Grief of Achilles' Horses and Automedon Entering Battle — Homer, Iliad Book 17 (lines 417–486), Greek & English

417

πᾶσι χάνοι·¹ τό κεν ἧμιν ἄφαρ πολὺ κέρδιον εἴη

”may it swallow us all! That indeed would be far more profitable for us straightway,

εἰ τοῦτον Τρώεσσι μεθήσομεν ἱπποδάμοισιν

if we are to yield this man to the horse-taming Trojans,

ἄστυ πότι σφέτερον ἐρύσαι καὶ κῦδος ἀρέσθαι.

to drag to their city and win glory.”

420

ὣς δέ τις αὖ Τρώων μεγαθύμων αὐδήσασκεν·

And thus on the other side would one of the great-souled Trojans say:

ὦ φίλοι, εἰ καὶ μοῖρα² παρʼ ἀνέρι τῷδε δαμῆναι

”My friends, even if it be our fate that all of us together

πάντας ὁμῶς, μή πώ τις ἐρωείτω πολέμοιο.

be slain beside this man, let no man yet shrink back from the battle.”

ὣς ἄρα τις εἴπεσκε, μένος δʼ ὄρσασκεν ἑκάστου.

So would one speak, and rouse the spirit of each.

ὣς οἳ μὲν μάρναντο, σιδήρειος δʼ ὀρυμαγδὸς

So they fought, and the iron din

425

χάλκεον οὐρανὸν ἷκε διʼ αἰθέρος ἀτρυγέτοιο·

reached the bronze heaven through the waste ether.

ἵπποι δʼ Αἰακίδαο μάχης ἀπάνευθεν ἐόντες

But the horses of the grandson of Aeacus, being apart from the battle,

κλαῖον, ἐπεὶ δὴ πρῶτα πυθέσθην ἡνιόχοιο

were weeping ever since they first learned that their charioteer

ἐν κονίῃσι πεσόντος ὑφʼ Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο.

had fallen in the dust beneath manslaughtering Hector.

ἦ μὰν Αὐτομέδων Διώρεος ἄλκιμος υἱὸς

Verily Automedon, the valiant son of Diores,

430

πολλὰ μὲν ἂρ μάστιγι θοῇ ἐπεμαίετο θείνων,

with swift whip would strike and urge them,

πολλὰ δὲ μειλιχίοισι προσηύδα, πολλὰ δʼ ἀρειῇ·

and many a time he spoke to them with gentle words, and many a time with threats.

τὼ δʼ οὔτʼ ἂψ³ ἐπὶ νῆας ἐπὶ πλατὺν Ἑλλήσποντον

But the two would neither go back to the ships by the broad Hellespont,

ἠθελέτην ἰέναι οὔτʼ ἐς πόλεμον μετʼ Ἀχαιούς,

nor into the battle among the Achaeans,

ἀλλʼ ὥς τε στήλη μένει ἔμπεδον, ἥ τʼ ἐπὶ τύμβῳ

but as a gravestone remains unshaken, which stands upon the barrow

435

ἀνέρος ἑστήκῃ τεθνηότος ἠὲ γυναικός,

of a dead man or woman,

ὣς μένον ἀσφαλέως περικαλλέα δίφρον ἔχοντες

so they remained steadfastly holding the beautiful chariot,

οὔδει ἐνισκίμψαντε καρήατα· δάκρυα δέ σφι

leaning their heads to the ground. And warm tears

θερμὰ κατὰ βλεφάρων χαμάδις ῥέε μυρομένοισιν

flowed from their eyes to the ground as they wept

ἡνιόχοιο πόθῳ· θαλερὴ δʼ ἐμιαίνετο χαίτη

in longing for their charioteer; and their rich manes were soiled,

440

ζεύγλης ἐξεριποῦσα παρὰ ζυγὸν ἀμφοτέρωθεν.

streaming down from the yoke-pad beside the yoke on both sides.

μυρομένω δʼ ἄρα τώ γε ἰδὼν ἐλέησε Κρονίων,

And as they wept, the son of Cronos saw them and pitied them,

κινήσας δὲ κάρη προτὶ ὃν μυθήσατο θυμόν·

and he shook his head, and spoke to his own heart:

ἆ δειλώ, τί σφῶϊ δόμεν Πηλῆϊ ἄνακτι

”Ah, unhappy pair, why did we give you to king Peleus,

θνητῷ, ὑμεῖς δʼ ἐστὸν ἀγήρω τʼ ἀθανάτω τε;

a mortal, while you are ageless and immortal?

445

ἦ ἵνα δυστήνοισι μετʼ ἀνδράσιν ἄλγεʼ ἔχητον;

Was it that you might have sorrows among wretched men?

οὐ μὲν γάρ τί πού ἐστιν ὀϊζυρώτερον ἀνδρὸς

For there is nothing more wretched than man,

πάντων, ὅσσά τε γαῖαν ἔπι πνείει τε καὶ ἕρπει.

of all things that breathe and creep upon the earth.

ἀλλʼ οὐ μὰν ὑμῖν γε καὶ ἅρμασι δαιδαλέοισιν

Yet surely upon you and your finely-wrought chariot

Ἕκτωρ Πριαμίδης ἐποχήσεται· οὐ γὰρ ἐάσω.

Hector, son of Priam, shall never ride; for I will not suffer it.

450

ἦ οὐχ ἅλις ὡς καὶ τεύχεʼ ἔχει καὶ ἐπεύχεται αὔτως;

Is it not enough that he has the armor and boasts vainly as he does?

σφῶϊν δʼ ἐν γούνεσσι βαλῶ μένος ἠδʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ,

But into your knees and your heart will I cast strength,

ὄφρα καὶ Αὐτομέδοντα σαώσετον ἐκ πολέμοιο

so that you may bring Automedon safe out of the war

νῆας ἔπι γλαφυράς· ἔτι γάρ σφισι κῦδος ὀρέξω

to the hollow ships; for still will I vouchsafe glory to them

κτείνειν, εἰς ὅ κε νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους ἀφίκωνται

to slay, until they come to the well-benched ships,

455

δύῃ τʼ ἠέλιος καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἱερὸν ἔλθῃ·

and the sun sets and sacred darkness comes on.”

ὣς εἰπὼν ἵπποισιν ἐνέπνευσεν μένος ἠΰ.

So saying, he breathed strong courage into the horses.

τὼ δʼ ἀπὸ χαιτάων κονίην οὖδας δὲ βαλόντε

And they shook the dust from their manes to the earth,

ῥίμφα φέρον θοὸν ἅρμα μετὰ Τρῶας καὶ Ἀχαιούς.

and fleetly bore the swift chariot into the midst of the Trojans and Achaeans.

τοῖσι δʼ ἐπʼ Αὐτομέδων μάχετʼ ἀχνύμενός περ ἑταίρου

And behind them fought Automedon, though grieving for his comrade,

460

ἵπποις ἀΐσσων ὥς τʼ αἰγυπιὸς μετὰ χῆνας·

rushing with his horses like a vulture among geese;

ῥέα μὲν γὰρ φεύγεσκεν ὑπʼ ἐκ Τρώων ὀρυμαγδοῦ,

for easily would he flee out from the tumult of the Trojans,

ῥεῖα δʼ ἐπαΐξασκε πολὺν καθʼ ὅμιλον ὀπάζων.

and easily would he charge, pursuing them through the great throng.

ἀλλʼ οὐχ ᾕρει φῶτας ὅτε σεύαιτο διώκειν·

Yet he did not slay any men when he rushed to pursue them;

οὐ γάρ πως ἦν οἶον ἐόνθʼ ἱερῷ ἐνὶ δίφρῳ

for it was in no wise possible for him, being alone in the sacred car,

465

ἔγχει ἐφορμᾶσθαι καὶ ἐπίσχειν ὠκέας ἵππους.

to charge with the spear and hold the fleet horses.

ὀψὲ δὲ δή μιν ἑταῖρος ἀνὴρ ἴδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν

But at last a comrade saw him with his eyes,

Ἀλκιμέδων υἱὸς Λαέρκεος Αἱμονίδαο·

Alcimedon, son of Laerces, son of Haemon;

στῆ δʼ ὄπιθεν δίφροιο καὶ Αὐτομέδοντα προσηύδα·

and he stood behind the chariot and spoke to Automedon:

Αὐτόμεδον, τίς τοί νυ θεῶν νηκερδέα βουλὴν

”Automedon, which of the gods has put a profitless counsel

470

ἐν στήθεσσιν ἔθηκε, καὶ ἐξέλετο φρένας ἐσθλάς;

in your breast, and taken away your excellent understanding?

οἷον πρὸς Τρῶας μάχεαι πρώτῳ ἐν ὁμίλῳ

That thus you are fighting alone with the Trojans in the forefront of the throng?

μοῦνος· ἀτάρ τοι ἑταῖρος ἀπέκτατο, τεύχεα δʼ Ἕκτωρ

But your comrade has been slain, and Hector himself boasts

αὐτὸς ἔχων ὤμοισιν ἀγάλλεται Αἰακίδαο.

with the armor of the grandson of Aeacus on his shoulders.”

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Αὐτομέδων προσέφη Διώρεος υἱός·

To him then Automedon, son of Diores, made answer:

475

Ἀλκίμεδον τίς γάρ τοι Ἀχαιῶν ἄλλος ὁμοῖος

”Alcimedon, what other of the Achaeans is your equal

ἵππων ἀθανάτων ἐχέμεν⁴ δμῆσίν τε μένος τε,

to guide and control the spirit of the immortal horses,

εἰ μὴ Πάτροκλος θεόφιν μήστωρ ἀτάλαντος

save only Patroclus, a counselor equal to the gods,

ζωὸς ἐών; νῦν αὖ θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κιχάνει.

while he lived? But now death and fate have overtaken him.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν μάστιγα καὶ ἡνία σιγαλόεντα

Do you then take the whip and the shining reins,

480

δέξαι, ἐγὼ δʼ ἵππων ἀποβήσομαι, ὄφρα μάχωμαι.

and I will dismount from the horses to fight.”

ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀλκιμέδων δὲ βοηθόον ἅρμʼ ἐπορούσας

So he spoke, and Alcimedon sprang upon the chariot, swift to help,

καρπαλίμως μάστιγα καὶ ἡνία λάζετο χερσίν,

and quickly took the whip and reins in his hands,

Αὐτομέδων δʼ ἀπόρουσε· νόησε δὲ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ,

and Automedon leaped down. And glorious Hector marked them,

αὐτίκα δʼ Αἰνείαν προσεφώνεεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντα·

and straightway spoke to Aeneas, who was near:

485

Αἰνεία Τρώων βουληφόρε χαλκοχιτώνων

”Aeneas, counselor of the bronze-clad Trojans,

ἵππω τώδʼ ἐνόησα ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο

I have marked those two horses of the fleet-footed grandson of Aeacus”

Syntax notes4 items

17.417πᾶσι χάνοι
Third-person singular aorist optative. The subject is "the black earth" (γαῖα μέλαινα) from the preceding line (§17.416), which is omitted here. It expresses a wish: "may the earth yawn (and swallow) us all."
17.421εἰ καὶ μοῖρα
The infinitive δαμῆναι (aorist passive infinitive, "to be slain") has μοῖρα ("fate") as its subject, with the copula ἐστί (or optative εἴη) being omitted. It introduces a concessive condition: "even if it be our fate that all of us together be slain beside this man."
17.432τὼ δʼ οὔτʼ ἂψ
Both the pronoun τώ and the verb ἠθελέτην are in the dual number, referring to Achilles' two immortal horses (Xanthus and Balius). This sets up the subject for the subsequent vivid simile in §17.434–435 comparing their stillness to a gravestone (στήλη).
17.476ἐχέμεν
An epic infinitive form (= ἔχειν). It functions as an infinitive of relation (or "respect") limiting the adjective ὁμοῖος ("like, equal to"), specifying in what regard the person could be equal to Patroclus (i.e., "to guide and control").

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:17.417-17.486