- Source
- Herodotus. Godley, Alfred Denis, editor. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1920-1925 (printing).
- 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:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.117.1
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-07
Herodotus argues that the epic "Cypria" is not by Homer, pointing out the contradiction between the "Cypria" (where Helen arrives at Troy in three days) and the "Iliad" (where Alexander wanders on his way).
κατὰ ταῦτα δὲ τὰ ἔπεα καὶ τόδε τὸ χωρίον1 οὐκ ἥκιστα ἀλλὰ μάλιστα δηλοῖ ὅτι οὐκ Ὁμήρου τὰ Κύπρια ἔπεα ἐστὶ ἀλλʼ ἄλλου τινός. ἐν μὲν γὰρ τοῖσι Κυπρίοισι εἴρηται ὡς τριταῖος2 ἐκ Σπάρτης Ἀλέξανδρος ἀπίκετο ἐς τὸ Ἴλιον ἄγων Ἑλένην, εὐαέι τε πνεύματι χρησάμενος καὶ θαλάσσῃ λείῃ· ἐν δὲ Ἰλιάδι λέγει3 ὡς ἐπλάζετο ἄγων αὐτήν.
And according to these verses, this passage also shows, not least but especially, that the epic “Cypria” is not by Homer but by someone else. For in the “Cypria” it is said that Alexander arrived at Ilion from Sparta on the third day bringing Helen, having enjoyed a favorable wind and a smooth sea; whereas in the “Iliad” he says that he wandered while bringing her.
- 2.117.1τόδε τὸ χωρίον
A neuter noun phrase functioning as the subject. In this context, it refers either to the quoted verses in the preceding chapter or to the passage (or the fact of discrepancy) concerning the "Cypria" and the "Iliad" explained immediately below. It is interpreted as "this passage" or "this argument."
- 2.117.1τριταῖος
An adjective agreeing with the subject Ἀλέξανδρος but used predicatively (or adverbially) to express the passage of time, meaning "on the third day." In Greek, it is common for adjectives denoting days to function adverbially.
- 2.117.1λέγει
The subject of this verb is most naturally understood as Homer (Ὁμήρος) based on the discussion in the preceding chapter (where Homer is said to have set the story aside). Alternatively, the book itself, "Iliad," can be personified and taken as the subject.