Seba.Health
The Iliad 20.87–102
Not now for the first time shall I stand forth against swift-footed Achilles; nay, once ere now he drave me with his spear from Ida, when he had come forth against our kine, and laid Lyrnessus waste and Pedasus withal; howbeit Zeus saved me, who roused my strength and made swift my knees. Else had I been slain beneath the hands of Achilles and of Athene, who ever went before him and set there a light of deliverance, and bade him slay Leleges and Trojans with spear of bronze. Wherefore may it not be that any man face Achilles in fight, for that ever by his side is some god, that wardeth from him ruin. Aye, and of itself his spear flieth straight, and ceaseth not till it have pierced through the flesh of man. Howbeit were a god to stretch with even hand the issue of war, then not lightly should he vanquish me, nay, not though he vaunt him to be wholly wrought of bronze.
Πριαμίδη τί με ταῦτα καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλοντα κελεύεις
ἀντία Πηλεΐωνος ὑπερθύμοιο μάχεσθαι;
οὐ μὲν γὰρ νῦν πρῶτα ποδώκεος ἄντʼ Ἀχιλῆος
στήσομαι, ἀλλʼ ἤδη με καὶ ἄλλοτε δουρὶ φόβησεν
ἐξ Ἴδης, ὅτε βουσὶν ἐπήλυθεν ἡμετέρῃσι,
πέρσε δὲ Λυρνησσὸν καὶ Πήδασον· αὐτὰρ ἐμὲ Ζεὺς
εἰρύσαθʼ, ὅς μοι ἐπῶρσε μένος λαιψηρά τε γοῦνα.
ἦ κʼ ἐδάμην ὑπὸ χερσὶν Ἀχιλλῆος καὶ Ἀθήνης,
ἥ οἱ πρόσθεν ἰοῦσα τίθει φάος ἠδʼ ἐκέλευεν
ἔγχεϊ χαλκείῳ Λέλεγας καὶ Τρῶας ἐναίρειν.
τὼ οὐκ ἔστʼ Ἀχιλῆος ἐναντίον ἄνδρα μάχεσθαι·
αἰεὶ γὰρ πάρα εἷς γε θεῶν ὃς λοιγὸν ἀμύνει.
καὶ δʼ ἄλλως τοῦ γʼ ἰθὺ βέλος πέτετʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπολήγει
πρὶν χροὸς ἀνδρομέοιο διελθέμεν. εἰ δὲ θεός περ
ἶσον τείνειεν πολέμου τέλος, οὔ κε μάλα ῥέα
νικήσειʼ, οὐδʼ εἰ παγχάλκεος εὔχεται εἶναι.
Lattimore commentary