- 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-grc2:1.271-1.337
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Nestor's attempt at mediation fails, and Agamemnon and Achilles dissolve the assembly in hostility. While Agamemnon dispatches a ship to return Chryseis and orders the purification of the army, he also sends heralds to seize Briseis from Achilles, who receives them without blame but commands Patroclus to surrender her.
καὶ μαχόμην κατʼ ἔμʼ αὐτὸν ἐγώ· κείνοισι δʼ ἂν οὔ τις
And I fought on my own account; and with them
τῶν οἳ νῦν βροτοί εἰσιν ἐπιχθόνιοι μαχέοιτο·1
no one of those who are now mortal men on earth could fight.
καὶ μέν μευ βουλέων ξύνιεν πείθοντό τε μύθῳ·
And indeed they listened to my counsels and obeyed my word.
ἀλλὰ πίθεσθε καὶ ὔμμες, ἐπεὶ πείθεσθαι ἄμεινον·
But do you also obey, since to obey is better.
μήτε σὺ τόνδʼ ἀγαθός περ ἐὼν ἀποαίρεο κούρην,
Neither do you, though you are noble, take away the girl from him,
ἀλλʼ ἔα ὥς οἱ πρῶτα δόσαν γέρας υἷες Ἀχαιῶν·
but let her be, as the sons of the Achaeans first gave her to him as a prize;
μήτε σὺ Πηλείδη ἔθελʼ ἐριζέμεναι βασιλῆϊ
nor do you, son of Peleus, wish to strive with the king
ἀντιβίην, ἐπεὶ οὔ ποθʼ ὁμοίης ἔμμορε τιμῆς
in opposition, since never does a scepter-bearing king,
σκηπτοῦχος βασιλεύς, ᾧ τε Ζεὺς κῦδος ἔδωκεν.
to whom Zeus has given glory, possess a similar share of honor.
εἰ δὲ σὺ καρτερός ἐσσι θεὰ δέ σε γείνατο μήτηρ,
Even if you are strong and a goddess mother bore you,
ἀλλʼ ὅ γε φέρτερός ἐστιν ἐπεὶ πλεόνεσσιν ἀνάσσει.
yet he is superior, since he rules over more people.
Ἀτρεΐδη σὺ δὲ παῦε τεὸν μένος· αὐτὰρ ἔγωγε
Son of Atreus, cease your anger; and I indeed
λίσσομʼ Ἀχιλλῆϊ μεθέμεν χόλον,2 ὃς μέγα πᾶσιν
entreat you to remit your anger against Achilles, who for all
ἕρκος Ἀχαιοῖσιν πέλεται πολέμοιο κακοῖο.
the Achaeans is a great bulwark against evil war.”
τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων·
Then ruling Agamemnon answered him and said:
ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε πάντα γέρον κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες·
”Yes, indeed, all these things, old man, you have spoken rightly.
ἀλλʼ ὅδʼ ἀνὴρ ἐθέλει περὶ πάντων ἔμμεναι ἄλλων,
But this man wishes to be above all other men;
πάντων μὲν κρατέειν ἐθέλει, πάντεσσι δʼ ἀνάσσειν,
he wishes to rule over all, and to lord it over all,
πᾶσι δὲ σημαίνειν, ἅ τινʼ οὐ πείσεσθαι ὀΐω·
and to give orders to all, which I think there is one who will not obey.
εἰ δέ μιν αἰχμητὴν ἔθεσαν θεοὶ αἰὲν ἐόντες
If the gods who exist forever made him a warrior,
τοὔνεκά οἱ προθέουσιν3 ὀνείδεα μυθήσασθαι;
do they therefore permit him to speak insults?”
τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑποβλήδην ἠμείβετο δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·
Then noble Achilles answered him, interrupting:
ἦ γάρ κεν δειλός τε καὶ οὐτιδανὸς καλεοίμην
”Indeed I would be called a coward and a nonentity
εἰ δὴ σοὶ πᾶν ἔργον ὑπείξομαι ὅττί κεν εἴπῃς·
if I yield to you in every matter, whatever you may say.
ἄλλοισιν δὴ ταῦτʼ ἐπιτέλλεο, μὴ γὰρ ἔμοιγε
Lay these commands on others, but do not
σήμαινʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγʼ ἔτι σοὶ πείσεσθαι ὀΐω.
give orders to me; for I do not think I will obey you any longer.
ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσι·
And another thing I will tell you, and do you lay it to your heart:
χερσὶ μὲν οὔ τοι ἔγωγε μαχήσομαι εἵνεκα κούρης
with my hands I will not fight for the sake of the girl
οὔτε σοὶ οὔτέ τῳ ἄλλῳ, ἐπεί μʼ ἀφέλεσθέ γε δόντες·
either with you or with any other, since you who gave her have taken her away.
τῶν δʼ ἄλλων ἅ μοί ἐστι θοῇ παρὰ νηῒ μελαίνῃ
But of the other things that are mine by my swift black ship,
τῶν οὐκ ἄν τι φέροις ἀνελὼν ἀέκοντος ἐμεῖο·4
of these you could take nothing away against my will.
εἰ δʼ ἄγε μὴν πείρησαι ἵνα γνώωσι καὶ οἵδε·
Come now, try, so that these men also may know;
αἶψά τοι αἷμα κελαινὸν ἐρωήσει περὶ δουρί.
quickly your dark blood shall flow around my spear.”
ὣς τώ γʼ ἀντιβίοισι μαχεσσαμένω ἐπέεσσιν
Thus these two, having fought with opposing words,
ἀνστήτην, λῦσαν δʼ ἀγορὴν παρὰ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν·
arose, and dissolved the assembly by the ships of the Achaeans.
Πηλεΐδης μὲν ἐπὶ κλισίας καὶ νῆας ἐΐσας
The son of Peleus went to his shelters and well-balanced ships
ἤϊε σύν τε Μενοιτιάδῃ καὶ οἷς ἑτάροισιν·
with the son of Menoetius and his companions.
Ἀτρεΐδης δʼ ἄρα νῆα θοὴν ἅλα δὲ προέρυσσεν,
And the son of Atreus launched a swift ship into the sea,
ἐν δʼ ἐρέτας ἔκρινεν ἐείκοσιν, ἐς δʼ ἑκατόμβην
and chose twenty rowers for her, and put a hecatomb on board
βῆσε θεῷ, ἀνὰ δὲ Χρυσηΐδα καλλιπάρῃον
for the god, and led the fair-cheeked Chryseis
εἷσεν ἄγων· ἐν δʼ ἀρχὸς ἔβη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς.
and seated her; and Odysseus of many wiles went on board as leader.
οἳ μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἀναβάντες ἐπέπλεον ὑγρὰ κέλευθα,
So they embarked and sailed over the watery paths.
λαοὺς δʼ Ἀτρεΐδης ἀπολυμαίνεσθαι ἄνωγεν·
And the son of Atreus ordered the people to purify themselves.
οἳ δʼ ἀπελυμαίνοντο καὶ εἰς ἅλα λύματα βάλλον,
And they purified themselves and cast the offscourings into the sea,
ἕρδον δʼ Ἀπόλλωνι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας
and offered to Apollo perfect hecatombs
ταύρων ἠδʼ αἰγῶν παρὰ θῖνʼ ἁλὸς ἀτρυγέτοιο·
of bulls and goats by the shore of the barren sea;
κνίση δʼ οὐρανὸν ἷκεν ἑλισσομένη περὶ καπνῷ.
and the savor went up to heaven, swirling with the smoke.
ὣς οἳ μὲν τὰ πένοντο κατὰ στρατόν· οὐδʼ Ἀγαμέμνων
Thus they were busied with these things through the camp; but Agamemnon
λῆγʼ ἔριδος τὴν πρῶτον ἐπηπείλησʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ,
did not cease from the strife which he had first threatened against Achilles,
ἀλλʼ ὅ γε Ταλθύβιόν τε καὶ Εὐρυβάτην προσέειπε,
but he spoke to Talthybius and Eurybates,
τώ οἱ ἔσαν κήρυκε καὶ ὀτρηρὼ θεράποντε·
who were his heralds and active attendants:
ἔρχεσθον κλισίην Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος·
”Go to the shelter of Achilles, son of Peleus;
χειρὸς ἑλόντʼ ἀγέμεν Βρισηΐδα καλλιπάρῃον·
take the fair-cheeked Briseis by the hand and bring her here.
εἰ δέ κε μὴ δώῃσιν ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι
If he does not give her, I will go myself and take her,
ἐλθὼν σὺν πλεόνεσσι· τό οἱ καὶ ῥίγιον ἔσται.
going with more men; and that will be even more horrible for him.”
ὣς εἰπὼν προΐει, κρατερὸν δʼ ἐπὶ μῦθον ἔτελλε·
So saying, he sent them away, and laid a strong command upon them.
τὼ δʼ ἀέκοντε βάτην παρὰ θῖνʼ ἁλὸς ἀτρυγέτοιο,
And the two went unwillingly along the shore of the barren sea,
Μυρμιδόνων δʼ ἐπί τε κλισίας καὶ νῆας ἱκέσθην,
and came to the shelters and ships of the Myrmidons,
τὸν δʼ εὗρον παρά τε κλισίῃ καὶ νηῒ μελαίνῃ
and found him sitting by his shelter and his black ship;
ἥμενον· οὐδʼ ἄρα τώ γε ἰδὼν γήθησεν Ἀχιλλεύς.
and Achilles did not rejoice when he saw them.
τὼ μὲν ταρβήσαντε καὶ αἰδομένω βασιλῆα
The two, fearing and showing reverence to the king,
στήτην, οὐδέ τί μιν προσεφώνεον οὐδʼ ἐρέοντο·
stood, and did not address him at all nor ask him anything;
αὐτὰρ ὃ ἔγνω ᾗσιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ φώνησέν τε·
but he knew in his mind, and spoke:
χαίρετε κήρυκες Διὸς ἄγγελοι ἠδὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν,
”Welcome, heralds, messengers of Zeus and of men,
ἆσσον ἴτʼ· οὔ τί μοι ὔμμες ἐπαίτιοι ἀλλʼ Ἀγαμέμνων,
draw near; you are not at all guilty in my eyes, but Agamemnon is,
ὃ σφῶϊ προΐει Βρισηΐδος εἵνεκα κούρης.
who sent you two for the sake of the girl Briseis.
ἀλλʼ ἄγε διογενὲς Πατρόκλεες ἔξαγε κούρην
But come, Zeus-born Patroclus, bring out the girl
- 1.271κείνοισι δʼ ἂν οὔ τις... μαχέοιτο
A potential optative construction (optative + ἄν). The subject represents the current generation of mortal men (οὔ τις τῶν οἳ νῦν βροτοί εἰσιν ἐπιχθόνιοι), contrasting their strength to emphasize that no contemporary could stand against the heroes of old.
- 1.283μεθέμεν χόλον
Infinitive of μεθίημι (to let go, remit anger). The dative Ἀχιλλῆϊ can be interpreted as either the object of the anger ('against Achilles') or as a dative of interest ('for the sake of Achilles'). The former, asking Agamemnon to remit his anger against Achilles, fits the context best.
- 1.291προθέουσιν
A disputed form. It is generally understood as the 3rd person plural present of προτίθημι (to propose, permit) in its Ionic/epic form, meaning 'do they permit him (to speak insults)?'. Alternatively, it is taken from προθέω (to run forward), meaning 'do insults run forward from him?'. The former interpretation of permission is syntactically more coherent here.
- 1.301ἀέκοντος ἐμεῖο
A genitive absolute construction consisting of the personal pronoun alone without an explicit participle (ὤν being omitted). It functions circumstantially to mean 'against my will' or 'I being unwilling'.