Odyssey

Meanwhile Odysseus and the swineherd had lit a fire in the hut and were getting breakfast ready at daybreak for they had sent the men out with the pigs. When Telemakhos came up, the dogs did not bark, but fawned upon him, so Odysseus, hearing the sound of feet and noticing that the dogs did not bark, said to Eumaios:

τὼ δʼ αὖτʼ ἐν κλισίῃ Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ δῖος ὑφορβὸς

ἐντύνοντο ἄριστον ἅμʼ ἠοῖ, κηαμένω πῦρ,

ἔκπεμψάν τε νομῆας ἅμʼ ἀγρομένοισι σύεσσι·

Τηλέμαχον δὲ περίσσαινον κύνες ὑλακόμωροι,

οὐδʼ ὕλαον προσιόντα. νόησε δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

σαίνοντάς τε κύνας, περί τε κτύπος ἦλθε ποδοῖϊν.

αἶψα δʼ ἄρʼ Εὔμαιον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

"Eumaios, I hear footsteps; I suppose one of your men or some one of your acquaintance is coming here, for the dogs are fawning upon him and not barking."

Εὔμαιʼ, ἦ μάλα τίς τοι ἐλεύσεται ἐνθάδʼ ἑταῖρος

ἢ καὶ γνώριμος ἄλλος, ἐπεὶ κύνες οὐχ ὑλάουσιν,

ἀλλὰ περισσαίνουσι· ποδῶν δʼ ὑπὸ δοῦπον ἀκούω.

The words were hardly out of his mouth before his son stood at the door. Eumaios sprang to his feet, and the bowls in which he was mixing wine fell from his hands, as he made towards his master. He kissed his head and both his beautiful eyes, and wept for joy. A father could not be more delighted at the return of an only son, the child of his old age, after ten years’ absence in a foreign country and after having gone through much hardship. He embraced him, kissed him all over as though he had come back from the dead, and spoke fondly to him saying:

οὔ πω πᾶν εἴρητο ἔπος, ὅτε οἱ φίλος υἱὸς

ἔστη ἐνὶ προθύροισι. ταφὼν δʼ ἀνόρουσε συβώτης,

ἐκ δʼ ἄρα οἱ χειρῶν πέσον ἄγγεα, τοῖς ἐπονεῖτο,

κιρνὰς αἴθοπα οἶνον. ὁ δʼ ἀντίος ἦλθεν ἄνακτος,

κύσσε δέ μιν κεφαλήν τε καὶ ἄμφω φάεα καλὰ

χεῖράς τʼ ἀμφοτέρας· θαλερὸν δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε δάκρυ.

ὡς δὲ πατὴρ ὃν παῖδα φίλα φρονέων ἀγαπάζῃ

ἐλθόντʼ ἐξ ἀπίης γαίης δεκάτῳ ἐνιαυτῷ,

μοῦνον τηλύγετον, τῷ ἔπʼ ἄλγεα πολλὰ μογήσῃ,

ὣς τότε Τηλέμαχον θεοειδέα δῖος ὑφορβὸς

πάντα κύσεν περιφύς, ὡς ἐκ θανάτοιο φυγόντα·

καί ῥʼ ὀλοφυρόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

"So you are come, Telemakhos, light of my eyes that you are. When I heard you had gone to Pylos I made sure I was never going to see you any more. Come in, my dear child, and sit down, that I may have a good look at you now you are home again; it is not very often you come into the country to see us herdsmen; you stick pretty close to the town generally. I suppose you think it better to keep an eye on what the suitors are doing."

ἦλθες, Τηλέμαχε, γλυκερὸν φάος. οὔ σʼ ἔτʼ ἐγώ γε

ὄψεσθαι ἐφάμην, ἐπεὶ ᾤχεο νηῒ Πύλονδε.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν εἴσελθε, φίλον τέκος, ὄφρα σε θυμῷ

τέρψομαι εἰσορόων νέον ἄλλοθεν ἔνδον ἐόντα.

οὐ μὲν γάρ τι θάμʼ ἀγρὸν ἐπέρχεαι οὐδὲ νομῆας,

ἀλλʼ ἐπιδημεύεις· ὣς γάρ νύ τοι εὔαδε θυμῷ,

ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων ἐσορᾶν ἀΐδηλον ὅμιλον.

"So be it, old friend," answered Telemakhos, "but I am come now because I want to see you, and to learn whether my mother is still at her old home or whether some one else has married her, so that the bed of Odysseus is without bedding and covered with cobwebs."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

ἔσσεται οὕτως, ἄττα· σέθεν δʼ ἕνεκʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἱκάνω,

ὄφρα σέ τʼ ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδω καὶ μῦθον ἀκούσω,

ἤ μοι ἔτʼ ἐν μεγάροις μήτηρ μένει, ἦέ τις ἤδη

ἀνδρῶν ἄλλος ἔγημεν, Ὀδυσσῆος δέ που εὐνὴ

χήτει ἐνευναίων κάκʼ ἀράχνια κεῖται ἔχουσα.

"She is still at the house," replied Eumaios, "grieving and breaking her heart, and doing nothing but weep, both night and day continually."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε συβώτης, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν·

καὶ λίην κείνη γε μένει τετληότι θυμῷ

σοῖσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν· ὀϊζυραὶ δέ οἱ αἰεὶ

φθίνουσιν νύκτες τε καὶ ἤματα δάκρυ χεούσῃ.

As spoke he took Telemakhos’ spear, whereon he crossed the stone threshold and came inside. Odysseus rose from his seat to give him place as he entered, but Telemakhos checked him; "Sit down, stranger." said he, "I can easily find another seat, and there is one here who will lay it for me."

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας οἱ ἐδέξατο χάλκεον ἔγχος·

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ εἴσω ἴεν καὶ ὑπέρβη λάϊνον οὐδόν.

τῷ δʼ ἕδρης ἐπιόντι πατὴρ ὑπόειξεν Ὀδυσσεύς·

Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἐρήτυε φώνησέν τε·

ἧσʼ, ὦ ξεῖνʼ· ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ ἄλλοθι δήομεν ἕδρην

σταθμῷ ἐν ἡμετέρῳ· πάρα δʼ ἀνὴρ ὃς καταθήσει.

Odysseus went back to his own place, and Eumaios strewed some green brushwood on the floor and threw a sheepskin on top of it for Telemakhos to sit upon. Then the swineherd brought them platters of cold meat, the remains from what they had eaten the day before, and he filled the bread baskets with bread as fast as he could. He mixed wine also in bowls of ivy-wood, and took his seat facing Odysseus. Then they laid their hands on the good things that were before them, and as soon as they had had enough to eat and drink Telemakhos said to Eumaios, "Old friend, where does this stranger come from? How did his crew bring him to Ithaca , and who were they?-for assuredly he did not come here by land"’

ὣς φάθʼ, ὁ δʼ αὖτις ἰὼν κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο· τῷ δὲ συβώτης.

χεῦεν ὕπο χλωρὰς ῥῶπας καὶ κῶας ὕπερθεν·

ἔνθα καθέζετʼ ἔπειτα Ὀδυσσῆος φίλος υἱός.

τοῖσιν δʼ αὖ κρειῶν πίνακας παρέθηκε συβώτης

ὀπταλέων, ἅ ῥα τῇ προτέρῃ ὑπέλειπον ἔδοντες,

σῖτον δʼ ἐσσυμένως παρενήνεεν ἐν κανέοισιν,

ἐν δʼ ἄρα κισσυβίῳ κίρνη μελιηδέα οἶνον·

αὐτὸς δʼ ἀντίον ἷζεν Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο.

οἱ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,

δὴ τότε Τηλέμαχος προσεφώνεε δῖον ὑφορβόν·

ἄττα, πόθεν τοι ξεῖνος ὅδʼ ἵκετο; πῶς δέ ἑ ναῦται

ἤγαγον εἰς Ἰθάκην; τίνες ἔμμεναι εὐχετόωντο;

οὐ μὲν γάρ τί ἑ πεζὸν ὀΐομαι ἐνθάδʼ ἱκέσθαι.

To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaios, "My son, I will tell you the real truth [ alêthês ]. He says he is a Cretan, and that he has been a great traveler. At this moment he is running away from a Thesprotian ship, and has refuge at my station, so I will put him into your hands. Do whatever you like with him, only remember that he is your suppliant."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, τέκνον, ἀληθέα πάντʼ ἀγορεύσω.

ἐκ μὲν Κρητάων γένος εὔχεται εὐρειάων,

φησὶ δὲ πολλὰ βροτῶν ἐπὶ ἄστεα δινηθῆναι

πλαζόμενος· ὣς γάρ οἱ ἐπέκλωσεν τά γε δαίμων.

νῦν αὖ Θεσπρωτῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐκ νηὸς ἀποδρὰς

ἤλυθʼ ἐμὸν πρὸς σταθμόν, ἐγὼ δέ τοι ἐγγυαλίξω·

ἔρξον ὅπως ἐθέλεις· ἱκέτης δέ τοι εὔχεται εἶναι.

"I am very much distressed," said Telemakhos, "by what you have just told me. How can I take this stranger into my house? I am as yet young, and am not strong enough to hold my own if any man attacks me. My mother cannot make up her mind whether to stay where she is and look after the house out of respect for public [ dêmos ] opinion and the memory of her husband, or whether the time is now come for her to take the best man of those who are wooing her, and the one who will make her the most advantageous offer; still, as the stranger has come to your station I will find him a cloak and shirt of good wear, with a sword and sandals, and will send him wherever he wants to go. Or if you like you can keep him here at the station, and I will send him clothes and food that he may be no burden on you and on your men; but I will not have him go near the suitors, for they are very insolent [ hubris ], and are sure to ill-treat him in a way that would greatly grieve [ akhos ] me; no matter how valiant a man may be he can do nothing against numbers, for they will be too strong for him."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Εὔμαιʼ, ἦ μάλα τοῦτο ἔπος θυμαλγὲς ἔειπες·

πῶς γὰρ δὴ τὸν ξεῖνον ἐγὼν ὑποδέξομαι οἴκῳ;

αὐτὸς μὲν νέος εἰμὶ καὶ οὔ πω χερσὶ πέποιθα

ἄνδρʼ ἀπαμύνασθαι, ὅτε τις πρότερος χαλεπήνῃ·

μητρὶ δʼ ἐμῇ δίχα θυμὸς ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μερμηρίζει,

ἢ αὐτοῦ παρʼ ἐμοί τε μένῃ καὶ δῶμα κομίζῃ,

εὐνήν τʼ αἰδομένη πόσιος δήμοιό τε φῆμιν,

ἦ ἤδη ἅμʼ ἕπηται Ἀχαιῶν ὅς τις ἄριστος

μνᾶται ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἀνὴρ καὶ πλεῖστα πόρῃσιν.

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοὶ τὸν ξεῖνον, ἐπεὶ τεὸν ἵκετο δῶμα,

ἕσσω μιν χλαῖνάν τε χιτῶνά τε, εἵματα καλά,

δώσω δὲ ξίφος ἄμφηκες καὶ ποσσὶ πέδιλα,

πέμψω δʼ ὅππη μιν κραδίη θυμός τε κελεύει.

εἰ δʼ ἐθέλεις, σὺ κόμισσον ἐνὶ σταθμοῖσιν ἐρύξας·

εἵματα δʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἐγὼ πέμψω καὶ σῖτον ἅπαντα

ἔδμεναι, ὡς ἂν μή σε κατατρύχῃ καὶ ἑταίρους.

κεῖσε δʼ ἂν οὔ μιν ἐγώ γε μετὰ μνηστῆρας ἐῷμι

ἔρχεσθαι· λίην γὰρ ἀτάσθαλον ὕβριν ἔχουσι·

μή μιν κερτομέωσιν, ἐμοὶ δʼ ἄχος ἔσσεται αἰνόν.

πρῆξαι δʼ ἀργαλέον τι μετὰ πλεόνεσσιν ἐόντα

ἄνδρα καὶ ἴφθιμον, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτεροί εἰσι.

Then Odysseus said, "Sir, it is right that I should say something myself. I am much shocked about what you have said about the insolent way in which the suitors are behaving in despite of such a man as you are. Tell me, do you submit to such treatment tamely, or do the people of your dêmos , following the voice of some god, hate [ ekhthros ] you? May you not complain of your brothers - for it is to these that a man may look for support, however great his quarrel may be? I wish I were as young as you are and in my present mind; if I were son to Odysseus, or, indeed, Odysseus himself, I would rather some one came and cut my head off, but I would go to the house and be the bane of every one of these men. If they were too many for me - I being single-handed - I would rather die fighting in my own house than see such disgraceful sights day after day, strangers grossly maltreated, and men dragging the women servants about the house in an unseemly way, wine drawn recklessly, and bread wasted all to no purpose for an end that shall never be accomplished."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

ὦ φίλʼ, ἐπεί θήν μοι καὶ ἀμείψασθαι θέμις ἐστίν,

ἦ μάλα μευ καταδάπτετʼ ἀκούοντος φίλον ἦτορ,

οἷά φατε μνηστῆρας ἀτάσθαλα μηχανάασθαι

ἐν μεγάροις, ἀέκητι σέθεν τοιούτου ἐόντος.

εἰπέ μοι ἠὲ ἑκὼν ὑποδάμνασαι, ἦ σέ γε λαοὶ

ἐχθαίρουσʼ ἀνὰ δῆμον, ἐπισπόμενοι θεοῦ ὀμφῇ,

ἦ τι κασιγνήτοις ἐπιμέμφεαι, οἷσί περ ἀνὴρ

μαρναμένοισι πέποιθε, καὶ εἰ μέγα νεῖκος ὄρηται.

αἲ γάρ ἐγὼν οὕτω νέος εἴην τῷδʼ ἐπὶ θυμῷ,

ἢ παῖς ἐξ Ὀδυσῆος ἀμύμονος ἠὲ καὶ αὐτός·

αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀπʼ ἐμεῖο κάρη τάμοι ἀλλότριος φώς,

εἰ μὴ ἐγὼ κείνοισι κακὸν πάντεσσι γενοίμην,

ἐλθὼν ἐς μέγαρον Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος.

εἰ δʼ αὖ με πληθυῖ δαμασαίατο μοῦνον ἐόντα,

βουλοίμην κʼ ἐν ἐμοῖσι κατακτάμενος μεγάροισι

τεθνάμεν ἢ τάδε γʼ αἰὲν ἀεικέα ἔργʼ ὁράασθαι,

ξείνους τε στυφελιζομένους δμῳάς τε γυναῖκας

ῥυστάζοντας ἀεικελίως κατὰ δώματα καλά,

καὶ οἶνον διαφυσσόμενον, καὶ σῖτον ἔδοντας

μὰψ αὔτως, ἀτέλεστον, ἀνηνύστῳ ἐπὶ ἔργῳ.

And Telemakhos answered, "I will tell you truly everything. There is no enmity between me and my dêmos , nor can I complain of brothers, to whom a man may look for support however great his quarrel may be. Zeus has made us a race of only sons. Laertes was the only son of Arceisius, and Odysseus only son of Laertes . I am myself the only son of Odysseus who left me behind him when he went away, so that I have never been of any use to him. Hence it comes that my house is in the hands of numberless marauders; for the chiefs from all the neighboring islands, Dulichium, Same, Zacynthus , as also all the principal men of Ithaca itself, are eating up my house under the pretext of paying court to my mother, who will neither say point blank that she will not marry, nor yet bring matters to an end, so they are making havoc of my estate, and before long will do so with myself into the bargain. The issue, however, rests with heaven. But do you, old friend Eumaios, go at once and tell Penelope that I am safe and have returned from Pylos . Tell it to herself alone, and then come back here without letting any one else know, for there are many who are plotting mischief against me."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, ξεῖνε, μάλʼ ἀτρεκέως ἀγορεύσω.

οὔτε τί μοι πᾶς δῆμος ἀπεχθόμενος χαλεπαίνει,

οὔτε κασιγνήτοις ἐπιμέμφομαι, οἷσί περ ἀνὴρ

μαρναμένοισι πέποιθε, καὶ εἰ μέγα νεῖκος ὄρηται.

ὧδε γὰρ ἡμετέρην γενεὴν μούνωσε Κρονίων·

μοῦνον Λαέρτην Ἀρκείσιος υἱὸν ἔτικτε,

μοῦνον δʼ αὖτʼ Ὀδυσῆα πατὴρ τέκεν· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

μοῦνον ἔμʼ ἐν μεγάροισι τεκὼν λίπεν οὐδʼ ἀπόνητο.

τῷ νῦν δυσμενέες μάλα μυρίοι εἴσʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ.

ὅσσοι γὰρ νήσοισιν ἐπικρατέουσιν ἄριστοι,

Δουλιχίῳ τε Σάμῃ τε καὶ ὑλήεντι Ζακύνθῳ,

ἠδʼ ὅσσοι κραναὴν Ἰθάκην κάτα κοιρανέουσι,

τόσσοι μητέρʼ ἐμὴν μνῶνται, τρύχουσι δὲ οἶκον.

ἡ δʼ οὔτʼ ἀρνεῖται στυγερὸν γάμον οὔτε τελευτὴν

ποιῆσαι δύναται· τοὶ δὲ φθινύθουσιν ἔδοντες

οἶκον ἐμόν· τάχα δή με διαρραίσουσι καὶ αὐτόν.

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι μὲν ταῦτα θεῶν ἐν γούνασι κεῖται·

ἄττα, σὺ δʼ ἔρχεο θᾶσσον, ἐχέφρονι Πηνελοπείῃ

εἴφʼ ὅτι οἱ σῶς εἰμὶ καὶ ἐκ Πύλου εἰλήλουθα.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν αὐτοῦ μενέω, σὺ δὲ δεῦρο νέεσθαι,

οἴῃ ἀπαγγείλας· τῶν δʼ ἄλλων μή τις Ἀχαιῶν

πευθέσθω· πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐμοὶ κακὰ μηχανόωνται.

"I understand and heed you," replied Eumaios; "you need instruct me no further, only I am going that way say whether I had not better let poor Laertes know that you are returned. He used to superintend the work on his farm in spite of his bitter sorrow about Odysseus, and he would eat and drink at will along with his servants; but they tell me that from the day on which you set out for Pylos he has neither eaten nor drunk as he ought to do, nor does he look after his farm, but sits weeping and wasting the flesh from off his bones."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·

γιγνώσκω, φρονέω· τά γε δὴ νοέοντι κελεύεις.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον,

ἦ καὶ Λαέρτῃ αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἄγγελος ἔλθω

δυσμόρῳ, ὃς τῆος μὲν Ὀδυσσῆος μέγʼ ἀχεύων

ἔργα τʼ ἐποπτεύεσκε μετὰ δμώων τʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

πῖνε καὶ ἦσθʼ, ὅτε θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀνώγοι·

αὐτὰρ νῦν, ἐξ οὗ σύ γε ᾤχεο νηῒ Πύλονδε,

οὔ πω μίν φασιν φαγέμεν καὶ πιέμεν αὔτως,

οὐδʼ ἐπὶ ἔργα ἰδεῖν, ἀλλὰ στοναχῇ τε γόῳ τε

ἧσται ὀδυρόμενος, φθινύθει δʼ ἀμφʼ ὀστεόφι χρώς.

"More's the pity," answered Telemakhos, "I am sorry for him, but we must leave him to himself just now. If people could have everything their own way, the first thing I should choose would be the return of my father; but go, and give your message; then make haste back again, and do not turn out of your way to tell Laertes . Tell my mother to send one of her women secretly with the news at once, and let him hear it from her."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

ἄλγιον, ἀλλʼ ἔμπης μιν ἐάσομεν, ἀχνύμενοί περ·

εἰ γὰρ πως εἴη αὐτάγρετα πάντα βροτοῖσι,

πρῶτόν κεν τοῦ πατρὸς ἑλοίμεθα νόστιμον ἦμαρ.

ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ ἀγγείλας ὀπίσω κίε, μηδὲ κατʼ ἀγροὺς

πλάζεσθαι μετʼ ἐκεῖνον· ἀτὰρ πρὸς μητέρα εἰπεῖν

ἀμφίπολον ταμίην ὀτρυνέμεν ὅττι τάχιστα

κρύβδην· κείνη γὰρ κεν ἀπαγγείλειε γέροντι.

Thus did he urge the swineherd; Eumaios, therefore, took his sandals, bound them to his feet, and started for the town. Athena watched him well off the station, and then came up to it in the form of a woman - fair, stately, and wise. She stood against the side of the entry, and revealed herself to Odysseus, but Telemakhos could not see her, and knew not that she was there, for the gods do not let themselves be seen by everybody. Odysseus saw her, and so did the dogs, for they did not bark, but went scared and whining off to the other side of the yards. She nodded her head and motioned to Odysseus with her eyebrows; whereon he left the hut and stood before her outside the main wall of the yards. Then she said to him:

ἦ ῥα καὶ ὦρσε συφορβόν· ὁ δʼ εἵλετο χερσὶ πέδιλα,

δησάμενος δʼ ὑπὸ ποσσὶ πόλινδʼ ἴεν. οὐδʼ ἄρʼ Ἀθήνην

λῆθεν ἀπὸ σταθμοῖο κιὼν Εὔμαιος ὑφορβός,

ἀλλʼ ἥ γε σχεδὸν ἦλθε· δέμας δʼ ἤϊκτο γυναικὶ

καλῇ τε μεγάλῃ τε καὶ ἀγλαὰ ἔργα ἰδυίῃ.

στῆ δὲ κατʼ ἀντίθυρον κλισίης Ὀδυσῆϊ φανεῖσα·

οὐδʼ ἄρα Τηλέμαχος ἴδεν ἀντίον οὐδʼ ἐνόησεν,

οὐ γὰρ πω πάντεσσι θεοὶ φαίνονται ἐναργεῖς,

ἀλλʼ Ὀδυσεύς τε κύνες τε ἴδον, καί ῥʼ οὐχ ὑλάοντο

κνυζηθμῷ δʼ ἑτέρωσε διὰ σταθμοῖο φόβηθεν.

ἡ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπʼ ὀφρύσι νεῦσε· νόησε δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

ἐκ δʼ ἦλθεν μεγάροιο παρὲκ μέγα τειχίον αὐλῆς,

στῆ δὲ πάροιθʼ αὐτῆς· τὸν δὲ προσέειπεν Ἀθήνη·

"Odysseus, noble son of Laertes , it is now time for you to tell your son: do not keep him in the dark any longer, but lay your plans for the destruction of the suitors, and then make for the town. I will not be long in joining you, for I too am eager for the fray."

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ.

ἤδη νῦν σῷ παιδὶ ἔπος φάο μηδʼ ἐπίκευθε,

ὡς ἄν μνηστῆρσιν θάνατον καὶ κῆρʼ ἀραρόντε

ἔρχησθον προτὶ ἄστυ περικλυτόν· οὐδʼ ἐγὼ αὐτὴ

δηρὸν ἀπὸ σφῶϊν ἔσομαι μεμαυῖα μάχεσθαι.

As she spoke she touched him with her golden wand. First she threw a fair clean shirt and cloak about his shoulders; then she made him younger and of more imposing presence; she gave him back his color, filled out his cheeks, and let his beard become dark again. Then she went away and Odysseus came back inside the hut. His son was astounded when he saw him, and turned his eyes away for fear he might be looking upon a god.

ἦ καὶ χρυσείῃ ῥάβδῳ ἐπεμάσσατʼ Ἀθήνη.

φᾶρος μέν οἱ πρῶτον ἐϋπλυνὲς ἠδὲ χιτῶνα

θῆκʼ ἀμφὶ στήθεσσι, δέμας δʼ ὤφελλε καὶ ἥβην.

ἂψ δὲ μελαγχροιὴς γένετο, γναθμοὶ δὲ τάνυσθεν,

κυάνεαι δʼ ἐγένοντο γενειάδες ἀμφὶ γένειον.

ἡ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς ἔρξασα πάλιν κίεν· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

ἤϊεν ἐς κλισίην· θάμβησε δέ μιν φίλος υἱός,

ταρβήσας δʼ ἑτέρωσε βάλʼ ὄμματα, μὴ θεὸς εἴη,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

"Stranger," said he, "how suddenly you have changed from what you were a moment or two ago. You are dressed differently and your color is not the same. Are you some one or other of the gods that live in heaven? If so, be propitious to me till I can make you due sacrifice and offerings of wrought gold. Have mercy upon me."

ἀλλοῖός μοι, ξεῖνε, φάνης νέον ἠὲ πάροιθεν,

ἄλλα δὲ εἵματʼ ἔχεις, καί τοι χρὼς οὐκέθʼ ὁμοῖος.

ἦ μάλα τις θεός ἐσσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν·

ἀλλʼ ἵληθʼ, ἵνα τοι κεχαρισμένα δώομεν ἱρὰ

ἠδὲ χρύσεα δῶρα, τετυγμένα· φείδεο δʼ ἡμέων

And Odysseus said, "I am no god, why should you take me for one? I am your father, on whose account you grieve and suffer so much at the hands of violent [ biê ] men."

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

οὔ τίς τοι θεός εἰμι· τί μʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἐΐσκεις;

ἀλλὰ πατὴρ τεός εἰμι, τοῦ εἵνεκα σὺ στεναχίζων

πάσχεις ἄλγεα πολλά, βίας ὑποδέγμενος ἀνδρῶν.

As he spoke he kissed his son, and a tear fell from his cheek on to the ground, for he had restrained all tears till now. but Telemakhos could not yet believe that it was his father, and said:

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας υἱὸν κύσε, κὰδ δὲ παρειῶν

δάκρυον ἧκε χαμᾶζε· πάρος δʼ ἔχε νωλεμὲς αἰεί.

Τηλέμαχος δʼ, οὐ γάρ πω ἐπείθετο ὃν πατέρʼ εἶναι,

ἐξαῦτίς μιν ἔπεσσιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν·

"You are not my father, but some daimôn is flattering me with vain hopes that I may grieve the more hereafter; no mortal man could of himself contrive with his noos to do as you have been doing, and make yourself old and young at a moment's notice, unless a god were with him. A second ago you were old and all in rags, and now you are like some god come down from heaven."

οὐ σύ γʼ Ὀδυσσεύς ἐσσι, πατὴρ ἐμός, ἀλλά με δαίμων

θέλγει, ὄφρʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὀδυρόμενος στεναχίζω.

οὐ γάρ πως ἂν θνητὸς ἀνὴρ τάδε μηχανόῳτο

ᾧ αὐτοῦ γε νόῳ, ὅτε μὴ θεὸς αὐτὸς ἐπελθὼν

ῥηϊδίως ἐθέλων θείη νέον ἠὲ γέροντα.

ἦ γάρ τοι νέον ἦσθα γέρων καὶ ἀεικέα ἕσσο·

νῦν δὲ θεοῖσιν ἔοικας, οἳ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι.

Odysseus answered, "Telemakhos, you ought not to be so immeasurably astonished at my being really here. There is no other Odysseus who will come hereafter. Such as I am, it is I, who after long wandering and much hardship have got home in the twentieth year to my own country. What you wonder at is the work of the redoubtable goddess Athena, who does with me whatever she will, for she can do what she pleases. At one moment she makes me like a beggar, and the next I am a young man with good clothes on my back; it is an easy matter for the gods who live in heaven to make any man look either rich or poor."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Τηλέμαχʼ, οὔ σε ἔοικε φίλον πατέρ ἔνδον ἐόντα

οὔτε τι θαυμάζειν περιώσιον οὔτʼ ἀγάασθαι·

οὐ μὲν γάρ τοι ἔτʼ ἄλλος ἐλεύσεται ἐνθάδʼ Ὀδυσσεύς,

ἀλλʼ ὅδʼ ἐγὼ τοιόσδε, παθὼν κακά, πολλὰ δʼ ἀληθείς,

ἤλυθον εἰκοστῷ ἔτεϊ ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.

αὐτάρ τοι τόδε ἔργον Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης,

ἥ τέ με τοῖον ἔθηκεν, ὅπως ἐθέλει, δύναται γὰρ,

ἄλλοτε μὲν πτωχῷ ἐναλίγκιον, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε

ἀνδρὶ νέῳ καὶ καλὰ περὶ χροῒ εἵματʼ ἔχοντι.

ῥηΐδιον δὲ θεοῖσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν,

ἠμὲν κυδῆναι θνητὸν βροτὸν ἠδὲ κακῶσαι.

As he spoke he sat down, and Telemakhos threw his arms about his father and wept. They were both so much moved that they cried aloud like eagles or vultures with crooked talons that have been robbed of their half fledged young by peasants. Thus piteously did they weep, and the sun would have gone down upon their mourning if Telemakhos had not suddenly said, "In what ship, my dear father, did your crew bring you to Ithaca ? Of what nation did they declare themselves to be - for you cannot have come by land?"

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ

ἀμφιχυθεὶς πατέρʼ ἐσθλὸν ὀδύρετο, δάκρυα λείβων,

ἀμφοτέροισι δὲ τοῖσιν ὑφʼ ἵμερος ὦρτο γόοιο·

κλαῖον δὲ λιγέως, ἀδινώτερον ἤ τʼ οἰωνοί,

φῆναι ἢ αἰγυπιοὶ γαμψώνυχες, οἷσί τε τέκνα

ἀγρόται ἐξείλοντο πάρος πετεηνὰ γενέσθαι·

ὣς ἄρα τοί γʼ ἐλεεινὸν ὑπʼ ὀφρύσι δάκρυον εἶβον.

καί νύ κʼ ὀδυρομένοισιν ἔδυ φάος ἠελίοιο,

εἰ μὴ Τηλέμαχος προσεφώνεεν ὃν πατέρʼ αἶψα·

ποίῃ γὰρ νῦν δεῦρο, πάτερ φίλε, νηΐ σε ναῦται

ἤγαγον εἰς Ἰθάκην; τίνες ἔμμεναι εὐχετόωντο;

οὐ μὲν γάρ τί σε πεζὸν ὀΐομαι ἐνθάδʼ ἱκέσθαι.

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

"I will tell you the truth [ alêtheia ], my son," replied Odysseus. "It was the Phaeacians who brought me here. They are great sailors, and are in the habit of giving escorts to any one who reaches their coasts. They took me over the sea while I was fast asleep, and landed me in Ithaca , after giving me many presents in bronze, gold, and raiment. These things by heaven's mercy are lying concealed in a cave, and I am now come here on the suggestion of Athena that we may consult about killing our enemies. First, therefore, give me a list of the suitors, with their number, that I may learn who, and how many, they are. I can then turn the matter over in my mind, and see whether we two can fight the whole body of them ourselves, or whether we must find others to help us."

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, τέκνον, ἀληθείην καταλέξω.

Φαίηκές μʼ ἄγαγον ναυσίκλυτοι, οἵ τε καὶ ἄλλους

ἀνθρώπους πέμπουσιν, ὅτις σφέας εἰσαφίκηται·

καί μʼ εὕδοντʼ ἐν νηῒ θοῇ ἐπὶ πόντον ἄγοντες

κάτθεσαν εἰς Ἰθάκην, ἔπορον δέ μοι ἀγλαὰ δῶρα,

χαλκόν τε χρυσόν τε ἅλις ἐσθῆτά θʼ ὑφαντήν.

καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐν σπήεσσι θεῶν ἰότητι κέονται·

νῦν αὖ δεῦρʼ ἱκόμην ὑποθημοσύνῃσιν Ἀθήνης,

ὄφρα κε δυσμενέεσσι φόνου πέρι βουλεύσωμεν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι μνηστῆρας ἀριθμήσας κατάλεξον,

ὄφρʼ εἰδέω ὅσσοι τε καὶ οἵ τινες ἀνέρες εἰσί·

καί κεν ἐμὸν κατὰ θυμὸν ἀμύμονα μερμηρίξας

φράσσομαι, ἤ κεν νῶϊ δυνησόμεθʼ ἀντιφέρεσθαι

μούνω ἄνευθʼ ἄλλων, ἦ καὶ διζησόμεθʼ ἄλλους.

To this Telemakhos answered, "Father, I have always heard of your renown [ kleos ] both in the field and in council, but the task you talk of is a very great one: I am awed at the mere thought of it; two men cannot stand against many and brave ones. There are not ten suitors only, nor twice ten, but ten many times over; you shall learn their number at once. There are fifty-two chosen [ krînô ] youths from Dulichium, and they have six servants; from Same there are twenty-four; twenty young Achaeans from Zacynthus , and twelve from Ithaca itself, all of them well born. They have with them a servant Medon, a bard, and two men who can carve at table. If we face such numbers as this, you may have bitter cause to rue your coming, and your violent revenge [ biê ]. See whether you cannot think of some one who would be willing to come and help us."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

ὦ πάτερ, ἦ τοι σεῖο μέγα κλέος αἰὲν ἄκουον,

χεῖράς τʼ αἰχμητὴν ἔμεναι καὶ ἐπίφρονα βουλήν·

ἀλλὰ λίην μέγα εἶπες· ἄγη μʼ ἔχει· οὐδέ κεν εἴη

ἄνδρε δύω πολλοῖσι καὶ ἰφθίμοισι μάχεσθαι.

μνηστήρων δʼ οὔτʼ ἂρ δεκὰς ἀτρεκὲς οὔτε δύʼ οἶαι,

ἀλλὰ πολὺ πλέονες· τάχα δʼ εἴσεαι ἐνθάδʼ ἀριθμόν.

ἐκ μὲν Δουλιχίοιο δύω καὶ πεντήκοντα

κοῦροι κεκριμένοι, ἓξ δὲ δρηστῆρες ἕπονται·

ἐκ δὲ Σάμης πίσυρές τε καὶ εἴκοσι φῶτες ἔασιν,

ἐκ δὲ Ζακύνθου ἔασιν ἐείκοσι κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν,

ἐκ δʼ αὐτῆς Ἰθάκης δυοκαίδεκα πάντες ἄριστοι,

καί σφιν ἅμʼ ἐστὶ Μέδων κῆρυξ καὶ θεῖος ἀοιδὸς

καὶ δοιὼ θεράποντε, δαήμονε δαιτροσυνάων.

τῶν εἴ κεν πάντων ἀντήσομεν ἔνδον ἐόντων,

μὴ πολύπικρα καὶ αἰνὰ βίας ἀποτίσεαι ἐλθών.

ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ, εἰ δύνασαί τινʼ ἀμύντορα μερμηρίξαι,

"Listen to me," replied Odysseus, "and think whether Athena and her father Zeus may seem sufficient, or whether I am to try and find some one else as well."

φράζευ, ὅ κέν τις νῶϊν ἀμύνοι πρόφρονι θυμῷ.

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

τοιγὰρ ἐγὼν ἐρέω, σὺ δὲ σύνθεο καί μευ ἄκουσον·

καὶ φράσαι ἤ κεν νῶϊν Ἀθήνη σὺν Διὶ πατρὶ

ἀρκέσει, ἦέ τινʼ ἄλλον ἀμύντορα μερμηρίξω.

"Those whom you have named," answered Telemakhos, "are a couple of good allies, for though they dwell high up among the clouds they have power over both gods and men."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

ἐσθλώ τοι τούτω γʼ ἐπαμύντορε, τοὺς ἀγορεύεις,

ὕψι περ ἐν νεφέεσσι καθημένω· ὥ τε καὶ ἄλλοις

ἀνδράσι τε κρατέουσι καὶ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι.

"These two," continued Odysseus, "will not keep long out of the fray, when the suitors and we join fight in my house. Now, therefore, return home early tomorrow morning, and go about among the suitors as before. Later on the swineherd will bring me to the city disguised as a miserable old beggar. If you see them ill-treating me, steel your heart against my sufferings; even though they drag me feet foremost out of the house, or throw things at me, look on and do nothing beyond gently trying to make them behave more reasonably; but they will not listen to you, for the day of their reckoning is at hand. Furthermore I say, and lay my saying to your heart, when Athena shall put it in my mind, I will nod my head to you, and on seeing me do this you must collect all the armor that is in the house and hide it in the strong store room. Make some excuse when the suitors ask you why you are removing it; say that you have taken it to be out of the way of the smoke, inasmuch as it is no longer what it was when Odysseus went away, but has become soiled and begrimed with soot. Add to this more particularly that you are afraid Zeus may set them on to quarrel over their wine, and that they may do each other some harm which may disgrace both banquet and wooing, for the sight of arms sometimes tempts people to use them. But leave a sword and a spear apiece for yourself and me, and a couple oxhide shields so that we can snatch them up at any moment; Zeus and Athena will then soon quiet these people. There is also another matter; if you are indeed my son and my blood runs in your veins, let no one know that Odysseus is within the house - neither Laertes , nor yet the swineherd, nor any of the servants, nor even Penelope herself. Let you and me make trial the women alone, and let us also make trial of some other of the men servants, to see who is on our side and whose hand is against us."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

οὐ μέν τοι κείνω γε πολὺν χρόνον ἀμφὶς ἔσεσθον

φυλόπιδος κρατερῆς, ὁπότε μνηστῆρσι καὶ ἡμῖν

ἐν μεγάροισιν ἐμοῖσι μένος κρίνηται Ἄρηος.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν ἔρχευ ἅμʼ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφιν

οἴκαδε, καὶ μνηστῆρσιν ὑπερφιάλοισιν ὁμίλει·

αὐτὰρ ἐμὲ προτὶ ἄστυ συβώτης ὕστερον ἄξει,

πτωχῷ λευγαλέῳ ἐναλίγκιον ἠδὲ γέροντι.

εἰ δέ μʼ ἀτιμήσουσι δόμον κάτα, σὸν δὲ φίλον κῆρ

τετλάτω ἐν στήθεσσι κακῶς πάσχοντος ἐμεῖο,

ἤν περ καὶ διὰ δῶμα ποδῶν ἕλκωσι θύραζε

ἢ βέλεσι βάλλωσι· σὺ δʼ εἰσορόων ἀνέχεσθαι.

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι παύεσθαι ἀνωγέμεν ἀφροσυνάων,

μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσι παραυδῶν· οἱ δέ τοι οὔ τι

πείσονται· δὴ γάρ σφι παρίσταται αἴσιμον ἦμαρ.

ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·

ὁππότε κεν πολύβουλος ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θῇσιν Ἀθήνη,

νεύσω μέν τοι ἐγὼ κεφαλῇ, σὺ δʼ ἔπειτα νοήσας

ὅσσα τοι ἐν μεγάροισιν Ἀρήϊα τεύχεα κεῖται

ἐς μυχὸν ὑψηλοῦ θαλάμου καταθεῖναι ἀείρας

πάντα μάλʼ· αὐτὰρ μνηστῆρας μαλακοῖς ἐπέεσσι

παρφάσθαι, ὅτε κέν σε μεταλλῶσιν ποθέοντες·

ἐκ καπνοῦ κατέθηκʼ, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι τοῖσιν ἐῴκει

οἷά ποτε Τροίηνδε κιὼν κατέλειπεν Ὀδυσσεύς,

ἀλλὰ κατῄκισται, ὅσσον πυρὸς ἵκετʼ ἀϋτμή.

πρὸς δʼ ἔτι καὶ τόδε μεῖζον ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θῆκε Κρονίων,

μή πως οἰνωθέντες, ἔριν στήσαντες ἐν ὑμῖν,

ἀλλήλους τρώσητε καταισχύνητέ τε δαῖτα

καὶ μνηστύν· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐφέλκεται ἄνδρα σίδηρος.

νῶϊν δʼ οἴοισιν δύο φάσγανα καὶ δύο δοῦρε

καλλιπέειν καὶ δοιὰ βοάγρια χερσὶν ἑλέσθαι,

ὡς ἂν ἐπιθύσαντες ἑλοίμεθα· τοὺς δέ κʼ ἔπειτα

Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίη θέλξει καὶ μητίετα Ζεύς.

ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·

εἰ ἐτεόν γʼ ἐμός ἐσσι καὶ αἵματος ἡμετέροιο,

μή τις ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἀκουσάτω ἔνδον ἐόντος,

μήτʼ οὖν Λαέρτης ἴστω τό γε μήτε συβώτης

μήτε τις οἰκήων μήτʼ αὐτὴ Πηνελόπεια,

ἀλλʼ οἶοι σύ τʼ ἐγώ τε γυναικῶν γνώομεν ἰθύν·

καί κέ τεο δμώων ἀνδρῶν ἔτι πειρηθεῖμεν,

ἠμὲν ὅπου τις νῶϊ τίει καὶ δείδιε θυμῷ,

ἠδʼ ὅτις οὐκ ἀλέγει, σὲ δʼ ἀτιμᾷ τοῖον ἐόντα.

"Father," replied Telemakhos, "you will come to know me by and by, and when you do you will find that I can keep your counsel. I do not think, however, the plan you propose will be a gain [ kerdos ] for either of us. Think it over. It will take us a long time to go the round of the farms and exploit the men, and all the time the suitors will be wasting your estate with impunity and without compunction. Prove the women by all means, to see who are disloyal and who guiltless, but I am not in favor of going round and trying the men. We can attend to that later on, if you really have some sign from Zeus that he will support you."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσεφώνεε φαίδιμος υἱός

ὦ πάτερ, ἦ τοι ἐμὸν θυμὸν καὶ ἔπειτά γʼ, ὀΐω,

γνώσεαι· οὐ μὲν γάρ τι χαλιφροσύναι γέ μʼ ἔχουσιν·

ἀλλʼ οὔ τοι τόδε κέρδος ἐγὼν ἔσσεσθαι ὀΐω

ἡμῖν ἀμφοτέροισι· σὲ δὲ φράζεσθαι ἄνωγα.

δηθὰ γὰρ αὔτως εἴσῃ ἑκάστου πειρητίζων,

ἔργα μετερχόμενος· τοὶ δʼ ἐν μεγάροισιν ἕκηλοι

χρήματα δαρδάπτουσιν ὑπέρβιον οὐδʼ ἔπι φειδώ.

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοί σε γυναῖκας ἐγὼ δεδάασθαι ἄνωγα,

αἵ τέ σʼ ἀτιμάζουσι καὶ αἳ νηλείτιδές εἰσιν·

ἀνδρῶν δʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ γε κατὰ σταθμοὺς ἐθέλοιμι

ἡμέας πειράζειν, ἀλλʼ ὕστερα ταῦτα πένεσθαι,

εἰ ἐτεόν γέ τι οἶσθα Διὸς τέρας αἰγιόχοιο.

Thus did they converse, and meanwhile the ship which had brought Telemakhos and his crew from Pylos had reached the town of Ithaca . When they had come inside the harbor they drew the ship on to the land; their servants came and took their armor from them, and they left all the presents at the house of Klytios. Then they sent a servant to tell Penelope that Telemakhos had gone into the country, but had sent the ship to the town to prevent her from being alarmed and made unhappy. This servant and Eumaios happened to meet when they were both on the same errand of going to tell Penelope. When they reached the House, the servant stood up and said to the queen in the presence of the waiting women, "Your son, my lady, is now returned from Pylos "; but Eumaios went close up to Penelope, and said privately that her son had given bidden him tell her. When he had given his message he left the house with its outbuildings and went back to his pigs again.

ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,

ἡ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτʼ Ἰθάκηνδε κατήγετο νηῦς εὐεργής,

ἣ φέρε Τηλέμαχον Πυλόθεν καὶ πάντας ἑταίρους.

οἱ δʼ ὅτε δὴ λιμένος πολυβενθέος ἐντὸς ἵκοντο,

νῆα μὲν οἵ γε μέλαιναν ἐπʼ ἠπείροιο ἔρυσσαν,

τεύχεα δέ σφʼ ἀπένεικαν ὑπέρθυμοι θεράποντες,

αὐτίκα δʼ ἐς Κλυτίοιο φέρον περικαλλέα δῶρα.

αὐτὰρ κήρυκα πρόεσαν δόμον εἰς Ὀδυσῆος,

ἀγγελίην ἐρέοντα περίφρονι Πηνελοπείῃ,

οὕνεκα Τηλέμαχος μὲν ἐπʼ ἀγροῦ, νῆα δʼ ἀνώγει

ἄστυδʼ ἀποπλείειν, ἵνα μὴ δείσασʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ

ἰφθίμη βασίλεια τέρεν κατὰ δάκρυον εἴβοι

τὼ δὲ συναντήτην κῆρυξ καὶ δῖος ὑφορβὸς

τῆς αὐτῆς ἕνεκʼ ἀγγελίης, ἐρέοντε γυναικί.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἵκοντο δόμον θείου βασιλῆος,

κῆρυξ μέν ῥα μέσῃσι μετὰ δμῳῇσιν ἔειπεν·

ἤδη τοι, βασίλεια, φίλος πάϊς εἰλήλουθε.

Πηνελοπείῃ δʼ εἶπε συβώτης ἄγχι παραστὰς

πάνθʼ ὅσα οἱ φίλος υἱὸς ἀνώγει μυθήσασθαι.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ πᾶσαν ἐφημοσύνην ἀπέειπε,

βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεναι μεθʼ ὕας, λίπε δʼ ἕρκεά τε μέγαρόν τε.

The suitors were surprised and angry at what had happened, so they went outside the great wall that ran round the outer court, and held a council near the main entrance. Eurymakhos, son of Polybos, was the first to speak.

μνηστῆρες δʼ ἀκάχοντο κατήφησάν τʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ,

ἐκ δʼ ἦλθον μεγάροιο παρὲκ μέγα τειχίον αὐλῆς,

αὐτοῦ δὲ προπάροιθε θυράων ἑδριόωντο.

τοῖσιν δʼ Εὐρύμαχος, Πολύβου πάϊς, ἦρχʼ ἀγορεύειν·

"My friends," said he, "this voyage of Telemakhos’ is a very serious matter; we had made sure that it would come to nothing. Now, however, let us draw a ship into the water, and get a crew together to send after the others and tell them to come back as fast as they can."

ὦ φίλοι, ἦ μέγα ἔργον ὑπερφιάλως τετέλεσται

Τηλεμάχῳ ὁδὸς ἥδε· φάμεν δέ οἱ οὐ τελέεσθαι.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῆα μέλαιναν ἐρύσσομεν ἥ τις ἀρίστη,

ἐς δʼ ἐρέτας ἁλιῆας ἀγείρομεν, οἵ κε τάχιστα

κείνοις ἀγγείλωσι θοῶς οἶκόνδε νέεσθαι.

He had hardly done speaking when Amphinomos turned in his place and saw the ship inside the harbor, with the crew lowering her sails, and putting by their oars; so he laughed, and said to the others, "We need not send them any message, for they are here. Some god must have told them, or else they saw the ship go by, and could not overtake her.

οὔ πω πᾶν εἴρηθʼ, ὅτʼ ἄρʼ Ἀμφίνομος ἴδε νῆα,

στρεφθεὶς ἐκ χώρης, λιμένος πολυβενθέος ἐντός,

ἱστία τε στέλλοντας ἐρετμά τε χερσὶν ἔχοντας.

ἡδὺ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐκγελάσας μετεφώνεεν οἷς ἑτάροισι·

μή τινʼ ἔτʼ ἀγγελίην ὀτρύνομεν· οἵδε γὰρ ἔνδον.

ἤ τίς σφιν τόδʼ ἔειπε θεῶν, ἢ εἴσιδον αὐτοὶ

νῆα παρερχομένην, τὴν δʼ οὐκ ἐδύναντο κιχῆναι.

On this they rose and went to the water side. The crew then drew the ship on shore; their servants took their armor from them, and they went up in a body to the place of assembly, but they would not let any one old or young sit along with them, and Antinoos, son of Eupeithes, spoke first.

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἀνστάντες ἔβαν ἐπὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης,

αἶψα δὲ νῆα μέλαιναν ἐπʼ ἠπείροιο ἔρυσσαν,

τεύχεα δέ σφʼ ἀπένεικαν ὑπέρθυμοι θεράποντες.

αὐτοὶ δʼ εἰς ἀγορὴν κίον ἀθρόοι, οὐδέ τινʼ ἄλλον

εἴων οὔτε νέων μεταΐζειν οὔτε γερόντων.

τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀντίνοος μετέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός·

"Good heavens," said he, "see how the gods have saved this man from destruction. We kept a succession of scouts upon the headlands all day long, and when the sun was down we never went on shore to sleep, but waited in the ship all night till morning in the hope of capturing and killing him; but some daimôn has conveyed him home in spite of us. Let us consider how we can make an end of him. He must not escape us; our affair is never likely to come off while is alive, for he is very shrewd in noos , and public feeling is by no means all on our side. We must make haste before he can call the Achaeans in assembly; he will lose no time in doing so, for he will be furious with us, and will tell all the world how we plotted to kill him, but failed to take him. The people will not like this when they come to know of it; we must see that they do us no hurt, nor drive us from our own dêmos into exile. Let us try and lay hold of him either on his farm away from the town, or on the road hither. Then we can divide up his property amongst us, and let his mother and the man who marries her have the house. If this does not please you, and you wish Telemakhos to live on and hold his father's property, then we must not gather here and eat up his goods in this way, but must make our offers to Penelope each from his own house, and she can marry the man who will give the most for her, and whose lot it is to win her."

ὢ πόποι, ὡς τόνδʼ ἄνδρα θεοὶ κακότητος ἔλυσαν.

ἤματα μὲν σκοποὶ ἷζον ἐπʼ ἄκριας ἠνεμοέσσας

αἰὲν ἐπασσύτεροι· ἅμα δʼ ἠελίῳ καταδύντι

οὔ ποτʼ ἐπʼ ἠπείρου νύκτʼ ἄσαμεν, ἀλλʼ ἐνὶ πόντῳ

νηῒ θοῇ πλείοντες ἐμίμνομεν Ἠῶ δῖαν,

Τηλέμαχον λοχόωντες, ἵνα φθίσωμεν ἑλόντες

αὐτόν· τὸν δʼ ἄρα τῆος ἀπήγαγεν οἴκαδε δαίμων,

ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐνθάδε οἱ φραζώμεθα λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον

Τηλεμάχῳ, μηδʼ ἧμας ὑπεκφύγοι· οὐ γὰρ ὀΐω

τούτου γε ζώοντος ἀνύσσεσθαι τάδε ἔργα.

αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἐπιστήμων βουλῇ τε νόῳ τε,

λαοὶ δʼ οὐκέτι πάμπαν ἐφʼ ἡμῖν ἦρα φέρουσιν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγετε, πρὶν κεῖνον ὁμηγυρίσασθαι Ἀχαιοὺς

εἰς ἀγορήν—οὐ γάρ τι μεθησέμεναί μιν ὀΐω,

ἀλλʼ ἀπομηνίσει, ἐρέει δʼ ἐν πᾶσιν ἀναστὰς

οὕνεκά οἱ φόνον αἰπὺν ἐράπτομεν οὐδʼ ἐκίχημεν·

οἱ δʼ οὐκ αἰνήσουσιν ἀκούοντες κακὰ ἔργα·

μή τι κακὸν ῥέξωσι καὶ ἡμέας ἐξελάσωσι

γαίης ἡμετέρης, ἄλλων δʼ ἀφικώμεθα δῆμον·

ἀλλὰ φθέωμεν ἑλόντες ἐπʼ ἀγροῦ νόσφι πόληος

ἢ ἐν ὁδῷ· βίοτον δʼ αὐτοὶ καὶ κτήματʼ ἔχωμεν,

δασσάμενοι κατὰ μοῖραν ἐφʼ ἡμέας, οἰκία δʼ αὖτε

κείνου μητέρι δοῖμεν ἔχειν ἠδʼ ὅστις ὀπυίοι.

εἰ δʼ ὑμῖν ὅδε μῦθος ἀφανδάνει, ἀλλὰ βόλεσθε

αὐτόν τε ζώειν καὶ ἔχειν πατρώϊα πάντα,

μή οἱ χρήματʼ ἔπειτα ἅλις θυμηδέʼ ἔδωμεν

ἐνθάδʼ ἀγειρόμενοι, ἀλλʼ ἐκ μεγάροιο ἕκαστος

μνάσθω ἐέδνοισιν διζήμενος· ἡ δέ κʼ ἔπειτα

γήμαιθʼ ὅς κε πλεῖστα πόροι καὶ μόρσιμος ἔλθοι.

They all held their peace until Amphinomos rose to speak. He was the son of Nisus, who was son to king Aretias, and he was foremost among all the suitors from the wheat-growing and well grassed island of Dulichium; his conversation, moreover, was more agreeable to Penelope than that of any of the other for he was a man of good natural disposition. "My friends," said he, speaking to them plainly and in all honestly, "I am not in favor of killing Telemakhos. It is a heinous thing to kill one who is of noble blood. Let us first take counsel of the gods, and if the oracles of Zeus advise it, I will both help to kill him myself, and will urge everyone else to do so; but if they dissuade us, I would have you hold your hands."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ.

τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀμφίνομος ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπε,

Νίσου φαίδιμος υἱός, Ἀρητιάδαο ἄνακτος,

ὅς ῥʼ ἐκ Δουλιχίου πολυπύρου, ποιήεντος,

ἡγεῖτο μνηστῆρσι, μάλιστα δὲ Πηνελοπείῃ

ἥνδανε μύθοισι· φρεσὶ γὰρ κέχρητʼ ἀγαθῇσιν·

ὅ σφιν ἐϋφρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

ὦ φίλοι, οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ γε κατακτείνειν ἐθέλοιμι

Τηλέμαχον· δεινὸν δὲ γένος βασιλήϊόν ἐστιν

κτείνειν· ἀλλὰ πρῶτα θεῶν εἰρώμεθα βουλάς.

εἰ μέν κʼ αἰνήσωσι Διὸς μεγάλοιο θέμιστες,

αὐτός τε κτενέω τούς τʼ ἄλλους πάντας ἀνώξω·

εἰ δέ κʼ ἀποτρωπῶσι θεοί, παύσασθαι ἄνωγα.

Thus did he speak, and his words pleased them well, so they rose forthwith and went to the house of Odysseus where they took their accustomed seats.

ὣς ἔφατʼ Ἀμφίνομος, τοῖσιν δʼ ἐπιήνδανε μῦθος.

αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀνστάντες ἔβαν δόμον εἰς Ὀδυσῆος,

ἐλθόντες δὲ καθῖζον ἐπὶ ξεστοῖσι θρόνοισιν.

Then Penelope resolved that she would show herself to the outrageous [ hubris ] suitors. She knew of the plot against Telemakhos, for the servant Medon had overheard their counsels and had told her; she went down therefore to the court attended by her maidens, and when she reached the suitors she stood by one of the bearing-posts supporting the roof of the room holding a veil before her face, and rebuked Antinoos saying:

ἡ δʼ αὖτʼ ἄλλʼ ἐνόησε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια,

μνηστήρεσσι φανῆναι ὑπέρβιον ὕβριν ἔχουσι.

πεύθετο γὰρ οὗ παιδὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ὄλεθρον·

κῆρυξ γὰρ οἱ ἔειπε Μέδων, ὃς ἐπεύθετο βουλάς.

βῆ δʼ ἰέναι μέγαρόνδε σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξίν.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ μνηστῆρας ἀφίκετο δῖα γυναικῶν,

στῆ ῥα παρὰ σταθμὸν τέγεος πύκα ποιητοῖο,

ἄντα παρειάων σχομένη λιπαρὰ κρήδεμνα,

"Antinoos, insolent [ hubris ] and wicked schemer, they say you are the best speaker and counselor of any man your own age in the dêmos of Ithaca , but you are nothing of the kind. Madman, why should you try to compass the death of Telemakhos, and take no heed of suppliants, whose witness is Zeus himself? It is not right for you to plot thus against one another. Do you not remember how your father fled to this house in fear of the people [ dêmos ], who were enraged against him for having gone with some Taphian pirates and plundered the Thesprotians who were at peace with us? They wanted to tear him in pieces and eat up everything he had, but Odysseus stayed their hands although they were infuriated, and now you devour his property without paying for it, and break my heart by wooing his wife and trying to kill his son. Leave off doing so, and stop the others also."

Ἀντίνοον δʼ ἐνένιπεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

Ἀντίνοʼ, ὕβριν ἔχων, κακομήχανε, καὶ δέ σέ φασιν

ἐν δήμῳ Ἰθάκης μεθʼ ὁμήλικας ἔμμεν ἄριστον

βουλῇ καὶ μύθοισι· σὺ δʼ οὐκ ἄρα τοῖος ἔησθα.

μάργε, τίη δὲ σὺ Τηλεμάχῳ θάνατόν τε μόρον τε

ῥάπτεις, οὐδʼ ἱκέτας ἐμπάζεαι, οἷσιν ἄρα Ζεὺς

μάρτυρος; οὐδʼ ὁσίη κακὰ ῥάπτειν ἀλλήλοισιν.

ἦ οὐκ οἶσθʼ ὅτε δεῦρο πατὴρ τεὸς ἵκετο φεύγων,

δῆμον ὑποδείσας; δὴ γὰρ κεχολώατο λίην,

οὕνεκα ληϊστῆρσιν ἐπισπόμενος Ταφίοισιν

ἤκαχε Θεσπρωτούς· οἱ δʼ ἡμῖν ἄρθμιοι ἦσαν·

τόν ῥʼ ἔθελον φθῖσαι καὶ ἀπορραῖσαι φίλον ἦτορ

ἠδὲ κατὰ ζωὴν φαγέειν μενοεικέα πολλήν·

ἀλλʼ Ὀδυσεὺς κατέρυκε καὶ ἔσχεθεν ἱεμένους περ.

τοῦ νῦν οἶκον ἄτιμον ἔδεις, μνάᾳ δὲ γυναῖκα

παῖδά τʼ ἀποκτείνεις, ἐμὲ δὲ μεγάλως ἀκαχίζεις·

ἀλλά σε παύσασθαι κέλομαι καὶ ἀνωγέμεν ἄλλους.

To this Eurymakhos son of Polybos answered, "Take heart, Queen Penelope daughter of Ikarios, and do not trouble yourself about these matters. The man is not yet born, nor never will be, who shall lay hands upon your son Telemakhos, while I yet live to look upon the face of the earth. I say - and it shall surely be - that my spear shall be reddened with his blood; for many a time has Odysseus taken me on his knees, held wine up to my lips to drink, and put pieces of meat into my hands. Therefore Telemakhos is much the dearest friend I have, and has nothing to fear from the hands of us suitors. Of course, if death comes to him from the gods, he cannot escape it." He said this to quiet her, but in reality he was plotting against Telemakhos.

τὴν δʼ αὖτʼ Εὐρύμαχος, Πολύβου πάϊς, ἀντίον ηὔδα·

κούρη Ἰκαρίοιο, περίφρον Πηνελόπεια,

θάρσει· μή τοι ταῦτα μετὰ φρεσὶ σῇσι μελόντων.

οὐκ ἔσθʼ οὗτος ἀνὴρ οὐδʼ ἔσσεται οὐδὲ γένηται,

ὅς κεν Τηλεμάχῳ σῷ υἱέϊ χεῖρας ἐποίσει

ζώοντός γʼ ἐμέθεν καὶ ἐπὶ χθονὶ δερκομένοιο.

ὧδε γὰρ ἐξερέω, καὶ μὴν τετελεσμένον ἔσται·

αἶψά οἱ αἷμα κελαινὸν ἐρωήσει περὶ δουρὶ

ἡμετέρῳ, ἐπεὶ ἦ καὶ ἐμὲ πτολίπορθος Ὀδυσσεὺς

πολλάκι γούνασιν οἷσιν ἐφεσσάμενος κρέας ὀπτὸν

ἐν χείρεσσιν ἔθηκεν, ἐπέσχε τε οἶνον ἐρυθρόν.

τῷ μοι Τηλέμαχος πάντων πολὺ φίλτατός ἐστιν

ἀνδρῶν, οὐδέ τί μιν θάνατον τρομέεσθαι ἄνωγα

ἔκ γε μνηστήρων· θεόθεν δʼ οὐκ ἔστʼ ἀλέασθαι.

ὣς φάτο θαρσύνων, τῷ δʼ ἤρτυεν αὐτὸς ὄλεθρον.

Then Penelope went upstairs again and mourned her husband till Athena shed sleep over her eyes. In the evening Eumaios got back to Odysseus and his son, who had just sacrificed a young pig of a year old and were ready; helping one another to get supper ready; Athena therefore came up to Odysseus, turned him into an old man with a stroke of her wand, and clad him in his old clothes again, for fear that the swineherd might recognize him and not keep the secret, but go and tell Penelope.

ἡ μὲν ἄρʼ εἰσαναβᾶσʼ ὑπερώϊα σιγαλόεντα

κλαῖεν ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆα, φίλον πόσιν, ὄφρα οἱ ὕπνον

ἡδὺν ἐπὶ βλεφάροισι βάλε γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.

ἑσπέριος δʼ Ὀδυσῆϊ καὶ υἱέϊ δῖος ὑφορβὸς

ἤλυθεν· οἱ δʼ ἄρα δόρπον ἐπισταδὸν ὡπλίζοντο,

σῦν ἱερεύσαντες ἐνιαύσιον. αὐτὰρ Ἀθήνη,

ἄγχι παρισταμένη, Λαερτιάδην Ὀδυσῆα

ῥάβδῳ πεπληγυῖα πάλιν ποίησε γέροντα,

λυγρὰ δὲ εἵματα ἕσσε περὶ χροΐ, μή ἑ συβώτης

γνοίη ἐσάντα ἰδὼν καὶ ἐχέφρονι Πηνελοπείῃ

ἔλθοι ἀπαγγέλλων μηδὲ φρεσὶν εἰρύσσαιτο.

Telemakhos was the first to speak. "So you have got back, Eumaios," said he. "What is the news [ kleos ] of the town? Have the suitors returned, or are they still waiting over yonder, to take me on my way home?"

τὸν καὶ Τηλέμαχος πρότερος πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·

ἦλθες, δῖʼ Εὔμαιε. τί δὴ κλέος ἔστʼ ἀνὰ ἄστυ;

ἦ ῥʼ ἤδη μνηστῆρες ἀγήνορες ἔνδον ἔασιν

ἐκ λόχου, ἦ ἔτι μʼ αὖτʼ εἰρύαται οἴκαδʼ ἰόντα;

"I did not think of asking about that," replied Eumaios, "when I was in the town. I thought I would give my message and come back as soon as I could. I met a man sent by those who had gone with you to Pylos , and he was the first to tell the new your mother, but I can say what I saw with my own eyes; I had just got on to the crest of the hill of Hermes above the town when I saw a ship coming into harbor with a number of men in her. They had many shields and spears, and I thought it was the suitors, but I cannot be sure."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·

οὐκ ἔμελέν μοι ταῦτα μεταλλῆσαι καὶ ἐρέσθαι

ἄστυ καταβλώσκοντα· τάχιστά με θυμὸς ἀνώγει

ἀγγελίην εἰπόντα πάλιν δεῦρʼ ἀπονέεσθαι.

ὡμήρησε δέ μοι παρʼ ἑταίρων ἄγγελος ὠκύς,

κῆρυξ, ὃς δὴ πρῶτος ἔπος σῇ μητρὶ ἔειπεν.

ἄλλο δέ τοι τό γε οἶδα· τὸ γὰρ ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσιν.

ἤδη ὑπὲρ πόλιος, ὅθι θʼ Ἕρμαιος λόφος ἐστίν,

ἦα κιών, ὅτε νῆα θοὴν ἰδόμην κατιοῦσαν

ἐς λιμένʼ ἡμέτερον· πολλοὶ δʼ ἔσαν ἄνδρες ἐν αὐτῇ,

βεβρίθει δὲ σάκεσσι καὶ ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύοισι·

καὶ σφέας ὠΐσθην τοὺς ἔμμεναι, οὐδέ τι οἶδα.

On hearing this Telemakhos smiled to his father, but so that Eumaios could not see him.

ὣς φάτο, μείδησεν δʼ ἱερὴ ἲς Τηλεμάχοιο

ἐς πατέρʼ ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδών, ἀλέεινε δʼ ὑφορβόν.

Then, when they had finished their labor [ ponos ] and the meal was ready, they ate it, and every man had his full share so that all were satisfied. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, they laid down to rest and enjoyed the boon of sleep.

οἱ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν παύσαντο πόνου τετύκοντό τε δαῖτα,

δαίνυντʼ, οὐδέ τι θυμὸς ἐδεύετο δαιτὸς ἐΐσης.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,

κοίτου τε μνήσαντο καὶ ὕπνου δῶρον ἕλοντο.