HOMER'S ILIAD COMPLETE

Rhapsody 19

Literally Translated, with Explanatory Notes, by Theodore Alois Buckley

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Page 4

Thus he spoke; but the well-greaved Greeks rejoiced, the magnanimous son of Peleus renouncing his wrath. But them, the king of men, Agamemnon, also addressed out of the same place, from his seat, nor advancing into the midst:

"O friends! heroes of the Greeks, servants of Mars, it is becoming indeed that ye should hearken to me, thus rising, nor is it convenient that thou shouldst interrupt; for [it is] difficult, even for one being skilled.[622] But in a great uproar of men, how can any one hear or speak? but he is interrupted, although being a clear-toned orator. I indeed will direct myself to the son of Peleus; but do ye, the other Greeks, understand, and carefully learn my meaning. Often already have the Greeks spoken this saying to me, and have rebuked me; but I am not to blame,[623] but Jove, and Fate, and Erinnys, roaming amid the shades, who, during the assembly, cast into my mind a sad injury, on that day, when I myself took away the reward of Achilles. But what could I do? for the deity accomplishes all things; pernicious Ate, the venerable daughter of Jove, who injures all. Her feet are tender, for she does not approach the ground, but she walks over the heads of men, injuring mankind, and one at least[624] [she] fetters. For at one time she injured even Jove, who, they say, is the most powerful of men and gods; but him Juno, being a female, deceived by her guile on that day when Alemene was about to bring forth mighty Hercules in well-walled Thebes. He indeed, boasting, had said among all the gods:

"Hear me,[625] all ye gods and all ye goddesses, whilst I speak those things which the mind within my bosom urges. This day Ilithyia, presiding over births, shall bring into the light a certain man, who shall be ruler over all his neighbours,--[one] of those men of the blood of my race!"

[Footnote 622: I.e. even a good speaker can do nothing without a fair hearing.]

[Footnote 623: Cf. iii. 164. Seneca, (Ed. 1019) "Fati ista culpa est." Cf. Duport. p. 106. Aesch. Choeph. 910: [Greek: E moira toton, o teknon, paraitia].]

[Footnote 624: "A delicate censure of Achilles."—Oxford Transl.]

[Footnote 625: Cf. Pindar, Ol. iii. 50-105, and Il. v. iii. I have followed Heyne's construing, supplying [Greek: tina].]

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