ὡς εἰπὼν. ὃ μὲν ἦρχ', ὁ δ' ἅμ ἕσπετο ἰσόθεος φῶς φώς:
εὗρον ἔπειτ' Ὀδυσῆα Διῒ φίλον. ἀμφι δ' ὰρ' αὐτὸν
Τρῶες ἕπονθ', ὡς εἴ τε δαφοινοὶ θῶες ὄρεσφιν
ἀμφ' ἔλαφον κεραὸν βεβλημένον: ὅν τ' ἔβαλ' ἀνὴρ
ἰῷ ἀπο νευρῆς: τὸν μέν τ' ἤλυξε πόδεσσι
φεύγων ὄφρ' αἷμα λιαρὸν καὶ γούνατ' ὀρώρῃ
αὐτὰρ ἐπει δὴ τόν γε δαμάσσεται ὠκὺς ὀϊστὸς:
ὠμοφάγοι μὶν θῶες ἐν οὔρεσι δαρδάπτουσιν
ἐν νέμεϊ σκιερῷ: ἐπί τε λῖν ἤγαγε δαίμων
σίντην. θῶες μέν τε διέτρεσαν: αὐτὰρ ὃ δάπτει.
ὥς ῥα τότ' ἀμφ' Ὀδυσῆα δαΐφρονα ποικιλομήτην
Τρῶες ἕπον πολλοί τε καὶ ἄλκιμοι: αὐτὰρ ὅ γ' ἥρως
ἀΐσσων. ὧ ἔγχει ἀμύνετο νηλεὲς ἦμαρ:
Αἴας δ' ἐγγύθεν ἦλθε φέρων σάκος ἠΰτε πύργον:
στῆ δὲ παρ' ὲξ. Τρῶες δὲ διέτρεσαν ἄλλυδις ἄλλος:
ἤτοι τὸν Μενέλαος ἀρήϊος ἔξαγ' ὁμίλου
χειρὸς ἔχων. εἷως θεράπων σχεδὸν ἤλασεν ἵππους:
So saying he led the way, and Aias followed, a godlike man. Then found they Odysseus, dear to Zeus and round about the Trojans beset him, as tawny jackals in the mountains about a horned stag that hath been wounded, that a man hath smitten with an arrow from the string; from him the stag hath escaped and fleeth swiftly so long as the blood flows warm and his knees are quick, but when at length the swift arrow overpowereth him, then ravening jackals rend him amid the mountains in a shadowy grove; but lo, God bringeth against them a murderous lion, and the jackals scatter in flight, and he rendeth the prey: even so then did the Trojans, many and valiant, beset Odysseus round about, the wise and crafty-minded; but the warrior darting forth with his spear warded off the pitiless day of doom. Then Aias drew near, bearing his shield that was like a city wall, and stood forth beside him, and the Trojans scattered in flight, one here, one there. And warlike Menelaus led Odysseus forth from the throng, holding him by the hand, till his squire drave up the horses and car.
