The old king sprung for joy to hear his spirit,
And said: ‘O lov’d immortals, what a day
Do your clear bounties to my life display!
I joy, past measure, to behold my son
And [grandson] close in such contention
Of virtues martial.’
The household is complete.
Jan Parker
The Open University
Glossary of unfamiliar words
abode (verb) – foretell
abodes (noun) – omens
accited – summoned
aesture – swelling tide
affected – beloved
apaid – satisfied
approve – prove, try
areeds – advises
arew – in a row
artires – ligaments [arteries]
bace – run
bedfere – bed companion
beeves – cows
besogne – base fellow, commoner
bever – evening meal
bewray – display
blanch – whiten, make to look good
blore – blast
bracks – broken, torn parts
bray – chew up
cantles – portions
carquenet/carcanet – necklace
cast – pair [of eagles]
cates – delicacies
champain – level country
conceit – concept, idea, impression
cope – covering
cote – outstrip
curets – cuirass
curious – careful, painstaking
currie – quarry
disperple – sprinkle
dite – winnow
diversory – wayside inn
dorp – village
doubt – redoubt, barrier
dubbed – smeared
emprese – enterprise
err – wander
error – wandering
expiscating – enquiring into
fautour – guardian
fell’ffs – outer-parts of wheel
fere – mate, companion
fil’d – defiled
flaw – wave, roller
flea – flay
froes – women
frontless – shameless
froofe – augur handle
giggots – quarter joints
gull (verb) – to swallow
hoice – hoist
humorous – damp
illation – deduction
immane – huge, cruel
inform – animate
insecution – pursuit
intended – attended
lien – lain
luster – cave, den, hide
mall – beat
mate – oppose
maund – basket
mere – pure, whole
muse – animal run
nave – central part of wheel
neat – oxen
nephew – grandson
or . . . or . . . – either . . . or . . .
owes – owns
paise – weight, balance
penia – poverty
perse – pierce
pile – weapon tip
plain – complain
poitril – breast-piece
port – impressive demeanour
prease – press
procinct – preparation
proin – prune
proller – vagabond
proof – trial, attempt
prove – try, attempt
quaint – neat
queach – thicket
quite – put a stop to
race – raze, destroy
ranch’d – wrenched
rate – weight, valuation
reduce – lead back
reflect – turn back
rock – distaff and wool
rub – blockage
saker – falcon
say – assay, sample
scoles – scales
sere(s) – talon(s)
sewer – server
she – showy appearance
shent – disgraceful
skall – scale
sod (verb) – past tense of seethe
sort – lot, number
stale – stem
state – prince or royal entry
stitches – furrows
strake – metal rim
strooted – swelled
surcuidrie/surquedy – overweening pride
taint – thrust
tappish – seek cover
thrumbs – tufts
tyring – tearing at
ure – use
utter passage – passage out, exit
wan (noun) – wand/winnower
yare – quick, ready
yote – soak
cope – covering
cote – outstrip
curets – cuirass
curious – careful, painstaking
currie – quarry
disperple – sprinkle
dite – winnow
diversory – wayside inn
dorp – village
doubt – redoubt, barrier
dubbed – smeared
emprese – enterprise
err – wander
error – wandering
expiscating – enquiring into
fautour – guardian
fell’ffs – outer-parts of wheel
fere – mate, companion
fil’d – defiled
flaw – wave, roller
flea – flay
froes – women
frontless – shameless
froofe – augur handle
giggots – quarter joints
gull (verb) – to swallow
hoice – hoist
humorous – damp
illation – deduction
immane – huge, cruel
inform – animate
insecution – pursuit
intended – attended
lien – lain
luster – cave, den, hide
mall – beat
mate – oppose
maund – basket
mere – pure, whole
muse – animal run
nave – central part of wheel
neat – oxen
nephew – grandson
or . . . or . . . – either . . . or . . .
owes – owns
paise – weight, balance
penia – poverty
perse – pierce
pile – weapon tip
plain – complain
poitril – breast-piece
port – impressive demeanour
prease – press
procinct – preparation
proin – prune
proller – vagabond
proof – trial, attempt
prove – try, attempt
quaint – neat
queach – thicket
quite – put a stop to
race – raze, destroy
ranch’d – wrenched
rate – weight, valuation
reduce – lead back
reflect – turn back
rock – distaff and wool
rub – blockage
saker – falcon
say – assay, sample
scoles – scales
sere(s) – talon(s)
sewer – server
she – showy appearance
shent – disgraceful
skall – scale
sod (verb) – past tense of seethe
sort – lot, number
stale – stem
state – prince or royal entry
stitches – furrows
strake – metal rim
strooted – swelled
surcuidrie/surquedy
overweening pride
taint – thrust
tappish – seek cover
thrumbs – tufts
tyring – tearing at
ure – use
utter passage – passage out, exit
wan (noun) – wand/winnower
yare – quick, ready
yote – soak
Glossary of names
Latinised Gods’ Names
Athena, Minerva – Pallas Athene
Diana – Artemis
Dis – Pluto, Hades
Jove, Jupiter – Zeus
Juno – Hera
Mars – Ares
Neptune – Poseidon
Venus – Aphrodite
Vulcan – Hephaestus
Proper Names, Patronymics, Alternative Forms of Men and Gods
Achaia – Greece
Achive – Greek
Aeacides – Achilles, grandson of Aeacus
Ajaces – Ajax the Greater and Ajax the Lesser
Alexander – Paris
Anchisiades – Aeneas, son of Anchises
Arcesiades’ seed – Odysseus/Ulysses, son of Laertes son of Arcesius
Argicides – Hermes/Mercury, slayer of Argus
Atrides – Agamemnon and Menelaus, sons of Atreus
Boreas – North-west wind
Ceston – Aphrodite’s/Venus’ enchanted girdle
Cynthia – Artemis/Diana
Cyprides – Aphrodite/Venus
Dardan – Trojan
Dardanides – Priam
Deucalides – Idomeneus, son of Deucalion
Dis –
Pluto, god of the underworld
Ephaistus – Hephaestus/Vulcan
Erebus – region of the underworld
Erectheus –
Eris – Strife
Eristhius, Erecthius, Erectheus – Erechtheus, founder of Athens
Erinnys – Fury
Eurus – East wind
Hymen – god of marriage
Iaons – Ionians/Athenians
Icarius’ seed – Penelope
Ilion/Ilians – Troy, Trojans
Ilithyae/Lucina/Eileithyia
goddess of labour and childbirth
Ithacus – Odysseus/Ulysses
Jove’s divine son – Hercules
Jove’s seed – various(!) including Athene/Minerva, Prayers, Aphrodite/Venus, Ares/Mars, Apollo, Artemis/Diana, Hebe
Lacedaemon – Sparta
Laertiades/Laertes’ son Odysseus/Ulysses
Laomedon’s son – Priam
Latona – Leto, mother of Apollo and Artemis/Diana
Lotophagi – Lotus eaters
Lucina/Eileithyia – goddess of labour and childbirth,
Maid – Athene/Minerva
Menoetiades/Menoetius’ son Patroclus
Mulciber – Hephaestus/Vulcan
Neleides – Nestor, son of Neleus
Nereus’ seed – Thetis
Nestorides – Pisistratus, son of Nestor
Notus – South wind
Oïleus – Iliad Bk 9: Trojan killed by Agamemnon. Elsewhere: father of Ajax Oïliades
Oïliades – Ajax the Lesser, son of Oïleus
Pallas – Athene/Minerva
Panthaedes/Panthoedes/Panthus’ son – Polydamas
Parcas – Fates
Pelias – Achilles’ spear
Pelides – Achilles, son of Peleus
Pergamus – Troy citadel
Phoebe – Artemis
Phoebus – Apollo, the sun
Pluto/Dis –
god of the underworld
Priamides – Hector, son of Priam
Saturnia – Hera/Juno, daughter of Saturn
Saturnides – Zeus/Jove/Jupiter, son of Saturn
Smintheus – Apollo
Stygian – of the Styx, river of the underworld
Telemachus’ father – Odysseus/Ulysses
Telamonius – Ajax, son of Telamon, Ajax the Greater
Tellus – the Earth
Thaumantia – Iris, rainbow-messenger goddess
Thetis’ son – Achilles
Tritonia – Athene/Minerva
Tydides/Tydeus’ son – Diomedes
Tyndaris – Helen
Venus’ son – Aeneas
Zephyr – West wind
The Iliad
Book 1
The Argument
Apollo’s priest to th’ Argive fleet doth bring
Gifts for his daughter prisoner to the king;
For which her tender’d freedom he entreats.
But, being dismiss’d with contumelious threats,
At Phoebus’ hands, by vengeful prayer, he seeks
To have a plague inflicted on the Greeks.
Which had, Achilles doth a council cite,
Embold’ning Chalcas, in the king’s despite,
To tell the truth why they were punish’d so:
From hence their fierce and deadly strife did grow,
For wrong in which Aeacides so raves,
That goddess Thetis, from her throne of waves
Ascending heaven, of Jove assistance won,
To plague the Greeks by absence of her son;
And make the general himself repent,
To wrong so much his army’s ornament.
This found by Juno, she with Jove contends;
Till Vulcan, with heaven’s cup, the quarrel ends.
Another Argument
Alpha
the prayer of Chryses sings:
The army’s plague: the strife of kings.
Book 1
A
chilles
’
baneful wrath – resound, O goddess – that impos’d
Infinite sorrows on the Greeks, and many brave souls loos’d
From breasts heroic; sent them far, to that invisible cave
That no light comforts; and their limbs to dogs and vultures gave:
To all which Jove’s will gave effect; from whom first strife begun
Betwixt Atrides, king of men, and Thetis’ godlike son.
What god gave Eris their command, and op’d that fighting vein?
Jove’s and Latona’s son: who, fir’d against the king of men
For contumely shown his priest, infectious sickness sent
To plague the army, and to death by troops the soldiers went –
Occasion’d thus: Chryses, the priest, came to the fleet to buy
For presents of unvalu’d price, his daughter’s liberty:
The golden sceptre and the crown of Phoebus in his hands,
Proposing; and made suit to all, but most to the commands
Of both th’ Atrides, who most rul’d. ‘Great Atreus’ sons,’ said he,
‘And all ye well-greav’d Greeks, the gods, whose habitations be
In heavenly houses, grace your powers with Priam’s razed town,
And grant ye happy conduct home: to win which wish’d renown
Of Jove, by honouring his son (far-shooting Phoebus), deign
For these fit presents to dissolve the ransomable chain
Of my lov’d daughter’s servitude.’ The Greeks entirely gave
Glad acclamations, for sign that their desires would have
The grave priest reverenc’d, and his gifts of so much price embrac’d.
The general yet bore no such mind, but viciously disgrac’d
With violent terms the priest; and said: ‘Dotard! Avoid our fleet;
Where ling’ring be not found by me, nor thy returning feet
Let ever visit us again, lest nor thy godhead’s crown
Nor sceptre save thee! Her thou seek’st I still will hold mine own
Till age deflow’r her. In our court at Argos, far transferr’d
From her lov’d country, she shall ply her web, and see prepar’d
With all fit ornaments my bed. Incense me then no more;
But if thou wilt be safe, begone.’ This said, the sea-beat shore
(Obeying his high will) the priest trod off with haste and fear;
And walking silent, till he left far off his enemies’ ear,
Phoebus, fair-hair’d Latona’s son, he stirr’d up with a vow
To this stern purpose: ‘Hear, thou god that bear’st the silver bow,
That Chrysa guard’st, rul’st Tenedos with strong hand, and the round
Of Cilla most divine dost walk – O Sminthius! If crown’d
With thankful offerings thy rich fane I ever saw, or fir’d
Fat thighs of oxen and of goats to thee, this grace desir’d
Vouchsafe to me: pains for my tears, let these rude Greeks repay,
Forc’d with thy arrows.’ Thus he pray’d, and Phoebus heard him pray;
And vex’d at heart, down from the tops of steep heaven stoop’d; his bow
And quiver cover’d round, his hands did on his shoulders throw;
And of the angry deity the arrows as he mov’d
Rattled about him. Like the night he rang’d the host, and rov’d
(Apart the fleet set) terribly: with his hard-loosing hand
His silver bow twang’d; and his shafts did first the mules command
And swift hounds; then the Greeks themselves his deadly arrows shot.
The fires of death went never out: nine days his shafts flew hot
About the army; and the tenth, Achilles called a court
Of all the Greeks: heaven’s white-arm’d queen (who everywhere cut short,
Beholding her lov’d Greeks, by death) suggested it; and he –
All met in one – arose, and said: ‘Atrides, now I see
We must be wandering again, flight must be still our stay
(If flight can save us now); at once sickness and battle lay
Such strong hand on us. Let us ask some prophet, priest, or prove
Some dream-interpreter (for dreams are often sent from Jove)
Why Phoebus is so much incens’d; if unperformed vows
He blames in us, or hecatombs; and if these knees he bows
To death, may yield his graves no more: but offering all supply
Of savours burnt from lambs and goats, avert his fervent eye,
And turn his temperate.’ Thus, he sate: and then stood up to them
Chalcas, surnam’d Thestorides, of augurs the supreme:
(He knew things present, past, to come; and rul’d the equipage
Of th’ Argive fleet to Ilion for his prophetic rage
Given by Apollo:) who, well-seen in th’ ill they felt, propos’d
This to Achilles: ‘Jove’s belov’d, would thy charge see disclos’d
The secret of Apollo’s wrath? Then covenant and take oath
To my discovery – that with words and powerful actions both,
Thy strength will guard the truth in me, because I well conceive
That he whose empire governs all, whom all the Grecians give
Confirm’d obedience, will be mov’d; and then you know the state
Of him that moves him, when a king hath once mark’d for his hate
A man inferior: though that day his wrath seems to digest
Th’ offence he takes, yet evermore he rakes up in his breast
Brands of quick anger, till revenge hath quench’d to his desire
The fire reserved. Tell me, then, if whatsoever ire
Suggests in hurt of me to him, thy valour will prevent?’
Achilles answer’d: ‘All thou know’st speak, and be confident:
For by Apollo, Jove’s belov’d (to whom performing vows,
O Chalcas, for the state of Greece, thy spirit prophetic shows
Skills that direct us), not a man of all these Grecians here –
I living, and enjoying the light shot through this flowery sphere –
Shall touch thee with offensive hands, though Agamemnon be
The man in question, that doth boast the mightiest empery
Of all our army.’ Then took heart the prophet, unreprov’d,
And said: ‘They are not unpaid vows, nor hecatombs, that mov’d
The god against us: his offence is for his priest impair’d
By Agamemnon, that refus’d the present he preferr’d,
And kept his daughter. This is cause why heaven’s Far-darter darts
These plagues amongst us; and this still will empty in our hearts
His deathful quiver, uncontain’d, till to her loved sire
The black-eyed damsel be resign’d; no redemptory hire
Took for her freedom – not a gift – but all the ransom quit,
And she convey’d, with sacrifice, till her enfranchis’d feet
Tread Chrysa under: then the god, so pleas’d, perhaps we may
Move to remission.’ Thus, he sate; and up, the great in sway,
Heroic Agamemnon rose, eagerly bearing all:
His mind’s seat overcast with fumes: an anger general
Fill’d all his faculties; his eyes sparkled like kindling fire,
Which sternly cast upon the priest, thus vented he his ire:
‘Prophet of ill! For never good came from thee towards me
Not to a word’s worth: evermore thou took’st delight to be
Offensive in thy auguries, which thou continuest still,
Now casting thy prophetic gall, and vouching all our ill
(Shot from Apollo) is impos’d since I refus’d the price
Of fair Chryseis’ liberty; which would in no worth rise
To my rate of herself: which moves my vows to have her home,
Past Clytemnestra loving her, that grac’d my nuptial room
With her virginity and flower: nor ask her merits less,
For person, disposition, wit, and skill in housewi
f
’ries.
And yet, for all this, she shall go, if more conducible
That course be than her holding here. I rather wish the weal
Of my lov’d army than the death. Provide yet instantly
Supply for her, that I alone of all our royalty
Lose not my winnings: ’tis not fit: ye see all – I lose mine
Forc’d by another – see as well, some other may resign
His prize to me.’ To this replied the swift-foot, god-like son
Of Thetis, thus: ‘King of us all in all ambition,
Most covetous of all that breathe, why should the great-soul’d Greeks
Supply thy lost prize out of theirs? Nor what thy avarice seeks
Our common treasury can find; so little it doth guard
Of what our raz’d towns yielded us, of all which most is shar’d,
And given our soldiers: which again to take into our hands
Were ignominious and base. Now then, since god commands,
Part with thy most-lov’d prize to him: not any one of us
Exacts it of thee; yet we all, all loss thou suffer’st thus
Will treble – quadruple in gain, when Jupiter bestows
The sack of well-wall’d Troy on us; which by his word he owes.’
‘Do not deceive yourself with wit,’ he answer’d, ‘god-like man,
Though your good name may colour it, ’tis not your swift foot can
Outrun me here; nor shall the gloss set on it with the god
Persuade me to my wrong. Wouldst thou maintain in sure abode
Thine own prize, and slight me of mine? Resolve this: if our friends,
As fits in equity my worth, will right me with amends,
So rest it; otherwise, myself will enter personally
On thy prize, that of Ithacus, or Ajax, for supply:
Let him on whom I enter rage. But come, we’ll order these
Hereafter, and in other place. Now put to sacred seas
Our black sail; in it rowers put, in it fit sacrifice;
And to these I will make ascend my so much envied prize,
Bright-cheek’d Chryseis. For conduct of all which, we must choose
A chief out of our counsellors; thy service we must use,
Idomeneus; Ajax, thine; or thine, wise Ithacus;
Or thine, thou terriblest of men, thou son of Peleus:
Which fittest were, that thou might’st see these holy acts perform’d
For which thy cunning zeal so pleads; and he, whose bow thus storm’d
For our offences, may be calm’d.’ Achilles with a frown
Thus answer’d: ‘O thou impudent! Of no good but thine own
Ever respectful, but of that with all craft covetous:
With what heart can a man attempt a service dangerous –
Or at thy voice be spirited to fly upon a foe –
Thy mind thus wretched? For myself, I was not injur’d so
By any Trojan, that my powers should bid them any blows;
In nothing bear they blame of me: Phthia, whose bosom flows
With corn and people, never felt impair of her increase
By their invasion: hills enow, and far-resounding seas,
Pour out their shades and deeps between: but thee, thou frontless man,
We follow, and thy triumphs make, with bonfires of our bane:
Thine, and thy brother’s vengeance sought, thou dog’s eyes, of this Troy
By our expos’d lives; whose deserts thou neither dost employ
With honour nor with care. And now, thou threat’st to force from me
The fruit of my sweat, which the Greeks gave all: and though it be –
Compar’d with thy part, then snatch’d up – nothing, nor ever is
At any sack’d town; but of fight, the fetcher in of this,
My hands have most share: in whose toils when I have emptied me
Of all my forces, my amends in liberality –
Though it be little – I accept, and turn pleas’d to my tent:
And yet that little, thou esteem’st too great a continent
In thy incontinent avarice. For Phthia therefore now
My course is, since ’tis better far, than here t’ endure that thou
Should’st still be ravishing my right, draw my whole treasure dry – ’
‘And add, dishonour,’ he replied: ‘if thy heart serve thee, flee;
Stay not for my cause; other here will aid and honour me:
If not, yet Jove I know is sure; that counsellor is he
That I depend on: as for thee, of all our Jove-kept kings
Thou still art most mine enemy: strifes, battles, bloody things,
Make thy blood feasts still. But if strength, that these moods build upon,
Flow in thy nerves, god gave thee it; and so ’tis not thine own,
But in his hands still: what then lifts thy pride in this so high?
Home with thy fleet, and myrmidons; use there their empery:
Command not here. I weigh thee not, nor mean to magnify
Thy rough-hewn rages; but instead I thus far threaten thee:
Since Phoebus needs will force from me Chryseis, she shall go;
My ships and friends shall waft her home: but I will imitate so
His pleasure, that mine own shall take, in person, from thy tent
Bright-cheek’d Briseis; and so tell thy strength how eminent
My power is, being compar’d with thine: all other making fear
To vaunt equality with me, or in this proud kind bear
Their beards against me.’ Thetis’ son at this stood vex’d, his heart
Bristled his bosom, and two ways drew his discursive part,
If from his thigh his sharp sword drawn, he should make room about
Atrides’ person, slaught’ring him, or sit his anger out,
And curb his spirit. While these thoughts striv’d in his blood and mind,
And he his sword drew, down from heaven Athenia stoop’d, and shin’d
About his temples: being sent by th’ ivory-wristed queen
Saturnia, who out of her heart had ever loving been
And careful for the good of both. She stood behind, and took
Achilles by the yellow curls, and only gave her look
To him; appearance not a man of all the rest could see.
He, turning back his eye, amaze strook every faculty:
Yet straight he knew her by her eyes, so terrible they were,
Sparkling with ardour, and thus spake: ‘Thou seed of Jupiter,
Why com’st thou? To behold his pride that boasts our empery?
Then witness with it my revenge, and see that insolence die
That lives to wrong me.’ She replied, ‘I come from heaven to see
Thine anger settled, if thy soul will use her sovereignty
In fit reflection. I am sent from Juno, whose affects