Odyssey

Odysseus slept in the room upon an undressed bullock's hide, on the top of which he threw several skins of the sheep the suitors had eaten, and Eurynome threw a cloak over him after he had laid himself down. There, then, Odysseus lay wakefully brooding upon the way in which he should kill the suitors; and by and by, the women who had been in the habit of misconducting themselves with them, left the house giggling and laughing with one another. This made Odysseus very angry, and he doubted whether to get up and kill every single one of them then and there, or to let them sleep one more and last time with the suitors. His heart growled within him, and as a bitch with puppies growls and shows her teeth when she sees a stranger, so did his heart growl with anger at the evil deeds that were being done: but he beat his breast and said, "Heart, be still, you had worse than this to bear on the day when the terrible Cyclops ate your brave companions; yet you bore it in silence till your cunning got you safe out of the cave, though you made sure of being killed."

αὐτὰρ ὁ ἐν προδόμῳ εὐνάζετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

κὰμ μὲν ἀδέψητον βοέην στόρεσʼ, αὐτὰρ ὕπερθε

κώεα πόλλʼ ὀΐων, τοὺς ἱρεύεσκον Ἀχαιοί·

Εὐρυνόμη δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπὶ χλαῖναν βάλε κοιμηθέντι.

ἔνθʼ Ὀδυσεὺς μνηστῆρσι κακὰ φρονέων ἐνὶ θυμῷ

κεῖτʼ ἐγρηγορόων· ταὶ δʼ ἐκ μεγάροιο γυναῖκες

ἤϊσαν, αἳ μνηστῆρσιν ἐμισγέσκοντο πάρος περ,

ἀλλήλῃσι γέλω τε καὶ εὐφροσύνην παρέχουσαι.

τοῦ δʼ ὠρίνετο θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισι·

πολλὰ δὲ μερμήριζε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,

ἠὲ μεταΐξας θάνατον τεύξειεν ἑκάστῃ,

ἦ ἔτʼ ἐῷ μνηστῆρσιν ὑπερφιάλοισι μιγῆναι

ὕστατα καὶ πύματα, κραδίη δέ οἱ ἔνδον ὑλάκτει.

ὡς δὲ κύων ἀμαλῇσι περὶ σκυλάκεσσι βεβῶσα

ἄνδρʼ ἀγνοιήσασʼ ὑλάει μέμονέν τε μάχεσθαι,

ὥς ῥα τοῦ ἔνδον ὑλάκτει ἀγαιομένου κακὰ ἔργα·

στῆθος δὲ πλήξας κραδίην ἠνίπαπε μύθῳ·

τέτλαθι δή, κραδίη· καὶ κύντερον ἄλλο ποτʼ ἔτλης.

ἤματι τῷ ὅτε μοι μένος ἄσχετος ἤσθιε Κύκλωψ

ἰφθίμους ἑτάρους· σὺ δʼ ἐτόλμας, ὄφρα σε μῆτις

ἐξάγαγʼ ἐξ ἄντροιο ὀϊόμενον θανέεσθαι.

Thus he chided with his heart, and checked it into endurance, but he tossed about as one who turns a paunch full of blood and fat in front of a hot fire, doing it first on one side and then on the other, that he may get it cooked as soon as possible, even so did he turn himself about from side to side, thinking all the time how, single handed as he was, he should contrive to kill so large a body of men as the wicked suitors. But by and by Athena came down from heaven in the likeness of a woman, and hovered over his head saying, "My poor unhappy man, why do you lie awake in this way? This is your house: your wife is safe inside it, and so is your son who is just such a young man as any father may be proud of."

ὣς ἔφατʼ, ἐν στήθεσσι καθαπτόμενος φίλον ἦτορ·

τῷ δὲ μάλʼ ἐν πείσῃ κραδίη μένε τετληυῖα

νωλεμέως· ἀτὰρ αὐτὸς ἑλίσσετο ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε γαστέρʼ ἀνὴρ πολέος πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο,

ἐμπλείην κνίσης τε καὶ αἵματος, ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα

αἰόλλῃ, μάλα δʼ ὦκα λιλαίεται ὀπτηθῆναι,

ὣς ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα ἑλίσσετο, μερμηρίζων

ὅππως δὴ μνηστῆρσιν ἀναιδέσι χεῖρας ἐφήσει

μοῦνος ἐὼν πολέσι. σχεδόθεν δέ οἱ ἦλθεν Ἀθήνη

οὐρανόθεν καταβᾶσα· δέμας δʼ ἤϊκτο γυναικί·

στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε·

τίπτʼ αὖτʼ ἐγρήσσεις, πάντων περὶ κάμμορε φωτῶν;

οἶκος μέν τοι ὅδʼ ἐστί, γυνὴ δέ τοι ἥδʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

καὶ, πάϊς, οἷόν πού τις ἐέλδεται ἔμμεναι υἷα.

"Goddess," answered Odysseus, "all that you have said is true, but I am in some doubt as to how I shall be able to kill these wicked suitors single handed, seeing what a number of them there always are. And there is this further difficulty, which is still more considerable. Supposing that with Zeus’ and your assistance I succeed in killing them, I must ask you to consider where I am to escape to from their avengers when it is all over."

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε πάντα, θεά, κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες·

ἀλλά τί μοι τόδε θυμὸς ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μερμηρίζει,

ὅππως δὴ μνηστῆρσιν ἀναιδέσι χεῖρας ἐφήσω,

μοῦνος ἐών· οἱ δʼ αἰὲν ἀολλέες ἔνδον ἔασι.

πρὸς δʼ ἔτι καὶ τόδε μεῖζον ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μερμηρίζω·

εἴ περ γὰρ κτείναιμι Διός τε σέθεν τε ἕκητι,

πῆ κεν ὑπεκπροφύγοιμι; τά σε φράζεσθαι ἄνωγα.

"For shame," replied Athena, "why, any one else would trust a worse ally than myself, even though that ally were only a mortal and less wise than I am. Am I not a goddess, and have I not protected you throughout in all your ordeals [ ponos ]? I tell you plainly that even though there were fifty bands of men surrounding us and eager to kill us, you should take all their sheep and cattle, and drive them away with you. But go to sleep; it is a very bad thing to lie awake all night, and you shall be out of your troubles before long."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

σχέτλιε, καὶ μέν τίς τε χερείονι πείθεθʼ ἑταίρῳ,

ὅς περ θνητός τʼ ἐστὶ καὶ οὐ τόσα μήδεα οἶδεν·

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ θεός εἰμι, διαμπερὲς ἥ σε φυλάσσω

ἐν πάντεσσι πόνοις. ἐρέω δέ τοι ἐξαναφανδόν·

εἴ περ πεντήκοντα λόχοι μερόπων ἀνθρώπων

νῶϊ περισταῖεν, κτεῖναι μεμαῶτες Ἄρηϊ,

καί κεν τῶν ἐλάσαιο βόας καὶ ἴφια μῆλα.

ἀλλʼ ἑλέτω σε καὶ ὕπνος· ἀνίη καὶ τὸ φυλάσσειν

πάννυχον ἐγρήσσοντα, κακῶν δʼ ὑποδύσεαι ἤδη.

As she spoke she shed sleep over his eyes, and then went back to Olympus .

ὣς φάτο, καί ῥά οἱ ὕπνον ἐπὶ βλεφάροισιν ἔχευεν,

αὐτὴ δʼ ἂψ ἐς Ὄλυμπον ἀφίκετο δῖα θεάων.

While Odysseus was thus yielding himself to a very deep slumber that eased the burden of his sorrows, his admirable wife awoke, and sitting up in her bed began to cry. When she had relieved herself by weeping she prayed to Artemis saying, "Great Goddess Artemis, daughter of Zeus, drive an arrow into my heart and slay me; or let some whirlwind snatch me up and bear me through paths of darkness till it drop me into the mouths of overflowing Okeanos, as it did the daughters of Pandareus. The daughters of Pandareus lost their father and mother, for the gods killed them, so they were left orphans. But Aphrodite took care of them, and fed them on cheese, honey, and sweet wine. Hera taught them to excel all women in beauty of form and understanding; Artemis gave them an imposing presence, and Athena endowed them with every kind of accomplishment; but one day when Aphrodite had gone up to Olympus to see Zeus about getting them married (for well does he know both what shall happen and what not happen to every one) the storm winds came and spirited them away to become handmaids to the dread Erinyes. Even so I wish that the gods who live in heaven would hide me from mortal sight, or that fair Artemis might strike me, for I would fain go even beneath the sad earth if I might do so still looking towards Odysseus only, and without having to yield myself to a worse man than he was. Besides, no matter how many people may grieve by day, they can put up with it so long as they can sleep at night, for when the eyes are closed in slumber people forget good and ill alike; whereas my miserable daimôn haunts me even in my dreams. This very night I thought there was one lying by my side who was like Odysseus as he was when he went away with his host, and I rejoiced, for I believed that it was no dream, but the very truth itself."

εὖτε τὸν ὕπνος ἔμαρπτε, λύων μελεδήματα θυμοῦ,

λυσιμελής, ἄλοχος δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπέγρετο κεδνὰ ἰδυῖα·

κλαῖε δʼ ἄρʼ ἐν λέκτροισι καθεζομένη μαλακοῖσιν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κλαίουσα κορέσσατο ὃν κατὰ θυμόν,

Ἀρτέμιδι πρώτιστον ἐπεύξατο δῖα γυναικῶν·

Ἄρτεμι, πότνα θεά, θύγατερ Διός, αἴθε μοι ἤδη

ἰὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι βαλοῦσʼ ἐκ θυμὸν ἕλοιο

αὐτίκα νῦν, ἢ ἔπειτα μʼ ἀναρπάξασα θύελλα

οἴχοιτο προφέρουσα κατʼ ἠερόεντα κέλευθα,

ἐν προχοῇς δὲ βάλοι ἀψορρόου Ὠκεανοῖο.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε Πανδαρέου κούρας ἀνέλοντο θύελλαι·

τῇσι τοκῆας μὲν φθῖσαν θεοί, αἱ δʼ ἐλίποντο

ὀρφαναὶ ἐν μεγάροισι, κόμισσε δὲ δῖʼ Ἀφροδίτη

τυρῷ καὶ μέλιτι γλυκερῷ καὶ ἡδέϊ οἴνῳ·

Ἥρη δʼ αὐτῇσιν περὶ πασέων δῶκε γυναικῶν

εἶδος καὶ πινυτήν, μῆκος δʼ ἔπορʼ Ἄρτεμις ἁγνή,

ἔργα δʼ Ἀθηναίη δέδαε κλυτὰ ἐργάζεσθαι.

εὖτʼ Ἀφροδίτη δῖα προσέστιχε μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον,

κούρῃς αἰτήσουσα τέλος θαλεροῖο γάμοιο—

ἐς Δία τερπικέραυνον, ὁ γάρ τʼ εὖ οἶδεν ἅπαντα,

μοῖράν τʼ ἀμμορίην τε καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων—

τόφρα δὲ τὰς κούρας ἅρπυιαι ἀνηρείψαντο

καί ῥʼ ἔδοσαν στυγερῇσιν ἐρινύσιν ἀμφιπολεύειν·

ὣς ἔμʼ ἀϊστώσειαν Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχοντες,

ἠέ μʼ ἐϋπλόκαμος βάλοι Ἄρτεμις, ὄφρʼ Ὀδυσῆα

ὀσσομένη καὶ γαῖαν ὕπο στυγερὴν ἀφικοίμην,

μηδέ τι χείρονος ἀνδρὸς ἐϋφραίνοιμι νόημα.

ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν καὶ ἀνεκτὸν ἔχει κακόν, ὁππότε κέν τις

ἤματα μὲν κλαίῃ, πυκινῶς ἀκαχήμενος ἦτορ,

νύκτας δʼ ὕπνος ἔχῃσιν—ὁ γάρ τʼ ἐπέλησεν ἁπάντων,

ἐσθλῶν ἠδὲ κακῶν, ἐπεὶ ἄρ βλέφαρʼ ἀμφικαλύψῃ—

αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ καὶ ὀνείρατʼ ἐπέσσευεν κακὰ δαίμων.

τῇδε γὰρ αὖ μοι νυκτὶ παρέδραθεν εἴκελος αὐτῷ,

τοῖος ἐὼν οἷος ᾖεν ἅμα στρατῷ· αὐτὰρ ἐμὸν κῆρ

χαῖρʼ, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐφάμην ὄναρ ἔμμεναι, ἀλλʼ ὕπαρ ἤδη.

On this the day broke, but Odysseus heard the sound of her weeping, and it puzzled him, for it seemed as though she already knew him and was by his side. Then he gathered up the cloak and the fleeces on which he had lain, and set them on a seat in the room, but he took the bullock's hide out into the open. He lifted up his hands to heaven, and prayed, saying "Father Zeus, since you have seen fit to bring me over land and sea to my own home after all the afflictions you have laid upon me, give me a sign out of the mouth of some one or other of those who are now waking within the house, and let me have another sign of some kind from outside."

ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτίκα δὲ χρυσόθρονος ἤλυθεν Ἠώς.

τῆς δʼ ἄρα κλαιούσης ὄπα σύνθετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

μερμήριζε δʼ ἔπειτα, δόκησε δέ οἱ κατὰ θυμὸν

ἤδη γιγνώσκουσα παρεστάμεναι κεφαλῆφι.

χλαῖναν μὲν συνελὼν καὶ κώεα, τοῖσιν ἐνεῦδεν,

ἐς μέγαρον κατέθηκεν ἐπὶ θρόνου, ἐκ δὲ βοείην

θῆκε θύραζε φέρων, Διὶ δʼ εὔξατο χεῖρας ἀνασχών·

Ζεῦ πάτερ, εἴ μʼ ἐθέλοντες ἐπὶ τραφερήν τε καὶ ὑγρὴν

ἤγετʼ ἐμὴν ἐς γαῖαν, ἐπεί μʼ ἐκακώσατε λίην,

φήμην τίς μοι φάσθω ἐγειρομένων ἀνθρώπων

ἔνδοθεν, ἔκτοσθεν δὲ Διὸς τέρας ἄλλο φανήτω.

Thus did he pray. Zeus heard his prayer and forthwith thundered high up among the from the splendor of Olympus , and Odysseus was glad when he heard it. At the same time within the house, a miller-woman from hard by in the mill room lifted up her voice and gave him another sign. There were twelve miller-women whose business it was to grind wheat and barley which are the staff of life. The others had ground their task and had gone to take their rest, but this one had not yet finished, for she was not so strong as they were, and when she heard the thunder she stopped grinding and gave the sign [ sêma ] to her master. "Father Zeus," said she, "you who rule over heaven and earth, you have thundered from a clear sky without so much as a cloud in it, and this means something for somebody; answer the prayer, then, of me your poor servant who calls upon you, and let this be the very last day that the suitors dine in the house of Odysseus. They have worn me out with the labor of grinding meal for them, and I hope they may never have another dinner anywhere at all."

ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος· τοῦ δʼ ἔκλυε μητίετα Ζεύς,

αὐτίκα δʼ ἐβρόντησεν ἀπʼ αἰγλήεντος Ὀλύμπου,

ὑψόθεν ἐκ νεφέων· γήθησε δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.

φήμην δʼ ἐξ οἴκοιο γυνὴ προέηκεν ἀλετρὶς

πλησίον, ἔνθʼ ἄρα οἱ μύλαι ἥατο ποιμένι λαῶν,

τῇσιν δώδεκα πᾶσαι ἐπερρώοντο γυναῖκες

ἄλφιτα τεύχουσαι καὶ ἀλείατα, μυελὸν ἀνδρῶν.

αἱ μὲν ἄρʼ ἄλλαι εὗδον, ἐπεὶ κατὰ πυρὸν ἄλεσσαν,

ἡ δὲ μίʼ οὔπω παύετʼ, ἀφαυροτάτη δʼ ἐτέτυκτο·

ἥ ῥα μύλην στήσασα ἔπος φάτο, σῆμα ἄνακτι·

Ζεῦ πάτερ, ὅς τε θεοῖσι καὶ ἀνθρώποισιν ἀνάσσεις,

ἦ μεγάλʼ ἐβρόντησας ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος,

οὐδέ ποθι νέφος ἐστί· τέρας νύ τεῳ τόδε φαίνεις.

κρῆνον νῦν καὶ ἐμοὶ δειλῇ ἔπος, ὅττι κεν εἴπω·

μνηστῆρες πύματόν τε καὶ ὕστατον ἤματι τῷδε

ἐν μεγάροις Ὀδυσῆος ἑλοίατο δαῖτʼ ἐρατεινήν,

οἳ δή μοι καμάτῳ θυμαλγέι· γούνατʼ ἔλυσαν

ἄλφιτα τευχούσῃ· νῦν ὕστατα δειπνήσειαν.

Odysseus was glad when he heard the omens conveyed to him by the woman's speech, and by the thunder, for he knew they meant that he should avenge himself on the suitors.

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, χαῖρεν δὲ κλεηδόνι δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

Ζηνός τε βροντῇ· φάτο γὰρ τίσασθαι ἀλείτας.

Then the other maids in the house rose and lit the fire on the hearth; Telemakhos also rose and put on his clothes. He girded his sword about his shoulder, bound his sandals on his comely feet, and took a doughty spear with a point of sharpened bronze; then he went to the threshold of the room and said to Eurykleia, "Nurse, did you make the stranger comfortable both as regards bed and board, or did you let him shift for himself? - for my mother, good woman though she is, has a way of paying great attention to second-rate people, and of neglecting others who are in reality much better men."

αἱ δʼ ἄλλαι δμῳαὶ κατὰ δώματα κάλʼ Ὀδυσῆος

ἀγρόμεναι ἀνέκαιον ἐπʼ ἐσχάρῃ ἀκάματον πῦρ.

Τηλέμαχος δʼ εὐνῆθεν ἀνίστατο, ἰσόθεος φώς,

εἵματα ἑσσάμενος· περὶ δὲ ξίφος ὀξὺ θέτʼ ὤμῳ·

ποσσὶ δʼ ὑπὸ λιπαροῖσιν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα,

εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος, ἀκαχμένον ὀξέι· χαλκῷ·

στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπʼ οὐδὸν ἰών, πρὸς δʼ Εὐρύκλειαν ἔειπε·

μαῖα φίλη, τὸν ξεῖνον ἐτιμήσασθʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

εὐνῇ καὶ σίτῳ, ἦ αὔτως κεῖται ἀκηδής;

τοιαύτη γὰρ ἐμὴ μήτηρ, πινυτή περ ἐοῦσα·

ἐμπλήγδην ἕτερόν γε τίει μερόπων ἀνθρώπων

χείρονα, τὸν δέ τʼ ἀρείονʼ ἀτιμήσασʼ ἀποπέμπει.

"Do not find fault, child," said Eurykleia, "when there is no one to find fault with. The stranger sat and drank his wine as long as he liked: your mother did ask him if he would take any more bread and he said he would not. When he wanted to go to bed she told the servants to make one for him, but he said he was such a wretched outcast that he would not sleep on a bed and under blankets; he insisted on having an undressed bullock's hide and some sheepskins put for him in the room and I threw a cloak over him myself."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Εὐρύκλεια·

οὐκ ἄν μιν νῦν, τέκνον, ἀναίτιον αἰτιόῳο.

οἶνον μὲν γὰρ πῖνε καθήμενος, ὄφρʼ ἔθελʼ αὐτός,

σίτου δʼ οὐκέτʼ ἔφη πεινήμεναι· εἴρετο γάρ μιν.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ κοίτοιο καὶ ὕπνου μιμνήσκοιτο,

ἡ μὲν δέμνιʼ ἄνωγεν ὑποστορέσαι δμῳῇσιν,

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ, ὥς τις πάμπαν ὀϊζυρὸς καὶ ἄποτμος,

οὐκ ἔθελʼ ἐν λέκτροισι καὶ ἐν ῥήγεσσι καθεύδειν,

ἀλλʼ ἐν ἀδεψήτῳ βοέῃ καὶ κώεσιν οἰῶν

ἔδραθʼ ἐνὶ προδόμῳ· χλαῖναν δʼ ἐπιέσσαμεν ἡμεῖς.

Then Telemakhos went out of the court to the place where the Achaeans were meeting in assembly; he had his spear in his hand, and he was not alone, for his two dogs went with him. But Eurykleia called the maids and said, "Come, wake up; set about sweeping the cloisters and sprinkling them with water to lay the dust; put the covers on the seats; wipe down the tables, some of you, with a wet sponge; clean out the mixing-jugs and the cups, and for water from the fountain at once; the suitors will be here directly; they will be here early, for it is a feast day."

ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ διὲκ μεγάροιο βεβήκει

ἔγχος ἔχων, ἅμα τῷ γε δύω κύνες ἀργοὶ ἕποντο.

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν εἰς ἀγορὴν μετʼ ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς.

ἡ δʼ αὖτε δμῳῇσιν ἐκέκλετο δῖα γυναικῶν,

Εὐρύκλειʼ, Ὦπος θυγάτηρ Πεισηνορίδαο·

ἀγρεῖθʼ, αἱ μὲν δῶμα κορήσατε ποιπνύσασαι,

ῥάσσατέ τʼ, ἔν τε θρόνοις εὐποιήτοισι τάπητας

βάλλετε πορφυρέους· αἱ δὲ σπόγγοισι τραπέζας

πάσας ἀμφιμάσασθε, καθήρατε δὲ κρητῆρας

καὶ δέπα ἀμφικύπελλα τετυγμένα· ταὶ δὲ μεθʼ ὕδωρ

ἔρχεσθε κρήνηνδε, καὶ οἴσετε θᾶσσον ἰοῦσαι.

οὐ γὰρ δὴν μνηστῆρες ἀπέσσονται μεγάροιο,

ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ἦρι νέονται, ἐπεὶ καὶ πᾶσιν ἑορτή.

Thus did she speak, and they did even as she had said: twenty of them went to the fountain for water, and the others set themselves busily to work about the house. The men who were in attendance on the suitors also came up and began chopping firewood. By and by the women returned from the fountain, and the swineherd came after them with the three best pigs he could pick out. These he let feed about the premises, and then he said with good humor to Odysseus, "Stranger, are the suitors treating you any better now, or are they as insolent as ever?"

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἱ δʼ ἄρα τῆς μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδʼ ἐπίθοντο.

αἱ μὲν ἐείκοσι βῆσαν ἐπὶ κρήνην μελάνυδρον,

αἱ δʼ αὐτοῦ κατὰ δώματʼ ἐπισταμένως πονέοντο.

ἐς δʼ ἦλθον δρηστῆρες Ἀχαιῶν. οἱ μὲν ἔπειτα

εὖ καὶ ἐπισταμένως κέασαν ξύλα, ταὶ δὲ γυναῖκες

ἦλθον ἀπὸ κρήνης· ἐπὶ δέ σφισιν ἦλθε συβώτης

τρεῖς σιάλους κατάγων, οἳ ἔσαν μετὰ πᾶσιν ἄριστοι.

καὶ τοὺς μέν ῥʼ εἴασε καθʼ ἕρκεα καλὰ νέμεσθαι,

αὐτὸς δʼ αὖτʼ Ὀδυσῆα προσηύδα μειλιχίοισι·

ξεῖνʼ, ἦ ἄρ τί σε μᾶλλον Ἀχαιοὶ εἰσορόωσιν,

ἦέ σʼ ἀτιμάζουσι κατὰ μέγαρʼ, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ;

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολυμήτις Ὀδυσσεύς·

"May heaven," answered Odysseus, "requite to them the wickedness with which they deal high-handedly in another man's house without any sense of shame [ aidôs ]."

αἲ γὰρ δή, Εὔμαιε, θεοὶ τισαίατο λώβην,

ἣν οἵδʼ ὑβρίζοντες ἀτάσθαλα μηχανόωνται

οἴκῳ ἐν ἀλλοτρίῳ, οὐδʼ αἰδοῦς μοῖραν ἔχουσιν.

Thus did they converse; meanwhile Melanthios the goatherd came up, for he too was bringing in his best goats for the suitors’ dinner; and he had two shepherds with him. They tied the goats up under the gatehouse, and then Melanthios began gibing at Odysseus. "Are you still here, stranger," said he, "to pester people by begging about the house? Why can you not go elsewhere? You and I shall not come to an understanding before we have given each other a taste of our fists. You beg without any sense of decency [ kosmos ]: are there not feasts elsewhere among the Achaeans, as well as here?"

ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,

ἀγχίμολον δέ σφʼ ἦλθε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν.

αἶγας ἄγων αἳ πᾶσι μετέρεπον αἰπολίοισι,

δεῖπνον μνηστήρεσσι. δύω δʼ ἅμʼ ἕποντο νομῆες.

καὶ τὰς μὲν κατέδησεν ὑπʼ αἰθούσῃ ἐριδούπῳ,

αὐτὸς δʼ αὖτʼ Ὀδυσῆα προσηύδα κερτομίοισι·

ξεῖνʼ, ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἐνθάδʼ ἀνιήσεις κατὰ δῶμα

ἀνέρας αἰτίζων, ἀτὰρ οὐκ ἔξεισθα θύραζε;

πάντως οὐκέτι νῶϊ διακρινέεσθαι ὀΐω

πρὶν χειρῶν γεύσασθαι, ἐπεὶ σύ περ οὐ κατὰ κόσμον

αἰτίζεις· εἰσὶν δὲ καὶ ἄλλαι δαῖτες Ἀχαιῶν.

Odysseus made no answer, but bowed his head and brooded. Then a third man, Philoitios, joined them, who was bringing in a barren heifer and some goats. These were brought over by the boatmen who are there to take people over when any one comes to them. So Philoitios made his heifer and his goats secure under the gatehouse, and then went up to the swineherd. "Who, Swineherd," said he, "is this stranger that is lately come here? Is he one of your men? What is his family? Where does he come from? Poor fellow, he looks as if he had been some great man, but the gods give sorrow to whom they will - even to kings if it so pleases them

ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ οὔ τι προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς,

ἀλλʼ ἀκέων κίνησε κάρη, κακὰ βυσσοδομεύων.

τοῖσι δʼ ἐπὶ τρίτος ἦλθε Φιλοίτιος, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν,

βοῦν στεῖραν μνηστῆρσιν ἄγων καὶ πίονας αἶγας.

πορθμῆες δʼ ἄρα τούς γε διήγαγον, οἵ τε καὶ ἄλλους

ἀνθρώπους πέμπουσιν, ὅτις σφέας εἰσαφίκηται.

καὶ τὰ μὲν εὖ κατέδησεν ὑπʼ αἰθούσῃ ἐριδούπῳ,

αὐτὸς δʼ αὖτʼ ἐρέεινε συβώτην ἄγχι παραστάς·

τίς δὴ ὅδε ξεῖνος νέον εἰλήλουθε, συβῶτα,

ἡμέτερον πρὸς δῶμα; τέων δʼ ἐξ εὔχεται εἶναι

ἀνδρῶν; ποῦ δέ νύ οἱ γενεὴ καὶ πατρὶς ἄρουρα;

δύσμορος, ἦ τε ἔοικε δέμας βασιλῆϊ ἄνακτι·

ἀλλὰ θεοὶ δυόωσι πολυπλάγκτους ἀνθρώπους,

ὁππότε καὶ βασιλεῦσιν ἐπικλώσωνται ὀϊζύν.

As he spoke he went up to Odysseus and saluted him with his right hand; "Good day to you, father stranger," said he, "you seem to be very poorly off now, but I hope you will have better times [ olbos ] by and by. Father Zeus, of all gods you are the most malicious. We are your own children, yet you show us no mercy in all our misery and afflictions. A sweat came over me when I saw this man, and my eyes filled with tears, for he reminds me of Odysseus, who I fear is going about in just such rags as this man's are, if indeed he is still among the living. If he is already dead and in the house of Hades, then, alas! for my good master, who made me his stockman when I was quite young in the dêmos of the Cephallênians, and now his cattle are countless; no one could have done better with them than I have, for they have bred like ears of wheat; nevertheless I have to keep bringing them in for others to eat, who take no heed of his son though he is in the house, and fear not the wrath of heaven, but are already eager to divide Odysseus’ property among them because he has been away so long. I have often thought - only it would not be right while his son is living - of going off with the cattle to some foreign dêmos ; bad as this would be, it is still harder to stay here and be ill-treated about other people's herds. My position is intolerable, and I should long since have run away and put myself under the protection of some other chief, only that I believe my poor master will yet return, and send all these suitors fleeing out of the house."

ἦ καὶ δεξιτερῇ δειδίσκετο χειρὶ παραστάς,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

χαῖρε, πάτερ ὦ ξεῖνε· γένοιτό τοι ἔς περ ὀπίσσω

ὄλβος· ἀτὰρ μὲν νῦν γε κακοῖς ἔχεαι πολέεσσι.

Ζεῦ πάτερ, οὔ τις σεῖο θεῶν ὀλοώτερος ἄλλος·

οὐκ ἐλεαίρεις ἄνδρας, ἐπὴν δὴ γείνεαι αὐτός,

μισγέμεναι κακότητι καὶ ἄλγεσι λευγαλέοισιν.

ἴδιον, ὡς ἐνόησα, δεδάκρυνται δέ μοι ὄσσε

μνησαμένῳ Ὀδυσῆος, ἐπεὶ καὶ κεῖνον ὀΐω

τοιάδε λαίφεʼ ἔχοντα κατʼ ἀνθρώπους ἀλάλησθαι,

εἴ που ἔτι ζώει καὶ ὁρᾷ φάος ἠελίοιο.

εἰ δʼ ἤδη τέθνηκε καὶ εἰν Ἀΐδαο δόμοισιν,

ὤ μοι ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἀμύμονος, ὅς μʼ ἐπὶ βουσὶν

εἷσʼ ἔτι τυτθὸν ἐόντα Κεφαλλήνων ἐνὶ δήμῳ.

νῦν δʼ αἱ μὲν γίγνονται ἀθέσφατοι, οὐδέ κεν ἄλλως

ἀνδρί γʼ ὑποσταχύοιτο βοῶν γένος εὐρυμετώπων·

τὰς δʼ ἄλλοι με κέλονται ἀγινέμεναί σφισιν αὐτοῖς

ἔδμεναι· οὐδέ τι παιδὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροις ἀλέγουσιν,

οὐδʼ ὄπιδα τρομέουσι θεῶν· μεμάασι γὰρ ἤδη

κτήματα δάσσασθαι δὴν οἰχομένοιο ἄνακτος.

αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ τόδε θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισι

πόλλʼ ἐπιδινεῖται· μάλα μὲν κακὸν υἷος ἐόντος

ἄλλων δῆμον ἱκέσθαι ἰόντʼ αὐτῇσι βόεσσιν,

ἄνδρας ἐς ἀλλοδαπούς· τὸ δὲ ῥίγιον, αὖθι μένοντα

βουσὶν ἐπʼ ἀλλοτρίῃσι καθήμενον ἄλγεα πάσχειν.

καί κεν δὴ πάλαι ἄλλον ὑπερμενέων βασιλήων

ἐξικόμην φεύγων, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτʼ ἀνεκτὰ πέλονται·

ἀλλʼ ἔτι τὸν δύστηνον ὀΐομαι, εἴ ποθεν ἐλθὼν

ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων σκέδασιν κατὰ δώματα θείῃ.

"Stockman," answered Odysseus, "you seem to be a very well-disposed person, and I can see that you are a man of sense. Therefore I will tell you, and will confirm my words with an oath: by Zeus, the chief of all gods, and by that hearth of Odysseus to which I am now come, Odysseus shall return before you leave this place, and if you are so minded you shall see him killing the suitors who are now masters here."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

βουκόλʼ, ἐπεὶ οὔτε κακῷ οὔτʼ ἄφρονι φωτὶ ἔοικας,

γιγνώσκω δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ὅ τοι πινυτὴ φρένας ἵκει,

τοὔνεκά τοι ἐρέω καὶ ἐπὶ μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμοῦμαι·

ἴστω νῦν Ζεὺς πρῶτα θεῶν ξενίη τε τράπεζα

ἱστίη τʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἀμύμονος, ἣν ἀφικάνω,

ἦ σέθεν ἐνθάδʼ ἐόντος ἐλεύσεται οἴκαδʼ Ὀδυσσεύς·

σοῖσιν δʼ ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἐπόψεαι, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα,

κτεινομένους μνηστῆρας, οἳ ἐνθάδε κοιρανέουσιν.

"If Zeus were to bring this to pass," replied the stockman, "you should see how I would do my very utmost to help him."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε βοῶν ἐπιβουκόλος ἀνήρ·

αἲ γὰρ τοῦτο, ξεῖνε, ἔπος τελέσειε Κρονίων·

γνοίης χʼ οἵη ἐμὴ δύναμις καὶ χεῖρες ἕπονται.

And in like manner Eumaios prayed that Odysseus might return home.

ὣς δʼ αὔτως Εὔμαιος ἐπεύξατο πᾶσι θεοῖσι

νοστῆσαι Ὀδυσῆα πολύφρονα ὅνδε δόμονδε.

Thus did they converse. Meanwhile the suitors were hatching a plot to murder Telemakhos: but a bird flew near them on their left hand - an eagle with a dove in its talons. On this Amphinomos said, "My friends, this plot of ours to murder Telemakhos will not succeed; let us go to dinner instead."

ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,

μνηστῆρες δʼ ἄρα Τηλεμάχῳ θάνατόν τε μόρον τε

ἤρτυον· αὐτὰρ ὁ τοῖσιν ἀριστερὸς ἤλυθεν ὄρνις,

αἰετὸς ὑψιπέτης, ἔχε δὲ τρήρωνα πέλειαν.

τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀμφίνομος ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

ὦ φίλοι, οὐχ ἡμῖν συνθεύσεται ἥδε γε βουλή,

Τηλεμάχοιο φόνος· ἀλλὰ μνησώμεθα δαιτός.

The others assented, so they went inside and laid their cloaks on the benches and seats. They sacrificed the sheep, goats, pigs, and the heifer, and when the inward meats were cooked they served them round. They mixed the wine in the mixing-bowls, and the swineherd gave every man his cup, while Philoitios handed round the bread in the breadbaskets, and Melanthios poured them out their wine. Then they laid their hands upon the good things that were before them.

ὣς ἔφατʼ Ἀμφίνομος, τοῖσιν δʼ ἐπιήνδανε μῦθος.

ἐλθόντες δʼ ἐς δώματʼ Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο

χλαίνας μὲν κατέθεντο κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε,

οἱ δʼ ἱέρευον ὄϊς μεγάλους καὶ πίονας αἶγας,

ἵρευον δὲ σύας σιάλους καὶ βοῦν ἀγελαίην·

σπλάγχνα δʼ ἄρʼ ὀπτήσαντες ἐνώμων, ἐν δέ τε οἶνον

κρητῆρσιν κερόωντο· κύπελλα δὲ νεῖμε συβώτης.

σῖτον δέ σφʼ ἐπένειμε Φιλοίτιος, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν,

καλοῖς ἐν κανέοισιν, ἐῳνοχόει δὲ Μελανθεύς.

οἱ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.

Telemakhos deliberately [ kerdos ] made Odysseus sit in the part of the room that was paved with stone; he gave him a shabby-looking seat at a little table to himself, and had his portion of the inward meats brought to him, with his wine in a gold cup. "Sit there," said he, "and drink your wine among the great people. I will put a stop to the gibes and blows of the suitors, for this is no public house, but belongs to Odysseus, and has passed from him to me. Therefore, suitors, keep your hands and your tongues to yourselves, or there will be trouble."

Τηλέμαχος δʼ Ὀδυσῆα καθίδρυε, κέρδεα νωμῶν,

ἐντὸς ἐϋσταθέος μεγάρου, παρὰ λάϊνον οὐδόν,

δίφρον ἀεικέλιον καταθεὶς ὀλίγην τε τράπεζαν·

πὰρ δʼ ἐτίθει σπλάγχνων μοίρας, ἐν δʼ οἶνον ἔχευεν

ἐν δέπαϊ χρυσέῳ, καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·

ἐνταυθοῖ νῦν ἧσο μετʼ ἀνδράσιν οἰνοποτάζων·

κερτομίας δέ τοι αὐτὸς ἐγὼ καὶ χεῖρας ἀφέξω

πάντων μνηστήρων, ἐπεὶ οὔ τοι δήμιός ἐστιν

οἶκος ὅδʼ, ἀλλʼ Ὀδυσῆος, ἐμοὶ δʼ ἐκτήσατο κεῖνος.

ὑμεῖς δέ, μνηστῆρες, ἐπίσχετε θυμὸν ἐνιπῆς

καὶ χειρῶν, ἵνα μή τις ἔρις καὶ νεῖκος ὄρηται.

The suitors bit their lips, and marveled at the boldness of his speech; then Antinoos said, "We do not like such language but we will put up with it, for Telemakhos is threatening us in good earnest. If Zeus had let us we should have put a stop to his brave talk ere now."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ὀδὰξ ἐν χείλεσι φύντες

Τηλέμαχον θαύμαζον, ὃ θαρσαλέως ἀγόρευε.

τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀντίνοος μετέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός·

καὶ χαλεπόν περ ἐόντα δεχώμεθα μῦθον, Ἀχαιοί,

Τηλεμάχου· μάλα δʼ ἧμιν ἀπειλήσας ἀγορεύει.

οὐ γὰρ Ζεὺς εἴασε Κρονίων· τῷ κέ μιν ἤδη

παύσαμεν ἐν μεγάροισι, λιγύν περ ἐόντʼ ἀγορητήν.

Thus spoke Antinoos, but Telemakhos heeded him not. Meanwhile the heralds were bringing the holy hecatomb through the city, and the Achaeans gathered under the shady grove of Apollo.

ὣς ἔφατʼ Ἀντίνοος· ὁ δʼ ἄρʼ οὐκ ἐμπάζετο μύθων.

κήρυκες δʼ ἀνὰ ἄστυ θεῶν ἱερὴν ἑκατόμβην

ἦγον· τοὶ δʼ ἀγέροντο κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοὶ

ἄλσος ὕπο σκιερὸν ἑκατηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος.

Then they roasted the outer meat, drew it off the spits, gave every man his portion, and feasted to their hearts’ content; those who waited at table gave Odysseus exactly the same portion as the others had, for Telemakhos had told them to do so.

οἱ δʼ ἐπεὶ ὤπτησαν κρέʼ ὑπέρτερα καὶ ἐρύσαντο,

μοίρας δασσάμενοι δαίνυντʼ ἐρικυδέα δαῖτα·

πὰρ δʼ ἄρʼ Ὀδυσσῆϊ μοῖραν θέσαν οἳ πονέοντο

ἴσην, ὡς αὐτοί περ ἐλάγχανον· ὣς γὰρ ἀνώγει

Τηλέμαχος, φίλος υἱὸς Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο.

But Athena would not let the suitors for one moment drop their insolence, for she wanted Odysseus to become still more bitter [ akhos ] against them. Now there happened to be among them a ribald fellow, whose name was Ktesippos, and who came from Same. This man, confident in his great wealth, was paying court to the wife of Odysseus, and said to the suitors, "Hear what I have to say. The stranger has already had as large a portion as any one else; this is well, for it is not right nor reasonable [ dikaios ] to ill-treat any guest of Telemakhos who comes here. I will, however, make him a present on my own account, that he may have something to give to the bath-woman, or to some other of Odysseus’ servants."

μνηστῆρας δʼ οὐ πάμπαν ἀγήνορας εἴα Ἀθήνη

λώβης ἴσχεσθαι θυμαλγέος, ὄφρʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον

δύη ἄχος κραδίην Λαερτιάδην Ὀδυσῆα.

ἦν δέ τις ἐν μνηστῆρσιν ἀνὴρ ἀθεμίστια εἰδώς,

Κτήσιππος δʼ ὄνομʼ ἔσκε, Σάμῃ δʼ ἐνὶ οἰκία ναῖεν·

ὃς δή τοι κτεάτεσσι πεποιθὼς θεσπεσίοισι

μνάσκετʼ Ὀδυσσῆος δὴν οἰχομένοιο δάμαρτα.

ὅς ῥα τότε μνηστῆρσιν ὑπερφιάλοισι μετηύδα·

κέκλυτέ μευ, μνηστῆρες ἀγήνορες, ὄφρα τι εἴπω·

μοῖραν μὲν δὴ ξεῖνος ἔχει πάλαι, ὡς ἐπέοικεν,

ἴσην· οὐ γὰρ καλὸν ἀτέμβειν οὐδὲ δίκαιον

ξείνους Τηλεμάχου, ὅς κεν τάδε δώμαθʼ ἵκηται.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε οἱ καὶ ἐγὼ δῶ ξείνιον, ὄφρα καὶ αὐτὸς

ἠὲ λοετροχόῳ δώῃ γέρας ἠέ τῳ ἄλλῳ

δμώων, οἳ κατὰ δώματʼ Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο.

As he spoke he picked up a heifer's foot from the meat-basket in which it lay, and threw it at Odysseus, but Odysseus turned his head a little aside, and avoided it, smiling sardonically as he did so, and it hit the wall, not him. On this Telemakhos spoke fiercely to Ktesippos, "It is a good thing for you," said he, "that the stranger turned his head so that you missed him. If you had hit him I should have run you through with my spear, and your father would have had to see about getting you buried rather than married in this house. So let me have no more unseemly behavior from any of you, for I am grown up now to the knowledge of good and evil and understand what is going on, instead of being the child that I have been heretofore. I have long seen you killing my sheep and making free with my grain and wine: I have put up with this, for one man is no match for many, but do me no further violence. Still, if you wish to kill me, kill me; I would far rather die than see such disgraceful scenes day after day - guests insulted, and men dragging the women servants about the house in an unseemly way."

ὣς εἰπὼν ἔρριψε βοὸς πόδα χειρὶ παχείῃ.

κείμενον ἐκ κανέοιο λαβών· ὁ δʼ ἀλεύατʼ Ὀδυσσεὺς

ἦκα παρακλίνας κεφαλήν, μείδησε δὲ θυμῷ

σαρδάνιον μάλα τοῖον· ὁ δʼ εὔδμητον βάλε τοῖχον.

Κτήσιππον δʼ ἄρα Τηλέμαχος ἠνίπαπε μύθῳ·

Κτήσιππʼ, ἦ μάλα τοι τόδε κέρδιον ἔπλετο θυμῷ·

οὐκ ἔβαλες τὸν ξεῖνον· ἀλεύατο γὰρ βέλος αὐτός.

ἦ γάρ κέν σε μέσον βάλον ἔγχεϊ ὀξυόεντι,

καί κέ τοι ἀντὶ γάμοιο πατὴρ τάφον ἀμφεπονεῖτο

ἐνθάδε. τῷ μή τίς μοι ἀεικείας ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

φαινέτω· ἤδη γὰρ νοέω καὶ οἶδα ἕκαστα,

ἐσθλά τε καὶ τὰ χέρηα· πάρος δʼ ἔτι νήπιος ἦα.

ἀλλʼ ἔμπης τάδε μὲν καὶ τέτλαμεν εἰσορόωντες,

μήλων σφαζομένων οἴνοιό τε πινομένοιο

καὶ σίτου· χαλεπὸν γὰρ ἐρυκακέειν ἕνα πολλούς.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μηκέτι μοι κακὰ ῥέζετε δυσμενέοντες·

εἰ δʼ ἤδη μʼ αὐτὸν κτεῖναι μενεαίνετε χαλκῷ,

καί κε τὸ βουλοίμην, καί κεν πολὺ κέρδιον εἴη

τεθνάμεν ἢ τάδε γʼ αἰὲν ἀεικέα ἔργʼ ὁράασθαι,

ξείνους τε στυφελιζομένους δμῳάς τε γυναῖκας

ῥυστάζοντας ἀεικελίως κατὰ δώματα καλά.

They all held their peace till at last Agelaos son of Damastor said, "No one should take offense at what has just been said, nor gainsay it, for it is quite reasonable [ dikaios ]. Leave off, therefore, ill-treating the stranger, or any one else of the servants who are about the house; I would say, however, a friendly word to Telemakhos and his mother, which I trust may commend itself to both. ‘As long,’ I would say, ‘as you had ground for hoping that Odysseus would one day come home, there will be no nemesis as a result of your waiting and suffering the suitors to be in your house. It would have been better that he should have returned, but it is now sufficiently clear that he will never do so; therefore talk all this quietly over with your mother, and tell her to marry the best man, and the one who makes her the most advantageous offer. Thus you will yourself be able to manage your own inheritance, and to eat and drink in peace, while your mother will look after some other man's house, not yours."’

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ·

ὀψὲ δὲ δὴ μετέειπε Δαμαστορίδης Ἀγέλαος·

ὦ φίλοι, οὐκ ἂν δή τις ἐπὶ ῥηθέντι δικαίῳ

ἀντιβίοις ἐπέεσσι καθαπτόμενος χαλεπαίνοι·

μήτε τι τὸν ξεῖνον στυφελίζετε μήτε τινʼ ἄλλον

δμώων, οἳ κατὰ δώματʼ Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο.

Τηλεμάχῳ δέ κε μῦθον ἐγὼ καὶ μητέρι φαίην

ἤπιον, εἴ σφωϊν κραδίῃ ἅδοι ἀμφοτέροιϊν.

ὄφρα μὲν ὑμῖν θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἐώλπει

νοστήσειν Ὀδυσῆα πολύφρονα ὅνδε δόμονδε,

τόφρʼ οὔ τις νέμεσις μενέμεν τʼ ἦν ἰσχέμεναί τε

μνηστῆρας κατὰ δώματʼ, ἐπεὶ τόδε κέρδιον ἦεν,

εἰ νόστησʼ Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ ὑπότροπος ἵκετο δῶμα·

νῦν δʼ ἤδη τόδε δῆλον, ὅ τʼ οὐκέτι νόστιμός ἐστιν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε, σῇ τάδε μητρὶ παρεζόμενος κατάλεξον,

γήμασθʼ ὅς τις ἄριστος ἀνὴρ καὶ πλεῖστα πόρῃσιν,

ὄφρα σὺ μὲν χαίρων πατρώϊα πάντα νέμηαι,

ἔσθων καὶ πίνων, ἡ δʼ ἄλλου δῶμα κομίζῃ.

To this Telemakhos answered, "By Zeus, Agelaos, and by the sorrows of my unhappy father, who has either perished far from Ithaca , or is wandering in some distant land, I throw no obstacles in the way of my mother's marriage; on the contrary I urge her to choose whomsoever she will, and I will give her numberless gifts into the bargain, but I dare not insist point blank that she shall leave the house against her own wishes. Heaven forbid that I should do this."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

οὐ μὰ Ζῆνʼ, Ἀγέλαε, καὶ ἄλγεα πατρὸς ἐμοῖο,

ὅς που τῆλʼ Ἰθάκης ἢ ἔφθιται ἢ ἀλάληται,

οὔ τι διατρίβω μητρὸς γάμον, ἀλλὰ κελεύω

γήμασθʼ ᾧ κʼ ἐθέλῃ, ποτὶ δʼ ἄσπετα δῶρα δίδωμι.

αἰδέομαι δʼ ἀέκουσαν ἀπὸ μεγάροιο δίεσθαι

μύθῳ ἀναγκαίῳ· μὴ τοῦτο θεὸς τελέσειεν.

Athena now made the suitors fall to laughing immoderately, and set their wits wandering; but they were laughing with a forced laughter. Their meat became smeared with blood; their eyes filled with tears, and their hearts were heavy with forebodings. Theoklymenos saw this and said, "Unhappy men, what is it that ails you? There is a shroud of darkness drawn over you from head to foot, your cheeks are wet with tears; the air is alive with wailing voices; the walls and roof-beams drip blood; the gate of the cloisters and the court beyond them are full of ghosts trooping down into the night of Hades; the sun is blotted out of heaven, and a blighting gloom is over all the land."

ὣς φάτο Τηλέμαχος· μνηστῆρσι δὲ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη

ἄσβεστον γέλω ὦρσε, παρέπλαγξεν δὲ νόημα.

οἱ δʼ ἤδη γναθμοῖσι γελοίων ἀλλοτρίοισιν,

αἱμοφόρυκτα δὲ δὴ κρέα ἤσθιον· ὄσσε δʼ ἄρα σφέων

δακρυόφιν πίμπλαντο, γόον δʼ ὠΐετο θυμός.

τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε Θεοκλύμενος θεοειδής·

ἆ δειλοί, τί κακὸν τόδε πάσχετε; νυκτὶ μὲν ὑμέων

εἰλύαται κεφαλαί τε πρόσωπά τε νέρθε τε γοῦνα.

οἰμωγὴ δὲ δέδηε, δεδάκρυνται δὲ παρειαί,

αἵματι δʼ ἐρράδαται τοῖχοι καλαί τε μεσόδμαι·

εἰδώλων δὲ πλέον πρόθυρον, πλείη δὲ καὶ αὐλή,

ἱεμένων Ἔρεβόσδε ὑπὸ ζόφον· ἠέλιος δὲ

οὐρανοῦ ἐξαπόλωλε, κακὴ δʼ ἐπιδέδρομεν ἀχλύς.

Thus did he speak, and they all of them laughed heartily. Eurymakhos then said, "This stranger who has lately come here has lost his senses. Servants, turn him out into the streets, since he finds it so dark here."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἐπʼ αὐτῷ ἡδὺ γέλασσαν.

τοῖσιν δʼ Εὐρύμαχος, Πολύβου πάϊς, ἦρχʼ ἀγορεύειν·

ἀφραίνει ξεῖνος νέον ἄλλοθεν εἰληλουθώς.

ἀλλά μιν αἶψα, νέοι, δόμου ἐκπέμψασθε θύραζε

εἰς ἀγορὴν ἔρχεσθαι, ἐπεὶ τάδε νυκτὶ ἐΐσκει.

But Theoklymenos said, "Eurymakhos, you need not send any one with me. I have eyes, ears, and a pair of feet of my own, to say nothing of an understanding mind [ noos ]. I will take these out of the house with me, for I see mischief overhanging you, from which not one of you men who are insulting people and plotting ill deeds in the house of Odysseus will be able to escape."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Θεοκλύμενος θεοειδής·

Εὐρύμαχʼ, οὔ τί σʼ ἄνωγα ἐμοὶ πομπῆας ὀπάζειν·

εἰσί μοι ὀφθαλμοί τε καὶ οὔατα καὶ πόδες ἄμφω

καὶ νόος ἐν στήθεσσι τετυγμένος οὐδὲν ἀεικής.

τοῖς ἔξειμι θύραζε, ἐπεὶ νοέω κακὸν ὔμμιν

ἐρχόμενον, τό κεν οὔ τις ὑπεκφύγοι οὐδʼ ἀλέαιτο

μνηστήρων, οἳ δῶμα κάτʼ ἀντιθέου Ὀδυσῆος

ἀνέρας ὑβρίζοντες ἀτάσθαλα μηχανάασθε.

He left the house as he spoke, and went back to Peiraios who gave him welcome, but the suitors kept looking at one another and provoking Telemakhos by laughing at the strangers. One insolent fellow said to him, "Telemakhos, you are not happy in your guests; first you have this importunate tramp, who comes begging bread and wine and has no skill for work or for hard fighting [ biê ], but is perfectly useless, and now here is another fellow who is setting himself up as a seer. Let me persuade you, for it will be much better, to put them on board ship and send them off to the Sicels to sell for what they will bring."

ὣς εἰπὼν ἐξῆλθε δόμων εὖ ναιεταόντων,

ἵκετο δʼ ἐς Πείραιον, ὅ μιν πρόφρων ὑπέδεκτο.

μνηστῆρες δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἐς ἀλλήλους ὁρόωντες

Τηλέμαχον ἐρέθιζον, ἐπὶ ξείνοις γελόωντες·

ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκε νέων ὑπερηνορεόντων·

Τηλέμαχʼ, οὔ τις σεῖο κακοξεινώτερος ἄλλος·

οἷον μέν τινα τοῦτον ἔχεις ἐπίμαστον ἀλήτην,

σίτου καὶ οἴνου κεχρημένον, οὐδέ τι ἔργων

ἔμπαιον οὐδὲ βίης, ἀλλʼ αὔτως ἄχθος ἀρούρης.

ἄλλος δʼ αὖτέ τις οὗτος ἀνέστη μαντεύεσθαι.

ἀλλʼ εἴ μοί τι πίθοιο, τό κεν πολὺ κέρδιον εἴη·

τοὺς ξείνους ἐν νηῒ πολυκληῗδι βαλόντες

ἐς Σικελοὺς πέμψωμεν, ὅθεν κέ τοι ἄξιον ἄλφοι.

Telemakhos gave him no heed, but sat silently watching his father, expecting every moment that he would begin his attack upon the suitors.

ὣς ἔφασαν μνηστῆρες· ὁ δʼ οὐκ ἐμπάζετο μύθων,

ἀλλʼ ἀκέων πατέρα προσεδέρκετο, δέγμενος αἰεί,

ὁππότε δὴ μνηστῆρσιν ἀναιδέσι χεῖρας ἐφήσει.

Meanwhile the daughter of Ikarios, wise Penelope, had had a rich seat placed for her facing the court and cloisters, so that she could hear what every one was saying. The dinner indeed had been prepared amid merriment; it had been both good and abundant, for they had sacrificed many victims; but the supper was yet to come, and nothing can be conceived more gruesome than the meal which a goddess and a brave man were soon to lay before them - for they had brought their doom upon themselves.

ἡ δὲ κατʼ ἄντηστιν θεμένη περικαλλέα δίφρον

κούρη Ἰκαρίοιο, περίφρων Πηνελόπεια,

ἀνδρῶν ἐν μεγάροισιν ἑκάστου μῦθον ἄκουεν.

δεῖπνον μὲν γάρ τοί γε γελοίωντες τετύκοντο

ἡδὺ τε καὶ μενοεικές, ἐπεὶ μάλα πόλλʼ ἱέρευσαν·

δόρπου δʼ οὐκ ἄν πως ἀχαρίστερον ἄλλο γένοιτο,

οἷον δὴ τάχʼ ἔμελλε θεὰ καὶ καρτερὸς ἀνὴρ

θησέμεναι· πρότεροι γὰρ ἀεικέα μηχανόωντο.