21.06.2013 Views

Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

<strong>Homer</strong>’s <strong>Iliad</strong><br />

He threw as he spoke, but missed his aim on purpose. The dart<br />

flew over the man’s right shoulder, and then stuck in the ground.<br />

He stood stock still, trembling and in great fear; his teeth chattered,<br />

and he turned pale with fear. The two came breathless up to him<br />

and seized his hands, whereon he began to weep and said, “Take<br />

me alive; I will ransom myself; we have great store of gold, bronze,<br />

and wrought iron, and from this my father will satisfy you with a<br />

very large ransom, should he hear of my being alive at the ships of<br />

the Achaeans.”<br />

“Fear not,” replied Ulysses, “let no thought of death be in your<br />

mind; but tell me, and tell me true, why are you thus going about<br />

alone in the dead of night away from your camp and towards the<br />

ships, while other men are sleeping? Is it to plunder the bodies of<br />

the slain, or did Hector send you to spy out what was going on at<br />

the ships? Or did you come here of your own mere notion?”<br />

Dolon answered, his limbs trembling beneath him: “Hector, with<br />

his vain flattering promises, lured me from my better judgement.<br />

He said he would give me the horses of the noble son of Peleus<br />

and his bronze-bedizened chariot; he bade me go through the<br />

darkness of the flying night, get close to the enemy, and find out<br />

whether the ships are still guarded as heretofore, or whether, now<br />

that we have beaten them, the Achaeans design to fly, and through<br />

sheer exhaustion are neglecting to keep their watches.”<br />

Ulysses smiled at him and answered, “You had indeed set your<br />

heart upon a great reward, but the horses of the descendant of<br />

Aeacus are hardly to be kept in hand or driven <strong>by</strong> any other mortal<br />

man than Achilles himself, whose mother was an immortal. But tell<br />

190

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!