Odyssey

Then Odysseus tore off his rags, and sprang on to the broad pavement with his bow and his quiver full of arrows. He shed the arrows on to the ground at his feet and said, "The mighty contest [ athlos ] is at an end. I will now see whether Apollo will grant it to me to hit another mark which no man has yet hit."

αὐτὰρ ὁ γυμνώθη ῥακέων πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς,

ἆλτο δʼ ἐπὶ μέγαν οὐδόν, ἔχων βιὸν ἠδὲ φαρέτρην

ἰῶν ἐμπλείην, ταχέας δʼ ἐκχεύατʼ ὀϊστοὺς

αὐτοῦ πρόσθε ποδῶν, μετὰ δὲ μνηστῆρσιν ἔειπεν·

οὗτος μὲν δὴ ἄεθλος ἀάατος ἐκτετέλεσται·

νῦν αὖτε σκοπὸν ἄλλον, ὃν οὔ πώ τις βάλεν ἀνήρ,

εἴσομαι, αἴ κε τύχωμι, πόρῃ δέ μοι εὖχος Ἀπόλλων.

On this he aimed a deadly arrow at Antinoos, who was about to take up a two-handled gold cup to drink his wine and already had it in his hands. He had no thought of death - who amongst all the revelers would think that one man, however brave, would stand alone among so many and kill him? The arrow struck Antinoos in the throat, and the point went clean through his neck, so that he fell over and the cup dropped from his hand, while a thick stream of blood gushed from his nostrils. He kicked the table from him and upset the things on it, so that the bread and roasted meats were all soiled as they fell over on to the ground. The suitors were in an uproar when they saw that a man had been hit; they sprang in dismay one and all of them from their seats and looked everywhere towards the walls, but there was neither shield nor spear, and they rebuked Odysseus very angrily. "Stranger," said they, "you shall pay for shooting people in this way: you shall see no other contest [ athlos ]; you are a doomed man; he whom you have slain was the foremost youth in Ithaca , and the vultures shall devour you for having killed him."

ἦ καὶ ἐπʼ Ἀντινόῳ ἰθύνετο πικρὸν ὀϊστόν.

ἦ τοι ὁ καλὸν ἄλεισον ἀναιρήσεσθαι ἔμελλε,

χρύσεον ἄμφωτον, καὶ δὴ μετὰ χερσὶν ἐνώμα,

ὄφρα πίοι οἴνοιο· φόνος δέ οἱ οὐκ ἐνὶ θυμῷ

μέμβλετο· τίς κʼ οἴοιτο μετʼ ἀνδράσι δαιτυμόνεσσι

μοῦνον ἐνὶ πλεόνεσσι, καὶ εἰ μάλα καρτερὸς εἴη,

οἷ τεύξειν θάνατόν τε κακὸν καὶ κῆρα μέλαιναν;

τὸν δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς κατὰ λαιμὸν ἐπισχόμενος βάλεν ἰῷ,

ἀντικρὺ δʼ ἁπαλοῖο διʼ αὐχένος ἤλυθʼ ἀκωκή.

ἐκλίνθη δʼ ἑτέρωσε, δέπας δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε χειρὸς

βλημένου, αὐτίκα δʼ αὐλὸς ἀνὰ ῥῖνας παχὺς ἦλθεν

αἵματος ἀνδρομέοιο· θοῶς δʼ ἀπὸ εἷο τράπεζαν

ὦσε ποδὶ πλήξας, ἀπὸ δʼ εἴδατα χεῦεν ἔραζε·

σῖτός τε κρέα τʼ ὀπτὰ φορύνετο. τοὶ δʼ ὁμάδησαν

μνηστῆρες κατὰ δώμαθʼ, ὅπως ἴδον ἄνδρα πεσόντα,

ἐκ δὲ θρόνων ἀνόρουσαν ὀρινθέντες κατὰ δῶμα,

πάντοσε παπταίνοντες ἐϋδμήτους ποτὶ τοίχους·

οὐδέ πη ἀσπὶς ἔην οὐδʼ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος ἑλέσθαι.

νείκειον δʼ Ὀδυσῆα χολωτοῖσιν ἐπέεσσι·

ξεῖνε, κακῶς ἀνδρῶν τοξάζεαι· οὐκέτʼ ἀέθλων

ἄλλων ἀντιάσεις· νῦν τοι σῶς αἰπὺς ὄλεθρος.

καὶ γὰρ δὴ νῦν φῶτα κατέκτανες ὃς μέγʼ ἄριστος

κούρων εἰν Ἰθάκῃ· τῷ σʼ ἐνθάδε γῦπες ἔδονται.

Thus they spoke, for they thought that he had killed Antinoos by mistake, and did not perceive that death was hanging over the head of every one of them. But Odysseus glared at them and said:

ἴσκεν ἕκαστος ἀνήρ, ἐπεὶ ἦ φάσαν οὐκ ἐθέλοντα

ἄνδρα κατακτεῖναι· τὸ δὲ νήπιοι οὐκ ἐνόησαν,

ὡς δή σφιν καὶ πᾶσιν ὀλέθρου πείρατʼ ἐφῆπτο.

τοὺς δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

"Dogs, did you think that I should not come back from the dêmos of the Trojans? You have wasted my substance, have forced my women servants to lie with you, and have wooed my wife while I was still living. You have feared neither the gods nor that there would be future nemesis from men, and now you shall die."

ὦ κύνες, οὔ μʼ ἔτʼ ἐφάσκεθʼ ὑπότροπον οἴκαδʼ ἱκέσθαι

δήμου ἄπο Τρώων, ὅτι μοι κατεκείρετε οἶκον,

δμῳῇσιν δὲ γυναιξὶ παρευνάζεσθε βιαίως,

αὐτοῦ τε ζώοντος ὑπεμνάασθε γυναῖκα,

οὔτε θεοὺς δείσαντες, οἳ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν,

οὔτε τινʼ ἀνθρώπων νέμεσιν κατόπισθεν ἔσεσθαι·

νῦν ὑμῖν καὶ πᾶσιν ὀλέθρου πείρατʼ ἐφῆπται.

They turned pale with fear as he spoke, and every man looked round about to see whither he might flee for safety, but Eurymakhos alone spoke.

ὣς φάτο, τοὺς δʼ ἄρα πάντας ὑπὸ χλωρὸν δέος εἷλεν·

πάπτηνεν δὲ ἕκαστος ὅπη φύγοι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.

"If you are Odysseus," said he, "then what you have said is just. We have done much wrong on your lands and in your house. But Antinoos, who was the head and front of the offending [ aitios ], lies low already. It was all his doing. It was not that he wanted to marry Penelope; he did not so much care about that; what he wanted was something quite different, and Zeus has not granted it to him; he wanted to kill your son and to be chief man in Ithaca . Now, therefore, that he has met the death which was his due, spare the lives of your people. We will make everything good among ourselves in this district [ dêmos ], and pay you in full for all that we have eaten and drunk. Each one of us shall pay you a fine worth twenty oxen, and we will keep on giving you gold and bronze till your heart is softened. Until we have done this no one can complain of your being enraged against us."

Εὐρύμαχος δέ μιν οἶος ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν·

εἰ μὲν δὴ Ὀδυσεὺς Ἰθακήσιος εἰλήλουθας,

ταῦτα μὲν αἴσιμα εἶπας, ὅσα ῥέζεσκον Ἀχαιοί,

πολλὰ μὲν ἐν μεγάροισιν ἀτάσθαλα, πολλὰ δʼ ἐπʼ ἀγροῦ.

ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἤδη κεῖται ὃς αἴτιος ἔπλετο πάντων,

Ἀντίνοος· οὗτος γὰρ ἐπίηλεν τάδε ἔργα,

οὔ τι γάμου τόσσον κεχρημένος οὐδὲ χατίζων,

ἀλλʼ ἄλλα φρονέων, τά οἱ οὐκ ἐτέλεσσε Κρονίων,

ὄφρʼ Ἰθάκης κατὰ δῆμον ἐϋκτιμένης βασιλεύοι

αὐτός, ἀτὰρ σὸν παῖδα κατακτείνειε λοχήσας.

νῦν δʼ ὁ μὲν ἐν μοίρῃ πέφαται, σὺ δὲ φείδεο λαῶν

σῶν· ἀτὰρ ἄμμες ὄπισθεν ἀρεσσάμενοι κατὰ δῆμον,

ὅσσα τοι ἐκπέποται καὶ ἐδήδοται ἐν μεγάροισι,

τιμὴν ἀμφὶς ἄγοντες ἐεικοσάβοιον ἕκαστος,

χαλκόν τε χρυσόν τʼ ἀποδώσομεν, εἰς ὅ κε σὸν κῆρ

ἰανθῇ· πρὶν δʼ οὔ τι νεμεσσητὸν κεχολῶσθαι.

Odysseus again glared at him and said, "Though you should give me all that you have in the world both now and all that you ever shall have, I will not stay my hand till I have paid all of you in full. You must fight, or flee for your lives; and flee, not a man of you shall."

τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Εὐρύμαχʼ, οὐδʼ εἴ μοι πατρώϊα πάντʼ ἀποδοῖτε,

ὅσσα τε νῦν ὔμμʼ ἐστὶ καὶ εἴ ποθεν ἄλλʼ ἐπιθεῖτε,

οὐδέ κεν ὣς ἔτι χεῖρας ἐμὰς λήξαιμι φόνοιο

πρὶν πᾶσαν μνηστῆρας ὑπερβασίην ἀποτῖσαι.

νῦν ὑμῖν παράκειται ἐναντίον ἠὲ μάχεσθαι

ἢ φεύγειν, ὅς κεν θάνατον καὶ κῆρας ἀλύξῃ·

ἀλλά τινʼ οὐ φεύξεσθαι ὀΐομαι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.

Their hearts sank as they heard him, but Eurymakhos again spoke saying:

ὣς φάτο, τῶν δʼ αὐτοῦ λύτο γούνατα καὶ φίλον ἦτορ.

τοῖσιν δʼ Εὐρύμαχος προσεφώνεε δεύτερον αὖτις·

"My friends, this man will give us no quarter. He will stand where he is and shoot us down till he has killed every man among us. Let us then show fight; draw your swords, and hold up the tables to shield you from his arrows. Let us have at him with a rush, to drive him from the pavement and doorway: we can then get through into the town, and raise such an alarm as shall soon stay his shooting."

ὦ φίλοι, οὐ γὰρ σχήσει ἀνὴρ ὅδε χεῖρας ἀάπτους,

ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἔλλαβε τόξον ἐΰξοον ἠδὲ φαρέτρην,

οὐδοῦ ἄπο ξεστοῦ τοξάσσεται, εἰς ὅ κε πάντας

ἄμμε κατακτείνῃ· ἀλλὰ μνησώμεθα χάρμης.

φάσγανά τε σπάσσασθε καὶ ἀντίσχεσθε τραπέζας

ἰῶν ὠκυμόρων· ἐπὶ δʼ αὐτῷ πάντες ἔχωμεν

ἀθρόοι, εἴ κέ μιν οὐδοῦ ἀπώσομεν ἠδὲ θυράων,

ἔλθωμεν δʼ ἀνὰ ἄστυ, βοὴ δʼ ὤκιστα γένοιτο·

τῷ κε τάχʼ οὗτος ἀνὴρ νῦν ὕστατα τοξάσσαιτο.

As he spoke he drew his keen blade of bronze, sharpened on both sides, and with a loud cry sprang towards Odysseus, but Odysseus instantly shot an arrow into his breast that caught him by the nipple and fixed itself in his liver. He dropped his sword and fell doubled up over his table. The cup and all the meats went over on to the ground as he smote the earth with his forehead in the agonies of death, and he kicked the stool with his feet until his eyes were closed in darkness.

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας εἰρύσσατο φάσγανον ὀξὺ

χάλκεον, ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἀκαχμένον, ἆλτο δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ

σμερδαλέα ἰάχων· ὁ δʼ ἁμαρτῆ δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

ἰὸν ἀποπροίει, βάλε δὲ στῆθος παρὰ μαζόν,

ἐν δέ οἱ ἥπατι πῆξε θοὸν βέλος· ἐκ δʼ ἄρα χειρὸς

φάσγανον ἧκε χαμᾶζε, περιρρηδὴς δὲ τραπέζῃ

κάππεσεν ἰδνωθείς, ἀπὸ δʼ εἴδατα χεῦεν ἔραζε

καὶ δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον· ὁ δὲ χθόνα τύπτε μετώπῳ

θυμῷ ἀνιάζων, ποσὶ δὲ θρόνον ἀμφοτέροισι

λακτίζων ἐτίνασσε· κατʼ ὀφθαλμῶν δʼ ἔχυτʼ ἀχλύς.

Then Amphinomos drew his sword and made straight at Odysseus to try and get him away from the door; but Telemakhos was too quick for him, and struck him from behind; the spear caught him between the shoulders and went right through his chest, so that he fell heavily to the ground and struck the earth with his forehead. Then Telemakhos sprang away from him, leaving his spear still in the body, for he feared that if he stayed to draw it out, some one of the Achaeans might come up and hack at him with his sword, or knock him down, so he set off at a run, and immediately was at his father's side. Then he said:

Ἀμφίνομος δʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἐείσατο κυδαλίμοιο

ἀντίος ἀΐξας, εἴρυτο δὲ φάσγανον ὀξύ,

εἴ πώς οἱ εἴξειε θυράων. ἀλλʼ ἄρα μιν φθῆ

Τηλέμαχος κατόπισθε βαλὼν χαλκήρεϊ δουρὶ

ὤμων μεσσηγύς, διὰ δὲ στήθεσφιν ἔλασσεν·

δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, χθόνα δʼ ἤλασε παντὶ μετώπῳ.

Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἀπόρουσε, λιπὼν δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος

αὐτοῦ ἐν Ἀμφινόμῳ· περὶ γὰρ δίε μή τις Ἀχαιῶν

ἔγχος ἀνελκόμενον δολιχόσκιον ἢ ἐλάσειε

φασγάνῳ ἀΐξας ἠὲ προπρηνέα τύψας.

βῆ δὲ θέειν, μάλα δʼ ὦκα φίλον πατέρʼ εἰσαφίκανεν,

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

"Father, let me bring you a shield, two spears, and a brass helmet for your temples. I will arm myself as well, and will bring other armor for the swineherd and the stockman, for we had better be armed."

ὦ πάτερ, ἤδη τοι σάκος οἴσω καὶ δύο δοῦρε

καὶ κυνέην πάγχαλκον, ἐπὶ κροτάφοις ἀραρυῖαν

αὐτός τʼ ἀμφιβαλεῦμαι ἰών, δώσω δὲ συβώτῃ

καὶ τῷ βουκόλῳ ἄλλα· τετευχῆσθαι γὰρ ἄμεινον.

"Run and fetch them," answered Odysseus, "while my arrows hold out, or when I am alone they may get me away from the door."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

οἶσε θέων, ἧός μοι ἀμύνεσθαι πάρʼ ὀϊστοί,

μή μʼ ἀποκινήσωσι θυράων μοῦνον ἐόντα.

Telemakhos did as his father said, and went off to the store room where the armor was kept. He chose four shields, eight spears, and four brass helmets with horse-hair plumes. He brought them with all speed to his father, and armed himself first, while the stockman and the swineherd also put on their armor, and took their places near Odysseus. Meanwhile Odysseus, as long as his arrows lasted, had been shooting the suitors one by one, and they fell thick on one another: when his arrows gave out, he set the bow to stand against the end wall of the house by the door post, and hung a shield four hides thick about his shoulders; on his comely head he set his helmet, well wrought with a crest of horse-hair that nodded menacingly above it, and he grasped two redoubtable bronze-shod spears.

ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ φίλῳ ἐπεπείθετο πατρί,

βῆ δʼ ἴμεναι θάλαμόνδʼ, ὅθι οἱ κλυτὰ τεύχεα κεῖτο.

ἔνθεν τέσσαρα μὲν σάκεʼ ἔξελε, δούρατα δʼ ὀκτὼ

καὶ πίσυρας κυνέας χαλκήρεας ἱπποδασείας·

βῆ δὲ φέρων, μάλα δʼ ὦκα φίλον πατέρʼ εἰσαφίκανεν,

αὐτὸς δὲ πρώτιστα περὶ χροῒ δύσετο χαλκόν·

ὣς δʼ αὔτως τὼ δμῶε δυέσθην τεύχεα καλά,

ἔσταν δʼ ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆα δαΐφρονα ποικιλομήτην.

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ, ὄφρα μὲν αὐτῷ ἀμύνεσθαι ἔσαν ἰοί.

τόφρα μνηστήρων ἕνα γʼ αἰεὶ ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

βάλλε τιτυσκόμενος· τοὶ δʼ ἀγχιστῖνοι ἔπιπτον.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ λίπον ἰοὶ ὀϊστεύοντα ἄνακτα,

τόξον μὲν πρὸς σταθμὸν ἐϋσταθέος μεγάροιο

ἔκλινʼ ἑστάμεναι, πρὸς ἐνώπια παμφανόωντα,

αὐτὸς δʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι σάκος θέτο τετραθέλυμνον,

κρατὶ δʼ ἐπʼ ἰφθίμῳ κυνέην εὔτυκτον ἔθηκεν,

ἵππουριν, δεινὸν δὲ λόφος καθύπερθεν ἔνευεν·

εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμα δοῦρε δύω κεκορυθμένα χαλκῷ.

Now there was a trap door on the wall, while at one end of the pavement there was an exit leading to a narrow passage, and this exit was closed by a well-made door. Odysseus told Philoitios to stand by this door and guard it, for only one person could attack it at a time. But Agelaos shouted out, "Cannot some one go up to the trap door and tell the people what is going on? Help would come at once, and we should soon make an end of this man and his shooting."

ὀρσοθύρη δέ τις ἔσκεν ἐϋδμήτῳ ἐνὶ τοίχῳ,

ἀκρότατον δὲ παρʼ οὐδὸν ἐϋσταθέος μεγάροιο

ἦν ὁδὸς ἐς λαύρην, σανίδες δʼ ἔχον εὖ ἀραρυῖαι.

τὴν δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς φράζεσθαι ἀνώγει δῖον ὑφορβὸν

ἑσταότʼ ἄγχʼ αὐτῆς· μία δʼ οἴη γίγνετʼ ἐφορμή.

τοῖς δʼ Ἀγέλεως μετέειπεν, ἔπος πάντεσσι πιφαύσκων·

ὦ φίλοι, οὐκ ἂν δή τις ἀνʼ ὀρσοθύρην ἀναβαίη

καὶ εἴποι λαοῖσι, βοὴ δʼ ὤκιστα γένοιτο;

τῷ κε τάχʼ οὗτος ἀνὴρ νῦν ὕστατα τοξάσσαιτο.

"This may not be, Agelaos," answered Melanthios, "the mouth of the narrow passage is dangerously near the entrance to the outer court. One brave man could prevent any number from getting in. But I know what I will do, I will bring you arms from the store room, for I am sure it is there that Odysseus and his son have put them."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν·

οὔ πως ἔστʼ, Ἀγέλαε διοτρεφές· ἄγχι γὰρ αἰνῶς

αὐλῆς καλὰ θύρετρα καὶ ἀργαλέον στόμα λαύρης·

καί χʼ εἷς πάντας ἐρύκοι ἀνήρ, ὅς τʼ ἄλκιμος εἴη.

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ, ὑμῖν τεύχεʼ ἐνείκω θωρηχθῆναι

ἐκ θαλάμου· ἔνδον γάρ, ὀΐομαι, οὐδέ πη ἄλλῃ

τεύχεα κατθέσθην Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ φαίδιμος υἱός.

On this the goatherd Melanthios went by back passages to the store room of Odysseus, house. There he chose twelve shields, with as many helmets and spears, and brought them back as fast as he could to give them to the suitors. Odysseus’ heart began to fail him when he saw the suitors putting on their armor and brandishing their spears. He saw the greatness of the danger, and said to Telemakhos, "Some one of the women inside is helping the suitors against us, or it may be Melanthios."

ὣς εἰπὼν ἀνέβαινε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν,

εἰς θαλάμους Ὀδυσῆος ἀνὰ ῥῶγας μεγάροιο.

ἔνθεν δώδεκα μὲν σάκεʼ ἔξελε, τόσσα δὲ δοῦρα

καὶ τόσσας κυνέας χαλκήρεας ἱπποδασείας·

βῆ δʼ ἴμεναι, μάλα δʼ ὦκα φέρων μνηστῆρσιν ἔδωκεν.

καὶ τότʼ Ὀδυσσῆος λύτο γούνατα καὶ φίλον ἦτορ,

ὡς περιβαλλομένους ἴδε τεύχεα χερσί τε δοῦρα

μακρὰ τινάσσοντας· μέγα δʼ αὐτῷ φαίνετο ἔργον.

αἶψα δὲ Τηλέμαχον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

Τηλέμαχʼ, ἦ μάλα δή τις ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γυναικῶν

νῶϊν ἐποτρύνει πόλεμον κακὸν ἠὲ Μελανθεύς.

Telemakhos answered, "The fault [ aitios ], father, is mine, and mine only; I left the store room door open, and they have kept a sharper look out than I have. Go, Eumaios, put the door to, and see whether it is one of the women who is doing this, or whether, as I suspect, it is Melanthios the son of Dolios."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

ὦ πάτερ, αὐτὸς ἐγὼ τόδε γʼ ἤμβροτον—οὐδέ τις ἄλλος

αἴτιος—ὃς θαλάμοιο θύρην πυκινῶς ἀραρυῖαν

κάλλιπον ἀγκλίνας· τῶν δὲ σκοπὸς ἦεν ἀμείνων.

ἀλλʼ ἴθι, δῖʼ Εὔμαιε, θύρην ἐπίθες θαλάμοιο

καὶ φράσαι ἤ τις ἄρʼ ἐστὶ γυναικῶν ἣ τάδε ῥέζει,

ἢ υἱὸς Δολίοιο, Μελανθεύς, τόν περ ὀΐω.

Thus did they converse. Meanwhile Melanthios was again going to the store room to fetch more armor, but the swineherd saw him and said to Odysseus who was beside him, "Odysseus, noble son of Laertes , it is that scoundrel Melanthios, just as we suspected, who is going to the store room. Say, shall I kill him, if I can get the better of him, or shall I bring him here that you may take your own revenge for all the many wrongs that he has done in your house?"

ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,

βῆ δʼ αὖτις θάλαμόνδε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν,

οἴσων τεύχεα καλά. νόησε δὲ δῖος ὑφορβός,

αἶψα δʼ Ὀδυσσῆα προσεφώνεεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντα·

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

κεῖνος δʼ αὖτʼ ἀΐδηλος ἀνήρ, ὃν ὀϊόμεθʼ αὐτοί,

ἔρχεται ἐς θάλαμον· σὺ δέ μοι νημερτὲς ἐνίσπες,

ἤ μιν ἀποκτείνω, αἴ κε κρείσσων γε γένωμαι,

ἦε σοὶ ἐνθάδʼ ἄγω, ἵνʼ ὑπερβασίας ἀποτίσῃ

πολλάς, ὅσσας οὗτος ἐμήσατο σῷ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ.

Odysseus answered, "Telemakhos and I will hold these suitors in check, no matter what they do; go back both of you and bind Melanthios’ hands and feet behind him. Throw him into the store room and make the door fast behind you; then fasten a noose about his body, and string him close up to the rafters from a high bearing-post, that he may linger on in an agony."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

ἦ τοι ἐγὼ καὶ Τηλέμαχος μνηστῆρας ἀγαυοὺς

σχήσομεν ἔντοσθεν μεγάρων, μάλα περ μεμαῶτας.

σφῶϊ δʼ ἀποστρέψαντε πόδας καὶ χεῖρας ὕπερθεν

ἐς θάλαμον βαλέειν, σανίδας δʼ ἐκδῆσαι ὄπισθε,

σειρὴν δὲ πλεκτὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ πειρήναντε

κίονʼ ἀνʼ ὑψηλὴν ἐρύσαι πελάσαι τε δοκοῖσιν,

ὥς κεν δηθὰ ζωὸς ἐὼν χαλέπʼ ἄλγεα πάσχῃ·

Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said; they went to the store room, which they entered before Melanthios saw them, for he was busy searching for arms in the innermost part of the room, so the two took their stand on either side of the door and waited. By and by Melanthios came out with a helmet in one hand, and an old dry-rotted shield in the other, which had been borne by Laertes when he was young, but which had been long since thrown aside, and the straps had become unsewn; on this the two seized him, dragged him back by the hair, and threw him struggling to the ground. They bent his hands and feet well behind his back, and bound them tight with a painful bond as Odysseus had told them; then they fastened a noose about his body and strung him up from a high pillar till he was close up to the rafters, and over him did you then vaunt, O swineherd Eumaios, saying, "Melanthios, you will pass the night on a soft bed as you deserve. You will know very well when morning comes from the streams of Okeanos, and it is time for you to be driving in your goats for the suitors to feast on."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδʼ ἐπίθοντο,

βὰν δʼ ἴμεν ἐς θάλαμον, λαθέτην δέ μιν ἔνδον ἐόντα.

ἦ τοι ὁ μὲν θαλάμοιο μυχὸν κάτα τεύχεʼ ἐρεύνα,

τὼ δʼ ἔσταν ἑκάτερθε παρὰ σταθμοῖσι μένοντε.

εὖθʼ ὑπὲρ οὐδὸν ἔβαινε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν,

τῇ ἑτέρῃ μὲν χειρὶ φέρων καλὴν τρυφάλειαν,

τῇ δʼ ἑτέρῃ σάκος εὐρὺ γέρον, πεπαλαγμένον ἄζῃ,

Λαέρτεω ἥρωος, ὃ κουρίζων φορέεσκε·

δὴ τότε γʼ ἤδη κεῖτο, ῥαφαὶ δὲ λέλυντο ἱμάντων·

τὼ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπαΐξανθʼ ἑλέτην ἔρυσάν τέ μιν εἴσω

κουρίξ, ἐν δαπέδῳ δὲ χαμαὶ βάλον ἀχνύμενον κῆρ,

σὺν δὲ πόδας χεῖράς τε δέον θυμαλγέϊ δεσμῷ

εὖ μάλʼ ἀποστρέψαντε διαμπερές, ὡς ἐκέλευσεν

υἱὸς Λαέρταο, πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

σειρὴν δὲ πλεκτὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ πειρήναντε

κίονʼ ἀνʼ ὑψηλὴν ἔρυσαν πέλασάν τε δοκοῖσι.

τὸν δʼ ἐπικερτομέων προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·

νῦν μὲν δὴ μάλα πάγχυ, Μελάνθιε, νύκτα φυλάξεις,

εὐνῇ ἔνι μαλακῇ καταλέγμενος, ὥς σε ἔοικεν·

οὐδέ σέ γʼ ἠριγένεια παρʼ Ὠκεανοῖο ῥοάων

λήσει ἐπερχομένη χρυσόθρονος, ἡνίκʼ ἀγινεῖς

αἶγας μνηστήρεσσι δόμον κάτα δαῖτα πένεσθαι.

There, then, they left him in very cruel bondage, and having put on their armor they closed the door behind them and went back to take their places by the side of Odysseus; whereon the four men stood in the room, fierce and full of fury; nevertheless, those who were in the body of the court were still both brave and many. Then Zeus’ daughter Athena came up to them, having assumed the voice and form of Mentor. Odysseus was glad when he saw her and said, "Mentor, lend me your help, and forget not your old comrade, nor the many good turns he has done you. Besides, you are my age-mate."

ὣς ὁ μὲν αὖθι λέλειπτο, ταθεὶς ὀλοῷ ἐνὶ δεσμῷ·

τὼ δʼ ἐς τεύχεα δύντε, θύρην ἐπιθέντε φαεινήν,

βήτην εἰς Ὀδυσῆα δαΐφρονα, ποικιλομήτην.

ἔνθα μένος πνείοντες ἐφέστασαν, οἱ μὲν ἐπʼ οὐδοῦ

τέσσαρες, οἱ δʼ ἔντοσθε δόμων πολέες τε καὶ ἐσθλοί.

τοῖσι δʼ ἐπʼ ἀγχίμολον θυγάτηρ Διὸς ἦλθεν Ἀθήνη,

Μέντορι εἰδομένη ἠμὲν δέμας ἠδὲ καὶ αὐδήν.

τὴν δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς γήθησεν ἰδὼν καὶ μῦθον ἔειπε·

Μέντορ, ἄμυνον ἀρήν, μνῆσαι δʼ ἑτάροιο φίλοιο,

ὅς σʼ ἀγαθὰ ῥέζεσκον· ὁμηλικίην δέ μοί ἐσσι.

But all the time he felt sure it was Athena, and the suitors from the other side raised an uproar when they saw her. Agelaos was the first to reproach her. "Mentor," he cried, "do not let Odysseus beguile you into siding with him and fighting the suitors. This is what will be our plan [ noos ]: when we have killed these people, father and son, we will kill you too. You shall pay for it with your head, and when we have killed you, we will take all you have, in doors or out, and merge it with Odysseus’ property; we will not let your sons live in your house, nor your daughters, nor shall your widow continue to live in the city of Ithaca ."

ὣς φάτʼ, ὀϊόμενος λαοσσόον ἔμμεν Ἀθήνην.

μνηστῆρες δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ὁμόκλεον ἐν μεγάροισι·

πρῶτος τήν γʼ ἐνένιπε Δαμαστορίδης Ἀγέλαος·

Μέντορ, μή σʼ ἐπέεσσι παραιπεπίθῃσιν Ὀδυσσεὺς

μνηστήρεσσι μάχεσθαι, ἀμυνέμεναι δέ οἱ αὐτῷ.

ὧδε γὰρ ἡμέτερόν γε νόον τελέεσθαι ὀΐω·

ὁππότε κεν τούτους κτέωμεν, πατέρʼ ἠδὲ καὶ υἱόν,

ἐν δὲ σὺ τοῖσιν ἔπειτα πεφήσεαι, οἷα μενοινᾷς

ἔρδειν ἐν μεγάροις· σῷ δʼ αὐτοῦ κράατι τίσεις.

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν ὑμέων γε βίας ἀφελώμεθα χαλκῷ,

κτήμαθʼ ὁπόσσα τοί ἐστι, τά τʼ ἔνδοθι καὶ τὰ θύρηφι,

τοῖσιν Ὀδυσσῆος μεταμίξομεν· οὐδέ τοι υἷας

ζώειν ἐν μεγάροισιν ἐάσομεν, οὐδέ θύγατρας

οὐδʼ ἄλοχον κεδνὴν Ἰθάκης κατὰ ἄστυ πολεύειν.

This made Athena still more furious, so she scolded Odysseus very angrily. "Odysseus," said she, "your strength and prowess are no longer what they were when you fought for nine long years among the Trojans about the noble lady Helen. You killed many a man in those days, and it was through your stratagem that Priam's city was taken. How comes it that you are so lamentably less valiant now that you are on your own ground, face to face with the suitors in your own house? Come on, my good fellow, stand by my side and see how Mentor, son of Alkinoos shall fight your foes and requite your kindnesses conferred upon him."

ὣς φάτʼ, Ἀθηναίη δὲ χολώσατο κηρόθι μᾶλλον,

νείκεσσεν δʼ Ὀδυσῆα χολωτοῖσιν ἐπέεσσιν·

οὐκέτι σοί γʼ, Ὀδυσεῦ, μένος ἔμπεδον οὐδέ τις ἀλκή

οἵη ὅτʼ ἀμφʼ Ἑλένῃ λευκωλένῳ εὐπατερείῃ,

εἰνάετες Τρώεσσιν ἐμάρναο νωλεμὲς αἰεί,

πολλοὺς δʼ ἄνδρας ἔπεφνες ἐν αἰνῇ δηϊοτῆτι,

σῇ δʼ ἥλω βουλῇ Πριάμου πόλις εὐρυάγυια.

πῶς δὴ νῦν, ὅτε σόν τε δόμον καὶ κτήμαθʼ ἱκάνεις,

ἄντα μνηστήρων ὀλοφύρεαι ἄλκιμος εἶναι;

ἀλλʼ ἄγε δεῦρο, πέπον, παρʼ ἔμʼ ἵστασο καὶ ἴδε ἔργον,

ὄφρʼ εἰδῇς οἷός τοι ἐν ἀνδράσι δυσμενέεσσιν

Μέντωρ Ἀλκιμίδης εὐεργεσίας ἀποτίνειν.

But she would not give him full victory as yet, for she wished still further to prove his own prowess and that of his brave son, so she flew up to one of the rafters in the roof of the room and sat upon it in the form of a swallow.

ἦ ῥα, καὶ οὔ πω πάγχυ δίδου ἑτεραλκέα νίκην,

ἀλλʼ ἔτʼ ἄρα σθένεός τε καὶ ἀλκῆς πειρήτιζεν

ἠμὲν Ὀδυσσῆος ἠδʼ υἱοῦ κυδαλίμοιο.

αὐτὴ δʼ αἰθαλόεντος ἀνὰ μεγάροιο μέλαθρον

ἕζετʼ ἀναΐξασα, χελιδόνι εἰκέλη ἄντην.

Meanwhile Agelaos son of Damastor, Eurynomos, Amphimedon, Demoptolemos, Peisandros, and Polybos son of Polyktor bore the brunt of the fight upon the suitors’ side; of all those who were still fighting for their lives [ psukhai ], they were by far the most excellent in aretê , for the others had already fallen under the arrows of Odysseus. Agelaos shouted to them and said, "My friends, he will soon have to leave off, for Mentor has gone away after having done nothing for him but brag. They are standing at the doors unsupported. Do not aim at him all at once, but six of you throw your spears first, and see if you cannot cover yourselves with glory by killing him. When he has fallen we need not be uneasy about the others."

μνηστῆρας δʼ ὤτρυνε Δαμαστορίδης Ἀγέλαος,

Εὐρύνομός τε καὶ Ἀμφιμέδων Δημοπτόλεμός τε,

Πείσανδρός τε Πολυκτορίδης Πόλυβός τε δαΐφρων·

οἱ γὰρ μνηστήρων ἀρετῇ ἔσαν ἔξοχʼ ἄριστοι,

ὅσσοι ἔτʼ ἔζωον περί τε ψυχέων ἐμάχοντο·

τοὺς δʼ ἤδη ἐδάμασσε βιὸς καὶ ταρφέες ἰοί.

τοῖς δʼ Ἀγέλεως μετέειπεν, ἔπος πάντεσσι πιφαύσκων·

ὦ φίλοι, ἤδη σχήσει ἀνὴρ ὅδε χεῖρας ἀάπτους·

καὶ δή οἱ Μέντωρ μὲν ἔβη κενὰ εὔγματα εἰπών,

οἱ δʼ οἶοι λείπονται ἐπὶ πρώτῃσι θύρῃσι.

τῷ νῦν μὴ ἅμα πάντες ἐφίετε δούρατα μακρά,

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ οἱ ἓξ πρῶτον ἀκοντίσατʼ, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς

δώῃ Ὀδυσσῆα βλῆσθαι καὶ κῦδος ἀρέσθαι.

τῶν δʼ ἄλλων οὐ κῆδος, ἐπὴν οὗτός γε πέσῃσιν.

They threw their spears as he bade them, but Athena made them all of no effect. One hit the door post; another went against the door; the pointed shaft of another struck the wall; and as soon as they had avoided all the spears of the suitors Odysseus said to his own men, "My friends, I should say we too had better let drive into the middle of them, or they will crown all the harm they have done us by killing us outright."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκόντισαν ὡς ἐκέλευεν,

ἱέμενοι· τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐτώσια θῆκεν Ἀθήνη,

τῶν ἄλλος μὲν σταθμὸν ἐϋσταθέος μεγάροιο

βεβλήκει, ἄλλος δὲ θύρην πυκινῶς ἀραρυῖαν·

ἄλλου δʼ ἐν τοίχῳ μελίη πέσε χαλκοβάρεια.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ δούρατʼ ἀλεύαντο μνηστήρων,

τοῖς δʼ ἄρα μύθων ἦρχε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

ὦ φίλοι, ἤδη μέν κεν ἐγὼν εἴποιμι καὶ ἄμμι

μνηστήρων ἐς ὅμιλον ἀκοντίσαι, οἳ μεμάασιν

ἡμέας ἐξεναρίξαι ἐπὶ προτέροισι κακοῖσιν.

They therefore aimed straight in front of them and threw their spears. Odysseus killed Demoptolemos, Telemakhos Euryades, Eumaios Elatus, while the stockman killed Peisandros. These all bit the dust, and as the others drew back into a corner Odysseus and his men rushed forward and regained their spears by drawing them from the bodies of the dead.

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκόντισαν ὀξέα δοῦρα

ἄντα τιτυσκόμενοι· Δημοπτόλεμον μὲν Ὀδυσσεύς,

Εὐρυάδην δʼ ἄρα Τηλέμαχος, Ἔλατον δὲ συβώτης,

Πείσανδρον δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπεφνε βοῶν ἐπιβουκόλος ἀνήρ.

οἱ μὲν ἔπειθʼ ἅμα πάντες ὀδὰξ ἕλον ἄσπετον οὖδας,

μνηστῆρες δʼ ἀνεχώρησαν μεγάροιο μυχόνδε·

τοὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπήϊξαν, νεκύων δʼ ἐξ ἔγχεʼ ἕλοντο.

The suitors now aimed a second time, but again Athena made their weapons for the most part without effect. One hit a bearing-post of the room; another went against the door; while the pointed shaft of another struck the wall. Still, Amphimedon just took a piece of the top skin from off Telemakhos’ wrist, and Ktesippos managed to graze Eumaios’ shoulder above his shield; but the spear went on and fell to the ground. Then Odysseus and his men let drive into the crowd of suitors. Odysseus hit Eurydamas, Telemakhos Amphimedon, and Eumaios Polybos. After this the stockman hit Ktesippos in the breast, and taunted him saying, "Foul-mouthed son of Polytherses, do not be so foolish as to talk wickedly another time, but let heaven direct your speech, for the gods are far stronger than men. I make you a present of this advice to repay you for the foot which you gave Odysseus when he was begging about in his own house."

αὖτις δὲ μνηστῆρες ἀκόντισαν ὀξέα δοῦρα

ἱέμενοι· τὰ δὲ πολλὰ ἐτώσια θῆκεν Ἀθήνη.

τῶν ἄλλος μὲν σταθμὸν ἐϋσταθέος μεγάροιο

βεβλήκειν, ἄλλος δὲ θύρην πυκινῶς ἀραρυῖαν·

ἄλλου δʼ ἐν τοίχῳ μελίη πέσε χαλκοβάρεια.

Ἀμφιμέδων δʼ ἄρα Τηλέμαχον βάλε χεῖρʼ ἐπὶ καρπῷ

λίγδην, ἄκρον δὲ ῥινὸν δηλήσατο χαλκός.

Κτήσιππος δʼ Εὔμαιον ὑπὲρ σάκος ἔγχεϊ μακρῷ

ὦμον ἐπέγραψεν· τὸ δʼ ὑπέρπτατο, πῖπτε δʼ ἔραζε.

τοὶ δʼ αὖτʼ ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆα δαΐφρονα ποικιλομήτην,

μνηστήρων ἐς ὅμιλον ἀκόντισαν ὀξέα δοῦρα.

ἔνθʼ αὖτʼ Εὐρυδάμαντα βάλε πτολίπορθος Ὀδυσσεύς,

Ἀμφιμέδοντα δὲ Τηλέμαχος, Πόλυβον δὲ συβώτης·

Κτήσιππον δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα βοῶν ἐπιβουκόλος ἀνὴρ

βεβλήκει πρὸς στῆθος, ἐπευχόμενος δὲ προσηύδα·

ὦ Πολυθερσεΐδη φιλοκέρτομε, μή ποτε πάμπαν

εἴκων ἀφραδίῃς μέγα εἰπεῖν, ἀλλὰ θεοῖσιν

μῦθον ἐπιτρέψαι, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτεροί εἰσι.

τοῦτό τοι ἀντὶ ποδὸς ξεινήϊον, ὅν ποτʼ ἔδωκας

ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆϊ δόμον κάτʼ ἀλητεύοντι.

Thus spoke the stockman, and Odysseus struck the son of Damastor with a spear in close fight, while Telemakhos hit Leiokritos son of Euenor in the belly, and the dart went clean through him, so that he fell forward full on his face upon the ground. Then Athena from her seat on the rafter held up her deadly aegis, and the hearts of the suitors quailed. They fled to the other end of the court like a herd of cattle maddened by the gadfly in early summer [ hôra ] when the days are at their longest. As eagle-beaked, crook-taloned vultures from the mountains swoop down on the smaller birds that cower in flocks upon the ground, and kill them, for they cannot either fight or flee, and lookers on enjoy the sport - even so did Odysseus and his men fall upon the suitors and smite them on every side. They made a horrible groaning as their brains were being battered in, and the ground seethed with their blood.

ἦ ῥα βοῶν ἑλίκων ἐπιβουκόλος· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

οὖτα Δαμαστορίδην αὐτοσχεδὸν ἔγχεϊ μακρῷ.

Τηλέμαχος δʼ Εὐηνορίδην Λειώκριτον οὖτα

δουρὶ μέσον κενεῶνα, διαπρὸ δὲ χαλκὸν ἔλασσεν·

ἤριπε δὲ πρηνής, χθόνα δʼ ἤλασε παντὶ μετώπῳ.

δὴ τότʼ Ἀθηναίη φθισίμβροτον αἰγίδʼ ἀνέσχεν

ὑψόθεν ἐξ ὀροφῆς· τῶν δὲ φρένες ἐπτοίηθεν.

οἱ δʼ ἐφέβοντο κατὰ μέγαρον βόες ὣς ἀγελαῖαι·

τὰς μέν τʼ αἰόλος οἶστρος ἐφορμηθεὶς ἐδόνησεν

ὥρῃ ἐν εἰαρινῇ, ὅτε τʼ ἤματα μακρὰ πέλονται.

οἱ δʼ ὥς τʼ αἰγυπιοὶ γαμψώνυχες ἀγκυλοχεῖλαι,

ἐξ ὀρέων ἐλθόντες ἐπʼ ὀρνίθεσσι θόρωσι·

ταὶ μέν τʼ ἐν πεδίῳ νέφεα πτώσσουσαι ἵενται,

οἱ δέ τε τὰς ὀλέκουσιν ἐπάλμενοι, οὐδέ τις ἀλκὴ

γίγνεται οὐδὲ φυγή· χαίρουσι δέ τʼ ἀνέρες ἄγρῃ·

ὣς ἄρα τοὶ μνηστῆρας ἐπεσσύμενοι κατὰ δῶμα

τύπτον ἐπιστροφάδην· τῶν δὲ στόνος ὤρνυτʼ ἀεικὴς

κράτων τυπτομένων, δάπεδον δʼ ἅπαν αἵματι θῦε.

Leiodes then caught the knees of Odysseus and said, "Odysseus I beseech you have mercy upon me and spare me. I never wronged any of the women in your house either in word or deed, and I tried to stop the others. I saw them, but they would not listen, and now they are paying for their folly. I was their sacrificing priest; if you kill me, I shall die without having done anything to deserve it, and shall have got no thanks [ kharis ] for all the good that I did."

Λειώδης δʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἐπεσσύμενος λάβε γούνων,

καί μιν λισσόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

γουνοῦμαί σʼ, Ὀδυσεῦ· σὺ δέ μʼ αἴδεο καί μʼ ἐλέησον·

οὐ γάρ πώ τινά φημι γυναικῶν ἐν μεγάροισιν

εἰπεῖν οὐδέ τι ῥέξαι ἀτάσθαλον· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλους

παύεσκον μνηστῆρας, ὅτις τοιαῦτά γε ῥέζοι.

ἀλλά μοι οὐ πείθοντο κακῶν ἄπο χεῖρας ἔχεσθαι·

τῷ καὶ ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐπέσπον.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ μετὰ τοῖσι θυοσκόος οὐδὲν ἐοργὼς

κείσομαι, ὡς οὐκ ἔστι χάρις μετόπισθʼ εὐεργέων·

Odysseus looked sternly at him and answered, "If you were their sacrificing priest, you must have prayed many a time that it might be long before I got home again [ nostos ], and that you might marry my wife and have children by her. Therefore you shall die."

τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

εἰ μὲν δὴ μετὰ τοῖσι θυοσκόος εὔχεαι εἶναι,

πολλάκι που μέλλεις ἀρήμεναι ἐν μεγάροισι

τηλοῦ ἐμοὶ νόστοιο τέλος γλυκεροῖο γενέσθαι,

σοὶ δʼ ἄλοχόν τε φίλην σπέσθαι καὶ τέκνα τεκέσθαι·

τῷ οὐκ ἂν θάνατόν γε δυσηλεγέα προφύγοισθα.

With these words he picked up the sword that Agelaos had dropped when he was being killed, and which was lying upon the ground. Then he struck Leiodes on the back of his neck, so that his head fell rolling in the dust while he was yet speaking.

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ξίφος εἵλετο χειρὶ παχείῃ

κείμενον, ὅ ῥʼ Ἀγέλαος ἀποπροέηκε χαμᾶζε

κτεινόμενος· τῷ τόν γε κατʼ αὐχένα μέσσον ἔλασσε.

φθεγγομένου δʼ ἄρα τοῦ γε κάρη κονίῃσιν ἐμίχθη.

The minstrel Phemios son of Terpes - he who had been forced by the suitors to sing to them - now tried to save his life. He was standing near towards the trap door, and held his lyre in his hand. He did not know whether to flee out of the room and sit down by the altar of Zeus that was in the outer court, and on which both Laertes and Odysseus had offered up the thigh bones of many an ox, or whether to go straight up to Odysseus and embrace his knees, but in the end he deemed it best to embrace Odysseus’ knees. So he laid his lyre on the ground the ground between the mixing-bowl and the silver-studded seat; then going up to Odysseus he caught hold of his knees and said, "Odysseus, I beseech you have mercy on me and spare me. You will be sorry [ akhos ] for it afterwards if you kill a bard who can sing both for gods and men as I can. I make all my lays myself, and heaven visits me with every kind of inspiration. I would sing to you as though you were a god, do not therefore be in such a hurry to cut my head off. Your own son Telemakhos will tell you that I did not want to frequent your house and sing to the suitors after their meals, but they were too many and too strong for me, so they made me."

Τερπιάδης δʼ ἔτʼ ἀοιδὸς ἀλύσκανε κῆρα μέλαιναν,

Φήμιος, ὅς ῥʼ ἤειδε μετὰ μνηστῆρσιν ἀνάγκῃ.

ἔστη δʼ ἐν χείρεσσίν ἔχων φόρμιγγα λίγειαν

ἄγχι παρʼ ὀρσοθύρην· δίχα δὲ φρεσὶ μερμήριζεν,

ἢ ἐκδὺς μεγάροιο Διὸς μεγάλου ποτὶ βωμὸν

ἑρκείου ἵζοιτο τετυγμένον, ἔνθʼ ἄρα πολλὰ

Λαέρτης Ὀδυσεύς τε βοῶν ἐπὶ μηρίʼ ἔκηαν,

ἦ γούνων λίσσοιτο προσαΐξας Ὀδυσῆα.

ὧδε δέ οἱ φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι,

γούνων ἅψασθαι Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος.

ἦ τοι ὁ φόρμιγγα γλαφυρὴν κατέθηκε χαμᾶζε

μεσσηγὺς κρητῆρος ἰδὲ θρόνου ἀργυροήλου,

αὐτὸς δʼ αὖτʼ Ὀδυσῆα προσαΐξας λάβε γούνων,

καί μιν λισσόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

γουνοῦμαί σʼ, Ὀδυσεῦ· σὺ δέ μʼ αἴδεο καί μʼ ἐλέησον·

αὐτῷ τοι μετόπισθʼ ἄχος ἔσσεται, εἴ κεν ἀοιδὸν

πέφνῃς, ὅς τε θεοῖσι καὶ ἀνθρώποισιν ἀείδω.

αὐτοδίδακτος δʼ εἰμί, θεὸς δέ μοι ἐν φρεσὶν οἴμας

παντοίας ἐνέφυσεν· ἔοικα δέ τοι παραείδειν

ὥς τε θεῷ· τῷ μή με λιλαίεο δειροτομῆσαι.

καί κεν Τηλέμαχος τάδε γʼ εἴποι, σὸς φίλος υἱός,

ὡς ἐγὼ οὔ τι ἑκὼν ἐς σὸν δόμον οὐδὲ χατίζων

πωλεύμην μνηστῆρσιν ἀεισόμενος μετὰ δαῖτας,

ἀλλὰ πολὺ πλέονες καὶ κρείσσονες ἦγον ἀνάγκῃ.

Telemakhos heard him, and at once went up to his father. "Hold!" he cried, "the man is guiltless, do him no hurt; and we will spare Medon too, who was always good to me when I was a boy, unless Philoitios or Eumaios has already killed him, or he has fallen in your way when you were raging about the court."

ὣς φάτο, τοῦ δʼ ἤκουσʼ ἱερὴ ἲς Τηλεμάχοιο,

αἶψα δʼ ἑὸν πατέρα προσεφώνεεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντα·

ἴσχεο μηδέ τι τοῦτον ἀναίτιον οὔταε χαλκῷ·

καὶ κήρυκα Μέδοντα σαώσομεν, ὅς τέ μευ αἰεὶ

οἴκῳ ἐν ἡμετέρῳ κηδέσκετο παιδὸς ἐόντος,

εἰ δὴ μή μιν ἔπεφνε Φιλοίτιος ἠὲ συβώτης,

ἠὲ σοὶ ἀντεβόλησεν ὀρινομένῳ κατὰ δῶμα.

Medon caught these words of Telemakhos, for he was crouching under a seat beneath which he had hidden by covering himself up with a freshly flayed heifer's hide, so he threw off the hide, went up to Telemakhos, and laid hold of his knees.

ὣς φάτο, τοῦ δʼ ἤκουσε Μέδων πεπνυμένα εἰδώς·

πεπτηὼς γὰρ ἔκειτο ὑπὸ θρόνον, ἀμφὶ δὲ δέρμα

ἕστο βοὸς νεόδαρτον, ἀλύσκων κῆρα μέλαιναν.

αἶψα δʼ ἀπὸ θρόνου ὦρτο, θοῶς δʼ ἀπέδυνε βοείην

Τηλέμαχον δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα προσαΐξας λάβε γούνων,

καί μιν λισσόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

"Here I am, my dear sir," said he, "stay your hand therefore, and tell your father, or he will kill me in his rage against the suitors for having wasted his substance and been so foolishly disrespectful to yourself."

ὦ φίλʼ, ἐγὼ μὲν ὅδʼ εἰμί, σὺ δʼ ἴσχεο εἰπὲ δὲ πατρὶ

μή με περισθενέων δηλήσεται ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,

ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων κεχολωμένος, οἵ οἱ ἔκειρον

κτήματʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροις, σὲ δὲ νήπιοι οὐδὲν ἔτιον.

Odysseus smiled at him and answered, "Fear not; Telemakhos has saved your life, that you may know in future, and tell other people, how greatly better good deeds prosper than evil ones. Go, therefore, outside the cloisters into the outer court, and be out of the way of the slaughter - you and the bard - while I finish my work here inside."

τὸν δʼ ἐπιμειδήσας προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

θάρσει, ἐπεὶ δή σʼ οὗτος ἐρύσσατο καὶ ἐσάωσεν,

ὄφρα γνῷς κατὰ θυμόν, ἀτὰρ εἴπῃσθα καὶ ἄλλῳ,

ὡς κακοεργίης εὐεργεσίη μέγʼ ἀμείνων.

ἀλλʼ ἐξελθόντες μεγάρων ἕζεσθε θύραζε

ἐκ φόνου εἰς αὐλήν, σύ τε καὶ πολύφημος ἀοιδός,

ὄφρʼ ἂν ἐγὼ κατὰ δῶμα πονήσομαι ὅττεό με χρή.

The pair went into the outer court as fast as they could, and sat down by Zeus’ great altar, looking fearfully round, and still expecting that they would be killed. Then Odysseus searched the whole court carefully over, to see if anyone had managed to hide himself and was still living, but he found them all lying in the dust and weltering in their blood. They were like fishes which fishermen have netted out of the sea, and thrown upon the beach to lie gasping for water till the heat of the sun makes an end of them. Even so were the suitors lying all huddled up one against the other.

ὣς φάτο, τὼ δʼ ἔξω βήτην μεγάροιο κιόντε,

ἑζέσθην δʼ ἄρα τώ γε Διὸς μεγάλου ποτὶ βωμόν,

πάντοσε παπταίνοντε, φόνον ποτιδεγμένω αἰεί.

πάπτηνεν δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς καθʼ ἑὸν δόμον, εἴ τις ἔτʼ ἀνδρῶν

ζωὸς ὑποκλοπέοιτο, ἀλύσκων κῆρα μέλαιναν.

τοὺς δὲ ἴδεν μάλα πάντας ἐν αἵματι καὶ κονίῃσι

πεπτεῶτας πολλούς, ὥστʼ ἰχθύας, οὕς θʼ ἁλιῆες

κοῖλον ἐς αἰγιαλὸν πολιῆς ἔκτοσθε θαλάσσης

δικτύῳ ἐξέρυσαν πολυωπῷ· οἱ δέ τε πάντες

κύμαθʼ ἁλὸς ποθέοντες ἐπὶ ψαμάθοισι κέχυνται·

τῶν μέν τʼ Ἠέλιος φαέθων ἐξείλετο θυμόν·

ὣς τότʼ ἄρα μνηστῆρες ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισι κέχυντο.

Then Odysseus said to Telemakhos, "Call nurse Eurykleia; I have something to say to her."

δὴ τότε Τηλέμαχον προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Τηλέμαχʼ, εἰ δʼ ἄγε μοι κάλεσον τροφὸν Εὐρύκλειαν,

ὄφρα ἔπος εἴπωμι τό μοι καταθύμιόν ἐστιν.

Telemakhos went and knocked at the door of the women's room. "Make haste," said he, "you old woman who have been set over all the other women in the house. Come outside; my father wishes to speak to you."

ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ φίλῳ ἐπεπείθετο πατρί,

κινήσας δὲ θύρην προσέφη τροφὸν Εὐρύκλειαν·

δεῦρο δὴ ὄρσο, γρηῢ παλαιγενές, ἥ τε γυναικῶν

δμῳάων σκοπός ἐσσι κατὰ μέγαρʼ ἡμετεράων·

ἔρχεο· κικλήσκει σε πατὴρ ἐμός, ὄφρα τι εἴπῃ.

When Eurykleia heard this she unfastened the door of the women's room and came out, following Telemakhos. She found Odysseus among the corpses bespattered with blood and filth like a lion that has just been devouring an ox, and his breast and both his cheeks are all bloody, so that he is a fearful sight; even so was Odysseus besmirched from head to foot with gore. When she saw all the corpses and such a quantity of blood, she was beginning to cry out for joy, for she saw that a great deed had been done; but Odysseus checked her, "Old woman," said he, "rejoice in silence; restrain yourself, and do not make any noise about it; it is an unholy thing to vaunt over dead men. Heaven's doom and their own evil deeds have brought these men to destruction, for they respected no man in the whole world, neither rich nor poor, who came near them, and they have come to a bad end as a punishment for their wickedness and folly. Now, however, tell me which of the women in the house have misconducted themselves, and who are innocent."

ὣς ἄρʼ ἐφώνησεν, τῇ δʼ ἄπτερος ἔπλετο μῦθος,

ὤϊξεν δὲ θύρας μεγάρων εὖ ναιεταόντων,

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν· αὐτὰρ Τηλέμαχος πρόσθʼ ἡγεμόνευεν.

εὗρεν ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆα μετὰ κταμένοισι νέκυσσιν,

αἵματι καὶ λύθρῳ πεπαλαγμένον ὥστε λέοντα,

ὅς ῥά τε βεβρωκὼς βοὸς ἔρχεται ἀγραύλοιο·

πᾶν δʼ ἄρα οἱ στῆθός τε παρήϊά τʼ ἀμφοτέρωθεν

αἱματόεντα πέλει, δεινὸς δʼ εἰς ὦπα ἰδέσθαι·

ὣς Ὀδυσεὺς πεπάλακτο πόδας καὶ χεῖρας ὕπερθεν.

ἡ δʼ ὡς οὖν νέκυάς τε καὶ ἄσπετον εἴσιδεν αἷμα,

ἴθυσέν ῥʼ ὀλολύξαι, ἐπεὶ μέγα εἴσιδεν ἔργον·

ἀλλʼ Ὀδυσεὺς κατέρυκε καὶ ἔσχεθεν ἱεμένην περ,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

ἐν θυμῷ, γρηῦ, χαῖρε καὶ ἴσχεο μηδʼ ὀλόλυζε·

οὐχ ὁσίη κταμένοισιν ἐπʼ ἀνδράσιν εὐχετάασθαι.

τούσδε δὲ μοῖρʼ ἐδάμασσε θεῶν καὶ σχέτλια ἔργα·

οὔ τινα γὰρ τίεσκον ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων,

οὐ κακὸν οὐδὲ μὲν ἐσθλόν, ὅτις σφέας εἰσαφίκοιτο·

τῷ καὶ ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐπέσπον.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι σὺ γυναῖκας ἐνὶ μεγάροις κατάλεξον,

αἵ τέ μʼ ἀτιμάζουσι καὶ αἳ νηλείτιδές εἰσιν.

"I will tell you the truth [ alêtheia ], my son," answered Eurykleia. "There are fifty women in the house whom we teach to do things, such as carding wool, and all kinds of household work. Of these, twelve in all have misbehaved, and have been wanting in respect to me, and also to Penelope. They showed no disrespect to Telemakhos, for he has only lately grown and his mother never permitted him to give orders to the female servants; but let me go upstairs and tell your wife all that has happened, for some god has been sending her to sleep."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε φίλη τροφὸς Εὐρύκλεια·

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, τέκνον, ἀληθείην καταλέξω.

πεντήκοντά τοί εἰσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γυναῖκες

δμῳαί, τὰς μέν τʼ ἔργα διδάξαμεν ἐργάζεσθαι,

εἴριά τε ξαίνειν καὶ δουλοσύνην ἀνέχεσθαι·

τάων δώδεκα πᾶσαι ἀναιδείης ἐπέβησαν,

οὔτʼ ἐμὲ τίουσαι οὔτʼ αὐτὴν Πηνελόπειαν.

Τηλέμαχος δὲ νέον μὲν ἀέξετο, οὐδέ ἑ μήτηρ

σημαίνειν εἴασκεν ἐπὶ δμῳῇσι γυναιξίν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ἐγὼν ἀναβᾶσʼ ὑπερώϊα σιγαλόεντα

εἴπω σῇ ἀλόχῳ, τῇ τις θεὸς ὕπνον ἐπῶρσε.

"Do not wake her yet," answered Odysseus, "but tell the women who have misconducted themselves to come to me."

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς

Eurykleia left the room to tell the women, and make them come to Odysseus; in the meantime he called Telemakhos, the stockman, and the swineherd. "Begin," said he, "to remove the dead, and make the women help you. Then, get sponges and clean water to swill down the tables and seats. When you have thoroughly cleansed the whole cloisters, take the women into the space between the domed room and the wall of the outer court, and run them through with your swords till they are quite dead, and have forgotten all about love and the way in which they used to lie in secret with the suitors."

μή πω τήνδʼ ἐπέγειρε· σὺ δʼ ἐνθάδε εἰπὲ γυναιξὶν

ἐλθέμεν, αἵ περ πρόσθεν ἀεικέα μηχανόωντο.

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, γρηῢς δὲ διὲκ μεγάροιο βεβήκει

ἀγγελέουσα γυναιξὶ καὶ ὀτρυνέουσα νέεσθαι.

αὐτὰρ ὁ Τηλέμαχον καὶ βουκόλον ἠδὲ συβώτην

εἰς ἓ καλεσσάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

ἄρχετε νῦν νέκυας φορέειν καὶ ἄνωχθε γυναῖκας·

αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα θρόνους περικαλλέας ἠδὲ τραπέζας

ὕδατι καὶ σπόγγοισι πολυτρήτοισι καθαίρειν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ πάντα δόμον κατακοσμήσησθε,

δμῳὰς ἐξαγαγόντες ἐϋσταθέος μεγάροιο,

μεσσηγύς τε θόλου καὶ ἀμύμονος ἕρκεος αὐλῆς,

θεινέμεναι ξίφεσιν τανυήκεσιν, εἰς ὅ κε πασέων

ψυχὰς ἐξαφέλησθε καὶ ἐκλελάθωντʼ Ἀφροδίτης,

τὴν ἄρʼ ὑπὸ μνηστῆρσιν ἔχον μίσγοντό τε λάθρη.

On this the women came down in a body, weeping and wailing bitterly. First they carried the dead bodies out, and propped them up against one another in the gatehouse. Odysseus ordered them about and made them do their work quickly, so they had to carry the bodies out. When they had done this, they cleaned all the tables and seats with sponges and water, while Telemakhos and the two others shoveled up the blood and dirt from the ground, and the women carried it all away and put it out of doors. Then when they had made the whole place quite clean and orderly, they took the women out and hemmed them in the narrow space between the wall of the domed room and that of the yard, so that they could not get away: and Telemakhos said to the other two, "I shall not let these women die a clean death, for they were insolent to me and my mother, and used to sleep with the suitors."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες ἀολλέες ἦλθον ἅπασαι,

αἴνʼ ὀλοφυρόμεναι, θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυ χέουσαι.

πρῶτα μὲν οὖν νέκυας φόρεον κατατεθνηῶτας,

κὰδ δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπʼ αἰθούσῃ τίθεσαν εὐερκέος αὐλῆς,

ἀλλήλοισιν ἐρείδουσαι· σήμαινε δʼ Ὀδυσσεὺς

αὐτὸς ἐπισπέρχων· ταὶ δʼ ἐκφόρεον καὶ ἀνάγκῃ.

αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα θρόνους περικαλλέας ἠδὲ τραπέζας

ὕδατι καὶ σπόγγοισι πολυτρήτοισι κάθαιρον.

αὐτὰρ Τηλέμαχος καὶ βουκόλος ἠδὲ συβώτῃς

λίστροισιν δάπεδον πύκα ποιητοῖο δόμοιο

ξῦον· ταὶ δʼ ἐφόρεον δμῳαί, τίθεσαν δὲ θύραζε.

αὐτὰρ ἐπειδὴ πᾶν μέγαρον διεκοσμήσαντο,

δμῳὰς δʼ ἐξαγαγόντες ἐϋσταθέος μεγάροιο,

μεσσηγύς τε θόλου καὶ ἀμύμονος ἕρκεος αὐλῆς,

εἴλεον ἐν στείνει, ὅθεν οὔ πως ἦεν ἀλύξαι.

τοῖσι δὲ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἦρχʼ ἀγορεύειν·

μὴ μὲν δὴ καθαρῷ θανάτῳ ἀπὸ θυμὸν ἑλοίμην

τάων, αἳ δὴ ἐμῇ κεφαλῇ κατʼ ὀνείδεα χεῦαν

μητέρι θʼ ἡμετέρῃ παρά τε μνηστῆρσιν ἴαυον.

So saying he made a ship's cable fast to one of the bearing-posts that supported the roof of the domed room, and secured it all around the building, at a good height, lest any of the women's feet should touch the ground; and as thrushes or doves beat against a net that has been set for them in a thicket just as they were getting to their nest, and a terrible fate awaits them, even so did the women have to put their heads in nooses one after the other and die most miserably. Their feet moved convulsively for a while, but not for very long.

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, καὶ πεῖσμα νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο

κίονος ἐξάψας μεγάλης περίβαλλε θόλοιο,

ὑψόσʼ ἐπεντανύσας, μή τις ποσὶν οὖδας ἵκοιτο.

ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ἢ κίχλαι τανυσίπτεροι ἠὲ πέλειαι

ἕρκει ἐνιπλήξωσι, τό θʼ ἑστήκῃ ἐνὶ θάμνῳ,

αὖλιν ἐσιέμεναι, στυγερὸς δʼ ὑπεδέξατο κοῖτος,

ὣς αἵ γʼ ἑξείης κεφαλὰς ἔχον, ἀμφὶ δὲ πάσαις

δειρῇσι βρόχοι ἦσαν, ὅπως οἴκτιστα θάνοιεν.

ἤσπαιρον δὲ πόδεσσι μίνυνθά περ οὔ τι μάλα δήν.

As for Melanthios, they took him through the room into the inner court. There they cut off his nose and his ears; they drew out his vitals and gave them to the dogs raw, and then in their fury they cut off his hands and his feet.

ἐκ δὲ Μελάνθιον ἦγον ἀνὰ πρόθυρόν τε καὶ αὐλήν·

τοῦ δʼ ἀπὸ μὲν ῥῖνάς τε καὶ οὔατα νηλέϊ χαλκῷ

τάμνον, μήδεά τʼ ἐξέρυσαν, κυσὶν ὠμὰ δάσασθαι,

χεῖράς τʼ ἠδὲ πόδας κόπτον κεκοτηότι θυμῷ.

When they had done this they washed their hands and feet and went back into the house, for all was now over; and Odysseus said to the dear old nurse Eurykleia, "Bring me sulfur, which cleanses all pollution, and fetch fire also that I may burn it, and purify the cloisters. Go, moreover, and tell Penelope to come here with her attendants, and also all the maid servants that are in the house."

οἱ μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἀπονιψάμενοι χεῖράς τε πόδας τε

εἰς Ὀδυσῆα δόμονδε κίον, τετέλεστο δὲ ἔργον·

αὐτὰρ ὅ γε προσέειπε φίλην τροφὸν Εὐρύκλειαν·

οἶσε θέειον, γρηΰ, κακῶν ἄκος, οἶσε δέ μοι πῦρ,

ὄφρα θεειώσω μέγαρον· σὺ δὲ Πηνελόπειαν

ἐλθεῖν ἐνθάδʼ ἄνωχθι σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξί·

πάσας δʼ ὄτρυνον δμῳὰς κατὰ δῶμα νέεσθαι.

"All that you have said is true," answered Eurykleia, "but let me bring you some clean clothes - a shirt and cloak. Do not keep these rags on your back any longer. It is not right."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε φίλη τροφὸς Εὐρύκλεια·

ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε, τέκνον ἐμόν, κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε τοι χλαῖνάν τε χιτῶνά τε εἵματʼ ἐνείκω,

μηδʼ οὕτω ῥάκεσιν πεπυκασμένος εὐρέας ὤμους

ἕσταθʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροισι· νεμεσσητὸν δέ κεν εἴη.

"First light me a fire," replied Odysseus.

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

πῦρ νῦν μοι πρώτιστον ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γενέσθω.

She brought the fire and sulfur, as he had bidden her, and Odysseus thoroughly purified the cloisters and both the inner and outer courts. Then she went inside to call the women and tell them what had happened; whereon they came from their apartment with torches in their hands, and pressed round Odysseus to embrace him, kissing his head and shoulders and taking hold of his hands. It made him feel as if he should like to weep, for he remembered every one of them.

ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε φίλη τροφὸς Εὐρύκλεια,

ἤνεικεν δʼ ἄρα πῦρ καὶ θήϊον· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

εὖ διεθείωσεν μέγαρον καὶ δῶμα καὶ αὐλήν.

γρηῢς δʼ αὖτʼ ἀπέβη διὰ δώματα κάλʼ Ὀδυσῆος

ἀγγελέουσα γυναιξὶ καὶ ὀτρυνέουσα νέεσθαι·

αἱ δʼ ἴσαν ἐκ μεγάροιο δάος μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσαι.

αἱ μὲν ἄρʼ ἀμφεχέοντο καὶ ἠσπάζοντʼ Ὀδυσῆα,

καὶ κύνεον ἀγαπαξόμεναι κεφαλήν τε καὶ ὤμους

χεῖράς τʼ αἰνύμεναι· τὸν δὲ γλυκὺς ἵμερος ᾕρει

κλαυθμοῦ καὶ στοναχῆς, γίγνωσκε δʼ ἄρα φρεσὶ πάσας.