Catalogue of Ships: Aegean Islands and Thessaly — Homer, Iliad Book 2 (lines 653–727), Greek & English

653

Τληπόλεμος δʼ Ἡρακλεΐδης ἠΰς τε μέγας τε

Tlepolemus, son of Heracles, both brave and great,

ἐκ Ῥόδου ἐννέα νῆας ἄγεν Ῥοδίων ἀγερώχων,

led nine ships from Rhodes of the lordly Rhodians,

655

οἳ Ῥόδον ἀμφενέμοντο διὰ τρίχα κοσμηθέντες

who dwelt about Rhodes, divided into three tribes,

Λίνδον Ἰηλυσόν τε καὶ ἀργινόεντα Κάμειρον.

Lindos, Ielysos, and chalky Cameiros.

τῶν μὲν Τληπόλεμος δουρὶ κλυτὸς ἡγεμόνευεν,

Of these Tlepolemus, famous with the spear, was leader,

ὃν τέκεν Ἀστυόχεια βίῃ Ἡρακληείῃ,¹

whom Astyocheia bore to the might of Heracles,

τὴν ἄγετʼ ἐξ Ἐφύρης ποταμοῦ ἄπο Σελλήεντος

whom he brought from Ephyre, from the river Selleis,

660

πέρσας ἄστεα πολλὰ διοτρεφέων αἰζηῶν.

after sacking many cities of Zeus-nurtured youths.

Τληπόλεμος δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν τράφʼ ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ εὐπήκτῳ,

But when Tlepolemus had been reared in the well-built palace,

αὐτίκα πατρὸς ἑοῖο φίλον μήτρωα κατέκτα

at once he slew his father’s dear maternal uncle,

ἤδη γηράσκοντα Λικύμνιον ὄζον Ἄρηος·

now growing old, Likymnios, a branch of Ares;

αἶψα δὲ νῆας ἔπηξε, πολὺν δʼ ὅ γε λαὸν ἀγείρας

and quickly he built ships, and having gathered much folk,

665

βῆ φεύγων ἐπὶ πόντον· ἀπείλησαν γάρ οἱ ἄλλοι

he went fleeing over the sea; for they threatened him, the other

υἱέες υἱωνοί τε βίης Ἡρακληείης.

sons and grandsons of the might of Heracles.

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἐς Ῥόδον ἷξεν ἀλώμενος ἄλγεα πάσχων·

But he came to Rhodes, wandering, suffering woes;

τριχθὰ δὲ ᾤκηθεν καταφυλαδόν, ἠδὲ φίληθεν

and they settled in three divisions by tribes, and were loved

ἐκ Διός, ὅς τε θεοῖσι καὶ ἀνθρώποισιν ἀνάσσει,

by Zeus, who rules over gods and men,

670

καί σφιν θεσπέσιον πλοῦτον κατέχευε Κρονίων.

and upon them the son of Cronos poured wondrous wealth.

Νιρεὺς αὖ Σύμηθεν ἄγε τρεῖς νῆας ἐΐσας

Nireus again from Syme led three balanced ships,

Νιρεὺς Ἀγλαΐης υἱὸς Χαρόποιό τʼ ἄνακτος

Nireus, son of Aglaia and lord Charopos,

Νιρεύς, ὃς κάλλιστος ἀνὴρ ὑπὸ Ἴλιον ἦλθε

Nireus, who was the most beautiful man that came beneath Ilium

τῶν ἄλλων Δαναῶν μετʼ ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα·

of all the other Danaans, after the peerless son of Peleus;

675

ἀλλʼ ἀλαπαδνὸς ἔην, παῦρος δέ οἱ εἵπετο λαός.

but he was weak, and few folk followed him.

οἳ δʼ ἄρα Νίσυρόν τʼ εἶχον Κράπαθόν τε Κάσον τε

And they who held Nisyros, and Crapathos, and Casos,

καὶ Κῶν Εὐρυπύλοιο πόλιν νήσους τε Καλύδνας,

and Cos, the city of Eurypylos, and the Calydnian islands,

τῶν αὖ Φείδιππός τε καὶ Ἄντιφος ἡγησάσθην

these again Pheidippus and Antiphus led,

Θεσσαλοῦ υἷε δύω Ἡρακλεΐδαο ἄνακτος·

the two sons of Thessalus, the king, son of Heracles;

680

τοῖς δὲ τριήκοντα γλαφυραὶ νέες ἐστιχόωντο.

and with them thirty hollow ships went in order.

νῦν αὖ τοὺς ὅσσοι² τὸ Πελασγικὸν Ἄργος ἔναιον,

Now again, those who dwelt in Pelasgian Argos,

οἵ τʼ Ἄλον οἵ τʼ Ἀλόπην οἵ τε Τρηχῖνα νέμοντο,

and they who inhabited Alos, and Alope, and Trachis,

οἵ τʼ εἶχον Φθίην ἠδʼ Ἑλλάδα καλλιγύναικα,

and they who held Phthia and Hellas of fair women,

Μυρμιδόνες δὲ καλεῦντο καὶ Ἕλληνες καὶ Ἀχαιοί,

and were called Myrmidons, and Hellenes, and Achaians,

685

τῶν αὖ πεντήκοντα νεῶν ἦν ἀρχὸς Ἀχιλλεύς.

of these again Achilles was leader with fifty ships.

ἀλλʼ οἵ γʼ οὐ πολέμοιο δυσηχέος ἐμνώοντο·

But they did not think of grievous-sounding war;

οὐ γὰρ ἔην ὅς τίς σφιν ἐπὶ στίχας ἡγήσαιτο·

for there was no one who would lead them to the ranks;

κεῖτο γὰρ ἐν νήεσσι ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς

for there lay in his ships swift-foot noble Achilles,

κούρης χωόμενος Βρισηΐδος³ ἠϋκόμοιο,

wroth because of the fair-haired girl Briseis,

690

τὴν ἐκ Λυρνησσοῦ ἐξείλετο πολλὰ μογήσας

whom he had taken out from Lyrnessus after much toil,

Λυρνησσὸν διαπορθήσας καὶ τείχεα Θήβης,

when he sacked Lyrnessus and the walls of Thebe,

κὰδ δὲ Μύνητʼ ἔβαλεν καὶ Ἐπίστροφον ἐγχεσιμώρους,

and smote down Mynes and Epistrophus, fighters with the spear,

υἱέας Εὐηνοῖο Σεληπιάδαο ἄνακτος·

sons of king Evenus, Selepus’ son;

τῆς ὅ γε κεῖτʼ ἀχέων, τάχα δʼ ἀνστήσεσθαι ἔμελλεν.

for her he lay grieving, but soon he was to arise.

695

οἳ δʼ εἶχον Φυλάκην καὶ Πύρασον ἀνθεμόεντα

And they who held Phylace and flowery Pyrasos,

Δήμητρος τέμενος, Ἴτωνά τε μητέρα μήλων,

the sanctuary of Demeter, and Iton, mother of sheep,

ἀγχίαλόν τʼ Ἀντρῶνα ἰδὲ Πτελεὸν λεχεποίην,

and Antron by the sea, and grassy Pteleos,

τῶν αὖ Πρωτεσίλαος ἀρήϊος ἡγεμόνευε

of these again warlike Protesilaos was leader,

ζωὸς ἐών· τότε δʼ ἤδη ἔχεν κάτα γαῖα μέλαινα.

while he was alive; but then already the black earth held him.

700

τοῦ δὲ καὶ ἀμφιδρυφὴς ἄλοχος Φυλάκῃ ἐλέλειπτο

And his wife with torn cheeks was left in Phylace,

καὶ δόμος ἡμιτελής·⁴ τὸν δʼ ἔκτανε Δάρδανος ἀνὴρ

and his house half-finished; and a Dardanian man slew him

νηὸς ἀποθρῴσκοντα πολὺ πρώτιστον Ἀχαιῶν.

as he leaped from his ship, far the first of the Achaians.

οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδʼ οἳ ἄναρχοι ἔσαν, πόθεόν γε μὲν ἀρχόν·

Yet they were not leaderless, though they yearned for their leader;

ἀλλά σφεας κόσμησε Ποδάρκης ὄζος Ἄρηος

but Podarces, a branch of Ares, marshalled them,

705

Ἰφίκλου υἱὸς πολυμήλου Φυλακίδαο

son of Iphiclus, rich in sheep, son of Phylacus,

αὐτοκασίγνητος μεγαθύμου Πρωτεσιλάου

full brother of great-hearted Protesilaos,

ὁπλότερος γενεῇ· ὁ δʼ ἅμα πρότερος καὶ ἀρείων

younger in birth; but the other was older and better,

ἥρως Πρωτεσίλαος ἀρήϊος· οὐδέ τι λαοὶ

the warlike hero Protesilaos; nor did the folk at all

δεύονθʼ ἡγεμόνος, πόθεόν γε μὲν ἐσθλὸν ἐόντα·

lack a leader, though they yearned for him, who was noble;

710

τῷ δʼ ἅμα τεσσαράκοντα μέλαιναι νῆες ἕποντο.

and with him forty black ships followed.

οἳ δὲ Φερὰς ἐνέμοντο παραὶ Βοιβηΐδα λίμνην

And they who dwelt in Pherae by the Boebeian lake,

Βοίβην καὶ Γλαφύρας καὶ ἐϋκτιμένην Ἰαωλκόν,

Boebe, and Glaphyrae, and well-built Iolcus,

τῶν ἦρχʼ Ἀδμήτοιο φίλος πάϊς ἕνδεκα νηῶν

of these the dear son of Admetus was leader, with eleven ships,

Εὔμηλος, τὸν ὑπʼ Ἀδμήτῳ τέκε δῖα γυναικῶν

Eumelus, whom beneath Admetus bore the queenly among women,

715

Ἄλκηστις Πελίαο θυγατρῶν εἶδος ἀρίστη.

Alcestis, in form the best of Pelias’ daughters.

οἳ δʼ ἄρα Μηθώνην καὶ Θαυμακίην ἐνέμοντο

And they who dwelt in Methone and Thaumacia,

καὶ Μελίβοιαν ἔχον καὶ Ὀλιζῶνα τρηχεῖαν,

and held Meliboea and rugged Olizon,

τῶν δὲ Φιλοκτήτης ἦρχεν τόξων ἐῢ εἰδὼς

these Philoctetes led, well-skilled in archery,

ἑπτὰ νεῶν· ἐρέται δʼ ἐν ἑκάστῃ πεντήκοντα

with seven ships; and on each fifty rowers

720

ἐμβέβασαν τόξων εὖ εἰδότες ἶφι μάχεσθαι.

had embarked, well-skilled to fight with the bow amain.

ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἐν νήσῳ κεῖτο κρατέρʼ ἄλγεα πάσχων

But he lay in an island, suffering strong pains,

Λήμνῳ ἐν ἠγαθέῃ, ὅθι μιν λίπον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

in holy Lemnos, where the sons of the Achaians had left him,

ἕλκεϊ μοχθίζοντα κακῷ ὀλοόφρονος ὕδρου·

troubled by the evil wound of a deadly water-snake;

ἔνθʼ ὅ γε κεῖτʼ ἀχέων· τάχα δὲ μνήσεσθαι ἔμελλον

there he lay grieving; but soon they were to remember him,

725

Ἀργεῖοι παρὰ νηυσὶ Φιλοκτήταο ἄνακτος.

the Argives by the ships, of lord Philoctetes.

οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδʼ οἳ ἄναρχοι ἔσαν, πόθεόν γε μὲν ἀρχόν·

Yet they were not leaderless, though they yearned for their leader;

ἀλλὰ Μέδων κόσμησεν Ὀϊλῆος νόθος υἱός,

but Medon marshalled them, the bastard son of Oileus,

Syntax notes4 items

2.658βίῃ Ἡρακληείῃ
A poetic periphrasis ("to the might of Heracles") in the dative case. It stands for the heroic person of Heracles himself, expressing that Astyocheia bore her son to the mighty Heracles.
2.681νῦν αὖ τοὺς ὅσσοι
The passage begins with the accusative 'toùs' as a proleptic antecedent for the relative clauses, but the main clause in §2.685 ultimately resumes with the genitive 'tôn', creating a grammatical anacoluthon common in epic catalogs.
2.689κούρης χωόμενος Βρισηΐδος
The genitive 'koúres' function as a genitive of cause, modifying the participle 'chōómenos' ('being angry') to denote the reason for Achilles' resentment.
2.701δόμος ἡμιτελής
'Half-finished house', indicating either that the physical construction of his newly established home was left incomplete, or metaphorically that his family and domestic lineage remained unfinished due to his untimely death immediately after marriage.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.653-2.727