Ulysses

Created by Sreeja Jijith at 22 Sep 2011 13:31 and updated at 22 Sep 2011 13:31

ILIAD NOUN

ild.01 Are you to keep your own prize, while I sit tamely under my loss and give up the girl at your bidding? Let the Achaeans find me a prize in fair exchange to my liking, or I will come and take your own, or that of Ajax or of Ulysses; and he to whomsoever I may come shall rue my coming.
ild.01 And Ulysses went as captain.
ild.01 Meanwhile Ulysses reached Chryse with the Hecatomb.
ild.01 They then got out upon the sea shore and landed the Hecatomb for Apollo; Chryseis also left the ship, and Ulysses led her to the altar to deliver her into the hands of her father.
ild.02 There she found Ulysses, peer of Jove in counsel, standing alone.
ild.02 He had not as yet laid a hand upon his ship, for he was grieved and sorry; so she went close up to him and said, Ulysses", noble son of Laertes, are you going to fling yourselves into your ships and be off home to your own land in this way? Will you leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, for whose sake so many of the Achaeans have died at Troy, far from their homes? Go about at once among the host, and speak fairly to them, man by man, that they draw not their ships into the sea.
ild.02 Ulysses knew the voice as that of the Goddess: he flung his cloak from him and set off to run.
ild.02 His servant Eurybates, a man of Ithaca, who waited on him, took charge of the cloak, whereon Ulysses went straight up to Agamemnon and received from him his ancestral, imperishable staff.
ild.02 Achilles and Ulysses hated him worst of all, for it was with them that he was most wont to wrangle; now, however, with a shrill squeaky voice he began heaping his abuse on Agamemnon.
ild.02 Thus railed Thersites, but Ulysses at once went up to him and rebuked him sternly.
ild.02 The people were sorry for him, yet they laughed heartily, and one would turn to his neighbour saying, Ulysses" has done many a good thing ere now in fight and council, but he never did the Argives a better turn than when he stopped this fellow s mouth from prating further.
ild.02 Then Ulysses rose, sceptre in hand, and Minerva in the likeness of a herald bade the people be still, that those who were far off might hear him and consider his council.
ild.02 First he asked Nestor and King Idomeneus, then the two Ajaxes and the son of Tydeus, and Sixthly Ulysses, peer of Gods in counsel; but Menelaus came of his own accord, for he knew how busy his brother then was.
ild.02 Ulysses led the brave Cephallenians, who held Ithaca, Neritum with its forests, Crocylea, rugged Aegilips, Samos and Zacynthus, with the mainland also that was over against the islands.
ild.02 These were led by Ulysses, peer of Jove in counsel, and with him there came Twelve ships.
ild.03 The old man next looked upon Ulysses; "Tell me," he said, "who is that other, shorter by a head than Agamemnon, but broader across the chest and shoulders? His armour is laid upon the ground, and he stalks in front of the ranks as it were some great woolly ram ordering his ewes.
ild.03 And Helen answered, "He is Ulysses, a man of great craft, son of Laertes.
ild.03 Ulysses once came here as envoy about yourself, and Menelaus with him.
ild.03 When they stood up in presence of the assembled Trojans, Menelaus was the broader shouldered, but when both were seated Ulysses had the more royal presence.
ild.03 After a time they delivered their message, and the speech of Menelaus ran trippingly on the tongue; he did not say much, for he was a man of few words, but he spoke very clearly and to the point, though he was the younger man of the two; Ulysses, on the other hand, when he rose to speak, was at first silent and kept his eyes fixed upon the ground.
ild.03 Agamemnon and Ulysses both rose to meet them.
ild.03 Hector and Ulysses measured the ground, and cast lots from a helmet of Bronze to see which should take aim first.
ild.04 Near him also tarried cunning Ulysses, with his sturdy Cephallenians round him; they had not yet heard the battle cry, for the ranks of Trojans and Achaeans had only just begun to move, so they were standing still, waiting for some other columns of the Achaeans to attack the Trojans and begin the fighting.
ild.04 Ulysses glared at him and answered, Son" of Atreus, what are you talking about? How can you say that we are slack? When the Achaeans are in full fight with the Trojans, you shall see, if you care to do so, that the father of Telemachus will join battle with the foremost of them.
ild.04 When Agamemnon saw that Ulysses was angry, he smiled pleasantly at him and withdrew his words.
ild.04 Ulysses"," said he, "noble son of Laertes, excellent in all good counsel, I have neither fault to find nor orders to give you, for I know your heart is right, and that you and I are of a mind.
ild.04 Thereon Antiphus of the gleaming corslet, son of Priam, hurled a spear at Ajax from amid the crowd and missed him, but he hit Leucus, the brave comrade of Ulysses, in the groin, as he was dragging the body of Simoeisius over to the other side; so he fell upon the body and loosed his hold upon it.
ild.04 Ulysses was furious when he saw Leucus slain, and strode in full armour through the front ranks till he was quite close; then he glared round about him and took aim, and the Trojans fell back as he did so.
ild.04 Ulysses, infuriated by the death of his comrade, hit him with his spear on one temple, and the Bronze point came through on the other side of his forehead.
ild.05 The two Ajaxes, Ulysses and Diomed, cheered the Danaans on, fearless of the fury and onset of the Trojans.
ild.05 Meanwhile the Achaeans carried off the body of Tlepolemus, whereon Ulysses was moved to pity, and panted for the fray as he beheld them.
ild.06 Polypoetes then killed Astyalus, Ulysses Pidytes of Percote, and Teucer Aretaon.
ild.07 After these Eurypylus son of Euaemon, Thoas the son of Andraemon, and Ulysses also rose.
ild.08 The old man instantly began cutting the traces with his sword, but Hector s fleet Horses bore down upon him through the rout with their bold Charioteer, even Hector himself, and the old man would have perished there and then had not Diomed been quick to mark, and with a loud cry called Ulysses to help him.
ild.08 Ulysses"," he cried, "noble son of Laertes where are you flying to, with your back turned like a coward? See that you are not struck with a spear between the shoulders.
ild.08 Ulysses would not give ear, but sped onward to the ships of the Achaeans, and the son of Tydeus flinging himself alone into the thick of the fight took his stand before the Horses of the son of Neleus.
ild.08 To this end he went round the ships and tents carrying a great purple cloak, and took his stand by the huge black hull of Ulysses ship, which was middlemost of all; it was from this place that his voice would carry farthest, on the one hand towards the tents of Ajax son of Telamon, and on the other towards those of Achilles for these two heroes, well assured of their own strength, had valorously drawn up their ships at the two ends of the line.
ild.09 Let Phoenix, dear to Jove, lead the way; let Ajax and Ulysses follow, and let the heralds Odius and Eurybates go with them.
ild.09 Men servants poured water over the hands of the guests, while pages filled the mixing bowls with wine and water, and handed it round after giving every man his drink offering; then, when they had made their offerings, and had drunk each as much as he was minded, the envoys set out from the tent of Agamemnon son of Atreus; and Nestor, looking first to one and then to another, but most especially at Ulysses, was instant with them that they should prevail with the noble son of Peleus.
ild.09 Ulysses and Ajax now came in Ulysses leading the way and stood before him.
ild.09 Then Achilles took his seat facing Ulysses against the opposite wall, and bade his comrade Patroclus offer sacrifice to the Gods; so he cast the offerings into the fire, and they laid their hands upon the good things that were before them.
ild.09 As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, Ajax made a sign to Phoenix, and when he saw this, Ulysses filled his cup with wine and pledged Achilles.
ild.09 Achilles answered, Ulysses", noble son of Laertes, I should give you formal notice plainly and in all fixity of purpose that there be no more of this cajoling, from whatsoever quarter it may come.
ild.09 Let him look to you, Ulysses, and to the other princes to save his ships from burning.
ild.09 Ajax son of Telamon then said, Ulysses", noble son of Laertes, let us be gone, for I see that our journey is vain.
ild.09 On this they took every man his double cup, made their drink offerings, and went back to the ships, Ulysses leading the way.
ild.09 Tell me, Ulysses," said he, "will he save the ships from burning, or did be refuse, and is he still furious?"
ild.09 Ulysses answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, king of men, Agamemnon, Achilles will not be calmed, but is more fiercely angry than ever, and spurns both you and your gifts.
ild.10 I will go with you, and we will rouse others, either the son of Tydeus, or Ulysses, or fleet Ajax and the valiant son of Phyleus.
ild.10 First he called loudly to Ulysses peer of Gods in counsel and woke him, for he was soon roused by the sound of the battle cry.
ild.10 He came outside his tent and said, "Why do you go thus alone about the host, and along the line of the ships in the stillness of the night? What is it that you find so urgent?" And Nestor knight of Gerene answered, Ulysses", noble son of Laertes, take it not amiss, for the Achaeans are in great straits.
ild.10 On this Ulysses went at once into his tent, put his shield about his shoulders and came out with them.
ild.10 The two Ajaxes, servants of Mars, Meriones, and the son of Nestor all wanted to go, so did Menelaus son of Atreus; Ulysses also wished to go among the host of the Trojans, for he was ever full of daring, and thereon Agamemnon king of men spoke thus: "Diomed," said he, "son of Tydeus, man after my own heart, choose your comrade for yourself take the best man of those that have offered, for many would now go with you.
ild.10 Diomed answered, "If you bid me take the man of my own choice, how in that case can I fail to think of Ulysses, than whom there is no man more eager to face all kinds of danger and Pallas Minerva loves him well? If he were to go with me we should pass safely through fire itself, for he is quick to see and understand.
ild.10 Son" of Tydeus," replied Ulysses, "say neither good nor ill about me, for you are among Argives who know me well.
ild.10 Meriones found a bow and quiver for Ulysses, and on his head he set a leathern helmet that was lined with a strong plaiting of leathern thongs, while on the outside it was thickly studded with boar s teeth, well and skilfully set into it; next the head there was an inner lining of felt.
ild.10 He gave it to Amphidamas of Cythera to take to Scandea, and Amphidamas gave it as a guest gift to Molus, who gave it to his son Meriones; and now it was set upon the head of Ulysses.
ild.10 Ulysses was glad when he heard it and prayed to Minerva: "Hear me," he cried, "daughter of aegis bearing Jove, you who spy out all my ways and who are with me in all my hardships; befriend me in this mine hour, and grant that we may return to the ships covered with glory after having achieved some mighty exploit that shall bring sorrow to the Trojans.
ild.10 When he had left the Horses and the troops behind him, he made all speed on his way, but Ulysses perceived his coming and said to Diomed, "Diomed, here is some one from the camp; I am not sure whether he is a spy, or whether it is some thief who would plunder the bodies of the dead; let him get a little past us, we can then spring upon him and take him.
ild.10 The others gave chase at once, and as a couple of well trained hounds press forward after a doe or hare that runs screaming in front of them, even so did the son of Tydeus and Ulysses pursue Dolon and cut him off from his own people.
ild.10 "Fear not," replied Ulysses, "let no thought of death be in your mind; but tell me, and tell me true, why are you thus going about alone in the dead of night away from your camp and towards the ships, while other men are sleeping? Is it to plunder the bodies of the slain, or did Hector send you to spy out what was going on at the ships? Or did you come here of your own mere notion?"
ild.10 Ulysses smiled at him and answered, "You had indeed set your heart upon a great reward, but the Horses of the descendant of Aeacus are hardly to be kept in hand or driven by any other mortal man than Achilles himself, whose mother was an immortal.
ild.10 Ulysses then said, "Now tell me; are they sleeping among the Trojan troops, or do they lie apart? Explain this that I may understand it.
ild.10 Ulysses hung them up aloft in honour of Minerva the Goddess of plunder, and prayed saying, "Accept these, Goddess, for we give them to you in preference to all the Gods in Olympus: therefore speed us still further towards the Horses and sleeping ground of the Thracians.
ild.10 Ulysses from some way off saw him and said, "This, Diomed, is the man, and these are the Horses about which Dolon whom we killed told us.
ild.10 As he killed them Ulysses came and drew them aside by their feet one by one, that the Horses might go forward freely without being frightened as they passed over the dead bodies, for they were not yet used to them.
ild.10 Meanwhile Ulysses untied the Horses, made them fast one to another and drove them off, striking them with his bow, for he had forgotten to take the whip from the Chariot.
ild.10 Ulysses beat them with his bow and they flew onward to the ships of the Achaeans.
ild.10 When they reached the place where they had killed Hector s scout, Ulysses stayed his Horses, and the son of Tydeus, leaping to the ground, placed the blood stained spoils in the hands of Ulysses and remounted: then he lashed the Horses onwards, and they flew forward nothing loth towards the ships as though of their own free will.
ild.10 I hope it may Diomed and Ulysses driving in Horses from the Trojans, but I much fear that the bravest of the Argives may have come to some harm at their hands.
ild.10 "Tell me," said he, "renowned Ulysses, how did you two come by these Horses? Did you steal in among the Trojan forces, or did some God meet you and give them to you? They are like sunbeams.
ild.10 And Ulysses answered, Nestor" son of Neleus, honour to the Achaean name, heaven, if it so will, can give us even better Horses than these, for the Gods are far mightier than we are.
ild.10 When they reached the strongly built quarters of the son of Tydeus, they tied the Horses with thongs of leather to the manger, where the steeds of Diomed stood eating their sweet corn, but Ulysses hung the blood stained spoils of Dolon at the stern of his ship, that they might prepare a sacred offering to Minerva.
ild.11 She took her stand by the huge black hull of Ulysses ship which was middlemost of all, so that her voice might carry farthest on either side, on the one hand towards the tents of Ajax son of Telamon, and on the other towards those of Achilles for these two heroes, well assured of their own strength, had valorously drawn up their ships at the two ends of the line.
ild.11 "If," said Agamemnon, "you are sons of Antimachus, who once at a council of Trojans proposed that Menelaus and Ulysses, who had come to you as envoys, should be killed and not suffered to return, you shall now pay for the foul iniquity of your father.
ild.11 All had then been lost and no help for it, and the Achaeans would have fled pell mell to their ships, had not Ulysses cried out to Diomed, Son" of Tydeus, what has happened to us that we thus forget our prowess? Come, my good fellow, stand by my side and help me, we shall be shamed for ever if Hector takes the ships.
ild.11 With these words he struck Thymbraeus from his Chariot to the ground, smiting him in the left breast with his spear, while Ulysses killed Molion who was his squire.
ild.11 Diomed son of Tydeus slew them both and stripped them of their armour, while Ulysses killed Hippodamus and Hypeirochus.
ild.11 Hector soon marked the havoc Diomed and Ulysses were making, and bore down upon them with a loud cry, followed by the Trojan ranks; brave Diomed was dismayed when he saw them, and said to Ulysses who was beside him, "Great Hector is bearing down upon us and we shall be undone; let us stand firm and wait his onset.
ild.11 Thus he spoke, but Ulysses came up and stood over him.
ild.11 Ulysses was now alone; not one of the Argives stood by him, for they were all panic stricken.
ild.11 As hounds and lusty youths set upon a wild boar that sallies from his lair whetting his white tusks they attack him from every side and can hear the gnashing of his jaws, but for all his fierceness they still hold their ground even so furiously did the Trojans attack Ulysses.
ild.11 Socus, hero that he was, made all speed to help him, and when he was close to Ulysses he said, "Far famed Ulysses, insatiable of craft and toil, this day you shall either boast of having killed both the sons of Hippasus and stripped them of their armour, or you shall fall before my spear.
ild.11 With these words he struck the shield of Ulysses.
ild.11 Ulysses knew that his hour was not yet come, but he gave ground and said to Socus, Wretch", you shall now surely die.
ild.11 He fell heavily to the ground and Ulysses vaunted over him saying, "O Socus, son of Hippasus tamer of Horses, death has been too quick for you and you have not escaped him: poor wretch, not even in death shall your father and mother close your eyes, but the ravening Vultures shall enshroud you with the flapping of their dark wings and devour you.
ild.11 When the Trojans saw that Ulysses was bleeding they raised a great shout and came on in a body towards him; he therefore gave ground, and called his comrades to come and help him.
ild.11 Thrice did he cry as loudly as man can cry, and thrice did brave Menelaus hear him; he turned, therefore, to Ajax who was close beside him and said, Ajax", noble son of Telamon, captain of your people, the cry of Ulysses rings in my ears, as though the Trojans had cut him off and were worsting him while he is single handed.
ild.11 The Trojans had gathered round Ulysses like ravenous mountain jackals round the carcase of some homed stag that has been hit with an arrow the stag has fled at full speed so long as his blood was warm and his strength has lasted, but when the arrow has overcome him, the savage jackals devour him in the shady glades of the forest.
ild.11 Then heaven sends a fierce Lion thither, whereon the jackals fly in terror and the Lion robs them of their prey even so did Trojans many and brave gather round crafty Ulysses, but the hero stood at bay and kept them off with his spear.
ild.11 Menelaus took Ulysses by the hand, and led him out of the press while his squire brought up his Chariot, but Ajax rushed furiously on the Trojans and killed Doryclus, a bastard son of Priam; then he wounded Pandocus, Lysandrus, Pyrasus, and Pylartes; as some swollen torrent comes rushing in full flood from the mountains on to the plain, big with the rain of heaven many a dry oak and many a pine does it engulf, and much mud does it bring down and cast into the sea even so did brave Ajax chase the foe furiously over the plain, slaying both men and Horses.
ild.11 And Nestor answered, "Why should Achilles care to know how many of the Achaeans may be wounded? He recks not of the dismay that reigns in our host; our most valiant chieftains lie disabled, brave Diomed son of Tydeus is wounded; so are Ulysses and Agamemnon; Eurypylus has been hit with an arrow in the thigh, and I have just been bringing this man from the field he too wounded with an arrow; nevertheless Achilles, so valiant though he be, cares not and knows no ruth.
ild.11 My good friend, did not Menoetius charge you thus, on the day when he sent you from Phthia to Agamemnon? Ulysses and I were in the house, inside, and heard all that he said to you; for we came to the fair house of Peleus while beating up recruits throughout all Achaea, and when we got there we found Menoetius and yourself, and Achilles with you.
ild.11 When he had got as far as the ships of Ulysses, where was their place of assembly and court of justice, with their altars dedicated to the Gods, Eurypylus son of Euaemon met him, wounded in the thigh with an arrow, and limping out of the fight.
ild.14 The wounded kings, the son of Tydeus, Ulysses, and Agamemnon son of Atreus, fell in Nestor as they were coming up from their ships for theirs were drawn up some way from where the fighting was going on, being on the shore itself inasmuch as they had been beached first, while the wall had been built behind the hindermost.
ild.14 Ulysses looked fiercely at him and said, Son" of Atreus, what are you talking about? Wretch, you should have commanded some other and baser army, and not been ruler over us to whom Jove has allotted a life of hard fighting from youth to old age, till we every one of us perish.
ild.14 Agamemnon answered, Ulysses", your rebuke has stung me to the heart.
ild.14 The son of Tydeus, Ulysses, and Agamemnon, wounded though they were, set the others in array, and went about everywhere effecting the exchanges of armour; the most valiant took the best armour, and gave the worse to the worse man.
ild.16 Brave Diomed son of Tydeus has been hit with a spear, while famed Ulysses and Agamemnon have received sword wounds; Eurypylus again has been struck with an arrow in the thigh; skilled apothecaries are attending to these heroes, and healing them of their wounds; are you still, O Achilles, so inexorable? May it never be my lot to nurse such a passion as you have done, to the baning of your own good name.
ild.19 Two sons of Mars, Ulysses and the son of Tydeus, came limping, for their wounds still pained them; nevertheless they came, and took their seats in the front row of the assembly.
ild.19 I will give you all that Ulysses offered you yesterday in your tents: or if it so please you, wait, though you would fain fight at once, and my squires shall bring the gifts from my ship, that you may see whether what I give you is enough.
ild.19 Then Ulysses said, Achilles", Godlike and brave, send not the Achaeans thus against Ilius to fight the Trojans fasting, for the battle will be no brief one, when it is once begun, and heaven has filled both sides with fury; bid them first take food both bread and wine by the ships, for in this there is strength and stay.
ild.19 Ulysses answered, Achilles", son of Peleus, mightiest of all the Achaeans, in battle you are better than I, and that more than a little, but in counsel I am much before you, for I am older and of greater knowledge.
ild.19 Ulysses weighed out the Ten talents of Gold and then led the way back, while the young Achaeans brought the rest of the gifts, and laid them in the middle of the assembly.
ild.19 On this he sent the other princes away, save only the two sons of Atreus and Ulysses, Nestor, Idomeneus, and the knight Phoenix, who stayed behind and tried to comfort him in the bitterness of his sorrow: but he would not be comforted till he should have flung himself into the jaws of battle, and he fetched sigh on sigh, thinking ever of Patroclus.
ild.23 Forthwith uprose great Ajax the son of Telamon, and crafty Ulysses, full of wiles rose also.
ild.23 Ulysses could not throw Ajax, nor Ajax him; Ulysses was too strong for him; but when the Achaeans began to tire of watching them, Ajax said to ulysses, Ulysses", noble son of Laertes, you shall either lift me, or I you, and let Jove settle it between us.
ild.23 He lifted him from the ground as he spoke, but Ulysses did not forget his cunning.
ild.23 He hit Ajax in the hollow at back of his knee, so that he could not keep his feet, but fell on his back with Ulysses lying upon his chest, and all who saw it marvelled.
ild.23 Then Ulysses in turn lifted Ajax and stirred him a little from the ground but could not lift him right off it, his knee sank under him, and the two fell side by side on the ground and were all begrimed with dust.
ild.23 Forthwith uprose fleet Ajax son of Oileus, with cunning Ulysses, and Nestor s son Antilochus, the fastest runner among all the youth of his time.
ild.23 The course was set out for them from the starting post, and the son of Oileus took the lead at once, with Ulysses as close behind him as the shuttle is to a Woman s bosom when she throws the woof across the warp and holds it close up to her; even so close behind him was Ulysses treading in his footprints before the dust could settle there, and Ajax could feel his breath on the back of his head as he ran swiftly on.
ild.23 The Achaeans all shouted applause as they saw him straining his utmost, and cheered him as he shot past them; but when they were now nearing the end of the course Ulysses prayed inwardly to Minerva.
ild.23 Ulysses therefore carried off the mixing bowl, for he got before Ajax and came in first.
ild.23 Then he said to the Argives, "Alas, the Goddess has spoiled my running; she watches over Ulysses and stands by him as though she were his own mother.
ild.23 Ajax is somewhat older than I am, and as for Ulysses, he belongs to an earlier generation, but he is hale in spite of his years, and no man of the Achaeans can run against him save only Achilles.

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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