Kitap 13
Had Ajax gone to her, our thousand sails
98
would still droop, waiting for the favoring breeze.
“As a bold envoy I was even sent
off to the towers of Ilium, and there
I saw the senate-house of lofty Troy,
and, fearless, entered it, while it was full
of heroes. There, undaunted, I spoke for
the cause which all the Greeks had given me.
Accusing Paris, I demanded back
the gold and stolen Helen, and I moved
both Priam and Antenor. All the while
Paris, his brothers, and their robber crew
could scarce withhold their wicked hands from me.
And all this, Menelaus, is well known to you:
that was the first danger I shared with you.
“I need not linger over the many things
205
which by my counsel and my bravery
I have accomplished through this long-drawn war.
“A long time, after the first battle clash,
the foe lay quiet within city walls,
giving no challenge for an open fight—
he stood nine years of siege before we fought
what were you doing all that tedious time,
what use were you, good only in a fight?
If you will make inquiry of my deeds:
I fashioned ambuscades for enemies;
and circled our defenses with a trench;
I cheered allies so they might all endure
with patient minds a long, protracted war;
I showed how our own army might subsist
and how it could be armed; and I was sent
wherever the necessity required.
“Then, at the wish of Jove, our king, deceive
by A false dream, bids us give up the war—
he could excuse his order by the cause.
Let Ajax tell him Troy must be laid low
or let him fight—at least he can do that!
Why does he fail to stop the fugitives?
Why not take arms and tell the wavering crowd
to rally round him? Would that be too much
