رَبَّةَ الشِّعرِ عَن أَخِيلَ بنِ فِيلاَ

رَبَّةَ الشِّعرِ عَن أَخِيلَ بنِ فِيلاَ

أنشِدِينَا وَاروي احتِدَاماً وَبيلا

أنشِدِينَا وَاروي احتِدَاماً وَبيلا

Muse of poetry, sing of Achilles, Peleus’ son—

O Muse, of Achilles, son of Peleus,

sing to us and recount a dire conflict,

sing to us, and recount a ruinous fury.

ذَاكَ كَيدٌ عَمَّ الأَخَاءَ بَلاَهُ

ذَاكَ كَيدٌ عَمَّ الأَخَاءَ بَلاَهُ

فضكِرامُ النُّفُوسِ أَلفَت أُفُولاَ

فضكِرامُ النُّفُوسِ أَلفَت أُفُولاَ

that malicious design whose affliction engulfed the brotherhood,

That was a bane whose affliction engulfed the Achaeans,

and whose blaze of souls brought about their setting;

so noble souls faded away,

لأَذِيسٍ أُنفِذنَ مُنحَدِرَاتٍ

لأَذِيسٍ أُنفِذنَ مُنحَدِرَاتٍ

وَفَرَى الطَّيرُ وَالكِلاَبُ القُيُولا

وَفَرَى الطَّيرُ وَالكِلاَبُ القُيُولا

down to Hades they were sent, descending,

sent descending into Hades,

while birds and dogs tore apart the slain.

and birds and dogs tore the chieftains apart.

تَمَّ مَا شَاءِ زَفسُ مِن يَومَ شَبَّت

تَمَّ مَا شَاءِ زَفسُ مِن يَومَ شَبَّت

فِتنَةٌ بِالشِّقَاقِ تُنذِرُ أُولى

فِتنَةٌ بِالشِّقَاقِ تُنذِرُ أُولى

What Zeus willed was fulfilled, from the day there flared

Zeus's will was fulfilled from the day there flared

a strife that, through discord, heralded its first outbreak,

a first strife, foreboding discord.

بَينَ أَترِيذَ سَيِّدَ القَومِ ثَارَت

بَينَ أَترِيذَ سَيِّدَ القَومِ ثَارَت

بِصِلاَهَا وضالمُجتَبَى آخِيلا

بِصِلاَهَا وضالمُجتَبَى آخِيلا

between Atreides, lord of the host, when it erupted,

It arose between Atreides, lord of the people,

with the chosen Achilles caught in its blaze.

and Achilles, the chosen one, with its searing heat.

أَيُّ رَبٍّ قَضَى فَمَا غَيرُ فِي

أَيُّ رَبٍّ قَضَى فَمَا غَيرُ فِي

بُوس وَزَفسٍ وَنَكَّلاَ تَنكِيلا

بُوس وَزَفسٍ وَنَكَّلاَ تَنكِيلا

Which god ordained it? None other than Phoe—

Which god decreed it? None but Phoe-

—bus and Zeus, who punished them terribly.

bus and Zeus; the two dealt harsh punishment.

فابنُ لاَطُونَةٍ بِأترِيذَ رَامَ ال

فابنُ لاَطُونَةٍ بِأترِيذَ رَامَ ال

سوءَ مُذ سَامَهُ جَفَاءً ثَقِيلا

سوءَ مُذ سَامَهُ جَفَاءً ثَقِيلا

For Latona’s son aimed evil against Atreides,

For Latona's son sought to bring upon Atreides

after Atreides dealt him a grievous affront.

harm, since he had treated him with grievous contempt.

فَدَهَى جَيشَهُ بِشَرِّ وَبَاءٍ

فَدَهَى جَيشَهُ بِشَرِّ وَبَاءٍ

فَغَدَت جُندُهُ تَخِرُّ فُلُولا

فَغَدَت جُندُهُ تَخِرُّ فُلُولا

So he struck his army with a dreadful plague,

So he struck his army with a terrible plague,

and his troops began to fall in shattered ranks,

and his troops began to fall in broken ranks.

مُذ أهَانَ المَلِيكُ كَاهِنَهُ الهِمَّ

مُذ أهَانَ المَلِيكُ كَاهِنَهُ الهِمَّ

خَرِيساً لَمَّا أَتَى الأُسطُولا

خَرِيساً لَمَّا أَتَى الأُسطُولا

because the king dishonored his venerable priest,

Since the king had dishonored his aged priest,

Chryses, when he came to the fleet,

Chryses, when he came to the fleet,

يَفتَدِي بنتَهُ بِغُرّ الهَدَايا

يَفتَدِي بنتَهُ بِغُرّ الهَدَايا

وَجَميعَ الإِغرِيقِ يَدعُو ذَلِيلا

وَجَميعَ الإِغرِيقِ يَدعُو ذَلِيلا

seeking to ransom his daughter with precious gifts,

seeking to ransom his daughter with splendid gifts,

humbly imploring all the Greeks,

and humbly appealing to all the Greeks,

سِيَّما العَاهِلَين مِن وُلدِ أَترَا

سِيَّما العَاهِلَين مِن وُلدِ أَترَا

وَلَقَد قَلَّ صَولجَاناً أَثِيلا

وَلَقَد قَلَّ صَولجَاناً أَثِيلا

especially the two rulers, the sons of Atreus.

especially the two kings, sons of Atreus.

And he bore aloft a noble scepter,

And indeed he bore a noble scepter,

عَسجَدِيًّا أَعلاَمُ ذِي النَّبلِ فيبُو

عَسجَدِيًّا أَعلاَمُ ذِي النَّبلِ فيبُو

سَ عَلَيهِ بَدَت تَجُرُّ ذُيُولا

سَ عَلَيهِ بَدَت تَجُرُّ ذُيُولا

golden; the ribbons of Phoe—, lord of arrows,

of gold; the banners of arrow-bearing Phoebu-

—bus appeared upon it, trailing their ends.

s appeared upon it, trailing streamers.

قالَ فَرعَي أَترَا وَقَومَ أَخَايَا

قالَ فَرعَي أَترَا وَقَومَ أَخَايَا

من جُذِيتُم طُرًّا حِذَاءَ جميلا

من جُذِيتُم طُرًّا حِذَاءَ جميلا

He said, “O scions of Atreus and host of Achaea,

He said: 'You two sons of Atreus, and people of Achaea,

may all of you be rewarded with a fair recompense;

you who are all shod in fine footwear,

مَنَحتكُم آلُ الأُلمِبِ اعتِزَازاً

مَنَحتكُم آلُ الأُلمِبِ اعتِزَازاً

قَهرَ فِريَامَ ثُمَّ عَوداَ جَلِيلا

قَهرَ فِريَامَ ثُمَّ عَوداَ جَلِيلا

may the gods of Olympus grant you the glory

may the dwellers of Olympus grant you glory:

of conquering Priam, then a glorious homecoming.

victory over Priam, then a glorious return.

فَبِفيبُوسَ فَرعِ زَفسَ المُعَلَّى

فَبِفيبُوسَ فَرعِ زَفسَ المُعَلَّى

مَن سِهَامَ الرَّدَى يَهِيلُ هُمُولا

مَن سِهَامَ الرَّدَى يَهِيلُ هُمُولا

By Phoebus, offspring of Zeus Most High,

So, by Phoebus, scion of exalted Zeus,

who pours down the arrows of death in torrents,

who pours down death's arrows in torrents,

إِقبَلُوا فِديَتي وَرُدُّوا فَتَاتِي

إِقبَلُوا فِديَتي وَرُدُّوا فَتَاتِي

فَجَميعُ الإِغريق ضَجُّوا قَبُولا

فَجَميعُ الإِغريق ضَجُّوا قَبُولا

accept my ransom and return my daughter.”

accept my ransom, and return my girl.'

All the Greeks cried out their assent:

Then all the Greeks cried out their assent.

آثَرُوا حِفظَ حُرمَةِ الشَّيخِ فيهم

آثَرُوا حِفظَ حُرمَةِ الشَّيخِ فيهم

وَارتَضَاءَ الفَكَك مِنهُ بَديلا

وَارتَضَاءَ الفَكَك مِنهُ بَديلا

they chose to honor the old man’s sanctity among them

They favored honoring the old man among them

and to accept his ransom in exchange.

and accepting his ransom in exchange.

غَيرَ أَنَّ المَقَالَ سَاءَ أَغَا مَم

غَيرَ أَنَّ المَقَالَ سَاءَ أَغَا مَم

نُونَ اترَا فَرَدَّهُ مَخذُولا

نُونَ اترَا فَرَدَّهُ مَخذُولا

But those words displeased Aga-mem—

But the speech displeased Agamem-

—non, Atreides, so he sent him away rebuffed.

non, son of Atreus, so he turned him away rebuffed.