The Iliad of Homer · Homer
BOOK XXI.
Then, messenger of heaven, the Argicide Address’d Latona. Combat none with thee, Latona, will I wage. Unsafe it were To cope in battle with a spouse of Jove.585 Go, therefore, loudly as thou wilt, proclaim To all the Gods that thou hast vanquish’d me. Collecting, then, the bow and arrows fallen In wild disorder on the dusty plain, Latona with the sacred charge withdrew590 Following her daughter; she, in the abode Brass-built arriving of Olympian Jove, Sat on his knees, weeping till all her robe Ambrosial shook. The mighty Father smiled, And to his bosom straining her, inquired.595 Daughter beloved! who, which of all the Gods Hath raised his hand, presumptuous, against thee, As if convicted of some open wrong? To whom the clear-voiced Huntress crescent-crown’d. My Father! Juno, thy own consort fair600 My sorrow caused, from whom dispute and strife Perpetual, threaten the immortal Powers. Thus they in heaven mutual conferr’d. Meantime Apollo into sacred Troy return’d Mindful to guard her bulwarks, lest the Greeks605 Too soon for Fate should desolate the town. The other Gods, some angry, some elate With victory, the Olympian heights regain’d, And sat beside the Thunderer.
But the son Of Peleus—He both Trojans slew and steeds.610 As when in volumes slow smoke climbs the skies From some great city which the Gods have fired Vindictive, sorrow thence to many ensues With mischief, and to all labor severe, So caused Achilles labor on that day,615 Severe, and mischief to the men of Troy. But ancient Priam from a sacred tower Stood looking forth, whence soon he noticed vast Achilles, before whom the Trojans fled All courage lost. Descending from the tower620 With mournful cries and hasting to the wall He thus enjoin’d the keepers of the gates. Hold wide the portals till the flying host Re-enter, for himself is nigh, himself Achilles drives them home. Now, wo to Troy!625 But soon as safe within the walls received They breathe again, shut fast the ponderous gates At once, lest that destroyer also pass. He said; they, shooting back the bars, threw wide The gates and saved the people, whom to aid630 Apollo also sprang into the field, They, parch’d with drought and whiten’d all with dust, Flew right toward the town, while, spear in hand, Achilles press’d them, vengeance in his heart And all on fire for glory.
Then, full sure,635 Ilium, the city of lofty gates, had fallen Won by the Grecians, had not Phœbus roused Antenor’s valiant son, the noble Chief Agenor; him with dauntless might he fill’d, And shielding him against the stroke of fate640 Beside him stood himself, by the broad beech Cover’d and wrapt in clouds. Agenor then, Seeing the city-waster hero nigh Achilles, stood, but standing, felt his mind Troubled with doubts; he groan’d, and thus he mused.645 [10]Alas! if following the tumultuous flight Of these, I shun Achilles, swifter far He soon will lop my ignominious head. But if, these leaving to be thus dispersed Before him, from the city-wall I fly650 Across the plain of Troy into the groves Of Ida, and in Ida’s thickets lurk, I may, at evening, to the town return Bathed and refresh’d. But whither tend my thoughts? Should he my flight into the plain observe655 And swift pursuing seize me, then, farewell All hope to scape a miserable death, For he hath strength passing the strength of man. How then—shall I withstand him here before The city? He hath also flesh to steel660 Pervious, within it but a single life, And men report him mortal, howsoe’er Saturnian Jove lift him to glory now. So saying, he turn’d and stood, his dauntless heart Beating for battle.
The Trojans being now within the city, excepting Hector, the field is cleared for the most important and decisive action in the poem; that is, the battle between Achilles and Hector, and the death of the latter. This part of the story is managed with singular skill. It seems as if the poet, feeling the importance of the catastrophe, wished to withdraw from view the personages of less consequence, and to concentrate our attention upon those two alone. The poetic action and description are narrowed in extent, but deepened in interest. The fate of Troy is impending; the irreversible decree of Jupiter is about to be executed; the heroes, whose bravery is to be the instrument of bringing about this consummation, are left together on the plain.—Felton. Achilles slays Hector.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.