HOMER'S ILIAD COMPLETE

Rhapsody 11

Literally Translated, with Explanatory Notes, by Theodore Alois Buckley

Homer Bilingual Anthology  Studies  Homer in Print

Page 15

"O illustrious Ulysses, insatiable in crafts and toil, to-day shalt thou either boast over the two sons of Hippasus, having slain such heroes, and stripped them of their arms, or else stricken by my spear, thou shalt lose thy life."

Thus saying, he smote him upon the shield equal on all sides. The rapid weapon penetrated the shining shield, and was fixed through the curiously-wrought corslet, and tore off all the skin from his sides. But Pallas Minerva suffered it not to be mingled with the entrails of the hero. And Ulysses perceived that the weapon had not come upon him mortally, and retiring, he addressed [this] speech to Socus:

"Ah! wretch; very soon indeed will dreadful destruction overtake thee. Without doubt thou hast caused me to cease from fighting with the Trojans, but I declare that death and black fate shall be thine this day; and that, subdued beneath my spear, thou shalt give glory to me, and thy soul to steed-famed Pluto." [377]

[Footnote 377: Probably so called from the steeds ("inferni raptoris equos," Claud. de Rapt. Pros. i. 1) by which he stole away Proserpine. See the Scholiast.]

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