- 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-grc2:8.140-8.210
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-29
Nestor convinces Diomedes to retreat, recognizing that Zeus's favor is with Hector. Hector emboldens the Trojans and plots to seize the armor of Nestor and Diomedes, prompting Hera's outrage, though Poseidon refuses to oppose Zeus.
ἦ οὐ γιγνώσκεις ὅ1 τοι ἐκ Διὸς οὐχ ἕπετʼ ἀλκή;
”Do you not realize that from Zeus no protection attends you?
νῦν μὲν γὰρ τούτῳ Κρονίδης Ζεὺς κῦδος ὀπάζει
For now Cronos’ son Zeus is granting glory to this man
σήμερον· ὕστερον αὖτε καὶ ἡμῖν, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσι,
today; later again to us also, if he wills,
δώσει· ἀνὴρ δέ κεν οὔ τι Διὸς νόον εἰρύσσαιτο2
he will give it; and no man could thwart the mind of Zeus,
οὐδὲ μάλʼ ἴφθιμος, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερός ἐστι.
not even a very mighty one, since he is by far the stronger.”
τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·
Then Diomedes, good at the war-cry, answered him:
ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε πάντα γέρον κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες·
”Yes indeed, old man, all this you have spoken according to right;
ἀλλὰ τόδʼ αἰνὸν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἱκάνει·
but this dread grief comes upon my heart and soul:
Ἕκτωρ γάρ ποτε φήσει ἐνὶ Τρώεσσʼ ἀγορεύων·
for Hector will one day say, speaking in council among the Trojans:
Τυδεΐδης ὑπʼ ἐμεῖο φοβεύμενος ἵκετο νῆας.
’The son of Tydeus, fleeing before me, reached the ships.’
ὥς ποτʼ ἀπειλήσει· τότε μοι χάνοι εὐρεῖα χθών.3
Thus he will one day boast; then let the wide earth yawn for me.”
τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·
Then Gerenian horseman Nestor answered him:
ὤ μοι Τυδέος υἱὲ δαΐφρονος, οἷον ἔειπες.
”Ah me, son of wise Tydeus, what a thing you have said!
εἴ περ γάρ σʼ Ἕκτωρ γε κακὸν καὶ ἀνάλκιδα φήσει,
For even if Hector shall call you a coward and a weakling,
ἀλλʼ οὐ πείσονται Τρῶες καὶ Δαρδανίωνες
yet the Trojans and Dardanian folk will not believe it,
καὶ Τρώων ἄλοχοι μεγαθύμων ἀσπιστάων,
nor the wives of the great-hearted, shield-bearing Trojans,
τάων ἐν κονίῃσι βάλες θαλεροὺς παρακοίτας.
whose lusty husbands you have cast in the dust.”
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας φύγαδε τράπε μώνυχας ἵππους
So saying, he turned the single-hoofed horses to flight
αὖτις ἀνʼ ἰωχμόν· ἐπὶ δὲ Τρῶές τε καὶ Ἕκτωρ
back through the tumult; and upon them the Trojans and Hector,
ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ βέλεα στονόεντα χέοντο.
with wondrous clamor, poured their groaning missiles.
τῷ δʼ ἐπὶ μακρὸν ἄϋσε μέγας κορυθαίολος Ἕκτωρ·
And after him shouted aloud great Hector of the flashing helm:
Τυδεΐδη περὶ μέν σε τίον Δαναοὶ ταχύπωλοι
”Son of Tydeus, the Danaans of swift horses honored you above others
ἕδρῃ τε κρέασίν τε ἰδὲ πλείοις δεπάεσσι·
with a seat of honor, and messes of meat, and full cups;
νῦν δέ σʼ ἀτιμήσουσι· γυναικὸς ἄρʼ ἀντὶ τέτυξο.
but now they will despise you; you have turned out to be like a woman.
ἔρρε κακὴ γλήνη, ἐπεὶ οὐκ εἴξαντος ἐμεῖο4
Away, cowardly doll, since you shall not, by my yielding,
πύργων ἡμετέρων ἐπιβήσεαι, οὐδὲ γυναῖκας
scale our towers, nor carry away our women
ἄξεις ἐν νήεσσι· πάρος τοι δαίμονα δώσω.
in your ships; before that, I will give you your fate.”
ὣς φάτο, Τυδεΐδης δὲ διάνδιχα μερμήριξεν
Thus he spoke, and the son of Tydeus was divided in counsel,
ἵππους τε στρέψαι καὶ ἐναντίβιον μαχέσασθαι.
whether to turn his horses and fight him face to face.
τρὶς μὲν μερμήριξε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,
Thrice he pondered in mind and soul,
τρὶς δʼ ἄρʼ ἀπʼ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων κτύπε μητίετα Ζεὺς
and thrice Zeus the counselor thundered from the Idaean mountains,
σῆμα τιθεὶς Τρώεσσι μάχης ἑτεραλκέα νίκην.
giving a sign to the Trojans of victory that turns the tide of battle.
Ἕκτωρ δὲ Τρώεσσιν ἐκέκλετο μακρὸν ἀΰσας·
And Hector called aloud to the Trojans, shouting far:
Τρῶες καὶ Λύκιοι καὶ Δάρδανοι ἀγχιμαχηταὶ
”Trojans and Lycians and Dardanian close-fighters,
ἀνέρες ἔστε φίλοι, μνήσασθε δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς.
be men, my friends, and remember furious valor.
γιγνώσκω δʼ ὅτι μοι πρόφρων κατένευσε Κρονίων
I know that the son of Cronos has favorably nodded assent to me
νίκην καὶ μέγα κῦδος, ἀτὰρ Δαναοῖσί γε πῆμα·
for victory and great glory, but to the Danaans bane;
νήπιοι οἳ ἄρα δὴ τάδε τείχεα μηχανόωντο
fools, who after all devised these walls
ἀβλήχρʼ οὐδενόσωρα· τὰ δʼ οὐ μένος ἁμὸν ἐρύξει·
weak, not worth a thought; they will not hold back my strength;
ἵπποι δὲ ῥέα τάφρον ὑπερθορέονται ὀρυκτήν.
and our horses will easily leap over the dug trench.
ἀλλʼ ὅτε κεν δὴ νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσι γένωμαι,
But when I am once come to the hollow ships,
μνημοσύνη τις ἔπειτα πυρὸς δηΐοιο γενέσθω,
then let there be some memory of destroying fire,
ὡς πυρὶ νῆας ἐνιπρήσω, κτείνω δὲ καὶ αὐτοὺς
so that I may burn the ships with fire, and slay the men themselves,
Ἀργείους παρὰ νηυσὶν ἀτυζομένους ὑπὸ καπνοῦ.
the Argives, beside their ships, bewildered by the smoke.”
ὣς εἰπὼν ἵπποισιν ἐκέκλετο φώνησέν τε·
So saying, he called to his horses and spoke:
Ξάνθέ τε καὶ σὺ Πόδαργε καὶ Αἴθων Λάμπέ τε δῖε
”Xanthus, and you Podargus, and Aethon, and noble Lampus,
νῦν μοι τὴν κομιδὴν ἀποτίνετον,5 ἣν μάλα πολλὴν
now pay me back for your tending, which in very full measure
Ἀνδρομάχη θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος Ἠετίωνος
Andromache, daughter of great-hearted Eetion,
ὑμῖν πὰρ προτέροισι μελίφρονα πυρὸν ἔθηκεν
set before you, even before me, honey-hearted wheat,
οἶνόν τʼ ἐγκεράσασα πιεῖν, ὅτε θυμὸς ἀνώγοι,
and mixed wine for you to drink, when your heart bade you,
ἢ ἐμοί, ὅς πέρ οἱ θαλερὸς πόσις εὔχομαι εἶναι.
rather than for me, who boast to be her lusty husband.
ἀλλʼ ἐφομαρτεῖτον καὶ σπεύδετον ὄφρα λάβωμεν
But pursue and hasten, so that we may take
ἀσπίδα Νεστορέην, τῆς νῦν κλέος οὐρανὸν ἵκει
the shield of Nestor, the fame of which now reaches heaven,
πᾶσαν χρυσείην ἔμεναι, κανόνας τε καὶ αὐτήν,
that it is all of gold, both the handles and the shield itself;
αὐτὰρ ἀπʼ ὤμοιιν Διομήδεος ἱπποδάμοιο
and from the shoulders of horse-taming Diomedes
δαιδάλεον θώρηκα, τὸν Ἥφαιστος κάμε τεύχων.
the cunningly wrought breastplate, which Hephaestus labored to make.
εἰ τούτω κε λάβοιμεν, ἐελποίμην κεν6 Ἀχαιοὺς
If we could but take these two, I would hope that the Achaeans
αὐτονυχὶ νηῶν ἐπιβησέμεν ὠκειάων.
this very night would embark upon their swift ships.”
ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, νεμέσησε δὲ πότνια Ἥρη,
Thus he spoke boasting, and queenly Hera was wroth,
σείσατο δʼ εἰνὶ θρόνῳ, ἐλέλιξε δὲ μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον,
and she shook herself upon her throne, and made great Olympus tremble,
καί ῥα Ποσειδάωνα μέγαν θεὸν ἀντίον ηὔδα·
and she spoke to the great god Poseidon, facing him:
ὢ πόποι ἐννοσίγαιʼ εὐρυσθενές, οὐδέ νυ σοί περ
”Ah me, shaker of the earth, wide-ruling one, does not even your
ὀλλυμένων Δαναῶν ὀλοφύρεται ἐν φρεσὶ θυμός.
heart in your breast pity the Danaans who are perishing?
οἳ δέ τοι εἰς Ἑλίκην τε καὶ Αἰγὰς δῶρʼ ἀνάγουσι
Yet they bring you to Helice and Aegae gifts
πολλά τε καὶ χαρίεντα· σὺ δέ σφισι βούλεο νίκην.
many and graceful; do you then will them victory.
εἴ περ γάρ κʼ ἐθέλοιμεν, ὅσοι Δαναοῖσιν ἀρωγοί,
For if we should but will, as many as are helpers of the Danaans,
Τρῶας ἀπώσασθαι καὶ ἐρυκέμεν εὐρύοπα Ζῆν,
to drive back the Trojans and hold back far-seeing Zeus,
αὐτοῦ κʼ ἔνθʼ ἀκάχοιτο καθήμενος οἶος ἐν Ἴδῃ.
then he would grieve there, sitting alone on Ida.”
τὴν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη κρείων ἐνοσίχθων·
But with giant anger the lord, the shaker of the earth, addressed her:
Ἥρη ἀπτοεπὲς ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες.
”Hera, reckless of speech, what a word you have spoken!
οὐκ ἂν ἔγωγʼ ἐθέλοιμι Διὶ Κρονίωνι μάχεσθαι
I would not wish that we should fight against Cronos’ son Zeus, since he is by far the stronger.”
- 8.140ὅ
Used in place of the conjunction ὅτι (that), introducing a noun clause which serves as the direct object of ἦ οὐ γιγνώσκεις (do you not realize). Alternatively, it can be analyzed as the neuter accusative relative pronoun introducing a substantive clause.
- 8.143κεν οὔ τι Διὸς νόον εἰρύσσαιτο
The combination of the particle κεν (Homeric form of ἄν) and the optative (εἰρύσσαιτο, aorist optative middle of εἰρύομαι) expresses potentiality ('no man could guard/thwart'). Διὸς νόον (the mind of Zeus) is the direct object of the verb.
- 8.150τότε μοι χάνοι εὐρεῖα χθών
The verb χάνοι (aorist optative active 3rd person singular of χάσκω) is an optative of wish used in an independent clause ('then may the wide earth yawn for me'). μοί functions as a dative of interest or ethical dative.
- 8.164ἐπεὶ οὐκ εἴξαντος ἐμεῖο
The phrase εἴξαντος ἐμεῖο (aorist participle genitive singular of εἴκω and genitive singular of the 1st person pronoun) forms a genitive absolute construction ('since I will not yield') introduced by the conjunction ἐπεί.
- 8.186ἀποτίνετον
Although Hector names four horses in §8.185, the verb ἀποτίνετον (as well as ἐφομαρτεῖτον and σπεύδετον in §8.191) is in the dual form (2nd person dual present imperative). This reflects the traditional pair-team of horses or the Homeric tendency to shift between dual and plural forms when addressing groups.
- 8.196εἰ τούτω κε λάβοιμεν, ἐελποίμην κεν
The combination of εἰ with the optative (λάβοιμεν) and the optative with κεν in the apodosis (ἐελποίμην κεν) forms a potential condition ('if we should take these two, I would hope...'). The infinitive ἐπιβήσεμεν depends on ἐελποίμην.