Patroclus at length obtains permission from Achilles, and enters the
fight, on condition that he should return after liberating the Greeks
from their immediate peril. He comes opportunely to the assistance of
Ajax, routs the Trojans, and kills Sarpedon, whose body, but without
the armour, is rescued by Hector and Glaucus. Forgetful of his promise
to Achilles, Patroclus pursues the Trojans to their very walls. He is
driven back by Apollo, but slays the charioteer of Hector, Cebriones.
He is suddenly afflicted with stupor by Apollo, and dies by the hand of
Hector, whose death he foretells. Hector pursues Automedon with the
chariot of Achilles towards the ships.
Thus, then, they were fighting for the well-benched ship. But Patroclus
stood beside Achilles, the shepherd of the people, shedding warm 508
tears; as a black-water fountain, which pours its sable tide down from
a lofty rock. But swift-footed noble Achilles, seeing, pitied him, and
addressing him, spoke winged words:
“Why weepest thou, O Patroclus, as an infant girl, who, running along
with her mother, importunes to be taken up, catching her by the robe,
and detains her hastening; and weeping, looks at her [mother] till she
is taken up?—like unto her, O Patroclus, dost thou shed the tender
tear. Dost thou bear any tidings to the Myrmidons, or to me myself? Or
hast thou alone heard any news from Phthia? They say that, indeed,
Menœtius, the son of Actor, still lives, and that Peleus, the son of
Æacus, lives amongst the Myrmidons: for deeply should we lament for
either of them dying. Or dost thou mourn for the Greeks, because they
thus perish at their hollow ships, on account of their injustice? Speak
out, nor conceal it in thy mind, that we both may know.”
Footnote 508: (return) Longus, iv. 7: Δάκρυα ἦν ἐπὶ τούτοις θερμότερα,
which Mollus, referring to Homer, thus explains: “Lacrymæ, quæ ex magno
impetu, et animi affectu quasi calido, neutiquam simulatæ
prosiliebant.”
But deeply sighing, O knight Patroclus, him thou didst address: “O
Achilles, son of Peleus, by far the bravest of the Greeks, be not
indignant; since a grief so heavy does oppress the Greeks: for now all
they, as many as were formerly most valiant, lie in the ships, wounded
or stricken. Brave Diomede, indeed, the son of Tydeus, is wounded, and
spear-renowned Ulysses is stricken, as also Agamemnon; and Eurypylus is
also wounded in the thigh with an arrow. About these, indeed,
physicians skilled in many remedies are employed healing their wounds:
but thou, O Achilles, art inexorable. Never may such anger seize me at
least, as thee, O cruelly brave, dost preserve. What other after-born
man will be defended by thee, if thou will not avert unworthy ruin from
the Greeks? merciless one! Certainly the knight Peleus was not thy
father, nor Thetis thy mother; but the grey 509 Ocean produced thee,
and the lofty rocks; for thy mind is cruel. But if thou wouldst avoid
any oracle in thy mind, and thy venerable mother has told any to thee
from Jove, at least send me quickly, and at the same time give me the
rest of the army of the Myrmidons, if perchance I may become any aid to
the Greeks. Grant me also to be armed on my shoulders with thy armour,
if perchance the Trojans, likening me to thee, may cease from battle,
and the warlike sons of the Greeks, now fatigued, breathe again; and
there be a short respite from war. 510 But we [who are] fresh, can
easily repulse men worn out with battle from our ships and tents
towards the city.”
Footnote 509: (return) Alluding to the colour of the ocean when
ruffled by a storm. With the following passage compare Theocrit. iii.
15, sqq.; Eurip. Bacch. 971, sqq.; Virg. Æn. iv. 365, sqq.; Eψl. viii.
43, sqq., with Macrob. Sat. v. 11.
Footnote 510: (return) Cf. xi. 800, with the note.
Thus he spoke, supplicating, very rash; for, assuredly, he was about to
supplicate for himself evil death and fate. Whom, deeply sighing,
swift-footed Achilles addressed:
“Alas! most noble Patroclus, what hast thou said? I neither regard any
oracle which I have heard, nor has my venerable mother told anything to
me from Jove. But this bitter grief comes upon my heart and soul, when
a man who excels in power, wishes to deprive his equal 511 of his
portion, and to take back his reward because he excels in power.”
Footnote 511: (return) _I.e._ in dignity.
“This to me is a bitter grief, since I have suffered sorrows in my
mind. The maid whom the sons of the Greeks selected as a reward for me,
and [whom] I won by my spear, having sacked a well-fortified city, her
has king Agamemnon, son of Atreus, taken back out of my hands, as from
some dishonoured alien. But we shall allow these things to be among the
things that were; 512 nor is it right, indeed, to be continually
enraged in one’s mind. Certainly I affirmed that I would not put a stop
to my wrath, before that clamour and war should reach my ships. But do
thou put on thy shoulders my famous armour, and lead on the war-loving
Myrmidons to battle; since now a black cloud of Trojans hath strongly
surrounded the ships, and the Greeks are hemmed in by the shore of the
sea, possessing now but a small portion of land. And the whole city of
the Trojans has rushed on, confident, because they behold not the front
of my helmet gleaming near. Certainly, quickly flying, would they have
filled the trenches with their bodies, if king Agamemnon had known
mildness to me: but now they are fighting around the army. For the
spear does not rage in the hands of Diomede, the son of Tydeus, to
avert destruction from the Greeks: nor do I at all hear the voice of
Agamemnon shouting from his odious head; but [the voice] of
man-slaughtering Hector, animating the Trojans, resounds: whilst they
with a shout possess the whole plain, conquering the Greeks in battle.
Yet even thus, Patroclus, do thou fall on them bravely, warding off
destruction from the ships; nor let them consume the vessels with
blazing fire, and cut off thy own return. But obey, as I shall lay the
sum of my advice in thy mind, in order that thou mayest obtain for me
great honour and glory from all the Greeks; and they may send back to
me the beautiful maid, and afford [me] besides rich presents. Having
repulsed the enemy from the ships, return back: and if, indeed, the
loud-thundering husband of Juno permit thee to obtain glory, do not be
desirous of fighting with the warlike Trojans apart from me; for thou
wouldst render me more dishonoured; nor, exulting in the battle and
havoc, lead on as far as Ilium, slaughtering the Trojans, lest some of
the immortal gods come down from Olympus [against thee]; for
far-darting Apollo greatly loves them. But return after thou hast given
safety to the ships, and allow the others to contend through the plain.
For would that, O father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, not one of the
Trojans, as many as there are, may escape death, nor any of the Greeks:
whilst to us two it [may be granted] to avoid destruction, that we
alone might overthrow the sacred bulwarks of Troy.”
Footnote 512: (return) _I.e._ “Let bygones be bygones.”—Dublin Ed.
Thus they indeed discussed these matters with each other. But Ajax no
longer remained firm, 513 for he was pressed hard with weapons; because
the counsel of Jove overpowered him, and the fierce Trojans hurling.
And a dreadful clang did his glittering helmet round his temples emit,
being struck, and he was constantly smitten upon the well-made studs of
his casque. He was fatigued in the left shoulder, by always firmly
holding his moveable shield; nor could they, pressing him all around
with their weapons, drive him [from his place]. Unceasingly afflicted
was he with severe panting, and everywhere from his limbs poured
copious perspiration, nor was he able to respire; for everywhere evil
was heaped upon evil.
Footnote 513: (return) Compare the splendid description in Ennius apud
Macrob. Sat. vi. 3:—
Undique conveniunt, vel imber, tela Tribuno.
Configunt parmam, tinnit hastilibus umbo,
Æratæ sonitant galeæ: sed nec pote quisquam
Undique nitendo corpus discerpere ferro.
Semper abundanteis hastas frangitque, quatitque,
Totum sudor habet corpus, multumque laborat:
Nec respirandi fit copia præpete ferro.
Cf. Virg. Æn. ix. 806, sqq.; Stat. Theb. ii. 668, sqq.
Declare now to me, ye Muses, possessing Olympic habitations, how first
the fire fell upon the ships of the Greeks!
Hector, standing near, struck the ashen spear of Ajax with his great
sword, at the socket of the blade behind, and cut it quite off;
Telamonian Ajax indeed vainly brandished the mutilated spear in his
hand; but the brazen blade rang, falling upon the earth at a distance
from him. Then Ajax knew in his blameless soul, and shuddered at the
deeds of the gods; because the lofty thundering Jove cut off his plans
of war, and willed the victory to the Trojans. Wherefore he retired out
of the reach of the weapons, and they hurled the indefatigable fire at
the swift ships, the inextinguishable flame of which was immediately
diffused around. Thus indeed the flame surrounded the stern; but
Achilles, smiting his thighs, addressed Patroclus:
“Haste, O most noble steed-directing Patroclus (I perceive, indeed, the
fury of the hostile fire at the ships), lest they now take the vessels,
and there be not an opportunity of flying; put on thy armour very
quickly, and I shall assemble the forces.”
Thus he spoke; but Patroclus armed himself in glittering brass. First,
indeed, he put the beautiful greaves around his legs, fitted with
clasps; next he placed the corslet of the swift-footed descendant of
Æacus upon his breast, variegated, and studded with stars; and
suspended from his shoulders his silver-studded sword, brazen, and then
the great and sturdy shield. But upon his gallant head he placed the
well-made helmet, crested with horse-hair; and dreadfully the plume
nodded from above. He took besides two strong spears, which well fitted
his hands; but the spear alone of blameless Æacides, ponderous, large,
and strong, he did not take; which, indeed, no other of the Greeks
could brandish, but Achilles alone knew how to wield it; a Pelian ash
which Chiron had given to his sire, [cut] from the tops of Pelion,
about to be death to heroes. He also commanded Automedon quickly to
yoke the steeds, whom, next to rank-breaking Achilles, he most
honoured, because he was most faithful to him in battle, to stand the
charge. Wherefore Automedon yoked the fleet horses, Xanthus and Balius,
which kept pace with the winds. Them the Harpy Podargé bore to
Zephyrus, the wind, while feeding in the meadows by the stream of
Oceanus. And in the outer harness he fastened illustrious Pedasus, whom
Achilles led away long since, having sacked the city of Eëtion; and
which [steed], though being mortal, accompanied immortal steeds. But
Achilles, going about, armed all the Myrmidons through the tents with
their armour; but they, like carnivorous wolves, in whose hearts is
immense strength, and which, having slain a great horned stag in the
mountains, tearing, devour it; but the jaws of all are red with blood:
and then they rush in a pack, lapping with slender tongues the surface
of the dark water from a black-water fountain, vomiting forth clots of
blood; but the courage in their breasts is dauntless, and their stomach
is distended: so rushed the leaders and chiefs of the Myrmidons round
the brave attendant of swift-footed Æacides, and amongst them stood
warlike Achilles, animating both the steeds and the shield-bearing
warriors.
Fifty were the swift galleys which Achilles, dear to Jove, led to Troy;
and in each were fifty men, companions at the benches. But he had
appointed five leaders, in whom he put trust, to command them; and he
himself, being very powerful, governed. One troop indeed Menesthius,
with flexible corslet, commanded, the son of Sperchius, a
Jove-descended river; whom the daughter of Peleus, fair Polydora, bore
to indefatigable Sperchius, a woman having been embraced by a god;
although, according to report, to Borus, son of Perieres, who openly
espoused her, giving infinite marriage gifts. But warlike Eudorus
commanded another [company], clandestinely begotten, whom Polymela, the
daughter of Phylas, graceful in the dance, bore. Her the powerful
slayer of Argus 514 loved, beholding her with his eyes among the
dancers at a choir of golden-bowed Diana, huntress-maid; and
immediately ascending to an upper chamber, pacific Mercury secretly lay
with her: whence she bore to him a son, Eudorus, swift to run, and also
a warrior. But after that birth-presiding Ilithyia had brought him into
light, and he beheld the splendour of the sun, the mighty strength of
Echecleus, son of Actor, led her to his house when he had given
innumerable marriage-gifts; whilst aged Phylas carefully nurtured and
educated him, tenderly loving him, as if being his own son. The third,
warlike Pisander led, the son of Mæmalus, who, after the companion of
the son of Peleus, surpassed all the Myrmidons in fighting with the
spear. The fourth, the aged knight Phœnix commanded; and Alcimedon, the
illustrious son of Laërceus, the fifth. But when Achilles, marshalling
them well, had placed all with their leaders, he enjoined this strict
command:
“Ye Myrmidons, let none of you be forgetful of the threats with which,
at the swift ships, ye did threaten the Trojans, during all my
indignation, and blamed me, each of you [in this manner]: ‘O cruel son
of Peleus! surely thy mother nurtured thee in wrath: relentless! thou
who at the ships detainest thy companions against their will. Let us at
least return home again in our sea-traversing barks, since pernicious
wrath has thus fallen upon thy mind.’ These things ye frequently said
to me, when assembled; and now the great task of war appears, of which
ye were hitherto desirous. Let each one here, having a valiant heart,
fight against the Trojans.”
Footnote 514: (return) Mercury.
Thus speaking, he aroused the might and spirit of each, and their ranks
were condensed the more when they heard the king. As when a man
constructs the wall of a lofty mansion with closely-joined stones,
guarding against the violence of the winds, so closely were their
helmets and bossed shields linked: then shield pressed upon shield,
helmet upon helmet, and man upon man; and the horse-hair crests upon
the shining cones of [their helmets] nodding, touched each other; so
close stood they to each other. Before all were armed two warriors.
Patroclus and Automedon, having one mind, to fight in the front of the
Myrmidons. But Achilles hastened to go into his tent; and he opened the
lid of a chest, beautiful, variously adorned, which silver-footed
Thetis placed, to be carried in his ship, having filled it well with
garments, and wind-resisting cloaks, and napped tapestry. And in it was
a cup curiously wrought, nor did any other of men drink dark wine from
it, nor did he pour out [from it] libations to any of the gods, except
to father Jove. This then, taking from the coffer, he first purified
with sulphur, and then washed in a crystal rivulet of water; but he
himself washed his hands, and drew off the dark wine. Next, standing in
the middle of the area, he prayed, and offered a libation of wine,
looking up to heaven; nor did he escape the notice of thunder-rejoicing
Jove:
“O king Jove, Dodonean, Pelasgian, dwelling afar off, presiding over
wintry Dodona; but around dwell thy priests, the Selli, with unwashed
feet, and sleeping upon the ground; certainly thou didst formerly hear
my voice when praying: thou hast honoured me, and hast greatly injured
the people of the Greeks; wherefore now also accomplish this additional
request for me; for I myself will remain in the assemblage 515 of
ships, but I am sending forth my companion with the numerous Myrmidons
to battle; along with him, do thou send forth glory, O far-sounding
Jove! embolden his heart within his breast, that even Hector may know
whether my attendant, even when alone, knows how to wage war, or [only]
when these invincible hands rage with him, when I likewise go forth to
the slaughter of Mars. But after he has repelled the contest and the
tumult from the ships, unscathed let him return to me, to the swift
barks, with all his armour and his close-fighting companions.”
Footnote 515: (return) So θεῖον ἀγῶνα, vi. 298. The Scholiast
interprets it ἐν ναυστάθμῳ.
Thus he spoke, praying; and provident Jove heard him. One part indeed
the Sire granted him, but refused the other. He granted that he should
repel the conflict and tumult from the ships, but he refused that he
should return safe from the battle. He, on his part, having made a
libation and prayed to father Jove, again entered his tent, and
replaced the cup in the chest. Then coming out, he stood before the
tent, for he still wished in his mind to behold the grievous conflict
of Trojans and Greeks.
But those that were armed at the same time with magnanimous Patroclus,
marched orderly, till they rushed upon the Trojans, with high hopes.
Immediately they were poured out, like unto wasps dwelling by the
road-side, which silly boys are wont to irritate, incessantly harassing
them, possessing cells by the way-side; and cause a common evil to
many. And if by chance any traveller, passing by, unintentionally
disturb them, then they, possessing a valiant heart, all fly forth, and
fight for their young. The Myrmidons then, having the heart and courage
of these, poured out from the ships, and an inextinguishable tumult
arose. But Patroclus cheered on his companions, loudly shouting:
“Ye Myrmidons, companions of Achilles, the son of Peleus, be men, my
friends, and be mindful of impetuous valour; that we, his
close-fighting servants, may honour the son of Peleus, who is by far
the bravest of the Greeks at the ships; and that the son of Atreus,
wide-ruling Agamemnon, may know his fault, that he nothing honoured the
bravest of the Greeks.”
Thus speaking, he aroused the might and spirits of each: and in dense
array they fell upon the Trojans: but the ships re-echoed dreadfully
around from the Greeks shouting. But the Trojans, when they beheld the
brave son of Menœtius, himself and his attendant glittering in arms,
the mind to all of them was disturbed, and the phalanxes were deranged,
deeming that the swift-footed son of Peleus at the ships had cast away
his wrath, and resumed friendship: then each one gazed about where he
might escape utter destruction.
But Patroclus first took aim with his shining spear from the opposite
side right into the midst, where they were huddled together in greatest
numbers at the stern of the ship of magnanimous Protesilaus, and
wounded Pyræchmes, who led the Pæonian equestrian warriors from Amydon,
from the wide-flowing Axius. Him he smote upon the right shoulder, and
he fell on his back in the dust groaning; but the Pæonians, his
companions, were put to flight around him, for Patroclus caused fear to
them all, having slain their leader, who was very brave to fight. And
he drove them from the ships, and extinguished the blazing fire. But
the ship was left there half-burnt, whilst the Trojans were routed with
a prodigious tumult: and the Greeks were poured forth amongst the
hollow ships; and mighty confusion was created. And as when, from the
lofty summit of a great mountain, 516 lightning-driving Jove dislodges
a dense cloud, and all the eminences and highest ridges and glens
appear, whilst the boundless æther is burst open 517 throughout the
heaven; so the Greeks respired for a little, having repelled the
hostile fire from their vessels. But of battle there was no cessation:
for the Trojans were by no means yet totally routed from the black
ships by the warlike Greeks, but still resisted, and retreated from the
ships from necessity. Then of the generals, man slew man, the fight
being scattered; and first, the brave son of Menœtius forthwith with
his sharp spear smote the thigh of Areïlochus when turned about, and
drove the brass quite through: but the spear broke the bone, and he
fell prone upon the earth. But warlike Menelaus then wounded Thoas in
the breast, exposed near the shield, and relaxed his limbs. But
Phylides, perceiving Amphiclus rushing against him, anticipated him,
taking aim at the extremity of his leg, where the calf of a man is
thickest; the tendons were severed all round 518 by the point of the
spear, and darkness overshadowed his eyes. Then the sons of Nestor, the
one, Antilochus, struck Atymnius with his sharp spear, and drove the
brazen lance through his flank; and he fell before him: but Maris,
standing before the carcase, rushed upon Antilochus hand to hand with
his spear, enraged on account of his brother; but godlike Thrasymedes,
taking aim, anticipated him before he had wounded [Antilochus], nor did
he miss him, [but wounded him] immediately near the shoulder; and the
point of the spear cut off the extremity of the arm from the muscles,
and completely tore away the bone. Falling, he made a crash, and
darkness veiled his eyes. Thus to Erebus went these two, subdued by two
brothers, the brave companions of Sarpedon, the spear-renowned sons of
Amisodarus, who nourished the invincible 519 Chimæra, a destruction to
many men. But Ajax, the son of Oïleus, rushing upon Cleobulus, took him
alive, impeded in the crowd; and there relaxed his strength, striking
him upon the neck with his hilted sword. And the whole sword was warmed
over with blood, and purple 520 death and stern fate possessed his
eyes.