τὸν δ' ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκυς Ἀχιλλεύς:
δῖε Μενοιτιάδη, τῶ' μῶ κεχαρισμένε θυμῷ.
νῦν ὀίω περὶ γούνατ' ἐμὰ στήσεσθαι Ἀχαιοὺς
λισσομένους: χρειὼ γὰρ ϊκάνεται οὐκέτ'. ἀνεκτός:
ἂλλ' ἴ̈θι νῦν Πάτροκλε Διῒ φίλε Νέστορ ἔρειο
ὅν τινα τοῦτον ἄγει βεβλημένον ἐκ πολέμοιο:
ἤτοι μὲν τά γ' ὄπισθε Μαχάονι πάντα ἔοικε
τῷ Ἀσκληπιάδῃ: ἀτὰρ οὐκ ἴ̈δον ὄμματα φωτὸς.
ἵπποι γάρ με παρήϊξαν. πρόσσω μεμαυῖαι:
And in answer to him spake Achilles, swift of foot: "Goodly son of Menoetius, dear to this heart of mine, now methinks will the Achaeans be standing about my knees in prayer, for need has come upon them that may no longer be borne. Yet go now, Patroclus, dear to Zeus, and ask Nestor who it is that he bringeth wounded from out the war. Of a truth from behind he seemeth in all things like Machaon, son of Asclepius, but I saw not the eyes of the man, for the horses darted by me, speeding eagerly onward."
