- 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-grc2:14.77-14.147
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
Agamemnon's proposal to retreat is fiercely opposed by Odysseus, and Diomedes suggests instead that they return to the battle, despite their wounds, to encourage the troops. As they march, Poseidon, disguised as an old man, reassures Agamemnon of eventual victory.
ὕψι δʼ ἐπʼ εὐνάων ὁρμίσσομεν, εἰς ὅ κεν ἔλθῃ
and let us moor them high on their anchor-stones, until there comes
νὺξ ἀβρότη, ἢν καὶ τῇ ἀπόσχωνται πολέμοιο
immortal night, if even then the Trojans will refrain from battle;
Τρῶες· ἔπειτα δέ κεν ἐρυσαίμεθα νῆας ἁπάσας.
and then we might drag down all the rest of the ships.
οὐ γάρ τις νέμεσις φυγέειν κακόν, οὐδʼ ἀνὰ νύκτα.
For there is no shame in fleeing from ruin, even by night.
βέλτερον ὃς φεύγων προφύγῃ κακὸν ἠὲ ἁλώῃ.
Better it is if one escapes ruin by fleeing than if he be taken.”
τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·
Then looking at him grimly, wise Odysseus addressed him:
Ἀτρεΐδη ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων·
”Son of Atreus, what a word has escaped the barrier of thy teeth!
οὐλόμενʼ αἴθʼ ὤφελλες ἀεικελίου στρατοῦ ἄλλου
Doomed man, would that thou wert commanding some other, inglorious army,
σημαίνειν,1 μὴ δʼ ἄμμιν ἀνασσέμεν, οἷσιν ἄρα Ζεὺς
and not ruling over us, to whom Zeus has given,
ἐκ νεότητος ἔδωκε καὶ ἐς γῆρας τολυπεύειν
from youth even unto old age, to wind the skein of
ἀργαλέους πολέμους, ὄφρα φθιόμεσθα ἕκαστος.
grievous wars, until we perish, every one of us.
οὕτω δὴ μέμονας Τρώων πόλιν εὐρυάγυιαν
Art thou indeed so minded to leave the broad-wayed city of the Trojans,
καλλείψειν, ἧς εἵνεκʼ ὀϊζύομεν κακὰ πολλά;
for the sake of which we suffer so many woes?
σίγα, μή τίς τʼ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν τοῦτον ἀκούσῃ
Be silent, lest some other of the Achaeans hear this
μῦθον, ὃν οὔ κεν ἀνήρ γε διὰ στόμα πάμπαν ἄγοιτο
word, which no man should let pass through his mouth at all,
ὅς τις ἐπίσταιτο ᾗσι φρεσὶν ἄρτια βάζειν
whosoever knows in his mind how to speak fit words,
σκηπτοῦχός τʼ εἴη, καί οἱ πειθοίατο λαοὶ
and is a sceptred king, and whom people obey
τοσσοίδʼ ὅσσοισιν σὺ μετʼ Ἀργείοισιν ἀνάσσεις·
in numbers as great as those over whom thou rulest among the Argives.
νῦν δέ σευ ὠνοσάμην πάγχυ φρένας, οἷον ἔειπες·
But now I utterly despise thy judgment, that thou hast spoken thus,
ὃς κέλεαι πολέμοιο συνεσταότος καὶ ἀϋτῆς
seeing thou biddest us, while the battle is joined and the cry of war is raised,
νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους ἅλαδʼ ἑλκέμεν, ὄφρʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον
to drag our well-benched ships to the sea, that so even more
Τρωσὶ μὲν εὐκτὰ γένηται ἐπικρατέουσί περ ἔμπης,
than before the Trojans may have their desire, triumphant though they be already,
ἡμῖν δʼ αἰπὺς ὄλεθρος ἐπιρρέπῃ. οὐ γὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ
and on us sheer destruction may fall. For the Achaeans
σχήσουσιν πόλεμον νηῶν ἅλα δʼ ἑλκομενάων,
will not maintain the battle while the ships are being dragged to the sea,
ἀλλʼ ἀποπαπτανέουσιν, ἐρωήσουσι δὲ χάρμης.
but will look about them and shrink from the fight.
ἔνθά κε σὴ βουλὴ δηλήσεται ὄρχαμε λαῶν.
There will thy counsel prove a ruin, leader of the host.”
τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων·
Then made answer Agamemnon, king of men:
ὦ Ὀδυσεῦ μάλα πώς με καθίκεο θυμὸν ἐνιπῇ
”Odysseus, in good truth thou hast stung my heart with thy harsh
ἀργαλέῃ· ἀτὰρ οὐ μὲν ἐγὼν ἀέκοντας ἄνωγα
rebuke; yet I command not the sons of the Achaeans
νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους ἅλα δʼ ἑλκέμεν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.
against their will to drag the well-benched ships to the sea.
νῦν δʼ εἴη ὃς τῆσδέ γʼ ἀμείνονα μῆτιν ἐνίσποι
But now would there were one who would speak a better counsel than this,
ἢ νέος ἠὲ παλαιός· ἐμοὶ δέ κεν ἀσμένῳ εἴη.
whether he be young or old; right welcome would it be to me.”
τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·
Then among them spoke Diomedes, good at the war-cry:
ἐγγὺς ἀνήρ· οὐ δηθὰ ματεύσομεν· αἴ κʼ ἐθέλητε
”The man is near; we shall not seek long, if you are minded
πείθεσθαι, καὶ μή τι κότῳ ἀγάσησθε ἕκαστος
to obey, and be not each of you filled with resentment and anger
οὕνεκα δὴ γενεῆφι νεώτατός εἰμι μεθʼ ὑμῖν·
because in birth I am the youngest among you;
πατρὸς δʼ ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ ἐγὼ γένος εὔχομαι εἶναι2
for I, too, boast that I am by lineage from a noble father,
Τυδέος, ὃν Θήβῃσι χυτὴ κατὰ γαῖα καλύπτει.
even Tydeus, whom in Thebes the heaped-up earth covers.
πορθεῖ γὰρ τρεῖς παῖδες ἀμύμονες ἐξεγένοντο,
For to Portheus were born three comely sons,
οἴκεον δʼ ἐν Πλευρῶνι καὶ αἰπεινῇ Καλυδῶνι
and they dwelt in Pleuron and steep Calydon,
Ἄγριος ἠδὲ Μέλας, τρίτατος δʼ ἦν ἱππότα Οἰνεὺς
Agrius and Melas, and the third was the horseman Oeneus,
πατρὸς ἐμοῖο πατήρ· ἀρετῇ δʼ ἦν ἔξοχος αὐτῶν.
who was my father’s father; and in valour he was pre-eminent among them.
ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν αὐτόθι μεῖνε, πατὴρ δʼ ἐμὸς Ἄργεϊ νάσθη
He indeed remained there, but my father wandered and settled in Argos;
πλαγχθείς· ὡς γάρ που Ζεὺς ἤθελε καὶ θεοὶ ἄλλοι.
for so, I ween, was the will of Zeus and the other gods.
Ἀδρήστοιο δʼ ἔγημε θυγατρῶν, ναῖε δὲ δῶμα
And he wedded one of the daughters of Adrastus, and dwelt in a house
ἀφνειὸν βιότοιο, ἅλις δέ οἱ ἦσαν ἄρουραι
rich in substance, and of wheat-bearing land he had enough,
πυροφόροι, πολλοὶ δὲ φυτῶν ἔσαν ὄρχατοι ἀμφίς,
and many orchards of trees round about,
πολλὰ δέ οἱ πρόβατʼ ἔσκε· κέκαστο δὲ πάντας Ἀχαιοὺς
and sheep had he in plenty; and with the spear he surpassed all the Achaeans.
ἐγχείῃ· τὰ δὲ μέλλετʼ ἀκουέμεν, εἰ ἐτεόν περ.
Of these things you must have heard, if indeed it is true.
τὼ οὐκ ἄν με γένος γε κακὸν καὶ ἀνάλκιδα φάντες
Therefore, you cannot say that I am base and weak by lineage,
μῦθον ἀτιμήσαιτε πεφασμένον ὅν κʼ ἐῢ εἴπω.
and so despise my spoken counsel, if I speak well.
δεῦτʼ ἴομεν πόλεμον δὲ καὶ οὐτάμενοί περ ἀνάγκῃ.
Come, let us go into the battle, wounded though we be, since we must.
ἔνθα δʼ ἔπειτʼ αὐτοὶ μὲν ἐχώμεθα δηϊοτῆτος
There let us hold ourselves back from the fight,
ἐκ βελέων, μή πού τις ἐφʼ ἕλκεϊ ἕλκος ἄρηται·
out of range of missiles, lest any of us receive wound upon wound;
ἄλλους δʼ ὀτρύνοντες ἐνήσομεν, οἳ τὸ πάρος περ
and others we will urge on and send into battle, even they that heretofore
θυμῷ ἦρα φέροντες ἀφεστᾶσʼ οὐδὲ μάχονται.
have yielded to their temper and stand aloof, and fight not.”
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδὲ πίθοντο·
So he spoke, and they readily heard him and obeyed;
βὰν δʼ ἴμεν, ἦρχε δʼ ἄρά σφιν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων.
and they set out to go, and Agamemnon, king of men, led them.
οὐδʼ ἀλαοσκοπιὴν εἶχε κλυτὸς ἐννοσίγαιος,
And the famed Shaker of Earth kept no blind watch,
ἀλλὰ μετʼ αὐτοὺς ἦλθε παλαιῷ φωτὶ ἐοικώς,
but went after them in the likeness of an old man,
δεξιτερὴν δʼ ἕλε χεῖρʼ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο,
and he took Agamemnon, son of Atreus, by the right hand,
καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
and spoke and addressed him with winged words:
Ἀτρεΐδη νῦν δή που Ἀχιλλῆος ὀλοὸν κῆρ
”Son of Atreus, now in truth, I ween, does the baneful heart of Achilles
γηθεῖ ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φόνον καὶ φύζαν Ἀχαιῶν
rejoice in his breast as he beholds the slaughter and rout of the Achaeans,
δερκομένῳ,3 ἐπεὶ οὔ οἱ ἔνι φρένες οὐδʼ ἠβαιαί.
since he has no understanding, no, not a whit.
ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ὣς ἀπόλοιτο, θεὸς δέ ἑ σιφλώσειε·
But as for him, so may he perish, and may a god bring him low;
σοὶ δʼ οὔ πω μάλα πάγχυ θεοὶ μάκαρες κοτέουσιν,
but with thee the blessed gods are not yet utterly wroth,
ἀλλʼ ἔτι που Τρώων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες
but still, I ween, shall the leaders and rulers of the Trojans
εὐρὺ κονίσουσιν πεδίον, σὺ δʼ ἐπόψεαι αὐτὸς
fill the wide plain with dust, and thyself shalt behold them
φεύγοντας προτὶ ἄστυ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων.
fleeing to the city from the ships and huts.”
ὣς εἰπὼν μέγʼ ἄϋσεν ἐπεσσύμενος πεδίοιο.4
So saying, he shouted aloud as he rushed over the plain.
- 14.84οὐλόμενʼ αἴθʼ ὤφελλες ... σημαίνειν
The combination of αἴθε (αἴθʼ) with the past indicative (ὤφελλες) expresses an unattainable wish ("would that you had..."). The word οὐλόμενʼ is the elided vocative form of οὐλόμενος ("doomed, accursed"). The infinitive σημαίνειν governs the genitive (ἀεικελίου στρατοῦ ἄλλου), meaning "to command some other inglorious army."
- 14.113γένος εὔχομαι εἶναι
γένος is an accusative of specification or respect ("in respect of lineage"). The verb εὔχομαι with the infinitive (εἶναι) is an epic formula meaning "to boast or claim to be."
- 14.139Ἀχιλλῆος ... δερκομένῳ
While Ἀχιλλῆος (line 139) is genitive, the participle δερκομένῳ (line 141) is dative, showing a grammatical case discord. This mismatch occurs because the dative is mentally associated with the person to whom the feeling belongs ("rejoice in his breast... as he beholds"), treating the person as a dative of interest or relation in connection with the subject ὀλοὸν κῆρ (baneful heart) in line 139. This is a characteristic epic syntactical looseness.
- 14.147πεδίοιο
πεδίοιο exhibits the archaic epic genitive ending (-οιο) of the second declension. It functions as a genitive of place ("over/across the plain") qualifying the intransitive participle ἐπεσσύμενος ("rushing"), indicating the space over which the motion occurs.