Homer, Iliad, Samuel Butler (Translator), 24.200

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His wife cried aloud as she heard him, and said, “Alas, what has become of that judgment for which you have been ever famous both among strangers and your own people? How can you venture alone to the ships of the Achaeans, and look into the face of him who has slain so many of your [205] brave sons? You must have iron courage, for if the cruel savage sees you and lays hold on you, he will know neither respect nor pity. Let us then weep Hector from afar here in our own house, [210] for when I gave him birth the threads of overruling fate were spun for him that dogs should eat his flesh far from his parents, in the house of that terrible man on whose liver I would fain fasten and devour it. Thus would I avenge my son, who showed no cowardice when Achilles slew him, and thought neither of Right nor of avoiding battle [215] as he stood in defense of Trojan men and Trojan women.”

Then Priam the godlike said, “I would go, do not therefore stay me nor be as a bird of ill omen in my house, for you will not move me. [220] Had it been some mortal man who had sent me some seer [ mantis] or priest who divines from sacrifice—I should have deemed him false and have given him no heed; but now I have heard the goddess and seen her face to face, therefore I will go and her saying shall not be in vain. [225] If it be my fate to die at the ships of the bronze-armored Achaeans even so would I have it; let Achilles slay me, if I may but first have taken my son in my arms and mourned him to my heart’s comforting.”

Iliad. Homer. Samuel Butler (Translator). London. 1898.

Current edition Experimental

English (Butler, rev. Nagy et al., 2020) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Butler, rev. Nagy et al., 2020))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Ἰλιάς Perseus (Homer. Homeri Opera, Volumes 1-2. Monro, D. B. (David Binning), editor; Allen, Thomas W. (Thomas William), editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908-1920.) — 24.200 focus

ὣς φάτο, κώκυσεν δὲ γυνὴ καὶ ἀμείβετο μύθῳ·

200

ὤ μοι πῇ δή τοι φρένες οἴχονθʼ, ᾗς τὸ πάρος περ

ἔκλεʼ ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους ξείνους ἠδʼ οἷσιν ἀνάσσεις;

πῶς ἐθέλεις ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν ἐλθέμεν οἶος

ἀνδρὸς ἐς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὅς τοι πολέας τε καὶ ἐσθλοὺς

υἱέας ἐξενάριξε· σιδήρειόν νύ τοι ἦτορ.

205

εἰ γάρ σʼ αἱρήσει καὶ ἐσόψεται ὀφθαλμοῖσιν

ὠμηστὴς καὶ ἄπιστος ἀνὴρ ὅ γε οὔ σʼ ἐλεήσει,

οὐδέ τί σʼ αἰδέσεται. νῦν δὲ κλαίωμεν ἄνευθεν

ἥμενοι ἐν μεγάρῳ· τῷ δʼ ὥς ποθι Μοῖρα κραταιὴ

γιγνομένῳ ἐπένησε λίνῳ, ὅτε μιν τέκον αὐτή,

210

ἀργίποδας κύνας ἆσαι ἑῶν ἀπάνευθε τοκήων

ἀνδρὶ πάρα κρατερῷ, τοῦ ἐγὼ μέσον ἧπαρ ἔχοιμι

ἐσθέμεναι προσφῦσα· τότʼ ἄντιτα ἔργα γένοιτο

παιδὸς ἐμοῦ, ἐπεὶ οὔ ἑ κακιζόμενόν γε κατέκτα,

ἀλλὰ πρὸ Τρώων καὶ Τρωϊάδων βαθυκόλπων

215

ἑσταότʼ οὔτε φόβου μεμνημένον οὔτʼ ἀλεωρῆς.

τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε γέρων Πρίαμος θεοειδής·

μή μʼ ἐθέλοντʼ ἰέναι κατερύκανε, μὴ δέ μοι αὐτὴ

ὄρνις ἐνὶ μεγάροισι κακὸς πέλευ· οὐδέ με πείσεις.

εἰ μὲν γάρ τίς μʼ ἄλλος ἐπιχθονίων ἐκέλευεν,

220

ἢ οἳ μάντιές εἰσι θυοσκόοι ἢ ἱερῆες,

ψεῦδός κεν φαῖμεν καὶ νοσφιζοίμεθα μᾶλλον·

νῦν δʼ, αὐτὸς γὰρ ἄκουσα θεοῦ καὶ ἐσέδρακον ἄντην,

εἶμι καὶ οὐχ ἅλιον ἔπος ἔσσεται. εἰ δέ μοι αἶσα

τεθνάμεναι παρὰ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων

225

βούλομαι· αὐτίκα γάρ με κατακτείνειεν Ἀχιλλεὺς

ἀγκὰς ἑλόντʼ ἐμὸν υἱόν, ἐπὴν γόου ἐξ ἔρον εἵην.

Translations (7)

Iliad Perseus (Homer. The Iliad, Volume 1-2. Murray, A. T. (Augustus Taber), translator. London: William Heinmann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1924-1925.) — 24.200 focus

200 So spake he, but his wife uttered a shrill cry, and spake in answer:

Ah, woe is me, whither now is gone the wisdom for the which of old thou wast famed among stranger folk and among them thou rulest? How art thou fain to go alone to the ships of the Achaeans to meet the eyes of the man who 205 hath slain thy sons, many and valiant? Of iron verily is thy heart. For if so be he get thee in his power and his eyes behold thee, so savage and faithless is the man, he will neither pity thee nor anywise have reverence. Nay, let us now make our lament afar from him we mourn, abiding here in the hall. On this wise for him did mighty Fate spin 210 with her thread at his birth, when myself did bear him, that he should glut swift-footed dogs far from his parents, in the abode of a violent man, in whose inmost heart I were fain to fix my teeth and feed thereon; then haply might deeds of requital be wrought for my son, seeing in no wise while playing the dastard was he slain of him, 215 but while standing forth in defence of the men and deep-bosomed women of Troy, with no thought of shelter or of flight.

Then in answer spake unto her the old man, god-like Priam:

Seek not to stay me that am fain to go, neither be thyself a bird of ill-boding in my halls; thou shalt not persuade me. 220 For if any other of the men that are upon the face of the earth had bidden me this, whether of seers that divine from sacrifice or of priests, a false thing might we deem it, and turn away therefrom the more; but now—for myself I heard the voice of the goddess and looked upon her face—I will go forth, neither shall her word be vain. And if it be my fate 225 to lie dead by the ships of the brazen-coated Achaeans, so would I have it; forthwith let Achilles slay me, when once I have clasped in my arms my son, and have put from me the desire for wailing.

Iliad Perseus (Homer. The Iliad of Homer, rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original. Butler, Samuel, 1835-1902, translator. London: Longmans, Green, and Co, 1898.) — 24.217 focus

217 Then Priam said, "I would go, do not therefore stay me nor be as a bird of ill omen in my house, for you will not move me. Had it been some mortal man who had sent me some seer [ mantis] or priest who divines from sacrifice - I should have deemed him false and have given him no heed; but now I have heard the goddess and seen her face to face, therefore I will go and her saying shall not be in vain. If it be my fate to die at the ships of the Achaeans even so would I have it; let Achilles slay me, if I may but first have taken my son in my arms and mourned him to my heart's comforting."

228 So saying he lifted the lids of his chests, and took out twelve goodly vestments. He took also twelve cloaks of single fold, twelve rugs, twelve fair mantles, and an equal number of shirts. He weighed out ten talents of gold, and brought moreover two burnished tripods, four cauldrons, and a very beautiful cup which the Thracians had given him when he had gone to them on an embassy; it was very precious, but he grudged not even this, so eager was he to ransom the body of his son. Then he chased all the Trojans from the court and rebuked them with words of anger. "Out," he cried, "shame and disgrace to me that you are. Have you no grief in your own homes that you are come to plague me here? Is it a small thing, think you, that the son of Kronos has sent this sorrow upon me, to lose the bravest of my sons? Nay, you shall prove it in person, for now he is gone the Achaeans will have easier work in killing you. As for me, let me go down within the house of Hades, ere mine eyes behold the sacking and wasting of the city."

247 He drove the men away with his staff, and they went forth as the old man sped them. Then he called to his sons, upbraiding Helenos, Paris , noble Agathon, Pammon, Antiphonos, Polites of the loud battle-cry, Deiphobos, Hippothoos, and Dios. These nine did the old man call near him. "Come to me at once," he cried, "worthless sons who do me shame;

254 would that you had all been killed at the ships rather than Hektor. Miserable man that I am, I have had the bravest sons in all Troy - noble Nestor, Troilus the dauntless charioteer, and Hektor who was a god among men, so that one would have thought he was son to an immortal - yet there is not one of them left. Ares has slain them and those of whom I am ashamed are alone left me. Liars, and light of foot, heroes of the dance, robbers of lambs and kids from your own people, why do you not get a wagon ready for me at once, and put all these things upon it that I may set out on my way?"

265 Thus did he speak, and they feared the rebuke of their father. They brought out a strong mule-wagon, newly made, and set the body of the wagon fast on its bed. They took the mule-yoke from the peg on which it hung, a yoke of boxwood with a knob on the top of it and rings for the reins to go through. Then they brought a yoke-band eleven cubits long, to bind the yoke to the pole; they bound it on at the far end of the pole, and put the ring over the upright pin making it fast with three turns of the band on either side the knob, and bending the thong of the yoke beneath it. This done, they brought from the store-chamber the rich ransom that was to purchase the body of Hektor, and they set it all orderly on the wagon; then they yoked the strong harness-mules which the Mysians had on a time given as a goodly present to Priam; but for Priam himself they yoked horses which the old king had bred, and kept for own use.

281 Thus heedfully did Priam and his servant see to the yoking of their cars at the palace. Then Hecuba came to them all sorrowful, with a golden goblet of wine in her right hand, that they might make a drink-offering before they set out. She stood in front of the horses and said, "Take this, make a drink-offering to father Zeus, and since you are minded to go to the ships in spite of me, pray that you may come safely back from the hands of your enemies. Pray to the son of Kronos lord of the whirlwind, who sits on Ida and looks down over all Troy ,

292 pray him to send his swift messenger on your right hand, the bird of omen which is strongest and most dear to him of all birds, that you may see it with your own eyes and trust it as you go forth to the ships of the Danaans. If all-seeing Zeus will not send you this messenger, however set upon it you may be, I would not have you go to the ships of the Argives."

299 And Priam answered, "Wife, I will do as you desire me; it is well to lift hands in prayer to Zeus, if so be he may have mercy upon me." With this the old man bade the serving-woman pour pure water over his hands, and the woman came, bearing the water in a bowl. He washed his hands and took the cup from his wife; then he made the drink-offering and prayed, standing in the middle of the courtyard and turning his eyes to heaven. "Father Zeus," he said, "you who rule from Ida, most glorious and most great, grant that I may be received kindly and compassionately in the tents of Achilles; and send your swift messenger upon my right hand, the bird of omen which is strongest and most dear to you of all birds, that I may see it with my own eyes and trust it as I go forth to the ships of the Danaans."

English (William Cullen Bryant, 1870) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (William Cullen Bryant, 1870)) — 24.200 focus

He spake: his consort wept, and answered thus:

"Ah me! the prudence which was once so praised

By strangers and by those who own thy sway,

Where is it now? Why wouldst thou go alone

To the Greek fleet, to meet the eye of him

260

Who slew so many of thy gallant sons?

An iron heart is thine. If that false man,

Remorseless as he is, should see thee there

And seize thee, neither pity nor respect

Hast thou to hope from him. Let us lament

265

Our Hector in these halls. A cruel fate

Spun, when I brought him forth, his thread of life, -

That far from us his corse should feed the hounds

Near that fierce man, whose liver I could tear

From out his bosom. Then the indignities

270

Done to my son would be repaid, for he

Was slain, not shunning combat, coward-like,

But fighting to defend the men of Troy

And the deep-bosomed Trojan dames. He fell

Without a thought of flight or of retreat."

275

English (Alexander Pope, 1720, ed. Watson, 1857) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Alexander Pope, 1720, ed. Watson, 1857)) — 24.200 focus

The hoary monarch thus: her piercing cries

Sad Hecuba renews, and then replies:

‘Ah! whither wanders thy distemper'd mind;

‘And where the prudence now that awed mankind,

‘Through Phrygia once, and foreign regions known?

245

‘Now all confus'd, distracted, overthrown!

‘Singly to pass through hosts of foes! to face

‘(Oh heart of steel!) the murderer of thy race!

‘To view that deathful eye, and wander o'er

‘Those hands, yet red with Hector's noble gore!

250

‘Alas! my lord! he knows not how to spare,

‘And what his mercy, thy slain sons declare;

‘So brave! so many fall'n! to calm his rage,

‘Vain were thy dignity, and vain thy age.

‘No—pent in this sad palace, let us give

255

‘To grief the wretched days we have to live.

‘Still, still, for Hector let our sorrows flow,

‘Born to his own, and to his parents' woe!

‘Doom'd from the hour his luckless life begun,

‘To dogs, to vultures, and to Peleus' son!

260

‘Oh! in his dearest blood might I allay

‘My rage, and these barbarities repay!

‘For ah! could Hector merit thus? whose breath

‘Expir'd not meanly, in inactive death:

‘He pour'd his latest blood in manly fight,

265

‘And fell a hero in his country's right.’

‘Seek not to stay me, nor my soul affright

‘With words of omen, like a bird of night,’

(Replied unmov'd the venerable man:)

‘'Tis heaven commands me, and you urge in vain.

270

‘Had any mortal voice th' injunction laid,

‘Nor augur, priest, nor seer had been obey'd.

‘A present goddess brought the high command:

‘I saw, I heard her, and the word shall stand.

‘I go, ye gods! obedient to your call:

275

‘If in yon camp your powers have doom'd my fall,

‘Content: by the same hand let me expire!

‘Add to the slaughter'd son the wretched sire!

‘One cold embrace at least may be allow'd,

‘And my last tears flow mingled with his blood!’

280

English (Thomas Hobbes, 1667, ed. Molesworth 1843) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Hobbes, 1667, ed. Molesworth 1843)) — 24.200 focus

At this, aloud she shriek'd, and said, Ay me,

185

What now is of the wit you had become,

For which so wise you once were thought to be,

By men abroad, and by your friends at home ?

Will you go put yourself into the hand

Of him that hath your sons so many slain,

190

A man that does not pity understand,

Nor faith ? No, no, he'll not from you abstain.

But since the Fates designed had before

His birth, to th' dogs he should be made a prey

By this hard-hearted man, you may deplore

195

Him here at home, and from Achilles stay.

Oh, that between my teeth I had his heart,

That to revenge my son I might it eat;

It would no little ease be to my smart,

And less the loss of him I should regret.

200

For Hector only for his country fought,

And of his enemies was not afraid,

Nor did him wrong, but valiant was and stout.

Then Priam to his wife replied, and said,

Nay, wife, since to him I am bent to go,

205

Dissuade me not, nor ill bird to me be

Here in my house, and bode me ill. For know,

Whate'er you say, 'twill not prevail with me.

If now a priest or prophet to me came,

And this had said, I thought it had a lie.

210

But howsoever, come what will, I am

With Hector in my arms content to die.

English (George Chapman, 1611, ed. Hooper 1857) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (George Chapman, 1611, ed. Hooper 1857)) — 24.200 focus

His vent'rous purpose, and replied: "O whither now is fled

The late discretion that renown'd thy grave and knowing head

195

In foreign and thine own rul'd realms, that thus thou dar'st assay

Sight of that man, in whose brow sticks the horrible decay

Of sons so many, and so strong? Thy heart is iron I think.

If this stern man, whose thirst of blood makes cruelty his drink,

Take, or but see, thee, thou art dead. He nothing pities woe,

200

Nor honours age. Without his sight, we have enough to do

To mourn with thought of him. Keep we our palace, weep we here,

Our son is past our helps. Those throes, that my deliverers were

Of his unhappy lineaments, told me they should be torn

With black-foot dogs. Almighty Fate, that black hour he was born,

205

Spun in his springing thread that end; far from his parents' reach,

This bloody fellow then ordain'd to be their mean, this wretch,

Whose stony liver would to heaven I might devour, my teeth

My son's revengers made! Curs'd Greek, he gave him not his death

Doing an ill work; he alone fought for his country, he

210

Fled not, nor fear'd, but stood his worst; and cursed policy

Was his undoing." He replied: "Whatever was his end

Is not our question, we must now use all means to defend

His end from scandal; from which act dissuade not my just will,

Nor let me nourish in my house a bird presaging ill

215

To my good actions; 'tis in vain. Had any earthly spirit

Given this suggestion, if our priests, or soothsayers, challenging merit

Of prophets, I might hold it false, and be the rather mov'd

To keep my palace, but these ears and these self eyes approv'd

It was a Goddess. I will go, for not a word She spake

220

I know was idle. If it were, and that my fate will make

Quick riddance of me at the fleet, kill me, Achilles; come,

When getting to thee, I shall find a happy dying room

On Hector's bosom, when enough thirst of my tears finds there

Quench to his fervour."

225

English (William Cowper, 1791, ed. Southey) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (William Cowper, 1791, ed. Southey)) — 24.200 focus

Then wept the Queen aloud, and thus replied.

Ah! whither is thy wisdom fled, for which

Both strangers once, and Trojans honour'd thee?

How canst thou wish to penetrate alone

The Greecian fleet, and to appear before

260

His face, by whom so many valiant sons

Of thine have fallen? Thou hast an iron heart!

For should that savage man and faithless once

Seize and discover thee, no pity expect

Or reverence at his hands. Come—let us weep

265

Together, here sequester'd; for the thread

Spun for him by his destiny severe

When he was born, ordain'd our son remote

From us his parents to be food for hounds

In that Chief's tent. Oh! clinging to his side,

270

How I could tear him with my teeth! His deeds,

Disgraceful to my son, then should not want

Retaliation; for he slew not him

Skulking, but standing boldly for the wives,

The daughters fair, and citizens of Troy,

275

Guiltless of flight, and of the wish to fly.

Whom Godlike Priam answer'd, ancient King.

Impede me not who willing am to go,

Nor be, thyself, a bird of ominous note

To terrify me under my own roof,

280

For thou shalt not prevail. Had mortal man

Enjoin'd me this attempt, prophet, or priest,

Or soothsayer, I had pronounced him false

And fear'd it but the more. But, since I saw

The Goddess with these eyes, and heard, myself,

285

The voice divine, I go; that word shall stand;

And, if my doom be in the fleet of Greece

To perish, be it so; Achilles' arm

Shall give me speedy death, and I shall die

Folding my son, and satisfied with tears.

290

New Alexandria Commentaries

Gregory Nagy

The Iliad ends with the funeral of Hector, not of Achilles. And it is Hector, not Achilles, who is lamented at the end. But it is Achilles who makes it all happen, since he has transcended his rage and has shown mercy to an old father. The tears of Priam had made Achilles think of his own old father, of his own ancestors—and of Patroklos, who embodied the glories of the ancestors. Achilles was looking bad at the beginning of Iliad 23 and even at the beginning of Iliad 24, but he looks very good by the time Iliad 24 comes to a close.

draft js image error Mourners lament as Hector’s corpse is laid out in preparation for the funeral that closes Iliad Rhapsody 24. Copperplate etching (1795) by Tommaso Piroli, after a drawing (1793) by John Flaxman. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

source

The gods pity Hector and are on the verge of sending Hermes to hide the corpse of Hector, but this plan is vetoed by Hērā and Poseidon, in that order. They bear a grudge against Troy and Priam because of an atē ‘aberration’ of Paris=Alexandros. But the narrative concentrates only on Hērā, since the atē ‘aberration’ that the Master Narrator has in mind involves a direct insult to that goddess. On the story of that insult, see the comment on the verses that immediately follow.

source

Homer Iliad 24.200

Samuel Butler (Translator)

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