- Source
- Homer. Homeri Opera, Volumes 1-2. Monro, D. B. (David Binning), editor; Allen, Thomas W. (Thomas William), editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908-1920.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.204-1.270
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Athena persuades the enraged Achilles to sheathe his sword, leading him to fiercely denounce Agamemnon and swear a solemn oath. The aged counselor Nestor then rises to intervene, urging reconciliation by recalling the great heroes of his youth.
ἀλλʼ ἔκ τοι ἐρέω, τὸ δὲ καὶ τελέεσθαι ὀΐω·
”But I will tell you, and I think this will also be brought to pass:
ᾗς ὑπεροπλίῃσι τάχʼ ἄν ποτε θυμὸν ὀλέσσῃ.
by his own insolent acts he may soon lose his life.”
τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·
Then the flashing-eyed goddess Athena addressed him in turn:
ἦλθον ἐγὼ παύσουσα τὸ σὸν μένος, αἴ κε πίθηαι,1
”I came from heaven to stay your anger, if you will obey,
οὐρανόθεν· πρὸ δέ μʼ ἧκε θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη
and the white-armed goddess Hera sent me ahead,
ἄμφω ὁμῶς θυμῷ φιλέουσά τε κηδομένη τε·
loving and caring for both of you alike in her heart.
ἀλλʼ ἄγε λῆγʼ ἔριδος, μηδὲ ξίφος ἕλκεο χειρί·
Come, cease from strife, and do not draw the sword with your hand;
ἀλλʼ ἤτοι ἔπεσιν μὲν ὀνείδισον ὡς ἔσεταί περ·
but indeed, reproach him with words, telling him how it will be;
ὧδε γὰρ ἐξερέω, τὸ δὲ καὶ τετελεσμένον ἔσται·
for thus I will speak to you, and this shall indeed be brought to pass:
καί ποτέ τοι τρὶς τόσσα παρέσσεται ἀγλαὰ δῶρα
some day three times as many glorious gifts shall be yours
ὕβριος εἵνεκα τῆσδε· σὺ δʼ ἴσχεο, πείθεο δʼ ἡμῖν.
because of this outrage; but refrain, and obey us.”
τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
Then swift-footed Achilles answered her and said:
χρὴ μὲν σφωΐτερόν γε2 θεὰ ἔπος εἰρύσσασθαι
”It is necessary, O goddess, to observe the word of you two,
καὶ μάλα περ θυμῷ κεχολωμένον· ὧς γὰρ ἄμεινον·
even though a man be very angry in his heart; for thus it is better;
ὅς κε θεοῖς ἐπιπείθηται μάλα τʼ ἔκλυον αὐτοῦ.
whoever obeys the gods, to him they especially listen.”
ἦ καὶ ἐπʼ ἀργυρέῃ κώπῃ σχέθε χεῖρα βαρεῖαν,
He spoke, and stayed his heavy hand upon the silver hilt,
ἂψ δʼ ἐς κουλεὸν ὦσε μέγα ξίφος, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε
and back into its sheath he thrust the great sword, nor did he disobey
μύθῳ Ἀθηναίης· ἣ δʼ Οὔλυμπον δὲ βεβήκει
the word of Athena; and she had gone to Olympus,
δώματʼ ἐς αἰγιόχοιο Διὸς μετὰ δαίμονας ἄλλους.
to the palace of aegis-bearing Zeus, to join the other gods.
Πηλεΐδης δʼ ἐξαῦτις ἀταρτηροῖς ἐπέεσσιν
But the son of Peleus again with harsh words
Ἀτρεΐδην προσέειπε, καὶ οὔ πω λῆγε χόλοιο·
addressed the son of Atreus, and did not yet cease from his anger:
οἰνοβαρές, κυνὸς ὄμματʼ ἔχων, κραδίην δʼ ἐλάφοιο,
”You heavy with wine, having the eyes of a dog but the heart of a deer,
οὔτέ ποτʼ ἐς πόλεμον ἅμα λαῷ θωρηχθῆναι
never have you dared in your heart to arm yourself for war along with the host,
οὔτε λόχον δʼ ἰέναι σὺν ἀριστήεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν
nor to go into an ambush with the chiefs of the Achaeans;
τέτληκας θυμῷ· τὸ δέ τοι κὴρ εἴδεται εἶναι.
for that seems to you to be death itself.
ἦ πολὺ λώϊόν ἐστι κατὰ στρατὸν εὐρὺν Ἀχαιῶν
It is surely much better throughout the wide camp of the Achaeans
δῶρʼ ἀποαιρεῖσθαι ὅς τις σέθεν ἀντίον εἴπῃ·
to take away the gifts of whoever speaks against you,
δημοβόρος βασιλεὺς ἐπεὶ οὐτιδανοῖσιν ἀνάσσεις·
you people-devouring king, since you rule over nonentities;
ἦ γὰρ ἂν Ἀτρεΐδη νῦν ὕστατα λωβήσαιο.3
otherwise, son of Atreus, you would now outrage for the last time.
ἀλλʼ ἔκ τοι ἐρέω καὶ ἐπὶ μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμοῦμαι·
But I will speak to you, and will swear a great oath upon it:
ναὶ μὰ τόδε σκῆπτρον, τὸ μὲν οὔ ποτε φύλλα καὶ ὄζους
yea, by this scepter, which shall never put forth leaves and shoots,
φύσει, ἐπεὶ δὴ πρῶτα τομὴν ἐν ὄρεσσι λέλοιπεν,
since it first left its stump in the mountains,
οὐδʼ ἀναθηλήσει· περὶ γάρ ῥά ἑ χαλκὸς ἔλεψε
nor will it sprout again; for the bronze has stripped it
φύλλά τε καὶ φλοιόν· νῦν αὖτέ μιν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν
of leaves and bark; and now the sons of the Achaeans
ἐν παλάμῃς φορέουσι δικασπόλοι, οἵ τε θέμιστας
who administer justice bear it in their hands, they who guard the laws
πρὸς Διὸς εἰρύαται· ὃ δέ τοι μέγας ἔσσεται ὅρκος·
from Zeus; and this shall be a great oath to you:
ἦ ποτʼ Ἀχιλλῆος ποθὴ ἵξεται υἷας Ἀχαιῶν
surely some day a longing for Achilles will come upon the sons of the Achaeans
σύμπαντας· τότε δʼ οὔ τι δυνήσεαι ἀχνύμενός περ
one and all; and then you will not be able, though deeply grieving,
χραισμεῖν, εὖτʼ ἂν πολλοὶ ὑφʼ Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο
to help them at all, when many shall fall dying by the hand of man-slaying Hector;
θνήσκοντες πίπτωσι· σὺ δʼ ἔνδοθι θυμὸν ἀμύξεις
and you will gnaw your heart within you,
χωόμενος ὅ τʼ ἄριστον Ἀχαιῶν οὐδὲν ἔτισας.
angry that you did not honor the best of the Achaeans at all.”
ὣς φάτο Πηλεΐδης, ποτὶ δὲ σκῆπτρον βάλε γαίῃ
So spoke the son of Peleus, and cast the scepter to the earth
χρυσείοις ἥλοισι πεπαρμένον, ἕζετο δʼ αὐτός·
studded with golden nails, and sat down himself;
Ἀτρεΐδης δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐμήνιε· τοῖσι δὲ Νέστωρ
and the son of Atreus on the other side was raging. Then among them Nestor
ἡδυεπὴς ἀνόρουσε λιγὺς Πυλίων ἀγορητής,
of sweet speech arose, the clear-voiced orator of the Pylians,
τοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ γλώσσης μέλιτος γλυκίων ῥέεν αὐδή·
from whose tongue flowed speech sweeter than honey.
τῷ δʼ ἤδη δύο μὲν γενεαὶ μερόπων ἀνθρώπων
In his time already two generations of mortal men
ἐφθίαθʼ, οἵ οἱ πρόσθεν ἅμα τράφεν ἠδʼ ἐγένοντο
had passed away, who in former days were nurtured and born with him
ἐν Πύλῳ ἠγαθέῃ, μετὰ δὲ τριτάτοισιν ἄνασσεν·
in sacred Pylos, and he was ruling among the third.
ὅ σφιν ἐὺ φρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·
He with good intent harangued them and spoke among them:
ὦ πόποι ἦ μέγα πένθος Ἀχαιΐδα γαῖαν ἱκάνει·
”Ah, surely a great grief comes upon the Achaean land;
ἦ κεν γηθήσαι Πρίαμος Πριάμοιό τε παῖδες
surely Priam would rejoice, and the sons of Priam,
ἄλλοι τε Τρῶες μέγα κεν κεχαροίατο θυμῷ
and the other Trojans would be greatly glad in their hearts,
εἰ σφῶϊν τάδε πάντα πυθοίατο μαρναμένοιϊν,
if they should hear all these things of you two fighting,
οἳ περὶ μὲν βουλὴν Δαναῶν, περὶ δʼ ἐστὲ μάχεσθαι.4
who are superior to the Danaans in counsel, and superior in battle.
ἀλλὰ πίθεσθʼ· ἄμφω δὲ νεωτέρω ἐστὸν ἐμεῖο·
But obey; you are both younger than I;
ἤδη γάρ ποτʼ ἐγὼ καὶ ἀρείοσιν ἠέ περ ὑμῖν
for already in times past I have associated with men even better
ἀνδράσιν ὡμίλησα, καὶ οὔ ποτέ μʼ οἵ γʼ ἀθέριζον.
than you, and never did they disregard me.
οὐ γάρ πω τοίους ἴδον ἀνέρας οὐδὲ ἴδωμαι,5
For never yet have I seen such men, nor shall I ever see them,
οἷον Πειρίθοόν τε Δρύαντά τε ποιμένα λαῶν
such as Peirithoos and Dryas, shepherd of the people,
Καινέα τʼ Ἐξάδιόν τε καὶ ἀντίθεον Πολύφημον
and Caineus and Exadios and godlike Polyphemos,
Θησέα τʼ Αἰγεΐδην, ἐπιείκελον ἀθανάτοισιν·
and Theseus, son of Aegeus, like unto the immortals.
κάρτιστοι δὴ κεῖνοι ἐπιχθονίων τράφεν ἀνδρῶν·
Strongest indeed were they reared of mortal men on earth;
κάρτιστοι μὲν ἔσαν καὶ καρτίστοις ἐμάχοντο
strongest indeed they were, and with the strongest they fought,
φηρσὶν ὀρεσκῴοισι καὶ ἐκπάγλως ἀπόλεσσαν.
with the beasts that dwell in the mountains, and terribly destroyed them.
καὶ μὲν τοῖσιν ἐγὼ μεθομίλεον ἐκ Πύλου ἐλθὼν
And indeed with them I associated, when I came from Pylos,
τηλόθεν ἐξ ἀπίης γαίης· καλέσαντο γὰρ αὐτοί·
from afar, from a distant land; for they themselves called me;
- 1.207αἴ κε πίθηαι
αἴ κε is the Homeric equivalent of εἴ κεν ("if"), here introducing a conditional clause with the subjunctive middle second person singular πίθηαι ("you obey"). It expresses a mild expectation or contingency ("in the hope that you might obey").
- 1.216σφωΐτερόν γε
The second-person dual possessive adjective σφωΐτερος ("of you two") refers to both Hera (who sent Athena) and Athena herself. It modifies the accusative noun ἔπος ("word"), indicating that Achilles must respect the command of both goddesses.
- 1.232ἦ γὰρ ἂν Ἀτρεΐδη νῦν ὕστατα λωβήσαιο
The combination of the particle ἄν with the aorist optative λωβήσαιο functions in Homer to express a past contrary-to-fact potential. It suggests that, but for Athena's intervention, this would have been Agamemnon's final act of outrage.
- 1.258περὶ μὲν βουλὴν ... περὶ δʼ ἐστὲ μάχεσθαι
The preposition περί is used here adverbially or in tmesis (as if with a verb of being, like περίειμι, "to surpass"), modifying both the accusative βουλὴν ("counsel") and the infinitive μάχεσθαι ("to fight"). It emphasizes that the two leaders surpass others in both council and battle.
- 1.262οὐδέ ἴδωμαι
The subjunctive ἴδωμαι combined with the negative οὐδέ functions here to express a strong denial of a future possibility ("nor shall I ever see"). It contrasts with the past indicative ἴδον ("I saw"), emphasizing Nestor's conviction that such men will never exist again.