Iliad

by Homer

Polydamas was the first to speak, prudent {363} Son of Panthous, the only Trojan who looked Both ahead and behind. This man was born The same night as Hector, and was his comrade, [270] As good with words as Hector was with a spear. He had their best interests at heart when he spoke: “Take a good look around, my friends. My advice Is to return to the city and not wait for daylight On the plain by the ships. We are far from our wall. As long as this man raged against Agamemnon, The Greeks were easier to fight against. I too was glad when I spent the night by the ships, Hoping we would capture their upswept hulls. That hope has given way to a terrible fear [280] Of Peleus’ swift son. He is a violent man And will not be content to fight on the plain Where Greeks and Trojans engage in combat. It is for our city he will fight, and our wives. We must go back. Trust me, this is how it will be: Night is holding him back now, immortal night. But if he finds us here tomorrow When he comes out in his armor in daylight, Then you will know what Achilles is, And you will be glad to be back in sacred Ilion— [290] If you make it back, and are not one Of the many Trojans the dogs and vultures Will feast upon. I hope I’m not within earshot. But if we trust my words, as much as it may gall, We will camp tonight in the marketplace, where The city is protected by its towers, walls, And high gates closed with bolted, polished doors. At dawn we take our positions on the wall In full armor, an...

Now hear this! All troops will mess tonight With guards posted and on general alert. [320] If any of you are worried about your effects, You can hand them over for distribution! Better our men should have them than the Greeks. At first light we strap on our armor And start fighting hard by the ships. If Achilles really has risen up again And wants to come out, he’ll find it tough going, For I will be there. I, for one, Am not retreating. Maybe he’ll win, maybe I will. The War God doesn’t care which one he kills.” [330] Thus Hector, and the Trojans cheered, The fools, their wits dulled by Pallas Athena. Hector’s poor counsel won all the applause, And not a man praised Polydamas

While the Greeks armed themselves by their ships Around you, Achilles, the vortex of war, And while the Trojans waited for them on the high plain, Zeus ordered Themis to call the gods to assembly. She ranged far along Olympus’ ridgeline, Commanding them to come to the house of Zeus. They all came—every last river (except Ocean) And every last spirit-woman who ever haunted A pretty copse, spring, or meadow— [10] They all came to the house of Zeus in the clouds And sat in the stone colonnades that Hephaestus, The master architect, had built for his father.

I care for them, even though they die. {388} Even so, I will stay in a crevice of Olympus And sit and watch and take my pleasure.

Overhead, the Father of gods and men thundered, And Poseidon shook all the ground underneath, And the tremors climbed the steep mountain slopes. Ida shuddered from her roots to her peaks, Along with Troy herself and the Achaean ships.

Gods are daunting when they appear as they are.”

I took the women captive and led them off,

“Trojans! Don’t be afraid of Peleus’ son. I could fight the immortals too—with words. It’s harder with a spear. They’re much too strong. Nor will Achilles accomplish all he says. He’ll finish some and leave the rest half done. I’m going after him, even if he has hands of fire, Hands of fire, and fury like cold steel.”

“What’s this I see? The Trojan princes I’ve killed Are going to start rising from the moldering gloom, Judging from how this one has escaped his fate After being shipped off to Lemnos and sold. All that grey sea couldn’t keep him back. Let’s give him a taste of my spearhead And see whether he comes back from that Or stays put in the teeming earth.”

No, you’ll all die, die ugly deaths, until you have paid For the Greeks’ loss, for Patroclus dead, Killed by the ships while I was away.”

“Who are you, with the nerve to face me, And where are you from? It’s your parents’ loss.”

So the River kept overtaking Achilles, Fast as he was: Gods are stronger than men. Whenever Achilles tried to make a stand And put up a fight (and see if perhaps All the gods in heaven weren’t pursuing him), The sky-swollen River would pound On his shoulders, and Achilles would jump.

Better to be killed by Hector, Troy’s best, One good man killed by another. As it is, I am doomed to a wretched death, Caught in this river, like a swineherd boy Swept away while crossing a winter torrent.”

Hurry up And show your fire here, and I’ll rouse up Onshore winds from the west and south To drive your flames over the Trojan dead And burn them and their gear to a crisp.

At this, Hermes turned to Leto and said: “Tell you what, Leto, I won’t fight with you. Zeus’ wives are pretty tough customers. You have my permission to boast openly That you have beaten the daylights out of me.”

Meanwhile, Achilles Was still killing Trojans, both men and horses.

“Now what? If I take cover inside, Polydamas will be the first to reproach me. He begged me to lead the Trojans back To the city on that black night when Achilles rose. But I wouldn’t listen, and now I’ve destroyed Half the army through my recklessness. [120] I can’t face the Trojan men and women now, Can’t bear to hear some lesser man say, {426} ‘Hector trusted his strength and lost the army.’ That’s what they’ll say. I’ll be much better off Facing Achilles, either killing him Or dying honorably before the city. But what if I lay down all my weapons,