The Wrath of Achilles and Athena's Intervention — Homer, Iliad Book 1 (lines 138–203), Greek & English

138

ἢ τεὸν ἢ Αἴαντος ἰὼν γέρας, ἢ Ὀδυσῆος

Or indeed I will go and take either your prize, or that of Ajax, or that of Odysseus

ἄξω ἑλών· ὃ δέ κεν κεχολώσεται ὅν κεν ἵκωμαι.¹

and lead it away; and he whom I visit will be angered.

140

ἀλλʼ ἤτοι μὲν ταῦτα μεταφρασόμεσθα καὶ αὖτις,

But indeed we will consider these things again hereafter,

νῦν δʼ ἄγε νῆα μέλαιναν ἐρύσσομεν εἰς ἅλα δῖαν,

but now let us draw a black ship into the divine sea,

ἐν δʼ ἐρέτας ἐπιτηδὲς ἀγείρομεν, ἐς δʼ ἑκατόμβην

and let us gather suitable rowers within, and place a hecatomb

θείομεν, ἂν δʼ αὐτὴν Χρυσηΐδα καλλιπάρῃον

on board, and let us make beautiful-cheeked Chryseis herself

βήσομεν· εἷς δέ τις ἀρχὸς ἀνὴρ βουληφόρος ἔστω,

embark; and let there be one counselor as leader,

145

ἢ Αἴας ἢ Ἰδομενεὺς ἢ δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

either Ajax, or Idomeneus, or noble Odysseus,

ἠὲ σὺ Πηλεΐδη πάντων ἐκπαγλότατʼ ἀνδρῶν,

or you, son of Peleus, most terrifying of all men,

ὄφρʼ ἥμιν ἑκάεργον ἱλάσσεαι ἱερὰ ῥέξας.

so that you may appease the far-worker for us by performing sacrifices.”

τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·

Then looking at him fiercely swift-footed Achilles addressed him:

ὤ μοι ἀναιδείην ἐπιειμένε κερδαλεόφρον

”Ah me, clothed in shamelessness, minded for gain,

150

πῶς τίς τοι πρόφρων ἔπεσιν πείθηται² Ἀχαιῶν

how shall any of the Achaeans readily obey your words

ἢ ὁδὸν ἐλθέμεναι ἢ ἀνδράσιν ἶφι μάχεσθαι;

either to go on a journey or to fight mightily against men?

οὐ γὰρ ἐγὼ Τρώων ἕνεκʼ ἤλυθον αἰχμητάων

For I did not come here because of the spear-wielding Trojans

δεῦρο μαχησόμενος, ἐπεὶ οὔ τί μοι αἴτιοί εἰσιν·

to fight, since they are in no way to blame as far as I am concerned;

οὐ γὰρ πώποτʼ ἐμὰς βοῦς ἤλασαν οὐδὲ μὲν ἵππους,

for never yet did they drive away my cattle nor my horses,

155

οὐδέ ποτʼ ἐν Φθίῃ ἐριβώλακι βωτιανείρῃ

nor did they ever in deep-soiled Phthia, breeder of men,

καρπὸν ἐδηλήσαντʼ, ἐπεὶ ἦ μάλα πολλὰ μεταξὺ

damage the harvest, since indeed very many

οὔρεά τε σκιόεντα θάλασσά τε ἠχήεσσα·

shadowy mountains and the sounding sea lie between;

ἀλλὰ σοὶ ὦ μέγʼ ἀναιδὲς ἅμʼ ἑσπόμεθʼ ὄφρα σὺ χαίρῃς,

but we followed you, O greatly shameless one, so that you might rejoice,

τιμὴν ἀρνύμενοι Μενελάῳ σοί τε κυνῶπα

seeking to win recompense from the Trojans for Menelaus and for you, dog-faced one;

160

πρὸς Τρώων· τῶν οὔ τι μετατρέπῃ οὐδʼ ἀλεγίζεις·

of these things you take no turn nor care;

καὶ δή μοι γέρας αὐτὸς ἀφαιρήσεσθαι ἀπειλεῖς,

and now indeed you threaten that you yourself will take away my prize,

ᾧ ἔπι πολλὰ μόγησα, δόσαν δέ μοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν.

for which I labored much, and which the sons of the Achaeans gave to me.

οὐ μὲν σοί ποτε ἶσον ἔχω γέρας ὁππότʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

Never indeed do I have a prize equal to yours whenever the Achaeans

Τρώων ἐκπέρσωσʼ εὖ ναιόμενον πτολίεθρον·

sack a well-inhabited city of the Trojans;

165

ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν πλεῖον πολυάϊκος πολέμοιο

but my hands direct the greater part of the furious war;

χεῖρες ἐμαὶ διέπουσʼ· ἀτὰρ ἤν ποτε δασμὸς ἵκηται,

yet if ever a distribution comes,

σοὶ τὸ γέρας πολὺ μεῖζον, ἐγὼ δʼ ὀλίγον τε φίλον τε

your prize is much greater, while I go to my ships holding

ἔρχομʼ ἔχων ἐπὶ νῆας, ἐπεί κε κάμω πολεμίζων.

something small and dear, when I have grown weary of fighting.

νῦν δʼ εἶμι Φθίην δʼ, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερόν ἐστιν

And now I will go to Phthia, since indeed it is much better

170

οἴκαδʼ ἴμεν σὺν νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν, οὐδέ σʼ ὀΐω

to go home with my curved ships, nor do I think

ἐνθάδʼ ἄτιμος ἐὼν ἄφενος καὶ πλοῦτον ἀφύξειν.³

that I, being dishonored here, will draw abundance and wealth for you.”

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων·

Then the king of men, Agamemnon, answered him:

φεῦγε μάλʼ εἴ τοι θυμὸς ἐπέσσυται, οὐδέ σʼ ἔγωγε

”Flee by all means if your heart urges you, nor do I

λίσσομαι εἵνεκʼ ἐμεῖο μένειν· πάρʼ ἔμοιγε καὶ ἄλλοι

entreat you to stay for my sake; other men are by my side

175

οἵ κέ με τιμήσουσι, μάλιστα δὲ μητίετα Ζεύς.

who will honor me, and most of all counseling Zeus.

ἔχθιστος δέ μοί ἐσσι διοτρεφέων βασιλήων·

You are most hateful to me of the kings nurtured by Zeus;

αἰεὶ γάρ τοι ἔρις τε φίλη πόλεμοί τε μάχαι τε·

for always strife is dear to you, and wars and battles;

εἰ μάλα καρτερός ἐσσι, θεός που σοὶ τό γʼ ἔδωκεν·

if you are very strong, a god, I think, gave this to you;

οἴκαδʼ ἰὼν σὺν νηυσί τε σῇς καὶ σοῖς ἑτάροισι

going home with your ships and your companions,

180

Μυρμιδόνεσσιν ἄνασσε, σέθεν δʼ ἐγὼ οὐκ ἀλεγίζω,

rule over the Myrmidons, but of you I take no care,

οὐδʼ ὄθομαι κοτέοντος· ἀπειλήσω δέ τοι ὧδε·

nor do I trouble about you being angry; but I will threaten you thus:

ὡς ἔμʼ ἀφαιρεῖται Χρυσηΐδα Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων,

since Phoebus Apollo is taking Chryseis from me,

τὴν μὲν ἐγὼ σὺν νηΐ τʼ ἐμῇ καὶ ἐμοῖς ἑτάροισι

her indeed I will send with my ship and my companions,

πέμψω, ἐγὼ δέ κʼ ἄγω Βρισηΐδα καλλιπάρῃον

but I will lead away beautiful-cheeked Briseis myself,

185

αὐτὸς ἰὼν κλισίην δὲ τὸ σὸν γέρας ὄφρʼ ἐῢ εἰδῇς

going to your shelter, even your prize, so that you may well know

ὅσσον φέρτερός εἰμι σέθεν, στυγέῃ δὲ καὶ ἄλλος

how much superior I am to you, and another may dread

ἶσον ἐμοὶ φάσθαι καὶ ὁμοιωθήμεναι ἄντην.

to speak as an equal with me and to liken himself to me face to face.”

ὣς φάτο· Πηλεΐωνι δʼ ἄχος γένετʼ, ἐν δέ οἱ ἦτορ

So he spoke; and grief came upon the son of Peleus, and his heart within

στήθεσσιν λασίοισι διάνδιχα μερμήριξεν,

his shaggy breast debated two ways,

190

ἢ ὅ γε φάσγανον ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ

whether he should draw his sharp sword from beside his thigh

τοὺς μὲν ἀναστήσειεν, ὃ δʼ Ἀτρεΐδην ἐναρίζοι,

and make the others rise up, and slay the son of Atreus,

ἦε χόλον παύσειεν ἐρητύσειέ τε θυμόν.

or make his anger cease and restrain his spirit.

ἧος ὃ ταῦθʼ ὥρμαινε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,

While he was pondering these things in his mind and in his spirit,

ἕλκετο δʼ ἐκ κολεοῖο μέγα ξίφος, ἦλθε δʼ Ἀθήνη

and was drawing his great sword from its sheath, Athena came

195

οὐρανόθεν· πρὸ γὰρ ἧκε θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη

from heaven; for the white-armed goddess Hera sent her ahead,

ἄμφω ὁμῶς θυμῷ φιλέουσά τε κηδομένη τε·

loving and caring for both of them alike in her heart;

στῆ δʼ ὄπιθεν, ξανθῆς δὲ κόμης ἕλε Πηλεΐωνα

she stood behind him, and by his golden hair she took the son of Peleus,

οἴῳ φαινομένη· τῶν δʼ ἄλλων οὔ τις ὁρᾶτο·

appearing to him alone; and of the others no one saw her;

θάμβησεν δʼ Ἀχιλεύς, μετὰ δʼ ἐτράπετʼ, αὐτίκα δʼ ἔγνω

and Achilles was astonished, and turned around, and immediately recognized

200

Παλλάδʼ Ἀθηναίην· δεινὼ δέ οἱ ὄσσε φάανθεν·

Pallas Athena; and her eyes flashed terribly;

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and speaking to her he addressed her with winged words:

τίπτʼ αὖτʼ αἰγιόχοιο Διὸς τέκος εἰλήλουθας;

”Why again, child of aegis-bearing Zeus, have you come?

ἦ ἵνα ὕβριν ἴδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο;

Is it so that you might see the outrage of Agamemnon, son of Atreus?”

Syntax notes3 items

1.139ὃ δέ κεν κεχολώσεται ὅν κεν ἵκωμαι
The future perfect κεχολώσεται functions here as a emphatic or immediate future expressing certainty ('he will be angered straightway'). The relative pronoun ὅν is in the accusative case as the direct object of ἵκωμαι, indicating the person to whom Agamemnon will go.
1.150πείθηται
This is a deliberative subjunctive expressing incredulity or refusal in a rhetorical question ('how could any of the Achaeans readily obey...?').
1.171ἄτιμος ἐὼν ἄφενος καὶ πλοῦτον ἀφύξειν
The participle ἄτιμος ἐὼν is in the nominative case, agreeing with the unexpressed subject of the infinitive ἀφύξειν, which is 'I' (Achilles). Thus, the meaning is 'I, being dishonored here, do not intend to draw wealth for you'.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.138-1.203