- 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-grc2:17.487-17.557
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-01
Hector and Aeneas attack Automedon to capture Achilles' horses. Automedon, strengthened by a prayer to Zeus, slays Aretus and strips his armor, while Athena descends from heaven to rouse the Danaans.
ἐς πόλεμον προφανέντε σὺν ἡνιόχοισι κακοῖσι·
appearing in the battle with poor charioteers.
τώ κεν ἐελποίμην αἱρησέμεν, εἰ σύ γε θυμῷ
Therefore I should hope to capture them, if you in your heart
σῷ ἐθέλεις, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἂν ἐφορμηθέντε γε νῶϊ
are willing; for they would not dare, when we two charge against them,
τλαῖεν1 ἐναντίβιον στάντες μαχέσασθαι Ἄρηϊ.
endure to stand against us and fight in battle.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησεν ἐῢς πάϊς Ἀγχίσαο.
So he spoke, and the brave son of Anchises did not disobey.
τὼ δʼ ἰθὺς βήτην βοέῃς εἰλυμένω ὤμους
The two went straight forward, their shoulders wrapped in ox-hides,
αὔῃσι στερεῇσι· πολὺς δʼ ἐπελήλατο χαλκός.
dry and tough; and much bronze had been beaten upon them.
τοῖσι δʼ ἅμα Χρομίος τε καὶ Ἄρητος θεοειδὴς
And with them Chromius and godlike Aretus both
ἤϊσαν ἀμφότεροι· μάλα δέ σφισιν ἔλπετο θυμὸς
went; and their hearts hoped greatly
αὐτώ τε κτενέειν ἐλάαν τʼ ἐριαύχενας ἵππους
to slay those two and drive off the high-necked horses—
νήπιοι, οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔμελλον ἀναιμωτί γε νέεσθαι
fools! for they were not to return without blood
αὖτις ἀπʼ Αὐτομέδοντος. ὃ δʼ εὐξάμενος Διὶ πατρὶ
back from Automedon. But he, praying to father Zeus,
ἀλκῆς καὶ σθένεος πλῆτο φρένας ἀμφὶ μελαίνας·2
was filled with courage and strength in his dark heart;
αὐτίκα δʼ Ἀλκιμέδοντα προσηύδα πιστὸν ἑταῖρον·
and straightway he spoke to Alcimedon, his faithful comrade:
Ἀλκίμεδον μὴ δή μοι ἀπόπροθεν ἰσχέμεν ἵππους,
”Alcimedon, do not keep the horses far from me,
ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ἐμπνείοντε μεταφρένῳ· οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε
but let them breathe right on my back; for I do not think
Ἕκτορα Πριαμίδην μένεος σχήσεσθαι ὀΐω,
Hector, son of Priam, will refrain from his fury,
πρίν γʼ ἐπʼ Ἀχιλλῆος καλλίτριχε βήμεναι ἵππω
before he mounts the fair-maned horses of Achilles,
νῶϊ κατακτείναντα, φοβῆσαί τε στίχας ἀνδρῶν
having slain us two, and puts to flight the ranks of
Ἀργείων, ἤ κʼ αὐτὸς ἐνὶ πρώτοισιν ἁλοίη.
Argive men, or himself be slain among the foremost.”
ὣς εἰπὼν Αἴαντε καλέσσατο καὶ Μενέλαον·
So saying, he called to the two Ajaxes and Menelaus:
Αἴαντʼ Ἀργείων ἡγήτορε καὶ Μενέλαε
”Ajaxes, leaders of the Argives, and Menelaus,
ἤτοι μὲν τὸν νεκρὸν ἐπιτράπεθʼ οἵ περ ἄριστοι
leave the dead body to those who are bravest
ἀμφʼ αὐτῷ βεβάμεν καὶ ἀμύνεσθαι στίχας ἀνδρῶν,
to stand around it and ward off the ranks of men,
νῶϊν δὲ ζωοῖσιν ἀμύνετε νηλεὲς ἦμαρ·
but from us two who are alive ward off the pitiless day;
τῇδε γὰρ ἔβρισαν πόλεμον κάτα δακρυόεντα
for here Hector and Aeneas, who are the best of the Trojans,
Ἕκτωρ Αἰνείας θʼ, οἳ Τρώων εἰσὶν ἄριστοι.
press hard through the tearful battle.
ἀλλʼ ἤτοι μὲν ταῦτα θεῶν ἐν γούνασι κεῖται·
Yet surely these things lie on the knees of the gods;
ἥσω γὰρ καὶ ἐγώ, τὰ δέ κεν Διὶ πάντα μελήσει.
for I too will cast, and all will be a care to Zeus.”
ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἀμπεπαλὼν προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος,
He spoke, and poising his far-shadowing spear, he hurled it,
καὶ βάλεν Ἀρήτοιο κατʼ ἀσπίδα πάντοσʼ ἐΐσην·
and struck upon the shield of Aretus, equal on all sides;
ἣ δʼ οὐκ ἔγχος ἔρυτο, διὰ πρὸ δὲ εἴσατο χαλκός,
and it did not ward off the spear, but the bronze went right through,
νειαίρῃ δʼ ἐν γαστρὶ διὰ ζωστῆρος ἔλασσεν.
and drove through his belt into his lower belly.
ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ὀξὺν ἔχων πέλεκυν αἰζήϊος ἀνὴρ
And as when a strong man with a sharp axe
κόψας ἐξόπιθεν κεράων βοὸς ἀγραύλοιο
strikes behind the horns of an ox of the field
ἶνα τάμῃ διὰ πᾶσαν, ὃ δὲ προθορὼν ἐρίπῃσιν,
so as to cut through the whole sinew, and it leaps forward and falls;
ὣς ἄρʼ ὅ γε προθορὼν πέσεν ὕπτιος· ἐν δέ οἱ ἔγχος
so he leapt forward and fell on his back; and the sharp spear in his
νηδυίοισι μάλʼ ὀξὺ κραδαινόμενον λύε γυῖα.
belly, still quivering, loosened his limbs.
Ἕκτωρ δʼ Αὐτομέδοντος ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ·
And Hector cast at Automedon with his bright spear;
ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἄντα ἰδὼν ἠλεύατο χάλκεον ἔγχος·
but he, looking face to face, avoided the bronze spear;
πρόσσω γὰρ κατέκυψε, τὸ δʼ ἐξόπιθεν δόρυ μακρὸν
for he bent forward, and the long spear behind him
οὔδει ἐνισκίμφθη, ἐπὶ δʼ οὐρίαχος πελεμίχθη
was fixed in the ground, and the butt-end of the spear
ἔγχεος· ἔνθα δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀφίει μένος ὄβριμος Ἄρης.3
quivered; and there then mighty Ares spent its force.
καί νύ κε δὴ ξιφέεσσʼ αὐτοσχεδὸν ὁρμηθήτην
And now they would have rushed at each other close hand with swords,
εἰ μή σφωʼ Αἴαντε διέκριναν μεμαῶτε,
had not the two Ajaxes parted them in their fury,
οἵ ῥʼ ἦλθον καθʼ ὅμιλον ἑταίρου κικλήσκοντος·
who came through the throng at the call of their comrade.
τοὺς ὑποταρβήσαντες ἐχώρησαν πάλιν αὖτις
Fearing them, they drew back again,
Ἕκτωρ Αἰνείας τʼ ἠδὲ Χρομίος θεοειδής,
Hector and Aeneas and godlike Chromius,
Ἄρητον δὲ κατʼ αὖθι λίπον δεδαϊγμένον ἦτορ
but Aretus they left there, pierced through his heart,
κείμενον· Αὐτομέδων δὲ θοῷ ἀτάλαντος Ἄρηϊ
lying; and Automedon, equal to swift Ares,
τεύχεά τʼ ἐξενάριξε καὶ εὐχόμενος ἔπος ηὔδα·
stripped him of his armor, and boasting spoke:
ἦ δὴ μὰν ὀλίγον γε Μενοιτιάδαο θανόντος
”Verily indeed a little have I eased my heart of grief for the dead son of Menoetius,
κῆρ ἄχεος μεθέηκα χερείονά περ καταπέφνων.
though slaying a worse man.”
ὣς εἰπὼν ἐς δίφρον ἑλὼν ἔναρα βροτόεντα
So saying, he took the bloody spoils and placed them in the chariot,
θῆκʼ, ἂν δʼ αὐτὸς ἔβαινε4 πόδας καὶ χεῖρας ὕπερθεν
and himself mounted, his feet and hands above
αἱματόεις ὥς τίς τε λέων κατὰ ταῦρον ἐδηδώς.
bloody, like a lion that has devoured a bull.
ἂψ δʼ ἐπὶ Πατρόκλῳ τέτατο κρατερὴ ὑσμίνη
And back over Patroclus was stretched the mighty fight,
ἀργαλέη πολύδακρυς, ἔγειρε δὲ νεῖκος Ἀθήνη
painful and tearful; and Athena roused the strife,
οὐρανόθεν καταβᾶσα· προῆκε γὰρ εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς
having come down from heaven; for far-seeing Zeus had sent her
ὀρνύμεναι Δαναούς· δὴ γὰρ νόος ἐτράπετʼ αὐτοῦ.
to urge on the Danaan; for indeed his mind had turned.
ἠΰτε πορφυρέην ἶριν θνητοῖσι τανύσσῃ5
Just as Zeus stretches a purple rainbow for mortals
Ζεὺς ἐξ οὐρανόθεν τέρας ἔμμεναι ἢ πολέμοιο
from heaven, to be a portent either of war
ἢ καὶ χειμῶνος δυσθαλπέος, ὅς ῥά τε ἔργων
or of a chilly storm, which makes men cease
ἀνθρώπους ἀνέπαυσεν ἐπὶ χθονί, μῆλα δὲ κήδει,
from their labor upon the earth, and troubles the sheep,
ὣς ἣ πορφυρέῃ νεφέλῃ πυκάσασα ἓ αὐτὴν
so she, wrapping herself in a purple cloud,
δύσετʼ Ἀχαιῶν ἔθνος, ἔγειρε δὲ φῶτα ἕκαστον.
entered the throng of the Achaeans, and stirred up every man.
πρῶτον δʼ Ἀτρέος υἱὸν ἐποτρύνουσα προσηύδα
And first she spoke to urge on the son of Atreus,
ἴφθιμον Μενέλαον· ὃ γάρ ῥά οἱ ἐγγύθεν ἦεν·
mighty Menelaus; for he was near her;
εἰσαμένη Φοίνικι δέμας καὶ ἀτειρέα φωνήν·
likening herself in form and tireless voice to Phoenix:
σοὶ μὲν δὴ Μενέλαε κατηφείη καὶ ὄνειδος
”To you indeed, Menelaus, will shame and disgrace
ἔσσεται εἴ κʼ Ἀχιλῆος ἀγαυοῦ πιστὸν ἑταῖρον
be, if the faithful comrade of noble Achilles”
- 17.489οὐκ ἂν ἐφορμηθέντε γε νῶϊ τλαῖεν
While the condition uses a realistic indicative (εἰ ... ἐθέλεις), the apodosis employs the potential optative with ἄν (ἂν ... τλαῖεν). The dual participle ἐφορμηθέντε agrees with νῶϊ (we two), here acting as an absolute or temporal construction indicating 'when we two charge against them'.
- 17.499πλῆτο φρένας ἀμφὶ μελαίνας
The verb πλῆτο is a passive aorist form. φρένας is an 'accusative of specification' (or relation), meaning 'he was filled (with courage and strength) in his dark heart.' The noun φρένες (mind, heart) is frequently characterized as 'dark' (μέλαιναι) in Homeric epic.
- 17.529ἀφίει μένος ὄβριμος Ἄρης
The verb ἀφίει is the 3rd person singular imperfect of ἀφίημι (Homeric form). Literally 'mighty Ares released its force,' a personified description of the spear's physical kinetic energy finally spending itself and ceasing after being embedded and quivering in the ground.
- 17.541ἂν δʼ αὐτὸς ἔβαινε
A case of tmesis where the particle δʼ and pronoun αὐτός are inserted between the preposition ἄν (= ἀνά) and the verb ἔβαινε, meaning ἀνέβαινε ('he mounted').
- 17.547ἠΰτε πορφυρέην ἶριν θνητοῖσι τανύσσῃ
The subjunctive τανύσσῃ is used without ἄν in the comparative clause, indicating a general truth or a universal natural phenomenon. This is a standard grammatical formulation for epic similes in Homer.