- 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-grc2:22.260-22.322
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-02
Achilles rejects Hector's proposal of a mutual covenant, and their duel begins. After both throw their spears without a decisive hit, Hector realizes Athena's deception and his impending death, drawing his sword for a final charge while Achilles prepares to strike with his gleaming spear.
τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
Then, looking at him grimly, swift-footed Achilles addressed him:
Ἕκτορ μή μοι ἄλαστε1 συνημοσύνας ἀγόρευε·
”Hector, you whom I cannot forgive, talk not to me of covenants.
ὡς οὐκ ἔστι λέουσι καὶ ἀνδράσιν ὅρκια πιστά,
As there are no trustworthy oaths between lions and men,
οὐδὲ λύκοι τε καὶ ἄρνες ὁμόφρονα θυμὸν ἔχουσιν,
nor do wolves and lambs have a like-minded heart,
ἀλλὰ κακὰ φρονέουσι διαμπερὲς ἀλλήλοισιν,
but are ever plotting evil against one another,
ὣς οὐκ ἔστʼ ἐμὲ καὶ σὲ φιλήμεναι, οὐδέ τι νῶϊν
so it is not possible for you and me to be friends, nor shall there be
ὅρκια ἔσσονται, πρίν γʼ ἢ ἕτερόν γε πεσόντα2
any covenants between us, until indeed one or the other has fallen
αἵματος ἆσαι Ἄρηα ταλαύρινον πολεμιστήν.
and sated with his blood Ares, the warrior with shield of tough bull’s hide.
παντοίης ἀρετῆς μιμνήσκεο· νῦν σε μάλα χρὴ
Bethink you of every kind of valor; now it greatly behoves you
αἰχμητήν τʼ ἔμεναι καὶ θαρσαλέον πολεμιστήν.
to be a spearman and a daring warrior.
οὔ τοι ἔτʼ ἔσθʼ ὑπάλυξις, ἄφαρ δέ σε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη
No longer is there any escape for you, but straightway Pallas Athena
ἔγχει ἐμῷ δαμάᾳ· νῦν δʼ ἀθρόα πάντʼ ἀποτίσεις
shall vanquish you by my spear; now you shall pay back all at once
κήδεʼ ἐμῶν ἑτάρων οὓς ἔκτανες ἔγχεϊ θύων.
the sorrows of my companions, whom you slew in your fury with the spear.”
ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἀμπεπαλὼν προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος·
He spoke, and poising his far-shadowing spear, he let it fly;
καὶ τὸ μὲν ἄντα ἰδὼν ἠλεύατο φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·
but glorious Hector, looking straight at it, avoided it;
ἕζετο γὰρ προϊδών, τὸ δʼ ὑπέρπτατο χάλκεον ἔγχος,
for he watched it and crouched, and the bronze spear flew over him
ἐν γαίῃ δʼ ἐπάγη· ἀνὰ δʼ ἥρπασε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη,
and fixed itself in the earth; but Pallas Athena snatched it up
ἂψ δʼ Ἀχιλῆϊ δίδου, λάθε δʼ Ἕκτορα ποιμένα λαῶν.
and gave it back to Achilles, unmarked by Hector, shepherd of the people.
Ἕκτωρ δὲ προσέειπεν ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα·
And Hector spoke to the peerless son of Peleus:
ἤμβροτες, οὐδʼ ἄρα πώ τι θεοῖς ἐπιείκελʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ
”You have missed! Not yet then, godlike Achilles,
ἐκ Διὸς ἠείδης τὸν ἐμὸν μόρον, ἦ τοι ἔφης γε·
did you know my fate from Zeus, though indeed you said so;
ἀλλά τις ἀρτιεπὴς καὶ ἐπίκλοπος ἔπλεο μύθων,
but you were only glib of tongue and cunning in your words,
ὄφρά σʼ ὑποδείσας3 μένεος ἀλκῆς τε λάθωμαι.
that fearing you I might forget my strength and my courage.
οὐ μέν μοι φεύγοντι μεταφρένῳ ἐν δόρυ πήξεις,
Not in my back as I flee shall you plant your spear,
ἀλλʼ ἰθὺς μεμαῶτι διὰ στήθεσφιν ἔλασσον
but drive it straight through my breast as I charge right at you,
εἴ τοι ἔδωκε θεός· νῦν αὖτʼ ἐμὸν ἔγχος ἄλευαι
if indeed God has granted it to you. But now avoid my spear
χάλκεον· ὡς δή μιν σῷ ἐν χροῒ πᾶν κομίσαιο.
of bronze; would that you might take it all into your flesh!
καί κεν ἐλαφρότερος πόλεμος Τρώεσσι γένοιτο
And so would the war become lighter for the Trojans,
σεῖο καταφθιμένοιο· σὺ γάρ σφισι πῆμα μέγιστον.
with you dead; for you are their greatest bane.”
ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἀμπεπαλὼν προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος,
He spoke, and poising his far-shadowing spear, he let it fly,
καὶ βάλε Πηλεΐδαο μέσον σάκος οὐδʼ ἀφάμαρτε·
and struck the middle of the shield of Peleus’ son, nor did he miss his mark;
τῆλε δʼ ἀπεπλάγχθη σάκεος δόρυ· χώσατο δʼ Ἕκτωρ
but far from the shield the spear bounded away; and Hector was wroth
ὅττί ῥά οἱ βέλος ὠκὺ ἐτώσιον ἔκφυγε χειρός,
because the swift weapon had flown in vain from his hand,
στῆ δὲ κατηφήσας, οὐδʼ ἄλλʼ ἔχε μείλινον ἔγχος.
and he stood downcast, nor did he have another ashen spear.
Δηΐφοβον δʼ ἐκάλει λευκάσπιδα μακρὸν ἀΰσας·
Then he called to white-shielded Deiphobus, shouting aloud,
ᾔτεέ μιν δόρυ μακρόν· ὃ δʼ οὔ τί οἱ ἐγγύθεν ἦεν.
and asked him for a long spear; but he was nowhere near him.
Ἕκτωρ δʼ ἔγνω ᾗσιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ φώνησέν τε·
And Hector knew in his heart, and spoke, saying:
ὢ πόποι ἦ μάλα δή με θεοὶ θάνατόνδε κάλεσσαν·
”Ah, indeed, the gods have surely called me to my death;
Δηΐφοβον γὰρ ἔγωγʼ ἐφάμην ἥρωα παρεῖναι·
for I thought the hero Deiphobus was at hand,
ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἐν τείχει, ἐμὲ δʼ ἐξαπάτησεν Ἀθήνη.
but he is within the wall, and Athena has deceived me.
νῦν δὲ δὴ ἐγγύθι μοι θάνατος κακός, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἄνευθεν,
Now indeed is evil death near me, and no longer far off,
οὐδʼ ἀλέη· ἦ γάρ ῥα πάλαι τό γε φίλτερον ἦεν
nor is there escape; for surely this was of old more pleasing
Ζηνί τε καὶ Διὸς υἷι ἑκηβόλῳ, οἵ με πάρος γε
to Zeus and to the son of Zeus, the far-shooter, who before this
πρόφρονες εἰρύατο· νῦν αὖτέ με μοῖρα κιχάνει.
would protect me with ready heart; but now my fate has caught me.
μὴ μὰν ἀσπουδί γε καὶ ἀκλειῶς ἀπολοίμην,
Yet let me not perish without a struggle and ingloriously,
ἀλλὰ μέγα ῥέξας τι καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι.4
but after doing some great thing that shall be told to men yet to be.”
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας εἰρύσσατο φάσγανον ὀξύ,
So saying, he drew his sharp sword
τό οἱ ὑπὸ λαπάρην τέτατο μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε,
that hung beneath his flank, great and strong,
οἴμησεν δὲ ἀλεὶς ὥς τʼ αἰετὸς ὑψιπετήεις,
and gathering himself, he swooped like a high-flying eagle
ὅς τʼ εἶσιν πεδίον δὲ διὰ νεφέων ἐρεβεννῶν
that swoops down to the plain through the dark clouds
ἁρπάξων ἢ ἄρνʼ ἀμαλὴν ἤ πτῶκα λαγωόν·
to snatch a tender lamb or a cowering hare;
ὣς Ἕκτωρ οἴμησε τινάσσων φάσγανον ὀξύ.
so Hector swooped, brandishing his sharp sword.
ὁρμήθη δʼ Ἀχιλεύς, μένεος δʼ ἐμπλήσατο θυμὸν
And Achilles rushed on, and filled his heart with wild
ἀγρίου, πρόσθεν δὲ σάκος στέρνοιο κάλυψε
fury, and before his breast he held his shield,
καλὸν δαιδάλεον, κόρυθι δʼ ἐπένευε φαεινῇ
beautiful and wondrously wrought, and nodded with his gleaming helmet
τετραφάλῳ· καλαὶ δὲ περισσείοντο ἔθειραι
of fourfold crest; and fair shook the hairs
χρύσεαι, ἃς Ἥφαιστος ἵει λόφον ἀμφὶ θαμειάς.
of gold, which Hephaestus had set thick about the crest.
οἷος δʼ ἀστὴρ εἶσι μετʼ ἀστράσι νυκτὸς ἀμολγῷ
As a star goes forth among stars in the darkness of night,
ἕσπερος, ὃς κάλλιστος ἐν οὐρανῷ ἵσταται ἀστήρ,
Hesperus, which is set in heaven as the fairest of all stars,
ὣς αἰχμῆς ἀπέλαμπʼ εὐήκεος, ἣν ἄρʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς
even so did light gleam from the sharp spear which Achilles
πάλλεν δεξιτερῇ φρονέων κακὸν Ἕκτορι δίῳ
brandished in his right hand, devising evil for noble Hector,
εἰσορόων χρόα καλόν, ὅπῃ εἴξειε μάλιστα.5
looking closely at his fair flesh, to see where it might most readily yield.
τοῦ δὲ καὶ ἄλλο τόσον μὲν ἔχε χρόα χάλκεα τεύχεα
Now all the rest of his flesh was covered by the bronze armor
- 22.261ἄλαστε
The vocative ἄλαστε, meaning "unforgettable [in evil]" or "accursed," expresses Achilles' relentless hatred and absolute refusal to establish any human terms of negotiation with Hector.
- 22.266πρίν γʼ ἢ ἕτερόν γε πεσόντα
The conjunction πρίν ἤ ("before" or "until") introduces an accusative-and-infinitive construction, where the accusative participle phrase ἕτερον πεσόντα ("one or the other having fallen") acts as the subject of the infinitive ἆσαι ("to sate"), establishing a conditional limit.
- 22.282ὄφρά σʼ ὑποδείσας
The conjunction of purpose ὄφρα ("in order that") takes the subjunctive λάθωμαι. The aorist active participle ὑποδείσας ("having feared") indicates the attendant circumstance or cause, meaning "so that, through fear of you, I might forget my strength."
- 22.305ἀλλὰ μέγα ῥέξας τι καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι
This is an independent use of the infinitive expressing a strong command or resolve, contrasted with the preceding optative of wish ἀπολοίμην ("may I perish"). It conveys Hector's determination: "but rather, let me do some great deed to be heard of by men yet to be."
- 22.321ὅπῃ εἴξειε μάλιστα
The verb εἴξειε inside the indirect question clause introduced by ὅπῃ is an optative of oblique clause (following the past-referential participle εἰσορόων). It represents Achilles' searching thoughts as he scrutinized Hector's body: "where it might most readily yield."