ὣς εἰπὼν. ἔμπνευσε μένος μέγα ποιμένι λαῶν:
ὡς δ' ὅτε τις στατὸς ἵ̈ππος ἀκοστήσας ἐπι φάτνῃ:
δεσμὸν ἀπορρήξας. θείη πεδίοιο κροαίνων.
εἰωθὼς λούεσθαι ἐϋρρεῖος ποταμοῖο,
κυδιόων. ὑψοῦ δὲ κάρη ἔχει. ἀμφι δὲ χαῖται
ὤμοισ' ἀΐσσονται. ὁ δ̀' ἀγλαΐηφι πεποιθὼς.
ῥίμφά ἑ γοῦνα φέρει μετά τ' ἤθεα καὶ νομὸν ἵ̈ππων:
ὣς Ἕκτωρ λαιψηρὰ πόδας καὶ γούνατ' ἐνώμα
ὀτρύνων ἱππῆας. ἐπεὶ θεοῦ ἔκλυεν αὐδήν:
οἱ δ' ὥς τ'. ἢ, ἔλαφον κεραὸν. ἢ ἄγριον αἶγα
ἐσσεύαντο κύνες τε καὶ ἀνέρες ἀγροιῶται.
τὸν μέν τ' ἠλίβατος πέτρη καὶ δάσκιος ὕλη
εἰρύσατ', οὐδ' ἄρα τέ σφι κιχήμεναι αἴσιμον ῆεν:
τῶν δέ θ' ὑπὸ ἰ̈αχῆς ἐφάνη λὶς ἠϋγένειος
εἰς ὁδόν. αἶψα δὲ πάντας ἀπέτραπε καὶ μεμαῶτας.
ὡς Δαναοὶ, είως μὲν ὁμιλαδὸν αἰὲν ἕποντο
νύσσοντες ξίφεσίν τε καὶ ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοισιν:
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ ἴ̈δον Ἕκτορ' ἐποιχόμενον στίχας ἀνδρῶν.
τάρβησαν. πᾶσιν δὲ παραὶ ποσὶ κάππεσε θυμός:
So saying, he breathed great might into the shepherd of the host. And even as when a stalled horse that has fed his fill at the manger, breaketh his halter, and runneth stamping over the plain—being wont to bathe him in the fair-flowing river--and exulteth; on high doth he hold his head and about his shoulders his mane floateth streaming, and as he glorieth in his splendour his knees nimbly bear him to the haunts and pastures of mares; even so swiftly plied Hector his feet and knees, urging on his charioteers, when he had heard the voice of the god. But as when dogs and country-folk pursue a horned stag or a wild goat, but a sheer rock or a shadowy thicket saveth him from them, nor is it their lot to find him; and then at their clamour a bearded lion showeth himself in the way, and forthwith turneth them all back despite their eagerness: even so the Danaans for a time ever followed on in throngs, thrusting with swords and two-edged spears, but when they saw Hector going up and down the ranks of men, then were they seized with fear, and the spirits of all men sank down to their feet.
