τόν δ' ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς:
μὴ δ' οὕτως: ἀγαθός περ ἐών, θεοείκελ' Ἀχιλλεῦ
νήστιας ὄτρυνε προτὶ Ἴλιον υἷας Ἀχαιῶν
Τρωσὶ μαχησομένους: ἐπεὶ οὐκ ὀλίγον χρόνον ἔσται
φύλοπις εὖτ' ἂν πρῶτον ὁμιλήσωσι φάλαγγες
ἀνδρῶν ἐν δὲ θεὸς πνεύση μένος ἀμφοτέροισιν
ἀλλὰ πάσασθαι ἄνωχθι: θοῇς ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιούς
σίτου καὶ οἴνοιο: τὸ γὰρ μένος ἐστὶ καὶ ἀλκή:
οὐ γὰρ ἀνὴρ πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα
ἄκμηνος σίτοιο δυνήσεται ἄντα μάχεσθαι:
εἴ περ γὰρ θυμῷ γε μενοινάα πολεμίζειν,
ἀλλά τε λάθρη γυῖα βαρύνεται ἠδὲ κιχάνει
δίψα τε καὶ λιμὸς: βλάβεται δέ τε γούνατ' ἰόντι:
ὃς δέ κ' ἀνὴρ οἴνοιο κορεσσάμενος καὶ ἐδωδῆς
ἀνδράσι δϋσμενέεσσι πανημέριος πολεμίζῃ.
θαρσαλέον νύ οἱ ἦτορ ἐνὶ φρεσὶν οὐδέ τι γυῖα
πρὶν κάμνει: πρὶν πάντας ἐρωῆσαι πολέμοιο:
ἀλλ' ἄγε λαὸν μὲν σκέδασον καὶ δεῖπνον ἄνωχθι
ὄπλεσθαι: τὰ δὲ δῶρα ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων
οἰσέτω ἐς μέσσην ἀγορήν: ἵνα πάντες Ἀχαιοὶ
ὀφθαλμοῖσι ἴδωσι: σὺ δὲ φρεσὶ σῇσιν ἰανθῆς:
ὀμνυέτω δέ τοι ὅρκον ἐν Αργείοισιν ἀναστάς
μή ποτε τῆς εὐνῆς ἐπιβήμεναι ἠδὲ μιγῆναι:
καὶ δὲ σοὶ αὐτῷ θυμὸς ἐνὶ φρεσὶν ἵλαος ἔστω:
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτά σε δαιτὶ ἐνὶ κλισίῃς ἀρεσάσθω.
πιείρῃ: ἵνα μή τι δίκης ἐπιδευὲς ἔχῃσθα:
σὺ δ' ἤπειτα δικαιότερος καὶ ἐπ' ἄλλῳ ἔσσεαι
Ἀτρείδη: οὐ μὲν γάρ τι νεμεσσητὸν βασιλῆα
ἄνδρ' ἀπαρέσσασθαι ὅτε τις πρότερος χαλεπῄνη:
Then Odysseus of many wiles answered him and said: "Nay, valiant though thou art, godlike Achilles, urge not on this wise the sons of the Achaeans to go fasting against Ilios to do battle with the men of Troy, since not for a short space shall the battle last when once the ranks of men are met and the god breathes might into either host. But bid thou the Achaeans by their swift ships to taste of food and wine; since therein is courage and strength. For there is no man that shall be able the whole day long until set of sun to fight against the foe, fasting the while from food; for though in his heart he be eager for battle, yet his limbs wax heavy unawares and thirst cometh upon him and hunger withal, and his knees grow weary as he goeth. But whoso, having had his fill of wine and food, fighteth the whole day long against the foemen, lo, his heart within him is of good cheer, and his limbs wax not weary until all withdraw them from battle. Come then, dismiss thou the host, and bid them make ready their meal. And as touching the gifts, let Agamemnon, king of men, bring them forth into the midst of the place of gathering, that all the Achaeans may behold them with their eyes, and thou be made glad at heart. And let him rise up in the midst of the Argives and swear to thee an oath, that never hath he gone up into the woman's bed neither had dalliance with her, as is the appointed way, O king, of men and of women; and let the heart in thine own breast be open to appeasement. Thereafter let him make amends to thee in his hut with a feast full rich, that thou mayest have nothing lacking of thy due. Son of Atreus, towards others also shalt thou be more righteous hereafter; for in no wise is it blame for a king to make amends to another, if so be he wax wroth without a cause."
