- 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-grc2:15.473-15.541
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
Ajax urges Teucer to lay aside his bow and fight with a spear and shield, while both Hector and Ajax rouse their respective armies. A fierce close combat ensues on the battlefield, where warriors from both sides fall or are wounded under divine influence.
κεῖσθαι,1 ἐπεὶ συνέχευε θεὸς Δαναοῖσι μεγήρας·
to lie there, since a god has confounded our plans, grudging them to the Danaans.
αὐτὰρ χερσὶν ἑλὼν δολιχὸν δόρυ καὶ σάκος ὤμῳ
But take in thy hands a long spear and a shield on thy shoulder,
μάρναό τε Τρώεσσι καὶ ἄλλους ὄρνυθι λαούς.
and fight against the Trojans, and urge on the rest of the folk.
μὴ μὰν ἀσπουδί γε δαμασσάμενοί περ ἕλοιεν2
Let them not indeed at their ease, though they have overmastered us, take
νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους, ἀλλὰ μνησώμεθα χάρμης.
the well-benched ships, but let us be mindful of battle.”
ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δὲ τόξον μὲν ἐνὶ κλισίῃσιν ἔθηκεν,
So he spoke, and Teucer laid his bow within the hut,
αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι σάκος θέτο τετραθέλυμνον,
but about his shoulders he slung a fourfold shield,
κρατὶ δʼ ἐπʼ ἰφθίμῳ κυνέην εὔτυκτον ἔθηκεν
and upon his mighty head he set a well-wrought helmet
ἵππουριν, δεινὸν δὲ λόφος καθύπερθεν ἔνευεν·
with horse-hair crest, and dreadfully did the plume wave from above.
εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος ἀκαχμένον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,
And he took a doughty spear, tipped with sharp bronze,
βῆ δʼ ἰέναι, μάλα δʼ ὦκα θέων Αἴαντι παρέστη.
and set out to go, and very swiftly running stood by Ajax’s side.
Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς εἶδεν Τεύκρου βλαφθέντα βέλεμνα,
But Hector, when he saw Teucer’s weapons disabled,
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,
ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι, μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς
be men, my friends, and be mindful of furious valor
νῆας ἀνὰ γλαφυράς· δὴ γὰρ ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσιν
among the hollow ships; for indeed I have seen with my eyes
ἀνδρὸς ἀριστῆος Διόθεν βλαφθέντα βέλεμνα.
a chief warrior’s weapons disabled by the hand of Zeus.
ῥεῖα δʼ ἀρίγνωτος Διὸς ἀνδράσι γίγνεται ἀλκή,
Right easy to discern is the help Zeus gives to men,
ἠμὲν ὁτέοισιν κῦδος ὑπέρτερον ἐγγυαλίξῃ,
both to those to whom he hands over superior glory,
ἠδʼ ὅτινας3 μινύθῃ τε καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλῃσιν ἀμύνειν,
and those whom he minishes and is not minded to defend,
ὡς νῦν Ἀργείων μινύθει μένος, ἄμμι δʼ ἀρήγει.
even as now he minishes the Argives’ power, and aids us.
ἀλλὰ μάχεσθʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἀολλέες· ὃς δέ κεν ὑμέων
But fight together at the ships; and whosoever of you
βλήμενος ἠὲ τυπεὶς θάνατον καὶ πότμον ἐπίσπῃ
smitten by missile or thrust of sword shall meet death and his fate,
τεθνάτω· οὔ οἱ ἀεικὲς ἀμυνομένῳ περὶ πάτρης
let him die. No unseemly thing is it for him to die defending his country;
τεθνάμεν· ἀλλʼ ἄλοχός τε σόη καὶ παῖδες ὀπίσσω,
but his wife is safe and his children after him,
καὶ οἶκος καὶ κλῆρος ἀκήρατος, εἴ κεν Ἀχαιοὶ
and his house and his allotment of land unimpaired, if the Achaeans
οἴχωνται σὺν νηυσὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.
depart with their ships to their dear native land.”
ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου.
So saying, he stirred the strength and spirit of every man.
Αἴας δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐκέκλετο οἷς ἑτάροισιν·
And Ajax on the other side called to his companions:
αἰδὼς Ἀργεῖοι· νῦν ἄρκιον4 ἢ ἀπολέσθαι
”Shame, Argives! Now is it sure that we must either perish
ἠὲ σαωθῆναι καὶ ἀπώσασθαι κακὰ νηῶν.
or be saved and ward off ruin from the ships.
ἦ ἔλπεσθʼ ἢν νῆας ἕλῃ κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ
Do you hope, if helmet-glancing Hector takes the ships,
ἐμβαδὸν ἵξεσθαι ἣν πατρίδα γαῖαν ἕκαστος;
that you will reach your own native land on foot, every man of you?
ἦ οὐκ ὀτρύνοντος ἀκούετε λαὸν ἅπαντα
Do you not hear Hector urging on all his host,
Ἕκτορος, ὃς δὴ νῆας ἐνιπρῆσαι μενεαίνει;
who is eager to burn the ships?
οὐ μὰν ἔς γε χορὸν κέλετʼ ἐλθέμεν, ἀλλὰ μάχεσθαι.
Surely he is not bidding them come to the dance, but to fight.
ἡμῖν δʼ οὔ τις τοῦδε νόος καὶ μῆτις ἀμείνων
And for us there is no better counsel or plan than this,
ἢ αὐτοσχεδίῃ μῖξαι χεῖράς τε μένος τε.
to join hand with hand and strength with strength in close combat.
βέλτερον ἢ ἀπολέσθαι ἕνα χρόνον ἠὲ βιῶναι
Better is it once for all either to perish or to live,
ἢ δηθὰ στρεύγεσθαι ἐν αἰνῇ δηϊοτῆτι
than to be long wasted in dread conflict,
ὧδʼ αὔτως παρὰ νηυσὶν ὑπʼ ἀνδράσι χειροτέροισιν.
thus in vain by the ships at the hands of lesser men.”
ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου.
So saying, he stirred the strength and spirit of every man.
ἔνθʼ Ἕκτωρ μὲν ἕλε Σχεδίον Περιμήδεος υἱὸν
Then Hector slew Schedius, son of Perimedes,
ἀρχὸν Φωκήων, Αἴας δʼ ἕλε Λαοδάμαντα
a leader of the Phocians, and Ajax slew Laodamas,
ἡγεμόνα πρυλέων Ἀντήνορος ἀγλαὸν υἱόν·
leader of the foot-soldiers, Antenor’s glorious son.
Πουλυδάμας δʼ Ὦτον Κυλλήνιον ἐξενάριξε
And Polydamas despoiled Otus of Cyllene,
Φυλεΐδεω ἕταρον, μεγαθύμων ἀρχὸν Ἐπειῶν.
companion of Phyleus’ son, leader of the high-hearted Epeians.
τῷ δὲ Μέγης ἐπόρουσεν ἰδών· ὃ δʼ ὕπαιθα λιάσθη
And Meges rushed on him when he saw it; but Polydamas shrank back from under him,
Πουλυδάμας·5 καὶ τοῦ μὲν ἀπήμβροτεν· οὐ γὰρ Ἀπόλλων
and him Meges missed; for Apollo
εἴα Πάνθου υἱὸν ἐνὶ προμάχοισι δαμῆναι·
suffered not the son of Panthous to be vanquished among the foremost fighters.
αὐτὰρ ὅ γε Κροίσμου στῆθος μέσον οὔτασε δουρί.
But Meges smote Croesmus in the midst of the breast with his spear;
δούπησεν δὲ πεσών· ὃ δʼ ἀπʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἐσύλα.
and he fell with a thud, and Meges stripped the armor from his shoulders.
τόφρα δὲ τῷ ἐπόρουσε Δόλοψ αἰχμῆς ἐῢ εἰδὼς
Meanwhile there rushed on him Dolops, well skilled in the spear,
Λαμπετίδης, ὃν Λάμπος ἐγείνατο φέρτατον υἱὸν
Lampus’ son, whom Lampus begot, his strongest son,
Λαομεδοντιάδης εὖ εἰδότα θούριδος ἀλκῆς,
Laomedon’s son, well skilled in furious valor,
ὃς τότε Φυλεΐδαο μέσον σάκος οὔτασε δουρὶ
who then smote Phyleus’ son in the midst of his shield with his spear,
ἐγγύθεν ὁρμηθείς· πυκινὸς δέ οἱ ἤρκεσε θώρηξ,
rushing on him from near at hand; but his thick breastplate saved him,
τόν ῥʼ ἐφόρει γυάλοισιν ἀρηρότα· τόν ποτε Φυλεὺς
which he wore, fitted with plates; Phyleus of old
ἤγαγεν ἐξ Ἐφύρης, ποταμοῦ ἄπο Σελλήεντος.
brought it from Ephyre, from the river Selleïs.
ξεῖνος γάρ οἱ ἔδωκεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Εὐφήτης
For a guest-friend had given it to him, Euphetes, lord of men,
ἐς πόλεμον φορέειν δηΐων ἀνδρῶν ἀλεωρήν·
to wear in war, a defense against foemen;
ὅς οἱ καὶ τότε παιδὸς ἀπὸ χροὸς ἤρκεσʼ ὄλεθρον.
which then too warded off destruction from the body of his son.
τοῦ δὲ Μέγης κόρυθος χαλκήρεος ἱπποδασείης
And Meges smote Dolops on the topmost crest of his bronze helmet,
κύμβαχον ἀκρότατον νύξʼ ἔγχεϊ ὀξυόεντι,
hairy with horsehair, with his sharp spear,
ῥῆξε δʼ ἀφʼ ἵππειον λόφον αὐτοῦ· πᾶς δὲ χαμᾶζε
and sheared off the horsehair plume; and all of it to the ground
κάππεσεν ἐν κονίῃσι νέον φοίνικι φαεινός.
fell in the dust, new-gleaming with scarlet dye.
εἷος ὃ τῷ πολέμιζε μένων, ἔτι δʼ ἔλπετο νίκην,
While he yet stood and fought, still hoping for victory,
τόφρα δέ οἱ Μενέλαος ἀρήϊος ἦλθεν ἀμύντωρ,
warlike Menelaus came to Meges’ aid,
στῆ δʼ εὐρὰξ σὺν δουρὶ λαθών, βάλε δʼ ὦμον ὄπισθεν·
and stood on one side unseen with his spear, and smote Dolops’ shoulder from behind;
- 15.473κεῖσθαι
The infinitive "κεῖσθαι", following the imperative "ἔα" in 15.472, is used as an imperative (infinitive of command), with its subject being the second person singular (Teucer).
- 15.476ἕλοιεν
The construction "μὴ ... ἕλοιεν" combining the negative particle "μὴ" with the optative mood expresses a strong wish or apprehension ("lest they take...").
- 15.491ἠμὲν ὁτέοισιν ... ἠδʼ ὅτινας
The difference in grammatical cases in the correlative structure "ἠμὲν ... ἠδʼ ..." (dative "ὁτέοισιν" vs accusative "ὅτινας") is due to the different case requirements of the governing verbs "ἐγγυαλίξῃ" (which takes a dative) and "μινύθῃ" (which takes an accusative).
- 15.502ἄρκιον
The neuter adjective "ἄρκιον" (sufficient, sure) with the infinitive construction "νῦν ἄρκιον [ἐστί] ἤ ... ἤ ..." expresses that there is no other choice left except either to perish or to be saved.
- 15.520ὃ δʼ ὕπαιθα λιάσθη / Πουλυδάμας
The demonstrative pronoun "ὃ δʼ" anticipates the subsequent proper noun "Πουλυδάμας", acting in apposition to it, which emphasizes the subject: "but he, Polydamas, shrank back".