Pandarus' Arrow and the Wounding of Menelaus — Homer, Iliad Book 4 (lines 67–137), Greek & English

ἄρξωσι πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσασθαι.¹

should be the first to work harm against the treaty.”

ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε·

So she spoke, and the father of men and gods did not disobey.

αὐτίκʼ Ἀθηναίην ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

Straightway he spoke winged words to Athene:

αἶψα μάλʼ ἐς στρατὸν ἐλθὲ μετὰ Τρῶας καὶ Ἀχαιούς,

”Go quickly indeed to the host, into the midst of the Trojans and Achaeans,

πειρᾶν δʼ ὥς κε Τρῶες ὑπερκύδαντας Ἀχαιοὺς

and try how the Trojans may begin to break the treaty

ἄρξωσι πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσασθαι.

against the proud Achaeans.”

ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε πάρος μεμαυῖαν Ἀθήνην,

So saying, he urged Athene, who was already eager,

βῆ δὲ κατʼ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων ἀΐξασα.

and she went darting down from the peaks of Olympus.

οἷον δʼ ἀστέρα ἧκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω

As a star which the son of crooked-counseled Cronos sends

ἢ ναύτῃσι τέρας ἠὲ στρατῷ εὐρέϊ λαῶν

as a portent for sailors or for a wide host of people,

λαμπρόν· τοῦ δέ τε πολλοὶ ἀπὸ σπινθῆρες ἵενται·

bright, and from it many sparks fly;

τῷ ἐϊκυῖʼ ἤϊξεν ἐπὶ χθόνα Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη,

like this Pallas Athene darted to the earth,

κὰδ δʼ ἔθορʼ ἐς μέσσον· θάμβος δʼ ἔχεν εἰσορόωντας

and leaped into their midst; and wonder seized those who looked on,

Τρῶάς θʼ ἱπποδάμους καὶ ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς·

both horse-taming Trojans and well-greaved Achaeans.

ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·

And thus would one speak, looking at his neighbor:

ἦ ῥʼ αὖτις πόλεμός τε κακὸς καὶ φύλοπις αἰνὴ

”Surely there will again be evil war and dread battle,

ἔσσεται, ἢ φιλότητα μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισι τίθησι

or Zeus is establishing friendship between both sides,

Ζεύς, ὅς τʼ ἀνθρώπων ταμίης πολέμοιο τέτυκται.

he who is ordained the dispenser of war for men.”

ὣς ἄρα τις εἴπεσκεν Ἀχαιῶν τε Τρώων τε.

So would one of the Achaeans and Trojans speak.

ἣ δʼ ἀνδρὶ ἰκέλη Τρώων κατεδύσεθʼ ὅμιλον

But she entered the throng of the Trojans, likened to a man,

Λαοδόκῳ Ἀντηνορίδῃ κρατερῷ αἰχμητῇ,

Laodocus, son of Antenor, a strong spearman,

Πάνδαρον ἀντίθεον διζημένη εἴ που ἐφεύροι.

seeking godlike Pandarus, if anywhere she might find him.

εὗρε Λυκάονος υἱὸν ἀμύμονά τε κρατερόν τε

She found the blameless and strong son of Lycaon

ἑσταότʼ· ἀμφὶ δέ μιν κρατεραὶ στίχες ἀσπιστάων

standing; and around him were the strong ranks of shield-bearing

λαῶν, οἵ οἱ ἕποντο ἀπʼ Αἰσήποιο ῥοάων·

people who followed him from the streams of Aesepus.

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

Standing near him, she spoke winged words:

ἦ ῥά νύ μοί τι πίθοιο Λυκάονος υἱὲ δαΐφρον.

”Would you now listen to me, wise son of Lycaon?

τλαίης κεν² Μενελάῳ ἐπιπροέμεν ταχὺν ἰόν,

You would dare to let fly a swift arrow at Menelaus,

πᾶσι δέ κε Τρώεσσι χάριν καὶ κῦδος ἄροιο,

and you would win gratitude and glory from all the Trojans,

ἐκ πάντων δὲ μάλιστα Ἀλεξάνδρῳ βασιλῆϊ.

and most of all from king Alexander.

τοῦ κεν δὴ πάμπρωτα παρʼ ἀγλαὰ δῶρα φέροιο,

From him indeed you would first of all carry off splendid gifts,

αἴ κεν ἴδῃ Μενέλαον ἀρήϊον Ἀτρέος υἱὸν

if he should see warlike Menelaus, the son of Atreus,

σῷ βέλεϊ δμηθέντα πυρῆς ἐπιβάντʼ ἀλεγεινῆς.

laid low by your missile, mounting the grievous funeral pyre.

100

ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ὀΐστευσον Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο,

But come, shoot an arrow at glorious Menelaus,

εὔχεο δʼ Ἀπόλλωνι Λυκηγενέϊ κλυτοτόξῳ

and pray to Apollo, the Lycian-born, the famous archer,

ἀρνῶν πρωτογόνων ῥέξειν κλειτὴν ἑκατόμβην

that you will sacrifice a glorious hecatomb of firstling lambs

οἴκαδε νοστήσας ἱερῆς εἰς ἄστυ Ζελείης.

when you have returned home to the city of sacred Zeleia.”

ὣς φάτʼ Ἀθηναίη, τῷ δὲ φρένας ἄφρονι πεῖθεν·

So spoke Athene, and she persuaded the fool’s heart.

105

αὐτίκʼ ἐσύλα τόξον ἐΰξοον ἰξάλου αἰγὸς

Straightway he uncovered his polished bow, made of the horn of a wild leaping goat,

ἀγρίου, ὅν ῥά ποτʼ αὐτὸς ὑπὸ στέρνοιο τυχήσας

which he himself once, hitting it under the breast

πέτρης ἐκβαίνοντα δεδεγμένος ἐν προδοκῇσι

as it came out from a rock, waiting in ambush,

βεβλήκει πρὸς στῆθος· ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος ἔμπεσε πέτρῃ.

had struck in the chest; and it fell backward on the rock.

τοῦ κέρα ἐκ κεφαλῆς ἑκκαιδεκάδωρα πεφύκει·

Its horns had grown from its head sixteen palms long;

110

καὶ τὰ μὲν ἀσκήσας κεραοξόος ἤραρε τέκτων,

these a horn-working craftsman worked and fitted together,

πᾶν δʼ εὖ λειήνας χρυσέην ἐπέθηκε κορώνην.

and smoothing it all well, he put on a golden tip.

καὶ τὸ μὲν εὖ κατέθηκε τανυσσάμενος ποτὶ γαίῃ

This bow he bent, pressing it against the ground, and laid it down carefully;

ἀγκλίνας· πρόσθεν δὲ σάκεα σχέθον ἐσθλοὶ ἑταῖροι

and his brave companions held their shields before him,

μὴ πρὶν ἀναΐξειαν³ ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

lest the warlike sons of the Achaeans should spring up

115

πρὶν βλῆσθαι Μενέλαον ἀρήϊον Ἀτρέος υἱόν.

before warlike Menelaus, the son of Atreus, was struck.

αὐτὰρ ὁ σύλα πῶμα φαρέτρης, ἐκ δʼ ἕλετʼ ἰὸν

Then he took off the cover of his quiver, and took out an arrow,

ἀβλῆτα πτερόεντα μελαινέων ἕρμʼ ὀδυνάων·

unshot, winged, a bearer of dark pains;

αἶψα δʼ ἐπὶ νευρῇ κατεκόσμει πικρὸν ὀϊστόν,

and quickly he laid the bitter arrow upon the string,

εὔχετο δʼ Ἀπόλλωνι Λυκηγενέϊ κλυτοτόξῳ

and prayed to Apollo, the Lycian-born, the famous archer,

120

ἀρνῶν πρωτογόνων ῥέξειν κλειτὴν ἑκατόμβην

that he would sacrifice a glorious hecatomb of firstling lambs

οἴκαδε νοστήσας ἱερῆς εἰς ἄστυ Ζελείης.

when he had returned home to the city of sacred Zeleia.

ἕλκε δʼ ὁμοῦ γλυφίδας τε λαβὼν καὶ νεῦρα βόεια·

He drew together the notch and the bowstring of ox-sinew;

νευρὴν μὲν μαζῷ πέλασεν, τόξῳ δὲ σίδηρον.

he brought the string to his breast, and the iron head to the bow.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ κυκλοτερὲς μέγα τόξον ἔτεινε,

But when he had bent the great bow into a circle,

125

λίγξε βιός, νευρὴ δὲ μέγʼ ἴαχεν, ἆλτο δʼ ὀϊστὸς

the bow twanged, and the string sang aloud, and the sharp arrow leaped,

ὀξυβελὴς καθʼ ὅμιλον ἐπιπτέσθαι μενεαίνων.

eager to fly through the throng.

οὐδὲ σέθεν Μενέλαε θεοὶ μάκαρες λελάθοντο

Nor did the blessed immortal gods forget you, Menelaus,

ἀθάνατοι, πρώτη δὲ Διὸς θυγάτηρ ἀγελείη,

and first of all the daughter of Zeus, the driver of spoil,

ἥ τοι πρόσθε στᾶσα βέλος ἐχεπευκὲς ἄμυνεν.

who standing before you warded off the sharp missile.

130

ἣ δὲ τόσον μὲν ἔεργεν ἀπὸ χροὸς ὡς ὅτε⁴ μήτηρ

She swept it away from his flesh as when a mother

παιδὸς ἐέργῃ μυῖαν ὅθʼ ἡδέϊ λέξεται ὕπνῳ,

sweeps a fly from her child when it lies in sweet sleep;

αὐτὴ δʼ αὖτʼ ἴθυνεν ὅθι ζωστῆρος ὀχῆες

and she herself guided it to where the golden clasps

χρύσειοι σύνεχον καὶ διπλόος ἤντετο θώρηξ.

of the belt were fastened and the double breastplate met.

ἐν δʼ ἔπεσε ζωστῆρι ἀρηρότι πικρὸς ὀϊστός·

On the well-fitted belt fell the bitter arrow;

135

διὰ μὲν ἂρ ζωστῆρος ἐλήλατο δαιδαλέοιο,

through the decorated belt it was driven,

καὶ διὰ θώρηκος πολυδαιδάλου ἠρήρειστο

and through the richly worked breastplate it pressed on,

μίτρης θʼ, ἣν ἐφόρει ἔρυμα χροὸς ἕρκος ἀκόντων,

and through the mitre which he wore as a protection for his flesh, a barrier against missiles,

Syntax notes4 items

4.67ἄρξωσι πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσασθαι
This clause completes the construction from §4.66, introduced by ὥς κε with the subjunctive ἄρξωσι, meaning 'how they might begin...'. The phrase ὑπὲρ ὅρκια means 'contrary to the treaty' or 'transgressing the oaths.'
4.94τλαίης κεν
The optative τλαίης with the particle κέν expresses potentiality or a polite request ('would you dare to...').
4.114μὴ πρὶν ἀναΐξειαν
A negative purpose clause introduced by μή with the optative ἀναΐξειαν following a secondary main verb (σχέθον), meaning 'lest they should spring up.' It correlates with πρὶν... πρὶν βλῆσθαι in the next line.
4.130ὡς ὅτε
A formulaic expression introducing a simile ('as when...'). It compares Athene's divine intervention in diverting the arrow to a mother brushing a fly off her sleeping child.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.67-4.137