Duel of Aeneas and Achilles and Poseidon's Pity — Homer, Iliad Book 20 (lines 221–292), Greek & English

221

τοῦ τρισχίλιαι ἵπποι ἕλος κάτα βουκολέοντο

Of these Erichthonius had three thousand female horses that pastured along the marshland,

θήλειαι, πώλοισιν ἀγαλλόμεναι ἀταλῇσι.

rejoicing in their tender foals.

τάων καὶ Βορέης ἠράσσατο βοσκομενάων,

Of these Boreas fell in love as they pastured,

ἵππῳ δʼ εἰσάμενος παρελέξατο κυανοχαίτῃ·

and taking the likeness of a dark-maned horse, he lay beside them;

225

αἳ δʼ ὑποκυσάμεναι ἔτεκον δυοκαίδεκα πώλους.

and they conceived and bore twelve foals.

αἳ δʼ ὅτε μὲν σκιρτῷεν ἐπὶ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν,

And these, when they leaped over the grain-giving earth,

ἄκρον ἐπʼ ἀνθερίκων καρπὸν θέον οὐδὲ κατέκλων·

would run over the topmost ears of grain and not break them;

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ σκιρτῷεν ἐπʼ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης,

but when they leaped over the wide back of the sea,

ἄκρον ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνος ἁλὸς πολιοῖο θέεσκον.

they would run over the topmost surf of the grey water.

230

Τρῶα δʼ Ἐριχθόνιος τέκετο Τρώεσσιν ἄνακτα·

And Erichthonius begot Tros to be king of the Trojans;

Τρωὸς δʼ αὖ τρεῖς παῖδες ἀμύμονες ἐξεγένοντο

and from Tros in turn three noble sons were born,

Ἶλός τʼ Ἀσσάρακός τε καὶ ἀντίθεος Γανυμήδης,

Ilus and Assaracus and godlike Ganymede,

ὃς δὴ κάλλιστος γένετο θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων·

who was indeed the most beautiful of mortal men;

τὸν καὶ ἀνηρείψαντο θεοὶ Διὶ οἰνοχοεύειν

him the gods caught up for his beauty, that he might dwell

235

κάλλεος εἵνεκα οἷο ἵνʼ ἀθανάτοισι μετείη.

among the immortals and be pourer of wine for Zeus.

Ἶλος δʼ αὖ τέκεθʼ υἱὸν ἀμύμονα Λαομέδοντα·

And Ilus in turn begot a noble son, Laomedon;

Λαομέδων δʼ ἄρα Τιθωνὸν τέκετο Πρίαμόν τε

and Laomedon begot Tithonus and Priam,

Λάμπον τε Κλυτίον θʼ Ἱκετάονά τʼ ὄζον Ἄρηος·

Lampus and Clytius and Hicetaon, scion of Ares;

Ἀσσάρακος δὲ Κάπυν, ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ Ἀγχίσην τέκε παῖδα·

and Assaracus begot Capys, and he begot his son Anchises;

240

αὐτὰρ ἔμʼ Ἀγχίσης, Πρίαμος δʼ ἔτεχʼ Ἕκτορα δῖον.

and Anchises begot me, and Priam begot noble Hector.

ταύτης τοι γενεῆς τε καὶ αἵματος εὔχομαι εἶναι.

Of this lineage and blood I boast myself to be.

Ζεὺς δʼ ἀρετὴν ἄνδρεσσιν ὀφέλλει τε μινύθει τε

But Zeus increases and diminishes prowess for men,

ὅππως κεν ἐθέλῃσιν· ὃ γὰρ κάρτιστος ἁπάντων.

even as he wills; for he is the most powerful of all.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μηκέτι ταῦτα λεγώμεθα νηπύτιοι ὣς

But come, let us no longer talk of these things like children,

245

ἑσταότʼ¹ ἐν μέσσῃ ὑσμίνῃ δηϊοτῆτος.

standing in the midst of the battle of combat.

ἔστι γὰρ ἀμφοτέροισιν ὀνείδεα μυθήσασθαι

For there are many reproaches for both of us to utter,

πολλὰ μάλʼ, οὐδʼ ἂν νηῦς ἑκατόζυγος ἄχθος ἄροιτο.

so many that not even a ship of a hundred benches could carry the load.

στρεπτὴ δὲ γλῶσσʼ ἐστὶ βροτῶν, πολέες δʼ ἔνι μῦθοι

For the tongue of mortals is supple, and therein are many words

παντοῖοι, ἐπέων δὲ πολὺς νομὸς ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα.

of every kind, and the pasture of words is wide on this side and on that.

250

ὁπποῖόν κʼ εἴπῃσθα ἔπος, τοῖόν κʼ ἐπακούσαις.

Whatever word you speak, such you will also hear in return.

ἀλλὰ τί ἢ ἔριδας καὶ νείκεα νῶϊν ἀνάγκη

But what need is there for the two of us to argue

νεικεῖν ἀλλήλοισιν ἐναντίον ὥς τε γυναῖκας,

and wrangle with each other face to face, like women

αἵ τε χολωσάμεναι ἔριδος πέρι θυμοβόροιο

who, growing angry in a soul-devouring quarrel,

νεικεῦσʼ ἀλλήλῃσι μέσην ἐς ἄγυιαν ἰοῦσαι

go out into the middle of the street and abuse one another

255

πόλλʼ ἐτεά τε καὶ οὐκί· χόλος δέ τε καὶ τὰ κελεύει.

with many words, both true and false; for anger drives them to it.

ἀλκῆς δʼ οὔ μʼ ἐπέεσσιν ἀποτρέψεις μεμαῶτα

But you will not turn me from my prowess with words, eager as I am,

πρὶν χαλκῷ μαχέσασθαι ἐναντίον· ἀλλʼ ἄγε θᾶσσον

before we fight with bronze face to face; but come, let us quickly

γευσόμεθʼ ἀλλήλων χαλκήρεσιν ἐγχείῃσιν.

test each other with our bronze-shod spears.”

ἦ ῥα καὶ ἐν δεινῷ σάκει ἤλασεν ὄβριμον ἔγχος

He spoke, and drove his mighty spear against the terrible,

260

σμερδαλέῳ· μέγα δʼ ἀμφὶ σάκος μύκε δουρὸς ἀκωκῇ.

dread shield; and the great shield rang loud under the spear-point.

Πηλεΐδης δὲ σάκος μὲν ἀπὸ ἕο χειρὶ παχείῃ

And the son of Peleus held the shield away from him with his stout hand,

ἔσχετο ταρβήσας· φάτο γὰρ δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος

fearing; for he thought that the long-shadowing spear

ῥέα διελεύσεσθαι μεγαλήτορος Αἰνείαο

of great-hearted Aeneas would easily pierce through it—

νήπιος, οὐδʼ ἐνόησε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμὸν

fool that he was, nor did he think in his mind and heart

265

ὡς οὐ ῥηΐδιʼ ἐστὶ θεῶν ἐρικυδέα δῶρα

that the glorious gifts of the gods are not easy

ἀνδράσι γε θνητοῖσι δαμήμεναι² οὐδʼ ὑποείκειν.

for mortal men to break or to yield to.

οὐδὲ τότʼ Αἰνείαο δαΐφρονος ὄβριμον ἔγχος

Not even then did the mighty spear of wise-hearted Aeneas

ῥῆξε σάκος· χρυσὸς γὰρ ἐρύκακε, δῶρα θεοῖο·

break the shield; for the gold, the gift of the god, held it back.

ἀλλὰ δύω μὲν ἔλασσε διὰ πτύχας, αἳ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔτι τρεῖς

Yet it drove through two layers, but there were still three;

270

ἦσαν, ἐπεὶ πέντε πτύχας ἤλασε κυλλοποδίων,

for the limping god had beaten out five layers,

τὰς δύο χαλκείας, δύο δʼ ἔνδοθι κασσιτέροιο,

two of bronze, two within of tin,

τὴν δὲ μίαν χρυσῆν, τῇ ῥʼ ἔσχετο μείλινον ἔγχος.

and one of gold, by which the ashen spear was stayed.

δεύτερος αὖτʼ Ἀχιλεὺς προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος,

Then Achilles in turn let fly his long-shadowing spear,

καὶ βάλεν Αἰνείαο κατʼ ἀσπίδα πάντοσʼ ἐΐσην

and struck the shield of Aeneas, well-balanced on every side,

275

ἄντυγʼ ὕπο πρώτην, ᾗ λεπτότατος θέε χαλκός,

just under the outermost rim, where the bronze ran thinnest,

λεπτοτάτη δʼ ἐπέην ῥινὸς βοός· ἣ δὲ διὰ πρὸ

and thinnest was the hide of ox upon it; and clean through

Πηλιὰς ἤϊξεν μελίη, λάκε δʼ ἀσπὶς ὑπʼ αὐτῆς.

rushed the Pelian ash, and the shield rang under it.

Αἰνείας δʼ ἐάλη καὶ ἀπὸ ἕθεν ἀσπίδʼ ἀνέσχε

And Aeneas shrank back and held the shield away from him,

δείσας· ἐγχείη δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ νώτου ἐνὶ γαίῃ

fearing; and the spear passed over his back and stood in the ground

280

ἔστη ἱεμένη, διὰ δʼ ἀμφοτέρους ἕλε κύκλους

eagerly, having torn through both circles of the man-protecting shield.

ἀσπίδος ἀμφιβρότης· ὃ δʼ ἀλευάμενος δόρυ μακρὸν

And having avoided the long spear, he stood,

ἔστη, κὰδ δʼ ἄχος οἱ χύτο μυρίον ὀφθαλμοῖσι,

and boundless grief was poured over his eyes, as he was struck with terror

ταρβήσας ὅ οἱ ἄγχι πάγη βέλος. αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς

that the weapon had fixed itself so near him. But Achilles

ἐμμεμαὼς ἐπόρουσεν ἐρυσσάμενος ξίφος ὀξὺ

rushed eagerly upon him, drawing his sharp sword,

285

σμερδαλέα ἰάχων· ὃ δὲ χερμάδιον λάβε χειρὶ

crying a terrible cry; and Aeneas grasped in his hand a stone—

Αἰνείας, μέγα ἔργον, ὃ οὐ δύο γʼ ἄνδρε φέροιεν,

a mighty deed, which not two men could carry, such as

οἷοι νῦν βροτοί εἰσʼ· ὃ δέ μιν ῥέα πάλλε καὶ οἶος.

mortals are now; yet he easily wielded it even alone.

ἔνθά κεν³ Αἰνείας μὲν ἐπεσσύμενον βάλε πέτρῳ

There Aeneas would have struck him with the stone as he rushed on,

ἢ κόρυθʼ ἠὲ σάκος, τό οἱ ἤρκεσε λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον,

either on the helmet or the shield, which warded off from him grim destruction,

290

τὸν δέ κε Πηλεΐδης σχεδὸν ἄορι θυμὸν ἀπηύρα,

and the son of Peleus would have taken his life close at hand with his sword,

εἰ μὴ ἄρʼ ὀξὺ νόησε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων·

if Poseidon, the earth-shaker, had not quickly noticed it;

αὐτίκα δʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖς μετὰ μῦθον ἔειπεν·

and straightway he spoke among the immortal gods:

Syntax notes3 items

20.245ἑσταότʼ
An elided form of the perfect dual accusative participle ἑσταότε. It functions as the subject accusative of the implied infinitive, referring in context to both Achilles and Aeneas ('that we two should stand').
20.266δαμήμεναι
The Homeric form of the passive infinitive δαμῆναι. It functions as the subject of the impersonal expression οὐ ῥηΐδιʼ ἐστὶ ('it is not easy') introduced by ὡς (equivalent to ὅτι) in the preceding line.
20.288ἔνθά κεν
The beginning of the apodosis of a past contrafactual conditional sentence marked by the particle κέν (ἄν). It corresponds with the protasis in line 291 (εἰ μὴ... νόησε, 'if he had not noticed'), describing an event that was on the verge of happening but did not.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — source 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:20.221-20.292