Defense of the Gates and the Portent of the Eagle — Homer, Iliad Book 12 (lines 139–206), Greek & English

139

Ἄσιον ἀμφὶ ἄνακτα¹ καὶ Ἰαμενὸν καὶ Ὀρέστην

around king Asius, and Iamenus, and Orestes,

140

Ἀσιάδην τʼ Ἀδάμαντα Θόωνά τε Οἰνόμαόν τε.

and Adamas son of Asius, and Thoon, and Oenomaus.

οἳ δʼ ἤτοι εἷος μὲν² ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιοὺς

Indeed these, as long as they were inside, were urging the well-greaved Achaeans

ὄρνυον ἔνδον ἐόντες ἀμύνεσθαι περὶ νηῶν·

to fight in defense of the ships;

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τεῖχος ἐπεσσυμένους ἐνόησανΤρῶας, ἀτὰρ Δαναῶν γένετο ἰαχή τε φόβος τε,

but when they perceived the Trojans rushing against the wall, and there arose a cry and flight among the Danai,

145

ἐκ δὲ τὼ ἀΐξαντε πυλάων πρόσθε μαχέσθην

then those two darted out from the gates and fought in front of them,

ἀγροτέροισι σύεσσιν ἐοικότε, τώ τʼ ἐν ὄρεσσιν

like wild boars, which in the mountains

ἀνδρῶν ἠδὲ κυνῶν δέχαται κολοσυρτὸν ἰόντα,

await the coming noisy crowd of men and dogs,

δοχμώ τʼ ἀΐσσοντε περὶ σφίσιν ἄγνυτον ὕλην

and rushing sideways they break the wood around them,

πρυμνὴν ἐκτάμνοντες, ὑπαὶ δέ τε κόμπος ὀδόντων

cutting it off at the root, and beneath there arises a clatter of tusks

150

γίγνεται εἰς ὅ κέ τίς τε βαλὼν ἐκ θυμὸν ἕληται·

until someone, throwing a spear, takes away their life;

ὣς τῶν κόμπει χαλκὸς ἐπὶ στήθεσσι φαεινὸς

so did the bright bronze clatter upon their breasts

ἄντην βαλλομένων·³ μάλα γὰρ κρατερῶς ἐμάχοντολαοῖσιν καθύπερθε πεποιθότες ἠδὲ βίηφιν.

as they were struck face to face; for they fought very stoutly, trusting in the people above and in their own strength.

οἳ δʼ ἄρα χερμαδίοισιν ἐϋδμήτων ἀπὸ πύργων

And they indeed threw handstones from the well-built towers,

155

βάλλον ἀμυνόμενοι σφῶν τʼ αὐτῶν καὶ κλισιάωννηῶν τʼ ὠκυπόρων· νιφάδες δʼ ὡς πῖπτον ἔραζε,

defending themselves and their huts and the swift-faring ships; and like snowflakes they fell to the ground,

ἅς τʼ ἄνεμος ζαὴς νέφεα σκιόεντα δονήσαςταρφειὰς κατέχευεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ·

which a violent wind, having shaken the shadowy clouds, pours thick upon the nourishing earth;

ὣς τῶν ἐκ χειρῶν βέλεα ῥέον ἠμὲν Ἀχαιῶν

so from their hands did the missiles flow, both of the Achaeans

160

ἠδὲ καὶ ἐκ Τρώων· κόρυθες δʼ ἀμφʼ αὖον ἀΰτευν

and also from the Trojans; and the helmets rang dry around them,

βαλλομένων μυλάκεσσι καὶ ἀσπίδες ὀμφαλόεσσαι.

as they were struck by millstone-sized stones, as did the bossed shields.

δή ῥα τότʼ ᾤμωξεν καὶ ὣ πεπλήγετο μηρὼ

Then indeed did Asius, son of Hyrtacus, groan and beat both his thighs,

Ἄσιος Ὑρτακίδης, καὶ ἀλαστήσας ἔπος ηὔδα·

and in vexation he spoke a word:

Ζεῦ πάτερ ἦ ῥά νυ καὶ σὺ φιλοψευδὴς ἐτέτυξο

”Father Zeus, surely you too have become utterly fond of falsehoods,

165

πάγχυ μάλʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγʼ ἐφάμην ἥρωας Ἀχαιοὺς

altogether so; for I did not think the heroic Achaeans

σχήσειν ἡμέτερόν γε μένος καὶ χεῖρας ἀάπτους.

would hold back our might and matchless hands.

οἳ δʼ, ὥς τε σφῆκες μέσον αἰόλοι ἠὲ μέλισσαι

But they, like wasps with slender waists or bees

οἰκία ποιήσωνται ὁδῷ ἔπι παιπαλοέσσῃ,

that have made their nests by a rugged path,

οὐδʼ ἀπολείπουσιν κοῖλον δόμον, ἀλλὰ μένοντες

and do not leave their hollow home, but remaining

170

ἄνδρας θηρητῆρας ἀμύνονται περὶ τέκνων,

defend themselves against hunting men in behalf of their young,

ὣς οἵ γʼ οὐκ ἐθέλουσι πυλάων καὶ δύʼ ἐόντε

so these, though being but two, are not willing to withdraw from the gates

χάσσασθαι πρίν γʼ ἠὲ κατακτάμεν ἠὲ ἁλῶναι.

until they either be slain or taken.”

ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδὲ Διὸς πεῖθε φρένα ταῦτʼ ἀγορεύων·

So he spoke, but he did not persuade the mind of Zeus by saying these things;

Ἕκτορι γάρ οἱ θυμὸς ἐβούλετο κῦδος ὀρέξαι.

for his heart wished to grant glory to Hector.

175

ἄλλοι δʼ ἀμφʼ ἄλλῃσι μάχην ἐμάχοντο πύλῃσιν·

And others were fighting the battle around the other gates;

ἀργαλέον δέ με ταῦτα θεὸν ὣς πάντʼ ἀγορεῦσαι·⁴

and it would be hard for me to tell all these things as if I were a god.

πάντῃ γὰρ περὶ τεῖχος ὀρώρει θεσπιδαὲς πῦρ

For everywhere around the stone wall arose a god-kindled fire;

λάϊνον· Ἀργεῖοι δὲ καὶ ἀχνύμενοί περ ἀνάγκῃ

for it was of stone. And the Argives, though grieving, by necessity

νηῶν ἠμύνοντο· θεοὶ δʼ ἀκαχήατο θυμὸν

defended the ships; and the gods were vexed in heart,

180

πάντες ὅσοι Δαναοῖσι μάχης ἐπιτάρροθοι ἦσαν.

all those who were helpers of the Danai in battle.

σὺν δʼ ἔβαλον Λαπίθαι πόλεμον καὶ δηϊοτῆτα.

And the Lapiths joined battle and slaughter.

ἔνθʼ αὖ Πειριθόου υἱὸς κρατερὸς Πολυποίτης

Then again the mighty son of Peirithous, Polypoetes,

δουρὶ βάλεν Δάμασον κυνέης διὰ χαλκοπαρῄου·

struck Damasus with his spear through the bronze-cheeked helmet;

οὐδʼ ἄρα χαλκείη κόρυς ἔσχεθεν, ἀλλὰ διὰ πρὸ

nor did the bronze helmet hold it off, but straight through

185

αἰχμὴ χαλκείη ῥῆξʼ ὀστέον, ἐγκέφαλος δὲ

the bronze point broke the bone, and the brain

ἔνδον ἅπας πεπάλακτο· δάμασσε δέ μιν μεμαῶτα·

was all spattered inside; and he subdued him as he rushed on.

αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα Πύλωνα καὶ Ὄρμενον ἐξενάριξεν.

And then he slew Pylon and Ormenus.

υἱὸν δʼ Ἀντιμάχοιο Λεοντεὺς ὄζος Ἄρηος

And Leonteus, branch of Ares, struck Hippomachus, son of Antimachus,

Ἱππόμαχον βάλε δουρὶ κατὰ ζωστῆρα τυχήσας.

with his spear, hitting him upon the belt.

190

αὖτις δʼ ἐκ κολεοῖο ἐρυσσάμενος ξίφος ὀξὺ

And next, drawing his sharp sword from its scabbard,

Ἀντιφάτην μὲν πρῶτον ἐπαΐξας διʼ ὁμίλου

first he rushed through the throng upon Antiphates

πλῆξʼ αὐτοσχεδίην· ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ ὕπτιος οὔδει ἐρείσθη·

and struck him hand to hand; and he was stretched on his back upon the ground.

αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα Μένωνα καὶ Ἰαμενὸν καὶ Ὀρέστην

And then Menon, and Iamenus, and Orestes,

πάντας ἐπασσυτέρους πέλασε χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ.

all of them, one after another, he brought down to the nourishing earth.

195

ὄφρʼ οἳ τοὺς ἐνάριζον ἀπʼ ἔντεα μαρμαίροντα,

While these were stripping them of their shining armor,

τόφρʼ οἳ Πουλυδάμαντι καὶ Ἕκτορι κοῦροι ἕποντο,

meanwhile the youths who followed Polydamas and Hector,

οἳ πλεῖστοι καὶ ἄριστοι ἔσαν, μέμασαν δὲ μάλιστα

who were the most numerous and the best, and were most eager

τεῖχός τε ῥήξειν καὶ ἐνιπρήσειν πυρὶ νῆας,

to break through the wall and burn the ships with fire,

οἵ ῥʼ ἔτι μερμήριζον ἐφεσταότες παρὰ τάφρῳ.

still hesitated, standing by the edge of the ditch.

200

ὄρνις γάρ σφιν ἐπῆλθε περησέμεναι μεμαῶσιν

For a bird had come upon them as they were eager to cross over,

αἰετὸς ὑψιπέτης ἐπʼ ἀριστερὰ λαὸν ἐέργων⁵

a high-flying eagle, skimming the left of the host,

φοινήεντα δράκοντα φέρων ὀνύχεσσι πέλωρον

carrying in its talons a huge, blood-red serpent,

ζωὸν ἔτʼ ἀσπαίροντα, καὶ οὔ πω λήθετο χάρμης,

still alive and gasping, nor had it yet forgotten fight;

κόψε γὰρ αὐτὸν ἔχοντα κατὰ στῆθος παρὰ δειρὴν

for it bit him who held it on the breast beside the neck,

205

ἰδνωθεὶς ὀπίσω· ὃ δʼ ἀπὸ ἕθεν ἧκε χαμᾶζε

bending backward; and he let it drop from him to the ground

ἀλγήσας ὀδύνῃσι, μέσῳ δʼ ἐνὶ κάββαλʼ ὁμίλῳ,

in his agony of pain, and cast it down in the midst of the throng,

Syntax notes5 items

12.139Ἄσιον ἀμφὶ ἄνακτα
This phrase is a prepositional phrase depending on the verb ἔκιον ("they went") at the end of the previous chunk (lines 12.137-138), describing the advancement of the warriors around King Asius.
12.141εἷος μὲν
An adverbial expression meaning "for a while," with the corresponding δέ clause starting at line 12.143 (αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ...), marking the transition from the static situation of encouraging comrades from inside the gates to the dynamic action of rushing out.
12.151τῶν ... ἄντην βαλλομένων
The genitive of possession τῶν depends on στήθεσσι ("on their breasts") in line 12.151. The present participle βαλλομένων has a passive meaning, referring to "them as they were struck face to face (by missiles)."
12.176ἀργαλέον δέ με ταῦτα θεὸν ὣς πάντʼ ἀγορεῦσαι·
An accusative and infinitive construction (με ... ἀγορεῦσαι) introduced by the impersonal adjective ἀργαλέον ("it is difficult"). The phrase θεὸν ὥς ("like a god") is a formulaic expression used by the epic narrator when acknowledging the need for divine omniscience to narrate widespread events.
12.201ἐπʼ ἀριστερὰ λαὸν ἐέργων
Literally "confining the host [to the right], on the left." In the context of augury, it means the bird flew across the left side (ominous direction) relative to the advancing Trojan army, which would appear as the right side (favorable) from the Greek perspective.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:12.139-12.206