Achilles Implored:
Fagles and Jordan Compared

    Iliad 9.502 - 9.514 -- Phoenix urges Achilles to give up his anger

Homer (original Greek, Oxford Classical Text)

καὶ γάρ τε λιταί εἰσι Διὸς κοῦραι μεγάλοιο
χωλαί τε ῥυσαί τε παραβλῶπές τ' ὀφθαλμώ,
αἵ ῥά τε καὶ μετόπισθ' ἄτης ἀλέγουσι κιοῦσαι.
ἣ δ' ἄτη σθεναρή τε καὶ ἀρτίπος, οὕνεκα πάσας         505
πολλὸν ὑπεκπροθέει, φθάνει δέ τε πᾶσαν ἐπ' αἶαν
βλάπτουσ' ἀνθρώπους· αἳ δ' ἐξακέονται ὀπίσσω.
ὃς μέν τ' αἰδέσεται κούρας Διὸς ἆσσον ἰούσας,
τὸν δὲ μέγ' ὤνησαν καί τ' ἔκλυον εὐχομένοιο·
ὃς δέ κ' ἀνήνηται καί τε στερεῶς ἀποείπῃ,                510
λίσσονται δ' ἄρα ταί γε Δία Κρονίωνα κιοῦσαι
τῷ ἄτην ἅμ' ἕπεσθαι, ἵνα βλαφθεὶς ἀποτίσῃ.
ἀλλ' Ἀχιλεῦ πόρε καὶ σὺ Διὸς κούρῃσιν ἕπεσθαι
τιμήν, ἥ τ' ἄλλων περ ἐπιγνάμπτει νόον ἐσθλῶν.

Herbert Jordan translation

The Prayers are all-powerful Zeus's daughters,
albeit lame, wrinkled, unsteady of gaze.
They struggle to dog the steps of Ate
but she is faster and stronger, so all mortals           505
fall victim to her as she travels the earth
spreading folly. The Prayers come behind.
When a transgressor welcomes Zeus's daughters
they hear his plea and readily assist,
but if a remorseless sinner rejects them                 510
the Prayers approach Cronus' son and request
that Ate hound that man to make him pay.
So, Achilles, let the daughters of Zeus
sway you as they have other noble men.

Robert Fagles translation (his lines 609-626)

We do have Prayers, you know, Prayers for forgiveness,
daughters of mighty Zeus . . . and they limp and halt,
they're all wrinkled, drawn, they squint to the side,
can't look you in the eyes, and always bent on duty,
trudging after Ruin, maddening, blinding Ruin.
But Ruin is strong and swift--
She outstrips them all by far, stealing a march,
leaping over the whole wide earth to bring mankind to grief.
And the Prayers trail after, trying to heal the wounds.
And then, if a man reveres these daughters of Zeus
as they draw near him, they will help him greatly
and listen to his appeals. But if one denies them,
turns them away, stiff-necked and harsh--off they go
to the son of Cronus, Zeus, and pray that Ruin
will strike the man down, crazed and blinded
until he's paid the price.
                                    Relent, Achilles--you too!
See that honor attend these good daughters of Zeus,
honor that sways the minds of others, even heroes.




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