- 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-grc2:18.137-18.205
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-01
Thetis departs to seek armor from Hephaestus while the Achaeans are hard-pressed by Hector. Iris urges Achilles to show himself at the trench to save his companions.
τεύχεα καλὰ φέρουσα παρʼ Ἡφαίστοιο ἄνακτος.
bringing beautiful armor from lord Hephaestus.
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα πάλιν τράπεθʼ υἷος ἑοῖο,
Having spoken thus, she turned away from her son,
καὶ στρεφθεῖσʼ ἁλίῃσι κασιγνήτῃσι μετηύδα·
and turning to her sisters of the sea she spoke:
ὑμεῖς μὲν νῦν δῦτε θαλάσσης εὐρέα κόλπον
”Do you now plunge into the wide bosom of the sea
ὀψόμεναί τε γέρονθʼ ἅλιον καὶ δώματα πατρός,
to see the old man of the sea and the dwellings of our father,
καί οἱ πάντʼ ἀγορεύσατʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον
and tell him everything; but I am going to high Olympus,
εἶμι παρʼ Ἥφαιστον κλυτοτέχνην, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν
to Hephaestus, famous for his art, if he might be willing
υἱεῖ ἐμῷ δόμεναι κλυτὰ τεύχεα παμφανόωντα.
to give to my son glorious, all-gleaming armor.”
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἳ δʼ ὑπὸ κῦμα θαλάσσης αὐτίκʼ ἔδυσαν·
So she spoke, and they straightway plunged beneath the wave of the sea;
ἣ δʼ αὖτʼ Οὔλυμπον δὲ θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα
but she, the silver-footed goddess Thetis, went to Olympus
ἤϊεν ὄφρα φίλῳ παιδὶ κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ ἐνείκαι.
that she might bring glorious armor for her dear son.
τὴν μὲν ἄρʼ Οὔλυμπον δὲ πόδες φέρον· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὶ
Her feet indeed bore her to Olympus; but the Achaeans,
θεσπεσίῳ ἀλαλητῷ ὑφʼ Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο
with wondrous shouting, before man-slaying Hector,
φεύγοντες νῆάς τε καὶ Ἑλλήσποντον ἵκοντο.
fleeing reached the ships and the Hellespont.
οὐδέ κε Πάτροκλόν περ ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ
Nor would the well-greaved Achaeans have dragged the corpse of Patroclus,
ἐκ βελέων ἐρύσαντο1 νέκυν θεράποντʼ Ἀχιλῆος·
the dead squire of Achilles, out from among the missiles;
αὖτις γὰρ δὴ τόν γε κίχον λαός τε καὶ ἵπποι
for again indeed the infantry and the horses overtook him,
Ἕκτωρ τε Πριάμοιο πάϊς φλογὶ εἴκελος ἀλκήν.
and Hector, Priam’s son, like a flame in his strength, overtook him.
τρὶς μέν μιν μετόπισθε ποδῶν λάβε φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ
Thrice did illustrious Hector seize him from behind by the feet,
ἑλκέμεναι μεμαώς, μέγα δὲ Τρώεσσιν ὁμόκλα·
eager to drag him, and shouted mightily to the Trojans;
τρὶς δὲ δύʼ Αἴαντες θοῦριν ἐπιειμένοι ἀλκὴν
and thrice the two Aiantes, clad in impetuous strength,
νεκροῦ ἀπεστυφέλιξαν· ὃ δʼ ἔμπεδον ἀλκὶ πεποιθὼς
beat him back from the corpse; but he, trusting firmly in his strength,
ἄλλοτʼ ἐπαΐξασκε κατὰ μόθον, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε
at one time would rush upon them into the tumult, and at another again
στάσκε μέγα ἰάχων· ὀπίσω δʼ οὐ χάζετο πάμπαν.
would stand crying aloud; but he retreated not at all backward.
ὡς δʼ ἀπὸ σώματος οὔ τι λέοντʼ αἴθωνα δύνανται
And as shepherds dwelling in the fields cannot drive a tawny lion
ποιμένες ἄγραυλοι μέγα πεινάοντα δίεσθαι,
from a carcass when he is sore hungry,
ὥς ῥα τὸν οὐκ ἐδύναντο δύω Αἴαντε κορυστὰ
even so the two armored Aiantes could not
Ἕκτορα Πριαμίδην ἀπὸ νεκροῦ δειδίξασθαι.
frighten Hector, Priam’s son, away from the corpse.
καί νύ κεν εἴρυσσέν τε καὶ ἄσπετον ἤρατο κῦδος,
And now indeed he would have dragged it and won unspeakable glory,
εἰ μὴ Πηλεΐωνι ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις
if wind-footed swift Iris had not come running to the son of Peleus
ἄγγελος ἦλθε θέουσʼ ἀπʼ Ὀλύμπου θωρήσσεσθαι
as a messenger from Olympus, bidding him arm himself,
κρύβδα Διὸς ἄλλων τε θεῶν· πρὸ γὰρ ἧκέ μιν Ἥρη.
secretly from Zeus and the other gods; for Hera sent her forth.
ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
And standing near she spoke to him winged words:
ὄρσεο Πηλεΐδη, πάντων ἐκπαγλότατʼ ἀνδρῶν·
”Arise, son of Peleus, most dread of all men!
Πατρόκλῳ ἐπάμυνον, οὗ εἵνεκα φύλοπις αἰνὴ
Defend Patroclus, for whose sake a terrible battle
ἕστηκε πρὸ νεῶν· οἳ δʼ ἀλλήλους ὀλέκουσιν
stands before the ships; and they are slaying one another,
οἳ μὲν ἀμυνόμενοι νέκυος πέρι τεθνηῶτος,
some defending the dead body,
οἳ δὲ ἐρύσσασθαι ποτὶ Ἴλιον ἠνεμόεσσαν
and others, the Trojans, eager to drag him to windy Ilios.
Τρῶες ἐπιθύουσι· μάλιστα δὲ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ
And especially illustrious Hector
ἑλκέμεναι μέμονεν· κεφαλὴν δέ ἑ θυμὸς ἄνωγε
is eager to drag him; and his spirit bids him cut the head from the tender neck
πῆξαι ἀνὰ σκολόπεσσι ταμόνθʼ ἁπαλῆς ἀπὸ δειρῆς.
and impale it upon the stakes.
ἀλλʼ ἄνα μηδʼ ἔτι κεῖσο· σέβας δέ σε θυμὸν ἱκέσθω2
But arise, lie here no longer; and let awe enter your heart
Πάτροκλον Τρῳῇσι κυσὶν μέλπηθρα γενέσθαι·
that Patroclus should become a plaything for the dogs of Troy;
σοὶ λώβη, αἴ κέν τι νέκυς ᾐσχυμμένος ἔλθῃ.
it is a shame to you, if the corpse comes to suffer any outrage.”
τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·
Then swift-footed noble Achilles answered her:
Ἶρι θεὰ τίς γάρ σε θεῶν ἐμοὶ ἄγγελον ἧκε;
”Goddess Iris, which of the gods sent you as a messenger to me?”
τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις·
And to him again spoke wind-footed swift Iris:
Ἥρη με προέηκε Διὸς κυδρὴ παράκοιτις·
”Hera sent me forth, the glorious wife of Zeus;
οὐδʼ οἶδε Κρονίδης ὑψίζυγος οὐδέ τις ἄλλος
nor does the high-throned son of Cronos know of it, nor any other
ἀθανάτων, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἀγάννιφον ἀμφινέμονται.
of the immortals who dwell about snowy Olympus.”
τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
And answering her, swift-footed Achilles spoke:
πῶς τὰρ ἴω μετὰ μῶλον; ἔχουσι δὲ τεύχεʼ ἐκεῖνοι·
”But how shall I go into the fight? For they have my armor;
μήτηρ δʼ οὔ με φίλη πρίν γʼ εἴα θωρήσσεσθαι
and my dear mother would not suffer me to arm myself
πρίν γʼ αὐτὴν ἐλθοῦσαν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδωμαι·
until I see her with my own eyes coming hither;
στεῦτο γὰρ Ἡφαίστοιο πάρʼ οἰσέμεν ἔντεα καλά.
for she promised to bring beautiful arms from Hephaestus.
ἄλλου δʼ οὔ τευ οἶδα τεῦ ἂν κλυτὰ τεύχεα δύω,3
And I know of no other man whose glorious armor I might put on,
εἰ μὴ Αἴαντός γε σάκος Τελαμωνιάδαο.
unless it be the shield of Ajax, son of Telamon.
ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ὅ γʼ ἔλπομʼ ἐνὶ πρώτοισιν ὁμιλεῖ
But he himself, I trust, is mingling among the foremost,
ἔγχεϊ δηϊόων περὶ Πατρόκλοιο θανόντος.
slaying with his spear around dead Patroclus.”
τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις·
And to him again spoke wind-footed swift Iris:
εὖ νυ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἴδμεν ὅ τοι κλυτὰ τεύχεʼ ἔχονται·
”Well indeed do we also know that your glorious armor is held;
ἀλλʼ αὔτως ἐπὶ τάφρον ἰὼν Τρώεσσι φάνηθι,
but even as you are, go to the trench and show yourself to the Trojans,
αἴ κέ σʼ ὑποδείσαντες ἀπόσχωνται πολέμοιο
in hope that the Trojans, seized with fear of you, may hold back from battle,
Τρῶες, ἀναπνεύσωσι δʼ ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν
and the warlike sons of the Achaeans may have a breathing space
τειρόμενοι· ὀλίγη δέ τʼ ἀνάπνευσις πολέμοιο.
in their weariness; and short is the breathing space in war.”
ἣ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ἀπέβη πόδας ὠκέα Ἶρις,
Having spoken thus, wind-footed swift Iris departed;
αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς ὦρτο Διῒ φίλος· ἀμφὶ δʼ Ἀθήνη
but Achilles arose, dear to Zeus; and Athena
ὤμοις ἰφθίμοισι βάλʼ αἰγίδα θυσσανόεσσαν,
cast around his mighty shoulders her tasseled aegis,
ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ κεφαλῇ νέφος ἔστεφε δῖα θεάων
and around his head the goddess divine crowned a cloud
- 18.151οὐδέ κε... ἐρύσαντο
The combination of the particle κε with the aorist indicative (ἐρύσαντο) expresses a past contrary-to-fact apodosis ("nor would they have dragged").
- 18.178σέβας δέ σε θυμὸν ἱκέσθω
The verb ἱκέσθω (from ἱκνέομαι, "reach, come upon") takes a double accusative of whole and part: the personal pronoun σε (whole) and θυμόν (part, "heart/spirit").
- 18.192τεῦ ἂν κλυτὰ τεύχεα δύω
In the relative clause introduced by the genitive relative pronoun τεῦ (Homeric form of ὅστις), the particle ἂν is used with the subjunctive (δύω) to express potentiality ("whose glorious armor I might put on").