- 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-grc2:23.692-23.760
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-03
After the defeated Euryalus is carried away from the boxing match, Achilles sets up prizes for wrestling and the footrace. In wrestling, Ajax and Odysseus fight to a draw, while in the footrace, swift Ajax, Odysseus, and Antilochus step up to compete.
ὡς δʼ ὅθʼ ὑπὸ φρικὸς Βορέω ἀναπάλλεται ἰχθὺς
And as when a fish leaps up under the ripple of the North Wind
θίνʼ ἐν φυκιόεντι, μέλαν δέ ἑ κῦμα κάλυψεν,
on the seaweedy beach, and then the dark wave covers it,
ὣς πληγεὶς ἀνέπαλτʼ· αὐτὰρ μεγάθυμος Ἐπειὸς
so he leapt up when struck; but great-hearted Epeius
χερσὶ λαβὼν ὤρθωσε· φίλοι δʼ ἀμφέσταν ἑταῖροι,
took him in his hands and set him upright; and his dear companions stood around him,
οἵ μιν ἄγον διʼ ἀγῶνος ἐφελκομένοισι πόδεσσιν
and led him through the ring with trailing feet,
αἷμα παχὺ πτύοντα κάρη βάλλονθʼ ἑτέρωσε·
spitting thick blood and letting his head droop to one side;
κὰδ δʼ ἀλλοφρονέοντα μετὰ σφίσιν εἷσαν ἄγοντες,
they led him away senseless and seated him among them,
αὐτοὶ δʼ οἰχόμενοι κόμισαν δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον.
and they themselves went and brought back the double-handled cup.
Πηλεΐδης δʼ αἶψʼ ἄλλα κατὰ τρίτα θῆκεν ἄεθλα
Then the son of Peleus straightway set forth other, third prizes,
δεικνύμενος Δαναοῖσι παλαισμοσύνης ἀλεγεινῆς,
showing them to the Danaans, for the painful wrestling match:
τῷ μὲν νικήσαντι μέγαν τρίποδʼ ἐμπυριβήτην,
for the winner a great tripod to stand upon the fire,
τὸν δὲ δυωδεκάβοιον ἐνὶ σφίσι τῖον Ἀχαιοί·
which the Achaeans valued among themselves at twelve oxen;
ἀνδρὶ δὲ νικηθέντι γυναῖκʼ ἐς μέσσον ἔθηκε,
and for the loser he set a woman in the midst,
πολλὰ δʼ ἐπίστατο ἔργα, τίον δέ ἑ τεσσαράβοιον.
skilled in many works, and they valued her at four oxen.
στῆ δʼ ὀρθὸς καὶ μῦθον ἐν Ἀργείοισιν ἔειπεν·
He stood upright and spoke a word among the Argives:
ὄρνυσθʼ οἳ καὶ τούτου ἀέθλου πειρήσεσθον.
“Arise, you two who will make trial of this contest as well.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, ὦρτο δʼ ἔπειτα μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας,
So he spoke, and straightway arose great Telamonian Ajax,
ἂν δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς πολύμητις ἀνίστατο κέρδεα εἰδώς.
and up rose wise Odysseus, full of wiles.
ζωσαμένω δʼ ἄρα τώ γε βάτην ἐς μέσσον ἀγῶνα,
Then, having girded themselves, the two went into the midst of the ring,
ἀγκὰς δʼ ἀλλήλων λαβέτην χερσὶ στιβαρῇσιν
and clasped each other in their arms with strong hands,
ὡς ὅτʼ ἀμείβοντες,1 τούς τε κλυτὸς ἤραρε τέκτων
like rafters which a famous carpenter joins
δώματος ὑψηλοῖο βίας ἀνέμων ἀλεείνων.
for a high house, to avoid the violence of the winds.
τετρίγει δʼ ἄρα νῶτα θρασειάων ἀπὸ χειρῶν
And their backs creaked under the pull of their strong hands,
ἑλκόμενα στερεῶς· κατὰ δὲ νότιος ῥέεν ἱδρώς,
strained mightily; and the wet sweat flowed down,
πυκναὶ δὲ σμώδιγγες ἀνὰ πλευράς τε καὶ ὤμους
and many a wale, purple with blood, started up
αἵματι φοινικόεσσαι ἀνέδραμον· οἳ δὲ μάλʼ αἰεὶ
along their sides and shoulders; yet they ever
νίκης ἱέσθην τρίποδος πέρι ποιητοῖο·
strove ever for victory for the sake of the well-wrought tripod;
οὔτʼ Ὀδυσεὺς δύνατο σφῆλαι οὔδει τε πελάσσαι,
neither could Odysseus trip Ajax and bring him to the ground,
οὔτʼ Αἴας δύνατο, κρατερὴ δʼ ἔχεν ἲς Ὀδυσῆος.
nor could Ajax, for the strong might of Odysseus held him.
ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἀνίαζον ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς,
But when they began to weary the well-greaved Achaeans,
δὴ τότε μιν προσέειπε μέγας Τελαμώνιος Αἴας·
then great Telamonian Ajax spoke to him:
διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ
“Heaven-born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many wiles,
ἤ μʼ ἀνάειρʼ, ἢ ἐγὼ σέ· τὰ δʼ αὖ Διὶ πάντα μελήσει.
lift me, or let me lift you; and all the rest shall be for Zeus to care.”
ὣς εἰπὼν ἀνάειρε· δόλου δʼ οὐ λήθετʼ Ὀδυσσεύς·
So saying, he lifted him; but Odysseus did not forget his cunning;
κόψʼ ὄπιθεν κώληπα2 τυχών, ὑπέλυσε δὲ γυῖα,
he struck him behind the knee, hitting the mark, and loosed his limbs,
κὰδ δʼ ἔβαλʼ ἐξοπίσω· ἐπὶ δὲ στήθεσσιν Ὀδυσσεὺς
and threw him backward; and Odysseus fell upon his chest;
κάππεσε· λαοὶ δʼ αὖ θηεῦντό τε θάμβησάν τε.
and the people looked on and were amazed.
δεύτερος αὖτʼ ἀνάειρε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,
Next, much-enduring noble Odysseus tried to lift him in turn,
κίνησεν δʼ ἄρα τυτθὸν ἀπὸ χθονός, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἄειρεν,
and he moved him slightly from the ground, but could not lift him further,
ἐν δὲ γόνυ γνάμψεν·3 ἐπὶ δὲ χθονὶ κάππεσον ἄμφω
and bent his knee; and so both fell to the ground
πλησίοι ἀλλήλοισι, μιάνθησαν δὲ κονίῃ.
close to each other, and were soiled with dust.
καί νύ κε τὸ τρίτον αὖτις ἀναΐξαντʼ ἐπάλαιον,
And now they would have leapt up and wrestled for the third time,
εἰ μὴ Ἀχιλλεὺς αὐτὸς ἀνίστατο καὶ κατέρυκε·
had not Achilles himself stood up and held them back:
μηκέτʼ ἐρείδεσθον, μὴ δὲ τρίβεσθε κακοῖσι·
“Strive no longer, nor wear yourselves out with pain.
νίκη δʼ ἀμφοτέροισιν· ἀέθλια δʼ ἶσʼ ἀνελόντες
Victory is to both; take equal prizes and go,
ἔρχεσθʼ, ὄφρα καὶ ἄλλοι ἀεθλεύωσιν Ἀχαιοί.
that the other Achaeans may also compete.”
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδὲ πίθοντο,
So he spoke, and they readily heard and obeyed him;
καί ῥʼ ἀπομορξαμένω κονίην δύσαντο χιτῶνας.
and wiping off the dust, they put on their tunics.
Πηλεΐδης δʼ αἶψʼ ἄλλα τίθει ταχυτῆτος ἄεθλα
And straightway the son of Peleus set forth other prizes for speed:
ἀργύρεον κρητῆρα τετυγμένον· ἓξ δʼ ἄρα μέτρα
a mixing bowl of wrought silver; six measures it held,
χάνδανεν, αὐτὰρ κάλλει ἐνίκα πᾶσαν ἐπʼ αἶαν
and in beauty it was far the best in all the earth,
πολλόν, ἐπεὶ Σιδόνες πολυδαίδαλοι εὖ ἤσκησαν,
since skilled Sidonians had wrought it well,
Φοίνικες δʼ ἄγον ἄνδρες ἐπʼ ἠεροειδέα πόντον,
and Phoenician men had carried it over the misty sea
στῆσαν δʼ ἐν λιμένεσσι, Θόαντι δὲ δῶρον ἔδωκαν·
and set it in harbors, and gave it as a gift to Thoas;
υἷος δὲ Πριάμοιο Λυκάονος ὦνον ἔδωκε
and Euneus, son of Jason, had given it to the hero Patroclus
Πατρόκλῳ ἥρωϊ Ἰησονίδης Εὔνηος.4
as ransom for Lycaon, son of Priam.
καὶ τὸν Ἀχιλλεὺς θῆκεν ἄεθλον οὗ ἑτάροιο,
And this Achilles set up as a prize in honor of his companion,
ὅς τις ἐλαφρότατος ποσσὶ κραιπνοῖσι πέλοιτο·
for whoever should prove lightest with swift feet;
δευτέρῳ αὖ βοῦν θῆκε μέγαν καὶ πίονα δημῷ,
for the second, again, he set a great ox rich with fat,
ἡμιτάλαντον δὲ χρυσοῦ λοισθήϊʼ ἔθηκε.
and for the last, half a talent of gold.
στῆ δʼ ὀρθὸς καὶ μῦθον ἐν Ἀργείοισιν ἔειπεν·
He stood upright and spoke a word among the Argives:
ὄρνυσθʼ οἳ καὶ τούτου ἀέθλου πειρήσεσθε.
“Arise, you who will make trial of this contest as well.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, ὄρνυτο δʼ αὐτίκʼ Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς Αἴας,
So he spoke, and straightway arose swift Ajax, son of Oileus,
ἂν δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς πολύμητις, ἔπειτα δὲ Νέστορος υἱὸς
and up rose wise Odysseus, and then Nestor’s son
Ἀντίλοχος· ὃ γὰρ αὖτε νέους ποσὶ πάντας ἐνίκα.
Antilochus; for he again defeated all the young men in speed.
στὰν δὲ μεταστοιχί· σήμηνε δὲ τέρματʼ Ἀχιλλεύς.
They stood in a row, and Achilles showed them the goal.
τοῖσι δʼ ἀπὸ νύσσης τέτατο δρόμος· ὦκα δʼ ἔπειτα
Then their race was stretched from the starting-point; and straightway
ἔκφερʼ Ὀϊλιάδης· ἐπὶ δʼ ὄρνυτο δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς
the son of Oileus shot ahead; and noble Odysseus rushed after him
ἄγχι μάλʼ, ὡς ὅτε τίς τε γυναικὸς ἐϋζώνοιο
very close, as when some well-girdled woman...
- 23.712ἀμείβοντες
The masculine plural participle/noun referring to 'rafters.' It compares the locked arms of the two wrestlers to the interlocking structure of rafters joined by a skilled carpenter to protect a high house from the wind, illustrating their firm stance.
- 23.726κώληπα
Accusative of κώληψ ('the back of the knee' or 'hamstring'). It describes the specific wrestling technique where Odysseus struck Ajax behind the knee, hitting the mark (κόψʼ ὄπιθεν κώληπα τυχών), thereby loosening his limbs (ὑπέλυσε δὲ γυῖα) and bringing the larger opponent down.
- 23.731ἐν δὲ γόνυ γνάμψεν
Aorist of the verb γνάμπτω ('to bend'). This phrase can be interpreted either as Odysseus bending Ajax's knee by applying a hold, or as Odysseus bending his own knee (collapsing or as part of his move), leading to both falling together. In context, it explains how they fell side by side (ἐπὶ δὲ χθονὶ κάππεσον ἄμφω πλησίοι ἀλλήλοισι).
- 23.746–747υἷος δὲ Πριάμοιο Λυκάονος ὦνον ἔδωκε Πατρόκλῳ ἥρωϊ Ἰησονίδης Εὔνηος
A highly inverted sentence structure. The subject of the sentence is Ἰησονίδης Εὔνηος ('Euneus, son of Jason') at the end, and the verb is ὦνον ἔδωκε ('gave as ransom') with the dative Πατρόκλῳ ἥρωϊ ('to the hero Patroclus'). The genitive υἷος Πριάμοιο Λυκάονος ('of Lycaon, son of Priam') modifies ὦνον, meaning 'as the ransom of Lycaon.' It poetically traces the history of the mixing bowl.