The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #59418   Message #2212549
Posted By: Rapparee
10-Dec-07 - 12:26 PM
Thread Name: BS: The Mother of all BS threads
Subject: RE: BS: The Mother of all BS threads
Well, if it's okay for Stilly it's okay for Rapaire!

Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring
Of woes unnumber'd, heavenly goddess, sing!
That wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy reign
The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain;
Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore,
Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore.
Since great Achilles and Atrides strove,
Such was the sovereign doom, and such the will of Jove!

Declare, O Muse! in what ill-fated hour
Sprung the fierce strife, from what offended power
Latona's son a dire contagion spread,
And heap'd the camp with mountains of the dead;
The king of men his reverent priest defied,
And for the king's offence the people died.

For Chryses sought with costly gifts to gain
His captive daughter from the victor's chain.
Suppliant the venerable father stands;
Apollo's awful ensigns grace his hands
By these he begs; and lowly bending down,
Extends the sceptre and the laurel crown
He sued to all, but chief implored for grace
The brother-kings, of Atreus' royal race
"Ye kings and warriors! may your vows be crown'd,
And Troy's proud walls lie level with the ground.
May Jove restore you when your toils are o'er
Safe to the pleasures of your native shore.
But, oh! relieve a wretched parent's pain,
And give Chryseis to these arms again;
If mercy fail, yet let my presents move,
And dread avenging Phoebus, son of Jove."

Or, to put the first stanza another way:

Η οργή Αχιλλέα, στην Ελλάδα το τρομερό ελατήριο των θλίψεων θεϊκή θεά, τραγουδά! Εκείνη η οργή που θλιβερό βασιλεψτε οι ψυχές δυνατού πρόωρου προ!ισταμένων που σκοτώνεται Ποιά άκρα άταφα στη γυμνή ακτή, η καταβρόχθιση των σκυλιών και των πεινασμένων γύπων έσχισε. Δεδομένου ότι μεγάλοι Αχιλλέας και προσπάθησαν, τέτοιο ήταν η κυρίαρχη μοίρα, και η τέτοια θέληση!