- 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-grc2:9.287-9.355
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-29
Odysseus concludes his speech by presenting Agamemnon's offer of his daughters in marriage and further territories. In response, Achilles fiercely rejects the embassy, detailing Agamemnon's deceit, the lack of reward for his exploits, and his refusal to return to battle.
Χρυσόθεμις καὶ Λαοδίκη καὶ Ἰφιάνασσα,
Chrysothemis, and Laodice, and Iphianassa;
τάων ἥν κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα φίλην ἀνάεδνον ἄγεσθαι1
of these, whichever you wish, you may take as your beloved wife without bride-price
πρὸς οἶκον Πηλῆος· ὃ δʼ αὖτʼ ἐπὶ μείλια δώσει
to the house of Peleus; and he will furthermore give as dowry
πολλὰ μάλʼ, ὅσσʼ οὔ πώ τις ἑῇ ἐπέδωκε θυγατρί·
very many things, such as no man yet has ever given to his daughter.
ἑπτὰ δέ τοι δώσει εὖ ναιόμενα πτολίεθρα
And he will give you seven well-inhabited 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 beautiful Aepeia, and Pedasus rich in vines.
πᾶσαι δʼ ἐγγὺς ἁλός, νέαται Πύλου ἠμαθόεντος·
All these are near the sea, at the edge of sandy Pylos;
ἐν δʼ ἄνδρες ναίουσι πολύρρηνες πολυβοῦται,
and in them dwell men rich in flocks and rich in cattle,
οἵ κέ σε δωτίνῃσι θεὸν ὣς τιμήσουσι
who will honor you with gifts like a god,
καί τοι ὑπὸ σκήπτρῳ λιπαρὰς τελέουσι θέμιστας.2
and under your sceptre will pay you rich tribute.
ταῦτά κέ τοι τελέσειε μεταλήξαντι χόλοιο.
All these things would he fulfill for you if you cease from your anger.
εἰ δέ τοι Ἀτρεΐδης μὲν ἀπήχθετο κηρόθι μᾶλλον
But if the son of Atreus is too utterly hated by you in your heart, himself and his gifts,
αὐτὸς καὶ τοῦ δῶρα, σὺ δʼ ἄλλους περ Παναχαιοὺς
yet do you pity the other Panachaeans throughout the host,
τειρομένους ἐλέαιρε κατὰ στρατόν, οἵ σε θεὸν ὣς
who will honor you like a god;
τίσουσʼ· ἦ γάρ κέ σφι μάλα μέγα κῦδος ἄροιο·
for indeed you would win very great glory among them.
νῦν γάρ χʼ Ἕκτορʼ ἕλοις, ἐπεὶ ἂν μάλα τοι σχεδὸν ἔλθοι
For now you might slay Hector, since he would come very near you
λύσσαν ἔχων ὀλοήν, ἐπεὶ οὔ τινά φησιν ὁμοῖον
in his deadly madness, since he says there is no one like him
οἷ ἔμεναι Δαναῶν οὓς ἐνθάδε νῆες ἔνεικαν.
of the Danaans whom the ships brought hither.”
τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
Then in answer to him spoke swift-footed Achilles:
διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ
”Zeus-born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices,
χρὴ μὲν δὴ τὸν μῦθον ἀπηλεγέως ἀποειπεῖν,
I must indeed speak my word bluntly,
ᾗ περ δὴ φρονέω τε καὶ ὡς τετελεσμένον ἔσται,
even as I think, and as it shall be accomplished,
ὡς μή μοι τρύζητε παρήμενοι ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος.
so that you may not sit by me and coo, one from one side and one from another.
ἐχθρὸς γάρ μοι κεῖνος ὁμῶς Ἀΐδαο πύλῃσιν
For hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man
ὅς χʼ ἕτερον μὲν κεύθῃ ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ἄλλο δὲ εἴπῃ.
who hides one thing in his heart, and says another.
αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐρέω ὥς μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι ἄριστα·
But I will speak as seems to me best.
οὔτʼ ἔμεγʼ Ἀτρεΐδην Ἀγαμέμνονα πεισέμεν οἴω
I do not think that Agamemnon, son of Atreus, will persuade me,
οὔτʼ ἄλλους Δαναούς, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἄρα τις χάρις ἦεν
nor the other Danaans, since it appears there was no thanks
μάρνασθαι δηΐοισιν ἐπʼ ἀνδράσι νωλεμὲς αἰεί.
for fighting against the enemy always without ceasing.
ἴση μοῖρα μένοντι καὶ εἰ μάλα τις πολεμίζοι·
An equal share goes to him who stays behind and if one fights ever so hard;
ἐν δὲ ἰῇ τιμῇ ἠμὲν κακὸς ἠδὲ καὶ ἐσθλός·
in one and the same honor are held both the coward and the brave;
κάτθανʼ ὁμῶς ὅ τʼ ἀεργὸς ἀνὴρ ὅ τε πολλὰ ἐοργώς.
death comes alike to the idle man and to him who has wrought much.
οὐδέ τί μοι περίκειται, ἐπεὶ πάθον ἄλγεα θυμῷ
And nothing is left over for me, though I suffered pain in my heart,
αἰεὶ ἐμὴν ψυχὴν παραβαλλόμενος πολεμίζειν.
always risking my life in battle.
ὡς δʼ ὄρνις ἀπτῆσι νεοσσοῖσι προφέρῃσι
And even as a bird brings to her unfledged nestlings
μάστακʼ ἐπεί κε λάβῃσι, κακῶς δʼ ἄρα οἱ πέλει αὐτῇ,3
morsels whenever she finds them, though it goes hard with herself,
ὣς καὶ ἐγὼ πολλὰς μὲν ἀΰπνους νύκτας ἴαυον,
so too was I wont to watch through many sleepless nights,
ἤματα δʼ αἱματόεντα διέπρησσον πολεμίζων
and pass through bloody days in battle,
ἀνδράσι μαρνάμενος ὀάρων ἕνεκα σφετεράων.
fighting with men for the sake of their wives.
δώδεκα δὴ σὺν νηυσὶ πόλεις ἀλάπαξʼ ἀνθρώπων,
Twelve cities of men have I laid waste with my ships,
πεζὸς δʼ ἕνδεκά φημι κατὰ Τροίην ἐρίβωλον·
and by land eleven, I tell you, throughout fertile Troy;
τάων ἐκ πασέων κειμήλια πολλὰ καὶ ἐσθλὰ
from all these I took many noble treasures,
ἐξελόμην, καὶ πάντα φέρων Ἀγαμέμνονι δόσκον
and carried them all and gave them to Agamemnon,
Ἀτρεΐδῃ· ὃ δʼ ὄπισθε μένων παρὰ νηυσὶ θοῇσι
son of Atreus; but he, remaining behind beside the swift ships,
δεξάμενος διὰ παῦρα δασάσκετο, πολλὰ δʼ ἔχεσκεν.
received them, distributed a few, and kept the most.
ἄλλα δʼ ἀριστήεσσι δίδου γέρα καὶ βασιλεῦσι·
Other prizes he gave to the chieftains and kings;
τοῖσι μὲν ἔμπεδα κεῖται, ἐμεῦ δʼ ἀπὸ μούνου Ἀχαιῶν
to them they remain safe, but from me alone of the Achaeans
εἵλετʼ, ἔχει δʼ ἄλοχον θυμαρέα· τῇ παριαύων
has he taken, and he possesses the wife of my heart. Let him sleep by her side
τερπέσθω. τί δὲ δεῖ πολεμιζέμεναι Τρώεσσιν
and take his pleasure. But why must the Argives wage war against
Ἀργείους; τί δὲ λαὸν ἀνήγαγεν ἐνθάδʼ ἀγείρας
the Trojans? Why did the son of Atreus gather the host and lead them
Ἀτρεΐδης; ἦ οὐχ Ἑλένης ἕνεκʼ ἠϋκόμοιο;
hither? Was it not for fair-haired Helen’s sake?
ἦ μοῦνοι φιλέουσʼ ἀλόχους μερόπων ἀνθρώπων
Are they the only ones of mortal men who love their wives,
Ἀτρεΐδαι; ἐπεὶ ὅς τις ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς καὶ ἐχέφρων
the sons of Atreus? Since any man who is good and sensible
τὴν αὐτοῦ φιλέει καὶ κήδεται, ὡς καὶ ἐγὼ τὴν
loves his own and cares for her, even as I loved her
ἐκ θυμοῦ φίλεον δουρικτητήν περ ἐοῦσαν.
from my heart, though she was won by my spear.
νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ ἐκ χειρῶν γέρας εἵλετο καί μʼ ἀπάτησε
But now, since he has taken my prize from my hands and deceived me,
μή μευ πειράτω εὖ εἰδότος· οὐδέ με πείσει.
let him not tempt me who know him well; he shall not persuade me.
ἀλλʼ Ὀδυσεῦ σὺν σοί τε καὶ ἄλλοισιν βασιλεῦσι
No, Odysseus, let him, with you and the other kings,
φραζέσθω νήεσσιν ἀλεξέμεναι δήϊον πῦρ.
take counsel how to ward off the consuming fire from the ships.
ἦ μὲν δὴ μάλα πολλὰ πονήσατο νόσφιν ἐμεῖο,
Indeed, he has wrought very many things without me;
καὶ δὴ τεῖχος ἔδειμε, καὶ ἤλασε τάφρον ἐπʼ αὐτῷ
yes, he has built a wall, and driven a trench beside it,
εὐρεῖαν μεγάλην, ἐν δὲ σκόλοπας κατέπηξεν·
wide and deep, and in it he has planted stakes;
ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὧς δύναται σθένος Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο
but not even so can he hold back the strength of Hector, slayer of men;
ἴσχειν· ὄφρα δʼ ἐγὼ μετʼ Ἀχαιοῖσιν πολέμιζον
yet as long as I fought among the Achaeans,
οὐκ ἐθέλεσκε4 μάχην ἀπὸ τείχεος ὀρνύμεν Ἕκτωρ,
Hector was never willing to rouse the battle away from the wall,
ἀλλʼ ὅσον ἐς Σκαιάς τε πύλας καὶ φηγὸν ἵκανεν·
but would come only as far as the Scaean gates and the oak tree;
ἔνθά ποτʼ οἶον ἔμιμνε, μόγις δέ μευ ἔκφυγεν ὁρμήν.
there once he awaited me alone, and barely escaped my onset.”
- 9.288–289τάων ἥν κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα ... ἄγεσθαι
The genitive plural relative pronoun τάων refers back to the three daughters mentioned in the previous line. The accusative ἥν in the relative clause is the direct object of the infinitive ἄγεσθαι ('to take [as a wife]'), with φίλην functioning predicatively. The subject of the infinitive is the subject of ἐθέλῃσθα (Achilles).
- 9.298λιπαρὰς τελέουσι θέμιστας
The combination of θέμιστας (accusative plural of θέμις, 'law, custom, decree') and the verb τελέω ('to fulfill, perform, pay') admits of two interpretations: (1) 'they will pay rich tribute under your sceptre,' taking the laws as customary dues or tributes owed to the king; (2) 'they will carry out rich/prosperous judgements under your sceptre.' Given the context of the preceding line where wealthy inhabitants honor him with gifts, the former interpretation is preferred.
- 9.324κακῶς δʼ ἄρα οἱ πέλει αὐτῇ
In this line of the bird-simile, this phrase means 'and it goes hard with herself.' The dative pronoun οἱ refers to the mother bird, reinforced by αὐτῇ ('herself'), while πέλει functions as a synonym of ἐστί ('is, fares'). This emphasizes the self-sacrificing contrast of the mother bird starving while feeding her young, mirroring Achilles' own unrewarded fighting for Agamemnon.
- 9.352–353ὄφρα δʼ ἐγὼ μετʼ Ἀχαιοῖσιν πολέμιζον οὐκ ἐθέλεσκε
The conjunction ὄφρα here introduces a temporal clause meaning 'as long as,' taking the imperfect verb πολέμιζον to denote ongoing action. The main verb ἐθέλεσκε is the imperfect of ἐθέλω with the frequentative/iterative suffix -σκ-, expressing Hector's habitual or repeated past refusal ('he was never willing to...') while Achilles was active in the war.