لِمُهجَةِ هَكطُورَ الحَدِيثُ مُؤَلِّماً

جَرَى جَرَى جَريَ سَهمٍ بِالمَفَاصِلِ يَنشَبُ

For the beloved's cheek the conversation was painful

It flowed, it flowed like an arrow piercing the joints

تَرَجَّلَ مُصطَكَّ السِّلاحِ مُطَوِّفاً

وَفي يَدِهِ سُمرُ القَنا تَتَلَهَّبُ

The heavily armed warrior set out on foot

In his hand the spearhead blazing

يُشَدِّدُ هِمَّاتِ الفَوَارِسِ مُنهِضاً

عَزِيمَتَهُم حَتَّى انثَنَوا وَتَصَلَّبُوا

Urging on the zeal of the horsemen

Steeling their resolve until they turned and stood firm

فَكَرُّوا وَلَكِنَّ الأَغارِقَ جُملَةً

عَلى صَدِّهِمِ بالعَزمِ طُرًّا تَأَلَّبُوا

They wheeled, but the men pressing on

Were resolute in counter-attack, fiercely stubborn

فَلَم يَكُ في القَومَينِ خَامِلُ هِمَّةٍ

وَلَم يَكُ فِيهِم مَن يُرَاعُ فَيَهرُب

In neither troop was there a faint heart

Nor was there one who feared and ran away

وعِندَ اشتِباكِ الجَيشِ بِالقُضبِ وَالقَنا

جَرَت مُقرَباتُ الحَملةِ الأرضَ تَنهَبُ

When the two armies engaged with spear and lance

The warriors' steeds trampled the ground and plundered

وَقَد كَسَتِ الإغريقَ ثوبَ عَجَاجةٍ

فَتَحتَ الخُطَى وَقعٌ وَمِن فَوقُ غَيهَبُ

The Greeks donned the raiment of turbulent flight

Beneath their feet the sound of steps, above a cloud of dust

كأَنَّ مَذاري ذِيمتِيرَ بِبَيدَرٍ

تُثِيرُ سَحِيقَ التِّبنِ والحَبُّ يَرسُبُ

As if the threshing floors of Demeter in the valley

Raise up the chaff of straw, while the grain sinks down,

فَتَذرِي السَّحِيقَ الرِّيحُ ثُمَّ تَهِيلُهُ

غُبَاراً كَثِيفاً وَهوَ أَبيَضُ أَشهَبُ

The wind winnows the chaff then makes it

Swirl thickly, white and grey

كذا اندَفَعَ الإِغرِيقُ مِن تَحتِ قَسطَلٍ

عضلاهم وآرِس لِلعدَى يَتَعَصَّبُ

Thus did the Greeks rush out from under their helmets

Brawny-armed, equipped for the foe, girt for battle

أَطاعَ أَفُلُّوناً وَشَدَّدَ عَزمَهُ اح

تِجابُ أَثِينا فَاستَقَرَّ يُكَوكِبُ

Apollo obeyed and hardened his resolve

Athena stood over them, blazing like stars

وَأَرسَلَ مِن فَوقِ الجُيُوشِ غَمامَةً

تُظَلِّلُ دُرَّاعَ الحَدِيدِ وَتَحجُبُ

And sent down from above the armies a cloud

Shading the iron mail and veiling

ولَمَّا علا وَقعُ القَنا انقَضَّ عائِثاً

إِلَى ساحةِ الهَيجاءِ أَنياسُ يَلجَبُ

And when the clash of spears rang out, plunging wildly

Into the arena of turmoil came swift-footed Ajax

بِهِ جَاءَ فِيبُوسٌ سَلَيماَ مِنَ الأَذَى

شَدِيداً حَدِيداً يَستَجِيشُ وَيَلغَبُ

With him came Phebios, unscathed,

Mighty of will, iron of heart, seething and raging

فَخَفَّ وَأَحيَا خَفقَ أَكبادِ قَومِهِ

وَحَفَّ بِهِ مِن صَفوَةِ الصِّيدِ مَوكِبُ

His courage revived and hearts of his folk throbbed

A band of the elite of warriors escorted him

فَلَم يَسأَلُوا عِلماً وَلَم يَتسَاءَلُوا

وَدُونَ التَّحَرِّي مِن لَظَى الحَربِ أَضرُب

Without asking they joined the fierce blaze of war

Tempests of Phebios and lightning of turmoil

عَوَاصِفُ فِيبُوسٍ وَصعقَةُ فِتنَةٍ

وَآرس وَوَبلٌ بالذَّوَابِلِ صَيِّبُ

Ares and Hephaestus with showers of missiles

Ajax, Ajax and Idomeneus the rouser

وَآياسُ آياسٌ وَأُوذِس ذِيُومِذٌ

يَهُزُّهُمُ دَاعي الكِفَاحِ وَيَطرِبُ

Calling the Greeks to battle, forming ranks

Whenever there was tactical retreat or steadfast defence

يُنَادُونَ بِالإِغرِيقِ لَلحَربِ نَهضَةً

إِذا هُم لِكَرٍّ أَو لِصَدٍّ تَكَتَّبُوا

For steadfast defence the troops’ chieftains stood firm

Undaunted heroes who neither feared nor retreated

فَلِلصَّدِّ دُفَّاعُ الجُنُودِ تَثَبَّتُوا

صَنَادِيدَ لَم يَخشَوا وَلم يَتَهَيَّبُوا

Though the battle raged they were like

Clouds above the high peaks clustered

كَاَنَّهُمُ وَالجَرُّ صافٍ رَقِيعُهُ

غَمَائِمُ مِن فَوقِ الشَّوامِخِ تَقطِبُ

The winds had laid down to rest, no more playing

Raging, while the winds above them gambol

وَقد هَجَعَ الأَنواءُ لا ثَمَّ شمأَلٌ

تَثُورُ وَلا الأَنوَاءُ فِيهنَّ تَلعَبُ

Agamemnon ranged between their ranks

Shouting, tracking the steps behind

يَجُوبُ أَغامَمنُونُ بَينَ صُفُوفِهِم

يَصيحُ وَأَعقَابَ الخُطَى يَتَعَقَّبُ