Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
And he broke the cavity of the corslet, and the
brazen weapon drank his entrails through; and falling in the dust, he
seized the earth with the palm of his hand. The foremost warriors and
illustrious Hector retreated; but the Greeks shouted loudly, and drew
off the bodies, both Phorcys and Hippothous, and they loosed the armour
from their shoulders.
Footnote 555: (return) Schol. Apoll. Rhod. i. 11: Τῶν ποταμῶν οἱ
συμβάλλοντες τόποι τῇ θαλάσσῃ, προχοαὶ λέγονται, where he quotes this
instance from Homer.
Footnote 556: (return) See iii. 372, “the part of the helmet in which
the crest was inserted—unless αἰλὸν be taken metaphorically, and by
παρ’ αὐλὸν be meant the _stream_ of blood, as from a pipe.”—Oxford
Transl.
Then again would the Trojans, [routed] by the warlike Greeks, have gone
up to Ilium, subdued through cowardice; but the Argives on their part,
by their valour and might, would have obtained glory, even contrary to
the destined will of Jove, had not Apollo himself excited Æneas, in
body like unto Periphas the herald, son of Epytis, who knowing prudent
counsels in his mind, had grown old, as a herald, with his aged sire.
Assimilating himself to him, Apollo, the son of Jove, addressed him:
“O Æneas, how could ye preserve lofty Ilium against the deity, since I
behold these other men relying on their bravery, and might, and valour,
and their number, and possessing a dauntless host? Yet Jove wills the
victory to us, rather than to the Danai; yet ye greatly tremble, nor
fight.”
Thus he spoke; but Æneas, seeing him before him, recognized far-darting
Apollo; and loudly shouting, addressed Hector:
“O Hector, and ye other leaders of the Trojans and allies, this now
indeed is a shame, that we, subdued by cowardice, should go up to
Ilium, [driven] by the warlike Achæans. For already even now some one
of the gods, having stood near to me, declared that Jove, the highest
counsellor, is an ally of the battle [to us]. Wherefore let us go
direct against the Greeks, nor let them quietly move the dead Patroclus
to the ships.”
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