- Source
- Homer. Homeri Opera, Volumes 1-2. Monro, D. B. (David Binning), editor; Allen, Thomas W. (Thomas William), editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908-1920.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:21.133-21.201
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-02
Achilles confronts Asteropaeus, a Lycian-allied Paeonian warrior descended from the river god Axius. After a fierce duel, Achilles slays him and boastfully declares that his lineage from Zeus is far superior to any descent from a river god.
ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς ὀλέεσθε κακὸν μόρον, εἰς ὅ κε πάντες
But even so you shall perish by an evil fate, until you all
τίσετε Πατρόκλοιο φόνον καὶ λοιγὸν Ἀχαιῶν,
pay the price for the slaying of Patroclus and the destruction of the Achaeans,
οὓς ἐπὶ νηυσὶ θοῇσιν ἐπέφνετε νόσφιν ἐμεῖο.
whom you slew by the swift ships in my absence.
ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, ποταμὸς δὲ χολώσατο κηρόθι μᾶλλον,
So he spoke, and the River grew ever more angry at heart,
ὅρμηνεν δʼ ἀνὰ θυμὸν ὅπως παύσειε πόνοιο
and pondered in his mind how he might stay from his labor
δῖον Ἀχιλλῆα, Τρώεσσι δὲ λοιγὸν ἀλάλκοι.
noble Achilles, and ward off destruction from the Trojans.
τόφρα δὲ Πηλέος υἱὸς ἔχων δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος
Meanwhile the son of Peleus, holding his long-shadowed spear,
Ἀστεροπαίῳ ἐπᾶλτο κατακτάμεναι μενεαίνων
leapt upon Asteropaeus, eager to slay him—
υἱέϊ Πηλεγόνος· τὸν δʼ Ἀξιὸς εὐρυρέεθρος
the son of Pelegon; him wide-flowing Axius
γείνατο καὶ Περίβοια Ἀκεσσαμενοῖο θυγατρῶν
had begotten, and Periboea, of the daughters of Acesamenus
πρεσβυτάτη·1 τῇ γάρ ῥα μίγη ποταμὸς βαθυδίνης.
the eldest; for with her lay the deep-eddying River.
τῷ ῥʼ Ἀχιλεὺς ἐπόρουσεν, ὃ δʼ ἀντίος ἐκ ποταμοῖο
Upon him Achilles rushed, and he stood facing him from the river,
ἔστη ἔχων δύο δοῦρε· μένος δέ οἱ ἐν φρεσὶ θῆκε
holding two spears; and courage in his heart was put by
Ξάνθος, ἐπεὶ κεχόλωτο δαϊκταμένων αἰζηῶν,
Xanthus, for he was angered because of the slain youths,
τοὺς Ἀχιλεὺς ἐδάϊζε κατὰ ῥόον οὐδʼ ἐλέαιρεν.
whom Achilles was slaughtering along his stream without pity.
οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦσαν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ἰόντες,
And when they were now come near as they advanced against each other,
τὸν πρότερος προσέειπε ποδάρκης δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς·
swift-footed noble Achilles spoke first to him:
τίς πόθεν εἰς ἀνδρῶν ὅ μευ ἔτλης ἀντίος ἐλθεῖν;
”Who and whence among men are you, that you dare to come against me?
δυστήνων δέ τε παῖδες ἐμῷ μένει ἀντιόωσι.
Unhappy are they whose children face my might.”
τὸν δʼ αὖ Πηλεγόνος προσεφώνεε φαίδιμος υἱός·
And to him in turn the glorious son of Pelegon spoke:
Πηλεΐδη μεγάθυμε τί ἦ γενεὴν ἐρεείνεις;
”Great-hearted son of Peleus, why do you inquire of my lineage?
εἴμʼ ἐκ Παιονίης ἐριβώλου τηλόθʼ ἐούσης
I am from fertile Paeonia, which lies far off,
Παίονας ἄνδρας ἄγων δολιχεγχέας· ἥδε δέ μοι νῦν
leading the long-speared men of Paeonia; and this is now for me
ἠὼς ἑνδεκάτη ὅτε Ἴλιον εἰλήλουθα.
the eleventh morning since I came to Ilios.
αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ γενεὴ ἐξ Ἀξιοῦ εὐρὺ ῥέοντος
But my lineage is from wide-flowing Axius,
Ἀξιοῦ, ὃς κάλλιστον ὕδωρ ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἵησιν,
Axius, who sends the fairest water upon the earth,
ὃς τέκε Πηλεγόνα κλυτὸν ἔγχεϊ· τὸν δʼ ἐμέ φασι
who begot Pelegon famed with the spear; and him they say
γείνασθαι· νῦν αὖτε μαχώμεθα φαίδιμʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ.
begot me. Now let us fight, glorious Achilles.”
ὣς φάτʼ ἀπειλήσας, ὃ δʼ ἀνέσχετο δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς
So he spoke, threatening, and noble Achilles raised
Πηλιάδα μελίην· ὃ δʼ ἁμαρτῇ δούρασιν ἀμφὶς
the Pelian ash spear; but the hero Asteropaeus
ἥρως Ἀστεροπαῖος, ἐπεὶ περιδέξιος ἦεν.2
cast with both spears at once, for he was ambidextrous.
καί ῥʼ ἑτέρῳ μὲν δουρὶ σάκος βάλεν, οὐδὲ διὰ πρὸ
With one spear he struck the shield, yet did not break through
ῥῆξε σάκος· χρυσὸς γὰρ ἐρύκακε δῶρα θεοῖο·
the shield; for the gold stayed it, the gift of the god.
τῷ δʼ ἑτέρῳ μιν πῆχυν ἐπιγράβδην βάλε χειρὸς
But with the other spear he grazed the forearm of Achilles’ right
δεξιτερῆς, σύτο δʼ αἷμα κελαινεφές· ἣ δʼ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ
hand, and the dark blood gushed out; and the spear passed over him
γαίῃ ἐνεστήρικτο λιλαιομένη χροὸς ἆσαι.
and stood fast in the earth, eager to sate itself on his flesh.
δεύτερος αὖτʼ Ἀχιλεὺς μελίην ἰθυπτίωνα
Then Achilles in his turn cast his straight-flying ash spear
Ἀστεροπαίῳ ἐφῆκε κατακτάμεναι μενεαίνων.
at Asteropaeus, eager to slay him.
καὶ τοῦ μέν ῥʼ ἀφάμαρτεν, ὃ δʼ ὑψηλὴν βάλεν ὄχθην,
But him he missed, and struck the high bank,
μεσσοπαγὲς δʼ ἄρʼ ἔθηκε κατʼ ὄχθης μείλινον ἔγχος.
and drove the ash spear deep into the bank up to its middle.
Πηλεΐδης δʼ ἄορ ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ
Then the son of Peleus drew his sharp sword from beside his thigh
ἆλτʼ ἐπί οἱ μεμαώς· ὃ δʼ ἄρα μελίην Ἀχιλῆος
and leapt upon him furiously; and the other was unable with his stout hand
οὐ δύνατʼ ἐκ κρημνοῖο ἐρύσσαι χειρὶ παχείῃ.
to draw Achilles’ ash spear out of the steep bank.
τρὶς μέν μιν πελέμιξεν ἐρύσσασθαι μενεαίνων,
Thrice he shook it, eager to draw it out,
τρὶς δὲ μεθῆκε βίης· τὸ δὲ τέτρατον ἤθελε θυμῷ
and thrice he desisted from his effort; and the fourth time he was eager in heart
ἆξαι ἐπιγνάμψας δόρυ μείλινον Αἰακίδαο,
to bend and break the ash spear of the grandson of Aeacus,
ἀλλὰ πρὶν Ἀχιλεὺς σχεδὸν ἄορι θυμὸν ἀπηύρα.
but before that Achilles came near and robbed him of life with his sword.
γαστέρα γάρ μιν τύψε παρʼ ὀμφαλόν, ἐκ δʼ ἄρα πᾶσαι
For he struck him on the belly beside the navel, and all
χύντο χαμαὶ χολάδες· τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν
his bowels poured out upon the ground; and darkness covered his eyes
ἀσθμαίνοντʼ· Ἀχιλεὺς δʼ ἄρʼ ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὀρούσας
as he gasped; and Achilles leapt upon his breast
τεύχεά τʼ ἐξενάριξε καὶ εὐχόμενος ἔπος ηὔδα·
and stripped off his armor, and boasting spoke:
κεῖσʼ οὕτως· χαλεπόν τοι ἐρισθενέος Κρονίωνος
”Lie as you are; it is hard for you to strive against the children
παισὶν ἐριζέμεναι ποταμοῖό περ ἐκγεγαῶτι.3
of the mighty son of Cronos, even though you are begotten of a River.
φῆσθα σὺ μὲν ποταμοῦ γένος ἔμμεναι εὐρὺ ῥέοντος,
You said indeed that you were of the lineage of a wide-flowing River,
αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ γενεὴν μεγάλου Διὸς εὔχομαι εἶναι.
but I boast myself to be of the lineage of great Zeus.
τίκτέ μʼ ἀνὴρ πολλοῖσιν ἀνάσσων Μυρμιδόνεσσι
A man begot me who rules over many Myrmidons,
Πηλεὺς Αἰακίδης· ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ Αἰακὸς ἐκ Διὸς ἦεν.
Peleus, son of Aeacus; and Aeacus was begotten of Zeus.
τὼ κρείσσων μὲν Ζεὺς ποταμῶν ἁλιμυρηέντων,
Therefore, as Zeus is mightier than rivers that flow to the sea,
κρείσσων αὖτε Διὸς γενεὴ ποταμοῖο4 τέτυκται.
so too is the lineage of Zeus mightier than that of a River.
καὶ γὰρ σοὶ ποταμός γε πάρα μέγας, εἰ δύναταί τι
For indeed a great River is at your hand, if he can in any way
χραισμεῖν· ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔστι Διὶ Κρονίωνι μάχεσθαι,
help you; but it is not possible to fight with Zeus, the son of Cronos.
τῷ οὐδὲ κρείων Ἀχελώϊος ἰσοφαρίζει,
With him not even king Achelous matches himself,
οὐδὲ βαθυρρείταο μέγα σθένος Ὠκεανοῖο,
nor the great might of deep-flowing Oceanus,
ἐξ οὗ περ πάντες ποταμοὶ καὶ πᾶσα θάλασσα
from whom flow all rivers and every sea,
καὶ πᾶσαι κρῆναι καὶ φρείατα μακρὰ νάουσιν·
and all springs and deep wells;
ἀλλὰ καὶ ὃς δείδοικε Διὸς μεγάλοιο κεραυνὸν
yet even he fears the lightning of great Zeus
δεινήν τε βροντήν, ὅτʼ ἀπʼ οὐρανόθεν σμαραγήσῃ.
and his dread thunder, when it crashes from heaven.”
ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἐκ κρημνοῖο ἐρύσσατο χάλκεον ἔγχος,
He spoke, and drew his bronze spear out of the bank,
τὸν δὲ κατʼ αὐτόθι λεῖπεν, ἐπεὶ φίλον ἦτορ ἀπηύρα,
and left him there, since he had robbed him of his life,
- 21.142θυγατρῶν πρεσβυτάτη
"The eldest of the daughters (Periboea)." The genitive θυγατρῶν is a partitive genitive qualifying the superlative adjective πρεσβυτάτη.
- 21.163περιδέξιος ἦεν
"Since he was ambidextrous (he cast with both spears at once)." The adjective περιδέξιος means having two right hands (equally skilled), explaining the physical ability of Asteropaeus to hurl two spears (δούρασιν ἀμφὶς) simultaneously.
- 21.185ποταμοῖό περ ἐκγεγαῶτι
"Even though you are begotten of a River." The dative perfect participle ἐκγεγαῶτι agrees either with the ethical dative pronoun τοι or with the implied subject of the infinitive ἐριζέμεναι which governs the dative, parallel to παισὶν in the preceding line.
- 21.191Διὸς γενεὴ ποταμοῖο
"The lineage of Zeus than (that of) a River." The genitive ποταμοῖο is a genitive of comparison dependent on the comparative adjective κρείσσων (mightier).