Aias (son Of Oileus)

Mortal · 3 speeches

Psychological Vocabulary

All Speeches (3)

Aias (son Of Oileus) to Aias (son Of Telamon)

Lines 68–75

not Calchas is he, the prophet, and reader of omens, for easily did I know the tokens behind him of feet and of legs as he went from us; and plain to be known are the gods —lo, mine own heart also within my breast is the more eager to war and do battle, and my feet beneath and my hands above are full fain.

Αἶαν ἐπεί τις νῶϊ θεῶν οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσι μάντεϊ εἰδόμενος κέλεται παρὰ νηυσὶ μάχεσθαι, οὐδʼ ὅ γε Κάλχας ἐστὶ θεοπρόπος οἰωνιστής· ἴχνια γὰρ μετόπισθε ποδῶν ἠδὲ κνημάων ῥεῖʼ ἔγνων ἀπιόντος· ἀρίγνωτοι δὲ θεοί περ· καὶ δʼ ἐμοὶ αὐτῷ θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισι μᾶλλον ἐφορμᾶται πολεμίζειν ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι, μαιμώωσι δʼ ἔνερθε πόδες καὶ χεῖρες ὕπερθε.

Lattimore commentary

A fleeting reference to the gods’ slight differences in appearance: even when disguised they can be bigger, heavier (cf. 5.838), or more lovely (3.396), and even, as it seems here, have distinctive legs (or perhaps gait). The idea that gods are conspicuous goes against the sense of book 5, where Athene had to grant Diomedes special power to perceive them.

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thumos

Aias (son Of Oileus) to Idomeneus

Lines 474–481

the high-stepping mares speeding over the wide plain. Neither art thou so far the youngest among the Argives, nor do thine eyes look forth from thy head so far the keenliest yet thou ever pratest loudly. It beseemeth thee not to be loud of speech, for here be others better than thou. The selfsame mares are in the lead, that led of old, even they of Eumelus, and himself he standeth firmly in the car and holdeth the reins.

Ἰδομενεῦ τί πάρος λαβρεύεαι; αἳ δέ τʼ ἄνευθεν ἵπποι ἀερσίποδες πολέος πεδίοιο δίενται. οὔτε νεώτατός ἐσσι μετʼ Ἀργείοισι τοσοῦτον, οὔτέ τοι ὀξύτατον κεφαλῆς ἐκδέρκεται ὄσσε· ἀλλʼ αἰεὶ μύθοις λαβρεύεαι· οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ λαβραγόρην ἔμεναι· πάρα γὰρ καὶ ἀμείνονες ἄλλοι. ἵπποι δʼ αὐταὶ ἔασι παροίτεραι, αἳ τὸ πάρος περ, Εὐμήλου, ἐν δʼ αὐτὸς ἔχων εὔληρα βέβηκε.

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Aias (son Of Oileus) to Greeks

Lines 782–783

ὢ πόποι ἦ μʼ ἔβλαψε θεὰ πόδας, ἣ τὸ πάρος περ μήτηρ ὣς Ὀδυσῆϊ παρίσταται ἠδʼ ἐπαρήγει.

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