- 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-grc2:10.147-10.218
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-30
Nestor and Odysseus rouse Diomedes from his sleep, who then helps gather Ajax and Meges to inspect the awake guards. Afterward, they cross the ditch to hold a council on open ground, where Nestor proposes a dangerous reconnaissance mission into the Trojan camp.
βουλὰς βουλεύειν,1 ἢ φευγέμεν ἠὲ μάχεσθαι.
to take counsel, whether to flee or to fight.”
ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δὲ κλισίην δὲ κιὼν πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεὺς
So he spoke, and Odysseus of many devices, going to his hut,
ποικίλον ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι σάκος θέτο, βῆ δὲ μετʼ αὐτούς.
put his variegated shield about his shoulders, and went after them.
βὰν δʼ ἐπὶ Τυδεΐδην Διομήδεα· τὸν δὲ κίχανον
And they went to Diomedes, son of Tydeus; and they found him
ἐκτὸς ἀπὸ κλισίης σὺν τεύχεσιν· ἀμφὶ δʼ ἑταῖροι
outside his hut with his armor; and around him his companions
εὗδον, ὑπὸ κρασὶν δʼ ἔχον ἀσπίδας· ἔγχεα δέ σφιν
were sleeping, having their shields under their heads; and their spears
ὄρθʼ ἐπὶ σαυρωτῆρος ἐλήλατο, τῆλε δὲ χαλκὸς
were driven straight on their spikes, and far off the bronze
λάμφʼ ὥς τε στεροπὴ πατρὸς Διός· αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἥρως
flashed like the lightning of father Zeus; but the hero himself
εὗδʼ, ὑπὸ δʼ ἔστρωτο ῥινὸν βοὸς ἀγραύλοιο,
was sleeping, and under him was spread the hide of an ox of the field,
αὐτὰρ ὑπὸ κράτεσφι τάπης τετάνυστο φαεινός.
and under his head a bright rug was stretched.
τὸν παρστὰς ἀνέγειρε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ,
Standing by him, Gerenian horseman Nestor woke him,
λὰξ ποδὶ κινήσας, ὄτρυνέ τε νείκεσέ τʼ ἄντην·
stirring him with his foot, and rouses him and chided him to his face:
ἔγρεο Τυδέος υἱέ· τί πάννυχον ὕπνον ἀωτεῖς;2
”Awake, son of Tydeus! Why do you indulge in all-night sleep?
οὐκ ἀΐεις ὡς Τρῶες ἐπὶ θρωσμῷ πεδίοιο
Do you not hear how the Trojans on the rise of the plain
εἵαται ἄγχι νεῶν, ὀλίγος δʼ ἔτι χῶρος ἐρύκει;
sit near the ships, and only a little space keeps them off?”
ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δʼ ἐξ ὕπνοιο μάλα κραιπνῶς ἀνόρουσε,
So he spoke, and he started up very quickly from sleep,
καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
and speaking to him, addressed him with winged words:
σχέτλιός ἐσσι γεραιέ· σὺ μὲν πόνου οὔ ποτε λήγεις.
”Hardy are you, old man; you never cease from toil.
οὔ νυ καὶ ἄλλοι ἔασι νεώτεροι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν
Are there not also other younger sons of the Achaeans,
οἵ κεν ἔπειτα ἕκαστον ἐγείρειαν βασιλήων
who might then rouse each of the kings,
πάντῃ ἐποιχόμενοι; σὺ δʼ ἀμήχανός ἐσσι γεραιέ.
going everywhere? But you are impossible to deal with, old man.”
τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·
To him in turn spoke Gerenian horseman Nestor:
ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε πάντα φίλος κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες.
”Yes indeed, all these things, my friend, you have spoken fitly.
εἰσὶν μέν μοι παῖδες ἀμύμονες, εἰσὶ δὲ λαοὶ
For I have noble sons, and I have people,
καὶ πολέες, τῶν κέν τις ἐποιχόμενος καλέσειεν·
and many of them, any of whom might go and call them;
ἀλλὰ μάλα μεγάλη χρειὼ βεβίηκεν Ἀχαιούς.
but a very great need has overcome the Achaeans.
νῦν γὰρ δὴ πάντεσσιν ἐπὶ ξυροῦ ἵσταται ἀκμῆς3
For now indeed it stands for all on the edge of a razor,
ἢ μάλα λυγρὸς ὄλεθρος Ἀχαιοῖς ἠὲ βιῶναι.
either a most grievous destruction for the Achaeans or to live.
ἀλλʼ ἴθι νῦν Αἴαντα ταχὺν καὶ Φυλέος υἱὸν
But go now, rouse swift Ajax and the son of Phyleus,
ἄνστησον· σὺ γάρ ἐσσι νεώτερος· εἴ μʼ ἐλεαίρεις.4
for you are younger—if you pity me.”
ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισιν ἑέσσατο δέρμα λέοντος
So he spoke, and the other put about his shoulders the skin of a lion,
αἴθωνος μεγάλοιο ποδηνεκές, εἵλετο δʼ ἔγχος.
tawny and large, reaching to his feet, and took his spear.
βῆ δʼ ἰέναι, τοὺς δʼ ἔνθεν ἀναστήσας ἄγεν ἥρως.
And the hero went, and having roused them from there, led them.
οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ φυλάκεσσιν ἐν ἀγρομένοισιν ἔμιχθεν,
And when they came among the gathered guards,
οὐδὲ μὲν εὕδοντας φυλάκων ἡγήτορας εὗρον,
they did not find the leaders of the guards sleeping,
ἀλλʼ ἐγρηγορτὶ σὺν τεύχεσιν εἵατο πάντες.
but all were sitting awake with their weapons.
ὡς δὲ κύνες περὶ μῆλα δυσωρήσωνται5 ἐν αὐλῇ
And as dogs keep anxious watch about sheep in a fold,
θηρὸς ἀκούσαντες κρατερόφρονος, ὅς τε καθʼ ὕλην
having heard a wild beast of strong mind, which through the wood
ἔρχηται διʼ ὄρεσφι· πολὺς δʼ ὀρυμαγδὸς ἐπʼ αὐτῷ
comes through the mountains; and a great clamor rises against him
ἀνδρῶν ἠδὲ κυνῶν, ἀπό τέ σφισιν ὕπνος ὄλωλεν·
of men and of dogs, and sleep is destroyed from them;
ὣς τῶν νήδυμος ὕπνος ἀπὸ βλεφάροιιν ὀλώλει
so from their eyelids sweet sleep was destroyed,
νύκτα φυλασσομένοισι κακήν· πεδίον δὲ γὰρ αἰεὶ
as they watched through the evil night; for always toward the plain
τετράφαθʼ, ὁππότʼ ἐπὶ Τρώων ἀΐοιεν ἰόντων.
they turned, whenever they heard the Trojans coming.
τοὺς δʼ ὃ γέρων γήθησεν ἰδὼν θάρσυνέ τε μύθῳ
And the old man rejoiced seeing them, and encouraged them with words,
καί σφεας φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
and speaking to them, addressed them with winged words:
οὕτω νῦν φίλα τέκνα φυλάσσετε· μηδέ τινʼ ὕπνος
”Thus now, dear children, keep watch; and let not sleep
αἱρείτω, μὴ χάρμα γενώμεθα δυσμενέεσσιν.
seize any, lest we become a joy to our enemies.”
ὣς εἰπὼν τάφροιο διέσσυτο· τοὶ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕποντο
So saying, he hastened through the ditch; and they followed with him,
Ἀργείων βασιλῆες ὅσοι κεκλήατο βουλήν.
the kings of the Argives, as many as had been called to the council.
τοῖς δʼ ἅμα Μηριόνης καὶ Νέστορος ἀγλαὸς υἱὸς
And with them Meriones and the glorious son of Nestor
ἤϊσαν· αὐτοὶ γὰρ κάλεον συμμητιάασθαι.
went; for they themselves called them to take counsel together.
τάφρον δʼ ἐκδιαβάντες ὀρυκτὴν ἑδριόωντο
And having crossed the dug ditch, they sat down
ἐν καθαρῷ, ὅθι δὴ νεκύων διεφαίνετο χῶρος
in an open space, where the ground appeared clear of the dead
πιπτόντων· ὅθεν αὖτις ἀπετράπετʼ ὄβριμος Ἕκτωρ
who had fallen; from where mighty Hector had turned back again,
ὀλλὺς Ἀργείους, ὅτε δὴ περὶ νὺξ ἐκάλυψεν.
destroying the Argives, when night wrapped herself around.
ἔνθα καθεζόμενοι ἔπεʼ ἀλλήλοισι πίφαυσκον·
Sitting there, they spoke words to one another;
τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·
and Gerenian horseman Nestor began the discourse among them:
ὦ φίλοι οὐκ ἂν δή τις ἀνὴρ πεπίθοιθʼ ἑῷ αὐτοῦ
”O friends, would not some man trust his own
θυμῷ τολμήεντι μετὰ Τρῶας μεγαθύμους
daring heart to go among the great-hearted Trojans,
ἐλθεῖν, εἴ τινά που δηΐων ἕλοι ἐσχατόωντα,
if he might capture some of the enemy at the edge,
ἤ τινά που καὶ φῆμιν ἐνὶ Τρώεσσι πύθοιτο,
or perhaps even learn some rumor among the Trojans,
ἅσσά τε μητιόωσι μετὰ σφίσιν, ἢ μεμάασιν
what they are planning among themselves, whether they desire
αὖθι μένειν παρὰ νηυσὶν ἀπόπροθεν, ἦε πόλιν δὲ
to remain here far off by the ships, or to the city
ἂψ ἀναχωρήσουσιν, ἐπεὶ δαμάσαντό γʼ Ἀχαιούς.
will withdraw back again, since they have subdued the Achaeans?
ταῦτά κε πάντα πύθοιτο, καὶ ἂψ εἰς ἡμέας ἔλθοι
All these things he might learn, and come back to us
ἀσκηθής· μέγα κέν οἱ ὑπουράνιον κλέος εἴη
unharmed; great would be his fame under heaven
πάντας ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους, καί οἱ δόσις ἔσσεται ἐσθλή·
among all men, and he shall have a goodly gift;
ὅσσοι γὰρ νήεσσιν ἐπικρατέουσιν ἄριστοι
for as many chieftains as hold power over the ships,
τῶν πάντων οἱ ἕκαστος ὄϊν δώσουσι μέλαιναν
of all these each one will give him a black ewe,
θῆλυν ὑπόρρηνον· τῇ μὲν κτέρας οὐδὲν ὁμοῖον,
female, with a lamb at her breast; to which no possession is equal,
αἰεὶ δʼ ἐν δαίτῃσι καὶ εἰλαπίνῃσι παρέσται.
and always at feasts and banquets he shall be present.”
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ.
So he spoke, and they all became hushed in silence.
- 10.147βουλὰς βουλεύειν
This infinitive phrase either depends directly on ἐπέοικε ("it is fitting") in line 146 or acts as an infinitive of purpose ("in order to take counsel").
- 10.159ὕπνον ἀωτεῖς
An idiomatic expression consisting of ἄωτο / ἀωτέω ("to pluck the flower of," "to gather") and ὕπνον ("sleep") as a cognate accusative, implying deep, self-indulgent sleep.
- 10.173ἐπὶ ξυροῦ ἵσταται ἀκμῆς
A famous idiomatic expression ("standing on the edge of a razor"), signifying an extreme crisis or being on the threshold between life and death.
- 10.176εἴ μʼ ἐλεαίρεις
A conditional clause following the imperative ἄνστησον ("rouse"), functioning pragmatically as a polite formula of entreaty or request ("if you pity me, please do this").
- 10.183δυσωρήσωνται
The subjunctive in a simile introduced by ὡς. In Homeric Greek, the aorist subjunctive (frequently without ἄν) is often used in similes to depict a generic and vivid scenario.