- 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-grc2:17.558-17.625
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-01
Encouraged by Athena, Menelaus slays the Trojan Podes. Roused by Apollo, Hector leads a counterattack; Zeus grants victory to the Trojans, causing the Achaeans to retreat, including Idomeneus.
τείχει ὕπο Τρώων ταχέες κύνες ἑλκήσουσιν.
swift dogs drag him beneath the wall of the Trojans.”
ἀλλʼ ἔχεο κρατερῶς, ὄτρυνε δὲ λαὸν ἅπαντα.
But hold on courageously, and urge on all the host.”
τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος·
And in turn Menelaus, good at the war-cry, spoke to her:
Φοῖνιξ ἄττα γεραιὲ παλαιγενές, εἰ γὰρ Ἀθήνη
”Father Phoenix, aged elder born long ago, would that Athena
δοίη κάρτος ἐμοί, βελέων δʼ ἀπερύκοι1 ἐρωήν·
would give me strength, and ward off the rush of missiles;
τώ κεν ἔγωγʼ ἐθέλοιμι παρεστάμεναι καὶ ἀμύνειν
then should I be willing to stand by Patroclus and defend him;
Πατρόκλῳ· μάλα γάρ με θανὼν ἐσεμάσσατο θυμόν.
for his death has touched my heart exceedingly.
ἀλλʼ Ἕκτωρ πυρὸς αἰνὸν ἔχει μένος, οὐδʼ ἀπολήγει
But Hector has the terrible fury of fire, and does not cease
χαλκῷ δηϊόων· τῷ γὰρ Ζεὺς κῦδος ὀπάζει.
from slaying with the bronze; for to him Zeus grants glory.”
ὣς φάτο, γήθησεν δὲ θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,
So he spoke, and the flashing-eyed goddess Athena rejoiced,
ὅττί ῥά οἱ πάμπρωτα θεῶν ἠρήσατο πάντων.
because to her first of all the gods he prayed.
ἐν δὲ βίην ὤμοισι καὶ ἐν γούνεσσιν ἔθηκε,
She put strength into his shoulders and into his knees,
καί οἱ μυίης θάρσος ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἐνῆκεν,
and in his breast she set the daring of the fly,
ἥ τε καὶ ἐργομένη μάλα περ χροὸς ἀνδρομέοιο
which, though driven away ever so much from human skin,
ἰσχανάᾳ δακέειν,2 λαρόν τέ οἱ αἷμʼ ἀνθρώπου·
still persists in biting, and sweet to it is the blood of man;
τοίου μιν θάρσευς πλῆσε φρένας ἀμφὶ μελαίνας,
with such daring she filled his dark heart within him,
βῆ δʼ ἐπὶ Πατρόκλῳ, καὶ ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ.
and he went over Patroclus, and hurled with his bright spear.
ἔσκε δʼ ἐνὶ Τρώεσσι Ποδῆς υἱὸς Ἠετίωνος
And there was among the Trojans Podes, son of Eetion,
ἀφνειός τʼ ἀγαθός τε· μάλιστα δέ μιν τίεν Ἕκτωρ
wealthy and brave; and Hector honored him most
δήμου, ἐπεί οἱ ἑταῖρος ἔην φίλος εἰλαπιναστής·
of the people, since he was his dear companion of the feast;
τόν ῥα κατὰ ζωστῆρα βάλε ξανθὸς Μενέλαος
him then fair-haired Menelaus struck upon the belt
ἀΐξαντα φόβον δέ,3 διὰ πρὸ δὲ χαλκὸν ἔλασσε·
as he rushed in flight, and drove the bronze right through;
δούπησεν δὲ πεσών· ἀτὰρ Ἀτρεΐδης Μενέλαος
and he fell with a thud; but Menelaus, son of Atreus,
νεκρὸν ὑπʼ ἐκ Τρώων ἔρυσεν μετὰ ἔθνος ἑταίρων.
dragged the dead body away from the Trojans into the throng of his comrades.
Ἕκτορα δʼ ἐγγύθεν ἱστάμενος ὄτρυνεν Ἀπόλλων
And Apollo stood near Hector and urged him on,
Φαίνοπι Ἀσιάδῃ ἐναλίγκιος, ὅς οἱ ἁπάντων
likening himself to Phoenops, son of Asius, who of all
ξείνων φίλτατος ἔσκεν Ἀβυδόθι οἰκία ναίων·
guest-friends was dearest to him, dwelling in his house at Abydos;
τῷ μιν ἐεισάμενος προσέφη ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων·
likening himself to him, far-darting Apollo spoke to him:
Ἕκτορ τίς κέ σʼ ἔτʼ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν ταρβήσειεν;
”Hector, who of the Achaeans will any more fear you,
οἷον δὴ Μενέλαον ὑπέτρεσας, ὃς τὸ πάρος γε
now that you have shrunk before Menelaus, who in time past
μαλθακὸς αἰχμητής· νῦν δʼ οἴχεται οἶος ἀείρας
was a weak spearman? But now he has gone, having snatched
νεκρὸν ὑπʼ ἐκ Τρώων, σὸν δʼ ἔκτανε πιστὸν ἑταῖρον
the dead body away from the Trojans, and has slain your faithful comrade,
ἐσθλὸν ἐνὶ προμάχοισι Ποδῆν υἱὸν Ἠετίωνος.
a brave man among the foremost fighters, Podes, son of Eetion.”
ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ ἄχεος νεφέλη ἐκάλυψε μέλαινα,
So he spoke, and a black cloud of grief enfolded Hector,
βῆ δὲ διὰ προμάχων κεκορυθμένος αἴθοπι χαλκῷ.
and he went through the foremost fighters, harnessed in gleaming bronze.
καὶ τότʼ ἄρα Κρονίδης ἕλετʼ αἰγίδα θυσσανόεσσαν
And then the son of Cronos took his tasselled aegis,
μαρμαρέην, Ἴδην δὲ κατὰ νεφέεσσι κάλυψεν,
gleaming, and shrouded Ida in clouds;
ἀστράψας δὲ μάλα μεγάλʼ ἔκτυπε, τὴν δὲ τίναξε,
and having lightened, he thundered mightily and shook the aegis,
νίκην δὲ Τρώεσσι δίδου, ἐφόβησε δʼ Ἀχαιούς.
and gave victory to the Trojans, but put the Achaeans to flight.
πρῶτος Πηνέλεως Βοιώτιος ἦρχε φόβοιο.
First Peneleos the Boeotian began the flight.
βλῆτο γὰρ ὦμον δουρὶ πρόσω τετραμμένος αἰεὶ
For he was struck on the shoulder with a spear, as he turned always forward,
ἄκρον ἐπιλίγδην· γράψεν δέ οἱ ὀστέον ἄχρις
a glancing blow on the top; and the spear-point of Polydamas grazed
αἰχμὴ Πουλυδάμαντος· ὃ γάρ ῥʼ ἔβαλε σχεδὸν ἐλθών.
even to the bone; for he had cast at him from near at hand.
Λήϊτον αὖθʼ Ἕκτωρ σχεδὸν οὔτασε χεῖρʼ ἐπὶ καρπῷ
And Hector wounded Leitus on the wrist, hand to hand,
υἱὸν Ἀλεκτρυόνος μεγαθύμου, παῦσε δὲ χάρμης·
the son of great-souled Alectryon, and made him cease from battle;
τρέσσε δὲ παπτήνας, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι ἔλπετο θυμῷ
and he shrank back, looking around him, since he no longer hoped in his heart
ἔγχος ἔχων ἐν χειρὶ μαχήσεσθαι Τρώεσσιν.
to fight with the Trojans, holding a spear in his hand.
Ἕκτορα δʼ Ἰδομενεὺς μετὰ Λήϊτον ὁρμηθέντα
And as Hector rushed after Leitus, Idomeneus
βεβλήκει θώρηκα κατὰ στῆθος παρὰ μαζόν·
struck him on the breastplate upon the chest beside the nipple;
ἐν καυλῷ δʼ ἐάγη δολιχὸν δόρυ, τοὶ δὲ βόησαν
but the long spear broke at the socket, and the Trojans
Τρῶες· ὃ δʼ Ἰδομενῆος ἀκόντισε Δευκαλίδαο
shouted; and Hector cast at Idomeneus, son of Deucalion,
δίφρῳ ἐφεσταότος· τοῦ μέν ῥʼ ἀπὸ τυτθὸν ἅμαρτεν·
as he stood in his chariot; from him he missed by a little;
αὐτὰρ ὃ Μηριόναο ὀπάονά θʼ ἡνίοχόν τε
but he struck the squire and charioteer of Meriones,
Κοίρανον, ὅς ῥʼ ἐκ Λύκτου ἐϋκτιμένης ἕπετʼ αὐτῷ·
Coeranus, who had followed him from well-built Lyctus;
πεζὸς γὰρ τὰ πρῶτα λιπὼν νέας ἀμφιελίσσας
for on foot had Meriones come at the first, leaving the curved ships,
ἤλυθε, καί κε Τρωσὶ μέγα κράτος ἐγγυάλιξεν,
and would have yielded great victory to the Trojans,
εἰ μὴ Κοίρανος4 ὦκα ποδώκεας ἤλασεν ἵππους·
had not Coeranus swiftly driven up the fleet-footed horses;
καὶ τῷ μὲν φάος ἦλθεν, ἄμυνε δὲ νηλεὲς ἦμαρ,
so to him he came as a saving light, and warded off the pitiless day,
αὐτὸς δʼ ὤλεσε θυμὸν ὑφʼ Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο·
but himself lost his life at the hands of man-slaying Hector;
τὸν βάλʼ ὑπὸ γναθμοῖο καὶ οὔατος, ἐκ δʼ ἄρʼ ὀδόντας
him he struck beneath the jaw and ear, and the spear-butt forced out
ὦσε δόρυ πρυμνόν, διὰ δὲ γλῶσσαν τάμε μέσσην.
his teeth, and cut through the middle of his tongue.
ἤριπε δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων, κατὰ δʼ ἡνία χεῦεν ἔραζε.
He fell from the chariot, and let the reins spill to the ground.
καὶ τά γε Μηριόνης ἔλαβεν χείρεσσι φίλῃσι
And Meriones bent down and gathered them in his own hands
κύψας ἐκ πεδίοιο, καὶ Ἰδομενῆα προσηύδα·
from the plain, and spoke to Idomeneus:
μάστιε νῦν εἷός κε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας ἵκηαι·
”Ply the lash now, until you reach the swift ships;
γιγνώσκεις δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ὅ τʼ οὐκέτι κάρτος Ἀχαιῶν.
and you yourself know that there is no longer victory for the Achaeans.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἰδομενεὺς δʼ ἵμασεν καλλίτριχας ἵππους
So he spoke, and Idomeneus lashed the fair-maned horses
νῆας ἔπι γλαφυράς· δὴ γὰρ δέος ἔμπεσε θυμῷ.
toward the hollow ships; for indeed fear had fallen upon his heart.
- 17.561εἰ γὰρ Ἀθήνη / δοίη... ἀπερύκοι
The conjunction εἰ γάρ followed by optatives (δοίη, ἀπερύκοι) introduces a wish ("would that Athena..."). This sets up the potential optative in the apodosis with τώ κεν ἔγωγʼ ἐθέλοιμι in §17.563 ("then should I be willing...").
- 17.571ἥ τε καὶ ἐργομένη μάλα περ χροὸς ἀνδρομέοιο / ἰσχανάᾳ δακέειν
A relative clause introduced by ἥ referring to the fly. The participle ἐργομένη is concessive, accompanied by the particles μάλα περ ("although driven away"), taking the genitive of separation χροὸς ἀνδρομέοιο. The infinitive δακέειν completes the meaning of the verb ἰσχανάᾳ ("eager to bite").
- 17.579ἀΐξαντα φόβον δέ
The participle ἀΐξαντα agrees with the preceding accusative pronoun ton (§17.578) referring to Podes. φόβον δέ (with the motion-suffix -δε attached to φόβος) denotes the direction of his sudden movement ("into flight"), meaning "as he rushed in flight."
- 17.612πεζὸς γὰρ τὰ πρῶτα... εἰ μὴ Κοίρανος...
A past counterfactual conditional sentence. The apodosis is found in §17.613 (ἤλυθε, καί κε ... ἐγγυάλιξεν, "and would have granted great victory...", with the past indicative and particle κε), while the protasis is in §17.614 (εἰ μὴ ... ἤλασεν, "had not Coeranus driven...", with εἰ μή and the past indicative).