Odysseus Stops the Troops from Fleeing to the Ships — Homer, Iliad Book 2 (lines 144–214), Greek & English

144

κινήθη δʼ ἀγορὴ φὴ¹ κύματα μακρὰ θαλάσσης

And the assembly was stirred like the great waves of the sea

145

πόντου Ἰκαρίοιο, τὰ μέν τʼ Εὖρός τε Νότος τε

of the Icarian sea, which the East Wind and the South Wind

ὤρορʼ ἐπαΐξας πατρὸς Διὸς ἐκ νεφελάων.

have raised, rushing down from the clouds of father Zeus.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε κινήσῃ Ζέφυρος βαθὺ λήϊον ἐλθὼν

And as when the West Wind comes and stirs a deep cornfield,

λάβρος ἐπαιγίζων, ἐπί τʼ ἠμύει ἀσταχύεσσιν,

blowing violently, and it bows with its ears of corn,

ὣς τῶν πᾶσʼ ἀγορὴ κινήθη· τοὶ δʼ ἀλαλητῷ

so was all their assembly stirred. And they with loud shouting

150

νῆας ἔπʼ ἐσσεύοντο, ποδῶν δʼ ὑπένερθε κονίη

rushed towards the ships, and from beneath their feet the dust

ἵστατʼ ἀειρομένη· τοὶ δʼ ἀλλήλοισι κέλευον

stood rising aloft. And they bade one another

ἅπτεσθαι νηῶν ἠδʼ ἑλκέμεν εἰς ἅλα δῖαν,

to lay hold of the ships and drag them into the bright sea,

οὐρούς τʼ ἐξεκάθαιρον· ἀϋτὴ δʼ οὐρανὸν ἷκεν

and they cleared out the launching-ways; and their shouting reached heaven,

οἴκαδε ἱεμένων· ὑπὸ δʼ ᾕρεον ἕρματα νηῶν.

as they yearned for home; and they took away the props from beneath the ships.

155

ἔνθά κεν Ἀργείοισιν ὑπέρμορα νόστος ἐτύχθη

Then indeed would a return have been brought about for the Argives beyond fate,

εἰ μὴ Ἀθηναίην Ἥρη πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·²

if Hera had not spoken a word to Athena:

ὢ πόποι αἰγιόχοιο Διὸς τέκος Ἀτρυτώνη,

”Alas, daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus, unwearied one!

οὕτω δὴ οἶκον δὲ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν

Shall the Argives thus indeed flee home to their dear native land

Ἀργεῖοι φεύξονται ἐπʼ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης,

over the broad back of the sea?

160

κὰδ δέ κεν εὐχωλὴν Πριάμῳ καὶ Τρωσὶ λίποιεν

And would they leave behind to Priam and the Trojans as a boast

Ἀργείην Ἑλένην, ἧς εἵνεκα πολλοὶ Ἀχαιῶν

Argive Helen, for whose sake many of the Achaeans

ἐν Τροίῃ ἀπόλοντο φίλης ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης·

have perished at Troy, far from their dear native land.

ἀλλʼ ἴθι νῦν κατὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων·

But go now among the host of the bronze-clad Achaeans;

σοῖς ἀγανοῖς ἐπέεσσιν ἐρήτυε φῶτα ἕκαστον,

with your gentle words hold back each man,

165

μηδὲ ἔα νῆας ἅλα δʼ ἑλκέμεν ἀμφιελίσσας.

and suffer them not to drag their curved ships into the sea.”

ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,

So she spoke, and the goddess, flashing-eyed Athena, failed not to obey,

βῆ δὲ κατʼ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων ἀΐξασα·

but went darting down from the peaks of Olympus.

καρπαλίμως δʼ ἵκανε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν.

And swiftly she came to the swift ships of the Achaeans.

εὗρεν ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆα Διὶ μῆτιν ἀτάλαντον

She found then Odysseus, the peer of Zeus in counsel,

170

ἑσταότʼ· οὐδʼ ὅ γε νηὸς ἐϋσσέλμοιο μελαίνης

standing; nor did he lay hand upon his black, well-benched ship,

ἅπτετʼ, ἐπεί μιν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἵκανεν·

since grief had come upon his heart and soul.

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη προσέφη γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

And standing near him flashing-eyed Athena spoke:

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

”Son of Laertes, sprung from Zeus, Odysseus of many devices,

οὕτω δὴ οἶκον δὲ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν

will you indeed thus fling yourselves into your many-bench ships and flee

175

φεύξεσθʼ ἐν νήεσσι πολυκλήϊσι πεσόντες,

home to your dear native land?

κὰδ δέ κεν εὐχωλὴν Πριάμῳ καὶ Τρωσὶ λίποιτε

And would you leave behind to Priam and the Trojans as a boast

Ἀργείην Ἑλένην, ἧς εἵνεκα πολλοὶ Ἀχαιῶν

Argive Helen, for whose sake many of the Achaeans

ἐν Τροίῃ ἀπόλοντο φίλης ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης;

have perished at Troy, far from their dear native land?

ἀλλʼ ἴθι νῦν κατὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν, μηδʼ ἔτʼ ἐρώει,

But go now among the host of the Achaeans, and tarry no longer;

180

σοῖς δʼ ἀγανοῖς ἐπέεσσιν ἐρήτυε φῶτα ἕκαστον,

with your gentle words hold back each man,

μηδὲ ἔα νῆας ἅλα δʼ ἑλκέμεν ἀμφιελίσσας.

and suffer them not to drag their curved ships into the sea.”

ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δὲ ξυνέηκε θεᾶς ὄπα φωνησάσης,

So she spoke, and he knew the voice of the goddess as she spoke,

βῆ δὲ θέειν, ἀπὸ δὲ χλαῖναν βάλε· τὴν δὲ κόμισσε

and started to run, and cast off his cloak; and it was gathered up

κῆρυξ Εὐρυβάτης Ἰθακήσιος ὅς οἱ ὀπήδει·

by the herald Eurybates of Ithaca, who was his squire.

185

αὐτὸς δʼ Ἀτρεΐδεω Ἀγαμέμνονος ἀντίος ἐλθὼν

And he himself, going to meet Agamemnon, son of Atreus,

δέξατό οἱ σκῆπτρον πατρώϊον ἄφθιτον αἰεί·

received from him the ancestral sceptre, ever imperishable;

σὺν τῷ ἔβη κατὰ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων.

with this he went among the ships of the bronze-clad Achaeans.

ὅν τινα μὲν βασιλῆα καὶ ἔξοχον ἄνδρα κιχείη

Whomsoever he met who was a king and a man of note,

τὸν δʼ ἀγανοῖς ἐπέεσσιν ἐρητύσασκε³ παραστάς·

him he would stay with gentle words, standing by his side:

190

δαιμόνιʼ οὔ σε ἔοικε κακὸν ὣς δειδίσσεσθαι,

”Sir, it is not fitting to frighten you as if you were a coward,

ἀλλʼ αὐτός τε κάθησο καὶ ἄλλους ἵδρυε λαούς·

but do you sit down yourself and make the rest of your people sit;

οὐ γάρ πω σάφα οἶσθʼ οἷος νόος Ἀτρεΐωνος·

for you do not yet know clearly what is the mind of the son of Atreus;

νῦν μὲν πειρᾶται, τάχα δʼ ἴψεται υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.

now he is making trial, but soon he will afflict the sons of the Achaeans.

ἐν βουλῇ δʼ οὐ πάντες ἀκούσαμεν οἷον ἔειπε.

And did we not all hear in the council what he said?

195

μή τι χολωσάμενος ῥέξῃ⁴ κακὸν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν·

Beware lest he grow angry and do some harm to the sons of the Achaeans;

θυμὸς δὲ μέγας ἐστὶ διοτρεφέων βασιλήων,

for great is the wrath of kings nurtured by Zeus,

τιμὴ δʼ ἐκ Διός ἐστι, φιλεῖ δέ ἑ μητίετα Ζεύς.

and his honour is from Zeus, and wise Zeus loves him.”

ὃν δʼ αὖ δήμου τʼ ἄνδρα ἴδοι βοόωντά τʼ ἐφεύροι,

But whomsoever again of the common people he saw and found shouting,

τὸν σκήπτρῳ ἐλάσασκεν ὁμοκλήσασκέ τε μύθῳ·

him he would drive with the sceptre and chide with words:

200

δαιμόνιʼ ἀτρέμας ἧσο καὶ ἄλλων μῦθον ἄκουε,

”Fellow, sit still and listen to the words of others

οἳ σέο φέρτεροί εἰσι, σὺ δʼ ἀπτόλεμος καὶ ἄναλκις

who are better than you; you are non-combatant and weak,

οὔτέ ποτʼ ἐν πολέμῳ ἐναρίθμιος οὔτʼ ἐνὶ βουλῇ·

of no account either in war or in council.

οὐ μέν πως πάντες βασιλεύσομεν ἐνθάδʼ Ἀχαιοί·

We Achaeans cannot all be kings here;

οὐκ ἀγαθὸν πολυκοιρανίη· εἷς κοίρανος ἔστω,

a multitude of rulers is not good; let there be one ruler,

205

εἷς βασιλεύς, ᾧ δῶκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω

one king, to whom the son of crooked-counselled Cronos gave

σκῆπτρόν τʼ ἠδὲ θέμιστας, ἵνά σφισι βουλεύῃσι.

the sceptre and the laws, so that he may make decisions for them.”

ὣς ὅ γε κοιρανέων δίεπε στρατόν· οἳ δʼ ἀγορὴν δὲ

Thus ruling he marshalled the host; and they to the assembly

αὖτις ἐπεσσεύοντο νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων

rushed back from the ships and huts

ἠχῇ, ὡς ὅτε κῦμα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης

with noise, as when a wave of the roaring sea

210

αἰγιαλῷ μεγάλῳ βρέμεται, σμαραγεῖ δέ τε πόντος.

thunders against a great beach, and the deep resounds.

ἄλλοι μέν ῥʼ ἕζοντο, ἐρήτυθεν δὲ καθʼ ἕδρας·

The others sat down and were kept to their seats;

Θερσίτης δʼ ἔτι μοῦνος ἀμετροεπὴς ἐκολῴα,

but Thersites alone still chattered on, babbling,

ὃς ἔπεα φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἄκοσμά τε πολλά τε ᾔδη

who knew in his mind many disorderly words,

μάψ, ἀτὰρ οὐ κατὰ κόσμον, ἐριζέμεναι⁵ βασιλεῦσιν,

to strive with the kings, vainly and not in order.

Syntax notes5 items

2.144φὴ
A conjunction followed by an accusative noun, meaning "like" or "as" (equivalent to ὡς or ὥσπερ).
2.155ἔνθά κεν ... ἐτύχθη εἰ μὴ ... ἔειπεν
A past contrary-to-fact conditional construction. The apodosis features κεν (= ἄν) with the past indicative (ἐτύχθη), and the protasis has εἰ with the past indicative (ἔειπεν), meaning "a return would have been accomplished... if she had not spoken."
2.188ὅν τινα μὲν ... κιχείη ... ἐρητύσασκε
A construction expressing past general or iterative conditions. The relative clause uses the optative without ἄν (κιχείη), while the main clause features an iterative past indicative with the suffix -σκε (ἐρητύσασκε), indicating a repeated action in the past: "whomsoever he met, he would stay him."
2.195μή τι ... ῥέξῃ
An independent clause of fearing or warning, utilizing μή with the subjunctive (ῥέξῃ), expressing apprehension or a warning: "Beware lest he do some harm."
2.214ἐριζέμεναι
A present active infinitive in the Homeric form with the suffix -μεναι (= ἐρίζειν). It depends on the preceding ᾔδη (knew) or its object "many disorderly words," functioning as an infinitive of purpose or result, meaning "to strive" or "for the purpose of striving."

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.144-2.214