τόν δ' αὖτε προσέειπε διακτορος ἀργειφόντης:
πειρᾷ ἐμεῖο γεραιὲ νεωτέρου. οὐδέ με πείσεις
ὅς με κέλῃ σεῖο δῶρα πάρεξ Ἀχιλῆα δέχεσθαι:
τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ δείδοικα καὶ αἰδέομαι πέρι κῆρι:
σϋλεύειν μή τι μοι κακὸν μετόπισθε γένηται
σοὶ δ' ἂν ἐγὼ πομπὸς καί κε κλυτὸν Ἄργος ἱκοίμην:
ἐνδυκέως ἐν νηὶ θοῇ ἢ πεζὸς ὁμαρτέων:
οὐκ ἄν τις τοι πομπὸν ὀνοσσάμενος μαχέσαιτο
And again the messenger, Argeiphontes, spake to him: "Thou dost make trial of me, old sire, that am younger than thou; but thou shalt not prevail upon me, seeing thou biddest me take gifts from thee while Achilles knoweth naught thereof. Of him have I fear and awe at heart, that I should defraud him, lest haply some evil befall me hereafter. Howbeit as thy guide would I go even unto glorious Argos, attending thee with kindly care in a swift ship or on foot; nor would any man make light of thy guide and set upon thee."
