The Iliad of Homer. Homer

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СКАЧАТЬ be taught His rashness, who hath thus dishonor'd foul The life itself, and bulwark of his cause.

      To him, with streaming eyes, Thetis replied.510

       Born as thou wast to sorrow, ah, my son!

       Why have I rear'd thee! Would that without tears,

       Or cause for tears (transient as is thy life,

       A little span) thy days might pass at Troy!

       But short and sorrowful the fates ordain515

       Thy life, peculiar trouble must be thine,

       Whom, therefore, oh that I had never borne!

       But seeking the Olympian hill snow-crown'd,

       I will myself plead for thee in the ear

       Of Jove, the Thunderer. Meantime at thy fleet520

       Abiding, let thy wrath against the Greeks

       Still burn, and altogether cease from war.

       For to the banks of the Oceanus,[28] Where Æthiopia holds a feast to Jove,[29] 021 He journey'd yesterday, with whom the Gods525 Went also, and the twelfth day brings them home. Then will I to his brazen-floor'd abode, That I may clasp his knees, and much misdeem Of my endeavor, or my prayer shall speed.

      So saying, she went; but him she left enraged530

       For fair Brisëis' sake, forced from his arms

       By stress of power. Meantime Ulysses came

       To Chrysa with the Hecatomb in charge.

       Arrived within the haven[30] deep, their sails Furling, they stowed them in the bark below.535 Then by its tackle lowering swift the mast Into its crutch, they briskly push'd to land, Heaved anchors out, and moor'd the vessel fast. Forth came the mariners, and trod the beach; Forth came the victims of Apollo next,540 And, last, Chrysëis. Her Ulysses led Toward the altar, gave her to the arms Of her own father, and him thus address'd.

      O Chryses! Agamemnon, King of men,

       Hath sent thy daughter home, with whom we bring545

       A Hecatomb on all our host's behalf

       To Phœbus, hoping to appease the God

       022 By whose dread shafts the Argives now expire.

      So saying, he gave her to him, who with joy

       Received his daughter. Then, before the shrine550

       Magnificent in order due they ranged

       The noble Hecatomb.[31] Each laved his hands And took the salted meal, and Chryses made His fervent prayer with hands upraised on high.

      God of the silver bow, who with thy power555

       Encirclest Chrysa, and who reign'st supreme

       In Tenedos, and Cilla the divine!

       Thou prov'dst propitious to my first request,

       Hast honor'd me, and punish'd sore the Greeks;

       Hear yet thy servant's prayer; take from their host560

       At once the loathsome pestilence away!

      So Chryses prayed, whom Phœbus heard well-pleased;

       Then prayed the Grecians also, and with meal

       Sprinkling the victims, their retracted necks

       First pierced, then flay'd them; the disjointed thighs565

       They, next, invested with the double caul,

       Which with crude slices thin they overspread.

       The priest burned incense, and libation poured

       Large on the hissing brands, while, him beside,

       Busy with spit and prong, stood many a youth570

       Trained to the task. The thighs with fire consumed,

       They gave to each his portion of the maw,

       Then slashed the remnant, pierced it with the spits,

       And managing with culinary skill

       The roast, withdrew it from the spits again.575

       Their whole task thus accomplish'd, and the board

       023 Set forth, they feasted, and were all sufficed.

       When neither hunger more nor thirst remained

       Unsatisfied, boys crown'd the beakers high

       With wine delicious, and from right to left580

       Distributing the cups, served every guest.

       Thenceforth the youths of the Achaian race

       To song propitiatory gave the day,

       Pæans[32] to Phœbus, Archer of the skies, Chaunting melodious. Pleased, Apollo heard.585 But, when, the sun descending, darkness fell, They on the beach beside their hawsers slept; And, when the day-spring's daughter rosy-palm'd Aurora look'd abroad, then back they steer'd To the vast camp. Fair wind, and blowing fresh,590 Apollo sent them; quick they rear'd the mast, Then spread the unsullied canvas to the gale, And the wind filled it. Roared the sable flood Around the bark, that ever as she went Dash'd wide the brine, and scudded swift away.595 Thus reaching soon the spacious camp of Greece, Their galley they updrew sheer o'er the sands From the rude surge remote, then propp'd her sides With scantlings long,[33] and sought their several tents.

      But Peleus' noble son, the speed-renown'd600

       Achilles, he, his well-built bark beside,

       Consumed his hours, nor would in council more,

       Where wise men win distinction, or in fight

       Appear, to sorrow and heart-withering wo

       Abandon'd; though for battle, ardent, still605

       He panted, and the shout-resounding field.

       But when the twelfth fair morrow streak'd the East,

       024 Then all the everlasting Gods to Heaven

       Resorted, with the Thunderer at their head,

       And Thetis, not unmindful of her son,610

       Prom the salt flood emerged, seeking betimes

       Olympus and the boundless fields of heaven.

       High, on the topmost eminence sublime

       Of the deep-fork'd Olympian she perceived

       The Thunderer seated, from the Gods apart.615

       She sat before him, СКАЧАТЬ