- 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-grc2:14.447-14.522
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
Fierce combat ensues between the Greeks and Trojans, marked by the brutal killings and boasts of Polydamas, Acamas, and Peneleos. Once Poseidon swings the battle in the Achaeans' favor, their leaders, led by Telamonian Ajax and swift Ajax, ruthlessly cut down the retreating Trojan forces.
οὖτα κατὰ λαπάρην· ὃ δʼ ἀνετράπετʼ, ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτῷ
wounded him in the flank; and he fell backward, and about him
Τρῶες καὶ Δαναοὶ σύναγον κρατερὴν ὑσμίνην.
Trojans and Danaans joined in fierce conflict.
τῷ δʼ ἐπὶ Πουλυδάμας ἐγχέσπαλος ἦλθεν ἀμύντωρ
Then over him came Polydamas, brandishing his spear, to defend him,
Πανθοΐδης, βάλε δὲ Προθοήνορα δεξιὸν ὦμον
the son of Panthous, and he struck Prothoenor on the right shoulder,
υἱὸν Ἀρηϊλύκοιο, διʼ ὤμου δʼ ὄβριμον ἔγχος
the son of Areilycus, and through his shoulder the mighty spear
ἔσχεν,1 ὃ δʼ ἐν κονίῃσι πεσὼν ἕλε γαῖαν ἀγοστῷ.
held its way; and falling in the dust he clutched the ground with his palm.
Πουλυδάμας δʼ ἔκπαγλον ἐπεύξατο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·
And Polydamas boasted over him terribly, crying aloud:
οὐ μὰν αὖτʼ ὀΐω μεγαθύμου Πανθοΐδαο
”I do not think indeed that from the stout hand of the great-hearted son of Panthous
χειρὸς ἄπο στιβαρῆς ἅλιον πηδῆσαι ἄκοντα,
the spear has leapt in vain,
ἀλλά τις Ἀργείων κόμισε χροΐ, καί μιν ὀΐω
but some one of the Argives has welcomed it in his flesh, and I think that
αὐτῷ σκηπτόμενον κατίμεν δόμον Ἄϊδος εἴσω.
leaning upon it as a staff he will go down into the house of Hades.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀργείοισι δʼ ἄχος γένετʼ εὐξαμένοιο·
So he spoke, and grief came upon the Argives at his boasting;
Αἴαντι δὲ μάλιστα δαΐφρονι θυμὸν ὄρινε
and most of all did he stir the soul of war-minded Ajax,
τῷ Τελαμωνιάδῃ· τοῦ γὰρ πέσεν ἄγχι μάλιστα.
the son of Telamon; for the man had fallen closest to him.
καρπαλίμως δʼ ἀπιόντος ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ.
And swiftly he cast with his bright spear at Polydamas as he was drawing back.
Πουλυδάμας δʼ αὐτὸς μὲν ἀλεύατο κῆρα μέλαιναν
Polydamas himself indeed avoided black fate,
λικριφὶς ἀΐξας, κόμισεν δʼ Ἀντήνορος υἱὸς
springing aside; but Archelochus, son of Antenor, received the blow;
Ἀρχέλοχος· τῷ γάρ ῥα θεοὶ βούλευσαν ὄλεθρον.
for to him did the gods design destruction.
τόν ῥʼ ἔβαλεν κεφαλῆς τε καὶ αὐχένος ἐν συνεοχμῷ,
Him he struck at the joining of the head and neck,
νείατον ἀστράγαλον, ἀπὸ δʼ ἄμφω κέρσε τένοντε·
on the topmost joint of the spine, and sheared off both the tendons;
τοῦ δὲ πολὺ προτέρη κεφαλὴ στόμα τε ῥῖνές τε
and his head and mouth and nose met the ground
οὔδεϊ πλῆντʼ ἤ περ κνῆμαι καὶ γοῦνα πεσόντος.
far sooner than the shins and knees of him as he fell.
Αἴας δʼ αὖτʼ ἐγέγωνεν ἀμύμονι Πουλυδάμαντι·
Then Ajax in turn shouted to peerless Polydamas:
φράζεο Πουλυδάμα καί μοι νημερτὲς ἐνίσπες
”Reflect, Polydamas, and tell me the very truth:
ἦ ῥʼ οὐχ οὗτος ἀνὴρ Προθοήνορος ἀντὶ πεφάσθαι2
is not this man worthy to be slain in place of Prothoenor?
ἄξιος; οὐ μέν μοι κακὸς εἴδεται οὐδὲ κακῶν ἔξ,
He seems to me no coward, nor of coward birth,
ἀλλὰ κασίγνητος Ἀντήνορος ἱπποδάμοιο
but a brother of horse-taming Antenor,
ἢ πάϊς· αὐτῷ γὰρ γενεὴν ἄγχιστα ἐῴκει.
or his son; for he is most like him in breed.”
ἦ ῥʼ εὖ γιγνώσκων, Τρῶας δʼ ἄχος ἔλλαβε θυμόν.
So he spoke, knowing it well, and grief seized the hearts of the Trojans.
ἔνθʼ Ἀκάμας Πρόμαχον Βοιώτιον οὔτασε δουρὶ
Then Acamas wounded Promachus the Boeotian with his spear,
ἀμφὶ κασιγνήτῳ βεβαώς· ὃ δʼ ὕφελκε ποδοῖιν.
bestriding his brother; and Promachus was dragging him away by the feet.
τῷ δʼ Ἀκάμας ἔκπαγλον ἐπεύξατο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·
And Acamas boasted over him terribly, crying aloud:
Ἀργεῖοι ἰόμωροι ἀπειλάων ἀκόρητοι
”Argives, babblers with the bow, insatiate of threats,
οὔ θην οἴοισίν γε πόνος τʼ ἔσεται καὶ ὀϊζὺς
assuredly not for us alone shall there be toil and woe,
ἡμῖν, ἀλλά ποθʼ ὧδε κατακτενέεσθε καὶ ὔμμες.
but even so shall you too be slain.
φράζεσθʼ ὡς ὑμῖν Πρόμαχος δεδμημένος εὕδει
Mark how your Promachus sleeps, subdued by
ἔγχει ἐμῷ, ἵνα μή τι κασιγνήτοιό γε ποινὴ
my spear, so that the blood-price of my brother
δηρὸν ἄτιτος ἔῃ· τὼ καί κέ τις εὔχεται ἀνὴρ
may not long remain unpaid; therefore does a man pray
γνωτὸν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἀρῆς ἀλκτῆρα λιπέσθαι.
that a kinsman be left in his halls to be an averter of ruin.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀργείοισι δʼ ἄχος γένετʼ εὐξαμένοιο·
So he spoke, and grief came upon the Argives at his boasting;
Πηνέλεῳ δὲ μάλιστα δαΐφρονι θυμὸν ὄρινεν·
and most of all did he stir the soul of war-minded Peneleos.
ὁρμήθη δʼ Ἀκάμαντος· ὃ δʼ οὐχ ὑπέμεινεν ἐρωὴν
He rushed upon Acamas; but Acamas did not abide the charge
Πηνελέωο ἄνακτος· ὃ δʼ οὔτασεν Ἰλιονῆα
of lord Peneleos; and Peneleos wounded Ilioneus,
υἱὸν Φόρβαντος πολυμήλου, τόν ῥα μάλιστα
the son of Phorbas, rich in flocks, whom of all Trojans
Ἑρμείας Τρώων ἐφίλει καὶ κτῆσιν ὄπασσε·
Hermes loved most and gave him wealth;
τῷ δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὸ μήτηρ μοῦνον τέκεν Ἰλιονῆα.
and to him his mother bore Ilioneus alone.
τὸν τόθʼ ὑπʼ ὀφρύος οὖτα κατʼ ὀφθαλμοῖο θέμεθλα,
Him did Peneleos wound beneath the brow at the roots of the eye,
ἐκ δʼ ὦσε γλήνην· δόρυ δʼ ὀφθαλμοῖο διὰ πρὸ
and thrust out the eyeball; and the spear went right through the eye
καὶ διὰ ἰνίου ἦλθεν, ὃ δʼ ἕζετο χεῖρε πετάσσας
and through the nape of the neck, and he sat down stretching out both
ἄμφω· Πηνέλεως δὲ ἐρυσσάμενος ξίφος ὀξὺ
his hands; but Peneleos drawing his sharp sword
αὐχένα μέσσον ἔλασσεν, ἀπήραξεν δὲ χαμᾶζε
struck him full upon the neck, and smote off to the ground
αὐτῇ σὺν πήληκι κάρη· ἔτι δʼ ὄβριμον ἔγχος
his head with the helmet; and still the heavy spear
ἦεν ἐν ὀφθαλμῷ· ὃ δὲ φὴ κώδειαν ἀνασχὼν
was in his eye; and holding it up like a poppy-head
πέφραδέ τε Τρώεσσι καὶ εὐχόμενος ἔπος ηὔδα·
he showed it to the Trojans, and spoke a word of boasting:
εἰπέμεναί μοι Τρῶες ἀγαυοῦ Ἰλιονῆος
”Tell for me, ye Trojans, to the dear father and mother
πατρὶ φίλῳ καὶ μητρὶ γοήμεναι3 ἐν μεγάροισιν·
of illustrious Ilioneus to make wailing in their halls;
οὐδὲ γὰρ ἣ Προμάχοιο δάμαρ Ἀλεγηνορίδαο
for neither shall the wife of Promachus, son of Alegenor,
ἀνδρὶ φίλῳ ἐλθόντι γανύσσεται, ὁππότε κεν δὴ
rejoice in her dear husband when he returns, when we,
ἐκ Τροίης σὺν νηυσὶ νεώμεθα κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν.
the youths of the Achaeans, return from Troy with our ships.”
ὣς φάτο, τοὺς δʼ ἄρα πάντας ὑπὸ τρόμος ἔλλαβε γυῖα,
So he spoke, and trembling seized the limbs of them all,
πάπτηνεν δὲ ἕκαστος ὅπῃ φύγοι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.
and each man looked about to see where he might escape sheer destruction.
ἔσπετε νῦν μοι Μοῦσαι Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχουσαι
Tell me now, ye Muses that have dwellings on Olympus,
ὅς τις δὴ πρῶτος βροτόεντʼ ἀνδράγριʼ Ἀχαιῶν
who was the first of the Achaeans to win bloody spoils of war,
ἤρατʼ, ἐπεί ῥʼ ἔκλινε μάχην κλυτὸς ἐννοσίγαιος.
when once the famous Shaker of the Earth had turned the battle.
Αἴας ῥα πρῶτος Τελαμώνιος Ὕρτιον οὖτα
Ajax, son of Telamon, was the first to wound Hyrtius,
Γυρτιάδην Μυσῶν ἡγήτορα καρτεροθύμων·
the son of Gyrtias, leader of the strong-hearted Mysians;
Φάλκην δʼ Ἀντίλοχος καὶ Μέρμερον ἐξενάριξε·
and Antilochus spoiled Phalces and Mermerus;
Μηριόνης δὲ Μόρυν τε καὶ Ἱπποτίωνα κατέκτα,
and Meriones slew Morys and Hippotion;
Τεῦκρος δὲ Προθόωνά τʼ ἐνήρατο καὶ Περιφήτην·
and Teucer slew Prothoon and Periphetes;
Ἀτρεΐδης δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειθʼ Ὑπερήνορα ποιμένα λαῶν
and thereafter the son of Atreus wounded Hyperenor, shepherd of the host,
οὖτα κατὰ λαπάρην, διὰ δʼ ἔντερα χαλκὸς ἄφυσσε
in the flank, and the bronze shore through his bowels,
δῃώσας· ψυχὴ δὲ κατʼ οὐταμένην ὠτειλὴν
making a gash; and his soul through the wounded gash
ἔσσυτʼ ἐπειγομένη, τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψε.
hastened away in eagerness, and darkness covered his eyes.
πλείστους δʼ Αἴας εἷλεν Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς υἱός·
But most of all did Ajax slay, the swift son of Oileus;
οὐ γάρ οἵ τις ὁμοῖος ἐπισπέσθαι ποσὶν ἦεν
for there was none like him to follow on foot
ἀνδρῶν τρεσσάντων, ὅτε τε Ζεὺς ἐν φόβον ὄρσῃ.
among fleeing men, when Zeus rouses panic.
- 14.451διʼ ὤμου δʼ ὄβριμον ἔγχος ἔσχεν
The verb ἔσχεν (from ἔχω) is interpreted here intransitively as meaning "held its course" or "passed through" rather than "stopped" or "stayed." While some could read the shoulder as the subject that caught the spear, it is syntactically more natural for the heavy spear to be the subject that forced its way through.
- 14.471ἀντὶ πεφάσθαι
πεφάσθαι is the perfect passive infinitive of θείνω ("to kill"), an archaic form derived from the root *gʷʰen-. Combined with the preposition ἀντί, it means "to have been slain in place of Prothoenor." Interpreting it as the infinitive of φημί ("to speak") is contextually incorrect.
- 14.501εἰπέμεναί μοι ... γοήμεναι
The epic infinitives εἰπέμεναί and γοήμεναι are used as infinitives for imperatives (infinitivus pro imperativo), conveying a direct command to the Trojans as the implicit second-person subject ("tell," "lament").
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1