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Mar. 9th, 2011 03:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
polutropeWell, I'm actually almost done with this epic thing: book five is rather short, because I'm no good at battle scenes.
Thus he returned to the ships and tents of godlike Achilles.
But when the dawn had come, they burned the ships,
And preparing themselves, marched across the plain,
Into the well-walled city of Troy. But Achilles
Once looked back at the shelters of the sons of the Achaeans,
And sorrow came into his heart; but he turned again,
And looked only at high-gated Troy, looking ahead.
Through the Scaean Gates they marched, into the city,
And the people rejoiced, seeing godlike Achilles among them.
But the hearts of Hector and Andromache were sorrowful,
For they feared the destructive wrath of swift-footed Achilles.
Yet they smiled and welcomed him, along with old Priam,
All the lords of the Trojans together. And swift-footed Achilles
Stayed apart from the rest, sorrowing still for Patroclus,
And after they had made camp, he called Phoenix to him,
And speaking winged words, addressed his friend:
“O Phoenix, my heart is indeed heavy in me,
For though the Trojans honor me greatly, honor me more
Than ever the sons of the Achaeans did, with gold and silver,
Still I know that I must die soon, for my goddess mother
Has told me that I bear two sorts of fate with me.
I have chosen, it seems, to have glory forever; but what sort
Of glory is there for me now? And what kind of song
Will be sung for me, in the days to come? Shall I be always
Hated among the sons of the Achaeans, the traitor?
But for the death of Patroclus I dare all these things,
And because I have been dishonored among the Achaeans.”
But Phoenix spoke not, and rode into the city with godlike Achilles.
Then the Myrmidons slept, for on the morrow battle would come,
But sleep, that calms all men, calmed their thunderous hearts,
Still was godlike Achilles sleepless among them,
And he pondered these things in his heart; but he did not go back.
Dawn came, drawing up her golden horses from the sea,
And the Trojans and the Myrmidons prepared to fight
Against the sons of the Achaeans, and the gods turned away.
For the plans of grey-eyed Athena had gone awry,
And the queen of heaven too had been defeated,
For great-hearted Achilles had overturned their plans.
They spoke among themselves, and looked with hate
At the far-shooter Apollo, whose city would yet stand,
And at Aphrodite, who without arms had vanquished.
Yet did grey-eyed Athena descend to stand beside Menelaus,
Who readied his chariot and his driver, and spoke,
Addressing all the Achaeans, and most of all the leaders,
“O Argives, do not fear, though swift-footed Achilles
Fights for the Trojans; for we are stronger than Troy,
Though Achilles alone may defeat many; for we are more.
He is great, it is true; but he is a man too, and must die.
Do not fear, then, and strike for him, and strike too
Hector, tamer of horses; for we have many great men.”
Thus he spoke, and the sons of the Achaeans
Clashed their spears on their shields, and applauded him.
But the Trojans made ready too, and swift footed Achilles
Stood apart from them and looked under his dark brows
At wide-ruling Menelaus, the shepherd of the people.
And Hector turned to all the Trojans, but spoke not;
And he led the Trojans, breakers of horses, into the battle.
With him was Sarpedon, the son of Zeus, and Paris,
And Helenus the seer, the son of Priam, and the Amazons too,
With their queen Penthesilea, shining like the sun,
Who had come to Troy to kill godlike Achilles,
And to cleanse herself of the death of her sister,
Hippolyta, whom she had slain while hunting,
But seeing Achilles standing with the Trojans, she rejoiced,
And acclaiming him with words, she greeted him.
But Achilles, sorrowing still, spoke not, and drove
Against the Achaeans, seeking most of all Menelaus,
Who sought him too, slaying many of the Trojans.
But when they had found each other, Achilles spoke, saying,
“Now, son of Atreus, I think I shall slay you, who slew
My dear one, Patroclus, the son of Menoitius.
Now is no time for words – let us now fight,
For between us two there can be no friendship.”
Thus he spoke, and taking his bronze spear, he cast it
But his cast went wide, and missed fair-haired Menelaus,
And dropped clashing into the dust of the plain.
Great-hearted Menelaus threw too, but his cast went wide,
Yet grey-eyed Athena came to him and gave him the spear.
But spear-famed Menelaus drew the sharp sword
And attacked the swift-footed son of Peleus.
But he, quickly stepping aside, brought up his own sword,
And struck fair-haired Menelaus in the heart,
So that he died and joined Agamemnon in the house of Hades.
Thus was the son of Menoitius avenged; but Achilles
Was not yet satisfied, and he raged against all the Achaeans,
But long-suffering Odysseus drew his great bow,
Which had been made in far-off Phoenicia,
And taking a well-made arrow, shot the son of Peleus,
And Athena stood by him and sped his shot,
So that it struck his heart, and he died.
Then were the Trojans greatly dismayed, seeing Achilles fall;
But Hector, tamer of horses, rallied them, and fought
Around the body of godlike Achilles. For they all wished
To strip the arms that Hephaestus had made,
Shining with gold and silver, and to dishonor Achilles.
But the queen Penthesilea fought beside Hector,
And drove through all the Achaeans until she reached
Resourceful Odysseus, who had slain Achilles.
Then she drew her sword and thrust it into his breast,
So that he died, and his spirit went to the house of Hades.
Thus the battle raged on the plains of Troy, and the gods,
Looking on, turned away and were silent: for Athena and Hera
Accepted the will of Zeus and did not aid the Achaeans.
And the Trojans, led by glorious Hector and Sarpedon,
Routed the sons of the Achaeans, so that they died,
In their multitudes, slain by the horse-breaking Trojans.
But when the night had come and the Trojans retired,
The remnants of the Greeks went to their ships and sailed,
Fleeing the unconquered city of Troy. But man-killing Hector
Took up the body of swift-footed Achilles, and brought it to Troy,
That he might be buried with great honor, who saved the city.
Note: Achilles' invulnerability is a later addition; it's not in homer.
Thus he returned to the ships and tents of godlike Achilles.
But when the dawn had come, they burned the ships,
And preparing themselves, marched across the plain,
Into the well-walled city of Troy. But Achilles
Once looked back at the shelters of the sons of the Achaeans,
And sorrow came into his heart; but he turned again,
And looked only at high-gated Troy, looking ahead.
Through the Scaean Gates they marched, into the city,
And the people rejoiced, seeing godlike Achilles among them.
But the hearts of Hector and Andromache were sorrowful,
For they feared the destructive wrath of swift-footed Achilles.
Yet they smiled and welcomed him, along with old Priam,
All the lords of the Trojans together. And swift-footed Achilles
Stayed apart from the rest, sorrowing still for Patroclus,
And after they had made camp, he called Phoenix to him,
And speaking winged words, addressed his friend:
“O Phoenix, my heart is indeed heavy in me,
For though the Trojans honor me greatly, honor me more
Than ever the sons of the Achaeans did, with gold and silver,
Still I know that I must die soon, for my goddess mother
Has told me that I bear two sorts of fate with me.
I have chosen, it seems, to have glory forever; but what sort
Of glory is there for me now? And what kind of song
Will be sung for me, in the days to come? Shall I be always
Hated among the sons of the Achaeans, the traitor?
But for the death of Patroclus I dare all these things,
And because I have been dishonored among the Achaeans.”
But Phoenix spoke not, and rode into the city with godlike Achilles.
Then the Myrmidons slept, for on the morrow battle would come,
But sleep, that calms all men, calmed their thunderous hearts,
Still was godlike Achilles sleepless among them,
And he pondered these things in his heart; but he did not go back.
Dawn came, drawing up her golden horses from the sea,
And the Trojans and the Myrmidons prepared to fight
Against the sons of the Achaeans, and the gods turned away.
For the plans of grey-eyed Athena had gone awry,
And the queen of heaven too had been defeated,
For great-hearted Achilles had overturned their plans.
They spoke among themselves, and looked with hate
At the far-shooter Apollo, whose city would yet stand,
And at Aphrodite, who without arms had vanquished.
Yet did grey-eyed Athena descend to stand beside Menelaus,
Who readied his chariot and his driver, and spoke,
Addressing all the Achaeans, and most of all the leaders,
“O Argives, do not fear, though swift-footed Achilles
Fights for the Trojans; for we are stronger than Troy,
Though Achilles alone may defeat many; for we are more.
He is great, it is true; but he is a man too, and must die.
Do not fear, then, and strike for him, and strike too
Hector, tamer of horses; for we have many great men.”
Thus he spoke, and the sons of the Achaeans
Clashed their spears on their shields, and applauded him.
But the Trojans made ready too, and swift footed Achilles
Stood apart from them and looked under his dark brows
At wide-ruling Menelaus, the shepherd of the people.
And Hector turned to all the Trojans, but spoke not;
And he led the Trojans, breakers of horses, into the battle.
With him was Sarpedon, the son of Zeus, and Paris,
And Helenus the seer, the son of Priam, and the Amazons too,
With their queen Penthesilea, shining like the sun,
Who had come to Troy to kill godlike Achilles,
And to cleanse herself of the death of her sister,
Hippolyta, whom she had slain while hunting,
But seeing Achilles standing with the Trojans, she rejoiced,
And acclaiming him with words, she greeted him.
But Achilles, sorrowing still, spoke not, and drove
Against the Achaeans, seeking most of all Menelaus,
Who sought him too, slaying many of the Trojans.
But when they had found each other, Achilles spoke, saying,
“Now, son of Atreus, I think I shall slay you, who slew
My dear one, Patroclus, the son of Menoitius.
Now is no time for words – let us now fight,
For between us two there can be no friendship.”
Thus he spoke, and taking his bronze spear, he cast it
But his cast went wide, and missed fair-haired Menelaus,
And dropped clashing into the dust of the plain.
Great-hearted Menelaus threw too, but his cast went wide,
Yet grey-eyed Athena came to him and gave him the spear.
But spear-famed Menelaus drew the sharp sword
And attacked the swift-footed son of Peleus.
But he, quickly stepping aside, brought up his own sword,
And struck fair-haired Menelaus in the heart,
So that he died and joined Agamemnon in the house of Hades.
Thus was the son of Menoitius avenged; but Achilles
Was not yet satisfied, and he raged against all the Achaeans,
But long-suffering Odysseus drew his great bow,
Which had been made in far-off Phoenicia,
And taking a well-made arrow, shot the son of Peleus,
And Athena stood by him and sped his shot,
So that it struck his heart, and he died.
Then were the Trojans greatly dismayed, seeing Achilles fall;
But Hector, tamer of horses, rallied them, and fought
Around the body of godlike Achilles. For they all wished
To strip the arms that Hephaestus had made,
Shining with gold and silver, and to dishonor Achilles.
But the queen Penthesilea fought beside Hector,
And drove through all the Achaeans until she reached
Resourceful Odysseus, who had slain Achilles.
Then she drew her sword and thrust it into his breast,
So that he died, and his spirit went to the house of Hades.
Thus the battle raged on the plains of Troy, and the gods,
Looking on, turned away and were silent: for Athena and Hera
Accepted the will of Zeus and did not aid the Achaeans.
And the Trojans, led by glorious Hector and Sarpedon,
Routed the sons of the Achaeans, so that they died,
In their multitudes, slain by the horse-breaking Trojans.
But when the night had come and the Trojans retired,
The remnants of the Greeks went to their ships and sailed,
Fleeing the unconquered city of Troy. But man-killing Hector
Took up the body of swift-footed Achilles, and brought it to Troy,
That he might be buried with great honor, who saved the city.
Note: Achilles' invulnerability is a later addition; it's not in homer.
