- 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-grc2:10.361-10.433
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-30
Diomedes and Odysseus pursue and capture the fleeing Dolon, who begs for his life. Under interrogation by Odysseus, Dolon reveals Hector's plans and the detailed positions and guard arrangements of the Trojans and their allies.
ἢ κεμάδʼ ἠὲ λαγωὸν ἐπείγετον ἐμμενὲς αἰεὶ
Or as when two sharp-toothed hounds, skilled in the chase, ever press hard upon a fawn or a hare
χῶρον ἀνʼ ὑλήενθʼ, ὃ δέ τε προθέῃσι μεμηκώς,
through a wooded place, and it runs ahead crying,
ὣς τὸν Τυδεΐδης ἠδʼ ὃ πτολίπορθος Ὀδυσσεὺς
so the son of Tydeus and Odysseus, sacker of cities,
λαοῦ ἀποτμήξαντε διώκετον ἐμμενὲς αἰεί.
having cut him off from the host, pursued him continually.
ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τάχʼ ἔμελλε μιγήσεσθαι φυλάκεσσι
But when he was soon about to mingle with the guards,
φεύγων ἐς νῆας, τότε δὴ μένος ἔμβαλʼ Ἀθήνη
fleeing toward the ships, then indeed Athena put strength
Τυδεΐδῃ, ἵνα μή τις Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων
into the son of Tydeus, lest any of the bronze-clad Achaeans
φθαίη ἐπευξάμενος βαλέειν, ὃ δὲ δεύτερος ἔλθοι.1
should boast of striking him first, and he should come second.
δουρὶ δʼ ἐπαΐσσων προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης·
And rushing at him with his spear, strong Diomedes addressed him:
ἠὲ μένʼ ἠέ σε δουρὶ κιχήσομαι, οὐδέ σέ φημι
”Either stand, or I will reach you with my spear, nor do I think
δηρὸν ἐμῆς ἀπὸ χειρὸς ἀλύξειν αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.
you will long escape sheer destruction from my hand.”
ἦ ῥα καὶ ἔγχος ἀφῆκεν, ἑκὼν δʼ ἡμάρτανε φωτός·
He spoke and cast his spear, but on purpose missed the man;
δεξιτερὸν δʼ ὑπὲρ ὦμον ἐΰξου δουρὸς ἀκωκὴ
and over his right shoulder the point of the polished spear
ἐν γαίῃ ἐπάγη· ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔστη τάρβησέν τε
fixed itself in the ground; and he stood still, terrified,
βαμβαίνων· ἄραβος δὲ διὰ στόμα γίγνετʼ ὀδόντων·
stammering, and the chattering of teeth arose in his mouth,
χλωρὸς ὑπαὶ δείους· τὼ δʼ ἀσθμαίνοντε κιχήτην,
pale with fear; and the two, panting, reached him,
χειρῶν δʼ ἁψάσθην· ὃ δὲ δακρύσας ἔπος ηὔδα·
and seized his hands; and he, weeping, spoke a word:
ζωγρεῖτʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐμὲ λύσομαι· ἔστι γὰρ ἔνδον
”Take me alive, and I will ransom myself; for there are at home
χαλκός τε χρυσός τε πολύκμητός τε σίδηρος,
bronze and gold and much-wrought iron,
τῶν κʼ ὔμμιν χαρίσαιτο πατὴρ ἀπερείσιʼ ἄποινα
from which my father would grant you boundless ransom,
εἴ κεν ἐμὲ ζωὸν πεπύθοιτʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.
if he should learn that I am alive at the ships of the Achaeans.”
τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·
And answering him, resourceful Odysseus spoke:
θάρσει, μηδέ τί τοι θάνατος καταθύμιος ἔστω.
”Take heart, and let not death be in your mind.
ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον·
But come, tell me this and relate it truly:
πῇ δὴ οὕτως ἐπὶ νῆας ἀπὸ στρατοῦ ἔρχεαι οἶος
where are you going thus alone from the army toward the ships,
νύκτα διʼ ὀρφναίην, ὅτε θʼ εὕδουσι βροτοὶ ἄλλοι;
through the dark night, when other mortals are sleeping?
ἤ τινα συλήσων νεκύων κατατεθνηώτων;
Is it to despoil some of the dead corpses?
ἦ σʼ Ἕκτωρ προέηκε διασκοπιᾶσθαι ἕκαστα
Or did Hector send you out to spy out everything
νῆας ἔπι γλαφυράς; ἦ σʼ αὐτὸν θυμὸς ἀνῆκε;
towards the hollow ships? Or did your own heart urge you?”
τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Δόλων, ὑπὸ δʼ ἔτρεμε γυῖα·
Then Dolon answered him, and his limbs trembled beneath him:
πολλῇσίν μʼ ἄτῃσι παρὲκ νόον ἤγαγεν Ἕκτωρ,
”With many delusions did Hector lead my mind astray,
ὅς μοι Πηλεΐωνος ἀγαυοῦ μώνυχας ἵππους
who promised to give me the single-hoofed horses of the lordly son of Peleus
δωσέμεναι κατένευσε καὶ ἅρματα ποικίλα χαλκῷ,
and the chariot adorned with bronze,
ἠνώγει δέ μʼ ἰόντα θοὴν διὰ νύκτα μέλαιναν
and he commanded me to go through the swift, dark night,
ἀνδρῶν δυσμενέων σχεδὸν ἐλθέμεν, ἔκ τε πυθέσθαι
to go near the hostile men and to find out
ἠὲ φυλάσσονται νῆες θοαὶ ὡς τὸ πάρος περ,
whether the swift ships are guarded as before,
ἦ ἤδη χείρεσσιν ὑφʼ ἡμετέρῃσι δαμέντες
or if already subdued under our hands
φύξιν βουλεύουσι μετὰ σφίσιν, οὐδʼ ἐθέλουσι
they are planning flight among themselves, and are not willing
νύκτα φυλασσέμεναι, καμάτῳ ἀδηκότες αἰνῷ.
to keep watch through the night, worn out by terrible weariness.”
τὸν δʼ ἐπιμειδήσας προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·
And smiling upon him, resourceful Odysseus said:
ἦ ῥά νύ τοι μεγάλων δώρων ἐπεμαίετο θυμὸς
”Indeed your heart was set on great gifts,
ἵππων Αἰακίδαο δαΐφρονος· οἳ δʼ ἀλεγεινοὶ
the horses of the wise descendant of Aeacus; but they are difficult
ἀνδράσι γε θνητοῖσι δαμήμεναι ἠδʼ ὀχέεσθαι
for mortal men to control and to drive,
ἄλλῳ γʼ ἢ Ἀχιλῆϊ, τὸν ἀθανάτη τέκε μήτηρ.
for anyone other than Achilles, whom an immortal mother bore.
ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον·
But come, tell me this and relate it truly:
ποῦ νῦν δεῦρο κιὼν λίπες Ἕκτορα ποιμένα λαῶν;
where now, as you came here, did you leave Hector, the shepherd of the people?
ποῦ δέ οἱ ἔντεα κεῖται ἀρήϊα, ποῦ δέ οἱ ἵπποι;
And where lie his martial armor, and where are his horses?
πῶς δαὶ τῶν ἄλλων Τρώων φυλακαί τε καὶ εὐναί;
And how are the watches and the sleeping-places of the other Trojans?
ἅσσά τε μητιόωσι μετὰ σφίσιν, ἢ μεμάασιν
And what are they planning among themselves, or are they eager
αὖθι μένειν παρὰ νηυσὶν ἀπόπροθεν, ἦε πόλιν δὲ
to remain here far off by the ships, or back to the city
ἂψ ἀναχωρήσουσιν, ἐπεὶ δαμάσαντό γʼ Ἀχαιούς.
will they return, since they have subdued the Achaeans?”
τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Δόλων Εὐμήδεος υἱός·
And to him in turn Dolon, son of Eumedes, spoke:
τοὶ γὰρ ἐγώ τοι ταῦτα μάλʼ ἀτρεκέως καταλέξω.
”Indeed, I will relate these things to you very truly.
Ἕκτωρ μὲν μετὰ τοῖσιν, ὅσοι βουληφόροι εἰσί,
Hector indeed with those who are counselors
βουλὰς βουλεύει θείου παρὰ σήματι Ἴλου
is planning counsels by the tomb of divine Ilus,
νόσφιν ἀπὸ φλοίσβου· φυλακὰς δʼ ἃς εἴρεαι ἥρως
apart from the noise; but as for the guards of which you ask, hero,
οὔ τις κεκριμένη ῥύεται στρατὸν οὐδὲ φυλάσσει.
no chosen guard protects or watches the army.
ὅσσαι μὲν Τρώων πυρὸς ἐσχάραι, οἷσιν ἀνάγκη2
As many hearths of fire as there are of the Trojans, they who must,
οἷ δʼ ἐγρηγόρθασι φυλασσέμεναί τε κέλονται
are awake and bid one another keep watch;
ἀλλήλοις· ἀτὰρ αὖτε πολύκλητοι ἐπίκουροι
but on the other hand, the allies summoned from many lands
εὕδουσι· Τρωσὶν γὰρ ἐπιτραπέουσι φυλάσσειν·
are sleeping; for they leave it to the Trojans to keep watch;
οὐ γάρ σφιν παῖδες σχεδὸν εἵαται οὐδὲ γυναῖκες.
for their children and wives do not sit near them.”
τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·
And answering him, resourceful Odysseus said:
πῶς γὰρ νῦν Τρώεσσι μεμιγμένοι ἱπποδάμοισιν
”How then are they sleeping now? Mingled with the horse-taming Trojans,
εὕδουσʼ ἦ ἀπάνευθε; δίειπέ μοι ὄφρα δαείω.
or apart? Tell me, so that I may know.”
τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Δόλων Εὐμήδεος υἱός·
And then Dolon, son of Eumedes, answered him:
τοὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ καὶ ταῦτα μάλʼ ἀτρεκέως καταλέξω.
”Indeed, I will relate these things also to you very truly.
πρὸς μὲν ἁλὸς Κᾶρες καὶ Παίονες ἀγκυλότοξοι
Towards the sea are the Carians, and the Paeonians with curved bows,
καὶ Λέλεγες καὶ Καύκωνες δῖοί τε Πελασγοί,
and the Leleges, and Caucones, and divine Pelasgians;
πρὸς Θύμβρης δʼ ἔλαχον Λύκιοι Μυσοί τʼ ἀγέρωχοι
and towards Thymbra have the Lycians drawn their lot, and the proud Mysians,
καὶ Φρύγες ἱππόμαχοι καὶ Μῄονες ἱπποκορυσταί.
and the Phrygians who fight from horses, and the Maeonians, lords of chariots.
ἀλλὰ τί ἢ ἐμὲ ταῦτα διεξερέεσθε ἕκαστα;
But why do you inquire of me all these things in detail?
εἰ γὰρ δὴ μέματον Τρώων καταδῦναι ὅμιλον
For if you indeed desire to penetrate the throng of the Trojans...”
- 10.368φθαίη ἐπευξάμενος βαλέειν, ὃ δὲ δεύτερος ἔλθοι.
The construction φθαίη followed by the participle ἐπευξάμενος means 'lest someone should anticipate (him) and boast.' The infinitive βαλέειν (to strike) depends on the participle. In the second clause, ὃ refers to Diomedes, the subject of the main action; thus ὃ δὲ δεύτερος ἔλθοι expresses the concern 'lest he himself should come second,' i.e., losing the glory of the first strike to another. Both clauses are governed by the negative purpose conjunction ἵνα μή.
- 10.418ὅσσαι μὲν Τρώων πυρὸς ἐσχάραι, οἷσιν ἀνάγκη
An extremely elliptic and condensed expression. It consists of two elliptical clauses: ὅσσαι μὲν... [sc. εἰσί] ('as many hearths of fire of the Trojans as there are') and οἷσιν ἀνάγκη [sc. ἐστί] ('those to whom there is necessity [to keep watch]'). The relative pronoun οἷσιν contains its own antecedent (the guards on duty) and functions as the logical subject of the following main verb οἳ δʼ ἐγρηγόρθασι ('they are awake').