The Iliad of Homer by Homer (some good books to read txt) 📕

a nature indisposed to war130
They rove uncertain; so the Trojans erst
315 Stood not, nor to Achaian prowess dared
The hindrance of a moment's strife oppose.
But now, Troy left afar, even at our ships
They give us battle, through our leader's fault135
And through the people's negligence, who fill'd
With fierce displeasure against him, prefer
Death at their ships, to war in their defence.
But if the son of Atreus, our supreme,
If Agamemnon, have indeed transgress'd140
Past all excuse, dishonoring the swift
Achilles, ye at least the fight decline
Blame-worthy, and with no sufficient plea.
But heal we speedily the breach; brave minds
Easily coalesce. It is not well145
That thus your fury slumbers, for the host
Hath none illustrious as yourselves in arms.
I can excuse the timid if he shrink,
But am incensed at you. My friends, beware!
Your tardiness will prove ere long the cause150
Of some worse evil. Let the dread of shame
Affect your hearts; oh tremble at the thought
Of infamy! Fierce conflict hath arisen;
Loud shouting Hector combats at the ships
Nobly, hath forced the gates and burst the bar.155

With such encouragement those Grecian chiefs
The King of Ocean roused. Then, circled soon
By many a phalanx either Ajax stood,
Whose order Mars himself arriving there
Had praised, or Pallas, patroness of arms.160
For there the flower of all expected firm
Bold Hector and his host; spear crowded spear,
Shield, helmet, man, press'd helmet, man and shield;[3]
The hairy crests of their resplendent casques
Kiss'd close at every nod, so wedged they stood;165
No spear was seen but in the manly grasp
It quiver'd, and their every wish was war.
The powers of Ilium gave the first assault
316 Embattled close; them Hector led himself[4]
Right on, impetuous as a rolling rock170
Destructive; torn by torrent waters off
From its old lodgment on the mountain's brow,
It bounds, it shoots away; the crashing wood
Falls under it; impediment or check
None stays its fury, till the level found,175
There, settling by degrees, it rolls no more;
So after many a threat that he would pass
Easily through the Grecian camp and fleet
And slay to the sea-brink, when Hector once
Had fallen on those firm ranks, standing, he bore180
Vehement on them; but by many a spear
Urged and bright falchion, soon, reeling, retired,
And call'd vociferous on the host of Troy.

Trojans, and Lycians, and close-fighting sons
Of Dardanus, oh stand! not long the Greeks185
Will me confront, although embodied close
In solid phalanx; doubt it not; my spear
Shall chase and scatter them, if Jove, in truth,
High-thundering mate of Juno, bid me on.

So saying he roused the courage of them all190
Foremost of whom advanced, of Priam's race
Deiphobus, ambitious of renown.
Tripping he came with shorten'd steps,[5] his feet
Sheltering behind his buckler; but at him
Aiming, Meriones his splendid lance195
Dismiss'd, nor err'd; his bull-hide targe he struck
But ineffectual; where the hollow wood
Receives the inserted brass, the quivering beam
Snapp'd; then, Deiphobus his shield afar
Advanced before him, trembling at a spear200
Hurl'd by Meriones. He, moved alike
With indignation for the victory lost
And for his broken spear, into his band
317 At first retired, but soon set forth again
In prowess through the Achaian camp, to fetch205
Its fellow-spear within his tent reserved.

The rest all fought, and dread the shouts arose
On all sides. Telamonian Teucer, first,
Slew valiant Imbrius, son of Mentor, rich
In herds of sprightly steeds. He ere the Greeks210
Arrived at Ilium, in Pedæus dwelt,
And Priam's spurious daughter had espoused
Medesicasta. But the barks well-oar'd
Of Greece arriving, he return'd to Troy,
Where he excell'd the noblest, and abode215
With Priam, loved and honor'd as his own.
Him Teucer pierced beneath his ear, and pluck'd
His weapon home; he fell as falls an ash
Which on some mountain visible afar,
Hewn from its bottom by the woodman's axe,220
With all its tender foliage meets the ground
So Imbrius fell; loud rang his armor bright
With ornamental brass, and Teucer flew
To seize his arms, whom hasting to the spoil
Hector with his resplendent spear assail'd;225
He, marking opposite its rapid flight,
Declined it narrowly and it pierced the breast,
As he advanced to battle, of the son
Of Cteatus of the Actorian race,
Amphimachus; he, sounding, smote the plain,230
And all his batter'd armor rang aloud.
Then Hector swift approaching, would have torn
The well-forged helmet from the brows away
Of brave Amphimachus; but Ajax hurl'd
Right forth at Hector hasting to the spoil235
His radiant spear; no wound the spear impress'd,
For he was arm'd complete in burnish'd brass
Terrific; but the solid boss it pierced
Of Hector's shield, and with enormous force
So shock'd him, that retiring he resign'd240
318 Both bodies,[6] which the Grecians dragg'd away.
Stichius and Menestheus, leaders both
Of the Athenians, to the host of Greece
Bore off Amphimachus, and, fierce in arms
The Ajaces, Imbrius. As two lions bear245
Through thick entanglement of boughs and brakes
A goat snatch'd newly from the peasants' cogs,
Upholding high their prey above the ground,
So either Ajax terrible in fight,
Upholding Imbrius high, his brazen arms250
Tore off, and Oïliades his head
From his smooth neck dissevering in revenge
For slain Amphimachus, through all the host
Sent it with swift rotation like a globe,
Till in the dust at Hector's feet it fell.255

Then anger fill'd the heart of Ocean's King,
His grandson[7] slain in battle; forth he pass'd
Through the Achaian camp and fleet, the Greeks
Rousing, and meditating wo to Troy.
It chanced that brave Idomeneus return'd260
That moment from a Cretan at the knee
Wounded, and newly borne into his tent;
His friends had borne him off, and when the Chief
Had given him into skilful hands, he sought
The field again, still coveting renown.265
Him therefore, meeting him on his return,
Neptune bespake, but with the borrow'd voice
Of Thoas, offspring of Andræmon, King
In Pleuro and in lofty Calydon,
And honor'd by the Ætolians as a God.270

Oh counsellor of Crete! our threats denounced
Against the towers of Troy, where are they now?

To whom the leader of the Cretans, thus,
Idomeneus. For aught that I perceive
Thoas! no Grecian is this day in fault!275
For we are all intelligent in arms,
319 None yields by fear oppress'd, none lull'd by sloth
From battle shrinks; but such the pleasure seems
Of Jove himself, that we should perish here
Inglorious, from our country far remote280
But, Thoas! (for thine heart was ever firm
In battle, and thyself art wont to rouse
Whom thou observ'st remiss) now also fight
As erst, and urge each leader of the host.

Him answered, then, the Sovereign of the Deep.285
Return that Grecian never from the shores
Of Troy, Idomeneus! but may the dogs
Feast on him, who shall this day intermit
Through wilful negligence his force in fight!
But haste, take arms and come; we must exert290
All diligence, that, being only two,
We yet may yield some service. Union much
Emboldens even the weakest, and our might
Hath oft been proved on warriors of renown.

So Neptune spake, and, turning, sought again295
The toilsome field. Ere long, Idomeneus
Arriving in his spacious tent, put on
His radiant armor, and, two spears in hand,
Set forth like lightning which Saturnian Jove
From bright Olympus shakes into the air,300
A sign to mortal men, dazzling all eyes;
So beam'd the Hero's armor as he ran.
But him not yet far distant from his tent
Meriones, his fellow-warrior met,
For he had left the fight, seeking a spear,305
When thus the brave Idomeneus began.

Swift son of Molus! chosen companion dear!
Wherefore, Meriones, hast thou the field
Abandon'd? Art thou wounded? Bring'st thou home
Some pointed mischief in thy flesh infixt?310
Or comest thou sent to me, who of myself
The still tent covet not, but feats of arms?

To whom Meriones discreet replied,
Chief leader of the Cretans, brazen-mail'd
320 Idomeneus! if yet there be a spear315
Left in thy tent, I seek one; for I broke
The spear, even now, with which erewhile I fought,
Smiting the shield of fierce Deiphobus.

Then answer thus the Cretan Chief return'd,
Valiant Idomeneus. If spears thou need,320
Within my tent, leaning against the wall,
Stand twenty spears and one, forged all in Troy,
Which from the slain I took; for distant fight
Me suits not; therefore in my tent have I
Both spears and bossy shields, with brazen casques325
And corselets bright that smile against the sun.

Him answer'd, then, Meriones discreet.
I also, at my tent and in my ship
Have many Trojan spoils, but they are hence
Far distant. I not less myself than thou330
Am ever mindful of a warrior's part,
And when the din of glorious arms is heard,
Fight in the van. If other Greeks my deeds
Know not, at least I judge them known to thee.

To whom the leader of the host of Crete335
Idomeneus. I know thy valor well,
Why speakest thus to me? Choose we this day
An ambush forth of all the bravest Greeks,
(For in the ambush is distinguish'd best
The courage; there the timorous and the bold340
Plainly appear; the dastard changes hue
And shifts from place to place, nor can he calm
The fears that shake his trembling limbs, but sits
Low-crouching on his hams, while in his breast
Quick palpitates his death-foreboding heart,345
And his teeth chatter; but the valiant man
His posture shifts not; no excessive fears
Feels he, but seated once in ambush, deems
Time tedious till the bloody fight begin;)
Even there, thy courage should no blame incur.[8]350
321 For should'st thou, toiling in the fight, by spear
Or falchion bleed, not on thy neck behind
Would fall the weapon, or thy back annoy,
But it would meet thy bowels or thy chest
While thou didst rush into the clamorous van.355
But haste—we may not longer loiter here
As children prating, lest some sharp rebuke
Reward us. Enter quick, and from within
My tent provide thee with a noble spear.

Then, swift as Mars, Meriones produced360
A brazen spear of those within the tent
Reserved, and kindling with heroic fire
Follow'd Idomeneus. As gory Mars
By Terror follow'd, his own dauntless son
Who quells the boldest heart, to battle moves;365
From Thrace against the Ephyri they arm,
Or hardy Phlegyans, and by both invoked,
Hear and grant victory to which they please;
Such, bright in arms Meriones, and such
Idomeneus advanced, when foremost thus370
Meriones his fellow-chief bespake.

Son of Deucalion! where inclinest thou most
To enter into battle? On the right
Of all the host? or through the central ranks?
Or on the left? for nowhere I account375
The Greeks so destitute of force as there.

Then answer thus Idomeneus return'd
Chief of the Cretans. Others stand to guard
The middle fleet; there either Ajax wars,
And Teucer, noblest archer of the Greeks,380
Nor less in stationary fight approved.
Bent as he is on battle, they will task
And urge to proof sufficiently the force
Of Priameïan Hector; burn his rage
How fierce soever, he shall find it hard,385
With all his thirst of victory, to quell
Their firm resistance, and to fire the fleet,
Let not Saturnian Jove cast down from heaven
322 Himself a flaming brand into the ships.
High towering Telamonian Ajax yields390
To no mere mortal by the common gift
Sustain'd of Ceres, and whose flesh the spear
Can penetrate, or rocky fragment bruise;
In standing fight Ajax would not retire
Even before that breaker of the ranks395
Achilles, although far less swift than he.
But turn we to the left, that we may learn
At once, if glorious death, or life be ours.

Then, rapid as the God of war, his course
Meriones toward the left began,400
As he enjoin'd. Soon as the Trojans saw
Idomeneus advancing like a flame,
And his compeer Meriones in arms
All-radiant clad, encouraging aloud
From rank to rank each other, on they came405
To the assault combined. Then soon arose
Sharp contest on the left of all the fleet.
As when shrill winds blow vehement, what time
Dust deepest spreads the ways, by warring blasts
Upborne a sable cloud stands in the air,410
Such was the sudden conflict; equal rage
To stain with gore the lance ruled every breast.
Horrent with quivering spears the fatal field
Frown'd on all sides; the brazen flashes dread
Of numerous helmets, corselets furbish'd bright,415
And shields refulgent meeting, dull'd the eye,
And turn'd it dark away. Stranger indeed
Were he to fear, who could that strife have view'd
With heart elate, or spirit unperturb'd.

Two mighty sons of Saturn adverse parts420
Took in that contest, purposing alike
To many a valiant Chief sorrow and pain.
Jove, for the honor of Achilles, gave
Success to Hector and the host of Troy,
Not for complete destruction of the Greeks425
At Ilium, but that glory might redound
323 To Thetis thence, and to her dauntless