Chapter 38
“No longer now stand off from the Trojans, O noble Greeks, but on! let man advance against man, and let him be eager to engage. Difficult is it for me, although being valiant, to attack so many warriors, and to fight with them all. Not even Mars, who is an immortal god, nor yet Minerva, could charge and toil against the force of such a conflict. Yet whatever I can do with hands, with feet, and with strength, I declare that I will no longer be remiss, not ever so little; but I will go right through their line, nor do I think that any Trojan will rejoice, whoever may come near my javelin.”
Thus he spoke, encouraging them; but illustrious Hector, upbraiding, animated the Trojans, and said that he would go against Achilles:
“Ye magnanimous Trojans, fear not the son of Peleus. I, too, could fight with words even with the immortals, but with the spear it is difficult, for they are far more powerful. Nor shall Achilles give effect to all his words; but one part he shall fulfil, and the other leave half imperfect. Against him will I go, even though he were like to fire as to his hands; and to shining iron, as to his might.”
Thus he spoke, inciting them; but the Trojans opposite quickly raised their spears; their strength was mingled together, and a shout arose. Then also Phœbus Apollo, standing near, addressed Hector:
“Hector, do not at all fight in the van with Achilles, but receive him in the crowd, and from the tumult, lest by any chance he hit thee, or strike thee with the sword in close combat.”
Thus he spoke, and Hector sunk back again into the thick body of men, dismayed when he heard the voice of the god speaking. But Achilles leaped among the Trojans, clad with courage as to his soul, shouting dreadfully; and first slew gallant Iphition, son of Otrynteus, the leader of many people, whom the nymph Naïs bore to Otrynteus, the sacker of cities, under snowy Tmolus, in the rich district of Hyda. 664 Him, eagerly rushing straight forward, noble Achilles struck with his javelin in the middle of the head; and it was entirely split in two. He gave a crash as he fell, and noble Achilles boasted over him:
Footnote 664: (return) A town of Mæonia in Lydia. See Steph. Byz. s. v.
“O son of Otrynteus, most terrible of all men, thou liest; death is here upon thee. Thy birth, however, is at the Gygæan lake, where is thy paternal land, beside fishy Hyllus, and eddying Hermus.”
Thus he spoke, boasting; but darkness covered his (Iphition’s) eyes, but the horses of the Greeks tore him with the tires of the wheels in the front ranks. After him Achilles smote Demoleon, son of Antenor, a brave repeller of the fight, in the temples, through his brazen-cheeked helmet. Nor indeed did the brazen casque resist it, but through it the eager javelin broke the bone, and the whole brain within was defiled; and he subdued him, ardent. Next he wounded with his spear in the back, Hippodamas, as he was leaping down from his chariot, while flying before him. But he breathed out his soul, and groaned, like as when a bull, dragged round the Heliconian king, 665 bellows, as the youths drag him; and the earth-shaker is delighted with them: so, as he moaned, his fierce soul left his bones. But he went with his spear against godlike Polydorus, 666 the son of Priam; but him his father did not permit to fight, because he was the youngest among all, and dearest to him, and surpassed all in speed. Then, indeed, through youthful folly, exhibiting the excellence of his speed, he ran among the front ranks till he lost his life. Him noble swift-footed Achilles smote rushing by, in the middle of the back, where the golden rings of his belt clasped together, and the doubled corslet met. Right through at the navel pierced the point of the spear, and uttering a groan, he fell upon his knees; a black cloud enveloped him, and stooping down, he gathered his intestines in his hands. But when Hector perceived his brother Polydorus holding his intestines in his hands, and rolled on the earth, a darkness was immediately poured over his eyes, nor could he any longer be employed afar off, but advanced towards Achilles, like unto a flame, brandishing his sharp spear. On the other hand, Achilles, as soon as he saw him, leaped up, and boasting, spoke:
“Near is the man who has most stung my soul, who has slain my cherished companion; no longer indeed let us dread each other through the bridges 667 of war.”
Footnote 665: (return) Neptune was a favourite god among the Ionians (cf. Müller, Dor. vol. i. p. 417), but derived this name from Helice, a town in the northern coast of the Peloponnese, out of which the principal Achæan families were driven by Tisamenus, whose tomb was shown there. See Müller, id. p. 74.
Footnote 666: (return) This is not the Polydorus of Virgil and Euripides, but the son of Laothoe, daughter of Altas, king of the Lelegans.
Footnote 667: (return) See iv. 371.
He spoke, and sternly regarding [him], addressed noble Hector:
“Come nearer, that thou mayest the sooner reach the end of death.”
But him, not daunted, crest-tossing Hector addressed:
“O son of Peleus, do not expect to terrify me now like a little boy, at least with words; since I myself also well know how to speak both revilings and reproaches. I know that thou indeed art brave, and that I am inferior to thee. But these things indeed are placed at the knees of the gods, whether, although being inferior, I shall take away thy life, striking thee with my spear, since my weapon also is sharp at the point.”
He spoke, and, brandishing, sent forth his spear; and Minerva with a breath turned it back from glorious Achilles, having breathed very gently; but it came back to noble Hector, and lay before his feet. But Achilles, eager to slay him, rushed furiously on, shouting dreadfully; but Apollo, as a god, very easily snatched him away, and covered him with abundant haze. Thrice indeed swift-footed noble Achilles rushed on with his brazen spear, and thrice he smote the deep haze. But when he rushed on the fourth time, like unto a god, he, dreadfully chiding, addressed to him winged words:
“Dog, now again hast thou escaped death. Assuredly evil came very near thee, but Phœbus Apollo has now again preserved thee, to whom thou art wont to pray, when going into the clang of spears. Yet will I certainly finish thee, meeting thee hereafter, if indeed any of the gods be an ally to me also. At present, however, I will go after others of the Trojans, whomsoever I can.”
So saying, he struck Dryops with his spear in the middle of the neck, and he fell before his feet. Him then he left, and then detained Demuchus, son of Philetor, brave and great, wounding [him] in the knee, with his spear, whom then striking with his great sword, he deprived of life. But attacking both, he pushed Laogonus and Dardanus, the sons of Bias, from their chariot to the ground, wounding one with his spear, and striking the other in close combat with his sword. Also Tros, the son of Alastor, who came towards him, taking him by the knees, if on any terms he would spare him, and dismiss him alive, nor slay him, taking pity on their equal age: fool! who knew not that he would not be persuaded. For he was by no means a tender-minded nor gentle man, but very ferocious. He (Tros) indeed clasped his knees with his hands, desiring to supplicate him, but he (Achilles) wounded him in the liver with his sword; and his liver fell out, and the black blood from it filled his bosom, and darkness veiled his eyes, wanting life. But standing near Mulius, he smote him with his javelin on the ear, and immediately the brazen blade went through the other ear. Then, with his large-hilted sword, he smote Echeclus, son of Antenor, in the centre of the head, and the whole sword became tepid with blood; but purple Death and violent Fate seized his eyes. Then Deucalion, where the tendons of the elbow unite, there he pierced him through his hand with his brazen spear; but he, weighed down as to his hand, awaited him, perceiving death before him. But he (Achilles) smiting his neck with his sword, knocked the head off afar with its helmet, and the marrow sprang forth from the spine; and Deucalion lay extended on the ground. Then he hastened to go towards Rigmus, the renowned son of Pireus, who had come from fertile Thrace; whom he smote in the middle with his javelin, and the brass was fixed in his stomach; and he fell from his chariot: and Achilles wounded in the back, with his sharp javelin, Areïthoüs, the attendant, while turning back the steeds, and threw him from the chariot: and the horses were thrown into confusion. And as the blazing fire burns through the deep dells of a dry mountain, and the dense forest is consumed, and the wind agitating, turns round the flame on all sides; thus he raged in every direction with his spear, like unto a deity, following those that were to be slain; and the black earth flowed with blood. As when any one yokes broad fore-headed bulls to trample out white barley on the well-levelled floor, and it easily becomes small beneath the feet of the bellowing oxen; so the solid-hoofed horses, driven by magnanimous Achilles, trod down together both corses and shields. And the whole axletree beneath was polluted with gore, and the rings which were round the chariot seat, which the drops from the horses’ hoofs spattered, as well as from the felloes. But the son of Peleus was eager to bear away glory, and was polluted with gore as to his invincible hands.
BOOK THE TWENTY-FIRST.
ARGUMENT.
Having divided the Trojan army, Achilles drives one part towards the city, and the other into the Xanthus, where he takes twelve youths alive, in order to sacrifice them at the tomb of Patroclus. He then slays Lycaon and Asteropæus, deriding the river-god, Xanthus, as unable to aid his friends. The river endeavours to overwhelm him by the aid of Simoïs, but Vulcan defends him from the danger. Single combats of the gods then follow, but they afterwards retire to Olympus. Apollo then leads Achilles away, assuming the form of Agenor, and the Trojans are thus enabled to regain the city.
But when they at last reached the course of the fairly-flowing river, the eddying Xanthus, which immortal Jove begat; there separating them, he pursued some indeed through the plain towards the city, by the [same] way that the Greeks, on the preceding day, being astounded, had fled, when illustrious Hector raged. By that way were they poured forth terrified; but Juno expanded a dense cloud before them, to check them: but the other half were rolled into the deep-flowing river, with silver eddies. But they fell in with a great noise; and the deep streams resounded, and the banks around murmured; but they, with clamour, swam here and there, whirled about in the eddies. 668 As when locusts, driven by the force of fire, fly into the air, to escape to a river, but the indefatigable fire, suddenly kindled, blazes, and they fall, through terror into the water: thus, by Achilles, was the resounding river of deep-eddied Xanthus filled promiscuously with horses and men. But the Jove-sprung [hero] left his spear upon the banks, leaning against a tamarisk; and he leaped in, like unto a god, having only his sword, and meditated destructive deeds in his mind. And he smote on all sides, and a shocking lamentation arose of those who were stricken by the sword, and the water was reddened with blood. And, as when the other fish, flying from a mighty dolphin, fill the inmost recesses of a safe-anchoring harbour, frightened; for he totally devours whatever he can catch; so the Trojans hid themselves in caves along the streams of the terrible river. But he, when he was wearied as to his hands, slaying, chose twelve youths alive out of the river, a penalty for dead Patroclus, the son of Menœtius. These he led out [of the river], stupified, like fawns. And he bound their hands behind them 669 with well-cut straps, which they themselves bore upon their twisted tunics; and gave them to his companions to conduct to the hollow ships. But he rushed on again, desiring to slay.
Footnote 668: (return) Virg. Æn. i. 118: “Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto.” With the following description may be compared Æsch. Ag. 670: Ὁρῶμεν ἀνθοῦν πέλαγος Αἰγαῖον νεκρῶν ἀνδρῶν Ἀχαίων ναυτικῶν τ’ ἐρειπίων. Aristid. Panath. p. 142: Ὡς δὲ ἑώρα τὴν θάλατταν αἵματι καὶ ῥοθίῳ ῥέουσαν, καὶ πάντα νέκρων καὶ ναυαγίων μεστά.
Footnote 669: (return) As was customary with captives. Cf. Virg. Æn. ii. 57, and Moll. on Longus, ii. 9.
Then did he encounter the son of Dardanian Priam, Lycaon, escaping from the river, whom he himself had formerly led away, taking him unwilling from his father’s farm, having come upon him by night: but he, with the sharp brass, was trimming a wild fig-tree of its tender branches, that they might become the cinctures of a chariot. But upon him came noble Achilles, an unexpected evil; and then, conveying him in his ships, he sold him into well-inhabited Lemnos; but the son of Jason gave his price. 670 And from thence his guest, Imbrian Eëtion, ransomed him, and gave him many things, and sent him to noble Arisbe; whence, secretly escaping, he reached his father’s house. Returning from Lemnos, for eleven days he was delighted in his soul, with his friends; but on the twelfth the deity again placed him in the hands of Achilles, who was about to send him into the [habitation] of Hades, although not willing to go. But when swift-footed, noble Achilles perceived him naked, without helmet and shield, neither had he a spear, for all these, indeed, he had thrown to the ground, for the sweat overcame him, flying from the river, and fatigue subdued his limbs beneath; but [Achilles] indignant, thus addressed his own great-hearted soul:
Footnote 670: (return) _I.e._ purchase him as a slave.
“Ο gods! surely I perceive this, a great marvel, with mine eyes. Doubtless the magnanimous Trojans whom I have slain will rise again from the murky darkness, as now this man has returned, escaping the merciless day, having been sold in sacred Lemnos; nor has the depth of the sea restrained him, which restrains many against their will. But come now, he shall taste the point of my spear, that I may know in my mind, and learn, whether he will in like manner return thence, or whether the fruitful earth will detain him, which detains even the mighty.”
Thus he pondered, remaining still; but near him came Lycaon, in consternation, anxious to touch his knees; for he very much wished in his mind to escape evil death and black fate. Meanwhile noble Achilles raised his long spear, desiring to wound him; but he ran in under it, and, stooping, seized his knees, but the spear stuck fixed in the earth over his back, eager to be satiated with human flesh. But he, having grasped his knees with one hand, supplicated him, and with the other held the sharp spear, nor did he let it go; and, supplicating, addressed to him winged words:
“O Achilles, embracing thy knees, I supplicate thee; but do thou respect and pity me. I am to thee in place of a suppliant, to be revered, O Jove-nurtured one! For with thee I first tasted the fruit of Ceres on that day when thou tookest me in the well-cultivated field, and didst sell 671 me, leading me away from my father and friends, to sacred Lemnos; and I brought thee the price of a hundred oxen. But now will I redeem myself, giving thrice as many. This is already the twelfth morning to me since I came to Troy, having suffered much, and now again pernicious fate has placed me in thy hands. Certainly I must be hated by father Jove, who has again given me to thee. For my mother Laothoë, the daughter of aged Altes, brought forth short-lived me, of Altes, who rules over the warlike Lelegans, possessing lofty Padasus, near the Satnio: and Priam possessed his daughter, as well as many others; but from her we two were born, but thou wilt slay both. Him, godlike Polydorus, thou hast subdued already among the foremost infantry, when thou smotest him with the sharp spear, and now will evil be to me here; for I do not think that I shall escape thy hands, since a deity has brought me near thee. Yet another thing will I tell thee, and do thou store it in thy mind. Do not slay me, for I am not of the same womb with Hector, who killed thy companion, both gentle and brave.” Thus then, indeed, the noble son of Priam addressed him, supplicating with words; but he heard a stern reply.
Footnote 671: (return) Hesych. έρασας είςτο πέρας τῆς θαλάσσης διαπέρασας, έπώλησας. See Schol. on ver. 40.
“Fool, talk not to me of ransom, nor, indeed, mention it. Before Patroclus fulfilled the fatal day, so long to me was it more agreeable in my mind to spare the Trojans, and many I took alive and sold. But now there is not [one] of all the Trojans, whom the deity shall put into my hands before Ilium, who shall escape death; but above all of the sons of Priam. But die thou also, my friend; why weepest thou thus? Patroclus likewise died, who was much better than thou. Seest thou not how great I am? both fair and great; and I am from a noble sire, and a goddess mother bore me; but Death and violent Fate will come upon thee and me, whether [it be] morning, evening, or mid-day; 672 whenever any one shall take away my life with a weapon, either wounding me with a spear, or with an arrow from the string.”
Footnote 672: (return) See Kennedy.
Thus he spoke; but his knees and dear heart were relaxed. He let go the spear, indeed, and sat down, stretching out both hands. But Achilles, drawing his sharp sword, smote [him] at the clavicle, near the neck. The two-edged sword penetrated totally, and he, prone upon the ground, lay stretched out, but the black blood flowed out, and moistened the earth. Then Achilles, seizing him by the foot, threw him into the river, to be carried along, and, boasting, spoke winged words:
“Lie there now with the fishes, 673 which, without concern, will lap the blood of thy wound; nor shall thy mother 674 weep, placing thee upon the funeral couch, but the eddying Scamander shall bear thee into the wide bosom of the ocean. Some fish, bounding through the wave, will escape to the dark ripple, 675 in order that he may devour the white fat of Lycaon. Perish [ye Trojans], till we attain to the city of sacred Ilium, you flying, and I slaughtering in the rear: nor shall the wide-flowing, silver-eddying river, profit you, to which ye have already sacrificed many bulls, and cast solid-hoofed steeds alive into its eddies. But even thus shall ye die an evil death, until ye all atone for the death of Patroclus, and the slaughter of the Greeks, whom ye have killed at the swift ships, I being absent.”
Footnote 673: (return) Cf. Virg. Æn. x. 555, sqq.; Longus, ii. 20: Άλλὰ βορὰν [ύμᾶς] ίχθύων θήσω καταδύσας.
Footnote 674: (return) Cf. Soph. Electr. 1138, sqq. with my note.
Footnote 675: (return) _I.e._ the surface.
Thus he spoke; but the River was the more enraged at heart, and revolved in his mind how he might make noble Achilles cease from labour, and avert destruction from the Trojans. But meanwhile the son of Peleus, holding his long-shadowed spear, leaped upon Asteropæus, son of Pelegon, desirous to kill him whom the wide-flowing Axius begat, and Peribœa, eldest of the daughters of Accessamenus; for with her had the deep-eddying river been mingled. Against him Achilles rushed; but he, [emerging] from the river, stood opposite, holding two spears; for Xanthus had placed courage in his mind, because he was enraged on account of the youths slain in battle, whom Achilles had slain in the stream, nor pitied them. But when they were now near, advancing towards each other, him first swift-footed, noble Achilles addressed:
“Who, and whence art thou of men, thou who darest to come against me? Truly they are the sons of unhappy men who encounter my might.” Him again the illustrious son of Pelegon addressed: “O magnanimous son of Peleus, why dost thou ask my race? I am from fruitful Pæonia, being far off, leading the long-speared Pæonian heroes; and this is now the eleventh morning to me since I came to Troy. But my descent is from the wide-flowing Axius, who pours the fairest flood upon the earth, he who begat Pelegon, renowned for the spear; who, men say, begat me. But now, O illustrious Achilles, let us fight.”
Thus he spake, threatening: but noble Achilles raised the Pelian ash; but the hero Asteropæus [took aim] with both spears at the same time, 676 for he was ambidexter. 677 With the one spear he struck the shield, nor did it pierce the shield completely through; for the gold restrained it, the gift of a god; and the other slightly wounded him upon the elbow of the right arm; and the black blood gushed out: but the [spear passing] over him, was fixed in the earth, longing to satiate itself with his body. But second Achilles hurled his straight-flying ashen spear at Asteropæus, anxiously desiring to slay him. From him indeed he erred, and struck the lofty bank, and drove the ashen spear up to the middle in the bank. Then the son of Peleus, drawing his sharp sword from his thigh, eagerly leaped upon him; but he was not able to pluck out, with his strong hand, the ashen spear of Achilles, from the bank. Thrice, indeed, he shook it, desiring to pluck it out, and thrice he failed in strength. And the fourth time he had determined in his mind, bending, to snap the ashen spear of Æacides; but Achilles first, close at hand, took away his life with the sword; for he smote him upon the belly at the navel, and all his bowels were poured out upon the ground, and darkness veiled him, dying, as to his eyes. Then Achilles, leaping upon his breast, despoiled him of his arms, and boasting, spoke:
Footnote 676: (return) Ἁμαρτῇ is here an adverb.
Footnote 677: (return) Symmachus, Epist. ix. 105: “Pari nitore atque gravitate senatorias actiones et Romanæ rei monumenta limasti, ut plane Homerica appellatione περιδέξιον, id est, æquimanum, te esse pronunciem.”
“Lie so: it is a difficult thing for thee, though descended from a River, to contend with the sons of the most mighty Saturnian [Jove]. Thou saidst thou wert of the race of a wide-flowing River, but I boast myself to be of the race of mighty Jove. The hero ruling over many Myrmidons begat me, Peleus, son of Æacus; but Æacus was from Jove; wherefore Jove is more powerful than Rivers flowing into the sea, and the race of Jove again is more powerful than that of a river. Besides, a very great River is at hand to thee, if it can aught defend thee; but it is not lawful to fight with Jove, the son of Saturn. With him neither does king Acheloüs vie, nor the mighty strength of deep-flowing Oceanus, from which flow all rivers, and every sea, and all fountains, and deep wells; but even he dreads the bolt of the great Jove, and the dreadful thunder, when it bellows from heaven.”
He said, and plucked his brazen spear from the bank. But him he left there, after he had taken away his life, lying in the sand, and the dark water laved him. About him, indeed, the eels and fishes were busied, eating [and] nibbling the fat around his kidneys. But he (Achilles) hastened to go against the Pæonian equestrian warriors, who were already turned to flight beside the eddying river, when they saw the bravest in the violent conflict bravely subdued by the hands and sword of the son of Peleus. Then he slew Thersilochus, Mydon, Astypylus, Mnesus, Thrasius, Ænius, and Ophelestes. And now had swift Achilles slain even more Pæonians, had not the deep-eddying River, enraged, addressed him, likening itself to a man, and uttered a voice from its deep vortex: