Nor did great-hearted Ajax and Menelaus fail to perceive Zeus, when he was giving victory of turning-tide to the Trojans.
§17.628τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας· §17.629ὢ πόποι ἤδη μέν κε καὶ ὃς μάλα νήπιός ἐστι §17.630γνοίη ὅτι Τρώεσσι πατὴρ Ζεὺς αὐτὸς ἀρήγει.
And to them great Telamonian Ajax began to speak: "Ah me! Now indeed even one who is very foolish might know that father Zeus himself is helping the Trojans.
§17.631τῶν μὲν γὰρ πάντων βέλεʼ ἅπτεται ὅς τις ἀφήῃ §17.632ἢ κακὸς ἢ ἀγαθός· Ζεὺς δʼ ἔμπης πάντʼ ἰθύνει· §17.633ἡμῖν δʼ αὔτως πᾶσιν ἐτώσια πίπτει ἔραζε.
For the weapons of all of them hit, whoever flings them, whether coward or brave; Zeus in any case guides them all; but for us, all of our weapons fall in vain to the ground.
§17.634ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ αὐτοί περ φραζώμεθα μῆτιν ἀρίστην, §17.635ἠμὲν ὅπως τὸν νεκρὸν ἐρύσσομεν, ἠδὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ §17.636χάρμα φίλοις ἑτάροισι γενώμεθα νοστήσαντες, §17.637οἵ που δεῦρʼ ὁρόωντες ἀκηχέδατʼ, οὐδʼ ἔτι φασὶν §17.638Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο μένος καὶ χεῖρας ἀάπτους §17.639σχήσεσθʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐν νηυσὶ μελαίνῃσιν πεσέεσθαι.
But come, let us ourselves think of the best plan, both how we may drag away the dead body, and how we ourselves may return home to be a joy to our dear comrades, who, I suppose, look hither and are grieved, and think that no longer the fury of man-slaying Hector and his invincible hands will be held back, but that he will fall upon the black ships.
§17.640εἴη δʼ ὅς τις ἑταῖρος ἀπαγγείλειε τάχιστα §17.641Πηλεΐδῃ, ἐπεὶ οὔ μιν ὀΐομαι οὐδὲ πεπύσθαι §17.642λυγρῆς ἀγγελίης, ὅτι οἱ φίλος ὤλεθʼ ἑταῖρος.
Would that there were some comrade who would bring word quickly to the son of Peleus, since I think he has not even heard the grievous news, that his dear comrade has perished.
§17.643ἀλλʼ οὔ πῃ δύναμαι ἰδέειν τοιοῦτον Ἀχαιῶν· §17.644ἠέρι γὰρ κατέχονται ὁμῶς αὐτοί τε καὶ ἵπποι.
But nowhere can I see such a one among the Achaeans; for in mist are they enveloped, both themselves and their horses.
§17.645Ζεῦ πάτερ ἀλλὰ σὺ ῥῦσαι ὑπʼ ἠέρος υἷας Ἀχαιῶν, §17.646ποίησον δʼ αἴθρην, δὸς δʼ ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδέσθαι· §17.647ἐν δὲ φάει καὶ ὄλεσσον, ἐπεί νύ τοι εὔαδεν οὕτως. §17.648ὣς φάτο, τὸν δὲ πατὴρ ὀλοφύρατο δάκρυ χέοντα· §17.649αὐτίκα δʼ ἠέρα μὲν σκέδασεν καὶ ἀπῶσεν ὀμίχλην, §17.650ἠέλιος δʼ ἐπέλαμψε, μάχη δʼ ἐπὶ πᾶσα φαάνθη·
Father Zeus, do you deliver the sons of the Achaeans from the mist, and make clear sky, and grant us to see with our eyes; and in the light destroy us, since indeed this is your pleasure." So he spoke, and the Father pitied him as he shed tears; and straightway he scattered the mist and drove away the darkness, and the sun shone forth, and all the battle was made manifest.
§17.651καὶ τότʼ ἄρʼ Αἴας εἶπε βοὴν ἀγαθὸν Μενέλαον· §17.652σκέπτεο νῦν Μενέλαε διοτρεφὲς αἴ κεν ἴδηαι §17.653ζωὸν ἔτʼ Ἀντίλοχον μεγαθύμου Νέστορος υἱόν, §17.654ὄτρυνον δʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ δαΐφρονι θᾶσσον ἰόντα §17.655εἰπεῖν ὅττι ῥά οἱ πολὺ φίλτατος ὤλεθʼ ἑταῖρος. §17.656ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος, §17.657βῆ δʼ ἰέναι ὥς τίς τε λέων ἀπὸ μεσσαύλοιο, §17.658ὅς τʼ ἐπεὶ ἄρ κε κάμῃσι κύνας τʼ ἄνδρας τʼ ἐρεθίζων, §17.659οἵ τέ μιν οὐκ εἰῶσι βοῶν ἐκ πῖαρ ἑλέσθαι §17.660πάννυχοι ἐγρήσσοντες· ὃ δὲ κρειῶν ἐρατίζων §17.661ἰθύει, ἀλλʼ οὔ τι πρήσσει· θαμέες γὰρ ἄκοντες §17.662ἀντίον ἀΐσσουσι θρασειάων ἀπὸ χειρῶν, §17.663καιόμεναί τε δεταί, τάς τε τρεῖ ἐσσύμενός περ· §17.664ἠῶθεν δʼ ἀπονόσφιν ἔβη τετιηότι θυμῷ· §17.665ὣς ἀπὸ Πατρόκλοιο βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος §17.666ἤϊε πόλλʼ ἀέκων· περὶ γὰρ δίε μή μιν Ἀχαιοὶ §17.667ἀργαλέου πρὸ φόβοιο ἕλωρ δηΐοισι λίποιεν.
And then Ajax spoke to Menelaus, good at the war-cry: "Look now, Menelaus, nurtured by Zeus, if you can see Antilochus, still living, the son of great-souled Nestor, and urge him to go quickly to warlike Achilles to tell him that his far dearest comrade has perished." So he spoke, and Menelaus, good at the war-cry, did not disobey, but went his way like a lion from a farmyard, which, when he is weary of harassing dogs and men, who do not let him take the fat of the cattle, watching all night; but he, eager for meat, rushes on, but accomplishes nothing; for thick darts fly against him from bold hands, and burning torches, which he dreads, eager though he be; and at dawn he goes far away with a sorrowful heart; so from Patroclus Menelaus, good at the war-cry, went, much against his will; for he feared exceedingly lest the Achaeans, in painful flight, should leave him as a prey to the enemy.
§17.668πολλὰ δὲ Μηριόνῃ τε καὶ Αἰάντεσσʼ ἐπέτελλεν· §17.669Αἴαντʼ Ἀργείων ἡγήτορε Μηριόνη τε §17.670νῦν τις ἐνηείης Πατροκλῆος δειλοῖο §17.671μνησάσθω· πᾶσιν γὰρ ἐπίστατο μείλιχος εἶναι §17.672ζωὸς ἐών· νῦν αὖ θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κιχάνει. §17.673ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἀπέβη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος, §17.674πάντοσε παπταίνων ὥς τʼ αἰετός, ὅν ῥά τέ φασιν §17.675ὀξύτατον δέρκεσθαι ὑπουρανίων πετεηνῶν, §17.676ὅν τε καὶ ὑψόθʼ ἐόντα πόδας ταχὺς οὐκ ἔλαθε πτὼξ §17.677θάμνῳ ὑπʼ ἀμφικόμῳ κατακείμενος, ἀλλά τʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ §17.678ἔσσυτο, καί τέ μιν ὦκα λαβὼν ἐξείλετο θυμόν.
And many things he charged Meriones and the Ajaxes: "Ajaxes, leaders of the Argives, and Meriones, now let each one remember the gentleness of poor Patroclus; for he knew how to be kind to all while he lived; but now death and fate have overtaken him." So saying, fair-haired Menelaus departed, looking warily on every side like an eagle, which they say has the keenest sight of all winged things under heaven, and which, though being high up, does not fail to see the swift-footed hare cowering under a leafy bush, but swoops upon him, and quickly seizing him, takes away his life.
§17.679ὣς τότε σοὶ Μενέλαε διοτρεφὲς ὄσσε φαεινὼ §17.680πάντοσε δινείσθην πολέων κατὰ ἔθνος ἑταίρων, §17.681εἴ που Νέστορος υἱὸν ἔτι ζώοντα ἴδοιτο.
So then, Menelaus, nurtured by Zeus, your bright eyes wheeled on every side through the throng of your many comrades, if anywhere you might see the son of Nestor still living.
§17.682τὸν δὲ μάλʼ αἶψʼ ἐνόησε μάχης ἐπʼ ἀριστερὰ πάσης §17.683θαρσύνονθʼ ἑτάρους καὶ ἐποτρύνοντα μάχεσθαι, §17.684ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος· §17.685Ἀντίλοχʼ εἰ δʼ ἄγε δεῦρο διοτρεφὲς ὄφρα πύθηαι §17.686λυγρῆς ἀγγελίης, ἣ μὴ ὤφελλε γενέσθαι.
And him he very quickly espied on the left of all the battle, encouraging his comrades and urging them to fight; and standing near, fair-haired Menelaus spoke to him: "Antilochus, come hither, nurtured by Zeus, that you may hear the grievous news, which would that it had never been.
§17.687ἤδη μὲν σὲ καὶ αὐτὸν ὀΐομαι εἰσορόωντα §17.688γιγνώσκειν ὅτι πῆμα θεὸς Δαναοῖσι κυλίνδει, §17.689νίκη δὲ Τρώων· πέφαται δʼ ὤριστος Ἀχαιῶν §17.690Πάτροκλος, μεγάλη δὲ ποθὴ Δαναοῖσι τέτυκται.
Already, I think, you yourself look upon it and know that a god is rolling destruction upon the Danaans, and that victory is with the Trojans; and slain is the best of the Achaeans, Patroclus, and great longing is made for the Danaans.
§17.691ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ αἶψʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ θέων ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν §17.692εἰπεῖν, αἴ κε τάχιστα νέκυν ἐπὶ νῆα σαώσῃ §17.693γυμνόν· ἀτὰρ τά γε τεύχεʼ ἔχει κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ.
But do you run quickly to the ships of the Achaeans to Achilles and tell him, if quickly he may save to his ship the corpse, naked; but the armor is held by Hector of the flashing helmet."