Iliad 1 Translation Flashcards
μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
οὐλομένην, ἣ μυρίʼ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγεʼ ἔθηκε,
Sing, goddess, of the wrath of Achilles, son of Peleus, the destructive (wrath) which caused countless pains for the Achaeans,
πολλὰς δʼ ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄϊδι προΐαψεν
ἡρώων, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν
οἰωνοῖσί τε πᾶσι, Διὸς δʼ ἐτελείετο βουλή,
and sent/hurled down to Hades many brave souls of warriors, and made their bodies carrion for the dogs, and for all the birds - and the plan of Zeus was being fulfilled;
ἐξ οὗ δὴ τὰ πρῶτα διαστήτην ἐρίσαντε
Ἀτρεΐδης τε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν καὶ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.
from the time when they two first parted in strife, Atreides lord of men and god-like Achilles.
τίς τʼ ἄρ σφωε θεῶν ἔριδι ξυνέηκε μάχεσθαι;
Now which of the gods set those two together to fight in strife?
Λητοῦς καὶ Διὸς υἱός· ὃ γὰρ βασιλῆϊ χολωθεὶς
It was the son of Leto and Zeus, for he was angry with the king
νοῦσον ἀνὰ στρατὸν ὄρσε κακήν, ὀλέκοντο δὲ λαοί,
and stirred up an evil plague throughout the army, and the troops were perishing,
οὕνεκα τὸν Χρύσην ἠτίμασεν ἀρητῆρα Ἀτρεΐδης·
because the son of Atreus had dishonoured Chryses the priest
ὃ γὰρ ἦλθε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
λυσόμενός τε θύγατρα φέρων τʼ ἀπερείσιʼ ἄποινα,
For he had come to the swift ships of the Achaeans to ransom/redeem his daughter, bringing a boundless ransom,
στέμματʼ ἔχων ἐν χερσὶν ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος
χρυσέῳ ἀνὰ σκήπτρῳ,
and having in his hands the ribbons of Apollo who shoots from afar (fixed) on his golden staff,
καὶ λίσσετο πάντας Ἀχαιούς,
and he besought all Achaeans,
Ἀτρεΐδα δὲ μάλιστα δύω, κοσμήτορε λαῶν·
and especially the two sons of Atreus, commanders/marshals of the troops,
“Ἀτρεΐδαι τε καὶ ἄλλοι ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί
‘You sons of Atreus and you other well-greaved Achaeans
ὑμῖν μὲν θεοὶ δοῖεν Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχοντες
ἐκπέρσαι Πριάμοιο πόλιν, εὖ δʼ οἴκαδʼ ἱκέσθαι·
may the gods who have their homes on Olympus grant you to sack the city of Priam and get safely home
παῖδα δʼ ἐμοὶ λύσαιτε φίλην, τὰ δʼ ἄποινα δέχεσθαι,
But release my dear daughter, and accept the ransom,
ἁζόμενοι Διὸς υἱὸν ἑκηβόλον Ἀπόλλωνα.”
showing reverence to the son of Zeus, Apollo who shoots from afar’
ἔνθʼ ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες ἐπευφήμησαν Ἀχαιοὶ
αἰδεῖσθαί θʼ ἱερῆα καὶ ἀγλαὰ δέχθαι ἄποινα·
Then all the rest of the Achaeans shouted their approval for respecting the priest and receiving the illustrious ransom.
ἀλλʼ οὐκ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ἥνδανε θυμῷ,
But it did not please Agamemnon the son of Atreus in his heart,
ἀλλὰ κακῶς ἀφίει, κρατερὸν δʼ ἐπὶ μῦθον ἔτελλε·
but he dismissed him injuriously and laid a strong command upon him:
“μή σε γέρον κοίλῃσιν ἐγὼ παρὰ νηυσὶ κιχείω
‘Let me not find you, old man, by the hollow ships
ἢ νῦν δηθύνοντʼ ἢ ὕστερον αὖτις ἰόντα,
either loitering now or coming again later,
μή νύ τοι οὐ χραίσμῃ σκῆπτρον καὶ στέμμα θεοῖο·
lest indeed the staff and ribbons of the god do you no good.
τὴν δʼ ἐγὼ οὐ λύσω·
Her, however, I will not free.
πρίν μιν καὶ γῆρας ἔπεισιν
Before that happens, old age shall come upon her
ἡμετέρῳ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ ἐν Ἄργεϊ τηλόθι πάτρης
in our house in Argos far from her homeland