The Iliad by Homer (ereader for textbooks .txt) 📕

remorseless are you. If however you are kept
back through knowledge of some oracle, or if your mother Thetis has
told you something from the mouth of Jove, at least send me and the
Myrmidons with me, if I may bring deliverance to the Danaans. Let me
moreover wear your armour; the Trojans may thus mistake me for you and
quit the field, so that the hard-pressed sons of the Achaeans may have
breathing time--which while they are fighting may hardly be. We who are
fresh might soon drive tired men back from our ships and tents to their
own city."

He knew not what he was asking, nor that he was suing for his own
destruction. Achilles was deeply moved and answered, "What, noble
Patroclus, are you saying? I know no prophesyings which I am heeding,
nor has my mother told me anything from the mouth of Jove, but I am cut
to the very heart that one of my own rank should dare to rob me because
he is more powerful than I am. This, after all that I have gone
through, is more than I can endure. The girl whom the sons of the
Achaeans chose for me, whom I won as the fruit of my spear on having
sacked a city--her has King Agamemnon taken from me as though I were
some common vagrant. Still, let bygones be bygones: no man may keep his
anger for ever; I said I would not relent till battle and the cry of
war had reached my own ships; nevertheless, now gird my armour about
your shoulders, and lead the Myrmidons to battle, for the dark cloud of
Trojans has burst furiously over our fleet; the Argives are driven back
on to the beach, cooped within a narrow space, and the whole people of
Troy has taken heart to sally out against them, because they see not
the visor of my helmet gleaming near them. Had they seen this, there
would not have been a creek nor grip that had not been filled with
their dead as they fled back again. And so it would have been, if only
King Agamemnon had dealt fairly by me. As it is the Trojans have beset
our host. Diomed son of Tydeus no longer wields his spear to defend the
Danaans, neither have I heard the voice of the son of Atreus coming
from his hated head, whereas that of murderous Hector rings in my cars
as he gives orders to the Trojans, who triumph over the Achaeans and
fill the whole plain with their cry of battle. But even so, Patroclus,
fall upon them and save the fleet, lest the Trojans fire it and prevent
us from being able to return. Do, however, as I now bid you, that you
may win me great honour from all the Danaans, and that they may restore
the girl to me again and give me rich gifts into the bargain. When you
have driven the Trojans from the ships, come back again. Though Juno's
thundering husband should put triumph within your reach, do not fight
the Trojans further in my absence, or you will rob me of glory that
should be mine. And do not for lust of battle go on killing the Trojans
nor lead the Achaeans on to Ilius, lest one of the ever-living gods
from Olympus attack you--for Phoebus Apollo loves them well: return
when you have freed the ships from peril, and let others wage war upon
the plain. Would, by father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that not a
single man of all the Trojans might be left alive, nor yet of the
Argives, but that we two might be alone left to tear aside the mantle
that veils the brow of Troy."

Thus did they converse. But Ajax could no longer hold his ground for
the shower of darts that rained upon him; the will of Jove and the
javelins of the Trojans were too much for him; the helmet that gleamed
about his temples rang with the continuous clatter of the missiles that
kept pouring on to it and on to the cheek-pieces that protected his
face. Moreover his left shoulder was tired with having held his shield
so long, yet for all this, let fly at him as they would, they could not
make him give ground. He could hardly draw his breath, the sweat rained
from every pore of his body, he had not a moment's respite, and on all
sides he was beset by danger upon danger.

And now, tell me, O Muses that hold your mansions on Olympus, how fire
was thrown upon the ships of the Achaeans. Hector came close up and let
drive with his great sword at the ashen spear of Ajax. He cut it clean
in two just behind where the point was fastened on to the shaft of the
spear. Ajax, therefore, had now nothing but a headless spear, while the
bronze point flew some way off and came ringing down on to the ground.
Ajax knew the hand of heaven in this, and was dismayed at seeing that
Jove had now left him utterly defenceless and was willing victory for
the Trojans. Therefore he drew back, and the Trojans flung fire upon
the ship which was at once wrapped in flame.

The fire was now flaring about the ship's stern, whereon Achilles smote
his two thighs and said to Patroclus, "Up, noble knight, for I see the
glare of hostile fire at our fleet; up, lest they destroy our ships,
and there be no way by which we may retreat. Gird on your armour at
once while I call our people together."

As he spoke Patroclus put on his armour. First he greaved his legs with
greaves of good make, and fitted with ancle-clasps of silver; after
this he donned the cuirass of the son of Aeacus, richly inlaid and
studded. He hung his silver-studded sword of bronze about his
shoulders, and then his mighty shield. On his comely head he set his
helmet, well wrought, with a crest of horse-hair that nodded menacingly
above it. He grasped two redoubtable spears that suited his hands, but
he did not take the spear of noble Achilles, so stout and strong, for
none other of the Achaeans could wield it, though Achilles could do so
easily. This was the ashen spear from Mount Pelion, which Chiron had
cut upon a mountain top and had given to Peleus, wherewith to deal out
death among heroes. He bade Automedon yoke his horses with all speed,
for he was the man whom he held in honour next after Achilles, and on
whose support in battle he could rely most firmly. Automedon therefore
yoked the fleet horses Xanthus and Balius, steeds that could fly like
the wind: these were they whom the harpy Podarge bore to the west wind,
as she was grazing in a meadow by the waters of the river Oceanus. In
the side traces he set the noble horse Pedasus, whom Achilles had
brought away with him when he sacked the city of Eetion, and who,
mortal steed though he was, could take his place along with those that
were immortal.

Meanwhile Achilles went about everywhere among the tents, and bade his
Myrmidons put on their armour. Even as fierce ravening wolves that are
feasting upon a homed stag which they have killed upon the mountains,
and their jaws are red with blood--they go in a pack to lap water from
the clear spring with their long thin tongues; and they reek of blood
and slaughter; they know not what fear is, for it is hunger drives
them--even so did the leaders and counsellors of the Myrmidons gather
round the good squire of the fleet descendant of Aeacus, and among them
stood Achilles himself cheering on both men and horses.

Fifty ships had noble Achilles brought to Troy, and in each there was a
crew of fifty oarsmen. Over these he set five captains whom he could
trust, while he was himself commander over them all. Menesthius of the
gleaming corslet, son to the river Spercheius that streams from heaven,
was captain of the first company. Fair Polydora daughter of Peleus bore
him to ever-flowing Spercheius--a woman mated with a god--but he was
called son of Borus son of Perieres, with whom his mother was living as
his wedded wife, and who gave great wealth to gain her. The second
company was led by noble Eudorus, son to an unwedded woman. Polymele,
daughter of Phylas the graceful dancer, bore him; the mighty slayer of
Argos was enamoured of her as he saw her among the singing women at a
dance held in honour of Diana the rushing huntress of the golden
arrows; he therefore--Mercury, giver of all good--went with her into an
upper chamber, and lay with her in secret, whereon she bore him a noble
son Eudorus, singularly fleet of foot and in fight valiant. When
Ilithuia goddess of the pains of child-birth brought him to the light
of day, and he saw the face of the sun, mighty Echecles son of Actor
took the mother to wife, and gave great wealth to gain her, but her
father Phylas brought the child up, and took care of him, doting as
fondly upon him as though he were his own son. The third company was
led by Pisander son of Maemalus, the finest spearman among all the
Myrmidons next to Achilles' own comrade Patroclus. The old knight
Phoenix was captain of the fourth company, and Alcimedon, noble son of
Laerceus of the fifth.

When Achilles had chosen his men and had stationed them all with their
captains, he charged them straitly saying, "Myrmidons, remember your
threats against the Trojans while you were at the ships in the time of
my anger, and you were all complaining of me. 'Cruel son of Peleus,'
you would say, 'your mother must have suckled you on gall, so ruthless
are you. You keep us here at the ships against our will; if you are so
relentless it were better we went home over the sea.' Often have you
gathered and thus chided with me. The hour is now come for those high
feats of arms that you have so long been pining for, therefore keep
high hearts each one of you to do battle with the Trojans."

With these words he put heart and soul into them all, and they serried
their companies yet more closely when they heard the words of their
king. As the stones which a builder sets in the wall of some high house
which is to give shelter from the winds--even so closely were the
helmets and bossed shields set against one another. Shield pressed on
shield, helm on helm, and man on man; so close were they that the
horse-hair plumes on the gleaming ridges of their helmets touched each
other as they bent their heads.

In front of them all two men put on their armour--Patroclus and
Automedon--two men, with but one mind to lead the Myrmidons. Then
Achilles went inside his tent and opened the lid of the strong chest
which silver-footed Thetis had given him to take on board ship, and
which she had filled with shirts, cloaks to keep out the cold, and good
thick rugs. In this chest he had a cup of rare workmanship, from which
no man but himself might drink, nor would he make offering from it to
any other god save only to father Jove. He took the cup from the chest
and cleansed it with sulphur; this done he rinsed it clean water, and
after he had washed his hands he drew wine. Then he stood in the middle
of the court and prayed, looking towards heaven, and making his
drink-offering of wine; nor was he unseen of Jove whose