§4.272ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ παρῴχετο γηθόσυνος κῆρ· §4.273ἦλθε δʼ ἐπʼ Αἰάντεσσι κιὼν ἀνὰ οὐλαμὸν ἀνδρῶν· §4.274τὼ δὲ κορυσσέσθην, ἅμα δὲ νέφος εἵπετο πεζῶν.
So he spoke, and the son of Atreus passed on with a joyful heart; and he came to the Ajaxes as he went through the crowd of warriors; these two were arming, and with them followed a cloud of foot-soldiers.
§4.275ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀπὸ σκοπιῆς εἶδεν νέφος αἰπόλος ἀνὴρ §4.276ἐρχόμενον κατὰ πόντον ὑπὸ Ζεφύροιο ἰωῆς· §4.277τῷ δέ τʼ ἄνευθεν ἐόντι μελάντερον ἠΰτε πίσσα §4.278φαίνετʼ ἰὸν κατὰ πόντον, ἄγει δέ τε λαίλαπα πολλήν, §4.279ῥίγησέν τε ἰδών, ὑπό τε σπέος ἤλασε μῆλα· §4.280τοῖαι ἅμʼ Αἰάντεσσι διοτρεφέων αἰζηῶν §4.281δήϊον ἐς πόλεμον πυκιναὶ κίνυντο φάλαγγες §4.282κυάνεαι, σάκεσίν τε καὶ ἔγχεσι πεφρικυῖαι.
And as when from a lookout place a goatherd sees a cloud coming across the deep under the blast of the West Wind; and to him, being far off, it seems blacker than pitch as it goes across the deep, and it brings a great tempest; and he shudders as he sees it, and drives his flock into a cave; even so with the Ajaxes the dense phalanxes of youths cherished by Zeus moved into hostile war, dark, bristling with shields and spears.
§4.283καὶ τοὺς μὲν γήθησεν ἰδὼν κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων, §4.284καί σφεας φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §4.285Αἴαντʼ Ἀργείων ἡγήτορε χαλκοχιτώνων, §4.286σφῶϊ μέν· οὐ γὰρ ἔοικʼ ὀτρυνέμεν· οὔ τι κελεύω·
Seeing them, Lord Agamemnon rejoiced, and he spoke to them, and addressed them with winged words: "Ajaxes, leaders of the bronze-clad Argives, to you two indeed—for it is not seemly to urge you—I give no command; for you yourselves strongly bid your people fight with might.
§4.287αὐτὼ γὰρ μάλα λαὸν ἀνώγετον ἶφι μάχεσθαι. §4.288αἲ γὰρ Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον §4.289τοῖος πᾶσιν θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι γένοιτο· §4.290τώ κε τάχʼ ἠμύσειε πόλις Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος §4.291χερσὶν ὑφʼ ἡμετέρῃσιν ἁλοῦσά τε περθομένη τε. §4.292ὣς εἰπὼν τοὺς μὲν λίπεν αὐτοῦ, βῆ δὲ μετʼ ἄλλους· §4.293ἔνθʼ ὅ γε Νέστορʼ ἔτετμε λιγὺν Πυλίων ἀγορητὴν §4.294οὓς ἑτάρους στέλλοντα καὶ ὀτρύνοντα μάχεσθαι §4.295ἀμφὶ μέγαν Πελάγοντα Ἀλάστορά τε Χρομίον τε §4.296Αἵμονά τε κρείοντα Βίαντά τε ποιμένα λαῶν·
Would to father Zeus and Athena and Apollo, that such spirit might be in the breasts of all; then would the city of King Priam quickly bow, captured and sacked beneath our hands." Having thus spoken, he left them there, and went to others; there he found Nestor, the clear-voiced speaker of the Pylians, marshaling his comrades and urging them to fight, around great Pelagon, and Alastor, and Chromius, and lord Hemon, and Bias, shepherd of the people.
§4.297ἱππῆας μὲν πρῶτα σὺν ἵπποισιν καὶ ὄχεσφι, §4.298πεζοὺς δʼ ἐξόπιθε στῆσεν πολέας τε καὶ ἐσθλοὺς §4.299ἕρκος ἔμεν πολέμοιο· κακοὺς δʼ ἐς μέσσον ἔλασσεν, §4.300ὄφρα καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλων τις ἀναγκαίῃ πολεμίζοι.
The horsemen first he set with horses and chariots, and the foot-soldiers he set behind, many and brave, to be a bulwark of battle; but the cowards he drove into the midst, so that even an unwilling man must of necessity fight.
§4.301ἱππεῦσιν μὲν πρῶτʼ ἐπετέλλετο· τοὺς γὰρ ἀνώγει §4.302σφοὺς ἵππους ἐχέμεν μηδὲ κλονέεσθαι ὁμίλῳ· §4.303μηδέ τις ἱπποσύνῃ τε καὶ ἠνορέηφι πεποιθὼς §4.304οἶος πρόσθʼ ἄλλων μεμάτω Τρώεσσι μάχεσθαι, §4.305μηδʼ ἀναχωρείτω· ἀλαπαδνότεροι γὰρ ἔσεσθε.
To the horsemen first he gave charge; for these he bade to hold their horses in, and not to be confused in the crowd; "And let no man, trusting in his horsemanship and his valor, yearn to fight with the Trojans alone, ahead of the rest, nor let him draw back; for you will be more easily overcome.
§4.306ὃς δέ κʼ ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ ὧν ὀχέων ἕτερʼ ἅρμαθʼ ἵκηται §4.307ἔγχει ὀρεξάσθω, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερον οὕτω.
And whatever man from his own chariot comes to another chariot, let him thrust with his spear, since surely it is far better thus.
§4.308ὧδε καὶ οἱ πρότεροι πόλεας καὶ τείχεʼ ἐπόρθεον §4.309τόνδε νόον καὶ θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔχοντες. §4.310ὣς ὃ γέρων ὄτρυνε πάλαι πολέμων ἐῢ εἰδώς· §4.311καὶ τὸν μὲν γήθησεν ἰδὼν κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων, §4.312καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §4.313ὦ γέρον εἴθʼ ὡς θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισιν §4.314ὥς τοι γούναθʼ ἕποιτο, βίη δέ τοι ἔμπεδος εἴη· §4.315ἀλλά σε γῆρας τείρει ὁμοίϊον· ὡς ὄφελέν τις §4.316ἀνδρῶν ἄλλος ἔχειν, σὺ δὲ κουροτέροισι μετεῖναι. §4.317τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ· §4.318Ἀτρεΐδη μάλα μέν τοι ἐγὼν ἐθέλοιμι καὶ αὐτὸς §4.319ὣς ἔμεν ὡς ὅτε δῖον Ἐρευθαλίωνα κατέκταν.
Thus also did men of old ravage cities and walls, having this mind and spirit in their breasts." Thus did the old man urge them, well skilled of old in wars; and seeing him, Lord Agamemnon rejoiced, and he spoke to him, and addressed them with winged words: "Old man, would that, even as the spirit is in your own breast, so your knees might follow, and your strength be steadfast; but age that spares no man wears you down; would that some other man had your age, and you were among the younger." To him then Gerenian horseman Nestor made answer: "Son of Atreus, very much indeed would I myself wish to be as when I slew noble Ereuthalion.
§4.320ἀλλʼ οὔ πως ἅμα πάντα θεοὶ δόσαν ἀνθρώποισιν· §4.321εἰ τότε κοῦρος ἔα νῦν αὖτέ με γῆρας ὀπάζει.
But in no wise did the gods give all things to men at the same time; if I was then a youth, now in turn old age attends me.
§4.322ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς ἱππεῦσι μετέσσομαι ἠδὲ κελεύσω §4.323βουλῇ καὶ μύθοισι· τὸ γὰρ γέρας ἐστὶ γερόντων.
Yet even so will I be among the horsemen and give them charge with counsel and words; for this is the privilege of old men.
§4.324αἰχμὰς δʼ αἰχμάσσουσι νεώτεροι, οἵ περ ἐμεῖο §4.325ὁπλότεροι γεγάασι πεποίθασίν τε βίηφιν. §4.326ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ παρῴχετο γηθόσυνος κῆρ.
But the spears shall younger men wield, who are younger than I and trust in their strength." So he spoke, and the son of Atreus passed on with a joyful heart.
§4.327εὗρʼ υἱὸν Πετεῶο Μενεσθῆα πλήξιππον §4.328ἑσταότʼ· ἀμφὶ δʼ Ἀθηναῖοι μήστωρες ἀϋτῆς· §4.329αὐτὰρ ὃ πλησίον ἑστήκει πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς, §4.330πὰρ δὲ Κεφαλλήνων ἀμφὶ στίχες οὐκ ἀλαπαδναὶ §4.331ἕστασαν· οὐ γάρ πώ σφιν ἀκούετο λαὸς ἀϋτῆς, §4.332ἀλλὰ νέον συνορινόμεναι κίνυντο φάλαγγες §4.333Τρώων ἱπποδάμων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν· οἳ δὲ μένοντες §4.334ἕστασαν ὁππότε πύργος Ἀχαιῶν ἄλλος ἐπελθὼν §4.335Τρώων ὁρμήσειε καὶ ἄρξειαν πολέμοιο.
He found the son of Peteos, Menestheus, tamer of horses, standing; and around him were the Athenians, devisers of the battle-cry; and near him stood Odysseus of many wiles, and by him the ranks of the Cephallenians, not weak, stood around; for not yet had the cry of battle been heard by them, but newly aroused were the phalanxes moving, both of the horse-taming Trojans and the Achaeans; and these, waiting, stood until some other division of the Achaeans should come up and charge the Trojans, and begin the battle.
§4.336τοὺς δὲ ἰδὼν νείκεσσεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων, §4.337καί σφεας φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §4.338ὦ υἱὲ Πετεῶο διοτρεφέος βασιλῆος, §4.339καὶ σὺ κακοῖσι δόλοισι κεκασμένε κερδαλεόφρον
Seeing them, Agamemnon, lord of men, upbraided them, and he spoke to them, and addressed them with winged words: "O son of Peteos, the king cherished by Zeus, and you, preeminent in evil wiles, greedy-minded one,"