The Project Gutenberg Etext of the Iliad of - Stanford Exploration ...

232 ILIAD. XVII. 1
extend over Patroclus on that day. Nor as yet did noble Achilles at all know
that Patroclus was dead, because they fought far from the swift ships, beneath
the wall of the Trojans. He never thought in his mind that he was dead: but
that alive, having approached the gates, he would return back, since he did not
at all suppose that he could sack the city without him, for he had often heard
this from his mother, hearing it apart, who used to tell him the design of mighty
Jove. Yet his mother had not then told him so great an evil as had happened,
that the companion by far most dear to him had perished.
But they, ever around the dead body, holding their sharp spears, charged
incessantly, and slaughtered one another, and thus would some of the brazenmailed
Greeks say:
“O friends, surely it will not be honorable for us to retreat to the hollow
ships; but [rather] let the black earth here gape for all. This indeed would at
once be better for us, than that we should permit the horse-breaking Trojans
to drag him to their city, and obtain glory.”
And thus also would some one of the magnanimous Trojans say:
“O friends, although it be our destiny that all be equally subdued beside
this man, never let any one retire from the battle.”
Thus, then, some one said, and aroused the spirit of each. Thus indeed
were they fighting; and the iron clangor 1 reached the brazen heaven through
the unfruitful air. But the horses of Æacides being apart from the combat,
wept, when first they perceived that their charioteer had fallen in the dust,
beneath man-slaughtering Hector. Automedon, indeed, the brave son of Diores,
frequently urged them on, beating them with the sharp lash, and frequently
addressed them in mild terms and in threats; but they chose neither to go back
to the ships toward the wide Hellespont nor into the battle among the Greeks;
but, as a pillar remains firm, which stands at the tomb of a dead man or woman,
so they remained detaining the splendid chariot motionless, and drooping their
heads to the earth. But warm tears 2 flowed from their eyelids to the earth,
complaining from desire of their charioteer; and their thick mane was defiled,
flowing down on both sides from the collar at the yoke. But the son of Saturn
beholding them lamenting, felt compassion, and shaking his head, communed
with his own mind:
“Ah! luckless pair, why did we give you to king Peleus, a mortal; for ye
are free from old age, and immortal? Was it that ye might endure griefs with
unhappy men? For there is not any thing at all more wretched than man, 3
of all, as many as breathe and move over the earth. But Hector, the son of
Priam, shall not be borne by you, even in the curiously-wrought chariot, for
1Clarke compares Æn. xii. 284, from Ennius, apud Macrob. vi. 1: “Hastati spargunt hastas,
fit ferreus imber.” See Columna’s notes, p. 82, ed. Hessel. The Scholiast rather interprets it,
of a strong and violent shout, stereo\s kai\polu\ i)sxuro/ s.
2See Virg. Æn. xi. 89, sqq. with Servius, Quintus Calab. iii. 740: ∗ou)de\ min a)/mbrotoi
i( /ppoiatarbe/ os ∗ai)aki/ dao ∗mi/ mnon a)da/ krutoi para\ nh/ esiv: a)lla\ kai\ au)toi\
∗mu/ ronto sfete/ roio dai+ktame/ nou basilh=os. ∗ou)d’ e)/qelon mogeroi=sin e)/t’ a)
ndra/ sin, ou)de\ meq’ i( /ppois ∗mi/ sgesq’ ∗)argei/ wn, o)loo\n peri\ pe/ nqos e)/xontes.
3On this comfortable and satisfactory sentiment, see the lugubrious collection of parallel
passages in Duport, p. 98.