Paris's Retreat and the Rebuke of Hector — Homer, Iliad Book 3 (lines 1–65), Greek & English

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κόσμηθεν ἅμʼ ἡγεμόνεσσιν ἕκαστοι,

But when they were marshaled, each company with its leaders,

Τρῶες μὲν κλαγγῇ τʼ ἐνοπῇ τʼ ἴσαν ὄρνιθες ὣς

the Trojans indeed came on with clamor and shouting like birds,

ἠΰτε περ κλαγγὴ γεράνων πέλει οὐρανόθι πρό·

even as the clamor of cranes arises before the face of heaven;

αἵ τʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν χειμῶνα φύγον καὶ ἀθέσφατον ὄμβρον

which, when they have fled from winter and unspeakable rain,

κλαγγῇ ταί γε πέτονται ἐπʼ ὠκεανοῖο ῥοάων

fly with clamor toward the streams of Ocean,

ἀνδράσι Πυγμαίοισι φόνον καὶ κῆρα φέρουσαι·

bringing slaughter and death to the Pygmy men;

ἠέριαι δʼ ἄρα ταί γε κακὴν ἔριδα προφέρονται.

and in the early morning they bring evil strife.

οἳ δʼ ἄρʼ ἴσαν σιγῇ μένεα πνείοντες Ἀχαιοὶ

But the Achaeans went in silence, breathing courage,

ἐν θυμῷ μεμαῶτες ἀλεξέμεν ἀλλήλοισιν.

eager in their hearts to bring aid to one another.

εὖτʼ ὄρεος κορυφῇσι Νότος κατέχευεν ὀμίχλην

Just as when the South Wind pours a mist over the peaks of a mountain,

ποιμέσιν οὔ τι φίλην, κλέπτῃ δέ τε νυκτὸς ἀμείνω,

in no wise loved by shepherds, but better than night for a thief,

τόσσόν τίς τʼ ἐπιλεύσσει ὅσον τʼ ἐπὶ λᾶαν ἵησιν·¹

and one can see only as far as he can cast a stone;

ὣς ἄρα τῶν ὑπὸ ποσσὶ κονίσαλος ὄρνυτʼ ἀελλὴς

so then arose a dense cloud of dust from beneath their feet

ἐρχομένων· μάλα δʼ ὦκα διέπρησσον πεδίοιο.

as they went; and very swiftly they made their way across the plain.

οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦσαν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ἰόντες,

But when they were now near, coming against one another,

Τρωσὶν μὲν προμάχιζεν Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδὴς

godlike Alexander championed the Trojans,

παρδαλέην ὤμοισιν ἔχων καὶ καμπύλα τόξα

having on his shoulders a panther skin and a curved bow

καὶ ξίφος· αὐτὰρ δοῦρε δύω κεκορυθμένα χαλκῷ

and a sword; but brandishing two spears tipped with bronze,

πάλλων Ἀργείων προκαλίζετο πάντας ἀρίστους

he challenged all the best of the Argives

ἀντίβιον μαχέσασθαι ἐν αἰνῇ δηϊοτῆτι.

to fight face to face in dread combat.

τὸν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησεν ἀρηΐφιλος Μενέλαος

But when Menelaus, dear to Ares, marked him

ἐρχόμενον προπάροιθεν ὁμίλου μακρὰ βιβάντα,

coming before the host with long strides,

ὥς τε λέων ἐχάρη μεγάλῳ ἐπὶ σώματι κύρσας

even as a lion is glad when he lights upon a great carcass,

εὑρὼν ἢ ἔλαφον κεραὸν ἢ ἄγριον αἶγα

having found either a horned stag or a wild goat,

πεινάων· μάλα γάρ τε κατεσθίει, εἴ περ ἂν αὐτὸν

when he is hungry; for greedily he devours it, even though

σεύωνται ταχέες τε κύνες θαλεροί τʼ αἰζηοί·²

swift hounds and lusty youths pursue him;

ὣς ἐχάρη Μενέλαος Ἀλέξανδρον θεοειδέα

so Menelaus was glad when his eyes beheld godlike Alexander;

ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδών· φάτο γὰρ τίσεσθαι ἀλείτην·

for he thought he would take vengeance on the sinner;

αὐτίκα δʼ ἐξ ὀχέων σὺν τεύχεσιν ἆλτο χαμᾶζε.

and straightway he leaped from his chariot in his armor to the ground.

τὸν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησεν Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδὴς

But when godlike Alexander marked him

ἐν προμάχοισι φανέντα, κατεπλήγη φίλον ἦτορ,

appearing among the champions, he was stricken in his dear heart,

ἂψ δʼ ἑτάρων εἰς ἔθνος ἐχάζετο κῆρʼ ἀλεείνων.

and shrank back into the company of his comrades, avoiding death.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε τίς τε δράκοντα ἰδὼν παλίνορσος ἀπέστη

And as when a man sees a serpent in the glades of a mountain and starts back,

οὔρεος ἐν βήσσῃς, ὑπό τε τρόμος ἔλλαβε γυῖα,

and trembling seizes his limbs,

ἂψ δʼ ἀνεχώρησεν, ὦχρός τέ μιν εἷλε παρειάς,

and he withdraws back, and paleness takes hold of his cheeks;

ὣς αὖτις καθʼ ὅμιλον ἔδυ Τρώων ἀγερώχων

so did godlike Alexander shrink back into the throng of the lordly Trojans,

δείσας Ἀτρέος υἱὸν Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδής.

fearing the son of Atreus.

τὸν δʼ Ἕκτωρ νείκεσσεν ἰδὼν αἰσχροῖς ἐπέεσσιν·

But Hector saw him and upbraided him with shameful words:

Δύσπαρι εἶδος ἄριστε γυναιμανὲς ἠπεροπευτὰ

”Evil Paris, most fair in form, mad after women, deceiver!

αἴθʼ ὄφελες ἄγονός τʼ ἔμεναι ἄγαμός τʼ ἀπολέσθαι·³

Would that you had never been born, or had perished unwed!

καί κε τὸ βουλοίμην, καί κεν πολὺ κέρδιον ἦεν

This indeed I would wish, and it would have been far better

ἢ οὕτω λώβην τʼ ἔμεναι καὶ ὑπόψιον ἄλλων.

than thus to be a mockery and an object of suspicion to others.

ἦ που καγχαλόωσι κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοὶ

Surely, I think, the long-haired Achaeans laugh aloud,

φάντες ἀριστῆα πρόμον ἔμμεναι, οὕνεκα καλὸν

saying that a prince is our champion only because a fair

εἶδος ἔπʼ, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔστι βίη φρεσὶν οὐδέ τις ἀλκή.

form is his, but there is no strength in his heart, nor any courage.

ἦ τοιόσδε ἐὼν ἐν ποντοπόροισι νέεσσι

Was it as such a man that you sailed over the sea in deep-going ships,

πόντον ἐπιπλώσας, ἑτάρους ἐρίηρας ἀγείρας,

having gathered trusty comrades,

μιχθεὶς ἀλλοδαποῖσι γυναῖκʼ εὐειδέʼ ἀνῆγες

and, mingling with foreigners, carried off a fair woman

ἐξ ἀπίης γαίης νυὸν ἀνδρῶν αἰχμητάων

from a distant land, a daughter-in-law of spear-armed men,

πατρί τε σῷ μέγα πῆμα πόληΐ τε παντί τε δήμῳ,

a great bane to your father and city and all the people,

δυσμενέσιν μὲν χάρμα, κατηφείην δὲ σοὶ αὐτῷ;

a joy to your enemies, and a hanging of the head to yourself?

οὐκ ἂν δὴ μείνειας ἀρηΐφιλον Μενέλαον;

Could you not indeed abide Menelaus, dear to Ares?

γνοίης χʼ οἵου φωτὸς ἔχεις θαλερὴν παράκοιτιν·

Then would you have known what kind of warrior he is whose lovely wife you hold.

οὐκ ἄν τοι χραίσμῃ κίθαρις τά τε δῶρʼ Ἀφροδίτης

Your lyre will not help you, nor the gifts of Aphrodite,

ἥ τε κόμη τό τε εἶδος ὅτʼ ἐν κονίῃσι μιγείης.

nor your hair nor your comeliness, when you are mingled with the dust.

ἀλλὰ μάλα Τρῶες δειδήμονες· ἦ τέ κεν ἤδη

But the Trojans are very cowardly; else indeed by now

λάϊνον ἕσσο χιτῶνα⁴ κακῶν ἕνεχʼ ὅσσα ἔοργας.

you would have donned a coat of stone because of all the evils you have wrought.”

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν Ἀλέξανδρος θεοειδής·

And to him godlike Alexander made answer, saying:

Ἕκτορ ἐπεί με κατʼ αἶσαν ἐνείκεσας οὐδʼ ὑπὲρ αἶσαν·

”Hector, since you have chided me fairly, and not beyond measure—

αἰεί τοι κραδίη πέλεκυς ὥς ἐστιν ἀτειρὴς

always is your heart untiring, like an axe

ὅς τʼ εἶσιν διὰ δουρὸς ὑπʼ ἀνέρος ὅς ῥά τε τέχνῃ

which goes through timber at the hand of a man who by art

νήϊον ἐκτάμνῃσιν, ὀφέλλει δʼ ἀνδρὸς ἐρωήν·

shapes a ship’s timber, and it increases the man’s force;

ὣς σοὶ ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀτάρβητος νόος ἐστί·

so is the mind in your breast undaunted.

μή μοι δῶρʼ ἐρατὰ πρόφερε χρυσέης Ἀφροδίτης·

Cast not in my teeth the lovely gifts of golden Aphrodite;

οὔ τοι ἀπόβλητʼ ἐστὶ θεῶν ἐρικυδέα δῶρα

in no wise are the glorious gifts of the gods to be discarded,

Syntax notes4 items

3.10εὖτʼ ὄρεος κορυφῇσι Νότος κατέχευεν ὀμίχλην... τόσσόν τίς τʼ ἐπιλεύσσει ὅσον τʼ ἐπὶ λᾶαν ἵησιν·
The simile clause starting with εὖτε correlates with ὣς in §3.13. The limited visibility in the mist is compared to the dense cloud of dust rising from under the feet of the advancing Achaean army.
3.25εἴ περ ἂν αὐτὸν σεύωνται ταχέες τε κύνες θαλεροί τʼ αἰζηοί·
The construction εἴ περ ἄν with the subjunctive expresses a general condition (present or iterative) and here conveys a concessive meaning: "even though swift hounds... pursue him." It corresponds to the present indicative κατεσθίει in the main clause.
3.40αἴθʼ ὄφελες ἄγονός τʼ ἔμεναι ἄγαμός τʼ ἀπολέσθαι·
This construction expresses an unattainable wish in the present or a regret about the past. αἴθε with the second-person singular of the defective verb ὄφελον (ὄφελες) followed by infinitives (ἔμεναι, ἀπολέσθαι) means "would that you had been... (but you were not)."
3.57λάϊνον ἕσσο χιτῶνα
The phrase "to don a coat of stone" is a poetic metaphor for being stoned to death (lapidation). The verb ἕσσο is the second-person singular aorist middle (or pluperfect indicative) of ἕννυμι (to clothe), used here with κεν in the apodosis of a contrary-to-fact conditional sentence: "you would have put on a coat of stone (had the Trojans not been so cowardly)."

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.1-3.65