Οἱ δ’ ἅμα Πατρόκλῳ μεγαλήτορι θωρηχθέντες
ἔστιχον. ὄφρ’ ἐν Τρωσὶ μέγα φρονέοντες ὄρουσαν:
αὐτίκα δὲ σφήκεσσιν ἐοικότες ἐξεχέοντο
εἰνοδίοις, οὓς παῖδες ἐριδμαίνωσιν ἔθοντες.
αἰεὶ κερτομέοντες. ὁδῷ ἔπι οἰκί’ ἔχοντας.
νηπίαχοι. ξυνὸν δὲ κακὸν πολέεσσι τιθεῖσι:
τοὺς δ’ εἴ περ παρά τίς τε κιὼν ἄνθρωπος ὁδίτης
κινήσῃ ἀἕκων. οἱ δ’ ἄλκιμον ῆτορ ἔχοντες.
πρόσσω πᾶς πέτεται, καὶ ἀμύνει οῖσι τέκεσσι:
τῶν τότε Μυρμιδόνες κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἔχοντες.
ἐκ νηῶν ἐχέοντο. βοὴ δ’ ἄσβεστος ὀρώρει:
Πάτροκλος δ’ ἑτάροισιν ἐκέκλετο, μακρὸν ἀΰσας.
Μυρμιδόνες, ἕταροι Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος.
ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι. μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς.
ὡς ἂν Πηλειδην τιμήσομεν, ὃς μέγ’ ἄριστος
Ἀργείων παρὰ νηυσὶ. καὶ ἀγχέμαχοι θεράποντες.
γνῷ δὲ καὶ Ἀτρείδης εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων
ἣν άτην, ὅ τ’ ἄριστον Ἀχαιῶν. οὐδὲν ἔτισεν:
But they that were arrayed together with great-hearted Patroclus marched forth, until with high spirits they leapt upon the Trojans. Straightway they poured forth like wasps of the wayside, that boys are wont to stir to wrath, ever tormenting them in their nests beside the way, foolish that they are; and a common evil they make for many. And the wasps, if so be some wayfaring ran as he passeth by rouse them unwittingly, fly forth one and all in the valour of their hearts, and fight each in defence of his young; having a heart and spirit like theirs the Myrmidons then poured forth from the ships, and a cry unquenchable arose. But Patroclus called to his comrades with a loud shout: "Myrmidons, ye comrades of Achilles, son of Peleus, be men, my friends, and bethink you of furious valour, to the end that we may win honour for the son of Peleus, that is far the best of the Argives by the ships, himself and his squires that fight in close combat; and that the son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, may know his blindness in that he honoured not at all the best of the Achaeans."
