The Iliad: a presentation for English speakers with innovative aids. Volume I, Iliad books 1-3.

7.6 MB·Ancient Greek

by  Benjamin Crowell

ΟΜΗΡΟΥ ΙΛΙΑΣ
2 ΙΛΙΑΣ
(c) 2021 Benjamin Crowell, CC-BY-SA
Source code: https://github.com/bcrowell/ransom
English translation by T.A. Buckley, 1873.
Some glosses are based on entries in Wiktionary, CC-BY-SA, or Cun-
liffe, 1924.
Many notes are based on Anthon, 1869.
Cover art: Piroli (1795), after Flaxman.
Illustrations: 2.265, 2.157, 2.314, 1.52, 1.361: A. Titeux, A. de
Lemud. 1.402, 2.8, 3.385, 3.425, 4.20: Flaxman/Piroli. 1.591: Gan-
dolfi. 3.17, 1.254: Helen Maitland Armstrong. 3.178: Henry Justice
Ford. 1.501: Ingres. 1.540: Kundmann, Tautenhayn, and Haerdtl,
1902. 2.802: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Eunostos, CC-BY-
SA.3.446: PhotobyWikimediaCommonsuserGorgonchica, CC-BY-
SA. 2.423: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Jastrow, PD. 1.391:
The Briseis painter, 480 BCE. 1.29, 1.197, 1.338: Unknown artist,
Italy, 1802-5. 2.493: uncredited artist: Lancel... Spe... (Chatterton,
The Romance of the Ship).
Purpose and use of this book
Purpose
This book is my attempt to present the text of the Iliad in an innovative
format for English speakers who are at an intermediate level in reading
ancient Greek. The goal is to have a paper version that you can read while
sitting on the couch with your terrier, without having to frequently consult
a dictionary. (Terrier not included.)
Layout
Below is a photo mockup of the idea. We have about 18 lines of Homer,
in a large font, on a left-hand page. There are aids surrounding this page:
one page preceding it and two pages following.
In this four-page sequence, the first page is a vocabulary list. It contains
every dictionary form (lemma) corresponding to the inflected forms in the
Greek text, except for a small core vocabulary (pp. 484-492). It also lists
a few inflections that may be difficult to recognize, such as irregular aorists
and some third-declension nouns. The idea is that you may want to scan
thevocabularylistbeforeyoutrytoreadtheactualtext,lockingsomeofthe
less common words into your short-term memory and priming your brain
to recognize inflected forms.
Next you turn the page and you have a two-page spread, in which the left-
hand page is Homer, and the right-hand page is the “ransom note.” The
idea of the ransom note is that for the ten or twelve least common words in
thetext,atranslationisprovidedatalocationthatisatthesamegeometrical
position as the corresponding Greek word in the actual text. These glosses
are superimposed on top of a very light gray copy of the actual text, to
3
4 ΙΛΙΑΣ
make it easier to see where the lines lie and where the translation sits on
its line. These words have also already been listed on the vocab page. A
reader who is highly proficient and doesn’t need much help may find that
these words are all they need, and they never need to look at the vocab
page.
Finally, the fourth page is the English translation by Buckley, which you
can flip to for help. There’s no need to be embarrassed about using this
feature. Nobody will know but you and your terrier.
What this book is not
This is not an introduction to ancient Greek for beginners, and it isn’t a
grammar textbook. Absolute beginners may want to look at introductory
books that were written using the Homeric dialect, the best known text of
this type being Pharr, Homeric Greek: A book for beginners.
This is not a substitute for a dictionary or a way to learn all the vocabulary
for the first time. The format I’m using here only allows enough space
for very brief reminder of the basic definition of a word that you’ve already
learned, or an indication that you need to learn certain words using a dic-
tionary. For example, the first word of the Iliad is μῆνις, which is glossed
simply as “rage.” You will need a dictionary to learn that it’s feminine, that
its genitive is μήνιος, and what are its connotations and shades of meaning.
Many of my glosses are abbreviated from Cunliffe (1924) or the English
wiktionary, or in a few cases taken verbatim.
Λεξικόνιον ΙΛΙΑΣ 1.1 5
vocabulary προϊάπτω throw
ἀπερείσιος boundless στέμμα headband or wreath
ἀτιμάζω insult, dishonor
•
διαστήτην ≺διίστημι, stand apart, conjugations
∼
dual 3DUAL AOR stand ἔθηκε ≺τίθημι, AOR
ἑκηβόλος sharpshooter ἐρίσαντε ≺ἐρίζω, AOR PPL NOM DUAL
ἑλώρια ≺ἕλωρ, prey, booty, ACC ἦλθε ≺ἔρχομαι, AOR
κοσμήτορε ≺κοσμήτωρ, χολωθείς ≺χολόω, AOR PPL NOM S
∼
commander, dual cosmos ὦρσε ≺ὄρνυμι, AOR
μῆνιν ≺μῆνις, rage, ACC
∼ •
νῆας ≺νηῦς, ship, ACC navy
declensions
νόσος (f.) disease
ἀνδρῶν ≺ἀνήρ, GEN PL
ξυνέηκε ≺ξυνίημι, send together;
βασιλῆϊ ≺βασιλεύς, DAT S
hear AOR
ἔριδι ≺ἔρις, DAT S
∼
οἰωνός vulture, omen avis
κύνεσσιν ≺κύων, DAT PL
ὀλέκω destroy, kill
σφωε ≺σφεῖς
οὐλόμενος ruinous
notes
1.3 Ἄϊδι: referring to the god, not the place
1.6 δὴ: Anthon thinks that here this word means at a specific mo-
ment in time. The line as a whole may be describing the point when
the muse is asked to start singing, or the time when Zeus formulated
his plan.
1.9 Λητοῦς καὶ Διὸς υἱός: Apollo
1.10 ἀνὰ: +acc, here meaning throughout
1.16 Ἀτρεΐδα δὲ μάλιστα δύω, κοσμήτορε λαῶν: referring to
Agamemnon and Menelaus
6 ΙΛΙΑΣ 1.1
Μῆνιν ἄειδε, θεά, Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
οὐλομένην, ἣ μυρί᾽ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε᾽ ἔθηκε,
πολλὰς δ᾽ ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄϊδι προΐαψεν
ἡρώων, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν
5 οἰωνοῖσί τε πᾶσι· Διὸς δ᾽ ἐτελείετο βουλή·
ἐξ οὗ δὴ τὰ πρῶτα διαστήτην ἐρίσαντε
Ἀτρεΐδης τε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν καὶ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.
Τίς τ᾽ ἄρ σφωε θεῶν ἔριδι ξυνέηκε μάχεσθαι;
Λητοῦς καὶ Διὸς υἱός· ὁ γὰρ βασιλῆϊ χολωθεὶς
10 νοῦσον ἀνὰ στρατὸν ὦρσε κακήν, ὀλέκοντο δὲ λαοί,
οὕνεκα τὸν Χρύσην ἠτίμασεν ἀρητῆρα
Ἀτρεΐδης· ὁ γὰρ ἦλθε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
λυσόμενός τε θύγατρα φέρων τ᾽ ἀπερείσι᾽ ἄποινα,
στέμματ᾽ ἔχων ἐν χερσὶν ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος
15 χρυσέῳ ἀνὰ σκήπτρῳ, καὶ λίσσετο πάντας Ἀχαιούς,
Ἀτρεΐδα δὲ μάλιστα δύω, κοσμήτορε λαῶν·
Σχόλια ΙΛΙΑΣ 1.1 7
Μragῆeνιν ἄειδε, θεά, Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
οruὐiλnoοuμsένην, ἣ μυρί᾽ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε᾽ ἔθηκε,
πολλὰς δ᾽ ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄϊδι πthρroοwΐαψεν
ἡρώων, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑbλooώtyρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν
οvuἰωltuνrοeῖ,σί τε πᾶσι· Διὸς δ᾽ ἐτελείετο βουλή· 5
omen
ἐξ οὗ δὴ τὰ πρῶτα δstιaαnσdτaήpτaηrtν ἐstρruίσgαglνe,τε
contend
Ἀτρεΐδης τε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν καὶ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.
Τίς τ᾽ ἄρ σφωε θεῶν ἔριδι ξseυnνdέηκε μάχεσθαι;
together;
hear
Λητοῦς καὶ Διὸς υἱός· ὁ γὰρ βασιλῆϊ χολωθεὶς
νdοisῦeaσsοeν ἀνὰ στρατὸν ὦρσε κακήν, ὀdeλsέtrκoοyντο δὲ λαοί, 10
οὕνεκα τὸν Χρύσην ἠdiτshίμoαnoσrεν ἀprρieηsτtῆρα
Ἀτρεΐδης· ὁ γὰρ ἦλθε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
λυσόμενός τε θύγατρα φέρων τ᾽ ἀπερείσι᾽ ἄraπnsοoιmνα,
στέμματ᾽ ἔχων ἐν χερσὶν ἑshκaηrβpsόhλoοoυterἈπόλλωνος
χρυσέῳ ἀνὰ σscκepήtπerτρῳ, καὶ λίσσετο πάντας Ἀχαιούς, 15
Ἀτρεΐδα δὲ μάλιστα δύω, κcoοmσmμaήnτdοeρrε λαῶν·
8 ΙΛΙΑΣ 1.1
Sing, Ο goddess, the destructive wrath of Achilles, son of Peleus,
which brought countless woes upon the Greeks, and hurled many
valiant souls of heroes down to Hades, and made themselves a prey
todogsandtoallbirds[butthewillofZeuswasbeingaccomplished],
from the time when Atreides, king of men, and noble Achilles, first
contending, were disunited.
Which, then, of the gods, engaged these two in strife, so that they
should fight? The son of Leto and Zeus; for he, enraged with the
king, stirred up an evil pestilence through the army [and the people
keptperishing]; becausethesonofAtreushaddishonouredthepriest
Chryses: for he came to the swift ships of the Greeks to ransom his
daughter, and bringing invaluable ransoms, having in his hands the
filletsoffar-dartingApolloonhisgoldensceptre. Andhesupplicated
all the Greeks, but chiefly the two sons of Atreus, the leaders of the
people:
1.29 τὴν δ’ ἐγὼ οὐ λύσω· πρίν μιν καὶ γῆρας ἔπεισιν
Λεξικόνιον ΙΛΙΑΣ 1.17 9
vocabulary στέμμα headband or wreath
∼
ἅζομαι dread, revere τέšω direct teleology
ἀντιόωσαν ≺ἀντιάω, approach, τηλόθι distant
prepare, share PPL ACC S ὕστερος later, last
αὖτις back, again, moreover
•
∼
after conjugations
ἀφίει ≺ἀφίημι, let go, allow IMPF αἰδεῖσθαι ≺αἰδέομαι, INF
γῆρας old age δέχθαι ≺δέχομαι, AOR INF
δηθύνω delay δοῖεν ≺δίδωμι, 3PL AOR OPT
ἑκηβόλος sharpshooter ἱκέσθαι ≺ἱκνέομαι, AOR INF
ἐκπέρθω sack, plunder κιχείω ≺κιχάνω, AOR SUBJ
ἔπεισιν ≺ἔπειμι, lie upon 3S PRES λύσαιτε ≺λύω, 2PL AOR OPT
ἐπευφημέω assent νέηαι ≺νέομαι, 2S SUBJ
ἐποίχομαι go to
∼ •
ἐρεθίζω annoy Eris
declensions
ἐϋκνήμις well-greaved
ἱερῆα ≺ἱερεύς, ACC S
∼
νηυσί ≺νηῦς, ship, DAT navy
λέχος ACC S
πάτρη fatherland
παῖδα ≺παῖς, ACC S
notes
1.24 : Agamemnon is brother in law to Helen of Troy and the top
military leader of the Greek expedition.
1.25 ἐπὶ …ἔτελλε: ἐπὶ τέλλω: to command (lit. “accomplish on”)
1.28 νύ: =νυν
1.28 χραίσμῃ: singular verb whose subject is “staff and fillet”
1.32 ἴθι: imperative of εἶμι, come, go
10 ΙΛΙΑΣ 1.17
«Ἀτρεΐδαι τε καὶ ἄλλοι ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί,
ὑμῖν μὲν θεοὶ δοῖεν Ὀλύμπια δώματ᾽ ἔχοντες
ἐκπέρσαι Πριάμοιο πόλιν, εὖ δ᾽ οἴκαδ᾽ ἱκέσθαι·
20 παῖδα δ᾽ ἐμοὶ λύσαιτε φίλην, τὰ δ᾽ ἄποινα δέχεσθαι,
ἁζόμενοι Διὸς υἱὸν ἑκηβόλον Ἀπόλλωνα.»
Ἔνθ᾽ ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες ἐπευφήμησαν Ἀχαιοὶ
αἰδεῖσθαί θ᾽ ἱερῆα καὶ ἀγλαὰ δέχθαι ἄποινα·
ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ἥνδανε θυμῷ,
25 ἀλλὰ κακῶς ἀφίει, κρατερὸν δ᾽ ἐπὶ μῦθον ἔτελλε·
«Μή σε, γέρον κοίλῃσιν ἐγὼ παρὰ νηυσὶ κιχείω
ἢ νῦν δηθύνοντ᾽ ἢ ὕστερον αὖτις ἰόντα,
μή νύ τοι οὐ χραίσμῃ σκῆπτρον καὶ στέμμα θεοῖο·
τὴν δ᾽ ἐγὼ οὐ λύσω· πρίν μιν καὶ γῆρας ἔπεισιν
30 ἡμετέρῳ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ ἐν Ἄργεϊ, τηλόθι πάτρης,
ἱστὸν ἐποιχομένην καὶ ἐμὸν λέχος ἀντιόωσαν·
ἀλλ᾽ ἴθι μή μ᾽ ἐρέθιζε, σαώτερος ὥς κε νέηαι.»