Homer ILIAD : Rhapsody 2

Page 13

But him answering, king Agamemnon addressed: "Old man, now indeed, as at other times, dost thou excel the sons of the Greeks in council. For, would, O father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that I were possessed of ten such fellow-counsellors among the Greeks! So should the city of Priam quickly fall, captured and destroyed by our hands. But upon me hath aegis-bearing Jove, the son of Saturn, sent sorrow, who casts me into unavailing strifes and contentions. For I and Achilles have quarrelled on account of a maid with opposing words: but I began quarrelling. But if ever we shall consult in common, no longer then shall there be a respite from evil to the Trojans, no, not for ever so short a time. Now go to your repast, that we may join battle. Let each one well sharpen his spear, and well prepare[110] his shield. Let him give fodder to his swift-footed steeds, and let each one, looking well to his chariot, get ready for war; that we may contend all day in the dreadful battle. Nor shall there be a cessation, not for ever so short a while, until night coming on shall part the wrath of the heroes. The belt of the man-protecting[111] shield shall be moist with sweat around the breasts of each one, and he shall weary his hand round his spear; and each one's horse shall sweat, dragging the well-polished chariot. But whomsoever I shall perceive desirous to remain at the beaked ships, apart from the battle, it will not be possible for him afterwards to escape the dogs and the birds."

Thus he spoke, but the Argives shouted aloud, as when a wave [roars] against the steep shore, when the south wind urges it, coming against an out-jutting rock; for this the billows from all kinds of winds never forsake, when they may be here or there. And rising up, the people hastened forth, scattered from ship to ship, and raised up smoke among the tents, and took repast. And one sacrificed to some one of the immortal gods, and [another to another,] praying to escape death and the slaughter of war. But king Agamemnon offered up a fat ox, of five years old, to the powerful son of Saturn, and summoned the elder chiefs of all the Greeks, Nestor first of all, and king Idomeneus, but next the two Ajaxes,[112] and the son of Tydeus, and sixth Ulysses, of equal weight with Jove in council. But Menelaus, valiant in the din[113] of war, came of his own accord,[114] for he knew his brother in his heart, how he was oppressed. Then they stood around the ox, and raised up the pounded barley cakes: and king Agamemnon, praying amidst them, said:

[Footnote 110: Schol. [Greek: eutrepisato].]

[Footnote 111: These shields were so large, that they covered nearly the whole person.]

[Footnote 112: One the son of Telamon, the other the son of Oileus.]

[Footnote 113: This translation is, I think, far bolder than "loud-voiced," or "good in the battle-shout." [Greek: Boe] contains the whole idea of the tumultuous noise heard in the heat of battle, and thence the battle itself. Thus the Schol. [Greek: o en to polemo gennaios]; and Hesych. [Greek: kata ten machen andreios].]

[Footnote 114: Opposed to [Greek: kletos], as in Oppian, Hal. iii. 360, [Greek: kletoi t' auto moloi te]. See Plato Sympos. p. 315, G. Laem. Why Menelaus did so, is no matter to us, and probably was no mystery to his brother.]

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