# The Iliad, Book 15: Fire at the Ships

Ἰλιάς · Homer · The Patrocleia

Zeus wakes and sets things right. Apollo heals Hector, and the Trojans reach the ships. Ajax fights from the decks.

Source: https://1732studios.com/books/iliad/15. Data: https://1732studios.com/books/iliad/15.json. Audio: https://audio.1732studios.com/iliad/<line id>.m4a.

**1** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ διά τε σκόλοπας καὶ τάφρον ἔβησαν  
But when in flight they had crossed the stakes and trench,
> The flight crosses the defenses: This whole Greek line repeats Iliad 8.343 exactly, returning to the stakes and trench around the Achaean camp. The accepted English therefore returns unchanged.

**2** φεύγοντες, πολλοὶ δὲ δάμεν Δαναῶν ὑπὸ χερσίν,  
fleeing, and many had fallen beneath the Danaans' hands,

**3** οἳ μὲν δὴ παρʼ ὄχεσφιν ἐρητύοντο μένοντες  
they halted there beside their chariots and stood fast,

**4** χλωροὶ ὑπαὶ δείους πεφοβημένοι· ἔγρετο δὲ Ζεὺς  
pale beneath their fear and panic-stricken; then Zeus woke
> Fear as a settled state: The perfect participle πεφοβημένοι presents the Trojans as already driven into panic, while χλωροί makes them pale under fear. Their terror is the state in which Zeus sees them when he wakes.

**5** Ἴδης ἐν κορυφῇσι παρὰ χρυσοθρόνου Ἥρης,  
on the crests of Ida beside golden-throned Hera.

**6** στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀναΐξας, ἴδε δὲ Τρῶας καὶ Ἀχαιοὺς  
He sprang up and stood, and saw the Trojans and Achaeans—

**7** τοὺς μὲν ὀρινομένους, τοὺς δὲ κλονέοντας ὄπισθεν  
the Trojans driven in turmoil, the Argives driving them from behind,

**8** Ἀργείους, μετὰ δέ σφι Ποσειδάωνα ἄνακτα·  
and among the Argives lord Poseidon.

**9** Ἕκτορα δʼ ἐν πεδίῳ ἴδε κείμενον, ἀμφὶ δʼ ἑταῖροι  
He saw Hector lying on the plain, his comrades seated

**10** εἵαθʼ, ὃ δʼ ἀργαλέῳ ἔχετʼ ἄσθματι κῆρ ἀπινύσσων  
around him; grievous gasping held him, and his mind was failing,

**11** αἷμʼ ἐμέων, ἐπεὶ οὔ μιν ἀφαυρότατος βάλʼ Ἀχαιῶν.  
as he vomited blood, for it was not the feeblest Achaean who had struck him.
> No feeblest Achaean: The emphatic negative with the superlative ἀφαυρότατος is litotes: Hector was struck not by the weakest Achaean, but by a formidable one. The narrator leaves Ajax unnamed here while stressing the force of his blow.

**12** τὸν δὲ ἰδὼν ἐλέησε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε,  
Seeing him, the father of men and gods took pity,

**13** δεινὰ δʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν Ἥρην πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·  
and glaring terribly at Hera from under his brows, he spoke:
> The terrible under-brow glare: The recurring ὑπόδρα gesture is a hostile look from beneath the brows. Here δεινά intensifies it: Zeus's first response on waking is not merely stern but terrifying.

**14** ἦ μάλα δὴ κακότεχνος ἀμήχανε σὸς δόλος Ἥρη  
"Ah, evil-working, incorrigible Hera, your trick

**15** Ἕκτορα δῖον ἔπαυσε μάχης, ἐφόβησε δὲ λαούς.  
has stopped godlike Hector from battle and routed the host.

**16** οὐ μὰν οἶδʼ εἰ αὖτε κακορραφίης ἀλεγεινῆς  
Indeed, I do not know whether once again for this grievous plotting

**17** πρώτη ἐπαύρηαι καί σε πληγῇσιν ἱμάσσω.  
you will be first to reap the fruit, and I shall lash you with blows.

**18** ἦ οὐ μέμνῃ ὅτε τʼ ἐκρέμω ὑψόθεν, ἐκ δὲ ποδοῖιν  
Do you not remember when I hung you from on high, and from your two feet
> Hera's two feet: ποδοῖιν is a dual form, marking the pair of feet from which Zeus hung the two anvils. Homer uses the dual where the body naturally supplies a matched pair.

**19** ἄκμονας ἧκα δύω, περὶ χερσὶ δὲ δεσμὸν ἴηλα  
hung two anvils, and around your hands drew a bond

**20** χρύσεον ἄρρηκτον; σὺ δʼ ἐν αἰθέρι καὶ νεφέλῃσιν  
of gold, unbreakable? You hung in the air among the clouds;

**21** ἐκρέμω· ἠλάστεον δὲ θεοὶ κατὰ μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον,  
you hung, and the gods raged throughout broad Olympus,

**22** λῦσαι δʼ οὐκ ἐδύναντο παρασταδόν· ὃν δὲ λάβοιμι  
but standing near they could not free you. Whichever one I caught,

**23** ῥίπτασκον τεταγὼν ἀπὸ βηλοῦ ὄφρʼ ἂν ἵκηται  
I would seize and hurl from the threshold until he reached
> Again and again he hurled them: The iterative imperfect ῥίπτασκον presents Zeus's threat as repeated action: whichever god he caught, he kept hurling from Olympus. The form makes the violence habitual within the remembered scene.

**24** γῆν ὀλιγηπελέων· ἐμὲ δʼ οὐδʼ ὧς θυμὸν ἀνίει  
the earth in a faint. Yet not even so did there leave my heart

**25** ἀζηχὴς ὀδύνη Ἡρακλῆος θείοιο,  
the ceaseless pain I bore for divine Heracles,

**26** τὸν σὺ ξὺν Βορέῃ ἀνέμῳ πεπιθοῦσα θυέλλας  
whom you, with Boreas the wind, after winning the tempests to your side,

**27** πέμψας ἐπʼ ἀτρύγετον πόντον κακὰ μητιόωσα,  
sent over the barren sea, plotting evil,

**28** καί μιν ἔπειτα Κόων δʼ εὖ ναιομένην ἀπένεικας.  
and then you swept his son away to well-settled Cos,
> The storm to Cos: This line repeats Iliad 14.255 apart from terminal punctuation and keeps its accepted English wording. Cos is the island where Hera's storm carried Heracles after driving him over the sea.

**29** τὸν μὲν ἐγὼν ἔνθεν ῥυσάμην καὶ ἀνήγαγον αὖτις  
but I rescued him from there and brought him back again

**30** Ἄργος ἐς ἱππόβοτον καὶ πολλά περ ἀθλήσαντα.  
to horse-pasturing Argos, though he had endured many labors.

**31** τῶν σʼ αὖτις μνήσω ἵνʼ ἀπολλήξῃς ἀπατάων,  
I shall remind you of these things again, so that you cease from deception

**32** ὄφρα ἴδῃ ἤν τοι χραίσμῃ φιλότης τε καὶ εὐνή,  
and see whether love and bed will help you—

**33** ἣν ἐμίγης ἐλθοῦσα θεῶν ἄπο καί μʼ ἀπάτησας.  
the bed you shared when you came from among the gods and deceived me."

**34** ὣς φάτο, ῥίγησεν δὲ βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη,  
So he spoke, and ox-eyed queenly Hera trembled,

**35** καί μιν φωνήσασʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and speaking to him, she addressed him with winged words:
> She speaks to him: The feminine participle φωνήσασʼ identifies Hera as the speaker, while μιν refers to Zeus, her male addressee. The Greek line returns at 15.89 with a female addressee, so the English pronoun must follow each scene even though μιν itself does not mark gender.

**36** ἴστω νῦν τόδε Γαῖα καὶ Οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ὕπερθε  
"Now let Earth know this, and broad Heaven above,

**37** καὶ τὸ κατειβόμενον Στυγὸς ὕδωρ, ὅς τε μέγιστος  
and the down-flowing water of Styx, which is the greatest

**38** ὅρκος δεινότατός τε πέλει μακάρεσσι θεοῖσι,  
and most terrible oath among the blessed gods,

**39** σή θʼ ἱερὴ κεφαλὴ καὶ νωΐτερον λέχος αὐτῶν  
and your sacred head and our own wedded bed,

**40** κουρίδιον, τὸ μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ ποτε μὰψ ὀμόσαιμι·  
by which I would never swear recklessly:
> A solemn potential oath: The optative ὀμόσαιμι with ἄν states what Hera could never bring herself to do: swear idly or falsely by the marriage bed. The potential construction strengthens her claim without proving that every surrounding implication is honest.

**41** μὴ διʼ ἐμὴν ἰότητα Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων  
it is not through my will that Poseidon the earth-shaker

**42** πημαίνει Τρῶάς τε καὶ Ἕκτορα, τοῖσι δʼ ἀρήγει,  
brings harm to the Trojans and Hector and gives the Achaeans aid,

**43** ἀλλά που αὐτὸν θυμὸς ἐποτρύνει καὶ ἀνώγει,  
but surely his own heart urges and commands him,

**44** τειρομένους δʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἰδὼν ἐλέησεν Ἀχαιούς.  
for he saw the Achaeans worn down beside the ships and pitied them.

**45** αὐτάρ τοι καὶ κείνῳ ἐγὼ παραμυθησαίμην  
Yet I would counsel even him

**46** τῇ ἴμεν ᾗ κεν δὴ σὺ κελαινεφὲς ἡγεμονεύῃς.  
to go the way in which you, dark-clouded one, should lead."
> Zeus, the dark-clouded one: κελαινεφές is a vocative title for Zeus, picturing him in the darkness of storm clouds. It remains distinct from his separate cloud-gatherer and wide-thundering epithets.

**47** ὣς φάτο, μείδησεν δὲ πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε,  
So she spoke, and the father of men and gods smiled.

**48** καί μιν ἀμειβόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
And answering her, he addressed her with winged words:

**49** εἰ μὲν δὴ σύ γʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη  
"If indeed you, ox-eyed queenly Hera,

**50** ἶσον ἐμοὶ φρονέουσα μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι καθίζοις,  
would sit among the immortals of one mind with me,
> Zeus sets a condition: The optative καθίζοις completes the condition opened by εἰ in the preceding line, while the result follows with κε in lines 51–52. Zeus imagines Hera aligning her counsel with his, then predicts Poseidon's response.

**51** τώ κε Ποσειδάων γε, καὶ εἰ μάλα βούλεται ἄλλῃ,  
then Poseidon, even if he strongly wishes otherwise,

**52** αἶψα μεταστρέψειε νόον μετὰ σὸν καὶ ἐμὸν κῆρ.  
would swiftly turn his purpose to follow your heart and mine.

**53** ἀλλʼ εἰ δή ῥʼ ἐτεόν γε καὶ ἀτρεκέως ἀγορεύεις,  
But if what you say is true and exact,

**54** ἔρχεο νῦν μετὰ φῦλα θεῶν, καὶ δεῦρο κάλεσσον  
go now among the tribes of gods, and summon here

**55** Ἶρίν τʼ ἐλθέμεναι καὶ Ἀπόλλωνα κλυτότοξον,  
Iris to come, and Apollo famed for his bow,

**56** ὄφρʼ ἣ μὲν μετὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων  
so that she may go among the host of bronze-clad Achaeans

**57** ἔλθῃ, καὶ εἴπῃσι Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι  
and tell lord Poseidon

**58** παυσάμενον πολέμοιο τὰ ἃ πρὸς δώμαθʼ ἱκέσθαι,  
to cease from war and make his way to his own house,
> Poseidon must stop and go: The accusative participle παυσάμενον and infinitive ἱκέσθαι both refer to Poseidon, the addressee named in the preceding line. Iris is to tell him to stop fighting and return to his own house; she does not perform either action herself.

**59** Ἕκτορα δʼ ὀτρύνῃσι μάχην ἐς Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων,  
and Phoebus Apollo may urge Hector into battle,

**60** αὖτις δʼ ἐμπνεύσῃσι μένος, λελάθῃ δʼ ὀδυνάων  
breathe strength into him again, and make him forget the pains

**61** αἳ νῦν μιν τείρουσι κατὰ φρένας, αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς  
that now wear down his mind; then turn the Achaeans

**62** αὖτις ἀποστρέψῃσιν ἀνάλκιδα φύζαν ἐνόρσας,  
back again, rousing cowardly flight among them,

**63** φεύγοντες δʼ ἐν νηυσὶ πολυκλήϊσι πέσωσι  
and fleeing, they shall fall among the many-benched ships

**64** Πηλεΐδεω Ἀχιλῆος· ὃ δʼ ἀνστήσει ὃν ἑταῖρον  
of Achilles, son of Peleus; and he will raise up his companion

**65** Πάτροκλον· τὸν δὲ κτενεῖ ἔγχεϊ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ  
Patroclus, whom glorious Hector will kill with his spear

**66** Ἰλίου προπάροιθε πολέας ὀλέσαντʼ αἰζηοὺς  
before Ilion, after Patroclus has slain vigorous young men—

**67** τοὺς ἄλλους, μετὰ δʼ υἱὸν ἐμὸν Σαρπηδόνα δῖον.  
many others, and among them my own son, godlike Sarpedon.

**68** τοῦ δὲ χολωσάμενος κτενεῖ Ἕκτορα δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.  
Angered over Patroclus, godlike Achilles will kill Hector.
> Achilles' anger for Patroclus: The genitive pronoun τοῦ gives the cause of Achilles' anger and points back to Patroclus, whose death drives the revenge, not to Sarpedon in the immediately preceding line. Zeus is forecasting the chain of deaths rather than narrating events already completed.

**69** ἐκ τοῦ δʼ ἄν τοι ἔπειτα παλίωξιν παρὰ νηῶν  
From that time onward I shall make a counter-pursuit from the ships

**70** αἰὲν ἐγὼ τεύχοιμι διαμπερὲς εἰς ὅ κʼ Ἀχαιοὶ  
continually and without pause, until the Achaeans

**71** Ἴλιον αἰπὺ ἕλοιεν Ἀθηναίης διὰ βουλάς.  
take steep Ilion through the plans of Athena.

**72** τὸ πρὶν δʼ οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ἐγὼ παύω χόλον οὔτέ τινʼ ἄλλον  
Before that, I will neither cease my anger nor allow any other

**73** ἀθανάτων Δαναοῖσιν ἀμυνέμεν ἐνθάδʼ ἐάσω  
of the immortals to defend the Danaans here

**74** πρίν γε τὸ Πηλεΐδαο τελευτηθῆναι ἐέλδωρ,  
until the desire of Peleus' son has been fulfilled,

**75** ὥς οἱ ὑπέστην πρῶτον, ἐμῷ δʼ ἐπένευσα κάρητι,  
as I first promised him and nodded assent with my head

**76** ἤματι τῷ ὅτʼ ἐμεῖο θεὰ Θέτις ἥψατο γούνων,  
on the day when the goddess Thetis clasped my knees,

**77** λισσομένη τιμῆσαι Ἀχιλλῆα πτολίπορθον.  
begging him to honor Achilles, sacker of cities."
> Achilles, sacker of cities: The epithet πτολίπορθος names Achilles as a sacker of cities and repeats the closing formula of Iliad 8.372. Its accepted English wording returns here exactly, with only the closing quotation mark added for Zeus's completed speech.

**78** ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη,  
So he spoke, and the goddess white-armed Hera did not disobey,

**79** βῆ δʼ ἐξ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων ἐς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον.  
and went from the mountains of Ida to high Olympus.

**80** ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ἀΐξῃ νόος ἀνέρος, ὅς τʼ ἐπὶ πολλὴν  
As when the mind of a man darts, a man who over much
> When a man's thought darts: The verb ἀΐσσω gives thought the sudden motion of a leap or dart. Hera's flight is compared not with a bodily journey but with the mind's ability to cross vast distances in an instant.

**81** γαῖαν ἐληλουθὼς φρεσὶ πευκαλίμῃσι νοήσῃ  
land has traveled, and in his shrewd thoughts reflects,

**82** ἔνθʼ εἴην ἢ ἔνθα, μενοινήῃσί τε πολλά,  
"Would I were here, or there," and desires many things,

**83** ὣς κραιπνῶς μεμαυῖα διέπτατο πότνια Ἥρη·  
so swiftly in her eagerness queenly Hera flew.

**84** ἵκετο δʼ αἰπὺν Ὄλυμπον, ὁμηγερέεσσι δʼ ἐπῆλθεν  
She reached steep Olympus and came among the assembled

**85** ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι Διὸς δόμῳ· οἳ δὲ ἰδόντες  
immortal gods in Zeus's house; when they saw her,

**86** πάντες ἀνήϊξαν καὶ δεικανόωντο δέπασσιν.  
they all sprang up and offered their cups in greeting.

**87** ἣ δʼ ἄλλους μὲν ἔασε, Θέμιστι δὲ καλλιπαρῄῳ  
She let the others be, but from fair-cheeked Themis

**88** δέκτο δέπας· πρώτη γὰρ ἐναντίη ἦλθε θέουσα,  
she took a cup, for Themis first came running to meet her,

**89** καί μιν φωνήσασʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and speaking to her, she addressed her with winged words:
> Winged words to Hera: This full Greek line also appears at 15.35, but μιν does not mark the recipient's gender. There Hera addresses Zeus as him; here Themis addresses Hera as her, while the inherited winged-words formula remains otherwise unchanged.

**90** Ἥρη τίπτε βέβηκας; ἀτυζομένῃ δὲ ἔοικας·  
"Hera, why have you come? You look distraught.

**91** ἦ μάλα δή σʼ ἐφόβησε Κρόνου πάϊς, ὅς τοι ἀκοίτης.  
Surely the son of Cronos, your husband, has frightened you."

**92** τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη·  
Then the goddess white-armed Hera answered her:

**93** μή με θεὰ Θέμι ταῦτα διείρεο· οἶσθα καὶ αὐτὴ  
"Goddess Themis, do not question me about these things; you yourself know

**94** οἷος κείνου θυμὸς ὑπερφίαλος καὶ ἀπηνής.  
what an overbearing and pitiless spirit he has.

**95** ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ ἄρχε θεοῖσι δόμοις ἔνι δαιτὸς ἐΐσης·  
But you, begin the fair-shared feast for the gods within the hall;

**96** ταῦτα δὲ καὶ μετὰ πᾶσιν ἀκούσεαι ἀθανάτοισιν  
and along with all the immortals you shall hear these things,

**97** οἷα Ζεὺς κακὰ ἔργα πιφαύσκεται· οὐδέ τί φημι  
the evil works Zeus is revealing; nor do I think

**98** πᾶσιν ὁμῶς θυμὸν κεχαρησέμεν, οὔτε βροτοῖσιν  
every heart alike will rejoice, whether among mortals

**99** οὔτε θεοῖς, εἴ πέρ τις ἔτι νῦν δαίνυται εὔφρων.  
or gods, though someone even now may feast in gladness."

**100** ἣ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰποῦσα καθέζετο πότνια Ἥρη,  
So speaking, queenly Hera sat down,

**101** ὄχθησαν δʼ ἀνὰ δῶμα Διὸς θεοί· ἣ δʼ ἐγέλασσε  
and the gods were troubled throughout Zeus's house; but she smiled

**102** χείλεσιν, οὐδὲ μέτωπον ἐπʼ ὀφρύσι κυανέῃσιν  
with her lips, though her forehead above her dark brows did not
> A smile without gladness: Hera's lips smile, but the forehead above her dark brows does not soften. Homer divides the expression across the face, making the smile a controlled and bitter one rather than a sign of joy.

**103** ἰάνθη· πᾶσιν δὲ νεμεσσηθεῖσα μετηύδα·  
soften; indignant with them all, she spoke:

**104** νήπιοι οἳ Ζηνὶ μενεαίνομεν ἀφρονέοντες·  
"Fools are we, who rage against Zeus in our folly!

**105** ἦ ἔτι μιν μέμαμεν καταπαυσέμεν ἆσσον ἰόντες  
Do we still mean to draw near and try to stop him

**106** ἢ ἔπει ἠὲ βίῃ· ὃ δʼ ἀφήμενος οὐκ ἀλεγίζει  
by word or force? But he sits apart and does not care

**107** οὐδʼ ὄθεται· φησὶν γὰρ ἐν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι  
or heed us, for he says that among the immortal gods

**108** κάρτεΐ τε σθένεΐ τε διακριδὸν εἶναι ἄριστος.  
he is far the best in strength and might.

**109** τὼ ἔχεθʼ ὅττί κεν ὔμμι κακὸν πέμπῃσιν ἑκάστῳ.  
So endure whatever evil he may send to each one of you.
> Endure it: ἔχεθʼ is a second-person plural imperative: Hera tells the gods collectively to bear whatever Zeus sends. The following ὔμμι and ἑκάστῳ then distribute the threat to each god individually.

**110** ἤδη γὰρ νῦν ἔλπομʼ Ἄρηΐ γε πῆμα τετύχθαι·  
Already now I expect that woe has come to Ares,
> Woe has come: τετύχθαι is a perfect infinitive dependent on ἔλπομαι, presenting Ares's suffering as an event already brought about with a present result. Hera means the death of his son Ascalaphus.

**111** υἱὸς γάρ οἱ ὄλωλε μάχῃ ἔνι φίλτατος ἀνδρῶν  
for his son has perished in battle, dearest to him of men,

**112** Ἀσκάλαφος, τόν φησιν ὃν ἔμμεναι ὄβριμος Ἄρης.  
Ascalaphus, whom mighty Ares claims as his own."

**113** ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ Ἄρης θαλερὼ πεπλήγετο μηρὼ  
So she spoke; but Ares struck both sturdy thighs

**114** χερσὶ καταπρηνέσσʼ, ὀλοφυρόμενος δʼ ἔπος ηὔδα·  
with hands outstretched, and lamenting he spoke:
> A gesture of lament: Ares strikes his thighs with his hands turned down and breaks into lament. The whole Greek line recurs at 15.398, where its English wording must remain the same.

**115** μὴ νῦν μοι νεμεσήσετʼ Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχοντες  
"Do not now be angry with me, you who hold homes on Olympus,

**116** τίσασθαι φόνον υἷος ἰόντʼ ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν,  
if I go to the Achaeans' ships to avenge my son's murder,

**117** εἴ πέρ μοι καὶ μοῖρα Διὸς πληγέντι κεραυνῷ  
even if it is my fate, struck by Zeus's thunderbolt,

**118** κεῖσθαι ὁμοῦ νεκύεσσι μεθʼ αἵματι καὶ κονίῃσιν.  
to lie among the corpses, together amid blood and dust."

**119** ὣς φάτο, καί ῥʼ ἵππους κέλετο Δεῖμόν τε Φόβον τε  
So he spoke, and ordered Terror and Rout to yoke the horses,

**120** ζευγνύμεν, αὐτὸς δʼ ἔντεʼ ἐδύσετο παμφανόωντα.  
while he himself put on his all-shining armor.

**121** ἔνθά κʼ ἔτι μείζων τε καὶ ἀργαλεώτερος ἄλλος  
Then another anger and wrath, still greater and more grievous,

**122** πὰρ Διὸς ἀθανάτοισι χόλος καὶ μῆνις ἐτύχθη,  
would have arisen from Zeus against the immortals,

**123** εἰ μὴ Ἀθήνη πᾶσι περιδείσασα θεοῖσιν  
had Athena not greatly feared for all the gods

**124** ὦρτο διὲκ προθύρου, λίπε δὲ θρόνον ἔνθα θάασσε,  
and sprung out through the doorway, leaving the throne where she sat.

**125** τοῦ δʼ ἀπὸ μὲν κεφαλῆς κόρυθʼ εἵλετο καὶ σάκος ὤμων,  
From his head she took the helmet, and the shield from his shoulders,

**126** ἔγχος δʼ ἔστησε στιβαρῆς ἀπὸ χειρὸς ἑλοῦσα  
and took the spear from his strong hand and set it down,

**127** χάλκεον· ἣ δʼ ἐπέεσσι καθάπτετο θοῦρον Ἄρηα·  
the bronze weapon; then with words she rebuked furious Ares:

**128** μαινόμενε φρένας ἠλὲ διέφθορας· ἦ νύ τοι αὔτως  
"Madman, witless in mind, you are ruined! Surely in vain
> A participle used as an address: μαινόμενε is a present middle participle in the vocative, used directly as an insult: Athena calls Ares one who is raging or mad. The following vocative ἠλέ intensifies the rebuke by calling Ares witless, with φρένας specifying the respect: witless in mind.

**129** οὔατʼ ἀκουέμεν ἐστί, νόος δʼ ἀπόλωλε καὶ αἰδώς.  
you have ears to hear; your mind and shame are lost.

**130** οὐκ ἀΐεις ἅ τέ φησι θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη  
Do you not hear what the goddess white-armed Hera says,

**131** ἣ δὴ νῦν πὰρ Ζηνὸς Ὀλυμπίου εἰλήλουθεν;  
who has now come straight from Olympian Zeus?

**132** ἦ ἐθέλεις αὐτὸς μὲν ἀναπλήσας κακὰ πολλὰ  
Or do you wish, after suffering many evils yourself,

**133** ἂψ ἴμεν Οὔλυμπον δὲ καὶ ἀχνύμενός περ ἀνάγκῃ,  
to return to Olympus under compulsion, grief-stricken though you are,

**134** αὐτὰρ τοῖς ἄλλοισι κακὸν μέγα πᾶσι φυτεῦσαι;  
and sow great evil for all the rest of us?

**135** αὐτίκα γὰρ Τρῶας μὲν ὑπερθύμους καὶ Ἀχαιοὺς  
For at once he will leave the high-hearted Trojans and Achaeans

**136** λείψει, ὃ δʼ ἡμέας εἶσι κυδοιμήσων ἐς Ὄλυμπον,  
and come to throw us into turmoil on Olympus,

**137** μάρψει δʼ ἑξείης ὅς τʼ αἴτιος ὅς τε καὶ οὐκί.  
and seize us one after another, guilty and guiltless alike.

**138** τώ σʼ αὖ νῦν κέλομαι μεθέμεν χόλον υἷος ἑῆος·  
Therefore now I command you to let go your anger for your son.

**139** ἤδη γάρ τις τοῦ γε βίην καὶ χεῖρας ἀμείνων  
Already someone better than he in might and strength of hand
> Better than he: The comparative ἀμείνων is followed by the genitive τοῦ, 'better than he.' Athena measures lost warriors by both βίη, bodily might, and χεῖρες, their strength in action.

**140** ἢ πέφατʼ, ἢ καὶ ἔπειτα πεφήσεται· ἀργαλέον δὲ  
has been killed, or will be killed hereafter; and it is hard

**141** πάντων ἀνθρώπων ῥῦσθαι γενεήν τε τόκον τε.  
to save the lineage and offspring of every man."

**142** ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ἵδρυσε θρόνῳ ἔνι θοῦρον Ἄρηα.  
So speaking, she seated furious Ares upon his throne.

**143** Ἥρη δʼ Ἀπόλλωνα καλέσσατο δώματος ἐκτὸς  
Then Hera called Apollo outside the house,

**144** Ἶρίν θʼ, ἥ τε θεοῖσι μετάγγελος ἀθανάτοισι,  
and Iris, who is messenger among the immortal gods,

**145** καί σφεας φωνήσασʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and speaking, she addressed them with winged words:

**146** Ζεὺς σφὼ εἰς Ἴδην κέλετʼ ἐλθέμεν ὅττι τάχιστα·  
"Zeus bids you two go to Ida as quickly as possible;
> You two: σφώ is the second-person dual pronoun, marking Apollo and Iris as exactly two addressees. The infinitive ἐλθέμεν depends on Zeus's command: both are to go to Ida together.

**147** αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν ἔλθητε, Διός τʼ εἰς ὦπα ἴδησθε,  
and when you have come and looked upon the face of Zeus,

**148** ἕρδειν ὅττί κε κεῖνος ἐποτρύνῃ καὶ ἀνώγῃ.  
do whatever he may urge and command."

**149** ἣ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰποῦσα πάλιν κίε πότνια Ἥρη,  
So speaking, queenly Hera went back again

**150** ἕζετο δʼ εἰνὶ θρόνῳ· τὼ δʼ ἀΐξαντε πετέσθην.  
and sat upon her throne; the two sprang up and flew.
> The two gods together: The dual forms τὼ, ἀΐξαντε, and πετέσθην mark Iris and Apollo as a pair: the two spring up and fly from Olympus together.

**151** Ἴδην δʼ ἵκανον πολυπίδακα μητέρα θηρῶν,  
They reached many-springed Ida, mother of wild beasts,

**152** εὗρον δʼ εὐρύοπα Κρονίδην ἀνὰ Γαργάρῳ ἄκρῳ  
and found the wide-thundering son of Cronos upon highest Gargaron,
> The wide-thundering son of Cronos: εὐρύοπα is Zeus's wide-voiced or wide-thundering epithet, evoking the reach of his thunder. Κρονίδην names him as the son of Cronos.

**153** ἥμενον· ἀμφὶ δέ μιν θυόεν νέφος ἐστεφάνωτο.  
seated; around him a fragrant cloud was wreathed.

**154** τὼ δὲ πάροιθʼ ἐλθόντε Διὸς νεφεληγερέταο  
The two came before Zeus the cloud-gatherer

**155** στήτην· οὐδέ σφωϊν ἰδὼν ἐχολώσατο θυμῷ,  
and stood; when he saw them, he was not angered in his heart,

**156** ὅττί οἱ ὦκʼ ἐπέεσσι φίλης ἀλόχοιο πιθέσθην.  
because they had swiftly obeyed the words of his dear wife.

**157** Ἶριν δὲ προτέρην ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
First he addressed Iris with winged words:

**158** βάσκʼ ἴθι Ἶρι ταχεῖα, Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι  
"Go now, swift Iris, and tell lord Poseidon

**159** πάντα τάδʼ ἀγγεῖλαι, μὴ δὲ ψευδάγγελος εἶναι.  
all these things, and do not be a false messenger.
> A false messenger: The compound joins ψευδής, “false,” with ἄγγελος, “messenger.” Zeus demands that Iris transmit every part of his order faithfully.

**160** παυσάμενόν μιν ἄνωχθι μάχης ἠδὲ πτολέμοιο  
Command him to cease from battle and war

**161** ἔρχεσθαι μετὰ φῦλα θεῶν ἢ εἰς ἅλα δῖαν.  
to go among the tribes of gods or into the shining sea.

**162** εἰ δέ μοι οὐκ ἐπέεσσʼ ἐπιπείσεται, ἀλλʼ ἀλογήσει,  
But if he will not obey my words, but disregards them,

**163** φραζέσθω δὴ ἔπειτα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμὸν  
then let him consider well in mind and spirit

**164** μή μʼ οὐδὲ κρατερός περ ἐὼν ἐπιόντα ταλάσσῃ  
lest, strong though he is, he dare, when I come against him,

**165** μεῖναι, ἐπεί εὑ φημὶ βίῃ πολὺ φέρτερος εἶναι  
to stand his ground, since I declare myself far stronger than he in might

**166** καὶ γενεῇ πρότερος· τοῦ δʼ οὐκ ὄθεται φίλον ἦτορ  
and earlier born; yet his dear heart does not shrink

**167** ἶσον ἐμοὶ φάσθαι, τόν τε στυγέουσι καὶ ἄλλοι.  
from claiming equality with me, whom all the others dread."

**168** ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις,  
So he spoke, and wind-footed swift Iris did not disobey,

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

**170** ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ἐκ νεφέων πτῆται νιφὰς ἠὲ χάλαζα  
As when from the clouds a flake of snow or hail flies,
> The simile opens: The paired particles ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ open a formal comparison. The answering ὥς at line 172 transfers the snow's or hail's speed to Iris's flight.

**171** ψυχρὴ ὑπὸ ῥιπῆς αἰθρηγενέος Βορέαο,  
cold beneath the blast of sky-born Boreas,
> Sky-born Boreas: Boreas is the North Wind. The epithet αἰθρηγενής calls him born from the clear upper air, whose blast drives the wintry shower.

**172** ὣς κραιπνῶς μεμαυῖα διέπτατο ὠκέα Ἶρις,  
so swiftly in her eagerness swift Iris flew,

**173** ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη προσέφη κλυτὸν ἐννοσίγαιον·  
and standing close beside him, addressed the famed shaker of earth:

**174** ἀγγελίην τινά τοι γαιήοχε κυανοχαῖτα  
"Earth-holder, dark-haired god, I have come here bearing
> Earth-holder, dark-haired god: Iris addresses Poseidon with two titles. γαιήοχος marks his power over the earth, while κυανοχαίτης gives him dark, deep-colored hair.

**175** ἦλθον δεῦρο φέρουσα παραὶ Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.  
a message for you from aegis-bearing Zeus.

**176** παυσάμενόν σʼ ἐκέλευσε μάχης ἠδὲ πτολέμοιο  
He commanded you to cease from battle and war

**177** ἔρχεσθαι μετὰ φῦλα θεῶν ἢ εἰς ἅλα δῖαν.  
to go among the tribes of gods or into the shining sea.

**178** εἰ δέ οἱ οὐκ ἐπέεσσʼ ἐπιπείσεαι, ἀλλʼ ἀλογήσεις,  
But if you will not obey his words, but disregard them,

**179** ἠπείλει καὶ κεῖνος ἐναντίβιον πολεμίξων  
he threatened that he himself, to fight you face to face,

**180** ἐνθάδʼ ἐλεύσεσθαι· σὲ δʼ ὑπεξαλέασθαι ἄνωγε  
would come here; and he urges you to stay out of reach

**181** χεῖρας, ἐπεὶ σέο φησὶ βίῃ πολὺ φέρτερος εἶναι  
of his hands, since he declares himself far stronger than you in might

**182** καὶ γενεῇ πρότερος· σὸν δʼ οὐκ ὄθεται φίλον ἦτορ  
and earlier born; yet your dear heart does not shrink

**183** ἶσόν οἱ φάσθαι, τόν τε στυγέουσι καὶ ἄλλοι.  
from claiming equality with him, whom all the others dread."

**184** τὴν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη κλυτὸς ἐννοσίγαιος·  
Then, deeply angered, the famed shaker of earth addressed her:

**185** ὢ πόποι ἦ ῥʼ ἀγαθός περ ἐὼν ὑπέροπλον ἔειπεν  
"Ah, though he is noble, he has spoken arrogantly

**186** εἴ μʼ ὁμότιμον ἐόντα βίῃ ἀέκοντα καθέξει.  
if he will hold me back by force against my will, though I share his honor.

**187** τρεῖς γάρ τʼ ἐκ Κρόνου εἰμὲν ἀδελφεοὶ οὓς τέκετο Ῥέα  
For we are three brothers born from Cronos, whom Rhea bore:

**188** Ζεὺς καὶ ἐγώ, τρίτατος δʼ Ἀΐδης ἐνέροισιν ἀνάσσων.  
Zeus and I, and third Hades, lord of those below.

**189** τριχθὰ δὲ πάντα δέδασται, ἕκαστος δʼ ἔμμορε τιμῆς·  
All things were divided three ways, and each received his share of honor.

**190** ἤτοι ἐγὼν ἔλαχον πολιὴν ἅλα ναιέμεν αἰεὶ  
I received the gray sea as my home forever,

**191** παλλομένων, Ἀΐδης δʼ ἔλαχε ζόφον ἠερόεντα,  
when the lots were shaken; Hades received the misty darkness,

**192** Ζεὺς δʼ ἔλαχʼ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἐν αἰθέρι καὶ νεφέλῃσι·  
and Zeus received the broad heaven amid bright air and clouds;

**193** γαῖα δʼ ἔτι ξυνὴ πάντων καὶ μακρὸς Ὄλυμπος.  
but earth is still common to us all, and high Olympus.

**194** τώ ῥα καὶ οὔ τι Διὸς βέομαι φρεσίν, ἀλλὰ ἕκηλος  
Therefore I will not live at all by Zeus's designs; but at his ease,

**195** καὶ κρατερός περ ἐὼν μενέτω τριτάτῃ ἐνὶ μοίρῃ.  
and strong though he is, let him remain within his third portion.

**196** χερσὶ δὲ μή τί με πάγχυ κακὸν ὣς δειδισσέσθω·  
And let him not try to frighten me with his hands as though I were a coward;

**197** θυγατέρεσσιν γάρ τε καὶ υἱάσι βέλτερον εἴη  
it would be better for him to assail his daughters and sons

**198** ἐκπάγλοις ἐπέεσσιν ἐνισσέμεν οὓς τέκεν αὐτός,  
with terrible words, those whom he himself begot,

**199** οἵ ἑθεν ὀτρύνοντος ἀκούσονται καὶ ἀνάγκῃ.  
who will hear and obey when he urges them, even under compulsion."

**200** τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις·  
Then wind-footed swift Iris answered him:

**201** οὕτω γὰρ δή τοι γαιήοχε κυανοχαῖτα  
"Is it really so, earth-holder, dark-haired god—

**202** τόνδε φέρω Διὶ μῦθον ἀπηνέα τε κρατερόν τε,  
am I to carry this harsh and mighty word from you to Zeus,

**203** ἦ τι μεταστρέψεις; στρεπταὶ μέν τε φρένες ἐσθλῶν.  
or will you turn? The hearts of noble men can turn.
> Noble hearts can turn: Iris answers Poseidon's defiance with a compact maxim: the understanding of the noble is στρεπτός, capable of turning or changing course.

**204** οἶσθʼ ὡς πρεσβυτέροισιν Ἐρινύες αἰὲν ἕπονται.  
You know how the Erinyes always attend upon the elder."

**205** τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων·  
Then Poseidon the earth-shaker addressed her in turn:

**206** Ἶρι θεὰ μάλα τοῦτο ἔπος κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες·  
"Goddess Iris, this word you have spoken is wholly fitting;
> Spoken as is fitting: The idiom κατὰ μοῖραν means in due measure or as is fitting. Poseidon concedes that Iris has judged the proper course, though his resentment remains.

**207** ἐσθλὸν καὶ τὸ τέτυκται ὅτʼ ἄγγελος αἴσιμα εἰδῇ.  
and it is a good thing when a messenger knows what is right.

**208** ἀλλὰ τόδʼ αἰνὸν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἱκάνει  
But this dread grief reaches my heart and spirit:

**209** ὁππότʼ ἂν ἰσόμορον καὶ ὁμῇ πεπρωμένον αἴσῃ  
whenever one has an equal portion and the same allotted fate,
> Equal in allotted portion: ἰσόμορος and the perfect participle πεπρωμένον both speak the language of allotment. Poseidon claims that he and Zeus possess equal shares fixed by the same apportioning destiny.

**210** νεικείειν ἐθέλῃσι χολωτοῖσιν ἐπέεσσιν.  
he wishes to rebuke that man with words that stir anger.

**211** ἀλλʼ ἤτοι νῦν μέν κε νεμεσσηθεὶς ὑποείξω·  
Yet for now, indignant though I am, I will yield.

**212** ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, καὶ ἀπειλήσω τό γε θυμῷ·  
But I will tell you another thing, and make this threat from my heart:

**213** αἴ κεν ἄνευ ἐμέθεν καὶ Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης  
if, without my consent and Athena's, driver of spoil,

**214** Ἥρης Ἑρμείω τε καὶ Ἡφαίστοιο ἄνακτος  
and Hera's, Hermes', and lord Hephaestus',

**215** Ἰλίου αἰπεινῆς πεφιδήσεται, οὐδʼ ἐθελήσει  
he spares steep Ilion and will not be willing

**216** ἐκπέρσαι, δοῦναι δὲ μέγα κράτος Ἀργείοισιν,  
to sack it and give great victory to the Argives,

**217** ἴστω τοῦθʼ ὅτι νῶϊν ἀνήκεστος χόλος ἔσται.  
let him know this: there will be wrath between us past all healing."
> Wrath past healing: ἀνήκεστος means something that cannot be healed or repaired. Poseidon's final warning is not a passing quarrel but an irreconcilable breach between the brothers.

**218** ὣς εἰπὼν λίπε λαὸν Ἀχαιϊκὸν ἐννοσίγαιος,  
So speaking, the Earth-shaker left the Achaean host,

**219** δῦνε δὲ πόντον ἰών, πόθεσαν δʼ ἥρωες Ἀχαιοί.  
and plunged into the sea; the Achaean heroes longed for him.

**220** καὶ τότʼ Ἀπόλλωνα προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·  
Then cloud-gathering Zeus addressed Apollo:
> Zeus addresses Apollo: This whole speech-introduction line establishes a formula that recurs later in the poem. Its English is fixed here as the cross-book seed, while νεφεληγερέτα retains Zeus's cloud-gathering epithet.

**221** ἔρχεο νῦν φίλε Φοῖβε μεθʼ Ἕκτορα χαλκοκορυστήν·  
"Go now, dear Phoebus, after bronze-helmed Hector.

**222** ἤδη μὲν γάρ τοι γαιήοχος ἐννοσίγαιος  
For now the earth-holding Earth-shaker

**223** οἴχεται εἰς ἅλα δῖαν ἀλευάμενος χόλον αἰπὺν  
has gone into the shining sea, avoiding our steep wrath;

**224** ἡμέτερον· μάλα γάρ κε μάχης ἐπύθοντο καὶ ἄλλοι,  
otherwise the other gods too would surely learn of the battle,

**225** οἵ περ ἐνέρτεροί εἰσι θεοὶ Κρόνον ἀμφὶς ἐόντες.  
those gods below who dwell around Cronos.

**226** ἀλλὰ τόδʼ ἠμὲν ἐμοὶ πολὺ κέρδιον ἠδέ οἱ αὐτῷ  
But this proved far better both for me and for himself:

**227** ἔπλετο, ὅττι πάροιθε νεμεσσηθεὶς ὑπόειξε  
that he felt shame and yielded beforehand

**228** χεῖρας ἐμάς, ἐπεὶ οὔ κεν ἀνιδρωτί γʼ ἐτελέσθη.  
to my hands, since the matter would not have ended without sweat.

**229** ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ ἐν χείρεσσι λάβʼ αἰγίδα θυσσανόεσσαν,  
But take in your hands the tasselled aegis,

**230** τῇ μάλʼ ἐπισσείων φοβέειν ἥρωας Ἀχαιούς·  
and shake it fiercely to put the Achaean heroes to flight.

**231** σοὶ δʼ αὐτῷ μελέτω ἑκατηβόλε φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·  
And let glorious Hector be your own care, far-shooting one;

**232** τόφρα γὰρ οὖν οἱ ἔγειρε μένος μέγα, ὄφρʼ ἂν Ἀχαιοὶ  
rouse great might in him until the Achaeans

**233** φεύγοντες νῆάς τε καὶ Ἑλλήσποντον ἵκωνται.  
flee and reach their ships and the Hellespont.

**234** κεῖθεν δʼ αὐτὸς ἐγὼ φράσομαι ἔργον τε ἔπος τε,  
From there I myself shall devise both deed and word,

**235** ὥς κε καὶ αὖτις Ἀχαιοὶ ἀναπνεύσωσι πόνοιο.  
so that the Achaeans may breathe again from their toil."

**236** ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα πατρὸς ἀνηκούστησεν Ἀπόλλων,  
So he spoke, and Apollo did not disobey his father.
> Apollo obeys his father: The negative verb ἀνηκουστέω means to refuse to hear or obey. The whole Greek line recurs later and therefore keeps this exact cross-book formula wording.

**237** βῆ δὲ κατʼ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων ἴρηκι ἐοικὼς  
He went down from the mountains of Ida like a hawk,
> Like a hawk: The perfect participle ἐοικώς introduces Apollo's likeness to a hawk as he drops from Ida. The bird image makes divine descent sudden, keen, and predatory.

**238** ὠκέϊ φασσοφόνῳ, ὅς τʼ ὤκιστος πετεηνῶν.  
the swift dove-killer, the fastest of flying creatures.

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

**240** ἥμενον, οὐδʼ ἔτι κεῖτο, νέον δʼ ἐσαγείρετο θυμόν,  
sitting, no longer lying down, newly gathering his spirit,

**241** ἀμφὶ ἓ γιγνώσκων ἑτάρους· ἀτὰρ ἆσθμα καὶ ἱδρὼς  
and recognizing the comrades around him; his gasping and sweat

**242** παύετʼ, ἐπεί μιν ἔγειρε Διὸς νόος αἰγιόχοιο.  
ceased, for the purpose of aegis-bearing Zeus had roused him.
> The purpose of aegis-bearing Zeus: νόος is Zeus's mind, intent, or governing purpose, not Apollo's independent plan. αἰγίοχος names Zeus as bearer of the aegis, the same divine object he has just handed to Apollo.

**243** ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος προσέφη ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων·  
Standing close beside him, Apollo the far-worker spoke:

**244** Ἕκτορ υἱὲ Πριάμοιο, τί ἢ δὲ σὺ νόσφιν ἀπʼ ἄλλων  
"Hector, son of Priam, why do you sit apart from the others,

**245** ἧσʼ ὀλιγηπελέων; ἦ πού τί σε κῆδος ἱκάνει;  
faint with weakness? Has some trouble come upon you?"

**246** τὸν δʼ ὀλιγοδρανέων προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·  
Then Hector of the flashing helm, weak and failing, answered:

**247** τίς δὲ σύ ἐσσι φέριστε θεῶν ὅς μʼ εἴρεαι ἄντην;  
"Who are you, best of the gods, who question me face to face?

**248** οὐκ ἀΐεις ὅ με νηυσὶν ἔπι πρυμνῇσιν Ἀχαιῶν  
Have you not heard that by the sterns of the Achaeans' ships,

**249** οὓς ἑτάρους ὀλέκοντα βοὴν ἀγαθὸς βάλεν Αἴας  
as I slew his comrades, Ajax, good at the war-cry, struck me

**250** χερμαδίῳ πρὸς στῆθος, ἔπαυσε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς;  
in the chest with a stone and stopped my furious valor?

**251** καὶ δὴ ἔγωγʼ ἐφάμην νέκυας καὶ δῶμʼ Ἀΐδαο  
I thought indeed that I would reach the dead and the house of Hades

**252** ἤματι τῷδʼ ἵξεσθαι, ἐπεὶ φίλον ἄϊον ἦτορ.  
on that very day, when I felt my own heart failing."

**253** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν ἄναξ ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων·  
Then lord Apollo the far-worker addressed him in turn:

**254** θάρσει νῦν· τοῖόν τοι ἀοσσητῆρα Κρονίων  
"Take heart now; the son of Cronos has sent you such a helper

**255** ἐξ Ἴδης προέηκε παρεστάμεναι καὶ ἀμύνειν  
from Ida to stand beside you and defend you:

**256** Φοῖβον Ἀπόλλωνα χρυσάορον, ὅς σε πάρος περ  
Phoebus Apollo of the golden sword, who even before
> Apollo of the golden sword: χρυσάορος names Apollo through a golden sword. The weapon epithet remains distinct from his silver bow and from the far-shooting and far-working titles used elsewhere.

**257** ῥύομʼ, ὁμῶς αὐτόν τε καὶ αἰπεινὸν πτολίεθρον.  
protected both you yourself and the steep citadel alike.

**258** ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἱππεῦσιν ἐπότρυνον πολέεσσι  
Come now, urge the many horsemen

**259** νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐλαυνέμεν ὠκέας ἵππους·  
to drive their swift horses against the hollow ships.

**260** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ προπάροιθε κιὼν ἵπποισι κέλευθον  
I shall go before the horses and smooth

**261** πᾶσαν λειανέω, τρέψω δʼ ἥρωας Ἀχαιούς.  
the whole road, and I shall turn the Achaean heroes."

**262** ὣς εἰπὼν ἔμπνευσε μένος μέγα ποιμένι λαῶν.  
So speaking, he breathed great might into the shepherd of the people.

**263** ὡς δʼ ὅτε τις στατὸς ἵππος ἀκοστήσας ἐπὶ φάτνῃ  
As when a stabled horse, fed his fill at the manger,
> A stalled horse fed at the manger: στατός marks a horse kept standing in a stall, while ἀκοστήσας means that it has fed on grain at the manger. The stored energy of a well-fed animal drives the speed and exuberance of the simile.

**264** δεσμὸν ἀπορρήξας θείῃ πεδίοιο κροαίνων  
breaks his tether and runs exulting over the plain,

**265** εἰωθὼς λούεσθαι ἐϋρρεῖος ποταμοῖο  
accustomed to bathe in a fair-flowing river,

**266** κυδιόων· ὑψοῦ δὲ κάρη ἔχει, ἀμφὶ δὲ χαῖται  
glorying; he holds his head high, and his mane

**267** ὤμοις ἀΐσσονται· ὃ δʼ ἀγλαΐηφι πεποιθὼς  
streams about his shoulders; trusting in his splendor,

**268** ῥίμφά ἑ γοῦνα φέρει μετά τʼ ἤθεα καὶ νομὸν ἵππων·  
his knees bear him swiftly to the haunts and pasture of mares—
> The haunts and pasture of mares: ἤθεα are the familiar haunts or dwelling places of the herd, while νομός is its grazing ground. In this simile ἵππων refers to the mares toward whom the freed stallion races.

**269** ὣς Ἕκτωρ λαιψηρὰ πόδας καὶ γούνατʼ ἐνώμα  
so Hector plied his swift feet and knees,

**270** ὀτρύνων ἱππῆας, ἐπεὶ θεοῦ ἔκλυεν αὐδήν.  
urging on the horsemen, once he had heard the god's voice.

**271** οἳ δʼ ὥς τʼ ἢ ἔλαφον κεραὸν ἢ ἄγριον αἶγα  
As when upon a horned stag or a wild goat

**272** ἐσσεύαντο κύνες τε καὶ ἀνέρες ἀγροιῶται·  
dogs and country hunters rush,

**273** τὸν μέν τʼ ἠλίβατος πέτρη καὶ δάσκιος ὕλη  
a sheer rock and shadowy wood save it,

**274** εἰρύσατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα τέ σφι κιχήμεναι αἴσιμον ἦεν·  
and it is not fated that they should catch it;
> It was not allotted to catch it: The infinitive κιχήμεναι completes the impersonal phrase αἴσιμον ἦεν: catching the quarry was not the hunters' allotted outcome. The dative pronoun σφι marks the hunters for whom that result is barred.

**275** τῶν δέ θʼ ὑπὸ ἰαχῆς ἐφάνη λὶς ἠϋγένειος  
then at their shouting a well-maned lion appears
> A well-maned lion: The rare noun λίς means a lion, while ἠϋγένειος praises its full or noble mane. Apollo's intervention makes Hector appear like this greater predator, suddenly reversing the hunters' pursuit.

**276** εἰς ὁδόν, αἶψα δὲ πάντας ἀπέτραπε καὶ μεμαῶτας·  
in the road, and swiftly turns them all away, however eager.

**277** ὣς Δαναοὶ εἷος μὲν ὁμιλαδὸν αἰὲν ἕποντο  
So while the Danaans still followed always in a mass,

**278** νύσσοντες ξίφεσίν τε καὶ ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοισιν·  
stabbing with swords and double-pointed spears

**279** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ ἴδον Ἕκτορʼ ἐποιχόμενον στίχας ἀνδρῶν  
once they saw Hector striding through the ranks of men,

**280** τάρβησαν, πᾶσιν δὲ παραὶ ποσὶ κάππεσε θυμός.  
they were afraid, and every man's spirit fell beside his feet.

**281** τοῖσι δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀγόρευε Θόας Ἀνδραίμονος υἱός,  
Then Thoas, son of Andraemon, addressed them,

**282** Αἰτωλῶν ὄχʼ ἄριστος ἐπιστάμενος μὲν ἄκοντι  
far the best of the Aetolians, skilled with the javelin
> Skilled with the javelin: The participle ἐπιστάμενος means ‘knowing how’ or ‘being skilled,’ while the dative ἄκοντι names the weapon in which Thoas is practiced. The description first establishes his prowess at a distance before turning to close combat.

**283** ἐσθλὸς δʼ ἐν σταδίῃ· ἀγορῇ δέ ἑ παῦροι Ἀχαιῶν  
and good in close combat; in council few Achaeans
> Standing fight: σταδίη is battle fought at close quarters, where a man stands his ground. Thoas is praised as both a javelin thrower and a fighter in the press.

**284** νίκων, ὁππότε κοῦροι ἐρίσσειαν περὶ μύθων·  
surpassed him whenever young men contended over counsel;

**285** ὅ σφιν ἐϋφρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·  
with good will toward them, he addressed them and spoke:

**286** ὢ πόποι ἦ μέγα θαῦμα τόδʼ ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὁρῶμαι,  
Ah me, truly a great wonder this my eyes behold,

**287** οἷον δʼ αὖτʼ ἐξαῦτις ἀνέστη κῆρας ἀλύξας  
how once again he has risen, escaping the fates of death—
> Escaping the death-spirits: κῆρες are the deadly fates or spirits allotted to violent death, here plural. Thoas speaks as though Hector has escaped death itself after Ajax’s crushing blow.

**288** Ἕκτωρ· ἦ θήν μιν μάλα ἔλπετο θυμὸς ἑκάστου  
Hector! Surely the heart of every man expected him

**289** χερσὶν ὑπʼ Αἴαντος θανέειν Τελαμωνιάδαο.  
to die beneath the hands of Telamonian Ajax.

**290** ἀλλά τις αὖτε θεῶν ἐρρύσατο καὶ ἐσάωσεν  
But once again some god has drawn him away and saved

**291** Ἕκτορʼ, ὃ δὴ πολλῶν Δαναῶν ὑπὸ γούνατʼ ἔλυσεν,  
Hector, who has loosed the knees of many Danaans,

**292** ὡς καὶ νῦν ἔσσεσθαι ὀΐομαι· οὐ γὰρ ἄτερ γε  
as I think he will now again; for not without

**293** Ζηνὸς ἐριγδούπου πρόμος ἵσταται ὧδε μενοινῶν.  
loud-thundering Zeus does he stand in the front, so eager for battle.
> Under loud-thundering Zeus: The genitive Ζηνός depends on ἄτερ in the preceding line: Hector does not stand so boldly ‘without Zeus.’ ἐρίγδουπος is Zeus’s thunder epithet and makes divine backing audible in the midst of battle.

**294** ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼν εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες.  
Come, then, let all of us obey as I shall say:

**295** πληθὺν μὲν ποτὶ νῆας ἀνώξομεν ἀπονέεσθαι·  
let us order the mass of men to return toward the ships;

**296** αὐτοὶ δʼ, ὅσσοι ἄριστοι ἐνὶ στρατῷ εὐχόμεθʼ εἶναι,  
but we ourselves, all who boast we are best in the army,

**297** στήομεν, εἴ κεν πρῶτον ἐρύξομεν ἀντιάσαντες  
let us stand, and see if we may first hold him by meeting him

**298** δούρατʼ ἀνασχόμενοι· τὸν δʼ οἴω καὶ μεμαῶτα  
with spears held high; for all his fury, I think

**299** θυμῷ δείσεσθαι Δαναῶν καταδῦναι ὅμιλον.  
his heart will fear to plunge into the throng of Danaans.

**300** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδὲ πίθοντο·  
So he spoke, and they listened closely and obeyed him.

**301** οἳ μὲν ἄρʼ ἀμφʼ Αἴαντα καὶ Ἰδομενῆα ἄνακτα  
Those around Ajax and lord Idomeneus,

**302** Τεῦκρον Μηριόνην τε Μέγην τʼ ἀτάλαντον Ἄρηϊ  
Teucer and Meriones and Meges, equal to Ares,

**303** ὑσμίνην ἤρτυνον ἀριστῆας καλέσαντες  
marshaled the fight after calling the best men

**304** Ἕκτορι καὶ Τρώεσσιν ἐναντίον· αὐτὰρ ὀπίσσω  
to face Hector and the Trojans; but behind them

**305** ἣ πληθὺς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν ἀπονέοντο.  
the mass of men returned toward the ships of the Achaeans.

**306** Τρῶες δὲ προὔτυψαν ἀολλέες, ἦρχε δʼ ἄρʼ Ἕκτωρ  
The Trojans struck forward in a mass, and Hector led them,

**307** μακρὰ βιβάς· πρόσθεν δὲ κίʼ αὐτοῦ Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων  
striding long; before him went Phoebus Apollo,

**308** εἱμένος ὤμοιιν νεφέλην, ἔχε δʼ αἰγίδα θοῦριν  
his shoulders clothed in cloud, and he held the furious aegis,

**309** δεινὴν ἀμφιδάσειαν ἀριπρεπέʼ, ἣν ἄρα χαλκεὺς  
terrible, fringed all around, and splendid, which the smith
> The shaggy-fringed aegis: ἀμφιδάσεια describes the aegis as shaggy or fringed all around, while ἀριπρεπής makes it conspicuous and splendid. Its terrifying appearance is part of the power Apollo turns against the Achaeans.

**310** Ἥφαιστος Διὶ δῶκε φορήμεναι ἐς φόβον ἀνδρῶν·  
Hephaestus gave Zeus to bear for the rout of men.

**311** τὴν ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἐν χείρεσσιν ἔχων ἡγήσατο λαῶν.  
Holding it in his hands, Apollo led the troops.

**312** Ἀργεῖοι δʼ ὑπέμειναν ἀολλέες, ὦρτο δʼ ἀϋτὴ  
The Argives stood their ground in a mass, and a sharp cry rose

**313** ὀξεῖʼ ἀμφοτέρωθεν, ἀπὸ νευρῆφι δʼ ὀϊστοὶ  
from both sides, while arrows leapt from the bowstrings;

**314** θρῷσκον· πολλὰ δὲ δοῦρα θρασειάων ἀπὸ χειρῶν  
and many spears flew from the hands of daring men.

**315** ἄλλα μὲν ἐν χροῒ πήγνυτʼ ἀρηϊθόων αἰζηῶν,  
Some lodged in the flesh of young men skilled in war,

**316** πολλὰ δὲ καὶ μεσσηγὺ πάρος χρόα λευκὸν ἐπαυρεῖν  
and many, midway before they could graze white flesh,

**317** ἐν γαίῃ ἵσταντο λιλαιόμενα χροὸς ἆσαι.  
and stood in the earth, longing to glut themselves on flesh.
> Spears longing for flesh: The middle participle λιλαιόμενα makes the fallen spears seem to long for flesh, and the infinitive ἆσαι completes that desire: ‘to glut themselves.’ Homer briefly gives the weapons an appetite of their own.

**318** ὄφρα μὲν αἰγίδα χερσὶν ἔχʼ ἀτρέμα Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων,  
So long as Phoebus Apollo held the aegis still in his hands,

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

**320** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατʼ ἐνῶπα ἰδὼν Δαναῶν ταχυπώλων  
But when he looked straight into the faces of the swift-horsed Danaans

**321** σεῖσʼ, ἐπὶ δʼ αὐτὸς ἄϋσε μάλα μέγα, τοῖσι δὲ θυμὸν  
and shook it, then himself cried out very loud, their hearts

**322** ἐν στήθεσσιν ἔθελξε, λάθοντο δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς.  
he bewitched within their breasts, and they forgot their furious valor.
> Courage bewitched: θέλγω means to enchant, beguile, or rob someone of power by a spell-like influence. Apollo does more than frighten the Danaans: he alters the spirit within their breasts so that they forget their fighting strength.

**323** οἳ δʼ ὥς τʼ ἠὲ βοῶν ἀγέλην ἢ πῶϋ μέγʼ οἰῶν  
As when two wild beasts drive a herd of cattle or a great flock

**324** θῆρε δύω κλονέωσι μελαίνης νυκτὸς ἀμολγῷ  
of sheep in the dead of black night,

**325** ἐλθόντʼ ἐξαπίνης σημάντορος οὐ παρεόντος,  
coming suddenly when the herdsman is not there,
> With the herdsman absent: The genitive noun σημάντορος and participle παρεόντος form a genitive absolute: the beasts attack while the flock’s keeper is absent. That lack of a protector sharpens the simile for the Achaeans’ sudden helplessness.

**326** ὣς ἐφόβηθεν Ἀχαιοὶ ἀνάλκιδες· ἐν γὰρ Ἀπόλλων  
so the Achaeans fled without strength; for Apollo

**327** ἧκε φόβον, Τρωσὶν δὲ καὶ Ἕκτορι κῦδος ὄπαζεν.  
sent panic among them and gave glory to the Trojans and Hector.

**328** ἔνθα δʼ ἀνὴρ ἕλεν ἄνδρα κεδασθείσης ὑσμίνης.  
There man slew man as the battle scattered.
> Man took man: The repeated ἀνήρ and ἄνδρα compress the scattered fighting into a stark formula: man took man. The line turns from the armies’ movement to the individual killings that follow.

**329** Ἕκτωρ μὲν Στιχίον τε καὶ Ἀρκεσίλαον ἔπεφνε,  
Hector killed Stichius and Arcesilaus,

**330** τὸν μὲν Βοιωτῶν ἡγήτορα χαλκοχιτώνων,  
the one a leader of the bronze-clad Boeotians,

**331** τὸν δὲ Μενεσθῆος μεγαθύμου πιστὸν ἑταῖρον·  
the other a trusted companion of great-hearted Menestheus;

**332** Αἰνείας δὲ Μέδοντα καὶ Ἴασον ἐξενάριξεν.  
and Aeneas killed and stripped Medon and Iasus.

**333** ἤτοι ὃ μὲν νόθος υἱὸς Ὀϊλῆος θείοιο  
Now Medon was the bastard son of noble Oileus

**334** ἔσκε Μέδων Αἴαντος ἀδελφεός· αὐτὰρ ἔναιεν  
and brother of Ajax; but he dwelt

**335** ἐν Φυλάκῃ γαίης ἄπο πατρίδος ἄνδρα κατακτὰς  
in Phylace, away from his fatherland, after killing a man,

**336** γνωτὸν μητρυιῆς Ἐριώπιδος, ἣν ἔχʼ Ὀϊλεύς·  
a kinsman of his stepmother Eriopis, whom Oileus had as wife;
> Eriopis’s kinsman: The genitives μητρυιῆς Ἐριώπιδος identify the slain man through Medon’s stepmother Eriopis: he was a kinsman of hers. Eriopis is Oileus’s wife and Medon’s stepmother, not Medon’s mother.

**337** Ἴασος αὖτʼ ἀρχὸς μὲν Ἀθηναίων ἐτέτυκτο,  
Iasus, in turn, had become a leader of the Athenians,

**338** υἱὸς δὲ Σφήλοιο καλέσκετο Βουκολίδαο.  
and was called the son of Sphelus, son of Bucolus.

**339** Μηκιστῆ δʼ ἕλε Πουλυδάμας, Ἐχίον δὲ Πολίτης  
Polydamas killed Mecisteus, and Polites Echion

**340** πρώτῃ ἐν ὑσμίνῃ, Κλονίον δʼ ἕλε δῖος Ἀγήνωρ.  
in the first onset, while godlike Agenor killed Clonius.

**341** Δηΐοχον δὲ Πάρις βάλε νείατον ὦμον ὄπισθε  
Paris struck Deiochus from behind in the lowest part of the shoulder

**342** φεύγοντʼ ἐν προμάχοισι, διὰ πρὸ δὲ χαλκὸν ἔλασσεν.  
as he fled among the foremost fighters, and drove the bronze straight through.
> Struck while fleeing: The participle φεύγοντα describes Deiochus as fleeing even though he is still among the foremost fighters. Paris’s cast comes from behind, and the following clause drives the spear through his shoulder.

**343** ὄφρʼ οἳ τοὺς ἐνάριζον ἀπʼ ἔντεα, τόφρα δʼ Ἀχαιοὶ  
While they stripped the armor from these men, the Achaeans

**344** τάφρῳ καὶ σκολόπεσσιν ἐνιπλήξαντες ὀρυκτῇ  
struck against the dug trench and its stakes

**345** ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα φέβοντο, δύοντο δὲ τεῖχος ἀνάγκῃ.  
and fled this way and that, forced to pass within the wall.

**346** Ἕκτωρ δὲ Τρώεσσιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας  
Then Hector called to the Trojans with a far-carrying shout:

**347** νηυσὶν ἐπισσεύεσθαι, ἐᾶν δʼ ἔναρα βροτόεντα·  
Rush upon the ships, and leave the blood-stained spoils!

**348** ὃν δʼ ἂν ἐγὼν ἀπάνευθε νεῶν ἑτέρωθι νοήσω,  
Whomever I see apart from the ships, off on the other side,

**349** αὐτοῦ οἱ θάνατον μητίσομαι, οὐδέ νυ τόν γε  
there I shall devise his death; nor shall his

**350** γνωτοί τε γνωταί τε πυρὸς λελάχωσι θανόντα,  
brothers and sisters allot him fire when he is dead,
> Brothers and sisters: The paired forms γνωτοί and γνωταί explicitly name male and female siblings or close kin. Hector threatens not only death but the denial of funeral fire by the victim’s own family.

**351** ἀλλὰ κύνες ἐρύουσι πρὸ ἄστεος ἡμετέροιο.  
but dogs shall drag him before our city.

**352** ὣς εἰπὼν μάστιγι κατωμαδὸν ἤλασεν ἵππους  
So speaking, he brought the whip down across the horses’ shoulders,

**353** κεκλόμενος Τρώεσσι κατὰ στίχας· οἳ δὲ σὺν αὐτῷ  
calling to the Trojans along their ranks; and together with him

**354** πάντες ὁμοκλήσαντες ἔχον ἐρυσάρματας ἵππους  
they all shouted and drove their chariot-drawing horses

**355** ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ· προπάροιθε δὲ Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων  
amid a wondrous din. Before them Phoebus Apollo

**356** ῥεῖʼ ὄχθας καπέτοιο βαθείης ποσσὶν ἐρείπων  
easily broke down with his feet the banks of the deep trench

**357** ἐς μέσσον κατέβαλλε, γεφύρωσεν δὲ κέλευθον  
and cast them into its middle, bridging a path

**358** μακρὴν ἠδʼ εὐρεῖαν, ὅσον τʼ ἐπὶ δουρὸς ἐρωὴ  
long and broad, as far as the cast of a spear

**359** γίγνεται, ὁππότʼ ἀνὴρ σθένεος πειρώμενος ᾗσι.  
when a man throws while testing his strength.
> Testing his strength: The middle participle πειρώμενος takes the genitive σθένεος: a man makes trial ‘of his strength.’ The imagined spear-cast gives a human scale to the breadth of Apollo’s bridge across the ditch.

**360** τῇ ῥʼ οἵ γε προχέοντο φαλαγγηδόν, πρὸ δʼ Ἀπόλλων  
Along it they poured forward in ranks, and before them Apollo

**361** αἰγίδʼ ἔχων ἐρίτιμον· ἔρειπε δὲ τεῖχος Ἀχαιῶν  
held the honored aegis; then he toppled the Achaeans’ wall

**362** ῥεῖα μάλʼ, ὡς ὅτε τις ψάμαθον πάϊς ἄγχι θαλάσσης,  
very easily, as when a child beside the sea makes sand

**363** ὅς τʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν ποιήσῃ ἀθύρματα νηπιέῃσιν  
toys, once he has fashioned them in childish play,

**364** ἂψ αὖτις συνέχευε ποσὶν καὶ χερσὶν ἀθύρων.  
and then scatters them again with hands and feet as he plays.

**365** ὥς ῥα σὺ ἤϊε Φοῖβε πολὺν κάματον καὶ ὀϊζὺν  
So you, archer Phoebus, the Argives’ great toil and misery

**366** σύγχεας Ἀργείων, αὐτοῖσι δὲ φύζαν ἐνῶρσας.  
brought all to ruin, and stirred panic flight among them.

**367** ὣς οἳ μὲν παρὰ νηυσὶν ἐρητύοντο μένοντες,  
So they halted beside the ships and held their ground,

**368** ἀλλήλοισί τε κεκλόμενοι καὶ πᾶσι θεοῖσι  
calling to one another and to all the gods,

**369** χεῖρας ἀνίσχοντες μεγάλʼ εὐχετόωντο ἕκαστος·  
each lifting his hands and praying aloud.

**370** Νέστωρ αὖτε μάλιστα Γερήνιος οὖρος Ἀχαιῶν  
And Nestor above all, the Gerenian bulwark of the Achaeans,
> Nestor as the Achaeans' bulwark: οὖρος is a guard or protecting barrier. The epithet makes the old counselor a defense for the whole army even when he is fighting through prayer rather than with a spear.

**371** εὔχετο χεῖρʼ ὀρέγων εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀστερόεντα·  
prayed, reaching his hand toward the starry sky:

**372** Ζεῦ πάτερ εἴ ποτέ τίς τοι ἐν Ἄργεΐ περ πολυπύρῳ  
"Father Zeus, if ever anyone in wheat-rich Argos

**373** ἢ βοὸς ἢ οἰὸς κατὰ πίονα μηρία καίων  
burned rich thigh pieces of an ox or a sheep for you

**374** εὔχετο νοστῆσαι, σὺ δʼ ὑπέσχεο καὶ κατένευσας,  
and prayed to return home, and you promised and bowed assent,

**375** τῶν μνῆσαι καὶ ἄμυνον Ὀλύμπιε νηλεὲς ἦμαρ,  
remember these things, Olympian, and ward off the pitiless day;

**376** μηδʼ οὕτω Τρώεσσιν ἔα δάμνασθαι Ἀχαιούς.  
do not let the Trojans crush the Achaeans so."

**377** ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, μέγα δʼ ἔκτυπε μητίετα Ζεύς,  
So he spoke in prayer, and Zeus the counselor thundered loud,

**378** ἀράων ἀΐων Νηληϊάδαο γέροντος.  
hearing the prayers of the old son of Neleus.

**379** Τρῶες δʼ ὡς ἐπύθοντο Διὸς κτύπον αἰγιόχοιο,  
When the Trojans heard the thunder of aegis-bearing Zeus,
> Aegis-bearing Zeus: αἰγίοχος names Zeus as bearer of the aegis, the divine emblem that spreads terror in battle. Here his thunder alone sends the Trojans forward with renewed force.

**380** μᾶλλον ἐπʼ Ἀργείοισι θόρον, μνήσαντο δὲ χάρμης.  
they sprang still harder upon the Argives and remembered battle.

**381** οἳ δʼ ὥς τε μέγα κῦμα θαλάσσης εὐρυπόροιο  
As a great wave of the broad-pathed sea

**382** νηὸς ὑπὲρ τοίχων καταβήσεται, ὁππότʼ ἐπείγῃ  
will sweep down over a ship's bulwarks when it is driven

**383** ἲς ἀνέμου· ἣ γάρ τε μάλιστά γε κύματʼ ὀφέλλει·  
by the wind's force, for that above all swells the waves,

**384** ὣς Τρῶες μεγάλῃ ἰαχῇ κατὰ τεῖχος ἔβαινον,  
so the Trojans swept over the wall with a great cry,

**385** ἵππους δʼ εἰσελάσαντες ἐπὶ πρύμνῃσι μάχοντο  
drove their horses in, and fought beside the sterns

**386** ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοις αὐτοσχεδόν, οἳ μὲν ἀφʼ ἵππων,  
hand to hand with double-pointed spears, some from their chariots,

**387** οἳ δʼ ἀπὸ νηῶν ὕψι μελαινάων ἐπιβάντες  
the others mounted high upon the black ships

**388** μακροῖσι ξυστοῖσι, τά ῥά σφʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἔκειτο  
with long pikes that lay ready for them aboard,

**389** ναύμαχα κολλήεντα, κατὰ στόμα εἱμένα χαλκῷ.  
weapons for sea-fighting, well-jointed and sheathed at the tip in bronze.
> Pikes made for fighting at sea: ναύμαχα describes weapons intended for combat from ships, while κολλήεντα marks their well-jointed construction. These are long boarding pikes kept on deck, not the warriors' ordinary spears.

**390** Πάτροκλος δʼ εἷος μὲν Ἀχαιοί τε Τρῶές τε  
Now Patroclus, as long as Achaeans and Trojans

**391** τείχεος ἀμφεμάχοντο θοάων ἔκτοθι νηῶν,  
fought around the wall outside the swift ships,

**392** τόφρʼ ὅ γʼ ἐνὶ κλισίῃ ἀγαπήνορος Εὐρυπύλοιο  
all that while sat in the hut of manly Eurypylus

**393** ἧστό τε καὶ τὸν ἔτερπε λόγοις, ἐπὶ δʼ ἕλκεϊ λυγρῷ  
and cheered him with talk, while on his grievous wound

**394** φάρμακʼ ἀκέσματʼ ἔπασσε μελαινάων ὀδυνάων.  
he spread healing drugs against the dark pains.
> Healing drugs: φάρμακα can mean drugs, herbs, or preparations with harmful or healing power; ἀκέσματα makes the sense explicit here: these are remedies laid directly on Eurypylus's wound.

**395** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τεῖχος ἐπεσσυμένους ἐνόησε  
But when he saw the Trojans rushing upon the wall,

**396** Τρῶας, ἀτὰρ Δαναῶν γένετο ἰαχή τε φόβος τε,  
and a cry and rout arose among the Danaans,

**397** ᾤμωξέν τʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα καὶ ὣ πεπλήγετο μηρὼ  
then he groaned aloud and struck both his thighs

**398** χερσὶ καταπρηνέσσʼ, ὀλοφυρόμενος δʼ ἔπος ηὔδα·  
with hands outstretched, and lamenting he spoke:

**399** Εὐρύπυλʼ οὐκ ἔτι τοι δύναμαι χατέοντί περʼ ἔμπης  
"Eurypylus, though you are in need, I can no longer

**400** ἐνθάδε παρμενέμεν· δὴ γὰρ μέγα νεῖκος ὄρωρεν·  
remain here beside you; a great struggle has now arisen.

**401** ἀλλὰ σὲ μὲν θεράπων ποτιτερπέτω, αὐτὰρ ἔγωγε  
Let an attendant tend you, while I

**402** σπεύσομαι εἰς Ἀχιλῆα, ἵνʼ ὀτρύνω πολεμίζειν.  
hurry to Achilles, to urge him on to war.

**403** τίς δʼ οἶδʼ εἴ κέν οἱ σὺν δαίμονι θυμὸν ὀρίνω  
Who knows whether, with a god's aid, I may stir his spirit

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

**405** τὸν μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰπόντα πόδες φέρον· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ  
So he spoke, and his feet bore him away; but the Achaeans

**406** Τρῶας ἐπερχομένους μένον ἔμπεδον, οὐδʼ ἐδύναντο  
stood firm against the oncoming Trojans, yet could not

**407** παυροτέρους περ ἐόντας ἀπώσασθαι παρὰ νηῶν·  
drive them back from the ships, though the Trojans were fewer;

**408** οὐδέ ποτε Τρῶες Δαναῶν ἐδύναντο φάλαγγας  
nor could the Trojans ever break the Danaans' battle lines

**409** ῥηξάμενοι κλισίῃσι μιγήμεναι ἠδὲ νέεσσιν.  
and mingle among their huts and ships.

**410** ἀλλʼ ὥς τε στάθμη δόρυ νήϊον ἐξιθύνει  
But as a carpenter's line straightens a ship's timber

**411** τέκτονος ἐν παλάμῃσι δαήμονος, ὅς ῥά τε πάσης  
in the hands of a skilled carpenter, one who

**412** εὖ εἰδῇ σοφίης ὑποθημοσύνῃσιν Ἀθήνης,  
knows every craft well through Athena's teachings,

**413** ὣς μὲν τῶν ἐπὶ ἶσα μάχη τέτατο πτόλεμός τε·  
so evenly for them were battle and war stretched taut,

**414** ἄλλοι δʼ ἀμφʼ ἄλλῃσι μάχην ἐμάχοντο νέεσσιν,  
while different men fought around different ships.

**415** Ἕκτωρ δʼ ἄντʼ Αἴαντος ἐείσατο κυδαλίμοιο.  
But Hector went straight against glorious Ajax.
> Glorious Ajax: κυδάλιμος marks Ajax as possessed of κῦδος, the visible glory or prestige won through success in battle. The adjective heightens the direct contest between the two champions.

**416** τὼ δὲ μιῆς περὶ νηὸς ἔχον πόνον, οὐδὲ δύναντο  
The two labored over a single ship, and neither could

**417** οὔθʼ ὃ τὸν ἐξελάσαι καὶ ἐνιπρῆσαι πυρὶ νῆα  
Hector drive Ajax off and burn the ship with fire,

**418** οὔθʼ ὃ τὸν ἂψ ὤσασθαι, ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐπέλασσέ γε δαίμων.  
nor Ajax thrust Hector back, since a god had brought him near.

**419** ἔνθʼ υἷα Κλυτίοιο Καλήτορα φαίδιμος Αἴας  
Then glorious Ajax struck Caletor, son of Clytius,

**420** πῦρ ἐς νῆα φέροντα κατὰ στῆθος βάλε δουρί.  
in the chest with his spear as he carried fire toward the ship.

**421** δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, δαλὸς δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε χειρός.  
He fell with a thud, and the firebrand dropped from his hand.

**422** Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς ἐνόησεν ἀνεψιὸν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν  
When Hector saw with his own eyes his cousin

**423** ἐν κονίῃσι πεσόντα νεὸς προπάροιθε μελαίνης,  
fallen in the dust before the black ship,

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

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

**426** μὴ δή πω χάζεσθε μάχης ἐν στείνεϊ τῷδε,  
do not yet give ground in battle within this narrow place,

**427** ἀλλʼ υἷα Κλυτίοιο σαώσατε, μή μιν Ἀχαιοὶ  
but save the son of Clytius before the Achaeans are able

**428** τεύχεα συλήσωσι νεῶν ἐν ἀγῶνι πεσόντα.  
to strip his armor where he fell in the gathering at the ships."

**429** ὣς εἰπὼν Αἴαντος ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ.  
So speaking, he cast his shining spear at Ajax.

**430** τοῦ μὲν ἅμαρθʼ, ὃ δʼ ἔπειτα Λυκόφρονα Μάστορος υἱὸν  
He missed him, but then struck Lycophron, son of Mastor,

**431** Αἴαντος θεράποντα Κυθήριον, ὅς ῥα παρʼ αὐτῷ  
Ajax's attendant from Cythera, who lived with him

**432** ναῖʼ, ἐπεὶ ἄνδρα κατέκτα Κυθήροισι ζαθέοισι,  
because he had killed a man in sacred Cythera.

**433** τόν ῥʼ ἔβαλεν κεφαλὴν ὑπὲρ οὔατος ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ  
Hector struck him in the head above the ear with sharp bronze

**434** ἑσταότʼ ἄγχʼ Αἴαντος· ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος ἐν κονίῃσι  
as he stood close beside Ajax; backward into the dust

**435** νηὸς ἄπο πρυμνῆς χαμάδις πέσε, λύντο δὲ γυῖα.  
he fell from the ship's stern to the ground, and his limbs gave way.

**436** Αἴας δʼ ἐρρίγησε, κασίγνητον δὲ προσηύδα·  
Ajax shuddered and addressed his brother:

**437** Τεῦκρε πέπον δὴ νῶϊν ἀπέκτατο πιστὸς ἑταῖρος  
"Teucer, dear heart, a faithful companion of ours is dead,

**438** Μαστορίδης, ὃν νῶϊ Κυθηρόθεν ἔνδον ἐόντα  
Mastor's son, whom, when he came from Cythera and lived with us,

**439** ἶσα φίλοισι τοκεῦσιν ἐτίομεν ἐν μεγάροισι·  
we honored in our halls as we honor our own parents.

**440** τὸν δʼ Ἕκτωρ μεγάθυμος ἀπέκτανε. ποῦ νύ τοι ἰοὶ  
Great-hearted Hector has killed him. Where now are your

**441** ὠκύμοροι καὶ τόξον ὅ τοι πόρε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων;  
swift-fatal arrows and the bow Phoebus Apollo gave you?"

**442** ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δὲ ξυνέηκε, θέων δέ οἱ ἄγχι παρέστη,  
So he spoke; Teucer understood and ran to stand beside him,

**443** τόξον ἔχων ἐν χειρὶ παλίντονον ἠδὲ φαρέτρην  
holding in his hand his recurved bow and a quiver

**444** ἰοδόκον· μάλα δʼ ὦκα βέλεα Τρώεσσιν ἐφίει.  
that held his arrows; very swiftly he shot among the Trojans.

**445** καί ῥʼ ἔβαλε Κλεῖτον Πεισήνορος ἀγλαὸν υἱὸν  
He struck Clitus, the splendid son of Pisenor,

**446** Πουλυδάμαντος ἑταῖρον ἀγαυοῦ Πανθοΐδαο  
companion of Polydamas, the noble son of Panthous,

**447** ἡνία χερσὶν ἔχοντα· ὃ μὲν πεπόνητο καθʼ ἵππους·  
as he held the reins in his hands, intent upon the horses;

**448** τῇ γὰρ ἔχʼ ᾗ ῥα πολὺ πλεῖσται κλονέοντο φάλαγγες  
For he steered where by far the most battle lines were driven

**449** Ἕκτορι καὶ Τρώεσσι χαριζόμενος· τάχα δʼ αὐτῷ  
to win favor with Hector and the Trojans; but swiftly evil

**450** ἦλθε κακόν, τό οἱ οὔ τις ἐρύκακεν ἱεμένων περ.  
came upon him, and none could ward it off, though they strove.

**451** αὐχένι γάρ οἱ ὄπισθε πολύστονος ἔμπεσεν ἰός·  
For the grief-bringing arrow struck the back of his neck.
> An arrow of many groans: πολύστονος literally means "causing many groans" or "much-lamented." Applied to the arrow, it anticipates both the pain of its strike and the grief caused by Clitus's death.

**452** ἤριπε δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων, ὑπερώησαν δέ οἱ ἵπποι  
He fell from the chariot, and his swift-footed horses swerved away,

**453** κείνʼ ὄχεα κροτέοντες. ἄναξ δʼ ἐνόησε τάχιστα  
rattling the empty car. Lord Polydamas saw it at once

**454** Πουλυδάμας, καὶ πρῶτος ἐναντίος ἤλυθεν ἵππων.  
and was the first to come before the horses.

**455** τοὺς μὲν ὅ γʼ Ἀστυνόῳ Προτιάονος υἱέϊ δῶκε,  
He gave them to Astynous, son of Protiaon,

**456** πολλὰ δʼ ἐπότρυνε σχεδὸν ἴσχειν εἰσορόωντα  
and urgently told him to keep close and watch

**457** ἵππους· αὐτὸς δʼ αὖτις ἰὼν προμάχοισιν ἐμίχθη.  
the horses; then he went back and joined the foremost fighters.

**458** Τεῦκρος δʼ ἄλλον ὀϊστὸν ἐφʼ Ἕκτορι χαλκοκορυστῇ  
Teucer drew another arrow against bronze-helmed Hector,

**459** αἴνυτο, καί κεν ἔπαυσε μάχης ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν,  
and would have ended the battle beside the Achaean ships

**460** εἴ μιν ἀριστεύοντα βαλὼν ἐξείλετο θυμόν.  
if he had struck him as he fought foremost and taken away his life.

**461** ἀλλʼ οὐ λῆθε Διὸς πυκινὸν νόον, ὅς ῥʼ ἐφύλασσεν  
But Teucer did not escape the close-knit mind of Zeus, who guarded
> The close-knit mind of Zeus: πυκινός can describe something dense, compact, or firmly constructed. With νόος it presents Zeus's purpose as tightly formed and difficult to evade: Teucer's shot cannot slip past it.

**462** Ἕκτορʼ, ἀτὰρ Τεῦκρον Τελαμώνιον εὖχος ἀπηύρα,  
Hector, but robbed Telamonian Teucer of glory.

**463** ὅς οἱ ἐϋστρεφέα νευρὴν ἐν ἀμύμονι τόξῳ  
For Zeus snapped the well-twisted string on his blameless bow
> A well-twisted bowstring: νευρή is the bowstring, here called ἐϋστρεφής, well twisted from its fibers or sinew. Zeus breaks this small but essential part of Teucer's weapon at the instant of release.

**464** ῥῆξʼ ἐπὶ τῷ ἐρύοντι· παρεπλάγχθη δέ οἱ ἄλλῃ  
as he drew it; aside in another direction veered

**465** ἰὸς χαλκοβαρής, τόξον δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε χειρός.  
the bronze-heavy arrow, and the bow dropped from his hand.

**466** Τεῦκρος δʼ ἐρρίγησε, κασίγνητον δὲ προσηύδα·  
Teucer shuddered and addressed his brother:

**467** ὢ πόποι ἦ δὴ πάγχυ μάχης ἐπὶ μήδεα κείρει  
"Ah me, now some god is utterly cutting short the plans

**468** δαίμων ἡμετέρης, ὅ τέ μοι βιὸν ἔκβαλε χειρός,  
of our battle—he has dashed the bow from my hand

**469** νευρὴν δʼ ἐξέρρηξε νεόστροφον, ἣν ἐνέδησα  
and snapped the newly twisted string that I tied
> A newly twisted string: νεόστροφος says the bowstring was newly twisted or newly strung. Teucer stresses that its failure is not ordinary wear: the fresh string has been broken by divine action.

**470** πρώϊον, ὄφρʼ ἀνέχοιτο θαμὰ θρῴσκοντας ὀϊστούς.  
this morning, so it might endure the arrows leaping thick and fast."

**471** τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας·  
Then great Telamonian Ajax answered him:
> Ajax answers: The recurring answer formula keeps the fuller pattern ‘Then ... answered him,’ while Τελαμώνιος identifies the greater Ajax as Telamon's son.

**472** ὦ πέπον ἀλλὰ βιὸν μὲν ἔα καὶ ταρφέας ἰοὺς  
"Friend, let the bow and the thick-packed arrows

**473** κεῖσθαι, ἐπεὶ συνέχευε θεὸς Δαναοῖσι μεγήρας·  
lie there, since a god, begrudging the Danaans, has confounded them.
> A god confounded them: The aorist participle μεγήρας gives the god's motive: he acted out of resentment toward the Danaans. The dative Δαναοῖσι marks those against whom that resentment is directed.

**474** αὐτὰρ χερσὶν ἑλὼν δολιχὸν δόρυ καὶ σάκος ὤμῳ  
But take a long spear in your hands and a shield upon your shoulder;

**475** μάρναό τε Τρώεσσι καὶ ἄλλους ὄρνυθι λαούς.  
fight the Trojans, and rouse the rest of the host.

**476** μὴ μὰν ἀσπουδί γε δαμασσάμενοί περ ἕλοιεν  
Let them not, even after mastering us, take without a struggle
> Without a struggle: The adverb ἀσπουδί means without effort or without a fight. Ajax accepts that the ships may be taken, but demands that the Trojans pay for them in battle.

**477** νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους, ἀλλὰ μνησώμεθα χάρμης.  
our well-benched ships; but let us remember battle-joy."

**478** ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δὲ τόξον μὲν ἐνὶ κλισίῃσιν ἔθηκεν,  
So he spoke, and Teucer laid his bow inside the shelter,

**479** αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι σάκος θέτο τετραθέλυμνον,  
then set upon his shoulders a four-layered shield,
> A four-layered shield: τετραθέλυμνον describes a shield built in four overlapping layers. Teucer changes from an archer's equipment to the gear of a close fighter.

**480** κρατὶ δʼ ἐπʼ ἰφθίμῳ κυνέην εὔτυκτον ἔθηκεν  
and upon his strong head he set a well-made helmet

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

**482** εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος ἀκαχμένον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,  
He took his stout spear, sharpened with keen bronze,

**483** βῆ δʼ ἰέναι, μάλα δʼ ὦκα θέων Αἴαντι παρέστη.  
and went on his way; running swiftly, he stood beside Ajax.

**484** Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς εἶδεν Τεύκρου βλαφθέντα βέλεμνα,  
When Hector saw that Teucer's missiles had been thwarted,

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

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

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

**488** νῆας ἀνὰ γλαφυράς· δὴ γὰρ ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσιν  
Among the hollow ships—for I have seen with my own eyes

**489** ἀνδρὸς ἀριστῆος Διόθεν βλαφθέντα βέλεμνα.  
the missiles of their best man thwarted by Zeus.
> Thwarted by Zeus: The passive participle βλαφθέντα describes Teucer's missiles as checked or disabled, while Διόθεν gives the divine source: the hindrance comes from Zeus.

**490** ῥεῖα δʼ ἀρίγνωτος Διὸς ἀνδράσι γίγνεται ἀλκή,  
The might of Zeus is easily known among men,
> Easy to recognize: ἀρίγνωτος means conspicuous or unmistakable. Hector claims that the rise and fall of human strength makes Zeus's favor visible on the field.

**491** ἠμὲν ὁτέοισιν κῦδος ὑπέρτερον ἐγγυαλίξῃ,  
both in those to whom he grants the higher glory

**492** ἠδʼ ὅτινας μινύθῃ τε καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλῃσιν ἀμύνειν,  
and those whose strength he lessens and whom he will not defend—

**493** ὡς νῦν Ἀργείων μινύθει μένος, ἄμμι δʼ ἀρήγει.  
as now he lessens the Argives' strength and aids us.

**494** ἀλλὰ μάχεσθʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἀολλέες· ὃς δέ κεν ὑμέων  
Fight at the ships in one mass. Whichever one of you

**495** βλήμενος ἠὲ τυπεὶς θάνατον καὶ πότμον ἐπίσπῃ  
is struck by cast or thrust and meets his death and doom,

**496** τεθνάτω· οὔ οἱ ἀεικὲς ἀμυνομένῳ περὶ πάτρης  
let him die. It is no shame for him to die defending his country;
> Let him die: The perfect imperative τεθνάτω is stark and final: if death comes in defense of the homeland, Hector commands the warrior to accept it as accomplished.

**497** τεθνάμεν· ἀλλʼ ἄλοχός τε σόη καὶ παῖδες ὀπίσσω,  
his wife and children will remain safe behind him,

**498** καὶ οἶκος καὶ κλῆρος ἀκήρατος, εἴ κεν Ἀχαιοὶ  
and his house and allotted land unharmed, if the Achaeans

**499** οἴχωνται σὺν νηυσὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.  
depart in their ships for their dear native land."

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

**501** Αἴας δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐκέκλετο οἷς ἑτάροισιν·  
From the other side Ajax called to his own companions:

**502** αἰδὼς Ἀργεῖοι· νῦν ἄρκιον ἢ ἀπολέσθαι  
"Shame, Argives! Now we must either perish

**503** ἠὲ σαωθῆναι καὶ ἀπώσασθαι κακὰ νηῶν.  
or be saved and drive destruction from the ships.

**504** ἦ ἔλπεσθʼ ἢν νῆας ἕλῃ κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ  
Do you expect, if Hector of the flashing helm takes the ships,

**505** ἐμβαδὸν ἵξεσθαι ἣν πατρίδα γαῖαν ἕκαστος;  
that each of you will reach his native land on foot?

**506** ἦ οὐκ ὀτρύνοντος ἀκούετε λαὸν ἅπαντα  
Do you not hear Hector urging on his whole host,

**507** Ἕκτορος, ὃς δὴ νῆας ἐνιπρῆσαι μενεαίνει;  
burning with desire to set the ships ablaze?

**508** οὐ μὰν ἔς γε χορὸν κέλετʼ ἐλθέμεν, ἀλλὰ μάχεσθαι.  
He is not calling them to enter a dance, but to fight.

**509** ἡμῖν δʼ οὔ τις τοῦδε νόος καὶ μῆτις ἀμείνων  
For us there is no purpose or counsel better than this:

**510** ἢ αὐτοσχεδίῃ μῖξαι χεῖράς τε μένος τε.  
to join hands and strength in close combat.
> At close quarters: αὐτοσχεδίῃ means fighting hand to hand, without distance between the combatants. Ajax answers Hector's massed assault with an equally concentrated defense.

**511** βέλτερον ἢ ἀπολέσθαι ἕνα χρόνον ἠὲ βιῶναι  
Better to perish or survive in a single moment

**512** ἢ δηθὰ στρεύγεσθαι ἐν αἰνῇ δηϊοτῆτι  
than long be worn away in this grim battle

**513** ὧδʼ αὔτως παρὰ νηυσὶν ὑπʼ ἀνδράσι χειροτέροισιν.  
beside the ships, just so, beneath men worse than ourselves."

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

**515** ἔνθʼ Ἕκτωρ μὲν ἕλε Σχεδίον Περιμήδεος υἱὸν  
Then Hector killed Schedius, son of Perimedes,

**516** ἀρχὸν Φωκήων, Αἴας δʼ ἕλε Λαοδάμαντα  
leader of the Phocians, while Ajax killed Laodamas,

**517** ἡγεμόνα πρυλέων Ἀντήνορος ἀγλαὸν υἱόν·  
commander of the foot fighters and Antenor's glorious son.

**518** Πουλυδάμας δʼ Ὦτον Κυλλήνιον ἐξενάριξε  
Polydamas killed and stripped Otus of Cyllene,
> Polydamas kills Otus: ἐξεναρίζω combines killing an enemy with stripping his armor. The named subject is Polydamas and his victim is Otus of Cyllene.

**519** Φυλεΐδεω ἕταρον, μεγαθύμων ἀρχὸν Ἐπειῶν.  
a companion of Phyleus's son and a leader of the great-hearted Epeians.

**520** τῷ δὲ Μέγης ἐπόρουσεν ἰδών· ὃ δʼ ὕπαιθα λιάσθη  
Seeing him, Meges sprang upon him, but Polydamas

**521** Πουλυδάμας· καὶ τοῦ μὲν ἀπήμβροτεν· οὐ γὰρ Ἀπόλλων  
swerved from beneath the cast, and Meges missed; for Apollo

**522** εἴα Πάνθου υἱὸν ἐνὶ προμάχοισι δαμῆναι·  
would not let Panthous's son be slain among the foremost fighters.
> Apollo prevents the death: The passive infinitive δαμῆναι depends on εἴα: Apollo did not allow Panthous's son, Polydamas, to be overcome. The god's intervention explains the missed cast.

**523** αὐτὰρ ὅ γε Κροίσμου στῆθος μέσον οὔτασε δουρί.  
Instead Meges struck Croesmus in the middle of the chest with his spear.

**524** δούπησεν δὲ πεσών· ὃ δʼ ἀπʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἐσύλα.  
He fell with a thud, and Meges stripped the armor from his shoulders.

**525** τόφρα δὲ τῷ ἐπόρουσε Δόλοψ αἰχμῆς ἐῢ εἰδὼς  
Meanwhile Dolops, skilled with the spear, sprang upon him,

**526** Λαμπετίδης, ὃν Λάμπος ἐγείνατο φέρτατον υἱὸν  
son of Lampus, whom Lampus begot as his finest son,

**527** Λαομεδοντιάδης εὖ εἰδότα θούριδος ἀλκῆς,  
Lampus son of Laomedon; and Dolops knew furious valor well.

**528** ὃς τότε Φυλεΐδαο μέσον σάκος οὔτασε δουρὶ  
He rushed in close and stabbed the center of the son of Phyleus's shield,

**529** ἐγγύθεν ὁρμηθείς· πυκινὸς δέ οἱ ἤρκεσε θώρηξ,  
but his compact corselet warded the spear from him,
> The corselet holds: πυκινός describes the corselet as close-built and solid. Here armor, not a last-second dodge, stops Dolops's thrust from reaching Meges.

**530** τόν ῥʼ ἐφόρει γυάλοισιν ἀρηρότα· τόν ποτε Φυλεὺς  
the corselet he wore, fitted together in plates, which Phyleus once

**531** ἤγαγεν ἐξ Ἐφύρης, ποταμοῦ ἄπο Σελλήεντος.  
brought from Ephyra, from the river Selleis.

**532** ξεῖνος γάρ οἱ ἔδωκεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Εὐφήτης  
His guest-friend, Euphetes lord of men, had given it to him

**533** ἐς πόλεμον φορέειν δηΐων ἀνδρῶν ἀλεωρήν·  
to wear in war as a defense against hostile men;

**534** ὅς οἱ καὶ τότε παιδὸς ἀπὸ χροὸς ἤρκεσʼ ὄλεθρον.  
and now it warded ruin from his son's body.

**535** τοῦ δὲ Μέγης κόρυθος χαλκήρεος ἱπποδασείης  
Then Meges stabbed the very crown of Dolops's bronze-bound,

**536** κύμβαχον ἀκρότατον νύξʼ ἔγχεϊ ὀξυόεντι,  
horsehair-crested helmet with his sharp spear,
> The helmet's crown: κύμβαχον is the top or crown of the helmet. Meges' spear catches the crest fixture rather than piercing Dolops's head.

**537** ῥῆξε δʼ ἀφʼ ἵππειον λόφον αὐτοῦ· πᾶς δὲ χαμᾶζε  
and sheared the horsehair plume from it; the whole crest

**538** κάππεσεν ἐν κονίῃσι νέον φοίνικι φαεινός.  
fell down in the dust, gleaming with fresh purple dye.

**539** εἷος ὃ τῷ πολέμιζε μένων, ἔτι δʼ ἔλπετο νίκην,  
While Dolops stood and fought him, still hoping for victory,

**540** τόφρα δέ οἱ Μενέλαος ἀρήϊος ἦλθεν ἀμύντωρ,  
warlike Menelaus came to Meges as a defender.

**541** στῆ δʼ εὐρὰξ σὺν δουρὶ λαθών, βάλε δʼ ὦμον ὄπισθεν·  
He stood unseen at Dolops's flank with his spear and struck his shoulder from behind;

**542** αἰχμὴ δὲ στέρνοιο διέσσυτο μαιμώωσα  
the spearpoint drove eagerly through his chest,

**543** πρόσσω ἱεμένη· ὃ δʼ ἄρα πρηνὴς ἐλιάσθη.  
thrusting forward, and he crumpled face-first.

**544** τὼ μὲν ἐεισάσθην χαλκήρεα τεύχεʼ ἀπʼ ὤμων  
The two set about stripping the bronze-bound armor from his shoulders,
> The two together: The dual τώ and the dual verb ἐεισάσθην mark Menelaus and Meges as a pair. Both move to strip Dolops after Menelaus's killing thrust.

**545** συλήσειν· Ἕκτωρ δὲ κασιγνήτοισι κέλευσε  
but Hector called to all his kinsmen,

**546** πᾶσι μάλα, πρῶτον δʼ Ἱκεταονίδην ἐνένιπεν  
and first rebuked the son of Hicetaon,

**547** ἴφθιμον Μελάνιππον. ὃ δʼ ὄφρα μὲν εἰλίποδας βοῦς  
mighty Melanippus. Before then he had pastured shambling cattle

**548** βόσκʼ ἐν Περκώτῃ δηΐων ἀπὸ νόσφιν ἐόντων·  
in Percote, while the enemy was still far away;

**549** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Δαναῶν νέες ἤλυθον ἀμφιέλισσαι,  
But when the Danaans' curved ships came,

**550** ἂψ εἰς Ἴλιον ἦλθε, μετέπρεπε δὲ Τρώεσσι,  
he returned to Ilion and stood out among the Trojans.

**551** ναῖε δὲ πὰρ Πριάμῳ, ὃ δέ μιν τίεν ἶσα τέκεσσι·  
He lived beside Priam, who honored him like his own children.

**552** τόν ῥʼ Ἕκτωρ ἐνένιπεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·  
Hector rebuked him, addressed him, and called him by name:

**553** οὕτω δὴ Μελάνιππε μεθήσομεν; οὐδέ νυ σοί περ  
"Melanippus, shall we really hang back like this? Is not even your

**554** ἐντρέπεται φίλον ἦτορ ἀνεψιοῦ κταμένοιο;  
heart stirred by your cousin's death?
> A cousin slain: ἀνεψιός identifies the slain Dolops as Melanippus's cousin. Hector turns that kinship into a demand for immediate retaliation.

**555** οὐχ ὁράᾳς οἷον Δόλοπος περὶ τεύχεʼ ἕπουσιν;  
Do you not see how they swarm around Dolops's armor?

**556** ἀλλʼ ἕπευ· οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ ἔστιν ἀποσταδὸν Ἀργείοισι  
Come, follow me. We can no longer fight the Argives

**557** μάρνασθαι, πρίν γʼ ἠὲ κατακτάμεν ἠὲ κατʼ ἄκρης  
from a distance, before we either kill them or utterly sack

**558** Ἴλιον αἰπεινὴν ἑλέειν κτάσθαι τε πολίτας.  
steep Ilion and slaughter its people."

**559** ὣς εἰπὼν ὃ μὲν ἦρχʼ, ὃ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕσπετο ἰσόθεος φώς·  
So speaking, he led, and the godlike man followed with him.

**560** Ἀργείους δʼ ὄτρυνε μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας·  
Then great Telamonian Ajax urged the Argives:

**561** ὦ φίλοι ἀνέρες ἔστε, καὶ αἰδῶ θέσθʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ,  
"Friends, be men, and set a sense of shame within your hearts;

**562** ἀλλήλους τʼ αἰδεῖσθε κατὰ κρατερὰς ὑσμίνας.  
Have regard for one another amid the fierce encounters.
> Regard for one another: The imperative αἰδεῖσθε asks the fighters to feel honor and restraint before one another. The line's recurring English is held exactly here.

**563** αἰδομένων δʼ ἀνδρῶν πλέονες σόοι ἠὲ πέφανται·  
When men feel shame, more are saved than slain;
> When men feel shame: The genitive absolute αἰδομένων ... ἀνδρῶν supplies the condition under which more fighters survive. Ajax treats mutual regard as a practical defense, not merely a moral ornament.

**564** φευγόντων δʼ οὔτʼ ἂρ κλέος ὄρνυται οὔτέ τις ἀλκή.  
but for men who flee, neither glory nor any strength arises."

**565** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀλέξασθαι μενέαινον,  
So he spoke, and they themselves were eager to defend.

**566** ἐν θυμῷ δʼ ἐβάλοντο ἔπος, φράξαντο δὲ νῆας  
They laid his words within their hearts and fenced the ships

**567** ἕρκεϊ χαλκείῳ· ἐπὶ δὲ Ζεὺς Τρῶας ἔγειρεν.  
with a wall of bronze; and Zeus roused the Trojans against them.

**568** Ἀντίλοχον δʼ ὄτρυνε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος·  
Menelaus, good at the war-cry, urged Antilochus:
> Good at the war-cry: Menelaus's standing epithet praises his power in the battle shout. Here his voice directs the younger Antilochus toward an opening in the Trojan line.

**569** Ἀντίλοχʼ οὔ τις σεῖο νεώτερος ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν,  
"Antilochus, no other Achaean is younger than you,

**570** οὔτε ποσὶν θάσσων οὔτʼ ἄλκιμος ὡς σὺ μάχεσθαι·  
nor swifter on his feet nor as strong as you in battle.

**571** εἴ τινά που Τρώων ἐξάλμενος ἄνδρα βάλοισθα.  
If only you might leap out and strike some Trojan."
> If only you might strike: The optative βάλοισθα makes Menelaus's challenge a hopeful wish rather than a direct command. The participle ἐξάλμενος pictures Antilochus springing out from the line before the cast.

**572** ὣς εἰπὼν ὃ μὲν αὖτις ἀπέσσυτο, τὸν δʼ ὀρόθυνεν·  
So speaking, Menelaus darted back again, but stirred Antilochus on.

**573** ἐκ δʼ ἔθορε προμάχων, καὶ ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ  
Antilochus sprang from the foremost fighters and cast his shining spear,

**574** ἀμφὶ ἓ παπτήνας· ὑπὸ δὲ Τρῶες κεκάδοντο  
glancing about him; and the Trojans gave ground

**575** ἀνδρὸς ἀκοντίσσαντος· ὃ δʼ οὐχ ἅλιον βέλος ἧκεν,  
before the man's cast; and he did not send his weapon in vain,

**576** ἀλλʼ Ἱκετάονος υἱὸν ὑπέρθυμον Μελάνιππον  
but struck high-hearted Melanippus, Hicetaon's son,

**577** νισόμενον πόλεμον δὲ βάλε στῆθος παρὰ μαζόν.  
as he came into battle, in the chest beside the nipple.

**578** δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν.  
He fell with a thud, and darkness covered his eyes.

**579** Ἀντίλοχος δʼ ἐπόρουσε κύων ὥς, ὅς τʼ ἐπὶ νεβρῷ  
Antilochus sprang upon him like a hound that leaps
> Like a hound: κύων ὥς opens the comparison after Antilochus has made the kill. He is the pursuing hound; the fallen Melanippus becomes the wounded fawn of the next lines.

**580** βλημένῳ ἀΐξῃ, τόν τʼ ἐξ εὐνῆφι θορόντα  
upon a wounded fawn, which, as it sprang from its lair,

**581** θηρητὴρ ἐτύχησε βαλών, ὑπέλυσε δὲ γυῖα·  
a hunter happened to strike, and loosened its limbs—

**582** ὣς ἐπὶ σοὶ Μελάνιππε θόρʼ Ἀντίλοχος μενεχάρμης  
so upon you, Melanippus, Antilochus steadfast in battle sprang

**583** τεύχεα συλήσων· ἀλλʼ οὐ λάθεν Ἕκτορα δῖον,  
to strip his armor; but he did not escape godlike Hector's notice,
> Intending to strip the armor: The future participle συλήσων expresses Antilochus's purpose: he springs forward intending to strip Melanippus. Hector interrupts the attempt before it is completed.

**584** ὅς ῥά οἱ ἀντίος ἦλθε θέων ἀνὰ δηϊοτῆτα.  
who ran to meet him through the battle.

**585** Ἀντίλοχος δʼ οὐ μεῖνε θοός περ ἐὼν πολεμιστής,  
Antilochus did not stand his ground, swift fighter though he was,

**586** ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ ἄρʼ ἔτρεσε θηρὶ κακὸν ῥέξαντι ἐοικώς,  
but fled like a beast that has done some harm,
> Like a beast that has done harm: The perfect participle ἐοικώς introduces a second animal comparison. Antilochus is now the fleeing beast, reversing his role as the hound in the preceding simile.

**587** ὅς τε κύνα κτείνας ἢ βουκόλον ἀμφὶ βόεσσι  
one that has killed a dog or a herdsman among the cattle

**588** φεύγει πρίν περ ὅμιλον ἀολλισθήμεναι ἀνδρῶν·  
and escapes before a crowd of men can gather.

**589** ὣς τρέσε Νεστορίδης, ἐπὶ δὲ Τρῶές τε καὶ Ἕκτωρ  
So Nestor's son fled, while Hector and the Trojans behind him

**590** ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ βέλεα στονόεντα χέοντο·  
with wondrous clamor poured their groan-bringing missiles after them.

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

**592** Τρῶες δὲ λείουσιν ἐοικότες ὠμοφάγοισι  
But the Trojans, like raw-flesh-eating lions,
> Lions that eat flesh raw: ὠμοφάγος means "eating raw flesh." The image gives the Trojan rush a predator's hunger before Hector singles out one victim from the retreating mass.

**593** νηυσὶν ἐπεσσεύοντο, Διὸς δʼ ἐτέλειον ἐφετμάς,  
swept upon the ships and fulfilled the commands of Zeus,

**594** ὅ σφισιν αἰὲν ἔγειρε μένος μέγα, θέλγε δὲ θυμὸν  
who ever roused great strength in them, but bewitched the spirit

**595** Ἀργείων καὶ κῦδος ἀπαίνυτο, τοὺς δʼ ὀρόθυνεν.  
of the Argives and robbed them of glory, while urging the Trojans on,

**596** Ἕκτορι γάρ οἱ θυμὸς ἐβούλετο κῦδος ὀρέξαι  
for the heart of Zeus wished to grant glory to Hector.

**597** Πριαμίδῃ, ἵνα νηυσὶ κορωνίσι θεσπιδαὲς πῦρ  
Priam's son, so that upon the curved ships heaven-kindled fire,

**598** ἐμβάλοι ἀκάματον, Θέτιδος δʼ ἐξαίσιον ἀρὴν  
unwearying, he might cast, and fulfill Thetis' excessive prayer
> Thetis' excessive prayer: ἐξαίσιος describes something beyond what is fitting or allotted. Thetis asked Zeus to honor Achilles by making the Achaeans suffer, and the burning of a ship is the extreme limit to which Zeus carries that request.

**599** πᾶσαν ἐπικρήνειε· τὸ γὰρ μένε μητίετα Ζεὺς  
in full; for Zeus the counselor waited for this:

**600** νηὸς καιομένης σέλας ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδέσθαι.  
to see with his own eyes the blaze of a burning ship.

**601** ἐκ γὰρ δὴ τοῦ μέλλε παλίωξιν παρὰ νηῶν  
For from that moment he intended to bring about a rout from the ships

**602** θησέμεναι Τρώων, Δαναοῖσι δὲ κῦδος ὀρέξειν.  
of the Trojans, and to grant glory to the Danaans.

**603** τὰ φρονέων νήεσσιν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἔγειρεν  
With this in mind, he drove against the hollow ships

**604** Ἕκτορα Πριαμίδην μάλα περ μεμαῶτα καὶ αὐτόν.  
Hector, Priam's son, though he was fiercely eager himself.

**605** μαίνετο δʼ ὡς ὅτʼ Ἄρης ἐγχέσπαλος ἢ ὀλοὸν πῦρ  
He raged as spear-brandishing Ares rages, or deadly fire

**606** οὔρεσι μαίνηται βαθέης ἐν τάρφεσιν ὕλης·  
among the mountains in the thickets of a deep forest.

**607** ἀφλοισμὸς δὲ περὶ στόμα γίγνετο, τὼ δέ οἱ ὄσσε  
Foam formed about his mouth, and his two eyes
> Foam at Hector's mouth: ἀφλοισμός is foam or froth. Homer makes Hector's divinely driven fury bodily and visible before describing his blazing eyes and shaking helmet.

**608** λαμπέσθην βλοσυρῇσιν ὑπʼ ὀφρύσιν, ἀμφὶ δὲ πήληξ  
blazed beneath his grim brows, while round his head the helmet

**609** σμερδαλέον κροτάφοισι τινάσσετο μαρναμένοιο  
shook terribly upon his temples as he fought.

**610** Ἕκτορος· αὐτὸς γάρ οἱ ἀπʼ αἰθέρος ἦεν ἀμύντωρ  
For Zeus himself was Hector's defender from the heavens,

**611** Ζεύς, ὅς μιν πλεόνεσσι μετʼ ἀνδράσι μοῦνον ἐόντα  
who, though he stood alone among many men,

**612** τίμα καὶ κύδαινε. μινυνθάδιος γὰρ ἔμελλεν  
honored and glorified him; for he was destined
> Destined to be short-lived: μινυνθάδιος means lasting only a little while. Zeus's present gift of glory is set at once against Hector's approaching death.

**613** ἔσσεσθʼ· ἤδη γάρ οἱ ἐπόρνυε μόρσιμον ἦμαρ  
to be short-lived; for already the day appointed for his death

**614** Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίη ὑπὸ Πηλεΐδαο βίηφιν.  
Pallas Athena was setting in motion through the force of the son of Peleus.

**615** καί ῥʼ ἔθελεν ῥῆξαι στίχας ἀνδρῶν πειρητίζων,  
He sought to break the ranks of men, testing them

**616** ᾗ δὴ πλεῖστον ὅμιλον ὅρα καὶ τεύχεʼ ἄριστα·  
wherever he saw the greatest mass and the finest armor.

**617** ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὧς δύνατο ῥῆξαι μάλα περ μενεαίνων·  
Yet even so he could not break them, though he raged to do it,

**618** ἴσχον γὰρ πυργηδὸν ἀρηρότες, ἠΰτε πέτρη  
for they held firm, fitted together like a tower, like a rock
> Fitted together like a tower: πυργηδόν means "tower-like," while ἀρηρότες describes men fitted closely together. The phrase turns the Achaean formation into a single built defense before the simile turns it into a sea-cliff.

**619** ἠλίβατος μεγάλη πολιῆς ἁλὸς ἐγγὺς ἐοῦσα,  
great and sheer, standing close beside the gray sea,

**620** ἥ τε μένει λιγέων ἀνέμων λαιψηρὰ κέλευθα  
which withstands the swift courses of shrill winds

**621** κύματά τε τροφόεντα, τά τε προσερεύγεται αὐτήν·  
and the swelling waves that belch against it.

**622** ὣς Δαναοὶ Τρῶας μένον ἔμπεδον οὐδὲ φέβοντο.  
So the Danaans waited steadily for the Trojans and did not flee.

**623** αὐτὰρ ὃ λαμπόμενος πυρὶ πάντοθεν ἔνθορʼ ὁμίλῳ,  
But Hector, blazing with fire on every side, leapt into the throng

**624** ἐν δʼ ἔπεσʼ ὡς ὅτε κῦμα θοῇ ἐν νηῒ πέσῃσι  
and fell upon them as when a wave falls upon a swift ship,

**625** λάβρον ὑπαὶ νεφέων ἀνεμοτρεφές· ἣ δέ τε πᾶσα  
violent beneath the clouds and nursed by the wind; the ship is wholly

**626** ἄχνῃ ὑπεκρύφθη, ἀνέμοιο δὲ δεινὸς ἀήτη  
hidden under foam, and the wind's dreadful blast

**627** ἱστίῳ ἐμβρέμεται, τρομέουσι δέ τε φρένα ναῦται  
roars in the sail, while the sailors' hearts tremble

**628** δειδιότες· τυτθὸν γὰρ ὑπʼ ἐκ θανάτοιο φέρονται·  
in fear, for they are borne only a little way out from under death—
> Barely carried out of death: τυτθόν means "a little" or "by a small margin." The sailors do not master the storm; they are carried out from under death with almost no distance to spare.

**629** ὣς ἐδαΐζετο θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν.  
so the spirit in the Achaeans' breasts was torn apart.

**630** αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ὥς τε λέων ὀλοόφρων βουσὶν ἐπελθών,  
But Hector came on like a murderous-minded lion among cattle

**631** αἵ ῥά τʼ ἐν εἱαμενῇ ἕλεος μεγάλοιο νέμονται  
that graze in the meadow of a great marsh,

**632** μυρίαι, ἐν δέ τε τῇσι νομεὺς οὔ πω σάφα εἰδὼς  
thousands of them; and among them is a herdsman who does not yet know clearly

**633** θηρὶ μαχέσσασθαι ἕλικος βοὸς ἀμφὶ φονῇσιν·  
how to fight the beast over the slaughter of a curving-horned cow.

**634** ἤτοι ὃ μὲν πρώτῃσι καὶ ὑστατίῃσι βόεσσιν  
Now he is among the foremost cattle and the rearmost,

**635** αἰὲν ὁμοστιχάει, ὃ δέ τʼ ἐν μέσσῃσιν ὀρούσας  
always walking beside them; but the lion springs among the middle,

**636** βοῦν ἔδει, αἳ δέ τε πᾶσαι ὑπέτρεσαν· ὣς τότʼ Ἀχαιοὶ  
and devours a cow, and all the rest shrink away; so then the Achaeans

**637** θεσπεσίως ἐφόβηθεν ὑφʼ Ἕκτορι καὶ Διὶ πατρὶ  
fled beyond telling before Hector and father Zeus,

**638** πάντες, ὃ δʼ οἶον ἔπεφνε Μυκηναῖον Περιφήτην,  
all of them; but Hector killed only Periphetes the Mycenaean,
> Hector killed only Periphetes: οἶον, "only," sharply limits Hector's killing in this charge. The whole Achaean army flees, but the narrator names Periphetes as Hector's single victim here.

**639** Κοπρῆος φίλον υἱόν, ὃς Εὐρυσθῆος ἄνακτος  
the dear son of Copreus, who for lord Eurystheus

**640** ἀγγελίης οἴχνεσκε βίῃ Ἡρακληείῃ.  
used to carry messages to the mighty strength of Heracles.

**641** τοῦ γένετʼ ἐκ πατρὸς πολὺ χείρονος υἱὸς ἀμείνων  
From that much worse father was born a better son,

**642** παντοίας ἀρετάς, ἠμὲν πόδας ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι,  
excellent in every way, both in speed of foot and in fighting,

**643** καὶ νόον ἐν πρώτοισι Μυκηναίων ἐτέτυκτο·  
and in understanding he stood among the foremost Mycenaeans.

**644** ὅς ῥα τόθʼ Ἕκτορι κῦδος ὑπέρτερον ἐγγυάλιξε.  
It was he who then handed Hector a greater glory.

**645** στρεφθεὶς γὰρ μετόπισθεν ἐν ἀσπίδος ἄντυγι πάλτο,  
For as he turned back, he tripped against the rim of his shield,
> Caught on the shield's rim: ἄντυξ is the outer rim of the shield. As Periphetes turns, his own long shield catches him at the edge and causes the fall that leaves him exposed to Hector.

**646** τὴν αὐτὸς φορέεσκε ποδηνεκέʼ ἕρκος ἀκόντων·  
which he always carried, a guard reaching to his feet against missiles.
> A shield reaching to the feet: ποδηνεκής means reaching down to the feet, and ἕρκος is a barrier or defense. The shield's great coverage normally protects Periphetes from missiles, but its length now helps bring him down.

**647** τῇ ὅ γʼ ἐνὶ βλαφθεὶς πέσεν ὕπτιος, ἀμφὶ δὲ πήληξ  
Entangled in it, he fell on his back, and around him his helmet

**648** σμερδαλέον κονάβησε περὶ κροτάφοισι πεσόντος.  
clanged terribly about his temples as he fell.

**649** Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὀξὺ νόησε, θέων δέ οἱ ἄγχι παρέστη,  
Hector saw at once, ran forward, and stood close beside him,

**650** στήθεϊ δʼ ἐν δόρυ πῆξε, φίλων δέ μιν ἐγγὺς ἑταίρων  
then planted his spear in his chest and, near his own companions,
> The spear planted in his chest: Homer fixes the fatal strike precisely in Periphetes' chest. Hector reaches him while he is still beside his companions and drives the spear in at close range.

**651** κτεῖνʼ· οἳ δʼ οὐκ ἐδύναντο καὶ ἀχνύμενοί περ ἑταίρου  
killed him. Though grieving for their comrade, they could not

**652** χραισμεῖν· αὐτοὶ γὰρ μάλα δείδισαν Ἕκτορα δῖον.  
help him, for they themselves greatly feared godlike Hector.

**653** εἰσωποὶ δʼ ἐγένοντο νεῶν, περὶ δʼ ἔσχεθον ἄκραι  
They came in among the ships, and the outermost ships enclosed them,

**654** νῆες ὅσαι πρῶται εἰρύατο· τοὶ δʼ ἐπέχυντο.  
all those drawn up in the first row; and the Trojans poured upon them.

**655** Ἀργεῖοι δὲ νεῶν μὲν ἐχώρησαν καὶ ἀνάγκῃ  
The Argives withdrew under compulsion from the ships,

**656** τῶν πρωτέων, αὐτοῦ δὲ παρὰ κλισίῃσιν ἔμειναν  
from those foremost, but stayed there beside the huts,

**657** ἁθρόοι, οὐδὲ κέδασθεν ἀνὰ στρατόν· ἴσχε γὰρ αἰδὼς  
in a body, and did not scatter through the camp, for shame held them

**658** καὶ δέος· ἀζηχὲς γὰρ ὁμόκλεον ἀλλήλοισι.  
and fear; for without pause they shouted to one another.

**659** Νέστωρ αὖτε μάλιστα Γερήνιος οὖρος Ἀχαιῶν  
And Nestor above all, the Gerenian bulwark of the Achaeans,
> The Gerenian bulwark: οὖρος pictures Nestor as a guard or bulwark of the Achaeans. The title stresses his defensive power through counsel and exhortation at the ships, not physical combat in the front rank.

**660** λίσσεθʼ ὑπὲρ τοκέων γουνούμενος ἄνδρα ἕκαστον·  
begged each man, clasping his knees in his parents' name:
> A plea by their parents: The participle γουνούμενος evokes the suppliant's gesture of clasping the knees, while ὑπὲρ τοκέων gives the ground of the appeal: Nestor begs each warrior in his parents' name.

**661** ὦ φίλοι ἀνέρες ἔστε καὶ αἰδῶ θέσθʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ  
"Friends, be men, and set a sense of shame within your hearts

**662** ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων, ἐπὶ δὲ μνήσασθε ἕκαστος  
before other people; and let each of you remember

**663** παίδων ἠδʼ ἀλόχων καὶ κτήσιος ἠδὲ τοκήων,  
children and wives, possessions and parents,

**664** ἠμὲν ὅτεῳ ζώουσι καὶ ᾧ κατατεθνήκασι·  
whether a man's parents are living or have died.
> Living or dead: The paired datives ὅτεῳ and ᾧ distribute the thought across the warriors: some have living parents, while others' parents have died. Nestor's appeal includes both groups.

**665** τῶν ὕπερ ἐνθάδʼ ἐγὼ γουνάζομαι οὐ παρεόντων  
In their name, though they are absent, I clasp your knees here:

**666** ἑστάμεναι κρατερῶς, μὴ δὲ τρωπᾶσθε φόβον δέ.  
stand firm, and do not turn toward rout."

**667** ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου.  
So he spoke and stirred the strength and spirit of every man.
> The exhortation takes hold: This complete line is a recurring battle formula. Its English repeats the accepted rendering used when commanders turn a speech into renewed collective action.

**668** τοῖσι δʼ ἀπʼ ὀφθαλμῶν νέφος ἀχλύος ὦσεν Ἀθήνη  
Then Athena drove from their eyes the wondrous cloud

**669** θεσπέσιον· μάλα δέ σφι φόως γένετʼ ἀμφοτέρωθεν  
of mist; and abundant light appeared to them on both sides,

**670** ἠμὲν πρὸς νηῶν καὶ ὁμοιΐου πολέμοιο.  
both toward the ships and over the leveling war.

**671** Ἕκτορα δὲ φράσσαντο βοὴν ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἑταίρους,  
They made out Hector, good at the war-cry, and his companions,
> Hector, good at the war-cry: βοὴν ἀγαθόν is the established war-cry epithet, here applied to Hector. φράσσαντο means that the Achaeans can now discern him clearly after Athena removes the mist.

**672** ἠμὲν ὅσοι μετόπισθεν ἀφέστασαν οὐδὲ μάχοντο,  
all those who stood apart behind him and did not fight,

**673** ἠδʼ ὅσσοι παρὰ νηυσὶ μάχην ἐμάχοντο θοῇσιν.  
and all those who fought the battle beside the swift ships.

**674** οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔτʼ Αἴαντι μεγαλήτορι ἥνδανε θυμῷ  
No longer did it please great-hearted Ajax's spirit

**675** ἑστάμεν ἔνθά περ ἄλλοι ἀφέστασαν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν·  
to stand where the other sons of the Achaeans stood apart.

**676** ἀλλʼ ὅ γε νηῶν ἴκριʼ ἐπῴχετο μακρὰ βιβάσθων,  
Instead, with long strides he went over the ships' decks,

**677** νώμα δὲ ξυστὸν μέγα ναύμαχον ἐν παλάμῃσι  
wielding in his hands a great polished pike for fighting at sea,

**678** κολλητὸν βλήτροισι δυωκαιεικοσίπηχυ.  
well-jointed with clamps and twenty-two cubits long.
> A well-jointed sea pike: κολλητόν is the established ‘well-jointed,’ while βλήτροισι names the fittings or clamps that join the weapon. At twenty-two cubits, the pike is specialized for reaching between ships rather than an ordinary battlefield spear.

**679** ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀνὴρ ἵπποισι κελητίζειν ἐῢ εἰδώς,  
As when a man well skilled in riding horses at a gallop,
> The horse-rider simile: ὡς δʼ ὅτε opens an extended comparison. The rider's practiced movement among four running horses will map onto Ajax's sure-footed strides across the decks.

**680** ὅς τʼ ἐπεὶ ἐκ πολέων πίσυρας συναείρεται ἵππους,  
once he has gathered four horses together from many,

**681** σεύας ἐκ πεδίοιο μέγα προτὶ ἄστυ δίηται  
drives them from the plain toward a great city

**682** λαοφόρον καθʼ ὁδόν· πολέες τέ ἑ θηήσαντο  
down the crowded road, and many gaze at him,

**683** ἀνέρες ἠδὲ γυναῖκες· ὃ δʼ ἔμπεδον ἀσφαλὲς αἰεὶ  
men and women alike; but he, always sure and steady,

**684** θρῴσκων ἄλλοτʼ ἐπʼ ἄλλον ἀμείβεται, οἳ δὲ πέτονται·  
leaps from one horse to another while they fly onward—

**685** ὣς Αἴας ἐπὶ πολλὰ θοάων ἴκρια νηῶν  
so Ajax ranged over the many decks of the swift ships

**686** φοίτα μακρὰ βιβάς, φωνὴ δέ οἱ αἰθέρʼ ἵκανεν,  
with long strides, and his voice reached the heavens,

**687** αἰεὶ δὲ σμερδνὸν βοόων Δαναοῖσι κέλευε  
and always shouting terribly, he urged the Danaans
> Ajax's repeated shout: This line returns unchanged at line 732, and its English is therefore identical there. The repeated formula carries Ajax's voice from his movement across the decks into his final stand before the ships.

**688** νηυσί τε καὶ κλισίῃσιν ἀμυνέμεν. οὐδὲ μὲν Ἕκτωρ  
to defend the ships and shelters. Nor did Hector

**689** μίμνεν ἐνὶ Τρώων ὁμάδῳ πύκα θωρηκτάων·  
remain within the mass of closely armored Trojans;

**690** ἀλλʼ ὥς τʼ ὀρνίθων πετεηνῶν αἰετὸς αἴθων  
but as a blazing eagle swoops upon a flock
> Hector as the eagle: ὥς opens the comparison and makes Hector the blazing eagle. The river birds are the mass he attacks, not his own Trojan followers.

**691** ἔθνος ἐφορμᾶται ποταμὸν πάρα βοσκομενάων  
of winged birds feeding beside a river—

**692** χηνῶν ἢ γεράνων ἢ κύκνων δουλιχοδείρων,  
geese, or cranes, or long-necked swans,
> Long-necked swans: δουλιχοδείρων is a compound epithet meaning long-necked. The whole Greek line repeats Iliad 2.460, so the accepted list and its wording return unchanged.

**693** ὣς Ἕκτωρ ἴθυσε νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο  
so Hector rushed straight at a dark-prowed ship,

**694** ἀντίος ἀΐξας· τὸν δὲ Ζεὺς ὦσεν ὄπισθε  
springing head-on; and Zeus thrust him onward from behind

**695** χειρὶ μάλα μεγάλῃ, ὄτρυνε δὲ λαὸν ἅμʼ αὐτῷ.  
with his very mighty hand and roused the host beside him.

**696** αὖτις δὲ δριμεῖα μάχη παρὰ νηυσὶν ἐτύχθη·  
Once more fierce battle arose beside the ships.

**697** φαίης κʼ ἀκμῆτας καὶ ἀτειρέας ἀλλήλοισιν  
You would have said that tireless men, unbroken by toil,

**698** ἄντεσθʼ ἐν πολέμῳ, ὡς ἐσσυμένως ἐμάχοντο.  
met one another in war, so furiously did they fight.

**699** τοῖσι δὲ μαρναμένοισιν ὅδʼ ἦν νόος· ἤτοι Ἀχαιοὶ  
As they fought, this was their purpose: the Achaeans

**700** οὐκ ἔφασαν φεύξεσθαι ὑπʼ ἐκ κακοῦ, ἀλλʼ ὀλέεσθαι,  
believed they would not escape the evil, but would perish,

**701** Τρωσὶν δʼ ἔλπετο θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἑκάστου  
while the spirit in every Trojan's breast hoped

**702** νῆας ἐνιπρήσειν κτενέειν θʼ ἥρωας Ἀχαιούς.  
to burn the ships and kill the Achaean heroes.

**703** οἳ μὲν τὰ φρονέοντες ἐφέστασαν ἀλλήλοισιν·  
With these thoughts they stood against one another.

**704** Ἕκτωρ δὲ πρυμνῆς νεὸς ἥψατο ποντοπόροιο  
Then Hector seized the stern of the seagoing ship,

**705** καλῆς ὠκυάλου, ἣ Πρωτεσίλαον ἔνεικεν  
beautiful and swift-sailing, which had carried Protesilaus

**706** ἐς Τροίην, οὐδʼ αὖτις ἀπήγαγε πατρίδα γαῖαν.  
to Troy, yet did not carry him back again to his homeland.

**707** τοῦ περ δὴ περὶ νηὸς Ἀχαιοί τε Τρῶές τε  
Around that ship Achaeans and Trojans

**708** δῄουν ἀλλήλους αὐτοσχεδόν· οὐδʼ ἄρα τοί γε  
slaughtered one another at close quarters. No longer did they
> At close quarters: αὐτοσχεδόν means hand to hand or at point-blank range. The fighting has closed so completely that neither side relies on missiles from a distance.

**709** τόξων ἀϊκὰς ἀμφὶς μένον οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἀκόντων,  
wait apart for flights of arrows or casts of spears,

**710** ἀλλʼ οἵ γʼ ἐγγύθεν ἱστάμενοι ἕνα θυμὸν ἔχοντες  
but standing close together with a single purpose,

**711** ὀξέσι δὴ πελέκεσσι καὶ ἀξίνῃσι μάχοντο  
they fought with sharp battle-axes and axes,

**712** καὶ ξίφεσιν μεγάλοισι καὶ ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοισι.  
with great swords and double-pointed spears.

**713** πολλὰ δὲ φάσγανα καλὰ μελάνδετα κωπήεντα  
Many fine swords, black-bound and fitted with hilts,

**714** ἄλλα μὲν ἐκ χειρῶν χαμάδις πέσον, ἄλλα δʼ ἀπʼ ὤμων  
fell to the ground, some from hands and others from the shoulders

**715** ἀνδρῶν μαρναμένων· ῥέε δʼ αἵματι γαῖα μέλαινα.  
of fighting men, and the black earth ran with blood.

**716** Ἕκτωρ δὲ πρύμνηθεν ἐπεὶ λάβεν οὐχὶ μεθίει  
Once Hector had grasped the stern, he would not let go,

**717** ἄφλαστον μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχων, Τρωσὶν δὲ κέλευεν·  
holding the sternpost in his hands, and he called to the Trojans:
> The sternpost: ἄφλαστον is the upward-curving ornament or post at a ship's stern. Hector keeps it in his hands as the Trojans press fire toward the vessel.

**718** οἴσετε πῦρ, ἅμα δʼ αὐτοὶ ἀολλέες ὄρνυτʼ ἀϋτήν·  
"Bring fire, and all together raise the war-cry!

**719** νῦν ἡμῖν πάντων Ζεὺς ἄξιον ἦμαρ ἔδωκε  
Now Zeus has given us a day worth all the rest:

**720** νῆας ἑλεῖν, αἳ δεῦρο θεῶν ἀέκητι μολοῦσαι  
to take the ships that came here against the gods' will

**721** ἡμῖν πήματα πολλὰ θέσαν, κακότητι γερόντων,  
and caused us many sorrows through the elders' cowardice.

**722** οἵ μʼ ἐθέλοντα μάχεσθαι ἐπὶ πρυμνῇσι νέεσσιν  
When I wished to fight beside the ships' sterns,

**723** αὐτόν τʼ ἰσχανάασκον ἐρητύοντό τε λαόν·  
they held me back and kept the army in check.

**724** ἀλλʼ εἰ δή ῥα τότε βλάπτε φρένας εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς  
But if wide-thundering Zeus then clouded our wits,
> Wide-thundering Zeus: εὐρύοπα is the established ‘wide-thundering,’ an epithet tied to Zeus's far-carrying voice and thunder. Hector claims that Zeus once hindered Trojan judgment but now urges the assault.

**725** ἡμετέρας, νῦν αὐτὸς ἐποτρύνει καὶ ἀνώγει.  
now he himself drives us on and commands us."

**726** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα μᾶλλον ἐπʼ Ἀργείοισιν ὄρουσαν.  
So he spoke, and they rushed still harder upon the Argives.

**727** Αἴας δʼ οὐκέτʼ ἔμιμνε· βιάζετο γὰρ βελέεσσιν·  
Ajax no longer held his place, for missiles overpowered him;

**728** ἀλλʼ ἀνεχάζετο τυτθόν, ὀϊόμενος θανέεσθαι  
but he drew back a little, thinking he would die,

**729** θρῆνυν ἐφʼ ἑπταπόδην, λίπε δʼ ἴκρια νηὸς ἐΐσης.  
onto the seven-foot bench, and left the balanced ship's deck.
> The seven-foot bench: θρῆνυς ordinarily means a bench or footstool; here it is a seven-foot structure within the ship. Ajax yields only the exposed deck and takes his stand on it, from where he can still guard the ship.

**730** ἔνθʼ ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἑστήκει δεδοκημένος, ἔγχεϊ δʼ αἰεὶ  
There he stood on watch, and with his spear continually

**731** Τρῶας ἄμυνε νεῶν, ὅς τις φέροι ἀκάματον πῦρ·  
kept from the ships any Trojan who carried tireless fire,

**732** αἰεὶ δὲ σμερδνὸν βοόων Δαναοῖσι κέλευε·  
and always shouting terribly, he urged the Danaans:

**733** ὦ φίλοι ἥρωες Δαναοὶ θεράποντες Ἄρηος  
"Friends, hero Danaans, henchmen of Ares,
> Henchmen of Ares: θεράποντες Ἄρηος is a standing martial formula that presents the heroes as attendants of the war god. The complete line repeats Iliad 2.110 and 6.67, so its accepted English returns unchanged.

**734** ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι, μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς.  
be men, my friends, and remember your furious valor.
> Remember furious valor: θούριδος ἀλκῆς is the established formula ‘furious valor.’ This whole exhortation line repeats earlier battlefield appeals and keeps their accepted wording.

**735** ἠέ τινάς φαμεν εἶναι ἀοσσητῆρας ὀπίσσω,  
Do we suppose there are defenders behind us,

**736** ἦέ τι τεῖχος ἄρειον, ὅ κʼ ἀνδράσι λοιγὸν ἀμύναι;  
or some stronger wall that could ward ruin from our men?

**737** οὐ μέν τι σχεδόν ἐστι πόλις πύργοις ἀραρυῖα,  
There is no nearby city fitted with towers

**738** ᾗ κʼ ἀπαμυναίμεσθʼ ἑτεραλκέα δῆμον ἔχοντες·  
where we might defend ourselves with another host to turn the tide.

**739** ἀλλʼ ἐν γὰρ Τρώων πεδίῳ πύκα θωρηκτάων  
Here on the plain of the closely armored Trojans,

**740** πόντῳ κεκλιμένοι ἑκὰς ἥμεθα πατρίδος αἴης·  
hemmed against the sea, we sit far from our native land.

**741** τὼ ἐν χερσὶ φόως, οὐ μειλιχίῃ πολέμοιο.  
So our salvation lies in our hands, not in any easing of war."
> Salvation in their hands: φόως literally means light, but here it is the light of deliverance or survival. Ajax opposes that hope to μειλιχίη πολέμοιο, any softening or easing of the battle.

**742** ἦ, καὶ μαιμώων ἔφεπʼ ἔγχεϊ ὀξυόεντι.  
He spoke, and eagerly plied his sharp spear.

**743** ὅς τις δὲ Τρώων κοίλῃς ἐπὶ νηυσὶ φέροιτο  
Whichever Trojan came toward the hollow ships

**744** σὺν πυρὶ κηλείῳ, χάριν Ἕκτορος ὀτρύναντος,  
with blazing fire, to please Hector, who urged him on,

**745** τὸν δʼ Αἴας οὔτασκε δεδεγμένος ἔγχεϊ μακρῷ·  
Ajax, lying in wait, would stab him with his long spear.

**746** δώδεκα δὲ προπάροιθε νεῶν αὐτοσχεδὸν οὖτα.  
And before the ships he wounded twelve men at close quarters.
> Twelve at close quarters: δώδεκα gives the exact number Ajax wounds, and αὐτοσχεδόν repeats the close-quarters language of line 708. His defense holds the fire-bearers off the ships even after he has yielded the deck.

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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.