Homer ILIAD : Rhapsody 8

Page 8

Thus indeed were they holding such converse with each other. But whatever space before the ships the trench belonging to the tower enclosed, was filled with horses and shielded men crowded together.[271] But Hector, the son of Priam, equal to swift Mars, had crowded them thus, when Jupiter awarded him glory. And now would he have burned the equal ships with blazing fire, had not venerable Juno put it into the soul of Agamemnon, himself actively engaged, briskly to urge on the Greeks. He therefore hastened to go along the tents and ships of the Greeks, holding in his stout hand his great purple robe. But in the huge black ship of Ulysses he stood, which was in the midst, that he might shout audibly to either side, as well to the tent of Telamonian Ajax, as to that of Achilles, for they had drawn up their equal ships at the extremities of the line, relying on their valour and the strength of their hands. Then he shouted distinctly, calling upon the Greeks:

"Shame! ye Greeks, foul subjects of disgrace! gallant in form [alone]! Where are those boastings gone, when we professed ourselves the bravest; those which, once in Lemnos, vain braggarts! ye did utter, eating much flesh of horned oxen, and drinking-goblets crowned with wine,[272] that each would in battle be equivalent to a hundred and even two hundred of the Trojans? But now, indeed, we are not equal to Hector alone, who shortly will burn our ships with flaming fire. O father Jove, hast thou indeed ever yet afflicted with such destruction any one of mighty kings, and so deprived him of high renown? And yet I say that I never passed by thy fair altar in my many-benched ship, coming here with ill luck.[273] But on all I burned the fat of oxen and the thighs, desiring to sack well-walled Troy. But, O Jove, accomplish for me this vow, at least permit us to escape and get away; nor suffer the Greeks to be thus subdued by the Trojans."

[Footnote 271: Observe that [Greek: ton] belongs to [Greek: ippon] and [Greek: andron], and that [Greek: oson ek neon apo pyrgou taphros eerge], means that "the space between the rampart and the sea was enclosed." [Greek: Apo] does not govern [Greek: pyrgou], but is compounded with [Greek: eerge].]

[Footnote 272: Cf. Buttm. Lexil. p. 292, sqq. who has, however, been long since anticipated by Paschal. de Coron. i. 4.]

[Footnote 273: Schol. [Greek: Erron, epi phthor paoagenomenos]. See Alberti on Hesych, s. v. t. i. p. 1445. So, also, Apollon. p. 364: [Greek: Epi phthora porenomenos].]

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