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LESSON 2 - First Part / Second Part
ACHILLES' GRIEF - From Homer's Iliad 

by George Valsamis

 

ELPENOR EDITIONS IN PRINT



Page 5

Just before Patroclus died

 

ACHILLES is still angry with Agamemnon and stays out of the war, but he has let Patroclus wear his own armour to lead Myrmidons into the war, having advised him to avoid Hector.

The Greeks are almost defeated when Patroclus enters the battle. He fights like a God, reversing finally the course of the events, but he makes the "mistake" to go after Hector. Hector kills him and removes from the corpse Achilles' armour. Trojans and Greeks fight for the naked body.

Messenger Antilochus reaches Achilles to announce that Patroclus is dead:

 

The text

Achilles' Grief  - from Homer's  Iliad, Rhapsody 18 (Σ), verses 18-38

 

English  (S. Butler's translation)

Greek original

 

"Alas," he cried, "son of noble Peleus, I bring you bad tidings, would indeed that they were untrue. Patroclus has fallen, and a fight is raging about his naked body- for Hector holds his armour."

 

A dark cloud of grief fell upon Achilles as he listened. He filled both hands with dust from off the ground, and poured it over his head, disfiguring his comely face, and letting the refuse settle over his shirt so fair and new.

 

Ὤ μοι Πηλέος υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἦ μάλα λυγρῆς πεύσεαι ἀγγελίης͵ ἣ μὴ ὤφελλε γενέσθαι. Kεῖται Πάτροκλος͵ νέκυος δὲ δὴ ἀμφιμάχονται γυμνοῦ· ἀτὰρ τά γε τεύχε΄ ἔχει κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ.

 

Ὣς φάτο͵ τὸν δ΄ ἄχεος νεφέλη ἐκάλυψε μέλαινα·  ἀμφοτέρῃσι δὲ χερσὶν ἑλὼν κόνιν αἰθαλόεσσαν χεύατο κὰκ κεφαλῆς͵ χαρίεν δ΄ ᾔσχυνε πρόσωπον· νεκταρέῳ δὲ χιτῶνι μέλαιν΄ ἀμφίζανε τέφρη.
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Cf. The Complete Iliad * The Complete Odyssey
Greek Grammar * Basic New Testament Words * Greek - English Interlinear Iliad
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Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/lessons/lesson2.asp?pg=5