The Iliad of Homer Part 40

[Footnote 585: This is expressive of the vicissitudes of the conflict.]

[Footnote 586: E??e d? ?? t??t? ?? ???? ? ?f?e??, ???? ?d?

????s?e??.--Schol.]

[Footnote 587: One of the Scholiasts, however, would take s?????

as=st?at???, i.e. we shall keep the troops in a body. But see Kennedy.]

Him, then, crest-tossing Hector sternly regarding, addressed:

"No longer, O Polydamas, dost thou speak these things agreeable to me, thou who advisest us, returning, to be cooped up in the city. Are ye not yet satiated with being shut up within the towers? Formerly indeed all articulate-speaking men p.r.o.nounced the city of Priam rich in gold and in bra.s.s; but now have the rich treasures of our houses perished, and many possessions have already departed to Phrygia and agreeable Monia, to be sold, since mighty Jove was enraged. But at this crisis, when the son of politic Saturn has granted me to obtain glory at the ships, and to hem in the Greeks by the sea, no longer, foolish man, disclose these counsels to the people: for none of the Trojans will obey; nor will I permit them. But come, let us all obey as I shall advise. At present take supper in your ranks throughout the army; be mindful of the watch, and keep guard each [of you]; but whosoever of the Trojans is particularly anxious about his possessions, collecting them together, let him give them to the people to be publicly consumed; it is better that any of them should enjoy them than the Greeks. But to-morrow, with the dawn, arrayed in armour, let us excite sharp conflict at the hollow ships, and if truly n.o.ble Achilles has arisen at the ships, it will be the worse for him, if he wishes [to fight]: I indeed will not fly him from the horrid-sounding battle, but will stand very obstinately against him, whether he bear away great glory, or I bear it away. Mars [is]

common,[588] and even slays the slayer."

[Footnote 588: See Duport, p. 104, and Clarke's note. Livy translates it, "communis Mars belli;" observing, "communis Mars, et incertus belli eventus."]

Thus Hector harangued, and the Trojans shouted in applause: foolish men, for Pallas Minerva had taken their senses away from them. For they a.s.sented to Hector, advising destructive things, whilst no one [a.s.sented to] Polydamas, who advised prudent counsel. Then they took supper through the army. But the Greeks, lamenting all night, wept over Patroclus, but among them Pelides led the ceaseless lamentation, placing his man-slaying hands upon the breast of his companion, very frequently sighing; as the well-bearded lion, from whom the stag-hunter has stolen the cubs out of the thick forest; and he is grieved, coming afterwards.

And through many valleys he goes, tracking the footsteps of the man, if anywhere he may find him; for very keen rage possesses him. So, deeply sighing, he addressed the Myrmidons:

"Alas! vain indeed was the promise I uttered on that day, encouraging the hero Mentius in our halls; for I said that I would bring back his ill.u.s.trious son to Opus, having wasted Troy, and obtained a share of the spoil. But Jove fulfils not for men all their intentions; for it is fated that we shall both stain with blood the same earth here in Troy; but neither shall aged horse-driving Peleus receive me in his palaces, returning, nor my mother Thetis, but the earth shall here hold me. Now, however, O Patroclus! since after thee I go beneath the earth, I shall not perform thy funeral rites, before that I bring hither the arms and head of magnanimous Hector, thy murderer, and behead twelve ill.u.s.trious sons of the Trojans, before thy pile, enraged on account of thee slain.

Meanwhile thou shall lie thus at the crooked ships; and round thee Trojan [dames] and deep-bosomed Dardanians shall weep and shed tears night and day; whom we ourselves have toiled to get by our valour and the long spear, laying waste the rich cities of articulate-speaking men."

Thus having spoken, n.o.ble Achilles ordered his companions to surround a large tripod with fire, that as soon as possible they might wash away the b.l.o.o.d.y gore from Patroclus. They then placed a bathing tripod on the blazing fire, and poured water into it, and taking f.a.gots, lighted them under it. The fire indeed encircled the belly of the tripod, and the water was warmed. But when the water boiled in the sonorous bra.s.s, then they both washed him, and anointed him with rich oil. And they filled up his wounds with ointment nine years old; and laying him upon a bed, they covered him with fine linen from head to foot; and over all, with a white mantle.[589] All night then the Myrmidons, lamenting Patroclus, wept around swift-footed Achilles. But Jove addressed Juno, his sister and wife:

"And at length thou hast accomplished thy object, O large-eyed, venerable Juno, having aroused swift-fooled Achilles. Surely the waving-crested Greeks are born from thy very self."

[Footnote 589: Cf. Virg. aen. vi. 218, sqq.; xi. 36, sqq. I shall defer discussing the heroic funeral-rites till the twenty-third book.]

But him large-eyed, venerable Juno then answered:

"Most imperious son of Saturn, what a word hast thou spoken? Surely now any man who is mortal, and knows not so many designs, might accomplish this against a man. How therefore ought not I, who boast myself to be chief of the G.o.ddesses, both from birth and also because I am called thy wife (and thou rulest over all the immortals), being enraged with the Trojans, to [be able to] design evils against them."

Thus indeed they conversed with one another. But silver-footed Thetis reached the abode of Vulcan, incorruptible, starry, remarkable amongst the immortals, brazen, which the lame-footed himself had constructed.

Him she found sweating, exerting himself at the bellows, earnestly working; for he was making full twenty tripods to stand around the wall of his well-built palace. Under the base of each he placed golden wheels, that of their own accord they might enter the heavenly council, and again return home--a wonder to be seen. So much finish had they, but he had not yet added the well-made handles, which he was preparing; and he was forging the rivets. Whilst he was toiling at these things with, skilful mind, meanwhile Thetis, the silver-footed G.o.ddess, came to him.

But the beautiful and fair-veiled Charis, whom ill.u.s.trious Vulcan had espoused, advancing, beheld her; and hung upon her hand, and addressed her, and spoke:

"Why, O long-robed Thetis, venerable, beloved, dost thou visit our abode? Formerly thou wast not in the habit of coming frequently.[590]

But follow farther onwards, that I may set before thee hospitable fare."

Thus having spoken, the divine of G.o.ddesses led on. Then indeed she placed her upon a silver-studded throne, beautiful, variously wrought, and there was a stool under her feet. But she called Vulcan, the distinguished artist, and spoke this word:

"Come hither, Vulcan, Thetis now has need of thee."

But her ill.u.s.trious Vulcan then answered: "a.s.suredly then an awful and revered G.o.ddess is within, who saved me when distress came upon me, fallen down far by the contrivance of my shameless mother, who wished to conceal me, being lame.[591] Then should I have suffered sorrows in my mind, had not Eurynome and Thetis received me in their bosom; Eurynome, daughter of the refluent Ocean. With them for nine years wrought I in bra.s.s many ingenious works of art, buckles, twisted bracelets, and clasp-tubes, in the hollow cave; whilst round us flowed the immense stream of Ocean, murmuring with foam: nor did any other either of G.o.ds or mortal men know it; but Thetis and Eurynome, who preserved me, knew it. She now comes to my house; wherefore there is need that I should repay all the rewards of my safety to fair-haired Thetis. But set now before her good hospitable fare, whilst I lay aside my bellows and all my tools."

[Footnote 590: Ta??e?? answers to the Latin "visere,"

"frequentare." Suidas, Ta??e??? p?????e??, s????se??. Plato, Rep. i. p. 410, B.: ??d? ?a??e?? ??? ?ataa???? e?? t?? e??a??.

Themist. Or. v. p. 152: ??d? ?a??e? d???f????sa e?? t? as??e?a.

Philostr. Vit. Soph. i. 7, p. 254: Ta???? e?? t? st?at?peda. Cf.

Alciphron, Ep. i. 4, p. 20, iii. 5, p. 286.]

[Footnote 591: "Hephaestos is the son of Here without a father, and stands to her in the same relation as Athene to Zeus: her pride and want of sympathy are manifested by her casting him out at once, in consequence of his deformity."--Grote, vol. i. p.

79.]

He spoke and rose, a wondrous bulk,[592] from his anvil-block, limping, and his weak legs moved actively beneath him. The bellows he laid apart from the fire, and all the tools with which he laboured he collected into a silver chest. With a sponge he wiped, all over, his face and both his hands, his strong neck and s.h.a.ggy breast; then put on his tunic and seized his stout sceptre. But he went out of the doors limping, and golden handmaids, like unto living maidens, moved briskly about the king; and in their bosoms was prudence with understanding, and within them was voice and strength; and they are instructed in works by the immortal G.o.ds. These were busily occupied[593] by the king's side; but he, hobbling along, sat down upon a splendid throne near where Thetis was, and hung upon her hand, and spoke, and addressed her:

"Why, long-robed Thetis, venerable and dear, hast thou come to our abode? For indeed thou didst not often come before. Make known what thou desirest, for my mind orders me to perform it,[594] if in truth I can perform it, and if it is to be performed."

[Footnote 592: I have endeavoured to express b.u.t.tmann's idea respecting the meaning of _a??t??_. See Lexil. p. 44-7. He concludes that it simply means _great_, but with a collateral notion of _astonishment_ implied, connecting it with ???t??.]

[Footnote 593: See b.u.t.tmann, Lexil. p. 481]

[Footnote 594: Virg. aen. i. 80:

"----Tuus, o regina, quid optes, Explorare labor: mini jussa capessere fas est."]

Him then Thetis, pouring forth tears, answered: "O Vulcan, has any then, as many as are the G.o.ddesses in Olympus, endured so many bitter griefs in her mind, as, to me above all, Jove, the son of Saturn, has given sorrows? Me, from among the other marine inhabitants, has he subjected to a man, to Peleus, son of aeacus; and I have endured the couch of a man very much against my will. He, indeed, now lies in his palaces, afflicted with grievous old age; but now other [woes] are my lot. After he had granted me to bring forth aud nurture a son, distinguished among heroes, and who grew up like a plant; him having reared, as a plant in a fertile spot of the field, I sent forth in the crooked barks to Ilium, to fight with the Trojans; but him I shall not receive again, having returned home to the mansion of Peleus. As long, however, as he lives to me, and beholds the light of the sun, he suffers sorrow, nor am I, going to him, able to avail him aught. The maid whom the sons of the Greeks selected as a reward for him, her hath king Agamemnon taken back again from his hands. Certainly, grieving for her, he has been wasting his soul; whilst the Trojans were hemming in the Greeks at the ships, nor suffered them to go beyond the gates: but the elders of the Greeks supplicated him, and named many distinguished presents. But then he refused to avert destruction, yet he clad Patroclus in his own armour, and sent him forth to the battle, and he gave with him much people. All day they fought round the Scaean gates, and certainly on that day had overturned Troy, had not Apollo slain, among the foremost warriors, the gallant son of Mentius, after having done much mischief, and given glory to Hector. On this account do I now approach thy knees, if thou wilt give to my short-lived son a shield and helmet, and beautiful greaves, joined with clasps, and a corslet: for what were his, his faithful companion has lost, subdued by the Trojans; and he (Achilles) lies upon the ground, grieving in his soul."

Her then ill.u.s.trious Vulcan answered: "Take courage, nor let these things be cause of uneasiness in thy mind; for would that I could so surely conceal him from dread-sounding death, when grievous fate approaches him, as that beautiful armour shall be ready for him, such as any one of many men shall hereafter admire, whosoever may behold it."

So saying, he left her there, and went towards the bellows, which he turned towards the fire, and commanded them to work. And full twenty bellows blew in the furnaces, exciting a varied well-regulated[595]

blast, to be ready for him, at one time busy, at another the reverse, as Vulcan pleased, and that the work might be complete. He cast into the fire impenetrable bra.s.s, and tin, precious gold and silver; but next he placed the mighty anvil on the stock, and took in [one] hand his strong hammer, and with the other grasped the forceps.

[Footnote 595: _I.e._ one that would either blow, or not, according as the progress of the work required. The student will do well to compare Virg. Georg. iv. 171, sqq., aen. viii. 449, sqq., and Callimach. in Dian. 59, sqq.]

First of all he formed a shield,[596] both large and solid, decorating it all over, and around it he threw a shining border, triple and glittering, and from it [there hung] a silver belt. Of the shield itself, there were five folds; but on it he formed many curious works, with cunning skill. On it he wrought the earth, and the heaven, and the sea, the unwearied sun, and the full moon. On it also [he represented]

all the constellations with which the heaven is crowned, the Pleiades, the Hyades, and the strength of Orion, and the Bear,[597] which they also call by the appellation of the Wain, which there revolves, and watches Orion;[598] but it alone is free[599] from the baths of the ocean.

[Footnote 596: See Coleridge, Cla.s.sic Poets, p. 182, sqq.; Riccius, Dissert. Hom. t.i.p. 216; Feith, Antiq. Hom. iv. 10, 4.

In reading this whole description, care must be taken to allow for the freedom of poetic description, as well as for the skill of the supposed artificer.]

[Footnote 597: Cf. Virg. Georg. i. 137; aen. i. 748, iii. 516.]

[Footnote 598: Orion ascends above the horizon, as though in pursuit of the Wain, which in return seems to observe his movements. Manilius, i. 500: "Arctos et Orion adversis frontibus ibant," which is compared by Scaliger, p. 28.]

[Footnote 599: Aratus, Dios. 48: ???t?? ??a?e?? pef??a?????

??ea????. Virg. Georg. i. 246: "Arctos Oceani metuentes aequore tingi." The student of ancient astronomy will do well to compare Scaliger on Manil. i, p. 43, 2; Casaub. on Strabo, i. init.]

In it likewise he wrought two fair cities[600] of articulate-speaking men. In the one, indeed, there were marriages and feasts; and they were conducting the brides from their chambers through the city with brilliant torches,[601] and many a bridal song[602] was raised. The youthful dancers were wheeling round, and amongst them pipes and lyres uttered a sound; and the women standing, each at her portals, admired.

And people were crowded together in an a.s.sembly, and there a contest had arisen; for two men contended for the ransom-money of a slain man: the one affirmed that he had paid all, appealing to the people; but the other denied, [averring] that he had received nought: and both wished to find an end [of the dispute] before a judge.[603] The people were applauding both,--supporters of either party, and the heralds were keeping back the people; but the elders sat upon polished stones, in a sacred[604] circle, and [the pleaders[605]] held in their hands the staves of the clear-voiced heralds; with these then they arose, and alternately pleaded their cause. Moreover, in the midst lay two talents of gold, to give to him who should best establish his claim among them.

But round the other city sat two armies of people glittering in arms; and one of two plans was agreeable to them,[606] either to waste it, or to divide all things into two parts,--the wealth, whatever the pleasant city contained within it. They, however, had not yet complied, but were secretly arming themselves for an ambuscade. Meanwhile, their beloved wives and young children kept watch, standing above, and amongst them the men whom old age possessed. But they (the younger men) advanced; but Mars was their leader, and Pallas Minerva, both golden, and clad in golden dresses, beautiful and large, along with their armour, radiant all round, and indeed like G.o.ds; but the people were of humbler size.[607] But when they now had reached a place where it appeared fit to lay an ambuscade, by a river, where there was a watering-place for all sorts of cattle, there then they settled, clad in shining steel.

There, apart from the people, sat two spies, watching when they might perceive the sheep and crooked-horned oxen. These, however, soon advanced, and two shepherds accompanied them, amusing themselves with their pipes, for they had not yet perceived the stratagem. Then they, discerning them, ran in upon them, and immediately slaughtered on all sides the herds of oxen, and the beautiful flocks of snow-white sheep; and slew the shepherds besides. But they, when they heard the great tumult amongst the oxen, previously sitting in front of the a.s.sembly,[608] mounting their nimble-footed steeds, pursued; and soon came up with them. Then, having marshalled themselves, they fought a battle on the banks of the river, and wounded one another with their brazen spears. Amongst them mingled Discord and Tumult, and destructive Fate, holding one alive, recently wounded, another unwounded, but a third, slain, she drew by the feet through the battle; and had the garment around her shoulders crimsoned with the gore of men.[609] But they turned about, like living mortals, and fought, and drew away the slaughtered bodies of each other.

[Footnote 600: Cf. Hesiod, Scut. Herc. 270, sqq.]

[Footnote 601: The escort took place at even-tide.]

[Footnote 602: On the origin of this term, see Serv. on Virg. aen.

i. 655.]