Abuse of Hector's Body and Dispute Among the Gods — Homer, Iliad Book 24 (lines 1–68), Greek & English

λῦτο δʼ ἀγών, λαοὶ δὲ θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας ἕκαστοι

The assembly was dissolved, and the people scattered, each to their own

ἐσκίδναντʼ ἰέναι. τοὶ μὲν δόρποιο μέδοντο

swift ships. They took thought of supper

ὕπνου τε γλυκεροῦ ταρπήμεναι·¹ αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς

and of enjoying sweet sleep. But Achilles

κλαῖε φίλου ἑτάρου μεμνημένος, οὐδέ μιν ὕπνος

wept, remembering his beloved companion, nor did sleep,

ᾕρει πανδαμάτωρ, ἀλλʼ ἐστρέφετʼ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα

which conquers all, seize him, but he turned this way and that,

Πατρόκλου ποθέων ἀνδροτῆτά τε καὶ μένος ἠΰ,

yearning for the manhood and noble strength of Patroclus,

ἠδʼ ὁπόσα τολύπευσε σὺν αὐτῷ καὶ πάθεν ἄλγεα

and for all that he had accomplished with him and the hardships he had suffered,

ἀνδρῶν τε πτολέμους ἀλεγεινά τε κύματα πείρων·

cleaving through the battles of men and the painful waves.

τῶν μιμνησκόμενος θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυον εἶβεν,

Remembering these things, he shed warm tears,

ἄλλοτʼ ἐπὶ πλευρὰς κατακείμενος, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε

lying now upon his side, now again

ὕπτιος, ἄλλοτε δὲ πρηνής· τοτὲ δʼ ὀρθὸς ἀναστὰς

upon his back, and now upon his face; then upright standing,

δινεύεσκʼ ἀλύων παρὰ θῖνʼ ἁλός· οὐδέ μιν ἠὼς

he would wander distraught along the shore of the sea. Nor did the dawning day

φαινομένη λήθεσκεν² ὑπεὶρ ἅλα τʼ ἠϊόνας τε.

escape his notice as it appeared over the sea and the beaches.

ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ ἐπεὶ ζεύξειεν ὑφʼ ἅρμασιν ὠκέας ἵππους,

But when he had yoked the swift horses to his chariot,

Ἕκτορα δʼ ἕλκεσθαι δησάσκετο δίφρου ὄπισθεν,

he bound Hector to be dragged behind the chariot,

τρὶς δʼ ἐρύσας περὶ σῆμα Μενοιτιάδαο θανόντος

and having dragged him thrice around the tomb of the dead son of Menoetius,

αὖτις ἐνὶ κλισίῃ παυέσκετο, τὸν δέ τʼ ἔασκεν

he would rest again in his hut, and leave him

ἐν κόνι ἐκτανύσας προπρηνέα· τοῖο δʼ Ἀπόλλων

stretched out prone in the dust. But Apollo

πᾶσαν ἀεικείην ἄπεχε χροῒ φῶτʼ ἐλεαίρων

kept all defilement from his body, pitying the man

καὶ τεθνηότα περ· περὶ δʼ αἰγίδι πάντα κάλυπτε

even in death; and he covered him all over with the golden

χρυσείῃ, ἵνα μή μιν ἀποδρύφοι ἑλκυστάζων.

aegis, so that he might not tear him as he dragged him.

ὣς ὃ μὲν Ἕκτορα δῖον ἀείκιζεν μενεαίνων·

Thus he in his fury outraged noble Hector;

τὸν δʼ ἐλεαίρεσκον μάκαρες θεοὶ εἰσορόωντες,

but the blessed gods looked upon him and pitied him,

κλέψαι δʼ ὀτρύνεσκον ἐΰσκοπον ἀργεϊφόντην.

and they urged the sharp-sighted Argeiphontes to steal him.

ἔνθʼ ἄλλοις μὲν πᾶσιν ἑήνδανεν, οὐδέ ποθʼ Ἥρῃ

Then this was pleasing to all the others, but never to Hera,

οὐδὲ Ποσειδάωνʼ οὐδὲ γλαυκώπιδι κούρῃ,

nor to Poseidon, nor to the flashing-eyed maiden,

ἀλλʼ ἔχον ὥς σφιν πρῶτον ἀπήχθετο Ἴλιος ἱρὴ³

but they kept their hatred just as sacred Ilios first became hateful to them,

καὶ Πρίαμος καὶ λαὸς Ἀλεξάνδρου ἕνεκʼ ἄτης,

and Priam and his people, because of the delusion of Alexander,

ὃς νείκεσσε θεὰς ὅτε οἱ μέσσαυλον ἵκοντο,

who insulted the goddesses when they came to his farmstead,

τὴν δʼ ᾔνησʼ ἥ οἱ πόρε μαχλοσύνην ἀλεγεινήν.

and praised her who offered him painful lust.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἐκ τοῖο δυωδεκάτη γένετʼ ἠώς,

But when the twelfth morning from that time arose,

καὶ τότʼ ἄρʼ ἀθανάτοισι μετηύδα Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων·

then indeed Phoebus Apollo spoke among the immortals:

σχέτλιοί ἐστε θεοί, δηλήμονες· οὔ νύ ποθʼ ὑμῖν

”Hard-hearted are you, gods, and destructive! Did never indeed to you

Ἕκτωρ μηρίʼ ἔκηε βοῶν αἰγῶν τε τελείων;

Hector burn thighs of bulls and of flawless goats?

τὸν νῦν οὐκ ἔτλητε νέκυν περ ἐόντα σαῶσαι

Him now, though he is a corpse, you cannot bring yourselves to save

ᾗ τʼ ἀλόχῳ ἰδέειν καὶ μητέρι καὶ τέκεϊ ᾧ

for his wife to behold, and for his mother, his child,

καὶ πατέρι Πριάμῳ λαοῖσί τε, τοί κέ μιν ὦκα

his father Priam, and the people, who would quickly

ἐν πυρὶ κήαιεν καὶ ἐπὶ κτέρεα κτερίσαιεν.

burn him in fire and perform his funeral rites.

ἀλλʼ ὀλοῷ Ἀχιλῆϊ θεοὶ βούλεσθʼ ἐπαρήγειν,

But you, gods, wish to help destructive Achilles,

ᾧ οὔτʼ ἂρ φρένες εἰσὶν ἐναίσιμοι οὔτε νόημα

whose mind is neither righteous nor is the thought in his breast

γναμπτὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι, λέων δʼ ὣς ἄγρια οἶδεν,

flexible; but like a lion he knows only savage things,

ὅς τʼ ἐπεὶ ἂρ μεγάλῃ τε βίῃ καὶ ἀγήνορι θυμῷ

which, yielding to its great might and proud heart,

εἴξας εἶσʼ ἐπὶ μῆλα βροτῶν ἵνα δαῖτα λάβῃσιν·

goes against the flocks of men to take a feast.

ὣς Ἀχιλεὺς ἔλεον μὲν ἀπώλεσεν, οὐδέ οἱ αἰδὼς

So Achilles has destroyed pity, nor is there any shame

γίγνεται, ἥ τʼ ἄνδρας μέγα σίνεται ἠδʼ ὀνίνησι.

in him, which greatly harms men and yet benefits them.

μέλλει μέν πού τις καὶ φίλτερον ἄλλον ὀλέσσαι

For surely a man may lose even someone dearer,

ἠὲ κασίγνητον ὁμογάστριον ἠὲ καὶ υἱόν·

either a brother from the same womb or even a son;

ἀλλʼ ἤτοι κλαύσας καὶ ὀδυράμενος μεθέηκε·

yet indeed, having wept and lamented, he ceases;

τλητὸν γὰρ Μοῖραι θυμὸν θέσαν ἀνθρώποισιν.

for the Fates have put a patient heart in men.

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ Ἕκτορα δῖον, ἐπεὶ φίλον ἦτορ ἀπηύρα,

But he, after he has robbed noble Hector of his dear life,

ἵππων ἐξάπτων περὶ σῆμʼ ἑτάροιο φίλοιο

binds him to his chariot and drags him around the tomb of his beloved companion;

ἕλκει· οὐ μήν οἱ τό γε κάλλιον οὐδέ τʼ ἄμεινον.

surely this is neither more honorable for him nor better.

μὴ ἀγαθῷ περ ἐόντι νεμεσσηθέωμέν οἱ ἡμεῖς·⁴

Let us take care lest we be angry with him, noble though he is;

κωφὴν γὰρ δὴ γαῖαν ἀεικίζει μενεαίνων.

for in his fury he is outraging the senseless earth.”

τὸν δὲ χολωσαμένη προσέφη λευκώλενος Ἥρη·

Then white-armed Hera spoke to him in anger:

εἴη κεν καὶ τοῦτο τεὸν ἔπος ἀργυρότοξε

”Even this word of yours might be true, god of the silver bow,

εἰ δὴ ὁμὴν Ἀχιλῆϊ καὶ Ἕκτορι θήσετε τιμήν.

if indeed you will assign equal honor to Achilles and to Hector.

Ἕκτωρ μὲν θνητός τε γυναῖκά τε θήσατο μαζόν·

Hector indeed is mortal and sucked the breast of a woman;

αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεύς ἐστι θεᾶς γόνος, ἣν ἐγὼ αὐτὴ

but Achilles is the child of a goddess, whom I myself

θρέψά τε καὶ ἀτίτηλα καὶ ἀνδρὶ πόρον παράκοιτιν

reared and cherished, and gave as a wife to a man,

Πηλέϊ, ὃς περὶ κῆρι φίλος γένετʼ ἀθανάτοισι.

Peleus, who was dear to the hearts of the immortals.

πάντες δʼ ἀντιάασθε θεοὶ γάμου· ἐν δὲ σὺ τοῖσι

And all you gods attended the wedding; and among them you too

δαίνυʼ ἔχων φόρμιγγα κακῶν ἕταρʼ, αἰὲν ἄπιστε.

feasted, holding your lyre, companion of evil, always faithless!”

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·

Then cloud-gathering Zeus answered her and said:

Ἥρη μὴ δὴ πάμπαν ἀποσκύδμαινε θεοῖσιν·

”Hera, do not be angry altogether with the gods;

οὐ μὲν γὰρ τιμή γε μίʼ ἔσσεται· ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἕκτωρ

for their honor indeed shall not be one and the same; but Hector too

φίλτατος ἔσκε θεοῖσι βροτῶν οἳ ἐν Ἰλίῳ εἰσίν·

was dearest to the gods of all mortals who are in Ilios;

ὣς γὰρ ἔμοιγʼ, ἐπεὶ οὔ τι φίλων ἡμάρτανε δώρων.

so indeed he was to me, since he never failed to give pleasing gifts.”

Syntax notes4 items

24.2δόρποιο μέδοντο / ὕπνου τε γλυκεροῦ ταρπήμεναι
The verb μέδομαι (to take thought of) governs the genitive δόρποιο (supper). The following phrase ὕπνου τε γλυκεροῦ ταρπήμεναι consists of the aorist passive infinitive ταρπήμεναι (from τέρπω, here meaning 'to enjoy') and its genitive object, meaning 'to take thought of enjoying sweet sleep.'
24.12οὐδέ μιν ἠὼς / φαινομένη λήθεσκεν
The verb λανθάνω (here in the Ionic iterative imperfect λήθεσκεν) is construed with the accusative pronoun μιν and the present participle φαινομένη. Literally, 'the appearing dawn did not escape his notice,' indicating that Achilles remained awake through the night and always witnessed the arrival of dawn.
24.27ἀλλʼ ἔχον ὥς σφιν πρῶτον ἀπήχθετο Ἴλιος ἱρὴ
The verb ἔχον (imperfect 3rd person plural of ἔχω) is used intransitively or with an implied object such as 'hostility,' meaning 'they kept/maintained their state.' The conjunction ὥς functions adverbially ('just as'), meaning 'they maintained their hatred just as sacred Ilios had first become hateful to them.'
24.53μὴ ἀγαθῷ περ ἐόντι νεμεσσηθέωμέν οἱ ἡμεῖς
The verb νεμεσσηθέωμεν is an aorist passive subjunctive 1st person plural, which, combined with the negative particle μή, expresses a strong exhortation or caution: 'let us not be angry with him.' The participle ἐόντι (dative singular of εἰμί) with the particle περ has a concessive force, meaning 'although he is noble.'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:24.1-24.68