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Euripides · Rhesus Ῥῆσος

Euripides, Rhesus 184–223: First episode: Hector promises Achilles' horses; Dolon sets out

Ancient Sources / Euripides / Rhesus / 184–223

Hector objects that the horses of Achilles are immortal, but then agrees to give them, and Dolon thanks him. Dolon says that he will wear a wolf's skin and go on all fours to deceive the enemy, and promises to bring back the head of Odysseus or Diomedes. The Chorus prays that Hermes will escort him.

Lines 184–223 · 398 words · click a number to copy its link
184–194
Ἕκτωρ 184καὶ μὴν ἐρῶντί γʼ ἀντερᾷς ἵππων ἐμοί· 185ἐξ ἀφθίτων γὰρ ἄφθιτοι πεφυκότες τὸν Πηλέως φέρουσι θούριον γόνον· δίδωσι δʼ αὐτοὺς πωλοδαμνήσας ἄναξ Πηλεῖ Ποσειδῶν, ὡς λέγουσι, πόντιος. ἀλλʼ οὔ σʼ ἐπάρας ψεύσομαι· δώσω δέ σοι, 190κάλλιστον οἴκοις κτῆμʼ, Ἀχιλλέως ὄχον. Δόλων αἰνῶ· λαβὼν δʼ ἄν φημι κάλλιστον Φρυγῶν δῶρον δέχεσθαι τῆς ἐμῆς εὐσπλαγχνίας. σὲ δʼ οὐ φθονεῖν χρή· μυρίʼ ἔστιν ἄλλα σοι, ἐφʼ οἷσι τέρψῃ τῆσδʼ ἀριστεύων χθονός.

Hector Ah! but your desires clash with mine about those horses; for they are immortal and born from immortals, who bear the son of Peleus on his headlong course. Poseidon, lord of the ocean, broke them and gave them to Peleus, so runs the legend. Yet, for I urged you on, I will not break my word; I will give to you Achilles’ team, a fair possession for your house.

Dolon I thank you; in receiving then, I assert that I am taking a fairer gift than any other Phrygian for my bravery. Yet you should not be envious; you have other things to gladden your heart, in your kingship over this land.

Chorus

195–200
195μέγας ἀγών, μεγάλα δʼ ἐπινοεῖς ἑλεῖν· μακάριός γε μὴν κυρήσας ἔσῃ. πόνος ὅδʼ εὐκλεής· μέγα δὲ κοιράνοισι γαμβρὸν πέλειν. τὰ θεόθεν ἐπιδέτω Δίκα, 200τὰ δὲ παρʼ ἀνδράσιν τέλειά σοι φαίνεται.

Great the enterprise, and great the reward you design to receive. Happy, yes, happy will you be, if you succeed; fair the fame your toil shall win. Yet it is a great thing to become the brother-in-law of princes. On the gods’ decrees let Justice keep her eye! what man can give you have, it seems, in full.

201–223
Δόλων 201στείχοιμʼ ἄν· ἐλθὼν δʼ ἐς δόμους ἐφέστιος σκευῇ πρεπόντως σῶμʼ ἐμὸν καθάψομαι, κἀκεῖθεν ἥσω ναῦς ἐπʼ Ἀργείων πόδα. Χορός ἐπεὶ τίνʼ ἄλλην ἀντὶ τῆσδʼ ἕξεις στολήν; Δόλων 205πρέπουσαν ἔργῳ κλωπικοῖς τε βήμασι. Χορός σοφοῦ παρʼ ἀνδρὸς χρὴ σοφόν τι μανθάνειν· λέξον, τίς ἔσται τοῦδε σώματος σαγή; Δόλων λύκειον ἀμφὶ νῶτʼ ἐνάψομαι δορὰν καὶ χάσμα θηρὸς ἀμφʼ ἐμῷ θήσω κάρᾳ, 210βάσιν τε χερσὶ προσθίαν καθαρμόσας καὶ κῶλα κώλοις, τετράπουν μιμήσομαι λύκου κέλευθον πολεμίοις δυσεύρετον, τάφροις πελάζων καὶ νεῶν προβλήμασιν. ὅταν δʼ ἔρημον χῶρον ἐμβαίνω ποδί, 215δίβαμος εἶμι· τῇδε σύγκειται δόλος. Χορός ἀλλʼ εὖ σʼ ὁ Μαίας παῖς ἐκεῖσε καὶ πάλιν πέμψειεν Ἑρμῆς, ὅς γε φηλητῶν ἄναξ. ἔχεις δὲ τοὔργον· εὐτυχεῖν μόνον σε δεῖ. Δόλων σωθήσομαί γε καὶ κτανὼν Ὀδυσσέως 220οἴσω κάρα σοι — σύμβολον δʼ ἔχων σαφὲς φήσεις Δόλωνα ναῦς ἐπʼ Ἀργείων μολεῖν — ἢ παῖδα Τυδέως· οὐδʼ ἀναιμάκτῳ χερὶ ἥξω πρὸς οἴκους πρὶν φάος μολεῖν χθόνα.

Dolon I will set forth; but going within my house I will clothe myself in fitting attire, and then I will hasten to the Argive fleet.

Chorus Leader Why, what dress in place of this will you assume?

Dolon One that fits my task and furtive steps.

Chorus Leader One should ever learn wisdom from the wise; tell me, what will be your equipment?

Dolon I will fasten a wolf-skin about my back, and over my head put the brute’s gaping jaws; then fitting its fore-feet to my hands and its hind-feet to my legs, I will go on all-fours in imitation of a wolf’s gait to puzzle the enemy, when I approach their trenches and barriers round the ships. But whenever I come to a deserted spot, I will walk on two feet; such is the ruse I have decided on.

Chorus Leader May Hermes, Maia’s child, escort you safely there and back, prince of tricksters as he is! You know what you have to do; good luck is all you need now.

Dolon I shall return in safety, and bring to you the head of Odysseus when I have slain him, or the son of Tydeus, and with this clear proof before you you shall assert that Dolon went to the Argive fleet; for, before the dawn, I will come back home with bloodstained hand.

People and places in this passage

Passages in other works that tell of the same people and places, oldest and closest first.

  1. Homer, Odyssey 24.1–97The suitors in Hades
  2. Homer, Iliad 24.322–467Priam's night journey; Hermes appears
  3. Epic Cycle, Summaries and Fragments 7.1–26Little Iliad
  4. Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 3.293–421Aias and Odysseus rescue Achilles' body
  5. Ovid, Metamorphoses 13.121–254The contest for the arms of Achilles: Odysseus replies
  6. Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.13.1–8Peleus, Thetis and the youth of Achilles

English translation by Edward P. Coleridge (1891). Original text: Greek text: Gilbert Murray (ed.), Euripidis Fabulae, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913, as digitised by Perseus. English: Edward P. Coleridge, The Plays of Euripides, London: George Bell and Sons, first published 1891 (Bohn's Classical Library; the Perseus header records a later printing).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.