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Feb. 23rd, 2011 02:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
polutropeSo Book III is kind of really long. but anyway, here it is.
But Odysseus, man of many wiles, fearing in his heart,
Stayed not by his tents and dark ships;
Secretly, while night covered the ships of the Achaeans,
He went to the shelters of the Myrmidons,
Where great-hearted Achilles sat mourning his deed,
Speaking with the son of Menoitius.
Thus resourceful Odysseus listened, standing outside the tent,
And Athena kept him silent and hidden,
And thus the god-like son of Peleus, swift-footed Achilles spoke:
“Ah me, o son of Menoitius, what an evil thing I have done!
For now it seems to me that I have slain a strong man,
A leader of the people; for though we two were often
Joined in strife, still he was kingly;
Surely some evil will come of this. But let us now pray to Zeus,
That he will hold off evil from the sons of the Achaeans.”
And the son of Menoitius spoke, answering him:
“O godlike Achilles, surely it is a wise thing you have spoken.
For the son of crooked-counseling Kronos, Zeus,
Holds all things in his hands, and yet loves the Achaeans;
And let us sacrifice to ox-eyed Hera, and Tritogeneia,
For disobeying their words, you slew wide-ruling Agamemnon.”
Then did resourceful Odysseus speak a word in greeting,
And swift-footed Achilles stood, smiling, and spoke:
“Great-hearted Odysseus, dear to me among the sons of the Achaeans,
Why have you come to my ships? Be welcome.”
Thus he spoke, and he ordered Patroclus
To mix the wine and lay out another couch,
Soft, and made of a sheepskin, and covered with a purple coverlet,
For the son of Laertes, great-hearted Odysseus.
And when Odysseus had lain down on his couch
He spoke, addressing the god-like son of Peleus:
“God-like Achilles, you have acted in folly!
But I hope in my heart that yet you shall return to the Achaeans.
Go now to fair-haired Menelaus, though he is angry,
And bring him ransom, gold and bronze and fair-haired women,
For the death of his brother, Agamemnon, shepherd of the people.
Perhaps then his heart in his shaggy breast
Will be calmed, and we shall together take the well-walled city of Troy.”
Then answering spoke godlike Achilles:
“My heart cares not at all for the fall of Troy or all the Trojans;
I am sorrowed in my breast for the death of Agamemnon:
For though he has wronged me greatly, taking my prize,
Yet was he a great warrior and beloved by Zeus.
I shall send to fair-haired Menelaus, bringing to him
A ransom: Five tripods, gold and untouched by fire
And ivory and gems from Phoenician traders,
And as many fair-cheeked women as I captured
When I sacked Eetion’s city, well-walled Thebes.
With these things, may the heart of fair-haired Menelaus
Be softened and forgive me, though I have slain
Great-hearted Agamemnon, the shepherd of the people.”
Speaking thus he spoke to the son of Menoitius,
To send an embassy to fair-haired Menelaus.
But first they lay down to sleep on soft couches,
Patroclus and Odysseus and godlike Achilles.
But when Dawn came, drawing up her horses
From the depth of the wine-dark sea,
The lords of the Greeks awoke, and to them came
Slaves, bearing tables and good food, that was brought
From Greece daily in swift ships. And godlike Achilles
Spoke to enduring Odysseus, saying,
“O godlike Odysseus, you shall go in secret to the camps of the Greeks,
But before you go, do you eat with me, for we are yet friends.”
And so they ate in peace, Patroclus and Odysseus and Achilles.
But when they had finished, godlike Odysseus returned
To his own dark ships and tents. But the son of Menoitius
And the aged counselor, Phoenix, who had been the nurse
Of godlike Achilles, in his youth in Phthia, prepared themselves
To go to the dark ships and tents of wide-ruling Menelaus.
And when they arrived, fair-haired Menelaus
Sat among the other kings of the Achaeans, and his heart was wroth.
But the godlike son of Menoitius spoke forth bravely:
“Wide-ruling Menelaus, and you other kings of the Achaeans,
Hear us beseeching you. For the heart of godlike Achilles
Is heavy in him, and he sorrows for the death of Agamemnon.
And so he shall bring to you a shining ransom,
Five tripods, gold and untouched by fire
And ivory and gems from Phoenician traders,
And as many fair-cheeked women as he captured
When he sacked Eetion’s city, well-walled Thebes.
With these things, may the heart of fair-haired Menelaus
Be softened and forgive him, though he has slain
Great-hearted Agamemnon, the shepherd of the people.”
Thus he spoke, and the sons of the Achaeans applauded him,
But the heart of war-like Menelaus was not pleased,
And he spoke angry words, denying the embassy,
“Son of Menoitius, go now, for otherwise I think I shall slay you,
As your friend, the godlike son of Peleus, slew my brother,
Amid the assembly, in despite of the gods.
Even if Achilles should give me all the wealth of all the cities
That he has sacked, seven of them, and the spoil of Lesbos,
If he should himself sacrifice on the grave of my brother,
Even so I would not forgive him, nor accept the ransom.
The wealth of strongly built Troy would not suffice,
Nor would anything please my sorrowing heart
Except to see my brother again, his heart glad and unharmed.
But a man’s life cannot be brought back again
Once it has passed the barrier of his teeth,
Not with gold or silver or singlefoot horses.
Go then, and bring my speech to your lord, and tell him too
That we shall march against him and destroy him,
And I think the gods shall favor us.”
Then the godlike son of Menoitius departed,
Bearing a sad word to his companion, godlike Achilles.
But on Olympus they took counsel, Atrytone
And the ox-eyed Queen of Heaven, Hera,
Speaking a word together for the destruction of Troy.
And the ox-eyed lady spoke forth, angered:
“You advised me, Tritogeneia, to wait, and now it seems
That the heart of spear-famed Menelaus will not be persuaded;
For I know well that if the son of Peleus and the other Achaeans
Join once in battle, there will be no reconciling,
And Achilles will not fight before the walls of Troy,
But either his spirit will be destroyed,
Or he shall destroy the sons of the Achaeans,
And go home alone to fertile Phthia.
What now is your counsel, grey-eyed Athena?”
And grey-eyed Athena spoke to her, answering:
“O white-armed Hera, lady of Argos,
it is true that we have reached an evil place.
For when I spoke to spear-famed Menelaus,
He rebuffed me, though I am a god, preferring vengeance.
Though I am wise, my counsels fail me;
For if the mortals will not accept the counsels of the gods,
What can we do? He will not hear reason,
Nor accept ransom, though a man accepts
Shining ransom for a slain brother or for a son slain.
We cannot help the sons of the Achaeans now,
Though our hearts may greatly desire the destruction
Of well-settled Troy; nonetheless, let us watch.”
Thus she spoke, and ox-eyed Hera agreed,
That staying on Mount Olympus, they should not aid
Either the sons of the Achaeans or godlike Achilles.
But spear-famed Menelaus made ready
To attack the ships and shelters of Achilles,
Drawing up the line with chariots and spearmen,
To destroy the godlike son of Peleus.
And Achilles too made ready his Myrmidons,
But did not speak words to them, for they knew
That they must fight with great strength
Against all the sons of the Achaeans, they alone.
But before the battle began, godlike Achilles
Stood aside and prayed thus to his lady mother,
The goddess silver-footed Thetis:
“O mother, if indeed you bore me, safeguard me and mine,
And let the heart of Menelaus be softened after the battle.”
Thus speaking he led the Myrmidons against the other Achaeans.
But the goddess, silver-footed Thetis, was silent,
And did not answer the prayer of her son.
Opposing them, fair-haired Menelaus, lord of men,
Prayed aloud to Zeus, holding his hands to the sky:
“O wide-seeing Zeus, hear me now praying,
Grant that I slay the son of Peleus, godlike Achilles,
For he has wronged me greatly, and wronged you,
Disregarding the laws of the council, when he slew
The greatest of Zeus-loved kings, Agamemnon.
If you love me, grant this, and grant too
That having slain the son of Peleus, godlike Achilles,
We should sack the well-walled city of Troy.”
Thus he spoke, praying, but the father of gods and men
Heard, and turned his face aside, mourning.
Thus the battle began, and the gods looked on.
First spear-famed Menelaus went against the Myrmidons,
As when a lion strides among leopards,
For they were brave, but he scattered them, slaying many;
Yet still the Myrmidons held, and struck against the Argives,
But godlike Achilles came among them, and stood forth
Like Mount Olympus among the other peaks, he was greater
Than all the other Myrmidons, and even spear-famed Menelaus
Shrank from his assault, fearing godlike Achilles.
Thus Achilles came against the Greeks, though his heart was sad,
Like when the snowmelt swells the steam,
And pours down on the countryside, destroying the grain
Thus was the assault of swift-footed Achilles.
But as he strode among the Argives, slaying them,
Spear-famed Menelaus caught sight of Patroclus,
And challenged him, speaking winged words:
“Son of Menoitius, face me now; for I think otherwise
That you shall be called coward among the sons of the Achaeans,
So let us fight now, and the victor shall win great glory.”
Thus he spoke, and Patroclus spoke answering him,
“Fair-haired Menelaus, I do not think we should fight,
For if I am slain, the wrath of godlike Achilles
Will be great, and there will be no peace among us.
For my heart hopes still that you will soften,
Accepting the ransoms of godlike Achilles.
Yet nonetheless I shall fight you, Menelaus,
Though I think sorrow will come thereof.”
Thus he spoke, and taking up his shining spear,
He threw it, but his cast missed great-hearted Menelaus,
And fell clattering into the dust. But Menelaus
Cast, and his spear took the son of Menoitius
In the thigh, and the dark blood spurted forth.
Then the valiant son of Menoitius and fair-haired Menelaus
Drew their swords, silver-handled, and joined.
First the son of Menoitius struck on the shield
Of great-hearted Menelaus, and his sharp sword
Sprang off, and broke in twain, snapping.
But spear-famed Menelaus struck true,
And the sharp sword drove through the shield
And the armor of the son of Menoitius, so that he died,
And the spirit passed the barrier of his teeth.
Then all the Myrmidons fought around his body,
And the Argives too, struggling around Patroclus,
The great-hearted son of Menoitius.
But Odysseus, man of many wiles, fearing in his heart,
Stayed not by his tents and dark ships;
Secretly, while night covered the ships of the Achaeans,
He went to the shelters of the Myrmidons,
Where great-hearted Achilles sat mourning his deed,
Speaking with the son of Menoitius.
Thus resourceful Odysseus listened, standing outside the tent,
And Athena kept him silent and hidden,
And thus the god-like son of Peleus, swift-footed Achilles spoke:
“Ah me, o son of Menoitius, what an evil thing I have done!
For now it seems to me that I have slain a strong man,
A leader of the people; for though we two were often
Joined in strife, still he was kingly;
Surely some evil will come of this. But let us now pray to Zeus,
That he will hold off evil from the sons of the Achaeans.”
And the son of Menoitius spoke, answering him:
“O godlike Achilles, surely it is a wise thing you have spoken.
For the son of crooked-counseling Kronos, Zeus,
Holds all things in his hands, and yet loves the Achaeans;
And let us sacrifice to ox-eyed Hera, and Tritogeneia,
For disobeying their words, you slew wide-ruling Agamemnon.”
Then did resourceful Odysseus speak a word in greeting,
And swift-footed Achilles stood, smiling, and spoke:
“Great-hearted Odysseus, dear to me among the sons of the Achaeans,
Why have you come to my ships? Be welcome.”
Thus he spoke, and he ordered Patroclus
To mix the wine and lay out another couch,
Soft, and made of a sheepskin, and covered with a purple coverlet,
For the son of Laertes, great-hearted Odysseus.
And when Odysseus had lain down on his couch
He spoke, addressing the god-like son of Peleus:
“God-like Achilles, you have acted in folly!
But I hope in my heart that yet you shall return to the Achaeans.
Go now to fair-haired Menelaus, though he is angry,
And bring him ransom, gold and bronze and fair-haired women,
For the death of his brother, Agamemnon, shepherd of the people.
Perhaps then his heart in his shaggy breast
Will be calmed, and we shall together take the well-walled city of Troy.”
Then answering spoke godlike Achilles:
“My heart cares not at all for the fall of Troy or all the Trojans;
I am sorrowed in my breast for the death of Agamemnon:
For though he has wronged me greatly, taking my prize,
Yet was he a great warrior and beloved by Zeus.
I shall send to fair-haired Menelaus, bringing to him
A ransom: Five tripods, gold and untouched by fire
And ivory and gems from Phoenician traders,
And as many fair-cheeked women as I captured
When I sacked Eetion’s city, well-walled Thebes.
With these things, may the heart of fair-haired Menelaus
Be softened and forgive me, though I have slain
Great-hearted Agamemnon, the shepherd of the people.”
Speaking thus he spoke to the son of Menoitius,
To send an embassy to fair-haired Menelaus.
But first they lay down to sleep on soft couches,
Patroclus and Odysseus and godlike Achilles.
But when Dawn came, drawing up her horses
From the depth of the wine-dark sea,
The lords of the Greeks awoke, and to them came
Slaves, bearing tables and good food, that was brought
From Greece daily in swift ships. And godlike Achilles
Spoke to enduring Odysseus, saying,
“O godlike Odysseus, you shall go in secret to the camps of the Greeks,
But before you go, do you eat with me, for we are yet friends.”
And so they ate in peace, Patroclus and Odysseus and Achilles.
But when they had finished, godlike Odysseus returned
To his own dark ships and tents. But the son of Menoitius
And the aged counselor, Phoenix, who had been the nurse
Of godlike Achilles, in his youth in Phthia, prepared themselves
To go to the dark ships and tents of wide-ruling Menelaus.
And when they arrived, fair-haired Menelaus
Sat among the other kings of the Achaeans, and his heart was wroth.
But the godlike son of Menoitius spoke forth bravely:
“Wide-ruling Menelaus, and you other kings of the Achaeans,
Hear us beseeching you. For the heart of godlike Achilles
Is heavy in him, and he sorrows for the death of Agamemnon.
And so he shall bring to you a shining ransom,
Five tripods, gold and untouched by fire
And ivory and gems from Phoenician traders,
And as many fair-cheeked women as he captured
When he sacked Eetion’s city, well-walled Thebes.
With these things, may the heart of fair-haired Menelaus
Be softened and forgive him, though he has slain
Great-hearted Agamemnon, the shepherd of the people.”
Thus he spoke, and the sons of the Achaeans applauded him,
But the heart of war-like Menelaus was not pleased,
And he spoke angry words, denying the embassy,
“Son of Menoitius, go now, for otherwise I think I shall slay you,
As your friend, the godlike son of Peleus, slew my brother,
Amid the assembly, in despite of the gods.
Even if Achilles should give me all the wealth of all the cities
That he has sacked, seven of them, and the spoil of Lesbos,
If he should himself sacrifice on the grave of my brother,
Even so I would not forgive him, nor accept the ransom.
The wealth of strongly built Troy would not suffice,
Nor would anything please my sorrowing heart
Except to see my brother again, his heart glad and unharmed.
But a man’s life cannot be brought back again
Once it has passed the barrier of his teeth,
Not with gold or silver or singlefoot horses.
Go then, and bring my speech to your lord, and tell him too
That we shall march against him and destroy him,
And I think the gods shall favor us.”
Then the godlike son of Menoitius departed,
Bearing a sad word to his companion, godlike Achilles.
But on Olympus they took counsel, Atrytone
And the ox-eyed Queen of Heaven, Hera,
Speaking a word together for the destruction of Troy.
And the ox-eyed lady spoke forth, angered:
“You advised me, Tritogeneia, to wait, and now it seems
That the heart of spear-famed Menelaus will not be persuaded;
For I know well that if the son of Peleus and the other Achaeans
Join once in battle, there will be no reconciling,
And Achilles will not fight before the walls of Troy,
But either his spirit will be destroyed,
Or he shall destroy the sons of the Achaeans,
And go home alone to fertile Phthia.
What now is your counsel, grey-eyed Athena?”
And grey-eyed Athena spoke to her, answering:
“O white-armed Hera, lady of Argos,
it is true that we have reached an evil place.
For when I spoke to spear-famed Menelaus,
He rebuffed me, though I am a god, preferring vengeance.
Though I am wise, my counsels fail me;
For if the mortals will not accept the counsels of the gods,
What can we do? He will not hear reason,
Nor accept ransom, though a man accepts
Shining ransom for a slain brother or for a son slain.
We cannot help the sons of the Achaeans now,
Though our hearts may greatly desire the destruction
Of well-settled Troy; nonetheless, let us watch.”
Thus she spoke, and ox-eyed Hera agreed,
That staying on Mount Olympus, they should not aid
Either the sons of the Achaeans or godlike Achilles.
But spear-famed Menelaus made ready
To attack the ships and shelters of Achilles,
Drawing up the line with chariots and spearmen,
To destroy the godlike son of Peleus.
And Achilles too made ready his Myrmidons,
But did not speak words to them, for they knew
That they must fight with great strength
Against all the sons of the Achaeans, they alone.
But before the battle began, godlike Achilles
Stood aside and prayed thus to his lady mother,
The goddess silver-footed Thetis:
“O mother, if indeed you bore me, safeguard me and mine,
And let the heart of Menelaus be softened after the battle.”
Thus speaking he led the Myrmidons against the other Achaeans.
But the goddess, silver-footed Thetis, was silent,
And did not answer the prayer of her son.
Opposing them, fair-haired Menelaus, lord of men,
Prayed aloud to Zeus, holding his hands to the sky:
“O wide-seeing Zeus, hear me now praying,
Grant that I slay the son of Peleus, godlike Achilles,
For he has wronged me greatly, and wronged you,
Disregarding the laws of the council, when he slew
The greatest of Zeus-loved kings, Agamemnon.
If you love me, grant this, and grant too
That having slain the son of Peleus, godlike Achilles,
We should sack the well-walled city of Troy.”
Thus he spoke, praying, but the father of gods and men
Heard, and turned his face aside, mourning.
Thus the battle began, and the gods looked on.
First spear-famed Menelaus went against the Myrmidons,
As when a lion strides among leopards,
For they were brave, but he scattered them, slaying many;
Yet still the Myrmidons held, and struck against the Argives,
But godlike Achilles came among them, and stood forth
Like Mount Olympus among the other peaks, he was greater
Than all the other Myrmidons, and even spear-famed Menelaus
Shrank from his assault, fearing godlike Achilles.
Thus Achilles came against the Greeks, though his heart was sad,
Like when the snowmelt swells the steam,
And pours down on the countryside, destroying the grain
Thus was the assault of swift-footed Achilles.
But as he strode among the Argives, slaying them,
Spear-famed Menelaus caught sight of Patroclus,
And challenged him, speaking winged words:
“Son of Menoitius, face me now; for I think otherwise
That you shall be called coward among the sons of the Achaeans,
So let us fight now, and the victor shall win great glory.”
Thus he spoke, and Patroclus spoke answering him,
“Fair-haired Menelaus, I do not think we should fight,
For if I am slain, the wrath of godlike Achilles
Will be great, and there will be no peace among us.
For my heart hopes still that you will soften,
Accepting the ransoms of godlike Achilles.
Yet nonetheless I shall fight you, Menelaus,
Though I think sorrow will come thereof.”
Thus he spoke, and taking up his shining spear,
He threw it, but his cast missed great-hearted Menelaus,
And fell clattering into the dust. But Menelaus
Cast, and his spear took the son of Menoitius
In the thigh, and the dark blood spurted forth.
Then the valiant son of Menoitius and fair-haired Menelaus
Drew their swords, silver-handled, and joined.
First the son of Menoitius struck on the shield
Of great-hearted Menelaus, and his sharp sword
Sprang off, and broke in twain, snapping.
But spear-famed Menelaus struck true,
And the sharp sword drove through the shield
And the armor of the son of Menoitius, so that he died,
And the spirit passed the barrier of his teeth.
Then all the Myrmidons fought around his body,
And the Argives too, struggling around Patroclus,
The great-hearted son of Menoitius.
