- 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-grc2:12.275-12.339
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-30
Amid a furious stone-throwing battle at the wall, Sarpedon, urged by Zeus, advances like a lion with his shield. He addresses Glaucus on the duties of leadership and the inevitability of death, prompting both to lead the Lycians in a charge that terrifies Menestheus.
αἴ κε Ζεὺς δώῃσιν1 Ὀλύμπιος ἀστεροπητὴς
”If only Olympian Zeus, the lord of lightning, grant us
νεῖκος ἀπωσαμένους δηΐους προτὶ ἄστυ δίεσθαι.
to drive the enemy in flight to the city, when we have repulsed their attack.”
ὣς τώ γε προβοῶντε μάχην ὄτρυνον Ἀχαιῶν.
Thus the two, shouting aloud, urged on the battle of the Achaeans.
τῶν δʼ, ὥς τε νιφάδες χιόνος πίπτωσι θαμειαὶ
And as flakes of snow fall thick
ἤματι χειμερίῳ, ὅτε τʼ ὤρετο μητίετα Ζεὺς
on a winter’s day, when wise Zeus rouses himself
νιφέμεν ἀνθρώποισι πιφαυσκόμενος τὰ ἃ κῆλα·
to snow, showing to men these arrows of his;
κοιμήσας δʼ ἀνέμους χέει ἔμπεδον, ὄφρα καλύψῃ
he lulls the winds and pours down snow continuously, until he covers
ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων κορυφὰς καὶ πρώονας ἄκρους
the peaks of the high mountains and the jutting headlands
καὶ πεδία λωτοῦντα καὶ ἀνδρῶν πίονα ἔργα,
and the clover plains and the rich tillage of men;
καί τʼ ἐφʼ ἁλὸς πολιῆς κέχυται λιμέσιν τε καὶ ἀκταῖς,
and it is poured out upon the grey sea, on harbours and beaches,
κῦμα δέ μιν προσπλάζον ἐρύκεται· ἄλλά τε πάντα
but the wave as it beats against it is stayed; and all other things
εἴλυται καθύπερθʼ, ὅτʼ ἐπιβρίσῃ Διὸς ὄμβρος·
are wrapped from above, when the storm of Zeus drives down.
ὣς τῶν ἀμφοτέρωσε λίθοι πωτῶντο θαμειαί,
So from both sides their stones flew thick,
αἱ μὲν ἄρʼ ἐς Τρῶας, αἱ δʼ ἐκ Τρώων ἐς Ἀχαιούς,
some upon the Trojans, and some from the Trojans upon the Achaeans,
βαλλομένων· τὸ δὲ τεῖχος ὕπερ πᾶν δοῦπος ὀρώρει.
as they cast at each other; and over the whole wall the din arose.
οὐδʼ ἄν πω τότε γε Τρῶες καὶ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ
Yet not even then would the Trojans and illustrious Hector
τείχεος ἐρρήξαντο πύλας καὶ μακρὸν ὀχῆα,
have broken the gates of the wall and the long bar,
εἰ μὴ ἄρʼ2 υἱὸν ἑὸν Σαρπηδόνα μητίετα Ζεὺς
if wise Zeus had not roused his own son, Sarpedon,
ὦρσεν ἐπʼ Ἀργείοισι λέονθʼ ὣς βουσὶν ἕλιξιν.
against the Argives, like a lion against horned kine.
αὐτίκα δʼ ἀσπίδα μὲν πρόσθʼ ἔσχετο πάντοσʼ ἐΐσην
Straightway he held before him his shield, equal on every side,
καλὴν χαλκείην ἐξήλατον, ἣν ἄρα χαλκεὺς
beautiful, of beaten bronze, which the smith
ἤλασεν, ἔντοσθεν δὲ βοείας ῥάψε θαμειὰς
had beaten out, and within had stitched thick ox-hides
χρυσείῃς ῥάβδοισι διηνεκέσιν περὶ κύκλον.
with golden wires all around the circle.
τὴν ἄρʼ ὅ γε πρόσθε σχόμενος δύο δοῦρε τινάσσων
Holding this shield before him and brandishing two spears,
βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεν ὥς τε λέων ὀρεσίτροφος, ὅς τʼ ἐπιδευὴς
he went on like a mountain-nurtured lion that has long
δηρὸν ἔῃ κρειῶν, κέλεται δέ ἑ θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ
been in want of flesh, and its proud spirit bids it
μήλων πειρήσοντα καὶ ἐς πυκινὸν δόμον ἐλθεῖν·
go even to the close-built fold to make trial of the sheep.
εἴ περ γάρ χʼ εὕρῃσι παρʼ αὐτόφι βώτορας ἄνδρας
For even if he find there the herdsmen
σὺν κυσὶ καὶ δούρεσσι φυλάσσοντας περὶ μῆλα,
guarding the sheep with dogs and spears,
οὔ ῥά τʼ ἀπείρητος μέμονε σταθμοῖο δίεσθαι,
yet he has no mind to be driven from the fold without a trial,
ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ ἄρʼ ἢ ἥρπαξε μετάλμενος, ἠὲ καὶ αὐτὸς
but either leaps in and seizes his prey, or is himself
ἔβλητʼ ἐν πρώτοισι θοῆς ἀπὸ χειρὸς ἄκοντι·
smitten among the foremost by a javelin from a swift hand.
ὥς ῥα τότʼ ἀντίθεον Σαρπηδόνα θυμὸς ἀνῆκε
So indeed did his spirit then urge godlike Sarpedon
τεῖχος ἐπαΐξαι διά τε ῥήξασθαι ἐπάλξεις.
to rush upon the wall and break down the breastworks.
αὐτίκα δὲ Γλαῦκον προσέφη παῖδʼ Ἱππολόχοιο·
And straightway he spoke to Glaucus, son of Hippolochus:
Γλαῦκε τί ἢ δὴ νῶϊ τετιμήμεσθα μάλιστα
”Glaucus, why is it that we two are honored most of all
ἕδρῃ τε κρέασίν τε ἰδὲ πλείοις δεπάεσσιν
with seats of honor, and meat, and full cups
ἐν Λυκίῃ, πάντες δὲ θεοὺς ὣς εἰσορόωσι,
in Lycia, and all men look upon us as gods,
καὶ τέμενος νεμόμεσθα μέγα Ξάνθοιο παρʼ ὄχθας
and we possess a great estate by the banks of Xanthus,
καλὸν φυταλιῆς καὶ ἀρούρης πυροφόροιο;
fair with orchard and wheat-bearing soil?
τὼ νῦν χρὴ Λυκίοισι μέτα πρώτοισιν ἐόντας
Therefore now we must stand among the foremost of the Lycians
ἑστάμεν ἠδὲ μάχης καυστείρης ἀντιβολῆσαι,
and face the raging battle,
ὄφρά τις ὧδʼ εἴπῃ Λυκίων πύκα θωρηκτάων·
so that some one of the close-armoured Lycians may say:
οὐ μὰν ἀκλεέες Λυκίην κάτα κοιρανέουσιν
’Not without glory, truly, do our kings rule Lycia,
ἡμέτεροι βασιλῆες, ἔδουσί τε πίονα μῆλα
and eat fat sheep
οἶνόν τʼ ἔξαιτον μελιηδέα· ἀλλʼ ἄρα καὶ ἲς
and drink choice honey-sweet wine; but indeed their might
ἐσθλή, ἐπεὶ Λυκίοισι μέτα πρώτοισι μάχονται.
also is noble, since they fight among the foremost of the Lycians.’
ὦ πέπον εἰ μὲν γὰρ πόλεμον περὶ τόνδε φυγόντε
Ah, friend, if indeed, by escaping from this war,
αἰεὶ δὴ μέλλοιμεν ἀγήρω τʼ ἀθανάτω τε
we were to be forever ageless and immortal,
ἔσσεσθʼ, οὔτέ κεν αὐτὸς ἐνὶ πρώτοισι μαχοίμην3
I would neither myself fight among the foremost
οὔτέ κε σὲ στέλλοιμι μάχην ἐς κυδιάνειραν·
nor would I send you into the battle that gives glory to men;
νῦν δʼ ἔμπης γὰρ κῆρες ἐφεστᾶσιν θανάτοιο
but now—since in any case fates of death stand over us
μυρίαι, ἃς οὐκ ἔστι φυγεῖν βροτὸν οὐδʼ ὑπαλύξαι,
ten thousandfold, which no mortal may escape or avoid—
ἴομεν ἠέ τῳ εὖχος ὀρέξομεν ἠέ τις ἡμῖν.
let us go, whether we shall yield glory to another, or another to us.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδὲ Γλαῦκος ἀπετράπετʼ οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε·
So he spoke, and Glaucus did not turn away nor disobey;
τὼ δʼ ἰθὺς βήτην Λυκίων μέγα ἔθνος ἄγοντε.
and the two went straight forward, leading the great host of the Lycians.
τοὺς δὲ ἰδὼν ῥίγησʼ υἱὸς Πετεῶο Μενεσθεύς·
And when Menestheus, son of Peteos, saw them, he shuddered;
τοῦ γὰρ δὴ πρὸς πύργον ἴσαν κακότητα φέροντες.
for it was toward his tower that they came, bringing ruin.
πάπτηνεν δʼ ἀνὰ πύργον Ἀχαιῶν εἴ τινʼ ἴδοιτο
He looked warily along the wall of the Achaeans, if he might see any
ἡγεμόνων, ὅς τίς οἱ ἀρὴν ἑτάροισιν ἀμύναι·
of the leaders who might ward off ruin from his comrades;
ἐς δʼ ἐνόησʼ Αἴαντε δύω πολέμου ἀκορήτω
and he descried the two Ajaxes, insatiable of war,
ἑσταότας, Τεῦκρόν τε νέον κλισίηθεν ἰόντα
standing there, and Teucer, newly come from his tent,
ἐγγύθεν· ἀλλʼ οὔ πώς οἱ ἔην βώσαντι γεγωνεῖν·
close at hand; yet he could not by any means make himself heard by shouting,
τόσσος γὰρ κτύπος ἦεν, ἀϋτὴ δʼ οὐρανὸν ἷκε,
for so great was the din, and the noise went up to heaven
βαλλομένων σακέων τε καὶ ἱπποκόμων τρυφαλειῶν
of shields being beaten, and of horsehair-plumed helmets.
- 12.275αἴ κε Ζεὺς δώῃσιν
The construction of 'αἴ κε' with the subjunctive (δώῃσιν) functions here as an independent expression of hope or expectation, with the main clause ('it would be well') left understood from the context, wrapping up the rallying cry of the Achaean leaders.
- 12.290οὐδʼ ἄν πω τότε γε... εἰ μὴ ἄρʼ
This is a past contrary-to-fact conditional construction. The apodosis (§12.290-291) features ἄν with an aorist indicative (ἐρρήξαντο), while the protasis (§12.292-293) uses εἰ μή with an aorist indicative (ὦρσεν), meaning 'if Zeus had not roused Sarpedon, they would not have broken the gates.'
- 12.322εἰ μὲν γὰρ... μέλλομεν... οὔτέ κεν... μαχοίμην
A mixed conditional sentence with an indicative in the protasis (εἰ... μέλλομεν, indicating an assumed certainty 'if we were indeed destined...') and an optative with κεν in the apodosis (οὔτέ κεν... μαχοίμην). It vividly presents the impossible condition of achieving immortality by flight as a given assumption, while casting the consequence of not fighting as a potential option.