Agamemnon Tests the Troops with a False Order — Homer, Iliad Book 2 (lines 71–143), Greek & English

ᾤχετʼ ἀποπτάμενος, ἐμὲ δὲ γλυκὺς ὕπνος ἀνῆκεν.

He departed, flying away, and sweet sleep released me.

ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ αἴ κέν πως θωρήξομεν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν·

But come, let us see if we can somehow arm the sons of the Achaeans.

πρῶτα δʼ ἐγὼν ἔπεσιν πειρήσομαι, ἣ θέμις ἐστί,

First I will test them with words, as is right,

καὶ φεύγειν σὺν νηυσὶ πολυκλήϊσι κελεύσω·

and I will bid them flee with their many-bench ships;

ὑμεῖς δʼ ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος ἐρητύειν¹ ἐπέεσσιν.

but do you, from one side and another, hold them back with words.”

ἤτοι ὅ γʼ ὣς εἰπὼν κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο, τοῖσι δʼ ἀνέστη

He indeed, having thus spoken, sat down, and among them arose

Νέστωρ, ὅς ῥα Πύλοιο ἄναξ ἦν ἠμαθόεντος,

Nestor, who was the king of sandy Pylos;

ὅ σφιν ἐὺ φρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

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

ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες

”O friends, leaders and rulers of the Argives,

εἰ μέν τις τὸν ὄνειρον Ἀχαιῶν ἄλλος ἔνισπε

if any other of the Achaeans had told this dream,

ψεῦδός κεν φαῖμεν καὶ νοσφιζοίμεθα μᾶλλον·²

we should call it a lie and turn away from it all the more;

νῦν δʼ ἴδεν ὃς μέγʼ ἄριστος Ἀχαιῶν εὔχεται εἶναι·

but now he has seen it who claims to be by far the best of the Achaeans.

ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ αἴ κέν πως θωρήξομεν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν.

But come, let us see if we can somehow arm the sons of the Achaeans.”

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας βουλῆς ἐξῆρχε νέεσθαι,

Having thus spoken, he led the way to go out of the council,

οἳ δʼ ἐπανέστησαν πείθοντό τε ποιμένι λαῶν

and they rose up and obeyed the shepherd of the people,

σκηπτοῦχοι βασιλῆες· ἐπεσσεύοντο δὲ λαοί.

the sceptred kings; and the people hurried after them.

ἠΰτε ἔθνεα εἶσι μελισσάων ἁδινάων

Even as go the swarms of crowding bees,

πέτρης ἐκ γλαφυρῆς αἰεὶ νέον ἐρχομενάων,

coming ever anew from a hollow rock,

βοτρυδὸν δὲ πέτονται ἐπʼ ἄνθεσιν εἰαρινοῖσιν·

and they fly in clusters over the flowers of spring;

αἳ μέν τʼ ἔνθα ἅλις πεποτήαται, αἳ δέ τε ἔνθα·

some fly thick on this side, and some on that;

ὣς τῶν ἔθνεα πολλὰ νεῶν ἄπο καὶ κλισιάων

so from the ships and huts their many nations

ἠϊόνος προπάροιθε βαθείης ἐστιχόωντο

marched in companies along the deep beach

ἰλαδὸν εἰς ἀγορήν· μετὰ δέ σφισιν ὄσσα δεδήει

to the assembly. And among them blazed Rumour,

ὀτρύνουσʼ ἰέναι Διὸς ἄγγελος· οἳ δʼ ἀγέροντο.

messenger of Zeus, urging them to go; and they were gathered.

τετρήχει δʼ ἀγορή, ὑπὸ δὲ στεναχίζετο γαῖα

The assembly was troubled, and the earth groaned beneath them

λαῶν ἱζόντων, ὅμαδος δʼ ἦν· ἐννέα δέ σφεας

as the people sat down, and there was a tumult. But nine

κήρυκες βοόωντες ἐρήτυον, εἴ ποτʼ ἀϋτῆς

heralds with shouting held them back, if ever from crying

σχοίατʼ,³ ἀκούσειαν δὲ διοτρεφέων βασιλήων.

they would refrain and listen to the kings, nurtured by Zeus.

σπουδῇ δʼ ἕζετο λαός, ἐρήτυθεν δὲ καθʼ ἕδρας

And with difficulty the people sat down, and were kept to their seats,

100

παυσάμενοι κλαγγῆς· ἀνὰ δὲ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων

ceasing from their clamour. And up rose lord Agamemnon,

ἔστη σκῆπτρον ἔχων τὸ μὲν Ἥφαιστος κάμε τεύχων.

holding the sceptre which Hephaestus had toilfully made.

Ἥφαιστος μὲν δῶκε Διὶ Κρονίωνι ἄνακτι,

Hephaestus gave it to lord Zeus, son of Cronos,

αὐτὰρ ἄρα Ζεὺς δῶκε διακτόρῳ ἀργεϊφόντῃ·

and Zeus gave it to the messenger, the slayer of Argus;

Ἑρμείας δὲ ἄναξ δῶκεν Πέλοπι πληξίππῳ,

and lord Hermes gave it to Pelops, striker of horses,

105

αὐτὰρ ὃ αὖτε Πέλοψ δῶκʼ Ἀτρέϊ ποιμένι λαῶν,

and Pelops in turn gave it to Atreus, shepherd of the people;

Ἀτρεὺς δὲ θνῄσκων ἔλιπεν πολύαρνι Θυέστῃ,

and Atreus at his death left it to Thyestes, rich in flocks,

αὐτὰρ ὃ αὖτε Θυέστʼ Ἀγαμέμνονι λεῖπε φορῆναι,

and Thyestes in turn left it to Agamemnon to bear,

πολλῇσιν νήσοισι καὶ Ἄργεϊ παντὶ ἀνάσσειν.

to rule over many islands and all of Argos.

τῷ ὅ γʼ ἐρεισάμενος ἔπεʼ Ἀργείοισι μετηύδα·

Leaning upon this sceptre, he spoke words among the Argives:

110

ὦ φίλοι ἥρωες Δαναοὶ θεράποντες Ἄρηος

”O friends, Danaan heroes, squires of Ares,

Ζεύς με μέγα Κρονίδης ἄτῃ ἐνέδησε βαρείῃ,

Zeus, son of Cronos, has bound me fast in heavy blindness,

σχέτλιος, ὃς πρὶν μέν μοι ὑπέσχετο καὶ κατένευσεν

harsh king! who once promised me and bowed his head

Ἴλιον ἐκπέρσαντʼ εὐτείχεον ἀπονέεσθαι,

that I should return home when I had destroyed well-walled Ilium,

νῦν δὲ κακὴν ἀπάτην βουλεύσατο, καί με κελεύει

but now he has planned a cruel deceit, and bids me

115

δυσκλέα Ἄργος ἱκέσθαι, ἐπεὶ πολὺν ὤλεσα λαόν.

return to Argos inglorious, after I have lost many people.

οὕτω που Διὶ μέλλει ὑπερμενέϊ φίλον εἶναι,

Thus, I suppose, it must be well-pleasing to all-powerful Zeus,

ὃς δὴ πολλάων πολίων κατέλυσε κάρηνα

who has laid low the heads of many cities,

ἠδʼ ἔτι καὶ λύσει· τοῦ γὰρ κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον.

and will yet lay them low; for his power is greatest.

αἰσχρὸν γὰρ τόδε γʼ ἐστὶ καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι

For this is a shameful thing even for men of later days to hear,

120

μὰψ οὕτω τοιόνδε τοσόνδε τε λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν

that in vain such a great and goodly host of Achaeans

ἄπρηκτον πόλεμον πολεμίζειν ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι

should wage a bootless war and fight

ἀνδράσι παυροτέροισι, τέλος δʼ οὔ πώ τι πέφανται·

with men fewer than they, and no end has yet appeared.

εἴ περ γάρ κʼ ἐθέλοιμεν Ἀχαιοί τε Τρῶές τε

For if we should wish, both Achaeans and Trojans,

ὅρκια πιστὰ ταμόντες ἀριθμηθήμεναι ἄμφω,

to strike a solemn oath and to be numbered both,

125

Τρῶας μὲν λέξασθαι ἐφέστιοι ὅσσοι ἔασιν,

and the Trojans should gather all who have hearths in the city,

ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐς δεκάδας διακοσμηθεῖμεν Ἀχαιοί,

and we Achaeans should be marshalled into tens,

Τρώων δʼ ἄνδρα ἕκαστοι ἑλοίμεθα οἰνοχοεύειν,

and we should choose each group of us a Trojan to pour wine,

πολλαί κεν δεκάδες δευοίατο⁴ οἰνοχόοιο.

many tens would lack a cupbearer.

τόσσον ἐγώ φημι πλέας ἔμμεναι υἷας Ἀχαιῶν

So far, I say, do the sons of the Achaeans outnumber

130

Τρώων, οἳ ναίουσι κατὰ πτόλιν· ἀλλʼ ἐπίκουροι

the Trojans who dwell in the city. But there are allies

πολλέων ἐκ πολίων ἐγχέσπαλοι ἄνδρες ἔασιν,

from many cities, spear-brandishing men,

οἵ με μέγα πλάζουσι καὶ οὐκ εἰῶσʼ ἐθέλοντα

who greatly hinder me and do not suffer me, though I wish it,

Ἰλίου ἐκπέρσαι εὖ ναιόμενον πτολίεθρον.

to sack the well-inhabited city of Ilium.

ἐννέα δὴ βεβάασι Διὸς μεγάλου ἐνιαυτοί,

Already nine years of great Zeus have gone by,

135

καὶ δὴ δοῦρα σέσηπε νεῶν καὶ σπάρτα λέλυνται·

and now the timbers of our ships are rotted and the rigging is slackened.

αἳ δέ που ἡμέτεραί τʼ ἄλοχοι καὶ νήπια τέκνα

And our wives and little children

εἵατʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροις ποτιδέγμεναι· ἄμμι δὲ ἔργον

sit in their halls waiting for us; but our work

αὔτως ἀκράαντον οὗ εἵνεκα δεῦρʼ ἱκόμεσθα.

is still unaccomplished, for the sake of which we came hither.

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες·

But come, as I shall speak, let us all obey;

140

φεύγωμεν σὺν νηυσὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν·

let us flee with our ships to our dear native land;

οὐ γὰρ ἔτι Τροίην αἱρήσομεν εὐρυάγυιαν.

for no longer shall we take wide-wayed Troy.”

ὣς φάτο, τοῖσι δὲ θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε

So he spoke, and he stirred the heart in the breasts of all

πᾶσι μετὰ πληθὺν ὅσοι οὐ βουλῆς ἐπάκουσαν·

among the multitude, whoever had not heard the council.

Syntax notes4 items

2.75ἐρητύειν
Present infinitive of the verb ἐρητύω (to hold back). Here it functions as an infinitive of command (imperative infinitive) addressed to the second person plural, with the subject phrase ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος serving as the subject of the infinitive.
2.81ψεῦδός κεν φαῖμεν καὶ νοσφιζοίμεθα μᾶλλον
Apodosis with the particle κεν and the optatives φαῖμεν and νοσφιζοίμεθα. In Homeric grammar, this construction expresses a past contrary-to-fact condition following the past indicative (ἔνισπε) in the protasis: "we should have called it a lie and turned away from it.’
2.98σχοίατʼ
Third-person plural aorist middle optative of the verb ἔχω (to hold back, refrain), showing the poetic (Ionic) ending -ατο instead of -οντο. Combined with εἴ ποτε, it introduces a clause of hope or expectation: "if ever they might refrain from their clamour.’
2.128δευοίατο
Third-person plural present/imperfect middle optative of the verb δέομαι (to lack, stand in need of), with the poetic (Ionic) ending -ατο instead of -οντο. Used with κεν in the apodosis to express a potential or hypothetical outcome: "many tens would lack a cupbearer.’

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.71-2.143