Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
“Othryoneus! above all men indeed do I praise thee, if thou wilt now in
truth accomplish all which thou hast undertaken for Dardanian Priam:
but he also promised thee his daughter. We likewise, promising these
things, will accomplish them to thee. We will give thee the most
beautiful in form of the daughters of the son of Atreus to wed,
bringing her from Argos, if along with us thou wilt destroy the
well-inhabited city of Ilium. But follow, that we may treat with thee
respecting the marriage of the sea-traversing ships; since we are by no
means bad brothers-in-law.”
Footnote 422: (return) Heyne compares xiv. 204. The Erinnys were
supposed to avenge any disrespect offered to an elder brother by a
younger.
Footnote 423: (return) Literally, “being within from Cabesus.”
Footnote 424: (return) Lit. “bowed assent.”
So saying, the hero Idomeneus dragged him by the foot through the brisk
battle. But to him Asius came as an avenger, on foot, before his
steeds; which his attendant charioteer always kept breathing over his
shoulders; 425 and in his mind he longed to strike Idomeneus, but he
(Idomeneus) anticipating him, smote him with his spear in the throat,
below the chin, and drove the brass quite through. And he fell, as when
some oak falls, or white poplar, 426 or towering 427 pine, which
timber-workers have cut down upon the mountains with lately-whetted
axes, to become ship timber. So he lay, stretched out before his horses
and chariot, gnashing his teeth, grasping the bloody dust. But the
charioteer was deprived of the senses which he previously had, nor
dared he turn back the horses that he might escape from the hands of
the enemy: but him warlike Antilochus, striking, transfixed in the
middle with his spear; nor did the brazen corslet which he wore resist,
but he fixed it in the centre of his stomach. Then, panting, he fell
from the well-made chariot-seat, and Antilochus, the son of magnanimous
Nestor, drove away the horses from the Trojans to the well-armed
Greeks. But Deïphobus, enraged on account of Asius, drew very near to
Idomeneus, and hurled with his shining spear. Idomeneus, however,
having perceived it opposite, avoided the brazen spear, for he was
concealed behind his shield equal on all sides, which he bore,
constructed of the hides of bulls, and glittering brass, fitted with
two handles. Behind this he collected himself entirely, and the brazen
spear flew over him. But the shield returned a dry 428 sound, the spear
grazing it obliquely. Yet he (Deïphobus) sent it not in vain from his
heavy hand, but he struck Hypsenor, son of Hippasus. the shepherd of
the people, upon the liver, below the breast, and straightway relaxed
his knees under him. But Deïphobus vainly boasted over him, loudly
exclaiming:
Footnote 425: (return) _I.e._ close by Asius (κατ’ ώμων), he having
descended for the purpose of rescuing the body of Othryoneus.—Kennedy.
Footnote 426: (return) “Ἠ λευκη, populus alba.”—Heyne.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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