Here, quickly - pour a libation out to Father Zeus! Pray for a safe return from all our mortal enemies, seeing you're dead set on going down to the ships - though you go against my will. But if go you must, pray, at least

Here, quickly – pour a libation out to Father Zeus!
Pray for a safe return from all our mortal enemies,
seeing you’re dead set on going down to the ships –
though you go against my will. But if go you must,
pray, at least, to the great god of the dark storm cloud,
up there on Ida, gazing down on the whole expanse of Troy!

– Homer

The Iliad, Book 24, lines 339-344. Hecuba tries to protect her husband Priam from harm as he sets out against her wishes for the enemy Achaean camp to beg for the return of Hector’s body. She asks him to honor the gods by pouring a libation out to Zeus and praying for his safe return.

Homer Quotes