The Iliad

556 Pages·1974·7.27 MB·English

by  Homer - translated by Robert Fitzgerald

The .Iliad
Homer
The Iliad
Translated by
Robert Fitzgerald
With drawings lJy .Htlns Em;
Anchor Press/Doubleday
Gu4en City. New York 1974
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Homerus.
The Iliad ..
I. Fitzgerald, Robert, 1910- tt. IL Title.
PA40ZS.AzFS 88}'.o1
ISBN o-38S-oS940-x
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 74-}518
Copyright © 1974 by Robert Fitzgerald
Alf Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Design: Geoffrey Mlll'shali
Decorations by Barnaby Fitzgerald
First Edition
Por Suab, and for
Ughetta,Benedict,
Maria, Michael,
Barnaby, and Catuiaa
Contents
BookOne 9
Quarrel, Oath, and Promise
Book Two 33
Assembly and Muster of Armies
Book Three 61
Dueling for a Haunted Lady
Book Fora Bl
A Bowshot Bringing War
Book Fif:e 101
A Hero Strives with Gods
Book Six 139
Interludes in Field and Uty
Book Se'Ven 159
A Combat and a Rampart
Book Eight 179
The Battle Swayed. by Zeus
Book Nine 2Ul
A Visit of Emiss:aries
Book Ten 227
Xight in the Camp: A Foray
Book Eie--.:e7J 249
Prowess and \Younds of ..-. \khaians
Book T'i:.·ek·e 279
The Rampart Breached
Book Thirteen 297
Assault on the Ships
Book FOllTteen J27
Beguilement on ~lount Ida
8 Contents
Book Fifteen 347
The Lord of Storm
Book Sixteen 175
A Ship Fired, a Tide Turned
Book SeiJe1zteen '/05
Contending for a Soldier Fallen
Book Eighteen 433
The Immortal Shield
Book Nineteen 4H
The Avenger Fasts and Arms
Book T'We'lJty 47'
The Ranging of Powers
Book Twenty-one 491
The aash of Man and River
Book T'Wi!nty-t'WO ji3
Desolation Before Troy
Book Twenty-three 511
A Friend Consigned to Death
Book T'WefJty-fmn 565
A Grace Given in Sorrow
Book One
Book One
Quarrel,
Oath,
and Promise
LIXES 1-10
Anger be now your song, immortal one,
1\...khilleus' agger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on hitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men-carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.
Begin it when the two men first contending
broke with one anorher-
the Lord Marshal
Agamemnon. Atreus' son, and Prince Akhilleus.
Among the gods, who brought this quarrel on?
The son of Zeus by Uto. Agamemnon
BOOK ONE Quarrel, Oath, lind Promise
angered him, so he made a burning wind
of plague rise in the army: rank and file
sickened and died for the ill their chief had done
in despising a man of prayer.
This priest, Khryses, had come down to the ships
with gifts, no end of ransom for his daughter;
on a golden staff he carried the god's white bands
and sued for grace from the men of all Akhaia,
the two Atreidai most of all:
"0 captains
Menelaos and Agamemnon, and you other
Akhaians under arms!
The gods who hold Olympos, may they grant you
plunder of Priam's town and a fair wind home,
but let me have my daughter back for ransom
as you revere Apollo, son of Zeus!"
Then all the soldiers murmured their assent:
"Behave well to the priest. And take the ransom! "
But Agamemnon would not. It went against his desire,
and brutally he ordered the man away:
"Let me not find you here by the long ships
loitering this time or returning later,
old man; if I do,
the staff and ribbons of the god will fail you.
Give up the girl? I swear she will grow old
at home in Argos, far from her own country,
working my 100m and visiting my bed.
Leave me in peace and go, while you can, in safety."
So harsh he was, the old man feared and obeyed him,
in silence trailing away
by the shore of the tumbling clamorous whispering sea,
and he prayed and prayed again, as he withdrew,
to the god whom silken-braided Leta bore:
"0 hear me, master of the silver bow,
protector of Tenedos and the holy towns,
Apollo, Sminthian, if to your liking