This is a Proto-Indo-European translation of the first lines of the first book I did some time ago. Fernando López-Menchero was kind enough to help with comments and corrections.
For relevant comments and alternative translations for each line, as well as other modern translations, see the Google Sheet.
NOTE. If you are interested in collaborating by editing the document, please contact me.
The structure of the interlinear texts below is as follows:
1. The Ancient Greek version is copied verbatim from Perseus Digital Library, including links to each word to facilitate immediate reference when necessary.
2. The Mycenaean version is slightly modified from A Mycenaean Iliad, by Rob Wiseman. The original version appears in the Google Sheet with corresponding notes about the changes.
3. The Proto-Indo-European version (in bold) is presented following the Modern Indo-European writing system, but with a more phonetic transliteration for those not used to it; e.g. adding all accents (instead of only those not second-to-last), adding some marks for connectors (following Wiseman’s example), and avoiding the use of q for *kʷ and c for *gʷ. For the lack of palatovelars and the vocalic outputs after laryngeal loss, see Fernando’s MIE Guidebook and Syntax. For the version with the (less cumbersome) MIE writing system, see the Google Sheet.
4. The English version is from Murray (1924), also copied from Perseus. For other translations, such as Latin, German, and Russian, check out the Google Sheet.
Homer, Iliad 1:1-21
¹ μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
Mānin aweide tʰeha Pelewadeohjo Akʰilēwos
Éisām séngʷʰe deiwā́ Pélewosjo Agʰiléwos
The wrath sing, goddess, of Peleus’ son, Achilles,
² οὐλομένην, ἣ μυρί᾽ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε᾽ ἔθηκε,
olomenān, hā=muria Akʰaiwois alges’ etʰēke,
nokéjomnām, sā=gʰéslijāns Agʰaiwóbʰos edúnāns dʰḗt,
that destructive wrath which brought countless woes upon the Achaeans,
³ πολλὰς δ᾽ ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄϊδι προΐαψεν
polewas=de ipʰtʰimons psūkʰans Awidāi prosapse
péluns=kʷe nertóns ətménn̥s Ń̥widei pro≈méitst
and sent forth to Hades many valiant souls
⁴ ἡρώων, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν
hērōwōn, autons=de welōra teukʰe kunsi
nérōm, swé=kʷe lábʰura kʷr̥néut kwn̥bʰós
of heroes, and made them themselves spoil for dogs
⁵ οἰωνοῖσί τε πᾶσι, Διὸς δ᾽ ἐτελείετο βουλή,
oiwonoihi=kʷe patsi, Djes=de ekʷeleeto gʷōlnā́,
əwéibʰos=kʷe óljobʰos, Diwós=kʷe piplë̄to wéltis,
and every bird; thus the plan of Zeus came to fulfillment,
⁶ ἐξ οὗ δὴ τὰ πρῶτα διαστήτην ἐρίσαντε
eks=hohjo dē tā≈prōwata dwiahistātān erisante
póskʷē=jod prǟwa (d)wis≈stā́tām bʰegʰlṓu
from the time when first they parted in strife
⁷ Ἀτρεΐδης τε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν καὶ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.
Atrewidā(s)=kʷe wanaks andrōn kas diwos Akʰileus.
N̥tr̥sujós=kʷe, rḗgs dʰgʰménom átkʷe diwijós Agʰiléus
Atreus’ son, king of men, and brilliant Achilles.
⁸ τίς τ᾽ ἄρ σφωε θεῶν ἔριδι ξυνέηκε μάχεσθαι;
kʷis=kʷe ar=spʰōwe tʰehōn eridei ksunejēke makʰestʰai;
kʷískʷe ar=ámbʰōu deiwṓm pŕ̥tei kom≈wḗgʰst streudédʰjom;
Who then of the gods was it that brought these two together to contend?
⁹ Λητοῦς καὶ Διὸς υἱός: ὃ γὰρ βασιλῆϊ χολωθεὶς
Lātojos kas Diwos hujos: jo=gar gʷasilēwi kʰolotʰēn(t)s
Lātijós Diwós=kʷe sūnús: so=gar rḗgei kr̥díjomnos
The son of Leto and Zeus; for he in anger against the king
¹⁰ νοῦσον ἀνὰ στρατὸν ὄρσε κακήν, ὀλέκοντο δὲ λαοί,
noswon ona stroton orse kakān, olekonto=de lāwoi,
áigim əná kórjei órt upélām, məríjeto=kʷe téutā,
roused throughout the host an evil pestilence, and the people began to perish,
¹¹ οὕνεκα τὸν Χρύσην ἠτίμασεν ἀρητῆρα
oju=eneka ton Kʰrūsān aekʷīmase arwātēra
jódkʷid Kʰrū́sãi n̥dékos bʰlā́menei dʰḗt
because upon the priest Chryses the son of Atreus had wrought dishonour.
¹² Ἀτρεΐδης: ὃ γὰρ ἦλθε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
Atrewidās: jo=gar elutʰe tʰowans ipi≈nāwas Akʰaiwōn
N̥tr̥sujós: só=gar ludʰét ōkúns epi≈nā́wn̥s Agʰaiwṓm
For he had come to the swift ships of the Achaeans
¹³ λυσόμενός τε θύγατρα φέρων τ᾽ ἀπερείσι᾽ ἄποινα,
lūsomenos=kʷe tʰugatra pʰirōns=kʷe apirwasjā apokʷoinā,
lū́somnos=kʷe dʰugtérm̥ bʰéronts=kʷe n̥perwn̥tóm apokʷrójom,
to free his daughter, bearing ransom past counting; and
¹⁴ στέμματ᾽ ἔχων ἐν χερσὶν ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος
stipʰmota hekʰons in=kʰehrsi (h)wekagʷolohjo Apollōnos
grendjā̆ ségʰonts gʰesr̥sí dūrosupā́jonts Apóljonos
in his hands he held the wreaths of Apollo who strikes from afar,
¹⁵ χρυσέῳ ἀνὰ σκήπτρῳ, καὶ λίσσετο πάντας Ἀχαιούς,
kʰrūseōi ona skāptrōi, kas lisseto pantas Akʰaiwons,
gʰl̥tnói (əna) skā́poi; jókʷe gʷʰédʰjet óljons Agʰaiwóns,
on a staff of gold; and he implored all the Achaeans,
¹⁶ Ἀτρεΐδα δὲ μάλιστα δύω, κοσμήτορε λαῶν:
Atrewidā=de molista duwō, kosmētore lāwōn:
N̥tr̥sujṓu au plḗistom dwṓu, teutawəlṓu:
but most of all the two sons of Atreus, the marshallers of the people
¹⁷ Ἀτρεΐδαι τε καὶ ἄλλοι ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί,
Atrewidāi=kʷe kas alloi ehuknāmides Akʰaiwoi,
N̥tr̥sujṓs=kʷe áljōs súknǟmejes Agʰaiwṓs,
Sons of Atreus, and other well-greaved Achaeans,
¹⁸ ὑμῖν μὲν θεοὶ δοῖεν Ὀλύμπια δώματ᾽ ἔχοντες
umi≈men tʰehoi dojen Olumpja dōmata hekʰontes
usméi≈ke deiwṓs dəijént Ulúmpjāi domowéntes
to you may the gods who have homes upon Olympus grant that
¹⁹ ἐκπέρσαι Πριάμοιο πόλιν, εὖ δ᾽ οἴκαδ᾽ ἱκέσθαι:
ek=pirsai Prjamohjo polin, ehu=de woikade hikestʰai:
wәltr̥ Paríjamuwosjo pólim, sú=kʷe weikm̥ wr̥tódʰjom:
you sack the city of Priam, and return safe to your homes;
²⁰ παῖδα δ᾽ ἐμοὶ λύσαιτε φίλην, τὰ δ᾽ ἄποινα δέχεσθαι,
pawida=de emoy lusayte pʰilān, ta=de apokʷoinā dekestʰai,
pútlom=kʷe mégʰei lúsīte prijóm, tóm=kʷe apokʷrójom déksesdʰwe,
but my dear child release to me, and accept the ransom
²¹ ἁζόμενοι Διὸς υἱὸν ἑκηβόλον Ἀπόλλωνα.
jazomenoi Diwos hujon hwekagʷolon Apollōna.
jágjomnōs Diwós sūnúm dūrosupā́jontm̥ Apóljonom.
out of reverence for the son of Zeus, Apollo who strikes from afar.
For discussion on specific expressions and words, use preferably our Facebook Modern Indo-European group.
Featured image from Wikipedia. “Detail from an attic black-figure neck amphora with scene from the Iliad ca 540-520 BCE attributed to the Hattat painter. The original public domain image was uploaded by user:aishaabdel – this version of the image has been white balanced and the background has been changed to solid white.”
