Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
So said he, and Diomedes of the loud war-cry was glad. He planted his
spear in the bounteous earth and with soft words spake to the shepherd
of the host: “Surely then thou art to me a guest-friend of old times
through my father: for goodly Oineus of yore entertained noble
Bellerophon in his halls and kept him twenty days. Moreover they gave
each the other goodly gifts of friendship; Oineus gave a belt bright
with purple, and Bellerophon a gold twy-handled cup, the which when I
came I left in my palace. But of Tydeus I remember naught, seeing I was
yet little when he left me, what time the Achaian host perished at
Thebes. Therefore now am I to thee a dear guest-friend in midmost
Argos, and thou in Lykia, whene’er I fare to your land. So let us shun
each other’s spears, even amid the throng; Trojans are there in
multitudes and famous allies for me to slay, whoe’er it be that God
vouchsafeth me and my feet overtake; and for thee are there Achaians in
multitude, to slay whome’er thou canst. But let us make exchange of
arms between us, that these also may know how we avow ourselves to be
guest-friends by lineage.”
So spake the twain, and leaping from their cars clasped each the other
by his hand, and pledged their faith. But now Zeus son of Kronos took
from Glaukos his wits, in that he made exchange with Diomedes Tydeus’
son of golden armour for bronze, the price of five score oxen for the
price of nine.
Now when Hector came to the Skaian gates and to the oak-tree, there
came running round about him the Trojans’ wives and daughters,
enquiring of sons and brethren and friends and husbands. But he bade
them thereat all in turn pray to the gods; but sorrow hung over many.
But when he came to Priam’s beautiful palace, adorned with polished
colonnades—and in it were fifty chambers of polished stone, builded
hard by one another, wherein Priam’s sons slept beside their wedded
wives; and for his daughters over against them on the other side within
the courtyard were twelve roofed chambers of polished stone builded
hard by one another, wherein slept Priam’s sons-in-law beside their
chaste wives—then came there to meet him his bountiful mother, leading
with her Laodike, fairest of her daughters to look on; and she clasped
her hand in his, and spake, and called upon his name: “My son, why hast
thou left violent battle to come hither? Surely the sons of the
Achaians—name of evil!—press thee hard in fight about thy city, and so
thy spirit hath brought thee hither, to come and stretch forth thy
hands to Zeus from the citadel. But tarry till I bring thee honey-sweet
wine, that thou mayest pour libation to Zeus and all the immortals
first, and then shalt thou thyself also be refreshed if thou wilt
drink. When a man is awearied wine greatly maketh his strength to wax,
even as thou art awearied in fighting for thy fellows.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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