- 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-grc2:3.132-3.197
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-28
At Iris's invitation, Helen goes to the walls of Troy, where she meets Priam and the Trojan elders. Priam welcomes her kindly and asks her to identify the Achaean heroes, starting with Agamemnon, whom Helen describes with deep regret.
οἳ πρὶν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισι φέρον πολύδακρυν Ἄρηα
”who formerly against one another were carrying tearful war
ἐν πεδίῳ ὀλοοῖο λιλαιόμενοι πολέμοιο·
on the plain, longing for destructive war;
οἳ δὴ νῦν ἕαται σιγῇ, πόλεμος δὲ πέπαυται,
who indeed now sit in silence, and the war has ceased,
ἀσπίσι κεκλιμένοι, παρὰ δʼ ἔγχεα μακρὰ πέπηγεν.
leaning on their shields, and beside them their long spears are fixed.
αὐτὰρ Ἀλέξανδρος καὶ ἀρηΐφιλος Μενέλαος
But Alexander and Menelaus, dear to Ares,
μακρῇς ἐγχείῃσι μαχήσονται περὶ σεῖο·
will fight with long spears for you;
τῷ δέ κε νικήσαντι1 φίλη κεκλήσῃ ἄκοιτις.
and to the one who wins you will be called dear wife.”
ὣς εἰποῦσα θεὰ γλυκὺν ἵμερον ἔμβαλε θυμῷ
So speaking, the goddess cast sweet longing into her heart
ἀνδρός τε προτέρου καὶ ἄστεος ἠδὲ τοκήων·
both of her former husband and of her city and parents;
αὐτίκα δʼ ἀργεννῇσι καλυψαμένη ὀθόνῃσιν
and immediately wrapping herself in shining linen veils
ὁρμᾶτʼ ἐκ θαλάμοιο τέρεν κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσα
she rushed from her chamber, shedding a tender tear,
οὐκ οἴη, ἅμα τῇ γε καὶ ἀμφίπολοι δύʼ ἕποντο,
not alone, but with her also two handmaidens followed,
Αἴθρη Πιτθῆος θυγάτηρ, Κλυμένη τε βοῶπις·
Aethra, daughter of Pittheus, and Clymene with ox-eyes;
αἶψα δʼ ἔπειθʼ ἵκανον ὅθι Σκαιαὶ πύλαι ἦσαν.
and quickly then they came to where the Scaean gates were.
οἳ δʼ ἀμφὶ Πρίαμον καὶ Πάνθοον ἠδὲ Θυμοίτην
And those around Priam and Panthous and Thymoetes,
Λάμπον τε Κλυτίον θʼ Ἱκετάονά τʼ ὄζον Ἄρηος
and Lampus and Clytius and Hicetaon, scion of Ares,
Οὐκαλέγων τε καὶ Ἀντήνωρ πεπνυμένω ἄμφω
and Ucalegon and Antenor, both wise,
ἥατο δημογέροντες ἐπὶ Σκαιῇσι πύλῃσι,
sat as elders of the people upon the Scaean gates,
γήραϊ δὴ πολέμοιο πεπαυμένοι, ἀλλʼ ἀγορηταὶ
having now ceased from war because of old age, but speakers
ἐσθλοί, τεττίγεσσιν ἐοικότες οἵ τε καθʼ ὕλην
excellent, like cicadas which through the wood
δενδρέῳ ἐφεζόμενοι ὄπα λειριόεσσαν ἱεῖσι·
sitting on a tree send forth their lily-like voice;
τοῖοι ἄρα Τρώων ἡγήτορες ἧντʼ ἐπὶ πύργῳ.
such then were the leaders of the Trojans who sat upon the tower.
οἳ δʼ ὡς οὖν εἴδονθʼ Ἑλένην ἐπὶ πύργον ἰοῦσαν,
And when they saw Helen coming to the tower,
ἦκα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἔπεα πτερόεντʼ ἀγόρευον·
softly to one another they spoke winged words:
οὐ νέμεσις2 Τρῶας καὶ ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιοὺς
”No blame is it that Trojans and well-greaved Achaeans
τοιῇδʼ ἀμφὶ γυναικὶ πολὺν χρόνον ἄλγεα πάσχειν·
for such a woman long time should suffer woes;
αἰνῶς ἀθανάτῃσι θεῇς εἰς ὦπα ἔοικεν·
wondrously is she like in face to the immortal goddesses;
ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς τοίη περ ἐοῦσʼ ἐν νηυσὶ νεέσθω,
but even so, though she is such, let her return in the ships,
μηδʼ ἡμῖν τεκέεσσί τʼ ὀπίσσω πῆμα λίποιτο.
nor be left as a bane to us and to our children hereafter.”
ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφαν, Πρίαμος δʼ Ἑλένην ἐκαλέσσατο φωνῇ·
So they spoke, and Priam called Helen with his voice:
δεῦρο πάροιθʼ ἐλθοῦσα φίλον τέκος ἵζευ ἐμεῖο,
”Come hither before me, dear child, sit by me,
ὄφρα ἴδῃ πρότερόν τε πόσιν πηούς τε φίλους τε·
so that you may see both your former husband and your kinsmen and dear ones;
οὔ τί μοι αἰτίη ἐσσί, θεοί νύ μοι αἴτιοί εἰσιν
you are not to me any way to blame, the gods surely are to blame to me,
οἵ μοι ἐφώρμησαν πόλεμον πολύδακρυν Ἀχαιῶν·
who roused against me the tearful war of the Achaeans;
ὥς μοι καὶ τόνδʼ ἄνδρα πελώριον ἐξονομήνῃς
so that you may name to me also this mighty man,
ὅς τις ὅδʼ ἐστὶν Ἀχαιὸς ἀνὴρ ἠΰς τε μέγας τε.
whoever this Achaean man is, both noble and great.
ἤτοι μὲν κεφαλῇ καὶ μείζονες ἄλλοι ἔασι,
Indeed in head others are even taller,
καλὸν δʼ οὕτω ἐγὼν οὔ πω ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,
but so handsome I have not yet seen with my eyes,
οὐδʼ οὕτω γεραρόν· βασιλῆϊ γὰρ ἀνδρὶ ἔοικε.
nor so majestic; for he is like a kingly man.”
τὸν δʼ Ἑλένη μύθοισιν ἀμείβετο δῖα γυναικῶν·
And Helen answered him with words, noble among women:
αἰδοῖός τέ μοί ἐσσι φίλε ἑκυρὲ δεινός τε·
”Revered are you to me, dear father-in-law, and dreaded;
ὡς ὄφελεν θάνατός μοι ἁδεῖν κακὸς3 ὁππότε δεῦρο
Would that evil death had pleased me when hither
υἱέϊ σῷ ἑπόμην θάλαμον γνωτούς τε λιποῦσα
I followed your son, leaving my bridal chamber and kinsmen
παῖδά τε τηλυγέτην καὶ ὁμηλικίην ἐρατεινήν.
and my child late-born and lovely companions.
ἀλλὰ τά γʼ οὐκ ἐγένοντο· τὸ καὶ κλαίουσα τέτηκα.
But these things did not happen; therefore weeping I pine away.
τοῦτο δέ τοι ἐρέω ὅ μʼ ἀνείρεαι ἠδὲ μεταλλᾷς·
But this I will tell you, which you ask me and inquire of;
οὗτός γʼ Ἀτρεΐδης εὐρὺ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων,
This is the son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon,
ἀμφότερον βασιλεύς τʼ ἀγαθὸς κρατερός τʼ αἰχμητής·
both a good king and a mighty spearman;
δαὴρ αὖτʼ ἐμὸς ἔσκε κυνώπιδος, εἴ ποτʼ ἔην γε.4
and brother-in-law furthermore he was to me, shameless, if ever indeed he was.”
ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ ὁ γέρων ἠγάσσατο φώνησέν τε·
So she spoke, and the old man marveled at him and said:
ὦ μάκαρ Ἀτρεΐδη μοιρηγενὲς ὀλβιόδαιμον,
”O happy son of Atreus, child of fate, blest by fortune,
ἦ ῥά νύ τοι πολλοὶ δεδμήατο κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν.
truly indeed many were the youths of the Achaeans subject to you.
ἤδη καὶ Φρυγίην εἰσήλυθον ἀμπελόεσσαν,
Already also I entered vine-clad Phrygia,
ἔνθα ἴδον πλείστους Φρύγας ἀνέρας αἰολοπώλους
there I saw very many Phrygian men with swift steeds,
λαοὺς Ὀτρῆος καὶ Μυγδόνος ἀντιθέοιο,
the people of Otreus and godlike Mygdon,
οἵ ῥα τότʼ ἐστρατόωντο παρʼ ὄχθας Σαγγαρίοιο·
who indeed then were camping along the banks of Sangarius;
καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπίκουρος ἐὼν μετὰ τοῖσιν ἐλέχθην
for I too, being an ally, was numbered among them
ἤματι τῷ ὅτε τʼ ἦλθον Ἀμαζόνες ἀντιάνειραι·
on that day when also came the Amazons, peers of men;
ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ οἳ τόσοι ἦσαν ὅσοι ἑλίκωπες Ἀχαιοί.
but not even they were as many as the quick-glancing Achaeans.”
δεύτερον αὖτʼ Ὀδυσῆα ἰδὼν ἐρέεινʼ ὁ γεραιός·
Secondly furthermore, seeing Odysseus, the old man asked:
εἴπʼ ἄγε μοι καὶ τόνδε φίλον τέκος ὅς τις ὅδʼ ἐστί·
”Come, tell me also of this one, dear child, whoever he is;
μείων μὲν κεφαλῇ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο,
shorter indeed by a head than Agamemnon, son of Atreus,
εὐρύτερος δʼ ὤμοισιν ἰδὲ στέρνοισιν ἰδέσθαι.
but broader in shoulders and breast to look upon.
τεύχεα μέν οἱ κεῖται ἐπὶ χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ,
His armor indeed lies for him upon the bounteous earth,
αὐτὸς δὲ κτίλος ὣς ἐπιπωλεῖται στίχας ἀνδρῶν·
but he himself like a ram goes through the ranks of men;
ἀρνειῷ μιν ἔγωγε ἐΐσκω πηγεσιμάλλῳ,
to a thick-fleeced ram I indeed liken him,”
- 3.138τῷ δέ κε νικήσαντι
Dative of interest/possession with the verb κεκλήσῃ ("you will be called"), indicating that she will belong to "the one who wins."
- 3.156οὐ νέμεσις
The phrase οὐ νέμεσις (ἐστί) ("it is no cause for anger/blame") is followed by the accusative and infinitive construction (Тρῶας καὶ... Ἀχαιοὺς... ἄλγεα πάσχειν) acting as the subject.
- 3.173ὡς ὄφελεν θάνατός μοι ἁδεῖν κακὸς
The construction of ὄφελον (here 3rd sg. ὄφελεν) with the infinitive (ἁδεῖν) expresses an unattainable wish in the past: "would that evil death had pleased me."
- 3.180εἴ ποτʼ ἔην γε
An idiomatic parenthetical conditional clause ("if indeed it ever was"), expressing bitter regret or doubt, as if her past happy/normal status as a sister-in-law is now so remote that it seems like a dream.
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — source 1