Seba.Health

The Iliad 16.562–576

The Iliad 16.562–576
they joined battle to fight for the body of him that was fallen in death, with terrible shouting; and loud rang the harness of men. And Zeus drew baneful night over the mighty conflict, that around his dear son might be waged the baneful toil of war. for smitten was a man in no wise the worst among the Myrmidons, even the son of great-souled Agacles, goodly Epeigeus, that was king in well-peopled Budeum of old, but when he had slain a goodly man of his kin, to Peleus he came as a suppliant, and to silver-footed Thetis; and they sent him to follow with Achilles, breaker of the ranks of men, to Ilios, famed for its horses, that he might fight with the Trojans. Him, as he was laying hold of the corpse, glorious Hector smote upon the head with a stone; and his head was wholly cloven asunder within the heavy helmet,
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀλέξασθαι μενέαινον. οἳ δʼ ἐπεὶ ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἐκαρτύναντο φάλαγγας Τρῶες καὶ Λύκιοι καὶ Μυρμιδόνες καὶ Ἀχαιοί, σύμβαλον ἀμφὶ νέκυι κατατεθνηῶτι μάχεσθαι δεινὸν ἀΰσαντες· μέγα δʼ ἔβραχε τεύχεα φωτῶν. Ζεὺς δʼ ἐπὶ νύκτʼ ὀλοὴν τάνυσε κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ, ὄφρα φίλῳ περὶ παιδὶ μάχης ὀλοὸς πόνος εἴη. ὦσαν δὲ πρότεροι Τρῶες ἑλίκωπας Ἀχαιούς· βλῆτο γὰρ οὔ τι κάκιστος ἀνὴρ μετὰ Μυρμιδόνεσσιν υἱὸς Ἀγακλῆος μεγαθύμου δῖος Ἐπειγεύς, ὅς ῥʼ ἐν Βουδείῳ εὖ ναιομένῳ ἤνασσε τὸ πρίν· ἀτὰρ τότε γʼ ἐσθλὸν ἀνεψιὸν ἐξεναρίξας ἐς Πηλῆʼ ἱκέτευσε καὶ ἐς Θέτιν ἀργυρόπεζαν· οἳ δʼ ἅμʼ Ἀχιλλῆϊ ῥηξήνορι πέμπον ἕπεσθαι Ἴλιον εἰς εὔπωλον, ἵνα Τρώεσσι μάχοιτο.
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