The Iliad

Thus they throughout the city made their moan; But when the Greeks had come where lay their ships By the broad Hellespont, their sev’ral ways They each pursu’d, dispersing; yet...

The games were ended, and the multitude Amid the ships their sev’ral ways dispers’d: Some to their supper, some to gentle sleep Yielding, delighted; but Achilles still Mourn’d o...

Such strength, and courage then to Diomed, The son of Tydeus, Pallas gave, as rais’d, ’Mid all the Greeks, the glory of his name. Forth from his helm and shield a fiery light Th...

Thus round the well-mann’d ship they wag’d the war: Meanwhile by Peleus’ son Patroclus stood, Weeping hot tears; as some dark-water’d fount Pours o’er a craggy rock its gloomy s...

All night in sleep repos’d the other Gods, And helmed warriors; but the eyes of Jove Sweet slumber held not, pondering in his mind How to avenge Achilles’ cause, and pour Destru...

Now rose Aurora from Tithonus’ bed, To mortals and Immortals bringing light; When to the ships of Greece came Discord down, Despatch’d from Jove, with dire portents of war. Upon...

When Jove had Hector and the Trojans brought Close to the ships, he left them there to toil And strife continuous; turning his keen glance To view far off th’ equestrian tribes...

Now when the Trojans had recross’d the trench And palisades, and in their headlong flight Many had fall’n by Grecian swords, the rest, Routed, and pale with fear, made head awhi...

Nor was Patroclus’ fall, by Trojans slain, Of warlike Menelaus unobserv’d; Forward he sprang, in dazzling arms array’d, And round him mov’d, as round her new-dropp’d calf Her fi...

Thus kept their watch, the Trojans; but the Greeks Dire Panic held, companion of chill Fear, Their bravest struck with grief unbearable. As when two stormy winds ruffle the sea,...

Of Peleus’ son, Achilles, sing, O Muse, The vengeance, deep and deadly; whence to Greece Unnumbered ills arose; which many a soul Of mighty warriors to the viewless shades Untim...

But when they came to eddying Xanthus’ ford, Fair-flowing stream, born of immortal Jove, Achilles cut in twain the flying host; Part driving tow’rd the city, o’er the plain, Whe...

Thus, furious as the rage of fire, they fought. Meantime Antilochus to Peleus’ son, Swift-footed messenger, his tidings bore. Him by the high-beak’d ships he found, his mind Th’...

In night-long slumbers lay the other chiefs Of all the Greeks, by gentle sleep subdued; But not on Agamemnon, Atreus’ son, By various cares oppress’d, sweet slumber fell. As whe...

Now morn, in saffron robe, the earth o’erspread; And Jove, the lightning’s Lord, of all the Gods A council held upon the highest peak Of many-ridg’d Olympus; he himself Address’...

Thus they from panic flight, like timorous fawns. Within the walls escaping, dried their sweat, And drank, and quench’d their thirst, reclining safe On the fair battlements; but...

The Gods had left the field, and o’er the plain Hither and thither surg’d the tide of war, As couch’d th’ opposing chiefs their brass-tipp’d spears, Midway ’twixt Simois’ and Sc...

On golden pavement, round the board of Jove, The Gods were gather’d; Hebe in the midst Pour’d the sweet nectar; they, in golden cups, Each other pledg’d, as down they look’d on...

“Say, good Machaon, what these sounds may mean; For louder swells the tumult round the ships. But sit thou here, and drink the ruddy wine, Till fair-hair’d Hecamede shall prepar...

Round thee, Achilles, eager for the fray, Stood thus accoutred, by their beaked ships, The sons of Greece; the Trojan host, oppos’d, Stood on the sloping margin of the plain. Th...

Thus as he spoke, from out the city gates The noble Hector pass’d, and by his side His brother Paris; in the breast of both Burnt the fierce ardour of the battle-field. As when...

WHEN by their sev’ral chiefs the troops were rang’d, With noise and clamour, as a flight of birds, The men of Troy advanc’d; as when the cranes, Flying the wintry storms, send f...

Thus o’er the wounded chief Eurypylus Watch’d in his tent Menoetius’ noble son; But hand to hand the Greeks and Trojans fought; Nor longer might the ditch th’ assault repel, Nor...

Now morn in saffron robe, from th’ ocean stream Ascending, light diffus’d o’er Gods and men; As Thetis, to the ships returning, bore The gift of Vulcan; there her son she found,...

In the spring of 1862 I was induced, at the request of some personal friends, to print, for private circulation only, a small volume of “Translations of Poems Ancient and Modern...