The Iliad 11.31–45
gleaming white, and in the midst of them was one of dark cyanus. And thereon was set as a crown483.2 the Gorgon, grim of aspect, glaring terribly, and about her were Terror and Rout. From the shield was hung a baldric of silver, and thereon writhed a serpent of cyanus, that had three heads turned this way and that, growing forth from one neck. And upon his head he set his helmet with two horns and with bosses four, with horsehair crest, and terribly did the plume nod from above. And he took two mighty spears, tipped with bronze; keen they were, and far from him into heaven shone the bronze; and thereat Athene and Hera thundered, doing honour to the king of Mycenae, rich in gold.
ἀργύρεον χρυσέοισιν ἀορτήρεσσιν ἀρηρός.
ἂν δʼ ἕλετʼ ἀμφιβρότην πολυδαίδαλον ἀσπίδα θοῦριν
καλήν, ἣν πέρι μὲν κύκλοι δέκα χάλκεοι ἦσαν,
ἐν δέ οἱ ὀμφαλοὶ ἦσαν ἐείκοσι κασσιτέροιο
λευκοί, ἐν δὲ μέσοισιν ἔην μέλανος κυάνοιο.
τῇ δʼ ἐπὶ μὲν Γοργὼ βλοσυρῶπις ἐστεφάνωτο
δεινὸν δερκομένη, περὶ δὲ Δεῖμός τε Φόβος τε.
τῆς δʼ ἐξ ἀργύρεος τελαμὼν ἦν· αὐτὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ
κυάνεος ἐλέλικτο δράκων, κεφαλαὶ δέ οἱ ἦσαν
τρεῖς ἀμφιστρεφέες ἑνὸς αὐχένος ἐκπεφυυῖαι.
κρατὶ δʼ ἐπʼ ἀμφίφαλον κυνέην θέτο τετραφάληρον
ἵππουριν· δεινὸν δὲ λόφος καθύπερθεν ἔνευεν.
εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμα δοῦρε δύω κεκορυθμένα χαλκῷ
ὀξέα· τῆλε δὲ χαλκὸς ἀπʼ αὐτόφιν οὐρανὸν εἴσω
λάμπʼ· ἐπὶ δʼ ἐγδούπησαν Ἀθηναίη τε καὶ Ἥρη
Lattimore commentary