Patroclus and Achilles - Take Four

Dūrīs, Achille, ex cautibus et gelū

numquam solūtō nāte, movent neque haec

dīrae bucīnae nuntiantēs

Dardana tēla fugasse nostrōs;

nec celsa virtus nunc morientium?

vallō minātur Trōica pīneō

pūbēs, resistet firma porta

illa diū neque fortis Ājax.

silvās velut cum flamma vorat, velut

nīvēs perennēs Thrēiciae cadunt

sīc ista saevit semper īra

rōbora quā pereunt Achaea.

Born of the hard rock, Achilles,

and of ice never-dissolved,

do neither the dread trumpets

move you, announcing that

Dardan weapons have put our own to flight,

nor the lofty courage of the dying?

Trojan youth now threaten the pine-wood

rampart, nor will that firm gate,

nor brave Ajax long withstand (them).

As when a fire devours forests, like

Thracian snows fall, year-round,

so does your anger ever rage,

for which the picked men of Achaea perish.

Patroclus and Achilles - Take Three

Dūrīs, Achille ex cautibus et gelū

numquam solūtō nāte, movent neque haec

vōcēs bucīnae nōn valentēs

rōbora nec moritūra Achaea?

vī pugnat Ājax Hectoreae tenax

vallō et minātur Trōica pīneō

pūbēs, resistet firma postis

ille diū neque fortis hērōs.

silvās velut cum flamma vorat; velut

nīvēs perennēs Thrēiciae cadunt

ignis furōris semper ardet,

nunc animōs ruit iste nostrōs.

"Achilles, born of the hard crags, born

of ice never-dissolved,

Do neither the failing calls of the war-trumpet,

nor Achaea's picked troops, about to die,

move you?

Stubborn Ajax fights 'gainst Hector's might,

and the Trojan youth threaten the pine-wood

rampart. Now the firm door post will not,

nor will that brave hero, resist for long.

As when a fire devours forests; as

the Thracian snows fall, year-round,

so does the fire of your rage e'er blaze,

(and) now it lays our courage low."

Patroclus to Achilles

Alternative Stanzas

(2)

Altīs, Achille ex rūpibus et gelū

numquam solūtō nāte, movent neque haec

vōcēs bucīnae nōn valentēs

rōbora nec moritūra Achaea?

Born of the high crags and never-dissolving frost

do neither these failing calls of the war trumpet,

nor the picked troops of Greece, about to die,

move you?

Patroclus to Achilles

alternative first stanzas

(1)

Ō nāte dūrā ex caute, leōnibus

nūtrīte, flectī cor sine ferreum

ut fonte pūrō cum minūta est

flamma, furensve fugātus Auster...

Patroclus Achillem orat, ut īram dēponat

Patroclus begs Achilles to put aside his anger (Revised Version)

in Alcaics

"Ō nāte dūrā ex rūpe, leōnibus

nutrīte, mollīrī sine tē, precor,

ut fonte pūrō cum minūta est

flamma, furensve fugātus Auster

maris potentī; nam cohibet manūs

vī turma Grāiās Hectoreā tenax:

Lux nostra, nunc exstingue saevum

rōbora quō pereunt Achaea

furōris ignem, tē morientium

clāmor, bucīna et admoneat gravis

nōn sustinērī posse Phoebo

tēla diū Lycia adiuvante."

O, born of the harsh cliff, nourished

by lions, allow yourself to be won over,

I pray, as when fire has been lessened

by clear water, or raging Auster

put to flight by Neptune. For a squadron,

tenacious thanks to Hector’s might,

hems in the Greek forces.

O our light, now quench the fire

of savage anger, through which

the flower of Achaea perish.

Let the cry of the dying, and the

deep-pitched trumpet now remind you

that Lycian spears cannot be sustained

for long, with Phoebus helping (them).