- 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-grc2:4.138-4.205
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-28
Menelaus is wounded by the arrow but survives thanks to his layered armor. Mourning his brother's injury, Agamemnon orders the herald Talthybius to summon the physician Machaon.
ἥ οἱ πλεῖστον ἔρυτο·1 διὰ πρὸ δὲ εἴσατο καὶ τῆς.
This protected him the most; yet through even this the arrow made its way.
ἀκρότατον δʼ ἄρʼ ὀϊστὸς ἐπέγραψε χρόα φωτός·
Then the arrow grazed the outermost flesh of the man.
αὐτίκα δʼ ἔρρεεν αἷμα κελαινεφὲς ἐξ ὠτειλῆς.
and straightway dark-clouded blood flowed from the wound.
ὡς δʼ ὅτε τίς τʼ ἐλέφαντα γυνὴ φοίνικι μιήνῃ2
As when some Maeonian or Carian woman stains ivory with purple
Μῃονὶς ἠὲ Κάειρα παρήϊον ἔμμεναι ἵππων·
to be a cheek-piece for horses;
κεῖται δʼ ἐν θαλάμῳ, πολέες τέ μιν ἠρήσαντο
and it lies in a store-chamber, and many horsemen pray
ἱππῆες φορέειν· βασιλῆϊ δὲ κεῖται ἄγαλμα,
to wear it; but it lies as a treasure for a king,
ἀμφότερον κόσμός θʼ ἵππῳ ἐλατῆρί τε κῦδος·
both an ornament for the horse and a glory for the driver;
τοῖοί τοι Μενέλαε μιάνθην αἵματι μηροὶ
even so, Menelaus, were your well-shapen thighs stained with blood,
εὐφυέες κνῆμαί τε ἰδὲ σφυρὰ κάλʼ ὑπένερθε.
and your shins and your fair ankles beneath.
ῥίγησεν δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων
Then Agamemnon, lord of men, shuddered
ὡς εἶδεν μέλαν αἷμα καταρρέον ἐξ ὠτειλῆς·
when he saw the dark blood flowing down from the wound;
ῥίγησεν δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀρηΐφιλος Μενέλαος.
and warlike Menelaus himself also shuddered.
ὡς δὲ ἴδεν νεῦρόν τε καὶ ὄγκους ἐκτὸς ἐόντας
But when he saw that the string and the barbs were outside,
ἄψορρόν οἱ θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀγέρθη.
back again his spirit was gathered into his breast.
τοῖς δὲ βαρὺ στενάχων μετέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων
Among them spoke lord Agamemnon, groaning heavily,
χειρὸς ἔχων Μενέλαον, ἐπεστενάχοντο δʼ ἑταῖροι·
holding Menelaus by the hand, and his companions groaned with him:
φίλε κασίγνητε θάνατόν νύ τοι ὅρκιʼ ἔταμνον3
”Dear brother, it was then your death for which I made the treaty,
οἶον προστήσας πρὸ Ἀχαιῶν Τρωσὶ μάχεσθαι,
setting you forward alone before the Achaeans to fight with the Trojans,
ὥς σʼ ἔβαλον Τρῶες, κατὰ δʼ ὅρκια πιστὰ πάτησαν.
since the Trojans have struck you, and trampled underfoot the trustworthy treaty.
οὐ μέν πως ἅλιον πέλει ὅρκιον αἷμά τε ἀρνῶν
Yet in no wise is an oath of no effect, and the blood of lambs,
σπονδαί τʼ ἄκρητοι καὶ δεξιαὶ ᾗς ἐπέπιθμεν.
and drink-offerings of unmixed wine, and the right hands in which we trusted.
εἴ περ γάρ τε καὶ αὐτίκʼ Ὀλύμπιος οὐκ ἐτέλεσσεν,
For even if the Olympian does not bring it to pass immediately,
ἔκ τε καὶ ὀψὲ τελεῖ, σύν τε μεγάλῳ ἀπέτισαν
yet late does he bring it to pass, and they pay a heavy price,
σὺν σφῇσιν κεφαλῇσι γυναιξί τε καὶ τεκέεσσιν.
even with their own heads and their wives and their children.
εὖ γὰρ ἐγὼ τόδε οἶδα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν·
For of this I am well assured in my mind and in my heart:
ἔσσεται ἦμαρ ὅτʼ ἄν ποτʼ ὀλώλῃ Ἴλιος ἱρὴ
the day will come when sacred Ilios shall perish,
καὶ Πρίαμος καὶ λαὸς ἐϋμμελίω Πριάμοιο,
and Priam, and the people of Priam of the good ashen spear,
Ζεὺς δέ σφι Κρονίδης ὑψίζυγος αἰθέρι ναίων
and Zeus, son of Cronos, enthroned on high, dwelling in the ether,
αὐτὸς ἐπισσείῃσιν ἐρεμνὴν αἰγίδα πᾶσι
shall himself shake his dark aegis over them all,
τῆσδʼ ἀπάτης κοτέων· τὰ μὲν ἔσσεται οὐκ ἀτέλεστα·
wroth at this deceit. These things shall not fail of fulfillment;
ἀλλά μοι αἰνὸν ἄχος σέθεν ἔσσεται ὦ Μενέλαε
but I shall have dread grief for you, Menelaus,
αἴ κε θάνῃς καὶ πότμον ἀναπλήσῃς βιότοιο.
if you should die and fill up the measure of your life.
καί κεν ἐλέγχιστος πολυδίψιον Ἄργος ἱκοίμην·
And I should return to thirsty Argos as one most despised;
αὐτίκα γὰρ μνήσονται Ἀχαιοὶ πατρίδος αἴης·
for straightway the Achaeans will remember their native land;
κὰδ δέ κεν εὐχωλὴν Πριάμῳ καὶ Τρωσὶ λίποιμεν
and we should leave Argive Helen as a boast to Priam
Ἀργείην Ἑλένην· σέο δʼ ὀστέα πύσει ἄρουρα
and the Trojans; and your bones shall rot in the earth
κειμένου ἐν Τροίῃ ἀτελευτήτῳ ἐπὶ ἔργῳ.
as you lie in Troy with your task unaccomplished.
καί κέ τις ὧδʼ ἐρέει Τρώων ὑπερηνορεόντων
And thus will one of the overbearing Trojans speak,
τύμβῳ ἐπιθρῴσκων Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο·
leaping upon the tomb of glorious Menelaus:
αἴθʼ οὕτως ἐπὶ πᾶσι χόλον τελέσειʼ Ἀγαμέμνων,4
”Would that Agamemnon might thus fulfill his wrath on all,
ὡς καὶ νῦν ἅλιον στρατὸν ἤγαγεν ἐνθάδʼ Ἀχαιῶν,
even as now he led hither an army of the Achaeans in vain,
καὶ δὴ ἔβη οἶκον δὲ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν
and lo, he has gone home to his dear native land
σὺν κεινῇσιν νηυσὶ λιπὼν ἀγαθὸν Μενέλαον.
with empty ships, leaving brave Menelaus behind.”
ὥς ποτέ τις ἐρέει· τότε μοι χάνοι εὐρεῖα χθών.
Thus will some man speak; on that day let the wide earth yawn for me.”
τὸν δʼ ἐπιθαρσύνων προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·
But fair-haired Menelaus spoke, encouraging him:
θάρσει, μηδέ τί πω δειδίσσεο λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν·
”Be of good courage, and do not in any wise frighten the host of the Achaeans;
οὐκ ἐν καιρίῳ ὀξὺ πάγη βέλος, ἀλλὰ πάροιθεν
the sharp missile is not fixed in a vital part, but before that
εἰρύσατο ζωστήρ τε παναίολος ἠδʼ ὑπένερθε
the flashing belt protected me, and beneath it
ζῶμά τε καὶ μίτρη, τὴν χαλκῆες κάμον ἄνδρες.
the kilt and the mitre which bronze-smiths fashioned.”
τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων·
And lord Agamemnon spoke in answer to him:
αἲ γὰρ δὴ οὕτως εἴη φίλος ὦ Μενέλαε·
”Would that it indeed were so, dear Menelaus;
ἕλκος δʼ ἰητὴρ ἐπιμάσσεται ἠδʼ ἐπιθήσει
and a healer shall search the wound, and apply
φάρμαχʼ ἅ κεν παύσῃσι5 μελαινάων ὀδυνάων.
herbs that shall make an end of your dark pains.”
ἦ καὶ Ταλθύβιον θεῖον κήρυκα προσηύδα·
He spoke, and addressed Talthybius, the divine herald:
Ταλθύβιʼ ὅττι τάχιστα Μαχάονα δεῦρο κάλεσσον
”Talthybius, with all speed call Machaon hither,
φῶτʼ Ἀσκληπιοῦ υἱὸν ἀμύμονος ἰητῆρος,
the hero, son of Asclepius, the blameless healer,
ὄφρα ἴδῃ Μενέλαον ἀρήϊον Ἀτρέος υἱόν,
so that he may see warlike Menelaus, the son of Atreus,
ὅν τις ὀϊστεύσας ἔβαλεν τόξων ἐῢ εἰδὼς
whom some archer, well skilled in bowmanship, has struck with an arrow,
Τρώων ἢ Λυκίων, τῷ μὲν κλέος, ἄμμι δὲ πένθος.
whether of the Trojans or the Lycians, winning glory for himself but leaving grief for us.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα οἱ κῆρυξ ἀπίθησεν ἀκούσας,
So he spoke, and the herald did not disobey as he heard him,
βῆ δʼ ἰέναι κατὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων
but went his way through the host of the bronze-clad Achaeans,
παπταίνων ἥρωα Μαχάονα· τὸν δὲ νόησεν
looking around for the hero Machaon; and he noticed him
ἑσταότʼ· ἀμφὶ δέ μιν κρατεραὶ στίχες ἀσπιστάων
standing, and around him were the strong ranks of shield-bearing
λαῶν, οἵ οἱ ἕποντο Τρίκης ἐξ ἱπποβότοιο.
people who followed him from horse-pasturing Tricca.
ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
Standing near him, he spoke winged words:
ὄρσʼ Ἀσκληπιάδη, καλέει κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων,
”Rouse yourself, son of Asclepius! Lord Agamemnon calls you,
ὄφρα ἴδῃς Μενέλαον ἀρήϊον ἀρχὸν Ἀχαιῶν,
so that you may see warlike Menelaus, leader of the Achaeans,”
- 4.138ἥ οἱ πλεῖστον ἔρυτο
The relative pronoun ἥ (feminine nominative) serves a demonstrative function, referring back to the μίτρη (mitre/kilt) mentioned in the previous line. οἱ is the third-person singular dative pronoun, functioning as a dative of interest ('for him' or 'protecting him').
- 4.141ὡς δʼ ὅτε τίς τʼ ἐλέφαντα γυνὴ φοίνικι μιήνῃ
The phrase ὡς ὅτε is a formulaic introduction for Homeric similes. The subjunctive μιήνῃ (aorist subjunctive of μίανω, 'to stain' or 'to dye') is used without the modal particle ἄν (or κέ), which is typical in general or customary conditions in simile clauses.
- 4.155θάνατόν νύ τοι ὅρκιʼ ἔταμνον
To the formulaic expression ὅρκια τάμνω ('to cut oaths/make a treaty'), the accusative θάνατον ('death') is added as an accusative of result or apposition, meaning 'I made a treaty which is (results in) death for you.' The pronoun τοι functions as a dative of disadvantage ('to your misfortune').
- 4.178αἴθʼ οὕτως ἐπὶ πᾶσι χόλον τελέσειʼ Ἀγαμέμνων
The particle of wishing αἴθε (equivalent to εἴθε) is followed by the optative τελέσειε (aorist optative third-person singular of τελέω, 'to fulfill' or 'to accomplish'), expressing a strong, ironical wish ('Would that Agamemnon might thus...').
- 4.191φάρμαχʼ ἅ κεν παύσῃσι
The relative pronoun ἅ is followed by the modal particle κεν (Homeric for ἄν) and the subjunctive παύσῃσι (third-person singular aorist subjunctive with the Homeric ending -ῃσι). This combination in a relative clause expresses futurity or expected purpose ('herbs which will/may stop').