- 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-grc2:6.203-6.270
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-29
Diomedes rejoices upon learning that he and Glaucus are hereditary guest-friends, leading them to avoid combat and exchange their armor. Hector then returns to Priam's splendid palace, where he meets his mother Hecuba and asks her to pray to the gods.
Ἴσανδρον δέ οἱ υἱὸν Ἄρης ἆτος πολέμοιο
His son Isandrus indeed Ares, insatiable of war,
μαρνάμενον Σολύμοισι κατέκτανε κυδαλίμοισι·
slew as he was fighting with the glorious Solymi;
τὴν δὲ χολωσαμένη χρυσήνιος Ἄρτεμις ἔκτα.
and his daughter in her wrath golden-reined Artemis slew.
Ἱππόλοχος δέ μʼ ἔτικτε, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ φημι γενέσθαι·
But Hippolochus begot me, and from him I claim to be born;
πέμπε δέ μʼ ἐς Τροίην, καί μοι μάλα πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλεν
He sent me to Troy, and enjoined very many things upon me,
αἰὲν ἀριστεύειν καὶ ὑπείροχον ἔμμεναι ἄλλων,
always to be the best and to be pre-eminent above others,
μηδὲ γένος πατέρων αἰσχυνέμεν, οἳ μέγʼ ἄριστοι
and not to disgrace the lineage of our fathers, who were far the best
ἔν τʼ Ἐφύρῃ ἐγένοντο καὶ ἐν Λυκίῃ εὐρείῃ.
both in Ephyre and in wide Lycia.
ταύτης τοι γενεῆς τε καὶ αἵματος εὔχομαι1 εἶναι.
Of this lineage and blood I claim to be.”
ὣς φάτο, γήθησεν δὲ βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·
So he spoke, and Diomedes, good at the war-cry, rejoiced;
ἔγχος μὲν κατέπηξεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ,
he planted his spear in the bountiful earth,
αὐτὰρ ὃ μειλιχίοισι προσηύδα ποιμένα λαῶν·
and then with gentle words spoke to the shepherd of the host:
ἦ ῥά νύ μοι ξεῖνος πατρώϊός ἐσσι παλαιός·
“Surely then you are my guest-friend of old from our fathers’ time;
Οἰνεὺς γάρ ποτε δῖος ἀμύμονα Βελλεροφόντην
for noble Oeneus once entertained peerless Bellerophon
ξείνισʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἐείκοσιν ἤματʼ ἐρύξας·
in his halls, keeping him for twenty days;
οἳ δὲ καὶ ἀλλήλοισι πόρον ξεινήϊα καλά·
and they also gave beautiful gifts of friendship to one another;
Οἰνεὺς μὲν ζωστῆρα δίδου φοίνικι φαεινόν,
Oeneus gave a belt bright with purple,
Βελλεροφόντης δὲ χρύσεον δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον
and Bellerophon a golden double-cup,
καί μιν ἐγὼ κατέλειπον ἰὼν ἐν δώμασʼ ἐμοῖσι.
which I left behind in my house when I set forth.
Τυδέα δʼ οὐ μέμνημαι, ἐπεί μʼ ἔτι τυτθὸν ἐόντα
But Tydeus I do not remember, since he left me while I was still a little child,
κάλλιφʼ, ὅτʼ ἐν Θήβῃσιν ἀπώλετο λαὸς Ἀχαιῶν.
when the host of the Achaeans perished at Thebes.
τὼ νῦν σοὶ μὲν ἐγὼ ξεῖνος φίλος Ἄργεϊ μέσσῳ
Therefore now I am a dear guest-friend to you in the midst of Argos,
εἰμί, σὺ δʼ ἐν Λυκίῃ ὅτε κεν τῶν δῆμον ἵκωμαι.
and you to me in Lycia, whenever I come to the land of their people.
ἔγχεα δʼ ἀλλήλων ἀλεώμεθα καὶ διʼ ὁμίλου·
So let us avoid each other’s spears even in the throng;
πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἐμοὶ Τρῶες κλειτοί τʼ ἐπίκουροι
for there are many Trojans and glorious allies for me to slay,
κτείνειν ὅν κε θεός γε πόρῃ καὶ ποσσὶ κιχείω,
whomever a god grants and my feet overtake,
πολλοὶ δʼ αὖ σοὶ Ἀχαιοὶ ἐναιρέμεν ὅν κε δύνηαι.
and again many Achaeans for you to slay, whomever you can.
τεύχεα δʼ ἀλλήλοις ἐπαμείψομεν, ὄφρα καὶ οἵδε
And let us exchange armor with each other, so that these too
γνῶσιν ὅτι ξεῖνοι πατρώϊοι εὐχόμεθʼ εἶναι.
may know that we claim to be guest-friends of old.”
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσαντε καθʼ ἵππων ἀΐξαντε
When they had spoken thus, the two leaped down from their chariots,
χεῖράς τʼ ἀλλήλων λαβέτην καὶ πιστώσαντο·
and took each other’s hands and pledged their faith.
ἔνθʼ αὖτε Γλαύκῳ2 Κρονίδης φρένας ἐξέλετο Ζεύς,
Then indeed Zeus, son of Cronos, took away the wits of Glaucus,
ὃς πρὸς Τυδεΐδην Διομήδεα τεύχεʼ ἄμειβε
who exchanged armor with Diomedes, son of Tydeus,
χρύσεα χαλκείων, ἑκατόμβοιʼ ἐννεαβοίων.
golden for bronze, the worth of a hundred oxen for nine.
Ἕκτωρ δʼ ὡς Σκαιάς τε πύλας καὶ φηγὸν ἵκανεν,
And when Hector came to the Scaean gates and the oak tree,
ἀμφʼ ἄρα μιν Τρώων ἄλοχοι θέον ἠδὲ θύγατρες
around him ran the wives and daughters of the Trojans,
εἰρόμεναι παῖδάς τε κασιγνήτους τε ἔτας τε
asking of their sons and brothers and kinsmen
καὶ πόσιας· ὃ δʼ ἔπειτα θεοῖς εὔχεσθαι ἀνώγει
and husbands; and he then bade them pray to the gods,
πάσας ἑξείης· πολλῇσι δὲ κήδεʼ ἐφῆπτο.
all of them in turn; but over many of them sorrow was hung.
ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ Πριάμοιο δόμον περικαλλέʼ ἵκανε
But when he came to the beautiful palace of Priam,
ξεστῇς αἰθούσῃσι τετυγμένον· αὐτὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ
built with polished porticoes—and in it
πεντήκοντʼ ἔνεσαν θάλαμοι ξεστοῖο λίθοιο
there were fifty chambers of polished stone,
πλησίον ἀλλήλων δεδμημένοι, ἔνθα δὲ παῖδες
built close to one another; there the sons of Priam
κοιμῶντο Πριάμοιο παρὰ μνηστῇς ἀλόχοισι,
slept beside their wedded wives;
κουράων δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐναντίοι ἔνδοθεν αὐλῆς
and for his daughters on the other side, opposite, inside the court,
δώδεκʼ ἔσαν τέγεοι θάλαμοι ξεστοῖο λίθοιο
were twelve roofed chambers of polished stone,
πλησίον ἀλλήλων δεδμημένοι, ἔνθα δὲ γαμβροὶ
built close to one another; there the sons-in-law of Priam
κοιμῶντο Πριάμοιο παρʼ αἰδοίῃς ἀλόχοισιν·
slept beside their chaste wives;
ἔνθά οἱ ἠπιόδωρος ἐναντίη ἤλυθε μήτηρ
There his gentle mother came to meet him,
Λαοδίκην ἐσάγουσα3 θυγατρῶν εἶδος ἀρίστην·
bringing with her Laodice, the fairest of her daughters;
ἔν τʼ ἄρα οἱ φῦ χειρὶ ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·
and she clung to his hand and spoke, and addressed him:
τέκνον τίπτε λιπὼν πόλεμον θρασὺν εἰλήλουθας;
“My child, why have you come here, leaving the bold battle?
ἦ μάλα δὴ τείρουσι δυσώνυμοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν
Surely the sons of the Achaeans, of evil name, wear you out sore,
μαρνάμενοι περὶ ἄστυ· σὲ δʼ ἐνθάδε θυμὸς ἀνῆκεν
fighting around the city; and your heart has prompted you to come here
ἐλθόντʼ4 ἐξ ἄκρης πόλιος Διὶ χεῖρας ἀνασχεῖν.
from the citadel to lift up your hands to Zeus.
ἀλλὰ μένʼ ὄφρά κέ τοι μελιηδέα οἶνον ἐνείκω,
But wait, that I may bring you honey-sweet wine,
ὡς σπείσῃς Διὶ πατρὶ καὶ ἄλλοις ἀθανάτοισι
so that you may pour libations to father Zeus and the other immortals
πρῶτον, ἔπειτα δὲ καὐτὸς ὀνήσεαι αἴ κε πίῃσθα.
first, and then you yourself may have benefit if you drink.
ἀνδρὶ δὲ κεκμηῶτι μένος μέγα οἶνος ἀέξει,
For to a weary man wine greatly increases strength,
ὡς τύνη κέκμηκας ἀμύνων σοῖσιν ἔτῃσι.
even as you are weary with defending your comrades.”
τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·
And to her then great Hector of the flashing helm answered:
μή μοι οἶνον ἄειρε μελίφρονα πότνια μῆτερ,
“Bring me no honey-hearted wine, honored mother,
μή μʼ ἀπογυιώσῃς μένεος, ἀλκῆς τε λάθωμαι·
lest you cripple me of my strength, and I forget my valor;
χερσὶ δʼ ἀνίπτοισιν Διὶ λείβειν αἴθοπα οἶνον
and with unwashed hands to pour sparkling wine to Zeus
ἅζομαι· οὐδέ πῃ ἔστι κελαινεφέϊ Κρονίωνι
I shrink from; nor is it in any way possible for one to pray
αἵματι καὶ λύθρῳ πεπαλαγμένον5 εὐχετάασθαι.
to the son of Cronos, lord of the dark clouds, defiled with blood and filth.
ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν πρὸς νηὸν Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης
But go you to the temple of Athena, driver of the spoil,
ἔρχεο σὺν θυέεσσιν ἀολλίσσασα γεραιάς·
with burnt offerings, having gathered the elder women;
- 6.211εὔχομαι
The verb εὔχομαι (originally "to speak aloud, declare") is frequently used in Homer with the sense of "to claim with pride, declare oneself to be". Here it conveys Glaucus's proud declaration of his noble lineage rather than a mere factual statement.
- 6.234Γλαύκῳ
The dative Γλαύκῳ is used with the verb ἐξέλετο ("took away") to express separation (or dative of interest), meaning "took away the wits from Glaucus."
- 6.252ἐσάγουσα
The present participle ἐσάγουσα (leading in) here means "bringing along" or "leading with her" (with Laodice as the object). Although some interpret it as "entering into the chamber of Laodice," the context of Hecuba coming out to meet Hector makes the interpretation of her leading her daughter with her the standard one.
- 6.257ἐλθόντʼ
The accusative participle ἐλθόντʼ (ἐλθόντα) agrees in gender, number, and case with the accusative pronoun σὲ ("you", line 256) and functions as the semantic subject of the infinitive ἀνασχεῖν ("to lift up").
- 6.268πεπαλαγμένον
The accusative perfect passive participle πεπαλαγμένον is in the accusative because it modifies the implied subject (Hector himself) of the infinitive εὐχετάασθαι ("to pray") in the impersonal construction οὐδέ πῃ ἔστι ("nor is it in any way possible").