Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
Then to him in answer again Aineias spake: “Son of Peleus, think not
with words to affright me as a child, since I too well know myself how
to speak taunts and unjust speech. We know each other’s race and
lineage in that we have heard the fame proclaimed by mortal men, but
never hast thou set eyes on my parents, or I on thine. Thou, they say,
art son of nobie Peleus, and of Thetis of the fair tresses, the
daughter of the sea: the sire I boast is Anchises great of heart, and
my mother is Aphrodite. Of these shall one pair or the other mourn
their dear son today; for verily not with idle words shall we two
satisfy our strife and depart out of the battle. But, if thou wilt,
learn also this, that thou mayest well know our lineage, known to full
many men: First Zeus the cloud-gatherer begat Dardanos, and he
stablished Dardania, for not yet was holy Ilios built upon the plain to
be a city of mortal men, but still they dwelt on slopes of
many-fountained Ida. Then Dardanos begat a son, king Erichthonios, who
became richest of mortal men. Three thousand mares had he that pastured
along the marsh meadow, rejoicing in their tender foals. Of them was
Boreas enamoured as they grazed, and in semblance of a dark-maned horse
he covered them: then they having conceived bare twelve fillies. These
when they bounded over Earth the grain-giver would run upon the topmost
ripened ears of corn and break them not; and when they bounded over the
broad backs of the sea they would run upon the crests of the breakers
of the hoary brine. Then Erichthonios begat Tros to be load over the
Trojans, and to Tros three noble sons were born, Ilos and Assarakos and
godlike Ganymedes, who became the most beautiful of mortal men. Him the
gods caught up to be cupbearer to Zeus, for sake of his beauty, that he
might dwell among immortals. Then Ilos again begat a son, noble
Laomedon, and Laomedon begat Tithonos and Priam and Lamppos and Klytios
and Hiketaon, of the stock of Ares. And Assarakos begat Kapys, and
Kapys Anchises, and Anchises me; but Priam begat the goodly Hector.
“Lo then of this blood and lineage declare I myself unto thee. But for
valour, Zeus increaseth it in men or minisheth it according as he will,
for he is lord of all. But come, let us talk thus together no longer
like children, standing in mid onset of war. For there are revilings in
plenty for both of us to utter—a hundred-thwarted ship would not
suffice for the load of them. Glib is the tongue of man, and many words
are therein of every kind, and wide is the range of his speech hither
and thither. Whatsoever word thou speak, such wilt thou hear in answer.
But what need that we should bandy strife and wrangling each against
each. Not by speech shalt thou turn me from the battle that I desire,
until we have fought together, point to point: come then, and
straightway we will each try the other with bronze-headed spears.”
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