Okay, so for this week’s Words Crush Wednesday, I’ll pick up from last week’s, because…well, my computer’s still down, and I’m writing from off-line, and I remember where I was, so I can. (Also, since I’m off-line, I can finally put in the accent marks the translator uses! Whee, fancy!) Last week, Achilles was whining at the gods for not saving him from the flooding river, if you’ll recall…
So, from Book XXI of the Iliad, W.H.D. Rouse translation:
As he spoke the words, Poseidon and Athena stood by his side in the shape of two men, gripping his hand and encouraging him. Poseidon said:
“Don’t shrink like that, Peleidês, don’t be afraid. Here are two gods to help you with full consent of Zeus—I and Pallas Athena. It is not your fate to be swallowed up by a river. The River will soon give over—you know it without being told. But now we will give you a piece of good advice, if you will listen. Fight away until the Trojans are shut up in their city, all that are left; but you come back to the ships as soon as you have killed Hector. We promise you victory.”
No wonder he’s got such a swelled head! Sheesh!
(Naturally, since I mentioned the accent marks, this quote actually only contained one. But this translator actually puts that same accent mark over the “e” in Achilles, so I’ve been leaving that accent mark out a lot in quoting from his translations…)
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