The Iliad of Homer (1873). Homer

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СКАЧАТЬ you would not have known the son of Tydeus, to which side he belonged, whether he was mixed with the Trojans or with the Greeks. For he rushed through the plain, like unto a river swollen by mountain-streams, which flowing rapidly throws down bridges: and this, neither the fortified dams can restrain, nor the fences of the richly-blooming fields check, as it comes suddenly, when the rain-storm of Jove bears down heavily: many hopeful works of vigorous youths are wont to fall by it. Thus by the son of Tydeus were the close phalanxes of the Trojans thrown into confusion; nor did they withstand him, although being numerous.

      When, therefore, Pandarus, the illustrious son of Lycaon, saw him rushing through the field, discomfiting the phalanxes before him, he drew his crooked bow, and smote him rushing on, striking him upon the right shoulder [on] the cavity of the corslet: the bitter shaft flew on and broke through to the other side; and the corslet was stained with blood. Whereupon the illustrious son of Lycaon exclaimed aloud:

      "Rush on, ye magnanimous Trojans, spurrers of steeds, for the bravest of the Greeks is wounded; nor do I think that he will long endure the violent arrow, if king Apollo, the son of Jove, really urged me proceeding from Lycia."

      Thus he spoke, vaunting; but him [Diomede] the swift arrow did not subdue: but having retreated, he stood before his horses and chariot, and thus accosted Sthenelus, son of Capaneus:

      "Haste, dear son of Capaneus, descend from thy chariot, that thou mayest draw from my shoulder the bitter shaft."

      Thus he spoke, and Sthenelus leaped from his chariot to the ground, and, standing by him, drew the swift, deeply-piercing arrow forth from his shoulder, and the blood spurted out through the twisted mail. Then Diomede, brave in battle, prayed:

      "Hear me, O daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, unwearied, if ever favouring thou stoodest by me and my sire in the hostile fight, now in turn befriend me, O Minerva. And grant me to slay this man, and that he may approach within the aim of my spear, who being beforehand has struck me, and boasts, and says that I shall not long behold the brilliant light of the sun."

      Thus he spoke, praying, and Pallas Minerva heard him, and made light his limbs, his feet, and his hands above, and standing near him, spoke winged words:

      "With confidence, now, O Diomede, fight against the Trojans; for into thy soul have I sent that intrepid ancestral might, such as the shield-brandishing knight Tydeus was wont to possess: and moreover I have taken away the darkness from thine eyes, which before was upon them, that thou mayest discern a god and also a man. Wherefore now, if any divinity come hither, making trial of thee, do thou by no means fight against any other immortal gods; but if Venus, daughter of Jove, should come into battle, wound her at all events with the sharp brass."

Thus on her part having spoken, azure-eyed Minerva departed: but the son of Tydeus, returning again, was mixed with the van; and ardent as he before was in spirit to fight against the Trojans, then, indeed, thrice as much courage possessed him. Like as a lion, whom the shepherd in the country, by his fleecy sheep, has grazed indeed, while overleaping the court-yard, but has not killed; he [the shepherd] has merely roused his ardour; but afterwards he ventures no farther aid, but on the contrary retires within the fold, while the sheep, deserted, fly in consternation. These, indeed, are huddled in masses one upon another, but he [the lion] leaps joyfully from the lofty fold. ²⁰¹ So was brave Diomede joyfully mixed with the Trojans.

Then he slew Astynoüs, and Hypenor the shepherd of the people: having smote the one above the pap with the brazen lance, but the other he smote with his huge sword on the collar-bone at the shoulder, and separated the shoulder from the neck and back. These, indeed, he left, but rushed on Abas and Polyïdus, the sons of Eurydamas, the aged interpreter of dreams; to whom going to the war, the old man did not interpret their dreams; but brave Diomede spoiled them when slain. Then he went against Xanthus and Thoon, the sons of Phænops, both dearly cherished; ²⁰² but he was worn by sad old age, and did not beget another son to leave over his possessions. These, then, Diomede slew, and took their life from both, but to their father left grief and mournful cares, since he did not receive them returning alive from battle; but his next of kin ²⁰³ divided the inheritance amongst them.

Footnote 201: (return) A very doubtful line.

Footnote 202: (return) Cf. Buttm. Lexil. p. 511.

Footnote 203: (return) Schol.: Χηρωσταὶ, οὶ τὸν χῆρον οῖκον διανεμόμενοι κληρονόμοι. Apoll. Lex. p. 854: Οὶ μακρόθεν προσήκοντες κατὰ γένος, καὶ χῆρα ὄντα τῶν σύνεγγυς τὰ χρήματα κληρονομοῦντες.

      Then he seized Echemon and Chromius, two sons of Dardanian Priam, being in one chariot. As when a lion, leaping amidst the herd, has broken the neck of a heifer or of an ox pasturing in a thicket; so did the son of Tydeus forcibly dislodge them both from the chariot against their wills, and then spoiled them of their arms. But the steeds he gave to his companions, to drive to the ships.

      But him Æneas beheld devastating the ranks of men, and he hastened to go both through the battle and the din o spears, seeking godlike Pandarus, if anywhere he might find him. He found the blameless and valiant son of Lycaon, and stood before him, and spoke [this] word to him:

      "O Pandarus, where are thy bow and thy winged shafts, and thy renown, with which no man here at least contends with thee, nor does any person in Lycia boast to be braver than thou? But come, having raised thy hands to Jove, aim an arrow against this man, (whoever he be, who is thus prevailing, and who has already wrought many ills against the Trojans, since he has relaxed the knees of many and of brave), unless he be some god, wrathful against the Trojans, angry on account of sacrifices [not offered]: and unless the severe wrath of a deity be upon us."

Him the illustrious son of Lycaon answered in turn: "Æneas, counsellor of the brazen-mailed Trojans, I assimilate him in all respects to the warlike son of Tydeus, recognizing him by his shield and oblong helmet, and looking on his steeds: but I do not know certainly whether he be a god. But if this man, whom I speak of, be the warlike son of Tydeus, he does not perform these frantic deeds without divine aid, but some one of the immortals stands near, wrapped round as to his shoulders ²⁰⁴ in a cloud, who has turned into another course the swift shaft just about to hit him. For but just now I aimed an arrow at him, and struck him on the right shoulder, entirely through the cavity of his corslet; and I thought I should hurl him down to Pluto; yet did I not altogether subdue him; some god, of a truth, is wrathful. And steeds and chariots are not present, which I might ascend: but somewhere in the palaces of Lycaon [are] eleven chariots, beautiful, newly-built, lately made: coverings are spread around them: and beside each of them stand steeds yoked in pairs, eating white barley and wheat. Of a truth the aged warrior Lycaon gave me, on setting out, very many commands in his well-built palaces: he ordered me, having ascended my steeds and my chariot, to command the Trojans in the fierce conflicts; but I heeded him not (and truly it would have been much better), sparing my steeds, lest they, accustomed to feed largely, should want food, to my cost, the men being shut up [in the city]. Thus I left them; but I have come on foot to Troy, relying on my bow and arrows, but these were not destined to profit me. For lately I aimed [a shaft] at two chiefs, at the son of Tydeus and the son of Atreus; and having struck, I drew blood manifestly from both; but I roused them the more. Therefore, СКАЧАТЬ