Monday, 2 April 2012

P. 384

[Telémakhos]

'... let me see

no more contemptible conduct in my house!

I've been awake to it for a long time -- by now

I know what is honorable and what is not.

Before, I was a child. I can endure it

cont. P. 385

while sheep are slaughtered, wine drunk up, and bread --

can one man check the greed of a hundred men? --

but I will suffer no more viciousness.

Granted you mean at last to cut me down:

I welcome that -- better to die than have

humiliation always before my eyes,

the stranger buffeted, and the serving women

dragged about, abused in a noble house.'

P. 411

"Odysseus glowered under his black brows

and said:

'Not for the whole treasure of your fathers,

all you enjoy, lands, flocks, or any gold

put up by others, would I hold my hand...'

Tuesday, 20 March 2012

P. 377

"... Achilleus of the swift feet answered her:

'I must die soon, then; since I was not to stand by my companion

when he was killed. And now, far away from the land of his fathers,

he has perished, and lacked my fighting strength to defend him.

P. 378

Now, since I am not going back to the beloved land of my fathers,

since I was no light of safety to Patroklos, nor to my other

companions, who in their numbers went down before glrious Hektor,

but sit here beside my ships, a useless weight on the good land,

I, who am such as no other of the bronze-armoured Achaians

in battle, though there are others also better in council--

why, I wish that strife would vanish away from among gods and mortals,

and gall, which makes a man grow angry for all his great mind,

that gall of anger that swarms like smoke inside of a man's heart

and becomes a thing sweeter to him by far than the dripping of honey. ...'"