ὣς ἄρα τίς τ' εἴπεσκε: μένος δ' ὄρσασκεν ἑκάστου.
ὣς οἱ μὲν μάρναντο: σιδήρειος δ' ὀρυγμαδός
χάλκεον οὐρανὸν ἷκε δι' αἰθέρος ἀτρυγέτοιο:
ἵπποι δ' Αἰακίδαο μάχης ἀπάνευθεν ἐόντες,
κλαῖον: ἐπει δὴ πρῶτον πυθέσθην ἡνιόχοιο
ἐν κονίῃσι πεσὸντος ὑφ' Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο:
ἦ μὰν Αὐτομέδων γε Διώρεος ἄλκιμος υἱός
πολλὰ μὲν ἂρ μάστιγι θοῇ ἐπεμαίετο θείνων:
πολλὰ δὲ μειλιχίοισι προσηύδα: πολλὰ δ' ἀρειῇ:
τὼ δ' οὔτ' ἂψ ἐπὶ νῆας ἐπὶ πλατὺν Ἑλλήσποντο
ἠθελέτην ἰέναι οὔτ' ἐς πόλεμον μετ' Ἀχαιούς:
ἀλλ' ὥς τε στήλη μένει ἔμπεδον: ἥ τ' ἐπὶ τύμβῳ
ἀνέρος ἑστήκῃ τεθνηότος ἠὲ γϋναικὸς.
ὣς μένον ἀσφαλέως περικαλλέα δίφρον ἔχοντ//ε//
οὔδει ἔνισκίψαντε καρήατα δάκρυα δέ σφιν
θερμὰ κατὰ βλεφάρων χαμαίδις ῥέε μυρομένοιιν
ἡνιόχοιο πόθῳ: θαλερὴ δὲ μιαίνετο χαίτη:
ζεύγλης ἐξεριποῦσα περὶ ζυγον ἀμφοτέρωθεν:
Thus would one speak and arouse the might of each. So they fought on, and the iron din went up through the unresting air to the brazen heaven. But the horses of the son of Aeacus being apart from the battle were weeping, since first they learned that their charioteer had fallen in the dust beneath the hands of man-slaying Hector. In sooth Automedon, valiant son of Diores, full often plied them with blows of the swift lash, and full often with gentle words bespake them, and oft with threatenings; yet neither back to the ships to the broad Hellespont were the twain minded to go, not yet into the battle amid the Achaeans. Nay, as a pillar abideth firm that standeth on the tomb of a dead man or woman, even so abode they immovably with the beauteous car, bowing their heads down to the earth. And hot tears ever flowed from their eyes to the ground, as they wept in longing for their charioteer, and their rich manes were befouled, streaming from beneath the yoke-pad beside the yoke on this aide and on that.
