HOMER'S ILIAD COMPLETE

Rhapsody 2

Literally Translated, with Explanatory Notes, by Theodore Alois Buckley

Homer Bilingual Anthology  Studies  Homer in Print

Page 8

Whatsoever king, indeed, or distinguished man he chanced to find standing beside him, he checked him with gentle words:

"Strange man! it ill becomes thee, coward-like, to be in trepidation; but both sit down thyself, and make the other people sit down, for thou hast not as yet clearly ascertained what the intention of Atrides is. He is now making trial of, and will quickly punish the sons of the Greeks. We have not all heard what he said in council. Take care lest he, being incensed, do some mischief to the sons of the Greeks. For the anger of a Jove-nurtured king is great; his honour too is from Jove, and great-counselling Jove loves him."

But on the other hand, whatever man of the common people he chanced to see, or find shouting out, him would he strike with the sceptre, and reprove with words:

"Fellow, sit quietly, and listen to the voice of others, who are better than thou; for thou art unwarlike and weak, nor ever of any account either in war or in council. We Greeks cannot all by any means govern here, for a government of many is not a good thing;[93] let there be but one chief, one king,[94] to whom the son of wily Saturn has given a sceptre, and laws, that he may govern among them."

[Footnote 93: See Aristot. Polit. iv. 4, and Cicer. de Off. i. 8. This true maxim has been often abused by tyrants, as by Dion (Corn. Nepos, Dion, Sec. 6, 4), Caligula (Sueton. Cal. 22), and Domitian (id. 12).]

[Footnote 94: On the aristocratic character of Homer's poetry, see Mueller, Gk Lit. iv. Sec. 2.]

Previous / First / Next Page of this Rhapsody

Homer's Complete ILIAD & ODYSSEY Contents

Homer Bilingual Anthology ||| Elpenor's Free Greek Lessons
A Commentary on the ODYSSEY ||| Interlinear ILIAD

Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/ancient-Greece/homer/iliad-2.asp?pg=8