§280Ῥῆσον τιθέντʼ ἔλεξας ἐν Τροίᾳ πόδα; §281ἔγνως· λόγου δὲ δὶς τόσου μʼ ἐκούφισας. §282καὶ πῶς πρὸς Ἴδης ὀργάδας πορεύεται, §283πλαγχθεὶς πλατείας πεδιάδος θʼ ἁμαξιτοῦ; §284οὐκ οἶδʼ ἀκριβῶς· εἰκάσαι γε μὴν πάρα.
Hector: "Did you say that Rhesus has set foot in Troy?" Shepherd: "You have it; and you have eased me of twice as much talk." Hector: "And how does he journey towards the pastures of Ida, wandering from the broad plain and the wagon road?" Shepherd: "I do not know precisely; yet it is possible to guess.
For it is no easy thing to lead an army by night, hearing that the plains are full of the enemy's force.
§287φόβον δʼ ἀγρώσταις, οἳ κατʼ Ἰδαῖον λέπας §288οἰκοῦμεν αὐτόρριζον ἑστίαν χθονός, §289παρέσχε δρυμὸν νυκτὸς ἔνθηρον μολών.
But coming through the oak-woods full of wild beasts by night, he brought fear to us rustics who dwell on the rocky cliffs of Ida, making our hearths on the native soil, by coming through the beast-infested forest by night.
§290πολλῇ γὰρ ἠχῇ Θρῄκιος ῥέων στρατὸς §291ἔστειχε· θάμβει δʼ ἐκπλαγέντες ἵεμεν §292ποίμνας πρὸς ἄκρας, μή τις Ἀργείων μόλῃ §293λεηλατήσων καὶ σὰ πορθήσων σταθμά, §294πρὶν δὴ διʼ ὤτων γῆρυν οὐχ Ἑλληνικὴν §295ἐδεξάμεσθα καὶ μετέστημεν φόβου.
For the Thracian host marched flowing with a great din; and struck with amazement, we drove our flocks to the high ridges, lest any of the Argives should come to plunder and ravage your folds, until indeed we received through our ears a voice that was not Greek, and we desisted from our fear.
§296στείχων δʼ ἄνακτος προυξερευνητὰς ὁδοῦ §297ἀνιστόρησα Θρῃκίοις προσφθέγμασι, §298Τίς ὁ στρατηγὸς καὶ τίνος κεκλημένος §299στείχει πρὸς ἄστυ Πριαμίδαισι σύμμαχος; §300καὶ πάντʼ ἀκούσας ὧν ἐφιέμην μαθεῖν, §301ἔστην· ὁρῶ δὲ Ῥῆσον ὥστε δαίμονα
And going up to the scouts of the king's path, I inquired in Thracian speech: 'Who is the general, and by whose name called does he march to the city as an ally to the sons of Priam?' And having heard all that I desired to learn, I stood still; and I saw Rhesus like a god standing among his Thracian horses and chariots.
§302ἑστῶτʼ ἐν ἵπποις Θρῃκίοις τʼ ὀχήμασι. §303χρυσῆ δὲ πλάστιγξ αὐχένα ζυγηφόρον §304πώλων ἔκλῃε χιόνος ἐξαυγεστέρων.
A golden yoke bound the necks of his fillies, whiter than snow.
§305πέλτη δʼ ἐπʼ ὤμων χρυσοκολλήτοις τύποις §306ἔλαμπε· Γοργὼν δʼ ὡς ἐπʼ αἰγίδος θεᾶς §307χαλκῆ μετώποις ἱππικοῖσι πρόσδετος §308πολλοῖσι σὺν κώδωσιν ἐκτύπει φόβον.
And the light shield on his shoulders shone with gold-soldered figures; and a bronze Gorgon, like that on the aegis of the goddess, fastened to the horses' frontlets, clanged with many bells, ringing out terror.
§309στρατοῦ δὲ πλῆθος οὐδʼ ἂν ἐν ψήφου λόγῳ §310θέσθαι δυναίμην, ὡς ἄπλατον ἦν ἰδεῖν, §311πολλοὶ μὲν ἱππῆς, πολλὰ πελταστῶν τέλη, §312πολλοὶ δʼ ἀτράκτων τοξόται, πολὺς δʼ ὄχλος §313γυμνὴς ὁμαρτῇ, Θρῃκίαν ἔχων στολήν.
And the multitude of the army I could not even calculate, so immense was it to behold; many horsemen, many ranks of targeteers, many archers, and a great crowd of light-armed troops accompanying them, wearing Thracian garb.
§314τοιόσδε Τροίᾳ σύμμαχος πάρεστʼ ἀνήρ, §315ὃν οὔτε φεύγων οὔθʼ ὑποσταθεὶς δορὶ §316ὁ Πηλέως παῖς ἐκφυγεῖν δυνήσεται.
Such a man is present as an ally to Troy, whom neither by fleeing nor by standing with his spear will the son of Peleus be able to escape.
Chorus: When the gods are favorable to citizens, fortune glides downhill towards prosperity.
Hector: I will find many friends, now that my spear is prosperous and Zeus is on our side.
§321ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν αὐτῶν δεόμεθʼ, οἵτινες πάλαι §322μὴ ξυμπονοῦσιν, ἡνίκʼ ἐξώστης Ἄρης §323ἔθραυε λαίφη τῆσδε γῆς μέγας πνέων.
But we have no need of those who did not share our toil of old, when the storm-shaking war broke the sails of this land, blowing with great force.
§324Ῥῆσος δʼ ἔδειξεν οἷος ἦν Τροίᾳ φίλος· §325ἥκει γὰρ ἐς δαῖτʼ, οὐ παρὼν κυνηγέταις §326αἱροῦσι λείαν οὐδὲ συγκαμὼν δορί.
Rhesus has shown what kind of friend he was to Troy; for he comes to the feast, not having been present with the hunters when they caught the prey, nor having labored with his spear.
Chorus: You rightly disdain and are critical of friends; but accept those who wish to help the city.
§329ἀρκοῦμεν οἱ σῴζοντες Ἴλιον πάλαι.
Hector: We who have been saving Ilium for a long time are sufficient.
§330πέποιθας ἤδη πολεμίους ᾑρηκέναι;
Chorus: Are you confident that you have already captured the enemy?
§331πέποιθα· δείξει τοὐπιὸν σέλας θεοῦ.
Hector: I am confident; the coming light of the god will show it.
§332ὅρα τὸ μέλλον· πόλλʼ ἀναστρέφει θεός.
Chorus: Look to the future; God overturns many things.
§333μισῶ φίλοισιν ὕστερον βοηδρομεῖν.
Hector: I hate coming to help friends late.
§336ὃ δʼ οὖν, ἐπείπερ ἦλθε, σύμμαχος μὲν οὔ, §337ξένος δὲ πρὸς τράπεζαν ἡκέτω ξένων· §338χάρις γὰρ αὐτῷ Πριαμιδῶν διώλετο.
But at all events, since he has come, let him come not as an ally, but as a guest to the table of hosts; for gratitude to him from the sons of Priam is lost.
§334ἄναξ, ἀπωθεῖν συμμάχους ἐπίφθονον.
Chorus: Lord, to reject allies is a cause of ill-will.
§335φόβος γένοιτʼ ἂν πολεμίοις ὀφθεὶς μόνον.
Merely being seen would be a terror to the enemies.
§339σύ τʼ εὖ παραινεῖς καὶ σὺ καιρίως σκοπεῖς.
Hector: You advise well, and you look at things opportunely.
Let Rhesus of the golden armor, because of the messenger's words, be present as an ally to this land.
§342Ἀδράστεια μὲν ἁ Διὸς §343παῖς εἴργοι στομάτων φθόνον· §344φράσω γὰρ δὴ ὅσον μοι ψυχᾷ §345προσφιλές ἐστιν εἰπεῖν.
Chorus: May Adrasteia, the daughter of Zeus, ward off the envy of our words; for I will speak what is dear to my soul to say.
§346ἥκεις, ὦ ποταμοῦ παῖ, §347ἥκεις, ἐπλάθης Φιλίου πρὸς αὐλὰν §348ἀσπαστός, ἐπεί σε χρόνῳ §349Πιερὶς μάτηρ ὅ τε καλλιγέφυ- §350ρος ποταμὸς πορεύει §351Στρυμών, ὅς ποτε τᾶς μελῳ- §352δοῦ Μούσας διʼ ἀκηράτων §353δινηθεὶς ὑδροειδὴς κόλπων §354σὰν ἐφύτευσεν ἥβαν.
You have come, son of the river, you have come, welcome to the court of friendship, since after a long time your Pierian mother and the beautiful-bridged river Strymon have sent you, Strymon, who once, swirling through the pure bosom of the singing Muse in watery waves, begot your youth.
You have come to me as Zeus the light-bringer, driving your dappled fillies.
Now, O Phrygian fatherland, with god's help, now it is possible for you to speak of Zeus the deliverer.
§360ἆρά ποτʼ αὖθις ἁ παλαιὰ Τροΐα §361τοὺς προπότας παναμερεύ- §362σει θιάσους ἐρώτων §363ψαλμοῖσι καὶ κυλίκων οἰνοπλανή- §364τοις ὑποδεξίαις ἁμίλ- §365λαις κατὰ πόντον Ἀτρειδᾶν §366Σπάρταν οἰχομένων §366aἸλιάδος παρʼ ἀκτᾶς;
Will old Troy ever again spend the whole day in drinking bouts of love, with songs and rivalries of wine-wandering cups, while the sons of Atreus go across the sea to Sparta, leaving the shore of Ilium?
O friend, would that you might go home having accomplished this with your hand and your spear.
§370ἐλθέ, φάνηθι, τὰν ζάχρυσον προβαλοῦ §371Πηλεΐδα κατʼ ὄμμα πέλ- §372ταν δοχμίαν πεδαίρων §373σχιστὰν παρʼ ἄντυγα, πώλους ἐρεθί- §374ζων δίβολόν τʼ ἄκοντα πάλ- §375λων.
Come, appear, hold up your golden shield against the eye of Peleus' son, raising it obliquely along the chariot's rim, urging on your fillies and brandishing your double-pronged javelin.
σὲ γὰρ οὔτις ὑποστὰς
For no one who withstands you..."