Seba.Health

The Iliad 6.344–358

The Iliad 6.344–358
I would that on the day when first my mother gave me birth an evil storm-wind had borne me away to some mountain or to the wave of the loud-resounding sea, where the wave might have swept me away or ever these things came to pass. Howbeit, seeing the gods thus ordained these ills, would that I had been wife to a better man, that could feel the indignation of his fellows and their many revilings. But this man's understanding is not now stable, nor ever will be hereafter; thereof I deem that he will e'en reap the fruit. But come now, enter in, and sit thee upon this chair, my brother, since above all others has trouble encompassed thy heart because of shameless me, and the folly of Alexander; on whom Zeus hath brought an evil doom, that even in days to come we may be a song for men that are yet to be.
δᾶερ ἐμεῖο κυνὸς κακομηχάνου ὀκρυοέσσης, ὥς μʼ ὄφελʼ ἤματι τῷ ὅτε με πρῶτον τέκε μήτηρ οἴχεσθαι προφέρουσα κακὴ ἀνέμοιο θύελλα εἰς ὄρος εἰς κῦμα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης, ἔνθά με κῦμʼ ἀπόερσε πάρος τάδε ἔργα γενέσθαι. αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τάδε γʼ ὧδε θεοὶ κακὰ τεκμήραντο, ἀνδρὸς ἔπειτʼ ὤφελλον ἀμείνονος εἶναι ἄκοιτις, ὃς ᾔδη νέμεσίν τε καὶ αἴσχεα πόλλʼ ἀνθρώπων. τούτῳ δʼ οὔτʼ ἂρ νῦν φρένες ἔμπεδοι οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ὀπίσσω ἔσσονται· τὼ καί μιν ἐπαυρήσεσθαι ὀΐω. ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν εἴσελθε καὶ ἕζεο τῷδʼ ἐπὶ δίφρῳ δᾶερ, ἐπεί σε μάλιστα πόνος φρένας ἀμφιβέβηκεν εἵνεκʼ ἐμεῖο κυνὸς καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου ἕνεκʼ ἄτης, οἷσιν ἐπὶ Ζεὺς θῆκε κακὸν μόρον, ὡς καὶ ὀπίσσω ἀνθρώποισι πελώμεθʼ ἀοίδιμοι ἐσσομένοισι.
Read in context →