- 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-grc2:9.572-9.641
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-29
Phoenix concludes the story of Meleager, who ultimately saved his city at his wife's pleading but lost the promised gifts, urging Achilles to yield before the ships are burned. Achilles firmly rejects the plea, prompting Ajax to criticize his stubbornness and suggest they return to the Greek camp with the bad news.
ἔκλυεν ἐξ Ἐρέβεσφιν ἀμείλιχον ἦτορ ἔχουσα.
heard her from Erebus, she of the implacable heart.
τῶν δὲ τάχʼ ἀμφὶ πύλας ὅμαδος καὶ δοῦπος ὀρώρει
And soon about their gates arose the din and clatter
πύργων βαλλομένων· τὸν δὲ λίσσοντο γέροντες
of towers being battered; and the elders
Αἰτωλῶν, πέμπον δὲ θεῶν ἱερῆας ἀρίστους,
of the Aetolians entreated him, sending the best priests of the gods,
ἐξελθεῖν καὶ ἀμῦναι ὑποσχόμενοι μέγα δῶρον·
promising a great gift if he would come forth and defend them.
ὁππόθι πιότατον πεδίον Καλυδῶνος ἐραννῆς,
Where the plain of lovely Calydon was richest,
ἔνθά μιν ἤνωγον τέμενος περικαλλὲς ἑλέσθαι
there they bade him choose a very fair estate
πεντηκοντόγυον, τὸ μὲν ἥμισυ οἰνοπέδοιο,
of fifty measures, the half of it vineyard,
ἥμισυ δὲ ψιλὴν ἄροσιν πεδίοιο ταμέσθαι.
and the half open ploughland of the plain to be cleared.
πολλὰ δέ μιν λιτάνευε γέρων ἱππηλάτα Οἰνεὺς
And many times did the old horseman Oeneus entreat him,
οὐδοῦ ἐπεμβεβαὼς ὑψηρεφέος θαλάμοιο
standing on the threshold of his high-roofed chamber,
σείων κολλητὰς σανίδας γουνούμενος υἱόν·
shaking the close-fitting doors as he implored his son;
πολλὰ δὲ τόν γε κασίγνηται καὶ πότνια μήτηρ
and many times did his sisters and lady mother
ἐλλίσσονθʼ· ὃ δὲ μᾶλλον ἀναίνετο· πολλὰ δʼ ἑταῖροι,
entreat him, but he refused the more; and many times his companions,
οἵ οἱ κεδνότατοι καὶ φίλτατοι ἦσαν ἁπάντων·
who were trustiest and dearest to him of all;
ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὧς τοῦ θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔπειθον,
but not even so could they persuade the heart in his breast,
πρίν γʼ ὅτε δὴ θάλαμος πύκʼ ἐβάλλετο, τοὶ δʼ ἐπὶ πύργων
until at last his chamber was being hotly battered, and the Curetes
βαῖνον Κουρῆτες καὶ ἐνέπρηθον μέγα ἄστυ.
were climbing upon the towers and setting fire to the great city.
καὶ τότε δὴ Μελέαγρον ἐΰζωνος παράκοιτις
Then indeed did his fair-girdled wife
λίσσετʼ ὀδυρομένη, καί οἱ κατέλεξεν ἅπαντα
entreat him with tears, and tell him all the woes
κήδεʼ, ὅσʼ ἀνθρώποισι πέλει τῶν ἄστυ ἁλώῃ·
that come to men whose city is taken;
ἄνδρας μὲν κτείνουσι, πόλιν δέ τε πῦρ ἀμαθύνει,
how they slay the men, and fire turns the city to ashes,
τέκνα δέ τʼ ἄλλοι ἄγουσι βαθυζώνους τε γυναῖκας.
and others lead away the children and deep-girdled women.
τοῦ δʼ ὠρίνετο θυμὸς ἀκούοντος κακὰ ἔργα,
And his heart was stirred as he heard these evil deeds,
βῆ δʼ ἰέναι, χροῒ δʼ ἔντεʼ ἐδύσετο παμφανόωντα.
and he went his way to go, and put on his body his gleaming armor.
ὣς ὃ μὲν Αἰτωλοῖσιν ἀπήμυνεν κακὸν ἦμαρ
Thus did he ward off the evil day from the Aetolians,
εἴξας ᾧ θυμῷ· τῷ δʼ οὐκέτι δῶρα τέλεσσαν
yielding to his own heart; but to him they no longer paid the gifts,
πολλά τε καὶ χαρίεντα, κακὸν δʼ ἤμυνε καὶ αὔτως.
many and fair, though even so he warded off evil.
ἀλλὰ σὺ μή μοι ταῦτα νόει φρεσί, μὴ δέ σε δαίμων
But do not you think thus in your mind, nor let a god
ἐνταῦθα τρέψειε φίλος· κάκιον δέ κεν εἴη
turn you into that path, my friend; it would be a worse thing
νηυσὶν καιομένῃσιν ἀμυνέμεν·1 ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ δώρων
to defend the ships when they are burning; rather, come on the strength of the gifts,
ἔρχεο· ἶσον γάρ σε θεῷ τίσουσιν Ἀχαιοί.
for the Achaeans will honor you even as a god.
εἰ δέ κʼ ἄτερ δώρων πόλεμον φθισήνορα δύῃς
But if without gifts you enter the battle that destroys men,
οὐκέθʼ ὁμῶς τιμῆς ἔσεαι πόλεμόν περ ἀλαλκών.
you will no longer have like honor, even though you ward off the war.”
τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
And in answer to him spoke swift-footed Achilles:
Φοῖνιξ ἄττα γεραιὲ διοτρεφὲς οὔ τί με ταύτης
”Phoenix, old father, nurtured by Zeus, I have no need
χρεὼ τιμῆς· φρονέω δὲ τετιμῆσθαι Διὸς αἴσῃ,
of this honor; I deem that I have been honored by the judgment of Zeus,
ἥ μʼ ἕξει παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν εἰς ὅ κʼ ἀϋτμὴ
which will abide with me by the curved ships as long as breath
ἐν στήθεσσι μένῃ καί μοι φίλα γούνατʼ ὀρώρῃ.
remains in my breast and my knees can stir.
ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσι·
And another thing will I tell you, and do you lay it to heart:
μή μοι σύγχει θυμὸν ὀδυρόμενος καὶ ἀχεύων
do not trouble my heart with weeping and sorrowing,
Ἀτρεΐδῃ ἥρωϊ φέρων χάριν· οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ
doing favor to the hero, son of Atreus; you should not
τὸν φιλέειν, ἵνα μή μοι ἀπέχθηαι φιλέοντι.2
love him, lest you be hated by me who love you.
καλόν τοι σὺν ἐμοὶ τὸν κήδειν ὅς κʼ ἐμὲ κήδῃ·3
It is well that you should vex him who vexes me;
ἶσον ἐμοὶ βασίλευε καὶ ἥμισυ μείρεο τιμῆς.
reign equal with me, and share half my honor.
οὗτοι δʼ ἀγγελέουσι, σὺ δʼ αὐτόθι λέξεο μίμνων
These men shall bear the message, but do you abide here and sleep
εὐνῇ ἔνι μαλακῇ· ἅμα δʼ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφι
on a soft bed; and with the appearing of dawn
φρασσόμεθʼ ἤ κε νεώμεθʼ ἐφʼ ἡμέτερʼ ἦ κε μένωμεν.
we will take counsel whether to return to our own land or to abide.”
ἦ καὶ Πατρόκλῳ ὅ γʼ ἐπʼ ὀφρύσι νεῦσε σιωπῇ
He spoke, and nodded with his brows in silence to Patroclus,
Φοίνικι στορέσαι πυκινὸν λέχος, ὄφρα τάχιστα
to strew a thick bed for Phoenix, so that they might straightway
ἐκ κλισίης νόστοιο μεδοίατο· τοῖσι δʼ ἄρʼ Αἴας
think of returning from the hut. But among them spoke Ajax,
ἀντίθεος Τελαμωνιάδης μετὰ μῦθον ἔειπε·
godlike Ajax, son of Telamon, and said:
διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ
”Zeus-born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many wiles,
ἴομεν· οὐ γάρ μοι δοκέει μύθοιο τελευτὴ
let us go; for I do not think the end of our quest
τῇδέ γʼ ὁδῷ κρανέεσθαι· ἀπαγγεῖλαι δὲ τάχιστα
will be reached by this path; and we must with speed
χρὴ μῦθον Δαναοῖσι καὶ οὐκ ἀγαθόν περ ἐόντα
report the message to the Danaans, though it be no good one,
οἵ που νῦν ἕαται ποτιδέγμενοι. αὐτάρ Ἀχιλλεὺς
who, I suppose, now sit waiting. But Achilles
ἄγριον ἐν στήθεσσι θέτο μεγαλήτορα θυμὸν
has put a savage and proud spirit in his breast,
σχέτλιος, οὐδὲ μετατρέπεται φιλότητος ἑταίρων
unyielding as he is; nor does he care for the love of his companions,
τῆς ᾗ μιν παρὰ νηυσὶν ἐτίομεν ἔξοχον ἄλλων
wherewith we honored him by the ships above all others,
νηλής· καὶ μέν τίς τε κασιγνήτοιο φονῆος
pitiless one! And yet a man accepts recompense from the slayer of his brother,
ποινὴν ἢ οὗ παιδὸς ἐδέξατο τεθνηῶτος·
or for his son that is dead;
καί ῥʼ ὃ μὲν ἐν δήμῳ μένει αὐτοῦ πόλλʼ ἀποτίσας,
and the slayer abides in his own land, having paid a great price,
τοῦ δέ τʼ ἐρητύεται κραδίη καὶ θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ
and the heart and proud spirit of the other are appeased when he has accepted the price.
ποινὴν δεξαμένῳ· σοὶ δʼ ἄληκτόν τε κακόν τε
But as for you, the gods have put in your breast an unappeasable and evil
θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι θεοὶ θέσαν εἵνεκα κούρης
spirit because of a girl,
οἴης· νῦν δέ τοι ἑπτὰ παρίσχομεν ἔξοχʼ ἀρίστας,
one only; whereas now we offer you seven, outstandingly the best,
ἄλλά τε πόλλʼ ἐπὶ τῇσι· σὺ δʼ ἵλαον ἔνθεο θυμόν,
and many other things besides; then do you make your heart placable,
αἴδεσσαι δὲ μέλαθρον· ὑπωρόφιοι δέ τοί εἰμεν
and respect your own roof; for we are guests under your roof,
πληθύος ἐκ Δαναῶν, μέμαμεν δέ τοι ἔξοχον ἄλλων
sent from the host of the Danaans, and we are eager to be closest to you of all.”
- 9.601κάκιον δέ κεν εἴη / νηυσὶν καιομένῃσιν ἀμυνέμεν
The infinitive ἀμυνέμεν ("to defend") functions as the subject, with the neuter adjective κάκιον ("worse") as the predicate. νηυσὶν καιομένῃσιν is a dative of interest ("for the ships") with a present participle indicating a temporal circumstance ("when they are burning"). The phrase warns Achilles that entering the battle only after the ships have caught fire will result in a worse outcome for him regarding his honor and reward.
- 9.614ἵνα μή μοι ἀπέχθηαι φιλέοντι
The conjunction ἵνα μή introduces a negative purpose clause with the second-person singular subjunctive ἀπέχθηαι ("lest you become hated"). The dative singular participle φιλέοντι ("loving") agrees with the personal pronoun μοι ("to me"), meaning "lest you become hateful to me, who loves you."
- 9.615καλόν τοι σὺν ἐμοὶ τὸν κήδειν ὅς κʼ ἐμὲ κήδῃ
The infinitive clause τὸν κήδειν ("to vex that person") functions as the subject of the sentence with the predicate adjective καλόν ("good, fitting"). The demonstrative pronoun τὸν serves as the antecedent of the relative clause ὅς κʼ ἐμὲ κήδῃ ("whoever vexes me"). Note that the active verb κήδω here means "to trouble or vex" transitively, distinct from the middle κήδομαι ("to care for").