φόβος
phobos
Fear, panic, flight — terror that empties the vessel
Etymology
From phebomai ("to flee"). In Homer, phobos is the force that scatters armies and empties the thumos of its resolve. Phobos is personified as a companion of Ares — fear is not weakness but a cosmic force.
Why phobos matters
Phobos operates as both a divine person and a physical event: as son of Ares he accompanies warfare, but in the moment of battle he acts on bodies, warriors flee, and the thumos empties. The distinction matters because phobos does not deliberate; it bypasses the phrenes entirely and converts rational agents into scattered animals. Where deimos (dread) can coexist with standing fast, phobos is definitionally rout — its root in phebomai (to flee) is not metaphorical but descriptive of the state itself.
phobos in the corpus
Grammatical voice
When phobos appears in the middle voice, the subject acts upon or for itself — the grammatical home of interiority.
Which characters in Homer use phobos most?
Related terms
Distribution by work
Key passages
Showing 30 of 295 passages containing φόβος.
μή τι φόβον δʼ ἀγόρευʼ, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ σὲ πεισέμεν οἴω. οὐ γάρ μοι γενναῖον ἀλυσκάζοντι μάχεσθαι οὐδὲ καταπτώσσειν· ἔτι μοι μένος ἔμπεδόν ἐστιν· ὀκνείω δʼ ἵππων ἐπιβαινέμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὔτως ἀντίον εἶμʼ αὐτῶ...
And I have no mind to mount upon a car, but even as I am will I go to face them; that I should quail Pallas Athene suffereth not. As for these twain, their swift horses shall not bear both back from ...
τίς δὲ σύ ἐσσι φέριστε καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων; οὐ μὲν γάρ ποτʼ ὄπωπα μάχῃ ἔνι κυδιανείρῃ τὸ πρίν· ἀτὰρ μὲν νῦν γε πολὺ προβέβηκας ἁπάντων σῷ θάρσει, ὅ τʼ ἐμὸν δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος ἔμεινας· δυστήνων δέ τε πα...
until this day, but now hast thou come forth far in advance of all in thy hardihood, in that thou abidest my far-shadowing spear. Unhappy are they whose children face my might. But and if thou art o...
Τυδεΐδη ἄγε δʼ αὖτε φόβον δʼ ἔχε μώνυχας ἵππους. ἦ οὐ γιγνώσκεις ὅ τοι ἐκ Διὸς οὐχ ἕπετʼ ἀλκή; νῦν μὲν γὰρ τούτῳ Κρονίδης Ζεὺς κῦδος ὀπάζει σήμερον· ὕστερον αὖτε καὶ ἡμῖν, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσι, δώσει· ἀνὴρ δ...
Seest thou not that victory from Zeus waited not on thee? Now to yon man doth Zeus, the son of Cronos, vouchsafe glory for this day; hereafter shall he grant it also to us, if so be he will. But a ma...
ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε πάντα γέρον κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες· ἀλλὰ τόδʼ αἰνὸν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἱκάνει· Ἕκτωρ γάρ ποτε φήσει ἐνὶ Τρώεσσʼ ἀγορεύων· Τυδεΐδης ὑπʼ ἐμεῖο φοβεύμενος ἵκετο νῆας. ὥς ποτʼ ἀπειλήσει· τ...
So shall he some day boast—on that day let the wide earth gape for me.
Τυδεΐδης ὑπʼ ἐμεῖο φοβεύμενος ἵκετο νῆας.
ὣς οἱ μὲν Τρῶες φυλακὰς ἔχον· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς θεσπεσίη ἔχε φύζα φόβου κρυόεντος ἑταίρη, πένθεϊ δʼ ἀτλήτῳ βεβολήατο πάντες ἄριστοι. ὡς δʼ ἄνεμοι δύο πόντον ὀρίνετον ἰχθυόεντα Βορέης καὶ Ζέφυρος, τώ τε Θρ...
Thus kept the Trojans watch, but the Achaeans were holden of wondrous Panic, the handmaid of numbing fear and with grief intolerable were all the noblest stricken. Even as two winds stir up the teemi...
ὣς ἄρʼ ὑπʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι πῖπτε κάρηνα Τρώων φευγόντων, πολλοὶ δʼ ἐριαύχενες ἵπποι κείνʼ ὄχεα κροτάλιζον ἀνὰ πτολέμοιο γεφύρας ἡνιόχους ποθέοντες ἀμύμονας· οἳ δʼ ἐπὶ γαίῃ κείατο, γύπεσσιν πολὺ φίλ...
empty cars along the dykes of battle, lacking their peerless charioteers, who were lying upon the ground dearer far to the vultures than to their wives. but the son of Atreus followed after, calling f...
ὤ μοι ἐγὼ τί πάθω; μέγα μὲν κακὸν αἴ κε φέβωμαι πληθὺν ταρβήσας· τὸ δὲ ῥίγιον αἴ κεν ἁλώω μοῦνος· τοὺς δʼ ἄλλους Δαναοὺς ἐφόβησε Κρονίων. ἀλλὰ τί ἤ μοι ταῦτα φίλος διελέξατο θυμός; οἶδα γὰρ ὅττι κακοὶ...
seized with fear of the throng;, yet this were a worse thing, if I be taken all alone, for the rest of the Danaans hath the son of Cronos scattered in flight. But why doth my heart thus hold converse...
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἵμασεν καλλίτριχας ἵππους μάστιγι λιγυρῇ· τοὶ δὲ πληγῆς ἀΐοντες ῥίμφʼ ἔφερον θοὸν ἅρμα μετὰ Τρῶας καὶ Ἀχαιοὺς στείβοντες νέκυάς τε καὶ ἀσπίδας· αἵματι δʼ ἄξων νέρθεν ἅπας πεπάλακτο καὶ ...
sprinkled beneath, and the rims round about the car, with the drops that smote upon them from the horses' hooves and from the tires. And Hector was eager to enter the throng of men, to leap in and sh...
ἠμὲν ὅτεῳ στρεφθέντι μετάφρενα γυμνωθείη μαρναμένων, πολλοὶ δὲ διαμπερὲς ἀσπίδος αὐτῆς. πάντῃ δὴ πύργοι καὶ ἐπάλξιες αἵματι φωτῶν ἐρράδατʼ ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἀπὸ Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν. ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὧς ἐδύναντο φόβον...
Yea, everywhere the walls and battlements were spattered with blood of men from both sides, from Trojans and Achaeams alike. Howbeit even so they could not put the Achaeans to rout, but they held thei...
στῆ δὲ μάλʼ ἐγγὺς ἰών, καὶ ἐρεισάμενος βάλε μέσσας εὖ διαβάς, ἵνα μή οἱ ἀφαυρότερον βέλος εἴη, ῥῆξε δʼ ἀπʼ ἀμφοτέρους θαιρούς· πέσε δὲ λίθος εἴσω βριθοσύνῃ, μέγα δʼ ἀμφὶ πύλαι μύκον, οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ὀχῆες ἐσ...
and loudly groaned the gates on either side, nor did the bars hold fast, but the doors were dashed apart this way and that beneath the onrush of the stone. And glorious Hector leapt within, his face ...
ὣς φάτο, τῷ δʼ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε, βῆ δὲ μετʼ Ἰδομενῆα μέγα πτολέμοιο μεμηλώς. ἀλλʼ οὐκ Ἰδομενῆα φόβος λάβε τηλύγετον ὥς, ἀλλʼ ἔμενʼ ὡς ὅτε τις σῦς οὔρεσιν ἀλκὶ πεποιθώς, ὅς τε μένει κολοσυ...
Howbeit terror gat not hold of Idomeneus, as he had been some petted boy, but he abode like a boar in the mountains, that trusteth in his strength, and abideth the great, tumultuous throng of men that...
Ἥρη τίπτε βέβηκας; ἀτυζομένῃ δὲ ἔοικας· ἦ μάλα δή σʼ ἐφόβησε Κρόνου πάϊς, ὅς τοι ἀκοίτης.
Hera, wherefore art thou come? Thou art as one distraught. In good sooth the son of Cronos hath affrighted thee, he thine own husband. Then made answer to her, the goddess, white-armed Hera: Ask me n...
ἄλλα μὲν ἐν χροῒ πήγνυτʼ ἀρηϊθόων αἰζηῶν, πολλὰ δὲ καὶ μεσσηγὺ πάρος χρόα λευκὸν ἐπαυρεῖν ἐν γαίῃ ἵσταντο λιλαιόμενα χροὸς ἆσαι. ὄφρα μὲν αἰγίδα χερσὶν ἔχʼ ἀτρέμα Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων, τόφρα μάλʼ ἀμφοτέρων ...
were some of them lodged in the flesh of youths swift in battle, and many of them, or ever they reached the white flesh, stood fixed midway in the earth, fain to glut themselves with flesh. Now so lon...
μυρίαι, ἐν δέ τε τῇσι νομεὺς οὔ πω σάφα εἰδὼς θηρὶ μαχέσσασθαι ἕλικος βοὸς ἀμφὶ φονῇσιν· ἤτοι ὃ μὲν πρώτῃσι καὶ ὑστατίῃσι βόεσσιν αἰὲν ὁμοστιχάει, ὃ δέ τʼ ἐν μέσσῃσιν ὀρούσας βοῦν ἔδει, αἳ δέ τε πᾶσαι...
but the lion leapeth upon the midmost, and devoureth a heifer, and thereat they all flee in terror; even so in wondrous wise were the Achaeans one and all then driven in wondrous rout by Hector and fa...
κάππεσεν οἰμώξας, ἕταροι δέ μιν ἀμφεφόβηθεν Παίονες· ἐν γὰρ Πάτροκλος φόβον ἧκεν ἅπασιν ἡγεμόνα κτείνας, ὃς ἀριστεύεσκε μάχεσθαι. ἐκ νηῶν δʼ ἔλασεν, κατὰ δʼ ἔσβεσεν αἰθόμενον πῦρ. ἡμιδαὴς δʼ ἄρα νηῦς ...
and backward in the dust he fell with a groan, and about him his comrades were driven in rout, even the Paeonians, for upon them all had Patroclus sent panic, when he slew their leader that was pre-em...
πρῆσε χανών· θανάτου δὲ μέλαν νέφος ἀμφεκάλυψεν. οὗτοι ἄρʼ ἡγεμόνες Δαναῶν ἕλον ἄνδρα ἕκαστος. ὡς δὲ λύκοι ἄρνεσσιν ἐπέχραον ἢ ἐρίφοισι σίνται ὑπʼ ἐκ μήλων αἱρεύμενοι, αἵ τʼ ἐν ὄρεσσι ποιμένος ἀφραδίῃ...
and a black cloud of death enfolded him. forthwith harry the young whose hearts know naught of valour; even so the Damans fell upon the Trojans, and they bethougnt them of ill-sounding flight, and for...
αἰθέρος ἐκ δίης, ὅτε τε Ζεὺς λαίλαπα τείνῃ, ὣς τῶν ἐκ νηῶν γένετο ἰαχή τε φόβος τε, οὐδὲ κατὰ μοῖραν πέραον πάλιν. Ἕκτορα δʼ ἵπποι ἔκφερον ὠκύποδες σὺν τεύχεσι, λεῖπε δὲ λαὸν Τρωϊκόν, οὓς ἀέκοντας ὀρυ...
out of the bright air, when Zeus spreadeth forth the tempest, even so from the ships came the shouting and the rout of these; nor was it in good order that they crossed the trench again. Hector verily...
ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα πατρὸς ἀνηκούστησεν Ἀπόλλων. βῆ δὲ κατʼ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων ἐς φύλοπιν αἰνήν, αὐτίκα δʼ ἐκ βελέων Σαρπηδόνα δῖον ἀείρας πολλὸν ἀπὸ πρὸ φέρων λοῦσεν ποταμοῖο ῥοῇσι χρῖσέν τʼ ἀμβροσίῃ, περὶ ...
and anointed him with ambrosia, and clothed him about with immortal raiment, and gave him to swift conveyers to bear with them, even to the twin brethren, Sleep and Death, who set him speedily in the ...
εἷος ὁ ταῦθʼ ὅρμαινε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμὸν τόφρα δʼ ἐπὶ Τρώων στίχες ἤλυθον· ἦρχε δʼ ἄρʼ Ἕκτωρ. αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἐξοπίσω ἀνεχάζετο, λεῖπε δὲ νεκρὸν ἐντροπαλιζόμενος ὥς τε λὶς ἠϋγένειος, ὅν ῥα κύνες τε κ...
that dogs and men drive from a fold with spears and shouting; and the valiant heart in his breast groweth chill, and sore loth he fareth from the farmstead; even so from Patroclus went fair-haired Men...
ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ ἄχεος νεφέλη ἐκάλυψε μέλαινα, βῆ δὲ διὰ προμάχων κεκορυθμένος αἴθοπι χαλκῷ. καὶ τότʼ ἄρα Κρονίδης ἕλετʼ αἰγίδα θυσσανόεσσαν μαρμαρέην, Ἴδην δὲ κατὰ νεφέεσσι κάλυψεν, ἀστράψας δὲ μάλα μ...
and lightened and thundered mightily, and shook the aegis, giving victory to the Trojans, but the Achaeans he drave in rout. but the spear-point of Polydamas cut even to the bone,1 for he it was that ...
Αἰνεία τί σὺ τόσσον ὁμίλου πολλὸν ἐπελθὼν ἔστης; ἦ σέ γε θυμὸς ἐμοὶ μαχέσασθαι ἀνώγει ἐλπόμενον Τρώεσσιν ἀνάξειν ἱπποδάμοισι τιμῆς τῆς Πριάμου; ἀτὰρ εἴ κεν ἔμʼ ἐξεναρίξῃς, οὔ τοι τοὔνεκά γε Πρίαμος γέ...
in hope that thou shalt be master of Priam's sovreignty amid the horse-taming Trojans? Nay, but though thou slayest me, not for that shall Priam place his kingship in thy hands, for he hath sons, and ...
ὡς αἰεὶ ἔλποιτο κιχήσεσθαι ποσὶν οἷσι· τόφρʼ ἄλλοι Τρῶες πεφοβημένοι ἦλθον ὁμίλῳ ἀσπάσιοι προτὶ ἄστυ, πόλις δʼ ἔμπλητο ἀλέντων. οὐδʼ ἄρα τοί γʼ ἔτλαν πόλιος καὶ τείχεος ἐκτὸς μεῖναι ἔτʼ ἀλλήλους, καὶ ...
that he ever hoped to overtake him in his running—meanwhile the rest of the Trojans that were fleeing in rout came crowding gladly toward the city, and the town was filled with the throng of them. Nei...
τίπτέ με Πηλέος υἱὲ ποσὶν ταχέεσσι διώκεις αὐτὸς θνητὸς ἐὼν θεὸν ἄμβροτον; οὐδέ νύ πώ με ἔγνως ὡς θεός εἰμι, σὺ δʼ ἀσπερχὲς μενεαίνεις. ἦ νύ τοι οὔ τι μέλει Τρώων πόνος, οὓς ἐφόβησας, οἳ δή τοι εἰς ἄσ...
Not even yet hast thou known me that I am a god, but thou ragest incessantly! Hast thou in good sooth no care for thy toil regarding the Trojans whom thou dravest in rout, who now are gathered into th...
οὔ σʼ ἔτι Πηλέος υἱὲ φοβήσομαι, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ τρὶς περὶ ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμου δίον, οὐδέ ποτʼ ἔτλην μεῖναι ἐπερχόμενον· νῦν αὖτέ με θυμὸς ἀνῆκε στήμεναι ἀντία σεῖο· ἕλοιμί κεν ἤ κεν ἁλοίην. ἀλλʼ ἄγε δεῦ...
No longer, son of Peleus, will I flee from thee, as before I thrice fled around the great city of Priam, nor ever had the heart to abide thy onset; but now again my spirit biddeth me stand and face th...
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ᾤμωξαν ἀολλέες, ἦρχε δʼ Ἀχιλλεύς. οἳ δὲ τρὶς περὶ νεκρὸν ἐΰτριχας ἤλασαν ἵππους μυρόμενοι· μετὰ δέ σφι Θέτις γόου ἵμερον ὦρσε. δεύοντο ψάμαθοι, δεύοντο δὲ τεύχεα φωτῶν δάκρυσι· τοῖον γ...
Wetted were the sands and wetted the armour of the warriors with their tears; so mighty a deviser of rout was he for whom they mourned. And among them the son of Peleus was leader in the vehement lame...
Πᾶσαι οὖν αἱ γενεαὶ ἀπὸ Ἀβραὰμ ἕως Δαυεὶδ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες καὶ ἀπὸ Δαυεὶδ ἕως τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος ἕως τοῦ Χριστοῦ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες Τοῦ...
τότε ἐπληρώθη τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἰερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος φωνὴ ἐν Ῥαμὰ ἠκούσθη κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὀδυρμὸς πολύς Ῥαχὴλ κλαίουσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν παρακληθῆναι ὅτι οὐκ εἰσίν Τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ Ἡ...
Καὶ ἐμβὰς εἰς πλοῖον διεπέρασεν καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν πόλιν καὶ ἰδοὺ προσέφερον αὐτῷ παραλυτικὸν ἐπὶ κλίνης βεβλημένον καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν εἶπεν τῷ παραλυτικῷ θάρσει τέκνον ἀφίενταί σ...
ἀρκετὸν τῷ μαθητῇ ἵνα γένηται ὡς ὁ διδάσκαλος αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ δοῦλος ὡς ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ εἰ τὸν οἰκοδεσπότην Βεελζεβοὺλ ἐπεκάλεσαν πόσῳ μᾶλλον τοὺς οἰκιακοὺς αὐτοῦ μὴ οὖν φοβηθῆτε αὐτούς οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστιν κεκ...
Explore phobos in the texts
295 passages across Homer, Hesiod, Pindar, and the New Testament contain phobos.
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