Poseidon's Intervention to Rouse the Two Ajaxes — Homer, Iliad Book 13 (lines 1–70), Greek & English

Ζεὺς δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν Τρῶάς τε καὶ Ἕκτορα νηυσὶ πέλασσε,

When Zeus had brought the Trojans and Hector close to the ships,

τοὺς μὲν ἔα παρὰ τῇσι πόνον τʼ ἐχέμεν¹ καὶ ὀϊζὺν

he left them there to endure toil and misery

νωλεμέως, αὐτὸς δὲ πάλιν τρέπεν ὄσσε φαεινὼ

endlessly, while he turned back his bright eyes

νόσφιν ἐφʼ ἱπποπόλων Θρῃκῶν καθορώμενος αἶαν

away, looking down upon the land of the horse-tending Thracians,

Μυσῶν τʼ ἀγχεμάχων καὶ ἀγαυῶν ἱππημολγῶν

and of the close-fighting Mysians, and of the noble Hippemolgi,

γλακτοφάγων Ἀβίων τε δικαιοτάτων ἀνθρώπων.

who drink mare’s milk, and of the Abii, the most just of men.

ἐς Τροίην δʼ οὐ πάμπαν ἔτι τρέπεν ὄσσε φαεινώ·

Toward Troy he no longer turned his bright eyes at all;

οὐ γὰρ ὅ γʼ ἀθανάτων τινα ἔλπετο ὃν κατὰ θυμὸν

for he did not expect in his heart that any of the immortals

ἐλθόντʼ ἢ Τρώεσσιν ἀρηξέμεν ἢ Δαναοῖσιν.²

would go to aid either the Trojans or the Danaans.

οὐδʼ ἀλαοσκοπιὴν εἶχε³ κρείων ἐνοσίχθων·

But the lord, the shaker of the earth, kept no blind watch;

καὶ γὰρ ὃ θαυμάζων ἧστο πτόλεμόν τε μάχην τε

for he sat wondering at the war and the battle

ὑψοῦ ἐπʼ ἀκροτάτης κορυφῆς Σάμου ὑληέσσης

high on the topmost peak of wooded Samothrace,

Θρηϊκίης· ἔνθεν γὰρ ἐφαίνετο πᾶσα μὲν Ἴδη,

the Thracian; for from there all Ida was visible,

φαίνετο δὲ Πριάμοιο πόλις καὶ νῆες Ἀχαιῶν.

and the city of Priam was visible, and the ships of the Achaeans.

ἔνθʼ ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἐξ ἁλὸς ἕζετʼ ἰών, ἐλέαιρε δʼ Ἀχαιοὺς

There he had sat down, coming out of the sea, and he pitied the Achaeans

Τρωσὶν δαμναμένους, Διὶ δὲ κρατερῶς ἐνεμέσσα.

as they were being overcome by the Trojans, and he was fiercely angry with Zeus.

αὐτίκα δʼ ἐξ ὄρεος κατεβήσετο παιπαλόεντος

And straightway he went down from the rugged mountain,

κραιπνὰ ποσὶ προβιβάς· τρέμε δʼ οὔρεα μακρὰ καὶ ὕλη

advancing with swift strides; and the high mountains and the woodland trembled

ποσσὶν ὑπʼ ἀθανάτοισι Ποσειδάωνος ἰόντος.

beneath the immortal feet of Poseidon as he went.

τρὶς μὲν ὀρέξατʼ ἰών, τὸ δὲ τέτρατον ἵκετο τέκμωρ

Three strides he made as he went, and with the fourth he reached his goal,

Αἰγάς, ἔνθα δέ οἱ κλυτὰ δώματα βένθεσι λίμνης

Aegae, where his famous palace in the depths of the lake

χρύσεα μαρμαίροντα τετεύχαται ἄφθιτα αἰεί.

is built, golden and gleaming, imperishable forever.

ἔνθʼ ἐλθὼν ὑπʼ ὄχεσφι τιτύσκετο χαλκόποδʼ ἵππω

Coming there, he harnessed beneath his chariot his two bronze-hoofed horses,

ὠκυπέτα χρυσέῃσιν ἐθείρῃσιν κομόωντε,

swift-flying, with golden manes flowing,

χρυσὸν δʼ αὐτὸς ἔδυνε περὶ χροΐ, γέντο δʼ ἱμάσθλην

and he put gold about his body, and took his whip

χρυσείην εὔτυκτον, ἑοῦ δʼ ἐπεβήσετο δίφρου,

of gold, well-fashioned, and stepped upon his chariot,

βῆ δʼ ἐλάαν ἐπὶ κύματʼ· ἄταλλε δὲ κήτεʼ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ

and drove over the waves; and the sea-monsters gamboled beneath him

πάντοθεν ἐκ κευθμῶν, οὐδʼ ἠγνοίησεν ἄνακτα·

from their hiding-places everywhere, and they did not fail to recognize their lord;

γηθοσύνῃ δὲ θάλασσα διίστατο· τοὶ δὲ πέτοντο

and in gladness the sea parted, and they flew

ῥίμφα μάλʼ, οὐδʼ ὑπένερθε διαίνετο χάλκεος ἄξων·

very swiftly, and the bronze axle beneath was not wetted;

τὸν δʼ ἐς Ἀχαιῶν νῆας ἐΰσκαρθμοι φέρον ἵπποι.

and his bounding horses bore him to the ships of the Achaeans.

ἔστι δέ τι σπέος εὐρὺ βαθείης βένθεσι λίμνης

There is a wide cave in the depths of the deep lake,

μεσσηγὺς Τενέδοιο καὶ Ἴμβρου παιπαλοέσσης·

midway between Tenedos and rugged Imbros;

ἔνθʼ ἵππους ἔστησε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων

there Poseidon, the shaker of the earth, stayed his horses,

λύσας ἐξ ὀχέων, παρὰ δʼ ἀμβρόσιον βάλεν εἶδαρ

unyoking them from the chariot, and cast before them ambrosial food

ἔδμεναι· ἀμφὶ δὲ ποσσὶ πέδας ἔβαλε χρυσείας

to eat; and about their feet he put golden fetters,

ἀρρήκτους ἀλύτους, ὄφρʼ ἔμπεδον αὖθι μένοιεν

unbreakable and unloosable, so that they might remain firmly there

νοστήσαντα ἄνακτα· ὃ δʼ ἐς στρατὸν ᾤχετʼ Ἀχαιῶν.

waiting for their lord to return; and he went to the camp of the Achaeans.

Τρῶες δὲ φλογὶ ἶσοι ἀολλέες ἠὲ θυέλλῃ

But the Trojans, like a flame or a storm-wind, all in a crowd

Ἕκτορι Πριαμίδῃ ἄμοτον μεμαῶτες ἕποντο

followed Hector, son of Priam, with furious eagerness,

ἄβρομοι αὐΐαχοι· ἔλποντο δὲ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν

shouting and crying; and they hoped to take the ships

αἱρήσειν, κτενέειν δὲ παρʼ αὐτόθι πάντας ἀρίστους.

of the Achaeans, and to slay there all the bravest.

ἀλλὰ Ποσειδάων γαιήοχος ἐννοσίγαιος

But Poseidon, the earth-holder and earth-shaker,

Ἀργείους ὄτρυνε βαθείης ἐξ ἁλὸς ἐλθὼν

urged on the Argives, coming out from the deep sea

εἰσάμενος Κάλχαντι δέμας καὶ ἀτειρέα φωνήν·

in the likeness of Calchas in form and tireless voice;

Αἴαντε πρώτω προσέφη μεμαῶτε καὶ αὐτώ·

and he spoke first to the two Ajaxes, who themselves were already eager:

Αἴαντε σφὼ μέν τε σαώσετε λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν

”You two Ajaxes, you shall save the people of the Achaeans

ἀλκῆς μνησαμένω, μὴ δὲ κρυεροῖο φόβοιο.

if you remember your valour and not chilling fear.

ἄλλῃ μὲν γὰρ ἔγωγʼ οὐ δείδια χεῖρας ἀάπτους

For elsewhere indeed I do not fear the hands, invincible though they are,

Τρώων, οἳ μέγα τεῖχος ὑπερκατέβησαν ὁμίλῳ·

of the Trojans, who have climbed over the great wall in a throng;

ἕξουσιν γὰρ πάντας ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί·

for the well-greaved Achaeans will hold them all back;

τῇ δὲ δὴ αἰνότατον περιδείδια μή τι πάθωμεν,

but here I fear most terribly lest we suffer some disaster,

ᾗ ῥʼ ὅ γʼ ὁ λυσσώδης φλογὶ εἴκελος ἡγεμονεύει

where that madman, like a flame, is leading them,

Ἕκτωρ, ὃς Διὸς εὔχετʼ ἐρισθενέος πάϊς εἶναι.

Hector, who boasts that he is the son of almighty Zeus.

σφῶϊν δʼ ὧδε θεῶν τις ἐνὶ φρεσὶ ποιήσειεν⁴

If only some god might put it into the hearts of you two

αὐτώ θʼ ἑστάμεναι κρατερῶς καὶ ἀνωγέμεν ἄλλους·

to stand firmly yourselves and to bid the others do the same;

τώ κε καὶ ἐσσύμενόν περ ἐρωήσαιτʼ ἀπὸ νηῶν

then you might drive him back, eager though he is, from the swift-faring

ὠκυπόρων, εἰ καί μιν Ὀλύμπιος αὐτὸς ἐγείρει.

ships, even if the Olympian himself is urging him on.”

ἦ καὶ σκηπανίῳ γαιήοχος ἐννοσίγαιος

So saying, the earth-holder and earth-shaker

ἀμφοτέρω κεκοπὼς πλῆσεν μένεος κρατεροῖο,

struck both of them with his staff and filled them with strong courage,

γυῖα δʼ ἔθηκεν ἐλαφρὰ πόδας καὶ χεῖρας ὕπερθεν.

and made their limbs light, their feet and their hands above.

αὐτὸς δʼ ὥς τʼ ἴρηξ ὠκύπτερος ὦρτο πέτεσθαι,

And he himself, like a swift-winged hawk that rises

ὅς ῥά τʼ ἀπʼ αἰγίλιπος πέτρης περιμήκεος ἀρθεὶς

from a sheer, towering cliff

ὁρμήσῃ πεδίοιο διώκειν ὄρνεον ἄλλο,

to chase another bird over the plain,

ὣς ἀπὸ τῶν ἤϊξε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων.

so from them sped Poseidon, the shaker of the earth.

τοῖιν δʼ ἔγνω πρόσθεν Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς Αἴας,⁵

And of the two, swift Ajax, son of Oileus, recognized him first,

αἶψα δʼ ἄρʼ Αἴαντα προσέφη Τελαμώνιον υἱόν·

and straightway spoke to Ajax, son of Telamon:

Αἶαν ἐπεί τις νῶϊ θεῶν οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσι

”Ajax, since one of the gods who hold Olympus

μάντεϊ εἰδόμενος κέλεται παρὰ νηυσὶ μάχεσθαι,

in the likeness of the seer bids us fight by the ships—

οὐδʼ ὅ γε Κάλχας ἐστὶ θεοπρόπος οἰωνιστής·

for he is not Calchas, the prophetic bird-diviner;”

Syntax notes5 items

13.2τοὺς μὲν ἔα ... πόνον τʼ ἐχέμεν
The subject of the infinitive ἐχέμεν (Homeric present infinitive) is the accusative τοὺς (referring to the Trojans and Achaeans), which functions as the object of the verb ἔα (unaugmented 3rd sg. imperfect of ἐάω), meaning 'he left them to have/endure toil.'
13.8οὐ γὰρ ὅ γʼ ἀθανάτων τινα ἔλπετο ὃν κατὰ θυμὸν ἐλθόντʼ ἢ Τρώεσσιν ἀρηξέμεν ἢ Δαναοῖσιν.
An Accusativus cum Infinitivo (A.C.I.) construction follows ἔλπετο. The accusative τινα (with the genitive ἀθανάτων) serves as the subject of the future infinitive ἀρηξέμεν, with the participle ἐλθόντα agreeing with the subject.
13.10οὐδʼ ἀλαοσκοπιὴν εἶχε
Literally 'nor did he keep a blind watch,' an idiomatic double negative expression meaning 'he kept a sharp watch' or 'did not fail to observe.'
13.55σφῶϊν δʼ ὧδε θεῶν τις ἐνὶ φρεσὶ ποιήσειεν
The optative ποιήσειεν expresses a wish ('may some god put...'). σφῶϊν is the second person dual dative, meaning 'for you two' or 'in the mind of you two.'
13.66τοῖιν δʼ ἔγνω πρόσθεν Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς Αἴας
The dual genitive τοῖιν functions as a partitive genitive ('of the two'), used here with πρόσθεν ('first,' in a temporal sense).

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-22)

2026-09-22 AI review — source 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:13.1-13.70