[592]
Ἀργεΐων, ‘and charmed [“quenched,” Chapman] the spirit of the Argives.’[595] τοὺς δ᾽ (έ), the Trojans.
[597] Πριαμίδῃ, in apposition to “Ἔκτορι” (l. 596), and in emphatic position.
[598] Θέτιδος δ᾽ ἐξαίσιον ἀρὴν κτλ., ‘and might fulfil the unjust [“merciless,” Voss] prayer of Thetis to the utmost’ (“πᾶσαν”).
ἐξαίσιον= ‘exceeding proper measure.’ The point of view of the poet is characteristically Greek.[599] τὸ ... μένε, ‘was waiting for this.’ The next line is an appositive to “τό”.
[601] παλίωξιν παρὰ νηῶν ... Τρώων, ‘a rout [‘pursuit back’] of the Trojans from the ships.’ This is the phrase seen in the title of the present book (occurring l. 69 also); yet it is not strictly correct, for the rout does not begin until the next book.
[602] θησέμεναι, ‘to make, ‘to cause.’
[606] βαθέης, Attic “βαθείας”.
[610] Lines 610-614 have from ancient times been suspected as an interpolation. They match the present context badly, for Zeus is known to be on Mount Ida, while “ἀπ᾽ αἰθέρος” (l. 610) implies Olympus; the expression “πλεόνεσσι ... μοῦνον ἐόντα” (l. 611) is scarcely intelligible; further the cause here given for honoring Hector, “μινυνθάδιος ... ἔσσεσθ᾽” (ll. 612 f.), is at variance with the reasons already introduced (ll. 596-599).
[613] ἐπώρνυε, a thematic formation for “ἐπώρνυ” § 132): ‘let approach.’
[618] ἴσχον γὰρ πυργηδὸν ἀρηρότες, ‘for they stood firm supporting one another [literally ‘fitted’] like a tower,’ i. e. in solid array. The simile beginning “ἠύτε πέτρη” is imitated by Vergil
‘Even as a rock that projects into the measureless sea, facing the raging winds and exposed to the deep, firmly meets all the violent menaces of heaven and sea, staying fast itself.’“... velut rupes, vastum quae prodit in aequor,
obvia ventorum furiis expostaque ponto,
vim cunctam atque minas perfert caelique marisque,
ipsa immota manens.
”
[620] μένει ... λαιψηρὰ κέλευθα, ‘firmly meets the swift assaults.’
[623] λαμπόμενος πυρί, ‘gleaming with fire,’ in reference to the shining bronze armor.
[626] δεινός must here be considered an adjective of two endings, one form serving for both masculine and feminine. The MSS. commonly read “ἀήτης”, masculine, however.
[628] τυτθόν, ‘by a little,’ ‘narrowly.’
[630] Neither ὅ γ᾽（ε) nor λέων has a finite verb. “λέων” is taken up in “ὃ δέ” (l. 635); while “ὅ γ᾽”（“ε”) recurs as “Ἕκτορι” (l. 637). The translation should supply verbs where the English idiom demands.
[632] ‘And among them is a herdsman that does not yet clearly know how to cope with a wild beast about the slaying of a crumpled-horned cow’; i. e. to prevent the slaying.
[635] ὁμοῦ στιχάει, ‘walks with,’ or ‘along with.’
[636] ὑπέτρεσαν, gnomic aorist.
[637] ἐφόβηθεν, ‘fled,’ as regularly in Homer.
[640] ἀγγελίην is cognate accusative after “οἴχνεσκε.”
βίῃ Ἡρακληείῃ is a periphrasis for ‘mighty Heracles.’ Translate, ‘used to go on the mission of lord Eurystheus to mighty Heracles.’ Eurystheus, fearing to meet Heracles personally, communicated with him through Copreus.
[641]
πατρὸς ... χείρονος is in apposition to “τοῦ”: literally ‘from him, a much worse father, he was born a better son.’ Pope paraphrases:
“The son redeem'd the honours of the race,
A son as generous as the sire was base.
”
[642] μάχεσθαι, infinitive of specification, equivalent to “μάχην”. Cf. A 258.
[643] ἐτέτυκτο (“τεύχω”) = “ἦν”.
[645] στρεφθεὶς ... μετόπισθεν, ‘as he turned back’ in flight to the ships. To understand how it was possible for Periphetes to trip on his shield, the great shield of the Mycenaean type must be called to mind; cf. Introduction, 23.
[650] Periphetes was indeed a warrior “at mischief taken” (cf. Dryden's Palamon and Arcite, III. 516); but he was not therefore spared by Hector, for this was no tournament of jousting knights.
[651] ἑταίρου, genitive of cause.
653-656. Three points in the flight of the Achaeans are pictured: driven before Hector they had turned their backs on the Trojans; (1) now ‘they had come to be face to face with their ships’ (l. 653); (2) now ‘the foremost ships, the first that were hauled up, compassed them about,’ and as they were streaming between them, ‘the Trojans poured in after them’ (l. 654); (3) now ‘they retreated from the foremost ships by necessity and grouped themselves near the huts’ (ll. 655, 656). It is generally understood that the ships were hauled up in several long rows, ranged one behind another.