The Iliad of Homer. Homer

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СКАЧАТЬ Menelaus thus the cares engross'd

       Of all those Chiefs, the shielded powers of Troy260

       'Gan move toward them, and the Greeks again

       Put on their armor, mindful of the fight.

       Then hadst thou[10] not great Agamemnon seen Slumbering, or trembling, or averse from war, But ardent to begin his glorious task.265 His steeds, and his bright chariot brass-inlaid He left; the snorting steeds Eurymedon, Offspring of Ptolemy Piraïdes Detain'd apart; for him he strict enjoin'd Attendance near, lest weariness of limbs270 Should seize him marshalling his numerous host. So forth he went, and through the files on foot Proceeding, where the warrior Greeks he saw Alert, he roused them by his words the more.[11]

      Argives! abate no spark of all your fire.275

       Jove will not prosper traitors. Them who first

       Transgress'd the truce the vultures shall devour,

       But we (their city taken) shall their wives

       Lead captive, and their children home to Greece.

      So cheer'd he them. But whom he saw supine,280

       094 Or in the rugged work of war remiss,

       In terms of anger them he stern rebuked.

      Oh Greeks! The shame of Argos! Arrow-doom'd!

       Blush ye not? Wherefore stand ye thus aghast,

       Like fawns which wearied after scouring wide285

       The champain, gaze and pant, and can no more?

       Senseless like them ye stand, nor seek the fight.

       Is it your purpose patient here to wait

       Till Troy invade your vessels on the shore

       Of the grey deep, that ye may trial make290

       Of Jove, if he will prove, himself, your shield?

      Thus, in discharge of his high office, pass'd

       Atrides through the ranks, and now arrived

       Where, hardy Chief! Idomeneus in front

       Of his bold Cretans stood, stout as a boar295

       The van he occupied, while in the rear

       Meriones harangued the most remote.

       Them so prepared the King of men beheld

       With joyful heart, and thus in courteous terms

       Instant the brave Idomeneus address'd.300

      Thee fighting, feasting, howsoe'er employed,

       I most respect, Idomeneus, of all

       The well-horsed Danäi; for when the Chiefs

       Of Argos, banqueting, their beakers charge

       With rosy wine the honorable meed305

       Of valor, thou alone of all the Greeks

       Drink'st not by measure.[12] No—thy goblet stands Replenish'd still, and like myself thou know'st No rule or bound, save what thy choice prescribes. March. Seek the foe. Fight now as heretofore,310

      To whom Idomeneus of Crete replied,

       Atrides! all the friendship and the love

       095 Which I have promised will I well perform.

       Go; animate the rest, Chief after Chief

       Of the Achaians, that the fight begin.315

       For Troy has scatter'd to the winds all faith,

       All conscience; and for such her treachery foul

       Shall have large recompence of death and wo.

      He said, whom Agamemnon at his heart

       Exulting, pass'd, and in his progress came320

       Where stood each Ajax; them he found prepared

       With all their cloud of infantry behind.

       As when the goat-herd on some rocky point

       Advanced, a cloud sees wafted o'er the deep

       By western gales, and rolling slow along,325

       To him, who stands remote, pitch-black it seems,

       And comes with tempest charged; he at the sight

       Shuddering, his flock compels into a cave;

       So moved the gloomy phalanx, rough with spears,

       And dense with shields of youthful warriors bold,330

       Close-following either Ajax to the fight.

      Them also, pleased, the King of men beheld,

       And in wing'd accents hail'd them as he pass'd.

      Brave leaders of the mail-clad host of Greece!

       I move not you to duty; ye yourselves335

       Move others, and no lesson need from me.

       Jove, Pallas, and Apollo! were but all

       Courageous as yourselves, soon Priam's towers

       Should totter, and his Ilium storm'd and sack'd

       By our victorious bands, stoop to the dust.340

      He ceased, and still proceeding, next arrived

       Where stood the Pylian orator, his band

       Marshalling under all their leaders bold

       Alastor, Chromius, Pelagon the vast,

       Hæmon the prince, and Bias, martial Chief.345

       Chariot and horse he station'd in the front;

       His numerous infantry, a strong reserve

       Right valiant, in the rear; the worst, and those

       In whom he trusted least, he drove between,

       That such through mere necessity might act.350

       096 First to his charioteers he gave in charge

       Their duty; bade them rein their horses hard,

       Shunning confusion. Let no warrior, vain

       And overweening of his strength or skill,

       Start from his rank to dare the fight alone,355

       Or fall behind it, weakening СКАЧАТЬ