- 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-grc2:7.140-7.205
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-29
Nestor recounts his youthful exploits surrounding Areïthous and his armor to rouse the Achaean chiefs. Consequently, nine heroes step forward, and through a lottery, Ajax is selected to face Hector, prompting the Achaeans to pray to Zeus on his behalf.
οὕνεκʼ ἄρʼ οὐ τόξοισι μαχέσκετο δουρί τε μακρῷ,
for he was not wont to fight with bow or with long spear,
ἀλλὰ σιδηρείῃ κορύνῃ ῥήγνυσκε φάλαγγας.
but with an iron mace he was wont to break the phalanxes.
τὸν Λυκόοργος ἔπεφνε δόλῳ, οὔ τι κράτεΐ γε,
Him Lycurgus slew by guile, and not by might,
στεινωπῷ ἐν ὁδῷ ὅθʼ ἄρʼ οὐ κορύνη οἱ ὄλεθρον
in a narrow way, where his iron mace did not ward off
χραῖσμε σιδηρείη·1 πρὶν γὰρ Λυκόοργος ὑποφθὰς
destruction from him; for Lycurgus, anticipating him,
δουρὶ μέσον περόνησεν, ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος οὔδει ἐρείσθη·
pierced him through the middle with his spear, and he was stretched on his back upon the ground;
τεύχεα δʼ ἐξενάριξε, τά οἱ πόρε χάλκεος Ἄρης.
and Lycurgus stripped off his armor, which bronze Ares had given him.
καὶ τὰ μὲν αὐτὸς ἔπειτα φόρει μετὰ μῶλον Ἄρηος·
And this armor Lycurgus himself thereafter wore in the toil of Ares;
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Λυκόοργος ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἐγήρα,
but when Lycurgus grew old in his halls,
δῶκε δʼ Ἐρευθαλίωνι φίλῳ θεράποντι φορῆναι·
he gave it to Ereuthalion, his dear squire, to wear.
τοῦ ὅ γε τεύχεʼ ἔχων προκαλίζετο πάντας ἀρίστους.
Wearing this man’s armor, he challenged all the chief men.
οἳ δὲ μάλʼ ἐτρόμεον καὶ ἐδείδισαν, οὐδέ τις ἔτλη·
But they trembled and feared greatly, and no one dared;
ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ θυμὸς ἀνῆκε πολυτλήμων πολεμίζειν
yet my enduring heart impelled me to fight
θάρσεϊ ᾧ·2 γενεῇ δὲ νεώτατος ἔσκον ἁπάντων·
by its own boldness; though in birth I was the youngest of them all.
καὶ μαχόμην οἱ ἐγώ, δῶκεν δέ μοι εὖχος Ἀθήνη.
And I fought with him, and Athena gave me glory.
τὸν δὴ μήκιστον καὶ κάρτιστον κτάνον ἄνδρα·
Thus I slew that man who was the tallest and strongest;
πολλὸς γάρ τις ἔκειτο παρήορος ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα.
for a vast form he lay stretched out this way and that.
εἴθʼ ὣς ἡβώοιμι, βίη δέ μοι ἔμπεδος εἴη·
Would that I were now so young, and my strength were still firm within me!
τώ κε τάχʼ ἀντήσειε μάχης κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ.
Then would Hector of the flashing helmet soon meet his match in battle.
ὑμέων δʼ οἵ περ ἔασιν ἀριστῆες Παναχαιῶν
But of you, who are the chief men of all the Achaeans,
οὐδʼ οἳ προφρονέως μέμαθʼ Ἕκτορος ἀντίον ἐλθεῖν.
not even you are eager to go face to face against Hector.”
ὣς νείκεσσʼ ὃ γέρων, οἳ δʼ ἐννέα πάντες ἀνέσταν.
Thus the old man reproached them, and they all, nine in number, stood up.
ὦρτο πολὺ πρῶτος μὲν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων,
Far first rose Agamemnon, lord of men,
τῷ δʼ ἐπὶ Τυδεΐδης ὦρτο κρατερὸς Διομήδης,
and after him rose strong Diomedes, son of Tydeus,
τοῖσι δʼ ἐπʼ Αἴαντες θοῦριν ἐπιειμένοι ἀλκήν,
and after them the Ajaxes, clothed in impetuous valor,
τοῖσι δʼ ἐπʼ Ἰδομενεὺς καὶ ὀπάων Ἰδομενῆος
and after them Idomeneus and Idomeneus’ companion,
Μηριόνης ἀτάλαντος Ἐνυαλίῳ ἀνδρειφόντῃ,
Meriones, peer of Enyalius, slayer of men,
τοῖσι δʼ ἐπʼ Εὐρύπυλος Εὐαίμονος ἀγλαὸς υἱός,
and after them Eurypylus, the glorious son of Euaemon,
ἂν δὲ Θόας Ἀνδραιμονίδης καὶ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·
and up rose Thoas, son of Andraemon, and noble Odysseus.
πάντες ἄρʼ οἵ γʼ ἔθελον πολεμίζειν Ἕκτορι δίῳ.
All these, then, were willing to fight with noble Hector.
τοῖς δʼ αὖτις μετέειπε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·
To them again spoke the Gerenian horseman Nestor:
κλήρῳ νῦν πεπάλασθε διαμπερὲς ὅς κε λάχῃσιν·
”Cast lots now, from first to last, for him who shall win;
οὗτος γὰρ δὴ ὀνήσει ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς,
for he shall indeed profit the well-greaved Achaeans,
καὶ δʼ αὐτὸς ὃν θυμὸν ὀνήσεται αἴ κε φύγῃσι
and he shall also profit his own soul, if he escapes
δηΐου ἐκ πολέμοιο καὶ αἰνῆς δηϊοτῆτος.
from the hostile war and grim combat.”
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δὲ κλῆρον ἐσημήναντο ἕκαστος,
So he spoke, and they marked each his own lot,
ἐν δʼ ἔβαλον κυνέῃ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο.
and cast them into the helmet of Agamemnon, son of Atreus.
λαοὶ δʼ ἠρήσαντο, θεοῖσι δὲ χεῖρας ἀνέσχον·
And the people prayed, and lifted up their hands to the gods;
ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν εἰς οὐρανὸν εὐρύν·
and thus would one say, looking up into the wide heaven:
Ζεῦ πάτερ ἢ Αἴαντα λαχεῖν,3 ἢ Τυδέος υἱόν,
”Father Zeus, grant that the lot fall to Ajax, or to the son of Tydeus,
ἢ αὐτὸν βασιλῆα πολυχρύσοιο Μυκήνης.
or to the king of wealthy Mycenae himself.”
ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφαν, πάλλεν δὲ Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ,
So they spoke, and the Gerenian horseman Nestor shook the helmet,
ἐκ δʼ ἔθορε κλῆρος κυνέης ὃν ἄρʼ ἤθελον αὐτοὶ
and there leapt forth from the helmet the lot that they themselves desired,
Αἴαντος· κῆρυξ δὲ φέρων ἀνʼ ὅμιλον ἁπάντῃ
even the lot of Ajax. And the herald carried it through the crowd everywhere,
δεῖξʼ ἐνδέξια πᾶσιν ἀριστήεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν.
and showed it from right to left to all the chief men of the Achaeans.
οἳ δʼ οὐ γιγνώσκοντες ἀπηνήναντο ἕκαστος.
But they, not recognizing it, denied it each one.
ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὸν ἵκανε φέρων ἀνʼ ὅμιλον ἁπάντῃ
But when at length, carrying it through the crowd everywhere, the herald came to him
ὅς μιν ἐπιγράψας κυνέῃ βάλε φαίδιμος Αἴας,
who had marked it and cast it into the helmet, even illustrious Ajax,
ἤτοι ὑπέσχεθε χεῖρʼ, ὃ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔμβαλεν ἄγχι παραστάς,
he held out his hand, and the herald stood near and placed it therein.
γνῶ δὲ κλήρου σῆμα ἰδών, γήθησε δὲ θυμῷ.
And Ajax saw the mark of the lot and recognized it, and rejoiced in his heart.
τὸν μὲν πὰρ πόδʼ ἑὸν χαμάδις βάλε φώνησέν τε·
He threw it on the ground beside his foot, and spoke:
ὦ φίλοι ἤτοι κλῆρος ἐμός, χαίρω δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς
”O friends, surely the lot is mine, and I myself rejoice
θυμῷ, ἐπεὶ δοκέω νικησέμεν Ἕκτορα δῖον.
in my heart, since I think I shall defeat noble Hector.
ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ ὄφρʼ ἂν ἐγὼ πολεμήϊα τεύχεα δύω,
But come, while I am putting on my battle armor,
τόφρʼ ὑμεῖς εὔχεσθε Διὶ Κρονίωνι ἄνακτι
meanwhile pray ye to lord Zeus, son of Cronos,
σιγῇ ἐφʼ ὑμείων ἵνα μὴ Τρῶές γε πύθωνται,
silently in your own minds, that the Trojans may not hear,
ἠὲ καὶ ἀμφαδίην, ἐπεὶ οὔ τινα δείδιμεν ἔμπης·
or even openly, since we fear no one at all.
οὐ γάρ τίς με βίῃ γε ἑκὼν ἀέκοντα δίηται
For no one shall drive me by force against my will,
οὐδέ τι ἰδρείῃ, ἐπεὶ οὐδʼ ἐμὲ νήϊδά γʼ οὕτως
nor by any skill, since I hope that I was not born and bred
ἔλπομαι ἐν Σαλαμῖνι γενέσθαι τε τραφέμεν τε.
so utterly unskilled in Salamis.”
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ εὔχοντο Διὶ Κρονίωνι ἄνακτι·
So he spoke, and they prayed to lord Zeus, son of Cronos;
ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν εἰς οὐρανὸν εὐρύν·
and thus would one say, looking up into the wide heaven:
Ζεῦ πάτερ Ἴδηθεν μεδέων κύδιστε μέγιστε
”Father Zeus, ruling from Ida, most glorious, most great,
δὸς νίκην Αἴαντι καὶ ἀγλαὸν εὖχος ἀρέσθαι·
grant victory to Ajax and that he may win glorious fame;
εἰ δὲ καὶ Ἕκτορά περ φιλέεις καὶ κήδεαι αὐτοῦ,
but if thou also lovest Hector and carest for him,
ἴσην ἀμφοτέροισι βίην καὶ κῦδος ὄπασσον.
vouchsafe to both equal strength and glory.”
- 7.143οὐ κορύνη οἱ ὄλεθρον χραῖσμε σιδηρείη
The dative of interest οἱ ('from him') and the accusative of direct object ὄλεθρον ('destruction') are governed by the verb χραισμέω ('to ward off', 'to help').
- 7.153θάρσεϊ ᾧ
The possessive pronoun ὅς (his own) is typically third person, but in Homeric Greek it is sometimes used for the first person (here, 'my own'). In this context, it refers to Nestor's own courage or boldness.
- 7.179Αἴαντα λαχεῖν
An infinitive of wish (infinitivus pro optativo) with the subject in the accusative (Αἴαντα), expressing the eager desire of the people: 'grant that the lot fall to Ajax'.