Seba.Health

The Iliad 4.292–302

The Iliad 4.292–302
around mighty Pelagon and Alastor and Chromius and lord Haemon and Bias, shepherd of the host. The charioteers first he arrayed with their horses and cars, and behind them the footmen, many and valiant, to be a bulwark of battle; but the cowards he drave into the midst, that were he never so loath each man must needs fight perforce. Upon the charioteers was he first laying charge, and he bade them keep their horses in hand, nor drive tumultuously on amid the throng. Neither let any man, trusting in his horsemanship and his valour, be eager to fight with the Trojans alone in front of the rest,nor yet let him draw back; for so will ye be the feebler. But what man soe'er from his own car can come at a car of the foe, let him thrust forth with his spear, since verily it is far better so. Thus also did men of olden time lay waste cities and walls, having in their breasts mind and spirit such as this.
ὣς εἰπὼν τοὺς μὲν λίπεν αὐτοῦ, βῆ δὲ μετʼ ἄλλους· ἔνθʼ γε Νέστορʼ ἔτετμε λιγὺν Πυλίων ἀγορητὴν οὓς ἑτάρους στέλλοντα καὶ ὀτρύνοντα μάχεσθαι ἀμφὶ μέγαν Πελάγοντα Ἀλάστορά τε Χρομίον τε Αἵμονά τε κρείοντα Βίαντά τε ποιμένα λαῶν· ἱππῆας μὲν πρῶτα σὺν ἵπποισιν καὶ ὄχεσφι, πεζοὺς δʼ ἐξόπιθε στῆσεν πολέας τε καὶ ἐσθλοὺς ἕρκος ἔμεν πολέμοιο· κακοὺς δʼ ἐς μέσσον ἔλασσεν, ὄφρα καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλων τις ἀναγκαίῃ πολεμίζοι. ἱππεῦσιν μὲν πρῶτʼ ἐπετέλλετο· τοὺς γὰρ ἀνώγει σφοὺς ἵππους ἐχέμεν μηδὲ κλονέεσθαι ὁμίλῳ·
Lattimore commentary
Nestor’s advice to “drivers of horses” is for chariot drivers, as fighting from horseback is unknown in Homer. Here and elsewhere the use of chariots in Bronze Age battle appears to be only vaguely understood by the Iron Age poet, who most often represents fighters as traveling in them to the front lines, then stepping down to fight.
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