Seba.Health
The Iliad 5.472–492
howbeit of these can I now neither behold nor mark anyone, but they cower as dogs about a lion; and it is we that fight, we that are but allies among you. For I that am but an ally am come from very far; afar is Lycia by eddying Xanthus, where I left my dear wife and infant son, and my great wealth the which every man that is in lack coveteth. Yet even so urge I on the Lycians, and am fain myself to fight my man, though here is naught of mine such as the Achaeans might bear away or drive; whereas thou standest and dost not even urge thy hosts to abide and defend their wives. Beware lest thou and they, as if caught in the meshes of all-ensnaring flax, become a prey and spoil unto your foemen; and they shall anon lay waste your well-peopled city. On thee should all these cares rest by night and day, and thou shouldest beseech the captains of thy far-famed allies to hold their ground unflinchingly, and so put away from thee strong rebukings.
Ἕκτορ πῇ δή τοι μένος οἴχεται ὃ πρὶν ἔχεσκες;
φῆς που ἄτερ λαῶν πόλιν ἑξέμεν ἠδʼ ἐπικούρων
οἶος σὺν γαμβροῖσι κασιγνήτοισί τε σοῖσι.
τῶν νῦν οὔ τινʼ ἐγὼ ἰδέειν δύναμʼ οὐδὲ νοῆσαι,
ἀλλὰ καταπτώσσουσι κύνες ὣς ἀμφὶ λέοντα·
ἡμεῖς δὲ μαχόμεσθʼ οἵ πέρ τʼ ἐπίκουροι ἔνειμεν.
καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπίκουρος ἐὼν μάλα τηλόθεν ἥκω·
τηλοῦ γὰρ Λυκίη Ξάνθῳ ἔπι δινήεντι,
ἔνθʼ ἄλοχόν τε φίλην ἔλιπον καὶ νήπιον υἱόν,
κὰδ δὲ κτήματα πολλά, τὰ ἔλδεται ὅς κʼ ἐπιδευής.
ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς Λυκίους ὀτρύνω καὶ μέμονʼ αὐτὸς
ἀνδρὶ μαχήσασθαι· ἀτὰρ οὔ τί μοι ἐνθάδε τοῖον
οἷόν κʼ ἠὲ φέροιεν Ἀχαιοὶ ἤ κεν ἄγοιεν·
τύνη δʼ ἕστηκας, ἀτὰρ οὐδʼ ἄλλοισι κελεύεις
λαοῖσιν μενέμεν καὶ ἀμυνέμεναι ὤρεσσι.
μή πως ὡς ἀψῖσι λίνου ἁλόντε πανάγρου
ἀνδράσι δυσμενέεσσιν ἕλωρ καὶ κύρμα γένησθε·
οἳ δὲ τάχʼ ἐκπέρσουσʼ εὖ ναιομένην πόλιν ὑμήν.
σοὶ δὲ χρὴ τάδε πάντα μέλειν νύκτάς τε καὶ ἦμαρ
ἀρχοὺς λισσομένῳ τηλεκλειτῶν ἐπικούρων
νωλεμέως ἐχέμεν, κρατερὴν δʼ ἀποθέσθαι ἐνιπήν.
Lattimore commentary