§16.73ἤπια εἰδείη· νῦν δὲ στρατὸν ἀμφιμάχονται.
would be kindly disposed; but now they are fighting around the host.
§16.74οὐ γὰρ Τυδεΐδεω Διομήδεος ἐν παλάμῃσι §16.75μαίνεται ἐγχείη Δαναῶν ἀπὸ λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι· §16.76οὐδέ πω Ἀτρεΐδεω ὀπὸς ἔκλυον αὐδήσαντος §16.77ἐχθρῆς ἐκ κεφαλῆς· ἀλλʼ Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο §16.78Τρωσὶ κελεύοντος περιάγνυται, οἳ δʼ ἀλαλητῷ §16.79πᾶν πεδίον κατέχουσι μάχῃ νικῶντες Ἀχαιούς.
For no longer in the hands of Diomedes, son of Tydeus, does the spear rage to ward off ruin from the Danaans; nor have I yet heard the voice of the son of Atreus speaking from his hated head; but the voice of man-slaying Hector, calling to the Trojans, resounds all around, and they with a war-cry hold all the plain, defeating the Achaeans in battle.
§16.80ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς Πάτροκλε νεῶν ἄπο λοιγὸν ἀμύνων §16.81ἔμπεσʼ ἐπικρατέως, μὴ δὴ πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο §16.82νῆας ἐνιπρήσωσι, φίλον δʼ ἀπὸ νόστον ἕλωνται.
But even so, Patroclus, warding off ruin from the ships, fall upon them mightily, lest they burn the ships with blazing fire, and take away our precious return.
§16.83πείθεο δʼ ὥς τοι ἐγὼ μύθου τέλος ἐν φρεσὶ θείω, §16.84ὡς ἄν μοι τιμὴν μεγάλην καὶ κῦδος ἄρηαι §16.85πρὸς πάντων Δαναῶν, ἀτὰρ οἳ περικαλλέα κούρην §16.86ἂψ ἀπονάσσωσιν, ποτὶ δʼ ἀγλαὰ δῶρα πόρωσιν.
Obey, so that I may put in your mind the sum of my counsel, so that you may win great honor and glory for me from all the Danaans, and they may send back the beautiful girl, and provide splendid gifts besides.
§16.87ἐκ νηῶν ἐλάσας ἰέναι πάλιν· εἰ δέ κεν αὖ τοι §16.88δώῃ κῦδος ἀρέσθαι ἐρίγδουπος πόσις Ἥρης, §16.89μὴ σύ γʼ ἄνευθεν ἐμεῖο λιλαίεσθαι πολεμίζειν §16.90Τρωσὶ φιλοπτολέμοισιν· ἀτιμότερον δέ με θήσεις·
Drive them from the ships and return; and if the loud-thundering husband of Hera grant you to win glory, do not desire to fight without me against the war-loving Trojans; you will make me more unhonored.
§16.91μὴ δʼ ἐπαγαλλόμενος πολέμῳ καὶ δηϊοτῆτι §16.92Τρῶας ἐναιρόμενος προτὶ Ἴλιον ἡγεμονεύειν, §16.93μή τις ἀπʼ Οὐλύμποιο θεῶν αἰειγενετάων §16.94ἐμβήῃ· μάλα τούς γε φιλεῖ ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων·
And do not, exulting in war and battle, slaying the Trojans, lead on to Ilium, lest some of the everlasting gods from Olympus intervene; for far-darting Apollo loves them dearly.
But turn back when you have set a light of deliverance among the ships, and leave the others to contend along the plain.
§16.97αἲ γὰρ Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον §16.98μήτέ τις οὖν Τρώων θάνατον φύγοι ὅσσοι ἔασι, §16.99μήτέ τις Ἀργείων, νῶϊν δʼ ἐκδῦμεν ὄλεθρον, §16.100ὄφρʼ οἶοι Τροίης ἱερὰ κρήδεμνα λύωμεν. §16.101ὣς οἳ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον, §16.102Αἴας δʼ οὐκ ἔτʼ ἔμιμνε· βιάζετο γὰρ βελέεσσι· §16.103δάμνα μιν Ζηνός τε νόος καὶ Τρῶες ἀγαυοὶ §16.104βάλλοντες· δεινὴν δὲ περὶ κροτάφοισι φαεινὴ §16.105πήληξ βαλλομένη καναχὴν ἔχε, βάλλετο δʼ αἰεὶ §16.106κὰπ φάλαρʼ εὐποίηθʼ· ὃ δʼ ἀριστερὸν ὦμον ἔκαμνεν §16.107ἔμπεδον αἰὲν ἔχων σάκος αἰόλον· οὐδὲ δύναντο §16.108ἀμφʼ αὐτῷ πελεμίξαι ἐρείδοντες βελέεσσιν.
For would, O father Zeus and Athena and Apollo, that not one of all the Trojans might escape death, nor any of the Argives, but that we two might escape destruction, so that we alone might loose the sacred battlements of Troy." Thus they spoke such things to one another, but Ajax no longer stood his ground, for he was hard pressed by missiles; the mind of Zeus and the noble Trojans vanquished him, striking him; and terribly around his temples did his bright helmet ring as it was struck, and it was struck continually on the well-made cheek-pieces; and he grew weary in his left shoulder holding his glittering shield steadfastly; yet they could not shake him around, pressing him hard with missiles.
§16.109αἰεὶ δʼ ἀργαλέῳ ἔχετʼ ἄσθματι, κὰδ δέ οἱ ἱδρὼς §16.110πάντοθεν ἐκ μελέων πολὺς ἔρρεεν, οὐδέ πῃ εἶχεν §16.111ἀμπνεῦσαι· πάντῃ δὲ κακὸν κακῷ ἐστήρικτο.
And always he was distressed by painful gasping, and sweat poured down from all his limbs, nor had he any way to draw breath; and everywhere evil was heaped upon evil.
§16.112ἔσπετε νῦν μοι Μοῦσαι Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχουσαι, §16.113ὅππως δὴ πρῶτον πῦρ ἔμπεσε νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.
Tell me now, Muses who have dwellings on Olympus, how first the fire fell upon the ships of the Achaeans.
§16.114Ἕκτωρ Αἴαντος δόρυ μείλινον ἄγχι παραστὰς §16.115πλῆξʼ ἄορι μεγάλῳ αἰχμῆς παρὰ καυλὸν ὄπισθεν, §16.116ἀντικρὺ δʼ ἀπάραξε· τὸ μὲν Τελαμώνιος Αἴας §16.117πῆλʼ αὔτως ἐν χειρὶ κόλον δόρυ, τῆλε δʼ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ §16.118αἰχμὴ χαλκείη χαμάδις βόμβησε πεσοῦσα.
Hector stood near and struck the ash spear of Ajax with his great sword, behind the socket of the point, and cut it clean through; and Telamonian Ajax brandished uselessly in his hand the maimed spear, and far from him the bronze point fell ringing to the ground.
§16.119γνῶ δʼ Αἴας κατὰ θυμὸν ἀμύμονα ῥίγησέν τε §16.120ἔργα θεῶν, ὅ ῥα πάγχυ μάχης ἐπὶ μήδεα κεῖρε §16.121Ζεὺς ὑψιβρεμέτης, Τρώεσσι δὲ βούλετο νίκην· §16.122χάζετο δʼ ἐκ βελέων.
And Ajax knew in his noble heart and shuddered at the deeds of the gods, how Zeus who thunders on high cut off his plans of battle, and willed victory for the Trojans; and he drew back from the missiles.
τοὶ δʼ ἔμβαλον ἀκάματον πῦρ §16.123νηῒ θοῇ· τῆς δʼ αἶψα κατʼ ἀσβέστη κέχυτο φλόξ.
And they cast unwearied fire upon the swift ship, and at once an unquenchable flame spread over it.
So the fire encompassed the stern; but Achilles struck his thighs and spoke to Patroclus: "Rouse yourself, Patroclus, sprung from Zeus, rider of horses!
§16.126ὄρσεο διογενὲς Πατρόκλεες ἱπποκέλευθε· §16.127λεύσσω δὴ παρὰ νηυσὶ πυρὸς δηΐοιο ἰωήν· §16.128μὴ δὴ νῆας ἕλωσι καὶ οὐκέτι φυκτὰ πέλωνται· §16.129δύσεο τεύχεα θᾶσσον, ἐγὼ δέ κε λαὸν ἀγείρω. §16.130ὣς φάτο, Πάτροκλος δὲ κορύσσετο νώροπι χαλκῷ.
I see indeed the rush of consuming fire by the ships; let them not take the ships, so that there be no longer any escape; put on your armor quickly, and I will gather the host." So he spoke, and Patroclus arrayed himself in gleaming bronze.
§16.131κνημῖδας μὲν πρῶτα περὶ κνήμῃσιν ἔθηκε §16.132καλάς, ἀργυρέοισιν ἐπισφυρίοις ἀραρυίας· §16.133δεύτερον αὖ θώρηκα περὶ στήθεσσιν ἔδυνε §16.134ποικίλον ἀστερόεντα ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο.
The greaves first he placed about his legs, beautiful greaves, fitted with silver ankle-guards; next, he put on the breastplate about his chest, the starry, richly-worked breastplate of the swift-footed grandson of Aeacus.
§16.135ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ὤμοισιν βάλετο ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον §16.136χάλκεον, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα σάκος μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε· §16.137κρατὶ δʼ ἐπʼ ἰφθίμῳ κυνέην εὔτυκτον ἔθηκεν §16.138ἵππουριν· δεινὸν δὲ λόφος καθύπερθεν ἔνευεν.
And about his shoulders he cast the silver-studded sword of bronze, and then the shield great and sturdy; upon his mighty head he set the well-wrought helmet with horse-hair plume; and terribly did the crest nod from above.
§16.139εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμα δοῦρε, τά οἱ παλάμηφιν ἀρήρει.
And he took two brave spears, which fitted his hands.
§16.140ἔγχος δʼ οὐχ ἕλετʼ οἶον ἀμύμονος Αἰακίδαο §16.141βριθὺ μέγα στιβαρόν· τὸ μὲν οὐ δύνατʼ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν §16.142πάλλειν, ἀλλά μιν οἶος ἐπίστατο πῆλαι Ἀχιλλεὺς §16.143Πηλιάδα μελίην, τὴν πατρὶ φίλῳ πόρε Χείρων §16.144Πηλίου ἐκ κορυφῆς, φόνον ἔμμεναι ἡρώεσσιν.
Only he did not take the spear of the noble grandson of Aeacus, heavy, huge, and sturdy; which no other of the Achaeans was able to wield, but Achilles alone knew how to brandish it, that Pelian ash spear, which Chiron had given to his dear father from the peak of Pelion, to be the death of heroes.
§16.145ἵππους δʼ Αὐτομέδοντα θοῶς ζευγνῦμεν ἄνωγε,
And he commanded Automedon to yoke the horses quickly,