- 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
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- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:24.404-24.471
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-03
Priam is relieved to learn from Hermes that Hector’s body remains miraculously preserved and cared for by the gods, and continues his journey with the ransom gifts to Achilles’ camp. After opening the massive gate of Achilles' dwelling, Hermes reveals his divine identity and departs for Olympus, leaving Priam to enter alone. Would you like the summary of the next segment of the text?
ἴσχειν ἐσσυμένους πολέμου1 βασιλῆες Ἀχαιῶν.
to hold back the Achaeans, eager for war, from battle.”
τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα γέρων Πρίαμος θεοειδής·
To him then made answer the godlike old man Priam:
εἰ μὲν δὴ θεράπων Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
”If indeed you are a squire of Achilles, Peleus’ son,
εἴς, ἄγε δή μοι πᾶσαν ἀληθείην κατάλεξον,
come, tell me all the truth,
ἢ ἔτι πὰρ νήεσσιν ἐμὸς πάϊς, ἦέ μιν ἤδη
whether my son is still by the ships, or whether by now
ᾗσι κυσὶν μελεϊστὶ ταμὼν προύθηκεν Ἀχιλλεύς.
Achilles has cut him limb from limb and thrown him to his dogs.”
τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε διάκτορος ἀργεϊφόντης·
To him again spoke the messenger, the slayer of Argus:
ὦ γέρον οὔ πω τόν γε κύνες φάγον οὐδʼ οἰωνοί,
”Old man, not yet have the dogs eaten him, nor the birds,
ἀλλʼ ἔτι κεῖνος κεῖται Ἀχιλλῆος παρὰ νηῒ
but still he lies beside the ship of Achilles,
αὔτως ἐν κλισίῃσι· δυωδεκάτη δέ οἱ ἠὼς
just as he was, among the shelters; and this is the twelfth morning for him
κειμένῳ, οὐδέ τί οἱ χρὼς σήπεται, οὐδέ μιν εὐλαὶ
lying there, yet his flesh does not decay at all, nor do the worms
ἔσθουσʼ, αἵ ῥά τε φῶτας ἀρηϊφάτους κατέδουσιν.
eat him, which devour men slain in battle.
ἦ μέν μιν περὶ σῆμα ἑοῦ ἑτάροιο φίλοιο
Truly, around the tomb of his dear comrade
ἕλκει ἀκηδέστως ἠὼς ὅτε δῖα φανήῃ,
he drags him ruthlessly whenever divine dawn appears,
οὐδέ μιν αἰσχύνει· θηοῖό κεν αὐτὸς ἐπελθὼν
yet he does not defile him. You would wonder yourself, if you came and saw
οἷον ἐερσήεις κεῖται, περὶ δʼ αἷμα νένιπται,
how fresh he lies, and the blood is washed away from him,
οὐδέ ποθι μιαρός· σὺν δʼ ἕλκεα πάντα μέμυκεν
nor is he defiled anywhere; and all his wounds have closed,
ὅσσʼ ἐτύπη· πολέες γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ χαλκὸν ἔλασσαν.
however many he received; for many drove the bronze into him.
ὥς τοι κήδονται μάκαρες θεοὶ υἷος ἑῆος
Thus do the blessed gods care for your son,
καὶ νέκυός περ ἐόντος, ἐπεί σφι φίλος περὶ κῆρι.
even though he is a corpse, for he was dear to their hearts.”
ὣς φάτο, γήθησεν δʼ ὃ γέρων, καὶ ἀμείβετο μύθῳ·
So he spoke, and the old man rejoiced, and answered him, saying:
ὦ τέκος, ἦ ῥʼ ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἐναίσιμα δῶρα διδοῦναι
”My child, surely it is good to give due gifts
ἀθανάτοις, ἐπεὶ οὔ ποτʼ ἐμὸς πάϊς, εἴ ποτʼ ἔην γε,2
to the immortals, since my son, if indeed he ever existed,
λήθετʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροισι θεῶν οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσι·
never forgot in our halls the gods who hold Olympus;
τώ οἱ ἀπεμνήσαντο καὶ ἐν θανάτοιό περ αἴσῃ.
therefore they have remembered him even in the doom of death.
ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ τόδε δέξαι ἐμεῦ πάρα καλὸν ἄλεισον,
But come, accept from me this beautiful goblet,
αὐτόν τε ῥῦσαι, πέμψον δέ με σύν γε θεοῖσιν,
and protect me myself, and guide me with the help of the gods,
ὄφρά κεν ἐς κλισίην Πηληϊάδεω ἀφίκωμαι.
until I come to the shelter of the son of Peleus.”
τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε διάκτορος ἀργεϊφόντης·
To him again spoke the messenger, the slayer of Argus:
πειρᾷ ἐμεῖο γεραιὲ νεωτέρου, οὐδέ με πείσεις,
”You are testing me, old man, who am younger than you, but you will not persuade me,
ὅς με κέλῃ σέο δῶρα παρὲξ Ἀχιλῆα δέχεσθαι.3
you who bid me accept your gifts behind Achilles’ back.
τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ δείδοικα καὶ αἰδέομαι περὶ κῆρι
Him I fear and respect in my heart
συλεύειν, μή μοί τι κακὸν μετόπισθε γένηται.
to rob, lest some evil happen to me hereafter.
σοὶ δʼ ἂν ἐγὼ πομπὸς καί κε κλυτὸν Ἄργος ἱκοίμην,
But as your guide I would go even to famous Argos,
ἐνδυκέως ἐν νηῒ θοῇ ἢ πεζὸς ὁμαρτέων·
attentively accompanying you in a swift ship or on foot;
οὐκ ἄν τίς τοι πομπὸν ὀνοσσάμενος μαχέσαιτο.
no one would fight you through finding fault with your guide.”
ἦ καὶ ἀναΐξας ἐριούνιος ἅρμα καὶ ἵππους
He spoke, and leaping upon the chariot and horses,
καρπαλίμως μάστιγα καὶ ἡνία λάζετο χερσίν,
the helper swiftly took whip and reins in his hands,
ἐν δʼ ἔπνευσʼ ἵπποισι καὶ ἡμιόνοις μένος ἠΰ.
and breathed noble strength into the horses and mules.
ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ πύργους τε νεῶν καὶ τάφρον ἵκοντο,
But when they came to the towers of the ships and the trench,
οἳ δὲ νέον περὶ δόρπα φυλακτῆρες πονέοντο,
where the sentinels were just busying themselves about their supper,
τοῖσι δʼ ἐφʼ ὕπνον ἔχευε διάκτορος ἀργεϊφόντης
upon these the messenger, the slayer of Argus, shed sleep,
πᾶσιν, ἄφαρ δʼ ὤϊξε πύλας καὶ ἀπῶσεν ὀχῆας,
upon them all; and straightway he opened the gates and thrust back the bolts,
ἐς δʼ ἄγαγε Πρίαμόν τε καὶ ἀγλαὰ δῶρʼ ἐπʼ ἀπήνης.
and brought in Priam and the glorious gifts upon the wagon.
ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ κλισίην Πηληϊάδεω ἀφίκοντο
But when they came to the shelter of Peleus’ son,
ὑψηλήν, τὴν Μυρμιδόνες ποίησαν ἄνακτι
lofty, which the Myrmidons had made for their king,
δοῦρʼ ἐλάτης κέρσαντες· ἀτὰρ καθύπερθεν ἔρεψαν
hewing beams of fir; and they had roofed it over
λαχνήεντʼ ὄροφον λειμωνόθεν ἀμήσαντες·
with a shaggy roof, mowing it from the meadows;
ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ μεγάλην αὐλὴν ποίησαν ἄνακτι
and around it they made a great courtyard for their king
σταυροῖσιν πυκινοῖσι· θύρην δʼ ἔχε μοῦνος ἐπιβλὴς
with thick-set stakes; and the door was held by a single bar
εἰλάτινος, τὸν τρεῖς μὲν ἐπιρρήσσεσκον4 Ἀχαιοί,
of fir, which three Achaeans were wont to drive home,
τρεῖς δʼ ἀναοίγεσκον μεγάλην κληῗδα θυράων
and three were wont to open its great bolt—
τῶν ἄλλων· Ἀχιλεὺς δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπιρρήσσεσκε καὶ οἶος·
of the other men, but Achilles was wont to drive it home even alone;
δή ῥα τόθʼ Ἑρμείας ἐριούνιος ᾦξε γέροντι,
then indeed the helper Hermes opened it for the old man,
ἐς δʼ ἄγαγε κλυτὰ δῶρα ποδώκεϊ Πηλεΐωνι,
and brought in the glorious gifts for the swift-footed son of Peleus,
ἐξ ἵππων δʼ ἀπέβαινεν ἐπὶ χθόνα φώνησέν τε·
and from the chariot he stepped down to the earth and spoke, saying:
ὦ γέρον ἤτοι ἐγὼ θεὸς ἄμβροτος εἰλήλουθα
”Old man, I am indeed an immortal god who has come,
Ἑρμείας· σοὶ γάρ με πατὴρ ἅμα πομπὸν ὄπασσεν.
Hermes; for my father sent me to accompany you.
ἀλλʼ ἤτοι μὲν ἐγὼ πάλιν εἴσομαι, οὐδʼ Ἀχιλῆος
But indeed I will go back, and will not go into the presence
ὀφθαλμοὺς εἴσειμι· νεμεσσητὸν δέ κεν εἴη
of Achilles’ eyes; for it would be a cause of anger
ἀθάνατον θεὸν ὧδε βροτοὺς ἀγαπαζέμεν ἄντην·
for an immortal god to show such open favor to mortals;
τύνη δʼ εἰσελθὼν λαβὲ γούνατα Πηλεΐωνος,
but go in yourself, and clasp the knees of Peleus’ son,
καί μιν ὑπὲρ πατρὸς καὶ μητέρος ἠϋκόμοιο
and entreat him by his father and his fair-haired mother
λίσσεο καὶ τέκεος, ἵνα οἱ σὺν θυμὸν ὀρίνῃς.
and his child, so that you may stir his soul.”
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἀπέβη πρὸς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον
So speaking, he departed to high Olympus,
Ἑρμείας· Πρίαμος δʼ ἐξ ἵππων ἆλτο χαμᾶζε,
Hermes; and Priam leaped from the chariot to the ground,
Ἰδαῖον δὲ κατʼ αὖθι λίπεν· ὃ δὲ μίμνεν ἐρύκων
and left Idaeus there; and he remained keeping watch over
ἵππους ἡμιόνους τε· γέρων δʼ ἰθὺς κίεν οἴκου,
the horses and mules; but the old man went straight to the dwelling,
- 24.404ἴσχειν ἐσσυμένους πολέμου
An infinitive phrase governed by οὐδὲ δύνανται (nor can they) in the preceding line. ἐσσυμένους is an accusative plural participle functioning as the direct object of ἴσχειν (to hold back), with πολέμου (from war/battle) as a genitive of separation.
- 24.426εἴ ποτʼ ἔην γε
A poignant parenthetical clause meaning "if indeed he ever was/existed". It reflects the deep grief and sense of unreality felt by the bereaved father Priam after the death of his beloved son Hector.
- 24.434παρὲξ Ἀχιλῆα δέχεσθαι
The preposition παρὲξ (without the knowledge of, bypassing) governs the accusative Ἀχιλῆα, meaning "to accept gifts behind Achilles' back / without Achilles' knowledge".
- 24.454ἐπιρρήσσεσκον
The suffix -εσκον denotes an iterative or customary past action ("were wont to drive home"). This emphasizes the superhuman size and weight of the gate to Achilles' lodging, which normally required three ordinary men to operate.