Duel of Paris and Menelaus and the Rescue by Aphrodite — Homer, Iliad Book 3 (lines 331–397), Greek & English

331

καλάς, ἀργυρέοισιν ἐπισφυρίοις ἀραρυίας·

beautiful ones, fitted with silver ankle-clasps;

δεύτερον αὖ θώρηκα περὶ στήθεσσιν ἔδυνεν

secondly in turn he put the breastplate around his chest,

οἷο¹ κασιγνήτοιο Λυκάονος· ἥρμοσε δʼ αὐτῷ.

which was of his brother Lycaon; and it fitted him.

ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ὤμοισιν βάλετο ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον

And around his shoulders he slung his silver-studded sword,

335

χάλκεον, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα σάκος μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε·

made of bronze, and then his shield, both great and sturdy;

κρατὶ δʼ ἐπʼ ἰφθίμῳ κυνέην εὔτυκτον ἔθηκεν

And upon his mighty head he placed a well-made helmet,

ἵππουριν· δεινὸν δὲ λόφος καθύπερθεν ἔνευεν·

with horsehair crest; and terribly the plume nodded from above;

εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος, ὅ οἱ παλάμηφιν ἀρήρει.

And he took a strong spear, which fitted his hands.

ὣς δʼ αὔτως Μενέλαος ἀρήϊος ἔντεʼ ἔδυνεν.

And in the very same way warlike Menelaus put on his armor.

340

οἳ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν ἑκάτερθεν ὁμίλου θωρήχθησαν,

And when indeed they had armed themselves on either side of the throng,

ἐς μέσσον Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν ἐστιχόωντο

they walked into the midst of the Trojans and Achaeans,

δεινὸν δερκόμενοι· θάμβος δʼ ἔχεν εἰσορόωντας

glaring terribly; and wonder held those who looked on,

Τρῶάς θʼ ἱπποδάμους καὶ ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς.

both horse-taming Trojans and well-greaved Achaeans.

καί ῥʼ ἐγγὺς στήτην διαμετρητῷ ἐνὶ χώρῳ

And indeed they stood near in the measured space,

345

σείοντʼ ἐγχείας ἀλλήλοισιν κοτέοντε.

shaking their spears, raging against one another.

πρόσθε δʼ Ἀλέξανδρος προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος,

And first Alexander cast his long-shadowed spear,

καὶ βάλεν Ἀτρεΐδαο κατʼ ἀσπίδα πάντοσε ἴσην,

and struck upon the shield of the son of Atreus, equal on all sides;

οὐδʼ ἔρρηξεν χαλκός, ἀνεγνάμφθη δέ οἱ αἰχμὴ

nor did the bronze break through, but his spear-point was bent

ἀσπίδʼ ἐνὶ κρατερῇ· ὃ δὲ δεύτερον ὄρνυτο χαλκῷ

in the strong shield. Then secondly rose up with his bronze

350

Ἀτρεΐδης Μενέλαος ἐπευξάμενος Διὶ πατρί·

the son of Atreus, Menelaus, praying to father Zeus:

Ζεῦ ἄνα δὸς τίσασθαι ὅ με πρότερος κάκʼ ἔοργε

“King Zeus, grant that I may take vengeance on him who first did me wrong,

δῖον Ἀλέξανδρον, καὶ ἐμῇς ὑπὸ χερσὶ δάμασσον,

noble Alexander, and subdue him under my hands,

ὄφρα τις ἐρρίγῃσι² καὶ ὀψιγόνων ἀνθρώπων

so that any one even of late-born men may shudder

ξεινοδόκον κακὰ ῥέξαι, ὅ κεν φιλότητα παράσχῃ.

to do evil to a host who has shown them friendship.”

355

ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀμπεπαλὼν προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος,

He spoke, and poising his long-shadowed spear, he let it fly,

καὶ βάλε Πριαμίδαο κατʼ ἀσπίδα πάντοσε ἴσην·

and struck upon the shield of Priam’s son, equal on all sides.

διὰ μὲν ἀσπίδος ἦλθε φαεινῆς ὄβριμον ἔγχος,

Through the shining shield went the mighty spear,

καὶ διὰ θώρηκος πολυδαιδάλου ἠρήρειστο·

and pressed on through the richly-wrought breastplate;

ἀντικρὺ δὲ παραὶ λαπάρην διάμησε χιτῶνα

and straight on beside the flank the spear cut through his tunic;

360

ἔγχος· ὃ δʼ ἐκλίνθη καὶ ἀλεύατο κῆρα μέλαιναν.

but he bent aside and escaped black death.

Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ ἐρυσσάμενος ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον

Then the son of Atreus, drawing his silver-studded sword,

πλῆξεν ἀνασχόμενος κόρυθος φάλον· ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτῷ

struck, raising his arm, the horn of the helmet; but around it

τριχθά τε καὶ τετραχθὰ διατρυφὲν ἔκπεσε χειρός.

broken into three or four pieces, it fell from his hand.

Ἀτρεΐδης δʼ ᾤμωξεν ἰδὼν εἰς οὐρανὸν εὐρύν·

And the son of Atreus groaned, looking up into the wide heaven:

365

Ζεῦ πάτερ οὔ τις σεῖο θεῶν ὀλοώτερος ἄλλος·

“Father Zeus, no other of the gods is more baneful than you!

ἦ τʼ ἐφάμην τίσασθαι Ἀλέξανδρον κακότητος·

Verily I thought to punish Alexander for his wickedness;

νῦν δέ μοι ἐν χείρεσσιν ἄγη ξίφος, ἐκ δέ μοι ἔγχος

but now my sword is broken in my hands, and from my hand my spear

ἠΐχθη παλάμηφιν ἐτώσιον, οὐδʼ ἔβαλόν μιν.

has flown in vain, and I did not strike him.”

ἦ καὶ ἐπαΐξας κόρυθος λάβεν ἱπποδασείης,

He spoke, and rushing upon him, seized him by the horsehair helmet,

370

ἕλκε δʼ ἐπιστρέψας μετʼ ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς·

and dragging him, turned back toward the well-greaved Achaeans;

ἄγχε δέ μιν πολύκεστος ἱμὰς ἁπαλὴν ὑπὸ δειρήν,

and the richly embroidered strap choked him under his tender neck,

ὅς οἱ ὑπʼ ἀνθερεῶνος ὀχεὺς τέτατο τρυφαλείης.

which was drawn under his chin as the fastening of his helmet.

καί νύ κεν εἴρυσσέν τε καὶ ἄσπετον ἤρατο κῦδος,

And now he would have dragged him off and won unspeakable glory,

εἰ μὴ ἄρʼ ὀξὺ νόησε³ Διὸς θυγάτηρ Ἀφροδίτη,

if Zeus’ daughter Aphrodite had not quickly noticed,

375

ἥ οἱ ῥῆξεν ἱμάντα βοὸς ἶφι κταμένοιο·

who broke for him the strap of ox-hide from a slaughtered ox;

κεινὴ δὲ τρυφάλεια ἅμʼ ἕσπετο χειρὶ παχείῃ.

and the empty helmet came away in his strong hand.

τὴν μὲν ἔπειθʼ ἥρως μετʼ ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιοὺς

This then the hero toward the well-greaved Achaeans

ῥῖψʼ ἐπιδινήσας, κόμισαν δʼ ἐρίηρες ἑταῖροι·

hurled, spinning it, and his trusty companions gathered it up;

αὐτὰρ ὃ ἂψ ἐπόρουσε κατακτάμεναι μενεαίνων

but he rushed back again, eager to slay him

380

ἔγχεϊ χαλκείῳ· τὸν δʼ ἐξήρπαξʼ Ἀφροδίτη

with his bronze spear; but him Aphrodite snatched away

ῥεῖα μάλʼ ὥς τε θεός, ἐκάλυψε δʼ ἄρʼ ἠέρι πολλῇ,

very easily, as a god, and shrouded him in a thick mist,

κὰδ δʼ εἷσʼ ἐν θαλάμῳ εὐώδεϊ κηώεντι.

and set him down in his fragrant, incense-scented chamber.

αὐτὴ δʼ αὖ Ἑλένην καλέουσʼ ἴε· τὴν δὲ κίχανε

And she herself went in turn to call Helen; and she found her

πύργῳ ἐφʼ ὑψηλῷ, περὶ δὲ Τρῳαὶ ἅλις ἦσαν·

upon the high tower, and around her Trojan women were gathered in numbers;

385

χειρὶ δὲ νεκταρέου ἑανοῦ ἐτίναξε λαβοῦσα,

and taking hold of her nectar-sweet robe with her hand, she shook it,

γρηῒ δέ μιν ἐϊκυῖα παλαιγενέϊ προσέειπεν

and resembling an aged, old-born woman, she spoke to her,

εἰροκόμῳ, ἥ οἱ Λακεδαίμονι ναιετοώσῃ

a wool-carder, who when she used to dwell in Lacedaemon

ἤσκειν⁴ εἴρια καλά, μάλιστα δέ μιν φιλέεσκε·

used to work beautiful wool for her, and whom she loved most of all;

τῇ μιν ἐεισαμένη προσεφώνεε δῖʼ Ἀφροδίτη·

likening herself to her, noble Aphrodite spoke to her:

390

δεῦρʼ ἴθʼ· Ἀλέξανδρός σε καλεῖ οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι.

“Come hither; Alexander calls you to return home.

κεῖνος ὅ γʼ ἐν θαλάμῳ καὶ δινωτοῖσι λέχεσσι

He is there in his chamber and on his turned bed,

κάλλεΐ τε στίλβων καὶ εἵμασιν· οὐδέ κε φαίης

shining with beauty and garments; nor would you say

ἀνδρὶ μαχεσσάμενον τόν γʼ ἐλθεῖν, ἀλλὰ χορὸν δὲ

that he has come from having fought with a man, but rather

ἔρχεσθʼ, ἠὲ χοροῖο νέον λήγοντα καθίζειν.

that he is going to the dance, or is sitting down, having newly ceased from the dance.”

395

ὣς φάτο, τῇ δʼ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε·

So she spoke, and stirred the heart in her breast;

καί ῥʼ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησε θεᾶς περικαλλέα δειρὴν

and when indeed she noticed the goddess’s very beautiful neck,

στήθεά θʼ ἱμερόεντα καὶ ὄμματα μαρμαίροντα,

and her lovely breast and flashing eyes,

Syntax notes4 items

3.333οἷο
The genitive singular of the third-person possessive adjective ὅς (his). It is homonymous with the genitive of the relative pronoun ὅς, but here it modifies the adjacent noun κασιγνήτοιο (brother).
3.353ἐρρίγῃσι
A subjunctive led by the purpose conjunction ὄφρα (so that). It is the perfect subjunctive third-person singular of the verb ῥιγέω (shudder, dread) with the epic suffix -σι.
3.373καί νύ κεν εἴρυσσέν τε ... εἰ μὴ ἄρʼ ὀξὺ νόησε
A conditional sentence expressing a past contrary-to-fact situation. The apodosis consists of the particle κεν (equivalent to ἄν) with the imperfect indicative (εἴρυσσεν), while the protasis is introduced by εἰ μή with the aorist indicative (νόησε), indicating what would have happened if a divine intervention had not occurred.
3.388ἤσκειν
The third-person singular imperfect of the verb ἀσκέω (to work, prepare). It shows the epic/Ionic uncontracted form with a movable ν.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.331-3.397