- 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-grc2:7.206-7.275
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-29
Ajax arms himself and steps forward for the duel, prompting terror among the Trojans. He and Hector engage in a fierce single combat, throwing spears and massive stones at each other, until the heralds of both sides arrive to intervene.
ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφαν, Αἴας δὲ κορύσσετο νώροπι χαλκῷ.
So they spoke, and Ajax clothed himself in flashing bronze.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ πάντα περὶ χροῒ ἕσσατο τεύχεα,
But when he had put all his armor upon his body,
σεύατʼ ἔπειθʼ οἷός τε πελώριος ἔρχεται Ἄρης,
then he rushed forward even as giant Ares goes,
ὅς τʼ εἶσιν πόλεμον δὲ μετʼ ἀνέρας1 οὕς τε Κρονίων
who goes to war amid men whom the son of Cronos
θυμοβόρου ἔριδος μένεϊ ξυνέηκε μάχεσθαι.
has joined together to fight in the fury of soul-devouring strife.
τοῖος ἄρʼ Αἴας ὦρτο πελώριος ἕρκος Ἀχαιῶν
Such then rose giant Ajax, the bulwark of the Achaeans,
μειδιόων βλοσυροῖσι προσώπασι· νέρθε δὲ ποσσὶν
with a smile on his grim face; and beneath him with his feet
ἤϊε μακρὰ βιβάς, κραδάων δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος.
he went with long strides, brandishing his far-shadowing spear.
τὸν δὲ καὶ Ἀργεῖοι μὲν ἐγήθεον εἰσορόωντες,
And the Argives for their part rejoiced as they looked upon him,
Τρῶας δὲ τρόμος αἰνὸς ὑπήλυθε γυῖα ἕκαστον,
but dread trembling came upon the Trojans, upon the limbs of each one,
Ἕκτορί τʼ αὐτῷ θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι πάτασσεν·
and even to Hector’s own self the heart beat fast within his breast;
ἀλλʼ οὔ πως ἔτι εἶχεν ὑποτρέσαι οὐδʼ ἀναδῦναι
yet in no way could he now shrink back or withdraw
ἂψ λαῶν ἐς ὅμιλον, ἐπεὶ προκαλέσσατο χάρμῃ.
into the crowd of the host, since he himself had challenged to the fight.
Αἴας δʼ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθε φέρων σάκος ἠΰτε πύργον
And Ajax came near, carrying his shield that was like a tower,
χάλκεον ἑπταβόειον, ὅ οἱ Τυχίος κάμε τεύχων
a shield of bronze and sevenfold bull’s hide, which Tychius had wrought with toil,
σκυτοτόμων ὄχʼ ἄριστος Ὕλῃ ἔνι οἰκία ναίων,
far the best of workers in hide, who had his home in Hyle,
ὅς οἱ ἐποίησεν σάκος αἰόλον ἑπταβόειον
who made for him his flashing sevenfold shield
ταύρων ζατρεφέων, ἐπὶ δʼ ὄγδοον ἤλασε χαλκόν.2
of well-fed bulls, and over it welded an eighth layer of bronze.
τὸ πρόσθε στέρνοιο φέρων Τελαμώνιος Αἴας
This before his breast Telamonian Ajax carried
στῆ ῥα μάλʼ Ἕκτορος ἐγγύς, ἀπειλήσας δὲ προσηύδα·
and came and stood very near to Hector, and spoke with threat:
Ἕκτορ νῦν μὲν δὴ σάφα εἴσεαι οἰόθεν οἶος
”Hector, now indeed you shall know clearly, man to man,
οἷοι καὶ Δαναοῖσιν ἀριστῆες μετέασι
what manner of chieftains there are also among the Danaans,
καὶ μετʼ Ἀχιλλῆα ῥηξήνορα θυμολέοντα.
even after Achilles, breaker of the ranks of men, lion-hearted.
ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν ἐν νήεσσι κορωνίσι ποντοπόροισι
But he lies beside his curved, seafaring ships,
κεῖτʼ ἀπομηνίσας Ἀγαμέμνονι ποιμένι λαῶν·
nursing his wrath against Agamemnon, shepherd of the host;
ἡμεῖς δʼ εἰμὲν τοῖοι οἳ ἂν σέθεν ἀντιάσαιμεν
yet we are such as can face you,
καὶ πολέες· ἀλλʼ ἄρχε μάχης ἠδὲ πτολέμοιο.
yea, and many of us. But begin the battle and the war.”
τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·
To him then spoke great Hector of the flashing helmet:
Αἶαν διογενὲς Τελαμώνιε κοίρανε λαῶν
”Ajax, sprung from Zeus, Telamonian, lord of the host,
μή τί μευ ἠΰτε παιδὸς ἀφαυροῦ πειρήτιζε
try not to make trial of me as though I were some feeble boy
ἠὲ γυναικός, ἣ οὐκ οἶδεν πολεμήϊα ἔργα.
or a woman who knows not deeds of war.
αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν εὖ οἶδα μάχας τʼ ἀνδροκτασίας τε·
For I know well battles and slaughter of men;
οἶδʼ ἐπὶ δεξιά, οἶδʼ ἐπʼ ἀριστερὰ νωμῆσαι βῶν
I know how to wield to the right, and I know how to wield to the left my shield
ἀζαλέην, τό μοι ἔστι ταλαύρινον πολεμίζειν·3
of dry hide, which is to me the essence of tough-shielded fighting;
οἶδα δʼ ἐπαΐξαι μόθον ἵππων ὠκειάων·
and I know how to charge into the clash of swift chariots;
οἶδα δʼ ἐνὶ σταδίῃ δηΐῳ μέλπεσθαι Ἄρηϊ.
and I know how in close combat to dance to the tune of grim Ares.
ἀλλʼ οὐ γάρ σʼ ἐθέλω βαλέειν τοιοῦτον ἐόντα
Yet I do not wish to strike you, being such a man as you are,
λάθρῃ ὀπιπεύσας, ἀλλʼ ἀμφαδόν, αἴ κε τύχωμι.
by watching you by stealth, but openly, if so be I may hit you.”
ἦ ῥα, καὶ ἀμπεπαλὼν προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος,
He spoke, and poised and hurled his far-shadowing spear,
καὶ βάλεν Αἴαντος δεινὸν σάκος ἑπταβόειον
and struck the dread sevenfold shield of Ajax
ἀκρότατον κατὰ χαλκόν, ὃς ὄγδοος ἦεν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ.
upon the outermost bronze, which was the eighth layer upon it.
ἓξ δὲ διὰ πτύχας ἦλθε δαΐζων χαλκὸς ἀτειρής,
Through six layers went the stubborn bronze, tearing through them,
ἐν τῇ δʼ ἑβδομάτῃ ῥινῷ σχέτο· δεύτερος αὖτε
but in the seventh hide it was held. Then next
Αἴας διογενὴς προΐει δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος,
Ajax, sprung from Zeus, hurled his far-shadowing spear,
καὶ βάλε Πριαμίδαο κατʼ ἀσπίδα πάντοσʼ ἐΐσην.
and struck the shield of Priam’s son, balanced on every side.
διὰ μὲν ἀσπίδος ἦλθε φαεινῆς ὄβριμον ἔγχος,
Through the bright shield went the mighty spear,
καὶ διὰ θώρηκος πολυδαιδάλου ἠρήρειστο·
and through the richly wrought corselet it pressed on;
ἀντικρὺ δὲ παραὶ λαπάρην διάμησε χιτῶνα
and straight on beside the flank the spear shore through his tunic;
ἔγχος· ὃ δʼ ἐκλίνθη καὶ ἀλεύατο κῆρα μέλαιναν.
but he bent aside and escaped black death.
τὼ δʼ ἐκσπασσαμένω δολίχʼ ἔγχεα χερσὶν ἅμʼ ἄμφω
Then the two together with their hands drew out their long spears
σύν ῥʼ ἔπεσον λείουσιν ἐοικότες ὠμοφάγοισιν
and fell to, like raw-eating lions
ἢ συσὶ κάπροισιν, τῶν τε σθένος οὐκ ἀλαπαδνόν.
or wild boars whose strength is not easily weakened.
Πριαμίδης μὲν ἔπειτα μέσον σάκος οὔτασε δουρί,
Then the son of Priam struck the middle of the shield with his spear,
οὐδʼ ἔρρηξεν χαλκός, ἀνεγνάμφθη δέ οἱ αἰχμή.
yet the bronze did not break, but his spear-point was bent.
Αἴας δʼ ἀσπίδα νύξεν ἐπάλμενος· ἣ δὲ διαπρὸ
But Ajax leapt upon him and pierced his shield; and the spear
ἤλυθεν ἐγχείη, στυφέλιξε δέ μιν μεμαῶτα,
went clean through, and thrust him back as he rushed on,
τμήδην δʼ αὐχένʼ ἐπῆλθε, μέλαν δʼ ἀνεκήκιεν αἷμα,
and came upon his neck with a grazing cut, so that dark blood welled up.
ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὧς ἀπέληγε μάχης κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ,
Yet even so Hector of the flashing helmet ceased not from battle,
ἀλλʼ ἀναχασσάμενος λίθον εἵλετο χειρὶ παχείῃ
but drawing back, he seized with his stout hand a stone
κείμενον ἐν πεδίῳ μέλανα τρηχύν τε μέγαν τε·
lying upon the plain, black and rough and great;
τῷ βάλεν Αἴαντος δεινὸν σάκος ἑπταβόειον
with this he struck Ajax’s dread sevenfold shield
μέσσον ἐπομφάλιον· περιήχησεν δʼ ἄρα χαλκός.
right upon the middle of the boss; and the bronze rang out.
δεύτερος αὖτʼ Αἴας πολὺ μείζονα λᾶαν ἀείρας
Then next Ajax lifted a stone far greater,
ἧκʼ ἐπιδινήσας, ἐπέρεισε δὲ ἶνʼ ἀπέλεθρον,
and swung and hurled it, putting into it infinite strength,
εἴσω δʼ ἀσπίδʼ ἔαξε βαλὼν μυλοειδέϊ πέτρῳ,
and broke the shield inward, striking with the stone like a millstone,
βλάψε δέ οἱ φίλα γούναθʼ· ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος ἐξετανύσθη
and harmed his knees; and Hector was stretched on his back,
ἀσπίδι ἐγχριμφθείς· τὸν δʼ αἶψʼ ὤρθωσεν Ἀπόλλων.
clasped by his shield; but Apollo straightway raised him up.
καί νύ κε δὴ ξιφέεσσʼ αὐτοσχεδὸν οὐτάζοντο,
And now they would have been wounding each other with swords in close combat,
εἰ μὴ4 κήρυκες Διὸς ἄγγελοι ἠδὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν
had not the heralds, messengers of Zeus and of men,
ἦλθον, ὃ μὲν Τρώων, ὃ δʼ Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων,
come, one from the Trojans and one from the bronze-clad Achaeans,
- 7.209ὅς τʼ εἶσιν πόλεμον δὲ μετʼ ἀνέρας
The relative pronoun ὅς refers back to Ares, with the relative clause describing his formidable nature. The preposition μετά with the accusative (ἀνέρας) indicates movement 'into the midst of men'.
- 7.223ἐπὶ δʼ ὄγδοον ἤλασε χαλκόν
The preposition ἐπί is used adverbially ('thereon' or 'over it'). The verb ἤλασε is the indicative aorist of ἐλαύνω, meaning 'to beat out' or 'to forge metal', describing the craftsmanship of adding an eighth layer of bronze on top of the seven hides.
- 7.239τό μοι ἔστι ταλαύρινον πολεμίζειν
The infinitive clause πολεμίζειν acts as the subject, with the adjective ταλαύρινον ('shield-bearing' or 'stubborn') used adverbially or as a substantival modifier. The verb ἔστι denotes 'to be possible' or 'to consist in', expressing Hector's pride in his enduring shield-fighting technique.
- 7.273καί νύ κε δὴ ξιφέεσσʼ αὐτοσχεδὸν οὐτάζοντο, εἰ μὴ
A classic past contrafactual (unreal) condition. The apodosis features the past indicative imperfect (οὐτάζοντο) with the particle κε (equivalent to ἄν), while the protasis uses εἰ μή with the past indicative aorist (ἦλθον), conveying the imminent danger that was averted only by the arrival of the heralds.