Ἰλιάδος Ο

But when in flight they had crossed the stakes and trench,

fleeing, and many had fallen beneath the Danaans' hands,

they halted there beside their chariots and stood fast,

pale beneath their fear and panic-stricken; then Zeus woke

on the crests of Ida beside golden-throned Hera.

He sprang up and stood, and saw the Trojans and Achaeans—

the Trojans driven in turmoil, the Argives driving them from behind,

and among the Argives lord Poseidon.

He saw Hector lying on the plain, his comrades seated

around him; grievous gasping held him, and his mind was failing,

as he vomited blood, for it was not the feeblest Achaean who had struck him.

Seeing him, the father of men and gods took pity,

and glaring terribly at Hera from under his brows, he spoke:

"Ah, evil-working, incorrigible Hera, your trick

has stopped godlike Hector from battle and routed the host.

Indeed, I do not know whether once again for this grievous plotting

you will be first to reap the fruit, and I shall lash you with blows.

Do you not remember when I hung you from on high, and from your two feet

hung two anvils, and around your hands drew a bond

of gold, unbreakable? You hung in the air among the clouds;

you hung, and the gods raged throughout broad Olympus,

but standing near they could not free you. Whichever one I caught,

I would seize and hurl from the threshold until he reached

the earth in a faint. Yet not even so did there leave my heart

the ceaseless pain I bore for divine Heracles,

whom you, with Boreas the wind, after winning the tempests to your side,

sent over the barren sea, plotting evil,

and then you swept his son away to well-settled Cos,

but I rescued him from there and brought him back again

to horse-pasturing Argos, though he had endured many labors.

I shall remind you of these things again, so that you cease from deception

and see whether love and bed will help you—

the bed you shared when you came from among the gods and deceived me."

So he spoke, and ox-eyed queenly Hera trembled,

and speaking to him, she addressed him with winged words:

"Now let Earth know this, and broad Heaven above,

and the down-flowing water of Styx, which is the greatest

and most terrible oath among the blessed gods,

and your sacred head and our own wedded bed,

by which I would never swear recklessly:

it is not through my will that Poseidon the earth-shaker

brings harm to the Trojans and Hector and gives the Achaeans aid,

but surely his own heart urges and commands him,

for he saw the Achaeans worn down beside the ships and pitied them.

Yet I would counsel even him

to go the way in which you, dark-clouded one, should lead."

So she spoke, and the father of men and gods smiled.

And answering her, he addressed her with winged words:

"If indeed you, ox-eyed queenly Hera,

would sit among the immortals of one mind with me,

then Poseidon, even if he strongly wishes otherwise,

would swiftly turn his purpose to follow your heart and mine.

But if what you say is true and exact,

go now among the tribes of gods, and summon here

Iris to come, and Apollo famed for his bow,

so that she may go among the host of bronze-clad Achaeans

and tell lord Poseidon

to cease from war and make his way to his own house,

and Phoebus Apollo may urge Hector into battle,

breathe strength into him again, and make him forget the pains

that now wear down his mind; then turn the Achaeans

back again, rousing cowardly flight among them,

and fleeing, they shall fall among the many-benched ships

of Achilles, son of Peleus; and he will raise up his companion

Patroclus, whom glorious Hector will kill with his spear

before Ilion, after Patroclus has slain vigorous young men—

many others, and among them my own son, godlike Sarpedon.

Angered over Patroclus, godlike Achilles will kill Hector.

From that time onward I shall make a counter-pursuit from the ships

continually and without pause, until the Achaeans

take steep Ilion through the plans of Athena.

Before that, I will neither cease my anger nor allow any other

of the immortals to defend the Danaans here

until the desire of Peleus' son has been fulfilled,

as I first promised him and nodded assent with my head

on the day when the goddess Thetis clasped my knees,

begging him to honor Achilles, sacker of cities."

So he spoke, and the goddess white-armed Hera did not disobey,

and went from the mountains of Ida to high Olympus.

As when the mind of a man darts, a man who over much

land has traveled, and in his shrewd thoughts reflects,

"Would I were here, or there," and desires many things,

so swiftly in her eagerness queenly Hera flew.

She reached steep Olympus and came among the assembled

immortal gods in Zeus's house; when they saw her,

they all sprang up and offered their cups in greeting.

She let the others be, but from fair-cheeked Themis

she took a cup, for Themis first came running to meet her,

and speaking to her, she addressed her with winged words:

"Hera, why have you come? You look distraught.

Surely the son of Cronos, your husband, has frightened you."

Then the goddess white-armed Hera answered her:

"Goddess Themis, do not question me about these things; you yourself know

what an overbearing and pitiless spirit he has.

But you, begin the fair-shared feast for the gods within the hall;

and along with all the immortals you shall hear these things,

the evil works Zeus is revealing; nor do I think

every heart alike will rejoice, whether among mortals

or gods, though someone even now may feast in gladness."

So speaking, queenly Hera sat down,

and the gods were troubled throughout Zeus's house; but she smiled

with her lips, though her forehead above her dark brows did not

soften; indignant with them all, she spoke:

"Fools are we, who rage against Zeus in our folly!

Do we still mean to draw near and try to stop him

by word or force? But he sits apart and does not care