The Iliad quotes

… by Achilles—The cause of the pestilence declared by the Seer Calchas—Dispute between Agamemnon and Achilles, which ends with the taking away of Briseis from Achilles—The daughter of Chryses restored to him—Visit of Thetis to Jupiter, who promises to avenge Achilles—Mutual chiding of Jupiter and Juno.

O Goddess! Sing the wrath of Peleus’ son, Achilles; sing the deadly wrath that brought Woes numberless upon the Greeks, and swept To Hades many a valiant soul

, and gave Their limbs a prey to dogs and birds of air— For so had Jove appointed—from the time When the two chiefs, Atrides, king of men, And great Achilles, parted first as foes.

Willingly Will I make known the cause; but covenant thou, And swear to stand prepared, by word and hand, To bring me succor. For my mind misgives That he who rules the Argives, and to whom The Achaian race are subject, will be wroth.

A sovereign is too strong for humbler men, And though he keep his choler down awhile, It rankles, till he sate it, in his heart.

And now consider: wilt thou hold me safe?”

Achilles the swift-footed, with stern look, Thus answered: “Ha, thou mailed in impudence And bent on lucre! Who of all the Greeks Can willingly obey thee, on the march, Or bravely battling with the enemy?

I came not to this war because of wrong Done to me by the valiant sons of Troy.

No feud had I with them; they never took My beeves or horses, nor, in Phthia’s realm, Deep-soiled and populous, spoiled my harvest fields. For many a shadowy mount between us lies, And waters of the wide-resounding sea. Man unabashed!

there will be others left To do me honor yet, and, best of all, The all-providing Jove is with me still. Thee I detest the most of all the men Ordained by him to govern; thy delight Is in contention, war, and bloody frays.

If thou art brave, some deity, no doubt, Hath thus endowed thee.

Hence, then, to thy home, With all thy ships and men! There domineer Over thy Myrmidons; I heed thee not, Nor care I for thy fury. Thus, in turn, I threaten thee;

Achilles, the swift-footed, answered thus:— “O goddess, be the word thou bring’st obeyed,

However fierce my anger; for to him Who hearkens to the gods, the gods give ear.

”

The goddess-born Achilles, swift of foot, Beside his ships still brooded o’er his wrath, Nor came to council with the illustrious chiefs,

Nor to the war, but suffered idleness To eat his heart away; for well he loved Clamor and combat.

But when now, at length, The twelfth day came, the ever-living gods Returned together to the Olympian mount With Jove, their leader.

“Great will the evil be and hard to bear, If, for the sake of mortals, ye are moved To such contention and the assembled gods Disturbed with discord.

Even the pleasant feast Will lose its flavor when embittered thus.

And let me warn my mother while I speak, Wise as she is, that she defer to Jove, Lest the All-Father angrily again Reply, and spoil the banquet of the day.

And next he poured to all the other gods Sweet nectar from the jar, beginning first With those at the right hand. As they beheld Lame Vulcan laboring o’er the palace-floor,

An inextinguishable laughter broke From all the blessed gods.

So feasted they All day till sunset. From that equal feast None stood aloof, nor from the pleasant sound Of harp, which Phoebus touched, nor from the voice Of Muses singing sweetly in their turn.

Why couldst thou not Await Atrides? Then hadst thou been taught From what a valiant warrior thou didst take His blooming spouse.

Thy harp will not avail, Nor all the gifts of Venus, nor thy locks, Nor thy fair form, when thou art laid in dust.

Surely the sons of Troy are faint of heart, Else hadst thou, for the evil thou hast wrought, Been laid beneath a coverlet of stone.”

Dauntless is thy heart; ’Tis like an axe when, wielded by the hand That hews the shipwright’s plank, it cuts right through, Doubling the wielder’s force. Such tameless heart Dwells in thy bosom. Yet reproach me not With the fair gifts which golden Venus gave.

Whatever in their grace the gods bestow Is not to be rejected: ’tis not ours To choose what they shall give us.

But if thou Desirest to behold my prowess shown In combat, cause the Trojans and the Greeks To pause from battle, while, between the hosts, as I and the warlike Menelaus strive In single fight for Helen and her wealth.

And be the mighty Priam here, that he May sanction this our compact—for his sons Are arrogant and faithless—lest some hand Wickedly break the covenant of Jove.

The younger men are of a fickle mood; But when an elder shares the act he looks Both to the past and future

, and provides What is most fitting and the best for all.”

“

Small blame is theirs, if both the Trojan knights And brazen-mailed Achaians have endured So long so many evils for the sake Of that one woman.

She is wholly like In feature to the deathless goddesses. So be it: let her, peerless as she is, Return on board the fleet, nor stay to bring Disaster upon us and all our race.”

He seemed An idiot out of humor. But when forth He sent from his full lungs his mighty voice, And words came like a fall of winter snow, No mortal then would dare to strive with him For mastery in speech.

We less admired The aspect of Ulysses than his words.

”

Then answered Nestor, the Gerenian knight:— “O son of Atreus, I myself could wish That I were now as when of yore I struck The high-born Ereuthalion down.

The gods Bestow not all their gifts on man at once.

If I were then a youth, old age in turn Is creeping o’er me. Still I keep among The knights, and counsel and admonish them— The office of the aged. Younger men, They who can trust their strength, must wield the spear.”

These Mars encouraged to the fight; but those The blue-eyed Pallas. Terror too was there, And Fright, and Strife that rages unappeased— Sister and comrade of man-slaying Mars—

Who rises small at first, but grows, and lifts Her head to heaven and walks upon the earth.

She, striding through the crowd and heightening The mutual rancor, flung into the midst Contention, source of bale to all alike.

“O friends, be men, and let your hearts be strong, And let no warrior in the heat of fight Do what may bring him shame in others’ eyes;

For more of those who shrink from shame are safe Than fall in battle, while with those who flee Is neither glory nor reprieve from death.

”

“O large-souled Diomed, Why ask my lineage? Like the race of leaves Is that of humankind. Upon the ground The winds strew one year’s leaves; the sprouting grove Puts forth another brood, that shoot and grow In the spring season.

So it is with man: One generation grows while one decays.

Yet since thou takest heed of things like these, And askest whence I sprang—although to most My birth is not unknown—there is a town Lapped in the pasture-grounds where graze the steeds Of Argos, Ephyra by name, and there Dwelt Sisyphus Aeolides, most shrewd Of …

Hippolochus’s son, the far-renowned, Made answer thus: “O large-souled Diomed, Why ask my lineage?

Like the race of leaves Is that of humankind.

Upon the ground The winds strew one year’s leaves; the sprouting grove Puts forth another brood, that shoot and grow In the spring season. So it is with man: One generation grows while one decays.

Thus having said, and leaping from their cars, They clasped each other’s hands and pledged their faith.

Then did the son of Saturn take away The judging mind of Glaucus, when he gave His arms of gold away for arms of brass

Worn by Tydides Diomed—the worth Of fivescore oxen for the worth of nine.

“

Too brave! Thy valor yet will cause thy death.

Thou hast no pity on thy tender child, Nor me, unhappy one, who soon must be Thy widow. All the Greeks will rush on thee To take thy life.

My mother, princess on the woody slopes Of Placos, with his spoils he bore away, And only for large ransom gave her back. But her Diana, archer-queen, struck down Within her father’s palace.

Hector, thou Art father and dear mother now to me, And brother and my youthful spouse besides.

In pity keep within the fortress here, Nor make thy child an orphan nor thy wife A widow. Post thine army near the place Of the wild fig-tree, where the city-walls Are low and may be scaled.

Not thus my heart Prompts me, for greatly have I learned to dare And strike among the foremost sons of Troy, Upholding my great father’s fame and mine;

Yet well in my undoubting mind I know The day shall come in which our sacred Troy, And Priam, and the people over whom Spear-bearing Priam rules, shall perish all.

But not the sorrows of the Trojan race, Nor those of Hecuba herself, nor those Of royal Priam, nor the woes that wait My brothers many and brave—who all at last, Slain by the pitiless foe, shall lie in dust— Grieve me so much as …

So speaking, to the arms of his dear spouse He gave the boy; she on her fragrant breast

Received him, weeping as she smiled.

The chief Beheld, and, moved with tender pity, smoothed Her forehead gently with his hand and said:—

“Sorrow not thus, beloved one, for me.

No living man can send me to the shades Before my time; no man of woman born, Coward or brave, can shun his destiny.

But go thou home, and tend thy labors there— The web, the distaff—and command thy maids To speed the work: The cares of war pertain To all men born in Troy, and most to me.”

And yet, if I should choose To draw it upward to me, I should lift, With it and you, the earth itself and sea Together, and I then would bind the chain Around the summit of the Olympian mount, And they should hang aloft.

So far my power Surpasses all the power of gods and men.

”

The swift Achilles answered him and said:— “Son of Laertes, nobly born, and versed In wise devices, let me frankly speak Just as I think, and just as I shall act, And then ye will not importune me more.

Hateful to me, as are the gates of hell, Is he who, hiding one thing in his heart, Utters another.

I shall speak as seems To me the best; nor deem I that the son Of Atreus or the other Greeks can move My settled purpose, since no thanks are paid To him who with the enemy maintains A constant battle:

We may gather spoil Of oxen and of fatling sheep, and bring Tripods from war, and yellow-manèd steeds:

The breath of man no force can seize or hold, And when it leaves the enclosure of the teeth It comes not back.

My mother said to me— The goddess, silver-footed Thetis, said— A twofold fate conducts me to my death;— If I remain to fight beneath the walls Of Ilium, my return will be cut off, But deathless my renown;

But thou, In going, shout aloud and bid them all Be vigilant, accosting everyone By his paternal name, and giving each Due honor: bear thyself not haughtily:

We too must labor; for when we were born Jove laid this hard condition on us all.

”

he will hearken to thy words Meant for his good.’ The old man charged thee thus. Thou hast forgotten it. Yet speak thou now To Peleus’ warlike son; and haply he May heed thy counsels. Thou perchance mayst bend His will—who knows?—by thy persuasive words

For wholesome are the warnings of a friend.

Yet, if he shrink from some predicted doom, Or if his goddess-mother have revealed Aught of Jove’s counsels to him, then, at least Let him send thee to war, and let his troop Of Myrmidons go with thee, so that thou Mayst carry succor to …

“Where, Lycians, is your fiery valor now? Were I the bravest, it were hard, alone, For me to force a passage to the fleet, Though I have cleared the way. Come on with me!

Light is the task when many share the toil.

” He spake; and they who reverenced his words Of exhortation drew more closely round Their counsellor and sovereign, while the Greeks Above them made their phalanxes more strong Within the wall—for urgent was the need;

Take thou thy arms and come with me, For we must quit ourselves like men, and strive To aid our cause, although we be but two.

Great is the strength of feeble arms combined, And we can combat even with the brave.

”

“Hector, thou hearkenest not to warning words. Deem’st thou, because a god has given thee strength Beyond all other men for feats of war, That therefore thou art wiser than they all In council? Think not for thyself to claim All gifts at once.

On one the god bestows Prowess in war, upon another grace In dance, upon another skill to touch The harp and sing.

In yet another, Jove The Thunderer implants the prudent mind, By which the many profit, and by which Communities are saved; and well doth he Who hath it know its worth. Now let me speak What seems to me the wisest.

the son of Saturn saved Their lives. Now lead us wheresoe’er thou wilt, And we will follow thee with resolute hearts, Nor deem that thou wilt find in us a lack Of valor while our strength of arm remains.

The boldest cannot fight beyond his strength.

”

Then spake in turn the god who shakes the shores:— “O goddess Iris, thou hast wisely said.

An excellent thing it is when messengers Know how to counsel well.

But in my heart And soul a wrathful sense of injury Arises when he chides with insolent words Me, who was equal with him in my lot, And born to equal destinies. Yet now, Although offended, I give way;

Now let thine attendant take The charge of thee. I hasten to persuade Achilles to the field. Who knows but I, With Jove’s good help, may change his purpose yet?

For potent are the counsels of a friend.

”

“O friends, be men; so act that none may feel Ashamed to meet the eyes of other men.

Think each one of his children and his wife, His home, his parents, living yet or dead.

For them, the absent ones, I supplicate, And bid you rally here, and scorn to fly.”

He spake; the brave Patroclus heard, and thus Rebuked him: “Why wilt thou, Meriones, With all thy valor, stand to make a speech? The foe, my friend, will not be forced to leave The corpse by insults; some of them must die.

In deeds the issue of a battle lies; Words are for counsel. Now is not the time To utter swelling phrases, but to fight.

”

And I, like his, will take thy life, if thou Oppose me. Heed my counsel, and withdraw Among the crowd, and so avoid my stroke Before thou come to harm.

He is a fool Who only sees the mischiefs that are past.

”

“Why did the gods bestow you, luckless pair, On Peleus—on a king of mortal birth— You who shall never feel old age or death?

Was it that ye might share with human-kind Their sorrows? for the race of mortal men Of all that breathe and move upon the earth Is the most wretched.

Yet of this be sure— That ye shall never in that sumptuous car Bear Hector. Is it not enough that he Should wear that armor, uttering idle boasts?

He spake, and well was blue-eyed Pallas pleased That first to her of all the deities He prayed; and therefore did she nerve his chest And knees with strength, and put into his heart

The daring of the fly, that, often driven From man, returns and bites, and finds how sweet Is human blood.

Such resolute zeal she woke In his stern soul, as quickly he approached Patroclus, and sent forth his shining spear. Among the Trojans was Eëtion’s son, Podes, the rich and brave, whom Hector held In highest honor, choosing him to be Companion of his feasts.

None such can I behold of all the Greeks, For they are shrouded all—their steeds and they— In darkness. Father Jove, deliver us From darkness; clear the heavens and give our eyes Again to see.

Destroy us if thou wilt, But O destroy us in the light of day!

”

If in truth the noble son Of Peleus choose to rise and to defend The ships, so much the worse for him, since I Shall not for him desert the field, but stand Firmly against him, whether he obtain The victory or I.

The chance of war Is equal, and the slayer oft is slain.

”

“O, idle were the words which once I spake, When in our palace-halls I bade the chief Menoetius bear a cheerful heart. I said That I would bring to Opus yet again, Laden with spoil from Ilium overthrown, His valiant son.

But Jove doth not fulfil The plans of men.

That both of us should stain Earth with our blood in Troy was the decree Of fate, and never will the aged knight Peleus receive me in his palace-halls, Returning from the war, nor Thetis, she Who gave me birth;

Then turned they back Along the furrows, diligent to reach Their distant end.

All dark behind the plough The ridges lay, a marvel to the sight, Like real furrows, though engraved in gold.

There, too, the artist placed a field which lay Deep in ripe wheat. With sickles in their hands The laborers reaped it. Here the handfuls fell Upon the ground; there binders tied them fast With bands, and made them sheaves.

… Agamemnon accepted by him—Lament of Briseis over Patroclus—Sorrow of Achilles—He arms himself for the war—His speech to the horses of Patroclus whom he upbraids for having suffered their master to be slain—The answer of one of them named Xanthus, warning Achilles of his approaching death.

In saffron-colored mantle from the tides Of Ocean rose the Morning to bring light To gods and men

, when Thetis reached the fleet, Bringing the gift of Vulcan. There she found Her son, who, bending o’er Patroclus, wept Aloud, and all around a troop of friends Lamented bitterly. Beside him stood The glorious goddess, took his hand, and said:—

Thus let thy heart Be satisfied. Yet let the monarch spread A sumptuous banquet in his tent for thee, That thy redress may be complete. And thou, Atrides, wilt hereafter be more just To others.

It dishonors not a king To make amends to one whom he has wronged.

”

Both of us might cast Reproaches at each other, many and foul, Such as no galley of a hundred oars Could bear and float.

Men’s tongues are voluble, And endless are the modes of speech, and far Extends from side to side the field of words.

Such as thou utterest it will be thy lot To hear from others.

Then thus the archer-king, Apollo, spake: “Thou wouldst not deem me wise, should I contend With thee, O Neptune, for the sake of men,

Who flourish like the forest-leaves awhile, And feed upon the fruits of earth and then Decay and perish.

Let us quit the field, And leave the combat to the warring hosts.”

Achilles thus Kept nearest to the city.

As in dreams The fleet pursuer cannot overtake, Nor the pursued escape, so was it now;

One followed but in vain, the other fled As fruitlessly. But how could Hector thus Have put aside the imminent doom of death, Had not Apollo met him once again, For the last time, and given him strength and speed?

The swift Achilles answered with a frown: “Accursed Hector, never talk to me Of covenants.

Men and lions plight no faith, Nor wolves agree with lambs, but each must plan Evil against the other.

So between Thyself and me no compact can exist, Or understood intent. First, one of us Must fall and yield his life-blood to the god Of battles. Summon all thy valor now. A skilful spearman thou hast need to be, And a bold warrior.

Though he survive The cruel warfare which the sons of Greece Are waging, hard and evil yet will be His lot hereafter; others will remove His landmarks and will make his fields their own.

The day in which a boy is fatherless Makes him companionless; with downcast eyes He wanders, and his cheeks are stained with tears.

Unfed he goes where sit his father’s friends, And plucks one by the cloak, and by the robe Another. One who pities him shall give A scanty draught, which only wets his lips, But not his palate;

“

Atrides, thou whose word the Greeks obey Most readily, all mourning has an end.

Dismiss the people from the pyre to take Their evening meal, while we with whom it rests To pay these mournful duties to the dead Will close the rites; but let the chiefs remain.”

Their steeds are swift, yet have they never learned To govern them with greater skill than thou. Now then, dear son, bethink thee heedfully Of all precautions, lest thou miss the prize.

By skill the woodman, rather than by strength, Brings down the oak; by skill the pilot guides His wind-tossed galley over the dark sea;

And thus by skill the charioteer o’ercomes His rival.

And thus discreet Antilochus replied: “Have patience with me: I am younger far Than thou, King Menelaus; thou art both My elder and my better. Thou dost know The faults to which the young are ever prone;

The will is quick to act, the judgment weak.

Bear with me then. The mare which I received I cheerfully make over to thy hands.