- 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-grc2:18.479-18.544
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-01
Hephaestus fashions a magnificent shield for Achilles, depicting the earth, heavens, sea, and various constellations. He carves two contrasting human cities—one peaceful with weddings and a court trial, the other besieged and caught in a bloody ambush—followed by the depiction of fertile, plowed fields.
πάντοσε δαιδάλλων, περὶ δʼ ἄντυγα βάλλε φαεινὴν
Fashioning it with cunning work all over, and around it he set a gleaming rim,
τρίπλακα μαρμαρέην, ἐκ δʼ ἀργύρεον τελαμῶνα.
triple and glittering, and from it a silver baldric.
πέντε δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτοῦ ἔσαν σάκεος πτύχες· αὐτὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ
Five were the folds of the shield itself; and upon it
ποίει δαίδαλα πολλὰ ἰδυίῃσι πραπίδεσσιν.
he fashioned many cunning designs with his wise mind.
ἐν μὲν γαῖαν ἔτευξʼ, ἐν δʼ οὐρανόν, ἐν δὲ θάλασσαν,
Therein he fashioned the earth, therein the heaven, therein the sea,
ἠέλιόν τʼ ἀκάμαντα σελήνην τε πλήθουσαν,
and the unwearied sun and the moon at her full,
ἐν δὲ τὰ τείρεα πάντα, τά τʼ οὐρανὸς ἐστεφάνωται,1
and all the constellations with which heaven is crowned,
Πληϊάδας θʼ Ὑάδας τε τό τε σθένος Ὠρίωνος
the Pleiades and the Hyades and the strength of Orion
Ἄρκτόν θʼ, ἣν καὶ Ἄμαξαν ἐπίκλησιν καλέουσιν,
and the Bear, which men also call by the name of the Wain,
ἥ τʼ αὐτοῦ στρέφεται καί τʼ Ὠρίωνα δοκεύει,
which turns in its place and watches Orion,
οἴη δʼ ἄμμορός ἐστι λοετρῶν Ὠκεανοῖο.
and alone has no share in the baths of Oceanus.
ἐν δὲ δύω ποίησε πόλεις μερόπων ἀνθρώπων
And therein he fashioned two cities of mortal men,
καλάς. ἐν τῇ μέν ῥα γάμοι τʼ ἔσαν εἰλαπίναι τε,
beautiful ones. In the one there were weddings and feastings,
νύμφας δʼ ἐκ θαλάμων δαΐδων ὕπο λαμπομενάων
and they were leading the brides from their chambers under the light of blazing torches
ἠγίνεον ἀνὰ ἄστυ, πολὺς δʼ ὑμέναιος ὀρώρει·
through the city, and loud rose the bridal song.
κοῦροι δʼ ὀρχηστῆρες ἐδίνεον, ἐν δʼ ἄρα τοῖσιν
Young men were whirling in the dance, and among them
αὐλοὶ φόρμιγγές τε βοὴν ἔχον· αἳ δὲ γυναῖκες
flutes and lyres kept up their din; and the women
ἱστάμεναι θαύμαζον ἐπὶ προθύροισιν ἑκάστη.
stood each at her door and marveled.
λαοὶ δʼ εἰν ἀγορῇ ἔσαν ἀθρόοι· ἔνθα δὲ νεῖκος
But the people were gathered in the assembly place; and there a strife
ὠρώρει, δύο δʼ ἄνδρες ἐνείκεον εἵνεκα ποινῆς
had arisen, and two men were disputing about the blood-price
ἀνδρὸς ἀποφθιμένου· ὃ μὲν εὔχετο πάντʼ ἀποδοῦναι
of a man who had died; the one declared he had paid all,
δήμῳ πιφαύσκων, ὃ δʼ ἀναίνετο μηδὲν ἑλέσθαι·
declaring it to the people, but the other refused to accept anything;
ἄμφω δʼ ἱέσθην ἐπὶ ἴστορι πεῖραρ ἑλέσθαι.2
and both were eager to take the issue to an arbitrator.
λαοὶ δʼ ἀμφοτέροισιν ἐπήπυον ἀμφὶς ἀρωγοί·
And the people were cheering both sides, helpers on either part;
κήρυκες δʼ ἄρα λαὸν ἐρήτυον· οἳ δὲ γέροντες
and heralds were keeping the people back; and the elders
εἵατʼ ἐπὶ ξεστοῖσι λίθοις ἱερῷ ἐνὶ κύκλῳ,
sat on polished stones in a sacred circle,
σκῆπτρα δὲ κηρύκων ἐν χέρσʼ ἔχον ἠεροφώνων·
and held in their hands the staves of the loud-voiced heralds;
τοῖσιν ἔπειτʼ ἤϊσσον, ἀμοιβηδὶς δὲ δίκαζον.
with these they then sprang up, and gave judgment in turn.
κεῖτο δʼ ἄρʼ ἐν μέσσοισι δύω χρυσοῖο τάλαντα,
And in their midst lay two talents of gold,
τῷ δόμεν ὃς3 μετὰ τοῖσι δίκην ἰθύντατα εἴποι.
to be given to him who among them should speak the most upright judgment.
τὴν δʼ ἑτέρην πόλιν ἀμφὶ δύω στρατοὶ ἥατο λαῶν
But around the other city sat two armies of besieging hosts,
τεύχεσι λαμπόμενοι· δίχα δέ σφισιν ἥνδανε βουλή,
gleaming in their armor; and counsel found favor with them in two ways,
ἠὲ διαπραθέειν ἢ ἄνδιχα πάντα δάσασθαι
either to sack the city utterly or to divide in two portions all
κτῆσιν ὅσην πτολίεθρον ἐπήρατον ἐντὸς ἔεργεν·
the wealth that the lovely city held within.
οἳ δʼ οὔ πω πείθοντο, λόχῳ δʼ ὑπεθωρήσσοντο.
But the citizens would not yet yield, but were secretly arming for an ambush.
τεῖχος μέν ῥʼ ἄλοχοί τε φίλαι καὶ νήπια τέκνα
Their wall indeed their dear wives and infant children
ῥύατʼ ἐφεσταότες, μετὰ δʼ ἀνέρες οὓς ἔχε γῆρας·
guarded, standing thereon, and with them the men whom old age held;
οἳ δʼ ἴσαν· ἦρχε δʼ ἄρά σφιν Ἄρης καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη
but the rest went forth, and Ares led them and Pallas Athena,
ἄμφω χρυσείω, χρύσεια δὲ εἵματα ἕσθην,
both of gold, and in golden raiment were they clad,
καλὼ καὶ μεγάλω σὺν τεύχεσιν, ὥς τε θεώ περ
fair and tall in their armor, even as gods,
ἀμφὶς ἀριζήλω· λαοὶ δʼ ὑπολίζονες ἦσαν.
conspicuous on every side; but the people were smaller.
οἳ δʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἵκανον ὅθι σφίσιν εἶκε λοχῆσαι
And when they had come to a place that seemed good for an ambush,
ἐν ποταμῷ, ὅθι τʼ ἀρδμὸς ἔην πάντεσσι βοτοῖσιν,
in the river, where was a watering-place for all herds,
ἔνθʼ ἄρα τοί γʼ ἵζοντʼ εἰλυμένοι αἴθοπι χαλκῷ.
there they sat down, wrapped in gleaming bronze.
τοῖσι δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀπάνευθε δύω σκοποὶ εἵατο λαῶν
Then apart from the host sat two scouts,
δέγμενοι ὁππότε μῆλα ἰδοίατο καὶ ἕλικας βοῦς.
waiting till they should catch sight of the sheep and shambling cattle.
οἳ δὲ τάχα προγένοντο, δύω δʼ ἅμʼ ἕποντο νομῆες
And these came quickly, and two herdsmen followed with them,
τερπόμενοι σύριγξι· δόλον δʼ οὔ τι προνόησαν.
playing on pipes; and of the guile they had no forethought.
οἳ μὲν τὰ προϊδόντες ἐπέδραμον, ὦκα δʼ ἔπειτα
But the others, seeing them beforehand, rushed upon them, and quickly
τάμνοντʼ ἀμφὶ βοῶν ἀγέλας καὶ πώεα καλὰ
cut off the herds of cattle and the fair flocks
ἀργεννέων οἰῶν, κτεῖνον δʼ ἐπὶ μηλοβοτῆρας.
of white-fleeced sheep, and slew the herdsmen besides.
οἳ δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐπύθοντο πολὺν κέλαδον παρὰ βουσὶν
But the besiegers, when they heard the great din among the cattle,
εἰράων προπάροιθε καθήμενοι, αὐτίκʼ ἐφʼ ἵππων
as they sat in council, straightway mounted behind their high-stepping
βάντες ἀερσιπόδων μετεκίαθον, αἶψα δʼ ἵκοντο.
horses and pursued, and quickly they came up with them.
στησάμενοι δʼ ἐμάχοντο μάχην ποταμοῖο παρʼ ὄχθας,
And they set their battle in array and fought by the banks of the river,
βάλλον δʼ ἀλλήλους χαλκήρεσιν ἐγχείῃσιν.
and smote one another with bronze-tipped spears.
ἐν δʼ Ἔρις ἐν δὲ Κυδοιμὸς ὁμίλεον, ἐν δʼ ὀλοὴ Κήρ,
And among them mingled Strife and Tumult, and deadly Fate,
ἄλλον ζωὸν ἔχουσα νεούτατον, ἄλλον ἄουτον,
holding one man newly wounded but still alive, and another unwounded,
ἄλλον τεθνηῶτα κατὰ μόθον ἕλκε ποδοῖιν·
and another that was dead she dragged by the feet through the battle;
εἷμα δʼ ἔχʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι δαφοινεὸν αἵματι φωτῶν.
and the garment on her shoulders was red with the blood of men.
ὡμίλευν δʼ ὥς τε ζωοὶ βροτοὶ ἠδʼ ἐμάχοντο,
Like living mortals they mingled and fought,
νεκρούς τʼ ἀλλήλων ἔρυον κατατεθνηῶτας.
and dragged away the bodies of each other’s dead.
ἐν δʼ ἐτίθει νειὸν μαλακὴν πίειραν ἄρουραν
And therein he set a soft, rich fallow field,
εὐρεῖαν τρίπολον· πολλοὶ δʼ ἀροτῆρες ἐν αὐτῇ
broad and thrice-plowed; and many plowmen in it
ζεύγεα δινεύοντες ἐλάστρεον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα.
were wheeling their teams and driving them to and fro.
οἳ δʼ ὁπότε στρέψαντες ἱκοίατο τέλσον ἀρούρης,
And whenever they turned and reached the boundary of the field,
- 18.485τά τʼ οὐρανὸς ἐστεφάνωται
The relative pronoun τά (neuter plural accusative, referring back to τείρεα 'constellations') functions as a retained accusative or accusative of respect with the perfect middle-passive verb ἐστεφάνωται (from στεφανόω 'to encircle, crown'). It translates literally as 'with which the heaven is crowned.'
- 18.501ἐπὶ ἴστορι πεῖραρ ἑλέσθαι
The infinitive ἑλέσθαι (aorist middle of αἱρέω) depends on the preceding verb ἱέσθην (third-person dual, 'the two were eager'). The phrase ἐπὶ ἴστορι means 'in the presence of an arbitrator (or witness),' and πεῖραρ ἑλέσθαι literally means 'to take/reach a limit,' referring to obtaining a final binding decision.
- 18.508τῷ δόμεν ὃς...
The infinitive δόμεν (Epic dialect for δοῦναι, aorist active) is used here adverbially to express purpose ('to give'). The dative demonstrative pronoun τῷ serves as the antecedent of the relative clause introduced by ὃς ('whoever...'), meaning 'to be given to the one who...'