- 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-grc2:24.338-24.403
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-03
Hermes, sent by Zeus, disguises himself as a young man and approaches Priam and the herald on the plain. He reassures the frightened travelers by posing as a squire of Achilles and begins to speak of Hector's fate.
τῶν ἄλλων Δαναῶν,1 πρὶν Πηλεΐωνα δʼ ἱκέσθαι.
of the other Danaans, before you come to the son of Peleus.
ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε διάκτορος ἀργεϊφόντης.
So he spoke, and the messenger, the slayer of Argus, did not disobey.
αὐτίκʼ ἔπειθʼ ὑπὸ ποσσὶν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα
Straightway then he bound beneath his feet his beautiful sandals,
ἀμβρόσια χρύσεια, τά μιν φέρον ἠμὲν ἐφʼ ὑγρὴν
immortal and golden, which bore him both over the wet sea
ἠδʼ ἐπʼ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν ἅμα πνοιῇς ἀνέμοιο·
and over the limitless land, swift as the blasts of the wind.
εἵλετο δὲ ῥάβδον, τῇ τʼ ἀνδρῶν ὄμματα θέλγει
And he took his wand, wherewith he lulls to sleep the eyes
ὧν ἐθέλει, τοὺς δʼ αὖτε καὶ ὑπνώοντας ἐγείρει·
of whomsoever he will, and others again that are asleep he awakens.
τὴν μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχων πέτετο κρατὺς ἀργεϊφόντης.
Holding this in his hands, the strong slayer of Argus flew.
αἶψα δʼ ἄρα Τροίην τε καὶ Ἑλλήσποντον ἵκανε,
And swiftly he came to Troy and the Hellespont,
βῆ δʼ ἰέναι2 κούρῳ αἰσυμνητῆρι ἐοικὼς
and went on his way in the likeness of a young man of royal birth,
πρῶτον ὑπηνήτῃ, τοῦ περ χαριεστάτη ἥβη.
whose beard is newly growing, in whom youth is most graceful.
οἳ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν μέγα σῆμα παρὲξ Ἴλοιο ἔλασσαν,
But when they had driven past the great tomb of Ilus,
στῆσαν ἄρʼ ἡμιόνους τε καὶ ἵππους ὄφρα πίοιεν
they halted the mules and horses to drink in the river;
ἐν ποταμῷ· δὴ γὰρ καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἤλυθε γαῖαν.
for already dusk was coming over the earth.
τὸν δʼ ἐξ ἀγχιμόλοιο ἰδὼν ἐφράσσατο κῆρυξ
And the herald, looking out, saw Hermes close at hand,
Ἑρμείαν, ποτὶ δὲ Πρίαμον φάτο φώνησέν τε·
and he spoke to Priam, and addressed him:
φράζεο Δαρδανίδη· φραδέος νόου ἔργα τέτυκται.3
”Take thought, descendant of Dardanus; here is work for a prudent mind.
ἄνδρʼ ὁρόω, τάχα δʼ ἄμμε διαρραίσεσθαι ὀΐω.
I see a man, and I think he will straightway tear us to pieces.
ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ φεύγωμεν ἐφʼ ἵππων, ἤ μιν ἔπειτα
Come, let us flee on the horses, or else
γούνων ἁψάμενοι λιτανεύσομεν αἴ κʼ ἐλεήσῃ.
touch his knees and entreat him, if he might have pity.”
ὣς φάτο, σὺν δὲ γέροντι νόος χύτο, δείδιε δʼ αἰνῶς,
So he spoke, and the old man’s mind was confounded, and he feared exceedingly,
ὀρθαὶ δὲ τρίχες ἔσταν ἐνὶ γναμπτοῖσι μέλεσσι,
and the hair stood upright on his pliant limbs,
στῆ δὲ ταφών· αὐτὸς δʼ ἐριούνιος ἐγγύθεν ἐλθὼν
and he stood amazed. But the helper himself came near,
χεῖρα γέροντος ἑλὼν ἐξείρετο καὶ προσέειπε·
and took the old man’s hand, and questioned him, saying:
πῇ πάτερ ὧδʼ ἵππους τε καὶ ἡμιόνους ἰθύνεις
”Whither, father, do you thus guide horses and mules
νύκτα διʼ ἀμβροσίην, ὅτε θʼ εὕδουσι βροτοὶ ἄλλοι;
through the immortal night, when other mortals are asleep?
οὐδὲ σύ γʼ ἔδεισας μένεα πνείοντας Ἀχαιούς,
Have you no fear of the fury-breathing Achaeans,
οἵ τοι δυσμενέες καὶ ἀνάρσιοι ἐγγὺς ἔασι;
who are hostile and ruthless to you, and are near at hand?
τῶν εἴ τίς σε ἴδοιτο4 θοὴν διὰ νύκτα μέλαιναν
If one of them should see you through the swift black night
τοσσάδʼ ὀνείατʼ ἄγοντα, τίς ἂν δή τοι νόος εἴη;
carrying so many treasures, what would your purpose be then?
οὔτʼ αὐτὸς νέος ἐσσί, γέρων δέ τοι οὗτος ὀπηδεῖ,
You are not young yourself, and he who accompanies you is an old man,
ἄνδρʼ ἀπαμύνασθαι, ὅτε τις πρότερος χαλεπήνῃ.
to ward off a man, when one is the first to do you violence.
ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ οὐδέν σε ῥέξω κακά, καὶ δέ κεν ἄλλον
But I will do you no harm, and indeed I would defend you against another;
σεῦ ἀπαλεξήσαιμι· φίλῳ δέ σε πατρὶ ἐΐσκω.
for I liken you to my own dear father.”
τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα γέρων Πρίαμος θεοειδής·
And to him then made answer the godlike old man Priam:
οὕτω πῃ τάδε γʼ ἐστὶ φίλον τέκος ὡς ἀγορεύεις.
”Even so, dear child, are all these things as you say.
ἀλλʼ ἔτι τις καὶ ἐμεῖο θεῶν ὑπερέσχεθε χεῖρα,
Yet some god has still held his hand over me,
ὅς μοι τοιόνδʼ ἧκεν ὁδοιπόρον ἀντιβολῆσαι
who has sent such a wayfarer to meet me, a bringer of good luck,
αἴσιον, οἷος δὴ σὺ δέμας καὶ εἶδος ἀγητός,
even as you are wondrous in form and beauty,
πέπνυσαί τε νόῳ, μακάρων δʼ ἔξεσσι τοκήων.
and wise of heart, and you are of blessed parentage.”
τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε διάκτορος ἀργεϊφόντης·
And to him again spoke the messenger, the slayer of Argus:
ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε πάντα γέρον κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες.
”Yes, indeed, old man, all this you have spoken according to right.
ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον,
But come, tell me this and declare it truly:
ἠέ πῃ ἐκπέμπεις κειμήλια πολλὰ καὶ ἐσθλὰ
whether you are sending many noble treasures
ἄνδρας ἐς ἀλλοδαποὺς ἵνα περ τάδε τοι σόα μίμνῃ,
to men of some foreign land, so that they may remain safe for you,
ἦ ἤδη πάντες καταλείπετε Ἴλιον ἱρὴν
or whether by now you are all leaving sacred Ilium in fear,
δειδιότες· τοῖος γὰρ ἀνὴρ ὤριστος ὄλωλε
since so noble a man has perished, your own son;
σὸς πάϊς· οὐ μὲν γάρ τι μάχης ἐπιδεύετʼ Ἀχαιῶν.
for he was in no wise lacking in battle against the Achaeans.”
τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα γέρων Πρίαμος θεοειδής·
And to him then made answer the godlike old man Priam:
τίς δὲ σύ ἐσσι φέριστε τέων δʼ ἔξεσσι τοκήων;
”Who are you, noble youth, and of what parents are you born,
ὥς μοι καλὰ τὸν οἶτον ἀπότμου παιδὸς ἔνισπες.
that you speak so well of the fate of my hapless son?”
τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε διάκτορος ἀργεϊφόντης·
And to him again spoke the messenger, the slayer of Argus:
πειρᾷ ἐμεῖο γεραιὲ καὶ εἴρεαι Ἕκτορα δῖον.
”You are testing me, old man, and asking me of noble Hector.
τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ μάλα πολλὰ μάχῃ ἔνι κυδιανείρῃ
Him have I very often seen with my own eyes in battle where men win glory,
ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὄπωπα, καὶ εὖτʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶν ἐλάσσας
and when he drove the Argives to the ships and slew them,
Ἀργείους κτείνεσκε δαΐζων ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ·
shearing them with the sharp bronze; and we stood
ἡμεῖς δʼ ἑσταότες θαυμάζομεν· οὐ γὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς
and wondered, for Achilles did not let us fight,
εἴα μάρνασθαι κεχολωμένος Ἀτρεΐωνι.
being angered against the son of Atreus.
τοῦ γὰρ ἐγὼ θεράπων, μία δʼ ἤγαγε νηῦς εὐεργής·
For I am his squire, and the same well-built ship brought us here.
Μυρμιδόνων δʼ ἔξειμι, πατὴρ δέ μοί ἐστι Πολύκτωρ.
I am one of the Myrmidons, and my father is Polyctor.
ἀφνειὸς μὲν ὅ γʼ ἐστί, γέρων δὲ δὴ ὡς σύ περ ὧδε,
Rich is he, and an old man even as you are;
ἓξ δέ οἱ υἷες ἔασιν, ἐγὼ δέ οἱ ἕβδομός εἰμι·
and he has six sons, and I am his seventh.
τῶν μέτα παλλόμενος κλήρῳ λάχον ἐνθάδʼ ἕπεσθαι.
Among these I shook lots, and it fell to me to follow hither.
νῦν δʼ ἦλθον πεδίον δʼ ἀπὸ νηῶν· ἠῶθεν γὰρ
And now I have come to the plain from the ships; for at dawn
θήσονται περὶ ἄστυ μάχην ἑλίκωπες Ἀχαιοί.
the quick-glancing Achaeans will set the battle in array around the city.
ἀσχαλόωσι γὰρ οἵδε καθήμενοι, οὐδὲ δύνανται
For they are chafing at sitting idle, nor can the chiefs of the Achaeans hold back their eagerness for war...”
- 24.338τῶν ἄλλων Δαναῶν
This is a partitive genitive depending on the indefinite pronoun 'tis' in line 337. It completes the meaning of 'so that no one of the other Danaans may see or perceive him.'
- 24.347βῆ δʼ ἰέναι
The verb 'bē' (he went) is followed by the infinitive 'ienai' (to go). This is a Homeric pleonastic idiom indicating the initiation or continuation of an action ('he set out to go' or 'he went on his way').
- 24.354φραδέος νόου ἔργα τέτυκται
Literally 'the deeds of a prudent mind have been made.' This is an idiomatic way of saying 'this is a situation that requires a careful and prudent mind' or 'prudence is needed now.'
- 24.366εἴ τίς σε ἴδοιτο
A conditional clause (ei-clause) using the optative mood ('idoito'), which corresponds with the potential optative with 'an' ('an... eiē') in line 367, expressing a hypothetical future or a present imaginative possibility.