# The Iliad, Book 21: The Battle with the River

Ἰλιάς · Homer · The Ransom of Hector

Achilles chokes the river Scamander with dead, and the river rises against him. Hephaestus burns it back. The gods fight each other.

Source: https://1732studios.com/books/iliad/21. Data: https://1732studios.com/books/iliad/21.json. Audio: https://audio.1732studios.com/iliad/<line id>.m4a.

**1** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ πόρον ἷξον ἐϋρρεῖος ποταμοῖο  
But when they reached the ford of the fair-flowing river,

**2** Ξάνθου δινήεντος, ὃν ἀθάνατος τέκετο Ζεύς,  
eddying Xanthus, whom immortal Zeus begot,

**3** ἔνθα διατμήξας τοὺς μὲν πεδίον δὲ δίωκε  
there Achilles split them: one part he drove across the plain

**4** πρὸς πόλιν, ᾗ περ Ἀχαιοὶ ἀτυζόμενοι φοβέοντο  
toward the city, by the very way the Achaeans had fled in panic

**5** ἤματι τῷ προτέρῳ, ὅτε μαίνετο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·  
the day before, when glorious Hector raged.

**6** τῇ ῥʼ οἵ γε προχέοντο πεφυζότες, ἠέρα δʼ Ἥρη  
Along that way they streamed in flight, while Hera spread
> A perfect of lasting flight: πεφυζότες is a perfect participle: the Trojans have taken flight and remain in the state of fugitives as they stream toward Troy.

**7** πίτνα πρόσθε βαθεῖαν ἐρυκέμεν· ἡμίσεες δὲ  
a deep mist before them to hold them back; but half

**8** ἐς ποταμὸν εἰλεῦντο βαθύρροον ἀργυροδίνην,  
were penned inside the deep-flowing, silver-eddying river,

**9** ἐν δʼ ἔπεσον μεγάλῳ πατάγῳ, βράχε δʼ αἰπὰ ῥέεθρα,  
and fell in with a mighty crash; the steep currents roared,

**10** ὄχθαι δʼ ἀμφὶ περὶ μεγάλʼ ἴαχον· οἳ δʼ ἀλαλητῷ  
and all around the banks rang loudly; with cries

**11** ἔννεον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα ἑλισσόμενοι περὶ δίνας.  
they swam this way and that, spun about among the eddies.

**12** ὡς δʼ ὅθʼ ὑπὸ ῥιπῆς πυρὸς ἀκρίδες ἠερέθονται  
As locusts, driven by a blast of fire, take wing

**13** φευγέμεναι ποταμὸν δέ· τὸ δὲ φλέγει ἀκάματον πῦρ  
to flee into a river, while the tireless flame burns on

**14** ὄρμενον ἐξαίφνης, ταὶ δὲ πτώσσουσι καθʼ ὕδωρ·  
suddenly surging, and they cower down into the water —

**15** ὣς ὑπʼ Ἀχιλλῆος Ξάνθου βαθυδινήεντος  
so beneath Achilles the sounding stream of deep-eddying Xanthus

**16** πλῆτο ῥόος κελάδων ἐπιμὶξ ἵππων τε καὶ ἀνδρῶν.  
was filled in confusion with horses and men together.

**17** αὐτὰρ ὃ διογενὴς δόρυ μὲν λίπεν αὐτοῦ ἐπʼ ὄχθῃ  
But the Zeus-sprung hero left his spear there on the bank,
> Zeus-sprung: διογενής is a standing heroic epithet, literally connected with Zeus. It marks exalted rank or descent without claiming that Zeus is Achilles' immediate father.

**18** κεκλιμένον μυρίκῃσιν, ὃ δʼ ἔσθορε δαίμονι ἶσος  
leaning against the tamarisks, and leapt in like a god,
> Equal to a god: δαίμονι ἶσος is a formula of comparison, presenting Achilles' force as godlike while leaving him mortal.

**19** φάσγανον οἶον ἔχων, κακὰ δὲ φρεσὶ μήδετο ἔργα,  
holding only his sword, and in his heart he planned grim work.

**20** τύπτε δʼ ἐπιστροφάδην· τῶν δὲ στόνος ὄρνυτʼ ἀεικὴς  
He struck in wheeling pursuit; an ugly groan rose from those

**21** ἄορι θεινομένων, ἐρυθαίνετο δʼ αἵματι ὕδωρ.  
cut down by the blade, and the water reddened with blood.

**22** ὡς δʼ ὑπὸ δελφῖνος μεγακήτεος ἰχθύες ἄλλοι  
As other fish, fleeing a great sea-monster of a dolphin,

**23** φεύγοντες πιμπλᾶσι μυχοὺς λιμένος εὐόρμου  
fill the recesses of a harbor with good anchorage

**24** δειδιότες· μάλα γάρ τε κατεσθίει ὅν κε λάβῃσιν·  
in terror — for it greedily devours whatever it catches —

**25** ὣς Τρῶες ποταμοῖο κατὰ δεινοῖο ῥέεθρα  
so the Trojans cowered beneath the banks along the currents

**26** πτῶσσον ὑπὸ κρημνούς. ὃ δʼ ἐπεὶ κάμε χεῖρας ἐναίρων,  
of the dreadful river. When his hands grew weary of killing,

**27** ζωοὺς ἐκ ποταμοῖο δυώδεκα λέξατο κούρους  
he chose twelve young men alive out of the river

**28** ποινὴν Πατρόκλοιο Μενοιτιάδαο θανόντος·  
as blood-price for Patroclus, the dead son of Menoetius.

**29** τοὺς ἐξῆγε θύραζε τεθηπότας ἠΰτε νεβρούς,  
He led them out, dazed like fawns,

**30** δῆσε δʼ ὀπίσσω χεῖρας ἐϋτμήτοισιν ἱμᾶσι,  
and bound their hands behind them with well-cut straps

**31** τοὺς αὐτοὶ φορέεσκον ἐπὶ στρεπτοῖσι χιτῶσι,  
that they themselves wore upon their twisted tunics,

**32** δῶκε δʼ ἑταίροισιν κατάγειν κοίλας ἐπὶ νῆας.  
then gave them to his comrades to take back to the hollow ships.

**33** αὐτὰρ ὃ ἂψ ἐπόρουσε δαϊζέμεναι μενεαίνων.  
But he sprang back again, eager to tear more men apart.

**34** ἔνθʼ υἷι Πριάμοιο συνήντετο Δαρδανίδαο  
There he met a son of Priam, descendant of Dardanus,

**35** ἐκ ποταμοῦ φεύγοντι Λυκάονι, τόν ῥά ποτʼ αὐτὸς  
Lycaon, fleeing from the river, whom Achilles himself once

**36** ἦγε λαβὼν ἐκ πατρὸς ἀλωῆς οὐκ ἐθέλοντα  
had seized and led unwilling from his father's vineyard,

**37** ἐννύχιος προμολών· ὃ δʼ ἐρινεὸν ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ  
coming on him by night; with sharp bronze Lycaon was cutting

**38** τάμνε νέους ὄρπηκας, ἵνʼ ἅρματος ἄντυγες εἶεν·  
young shoots from a wild fig tree to make the side-rails of a chariot.
> The chariot rail: ἄντυγες are the curved rails or rims around a chariot's body. Lycaon is cutting pliant fig shoots for this practical piece of chariot-work when Achilles surprises him.

**39** τῷ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀνώϊστον κακὸν ἤλυθε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.  
Then godlike Achilles came upon him as an unforeseen disaster.

**40** καὶ τότε μέν μιν Λῆμνον ἐϋκτιμένην ἐπέρασσε  
That time he carried him by ship to well-built Lemnos and sold him,
> Sold overseas: ἐπέρασσε means that Achilles sold Lycaon across the sea. The verb marks the first transaction in a precise sequence of capture, sale, purchase, ransom, and escape.

**41** νηυσὶν ἄγων, ἀτὰρ υἱὸς Ἰήσονος ὦνον ἔδωκε·  
and the son of Jason paid the purchase price.

**42** κεῖθεν δὲ ξεῖνός μιν ἐλύσατο πολλὰ δʼ ἔδωκεν  
From there his guest-friend freed him, paying a great sum,

**43** Ἴμβριος Ἠετίων, πέμψεν δʼ ἐς δῖαν Ἀρίσβην·  
Eetion of Imbros, and sent him to holy Arisbe.

**44** ἔνθεν ὑπεκπροφυγὼν πατρώϊον ἵκετο δῶμα.  
Escaping secretly from there, he reached his father's house.

**45** ἕνδεκα δʼ ἤματα θυμὸν ἐτέρπετο οἷσι φίλοισιν  
For eleven days he delighted his heart among his loved ones

**46** ἐλθὼν ἐκ Λήμνοιο· δυωδεκάτῃ δέ μιν αὖτις  
after coming from Lemnos; but on the twelfth a god once more
> On the twelfth day: δυωδεκάτῃ is a dative ordinal used with the understood ἡμέρᾳ, 'on the twelfth day.' It completes the chronology after the eleven days named in the preceding line.

**47** χερσὶν Ἀχιλλῆος θεὸς ἔμβαλεν, ὅς μιν ἔμελλε  
cast him into Achilles' hands, who was destined

**48** πέμψειν εἰς Ἀΐδαο καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλοντα νέεσθαι.  
to send him to Hades, though he had no wish to go.
> Unwilling Lycaon: οὐκ ἐθέλοντα is an accusative participial phrase agreeing with Lycaon: he is the unwilling one. The negation belongs to his desire, not to Achilles' destined act.

**49** τὸν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς  
When swift-footed godlike Achilles saw him,
> Swift-footed godlike Achilles: This full formula joins ποδάρκης, 'swift-footed,' with δῖος, 'godlike.' Both epithets belong to Achilles and are retained together.

**50** γυμνὸν ἄτερ κόρυθός τε καὶ ἀσπίδος, οὐδʼ ἔχεν ἔγχος,  
naked, without helmet or shield, and holding no spear —

**51** ἀλλὰ τὰ μέν ῥʼ ἀπὸ πάντα χαμαὶ βάλε· τεῖρε γὰρ ἱδρὼς  
for he had thrown all his gear down upon the ground; sweat wore him out

**52** φεύγοντʼ ἐκ ποταμοῦ, κάματος δʼ ὑπὸ γούνατʼ ἐδάμνα·  
as he fled from the river, and weariness mastered his knees —

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

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

**55** ἦ μάλα δὴ Τρῶες μεγαλήτορες οὕς περ ἔπεφνον  
Surely those same great-hearted Trojans whom I have killed

**56** αὖτις ἀναστήσονται ὑπὸ ζόφου ἠερόεντος,  
will rise again from beneath the misty gloom,

**57** οἷον δὴ καὶ ὅδʼ ἦλθε φυγὼν ὕπο νηλεὲς ἦμαρ  
since this man too has come back, escaping his merciless day,
> The merciless day: νηλεὲς ἦμαρ, 'merciless day,' is a compressed Homeric way to name the day of death or disaster. Achilles treats enslavement overseas as the doom Lycaon has impossibly escaped.

**58** Λῆμνον ἐς ἠγαθέην πεπερημένος· οὐδέ μιν ἔσχε  
though sold into sacred Lemnos; not even the gray sea

**59** πόντος ἁλὸς πολιῆς, ὃ πολέας ἀέκοντας ἐρύκει.  
held him, though it holds back many men against their will.

**60** ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ καὶ δουρὸς ἀκωκῆς ἡμετέροιο  
Come then, he shall taste the point of my spear as well,

**61** γεύσεται, ὄφρα ἴδωμαι ἐνὶ φρεσὶν ἠδὲ δαείω  
so that I may see in my heart and learn

**62** ἢ ἄρʼ ὁμῶς καὶ κεῖθεν ἐλεύσεται, ἦ μιν ἐρύξει  
whether he will return from there in the same way, or whether

**63** γῆ φυσίζοος, ἥ τε κατὰ κρατερόν περ ἐρύκει.  
the life-bearing earth will hold him down, as it holds even the strong."
> Life-bearing earth: φυσίζοος calls the earth the power that brings life forth. The irony is sharp: the same life-bearing ground also holds the dead down.

**64** ὣς ὅρμαινε μένων· ὃ δέ οἱ σχεδὸν ἦλθε τεθηπὼς  
So he pondered and waited; Lycaon came near him, dazed,

**65** γούνων ἅψασθαι μεμαώς, περὶ δʼ ἤθελε θυμῷ  
eager to clasp his knees, for above all his heart desired
> The knees of supplication: ἅψασθαι takes a genitive object, γούνων, 'to grasp the knees.' The infinitive expresses the action Lycaon is eager to perform.

**66** ἐκφυγέειν θάνατόν τε κακὸν καὶ κῆρα μέλαιναν.  
to escape evil death and black doom.

**67** ἤτοι ὃ μὲν δόρυ μακρὸν ἀνέσχετο δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς  
Godlike Achilles raised his long spear

**68** οὐτάμεναι μεμαώς, ὃ δʼ ὑπέδραμε καὶ λάβε γούνων  
eager to stab him, but Lycaon ducked beneath and caught his knees,

**69** κύψας· ἐγχείη δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ νώτου ἐνὶ γαίῃ  
crouching; the spear passed over his back and in the earth

**70** ἔστη ἱεμένη χροὸς ἄμεναι ἀνδρομέοιο.  
stood fixed, longing to glut itself on human flesh.
> A spear hungry for flesh: The spear is personified as desiring to take its fill of human flesh. Homer transfers the warrior's lethal appetite into the weapon itself.

**71** αὐτὰρ ὃ τῇ ἑτέρῃ μὲν ἑλὼν ἐλλίσσετο γούνων,  
With one hand Lycaon clasped his knees and begged him,

**72** τῇ δʼ ἑτέρῃ ἔχεν ἔγχος ἀκαχμένον οὐδὲ μεθίει·  
and with the other held the sharp spear and would not let it go.

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

**74** γουνοῦμαι σʼ Ἀχιλεῦ· σὺ δέ μʼ αἴδεο καί μʼ ἐλέησον·  
"I clasp your knees, Achilles; respect me and show me mercy.

**75** ἀντί τοί εἰμʼ ἱκέταο διοτρεφὲς αἰδοίοιο·  
I stand before you as a suppliant worthy of reverence, Zeus-nurtured Achilles.

**76** πὰρ γὰρ σοὶ πρώτῳ πασάμην Δημήτερος ἀκτὴν  
For at your side I first tasted the grain of Demeter

**77** ἤματι τῷ ὅτε μʼ εἷλες ἐϋκτιμένῃ ἐν ἀλωῇ,  
on the day you seized me in the well-tended vineyard,

**78** καί μʼ ἐπέρασσας ἄνευθεν ἄγων πατρός τε φίλων τε  
and carried me far from my father and loved ones and sold me

**79** Λῆμνον ἐς ἠγαθέην, ἑκατόμβοιον δέ τοι ἦλφον.  
into sacred Lemnos, and I brought you the price of a hundred oxen.

**80** νῦν δὲ λύμην τρὶς τόσσα πορών· ἠὼς δέ μοί ἐστιν  
Now I have been ransomed for three times that sum; and this is
> Ransomed for threefold: λύμην is passive: Lycaon was released by ransom, and τρὶς τόσσα specifies a price three times the hundred-ox value he had brought Achilles.

**81** ἥδε δυωδεκάτη, ὅτʼ ἐς Ἴλιον εἰλήλουθα  
the twelfth dawn since I came to Ilion

**82** πολλὰ παθών· νῦν αὖ με τεῇς ἐν χερσὶν ἔθηκε  
after suffering much; now ruinous fate has cast me once more

**83** μοῖρʼ ὀλοή· μέλλω που ἀπεχθέσθαι Διὶ πατρί,  
into your hands. I must surely be hated by father Zeus,
> Ruinous fate: μοῖρα is the apportioned fate that falls to a person; ὀλοή marks Lycaon's allotted lot as destructive. He names fate, not Achilles, as the immediate agent that has delivered him back.

**84** ὅς με σοὶ αὖτις δῶκε· μινυνθάδιον δέ με μήτηρ  
who has given me to you again; brief-lived my mother

**85** γείνατο Λαοθόη θυγάτηρ Ἄλταο γέροντος  
Laothoe bore me, daughter of aged Altes —

**86** Ἄλτεω, ὃς Λελέγεσσι φιλοπτολέμοισιν ἀνάσσει  
Altes, who rules the war-loving Leleges

**87** Πήδασον αἰπήεσσαν ἔχων ἐπὶ Σατνιόεντι.  
and holds steep Pedasus beside the Satnioeis.

**88** τοῦ δʼ ἔχε θυγατέρα Πρίαμος, πολλὰς δὲ καὶ ἄλλας·  
Priam had his daughter as wife, along with many others;

**89** τῆς δὲ δύω γενόμεσθα, σὺ δʼ ἄμφω δειροτομήσεις,  
and we two were born of her, and you will cut both our throats.
> A plural verb for two: γενόμεσθα is first-person plural, not a dual verb; δύω, 'two,' supplies the exact two-person meaning. Lycaon identifies the two sons born from the same mother, himself and Polydorus.

**90** ἤτοι τὸν πρώτοισι μετὰ πρυλέεσσι δάμασσας  
The one you brought down among the foremost fighters,

**91** ἀντίθεον Πολύδωρον, ἐπεὶ βάλες ὀξέϊ δουρί·  
godlike Polydorus, when you struck him with your sharp spear.

**92** νῦν δὲ δὴ ἐνθάδʼ ἐμοὶ κακὸν ἔσσεται· οὐ γὰρ ὀΐω  
Now evil will come upon me here; for I do not think

**93** σὰς χεῖρας φεύξεσθαι, ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐπέλασσέ γε δαίμων.  
I shall escape your hands, since a god has driven me near you.

**94** ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσι·  
And I will tell you another thing, and lay it to heart:

**95** μή με κτεῖνʼ, ἐπεὶ οὐχ ὁμογάστριος Ἕκτορός εἰμι,  
do not kill me, since I am not Hector's brother from the same womb,
> Brother from the same womb: ὁμογάστριος means sharing the same mother's womb. Lycaon distinguishes full maternal brotherhood from the broader brotherhood of Priam's many sons.

**96** ὅς τοι ἑταῖρον ἔπεφνεν ἐνηέα τε κρατερόν τε.  
Hector who killed your comrade, gentle and strong."

**97** ὣς ἄρα μιν Πριάμοιο προσηύδα φαίδιμος υἱὸς  
So Priam's glorious son addressed him

**98** λισσόμενος ἐπέεσσιν, ἀμείλικτον δʼ ὄπʼ ἄκουσε·  
with words of supplication, but heard a merciless voice:

**99** νήπιε μή μοι ἄποινα πιφαύσκεο μηδʼ ἀγόρευε·  
"Fool, do not mention ransom to me or speak of it.

**100** πρὶν μὲν γὰρ Πάτροκλον ἐπισπεῖν αἴσιμον ἦμαρ  
Before Patroclus met his destined day,

**101** τόφρά τί μοι πεφιδέσθαι ἐνὶ φρεσὶ φίλτερον ἦεν  
it was dearer to my heart to spare some Trojan lives,

**102** Τρώων, καὶ πολλοὺς ζωοὺς ἕλον ἠδʼ ἐπέρασσα·  
and I took many alive and sold them overseas.

**103** νῦν δʼ οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅς τις θάνατον φύγῃ ὅν κε θεός γε  
Now there is no man who shall escape death, if a god

**104** Ἰλίου προπάροιθεν ἐμῇς ἐν χερσὶ βάλῃσι  
casts him into my hands before Ilion,

**105** καὶ πάντων Τρώων, περὶ δʼ αὖ Πριάμοιό γε παίδων.  
none of all the Trojans, least of all the sons of Priam.

**106** ἀλλὰ φίλος θάνε καὶ σύ· τί ἦ ὀλοφύρεαι οὕτως;  
Come, friend, you too must die. Why mourn like this?

**107** κάτθανε καὶ Πάτροκλος, ὅ περ σέο πολλὸν ἀμείνων.  
Patroclus too died, and he was far better than you.

**108** οὐχ ὁράᾳς οἷος καὶ ἐγὼ καλός τε μέγας τε;  
Do you not see what I am, how handsome and tall?

**109** πατρὸς δʼ εἴμʼ ἀγαθοῖο, θεὰ δέ με γείνατο μήτηρ·  
I am the son of a noble father, and a goddess bore me as mother;

**110** ἀλλʼ ἔπι τοι καὶ ἐμοὶ θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κραταιή·  
yet over me too stand death and mighty fate.

**111** ἔσσεται ἢ ἠὼς ἢ δείλη ἢ μέσον ἦμαρ  
There will come a dawn, or evening, or midday

**112** ὁππότε τις καὶ ἐμεῖο Ἄρῃ ἐκ θυμὸν ἕληται  
when someone in battle shall take the life from me as well,

**113** ἢ ὅ γε δουρὶ βαλὼν ἢ ἀπὸ νευρῆφιν ὀϊστῷ.  
either striking with a spear or with an arrow from the bowstring."

**114** ὣς φάτο, τοῦ δʼ αὐτοῦ λύτο γούνατα καὶ φίλον ἦτορ·  
So he spoke, and there Lycaon's knees and dear heart gave way.

**115** ἔγχος μέν ῥʼ ἀφέηκεν, ὃ δʼ ἕζετο χεῖρε πετάσσας  
He let go of the spear and sat with both hands

**116** ἀμφοτέρας· Ἀχιλεὺς δὲ ἐρυσσάμενος ξίφος ὀξὺ  
spread wide; Achilles drew his sharp sword

**117** τύψε κατὰ κληῗδα παρʼ αὐχένα, πᾶν δέ οἱ εἴσω  
and struck him on the collarbone beside the neck; all the way in

**118** δῦ ξίφος ἄμφηκες· ὃ δʼ ἄρα πρηνὴς ἐπὶ γαίῃ  
the double-edged sword sank. Lycaon lay face-down upon the earth,

**119** κεῖτο ταθείς, ἐκ δʼ αἷμα μέλαν ῥέε, δεῦε δὲ γαῖαν.  
stretched out, and black blood flowed from him and soaked the ground.

**120** τὸν δʼ Ἀχιλεὺς ποταμὸν δὲ λαβὼν ποδὸς ἧκε φέρεσθαι,  
Achilles caught him by the foot and flung him into the river to be borne away,

**121** καί οἱ ἐπευχόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντʼ ἀγόρευεν·  
and spoke winged words over him in triumph:

**122** ἐνταυθοῖ νῦν κεῖσο μετʼ ἰχθύσιν, οἵ σʼ ὠτειλὴν  
"Lie there now among the fish, who without care will lick

**123** αἷμʼ ἀπολιχμήσονται ἀκηδέες· οὐδέ σε μήτηρ  
the blood from your wound; your mother will not lay you

**124** ἐνθεμένη λεχέεσσι γοήσεται, ἀλλὰ Σκάμανδρος  
upon a bier and mourn you, but Scamander

**125** οἴσει δινήεις εἴσω ἁλὸς εὐρέα κόλπον·  
the eddying river will carry you into the broad gulf of the sea.

**126** θρῴσκων τις κατὰ κῦμα μέλαιναν φρῖχʼ ὑπαΐξει  
Leaping beneath the wave's dark ripple, some fish

**127** ἰχθύς, ὅς κε φάγῃσι Λυκάονος ἀργέτα δημόν.  
will dart up to eat the glistening fat of Lycaon.

**128** φθείρεσθʼ εἰς ὅ κεν ἄστυ κιχείομεν Ἰλίου ἱρῆς  
Perish, until we reach the city of sacred Ilion —

**129** ὑμεῖς μὲν φεύγοντες, ἐγὼ δʼ ὄπιθεν κεραΐζων.  
you fleeing, and I behind you laying waste.

**130** οὐδʼ ὑμῖν ποταμός περ ἐΰρροος ἀργυροδίνης  
Not even your fair-flowing, silver-eddying river

**131** ἀρκέσει, ᾧ δὴ δηθὰ πολέας ἱερεύετε ταύρους,  
will save you, though long have you sacrificed many bulls to him

**132** ζωοὺς δʼ ἐν δίνῃσι καθίετε μώνυχας ἵππους.  
and cast living single-hoofed horses into his eddies.

**133** ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς ὀλέεσθε κακὸν μόρον, εἰς ὅ κε πάντες  
Even so, you shall die an evil death, until all of you

**134** τίσετε Πατρόκλοιο φόνον καὶ λοιγὸν Ἀχαιῶν,  
have paid for Patroclus' death and the ruin of the Achaeans,

**135** οὓς ἐπὶ νηυσὶ θοῇσιν ἐπέφνετε νόσφιν ἐμεῖο.  
whom you killed beside the swift ships while I was away."

**136** ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, ποταμὸς δὲ χολώσατο κηρόθι μᾶλλον,  
So he spoke, and the river grew still angrier at heart,

**137** ὅρμηνεν δʼ ἀνὰ θυμὸν ὅπως παύσειε πόνοιο  
and pondered in his heart how he might halt from battle

**138** δῖον Ἀχιλλῆα, Τρώεσσι δὲ λοιγὸν ἀλάλκοι.  
godlike Achilles, and ward destruction from the Trojans.

**139** τόφρα δὲ Πηλέος υἱὸς ἔχων δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος  
Meanwhile the son of Peleus, holding his long-shadowed spear,

**140** Ἀστεροπαίῳ ἐπᾶλτο κατακτάμεναι μενεαίνων  
sprang at Asteropaeus, raging to kill him,

**141** υἱέϊ Πηλεγόνος· τὸν δʼ Ἀξιὸς εὐρυρέεθρος  
the son of Pelegon; broad-flowing Axius

**142** γείνατο καὶ Περίβοια Ἀκεσσαμενοῖο θυγατρῶν  
begot Pelegon with Periboea, eldest of the daughters

**143** πρεσβυτάτη· τῇ γάρ ῥα μίγη ποταμὸς βαθυδίνης.  
of Acessamenus, for the deep-eddying river lay with her.

**144** τῷ ῥʼ Ἀχιλεὺς ἐπόρουσεν, ὃ δʼ ἀντίος ἐκ ποταμοῖο  
Achilles sprang at him; but he came from the river and stood

**145** ἔστη ἔχων δύο δοῦρε· μένος δέ οἱ ἐν φρεσὶ θῆκε  
facing him with two spears, and Xanthus put courage in his heart,

**146** Ξάνθος, ἐπεὶ κεχόλωτο δαϊκταμένων αἰζηῶν,  
for Xanthus was enraged at the slaughter of the young men

**147** τοὺς Ἀχιλεὺς ἐδάϊζε κατὰ ῥόον οὐδʼ ἐλέαιρεν.  
whom Achilles was cutting down along his stream without pity.

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

**149** τὸν πρότερος προσέειπε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·  
swift-footed godlike Achilles spoke to him first:

**150** τίς πόθεν εἰς ἀνδρῶν ὅ μευ ἔτλης ἀντίος ἐλθεῖν;  
"Who are you, and from where among men, that you dare come against me?

**151** δυστήνων δέ τε παῖδες ἐμῷ μένει ἀντιόωσι.  
Unhappy are the parents whose sons confront my fury."

**152** τὸν δʼ αὖ Πηλεγόνος προσεφώνεε φαίδιμος υἱός·  
Then the glorious son of Pelegon answered him:

**153** Πηλεΐδη μεγάθυμε τί ἦ γενεὴν ἐρεείνεις;  
"Great-hearted son of Peleus, why ask my lineage?

**154** εἴμʼ ἐκ Παιονίης ἐριβώλου τηλόθʼ ἐούσης  
I come from Paeonia of the rich soil, far away,

**155** Παίονας ἄνδρας ἄγων δολιχεγχέας· ἥδε δέ μοι νῦν  
leading the long-speared Paeonian men; and this is now

**156** ἠὼς ἑνδεκάτη ὅτε Ἴλιον εἰλήλουθα.  
the eleventh dawn since I came to Ilion.

**157** αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ γενεὴ ἐξ Ἀξιοῦ εὐρὺ ῥέοντος  
My lineage is from the broad-flowing Axius,

**158** Ἀξιοῦ, ὃς κάλλιστον ὕδωρ ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἵησιν,  
Axius, who pours the fairest water over the earth.

**159** ὃς τέκε Πηλεγόνα κλυτὸν ἔγχεϊ· τὸν δʼ ἐμέ φασι  
He begot Pelegon, famed for the spear; and men say

**160** γείνασθαι· νῦν αὖτε μαχώμεθα φαίδιμʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ.  
Pelegon begot me. Now let us fight, glorious Achilles."

**161** ὣς φάτʼ ἀπειλήσας, ὃ δʼ ἀνέσχετο δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς  
So he spoke in challenge, and godlike Achilles raised

**162** Πηλιάδα μελίην· ὃ δʼ ἁμαρτῇ δούρασιν ἀμφὶς  
the Pelian ash spear; but with both spears at once

**163** ἥρως Ἀστεροπαῖος, ἐπεὶ περιδέξιος ἦεν.  
the hero Asteropaeus cast, for he could use either hand.
> Able with either hand: περιδέξιος here marks Asteropaeus as ambidextrous. That exceptional skill explains why he can cast two spears at once, one from each hand.

**164** καί ῥʼ ἑτέρῳ μὲν δουρὶ σάκος βάλεν, οὐδὲ διὰ πρὸ  
With one spear he struck the shield, but did not break through

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

**166** τῷ δʼ ἑτέρῳ μιν πῆχυν ἐπιγράβδην βάλε χειρὸς  
With the other he grazed Achilles' right forearm,
> A grazing forearm wound: ἐπιγράβδην makes the strike a graze across the πῆχυς, the forearm, rather than a deep piercing wound. The following genitive specifies that it is Achilles' right arm.

**167** δεξιτερῆς, σύτο δʼ αἷμα κελαινεφές· ἣ δʼ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ  
and dark blood spurted; but the spear passed beyond him

**168** γαίῃ ἐνεστήρικτο λιλαιομένη χροὸς ἆσαι.  
and stood planted in the earth, longing to glut itself on flesh.

**169** δεύτερος αὖτʼ Ἀχιλεὺς μελίην ἰθυπτίωνα  
Second in turn, Achilles hurled his straight-flying ash spear

**170** Ἀστεροπαίῳ ἐφῆκε κατακτάμεναι μενεαίνων.  
at Asteropaeus, raging to kill him.

**171** καὶ τοῦ μέν ῥʼ ἀφάμαρτεν, ὃ δʼ ὑψηλὴν βάλεν ὄχθην,  
He missed the man, but struck the high bank,

**172** μεσσοπαγὲς δʼ ἄρʼ ἔθηκε κατʼ ὄχθης μείλινον ἔγχος.  
and fixed the ash-wood spear halfway into the bank.
> Fixed halfway in: μεσσοπαγής means embedded to the middle. Achilles' Pelian spear is lodged half its length in the riverbank when Asteropaeus tries to pull it free.

**173** Πηλεΐδης δʼ ἄορ ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ  
The son of Peleus drew the sharp sword from beside his thigh

**174** ἆλτʼ ἐπί οἱ μεμαώς· ὃ δʼ ἄρα μελίην Ἀχιλῆος  
and leapt eagerly at him; but Asteropaeus could not

**175** οὐ δύνατʼ ἐκ κρημνοῖο ἐρύσσαι χειρὶ παχείῃ.  
pull Achilles' ash spear from the bank with his stout hand.

**176** τρὶς μέν μιν πελέμιξεν ἐρύσσασθαι μενεαίνων,  
Three times he shook it, straining to wrench it free,

**177** τρὶς δὲ μεθῆκε βίης· τὸ δὲ τέτρατον ἤθελε θυμῷ  
and three times he relaxed his force; the fourth time his heart desired

**178** ἆξαι ἐπιγνάμψας δόρυ μείλινον Αἰακίδαο,  
to bend and break the son of Aeacus' ash-wood spear,

**179** ἀλλὰ πρὶν Ἀχιλεὺς σχεδὸν ἄορι θυμὸν ἀπηύρα.  
but before he could, Achilles came near and took his life with the sword.

**180** γαστέρα γάρ μιν τύψε παρʼ ὀμφαλόν, ἐκ δʼ ἄρα πᾶσαι  
He struck him in the belly beside the navel, and all his bowels

**181** χύντο χαμαὶ χολάδες· τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν  
spilled upon the ground; darkness covered his eyes

**182** ἀσθμαίνοντʼ· Ἀχιλεὺς δʼ ἄρʼ ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὀρούσας  
as he gasped. Achilles sprang upon his chest,

**183** τεύχεά τʼ ἐξενάριξε καὶ εὐχόμενος ἔπος ηὔδα·  
stripped off his armor and spoke a word of triumph:

**184** κεῖσʼ οὕτως· χαλεπόν τοι ἐρισθενέος Κρονίωνος  
"Lie there. It is hard for you, river-born though you are,
> The son of Cronos: Κρονίων is the patronymic 'son of Cronos,' here naming Zeus. Achilles' boast contrasts the children of Zeus with a warrior born from a river line.

**185** παισὶν ἐριζέμεναι ποταμοῖό περ ἐκγεγαῶτι.  
to contend with the children of mighty Zeus, son of Cronos.

**186** φῆσθα σὺ μὲν ποταμοῦ γένος ἔμμεναι εὐρὺ ῥέοντος,  
You claimed your lineage was from a broad-flowing river,

**187** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ γενεὴν μεγάλου Διὸς εὔχομαι εἶναι.  
but I claim my descent from mighty Zeus.

**188** τίκτέ μʼ ἀνὴρ πολλοῖσιν ἀνάσσων Μυρμιδόνεσσι  
A man who rules over many Myrmidons begot me,

**189** Πηλεὺς Αἰακίδης· ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ Αἰακὸς ἐκ Διὸς ἦεν.  
Peleus, son of Aeacus; and Aeacus was born from Zeus.

**190** τὼ κρείσσων μὲν Ζεὺς ποταμῶν ἁλιμυρηέντων,  
Therefore Zeus is mightier than rivers that flow to the sea,

**191** κρείσσων αὖτε Διὸς γενεὴ ποταμοῖο τέτυκται.  
and the lineage of Zeus is mightier than a river's line.

**192** καὶ γὰρ σοὶ ποταμός γε πάρα μέγας, εἰ δύναταί τι  
You too have a great river close at hand, if he has any power

**193** χραισμεῖν· ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔστι Διὶ Κρονίωνι μάχεσθαι,  
to help you; but no one can fight Zeus, son of Cronos.

**194** τῷ οὐδὲ κρείων Ἀχελώϊος ἰσοφαρίζει,  
Not even lord Achelous rivals him,

**195** οὐδὲ βαθυρρείταο μέγα σθένος Ὠκεανοῖο,  
nor the great strength of deep-flowing Oceanus,

**196** ἐξ οὗ περ πάντες ποταμοὶ καὶ πᾶσα θάλασσα  
from whom all rivers and the whole sea

**197** καὶ πᾶσαι κρῆναι καὶ φρείατα μακρὰ νάουσιν·  
and every spring and deep well have their flow.

**198** ἀλλὰ καὶ ὃς δείδοικε Διὸς μεγάλοιο κεραυνὸν  
Even he fears the thunderbolt of mighty Zeus

**199** δεινήν τε βροντήν, ὅτʼ ἀπʼ οὐρανόθεν σμαραγήσῃ.  
and his dreadful thunder, when it crashes from heaven."

**200** ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἐκ κρημνοῖο ἐρύσσατο χάλκεον ἔγχος,  
He spoke, and drew his bronze spear from the bank,

**201** τὸν δὲ κατʼ αὐτόθι λεῖπεν, ἐπεὶ φίλον ἦτορ ἀπηύρα,  
but left Asteropaeus there, once he had taken his dear life,

**202** κείμενον ἐν ψαμάθοισι, δίαινε δέ μιν μέλαν ὕδωρ.  
lying in the sands as the dark water drenched him.

**203** τὸν μὲν ἄρʼ ἐγχέλυές τε καὶ ἰχθύες ἀμφεπένοντο  
Eels and fish busied themselves around him,

**204** δημὸν ἐρεπτόμενοι ἐπινεφρίδιον κείροντες·  
feeding on his fat and nibbling around the kidneys.

**205** αὐτὰρ ὃ βῆ ῥʼ ἰέναι μετὰ Παίονας ἱπποκορυστάς,  
Achilles went on after the chariot-warrior Paeonians,

**206** οἵ ῥʼ ἔτι πὰρ ποταμὸν πεφοβήατο δινήεντα,  
who still fled in terror beside the eddying river

**207** ὡς εἶδον τὸν ἄριστον ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ  
when they saw their best man in the brutal press

**208** χέρσʼ ὕπο Πηλεΐδαο καὶ ἄορι ἶφι δαμέντα.  
brought down by the son of Peleus' hands and powerful sword.

**209** ἔνθʼ ἕλε Θερσίλοχόν τε Μύδωνά τε Ἀστύπυλόν τε  
There he killed Thersilochus and Mydon and Astypylus,

**210** Μνῆσόν τε Θρασίον τε καὶ Αἴνιον ἠδʼ Ὀφελέστην·  
Mnesus and Thrasius and Aenius and Ophelestes.

**211** καί νύ κʼ ἔτι πλέονας κτάνε Παίονας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς,  
And swift Achilles would now have killed still more Paeonians,

**212** εἰ μὴ χωσάμενος προσέφη ποταμὸς βαθυδίνης  
had not the deep-eddying river addressed him in anger,

**213** ἀνέρι εἰσάμενος, βαθέης δʼ ἐκ φθέγξατο δίνης·  
taking the likeness of a man and voicing words from the deep eddy:

**214** ὦ Ἀχιλεῦ, περὶ μὲν κρατέεις, περὶ δʼ αἴσυλα ῥέζεις  
"Achilles, beyond all men you are strong, beyond all you do lawless deeds,

**215** ἀνδρῶν· αἰεὶ γάρ τοι ἀμύνουσιν θεοὶ αὐτοί.  
for the gods themselves are always defending you.

**216** εἴ τοι Τρῶας ἔδωκε Κρόνου παῖς πάντας ὀλέσσαι,  
If the son of Cronos has granted you to destroy all the Trojans,

**217** ἐξ ἐμέθεν γʼ ἐλάσας πεδίον κάτα μέρμερα ῥέζε·  
drive them out of me, at least, and work your grim deeds across the plain.

**218** πλήθει γὰρ δή μοι νεκύων ἐρατεινὰ ῥέεθρα,  
For my lovely currents are filled full of corpses,

**219** οὐδέ τί πῃ δύναμαι προχέειν ῥόον εἰς ἅλα δῖαν  
and nowhere can I pour my stream into the shining sea,

**220** στεινόμενος νεκύεσσι, σὺ δὲ κτείνεις ἀϊδήλως.  
choked with the dead, while you go on killing ruinously.

**221** ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ καὶ ἔασον· ἄγη μʼ ἔχει ὄρχαμε λαῶν.  
Come now, leave off. I stand aghast, marshal of the people."

**222** τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·  
Then swift-footed Achilles answered him and said:
> Swift-footed Achilles: The standing epithet returns even while Achilles is fighting a river whose flood repeatedly overtakes him. Its force becomes dramatically literal in the chase that follows.

**223** ἔσται ταῦτα Σκάμανδρε διοτρεφές, ὡς σὺ κελεύεις.  
"These things shall be as you command, Zeus-nurtured Scamander.

**224** Τρῶας δʼ οὐ πρὶν λήξω ὑπερφιάλους ἐναρίζων,  
But I will not cease from slaughtering the insolent Trojans

**225** πρὶν ἔλσαι κατὰ ἄστυ καὶ Ἕκτορι πειρηθῆναι  
until I pen them within the city and make trial of Hector

**226** ἀντιβίην, ἤ κέν με δαμάσσεται, ἦ κεν ἐγὼ τόν.  
face to face, whether he shall master me, or I him."

**227** ὣς εἰπὼν Τρώεσσιν ἐπέσσυτο δαίμονι ἶσος·  
So he spoke, and rushed upon the Trojans, equal to a god.

**228** καὶ τότʼ Ἀπόλλωνα προσέφη ποταμὸς βαθυδίνης·  
Then the deep-swirling river spoke to Apollo:

**229** ὢ πόποι ἀργυρότοξε Διὸς τέκος οὐ σύ γε βουλὰς  
"Ah, child of Zeus, god of the silver bow, you have not kept
> God of the silver bow: The vocative ἀργυρότοξε addresses Apollo through his bow. This title remains distinct from his other fixed epithets, such as far-shooting and far-working.

**230** εἰρύσαο Κρονίωνος, ὅ τοι μάλα πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλε  
the counsel of the son of Cronos, who charged you earnestly

**231** Τρωσὶ παρεστάμεναι καὶ ἀμύνειν, εἰς ὅ κεν ἔλθῃ  
to stand beside the Trojans and defend them until

**232** δείελος ὀψὲ δύων, σκιάσῃ δʼ ἐρίβωλον ἄρουραν.  
late evening comes down and shadows the rich-soiled field."

**233** ἦ, καὶ Ἀχιλλεὺς μὲν δουρικλυτὸς ἔνθορε μέσσῳ  
He spoke; and Achilles, famed with the spear, leapt into midstream,

**234** κρημνοῦ ἀπαΐξας· ὃ δʼ ἐπέσσυτο οἴδματι θύων,  
springing down from the bank. The river surged at him, raging in flood,

**235** πάντα δʼ ὄρινε ῥέεθρα κυκώμενος, ὦσε δὲ νεκροὺς  
and churned all his currents, driving on the corpses,

**236** πολλούς, οἵ ῥα κατʼ αὐτὸν ἅλις ἔσαν, οὓς κτάνʼ Ἀχιλλεύς  
many that lay thick within him, men Achilles had killed.

**237** τοὺς ἔκβαλλε θύραζε μεμυκὼς ἠΰτε ταῦρος  
He cast them outside, bellowing like a bull,
> Bellowing like a bull: The perfect participle μεμυκώς gives the river a bull's sustained bellow. The comparison turns the roar of the flood into the voice of an attacking animal.

**238** χέρσον δέ· ζωοὺς δὲ σάω κατὰ καλὰ ῥέεθρα,  
onto dry land; but saved the living within his lovely streams,

**239** κρύπτων ἐν δίνῃσι βαθείῃσιν μεγάλῃσι.  
hiding them in his great deep eddies.

**240** δεινὸν δʼ ἀμφʼ Ἀχιλῆα κυκώμενον ἵστατο κῦμα,  
A terrible churning wave rose around Achilles,

**241** ὤθει δʼ ἐν σάκεϊ πίπτων ῥόος· οὐδὲ πόδεσσιν  
and the falling current beat against his shield; he could not

**242** εἶχε στηρίξασθαι· ὃ δὲ πτελέην ἕλε χερσὶν  
brace himself upon his feet. He seized in both hands an elm,

**243** εὐφυέα μεγάλην· ἣ δʼ ἐκ ῥιζῶν ἐριποῦσα  
a great tree grown strong; but it fell, torn up by the roots,

**244** κρημνὸν ἅπαντα διῶσεν, ἐπέσχε δὲ καλὰ ῥέεθρα  
and tore away the whole bank, damming the lovely streams

**245** ὄζοισιν πυκινοῖσι, γεφύρωσεν δέ μιν αὐτὸν  
with its close-set branches and bridged the river itself
> It made a bridge: The verb γεφυρόω means to bridge or make into a bridge. The uprooted elm both blocks the current and spans the river.

**246** εἴσω πᾶσʼ ἐριποῦσʼ· ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐκ δίνης ἀνορούσας  
as the whole tree fell within it. Achilles sprang up out of the eddy

**247** ἤϊξεν πεδίοιο ποσὶ κραιπνοῖσι πέτεσθαι  
and darted over the plain, flying on swift feet

**248** δείσας· οὐδέ τʼ ἔληγε θεὸς μέγας, ὦρτο δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ  
in fear. Yet the great god did not cease, but rose against him

**249** ἀκροκελαινιόων, ἵνα μιν παύσειε πόνοιο  
darkening at the crest, to halt him from his labor —
> Dark-crested water: The participle pictures the river darkening at its raised crest. Homer makes the advancing flood resemble a towering, black-topped mass.

**250** δῖον Ἀχιλλῆα, Τρώεσσι δὲ λοιγὸν ἀλάλκοι.  
godlike Achilles, and ward destruction from the Trojans.

**251** Πηλεΐδης δʼ ἀπόρουσεν ὅσον τʼ ἐπὶ δουρὸς ἐρωή,  
The son of Peleus sprang away as far as a spear's cast,
> A spear-cast's distance: The phrase measures distance by the flight or cast of a spear. It keeps the escape grounded in the physical scale of the battlefield.

**252** αἰετοῦ οἴματʼ ἔχων μέλανος τοῦ θηρητῆρος,  
with the swoop of a black hunting eagle,

**253** ὅς θʼ ἅμα κάρτιστός τε καὶ ὤκιστος πετεηνῶν·  
the strongest and swiftest of all winged things.

**254** τῷ ἐϊκὼς ἤϊξεν, ἐπὶ στήθεσσι δὲ χαλκὸς  
Like it he darted, and the bronze upon his chest

**255** σμερδαλέον κονάβιζεν· ὕπαιθα δὲ τοῖο λιασθεὶς  
rang terribly. Veering aside from beneath the river,

**256** φεῦγʼ, ὃ δʼ ὄπισθε ῥέων ἕπετο μεγάλῳ ὀρυμαγδῷ.  
he fled, while it streamed behind him with a mighty roar.

**257** ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀνὴρ ὀχετηγὸς ἀπὸ κρήνης μελανύδρου  
As when a man who cuts watercourses leads from a dark-flowing spring

**258** ἂμ φυτὰ καὶ κήπους ὕδατι ῥόον ἡγεμονεύῃ  
a stream of water among plants and gardens,

**259** χερσὶ μάκελλαν ἔχων, ἀμάρης ἐξ ἔχματα βάλλων·  
holding a mattock in his hands and clearing barriers from the channel;

**260** τοῦ μέν τε προρέοντος ὑπὸ ψηφῖδες ἅπασαι  
as it runs on, all the pebbles beneath it

**261** ὀχλεῦνται· τὸ δέ τʼ ὦκα κατειβόμενον κελαρύζει  
are stirred, and swiftly it murmurs down

**262** χώρῳ ἔνι προαλεῖ, φθάνει δέ τε καὶ τὸν ἄγοντα·  
the sloping ground and outstrips the man who guides it —

**263** ὣς αἰεὶ Ἀχιλῆα κιχήσατο κῦμα ῥόοιο  
so the river's wave kept overtaking Achilles,

**264** καὶ λαιψηρὸν ἐόντα· θεοὶ δέ τε φέρτεροι ἀνδρῶν.  
swift though he was; gods are stronger than men.

**265** ὁσσάκι δʼ ὁρμήσειε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς  
As often as swift-footed godlike Achilles would strain
> Repeated action in the past: ὁσσάκι, "as often as," is paired with the optative ὁρμήσειε to describe a repeated past attempt. Each time Achilles tries to stand, the same answering wave strikes him.

**266** στῆναι ἐναντίβιον καὶ γνώμεναι εἴ μιν ἅπαντες  
to stand against it and learn whether all the immortals

**267** ἀθάνατοι φοβέουσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι,  
who hold broad heaven were putting him to flight,

**268** τοσσάκι μιν μέγα κῦμα διιπετέος ποταμοῖο  
so often the great wave of the heaven-fed river

**269** πλάζʼ ὤμους καθύπερθεν· ὃ δʼ ὑψόσε ποσσὶν ἐπήδα  
would buffet his shoulders from above; and he sprang high with his feet,

**270** θυμῷ ἀνιάζων· ποταμὸς δʼ ὑπὸ γούνατʼ ἐδάμνα  
distressed at heart; beneath him the river subdued his knees,

**271** λάβρος ὕπαιθα ῥέων, κονίην δʼ ὑπέρεπτε ποδοῖιν.  
flowing violently, and swept the earth from under both feet.
> The ground swept away: The river does not merely strike Achilles from above: it scours the soil from beneath both feet. The dual ποδοῖιν makes the loss of footing exact.

**272** Πηλεΐδης δʼ ᾤμωξεν ἰδὼν εἰς οὐρανὸν εὐρύν·  
The son of Peleus groaned and looked into broad heaven:

**273** Ζεῦ πάτερ ὡς οὔ τίς με θεῶν ἐλεεινὸν ὑπέστη  
"Father Zeus, how no god has stepped forward to save me, pitiable as I am,

**274** ἐκ ποταμοῖο σαῶσαι· ἔπειτα δὲ καί τι πάθοιμι.  
from the river! Afterward I could suffer whatever comes.

**275** ἄλλος δʼ οὔ τις μοι τόσον αἴτιος Οὐρανιώνων,  
No other of the gods of heaven is so much to blame

**276** ἀλλὰ φίλη μήτηρ, ἥ με ψεύδεσσιν ἔθελγεν·  
as my own dear mother, who beguiled me with falsehoods.
> Beguiled with falsehoods: θέλγω means to charm, enchant, or beguile; ψεύδεσσιν makes the means explicit, "with falsehoods." Achilles bitterly recasts his mother's prophecy as deception.

**277** ἥ μʼ ἔφατο Τρώων ὑπὸ τείχεϊ θωρηκτάων  
She said that beneath the wall of the armored Trojans

**278** λαιψηροῖς ὀλέεσθαι Ἀπόλλωνος βελέεσσιν.  
I would be slain by the swift shafts of Apollo.

**279** ὥς μʼ ὄφελʼ Ἕκτωρ κτεῖναι ὃς ἐνθάδε γʼ ἔτραφʼ ἄριστος·  
Would that Hector had killed me, the best man reared here!

**280** τώ κʼ ἀγαθὸς μὲν ἔπεφνʼ, ἀγαθὸν δέ κεν ἐξενάριξε·  
Then a brave man would have slain me and stripped a brave man.

**281** νῦν δέ με λευγαλέῳ θανάτῳ εἵμαρτο ἁλῶναι  
But now I am fated to be caught by a wretched death,

**282** ἐρχθέντʼ ἐν μεγάλῳ ποταμῷ ὡς παῖδα συφορβόν,  
trapped in the great river like a swineherd's boy

**283** ὅν ῥά τʼ ἔναυλος ἀποέρσῃ χειμῶνι περῶντα.  
whom a torrent sweeps away as he crosses in a storm."

**284** ὣς φάτο, τῷ δὲ μάλʼ ὦκα Ποσειδάων καὶ Ἀθήνη  
So he spoke; and Poseidon and Athena came very swiftly

**285** στήτην ἐγγὺς ἰόντε, δέμας δʼ ἄνδρεσσιν ἐΐκτην,  
and stood near him, going in the likeness of men,
> Two gods in the dual: The verb στήτην and participle ἰόντε are dual forms, marking Poseidon and Athena as an exact pair. Their bodies resemble men, but the grammar keeps their joint divine intervention clear.

**286** χειρὶ δὲ χεῖρα λαβόντες ἐπιστώσαντʼ ἐπέεσσι.  
and taking him by the hand, they made him steadfast with words.

**287** τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων·  
Poseidon the earth-shaker was first to speak among them:
> Poseidon the earth-shaker: ἐνοσίχθων is Poseidon's standing earth-shaking title. The whole line repeats an accepted formula and therefore keeps its earlier English wording exactly.

**288** Πηλεΐδη μήτʼ ἄρ τι λίην τρέε μήτέ τι τάρβει·  
"Son of Peleus, do not tremble too greatly or be afraid.

**289** τοίω γάρ τοι νῶϊ θεῶν ἐπιταρρόθω εἰμὲν  
For we two gods are your helpers,

**290** Ζηνὸς ἐπαινήσαντος ἐγὼ καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη·  
with Zeus's approval — I and Pallas Athena.
> With Zeus's approval: The genitive absolute gives Zeus's sanction as the circumstance under which the two gods act. Poseidon and Athena intervene with his approval, not in defiance of him.

**291** ὡς οὔ τοι ποταμῷ γε δαμήμεναι αἴσιμόν ἐστιν,  
It is not your fate to be mastered by the river,

**292** ἀλλʼ ὅδε μὲν τάχα λωφήσει, σὺ δὲ εἴσεαι αὐτός·  
but he will soon subside, as you yourself shall know.

**293** αὐτάρ τοι πυκινῶς ὑποθησόμεθʼ αἴ κε πίθηαι·  
We will give you prudent counsel, if you will obey:

**294** μὴ πρὶν παύειν χεῖρας ὁμοιΐου πολέμοιο  
do not let your hands cease from the level war

**295** πρὶν κατὰ Ἰλιόφι κλυτὰ τείχεα λαὸν ἐέλσαι  
until you pen within Ilion's glorious walls

**296** Τρωϊκόν, ὅς κε φύγῃσι· σὺ δʼ Ἕκτορι θυμὸν ἀπούρας  
the Trojan host, whoever escapes; then, taking Hector's life,

**297** ἂψ ἐπὶ νῆας ἴμεν· δίδομεν δέ τοι εὖχος ἀρέσθαι.  
go back to the ships. We grant you the glory of victory."

**298** τὼ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰπόντε μετʼ ἀθανάτους ἀπεβήτην·  
The two, when they had spoken thus, went back among the immortals.

**299** αὐτὰρ ὃ βῆ, μέγα γάρ ῥα θεῶν ὄτρυνεν ἐφετμή,  
But Achilles went on, for the gods' command stirred him greatly,

**300** ἐς πεδίον· τὸ δὲ πᾶν πλῆθʼ ὕδατος ἐκχυμένοιο,  
onto the plain; all of it was filled with outpoured water,

**301** πολλὰ δὲ τεύχεα καλὰ δαὶ κταμένων αἰζηῶν  
and many fine weapons of young men killed in battle

**302** πλῶον καὶ νέκυες· τοῦ δʼ ὑψόσε γούνατʼ ἐπήδα  
floated there, and corpses. His knees leapt high

**303** πρὸς ῥόον ἀΐσσοντος ἀνʼ ἰθύν, οὐδέ μιν ἴσχεν  
as he dashed straight on against the current, nor could

**304** εὐρὺ ῥέων ποταμός· μέγα γὰρ σθένος ἔμβαλʼ Ἀθήνη.  
the broad-flowing river hold him; Athena had put great strength in him.

**305** οὐδὲ Σκάμανδρος ἔληγε τὸ ὃν μένος, ἀλλʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον  
Nor did Scamander cease from his fury, but grew still more

**306** χώετο Πηλεΐωνι, κόρυσσε δὲ κῦμα ῥόοιο  
enraged at the son of Peleus, and he crested the river's wave,

**307** ὑψόσʼ ἀειρόμενος, Σιμόεντι δὲ κέκλετʼ ἀΰσας·  
lifting himself high, and shouted aloud to Simoeis:

**308** φίλε κασίγνητε σθένος ἀνέρος ἀμφότεροί περ  
"Dear brother, let both of us check this man's strength,

**309** σχῶμεν, ἐπεὶ τάχα ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος  
for soon he will sack the great city of lord Priam,

**310** ἐκπέρσει, Τρῶες δὲ κατὰ μόθον οὐ μενέουσιν.  
and the Trojans cannot stand their ground in battle.

**311** ἀλλʼ ἐπάμυνε τάχιστα, καὶ ἐμπίπληθι ῥέεθρα  
Come swiftly to my aid, and fill your streams

**312** ὕδατος ἐκ πηγέων, πάντας δʼ ὀρόθυνον ἐναύλους,  
with water from the springs, and rouse every torrent.

**313** ἵστη δὲ μέγα κῦμα, πολὺν δʼ ὀρυμαγδὸν ὄρινε  
Raise a great wave, and stir a mighty crashing

**314** φιτρῶν καὶ λάων, ἵνα παύσομεν ἄγριον ἄνδρα  
of tree trunks and stones, so we may stop this savage man

**315** ὃς δὴ νῦν κρατέει, μέμονεν δʼ ὅ γε ἶσα θεοῖσι.  
who now prevails and strains to match the gods.

**316** φημὶ γὰρ οὔτε βίην χραισμησέμεν οὔτέ τι εἶδος  
For I say neither strength nor beauty will help him,

**317** οὔτε τὰ τεύχεα καλά, τά που μάλα νειόθι λίμνης  
nor his fine armor, which somewhere far beneath the pool

**318** κείσεθʼ ὑπʼ ἰλύος κεκαλυμμένα· κὰδ δέ μιν αὐτὸν  
shall lie covered in mud. I will wrap the man himself

**319** εἰλύσω ψαμάθοισιν ἅλις χέραδος περιχεύας  
in sand and heap measureless gravel all around him,

**320** μυρίον, οὐδέ οἱ ὀστέʼ ἐπιστήσονται Ἀχαιοὶ  
and the Achaeans will not know how to gather up his bones,

**321** ἀλλέξαι· τόσσην οἱ ἄσιν καθύπερθε καλύψω.  
so great a mass of silt will I cover over him.

**322** αὐτοῦ οἱ καὶ σῆμα τετεύξεται, οὐδέ τί μιν χρεὼ  
There on that very spot his grave-marker shall be made; they will have no need

**323** ἔσται τυμβοχόης, ὅτε μιν θάπτωσιν Ἀχαιοί.  
to heap a burial mound for him when the Achaeans bury him."

**324** ἦ, καὶ ἐπῶρτʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ κυκώμενος ὑψόσε θύων  
He spoke, and rose high against Achilles, surging in turmoil,

**325** μορμύρων ἀφρῷ τε καὶ αἵματι καὶ νεκύεσσι.  
roaring with foam and blood and corpses.
> Foam, blood, and corpses: The three dative nouns name what churns within the river's rising flood. Homer keeps the mechanics of the attack inseparable from the bodies Achilles has thrown into the water.

**326** πορφύρεον δʼ ἄρα κῦμα διιπετέος ποταμοῖο  
The dark wave of the heaven-fed river

**327** ἵστατʼ ἀειρόμενον, κατὰ δʼ ᾕρεε Πηλεΐωνα·  
stood towering up and bore the son of Peleus down.

**328** Ἥρη δὲ μέγʼ ἄϋσε περιδείσασʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ  
Hera cried aloud, in great fear for Achilles,

**329** μή μιν ἀποέρσειε μέγας ποταμὸς βαθυδίνης,  
lest the great deep-swirling river sweep him away,

**330** αὐτίκα δʼ Ἥφαιστον προσεφώνεεν ὃν φίλον υἱόν·  
and at once she called to Hephaestus, her own dear son:

**331** ὄρσεο κυλλοπόδιον ἐμὸν τέκος· ἄντα σέθεν γὰρ  
"Rise, my child, god of crooked feet; for against you
> God of crooked feet: Hera addresses Hephaestus with an epithet built on his crooked feet. It remains distinct from the fuller traditional title rendered "lame in both legs."

**332** Ξάνθον δινήεντα μάχῃ ἠΐσκομεν εἶναι·  
we reckoned eddying Xanthus would be matched in battle.

**333** ἀλλʼ ἐπάμυνε τάχιστα, πιφαύσκεο δὲ φλόγα πολλήν.  
Come swiftly to our aid and show forth abundant flame.

**334** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ Ζεφύροιο καὶ ἀργεστᾶο Νότοιο  
But I will go, and from Zephyrus and clearing Notus

**335** εἴσομαι ἐξ ἁλόθεν χαλεπὴν ὄρσουσα θύελλαν,  
raise a cruel storm out of the sea,

**336** ἥ κεν ἀπὸ Τρώων κεφαλὰς καὶ τεύχεα κήαι  
to burn the Trojans' heads and armor

**337** φλέγμα κακὸν φορέουσα· σὺ δὲ Ξάνθοιο παρʼ ὄχθας  
as it bears the destroying flame. Along Xanthus's banks

**338** δένδρεα καῖʼ, ἐν δʼ αὐτὸν ἵει πυρί· μὴ δέ σε πάμπαν  
burn the trees, and cast fire upon the river himself. Do not let him

**339** μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσιν ἀποτρεπέτω καὶ ἀρειῇ·  
turn you back at all with soothing words or threats.

**340** μὴ δὲ πρὶν ἀπόπαυε τεὸν μένος, ἀλλʼ ὁπότʼ ἂν δὴ  
Do not cease your fury before the moment when

**341** φθέγξομʼ ἐγὼν ἰάχουσα, τότε σχεῖν ἀκάματον πῦρ.  
I lift my voice and cry out; then stay your tireless fire."

**342** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, Ἥφαιστος δὲ τιτύσκετο θεσπιδαὲς πῦρ.  
So she spoke, and Hephaestus made ready a wondrous blaze.
> Wondrous blaze: θεσπιδαής marks the blaze as uncanny and overwhelming. Here it is literal divine fire prepared by Hephaestus at Hera's command.

**343** πρῶτα μὲν ἐν πεδίῳ πῦρ δαίετο, καῖε δὲ νεκροὺς  
First on the plain the fire blazed and burned the corpses,

**344** πολλούς, οἵ ῥα κατʼ αὐτὸν ἅλις ἔσαν, οὓς κτάνʼ Ἀχιλλεύς·  
many that lay thick within him, men Achilles had killed.

**345** πᾶν δʼ ἐξηράνθη πεδίον, σχέτο δʼ ἀγλαὸν ὕδωρ.  
The whole plain dried, and the shining water was checked.

**346** ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ὀπωρινὸς Βορέης νεοαρδέʼ ἀλωὴν  
As when autumnal Boreas quickly dries

**347** αἶψʼ ἀγξηράνῃ· χαίρει δέ μιν ὅς τις ἐθείρῃ·  
a newly watered orchard, and the man who tills it rejoices,

**348** ὣς ἐξηράνθη πεδίον πᾶν, κὰδ δʼ ἄρα νεκροὺς  
so the whole plain dried, and Hephaestus burned up

**349** κῆεν· ὃ δʼ ἐς ποταμὸν τρέψε φλόγα παμφανόωσαν.  
the corpses; then he turned his all-shining flame upon the river.

**350** καίοντο πτελέαι τε καὶ ἰτέαι ἠδὲ μυρῖκαι,  
The elms burned, and the willows and tamarisks;

**351** καίετο δὲ λωτός τε ἰδὲ θρύον ἠδὲ κύπειρον,  
the lotus burned, and rushes and galingale,

**352** τὰ περὶ καλὰ ῥέεθρα ἅλις ποταμοῖο πεφύκει·  
all that grew thick beside the river's lovely streams.

**353** τείροντʼ ἐγχέλυές τε καὶ ἰχθύες οἳ κατὰ δίνας,  
The eels and fish were tormented in the eddies,
> Eels and fish: Homer names both eels and fish as living inhabitants of the river. Their suffering makes the fire's reach ecological and physical, not merely a contest between two abstract elements.

**354** οἳ κατὰ καλὰ ῥέεθρα κυβίστων ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα  
tumbling here and there through the lovely streams,

**355** πνοιῇ τειρόμενοι πολυμήτιος Ἡφαίστοιο.  
distressed by the breath of Hephaestus of many wiles.
> Hephaestus of many wiles: πολύμητις praises abundant cunning or inventive counsel. Applied to Hephaestus, it suits the craftsman's intelligent mastery of fire.

**356** καίετο δʼ ἲς ποταμοῖο ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·  
The river's strength burned, and he spoke and called him by name:
> The river's living strength: ἴς means force or strength, but here the river's power speaks as the river god himself. The phrasing joins the burning water and its divine person without creating a separate agent.

**357** Ἥφαιστʼ, οὔ τις σοί γε θεῶν δύνατʼ ἀντιφερίζειν,  
"Hephaestus, no god can contend against you,

**358** οὐδʼ ἂν ἐγὼ σοί γʼ ὧδε πυρὶ φλεγέθοντι μαχοίμην.  
nor would I fight you while you blaze with fire like this.

**359** λῆγʼ ἔριδος, Τρῶας δὲ καὶ αὐτίκα δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς  
Cease from strife; let godlike Achilles drive the Trojans

**360** ἄστεος ἐξελάσειε· τί μοι ἔριδος καὶ ἀρωγῆς;  
out of the city at once. What have I to do with strife or aid?"

**361** φῆ πυρὶ καιόμενος, ἀνὰ δʼ ἔφλυε καλὰ ῥέεθρα.  
He spoke, burning in the fire, and his lovely streams boiled up.

**362** ὡς δὲ λέβης ζεῖ ἔνδον ἐπειγόμενος πυρὶ πολλῷ  
As a cauldron boils within, pressed hard by abundant fire,

**363** κνίσην μελδόμενος ἁπαλοτρεφέος σιάλοιο  
melting the fat of a tenderly fed hog,

**364** πάντοθεν ἀμβολάδην, ὑπὸ δὲ ξύλα κάγκανα κεῖται,  
bubbling up on every side while dry sticks lie beneath,

**365** ὣς τοῦ καλὰ ῥέεθρα πυρὶ φλέγετο, ζέε δʼ ὕδωρ·  
so his lovely streams burned with fire, and the water boiled.

**366** οὐδʼ ἔθελε προρέειν, ἀλλʼ ἴσχετο· τεῖρε δʼ ἀϋτμὴ  
It would not flow onward but was held; the blast

**367** Ἡφαίστοιο βίηφι πολύφρονος. αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ Ἥρην  
of resourceful Hephaestus oppressed it with force. Then the river
> By Hephaestus's force: The dative βίηφι expresses the force by which the river is oppressed. Agency remains with Hephaestus; the hot blast is the means of his attack.

**368** πολλὰ λισσόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
earnestly implored Hera and addressed her with winged words:

**369** Ἥρη τίπτε σὸς υἱὸς ἐμὸν ῥόον ἔχραε κήδειν  
"Hera, why has your son attacked my stream to afflict it

**370** ἐξ ἄλλων; οὐ μέν τοι ἐγὼ τόσον αἴτιός εἰμι  
above the others? I am not so much to blame in your eyes

**371** ὅσσον οἱ ἄλλοι πάντες, ὅσοι Τρώεσσιν ἀρωγοί.  
as all the other gods who are helpers of the Trojans.

**372** ἀλλʼ ἤτοι μὲν ἐγὼν ἀποπαύσομαι εἰ σὺ κελεύεις,  
I will indeed cease, if you command it,

**373** παυέσθω δὲ καὶ οὗτος· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐπὶ καὶ τόδʼ ὀμοῦμαι,  
and let this god cease as well. I will swear this oath besides:
> The river swears an oath: The future ὀμοῦμαι introduces the river's formal promise, whose content begins with the future infinitive on the next line. Xanthus binds himself to withdraw support from Troy.

**374** μή ποτʼ ἐπὶ Τρώεσσιν ἀλεξήσειν κακὸν ἦμαρ,  
never to ward the evil day from the Trojans,
> Oath in the future infinitive: The negative μή ποτε and future infinitive ἀλεξήσειν give the content of Xanthus's oath: never again to ward disaster from Troy. The line repeats accepted Greek and keeps its accepted English exactly.

**375** μὴ δʼ ὁπότʼ ἂν Τροίη μαλερῷ πυρὶ πᾶσα δάηται  
not even when all Troy burns in ravening fire,

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

**377** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τό γʼ ἄκουσε θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη,  
But when the goddess white-armed Hera heard him,
> White-armed Hera: λευκώλενος is Hera's standing white-armed epithet. It remains distinct from her ox-eyed, queenly and golden-throned formulas.

**378** αὐτίκʼ ἄρʼ Ἥφαιστον προσεφώνεεν ὃν φίλον υἱόν·  
at once she called to Hephaestus, her own dear son:

**379** Ἥφαιστε σχέο τέκνον ἀγακλεές· οὐ γὰρ ἔοικεν  
"Hephaestus, hold, my glorious child. It is not fitting

**380** ἀθάνατον θεὸν ὧδε βροτῶν ἕνεκα στυφελίζειν.  
to batter an immortal god like this for mortals' sake."

**381** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, Ἥφαιστος δὲ κατέσβεσε θεσπιδαὲς πῦρ,  
So she spoke, and Hephaestus quenched the wondrous blaze,

**382** ἄψορρον δʼ ἄρα κῦμα κατέσσυτο καλὰ ῥέεθρα.  
and the wave rushed back again down the lovely streams.

**383** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Ξάνθοιο δάμη μένος, οἳ μὲν ἔπειτα  
When Xanthus's fury was mastered, the two then

**384** παυσάσθην, Ἥρη γὰρ ἐρύκακε χωομένη περ·  
ceased, for Hera restrained them, angry though she was.
> The two combatants cease: παυσάσθην is dual: Hephaestus and Xanthus cease together after Hera intervenes. Hera restrains the elemental combat rather than one god independently defeating the other after the oath.

**385** ἐν δʼ ἄλλοισι θεοῖσιν ἔρις πέσε βεβριθυῖα  
But among the other gods heavy strife fell,

**386** ἀργαλέη, δίχα δέ σφιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θυμὸς ἄητο·  
grievous, and their hearts blew two ways within them.

**387** σὺν δʼ ἔπεσον μεγάλῳ πατάγῳ, βράχε δʼ εὐρεῖα χθών,  
They clashed with a mighty crash, and the broad earth groaned,

**388** ἀμφὶ δὲ σάλπιγξεν μέγας οὐρανός. ἄϊε δὲ Ζεὺς  
and great heaven rang around like a trumpet. Zeus heard it

**389** ἥμενος Οὐλύμπῳ· ἐγέλασσε δέ οἱ φίλον ἦτορ  
as he sat on Olympus, and his dear heart laughed

**390** γηθοσύνῃ, ὅθʼ ὁρᾶτο θεοὺς ἔριδι ξυνιόντας.  
for joy when he saw the gods joining in strife.

**391** ἔνθʼ οἵ γʼ οὐκέτι δηρὸν ἀφέστασαν· ἦρχε γὰρ Ἄρης  
Then they stood apart no longer; Ares began it,

**392** ῥινοτόρος, καὶ πρῶτος Ἀθηναίῃ ἐπόρουσε  
the shield-piercer, and first sprang upon Athena
> Ares the shield-piercer: ῥινοτόρος is built from hide and piercing: Ares is the piercer of rawhide shields. The epithet anticipates his spear-strike against Athena's aegis.

**393** χάλκεον ἔγχος ἔχων, καὶ ὀνείδειον φάτο μῦθον·  
with bronze spear in hand, and spoke a taunting word:

**394** τίπτʼ αὖτʼ ὦ κυνάμυια θεοὺς ἔριδι ξυνελαύνεις  
"Why again, dog-fly, do you drive the gods together in strife

**395** θάρσος ἄητον ἔχουσα, μέγας δέ σε θυμὸς ἀνῆκεν;  
in your headlong daring? Has your great heart urged you on?

**396** ἦ οὐ μέμνῃ ὅτε Τυδεΐδην Διομήδεʼ ἀνῆκας  
Do you not remember when you urged Diomedes, son of Tydeus,

**397** οὐτάμεναι, αὐτὴ δὲ πανόψιον ἔγχος ἑλοῦσα  
to wound me, and yourself took the spear in plain sight

**398** ἰθὺς ἐμεῦ ὦσας, διὰ δὲ χρόα καλὸν ἔδαψας;  
and thrust it straight at me, tearing my fair flesh?

**399** τώ σʼ αὖ νῦν ὀΐω ἀποτισέμεν ὅσσα ἔοργας.  
Now I think I will repay you for all that you have done."

**400** ὣς εἰπὼν οὔτησε κατʼ αἰγίδα θυσσανόεσσαν  
So he spoke and struck her tasseled aegis,

**401** σμερδαλέην, ἣν οὐδὲ Διὸς δάμνησι κεραυνός·  
terrible, which not even Zeus's thunderbolt can master.

**402** τῇ μιν Ἄρης οὔτησε μιαιφόνος ἔγχεϊ μακρῷ.  
On it blood-stained Ares struck her with his long spear.

**403** ἣ δʼ ἀναχασσαμένη λίθον εἵλετο χειρὶ παχείῃ  
But she drew back and took in her stout hand a stone

**404** κείμενον ἐν πεδίῳ μέλανα τρηχύν τε μέγαν τε,  
that lay on the plain, black and jagged and huge;

**405** τόν ῥʼ ἄνδρες πρότεροι θέσαν ἔμμεναι οὖρον ἀρούρης·  
men of former days had set it as the boundary of a field.

**406** τῷ βάλε θοῦρον Ἄρηα κατʼ αὐχένα, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα.  
With it she struck furious Ares on the neck and loosed his limbs.

**407** ἑπτὰ δʼ ἐπέσχε πέλεθρα πεσών, ἐκόνισε δὲ χαίτας,  
He covered seven measures of land as he fell, and fouled his hair with dust,

**408** τεύχεά τʼ ἀμφαράβησε· γέλασσε δὲ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη,  
and his armor rang around him. Pallas Athena laughed,

**409** καί οἱ ἐπευχομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and exulting over him, addressed him with winged words:

**410** νηπύτιʼ οὐδέ νύ πώ περ ἐπεφράσω ὅσσον ἀρείων  
"Fool, have you still not learned how much stronger

**411** εὔχομʼ ἐγὼν ἔμεναι, ὅτι μοι μένος ἰσοφαρίζεις.  
I claim to be, that you match your fury against mine?

**412** οὕτω κεν τῆς μητρὸς ἐρινύας ἐξαποτίνοις,  
So may you pay your mother's Erinyes to the full,

**413** ἥ τοι χωομένη κακὰ μήδεται οὕνεκʼ Ἀχαιοὺς  
for she is angry and devises evil against you because

**414** κάλλιπες, αὐτὰρ Τρωσὶν ὑπερφιάλοισιν ἀμύνεις.  
you abandoned the Achaeans and defend the insolent Trojans."

**415** ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα πάλιν τρέπεν ὄσσε φαεινώ·  
So she spoke and turned her shining eyes away.

**416** τὸν δʼ ἄγε χειρὸς ἑλοῦσα Διὸς θυγάτηρ Ἀφροδίτη  
Then Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, took him by the hand and led him,

**417** πυκνὰ μάλα στενάχοντα· μόγις δʼ ἐσαγείρετο θυμόν.  
groaning hard; only with difficulty was his spirit gathering again.

**418** τὴν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησε θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη,  
But when the goddess white-armed Hera saw her,

**419** αὐτίκʼ Ἀθηναίην ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
at once she addressed Athena with winged words:

**420** ὢ πόποι αἰγιόχοιο Διὸς τέκος Ἀτρυτώνη  
"Ah, shame, child of Zeus who bears the aegis, unwearied one,

**421** καὶ δʼ αὖθʼ ἡ κυνάμυια ἄγει βροτολοιγὸν Ἄρηα  
again the dog-fly is leading Ares, bane of mortals,

**422** δηΐου ἐκ πολέμοιο κατὰ κλόνον· ἀλλὰ μέτελθε.  
out of the destructive battle through the tumult. Go after her."

**423** ὣς φάτʼ, Ἀθηναίη δὲ μετέσσυτο, χαῖρε δὲ θυμῷ,  
So she spoke, and Athena rushed after her, glad at heart,

**424** καί ῥʼ ἐπιεισαμένη πρὸς στήθεα χειρὶ παχείῃ  
and lunging at her, struck her breast with her stout hand.

**425** ἤλασε· τῆς δʼ αὐτοῦ λύτο γούνατα καὶ φίλον ἦτορ.  
Her knees and dear heart gave way there on the spot.

**426** τὼ μὲν ἄρʼ ἄμφω κεῖντο ἐπὶ χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ,  
So both lay on the earth that feeds many,

**427** ἣ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπευχομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντʼ ἀγόρευε·  
and Athena exulted over them and spoke winged words:

**428** τοιοῦτοι νῦν πάντες ὅσοι Τρώεσσιν ἀρωγοὶ  
"May all who are helpers of the Trojans now be such

**429** εἶεν, ὅτʼ Ἀργείοισι μαχοίατο θωρηκτῇσιν,  
when they fight the armored Argives —

**430** ὧδέ τε θαρσαλέοι καὶ τλήμονες, ὡς Ἀφροδίτη  
as bold and enduring as Aphrodite,

**431** ἦλθεν Ἄρῃ ἐπίκουρος ἐμῷ μένει ἀντιόωσα·  
who came to aid Ares and faced my fury.

**432** τώ κεν δὴ πάλαι ἄμμες ἐπαυσάμεθα πτολέμοιο  
Then we would long ago have ceased from war,

**433** Ἰλίου ἐκπέρσαντες ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον.  
having sacked the well-built citadel of Ilion."

**434** ὣς φάτο, μείδησεν δὲ θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη.  
So she spoke, and the goddess white-armed Hera smiled.

**435** αὐτὰρ Ἀπόλλωνα προσέφη κρείων ἐνοσίχθων·  
But the lord Earth-shaker addressed Apollo:
> The lord Earth-shaker: κρείων ἐνοσίχθων is Poseidon's standing title, combining lordship with the god who shakes the earth. It is distinct from the poem's other fixed Poseidon epithets, such as the earth-holder and the famed shaker of earth.

**436** Φοῖβε τί ἢ δὴ νῶϊ διέσταμεν; οὐδὲ ἔοικεν  
"Phoebus, why now do we two stand apart? It is not fitting,
> The two of us: νῶϊ is the first-person dual pronoun, explicitly marking Poseidon and Apollo as a pair. Greek preserves that two-person number even though the verb διέσταμεν has the ordinary plural ending.

**437** ἀρξάντων ἑτέρων· τὸ μὲν αἴσχιον αἴ κʼ ἀμαχητὶ  
after the others have begun. It would be more shameful if without a fight

**438** ἴομεν Οὔλυμπον δὲ Διὸς ποτὶ χαλκοβατὲς δῶ.  
we went to Olympus, to Zeus's bronze-floored house.

**439** ἄρχε· σὺ γὰρ γενεῆφι νεώτερος· οὐ γὰρ ἔμοιγε  
Begin, for you are younger by birth; it would not be

**440** καλόν, ἐπεὶ πρότερος γενόμην καὶ πλείονα οἶδα.  
seemly for me, since I was born before you and know more.

**441** νηπύτιʼ ὡς ἄνοον κραδίην ἔχες· οὐδέ νυ τῶν περ  
Fool, what a senseless heart you have! Do you no longer

**442** μέμνηαι ὅσα δὴ πάθομεν κακὰ Ἴλιον ἀμφὶ  
remember all the evils we suffered around Ilion,

**443** μοῦνοι νῶϊ θεῶν, ὅτʼ ἀγήνορι Λαομέδοντι  
alone among all the gods, just we two, when for arrogant Laomedon,

**444** πὰρ Διὸς ἐλθόντες θητεύσαμεν εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν  
coming from Zeus, we served for hire for one full year
> Divine hired service: θητεύσαμεν means that Poseidon and Apollo served as hired laborers. The poem makes the gods' humiliation concrete: they work for the mortal Laomedon for an agreed wage rather than merely helping him as patrons.

**445** μισθῷ ἔπι ῥητῷ· ὃ δὲ σημαίνων ἐπέτελλεν.  
at a wage agreed; and he directed us and gave commands.

**446** ἤτοι ἐγὼ Τρώεσσι πόλιν πέρι τεῖχος ἔδειμα  
I built around the Trojans' city a wall

**447** εὐρύ τε καὶ μάλα καλόν, ἵνʼ ἄρρηκτος πόλις εἴη·  
wide and very fair, so that the city might be unbreakable;

**448** Φοῖβε σὺ δʼ εἰλίποδας ἕλικας βοῦς βουκολέεσκες  
and you, Phoebus, used to herd shambling, curved-horned cattle
> Past work continued: βουκολέεσκες is an iterative imperfect in -σκε: Apollo kept herding Laomedon's cattle through the year of service. The form presents the labor as repeated and ongoing, not as a single act.

**449** Ἴδης ἐν κνημοῖσι πολυπτύχου ὑληέσσης.  
among the folds of wooded Ida, ridge upon ridge.

**450** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ μισθοῖο τέλος πολυγηθέες ὧραι  
But when the glad seasons brought around

**451** ἐξέφερον, τότε νῶϊ βιήσατο μισθὸν ἅπαντα  
the end of our term, then he stripped us violently of all our wages—

**452** Λαομέδων ἔκπαγλος, ἀπειλήσας δʼ ἀπέπεμπε.  
dreadful Laomedon—and sent us away with threats.

**453** σὺν μὲν ὅ γʼ ἠπείλησε πόδας καὶ χεῖρας ὕπερθε  
He threatened to bind our feet and hands together

**454** δήσειν, καὶ περάαν νήσων ἔπι τηλεδαπάων·  
and sell us away to islands in distant lands;

**455** στεῦτο δʼ ὅ γʼ ἀμφοτέρων ἀπολεψέμεν οὔατα χαλκῷ.  
and he vowed to lop off both our ears with bronze.

**456** νῶϊ δὲ ἄψορροι κίομεν κεκοτηότι θυμῷ  
And we went back again with anger in our hearts,

**457** μισθοῦ χωόμενοι, τὸν ὑποστὰς οὐκ ἐτέλεσσε.  
furious over the wage he promised but did not pay.

**458** τοῦ δὴ νῦν λαοῖσι φέρεις χάριν, οὐδὲ μεθʼ ἡμέων  
Yet now you show favor to his people, and do not join us

**459** πειρᾷ ὥς κε Τρῶες ὑπερφίαλοι ἀπόλωνται  
in striving that the overbearing Trojans perish

**460** πρόχνυ κακῶς σὺν παισὶ καὶ αἰδοίῃς ἀλόχοισι  
miserably, headlong, with their children and honored wives."

**461** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν ἄναξ ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων·  
Then lord Apollo the far-worker addressed him in turn:
> A binding repeated line: This complete speech-introduction line also appears at Iliad 15.253. Its English therefore repeats the accepted wording exactly, including Apollo's distinct far-worker epithet for ἑκάεργος.

**462** ἐννοσίγαιʼ οὐκ ἄν με σαόφρονα μυθήσαιο  
"Earth-shaker, you would not call me sound of mind

**463** ἔμμεναι, εἰ δὴ σοί γε βροτῶν ἕνεκα πτολεμίξω  
if I fought with you for the sake of wretched mortals,

**464** δειλῶν, οἳ φύλλοισιν ἐοικότες ἄλλοτε μέν τε  
who, like leaves, at one time
> Mortals like leaves: φύλλοισιν ἐοικότες, "like leaves," uses a dative with the perfect participle of ἔοικα to express resemblance. Apollo's comparison makes mortal flourishing and fading part of the natural cycle.

**465** ζαφλεγέες τελέθουσιν ἀρούρης καρπὸν ἔδοντες,  
blaze with life and feed upon the field's fruit,

**466** ἄλλοτε δὲ φθινύθουσιν ἀκήριοι. ἀλλὰ τάχιστα  
and at another fade away lifeless. But with all speed

**467** παυώμεσθα μάχης· οἳ δʼ αὐτοὶ δηριαάσθων.  
let us cease from battle; let them fight it out themselves."

**468** ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας πάλιν ἐτράπετʼ· αἴδετο γάρ ῥα  
So he spoke and turned away; for he was ashamed

**469** πατροκασιγνήτοιο μιγήμεναι ἐν παλάμῃσι.  
to meet his father's brother hand to hand.
> His father's brother: πατροκασίγνητος means a father's brother: Poseidon is Apollo's paternal uncle. Apollo's refusal is grounded in this exact kinship, not in fear or a general ban on divine combat.

**470** τὸν δὲ κασιγνήτη μάλα νείκεσε πότνια θηρῶν  
But his sister, the queen of beasts, bitterly rebuked him,
> Queen of beasts: πότνια θηρῶν, "queen of beasts," names Artemis through her power over wild animals. The title leads directly into ἀγροτέρη, her identity as the huntress, on the next line.

**471** Ἄρτεμις ἀγροτέρη, καὶ ὀνείδειον φάτο μῦθον·  
Artemis the huntress, and spoke this taunting word:

**472** φεύγεις δὴ ἑκάεργε, Ποσειδάωνι δὲ νίκην  
"So you run away, far-worker, and yield to Poseidon

**473** πᾶσαν ἐπέτρεψας, μέλεον δέ οἱ εὖχος ἔδωκας·  
the whole victory, and give him an empty boast?

**474** νηπύτιε τί νυ τόξον ἔχεις ἀνεμώλιον αὔτως;  
Fool, why do you carry that useless bow for nothing?

**475** μή σευ νῦν ἔτι πατρὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἀκούσω  
Never again let me hear you in our father's halls

**476** εὐχομένου, ὡς τὸ πρὶν ἐν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν,  
boasting, as you did before among the immortal gods,

**477** ἄντα Ποσειδάωνος ἐναντίβιον πολεμίζειν.  
that you would fight Poseidon face to face."

**478** ὣς φάτο, τὴν δʼ οὔ τι προσέφη ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων,  
So she spoke, but Apollo the far-worker made no reply.

**479** ἀλλὰ χολωσαμένη Διὸς αἰδοίη παράκοιτις  
Then the honored wife of Zeus grew angry

**480** νείκεσεν ἰοχέαιραν ὀνειδείοις ἐπέεσσι·  
and rebuked Artemis, showerer of arrows, with taunting words:
> Showerer of arrows: ἰοχέαιρα is Artemis' standing arrow-title, rendered "showerer of arrows" throughout the accepted books. Hera's next words pointedly mock the bow named by this epithet.

**481** πῶς δὲ σὺ νῦν μέμονας κύον ἀδεὲς ἀντίʼ ἐμεῖο  
"How are you so eager, shameless bitch, to stand against me?

**482** στήσεσθαι; χαλεπή τοι ἐγὼ μένος ἀντιφέρεσθαι  
It will be hard for you to match your strength with mine,

**483** τοξοφόρῳ περ ἐούσῃ, ἐπεὶ σὲ λέοντα γυναιξὶ  
bow-bearer though you are, since Zeus made you a lion among women

**484** Ζεὺς θῆκεν, καὶ ἔδωκε κατακτάμεν ἥν κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα.  
and granted you power to kill whichever woman you please.

**485** ἤτοι βέλτερόν ἐστι κατʼ οὔρεα θῆρας ἐναίρειν  
Better for you to kill wild beasts in the mountains

**486** ἀγροτέρας τʼ ἐλάφους ἢ κρείσσοσιν ἶφι μάχεσθαι.  
and wild deer than fight your betters by force.

**487** εἰ δʼ ἐθέλεις πολέμοιο δαήμεναι, ὄφρʼ ἐῢ εἰδῇς  
But if you wish to learn the ways of war, then you will know well

**488** ὅσσον φερτέρη εἴμʼ, ὅτι μοι μένος ἀντιφερίζεις.  
how much stronger I am, since you pit your strength against mine."

**489** ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἀμφοτέρας ἐπὶ καρπῷ χεῖρας ἔμαρπτε  
She spoke, and with her left hand seized both Artemis' wrists,

**490** σκαιῇ, δεξιτερῇ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀπʼ ὤμων αἴνυτο τόξα,  
and with her right stripped the bow away from her shoulders;

**491** αὐτοῖσιν δʼ ἄρʼ ἔθεινε παρʼ οὔατα μειδιόωσα  
with the bow itself she beat her about the ears, smiling

**492** ἐντροπαλιζομένην· ταχέες δʼ ἔκπιπτον ὀϊστοί.  
as Artemis twisted away, and the swift arrows spilled out.

**493** δακρυόεσσα δʼ ὕπαιθα θεὰ φύγεν ὥς τε πέλεια,  
The goddess fled from under her, weeping like a dove

**494** ἥ ῥά θʼ ὑπʼ ἴρηκος κοίλην εἰσέπτατο πέτρην  
that flies beneath a hawk into a hollow rock,

**495** χηραμόν· οὐδʼ ἄρα τῇ γε ἁλώμεναι αἴσιμον ἦεν·  
into a cleft, for it was not fated to be caught;

**496** ὣς ἣ δακρυόεσσα φύγεν, λίπε δʼ αὐτόθι τόξα.  
so she fled weeping and left her bow there.

**497** Λητὼ δὲ προσέειπε διάκτορος ἀργεϊφόντης·  
Then the guide, the slayer of Argus, addressed Leto:
> Guide and slayer of Argus: διάκτορος presents Hermes as guide or messenger, while ἀργεϊφόντης is his traditional title as the slayer of Argus. The paired epithets identify him before he courteously yields the contest to Leto.

**498** Λητοῖ ἐγὼ δέ τοι οὔ τι μαχήσομαι· ἀργαλέον δὲ  
"Leto, I will not fight you. It is a hard thing

**499** πληκτίζεσθʼ ἀλόχοισι Διὸς νεφεληγερέταο·  
to trade blows with the wives of Zeus the cloud-gatherer.

**500** ἀλλὰ μάλα πρόφρασσα μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν  
But freely among the immortal gods

**501** εὔχεσθαι ἐμὲ νικῆσαι κρατερῆφι βίηφιν.  
boast that you defeated me by your mighty strength."

**502** ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, Λητὼ δὲ συναίνυτο καμπύλα τόξα  
So he spoke, and Leto gathered up the curved bow

**503** πεπτεῶτʼ ἄλλυδις ἄλλα μετὰ στροφάλιγγι κονίης.  
where it had fallen here and there amid the whirling dust.

**504** ἣ μὲν τόξα λαβοῦσα πάλιν κίε θυγατέρος ἧς·  
Taking up her daughter's bow, she went after her.

**505** ἣ δʼ ἄρʼ Ὄλυμπον ἵκανε Διὸς ποτὶ χαλκοβατὲς δῶ,  
But Artemis had reached Olympus, Zeus's bronze-floored house,

**506** δακρυόεσσα δὲ πατρὸς ἐφέζετο γούνασι κούρη,  
and the weeping girl sat upon her father's knees;

**507** ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀμβρόσιος ἑανὸς τρέμε· τὴν δὲ προτὶ οἷ  
her ambrosial robe trembled around her. Then toward himself

**508** εἷλε πατὴρ Κρονίδης, καὶ ἀνείρετο ἡδὺ γελάσσας·  
her father, the son of Cronos, drew her and asked, laughing gently:

**509** τίς νύ σε τοιάδʼ ἔρεξε φίλον τέκος Οὐρανιώνων  
"Which of the heavenly gods has treated you so, dear child,

**510** μαψιδίως, ὡς εἴ τι κακὸν ῥέζουσαν ἐνωπῇ;  
recklessly, as though you were plainly doing some evil?"

**511** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν ἐϋστέφανος κελαδεινή·  
Then the fair-crowned, loud-sounding goddess addressed him in turn:
> Fair-crowned and loud-sounding: Artemis answers under two epithets: ἐϋστέφανος, "fair-crowned," and κελαδεινή, "loud-sounding." The second belongs to the same established Artemis title rendered "loud-sounding Artemis of the golden arrows" elsewhere in the poem.

**512** σή μʼ ἄλοχος στυφέλιξε πάτερ λευκώλενος Ἥρη,  
"Your wife battered me, father, white-armed Hera,

**513** ἐξ ἧς ἀθανάτοισιν ἔρις καὶ νεῖκος ἐφῆπται.  
from whom strife and quarrel have fastened upon the immortals."

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

**515** αὐτὰρ Ἀπόλλων Φοῖβος ἐδύσετο Ἴλιον ἱρήν·  
while Phoebus Apollo entered sacred Ilion;

**516** μέμβλετο γάρ οἱ τεῖχος ἐϋδμήτοιο πόληος  
for the wall of the well-built city weighed on his mind,
> A concern already present: μέμβλετο is a Homeric pluperfect in form, describing the city's wall as an established concern to Apollo. The tense looks back to a concern already fixed in his mind as he enters Ilion.

**517** μὴ Δαναοὶ πέρσειαν ὑπὲρ μόρον ἤματι κείνῳ.  
lest the Danaans sack it beyond fate on that day.
> Fear of what might happen: μή with the aorist optative πέρσειαν expresses Apollo's anxious concern: the Danaans might sack the city. The danger is specifically that Troy could fall on this day, before its allotted fate.

**518** οἳ δʼ ἄλλοι πρὸς Ὄλυμπον ἴσαν θεοὶ αἰὲν ἐόντες,  
The other gods who are forever went toward Olympus,

**519** οἳ μὲν χωόμενοι, οἳ δὲ μέγα κυδιόωντες·  
some angry, while others exulted greatly;

**520** κὰδ δʼ ἷζον παρὰ πατρὶ κελαινεφεῖ· αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς  
and they sat down beside the dark-clouded father. But Achilles

**521** Τρῶας ὁμῶς αὐτούς τʼ ὄλεκεν καὶ μώνυχας ἵππους.  
kept killing Trojans and single-hoofed horses alike.
> Single-hoofed horses: μώνυχας ἵππους, "single-hoofed horses," is the poem's fixed description of horses as solid-hoofed animals. ὁμῶς makes the grim equality explicit: Achilles kills the men themselves and their horses alike.

**522** ὡς δʼ ὅτε καπνὸς ἰὼν εἰς οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἵκηται  
As when smoke rises and reaches the broad heaven

**523** ἄστεος αἰθομένοιο, θεῶν δέ ἑ μῆνις ἀνῆκε,  
from a burning city, when divine wrath has kindled it,
> The gods' wrath: μῆνις is the same towering, sacred wrath that opens the Iliad with Achilles. Here it belongs collectively to the gods and stands behind the imagined destruction of a burning city.

**524** πᾶσι δʼ ἔθηκε πόνον, πολλοῖσι δὲ κήδεʼ ἐφῆκεν,  
and lays toil on all and sends grief upon many,

**525** ὣς Ἀχιλεὺς Τρώεσσι πόνον καὶ κήδεʼ ἔθηκεν.  
so Achilles laid toil and grief upon the Trojans.

**526** ἑστήκει δʼ ὃ γέρων Πρίαμος θείου ἐπὶ πύργου,  
Old Priam stood upon the sacred tower,

**527** ἐς δʼ ἐνόησʼ Ἀχιλῆα πελώριον· αὐτὰρ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ  
and saw monstrous Achilles; beneath his onslaught

**528** Τρῶες ἄφαρ κλονέοντο πεφυζότες, οὐδέ τις ἀλκὴ  
the Trojans fled at once in rout, and no strength

**529** γίγνεθʼ· ὃ δʼ οἰμώξας ἀπὸ πύργου βαῖνε χαμᾶζε  
arose in them. Priam groaned and came down from the tower to the ground,

**530** ὀτρύνων παρὰ τεῖχος ἀγακλειτοὺς πυλαωρούς·  
urging the renowned gatekeepers along the wall:

**531** πεπταμένας ἐν χερσὶ πύλας ἔχετʼ εἰς ὅ κε λαοὶ  
"Hold the gates spread open in your hands until the people
> Priam gives the order: ἔχετ' is the elided plural imperative ἔχετε, "hold." Priam directly orders the gatekeepers to keep the gates open; Apollo does not issue this command.

**532** ἔλθωσι προτὶ ἄστυ πεφυζότες· ἦ γὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς  
enter the city in their flight; for Achilles

**533** ἐγγὺς ὅδε κλονέων· νῦν οἴω λοίγιʼ ἔσεσθαι.  
is near, driving them in rout, and now I think ruin will come.

**534** αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κʼ ἐς τεῖχος ἀναπνεύσωσιν ἀλέντες,  
But once they crowd within the wall and catch their breath,

**535** αὖτις ἐπανθέμεναι σανίδας πυκινῶς ἀραρυίας·  
set the close-fitted planks back in place again;

**536** δείδια γὰρ μὴ οὖλος ἀνὴρ ἐς τεῖχος ἅληται.  
for I fear that accursed man may leap inside the wall."

**537** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄνεσάν τε πύλας καὶ ἀπῶσαν ὀχῆας·  
So he spoke; they opened the gates and pushed back the bars,
> Opening the defenses: The gatekeepers perform two distinct actions: they open or loosen the gates and push away the bars that secure them. This is their immediate obedience to Priam's order.

**538** αἳ δὲ πετασθεῖσαι τεῦξαν φάος· αὐτὰρ Ἀπόλλων  
and the gates, flung wide, made a way to safety. Then Apollo

**539** ἀντίος ἐξέθορε Τρώων ἵνα λοιγὸν ἀλάλκοι.  
sprang out to meet the Trojans and ward destruction from them.

**540** οἳ δʼ ἰθὺς πόλιος καὶ τείχεος ὑψηλοῖο  
Straight toward the city and its high wall

**541** δίψῃ καρχαλέοι κεκονιμένοι ἐκ πεδίοιο  
they fled from the plain, parched with thirst and caked in dust;

**542** φεῦγον· ὃ δὲ σφεδανὸν ἔφεπʼ ἔγχεϊ, λύσσα δέ οἱ κῆρ  
but Achilles pressed them hard with his spear, and savage frenzy

**543** αἰὲν ἔχε κρατερή, μενέαινε δὲ κῦδος ἀρέσθαι.  
held his heart without cease, and he yearned to win glory.

**544** ἔνθά κεν ὑψίπυλον Τροίην ἕλον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν,  
Then the sons of the Achaeans would have taken high-gated Troy
> A past counterfactual: κεν with the aorist ἕλον begins a past counterfactual: the Achaeans would have taken Troy. The following εἰ μή clause supplies the intervention that prevents that outcome.

**545** εἰ μὴ Ἀπόλλων Φοῖβος Ἀγήνορα δῖον ἀνῆκε  
if Phoebus Apollo had not roused godlike Agenor,
> Apollo rouses Agenor: The accusative Ἀγήνορα is the man whom the subject Apollo rouses and sends into action. Agenor's stand begins through Apollo's intervention, not through Priam's command or Agenor's unaided resolve.

**546** φῶτʼ Ἀντήνορος υἱὸν ἀμύμονά τε κρατερόν τε.  
the strong and blameless man, Antenor's son.

**547** ἐν μέν οἱ κραδίῃ θάρσος βάλε, πὰρ δέ οἱ αὐτὸς  
Apollo cast courage into his heart and himself stood beside him,

**548** ἔστη, ὅπως θανάτοιο βαρείας χεῖρας ἀλάλκοι  
to ward off the heavy hands of death,
> Apollo's protective purpose: ὅπως with the optative ἀλάλκοι gives Apollo's purpose in standing beside Agenor: to ward away death's heavy hands. Apollo is the continuing subject of the purpose clause.

**549** φηγῷ κεκλιμένος· κεκάλυπτο δʼ ἄρʼ ἠέρι πολλῇ.  
leaning against an oak, shrouded in deep mist.

**550** αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ὡς ἐνόησεν Ἀχιλλῆα πτολίπορθον  
But when Agenor saw Achilles, sacker of cities,
> Achilles, sacker of cities: πτολίπορθος is the standing martial epithet "sacker of cities." It has already described Achilles in the accepted books and here sharpens the danger to Troy at the very moment Agenor sees him.

**551** ἔστη, πολλὰ δέ οἱ κραδίη πόρφυρε μένοντι·  
he stood still, and as he waited his heart churned through many thoughts;

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

**553** ὤ μοι ἐγών· εἰ μέν κεν ὑπὸ κρατεροῦ Ἀχιλῆος  
"Ah me! If before mighty Achilles I flee

**554** φεύγω, τῇ περ οἱ ἄλλοι ἀτυζόμενοι κλονέονται,  
where all the others are driven in terror and rout,

**555** αἱρήσει με καὶ ὧς, καὶ ἀνάλκιδα δειροτομήσει.  
he will catch me even so and cut my throat as a coward.

**556** εἰ δʼ ἂν ἐγὼ τούτους μὲν ὑποκλονέεσθαι ἐάσω  
But what if I let him drive these men in rout,

**557** Πηλεΐδῃ Ἀχιλῆϊ, ποσὶν δʼ ἀπὸ τείχεος ἄλλῃ  
Achilles, son of Peleus, while I flee on foot another way from the wall

**558** φεύγω πρὸς πεδίον Ἰλήϊον, ὄφρʼ ἂν ἵκωμαι  
toward the Ilian plain, until I reach

**559** Ἴδης τε κνημοὺς κατά τε ῥωπήϊα δύω·  
the foothills of Ida and plunge into the underbrush?

**560** ἑσπέριος δʼ ἂν ἔπειτα λοεσσάμενος ποταμοῖο  
Then at evening I might bathe in the river,

**561** ἱδρῶ ἀποψυχθεὶς προτὶ Ἴλιον ἀπονεοίμην·  
cool the sweat from my body, and return to Ilion.

**562** ἀλλὰ τί ἤ μοι ταῦτα φίλος διελέξατο θυμός;  
But why has my dear spirit debated this with me?

**563** μή μʼ ἀπαειρόμενον πόλιος πεδίον δὲ νοήσῃ  
What if he sees me slipping away from the city toward the plain,

**564** καί με μεταΐξας μάρψῃ ταχέεσσι πόδεσσιν.  
dash after me, and catch me with his swift feet.

**565** οὐκέτʼ ἔπειτʼ ἔσται θάνατον καὶ κῆρας ἀλύξαι·  
Then there will be no more escaping death and doom,

**566** λίην γὰρ κρατερὸς περὶ πάντων ἔστʼ ἀνθρώπων.  
for he is far too strong, beyond all other men.

**567** εἰ δέ κέ οἱ προπάροιθε πόλεος κατεναντίον ἔλθω·  
But what if I go out before the city to meet him face to face?

**568** καὶ γάρ θην τούτῳ τρωτὸς χρὼς ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,  
Surely his flesh too can be pierced by sharp bronze,
> Flesh that can be wounded: τρωτὸς χρώς means flesh or skin that can be wounded. Agenor reasons from Achilles' mortality, but the word does not claim that the armor forged for Achilles can be pierced.

**569** ἐν δὲ ἴα ψυχή, θνητὸν δέ ἕ φασʼ ἄνθρωποι  
and there is but one life within him; men say that he is mortal,

**570** ἔμμεναι· αὐτάρ οἱ Κρονίδης Ζεὺς κῦδος ὀπάζει.  
though Zeus, son of Cronos, grants him glory."

**571** ὣς εἰπὼν Ἀχιλῆα ἀλεὶς μένεν, ἐν δέ οἱ ἦτορ  
So he spoke, gathered himself, and awaited Achilles; within him his

**572** ἄλκιμον ὁρμᾶτο πτολεμίζειν ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι.  
valiant heart surged to wage war and fight.

**573** ἠΰτε πάρδαλις εἶσι βαθείης ἐκ ξυλόχοιο  
As a leopard comes from a deep thicket
> Agenor as a leopard: ἠΰτε introduces an extended comparison, here between Agenor and a leopard leaving cover to face a hunter. The animal's refusal to yield carries through the simile before the poem returns to Agenor at line 579.

**574** ἀνδρὸς θηρητῆρος ἐναντίον, οὐδέ τι θυμῷ  
against a hunter, and feels no fear at heart

**575** ταρβεῖ οὐδὲ φοβεῖται, ἐπεί κεν ὑλαγμὸν ἀκούσῃ·  
nor takes flight when it hears the baying;

**576** εἴ περ γὰρ φθάμενός μιν ἢ οὐτάσῃ ἠὲ βάλῃσιν,  
for even if the hunter strikes first and wounds it with thrust or cast,

**577** ἀλλά τε καὶ περὶ δουρὶ πεπαρμένη οὐκ ἀπολήγει  
though pierced through by the spear, it does not cease

**578** ἀλκῆς, πρίν γʼ ἠὲ ξυμβλήμεναι ἠὲ δαμῆναι·  
from valor until it closes with him or is killed —

**579** ὣς Ἀντήνορος υἱὸς ἀγαυοῦ δῖος Ἀγήνωρ  
so godlike Agenor, son of noble Antenor,

**580** οὐκ ἔθελεν φεύγειν, πρὶν πειρήσαιτʼ Ἀχιλῆος.  
would not flee until he had tested Achilles.

**581** ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ ἄρʼ ἀσπίδα μὲν πρόσθʼ ἔσχετο πάντοσʼ ἐΐσην,  
He held his perfectly round shield before him,
> A perfectly round shield: πάντοσ' ἐΐσην describes a shield equal in every direction from its center: perfectly round. The established rendering names the shape precisely rather than treating the words as general praise.

**582** ἐγχείῃ δʼ αὐτοῖο τιτύσκετο, καὶ μέγʼ ἀΰτει·  
aimed his spear at Achilles, and shouted aloud:

**583** ἦ δή που μάλʼ ἔολπας ἐνὶ φρεσὶ φαίδιμʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ  
"Surely you greatly hope in your heart, glorious Achilles,

**584** ἤματι τῷδε πόλιν πέρσειν Τρώων ἀγερώχων  
to sack the proud Trojans' city on this day.

**585** νηπύτιʼ· ἦ τʼ ἔτι πολλὰ τετεύξεται ἄλγεʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῇ.  
Fool! Many woes will yet be wrought over it.

**586** ἐν γάρ οἱ πολέες τε καὶ ἄλκιμοι ἀνέρες εἰμέν,  
For within it we are many men, and brave,

**587** οἳ καὶ πρόσθε φίλων τοκέων ἀλόχων τε καὶ υἱῶν  
and before our dear parents, wives, and sons

**588** Ἴλιον εἰρυόμεσθα· σὺ δʼ ἐνθάδε πότμον ἐφέψεις  
we will defend Ilion; but here you will meet your doom,

**589** ὧδʼ ἔκπαγλος ἐὼν καὶ θαρσαλέος πολεμιστής.  
terrible though you are, and a bold warrior."

**590** ἦ ῥα, καὶ ὀξὺν ἄκοντα βαρείης χειρὸς ἀφῆκε,  
He spoke, and launched the sharp spear from his heavy hand,

**591** καί ῥʼ ἔβαλε κνήμην ὑπὸ γούνατος οὐδʼ ἀφάμαρτεν.  
and struck Achilles' shin below the knee; he did not miss.

**592** ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ κνημὶς νεοτεύκτου κασσιτέροιο  
Around his leg, the newly wrought tin of the greave
> Newly wrought tin: κασσίτερος is tin, the pale metal worked into the new greave that takes Agenor's blow. Homer names its material before letting the bronze spear ring against it on the next line.

**593** σμερδαλέον κονάβησε· πάλιν δʼ ἀπὸ χαλκὸς ὄρουσε  
rang terribly; the bronze sprang back

**594** βλημένου, οὐδʼ ἐπέρησε, θεοῦ δʼ ἠρύκακε δῶρα.  
from the man it struck and did not pierce him, for a god's gifts checked it.

**595** Πηλεΐδης δʼ ὁρμήσατʼ Ἀγήνορος ἀντιθέοιο  
Then the son of Peleus rushed at godlike Agenor

**596** δεύτερος· οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἔασεν Ἀπόλλων κῦδος ἀρέσθαι,  
in turn, but Apollo did not let him win glory,

**597** ἀλλά μιν ἐξήρπαξε, κάλυψε δʼ ἄρʼ ἠέρι πολλῇ,  
for he plucked Agenor away and shrouded him in deep mist,
> Apollo snatches Agenor away: The enclitic μιν refers to Agenor, while Apollo remains the subject from the preceding line. Apollo physically removes the real warrior and then conceals him in mist.

**598** ἡσύχιον δʼ ἄρα μιν πολέμου ἔκπεμπε νέεσθαι.  
and sent him safely out of the battle to return.

**599** αὐτὰρ ὃ Πηλεΐωνα δόλῳ ἀποέργαθε λαοῦ·  
Then by guile Apollo shut the son of Peleus off from the host,

**600** αὐτῷ γὰρ ἑκάεργος Ἀγήνορι πάντα ἐοικὼς  
for the far-worker, taking Agenor's likeness in every way,
> Apollo takes Agenor's likeness: The perfect participle ἐοικώς means "being like," and its dative Ἀγήνορι names the model: Agenor. The runner before Achilles is now Apollo in Agenor's likeness, not the rescued Trojan himself.

**601** ἔστη πρόσθε ποδῶν, ὃ δʼ ἐπέσσυτο ποσσὶ διώκειν·  
stood before his feet, and Achilles rushed after him in pursuit.

**602** εἷος ὃ τὸν πεδίοιο διώκετο πυροφόροιο  
While Achilles chased him across the wheat-bearing plain,

**603** τρέψας πὰρ ποταμὸν βαθυδινήεντα Σκάμανδρον  
Apollo turned him beside deep-swirling Scamander,

**604** τυτθὸν ὑπεκπροθέοντα· δόλῳ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔθελγεν Ἀπόλλων  
running only a little ahead; by guile Apollo bewitched him
> Apollo's decoy: δόλῳ marks Apollo's method as guile, and ἔθελγεν says that he enchanted or beguiled Achilles. The god is actively sustaining the false chase while the real Agenor is already safe.

**605** ὡς αἰεὶ ἔλποιτο κιχήσεσθαι ποσὶν οἷσι·  
so that Achilles always expected to catch him with his feet.

**606** τόφρʼ ἄλλοι Τρῶες πεφοβημένοι ἦλθον ὁμίλῳ  
Meanwhile the other Trojans, panic-stricken, came in a mass,

**607** ἀσπάσιοι προτὶ ἄστυ, πόλις δʼ ἔμπλητο ἀλέντων.  
glad to reach the city, and the city filled with the crowding men.

**608** οὐδʼ ἄρα τοί γʼ ἔτλαν πόλιος καὶ τείχεος ἐκτὸς  
They no longer dared to remain outside the city and wall

**609** μεῖναι ἔτʼ ἀλλήλους, καὶ γνώμεναι ὅς τε πεφεύγοι  
and wait for one another, or learn who had escaped

**610** ὅς τʼ ἔθανʼ ἐν πολέμῳ· ἀλλʼ ἐσσυμένως ἐσέχυντο  
and who had died in battle; instead they poured eagerly

**611** ἐς πόλιν, ὅν τινα τῶν γε πόδες καὶ γοῦνα σαώσαι.  
into the city, every man whose feet and knees could save him.

---

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.