وَظَلَّ أَخِيلٌ حانِقاً عندض فُلكهِ
بَعيداً عَنِ الشُّورى افتِخَارِ البَوَاسلِ
Achilles sulked by his tent, far from the assembly where warriors excel,
In his heart a fire of isolation burned, and sorrow for the tumult of war and armies.
يُؤَجّجُ في أَحشائِهِ نارَ عُزلةٍ
ووَجدٍ لضَجَّاتِ الوَغَى والجَحافِلِ
On the twelfth dawn since he took this stance,
Zeus came among the immortal nobles.
وَفي فَجرِ ثضانِي عَشرَ يَوماً مَقَامَهُ
أَتَى زَفسُ في رَهطِ الخُلُودِ الأَفاضلِ
Thetis did not forget her vows,
She parted the mists and came between the stages.
ولَم تَكُ ثِيتيسٌ لِتَنسَى وُعُودَهَا
فَشَقَّت عُبَاباً حالَ بَينَ المَرَاحِل
She passed through the open sky to where Zeus was
On the highest summit among the lofty mountains.
تَجَاوَزَتِ الجَوَّ الفَسِيحَ إلى السَّما
إلى حَيثُ زَفسٌ بالجِبالِ العَواطِلِ
Apart from the others, possessor of perfect wisdom.
She drew near and clasped her arms around him,
على القُمَّةِ العُليا بشهنَّ قدِ استَوى
بَعيداً عَن البَاقينض جَمَّ المَخَايِلِ
Touching the beard of the lord of the sublime.
With her left hand she caressed his knee,
تَدَنَّت إِلَيهش وانبَرَت مُستَجِيرةً
ومَسَّت بيُمنى ذَقنَ مَولى العَوَاهِلِ
Seeking his favor by every means.
O father of men, Zeus, if my loyal service in word and deed among the kindred is true,
ومالَت بِيُسراها تُقَبِّلُ رًكبَةً
وتَلتَمِسُ الحُسنى بكُلِّ الوسائل
Honor my son, though among men he is most inclined to destruction,
For his comrade has brought him down and destroyed him.
أَبا الخَلقِ زَفساً إِن صَدَقتُكَ خِدمةً
بِقَولي وفِعلي بينَ رَهطِ الأَماثلِ
Do not abandon him, in whom the blemishes of mankind are made clear.
Rouse the army of Troy to make his worth great,
أَجِر وَلَدِي أََدنى الرِّجال إلى الرَّدَى
فقد حَطَّهُ أَترِيذُ حِطَّةَ خاذِلِ
And let the Greeks place him in the highest rank.
The rattling thundercloud did not answer
وأعدَمَهُ سَهماً فَلا تَطَّرِحهُ يا
حَكيماً تَجَلَّت فِيهِ غُرُّ الشَّمَائلِ
The suppliant who cried out insistently.
Why do you hesitate? Make excuses and speak,
أَفِز جَيشَ طُروَادا لِيَعظُمَ قَدرُهُ
ويُنزِلَهُ الإِغرِيقُ أَسمى المنازِلِ
Promise or refuse my hopes.
He made my humiliation known among the immortals,
فأَبطأَ رَكَّامُ الغُيُومِ ولم يُجِب
على الرُّكبِ انقَضَّت وصاحت أَلاِصلِ
Exhaling heavily, burdened.
The path is narrow if I were to nod in agreement here
وما ذَا الَّذي تَخشى فَخَلِّ تَعَلُّلاً
وقُل أَو أَشِر بالوَعدِ أَو رَفضِ نائلي
To her who rose up against me with rudeness and provocation,
Then in the council of the gods they would resent me
فأَعلَمَ بينَ الخالِدينَ مَذَلَّتي
فقال مُبيناً زَفرَةَ المُتثَاقِلِ
And say I aid wantonness.
Begone, look not for a ready favor.
لذَلِك عِبرٌ ضَيقٌ إِن نُمِي هُنا
لشهيرا انبَرَت لي بالجَفا والقَلاَقِلِ
I will consider what you request, and I gesture
A promise to answer in the abode of eternity,
فتُوغِرُ صَدري إِذ بِكُلِّ نَميمَةٍ
بِمُجتَمَعِ الأَربابِ تُثقِلُ كاهِلي
A sure, steadfast pledge that will not be marred by misfortune.
He blinked his lids, and his hair shook,
وتَزعَمُ أَني للطَّراوِدِ ناصِرٌ
فَهُبّي ولا تَنظُركِ هَبَّة عاجِلِ
The throne of eternity trembled with the strongest earthquake.
سأَنظُرُ فيما تَبتَغينَ وهاكِها
إشارَةَ وَعدٍ بالإِجابَةِ قائِلِ
ففيها بِدارِ الخُلدِ عَهدٌ مُصَدَّقٌ
وَثِيقٌ وَطيدٌ لن يُمَسَّ بطائِلِ
وَحَرَّكَ جَفَنيهِ فمادَت شُعُورُهُ
وزُلزِلَ عَرشُ الخُلدِ أَقوَى الزَّلاَزِل
