Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
“Where do ye go? Why does your soul rage in your breasts? The sun of
Saturn does not suffer you to aid the Greeks. For thus has the son of
Saturn threatened, and he will assuredly perform it, to lame your swift
steeds under your chariot, and dislodge yourselves from the chariot,
and break the chariot; nor for ten revolving years shall ye be healed
of the wounds which his thunderbolt shall inflict: that thou, Ο
Azure-eyed, mayest know when thou art fighting with thy sire. But with
Juno he is neither so indignant nor so angry; for she is always
accustomed to counteract him in whatever he devises. But thou, most
insolent and audacious hound! if thou in reality shalt dare to raise
thy mighty spear against Jove—” 285
Footnote 285: (return) Observe the aposiopesis.
Thus indeed having said, swift-footed Iris departed. Then Juno
addressed these words to Minerva:
“Alas! daughter of ægis-bearing Jove, I cannot any longer suffer that
we ourselves shall fight against Jove, on account of mortals. Of whom
let one perish, and let another live, whoever may chance. But let him,
meditating his own affairs in his mind, adjudicate to the Trojans and
the Greeks as is fair.”
Thus then having said, she turned back the solid-hoofed steeds. The
Hours unyoked for them the fair-maned steeds, and bound them to the
ambrosial mangers; but they tilted the chariots against the splendid
walls. But they themselves sat, mingled with the other deities, on
their golden couches, sad at heart.
Then father Jove drove his beauteous-wheeled chariot and steeds from
Ida to Olympus, and came to the seats of the gods. His horses, indeed,
the illustrious Earth-shaker loosed, but he laid the chariot on its
support, spreading a linen coverlet [over it]. But loud-sounding Jove
himself sat on his golden throne, and mighty Olympus was shaken under
his feet. But Minerva and Juno by themselves sat apart from Jove, nor
did they at all address him, nor question him. But he knew in his mind,
and said:
“Why are ye so sad, Minerva and Juno? Indeed, ye have not laboured long
in glorious battle to destroy the Trojans, against whom ye have taken
grievous hatred. Not all the gods in Olympus could altogether turn me
to flight, such are my strength and my invincible hands. But trembling
seized the shining limbs of both of you, before ye saw battle, and the
destructive deeds of war. For so I tell you, which would also have been
performed: no more should ye, stricken with my thunder, have returned
in your chariots to Olympus, where are the seats of the immortals.”
Thus he said: but Minerva and Juno murmured. They sat near each other,
and were devising evils for the Trojans.
Minerva, indeed, was silent, nor said anything, angry with father Jove,
for wild rage possessed her. But Juno contained not her wrath in her
breast, but addressed him:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account