§13.281ἀλλὰ μετοκλάζει καὶ ἐπʼ ἀμφοτέρους πόδας ἵζει, §13.282ἐν δέ τέ οἱ κραδίη μεγάλα στέρνοισι πατάσσει §13.283κῆρας ὀϊομένῳ, πάταγος δέ τε γίγνετʼ ὀδόντων· §13.284τοῦ δʼ ἀγαθοῦ οὔτʼ ἂρ τρέπεται χρὼς οὔτέ τι λίην §13.285ταρβεῖ, ἐπειδὰν πρῶτον ἐσίζηται λόχον ἀνδρῶν, §13.286ἀρᾶται δὲ τάχιστα μιγήμεναι ἐν δαῒ λυγρῇ· §13.287οὐδέ κεν ἔνθα τεόν γε μένος καὶ χεῖρας ὄνοιτο.
Rather he shifts his weight from leg to leg and crouches on both feet, and inside his breast his heart beats loudly and violently, as he forebodes the fates of death, and there is a chattering of his teeth; but of the brave man, the color of his skin does not change, nor does he fear excessively, as soon as he first enters the ambush of men, but he prays to mix as quickly as possible in the lamentable conflict; not even there would anyone disparage your courage and your hands.
§13.288εἴ περ γάρ κε βλεῖο πονεύμενος ἠὲ τυπείης §13.289οὐκ ἂν ἐν αὐχένʼ ὄπισθε πέσοι βέλος οὐδʼ ἐνὶ νώτῳ, §13.290ἀλλά κεν ἢ στέρνων ἢ νηδύος ἀντιάσειε §13.291πρόσσω ἱεμένοιο μετὰ προμάχων ὀαριστύν.
For even if you were hit or wounded while toiling in battle, the missile would not fall upon your neck from behind, nor on your back, but it would meet either your breast or your belly as you rush forward into the sweet converse of the foremost champions.
§13.292ἀλλʼ ἄγε μηκέτι ταῦτα λεγώμεθα νηπύτιοι ὣς §13.293ἑσταότες, μή πού τις ὑπερφιάλως νεμεσήσῃ· §13.294ἀλλὰ σύ γε κλισίην δὲ κιὼν ἕλευ ὄβριμον ἔγχος.
But come, let us no longer speak of these things like children, lest perhaps someone should feel excessive indignation; but go to the hut and take a mighty spear.
§13.295ὣς φάτο, Μηριόνης δὲ θοῷ ἀτάλαντος Ἄρηϊ §13.296καρπαλίμως κλισίηθεν ἀνείλετο χάλκεον ἔγχος, §13.297βῆ δὲ μετʼ Ἰδομενῆα μέγα πτολέμοιο μεμηλώς.
So he spoke, and Meriones, equal to swift Ares, swiftly took a bronze spear from the hut, and went after Idomeneus, greatly longing for battle.
§13.298οἷος δὲ βροτολοιγὸς Ἄρης πόλεμον δὲ μέτεισι, §13.299τῷ δὲ Φόβος φίλος υἱὸς ἅμα κρατερὸς καὶ ἀταρβὴς §13.300ἕσπετο, ὅς τʼ ἐφόβησε ταλάφρονά περ πολεμιστήν· §13.301τὼ μὲν ἄρʼ ἐκ Θρῄκης Ἐφύρους μέτα θωρήσσεσθον, §13.302ἠὲ μετὰ Φλεγύας μεγαλήτορας· οὐδʼ ἄρα τώ γε §13.303ἔκλυον ἀμφοτέρων, ἑτέροισι δὲ κῦδος ἔδωκαν· §13.304τοῖοι Μηριόνης τε καὶ Ἰδομενεὺς ἀγοὶ ἀνδρῶν §13.305ἤϊσαν ἐς πόλεμον κεκορυθμένοι αἴθοπι χαλκῷ.
And just as Ares, the destroyer of men, goes into battle, and with him Terror, his beloved son, both strong and fearless, follows, who puts to flight even the steadfast warrior; these two indeed arm themselves from Thrace to go against the Ephyri, or against the great-hearted Phlegyans; nor indeed do they listen to both, but give glory to one of the two; such were Meriones and Idomeneus, leaders of men, who went into battle, armed with flashing bronze.
§13.306τὸν καὶ Μηριόνης πρότερος πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε· §13.307Δευκαλίδη πῇ τὰρ μέμονας καταδῦναι ὅμιλον;
And Meriones first spoke to him: "Son of Deucalion, where indeed are you eager to enter the throng?
Is it on the right of the whole army, or in the center, or on the left?
ἐπεὶ οὔ ποθι ἔλπομαι οὕτω §13.310δεύεσθαι πολέμοιο κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιούς. §13.311τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἰδομενεὺς Κρητῶν ἀγὸς ἀντίον ηὔδα· §13.312νηυσὶ μὲν ἐν μέσσῃσιν ἀμύνειν εἰσὶ καὶ ἄλλοι §13.313Αἴαντές τε δύω Τεῦκρός θʼ, ὃς ἄριστος Ἀχαιῶν §13.314τοξοσύνῃ, ἀγαθὸς δὲ καὶ ἐν σταδίῃ ὑσμίνῃ· §13.315οἵ μιν ἅδην ἐλόωσι καὶ ἐσσύμενον πολέμοιο §13.316Ἕκτορα Πριαμίδην, καὶ εἰ μάλα καρτερός ἐστιν.
Since I do not think that anywhere else the long-haired Achaeans are so lacking in battle." And to him in turn Idomeneus, leader of the Cretans, spoke in reply: "For defending the middle of the ships there are indeed others, both the two Ajaxes and Teucer, who is the best of the Achaeans in archery, and is also good in standing combat; they will drive to satiety, even though he is very strong, Hector, son of Priam, eager though he is for battle.
§13.317αἰπύ οἱ ἐσσεῖται μάλα περ μεμαῶτι μάχεσθαι §13.318κείνων νικήσαντι μένος καὶ χεῖρας ἀάπτους §13.319νῆας ἐνιπρῆσαι, ὅτε μὴ αὐτός γε Κρονίων §13.320ἐμβάλοι αἰθόμενον δαλὸν νήεσσι θοῇσιν.
It will be a steep task for him, though very eager to fight, to overcome their strength and invincible hands, and to set fire to the ships, unless the son of Cronos himself should cast a burning brand upon the swift ships.
§13.321ἀνδρὶ δέ κʼ οὐκ εἴξειε μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας, §13.322ὃς θνητός τʼ εἴη καὶ ἔδοι Δημήτερος ἀκτὴν §13.323χαλκῷ τε ῥηκτὸς μεγάλοισί τε χερμαδίοισιν.
And great Ajax, son of Telamon, would yield to no man who is mortal and eats the grain of Demeter, and is vulnerable to bronze and great stones.
Nor would he give way even to Achilles, breaker of ranks, at least in standing combat; but in swiftness of foot there is no competing with him.
§13.326νῶϊν δʼ ὧδʼ ἐπʼ ἀριστέρʼ ἔχε στρατοῦ, ὄφρα τάχιστα §13.327εἴδομεν ἠέ τῳ εὖχος ὀρέξομεν, ἦέ τις ἡμῖν. §13.328ὣς φάτο, Μηριόνης δὲ θοῷ ἀτάλαντος Ἄρηϊ §13.329ἦρχʼ ἴμεν, ὄφρʼ ἀφίκοντο κατὰ στρατὸν ᾗ μιν ἀνώγει,
But for us, keep to the left of the army in this way, so that very quickly we may see whether we shall extend glory to someone, or someone to us." So he spoke, and Meriones, equal to swift Ares, led the way, until they arrived at the army where Idomeneus commanded him.
§13.330οἳ δʼ ὡς Ἰδομενῆα ἴδον φλογὶ εἴκελον ἀλκὴν §13.331αὐτὸν καὶ θεράποντα σὺν ἔντεσι δαιδαλέοισι, §13.332κεκλόμενοι καθʼ ὅμιλον ἐπʼ αὐτῷ πάντες ἔβησαν· §13.333τῶν δʼ ὁμὸν ἵστατο νεῖκος ἐπὶ πρυμνῇσι νέεσσιν.
And when they saw Idomeneus, like a flame in his valour, himself and his squire in their cunningly wrought armor, calling out to one another through the crowd, they all went against him; and a joint conflict arose for them at the sterns of the ships.
§13.334ὡς δʼ ὅθʼ ὑπὸ λιγέων ἀνέμων σπέρχωσιν ἄελλαι §13.335ἤματι τῷ ὅτε τε πλείστη κόνις ἀμφὶ κελεύθους, §13.336οἵ τʼ ἄμυδις κονίης μεγάλην ἱστᾶσιν ὀμίχλην, §13.337ὣς ἄρα τῶν ὁμόσʼ ἦλθε μάχη, μέμασαν δʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ §13.338ἀλλήλους καθʼ ὅμιλον ἐναιρέμεν ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ.
And as when tempests rush under the shrill winds on a day when the dust is most thick about the roads, and they raise up together a great cloud of dust, so then did their battle clash together, and they were eager in heart to slaughter one another through the throng with the sharp bronze.
§13.339ἔφριξεν δὲ μάχη φθισίμβροτος ἐγχείῃσι §13.340μακρῇς, ἃς εἶχον ταμεσίχροας· ὄσσε δʼ ἄμερδεν §13.341αὐγὴ χαλκείη κορύθων ἄπο λαμπομενάων §13.342θωρήκων τε νεοσμήκτων σακέων τε φαεινῶν §13.343ἐρχομένων ἄμυδις· μάλα κεν θρασυκάρδιος εἴη §13.344ὃς τότε γηθήσειεν ἰδὼν πόνον οὐδʼ ἀκάχοιτο.
And the battle, mortal to men, shuddered with the long spears which they held, flesh-cutting; and the bronze light from the shining helmets dazzled their eyes, and of the newly polished breastplates and bright shields as they came together; very bold of heart indeed would he be who should then rejoice looking on that toil and not be grieved.
Thus the two mighty sons of Cronos, with divided minds, were fashioning grievous sorrows for heroic men.
§13.347Ζεὺς μέν ῥα Τρώεσσι καὶ Ἕκτορι βούλετο νίκην §13.348κυδαίνων Ἀχιλῆα πόδας ταχύν· οὐδέ τι πάμπαν §13.349ἤθελε λαὸν ὀλέσθαι Ἀχαιϊκὸν Ἰλιόθι πρό,
Zeus indeed wished victory for the Trojans and Hector, glorifying swift-footed Achilles; yet he did not at all wish the Achaean people to perish utterly before Ilium,