The Iliad and the Odyssey (Classics of World Literature) (11 page)

The old king sprung for joy to hear his spirit,

And said: ‘O lov’d immortals, what a day

Do your clear bounties to my life display!

I joy, past measure, to behold my son

And [grandson] close in such contention

Of virtues martial.’

The household is complete.

Jan Parker

The Open University

Glossary of unfamiliar words

abode (verb) – foretell

abodes (noun) – omens

accited – summoned

aesture – swelling tide

affected – beloved

apaid – satisfied

approve – prove, try

areeds – advises

arew – in a row

artires – ligaments [arteries]

bace – run

bedfere – bed companion

beeves – cows

besogne – base fellow, commoner

bever – evening meal

bewray – display

blanch – whiten, make to look good

blore – blast

bracks – broken, torn parts

bray – chew up

cantles – portions

carquenet/carcanet – necklace

cast – pair [of eagles]

cates – delicacies

champain – level country

conceit – concept, idea, impression

cope – covering

cote – outstrip

curets – cuirass

curious – careful, painstaking

currie – quarry

disperple – sprinkle

dite – winnow

diversory – wayside inn

dorp – village

doubt – redoubt, barrier

dubbed – smeared

emprese – enterprise

err – wander

error – wandering

expiscating – enquiring into

fautour – guardian

fell’ffs – outer-parts of wheel

fere – mate, companion

fil’d – defiled

flaw – wave, roller

flea – flay

froes – women

frontless – shameless

froofe – augur handle

giggots – quarter joints

gull (verb) – to swallow

hoice – hoist

humorous – damp

illation – deduction

immane – huge, cruel

inform – animate

insecution – pursuit

intended – attended

lien – lain

luster – cave, den, hide

mall – beat

mate – oppose

maund – basket

mere – pure, whole

muse – animal run

nave – central part of wheel

neat – oxen

nephew – grandson

or . . . or . . . – either . . . or . . .

owes – owns

paise – weight, balance

penia – poverty

perse – pierce

pile – weapon tip

plain – complain

poitril – breast-piece

port – impressive demeanour

prease – press

procinct – preparation

proin – prune

proller – vagabond

proof – trial, attempt

prove – try, attempt

quaint – neat

queach – thicket

quite – put a stop to

race – raze, destroy

ranch’d – wrenched

rate – weight, valuation

reduce – lead back

reflect – turn back

rock – distaff and wool

rub – blockage

saker – falcon

say – assay, sample

scoles – scales

sere(s) – talon(s)

sewer – server

she – showy appearance

shent – disgraceful

skall – scale

sod (verb) – past tense of seethe

sort – lot, number

stale – stem

state – prince or royal entry

stitches – furrows

strake – metal rim

strooted – swelled

surcuidrie/surquedy – overweening pride

taint – thrust

tappish – seek cover

thrumbs – tufts

tyring – tearing at

ure – use

utter passage – passage out, exit

wan (noun) – wand/winnower

yare – quick, ready

yote – soak

cope – covering

cote – outstrip

curets – cuirass

curious – careful, painstaking

currie – quarry

disperple – sprinkle

dite – winnow

diversory – wayside inn

dorp – village

doubt – redoubt, barrier

dubbed – smeared

emprese – enterprise

err – wander

error – wandering

expiscating – enquiring into

fautour – guardian

fell’ffs – outer-parts of wheel

fere – mate, companion

fil’d – defiled

flaw – wave, roller

flea – flay

froes – women

frontless – shameless

froofe – augur handle

giggots – quarter joints

gull (verb) – to swallow

hoice – hoist

humorous – damp

illation – deduction

immane – huge, cruel

inform – animate

insecution – pursuit

intended – attended

lien – lain

luster – cave, den, hide

mall – beat

mate – oppose

maund – basket

mere – pure, whole

muse – animal run

nave – central part of wheel

neat – oxen

nephew – grandson

or . . . or . . . – either . . . or . . .

owes – owns

paise – weight, balance

penia – poverty

perse – pierce

pile – weapon tip

plain – complain

poitril – breast-piece

port – impressive demeanour

prease – press

procinct – preparation

proin – prune

proller – vagabond

proof – trial, attempt

prove – try, attempt

quaint – neat

queach – thicket

quite – put a stop to

race – raze, destroy

ranch’d – wrenched

rate – weight, valuation

reduce – lead back

reflect – turn back

rock – distaff and wool

rub – blockage

saker – falcon

say – assay, sample

scoles – scales

sere(s) – talon(s)

sewer – server

she – showy appearance

shent – disgraceful

skall – scale

sod (verb) – past tense of seethe

sort – lot, number

stale – stem

state – prince or royal entry

stitches – furrows

strake – metal rim

strooted – swelled

surcuidrie/surquedy
overweening pride

taint – thrust

tappish – seek cover

thrumbs – tufts

tyring – tearing at

ure – use

utter passage – passage out, exit

wan (noun) – wand/winnower

yare – quick, ready

yote – soak

Glossary of names

Latinised Gods’ Names

Athena, Minerva – Pallas Athene

Diana – Artemis

Dis – Pluto, Hades

Jove, Jupiter – Zeus

Juno – Hera

Mars – Ares

Neptune – Poseidon

Venus – Aphrodite

Vulcan – Hephaestus

Proper Names, Patronymics, Alternative Forms of Men and Gods

Achaia – Greece

Achive – Greek

Aeacides – Achilles, grandson of Aeacus

Ajaces – Ajax the Greater and Ajax the Lesser

Alexander – Paris

Anchisiades – Aeneas, son of Anchises

Arcesiades’ seed – Odysseus/Ulysses, son of Laertes son of Arcesius

Argicides – Hermes/Mercury, slayer of Argus

Atrides – Agamemnon and Menelaus, sons of Atreus

Boreas – North-west wind

Ceston – Aphrodite’s/Venus’ enchanted girdle

Cynthia – Artemis/Diana

Cyprides – Aphrodite/Venus

Dardan – Trojan

Dardanides – Priam

Deucalides – Idomeneus, son of Deucalion

Dis –
Pluto, god of the underworld

Ephaistus – Hephaestus/Vulcan

Erebus – region of the underworld

Erectheus –

Eris – Strife

Eristhius, Erecthius, Erectheus – Erechtheus, founder of Athens

Erinnys – Fury

Eurus – East wind

Hymen – god of marriage

Iaons – Ionians/Athenians

Icarius’ seed – Penelope

Ilion/Ilians – Troy, Trojans

Ilithyae/Lucina/Eileithyia
goddess of labour and childbirth

Ithacus – Odysseus/Ulysses

Jove’s divine son – Hercules

Jove’s seed – various(!) including Athene/Minerva, Prayers, Aphrodite/Venus, Ares/Mars, Apollo, Artemis/Diana, Hebe

Lacedaemon – Sparta

Laertiades/Laertes’ son Odysseus/Ulysses

Laomedon’s son – Priam

Latona – Leto, mother of Apollo and Artemis/Diana

Lotophagi – Lotus eaters

Lucina/Eileithyia – goddess of labour and childbirth,

Maid – Athene/Minerva

Menoetiades/Menoetius’ son Patroclus

Mulciber – Hephaestus/Vulcan

Neleides – Nestor, son of Neleus

Nereus’ seed – Thetis

Nestorides – Pisistratus, son of Nestor

Notus – South wind

Oïleus – Iliad Bk 9: Trojan killed by Agamemnon. Elsewhere: father of Ajax Oïliades

Oïliades – Ajax the Lesser, son of Oïleus

Pallas – Athene/Minerva

Panthaedes/Panthoedes/Panthus’ son – Polydamas

Parcas – Fates

Pelias – Achilles’ spear

Pelides – Achilles, son of Peleus

Pergamus – Troy citadel

Phoebe – Artemis

Phoebus – Apollo, the sun

Pluto/Dis –
god of the underworld

Priamides – Hector, son of Priam

Saturnia – Hera/Juno, daughter of Saturn

Saturnides – Zeus/Jove/Jupiter, son of Saturn

Smintheus – Apollo

Stygian – of the Styx, river of the underworld

Telemachus’ father – Odysseus/Ulysses

Telamonius – Ajax, son of Telamon, Ajax the Greater

Tellus – the Earth

Thaumantia – Iris, rainbow-messenger goddess

Thetis’ son – Achilles

Tritonia – Athene/Minerva

Tydides/Tydeus’ son – Diomedes

Tyndaris – Helen

Venus’ son – Aeneas

Zephyr – West wind

The Iliad

Book 1

The Argument

Apollo’s priest to th’ Argive fleet doth bring

Gifts for his daughter prisoner to the king;

For which her tender’d freedom he entreats.

But, being dismiss’d with contumelious threats,

At Phoebus’ hands, by vengeful prayer, he seeks

To have a plague inflicted on the Greeks.

Which had, Achilles doth a council cite,

Embold’ning Chalcas, in the king’s despite,

To tell the truth why they were punish’d so:

From hence their fierce and deadly strife did grow,

For wrong in which Aeacides so raves,

That goddess Thetis, from her throne of waves

Ascending heaven, of Jove assistance won,

To plague the Greeks by absence of her son;

And make the general himself repent,

To wrong so much his army’s ornament.

This found by Juno, she with Jove contends;

Till Vulcan, with heaven’s cup, the quarrel ends.

Another Argument

Alpha
the prayer of Chryses sings:

The army’s plague: the strife of kings.

Book 1

A
chilles
’
baneful wrath – resound, O goddess – that impos’d

Infinite sorrows on the Greeks, and many brave souls loos’d

From breasts heroic; sent them far, to that invisible cave

That no light comforts; and their limbs to dogs and vultures gave:

To all which Jove’s will gave effect; from whom first strife begun

Betwixt Atrides, king of men, and Thetis’ godlike son.

What god gave Eris their command, and op’d that fighting vein?

Jove’s and Latona’s son: who, fir’d against the king of men

For contumely shown his priest, infectious sickness sent

To plague the army, and to death by troops the soldiers went –

Occasion’d thus: Chryses, the priest, came to the fleet to buy

For presents of unvalu’d price, his daughter’s liberty:

The golden sceptre and the crown of Phoebus in his hands,

Proposing; and made suit to all, but most to the commands

Of both th’ Atrides, who most rul’d. ‘Great Atreus’ sons,’ said he,

‘And all ye well-greav’d Greeks, the gods, whose habitations be

In heavenly houses, grace your powers with Priam’s razed town,

And grant ye happy conduct home: to win which wish’d renown

Of Jove, by honouring his son (far-shooting Phoebus), deign

For these fit presents to dissolve the ransomable chain

Of my lov’d daughter’s servitude.’ The Greeks entirely gave

Glad acclamations, for sign that their desires would have

The grave priest reverenc’d, and his gifts of so much price embrac’d.

The general yet bore no such mind, but viciously disgrac’d

With violent terms the priest; and said: ‘Dotard! Avoid our fleet;

Where ling’ring be not found by me, nor thy returning feet

Let ever visit us again, lest nor thy godhead’s crown

Nor sceptre save thee! Her thou seek’st I still will hold mine own

Till age deflow’r her. In our court at Argos, far transferr’d

From her lov’d country, she shall ply her web, and see prepar’d

With all fit ornaments my bed. Incense me then no more;

But if thou wilt be safe, begone.’ This said, the sea-beat shore

(Obeying his high will) the priest trod off with haste and fear;

And walking silent, till he left far off his enemies’ ear,

Phoebus, fair-hair’d Latona’s son, he stirr’d up with a vow

To this stern purpose: ‘Hear, thou god that bear’st the silver bow,

That Chrysa guard’st, rul’st Tenedos with strong hand, and the round

Of Cilla most divine dost walk – O Sminthius! If crown’d

With thankful offerings thy rich fane I ever saw, or fir’d

Fat thighs of oxen and of goats to thee, this grace desir’d

Vouchsafe to me: pains for my tears, let these rude Greeks repay,

Forc’d with thy arrows.’ Thus he pray’d, and Phoebus heard him pray;

And vex’d at heart, down from the tops of steep heaven stoop’d; his bow

And quiver cover’d round, his hands did on his shoulders throw;

And of the angry deity the arrows as he mov’d

Rattled about him. Like the night he rang’d the host, and rov’d

(Apart the fleet set) terribly: with his hard-loosing hand

His silver bow twang’d; and his shafts did first the mules command

And swift hounds; then the Greeks themselves his deadly arrows shot.

The fires of death went never out: nine days his shafts flew hot

About the army; and the tenth, Achilles called a court

Of all the Greeks: heaven’s white-arm’d queen (who everywhere cut short,

Beholding her lov’d Greeks, by death) suggested it; and he –

All met in one – arose, and said: ‘Atrides, now I see

We must be wandering again, flight must be still our stay

(If flight can save us now); at once sickness and battle lay

Such strong hand on us. Let us ask some prophet, priest, or prove

Some dream-interpreter (for dreams are often sent from Jove)

Why Phoebus is so much incens’d; if unperformed vows

He blames in us, or hecatombs; and if these knees he bows

To death, may yield his graves no more: but offering all supply

Of savours burnt from lambs and goats, avert his fervent eye,

And turn his temperate.’ Thus, he sate: and then stood up to them

Chalcas, surnam’d Thestorides, of augurs the supreme:

(He knew things present, past, to come; and rul’d the equipage

Of th’ Argive fleet to Ilion for his prophetic rage

Given by Apollo:) who, well-seen in th’ ill they felt, propos’d

This to Achilles: ‘Jove’s belov’d, would thy charge see disclos’d

The secret of Apollo’s wrath? Then covenant and take oath

To my discovery – that with words and powerful actions both,

Thy strength will guard the truth in me, because I well conceive

That he whose empire governs all, whom all the Grecians give

Confirm’d obedience, will be mov’d; and then you know the state

Of him that moves him, when a king hath once mark’d for his hate

A man inferior: though that day his wrath seems to digest

Th’ offence he takes, yet evermore he rakes up in his breast

Brands of quick anger, till revenge hath quench’d to his desire

The fire reserved. Tell me, then, if whatsoever ire

Suggests in hurt of me to him, thy valour will prevent?’

Achilles answer’d: ‘All thou know’st speak, and be confident:

For by Apollo, Jove’s belov’d (to whom performing vows,

O Chalcas, for the state of Greece, thy spirit prophetic shows

Skills that direct us), not a man of all these Grecians here –

I living, and enjoying the light shot through this flowery sphere –

Shall touch thee with offensive hands, though Agamemnon be

The man in question, that doth boast the mightiest empery

Of all our army.’ Then took heart the prophet, unreprov’d,

And said: ‘They are not unpaid vows, nor hecatombs, that mov’d

The god against us: his offence is for his priest impair’d

By Agamemnon, that refus’d the present he preferr’d,

And kept his daughter. This is cause why heaven’s Far-darter darts

These plagues amongst us; and this still will empty in our hearts

His deathful quiver, uncontain’d, till to her loved sire

The black-eyed damsel be resign’d; no redemptory hire

Took for her freedom – not a gift – but all the ransom quit,

And she convey’d, with sacrifice, till her enfranchis’d feet

Tread Chrysa under: then the god, so pleas’d, perhaps we may

Move to remission.’ Thus, he sate; and up, the great in sway,

Heroic Agamemnon rose, eagerly bearing all:

His mind’s seat overcast with fumes: an anger general

Fill’d all his faculties; his eyes sparkled like kindling fire,

Which sternly cast upon the priest, thus vented he his ire:

‘Prophet of ill! For never good came from thee towards me

Not to a word’s worth: evermore thou took’st delight to be

Offensive in thy auguries, which thou continuest still,

Now casting thy prophetic gall, and vouching all our ill

(Shot from Apollo) is impos’d since I refus’d the price

Of fair Chryseis’ liberty; which would in no worth rise

To my rate of herself: which moves my vows to have her home,

Past Clytemnestra loving her, that grac’d my nuptial room

With her virginity and flower: nor ask her merits less,

For person, disposition, wit, and skill in housewi
f
’ries.

And yet, for all this, she shall go, if more conducible

That course be than her holding here. I rather wish the weal

Of my lov’d army than the death. Provide yet instantly

Supply for her, that I alone of all our royalty

Lose not my winnings: ’tis not fit: ye see all – I lose mine

Forc’d by another – see as well, some other may resign

His prize to me.’ To this replied the swift-foot, god-like son

Of Thetis, thus: ‘King of us all in all ambition,

Most covetous of all that breathe, why should the great-soul’d Greeks

Supply thy lost prize out of theirs? Nor what thy avarice seeks

Our common treasury can find; so little it doth guard

Of what our raz’d towns yielded us, of all which most is shar’d,

And given our soldiers: which again to take into our hands

Were ignominious and base. Now then, since god commands,

Part with thy most-lov’d prize to him: not any one of us

Exacts it of thee; yet we all, all loss thou suffer’st thus

Will treble – quadruple in gain, when Jupiter bestows

The sack of well-wall’d Troy on us; which by his word he owes.’

‘Do not deceive yourself with wit,’ he answer’d, ‘god-like man,

Though your good name may colour it, ’tis not your swift foot can

Outrun me here; nor shall the gloss set on it with the god

Persuade me to my wrong. Wouldst thou maintain in sure abode

Thine own prize, and slight me of mine? Resolve this: if our friends,

As fits in equity my worth, will right me with amends,

So rest it; otherwise, myself will enter personally

On thy prize, that of Ithacus, or Ajax, for supply:

Let him on whom I enter rage. But come, we’ll order these

Hereafter, and in other place. Now put to sacred seas

Our black sail; in it rowers put, in it fit sacrifice;

And to these I will make ascend my so much envied prize,

Bright-cheek’d Chryseis. For conduct of all which, we must choose

A chief out of our counsellors; thy service we must use,

Idomeneus; Ajax, thine; or thine, wise Ithacus;

Or thine, thou terriblest of men, thou son of Peleus:

Which fittest were, that thou might’st see these holy acts perform’d

For which thy cunning zeal so pleads; and he, whose bow thus storm’d

For our offences, may be calm’d.’ Achilles with a frown

Thus answer’d: ‘O thou impudent! Of no good but thine own

Ever respectful, but of that with all craft covetous:

With what heart can a man attempt a service dangerous –

Or at thy voice be spirited to fly upon a foe –

Thy mind thus wretched? For myself, I was not injur’d so

By any Trojan, that my powers should bid them any blows;

In nothing bear they blame of me: Phthia, whose bosom flows

With corn and people, never felt impair of her increase

By their invasion: hills enow, and far-resounding seas,

Pour out their shades and deeps between: but thee, thou frontless man,

We follow, and thy triumphs make, with bonfires of our bane:

Thine, and thy brother’s vengeance sought, thou dog’s eyes, of this Troy

By our expos’d lives; whose deserts thou neither dost employ

With honour nor with care. And now, thou threat’st to force from me

The fruit of my sweat, which the Greeks gave all: and though it be –

Compar’d with thy part, then snatch’d up – nothing, nor ever is

At any sack’d town; but of fight, the fetcher in of this,

My hands have most share: in whose toils when I have emptied me

Of all my forces, my amends in liberality –

Though it be little – I accept, and turn pleas’d to my tent:

And yet that little, thou esteem’st too great a continent

In thy incontinent avarice. For Phthia therefore now

My course is, since ’tis better far, than here t’ endure that thou

Should’st still be ravishing my right, draw my whole treasure dry – ’

‘And add, dishonour,’ he replied: ‘if thy heart serve thee, flee;

Stay not for my cause; other here will aid and honour me:

If not, yet Jove I know is sure; that counsellor is he

That I depend on: as for thee, of all our Jove-kept kings

Thou still art most mine enemy: strifes, battles, bloody things,

Make thy blood feasts still. But if strength, that these moods build upon,

Flow in thy nerves, god gave thee it; and so ’tis not thine own,

But in his hands still: what then lifts thy pride in this so high?

Home with thy fleet, and myrmidons; use there their empery:

Command not here. I weigh thee not, nor mean to magnify

Thy rough-hewn rages; but instead I thus far threaten thee:

Since Phoebus needs will force from me Chryseis, she shall go;

My ships and friends shall waft her home: but I will imitate so

His pleasure, that mine own shall take, in person, from thy tent

Bright-cheek’d Briseis; and so tell thy strength how eminent

My power is, being compar’d with thine: all other making fear

To vaunt equality with me, or in this proud kind bear

Their beards against me.’ Thetis’ son at this stood vex’d, his heart

Bristled his bosom, and two ways drew his discursive part,

If from his thigh his sharp sword drawn, he should make room about

Atrides’ person, slaught’ring him, or sit his anger out,

And curb his spirit. While these thoughts striv’d in his blood and mind,

And he his sword drew, down from heaven Athenia stoop’d, and shin’d

About his temples: being sent by th’ ivory-wristed queen

Saturnia, who out of her heart had ever loving been

And careful for the good of both. She stood behind, and took

Achilles by the yellow curls, and only gave her look

To him; appearance not a man of all the rest could see.

He, turning back his eye, amaze strook every faculty:

Yet straight he knew her by her eyes, so terrible they were,

Sparkling with ardour, and thus spake: ‘Thou seed of Jupiter,

Why com’st thou? To behold his pride that boasts our empery?

Then witness with it my revenge, and see that insolence die

That lives to wrong me.’ She replied, ‘I come from heaven to see

Thine anger settled, if thy soul will use her sovereignty

In fit reflection. I am sent from Juno, whose affects