Lines 81-85
εἴ περ γάρ τε χόλον γε καὶ αὐτῆμαρ καταπέψῃ,
ἀλλά τε καὶ μετόπισθεν ἔχει κότον, ὄφρα τελέσσῃ,
ἐν στῆθεσσιν ἑοῖσι. σὺ δὲ φράσει εἴ με σαώσεις."
τὸν δ'απαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκυς Ἀχιλλεύς·
"θαρσήσας μάλα εἰπὲ θεοπρόπιον, ὅτι οἶσθα·
For even if at any rate he might digest his wrath that selfsame day,
But then later he holds rancor in his breasts,
Until it is fulfilled. So you consider if you will save me."
In reply, swift footed Achilles addressed him:
"Take heart and speak the oracle, whatever you know:
The only comment I have to make is that the Greek tongue may be the most nuanced language I've ever heard of: 720 forms of the verb λύω!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Day 20: The Words of the Watcher of Birds
Lines 76-80
τοιγὰρ ἐγὼν ἐρέω, σὺ δὲ σύνθεο καί μοι ὄμοσσον
ἦ μέν μοι πρόφων ἔπεσιν καὶ χερσὶν ἀρήξειν.
ἦ γὰρ ὀίομαι ἄνδρα χολωσέμεν, ὅς μέγα πάντων
Ἀργείων κρατέει καί οἱ πείθονται Ἀχαιοί.
κρείσσων γὰρ βασιλεύς, ὅτε χώσεται ἀνδρὶ χέρηι·
Therefore I shall speak, but come together and swear to me
That you will come to my aid zealously with words and hands.
For I feel that this will enrage a man who bears much sway
Over all the Argives, and whom the Achaeans obey.
For the king is the mightier when enraged by a lesser man:
τοιγὰρ ἐγὼν ἐρέω, σὺ δὲ σύνθεο καί μοι ὄμοσσον
ἦ μέν μοι πρόφων ἔπεσιν καὶ χερσὶν ἀρήξειν.
ἦ γὰρ ὀίομαι ἄνδρα χολωσέμεν, ὅς μέγα πάντων
Ἀργείων κρατέει καί οἱ πείθονται Ἀχαιοί.
κρείσσων γὰρ βασιλεύς, ὅτε χώσεται ἀνδρὶ χέρηι·
Therefore I shall speak, but come together and swear to me
That you will come to my aid zealously with words and hands.
For I feel that this will enrage a man who bears much sway
Over all the Argives, and whom the Achaeans obey.
For the king is the mightier when enraged by a lesser man:
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Day 19: The Seer Speaks
Lines 70-75
ὅς ᾔδη τά τ' ἐόντα τά τ' ἐσσόμενα πρό τ' ἐόντα,
καὶ νήεσς' ἠγήσατ' Ἀχαιῶν Ἴλιον εἴσω
ἥν διὰ μαντοσύνην, τήν οἱ πορε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων.
ὅ σφιν ἐὺ φρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·
"ὦ Ἀχιλεῦ, κέλεαί με, διίφιλε μυθήσασθαι
μῆνιν Ἀπόλλωνος, ἑκατηβελέταο ἄνακτος·
Who knows what is, what shall be, and what was,
and led the ships of the Achaeans to Ilium
Through the gift of prophecy that Phoebus Apollo gave to him;
He rose, and thinking things through, addressed them:
"O Achilles dear to Zeus, you command me to declare
The rage of the lord Apollo who strikes from the far off heavens:
ὅς ᾔδη τά τ' ἐόντα τά τ' ἐσσόμενα πρό τ' ἐόντα,
καὶ νήεσς' ἠγήσατ' Ἀχαιῶν Ἴλιον εἴσω
ἥν διὰ μαντοσύνην, τήν οἱ πορε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων.
ὅ σφιν ἐὺ φρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·
"ὦ Ἀχιλεῦ, κέλεαί με, διίφιλε μυθήσασθαι
μῆνιν Ἀπόλλωνος, ἑκατηβελέταο ἄνακτος·
Who knows what is, what shall be, and what was,
and led the ships of the Achaeans to Ilium
Through the gift of prophecy that Phoebus Apollo gave to him;
He rose, and thinking things through, addressed them:
"O Achilles dear to Zeus, you command me to declare
The rage of the lord Apollo who strikes from the far off heavens:
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
A Look Back To The Beginning
Reaching lesson XXVIII in Clyde Pharr's work he calls for the student, myself in this case, to conduct a review of all the grammar and the entirety of the poem learned so far. So, I have done this and decided to post the first sixty nine lines in Greek today and a new translation of these lines in their entirety. On a personal not I can say that it is an amazing to look back at where I began and to see how far I've come and how much farther there is to go: more grammar, more vocabulary, and about 500 more lines of poetry in the Iliad's first book...
Lines 1-69
Μῆνιν ἄειδε θεά, Πηληιάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
οὐλομένην ἥ μυρί' Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε ἔθηκεν
πολλὰς δ' ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄιδι προΐαψεν
ἡρώων, αὐτους δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν
οἰωνοῖσι τε δαῖτα, Διὸς δ' ἐτελείετο
ἐξ οὗ δὴ τὰ πρῶτα διαστήτην ἐρίσαντε
Ἀτρεΐδης τε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν καὶ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.
τίς τ'ἄρ σφωε θεῶν ἔριδι ξυνέηκε μάχεσθαι;
Λητοῦς κὰ Διὸς υἱος, ὁ γὰρ βασιλῆι χολωθεὶς
νοῦσον ἀνὰ στρατὸν ὦρσε κακήν, ὀλέκοντο δὲ λαοί,
οὕνεκα τὸν Χρύσην ἠτίμασεν ἀρητῆρα
Ἀτρεΐδης. ὁ γὰρ ἦλθε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
λυσόμενός τε θύγατρα φέρων τ] ἀπερείσι ἄποινα,
στέμματ' ἔχων ἐν χερσὶν ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος
χρυσέῳ ἀνὰ σκήπτρῳ, καὶ ἐλίσσετο πάντας Ἀχαιούς
Ἀτρεΐδα δὲ μάλιστα δύω, κοσμήτορε λαῶν·
"Ἀτρεΐδαι τε καὶ ἄλλοι εὐκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί,
ὑμιν μὲν θεοὶ δοῖεν Ὀλύμπια δώματ' ἔχοντες
ἐκπέρσαι Πριάμοιο πόλιν, ἐὺ δ' οἴκαδ' ἱκεσθαι·
παῖδα δ' ἐμοὶ λῦσαι τε φίλην, τά τ' ἄποινα δέχεσθαι
ἁζόμενοι Διὸς υἱον ἑκηβόλον Ἀπόλλωνα."
ἔνθ' ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες ἐπευφήμησαν Ἀχαιοὶ
αἰδεῖσθαί θ' ἱερῆα καὶ ἀγλαὰ δέχθαι ἄποινα.
ἀλλ' οὐκ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ἥνδανε θυμῷ
ἀλλὰ κακῶς ἀφίει, κρατερὸν δ' ἐπὶ μῦθον ἐτέλλεν·
"μή σε, γέρον, κοίλῃσιν ἐγὼ παρὰ νηυσὶ κικήω
ἤ νῦν δηθύνοντ' ἤ ὕστερον αὖτις ιόντα,
μή νύ τοι οὐ χραίσμῃ σκῆπτρον καὶ στέμμα θεοῖο.
τὴν δ' ἐγὼ οὐ λύσω. πρίν μιν καὶ γῆρας ἔπεισιν
ἡμετέρῳ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ ἐν Ἀργεϊ, τηλόθι πάτρης,
ἱστὸν ἐποιχομένην καὶ ἐμὸν λέχος ἀντίσωσαν.
ἀλλ' ἴθι, μή μ' ἐρείθιζε, σαώτερος ὥς κε νέηαι."
ὧς ἔφατ, ἔδεισεν δ' ὁ γέρων καὶ ἐπεὶθετο μύθῳ.
Βῆ δ' ἀκέων παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης.
πολλὰ δ' ἔπειτ' ἀπάνευθε κιὼν ἠραθ' ὁ γεραὶος
Ἀπόλλωνι ἄνακτι, τὸν ἠύκομος τέκε Λητώ·
"κλῦθί μευ. ἀργυρότοξ', ὃς Χρύσην ἀμφιβέβηκας
Κίλλαν τε ζαθέην, Τενέδοιό τε ἶφι ἀνάσσεις,
Σμινθεῦ, εἴ ποτέ τοι χαρίεντι' ἐπὶ νηὸν ἔρεψα,
ἢ εἰ δή ποτέ τοι κατὰ πίονα μηπρί ἐκηα
ταύρων ἠδ' αἰγῶν, τόδε μοι κρήνον ἐέλδωρ·
τίσειαν Δαναοὶ ἐμὰ δάκρυα σοῖσι βέλεσσιν."
ὧς ἔφατ' εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δ' ἔκλυε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων.
βῆ δὲ κατ' Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων χωόμενος κῆρ,
τόξ' ὤμοισιν ἔχων ἀμφηρεφεά τε φαρέτην.
ἔκλαγξαν δ' ἄρ ὀιστὰ ἐπ ὤμων χωομένοιο,
αὐτοῦ κινηθέντος· ὁ δ' ἤιε νυκτὶ ἐσικώς.
ἕζετ ἔπειτ' ἀπάνευθε νεῶν, μετὰ δ' ἰὸν ἕηκεν·
δεινὴ δὲ κλαγγὴ γένετ' ἀργυρέοιο βιοῖο.
οὐρῆας μὲν πρῶτον ἐπῴχετο καὶ κύνας ἀργους,
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ' αὐτοῖσι βέλος ἐχεπευκὲς ἐφιεις
βαλλ'· αἰεὶ δὲ πυραὶ νεκύων καίοντο θαμειαί.
ἐννῆμαρ μὲν στρατὸν ὤχετο κῆλα θεοῖο,
τῃ δεκάτῃ δ' ἀγορήνδε καλέσσατο λαὸν Ἀχιλλεύς.
τῷ γὰρ ἐπὶ φρεσὶ θῆκε θεά, λευκώλενος Ἥρη·
κήδετο γὰρ Δαναῶν ὅτι ῥα θυήσκοντας ὁρᾶτο.
οἱ δ' ἐπεὶ οὖν ἤγερθεν ὁμυηγερέες τε γένοντο,
τοῖσι δ' ἀνιστάμενος μετέφη πόδας ὠκύς Ἀχιλλεύς·
"Ατρεΐδη, νῦν ἄμμε πάλιν πλαγχθέντας ὀίω
ἂψ ἀπονοστήσειν, εἴ κεν θάνατόν γε φύγοιμεν
εἰ δὴ ὁμοῦ πόλεμός τε δαμᾷ καὶ λοιμὸς Ἀχαιούς.
ἀλλ' ἄγε δή τινα μάντιν ἐρείομεν ἥ ἱερῆα
ἢ καὶ ὀνειροπόλον, καὶ γάρ τ' ὄναρ ἐκ Διός ἐστιν,
ὅς κ' εἴποι, ὅτι τόσσον ἐχώσατο Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων,
εἴ τ' ἄρ ὅ γ' εὐχωλῆς ἐπιμέμφεται εἴ θ' ἑκατόμβης
αἴ κεν πως ἀρνῶν κνίσης αἰγῶν τε τελείων
Βούλεται ἀντιάσας ἡμῖν ἀπὸ λαγὸν ἀμῦναι."
ἦ τπο δ' γ' ὧς εἰπὼν κατ' ἄρ ἕζετο, τοῖσι δ' ἀνέστη
Κάλχας Θεστορίδης, οἰωνοπόλων ὄχ ἄριστος,
Rage, goddess, sing the accursed rage of Peleus’ son
Of Achilles, that brought countless woes to the Achaeans
And hurled many valiant souls of heroes forth to Hades
Their bodies made spoils for the dogs and a feast for birds,
The will of Zeus was moving towards fulfillment,
From that time when the two first stood apart and quarreled
The son of Atreus and lord of men, and godlike Achilles.
Which then of the gods drove these two to battle in strife?
Zeus’ and Leto’s son. For, being enraged by the king,
He let loose an awful plague throughout the camp, and the armies perished
All because the son of Atreus dishonored Chryses, that famous priest.
For he’d come by the fast ships seeking to ransom his daughter
And bearing countless ransoms, and having a golden scepter
With wreaths of Farshooting Apollo in his hands,
And he kept begging all the Achaeans,
Most especially the sons of Atreus, commanders of the armies.
“Sons of Atreus and all you well-greaved Achaeans,
May the gods who dwell on Olympus grant to you
The sack of Priam’s city, and a happy return home;
Only free my dear child and accept these ransoms
And revere the son of Zeus who strikes from the skies above.”
Then all the Achaeans shouted their approval,
Revering the holy man and accepting his shining ransoms.
But not Agamemnon, this did not please Atreus’s son in his soul,
So he sent him off with malice, imparting a harsh command:
“No old man, let me not come upon you by the hollow ships,
Either lingering now, or coming back later,
Indeed, neither the scepter, nor the wreaths of the god
Will avail you then. Her I shall not free.
Before that old age will overtake her in my house in Argos,
Far from home and country, plying the loom and
Partaking of my bed. But go now and vex me not,
So the safer you may return.” Thus he spoke,
And the old man was struck, heeding the command.
In silence he went along the shore of the heavy-thundering sea.
Then the old one went off to beseech the lord Apollo,
Whom fair-haired Leto bore: “Hear me lord of the silver bow,
You who shield Chrysa, and most sacred Cilla, and rule
Tenedos in power; Smintheus lord of mice,
If ever I put a pleasing roof upon your temple, or burned for you
Rich thigh pieces of bulls and goats, then satisfy this longing of mine:
May the Danaans pay for my tears with your arrows!”
Thus he spoke the prayer, and Phoebus Apollo heard it.
And down he went from the heights of Olympus with wrath in his heart,
A bow upon his shoulders and a quiver hooded at both ends.
The arrows rattled with rage upon the shoulders of the god
And stirred to action he came on like the night.
Then, seated away from the ships, he shot an arrow in their midst:
And a terrible howl came up from the silver bow,
First the mules were struck, and the silver-footed hounds,
And then the biting missile strikes their masters, over and over again:
And the crowded pyres of the dead burned day and night.
Nine days the arrows of the god ravaged the camp,
And on the tenth Achilles called the armies to assembly:
The goddess white-armed Hera had put it in his mind,
For she grieved to watch her Danaans perishing.
They then gathered all together in that place,
And swift-footed Achilles rose to address them:
“Son of Atreus, now I think us beaten back again towards home,
Perhaps we may escape death at any rate, though war and plague
Together check the Achaeans. But come now,
Let us ask some seer, or holy man, or even an interpreter of dreams,
For dreams as well are of Zeus, who perchance would tell us
What thing it is that has Phoebus Apollo so enraged,
If he find fault with us for a vow unfulfilled,
Or a hecatomb un-offered, or somehow he may desire
To taste the savor of unblemished lambs or goats
To ward off our destruction.” Thus he spoke and was seated,
And Calchas son of Thestor, by far the best of seers, was made to stand,
Lines 1-69
Μῆνιν ἄειδε θεά, Πηληιάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
οὐλομένην ἥ μυρί' Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε ἔθηκεν
πολλὰς δ' ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄιδι προΐαψεν
ἡρώων, αὐτους δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν
οἰωνοῖσι τε δαῖτα, Διὸς δ' ἐτελείετο
ἐξ οὗ δὴ τὰ πρῶτα διαστήτην ἐρίσαντε
Ἀτρεΐδης τε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν καὶ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.
τίς τ'ἄρ σφωε θεῶν ἔριδι ξυνέηκε μάχεσθαι;
Λητοῦς κὰ Διὸς υἱος, ὁ γὰρ βασιλῆι χολωθεὶς
νοῦσον ἀνὰ στρατὸν ὦρσε κακήν, ὀλέκοντο δὲ λαοί,
οὕνεκα τὸν Χρύσην ἠτίμασεν ἀρητῆρα
Ἀτρεΐδης. ὁ γὰρ ἦλθε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
λυσόμενός τε θύγατρα φέρων τ] ἀπερείσι ἄποινα,
στέμματ' ἔχων ἐν χερσὶν ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος
χρυσέῳ ἀνὰ σκήπτρῳ, καὶ ἐλίσσετο πάντας Ἀχαιούς
Ἀτρεΐδα δὲ μάλιστα δύω, κοσμήτορε λαῶν·
"Ἀτρεΐδαι τε καὶ ἄλλοι εὐκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί,
ὑμιν μὲν θεοὶ δοῖεν Ὀλύμπια δώματ' ἔχοντες
ἐκπέρσαι Πριάμοιο πόλιν, ἐὺ δ' οἴκαδ' ἱκεσθαι·
παῖδα δ' ἐμοὶ λῦσαι τε φίλην, τά τ' ἄποινα δέχεσθαι
ἁζόμενοι Διὸς υἱον ἑκηβόλον Ἀπόλλωνα."
ἔνθ' ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες ἐπευφήμησαν Ἀχαιοὶ
αἰδεῖσθαί θ' ἱερῆα καὶ ἀγλαὰ δέχθαι ἄποινα.
ἀλλ' οὐκ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ἥνδανε θυμῷ
ἀλλὰ κακῶς ἀφίει, κρατερὸν δ' ἐπὶ μῦθον ἐτέλλεν·
"μή σε, γέρον, κοίλῃσιν ἐγὼ παρὰ νηυσὶ κικήω
ἤ νῦν δηθύνοντ' ἤ ὕστερον αὖτις ιόντα,
μή νύ τοι οὐ χραίσμῃ σκῆπτρον καὶ στέμμα θεοῖο.
τὴν δ' ἐγὼ οὐ λύσω. πρίν μιν καὶ γῆρας ἔπεισιν
ἡμετέρῳ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ ἐν Ἀργεϊ, τηλόθι πάτρης,
ἱστὸν ἐποιχομένην καὶ ἐμὸν λέχος ἀντίσωσαν.
ἀλλ' ἴθι, μή μ' ἐρείθιζε, σαώτερος ὥς κε νέηαι."
ὧς ἔφατ, ἔδεισεν δ' ὁ γέρων καὶ ἐπεὶθετο μύθῳ.
Βῆ δ' ἀκέων παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης.
πολλὰ δ' ἔπειτ' ἀπάνευθε κιὼν ἠραθ' ὁ γεραὶος
Ἀπόλλωνι ἄνακτι, τὸν ἠύκομος τέκε Λητώ·
"κλῦθί μευ. ἀργυρότοξ', ὃς Χρύσην ἀμφιβέβηκας
Κίλλαν τε ζαθέην, Τενέδοιό τε ἶφι ἀνάσσεις,
Σμινθεῦ, εἴ ποτέ τοι χαρίεντι' ἐπὶ νηὸν ἔρεψα,
ἢ εἰ δή ποτέ τοι κατὰ πίονα μηπρί ἐκηα
ταύρων ἠδ' αἰγῶν, τόδε μοι κρήνον ἐέλδωρ·
τίσειαν Δαναοὶ ἐμὰ δάκρυα σοῖσι βέλεσσιν."
ὧς ἔφατ' εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δ' ἔκλυε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων.
βῆ δὲ κατ' Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων χωόμενος κῆρ,
τόξ' ὤμοισιν ἔχων ἀμφηρεφεά τε φαρέτην.
ἔκλαγξαν δ' ἄρ ὀιστὰ ἐπ ὤμων χωομένοιο,
αὐτοῦ κινηθέντος· ὁ δ' ἤιε νυκτὶ ἐσικώς.
ἕζετ ἔπειτ' ἀπάνευθε νεῶν, μετὰ δ' ἰὸν ἕηκεν·
δεινὴ δὲ κλαγγὴ γένετ' ἀργυρέοιο βιοῖο.
οὐρῆας μὲν πρῶτον ἐπῴχετο καὶ κύνας ἀργους,
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ' αὐτοῖσι βέλος ἐχεπευκὲς ἐφιεις
βαλλ'· αἰεὶ δὲ πυραὶ νεκύων καίοντο θαμειαί.
ἐννῆμαρ μὲν στρατὸν ὤχετο κῆλα θεοῖο,
τῃ δεκάτῃ δ' ἀγορήνδε καλέσσατο λαὸν Ἀχιλλεύς.
τῷ γὰρ ἐπὶ φρεσὶ θῆκε θεά, λευκώλενος Ἥρη·
κήδετο γὰρ Δαναῶν ὅτι ῥα θυήσκοντας ὁρᾶτο.
οἱ δ' ἐπεὶ οὖν ἤγερθεν ὁμυηγερέες τε γένοντο,
τοῖσι δ' ἀνιστάμενος μετέφη πόδας ὠκύς Ἀχιλλεύς·
"Ατρεΐδη, νῦν ἄμμε πάλιν πλαγχθέντας ὀίω
ἂψ ἀπονοστήσειν, εἴ κεν θάνατόν γε φύγοιμεν
εἰ δὴ ὁμοῦ πόλεμός τε δαμᾷ καὶ λοιμὸς Ἀχαιούς.
ἀλλ' ἄγε δή τινα μάντιν ἐρείομεν ἥ ἱερῆα
ἢ καὶ ὀνειροπόλον, καὶ γάρ τ' ὄναρ ἐκ Διός ἐστιν,
ὅς κ' εἴποι, ὅτι τόσσον ἐχώσατο Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων,
εἴ τ' ἄρ ὅ γ' εὐχωλῆς ἐπιμέμφεται εἴ θ' ἑκατόμβης
αἴ κεν πως ἀρνῶν κνίσης αἰγῶν τε τελείων
Βούλεται ἀντιάσας ἡμῖν ἀπὸ λαγὸν ἀμῦναι."
ἦ τπο δ' γ' ὧς εἰπὼν κατ' ἄρ ἕζετο, τοῖσι δ' ἀνέστη
Κάλχας Θεστορίδης, οἰωνοπόλων ὄχ ἄριστος,
Rage, goddess, sing the accursed rage of Peleus’ son
Of Achilles, that brought countless woes to the Achaeans
And hurled many valiant souls of heroes forth to Hades
Their bodies made spoils for the dogs and a feast for birds,
The will of Zeus was moving towards fulfillment,
From that time when the two first stood apart and quarreled
The son of Atreus and lord of men, and godlike Achilles.
Which then of the gods drove these two to battle in strife?
Zeus’ and Leto’s son. For, being enraged by the king,
He let loose an awful plague throughout the camp, and the armies perished
All because the son of Atreus dishonored Chryses, that famous priest.
For he’d come by the fast ships seeking to ransom his daughter
And bearing countless ransoms, and having a golden scepter
With wreaths of Farshooting Apollo in his hands,
And he kept begging all the Achaeans,
Most especially the sons of Atreus, commanders of the armies.
“Sons of Atreus and all you well-greaved Achaeans,
May the gods who dwell on Olympus grant to you
The sack of Priam’s city, and a happy return home;
Only free my dear child and accept these ransoms
And revere the son of Zeus who strikes from the skies above.”
Then all the Achaeans shouted their approval,
Revering the holy man and accepting his shining ransoms.
But not Agamemnon, this did not please Atreus’s son in his soul,
So he sent him off with malice, imparting a harsh command:
“No old man, let me not come upon you by the hollow ships,
Either lingering now, or coming back later,
Indeed, neither the scepter, nor the wreaths of the god
Will avail you then. Her I shall not free.
Before that old age will overtake her in my house in Argos,
Far from home and country, plying the loom and
Partaking of my bed. But go now and vex me not,
So the safer you may return.” Thus he spoke,
And the old man was struck, heeding the command.
In silence he went along the shore of the heavy-thundering sea.
Then the old one went off to beseech the lord Apollo,
Whom fair-haired Leto bore: “Hear me lord of the silver bow,
You who shield Chrysa, and most sacred Cilla, and rule
Tenedos in power; Smintheus lord of mice,
If ever I put a pleasing roof upon your temple, or burned for you
Rich thigh pieces of bulls and goats, then satisfy this longing of mine:
May the Danaans pay for my tears with your arrows!”
Thus he spoke the prayer, and Phoebus Apollo heard it.
And down he went from the heights of Olympus with wrath in his heart,
A bow upon his shoulders and a quiver hooded at both ends.
The arrows rattled with rage upon the shoulders of the god
And stirred to action he came on like the night.
Then, seated away from the ships, he shot an arrow in their midst:
And a terrible howl came up from the silver bow,
First the mules were struck, and the silver-footed hounds,
And then the biting missile strikes their masters, over and over again:
And the crowded pyres of the dead burned day and night.
Nine days the arrows of the god ravaged the camp,
And on the tenth Achilles called the armies to assembly:
The goddess white-armed Hera had put it in his mind,
For she grieved to watch her Danaans perishing.
They then gathered all together in that place,
And swift-footed Achilles rose to address them:
“Son of Atreus, now I think us beaten back again towards home,
Perhaps we may escape death at any rate, though war and plague
Together check the Achaeans. But come now,
Let us ask some seer, or holy man, or even an interpreter of dreams,
For dreams as well are of Zeus, who perchance would tell us
What thing it is that has Phoebus Apollo so enraged,
If he find fault with us for a vow unfulfilled,
Or a hecatomb un-offered, or somehow he may desire
To taste the savor of unblemished lambs or goats
To ward off our destruction.” Thus he spoke and was seated,
And Calchas son of Thestor, by far the best of seers, was made to stand,
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Day 18: Achilles Calls Forth the Seer
Lines 64-69
ὅς κ' εἴποι, ὁτι τόσσον ἐχώσατο Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων
εἴ τ' ἄρ ὅ γ' εὐχωλῆς ἐπιμέμφεται εἴ θ' ἑκατόμβης,
αἴ κέν πώς ἀρῶν κνίσης αἰγῶν τε τελείων
βούλεται ἀντιάσας ἡμῖν ἀπὸ λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι."
ἦ τοι ὅ γ' ὦς εἰπων κατ' ἄρ' ἕζετο, τοῖσι δ' ἀνέστη
Κάλχας Θεστορίδης, οἰωνοπόλων ὄχ ἄριστος,
Who may say what has so enraged Phoebus Apollo,
If it was a vow unfulfilled, or a hecatomb unoffered,
Or if he desires to partake of the rich savor of unblemished
Lambs and goats to ward off our destruction."
His words thus finished, he then sat down and Calchas son of Thestor,
By far the best of seers, was made to stand
ὅς κ' εἴποι, ὁτι τόσσον ἐχώσατο Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων
εἴ τ' ἄρ ὅ γ' εὐχωλῆς ἐπιμέμφεται εἴ θ' ἑκατόμβης,
αἴ κέν πώς ἀρῶν κνίσης αἰγῶν τε τελείων
βούλεται ἀντιάσας ἡμῖν ἀπὸ λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι."
ἦ τοι ὅ γ' ὦς εἰπων κατ' ἄρ' ἕζετο, τοῖσι δ' ἀνέστη
Κάλχας Θεστορίδης, οἰωνοπόλων ὄχ ἄριστος,
Who may say what has so enraged Phoebus Apollo,
If it was a vow unfulfilled, or a hecatomb unoffered,
Or if he desires to partake of the rich savor of unblemished
Lambs and goats to ward off our destruction."
His words thus finished, he then sat down and Calchas son of Thestor,
By far the best of seers, was made to stand
Monday, November 16, 2009
Day 17: The Words of Achilles
Lines 59-63
"Ἀτρεῑδη, νῦν ἄμμε πάλιν πλαγχθέντας ὀίω
ἂψ ἀπονοστήσειν, εἴ κε θανατόν γε φύγοιμεν
εἰ δὴ ὁμοῦ πόλεμός τε δαμᾷ καὶ λοιμὸς Ἀχαιούς.
ἀλλ' ἄγε δή τινα μάντιν ἐρείομεν ἣ ἱερῆα
ἢ καὶ ὀνειροπόλον, καὶ γάρ τ' ὄναρ ἐκ Διός ἐστιν,
"Son of Atreus, I now believe us beaten back
Toward home, may it be that we escape death
While plague and war subdue the Achaeans.
But come now, let us ask some seer or holy man
Or interpreter of dreams, for the dream is from Zeus,
A desperate Achilles begins his plea to Agamemnon for a resolution to the crisis. I often wonder why the Trojans did not launch a full scale attack at this point and push their Achaean foes into the sea. I'm guessing that Homer would give an answer that not even Zeus could fathom the whims of fate...
"Ἀτρεῑδη, νῦν ἄμμε πάλιν πλαγχθέντας ὀίω
ἂψ ἀπονοστήσειν, εἴ κε θανατόν γε φύγοιμεν
εἰ δὴ ὁμοῦ πόλεμός τε δαμᾷ καὶ λοιμὸς Ἀχαιούς.
ἀλλ' ἄγε δή τινα μάντιν ἐρείομεν ἣ ἱερῆα
ἢ καὶ ὀνειροπόλον, καὶ γάρ τ' ὄναρ ἐκ Διός ἐστιν,
"Son of Atreus, I now believe us beaten back
Toward home, may it be that we escape death
While plague and war subdue the Achaeans.
But come now, let us ask some seer or holy man
Or interpreter of dreams, for the dream is from Zeus,
A desperate Achilles begins his plea to Agamemnon for a resolution to the crisis. I often wonder why the Trojans did not launch a full scale attack at this point and push their Achaean foes into the sea. I'm guessing that Homer would give an answer that not even Zeus could fathom the whims of fate...
Friday, November 13, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
VACATION TIME!
I WILL NOT BE POSTING UNTIL NOVEMBER 15TH. I AM TAKING A LONG PLANNED VACATION THAT DEPARTS THE OLD WORLD FOR THE NEW. THE QUARREL BETWEEN ACHILLES AND AGAMEMNON WILL REMAIN IN MY MIND THOUGH AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WILL VISIT THE SITE AGAIN NEXT MONTH I WILL POST PICTURES OF THE HILLS OF CARTHAGE FROM WHICH, IN THE LATIN EPIC, AENEAS SAILED AWAY WHILE DIDO'S PALACE BURNED...
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Day 16: Achilles Calls Forth the Achaeans
Lines 53-58
ἐννῆμαρ μὲν ἀνὰ στρατοὸν ᾤχετο κῆλα θεοῖο,
τῇ δεκάτῃ δ' ἀγορήνδε καλέσσατο λαὸν Ἀχιλλεύς
τῷ γὰρ ἐπὶ φρεσὶ θῆκε θεά, λευκώλενος Ἤρη·
κήδετο γὰρ Δαναῶν ὅτι ῥα θνήσκοντας ὁρᾶτο
οἱ δ' ἐπεὶ οὖν ἤερθεν ὁμηγερέες τε γένοντο,
τοῖσι δ' ἀνιστάμενος μετέφη πόδας ὠκύς Ἀχιλλεύς·
Nine days the arrows of the god went throughout the camp
On the tenth Achilles summoned the host to assembly
For the goddess white-armed Hera put it in his mind:
She was grieving for her Danaans as she watched them perish
They were gathered together and came as one,
Standing, swift-footed Achilles addressed them thus:
ἐννῆμαρ μὲν ἀνὰ στρατοὸν ᾤχετο κῆλα θεοῖο,
τῇ δεκάτῃ δ' ἀγορήνδε καλέσσατο λαὸν Ἀχιλλεύς
τῷ γὰρ ἐπὶ φρεσὶ θῆκε θεά, λευκώλενος Ἤρη·
κήδετο γὰρ Δαναῶν ὅτι ῥα θνήσκοντας ὁρᾶτο
οἱ δ' ἐπεὶ οὖν ἤερθεν ὁμηγερέες τε γένοντο,
τοῖσι δ' ἀνιστάμενος μετέφη πόδας ὠκύς Ἀχιλλεύς·
Nine days the arrows of the god went throughout the camp
On the tenth Achilles summoned the host to assembly
For the goddess white-armed Hera put it in his mind:
She was grieving for her Danaans as she watched them perish
They were gathered together and came as one,
Standing, swift-footed Achilles addressed them thus:
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Day 15: Struck with the Arrows of the God
Lines 48-52
ἔζετ' ἔπειτ ἀπάνευθε νεῶν, μετὰ δ' ἰὸν ἕηκεν·
δεινὴ δὲ κλαγγὴ γένετ' ἀργυρέοιο βιοῖο
οὐρῆος μὲν πρῶτον ἐπῴχετο καὶ κύνας ἀργούς,
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ' αὐτοῖσι βέλος ἐχεπευχές ἐφιεὶς
Βαλλ'· αἰεὶ δὲ πυραὶ νεκύων καίοντο θαμειαί.
He then sat away from the ships, and shot off an arrow
A terrible clang arose from the silver bow
The mules were attacked first, and the dogs swift as silver
Then sharp arrows shot against their masters over and over again.
And day and night burned the crowded pyres of the dead.
ἔζετ' ἔπειτ ἀπάνευθε νεῶν, μετὰ δ' ἰὸν ἕηκεν·
δεινὴ δὲ κλαγγὴ γένετ' ἀργυρέοιο βιοῖο
οὐρῆος μὲν πρῶτον ἐπῴχετο καὶ κύνας ἀργούς,
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ' αὐτοῖσι βέλος ἐχεπευχές ἐφιεὶς
Βαλλ'· αἰεὶ δὲ πυραὶ νεκύων καίοντο θαμειαί.
He then sat away from the ships, and shot off an arrow
A terrible clang arose from the silver bow
The mules were attacked first, and the dogs swift as silver
Then sharp arrows shot against their masters over and over again.
And day and night burned the crowded pyres of the dead.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Day 14: An Angry God...
Lines 43-47
ὦς ἔφατ' εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δ' ἔκλυε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων
βῆ δὲ κατ' Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων χωόμενος κῆρ,
τόξ' ὤοισιν ἔχων ἀμφηρεφέα τε φαρέτρην.
ἔκλαγξαν δ' ἄρ ὀιστοὶ ἐπ' ὤμων χωομένοιο
αὐτοῦ κινηθεντος. ὁ δ' ἤιε νυκτὶ ἐοικώς.
Thus the prayer was spoken, and Phoebus Apollo heard it
And down he went from the peaks of Olympus wrath in his heart
Carrying a bow and quiver covered at both ends on his shoulders.
The arrows rattled upon the shoulders of the angry god himself.
And stirred to action, he came like unto night.
A brilliant portrait of an angry god about to strike. This passage must have riveted an ancient listener sitting in a room lit only by dim firelight.
ὦς ἔφατ' εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δ' ἔκλυε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων
βῆ δὲ κατ' Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων χωόμενος κῆρ,
τόξ' ὤοισιν ἔχων ἀμφηρεφέα τε φαρέτρην.
ἔκλαγξαν δ' ἄρ ὀιστοὶ ἐπ' ὤμων χωομένοιο
αὐτοῦ κινηθεντος. ὁ δ' ἤιε νυκτὶ ἐοικώς.
Thus the prayer was spoken, and Phoebus Apollo heard it
And down he went from the peaks of Olympus wrath in his heart
Carrying a bow and quiver covered at both ends on his shoulders.
The arrows rattled upon the shoulders of the angry god himself.
And stirred to action, he came like unto night.
A brilliant portrait of an angry god about to strike. This passage must have riveted an ancient listener sitting in a room lit only by dim firelight.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Day 14: The Arrows and the Mouse
Lines 38-42
Κίλλαν τε ζαθέην, Τενεδοιό τε ἶφι ἀνασσεις
Σμινθεῦ, εἴ ποτέ τοι χαρίεντ' ἐπὶ νηὸν ἔρεψα,
ἢ εἰ δή ποτέ τοι κατὰ πίονα μηρί' ἔκηα
ταύρων ἠδ' αἰγῶν, τόδε μοι κρήνον ἐέλδωρ.
τίσειαν Δαναοὶ ἐμὰ δάκρυα σοῖσι βέλεσσιν."
And most sacred Cilla, and rules over Tenedos mightily
Smintheus, lord of mice, if ever I roofed your pleasing temple,
or if ever I burned for you rich thigh pieces
Of bulls and goats, fulfill my heart's desire.
May the Danaans pay for my tears with your arrows."
Pharr makes an excellent point here about the Greeks noticing early a connection between mice and plagues long before science proved this tobe fact. This accounts for the priest invoking Apollo by the epithet of Smintheus, the lord of mice, as he had invoked him in the previous section as the lord of the silver bow, thus combining the god's arrows and the mouse to create disaster for the Achaeans.
Κίλλαν τε ζαθέην, Τενεδοιό τε ἶφι ἀνασσεις
Σμινθεῦ, εἴ ποτέ τοι χαρίεντ' ἐπὶ νηὸν ἔρεψα,
ἢ εἰ δή ποτέ τοι κατὰ πίονα μηρί' ἔκηα
ταύρων ἠδ' αἰγῶν, τόδε μοι κρήνον ἐέλδωρ.
τίσειαν Δαναοὶ ἐμὰ δάκρυα σοῖσι βέλεσσιν."
And most sacred Cilla, and rules over Tenedos mightily
Smintheus, lord of mice, if ever I roofed your pleasing temple,
or if ever I burned for you rich thigh pieces
Of bulls and goats, fulfill my heart's desire.
May the Danaans pay for my tears with your arrows."
Pharr makes an excellent point here about the Greeks noticing early a connection between mice and plagues long before science proved this tobe fact. This accounts for the priest invoking Apollo by the epithet of Smintheus, the lord of mice, as he had invoked him in the previous section as the lord of the silver bow, thus combining the god's arrows and the mouse to create disaster for the Achaeans.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Day 13: The Old Man Makes His Plea Before the God
Lines 33-37
ὥς ἔφατ', ἔδεισεν δ' ὁ γέρων καὶ ἐπείθετο μύθῳ.
βῆ δ' ἀκέων παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης.
πολλὰ δ' ἔπειτ ἀπάνενθε κιών ἠπᾶθ' ὁ γεραιὸς
Ἀπόλλωνι ἄνακτι, τόν ἠύκομος τέκε Λητώ.
"κλῦθι μευ, ἀργυρότοξ', ὃς χρύσην ἀμφιβέβηκας
Thus he spoke, and that old man was struck with fear and persuaded by his word.
And he went in silence, along the shore of the heavy thundering sea.
And going off then, the old one prayed much to
The Lord Apollo, whom fair haired Leto bore.
"Hear me O Lord with the silver bow, who shields Chrysa
ὥς ἔφατ', ἔδεισεν δ' ὁ γέρων καὶ ἐπείθετο μύθῳ.
βῆ δ' ἀκέων παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης.
πολλὰ δ' ἔπειτ ἀπάνενθε κιών ἠπᾶθ' ὁ γεραιὸς
Ἀπόλλωνι ἄνακτι, τόν ἠύκομος τέκε Λητώ.
"κλῦθι μευ, ἀργυρότοξ', ὃς χρύσην ἀμφιβέβηκας
Thus he spoke, and that old man was struck with fear and persuaded by his word.
And he went in silence, along the shore of the heavy thundering sea.
And going off then, the old one prayed much to
The Lord Apollo, whom fair haired Leto bore.
"Hear me O Lord with the silver bow, who shields Chrysa
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Day 12: Agamemnon Expels the Priest
Lines 28-32
μή νὺ τοῖ οὐ χραίσμῃ σκῆπτρον καὶ στέμμα θεοῖο
τήν δ'ἐγώ οὐ λύσω. πρίν μιν καὶ γῆρας ἔπεισιν
ἡμετέρῳ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ ἐν Ἀργεϊ, τηλόθι πάτρης
ἱοτὸν ἐποιχομενην καὶ ἐμὸν λέχος ἀντιόωσαν
ἀλλ'ἴθι, μή μ'επεθίζε, σαώτερος ὤς κε νέηαι.
No help will the scepter and wreath of the god be to you
Her I shall not free. Sooner old age will overtake her
in our house in Argos, far from her native land
plying the loom and sharing my bed,
but be gone and vex me not, so the safer you may return
One small note: the trill of that double "L" sound at the beginning of the last line adds so much to the sinister tone of Agamemnon's final words to the priest. Reading this in the original it is amazing how the poet uses the sounds of the language to affect the mood of his tale. It is truly remarkable and more proof that the Iliad was composed to be heard and not read.
μή νὺ τοῖ οὐ χραίσμῃ σκῆπτρον καὶ στέμμα θεοῖο
τήν δ'ἐγώ οὐ λύσω. πρίν μιν καὶ γῆρας ἔπεισιν
ἡμετέρῳ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ ἐν Ἀργεϊ, τηλόθι πάτρης
ἱοτὸν ἐποιχομενην καὶ ἐμὸν λέχος ἀντιόωσαν
ἀλλ'ἴθι, μή μ'επεθίζε, σαώτερος ὤς κε νέηαι.
No help will the scepter and wreath of the god be to you
Her I shall not free. Sooner old age will overtake her
in our house in Argos, far from her native land
plying the loom and sharing my bed,
but be gone and vex me not, so the safer you may return
One small note: the trill of that double "L" sound at the beginning of the last line adds so much to the sinister tone of Agamemnon's final words to the priest. Reading this in the original it is amazing how the poet uses the sounds of the language to affect the mood of his tale. It is truly remarkable and more proof that the Iliad was composed to be heard and not read.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Day 11: Climbing the Mountain
Ok, I have to admit the work is getting harder, and the grammar is getting more difficult to master. Difficult, but not impossible... I will hold myself to a certain standard of ability in the language of the particular set of lines before I post and translate them, so I will be posting less frequently, perhaps two or three times a week maybe. I will attempt to put together a regular schedule for this blog in order to keep a following, but this task requires lots of work, and I won't sacrifice quality for speed, but the posts will keep on coming so bear with me please. Thank you so much to those of you around the world who have visited the site and I hope that you will continue to do so. This is an amazing experience, and thank you again for sharing it with me...
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Day 10: Agamemnon and the Priest
Lines 22-27
ἔνθ' ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες ἐπευφήμησαν' Αχαιοὶ
αἰδεῖσθαι θ' ἱερῆα καὶ ἀλγαὰ δέχθαι ἄποινα
ἀλλ' οὐκ Ἀτρείδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ἥνδανε θυμῷ
ἀλλὰ κακῶς ἀφίει, κρατερὸν δ'ἐπὶ μῦθον ἔτελλεν
"μή σε, γέρον, κοίλῃσιν ἐγὼ παρὰ νηυσὶ κιχήω
ἣ νῦν δηθύνοντ' ἢ ὕστερον αὖτις ἰόντα
Then all the other Achaeans shouted their assent
Revering the priest, and accepting his shining ransoms,
But not Agamemnon, this did not please the mind of the son of Atreus
And he sent him away with cruel malice, imparting a harsh command:
"No old man, let me not come upon you by the hollow ships,
lingering now, or coming back another time
ἔνθ' ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες ἐπευφήμησαν' Αχαιοὶ
αἰδεῖσθαι θ' ἱερῆα καὶ ἀλγαὰ δέχθαι ἄποινα
ἀλλ' οὐκ Ἀτρείδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ἥνδανε θυμῷ
ἀλλὰ κακῶς ἀφίει, κρατερὸν δ'ἐπὶ μῦθον ἔτελλεν
"μή σε, γέρον, κοίλῃσιν ἐγὼ παρὰ νηυσὶ κιχήω
ἣ νῦν δηθύνοντ' ἢ ὕστερον αὖτις ἰόντα
Then all the other Achaeans shouted their assent
Revering the priest, and accepting his shining ransoms,
But not Agamemnon, this did not please the mind of the son of Atreus
And he sent him away with cruel malice, imparting a harsh command:
"No old man, let me not come upon you by the hollow ships,
lingering now, or coming back another time
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Day 9: On the Majesty of the Greek Language
I've reached Lesson XVIII of Homeric Greek: A Book for Beginners and there is no section of the poem here. Instead Pharr is beefing up vocab and grammar skills for the coming spurning of Apollo's priest by Agamemnon.
Going through the Greek verb is something that I feel will either drive me completely into the arms of Achilles' mania or lead mind to someplace ethereal. The language is so nuanced and one can be hyperspecific or studiously vague depending on the situation. There are somewhere over 200 principle parts to the Greek verb. So many shades of meaning!! A Greek with excellent rhetorical skills must have ranked as a speaker like Van Gogh did as a painter. I am reminded of Gibbons observation about the Christological controversies of late antiquity: in the Greek speaking provinces of the empire the controversies were carried down to the lowest strata of society whereas in the Latin provinces the issues barely penetrated the popular mind because Latin lacked the words to describe them...
Going through the Greek verb is something that I feel will either drive me completely into the arms of Achilles' mania or lead mind to someplace ethereal. The language is so nuanced and one can be hyperspecific or studiously vague depending on the situation. There are somewhere over 200 principle parts to the Greek verb. So many shades of meaning!! A Greek with excellent rhetorical skills must have ranked as a speaker like Van Gogh did as a painter. I am reminded of Gibbons observation about the Christological controversies of late antiquity: in the Greek speaking provinces of the empire the controversies were carried down to the lowest strata of society whereas in the Latin provinces the issues barely penetrated the popular mind because Latin lacked the words to describe them...
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Day 8: A Breather
Real life sometimes intrudes upon ancient dreams of epic heroes and deathless gods, so I will not be posting again until Tuesday...
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Day 7: A Note on Memory
Today I'm attempting to memorize the first twenty lines of the Iliad. And I've managed to nail about five lol. Oh well, Rome wasn't built in a day...
On a serious note I can say that the effort required to recite these poems from memory (even if there was a great deal of improvisation) must have been astounding. Memory is simply not a skill that we cultivate today, but, I think that three thousand years ago it was a different story. I am reminded of Socrates saying that he did not think that the art of writing was much of an advance because it caused human memory to atrophy. At such a long distance from the invention of writing, it is difficult for us to conceive of a world without it, especially now that most of what were once preliterate cultures out on the fringes of the settled world have now been thrust pell mell into the internet age. But there was a time when memory was the only way of retaining information, though even today it is a mark of honor throughout the Muslim world if one has memorized the length and breadth of the Quran, but this is still based on a written text. The fact that a poem with the complexity of the Iliad came out of a circle of orally composed and remembered legends and it is a tribute to what human beings are capable of if we only try.
On a serious note I can say that the effort required to recite these poems from memory (even if there was a great deal of improvisation) must have been astounding. Memory is simply not a skill that we cultivate today, but, I think that three thousand years ago it was a different story. I am reminded of Socrates saying that he did not think that the art of writing was much of an advance because it caused human memory to atrophy. At such a long distance from the invention of writing, it is difficult for us to conceive of a world without it, especially now that most of what were once preliterate cultures out on the fringes of the settled world have now been thrust pell mell into the internet age. But there was a time when memory was the only way of retaining information, though even today it is a mark of honor throughout the Muslim world if one has memorized the length and breadth of the Quran, but this is still based on a written text. The fact that a poem with the complexity of the Iliad came out of a circle of orally composed and remembered legends and it is a tribute to what human beings are capable of if we only try.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Day 6: Chryses Begs for His Daughter's Freedom
Lines 17-21
"Ἀτρείδαι τε καὶ ἄλλοι ἐυκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί,
ὑμῖν μὲν θεοὶ δοῖεν Ὀλύμπιοα δώματ' ἔχουτες
ἐκπέρσαι Πριάμοιο πόλιν, ἐὺ δ'οἴκαδ' ἱκέσθαι
παῖδα δ'ἐμοὶ λῦσαί τε φίλην, τά τ'ἄποινα δέχεσθαι
ἁζόμενοι Διὸς υἱὸν ἑκηβόλον Ἀπόλλωνα.
"Son of Atreus, and all you well greaved Achaeans,
may the gods who have Olympian homes grant to you
the sack of Priam's city and a happy return home,
and to me the release of my beloved child, so accept these ransoms
in reverence to Apollo, the Sharpshooter and son of Zeus.
What can be said? That famous priest of Apollo is begging the release of his dear child, and Agamemnon will soon give his harsh reply and this will be the beginning of the Achaeans' woes...
"Ἀτρείδαι τε καὶ ἄλλοι ἐυκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί,
ὑμῖν μὲν θεοὶ δοῖεν Ὀλύμπιοα δώματ' ἔχουτες
ἐκπέρσαι Πριάμοιο πόλιν, ἐὺ δ'οἴκαδ' ἱκέσθαι
παῖδα δ'ἐμοὶ λῦσαί τε φίλην, τά τ'ἄποινα δέχεσθαι
ἁζόμενοι Διὸς υἱὸν ἑκηβόλον Ἀπόλλωνα.
"Son of Atreus, and all you well greaved Achaeans,
may the gods who have Olympian homes grant to you
the sack of Priam's city and a happy return home,
and to me the release of my beloved child, so accept these ransoms
in reverence to Apollo, the Sharpshooter and son of Zeus.
What can be said? That famous priest of Apollo is begging the release of his dear child, and Agamemnon will soon give his harsh reply and this will be the beginning of the Achaeans' woes...
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Day 5: Chryses Comes to the Fast Ships
Lines 11-16
οὔνεκα τόν Χρύσην ἠτίμασεν ἀρητῆρα
Ἀτρείδης. ὁ γὰρ ἦλθε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
λυσόμενος τε θὺγατέρα φέρων τ'ἀπερείσι ἄποινα
στέμματ'ἔχων ἐν χερσὶν ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος
χρυσεῳ ἀνὰ σκήπτρῳ, καὶ ἐλίσσετο πάντας Ἀχαιους
Ἀτρείδα δὲ μάλιστα δύω, κοσμήτορε λαῶν
Because the son of Atreus dishonored that famous priest
Chryses. For he came to the fast ships of the Achaeans
desiring to free his daughter and bearing innumerable ransoms,
wreaths in hand of the Freeshooter, Apollo,
along with a golden scepter, and he kept begging all the Achaeans,
especially the two sons of Atreus, marshallers of the armies
My one short comment tonight before I retreat to the country of dreams after a long and taxing evening: Homer's language is stark and brutal. I love Fagles English translation, but even he does not match the effect of reading those first lines in the original and I can already see that the small amount of effort that I've put into this has definitely been worth it. I cannot wait to see what I discover tomorrow...
οὔνεκα τόν Χρύσην ἠτίμασεν ἀρητῆρα
Ἀτρείδης. ὁ γὰρ ἦλθε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
λυσόμενος τε θὺγατέρα φέρων τ'ἀπερείσι ἄποινα
στέμματ'ἔχων ἐν χερσὶν ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος
χρυσεῳ ἀνὰ σκήπτρῳ, καὶ ἐλίσσετο πάντας Ἀχαιους
Ἀτρείδα δὲ μάλιστα δύω, κοσμήτορε λαῶν
Because the son of Atreus dishonored that famous priest
Chryses. For he came to the fast ships of the Achaeans
desiring to free his daughter and bearing innumerable ransoms,
wreaths in hand of the Freeshooter, Apollo,
along with a golden scepter, and he kept begging all the Achaeans,
especially the two sons of Atreus, marshallers of the armies
My one short comment tonight before I retreat to the country of dreams after a long and taxing evening: Homer's language is stark and brutal. I love Fagles English translation, but even he does not match the effect of reading those first lines in the original and I can already see that the small amount of effort that I've put into this has definitely been worth it. I cannot wait to see what I discover tomorrow...
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Day 4: Achilles, Agamemnon, and the son of Leto and Zeus
Lines 6-10
ἐξ οὗ δὴ τὰ πρῶτα διαστήτην ἐρίσαντε
Ἀτρείδης τε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν καὶ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς
τίς τ'ἄρ σφωε θεῶν ἔριδι ξυνέηκε μάχεσθαι;
Λητοῦς καὶ Διὸς υἱός. ὁ γὰρ βασιλῆι χολωθεὶς
νοῦσον ἀνὰ στρατὸν ὦρσε κακήν, ὀλέκοντο δὲ λαοί,
From the time when the two first stood apart and quarelled
The son of Atreus and lord of men, and divine Achilles.
Which then of the gods brought these two to battle and strife?
Zeus' and Leto's son. For being enraged by the king
he incited an evil plague in the camp, the armies perishing
ἐξ οὗ δὴ τὰ πρῶτα διαστήτην ἐρίσαντε
Ἀτρείδης τε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν καὶ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς
τίς τ'ἄρ σφωε θεῶν ἔριδι ξυνέηκε μάχεσθαι;
Λητοῦς καὶ Διὸς υἱός. ὁ γὰρ βασιλῆι χολωθεὶς
νοῦσον ἀνὰ στρατὸν ὦρσε κακήν, ὀλέκοντο δὲ λαοί,
From the time when the two first stood apart and quarelled
The son of Atreus and lord of men, and divine Achilles.
Which then of the gods brought these two to battle and strife?
Zeus' and Leto's son. For being enraged by the king
he incited an evil plague in the camp, the armies perishing
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Day 3: A few words on dactyls and spondees
The dactylic hexameter is the skeleton of the Homeric epic. It is the meter which gives the poem its voice and personality. It is a simple structure but I have to admit that I'm having some trouble with my initial attempts at having it roll off my tongue in a language that I am only beginning to come to grips with. But, difficulties aside, this is fun!
The feature which defines the hexameter verse is the length of the syllable. Greek vowels are either long or short, and long vowels obviously make long syllables while short vowels will make a short syllable unless they are followed by a double consonant or two separate consonants, in which case it becomes a long syllable.
The grouping of the long and short syllables are what makes the structure of the line. The Homeric line of verse is composed of six 'feet'. A foot is the length of two long syllables. The first syllable is always long and can be followed either by another long syllable or two short syllables. If the foot is a long followed by two shorts it is called a dactyl while if it is composed of two longs it is called a spondee. The feet can begin and end in the middle of words while the last foot in a line is always a spondee.
This mixing and matching of long and short syllables may seem confusing at first, but, from the little I've experienced, I have the sense that when the pattern is repeated, line after line, a cumulative effect starts to take hold of the listener. One writer has even remarked that in Homer's epics both gods and humans speak in dactylic hexameter and has likened this to the poet's firm conviction that it was Fate that ultimately held sway over the divine and human realms and that even the gods were powerless against it. More of the poem on the next post...
s26Telemachus
The feature which defines the hexameter verse is the length of the syllable. Greek vowels are either long or short, and long vowels obviously make long syllables while short vowels will make a short syllable unless they are followed by a double consonant or two separate consonants, in which case it becomes a long syllable.
The grouping of the long and short syllables are what makes the structure of the line. The Homeric line of verse is composed of six 'feet'. A foot is the length of two long syllables. The first syllable is always long and can be followed either by another long syllable or two short syllables. If the foot is a long followed by two shorts it is called a dactyl while if it is composed of two longs it is called a spondee. The feet can begin and end in the middle of words while the last foot in a line is always a spondee.
This mixing and matching of long and short syllables may seem confusing at first, but, from the little I've experienced, I have the sense that when the pattern is repeated, line after line, a cumulative effect starts to take hold of the listener. One writer has even remarked that in Homer's epics both gods and humans speak in dactylic hexameter and has likened this to the poet's firm conviction that it was Fate that ultimately held sway over the divine and human realms and that even the gods were powerless against it. More of the poem on the next post...
s26Telemachus
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Day 2: The Rage of Achilles
Lines 1-5
Μῆνιν ἄειδε, θεᾱ, Πηληιάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
οὐλομένην, ἢ μυρί' Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε' ἔθηκεν
πολλὰς δ' ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄιδι προῑαψεν
ἠρώων, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν
οἰωνοῖσί τε δαῖτα, Διὸς ἐτελείετο βουλή
Rage, goddess, sing the accursed rage of Peleus' son,
of Achilles, which caused countless woes for the Achaeans
and hurled many brave souls of heroes forth to Hades,
who themselves were made spoils for the dogs and
a feast for carrion birds, and the will of Zeus was being fulfilled
This epic poem begins with Rage, and this needs no comment from me as it's eloquence has been celebrated throughout the millenia. The only thing I would mention is a grammatical point which actually suprised me: the Greek word for rage μῆνις is here in the accusative case, which makes it the direct object of the verb sing ἄειδε. So, the poet is not beseeching his goddess muse to sing about Achilles' mad rage, but in fact to sing the rage itself, along with its dreadful consequences for the Achaean host. This must have given the poet's hearers a sense that the wrath of Achilles would permeate every line of the poem. I am certain they were not disappointed...
Μῆνιν ἄειδε, θεᾱ, Πηληιάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
οὐλομένην, ἢ μυρί' Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε' ἔθηκεν
πολλὰς δ' ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄιδι προῑαψεν
ἠρώων, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν
οἰωνοῖσί τε δαῖτα, Διὸς ἐτελείετο βουλή
Rage, goddess, sing the accursed rage of Peleus' son,
of Achilles, which caused countless woes for the Achaeans
and hurled many brave souls of heroes forth to Hades,
who themselves were made spoils for the dogs and
a feast for carrion birds, and the will of Zeus was being fulfilled
This epic poem begins with Rage, and this needs no comment from me as it's eloquence has been celebrated throughout the millenia. The only thing I would mention is a grammatical point which actually suprised me: the Greek word for rage μῆνις is here in the accusative case, which makes it the direct object of the verb sing ἄειδε. So, the poet is not beseeching his goddess muse to sing about Achilles' mad rage, but in fact to sing the rage itself, along with its dreadful consequences for the Achaean host. This must have given the poet's hearers a sense that the wrath of Achilles would permeate every line of the poem. I am certain they were not disappointed...
Friday, September 11, 2009
Day 1: The Beginning
Rage is what the great storytelling of the last three thousand years begins with. The rage of Achilles at Agamemnon's insult and its dreadful consequences for the Achaean armies under the walls of Troy. Through this blog, I will attempt to understand how that master storyteller Homer created an epic that still has the power to captivate the human imagination almost three millenia on.
The first English translations of the Homeric epics were not made until the eighteenth century, so it was not the English words that made these works immortal, but the original Greek words of the master poet who sung them when civilization in his land was yet young, though it had already grown old in others. So, what I intend to do is to teach myself Homeric Greek via Clyde Pharr's master work Homeric Greek: A Book for Beginners.
This blog is being set up first as a way to motivate myself to continue with what will undoubtedly be an arduous task and second I am hoping to maybe, just maybe, if I can attract an attention at all, create a stir in someone's heart out there that just might lead to a bit of curiosity which might possibly lead them to appreciate this unrivalled poet who deserves to be ranked with Moses, Jesus, and Muhammed as one of the iconic founders of the Western world.
Things will be organized as follows: Starting at Lesson XIII (which I have reached) of Pharr's book each lesson covers a short section of the first book of the Iliad, starting with line 1 and going to the end. After completing the lesson I will post the lines in the original Greek, then render my own translation and offer some, or no commentary, depending on the situation. Tomorrow, we shall start tomorrow and see what happens...
The first English translations of the Homeric epics were not made until the eighteenth century, so it was not the English words that made these works immortal, but the original Greek words of the master poet who sung them when civilization in his land was yet young, though it had already grown old in others. So, what I intend to do is to teach myself Homeric Greek via Clyde Pharr's master work Homeric Greek: A Book for Beginners.
This blog is being set up first as a way to motivate myself to continue with what will undoubtedly be an arduous task and second I am hoping to maybe, just maybe, if I can attract an attention at all, create a stir in someone's heart out there that just might lead to a bit of curiosity which might possibly lead them to appreciate this unrivalled poet who deserves to be ranked with Moses, Jesus, and Muhammed as one of the iconic founders of the Western world.
Things will be organized as follows: Starting at Lesson XIII (which I have reached) of Pharr's book each lesson covers a short section of the first book of the Iliad, starting with line 1 and going to the end. After completing the lesson I will post the lines in the original Greek, then render my own translation and offer some, or no commentary, depending on the situation. Tomorrow, we shall start tomorrow and see what happens...
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