- 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-grc2:17.136-17.203
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-01
Ajax protects Patroclus' body with his shield, while Menelaus stands nearby. The Lycian leader Glaucus rebukes Hector for his cowardice and urges him to recover Sarpedon's body. Angered, Hector leaves the battlefield temporarily to put on the armor of Achilles, prompting Zeus to foresee his tragic fate.
πᾶν δέ τʼ ἐπισκύνιον κάτω ἕλκεται ὄσσε καλύπτων·
and he draws down all his brow, covering his eyes;
ὣς Αἴας περὶ Πατρόκλῳ ἥρωϊ βεβήκει.
even so did Ajax stand over the hero Patroclus.
Ἀτρεΐδης δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἀρηΐφιλος Μενέλαος
And from the other side, Menelaus, dear to Ares, son of Atreus,
ἑστήκει, μέγα πένθος ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀέξων.
stood, nursing great grief in his breast.
Γλαῦκος δʼ Ἱππολόχοιο πάϊς Λυκίων ἀγὸς ἀνδρῶν
And Glaucus, son of Hippolochus, leader of the Lycian men,
Ἕκτορʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν χαλεπῷ ἠνίπαπε μύθῳ·
looking fiercely at Hector, rebuked him with harsh words:
Ἕκτορ εἶδος1 ἄριστε μάχης ἄρα πολλὸν ἐδεύεο.
”Hector, best in form, yet you are sorely lacking in battle.
ἦ σʼ αὔτως κλέος ἐσθλὸν ἔχει φύξηλιν ἐόντα.
In truth, your noble fame is held in vain, being a runaway as you are.
φράζεο νῦν ὅππως κε πόλιν καὶ ἄστυ σαώσῃς
Reflect now how you may save the city and town
οἶος σὺν λαοῖς τοὶ Ἰλίῳ ἐγγεγάασιν·
you alone, with the people who are born in Ilium.
οὐ γάρ τις Λυκίων γε μαχησόμενος Δαναοῖσιν
For none of the Lycians at least will go to fight against the Danaans
εἶσι περὶ πτόλιος, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἄρα τις χάρις ἦεν
for the sake of the city, since after all there was no gratitude
μάρνασθαι δηΐοισιν ἐπʼ ἀνδράσι νωλεμὲς αἰεί.
for fighting against hostile men unceasingly always.
πῶς κε σὺ χείρονα φῶτα σαώσειας μεθʼ ὅμιλον
How could you save a lesser man from the throng,
σχέτλιʼ, ἐπεὶ Σαρπηδόνʼ ἅμα ξεῖνον καὶ ἑταῖρον
heartless one, since you left Sarpedon, at once a guest-friend and a companion,
κάλλιπες Ἀργείοισιν ἕλωρ καὶ κύρμα γενέσθαι,
to remain a prey and spoil for the Argives,
ὅς τοι πόλλʼ ὄφελος γένετο πτόλεΐ τε καὶ αὐτῷ
who was a great help to your city and to yourself
ζωὸς ἐών· νῦν δʼ οὔ οἱ ἀλαλκέμεναι2 κύνας ἔτλης.
while he lived; but now you did not dare to ward off the dogs from him.
τὼ νῦν εἴ τις ἐμοὶ Λυκίων ἐπιπείσεται ἀνδρῶν
Therefore now, if any of the Lycian men will obey me,
οἴκαδʼ ἴμεν, Τροίῃ δὲ πεφήσεται αἰπὺς ὄλεθρος.
we will go home, and steep ruin will appear for Troy.
εἰ γὰρ νῦν Τρώεσσι μένος πολυθαρσὲς ἐνείη3
For if there were now in the Trojans a very bold,
ἄτρομον, οἷόν τʼ ἄνδρας ἐσέρχεται οἳ περὶ πάτρης
fearless strength, such as enters into men who, for their homeland,
ἀνδράσι δυσμενέεσσι πόνον καὶ δῆριν ἔθεντο,
set up toil and battle against hostile men,
αἶψά κε Πάτροκλον ἐρυσαίμεθα Ἴλιον εἴσω.
swiftly would we drag Patroclus within Ilium.
εἰ δʼ οὗτος προτὶ ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος
And if this dead man should come to the great city of King Priam,
ἔλθοι τεθνηὼς καί μιν ἐρυσαίμεθα χάρμης,
and we should drag him from the battle,
αἶψά κεν Ἀργεῖοι Σαρπηδόνος ἔντεα καλὰ
swiftly would the Argives release Sarpedon’s beautiful armor,
λύσειαν, καί κʼ αὐτὸν ἀγοίμεθα Ἴλιον εἴσω·
and we might bring Sarpedon himself within Ilium;
τοίου γὰρ θεράπων πέφατʼ ἀνέρος, ὃς μέγʼ ἄριστος
For the squire of such a man has been slain, who is by far the best
Ἀργείων παρὰ νηυσὶ καὶ ἀγχέμαχοι θεράποντες.
of the Argives at the ships, and his squires who fight hand-to-hand.
ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ Αἴαντος μεγαλήτορος οὐκ ἐτάλασσας
But you did not dare to stand against great-hearted Ajax,
στήμεναι ἄντα κατʼ ὄσσε ἰδὼν δηΐων ἐν ἀϋτῇ,
looking him in the eyes, in the shouting of the enemies,
οὐδʼ ἰθὺς μαχέσασθαι, ἐπεὶ σέο φέρτερός ἐστι.
nor to fight him face-to-face, since he is better than you.”
τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·
Then Hector of the flashing helm, looking fiercely at him, addressed him:
Γλαῦκε τί ἢ δὲ σὺ τοῖος ἐὼν ὑπέροπλον ἔειπες;
”Glaucus, why did you, being such a man, speak so presumptuously?
ὢ πόποι ἦ τʼ ἐφάμην σὲ περὶ φρένας ἔμμεναι ἄλλων
Ah me, indeed I thought you were in wisdom above others,
τῶν ὅσσοι Λυκίην ἐριβώλακα ναιετάουσι·
of all those who dwell in deep-soiled Lycia.
νῦν δέ σευ ὠνοσάμην πάγχυ φρένας οἷον ἔειπες,
But now I altogether blame your wits for what you have said,
ὅς τέ με φῂς Αἴαντα πελώριον οὐχ ὑπομεῖναι.
you who say that I did not withstand giant Ajax.
οὔ τοι ἐγὼν ἔρριγα μάχην οὐδὲ κτύπον ἵππων·
I do not dread battle, nor the thundering of horses;
ἀλλʼ αἰεί τε Διὸς κρείσσων νόος αἰγιόχοιο,
but the mind of aegis-bearing Zeus is always stronger,
ὅς τε καὶ ἄλκιμον ἄνδρα φοβεῖ καὶ ἀφείλετο νίκην
who terrifies even a brave man and takes away victory
ῥηϊδίως, ὁτὲ δʼ αὐτὸς ἐποτρύνει μαχέσασθαι.
easily, and at other times he himself urges him to fight.
ἀλλʼ ἄγε δεῦρο πέπον, παρʼ ἔμʼ ἵστασο καὶ ἴδε ἔργον,
But come hither, friend, stand by me and see my work,
ἠὲ πανημέριος κακὸς ἔσσομαι, ὡς ἀγορεύεις,
whether I shall be a coward all day long, as you say,
ἦ τινα καὶ Δαναῶν ἀλκῆς μάλα περ μεμαῶτα
or whether I shall stay some of the Danaans, very eager though they be in valor,
σχήσω ἀμυνέμεναι περὶ Πατρόκλοιο θανόντος.
from fighting to defend dead Patroclus.”
ὣς εἰπὼν Τρώεσσιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·
So saying, he called to the Trojans, shouting aloud:
Τρῶες καὶ Λύκιοι καὶ Δάρδανοι ἀγχιμαχηταί,
”Trojans and Lycians and Dardanians who fight hand-to-hand,
ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι, μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς,
be men, friends, and remember impetuous valor,
ὄφρʼ ἂν ἐγὼν Ἀχιλῆος ἀμύμονος ἔντεα δύω
while I put on the beautiful armor of noble Achilles,
καλά, τὰ Πατρόκλοιο βίην ἐνάριξα κατακτάς.
which I stripped when I slew the mighty strength of Patroclus.”
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἀπέβη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ
Having spoken thus, Hector of the flashing helm departed
δηΐου ἐκ πολέμοιο· θέων δʼ ἐκίχανεν ἑταίρους
from the hostile battle; and running, he caught up with his companions
ὦκα μάλʼ οὔ πω τῆλε ποσὶ κραιπνοῖσι μετασπών,
very quickly, not yet far off, overtaking them with swift feet,
οἳ προτὶ ἄστυ φέρον κλυτὰ τεύχεα Πηλεΐωνος.
who were carrying the glorious armor of Peleus’ son to the city.
στὰς δʼ ἀπάνευθε μάχης πολυδακρύου ἔντεʼ ἄμειβεν·
Standing apart from the tearful battle, he changed his armor;
ἤτοι ὃ μὲν τὰ ἃ δῶκε φέρειν προτὶ Ἴλιον ἱρὴν
indeed he gave his own to be carried to sacred Ilium
Τρωσὶ φιλοπτολέμοισιν, ὃ δʼ ἄμβροτα τεύχεα δῦνε
by the warlike Trojans, and he put on the immortal armor
Πηλεΐδεω Ἀχιλῆος ἅ οἱ θεοὶ Οὐρανίωνες
of Achilles, son of Peleus, which the heavenly gods had given
πατρὶ φίλῳ ἔπορον· ὃ δʼ ἄρα ᾧ παιδὶ ὄπασσε
to his dear father; and he indeed gave it to his son
γηράς·4 ἀλλʼ οὐχ υἱὸς ἐν ἔντεσι πατρὸς ἐγήρα.
in his old age; but the son did not grow old in the armor of his father.
τὸν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἀπάνευθεν ἴδεν νεφεληγερέτα Ζεὺς
But when cloud-gathering Zeus saw him from afar,
τεύχεσι Πηλεΐδαο κορυσσόμενον θείοιο,
arming himself in the armor of godlike Peleus’ son,
κινήσας ῥα κάρη προτὶ ὃν μυθήσατο θυμόν·
shaking his head, he spoke to his own heart:
ἆ δείλʼ οὐδέ τί τοι θάνατος καταθύμιός ἐστιν
”Ah, wretched one, death is not at all in your mind,
ὃς δή τοι σχεδὸν εἶσι· σὺ δʼ ἄμβροτα τεύχεα δύνεις
which indeed is coming near to you; but you are putting on the immortal armor
ἀνδρὸς ἀριστῆος, τόν τε τρομέουσι καὶ ἄλλοι·
of a preeminent man, before whom others also tremble;
- 142εἶδος
An accusative of respect (or specification), modifying the vocative adjective ἄριστε, meaning "best in appearance."
- 153ἀλαλκέμεναι
A reduplicated aorist infinitive (with the Aeolic ending -μεναι) serving as the complement of the verb ἔτλης ("dare"). The pronoun οἱ is a dative of disadvantage (or separation) referring to Sarpedon ("from him").
- 156ἐνείη
Present optative third-person singular of ἔνειμι, introduced by εἰ γάρ. Together with the apodosis αἶψά κε ... ἐρυσαίμεθα (line 159, ἄν + optative), it forms a future less vivid condition (or a wish for the present/future).
- 17.197γηράς
Nominative masculine singular of the aorist active participle of γηράσκω ("to grow old"), meaning "having grown old" (referring to the father, Peleus, passing the armor to his son).