τὼ δ' ἀμφὶς φρονέοντε δύω Κρόνου υἷε κραταιὼ.
ἀνδράσιν ἡρώεσσι τετεύχετον ἄλγεα λυγρά:
Ζεὺς μέν ῥα Τρώεσσι καὶ Ἕκτορι βούλετο νίκην.
κυδαίνων Ἀχιλῆα πόδας ταχύν. οὐδέ τι πάμπαν
ἤθελε λᾱὸν ὀλέσθαι Ἀχαιϊκὸν Ἰ̈λιόθι πρὸ.
ἀλλὰ Θέτιν κύδαινε καὶ υἱέα καρτερόθυμον:
Ἀργείους δὲ Ποσιδάων ὀρόθυνε μετελθὼν.
λάθρῃ ὑπεξαναδὺς πολιῆς ἁλὸς ἤχθετο γάρ ῥα
Τρωσὶν δαμναμένους: Διῒ δὲ κρατερῶς ἐνεμέσα:
ῆ μὰν, ἀμφοτέροισιν, ὁμὸν γένος. ἠδ' ΐα πάτρη.
ἀλλὰ Ζεὺς πρότερος γεγόνει καὶ πλείονα ῄδη.
τῶ ῥα καὶ ἀμφαδίῃ μὲν ἀλεξέμεναι ἀλέεινε.
λάθρῃ δ' αἰὲν. ἔγειρε κατα στρατὸν. ἀνδρὶ ἐοικώς:
τοὶ δ' ἔριδος κρατερῆς καὶ ὁμοιΐου πτολέμοιο
πεῖραρ ἐπαλλάξαντες. ἐπ' ἀμφοτέροισι τάνυσσαν:
ἄρρηκτόν τ' ἄλυτόν τε, τὸ. πολλῶν γούνατ' ἔλυσεν:
Thus were the two mighty sons of Cronos, divided in purpose, fashioning grievous woes for mortal warriors. Zeus would have victory for the Trojans and Hector, so giving glory to Achilles, swift of foot; yet was he in no wise minded that the Achaean host should perish utterly before the face of Ilios, but was fain only to give glory to Thetis and to her son, strong of heart. But Poseidon went among the Argives and urged them on, stealing forth secretly from the grey sea; for it vexed him that they were being overcome by the Trojans, and against Zeus was he exceeding wroth. Both the twain verily were of one stock and of one parentage, but Zeus was the elder born and the wiser. Therefore it was that Poseidon avoided to give open aid, but secretly sought ever to rouse the Argives throughout the host, in the likeness of a man. So these twain knotted the ends of the cords of mighty strife and evil war, and drew them taut over both armies, a knot none might break nor undo, that loosed the knees of many men.
