- 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-grc2:17.626-17.693
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-01
Ajax and Menelaus realize that Zeus is granting victory to the Trojans, and Ajax prays to Zeus to lift the mist. Once the mist is cleared, Menelaus seeks out Antilochus to send him as a messenger to Achilles with the news of Patroclus's death.
οὐδʼ ἔλαθʼ Αἴαντα μεγαλήτορα καὶ Μενέλαον1
Nor did great-hearted Ajax and Menelaus fail to perceive Zeus,
Ζεύς, ὅτε δὴ Τρώεσσι δίδου ἑτεραλκέα νίκην.
when he was giving victory of turning-tide to the Trojans.
τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας·
And to them great Telamonian Ajax began to speak:
ὢ πόποι ἤδη μέν κε καὶ ὃς μάλα νήπιός ἐστι
”Ah me! Now indeed even one who is very foolish
γνοίη ὅτι Τρώεσσι πατὴρ Ζεὺς αὐτὸς ἀρήγει.
might know that father Zeus himself is helping the Trojans.
τῶν μὲν γὰρ πάντων βέλεʼ ἅπτεται ὅς τις ἀφήῃ
For the weapons of all of them hit, whoever flings them,
ἢ κακὸς ἢ ἀγαθός· Ζεὺς δʼ ἔμπης πάντʼ ἰθύνει·
whether coward or brave; Zeus in any case guides them all;
ἡμῖν δʼ αὔτως πᾶσιν ἐτώσια πίπτει ἔραζε.
but for us, all of our weapons fall in vain to the ground.
ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ αὐτοί περ φραζώμεθα μῆτιν ἀρίστην,
But come, let us ourselves think of the best plan,
ἠμὲν ὅπως τὸν νεκρὸν ἐρύσσομεν, ἠδὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ
both how we may drag away the dead body, and how we ourselves
χάρμα φίλοις ἑτάροισι γενώμεθα νοστήσαντες,
may return home to be a joy to our dear comrades,
οἵ που δεῦρʼ ὁρόωντες ἀκηχέδατʼ, οὐδʼ ἔτι φασὶν
who, I suppose, look hither and are grieved, and think that no longer
Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο μένος καὶ χεῖρας ἀάπτους
the fury of man-slaying Hector and his invincible hands
σχήσεσθʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐν νηυσὶ μελαίνῃσιν πεσέεσθαι.
will be held back, but that he will fall upon the black ships.
εἴη δʼ ὅς τις ἑταῖρος ἀπαγγείλειε τάχιστα2
Would that there were some comrade who would bring word quickly
Πηλεΐδῃ, ἐπεὶ οὔ μιν ὀΐομαι οὐδὲ πεπύσθαι
to the son of Peleus, since I think he has not even heard
λυγρῆς ἀγγελίης, ὅτι οἱ φίλος ὤλεθʼ ἑταῖρος.
the grievous news, that his dear comrade has perished.
ἀλλʼ οὔ πῃ δύναμαι ἰδέειν τοιοῦτον Ἀχαιῶν·
But nowhere can I see such a one among the Achaeans;
ἠέρι γὰρ κατέχονται ὁμῶς αὐτοί τε καὶ ἵπποι.
for in mist are they enveloped, both themselves and their horses.
Ζεῦ πάτερ ἀλλὰ σὺ ῥῦσαι ὑπʼ ἠέρος υἷας Ἀχαιῶν,
Father Zeus, do you deliver the sons of the Achaeans from the mist,
ποίησον δʼ αἴθρην, δὸς δʼ ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδέσθαι·
and make clear sky, and grant us to see with our eyes;
ἐν δὲ φάει καὶ ὄλεσσον, ἐπεί νύ τοι εὔαδεν οὕτως.
and in the light destroy us, since indeed this is your pleasure.”
ὣς φάτο, τὸν δὲ πατὴρ ὀλοφύρατο δάκρυ χέοντα·
So he spoke, and the Father pitied him as he shed tears;
αὐτίκα δʼ ἠέρα μὲν σκέδασεν καὶ ἀπῶσεν ὀμίχλην,
and straightway he scattered the mist and drove away the darkness,
ἠέλιος δʼ ἐπέλαμψε, μάχη δʼ ἐπὶ πᾶσα φαάνθη·
and the sun shone forth, and all the battle was made manifest.
καὶ τότʼ ἄρʼ Αἴας εἶπε βοὴν ἀγαθὸν Μενέλαον·
And then Ajax spoke to Menelaus, good at the war-cry:
σκέπτεο νῦν Μενέλαε διοτρεφὲς αἴ κεν ἴδηαι
”Look now, Menelaus, nurtured by Zeus, if you can see
ζωὸν ἔτʼ Ἀντίλοχον μεγαθύμου Νέστορος υἱόν,
Antilochus, still living, the son of great-souled Nestor,
ὄτρυνον δʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ δαΐφρονι θᾶσσον ἰόντα
and urge him to go quickly to warlike Achilles
εἰπεῖν ὅττι ῥά οἱ πολὺ φίλτατος ὤλεθʼ ἑταῖρος.
to tell him that his far dearest comrade has perished.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος,
So he spoke, and Menelaus, good at the war-cry, did not disobey,
βῆ δʼ ἰέναι ὥς τίς τε λέων ἀπὸ μεσσαύλοιο,
but went his way like a lion from a farmyard,
ὅς τʼ ἐπεὶ ἄρ κε κάμῃσι κύνας τʼ ἄνδρας τʼ ἐρεθίζων,
which, when he is weary of harassing dogs and men,
οἵ τέ μιν οὐκ εἰῶσι βοῶν ἐκ πῖαρ ἑλέσθαι
who do not let him take the fat of the cattle,
πάννυχοι ἐγρήσσοντες· ὃ δὲ κρειῶν ἐρατίζων
watching all night; but he, eager for meat,
ἰθύει, ἀλλʼ οὔ τι πρήσσει· θαμέες γὰρ ἄκοντες
rushes on, but accomplishes nothing; for thick darts
ἀντίον ἀΐσσουσι θρασειάων ἀπὸ χειρῶν,
fly against him from bold hands,
καιόμεναί τε δεταί, τάς τε τρεῖ ἐσσύμενός περ·
and burning torches, which he dreads, eager though he be;
ἠῶθεν δʼ ἀπονόσφιν ἔβη τετιηότι θυμῷ·
and at dawn he goes far away with a sorrowful heart;
ὣς ἀπὸ Πατρόκλοιο βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος
so from Patroclus Menelaus, good at the war-cry,
ἤϊε πόλλʼ ἀέκων· περὶ γὰρ δίε μή μιν Ἀχαιοὶ3
went, much against his will; for he feared exceedingly lest the Achaeans,
ἀργαλέου πρὸ φόβοιο ἕλωρ δηΐοισι λίποιεν.
in painful flight, should leave him as a prey to the enemy.
πολλὰ δὲ Μηριόνῃ τε καὶ Αἰάντεσσʼ ἐπέτελλεν·
And many things he charged Meriones and the Ajaxes:
Αἴαντʼ Ἀργείων ἡγήτορε Μηριόνη τε
”Ajaxes, leaders of the Argives, and Meriones,
νῦν τις ἐνηείης Πατροκλῆος δειλοῖο
now let each one remember the gentleness of poor Patroclus;
μνησάσθω·4 πᾶσιν γὰρ ἐπίστατο μείλιχος εἶναι
for he knew how to be kind to all
ζωὸς ἐών· νῦν αὖ θάνατος καὶ μοῖρα κιχάνει.
while he lived; but now death and fate have overtaken him.”
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἀπέβη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος,
So saying, fair-haired Menelaus departed,
πάντοσε παπταίνων ὥς τʼ αἰετός, ὅν ῥά τέ φασιν
looking warily on every side like an eagle, which they say
ὀξύτατον δέρκεσθαι ὑπουρανίων πετεηνῶν,
has the keenest sight of all winged things under heaven,
ὅν τε καὶ ὑψόθʼ ἐόντα πόδας ταχὺς οὐκ ἔλαθε πτὼξ
and which, though being high up, does not fail to see the swift-footed hare
θάμνῳ ὑπʼ ἀμφικόμῳ κατακείμενος, ἀλλά τʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ
cowering under a leafy bush, but swoops upon him,
ἔσσυτο, καί τέ μιν ὦκα λαβὼν ἐξείλετο θυμόν.
and quickly seizing him, takes away his life.
ὣς τότε σοὶ Μενέλαε διοτρεφὲς ὄσσε φαεινὼ
So then, Menelaus, nurtured by Zeus, your bright eyes
πάντοσε δινείσθην πολέων κατὰ ἔθνος ἑταίρων,
wheeled on every side through the throng of your many comrades,
εἴ που Νέστορος υἱὸν ἔτι ζώοντα ἴδοιτο.
if anywhere you might see the son of Nestor still living.
τὸν δὲ μάλʼ αἶψʼ ἐνόησε μάχης ἐπʼ ἀριστερὰ πάσης
And him he very quickly espied on the left of all the battle,
θαρσύνονθʼ ἑτάρους καὶ ἐποτρύνοντα μάχεσθαι,
encouraging his comrades and urging them to fight;
ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·
and standing near, fair-haired Menelaus spoke to him:
Ἀντίλοχʼ εἰ δʼ ἄγε δεῦρο διοτρεφὲς ὄφρα πύθηαι
”Antilochus, come hither, nurtured by Zeus, that you may hear
λυγρῆς ἀγγελίης, ἣ μὴ ὤφελλε γενέσθαι.5
the grievous news, which would that it had never been.
ἤδη μὲν σὲ καὶ αὐτὸν ὀΐομαι εἰσορόωντα
Already, I think, you yourself look upon it and know
γιγνώσκειν ὅτι πῆμα θεὸς Δαναοῖσι κυλίνδει,
that a god is rolling destruction upon the Danaans,
νίκη δὲ Τρώων· πέφαται δʼ ὤριστος Ἀχαιῶν
and that victory is with the Trojans; and slain is the best of the Achaeans,
Πάτροκλος, μεγάλη δὲ ποθὴ Δαναοῖσι τέτυκται.
Patroclus, and great longing is made for the Danaans.
ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ αἶψʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ θέων ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
But do you run quickly to the ships of the Achaeans to Achilles
εἰπεῖν, αἴ κε τάχιστα νέκυν ἐπὶ νῆα σαώσῃ
and tell him, if quickly he may save to his ship the corpse,
γυμνόν· ἀτὰρ τά γε τεύχεʼ ἔχει κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ.
naked; but the armor is held by Hector of the flashing helmet.”
- 17.626οὐδʼ ἔλαθʼ Αἴαντα μεγαλήτορα καὶ Μενέλαον
The verb λανθάνω with the accusative objects (Ajax and Menelaus) and the subject Zeus (Ζεύς) forms a double negation, meaning 'he did not escape their notice,' expressing a strong affirmative: they clearly perceived Zeus's action.
- 17.640εἴη δʼ ὅς τις ἑταῖρος ἀπαγγείλειε τάχιστα
The combination of the optatives εἴη (third-person singular present optative of εἰμί) and ἀπαγγείλειε (third-person singular aorist optative of ἀγγέλλω/ἀπαγγέλλω) expresses a strong wish for something still possible: 'would that there were some comrade who would bring word.'
- 17.666περί γὰρ δίε μή μιν Ἀχαιοὶ
The verb περίδειδε (third-person singular imperfect of δείδω with prefix, meaning 'to fear exceedingly') is followed by the conjunction μή introducing a clause of fear. The pronoun μιν (him/it) refers in this context to the corpse of Patroclus.
- 17.670νῦν τις ἐνηείης Πατροκλῆος δειλοῖο / μνησάσθω
The verb μνησάσθω (third-person singular aorist imperative of μιμνήσκομαι, 'to remember') governs the genitive of the thing remembered; hence, ἐνηείης ('gentleness') is in the genitive case, with Πατροκλῆος δειλοῖο acting as a possessive genitive in agreement.
- 17.686ἣ μὴ ὤφελλε γενέσθαι
The verb ὤφελλε (Homeric form of the third-person singular imperfect of ὀφείλω) with the infinitive γενέσθαι and the negative particle μή expresses an unachievable wish or regret about a past event: 'which would that it had never happened.'