- 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-grc2:11.424-11.491
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-30
Odysseus kills Socus but is wounded and surrounded by Trojans, until Menelaus and Ajax come to his rescue and drive the enemies away.
δουρὶ κατὰ πρότμησιν ὑπʼ ἀσπίδος ὀμφαλοέσσης
stabbed him with his spear in the groin, beneath his bossed shield;
νύξεν· ὃ δʼ ἐν κονίῃσι πεσὼν ἕλε γαῖαν ἀγοστῷ.
and he fell in the dust and clutched the earth with his palm.
τοὺς μὲν ἔασʼ, ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ Ἱππασίδην Χάροπʼ οὔτασε δουρὶ
These he left, and then wounded with his spear Charops, son of Hippasus,
αὐτοκασίγνητον εὐηφενέος Σώκοιο.
own brother of wealthy Socus.
τῷ δʼ ἐπαλεξήσων Σῶκος κίεν ἰσόθεος φώς,
To his aid came Socus, a godlike man,
στῆ δὲ μάλʼ ἐγγὺς ἰὼν καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν
and coming very near him, stood and spoke:
ὦ Ὀδυσεῦ πολύαινε δόλων ἆτʼ ἠδὲ πόνοιο1
”O Odysseus, greatly praised, insatiate of wiles and toil,
σήμερον ἢ δοιοῖσιν ἐπεύξεαι Ἱππασίδῃσι
today you shall either boast over both the sons of Hippasus,
τοιώδʼ ἄνδρε κατακτείνας καὶ τεύχεʼ ἀπούρας,
having slain two such men and stripped them of their armour,
ἤ κεν ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἀπὸ θυμὸν ὀλέσσῃς.
or else, smitten by my spear, you shall lose your life.”
ὣς εἰπὼν οὔτησε κατʼ ἀσπίδα πάντοσʼ ἐΐσην.
So saying, he stabbed him on his shield, equal on all sides.
διὰ μὲν ἀσπίδος ἦλθε φαεινῆς ὄβριμον ἔγχος,
Through the gleaming shield went the mighty spear,
καὶ διὰ θώρηκος πολυδαιδάλου ἠρήρειστο,
and pressed its way through the cunningly wrought corselet,
πάντα δʼ ἀπὸ πλευρῶν χρόα ἔργαθεν, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἔασε
and tore all the flesh from his ribs; but
Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίη μιχθήμεναι ἔγκασι φωτός.
Pallas Athena did not suffer it to pierce the man’s vitals.
γνῶ δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς ὅ οἱ οὔ τι τέλος κατακαίριον ἦλθεν,
And Odysseus knew that no fatal end had come to him,
ἂψ δʼ ἀναχωρήσας Σῶκον πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·
and drawing back, he spoke to Socus:
ἆ δείλʼ ἦ μάλα δή σε κιχάνεται αἰπὺς ὄλεθρος.
”Ah, wretch, surely steep destruction is catching up with you.
ἤτοι μέν ῥʼ ἔμʼ ἔπαυσας ἐπὶ Τρώεσσι μάχεσθαι·
Though you have indeed made me cease from fighting with the Trojans,
σοὶ δʼ ἐγὼ ἐνθάδε φημὶ φόνον καὶ κῆρα μέλαιναν
yet for you here I say that slaughter and black death
ἤματι τῷδʼ ἔσσεσθαι, ἐμῷ δʼ ὑπὸ δουρὶ δαμέντα
shall come this day, and that vanquished beneath my spear
εὖχος ἐμοὶ δώσειν, ψυχὴν δʼ Ἄϊδι κλυτοπώλῳ.
you shall give glory to me, and your soul to Hades of the famous steeds.”
ἦ, καὶ ὃ μὲν φύγαδʼ αὖτις ὑποστρέψας ἐβεβήκει,
He spoke, and the other turned and had begun to flee,
τῷ δὲ μεταστρεφθέντι μεταφρένῳ ἐν δόρυ πῆξεν
but as he turned, Odysseus fixed his spear in his back
ὤμων μεσσηγύς, διὰ δὲ στήθεσφιν ἔλασσε,
between the shoulders, and drove it through his breast.
δούπησεν δὲ πεσών· ὃ δʼ ἐπεύξατο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·
And he fell with a thud, and noble Odysseus boasted over him:
ὦ Σῶχʼ Ἱππάσου υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἱπποδάμοιο
”O Socus, son of wise-hearted Hippasus, tamer of horses,
φθῆ σε τέλος θανάτοιο κιχήμενον,2 οὐδʼ ὑπάλυξας.
the end of death has anticipated you in reaching you, nor did you escape.
ἆ δείλʼ οὐ μὲν σοί γε πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ
Ah, poor wretch, your father and lady mother
ὄσσε καθαιρήσουσι θανόντι περ, ἀλλʼ οἰωνοὶ
shall not close your eyes in death, but birds
ὠμησταὶ ἐρύουσι, περὶ πτερὰ πυκνὰ βαλόντες.
that eat raw flesh shall tear you, flapping their thick wings about you.
αὐτὰρ ἔμʼ, εἴ κε θάνω, κτεριοῦσί γε δῖοι Ἀχαιοί.
But if I die, the noble Achaeans will give me burial.”
ὣς εἰπὼν Σώκοιο δαΐφρονος ὄβριμον ἔγχος
So saying, he drew the mighty spear of wise Socus
ἔξω τε χροὸς ἕλκε καὶ ἀσπίδος ὀμφαλοέσσης·
out of his flesh and out of his bossed shield;
αἷμα δέ οἱ σπασθέντος ἀνέσσυτο, κῆδε δὲ θυμόν.
and as it was drawn out, his blood gushed forth and vexed his spirit.
Τρῶες δὲ μεγάθυμοι ὅπως ἴδον αἷμʼ Ὀδυσῆος
And the great-hearted Trojans, when they saw the blood of Odysseus,
κεκλόμενοι καθʼ ὅμιλον ἐπʼ αὐτῷ πάντες ἔβησαν.
called out to one another through the crowd and all came against him.
αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἐξοπίσω ἀνεχάζετο, αὖε δʼ ἑταίρους.
But he gave ground backward, and shouted to his comrades.
τρὶς μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἤϋσεν ὅσον κεφαλὴ χάδε φωτός,3
Three times then he shouted as loud as a man’s head could contain,
τρὶς δʼ ἄϊεν ἰάχοντος ἄρηι φίλος Μενέλαος.
and three times Menelaus, dear to Ares, heard his shout.
αἶψα δʼ ἄρʼ Αἴαντα προσεφώνεεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντα·
And straightway he spoke to Ajax who was near:
Αἶαν διογενὲς Τελαμώνιε κοίρανε λαῶν
”Ajax, sprung from Zeus, son of Telamon, leader of the people,
ἀμφί μʼ Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος ἵκετʼ ἀϋτὴ
about me came the cry of patient Odysseus,
τῷ ἰκέλη ὡς εἴ ἑ βιῴατο μοῦνον ἐόντα
like the cry as if the Trojans were overpowering him in his loneliness,
Τρῶες ἀποτμήξαντες ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ.
having cut him off in the fierce conflict.
ἀλλʼ ἴομεν καθʼ ὅμιλον· ἀλεξέμεναι γὰρ ἄμεινον.
But let us go into the throng; to help him is better.
δείδω μή τι πάθῃσιν ἐνὶ Τρώεσσι μονωθεὶς
I fear lest he suffer some harm, left alone among the Trojans,
ἐσθλὸς ἐών, μεγάλη δὲ ποθὴ Δαναοῖσι γένηται.
brave though he is, and great longing for him come upon the Danaans.”
ὣς εἰπὼν ὃ μὲν ἦρχʼ, ὃ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕσπετο ἰσόθεος φώς.
So saying, he led the way, and the godlike man followed with him.
εὗρον ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆα Διῒ φίλον· ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτὸν
Then they found Odysseus, dear to Zeus; and round about him
Τρῶες ἕπονθʼ ὡς εἴ τε δαφοινοὶ θῶες ὄρεσφιν
the Trojans were pressing like tawny jackals in the mountains
ἀμφʼ ἔλαφον κεραὸν βεβλημένον, ὅν τʼ ἔβαλʼ ἀνὴρ
around a horned stag that is wounded, which a man has shot
ἰῷ ἀπὸ νευρῆς· τὸν μέν τʼ ἤλυξε πόδεσσι
with an arrow from the bowstring; the stag has escaped him by speed of foot,
φεύγων, ὄφρʼ αἷμα λιαρὸν καὶ γούνατʼ ὀρώρῃ·
fleeing as long as the blood is warm and his knees can move;
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τόν γε δαμάσσεται ὠκὺς ὀϊστός,
but when the swift arrow has overcome him,
ὠμοφάγοι μιν θῶες ἐν οὔρεσι δαρδάπτουσιν
the raw-eating jackals tear him in the mountains
ἐν νέμεϊ σκιερῷ· ἐπί τε λῖν ἤγαγε δαίμων
in a dark glade; then a god brings a predatory lion
σίντην· θῶες μέν τε διέτρεσαν, αὐτὰρ ὃ δάπτει·
upon them, and the jackals scatter in terror, but the lion devours it;
ὥς ῥα τότʼ ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆα δαΐφρονα ποικιλομήτην
even so then did the Trojans, many and brave, press
Τρῶες ἕπον πολλοί τε καὶ ἄλκιμοι, αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἥρως
about Odysseus, wise and crafty-minded; but the hero,
ἀΐσσων ᾧ ἔγχει ἀμύνετο νηλεὲς ἦμαρ.
lunging with his spear, warded off the pitiless day of death.
Αἴας δʼ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθε φέρων σάκος ἠΰτε πύργον,
But Ajax came near, bearing his shield like a tower,
στῆ δὲ παρέξ· Τρῶες δὲ διέτρεσαν ἄλλυδις ἄλλος.
and stood beside him; and the Trojans scattered in terror, one this way, one that.
ἤτοι τὸν Μενέλαος ἀρήϊος ἔξαγʼ ὁμίλου
Then warlike Menelaus led him out of the throng,
χειρὸς ἔχων, εἷος θεράπων σχεδὸν ἤλασεν ἵππους.
holding him by the hand, till his squire drove his horses close by.
Αἴας δὲ Τρώεσσιν ἐπάλμενος εἷλε Δόρυκλον
But Ajax, springing upon the Trojans, slew Doryclus,
Πριαμίδην νόθον υἱόν, ἔπειτα δὲ Πάνδοκον οὖτα,
Priam’s bastard son, and thereafter wounded Pandocus,
οὖτα δὲ Λύσανδρον καὶ Πύρασον ἠδὲ Πυλάρτην.
and wounded Lysandrus and Pyrasus and Pylartes.
- 11.430δόλων ἆτʼ ἠδὲ πόνοιο
ἆτʼ is the masculine singular vocative ἆτε of the adjective ἆτος (contracted from ἄατος, "insatiate"), which governs the genitives δόλων ἠδὲ πόνοιο ("of wiles and toil").
- 11.451φθῆ σε τέλος θανάτοιο κιχήμενον
The verb φθάνω (here in the aorist third-person singular φθῆ, "anticipate") takes an accusative (σε) and a participle (κιχήμενον), meaning "the end of death anticipated you in reaching you" (i.e., death reached you before you could escape).
- 11.462ὅσον κεφαλὴ χάδε φωτός
χάδε is the second aorist third-person singular of χανδάνω ("hold, contain"). Literally "as much as the head of a man could contain," a formulaic expression indicating the maximum volume of voice a human head/throat can produce.