Quotes from Homer

As there are no trustworthy oaths between men and lions, nor wolves and lambs have spirit that can be brought to agreement but forever these hold feelings of hate for each other, 265  so there can be no love between you and me, nor shall there be oaths between us, but one or the other must fall before then to glut with his blood Ares the god who fights under the shield's guard.

some day let them say of him: 'He is better by far than his father,' 480  as he comes in from the fighting

they are making havoc of my estate

he gave a thousand measures of the wine for trading, so the troops could barter for it, some with bronze and some with shining iron, others with hides and others still with oxen, some with slaves. They made a copious feast, and all night long Akhaians with flowing hair feasted, while the Trojans and their allies likewise made a feast.

What greater glory attends a man, while he's alive, than what he wins with his racing feet and striving hands?

As on the sacred threshing floor wind blows the chaff, while men stand winnowing the crop, when Demeter, with her golden hair, separates the grain from the chaff in the rushing breeze, and piles of chaff grow whiter, so then Achaean troops grew white, covered with dust stirred up by horses hooves.

They burst into cries, wailing, streaming live tears that gained us nothing —what good can come of grief?

If you only knew in your own heart how many hardships you were fated to undergo before getting back to your own country, you would stay here with me and be the lord of this household and be an immortal, for all your longing once more to look on that wife for whom you are pining all your days here. And yet I think I can claim that I am not her inferior either in build or stature, since it is not likely that mortal women can challenge the goddesses for build and beauty. - Calypso

I would rather follow the plow as thrall to another man, one with no land allotted him and not much to live on, than be a king over all the perished dead.

The Spinners (Klothes) are imagined in Greek mythology as three old female figures who construct the thread of human destiny—

Then Hector, stooping, seiz'd a pond'rous stone 490 That lay before the gates; 'twas broad below, But sharp above; and scarce two lab'ring men, The strongest, from the ground could raise it up, And load upon a wain; as men are now; But he unaided lifted it with ease, 495 So light it seem'd, by grace of Saturn's son. As in one hand a shepherd bears with ease A full-siz'd fleece, and scarcely feels the weight;

But humans cannot stay awake forever; immortal gods have set a proper time for everything that mortals do on earth.

I am at home, for I am he. I bore adversities, but in the twentieth year, I am ashore in my own land.

from Crete he made his way, racked by hardship, tumbling on like a rolling stone until he turned up here.

y, avanzando, era como una noche sombría

So he spoke and strode on, a god, through the mortals' struggle.

With that he hurled and Athena drove the shaft and it split the archer's nose between the eyes— it cracked his glistening teeth, the tough bronze cut off his tongue at the roots, smashed his jaw and the point came ripping out beneath his chin. He pitched from his car, armor clanged against him, a glimmering blaze of metal dazzling round his back—

for there is nothing better in this world than that man and wife should be of one mind in a house. It discomfits their enemies, makes the hearts of their friends glad, and they themselves know more about it than any one.

who governs a kingdom vast, proud and strong — who upholds justice, true, and the black earth bears wheat and barley, trees bow down with fruit and the sheep drop lambs and never fail and the sea teems with fish —thanks to his decent, upright rule, and under his sovereign sway the people flourish.

His mother then, Wailing, sobbing, laid open her bosom And holding out a breast spoke through her tears: Hector, my child, if ever I've soothed you With this breast, remember it now, son, and Have pity on me. Don't pit yourself Against that madman. Come inside the wall. If Achilles kills you I will never Get to mourn you laid out on a bier, O My sweet blossom, nor will Andromache, Your beautiful wife, but far from us both Dogs will eat your body by the Greek ships.

the great force was gone, the strength lost forever, now, that filled his rippling limbs in the old days.

What is it that grieves you? Keep it not from me, but tell me, that we may know it together.

The choice of Odysseus is parallel to the choice of Achilles, in that it is a decision to be mortal in order to gain a particular kind of masculine honor. If Odysseus had stayed with Calypso, he would have been alive forever, and never grown old; but he would have been forever subservient to a being more powerful than himself.

My son, Achilles is of nobler birth than you and he is also by far the stronger man. But you are older than he is. It is for you to give him sound advice, make suggestions and give him a lead which he will follow to his own advantage.'' Nestor