- 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-grc2:15.405-15.472
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
After Patroclus departs, the Achaeans and Trojans fight in a deadlock, and Hector clashes with Ajax over a ship. Teucer shoots enemies with his bow, but when aiming at Hector, Zeus snaps his bowstring.
τὸν μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰπόντα πόδες φέρον· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ
Thus he spoke, and his feet bore him away; but the Achaeans
Τρῶας ἐπερχομένους μένον ἔμπεδον, οὐδʼ ἐδύναντο
awaited the oncoming Trojans steadfastly, yet they were not able
παυροτέρους περ ἐόντας ἀπώσασθαι παρὰ νηῶν·
to thrust them back from the ships, though they were fewer.
οὐδέ ποτε Τρῶες Δαναῶν ἐδύναντο φάλαγγας
Nor could the Trojans ever break the phalanxes of the Danaans
ῥηξάμενοι κλισίῃσι μιγήμεναι ἠδὲ νέεσσιν.
and mingle among the huts and the ships.
ἀλλʼ ὥς τε στάθμη δόρυ νήϊον ἐξιθύνει
But as a line makes straight a ship’s timber
τέκτονος ἐν παλάμῃσι δαήμονος, ὅς ῥά τε πάσης
in the hands of a skilled craftsman, who
εὖ εἰδῇ σοφίης ὑποθημοσύνῃσιν Ἀθήνης,
knows well all manner of wisdom by the promptings of Athena;
ὣς μὲν τῶν ἐπὶ ἶσα μάχη τέτατο πτόλεμός τε·
even so was their battle and war stretched equal.
ἄλλοι δʼ ἀμφʼ ἄλλῃσι μάχην ἐμάχοντο νέεσσιν,
Others were fighting in battle about the other ships,
Ἕκτωρ δʼ ἄντʼ Αἴαντος ἐείσατο κυδαλίμοιο.
but Hector went straight against glorious Ajax.
τὼ δὲ μιῆς περὶ νηὸς ἔχον πόνον, οὐδὲ δύναντο
And these two had toil over one ship, nor could
οὔθʼ ὃ τὸν1 ἐξελάσαι καὶ ἐνιπρῆσαι πυρὶ νῆα
the one drive the other off and burn the ship with fire,
οὔθʼ ὃ τὸν ἂψ ὤσασθαι, ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐπέλασσέ γε δαίμων.
nor the other thrust him back, since a god had brought him near.
ἔνθʼ υἷα Κλυτίοιο Καλήτορα φαίδιμος Αἴας
There glorious Ajax smote Caletor, son of Clytius,
πῦρ ἐς νῆα φέροντα κατὰ στῆθος βάλε δουρί.
with his spear in the breast as he was bringing fire to the ship.
δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, δαλὸς δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε χειρός.
And he fell with a thud, and the brand fell from his hand.
Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς ἐνόησεν ἀνεψιὸν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν
But Hector, when he perceived with his eyes his cousin
ἐν κονίῃσι πεσόντα νεὸς προπάροιθε μελαίνης,
fallen in the dust before the black ship,
Τρωσί τε καὶ Λυκίοισιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·
called to the Trojans and Lycians with a loud shout:
Τρῶες καὶ Λύκιοι καὶ Δάρδανοι ἀγχιμαχηταὶ
”Trojans and Lycians and Dardanians that fight hand to hand,
μὴ δή πω χάζεσθε μάχης ἐν στείνεϊ τῷδε,
shrink not from the fight in this strait of the battle,
ἀλλʼ υἷα Κλυτίοιο σαώσατε, μή μιν Ἀχαιοὶ
but save the son of Clytius, lest the Achaeans
τεύχεα συλήσωσι νεῶν ἐν ἀγῶνι πεσόντα.
strip of his armor, now that he has fallen in the gathering of the ships.”
ὣς εἰπὼν Αἴαντος ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ.
So saying, he cast at Ajax with his bright spear.
τοῦ μὲν ἅμαρθʼ, ὃ δʼ ἔπειτα Λυκόφρονα Μάστορος υἱὸν
Him he missed, but Lycophron, son of Mastor,
Αἴαντος θεράποντα Κυθήριον, ὅς ῥα παρʼ αὐτῷ
a squire of Ajax from Cythera, who dwelt with him
ναῖʼ, ἐπεὶ ἄνδρα κατέκτα Κυθήροισι ζαθέοισι,
since he had slain a man in sacred Cythera—
τόν ῥʼ ἔβαλεν κεφαλὴν ὑπὲρ οὔατος ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ
him he smote upon the head above the ear with the sharp bronze,
ἑσταότʼ ἄγχʼ Αἴαντος· ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος ἐν κονίῃσι
as he stood near Ajax; and backward in the dust
νηὸς ἄπο πρυμνῆς χαμάδις πέσε, λύντο δὲ γυῖα.
he fell to the ground from the stern of the ship, and his limbs were loosed.
Αἴας δʼ ἐρρίγησε, κασίγνητον δὲ προσηύδα·
And Ajax shuddered, and spoke to his brother:
Τεῦκρε πέπον δὴ νῶϊν ἀπέκτατο πιστὸς ἑταῖρος
”Dear Teucer, our faithful companion is slain indeed,
Μαστορίδης, ὃν νῶϊ Κυθηρόθεν ἔνδον ἐόντα
the son of Mastor, whom when he was with us, coming from Cythera,
ἶσα φίλοισι τοκεῦσιν ἐτίομεν ἐν μεγάροισι·
we honored in our halls even as our own parents.
τὸν δʼ Ἕκτωρ μεγάθυμος ἀπέκτανε. ποῦ νύ τοι ἰοὶ
Him high-hearted Hector has slain. Where now are thy arrows
ὠκύμοροι καὶ τόξον ὅ τοι πόρε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων;
of swift death, and the bow that Phoebus Apollo gave thee?”
ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δὲ ξυνέηκε, θέων δέ οἱ ἄγχι παρέστη,
So he spoke, and Teucer heard, and ran and stood close by him,
τόξον ἔχων ἐν χειρὶ παλίντονον ἠδὲ φαρέτρην
holding in his hand his bent-back bow and the quiver
ἰοδόκον· μάλα δʼ ὦκα βέλεα Τρώεσσιν ἐφίει.
that held arrows; and very swiftly he let fly his shafts upon the Trojans.
καί ῥʼ ἔβαλε Κλεῖτον Πεισήνορος ἀγλαὸν υἱὸν
And he smote Cleitus, the glorious son of Peisenor,
Πουλυδάμαντος ἑταῖρον ἀγαυοῦ Πανθοΐδαο
companion of Polydamas, the lordly son of Panthous,
ἡνία χερσὶν ἔχοντα· ὃ μὲν πεπόνητο καθʼ ἵππους·
as he held the reins in his hands; he was busy with his horses.
τῇ γὰρ ἔχʼ ᾗ ῥα πολὺ πλεῖσται κλονέοντο φάλαγγες
For he held them there where the phalanxes were being most confounded,
Ἕκτορι καὶ Τρώεσσι χαριζόμενος· τάχα δʼ αὐτῷ
to do pleasure to Hector and the Trojans; but quickly to him
ἦλθε κακόν, τό οἱ οὔ τις ἐρύκακεν ἱεμένων περ.2
came evil, which no one could ward off from him, though they wished it.
αὐχένι γάρ οἱ ὄπισθε πολύστονος ἔμπεσεν ἰός·
For upon his neck behind fell the arrow fraught with groans;
ἤριπε δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων, ὑπερώησαν δέ οἱ ἵπποι
and he fell from the chariot, and the horses swerved aside,
κείνʼ ὄχεα κροτέοντες. ἄναξ δʼ ἐνόησε τάχιστα
rattling the empty car. And the lord Polydamas saw it at once,
Πουλυδάμας, καὶ πρῶτος ἐναντίος ἤλυθεν ἵππων.
and was the first to go to meet the horses.
τοὺς μὲν ὅ γʼ Ἀστυνόῳ Προτιάονος υἱέϊ δῶκε,
These he gave to Astynous, son of Protiaon,
πολλὰ δʼ ἐπότρυνε σχεδὸν ἴσχειν εἰσορόωντα
and strictly charged him to keep the horses near at hand, watching them;
ἵππους· αὐτὸς δʼ αὖτις ἰὼν προμάχοισιν ἐμίχθη.
and he himself went back and mingled with the foremost fighters.
Τεῦκρος δʼ ἄλλον ὀϊστὸν ἐφʼ Ἕκτορι χαλκοκορυστῇ
Then Teucer took another arrow for Hector clad in bronze,
αἴνυτο, καί κεν ἔπαυσε μάχης ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν,
and would have made him cease from battle at the ships of the Achaeans,
εἴ μιν ἀριστεύοντα βαλὼν ἐξείλετο3 θυμόν.
if he had smitten him while doing valiantly, and taken away his life.
ἀλλʼ οὐ λῆθε Διὸς πυκινὸν νόον, ὅς ῥʼ ἐφύλασσεν
But he escaped not the close mind of Zeus, who watched over
Ἕκτορʼ, ἀτὰρ Τεῦκρον Τελαμώνιον εὖχος ἀπηύρα,
Hector, and robbed Teucer, son of Telamon, of his glory,
ὅς οἱ ἐϋστρεφέα νευρὴν ἐν ἀμύμονι τόξῳ
who snapped the well-twisted string on his noble bow
ῥῆξʼ ἐπὶ τῷ ἐρύοντι· παρεπλάγχθη δέ οἱ ἄλλῃ
as he was drawing it against him; and the arrow heavy with bronze
ἰὸς χαλκοβαρής, τόξον δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε χειρός.
was turned aside, and the bow fell from his hand.
Τεῦκρος δʼ ἐρρίγησε, κασίγνητον δὲ προσηύδα·
And Teucer shuddered, and spoke to his brother:
ὢ πόποι ἦ δὴ πάγχυ μάχης ἐπὶ μήδεα κείρει
”Ah, indeed, a god is utterly cutting off the counsels
δαίμων ἡμετέρης, ὅ τέ μοι βιὸν ἔκβαλε χειρός,
of our battle, who has cast the bow from my hand,
νευρὴν δʼ ἐξέρρηξε νεόστροφον, ἣν ἐνέδησα
and has broken the newly-twisted cord which I bound on
πρώϊον, ὄφρʼ ἀνέχοιτο θαμὰ θρῴσκοντας ὀϊστούς.
this morning, that it might hold out against the thick-falling arrows.”
τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας·
Then great Ajax, son of Telamon, answered him:
ὦ πέπον ἀλλὰ βιὸν μὲν ἔα καὶ ταρφέας ἰοὺς
”Dear brother, let thy bow lie, and thy many arrows,
- 15.417οὔθʼ ὃ τὸν... οὔθʼ ὃ τὸν...
The articles ὅ and τόν are used as demonstrative pronouns. In line 417, ὃ refers to Hector and τὸν to Ajax, while in line 418, ὃ refers to Ajax and τὸν to Hector, expressing a mutual deadlock where neither can dislodge the other.
- 15.450ἱεμένων περ
The genitive plural participle ἱεμένων ('eagerly desiring') is used without an explicit noun. It refers to the surrounding Trojan warriors (or bystanders) who 'were eager to ward off' the disaster, requiring the subject of the genitive absolute or participle modifier to be supplied from the context.
- 15.459καί κεν ἔπαυσε... εἴ μιν... ἐξείλετο
This is a past contrary-to-fact conditional construction (past unreal), consisting of an apodosis with a past indicative and the particle κεν (equivalent to ἄν) (ἔπαυσε) and a protasis with εἰ and a past indicative (ἐξείλετο). It indicates an event that would have happened but did not.