- 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-grc2:23.416-23.486
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-02
Antilochus recklessly forces his way past Menelaus in a narrow pass, while among the spectators, Idomeneus and Ajax argue over who is currently leading the race.
στεινωπῷ ἐν ὁδῷ παραδύμεναι,1 οὐδέ με λήσει.
to pass them in a narrow way, nor will it escape me.”
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δὲ ἄνακτος ὑποδείσαντες ὁμοκλὴν
So he spoke, and they, fearing the shouting of their master,
μᾶλλον ἐπιδραμέτην ὀλίγον χρόνον· αἶψα δʼ ἔπειτα
ran harder for a little while; and quickly then
στεῖνος ὁδοῦ κοίλης ἴδεν Ἀντίλοχος μενεχάρμης.
the steadfast-in-battle Antilochus saw a narrow place of the hollow way.
ῥωχμὸς ἔην γαίης, ᾗ χειμέριον ἀλὲν ὕδωρ
There was a cleft in the earth, where the winter water gathered
ἐξέρρηξεν ὁδοῖο,2 βάθυνε δὲ χῶρον ἅπαντα·
had broken away part of the road, and deepened all the place;
τῇ ῥʼ εἶχεν Μενέλαος ἁματροχιὰς ἀλεείνων.
there Menelaus was driving, avoiding a clash of wheels.
Ἀντίλοχος δὲ παρατρέψας ἔχε μώνυχας ἵππους
But Antilochus turned aside his single-hoofed horses
ἐκτὸς ὁδοῦ, ὀλίγον δὲ παρακλίνας ἐδίωκεν.
outside the track, and guiding them slightly aside, pursued him.
Ἀτρεΐδης δʼ ἔδεισε καὶ Ἀντιλόχῳ ἐγεγώνει·
And the son of Atreus was afraid and shouted to Antilochus:
Ἀντίλοχʼ ἀφραδέως ἱππάζεαι, ἀλλʼ ἄνεχʼ ἵππους·
”Antilochus, you are driving recklessly! Hold back your horses!
στεινωπὸς γὰρ ὁδός, τάχα δʼ εὐρυτέρη παρελάσσαι·
For the road is narrow, but soon it will be wider to pass;
μή πως ἀμφοτέρους δηλήσεαι ἅρματι κύρσας.
lest somehow you harm us both by crashing your chariot.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀντίλοχος δʼ ἔτι καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον ἔλαυνε
So he spoke, but Antilochus drove even far harder,
κέντρῳ ἐπισπέρχων ὡς οὐκ ἀΐοντι ἐοικώς.
speeding them with the goad, like one who did not hear.
ὅσσα δὲ δίσκου οὖρα κατωμαδίοιο πέλονται,
As far as is the range of a discus swung from the shoulder,
ὅν τʼ αἰζηὸς ἀφῆκεν ἀνὴρ πειρώμενος ἥβης,
which a young man casts making trial of his youth,
τόσσον3 ἐπιδραμέτην· αἳ δʼ ἠρώησαν ὀπίσσω
so far they ran on; but the mares of Atreus’ son
Ἀτρεΐδεω· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἑκὼν μεθέηκεν ἐλαύνειν
gave way and fell back; for he himself of his own will let up driving,
μή πως συγκύρσειαν ὁδῷ ἔνι μώνυχες ἵπποι,
lest the single-hoofed horses should crash in the path,
δίφρους τʼ ἀνστρέψειαν ἐϋπλεκέας, κατὰ δʼ αὐτοὶ
and overturn the well-woven chariots, and they themselves
ἐν κονίῃσι πέσοιεν ἐπειγόμενοι περὶ νίκης.
should fall in the dust in their eagerness for victory.
τὸν καὶ νεικείων προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·
And blond Menelaus spoke to him, chiding him:
Ἀντίλοχʼ οὔ τις σεῖο βροτῶν ὀλοώτερος ἄλλος·
”Antilochus, no other mortal is more ruinous than you.
ἔρρʼ, ἐπεὶ οὔ σʼ ἔτυμόν γε φάμεν πεπνῦσθαι Ἀχαιοί.
Go, since we Achaeans were wrong to say you were wise.
ἀλλʼ οὐ μὰν οὐδʼ ὧς ἄτερ ὅρκου οἴσῃ ἄεθλον.
Yet even so, you shall not carry off the prize without an oath.”
ὣς εἰπὼν ἵπποισιν ἐκέκλετο φώνησέν τε·
So saying, he called to his horses and spoke:
μή μοι ἐρύκεσθον μὴ δʼ ἕστατον ἀχνυμένω κῆρ.
”Do not hold back, and do not stand still, grieved in your hearts.
φθήσονται τούτοισι πόδες καὶ γοῦνα καμόντα
Their feet and knees will grow weary and fail before yours,
ἢ ὑμῖν· ἄμφω γὰρ ἀτέμβονται νεότητος.
for both of them are deprived of youth.”
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δὲ ἄνακτος ὑποδείσαντες ὁμοκλὴν
So he spoke, and they, fearing the shouting of their master,
μᾶλλον ἐπιδραμέτην, τάχα δέ σφισιν ἄγχι γένοντο.
ran harder, and quickly they were near them.
Ἀργεῖοι δʼ ἐν ἀγῶνι καθήμενοι εἰσορόωντο
Meanwhile the Argives sitting in the assembly were watching
ἵππους· τοὶ δὲ πέτοντο κονίοντες πεδίοιο.
the horses, and they flew along raising the dust of the plain.
πρῶτος δʼ Ἰδομενεὺς Κρητῶν ἀγὸς ἐφράσαθʼ ἵππους·
And Idomeneus, leader of the Cretans, was the first to discern the horses;
ἧστο γὰρ ἐκτὸς ἀγῶνος ὑπέρτατος ἐν περιωπῇ·
for he sat outside the assembly, highest up on a place of outlook;
τοῖο δʼ ἄνευθεν ἐόντος ὁμοκλητῆρος ἀκούσας
and hearing the shouting of the driver though he was far off,
ἔγνω, φράσσατο δʼ ἵππον ἀριπρεπέα προὔχοντα,
he recognized it, and he discerned a conspicuous horse showing ahead,
ὃς τὸ μὲν ἄλλο τόσον φοῖνιξ ἦν, ἐν δὲ μετώπῳ
which was chestnut all the rest of him, but on his forehead
λευκὸν σῆμα τέτυκτο περίτροχον ἠΰτε μήνη.
there was a white mark, round like the moon.
στῆ δʼ ὀρθὸς καὶ μῦθον ἐν Ἀργείοισιν ἔειπεν·
He stood upright and spoke among the Argives:
ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες
”O friends, leaders and rulers of the Argives,
οἶος ἐγὼν ἵππους αὐγάζομαι ἦε καὶ ὑμεῖς;
do I alone see the horses, or do you as well?
ἄλλοι μοι δοκέουσι παροίτεροι ἔμμεναι ἵπποι,
Other horses seem to me to be in front,
ἄλλος δʼ ἡνίοχος ἰνδάλλεται· αἳ δέ που αὐτοῦ
and another charioteer appears; and those mares must have been
ἔβλαβεν4 ἐν πεδίῳ, αἳ κεῖσέ γε φέρτεραι ἦσαν·
harmed there on the plain, which before were the better.
ἤτοι γὰρ τὰς πρῶτα ἴδον περὶ τέρμα βαλούσας,
For indeed I saw them first as they turned the post,
νῦν δʼ οὔ πῃ δύναμαι ἰδέειν· πάντῃ δέ μοι ὄσσε
but now I can see them nowhere, though my eyes
Τρωϊκὸν ἂμ πεδίον παπταίνετον εἰσορόωντι·
look everywhere over the Trojan plain as I watch.
ἦε τὸν ἡνίοχον φύγον ἡνία, οὐδὲ δυνάσθη
Either the reins slipped from the charioteer, and he was not able
εὖ σχεθέειν περὶ τέρμα καὶ οὐκ ἐτύχησεν ἑλίξας·
to hold them well around the post, and failed in turning;
ἔνθά μιν ἐκπεσέειν ὀΐω σύν θʼ ἅρματα ἆξαι,
there, I think, he fell out, and his chariot was broken,
αἳ δʼ ἐξηρώησαν, ἐπεὶ μένος ἔλλαβε θυμόν.
and the mares bolted, when anger seized their hearts.
ἀλλὰ ἴδεσθε καὶ ὔμμες ἀνασταδόν· οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε
But look you too, standing up; for as for me,
εὖ διαγιγνώσκω· δοκέει δέ μοι ἔμμεναι ἀνὴρ
I cannot distinguish well; but he seems to me to be a man
Αἰτωλὸς γενεήν, μετὰ δʼ Ἀργείοισιν ἀνάσσει
Aetolian by race, and he rules among the Argives,
Τυδέος ἱπποδάμου υἱὸς κρατερὸς Διομήδης.
the son of horse-taming Tydeus, strong Diomedes.”
τὸν δʼ αἰσχρῶς ἐνένιπεν Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς Αἴας·
And swift Ajax, son of Oileus, chided him shamefully:
Ἰδομενεῦ τί πάρος λαβρεύεαι; αἳ δέ τʼ ἄνευθεν
”Idomeneus, why do you babble so early? Far off
ἵπποι ἀερσίποδες πολέος πεδίοιο δίενται.
the high-stepping mares are speeding over the wide plain.
οὔτε νεώτατός ἐσσι μετʼ Ἀργείοισι τοσοῦτον,
You are neither so much the youngest among the Argives,
οὔτέ τοι ὀξύτατον κεφαλῆς ἐκδέρκεται ὄσσε·
nor do the eyes in your head see most sharply;
ἀλλʼ αἰεὶ μύθοις λαβρεύεαι· οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ
yet you are always babbling with words; nor is there any need for you
λαβραγόρην ἔμεναι· πάρα γὰρ καὶ ἀμείνονες ἄλλοι.
to be a babbler, for there are others here better than you.
ἵπποι δʼ αὐταὶ ἔασι παροίτεραι, αἳ τὸ πάρος περ,
The horses in front are the very same that were before,
Εὐμήλου, ἐν δʼ αὐτὸς ἔχων εὔληρα βέβηκε.
those of Eumelus, and he himself stands holding the reins.”
τὸν δὲ χολωσάμενος Κρητῶν ἀγὸς ἀντίον ηὔδα·
And the leader of the Cretans spoke in anger against him:
Αἶαν νεῖκος ἄριστε κακοφραδὲς ἄλλά τε πάντα
”Ajax, master of quarreling, ill-spoken, in all else
δεύεαι Ἀργείων, ὅτι τοι νόος ἐστὶν ἀπηνής.
you are inferior to the Argives, because your mind is ungentle.
δεῦρό νυν ἢ τρίποδος περιδώμεθον ἠὲ λέβητος,
Come now, let us wager a tripod or a cauldron,
ἴστορα δʼ Ἀτρεΐδην Ἀγαμέμνονα θείομεν ἄμφω,
and let us both make Agamemnon, son of Atreus, our umpire,
- 23.416παραδύμεναι
Homeric form of the infinitive (-μεναι) serving as the object or explanatory complement of the verbs τεχνήσομαι ἠδὲ νοήσω ('I will devise and plan') in line 415, indicating 'how to pass'.
- 23.421ὁδοῖο
Genitive of separation (ablative genitive) or partitive genitive with ἐξέρρηξεν ('broke away part of the road' or 'broke away from the road').
- 23.431ὅσσα... τόσσον
Correlative comparison between ὅσσα and τόσσον ('as far as... so far'), measuring the distance the chariots ran using the throw of a discus (δίσκου οὖρα) as a gauge.
- 23.461ἔβλαβεν
Homeric shortened form of the 3rd person plural aorist passive (for ἐβλάβησαν), with the feminine plural relative pronoun αἳ (referring to the mares) as its subject, meaning 'they were harmed' or 'checked'.