HOMER'S ILIAD COMPLETE

Rhapsody 13

Literally Translated, with Explanatory Notes, by Theodore Alois Buckley

Homer Bilingual Anthology  Studies  Homer in Print

Page 25

But him godlike Alexander in turn addressed: "Hector, since it is thy intention to find fault with me when innocent, at some other time perhaps, I may be more neglectful of the fight; [but not now], since neither did my mother bear me altogether unwarlike. For from the time when thou didst stir up the battle of thy companions at the ships, from that time, remaining here, have we engaged incessantly with the Greeks; and those comrades are dead for whom thou inquirest. Deiphobus and the might of king Helenus alone have withdrawn, both wounded in the hand with long spears; but the son of Saturn hath warded off death [from them]. But now lead on, wheresoever thy heart and soul urge thee; and we will follow with determined minds, nor do I think that thou wilt be at all in want of valour, as much strength as is in us. It is not possible even for one, although keenly desirous, to fight beyond his strength."

So saying, the hero persuaded the mind of his brother, and they hastened to advance towards that place where especially was the battle and contest; round Cebriones and excellent Polydamas, Phalces and Orthaeus, and godlike Polyphoetes, and Palmys, and Ascanius and Morys, the sons of Hippotion, who the day before had come as a relief guard[450] from fertile Ascania: and Jove then urged them to fight. But they marched like unto the blast of boisterous winds, which rushes down to the plain, urged by the thunder of father Jove, and with a dreadful tumult[451] is mingled with the ocean; and in it [rise] many boiling billows of the much-resounding sea, swollen, whitened with foam, first indeed some and then others following.

[Footnote 450: See Buttm. Lexil. p. 358. Choeph. 679: [Greek: Kat' akras enthad' os porthoumetha]. Soph. Ant. 206: [Greek: Ethelese men puri presai kat' akras]. Eurip. Phoen. 1192: [Greek: Kat' acron pregamon elein polin].]

[Footnote 451: [Greek: Polemou diadochoi, tois proterois isoi].—Eustathius.]

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