Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Friendly Fire Again
Another fictional example of "friendly fire," from Quintus Smyrnaeus, 13.155-156 (on the death of Greeks at night during the sack of Troy; tr. Frederick M. Combellack):
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Many a man doubtless hit a comrade with a stone in the confusion and mixed his skull with his brain.An attempt to avoid inflicting friendly fire, id. 13.165-167:
καί πού τις βρεχμόν τε καὶ ἐγκέφαλον συνέχευε
λᾶα βαλὼν ἑτάροιο κατὰ μόθον.
A great glare rose up through the city, because many of the Greeks held bright flares in their hands, so that they could clearly distinguish friend from foe in the conflict.Related post: Friendly Fire.
αἴγλη δ᾽ ἄσπετος ὦρτο δι᾽ ἄστεος, οὕνεκ᾽ Ἀχαιῶν
πολλοὶ ἔχον χείρεσσι πυρὸς σέλας, ὄφρ᾽ ἀνὰ δῆριν
δυσμενέας τε φίλους τε μάλ᾽ ἀτρεκέως ὁρόωσι.
