§4.340τίπτε καταπτώσσοντες ἀφέστατε, μίμνετε δʼ ἄλλους;
"Why do you stand aloof, cowering, and wait for others?
§4.341σφῶϊν μέν τʼ ἐπέοικε μετὰ πρώτοισιν ἐόντας §4.342ἑστάμεν ἠδὲ μάχης καυστείρης ἀντιβολῆσαι· §4.343πρώτω γὰρ καὶ δαιτὸς ἀκουάζεσθον ἐμεῖο, §4.344ὁππότε δαῖτα γέρουσιν ἐφοπλίζωμεν Ἀχαιοί.
For you two indeed it is seemly to be among the foremost and to stand and face the burning battle; for you two are the first to hear of my feast, whenever we Achaeans prepare a feast for the elders.
§4.345ἔνθα φίλʼ ὀπταλέα κρέα ἔδμεναι ἠδὲ κύπελλα §4.346οἴνου πινέμεναι μελιηδέος ὄφρʼ ἐθέλητον· §4.347νῦν δὲ φίλως χʼ ὁρόῳτε καὶ εἰ δέκα πύργοι Ἀχαιῶν §4.348ὑμείων προπάροιθε μαχοίατο νηλέϊ χαλκῷ. §4.349τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· §4.350Ἀτρεΐδη ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων;
There you are glad to eat roasted meats and to drink cups of honey-sweet wine as long as you wish; but now you would gladly look on, even if ten columns of Achaeans should fight before you with the ruthless bronze." Then Odysseus of many wiles looked at him fiercely and addressed him: "Son of Atreus, what word has escaped the barrier of your teeth?
How can you say that we slacken in battle, when we Achaeans rouse sharp battle against the horse-taming Trojans?
§4.353ὄψεαι αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα καὶ αἴ κέν τοι τὰ μεμήλῃ §4.354Τηλεμάχοιο φίλον πατέρα προμάχοισι μιγέντα §4.355Τρώων ἱπποδάμων· σὺ δὲ ταῦτʼ ἀνεμώλια βάζεις. §4.356τὸν δʼ ἐπιμειδήσας προσέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων §4.357ὡς γνῶ χωομένοιο· πάλιν δʼ ὅ γε λάζετο μῦθον· §4.358διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ §4.359οὔτέ σε νεικείω περιώσιον οὔτε κελεύω· §4.360οἶδα γὰρ ὥς τοι θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισιν §4.361ἤπια δήνεα οἶδε· τὰ γὰρ φρονέεις ἅ τʼ ἐγώ περ.
You shall see, if you wish and if you care for these things, the beloved father of Telemachus mingling with the foremost fighters of the horse-taming Trojans; but you speak these things in vain." Seeing him angry, Lord Agamemnon smiled at him, and took back his word, and addressed him: "Zeus-born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices, I do not upbraid you excessively, nor do I command you; for I know that the spirit in your beloved breast knows kindly counsels; for you think the same as I do.
§4.362ἀλλʼ ἴθι ταῦτα δʼ ὄπισθεν ἀρεσσόμεθʼ εἴ τι κακὸν νῦν §4.363εἴρηται, τὰ δὲ πάντα θεοὶ μεταμώνια θεῖεν. §4.364ὣς εἰπὼν τοὺς μὲν λίπεν αὐτοῦ, βῆ δὲ μετʼ ἄλλους.
But go, and if any bad word has been spoken now, we will make amends hereafter, and may the gods make all these things of no effect." Having thus spoken, he left them there, and went to others.
§4.365εὗρε δὲ Τυδέος υἱὸν ὑπέρθυμον Διομήδεα §4.366ἑσταότʼ ἔν θʼ ἵπποισι καὶ ἅρμασι κολλητοῖσι· §4.367πὰρ δέ οἱ ἑστήκει Σθένελος Καπανήϊος υἱός.
He found the high-hearted son of Tydeus, Diomedes, standing by his horses and well-built chariots; and by him stood Sthenelus, son of Capaneus.
§4.368καὶ τὸν μὲν νείκεσσεν ἰδὼν κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων, §4.369καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §4.370ὤ μοι Τυδέος υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἱπποδάμοιο §4.371τί πτώσσεις, τί δʼ ὀπιπεύεις πολέμοιο γεφύρας;
Seeing him, Lord Agamemnon upbraided him, and he spoke to him, and addressed him with winged words: "Alas, son of Tydeus, the wise-hearted tamer of horses, why do you shrink, and why do you peer at the channels of battle?
§4.372οὐ μὲν Τυδέϊ γʼ ὧδε φίλον πτωσκαζέμεν ἦεν, §4.373ἀλλὰ πολὺ πρὸ φίλων ἑτάρων δηΐοισι μάχεσθαι, §4.374ὡς φάσαν οἵ μιν ἴδοντο πονεύμενον· οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε §4.375ἤντησʼ οὐδὲ ἴδον· περὶ δʼ ἄλλων φασὶ γενέσθαι.
Surely it was not Tydeus's way thus to shrink, but far ahead of his beloved comrades to fight the foe, as they said who saw him at his toil; for I myself never met him nor saw him; but they say he surpassed all others.
§4.376ἤτοι μὲν γὰρ ἄτερ πολέμου εἰσῆλθε Μυκήνας §4.377ξεῖνος ἅμʼ ἀντιθέῳ Πολυνείκεϊ λαὸν ἀγείρων· §4.378οἳ δὲ τότʼ ἐστρατόωνθʼ ἱερὰ πρὸς τείχεα Θήβης, §4.379καί ῥα μάλα λίσσοντο δόμεν κλειτοὺς ἐπικούρους· §4.380οἳ δʼ ἔθελον δόμεναι καὶ ἐπῄνεον ὡς ἐκέλευον· §4.381ἀλλὰ Ζεὺς ἔτρεψε παραίσια σήματα φαίνων.
For indeed, without war he entered Mycenae as a guest, with godlike Polyneices, gathering a host; they were then campaigning against the sacred walls of Thebes, and they earnestly entreated them to give them glorious allies; and they were willing to give them and approved as they bade; but Zeus turned their minds by showing ill-omened signs.
§4.382οἳ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν ᾤχοντο ἰδὲ πρὸ ὁδοῦ ἐγένοντο, §4.383Ἀσωπὸν δʼ ἵκοντο βαθύσχοινον λεχεποίην, §4.384ἔνθʼ αὖτʼ ἀγγελίην ἐπὶ Τυδῆ στεῖλαν Ἀχαιοί.
So when they had departed and were on their way, and came to Asopus, deep in reeds and grassy, there the Achaeans sent Tydeus on an embassy.
And he went, and found many sons of Cadmus feasting in the hall of mighty Eteocles.
§4.387ἔνθʼ οὐδὲ ξεῖνός περ ἐὼν ἱππηλάτα Τυδεὺς §4.388τάρβει, μοῦνος ἐὼν πολέσιν μετὰ Καδμείοισιν, §4.389ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ ἀεθλεύειν προκαλίζετο, πάντα δʼ ἐνίκα §4.390ῥηϊδίως· τοίη οἱ ἐπίρροθος ἦεν Ἀθήνη.
Then, though he was a stranger, the horseman Tydeus did not fear, being alone among many Cadmeans, but challenged them to athletic contests, and won all easily; so great a helper was Athena to him.
§4.391οἳ δὲ χολωσάμενοι Καδμεῖοι κέντορες ἵππων §4.392ἂψ ἄρʼ ἀνερχομένῳ πυκινὸν λόχον εἷσαν ἄγοντες §4.393κούρους πεντήκοντα· δύω δʼ ἡγήτορες ἦσαν, §4.394Μαίων Αἱμονίδης ἐπιείκελος ἀθανάτοισιν, §4.395υἱός τʼ Αὐτοφόνοιο μενεπτόλεμος Πολυφόντης.
But the Cadmeans, goaders of horses, grew angry, and as he returned, they set a dense ambush, leading fifty youths; and there were two leaders, Maeon, son of Haemon, like the immortals, and the son of Autophonus, Polyphontes, staunch in battle.
§4.396Τυδεὺς μὲν καὶ τοῖσιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφῆκε· §4.397πάντας ἔπεφνʼ, ἕνα δʼ οἶον ἵει οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι· §4.398Μαίονʼ ἄρα προέηκε θεῶν τεράεσσι πιθήσας.
Tydeus even upon these brought a shameful death; he slew them all, and let only one return home; Maeon he sent away, yielding to the portents of the gods.
§4.399τοῖος ἔην Τυδεὺς Αἰτώλιος· ἀλλὰ τὸν υἱὸν §4.400γείνατο εἷο χέρεια μάχῃ, ἀγορῇ δέ τʼ ἀμείνω. §4.401ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ οὔ τι προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης §4.402αἰδεσθεὶς βασιλῆος ἐνιπὴν αἰδοίοιο· §4.403τὸν δʼ υἱὸς Καπανῆος ἀμείψατο κυδαλίμοιο· §4.404Ἀτρεΐδη μὴ ψεύδεʼ ἐπιστάμενος σάφα εἰπεῖν·
Such a man was Tydeus of Aetolia; but the son he begot was worse than him in battle, though better in assembly." So he spoke, and strong Diomedes made no answer, showing respect for the upbraiding of the revered king; but the son of glorious Capaneus answered him: "Son of Atreus, do not lie, when you know how to speak the truth clearly.
§4.405ἡμεῖς τοι πατέρων μέγʼ ἀμείνονες εὐχόμεθʼ εἶναι· §4.406ἡμεῖς καὶ Θήβης ἕδος εἵλομεν ἑπταπύλοιο §4.407παυρότερον λαὸν ἀγαγόνθʼ ὑπὸ τεῖχος ἄρειον, §4.408πειθόμενοι τεράεσσι θεῶν καὶ Ζηνὸς ἀρωγῇ· §4.409κεῖνοι δὲ σφετέρῃσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὄλοντο·
We boast indeed to be far better than our fathers; we even took the seat of seven-gated Thebes, though we led a smaller host against a stronger wall, trusting in the portents of the gods and the aid of Zeus; whereas those others perished through their own blind folly."