- 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-grc2:9.143-9.215
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-29
Agamemnon finishes listing the immense gifts and offering his daughters in marriage to appease Achilles, leading to an agreement on sending an embassy. Nestor selects Phoenix, Ajax, and Odysseus, who journey to Achilles' tent and are warmly welcomed with a feast prepared by Achilles himself.
ὅς μοι τηλύγετος τρέφεται θαλίῃ ἔνι πολλῇ.
who is being reared for me in abundant luxury as my dearly loved son.
τρεῖς δέ μοί εἰσι θύγατρες ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ εὐπήκτῳ
And in my well-built palace there are three daughters,
Χρυσόθεμις καὶ Λαοδίκη καὶ Ἰφιάνασσα,
Chrysothemis, and Laodice, and Iphianassa;
τάων ἥν κʼ ἐθέλῃσι1 φίλην ἀνάεδνον ἀγέσθω
of these let him lead home whomever he wishes as his beloved wife without bride-price,
πρὸς οἶκον Πηλῆος· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐπὶ μείλια δώσω
to the house of Peleus; and I will give soothing gifts in addition,
πολλὰ μάλʼ, ὅσσʼ οὔ πώ τις ἑῇ ἐπέδωκε θυγατρί·
very many, such as no man yet has given with his daughter.
ἑπτὰ δέ οἱ δώσω εὖ ναιόμενα πτολίεθρα
And I will give him seven well-peopled cities,
Καρδαμύλην Ἐνόπην τε καὶ Ἱρὴν ποιήεσσαν
Cardamyle, and Enope, and grassy Hire,
Φηράς τε ζαθέας ἠδʼ Ἄνθειαν βαθύλειμον
and sacred Pherae, and Antheia with deep meadows,
καλήν τʼ Αἴπειαν καὶ Πήδασον ἀμπελόεσσαν.
and fair Aepeia, and vine-clad Pedasus.
πᾶσαι δʼ ἐγγὺς ἁλός, νέαται Πύλου ἠμαθόεντος·
All are near the sea, at the edge of sandy Pylos;
ἐν δʼ ἄνδρες ναίουσι πολύρρηνες πολυβοῦται,
and in them dwell men rich in sheep and rich in cattle,
οἵ κέ ἑ δωτίνῃσι θεὸν ὣς τιμήσουσι
who will honor him with gifts like a god
καί οἱ ὑπὸ σκήπτρῳ λιπαρὰς τελέουσι θέμιστας.
and beneath his scepter pay him rich tribute.
ταῦτά κέ οἱ τελέσαιμι μεταλήξαντι χόλοιο.2
These things would I fulfill for him, if he ceases from his anger.
δμηθήτω· Ἀΐδης τοι ἀμείλιχος ἠδʼ ἀδάμαστος,
Let him be subdued; Hades indeed is unappeasable and unyielding,
τοὔνεκα καί τε βροτοῖσι θεῶν ἔχθιστος ἁπάντων·
and therefore is he of all gods most hateful to mortals;
καί μοι ὑποστήτω ὅσσον βασιλεύτερός εἰμι
and let him submit himself to me in as much as I am more kingly,
ἠδʼ ὅσσον γενεῇ προγενέστερος εὔχομαι εἶναι.
and in as much as I claim to be the elder in birth.”
τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·
Then the Gerenian horseman Nestor answered him:
Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγάμεμνον
”Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon, king of men,
δῶρα μὲν οὐκέτʼ ὀνοστὰ διδοῖς Ἀχιλῆϊ ἄνακτι·
the gifts you offer to king Achilles are no longer to be despised.
ἀλλʼ ἄγετε κλητοὺς ὀτρύνομεν, οἵ κε τάχιστα
Come, let us send chosen men, who may as quickly as possible
ἔλθωσʼ ἐς κλισίην Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος.
go to the hut of Achilles, son of Peleus.
εἰ δʼ ἄγε τοὺς ἂν ἐγὼ ἐπιόψομαι οἳ δὲ πιθέσθων.
Come, let those whom I select obey.
Φοῖνιξ μὲν πρώτιστα Διῒ φίλος ἡγησάσθω,
First of all let Phoenix, beloved of Zeus, lead the way,
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ Αἴας τε μέγας καὶ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·
and after him great Ajax and noble Odysseus;
κηρύκων δʼ Ὀδίος τε καὶ Εὐρυβάτης ἅμʼ ἑπέσθων.
and of the heralds let Odius and Eurybates go with them.
φέρτε δὲ χερσὶν ὕδωρ, εὐφημῆσαί τε κέλεσθε,
Bring water for our hands, and bid all keep silence,
ὄφρα Διὶ Κρονίδῃ ἀρησόμεθʼ, αἴ κʼ ἐλεήσῃ.
that we may pray to Zeus, son of Cronos, if he will have mercy upon us.”
ὣς φάτο, τοῖσι δὲ πᾶσιν ἑαδότα μῦθον ἔειπεν.
So he spoke, and he spoke words pleasing to them all.
αὐτίκα κήρυκες μὲν ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἔχευαν,
Forthwith the heralds poured water upon their hands,
κοῦροι δὲ κρητῆρας ἐπεστέψαντο ποτοῖο,
and the youths filled the bowls high with drink,
νώμησαν δʼ ἄρα πᾶσιν ἐπαρξάμενοι δεπάεσσιν.3
and distributed it to all, after they had poured a first drop into the cups.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ σπεῖσάν τʼ ἔπιόν θʼ ὅσον ἤθελε θυμός,
But when they had made libation and had drunk as much as their heart desired,
ὁρμῶντʼ ἐκ κλισίης Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο.
they set forth from the hut of Agamemnon, son of Atreus.
τοῖσι δὲ πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ
And the Gerenian horseman Nestor gave them many charges,
δενδίλλων ἐς ἕκαστον, Ὀδυσσῆϊ δὲ μάλιστα,
looking with meaning at each, and especially at Odysseus,
πειρᾶν ὡς πεπίθοιεν ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα.
that they should try to persuade the blameless son of Peleus.
τὼ δὲ βάτην4 παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης
So the two went along the shore of the loud-sounding sea,
πολλὰ μάλʼ εὐχομένω γαιηόχῳ ἐννοσιγαίῳ
praying earnestly to the earth-holding Earth-shaker
ῥηϊδίως πεπιθεῖν μεγάλας φρένας Αἰακίδαο.
that they might easily persuade the great heart of the grandson of Aeacus.
Μυρμιδόνων δʼ ἐπί τε κλισίας καὶ νῆας ἱκέσθην,
And they came to the huts and ships of the Myrmidons,
τὸν δʼ εὗρον φρένα τερπόμενον φόρμιγγι λιγείῃ
and found him delighting his heart with a clear-toned lyre,
καλῇ δαιδαλέῃ, ἐπὶ δʼ ἀργύρεον ζυγὸν ἦεν,
fair and richly wrought, and upon it was a bridge of silver;
τὴν ἄρετʼ ἐξ ἐνάρων πόλιν Ἠετίωνος ὀλέσσας·
this he had taken from the spoil when he destroyed the city of Eetion.
τῇ ὅ γε θυμὸν ἔτερπεν, ἄειδε δʼ ἄρα κλέα ἀνδρῶν.
With this he was delighting his heart, and he sang of the glorious deeds of men.
Πάτροκλος δέ οἱ οἶος ἐναντίος ἧστο σιωπῇ,
And Patroclus alone sat opposite him in silence,
δέγμενος Αἰακίδην ὁπότε λήξειεν ἀείδων,
waiting for the grandson of Aeacus when he should cease from singing.
τὼ δὲ βάτην προτέρω, ἡγεῖτο δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,
So the two went forward, and noble Odysseus led,
στὰν δὲ πρόσθʼ αὐτοῖο· ταφὼν δʼ ἀνόρουσεν Ἀχιλλεὺς
and they stood before him; and Achilles, amazed, sprang up
αὐτῇ σὺν φόρμιγγι λιπὼν ἕδος ἔνθα θάασσεν.
with the lyre in his hand, leaving the seat whereon he sat.
ὣς δʼ αὔτως Πάτροκλος, ἐπεὶ ἴδε φῶτας, ἀνέστη.
And in like manner Patroclus, when he saw the men, arose.
τὼ καὶ δεικνύμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
Greeting them, fleet-footed Achilles addressed them and spoke:
χαίρετον· ἦ φίλοι ἄνδρες ἱκάνετον ἦ τι μάλα χρεώ,
”Welcome! Surely you are friends who have come; indeed there is great need,
οἵ μοι σκυζομένῳ περ Ἀχαιῶν φίλτατοί ἐστον.
you who even in my anger are dearest to me of the Achaeans.”
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας προτέρω ἄγε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,
So saying, noble Achilles led them forward
εἷσεν δʼ ἐν κλισμοῖσι τάπησί τε πορφυρέοισιν.
and set them on chairs with purple rugs.
αἶψα δὲ Πάτροκλον προσεφώνεεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντα·
And quickly he spoke to Patroclus, who was near:
μείζονα δὴ κρητῆρα Μενοιτίου υἱὲ καθίστα,
”Set a larger bowl, son of Menoetius,
ζωρότερον δὲ κέραιε, δέπας δʼ ἔντυνον ἑκάστῳ·
and mix stronger wine, and prepare a cup for each;
οἳ γὰρ φίλτατοι ἄνδρες ἐμῷ ὑπέασι μελάθρῳ.
for those who are dearest to me are beneath my roof.”
ὣς φάτο, Πάτροκλος δὲ φίλῳ ἐπεπείθεθʼ ἑταίρῳ.
So he spoke, and Patroclus obeyed his dear companion.
αὐτὰρ ὅ γε κρεῖον μέγα κάββαλεν ἐν πυρὸς αὐγῇ,
But Achilles cast down a great meat-block in the light of the fire,
ἐν δʼ ἄρα νῶτον ἔθηκʼ ὄϊος καὶ πίονος αἰγός,
and laid upon it the back of a sheep and of a fat goat,
ἐν δὲ συὸς σιάλοιο ῥάχιν τεθαλυῖαν ἀλοιφῇ.
and the chine of a fat hog rich with lard.
τῷ δʼ ἔχεν Αὐτομέδων, τάμνεν δʼ ἄρα δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.
Automedon held them for him, and noble Achilles carved them.
καὶ τὰ μὲν εὖ μίστυλλε καὶ ἀμφʼ ὀβελοῖσιν ἔπειρε,
And he sliced them well and pierced them with spits,
πῦρ δὲ Μενοιτιάδης δαῖεν μέγα ἰσόθεος φώς.
and the son of Menoetius, a godlike man, kindled a great fire.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ πῦρ ἐκάη καὶ φλὸξ ἐμαράνθη,
But when the fire had burned down and the flame had died away,
ἀνθρακιὴν στορέσας ὀβελοὺς ἐφύπερθε τάνυσσε,
he scattered the embers and stretched the spits over them,
πάσσε δʼ ἁλὸς θείοιο κρατευτάων ἐπαείρας.
and sprinkled holy salt upon them, lifting them upon the spit-rests.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ὤπτησε καὶ εἰν ἐλεοῖσιν ἔχευε,
But when he had roasted the meat and laid it on platters,
- 9.146τάων ἥν κʼ ἐθέλῃσι
In the relative clause introduced by τάων (of these), the subjunctive ἐθέλῃσι (Homeric for -ῃ) with the particle κʼ (= κε) expresses a general or conditional choice ('whomever he wishes'). The adjective ἀνάεδνον (without bride-price) reflects an exceptional privilege in Homeric marriage customs.
- 9.157μεταλήξαντι χόλοιο
The dative participle μεταλήξαντι agrees with the dative pronoun οἱ (referring to Achilles) in the main clause, functioning conditionally ('if he ceases from'). The verb μεταλήγω (to cease from) governs the genitive case (χόλοιο).
- 9.176ἐπαρξάμενοι δεπάεσσιν
The ritual participle ἐπαρξάμενοι refers to the custom of pouring a first drop of wine into the cups for a libation before distributing the drink. The dative δεπάεσσιν is governed by this ritual verb.
- 9.182τὼ δὲ βάτην
Both the demonstrative pronoun τὼ and the third-person imperfect verb βάτην are in the dual form. Although Phoenix and the heralds are in the party, the grammar focuses on the two primary negotiators, Odysseus and Ajax.