Agamemnon's Apology and the Myth of Ate — Homer, Iliad Book 19 (lines 70–139), Greek & English

ὄφρʼ ἔτι καὶ Τρώων πειρήσομαι ἀντίον ἐλθὼν

”so that I may still go against the Trojans and make trial of them,

αἴ κʼ ἐθέλωσʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἰαύειν· ἀλλά τινʼ οἴω

to see if they wish to camp by the ships; but I think that many a one of them

ἀσπασίως αὐτῶν γόνυ κάμψειν, ὅς κε φύγῃσι

will gladly bend his knee in rest, whoever escapes

δηΐου ἐκ πολέμοιο ὑπʼ ἔγχεος ἡμετέροιο.

from the hostile war beneath our spear.”

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἐχάρησαν ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ

So he spoke, and the well-greaved Achaeans rejoiced

μῆνιν ἀπειπόντος μεγαθύμου Πηλεΐωνος.

that the great-hearted son of Peleus had renounced his wrath.

τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων

And among them also spoke Agamemnon, lord of men,

αὐτόθεν ἐξ ἕδρης,¹ οὐδʼ ἐν μέσσοισιν ἀναστάς·

from the very place where he sat, not rising to stand in the midst:

ὦ φίλοι ἥρωες Δαναοὶ θεράποντες Ἄρηος

”O friends, Danai heroes, squires of Ares,

ἑσταότος μὲν καλὸν ἀκούειν,² οὐδὲ ἔοικεν

it is good to listen to one who stands, nor is it fitting

ὑββάλλειν· χαλεπὸν γὰρ ἐπισταμένῳ περ ἐόντι.

to interrupt; for that is hard even for one well-skilled.

ἀνδρῶν δʼ ἐν πολλῷ ὁμάδῳ πῶς κέν τις ἀκούσαι

And in a great uproar of men, how could anyone hear

ἢ εἴποι; βλάβεται δὲ λιγύς περ ἐὼν ἀγορητής.

or speak? Even a clear-voiced speaker is hindered.

Πηλεΐδῃ μὲν ἐγὼν ἐνδείξομαι· αὐτὰρ οἱ ἄλλοι

To the son of Peleus I will declare myself; but do you other

σύνθεσθʼ Ἀργεῖοι, μῦθόν τʼ εὖ γνῶτε ἕκαστος.

Argives pay heed, and let each one mark well my word.

πολλάκι δή μοι τοῦτον Ἀχαιοὶ μῦθον ἔειπον

Often indeed have the Achaeans spoken this word to me

καί τέ με νεικείεσκον· ἐγὼ δʼ οὐκ αἴτιός εἰμι,

and upbraided me; yet I am not the cause,

ἀλλὰ Ζεὺς καὶ Μοῖρα καὶ ἠεροφοῖτις Ἐρινύς,

but Zeus and Fate and the Erinys that walks in darkness,

οἵ τέ μοι εἰν ἀγορῇ φρεσὶν ἔμβαλον ἄγριον ἄτην,

who in the assembly cast wild blindness upon my mind

ἤματι τῷ ὅτʼ Ἀχιλλῆος γέρας αὐτὸς ἀπηύρων.

on that day when I myself took away Achilles’ prize.

ἀλλὰ τί κεν ῥέξαιμι; θεὸς διὰ πάντα τελευτᾷ.

But what could I do? A god brings all things to their end.

πρέσβα Διὸς θυγάτηρ Ἄτη, ἣ πάντας ἀᾶται,

Eldest daughter of Zeus is Ate, who blinds all,

οὐλομένη· τῇ μέν θʼ ἁπαλοὶ πόδες· οὐ γὰρ ἐπʼ οὔδει

baneful; her feet are tender, for not upon the ground

πίλναται,³ ἀλλʼ ἄρα ἥ γε κατʼ ἀνδρῶν κράατα βαίνει

does she draw near, but she walks over the heads of men,

βλάπτουσʼ ἀνθρώπους· κατὰ δʼ οὖν ἕτερόν γε πέδησε.

harming mankind; and one or another she ensnares.

καὶ γὰρ δή νύ ποτε Ζεὺς ἄσατο, τόν περ ἄριστον

For once even Zeus was blinded, whom they say is the best

ἀνδρῶν ἠδὲ θεῶν φασʼ ἔμμεναι· ἀλλʼ ἄρα καὶ τὸν

of men and of gods; yet even him

Ἥρη θῆλυς ἐοῦσα δολοφροσύνῃς ἀπάτησεν,

Hera, though but a female, deceived by her craft,

ἤματι τῷ ὅτʼ ἔμελλε βίην Ἡρακληείην

on the day when Alcmene was about to bring forth

Ἀλκμήνη τέξεσθαι ἐϋστεφάνῳ ἐνὶ Θήβῃ.

the mighty Heracles in well-crowned Thebes.

100

ἤτοι ὅ γʼ εὐχόμενος μετέφη πάντεσσι θεοῖσι·

Then he, boasting, spoke among all the gods:

κέκλυτέ μευ πάντές τε θεοὶ πᾶσαί τε θέαιναι,

’Hear me, all gods and all goddesses,

ὄφρʼ εἴπω τά με θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀνώγει.

so that I may speak what the heart in my breast bids me.

σήμερον ἄνδρα φόως δὲ μογοστόκος Εἰλείθυια

Today Eileithyia, helper in childbirth, shall bring to light a man

ἐκφανεῖ, ὃς πάντεσσι περικτιόνεσσιν ἀνάξει,

who shall rule over all those dwelling around him,

105

τῶν ἀνδρῶν γενεῆς οἵ θʼ αἵματος ἐξ ἐμεῦ εἰσί.

of the race of those men who are of my blood.’

τὸν δὲ δολοφρονέουσα προσηύδα πότνια Ἥρη·

But with crafty mind queenly Hera spoke to him:

ψευστήσεις, οὐδʼ αὖτε τέλος μύθῳ ἐπιθήσεις.

’You will play the cheat, nor will you bring fulfillment to your word.

εἰ δʼ ἄγε νῦν μοι ὄμοσσον Ὀλύμπιε καρτερὸν ὅρκον,

But come now, swear me a mighty oath, Olympian,

ἦ μὲν τὸν πάντεσσι περικτιόνεσσιν ἀνάξειν

that he shall indeed rule over all those dwelling around him

110

ὅς κεν ἐπʼ ἤματι τῷδε πέσῃ μετὰ ποσσὶ γυναικὸς

whoever on this day shall fall between a woman’s feet,

τῶν ἀνδρῶν οἳ σῆς ἐξ αἵματός εἰσι γενέθλης.

of those men who are of the lineage of your blood.’

ὣς ἔφατο· Ζεὺς δʼ οὔ τι δολοφροσύνην ἐνόησεν,

So she spoke; and Zeus did not at all perceive her craft,

ἀλλʼ ὄμοσεν μέγαν ὅρκον, ἔπειτα δὲ πολλὸν ἀάσθη.

but swore a mighty oath, and thereafter was greatly blinded.

Ἥρη δʼ ἀΐξασα λίπεν ῥίον Οὐλύμποιο,

And Hera darted down and left the peak of Olympus,

115

καρπαλίμως δʼ ἵκετʼ Ἄργος Ἀχαιικόν, ἔνθʼ ἄρα ᾔδη

and swiftly came to Achaean Argos, where she knew

ἰφθίμην ἄλοχον Σθενέλου Περσηϊάδαο.

was the noble wife of Sthenelus, son of Perseus.

ἣ δʼ ἐκύει φίλον υἱόν, ὃ δʼ ἕβδομος ἑστήκει μείς·

And she was pregnant with a dear son, and it was her seventh month;

ἐκ δʼ ἄγαγε πρὸ φόως δὲ καὶ ἠλιτόμηνον ἐόντα,

and Hera brought him forth to the light even before his time,

Ἀλκμήνης δʼ ἀπέπαυσε τόκον, σχέθε δʼ Εἰλειθυίας.

but stayed Alcmene’s childbirth, and held back the Eileithyiai.

120

αὐτὴ δʼ ἀγγελέουσα Δία Κρονίωνα προσηύδα·

And herself as messenger she spoke to Zeus, son of Cronos:

Ζεῦ πάτερ ἀργικέραυνε ἔπος τί τοι ἐν φρεσὶ θήσω·

’Father Zeus, lord of the bright lightning, I will put a word in your mind:

ἤδη ἀνὴρ γέγονʼ ἐσθλὸς ὃς Ἀργείοισιν ἀνάξει

already a noble man is born who shall rule over the Argives,

Εὐρυσθεὺς Σθενέλοιο πάϊς Περσηϊάδαο

Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, the son of Perseus,

σὸν γένος· οὔ οἱ ἀεικὲς ἀνασσέμεν Ἀργείοισιν.

your offspring; it is not unbefitting for him to rule the Argives.’

125

ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ ἄχος ὀξὺ κατὰ φρένα τύψε βαθεῖαν·

So she spoke, and sharp grief struck him deep in his mind;

αὐτίκα δʼ εἷλʼ Ἄτην κεφαλῆς λιπαροπλοκάμοιο

and straightway he seized Ate by her bright-tressed head,

χωόμενος φρεσὶν ᾗσι, καὶ ὤμοσε καρτερὸν ὅρκον

angry in his heart, and swore a mighty oath

μή ποτʼ ἐς Οὔλυμπόν τε καὶ οὐρανὸν ἀστερόεντα

that never again to Olympus and the starry heaven

αὖτις ἐλεύσεσθαι Ἄτην, ἣ πάντας ἀᾶται.

should Ate return, she who blinds all.

130

ὣς εἰπὼν ἔρριψεν ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος

So saying he swung her round and flung her from the starry heaven,

χειρὶ περιστρέψας· τάχα δʼ ἵκετο ἔργʼ ἀνθρώπων.

whirling her in his hand; and quickly she came to the tillage of men.

τὴν αἰεὶ στενάχεσχʼ ὅθʼ ἑὸν φίλον υἱὸν ὁρῷτο

For her he would ever groan whenever he saw his dear son

ἔργον ἀεικὲς ἔχοντα ὑπʼ Εὐρυσθῆος ἀέθλων.

performing unseemly tasks under the labors of Eurystheus.

ὣς καὶ ἐγών, ὅτε δʼ αὖτε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ

So also I, when again great Hector of the flashing helm

135

Ἀργείους ὀλέκεσκεν ἐπὶ πρυμνῇσι νέεσσιν,

was destroying the Argives at the sterns of the ships,

οὐ δυνάμην λελαθέσθʼ Ἄτης ᾗ πρῶτον ἀάσθην.

could not forget Ate, by whom I was first blinded.

ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἀασάμην καί μευ φρένας ἐξέλετο Ζεύς,

But since I was blinded and Zeus took away my senses,

ἂψ ἐθέλω ἀρέσαι, δόμεναί τʼ ἀπερείσιʼ ἄποινα·

I am willing to make amends, and to give boundless ransom;

ἀλλʼ ὄρσευ πόλεμον δὲ καὶ ἄλλους ὄρνυθι λαούς.

but arouse yourself for battle, and stir up the rest of the host.”

Syntax notes3 items

19.77αὐτόθεν ἐξ ἕδρης
Indicates that Agamemnon spoke "from his seat on the spot" without standing up, reflecting either his physical weakness from wounds or a psychological distance in the assembly.
19.79–80ἑσταότος μὲν καλὸν ἀκούειν
ἑσταότος is a participle acting as the object of ἀκούειν, referring to "one who stands [to speak]" in the assembly, expressing a customary etiquette of listening to speakers.
19.92–93οὐ γὰρ ἐπʼ οὔδει / πίλναται
Mythological and symbolic description of Ate (Folly/Blindness). Her feet not touching the ground signifies her supernatural, ruinous nature as she walks over the heads of men to deceive them.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:19.70-19.139