Trojan Advance in Five Units and Charge of Asius — Homer, Iliad Book 12 (lines 69–138), Greek & English

ἦ τʼ ἂν ἔγωγʼ ἐθέλοιμι καὶ αὐτίκα τοῦτο γενέσθαι,

”Indeed I would wish even that this should happen immediately,

νωνύμνους ἀπολέσθαι ἀπʼ Ἄργεος ἐνθάδʼ Ἀχαιούς·

that the Achaeans should perish here nameless, far from Argos.

εἰ δέ χʼ ὑποστρέψωσι, παλίωξις δὲ γένηται

But if they should turn back, and a counter-attack should come

ἐκ νηῶν καὶ τάφρῳ ἐνιπλήξωμεν ὀρυκτῇ,

from the ships, and we should be driven into the dug ditch,

οὐκέτʼ ἔπειτʼ ὀΐω οὐδʼ ἄγγελον ἀπονέεσθαι

then indeed I think not even a single messenger will return

ἄψορρον προτὶ ἄστυ ἑλιχθέντων¹ ὑπʼ Ἀχαιῶν.

back to the city, of those of us who are turned back by the Achaeans.

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες·

But come, let us all obey as I shall say:

ἵππους μὲν θεράποντες ἐρυκόντων ἐπὶ τάφρῳ,

let the attendants hold back the horses at the ditch,

αὐτοὶ δὲ πρυλέες σὺν τεύχεσι θωρηχθέντες

and let us ourselves, as foot soldiers clad in our armor,

Ἕκτορι πάντες ἑπώμεθʼ ἀολλέες· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ

follow all together after Hector; and the Achaeans

οὐ μενέουσʼ εἰ δή σφιν ὀλέθρου πείρατʼ ἐφῆπται.

will not stand firm, if indeed the bonds of destruction are fastened upon them.”

ὣς φάτο Πουλυδάμας, ἅδε δʼ Ἕκτορι μῦθος ἀπήμων,

Thus Polydamas spoke, and his safe counsel pleased Hector;

αὐτίκα δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων σὺν τεύχεσιν ἆλτο χαμᾶζε.

and immediately he leaped in his armor from his chariot to the ground.

οὐδὲ μὲν ἄλλοι Τρῶες ἐφʼ ἵππων ἠγερέθοντο,

Nor indeed did the other Trojans remain gathered on their horses,

ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ πάντες ὄρουσαν, ἐπεὶ ἴδον Ἕκτορα δῖον.

but they all leaped down, when they saw divine Hector.

ἡνιόχῳ μὲν ἔπειτα ἑῷ ἐπέτελλεν ἕκαστος

Then each one commanded his own charioteer

ἵππους εὖ κατὰ κόσμον ἐρυκέμεν αὖθʼ ἐπὶ τάφρῳ·

to hold back the horses well in order there at the ditch.

οἳ δὲ διαστάντες σφέας αὐτοὺς ἀρτύναντες

But they, drawing apart and marshaling themselves,

πένταχα κοσμηθέντες ἅμʼ ἡγεμόνεσσιν ἕποντο.

having set themselves in order in five divisions, followed along with their leaders.

οἳ μὲν ἅμʼ Ἕκτορʼ ἴσαν καὶ ἀμύμονι Πουλυδάμαντι,

Those on the one hand went with Hector and blameless Polydamas,

οἳ πλεῖστοι καὶ ἄριστοι ἔσαν, μέμασαν δὲ μάλιστα

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

τεῖχος ῥηξάμενοι κοίλῃς ἐπὶ νηυσὶ μάχεσθαι.

to break through the wall and fight at the hollow ships.

καί σφιν Κεβριόνης τρίτος εἵπετο· πὰρ δʼ ἄρʼ ὄχεσφιν

And Cebriones followed them as a third; and by the chariot

ἄλλον Κεβριόναο χερείονα² κάλλιπεν Ἕκτωρ.

Hector left another, inferior to Cebriones.

τῶν δʼ ἑτέρων Πάρις ἦρχε καὶ Ἀλκάθοος καὶ Ἀγήνωρ,

The second division Paris led, and Alcathous, and Agenor;

τῶν δὲ τρίτων Ἕλενος καὶ Δηΐφοβος θεοειδὴς

and the third Helenus and godlike Deiphobus,

υἷε δύω Πριάμοιο· τρίτος δʼ ἦν Ἄσιος ἥρως

two sons of Priam; and the third leader was the hero Asius,

Ἄσιος Ὑρτακίδης, ὃν Ἀρίσβηθεν φέρον ἵπποι

Asius son of Hyrtacus, whom his big, fiery horses

αἴθωνες μεγάλοι ποταμοῦ ἄπο Σελλήεντος.

had brought from Arisbe, from the river Selleis.

τῶν δὲ τετάρτων ἦρχεν ἐῢς πάϊς Ἀγχίσαο

And of the fourth division the brave son of Anchises led,

Αἰνείας, ἅμα τῷ γε δύω Ἀντήνορος υἷε

Aeneas, and with him the two sons of Antenor,

100

Ἀρχέλοχός τʼ Ἀκάμας τε μάχης εὖ εἰδότε πάσης.

Archelochus and Acamas, well skilled in every kind of fighting.

Σαρπηδὼν δʼ ἡγήσατʼ ἀγακλειτῶν ἐπικούρων,

And Sarpedon led the glorious allies,

πρὸς δʼ ἕλετο Γλαῦκον καὶ ἀρήϊον Ἀστεροπαῖον·

and chose as his helpers Glaucus and warlike Asteropaeus;

οἳ γάρ οἱ εἴσαντο διακριδὸν εἶναι ἄριστοι

for these seemed to him to be conspicuously the best

τῶν ἄλλων μετά γʼ αὐτόν· ὃ δʼ ἔπρεπε καὶ διὰ πάντων.

of the others after himself; but he himself was preeminent even among all.

105

οἳ δʼ ἐπεὶ ἀλλήλους ἄραρον τυκτῇσι βόεσσι

And they, when they had fitted together their shields of sturdy ox-hide,

βάν ῥʼ ἰθὺς Δαναῶν λελιημένοι, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἔφαντο

went straight against the Danai, full of eagerness, nor did they think

σχήσεσθʼ,³ ἀλλʼ ἐν νηυσὶ μελαίνῃσιν πεσέεσθαι.

they would any longer be held back, but would fall upon the black ships.

ἔνθʼ ἄλλοι Τρῶες τηλεκλειτοί τʼ ἐπίκουροι

There the other Trojans and far-famed allies

βουλῇ Πουλυδάμαντος ἀμωμήτοιο πίθοντο·

obeyed the counsel of blameless Polydamas;

110

ἀλλʼ οὐχ Ὑρτακίδης ἔθελʼ Ἄσιος ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν

but Asius, son of Hyrtacus, leader of men, was not willing

αὖθι λιπεῖν ἵππους τε καὶ ἡνίοχον θεράποντα,

to leave his horses and his attendant charioteer there,

ἀλλὰ σὺν αὐτοῖσιν πέλασεν νήεσσι θοῇσι

but with them he drew near to the swift ships,

νήπιος, οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔμελλε⁴ κακὰς ὑπὸ κῆρας ἀλύξας

foolish man! nor was he destined, escaping evil fates,

ἵπποισιν καὶ ὄχεσφιν ἀγαλλόμενος παρὰ νηῶν

exulting in his horses and chariot, from the ships

115

ἂψ ἀπονοστήσειν προτὶ Ἴλιον ἠνεμόεσσαν·

to return back to windy Ilium;

πρόσθεν γάρ μιν μοῖρα δυσώνυμος ἀμφεκάλυψεν

for before that, fate of evil name enveloped him

ἔγχεϊ Ἰδομενῆος ἀγαυοῦ Δευκαλίδαο.

by the spear of noble Idomeneus, son of Deucalion.

εἴσατο γὰρ νηῶν ἐπʼ ἀριστερά, τῇ περ Ἀχαιοὶ

For he went to the left of the ships, where the Achaeans

ἐκ πεδίου νίσοντο σὺν ἵπποισιν καὶ ὄχεσφι·

used to return from the plain with horses and chariots;

120

τῇ ῥʼ ἵππους τε καὶ ἅρμα διήλασεν, οὐδὲ πύλῃσιν

there he drove through his horses and chariot, nor at the gates

εὗρʼ ἐπικεκλιμένας σανίδας καὶ μακρὸν ὀχῆα,

did he find the doors shut and the long bar across,

ἀλλʼ ἀναπεπταμένας ἔχον ἀνέρες, εἴ τινʼ ἑταίρων

but men were holding them wide open, if any of their comrades

ἐκ πολέμου φεύγοντα σαώσειαν μετὰ νῆας.

fleeing from the war they might save into the ships.

τῇ ῥʼ ἰθὺς φρονέων ἵππους ἔχε, τοὶ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕποντο

There with direct purpose he held his horses, and they followed him

125

ὀξέα κεκλήγοντες· ἔφαντο γὰρ οὐκ ἔτʼ Ἀχαιοὺς

crying out shrilly; for they thought the Achaeans would no longer

σχήσεσθʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐν νηυσὶ μελαίνῃσιν πεσέεσθαι

hold them back, but would fall upon the black ships—

νήπιοι, ἐν δὲ πύλῃσι δύʼ ἀνέρας εὗρον ἀρίστους

fools! and at the gates they found two most excellent men,

υἷας ὑπερθύμους Λαπιθάων αἰχμητάων,

high-spirited sons of Lapith spear-fighters,

τὸν μὲν Πειριθόου υἷα κρατερὸν Πολυποίτην,

the one the mighty son of Peirithous, Polypoetes,

130

τὸν δὲ Λεοντῆα βροτολοιγῷ ἶσον Ἄρηϊ.

and the other Leonteus, the peer of Ares, bane of mortals.

τὼ μὲν ἄρα προπάροιθε πυλάων ὑψηλάων

These two then stood before the high gates

ἕστασαν ὡς ὅτε τε δρύες οὔρεσιν ὑψικάρηνοι,

like high-headed oaks in the mountains,

αἵ τʼ ἄνεμον μίμνουσι καὶ ὑετὸν ἤματα πάντα

which abide the wind and rain through all days,

ῥίζῃσιν μεγάλῃσι διηνεκέεσσʼ ἀραρυῖαι·

fixed with great, far-reaching roots;

135

ὣς ἄρα τὼ χείρεσσι πεποιθότες ἠδὲ βίηφι

so these two, trusting in their hands and their strength,

μίμνον ἐπερχόμενον μέγαν Ἄσιον οὐδὲ φέβοντο.

awaited great Asius as he came on, and did not flee.

οἳ δʼ ἰθὺς πρὸς τεῖχος ἐΰδμητον βόας αὔας

And they went straight toward the well-built wall, holding their dry ox-hide shields

ὑψόσʼ ἀνασχόμενοι ἔκιον μεγάλῳ ἀλαλητῷ

high aloft, with a great clamor.

Syntax notes4 items

12.74ἑλιχθέντων
The participle ἑλιχθέντων, while formally resembling a genitive absolute, is best construed as agreeing with an implied first-person plural genitive pronoun ('of us' / ἡμέων) acting as a partitive genitive under the negative subject ('not even a single messenger of those of us turned back by the Achaeans').
12.92Κεβριόναο χερείονα
The comparative adjective χερείονα ('inferior') takes the genitive Κεβριόναο as the genitive of comparison, meaning 'another person inferior to Cebriones'.
12.107σχήσεσθʼ
The subject of the infinitive σχήσεσθαι (used intransitively as 'to hold out' or 'to withstand') is the Achaeans (Δαναῶν from line 106), whereas the subject of the coordinate infinitive πεσέεσθαι (line 107) is the Trojans themselves. This represents a rapid shift of implicit subjects between the two infinitives dependent on ἔφαντο.
12.113νήπιος, οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔμελλε
A classic epic prolepsis (anticipation) where the narrator foreshadows the character's tragic fate. The verb ἔμελλε combined with the future infinitive ἀπονοστήσειν expresses an unrealized destined future ('he was not destined to return').

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-grc2:12.69-12.138