The Sleepless Night of Agamemnon and Menelaus — Homer, Iliad Book 10 (lines 1–74), Greek & English

ἄλλοι μὲν παρὰ νηυσὶν ἀριστῆες Παναχαιῶν

Now the other chieftains of the Panachaeans by the ships

εὗδον παννύχιοι μαλακῷ δεδμημένοι ὕπνῳ·

slept all night long, overcome by soft sleep;

ἀλλʼ οὐκ Ἀτρεΐδην Ἀγαμέμνονα ποιμένα λαῶν

but Agamemnon, son of Atreus, shepherd of the people, sweet sleep

ὕπνος ἔχε γλυκερὸς πολλὰ φρεσὶν ὁρμαίνοντα.

did not hold, as he pondered many things in his mind.

ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ἀστράπτῃ¹ πόσις Ἥρης ἠϋκόμοιο

And as when the husband of fair-haired Hera flashes his lightning,

τεύχων ἢ πολὺν ὄμβρον ἀθέσφατον ἠὲ χάλαζαν

devising either unspeakable heavy rain or hail

ἢ νιφετόν, ὅτε πέρ τε χιὼν ἐπάλυνεν ἀρούρας,

or snow, when the snowflake sprinkles the fields,

ἠέ ποθι πτολέμοιο μέγα στόμα πευκεδανοῖο,

or somewhere the great mouth of bitter war,

ὣς πυκίνʼ ἐν στήθεσσιν ἀνεστενάχιζʼ Ἀγαμέμνων

even so thick and fast did Agamemnon groan from the depths of his breast

νειόθεν ἐκ κραδίης, τρομέοντο δέ οἱ φρένες ἐντός.

from the bottom of his heart, and his spirit trembled within him.

ἤτοι ὅτʼ ἐς πεδίον τὸ Τρωϊκὸν ἀθρήσειε,

Indeed, whenever he looked toward the Trojan plain,

θαύμαζεν πυρὰ πολλὰ τὰ καίετο Ἰλιόθι πρὸ

he marveled at the many fires that were burning before Ilios,

αὐλῶν συρίγγων τʼ ἐνοπὴν ὅμαδόν τʼ ἀνθρώπων.

and at the sound of flutes and pipes, and the din of men.

αὐτὰρ ὅτʼ ἐς νῆάς τε ἴδοι καὶ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν,

But whenever he looked toward the ships and the host of the Achaeans,

πολλὰς ἐκ κεφαλῆς προθελύμνους ἕλκετο χαίτας

he would tear many hairs from his head by the roots,

ὑψόθʼ ἐόντι Διί, μέγα δʼ ἔστενε κυδάλιμον κῆρ.

offering them to Zeus who is on high, and his glorious heart groaned aloud.

ἥδε δέ οἱ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλὴ

And this seemed to his mind to be the best counsel,

Νέστορʼ ἔπι πρῶτον Νηλήϊον ἐλθέμεν ἀνδρῶν,

to go first to Nestor, son of Neleus, among men,

εἴ τινά οἱ σὺν μῆτιν ἀμύμονα τεκτήναιτο,

if with him he might devise some peerless plan

ἥ τις ἀλεξίκακος πᾶσιν Δαναοῖσι γένοιτο.

which might be a warder-off of evil for all the Danaans.

ὀρθωθεὶς δʼ ἔνδυνε περὶ στήθεσσι χιτῶνα,

He rose up and put the tunic about his breast,

ποσσὶ δʼ ὑπὸ λιπαροῖσιν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα,

and bound his fair sandals beneath his shining feet,

ἀμφὶ δʼ ἔπειτα δαφοινὸν ἑέσσατο δέρμα λέοντος

and thereafter clothed himself in the tawny skin of a lion,

αἴθωνος μεγάλοιο ποδηνεκές, εἵλετο δʼ ἔγχος.

fiery and great, reaching to his feet, and he took his spear.

ὣς δʼ αὔτως Μενέλαον ἔχε τρόμος· οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτῷ

Even so did trembling hold Menelaus; for neither on his

ὕπνος ἐπὶ βλεφάροισιν ἐφίζανε· μή τι πάθοιεν

eyelids did sleep settle, lest some harm should befall

Ἀργεῖοι, τοὶ δὴ ἕθεν εἵνεκα πουλὺν ἐφʼ ὑγρὴν

the Argives, who for his sake had come to Troy over the wide

ἤλυθον ἐς Τροίην πόλεμον θρασὺν ὁρμαίνοντες.

waters, planning bold war.

παρδαλέῃ μὲν πρῶτα μετάφρενον εὐρὺ κάλυψε

First he covered his broad back with a leopard’s skin,

ποικίλῃ, αὐτὰρ ἐπὶ στεφάνην κεφαλῆφιν ἀείρας

variegated, and then lifting a helmet of bronze he placed it

θήκατο χαλκείην, δόρυ δʼ εἵλετο χειρὶ παχείῃ.

upon his head, and took a spear in his stout hand.

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν ἀνστήσων ὃν ἀδελφεόν, ὃς μέγα πάντων

And he went to rouse his brother, who ruled mightily over all

Ἀργείων ἤνασσε, θεὸς δʼ ὣς τίετο δήμῳ.

the Argives, and was honored by the people as a god.

τὸν δʼ εὗρʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι τιθήμενον ἔντεα καλὰ

He found him putting his fair armor about his shoulders

νηῒ πάρα πρύμνῃ· τῷ δʼ ἀσπάσιος γένετʼ ἐλθών.

by the stern of his ship; and welcome to him was his brother’s coming.

τὸν πρότερος προσέειπε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος·

To him Menelaus, good at the war-cry, spoke first:

τίφθʼ οὕτως ἠθεῖε κορύσσεαι; ἦ τινʼ ἑταίρων

”Why are you arming thus, my honored brother? Is it that you would urge

ὀτρυνέεις Τρώεσσιν ἐπίσκοπον; ἀλλὰ μάλʼ αἰνῶς

some companion to be a spy upon the Trojans? Yet terribly

δείδω μὴ οὔ τίς τοι ὑπόσχηται τόδε ἔργον

do I fear lest no one will promise you this deed,

ἄνδρας δυσμενέας σκοπιαζέμεν οἶος ἐπελθὼν

to go all alone and spy upon hostile men

νύκτα διʼ ἀμβροσίην· μάλα τις θρασυκάρδιος ἔσται.

through the ambrosial night; very stout-hearted must that man be.”

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων·

And in answer to him spoke lord Agamemnon:

χρεὼ βουλῆς ἐμὲ καὶ σὲ διοτρεφὲς ὦ Μενέλαε

”Need of counsel have I and you, Menelaus, reared of Zeus—

κερδαλέης, ἥ τίς κεν ἐρύσσεται ἠδὲ σαώσει

of a cunning counsel that shall protect and save

Ἀργείους καὶ νῆας, ἐπεὶ Διὸς ἐτράπετο φρήν.

the Argives and the ships, since the mind of Zeus is turned.

Ἑκτορέοις ἄρα μᾶλλον ἐπὶ φρένα θῆχʼ ἱεροῖσιν·

On the holy offerings of Hector, it seems, he has rather set his heart;

οὐ² γάρ πω ἰδόμην, οὐδʼ ἔκλυον αὐδήσαντος

for never yet have I seen, nor heard any man tell,

ἄνδρʼ ἕνα τοσσάδε μέρμερʼ ἐπʼ ἤματι μητίσασθαι,

that one man devised so many terrible deeds in a single day

ὅσσʼ Ἕκτωρ ἔρρεξε Διῒ φίλος υἷας Ἀχαιῶν

as Hector, beloved of Zeus, has wrought upon the sons of the Achaeans,

αὔτως, οὔτε θεᾶς υἱὸς φίλος οὔτε θεοῖο.

by himself, though he is neither the son of a goddess nor of a god.

ἔργα δʼ ἔρεξʼ ὅσα φημὶ μελησέμεν Ἀργείοισι

And he has done deeds that I say will be a sorrow to the Argives

δηθά τε καὶ δολιχόν· τόσα γὰρ κακὰ μήσατʼ Ἀχαιούς.

long and late; so many evils has he devised against the Achaeans.

ἀλλʼ ἴθι νῦν Αἴαντα καὶ Ἰδομενῆα κάλεσσον

But go now, call Ajax and Idomeneus,

ῥίμφα θέων παρὰ νῆας· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐπὶ Νέστορα δῖον

running swiftly along the ships; but I will go to noble Nestor,

εἶμι, καὶ ὀτρυνέω ἀνστήμεναι, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν

and urge him to rise, if he will

ἐλθεῖν ἐς φυλάκων ἱερὸν τέλος ἠδʼ ἐπιτεῖλαι.

go to the sacred outpost of the guards and give them charge.

κείνῳ γάρ κε μάλιστα πιθοίατο· τοῖο γὰρ υἱὸς

For to him they would most readily listen, since his son

σημαίνει φυλάκεσσι καὶ Ἰδομενῆος ὀπάων

commands the guards, along with Meriones, the squire of Idomeneus;

Μηριόνης· τοῖσιν γὰρ ἐπετράπομέν γε μάλιστα.

for to them we especially entrusted this charge.”

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος·

And to him in turn Menelaus, good at the war-cry, made answer:

πῶς γάρ μοι μύθῳ ἐπιτέλλεαι ἠδὲ κελεύεις;

”How then do you charge and command me in this word?

αὖθι μένω μετὰ τοῖσι δεδεγμένος εἰς ὅ κεν ἔλθῃς,

Shall I remain there with them, waiting until you come,

ἦε θέω μετὰ σʼ αὖτις, ἐπὴν εὖ τοῖς ἐπιτείλω;

or shall I run back to you again, when I have given them clear charge?”

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων,

And to him in turn spoke Agamemnon, king of men:

αὖθι μένειν, μή πως ἀβροτάξομεν³ ἀλλήλοιιν

”Remain there, lest by any means we miss one another

ἐρχομένω· πολλαὶ γὰρ ἀνὰ στρατόν εἰσι κέλευθοι.

as we go; for there are many paths through the camp.

φθέγγεο δʼ ᾗ κεν ἴῃσθα καὶ ἐγρήγορθαι ἄνωχθι

And speak aloud wherever you go, and bid them be awake,

πατρόθεν ἐκ γενεῆς ὀνομάζων ἄνδρα ἕκαστον

calling each man by his name, from his father’s lineage,

πάντας κυδαίνων· μηδὲ μεγαλίζεο θυμῷ,

giving honor to all; and do not be proud in your heart,

ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοί περ πονεώμεθα· ὧδέ που ἄμμι

but let us ourselves also labor; even so, I suppose,

Ζεὺς ἐπὶ γιγνομένοισιν ἵει κακότητα βαρεῖαν.

Zeus laid heavy trouble upon us at our birth.”

ὣς εἰπὼν ἀπέπεμπεν ἀδελφεὸν εὖ ἐπιτείλας·

So saying he sent his brother away, having given him clear charge;

αὐτὰρ ὃ βῆ ῥʼ ἰέναι μετὰ Νέστορα ποιμένα λαῶν·

but he himself went after Nestor, shepherd of the people.

τὸν δʼ εὗρεν παρά τε κλισίῃ καὶ νηῒ μελαίνῃ

And he found him beside his hut and his black ship,

Syntax notes3 items

10.5ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ἀστράπτῃ
A long simile structured with ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ... ὣς. The subjunctive ἀστράπτῃ, combined with ἄν, indicates a general or hypothetical condition, emphasizing the irregular recurrence of natural phenomena.
10.39δείδω μὴ οὐ
The phrase μὴ οὐ following the verb of fearing δείδω expresses a strong apprehension that something might not happen ("I fear lest someone may not promise"). It is followed by the subjunctive ὑπόσχηται.
10.65ἀβροτάξομεν
First-person plural aorist subjunctive active. It features the short-vowel (ο) subjunctive characteristic of Epic Greek, standing instead of the standard form ἀβροτάξωμεν.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:10.1-10.74