Τὸν δ' ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς:
Φοῖνιξ. ἄττα: γεραιὲ. διοτρεφὲς: οὔ τι με ταύτης
χρεὼ τιμῆς: φρονέω δὲ τετιμῆσθαι Διὸς αἴσῃ.
ἥ μ' ἕξει παρα νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν. εἰς ὅ κ' ἀϋτμὴ
ἐν στήθεσσι μένῃ: καί μοι φίλα γούνατ' ὀρῴρῃ.
ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω: σὺ δ' ἐνι φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσι.
μή μοι σύγχει θυμὸν ὀδυρόμενος καὶ ἀχεύων.
Ἀτρείδῃ ἥρωϊ φέρων χάριν: οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ
τὸν φιλέειν: ἵνα μή μοι ἀπέχθηαι φιλέοντι:
καλόν τοι σὺν ἐμοὶ τὸν κήδειν ὅς κέ με κήδῃ:
ἶ̈σον ἐμοὶ βασίλευε: καὶ ήμισυ μείρεο τιμῆς:
οὗτοι δ' ἀγγελέουσι: σὺ δ' αὐτόθι λέξεο μίμνων
εὐνῇ ἐνι μαλακῇ: ἅμα δ' ἠοῖ φαινομένηφι
φρασσόμεθ'. ἦ κε, νεώμεθ' ἐφ' ἡμέτερ', ἠ κὲ μένωμεν:
Then in answer to him spake Achilles, swift of foot: "Phoenix, old sire, my father, nurtured of Zeus, in no wise have I need of this honour: honoured have I been, I deem, by the apportionment of Zeus, which shall be mine amid the beaked ships so long as the breath abideth in my breast and my knees are quick. And another thing will I tell thee, and do thou lay it to heart; seek not to confound my spirit by weeping and sorrowing, to do the pleasure of the warrior, son of Atreus; it beseemeth thee not to cherish him, lest thou be hated of me that cherish thee. Well were it that with me thou shouldest vex him whosoever vexeth me. Be thou king even as I am, and share the half of my honour. Howbeit these shall bear my message, but abide thou here and lay thee down on a soft couch, and at break of day we will take counsel whether to return to our own or to tarry here."
