Hecabe's Plea and Hector's Soliloquy Before Achilles — Homer, Iliad Book 22 (lines 65–128), Greek & English

ἑλκομένας τε νυοὺς ὀλοῇς ὑπὸ χερσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.

and my daughters-in-law dragged away by the destructive hands of the Achaeans.

αὐτὸν δʼ ἂν πύματόν με κύνες¹ πρώτῃσι θύρῃσιν

And myself last of all at the street door will dogs

ὠμησταὶ ἐρύουσιν, ἐπεί κέ τις ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ

devour raw, when some one with the sharp bronze

τύψας ἠὲ βαλὼν ῥεθέων ἐκ θυμὸν ἕληται,

has smitten or cast at me and taken the life from my limbs,

οὓς τρέφον ἐν μεγάροισι τραπεζῆας θυραωρούς,

those dogs that I reared in my halls to watch my gates and eat from my table,

οἵ κʼ ἐμὸν αἷμα πιόντες ἀλύσσοντες περὶ θυμῷ

which, having drunk my blood, with maddened minds

κείσοντʼ ἐν προθύροισι. νέῳ δέ τε πάντʼ ἐπέοικεν

will lie in the porch. For a young man it is altogether seemly

ἄρηϊ κταμένῳ δεδαϊγμένῳ ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ

to lie slain in battle, torn by the sharp bronze;

κεῖσθαι· πάντα δὲ καλὰ θανόντι περ ὅττι φανήῃ·²

though he be dead, all things that are revealed are fair.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ πολιόν τε κάρη πολιόν τε γένειον

But when the white head and the white beard

αἰδῶ τʼ αἰσχύνωσι κύνες κταμένοιο γέροντος,

and the nakedness of a slain old man are defiled by dogs,

τοῦτο δὴ οἴκτιστον πέλεται δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσιν.

this is indeed the most piteous thing that comes to wretched mortals.”

ἦ ῥʼ ὃ γέρων, πολιὰς δʼ ἄρʼ ἀνὰ τρίχας ἕλκετο χερσὶ

The old man spoke, and with his hands tore his grey hair

τίλλων ἐκ κεφαλῆς· οὐδʼ Ἕκτορι θυμὸν ἔπειθε.

plucking it from his head; but he did not persuade the heart of Hector.

μήτηρ δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρωθεν ὀδύρετο δάκρυ χέουσα

And his mother on her part wailed, shedding tears,

κόλπον ἀνιεμένη, ἑτέρηφι δὲ μαζὸν ἀνέσχε·

loosening her robe, while with the other hand she held out her breast;

καί μιν δάκρυ χέουσʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and shedding tears she spoke to him winged words:

Ἕκτορ τέκνον ἐμὸν τάδε τʼ αἴδεο καί μʼ ἐλέησον

”Hector, my child, respect this and have pity on me

αὐτήν, εἴ ποτέ τοι λαθικηδέα μαζὸν ἐπέσχον·

myself, if ever I gave you the breast to lull your cares;

τῶν μνῆσαι φίλε τέκνον ἄμυνε δὲ δήϊον ἄνδρα

remember these things, dear child, and ward off the foe

τείχεος ἐντὸς ἐών, μὴ δὲ πρόμος ἵστασο τούτῳ

from within the wall; do not stand to face him as champion,

σχέτλιος· εἴ περ γάρ σε κατακτάνῃ, οὔ σʼ ἔτʼ ἔγωγε

headstrong man! For if he kills you, never will I

κλαύσομαι ἐν λεχέεσσι φίλον θάλος, ὃν τέκον αὐτή,

weep for you on a bier, my sweet blossom, whom I myself bore,

οὐδʼ ἄλοχος πολύδωρος· ἄνευθε δέ σε μέγα νῶϊν

nor will your richly-dowered wife; but far away from both of us

Ἀργείων παρὰ νηυσὶ κύνες ταχέες κατέδονται.

by the ships of the Argives will swift dogs devour you.”

ὣς τώ γε κλαίοντε προσαυδήτην φίλον υἱὸν

Thus they with wailing spoke to their dear son,

πολλὰ λισσομένω· οὐδʼ Ἕκτορι θυμὸν ἔπειθον,

entreating him instantly; but they could not persuade the heart of Hector,

ἀλλʼ ὅ γε μίμνʼ Ἀχιλῆα πελώριον ἆσσον ἰόντα.

but he waited for giant Achilles as he drew near.

ὡς δὲ δράκων ἐπὶ χειῇ ὀρέστερος ἄνδρα μένῃσι

And as a serpent of the mountain awaits a man at his lair,

βεβρωκὼς κακὰ φάρμακʼ, ἔδυ δέ τέ μιν χόλος αἰνός,

having fed on evil herbs, and dread wrath has entered into him,

σμερδαλέον δὲ δέδορκεν ἑλισσόμενος περὶ χειῇ·

and terribly he glares as he coils about his hole;

ὣς Ἕκτωρ ἄσβεστον ἔχων μένος οὐχ ὑπεχώρει

even so Hector with unquenchable courage would not retreat,

πύργῳ ἔπι προὔχοντι φαεινὴν ἀσπίδʼ ἐρείσας·

leaning his bright shield against a jutting tower.

ὀχθήσας δʼ ἄρα εἶπε πρὸς ὃν μεγαλήτορα θυμόν·

Then, deeply moved, he spoke to his own great-hearted soul:

ὤ μοι ἐγών, εἰ μέν κε πύλας καὶ τείχεα δύω,

”Ah, woe is me! If I pass within the gates and the wall,

100

Πουλυδάμας μοι πρῶτος ἐλεγχείην ἀναθήσει,

Polydamas will be the first to heap reproach on me,

ὅς μʼ ἐκέλευε Τρωσὶ ποτὶ πτόλιν ἡγήσασθαι

who bade me lead the Trojans to the city

νύχθʼ ὕπο τήνδʼ ὀλοὴν ὅτε τʼ ὤρετο δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.

on that fatal night when noble Achilles arose.

ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ οὐ πιθόμην· ἦ τʼ ἂν πολὺ κέρδιον ἦεν.

But I did not listen; yet surely it would have been far better.

νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ ὤλεσα λαὸν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ἐμῇσιν,

But now, since I have ruined the people by my own folly,

105

αἰδέομαι Τρῶας καὶ Τρῳάδας ἑλκεσιπέπλους,

I am ashamed before the Trojan men and Trojan women with trailing robes,

μή ποτέ τις εἴπῃσι κακώτερος ἄλλος ἐμεῖο·

lest some other, a worse man than I, should say:

Ἕκτωρ ἧφι βίηφι πιθήσας ὤλεσε λαόν.

’Hector, trusting in his own might, has ruined the people.’

ὣς ἐρέουσιν· ἐμοὶ δὲ τότʼ ἂν πολὺ κέρδιον εἴη

So will they say; but for me then it would be far better

ἄντην ἢ Ἀχιλῆα κατακτείναντα νέεσθαι,

to face Achilles and slay him, and so return home,

110

ἠέ κεν αὐτῷ ὀλέσθαι ἐϋκλειῶς πρὸ πόληος.

or itself to die gloriously at his hands in front of the city.

εἰ δέ κεν ἀσπίδα μὲν καταθείομαι³ ὀμφαλόεσσαν

But what if I lay down my bossed shield

καὶ κόρυθα βριαρήν, δόρυ δὲ πρὸς τεῖχος ἐρείσας

and heavy helmet, and leaning my spear against the wall,

αὐτὸς ἰὼν Ἀχιλῆος ἀμύμονος ἀντίος ἔλθω

go forth myself to meet noble Achilles face to face,

καί οἱ ὑπόσχωμαι Ἑλένην καὶ κτήμαθʼ ἅμʼ αὐτῇ,

and promise him that Helen, and with her all the treasure

115

πάντα μάλʼ ὅσσά τʼ Ἀλέξανδρος κοίλῃς ἐνὶ νηυσὶν

even all that Alexander brought in his hollow ships

ἠγάγετο Τροίηνδʼ, ἥ τʼ ἔπλετο νείκεος ἀρχή,

to Troy, which was the beginning of the strife,

δωσέμεν Ἀτρεΐδῃσιν ἄγειν, ἅμα δʼ ἀμφὶς Ἀχαιοῖς

we will give to the sons of Atreus to take away, and furthermore that with the Achaeans

ἄλλʼ ἀποδάσσεσθαι ὅσα τε πτόλις ἥδε κέκευθε·

we will share equally all else that this city contains;

Τρωσὶν δʼ αὖ μετόπισθε γερούσιον ὅρκον ἕλωμαι

and if I then take an oath from the Trojans in council

120

μή τι κατακρύψειν, ἀλλʼ ἄνδιχα πάντα δάσασθαι

to hide nothing, but to divide all in two portions,

κτῆσιν ὅσην πτολίεθρον ἐπήρατον ἐντὸς ἐέργει·

even all the wealth that this lovely city holds within it?

ἀλλὰ τί ἤ μοι ταῦτα φίλος διελέξατο θυμός;

But why does my heart debate these things with me?

μή μιν ἐγὼ μὲν ἵκωμαι ἰών, ὃ δέ μʼ οὐκ ἐλεήσει

Let me not go to him and find that he will have no pity on me,

οὐδέ τί μʼ αἰδέσεται, κτενέει δέ με γυμνὸν ἐόντα

nor respect me at all, but will slay me unarmed

125

αὔτως ὥς τε γυναῖκα, ἐπεί κʼ ἀπὸ τεύχεα δύω.

as if I were a woman, once I have put off my armor.

οὐ μέν πως νῦν ἔστιν ἀπὸ δρυὸς οὐδʼ ἀπὸ πέτρης⁴

There is no way now to dally with him from oak or from rock,

τῷ ὀαριζέμεναι, ἅ τε παρθένος ἠΐθεός τε

as a youth and a maiden,

παρθένος ἠΐθεός τʼ ὀαρίζετον ἀλλήλοιιν.

as youth and maiden dally with one another.”

Syntax notes4 items

22.66αὐτὸν δʼ ἂν πύματόν με κύνες
The particle ἂν is combined here with the future indicative (or Homeric subjunctive) ἐρύουσιν to vividly and assuredly predict the horrific event that will happen in the future.
22.73ὅττι φανήῃ
A general relative clause using the subjunctive φανήῃ without the particle ἄν (which is latent), meaning "whatever may be revealed." It generalizes the condition under which a young warrior's corpse, in whatever state it is exposed, is deemed beautiful.
22.111–121εἰ δέ κεν ἀσπίδα μὲν καταθείομαι
A very long and complex conditional sentence starting with "εἰ δέ κεν" in line 111. The verbs in the protasis (καταθείομαι in 111, ἔλθω in 113, and ὑπόσχωμαι in 114) are in the subjunctive. The infinitives δωσέμεν (117) and ἀποδάσσεσθαι (118) express the content of the promise to Achilles. In line 119, the sentence returns to the subjunctive ἕλωμαι, introducing another parallel condition ("if I should take an oath from the Trojans").
22.126ἀπὸ δρυὸς οὐδʼ ἀπὸ πέτρης
An ancient Homeric proverbial expression referring to human origins "from oak or rock." Here, it metaphorically implies that there is no room for intimate conversation or compromise with Achilles on equal terms, as if they had no common human feelings or shared origins.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:22.65-22.128