Homer ILIAD : Rhapsody 13

Page 4

"O Ajax, since some one of the gods, who possess Olympus, likening himself to the soothsayer, exhorts us to fight beside the ships (neither is this Calchas, the prophesying augur; for I readily recognized the traces of his feet and legs when departing; for the gods are easily distinguished), even to myself, the soul within my bosom is more incited to war and to fight, and my feet beneath and hands above eagerly desire it."

But him Telamonian Ajax answering, addressed: "So also to me are my strong hands upon my spear eager, and my courage is aroused, and I am hurried along by both my feet under me; and I eagerly long, even alone, to combat with Hector, the son of Priam, insatiably raging."

Thus they addressed these words to each other, joyful in the desire of battle[414] which the god had infused into their minds. In the meanwhile the Earth-ruler (Neptune) aroused the Achaeans in the rear, who were recruiting their spirit at the swift ships; whose limbs were at the same time relaxed with toilsome labour, and grief was arising in their minds, beholding the Trojans, who with a tumult had surmounted the vast wall. But beholding them, they poured forth tears from beneath their eyebrows, for they expected not to escape destruction: but the Earth-shaker intervening, easily aroused the brave phalanxes. To Teucer and Leius he first came, exhorting them, and to the hero Peneleus, and Thoas, and Deipyrus, and to Meriones and Antilochus, skilful in war. These he encouraging, spoke winged words:

[Footnote 414: See Heyne, who compares the Latin gestire. Hesych.: [Greek: Charme, e reta charas mache].]

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