Seba.Health

The Iliad 8.300–314

The Iliad 8.300–314
He spake, and shot another arrow from the string straight against Hector; and his heart was fain to smite him. Howbeit him he missed, but peerless Gorgythion he smote in the breast with his arrow, Priam's valiant son, that a mother wedded from Aesyme had born, even fair Castianeira, in form like to the goddesses. And he bowed his head to one side like a poppy that in a garden is laden with its fruit and the rains of spring; so bowed he to one side his head, laden with his helmet. And Teucer shot another arrow from the string straight against Hector, and his heart was fain to smite him. Howbeit he missed him once again, for Apollo made his dart to swerve, but Archeptolemus, the bold charioteer of Hector, as he hasted into battle he smote on the breast beside the nipple. So he fell from out the car, and the swift-footed horses swerved aside thereat;
ῥα καὶ ἄλλον ὀϊστὸν ἀπὸ νευρῆφιν ἴαλλεν Ἕκτορος ἀντικρύ, βαλέειν δέ ἵετο θυμός· καὶ τοῦ μέν ῥʼ ἀφάμαρθʼ, δʼ ἀμύμονα Γοργυθίωνα υἱὸν ἐῢν Πριάμοιο κατὰ στῆθος βάλεν ἰῷ, τόν ῥʼ ἐξ Αἰσύμηθεν ὀπυιομένη τέκε μήτηρ καλὴ Καστιάνειρα δέμας ἐϊκυῖα θεῇσι. μήκων δʼ ὡς ἑτέρωσε κάρη βάλεν, τʼ ἐνὶ κήπῳ καρπῷ βριθομένη νοτίῃσί τε εἰαρινῇσιν, ὣς ἑτέρωσʼ ἤμυσε κάρη πήληκι βαρυνθέν. Τεῦκρος δʼ ἄλλον ὀϊστὸν ἀπὸ νευρῆφιν ἴαλλεν Ἕκτορος ἀντικρύ, βαλέειν δέ ἵετο θυμός. ἀλλʼ γε καὶ τόθʼ ἅμαρτε· παρέσφηλεν γὰρ Ἀπόλλων· ἀλλʼ Ἀρχεπτόλεμον θρασὺν Ἕκτορος ἡνιοχῆα ἱέμενον πόλεμον δὲ βάλε στῆθος παρὰ μαζόν· ἤριπε δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων, ὑπερώησαν δέ οἱ ἵπποι
Lattimore commentary
The lyric poignancy is increased by the implied contrast: unlike the flower after rain, the warrior will not lift his head.
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