1. وَظَلَّ أَخِيلٌ حانِقاً عندض فُلكهِ

    بَعيداً عَنِ الشُّورى افتِخَارِ البَوَاسلِ

    And Achilles remained furious beside his ship,

    far from the council, the pride of the valiant,

  2. يُؤَجّجُ في أَحشائِهِ نارَ عُزلةٍ

    ووَجدٍ لضَجَّاتِ الوَغَى والجَحافِلِ

    fanning in his breast the fire of solitude

    and longing for the clamors of battle and the armies.

  3. وَفي فَجرِ ثضانِي عَشرَ يَوماً مَقَامَهُ

    أَتَى زَفسُ في رَهطِ الخُلُودِ الأَفاضلِ

    At dawn on the twelfth day of his stay,

    Zeus came among the noble company of immortals.

  4. ولَم تَكُ ثِيتيسٌ لِتَنسَى وُعُودَهَا

    فَشَقَّت عُبَاباً حالَ بَينَ المَرَاحِل

    Nor was Thetis one to forget her promises;

    so she cleft the surging waters between her journey’s stages.

  5. تَجَاوَزَتِ الجَوَّ الفَسِيحَ إلى السَّما

    إلى حَيثُ زَفسٌ بالجِبالِ العَواطِلِ

    She crossed the vast air to the heavens,

    to where Zeus, among the bare mountains,

  6. على القُمَّةِ العُليا بشهنَّ قدِ استَوى

    بَعيداً عَن البَاقينض جَمَّ المَخَايِلِ

    had taken his seat on their highest summit,

    far from the others, majestic in bearing.

  7. تَدَنَّت إِلَيهش وانبَرَت مُستَجِيرةً

    ومَسَّت بيُمنى ذَقنَ مَولى العَوَاهِلِ

    She drew near him and stepped forward seeking protection,

    and touched with her right hand the chin of the lord of monarchs,

  8. ومالَت بِيُسراها تُقَبِّلُ رًكبَةً

    وتَلتَمِسُ الحُسنى بكُلِّ الوسائل

    and leaned with her left hand, kissing his knee,

    and sought favor by every means.

  9. أَبا الخَلقِ زَفساً إِن صَدَقتُكَ خِدمةً

    بِقَولي وفِعلي بينَ رَهطِ الأَماثلِ

    O father of creation, Zeus, if I have served you faithfully

    by my words and deeds among the company of the noblest,

  10. أَجِر وَلَدِي أََدنى الرِّجال إلى الرَّدَى

    فقد حَطَّهُ أَترِيذُ حِطَّةَ خاذِلِ

    protect my son, of all men nearest to death;

    for Atreides has abased him as a betrayer would,

  11. وأعدَمَهُ سَهماً فَلا تَطَّرِحهُ يا

    حَكيماً تَجَلَّت فِيهِ غُرُّ الشَّمَائلِ

    and deprived him of a share; do not cast him aside, O

    wise one, in whom the brightest virtues shine.

  12. أَفِز جَيشَ طُروَادا لِيَعظُمَ قَدرُهُ

    ويُنزِلَهُ الإِغرِيقُ أَسمى المنازِلِ

    Grant victory to Troy’s army, that his worth may grow

    and the Greeks accord him the highest station.

  13. فأَبطأَ رَكَّامُ الغُيُومِ ولم يُجِب

    على الرُّكبِ انقَضَّت وصاحت أَلاِصلِ

    Then the cloud-gatherer delayed and did not answer.

    She fell upon his knees and cried: Come, grant it! [Reading uncertain.]

  14. وما ذَا الَّذي تَخشى فَخَلِّ تَعَلُّلاً

    وقُل أَو أَشِر بالوَعدِ أَو رَفضِ نائلي

    And what is it you fear? Abandon your excuses,

    and speak or signal a promise, or deny the boon I seek,

  15. فأَعلَمَ بينَ الخالِدينَ مَذَلَّتي

    فقال مُبيناً زَفرَةَ المُتثَاقِلِ

    so I may know my humiliation among the immortals.

    Then he spoke, letting out a reluctant sigh:

  16. لذَلِك عِبرٌ ضَيقٌ إِن نُمِي هُنا

    لشهيرا انبَرَت لي بالجَفا والقَلاَقِلِ

    This is a difficult course [reading uncertain]; if this is reported here

    to Hera, she will rise against me with harshness and turmoil.

  17. فتُوغِرُ صَدري إِذ بِكُلِّ نَميمَةٍ

    بِمُجتَمَعِ الأَربابِ تُثقِلُ كاهِلي

    Thus she inflames my breast, for with every slander

    in the assembly of the gods she burdens my shoulders,

  18. وتَزعَمُ أَني للطَّراوِدِ ناصِرٌ

    فَهُبّي ولا تَنظُركِ هَبَّة عاجِلِ

    and claims that I am a supporter of the Trojans.

    So spring up in haste, and let her not see you.

  19. سأَنظُرُ فيما تَبتَغينَ وهاكِها

    إشارَةَ وَعدٍ بالإِجابَةِ قائِلِ

    I shall consider what you seek; and take this—

    a sign proclaiming a promise of assent.

  20. ففيها بِدارِ الخُلدِ عَهدٌ مُصَدَّقٌ

    وَثِيقٌ وَطيدٌ لن يُمَسَّ بطائِلِ

    For in it, in the abode of immortality, lies a confirmed pledge,

    secure and steadfast, never to be touched by harm.

  21. وَحَرَّكَ جَفَنيهِ فمادَت شُعُورُهُ

    وزُلزِلَ عَرشُ الخُلدِ أَقوَى الزَّلاَزِل

    And he moved his eyelids, and his locks swayed,

    and the throne of immortality was shaken by the mightiest tremors.