Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
So saying he left them there, and went to others. Then found he Nestor,
the clear-voiced orator of the Pylians, arraying his comrades, and
urging them to fight, around great Pelagon and Alastor and Chromios and
lord Haimon and Bias shepherd of the host. And first he arrayed the
horsemen with horses and chariots, and behind them the footmen many and
brave, to be a bulwark of battle; but the cowards he drave into the
midst, that every man, even though he would not, yet of necessity must
fight. First he laid charge upon the horsemen; these he bade hold in
their horses nor be entangled in the throng. “Neither let any man,
trusting in his horsemanship and manhood, be eager to fight the Trojans
alone before the rest, nor yet let him draw back, for so will ye be
enfeebled. But whomsoever a warrior from the place of his own car can
come at a chariot of the foe, let him thrust forth with his spear; even
so is the far better way. Thus moreover did men of old time lay low
cities and walls, because they had this mind and spirit in their
breasts.”
So did the old man charge them, being well skilled of yore in battles.
And lord Agamemnon rejoiced to see hem, and spake to him winged words,
and said: “Old man, would to god that, even as thy spirit is in thine
own breast, thy limbs might obey and thy strength be unabated. But the
common lot of age is heavy upon thee; would that it had come upon some
other man, and thou wert amid the young.”
Then knightly Nestor of Gerenia answered him: “Atreides, I verily, even
I too, would wish to be as on the day when I slew noble Ereuthalion.
But the gods in no wise grant men all things at once. As I was then a
youth, so doth old age now beset me. Yet even so will I abide among the
horsemen and urge them by counsel and words; for that is the right of
elders. But the young men shall wield the spear, they that are more
youthful than I and have confidence in their strength.”
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