- 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-grc2:4.206-4.271
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-29
While Machaon treats the wounded Menelaus, the Trojan host advances, prompting Agamemnon to marshal the Achaean ranks on foot, encouraging the ready, rebuking the slack, and highly praising the Cretan leader Idomeneus.
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 φάτο, τῷ δʼ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε·
So he spoke, and aroused the spirit in Machaon’s breast;
βὰν1 δʼ ἰέναι καθʼ ὅμιλον ἀνὰ στρατὸν εὐρὺν Ἀχαιῶν.
and they went their way through the crowd, through the wide host of the Achaeans.
ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἵκανον ὅθι ξανθὸς Μενέλαος
But when they came where fair-haired Menelaus
βλήμενος ἦν, περὶ δʼ αὐτὸν ἀγηγέραθʼ ὅσσοι ἄριστοι
was wounded, and around him all the chiefs were gathered
κυκλόσʼ, ὃ δʼ ἐν μέσσοισι παρίστατο ἰσόθεος φώς,
in a circle, he, a godlike man, stood in their midst.
αὐτίκα δʼ ἐκ ζωστῆρος ἀρηρότος ἕλκεν ὀϊστόν·
And straightway he drew the arrow from the fitted belt;
τοῦ δʼ ἐξελκομένοιο πάλιν ἄγεν2 ὀξέες ὄγκοι.
and as it was being drawn out, the sharp barbs were broken back.
λῦσε δέ οἱ ζωστῆρα παναίολον ἠδʼ ὑπένερθε
And he loosed his flashing belt, and beneath it
ζῶμά τε καὶ μίτρην, τὴν χαλκῆες κάμον ἄνδρες.
the kilt and the mitre which bronze-smiths fashioned.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ ἴδεν ἕλκος ὅθʼ ἔμπεσε πικρὸς ὀϊστός,
But when he saw the wound where the bitter arrow had fallen,
αἷμʼ ἐκμυζήσας ἐπʼ ἄρʼ ἤπια φάρμακα εἰδὼς
he sucked out the blood, and with cunning skill sprinkled on it soothing herbs,
πάσσε, τά οἵ ποτε πατρὶ φίλα φρονέων πόρε Χείρων.
which Chiron once had given to his father with friendly intent.
ὄφρα τοὶ ἀμφεπένοντο βοὴν ἀγαθὸν Μενέλαον,
While they were busy about Menelaus, good at the war-cry,
τόφρα δʼ ἐπὶ Τρώων στίχες ἤλυθον ἀσπιστάων·
meanwhile the ranks of the shield-bearing Trojans came on;
οἳ δʼ αὖτις κατὰ τεύχεʼ ἔδυν, μνήσαντο δὲ χάρμης.
and they again put on their armor, and remembered battle.
ἔνθʼ οὐκ ἂν βρίζοντα ἴδοις3 Ἀγαμέμνονα δῖον
Then you would not have seen noble Agamemnon slumbering,
οὐδὲ καταπτώσσοντʼ οὐδʼ οὐκ ἐθέλοντα μάχεσθαι,
nor cowering, nor unwilling to fight,
ἀλλὰ μάλα σπεύδοντα μάχην ἐς κυδιάνειραν.
but rushing eagerly into the battle that brings glory to men.
ἵππους μὲν γὰρ ἔασε καὶ ἅρματα ποικίλα χαλκῷ·
For he left his horses and his bronze-adorned chariot;
καὶ τοὺς μὲν θεράπων ἀπάνευθʼ ἔχε φυσιόωντας
and these his squire Eurymedon, son of Ptolemy, son of Peiraeus,
Εὐρυμέδων υἱὸς Πτολεμαίου Πειραΐδαο·
held apart, panting;
τῷ μάλα πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλε παρισχέμεν ὁππότε κέν μιν
to him Agamemnon gave strict orders to have them near at hand, whenever
γυῖα λάβῃ κάματος4 πολέας διὰ κοιρανέοντα·
weariness should seize his limbs as he marshaled the many;
αὐτὰρ ὃ πεζὸς ἐὼν ἐπεπωλεῖτο στίχας ἀνδρῶν·
but he himself went on foot through the ranks of men.
καί ῥʼ οὓς μὲν σπεύδοντας ἴδοι Δαναῶν ταχυπώλων,
And whomsoever of the swift-horsed Danaans he saw eager,
τοὺς μάλα θαρσύνεσκε παριστάμενος ἐπέεσσιν·
these he would encourage, standing near them, with words:
Ἀργεῖοι μή πώ τι μεθίετε θούριδος ἀλκῆς·
”Argives, slacken not in any wise your furious courage;
οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ ψευδέσσι πατὴρ Ζεὺς ἔσσετʼ ἀρωγός,
for father Zeus will be no helper to liars,
ἀλλʼ οἵ περ πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσαντο
but those who were the first to transgress the treaty,
τῶν ἤτοι αὐτῶν τέρενα χρόα γῦπες ἔδονται,
of these surely the vultures shall devour the tender flesh,
ἡμεῖς αὖτʼ ἀλόχους τε φίλας καὶ νήπια τέκνα
and we shall carry off their dear wives and young children
ἄξομεν ἐν νήεσσιν, ἐπὴν πτολίεθρον ἕλωμεν.
in our ships, when we have taken their city.”
οὕς τινας αὖ μεθιέντας ἴδοι5 στυγεροῦ πολέμοιο,
But whomsoever he saw slackening from hateful war,
τοὺς μάλα νεικείεσκε χολωτοῖσιν ἐπέεσσιν·
these he would upbraid with angry words:
Ἀργεῖοι ἰόμωροι ἐλεγχέες οὔ νυ σέβεσθε;
”Argives, who fit only for the bow, targets of disgrace, have you no shame?
τίφθʼ οὕτως ἔστητε τεθηπότες ἠΰτε νεβροί,
Why stand you thus dazed, like fawns,
αἵ τʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔκαμον πολέος πεδίοιο θέουσαι
which, when they are weary with running over the wide plain,
ἑστᾶσʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα τίς σφι μετὰ φρεσὶ γίγνεται ἀλκή·
stand still, and no courage is found in their hearts?
ὣς ὑμεῖς ἔστητε τεθηπότες οὐδὲ μάχεσθε.
Even so you stand dazed and do not fight.
ἦ μένετε Τρῶας σχεδὸν ἐλθέμεν ἔνθά τε νῆες
Or do you wait for the Trojans to come near, where your ships
εἰρύατʼ εὔπρυμνοι πολιῆς ἐπὶ θινὶ θαλάσσης,
with fine sterns are drawn up on the shore of the grey sea,
ὄφρα ἴδητʼ αἴ κʼ ὔμμιν ὑπέρσχῃ χεῖρα Κρονίων;
so that you may see if the son of Cronos will stretch his hand over you?”
ὣς ὅ γε κοιρανέων ἐπεπωλεῖτο στίχας ἀνδρῶν·
Thus he went marshaling through the ranks of men;
ἦλθε δʼ ἐπὶ Κρήτεσσι κιὼν ἀνὰ οὐλαμὸν ἀνδρῶν.
and he came to the Cretans as he went through the crowd of warriors.
οἳ δʼ ἀμφʼ Ἰδομενῆα δαΐφρονα θωρήσσοντο·
These were arming around warlike Idomeneus;
Ἰδομενεὺς μὲν ἐνὶ προμάχοις συῒ εἴκελος ἀλκήν,
Idomeneus was in the forefront, like a wild boar in strength,
Μηριόνης δʼ ἄρα οἱ πυμάτας ὄτρυνε φάλαγγας.
and Meriones was urging on the rearmost phalanxes.
τοὺς δὲ ἰδὼν γήθησεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων,
Seeing them, Agamemnon, lord of men, rejoiced,
αὐτίκα δʼ Ἰδομενῆα προσηύδα μειλιχίοισιν·
and straightway spoke to Idomeneus with gentle words:
Ἰδομενεῦ περὶ μέν σε τίω Δαναῶν ταχυπώλων
”Idomeneus, beyond all the swift-horsed Danaans do I honor you,
ἠμὲν ἐνὶ πτολέμῳ ἠδʼ ἀλλοίῳ ἐπὶ ἔργῳ
both in war and in any other work,
ἠδʼ ἐν δαίθʼ, ὅτε πέρ τε γερούσιον αἴθοπα οἶνον
and at the feast, when the nobles of the Argives mix
Ἀργείων οἳ ἄριστοι ἐνὶ κρητῆρι κέρωνται.6
the glowing wine of the elders in the mixing-bowl.
εἴ περ γάρ τʼ ἄλλοι γε κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοὶ
For even if the other long-haired Achaeans
δαιτρὸν πίνωσιν, σὸν δὲ πλεῖον δέπας αἰεὶ
drink a portion, your cup stands always full,
ἕστηχʼ, ὥς περ ἐμοί, πιέειν ὅτε θυμὸς ἀνώγοι.
even as mine, to drink whenever your spirit bids.
ἀλλʼ ὄρσευ πόλεμον δʼ οἷος πάρος εὔχεαι εἶναι.
But rouse yourself for battle, such as of old you boast to be.”
τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἰδομενεὺς Κρητῶν ἀγὸς ἀντίον ηὔδα·
To him Idomeneus, leader of the Cretans, spoke in answer:
Ἀτρεΐδη μάλα μέν τοι ἐγὼν ἐρίηρος ἑταῖρος
”Son of Atreus, a very loyal comrade to you will I
ἔσσομαι, ὡς τὸ πρῶτον ὑπέστην καὶ κατένευσα·
be, even as at the first I promised and nodded assent;
ἀλλʼ ἄλλους ὄτρυνε κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιοὺς
but urge on the other long-haired Achaeans,
ὄφρα τάχιστα μαχώμεθʼ, ἐπεὶ σύν γʼ ὅρκιʼ ἔχευαν
so that we may fight with all speed, since the Trojans
Τρῶες· τοῖσιν δʼ αὖ θάνατος καὶ κήδεʼ ὀπίσσω
have made the treaty of no effect. On them shall death and sorrows fall hereafter,
ἔσσετʼ ἐπεὶ πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσαντο.
since they were the first to transgress the treaty.”
- 4.209βὰν
The third-person dual aorist form of the verb βαίνω. The subject refers to the dual pair, Talthybius and Machaon.
- 4.214ἄγεν
A shortened form of the third-person plural aorist passive ἄγησαν from the verb ἄγνυμι (to break). The subject is the plural noun ὄγκοι (barbs), indicating that they bent or broke backward as the arrow was drawn out.
- 4.223οὐκ ἂν ... ἴδοις
The particle ἄν with the optative mood in the second-person singular ("you would not have seen"), serving as a generalizing second person to express past potentiality or a vivid hypothetical observation.
- 4.229ὁππότε κέν μιν / γυῖα λάβῃ κάματος
The temporal-conditional conjunction ὁππότε with κέν (Homeric form of ἄν) and the subjunctive mood (λάβῃ) expressing a general condition in past time ("whenever weariness should seize him"), reflecting Agamemnon's habitual preparation.
- 4.240οὕς τινας αὖ μεθιέντας ἴδοι
A relative pronoun followed by the optative mood (ἴδοι), expressing a past iterative or general conditional action ("whomsoever he saw slackening").
- 4.260κέρωνται
The present subjunctive of κεράννυμι, used in a temporal clause (introduced by ὅτε) to express habitual or iterative action in present time ("whenever they mix").