§4.1οἳ δὲ θεοὶ πὰρ Ζηνὶ καθήμενοι ἠγορόωντο §4.2χρυσέῳ ἐν δαπέδῳ, μετὰ δέ σφισι πότνια Ἥβη §4.3νέκταρ ἐοινοχόει· τοὶ δὲ χρυσέοις δεπάεσσι §4.4δειδέχατʼ ἀλλήλους, Τρώων πόλιν εἰσορόωντες·
Now the gods, seated by the side of Zeus, were holding council on the golden floor, and in their midst the revered Hebe poured them nectar; and they with golden cups pledged one another, as they looked down upon the city of the Trojans.
§4.5αὐτίκʼ ἐπειρᾶτο Κρονίδης ἐρεθιζέμεν Ἥρην §4.6κερτομίοις ἐπέεσσι παραβλήδην ἀγορεύων· §4.7δοιαὶ μὲν Μενελάῳ ἀρηγόνες εἰσὶ θεάων §4.8Ἥρη τʼ Ἀργείη καὶ Ἀλαλκομενηῒς Ἀθήνη.
Straightway the son of Cronos tried to provoke Hera with mocking words, speaking with taunts: "Two indeed of the goddesses are helpers to Menelaus, Argive Hera and Alalcomenean Athene.
§4.9ἀλλʼ ἤτοι ταὶ νόσφι καθήμεναι εἰσορόωσαι §4.10τέρπεσθον· τῷ δʼ αὖτε φιλομειδὴς Ἀφροδίτη §4.11αἰεὶ παρμέμβλωκε καὶ αὐτοῦ κῆρας ἀμύνει· §4.12καὶ νῦν ἐξεσάωσεν ὀϊόμενον θανέεσθαι.
Yet they, sitting apart, look on and take their pleasure; but to the other, laughter-loving Aphrodite ever stands by his side and wards off his dooms; and even now she saved him when he thought he would die.
§4.13ἀλλʼ ἤτοι νίκη μὲν ἀρηϊφίλου Μενελάου· §4.14ἡμεῖς δὲ φραζώμεθʼ ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα, §4.15ἤ ῥʼ αὖτις πόλεμόν τε κακὸν καὶ φύλοπιν αἰνὴν §4.16ὄρσομεν, ἦ φιλότητα μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισι βάλωμεν.
But indeed the victory belongs to warlike Menelaus; let us consider how these works shall be, whether we shall again rouse evil war and dread battle, or place friendship between both sides.
§4.17εἰ δʼ αὖ πως τόδε πᾶσι φίλον καὶ ἡδὺ γένοιτο, §4.18ἤτοι μὲν οἰκέοιτο πόλις Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος, §4.19αὖτις δʼ Ἀργείην Ἑλένην Μενέλαος ἄγοιτο. §4.20ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἳ δʼ ἐπέμυξαν Ἀθηναίη τε καὶ Ἥρη· §4.21πλησίαι αἵ γʼ ἥσθην, κακὰ δὲ Τρώεσσι μεδέσθην.
And if moreover this should be pleasing and sweet to all, then indeed might the city of king Priam be inhabited, and Menelaus might lead back Argive Helen." So he spoke, and Athene and Hera murmured at his words; they were sitting close together, and were planning evils for the Trojans.
§4.22ἤτοι Ἀθηναίη ἀκέων ἦν οὐδέ τι εἶπε §4.23σκυζομένη Διὶ πατρί, χόλος δέ μιν ἄγριος ᾕρει· §4.24Ἥρῃ δʼ οὐκ ἔχαδε στῆθος χόλον, ἀλλὰ προσηύδα· §4.25αἰνότατε Κρονίδη ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες·
Indeed Athene sat in silence and said nothing, angry with her father Zeus, and fierce anger possessed her; but Hera's breast did not contain her anger, and she spoke: "Dread son of Cronos, what word is this you have spoken?
§4.26πῶς ἐθέλεις ἅλιον θεῖναι πόνον ἠδʼ ἀτέλεστον, §4.27ἱδρῶ θʼ ὃν ἵδρωσα μόγῳ, καμέτην δέ μοι ἵπποι §4.28λαὸν ἀγειρούσῃ, Πριάμῳ κακὰ τοῖό τε παισίν.
How can you wish to make my labor vain and unaccomplished, and the sweat that I sweated with toil, and my horses grew weary as I gathered the host, to bring evils upon Priam and his sons?
§4.29ἕρδʼ· ἀτὰρ οὔ τοι πάντες ἐπαινέομεν θεοὶ ἄλλοι. §4.30τὴν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς· §4.31δαιμονίη τί νύ σε Πρίαμος Πριάμοιό τε παῖδες §4.32τόσσα κακὰ ῥέζουσιν, ὅ τʼ ἀσπερχὲς μενεαίνεις §4.33Ἰλίου ἐξαλαπάξαι ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον;
Do so; but we other gods do not all approve." Then greatly angered, cloud-gathering Zeus spoke to her: "Strange woman, how now do Priam and Priam's sons work so many evils against you, that you are so ceaselessly eager to utterly destroy the well-built city of Ilios?
§4.34εἰ δὲ σύ γʼ εἰσελθοῦσα πύλας καὶ τείχεα μακρὰ §4.35ὠμὸν βεβρώθοις Πρίαμον Πριάμοιό τε παῖδας §4.36ἄλλους τε Τρῶας, τότε κεν χόλον ἐξακέσαιο.
If you indeed, entering the gates and high walls, could eat Priam raw, and Priam's sons and the other Trojans, then perhaps you would cure your anger.
§4.37ἕρξον ὅπως ἐθέλεις· μὴ τοῦτό γε νεῖκος ὀπίσσω §4.38σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ μέγʼ ἔρισμα μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισι γένηται.
Do as you wish; let not this quarrel hereafter become a great strife between you and me.
§4.39ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν· §4.40ὁππότε κεν καὶ ἐγὼ μεμαὼς πόλιν ἐξαλαπάξαι §4.41τὴν ἐθέλω ὅθι τοι φίλοι ἀνέρες ἐγγεγάασι, §4.42μή τι διατρίβειν τὸν ἐμὸν χόλον, ἀλλά μʼ ἐᾶσαι· §4.43καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ σοὶ δῶκα ἑκὼν ἀέκοντί γε θυμῷ·
And another thing I will tell you, and do you lay it to heart: whenever I too, eager to utterly destroy a city, shall wish to do so where men dear to you are born, do not at all delay my anger, but let me be; for indeed I have given this to you willingly, though with reluctant heart.
§4.44αἳ γὰρ ὑπʼ ἠελίῳ τε καὶ οὐρανῷ ἀστερόεντι §4.45ναιετάουσι πόληες ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων, §4.46τάων μοι περὶ κῆρι τιέσκετο Ἴλιος ἱρὴ §4.47καὶ Πρίαμος καὶ λαὸς ἐϋμμελίω Πριάμοιο.
For of all the cities under the sun and starry heaven inhabited by earthly men, of these sacred Ilios was most honored in my heart, and Priam, and the people of Priam of the good ashen spear.
§4.48οὐ γάρ μοί ποτε βωμὸς ἐδεύετο δαιτὸς ἐΐσης §4.49λοιβῆς τε κνίσης τε· τὸ γὰρ λάχομεν γέρας ἡμεῖς. §4.50τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη· §4.51ἤτοι ἐμοὶ τρεῖς μὲν πολὺ φίλταταί εἰσι πόληες §4.52Ἄργός τε Σπάρτη τε καὶ εὐρυάγυια Μυκήνη· §4.53τὰς διαπέρσαι ὅτʼ ἄν τοι ἀπέχθωνται περὶ κῆρι· §4.54τάων οὔ τοι ἐγὼ πρόσθʼ ἵσταμαι οὐδὲ μεγαίρω.
For never did my altar lack a share of the banquet, nor libation and burnt offering; for this honor we received as our portion." Then the ox-eyed, revered Hera answered him: "Verily, to me three cities are far the dearest, Argos and Sparta and wide-wayed Mycenae; these do you utterly destroy whenever they are hated by your heart; for these I do not stand before you, nor do I grudge them.
For even if I grudge them and do not permit you to destroy them, I accomplish nothing by grudging, since you are far stronger.
§4.57ἀλλὰ χρὴ καὶ ἐμὸν θέμεναι πόνον οὐκ ἀτέλεστον· §4.58καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ θεός εἰμι, γένος δέ μοι ἔνθεν ὅθεν σοί, §4.59καί με πρεσβυτάτην τέκετο Κρόνος ἀγκυλομήτης, §4.60ἀμφότερον γενεῇ τε καὶ οὕνεκα σὴ παράκοιτις §4.61κέκλημαι, σὺ δὲ πᾶσι μετʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάσσεις.
But it is necessary to make my labor also not unaccomplished; for I too am a god, and my race is from the same source as yours, and crooked-counseled Cronos begot me as the eldest, both by birth and because I am called your wife, and you rule among all the immortals.
§4.62ἀλλʼ ἤτοι μὲν ταῦθʼ ὑποείξομεν ἀλλήλοισι, §4.63σοὶ μὲν ἐγώ, σὺ δʼ ἐμοί· ἐπὶ δʼ ἕψονται θεοὶ ἄλλοι §4.64ἀθάνατοι· σὺ δὲ θᾶσσον Ἀθηναίῃ ἐπιτεῖλαι §4.65ἐλθεῖν ἐς Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν φύλοπιν αἰνήν, §4.66πειρᾶν δʼ ὥς κε Τρῶες ὑπερκύδαντας Ἀχαιοὺς
But indeed let us yield these things to one another, I to you, and you to me; and the other immortal gods will follow; and do you quickly command Athene to go to the dread battle of the Trojans and Achaeans, and to try how the Trojans [may begin to break the treaty] against the proud Achaeans."