Thersites Insults Agamemnon and Is Beaten by Odysseus — Homer, Iliad Book 2 (lines 215–283), Greek & English

215

ἀλλʼ ὅ τι οἱ εἴσαιτο γελοίϊον¹ Ἀργείοισιν

but whatever he thought would be laughable for the Argives to be.

ἔμμεναι· αἴσχιστος δὲ ἀνὴρ ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθε·

He was the ugliest man who came beneath Ilios;

φολκὸς ἔην, χωλὸς δʼ ἕτερον πόδα·² τὼ δέ οἱ ὤμω

he was bandy-legged and lame in one foot; and his two shoulders

κυρτὼ ἐπὶ στῆθος συνοχωκότε· αὐτὰρ ὕπερθε

were rounded, hunched over his chest; and above

φοξὸς ἔην κεφαλήν, ψεδνὴ δʼ ἐπενήνοθε λάχνη.

his head was pointed, and thin woolly hair sprouted on it.

220

ἔχθιστος δʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ μάλιστʼ ἦν ἠδʼ Ὀδυσῆϊ·

And he was most hateful to Achilles especially, and to Odysseus;

τὼ γὰρ νεικείεσκε· τότʼ αὖτʼ Ἀγαμέμνονι δίῳ

for those two he was always chiding; but then again to noble Agamemnon,

ὀξέα κεκλήγων λέγʼ ὀνείδεα· τῷ δʼ ἄρʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

shrieking shrilly, he spoke insults; and with him indeed the Achaeans

ἐκπάγλως κοτέοντο νεμέσσηθέν τʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ.

were terribly angry and felt resentment in their hearts.

αὐτὰρ ὃ μακρὰ βοῶν Ἀγαμέμνονα νείκεε μύθῳ·

But he, crying aloud, chided Agamemnon with words:

225

Ἀτρεΐδη τέο δʼ αὖτʼ ἐπιμέμφεαι ἠδὲ χατίζεις;

”Son of Atreus, of what now do you complain, and what do you lack?

πλεῖαί τοι χαλκοῦ κλισίαι, πολλαὶ δὲ γυναῖκες

Full indeed of bronze are your huts, and many women

εἰσὶν ἐνὶ κλισίῃς ἐξαίρετοι, ἅς τοι Ἀχαιοὶ

are in your huts, chosen ones, whom we Achaeans

πρωτίστῳ δίδομεν εὖτʼ ἂν πτολίεθρον ἕλωμεν.

give to you first of all, whenever we take a city.

ἦ ἔτι καὶ χρυσοῦ ἐπιδεύεαι, ὅν κέ τις οἴσει

Or do you still lack gold as well, which some one of the horse-taming Trojans

230

Τρώων ἱπποδάμων ἐξ Ἰλίου υἷος ἄποινα,

will bring from Ilios as a ransom for his son,

ὅν κεν ἐγὼ δήσας ἀγάγω ἢ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν,

whom I or some other of the Achaeans have bound and led away?

ἠὲ γυναῖκα νέην, ἵνα μίσγεαι ἐν φιλότητι,

Or a young woman, so that you may mingle with her in love,

ἥν τʼ αὐτὸς ἀπονόσφι κατίσχεαι; οὐ μὲν ἔοικεν

and whom you yourself may keep apart for yourself? It is not fitting indeed

ἀρχὸν ἐόντα κακῶν ἐπιβασκέμεν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.

for one who is a leader to bring the sons of the Achaeans into evils.

235

ὦ πέπονες κάκʼ ἐλέγχεʼ Ἀχαιΐδες οὐκέτʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

O softlings, base objects of shame, Achaean women, no longer Achaean men!

οἴκαδέ περ σὺν νηυσὶ νεώμεθα, τόνδε δʼ ἐῶμεν

Let us return home indeed with our ships, and let us leave this fellow

αὐτοῦ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ γέρα πεσσέμεν, ὄφρα ἴδηται

here in Troy to digest his prizes of honour, so that he may see

ἤ ῥά τί οἱ χἠμεῖς προσαμύνομεν ἦε καὶ οὐκί·

whether we too are of any help to him or not;

ὃς καὶ νῦν Ἀχιλῆα ἕο μέγʼ ἀμείνονα φῶτα

he who even now has dishonoured Achilles, a man far better than himself;

240

ἠτίμησεν· ἑλὼν γὰρ ἔχει γέρας αὐτὸς ἀπούρας.

for he has taken away his prize and keeps it, having robbed him himself.

ἀλλὰ μάλʼ οὐκ Ἀχιλῆϊ χόλος φρεσίν, ἀλλὰ μεθήμων·

But indeed there is no anger at all in Achilles’ heart, but he is slack;

ἦ γὰρ ἂν Ἀτρεΐδη νῦν ὕστατα λωβήσαιο·³

otherwise, son of Atreus, you would now have outraged him for the last time.”

ὣς φάτο νεικείων Ἀγαμέμνονα ποιμένα λαῶν,

So spoke Thersites, chiding Agamemnon, the shepherd of the host;

Θερσίτης· τῷ δʼ ὦκα παρίστατο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

and to him quickly came noble Odysseus,

245

καί μιν ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν χαλεπῷ ἠνίπαπε μύθῳ·

and looking grimly at him, chided him with harsh words:

Θερσῖτʼ ἀκριτόμυθε, λιγύς περ ἐὼν ἀγορητής,

”Thersites of reckless speech, shrill speaker though you are,

ἴσχεο, μηδʼ ἔθελʼ οἶος ἐριζέμεναι βασιλεῦσιν·

hold back, and do not desire to strive alone against the kings;

οὐ γὰρ ἐγὼ σέο φημὶ χερειότερον βροτὸν ἄλλον

for I say that there is no other mortal baser than you,

ἔμμεναι, ὅσσοι ἅμʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃς ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθον.

of all those who came with the sons of Atreus beneath Ilios.

250

τὼ οὐκ ἂν βασιλῆας ἀνὰ στόμʼ ἔχων ἀγορεύοις,⁴

Therefore you should not harangue with the kings in your mouth,

καί σφιν ὀνείδεά τε προφέροις, νόστόν τε φυλάσσοις.

and cast insults at them, and keep watch for return.

οὐδέ τί πω σάφα ἴδμεν ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα,

We do not yet know clearly how these matters will be,

ἢ εὖ ἦε κακῶς νοστήσομεν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν.

whether we, the sons of the Achaeans, shall return well or ill.

τὼ νῦν Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ποιμένι λαῶν

Therefore you now sit reproaching Agamemnon, son of Atreus, the shepherd of the host,

255

ἧσαι ὀνειδίζων, ὅτι οἱ μάλα πολλὰ διδοῦσιν

because the Danaan heroes give him very many things;

ἥρωες Δαναοί· σὺ δὲ κερτομέων ἀγορεύεις.

while you speak with mocking words.

ἀλλʼ ἔκ τοι ἐρέω, τὸ δὲ καὶ τετελεσμένον ἔσται·

But I will tell you, and this shall indeed be accomplished:

εἴ κʼ ἔτι σʼ ἀφραίνοντα κιχήσομαι ὥς νύ περ ὧδε,

if I find you again playing the fool, just as you are doing now,

μηκέτʼ ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆϊ κάρη ὤμοισιν ἐπείη,

then let the head of Odysseus no longer remain upon his shoulders,

260

μηδʼ ἔτι Τηλεμάχοιο πατὴρ κεκλημένος εἴην,

nor let me any longer be called the father of Telemachus,

εἰ μὴ ἐγώ σε λαβὼν ἀπὸ μὲν φίλα εἵματα δύσω,

if I do not take you and strip off your garments,

χλαῖνάν τʼ ἠδὲ χιτῶνα, τά τʼ αἰδῶ ἀμφικαλύπτει,

both cloak and tunic, that cover your nakedness,

αὐτὸν δὲ κλαίοντα θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας ἀφήσω

and send you yourself weeping to the swift ships,

πεπλήγων ἀγορῆθεν ἀεικέσσι πληγῇσιν.

beating you from the assembly with shameful blows.”

265

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, σκήπτρῳ δὲ μετάφρενον ἠδὲ καὶ ὤμω

So he spoke, and with the sceptre he beat his back and shoulders;

πλῆξεν· ὃ δʼ ἰδνώθη, θαλερὸν δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε δάκρυ·

and he cowered, and a swelling tear fell from him;

σμῶδιξ δʼ αἱματόεσσα μεταφρένου ἐξυπανέστη

and a bloody weal rose up on his back

σκήπτρου ὕπο χρυσέου· ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο τάρβησέν τε,

beneath the golden sceptre. And he sat down and was afraid,

ἀλγήσας δʼ ἀχρεῖον ἰδὼν ἀπομόρξατο δάκρυ.

and paining, looking helplessly, he wiped away his tear.

270

οἳ δὲ καὶ ἀχνύμενοί περ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ ἡδὺ γέλασσαν·

And they, though grieved, laughed sweetly at him;

ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·

and thus would one speak, looking to another near him:

ὢ πόποι ἦ δὴ μυρίʼ Ὀδυσσεὺς ἐσθλὰ ἔοργε

”Ah, indeed, many good deeds has Odysseus done,

βουλάς τʼ ἐξάρχων ἀγαθὰς πόλεμόν τε κορύσσων·

leading in good counsels and marshalling war;

νῦν δὲ τόδε μέγʼ ἄριστον ἐν Ἀργείοισιν ἔρεξεν,

but now this is by far the best deed he has done among the Argives,

275

ὃς τὸν λωβητῆρα ἐπεσβόλον ἔσχʼ ἀγοράων.

in that he has stopped this abusive babbler from speaking in the assembly.

οὔ θήν μιν πάλιν αὖτις ἀνήσει θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ

Surely his proud spirit will not again urge him

νεικείειν βασιλῆας ὀνειδείοις ἐπέεσσιν.

to chide the kings with reproachful words.”

ὣς φάσαν ἣ πληθύς· ἀνὰ δʼ ὃ πτολίπορθος Ὀδυσσεὺς

So spoke the multitude; and up stood Odysseus, sacker of cities,

ἔστη σκῆπτρον ἔχων· παρὰ δὲ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη

holding the sceptre; and beside him flashing-eyed Athena,

280

εἰδομένη κήρυκι σιωπᾶν λαὸν ἀνώγει,

likened to a herald, bade the people be silent,

ὡς ἅμα θʼ οἳ πρῶτοί τε καὶ ὕστατοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

so that both the first and the last of the sons of the Achaeans

μῦθον ἀκούσειαν καὶ ἐπιφρασσαίατο βουλήν·

might hear his words and take thought of his counsel;

ὅ σφιν ἐὺ φρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

who with good intent addressed their assembly and spoke among them:

Syntax notes4 items

2.215ὅ τι οἱ εἴσαιτο γελοίϊον
εἴσαιτο is the 3rd person singular aorist optative of εἴδομαι (to seem, appear). Used with the relative pronoun ὅ τι to introduce a general relative clause ("whatever seemed to him..."), taking the Epic infinitive ἔμμεναι (to be).
2.217ἕτερον πόδα
ἕτερον πόδα (one foot) is an accusative of specification (or respect) modifying the adjective χωλός (lame), meaning "lame in one foot."
2.242ἦ γὰρ ἂν Ἀτρεΐδη νῦν ὕστατα λωβήσαιο
The particle ἂν with the optative λωβήσαιο (2nd person singular aorist optative of λωβάομαι, to outrage) functions as the apodosis of a contrary-to-fact condition, based on the fact that Achilles is not angry: "otherwise you would have outraged him for the last time."
2.250τὼ οὐκ ἂν ... ἀγορεύοις
Led by the connective τὼ (therefore), the negative οὐκ ἂν with the optatives ἀγορεύοις, προφέροις, and φυλάσσοις (line 251) expresses a mild command, prohibition, or a strong assertion of what "should not" be done.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.215-2.283