The Iliads of Homer (George Chapman)

"Achilles’ 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."

"Dog’s face, with heart but of a hart."

"The cunning Pylian orator, whose tongue pour’d forth a flood Of more-than-honey-sweet discourse."

"He said; and his black eyebrows bent; above his deathless head Th’ ambrosian curls flow’d; great heav’n shook."

"The lady of the light, the rosy-finger’d Morn, Rose from the hills."

"Heav’n’s great both-foot-halting God."

"A most disorder’d store Of words he foolishly pour’d out, of which his mind held more Than it could manage; any thing, with which he could procure Laughter, he never could contain. He should have yet been sure To touch no kings; t’ oppose their states becomes not jesters’ parts. But he the filthiest fellow was of all that had deserts In Troy’s brave siege; he was squint-ey’d, and lame of either foot; So crook-back’d, that he had no breast; sharp-headed, where did shoot (Here and there spers’d) thin mossy hair."

"Thy tents are full of brass; and dames, the choice of all, are thine, With whom we must present thee first, when any towns resign To our invasion."

"Ye talk Like children all, that know not war."

"O father, all the sons Of Greece thou conquer’st in the strife of consultations."

"And as a fire upon A huge wood, on the heights of hills, that far off hurls his light; So the divine brass shin’d on these thus thrusting on for fight, Their splendour through the air reach’d heav’n. And as about the flood Caïster, in an Asian mead, flocks of the airy brood, Cranes, geese, or long-neck’d swans, here, there, proud of their pinions fly, And in their falls layout such throats, that with their spiritful cry The meadow shrieks again; so here, these many-nation’d men Flow’d over the Scamandrian field, from tents and ships; the din Was dreadful that the feet of men and horse beat out of earth. And in the flourishing mead they stood, thick as the odorous birth Of flow’rs, or leaves bred in the spring; or thick as swarms of flies Throng then to sheep-cotes, when each swarm his erring wing applies To milk dew’d on the milk-maid’s pails; all eagerly dispos’d To give to ruin th’ Ilians. And as in rude heaps clos’d, Though huge goatherds are at their food, the goatherds eas’ly yet Sort into sundry herds; so here the chiefs in battle set Here tribes, here nations, ord’ring all."

"We only trust the voice of fame, know nothing."

"The multitude exceed my song, though fitted to my choice Ten tongues were, harden’d palates ten, a breast of brass, a voice Infract and trump-like."

"The fool Amphimachus, to field, brought gold to be his wrack, Proud-girl-like that doth ever bear her dow’r upon her back."

"And as in well-grown woods, or trees, cold spiny grasshoppers Sit chirping, and send voices out, that scarce can pierce our ears For softness, and their weak faint sounds; so, talking on the tow’r, These seniors of the people sat; who when they saw the pow’r Of beauty, in the queen, ascend ev’n those cold-spirited peers, Those wise and almost wither’d men, found this heat in their years, That they were forc’d (though whispéring) to say: “What man can blame The Greeks and Trojans to endure, for so admir’d a dame, So many mis’ries, and so long? In her sweet count’nance shine Looks like the Goddesses.”"

"They could not choose but welcome her, and rather they accus’d The Gods than beauty."

"Come, do not think I lay the wars, endur’d by us, on thee, The Gods have sent them, and the tears in which they swum to me."

"That’s Agamemnon, Atreus’ son, the great in empery; A king, whom double royalty doth crown, being great and good, And one that was my brother-in-law, when I contain’d my blood, And was more worthy."

"Two princes of the people yet, I nowhere can behold, Castor, the skilful knight on horse and Pollux, uncontroll’d For all stand-fights, and force of hand; ... My natural brothers; either here they have not followéd From lovely Sparta, or, arriv’d within the sea-born fleet, In fear of infamy for me, in broad field shame to meet."

"Earth flow’d with blood. And as from hills rainwaters headlong fall, That all ways eat huge ruts, which, met in one bed, fill a vall With such a confluence of streams, that on the mountain grounds Far off, in frighted shepherds’ ears, the bustling noise rebounds: So grew their conflicts."

"Her heav’nly veil he strook ... Quite through, and hurt the tender back of her delicious hand. The rude point piercing through her palm, forth flow’d th’ immortal blood; Blood, such as flows in blesséd Gods, that eat no human food, Nor drink of our inflaming wine."

"She should be making marriages, embracings, kisses, charms, Stern Mars and Pallas had the charge of those affairs in arms."

"Thou many minds, inconstant changeling thou, ... Just of thy mother Juno’s moods, stiff-neck’d, and never yields, Though I correct her still, and chide."

"Then comes the black increase Of griefs (like Greeks on Ilion)."

"This said, he reach’d to take his son; who, of his arms afraid, And then the horse-hair plume, with which he was so overlaid, Nodded so horribly, he cling’d back to his nurse, and cried. Laughter affected his great sire, who doff’d, and laid aside His fearful helm, that on the earth cast round about it light; Then took and kiss'd his loving son, and (balancing his weight In dancing him) these loving vows to living Jove he us'd And all the other bench of Gods: “O you that have infus’d Soul to this infant, now set down this blessing on his star;— Let his renown be clear as mine; equal his strength in war; And make his reign so strong in Troy, that years to come may yield His facts this fame, when, rich in spoils, he leaves the conquer’d field Sown with his slaughters: ‘These high deeds exceed his father's worth.’”"

"On went his helm; his princess home, half cold with kindly fears; When ev’ry fear turn’d back her looks, and ev’ry look shed tears."

"On earth, with ample pace, He boldly stalk’d, and shook aloft his dart with deadly grace. It did the Grecians good to see; but heartquakes shook the joints Of all the Trojans, Hector’s self felt thoughts, with horrid points, Tempt his bold bosom; but he now must make no counterflight, Nor, with his honour, now refuse, that had provok’d the fight."

"All had enough; but Telamon, the king fed past the rest With good large pieces of the chine."

"Priam commanded none should mourn, but in still silence yield Their honour’d carcasses to fire, and only grieve in heart."

"As far as white Aurora’s dews are sprinkled through the air, Fame will renown the hands of Greece, for this divine affair."

"The cheerful Lady of the light, deck’d in her saffron robe, Dispers’d her beams through ev’ry part of this enflow’red globe."

"This said, his brass-hoof’d wingéd horse he did to chariot bind, Whose crests were fring’d with manes of gold; and golden garments shin’d On his rich shoulders; in his hand he took a golden scourge, Divinely fashion’d, and with blows their willing speed did urge Mid way betwixt the earth and heav’n. To Ida: then he came, Abounding in delicious springs, and nurse of beasts untame, Where, on the mountain Gargarus, men did a fane erect To his high name, and altars sweet; and there his horse he check’d, Dissolv’d them from his chariot, and in a cloud of jet He cover’d them, and on the top took his triumphant seat, Beholding Priam’s famous town, and all the fleet of Greece."

"The winds transferr’d into the friendly sky Their supper’s savour."

"As when about the silver moon, when air is free from wind, And stars shine clear, to whose sweet beams, high prospects, and the brows Of all steep hills and pinnacles, thrust up themselves for shows, And ev’n the lowly valleys joy to glitter in their sight, When the unmeasur’d firmament bursts to disclose her light, And all the signs in heav’n are seen, that glad the shepherd’s heart."

"Both the kings their dreadless passage bore Through slaughter, slaughter’d carcasses, arms, and discolour’d gore."

"The earth did blush with blood."

"The city so adorn’d with tow’rs, the sea with vessels fill’d, The splendour of refulgent arms, the killer and the kill’d."

"And as in winter time, when Jove his cold sharp jav’lins throws Amongst us mortals, and is moved to white earth with his snows, The winds asleep, he freely pours, till highest prominents, Hill tops, low meadows, and the fields that crown with most contents The toils of men, seaports, and shores, are hid, and ev’ry place, But floods, that snow’s fair tender flakes, as their own brood, embrace; So both sides cover’d earth with stones, so both for life contend, To show their sharpness; through the wall uproar stood up an end."

"His eyes were furnaces."

"From whirlpits ev’ry way The whales exulted under him, and knew their king; the sea For joy did open; and, his horse so swift and lightly flew, The under axletree of brass no drop of water drew; And thus these deathless coursers brought their king to th’ Achive ships."

"The dreadful clamour rose To such a height, as not the sea, when up the North-spirit blows Her raging billows, bellows so against the beaten shore; Nor such a rustling keeps a fire, driven with violent blore Through woods that grow against a hill; nor so the fervent strokes Of almost-bursting winds resound against a grove of oaks; As did the clamour of these hosts, when both the battles clos’d."

"Then from an anvil rose Th’ unwieldy monster, halt’d down, and all awry he went. He took his bellows from the fire, and ev’ry instrument Lock’d safe up in a silver chest. Then with a sponge he drest His face all over, neck and hands, and all his hairy breast; Put on his coat, his sceptre took, and then went halting forth, Handmaids of gold attending him, resembling in all worth Living young damsels, fill’d with minds and wisdom, and were train’d In all immortal ministry, virtue and voice contain’d, And mov’d with voluntary pow’rs; and these still wait’d on Their fi’ry sov’reign."

"The call Of Mars to fight was terrible, he cried out like a storm, Set on the city’s pinnacles; and there he would inform Sometimes his heart’nings, other times where Simois pours on His silver current at the foot of high Callicolon. And thus the bless’d Gods both sides urg’d; they all stood in the mids, And brake contention to the hosts. And over all their heads The Gods’ King in abhorréd claps his thunder rattled out. Beneath them Neptune toss’d the earth; the mountains round about Bow’d with affright and shook their heads; Jove’s hill the earthquake felt, (Steep Ida) trembling at her roots, and all her fountains spilt, Their brows all crannied; Troy did nod; the Grecian navy play’d As on the sea; th’ Infernal King, that all things frays, was fray’d, And leap’d affrighted from his throne, cried out, lest over him Neptune should rend in two the earth, and so his house, so dim, So loathsome, filthy, and abhorr’d of all the Gods beside, Should open both to Gods and men. Thus all things shook and cried, When this black battle of the Gods was joining."

"As fire, fall’n in a flash from heav’n, Inflames the high woods of dry hills, and with a storm is driv’n Through all the sylvan deeps; and raves, till down goes ev’rywhere The smother’d hill; so ev’ry way Achilles and his spear Consum’d the champain, the black earth flow’d with the veins he tore. And look how oxen, yok’d and driv’n about the circular floor Of some fair barn, tread suddenly the thick sheaves thin of corn, And all the corn consum’d with chaff; so mix’d and overborne, Beneath Achilles’ one-hoof’d horse, shields, spears, and men, lay trod, His axle-trees and chariot wheels, all spatter’d with the blood Hurl’d from the steeds’ hooves and the strakes. Thus, to be magnified, His most inaccessible hands in human blood he dyed."

"Then swell’d his waves, then rag’d, then boil’d again Against Achilles. Up flew all, and all the bodies slain In all his deeps (of which the heaps made bridges to his waves) He belch’d out, roaring like a bull. The unslain yet he saves In his black whirlpits vast and deep. A horrid billow stood About Achilles. On his shield the violence of the Flood Beat so, it drave him back, and took his feet up, ... The rage did terrify Ev’n his great spirit, and made him add wings to his swiftest feet, And tread the land. And yet not there the Flood left his retreat, But thrust his billows after him, and black’d them all at top, To make him fear, and fly his charge, and set the broad field ope For Troy to ’scape in."

"The flood into a fire as bright as day was turn’d. Elms, willows, tam’risks, were inflam’d; the lote trees, sea-grass reeds, And rushes, with the galingale roots, of which abundance breeds About the sweet flood, all were fir’d; the gliding fishes flew Upwards in flames; the grov’lling eels crept upright; all which slew Wise Vulcan’s unresisted spirit."

"Jove heard it, sitting on his hill, and laugh’d to see the Gods Buckle to arms like angry men."

"Suddenly with her left hand she catch’d Both Cynthia’s palms, lock’d fingers fast, and with her right she snatch’d From her fair shoulders her gilt bow, and, laughing, laid it on About her ears, and ev’ry way her turnings seiz’d upon, Till all her arrows scatter’d out, her quiver emptied quite. And as a dove, that, flying a hawk, takes to some rock her flight, And in his hollow breasts sits safe, her fate not yet to die; So fled she mourning, and her bow left there."

"The Rainbow to her feet tied whirlwinds, and the place Reach’d instantly."

"A great time Achilles gaz’d upon His wonder’d-at approach, nor ate; the rest did nothing see, While close he came up, with his hands fast holding the bent knee Of Hector’s conqueror, and kiss’d that large man-slaught’ring hand That much blood from his sons had drawn. And as in some strange land, And great man’s house, a man is driv’n (with that abhorr’d dismay That follows wilful bloodshed still, his fortune being to slay One whose blood cries aloud for his) to plead protectión, In such a miserable plight as frights the lookers on; In such a stupefied estate Achilles sat to see So unexpected, so in night, and so incredibly, Old Priam’s entry. All his friends one on another star’d To see his strange looks, seeing no cause."