δὴ τότε Πουλυδάμας θρασὺν Ἕκτορα εῖπε παραστάς:
Ἕκτορ τ' ἢδ' ἄλλοι Τρώων ἀγοὶ ἠδ' ἐπίκούρων ἐπίκούροι
ἀφραδέως δια τάφρον ἐλαύνομεν ὠκέας ἵππους:
ἡ δὲ μάλ' ἀργαλέη περάαν. σκόλοπες γὰρ ἐν αυτῇ
ὀξέες ἑστᾶσιν. ποτὶ δ' αὐτοὺς τεῖχος Ἀχαιῶν:
ἔνθ' οὔ πως ἐστὶν καταβήμεναι οὐδὲ μάχεσθαι
ἱ̈ππεῦσι: στεῖνος γὰρ. ὅθι τρώσεσθαι ὀΐω:
εἰ μὲν γὰρ δὴ πάγχυ κακὰ φρονέων ἀλαπάζει
Ζεὺς ὑψιβρεμέτης. Τρώεσσι δὲ βούλετ' ἀρήγειν,
ῆ τ' ὰν ἔγωγ' ἐθέλοιμι καὶ αὐτίκα τοῦτο γενέσθαι.
νωνύμνους ἀπολέσθαι ἀπ' Ἄργεος ἐνθάδ' Ἀχαιούς:
εἰ δέ χ' ὑποστρέψωσι. παλίωξις δὲ γένηται
ἐκ νηῶν. καὶ τάφρῳ ἐνιπλήξωμεν ὀρυκτῇ.
οὐκέτ' ἔπειτ' ὀίω οὐδ' ἄγγελον ἀπονέεσθαι
ἄψορρον προτὶ ἄστυ ἐλιχθέντων ὑπ' Ἀχαιῶν:
ἂλλ' άγεθ' ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες:
ἵππους μὲν θεράποντες ἐρυκόντων ἐπι τάφρῳ.
αὐτοὶ δὲ πρυλέες σὺν τεύχεσι. θωρηχθέντες
Ἕκτορι πάντες ἑπώμεθ' ἀολλέες. αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ
οὐ μενέουσ'. εἰ δή σφιν ὀλέθρου πείρατ' ἐφῆπται:
αἰετὸς ὑψιπέτης ἐπ' ἀριστερὰ λαὸν εέργων:
Then verily Polydamas drew nigh to Hector, and spake, saying: "Hector, and ye other leaders of the Trojans and allies, it is but folly that we seek to drive across the trench our swift horses; hard in sooth is it to cross, for sharp stakes are set in it, and close anigh them is the wall of the Achaeans. There is it no wise possible for charioteers to descend and fight; for the space is narrow, and then methinks shall we suffer hurt. For if Zeus, that thundereth on high, is utterly to crush our foes in his wrath, and is minded to give aid unto the Trojans, there verily were I too fain that this might forthwith come to pass, that the Achaeans should perish here far from Argos, and have no name; but if they turn upon us and we be driven back from the ships and become entangled in the digged ditch, then methinks shall not one man of us return back to the city from before the Achaeans when they rally, even to bear the tidings. But come, even as I shall bid, let us all obey. As for the horses, let the squires hold them back by the trench, but let us on foot, arrayed in our armour, follow all in one throng after Hector; and the Achaeans will not withstand us, if so be the bonds of destruction are made fast upon them."
