- 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-grc2:15.542-15.608
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
While the Achaeans attempt to strip the armor from Dolops, Hector rebukes Melanippus to lead the counterattack, and Ajax urges the Achaeans to fight bravely with a sense of honor. Zeus, seeking to fulfill Thetis's prayer before reversing the tide of battle, rouses Hector into a terrifying frenzy, driving him furiously toward the hollow ships.
αἰχμὴ δὲ στέρνοιο διέσσυτο μαιμώωσα
And the spear-point rushed through his breast in its fury,
πρόσσω ἱεμένη· ὃ δʼ ἄρα πρηνὴς ἐλιάσθη.
speeding onward; and he fell with a thud.
τὼ μὲν ἐεισάσθην1 χαλκήρεα τεύχεʼ ἀπʼ ὤμων
The two rushed on to strip the bronze armor from his shoulders;
συλήσειν· Ἕκτωρ δὲ κασιγνήτοισι κέλευσε
but Hector called to his brothers,
πᾶσι μάλα, πρῶτον δʼ Ἱκεταονίδην ἐνένιπεν
to all of them, and first he rebuked the son of Hicetaon,
ἴφθιμον Μελάνιππον. ὃ δʼ ὄφρα μὲν εἰλίποδας βοῦς
mighty Melanippus. He until then had been herding his shambling cattle
βόσκʼ ἐν Περκώτῃ δηΐων ἀπὸ νόσφιν ἐόντων·
in Percote, while the foemen were yet far away;
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Δαναῶν νέες ἤλυθον ἀμφιέλισσαι,
but when the curved ships of the Danaans came,
ἂψ εἰς Ἴλιον ἦλθε, μετέπρεπε δὲ Τρώεσσι,
he returned to Ilios, and was eminent among the Trojans,
ναῖε δὲ πὰρ Πριάμῳ, ὃ δέ μιν τίεν ἶσα τέκεσσι·
and dwelt near Priam, who honored him equally with his own children.
τόν ῥʼ Ἕκτωρ ἐνένιπεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·
Him Hector rebuked, and spoke to him, naming him:
οὕτω δὴ Μελάνιππε μεθήσομεν; οὐδέ νυ σοί περ
”Shall we indeed, Melanippus, slacken thus? Is not thy heart
ἐντρέπεται φίλον ἦτορ ἀνεψιοῦ κταμένοιο;
moved for thy slain cousin?
οὐχ ὁράᾳς οἷον Δόλοπος περὶ τεύχεʼ ἕπουσιν;
Seest thou not how they busy themselves about the armor of Dolops?
ἀλλʼ ἕπευ· οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ ἔστιν ἀποσταδὸν Ἀργείοισι
But follow; for no longer may we fight with the Argives from afar,
μάρνασθαι, πρίν γʼ ἠὲ κατακτάμεν ἠὲ κατʼ ἄκρης
until we either slay them, or they utterly take
Ἴλιον αἰπεινὴν ἑλέειν κτάσθαι τε πολίτας.
steep Ilios and destroy her citizens.”
ὣς εἰπὼν ὃ μὲν ἦρχʼ, ὃ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕσπετο ἰσόθεος φώς·
So saying, he led the way, and the godlike man followed with him.
Ἀργείους δʼ ὄτρυνε μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας·
But the Argives were urged on by great Ajax, son of Telamon:
ὦ φίλοι ἀνέρες ἔστε, καὶ αἰδῶ θέσθʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ,
”O friends, be men, and lay shame in your hearts,
ἀλλήλους τʼ αἰδεῖσθε κατὰ κρατερὰς ὑσμίνας.
and have shame of one another in the fierce combat.
αἰδομένων δʼ ἀνδρῶν πλέονες σόοι ἠὲ πέφανται·
Of men that have shame, more are saved than are slain;
φευγόντων δʼ οὔτʼ ἂρ κλέος ὄρνυται οὔτέ τις ἀλκή.
but of them that flee, neither glory arises nor any help.”
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀλέξασθαι μενέαινον,
So he spoke, and they themselves were eager to ward off the foe,
ἐν θυμῷ δʼ ἐβάλοντο ἔπος, φράξαντο δὲ νῆας
and laid his word in their hearts, and fenced the ships
ἕρκεϊ χαλκείῳ· ἐπὶ δὲ Ζεὺς Τρῶας ἔγειρεν.
with a barrier of bronze; and Zeus roused the Trojans against them.
Ἀντίλοχον δʼ ὄτρυνε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος·
Then Menelaus, good at the war-cry, urged on Antilochus:
Ἀντίλοχʼ οὔ τις σεῖο νεώτερος ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν,
”Antilochus, no other of the Achaeans is younger than thou,
οὔτε ποσὶν θάσσων οὔτʼ ἄλκιμος ὡς σὺ μάχεσθαι·
nor swifter of foot, nor brave as thou to fight;
εἴ τινά που Τρώων ἐξάλμενος ἄνδρα βάλοισθα.2
if only thou wouldst leap forth and smite some man of the Trojans.”
ὣς εἰπὼν ὃ μὲν αὖτις ἀπέσσυτο, τὸν δʼ ὀρόθυνεν·
So saying, he rushed back again, but stirred the other;
ἐκ δʼ ἔθορε προμάχων, καὶ ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ
and Antilochus leaped forth from the foremost fighters, and cast his bright spear,
ἀμφὶ ἓ παπτήνας· ὑπὸ δὲ Τρῶες κεκάδοντο
looking warily about him; and the Trojans shrank back
ἀνδρὸς ἀκοντίσσαντος· ὃ δʼ οὐχ ἅλιον βέλος ἧκεν,
as the man cast; and he let fly no vain missile,
ἀλλʼ Ἱκετάονος υἱὸν ὑπέρθυμον Μελάνιππον
but smote the high-hearted Melanippus, son of Hicetaon,
νισόμενον πόλεμον δὲ βάλε στῆθος παρὰ μαζόν.
as he was coming to the battle, in the breast beside the nipple.
δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν.
And he fell with a thud, and darkness covered his eyes.
Ἀντίλοχος δʼ ἐπόρουσε κύων ὥς, ὅς τʼ ἐπὶ νεβρῷ
Then Antilochus rushed on him like a hound that darts upon
βλημένῳ ἀΐξῃ, τόν τʼ ἐξ εὐνῆφι θορόντα
a wounded fawn, which as it leapt from its lair
θηρητὴρ ἐτύχησε βαλών, ὑπέλυσε δὲ γυῖα·
a hunter has hit and wounded, loosing its limbs;
ὣς ἐπὶ σοὶ Μελάνιππε θόρʼ Ἀντίλοχος μενεχάρμης
even so upon thee, Melanippus, did Antilochus staunch in fight leap
τεύχεα συλήσων· ἀλλʼ οὐ λάθεν Ἕκτορα δῖον,
to strip thy armor; but he escaped not the notice of noble Hector,
ὅς ῥά οἱ ἀντίος ἦλθε θέων ἀνὰ δηϊοτῆτα.
who came running to meet him through the battle.
Ἀντίλοχος δʼ οὐ μεῖνε θοός περ ἐὼν πολεμιστής,
And Antilochus did not abide, swift warrior though he was,
ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ ἄρʼ ἔτρεσε θηρὶ κακὸν ῥέξαντι ἐοικώς,
but fled like a wild beast that has done some mischief,
ὅς τε κύνα κτείνας ἢ βουκόλον ἀμφὶ βόεσσι
one that has slain a dog or a herdsman beside the cattle,
φεύγει πρίν περ ὅμιλον ἀολλισθήμεναι ἀνδρῶν·
and flees before the throng of men is gathered together;
ὣς τρέσε Νεστορίδης, ἐπὶ δὲ Τρῶές τε καὶ Ἕκτωρ
even so fled the son of Nestor, and the Trojans and Hector
ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ βέλεα στονόεντα χέοντο·
with wondrous clamor poured forth their groan-causing missiles;
στῆ δὲ μεταστρεφθείς, ἐπεὶ ἵκετο ἔθνος ἑταίρων.
but he turned and stood when he had reached the company of his comrades.
Τρῶες δὲ λείουσιν ἐοικότες ὠμοφάγοισι
And the Trojans, like ravening lions,
νηυσὶν ἐπεσσεύοντο, Διὸς δʼ ἐτέλειον ἐφετμάς,
rushed upon the ships, and were fulfilling the biddings of Zeus,
ὅ σφισιν αἰὲν ἔγειρε μένος μέγα, θέλγε δὲ θυμὸν
who ever roused great strength in them, and made soft the heart
Ἀργείων καὶ κῦδος ἀπαίνυτο, τοὺς δʼ ὀρόθυνεν.
of the Argives, and took away their glory, but spurred on the others.
Ἕκτορι γάρ οἱ θυμὸς ἐβούλετο κῦδος ὀρέξαι
For his heart was minded to give glory to Hector,
Πριαμίδῃ, ἵνα νηυσὶ κορωνίσι θεσπιδαὲς πῦρ
son of Priam, that he might cast upon the curved ships the fierce-burning,
ἐμβάλοι ἀκάματον, Θέτιδος δʼ ἐξαίσιον ἀρὴν
unwearied fire, and so fulfill all the ruinous prayer of Thetis.
πᾶσαν ἐπικρήνειε· τὸ γὰρ μένε3 μητίετα Ζεὺς
For this was wise-counseling Zeus waiting to see,
νηὸς καιομένης σέλας ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδέσθαι.
even the glare of a burning ship;
ἐκ γὰρ δὴ τοῦ μέλλε παλίωξιν παρὰ νηῶν
since from that hour he was to bring about a driving back of the Trojans
θησέμεναι Τρώων, Δαναοῖσι δὲ κῦδος ὀρέξειν.
from the ships, and to grant glory to the Danaans.
τὰ φρονέων νήεσσιν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἔγειρεν
With this intent he was rousing against the hollow ships
Ἕκτορα Πριαμίδην μάλα περ μεμαῶτα καὶ αὐτόν.
Hector, son of Priam, though he was himself very eager.
μαίνετο δʼ ὡς ὅτʼ Ἄρης ἐγχέσπαλος ἢ ὀλοὸν πῦρ
And he was raging like Ares, spear-shaker, or as when ruinous fire
οὔρεσι μαίνηται βαθέης ἐν τάρφεσιν ὕλης·
rages on the mountains in the thickets of a deep forest;
ἀφλοισμὸς δὲ περὶ στόμα γίγνετο, τὼ δέ οἱ ὄσσε
and foam arose about his mouth, and his eyes
λαμπέσθην βλοσυρῇσιν ὑπʼ ὀφρύσιν, ἀμφὶ δὲ πήληξ
shone beneath his grim brows, and about his temples his helmet...
- 15.544ἐεισάσθην
The third-person dual indicative aorist middle of the verb ἐείσατο (rushed, hastened). In this context, it refers to Meges and Menelaus, the two warriors who had just felled Dolops and were rushing to strip his armor.
- 15.571βάλοισθα
The second-person singular active optative with the suffix -σθα. Used here in an independent clause with the conjunction εἴ to express a strong wish or exhortation ("if only thou wouldst smite...").
- 15.599μένε
The third-person singular imperfect of the verb μίμνω (or μένω, to wait). Though homonymous with the noun μένος (fury, strength), it acts as a verb here ("was waiting"), taking the infinitive ἰδέσθαι ("to see") in the next line as its object.