Iliad - Public domain English translation

Nestor and Machaon have been talking. Nestor wonders what the clamor outside is about. Nestor grabs the bronze shield of his son Thrasymedes and goes out where he sees the Greeks (NB: Homer refers to them mostly as Achaeans, and sometimes Argives or Danaans; Greek is our term), with their wall down, running from the Trojans, so Nestor heads to Agamemnon. The wounded kings -- Diomedes, Odysseus, and Agamemnon -- see Nestor.

Agamemnon surmises that the Trojans are winning. Nestor tells him their wall is down and the Greeks are being slaughtered, but he says they should not go try to fight because they are wounded and won't fight well. Agamemnon says that Zeus once supported them but now he does not. Therefore they should put their boats into the water to prepare to sail because flight would be better than being caught and killed. Odysseus strongly disapproves. Among other complaints, flight would make them easier for the Trojans to pick off. Agamemnon says Odysseus' rebuke stings, but he will listen to other advice. Diomedes says he has advice to offer and adds his qualification for giving it is that he comes from an honorable family. Diomedes says that even wounded they should go near where the battle is raging and spur on any slackers. They follow the advice of Diomedes.
As an old man, Poseidon approaches saying that the Trojans will not keep winning. He utters a blood-curdling battle cry to spur the Greeks on, and goes to the field of battle.

Hera looks on what her brother is doing with great pleasure. She decides to seduce Zeus so that she can make him sleep (presumably so that she can safely help the Greeks). She asks Aphrodite to help her by giving her a charm as as gift supposedly to make Tethys and Oceanus love one another again. Aphrodite gives her a girdle (belt) filled with spells. Then Hera travels to Hypnos, the god of sleep. She asks him to put Zeus to sleep and in exchange she will give him a golden seat and footstool. Hypnos fears Zeus because he has made this sort of deal with Hera before and Zeus' rage was not something he could withstand a second time. Hera tells him that the earlier occasion concerned Zeus' son Hercules, and this time it only concerns the Trojans, whom Zeus does not particularly care about. Hera ups the ante with the promise of a bride Hypnos has longed for. On condition that Hera swear by the River Styx, he'll do it.

Hypnos and Hera find Zeus who is enthralled by the charm of Aphrodite that is upon Hera. Even so, Zeus wants to know what she is doing, so Hera uses the same excuse as with Aphrodite. Zeus says she can go later, but for now she should stay with him. Zeus says he has never been so in love with his wife as now and even lusts after more than other women, whom he lists.

Hera says that the outdoors is no place for their tryst. They should go indoors so the other gods won't see them and be scandalized. Zeus says he'll just put a dense cloud over them so no one can see. When he lies down, sleep overcomes him and then Hypnos runs off to tell Poseidon that Zeus is asleep.

Poseidon rallies the Greek troops telling them how to beat the Trojan forces. The better soldiers should have all the bigger shields, and the worse, the smaller. They should put on their helmets and take their longest spears to head against the Trojans, with him leading.

Hector leads the Trojans and faces Poseidon. Hector aims a spear at Ajax, and it hits, but does no damage. This angers Hector who draws back within his men. Ajax strikes him with a stone and Hector falls.

The Achaeans rush over to drag Hector away, but the Trojans surround him and won't let any Greeks through. Then they carry him off and pour water on him, which awakens him momentarily.

Other Greeks and Trojans fight, with Polydamas boasting and therefore upsetting Ajax son of Oileus. In return Ajax kills Archelochus son of Antenor.

Homer asks the Muse to name the first Greek to take spoils after Poseidon starts to lead them. He then lists many of the Trojan men the Greeks killed and says that on this day Ajax son of Oileus killed more than anyone else.

Next: Major Characters in Book XIV



For information on people and places mentioned in Book I of the Iliad, see Iliad Book I - Who? What? Where?

Read a public domain translation of Homer's Iliad Book XIV.