among gods, Nestor among men: The paired genitives divide the praise cleanly: Zeus receives glory among the gods, Nestor among mortal men. The compressed balance crowns Nestor's recollection of the victory.

**762** ὣς ἔον, εἴ ποτʼ ἔον γε, μετʼ ἀνδράσιν. αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς  
Such was I among men, if ever I was. But Achilles

**763** οἶος τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀπονήσεται· ἦ τέ μιν οἴω  
alone will reap the profit of his valor; yet I think
> The profit of valor: ἀρετή is excellence or prowess, here Achilles' strength in war. Nestor bitterly says Achilles will enjoy its benefit alone while the wider host is destroyed.

**764** πολλὰ μετακλαύσεσθαι ἐπεί κʼ ἀπὸ λαὸς ὄληται.  
he will weep bitterly afterward, when the army has perished.

**765** ὦ πέπον ἦ μὲν σοί γε Μενοίτιος ὧδʼ ἐπέτελλεν  
My friend, this is what Menoetius charged you,

**766** ἤματι τῷ ὅτε σʼ ἐκ Φθίης Ἀγαμέμνονι πέμπε,  
on the day when he sent you from Phthia to Agamemnon:

**767** νῶϊ δέ τʼ ἔνδον ἐόντες ἐγὼ καὶ δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς  
we two, godlike Odysseus and I, were inside

**768** πάντα μάλʼ ἐν μεγάροις ἠκούομεν ὡς ἐπέτελλε.  
and heard clearly in the halls all that he charged you.

**769** Πηλῆος δʼ ἱκόμεσθα δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας  
We had come to the well-inhabited house of Peleus,

**770** λαὸν ἀγείροντες κατʼ Ἀχαιΐδα πουλυβότειραν.  
gathering the army through all rich-pastured Achaea.

**771** ἔνθα δʼ ἔπειθʼ ἥρωα Μενοίτιον εὕρομεν ἔνδον  
There inside we found the hero Menoetius,

**772** ἠδὲ σέ, πὰρ δʼ Ἀχιλῆα· γέρων δʼ ἱππηλάτα Πηλεὺς  
and you, with Achilles beside you; and old Peleus the horseman

**773** πίονα μηρία καῖε βοὸς Διὶ τερπικεραύνῳ  
was burning the fat thigh-pieces of an ox to Zeus who delights in thunder,

**774** αὐλῆς ἐν χόρτῳ· ἔχε δὲ χρύσειον ἄλεισον  
in the court's enclosure; and he held a golden cup,

**775** σπένδων αἴθοπα οἶνον ἐπʼ αἰθομένοις ἱεροῖσι.  
pouring gleaming wine over the burning offerings.

**776** σφῶϊ μὲν ἀμφὶ βοὸς ἕπετον κρέα, νῶϊ δʼ ἔπειτα  
You two were busy with the ox's meat; then we two
> Two pairs in the dual: Homer distinguishes two pairs with dual pronouns: σφῶϊ is Patroclus and Achilles tending the meat, while νῶϊ is Nestor and Odysseus arriving at the doorway.

**777** στῆμεν ἐνὶ προθύροισι· ταφὼν δʼ ἀνόρουσεν Ἀχιλλεύς,  
stood in the entryway. Startled, Achilles sprang up,

**778** ἐς δʼ ἄγε χειρὸς ἑλών, κατὰ δʼ ἑδριάασθαι ἄνωγε,  
and took him by the hand, led him in, and bade him sit down.
> A repeated welcome: This Greek line repeats 11.646, where Nestor welcomes Patroclus. Its English therefore repeats that earlier rendering exactly, preserving Homer's verbal echo across the two acts of hospitality.

**779** ξείνιά τʼ εὖ παρέθηκεν, ἅ τε ξείνοις θέμις ἐστίν.  
He set guest-fare well before us, as is right for guests.

**780** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τάρπημεν ἐδητύος ἠδὲ ποτῆτος,  
But when we had taken our fill of food and drink,

**781** ἦρχον ἐγὼ μύθοιο κελεύων ὔμμʼ ἅμʼ ἕπεσθαι·  
I opened the speech, urging you both to follow us;

**782** σφὼ δὲ μάλʼ ἠθέλετον, τὼ δʼ ἄμφω πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλον.  
and you two were very willing, while both fathers gave many charges.

**783** Πηλεὺς μὲν ᾧ παιδὶ γέρων ἐπέτελλʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ  
Old Peleus charged his own son Achilles

**784** αἰὲν ἀριστεύειν καὶ ὑπείροχον ἔμμεναι ἄλλων·  
always to be best and rise above all others,

**785** σοὶ δʼ αὖθʼ ὧδʼ ἐπέτελλε Μενοίτιος Ἄκτορος υἱός·  
but Menoetius, son of Actor, charged you in turn like this:

**786** τέκνον ἐμὸν γενεῇ μὲν ὑπέρτερός ἐστιν Ἀχιλλεύς,  
"My child, Achilles is higher than you in birth,

**787** πρεσβύτερος δὲ σύ ἐσσι· βίῃ δʼ ὅ γε πολλὸν ἀμείνων.  
but you are older; in strength he is far better.
> Birth, age, and strength: Three comparisons are kept separate: Achilles is higher in lineage, Patroclus is older, and Achilles is much stronger. Nestor uses the distinctions to ground Patroclus' role as the older counselor.

**788** ἀλλʼ εὖ οἱ φάσθαι πυκινὸν ἔπος ἠδʼ ὑποθέσθαι  
But speak a shrewd word to him, counsel him well,

**789** καί οἱ σημαίνειν· ὃ δὲ πείσεται εἰς ἀγαθόν περ.  
and show him the way; he will obey you, to his own good."

**790** ὣς ἐπέτελλʼ ὃ γέρων, σὺ δὲ λήθεαι· ἀλλʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν  
So the old man charged you, but you forget. Yet even now

**791** ταῦτʼ εἴποις Ἀχιλῆϊ δαΐφρονι αἴ κε πίθηται.  
you might tell these things to Achilles, skilled in war, in case he listens.

**792** τίς δʼ οἶδʼ εἴ κέν οἱ σὺν δαίμονι θυμὸν ὀρίναις  
Who knows whether, with a god's aid, you might stir his spirit
> A cautious possibility: The optative ὀρίναις with εἴ κεν makes the outcome uncertain: perhaps Patroclus might stir Achilles' spirit with divine aid. Nestor proposes influence, not a guaranteed change of mind.

**793** παρειπών; ἀγαθὴ δὲ παραίφασίς ἐστιν ἑταίρου.  
by persuasion? A companion's urging is a good thing.

**794** εἰ δέ τινα φρεσὶν ᾗσι θεοπροπίην ἀλεείνει  
But if in his heart he is avoiding some prophecy,

**795** καί τινά οἱ πὰρ Ζηνὸς ἐπέφραδε πότνια μήτηρ,  
and his queenly mother has revealed something to him from Zeus,

**796** ἀλλὰ σέ περ προέτω, ἅμα δʼ ἄλλος λαὸς ἑπέσθω  
then let him send at least you, and let the rest of the host

**797** Μυρμιδόνων, αἴ κέν τι φόως Δαναοῖσι γένηαι·  
of Myrmidons follow with you, so you may become a light for the Danaans.

**798** καί τοι τεύχεα καλὰ δότω πόλεμον δὲ φέρεσθαι,  
And let him give you his fine armor to carry into battle,

**799** αἴ κέ σε τῷ εἴσκοντες ἀπόσχωνται πολέμοιο  
so the Trojans, taking you for him, may hold back from war,

**800** Τρῶες, ἀναπνεύσωσι δʼ ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν  
and the warlike sons of the Achaeans may breathe again

**801** τειρόμενοι· ὀλίγη δέ τʼ ἀνάπνευσις πολέμοιο.  
in their exhaustion; brief indeed is any breathing-space in war.
> A brief breathing-space: ἀνάπνευσις is literally a breathing again, hence a respite. Nestor stresses how little rest battle grants even if the Trojans recoil from Achilles' armor.

**802** ῥεῖα δέ κʼ ἀκμῆτες κεκμηότας ἄνδρας ἀϋτῇ  
Then easily, fresh as you are, with the battle-cry you could drive tired men

**803** ὤσαισθε προτὶ ἄστυ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων.  
back toward the city, away from the ships and huts."

**804** ὣς φάτο, τῷ δʼ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε,  
So he spoke, and stirred the spirit within his breast;

**805** βῆ δὲ θέειν παρὰ νῆας ἐπʼ Αἰακίδην Ἀχιλῆα.  
and he set out running beside the ships toward Achilles, son of Aeacus.

**806** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ κατὰ νῆας Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο  
But when, beside the ships of godlike Odysseus,

**807** ἷξε θέων Πάτροκλος, ἵνά σφʼ ἀγορή τε θέμις τε  
Patroclus reached at a run the place where they held assembly and judgment,

**808** ἤην, τῇ δὴ καί σφι θεῶν ἐτετεύχατο βωμοί,  
and there too altars to the gods had been built for them,

**809** ἔνθά οἱ Εὐρύπυλος βεβλημένος ἀντεβόλησε  
there wounded Eurypylus met him,

**810** διογενὴς Εὐαιμονίδης κατὰ μηρὸν ὀϊστῷ  
the Zeus-sprung son of Euaemon, struck in the thigh by an arrow,
> The Zeus-sprung son of Euaemon: The patronymic identifies this Eurypylus as Euaemon's son, distinct from Eurypylus of Cos. διογενής is the standing adjective “Zeus-sprung,” not a claim that Zeus is his immediate father.

**811** σκάζων ἐκ πολέμου· κατὰ δὲ νότιος ῥέεν ἱδρὼς  
limping from the battle; drenching sweat ran down

**812** ὤμων καὶ κεφαλῆς, ἀπὸ δʼ ἕλκεος ἀργαλέοιο  
from his shoulders and head, and from the grievous wound

**813** αἷμα μέλαν κελάρυζε· νόος γε μὲν ἔμπεδος ἦεν.  
black blood gurgled; but his mind stood firm.

**814** τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν ᾤκτειρε Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱός,  
Seeing him, the valiant son of Menoetius pitied him,

**815** καί ῥʼ ὀλοφυρόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and lamenting, he addressed him with winged words:
> Lamenting with winged words: The participle marks Patroclus as lamenting over Eurypylus before he speaks. The rest of the line is an inherited speech formula and keeps its established English wording exactly.

**816** ἆ δειλοὶ Δαναῶν ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες  
"Ah, wretched leaders and rulers of the Danaans,

**817** ὣς ἄρʼ ἐμέλλετε τῆλε φίλων καὶ πατρίδος αἴης  
so you were doomed, far from friends and native land,

**818** ἄσειν ἐν Τροίῃ ταχέας κύνας ἀργέτι δημῷ.  
in Troy to sate swift dogs with your white fat.
> Food for the swift dogs: Patroclus imagines the fallen leaders feeding Troy's dogs with their own white fat. The bodily detail makes his pity a vision of unburied death, not a general fear of defeat.

**819** ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ διοτρεφὲς Εὐρύπυλʼ ἥρως,  
But come, tell me this, Zeus-nurtured hero Eurypylus:

**820** ἤ ῥʼ ἔτι που σχήσουσι πελώριον Ἕκτορʼ Ἀχαιοί,  
will the Achaeans still somehow hold back huge Hector,

**821** ἦ ἤδη φθίσονται ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ δουρὶ δαμέντες;  
or will they now perish, broken beneath his spear?"

**822** τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Εὐρύπυλος βεβλημένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·  
Then wounded Eurypylus answered him in turn:

**823** οὐκέτι διογενὲς Πατρόκλεες ἄλκαρ Ἀχαιῶν  
"No longer, Patroclus, sprung from Zeus, will the Achaeans have any defense,

**824** ἔσσεται, ἀλλʼ ἐν νηυσὶ μελαίνῃσιν πεσέονται.  
but they will fall among the black ships.

**825** οἳ μὲν γὰρ δὴ πάντες, ὅσοι πάρος ἦσαν ἄριστοι,  
For all those who before were best

**826** ἐν νηυσὶν κέαται βεβλημένοι οὐτάμενοί τε  
lie in the ships, struck and wounded.
> Still struck and wounded: The perfect participle βεβλημένοι presents the leaders as struck and still disabled, while οὐτάμενοι adds their wounds. This entire Greek line repeats 11.659, so its English is copied exactly.

**827** χερσὶν ὕπο Τρώων· τῶν δὲ σθένος ὄρνυται αἰέν.  
at the hands of Trojans; and their strength rises ever higher.

**828** ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ μὲν σὺ σάωσον ἄγων ἐπὶ νῆα μέλαιναν,  
But save me, and lead me to a black ship,

**829** μηροῦ δʼ ἔκταμʼ ὀϊστόν, ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ δʼ αἷμα κελαινὸν  
cut the arrow from my thigh, and from the wound the dark blood

**830** νίζʼ ὕδατι λιαρῷ, ἐπὶ δʼ ἤπια φάρμακα πάσσε  
wash with warm water; then sprinkle soothing medicines upon it,

**831** ἐσθλά, τά σε προτί φασιν Ἀχιλλῆος δεδιδάχθαι,  
good ones, which they say you learned from Achilles,

**832** ὃν Χείρων ἐδίδαξε δικαιότατος Κενταύρων.  
whom Chiron taught, most righteous of the Centaurs.

**833** ἰητροὶ μὲν γὰρ Ποδαλείριος ἠδὲ Μαχάων  
For the healers Podalirius and Machaon—
> The two healers divided: The μέν…δέ structure distinguishes the brothers' present states. Machaon is the one lying wounded in the huts, while Podalirius remains on the plain facing the Trojan battle.

**834** τὸν μὲν ἐνὶ κλισίῃσιν ὀΐομαι ἕλκος ἔχοντα  
one, I think, lies wounded in the huts,

**835** χρηΐζοντα καὶ αὐτὸν ἀμύμονος ἰητῆρος  
himself in need of a blameless healer,

**836** κεῖσθαι· ὃ δʼ ἐν πεδίῳ Τρώων μένει ὀξὺν Ἄρηα.  
while the other on the plain withstands the Trojans' sharp war."

**837** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱός·  
Then the valiant son of Menoetius addressed him in turn:

**838** πῶς τὰρ ἔοι τάδε ἔργα; τί ῥέξομεν Εὐρύπυλʼ ἥρως;  
"How then shall this be? What shall we do, hero Eurypylus?

**839** ἔρχομαι ὄφρʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ δαΐφρονι μῦθον ἐνίσπω  
I am going to tell Achilles, skilled in war, the message

**840** ὃν Νέστωρ ἐπέτελλε Γερήνιος οὖρος Ἀχαιῶν·  
that Nestor charged me with, the Gerenian guard of the Achaeans;

**841** ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὧς περ σεῖο μεθήσω τειρομένοιο.  
yet not even so will I abandon you in your suffering."

**842** ἦ, καὶ ὑπὸ στέρνοιο λαβὼν ἄγε ποιμένα λαῶν  
He spoke, and grasping the shepherd of the people beneath the chest, led him

**843** ἐς κλισίην· θεράπων δὲ ἰδὼν ὑπέχευε βοείας.  
into the hut; an attendant saw and spread oxhides beneath him.

**844** ἔνθά μιν ἐκτανύσας ἐκ μηροῦ τάμνε μαχαίρῃ  
There he stretched him out and cut from his thigh with a knife

**845** ὀξὺ βέλος περιπευκές, ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ δʼ αἷμα κελαινὸν  
the sharp, piercing arrow; from the wound the dark blood

**846** νίζʼ ὕδατι λιαρῷ, ἐπὶ δὲ ῥίζαν βάλε πικρὴν  
he washed with warm water, then laid a bitter root upon it,

**847** χερσὶ διατρίψας ὀδυνήφατον, ἥ οἱ ἁπάσας  
crushed in his hands, pain-killing, which checked all
> Pain-killing: ὀδυνήφατος is a forceful compound: pain-destroying or pain-killing. It describes the bitter root after Patroclus has crushed it between his hands.

**848** ἔσχʼ ὀδύνας· τὸ μὲν ἕλκος ἐτέρσετο, παύσατο δʼ αἷμα.  
his pains; the wound dried, and the blood ceased.

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Source text: public domain (Homer, ancient; Greek per the Murray text via the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 3.0). English translation: © 2026 1732 Studios, LLC — original line-aligned draft, pending editorial review. Word-by-word morphology and syntax derived from the Perseus Ancient Greek Dependency Treebank (CC BY-SA 3.0); English glosses and notes © 2026 1732 Studios, LLC.