Ὡς ὁ γέρων ὤτρυνε πάλαι πολέμων εῦ εἰδώς:
καὶ τὸν μὲν γήθησεν ἰ̈δὼν κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων.
καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηῦδα προσηύδα:
ὦ γέρον: εἴθ' ὡς θυμὸς ἐνι στήθεσσι φίλοισιν.
ὥς τοι γούναθ' ἕποιτο, βίη δέ τοι ἔμπεδος εἴη:
ἀλλά σε γῆρας τείρει ὁμοίϊον: ὡς ὄφελέν τις
ἀνδρῶν ἄλλος ἔχειν: σὺ δὲ κουροτέροισι μετεῖναι:
Τὸν δ' ἠμείβετ' ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ:
Ἀτρείδη: μάλα μέν τοι ἐγὼν ἐθέλοιμι καὶ αὐτὸς
ὡς έμεν. ὡς ὅτε δῖον Ἐρευθαλίωνα κατέκτᾱν κατέκτον.
ἀλλ`' οὔ πως ἅμα πάντα θεοὶ δόσαν ἀνθρώποισιν:
εἰ τότε κοῦρος ἔα: νῦν αὖτέ με γῆρας ἱ̈κάνει:
ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς ἱππεῦσι μετέσσομαι. ἠδὲ κελεύσω
βουλῇ καὶ μύθοισι. τὸ γὰρ γέρας ἐστὶ γερόντων:
αἰχμὰς δ' αἰχμάσσουσι νεώτεροι, οἵ περ ἐμεῖο
ὁπλότεροι γεγάασι, πεποίθασίν τε βίηφι:
So was the old man urging them on, having knowledge of battles from of old. At sight of him lord Agamemnon waxed glad, and he spake, and addressed him with winged words:Old Sir, I would that even as is the spirit in thy breast, so thy limbs might obey, and thy strength be firm. But evil old age presseth hard upon thee; would that some other among the warriors had thy years, and that thou wert among the youths. To him then made answer the horseman, Nestor of Gerenia: "Son of Atreus, verily I myself could wish that I were such a one as on the day when I slew goodly Ereuthalion. But in no wise do the gods grant to men all things at one time. As I was then a youth, so now doth old age attend me. Yet even so will I abide among the charioteers and urge them on by counsel and by words; for that is the office of elders. Spears shall the young men wield who are more youthful than I and have confidence in their strength."
