ACHILLEID BOOK 1A

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ACHILLEID BOOK 1A, TRANSLATED BY J. H. MOZLEY Highly renowned are the warrior’s deeds in Maeonian song, but more remains untold: suffer me – for such is my desire – to recount the whole story of the hero, to summon him forth from his hiding-place in Scyros with the Dulichian trumpet, and not to stop short at the dragging of Hector, but to lead the youth through the whole tale of Troy. Only do thou, O Phoebus, if with a worthy draught I drained the former fount, vouchsafe new springs and weave my hair with propitious chaplets; for not as a newcomer do I seek entrance to the Aonian grove, nor are these the first fillets that magnify my brow. The fields of Dirce know it, and Thebes counts my name among her forefathers of old time and with her own Amphion.

[14] But thou whom far before all others the pride of Italy and Greece regards with reverent awe, for whom the laurels twain of poet and warrior-chief flourish in mutual rivalry – already one of them grieves to be surpassed– grant pardon, and allow me anxiously to toil in this dust awhile. Thine is the theme whereat with long nor yet confident preparation I am labouring, and great Achilles plays the prelude unto thee.

[20] The Dardan shepherd had set sail from the Oebalian shore, having wrought sweet havoc in thoughtless Amyclae, and fulfilling the presage of his mother’s dream was retracing his guilty way, where Helle deep sunk below the sea and now a Nereid holds sway over the detested waves: when Thetis – ah! never vain are a parent’s auguries! – started with terror beneath the glassy flood at the Idaean oars. Without delay she sprang forth from her watery bower, accompanied by her train of sisters: the narrowing shores of Phrixus swam, and the straitened sea had not room for its mistresses.

[30] As soon as she had shaken the brine from off her, and entered the air of heaven: “There is danger to me,” said she, “in yonder fleet, and threat of deadly harm; I recognize the truth of Proteus’ warnings. Lo! Bellona brings from the vessel amid uplifted torches a new daughter-in-law to Priam; already I see the Ionian and Aegean seas pressed by a thousand keels; nor does it suffice that all the country of the Grecians conspires with the proud sons of Atreus, soon will my Achilles be sought for by land and sea, ay, and himself will wish to follow them. Why indeed did I suffer Pelion and the stern master’s cave to cradle his infant years? There, if I mistake not, he plays, the rogue, at the battle of the Lapiths, and already takes his measure with his father’s spear. O sorrow! O fears that came to late to a mother’s heart! Could I not, unhappy that I am, when first the timber of Rhoeteum was launched upon my flood, have raised a mighty sea and pursued with a tempest on the deep the adulterous robber’s sails and led on all my sisters against him? Even now – but ‘tis too late, the outrage hath been wrought in full. Yet will I go, and clinging to the gods of ocean and the right hand of second Jove – nought else remains – entreat him in piteous supplication by the years of Tethys and his aged sire for one single storm.”

1. Zeus would have married Thetis, had it not been declared that their son would be mightier than Zeus himself.
2. i.e., the Iliad of Homer.
3. i.e., of Ulysses (see line 873), Dulichium was part of his kingdom.
4. Of the Muses.
5. A fountain at Thebes.
6. “altera,” that of poetry; Domitian fancied himself both as a poet and a general, but would be better flattered by being called more brilliant in the latter capacity.
7. Part of the usual prologue to an epic, cf. Theb. i. 17.
8. i.e., of Laconia.
9. Hecuba, before she bore Paris, dreamed that she was bearing a burning torch which set fire to Troy.
10. The Hellespont was so called after Helle, who was drowned there while fleeing with her brother Phrixus upon the ram with fleece of gold.

11. Because his fleet was built of wood of Mt. Ida. So “Rhoeteae” (line 44) from the promontory near Troy.
12. Chiron’s.
13. i.e., Neptune.