Η̃: καὶ Πατρόκλῳ ὅ γ' ἐπ' ὀφρύσι, νεῦσε σιωπῇ
Φοίνικι στορέσαι πυκινὸν λέχος: ὄφρα τάχιστα
ἐκ κλισίης. νόστοιο μεδοίατο: τοῖσι δ' ὰρ' Αἴᾱς
ἀντίθεος Τελαμωνιάδης μετα μῦθον ἔειπε:
διογενὲς: Λαερτιάδη: πολυμήχαν' Ὀδυσσεῦ:
ἴ̈ομεν: οὐ γάρ μοι δοκέει μύθοιο τελευτὴ
τῇδέ γ' ὁδῷ κρανέεσθαι: ἀπαγγεῖλαι δὲ τάχιστα
χρὴ μῦθον Δαναοῖσι καὶ οὐκ ἀγαθόν περ ἐόντα:
οἵ που νῦν έαται ποτιδέγμενοι: αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς
ἄγριον ἐν στήθεσσι θέτο μεγαλήτορα θυμὸν.
σχέτλιος,: οὐδὲ μετατρέπεται φιλότητος ἑταίρων
τῆς: ᾗ μιν παρὰ νηυσὶν ἐτίομεν ἔξοχον ἄλλων:
νηλής: καὶ μέν τίς τε κασιγνήτοιο φονῆος
ποινὴν. ἢ οὗ παιδὸς ἐδέξατο τεθνηῶτος:
καί ῥ' ὁ μὲν ἐν δήμῳ μένει αὐτοῦ πόλλ' ἀποτίσας:
τοῦ δέ τ' ἐρητύεται κραδίη καὶ θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ
ποινὴν δεξαμένῳ: σοὶ δ' ἄλληκτόν τε κακόν τε
θυμὸν ἐνι στήθεσσι θεοὶ θέσαν: εἵνεκα κούρης
οἴης: νῦν δέ τοι ἑπτὰ παρίσχομεν ἔξοχ' ἀρίστας:
ἄλλά τε πὸλλ' ἐπι τῇσι; σὺ δ' ί̈λαον ἔνθεο θυμόν.
αἴδεσσαι δὲ μέλαθρον. ὑπωρόφιοι δέ τοι εἰμὲν
πληθύος ἐκ Δαναῶν: μέμαμεν δέ τοι ἔξοχον ἄλλων
κήδιστοί τ' έμεναι καὶ φίλτατοι ὅσσοι Ἀχαιοί:
He spake and to Patroclus nodded his brow in silence that he should spread for Phoenix a thick couch, that the others might forthwith bethink them to depart from the hut. But among them Aias, the godlike son of Telamon, spake, saying: "Zeus-born son of Laërtes, Odysseus of many wiles, let us go our way, for the fulfillment of the charge laid on us will not methinks be brought to pass by our coming hither; and it behoveth us with speed to declare the message, though it be no wise good, to the Danaans, that, I ween, now sit waiting therefor. But Achilles hath wrought to fury the proud heart within him, cruel man! neither recketh he of the love of his comrades wherewith we ever honoured him amid the ships above all others—pitiless one! Lo, a man accepteth recompense from the slayer of his brother, or for his dead son; and the slayer abideth in his own land for the paying of a great price, and the kinsman's heart and proud spirit are restrained by the taking of recompense. But as for thee, the gods have put in thy breast a heart that is obdurate and evil by reason of one only girl; whereas we now offer thee seven, far the best that there be, and many other gffts besides; nay then, take to thee a heart of grace, and have respect unto thine hall; for under thy roof are we come from the host of the Danaans, and we would fain be nearest to thee and dearest beyond all other Achaeans as many as there be."
