Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
Then answered her great Hector of the glancing helm: “Deiphobos, verily
aforetime wert thou far dearest of my brothers, but now methinks I
shall honour thee even more, in that thou hast dared for my sake, when
thou sawest me, to come forth of the wall, while the others tarry
within.”
Then to him again spake the bright-eyed goddess Athene: “Dear brother,
of a truth my father and lady mother and my comrades around besought me
much, entreating me in turn, to tarry there, so greatly do they all
tremble before him; but my heart within was sore with dismal grief. And
now fight we with straight-set resolve and let there be no sparing of
spears, that we may know whether Achilles is to slay us and carry our
bloody spoils to the hollow ships, or whether he might be vanquished by
thy spear.”
Thus saying Athene in her subtlety led him on. And when they were come
nigh in onset on one another, to Achilles first spake great Hector of
the glancing helm: “No longer, son of Peleus, will I fly thee, as
before I thrice ran round the great town of Priam, and endured not to
await thy onset. Now my heart biddeth me stand up against thee; I will
either slay or be slain. But come hither and let us pledge us by our
gods, for they shall be best witnesses and beholders of covenants: I
will entreat thee in no outrageous sort, if Zeus grant me to outstay
thee, and if I take thy life, but when I have despoiled thee of thy
glorious armour, O Achilles, I will give back thy dead body to the
Achaians, and do thou the same.”
But unto him with grim gaze spake Achilles fleet of foot: “Hector, talk
not to me, thou madman, of covenants. As between men and lions there is
no pledge of faith, nor wolves and sheep can be of one mind, but
imagine evil continually against each other, so is it impossible for
thee and me to be friends, neither shall be any pledge between us until
one or other shall have fallen and glutted with blood Ares, the
stubborn god of war. Bethink thee of all thy soldiership: now behoveth
it thee to quit thee as a good spearman and valiant man of war. No
longer is there way of escape for thee, but Pallas Athene will
straightway subdue thee to my spear; and now in one hour shalt thou pay
back for all my sorrows for my friends whom thou hast slain in the fury
of thy spear.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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