ὣς φάτο. σὺν δὲ γέροντι νόος χύτο: δείδιε δ' αἰνῶς:
ὀρθαὶ δὲ τρίχες ἔσταν, ἐπὶἐνὶ γναμπτοῖσι μέλεσσι:
στῆ δὲ ταφών: αὐτὸς δ' ἐριούνιος ἐγγύθεν ἐλθὼν.
χεῖρα γέροντος ἑλὼν. ἐξείρετο. καὶ προσέειπε:
πῇ πάτερ ὧδ' ἵππους τε καὶ ἡμιόνους ἰ̈θύνεις
νύκτα δι' ἀμβροσίην: ὅτε θ' εὕδουσι βροτοὶ ἄλλοι:
οὐδὲ σύ γ' ἔδδεισας μένεα πνείοντας Ἀχαιοὺς.
οἵ τοι δυσμενέες καὶ ἀνάρσιοι ἐγγὺς ἔασι:
τῶν εἴ τίς σε ἴ̈δοιτο θοὴν διa νύκτα μέλαιναν
τοσσάδ' ὀνείατ' ἄγοντα, τίς ἂ̆ν δή τοι νόος εἴη:
οὔτ' αὐτὸς νέος ἐσσὶ γέρων δέ τοι οὗτος ὀπηδεῖ
ἄνδρ' ἐπαμύνασθαιἀπαμύνασθαι. ὅτε τις πρότερος χαλεπήνῃ:
ἀλλ' ἐγὼ οὐδέν σε ῥέξω κακὰ, καὶ δέ κεν ἄλλον,
σεῦ ἀπαλεξήσαιμι, φίλῳ δέ σε πατρὶ ἐΐσκω:
So spake he, and the old man's mind was confounded and he was sore afraid, and up stood the hair on his pliant limbs, and he stood in a daze. But of himself the Helper drew nigh, and took the ohd man's hand, and made question of him, saying: "Whither, Father, dost thou thus guide horses and mules through the immortal night when other mortals are sleeping? Art thou untouched by fear of the fury-breathing Achaeans, hostile men and ruthless that are hard anigh thee? If one of them should espy thee bearing such store of treasure through the swift bhack night, what were thy counsel then? Thou art not young thyself, and thy companion here is old, that ye should defend you against a man, when one waxes wroth without a cause. But as for me, I will nowise harm thee, nay, I will even defend thee against another; for like unto my dear father art thou in mine eyes."
