# The Iliad, Book 18: The Shield of Achilles

Ἰλιάς · Homer · The Ransom of Hector

Achilles learns of Patroclus's death. His cry from the ditch turns the Trojans. Hephaestus makes him new armor, and a shield with the whole world on it.

Source: https://1732studios.com/books/iliad/18. Data: https://1732studios.com/books/iliad/18.json. Audio: https://audio.1732studios.com/iliad/<line id>.m4a.

**1** ὣς οἳ μὲν μάρναντο δέμας πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο,  
So they fought on, like the blaze of burning fire.

**2** Ἀντίλοχος δʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ πόδας ταχὺς ἄγγελος ἦλθε.  
Swift-footed Antilochus came as a messenger to Achilles.
> Swift of foot: πόδας ταχύς, literally swift in his feet, marks Antilochus as the runner chosen to carry the news. The phrase resembles Achilles' standing epithet but uses ταχύς rather than ὠκύς.

**3** τὸν δʼ εὗρε προπάροιθε νεῶν ὀρθοκραιράων  
He found him before the high-horned ships,

**4** τὰ φρονέοντʼ ἀνὰ θυμὸν ἃ δὴ τετελεσμένα ἦεν·  
thinking in his heart of what had now come to pass;

**5** ὀχθήσας δʼ ἄρα εἶπε πρὸς ὃν μεγαλήτορα θυμόν·  
then in anguish he spoke to his own great-hearted spirit:
> Aorist participle: ὀχθήσας presents Achilles' anguish as the attendant state from which he speaks. The aorist participle gathers that inward recoil into a single action before εἶπε, he spoke.

**6** ὤ μοι ἐγώ, τί τʼ ἄρʼ αὖτε κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοὶ  
"Ah me, why once again are the long-haired Achaeans

**7** νηυσὶν ἔπι κλονέονται ἀτυζόμενοι πεδίοιο;  
surging in panic over the plain toward the ships?

**8** μὴ δή μοι τελέσωσι θεοὶ κακὰ κήδεα θυμῷ,  
May the gods not bring bitter griefs to pass for my heart,
> Fear in the subjunctive: μή with the aorist subjunctive τελέσωσι voices an alarm about what may now happen: may they not bring it to fulfillment for me. Achilles does not yet know the news, but the grammar makes his dread immediate.

**9** ὥς ποτέ μοι μήτηρ διεπέφραδε καί μοι ἔειπε  
as once my mother plainly foretold and told me:

**10** Μυρμιδόνων τὸν ἄριστον ἔτι ζώοντος ἐμεῖο  
while I was still alive, the best of the Myrmidons

**11** χερσὶν ὕπο Τρώων λείψειν φάος ἠελίοιο.  
would leave the light of the sun beneath Trojan hands.
> Future infinitive: λείψειν is a future infinitive inside the report of what Thetis foretold. Its subject is the best of the Myrmidons, and the phrase means that he would leave the sunlight, a direct image of death.

**12** ἦ μάλα δὴ τέθνηκε Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱὸς  
Surely the valiant son of Menoetius is dead,

**13** σχέτλιος· ἦ τʼ ἐκέλευον ἀπωσάμενον δήϊον πῦρ  
stubborn man. I told him, once he had driven off the hostile fire,

**14** ἂψ ἐπὶ νῆας ἴμεν, μηδʼ Ἕκτορι ἶφι μάχεσθαι.  
to go back to the ships and not fight Hector in his strength."

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

**16** τόφρά οἱ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθεν ἀγαυοῦ Νέστορος υἱὸς  
the son of glorious Nestor came near him,

**17** δάκρυα θερμὰ χέων, φάτο δʼ ἀγγελίην ἀλεγεινήν·  
shedding hot tears, and spoke the grievous message:
> Tears poured as an action: χέων is a present participle, literally pouring, with θερμὰ δάκρυα as its object. Antilochus is already weeping continuously while he delivers the message.

**18** ὤ μοι Πηλέος υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἦ μάλα λυγρῆς  
"Ah me, son of battle-wise Peleus, you will hear

**19** πεύσεαι ἀγγελίης, ἣ μὴ ὤφελλε γενέσθαι.  
a bitter message, one that should never have come to pass.

**20** κεῖται Πάτροκλος, νέκυος δὲ δὴ ἀμφιμάχονται  
Patroclus lies dead, and now they fight around his corpse,

**21** γυμνοῦ· ἀτὰρ τά γε τεύχεʼ ἔχει κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ.  
naked; but Hector of the flashing helm holds his armor."
> Hector of the flashing helm: κορυθαίολος is Hector's standing helmet epithet. Here its martial brightness jars against the naked corpse because Hector now holds the armor stripped from Patroclus.

**22** ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ ἄχεος νεφέλη ἐκάλυψε μέλαινα·  
So he spoke, and a black cloud of grief covered him.
> A cloud of grief: ἄχεος νεφέλη makes grief a cloud that closes over Achilles. The image is physical and immediate: the news darkens his whole field of being before he moves or speaks.

**23** ἀμφοτέρῃσι δὲ χερσὶν ἑλὼν κόνιν αἰθαλόεσσαν  
Taking soot-black dust in both his hands,

**24** χεύατο κὰκ κεφαλῆς, χαρίεν δʼ ᾔσχυνε πρόσωπον·  
he poured it down over his head and fouled his lovely face;

**25** νεκταρέῳ δὲ χιτῶνι μέλαινʼ ἀμφίζανε τέφρη.  
black ash settled over his fragrant tunic.
> Nectar-like cloth: νεκτάρεος derives from nectar and can suggest divine sweetness or fragrance. Applied to Achilles' tunic, it sharpens the contrast between the beautiful garment and the black ash settling over it.

**26** αὐτὸς δʼ ἐν κονίῃσι μέγας μεγαλωστὶ τανυσθεὶς  
He himself lay stretched full-length, huge, in the dust,

**27** κεῖτο, φίλῃσι δὲ χερσὶ κόμην ᾔσχυνε δαΐζων.  
and with his own hands he ravaged his hair, tearing it.

**28** δμῳαὶ δʼ ἃς Ἀχιλεὺς ληΐσσατο Πάτροκλός τε  
The captive women whom Achilles and Patroclus had taken as spoil,

**29** θυμὸν ἀκηχέμεναι μεγάλʼ ἴαχον, ἐκ δὲ θύραζε  
heart-stricken, cried aloud, and out through the doors

**30** ἔδραμον ἀμφʼ Ἀχιλῆα δαΐφρονα, χερσὶ δὲ πᾶσαι  
they ran around battle-wise Achilles; with their hands they all

**31** στήθεα πεπλήγοντο, λύθεν δʼ ὑπὸ γυῖα ἑκάστης.  
beat their breasts, and each woman's limbs gave way beneath her.

**32** Ἀντίλοχος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ὀδύρετο δάκρυα λείβων  
On the other side Antilochus mourned, shedding tears,

**33** χεῖρας ἔχων Ἀχιλῆος· ὃ δʼ ἔστενε κυδάλιμον κῆρ·  
holding Achilles' hands, while Achilles groaned from his glorious heart;

**34** δείδιε γὰρ μὴ λαιμὸν ἀπαμήσειε σιδήρῳ.  
for he feared that Achilles might cut his throat with iron.
> Fear with the optative: After the past-tense δείδιε, μή introduces what Antilochus feared and ἀπαμήσειε stands in the aorist optative. The line reports his fear of a possible act; it does not say that Achilles has already attempted it.

**35** σμερδαλέον δʼ ᾤμωξεν· ἄκουσε δὲ πότνια μήτηρ  
Achilles gave a terrible cry. His queenly mother heard him,

**36** ἡμένη ἐν βένθεσσιν ἁλὸς παρὰ πατρὶ γέροντι,  
sitting in the depths of the sea beside her aged father;

**37** κώκυσέν τʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα· θεαὶ δέ μιν ἀμφαγέροντο  
and then she wailed; the goddesses gathered around her,

**38** πᾶσαι ὅσαι κατὰ βένθος ἁλὸς Νηρηΐδες ἦσαν.  
all the Nereids who dwelt in the depths of the sea.

**39** ἔνθʼ ἄρʼ ἔην Γλαύκη τε Θάλειά τε Κυμοδόκη τε  
There were Glauce, Thalia, and Cymodoce,

**40** Νησαίη Σπειώ τε Θόη θʼ Ἁλίη τε βοῶπις  
Nesaea, Speio, Thoe, and ox-eyed Halie,
> Ox-eyed Halie: βοῶπις, ox-eyed, belongs specifically to Halie on this line. It is a formulaic beauty epithet also used of other women and goddesses, but it must not be transferred to a neighboring Nereid.

**41** Κυμοθόη τε καὶ Ἀκταίη καὶ Λιμνώρεια  
Cymothoe and Actaea and Limnorea,

**42** καὶ Μελίτη καὶ Ἴαιρα καὶ Ἀμφιθόη καὶ Ἀγαυὴ  
and Melite and Iaera and Amphithoe and Agave,

**43** Δωτώ τε Πρωτώ τε Φέρουσά τε Δυναμένη τε  
Doto and Proto and Pherusa and Dynamene,

**44** Δεξαμένη τε καὶ Ἀμφινόμη καὶ Καλλιάνειρα  
Dexamene and Amphinome and Callianeira,

**45** Δωρὶς καὶ Πανόπη καὶ ἀγακλειτὴ Γαλάτεια  
Doris and Panope and renowned Galatea,
> Renowned Galatea: ἀγακλειτή means greatly renowned or famed and modifies Galatea alone. Homer briefly sets her off from the surrounding names with an individual epithet.

**46** Νημερτής τε καὶ Ἀψευδὴς καὶ Καλλιάνασσα·  
Nemertes and Apseudes and Callianassa;

**47** ἔνθα δʼ ἔην Κλυμένη Ἰάνειρά τε καὶ Ἰάνασσα  
there were Clymene and Ianeira and Ianassa,

**48** Μαῖρα καὶ Ὠρείθυια ἐϋπλόκαμός τʼ Ἀμάθεια  
Maera and Oreithyia and fair-haired Amatheia,
> Fair-haired Amatheia: ἐϋπλόκαμος, literally well-tressed, modifies Amatheia alone. The epithet closes the named catalogue with a visual detail before the poem returns to the unnamed Nereids.

**49** ἄλλαι θʼ αἳ κατὰ βένθος ἁλὸς Νηρηΐδες ἦσαν.  
and other Nereids who dwelt in the depths of the sea.

**50** τῶν δὲ καὶ ἀργύφεον πλῆτο σπέος· αἳ δʼ ἅμα πᾶσαι  
The silvery cave was filled with them; all together they

**51** στήθεα πεπλήγοντο, Θέτις δʼ ἐξῆρχε γόοιο·  
beat their breasts, and Thetis led the lament:

**52** κλῦτε κασίγνηται Νηρηΐδες, ὄφρʼ ἐῢ πᾶσαι  
"Listen, sister Nereids, so that all of you may fully
> Plural direct address: κασίγνηται and Νηρηΐδες are plural vocatives: sisters, Nereids. Thetis addresses the assembled sea-goddesses directly before explaining the grief they have come to share.

**53** εἴδετʼ ἀκούουσαι ὅσʼ ἐμῷ ἔνι κήδεα θυμῷ.  
know, as you hear, how many griefs are in my heart.

**54** ὤ μοι ἐγὼ δειλή, ὤ μοι δυσαριστοτόκεια,  
Ah, wretched me, ah, unhappy in bearing the best,
> Unhappy mother of the best: δυσαριστοτόκεια compresses Thetis' paradox into one compound: she is wretched in having borne the best. Achilles' excellence is inseparable from the grief his brief life brings her.

**55** ἥ τʼ ἐπεὶ ἂρ τέκον υἱὸν ἀμύμονά τε κρατερόν τε  
for when I bore a son, blameless and strong,

**56** ἔξοχον ἡρώων· ὃ δʼ ἀνέδραμεν ἔρνεϊ ἶσος·  
foremost of heroes; and he shot up like a sapling.
> Like a sapling: ἔρνος is a young shoot or sapling. Thetis remembers Achilles as living growth, an image that makes the death already shadowing her lament feel like a life cut down too early.

**57** τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ θρέψασα φυτὸν ὣς γουνῷ ἀλωῆς  
I raised him like a tree on the slope of an orchard,
> Epic comparison: ὥς follows φυτον to mark a compact comparison, like a cultivated plant. The orchard slope continues the sapling image from the preceding line and presents Thetis as the one who carefully raised him.

**58** νηυσὶν ἐπιπροέηκα κορωνίσιν Ἴλιον εἴσω  
and sent him in the beaked ships toward Ilium,

**59** Τρωσὶ μαχησόμενον· τὸν δʼ οὐχ ὑποδέξομαι αὖτις  
to fight the Trojans; but I shall never welcome him again

**60** οἴκαδε νοστήσαντα δόμον Πηλήϊον εἴσω.  
home to the house of Peleus.

**61** ὄφρα δέ μοι ζώει καὶ ὁρᾷ φάος ἠελίοιο  
While he lives and sees the light of the sun,

**62** ἄχνυται, οὐδέ τί οἱ δύναμαι χραισμῆσαι ἰοῦσα.  
he grieves, and I can bring him no help when I go.

**63** ἀλλʼ εἶμʼ, ὄφρα ἴδωμι φίλον τέκος, ἠδʼ ἐπακούσω  
But I shall go, so I may see my dear child and hear

**64** ὅττί μιν ἵκετο πένθος ἀπὸ πτολέμοιο μένοντα.  
what grief has reached him as he stays back from war."

**65** ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα λίπε σπέος· αἳ δὲ σὺν αὐτῇ  
So she spoke and left the cave; they went with her,

**66** δακρυόεσσαι ἴσαν, περὶ δέ σφισι κῦμα θαλάσσης  
weeping, and around them the wave of the sea

**67** ῥήγνυτο· ταὶ δʼ ὅτε δὴ Τροίην ἐρίβωλον ἵκοντο  
broke apart. When they reached rich-soiled Troy,

**68** ἀκτὴν εἰσανέβαινον ἐπισχερώ, ἔνθα θαμειαὶ  
they climbed the shore in a line, where in close ranks

**69** Μυρμιδόνων εἴρυντο νέες ταχὺν ἀμφʼ Ἀχιλῆα.  
the Myrmidons' ships were drawn up around swift Achilles.

**70** τῷ δὲ βαρὺ στενάχοντι παρίστατο πότνια μήτηρ,  
His queenly mother stood beside him as he groaned heavily,

**71** ὀξὺ δὲ κωκύσασα κάρη λάβε παιδὸς ἑοῖο,  
and with a piercing wail she took her own son's head,

**72** καί ῥʼ ὀλοφυρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and grieving, she addressed him with winged words:
> Winged words: ἔπεα πτερόεντα, winged words, is a fixed speech formula. The image gives spoken words flight from speaker to hearer while the surrounding verbs carry Thetis' grief.

**73** τέκνον τί κλαίεις; τί δέ σε φρένας ἵκετο πένθος;  
"My child, why do you weep? What grief has come upon your heart?

**74** ἐξαύδα, μὴ κεῦθε· τὰ μὲν δή τοι τετέλεσται  
Speak out, do not hide it. Those things have now been fulfilled for you

**75** ἐκ Διός, ὡς ἄρα δὴ πρίν γʼ εὔχεο χεῖρας ἀνασχὼν  
by Zeus, just as before you prayed with hands raised,

**76** πάντας ἐπὶ πρύμνῃσιν ἀλήμεναι υἷας Ἀχαιῶν  
that all the sons of the Achaeans be hemmed at their sterns,

**77** σεῦ ἐπιδευομένους, παθέειν τʼ ἀεκήλια ἔργα.  
lacking you, and suffer shameful deeds."

**78** τὴν δὲ βαρὺ στενάχων προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·  
Groaning heavily, swift-footed Achilles answered her:
> Swift-footed Achilles: πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς is Achilles' standing epithet, literally swift with respect to his feet. Its familiar formula remains in place even while he lies grieving and does not move.

**79** μῆτερ ἐμή, τὰ μὲν ἄρ μοι Ὀλύμπιος ἐξετέλεσσεν·  
"My mother, the Olympian has fulfilled those things for me;

**80** ἀλλὰ τί μοι τῶν ἦδος ἐπεὶ φίλος ὤλεθʼ ἑταῖρος  
but what pleasure have I from them, since my dear companion died,

**81** Πάτροκλος, τὸν ἐγὼ περὶ πάντων τῖον ἑταίρων  
Patroclus, whom above all my comrades I honored,

**82** ἶσον ἐμῇ κεφαλῇ; τὸν ἀπώλεσα, τεύχεα δʼ Ἕκτωρ  
equal to my own head? I lost him; and Hector, after killing him,

**83** δῃώσας ἀπέδυσε πελώρια θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι  
stripped away the mighty armor, a wonder to behold,

**84** καλά· τὰ μὲν Πηλῆϊ θεοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα  
beautiful, splendid gifts the gods gave Peleus

**85** ἤματι τῷ ὅτε σε βροτοῦ ἀνέρος ἔμβαλον εὐνῇ.  
on the day they cast you into the bed of a mortal man.

**86** αἴθʼ ὄφελες σὺ μὲν αὖθι μετʼ ἀθανάτῃς ἁλίῃσι  
Would that you had stayed there among the immortal sea-goddesses,

**87** ναίειν, Πηλεὺς δὲ θνητὴν ἀγαγέσθαι ἄκοιτιν.  
and Peleus had taken a mortal wife.

**88** νῦν δʼ ἵνα καὶ σοὶ πένθος ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μυρίον εἴη  
But now there will be measureless grief in your heart

**89** παιδὸς ἀποφθιμένοιο, τὸν οὐχ ὑποδέξεαι αὖτις  
for your dead son, whom you will not welcome again

**90** οἴκαδε νοστήσαντʼ, ἐπεὶ οὐδʼ ἐμὲ θυμὸς ἄνωγε  
returning home, since my own heart does not urge me

**91** ζώειν οὐδʼ ἄνδρεσσι μετέμμεναι, αἴ κε μὴ Ἕκτωρ  
to live or remain among men unless Hector

**92** πρῶτος ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἀπὸ θυμὸν ὀλέσσῃ,  
first, struck beneath my spear, loses his life

**93** Πατρόκλοιο δʼ ἕλωρα Μενοιτιάδεω ἀποτίσῃ.  
and pays the price for making Patroclus, son of Menoetius, his spoil."

**94** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Θέτις κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα·  
Then Thetis addressed him again, shedding tears:

**95** ὠκύμορος δή μοι τέκος ἔσσεαι, οἷʼ ἀγορεύεις·  
"My child, you will be short-lived, from what you say;
> Short-lived: ὠκύμορος joins swift with fate or doom: one whose allotted life runs quickly to its end. Thetis uses the word as a precise statement of Achilles' condition, not as a vague fear.

**96** αὐτίκα γάρ τοι ἔπειτα μεθʼ Ἕκτορα πότμος ἑτοῖμος.  
for straight after Hector your doom stands ready."

**97** τὴν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·  
Greatly troubled, swift-footed Achilles answered her:

**98** αὐτίκα τεθναίην, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἄρʼ ἔμελλον ἑταίρῳ  
"I would die at once, since I was not destined to defend my companion

**99** κτεινομένῳ ἐπαμῦναι· ὃ μὲν μάλα τηλόθι πάτρης  
as he was killed. Far from his homeland he died,

**100** ἔφθιτʼ, ἐμεῖο δὲ δῆσεν ἀρῆς ἀλκτῆρα γενέσθαι.  
and had need of me to be a ward against ruin.

**101** νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ οὐ νέομαί γε φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,  
Now since I shall not return to my dear native land,

**102** οὐδέ τι Πατρόκλῳ γενόμην φάος οὐδʼ ἑτάροισι  
nor was I a saving light to Patroclus or my other comrades,

**103** τοῖς ἄλλοις, οἳ δὴ πολέες δάμεν Ἕκτορι δίῳ,  
so many of whom were broken by godlike Hector,

**104** ἀλλʼ ἧμαι παρὰ νηυσὶν ἐτώσιον ἄχθος ἀρούρης,  
but I sit beside the ships, a useless burden on the earth,

**105** τοῖος ἐὼν οἷος οὔ τις Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων  
though in war I am such as no bronze-clad Achaean is;

**106** ἐν πολέμῳ· ἀγορῇ δέ τʼ ἀμείνονές εἰσι καὶ ἄλλοι.  
yet in assembly there are others better than I.

**107** ὡς ἔρις ἔκ τε θεῶν ἔκ τʼ ἀνθρώπων ἀπόλοιτο  
May strife vanish from among gods and men,
> Strife: ἔρις is strife, the conflict that sets people against one another. Achilles names it separately from χόλος, anger, on the next line: the quarrel and the emotion feeding it are related but not identical.

**108** καὶ χόλος, ὅς τʼ ἐφέηκε πολύφρονά περ χαλεπῆναι,  
and anger too, which drives even a thoughtful man to bitterness,

**109** ὅς τε πολὺ γλυκίων μέλιτος καταλειβομένοιο  
which, far sweeter than honey dripping down,

**110** ἀνδρῶν ἐν στήθεσσιν ἀέξεται ἠΰτε καπνός·  
swells in men's breasts like smoke;

**111** ὡς ἐμὲ νῦν ἐχόλωσεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων.  
so Agamemnon, lord of men, enraged me now.

**112** ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν προτετύχθαι ἐάσομεν ἀχνύμενοί περ,  
But let us leave those things accomplished, though we grieve,

**113** θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλον δαμάσαντες ἀνάγκῃ·  
mastering the dear heart in our breasts by force.

**114** νῦν δʼ εἶμʼ ὄφρα φίλης κεφαλῆς ὀλετῆρα κιχείω  
Now I shall go, to find the killer of that dear head,

**115** Ἕκτορα· κῆρα δʼ ἐγὼ τότε δέξομαι ὁππότε κεν δὴ  
Hector; then I shall accept my fate whenever

**116** Ζεὺς ἐθέλῃ τελέσαι ἠδʼ ἀθάνατοι θεοὶ ἄλλοι.  
Zeus and the other immortal gods choose to bring it.

**117** οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ βίη Ἡρακλῆος φύγε κῆρα,  
Not even the might of Heracles escaped fate,

**118** ὅς περ φίλτατος ἔσκε Διὶ Κρονίωνι ἄνακτι·  
though he was dearest to lord Zeus, son of Cronos;

**119** ἀλλά ἑ μοῖρα δάμασσε καὶ ἀργαλέος χόλος Ἥρης.  
but destiny and Hera's grievous anger mastered him.

**120** ὣς καὶ ἐγών, εἰ δή μοι ὁμοίη μοῖρα τέτυκται,  
So too shall I, if a like destiny is made for me,

**121** κείσομʼ ἐπεί κε θάνω· νῦν δὲ κλέος ἐσθλὸν ἀροίμην,  
lie when I am dead; but now may I win noble glory,

**122** καί τινα Τρωϊάδων καὶ Δαρδανίδων βαθυκόλπων  
and make some deep-bosomed Trojan and Dardanian woman,

**123** ἀμφοτέρῃσιν χερσὶ παρειάων ἁπαλάων  
wiping tears from her tender cheeks with both hands,

**124** δάκρυʼ ὀμορξαμένην ἁδινὸν στοναχῆσαι ἐφείην,  
groan without ceasing,

**125** γνοῖεν δʼ ὡς δὴ δηρὸν ἐγὼ πολέμοιο πέπαυμαι·  
and let them know how long I have kept back from war.

**126** μὴ δέ μʼ ἔρυκε μάχης φιλέουσά περ· οὐδέ με πείσεις.  
Do not restrain me from battle though you love me; you will not persuade me."

**127** τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα·  
Then the goddess, silver-footed Thetis, answered him:
> Silver-footed Thetis: ἀργυρόπεζα, silver-footed, is Thetis' standing epithet. Its brightness belongs to the sea-goddess even in grief and remains distinct from the mortal scene around Achilles.

**128** ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε τέκνον ἐτήτυμον οὐ κακόν ἐστι  
"Yes indeed, my child, what you say is truly no evil,

**129** τειρομένοις ἑτάροισιν ἀμυνέμεν αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.  
to ward cruel destruction from your hard-pressed companions.

**130** ἀλλά τοι ἔντεα καλὰ μετὰ Τρώεσσιν ἔχονται  
But your beautiful armor is held among the Trojans,

**131** χάλκεα μαρμαίροντα· τὰ μὲν κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ  
bronze and flashing; Hector of the flashing helm

**132** αὐτὸς ἔχων ὤμοισιν ἀγάλλεται· οὐδέ ἕ φημι  
wears it on his shoulders and glories in it. Yet I say he

**133** δηρὸν ἐπαγλαϊεῖσθαι, ἐπεὶ φόνος ἐγγύθεν αὐτῷ.  
will not glory long, for death is near him.

**134** ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν μή πω καταδύσεο μῶλον Ἄρηος  
But do not yet enter the battle of Ares

**135** πρίν γʼ ἐμὲ δεῦρʼ ἐλθοῦσαν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδηαι·  
until you see me return here with your own eyes;

**136** ἠῶθεν γὰρ νεῦμαι ἅμʼ ἠελίῳ ἀνιόντι  
for at dawn I shall come with the rising sun,

**137** τεύχεα καλὰ φέρουσα παρʼ Ἡφαίστοιο ἄνακτος.  
bringing beautiful armor from lord Hephaestus."

**138** ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα πάλιν τράπεθʼ υἷος ἑοῖο,  
So speaking, she turned back from her son,

**139** καὶ στρεφθεῖσʼ ἁλίῃσι κασιγνήτῃσι μετηύδα·  
and turning to her sea-born sisters, she addressed them:

**140** ὑμεῖς μὲν νῦν δῦτε θαλάσσης εὐρέα κόλπον  
"You now sink into the broad fold of the sea

**141** ὀψόμεναί τε γέρονθʼ ἅλιον καὶ δώματα πατρός,  
to see the old man of the sea and our father's halls,

**142** καί οἱ πάντʼ ἀγορεύσατʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον  
and tell him all. I go to high Olympus

**143** εἶμι παρʼ Ἥφαιστον κλυτοτέχνην, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν  
to Hephaestus, the famed craftsman, in hope he may be willing

**144** υἱεῖ ἐμῷ δόμεναι κλυτὰ τεύχεα παμφανόωντα.  
to give my son renowned armor, all-gleaming."

**145** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἳ δʼ ὑπὸ κῦμα θαλάσσης αὐτίκʼ ἔδυσαν·  
So she spoke, and they at once sank beneath the wave of the sea;

**146** ἣ δʼ αὖτʼ Οὔλυμπον δὲ θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα  
but the goddess, silver-footed Thetis, went toward Olympus

**147** ἤϊεν ὄφρα φίλῳ παιδὶ κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ ἐνείκαι.  
to bring renowned armor to her dear child.

**148** τὴν μὲν ἄρʼ Οὔλυμπον δὲ πόδες φέρον· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ  
Her feet bore her toward Olympus; meanwhile the Achaeans

**149** θεσπεσίῳ ἀλαλητῷ ὑφʼ Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο  
fled beneath the wondrous battle-cry of man-slaying Hector

**150** φεύγοντες νῆάς τε καὶ Ἑλλήσποντον ἵκοντο.  
and reached the ships and the Hellespont.

**151** οὐδέ κε Πάτροκλόν περ ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ  
Nor would the well-greaved Achaeans have drawn even Patroclus,

**152** ἐκ βελέων ἐρύσαντο νέκυν θεράποντʼ Ἀχιλῆος·  
the corpse of Achilles' attendant, out from under the missiles;

**153** αὖτις γὰρ δὴ τόν γε κίχον λαός τε καὶ ἵπποι  
for once again the host and horses overtook him,

**154** Ἕκτωρ τε Πριάμοιο πάϊς φλογὶ εἴκελος ἀλκήν.  
and Hector, Priam's son, whose strength was like a flame.

**155** τρὶς μέν μιν μετόπισθε ποδῶν λάβε φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ  
Three times glorious Hector seized him from behind by the feet,
> Three times: the first stroke: The first τρίς opens a balanced three-times pattern, answered by another τρίς at line 157. Homer uses the repeated count to make Hector's attempt and the Ajaxes' resistance feel ritualized and relentless.

**156** ἑλκέμεναι μεμαώς, μέγα δὲ Τρώεσσιν ὁμόκλα·  
eager to drag him away, and shouted loudly to the Trojans;

**157** τρὶς δὲ δύʼ Αἴαντες θοῦριν ἐπιειμένοι ἀλκὴν  
three times the two Ajaxes, clothed in furious valor,
> The two Ajaxes: δύʼ is the shortened form of δύο, “two,” and the paired action identifies Ajax, son of Telamon, and Ajax, son of Oileus, acting together. Here Αἴαντες is plural; Homer uses the distinct dual form Αἴαντε at line 163.

**158** νεκροῦ ἀπεστυφέλιξαν· ὃ δʼ ἔμπεδον ἀλκὶ πεποιθὼς  
beat him back from the corpse. Yet, steadfast and trusting in his strength,

**159** ἄλλοτʼ ἐπαΐξασκε κατὰ μόθον, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε  
now he would charge into the combat, and now again

**160** στάσκε μέγα ἰάχων· ὀπίσω δʼ οὐ χάζετο πάμπαν.  
stand shouting loudly; but he never gave ground at all.

**161** ὡς δʼ ἀπὸ σώματος οὔ τι λέοντʼ αἴθωνα δύνανται  
As shepherds of the fields cannot drive a tawny lion

**162** ποιμένες ἄγραυλοι μέγα πεινάοντα δίεσθαι,  
in its great hunger away from a carcass,

**163** ὥς ῥα τὸν οὐκ ἐδύναντο δύω Αἴαντε κορυστὰ  
so the two helmeted Ajaxes could not

**164** Ἕκτορα Πριαμίδην ἀπὸ νεκροῦ δειδίξασθαι.  
frighten Hector, son of Priam, away from the corpse.

**165** καί νύ κεν εἴρυσσέν τε καὶ ἄσπετον ἤρατο κῦδος,  
And now he would have dragged him off and won unspeakable glory,
> The deed that almost happened: καί νύ κεν begins Homer's recurring contrary-to-fact turn: Hector would have won the body, had not the intervention in the next lines stopped him. The construction holds the unreal outcome in view before εἰ μή overturns it.

**166** εἰ μὴ Πηλεΐωνι ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις  
had not wind-footed swift Iris come to the son of Peleus,
> Wind-footed swift Iris: Iris bears her fuller speed epithet as she races from Olympus. It remains distinct from πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις, “swift-footed Iris,” which closes her mission at line 202.

**167** ἄγγελος ἦλθε θέουσʼ ἀπʼ Ὀλύμπου θωρήσσεσθαι  
a messenger speeding from Olympus, bidding him arm,

**168** κρύβδα Διὸς ἄλλων τε θεῶν· πρὸ γὰρ ἧκέ μιν Ἥρη.  
in secret from Zeus and the other gods, for Hera had sent her.

**169** ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
Standing close beside him, she addressed him with winged words:
> Winged words: This fixed speech formula imagines words taking flight from speaker to hearer. The complete Greek line repeats an accepted formula and therefore keeps its established English wording here.

**170** ὄρσεο Πηλεΐδη, πάντων ἐκπαγλότατʼ ἀνδρῶν·  
"Rise, son of Peleus, most terrible of all men!

**171** Πατρόκλῳ ἐπάμυνον, οὗ εἵνεκα φύλοπις αἰνὴ  
Defend Patroclus, for whose sake the grim battle-din

**172** ἕστηκε πρὸ νεῶν· οἳ δʼ ἀλλήλους ὀλέκουσιν  
stands before the ships; they are killing one another,

**173** οἳ μὲν ἀμυνόμενοι νέκυος πέρι τεθνηῶτος,  
the one side defending the body of the dead man,

**174** οἳ δὲ ἐρύσσασθαι ποτὶ Ἴλιον ἠνεμόεσσαν  
the other, the Trojans, surging forward to drag it

**175** Τρῶες ἐπιθύουσι· μάλιστα δὲ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ  
toward windy Ilion. Glorious Hector above all

**176** ἑλκέμεναι μέμονεν· κεφαλὴν δέ ἑ θυμὸς ἄνωγε  
is set on dragging him away; his heart urges him to cut off

**177** πῆξαι ἀνὰ σκολόπεσσι ταμόνθʼ ἁπαλῆς ἀπὸ δειρῆς.  
the head from the tender neck and fix it upon the stakes.

**178** ἀλλʼ ἄνα μηδʼ ἔτι κεῖσο· σέβας δέ σε θυμὸν ἱκέσθω  
But rise; lie here no longer. Let dread enter your heart

**179** Πάτροκλον Τρῳῇσι κυσὶν μέλπηθρα γενέσθαι·  
that Patroclus should become a plaything for the dogs of Troy;
> A plaything for dogs: μέλπηθρα makes the threatened abuse more pointed than simple feeding: Patroclus' corpse would become sport for Trojan dogs. The same Greek line belongs to a cross-book repeated formula and keeps that degrading image intact.

**180** σοὶ λώβη, αἴ κέν τι νέκυς ᾐσχυμμένος ἔλθῃ.  
shame will be yours if the corpse comes back at all dishonored."

**181** τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·  
Then swift-footed godlike Achilles answered her:
> Swift-footed godlike Achilles: The paired epithets praise Achilles' speed and heroic splendor even while he lacks armor. Their fixed wording distinguishes this fuller formula from the simpler “swift-footed Achilles.”

**182** Ἶρι θεὰ τίς γάρ σε θεῶν ἐμοὶ ἄγγελον ἧκε;  
"Goddess Iris, which of the gods sent you as messenger to me?"

**183** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις·  
Then wind-footed swift Iris addressed him in turn:

**184** Ἥρη με προέηκε Διὸς κυδρὴ παράκοιτις·  
"Hera sent me, the glorious wife of Zeus;

**185** οὐδʼ οἶδε Κρονίδης ὑψίζυγος οὐδέ τις ἄλλος  
the son of Cronos, throned on high, does not know, nor does any other

**186** ἀθανάτων, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἀγάννιφον ἀμφινέμονται.  
immortal who dwells about snow-covered Olympus."

**187** τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·  
Then swift-footed Achilles answered her and said:

**188** πῶς τὰρ ἴω μετὰ μῶλον; ἔχουσι δὲ τεύχεʼ ἐκεῖνοι·  
"How can I go into the battle? Those men hold my armor;

**189** μήτηρ δʼ οὔ με φίλη πρίν γʼ εἴα θωρήσσεσθαι  
and my dear mother did not permit me to arm

**190** πρίν γʼ αὐτὴν ἐλθοῦσαν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδωμαι·  
until I see her herself return before my eyes;

**191** στεῦτο γὰρ Ἡφαίστοιο πάρʼ οἰσέμεν ἔντεα καλά.  
for she promised to bring fine armor from Hephaestus.

**192** ἄλλου δʼ οὔ τευ οἶδα τεῦ ἂν κλυτὰ τεύχεα δύω,  
I know of no other man's glorious armor that I could put on,

**193** εἰ μὴ Αἴαντός γε σάκος Τελαμωνιάδαο.  
except the shield of Ajax, son of Telamon.

**194** ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ὅ γʼ ἔλπομʼ ἐνὶ πρώτοισιν ὁμιλεῖ  
But I expect that he himself is among the foremost fighters,

**195** ἔγχεϊ δηϊόων περὶ Πατρόκλοιο θανόντος.  
laying enemies low with his spear around dead Patroclus."

**196** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις·  
Then wind-footed swift Iris addressed him in turn:

**197** εὖ νυ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἴδμεν ὅ τοι κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ ἔχονται·  
"We too know well that your glorious armor is held from you;

**198** ἀλλʼ αὔτως ἐπὶ τάφρον ἰὼν Τρώεσσι φάνηθι,  
but go just as you are to the trench and show yourself to the Trojans,

**199** αἴ κέ σʼ ὑποδείσαντες ἀπόσχωνται πολέμοιο  
so that they may fear you and draw back from battle,

**200** Τρῶες, ἀναπνεύσωσι δʼ ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν  
and the warlike sons of the Achaeans may breathe again

**201** τειρόμενοι· ὀλίγη δέ τʼ ἀνάπνευσις πολέμοιο.  
in their exhaustion; brief indeed is any breathing-space in war."
> A breath within battle: ἀνάπνευσις is literally a breathing again, hence a brief respite. Iris promises no victory here, only the small pause that exhausted fighters can gain when the Trojans recoil.

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

**203** αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς ὦρτο Διῒ φίλος· ἀμφὶ δʼ Ἀθήνη  
and Achilles, dear to Zeus, rose. Around him Athena

**204** ὤμοις ἰφθίμοισι βάλʼ αἰγίδα θυσσανόεσσαν,  
cast the tasseled aegis over his mighty shoulders,

**205** ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ κεφαλῇ νέφος ἔστεφε δῖα θεάων  
and around his head the divine goddess wreathed a golden

**206** χρύσεον, ἐκ δʼ αὐτοῦ δαῖε φλόγα παμφανόωσαν.  
cloud, and from it kindled an all-shining flame.

**207** ὡς δʼ ὅτε καπνὸς ἰὼν ἐξ ἄστεος αἰθέρʼ ἵκηται  
As when smoke rises from a city and reaches the upper air,
> An extended simile opens: ὡς δʼ ὅτε marks the beginning of a full epic comparison. The island city, its defenders, and the answering hope of aid unfold through line 213 before line 214 returns to the radiance above Achilles.

**208** τηλόθεν ἐκ νήσου, τὴν δήϊοι ἀμφιμάχωνται,  
far away on an island that enemies are fighting around,

**209** οἵ τε πανημέριοι στυγερῷ κρίνονται Ἄρηϊ  
and all day long the people are tested by hateful Ares

**210** ἄστεος ἐκ σφετέρου· ἅμα δʼ ἠελίῳ καταδύντι  
as they fight from their own city; but as the sun goes down,

**211** πυρσοί τε φλεγέθουσιν ἐπήτριμοι, ὑψόσε δʼ αὐγὴ  
beacon-fires blaze thickly, and their glare leaps upward

**212** γίγνεται ἀΐσσουσα περικτιόνεσσιν ἰδέσθαι,  
for neighboring peoples to see,

**213** αἴ κέν πως σὺν νηυσὶν ἄρεω ἀλκτῆρες ἵκωνται·  
in hope that defenders may somehow come in ships—

**214** ὣς ἀπʼ Ἀχιλλῆος κεφαλῆς σέλας αἰθέρʼ ἵκανε·  
so the radiance from Achilles' head reached the upper air.

**215** στῆ δʼ ἐπὶ τάφρον ἰὼν ἀπὸ τείχεος, οὐδʼ ἐς Ἀχαιοὺς  
He went to the trench and stood apart from the wall, but did not join

**216** μίσγετο· μητρὸς γὰρ πυκινὴν ὠπίζετʼ ἐφετμήν.  
the Achaeans, for he honored his mother's careful command.

**217** ἔνθα στὰς ἤϋσʼ, ἀπάτερθε δὲ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη  
Standing there he shouted, while from afar Pallas Athena

**218** φθέγξατʼ· ἀτὰρ Τρώεσσιν ἐν ἄσπετον ὦρσε κυδοιμόν.  
gave voice and stirred unspeakable turmoil among the Trojans.

**219** ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀριζήλη φωνή, ὅτε τʼ ἴαχε σάλπιγξ  
As clear as the voice when a trumpet cries out

**220** ἄστυ περιπλομένων δηΐων ὕπο θυμοραϊστέων,  
beneath spirit-breaking enemies who besiege a city,

**221** ὣς τότʼ ἀριζήλη φωνὴ γένετʼ Αἰακίδαο.  
so clear then became the voice of Aeacus' son.

**222** οἳ δʼ ὡς οὖν ἄϊον ὄπα χάλκεον Αἰακίδαο,  
When they heard the bronze voice of Aeacus' son,

**223** πᾶσιν ὀρίνθη θυμός· ἀτὰρ καλλίτριχες ἵπποι  
every heart was shaken; the fair-maned horses

**224** ἂψ ὄχεα τρόπεον· ὄσσοντο γὰρ ἄλγεα θυμῷ.  
turned the chariots back, for their hearts foresaw anguish.

**225** ἡνίοχοι δʼ ἔκπληγεν, ἐπεὶ ἴδον ἀκάματον πῦρ  
The charioteers were struck with terror when they saw the tireless fire

**226** δεινὸν ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς μεγαθύμου Πηλεΐωνος  
blazing dreadfully above the head of the great-hearted son of Peleus;

**227** δαιόμενον· τὸ δὲ δαῖε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.  
bright-eyed Athena was the goddess who kindled it.

**228** τρὶς μὲν ὑπὲρ τάφρου μεγάλʼ ἴαχε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,  
Three times across the trench godlike Achilles shouted loudly,
> Achilles' three cries: The first τρίς is answered immediately by a second at line 229: three cries, three waves of confusion. The repeated formula attributes the cries to Achilles himself, while Athena supplies the divine terror around them.

**229** τρὶς δὲ κυκήθησαν Τρῶες κλειτοί τʼ ἐπίκουροι.  
and three times the Trojans and their famed allies were thrown into turmoil.

**230** ἔνθα δὲ καὶ τότʼ ὄλοντο δυώδεκα φῶτες ἄριστοι  
Then and there twelve of their best men perished

**231** ἀμφὶ σφοῖς ὀχέεσσι καὶ ἔγχεσιν. αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ  
amid their own chariots and spears. But the Achaeans

**232** ἀσπασίως Πάτροκλον ὑπʼ ἐκ βελέων ἐρύσαντες  
gladly drew Patroclus out from under the missiles

**233** κάτθεσαν ἐν λεχέεσσι· φίλοι δʼ ἀμφέσταν ἑταῖροι  
and laid him on a bier; his dear companions stood around him

**234** μυρόμενοι· μετὰ δέ σφι ποδώκης εἵπετʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς  
in mourning, and swift-footed Achilles followed among them,

**235** δάκρυα θερμὰ χέων, ἐπεὶ εἴσιδε πιστὸν ἑταῖρον  
shedding hot tears when he saw his faithful companion

**236** κείμενον ἐν φέρτρῳ δεδαϊγμένον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,  
lying on the bier, mangled by sharp bronze—

**237** τόν ῥʼ ἤτοι μὲν ἔπεμπε σὺν ἵπποισιν καὶ ὄχεσφιν  
the man he had sent with horses and chariot

**238** ἐς πόλεμον, οὐδʼ αὖτις ἐδέξατο νοστήσαντα.  
into battle, but did not welcome home again.

**239** Ἠέλιον δʼ ἀκάμαντα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη  
But as for untiring Helios, ox-eyed queenly Hera

**240** πέμψεν ἐπʼ Ὠκεανοῖο ῥοὰς ἀέκοντα νέεσθαι·  
sent unwilling toward the streams of Oceanus to return;

**241** ἠέλιος μὲν ἔδυ, παύσαντο δὲ δῖοι Ἀχαιοὶ  
Helios went down, and the godlike Achaeans ceased

**242** φυλόπιδος κρατερῆς καὶ ὁμοιΐου πολέμοιο.  
from the fierce battle-din and the level war.

**243** Τρῶες δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἀπὸ κρατερῆς ὑσμίνης  
The Trojans, on the other side, withdrew from the fierce fighting

**244** χωρήσαντες ἔλυσαν ὑφʼ ἅρμασιν ὠκέας ἵππους,  
and loosed their swift horses beneath the chariots;

**245** ἐς δʼ ἀγορὴν ἀγέροντο πάρος δόρποιο μέδεσθαι.  
then gathered in assembly before they thought of supper.

**246** ὀρθῶν δʼ ἑσταότων ἀγορὴ γένετʼ, οὐδέ τις ἔτλη  
The assembly formed with all men standing; no one dared

**247** ἕζεσθαι· πάντας γὰρ ἔχε τρόμος, οὕνεκʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς  
to sit, for trembling held them all, because Achilles

**248** ἐξεφάνη, δηρὸν δὲ μάχης ἐπέπαυτʼ ἀλεγεινῆς.  
had appeared after holding back so long from grievous battle.

**249** τοῖσι δὲ Πουλυδάμας πεπνυμένος ἦρχʼ ἀγορεύειν  
Then wise Polydamas began to speak among them,
> Wise Polydamas: πεπνυμένος is a traditional epithet for a man of sound understanding. Here it prepares for the contrast between Polydamas's foresight and Hector's strength with the spear.

**250** Πανθοΐδης· ὃ γὰρ οἶος ὅρα πρόσσω καὶ ὀπίσσω·  
the son of Panthous; he alone saw both ahead and behind.
> Ahead and behind: The paired adverbs describe judgment that looks forward to consequences and backward to precedent. οἶος, “alone,” singles Polydamas out from the whole council.

**251** Ἕκτορι δʼ ἦεν ἑταῖρος, ἰῇ δʼ ἐν νυκτὶ γένοντο,  
He was Hector's companion, and they were born in the same night,

**252** ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἂρ μύθοισιν, ὃ δʼ ἔγχεϊ πολλὸν ἐνίκα·  
but one excelled greatly in counsel, the other with the spear.
> One in counsel, one with the spear: The μέν...δέ balance sets the companions' different strengths against each other. The repeated ὃ marks Polydamas first and Hector second.

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

**254** ἀμφὶ μάλα φράζεσθε φίλοι· κέλομαι γὰρ ἔγωγε  
"Think this through on every side, my friends. I urge you

**255** ἄστυδε νῦν ἰέναι, μὴ μίμνειν ἠῶ δῖαν  
to go now to the city, not to wait for shining Dawn

**256** ἐν πεδίῳ παρὰ νηυσίν· ἑκὰς δʼ ἀπὸ τείχεός εἰμεν.  
on the plain beside the ships; we are far from the wall.

**257** ὄφρα μὲν οὗτος ἀνὴρ Ἀγαμέμνονι μήνιε δίῳ  
As long as this man raged against godlike Agamemnon,
> Achilles' wrath: μήνιε is the imperfect of μηνίω, the verb related to μῆνις, the wrath announced in the poem's first line. Polydamas treats that wrath against Agamemnon as the condition that had made the Achaeans easier to fight.

**258** τόφρα δὲ ῥηΐτεροι πολεμίζειν ἦσαν Ἀχαιοί·  
so long were the Achaeans easier to fight.

**259** χαίρεσκον γὰρ ἔγωγε θοῇς ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἰαύων  
I was glad to spend the night beside their swift ships,

**260** ἐλπόμενος νῆας αἱρησέμεν ἀμφιελίσσας.  
hoping to capture the ships that curve at both ends.

**261** νῦν δʼ αἰνῶς δείδοικα ποδώκεα Πηλεΐωνα·  
But now I dread the swift-footed son of Peleus terribly.

**262** οἷος κείνου θυμὸς ὑπέρβιος, οὐκ ἐθελήσει  
So overbearing is his spirit, he will not consent

**263** μίμνειν ἐν πεδίῳ, ὅθι περ Τρῶες καὶ Ἀχαιοὶ  
to remain upon the plain, where Trojans and Achaeans

**264** ἐν μέσῳ ἀμφότεροι μένος Ἄρηος δατέονται,  
in the midst divide between them the fury of Ares,
> Sharing Ares' fury: The middle verb δατέονται pictures both armies taking shares in the battle-force of Ares. Polydamas says that Achilles will carry the fighting beyond this customary ground.

**265** ἀλλὰ περὶ πτόλιός τε μαχήσεται ἠδὲ γυναικῶν.  
but he will fight around our city and our women.

**266** ἀλλʼ ἴομεν προτὶ ἄστυ, πίθεσθέ μοι· ὧδε γὰρ ἔσται·  
Come, let us go toward the city; heed me, for this will happen:

**267** νῦν μὲν νὺξ ἀπέπαυσε ποδώκεα Πηλεΐωνα  
for now immortal night has checked the swift-footed son of Peleus,

**268** ἀμβροσίη· εἰ δʼ ἄμμε κιχήσεται ἐνθάδʼ ἐόντας  
but if he finds us still here,

**269** αὔριον ὁρμηθεὶς σὺν τεύχεσιν, εὖ νύ τις αὐτὸν  
setting out tomorrow in armor, then someone will know him well indeed.
> Setting out tomorrow: The aorist participle ὁρμηθείς gives the action that precedes the main prediction: Achilles will set out in armor, and then the Trojans will know him. αὔριον fixes that sortie on the next day.

**270** γνώσεται· ἀσπασίως γὰρ ἀφίξεται Ἴλιον ἱρὴν  
Gladly will he reach sacred Ilion who escapes,

**271** ὅς κε φύγῃ, πολλοὺς δὲ κύνες καὶ γῦπες ἔδονται  
but dogs and vultures will devour many Trojans.

**272** Τρώων· αἲ γὰρ δή μοι ἀπʼ οὔατος ὧδε γένοιτο.  
May such a thing never come within my hearing.

**273** εἰ δʼ ἂν ἐμοῖς ἐπέεσσι πιθώμεθα κηδόμενοί περ,  
But if we obey my words, though troubled as we are,
> A condition in the subjunctive: πιθώμεθα is an aorist middle subjunctive in the condition introduced by εἰ δʼ ἄν: “if we obey.” The middle form takes the dative ἐμοῖς ἐπέεσσι, “obey my words.”

**274** νύκτα μὲν εἰν ἀγορῇ σθένος ἕξομεν, ἄστυ δὲ πύργοι  
through the night we shall keep our strength in council, while towers

**275** ὑψηλαί τε πύλαι σανίδες τʼ ἐπὶ τῇς ἀραρυῖαι  
and high gates, with doors fitted upon them,

**276** μακραὶ ἐΰξεστοι ἐζευγμέναι εἰρύσσονται·  
tall, well-planed, and bolted fast, will guard the city.

**277** πρῶϊ δʼ ὑπηοῖοι σὺν τεύχεσι θωρηχθέντες  
And early at dawn, arrayed in our armor,
> At the first hint of dawn: The plural adjective ὑπηοῖοι is used predicatively of the speakers: they will arm at early dawn, before full daylight. This entire Greek line returns at line 303, where Hector turns the same dawn preparation toward the opposite plan.

**278** στησόμεθʼ ἂμ πύργους· τῷ δʼ ἄλγιον, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν  
we shall take our stand upon the towers. So much the worse for him, if he chooses

**279** ἐλθὼν ἐκ νηῶν περὶ τείχεος ἄμμι μάχεσθαι.  
to come from the ships and fight us around the wall.

**280** ἂψ πάλιν εἶσʼ ἐπὶ νῆας, ἐπεί κʼ ἐριαύχενας ἵππους  
Back again he will go to the ships, once he has glutted his high-necked horses

**281** παντοίου δρόμου ἄσῃ ὑπὸ πτόλιν ἠλασκάζων·  
with every kind of running as he wheels beneath the city.

**282** εἴσω δʼ οὔ μιν θυμὸς ἐφορμηθῆναι ἐάσει,  
His spirit will not let him charge within,

**283** οὐδέ ποτʼ ἐκπέρσει· πρίν μιν κύνες ἀργοὶ ἔδονται.  
nor will he ever sack it; before that, swift dogs will devour him."

**284** τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·  
Then, glaring at him from under his brows, Hector of the flashing helm spoke:
> The angry-retort formula: The fixed phrase describes a glare cast from beneath the brows and regularly marks an angry reply. Its established English wording is preserved here as part of the complete repeated line.

**285** Πουλυδάμα σὺ μὲν οὐκέτʼ ἐμοὶ φίλα ταῦτʼ ἀγορεύεις,  
"Polydamas, these words you speak no longer please me,

**286** ὃς κέλεαι κατὰ ἄστυ ἀλήμεναι αὖτις ἰόντας.  
when you urge us to turn back and be penned within the city.

**287** ἦ οὔ πω κεκόρησθε ἐελμένοι ἔνδοθι πύργων;  
Have you not yet had your fill of being shut inside the towers?

**288** πρὶν μὲν γὰρ Πριάμοιο πόλιν μέροπες ἄνθρωποι  
Before now, all mortal men used to call Priam's city

**289** πάντες μυθέσκοντο πολύχρυσον πολύχαλκον·  
rich in gold and rich in bronze;
> Rich in gold and bronze: The matched compounds πολύχρυσον and πολύχαλκον sum up Troy's former wealth in precious metal and bronze. Their repeated πολύ- gives Hector's recollection a formal, emphatic balance.

**290** νῦν δὲ δὴ ἐξαπόλωλε δόμων κειμήλια καλά,  
but now the fine treasures have vanished from our houses,

**291** πολλὰ δὲ δὴ Φρυγίην καὶ Μῃονίην ἐρατεινὴν  
and many possessions have gone, sold into Phrygia and lovely Maeonia,

**292** κτήματα περνάμενʼ ἵκει, ἐπεὶ μέγας ὠδύσατο Ζεύς.  
since mighty Zeus became angry with us.

**293** νῦν δʼ ὅτε πέρ μοι ἔδωκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω  
But now, when the son of crooked-counseling Cronos has granted me
> The son of crooked-counseling Cronos: The patronymic phrase names Zeus through Cronos, whose epithet ἀγκυλομήτης suggests counsel that bends or twists. Hector treats Zeus's present grant of glory as grounds for rejecting prudent advice.

**294** κῦδος ἀρέσθʼ ἐπὶ νηυσί, θαλάσσῃ τʼ ἔλσαι Ἀχαιούς,  
to win glory at the ships and hem the Achaeans against the sea,

**295** νήπιε μηκέτι ταῦτα νοήματα φαῖνʼ ἐνὶ δήμῳ·  
fool, show these thoughts no more among the people.

**296** οὐ γάρ τις Τρώων ἐπιπείσεται· οὐ γὰρ ἐάσω.  
No Trojan will obey you; I will not allow it.

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

**298** νῦν μὲν δόρπον ἕλεσθε κατὰ στρατὸν ἐν τελέεσσι,  
Now take your supper by companies throughout the host,

**299** καὶ φυλακῆς μνήσασθε, καὶ ἐγρήγορθε ἕκαστος·  
remember the watch, and let each man stay awake.

**300** Τρώων δʼ ὃς κτεάτεσσιν ὑπερφιάλως ἀνιάζει,  
As for any Trojan who frets excessively over his possessions,

**301** συλλέξας λαοῖσι δότω καταδημοβορῆσαι·  
let him gather them and give them to the people for common use.
> For the people to consume: The compressed verb combines δῆμος, “the people,” with the idea of consuming or using up. Hector urges private stores to be distributed among the Trojans rather than captured by the Achaeans.

**302** τῶν τινὰ βέλτερόν ἐστιν ἐπαυρέμεν ἤ περ Ἀχαιούς.  
It is better that one of them enjoy the goods than the Achaeans.

**303** πρῶϊ δʼ ὑπηοῖοι σὺν τεύχεσι θωρηχθέντες  
And early at dawn, arrayed in our armor,

**304** νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐγείρομεν ὀξὺν Ἄρηα.  
let us rouse sharp battle beside the hollow ships.

**305** εἰ δʼ ἐτεὸν παρὰ ναῦφιν ἀνέστη δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,  
If godlike Achilles has truly risen again beside the ships,

**306** ἄλγιον αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσι τῷ ἔσσεται· οὔ μιν ἔγωγε  
so much the worse for him, if he chooses. I will not

**307** φεύξομαι ἐκ πολέμοιο δυσηχέος, ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ἄντην  
flee him out of harsh-sounding war, but face to face

**308** στήσομαι, ἤ κε φέρῃσι μέγα κράτος, ἦ κε φεροίμην.  
I will stand, and either he will carry off great victory, or I shall be carried off.

**309** ξυνὸς Ἐνυάλιος, καί τε κτανέοντα κατέκτα.  
Enyalius is shared by all, and he too kills the slayer."

**310** ὣς Ἕκτωρ ἀγόρευʼ, ἐπὶ δὲ Τρῶες κελάδησαν  
So Hector spoke, and the Trojans shouted aloud.

**311** νήπιοι· ἐκ γάρ σφεων φρένας εἵλετο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.  
Fools: Pallas Athena had taken away their wits.
> The narrator's judgment: νήπιοι is the narrator's blunt verdict, “fools,” not a description spoken by either counselor. Athena's action in the rest of the line explains why the Trojans acclaim the worse plan.

**312** Ἕκτορι μὲν γὰρ ἐπῄνησαν κακὰ μητιόωντι,  
They praised Hector as he devised their ruin,

**313** Πουλυδάμαντι δʼ ἄρʼ οὔ τις ὃς ἐσθλὴν φράζετο βουλήν.  
but no one praised Polydamas, who had framed sound counsel.

**314** δόρπον ἔπειθʼ εἵλοντο κατὰ στρατόν· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ  
Then they took supper throughout the host; meanwhile the Achaeans

**315** παννύχιοι Πάτροκλον ἀνεστενάχοντο γοῶντες.  
all night mourned Patroclus with groans and lamentation.

**316** τοῖσι δὲ Πηλεΐδης ἁδινοῦ ἐξῆρχε γόοιο  
The son of Peleus led them in the piercing dirge,

**317** χεῖρας ἐπʼ ἀνδροφόνους θέμενος στήθεσσιν ἑταίρου  
laying his man-slaying hands upon his companion's chest
> Man-slaying hands: The epithet ἀνδροφόνους belongs to Achilles' hands even as they rest on Patroclus' breast in grief. Homer keeps the mourner's lethal identity present within the lament.

**318** πυκνὰ μάλα στενάχων ὥς τε λὶς ἠϋγένειος,  
and groaning thick and fast, like a well-maned lion

**319** ᾧ ῥά θʼ ὑπὸ σκύμνους ἐλαφηβόλος ἁρπάσῃ ἀνὴρ  
whose cubs a deer-hunting man has snatched away
> The lion's stolen cubs: The dative relative pronoun ᾧ refers to the lion, while σκύμνους is the plural object taken from him. Achilles is the bereaved lion in the comparison, not the hunter.

**320** ὕλης ἐκ πυκινῆς· ὃ δέ τʼ ἄχνυται ὕστερος ἐλθών,  
from a dense wood; coming later, the lion grieves,

**321** πολλὰ δέ τʼ ἄγκεʼ ἐπῆλθε μετʼ ἀνέρος ἴχνιʼ ἐρευνῶν  
and ranges through many glens, searching for the man's tracks

**322** εἴ ποθεν ἐξεύροι· μάλα γὰρ δριμὺς χόλος αἱρεῖ·  
in hope of finding him, for bitter anger grips him.

**323** ὣς ὃ βαρὺ στενάχων μετεφώνεε Μυρμιδόνεσσιν·  
So Achilles, groaning heavily, spoke among the Myrmidons:

**324** ὢ πόποι ἦ ῥʼ ἅλιον ἔπος ἔκβαλον ἤματι κείνῳ  
"Ah me, the word I let fall that day was empty,

**325** θαρσύνων ἥρωα Μενοίτιον ἐν μεγάροισι·  
when I sought to reassure the hero Menoetius in his halls.

**326** φῆν δέ οἱ εἰς Ὀπόεντα περικλυτὸν υἱὸν ἀπάξειν  
I said I would bring his glorious son back to Opus

**327** Ἴλιον ἐκπέρσαντα, λαχόντα τε ληΐδος αἶσαν.  
after he had sacked Ilion and received his share of spoil.

**328** ἀλλʼ οὐ Ζεὺς ἄνδρεσσι νοήματα πάντα τελευτᾷ·  
But Zeus does not fulfill all men's designs.

**329** ἄμφω γὰρ πέπρωται ὁμοίην γαῖαν ἐρεῦσαι  
For both of us are fated to redden the same earth
> One fate for both: ἄμφω is the dual “both,” joining Achilles and Patroclus. πέπρωται is a perfect form expressing an allotted fate that already stands fixed.

**330** αὐτοῦ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ, ἐπεὶ οὐδʼ ἐμὲ νοστήσαντα  
here in Troy, since I will never return home,

**331** δέξεται ἐν μεγάροισι γέρων ἱππηλάτα Πηλεὺς  
nor will old Peleus the horseman receive me in his halls,

**332** οὐδὲ Θέτις μήτηρ, ἀλλʼ αὐτοῦ γαῖα καθέξει.  
nor will my mother Thetis; here the earth will hold me.

**333** νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν Πάτροκλε σεῦ ὕστερος εἶμʼ ὑπὸ γαῖαν,  
But now, Patroclus, since I shall go beneath the earth after you,

**334** οὔ σε πρὶν κτεριῶ πρίν γʼ Ἕκτορος ἐνθάδʼ ἐνεῖκαι  
I will not bury you before I bring here Hector's

**335** τεύχεα καὶ κεφαλὴν μεγαθύμου σοῖο φονῆος·  
armor and the head of your great-hearted killer.

**336** δώδεκα δὲ προπάροιθε πυρῆς ἀποδειροτομήσω  
Before your pyre I shall cut the throats of twelve glorious Trojan youths,
> A brutal funeral vow: The future verb means to cut through the neck or throat. Achilles vows a prospective killing before Patroclus' pyre; the youths are not killed in this scene.

**337** Τρώων ἀγλαὰ τέκνα σέθεν κταμένοιο χολωθείς.  
in wrath at your death.

**338** τόφρα δέ μοι παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσι κείσεαι αὔτως,  
Until then you shall lie as you are beside the curved ships,

**339** ἀμφὶ δὲ σὲ Τρῳαὶ καὶ Δαρδανίδες βαθύκολποι  
and deep-bosomed Trojan and Dardanian women around you

**340** κλαύσονται νύκτάς τε καὶ ἤματα δάκρυ χέουσαι,  
will weep through nights and days, shedding tears,

**341** τὰς αὐτοὶ καμόμεσθα βίηφί τε δουρί τε μακρῷ  
women we ourselves won by toil, through force and the long spear

**342** πιείρας πέρθοντε πόλεις μερόπων ἀνθρώπων.  
when we sacked the rich cities of mortal men."

**343** ὣς εἰπὼν ἑτάροισιν ἐκέκλετο δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς  
So godlike Achilles spoke and ordered his companions

**344** ἀμφὶ πυρὶ στῆσαι τρίποδα μέγαν, ὄφρα τάχιστα  
to set a great tripod over the fire, so that with all speed

**345** Πάτροκλον λούσειαν ἄπο βρότον αἱματόεντα.  
they might wash the blood-clotted gore from Patroclus.
> Blood-clotted gore: Here βρότος, distinguished by its accent and context, means gore rather than βροτός, “mortal.” The inherited phrase names the blood caked upon Patroclus' body before burial preparation.

**346** οἳ δὲ λοετροχόον τρίποδʼ ἵστασαν ἐν πυρὶ κηλέῳ,  
They set the bathing tripod in the blazing fire,

**347** ἐν δʼ ἄρʼ ὕδωρ ἔχεαν, ὑπὸ δὲ ξύλα δαῖον ἑλόντες.  
poured water into it, and kindled wood beneath.

**348** γάστρην μὲν τρίποδος πῦρ ἄμφεπε, θέρμετο δʼ ὕδωρ·  
The fire enfolded the tripod's belly, and the water grew hot.

**349** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ ζέσσεν ὕδωρ ἐνὶ ἤνοπι χαλκῷ,  
When the water boiled in the gleaming bronze,

**350** καὶ τότε δὴ λοῦσάν τε καὶ ἤλειψαν λίπʼ ἐλαίῳ,  
then they washed him and richly anointed him with oil,

**351** ἐν δʼ ὠτειλὰς πλῆσαν ἀλείφατος ἐννεώροιο·  
and filled his wounds with ointment nine years old.

**352** ἐν λεχέεσσι δὲ θέντες ἑανῷ λιτὶ κάλυψαν  
They laid him on a bed and covered him with soft linen

**353** ἐς πόδας ἐκ κεφαλῆς, καθύπερθε δὲ φάρεϊ λευκῷ.  
from head to foot, and over it spread a white mantle.

**354** παννύχιοι μὲν ἔπειτα πόδας ταχὺν ἀμφʼ Ἀχιλῆα  
Then all night around swift-footed Achilles

**355** Μυρμιδόνες Πάτροκλον ἀνεστενάχοντο γοῶντες·  
the Myrmidons mourned Patroclus with groans and lamentation.

**356** Ζεὺς δʼ Ἥρην προσέειπε κασιγνήτην ἄλοχόν τε·  
Then Zeus addressed Hera, his sister and his wife:

**357** ἔπρηξας καὶ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη  
"You have had your way now, ox-eyed queenly Hera,
> Ox-eyed queenly Hera: The standing epithet joins βοῶπις, “ox-eyed,” with πότνια, “queenly” or “mistress.” Zeus names Hera directly as the agent who has brought Achilles back into action.

**358** ἀνστήσασʼ Ἀχιλῆα πόδας ταχύν· ἦ ῥά νυ σεῖο  
rousing swift-footed Achilles. Surely the long-haired Achaeans

**359** ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐγένοντο κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοί.  
were sprung from you yourself."

**360** τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη·  
Then ox-eyed queenly Hera answered him:

**361** αἰνότατε Κρονίδη ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες.  
"Most dread son of Cronos, what a word you have spoken!

**362** καὶ μὲν δή πού τις μέλλει βροτὸς ἀνδρὶ τελέσσαι,  
Even a mortal man will surely accomplish something for another,

**363** ὅς περ θνητός τʼ ἐστὶ καὶ οὐ τόσα μήδεα οἶδε·  
though he is mortal and knows far fewer counsels than we.

**364** πῶς δὴ ἔγωγʼ, ἥ φημι θεάων ἔμμεν ἀρίστη,  
How then should I, who claim to be foremost of goddesses,

**365** ἀμφότερον γενεῇ τε καὶ οὕνεκα σὴ παράκοιτις  
honored both by my birth and because I am called

**366** κέκλημαι, σὺ δὲ πᾶσι μετʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάσσεις,  
your wife, and you rule over all the immortals,

**367** οὐκ ὄφελον Τρώεσσι κοτεσσαμένη κακὰ ῥάψαι;  
not have contrived harm for the Trojans, when I was angry with them?"

**368** ὣς οἳ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον·  
So they spoke such words to one another,

**369** Ἡφαίστου δʼ ἵκανε δόμον Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα  
Then silver-footed Thetis came to the house of Hephaestus,

**370** ἄφθιτον ἀστερόεντα μεταπρεπέʼ ἀθανάτοισι  
imperishable, starry, preeminent among the immortals,
> Imperishable: ἄφθιτος means unfailing or imperishable. The god's bronze house does not decay as mortal dwellings do.

**371** χάλκεον, ὅν ῥʼ αὐτὸς ποιήσατο κυλλοποδίων.  
made of bronze, which the god of crooked feet had built himself.

**372** τὸν δʼ εὗρʼ ἱδρώοντα ἑλισσόμενον περὶ φύσας  
She found him sweating, moving busily about his bellows,

**373** σπεύδοντα· τρίποδας γὰρ ἐείκοσι πάντας ἔτευχεν  
hurrying; for he was fashioning twenty tripods in all

**374** ἑστάμεναι περὶ τοῖχον ἐϋσταθέος μεγάροιο,  
to stand around the wall of his well-built hall.

**375** χρύσεα δέ σφʼ ὑπὸ κύκλα ἑκάστῳ πυθμένι θῆκεν,  
He had set golden wheels beneath the base of each,

**376** ὄφρά οἱ αὐτόματοι θεῖον δυσαίατʼ ἀγῶνα  
so that, self-moving, they might enter the gods' assembly for him
> Moving of themselves: αὐτόματοι describes the tripods as moving of themselves. Their golden wheels carry them to the divine assembly and back without anyone drawing them.

**377** ἠδʼ αὖτις πρὸς δῶμα νεοίατο θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι.  
and return again to his house, a wonder to behold.

**378** οἳ δʼ ἤτοι τόσσον μὲν ἔχον τέλος, οὔατα δʼ οὔ πω  
They were finished to that point, but their ornate ears
> The tripods' ears: οὔατα literally means ears, but here names projecting handles or attachments on the tripods. These decorative fittings are the only parts not yet fixed in place.

**379** δαιδάλεα προσέκειτο· τά ῥʼ ἤρτυε, κόπτε δὲ δεσμούς.  
were not yet fastened; he was fitting them and hammering the rivets.

**380** ὄφρʼ ὅ γε ταῦτʼ ἐπονεῖτο ἰδυίῃσι πραπίδεσσι,  
While he labored at these with knowing skill,

**381** τόφρά οἱ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθε θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα.  
the goddess silver-footed Thetis drew near him.

**382** τὴν δὲ ἴδε προμολοῦσα Χάρις λιπαροκρήδεμνος  
Charis of the shining veil came forward and saw her,

**383** καλή, τὴν ὤπυιε περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις·  
the beautiful wife of the renowned god, lame in both legs.
> Hephaestus' standing epithet: περικλυτός praises Hephaestus as renowned, while ἀμφιγυήεις traditionally marks his lameness in both legs. The paired epithet joins his fame as a craftsman to the bodily difference the scene repeatedly makes visible.

**384** ἔν τʼ ἄρα οἱ φῦ χειρὶ ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·  
She took her hand, and spoke to her, and called her by name:

**385** τίπτε Θέτι τανύπεπλε ἱκάνεις ἡμέτερον δῶ  
"Why, long-robed Thetis, have you come to our house,
> Thetis in direct address: Θέτι and τανύπεπλε are vocative forms: Charis addresses Thetis directly as long-robed. The same two-line welcome returns when Hephaestus greets her.

**386** αἰδοίη τε φίλη τε; πάρος γε μὲν οὔ τι θαμίζεις.  
honored and dear? You have not often come before.

**387** ἀλλʼ ἕπεο προτέρω, ἵνα τοι πὰρ ξείνια θείω.  
But come farther in, so I may set guest-fare before you."

**388** ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα πρόσω ἄγε δῖα θεάων.  
So speaking, the shining one among goddesses led her forward.

**389** τὴν μὲν ἔπειτα καθεῖσεν ἐπὶ θρόνου ἀργυροήλου  
Then she seated her on a silver-studded throne,

**390** καλοῦ δαιδαλέου· ὑπὸ δὲ θρῆνυς ποσὶν ἦεν·  
beautiful and cunningly wrought, with a footstool beneath her feet.

**391** κέκλετο δʼ Ἥφαιστον κλυτοτέχνην εἶπέ τε μῦθον·  
She called to Hephaestus, the famed craftsman, and said:

**392** Ἥφαιστε πρόμολʼ ὧδε· Θέτις νύ τι σεῖο χατίζει.  
"Hephaestus, come here; Thetis has some need of you."

**393** τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις·  
Then the renowned god, lame in both legs, answered her:

**394** ἦ ῥά νύ μοι δεινή τε καὶ αἰδοίη θεὸς ἔνδον,  
"Now truly a dread and honored goddess is within,

**395** ἥ μʼ ἐσάωσʼ ὅτε μʼ ἄλγος ἀφίκετο τῆλε πεσόντα  
she who saved me when pain came upon me after I fell far away

**396** μητρὸς ἐμῆς ἰότητι κυνώπιδος, ἥ μʼ ἐθέλησε  
through the will of my dog-faced mother, who wished

**397** κρύψαι χωλὸν ἐόντα· τότʼ ἂν πάθον ἄλγεα θυμῷ,  
to hide me because I was lame. Then I would have suffered anguish

**398** εἰ μή μʼ Εὐρυνόμη τε Θέτις θʼ ὑπεδέξατο κόλπῳ  
if Eurynome and Thetis had not received me in their laps—

**399** Εὐρυνόμη θυγάτηρ ἀψορρόου Ὠκεανοῖο.  
Eurynome, daughter of backward-flowing Oceanus.
> Backward-flowing Oceanus: ἀψόρροος describes Oceanus as flowing back upon himself. Homer imagines the world-encircling river as a current that completes its circuit.

**400** τῇσι παρʼ εἰνάετες χάλκευον δαίδαλα πολλά,  
Beside them for nine years I forged many cunning works,
> For nine years: εἰνάετες is an adverbial epic form meaning for nine years. The long hidden apprenticeship explains both Hephaestus' debt to the goddesses and the abundance of his craft.

**401** πόρπας τε γναμπτάς θʼ ἕλικας κάλυκάς τε καὶ ὅρμους  
brooches, twisted spirals, cups, and necklaces,
> A jeweler's catalogue: The line lists four kinds of fine metalwork: brooches, coiled ornaments, cup-shaped pieces, and necklaces. Hephaestus practiced intricate decorative craft as well as the large-scale smithwork for which he is famous.

**402** ἐν σπῆϊ γλαφυρῷ· περὶ δὲ ῥόος Ὠκεανοῖο  
inside the hollow cave; all around, the stream of Oceanus

**403** ἀφρῷ μορμύρων ῥέεν ἄσπετος· οὐδέ τις ἄλλος  
ran with immeasurable roar and foam. No one else

**404** ᾔδεεν οὔτε θεῶν οὔτε θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων,  
knew of it, neither any god nor any mortal man,

**405** ἀλλὰ Θέτις τε καὶ Εὐρυνόμη ἴσαν, αἵ μʼ ἐσάωσαν.  
but Thetis and Eurynome knew, for they had saved me.

**406** ἣ νῦν ἡμέτερον δόμον ἵκει· τώ με μάλα χρεὼ  
Now she has come to our house, and therefore I am deeply bound

**407** πάντα Θέτι καλλιπλοκάμῳ ζῳάγρια τίνειν.  
to repay fair-haired Thetis the full price of my life.

**408** ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν οἱ παράθες ξεινήϊα καλά,  
But now set good guest-fare before her,

**409** ὄφρʼ ἂν ἐγὼ φύσας ἀποθείομαι ὅπλά τε πάντα.  
while I put away the bellows and all my tools."

**410** ἦ, καὶ ἀπʼ ἀκμοθέτοιο πέλωρ αἴητον ἀνέστη  
He spoke, and the huge, panting god rose from the anvil-block,
> A panting giant: πέλωρ presents Hephaestus as a huge, wondrous being, while αἴητον catches his heavy breath after labor at the forge. The description makes his bodily effort as vivid as his divine power.

**411** χωλεύων· ὑπὸ δὲ κνῆμαι ῥώοντο ἀραιαί.  
limping, while his thin legs moved swiftly beneath him.

**412** φύσας μέν ῥʼ ἀπάνευθε τίθει πυρός, ὅπλά τε πάντα  
He set the bellows away from the fire and gathered every tool

**413** λάρνακʼ ἐς ἀργυρέην συλλέξατο, τοῖς ἐπονεῖτο·  
with which he worked into a silver chest.

**414** σπόγγῳ δʼ ἀμφὶ πρόσωπα καὶ ἄμφω χεῖρʼ ἀπομόργνυ  
With a sponge he wiped all around his face and both hands,

**415** αὐχένα τε στιβαρὸν καὶ στήθεα λαχνήεντα,  
his sturdy neck, and his shaggy chest.

**416** δῦ δὲ χιτῶνʼ, ἕλε δὲ σκῆπτρον παχύ, βῆ δὲ θύραζε  
He put on a tunic, took up a thick staff, and went to the door,

**417** χωλεύων· ὑπὸ δʼ ἀμφίπολοι ῥώοντο ἄνακτι  
limping; beneath their lord, attendants moved swiftly to support him,

**418** χρύσειαι ζωῇσι νεήνισιν εἰοικυῖαι.  
golden, yet like living young women.

**419** τῇς ἐν μὲν νόος ἐστὶ μετὰ φρεσίν, ἐν δὲ καὶ αὐδὴ  
Within their breasts are understanding and a voice,

**420** καὶ σθένος, ἀθανάτων δὲ θεῶν ἄπο ἔργα ἴσασιν.  
and strength, and from the immortal gods they know their crafts.

**421** αἳ μὲν ὕπαιθα ἄνακτος ἐποίπνυον· αὐτὰρ ὃ ἔρρων  
They hurried beneath their lord; but he moved laboriously

**422** πλησίον, ἔνθα Θέτις περ, ἐπὶ θρόνου ἷζε φαεινοῦ,  
near Thetis and sat down on a shining throne beside her.

**423** ἔν τʼ ἄρα οἱ φῦ χειρὶ ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·  
He took her hand, and spoke to her, and called her by name:

**424** τίπτε Θέτι τανύπεπλε ἱκάνεις ἡμέτερον δῶ  
"Why, long-robed Thetis, have you come to our house,

**425** αἰδοίη τε φίλη τε; πάρος γε μὲν οὔ τι θαμίζεις.  
honored and dear? You have not often come before.

**426** αὔδα ὅ τι φρονέεις· τελέσαι δέ με θυμὸς ἄνωγεν,  
Say what you have in mind; my heart urges me to fulfill it,

**427** εἰ δύναμαι τελέσαι γε καὶ εἰ τετελεσμένον ἐστίν.  
if I can fulfill it, and if it can be done."

**428** τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Θέτις κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα·  
Then Thetis, shedding tears, answered him:

**429** Ἥφαιστʼ, ἦ ἄρα δή τις, ὅσαι θεαί εἰσʼ ἐν Ὀλύμπῳ,  
"Hephaestus, is there any goddess among all who dwell on Olympus
> A question expecting no rival: The interrogative τις asks whether there is any goddess who has suffered as Thetis has. The question is rhetorical: its following comparison presents her grief as unequalled.

**430** τοσσάδʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἀνέσχετο κήδεα λυγρὰ  
who has endured in her own heart so many bitter cares

**431** ὅσσʼ ἐμοὶ ἐκ πασέων Κρονίδης Ζεὺς ἄλγεʼ ἔδωκεν;  
as Zeus, son of Cronos, has given me out of them all?

**432** ἐκ μέν μʼ ἀλλάων ἁλιάων ἀνδρὶ δάμασσεν  
Me alone among all the sea-goddesses he subdued to a man,

**433** Αἰακίδῃ Πηλῆϊ, καὶ ἔτλην ἀνέρος εὐνὴν  
Peleus, son of Aeacus, and I endured a mortal's bed

**434** πολλὰ μάλʼ οὐκ ἐθέλουσα. ὃ μὲν δὴ γήραϊ λυγρῷ  
much against my will. He now, worn down by bitter age,

**435** κεῖται ἐνὶ μεγάροις ἀρημένος, ἄλλα δέ μοι νῦν·  
lies helpless in his halls. But other griefs are mine now:

**436** υἱὸν ἐπεί μοι δῶκε γενέσθαί τε τραφέμεν τε  
for after Zeus gave me a son to bear and rear,

**437** ἔξοχον ἡρώων· ὃ δʼ ἀνέδραμεν ἔρνεϊ ἶσος·  
foremost of heroes; and he shot up like a sapling.

**438** τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ θρέψασα φυτὸν ὣς γουνῷ ἀλωῆς  
I raised him like a tree on the slope of an orchard,

**439** νηυσὶν ἐπιπροέηκα κορωνίσιν Ἴλιον εἴσω  
and sent him in the beaked ships toward Ilium,

**440** Τρωσὶ μαχησόμενον· τὸν δʼ οὐχ ὑποδέξομαι αὖτις  
to fight the Trojans; but I shall never welcome him again

**441** οἴκαδε νοστήσαντα δόμον Πηλήϊον εἴσω.  
home to the house of Peleus.

**442** ὄφρα δέ μοι ζώει καὶ ὁρᾷ φάος ἠελίοιο  
While he lives and sees the light of the sun,

**443** ἄχνυται, οὐδέ τί οἱ δύναμαι χραισμῆσαι ἰοῦσα.  
he grieves, and I can bring him no help when I go.

**444** κούρην ἣν ἄρα οἱ γέρας ἔξελον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν,  
The girl whom the sons of the Achaeans chose out as his prize,

**445** τὴν ἂψ ἐκ χειρῶν ἕλετο κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων.  
the lord Agamemnon took away from his hands,

**446** ἤτοι ὃ τῆς ἀχέων φρένας ἔφθιεν· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς  
and grieving for her, he wasted his heart; meanwhile the Trojans

**447** Τρῶες ἐπὶ πρύμνῃσιν ἐείλεον, οὐδὲ θύραζε  
hemmed the Achaeans in at the ships' sterns and would not let them

**448** εἴων ἐξιέναι· τὸν δὲ λίσσοντο γέροντες  
come out; and the elders of the Argives entreated him

**449** Ἀργείων, καὶ πολλὰ περικλυτὰ δῶρʼ ὀνόμαζον.  
and named many splendid gifts.

**450** ἔνθʼ αὐτὸς μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἠναίνετο λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι,  
Then he himself refused to ward off their ruin,

**451** αὐτὰρ ὃ Πάτροκλον περὶ μὲν τὰ ἃ τεύχεα ἕσσε,  
but clothed Patroclus all around in his own armor,
> His own armor: The possessive phrase τὰ ἃ τεύχεα marks the armor as Achilles' own. Achilles equips Patroclus with it; Patroclus does not arm himself independently in Thetis' compressed account.

**452** πέμπε δέ μιν πόλεμον δέ, πολὺν δʼ ἅμα λαὸν ὄπασσε.  
sent him to war, and sent many troops with him.

**453** πᾶν δʼ ἦμαρ μάρναντο περὶ Σκαιῇσι πύλῃσι·  
All day they fought around the Scaean gates,

**454** καί νύ κεν αὐτῆμαρ πόλιν ἔπραθον, εἰ μὴ Ἀπόλλων  
and they would have sacked the city that same day, had not Apollo,
> A past condition contrary to fact: κεν with the aorist ἔπραθον gives the unreal result, they would have sacked, while εἰ μή introduces what prevented it: Apollo's intervention. The form marks the city's fall that day as a possibility that did not occur.

**455** πολλὰ κακὰ ῥέξαντα Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμον υἱὸν  
after the valiant son of Menoetius had done great harm,

**456** ἔκτανʼ ἐνὶ προμάχοισι καὶ Ἕκτορι κῦδος ἔδωκε.  
killed him among the front ranks and gave Hector glory.

**457** τοὔνεκα νῦν τὰ σὰ γούναθʼ ἱκάνομαι, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα  
Therefore I now come as a suppliant to your knees, in hope you may be willing

**458** υἱεῖ ἐμῷ ὠκυμόρῳ δόμεν ἀσπίδα καὶ τρυφάλειαν  
to give my swift-doomed son a shield and a helmet,
> Swift-doomed: ὠκύμορος joins swift with fate or death: Achilles is destined to die soon. The armor can restore him to battle, but it cannot lengthen his life.

**459** καὶ καλὰς κνημῖδας ἐπισφυρίοις ἀραρυίας  
fine greaves fitted with ankle-pieces,

**460** καὶ θώρηχʼ· ὃ γὰρ ἦν οἱ ἀπώλεσε πιστὸς ἑταῖρος  
and a corselet; for his faithful companion lost the armor he had

**461** Τρωσὶ δαμείς· ὃ δὲ κεῖται ἐπὶ χθονὶ θυμὸν ἀχεύων.  
when the Trojans struck him down; my son lies on the earth, grieving at heart."

**462** τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις·  
Then the renowned god, lame in both legs, answered her:

**463** θάρσει· μή τοι ταῦτα μετὰ φρεσὶ σῇσι μελόντων.  
"Take heart; do not let these things trouble your mind.

**464** αἲ γάρ μιν θανάτοιο δυσηχέος ὧδε δυναίμην  
If only I could hide him far from harsh-sounding death
> An impossible wish: αἲ γάρ introduces Hephaestus' wish, and the optative δυναίμην expresses what he longs to be able to do. His craft can make armor, but it cannot conceal Achilles from death.

**465** νόσφιν ἀποκρύψαι, ὅτε μιν μόρος αἰνὸς ἱκάνοι,  
when dread fate comes upon him,

**466** ὥς οἱ τεύχεα καλὰ παρέσσεται, οἷά τις αὖτε  
as surely as fine armor shall be his, such that many a man

**467** ἀνθρώπων πολέων θαυμάσσεται, ὅς κεν ἴδηται.  
will marvel at it, whoever looks upon it."

**468** ὣς εἰπὼν τὴν μὲν λίπεν αὐτοῦ, βῆ δʼ ἐπὶ φύσας·  
So speaking, he left her there and went to the bellows.

**469** τὰς δʼ ἐς πῦρ ἔτρεψε κέλευσέ τε ἐργάζεσθαι.  
He turned them toward the fire and commanded them to work.

**470** φῦσαι δʼ ἐν χοάνοισιν ἐείκοσι πᾶσαι ἐφύσων  
All twenty bellows blew into the crucibles,

**471** παντοίην εὔπρηστον ἀϋτμὴν ἐξανιεῖσαι,  
sending out blasts of every kind, ready to kindle the fire,

**472** ἄλλοτε μὲν σπεύδοντι παρέμμεναι, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε,  
at one time to help him as he hurried, and at another otherwise,

**473** ὅππως Ἥφαιστός τʼ ἐθέλοι καὶ ἔργον ἄνοιτο.  
as Hephaestus might wish and as the work required.
> According to the smith's will: ὅππως introduces the manner in which the bellows vary their breath, and the optative ἐθέλοι makes their action responsive to whatever Hephaestus might wish. The craftsman remains the controlling agent.

**474** χαλκὸν δʼ ἐν πυρὶ βάλλεν ἀτειρέα κασσίτερόν τε  
He cast unyielding bronze into the fire, and tin,

**475** καὶ χρυσὸν τιμῆντα καὶ ἄργυρον· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα  
precious gold, and silver. Then

**476** θῆκεν ἐν ἀκμοθέτῳ μέγαν ἄκμονα, γέντο δὲ χειρὶ  
he set a great anvil on its block, and grasped in one hand

**477** ῥαιστῆρα κρατερήν, ἑτέρηφι δὲ γέντο πυράγρην.  
the mighty hammer, while in the other he grasped the tongs.

**478** ποίει δὲ πρώτιστα σάκος μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε  
First of all he made a shield, great and strong,

**479** πάντοσε δαιδάλλων, περὶ δʼ ἄντυγα βάλλε φαεινὴν  
adorning it richly all over; around it he cast a bright rim,
> The maker at work: The participle δαιδάλλων presents Hephaestus ornamenting the shield in every direction. Its root suggests intricate, skillful workmanship rather than decoration added by some separate hand.

**480** τρίπλακα μαρμαρέην, ἐκ δʼ ἀργύρεον τελαμῶνα.  
threefold and flashing, and from it hung a silver baldric.

**481** πέντε δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτοῦ ἔσαν σάκεος πτύχες· αὐτὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ  
Five folds made up the shield itself; and upon it
> Five folds, not three: πτύχες are the shield's five folds or layers. They are distinct from the threefold outer rim described in the preceding two lines.

**482** ποίει δαίδαλα πολλὰ ἰδυίῃσι πραπίδεσσιν.  
he made many designs with the wisdom of his mind.
> Craft guided by knowledge: The dative phrase gives the means by which Hephaestus works: with knowing intelligence. The plural πραπίδεσσιν is an old poetic word for the inward faculties or mind.

**483** ἐν μὲν γαῖαν ἔτευξʼ, ἐν δʼ οὐρανόν, ἐν δὲ θάλασσαν,  
On it he fashioned earth, and sky, and sea,

**484** ἠέλιόν τʼ ἀκάμαντα σελήνην τε πλήθουσαν,  
the tireless sun and the full moon,
> The full moon: πλήθουσαν pictures the moon at fullness, filled with light. The cosmos begins with the great lights after earth, sky, and sea.

**485** ἐν δὲ τὰ τείρεα πάντα, τά τʼ οὐρανὸς ἐστεφάνωται,  
and all the constellations that crown the sky,

**486** Πληϊάδας θʼ Ὑάδας τε τό τε σθένος Ὠρίωνος  
the Pleiades and Hyades and the might of Orion,

**487** Ἄρκτόν θʼ, ἣν καὶ Ἄμαξαν ἐπίκλησιν καλέουσιν,  
and the Bear, which men also call by name the Wain,

**488** ἥ τʼ αὐτοῦ στρέφεται καί τʼ Ὠρίωνα δοκεύει,  
which turns there in place and keeps watch on Orion,

**489** οἴη δʼ ἄμμορός ἐστι λοετρῶν Ὠκεανοῖο.  
and alone has no share in the baths of Oceanus.

**490** ἐν δὲ δύω ποίησε πόλεις μερόπων ἀνθρώπων  
On it he made two cities of mortal men,

**491** καλάς. ἐν τῇ μέν ῥα γάμοι τʼ ἔσαν εἰλαπίναι τε,  
both beautiful. In one were weddings and wedding feasts,

**492** νύμφας δʼ ἐκ θαλάμων δαΐδων ὕπο λαμπομενάων  
and from their chambers, beneath the light of blazing torches, brides

**493** ἠγίνεον ἀνὰ ἄστυ, πολὺς δʼ ὑμέναιος ὀρώρει·  
were led through the city, and loud the wedding song arose.

**494** κοῦροι δʼ ὀρχηστῆρες ἐδίνεον, ἐν δʼ ἄρα τοῖσιν  
Young men danced and whirled, and among them

**495** αὐλοὶ φόρμιγγές τε βοὴν ἔχον· αἳ δὲ γυναῖκες  
pipes and lyres rang out; and the women,

**496** ἱστάμεναι θαύμαζον ἐπὶ προθύροισιν ἑκάστη.  
each standing at her doorway, watched in wonder.

**497** λαοὶ δʼ εἰν ἀγορῇ ἔσαν ἀθρόοι· ἔνθα δὲ νεῖκος  
The people were gathered in assembly, for there a quarrel

**498** ὠρώρει, δύο δʼ ἄνδρες ἐνείκεον εἵνεκα ποινῆς  
had arisen, and two men disputed over compensation

**499** ἀνδρὸς ἀποφθιμένου· ὃ μὲν εὔχετο πάντʼ ἀποδοῦναι  
for a man who had been killed. One claimed before the people that he had paid all,
> A disputed claim: The first man publicly claims that he has paid everything. The infinitive states the content of his claim, but the narrator does not certify that the payment was actually made.

**500** δήμῳ πιφαύσκων, ὃ δʼ ἀναίνετο μηδὲν ἑλέσθαι·  
while the other denied that he had received anything.

**501** ἄμφω δʼ ἱέσθην ἐπὶ ἴστορι πεῖραρ ἑλέσθαι.  
Both were eager to reach a settlement before an arbiter.
> A decision before an arbiter: The compact legal phrase is difficult: ἴστωρ is the deciding authority or arbiter, and πεῖραρ is literally a boundary or end. The line says both men seek a settlement without specifying a modern court procedure.

**502** λαοὶ δʼ ἀμφοτέροισιν ἐπήπυον ἀμφὶς ἀρωγοί·  
The people shouted for both sides, each group supporting its own.

**503** κήρυκες δʼ ἄρα λαὸν ἐρήτυον· οἳ δὲ γέροντες  
Heralds held the people back, while the elders

**504** εἵατʼ ἐπὶ ξεστοῖσι λίθοις ἱερῷ ἐνὶ κύκλῳ,  
sat on polished stones within the sacred circle,

**505** σκῆπτρα δὲ κηρύκων ἐν χέρσʼ ἔχον ἠεροφώνων·  
holding in their hands the staves of the loud-voiced heralds.

**506** τοῖσιν ἔπειτʼ ἤϊσσον, ἀμοιβηδὶς δὲ δίκαζον.  
With these they sprang up and gave judgment one after another.

**507** κεῖτο δʼ ἄρʼ ἐν μέσσοισι δύω χρυσοῖο τάλαντα,  
Two talents of gold lay in their midst,

**508** τῷ δόμεν ὃς μετὰ τοῖσι δίκην ἰθύντατα εἴποι.  
to be given to whichever among them spoke the straightest judgment.

**509** τὴν δʼ ἑτέρην πόλιν ἀμφὶ δύω στρατοὶ ἥατο λαῶν  
Around the other city two armies of men were encamped,

**510** τεύχεσι λαμπόμενοι· δίχα δέ σφισιν ἥνδανε βουλή,  
their armor flashing; and their counsel divided them:

**511** ἠὲ διαπραθέειν ἢ ἄνδιχα πάντα δάσασθαι  
whether to sack it utterly or divide in halves all
> Two plans for the city: The paired ἠέ...ἤ presents two alternatives: destroy the city completely or divide all its goods in two. The infinitives depend on the divided counsel of the besieging armies.

**512** κτῆσιν ὅσην πτολίεθρον ἐπήρατον ἐντὸς ἔεργεν·  
the wealth the lovely citadel enclosed within.

**513** οἳ δʼ οὔ πω πείθοντο, λόχῳ δʼ ὑπεθωρήσσοντο.  
But the citizens would not yet yield; they armed in secret for an ambush.
> Arming for ambush: The compound verb pictures the citizens putting armor on in preparation for a λόχος, an ambush. Their refusal leads not to a set battle at the wall but to a concealed sortie.

**514** τεῖχος μέν ῥʼ ἄλοχοί τε φίλαι καὶ νήπια τέκνα  
Their dear wives and helpless children guarded the wall,

**515** ῥύατʼ ἐφεσταότες, μετὰ δʼ ἀνέρες οὓς ἔχε γῆρας·  
standing upon it, and with them were the men whom age held back.

**516** οἳ δʼ ἴσαν· ἦρχε δʼ ἄρά σφιν Ἄρης καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη  
The others went out; Ares and Pallas Athena led them,
> The gods lead the sortie: The singular verb ἦρχε introduces the paired divine leaders Ares and Athena. The mortal defenders go out under their command within the scene Hephaestus has fashioned.

**517** ἄμφω χρυσείω, χρύσεια δὲ εἵματα ἕσθην,  
both made of gold, and golden were the clothes they wore,

**518** καλὼ καὶ μεγάλω σὺν τεύχεσιν, ὥς τε θεώ περ  
beautiful and tall in armor, as gods indeed are,

**519** ἀμφὶς ἀριζήλω· λαοὶ δʼ ὑπολίζονες ἦσαν.  
both conspicuous, while the people were smaller.
> Gods larger than mortals: ὑπολίζονες marks the human figures as somewhat smaller. Their reduced scale makes the two golden gods visibly distinct within the crafted battle scene.

**520** οἳ δʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἵκανον ὅθι σφίσιν εἶκε λοχῆσαι  
When they reached the place that seemed fit for their ambush,

**521** ἐν ποταμῷ, ὅθι τʼ ἀρδμὸς ἔην πάντεσσι βοτοῖσιν,  
beside the river, where all the livestock came to drink,

**522** ἔνθʼ ἄρα τοί γʼ ἵζοντʼ εἰλυμένοι αἴθοπι χαλκῷ.  
there they sat, wrapped in gleaming bronze.

**523** τοῖσι δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀπάνευθε δύω σκοποὶ εἵατο λαῶν  
Then two scouts from the force sat apart from them,

**524** δέγμενοι ὁππότε μῆλα ἰδοίατο καὶ ἕλικας βοῦς.  
waiting until they should see sheep and curving-horned cattle.

**525** οἳ δὲ τάχα προγένοντο, δύω δʼ ἅμʼ ἕποντο νομῆες  
Soon the herds came on, and two herdsmen followed with them,

**526** τερπόμενοι σύριγξι· δόλον δʼ οὔ τι προνόησαν.  
delighting in their pipes, with no thought of the trap.

**527** οἳ μὲν τὰ προϊδόντες ἐπέδραμον, ὦκα δʼ ἔπειτα  
The ambushers saw them and rushed upon them, then swiftly

**528** τάμνοντʼ ἀμφὶ βοῶν ἀγέλας καὶ πώεα καλὰ  
cut off the herds of cattle and the fine flocks

**529** ἀργεννέων οἰῶν, κτεῖνον δʼ ἐπὶ μηλοβοτῆρας.  
of white sheep, and killed the men who tended them.

**530** οἳ δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐπύθοντο πολὺν κέλαδον παρὰ βουσὶν  
When the besiegers heard the great din among the cattle,

**531** εἰράων προπάροιθε καθήμενοι, αὐτίκʼ ἐφʼ ἵππων  
sitting before their assembly, at once upon their horses

**532** βάντες ἀερσιπόδων μετεκίαθον, αἶψα δʼ ἵκοντο.  
they mounted and pursued on high-stepping steeds, and soon arrived.

**533** στησάμενοι δʼ ἐμάχοντο μάχην ποταμοῖο παρʼ ὄχθας,  
They halted and fought beside the riverbanks,

**534** βάλλον δʼ ἀλλήλους χαλκήρεσιν ἐγχείῃσιν.  
and cast at one another with bronze-shod spears.

**535** ἐν δʼ Ἔρις ἐν δὲ Κυδοιμὸς ὁμίλεον, ἐν δʼ ὀλοὴ Κήρ,  
Among them Strife and Battle-Din moved, and destructive Fate,

**536** ἄλλον ζωὸν ἔχουσα νεούτατον, ἄλλον ἄουτον,  
holding one man newly wounded but alive, another unwounded,
> Three different victims: The repeated ἄλλον distinguishes Fate's first two victims: one is alive and freshly wounded, the other is unwounded. The third, named in the next line, is already dead.

**537** ἄλλον τεθνηῶτα κατὰ μόθον ἕλκε ποδοῖιν·  
and another dead, whom she dragged by the feet through the melee.

**538** εἷμα δʼ ἔχʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι δαφοινεὸν αἵματι φωτῶν.  
The robe about her shoulders was red with the blood of men.

**539** ὡμίλευν δʼ ὥς τε ζωοὶ βροτοὶ ἠδʼ ἐμάχοντο,  
They mingled and fought like living mortals,

**540** νεκρούς τʼ ἀλλήλων ἔρυον κατατεθνηῶτας.  
and dragged away one another's fallen dead.

**541** ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει νειὸν μαλακὴν πίειραν ἄρουραν  
On it he set a soft fallow, rich soil,

**542** εὐρεῖαν τρίπολον· πολλοὶ δʼ ἀροτῆρες ἐν αὐτῇ  
broad and thrice ploughed; and many ploughmen within it

**543** ζεύγεα δινεύοντες ἐλάστρεον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα.  
drove their teams around, back and forth.

**544** οἳ δʼ ὁπότε στρέψαντες ἱκοίατο τέλσον ἀρούρης,  
Whenever they turned and reached the field's end,

**545** τοῖσι δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἐν χερσὶ δέπας μελιηδέος οἴνου  
then into their hands a cup of honey-sweet wine

**546** δόσκεν ἀνὴρ ἐπιών· τοὶ δὲ στρέψασκον ἀνʼ ὄγμους,  
an approaching man would give; then they would turn again along the furrows,

**547** ἱέμενοι νειοῖο βαθείης τέλσον ἱκέσθαι.  
eager to reach once more the deep fallow's end.

**548** ἣ δὲ μελαίνετʼ ὄπισθεν, ἀρηρομένῃ δὲ ἐῴκει,  
Behind them it grew black and looked as though it had been ploughed,
> It looked ploughed: The participle with ἐῴκει describes resemblance: the golden field looked as though it had been ploughed. The workmanship creates the illusion of dark turned soil without changing the material from gold.

**549** χρυσείη περ ἐοῦσα· τὸ δὴ περὶ θαῦμα τέτυκτο.  
though it was gold; this was a marvel of the craft.

**550** ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει τέμενος βασιλήϊον· ἔνθα δʼ ἔριθοι  
On it he set a royal harvest field, where laborers
> The king's allotted field: τέμενος is land set apart as an honored allotment, here belonging to a king. The scene distinguishes the silent king from the heralds who prepare the meal farther away.

**551** ἤμων ὀξείας δρεπάνας ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες.  
were reaping, sharp sickles in their hands.

**552** δράγματα δʼ ἄλλα μετʼ ὄγμον ἐπήτριμα πῖπτον ἔραζε,  
Some handfuls fell thick upon the ground along the swath,

**553** ἄλλα δʼ ἀμαλλοδετῆρες ἐν ἐλλεδανοῖσι δέοντο.  
while binders tied others with bands of straw.

**554** τρεῖς δʼ ἄρʼ ἀμαλλοδετῆρες ἐφέστασαν· αὐτὰρ ὄπισθε  
Three binders stood over the work; behind them

**555** παῖδες δραγμεύοντες ἐν ἀγκαλίδεσσι φέροντες  
boys gathered the cut grain and carried it in armfuls,

**556** ἀσπερχὲς πάρεχον· βασιλεὺς δʼ ἐν τοῖσι σιωπῇ  
bringing it on without pause. Among them the king in silence

**557** σκῆπτρον ἔχων ἑστήκει ἐπʼ ὄγμου γηθόσυνος κῆρ.  
stood upon the swath with scepter in hand, glad at heart.

**558** κήρυκες δʼ ἀπάνευθεν ὑπὸ δρυῒ δαῖτα πένοντο,  
Apart from them, beneath an oak, heralds prepared a feast,

**559** βοῦν δʼ ἱερεύσαντες μέγαν ἄμφεπον· αἳ δὲ γυναῖκες  
and having sacrificed a great ox, they tended it; while the women

**560** δεῖπνον ἐρίθοισιν λεύκʼ ἄλφιτα πολλὰ πάλυνον.  
scattered abundant white barley meal for the workers' dinner.

**561** ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει σταφυλῇσι μέγα βρίθουσαν ἀλωὴν  
On it he set a vineyard heavily laden with grapes,

**562** καλὴν χρυσείην· μέλανες δʼ ἀνὰ βότρυες ἦσαν,  
beautiful and golden, though black were the clusters upon it,

**563** ἑστήκει δὲ κάμαξι διαμπερὲς ἀργυρέῃσιν.  
and it stood throughout on stakes of silver.

**564** ἀμφὶ δὲ κυανέην κάπετον, περὶ δʼ ἕρκος ἔλασσε  
Around it he drove a dark-blue ditch and a fence

**565** κασσιτέρου· μία δʼ οἴη ἀταρπιτὸς ἦεν ἐπʼ αὐτήν,  
of tin; a single path alone led to it,

**566** τῇ νίσοντο φορῆες ὅτε τρυγόῳεν ἀλωήν.  
and along it the bearers went whenever they gathered the vintage.

**567** παρθενικαὶ δὲ καὶ ἠΐθεοι ἀταλὰ φρονέοντες  
Maidens and young men, with tender thoughts,

**568** πλεκτοῖς ἐν ταλάροισι φέρον μελιηδέα καρπόν.  
carried the honey-sweet fruit in woven baskets.

**569** τοῖσιν δʼ ἐν μέσσοισι πάϊς φόρμιγγι λιγείῃ  
In their midst a boy with a clear-toned lyre

**570** ἱμερόεν κιθάριζε, λίνον δʼ ὑπὸ καλὸν ἄειδε  
played sweetly and sang the lovely Linus song

**571** λεπταλέῃ φωνῇ· τοὶ δὲ ῥήσσοντες ἁμαρτῇ  
in a delicate voice; and together they stamped the ground

**572** μολπῇ τʼ ἰυγμῷ τε ποσὶ σκαίροντες ἕποντο.  
and followed with song and cries, their feet leaping.

**573** ἐν δʼ ἀγέλην ποίησε βοῶν ὀρθοκραιράων·  
On it he made a herd of straight-horned cattle.

**574** αἳ δὲ βόες χρυσοῖο τετεύχατο κασσιτέρου τε,  
The cattle had been fashioned of gold and tin,

**575** μυκηθμῷ δʼ ἀπὸ κόπρου ἐπεσσεύοντο νομὸν δὲ  
and lowing they rushed from the farmyard toward the pasture,

**576** πὰρ ποταμὸν κελάδοντα, παρὰ ῥοδανὸν δονακῆα.  
beside a murmuring river and the rustling reed bed.

**577** χρύσειοι δὲ νομῆες ἅμʼ ἐστιχόωντο βόεσσι  
Four golden herdsmen walked in line beside the cattle,

**578** τέσσαρες, ἐννέα δέ σφι κύνες πόδας ἀργοὶ ἕποντο.  
and nine swift-footed dogs followed them.

**579** σμερδαλέω δὲ λέοντε δύʼ ἐν πρώτῃσι βόεσσι  
But two dreadful lions among the foremost cattle

**580** ταῦρον ἐρύγμηλον ἐχέτην· ὃ δὲ μακρὰ μεμυκὼς  
held a bellowing bull; with long lowing he

**581** ἕλκετο· τὸν δὲ κύνες μετεκίαθον ἠδʼ αἰζηοί.  
was dragged away, while dogs and young men followed.

**582** τὼ μὲν ἀναρρήξαντε βοὸς μεγάλοιο βοείην  
The lions tore open the great bull's hide

**583** ἔγκατα καὶ μέλαν αἷμα λαφύσσετον· οἳ δὲ νομῆες  
and gulped the entrails and black blood; but the herdsmen

**584** αὔτως ἐνδίεσαν ταχέας κύνας ὀτρύνοντες.  
in vain kept setting the swift dogs on.

**585** οἳ δʼ ἤτοι δακέειν μὲν ἀπετρωπῶντο λεόντων,  
The dogs shrank from biting the lions,
> The dogs refuse the lions: The dogs turn away from the infinitive δακέειν, “to bite,” with λεόντων as the object in the genitive. The μέν prepares the contrast: they bark nearby, but they do not close their teeth on the lions.

**586** ἱστάμενοι δὲ μάλʼ ἐγγὺς ὑλάκτεον ἔκ τʼ ἀλέοντο.  
but standing very near they barked and kept clear.

**587** ἐν δὲ νομὸν ποίησε περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις  
Then the renowned god, lame in both legs, made a pasture

**588** ἐν καλῇ βήσσῃ μέγαν οἰῶν ἀργεννάων,  
in a beautiful valley, a great pasture of white sheep,

**589** σταθμούς τε κλισίας τε κατηρεφέας ἰδὲ σηκούς.  
with pens and roofed huts and sheepfolds.

**590** ἐν δὲ χορὸν ποίκιλλε περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις,  
Then the renowned god, lame in both legs, adorned a dancing floor,
> Hephaestus, lame in both legs: The locked epithet names Hephaestus as the renowned god lame in both legs. Repeating it here keeps the divine maker visible as he passes from pasture to dance.

**591** τῷ ἴκελον οἷόν ποτʼ ἐνὶ Κνωσῷ εὐρείῃ  
like the one that once in broad Knossos

**592** Δαίδαλος ἤσκησεν καλλιπλοκάμῳ Ἀριάδνῃ.  
Daedalus fashioned for lovely-haired Ariadne.

**593** ἔνθα μὲν ἠΐθεοι καὶ παρθένοι ἀλφεσίβοιαι  
There young men and maidens worth many cattle

**594** ὀρχεῦντʼ ἀλλήλων ἐπὶ καρπῷ χεῖρας ἔχοντες.  
danced, holding one another by the wrists.

**595** τῶν δʼ αἳ μὲν λεπτὰς ὀθόνας ἔχον, οἳ δὲ χιτῶνας  
The maidens wore fine linen robes, and the young men tunics

**596** εἵατʼ ἐϋννήτους, ἦκα στίλβοντας ἐλαίῳ·  
well woven, gleaming softly with oil.

**597** καί ῥʼ αἳ μὲν καλὰς στεφάνας ἔχον, οἳ δὲ μαχαίρας  
The maidens wore lovely garlands, and the young men carried daggers

**598** εἶχον χρυσείας ἐξ ἀργυρέων τελαμώνων.  
of gold hanging from silver baldrics.

**599** οἳ δʼ ὁτὲ μὲν θρέξασκον ἐπισταμένοισι πόδεσσι  
At times they ran in circles on skillful feet

**600** ῥεῖα μάλʼ, ὡς ὅτε τις τροχὸν ἄρμενον ἐν παλάμῃσιν  
lightly, as when a potter, seated, takes a fitted wheel in his hands

**601** ἑζόμενος κεραμεὺς πειρήσεται, αἴ κε θέῃσιν·  
and tests it to see whether it will run;

**602** ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖ θρέξασκον ἐπὶ στίχας ἀλλήλοισι.  
at other times they ran in rows toward one another.

**603** πολλὸς δʼ ἱμερόεντα χορὸν περιίσταθʼ ὅμιλος  
A great crowd stood around the lovely dance,

**604** τερπόμενοι· μετὰ δέ σφιν ἐμέλπετο θεῖος ἀοιδὸς  
taking delight; among them a divine bard sang

**605** φορμίζων· δοιὼ δὲ κυβιστητῆρε κατʼ αὐτοὺς  
and played his lyre, while two tumblers among them
> Two tumblers: The dual forms δοιώ and κυβιστητῆρε specify exactly two tumblers. They are distinct from the single bard named in the preceding line.

**606** μολπῆς ἐξάρχοντες ἐδίνευον κατὰ μέσσους.  
led the dance and whirled through the middle.

**607** ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει ποταμοῖο μέγα σθένος Ὠκεανοῖο  
On it he set the great strength of the river Oceanus

**608** ἄντυγα πὰρ πυμάτην σάκεος πύκα ποιητοῖο.  
along the outermost rim of the close-wrought shield.
> Ocean at the outer rim: The superlative πυμάτην places Oceanus beside the shield's outermost rim. The cosmic river encloses every scene Hephaestus has made within it.

**609** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τεῦξε σάκος μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε,  
But when he had made the shield, great and strong,

**610** τεῦξʼ ἄρα οἱ θώρηκα φαεινότερον πυρὸς αὐγῆς,  
he made for him a corselet brighter than the blaze of fire,

**611** τεῦξε δέ οἱ κόρυθα βριαρὴν κροτάφοις ἀραρυῖαν  
and made for him a heavy helmet fitted to his temples,

**612** καλὴν δαιδαλέην, ἐπὶ δὲ χρύσεον λόφον ἧκε,  
beautiful and richly wrought, and set a golden crest upon it,

**613** τεῦξε δέ οἱ κνημῖδας ἑανοῦ κασσιτέροιο.  
and made for him greaves of pliant tin.

**614** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πάνθʼ ὅπλα κάμε κλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις,  
But when the famed god, lame in both legs, had labored over all the armor,

**615** μητρὸς Ἀχιλλῆος θῆκε προπάροιθεν ἀείρας.  
he lifted it and set it before Achilles' mother.

**616** ἣ δʼ ἴρηξ ὣς ἆλτο κατʼ Οὐλύμπου νιφόεντος  
Then she leapt like a hawk down from snowy Olympus,

**617** τεύχεα μαρμαίροντα παρʼ Ἡφαίστοιο φέρουσα.  
bearing the flashing armor away from Hephaestus.

---

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.