Myrmidons

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 23 Sep 2011 07:55 and updated at 23 Sep 2011 07:55

ILIAD NOUN

ild.01 What though you be brave? Was it not heaven that made you so? Go home, then, with your ships and comrades to lord it over the Myrmidons.
ild.01 He charged them straightly further and dismissed them, whereon they went their way sorrowfully by the seaside, till they came to the tents and ships of the Myrmidons.
ild.02 Those again who held Pelasgic Argos, Alos, Alope, and Trachis; and those of Phthia and Hellas the land of fair Women, who were called Myrmidons, Hellenes, and Achaeans; these had Fifty ships, over which Achilles was in command.
ild.07 The old knight Peleus, counsellor and orator among the Myrmidons, loved when I was in his house to question me concerning the race and lineage of all the Argives.
ild.09 When they reached the ships and tents of the Myrmidons, they found Achilles playing on a lyre, fair, of cunning workmanship, and its cross bar was of Silver.
ild.09 Go, then, and deliver your message; say that I will have no concern with fighting till Hector, son of noble Priam, reaches the tents of the Myrmidons in his murderous course, and flings fire upon their ships.
ild.11 If, however, he is fearful about some oracle, or if his mother has told him something from Jove, then let him send you, and let the rest of the Myrmidons follow with you, if perchance you may bring light and saving to the Danaans.
ild.16 Have you anything to say to the Myrmidons or to myself? or have you had news from Phthia which you alone know? They tell me Menoetius son of Actor is still alive, as also Peleus son of Aeacus, among the Myrmidons men whose loss we two should bitterly deplore; or are you grieving about the Argives and the way in which they are being killed at the ships, throu their own high handed doings? Do not hide anything from me but tell me that both of us may know about it.
ild.16 If however you are kept back through knowledge of some oracle, or if your mother Thetis has told you something from the mouth of Jove, at least send me and the Myrmidons with me, if I may bring deliverance to the Danaans.
ild.16 Still, let bygones be bygones: no man may keep his anger for ever; I said I would not relent till battle and the cry of war had reached my own ships; nevertheless, now gird my armour about your shoulders, and lead the Myrmidons to battle, for the dark cloud of Trojans has burst furiously over our fleet; the Argives are driven back on to the beach, cooped within a narrow space, and the whole people of Troy has taken heart to sally out against them, because they see not the visor of my helmet gleaming near them.
ild.16 Meanwhile Achilles went about everywhere among the tents, and bade his Myrmidons put on their armour.
ild.16 Even as fierce ravening Wolves that are feasting upon a homed stag which they have killed upon the mountains, and their jaws are red with blood they go in a pack to lap water from the clear spring with their long thin tongues; and they reek of blood and slaughter; they know not what fear is, for it is hunger drives them even so did the leaders and counsellors of the Myrmidons gather round the good squire of the fleet descendant of Aeacus, and among them stood Achilles himself cheering on both men and Horses.
ild.16 The third company was led by Pisander son of Maemalus, the finest spearman among all the Myrmidons next to Achilles own comrade Patroclus.
ild.16 When Achilles had chosen his men and had stationed them all with their captains, he charged them straitly saying, Myrmidons", remember your threats against the Trojans while you were at the ships in the time of my anger, and you were all complaining of me.
ild.16 In front of them all two men put on their armour Patroclus and Automedon two men, with but one mind to lead the Myrmidons.
ild.16 I shall stay here where my ships are lying, but I shall send my comrade into battle at the head of many Myrmidons.
ild.16 They came swarming out like wasps whose nests are by the roadside, and whom silly children love to tease, whereon any one who happens to be passing may get stung or again, if a wayfarer going along the road vexes them by accident, every wasp will come flying out in a fury to defend his little ones even with such rage and courage did the Myrmidons swarm from their ships, and their cry of battle rose heavenwards.
ild.16 Patroclus called out to his men at the top of his voice, Myrmidons", followers of Achilles son of Peleus, be men my friends, fight with might and with main, that we may win glory for the son of Peleus, who is far the foremost man at the ships of the Argives he, and his close fighting followers.
ild.16 Hard by the Myrmidons held his snorting steeds, who were wild with panic at finding themselves deserted by their lords.
ild.16 Stand by him, my friends, and suffer not the Myrmidons to strip him of his armour, nor to treat his body with contumely in revenge for all the Danaans whom we have speared at the ships.
ild.16 He spoke to men who of themselves were full eager; both sides, therefore, the Trojans and Lycians on the one hand, and the Myrmidons and Achaeans on the other, strengthened their battalions, and fought desperately about the body of Sarpedon, shouting fiercely the while.
ild.16 At first the Trojans made some headway against the Achaeans, for one of the best men among the Myrmidons was killed, Epeigeus, son of noble Agacles who had erewhile been king in the good city of Budeum; but presently, having killed a valiant kinsman of his own, he took refuge with Peleus and Thetis, who sent him to Ilius the land of noble steeds to fight the Trojans under Achilles.
ild.16 Glaucus, captain of the Lycians, was the first to rally them, by killing Bathycles son of Chalcon who lived in Hellas and was the richest man among the Myrmidons.
ild.18 "Alas," said he to himself in the heaviness of his heart, "why are the Achaeans again scouring the plain and flocking towards the ships? Heaven grant the Gods be not now bringing that sorrow upon me of which my mother Thetis spoke, saying that while I was yet alive the bravest of the Myrmidons should fall before the Trojans, and see the light of the sun no longer.
ild.18 When they reached the rich plain of Troy, they came up out of the sea in a long line on to the sands, at the place where the ships of the Myrmidons were drawn up in close order round the tents of Achilles.
ild.18 He laid his murderous hands upon the breast of his comrade, groaning again and again as a bearded Lion when a man who was chasing Deer has robbed him of his young in some dense forest; when the Lion comes back he is furious, and searches dingle and dell to track the hunter if he can find him, for he is mad with rage even so with many a sigh did Achilles speak among the Myrmidons saying, "Alas! vain were the words with which I cheered the hero Menoetius in his own house; I said that I would bring his brave son back again to Opoeis after he had sacked Ilius and taken his share of the spoils but Jove does not give all men their heart s desire.
ild.18 Thus all night long did the Myrmidons gather round Achilles to mourn Patroclus.
ild.19 The Myrmidons were struck with awe, and none dared look full at it, for they were afraid; but Achilles was roused to still greater fury, and his eyes gleamed with a fierce light, for he was glad when he handled the splendid present which the God had made him.
ild.19 The Myrmidons attended to the presents and took them away to the ship of Achilles.
ild.19 I saw him to whom my father and mother married me, cut down before our city, and my three own dear brothers perished with him on the self same day; but you, Patroclus, even when Achilles slew my husband and sacked the city of noble Mynes, told me that I was not to weep, for you said you would make Achilles marry me, and take me back with him to Phthia, we should have a wedding feast among the Myrmidons.
ild.21 My father is Peleus, son of Aeacus ruler over the many Myrmidons, and Aeacus was the son of Jove.
ild.23 But Achilles would not let the Myrmidons go, and spoke to his brave comrades saying, Myrmidons", famed Horsemen and my own trusted friends, not yet, forsooth, let us unyoke, but with Horse and Chariot draw near to the body and mourn Patroclus, in due honour to the dead.
ild.23 As soon as they had had had enough to eat and drink, the others went to their rest each in his own tent, but the son of Peleus lay grieving among his Myrmidons by the shore of the sounding sea, in an open place where the waves came surging in one after another.
ild.23 When they had thrown down their great logs of Wood over the whole ground, they stayed all of them where they were, but Achilles ordered his brave Myrmidons to gird on their armour, and to yoke each man his Horses; they therefore rose, girded on their armour and mounted each his Chariot they and their Charioteers with them.
ild.24 Ere long they came to the lofty dwelling of the son of Peleus for which the Myrmidons had cut pine and which they had built for their king; when they had built it they thatched it with coarse tussock grass which they had mown out on the plain, and all round it they made a large courtyard, which was fenced with stakes set close together.
ild.24 Even so did it befall Peleus; the Gods endowed him with all good things from his birth upwards, for he reigned over the Myrmidons excelling all men in prosperity and wealth, and mortal though he was they gave him a Goddess for his bride.

Arise Greece! from thy silent sleep, 2000 years long it is! Forget not, thy ancient culture, beautiful and marvelous it is!

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