minds. In the meanwhile the Earth-ruler (Neptune) aroused the Achæns in the rear, who were recruiting their spirit at the swift ships; whose limbs were at the same time relaxed with toilsome labor, and grief was arising in their minds, beholding the Trojans, who with a tumult had surmounted the vast wall. But beholding them, they poured forth tears from beneath their eyebrows, for they expected not to escape destruction: but the Earth-shaker intervening, easily aroused the brave phalanxes. To Teucer and Leius he first came, exhorting them, and to the hero Peneleus, and Thoas, and Deipyrus, and to Meriones and Antilochus, skillful in war. These he encouraging, spoke winged words:
"O shame! Argives, young men, I trust that our ships will be preserved by your fighting; but if ye be remiss in the destructive battle, the day is now come [for us] to be subdued by the Trojans. Ye gods, surely I behold with my eyes a great marvel, terrible, which I never expected would be brought to pass, that the Trojans should approach our ships; who formerly, like unto timid stags, which through the wood are the prey of lynxes, pards, and wolves, foolishly straying about, weak, not fit for combat: so the Trojans formerly would not stand even for a little against the might and prowess of the Greeks. But now, far away from the city, they combat at the hollow ships, through the perverseness of our general, and the indifference of the troops; who, disputing with him, are unwilling to defend the swift ships, but are slain among them. Yet although in reality the hero, the son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, be altogether in fault, in that he hath dishonored the swift-footed son of Peleus, still it is by no means our duty to be remiss in battle, but let us the sooner repair [the mischief];[1] the minds of the brave are easily appeased. But they by no means honorably remit your impetuous valor, being all the bravest in the army: I indeed would not quarrel with a man who should desist from combat, being unwarlike; but with you I am indignant from my heart. O soft ones! surely will ye soon create some greater evil by this inertness: but do each of you in his mind ponder on the shame and
- ↑ Τὸ γεγονός ἀμάρτημα: Schol. For the metaphorical use of ἀκεσταί, cf. Soph. Ant. 1026. Ὅστις ἐς κακὸν Πεσὼν ἀκεῖται μηδ' ἀκίνητος πέλει. So εὐιατότερος διὰ τὸ μεταπεισθῆναι ἄν, Aristot. Eth. vii. 2.
