ὡς ἔφατ' οὐδ' ἀπίθησε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶ̈ρις:
βῆ δὲ κατ' Ἰ̈δαίων ὀρέων εἰς Ἴ̈̈λιον ἱ̈ρήν:
εὗρ' υἱὸν Πριάμοιο δαΐφρονος Ἕκτορα δῖον.
ἑσταότ' ἔν θ' ἵ̈̈πποισι καὶ ἅρμασι κολλητοῖσιν:
ἀγχοῦ δ' ἱ̈σταμένη προσέφη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶ̈ρις:
Ἕκτορ. υἱὲ Πριάμοιο Διὶ μῆτιν ἀτάλαντε.
Ζεύς με πατὴρ προέηκε τεῒν τάδε μυθήσασθαι:
ὄφρ' ἂν μέν κεν ὁρᾷς Ἀγαμέμνονα ποιμένα λαῶν
θύνοντ' ἐν προμάχοισιν ἐναίροντα στίχας ἀνδρῶν.
τόφρ' ὑπόεικε μάχης. τὸν δ' ἄλλον λαὸν ἄνωχθι
μάρνασθαι δηΐοισι κατα κρατερὴν ὑσμίνην:
αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κ' ἢ δουρὶ τυπεὶς, ἢ βλήμενος ἰῷ
εἰς ἵ̈ππους ἄλεται, τότε τοι κράτος ἐγγυαλίξει
κτείνειν. εἰς ό κε, νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους ἀφ ἵκηαι.
δύη τ' ἠέλιος: καὶ ἐπι κνέφας ἱερὸν ἔλθῃ:
So spake he, and wind-footed swift Iris failed not to hearken, but went down from the hills of Ida to sacred Ilios. She found the son of wise-hearted Priam, goodly Hector, standing in his jointed car; and swift-footed Iris drew nigh him and spake unto him, saying: "Hector, son of Priam, peer of Zeus in counsel, Zeus the father hath sent me forth to declare to thee this message. So long as thou shalt see Agamemnon, shepherd of the host, raging amid the foremost fighters, laying waste the ranks of men, so long do thou give place from battle, but bid the rest of the host fight with the foe in the fierce conflict. But when either wounded by a spear-thrust or smitten with an arrow Agamemnon shall leap upon his chariot, then will Zeus vouchsafe strength to thee to slay and slay until thou come to the well-benched ships, and the sun sets and sacred darkness cometh on."
