- 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-grc2:16.296-16.368
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
Under the fierce onslaught of the Achaean forces led by Patroclus, the fire on the ships is extinguished and the Trojans begin their retreat. The Achaean leaders slay several Trojan commanders, and Hector is forced to flee, leaving his army in chaotic rout.
νῆας ἀνὰ γλαφυράς· ὅμαδος δʼ ἀλίαστος ἐτύχθη.
through the hollow ships; and an unyielding din arose.
ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀφʼ ὑψηλῆς κορυφῆς ὄρεος μεγάλοιο
And as when from the high crest of a great mountain
κινήσῃ πυκινὴν νεφέλην στεροπηγερέτα Ζεύς,
Zeus who gathers the lightning moves a thick cloud,
ἔκ τʼ ἔφανεν πᾶσαι σκοπιαὶ καὶ πρώονες ἄκροι
and all the lookouts and sharp peaks and glens
καὶ νάπαι, οὐρανόθεν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπερράγη ἄσπετος αἰθήρ,
appear, and the infinite air breaks open from heaven,
ὣς1 Δαναοὶ νηῶν μὲν ἀπωσάμενοι δήϊον πῦρ
so the Danaans, having driven the hostile fire from the ships,
τυτθὸν ἀνέπνευσαν, πολέμου δʼ οὐ γίγνετʼ ἐρωή·
breathed for a little while, but there was no respite from war;
οὐ γάρ πώ τι Τρῶες ἀρηϊφίλων ὑπʼ Ἀχαιῶν
for the Trojans were not yet in headlong flight from the black ships
προτροπάδην φοβέοντο μελαινάων ἀπὸ νηῶν,
by the hands of the warlike Achaeans,
ἀλλʼ ἔτʼ ἄρʼ ἀνθίσταντο, νεῶν δʼ ὑπόεικον ἀνάγκῃ.
but still they made a stand, and retreated from the ships only under necessity.
ἔνθα δʼ ἀνὴρ ἕλεν ἄνδρα κεδασθείσης ὑσμίνης2
There then man slew man as the fight was scattered
ἡγεμόνων. πρῶτος δὲ Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱὸς
of the leaders. First the brave son of Menoetius,
αὐτίκʼ ἄρα στρεφθέντος Ἀρηϊλύκου βάλε μηρὸν
straightway struck the thigh of Areilycus as he turned,
ἔγχεϊ ὀξυόεντι, διὰ πρὸ δὲ χαλκὸν ἔλασσε·
with his sharp spear, and drove the bronze clean through;
ῥῆξεν δʼ ὀστέον ἔγχος, ὃ δὲ πρηνὴς ἐπὶ γαίῃ
and the spear shattered the bone, and he fell headlong on the earth;
κάππεσʼ· ἀτὰρ Μενέλαος ἀρήϊος οὖτα Θόαντα
but warlike Menelaus wounded Thoas
στέρνον γυμνωθέντα παρʼ ἀσπίδα, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα.
on the breast where it was left bare beside the shield, and loosed his limbs.
Φυλεΐδης δʼ Ἄμφικλον ἐφορμηθέντα δοκεύσας
And the son of Phyleus, watching Amphiclus as he rushed upon him,
ἔφθη ὀρεξάμενος πρυμνὸν σκέλος, ἔνθα πάχιστος
anticipated him by stabbing him on the base of the leg, where the muscle of a man is thickest;
μυὼν ἀνθρώπου πέλεται· περὶ δʼ ἔγχεος αἰχμῇ
and around the spear-point the sinews
νεῦρα διεσχίσθη· τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψε.
were torn asunder; and darkness covered his eyes.
Νεστορίδαι δʼ ὃ μὲν οὔτασʼ Ἀτύμνιον ὀξέϊ δουρὶ
Then of the sons of Nestor, the one, Antilochus, stabbed Atymnius with his sharp spear,
Ἀντίλοχος, λαπάρης δὲ διήλασε χάλκεον ἔγχος·
and drove the bronze spear through his flank;
ἤριπε δὲ προπάροιθε. Μάρις δʼ αὐτοσχεδὰ δουρὶ
and he fell before him. But Maris rushed hand-to-hand with his spear
Ἀντιλόχῳ ἐπόρουσε κασιγνήτοιο χολωθεὶς
upon Antilochus, angered for his brother’s sake,
στὰς πρόσθεν νέκυος· τοῦ δʼ ἀντίθεος Θρασυμήδης
and stood before the corpse; but godlike Thrasymedes
ἔφθη ὀρεξάμενος πρὶν οὐτάσαι, οὐδʼ ἀφάμαρτεν,
anticipated him before he could wound, and missed not,
ὦμον ἄφαρ· πρυμνὸν δὲ βραχίονα δουρὸς ἀκωκὴ
but struck his shoulder; and the spear-point ripped
δρύψʼ ἀπὸ μυώνων, ἀπὸ δʼ ὀστέον ἄχρις ἄραξε·
the upper arm from the muscles, and shattered the bone utterly;
δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, κατὰ δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν.
and he fell with a thud, and darkness covered his eyes.
ὣς τὼ μὲν δοιοῖσι κασιγνήτοισι δαμέντε3
So these two, vanquished by two brothers,
βήτην εἰς Ἔρεβος Σαρπηδόνος ἐσθλοὶ ἑταῖροι
went to Erebus, noble companions of Sarpedon,
υἷες ἀκοντισταὶ Ἀμισωδάρου, ὅς ῥα Χίμαιραν
the spear-throwing sons of Amisodarus, who reared
θρέψεν ἀμαιμακέτην πολέσιν κακὸν ἀνθρώποισιν.
the unconquerable Chimaera, a bane to many men.
Αἴας δὲ Κλεόβουλον Ὀϊλιάδης ἐπορούσας
And Ajax, son of Oileus, rushing upon Cleobulus,
ζωὸν ἕλε βλαφθέντα κατὰ κλόνον· ἀλλά οἱ αὖθι
took him alive, embarrassed in the throng; but even there
λῦσε μένος πλήξας ξίφει αὐχένα κωπήεντι.
he loosed his strength, striking his neck with his hilted sword.
πᾶν δʼ ὑπεθερμάνθη ξίφος αἵματι· τὸν δὲ κατʼ ὄσσε
And all the sword was warmed with blood; and down over his eyes
ἔλλαβε πορφύρεος θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κραταιή.
purple death and strong fate seized him.
Πηνέλεως δὲ Λύκων τε συνέδραμον· ἔγχεσι μὲν γὰρ
And Peneleos and Lycon ran together; for with their spears
ἤμβροτον ἀλλήλων, μέλεον δʼ ἠκόντισαν ἄμφω·
they had missed each other, and both had cast in vain;
τὼ δʼ αὖτις ξιφέεσσι συνέδραμον. ἔνθα Λύκων μὲν
so they ran together again with their swords. Then Lycon
ἱπποκόμου κόρυθος φάλον ἤλασεν, ἀμφὶ δὲ καυλὸν
struck the horn of the horse-hair crested helmet, but around the hilt
φάσγανον ἐρραίσθη· ὃ δʼ ὑπʼ οὔατος αὐχένα θεῖνε
his sword was shattered; and Peneleos struck his neck beneath the ear,
Πηνέλεως, πᾶν δʼ εἴσω ἔδυ ξίφος, ἔσχεθε δʼ οἶον
and all the sword sank within, and only the skin
δέρμα,4 παρηέρθη δὲ κάρη, ὑπέλυντο δὲ γυῖα.
held it, and the head hung to one side, and his limbs were loosed.
Μηριόνης δʼ Ἀκάμαντα κιχεὶς ποσὶ καρπαλίμοισι
And Meriones, overtaking Acamas with swift feet,
νύξʼ ἵππων ἐπιβησόμενον κατὰ δεξιὸν ὦμον·
stabbed him on the right shoulder as he was mounting his chariot;
ἤριπε δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων, κατὰ δʼ ὀφθαλμῶν κέχυτʼ ἀχλύς.
and he fell from his chariot, and mist was poured over his eyes.
Ἰδομενεὺς δʼ Ἐρύμαντα κατὰ στόμα νηλέϊ χαλκῷ
And Idomeneus stabbed Erymas on the mouth with the pitiless bronze;
νύξε· τὸ δʼ ἀντικρὺ δόρυ χάλκεον ἐξεπέρησε
and the bronze spear passed clean through
νέρθεν ὑπʼ ἐγκεφάλοιο, κέασσε δʼ ἄρʼ ὀστέα λευκά·
beneath the brain, and shattered the white bones;
ἐκ δʼ ἐτίναχθεν ὀδόντες, ἐνέπλησθεν δέ οἱ ἄμφω
and his teeth were dashed out, and both his eyes
αἵματος ὀφθαλμοί· τὸ δʼ ἀνὰ στόμα καὶ κατὰ ῥῖνας
were filled with blood; and through his mouth and nostrils
πρῆσε χανών· θανάτου δὲ μέλαν νέφος ἀμφεκάλυψεν.
he blew blood gasping; and a black cloud of death enfolded him.
οὗτοι ἄρʼ ἡγεμόνες Δαναῶν ἕλον ἄνδρα ἕκαστος.
These leaders of the Danaans then slew each his man.
ὡς δὲ λύκοι ἄρνεσσιν ἐπέχραον ἢ ἐρίφοισι
And as ravening wolves fall upon lambs or kids,
σίνται ὑπʼ ἐκ μήλων αἱρεύμενοι, αἵ τʼ ἐν ὄρεσσι
choosing them from the flocks, which in the mountains
ποιμένος ἀφραδίῃσι διέτμαγεν· οἳ δὲ ἰδόντες
are scattered by the folly of the shepherd; and they, seeing them,
αἶψα διαρπάζουσιν ἀνάλκιδα θυμὸν ἐχούσας·
straightway snatch them away because they have a helpless heart;
ὣς Δαναοὶ Τρώεσσιν ἐπέχραον· οἳ δὲ φόβοιο
so the Danaans fell upon the Trojans; and they remembered
δυσκελάδου μνήσαντο, λάθοντο δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς.
clamorous flight, and forgot their furious courage.
Αἴας δʼ ὃ μέγας αἰὲν ἐφʼ Ἕκτορι χαλκοκορυστῇ
And great Ajax was ever aiming at copper-helmed Hector
ἵετʼ ἀκοντίσσαι· ὃ δὲ ἰδρείῃ πολέμοιο
to cast his spear; but he, with his knowledge of war,
ἀσπίδι ταυρείῃ κεκαλυμμένος εὐρέας ὤμους
covering his broad shoulders with his shield of bull’s hide,
σκέπτετʼ ὀϊστῶν τε ῥοῖζον καὶ δοῦπον ἀκόντων.
watched the whizzing of arrows and the crash of spears.
ἦ μὲν δὴ γίγνωσκε μάχης ἑτεραλκέα νίκην·
Surely he knew the shifting victory of the battle;
ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς ἀνέμιμνε, σάω δʼ ἐρίηρας ἑταίρους.
yet even so he remained, and saved his trusty companions.
ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀπʼ Οὐλύμπου νέφος ἔρχεται οὐρανὸν εἴσω
And as when a cloud comes from Olympus into heaven
αἰθέρος ἐκ δίης, ὅτε τε Ζεὺς λαίλαπα τείνῃ,
from the bright air, when Zeus stretches out a tempest,
ὣς τῶν ἐκ νηῶν γένετο ἰαχή τε φόβος τε,
so from the ships arose the shouting and panic of them,
οὐδὲ κατὰ μοῖραν πέραον πάλιν. Ἕκτορα δʼ ἵπποι
and they crossed back not in order. And his swift-footed horses
ἔκφερον ὠκύποδες σὺν τεύχεσι, λεῖπε δὲ λαὸν
carried Hector out with his armor, and he left the Trojan host,
- 16.297–300ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ... ὣς ...
A simile illustrating the clearing of clouds from a mountaintop to reveal the bright sky. The verb κινήσῃ is a subjunctive (aorist), which is standard in epic similes introduced by ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ + subjunctive to denote a general or repeated action.
- 16.306κεδασθείσης ὑσμίνης
A genitive absolute construction, consisting of the feminine singular genitive noun ὑσμίνη and the aorist passive participle κεδασθείσης. It describes the background circumstance ("when the battle was scattered") independent of the subject or object of the main clause.
- 16.326δαμέντε
The masculine dual nominative of the aorist passive participle from δάμνημι. It refers directly to the "two" brothers, Maris and Atymnius, who were slain, showcasing the use of the dual number in Epic Greek.
- 16.340ἔσχεθε δʼ οἶον δέρμα
The verb ἔσχεθε (an epic/poetic extension of ἔχω) here means "to hold or keep back." The subject is the neuter δέρμα (skin), literally meaning "only the skin held [the head]," graphically describing how the head was nearly severed, hanging only by a piece of skin.