Council of the gods and the pact between Zeus and Hera — Homer, Iliad Book 4 (lines 1–66), Greek & English

οἳ δὲ θεοὶ πὰρ Ζηνὶ καθήμενοι ἠγορόωντο

Now the gods, seated by the side of Zeus, were holding council

χρυσέῳ ἐν δαπέδῳ, μετὰ δέ σφισι πότνια Ἥβη

on the golden floor, and in their midst the revered Hebe

νέκταρ ἐοινοχόει· τοὶ δὲ χρυσέοις δεπάεσσι

poured them nectar; and they with golden cups

δειδέχατʼ ἀλλήλους, Τρώων πόλιν εἰσορόωντες·

pledged one another, as they looked down upon the city of the Trojans.

αὐτίκʼ ἐπειρᾶτο Κρονίδης ἐρεθιζέμεν Ἥρην

Straightway the son of Cronos tried to provoke Hera

κερτομίοις ἐπέεσσι παραβλήδην ἀγορεύων·

with mocking words, speaking with taunts:

δοιαὶ μὲν Μενελάῳ ἀρηγόνες εἰσὶ θεάων

”Two indeed of the goddesses are helpers to Menelaus,

Ἥρη τʼ Ἀργείη καὶ Ἀλαλκομενηῒς Ἀθήνη.

Argive Hera and Alalcomenean Athene.

ἀλλʼ ἤτοι ταὶ νόσφι καθήμεναι εἰσορόωσαι

Yet they, sitting apart, look on

τέρπεσθον· τῷ δʼ αὖτε φιλομειδὴς Ἀφροδίτη

and take their pleasure; but to the other, laughter-loving Aphrodite

αἰεὶ παρμέμβλωκε καὶ αὐτοῦ κῆρας ἀμύνει·

ever stands by his side and wards off his dooms;

καὶ νῦν ἐξεσάωσεν ὀϊόμενον θανέεσθαι.

and even now she saved him when he thought he would die.

ἀλλʼ ἤτοι νίκη μὲν ἀρηϊφίλου Μενελάου·

But indeed the victory belongs to warlike Menelaus;

ἡμεῖς δὲ φραζώμεθʼ ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα,

let us consider how these works shall be,

ἤ ῥʼ αὖτις πόλεμόν τε κακὸν καὶ φύλοπιν αἰνὴν

whether we shall again rouse evil war and dread battle,

ὄρσομεν, ἦ φιλότητα μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισι βάλωμεν.

or place friendship between both sides.

εἰ δʼ αὖ πως τόδε πᾶσι φίλον καὶ ἡδὺ γένοιτο,

And if moreover this should be pleasing and sweet to all,

ἤτοι μὲν οἰκέοιτο πόλις Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος,

then indeed might the city of king Priam be inhabited,

αὖτις δʼ Ἀργείην Ἑλένην Μενέλαος ἄγοιτο.¹

and Menelaus might lead back Argive Helen.”

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἳ δʼ ἐπέμυξαν Ἀθηναίη τε καὶ Ἥρη·

So he spoke, and Athene and Hera murmured at his words;

πλησίαι αἵ γʼ ἥσθην, κακὰ δὲ Τρώεσσι μεδέσθην.

they were sitting close together, and were planning evils for the Trojans.

ἤτοι Ἀθηναίη ἀκέων ἦν οὐδέ τι εἶπε

Indeed Athene sat in silence and said nothing,

σκυζομένη Διὶ πατρί, χόλος δέ μιν ἄγριος ᾕρει·

angry with her father Zeus, and fierce anger possessed her;

Ἥρῃ δʼ οὐκ ἔχαδε στῆθος χόλον,² ἀλλὰ προσηύδα·

but Hera’s breast did not contain her anger, and she spoke:

αἰνότατε Κρονίδη ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες·

”Dread son of Cronos, what word is this you have spoken?

πῶς ἐθέλεις ἅλιον θεῖναι πόνον ἠδʼ ἀτέλεστον,

How can you wish to make my labor vain and unaccomplished,

ἱδρῶ θʼ ὃν ἵδρωσα μόγῳ, καμέτην δέ μοι ἵπποι

and the sweat that I sweated with toil, and my horses grew weary

λαὸν ἀγειρούσῃ, Πριάμῳ κακὰ τοῖό τε παισίν.

as I gathered the host, to bring evils upon Priam and his sons?

ἕρδʼ· ἀτὰρ οὔ τοι πάντες ἐπαινέομεν θεοὶ ἄλλοι.

Do so; but we other gods do not all approve.”

τὴν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·

Then greatly angered, cloud-gathering Zeus spoke to her:

δαιμονίη τί νύ σε Πρίαμος Πριάμοιό τε παῖδες

”Strange woman, how now do Priam and Priam’s sons

τόσσα κακὰ ῥέζουσιν, ὅ τʼ ἀσπερχὲς μενεαίνεις

work so many evils against you, that you are so ceaselessly eager

Ἰλίου ἐξαλαπάξαι ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον;

to utterly destroy the well-built city of Ilios?

εἰ δὲ σύ γʼ εἰσελθοῦσα πύλας καὶ τείχεα μακρὰ

If you indeed, entering the gates and high walls,

ὠμὸν βεβρώθοις³ Πρίαμον Πριάμοιό τε παῖδας

could eat Priam raw, and Priam’s sons

ἄλλους τε Τρῶας, τότε κεν χόλον ἐξακέσαιο.

and the other Trojans, then perhaps you would cure your anger.

ἕρξον ὅπως ἐθέλεις· μὴ τοῦτό γε νεῖκος ὀπίσσω

Do as you wish; let not this quarrel hereafter

σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ μέγʼ ἔρισμα μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισι γένηται.

become a great strife between you and me.

ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·

And another thing I will tell you, and do you lay it to heart:

ὁππότε κεν καὶ ἐγὼ μεμαὼς πόλιν ἐξαλαπάξαι

whenever I too, eager to utterly destroy a city,

τὴν ἐθέλω ὅθι τοι φίλοι ἀνέρες ἐγγεγάασι,

shall wish to do so where men dear to you are born,

μή τι διατρίβειν τὸν ἐμὸν χόλον, ἀλλά μʼ ἐᾶσαι·

do not at all delay my anger, but let me be;

καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ σοὶ δῶκα ἑκὼν ἀέκοντί γε θυμῷ·

for indeed I have given this to you willingly, though with reluctant heart.

αἳ γὰρ ὑπʼ ἠελίῳ τε καὶ οὐρανῷ ἀστερόεντι

For of all the cities under the sun and starry heaven

ναιετάουσι πόληες ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων,

inhabited by earthly men,

τάων μοι περὶ κῆρι τιέσκετο Ἴλιος ἱρὴ

of these sacred Ilios was most honored in my heart,

καὶ Πρίαμος καὶ λαὸς ἐϋμμελίω Πριάμοιο.

and Priam, and the people of Priam of the good ashen spear.

οὐ γάρ μοί ποτε βωμὸς ἐδεύετο δαιτὸς ἐΐσης

For never did my altar lack a share of the banquet,

λοιβῆς τε κνίσης τε· τὸ γὰρ λάχομεν γέρας ἡμεῖς.

nor libation and burnt offering; for this honor we received as our portion.”

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη·

Then the ox-eyed, revered Hera answered him:

ἤτοι ἐμοὶ τρεῖς μὲν πολὺ φίλταταί εἰσι πόληες

”Verily, to me three cities are far the dearest,

Ἄργός τε Σπάρτη τε καὶ εὐρυάγυια Μυκήνη·

Argos and Sparta and wide-wayed Mycenae;

τὰς διαπέρσαι ὅτʼ ἄν τοι ἀπέχθωνται περὶ κῆρι·

these do you utterly destroy whenever they are hated by your heart;

τάων οὔ τοι ἐγὼ πρόσθʼ ἵσταμαι οὐδὲ μεγαίρω.

for these I do not stand before you, nor do I grudge them.

εἴ περ γὰρ φθονέω τε καὶ οὐκ εἰῶ διαπέρσαι,

For even if I grudge them and do not permit you to destroy them,

οὐκ ἀνύω φθονέουσʼ ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερός ἐσσι.

I accomplish nothing by grudging, since you are far stronger.

ἀλλὰ χρὴ καὶ ἐμὸν θέμεναι πόνον οὐκ ἀτέλεστον·

But it is necessary to make my labor also not unaccomplished;

καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ θεός εἰμι, γένος δέ μοι ἔνθεν ὅθεν σοί,

for I too am a god, and my race is from the same source as yours,

καί με πρεσβυτάτην τέκετο Κρόνος ἀγκυλομήτης,

and crooked-counseled Cronos begot me as the eldest,

ἀμφότερον γενεῇ τε καὶ οὕνεκα σὴ παράκοιτις

both by birth and because I am called

κέκλημαι, σὺ δὲ πᾶσι μετʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάσσεις.

your wife, and you rule among all the immortals.

ἀλλʼ ἤτοι μὲν ταῦθʼ ὑποείξομεν ἀλλήλοισι,

But indeed let us yield these things to one another,

σοὶ μὲν ἐγώ, σὺ δʼ ἐμοί· ἐπὶ δʼ ἕψονται θεοὶ ἄλλοι

I to you, and you to me; and the other immortal gods

ἀθάνατοι· σὺ δὲ θᾶσσον Ἀθηναίῃ ἐπιτεῖλαι

will follow; and do you quickly command Athene

ἐλθεῖν ἐς Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν φύλοπιν αἰνήν,

to go to the dread battle of the Trojans and Achaeans,

πειρᾶν δʼ ὥς κε Τρῶες ὑπερκύδαντας Ἀχαιοὺς

and to try how the Trojans [may begin to break the treaty] against the proud Achaeans.”

Syntax notes3 items

4.18οἰκέοιτο / ἄγοιτο
The optatives οἰκέοιτο and ἄγοιτο are used without the particle ἄν. Rather than functioning as the apodosis of a conditional sentence, they express a pure wish or potentiality ("may the city be inhabited, and may Menelaus lead back Helen").
4.24οὐκ ἔχαδε στῆθος χόλον
στῆθος is a neuter noun acting here as the subject of the intransitive-turned-transitive verb ἔχαδε (from χανδάνω, "to hold, contain"). χόλον ("anger") is its direct object ("her breast did not contain her anger").
4.35βεβρώθοις
βεβρώθοις is a perfect active optative second person singular (from βιβρώσκω, "to eat"). Used without ἄν in Homeric Greek, it functions as a potential optative, presenting a highly hypothetical and extreme scenario ("if you were to eat them raw").

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — note 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.1-4.66