The Iliad (Penguin Classics) Read online

  Godlike Sarpedon was carried from the fight by his men. The great spear dragged along and weighed him down: in their haste, no one had noticed it or thought of pulling it out of his thigh so that he could use his legs. They had enough to do just to see him safe.

  Odysseus kills seven Lycians

  On the other side, the Greek men-at-arms carried off Tlepolemus (670). Godlike enduring Odysseus noticed and was furious. The thoughts raced through his mind whether to start in pursuit of Sarpedon son of loud-thundering Zeus or do further execution on the Lycians. But destiny did not intend the mighty son of Zeus to fall to Odysseus’ bronze spear, and so Athene turned his fury on the Lycian ranks. Then and there he killed Coeranus, Alastor and Chromius, Alcander and Halius, Noemon and Prytanis. Indeed, Odysseus would (680) have gone on to kill even more of the Lycians, but for the sharp eye of great Hector of the flashing helmet. His bronze armour glittering, he advanced through the front ranks, striking terror into the Greeks. Sarpedon son of Zeus was delighted he had come and appealed to him:

  ‘Hector son of Priam, rescue me and don’t leave me lying here at the mercy of the Greeks. Then may I die in your town. It is clear I wasn’t meant to return home to the land of my fathers after all and bring happiness to my dear wife and little son.’

  Sarpedon is rescued

  So he spoke, but Hector of the flashing helmet made no reply (690) and raced past him. He made it his first priority to thrust the Greeks back and kill as many of them as he could. But godlike Sarpedon was removed by his men and laid under a lovely oak-tree, sacred to Zeus who drives the storm-cloud. There his close companion, mighty Pelagon, extracted the ash spear from his thigh. A mist descended over Sarpedon’s eyes and he fainted. But presently he came to. The north wind played about him and, drained though he was, revived him.

  Hector and ARES kill six Greeks

  But the Greeks, faced by the War-god Ares and Hector in his (700) bronze armour, did not run in panic to their black ships nor counter-attack, but fell back steadily as they became aware of Ares’ presence on the Trojan side. And who were the first and last of them to fall there to Hector son of Priam and to bronze-armed Ares? Godlike Teuthras was the first; then Orestes tamer of horses; Trechus, an Aetolian spearman; Oenomaus; Oenops’ son Helenus; and Oresbius with his glittering belt, who lived in Hyle on the shores of Lake Copais where he looked after his rich estate, (710) with other Boeotians for neighbours in the fertile countryside.

  When the goddess white-armed Hera saw the Greeks being slaughtered in the heat of the battle, she immediately spoke to Athene with winged words:

  ‘Child of Zeus who drives the storm-cloud, Atrytone, this is disastrous. If we let deadly Ares run wild like this, what of the promise we made to Menelaus when we told him he would sack Ilium with its fine walls before he returned home? Come: time for the two of us to summon up that fighting spirit of ours!’

  HERA and ATHENE help the Greeks

  So she spoke, and the goddess grey-eyed Athene complied. (720) Hera, ancient goddess, daughter of great Cronus, went off to get ready her horses with their golden headbands. The goddess Hebe quickly fixed the chariot’s two bronze wheels, each with eight spokes, on the ends of the iron axle. The inner rims of these wheels are made of imperishable gold, while bronze tyres are fitted to the outside – wonderful to see – and the hubs that rotate on each axle are made of silver. The bodywork was constructed of plaited gold and silver straps, with a double railing round it. A (730) silver shaft ran out from the front. To the end of this shaft Hebe tied the beautiful golden yoke and attached the fine gold straps. Eager for the sound and fury of battle, Hera led her swift horses under the yoke.

  On her father’s threshold Athene, daughter of Zeus who drives the storm-cloud, took off the soft embroidered robe she had made and worked with her own hands, replaced it with a tunic and over that put on the armour of Zeus who marshals the clouds, in preparation for war’s work with all its tears. Then she threw round her shoulders the terrifying fringed aegis. It (740) was encircled with Fear, Strife, Force, chilling Pursuit and the Gorgon’s head, a ghastly monster, the awe-inspiring, potent emblem of Zeus. On her head she put her double-ridged golden helmet with its four plates, adorned with fighting men of a hundred towns. Then she stepped into the fiery chariot and took up the long, thick, heavy spear with which she breaks the ranks of warriors when she, the almighty Father’s child, is roused to anger.

  Hera immediately leaned forward to whip on her horses, and of their own accord the gates of Olympus thundered open for them. These are kept by the Seasons, the wardens of the broad (750) sky and Olympus, whose task it is to roll the gates of heavy cloud away from the entrance or roll them back. Through these gates the goddesses directed their horses, spurring them on with the whip.

  They found Zeus sitting apart from the other gods on the highest of Olympus’ many peaks. The goddess white-armed Hera brought her pair to a halt and questioned high Zeus son of Cronus:

  ATHENE to attack ARES

  ‘Father Zeus, aren’t you angry at Ares’ savagery and the sight of all these fine Greek warriors he has slaughtered without rhyme or reason? I cannot bear (760) to watch. But your Cyprian daughter Aphrodite and Apollo lord of the silver bow are sitting back and enjoying every minute of it, unleashing this madman who knows neither right nor wrong. Father Zeus, will you be angry with me if I give him a severe beating and chase him from the battlefield?’

  Zeus who marshals the clouds replied and said:

  ‘Not at all. Get to work, and set the war-leader Athene on him. She’s well used to teaching Ares a few painful and humiliating lessons.’

  So he spoke, and the goddess white-armed Hera complied. She lashed the horses with the whip, and the willing pair flew off between the earth and starry sky. These proud, snorting (770) horses of the gods cover in one stride the distance a man can see when he looks out from a watchtower over the wine-dark sea into the hazy beyond. But when they reached Troy and the place where the two flowing Rivers Simoïs and Scamander meet, there the goddess white-armed Hera stopped her horses and released them from the yoke. She hid them in a mist, and Simoïs made ambrosia spring up for them to eat. Then the two goddesses set out on foot, strutting like pigeons, eager to bring help to the Greek army.

  (780) They made for the part of the battlefield where the best of the Greeks had rallied in numbers round great horse-taming Diomedes and were standing at bay like flesh-eating lions or wild boars who are not easily worn down. There the goddess white-armed Hera stopped and shouted, imitating the brazen voice of great-hearted Stentor, who could shout like fifty:

  ‘Shame on you, Greeks! Contemptible creatures, admired only for your looks! In the days when godlike Achilles came out and fought, the Trojans never showed themselves in front (790) of the Dardanian gate: they were too afraid of his massive spear. But now the Trojans are fighting far from their town and by your very ships!’

  With these words she put fresh heart and courage into every man. Meanwhile the goddess grey-eyed Athene made straight for Diomedes son of Tydeus. She found him with his chariot and horses, airing the wound that Pandarus had given him with his arrow. Under the broad shoulder-strap of his round shield the sweat was irritating it. Troubled by this and with his arm aching, he had lifted up the strap and was wiping the dark blood away. The goddess laid her hand on his horses’ yoke and said:

  ATHENE abuses Diomedes (5.99, 131)

  (800) ‘Tydeus had a son, but how unlike himself! Tydeus was a little man, but what a fighter! He even fought when I had forbidden him to do anything like dashing off into battle, the time he was sent alone to Thebes on a mission to a crowd of Thebans. I told him to enjoy his feast quietly in the palace. So, like the tremendous-hearted man he always was, he went and challenged the young Thebans to athletic contests and won all the events easily – he had me to help him! And here am I now. I stand (810) beside you; I shield you from harm; and I tell you to fight the Trojans with my blessing – and you are either exhausted by yo
ur efforts and unable to stir a limb, or paralysed with fear. You are no son of Tydeus or grandson of warlike Oeneus.’

  Mighty Diomedes replied to her and said:

  ‘I know who you are, goddess, daughter of Zeus who drives the storm-cloud, and I will speak to you openly, hiding nothing. I’m not paralysed with fear or indecision. All I am doing is to keep in mind the instructions you yourself gave me. You told (820) me not to fight against the blessed gods except for Aphrodite daughter of Zeus. If she came into the fight, you said I could stab her with my bronze spear. But it’s Ares who is carrying all before him. When I saw that, I fell back and told the rest of the Greeks to rally round me.’

  The goddess grey-eyed Athene replied:

  ‘Diomedes son of Tydeus, my pride and joy, don’t be afraid of Ares or any other god. You have me to help you! Quick now (830) – drive your horses straight at him. Let him have it at short range. Don’t be intimidated by wild Ares, that mad, double-dealing delinquent. Earlier on he gave Hera and myself his word to fight against the Trojans and help the Greeks – and now he has forgotten all he said and is fighting on the Trojan side.’

  With these words she reached out and dragged Diomedes’ charioteer Sthenelus out of the back of the chariot. He quickly leapt down, and the eager goddess took his place in the chariot beside godlike Diomedes. The oak axle groaned aloud at the weight it had to carry, a formidable goddess and a mighty (840) warrior. Pallas Athene seized the reins and whip and drove the horses straight off in the direction of Ares. At that moment he was removing the armour from awe-inspiring Periphas, the best man in the Aetolian force. Spattered with blood he was busy stripping his victim. To conceal her approach from this imperious deity, Athene put a cap of invisibility on her head.

  ARES wounded

  Directly the butcher Ares saw godlike Diomedes, he left awe-inspiring Periphas to lie where he had killed him and made straight for horse-taming Diomedes (850). When the two had come within range of each other, Ares lunged at Diomedes with his bronze spear over the yoke and reins of Diomedes’ chariot, determined to kill him. But the goddess grey-eyed Athene, catching the shaft in her hand, thrust it up above the chariot where it hit thin air. Diomedes, master of the battle-cry, then attacked him with his bronze spear and Pallas Athene drove it home into the lower part of Ares’ belly where he wore a protective kilt round his middle. There Diomedes stabbed him, tearing through his fair flesh. Diomedes (860) immediately drew out his spear, and bronze-clad Ares let out a yell as loud as the war-cry of nine or ten thousand men clashing on the field of battle. Terror gripped the Greeks and Trojans, such was the scream from the insatiable War-god.

  Bronze-clad Ares rose in a cloud into the broad skies, looking to Diomedes like the column of black air that issues from the clouds when a tornado springs up in the boiling heat. He rapidly reached the gods’ home on steep Olympus and sat down by (870) Zeus, feeling very sorry for himself. He showed Zeus the immortal blood pouring from his wound and mournfully spoke winged words:

  ZEUS heals ARES

  ‘Father Zeus, aren’t you angry at the sight of this savagery? We gods have to put up with the most frightful indignities from each other whenever we do mankind a favour – and it’s all your fault. We are all at loggerheads with you because of that brainless daughter of yours, damned Athene, who creates chaos wherever she can. The rest of us gods on Olympus bow to your will and are subject to you. But when it comes to her, you don’t say or do a thing to check (880) her: you let her have her head, because she is the child you bore yourself, a killer for a daughter.

  ‘Now she has encouraged insolent Diomedes to run wild among the immortal gods. He began by charging Aphrodite and stabbing her in the wrist; and then he flung himself like something superhuman at me. I am quick enough on my feet to have escaped. Otherwise, I would have had a long and painful time there among the grisly piles of dead on the battlefield, or come away crippled for life by his blows.’

  Zeus who marshals the clouds gave Ares a black look and replied:

  ‘You shifty hypocrite, don’t come whining to me. I hate you (890) more than any other god on Olympus. Rivalry, war, fighting -these are the breath of life to you. Your mother Hera too has the same headstrong and ungovernable temper. I have always found it hard to control her by word of mouth alone. I suspect it was she that started this business and got you into trouble.

  ‘However, I don’t intend to let you suffer any longer, since you are my own flesh and blood and your mother is my wife. But if any other god had fathered such a killer, you would long ago have found yourself in a deeper hole than those Titans I buried when I came to power.’

  So he spoke and told Paeëon to heal him. Paeëon spread (900) soothing herbs on the wound and healed it – Ares was not made of mortal stuff. As fig-juice busily thickens milk, which is liquid but quickly curdles as it is stirred, so rapidly did Paeêon heal wild Ares. Hebe bathed him and gave him lovely clothing to put on; and he sat down by Zeus son of Cronus, exulting in his glory.

  Meanwhile the two goddesses, Hera from Argos and Athene from Alalcomenae, came back to the palace of great Zeus. They had checked the butcher Ares in his murderous assault.

  6

  HECTOR AND ANDROMACHE

  1–72: The Greeks enjoy some success. Agamemnon and Nestor urge the Greeks to show no mercy.

  73–118: The prophet Helenus advises Aeneas and Hector to rally the Trojans and then orders Hector to tell the women of Troy to make an offering to ATHENE to try to stop Diomedes’ rampage.

  119–236: Glaucus and Diomedes meet in battle (story of Bellerophon).

  237–368: Hector arrives in Ilium and meets his mother Hecabe. The offering to ATHENE is made (in vain) and Hector converses with Paris and Helen.

  369–495: Hector converses with his wife Andromache who has their baby Astyanax with her.

  495–529: Hector and Andromache part, as if for the last time, and Hector and Paris meet up and return to battle.

  So the Trojans and Greeks were left to carry on the grim struggle without divine interference, and the battle kept swaying this way and that across the plain as volleys of bronze-headed spears were exchanged, midway between the River Simoïs and the streams of Scamander.

  Greeks kill fourteen Trojans

  Ajax son of Telamon, a tower of strength to the Greeks, was the first to break the Trojan line and give his friends the scent of victory, when he hit the best fighter that the Thracians had, the tall and splendid Acamas. Ajax hit him on the ridge of his plumed (10) helmet. The bronze spear hit him on the forehead and pierced right through the bone, and darkness engulfed his eyes.

  Next, Diomedes, master of the battle-cry, killed Axylus, who came from well-built Arisbe. He was a man of substance, with a wide circle of friends: he lived in a house by the road-side and entertained everyone. But none of these friends came forward now to tackle the enemy for him and save him from an ugly end. Diomedes killed the pair of them, him and his attendant Calesius who was serving as his charioteer, and they both sank to the world below.

  (20) Euryalus killed Dresus and Opheltius and then raced after Aesepus and Pedasus, whom the Water-nymph Abarbarea had borne to matchless Bucolion. Bucolion was a son of proud Laomedon (the first child Laomedon had, born in secret) . Bucolion was shepherding his flocks when he met the Nymph and made love to her. She conceived and bore him twin boys. But Euryalus ended their resistance, laid low their bright young limbs and stripped the armour from their shoulders.

  (30) Resolute Polypoetes slaughtered Astyalus; Odysseus killed Pidytes of Percote with his bronze spear, as did Teucer the godlike Aretaon. Antilochus son of Nestor killed Ablerus with his glittering spear, and Agamemnon lord of men slew Elatus, who lived by the banks of sweet-flowing Satnioïs in steep Pedasus. The warrior Leitus killed Phylacus in mid-flight, and Eury-pylus dispatched Melanthius.

  Menelaus ordered to kill Adrestus

  Meanwhile Menelaus, master of the battle-cry, had captured Adrestus alive. This man’s pair of horses,
bolting across the plain, had become entangled in a tamarisk bush, snapped off the shaft (40) where it was fixed to the curved body of the chariot and galloped off on their own towards the town, where the rest had stampeded off in panic. Adrestus himself was thrown out of the chariot beside the wheel, flat on his face in the dust; and he soon had Menelaus son of Atreus standing over him with a long-shadowed spear in his hand. Adrestus threw his arms round Menelaus’ knees and supplicated him:

  ‘Son of Atreus, take me alive and you will get a ransom that will be well worth it. My father is rich and has plenty of treasure in his house, bronze and gold and wrought iron. He would offer (50) you an immense ransom, if he heard I had been taken back to the Greek ships alive.’

  So he spoke, and Menelaus was inclined to agree. And indeed he was just about to tell his attendant to take him back to the fast Greek ships, when Agamemnon came running up, shouting disapprovingly at him:

  ‘Menelaus, my soft-hearted brother, why are you so concerned for these men? Did the Trojans treat you as handsomely when they stayed in your palace? No: we are not going to leave a single one of them alive, down to the babies in their mothers’ (60) wombs – not even they must live. The whole people must be wiped out of existence, with none to shed a tear for them, leaving no trace.’

  With this sound advice Agamemnon made Menelaus change his mind. He pushed the warrior Adrestus away from him with his hand, and lord Agamemnon stabbed him in the flank. The man fell on his back, and Agamemnon put his foot on his chest and drew out the ash spear.