- 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-grc2:15.198-15.266
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
Poseidon reluctantly withdraws from the battlefield upon Iris's advice. Zeus then sends Apollo to revive Hector, who receives divine strength and prepares to lead the Trojan counter-offensive.
ἐκπάγλοις ἐπέεσσιν ἐνισσέμεν1 οὓς τέκεν αὐτός,
to chide with terrible words those whom he himself begot,
οἵ ἑθεν ὀτρύνοντος ἀκούσονται καὶ ἀνάγκῃ.
who will listen to his urging even under necessity.”
τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις·
Then swift wind-footed Iris answered him:
οὕτω γὰρ δή τοι γαιήοχε κυανοχαῖτα
”Shall I indeed, earth-holder, dark-haired god,
τόνδε φέρω Διὶ μῦθον ἀπηνέα τε κρατερόν τε,
carry this word, harsh and strong, to Zeus?
ἦ τι μεταστρέψεις; στρεπταὶ μέν τε φρένες ἐσθλῶν.
Or will you turn at all? The minds of the noble are indeed flexible.
οἶσθʼ ὡς2 πρεσβυτέροισιν Ἐρινύες αἰὲν ἕπονται.
You know how the Erinyes ever follow the elder.”
τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων·
And to her Poseidon, shaker of the earth, spoke again:
Ἶρι θεὰ μάλα τοῦτο ἔπος κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες·
”Iris, goddess, very rightly have you spoken this word;
ἐσθλὸν καὶ τὸ τέτυκται ὅτʼ ἄγγελος αἴσιμα εἰδῇ.
a good thing also is this, when a messenger knows what is fitting.
ἀλλὰ τόδʼ αἰνὸν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἱκάνει
But this dread grief comes upon my heart and soul,
ὁππότʼ ἂν ἰσόμορον καὶ ὁμῇ πεπρωμένον αἴσῃ
whenever he is minded to chide with angry words
νεικείειν ἐθέλῃσι χολωτοῖσιν ἐπέεσσιν.
one of equal share, and fated to a like destiny.
ἀλλʼ ἤτοι νῦν μέν κε νεμεσσηθεὶς ὑποείξω·
Yet for this time, though indignant, I will yield;
ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, καὶ ἀπειλήσω τό γε θυμῷ·
but another thing will I tell you, and make this threat in my heart:
αἴ κεν3 ἄνευ ἐμέθεν καὶ Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης
if without me and Athena, driver of the spoil,
Ἥρης Ἑρμείω τε καὶ Ἡφαίστοιο ἄνακτος
and Hera and Hermes and lord Hephaestus,
Ἰλίου αἰπεινῆς πεφιδήσεται, οὐδʼ ἐθελήσει
he shall spare steep Ilium, and shall not be willing
ἐκπέρσαι, δοῦναι δὲ μέγα κράτος Ἀργείοισιν,
to lay it waste and to give great victory to the Argives,
ἴστω τοῦθʼ ὅτι νῶϊν ἀνήκεστος χόλος ἔσται.
let him know this, that there shall be incurable wrath between us.”
ὣς εἰπὼν λίπε λαὸν Ἀχαιϊκὸν ἐννοσίγαιος,
So saying, the shaker of the earth left the Achaean host,
δῦνε δὲ πόντον ἰών, πόθεσαν δʼ ἥρωες Ἀχαιοί.
and went and plunged into the sea; and the Achaean heroes missed him.
καὶ τότʼ Ἀπόλλωνα προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·
And then Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, spoke to Apollo:
ἔρχεο νῦν φίλε Φοῖβε μεθʼ Ἕκτορα χαλκοκορυστήν·
”Go now, dear Phoebus, to Hector of the bronze helmet;
ἤδη μὲν γάρ τοι γαιήοχος ἐννοσίγαιος
for already the earth-holder, shaker of the earth,
οἴχεται εἰς ἅλα δῖαν ἀλευάμενος χόλον αἰπὺν
has gone to the bright sea, avoiding our steep anger;
ἡμέτερον· μάλα γάρ κε μάχης ἐπύθοντο καὶ ἄλλοι,
otherwise others also would have heard of our battle,
οἵ περ ἐνέρτεροί εἰσι θεοὶ Κρόνον ἀμφὶς ἐόντες.
even those gods who are below, around Cronos.
ἀλλὰ τόδʼ ἠμὲν ἐμοὶ πολὺ κέρδιον ἠδέ οἱ αὐτῷ
But this was far better both for me and for himself,
ἔπλετο, ὅττι πάροιθε νεμεσσηθεὶς ὑπόειξε
that he beforehand yielded to my hands, though indignant,
χεῖρας ἐμάς, ἐπεὶ οὔ κεν ἀνιδρωτί γʼ ἐτελέσθη.
since otherwise this would not have been accomplished without sweat.
ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ ἐν χείρεσσι λάβʼ αἰγίδα θυσσανόεσσαν,
But do you take in your hands the tasseled aegis,
τῇ μάλʼ ἐπισσείων φοβέειν ἥρωας Ἀχαιούς·
and shake it fiercely to terrify the Achaean heroes;
σοὶ δʼ αὐτῷ μελέτω ἑκατηβόλε φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·
and let famous Hector be your own care, far-shooter;
τόφρα γὰρ οὖν οἱ ἔγειρε μένος μέγα, ὄφρʼ ἂν Ἀχαιοὶ
and for that time arouse great might in him, until the Achaeans
φεύγοντες νῆάς τε καὶ Ἑλλήσποντον ἵκωνται.
shall flee and reach their ships and the Hellespont.
κεῖθεν δʼ αὐτὸς ἐγὼ φράσομαι ἔργον τε ἔπος τε,
From there I myself will consider, in deed and in word,
ὥς κε καὶ αὖτις Ἀχαιοὶ ἀναπνεύσωσι πόνοιο.
how the Achaeans also may catch their breath again from their toil.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα πατρὸς ἀνηκούστησεν Ἀπόλλων,
So he spoke, nor did Apollo disobey his father,
βῆ δὲ κατʼ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων ἴρηκι ἐοικὼς
but went down from the hills of Ida like a swift hawk,
ὠκέϊ φασσοφόνῳ, ὅς τʼ ὤκιστος πετεηνῶν.
the slayer of doves, which is the swiftest of winged things.
εὗρʼ υἱὸν Πριάμοιο δαΐφρονος Ἕκτορα δῖον
He found the son of wise Priam, noble Hector,
ἥμενον, οὐδʼ ἔτι κεῖτο, νέον4 δʼ ἐσαγείρετο θυμόν,
sitting, and no longer lying, but newly gathering his spirit,
ἀμφὶ ἓ γιγνώσκων ἑτάρους· ἀτὰρ ἆσθμα καὶ ἱδρὼς
recognizing his companions about him; and his gasping and sweat
παύετʼ, ἐπεί μιν ἔγειρε Διὸς νόος αἰγιόχοιο.
were ceasing, since the mind of aegis-bearing Zeus had revived him.
ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος προσέφη ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων·
And standing close, Apollo, the far-worker, spoke to him:
Ἕκτορ υἱὲ Πριάμοιο, τί ἢ δὲ σὺ νόσφιν ἀπʼ ἄλλων
”Hector, son of Priam, why do you sit apart from the others,
ἧσʼ ὀλιγηπελέων; ἦ πού τί σε κῆδος ἱκάνει;
fainting? Does some grief come upon you?”
τὸν δʼ ὀλιγοδρανέων προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·
Then, with failing breath, spoke Hector of the flashing helmet:
τίς δὲ σύ ἐσσι φέριστε θεῶν ὅς μʼ εἴρεαι ἄντην;
”And who of the gods are you, best of them, who inquire of me face to face?
οὐκ ἀΐεις ὅ με νηυσὶν ἔπι πρυμνῇσιν Ἀχαιῶν
Do you not know how by the sterns of the ships of the Achaeans,
οὓς ἑτάρους ὀλέκοντα βοὴν ἀγαθὸς βάλεν Αἴας
as I was slaying his companions, Ajax, good at the war-cry,
χερμαδίῳ πρὸς στῆθος, ἔπαυσε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς;
struck me on the breast with a stone, and stayed my impetuous valor?
καὶ δὴ ἔγωγʼ ἐφάμην νέκυας καὶ δῶμʼ Ἀΐδαο
And indeed I thought that I should look upon the dead and the house of Hades
ἤματι τῷδʼ ἵξεσθαι, ἐπεὶ φίλον ἄϊον ἦτορ.
on this very day, since I was breathing out my dear life.”
τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν ἄναξ ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων·
And to him again spoke lord Apollo, the far-worker:
θάρσει νῦν· τοῖόν τοι ἀοσσητῆρα Κρονίων
”Take courage now; such a helper has the son of Cronos
ἐξ Ἴδης προέηκε παρεστάμεναι καὶ ἀμύνειν
sent forth from Ida to stand by you and defend you,
Φοῖβον Ἀπόλλωνα χρυσάορον, ὅς σε πάρος περ
even Phoebus Apollo of the golden sword, who before this also
ῥύομʼ, ὁμῶς αὐτόν τε καὶ αἰπεινὸν πτολίεθρον.
was wont to protect you, both yourself and your steep city.
ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἱππεῦσιν ἐπότρυνον πολέεσσι
But come now, command your many horsemen
νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐλαυνέμεν ὠκέας ἵππους·
to drive their swift horses against the hollow ships;
αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ προπάροιθε κιὼν ἵπποισι κέλευθον
and I myself, going before, will smooth all the path
πᾶσαν λειανέω, τρέψω δʼ ἥρωας Ἀχαιούς.
for the horses, and will turn the Achaean heroes to flight.”
ὣς εἰπὼν ἔμπνευσε μένος μέγα ποιμένι λαῶν.
So saying, he breathed great might into the shepherd of the host.
ὡς δʼ ὅτε τις στατὸς ἵππος ἀκοστήσας ἐπὶ φάτνῃ
And as when some stalled horse, that has fed on barley at the manger,
δεσμὸν ἀπορρήξας θείῃ πεδίοιο κροαίνων
breaks his bond and runs stamping over the plain,
εἰωθὼς λούεσθαι ἐϋρρεῖος ποταμοῖο
accustomed to bathe in the fair-flowing river,
κυδιόων· ὑψοῦ δὲ κάρη ἔχει, ἀμφὶ δὲ χαῖται
exulting; and he holds his head high, and about
- 15.198ἐνισσέμεν
This infinitive functions as the subject of the expression βέλτερον εἴη (it would be better) in the preceding line (line 197). It conveys Poseidon's sarcasm that Zeus should reserve his harsh threats for his own children.
- 15.204ὡς
Introducing the object clause of οἶσθα (you know), meaning "that" or "how". It reflects the ancient Greek belief that the Erinyes (Furies) protect the rights and natural authority of the elder, serving as a powerful warning to Poseidon.
- 15.213αἴ κεν
The conditional particle κέ(ν) with αἴ (Aeolic/Epic form of εἰ) typically takes the subjunctive, but here it is followed by the future indicative (πεφιδήσεται). This Homeric construction vividly expresses a future contingency that the speaker strongly anticipates or fears.
- 15.240νέον
The neuter accusative singular of the adjective νέος is used adverbially to mean "just now" or "newly." It modifies the imperfect ἐσαγείρετο (was gathering back), depicting the exact moment when Hector begins to recover consciousness from his near-death state.