Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
Then again Sarpedon missed with his shining dart, and the point of the
spear flew over the left shoulder of Patroklos and smote him not, but
he in turn arose with the bronze, and his javelin flew not vainly from
his hand, but struck Sarpedon even where the midriff clasps the beating
heart. And he fell as falls an oak, or a silver poplar, or a slim pine
tree, that on the hills the shipwrights fell with whetted axes, to be
timber for ship-building; even so before the horses and chariot he lay
at length, moaning aloud, and clutching at the bloody dust. And as when
a lion hath fallen on a herd, and slain a bull, tawny and high of
heart, among the kine of trailing gait, and he perishes groaning
beneath the claws of the lion, even so under Patroklos did the leader
of the Lykian shieldmen rage, even in death, and he called to his dear
comrade: “Dear Glaukos, warrior among warlike men, now most doth it
behove thee to be a spearman, and a hardy fighter: now let baneful war
be dear to thee, if indeed thou art a man of might. First fare all
about and urge on the heroes that be leaders of the Lykians, to fight
for Sarpedon, and thereafter thyself do battle for me with the sword.
For to thee even in time to come shall I be shame and disgrace for
ever, all thy days, if the Achaians strip me of mine armour, fallen in
the gathering of the ships. Nay, hold out manfully, and spur on all the
host.”
Even as he spake thus, the end of death veiled over his eyes and his
nostrils, but Patroklos, setting foot on his breast drew the spear out
of his flesh, and the midriff followed with the spear, so that he drew
forth together the spear point, and the soul of Sarpedon; and the
Myrmidons held there his panting steeds, eager to fly afar, since the
chariot was reft of its lords.
Then dread sorrow came on Glaukos, when he heard the voice of Sarpedon,
and his heart was stirred, that he availed not to succour him. And with
his hand he caught and held his arm, for the wound galled him, the
wound of the arrow wherewith, as he pressed on towards the lofty wall,
Teukros had smitten him, warding off destruction from his fellows. Then
in prayer spake Glaukos to far-darting Apollo: “Hear, O Prince that art
somewhere in the rich land of Lykia, or in Troia, for thou canst listen
everywhere to the man that is in need, as even now need cometh upon me.
For I have this stark wound, and mine arm is thoroughly pierced with
sharp pains, nor can my blood be stanched, and by the wound is my
shoulder burdened, and I cannot hold my spear firm, nor go and fight
against the enemy. And the best of men has perished, Sarpedon, the son
of Zeus, and he succours not even his own child. But do thou, O Prince,
heal me this stark wound, and lull my pains, and give me strength, that
I may call on my Lykian kinsmen, and spur them to the war, and myself
may fight about the dead man fallen.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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