# Homeric Greek, Lessons LXXIV to LXXVII

Pharr III: The First Book Whole

Source: https://1732studios.com/courses/grc/16. Data: https://1732studios.com/courses/grc/16.json.

## Lesson LXXIV: Iliad 551-572

### The pronouns σε, σοί, τῇ and ἐμοὶ

Hera speaks to Zeus, so this passage has many pronouns for you and me.

σε is the accusative of you. μή σε παρείπῃ: that she has won you over.

σοί means to you. Pharr labels it dative. ἠερίη γὰρ σοί γε παρέζετο: for early this morning she sat beside you. τῇ σ’ ὀίω κατανεῦσαι ἐτήτυμον: to her, I believe, you truly bowed your head in assent. τῇ means to her. It is also dative.

Zeus answers with ἐμοὶ, to me. ἐμοὶ μέλλει φίλον εἶναι: it is as I wish it to be.

### The Iliad: Hera and Zeus quarrel

Ox-eyed queenly Hera answers Zeus. Most dread son of Cronos, what a word you have spoken. Before now I have not asked or questioned you. But now I greatly fear that Thetis has won you over. She sat beside you early this morning and clasped your knees. I believe you truly bowed your head to her.

Zeus answers. Strange one, you are always suspecting, and I cannot escape you. You will accomplish nothing by it. You will only be further from my heart. Sit down in silence and obey my word. Otherwise the gods will not protect you when I lay my hands upon you.

### The Iliad: Hera is afraid

Hera is afraid. She sits in silence and controls her heart. The gods are troubled throughout the house of Zeus. Then Hephaestus begins to speak among them, to please his dear mother.

βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη, ox-eyed queenly Hera, begins her speech. The phrase returns when she is afraid: ἔδεισεν δὲ βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη.

**1** τὸν δ’ ἠμείβετ’ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη·  
Then ox-eyed queenly Hera answered him:

**2** “αἰνότατε Κρονίδη, ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες.  
"Most dread son of Cronos, what a word you have spoken!

**3** καὶ λίην σε πάρος γ’ οὔτ’ εἴρομαι οὔτε μεταλλῶ,  
Indeed, before now, I neither ask nor question you,

**4** ἀλλὰ μάλ’ εὔκηλος τὰ φράζεαι, ἄσσ’ ἐθέλησθα·  
but very much at ease you ponder whatever you wish.

**5** νῦν δ’ αἰνῶς δείδοικα κατὰ φρένα, μή σε παρείπῃ  
But now I terribly fear in my heart that she has won you over,

**6** ἀργυρόπεζα Θέτις, θυγάτηρ ἁλίοιο γέροντος·  
silver-footed Thetis, daughter of the old man of the sea;

**7** ἠερίη γὰρ σοί γε παρέζετο καὶ λάβε γούνων·  
for early this morning she sat beside you and clasped your knees;

**8** τῇ σ’ ὀίω κατανεῦσαι ἐτήτυμον, ὡς Ἀχιλῆα  
to her, I believe, you truly bowed your head in assent, that Achilles

**9** τιμήσεις, ὀλέσεις δὲ πολέας ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.”  
you will honor, and destroy many beside the ships of the Achaeans."

**10** τὴν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·  
Then Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered her and said:

**11** “δαιμονίη, αἰεὶ μὲν ὀίεαι, οὐδέ σε λήθω,  
"Strange one, you are always suspecting, and I cannot escape you;

**12** πρῆξαι δ’ ἔμπης οὔ τι δυνήσεαι, ἀλλ’ ἀπὸ θυμοῦ  
but you will accomplish nothing by it; you will only be further from

**13** μᾶλλον ἐμοὶ ἔσεαι· τὸ δέ τοι καὶ ῥίγιον ἔσται.  
my heart, and that will be the more grievous for you.

**14** εἰ δ’ οὕτω τοῦτ’ ἐστίν, ἐμοὶ μέλλει φίλον εἶναι.  
But if this is so, it is as I wish it to be.

**15** ἀλλ’ ἀκέουσα κάθησο, ἐμῷ δ’ ἐπιπείθεο μύθῳ,  
Sit down in silence, then, and obey my word,

**16** μή νύ τοι οὐ χραίσμωσιν, ὅσοι θεοί εἰσ’ ἐν Ὀλύμπῳ,  
lest all the gods that are on Olympus not protect you,

**17** ἆσσον ἰόνθ’, ὅτε κέν τοι ἀάπτους χεῖρας ἐφείω.”  
when I come near and lay my irresistible hands upon you."

**18** ὣς ἔφατ’, ἔδεισεν δὲ βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη,  
So he spoke, and ox-eyed queenly Hera was afraid,

**19** καί ῥ’ ἀκέουσα καθῆστο, ἐπιγνάμψασα φίλον κῆρ·  
and sat down in silence, curbing her own heart;

**20** ὤχθησαν δ’ ἀνὰ δῶμα Διὸς θεοὶ Οὐρανίωνες·  
but the heavenly gods were troubled throughout the house of Zeus.

**21** τοῖσιν δ’ Ἥφαιστος κλυτοτέχνης ἦρχ’ ἀγορεύειν,  
Then Hephaestus, the famed craftsman, began to speak among them,

**22** μητρὶ φίλῃ ἐπὶ ἦρα φέρων, λευκωλένῳ Ἥρῃ·  
seeking to please his own dear mother, white-armed Hera:

| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| βοῶπις | Calm-eyed, large-eyed, ox-eyed |
| ποῖον | What? what kind?, from ποῖος |
| λίην | Very much, from λίαν |
| εὔκηλος | Undisturbed, in peace, in calm |
| παρείπῃ | Persuade, cajole, win over, from παρεῖπον |
| ἐτήτυμον | True, unfailing, sure, from ἐτήτυμος |
| δαιμονίη | Possessed by a dæmon, good friend, from δαιμόνιος |
| πρῆξαι | To accomplish, from πράσσω |
| ἔμπης | By it, from ἔμπας |
| μᾶλλον | More |
| μέλλει | Be about, be destined, from μέλλω |
| κάθησο | Sit down, be seated, from κάθημαι |
| ὅσοι | All, from ὅσος |
| ἀάπτους | Untouchable, invincible, from ἄαπτος |
| ἐπιγνάμψασα | Bend, curb, subdue, from ἐπιγνάμπτω |
| Οὐρανίωνες | Heavenly |
| Ἥφαιστος | Hephaestus, the lame god of fire |
| κλυτοτέχνης | Renowned for skill in handicraft, of renowned skill |
| ἦρα | Favor, benefit, pleasure |

## Lesson LXXV: Iliad 573-589

### The pronouns ἐγὼ, σὺ and ἡμῖν

The verb ending shows the person, so Greek often omits the words for I and you. In this passage they are present.

μητρὶ δ’ ἐγὼ παράφημι: I counsel my mother. Pharr labels ἐγὼ nominative or vocative singular.

ἀλλὰ σὺ τόν γ’ ἐπέεσσι καθάπτεσθαι μαλακοῖσιν: but you must address him with gentle words. Pharr gives σὺ the same label.

ἡμῖν is dative plural: to us. αὐτίκ’ ἔπειθ’ ἵλαος Ὀλύμπιος ἔσσεται ἡμῖν: then at once the Olympian will be gracious to us.

### The Iliad: Hephaestus speaks to his mother

A son speaks to calm his mother, and he speaks of his father too. This will be ruinous and no longer bearable, he says, if you two quarrel so for mortals. You stir up uproar among the gods. There will be no joy in the good feast, since the worse is winning.

He counsels his mother, though she knows it herself, to please their dear father Zeus. Then Zeus will not rebuke her and throw the feast into confusion. The Olympian might wish to hurl them from their seats, and he is by far the strongest. Address him with gentle words, and he will be gracious to them.

### The Iliad: Hephaestus gives his mother a cup

Then he springs up and sets a two-handled cup in his mother's hand. Endure it, mother, and bear up, grieved though you are. If I saw you struck before my eyes, I could not help you. The Olympian is hard to stand against.

The opening lines have you two: εἰ δὴ σφὼ ἕνεκα θνητῶν ἐριδαίνετον ὧδε. The English is if you two quarrel so for the sake of mortals. He is speaking to a pair.

**23** “ἦ δὴ λοίγια ἔργα τάδ’ ἔσσεται οὐδ’ ἔτ’ ἀνεκτά,  
"Surely these will be ruinous things, no longer bearable,

**24** εἰ δὴ σφὼ ἕνεκα θνητῶν ἐριδαίνετον ὧδε,  
if you two are to quarrel so, for the sake of mortals,

**25** ἐν δὲ θεοῖσι κολῳὸν ἐλαύνετον· οὐδέ τι δαιτὸς  
and stir up uproar among the gods; nor will there be any joy

**26** ἐσθλῆς ἔσσεται ἦδος, ἐπεὶ τὰ χερείονα νικᾷ.  
in the good feast, since the worse is winning out.

**27** μητρὶ δ’ ἐγὼ παράφημι, καὶ αὐτῇ περ νοεούσῃ,  
I counsel my mother, though she herself perceives it,

**28** πατρὶ φίλῳ ἐπὶ ἦρα φέρειν Διί, ὄφρα μὴ αὖτε  
to please our own dear father Zeus, so that he may not again

**29** νεικείῃσι πατήρ, σὺν δ’ ἡμῖν δαῖτα ταράξῃ.  
rebuke her, and throw our feast into confusion.

**30** εἴ περ γάρ κ’ ἐθέλῃσιν Ὀλύμπιος ἀστεροπητὴς  
For if the Olympian, lord of the lightning, should wish

**31** ἐξ ἑδέων στυφελίξαι· ὁ γὰρ πολὺ φέρτατός ἐστιν.  
to hurl us from our seats, for he is by far the strongest,

**32** ἀλλὰ σὺ τόν γ’ ἐπέεσσι καθάπτεσθαι μαλακοῖσιν·  
then you must address him with gentle words;

**33** αὐτίκ’ ἔπειθ’ ἵλαος Ὀλύμπιος ἔσσεται ἡμῖν.”  
then at once the Olympian will be gracious to us."

**34** ὣς ἄρ’ ἔφη, καὶ ἀναΐξας δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον  
So he spoke, and springing up, he set a two-handled cup

**35** μητρὶ φίλῃ ἐν χειρὶ τίθει, καί μιν προσέειπεν·  
in his own mother's hand, and spoke to her:

**36** “τέτλαθι, μῆτερ ἐμή, καὶ ἀνάσχεο, κηδομένη περ,  
"Endure it, my mother, and bear up, grieved though you are,

**37** μή σε φίλην περ ἐοῦσαν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδωμαι  
lest I see you, dear as you are, before my eyes

**38** θεινομένην· τότε δ’ οὔ τι δυνήσομαι ἀχνύμενός περ  
struck down; and then, grieved though I would be, I would not be able

**39** χραισμεῖν· ἀργαλέος γὰρ Ὀλύμπιος ἀντιφέρεσθαι.”  
to help you; for the Olympian is hard to stand against.

| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| ἀνεκτά | Endurable, tolerable, bearable, from ἀνεκτός |
| ἐριδαίνετον | Quarrel, bicker, from ἐριδαίνω |
| κολῳὸν | Brawl, wrangling, quarrel, from κολῳός |
| ἦδος | Use, utility, advantage |
| νικᾷ | Conquer, prevail, surpass, from νικάω |
| παράφημι | Advise, counsel, urge |
| ταράξῃ | Throw into confusion, from ταράσσω |
| ἀστεροπητὴς | Hurler of lightning |
| στυφελίξαι | Strike, thrust, hurl, from στυφελίζω |
| καθάπτεσθαι | Attack, lay hold, accost, from καθάπτω |
| μαλακοῖσιν | Soft, gentle, tender, from μαλακός |
| ἵλαος | Propitious, kindly, gentle |
| ἀναΐξας | Start up, dart up, spring up, from ἀναίσσω |
| ἀμφικύπελλον | Two-handled, from ἀμφικύπελλος |
| ὀφθαλμοῖσιν | Eye, sight, from ὀφθαλμός |
| θεινομένην | Strike, hit, beat, from θείνω |
| ἀργαλέος | Horrible, terrible, awful |
| ἀντιφέρεσθαι | Bear against, oppose, from ἀντιφέρω |

## Lesson LXXVI: Iliad 590-598

### Participles

These lines have several participles. English participles include smiling, falling and drawing.

μείδησεν δὲ θεά: and the goddess smiled. Then comes μειδήσασα δὲ παιδὸς ἐδέξατο χειρὶ κύπελλον: and smiling, she took the cup from her son's hand. The word list gives one verb for both, μειδά-ω, smile. μείδησεν states the action. μειδήσασα is a participle.

ἔνθα με Σίντιες ἄνδρες ἄφαρ κομίσαντο πεσόντα: there the Sintian men at once took me up as I fell. πεσόντα, falling, describes με, me.

The last line has another. οἰνοχόει γλυκὺ νέκταρ, ἀπὸ κρητῆρος ἀφύσσων: he poured sweet nectar, drawing it from the mixing bowl. ἀφύσσων means drawing.

### The Iliad: the fall to Lemnos

He tells a story about himself. Once before, he says, I was eager to defend you. He seized me by the foot and hurled me from the divine threshold. I fell all day. At sunset I came down on Lemnos, with little life left in me. There the Sintian men took me up.

So he spoke, and the goddess, white-armed Hera, smiled. Smiling, she took the cup from her son's hand. Then he poured sweet nectar for all the other gods in turn, going to the right. He drew it from the mixing bowl.

ἐνδέξια means going to the right. The word list prints it as ἐν-δέξιος, toward the right.

**40** ἤδη γάρ με καὶ ἄλλοτ’ ἀλεξέμεναι μεμαῶτα  
For once before, when I was eager to defend you,

**41** ῥῖψε ποδὸς τεταγὼν ἀπὸ βηλοῦ θεσπεσίοιο.  
he seized me by the foot and hurled me from the divine threshold,

**42** πᾶν δ’ ἦμαρ φερόμην, ἅμα δ’ ἠελίῳ καταδύντι  
and all day long I fell, and with the setting of the sun

**43** κάππεσον ἐν Λήμνῳ, ὀλίγος δ’ ἔτι θυμὸς ἐνῆεν·  
I fell down on Lemnos, and little life was left in me.

**44** ἔνθα με Σίντιες ἄνδρες ἄφαρ κομίσαντο πεσόντα.”  
There the Sintian men at once took me up as I fell."

**45** ὣς φάτο, μείδησεν δὲ θεά, λευκώλενος Ἥρη,  
So he spoke, and the goddess white-armed Hera smiled,

**46** μειδήσασα δὲ παιδὸς ἐδέξατο χειρὶ κύπελλον.  
and smiling, she took the cup from her son's hand.

**47** αὐτὰρ ὁ τοῖς ἄλλοισι θεοῖς ἐνδέξια πᾶσιν  
Then he, going to the right, poured for all the other gods

**48** οἰνοχόει γλυκὺ νέκταρ, ἀπὸ κρητῆρος ἀφύσσων.  
sweet nectar, drawing it from the mixing bowl;

| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| ἄλλοτ’ | At another time, from ἄλλοτε |
| ἀλεξέμεναι | Ward off, defend, protect, from ἀλέξω |
| μεμαῶτα | Eager, from μέμαα |
| ῥῖψε | Hurl, dash, throw with a twirl, from ῥίπτω |
| τεταγὼν | Touch, lay hold of, seize |
| βηλοῦ | Threshold, from βηλός |
| θεσπεσίοιο | Divine, marvelous, divinely sounding, from θεσπέσιος |
| ἦμαρ | Day |
| κάππεσον | Fall, drop, from καταπίπτω |
| Λήμνῳ | Lemnos, an island in the Aegean near Troy, from Λῆμνος |
| ἐνῆεν | Be in, from ἔνειμι |
| Σίντιες | Sintians |
| κομίσαντο | Bear, care for, attend, from κομίζω |
| μείδησεν | Smile, laugh, from μειδάω |
| κύπελλον | Cup, goblet |
| ἐνδέξια | To the right, from ἐνδέξιος |
| οἰνοχόει | Pour wine, pour drink, from οἰνοχοέω |
| νέκταρ | NECTAR, drink of the gods |

## Lesson LXXVII: Iliad 599-611

### Review: the end of the first book

This is the last passage of the first book. It has no new forms.

ὀπὶ καλῇ: with a beautiful voice. Pharr labels καλῇ dative singular. The noun beside it has the same ending. Μουσάων θ’, αἳ ἄειδον: of the Muses, who sang. Pharr labels αἳ nominative plural. It is the relative pronoun.

### The Iliad: the gods feast on Olympus

Pharr says the first book ends with the laughter of the blessed gods, feasting happily on Olympus. Unquenchable laughter rises among them as they see Hephaestus bustling through the halls.

All day long, until the sun goes down, they feast, and no heart lacks its share. Apollo holds the beautiful lyre, and the Muses sing in turn with beautiful voice.

When the bright light of the sun has set, each god goes to his own house to lie down and sleep. Hephaestus, renowned and lame in both legs, built each house with cunning skill. Zeus goes to his own bed, where he always slept before, and sleeps there. Golden-throned Hera lies beside him.

The last line is ἔνθα καθεῦδ’ ἀναβάς, παρὰ δὲ χρυσόθρονος Ἥρη. The book ends with Zeus asleep and golden-throned Hera beside him.

**49** ἄσβεστος δ’ ἄρ’ ἐνῶρτο γέλος, μακάρεσσι θεοῖσιν,  
and unquenchable laughter rose among the blessed gods

**50** ὡς ἴδον Ἥφαιστον διὰ δώματα ποιπνύοντα.  
as they saw Hephaestus bustling through the halls.

**51** ὣς τότε μὲν πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα  
So then, the whole day long, until the sun went down,

**52** δαίνυντ’, οὐδέ τι θυμὸς ἐδεύετο δαιτὸς ἐίσης,  
they feasted, and no heart lacked its share of the fair-shared feast,

**53** οὐ μὲν φόρμιγγος περικαλλέος, ἦν ἔχ’ Ἀπόλλων,  
nor of the beautiful lyre that Apollo held,

**54** Μουσάων θ’, αἳ ἄειδον ἀμειβόμεναι ὀπὶ καλῇ.  
nor of the Muses, who sang in turn with beautiful voice.

**55** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατέδυ λαμπρὸν φάος ἠελίοιο,  
But when the bright light of the sun had set,

**56** οἱ μὲν κακκείοντες ἔβαν οἰκόνδε ἕκαστος,  
they went, each to his own house, to lie down and sleep,

**57** ἧχι ἑκάστῳ δῶμα περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις  
where the renowned god, lame in both legs,

**58** Ἥφαιστος ποίησεν ἰδυίῃσι πραπίδεσσιν,  
Hephaestus, had built a house for each with cunning skill.

**59** Ζεὺς δὲ πρὸς ὃν λέχος ἤι’ Ὀλύμπιος ἀστεροπητής,  
But Zeus, the Olympian, lord of the lightning, went to his own bed,

**60** ἔνθα πάρος κοιμᾶθ’, ὅτε μιν γλυκὺς ὕπνος ἱκάνοι·  
where he had always slept before, whenever sweet sleep came upon him;

**61** ἔνθα καθεῦδ’ ἀναβάς, παρὰ δὲ χρυσόθρονος Ἥρη.  
there he went up and slept, and beside him, golden-throned Hera.

| word | gloss |
|---|---|
| ἄσβεστος | Inextinguishable |
| ἐνῶρτο | Rouse among, kindle among, excite, from ἐνόρνυμι |
| γέλος | Laughter, from γέλως |
| ποιπνύοντα | Bustle, hurry, puff, from ποιπνύω |
| πρόπαν | All, entire, whole, from πρόπας |
| ἠέλιον | Sun, from ἥλιος |
| φόρμιγγος | Lyre, harp, from φόρμιγξ |
| περικαλλέος | Very beautiful, charming, from περικαλλής |
| Μουσάων | Muse, from Μοῦσα |
| ὀπὶ | Voice, word, speech, from ὄψ |
| λαμπρὸν | Bright, brilliant, shining, from λαμπρός |
| φάος | Light, gleam, luminary |
| κακκείοντες | Desire to lie down, from κατακείω |
| ἧχι | Where |
| περικλυτὸς | Famous, very renowned |
| ἀμφιγυήεις | Lame in both legs, from ἀμφιγύεις |
| πραπίδεσσιν | Skill, from πραπίδες |
| ὕπνος | Sleep, slumber |
| καθεῦδ’ | Sleep, slumber, rest, from καθεύδω |
| χρυσόθρονος | Golden-throned, possibly with robes embroidered with golden flowers, θρόνα |