0 The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Iliad of Homer by Homer 1 2 3 4 This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no 5 restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under 6 the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or 7 online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license 8 9 10 11 Title: The Iliad of Homer 1000 And there is a kind of sacredness attached to the memory of the great and 1001 the good, which seems to bid us repulse the scepticism which would 1002 allegorize their existence into a pleasing apologue, and measure the 1003 giants of intellect by an homeopathic dynameter. 1004 1005 Long and habitual reading of Homer appears to familiarize our thoughts 1006 even to his incongruities; or rather, if we read in a right spirit and 1007 with a heartfelt appreciation, we are too much dazzled, too deeply wrapped 1008 in admiration of the whole, to dwell upon the minute spots which mere 1009 analysis can discover. In reading an heroic poem we must transform 1010 ourselves into heroes of the time being, we in imagination must fight over 1011 the same battles, woo the same loves, burn with the same sense of injury, 2000 2001 Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring 2002 Of woes unnumber'd, heavenly goddess, sing! 2003 That wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy reign 2004 The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain; 2005 Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore, 2006 Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore.(41) 2007 Since great Achilles and Atrides strove, 2008 Such was the sovereign doom, and such the will of Jove!(42) 2009 2010 Declare, O Muse! in what ill-fated hour(43) 2011 Sprung the fierce strife, from what offended power 3000 A dream divine appear'd before my sight; 3001 Whose visionary form like Nestor came, 3002 The same in habit, and in mien the same.(80) 3003 The heavenly phantom hover'd o'er my head, 3004 'And, dost thou sleep, O Atreus' son? (he said) 3005 Ill fits a chief who mighty nations guides, 3006 Directs in council, and in war presides; 3007 To whom its safety a whole people owes, 3008 To waste long nights in indolent repose. 3009 Monarch, awake! 'tis Jove's command I bear, 3010 Thou and thy glory claim his heavenly care. 3011 In just array draw forth the embattled train, 4000 To whom his art Apollo deign'd to show, 4001 Graced with the presents of his shafts and bow. 4002 4003 From rich Apaesus and Adrestia's towers, 4004 High Teree's summits, and Pityea's bowers; 4005 From these the congregated troops obey 4006 Young Amphius and Adrastus' equal sway; 4007 Old Merops' sons; whom, skill'd in fates to come, 4008 The sire forewarn'd, and prophesied their doom: 4009 Fate urged them on! the sire forewarn'd in vain, 4010 They rush'd to war, and perish'd on the plain. 4011 5000 'Such are the trophies Greece from Ilion brings, 5001 And such the conquest of her king of kings! 5002 Lo his proud vessels scatter'd o'er the main, 5003 And unrevenged, his mighty brother slain.' 5004 Oh! ere that dire disgrace shall blast my fame, 5005 O'erwhelm me, earth! and hide a monarch's shame." 5006 5007 He said: a leader's and a brother's fears 5008 Possess his soul, which thus the Spartan cheers: 5009 "Let not thy words the warmth of Greece abate; 5010 The feeble dart is guiltless of my fate: 5011 Stiff with the rich embroider'd work around, 6000 Behold the deed of haughty Diomed! 6001 'Twas in the son's defence the mother bled. 6002 The war with Troy no more the Grecians wage; 6003 But with the gods (the immortal gods) engage." 6004 6005 Dione then: "Thy wrongs with patience bear, 6006 And share those griefs inferior powers must share: 6007 Unnumber'd woes mankind from us sustain, 6008 And men with woes afflict the gods again. 6009 The mighty Mars in mortal fetters bound,(149) 6010 And lodged in brazen dungeons underground, 6011 Full thirteen moons imprison'd roar'd in vain; 7000 Confess'd the gods, and god-descended chief; 7001 His daughter gave, the stranger to detain, 7002 With half the honours of his ample reign: 7003 The Lycians grant a chosen space of ground, 7004 With woods, with vineyards, and with harvests crown'd. 7005 There long the chief his happy lot possess'd, 7006 With two brave sons and one fair daughter bless'd; 7007 (Fair e'en in heavenly eyes: her fruitful love 7008 Crown'd with Sarpedon's birth the embrace of Jove;) 7009 But when at last, distracted in his mind, 7010 Forsook by heaven, forsaking humankind, 7011 Wide o'er the Aleian field he chose to stray, 8000 My treasures too, for peace, I will resign; 8001 But be this bright possession ever mine." 8002 8003 'Twas then, the growing discord to compose, 8004 Slow from his seat the reverend Priam rose: 8005 His godlike aspect deep attention drew: 8006 He paused, and these pacific words ensue: 8007 8008 "Ye Trojans, Dardans, and auxiliar bands! 8009 Now take refreshment as the hour demands; 8010 Guard well the walls, relieve the watch of night. 8011 Till the new sun restores the cheerful light. 9000 Words, mix'd with sighs, thus bursting from his breast: 9001 9002 "Ye sons of Greece! partake your leader's care; 9003 Fellows in arms and princes of the war! 9004 Of partial Jove too justly we complain, 9005 And heavenly oracles believed in vain. 9006 A safe return was promised to our toils, 9007 With conquest honour'd and enrich'd with spoils: 9008 Now shameful flight alone can save the host; 9009 Our wealth, our people, and our glory lost. 9010 So Jove decrees, almighty lord of all! 9011 Jove, at whose nod whole empires rise or fall, 10000 "O son of Neleus, (thus the king rejoin'd,) 10001 Pride of the Greeks, and glory of thy kind! 10002 Lo, here the wretched Agamemnon stands, 10003 The unhappy general of the Grecian bands, 10004 Whom Jove decrees with daily cares to bend, 10005 And woes, that only with his life shall end! 10006 Scarce can my knees these trembling limbs sustain, 10007 And scarce my heart support its load of pain. 10008 No taste of sleep these heavy eyes have known, 10009 Confused, and sad, I wander thus alone, 10010 With fears distracted, with no fix'd design; 10011 And all my people's miseries are mine. 11000 The point rebated, and repell'd the wound. 11001 Encumber'd with the dart, Atrides stands, 11002 Till, grasp'd with force, he wrench'd it from his hands; 11003 At once his weighty sword discharged a wound 11004 Full on his neck, that fell'd him to the ground. 11005 Stretch'd in the dust the unhappy warrior lies, 11006 And sleep eternal seals his swimming eyes. 11007 Oh worthy better fate! oh early slain! 11008 Thy country's friend; and virtuous, though in vain! 11009 No more the youth shall join his consort's side, 11010 At once a virgin, and at once a bride! 11011 No more with presents her embraces meet, 12000 He stung the bird, whose throat received the wound: 12001 Mad with the smart, he drops the fatal prey, 12002 In airy circles wings his painful way, 12003 Floats on the winds, and rends the heaven with cries: 12004 Amidst the host the fallen serpent lies. 12005 They, pale with terror, mark its spires unroll'd, 12006 And Jove's portent with beating hearts behold. 12007 Then first Polydamas the silence broke, 12008 Long weigh'd the signal, and to Hector spoke: 12009 12010 "How oft, my brother, thy reproach I bear, 12011 For words well meant, and sentiments sincere? 13000 To call some hero to partake the deed, 13001 Forthwith Ćneas rises to his thought: 13002 For him in Troy's remotest lines he sought, 13003 Where he, incensed at partial Priam, stands, 13004 And sees superior posts in meaner hands. 13005 To him, ambitious of so great an aid, 13006 The bold Deiphobus approach'd, and said: 13007 13008 "Now, Trojan prince, employ thy pious arms, 13009 If e'er thy bosom felt fair honour's charms. 13010 Alcathous dies, thy brother and thy friend; 13011 Come, and the warrior's loved remains defend. 14000 The golden vision round his sacred head; 14001 For Juno's love, and Somnus' pleasing ties, 14002 Have closed those awful and eternal eyes." 14003 Thus having said, the power of slumber flew, 14004 On human lids to drop the balmy dew. 14005 Neptune, with zeal increased, renews his care, 14006 And towering in the foremost ranks of war, 14007 Indignant thus--"Oh once of martial fame! 14008 O Greeks! if yet ye can deserve the name! 14009 This half-recover'd day shall Troy obtain? 14010 Shall Hector thunder at your ships again? 14011 Lo! still he vaunts, and threats the fleet with fires, 15000 Bold as he was, Antilochus withdrew. 15001 So when a savage, ranging o'er the plain, 15002 Has torn the shepherd's dog, or shepherd's swain, 15003 While conscious of the deed, he glares around, 15004 And hears the gathering multitude resound, 15005 Timely he flies the yet-untasted food, 15006 And gains the friendly shelter of the wood: 15007 So fears the youth; all Troy with shouts pursue, 15008 While stones and darts in mingled tempest flew; 15009 But enter'd in the Grecian ranks, he turns 15010 His manly breast, and with new fury burns. 15011 16000 Or weigh the great occasion, and be more. 16001 The chief who taught our lofty walls to yield, 16002 Lies pale in death, extended on the field. 16003 To guard his body Troy in numbers flies; 16004 Tis half the glory to maintain our prize. 16005 Haste, strip his arms, the slaughter round him spread, 16006 And send the living Lycians to the dead." 16007 16008 The heroes kindle at his fierce command; 16009 The martial squadrons close on either hand: 16010 Here Troy and Lycia charge with loud alarms, 16011 Thessalia there, and Greece, oppose their arms. 17000 Automedon your rapid flight shall bear 17001 Safe to the navy through the storm of war. 17002 For yet 'tis given to Troy to ravage o'er 17003 The field, and spread her slaughters to the shore; 17004 The sun shall see her conquer, till his fall 17005 With sacred darkness shades the face of all." 17006 17007 He said; and breathing in the immortal horse 17008 Excessive spirit, urged them to the course; 17009 From their high manes they shake the dust, and bear 17010 The kindling chariot through the parted war: 17011 So flies a vulture through the clamorous train 18000 Resounding breathed: at once the blast expires, 18001 And twenty forges catch at once the fires; 18002 Just as the god directs, now loud, now low, 18003 They raise a tempest, or they gently blow; 18004 In hissing flames huge silver bars are roll'd, 18005 And stubborn brass, and tin, and solid gold; 18006 Before, deep fix'd, the eternal anvils stand; 18007 The ponderous hammer loads his better hand, 18008 His left with tongs turns the vex'd metal round, 18009 And thick, strong strokes, the doubling vaults rebound. 18010 18011 Then first he form'd the immense and solid shield; 19000 Once (as I think) you saw this brandish'd spear 19001 And then the great Ćneas seem'd to fear: 19002 With hearty haste from Ida's mount he fled, 19003 Nor, till he reach'd Lyrnessus, turn'd his head. 19004 Her lofty walls not long our progress stay'd; 19005 Those, Pallas, Jove, and we, in ruins laid: 19006 In Grecian chains her captive race were cast; 19007 'Tis true, the great Aeneas fled too fast. 19008 Defrauded of my conquest once before, 19009 What then I lost, the gods this day restore. 19010 Go; while thou may'st, avoid the threaten'd fate; 19011 Fools stay to feel it, and are wise too late." 20000 The quiver'd huntress of the sylvan shades: 20001 20002 "And is it thus the youthful Phoebus flies, 20003 And yields to ocean's hoary sire the prize? 20004 How vain that martial pomp, and dreadful show 20005 Of pointed arrows and the silver bow! 20006 Now boast no more in yon celestial bower, 20007 Thy force can match the great earth-shaking power." 20008 20009 Silent he heard the queen of woods upbraid: 20010 Not so Saturnia bore the vaunting maid: 20011 But furious thus: "What insolence has driven 21000 Hear, and rejoice on Pluto's dreary coast; 21001 Behold! Achilles' promise is complete; 21002 The bloody Hector stretch'd before thy feet. 21003 Lo! to the dogs his carcase I resign; 21004 And twelve sad victims, of the Trojan line, 21005 Sacred to vengeance, instant shall expire; 21006 Their lives effused around thy funeral pyre." 21007 21008 Gloomy he said, and (horrible to view) 21009 Before the bier the bleeding Hector threw, 21010 Prone on the dust. The Myrmidons around 21011 Unbraced their armour, and the steeds unbound. 22000 But thrice they closed, and thrice the charge renew'd. 22001 A furious pass the spear of Ajax made 22002 Through the broad shield, but at the corslet stay'd. 22003 Not thus the foe: his javelin aim'd above 22004 The buckler's margin, at the neck he drove. 22005 But Greece, now trembling for her hero's life, 22006 Bade share the honours, and surcease the strife. 22007 Yet still the victor's due Tydides gains, 22008 With him the sword and studded belt remains. 22009 22010 Then hurl'd the hero, thundering on the ground, 22011 A mass of iron (an enormous round), 23000 And, hasty, snatches from the rising blaze. 23001 With bread the glittering canisters they load, 23002 Which round the board Automedon bestow'd. 23003 The chief himself to each his portion placed, 23004 And each indulging shared in sweet repast. 23005 When now the rage of hunger was repress'd, 23006 The wondering hero eyes his royal guest: 23007 No less the royal guest the hero eyes, 23008 His godlike aspect and majestic size; 23009 Here, youthful grace and noble fire engage; 23010 And there, the mild benevolence of age. 23011 Thus gazing long, the silence neither broke, 24000 considered especially acceptable to Jupiter. A black bull, a ram, or 24001 a boar pig, were offerings for Neptune. A heifer, or a sheep, for 24002 Minerva. To Ceres a sow was sacrificed, as an enemy to corn. The 24003 goat to Bacchus, because he fed on vines. Diana was propitiated with 24004 a stag; and to Venus the dove was consecrated. The infernal and evil 24005 deities were to be appeased with black victims. The most acceptable 24006 of all sacrifices was the heifer of a year old, which had never 24007 borne the yoke. It was to be perfect in every limb, healthy, and 24008 without blemish."--"Elgin Marbles," vol. i. p. 78. 24009 24010 93 --_Idomeneus,_ son of Deucalion, was king of Crete. Having vowed, 24011 during a tempest, on his return from Troy, to sacrifice to Neptune 25000 25001 231 This book forms a most agreeable interruption to The continuous 25002 round of battles, which occupy the latter part of the Iliad. It is 25003 as well to observe, that the sameness of these scenes renders many 25004 notes unnecessary. 25005 25006 232 --_Who to Tydeus owes, i.e._ Diomed. 25007 25008 233 Compare Tasso:-- 25009 25010 Teneri sdegni, e placide, e tranquille 25011 Repulse, e cari vezzi, e liete paci, 26000 to give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in 26001 lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may demand a 26002 refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the problem. 26003 26004 26005 1.F.4. 26006 26007 26008 Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth in 26009 paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS,' WITH NO OTHER 26010 WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO 26011 WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.