Homer - Iliad

144 Sourced Quotes

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Without a sign, his sword the brave man draws, and asks no omen, but his country's cause.

Homer
A councilor ought not to sleep the whole night through, a man to whom the populace is entrusted, and who has many responsibilities.

Homer
Miserable mortals who, like leaves, at one moment flame with life, eating the produce of the land, and at another moment weakly perish.

Homer
This is the way
the gods ordained the destiny of men,
to bear such burdens in our lives, while they
feel no affliction.

Homer
A companion's words of persuasion are effective.

Homer
So from the tents and ships, a length'ning train
Spreads all the beach, and wide o'ershades the plain.
Once more attend! Avert the wasteful woe
And smile propitious — and unbend thy bow.

Homer
Zeus does not bring all men's plans to fulfillment.

Homer
A generation of men is like a generation of leaves: the wind scatters some leaves upon the ground, while others the burgeoning wood brings forth— and the season of spring comes on. So of men one generation springs forth and another ceases.

Homer
As is the generation of leaves, so is that of humanity.
The wind scatters the leaves on the ground, but the live timber
Burgeons with leaves again in the season of spring returning.
So one generation of men will grow while another dies.

Homer
In silence trailing away
by the shore of the tumbling clamorous whispering sea.

Homer
He lives not long who battles with the immortals, nor do his children prattle about his knees when he has come back from battle and the dread fray.

Homer
I could not tell nor name the multitude, not even if I had ten tongues, ten mouths, not if I had a voice unwearying and a heart of bronze were in me.

Homer
Attach a golden chain from heaven, and all of you take hold of it, you gods and goddesses, yet would you not be able to drag Zeus the most high from heaven to earth.

Homer
The force of keen reproaches let him feel,
but sheath, obedient, thy revenging steel.

Homer
The Olympian is a difficult foe to oppose.

Homer
Remembering this, he wept bitterly, lying now on his side, now on his back, now on his face.

Homer
But night is already at hand; it is well to yield to the night.

Homer
I wish that strife would vanish away from among gods and mortals, and gall, which makes a man grow angry for all his great mind, that gall of anger that swarms like smoke inside of a man's heart and becomes a thing sweeter to him by far than the dripping of honey.

Homer
Achilles' cursed anger sing, O goddess, that son of Peleus, which started a myriad sufferings for the Achaeans.

Homer
Thus at full ease, in heaps of riches rolled,
What grieves the monarch?

Homer
Nay if even in the house of Hades the dead forget their dead, yet will I even there be mindful of my dear comrade.

Homer
It is not possible to fight beyond your strength, even if you strive.

Homer
I say further, and lay my saying to your heart, you too shall live but for a little season; death and the day of your doom are close upon you, and they will lay you low by the hand of Achilles son of Aiakos.

Homer
Here on the monarch's speech Achilles broke
And furious thus, and interrupting, spoke.

Homer
They tug, they sweat, but neither gain, nor yield
One foot, one inch of the contended field.

Homer
By the ships there lies a dead man, unwept, unburied: Patroclus.

Homer
No one can hurry me down to Hades before my time, but if a man's hour is come, be he brave or be he coward, there is no escape for him when he has once been born.

Homer
Always to be bravest and to be preeminent above others.

Homer
There she met sleep, the brother of death.

Homer
It is not unseemly for a man to die fighting in defense of his country.

Homer