§24.269πύξινον ὀμφαλόεν εὖ οἰήκεσσιν ἀρηρός· §24.270ἐκ δʼ ἔφερον ζυγόδεσμον ἅμα ζυγῷ ἐννεάπηχυ. §24.271καὶ τὸ μὲν εὖ κατέθηκαν ἐϋξέστῳ ἐπὶ ῥυμῷ §24.272πέζῃ ἔπι πρώτῃ, ἐπὶ δὲ κρίκον ἕστορι βάλλον, §24.273τρὶς δʼ ἑκάτερθεν ἔδησαν ἐπʼ ὀμφαλόν, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα §24.274ἑξείης κατέδησαν, ὑπὸ γλωχῖνα δʼ ἔκαμψαν. §24.275ἐκ θαλάμου δὲ φέροντες ἐϋξέστης ἐπʼ ἀπήνης §24.276νήεον Ἑκτορέης κεφαλῆς ἀπερείσιʼ ἄποινα, §24.277ζεῦξαν δʼ ἡμιόνους κρατερώνυχας ἐντεσιεργούς, §24.278τούς ῥά ποτε Πριάμῳ Μυσοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα. §24.279ἵππους δὲ Πριάμῳ ὕπαγον ζυγόν, οὓς ὃ γεραιὸς §24.280αὐτὸς ἔχων ἀτίταλλεν ἐϋξέστῃ ἐπὶ φάτνῃ. §24.281τὼ μὲν ζευγνύσθην ἐν δώμασιν ὑψηλοῖσι §24.282κῆρυξ καὶ Πρίαμος πυκινὰ φρεσὶ μήδεʼ ἔχοντες· §24.283ἀγχίμολον δέ σφʼ ἦλθʼ Ἑκάβη τετιηότι θυμῷ §24.284οἶνον ἔχουσʼ ἐν χειρὶ μελίφρονα δεξιτερῆφι §24.285χρυσέῳ ἐν δέπαϊ, ὄφρα λείψαντε κιοίτην· §24.286στῆ δʼ ἵππων προπάροιθεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε· §24.287τῆ σπεῖσον Διὶ πατρί, καὶ εὔχεο οἴκαδʼ ἱκέσθαι §24.288ἂψ ἐκ δυσμενέων ἀνδρῶν, ἐπεὶ ἂρ σέ γε θυμὸς §24.289ὀτρύνει ἐπὶ νῆας ἐμεῖο μὲν οὐκ ἐθελούσης. §24.290ἀλλʼ εὔχεο σύ γʼ ἔπειτα κελαινεφέϊ Κρονίωνι §24.291Ἰδαίῳ, ὅς τε Τροίην κατὰ πᾶσαν ὁρᾶται, §24.292αἴτει δʼ οἰωνὸν ταχὺν ἄγγελον, ὅς τέ οἱ αὐτῷ §24.293φίλτατος οἰωνῶν, καί εὑ κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον, §24.294δεξιόν, ὄφρά μιν αὐτὸς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσι νοήσας §24.295τῷ πίσυνος ἐπὶ νῆας ἴῃς Δαναῶν ταχυπώλων. §24.296εἰ δέ τοι οὐ δώσει ἑὸν ἄγγελον εὐρύοπα Ζεύς, §24.297οὐκ ἂν ἔγωγέ σʼ ἔπειτα ἐποτρύνουσα κελοίμην §24.298νῆας ἐπʼ Ἀργείων ἰέναι μάλα περ μεμαῶτα. §24.299τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη Πρίαμος θεοειδής· §24.300ὦ γύναι οὐ μέν τοι τόδʼ ἐφιεμένῃ ἀπιθήσω. §24.301ἐσθλὸν γὰρ Διὶ χεῖρας ἀνασχέμεν αἴ κʼ ἐλεήσῃ. §24.302ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀμφίπολον ταμίην ὄτρυνʼ ὃ γεραιὸς §24.303χερσὶν ὕδωρ ἐπιχεῦαι ἀκήρατον· ἣ δὲ παρέστη §24.304χέρνιβον ἀμφίπολος πρόχοόν θʼ ἅμα χερσὶν ἔχουσα. §24.305νιψάμενος δὲ κύπελλον ἐδέξατο ἧς ἀλόχοιο· §24.306εὔχετʼ ἔπειτα στὰς μέσῳ ἕρκεϊ, λεῖβε δὲ οἶνον §24.307οὐρανὸν εἰσανιδών, καὶ φωνήσας ἔπος ηὔδα· §24.308Ζεῦ πάτερ Ἴδηθεν μεδέων κύδιστε μέγιστε §24.309δός μʼ ἐς Ἀχιλλῆος φίλον ἐλθεῖν ἠδʼ ἐλεεινόν, §24.310πέμψον δʼ οἰωνὸν ταχὺν ἄγγελον, ὅς τε σοὶ αὐτῷ §24.311φίλτατος οἰωνῶν, καί εὑ κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον, §24.312δεξιόν, ὄφρά μιν αὐτὸς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσι νοήσας §24.313τῷ πίσυνος ἐπὶ νῆας ἴω Δαναῶν ταχυπώλων. §24.314ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δʼ ἔκλυε μητίετα Ζεὺς §24.315αὐτίκα δʼ αἰετὸν ἧκε τελειότατον πετεηνῶν §24.316μόρφνον θηρητῆρʼ ὃν καὶ περκνὸν καλέουσιν. §24.317ὅσση δʼ ὑψορόφοιο θύρη θαλάμοιο τέτυκται §24.318ἀνέρος ἀφνειοῖο ἐῢ κληῗσʼ ἀραρυῖα, §24.319τόσσʼ ἄρα τοῦ ἑκάτερθεν ἔσαν πτερά· εἴσατο δέ σφι §24.320δεξιὸς ἀΐξας διὰ ἄστεος· οἳ δὲ ἰδόντες §24.321γήθησαν, καὶ πᾶσιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θυμὸς ἰάνθη. §24.322σπερχόμενος δʼ ὃ γεραιὸς ἑοῦ ἐπεβήσετο δίφρου, §24.323ἐκ δʼ ἔλασε προθύροιο καὶ αἰθούσης ἐριδούπου. §24.324πρόσθε μὲν ἡμίονοι ἕλκον τετράκυκλον ἀπήνην, §24.325τὰς Ἰδαῖος ἔλαυνε δαΐφρων· αὐτὰρ ὄπισθεν §24.326ἵπποι, τοὺς ὃ γέρων ἐφέπων μάστιγι κέλευε §24.327καρπαλίμως κατὰ ἄστυ· φίλοι δʼ ἅμα πάντες ἕποντο §24.328πόλλʼ ὀλοφυρόμενοι ὡς εἰ θάνατον δὲ κιόντα. §24.329οἳ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν πόλιος κατέβαν, πεδίον δʼ ἀφίκοντο, §24.330οἳ μὲν ἄρʼ ἄψορροι προτὶ Ἴλιον ἀπονέοντο §24.331παῖδες καὶ γαμβροί, τὼ δʼ οὐ λάθον εὐρύοπα Ζῆν §24.332ἐς πεδίον προφανέντε· ἰδὼν δʼ ἐλέησε γέροντα, §24.333αἶψα δʼ ἄρʼ Ἑρμείαν υἱὸν φίλον ἀντίον ηὔδα· §24.334Ἑρμεία, σοὶ γάρ τε μάλιστά γε φίλτατόν ἐστιν §24.335ἀνδρὶ ἑταιρίσσαι, καί τʼ ἔκλυες ᾧ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα, §24.336βάσκʼ ἴθι καὶ Πρίαμον κοίλας ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν §24.337ὣς ἄγαγʼ, ὡς μήτʼ ἄρ τις ἴδῃ μήτʼ ἄρ τε νοήσῃ
It was made of boxwood, with a boss in the middle, well fitted with guiding rings. And they brought out the yoke-band nine cubits long together with the yoke. And this they laid carefully upon the well-polished pole, at the very end of it, and cast the ring over the pin, and bound it fast thrice on either side to the boss, and then they bound it in order, and tucked the tongue under the yoke-band. And carrying from the chamber they piled upon the well-polished wagon the boundless ransom for Hector's head, and they yoked the strong-hoofed mules that worked in harness, which once the Mysians had given to Priam as splendid gifts. And for Priam they led under the yoke the horses, which the old man himself kept and reared at the well-polished manger. So the two of them were having them yoked in the high palace, the herald and Priam, keeping wise counsels in their minds. And near to them came Hecabe with sorrowing heart, holding honey-hearted wine in her right hand in a golden cup, so that they might pour a libation before they went. And she stood before the horses and spoke and addressed them: "Here, pour a libation to father Zeus, and pray to return home back from the enemy, since indeed your heart urges you to the ships, though I am not willing. But pray then to the son of Cronos, cloud-wrapped lord of Ida, who looks down upon all Troy, and ask for a bird of omen, the swift messenger, which to him is dearest of birds, and whose power is greatest, on your right hand, so that you yourself may perceive him with your eyes, and trusting in him, go to the ships of the Danaans of swift steeds. But if wide-ruling Zeus does not give you his own messenger, then I would not urge you and bid you go to the ships of the Argives, however eager you may be." And in answer to her spoke the godlike old man Priam: "O wife, indeed I will not disobey your bidding. For it is good to lift up hands to Zeus, if he might have pity." He spoke, and the old man urged the handmaid who was housekeeper to pour pure water upon his hands; and she stood by, the handmaid, holding in her hands a basin and a pitcher. Having washed his hands, he received the cup from his wife; then he prayed, standing in the midst of the courtyard, and poured the wine, looking up to heaven, and spoke and uttered his word: "Father Zeus, ruling from Ida, most glorious, most great, grant that I may come to Achilles' tent as one welcome and pitied, and send a bird of omen, the swift messenger, which to you is dearest of birds, and whose power is greatest, on my right hand, so that I myself may perceive him with my eyes, and trusting in him, go to the ships of the Danaans of swift steeds." So he spoke in prayer, and wise Zeus heard him. And straightway he sent an eagle, the most perfect of winged birds, the dark hunter which men also call the dusky one. And as wide as is the door of a high-roofed chamber of a rich man, well fitted with bolts, so wide were his wings on either side; and he appeared to them darting on the right through the city; and they, seeing him, rejoined, and the heart in the breasts of all was comforted. And hastening, the old man mounted his chariot, and drove out of the gateway and the echoing portico. In front the mules drew the four-wheeled wagon, which wise Idaeus drove; but behind came the horses, which the old man urged with the whip swiftly through the city; and all his friends followed lamenting greatly, as if he were going to his death. But when they had gone down from the city and reached the plain, they turned back to Ilium, the sons and sons-in-law; but the two of them did not escape the eye of wide-ruling Zeus as they appeared on the plain; and seeing them, he pitied the old man, and straightway spoke to Hermes, his beloved son: "Hermes, for to you it is dearest of all to companion a man, and you hear whomsoever you will, go now, and so guide Priam to the hollow ships of the Achaeans that no one may see him or perceive him."