Ἔνθά κεν ὑψίπυλον Τροίην ἕλον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν
Πατρόκλου ὑπὸ χερσί. περὶ πρὸ γὰρ ἔγχεϊ θῦιεν.
εἰ μὴ Ἀπόλλων Φοῖβος ἐϋδμήτου ἐπὶ πύργου
ἔστη. τῷ ὀλοὰ φρονέων. Τρώεσσι δ’ ἀρήγων:
τρὶς μὲν ἐπ’ ἀγκῶνος βῆ τείχεος ὑψηλοῖο
Πάτροκλος. τρὶς δ’ αὐτὸν ἀπεστυφέλιξεν Ἀπόλλων
χείρεσσ’ ἀθανάτῃσι φαεινὴν ἀσπίδα νύσσων:
ἂλλ’ ὅτε δὴ τὸ τέταρτον ἐπέσσυτο δαίμονι ῗσος.
δεινὰ δ' ὁμοκλήσας. ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα.
χάζεο διογενὲς Πατρόκλεις οὔ νύ τοι αἶσα
σῶ ὑπο δουρὶ πόλιν πέρθαι Τρώων ἀγερώχων.
οὐδ' ὑπ'Ἀχιλλῆος . ὅςπερ σέο πολλὸν ἀμείνων:
Then would the sons of the Achaeans have taken high-gated Troy by the hands of Patroclus, for around and before him he raged with his spear, had not Phoebus Apollo taken his stand upon the well-builded wall thinking thoughts of bane for him, but bearing aid to the Trojans. Thrice did Patroclus set foot upon a corner of the high wall, and thrice did Apollo fling him back, thrusting against the bright shield with his immortal hands. But when for the fourth time he rushed on like a god, then with a terrible cry Apollo spake to him winged words: "Give back, Zeus-born Patroclus. It is not fated, I tell thee, that by thy spear the city of the lordly Trojans shall be laid waste, nay, nor by that of Achilles, who is better far than thou."
