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:

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.

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.