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The Iliad 12.61–79

The Iliad 12.61–79
There is it no wise possible for charioteers to descend and fight; for the space is narrow, and then methinks shall we suffer hurt. For if Zeus, that thundereth on high, is utterly to crush our foes in his wrath, and is minded to give aid unto the Trojans, there verily were I too fain that this might forthwith come to pass, that the Achaeans should perish here far from Argos, and have no name; but if they turn upon us and we be driven back from the ships and become entangled in the digged ditch, then methinks shall not one man of us return back to the city from before the Achaeans when they rally, even to bear the tidings. But come, even as I shall bid, let us all obey. As for the horses, let the squires hold them back by the trench, but let us on foot, arrayed in our armour, follow all in one throng after Hector; and the Achaeans will not withstand us, if so be the bonds of destruction are made fast upon them.
Ἕκτορ τʼ ἠδʼ ἄλλοι Τρώων ἀγοὶ ἠδʼ ἐπικούρων ἀφραδέως διὰ τάφρον ἐλαύνομεν ὠκέας ἵππους· δὲ μάλʼ ἀργαλέη περάαν· σκόλοπες γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ ὀξέες ἑστᾶσιν, ποτὶ δʼ αὐτοὺς τεῖχος Ἀχαιῶν, ἔνθʼ οὔ πως ἔστιν καταβήμεναι οὐδὲ μάχεσθαι ἱππεῦσι· στεῖνος γάρ, ὅθι τρώσεσθαι ὀΐω. εἰ μὲν γὰρ τοὺς πάγχυ κακὰ φρονέων ἀλαπάζει Ζεὺς ὑψιβρεμέτης, Τρώεσσι δὲ ἵετʼ ἀρήγειν, τʼ ἂν ἔγωγʼ ἐθέλοιμι καὶ αὐτίκα τοῦτο γενέσθαι, νωνύμνους ἀπολέσθαι ἀπʼ Ἄργεος ἐνθάδʼ Ἀχαιούς· εἰ δέ χʼ ὑποστρέψωσι, παλίωξις δὲ γένηται ἐκ νηῶν καὶ τάφρῳ ἐνιπλήξωμεν ὀρυκτῇ, οὐκέτʼ ἔπειτʼ ὀΐω οὐδʼ ἄγγελον ἀπονέεσθαι ἄψορρον προτὶ ἄστυ ἑλιχθέντων ὑπʼ Ἀχαιῶν. ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες· ἵππους μὲν θεράποντες ἐρυκόντων ἐπὶ τάφρῳ, αὐτοὶ δὲ πρυλέες σὺν τεύχεσι θωρηχθέντες Ἕκτορι πάντες ἑπώμεθʼ ἀολλέες· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ οὐ μενέουσʼ εἰ δή σφιν ὀλέθρου πείρατʼ ἐφῆπται.
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