走(はし)れメロス

はしれめろす
noun (proper)
Run, Melos! (story by Dazai Osamu)
proper-nounwork-nameart
1. Run, Melos! (short story by Dazai Osamu, 1940)
A short story by 太宰治(だざいおさむ), based on a Greek legend retold by Schiller. Melos, sentenced to death by a tyrant king, leaves his best friend as hostage and races back against time to keep his word. A standard text in Japanese middle schools, read as a tale of friendship and trust.
『走(はし)れメロス』を読(よ)んだ。
I read Run, Melos!
『走(はし)れメロス』は太宰治(だざいおさむ)の短編(たんぺん)だ。
Run, Melos! is a short story by Dazai Osamu.
『走(はし)れメロス』は友情(ゆうじょう)と信頼(しんらい)の物語(ものがたり)で、中学校(ちゅうがっこう)の教科書(きょうかしょ)にも載(の)っている。
Run, Melos! is a story of friendship and trust, and it appears in middle school textbooks.

Cultural note

  • The opening line メロスは激怒(げきど)した (Melos was furious) is famous and often quoted or parodied
  • Melos's friend is セリヌンティウス, and the king is ディオニス
  • Its upright message contrasts with the dark tone of most of Dazai's work, such as 人間失格(にんげんしっかく)
general
Added 2026.10.13 9:21 · Revised 2026.10.13 9:27
31500/31987_hashiremerosu