Ἰλιάδος Τ

Saffron-robed Dawn rose from the streams of Oceanus

to bring light to immortals and mortals alike;

and she came to the ships bearing gifts from the god.

She found her dear son clinging around Patroclus,

weeping shrilly; and many comrades around him

were mourning. She stood among them, the shining one among goddesses,

she took his hand, and spoke to him, and called him by name:

"My child, though we grieve, we must let this man

lie, since first he was struck down by the will of the gods.

But you, accept the famed armor from Hephaestus,

very beautiful, such as no man has ever borne upon his shoulders."

So the goddess spoke, and set the armor down

before Achilles; and all its cunning work rang aloud.

Trembling seized all the Myrmidons, and no one dared

look straight at it; they shrank in fear. But Achilles,

when he saw it, felt anger sink deeper into him, and his eyes

blazed terribly beneath his lids, as though a flame shone out;

and he rejoiced to hold the god's glorious gifts in his hands.

But when his heart had taken its delight in gazing on the cunning work,

at once he addressed his mother with winged words:

"My mother, the god has given armor such as it is fitting

for immortals to make, not for any mortal man to accomplish.

Now I shall arm myself; but I fear terribly

that meanwhile, into the valiant son of Menoetius,

flies may crawl through the wounds struck by bronze,

breed worms, and disfigure the corpse,

now that life has been slain out of him, and all his flesh may rot."

Then the goddess, silver-footed Thetis, answered him:

"My child, do not let these things trouble your mind.

I shall try to keep the savage swarms away from him—

the flies that devour men slain in battle.

Even if he lies here through a full year's course,

his flesh will always remain firm, or grow better still.

But call the Achaean heroes into assembly,

renounce your wrath against Agamemnon, shepherd of the people,

arm yourself swiftly for war, and clothe yourself in valor."

So she spoke and breathed high courage into him;

then into Patroclus she poured ambrosia and red nectar,

dripping them through his nostrils, so that his flesh might remain firm.

Then godlike Achilles went along the shore of the sea,

shouting terribly, and roused the Achaean heroes.

Even those who before had always stayed at the ships' gathering—

the pilots and those who held the ships' steering oars,

and the stewards beside the ships, dispensers of provisions—

even they now went to the assembly, because Achilles

had appeared after holding back so long from grievous battle.

The two came limping, both henchmen of Ares,

the steadfast-in-battle son of Tydeus and godlike Odysseus,

leaning on their spears, for they still had grievous wounds;

and they came and sat down in the foremost place of assembly.

Last came Agamemnon, lord of men,

bearing his wound; for in the mighty combat

Coon, son of Antenor, had stabbed him with a bronze-shod spear.

But when all the Achaeans had gathered together,

swift-footed Achilles rose among them and spoke:

"Son of Atreus, was this, then, better for us both,

for you and me, when the two of us, grieving at heart,

raged in heart-devouring strife for the sake of a girl?

I wish Artemis had killed her beside the ships with an arrow

on the day I took her after destroying Lyrnessus.

Then not so many Achaeans would have bitten the boundless earth

beneath our enemies' hands while I held back in wrath.

For Hector and the Trojans it was the better course; but the Achaeans,

I think, will long remember the strife between you and me.

But let us leave those things accomplished, though we grieve,

mastering the dear heart in our breasts by force.

Now I put an end to my anger; I must not

rage without cease forever. Come, quickly

rouse the long-haired Achaeans to war,

so that I may yet go against the Trojans and test them,

whether they still wish to sleep beside the ships. But I think one of them

will gladly bend his knee to rest, if he escapes

from destructive war beneath our spear."

So he spoke, and the well-greaved Achaeans rejoiced

because the great-hearted son of Peleus had renounced his wrath.

Then among them spoke Agamemnon, lord of men:

from where he sat, without rising in their midst:

"Friends, hero Danaans, henchmen of Ares,

it is right to listen when a man stands to speak, and it is not fitting

to interrupt him; it is hard even for one who knows his craft.

In the great clamor of men, how could anyone hear

or speak? Even a clear-voiced orator is hindered.

I shall explain myself to the son of Peleus; but you others,

pay heed, Argives, and each understand my words well.

Often the Achaeans have spoken this charge to me

and reproached me; but I am not to blame.

It was Zeus and Fate and the Erinys who walks in darkness,

who in assembly cast savage delusion into my mind

on the day I myself took Achilles' prize from him.

But what could I have done? A god brings all things to fulfillment.

Ate is the eldest daughter of Zeus, who blinds everyone,

accursed. Her feet are delicate; for she does not tread

upon the ground, but walks over the heads of men,

bringing them harm; and at one time or another she ensnares each one.

For once, indeed, Zeus too was blinded, though they say he is greatest

of gods and men; yet even him

Hera, though a woman, deceived through her cunning

on the day when the mighty Heracles

was to be born of Alcmene in well-crowned Thebes.

Then Zeus spoke boastfully among all the gods:

"Hear me, all you gods and all you goddesses,

that I may speak what the heart in my breast commands.

Today Eileithyia, bringer of labor pains, shall bring a man into the light

who shall rule over all those dwelling around him,

of the race of men who spring from my blood."