The Iliad 15.377–391

leapt yet the more upon the Argives and bethought them of battle. And as when a great billow of the broad-wayed sea sweepeth down over the bulwarks of a ship, whenso it is driven on by the might of the wind, which above all maketh the waves to swell; even so did the Trojans with a great cry rush down over the wall, — they in their cars, but the Achaeans high up on the decks of their black ships to which they had climbed, fought therefrom with long pikes that lay at hand for them upon the ships for sea-fighting,— jointed pikes, shod at the tip with bronze. And Patroclus, so long as the Achaeans and Trojans were fighting about the wall aloof from the swift ships, even so long sat in the hut of kindly Eurypylus, and was making him glad with talk, and on his grievous wound was spreading simples to assuage his dark pangs.

ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, μέγα δʼ ἔκτυπε μητίετα Ζεύς, ἀράων ἀΐων Νηληϊάδαο γέροντος. Τρῶες δʼ ὡς ἐπύθοντο Διὸς κτύπον αἰγιόχοιο, μᾶλλον ἐπʼ Ἀργείοισι θόρον, μνήσαντο δὲ χάρμης. οἳ δʼ ὥς τε μέγα κῦμα θαλάσσης εὐρυπόροιο νηὸς ὑπὲρ τοίχων καταβήσεται, ὁππότʼ ἐπείγῃ ἲς ἀνέμου· ἣ γάρ τε μάλιστά γε κύματʼ ὀφέλλει· ὣς Τρῶες μεγάλῃ ἰαχῇ κατὰ τεῖχος ἔβαινον, ἵππους δʼ εἰσελάσαντες ἐπὶ πρύμνῃσι μάχοντο ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοις αὐτοσχεδόν, οἳ μὲν ἀφʼ ἵππων, οἳ δʼ ἀπὸ νηῶν ὕψι μελαινάων ἐπιβάντες μακροῖσι ξυστοῖσι, τά ῥά σφʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἔκειτο ναύμαχα κολλήεντα, κατὰ στόμα εἱμένα χαλκῷ. Πάτροκλος δʼ εἷος μὲν Ἀχαιοί τε Τρῶές τε τείχεος ἀμφεμάχοντο θοάων ἔκτοθι νηῶν,

Lattimore commentary

Ironically, the Trojans mistake Zeus’ thunder, which was made in positive response to Nestor’s prayer, as an indication that he is still supporting their attack.

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