- 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-grc2:5.624-5.693
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-28
After Great Aias is forced to retreat, Sarpedon, the son of Zeus, and Tlepolemus, the grandson of Zeus, face each other in a fierce verbal exchange before fighting. Tlepolemus is slain, while Sarpedon is wounded and carried away, prompting Odysseus to slaughter the Lycians until Hector's arrival brings relief.
οἳ πολλοί τε καὶ ἐσθλοὶ ἐφέστασαν ἔγχεʼ ἔχοντες,
There many brave men stood, holding their spears,
οἵ ἑ μέγαν περ ἐόντα καὶ ἴφθιμον καὶ ἀγαυὸν
who pushed him, great though he was, and mighty, and lordly,
ὦσαν ἀπὸ σφείων· ὃ δὲ χασσάμενος πελεμίχθη.
away from themselves; and he, shrinking back, was shaken.
ὣς οἳ μὲν πονέοντο κατὰ κρατερὴν ὑσμίνην·
Thus they were toiling in the mighty combat;
Τληπόλεμον δʼ Ἡρακλεΐδην ἠΰν τε μέγαν τε
but Tlepolemus, the brave and tall son of Heracles,
ὦρσεν ἐπʼ ἀντιθέῳ Σαρπηδόνι μοῖρα κραταιή.
was urged by strong fate against godlike Sarpedon.
οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦσαν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ἰόντες
And when they had come near, going against each other,
υἱός θʼ υἱωνός τε1 Διὸς νεφεληγερέταο,
the son and the grandson of cloud-gathering Zeus,
τὸν καὶ Τληπόλεμος πρότερος πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε·
Tlepolemus was the first to speak to him, saying:
Σαρπῆδον Λυκίων βουληφόρε, τίς τοι ἀνάγκη
”Sarpedon, counselor of the Lycians, what necessity is there for you
πτώσσειν ἐνθάδʼ ἐόντι μάχης ἀδαήμονι φωτί;2
to cower here, being a man unskilled in battle?
ψευδόμενοι δέ σέ φασι Διὸς γόνον αἰγιόχοιο
They speak falsely who say that you are the son of aegis-bearing Zeus,
εἶναι, ἐπεὶ πολλὸν κείνων ἐπιδεύεαι ἀνδρῶν
since you fall far short of those men
οἳ Διὸς ἐξεγένοντο ἐπὶ προτέρων ἀνθρώπων·
who were begotten of Zeus in the times of earlier men.
ἀλλʼ οἷόν τινά φασι βίην Ἡρακληείην3
But of what sort do they say was the mighty Heracles,
εἶναι, ἐμὸν πατέρα θρασυμέμνονα θυμολέοντα·
my father, bold-hearted, with the soul of a lion?
ὅς ποτε δεῦρʼ ἐλθὼν ἕνεχʼ ἵππων Λαομέδοντος
He once came here for the sake of the horses of Laomedon,
ἓξ οἴῃς σὺν νηυσὶ καὶ ἀνδράσι παυροτέροισιν
with only six ships and with fewer men,
Ἰλίου ἐξαλάπαξε πόλιν, χήρωσε δʼ ἀγυιάς·
and sacked the city of Ilios, and made her streets desolate.
σοὶ δὲ κακὸς μὲν θυμός, ἀποφθινύθουσι δὲ λαοί.
But yours is a cowardly heart, and your people are perishing.
οὐδέ τί σε Τρώεσσιν ὀΐομαι ἄλκαρ ἔσεσθαι
I do not think you will be a defense to the Trojans,
ἐλθόντʼ ἐκ Λυκίης, οὐδʼ εἰ μάλα καρτερός ἐσσι,
though you have come from Lycia, not even if you are very strong,
ἀλλʼ ὑπʼ ἐμοὶ δμηθέντα πύλας Ἀΐδαο περήσειν.
but that, vanquished by me, you will pass through the gates of Hades.”
τὸν δʼ αὖ Σαρπηδὼν Λυκίων ἀγὸς ἀντίον ηὔδα·
And Sarpedon, leader of the Lycians, spoke to him in answer:
Τληπόλεμʼ ἤτοι κεῖνος ἀπώλεσεν Ἴλιον ἱρὴν
”Tlepolemus, surely he destroyed sacred Ilios
ἀνέρος ἀφραδίῃσιν ἀγαυοῦ Λαομέδοντος,
through the folly of the lordly man Laomedon,
ὅς ῥά μιν εὖ ἕρξαντα κακῷ ἠνίπαπε μύθῳ,
who answered him with harsh words when he had done him good service,
οὐδʼ ἀπέδωχʼ ἵππους, ὧν εἵνεκα τηλόθεν ἦλθε.
and did not give him the horses for whose sake he had come from afar.
σοὶ δʼ ἐγὼ ἐνθάδε φημὶ φόνον καὶ κῆρα μέλαιναν
But for you, I tell you that here death and black fate
ἐξ ἐμέθεν τεύξεσθαι, ἐμῷ δʼ ὑπὸ δουρὶ δαμέντα
will be wrought at my hands, and that, vanquished under my spear,
εὖχος ἐμοὶ δώσειν, ψυχὴν δʼ Ἄϊδι κλυτοπώλῳ.
you will give glory to me, and your soul to Hades of the famous steeds.”
ὣς φάτο Σαρπηδών, ὃ δʼ ἀνέσχετο μείλινον ἔγχος
So spoke Sarpedon, and Tlepolemus raised his ashen spear;
Τληπόλεμος· καὶ τῶν μὲν ἁμαρτῇ δούρατα μακρὰ
and at the same moment the long spears flew from the hands of both.
ἐκ χειρῶν ἤϊξαν· ὃ μὲν βάλεν αὐχένα μέσσον
Sarpedon struck him in the middle of the neck,
Σαρπηδών, αἰχμὴ δὲ διαμπερὲς ἦλθʼ ἀλεγεινή·
and the painful spearpoint went right through;
τὸν δὲ κατʼ ὀφθαλμῶν ἐρεβεννὴ νὺξ ἐκάλυψε.
and dark night covered his eyes.
Τληπόλεμος δʼ ἄρα μηρὸν ἀριστερὸν ἔγχεϊ μακρῷ
But Tlepolemus had struck Sarpedon’s left thigh with his long spear,
βεβλήκειν, αἰχμὴ δὲ διέσσυτο μαιμώωσα
and the spearpoint rushed through eagerly,
ὀστέω ἐγχριμφθεῖσα, πατὴρ δʼ ἔτι λοιγὸν ἄμυνεν.
grazing the bone, but his father still warded off destruction.
οἳ μὲν ἄρʼ ἀντίθεον Σαρπηδόνα δῖοι ἑταῖροι
Then his noble companions carried godlike Sarpedon
ἐξέφερον πολέμοιο· βάρυνε δέ μιν δόρυ μακρὸν
out of the fight; and the long spear dragged, weighing him down,
ἑλκόμενον· τὸ μὲν οὔ τις ἐπεφράσατʼ οὐδὲ νόησε
yet no one noticed or thought of pulling the ashen spear
μηροῦ ἐξερύσαι δόρυ μείλινον ὄφρʼ ἐπιβαίη4
out of his thigh so that he might step forward,
σπευδόντων· τοῖον γὰρ ἔχον πόνον ἀμφιέποντες.
because of their haste; such toil did they have in caring for him.
Τληπόλεμον δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ
And on the other side the well-greaved Achaeans carried Tlepolemus
ἐξέφερον πολέμοιο· νόησε δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς
out of the fight; and noble Odysseus saw it,
τλήμονα θυμὸν ἔχων, μαίμησε δέ οἱ φίλον ἦτορ·
having a steadfast heart, and his spirit within him was stirred;
μερμήριξε δʼ ἔπειτα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμὸν
and then he pondered in his mind and heart
ἢ προτέρω Διὸς υἱὸν ἐριγδούποιο διώκοι,
whether he should pursue further the son of loud-thundering Zeus,
ἦ ὅ γε τῶν πλεόνων Λυκίων ἀπὸ θυμὸν ἕλοιτο.
or whether he should take away the life of more Lycians.
οὐδʼ ἄρʼ Ὀδυσσῆϊ μεγαλήτορι μόρσιμον ἦεν
But it was not fated for great-hearted Odysseus
ἴφθιμον Διὸς υἱὸν ἀποκτάμεν ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ·
to slay the mighty son of Zeus with his sharp bronze;
τώ ῥα κατὰ πληθὺν Λυκίων τράπε θυμὸν Ἀθήνη.
therefore Athena turned his heart toward the multitude of the Lycians.
ἔνθʼ ὅ γε Κοίρανον εἷλεν Ἀλάστορά τε Χρομίον τε
There he slew Coeranus, Alastor, and Chromius,
Ἄλκανδρόν θʼ Ἅλιόν τε Νοήμονά τε Πρύτανίν τε.
and Alcandrus, Halius, Noemon, and Prytanis.
καί νύ κʼ ἔτι πλέονας Λυκίων κτάνε δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς
And now noble Odysseus would have slain yet more of the Lycians,
εἰ μὴ5 ἄρʼ ὀξὺ νόησε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·
had not great Hector of the gleaming helmet quickly noticed it;
βῆ δὲ διὰ προμάχων κεκορυθμένος αἴθοπι χαλκῷ
and he went through the foremost fighters, armed in gleaming bronze,
δεῖμα φέρων Δαναοῖσι· χάρη δʼ ἄρα οἱ προσιόντι
bringing terror to the Danaans; and Sarpedon, son of Zeus, rejoiced
Σαρπηδὼν Διὸς υἱός, ἔπος δʼ ὀλοφυδνὸν ἔειπε·
as he approached, and spoke a piteous word to him:
Πριαμίδη, μὴ δή με ἕλωρ Δαναοῖσιν ἐάσῃς
”Son of Priam, do not leave me to lie here as a prey
κεῖσθαι, ἀλλʼ ἐπάμυνον· ἔπειτά με καὶ λίποι αἰὼν
to the Danaans, but bring me aid; and then let life leave me
ἐν πόλει ὑμετέρῃ, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἄρʼ ἔμελλον ἔγωγε
in your city, since I was not fated, it seems,
νοστήσας οἶκον δὲ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν
to return home to my dear fatherland
εὐφρανέειν ἄλοχόν τε φίλην καὶ νήπιον υἱόν.
to gladden my dear wife and my infant son.”
ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ οὔ τι προσέφη κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ,
So he spoke, but Hector of the gleaming helmet answered him not,
ἀλλὰ παρήϊξεν λελιημένος ὄφρα τάχιστα
but flashed past, eager with all speed
ὤσαιτʼ Ἀργείους, πολέων δʼ ἀπὸ θυμὸν ἕλοιτο.
to drive back the Argives and take away the life of many.
οἳ μὲν ἄρʼ ἀντίθεον Σαρπηδόνα δῖοι ἑταῖροι
Then his noble companions laid godlike Sarpedon
εἷσαν ὑπʼ αἰγιόχοιο Διὸς περικαλλέϊ φηγῷ·
under the beautiful oak of aegis-bearing Zeus.
- 5.631υἱός θʼ υἱωνός τε
This contrasts the familial relations to Zeus: Sarpedon is the direct 'son' (υἱός) of Zeus, whereas Tlepolemus is the 'grandson' (υἱωνός) of Zeus, being the son of Heracles.
- 5.634ἀδαήμονι φωτί
A dative adjectival phrase in apposition with the participle ἐόντι modifying τοι ('to you'). It functions to mock Sarpedon's cowardice: 'Why must you, a man unskilled in battle, cower here?'
- 5.638βίην Ἡρακληείην
A Homeric periphrasis, literally meaning 'the force of Heracles' but standing for 'the mighty Heracles' himself. It functions as the accusative subject of the infinitive εἶναι after φασι.
- 5.666ὄφρʼ ἐπιβαίη
An optative clause introduced by the conjunction ὄφρα expressing purpose. The subject is Sarpedon, meaning 'so that he might step forward' or 'mount his chariot'.
- 5.679καί νύ κʼ ἔτι πλέονας ... εἰ μὴ
A past contrary-to-fact conditional construction. The apodosis features the particle κέν (κ') with the indicative past κτάνε, while the protasis features εἰ μή with the indicative past νόησε, indicating a narrow escape: 'and now he would have slain more, had not Hector noticed'.