A History of the Archaic Greek World, ca. 1200-479 BCE (Blackwell History of the Ancient World) by Hall Jonathan M

Author:Hall, Jonathan M. [Hall, Jonathan M.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2013-07-07T16:00:00+00:00

Document 7.3

Another fragment of Tyrtaeus' exhortatory martial poetry, this time preserved in the fifth-century ce anthology of Stobaeus.

Take heart, for you are the progeny of unconquered Heracles – Zeus does not yet hold his neck askance – and do not fear the mass of men nor take fright, but let each man stand straight and hold his shield towards the front rank [of the enemy], reckoning life as hateful and the black spirits of death as dear as the rays of the sun. … For those who dare to stand fast with one another and advance against the front rank in hand-to-hand combat die in fewer numbers and save the people (laos) behind them, but when men tremble, all valor is lost. … For it is difficult (?) in the destructive mêlée to stab a man who flees in the back, whereas a corpse, lying in the dust with a spearhead driven into the back from behind, is a shameful thing. But let each man stand fast with legs placed well apart and both feet planted in the ground, biting his lip with his teeth, concealing his thighs and shins below and his chest and shoulders within the belly of his large shield; in his right hand let him shake his strong spear and let him nod in a fearsome manner the crest above his head. Accomplishing mighty deeds, let him learn to fight and not to stand, holding his shield, outside the range of missiles. Rather, let him come close to fight hand-to-hand with his opponent, striking him with his long spear or sword. And placing foot against foot, pushing shield against shield, and interlocking crest with crest, helmet with helmet and chest with chest, let him fight his opponent, seizing the hilt of his sword or the long spear. But you light-armed men, crouching here and there beneath your shields, throw huge rocks at them and smoothed javelins, standing close to those in full armor. (Tyrtaeus fr. 11: 1–6, 11–14, 17–38)

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