Odyssey

Thus did he speak, and they all held their peace throughout the covered room, enthralled by the charm of his story, till presently Alkinoos began to speak.

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ,

κηληθμῷ δʼ ἔσχοντο κατὰ μέγαρα σκιόεντα.

"Odysseus," said he, "now that you have reached my house I doubt not you will get home without further misadventure no matter how much you have suffered in the past. To you others, however, who come here night after night to drink my choicest wine and listen to my bard, I would insist as follows. Our guest has already packed up the clothes, wrought gold, and other valuables which you have brought for his acceptance; let us now, therefore, present him further, each one of us, with a large tripod and a cauldron. We will recoup ourselves by the levy of a general rate throughout the dêmos ; for private individuals cannot be expected to bear the burden of such a handsome present."

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀλκίνοος ἀπαμείβετο φώνησέν τε·

ὦ Ὀδυσεῦ, ἐπεὶ ἵκευ ἐμὸν ποτὶ χαλκοβατὲς δῶ,

ὑψερεφές, τῷ σʼ οὔ τι παλιμπλαγχθέντα γʼ ὀΐω

ἂψ ἀπονοστήσειν, εἰ καὶ μάλα πολλὰ πέπονθας.

ὑμέων δʼ ἀνδρὶ ἑκάστῳ ἐφιέμενος τάδε εἴρω,

ὅσσοι ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γερούσιον αἴθοπα οἶνον

αἰεὶ πίνετʼ ἐμοῖσιν, ἀκουάζεσθε δʼ ἀοιδοῦ.

εἵματα μὲν δὴ ξείνῳ ἐϋξέστῃ ἐνὶ χηλῷ

κεῖται καὶ χρυσὸς πολυδαίδαλος ἄλλα τε πάντα

δῶρʼ, ὅσα Φαιήκων βουληφόροι ἐνθάδʼ ἔνεικαν·

ἀλλʼ ἄγε οἱ δῶμεν τρίποδα μέγαν ἠδὲ λέβητα

ἀνδρακάς· ἡμεῖς δʼ αὖτε ἀγειρόμενοι κατὰ δῆμον

τισόμεθʼ· ἀργαλέον γὰρ ἕνα προικὸς χαρίσασθαι.

Every one approved of this, and then they went home to bed each in his own abode. When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, they hurried down to the ship and brought their cauldrons with them. Alkinoos went on board and saw everything so securely stowed under the ship's benches that nothing could break adrift and injure the rowers. Then they went to the house of Alkinoos to get dinner, and he sacrificed a bull for them in honor of Zeus who is the lord of all. They set the meats to grill and made an excellent dinner, after which the inspired bard, Demodokos, who was a favorite with every one, sang to them; but Odysseus kept on turning his eyes towards the sun, as though to hasten his setting, for he was longing to be on his way. As one who has been all day ploughing a fallow field with a couple of oxen keeps thinking about his supper and is glad when night comes that he may go and get it, for it is all his legs can do to carry him, even so did Odysseus rejoice when the sun went down, and he at once said to the Phaeacians, addressing himself more particularly to King Alkinoos:

ὣς ἔφατʼ Ἀλκίνοος, τοῖσιν δʼ ἐπιὴνδανε μῦθος.

οἱ μὲν κακκείοντες ἔβαν οἶκόνδε ἕκαστος,

ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

νῆάδʼ ἐπεσσεύοντο, φέρον δʼ εὐήνορα χαλκόν.

καὶ τὰ μὲν εὖ κατέθηχʼ ἱερὸν μένος Ἀλκινόοιο,

αὐτὸς ἰὼν διὰ νηὸς ὑπὸ ζυγά, μή τινʼ ἑταίρων

βλάπτοι ἐλαυνόντων, ὁπότε σπερχοίατʼ ἐρετμοῖς.

οἱ δʼ εἰς Ἀλκινόοιο κίον καὶ δαῖτʼ ἀλέγυνον.

τοῖσι δὲ βοῦν ἱέρευσʼ ἱερὸν μένος Ἀλκινόοιο

Ζηνὶ κελαινεφέϊ Κρονίδῃ, ὃς πᾶσιν ἀνάσσει.

μῆρα δὲ κήαντες δαίνυντʼ ἐρικυδέα δαῖτα

τερπόμενοι· μετὰ δέ σφιν ἐμέλπετο θεῖος ἀοιδός,

Δημόδοκος, λαοῖσι τετιμένος. αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

πολλὰ πρὸς ἠέλιον κεφαλὴν τρέπε παμφανόωντα,

δῦναι ἐπειγόμενος· δὴ γὰρ μενέαινε νέεσθαι.

ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀνὴρ δόρποιο λιλαίεται, ᾧ τε πανῆμαρ

νειὸν ἀνʼ ἕλκητον βόε οἴνοπε πηκτὸν ἄροτρον·

ἀσπασίως δʼ ἄρα τῷ κατέδυ φάος ἠελίοιο

δόρπον ἐποίχεσθαι, βλάβεται δέ τε γούνατʼ ἰόντι·

ὣς Ὀδυσῆʼ ἀσπαστὸν ἔδυ φάος ἠελίοιο.

αἶψα δὲ Φαιήκεσσι φιληρέτμοισι μετηύδα,

Ἀλκινόῳ δὲ μάλιστα πιφαυσκόμενος φάτο μῦθον·

"Sir, and all of you, farewell. Make your drink-offerings and send me on my way rejoicing, for you have fulfilled my heart's desire by giving me an escort, and making me presents, which heaven grant that I may turn to good account [ olbios ]; may I find my admirable wife living in peace among friends, and may you whom I leave behind me give satisfaction to your wives and children; may heaven grant you every good grace [ aretê ], and may no evil thing come among your people."

Ἀλκίνοε κρεῖον, πάντων ἀριδείκετε λαῶν,

πέμπετέ με σπείσαντες ἀπήμονα, χαίρετε δʼ αὐτοί·

ἤδη γὰρ τετέλεσται ἅ μοι φίλος ἤθελε θυμός,

πομπὴ καὶ φίλα δῶρα, τά μοι θεοὶ Οὐρανίωνες

ὄλβια ποιήσειαν· ἀμύμονα δʼ οἴκοι ἄκοιτιν

νοστήσας εὕροιμι σὺν ἀρτεμέεσσι φίλοισιν.

ὑμεῖς δʼ αὖθι μένοντες ἐϋφραίνοιτε γυναῖκας

κουριδίας καὶ τέκνα· θεοὶ δʼ ἀρετὴν ὀπάσειαν

παντοίην, καὶ μή τι κακὸν μεταδήμιον εἴη.

Thus did he speak. His hearers all of them approved his saying and agreed that he should have his escort inasmuch as he had spoken reasonably. Alkinoos therefore said to his servant, "Pontonoos, mix some wine and hand it round to everybody, that we may offer a prayer to father Zeus, and speed our guest upon his way."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἐπῄνεον ἠδʼ ἐκέλευον

πεμπέμεναι τὸν ξεῖνον, ἐπεὶ κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπεν.

καὶ τότε κήρυκα προσέφη μένος Ἀλκινόοιο·

Ποντόνοε, κρητῆρα κερασσάμενος μέθυ νεῖμον

πᾶσιν ἀνὰ μέγαρον, ὄφρʼ εὐξάμενοι Διὶ πατρὶ

τὸν ξεῖνον πέμπωμεν ἑὴν ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.

Pontonoos mixed the wine and handed it to every one in turn; the others each from his own seat made a drink-offering to the blessed gods that live in heaven, but Odysseus rose and placed the double cup in the hands of queen Arete.

ὣς φάτο, Ποντόνοος δὲ μελίφρονα οἶνον ἐκίρνα,

νώμησεν δʼ ἄρα πᾶσιν ἐπισταδόν· οἱ δὲ θεοῖσιν

ἔσπεισαν μακάρεσσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν,

αὐτόθεν ἐξ ἑδρέων. ἀνὰ δʼ ἵστατο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

Ἀρήτῃ δʼ ἐν χειρὶ τίθει δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

"Farewell, queen," said he, "henceforward and for ever, till age and death, the common lot of humankind, lay their hands upon you. I now take my leave; be happy in this house with your children, your people, and with king Alkinoos."

χαῖρέ μοι, ὦ βασίλεια, διαμπερές, εἰς ὅ κε γῆρας

ἔλθῃ καὶ θάνατος, τά τʼ ἐπʼ ἀνθρώποισι πέλονται.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ νέομαι· σὺ δὲ τέρπεο τῷδʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

παισί τε καὶ λαοῖσι καὶ Ἀλκινόῳ βασιλῆϊ.

As he spoke he crossed the threshold, and Alkinoos sent a man to conduct him to his ship and to the sea shore. Arete also sent some maid servants with him - one with a clean shirt and cloak, another to carry his strong-box, and a third with grain and wine. When they got to the water side the crew took these things and put them on board, with all the meat and drink; but for Odysseus they spread a rug and a linen sheet on deck that he might sleep soundly in the stern of the ship. Then he too went on board and lay down without a word, but the crew took every man his place in order [ kosmos ] and loosed the hawser from the pierced stone to which it had been bound. Thereon, when they began rowing out to sea, Odysseus fell into a deep, sweet, and almost deathlike slumber.

ὣς εἰπὼν ὑπὲρ οὐδὸν ἐβήσετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

τῷ δʼ ἅμα κήρυκα προΐει μένος Ἀλκινόοιο,

ἡγεῖσθαι ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν καὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης·

Ἀρήτη δʼ ἄρα οἱ δμῳὰς ἅμʼ ἔπεμπε γυναῖκας,

τὴν μὲν φᾶρος ἔχουσαν ἐϋπλυνὲς ἠδὲ χιτῶνα,

τὴν δʼ ἑτέρην χηλὸν πυκινὴν ἅμʼ ὄπασσε κομίζειν·

ἡ δʼ ἄλλη σῖτόν τʼ ἔφερεν καὶ οἶνον ἐρυθρόν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐπὶ νῆα κατήλυθον ἠδὲ θάλασσαν,

αἶψα τά γʼ ἐν νηῒ γλαφυρῇ πομπῆες ἀγαυοὶ

δεξάμενοι κατέθεντο, πόσιν καὶ βρῶσιν ἅπασαν·

κὰδ δʼ ἄρʼ Ὀδυσσῆϊ στόρεσαν ῥῆγός τε λίνον τε

νηὸς ἐπʼ ἰκριόφιν γλαφυρῆς, ἵνα νήγρετον εὕδοι,

πρυμνῆς· ἂν δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐβήσετο καὶ κατέλεκτο

σιγῇ· τοὶ δὲ καθῖζον ἐπὶ κληῗσιν ἕκαστοι

κόσμῳ, πεῖσμα δʼ ἔλυσαν ἀπὸ τρητοῖο λίθοιο.

εὖθʼ οἱ ἀνακλινθέντες ἀνερρίπτουν ἅλα πηδῷ,

καὶ τῷ νήδυμος ὕπνος ἐπὶ βλεφάροισιν ἔπιπτε,

νήγρετος, ἥδιστος, θανάτῳ ἄγχιστα ἐοικώς.

The ship bounded forward on her way as a four in hand chariot flies over the course when the horses feel the whip. Her prow curved as it were the neck of a stallion, and a great wave of dark seething water boiled in her wake. She held steadily on her course, and even a falcon, swiftest of all birds, could not have kept pace with her. Thus, then, she cut her way through the water. carrying one who was as cunning as the gods, but who was now sleeping peacefully, forgetful of all that he had suffered both on the field of battle and by the waves of the weary sea.

ἡ δʼ, ὥς τʼ ἐν πεδίῳ τετράοροι ἄρσενες ἵπποι,

πάντες ἅμʼ ὁρμηθέντες ὑπὸ πληγῇσιν ἱμάσθλης,

ὑψόσʼ ἀειρόμενοι ῥίμφα πρήσσουσι κέλευθον,

ὣς ἄρα τῆς πρύμνη μὲν ἀείρετο, κῦμα δʼ ὄπισθε

πορφύρεον μέγα θῦε πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης.

ἡ δὲ μάλʼ ἀσφαλέως θέεν ἔμπεδον· οὐδέ κεν ἴρηξ

κίρκος ὁμαρτήσειεν, ἐλαφρότατος πετεηνῶν.

ὣς ἡ ῥίμφα θέουσα θαλάσσης κύματʼ ἔταμνεν,

ἄνδρα φέρουσα θεοῖς ἐναλίγκια μήδεʼ ἔχοντα·

ὃς πρὶν μὲν μάλα πολλὰ πάθʼ ἄλγεα ὃν κατὰ θυμὸν

ἀνδρῶν τε πτολέμους ἀλεγεινά τε κύματα πείρων,

δὴ τότε γʼ ἀτρέμας εὗδε, λελασμένος ὅσσʼ ἐπεπόνθει.

When the bright star that heralds the approach of dawn began to show. the ship drew near to land. Now there is in the dêmos of Ithaca a haven of the Old One of the Sea, Phorkys, which lies between two points that break the line of the sea and shut the harbor in. These shelter it from the storms of wind and sea that rage outside, so that, when once within it, a ship may lie without being even moored. At the head of this harbor there is a large olive tree, and at no distance a fine overarching cavern sacred to the nymphs who are called Naiads. There are mixing-bowls within it and wine-jars of stone, and the bees hive there. Moreover, there are great looms of stone on which the nymphs weave their robes of sea purple - very curious to see - and at all times there is water within it. It has two entrances, one facing North by which mortals can go down into the cave, while the other comes from the South and is more mysterious; mortals cannot possibly get in by it, it is the way taken by the gods.

εὖτʼ ἀστὴρ ὑπερέσχε φαάντατος, ὅς τε μάλιστα

ἔρχεται ἀγγέλλων φάος Ἠοῦς ἠριγενείης,

τῆμος δὴ νήσῳ προσεπίλνατο ποντοπόρος νηῦς.

Φόρκυνος δέ τίς ἐστι λιμήν, ἁλίοιο γέροντος,

ἐν δήμῳ Ἰθάκης· δύο δὲ προβλῆτες ἐν αὐτῷ

ἀκταὶ ἀπορρῶγες, λιμένος ποτιπεπτηυῖαι,

αἵ τʼ ἀνέμων σκεπόωσι δυσαήων μέγα κῦμα

ἔκτοθεν· ἔντοσθεν δέ τʼ ἄνευ δεσμοῖο μένουσι

νῆες ἐΰσσελμοι, ὅτʼ ἂν ὅρμου μέτρον ἵκωνται.

αὐτὰρ ἐπὶ κρατὸς λιμένος τανύφυλλος ἐλαίη,

ἀγχόθι δʼ αὐτῆς ἄντρον ἐπήρατον ἠεροειδές,

ἱρὸν νυμφάων αἱ νηϊάδες καλέονται.

ἐν δὲ κρητῆρές τε καὶ ἀμφιφορῆες ἔασιν

λάϊνοι· ἔνθα δʼ ἔπειτα τιθαιβώσσουσι μέλισσαι.

ἐν δʼ ἱστοὶ λίθεοι περιμήκεες, ἔνθα τε νύμφαι

φάρεʼ ὑφαίνουσιν ἁλιπόρφυρα, θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι·

ἐν δʼ ὕδατʼ ἀενάοντα. δύω δέ τέ οἱ θύραι εἰσίν,

αἱ μὲν πρὸς Βορέαο καταιβαταὶ ἀνθρώποισιν,

αἱ δʼ αὖ πρὸς Νότου εἰσὶ θεώτεραι· οὐδέ τι κείνῃ

ἄνδρες ἐσέρχονται, ἀλλʼ ἀθανάτων ὁδός ἐστιν.

Into this harbor, then, they took their ship, for they knew the place, She had so much way upon her that she ran half her own length on to the shore; when, however, they had landed, the first thing they did was to lift Odysseus with his rug and linen sheet out of the ship, and lay him down upon the sand still fast asleep. Then they took out the presents which Athena had persuaded the Phaeacians to give him when he was setting out on his voyage homewards. They put these all together by the root of the olive tree, away from the road, for fear some passer by might come and steal them before Odysseus awoke; and then they made the best of their way home again.

ἔνθʼ οἵ γʼ εἰσέλασαν, πρὶν εἰδότες· ἡ μὲν ἔπειτα

ἠπείρῳ ἐπέκελσεν, ὅσον τʼ ἐπὶ ἥμισυ πάσης,

σπερχομένη· τοῖον γὰρ ἐπείγετο χέρσʼ ἐρετάων·

οἱ δʼ ἐκ νηὸς βάντες ἐϋζύγου ἤπειρόνδε

πρῶτον Ὀδυσσῆα γλαφυρῆς ἐκ νηὸς ἄειραν

αὐτῷ σύν τε λίνῳ καὶ ῥήγεϊ σιγαλόεντι,

κὰδ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπὶ ψαμάθῳ ἔθεσαν δεδμημένον ὕπνῳ,

ἐκ δὲ κτήματʼ ἄειραν, ἅ οἱ Φαίηκες ἀγαυοὶ

ὤπασαν οἴκαδʼ ἰόντι διὰ μεγάθυμον Ἀθήνην.

καὶ τὰ μὲν οὖν παρὰ πυθμένʼ ἐλαίης ἀθρόα θῆκαν

ἐκτὸς ὁδοῦ, μή πώς τις ὁδιτάων ἀνθρώπων,

πρίν γʼ Ὀδυσῆʼ ἔγρεσθαι, ἐπελθὼν δηλήσαιτο·

But Poseidon did not forget the threats with which he had already threatened Odysseus, so he took counsel with Zeus. "Father Zeus," said he, "I shall no longer be held in any sort of respect among you gods, if mortals like the Phaeacians, who are my own flesh and blood, show such small regard for me. I said I would get Odysseus home when he had suffered sufficiently. I did not say that he should never have a homecoming [ nostos ] at all, for I knew you had already nodded your head about it, and promised that he should do so; but now they have brought him over the sea in a ship fast asleep and have landed him in Ithaca after loading him with more magnificent presents of bronze, gold, and raiment than he would ever have brought back from Troy , if he had had his share of the spoil and got home without misadventure."

αὐτοὶ δʼ αὖτʼ οἶκόνδε πάλιν κίον. οὐδʼ ἐνοσίχθων

λήθετʼ ἀπειλάων, τὰς ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆϊ

πρῶτον ἐπηπείλησε, Διὸς δʼ ἐξείρετο βουλήν·

Ζεῦ πάτερ, οὐκέτʼ ἐγώ γε μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι

τιμήεις ἔσομαι, ὅτε με βροτοὶ οὔ τι τίουσιν,

Φαίηκες, τοί πέρ τοι ἐμῆς ἔξ εἰσι γενέθλης.

καὶ γὰρ νῦν Ὀδυσῆʼ ἐφάμην κακὰ πολλὰ παθόντα

οἴκαδʼ ἐλεύσεσθαι· νόστον δέ οἱ οὔ ποτʼ ἀπηύρων

πάγχυ, ἐπεὶ σὺ πρῶτον ὑπέσχεο καὶ κατένευσας.

οἱ δʼ εὕδοντʼ ἐν νηῒ θοῇ ἐπὶ πόντον ἄγοντες

κάτθεσαν εἰν Ἰθάκῃ, ἔδοσαν δέ οἱ ἄσπετα δῶρα,

χαλκόν τε χρυσόν τε ἅλις ἐσθῆτά θʼ ὑφαντήν,

πόλλʼ, ὅσʼ ἂν οὐδέ ποτε Τροίης ἐξήρατʼ Ὀδυσσεύς,

εἴ περ ἀπήμων ἦλθε, λαχὼν ἀπὸ ληΐδος αἶσαν.

And Zeus answered, "What, O Lord of the Earthquake, are you talking about? The gods are by no means wanting in respect for you. It would be monstrous were they to insult one so old and honored as you are. As regards mortals, however, if any of them is indulging in insolence [ biê ] and treating you disrespectfully, it will always rest with yourself to deal with him as you may think proper, so do just as you please."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεὺς·

ὢ πόποι, ἐννοσίγαιʼ εὐρυσθενές, οἷον ἔειπες.

οὔ τί σʼ ἀτιμάζουσι θεοί· χαλεπὸν δέ κεν εἴη

πρεσβύτατον καὶ ἄριστον ἀτιμίῃσιν ἰάλλειν.

ἀνδρῶν δʼ εἴ πέρ τίς σε βίῃ καὶ κάρτεϊ εἴκων

οὔ τι τίει. σοὶ δʼ ἐστὶ καὶ ἐξοπίσω τίσις αἰεί.

ἔρξον ὅπως ἐθέλεις καί τοι φίλον ἔπλετο θυμῷ.

"I should have done so at once," replied Poseidon, "if I were not anxious to avoid anything that might displease you; now, therefore, I should like to wreck the Phaeacian ship as it is returning from its escort. This will stop them from escorting people in future; and I should also like to envelop their city under a huge mountain."

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων·

αἶψά κʼ ἐγὼν ἔρξαιμι, κελαινεφές, ὡς ἀγορεύεις·

ἀλλὰ σὸν αἰεὶ θυμὸν ὀπίζομαι ἠδʼ ἀλεείνω.

νῦν αὖ Φαιήκων ἐθέλω περικαλλέα νῆα,

ἐκ πομπῆς ἀνιοῦσαν, ἐν ἠεροειδέϊ πόντῳ

ῥαῖσαι, ἵνʼ ἤδη σχῶνται, ἀπολλήξωσι δὲ πομπῆς

ἀνθρώπων, μέγα δέ σφιν ὄρος πόλει ἀμφικαλύψαι.

"My good friend," answered Zeus, "I should recommend you at the very moment when the people from the city are watching the ship on her way, to turn it into a rock near the land and looking like a ship. This will astonish everybody, and you can then envelop their city under the mountain."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·

ὢ πέπον, ὡς μὲν ἐμῷ θυμῷ δοκεῖ εἶναι ἄριστα,

ὁππότε κεν δὴ πάντες ἐλαυνομένην προΐδωνται

λαοὶ ἀπὸ πτόλιος, θεῖναι λίθον ἐγγύθι γαίης

νηῒ θοῇ ἴκελον, ἵνα θαυμάζωσιν ἅπαντες

ἄνθρωποι, μέγα δέ σφιν ὄρος πόλει ἀμφικαλύψαι.

When earth-encircling Poseidon heard this he went to Scheria where the Phaeacians live, and stayed there till the ship, which was making rapid way, had got close-in. Then he went up to it, turned it into stone, and drove it down with the flat of his hand so as to root it in the ground. After this he went away.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τό γʼ ἄκουσε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων,

βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεν ἐς Σχερίην, ὅθι Φαίηκες γεγάασιν.

ἔνθʼ ἔμενʼ· ἡ δὲ μάλα σχεδὸν ἤλυθε ποντοπόρος νηῦς

ῥίμφα διωκομένη· τῆς δὲ σχεδὸν ἦλθʼ ἐνοσίχθων,

ὅς μιν λᾶαν ἔθηκε καὶ ἐρρίζωσεν ἔνερθε

χειρὶ καταπρηνεῖ ἐλάσας· ὁ δὲ νόσφι βεβήκει.

The Phaeacians then began talking among themselves, and one would turn towards his neighbor, saying, "Who is it that can have rooted the ship in the sea just as she was getting into port? We could see the whole of her only a moment ago."

οἱ δὲ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἔπεα πτερόεντʼ ἀγόρευον

Φαίηκες δολιχήρετμοι, ναυσίκλυτοι ἄνδρες.

ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·

ὤ μοι, τίς δὴ νῆα θοὴν ἐπέδησʼ ἐνὶ πόντῳ

οἴκαδʼ ἐλαυνομένην; καὶ δὴ προὐφαίνετο πᾶσα.

This was how they talked, but they knew nothing about it; and Alkinoos said, "I remember now the old prophecy of my father. He said that Poseidon would be angry with us for taking every one so safely over the sea, and would one day wreck a Phaeacian ship as it was returning from an escort, and envelop our city with a high mountain. This was what my old father used to say, and now it is all coming true. Now therefore let us all do as I say; in the first place we must leave off giving people escorts when they come here, and in the next let us sacrifice twelve picked [ krinô ] bulls to Poseidon that he may have mercy upon us, and not envelop our city with the high mountain." When the people heard this they were afraid and got ready the bulls.

ὣς ἄρα τις εἴπεσκε· τὰ δʼ οὐκ ἴσαν ὡς ἐτέτυκτο.

τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀλκίνοος ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

ὢ πόποι, ἦ μάλα δή με παλαίφατα θέσφαθʼ ἱκάνει

πατρὸς ἐμοῦ, ὃς ἔφασκε Ποσειδάωνʼ ἀγάσασθαι

ἡμῖν, οὕνεκα πομποὶ ἀπήμονές εἰμεν ἁπάντων.

φῆ ποτὲ Φαιήκων ἀνδρῶν περικαλλέα, νῆα,

ἐκ πομπῆς ἀνιοῦσαν, ἐν ἠεροειδέϊ πόντῳ

ῥαισέμεναι, μέγα δʼ ἧμιν ὄρος πόλει ἀμφικαλύψειν.

ὣς ἀγόρευʼ ὁ γέρων· τὰ δὲ δὴ νῦν πάντα τελεῖται.

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ, ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω, πειθώμεθα πάντες·

πομπῆς μὲν παύσασθε βροτῶν, ὅτε κέν τις ἵκηται

ἡμέτερον προτὶ ἄστυ· Ποσειδάωνι δὲ ταύρους

δώδεκα κεκριμένους ἱερεύσομεν, αἴ κʼ ἐλεήσῃ,

μηδʼ ἡμῖν περίμηκες ὄρος πόλει ἀμφικαλύψῃ.

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἔδεισαν, ἑτοιμάσσαντο δὲ ταύρους.

Thus did the chiefs and rulers of the dêmos of the Phaeacians to king Poseidon, standing round his altar; and at the same time Odysseus woke up once more upon his own soil. He had been so long away that he did not know it again; moreover, Zeus’ daughter Athena had made it a foggy day, so that people might not know of his having come, and that she might tell him everything without either his wife or his fellow citizens and friends recognizing him until he had taken his revenge upon the wicked suitors. Everything, therefore, seemed quite different to him - the long straight tracks, the harbors, the precipices, and the goodly trees, appeared all changed as he started up and looked upon his native land. So he smote his thighs with the flat of his hands and cried aloud despairingly.

ὣς οἱ μέν ῥʼ εὔχοντο Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι

δήμου Φαιήκων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες,

ἑσταότες περὶ βωμόν. ὁ δʼ ἔγρετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

εὕδων ἐν γαίῃ πατρωΐῃ, οὐδέ μιν ἔγνω,

ἤδη δὴν ἀπεών· περὶ γὰρ θεὸς ἠέρα χεῦε

Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίη, κούρη Διός, ὄφρα μιν αὐτὸν

ἄγνωστον τεύξειεν ἕκαστά τε μυθήσαιτο,

μή μιν πρὶν ἄλοχος γνοίη ἀστοί τε φίλοι τε,

πρὶν πᾶσαν μνηστῆρας ὑπερβασίην ἀποτῖσαι.

τοὔνεκʼ ἄρʼ ἀλλοειδέα φαινέσκετο πάντα ἄνακτι,

ἀτραπιτοί τε διηνεκέες λιμένες τε πάνορμοι

πέτραι τʼ ἠλίβατοι καὶ δένδρεα τηλεθόωντα.

στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀναΐξας καί ῥʼ εἴσιδε πατρίδα γαῖαν·

ᾤμωξέν τʼ ἄρ ἔπειτα καὶ ὣ πεπλήγετο μηρὼ

χερσὶ καταπρηνέσσʼ, ὀλοφυρόμενος δʼ ἔπος ηὔδα·

"Alas," he exclaimed, "among what manner of people am I fallen? Are they savage and uncivilized [not dikaios ] or hospitable and endowed with god-fearing noos ? Where shall I put all this treasure, and which way shall I go? I wish I had stayed over there with the Phaeacians; or I could have gone to some other great chief who would have been good to me and given me an escort. As it is I do not know where to put my treasure, and I cannot leave it here for fear somebody else should get hold of it. In good truth the chiefs and rulers of the Phaeacians have not been dealing fairly [ dikaios ] by me, and have left me in the wrong country; they said they would take me back to Ithaca and they have not done so: may Zeus the protector of suppliants chastise them, for he watches over everybody and punishes those who do wrong. Still, I suppose I must count my goods and see if the crew have gone off with any of them."

ὤ μοι ἐγώ, τέων αὖτε βροτῶν ἐς γαῖαν ἱκάνω;

ἦ ῥʼ οἵ γʼ ὑβρισταί τε καὶ ἄγριοι οὐδὲ δίκαιοι,

ἦε φιλόξεινοι, καί σφιν νόος ἐστὶ θεουδής;

πῇ δὴ χρήματα πολλὰ φέρω τάδε; πῇ τε καὶ αὐτὸς

πλάζομαι; αἴθʼ ὄφελον μεῖναι παρὰ Φαιήκεσσιν

αὐτοῦ· ἐγὼ δέ κεν ἄλλον ὑπερμενέων βασιλήων

ἐξικόμην, ὅς κέν μʼ ἐφίλει καὶ ἔπεμπε νέεσθαι.

νῦν δʼ οὔτʼ ἄρ πῃ θέσθαι ἐπίσταμαι, οὐδὲ μὲν αὐτοῦ

καλλείψω, μή πώς μοι ἕλωρ ἄλλοισι γένηται.

ὢ πόποι, οὐκ ἄρα πάντα νοήμονες οὐδὲ δίκαιοι

ἦσαν Φαιήκων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες,

οἵ μʼ εἰς ἄλλην γαῖαν ἀπήγαγον, ἦ τέ μʼ ἔφαντο

ἄξειν εἰς Ἰθάκην εὐδείελον, οὐδʼ ἐτέλεσσαν.

Ζεὺς σφέας τίσαιτο ἱκετήσιος, ὅς τε καὶ ἄλλους

ἀνθρώπους ἐφορᾷ καὶ τίνυται ὅς τις ἁμάρτῃ.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ τὰ χρήματʼ ἀριθμήσω καὶ ἴδωμαι,

μή τί μοι οἴχωνται κοίλης ἐπὶ νηὸς ἄγοντες.

He counted his goodly coppers and cauldrons, his gold and all his clothes, but there was nothing missing; still he kept grieving about not being in his own country, and wandered up and down by the shore of the sounding sea bewailing his hard fate. Then Athena came up to him disguised as a young shepherd of delicate and princely mien, with a good cloak folded double about her shoulders; she had sandals on her comely feet and held a javelin in her hand. Odysseus was glad when he saw her, and went straight up to her.

ὣς εἰπὼν τρίποδας περικαλλέας ἠδὲ λέβητας

ἠρίθμει καὶ χρυσὸν ὑφαντά τε εἵματα καλά.

τῶν μὲν ἄρʼ ὀύ τι πόθει· ὁ δʼ ὀδύρετο πατρίδα γαῖαν

ἑρπύζων παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης,

πόλλʼ ὀλοφυρόμενος. σχεδόθεν δέ οἱ ἦλθεν Ἀθήνη,

ἀνδρὶ δέμας εἰκυῖα νέῳ, ἐπιβώτορι μήλων,

παναπάλῳ, οἷοί τε ἀνάκτων παῖδες ἔασι,

δίπτυχον ἀμφʼ ὤμοισιν ἔχουσʼ εὐεργέα λώπην·

ποσσὶ δʼ ὑπὸ λιπαροῖσι πέδιλʼ ἔχε, χερσὶ δʼ ἄκοντα.

τὴν δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς γήθησεν ἰδὼν καὶ ἐναντίος ἦλθε,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

"My friend," said he, "you are the first person whom I have met with in this country; I salute you, therefore, and beg you to be well disposed in noos towards me. Protect these my goods, and myself too, for I embrace your knees and pray to you as though you were a god. Tell me, then, and tell me truly, what land and country [ dêmos ] is this? Who are its inhabitants? Am I on an island, or is this the sea board of some continent?"

ὦ φίλʼ, ἐπεί σε πρῶτα κιχάνω τῷδʼ ἐνὶ χώρῳ,

χαῖρέ τε καὶ μή μοί τι κακῷ νόῳ ἀντιβολήσαις,

ἀλλὰ σάω μὲν ταῦτα, σάω δʼ ἐμέ· σοὶ γὰρ ἐγώ γε

εὔχομαι ὥς τε θεῷ καί σευ φίλα γούναθʼ ἱκάνω.

καί μοι τοῦτʼ ἀγόρευσον ἐτήτυμον, ὄφρʼ ἐῢ εἰδῶ·

τίς γῆ, τίς δῆμος, τίνες ἀνέρες ἐγγεγάασιν;

ἦ πού τις νήσων εὐδείελος, ἦέ τις ἀκτὴ

κεῖθʼ ἁλὶ κεκλιμένη ἐριβώλακος ἠπείροιο;

Athena answered, "Stranger, you must be very simple, or must have come from somewhere a long way off, not to know what country this is. It is a very celebrated place, and everybody knows it East and West. It is rugged and not a good driving country, but it is by no means a bad island for what there is of it. It grows any quantity of grain and also wine, for it is watered both by rain and dew; it breeds cattle also and goats; all kinds of timber grow here, and there are watering places where the water never runs dry; so, sir, the name of Ithaca is known even as far as Troy , which I understand to be a long way off from this Achaean country."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

νήπιός εἰς, ὦ ξεῖνʼ, ἢ τηλόθεν εἰλήλουθας,

εἰ δὴ τήνδε τε γαῖαν ἀνείρεαι. οὐδέ τι λίην

οὕτω νώνυμός ἐστιν· ἴσασι δέ μιν μάλα πολλοί,

ἠμὲν ὅσοι ναίουσι πρὸς ἠῶ τʼ ἠέλιόν τε,

ἠδʼ ὅσσοι μετόπισθε ποτὶ ζόφον ἠερόεντα.

ἦ τοι μὲν τρηχεῖα καὶ οὐχ ἱππήλατός ἐστιν,

οὐδὲ λίην λυπρή, ἀτὰρ οὐδʼ εὐρεῖα τέτυκται.

ἐν μὲν γάρ οἱ σῖτος ἀθέσφατος, ἐν δέ τε οἶνος

γίγνεται· αἰεὶ δʼ ὄμβρος ἔχει τεθαλυῖά τʼ ἐέρση·

αἰγίβοτος δʼ ἀγαθὴ καὶ βούβοτος· ἔστι μὲν ὕλη

παντοίη, ἐν δʼ ἀρδμοὶ ἐπηετανοὶ παρέασι.

τῷ τοι, ξεῖνʼ, Ἰθάκης γε καὶ ἐς Τροίην ὄνομʼ ἵκει,

τήν περ τηλοῦ φασὶν Ἀχαιΐδος ἔμμεναι αἴης.

Odysseus was glad at finding himself, as Athena told him, in his own country, and he began to answer, but he did not speak the truth [ alêthês ], and made up a lying story in the instinctive wiliness of his noos .

ὣς φάτο, γήθησεν δὲ πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

χαίρων ᾗ γαίῃ πατρωΐῃ, ὥς οἱ ἔειπε

Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίη, κούρη Διὸς, αἰγιόχοιο·

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

οὐδʼ ὅ γʼ ἀληθέα εἶπε, πάλιν δʼ ὅ γε λάζετο μῦθον,

αἰεὶ ἐνὶ στήθεσσι νόον πολυκερδέα νωμῶν·

"I heard of Ithaca ," said he, "when I was in Crete beyond the seas, and now it seems I have reached it with all these treasures. I have left as much more behind me for my children, but am fleeing because I killed Orsilokhos son of Idomeneus, the fleetest runner in Crete . I killed him because he wanted to rob me of the spoils I had got from Troy with so much trouble and danger both on the field of battle and by the waves of the weary sea; he said I had not served his father loyally in the Trojan dêmos as vassal, but had set myself up as an independent ruler, so I lay in wait for him and with one of my followers by the road side, and speared him as he was coming into town from the country. It was a very dark night and nobody saw us; it was not known, therefore, that I had killed him, but as soon as I had done so I went to a ship and besought the owners, who were Phoenicians, to take me on board and set me in Pylos or in Elis where the Epeans rule, giving them as much spoil as satisfied them. They meant no guile, but the wind drove them off their course, and we sailed on till we came hither by night. It was all we could do to get inside the harbor, and none of us said a word about supper though we wanted it badly, but we all went on shore and lay down just as we were. I was very tired and fell asleep directly, so they took my goods out of the ship, and placed them beside me where I was lying upon the sand. Then they sailed away to Sidonia, and I was left here in great distress of mind."

πυνθανόμην Ἰθάκης γε καὶ ἐν Κρήτῃ εὐρείῃ,

τηλοῦ ὑπὲρ πόντου· νῦν δʼ εἰλήλουθα καὶ αὐτὸς

χρήμασι σὺν τοίσδεσσι· λιπὼν δʼ ἔτι παισὶ τοσαῦτα

φεύγω, ἐπεὶ φίλον υἷα κατέκτανον Ἰδομενῆος,

Ὀρσίλοχον πόδας ὠκύν, ὃς ἐν Κρήτῃ εὐρείῃ

ἀνέρας ἀλφηστὰς νίκα ταχέεσσι πόδεσσιν,

οὕνεκά με στερέσαι τῆς ληΐδος ἤθελε πάσης

Τρωϊάδος, τῆς εἵνεκʼ ἐγὼ πάθον ἄλγεα θυμῷ,

ἀνδρῶν τε πτολέμους ἀλεγεινά τε κύματα πείρων,

οὕνεκʼ ἄρʼ οὐχ ᾧ πατρὶ χαριζόμενος θεράπευον

δήμῳ ἔνι Τρώων, ἀλλʼ ἄλλων ἦρχον ἑταίρων.

τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ κατιόντα βάλον χαλκήρεϊ δουρὶ

ἀγρόθεν, ἐγγὺς ὁδοῖο λοχησάμενος σὺν ἑταίρῳ·

νὺξ δὲ μάλα δνοφερὴ κάτεχʼ οὐρανόν, οὐδέ τις ἡμέας

ἀνθρώπων ἐνόησε, λάθον δέ ἑ θυμὸν ἀπούρας.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τόν γε κατέκτανον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,

αὐτίκʼ ἐγὼν ἐπὶ νῆα κιὼν Φοίνικας ἀγαυοὺς

ἐλλισάμην, καί σφιν μενοεικέα ληΐδα δῶκα·

τούς μʼ ἐκέλευσα Πύλονδε καταστῆσαι καὶ ἐφέσσαι

ἢ εἰς Ἤλιδα δῖαν, ὅθι κρατέουσιν Ἐπειοί.

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι σφέας κεῖθεν ἀπώσατο ἲς ἀνέμοιο

πόλλʼ ἀεκαζομένους, οὐδʼ ἤθελον ἐξαπατῆσαι.

κεῖθεν δὲ πλαγχθέντες ἱκάνομεν ἐνθάδε νυκτός.

σπουδῇ δʼ ἐς λιμένα προερέσσαμεν, οὐδέ τις ἡμῖν

δόρπου μνῆστις ἔην, μάλα περ χατέουσιν ἑλέσθαι,

ἀλλʼ αὔτως ἀποβάντες ἐκείμεθα νηὸς ἅπαντες.

ἔνθʼ ἐμὲ μὲν γλυκὺς ὕπνος ἐπήλυθε κεκμηῶτα,

οἱ δὲ χρήματʼ ἐμὰ γλαφυρῆς ἐκ νηὸς ἑλόντες

κάτθεσαν, ἔνθα περ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ ψαμάθοισιν ἐκείμην.

οἱ δʼ ἐς Σιδονίην εὖ ναιομένην ἀναβάντες

ᾤχοντʼ· αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ λιπόμην ἀκαχήμενος ἦτορ.

Such was his story, but Athena smiled and caressed him with her hand. Then she took the form of a woman, fair, stately, and wise, "He must be indeed a shifty and deceitful person," said she, "who could surpass you in all manner of craft [ kerdos ] even though you had a god for your antagonist. Daring that you are, full of guile, unwearying in deceit [ apatê ], can you not drop your tricks and your instinctive falsehood, even now that you are in your own country again? We will say no more, however, about this, for we both of us know craftiness [ kerdos ] upon occasion - you are the best counselor and orator among all humankind, while I for diplomacy and crafty ways [ kerdea ] have fame [ kleos ] among the gods. Did you not know Zeus’ daughter Athena - me, who have been ever with you, who kept watch over you in all your ordeals [ ponoi ], and who made the Phaeacians take so great a liking to you? And now, again, I am come here to talk things over with you, and help you to hide the treasure I made the Phaeacians give you; I want to tell you about the troubles that await you in your own house; you have got to face them, but tell no one, neither man nor woman, that you have come home again. Bear everything, and put up with every man's violent insolence [ biê ], without a word."

ὣς φάτο, μείδησεν δὲ θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,

χειρί τέ μιν κατέρεξε· δέμας δʼ ἤϊκτο γυναικὶ

καλῇ τε μεγάλῃ τε καὶ ἀγλαὰ ἔργα ἰδυίῃ·

καί μιν φωνήσασʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

κερδαλέος κʼ εἴη καὶ ἐπίκλοπος ὅς σε παρέλθοι

ἐν πάντεσσι δόλοισι, καὶ εἰ θεὸς ἀντιάσειε.

σχέτλιε, ποικιλομῆτα, δόλων ἆτʼ, οὐκ ἄρʼ ἔμελλες,

οὐδʼ ἐν σῇ περ ἐὼν γαίῃ, λήξειν ἀπατάων

μύθων τε κλοπίων, οἵ τοι πεδόθεν φίλοι εἰσίν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε, μηκέτι ταῦτα λεγώμεθα, εἰδότες ἄμφω

κέρδεʼ, ἐπεὶ σὺ μέν ἐσσι βροτῶν ὄχʼ ἄριστος ἁπάντων

βουλῇ καὶ μύθοισιν, ἐγὼ δʼ ἐν πᾶσι θεοῖσι

μήτι τε κλέομαι καὶ κέρδεσιν· οὐδὲ σύ γʼ ἔγνως

Παλλάδʼ Ἀθηναίην, κούρην Διός, ἥ τέ τοι αἰεὶ

ἐν πάντεσσι πόνοισι παρίσταμαι ἠδὲ φυλάσσω,

καὶ δέ σε Φαιήκεσσι φίλον πάντεσσιν ἔθηκα,

νῦν αὖ δεῦρʼ ἱκόμην, ἵνα τοι σὺν μῆτιν ὑφήνω

χρήματά τε κρύψω, ὅσα τοι Φαίηκες ἀγαυοὶ

ὤπασαν οἴκαδʼ ἰόντι ἐμῇ βουλῇ τε νόῳ τε,

εἴπω θʼ ὅσσα τοι αἶσα δόμοις ἔνι ποιητοῖσι

κήδεʼ ἀνασχέσθαι· σὺ δὲ τετλάμεναι καὶ ἀνάγκῃ,

μηδέ τῳ ἐκφάσθαι μήτʼ ἀνδρῶν μήτε γυναικῶν,

πάντων, οὕνεκʼ ἄρʼ ἦλθες ἀλώμενος, ἀλλὰ σιωπῇ

πάσχειν ἄλγεα πολλά, βίας ὑποδέγμενος ἀνδρῶν.

And Odysseus answered, "A man, goddess, may know a great deal, but you are so constantly changing your appearance that when he meets you it is a hard matter for him to know whether it is you or not. This much, however, I know exceedingly well; you were very kind to me as long as we Achaeans were fighting before Troy , but from the day on which we went on board ship after having sacked the city of Priam, and heaven dispersed us - from that day, Athena, I saw no more of you, and cannot ever remember your coming to my ship to help me in a difficulty; I had to wander on sick and sorry till the gods delivered me from evil and I reached the dêmos of the Phaeacians, where you encouraged me and took me into the town. And now, I beseech you in your father's name, tell me the truth, for I do not believe I am really back in Ithaca . I am in some other country and you are mocking me and deceiving me in all you have been saying. Tell me then truly, have I really got back to my own country?"

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

ἀργαλέον σε, θεά, γνῶναι βροτῷ ἀντιάσαντι,

καὶ μάλʼ ἐπισταμένῳ· σὲ γὰρ αὐτὴν παντὶ ἐΐσκεις.

τοῦτο δʼ ἐγὼν εὖ οἶδʼ, ὅτι μοι πάρος ἠπίη ἦσθα,

ἧος ἐνὶ Τροίῃ πολεμίζομεν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Πριάμοιο πόλιν διεπέρσαμεν αἰπήν,

βῆμεν δʼ ἐν νήεσσι, θεὸς δʼ ἐκέδασσεν Ἀχαιούς,

οὔ σέ γʼ ἔπειτα ἴδον, κούρη Διός, οὐδʼ ἐνόησα

νηὸς ἐμῆς ἐπιβᾶσαν, ὅπως τί μοι ἄλγος ἀλάλκοις.

ἀλλʼ αἰεὶ φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἔχων δεδαϊγμένον ἦτορ

ἠλώμην, ἧός με θεοὶ κακότητος ἔλυσαν·

πρίν γʼ ὅτε Φαιήκων ἀνδρῶν ἐν πίονι δήμῳ

θάρσυνάς τε ἔπεσσι καὶ ἐς πόλιν ἤγαγες αὐτή.

νῦν δέ σε πρὸς πατρὸς γουνάζομαι—οὐ γὰρ ὀΐω

ἥκειν εἰς Ἰθάκην εὐδείελον, ἀλλά τινʼ ἄλλην

γαῖαν ἀναστρέφομαι· σὲ δὲ κερτομέουσαν ὀΐω

ταῦτʼ ἀγορευέμεναι, ἵνʼ ἐμὰς φρένας ἠπεροπεύσῃς—

εἰπέ μοι εἰ ἐτεόν γε φίλην ἐς πατρίδʼ ἱκάνω.

"You are always taking something of that sort into your head," replied Athena, "and that is why I cannot desert you in your afflictions; you are so plausible, shrewd and shifty. Any one but yourself on returning from so long a voyage would at once have gone home to see his wife and children, but you do not seem to care about asking after them or hearing any news about them till you have made trial of your wife, who remains at home vainly grieving for you, and having no peace night or day for the tears she sheds on your behalf. As for my not coming near you, I was never uneasy about you, for I was certain you would get back safely though you would lose all your men, and I did not wish to quarrel with my uncle Poseidon, who never forgave you for having blinded his son. I will now, however, point out to you the lie of the land, and you will then perhaps believe me. This is the haven of the Old One of the Sea, Phorkys, and here is the olive tree that grows at the head of it; [near it is the cave sacred to the Naiads;] here too is the overarching cavern in which you have offered many an acceptable hecatomb to the nymphs, and this is the wooded mountain Neritum."

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

αἰεί τοι τοιοῦτον ἐνὶ στήθεσσι νόημα·

τῷ σε καὶ οὐ δύναμαι προλιπεῖν δύστηνον ἐόντα,

οὕνεκʼ ἐπητής ἐσσι καὶ ἀγχίνοος καὶ ἐχέφρων.

ἀσπασίως γάρ κʼ ἄλλος ἀνὴρ ἀλαλήμενος ἐλθὼν

ἵετʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροις ἰδέειν παῖδάς τʼ ἄλοχόν τε·

σοὶ δʼ οὔ πω φίλον ἐστὶ δαήμεναι οὐδὲ πυθέσθαι,

πρίν γʼ ἔτι σῆς ἀλόχου πειρήσεαι, ἥ τέ τοι αὔτως

ἧσται ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν, ὀϊζυραὶ δέ οἱ αἰεὶ

φθίνουσιν νύκτες τε καὶ ἤματα δάκρυ χεούσῃ.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ τὸ μὲν οὔ ποτʼ ἀπίστεον, ἀλλʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ

ᾔδεʼ, ὃ νοστήσεις ὀλέσας ἄπο πάντας ἑταίρους·

ἀλλά τοι οὐκ ἐθέλησα Ποσειδάωνι μάχεσθαι

πατροκασιγνήτῳ, ὅς τοι κότον ἔνθετο θυμῷ,

χωόμενος ὅτι οἱ υἱὸν φίλον ἐξαλάωσας.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε τοι δείξω Ἰθάκης ἕδος, ὄφρα πεποίθῃς.

Φόρκυνος μὲν ὅδʼ ἐστὶ λιμήν, ἁλίοιο γέροντος,

ἥδε δʼ ἐπὶ κρατὸς λιμένος τανύφυλλος ἐλαίη·

ἀγχόθι δʼ αὐτῆς ἄντρον ἐπήρατον ἠεροειδές,

ἱρὸν νυμφάων, αἳ νηϊάδες καλέονται·

τοῦτο δέ τοι σπέος ἐστὶ κατηρεφές, ἔνθα σὺ πολλὰς

ἔρδεσκες νύμφῃσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας·

τοῦτο δὲ Νήριτόν ἐστιν ὄρος καταειμένον ὕλῃ.

As she spoke the goddess dispersed the mist and the land appeared. Then Odysseus rejoiced at finding himself again in his own land, and kissed the bounteous soil; he lifted up his hands and prayed to the nymphs, saying, "Naiad nymphs, daughters of Zeus, I made sure that I was never again to see you, now therefore I greet you with all loving salutations, and I will bring you offerings as in the old days, if Zeus’ redoubtable daughter will grant me life, and bring my son to manhood."

ὣς εἰποῦσα θεὰ σκέδασʼ ἠέρα, εἴσατο δὲ χθών·

γήθησέν τʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

χαίρων ᾗ γαίῃ, κύσε δὲ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν.

αὐτίκα δὲ νύμφῃς ἠρήσατο, χεῖρας ἀνασχών·

νύμφαι νηϊάδες, κοῦραι Διός, οὔ ποτʼ ἐγώ γε

ὄψεσθʼ ὔμμʼ ἐφάμην· νῦν δʼ εὐχωλῇς ἀγανῇσι

χαίρετʼ· ἀτὰρ καὶ δῶρα διδώσομεν, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ,

αἴ κεν ἐᾷ πρόφρων με Διὸς θυγάτηρ ἀγελείη

αὐτόν τε ζώειν καί μοι φίλον υἱὸν ἀέξῃ.

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

"Take heart, and do not trouble yourself about that," rejoined Athena, "let us rather set about stowing your things at once in the cave, where they will be quite safe. Let us see how we can best manage it all."

θάρσει, μή τοι ταῦτα μετὰ φρεσὶ σῇσι μελόντων.

ἀλλὰ χρήματα μὲν μυχῷ ἄντρου θεσπεσίοιο

θείμεν αὐτίκα νῦν, ἵνα περ τάδε τοι σόα μίμνῃ·

αὐτοὶ δὲ φραζώμεθʼ ὅπως ὄχʼ ἄριστα γένηται.

Therewith she went down into the cave to look for the safest hiding places, while Odysseus brought up all the treasure of gold, bronze, and good clothing which the Phaeacians had given him. They stowed everything carefully away, and Athena set a stone against the door of the cave. Then the two sat down by the root of the great olive, and consulted how to compass the destruction of the wicked suitors.

ὣς εἰποῦσα θεὰ δῦνε σπέος ἠεροειδές,

μαιομένη κευθμῶνας ἀνὰ σπέος· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

ἆσσον πάντʼ ἐφόρει, χρυσὸν καὶ ἀτειρέα χαλκὸν

εἵματά τʼ εὐποίητα, τά οἱ Φαίηκες ἔδωκαν.

καὶ τὰ μὲν εὖ κατέθηκε, λίθον δʼ ἐπέθηκε θύρῃσι

Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίη, κούρη Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.

τὼ δὲ καθεζομένω ἱερῆς παρὰ πυθμένʼ ἐλαίης

φραζέσθην μνηστῆρσιν ὑπερφιάλοισιν ὄλεθρον.

τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

"Odysseus," said Athena, "noble son of Laertes , think how you can lay hands on these disreputable people who have been lording it in your house these three years, courting your wife and making wedding presents to her, while she does nothing but mourning your nostos , giving hope and sending encouraging messages to every one of them, but meaning [in her noos ] the very opposite of all she says."

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

φράζευ ὅπως μνηστῆρσιν ἀναιδέσι χεῖρας ἐφήσεις,

οἳ δή τοι τρίετες μέγαρον κάτα κοιρανέουσι,

μνώμενοι ἀντιθέην ἄλοχον καὶ ἕδνα διδόντες·

ἡ δὲ σὸν αἰεὶ νόστον ὀδυρομένη κατὰ θυμὸν

πάντας μέν ῥʼ ἔλπει καὶ ὑπίσχεται ἀνδρὶ ἑκάστῳ,

ἀγγελίας προϊεῖσα, νόος δέ οἱ ἄλλα μενοινᾷ.

And Odysseus answered, "In good truth, goddess, it seems I should have come to much the same bad end in my own house as Agamemnon did, if you had not given me such timely information. Advise me how I shall best avenge myself. Stand by my side and put your courage into my heart as on the day when we loosed Troy 's fair diadem from her brow. Help me now as you did then, and I will fight three hundred men, if you, goddess, will be with me."

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

ὢ πόποι, ἦ μάλα δὴ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο

φθίσεσθαι κακὸν οἶτον ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἔμελλον,

εἰ μή μοι σὺ ἕκαστα, θεά, κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μῆτιν ὕφηνον, ὅπως ἀποτίσομαι αὐτούς·

πὰρ δέ μοι αὐτὴ στῆθι, μένος πολυθαρσὲς ἐνεῖσα,

οἷον ὅτε Τροίης λύομεν λιπαρὰ κρήδεμνα.

αἴ κέ μοι ὣς μεμαυῖα παρασταίης, γλαυκῶπι,

καί κε τριηκοσίοισιν ἐγὼν ἄνδρεσσι μαχοίμην

σὺν σοί, πότνα θεά, ὅτε μοι πρόφρασσʼ ἐπαρήγοις.

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

"Trust me for that," said she, "I will not lose sight of you when once we set about it, and I would imagine that some of those who are devouring your substance will then bespatter the pavement with their blood and brains. I will begin by disguising you so that no human being shall know you; I will cover your body with wrinkles; you shall lose all your yellow hair; I will clothe you in a garment that shall fill all who see it with loathing; I will blear your fine eyes for you, and make you an unseemly object in the sight of the suitors, of your wife, and of the son whom you left behind you. Then go at once to the swineherd who is in charge of your pigs; he has been always well affected towards you, and is devoted to Penelope and your son; you will find him feeding his pigs near the rock that is called Raven by the fountain Arethusa, where they are fattening on beechmast and spring water after their manner. Stay with him and find out how things are going, while I proceed to Sparta and see your son, who is with Menelaos at Lacedaemon , where he has gone to try and find a report [ kleos ] on whether you are still alive."

καὶ λίην τοι ἐγώ γε παρέσσομαι, οὐδέ με λήσεις,

ὁππότε κεν δὴ ταῦτα πενώμεθα· καί τινʼ ὀΐω

αἵματί τʼ ἐγκεφάλῳ τε παλαξέμεν ἄσπετον οὖδας

ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων, οἵ τοι βίοτον κατέδουσιν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε σʼ ἄγνωστον τεύξω πάντεσσι βροτοῖσι·

κάρψω μὲν χρόα καλὸν ἐνὶ γναμπτοῖσι μέλεσσι,

ξανθὰς δʼ ἐκ κεφαλῆς ὀλέσω τρίχας, ἀμφὶ δὲ λαῖφος

ἕσσω ὅ κε στυγέῃσιν ἰδὼν ἄνθρωπον ἔχοντα,

κνυζώσω δέ τοι ὄσσε πάρος περικαλλέʼ ἐόντε,

ὡς ἂν ἀεικέλιος πᾶσι μνηστῆρσι φανήῃς

σῇ τʼ ἀλόχῳ καὶ παιδί, τὸν ἐν μεγάροισιν ἔλειπες.

αὐτὸς δὲ πρώτιστα συβώτην εἰσαφικέσθαι,

ὅς τοι ὑῶν ἐπίουρος, ὁμῶς δέ τοι ἤπια οἶδε,

παῖδά τε σὸν φιλέει καὶ ἐχέφρονα Πηνελόπειαν.

δήεις τόν γε σύεσσι παρήμενον· αἱ δὲ νέμονται

πὰρ Κόρακος πέτρῃ ἐπί τε κρήνῃ Ἀρεθούσῃ,

ἔσθουσαι βάλανον μενοεικέα καὶ μέλαν ὕδωρ

πίνουσαι, τά θʼ ὕεσσι τρέφει τεθαλυῖαν ἀλοιφήν.

ἔνθα μένειν καὶ πάντα παρήμενος ἐξερέεσθαι,

ὄφρʼ ἂν ἐγὼν ἔλθω Σπάρτην ἐς καλλιγύναικα

Τηλέμαχον καλέουσα, τεὸν φίλον υἱόν, Ὀδυσσεῦ·

ὅς τοι ἐς εὐρύχορον Λακεδαίμονα πὰρ Μενέλαον

ᾤχετο πευσόμενος μετὰ σὸν κλέος, εἴ που ἔτʼ εἴης.

"But why," said Odysseus, "did you not tell him, for you knew all about it? Did you want him too to go sailing about amid all kinds of hardship while others are eating up his estate?"

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

τίπτε τʼ ἄρʼ οὔ οἱ ἔειπες, ἐνὶ φρεσὶ πάντα ἰδυῖα;

ἦ ἵνα που καὶ κεῖνος ἀλώμενος ἄλγεα πάσχῃ

πόντον ἐπʼ ἀτρύγετον· βίοτον δέ οἱ ἄλλοι ἔδουσι;

Athena answered, "Never mind about him, I sent him that he might be well spoken [ kleos ] of for having gone. He is in no sort of difficulty [ ponos ], but is staying quite comfortably with Menelaos, and is surrounded with abundance of every kind. The suitors have put out to sea and are lying in wait for him, for they mean to kill him before he can get home. I do not much think they will succeed, but rather that some of those who are now eating up your estate will first find a grave themselves."

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

μὴ δή τοι κεῖνός γε λίην ἐνθύμιος ἔστω.

αὐτή μιν πόμπευον, ἵνα κλέος ἐσθλὸν ἄροιτο

κεῖσʼ ἐλθών· ἀτὰρ οὔ τινʼ ἔχει πόνον, ἀλλὰ ἕκηλος

ἧσται ἐν Ἀτρεΐδαο δόμοις, παρὰ δʼ ἄσπετα κεῖται.

ἦ μέν μιν λοχόωσι νέοι σὺν νηῒ μελαίνῃ,

ἱέμενοι κτεῖναι, πρὶν πατρίδα γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι·

ἀλλὰ τά γʼ οὐκ ὀΐω, πρὶν καί τινα γαῖα καθέξει

ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων, οἵ τοι βίοτον κατέδουσιν.

As she spoke Athena touched him with her wand and covered him with wrinkles, took away all his yellow hair, and withered the flesh over his whole body; she bleared his eyes, which were naturally very fine ones; she changed his clothes and threw an old rag of a wrap about him, and a tunic, tattered, filthy, and begrimed with smoke; she also gave him an undressed deer skin as an outer garment, and furnished him with a staff and a wallet all in holes, with a twisted thong for him to sling it over his shoulder.

ὣς ἄρα μιν φαμένη ῥάβδῳ ἐπεμάσσατʼ Ἀθήνη.

κάρψεν μὲν χρόα καλὸν ἐνὶ γναμπτοῖσι μέλεσσι,

ξανθὰς δʼ ἐκ κεφαλῆς ὄλεσε τρίχας, ἀμφὶ δὲ δέρμα

πάντεσσιν μελέεσσι παλαιοῦ θῆκε γέροντος,

κνύζωσεν δέ οἱ ὄσσε πάρος περικαλλέʼ ἐόντε·

ἀμφὶ δέ μιν ῥάκος ἄλλο κακὸν βάλεν ἠδὲ χιτῶνα,

ῥωγαλέα ῥυπόωντα, κακῷ μεμορυγμένα καπνῷ·

ἀμφὶ δέ μιν μέγα δέρμα ταχείης ἕσσʼ ἐλάφοιο,

ψιλόν· δῶκε δέ οἱ σκῆπτρον καὶ ἀεικέα πήρην,

πυκνὰ ῥωγαλέην· ἐν δὲ στρόφος ἦεν ἀορτήρ.

When the pair had thus laid their plans they parted, and the goddess went straight to Lacedaemon to fetch Telemakhos.

τώ γʼ ὣς βουλεύσαντε διέτμαγεν. ἡ μὲν ἔπειτα

ἐς Λακεδαίμονα δῖαν ἔβη μετὰ παῖδʼ Ὀδυσῆος.