- 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-grc2:16.797-16.867
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-01
Patroclus is critically disarmed and weakened by Apollo and Euphorbus, and is finally slain by Hector's spear. Before dying, Patroclus prophesies Hector's imminent death at the hands of Achilles, and Hector then pursues Automedon who drives Achilles' chariot.
ἱππόκομον πήληκα μιαίνεσθαι1 κονίῃσιν,
for the horse-tail crested helmet to be defiled in the dust,
ἀλλʼ ἀνδρὸς θείοιο κάρη χαρίεν τε μέτωπον
but it protected the head and beautiful forehead of a godlike man,
ῥύετʼ Ἀχιλλῆος· τότε δὲ Ζεὺς Ἕκτορι δῶκεν
of Achilles. Then indeed Zeus gave it to Hector
ᾗ κεφαλῇ φορέειν, σχεδόθεν δέ οἱ ἦεν ὄλεθρος.
to wear on his head, and near to him was his destruction.
πᾶν δέ οἱ ἐν χείρεσσιν ἄγη δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος
And in his hands his long-shadowed spear was shattered entirely,
βριθὺ μέγα στιβαρὸν κεκορυθμένον· αὐτὰρ ἀπʼ ὤμων
heavy, great, stout, and tipped with bronze; and from his shoulders
ἀσπὶς σὺν τελαμῶνι χαμαὶ πέσε τερμιόεσσα.
his tasselled shield with its strap fell to the ground.
λῦσε δέ οἱ θώρηκα ἄναξ Διὸς υἱὸς Ἀπόλλων.
And the lord Apollo, son of Zeus, loosened his breastplate.
τὸν δʼ ἄτη φρένας εἷλε, λύθεν δʼ ὑπὸ φαίδιμα γυῖα,
And blindness seized his mind, and his glorious limbs were loosened beneath him, and he stood dazed.
στῆ δὲ ταφών· ὄπιθεν δὲ μετάφρενον ὀξέϊ δουρὶ
And from behind, from close at hand, a Dardanian man struck him on the back,
ὤμων μεσσηγὺς σχεδόθεν βάλε Δάρδανος ἀνὴρ
between the shoulders,
Πανθοΐδης Εὔφορβος, ὃς ἡλικίην ἐκέκαστο
Euphorbus son of Panthous, who surpassed his peers
ἔγχεΐ θʼ ἱπποσύνῃ τε πόδεσσί τε καρπαλίμοισι·
in the spear, in horsemanship, and in swift feet;
καὶ γὰρ δὴ τότε φῶτας ἐείκοσι βῆσεν ἀφʼ ἵππων
for indeed even then he had brought down twenty men from their horses
πρῶτʼ ἐλθὼν σὺν ὄχεσφι διδασκόμενος πολέμοιο·2
when he first came with his chariot, learning of war.
ὅς τοι πρῶτος ἐφῆκε βέλος Πατρόκλεες ἱππεῦ
He it was who first cast a weapon at you, knight Patroclus,
οὐδὲ δάμασσʼ· ὃ μὲν αὖτις ἀνέδραμε, μίκτο δʼ ὁμίλῳ,
yet did not slay you; but he ran back and mingled with the throng,
ἐκ χροὸς ἁρπάξας δόρυ μείλινον, οὐδʼ ὑπέμεινε
having snatched the ashen spear from your flesh, nor did he withstand
Πάτροκλον γυμνόν περ ἐόντʼ ἐν δηϊοτῆτι.
Patroclus, though he was unarmed, in the fight.
Πάτροκλος δὲ θεοῦ πληγῇ καὶ δουρὶ δαμασθεὶς
And Patroclus, overcome by the blow of the god and by the spear,
ἂψ ἑτάρων εἰς ἔθνος ἐχάζετο κῆρʼ ἀλεείνων.
shrank back into the throng of his companions, avoiding death.
Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς εἶδεν Πατροκλῆα μεγάθυμον
But Hector, when he saw great-hearted Patroclus
ἂψ ἀναχαζόμενον βεβλημένον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,
shrinking back, wounded by the sharp bronze,
ἀγχίμολόν ῥά οἱ ἦλθε κατὰ στίχας, οὖτα δὲ δουρὶ
came near him through the ranks and struck him with his spear
νείατον ἐς κενεῶνα, διὰ πρὸ δὲ χαλκὸν ἔλασσε·
in the lower belly, and drove the bronze clean through.
δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, μέγα δʼ ἤκαχε λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν·
And he fell with a thud, and greatly grieved the people of the Achaeans.
ὡς δʼ ὅτε σῦν ἀκάμαντα λέων ἐβιήσατο χάρμῃ,
And as when a lion overcomes an untiring boar in fight,
ὥ τʼ ὄρεος κορυφῇσι μέγα φρονέοντε μάχεσθον
when the two fight with proud hearts on the mountain peaks
πίδακος ἀμφʼ ὀλίγης· ἐθέλουσι δὲ πιέμεν ἄμφω·
over a little spring, and both wish to drink;
πολλὰ δέ τʼ ἀσθμαίνοντα λέων ἐδάμασσε βίηφιν·
and the lion overcomes him by force as he gasps heavily;
ὣς πολέας πεφνόντα Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμον υἱὸν
even so did Hector, son of Priam, take away the life of the brave son of Menoetius
Ἕκτωρ Πριαμίδης σχεδὸν ἔγχεϊ θυμὸν ἀπηύρα,
with his spear from close at hand, after he had slain many;
καί οἱ ἐπευχόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
and exulting over him he spoke winged words:
Πάτροκλʼ ἦ που ἔφησθα πόλιν κεραϊξέμεν ἁμήν,
”Patroclus, surely you thought you would sack our city,
Τρωϊάδας δὲ γυναῖκας ἐλεύθερον ἦμαρ ἀπούρας
and take the day of freedom from the Trojan women and carry them
ἄξειν ἐν νήεσσι φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν
in ships to your beloved native land,
νήπιε· τάων δὲ πρόσθʼ Ἕκτορος ὠκέες ἵπποι
you fool! In front of them the swift horses of Hector
ποσσὶν ὀρωρέχαται πολεμίζειν· ἔγχεϊ δʼ αὐτὸς
stretch their strides to fight; and with the spear I myself
Τρωσὶ φιλοπτολέμοισι μεταπρέπω, ὅ σφιν ἀμύνω
excel among the war-loving Trojans, I who ward off from them
ἦμαρ ἀναγκαῖον· σὲ δέ τʼ ἐνθάδε γῦπες ἔδονται.
the day of necessity. But as for you, vultures shall eat you here.
ἆ δείλʼ, οὐδέ τοι ἐσθλὸς ἐὼν χραίσμησεν Ἀχιλλεύς,3
Wretched man, not even Achilles, excellent though he is, availed you,
ὅς πού τοι μάλα πολλὰ μένων ἐπετέλλετʼ ἰόντι·
who, staying behind, doubtless laid many commands upon you as you went forth:
μή μοι πρὶν ἰέναι Πατρόκλεες ἱπποκέλευθε
’Do not return to me, knight Patroclus, to the hollow
νῆας ἔπι γλαφυρὰς πρὶν Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο
ships until you have rent the bloody tunic of man-slaying Hector
αἱματόεντα χιτῶνα περὶ στήθεσσι δαΐξαι.
about his breast.’
ὥς πού σε προσέφη, σοὶ δὲ φρένας ἄφρονι πεῖθε.
Thus, I suppose, he spoke to you, and persuaded your mind in your folly.”
τὸν δʼ ὀλιγοδρανέων προσέφης Πατρόκλεες ἱππεῦ·
And gasping out your life, you spoke to him, knight Patroclus:
ἤδη νῦν Ἕκτορ μεγάλʼ εὔχεο· σοὶ γὰρ ἔδωκε
”Now, Hector, boast greatly; for to you have
νίκην Ζεὺς Κρονίδης καὶ Ἀπόλλων, οἵ με δάμασσαν
Zeus, son of Cronos, and Apollo given victory, they who vanquished me
ῥηιδίως· αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀπʼ ὤμων τεύχεʼ ἕλοντο.
easily; for they themselves took the armor from my shoulders.
τοιοῦτοι δʼ εἴ πέρ μοι ἐείκοσιν ἀντεβόλησαν,
But if twenty such as you had met me,
πάντές κʼ αὐτόθʼ ὄλοντο ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ δαμέντες.
they would all have perished on the spot, vanquished by my spear.
ἀλλά με μοῖρʼ ὀλοὴ καὶ Λητοῦς ἔκτανεν υἱός,
But destructive Fate and the son of Leto slew me,
ἀνδρῶν δʼ Εὔφορβος· σὺ δέ με τρίτος ἐξεναρίζεις.
and of men, Euphorbus; and you are the third to strip me.
ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·
And another thing I will tell you, and do you lay it to your heart:
οὔ θην οὐδʼ αὐτὸς δηρὸν βέῃ, ἀλλά τοι ἤδη
you yourself shall not live long, but already
ἄγχι παρέστηκεν θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κραταιὴ
death and mighty fate stand close beside you,
χερσὶ δαμέντʼ Ἀχιλῆος ἀμύμονος Αἰακίδαο.
to be vanquished by the hands of Achilles, the peerless descendant of Aeacus.”
ὣς ἄρα μιν εἰπόντα τέλος θανάτοιο κάλυψε·
Even as he thus spoke, the end of death enfolded him;
ψυχὴ δʼ ἐκ ῥεθέων πταμένη Ἄϊδος δὲ βεβήκει
and his soul fleeting from his limbs went down to the house of Hades,
ὃν πότμον γοόωσα λιποῦσʼ ἀνδροτῆτα καὶ ἥβην.
mourning its fate, leaving manliness and youth.
τὸν καὶ τεθνηῶτα προσηύδα φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·
And to him, though he was dead, glorious Hector spoke:
Πατρόκλεις τί νύ μοι μαντεύεαι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον;
”Patroclus, why do you prophesy sheer destruction for me?
τίς δʼ οἶδʼ εἴ κʼ Ἀχιλεὺς Θέτιδος πάϊς ἠϋκόμοιο
Who knows but that Achilles, son of fair-haired Thetis,
φθήῃ ἐμῷ ὑπὸ δουρὶ τυπεὶς ἀπὸ θυμὸν ὀλέσσαι;
may be struck first by my spear and lose his life?”
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας δόρυ χάλκεον ἐξ ὠτειλῆς
So saying, he drew the bronze spear from the wound,
εἴρυσε λὰξ προσβάς, τὸν δʼ ὕπτιον ὦσʼ ἀπὸ δουρός.
planting his foot upon him, and pushed him backward off the spear.
αὐτίκα δὲ ξὺν δουρὶ μετʼ Αὐτομέδοντα βεβήκει
And immediately he went with his spear after Automedon,
ἀντίθεον θεράποντα ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο·
the godlike squire of swift-footed Aeacides;
ἵετο γὰρ βαλέειν· τὸν δʼ ἔκφερον ὠκέες ἵπποι
for he was eager to strike him; but the swift horses bore him away,
ἄμβροτοι, οὓς Πηλῆϊ θεοὶ δόσαν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα.
immortal, which the gods gave as glorious gifts to Peleus.
- 16.797μιαίνεσθαι
Present passive infinitive meaning "to be defiled", forming an accusative and infinitive construction with πήληκα as its subject, dependent on the impersonal expression οὐ θέμις ἦεν in line 796.
- 16.811διδασκόμενος πολέμοιο
The genitive πολέμοιο acts as the object of the middle participle διδασκόμενος ("learning of war"), representing the genitive of association or field of instruction.
- 16.837οὐδέ τοι ἐσθλὸς ἐὼν χραίσμησεν Ἀχιλλεύς
The participle ἐών functions with a concessive force ("although he is"). The verb χραίσμησεν takes the dative τοι ("to you") in the sense of "to be of use, to help".
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — note 1