Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
But when they had ceased from their labour, and had prepared the
banquet, they feasted; nor did their soul in anywise lack a due
allowance of the feast: but when they had dismissed the desire of drink
and food, the youths on the one hand filled the goblets with wine to
the brim, 52 and handed round the wine to all, having poured the first
of the wine into the cups. 53 But the Grecian youths throughout the day
were appeasing the god by song, chanting the joyous Pæan, 54 hymning
the Far-darter, and he was delighted in his mind as he listened. But
when the sun had set, and darkness came on, then they slept near the
hawsers of their ships. But when the mother of dawn, 55 rosy-fingered
morning, appeared, straightway then they set sail for the spacious camp
of the Achæans, and to them far-darting Apollo sent a favourable gale.
But they erected the mast and expanded the white sails. The wind
streamed 56 into the bosom of the sail; and as the vessel briskly ran,
the dark wave roared loudly around the keel; but she scudded through
the wave, holding on her way. But when they reached the wide armament
of the Greeks, they drew up the black ship on the continent, far upon
the sand, and stretched long props under it; but they dispersed
themselves through their tents and ships.
Footnote 52: (return) See Buttm. Lexil. p. 291, sqq. The custom of
crowning the goblets with flowers was of later origin.
Footnote 53: (return) See Battm. p. 168. The customary libation is
meant.
Footnote 54: (return) On the Pæan, see Müller, Gk. Lit. iii. § 4. and
Dorians, vol. i. p. 370.
Footnote 55: (return) See Loewe on Odyss. ii. 1, and my translation.
Kennedy renders it “ushering in the dawn.”
Footnote 56: (return) See Buttm. p. 484. I am partly indebted to
Anthon in rendering this expression.
But the Jove-sprung son of Peleus, swift-footed Achilles, continued his
wrath, sitting at his swift ships, nor ever did he frequent the
assembly of noble heroes, nor the fight, but he pined away his dear
heart, remaining there, although he longed for the din and the battle.
Now when the twelfth morning from that time arose, 57 then indeed all
the gods who are for ever went together to Olympus, but Jupiter
preceded. But Thetis was not forgetful of the charges of her son, but
she emerged from the wave of the sea, and at dawn ascended lofty heaven
and Olympus; 58 and she found the far-seeing son of Saturn sitting
apart from the others, on the highest summit of many-peaked Olympus,
and then she sat down before him, and embraced his knees with her left
hand, but with the right taking him by the chin, imploring, she thus
addressed king Jove, the son of Saturn:
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