Speeches of Odysseus and Nestor Urging the Troops to Stay — Homer, Iliad Book 2 (lines 284–355), Greek & English

284

Ἀτρεΐδη νῦν δή σε ἄναξ ἐθέλουσιν Ἀχαιοὶ

Son of Atreus, now indeed the Achaeans wish to make you, O king, the most dishonoured of all mortal men,

285

πᾶσιν ἐλέγχιστον θέμεναι μερόπεσσι βροτοῖσιν,

nor do they fulfill the promise which they undertook while still journeying hither from horse-pasturing Argos,

οὐδέ τοι ἐκτελέουσιν ὑπόσχεσιν ἥν περ ὑπέσταν

that you should return only after having sacked well-walled Ilios.

ἐνθάδʼ ἔτι στείχοντες ἀπʼ Ἄργεος ἱπποβότοιο

For like young children or widowed women

Ἴλιον ἐκπέρσαντʼ εὐτείχεον ἀπονέεσθαι.

they wail to one another to return home.

ὥς τε γὰρ ἢ παῖδες νεαροὶ χῆραί τε γυναῖκες

And indeed it is a hardship to return discouraged;

290

ἀλλήλοισιν ὀδύρονται οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι.¹

for even one who remains away from his wife for a single month grows impatient by his many-benched ship,

ἦ μὴν καὶ πόνος ἐστὶν ἀνιηθέντα νέεσθαι·²

whom winter storms and the raging sea keep pent.

καὶ γάρ τίς θʼ ἕνα μῆνα μένων ἀπὸ ἧς ἀλόχοιο

But for us it is the ninth circling year that we remain here; therefore I do not blame the Achaeans

ἀσχαλάᾳ σὺν νηῒ πολυζύγῳ, ὅν περ ἄελλαι

for growing impatient by their curved ships; yet even so,

χειμέριαι εἰλέωσιν ὀρινομένη τε θάλασσα·

it is surely a shameful thing to remain long and to return empty-handed.

295

ἡμῖν δʼ εἴνατός ἐστι περιτροπέων ἐνιαυτὸς

Endure, my friends, and remain for a time, so that we may know whether Calchas prophesies truly or not.

ἐνθάδε μιμνόντεσσι· τὼ οὐ νεμεσίζομʼ Ἀχαιοὺς

For well indeed we know this in our hearts, and you are all witnesses,

ἀσχαλάαν παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔμπης

whom the fates of death have not carried away;

αἰσχρόν τοι δηρόν τε μένειν κενεόν τε νέεσθαι.

it was but yesterday or the day before when the ships of the Achaeans gathered at Aulis, bringing woes to Priam and the Trojans,

τλῆτε φίλοι, καὶ μείνατʼ ἐπὶ χρόνον ὄφρα δαῶμεν

and we round about a spring were offering upon the holy altars perfect hecatombs to the immortals,

300

ἢ ἐτεὸν Κάλχας μαντεύεται ἦε καὶ οὐκί.

beneath a beautiful plane tree from whence flowed bright water;

εὖ γὰρ δὴ τόδε ἴδμεν ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ἐστὲ δὲ πάντες

there appeared a great sign: a serpent, blood-red upon its back, terrible,

μάρτυροι, οὓς μὴ κῆρες ἔβαν θανάτοιο φέρουσαι·

which the Olympian himself had sent forth into the light, darted from beneath the altar and rushed to the plane tree.

χθιζά τε καὶ πρωΐζʼ ὅτʼ ἐς Αὐλίδα νῆες Ἀχαιῶν

And there were the nestlings of a sparrow, tender little ones, upon the topmost branch, cowering beneath the leaves,

ἠγερέθοντο κακὰ Πριάμῳ καὶ Τρωσὶ φέρουσαι,

eight of them, and the mother that bore the young ones was the ninth.

305

ἡμεῖς δʼ ἀμφὶ περὶ κρήνην ἱεροὺς κατὰ βωμοὺς

Then the serpent devoured them as they twittered piteously;

ἕρδομεν ἀθανάτοισι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας

and the mother fluttered around, wailing for her dear little ones;

καλῇ ὑπὸ πλατανίστῳ ὅθεν ῥέεν ἀγλαὸν ὕδωρ·

but he, coiling himself, caught her by the wing as she screamed around.

ἔνθʼ ἐφάνη μέγα σῆμα· δράκων ἐπὶ νῶτα δαφοινὸς

But when he had devoured the sparrow’s young and the mother herself,

σμερδαλέος, τόν ῥʼ αὐτὸς Ὀλύμπιος ἧκε φόως δέ,

the god who had revealed him made him a conspicuous sign;

310

βωμοῦ ὑπαΐξας πρός ῥα πλατάνιστον ὄρουσεν.

for the son of crooked-counselled Cronos turned him to stone;

ἔνθα δʼ ἔσαν στρουθοῖο νεοσσοί, νήπια τέκνα,

and we stood there and wondered at what had happened.

ὄζῳ ἐπʼ ἀκροτάτῳ πετάλοις ὑποπεπτηῶτες

So when the dread portents entered the hecatombs of the gods,

ὀκτώ, ἀτὰρ μήτηρ ἐνάτη ἦν ἣ τέκε τέκνα·

Calchas straightway then prophesied, saying:

ἔνθʼ ὅ γε τοὺς ἐλεεινὰ κατήσθιε τετριγῶτας·

”Why are you silent, long-haired Achaeans?

315

μήτηρ δʼ ἀμφεποτᾶτο ὀδυρομένη φίλα τέκνα·

To us indeed counsellor Zeus has shown this great sign,

τὴν δʼ ἐλελιξάμενος πτέρυγος λάβεν ἀμφιαχυῖαν.

late in coming, late of fulfillment, whose fame shall never perish.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ τέκνα φάγε στρουθοῖο καὶ αὐτήν,

Just as this serpent devoured the sparrow’s young and the mother herself,

τὸν μὲν ἀρίζηλον θῆκεν θεὸς ὅς περ ἔφηνε·

eight of them, and the mother that bore the young was the ninth,

λᾶαν γάρ μιν ἔθηκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω·

so shall we war here for as many years,

320

ἡμεῖς δʼ ἑσταότες θαυμάζομεν οἷον ἐτύχθη.

but in the tenth year we shall take the wide-wayed city.”

ὡς οὖν δεινὰ πέλωρα θεῶν εἰσῆλθʼ ἑκατόμβας,

Thus spoke he, and now all this is being fulfilled.

Κάλχας δʼ αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτα θεοπροπέων ἀγόρευε·

But come, remain all you well-greaved Achaeans, here until we take the great city of Priam.

τίπτʼ ἄνεῳ ἐγένεσθε κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοί;

So he spoke, and the Argives shouted aloud, and round about the ships echoed terribly under the shouting of the Achaeans,

ἡμῖν μὲν τόδʼ ἔφηνε τέρας μέγα μητίετα Ζεὺς

praising the words of divine Odysseus.

325

ὄψιμον ὀψιτέλεστον, ὅου κλέος οὔ ποτʼ ὀλεῖται.

Then also spoke among them Gerenian horseman Nestor:

ὡς οὗτος κατὰ τέκνα φάγε στρουθοῖο καὶ αὐτὴν

”Ah, indeed, you hold assembly like childish boys to whom war-like deeds are of no concern.

ὀκτώ, ἀτὰρ μήτηρ ἐνάτη ἦν ἣ τέκε τέκνα,

Whither then shall our agreements and oaths depart?

ὣς ἡμεῖς τοσσαῦτʼ ἔτεα πτολεμίξομεν αὖθι,

Into the fire indeed let counsels and plans of men go, and the unmixed libations, and the right hands in which we trusted;

τῷ δεκάτῳ δὲ πόλιν αἱρήσομεν εὐρυάγυιαν.

for in vain do we wrangle with words, nor can we find any remedy, though we have been here for a long time.

330

κεῖνος τὼς ἀγόρευε· τὰ δὴ νῦν πάντα τελεῖται.

Son of Atreus, do you still, as before, holding your purpose unshaken,

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μίμνετε πάντες ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ

lead the Argives through fierce battles,

αὐτοῦ εἰς ὅ κεν ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο ἕλωμεν.

and leave those one or two to waste away, who take counsel apart from the Achaeans—

ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀργεῖοι δὲ μέγʼ ἴαχον, ἀμφὶ δὲ νῆες

yet no accomplishment shall there be for them—

σμερδαλέον κονάβησαν ἀϋσάντων ὑπʼ Ἀχαιῶν,

before returning to Argos, even before knowing whether the promise of aegis-bearing Zeus is a lie or not.

335

μῦθον ἐπαινήσαντες Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο·

For I say indeed that the all-powerful son of Cronos nodded assent on that day when the Argives embarked

τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

on their swift-faring ships, bringing death and fate to the Trojans,

ὦ πόποι ἦ δὴ παισὶν ἐοικότες ἀγοράασθε

flashing lightning on our right, showing signs of good omen.

νηπιάχοις οἷς οὔ τι μέλει πολεμήϊα ἔργα.

Therefore let no one make haste to return home,

πῇ δὴ συνθεσίαι τε καὶ ὅρκια βήσεται ἥμιν;

before he has lain with a wife of some Trojan,

340

ἐν πυρὶ δὴ βουλαί τε γενοίατο μήδεά τʼ ἀνδρῶν

and has avenged the struggles and groans of Helen.

σπονδαί τʼ ἄκρητοι καὶ δεξιαί, ᾗς ἐπέπιθμεν·

But if anyone is terribly eager to return home,

αὔτως γὰρ ἐπέεσσʼ ἐριδαίνομεν, οὐδέ τι μῆχος

let him lay his hand upon his black, well-benched ship,

εὑρέμεναι δυνάμεσθα, πολὺν χρόνον ἐνθάδʼ ἐόντες.

so that he may meet death and fate before the others.

Ἀτρεΐδη σὺ δʼ ἔθʼ ὡς πρὶν ἔχων ἀστεμφέα βουλὴν

But do you, O king, advise well yourself, and heed another;

345

ἄρχευʼ Ἀργείοισι κατὰ κρατερὰς ὑσμίνας,

the word that I speak shall not be one to be cast aside.

τούσδε δʼ ἔα φθινύθειν ἕνα καὶ δύο, τοί κεν Ἀχαιῶν

Separate the men by tribes and by clans, Agamemnon,

νόσφιν βουλεύωσʼ· ἄνυσις δʼ οὐκ ἔσσεται αὐτῶν·

so that clan may aid clan, and tribe aid tribe.

πρὶν Ἄργος δʼ ἰέναι πρὶν³ καὶ Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο

If you do this, and the Achaeans obey you,

γνώμεναι εἴ τε ψεῦδος ὑπόσχεσις εἴ τε καὶ οὐκί.

you will know then which of the leaders is base, and which of the men,

350

φημὶ γὰρ οὖν κατανεῦσαι ὑπερμενέα Κρονίωνα

and who is brave; for they will fight each group by themselves;

ἤματι τῷ ὅτε νηυσὶν ἐν ὠκυπόροισιν ἔβαινον

and you will know whether it is by the will of heaven that you do not sack the city,

Ἀργεῖοι Τρώεσσι φόνον καὶ κῆρα φέροντες

or by the cowardice of the men and their ignorance in war.”

ἀστράπτων ἐπιδέξιʼ ἐναίσιμα σήματα φαίνων.

And to him in answer spoke lord Agamemnon:

τὼ μή τις πρὶν ἐπειγέσθω οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι

”Surely once more, old man, you surpass in speech the sons of the Achaeans.

355

πρίν τινα πὰρ Τρώων ἀλόχῳ κατακοιμηθῆναι,

Would that, O father Zeus, and Athena, and Apollo, I had ten such counsellors among the Achaeans!”

Syntax notes3 items

2.290οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι
The infinitive νέεσθαι, following the verb ὀδύρονται (to wail, lament), functions to express desire or purpose (e.g., 'wail to return home'). It underscores their yearning for repatriation.
2.291ἀνιηθέντα νέεσθαι
The passive participle ἀνιηθέντα is in the accusative, acting as the subject modifier for the infinitive νέεσθαι. It signifies returning in a state of vexation or discouragement (literally, 'one having been vexed to return').
2.348πρὶν Ἄργος δʼ ἰέναι πρὶν
The conjunction πρίν is repeated with the infinitives ἰέναι and (in the next line) γνώμεναι. These clauses depend on the preceding statement about the dissenters, emphasizing that no accomplishment will be made before returning to Argos and before knowing whether Zeus's promise is true.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.284-2.355