Τὼ δὲ βάτην παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης
πολλὰ μάλ' εὐχομένω γαιηόχῳ ἐννοσιγαίῳ
ῥηϊδίως πεπιθεῖν μεγάλας φρένας Αἰακίδαο:
Μυρμιδόνων δ' ἐπί τε κλισίας καὶ νῆας ἱ̈κέσθην:
τὸν δ' εὗρον φρένα τερπόμενον φόρμιγγι λιγείῃ
καλῇ δαιδαλέῃ. ἐπὶ δ' ἀργύρεον ζυγὸν ῆεν:
τὴν, ἄρετ' ἐξ ἐνάρων. πόλιν Ἠετίωνος ὀλέσσας:
τῇ ὅ γε θυμὸν ἔτερπεν. ἄειδε δ' ἄρα κλέα, ἀνδρῶν.
Πάτροκλος δέ οἱ οἶος ἐναντίος ἧστο σιωπῇ
δέγμενος Αἰακίδην, ὁπότε. λήξειεν ἀείδων:
τὼ δὲ βάτην προτέρω: ἡγεῖτο δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς:
στὰν δὲ πρόσθ' αὐτοῖο. ταφὼν δ' ἀνόρουσεν Ἀχιλλεὺς
αὐτῇ συν φόρμιγγι. λιπὼν ἕδος ἔνθα, θάασσεν:
ὡς δ' αύτως Πάτροκλος, ἐπεὶ ἴ̈δε φῶτας. ἀνέστη:
τὼ καὶ δεικνύμενος προσέφη. πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς:
χαίρετον: ῆ φίλοι ἄνδρες ἱ̈κάνετον ἦ τι μάλα χρεώ:
οἵ μοι σκυζομένῳ περ. Ἀχαιῶν φίλτατοί ἐστόν:
So the twain went their way along the shore of the loud-resounding sea, with many an instant prayer to the god that holdeth the earth and shaketh it, that they might easily persuade the great heart of the son of Aeacus. And they came to the huts and the ships of the Myrmidons, and found him delighting his soul with a clear-toned lyre, fair and richly wrought, whereon was a bridge of silver; this had he taken from the spoil when he laid waste the city of Eëtion. Therewith was he delighting his soul, and he sang of the glorious deeds of warriors; and Patroclus alone sat over against him in silence, waiting until Aeacus' son should cease from singing. But the twain came forward and goodly Odysseus led the way, and they took their stand before his face; and Achilles leapt up in amazement with the lyre in his hand, and left the seat whereon he sat; and in like manner Patroclus when he beheld the men uprose. Then swift-footed Achilles greeted the two and spake, saying: "Welcome, verily ye be friends that are come—sore must the need be—ye that even in mine anger are to me the dearest of the Achaeans."
