Ἰλιάδος Δ

Now the gods, seated beside Zeus, held assembly

upon the golden floor, and among them queenly Hebe

poured out the nectar; and they, with golden cups,

pledged one another, looking down on the city of the Trojans.

At once the son of Cronos sought to provoke Hera

with taunting words, speaking a side-thrust at her:

"Two goddesses stand as helpers to Menelaus —

Hera of Argos, and Athena of Alalkomenae.

But these two, sitting apart, take their delight

only in watching; while, on the other side, laughter-loving Aphrodite

forever stands beside him and wards off his death;

and now she has saved him, when he thought that he would die.

Yet the victory is Menelaus's, dear to Ares;

let us then consider how these things shall be —

whether we shall stir up again evil war

and dread battle-strife, or cast friendship between the two sides.

But if this should somehow prove pleasing and sweet to all,

then the city of lord Priam might still be inhabited,

and Menelaus might lead Argive Helen home again."

So he spoke, and Athena and Hera muttered in anger;

sitting close together, they were devising evils for the Trojans.

Athena indeed was silent and said nothing,

raging at Zeus her father; a savage anger seized her;

but Hera's breast could not contain her anger, and she spoke:

"Most dread son of Cronos, what a word you have spoken!

How can you wish to make my labor useless and unfulfilled,

the sweat that I sweated in my toil, and my horses grew weary

as I gathered the host, working evils for Priam and his sons.

Do as you will; but we other gods do not all approve you."

Then, greatly troubled, Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered her:

"Strange one, what great evils have Priam and Priam's sons

done to you, that you rage so relentlessly

to lay waste utterly the well-built citadel of Ilion?

If you could pass within its gates and its long walls

and devour Priam raw, and Priam's sons,

and all the other Trojans besides, then you might heal your anger.

Do as you wish; only let not this quarrel hereafter

become a great strife between the two of us.

And I will tell you another thing; lay it up in your heart:

whenever I too, eager to lay waste a city,

choose one where men dear to you dwell,

do not you delay my anger, but let me act;

for I too gave way to you willingly, though my heart was unwilling;

for of all the cities that beneath the sun and starry heaven

are inhabited by men who dwell upon the earth,

of these sacred Ilion was honored above all in my heart,

and Priam, and the people of Priam of the strong ash spear.

For never did my altar lack the fair-shared feast,

the libation and the savor of fat — for that is the honor we have won."

Then ox-eyed queenly Hera answered him:

"Three cities are by far the dearest to me:

Argos, and Sparta, and wide-wayed Mycenae.

Lay these waste, whenever they grow hateful to your heart;

I will not stand before them, nor begrudge you this.

For even if I begrudged it, and would not let you lay them waste,

my grudging would come to nothing, since you are far stronger.

Yet it is right that my labor too should not go unfulfilled;

for I too am a god, and my birth is from the same stock as yours,

and crooked-counseling Cronos begot me the eldest,

honored both by my birth and because I am called

your wife, and you rule over all the immortals.

But let us yield to one another in this,

I to you, and you to me; and the other gods, the immortals,

will follow after; and you, command Athena with all speed

to go into the dread battle-strife of Trojans and Achaeans,

and try how the Trojans, against the triumphant Achaeans,

may be the first to violate the oaths."

So she spoke, and the father of men and gods did not disobey;

at once he addressed Athena with winged words:

"Go with all speed into the host, among Trojans and Achaeans,

and try how the Trojans, against the triumphant Achaeans,

may be the first to violate the oaths."

So speaking, he spurred on Athena, who was eager already,

but went darting down from the peaks of Olympus.

Just as the son of crooked-counseling Cronos sends down a star,

a portent for sailors, or for a wide army of men,

bright, and from it many sparks fly off —

like that Pallas Athena darted down to earth,

and leapt down into their midst; and amazement seized the onlookers,

both the horse-taming Trojans and the well-greaved Achaeans;

and thus one would say, looking at his neighbor:

"Surely evil war and dread battle-strife

will come again, or else Zeus is setting friendship

between the two sides, he who is made the steward of war for men."

So one would say, among the Achaeans and the Trojans.

But she, in the likeness of a man, plunged into the throng of the Trojans,

Laodocus, son of Antenor, a mighty spearman,

seeking godlike Pandarus, if she might find him anywhere.

She found the son of Lycaon, blameless and mighty,

standing there; and around him the strong ranks of shield-bearing

men who had followed him from the streams of the Aesepus.

Standing close beside him, she addressed him with winged words:

"Would you now be persuaded by me, warlike son of Lycaon?

Would you dare to send a swift arrow at Menelaus,

and win favor and glory from all the Trojans,

and above all from Prince Paris.

From him, before all others, you would carry off splendid gifts,

if he should see warlike Menelaus, son of Atreus,

brought down by your shaft and mounting the grievous pyre.

Come, then, loose an arrow at glorious Menelaus,

and vow to Apollo, Lycia-born, famed for his bow,

that you will offer a glorious hecatomb of firstling lambs

when you return home to the sacred city of Zeleia."

So spoke Athena, and she persuaded the mind of the fool;

at once he uncased his polished bow, made from the horns

of a wild mountain goat, which he himself once, catching it beneath the breast,

as it stepped out from a rock, waiting for it in ambush,

had struck in the chest; and it fell backward upon the rock.