- 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-grc2:16.369-16.440
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
Patroclus pursues the retreating Trojans, slaying many enemies. Sarpedon, the Lycian leader, steps forward to face him, prompting Zeus to grieve over the impending fate of his beloved son.
Τρωϊκόν, οὓς ἀέκοντας ὀρυκτὴ τάφρος ἔρυκε.
the Trojan host, whom against their will the dug trench held back.
πολλοὶ δʼ ἐν τάφρῳ ἐρυσάρματες ὠκέες ἵπποι
And many swift chariot-drawing horses in the trench,
ἄξαντʼ1 ἐν πρώτῳ ῥυμῷ λίπον ἅρματʼ ἀνάκτων,
having shattered the yokes at the tip of the pole, left the chariots of their masters.
Πάτροκλος δʼ ἕπετο σφεδανὸν Δαναοῖσι κελεύων
And Patroclus followed, calling fiercely to the Danaans,
Τρωσὶ κακὰ φρονέων· οἳ δὲ ἰαχῇ τε φόβῳ τε
planning evils for the Trojans; and they, with shouting and panic,
πάσας πλῆσαν ὁδούς, ἐπεὶ ἂρ τμάγεν· ὕψι δʼ ἀέλλη
filled all the roads, since they were scattered; and on high a whirlwind
σκίδναθʼ ὑπὸ νεφέων, τανύοντο δὲ μώνυχες ἵπποι
was scattered under the clouds, and the single-hoofed horses
ἄψορρον προτὶ ἄστυ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων.
strained backward toward the city away from the ships and shelters.
Πάτροκλος δʼ ᾗ πλεῖστον ὀρινόμενον ἴδε λαόν,
But Patroclus, wherever he saw the host most confused,
τῇ ῥʼ ἔχʼ ὁμοκλήσας· ὑπὸ δʼ ἄξοσι φῶτες ἔπιπτον
there drove with a shout; and under the axles men
πρηνέες ἐξ ὀχέων, δίφροι δʼ ἀνακυμβαλίαζον.
fell headlong from their chariots, and the chariots were overturned.
ἀντικρὺ δʼ ἄρα τάφρον ὑπέρθορον ὠκέες ἵπποι
And straight across the trench leaped the swift
ἄμβροτοι, οὓς Πηλῆϊ θεοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα,
immortal horses, which the gods gave as glorious gifts to Peleus,
πρόσσω ἱέμενοι, ἐπὶ δʼ Ἕκτορι κέκλετο θυμός·
eager to press forward; and Patroclus’ heart urged him against Hector,
ἵετο γὰρ βαλέειν· τὸν δʼ ἔκφερον ὠκέες ἵπποι.
for he was eager to strike him; but his swift horses carried Hector away.
ὡς δʼ ὑπὸ λαίλαπι2 πᾶσα κελαινὴ βέβριθε χθὼν
And as under a tempest all the dark earth is heavy,
ἤματʼ ὀπωρινῷ, ὅτε λαβρότατον χέει ὕδωρ
on an autumn day when Zeus pours down
Ζεύς, ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἄνδρεσσι κοτεσσάμενος χαλεπήνῃ,
most violent water, when indeed he is angry and harsh with men,
οἳ βίῃ εἰν ἀγορῇ σκολιὰς κρίνωσι θέμιστας,
who by force judge crooked decrees in the assembly,
ἐκ δὲ δίκην ἐλάσωσι θεῶν ὄπιν οὐκ ἀλέγοντες·
and drive out justice, caring nothing for the watch of the gods;
τῶν δέ τε πάντες μὲν ποταμοὶ πλήθουσι ῥέοντες,
and all their rivers run full,
πολλὰς δὲ κλιτῦς τότʼ ἀποτμήγουσι χαράδραι,
and many hillsides then the torrents sweep away,
ἐς δʼ ἅλα πορφυρέην μεγάλα στενάχουσι ῥέουσαι
and flowing headlong from the mountains into the purple sea they groan aloud,
ἐξ ὀρέων ἐπικάρ, μινύθει δέ τε ἔργʼ ἀνθρώπων·
and the works of men are wasted;
ὣς ἵπποι Τρῳαὶ μεγάλα στενάχοντο θέουσαι.
so the Trojan horses groaned aloud as they ran.
Πάτροκλος δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν πρώτας ἐπέκερσε φάλαγγας,
But Patroclus, when he had cut off the first battalions,
ἂψ ἐπὶ νῆας ἔεργε παλιμπετές, οὐδὲ πόληος
drove them back again toward the ships, and did not allow them,
εἴα ἱεμένους ἐπιβαινέμεν, ἀλλὰ μεσηγὺ
eager though they were, to mount to the city, but between
νηῶν καὶ ποταμοῦ καὶ τείχεος ὑψηλοῖο
the ships and the river and the high wall,
κτεῖνε μεταΐσσων, πολέων δʼ ἀπετίνυτο ποινήν.
he slew them as he rushed among them, and exacted the price for many.
ἔνθʼ ἤτοι Πρόνοον πρῶτον βάλε δουρὶ φαεινῷ
There indeed he first struck Pronous with his shining spear,
στέρνον γυμνωθέντα παρʼ ἀσπίδα, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα·
where his breast was left bare beside the shield, and loosed his limbs;
δούπησεν δὲ πεσών· ὃ δὲ Θέστορα Ἤνοπος υἱὸν
and he fell with a thud. Next he rushed upon Thestor, son of Enops,
δεύτερον ὁρμηθείς· ὃ μὲν εὐξέστῳ ἐνὶ δίφρῳ
who sat cowering in his well-polished chariot;
ἧστο ἀλείς· ἐκ γὰρ πλήγη φρένας, ἐκ δʼ ἄρα χειρῶν
for his mind was struck with terror, and the reins had slipped
ἡνία ἠΐχθησαν· ὃ δʼ ἔγχεϊ νύξε παραστὰς
from his hands. And Patroclus, standing close by, stabbed him with his spear
γναθμὸν δεξιτερόν, διὰ δʼ αὐτοῦ πεῖρεν ὀδόντων,
on the right jaw, and drove it through his teeth;
ἕλκε δὲ δουρὸς ἑλὼν ὑπὲρ ἄντυγος, ὡς ὅτε τις φὼς3
and he dragged him over the rim of the chariot, holding the spear, as when a man
πέτρῃ ἔπι προβλῆτι καθήμενος ἱερὸν ἰχθὺν
sitting on a jutting rock drags a sacred fish
ἐκ πόντοιο θύραζε λίνῳ καὶ ἤνοπι χαλκῷ·
out of the sea with line and bright bronze;
ὣς ἕλκʼ ἐκ δίφροιο κεχηνότα δουρὶ φαεινῷ,
so he dragged him gaping from the chariot with his shining spear,
κὰδ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπὶ στόμʼ ἔωσε· πεσόντα δέ μιν λίπε θυμός.
and cast him down on his face; and as he fell his life left him.
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ Ἐρύλαον ἐπεσσύμενον βάλε πέτρῳ
Then next he struck Erylaus as he rushed upon him with a stone,
μέσσην κὰκ κεφαλήν· ἣ δʼ ἄνδιχα πᾶσα κεάσθη
full on the middle of the head; and it was split all asunder
ἐν κόρυθι βριαρῇ· ὃ δʼ ἄρα πρηνὴς ἐπὶ γαίῃ
within his heavy helmet; and he fell headlong upon
κάππεσεν, ἀμφὶ δέ μιν θάνατος χύτο θυμοραϊστής.
the earth, and soul-destroying death was poured around him.
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ Ἐρύμαντα καὶ Ἀμφοτερὸν καὶ Ἐπάλτην
Then Erymas and Amphoterus and Epaltes,
Τληπόλεμόν τε Δαμαστορίδην Ἐχίον τε Πύριν τε
and Tlepolemus son of Damastor, and Echion and Pyris,
Ἰφέα τʼ Εὔιππόν τε καὶ Ἀργεάδην Πολύμηλον
and Ipheus and Euippus and Polymelus son of Argeas,
πάντας ἐπασσυτέρους πέλασε χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ.
all one after another he brought down to the bounteous earth.
Σαρπηδὼν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἴδʼ ἀμιτροχίτωνας ἑταίρους
But Sarpedon, when he saw his companions with unbelted tunics
χέρσʼ ὕπο Πατρόκλοιο Μενοιτιάδαο δαμέντας,
vanquished beneath the hands of Patroclus, son of Menoetius,
κέκλετʼ ἄρʼ ἀντιθέοισι καθαπτόμενος Λυκίοισιν·
called out, rebuking the godlike Lycians:
αἰδὼς ὦ Λύκιοι· πόσε φεύγετε; νῦν θοοὶ ἔστε.
”Shame, O Lycians! Whither do ye flee? Now be ye swift.
ἀντήσω γὰρ ἐγὼ τοῦδʼ ἀνέρος, ὄφρα δαείω
For I will go against this man, so that I may learn
ὅς τις ὅδε κρατέει καὶ δὴ κακὰ πολλὰ ἔοργε
who this is who has such power and has already wrought much evil
Τρῶας, ἐπεὶ πολλῶν τε καὶ ἐσθλῶν γούνατʼ ἔλυσεν.
to the Trojans, since he has loosed the knees of many and noble men.”
ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἐξ ὀχέων σὺν τεύχεσιν ἆλτο χαμᾶζε.
He spoke, and leaped from his chariot with his armor to the ground.
Πάτροκλος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐπεὶ ἴδεν ἔκθορε δίφρου.
And Patroclus on the other side, when he saw him, leaped from his chariot.
οἳ δʼ ὥς τʼ αἰγυπιοὶ γαμψώνυχες ἀγκυλοχεῖλαι
And as crooked-clawed, hook-beaked vultures
πέτρῃ ἐφʼ ὑψηλῇ μεγάλα κλάζοντε μάχωνται,
fight upon a high rock, screaming aloud,
ὣς οἳ κεκλήγοντες ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ὄρουσαν.
so they with cries rushed upon each other.
τοὺς δὲ ἰδὼν ἐλέησε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω,
And seeing them, the son of crooked-counseling Cronus took pity,
Ἥρην δὲ προσέειπε κασιγνήτην ἄλοχόν τε·
and spoke to Hera, his sister and wife:
ὤ μοι ἐγών, ὅ τέ μοι4 Σαρπηδόνα φίλτατον ἀνδρῶν
”Ah, woe is me, since it is Sarpedon’s fate, dearest of men to me,
μοῖρʼ ὑπὸ Πατρόκλοιο Μενοιτιάδαο δαμῆναι.
to be vanquished by Patroclus, son of Menoetius.
διχθὰ δέ μοι κραδίη μέμονε φρεσὶν ὁρμαίνοντι,
And my heart is divided in two as I ponder in my mind,
ἤ μιν ζωὸν ἐόντα μάχης ἄπο δακρυοέσσης
whether to snatch him up alive away from the tearful battle
θείω ἀναρπάξας Λυκίης ἐν πίονι δήμῳ,
and set him down in the rich land of Lycia,
ἦ ἤδη ὑπὸ χερσὶ Μενοιτιάδαο δαμάσσω.
or now to subdue him under the hands of the son of Menoetius.”
τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη·
And then ox-eyed queenly Hera answered him:
αἰνότατε Κρονίδη ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες.
”Most dread son of Cronus, what word hast thou spoken?”
- 16.371ἄξαντʼ
Elided form of the aorist active participle ἄξαντες, agreeing with the plural subject ἵπποι. Although some interpret it as the dual form ἄξαντε (referring to the pair of horses pulling the chariot), it is taken here as a plural referring generally to the swift chariot-horses.
- 16.384ὡς δʼ ὑπὸ λαίλαπι
A grand epic simile spanning from ὡς δʼ... in line 384 to μινύθει δέ τε ἔργʼ ἀνθρώπων in line 392. It elaborately describes the autumn torrential rain and resulting flood sent by Zeus, resolving in the main clause introduced by ὣς ἵπποι... ("so the horses...") in line 393.
- 16.406ὡς ὅτε τις φὼς
A simile comparing Thestor being dragged from his chariot to a fisherman pulling a fish from the sea. The subordinate clause of the simile runs from ὡς ὅτε in line 406 to χαλκῷ in line 408, with the main action resumed by ὣς ἕλκʼ ("so he dragged") in line 409.
- 16.433ὅ τέ μοι
The conjunction ὅ (an equivalent of ὅτι, or the relative pronoun neuter singular) + the particle τέ, introducing a causal clause expressing the reason for grief ("because..."). The dative μοι is an ethical dative, emphasizing Zeus's personal sorrow and involvement.