Quotes from The Iliad

Quotations follow the Robert Fagles translation (Penguin Classics, 1990) — our recommended edition.

1. 2

   Rage—Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses.

2. 3

   Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans.

3. 4

   Like the generations of leaves, the lives of mortal men. Now the wind scatters the old leaves across the earth, now the living timber bursts with the new buds and spring comes round again. And so with men: as one generation comes to life, another dies away.

4. 5

   Always to be best, and to be pre-eminent above others.

5. 6

   The wrath of Peleus' son, the direful spring Of all the Grecian woes, O goddess, sing!

6. 7

   Thus, then, did they celebrate the funeral of Hector, tamer of horses.

7. 8

   For my mother Thetis the goddess of silver feet tells me I carry two sorts of destiny toward the day of my death. Either, if I stay here and fight beside the city of the Trojans, my return home is gone, but my glory shall be everlasting.

8. 9

   There are two urns that stand on the door-sill of Zeus. They are unlike for the gifts they bestow: an urn of evils, an urn of blessings.

9. 10

   I have endured what no one on earth has ever done before— I put to my lips the hands of the man who killed my son.

10. 11

    Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another.

11. 12

    Man, supposing you and I, escaping this battle, would be able to live on forever, ageless, immortal, so neither would I myself go on fighting in the foremost nor would I urge you into the fighting where men win glory.

12. 13

    There is one omen, and one only- that a man should fight for his country.

13. 14

    So he spoke, and Hector's wife went away to her house, turning to look back on the way, letting the live tears fall.

14. 15

    Lordship for many is no good thing. Let there be one ruler, one king.

15. 16

    There are no binding oaths between men and lions — wolves and lambs can enjoy no meeting of the minds — they are all bent on hating each other to the death.

16. 17

    Let me at least not die without a struggle, inglorious, but do some big thing first, that men to come shall know of it.

17. 18

    It is not unseemly for a man to die fighting in defence of his country.

18. 19

    You wine sack, with a dog's eyes, with a deer's heart.

19. 20

    From whose lips the streams of words ran sweeter than honey.

20. 21

    Since among all creatures that breathe on earth and crawl on it there is not anywhere a thing more dismal than man is.

21. 22

    Any man single-handed who hopes to fight against the gods will not last long.

22. 23

    Even a fool may be wise after the event.

23. 24

    He spoke, and drove the tawny horses with thong and voice; and they sped lightly between the ships and the wall.