Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
And they found the son of Kronos sitting apart
from all the gods on the topmost peak of many-ridged Olympus. Then the
white-armed goddess Hera stayed her horses and questioned the most high
Zeus, the son of Kronos, and said: “Father Zeus, hast thou no
indignation with Ares for these violent deeds? How great and goodly a
company of Achaians hath he destroyed recklessly and in unruly wise,
unto my sorrow. But here in peace Kypris and Apollo of the silver bow
take their pleasure, having set on this mad one that knoweth not any
law. Father Zeus, wilt thou at all be wroth with me if I smite Ares and
chase him from the battle in sorry plight?”
And Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered and said to her: “Go to now, set
upon him Athene driver of the spoil, who most is wont to bring sore
pain upon him.”
So spake he, and the white-armed goddess Hera disregarded not, and
lashed her horses; they nothing loth flew on between earth and starry
heaven. As far as a man seeth with his eyes into the haze of distance
as he sitteth on a place of outlook and gazeth over the wine-dark sea,
so far leap the loudly neighing horses of the gods. Now when they came
to Troy and the two flowing rivers, even to where Simoeis and
Skamandros join their streams, there the white-armed goddess Hera
stayed her horses and loosed them from the car and poured thick mist
round about them, and Simoeis made ambrosia spring up for them to
graze. So the goddesses went their way with step like unto
turtle-doves, being fain to bring succour to the men of Argos. And when
they were now come where the most and most valiant stood, thronging
about mighty Diomedes tamer of horses, in the semblance of ravening
lions or wild boars whose strength is nowise feeble, then stood the
white-armed goddess Hera and shouted in the likeness of great-hearted
Stentor with voice of bronze, whose cry was loud as the cry of fifty
other men: “Fie upon you, Argives, base things of shame, so brave in
semblance! While yet noble Achilles entered continually into battle,
then issued not the Trojans even from the Dardanian gate; for they had
dread of his terrible spear. But now fight they far from the city at
the hollow ships.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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