Original
Modern English
Hark! hark! what shout is that?
Listen! Listen! What shout is that?
Peace, drums!
Quiet, drums!
Achilles! Achilles! Hector’s slain! Achilles.
Achilles! Achilles! Hector’s dead! Achilles.
The bruit is, Hector’s slain, and by Achilles.
The rumor is, Hector’s dead, and by Achilles.
If it be so, yet bragless let it be; Great Hector was a man as good as he.
If that’s true, let it be without boasting; Great Hector was just as good a man as he.
March patiently along: let one be sent To pray Achilles see us at our tent. If in his death the gods have us befriended, Great Troy is ours, and our sharp wars are ended.
March on calmly: let someone be sent To ask Achilles to meet us at our camp. If the gods have favored us with his death, Then Troy is ours, and our fierce wars are over.