# The Iliad, Book 20: The Gods Enter Battle

Ἰλιάς · Homer · The Ransom of Hector

The gods join the battle. Achilles fights Aeneas, who is saved by Poseidon, and drives the Trojans before him.

Source: https://1732studios.com/books/iliad/20. Data: https://1732studios.com/books/iliad/20.json. Audio: https://audio.1732studios.com/iliad/<line id>.m4a.

**1** ὣς οἳ μὲν παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσι θωρήσσοντο  
Thus they armed beside the curved ships,

**2** ἀμφὶ σὲ Πηλέος υἱὲ μάχης ἀκόρητον Ἀχαιοί,  
around you, son of Peleus, insatiate for battle, the Achaeans,
> The poet addresses Achilles: The second-person pronoun σὲ and the vocative υἱὲ turn the narration briefly toward Achilles himself: the Achaeans arm around "you, son of Peleus." This direct address is a characteristic epic apostrophe.

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

**4** Ζεὺς δὲ Θέμιστα κέλευσε θεοὺς ἀγορὴν δὲ καλέσσαι  
Zeus commanded Themis to call the gods to council

**5** κρατὸς ἀπʼ Οὐλύμποιο πολυπτύχου· ἣ δʼ ἄρα πάντῃ  
from the crest of many-folded Olympus; and she went everywhere,

**6** φοιτήσασα κέλευσε Διὸς πρὸς δῶμα νέεσθαι.  
making her rounds, and bade them come to the house of Zeus.

**7** οὔτέ τις οὖν ποταμῶν ἀπέην νόσφʼ Ὠκεανοῖο,  
Not one of the rivers was absent, except Oceanus,
> An exception in the genitive: νόσφι means "apart from" or "except" and here governs the genitive Ὠκεανοῖο. Every river-god attends except Oceanus, the world-encircling source of rivers.

**8** οὔτʼ ἄρα νυμφάων αἵ τʼ ἄλσεα καλὰ νέμονται  
nor any of the nymphs who dwell in the lovely groves

**9** καὶ πηγὰς ποταμῶν καὶ πίσεα ποιήεντα.  
and the springs of rivers and the grassy meadows.

**10** ἐλθόντες δʼ ἐς δῶμα Διὸς νεφεληγερέταο  
When they came to the house of Zeus the cloud-gatherer,

**11** ξεστῇς αἰθούσῃσιν ἐνίζανον, ἃς Διὶ πατρὶ  
they sat down in the polished colonnades that Hephaestus

**12** Ἥφαιστος ποίησεν ἰδυίῃσι πραπίδεσσιν.  
had made for father Zeus with his skillful mind.

**13** ὣς οἳ μὲν Διὸς ἔνδον ἀγηγέρατʼ· οὐδʼ ἐνοσίχθων  
Thus they were gathered inside the house of Zeus; nor did the Earth-shaker

**14** νηκούστησε θεᾶς, ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἁλὸς ἦλθε μετʼ αὐτούς,  
disobey the goddess, but came from the sea to join them,

**15** ἷζε δʼ ἄρʼ ἐν μέσσοισι, Διὸς δʼ ἐξείρετο βουλήν·  
and sat in their midst, then asked the purpose of Zeus:

**16** τίπτʼ αὖτʼ ἀργικέραυνε θεοὺς ἀγορὴν δὲ κάλεσσας;  
"Why, bright-lightning god, have you again called the gods to council?

**17** ἦ τι περὶ Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν μερμηρίζεις;  
Are you pondering some matter concerning the Trojans and Achaeans?

**18** τῶν γὰρ νῦν ἄγχιστα μάχη πόλεμός τε δέδηε.  
For now their battle and war blaze very near."

**19** τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·  
Then Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered him and said:
> Zeus the cloud-gatherer: νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς is Zeus's standing weather epithet, rendered with the same fixed wording wherever it recurs. The whole line also uses Homer's recurrent answered-and-said speech frame.

**20** ἔγνως ἐννοσίγαιε ἐμὴν ἐν στήθεσι βουλὴν  
"You know, Earth-shaker, the purpose within my breast

**21** ὧν ἕνεκα ξυνάγειρα· μέλουσί μοι ὀλλύμενοί περ.  
for whose sake I gathered them; though they are dying, they are my concern.
> A concessive participle: The present participle ὀλλύμενοι means "dying" or "being destroyed." The particle περ gives it concessive force: even though mortals are dying, Zeus says that they still matter to him.

**22** ἀλλʼ ἤτοι μὲν ἐγὼ μενέω πτυχὶ Οὐλύμποιο  
Yet I shall remain here upon a fold of Olympus,

**23** ἥμενος, ἔνθʼ ὁρόων φρένα τέρψομαι· οἳ δὲ δὴ ἄλλοι  
seated, and delight my heart as I watch; but all you others,

**24** ἔρχεσθʼ ὄφρʼ ἂν ἵκησθε μετὰ Τρῶας καὶ Ἀχαιούς,  
go, so that you may reach the Trojans and Achaeans,

**25** ἀμφοτέροισι δʼ ἀρήγεθʼ ὅπῃ νόος ἐστὶν ἑκάστου.  
and aid either side according to each god's own mind.

**26** εἰ γὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς οἶος ἐπὶ Τρώεσσι μαχεῖται  
For if Achilles fights the Trojans alone,

**27** οὐδὲ μίνυνθʼ ἕξουσι ποδώκεα Πηλεΐωνα.  
they will not hold back the swift son of Peleus even briefly.

**28** καὶ δέ τί μιν καὶ πρόσθεν ὑποτρομέεσκον ὁρῶντες·  
Even before now they would tremble at the sight of him;

**29** νῦν δʼ ὅτε δὴ καὶ θυμὸν ἑταίρου χώεται αἰνῶς  
but now, when he is terribly enraged in spirit for his companion,

**30** δείδω μὴ καὶ τεῖχος ὑπέρμορον ἐξαλαπάξῃ.  
I fear he may storm the wall beyond what fate allows."
> Fear followed by the subjunctive: After δείδω, "I fear," μή introduces the feared outcome and ἐξαλαπάξῃ is aorist subjunctive: Zeus fears that Achilles may sack the wall beyond its allotted fate. The fear concerns a possible result, not an accomplished act.

**31** ὣς ἔφατο Κρονίδης, πόλεμον δʼ ἀλίαστον ἔγειρε.  
So the son of Cronos spoke, and roused insatiable war.

**32** βὰν δʼ ἴμεναι πόλεμον δὲ θεοὶ δίχα θυμὸν ἔχοντες·  
The gods went on toward war, divided in their hearts:

**33** Ἥρη μὲν μετʼ ἀγῶνα νεῶν καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη  
Hera went to the gathering by the ships, and Pallas Athena,

**34** ἠδὲ Ποσειδάων γαιήοχος ἠδʼ ἐριούνης  
and Poseidon the earth-holder, and the luck-bringing

**35** Ἑρμείας, ὃς ἐπὶ φρεσὶ πευκαλίμῃσι κέκασται·  
Hermes, who surpasses all in shrewd designs;
> Hermes and shrewd counsel: πευκάλιμος describes a mind that is sharp, wary, and resourceful. Hermes joins Hera's faction as the god who excels in such designs, not merely as a neutral messenger.

**36** Ἥφαιστος δʼ ἅμα τοῖσι κίε σθένεϊ βλεμεαίνων  
and Hephaestus went with them, exulting in his strength,

**37** χωλεύων, ὑπὸ δὲ κνῆμαι ῥώοντο ἀραιαί.  
limping, while his slender legs moved swiftly beneath him.
> A simultaneous participle: χωλεύων is a present participle, "limping," describing Hephaestus as he advances. Homer holds his lameness and his vigorous movement together in the same line.

**38** ἐς δὲ Τρῶας Ἄρης κορυθαίολος, αὐτὰρ ἅμʼ αὐτῷ  
To the Trojans went Ares of the flashing helm, and with him

**39** Φοῖβος ἀκερσεκόμης ἠδʼ Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα  
unshorn-haired Phoebus and Artemis, showerer of arrows,

**40** Λητώ τε Ξάνθός τε φιλομειδής τʼ Ἀφροδίτη.  
and Leto, Xanthus, and laughter-loving Aphrodite.

**41** εἷος μέν ῥʼ ἀπάνευθε θεοὶ θνητῶν ἔσαν ἀνδρῶν,  
While the gods remained apart from mortal men,

**42** τεῖος Ἀχαιοὶ μὲν μέγα κύδανον, οὕνεκʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς  
the Achaeans gloried greatly because Achilles

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

**44** Τρῶας δὲ τρόμος αἰνὸς ὑπήλυθε γυῖα ἕκαστον  
but terrible trembling came over every Trojan's limbs,

**45** δειδιότας, ὅθʼ ὁρῶντο ποδώκεα Πηλεΐωνα  
as they looked in fear upon the swift son of Peleus,

**46** τεύχεσι λαμπόμενον βροτολοιγῷ ἶσον Ἄρηϊ.  
blazing in armor, equal to Ares, bane of mortals.

**47** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ μεθʼ ὅμιλον Ὀλύμπιοι ἤλυθον ἀνδρῶν,  
But when the Olympians entered the throng of men,

**48** ὦρτο δʼ Ἔρις κρατερὴ λαοσσόος, αὖε δʼ Ἀθήνη  
mighty Strife, rouser of hosts, arose, and Athena cried aloud,

**49** στᾶσʼ ὁτὲ μὲν παρὰ τάφρον ὀρυκτὴν τείχεος ἐκτός,  
standing now beside the dug trench outside the wall,

**50** ἄλλοτʼ ἐπʼ ἀκτάων ἐριδούπων μακρὸν ἀΰτει.  
now on the thunderous shores, where she shouted far and wide.

**51** αὖε δʼ Ἄρης ἑτέρωθεν ἐρεμνῇ λαίλαπι ἶσος  
Ares cried aloud from the other side, like a dark storm,

**52** ὀξὺ κατʼ ἀκροτάτης πόλιος Τρώεσσι κελεύων,  
shrilly urging the Trojans from the city's highest point,

**53** ἄλλοτε πὰρ Σιμόεντι θέων ἐπὶ Καλλικολώνῃ.  
at other times running beside the Simoeis upon Callicolone.

**54** ὣς τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους μάκαρες θεοὶ ὀτρύνοντες  
Thus the blessed gods spurred both armies on

**55** σύμβαλον, ἐν δʼ αὐτοῖς ἔριδα ῥήγνυντο βαρεῖαν·  
and brought them together, unleashing heavy strife among them;

**56** δεινὸν δὲ βρόντησε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε  
and terribly thundered the father of men and gods
> The father of men and gods: This is Zeus's fixed title as head of the Olympian order. His thunder from above initiates the cosmic upheaval, while Poseidon answers from below by shaking the earth.

**57** ὑψόθεν· αὐτὰρ νέρθε Ποσειδάων ἐτίναξε  
from high above; and from below Poseidon shook

**58** γαῖαν ἀπειρεσίην ὀρέων τʼ αἰπεινὰ κάρηνα.  
the boundless earth and the steep peaks of the mountains.

**59** πάντες δʼ ἐσσείοντο πόδες πολυπίδακος Ἴδης  
All the foothills of many-springed Ida trembled,

**60** καὶ κορυφαί, Τρώων τε πόλις καὶ νῆες Ἀχαιῶν.  
and its summits, and the Trojan city, and the Achaeans' ships.

**61** ἔδεισεν δʼ ὑπένερθεν ἄναξ ἐνέρων Ἀϊδωνεύς,  
Below, Hades, lord of the dead, was afraid,

**62** δείσας δʼ ἐκ θρόνου ἆλτο καὶ ἴαχε, μή οἱ ὕπερθε  
and in fear sprang from his throne and cried aloud, lest above him

**63** γαῖαν ἀναρρήξειε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων,  
Poseidon the earth-shaker should split the ground open,
> Fear followed by the optative: The fear clause begins with μή on the preceding line, while ἀναρρήξειε is aorist optative: Hades fears that Poseidon might tear open the earth above him. The optative places the dreaded event at a remove as a feared possibility.

**64** οἰκία δὲ θνητοῖσι καὶ ἀθανάτοισι φανείη  
and the houses be revealed to mortals and immortals,

**65** σμερδαλέʼ εὐρώεντα, τά τε στυγέουσι θεοί περ·  
dread and dank, which even the gods themselves abhor;

**66** τόσσος ἄρα κτύπος ὦρτο θεῶν ἔριδι ξυνιόντων.  
so great a din arose as the gods met one another in strife.

**67** ἤτοι μὲν γὰρ ἔναντα Ποσειδάωνος ἄνακτος  
For against lord Poseidon

**68** ἵστατʼ Ἀπόλλων Φοῖβος ἔχων ἰὰ πτερόεντα,  
stood Phoebus Apollo, holding his winged arrows;

**69** ἄντα δʼ Ἐνυαλίοιο θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·  
against Enyalius stood the goddess, bright-eyed Athena;

**70** Ἥρῃ δʼ ἀντέστη χρυσηλάκατος κελαδεινὴ  
against Hera stood loud-sounding

**71** Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα κασιγνήτη ἑκάτοιο·  
Artemis of the golden arrows, showerer of arrows, sister of the far-shooter;

**72** Λητοῖ δʼ ἀντέστη σῶκος ἐριούνιος Ἑρμῆς,  
against Leto stood Hermes, the strong luck-bringer;

**73** ἄντα δʼ ἄρʼ Ἡφαίστοιο μέγας ποταμὸς βαθυδίνης,  
and against Hephaestus stood the great deep-swirling river,

**74** ὃν Ξάνθον καλέουσι θεοί, ἄνδρες δὲ Σκάμανδρον.  
whom the gods call Xanthus, and mortals Scamander.

**75** ὣς οἳ μὲν θεοὶ ἄντα θεῶν ἴσαν· αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς  
So the gods went against the gods; but Achilles

**76** Ἕκτορος ἄντα μάλιστα λιλαίετο δῦναι ὅμιλον  
longed above all to plunge into the throng against Hector,

**77** Πριαμίδεω· τοῦ γάρ ῥα μάλιστά ἑ θυμὸς ἀνώγει  
Priam's son; for Hector above all Achilles' heart urged him

**78** αἵματος ἆσαι Ἄρηα ταλαύρινον πολεμιστήν.  
to glut Ares with blood, the steadfast shield-bearing warrior.

**79** Αἰνείαν δʼ ἰθὺς λαοσσόος ὦρσεν Ἀπόλλων  
But Apollo, rouser of hosts, drove Aeneas straight

**80** ἀντία Πηλεΐωνος, ἐνῆκε δέ οἱ μένος ἠΰ·  
against the son of Peleus and poured brave strength into him;

**81** υἱέϊ δὲ Πριάμοιο Λυκάονι εἴσατο φωνήν·  
he made his voice like that of Lycaon, son of Priam.

**82** τῷ μιν ἐεισάμενος προσέφη Διὸς υἱὸς Ἀπόλλων·  
In his likeness Apollo, son of Zeus, addressed Aeneas:
> In his likeness: The aorist middle participle ἐεισάμενος describes Apollo assuming Lycaon's likeness for the address. The pronoun μιν points to Aeneas as the person addressed, while Apollo remains the subject.

**83** Αἰνεία Τρώων βουληφόρε ποῦ τοι ἀπειλαὶ  
"Aeneas, counselor of the Trojans, where are the boasts

**84** ἃς Τρώων βασιλεῦσιν ὑπίσχεο οἰνοποτάζων  
you pledged before the Trojan kings as you drank your wine,

**85** Πηλεΐδεω Ἀχιλῆος ἐναντίβιον πολεμίξειν;  
that you would fight Achilles, son of Peleus, face to face?"

**86** τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Αἰνείας ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέειπε·  
Then Aeneas answered him and said:

**87** Πριαμίδη τί με ταῦτα καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλοντα κελεύεις  
"Son of Priam, why do you command me, though I am unwilling,

**88** ἀντία Πηλεΐωνος ὑπερθύμοιο μάχεσθαι;  
to fight face to face with the high-hearted son of Peleus?

**89** οὐ μὲν γὰρ νῦν πρῶτα ποδώκεος ἄντʼ Ἀχιλῆος  
This will not be the first time I have stood against

**90** στήσομαι, ἀλλʼ ἤδη με καὶ ἄλλοτε δουρὶ φόβησεν  
swift-footed Achilles; once before he routed me with his spear

**91** ἐξ Ἴδης, ὅτε βουσὶν ἐπήλυθεν ἡμετέρῃσι,  
down from Ida, when he came against our cattle

**92** πέρσε δὲ Λυρνησσὸν καὶ Πήδασον· αὐτὰρ ἐμὲ Ζεὺς  
and sacked Lyrnessus and Pedasus. But Zeus

**93** εἰρύσαθʼ, ὅς μοι ἐπῶρσε μένος λαιψηρά τε γοῦνα.  
rescued me, rousing strength in me and speed in my knees.

**94** ἦ κʼ ἐδάμην ὑπὸ χερσὶν Ἀχιλλῆος καὶ Ἀθήνης,  
Otherwise I would have fallen beneath the hands of Achilles and Athena,
> A death that did not happen: κεν with the aorist passive ἐδάμην gives the unreal result: Aeneas would have been overcome, but Zeus rescued him. English supplies “otherwise” from the contrast with the preceding rescue.

**95** ἥ οἱ πρόσθεν ἰοῦσα τίθει φάος ἠδʼ ἐκέλευεν  
who went before him, cast light ahead, and urged him

**96** ἔγχεϊ χαλκείῳ Λέλεγας καὶ Τρῶας ἐναίρειν.  
to kill Leleges and Trojans with his bronze spear.

**97** τὼ οὐκ ἔστʼ Ἀχιλῆος ἐναντίον ἄνδρα μάχεσθαι·  
So no man can stand and fight against Achilles,

**98** αἰεὶ γὰρ πάρα εἷς γε θεῶν ὃς λοιγὸν ἀμύνει.  
for always some one god is near to ward death from him.

**99** καὶ δʼ ἄλλως τοῦ γʼ ἰθὺ βέλος πέτετʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπολήγει  
Besides, his missile flies straight and does not cease

**100** πρὶν χροὸς ἀνδρομέοιο διελθέμεν. εἰ δὲ θεός περ  
before it passes through a mortal man's flesh. But if a god

**101** ἶσον τείνειεν πολέμου τέλος, οὔ κε μάλα ῥέα  
should stretch the issue of war level between us, he would not
> If a god made the contest even: The optative τείνειεν completes the hypothetical condition begun on the preceding line: if a god were to hold the war's outcome equally poised. Aeneas does not claim equality under the battle's present divine conditions.

**102** νικήσειʼ, οὐδʼ εἰ παγχάλκεος εὔχεται εἶναι.  
defeat me with ease, not even if he boasts that he is all bronze."
> All bronze: παγχάλκεος compresses παν-, “all,” and χαλκός, “bronze.” Aeneas turns Achilles' armor and martial hardness into a taunt: even a man who boasts of being bronze through and through is not invulnerable.

**103** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν ἄναξ Διὸς υἱὸς Ἀπόλλων·  
Then lord Apollo, son of Zeus, answered him:

**104** ἥρως ἀλλʼ ἄγε καὶ σὺ θεοῖς αἰειγενέτῃσιν  
"Hero, come, pray in your turn to the everlasting gods.

**105** εὔχεο· καὶ δὲ σέ φασι Διὸς κούρης Ἀφροδίτης  
For they say that you were born from Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus,

**106** ἐκγεγάμεν, κεῖνος δὲ χερείονος ἐκ θεοῦ ἐστίν·  
while that man comes from a goddess of lower rank:
> To have been born: ἐκγεγάμεν is an epic perfect infinitive dependent on φασι in the preceding line, “they say.” The perfect presents Aeneas' divine birth as an established fact with present force.

**107** ἣ μὲν γὰρ Διός ἐσθʼ, ἣ δʼ ἐξ ἁλίοιο γέροντος.  
the one is Zeus's daughter; the other's father is the old man of the sea.

**108** ἀλλʼ ἰθὺς φέρε χαλκὸν ἀτειρέα, μηδέ σε πάμπαν  
Come, bear your unyielding bronze straight at him, and do not let him

**109** λευγαλέοις ἐπέεσσιν ἀποτρεπέτω καὶ ἀρειῇ.  
turn you away with grievous words and threats."

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

**111** βῆ δὲ διὰ προμάχων κεκορυθμένος αἴθοπι χαλκῷ.  
And he strode out through the front ranks, helmed in gleaming bronze.

**112** οὐδʼ ἔλαθʼ Ἀγχίσαο πάϊς λευκώλενον Ἥρην  
Nor did Anchises' son escape the notice of white-armed Hera

**113** ἀντία Πηλεΐωνος ἰὼν ἀνὰ οὐλαμὸν ἀνδρῶν·  
as he went against the son of Peleus through the mass of men.

**114** ἣ δʼ ἄμυδις στήσασα θεοὺς μετὰ μῦθον ἔειπε·  
She gathered the gods together and spoke among them:

**115** φράζεσθον δὴ σφῶϊ Ποσείδαον καὶ Ἀθήνη  
"You two, Poseidon and Athena, consider now
> A command to exactly two gods: Both φράζεσθον and σφῶϊ are dual forms, marking Poseidon and Athena as precisely two addressees. The verb is a present middle imperative: Hera tells the pair to deliberate for themselves.

**116** ἐν φρεσὶν ὑμετέρῃσιν, ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα.  
in your hearts how these deeds shall turn out.

**117** Αἰνείας ὅδʼ ἔβη κεκορυθμένος αἴθοπι χαλκῷ  
Here Aeneas has gone, helmed in gleaming bronze,

**118** ἀντία Πηλεΐωνος, ἀνῆκε δὲ Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων.  
against the son of Peleus, and Phoebus Apollo sent him on.

**119** ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ, ἡμεῖς πέρ μιν ἀποτρωπῶμεν ὀπίσσω  
Come, let us turn him back from there ourselves,

**120** αὐτόθεν· ἤ τις ἔπειτα καὶ ἡμείων Ἀχιλῆϊ  
or else let one of us stand beside Achilles

**121** παρσταίη, δοίη δὲ κράτος μέγα, μηδέ τι θυμῷ  
and give him great strength, so that he may lack nothing in his heart,

**122** δευέσθω, ἵνα εἰδῇ ὅ μιν φιλέουσιν ἄριστοι  
and he may know that the best of the immortals love him,

**123** ἀθανάτων, οἳ δʼ αὖτʼ ἀνεμώλιοι οἳ τὸ πάρος περ  
while those who until now have defended the Trojans

**124** Τρωσὶν ἀμύνουσιν πόλεμον καὶ δηϊοτῆτα.  
from war and battle are nothing but wind.

**125** πάντες δʼ Οὐλύμποιο κατήλθομεν ἀντιόωντες  
We have all come down from Olympus to meet

**126** τῆσδε μάχης, ἵνα μή τι μετὰ Τρώεσσι πάθῃσι  
this battle, so that he may suffer nothing among the Trojans

**127** σήμερον· ὕστερον αὖτε τὰ πείσεται ἅσσά οἱ αἶσα  
today. Later he shall suffer all that Fate

**128** γιγνομένῳ ἐπένησε λίνῳ ὅτε μιν τέκε μήτηρ.  
spun into his thread at birth, when his mother bore him.

**129** εἰ δʼ Ἀχιλεὺς οὐ ταῦτα θεῶν ἐκ πεύσεται ὀμφῆς  
But if Achilles does not learn this from the voice of the gods,

**130** δείσετʼ ἔπειθʼ, ὅτε κέν τις ἐναντίβιον θεὸς ἔλθῃ  
he will be afraid when some god comes against him

**131** ἐν πολέμῳ· χαλεποὶ δὲ θεοὶ φαίνεσθαι ἐναργεῖς.  
in battle; terrible are gods when they appear in manifest form."
> Gods made manifest: ἐναργεῖς describes gods appearing plainly and unmistakably before mortals, rather than working through disguise or hidden influence. Hera stresses the terror of direct divine presence.

**132** τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων·  
Then Poseidon the earth-shaker answered her:
> Poseidon the earth-shaker: ἐνοσίχθων is Poseidon's standing earth-shaking epithet. Its fixed wording recalls the earthquake he has just raised while keeping this title distinct from his other sea and earth epithets.

**133** Ἥρη μὴ χαλέπαινε παρʼ ἐκ νόον· οὐδέ τί σε χρή.  
"Hera, do not rage beyond reason; there is no need.

**134** οὐκ ἂν ἔγωγʼ ἐθέλοιμι θεοὺς ἔριδι ξυνελάσσαι  
I would not wish to drive the other gods together in strife

**135** ἡμέας τοὺς ἄλλους, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτεροί εἰμεν·  
against us, since we are far stronger.

**136** ἀλλʼ ἡμεῖς μὲν ἔπειτα καθεζώμεσθα κιόντες  
Instead, let us go and sit

**137** ἐκ πάτου ἐς σκοπιήν, πόλεμος δʼ ἄνδρεσσι μελήσει.  
off the trodden way at a lookout; war shall concern men.

**138** εἰ δέ κʼ Ἄρης ἄρχωσι μάχης ἢ Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων,  
But if Ares or Phoebus Apollo begins the battle,

**139** ἢ Ἀχιλῆʼ ἴσχωσι καὶ οὐκ εἰῶσι μάχεσθαι,  
or if they hold Achilles back and do not let him fight,

**140** αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτα καὶ ἄμμι παρʼ αὐτόθι νεῖκος ὀρεῖται  
then at once among us too a quarrel will arise

**141** φυλόπιδος· μάλα δʼ ὦκα διακρινθέντας ὀΐω  
over battle on that very spot. Once parted, I think they will very quickly

**142** ἂψ ἴμεν Οὔλυμπον δὲ θεῶν μεθʼ ὁμήγυριν ἄλλων  
go back to Olympus among the gathering of the other gods,

**143** ἡμετέρῃς ὑπὸ χερσὶν ἀναγκαίηφι δαμέντας.  
subdued by force beneath our hands."
> An old instrumental ending: ἀναγκαίηφι uses the epic ending -φι with instrumental force: the opposing gods will be subdued “by compulsion” or “by force.” The form supplies the means of their defeat, not another combatant.

**144** ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἡγήσατο κυανοχαίτης  
So dark-haired Poseidon spoke and led the way
> Dark-haired Poseidon: κυανοχαίτης is Poseidon's dark-haired epithet, with κυανός evoking a deep blue-black darkness. The fixed “dark-haired” wording keeps it distinct from his earth-shaking titles.

**145** τεῖχος ἐς ἀμφίχυτον Ἡρακλῆος θείοιο  
to the high wall built around divine Heracles,

**146** ὑψηλόν, τό ῥά οἱ Τρῶες καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη  
which the Trojans and Pallas Athena had made for him

**147** ποίεον, ὄφρα τὸ κῆτος ὑπεκπροφυγὼν ἀλέαιτο,  
so that he might escape the sea-monster and find shelter

**148** ὁππότε μιν σεύαιτο ἀπʼ ἠϊόνος πεδίον δέ.  
whenever it drove him from the shore toward the plain.

**149** ἔνθα Ποσειδάων κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο καὶ θεοὶ ἄλλοι,  
There Poseidon and the other gods sat down,

**150** ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ἄρρηκτον νεφέλην ὤμοισιν ἕσαντο·  
and around their shoulders they drew an unbreakable cloud.

**151** οἳ δʼ ἑτέρωσε καθῖζον ἐπʼ ὀφρύσι Καλλικολώνης  
The others sat opposite them on the brows of Callicolone,

**152** ἀμφὶ σὲ ἤϊε Φοῖβε καὶ Ἄρηα πτολίπορθον.  
around you, archer Phoebus, and Ares, sacker of cities.

**153** ὣς οἳ μέν ῥʼ ἑκάτερθε καθήατο μητιόωντες  
So the two sides sat apart, each planning

**154** βουλάς· ἀρχέμεναι δὲ δυσηλεγέος πολέμοιο  
their counsels; both shrank from beginning grievous war,
> They hesitated to begin: The epic infinitive ἀρχέμεναι completes ὄκνεον in the next line: both sides hesitated “to begin.” The delayed governing verb lets the reluctance hang across the line break.

**155** ὄκνεον ἀμφότεροι, Ζεὺς δʼ ἥμενος ὕψι κέλευε.  
while Zeus, seated high above, urged them on.

**156** τῶν δʼ ἅπαν ἐπλήσθη πεδίον καὶ λάμπετο χαλκῷ  
The whole plain was filled with them and gleamed with bronze,

**157** ἀνδρῶν ἠδʼ ἵππων· κάρκαιρε δὲ γαῖα πόδεσσιν  
with men and horses; the earth rattled beneath their feet

**158** ὀρνυμένων ἄμυδις. δύο δʼ ἀνέρες ἔξοχʼ ἄριστοι  
as they surged together. Two men, outstanding above all,
> All together: ἄμυδις means together or all at once. The armies advance as one mass before the poem singles out the two champions.

**159** ἐς μέσον ἀμφοτέρων συνίτην μεμαῶτε μάχεσθαι  
met between the two armies, both eager to fight,

**160** Αἰνείας τʼ Ἀγχισιάδης καὶ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.  
Aeneas, son of Anchises, and godlike Achilles.

**161** Αἰνείας δὲ πρῶτος ἀπειλήσας ἐβεβήκει  
Aeneas came on first, uttering threats,

**162** νευστάζων κόρυθι βριαρῇ· ἀτὰρ ἀσπίδα θοῦριν  
nodding beneath his heavy helmet; he held his battle-shield

**163** πρόσθεν ἔχε στέρνοιο, τίνασσε δὲ χάλκεον ἔγχος.  
before his chest and brandished his bronze spear.

**164** Πηλεΐδης δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐναντίον ὦρτο λέων ὣς  
From the other side the son of Peleus sprang against him like a lion,
> A lion comparison: The comparison places ὣς, “like,” after λέων, “a lion.” The lion simile unfolds for ten lines before returning to Achilles.

**165** σίντης, ὅν τε καὶ ἄνδρες ἀποκτάμεναι μεμάασιν  
a ravager whom men are eager to kill,

**166** ἀγρόμενοι πᾶς δῆμος· ὃ δὲ πρῶτον μὲν ἀτίζων  
the whole district gathered against him. At first he goes on, scorning them,

**167** ἔρχεται, ἀλλʼ ὅτε κέν τις ἀρηϊθόων αἰζηῶν  
but when one of the warlike young men

**168** δουρὶ βάλῃ ἐάλη τε χανών, περί τʼ ἀφρὸς ὀδόντας  
strikes him with a spear, he crouches with jaws agape, and foam gathers

**169** γίγνεται, ἐν δέ τέ οἱ κραδίῃ στένει ἄλκιμον ἦτορ,  
about his teeth, while within his heart his valiant spirit groans;

**170** οὐρῇ δὲ πλευράς τε καὶ ἰσχία ἀμφοτέρωθεν  
with his tail he lashes his ribs and hips on either side,

**171** μαστίεται, ἑὲ δʼ αὐτὸν ἐποτρύνει μαχέσασθαι,  
and drives himself on to fight;

**172** γλαυκιόων δʼ ἰθὺς φέρεται μένει, ἤν τινα πέφνῃ  
glaring, he charges straight ahead in fury, to see whether he kills

**173** ἀνδρῶν, ἢ αὐτὸς φθίεται πρώτῳ ἐν ὁμίλῳ·  
one of the men or himself dies among the foremost throng.

**174** ὣς Ἀχιλῆʼ ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ  
So did his might and proud spirit urge Achilles

**175** ἀντίον ἐλθέμεναι μεγαλήτορος Αἰνείαο.  
to go against great-hearted Aeneas.

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

**177** τὸν πρότερος προσέειπε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·  
swift-footed godlike Achilles spoke to him first:
> Swift-footed godlike Achilles: The paired epithets praise Achilles' speed and heroic splendor. This fuller formula keeps its fixed wording distinct from the simpler “swift-footed Achilles.”

**178** Αἰνεία τί σὺ τόσσον ὁμίλου πολλὸν ἐπελθὼν  
"Aeneas, why have you come so far out from the crowded ranks

**179** ἔστης; ἦ σέ γε θυμὸς ἐμοὶ μαχέσασθαι ἀνώγει  
and taken your stand? Does your heart command you to fight me,

**180** ἐλπόμενον Τρώεσσιν ἀνάξειν ἱπποδάμοισι  
in hope of ruling the horse-taming Trojans

**181** τιμῆς τῆς Πριάμου; ἀτὰρ εἴ κεν ἔμʼ ἐξεναρίξῃς,  
with Priam's honor? Yet even if you should kill me,
> A future condition: εἴ κεν introduces a prospective condition: “even if you should.” The particle κεν marks the event as possible rather than asserted.

**182** οὔ τοι τοὔνεκά γε Πρίαμος γέρας ἐν χερὶ θήσει·  
Priam will not for that place a prize of honor in your hand.

**183** εἰσὶν γάρ οἱ παῖδες, ὃ δʼ ἔμπεδος οὐδʼ ἀεσίφρων.  
He has sons, and he is steadfast, not witless.

**184** ἦ νύ τί τοι Τρῶες τέμενος τάμον ἔξοχον ἄλλων  
Or have the Trojans marked off for you a choice demesne beyond all others,

**185** καλὸν φυταλιῆς καὶ ἀρούρης, ὄφρα νέμηαι  
fair with orchard and plowland, for you to possess,

**186** αἴ κεν ἐμὲ κτείνῃς; χαλεπῶς δέ σʼ ἔολπα τὸ ῥέξειν.  
if you kill me? But I think you will find that hard to do.

**187** ἤδη μὲν σέ γέ φημι καὶ ἄλλοτε δουρὶ φοβῆσαι.  
I say that once before I made you flee from my spear.

**188** ἦ οὐ μέμνῃ ὅτε πέρ σε βοῶν ἄπο μοῦνον ἐόντα  
Do you not remember when I found you alone, away from the cattle,

**189** σεῦα κατʼ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων ταχέεσσι πόδεσσι  
and drove you down the mountains of Ida on my swift feet,

**190** καρπαλίμως; τότε δʼ οὔ τι μετατροπαλίζεο φεύγων.  
at full speed? You never once turned back as you fled.

**191** ἔνθεν δʼ ἐς Λυρνησσὸν ὑπέκφυγες· αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ τὴν  
From there you escaped to Lyrnessus; but I

**192** πέρσα μεθορμηθεὶς σὺν Ἀθήνῃ καὶ Διὶ πατρί,  
pursued you and sacked it with Athena and father Zeus,

**193** ληϊάδας δὲ γυναῖκας ἐλεύθερον ἦμαρ ἀπούρας  
and I led away its captive women, robbing them of the day of freedom;

**194** ἦγον· ἀτὰρ σὲ Ζεὺς ἐρρύσατο καὶ θεοὶ ἄλλοι.  
but Zeus and the other gods saved you.

**195** ἀλλʼ οὐ νῦν ἐρύεσθαι ὀΐομαι, ὡς ἐνὶ θυμῷ  
Yet I do not think they will save you now, as you

**196** βάλλεαι· ἀλλά σʼ ἔγωγʼ ἀναχωρήσαντα κελεύω  
imagine in your heart. No, I advise you to withdraw

**197** ἐς πληθὺν ἰέναι, μηδʼ ἀντίος ἵστασʼ ἐμεῖο,  
into the throng, and not stand face to face with me,

**198** πρίν τι κακὸν παθέειν· ῥεχθὲν δέ τε νήπιος ἔγνω.  
before you suffer harm; even a fool learns once the deed is done."

**199** τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Αἰνείας ἀπαμείβετο φώνησέν τε·  
Then Aeneas answered him and spoke:

**200** Πηλεΐδη μὴ δὴ ἐπέεσσί με νηπύτιον ὣς  
"Son of Peleus, do not expect with words, as though I were a child,
> Like a little child: νηπύτιος is a belittling form of νήπιος, a child or childish fool. Aeneas rejects Achilles' attempt to frighten him as if he lacked an adult warrior's judgment.

**201** ἔλπεο δειδίξεσθαι, ἐπεὶ σάφα οἶδα καὶ αὐτὸς  
to frighten me, since I myself know well

**202** ἠμὲν κερτομίας ἠδʼ αἴσυλα μυθήσασθαι.  
both taunts and overbearing words to speak.

**203** ἴδμεν δʼ ἀλλήλων γενεήν, ἴδμεν δὲ τοκῆας  
We know each other's lineage, and we know each other's parents,

**204** πρόκλυτʼ ἀκούοντες ἔπεα θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων·  
hearing the reports of mortal men told long before;

**205** ὄψει δʼ οὔτʼ ἄρ πω σὺ ἐμοὺς ἴδες οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ἐγὼ σούς.  
but by sight you have never seen mine, nor have I seen yours.

**206** φασὶ σὲ μὲν Πηλῆος ἀμύμονος ἔκγονον εἶναι,  
They say that you are the offspring of blameless Peleus,

**207** μητρὸς δʼ ἐκ Θέτιδος καλλιπλοκάμου ἁλοσύδνης·  
and that your mother is Thetis, fair-tressed daughter of the sea;
> Daughter of the sea: ἁλοσύδνη is a poetic sea epithet, here applied to Thetis. It marks Achilles' mother as a divine being born from the sea.

**208** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν υἱὸς μεγαλήτορος Ἀγχίσαο  
while I claim to have been born the son of great-hearted Anchises,

**209** εὔχομαι ἐκγεγάμεν, μήτηρ δέ μοί ἐστʼ Ἀφροδίτη·  
and my mother is Aphrodite.
> Claiming descent: εὔχομαι with the perfect infinitive ἐκγεγάμεν means “I claim to have been born.” In heroic speech, the verb presents ancestry as a source of standing and pride.

**210** τῶν δὴ νῦν ἕτεροί γε φίλον παῖδα κλαύσονται  
Of these parents, one pair will mourn a dear son

**211** σήμερον· οὐ γάρ φημʼ ἐπέεσσί γε νηπυτίοισιν  
today; for I do not think that with childish words alone

**212** ὧδε διακρινθέντε μάχης ἐξαπονέεσθαι.  
we shall part here and come away from battle.

**213** εἰ δʼ ἐθέλεις καὶ ταῦτα δαήμεναι, ὄφρʼ ἐῢ εἰδῇς  
But if you wish to learn this too, so that you may know well

**214** ἡμετέρην γενεήν, πολλοὶ δέ μιν ἄνδρες ἴσασι·  
our lineage, which many men know:

**215** Δάρδανον αὖ πρῶτον τέκετο νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς,  
Zeus the cloud-gatherer first fathered Dardanus,
> Zeus the cloud-gatherer: νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς is Zeus's standing cloud epithet. Its fixed English wording keeps this formula distinct from his thunder and lightning epithets.

**216** κτίσσε δὲ Δαρδανίην, ἐπεὶ οὔ πω Ἴλιος ἱρὴ  
and Dardanus founded Dardania, since sacred Ilion had not yet

**217** ἐν πεδίῳ πεπόλιστο πόλις μερόπων ἀνθρώπων,  
been built on the plain as a city of mortal men;

**218** ἀλλʼ ἔθʼ ὑπωρείας ᾤκεον πολυπίδακος Ἴδης.  
they still dwelt on the lower slopes of many-springed Ida.
> Many-springed Ida: πολυπίδακος describes Mount Ida as rich in springs. The epithet fixes the older Dardanian settlement in the well-watered foothills before Ilion stood on the plain.

**219** Δάρδανος αὖ τέκεθʼ υἱὸν Ἐριχθόνιον βασιλῆα,  
Dardanus in turn fathered a son, King Erichthonius,

**220** ὃς δὴ ἀφνειότατος γένετο θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων·  
who became the wealthiest of mortal men.

**221** τοῦ τρισχίλιαι ἵπποι ἕλος κάτα βουκολέοντο  
His three thousand mares grazed through the marsh,

**222** θήλειαι, πώλοισιν ἀγαλλόμεναι ἀταλῇσι.  
females glorying in their tender foals.

**223** τάων καὶ Βορέης ἠράσσατο βοσκομενάων,  
Boreas fell in love with them as they grazed,

**224** ἵππῳ δʼ εἰσάμενος παρελέξατο κυανοχαίτῃ·  
and taking the likeness of a dark-maned stallion, he lay with them;
> Taking a likeness: The participle εἰσάμενος means “making himself like” or “taking the likeness of.” Boreas remains the agent while assuming a stallion's form.

**225** αἳ δʼ ὑποκυσάμεναι ἔτεκον δυοκαίδεκα πώλους.  
they conceived and bore twelve foals.

**226** αἳ δʼ ὅτε μὲν σκιρτῷεν ἐπὶ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν,  
Whenever they bounded over the grain-giving field,
> Repeated action in the past: The optative σκιρτῷεν stands in a past general temporal clause: “whenever they bounded.” It describes what the marvelous horses would repeatedly do.

**227** ἄκρον ἐπʼ ἀνθερίκων καρπὸν θέον οὐδὲ κατέκλων·  
they ran upon the tips of the ears of grain and did not break them;

**228** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ σκιρτῷεν ἐπʼ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης,  
and whenever they bounded over the broad back of the sea,

**229** ἄκρον ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνος ἁλὸς πολιοῖο θέεσκον.  
they would run upon the crest of the gray sea's breaking wave.

**230** Τρῶα δʼ Ἐριχθόνιος τέκετο Τρώεσσιν ἄνακτα·  
Erichthonius fathered Tros, king of the Trojans;

**231** Τρωὸς δʼ αὖ τρεῖς παῖδες ἀμύμονες ἐξεγένοντο  
and from Tros in turn three blameless sons were born,

**232** Ἶλός τʼ Ἀσσάρακός τε καὶ ἀντίθεος Γανυμήδης,  
Ilus and Assaracus and godlike Ganymede,

**233** ὃς δὴ κάλλιστος γένετο θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων·  
who became the most beautiful of mortal men.

**234** τὸν καὶ ἀνηρείψαντο θεοὶ Διὶ οἰνοχοεύειν  
The gods snatched him away to pour wine for Zeus,

**235** κάλλεος εἵνεκα οἷο ἵνʼ ἀθανάτοισι μετείη.  
because of his beauty, so that he might dwell among the immortals.

**236** Ἶλος δʼ αὖ τέκεθʼ υἱὸν ἀμύμονα Λαομέδοντα·  
Ilus in turn fathered a blameless son, Laomedon;

**237** Λαομέδων δʼ ἄρα Τιθωνὸν τέκετο Πρίαμόν τε  
and Laomedon fathered Tithonus and Priam,

**238** Λάμπόν τε Κλυτίον θʼ Ἱκετάονά τʼ ὄζον Ἄρηος·  
and Lampus and Clytius and Hicetaon, scion of Ares
> Scion of Ares: ὄζον Ἄρηος is a fixed heroic praise-name, literally a “shoot” or “branch of Ares.” It marks Hicetaon as warlike without making him Ares's literal son.

**239** Ἀσσάρακος δὲ Κάπυν, ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ Ἀγχίσην τέκε παῖδα·  
Assaracus fathered Capys, and Capys fathered his son Anchises;

**240** αὐτὰρ ἔμʼ Ἀγχίσης, Πρίαμος δʼ ἔτεχʼ Ἕκτορα δῖον.  
Anchises fathered me, while Priam fathered godlike Hector.

**241** ταύτης τοι γενεῆς τε καὶ αἵματος εὔχομαι εἶναι.  
From this lineage and blood I claim to come.

**242** Ζεὺς δʼ ἀρετὴν ἄνδρεσσιν ὀφέλλει τε μινύθει τε  
Zeus increases a man's valor and diminishes it

**243** ὅππως κεν ἐθέλῃσιν· ὃ γὰρ κάρτιστος ἁπάντων.  
as he chooses, for he is the strongest of all.

**244** ἀλλʼ ἄγε μηκέτι ταῦτα λεγώμεθα νηπύτιοι ὣς  
But come, let us no longer talk thus like children

**245** ἑσταότʼ ἐν μέσσῃ ὑσμίνῃ δηϊοτῆτος.  
as we stand in the midst of murderous battle.

**246** ἔστι γὰρ ἀμφοτέροισιν ὀνείδεα μυθήσασθαι  
Both of us can utter insults,

**247** πολλὰ μάλʼ, οὐδʼ ἂν νηῦς ἑκατόζυγος ἄχθος ἄροιτο.  
so very many that a hundred-benched ship could not bear the load.
> A hundred-benched ship: ἑκατόζυγος pictures a huge ship fitted with a hundred rowing benches. Aeneas turns its carrying capacity into a comic measure for the abuse both heroes could trade.

**248** στρεπτὴ δὲ γλῶσσʼ ἐστὶ βροτῶν, πολέες δʼ ἔνι μῦθοι  
A mortal's tongue is twisting, and within it are many words
> The twisting tongue: στρεπτός can mean turning, flexible, or twisting. The image presents speech as able to turn in many directions and answer one insult with another.

**249** παντοῖοι, ἐπέων δὲ πολὺς νομὸς ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα.  
of every kind, and the range of speech runs far both this way and that.

**250** ὁπποῖόν κʼ εἴπῃσθα ἔπος, τοῖόν κʼ ἐπακούσαις.  
Whatever word you speak, such a word you may hear in answer.
> Word matched by word: The first κεν makes the relative indefinite: whatever kind of word a person may speak. The second accompanies the potential optative ἐπακούσαις: that same kind might come back in reply.

**251** ἀλλὰ τί ἢ ἔριδας καὶ νείκεα νῶϊν ἀνάγκη  
But why must the two of us hurl quarrels and abuse

**252** νεικεῖν ἀλλήλοισιν ἐναντίον ὥς τε γυναῖκας,  
at each other face-to-face like women

**253** αἵ τε χολωσάμεναι ἔριδος πέρι θυμοβόροιο  
who, angered over a heart-devouring quarrel,
> Heart-devouring anger: θυμοβόρος joins θυμός, the heart or spirit, with the root of “devour.” The quarrel consumes the inner life of those caught in it.

**254** νεικεῦσʼ ἀλλήλῃσι μέσην ἐς ἄγυιαν ἰοῦσαι  
go into the middle of the street and trade abuse,

**255** πόλλʼ ἐτεά τε καὶ οὐκί· χόλος δέ τε καὶ τὰ κελεύει.  
much of it true and much not, as anger bids them?

**256** ἀλκῆς δʼ οὔ μʼ ἐπέεσσιν ἀποτρέψεις μεμαῶτα  
You will not turn me from valor with words, eager as I am,

**257** πρὶν χαλκῷ μαχέσασθαι ἐναντίον· ἀλλʼ ἄγε θᾶσσον  
before we fight face-to-face with bronze. Come then, quickly,

**258** γευσόμεθʼ ἀλλήλων χαλκήρεσιν ἐγχείῃσιν.  
let us taste one another with bronze-shod spears."
> Let us taste each other: The future middle γευσόμεθα, “we shall taste,” is used as a forceful invitation. The metaphor makes combat an immediate bodily test of one another.

**259** ἦ ῥα καὶ ἐν δεινῷ σάκει ἤλασεν ὄβριμον ἔγχος  
So he spoke and drove his mighty spear at the dread shield,

**260** σμερδαλέῳ· μέγα δʼ ἀμφὶ σάκος μύκε δουρὸς ἀκωκῇ.  
terrible to behold; loudly the shield groaned around the spearpoint.
> The shield groans: The verb μύκε describes a deep bellow or groan. Homer makes the shield sound almost alive when Aeneas' spearpoint strikes it.

**261** Πηλεΐδης δὲ σάκος μὲν ἀπὸ ἕο χειρὶ παχείῃ  
The son of Peleus held the shield away from himself with his stout hand,

**262** ἔσχετο ταρβήσας· φάτο γὰρ δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος  
afraid; for he thought the long-shadowed spear

**263** ῥέα διελεύσεσθαι μεγαλήτορος Αἰνείαο  
of great-hearted Aeneas would pass easily through it,

**264** νήπιος, οὐδʼ ἐνόησε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμὸν  
fool that he was, nor did he know in mind and heart

**265** ὡς οὐ ῥηΐδιʼ ἐστὶ θεῶν ἐρικυδέα δῶρα  
that the glorious gifts of gods are not easily

**266** ἀνδράσι γε θνητοῖσι δαμήμεναι οὐδʼ ὑποείκειν.  
subdued by mortal men, nor do they yield.

**267** οὐδὲ τότʼ Αἰνείαο δαΐφρονος ὄβριμον ἔγχος  
Not even then did the mighty spear of warlike Aeneas

**268** ῥῆξε σάκος· χρυσὸς γὰρ ἐρύκακε, δῶρα θεοῖο·  
break the shield; the gold held it back, the god's gift.

**269** ἀλλὰ δύω μὲν ἔλασσε διὰ πτύχας, αἳ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔτι τρεῖς  
It drove through two folds, but three were still beyond them,
> Homeric ‘two’: δύω is a Homeric form of the cardinal numeral δύο, ‘two.’ Here it modifies the accusative plural πτύχας, ‘folds’; the line then says that three folds remained.

**270** ἦσαν, ἐπεὶ πέντε πτύχας ἤλασε κυλλοποδίων,  
for the god of crooked feet had hammered out five folds:

**271** τὰς δύο χαλκείας, δύο δʼ ἔνδοθι κασσιτέροιο,  
two of bronze, two within them of tin,

**272** τὴν δὲ μίαν χρυσῆν, τῇ ῥʼ ἔσχετο μείλινον ἔγχος.  
and one of gold; there the ash-wood spear was stopped.
> The golden layer: The single golden fold is the final layer named and the one that checks Aeneas' ash-wood spear. The sequence preserves all five: two bronze, two tin, and one gold.

**273** δεύτερος αὖτʼ Ἀχιλεὺς προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος,  
Then Achilles cast his long-shadowed spear in turn,

**274** καὶ βάλεν Αἰνείαο κατʼ ἀσπίδα πάντοσʼ ἐΐσην  
and struck Aeneas' perfectly round shield,

**275** ἄντυγʼ ὕπο πρώτην, ᾗ λεπτότατος θέε χαλκός,  
beneath its outer rim, where the bronze ran thinnest

**276** λεπτοτάτη δʼ ἐπέην ῥινὸς βοός· ἣ δὲ διὰ πρὸ  
and the oxhide was thinnest; straight through it

**277** Πηλιὰς ἤϊξεν μελίη, λάκε δʼ ἀσπὶς ὑπʼ αὐτῆς.  
the Pelian ash spear flew, and the shield cracked beneath it.

**278** Αἰνείας δʼ ἐάλη καὶ ἀπὸ ἕθεν ἀσπίδʼ ἀνέσχε  
Aeneas crouched and held the shield away from himself,

**279** δείσας· ἐγχείη δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ νώτου ἐνὶ γαίῃ  
afraid; the spear flew over his back and in the ground

**280** ἔστη ἱεμένη, διὰ δʼ ἀμφοτέρους ἕλε κύκλους  
stood quivering, after passing through both circles
> Both shield circles: ἀμφοτέρους is accusative plural and means ‘both.’ Achilles' spear passes through both circles of Aeneas' shield before fixing itself in the earth.

**281** ἀσπίδος ἀμφιβρότης· ὃ δʼ ἀλευάμενος δόρυ μακρὸν  
of the man-enclosing shield. He escaped the long spear

**282** ἔστη, κὰδ δʼ ἄχος οἱ χύτο μυρίον ὀφθαλμοῖσι,  
and stood there, while boundless anguish poured over his eyes,

**283** ταρβήσας ὅ οἱ ἄγχι πάγη βέλος. αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς  
terrified that the missile had fixed so close. But Achilles

**284** ἐμμεμαὼς ἐπόρουσεν ἐρυσσάμενος ξίφος ὀξὺ  
rushed upon him eagerly, drawing his sharp sword

**285** σμερδαλέα ἰάχων· ὃ δὲ χερμάδιον λάβε χειρὶ  
shouting terribly. But he took up a stone in his hand,

**286** Αἰνείας, μέγα ἔργον, ὃ οὐ δύο γʼ ἄνδρε φέροιεν,  
Aeneas—a great weight that two men could not carry,

**287** οἷοι νῦν βροτοί εἰσʼ· ὃ δέ μιν ῥέα πάλλε καὶ οἶος.  
such as mortals now are; but he alone swung it with ease.

**288** ἔνθά κεν Αἰνείας μὲν ἐπεσσύμενον βάλε πέτρῳ  
Then Aeneas would have struck the onrushing Achilles with the stone,

**289** ἢ κόρυθʼ ἠὲ σάκος, τό οἱ ἤρκεσε λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον,  
on helmet or shield, which warded grim death from him,

**290** τὸν δέ κε Πηλεΐδης σχεδὸν ἄορι θυμὸν ἀπηύρα,  
and the son of Peleus would have taken his life at close range with the sword,

**291** εἰ μὴ ἄρʼ ὀξὺ νόησε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων·  
had not Poseidon the earth-shaker swiftly perceived it.
> An action narrowly prevented: The negative condition εἰ μή closes the paired counterfactual: Aeneas would have struck, and Achilles would have killed him, had Poseidon not noticed. The grammar delays the divine intervention until both threatened outcomes have been stated.

**292** αὐτίκα δʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖς μετὰ μῦθον ἔειπεν·  
At once he spoke among the immortal gods:

**293** ὢ πόποι ἦ μοι ἄχος μεγαλήτορος Αἰνείαο,  
"Ah me, I grieve for great-hearted Aeneas,

**294** ὃς τάχα Πηλεΐωνι δαμεὶς Ἄϊδος δὲ κάτεισι  
who soon, subdued by the son of Peleus, will go down to Hades,

**295** πειθόμενος μύθοισιν Ἀπόλλωνος ἑκάτοιο  
because he obeyed the words of Apollo the far-shooter,
> Apollo the far-shooter: ἕκατος is Apollo's substantive byname, rendered by the locked title “the far-shooter.” Poseidon makes clear that Apollo urged Aeneas into this fight but will not perform the rescue.

**296** νήπιος, οὐδέ τί οἱ χραισμήσει λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον.  
fool that he was; yet Apollo will not ward grim death from him.

**297** ἀλλὰ τί ἢ νῦν οὗτος ἀναίτιος ἄλγεα πάσχει  
But why does this guiltless man now suffer pains

**298** μὰψ ἕνεκʼ ἀλλοτρίων ἀχέων, κεχαρισμένα δʼ αἰεὶ  
to no purpose for the sorrows of others, when always he gives

**299** δῶρα θεοῖσι δίδωσι τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν;  
gifts pleasing to the gods who hold broad heaven?

**300** ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ἡμεῖς πέρ μιν ὑπὲκ θανάτου ἀγάγωμεν,  
Come, let us lead him away from death,

**301** μή πως καὶ Κρονίδης κεχολώσεται, αἴ κεν Ἀχιλλεὺς  
lest the son of Cronos somehow grow angry if Achilles

**302** τόνδε κατακτείνῃ· μόριμον δέ οἵ ἐστʼ ἀλέασθαι,  
kills this man. It is fated that he escape,
> Fated to escape: The impersonal phrase μόριμόν ἐστι with the infinitive states what is allotted: escape is fated for Aeneas. Poseidon intervenes to preserve that fate, not to reverse it.

**303** ὄφρα μὴ ἄσπερμος γενεὴ καὶ ἄφαντος ὄληται  
so that the line of Dardanus may not perish without seed and vanish,

**304** Δαρδάνου, ὃν Κρονίδης περὶ πάντων φίλατο παίδων  
Dardanus, whom the son of Cronos loved above all the sons

**305** οἳ ἕθεν ἐξεγένοντο γυναικῶν τε θνητάων.  
born to him from mortal women.

**306** ἤδη γὰρ Πριάμου γενεὴν ἔχθηρε Κρονίων·  
For now the son of Cronos has come to hate the line of Priam,

**307** νῦν δὲ δὴ Αἰνείαο βίη Τρώεσσιν ἀνάξει  
and now the might of Aeneas shall rule the Trojans,

**308** καὶ παίδων παῖδες, τοί κεν μετόπισθε γένωνται.  
and his children's children, who shall be born hereafter."

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

**310** ἐννοσίγαιʼ, αὐτὸς σὺ μετὰ φρεσὶ σῇσι νόησον  
"Earth-shaker, consider for yourself within your own mind

**311** Αἰνείαν ἤ κέν μιν ἐρύσσεαι ἦ κεν ἐάσῃς  
whether you will rescue Aeneas or let him

**312** Πηλεΐδῃ Ἀχιλῆϊ δαμήμεναι, ἐσθλὸν ἐόντα.  
be subdued by Achilles, son of Peleus, noble though he is.

**313** ἤτοι μὲν γὰρ νῶϊ πολέας ὠμόσσαμεν ὅρκους  
For we two have sworn many oaths
> We two goddesses: νῶϊ is the first-person dual pronoun, “we two.” Hera names herself and Athena as the pair bound by their repeated oaths.

**314** πᾶσι μετʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἐγὼ καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη  
among all the immortals, Pallas Athena and I,

**315** μή ποτʼ ἐπὶ Τρώεσσιν ἀλεξήσειν κακὸν ἦμαρ,  
never to ward the evil day from the Trojans,

**316** μηδʼ ὁπότʼ ἂν Τροίη μαλερῷ πυρὶ πᾶσα δάηται  
not even when all Troy burns in ravening fire,

**317** καιομένη, καίωσι δʼ ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν.  
burning as the warlike sons of the Achaeans set it ablaze."

**318** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τό γʼ ἄκουσε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων,  
But when Poseidon the earth-shaker heard this,

**319** βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεν ἄν τε μάχην καὶ ἀνὰ κλόνον ἐγχειάων,  
he went through the battle and the din of spears

**320** ἷξε δʼ ὅθʼ Αἰνείας ἠδʼ ὃ κλυτὸς ἦεν Ἀχιλλεύς.  
and came where Aeneas and renowned Achilles stood.

**321** αὐτίκα τῷ μὲν ἔπειτα κατʼ ὀφθαλμῶν χέεν ἀχλὺν  
At once he poured a mist down over the eyes

**322** Πηλεΐδῃ Ἀχιλῆϊ· ὃ δὲ μελίην εὔχαλκον  
of Achilles, son of Peleus; then the bronze-shod ash spear

**323** ἀσπίδος ἐξέρυσεν μεγαλήτορος Αἰνείαο·  
he drew from the shield of great-hearted Aeneas

**324** καὶ τὴν μὲν προπάροιθε ποδῶν Ἀχιλῆος ἔθηκεν,  
and set it down before Achilles' feet,

**325** Αἰνείαν δʼ ἔσσευεν ἀπὸ χθονὸς ὑψόσʼ ἀείρας.  
but he swept Aeneas from the earth, lifting him high.
> Poseidon carries Aeneas away: Aeneas is the accusative object of ἔσσευεν: Poseidon is the unstated subject who sweeps him away. The mortal does not leap clear under his own power.

**326** πολλὰς δὲ στίχας ἡρώων, πολλὰς δὲ καὶ ἵππων  
Over many ranks of heroes and many ranks of horses

**327** Αἰνείας ὑπερᾶλτο θεοῦ ἀπὸ χειρὸς ὀρούσας,  
Aeneas leapt, sped onward by the god's hand,

**328** ἷξε δʼ ἐπʼ ἐσχατιὴν πολυάϊκος πολέμοιο,  
until he reached the far edge of the battle's many charges,

**329** ἔνθά τε Καύκωνες πόλεμον μέτα θωρήσσοντο.  
where the Cauconians were arming amid the war.

**330** τῷ δὲ μάλʼ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων,  
Poseidon the earth-shaker came very near him,

**331** καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and speaking to him, he addressed him with winged words:

**332** Αἰνεία, τίς σʼ ὧδε θεῶν ἀτέοντα κελεύει  
"Aeneas, what god commands you in such blindness

**333** ἀντία Πηλεΐωνος ὑπερθύμοιο μάχεσθαι,  
to fight face to face with the high-hearted son of Peleus?

**334** ὃς σεῦ ἅμα κρείσσων καὶ φίλτερος ἀθανάτοισιν;  
He is at once stronger than you and dearer to the immortals.

**335** ἀλλʼ ἀναχωρῆσαι ὅτε κεν συμβλήσεαι αὐτῷ,  
Draw back whenever you meet him,
> Whenever they meet: ὅτε with κεν and the future middle συμβλήσεαι gives an open future occasion: whenever Aeneas encounters Achilles. Poseidon's warning applies to every meeting while Achilles lives.

**336** μὴ καὶ ὑπὲρ μοῖραν δόμον Ἄϊδος εἰσαφίκηαι.  
lest you enter the house of Hades even beyond your fate.

**337** αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κʼ Ἀχιλεὺς θάνατον καὶ πότμον ἐπίσπῃ,  
But when Achilles meets his death and doom,

**338** θαρσήσας δὴ ἔπειτα μετὰ πρώτοισι μάχεσθαι·  
then take courage and fight among the foremost,

**339** οὐ μὲν γάρ τίς σʼ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν ἐξεναρίξει.  
for no other Achaean shall kill you."

**340** ὣς εἰπὼν λίπεν αὐτόθʼ, ἐπεὶ διεπέφραδε πάντα.  
So he spoke and left him there, when he had explained all.

**341** αἶψα δʼ ἔπειτʼ Ἀχιλῆος ἀπʼ ὀφθαλμῶν σκέδασʼ ἀχλὺν  
Then swiftly from Achilles' eyes he scattered the mist,

**342** θεσπεσίην· ὃ δʼ ἔπειτα μέγʼ ἔξιδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,  
wondrous and divine; and Achilles saw clearly with his eyes.

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

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

**345** ἔγχος μὲν τόδε κεῖται ἐπὶ χθονός, οὐδέ τι φῶτα  
My spear lies here upon the ground, but nowhere do I see the man

**346** λεύσσω, τῷ ἐφέηκα κατακτάμεναι μενεαίνων.  
at whom I cast it, raging to kill him.

**347** ἦ ῥα καὶ Αἰνείας φίλος ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν  
So Aeneas too was dear to the immortal gods,

**348** ἦεν· ἀτάρ μιν ἔφην μὰψ αὔτως εὐχετάασθαι.  
though I thought his boasting was empty and vain.

**349** ἐρρέτω· οὔ οἱ θυμὸς ἐμεῦ ἔτι πειρηθῆναι  
Away with him! He will have no heart to test himself

**350** ἔσσεται, ὃς καὶ νῦν φύγεν ἄσμενος ἐκ θανάτοιο.  
against me again, when even now he escaped death with joy.

**351** ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ Δαναοῖσι φιλοπτολέμοισι κελεύσας  
Come, then: I shall give orders to the war-loving Danaans

**352** τῶν ἄλλων Τρώων πειρήσομαι ἀντίος ἐλθών.  
and go face-to-face to test the other Trojans."

**353** ἦ, καὶ ἐπὶ στίχας ἆλτο, κέλευε δὲ φωτὶ ἑκάστῳ·  
So he spoke, and leapt along the ranks, urging each man:

**354** μηκέτι νῦν Τρώων ἑκὰς ἕστατε δῖοι Ἀχαιοί,  
"Godlike Achaeans, no longer stand far off from the Trojans,

**355** ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ἀνὴρ ἄντʼ ἀνδρὸς ἴτω, μεμάτω δὲ μάχεσθαι.  
but come, let man go against man, eager to fight.
> Two third-person commands: ἴτω and μεμάτω are third-person imperatives: Achilles orders each man to go forward and be eager for battle. English renders them naturally with ‘let man go’ and the accompanying command.

**356** ἀργαλέον δέ μοί ἐστι καὶ ἰφθίμῳ περ ἐόντι  
It is hard for me, strong though I am,

**357** τοσσούσδʼ ἀνθρώπους ἐφέπειν καὶ πᾶσι μάχεσθαι·  
to pursue so many men and fight them all.

**358** οὐδέ κʼ Ἄρης, ὅς περ θεὸς ἄμβροτος, οὐδέ κʼ Ἀθήνη  
Not even Ares, though he is an immortal god, nor Athena

**359** τοσσῆσδʼ ὑσμίνης ἐφέποι στόμα καὶ πονέοιτο·  
could press through the mouth of so great a battle and labor there.
> The mouth of battle: Homer calls the fighting front the ‘mouth’ of battle, the place where combat opens and devours those entering it. The image makes even a god’s advance sound perilous.

**360** ἀλλʼ ὅσσον μὲν ἐγὼ δύναμαι χερσίν τε ποσίν τε  
But so far as I have power in hands and feet

**361** καὶ σθένει, οὔ μʼ ἔτι φημὶ μεθησέμεν οὐδʼ ἠβαιόν,  
and strength, I say I shall no longer slacken, not even a little,
> Claim with an infinitive: φημί introduces the future infinitive μεθησέμεν: Achilles says that he will no longer let up. The accusative μʼ supplies the understood subject of the infinitive, ‘me.’

**362** ἀλλὰ μάλα στιχὸς εἶμι διαμπερές, οὐδέ τινʼ οἴω  
but I shall pass clean through the battle-line; and I think no

**363** Τρώων χαιρήσειν, ὅς τις σχεδὸν ἔγχεος ἔλθῃ.  
Trojan will rejoice who comes within reach of my spear."

**364** ὣς φάτʼ ἐποτρύνων· Τρώεσσι δὲ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ  
So he spoke, urging them on; but to the Trojans glorious Hector

**365** κέκλεθʼ ὁμοκλήσας, φάτο δʼ ἴμεναι ἄντʼ Ἀχιλῆος·  
called out loudly, and said he would go against Achilles:

**366** Τρῶες ὑπέρθυμοι μὴ δείδιτε Πηλεΐωνα.  
"High-hearted Trojans, do not fear the son of Peleus.

**367** καί κεν ἐγὼ ἐπέεσσι καὶ ἀθανάτοισι μαχοίμην,  
With words I could fight even the immortals,
> A boast kept hypothetical: κεν with the optative μαχοίμην makes the claim potential: Hector ‘could’ fight even immortals if the contest were only words. The next line sharply limits that boast when spears are involved.

**368** ἔγχεϊ δʼ ἀργαλέον, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτεροί εἰσιν.  
but with the spear it is hard, for they are far stronger.

**369** οὐδʼ Ἀχιλεὺς πάντεσσι τέλος μύθοις ἐπιθήσει,  
Achilles will not bring all his words to fulfillment:

**370** ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν τελέει, τὸ δὲ καὶ μεσσηγὺ κολούει.  
he fulfills one part, but cuts another short midway.

**371** τοῦ δʼ ἐγὼ ἀντίος εἶμι καὶ εἰ πυρὶ χεῖρας ἔοικεν,  
I shall go against him, even if his hands are like fire,
> Even if his hands are fire: καὶ εἰ introduces a concessive condition: Hector will face Achilles even if his hands resemble fire. The repeated phrase carries the image directly into the next line.

**372** εἰ πυρὶ χεῖρας ἔοικε, μένος δʼ αἴθωνι σιδήρῳ.  
if his hands are like fire and his fury like blazing iron."

**373** ὣς φάτʼ ἐποτρύνων, οἳ δʼ ἀντίοι ἔγχεʼ ἄειραν  
So he spoke, urging them on; and spears they raised against him—

**374** Τρῶες· τῶν δʼ ἄμυδις μίχθη μένος, ὦρτο δʼ ἀϋτή.  
the Trojans; their fury mingled all together, and the war-cry rose.

**375** καὶ τότʼ ἄρʼ Ἕκτορα εἶπε παραστὰς Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων·  
Then Phoebus Apollo stood beside Hector and said:

**376** Ἕκτορ μηκέτι πάμπαν Ἀχιλλῆϊ προμάχιζε,  
"Hector, do not challenge Achilles out in front at all,

**377** ἀλλὰ κατὰ πληθύν τε καὶ ἐκ φλοίσβοιο δέδεξο,  
but wait for him among the throng and away from the battle-din,
> Away from the battle-din: φλοῖσβος is the loud roar or din of battle. Apollo tells Hector to remain among the mass of troops but outside the most exposed fighting.

**378** μή πώς σʼ ἠὲ βάλῃ ἠὲ σχεδὸν ἄορι τύψῃ.  
lest he strike you with his spear or cut you down nearby with his sword."

**379** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, Ἕκτωρ δʼ αὖτις ἐδύσετο οὐλαμὸν ἀνδρῶν  
So he spoke, and Hector went back into the company of men,

**380** ταρβήσας, ὅτʼ ἄκουσε θεοῦ ὄπα φωνήσαντος.  
afraid when he heard the voice of the god who spoke.

**381** ἐν δʼ Ἀχιλεὺς Τρώεσσι θόρε φρεσὶν εἱμένος ἀλκὴν  
Then Achilles sprang among the Trojans, his heart clothed in courage,

**382** σμερδαλέα ἰάχων, πρῶτον δʼ ἕλεν Ἰφιτίωνα  
shouting terribly; first he slew Iphition,

**383** ἐσθλὸν Ὀτρυντεΐδην πολέων ἡγήτορα λαῶν,  
the noble son of Otrynteus, leader of many peoples,

**384** ὃν νύμφη τέκε νηῒς Ὀτρυντῆϊ πτολιπόρθῳ  
whom a Naiad nymph bore to Otrynteus, sacker of cities,

**385** Τμώλῳ ὕπο νιφόεντι Ὕδης ἐν πίονι δήμῳ·  
beneath snowy Tmolus, in the fertile district of Hyde.

**386** τὸν δʼ ἰθὺς μεμαῶτα βάλʼ ἔγχεϊ δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς  
Godlike Achilles struck him with his spear as he charged straight on,

**387** μέσσην κὰκ κεφαλήν· ἣ δʼ ἄνδιχα πᾶσα κεάσθη,  
squarely on the head, and his whole head split in two;

**388** δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, ὃ δʼ ἐπεύξατο δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·  
he fell with a thud, and godlike Achilles boasted over him:

**389** κεῖσαι Ὀτρυντεΐδη πάντων ἐκπαγλότατʼ ἀνδρῶν·  
"Lie there, son of Otrynteus, most terrible of all men.
> Most terrible of men: ἐκπαγλότατε is the superlative of an adjective for what strikes awe or terror. Achilles gives the fallen Iphition a grim distinction in the moment of triumphing over him.

**390** ἐνθάδε τοι θάνατος, γενεὴ δέ τοί ἐστʼ ἐπὶ λίμνῃ  
Here is your death, though your lineage is beside the

**391** Γυγαίῃ, ὅθι τοι τέμενος πατρώϊόν ἐστιν  
Gygaean lake, where your ancestral estate lies,

**392** Ὕλλῳ ἐπʼ ἰχθυόεντι καὶ Ἕρμῳ δινήεντι.  
by fish-filled Hyllus and eddying Hermus."

**393** ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψε.  
So he spoke in triumph, and darkness covered his eyes.

**394** τὸν μὲν Ἀχαιῶν ἵπποι ἐπισσώτροις δατέοντο  
The Achaeans' horses tore him apart with their wheel-rims
> The wheel-rims: ἐπίσσωτρον is the outer rim or tire fitted around a chariot wheel. The detail makes Iphition’s body part of the physical wreckage under the advancing Achaean chariots.

**395** πρώτῃ ἐν ὑσμίνῃ· ὃ δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ Δημολέοντα  
in the foremost battle; over him Achilles attacked Demoleon,

**396** ἐσθλὸν ἀλεξητῆρα μάχης Ἀντήνορος υἱὸν  
the noble defender in battle, Antenor's son,

**397** νύξε κατὰ κρόταφον, κυνέης διὰ χαλκοπαρῄου.  
and stabbed his temple through the bronze-cheeked helmet.

**398** οὐδʼ ἄρα χαλκείη κόρυς ἔσχεθεν, ἀλλὰ διʼ αὐτῆς  
The bronze helmet did not stop it, but straight through it

**399** αἰχμὴ ἱεμένη ῥῆξʼ ὀστέον, ἐγκέφαλος δὲ  
the hurtling spearpoint broke the bone, and all the brain

**400** ἔνδον ἅπας πεπάλακτο· δάμασσε δέ μιν μεμαῶτα.  
within was spattered; and he brought him down as he charged.
> Spattered within: The phrase completes the wound across the line break: all the brain named just before is now spattered within the helmet. Homer then closes the action by stopping Demoleon in mid-charge.

**401** Ἱπποδάμαντα δʼ ἔπειτα καθʼ ἵππων ἀΐξαντα  
Then Hippodamas, leaping down from his chariot,

**402** πρόσθεν ἕθεν φεύγοντα μετάφρενον οὔτασε δουρί.  
fled before him, and Achilles stabbed him in the back with his spear.

**403** αὐτὰρ ὃ θυμὸν ἄϊσθε καὶ ἤρυγεν, ὡς ὅτε ταῦρος  
He breathed out his life and bellowed, as when a bull

**404** ἤρυγεν ἑλκόμενος Ἑλικώνιον ἀμφὶ ἄνακτα  
bellows while being dragged around the lord of Helice,

**405** κούρων ἑλκόντων· γάνυται δέ τε τοῖς ἐνοσίχθων·  
as young men drag it, and the earth-shaker delights in them;

**406** ὣς ἄρα τόν γʼ ἐρυγόντα λίπʼ ὀστέα θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ·  
so as he bellowed, his proud spirit left his bones.

**407** αὐτὰρ ὃ βῆ σὺν δουρὶ μετʼ ἀντίθεον Πολύδωρον  
But Achilles went with his spear after godlike Polydorus,

**408** Πριαμίδην. τὸν δʼ οὔ τι πατὴρ εἴασκε μάχεσθαι,  
Priam's son. His father would never let him fight,

**409** οὕνεκά οἱ μετὰ παισὶ νεώτατος ἔσκε γόνοιο,  
because among his children he was the youngest by birth

**410** καί οἱ φίλτατος ἔσκε, πόδεσσι δὲ πάντας ἐνίκα  
and dearest to him, and he surpassed them all in speed.

**411** δὴ τότε νηπιέῃσι ποδῶν ἀρετὴν ἀναφαίνων  
Then, in his childish folly, displaying his excellence of foot,
> Fatal childish folly: νηπιέη is childish folly or lack of judgment. Polydorus uses his speed to show himself among the front fighters, ignoring the caution behind his father’s command.

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

**413** τὸν βάλε μέσσον ἄκοντι ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς  
Swift-footed godlike Achilles struck him with his spear in the middle

**414** νῶτα παραΐσσοντος, ὅθι ζωστῆρος ὀχῆες  
of the back as he darted past, where the golden clasps of his belt

**415** χρύσειοι σύνεχον καὶ διπλόος ἤντετο θώρηξ·  
held fast, and the double corselet met it.

**416** ἀντικρὺ δὲ διέσχε παρʼ ὀμφαλὸν ἔγχεος αἰχμή,  
The spearpoint passed straight through and came out beside his navel;

**417** γνὺξ δʼ ἔριπʼ οἰμώξας, νεφέλη δέ μιν ἀμφεκάλυψε  
groaning, he fell to his knees; a cloud enfolded him,

**418** κυανέη, προτὶ οἷ δʼ ἔλαβʼ ἔντερα χερσὶ λιασθείς.  
dark, and as he hunched forward he gathered his entrails into his hands.
> Entrails in his hands: ἔντερα is the concrete word for the intestines or entrails. The spear has passed through Polydorus beside the navel, and the next image shows the bodily result without softening it.

**419** Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς ἐνόησε κασίγνητον Πολύδωρον  
When Hector saw his brother Polydorus

**420** ἔντερα χερσὶν ἔχοντα λιαζόμενον ποτὶ γαίη  
holding his entrails in his hands and sinking toward the earth,

**421** κάρ ῥά οἱ ὀφθαλμῶν κέχυτʼ ἀχλύς· οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔτʼ ἔτλη  
a mist poured over his eyes; he could no longer bear

**422** δηρὸν ἑκὰς στρωφᾶσθʼ, ἀλλʼ ἀντίος ἦλθʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ  
to range far off, but came straight against Achilles,

**423** ὀξὺ δόρυ κραδάων φλογὶ εἴκελος· αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς  
brandishing his sharp spear, like a flame. But Achilles,

**424** ὡς εἶδʼ, ὣς ἀνεπᾶλτο, καὶ εὐχόμενος ἔπος ηὔδα·  
when he saw him, sprang up and spoke a word in triumph:

**425** ἐγγὺς ἀνὴρ ὃς ἐμόν γε μάλιστʼ ἐσεμάσσατο θυμόν,  
"Near is the man who has stirred my heart above all,

**426** ὅς μοι ἑταῖρον ἔπεφνε τετιμένον· οὐδʼ ἂν ἔτι δὴν  
who killed my honored companion; no longer shall we

**427** ἀλλήλους πτώσσοιμεν ἀνὰ πτολέμοιο γεφύρας.  
shrink from each other along the causeways of battle."
> The causeways of battle: The plural γεφύρας literally suggests dikes, bridges, or causeways. In battle language it evokes the lanes or contested ground across which warriors meet.

**428** ἦ, καὶ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσεφώνεεν Ἕκτορα δῖον·  
Then, glaring at him from under his brows, he addressed godlike Hector:"

**429** ἆσσον ἴθʼ ὥς κεν θᾶσσον ὀλέθρου πείραθʼ ἵκηαι.  
Come closer, so you may sooner reach the bounds of death.

**430** τὸν δʼ οὐ ταρβήσας προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·  
But Hector of the flashing helm answered him without fear:

**431** Πηλεΐδη μὴ δὴ ἐπέεσσί με νηπύτιον ὣς  
"Son of Peleus, do not expect with words, as though I were a child,

**432** ἔλπεο δειδίξεσθαι, ἐπεὶ σάφα οἶδα καὶ αὐτὸς  
to frighten me, since I myself know well

**433** ἠμὲν κερτομίας ἠδʼ αἴσυλα μυθήσασθαι.  
both taunts and overbearing words to speak.

**434** οἶδα δʼ ὅτι σὺ μὲν ἐσθλός, ἐγὼ δὲ σέθεν πολὺ χείρων.  
I know that you are noble and I am far weaker than you.

**435** ἀλλʼ ἤτοι μὲν ταῦτα θεῶν ἐν γούνασι κεῖται,  
Yet these things lie upon the knees of the gods.

**436** αἴ κέ σε χειρότερός περ ἐὼν ἀπὸ θυμὸν ἕλωμαι  
Though I am the weaker man, I may take your life from you
> A possible reversal: αἴ κε with the subjunctive ἕλωμαι presents a possible future outcome: Hector may take Achilles’ life even while being the worse fighter. περ makes his concession explicit, ‘though I am weaker.’

**437** δουρὶ βαλών, ἐπεὶ ἦ καὶ ἐμὸν βέλος ὀξὺ πάροιθεν.  
by striking with my spear, for my weapon too has proved sharp before."

**438** ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἀμπεπαλὼν προΐει δόρυ, καὶ τό γʼ Ἀθήνη  
He spoke, and balancing the spear, cast it; but Athena
> Balancing the spear: ἀμπεπαλών describes the practiced motion of poising or brandishing a spear before the cast. Hector completes the throw, but Athena immediately controls its course.

**439** πνοιῇ Ἀχιλλῆος πάλιν ἔτραπε κυδαλίμοιο  
turned it back from renowned Achilles with a breath,

**440** ἦκα μάλα ψύξασα· τὸ δʼ ἂψ ἵκεθʼ Ἕκτορα δῖον,  
blowing ever so lightly; it came back to godlike Hector

**441** αὐτοῦ δὲ προπάροιθε ποδῶν πέσεν. αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς  
and fell there before his feet. But Achilles

**442** ἐμμεμαὼς ἐπόρουσε κατακτάμεναι μενεαίνων,  
leapt upon him eagerly, raging to kill him,

**443** σμερδαλέα ἰάχων· τὸν δʼ ἐξήρπαξεν Ἀπόλλων  
shouting terribly; but Apollo snatched Hector away,

**444** ῥεῖα μάλʼ ὥς τε θεός, ἐκάλυψε δʼ ἄρʼ ἠέρι πολλῇ.  
easily, as a god does, and wrapped him in thick mist,

**445** τρὶς μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἐπόρουσε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς  
Three times swift-footed godlike Achilles sprang upon him

**446** ἔγχεϊ χαλκείῳ, τρὶς δʼ ἠέρα τύψε βαθεῖαν.  
with his bronze spear, and three times he struck the deep mist.

**447** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὸ τέταρτον ἐπέσσυτο δαίμονι ἶσος,  
But when he charged a fourth time, equal to a god,

**448** δεινὰ δʼ ὁμοκλήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
Achilles cried out terribly and addressed him with winged words:

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

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

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

**452** ἦ θήν σʼ ἐξανύω γε καὶ ὕστερον ἀντιβολήσας,  
Surely I shall finish you later, when I meet you again,

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

**454** νῦν αὖ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐπιείσομαι, ὅν κε κιχείω.  
For now I shall fall upon the others, whoever I meet."
> Whoever he meets: The relative ὅν with κε and the subjunctive κιχείω is indefinite: Achilles will attack whichever Trojan he happens to reach. The construction opens the kill sequence that follows.

**455** ὣς εἰπὼν Δρύοπʼ οὖτα κατʼ αὐχένα μέσσον ἄκοντι·  
So he spoke and stabbed Dryops with his spear through the middle of the neck;

**456** ἤριπε δὲ προπάροιθε ποδῶν· ὃ δὲ τὸν μὲν ἔασε,  
he fell before his feet. Achilles left him there,

**457** Δημοῦχον δὲ Φιλητορίδην ἠΰν τε μέγαν τε  
but Demuchus, Philetor's son, noble and tall,

**458** κὰγ γόνυ δουρὶ βαλὼν ἠρύκακε. τὸν μὲν ἔπειτα  
he checked with a spear-cast to the knee; then

**459** οὐτάζων ξίφεϊ μεγάλῳ ἐξαίνυτο θυμόν·  
striking him with his great sword, he took away his life.

**460** αὐτὰρ ὃ Λαόγονον καὶ Δάρδανον υἷε Βίαντος  
Then upon Laogonus and Dardanus, the two sons of Bias,

**461** ἄμφω ἐφορμηθεὶς ἐξ ἵππων ὦσε χαμᾶζε,  
rushing at both, he hurled them from their chariot to the ground,
> Both sons together: ἄμφω is the dual form ‘both,’ grouping the two sons of Bias as one pair. The next line then distinguishes the weapon Achilles uses against each brother.

**462** τὸν μὲν δουρὶ βαλών, τὸν δὲ σχεδὸν ἄορι τύψας.  
striking one with his spear and the other at close range with his sword.

**463** Τρῶα δʼ Ἀλαστορίδην, ὃ μὲν ἀντίος ἤλυθε γούνων,  
Tros, son of Alastor, came before Achilles' knees,

**464** εἴ πώς εὑ πεφίδοιτο λαβὼν καὶ ζωὸν ἀφείη  
in hope that he might spare him, take him alive, and let him go,
> A desperate hope: εἴ πως with the optative πεφίδοιτο expresses Tros’ uncertain hope: perhaps Achilles might spare him. The optative keeps the wished-for mercy remote, and the narrator immediately denies it.

**465** μηδὲ κατακτείνειεν ὁμηλικίην ἐλεήσας,  
and not kill him, taking pity on one of his own age—

**466** νήπιος, οὐδὲ τὸ ᾔδη ὃ οὐ πείσεσθαι ἔμελλεν·  
fool, he did not know that Achilles was not going to be persuaded,

**467** οὐ γάρ τι γλυκύθυμος ἀνὴρ ἦν οὐδʼ ἀγανόφρων,  
for he was not a sweet-hearted man, nor gentle-minded,

**468** ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ἐμμεμαώς· ὃ μὲν ἥπτετο χείρεσι γούνων  
but fiercely intent. Tros gripped his knees with both hands,

**469** ἱέμενος λίσσεσθʼ, ὃ δὲ φασγάνῳ οὖτα καθʼ ἧπαρ·  
eager to supplicate him, but Achilles stabbed his liver with the sword;

**470** ἐκ δέ οἱ ἧπαρ ὄλισθεν, ἀτὰρ μέλαν αἷμα κατʼ αὐτοῦ  
his liver slipped out, and black blood down over him

**471** κόλπον ἐνέπλησεν· τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψε  
filled his lap; and darkness covered his eyes

**472** θυμοῦ δευόμενον· ὃ δὲ Μούλιον οὖτα παραστὰς  
as his life failed. Achilles stood near Mulius and stabbed him

**473** δουρὶ κατʼ οὖς· εἶθαρ δὲ διʼ οὔατος ἦλθʼ ἑτέροιο  
with his spear through the ear; at once through the other ear passed
> Through the other ear: The phrase fixes the spear’s full path: it enters at one ear and the bronze point comes out through the other. The direction belongs to Mulius’ wound alone.

**474** αἰχμὴ χαλκείη· ὃ δʼ Ἀγήνορος υἱὸν Ἔχεκλον  
the bronze spearpoint. Then the son of Agenor, Echeclus—

**475** μέσσην κὰκ κεφαλὴν ξίφει ἤλασε κωπήεντι,  
Achilles struck him squarely on the head with his hilted sword;

**476** πᾶν δʼ ὑπεθερμάνθη ξίφος αἵματι· τὸν δὲ κατʼ ὄσσε  
the whole sword grew hot with blood; over his eyes

**477** ἔλλαβε πορφύρεος θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κραταιή.  
came purple death and mighty fate.

**478** Δευκαλίωνα δʼ ἔπειθʼ, ἵνα τε ξυνέχουσι τένοντες  
Then Deucalion, where the tendons of the elbow join,
> The elbow tendons: Homer locates the wound where the tendons hold the elbow together. The anatomical precision explains why Deucalion’s arm immediately hangs heavy and useless.

**479** ἀγκῶνος, τῇ τόν γε φίλης διὰ χειρὸς ἔπειρεν  
there through his dear arm Achilles pierced him

**480** αἰχμῇ χαλκείῃ· ὃ δέ μιν μένε χεῖρα βαρυνθεὶς  
with the bronze spearpoint; his arm weighed down, he awaited him,

**481** πρόσθʼ ὁρόων θάνατον· ὃ δὲ φασγάνῳ αὐχένα θείνας  
seeing death before him. Achilles struck his neck with the sword

**482** τῆλʼ αὐτῇ πήληκι κάρη βάλε· μυελὸς αὖτε  
and sent the head far off, helmet and all; the marrow
> Head and helmet together: The adverb τῆλε marks how far the blow sends Deucalion’s head, while αὐτῇ πήληκι specifies that the helmet remains on it. The sword, not the spear, delivers this final stroke.

**483** σφονδυλίων ἔκπαλθʼ, ὃ δʼ ἐπὶ χθονὶ κεῖτο τανυσθείς.  
sprang from the vertebrae, and he lay stretched upon the ground.

**484** αὐτὰρ ὃ βῆ ῥʼ ἰέναι μετʼ ἀμύμονα Πείρεω υἱὸν  
Then Achilles went after the blameless son of Peires,

**485** Ῥίγμον, ὃς ἐκ Θρῄκης ἐριβώλακος εἰληλούθει·  
Rhigmus, who had come from Thrace of the rich soil.

**486** τὸν βάλε μέσσον ἄκοντι, πάγη δʼ ἐν νηδύϊ χαλκός,  
He struck him through the middle with his spear, and the bronze fixed in his belly;

**487** ἤριπε δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων· ὃ δʼ Ἀρηΐθοον θεράποντα  
he fell from the chariot. Then Areithous, his attendant,

**488** ἂψ ἵππους στρέψαντα μετάφρενον ὀξέϊ δουρὶ  
as he turned the horses back, Achilles stabbed in the back with his sharp spear

**489** νύξʼ, ἀπὸ δʼ ἅρματος ὦσε· κυκήθησαν δέ οἱ ἵπποι.  
and thrust him from the chariot; the horses were thrown into confusion.

**490** ὡς δʼ ἀναμαιμάει βαθέʼ ἄγκεα θεσπιδαὲς πῦρ  
As a wondrous blaze rages through the deep valleys

**491** οὔρεος ἀζαλέοιο, βαθεῖα δὲ καίεται ὕλη,  
of a parched mountain, and the deep forest burns,

**492** πάντῃ τε κλονέων ἄνεμος φλόγα εἰλυφάζει,  
and the wind, wheeling everywhere, twists the flame,

**493** ὣς ὅ γε πάντῃ θῦνε σὺν ἔγχεϊ δαίμονι ἶσος  
so he rushed everywhere with his spear, equal to a god,

**494** κτεινομένους ἐφέπων· ῥέε δʼ αἵματι γαῖα μέλαινα.  
pursuing those he killed; the black earth ran with blood.

**495** ὡς δʼ ὅτε τις ζεύξῃ βόας ἄρσενας εὐρυμετώπους  
And as when a man yokes broad-browed oxen

**496** τριβέμεναι κρῖ λευκὸν ἐϋκτιμένῃ ἐν ἀλωῇ,  
to tread white barley on a well-built threshing floor,

**497** ῥίμφά τε λέπτʼ ἐγένοντο βοῶν ὑπὸ πόσσʼ ἐριμύκων,  
and swiftly the grain grows fine beneath the feet of the loud-lowing oxen,

**498** ὣς ὑπʼ Ἀχιλλῆος μεγαθύμου μώνυχες ἵπποι  
so beneath great-hearted Achilles his single-hoofed horses

**499** στεῖβον ὁμοῦ νέκυάς τε καὶ ἀσπίδας· αἵματι δʼ ἄξων  
trampled corpses and shields together; with blood the axle

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

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

**502** αἵ τʼ ἀπʼ ἐπισσώτρων· ὃ δὲ ἵετο κῦδος ἀρέσθαι  
and from the wheel-rims; but he was eager to win glory,

**503** Πηλεΐδης, λύθρῳ δὲ παλάσσετο χεῖρας ἀάπτους.  
the son of Peleus, spattering his irresistible hands with gore.
> Irresistible hands: ἀάπτους χεῖρας is the poem’s locked formula for hands that cannot be checked or mastered. Book 20 closes by staining Achilles’ overwhelming hands with the gore of his own charge.

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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.