- 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-grc2:11.492-11.563
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-30
As Ajax overwhelms the Trojans, Paris wounds the healer Machaon, causing panic among the Achaeans. Zeus then infuses fear into Ajax, who is forced to retreat reluctantly but stubbornly, compared to a lion and a stubborn donkey.
ὡς δʼ ὁπότε πλήθων ποταμὸς πεδίον δὲ κάτεισι
As when a swollen river comes down to the plain,
χειμάρρους κατʼ ὄρεσφιν ὀπαζόμενος Διὸς ὄμβρῳ,
a winter torrent from the mountains, sped by the rain of Zeus,
πολλὰς δὲ δρῦς ἀζαλέας, πολλὰς δέ τε πεύκας
and many a dry oak and many a pine
ἐσφέρεται, πολλὸν δέ τʼ ἀφυσγετὸν εἰς ἅλα βάλλει,
it sweeps along, and flings much mud into the sea;
ὣς ἔφεπε κλονέων πεδίον τότε φαίδιμος Αἴας,
even so did glorious Ajax then sweep the plain in confusion,
δαΐζων ἵππους τε καὶ ἀνέρας· οὐδέ πω Ἕκτωρ
slaying both horses and men; nor did Hector yet
πεύθετʼ, ἐπεί ῥα μάχης ἐπʼ ἀριστερὰ μάρνατο πάσης
know of it, for he was fighting on the left of all the battle,
ὄχθας πὰρ ποταμοῖο Σκαμάνδρου, τῇ ῥα μάλιστα
by the banks of the river Scamander, where chiefly
ἀνδρῶν πῖπτε κάρηνα, βοὴ δʼ ἄσβεστος ὀρώρει
the heads of men were falling, and an unquenchable clamour arose
Νέστορά τʼ ἀμφὶ μέγαν καὶ ἀρήϊον Ἰδομενῆα.
around great Nestor and warlike Idomeneus.
Ἕκτωρ μὲν μετὰ τοῖσιν ὁμίλει μέρμερα ῥέζων
Hector was mingling with these, doing wondrous deeds
ἔγχεΐ θʼ ἱπποσύνῃ τε, νέων δʼ ἀλάπαζε φάλαγγας·
with spear and horsemanship, and was destroying the phalanxes of youths;
οὐδʼ ἄν πω χάζοντο κελεύθου δῖοι Ἀχαιοὶ
nor would the noble Achaeans have yet given way from their path,
εἰ μὴ Ἀλέξανδρος Ἑλένης πόσις ἠϋκόμοιο
had not Alexander, husband of fair-haired Helen,
παῦσεν1 ἀριστεύοντα Μαχάονα ποιμένα λαῶν,
stayed Machaon, shepherd of the host, as he was performing doughty deeds,
ἰῷ τριγλώχινι βαλὼν κατὰ δεξιὸν ὦμον.
wounding him on the right shoulder with a three-barbed arrow.
τῷ ῥα περίδεισαν μένεα πνείοντες Ἀχαιοὶ
For him then did the spirit-breathing Achaeans fear,
μή πώς μιν πολέμοιο μετακλινθέντος ἕλοιεν.2
lest by some means, as the battle turned, the enemy should take him.
αὐτίκα δʼ Ἰδομενεὺς προσεφώνεε Νέστορα δῖον·
And straightway Idomeneus spoke to noble Nestor:
ὦ Νέστορ Νηληϊάδη μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιῶν
”O Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans,
ἄγρει σῶν ὀχέων ἐπιβήσεο, πὰρ δὲ Μαχάων
come, mount your chariot, and let Machaon
βαινέτω, ἐς νῆας δὲ τάχιστʼ ἔχε μώνυχας ἵππους·
mount beside you, and drive the whole-hoofed horses with all speed to the ships;
ἰητρὸς γὰρ ἀνὴρ πολλῶν ἀντάξιος ἄλλων
for a physician is a man worth many other men,
ἰούς τʼ ἐκτάμνειν ἐπί τʼ ἤπια φάρμακα πάσσειν.3
to cut out arrows and spread soothing medicines.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ.
So he spoke, and Gerenian horseman Nestor failed not to obey.
αὐτίκα δʼ ὧν ὀχέων ἐπεβήσετο, πὰρ δὲ Μαχάων
Straightway he mounted his chariot, and beside him Machaon
βαῖνʼ Ἀσκληπιοῦ υἱὸς ἀμύμονος ἰητῆρος·
mounted, the son of Asclepius, the peerless healer;
μάστιξεν δʼ ἵππους, τὼ δʼ οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην
and he lashed the horses, and they flew nothing loath
νῆας ἔπι γλαφυράς· τῇ γὰρ φίλον ἔπλετο θυμῷ.
toward the hollow ships; for to their own hearts’ liking was it.
Κεβριόνης δὲ Τρῶας ὀρινομένους ἐνόησεν
But Cebriones saw the Trojans being thrown into confusion,
Ἕκτορι παρβεβαώς, καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·
as he stood beside Hector, and spoke to him, saying:
Ἕκτορ νῶϊ μὲν ἐνθάδʼ ὁμιλέομεν Δαναοῖσιν
”Hector, here we two mingle with the Danaans
ἐσχατιῇ πολέμοιο δυσηχέος· οἳ δὲ δὴ ἄλλοι
at the edge of ill-sounding battle; but the other
Τρῶες ὀρίνονται ἐπιμὶξ ἵπποι τε καὶ αὐτοί.
Trojans are being thrown into confusion in a huddle, both horses and men.
Αἴας δὲ κλονέει Τελαμώνιος· εὖ δέ μιν ἔγνων·
And Telamonian Ajax is driving them; well do I know him,
εὐρὺ γὰρ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισιν ἔχει σάκος· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμεῖς
for he has a broad shield about his shoulders. But let us also
κεῖσʼ ἵππους τε καὶ ἅρμʼ ἰθύνομεν, ἔνθα μάλιστα
direct our horses and chariot thither, where chiefly
ἱππῆες πεζοί τε κακὴν ἔριδα προβαλόντες
horsemen and foot-soldiers, joining in evil strife,
ἀλλήλους ὀλέκουσι, βοὴ δʼ ἄσβεστος ὄρωρεν.
destroy one another, and an unquenchable clamour has arisen.”
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἵμασεν καλλίτριχας ἵππους
So saying, he lashed the fair-maned horses
μάστιγι λιγυρῇ· τοὶ δὲ πληγῆς ἀΐοντες
with the shrill whip; and they, hearing the blow,
ῥίμφʼ ἔφερον θοὸν ἅρμα μετὰ Τρῶας καὶ Ἀχαιοὺς
swiftly bore the fleet chariot among Trojans and Achaeans,
στείβοντες νέκυάς τε καὶ ἀσπίδας· αἵματι δʼ ἄξων
trampling on both corpses and shields; and the axle-tree
νέρθεν ἅπας πεπάλακτο καὶ ἄντυγες αἳ περὶ δίφρον,
beneath was all befouled with blood, and the rims around the car,
ἃς ἄρʼ ἀφʼ ἱππείων ὁπλέων ῥαθάμιγγες ἔβαλλον
which the drops from the horses’ hooves struck,
αἵ τʼ ἀπʼ ἐπισσώτρων. ὃ δὲ ἵετο δῦναι ὅμιλον
and those from the tires. And he was eager to enter the throng
ἀνδρόμεον ῥῆξαί τε μετάλμενος· ἐν δὲ κυδοιμὸν
of men and to break through, leaping in; and an evil tumult
ἧκε κακὸν Δαναοῖσι, μίνυνθα δὲ χάζετο δουρός.
he sent among the Danaans, and but little did he shrink from the spear.
αὐτὰρ ὃ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπεπωλεῖτο στίχας ἀνδρῶν
But he went ranging among the ranks of other men
ἔγχεΐ τʼ ἄορί τε μεγάλοισί τε χερμαδίοισιν,
with spear and sword and great stones,
Αἴαντος δʼ ἀλέεινε μάχην Τελαμωνιάδαο.
but he avoided battle with Ajax, son of Telamon.
Ζεὺς δὲ πατὴρ Αἴανθʼ ὑψίζυγος ἐν φόβον ὦρσε·
And father Zeus, ruling from on high, roused fear within Ajax;
στῆ δὲ ταφών, ὄπιθεν δὲ σάκος βάλεν ἑπταβόειον,
he stood in amaze, and cast behind him his shield of seven bull’s-hides,
τρέσσε δὲ παπτήνας ἐφʼ ὁμίλου θηρὶ ἐοικὼς
and shrank back, peering warily toward the throng like a wild beast,
ἐντροπαλιζόμενος ὀλίγον γόνυ γουνὸς ἀμείβων.
turning back and again, and step by step slowly moving knee after knee.
ὡς δʼ αἴθωνα λέοντα βοῶν ἀπὸ μεσσαύλοιο
And as dogs and rustic men from the mid-fold of the oxen
ἐσσεύαντο κύνες τε καὶ ἀνέρες ἀγροιῶται,
drive a tawny lion,
οἵ τέ μιν οὐκ εἰῶσι βοῶν ἐκ πῖαρ ἑλέσθαι
who do not suffer him to take the fatness of the oxen,
πάννυχοι ἐγρήσσοντες· ὃ δὲ κρειῶν ἐρατίζων
watching all night through; but he, eager for flesh,
ἰθύει, ἀλλʼ οὔ τι πρήσσει· θαμέες γὰρ ἄκοντες
makes his charge, but profits nothing; for thick darts
ἀντίον ἀΐσσουσι θρασειάων ἀπὸ χειρῶν
fly against him from bold hands,
καιόμεναί τε δεταί, τάς τε τρεῖ ἐσσύμενός περ·
and blazing brands, which he dreads, eager though he be;
ἠῶθεν δʼ ἀπὸ νόσφιν ἔβη τετιηότι θυμῷ·
and at dawn he goes far away with vexed heart;
ὣς Αἴας τότʼ ἀπὸ Τρώων τετιημένος ἦτορ
even so did Ajax then go from the Trojans, vexed at heart,
ἤϊε πόλλʼ ἀέκων· περὶ γὰρ δίε νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.
very loath; for he feared exceedingly for the ships of the Achaeans.
ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ὄνος παρʼ ἄρουραν ἰὼν ἐβιήσατο παῖδας
And as when a lazy ass, passing by a field, gets the better of boys,
νωθής, ᾧ δὴ πολλὰ περὶ ῥόπαλʼ ἀμφὶς ἐάγῃ,4
on whose sides many clubs have already been broken,
κείρει τʼ εἰσελθὼν βαθὺ λήϊον· οἳ δέ τε παῖδες
and he enters and crops the deep standing crop; and the boys
τύπτουσιν ῥοπάλοισι· βίη δέ τε νηπίη αὐτῶν·
beat him with clubs, but their strength is childish;
σπουδῇ τʼ ἐξήλασσαν, ἐπεί τʼ ἐκορέσσατο φορβῆς·
yet with trouble they drive him out when he has had his fill of fodder;
ὣς τότʼ ἔπειτʼ Αἴαντα μέγαν Τελαμώνιον υἱὸν
even so did the Trojans and their allies then follow after great Ajax, son of Telamon...
- 11.504οὐδʼ ἄν πω χάζοντο ... εἰ μὴ Ἀλέξανδρος ... παῦσεν
A past contrary-to-fact conditional sentence. The apodosis uses ἄν with the imperfect indicative (χάζοντο), and the protasis uses εἰ with the aorist indicative (παῦσεν), representing a past unfulfilled situation ("they would not have retreated... had Alexander not stayed...").
- 11.509μή πώς μιν πολέμοιο μετακλινθέντος ἕλοιεν
A fear clause introduced by the verb of fearing περίδεισαν (line 508), using μή with the optative (ἕλοιεν). Since the leading verb is in a past tense (aorist), the optative is used instead of the subjunctive. πολέμοιο μετακλινθέντος is a genitive absolute meaning "as the battle turned."
- 11.515ἰούς τʼ ἐκτάμνειν ἐπί τʼ ἤπια φάρμακα πάσσειν
Epexegetic (explanatory) infinitives qualifying the adjective ἀντάξιος (line 514, "worth, equivalent to"), defining in what respect the physician is of worth ("to cut out [arrows] and to spread [soothing medicines]").
- 11.559ᾧ δὴ πολλὰ περὶ ῥόπαλʼ ἀμφὶς ἐάγῃ
The relative pronoun ᾧ (dative of disadvantage) refers to the donkey (ὄνος), meaning "around whom many clubs are broken." The verb ἐάγῃ is an aorist passive subjunctive, occurring in a homeric subjunctive of general comparison introduced by ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ. περί and ἀμφίς function adverbially as "around."