The Iliad 23.543–554
bethinking thee of this, how his chariot and his swift honses came to harm, and himself withal, good man though he be. Nay, he should have made prayer to the immortals, then had he nowise come in last of all in the race. But if so be thou pitiest him, and he be dear to thy heart, lo, in thy hut is great store of gold, and bronze is there and sheep, aye, and handmaids too, and single-hooved horses. Thereof do thou hereafter take and give him even a goodlier prize, or even now forthwith, that the Achaeans may applaud thee. But the mare will I not yield; for her let any man that will, essay to do battle with me by might of hand.
ὦ Ἀχιλεῦ μάλα τοι κεχολώσομαι αἴ κε τελέσσῃς
τοῦτο ἔπος· μέλλεις γὰρ ἀφαιρήσεσθαι ἄεθλον
τὰ φρονέων ὅτι οἱ βλάβεν ἅρματα καὶ ταχέʼ ἵππω
αὐτός τʼ ἐσθλὸς ἐών· ἀλλʼ ὤφελεν ἀθανάτοισιν
εὔχεσθαι· τό κεν οὔ τι πανύστατος ἦλθε διώκων.
εἰ δέ μιν οἰκτίρεις καί τοι φίλος ἔπλετο θυμῷ
ἔστί τοι ἐν κλισίῃ χρυσὸς πολύς, ἔστι δὲ χαλκὸς
καὶ πρόβατʼ, εἰσὶ δέ τοι δμῳαὶ καὶ μώνυχες ἵπποι·
τῶν οἱ ἔπειτʼ ἀνελὼν δόμεναι καὶ μεῖζον ἄεθλον
ἠὲ καὶ αὐτίκα νῦν, ἵνα σʼ αἰνήσωσιν Ἀχαιοί.
τὴν δʼ ἐγὼ οὐ δώσω· περὶ δʼ αὐτῆς πειρηθήτω
ἀνδρῶν ὅς κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν ἐμοὶ χείρεσσι μάχεσθαι.