Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE ILIAD: THE HORSES OF ACHILLES, by HOMER Poet's Biography First Line: So now the horses of aiakides, off wide of the war-ground Last Line: Aught over earth's range found that is gifted with breath and has movement.' Subject(s): Achilles; Animals; Horses; Mythology - Classical; Trojan War | ||||||||
So now the horses of Aiakides, off wide of the war-ground, Wept, since first they were ware of their charioteer overthrown there, Cast down low in the whirl of the dust under man-slaying Hector. Sooth, meanwhile, then did Automedon, brave son of Diores, Oft, on the one hand, urge them with flicks of the swift whip, and oft, too, Coax entreatingly, hurriedly; whiles did he angrily threaten. Vainly, for these would not to the ships, to the Hellespont spacious, Backward turn, nor be whipped to the battle among the Achaians. Nay, as a pillar remains immoveable, fixed on the tombstone, Haply, of some dead man or it may be a woman thereunder; Even like hard stood they there attached to the glorious war-car, Earthward bowed with their heads; and of them so lamenting incessant Ran the hot teardrops downward on to the earth from their eyelids, Mourning their charioteer; all their lustrous manes dusty-clotted, Right side and left of the yoke-ring tossed, to the breadth of the yoke-bow. Now when the issue of Kronos beheld that sorrow, his head shook Pitying them for their grief, these words then he spake in his bosom; 'Why, ye hapless, gave we to Peleus you, to a mortal Master; ye that are ageless both, ye both of you deathless! Was it that ye among men most wretched should come to have heart-grief? 'Tis most true, than the race of these men is there wretcheder nowhere Aught over earth's range found that is gifted with breath and has movement.' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS by EDWIN MUIR THE FALL OF TROY by RACHEL HADAS MENELAUS AND HELEN by RUPERT BROOKE THE DEATH OF LEONIDAS by GEORGE CROLY THE ILIAD: ACHILLES OVER THE TRENCH by HOMER THE ILIAD: BOOK 12. SARPEDON'S SPEECH by HOMER BALLAD OF HECTOR IN HADES by EDWIN MUIR THE ILIAD: ACHILLES OVER THE TRENCH by HOMER |
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