Odyssey

They reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon , where they drove straight to the halls of Menelaos. They found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honor of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy , and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta , daughter of Alektor. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heaven granted Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Aphrodite herself.

οἱ δʼ ἷξον κοίλην Λακεδαίμονα κητώεσσαν,

πρὸς δʼ ἄρα δώματʼ ἔλων Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο.

τὸν δʼ εὗρον δαινύντα γάμον πολλοῖσιν ἔτῃσιν

υἱέος ἠδὲ θυγατρὸς ἀμύμονος ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ.

τὴν μὲν Ἀχιλλῆος ῥηξήνορος υἱέι πέμπεν·

ἐν Τροίῃ γὰρ πρῶτον ὑπέσχετο καὶ κατένευσε

δωσέμεναι, τοῖσιν δὲ θεοὶ γάμον ἐξετέλειον.

τὴν ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἔνθʼ ἵπποισι καὶ ἅρμασι πέμπε νέεσθαι

Μυρμιδόνων προτὶ ἄστυ περικλυτόν, οἷσιν ἄνασσεν.

υἱέι δὲ Σπάρτηθεν Ἀλέκτορος ἤγετο κούρην,

ὅς οἱ τηλύγετος γένετο κρατερὸς Μεγαπένθης

ἐκ δούλης· Ἑλένῃ δὲ θεοὶ γόνον οὐκέτʼ ἔφαινον,

ἐπεὶ δὴ τὸ πρῶτον ἐγείνατο παῖδʼ ἐρατεινήν,

Ἑρμιόνην, ἣ εἶδος ἔχε χρυσέης Ἀφροδίτης.

So the neighbors and kinsmen of Menelaos were feasting and making merry in his house. There was a singer also to sing to them and play his lyre, while two tumblers went about performing in the midst of them when the man struck up with his tune.

ὣς οἱ μὲν δαίνυντο καθʼ ὑψερεφὲς μέγα δῶμα

γείτονες ἠδὲ ἔται Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο,

τερπόμενοι· μετὰ δέ σφιν ἐμέλπετο θεῖος ἀοιδὸς

φορμίζων, δοιὼ δὲ κυβιστητῆρε κατʼ αὐτούς,

μολπῆς ἐξάρχοντος, ἐδίνευον κατὰ μέσσους.

Telemakhos and the son of Nestor stayed their horses at the gate, whereon Eteoneus servant to Menelaos came out, and as soon as he saw them ran hurrying back into the house to tell his Master. He went close up to him and said, "Menelaos, there are some strangers come here, two men, who look like sons of Zeus. What are we to do? Shall we take their horses out, or tell them to find friends elsewhere as they best can?"

τὼ δʼ αὖτʼ ἐν προθύροισι δόμων αὐτώ τε καὶ ἵππω,

Τηλέμαχός θʼ ἥρως καὶ Νέστορος ἀγλαὸς υἱός,

στῆσαν· ὁ δὲ προμολὼν ἴδετο κρείων Ἐτεωνεύς,

ὀτρηρὸς θεράπων Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο,

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν ἀγγελέων διὰ δώματα ποιμένι λαῶν,

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

ξείνω δή τινε τώδε, διοτρεφὲς ὦ Μενέλαε,

ἄνδρε δύω, γενεῇ δὲ Διὸς μεγάλοιο ἔικτον.

ἀλλʼ εἴπʼ, ἤ σφωιν καταλύσομεν ὠκέας ἵππους,

ἦ ἄλλον πέμπωμεν ἱκανέμεν, ὅς κε φιλήσῃ.

Menelaos was very angry and said, "Eteoneus, son of Boethoos, you never used to be a fool, but now you talk like a simpleton. Take their horses out, of course, and show the strangers in that they may have supper; you and I have stayed often enough at other people's houses before we got back here, where heaven grant that we may rest in peace henceforward."

τὸν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

οὐ μὲν νήπιος ἦσθα, Βοηθοΐδη Ἐτεωνεῦ,

τὸ πρίν· ἀτὰρ μὲν νῦν γε πάϊς ὣς νήπια βάζεις.

ἦ μὲν δὴ νῶι ξεινήια πολλὰ φαγόντε

ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων δεῦρʼ ἱκόμεθʼ, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς

ἐξοπίσω περ παύσῃ ὀιζύος. ἀλλὰ λύʼ ἵππους

ξείνων, ἐς δʼ αὐτοὺς προτέρω ἄγε θοινηθῆναι.

So Eteoneus bustled back and bade other servants come with him. They took their sweating hands from under the yoke, made them fast to the mangers, and gave them a feed of oats and barley mixed. Then they leaned the chariot against the end wall of the courtyard, and led the way into the house. Telemakhos and Peisistratos were astonished when they saw it, for its splendor was as that of the sun and moon; then, when they had admired everything to their heart's content, they went into the bath room and washed themselves.

ὣς φάθʼ, ὁ δὲ μεγάροιο διέσσυτο, κέκλετο δʼ ἄλλους

ὀτρηροὺς θεράποντας ἅμα σπέσθαι ἑοῖ αὐτῷ.

οἱ δʼ ἵππους μὲν λῦσαν ὑπὸ ζυγοῦ ἱδρώοντας,

καὶ τοὺς μὲν κατέδησαν ἐφʼ ἱππείῃσι κάπῃσι,

πὰρ δʼ ἔβαλον ζειάς, ἀνὰ δὲ κρῖ λευκὸν ἔμιξαν,

ἅρματα δʼ ἔκλιναν πρὸς ἐνώπια παμφανόωντα,

αὐτοὺς δʼ εἰσῆγον θεῖον δόμον. οἱ δὲ ἰδόντες

θαύμαζον κατὰ δῶμα διοτρεφέος βασιλῆος·

ὥς τε γὰρ ἠελίου αἴγλη πέλεν ἠὲ σελήνης

δῶμα καθʼ ὑψερεφὲς Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τάρπησαν ὁρώμενοι ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,

ἔς ῥʼ ἀσαμίνθους βάντες ἐυξέστας λούσαντο.

When the servants had washed them and anointed them with oil, they brought them woolen cloaks and shirts, and the two took their seats by the side of Menelaos. A maidservant brought them water in a beautiful golden ewer, and poured it into a silver basin for them to wash their hands; and she drew a clean table beside them. An upper servant brought them bread, and offered them many good things of what there was in the house, while the carver fetched them plates of all manner of meats and set cups of gold by their side.

τοὺς δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν δμῳαὶ λοῦσαν καὶ χρῖσαν ἐλαίῳ,

ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρα χλαίνας οὔλας βάλον ἠδὲ χιτῶνας,

ἔς ῥα θρόνους ἕζοντο παρʼ Ἀτρεΐδην Μενέλαον.

χέρνιβα δʼ ἀμφίπολος προχόῳ ἐπέχευε φέρουσα

καλῇ χρυσείῃ ὑπὲρ ἀργυρέοιο λέβητος,

νίψασθαι· παρὰ δὲ ξεστὴν ἐτάνυσσε τράπεζαν.

σῖτον δʼ αἰδοίη ταμίη παρέθηκε φέρουσα,

εἴδατα πόλλʼ ἐπιθεῖσα, χαριζομένη παρεόντων.

δαιτρὸς δὲ κρειῶν πίνακας παρέθηκεν ἀείρας

παντοίων, παρὰ δέ σφι τίθει χρύσεια κύπελλα.

Menelaos then greeted them saying, "Eat up, and welcome; when you have finished supper I shall ask who you are, for the lineage of such men as you cannot have been lost. You must be descended from a line of scepter-bearing kings, for poor people do not have such sons as you are."

τὼ καὶ δεικνύμενος προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

σίτου θʼ ἅπτεσθον καὶ χαίρετον. αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

δείπνου πασσαμένω εἰρησόμεθʼ, οἵ τινές ἐστον

ἀνδρῶν· οὐ γὰρ σφῷν γε γένος ἀπόλωλε τοκήων,

ἀλλʼ ἀνδρῶν γένος ἐστὲ διοτρεφέων βασιλήων

σκηπτούχων, ἐπεὶ οὔ κε κακοὶ τοιούσδε τέκοιεν.

On this he handed them a piece of fat roast loin, which had been set near him as being a prime part, and they laid their hands on the good things that were before them; as soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, Telemakhos said to the son of Nestor, with his head so close that no one might hear, "Look, Peisistratos, man after my own heart, see the gleam of bronze and gold - of amber, ivory, and silver. Everything is so splendid that it is like seeing the palace of Olympian Zeus. I am lost in admiration."

ὣς φάτο, καί σφιν νῶτα βοὸς παρὰ πίονα θῆκεν

ὄπτʼ ἐν χερσὶν ἑλών, τά ῥά οἱ γέρα πάρθεσαν αὐτῷ.

οἱ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,

δὴ τότε Τηλέμαχος προσεφώνεε Νέστορος υἱόν,

ἄγχι σχὼν κεφαλήν, ἵνα μὴ πευθοίαθʼ οἱ ἄλλοι·

φράζεο, Νεστορίδη, τῷ ἐμῷ κεχαρισμένε θυμῷ,

χαλκοῦ τε στεροπὴν κὰδ δώματα ἠχήεντα

χρυσοῦ τʼ ἠλέκτρου τε καὶ ἀργύρου ἠδʼ ἐλέφαντος.

Ζηνός που τοιήδε γʼ Ὀλυμπίου ἔνδοθεν αὐλή,

ὅσσα τάδʼ ἄσπετα πολλά· σέβας μʼ ἔχει εἰσορόωντα.

Menelaos overheard him and said, "No one, my sons, can hold his own with Zeus, for his house and everything about him is immortal; but among mortal men - well, there may be another who has as much wealth as I have, or there may not; but at all events I have traveled much and have undergone much hardship, for it was nearly eight years before I could get home with my fleet. I went to Cyprus , Phoenicia and the Egyptians; I went also to the Ethiopians, the Sidonians, and the Erembians, and to Libya where the lambs have horns as soon as they are born, and the sheep bear lambs three times a year. Every one in that country, whether master or man, has plenty of cheese, meat, and good milk, for the ewes yield all the year round. But while I was traveling and getting great riches among these people, my brother was secretly and shockingly murdered through the perfidy of his wicked wife, so that I have no pleasure in being lord of all this wealth. Whoever your parents may be they must have told you about all this, and of my heavy loss in the ruin of a stately mansion fully and magnificently furnished. Would that I had only a third of what I now have so that I had stayed at home, and all those were living who perished on the plain of Troy , far from Argos . I often grieve, as I sit here in my house, for one and all of them. At times I cry aloud for sorrow, but presently I leave off again, for crying is cold comfort and one soon tires of it. Yet grieve for these as I may, I do so for one man more than for them all. I cannot even think of him without loathing both food and sleep, so miserable does he make me, for no one of all the Achaeans worked so hard or risked so much as he did. He took nothing by it, and has left a legacy of sorrow [ akhos ] to myself, for he has been gone a long time, and we know not whether he is alive or dead. His old father, his long-suffering wife Penelope, and his son Telemakhos, whom he left behind him an infant in arms, are plunged in grief on his account."

τοῦ δʼ ἀγορεύοντος ξύνετο ξανθὸς Μενέλαος,

καί σφεας φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

τέκνα φίλʼ, ἦ τοι Ζηνὶ βροτῶν οὐκ ἄν τις ἐρίζοι·

ἀθάνατοι γὰρ τοῦ γε δόμοι καὶ κτήματʼ ἔασιν·

ἀνδρῶν δʼ ἤ κέν τίς μοι ἐρίσσεται, ἠὲ καὶ οὐκί,

κτήμασιν. ἦ γὰρ πολλὰ παθὼν καὶ πόλλʼ ἐπαληθεὶς

ἠγαγόμην ἐν νηυσὶ καὶ ὀγδοάτῳ ἔτει ἦλθον,

Κύπρον Φοινίκην τε καὶ Αἰγυπτίους ἐπαληθείς,

Αἰθίοπάς θʼ ἱκόμην καὶ Σιδονίους καὶ Ἐρεμβοὺς

καὶ Λιβύην, ἵνα τʼ ἄρνες ἄφαρ κεραοὶ τελέθουσι.

τρὶς γὰρ τίκτει μῆλα τελεσφόρον εἰς ἐνιαυτόν.

ἔνθα μὲν οὔτε ἄναξ ἐπιδευὴς οὔτε τι ποιμὴν

τυροῦ καὶ κρειῶν οὐδὲ γλυκεροῖο γάλακτος,

ἀλλʼ αἰεὶ παρέχουσιν ἐπηετανὸν γάλα θῆσθαι.

ἧος ἐγὼ περὶ κεῖνα πολὺν βίοτον συναγείρων

ἠλώμην, τῆός μοι ἀδελφεὸν ἄλλος ἔπεφνεν

λάθρῃ, ἀνωιστί, δόλῳ οὐλομένης ἀλόχοιο·

ὣς οὔ τοι χαίρων τοῖσδε κτεάτεσσιν ἀνάσσω.

καὶ πατέρων τάδε μέλλετʼ ἀκουέμεν, οἵ τινες ὑμῖν

εἰσίν, ἐπεὶ μάλα πολλὰ πάθον, καὶ ἀπώλεσα οἶκον

εὖ μάλα ναιετάοντα, κεχανδότα πολλὰ καὶ ἐσθλά.

ὧν ὄφελον τριτάτην περ ἔχων ἐν δώμασι μοῖραν

ναίειν, οἱ δʼ ἄνδρες σόοι ἔμμεναι, οἳ τότʼ ὄλοντο

Τροίῃ ἐν εὐρείῃ ἑκὰς Ἄργεος ἱπποβότοιο.

ἀλλʼ ἔμπης πάντας μὲν ὀδυρόμενος καὶ ἀχεύων

πολλάκις ἐν μεγάροισι καθήμενος ἡμετέροισιν

ἄλλοτε μέν τε γόῳ φρένα τέρπομαι, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε

παύομαι· αἰψηρὸς δὲ κόρος κρυεροῖο γόοιο.

τῶν πάντων οὐ τόσσον ὀδύρομαι, ἀχνύμενός περ,

ὡς ἑνός, ὅς τέ μοι ὕπνον ἀπεχθαίρει καὶ ἐδωδὴν

μνωομένῳ, ἐπεὶ οὔ τις Ἀχαιῶν τόσσʼ ἐμόγησεν,

ὅσσʼ Ὀδυσεὺς ἐμόγησε καὶ ἤρατο. τῷ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔμελλεν

αὐτῷ κήδεʼ ἔσεσθαι, ἐμοὶ δʼ ἄχος αἰὲν ἄλαστον

κείνου, ὅπως δὴ δηρὸν ἀποίχεται, οὐδέ τι ἴδμεν,

ζώει ὅ γʼ ἦ τέθνηκεν. ὀδύρονταί νύ που αὐτὸν

Λαέρτης θʼ ὁ γέρων καὶ ἐχέφρων Πηνελόπεια

Τηλέμαχός θʼ, ὃν ἔλειπε νέον γεγαῶτʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ.

Thus spoke Menelaos, and the heart of Telemakhos yearned as he bethought him of his father. Tears fell from his eyes as he heard him thus mentioned, so that he held his cloak before his face with both hands. When Menelaos saw this he doubted whether to let him choose his own time for speaking, or to ask him at once and find what it was all about.

ὣς φάτο, τῷ δʼ ἄρα πατρὸς ὑφʼ ἵμερον ὦρσε γόοιο.

δάκρυ δʼ ἀπὸ βλεφάρων χαμάδις βάλε πατρὸς ἀκούσας,

χλαῖναν πορφυρέην ἄντʼ ὀφθαλμοῖιν ἀνασχὼν

ἀμφοτέρῃσιν χερσί. νόησε δέ μιν Μενέλαος,

μερμήριξε δʼ ἔπειτα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,

ἠέ μιν αὐτὸν πατρὸς ἐάσειε μνησθῆναι

ἦ πρῶτʼ ἐξερέοιτο ἕκαστά τε πειρήσαιτο.

While he was thus in two minds Helen came down from her high-vaulted and perfumed room, looking as lovely as Artemis herself. Adraste brought her a seat, Alkippe a soft woolen rug, while Phylo fetched her the silver work-box which Alkandra wife of Polybos had given her. Polybos lived in Egyptian Thebes, which is the richest city in the whole world; he gave Menelaos two baths, both of pure silver, two tripods, and ten talents of gold; besides all this, his wife gave Helen some beautiful presents, to wit, a golden distaff, and a silver work-box that ran on wheels, with a gold band round the top of it. Phylo now placed this by her side, full of fine spun yarn, and a distaff charged with violet colored wool was laid upon the top of it. Then Helen took her seat, put her feet upon the footstool, and began to question her husband.

ἧος ὁ ταῦθʼ ὥρμαινε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,

ἐκ δʼ Ἑλένη θαλάμοιο θυώδεος ὑψορόφοιο

ἤλυθεν Ἀρτέμιδι χρυσηλακάτῳ ἐικυῖα.

τῇ δʼ ἄρʼ ἅμʼ Ἀδρήστη κλισίην εὔτυκτον ἔθηκεν,

Ἀλκίππη δὲ τάπητα φέρεν μαλακοῦ ἐρίοιο,

Φυλὼ δʼ ἀργύρεον τάλαρον φέρε, τόν οἱ ἔθηκεν

Ἀλκάνδρη, Πολύβοιο δάμαρ, ὃς ἔναιʼ ἐνὶ Θήβῃς

Αἰγυπτίῃς, ὅθι πλεῖστα δόμοις ἐν κτήματα κεῖται·

ὃς Μενελάῳ δῶκε δύʼ ἀργυρέας ἀσαμίνθους,

δοιοὺς δὲ τρίποδας, δέκα δὲ χρυσοῖο τάλαντα.

χωρὶς δʼ αὖθʼ Ἑλένῃ ἄλοχος πόρε κάλλιμα δῶρα·

χρυσέην τʼ ἠλακάτην τάλαρόν θʼ ὑπόκυκλον ὄπασσεν

ἀργύρεον, χρυσῷ δʼ ἐπὶ χείλεα κεκράαντο.

τόν ῥά οἱ ἀμφίπολος Φυλὼ παρέθηκε φέρουσα

νήματος ἀσκητοῖο βεβυσμένον· αὐτὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ

ἠλακάτη τετάνυστο ἰοδνεφὲς εἶρος ἔχουσα.

ἕζετο δʼ ἐν κλισμῷ, ὑπὸ δὲ θρῆνυς ποσὶν ἦεν.

αὐτίκα δʼ ἥ γʼ ἐπέεσσι πόσιν ἐρέεινεν ἕκαστα·

"Do we know, Menelaos," said she, "the names of these strangers who have come to visit us? Shall I guess right or wrong? But I cannot help saying what I think. Never yet have I seen either man or woman so like somebody else (indeed when I look at him I hardly know what to think) as this young man is like Telemakhos, whom Odysseus left as a baby behind him, when you Achaeans went to Troy with battle in your hearts, on account of my most shameless self."

ἴδμεν δή, Μενέλαε διοτρεφές, οἵ τινες οἵδε

ἀνδρῶν εὐχετόωνται ἱκανέμεν ἡμέτερον δῶ;

ψεύσομαι ἦ ἔτυμον ἐρέω; κέλεται δέ με θυμός.

οὐ γάρ πώ τινά φημι ἐοικότα ὧδε ἰδέσθαι

οὔτʼ ἄνδρʼ οὔτε γυναῖκα, σέβας μʼ ἔχει εἰσορόωσαν,

ὡς ὅδʼ Ὀδυσσῆος μεγαλήτορος υἷι ἔοικε,

Τηλεμάχῳ, τὸν ἔλειπε νέον γεγαῶτʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

κεῖνος ἀνήρ, ὅτʼ ἐμεῖο κυνώπιδος εἵνεκʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

ἤλθεθʼ ὑπὸ Τροίην πόλεμον θρασὺν ὁρμαίνοντες.

"My dear wife," replied Menelaos, "I see the likeness just as you do. His hands and feet are just like Odysseus’ so is his hair, with the shape of his head and the expression of his eyes. Moreover, when I was talking about Odysseus, and saying how much he had suffered on my account, tears fell from his eyes, and he hid his face in his mantle."

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

οὕτω νῦν καὶ ἐγὼ νοέω, γύναι, ὡς σὺ ἐίσκεις·

κείνου γὰρ τοιοίδε πόδες τοιαίδε τε χεῖρες

ὀφθαλμῶν τε βολαὶ κεφαλή τʼ ἐφύπερθέ τε χαῖται.

καὶ νῦν ἦ τοι ἐγὼ μεμνημένος ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆι

μυθεόμην, ὅσα κεῖνος ὀιζύσας ἐμόγησεν

ἀμφʼ ἐμοί, αὐτὰρ ὁ πικρὸν ὑπʼ ὀφρύσι δάκρυον εἶβε,

χλαῖναν πορφυρέην ἄντʼ ὀφθαλμοῖιν ἀνασχών.

Then Peisistratos said, "Menelaos, son of Atreus, you are right in thinking that this young man is Telemakhos, but he is very modest, and is ashamed to come here and begin opening up discourse with one whose conversation is so divinely interesting as your own. My father, Nestor, sent me to escort him hither, for he wanted to know whether you could give him any counsel or suggestion. A son has always trouble at home when his father has gone away leaving him without supporters; and this is how Telemakhos is now placed, for his father is absent, and there is no one among his own dêmos to stand by him."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Νεστορίδης Πεισίστρατος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Ἀτρεΐδη Μενέλαε διοτρεφές, ὄρχαμε λαῶν,

κείνου μέν τοι ὅδʼ υἱὸς ἐτήτυμον, ὡς ἀγορεύεις·

ἀλλὰ σαόφρων ἐστί, νεμεσσᾶται δʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ

ὧδʼ ἐλθὼν τὸ πρῶτον ἐπεσβολίας ἀναφαίνειν

ἄντα σέθεν, τοῦ νῶι θεοῦ ὣς τερπόμεθʼ αὐδῇ.

αὐτὰρ ἐμὲ προέηκε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ

τῷ ἅμα πομπὸν ἕπεσθαι· ἐέλδετο γάρ σε ἰδέσθαι,

ὄφρα οἱ ἤ τι ἔπος ὑποθήσεαι ἠέ τι ἔργον.

πολλὰ γὰρ ἄλγεʼ ἔχει πατρὸς πάϊς οἰχομένοιο

ἐν μεγάροις, ᾧ μὴ ἄλλοι ἀοσσητῆρες ἔωσιν,

ὡς νῦν Τηλεμάχῳ ὁ μὲν οἴχεται, οὐδέ οἱ ἄλλοι

εἴσʼ οἵ κεν κατὰ δῆμον ἀλάλκοιεν κακότητα.

"Bless my heart," replied Menelaos; "then I am receiving a visit from the son of a very dear friend, who suffered much hardship [ athlos ] for my sake. I had always hoped to entertain him with most marked distinction when heaven had granted us a safe return [ nostos ] from beyond the seas. I should have founded a city for him in Argos , and built him a house. I should have made him leave Ithaca with his goods, his son, and all his people, and should have sacked for them some one of the neighboring cities that are subject to me. We should thus have seen one another continually, and nothing but death could have interrupted so close and happy an intercourse. I suppose, however, that heaven grudged us such good fortune, for it has prevented the poor man from ever getting home at all."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

ὢ πόποι, ἦ μάλα δὴ φίλου ἀνέρος υἱὸς ἐμὸν δῶ

ἵκεθʼ, ὃς εἵνεκʼ ἐμεῖο πολέας ἐμόγησεν ἀέθλους·

καί μιν ἔφην ἐλθόντα φιλησέμεν ἔξοχον ἄλλων

Ἀργείων, εἰ νῶιν ὑπεὶρ ἅλα νόστον ἔδωκε

νηυσὶ θοῇσι γενέσθαι Ὀλύμπιος εὐρύοπα Ζεύς.

καί κέ οἱ Ἄργεϊ νάσσα πόλιν καὶ δώματʼ ἔτευξα,

ἐξ Ἰθάκης ἀγαγὼν σὺν κτήμασι καὶ τέκεϊ ᾧ

καὶ πᾶσιν λαοῖσι, μίαν πόλιν ἐξαλαπάξας,

αἳ περιναιετάουσιν, ἀνάσσονται δʼ ἐμοὶ αὐτῷ.

καί κε θάμʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἐόντες ἐμισγόμεθʼ· οὐδέ κεν ἡμέας

ἄλλο διέκρινεν φιλέοντέ τε τερπομένω τε,

πρίν γʼ ὅτε δὴ θανάτοιο μέλαν νέφος ἀμφεκάλυψεν.

ἀλλὰ τὰ μέν που μέλλεν ἀγάσσεσθαι θεὸς αὐτός,

ὃς κεῖνον δύστηνον ἀνόστιμον οἶον ἔθηκεν.

Thus did he speak, and his words set them all to weeping. Helen wept, Telemakhos wept, and so did Menelaos, nor could Peisistratos keep his eyes from filling, when he remembered his dear brother Antilokhos whom the son of bright Dawn had killed. Thereon he said to Menelaos,

ὣς φάτο, τοῖσι δὲ πᾶσιν ὑφʼ ἵμερον ὦρσε γόοιο.

κλαῖε μὲν Ἀργείη Ἑλένη, Διὸς ἐκγεγαυῖα,

κλαῖε δὲ Τηλέμαχός τε καὶ Ἀτρεΐδης Μενέλαος,

οὐδʼ ἄρα Νέστορος υἱὸς ἀδακρύτω ἔχεν ὄσσε·

μνήσατο γὰρ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀμύμονος Ἀντιλόχοιο,

τόν ῥʼ Ἠοῦς ἔκτεινε φαεινῆς ἀγλαὸς υἱός·

τοῦ ὅ γʼ ἐπιμνησθεὶς ἔπεα πτερόεντʼ ἀγόρευεν·

"Sir, my father Nestor, when we used to talk about you at home, told me you were a person of rare and excellent understanding. If, then, it be possible, do as I would urge you. I am not fond of crying while I am getting my supper. Morning will come in due course, and in the forenoon I care not how much I cry for those that are dead and gone. This is all we can do for the poor things. We can only shave our heads for them and wring the tears from our cheeks. I had a brother who died at Troy ; he was by no means the worst man there; you are sure to have known him - his name was Antilokhos; I never set eyes upon him myself, but they say that he was singularly fleet of foot and in fight valiant."

Ἀτρεΐδη, περὶ μέν σε βροτῶν πεπνυμένον εἶναι

Νέστωρ φάσχʼ ὁ γέρων, ὅτʼ ἐπιμνησαίμεθα σεῖο

οἷσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισι, καὶ ἀλλήλους ἐρέοιμεν.

καὶ νῦν, εἴ τί που ἔστι, πίθοιό μοι· οὐ γὰρ ἐγώ γε

τέρπομʼ ὀδυρόμενος μεταδόρπιος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἠὼς

ἔσσεται ἠριγένεια· νεμεσσῶμαί γε μὲν οὐδὲν

κλαίειν ὅς κε θάνῃσι βροτῶν καὶ πότμον ἐπίσπῃ.

τοῦτό νυ καὶ γέρας οἶον ὀιζυροῖσι βροτοῖσιν,

κείρασθαί τε κόμην βαλέειν τʼ ἀπὸ δάκρυ παρειῶν.

καὶ γὰρ ἐμὸς τέθνηκεν ἀδελφεός, οὔ τι κάκιστος

Ἀργείων· μέλλεις δὲ σὺ ἴδμεναι· οὐ γὰρ ἐγώ γε

ἤντησʼ οὐδὲ ἴδον· περὶ δʼ ἄλλων φασὶ γενέσθαι

Ἀντίλοχον, πέρι μὲν θείειν ταχὺν ἠδὲ μαχητήν.

"Your discretion, my friend," answered Menelaos, "is beyond your years. It is plain you take after your father. One can soon see when a man is son to one whom Zeus grants blessedness [ olbos ] both as regards wife and offspring - and he has blessed Nestor from first to last all his days, giving him a green old age in his own house, with sons about him who are both well disposed and valiant. We will put an end therefore to all this weeping, and attend to our supper again. Let water be poured over our hands. Telemakhos and I can talk with one another fully in the morning."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

ὦ φίλʼ, ἐπεὶ τόσα εἶπες, ὅσʼ ἂν πεπνυμένος ἀνὴρ

εἴποι καὶ ῥέξειε, καὶ ὃς προγενέστερος εἴη·

τοίου γὰρ καὶ πατρός, ὃ καὶ πεπνυμένα βάζεις,

ῥεῖα δʼ ἀρίγνωτος γόνος ἀνέρος ᾧ τε Κρονίων

ὄλβον ἐπικλώσῃ γαμέοντί τε γεινομένῳ τε,

ὡς νῦν Νέστορι δῶκε διαμπερὲς ἤματα πάντα

αὐτὸν μὲν λιπαρῶς γηρασκέμεν ἐν μεγάροισιν,

υἱέας αὖ πινυτούς τε καὶ ἔγχεσιν εἶναι ἀρίστους.

ἡμεῖς δὲ κλαυθμὸν μὲν ἐάσομεν, ὃς πρὶν ἐτύχθη,

δόρπου δʼ ἐξαῦτις μνησώμεθα, χερσὶ δʼ ἐφʼ ὕδωρ

χευάντων. μῦθοι δὲ καὶ ἠῶθέν περ ἔσονται

Τηλεμάχῳ καὶ ἐμοὶ διαειπέμεν ἀλλήλοισιν.

On this Asphalion, one of the servants, poured water over their hands and they laid their hands on the good things that were before them.

ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀσφαλίων δʼ ἄρʼ ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἔχευεν,

ὀτρηρὸς θεράπων Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο.

οἱ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.

Then Zeus’ daughter Helen bethought her of another matter. She drugged the wine with the herb nêpenthes [= anti- penthos ], which banishes all care, sorrow, and anger. Whoever drinks wine thus drugged cannot shed a single tear all the rest of the day, not even though his father and mother both of them drop down dead, or he sees a brother or a son hewn in pieces before his very eyes. This drug, of such sovereign power and virtue, had been given to Helen by Polydamna wife of Thon , a woman of Egypt , where there grow all sorts of herbs, some good to put into the mixing-bowl and others poisonous. Moreover, every one in the whole country is a skilled physician, for they are of the race of Paieon. When Helen had put this drug in the bowl, and had told the servants to serve the wine round, she said:

ἔνθʼ αὖτʼ ἄλλʼ ἐνόησʼ Ἑλένη Διὸς ἐκγεγαυῖα·

αὐτίκʼ ἄρʼ εἰς οἶνον βάλε φάρμακον, ἔνθεν ἔπινον,

νηπενθές τʼ ἄχολόν τε, κακῶν ἐπίληθον ἁπάντων.

ὃς τὸ καταβρόξειεν, ἐπὴν κρητῆρι μιγείη,

οὔ κεν ἐφημέριός γε βάλοι κατὰ δάκρυ παρειῶν,

οὐδʼ εἴ οἱ κατατεθναίη μήτηρ τε πατήρ τε,

οὐδʼ εἴ οἱ προπάροιθεν ἀδελφεὸν ἢ φίλον υἱὸν

χαλκῷ δηιόῳεν, ὁ δʼ ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὁρῷτο.

τοῖα Διὸς θυγάτηρ ἔχε φάρμακα μητιόεντα,

ἐσθλά, τά οἱ Πολύδαμνα πόρεν, Θῶνος παράκοιτις

Αἰγυπτίη, τῇ πλεῖστα φέρει ζείδωρος ἄρουρα

φάρμακα, πολλὰ μὲν ἐσθλὰ μεμιγμένα πολλὰ δὲ λυγρά·

ἰητρὸς δὲ ἕκαστος ἐπιστάμενος περὶ πάντων

ἀνθρώπων· ἦ γὰρ Παιήονός εἰσι γενέθλης.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐνέηκε κέλευσέ τε οἰνοχοῆσαι,

ἐξαῦτις μύθοισιν ἀμειβομένη προσέειπεν·

"Menelaos, son of Atreus, and you my good friends, sons of honorable men (which is as Zeus wills, for he is the giver both of good and evil, and can do what he chooses), feast here as you will, and listen while I tell you a tale in season. I cannot indeed name every single one of the exploits [ athlos ] of Odysseus, but I can say what he did when he was in the Trojan dêmos , and you Achaeans were in all sorts of difficulties. He covered himself with wounds and bruises, dressed himself all in rags, and entered the enemy's city looking like a menial or a beggar, quite different from how he looked when he was among his own people. In this disguise he entered the city of Troy , and no one said anything to him. I alone recognized him and began to question him, but he was too cunning for me. When, however, I had washed and anointed him and had given him clothes, and after I had sworn a solemn oath not to betray him to the Trojans till he had got safely back to his own camp and to the ships, he explained to me the whole noos of the Achaeans. He killed many Trojans and got much information before he reached the Argive camp, for all which things the Trojan women made lamentation, but for my own part I was glad, for my heart was beginning to long after my home, and I was unhappy about the wrong [ atê ] that Aphrodite had done me in taking me over there, away from my country, my girl, and my lawful wedded husband, who is indeed by no means deficient either in looks or understanding."

Ἀτρεΐδη Μενέλαε διοτρεφὲς ἠδὲ καὶ οἵδε

ἀνδρῶν ἐσθλῶν παῖδες· ἀτὰρ θεὸς ἄλλοτε ἄλλῳ

Ζεὺς ἀγαθόν τε κακόν τε διδοῖ· δύναται γὰρ ἅπαντα·

ἦ τοι νῦν δαίνυσθε καθήμενοι ἐν μεγάροισι

καὶ μύθοις τέρπεσθε· ἐοικότα γὰρ καταλέξω.

πάντα μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἐγὼ μυθήσομαι οὐδʼ ὀνομήνω,

ὅσσοι Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονός εἰσιν ἄεθλοι·

ἀλλʼ οἷον τόδʼ ἔρεξε καὶ ἔτλη καρτερὸς ἀνὴρ

δήμῳ ἔνι Τρώων, ὅθι πάσχετε πήματʼ Ἀχαιοί.

αὐτόν μιν πληγῇσιν ἀεικελίῃσι δαμάσσας,

σπεῖρα κάκʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι βαλών, οἰκῆι ἐοικώς,

ἀνδρῶν δυσμενέων κατέδυ πόλιν εὐρυάγυιαν·

ἄλλῳ δʼ αὐτὸν φωτὶ κατακρύπτων ἤισκε,

δέκτῃ, ὃς οὐδὲν τοῖος ἔην ἐπὶ νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν.

τῷ ἴκελος κατέδυ Τρώων πόλιν, οἱ δʼ ἀβάκησαν

πάντες· ἐγὼ δέ μιν οἴη ἀνέγνων τοῖον ἐόντα,

καί μιν ἀνηρώτων· ὁ δὲ κερδοσύνῃ ἀλέεινεν.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή μιν ἐγὼ λόεον καὶ χρῖον ἐλαίῳ,

ἀμφὶ δὲ εἵματα ἕσσα καὶ ὤμοσα καρτερὸν ὅρκον

μὴ μὲν πρὶν Ὀδυσῆα μετὰ Τρώεσσʼ ἀναφῆναι,

πρίν γε τὸν ἐς νῆάς τε θοὰς κλισίας τʼ ἀφικέσθαι,

καὶ τότε δή μοι πάντα νόον κατέλεξεν Ἀχαιῶν.

πολλοὺς δὲ Τρώων κτείνας ταναήκεϊ χαλκῷ

ἦλθε μετʼ Ἀργείους, κατὰ δὲ φρόνιν ἤγαγε πολλήν.

ἔνθʼ ἄλλαι Τρῳαὶ λίγʼ ἐκώκυον· αὐτὰρ ἐμὸν κῆρ

χαῖρʼ, ἐπεὶ ἤδη μοι κραδίη τέτραπτο νέεσθαι

ἂψ οἶκόνδʼ, ἄτην δὲ μετέστενον, ἣν Ἀφροδίτη

δῶχʼ, ὅτε μʼ ἤγαγε κεῖσε φίλης ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης,

παῖδά τʼ ἐμὴν νοσφισσαμένην θάλαμόν τε πόσιν τε

οὔ τευ δευόμενον, οὔτʼ ἂρ φρένας οὔτε τι εἶδος.

Then Menelaos said, "All that you have been saying, my dear wife, is true. I have traveled much, and have learned the plans and noos of many a hero, but I have never seen such another man as Odysseus. What endurance too, and what courage he displayed within the wooden horse, wherein all the bravest of the Argives were lying in wait to bring death and destruction upon the Trojans. At that moment you came up to us; some daimôn who wished well to the Trojans must have set you on to it and you had Deiphobos with you. Three times did you go all round our hiding place and pat it; you called our chiefs each by his own name, and mimicked all our wives. Diomedes, Odysseus, and I from our seats inside heard what a noise you made. Diomedes and I could not make up our minds whether to spring out then and there, or to answer you from inside, but Odysseus held us all in check, so we sat quite still, all except Antiklos, who was beginning to answer you, when Odysseus clapped his two brawny hands over his mouth, and kept them there. It was this that saved us all, for he muzzled Antiklos till Athena took you away again."

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε πάντα, γύναι, κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες.

ἤδη μὲν πολέων ἐδάην βουλήν τε νόον τε

ἀνδρῶν ἡρώων, πολλὴν δʼ ἐπελήλυθα γαῖαν·

ἀλλʼ οὔ πω τοιοῦτον ἐγὼν ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,

οἷον Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος ἔσκε φίλον κῆρ.

οἷον καὶ τόδʼ ἔρεξε καὶ ἔτλη καρτερὸς ἀνὴρ

ἵππῳ ἔνι ξεστῷ, ἵνʼ ἐνήμεθα πάντες ἄριστοι

Ἀργείων Τρώεσσι φόνον καὶ κῆρα φέροντες.

ἦλθες ἔπειτα σὺ κεῖσε· κελευσέμεναι δέ σʼ ἔμελλε

δαίμων, ὃς Τρώεσσιν ἐβούλετο κῦδος ὀρέξαι·

καί τοι Δηΐφοβος θεοείκελος ἕσπετʼ ἰούσῃ.

τρὶς δὲ περίστειξας κοῖλον λόχον ἀμφαφόωσα,

ἐκ δʼ ὀνομακλήδην Δαναῶν ὀνόμαζες ἀρίστους,

πάντων Ἀργείων φωνὴν ἴσκουσʼ ἀλόχοισιν.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ καὶ Τυδεΐδης καὶ δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

ἥμενοι ἐν μέσσοισιν ἀκούσαμεν ὡς ἐβόησας.

νῶι μὲν ἀμφοτέρω μενεήναμεν ὁρμηθέντε

ἢ ἐξελθέμεναι, ἢ ἔνδοθεν αἶψʼ ὑπακοῦσαι·

ἀλλʼ Ὀδυσεὺς κατέρυκε καὶ ἔσχεθεν ἱεμένω περ.

ἔνθʼ ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες ἀκὴν ἔσαν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν,

Ἄντικλος δὲ σέ γʼ οἶος ἀμείψασθαι ἐπέεσσιν

ἤθελεν. ἀλλʼ Ὀδυσεὺς ἐπὶ μάστακα χερσὶ πίεζεν

νωλεμέως κρατερῇσι, σάωσε δὲ πάντας Ἀχαιούς·

τόφρα δʼ ἔχʼ, ὄφρα σε νόσφιν ἀπήγαγε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.

"How sad," exclaimed Telemakhos, "that all this was of no avail to save him, nor yet his own iron courage. But now, sir, be pleased to send us all to bed, that we may lie down and enjoy the blessed boon of sleep."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Ἀτρεΐδη Μενέλαε διοτρεφές, ὄρχαμε λαῶν,

ἄλγιον· οὐ γάρ οἵ τι τάδʼ ἤρκεσε λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον,

οὐδʼ εἴ οἱ κραδίη γε σιδηρέη ἔνδοθεν ἦεν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ εἰς εὐνὴν τράπεθʼ ἡμέας, ὄφρα καὶ ἤδη

ὕπνῳ ὕπο γλυκερῷ ταρπώμεθα κοιμηθέντες.

On this Helen told the maid servants to set beds in the room that was in the gatehouse, and to make them with good red rugs, and spread coverlets on the top of them with woolen cloaks for the guests to wear. So the maids went out, carrying a torch, and made the beds, to which a man-servant presently conducted the strangers. Thus, then, did Telemakhos and Peisistratos sleep there in the forecourt, while the son of Atreus lay in an inner room with lovely Helen by his side.

ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀργείη δʼ Ἑλένη δμῳῇσι κέλευσεν

δέμνιʼ ὑπʼ αἰθούσῃ θέμεναι καὶ ῥήγεα καλὰ

πορφύρεʼ ἐμβαλέειν στορέσαι τʼ ἐφύπερθε τάπητας,

χλαίνας τʼ ἐνθέμεναι οὔλας καθύπερθεν ἕσασθαι.

αἱ δʼ ἴσαν ἐκ μεγάροιο δάος μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσαι,

δέμνια δὲ στόρεσαν· ἐκ δὲ ξείνους ἄγε κῆρυξ.

οἱ μὲν ἄρʼ ἐν προδόμῳ δόμου αὐτόθι κοιμήσαντο,

Τηλέμαχός θʼ ἥρως καὶ Νέστορος ἀγλαὸς υἱός·

Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ καθεῦδε μυχῷ δόμου ὑψηλοῖο,

πὰρ δʼ Ἑλένη τανύπεπλος ἐλέξατο, δῖα γυναικῶν.

When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, Menelaos rose and dressed himself. He bound his sandals on to his comely feet, girded his sword about his shoulders, and left his room looking like an immortal god. Then, taking a seat near Telemakhos he said:

ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

ὤρνυτʼ ἄρʼ ἐξ εὐνῆφι βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος

εἵματα ἑσσάμενος, περὶ δὲ ξίφος ὀξὺ θέτʼ ὤμῳ,

ποσσὶ δʼ ὑπὸ λιπαροῖσιν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα,

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο θεῷ ἐναλίγκιος ἄντην,

Τηλεμάχῳ δὲ παρῖζεν, ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

"And what, Telemakhos, has led you to take this long sea voyage to Lacedaemon ? Are you on public or private business? Tell me all about it."

τίπτε δέ σε χρειὼ δεῦρʼ ἤγαγε, Τηλέμαχʼ ἥρως,

ἐς Λακεδαίμονα δῖαν, ἐπʼ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης;

δήμιον ἦ ἴδιον; τόδε μοι νημερτὲς ἐνίσπες.

"I have come, sir replied Telemakhos, "to see if you can tell me anything about my father. I am being eaten out of house and home; my fair estate is being wasted, and my house is full of miscreants who in overweening hubris keep killing great numbers of my sheep and oxen, on the pretense of wooing my mother. Therefore, I am suppliant at your knees if haply you may tell me about my father's melancholy end, whether you saw it with your own eyes, or heard it from some other traveler; for he was a man born to trouble. Do not soften things out of any pity for myself, but tell me in all plainness exactly what you saw. If my brave father Odysseus ever did you loyal service either by word or deed, when you Achaeans were harassed in the dêmos of the Trojans, bear it in mind now as in my favor and tell me truly all."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Ἀτρεΐδη Μενέλαε διοτρεφές, ὄρχαμε λαῶν,

ἤλυθον, εἴ τινά μοι κληηδόνα πατρὸς ἐνίσποις.

ἐσθίεταί μοι οἶκος, ὄλωλε δὲ πίονα ἔργα,

δυσμενέων δʼ ἀνδρῶν πλεῖος δόμος, οἵ τέ μοι αἰεὶ

μῆλʼ ἁδινὰ σφάζουσι καὶ εἰλίποδας ἕλικας βοῦς,

μητρὸς ἐμῆς μνηστῆρες ὑπέρβιον ὕβριν ἔχοντες.

τοὔνεκα νῦν τὰ σὰ γούναθʼ ἱκάνομαι, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα

κείνου λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον ἐνισπεῖν, εἴ που ὄπωπας

ὀφθαλμοῖσι τεοῖσιν ἢ ἄλλου μῦθον ἄκουσας

πλαζομένου· περὶ γάρ μιν ὀιζυρὸν τέκε μήτηρ.

μηδέ τί μʼ αἰδόμενος μειλίσσεο μηδʼ ἐλεαίρων,

ἀλλʼ εὖ μοι κατάλεξον ὅπως ἤντησας ὀπωπῆς.

λίσσομαι, εἴ ποτέ τοί τι πατὴρ ἐμός, ἐσθλὸς Ὀδυσσεὺς

ἢ ἔπος ἠέ τι ἔργον ὑποστὰς ἐξετέλεσσε

δήμῳ ἔνι Τρώων, ὅθι πάσχετε πήματʼ Ἀχαιοί,

τῶν νῦν μοι μνῆσαι, καί μοι νημερτὲς ἐνίσπες.

Menelaos on hearing this was very much shocked. "So," he exclaimed, "these cowards would usurp a brave man's bed? A hind might as well lay her new born young in the lair of a lion, and then go off to feed in the forest or in some grassy dell: the lion when he comes back to his lair will make short work with the pair of them - and so will Odysseus with these suitors. By father Zeus, Athena, and Apollo, if Odysseus is still the man that he was when he wrestled with Philomeleides in Lesbos , and threw him so heavily that all the Achaeans cheered him - if he is still such and were to come near these suitors, they would have a swift doom and a sorry wedding. As regards your questions, however, I will not prevaricate nor deceive you, but will tell you without concealment all that the old man of the sea told me.

τὸν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέθη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

ὢ πόποι, ἦ μάλα δὴ κρατερόφρονος ἀνδρὸς ἐν εὐνῇ

ἤθελον εὐνηθῆναι ἀνάλκιδες αὐτοὶ ἐόντες.

ὡς δʼ ὁπότʼ ἐν ξυλόχῳ ἔλαφος κρατεροῖο λέοντος

νεβροὺς κοιμήσασα νεηγενέας γαλαθηνοὺς

κνημοὺς ἐξερέῃσι καὶ ἄγκεα ποιήεντα

βοσκομένη, ὁ δʼ ἔπειτα ἑὴν εἰσήλυθεν εὐνήν,

ἀμφοτέροισι δὲ τοῖσιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφῆκεν,

ὣς Ὀδυσεὺς κείνοισιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφήσει.

αἲ γάρ, Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον,

τοῖος ἐών, οἷός ποτʼ ἐυκτιμένῃ ἐνὶ Λέσβῳ

ἐξ ἔριδος Φιλομηλεΐδῃ ἐπάλαισεν ἀναστάς,

κὰδ δʼ ἔβαλε κρατερῶς, κεχάροντο δὲ πάντες Ἀχαιοί,

τοῖος ἐὼν μνηστῆρσιν ὁμιλήσειεν Ὀδυσσεύς·

πάντες κʼ ὠκύμοροί τε γενοίατο πικρόγαμοί τε.

ταῦτα δʼ ἅ μʼ εἰρωτᾷς καὶ λίσσεαι, οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ γε

ἄλλα παρὲξ εἴποιμι παρακλιδόν, οὐδʼ ἀπατήσω,

ἀλλὰ τὰ μέν μοι ἔειπε γέρων ἅλιος νημερτής,

τῶν οὐδέν τοι ἐγὼ κρύψω ἔπος οὐδʼ ἐπικεύσω.

"I was trying to come on here, but the gods detained me in Egypt , for my hecatombs had not given them full satisfaction, and the gods are very strict about having their dues. Now off Egypt , about as far as a ship can sail in a day with a good stiff breeze behind her, there is an island called Pharos - it has a good harbor from which vessels can get out into open sea when they have taken in water - and the gods becalmed me twenty days without so much as a breath of fair wind to help me forward. We should have run clean out of provisions and my men would have starved, if a goddess had not taken pity upon me and saved me in the person of Eidothea, daughter to Proteus, the old man of the sea, for she had taken a great fancy to me.

Αἰγύπτῳ μʼ ἔτι δεῦρο θεοὶ μεμαῶτα νέεσθαι

ἔσχον, ἐπεὶ οὔ σφιν ἔρεξα τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας.

οἱ δʼ αἰεὶ βούλοντο θεοὶ μεμνῆσθαι ἐφετμέων.

νῆσος ἔπειτά τις ἔστι πολυκλύστῳ ἐνὶ πόντῳ

Αἰγύπτου προπάροιθε, Φάρον δέ ἑ κικλήσκουσι,

τόσσον ἄνευθʼ ὅσσον τε πανημερίη γλαφυρὴ νηῦς

ἤνυσεν, ᾗ λιγὺς οὖρος ἐπιπνείῃσιν ὄπισθεν·

ἐν δὲ λιμὴν ἐύορμος, ὅθεν τʼ ἀπὸ νῆας ἐίσας

ἐς πόντον βάλλουσιν, ἀφυσσάμενοι μέλαν ὕδωρ.

ἔνθα μʼ ἐείκοσιν ἤματʼ ἔχον θεοί, οὐδέ ποτʼ οὖροι

πνείοντες φαίνονθʼ ἁλιαέες, οἵ ῥά τε νηῶν

πομπῆες γίγνονται ἐπʼ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης.

καί νύ κεν ἤια πάντα κατέφθιτο καὶ μένεʼ ἀνδρῶν,

εἰ μή τίς με θεῶν ὀλοφύρατο καί μʼ ἐσάωσε,

Πρωτέος ἰφθίμου θυγάτηρ ἁλίοιο γέροντος,

Εἰδοθέη· τῇ γάρ ῥα μάλιστά γε θυμὸν ὄρινα.

"She came to me one day when I was by myself, as I often was, for the men used to go with their barbed hooks, all over the island in the hope of catching a fish or two to save them from the pangs of hunger. ‘Stranger,’ said she, ‘it seems to me that you like starving in this way - at any rate it does not greatly trouble you, for you stick here day after day, without even trying to get away though your men are dying by inches.’

ἥ μʼ οἴῳ ἔρροντι συνήντετο νόσφιν ἑταίρων·

αἰεὶ γὰρ περὶ νῆσον ἀλώμενοι ἰχθυάασκον

γναμπτοῖς ἀγκίστροισιν, ἔτειρε δὲ γαστέρα λιμός.

ἡ δέ μευ ἄγχι στᾶσα ἔπος φάτο φώνησέν τε·

νήπιός εἰς, ὦ ξεῖνε, λίην τόσον ἠδὲ χαλίφρων,

ἦε ἑκὼν μεθίεις καὶ τέρπεαι ἄλγεα πάσχων;

ὡς δὴ δήθʼ ἐνὶ νήσῳ ἐρύκεαι, οὐδέ τι τέκμωρ

εὑρέμεναι δύνασαι, μινύθει δέ τοι ἦτορ ἑταίρων.

"‘Let me tell you,’ said I, ‘whichever of the goddesses you may happen to be, that I am not staying here of my own accord, but must have offended the gods that live in heaven. Tell me, therefore, for the gods know everything: which of the immortals it is that is hindering me in this way, and tell me also how I may sail the sea so as to reach my home [ nostos ]?’

ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

ἐκ μέν τοι ἐρέω, ἥ τις σύ πέρ ἐσσι θεάων,

ὡς ἐγὼ οὔ τι ἑκὼν κατερύκομαι, ἀλλά νυ μέλλω

ἀθανάτους ἀλιτέσθαι, οἳ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν.

ἀλλὰ σύ πέρ μοι εἰπέ, θεοὶ δέ τε πάντα ἴσασιν,

ὅς τίς μʼ ἀθανάτων πεδάᾳ καὶ ἔδησε κελεύθου,

νόστον θʼ, ὡς ἐπὶ πόντον ἐλεύσομαι ἰχθυόεντα.

"‘Stranger,’ replied she, ‘I will make it all quite clear to you. There is an old immortal who lives under the sea hereabouts and whose name is Proteus. He is an Egyptian, and people say he is my father; he is Poseidon's head man and knows every inch of ground all over the bottom of the sea. If you can snare him and hold him tight, he will tell you about your voyage, what courses you are to take, and how you are to sail the sea so as to reach your home [ nostos ]. He will also tell you, if you so will, all that has been going on at your house both good and bad, while you have been away on your long and dangerous journey.’

ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμείβετο δῖα θεάων·

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, ξεῖνε, μάλʼ ἀτρεκέως ἀγορεύσω.

πωλεῖταί τις δεῦρο γέρων ἅλιος νημερτὴς

ἀθάνατος Πρωτεὺς Αἰγύπτιος, ὅς τε θαλάσσης

πάσης βένθεα οἶδε, Ποσειδάωνος ὑποδμώς·

τὸν δέ τʼ ἐμόν φασιν πατέρʼ ἔμμεναι ἠδὲ τεκέσθαι.

τόν γʼ εἴ πως σὺ δύναιο λοχησάμενος λελαβέσθαι,

ὅς κέν τοι εἴπῃσιν ὁδὸν καὶ μέτρα κελεύθου

νόστον θʼ, ὡς ἐπὶ πόντον ἐλεύσεαι ἰχθυόεντα.

καὶ δέ κέ τοι εἴπῃσι, διοτρεφές, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα,

ὅττι τοι ἐν μεγάροισι κακόν τʼ ἀγαθόν τε τέτυκται

οἰχομένοιο σέθεν δολιχὴν ὁδὸν ἀργαλέην τε.

"‘Can you show me,’ said I, ‘some strategy by means of which I may catch this old god without his suspecting it and finding me out? For a daimôn is not easily caught - not by a mortal man.’

ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

αὐτὴ νῦν φράζευ σὺ λόχον θείοιο γέροντος,

μή πώς με προϊδὼν ἠὲ προδαεὶς ἀλέηται·

ἀργαλέος γάρ τʼ ἐστὶ θεὸς βροτῷ ἀνδρὶ δαμῆναι.

"‘Stranger,’ said she, ‘I will make it all quite clear to you. About the time when the sun shall have reached mid heaven, the old man of the sea comes up from under the waves, heralded by the West wind that furs the water over his head. As soon as he has come up he lies down, and goes to sleep in a great sea cave, where the seals - (Halosydne's chickens as they call them) - come up also from the gray sea, and go to sleep in shoals all round him; and a very strong and fish-like smell do they bring with them. Early tomorrow morning I will take you to this place and will lay you in ambush. Pick out [ krînô ], therefore, the three best men you have in your fleet, and I will tell you all the tricks that the old man will play you.

ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμείβετο δῖα θεάων·

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, ξεῖνε, μάλʼ ἀτρεκέως ἀγορεύσω.

ἦμος δʼ ἠέλιος μέσον οὐρανὸν ἀμφιβεβήκῃ,

τῆμος ἄρʼ ἐξ ἁλὸς εἶσι γέρων ἅλιος νημερτὴς

πνοιῇ ὕπο Ζεφύροιο μελαίνῃ φρικὶ καλυφθείς,

ἐκ δʼ ἐλθὼν κοιμᾶται ὑπὸ σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσιν·

ἀμφὶ δέ μιν φῶκαι νέποδες καλῆς ἁλοσύδνης

ἁθρόαι εὕδουσιν, πολιῆς ἁλὸς ἐξαναδῦσαι,

πικρὸν ἀποπνείουσαι ἁλὸς πολυβενθέος ὀδμήν.

ἔνθα σʼ ἐγὼν ἀγαγοῦσα ἅμʼ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφιν

εὐνάσω ἑξείης· σὺ δʼ ἐὺ κρίνασθαι ἑταίρους

τρεῖς, οἵ τοι παρὰ νηυσὶν ἐυσσέλμοισιν ἄριστοι.

πάντα δέ τοι ἐρέω ὀλοφώια τοῖο γέροντος.

"‘First he will look over all his seals, and count them; then, when he has seen them and tallied them on his five fingers, he will go to sleep among them, as a shepherd among his sheep. The moment you see that he is asleep seize him; put forth all your strength [ biê ] and hold him fast, for he will do his very utmost to get away from you. He will turn himself into every kind of creature that goes upon the earth, and will become also both fire and water; but you must hold him fast and grip him tighter and tighter, till he begins to talk to you and comes back to what he was when you saw him go to sleep; then you may slacken your hold [ biê ] and let him go; and you can ask him which of the gods it is that is angry with you, and what you must do to reach your home [ nostos ] over the fishy sea.’

φώκας μέν τοι πρῶτον ἀριθμήσει καὶ ἔπεισιν·

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν πάσας πεμπάσσεται ἠδὲ ἴδηται,

λέξεται ἐν μέσσῃσι νομεὺς ὣς πώεσι μήλων.

τὸν μὲν ἐπὴν δὴ πρῶτα κατευνηθέντα ἴδησθε,

καὶ τότʼ ἔπειθʼ ὑμῖν μελέτω κάρτος τε βίη τε,

αὖθι δʼ ἔχειν μεμαῶτα καὶ ἐσσύμενόν περ ἀλύξαι.

πάντα δὲ γιγνόμενος πειρήσεται, ὅσσʼ ἐπὶ γαῖαν

ἑρπετὰ γίγνονται, καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ θεσπιδαὲς πῦρ·

ὑμεῖς δʼ ἀστεμφέως ἐχέμεν μᾶλλόν τε πιέζειν.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε κεν δή σʼ αὐτὸς ἀνείρηται ἐπέεσσι,

τοῖος ἐὼν οἷόν κε κατευνηθέντα ἴδησθε,

καὶ τότε δὴ σχέσθαι τε βίης λῦσαί τε γέροντα,

ἥρως, εἴρεσθαι δέ, θεῶν ὅς τίς σε χαλέπτει,

νόστον θʼ, ὡς ἐπὶ πόντον ἐλεύσεαι ἰχθυόεντα.

"Having so said she dived under the waves, whereon I turned back to the place where my ships were ranged upon the shore; and my heart was clouded with care as I went along. When I reached my ship we got supper ready, for night was falling, and camped down upon the beach.

ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ὑπὸ πόντον ἐδύσετο κυμαίνοντα.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπὶ νῆας, ὅθʼ ἕστασαν ἐν ψαμάθοισιν,

ἤια· πολλὰ δέ μοι κραδίη πόρφυρε κιόντι.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐπὶ νῆα κατήλυθον ἠδὲ θάλασσαν,

δόρπον θʼ ὁπλισάμεσθʼ, ἐπί τʼ ἤλυθεν ἀμβροσίη νύξ·

δὴ τότε κοιμήθημεν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης.

"When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, I took the three men on whose prowess of all kinds I could most rely, and went along by the sea-side, praying heartily to heaven. Meanwhile the goddess fetched me up four seal skins from the bottom of the sea, all of them just skinned, for she meant to play a trick upon her father. Then she dug four pits for us to lie in, and sat down to wait till we should come up. When we were close to her, she made us lie down in the pits one after the other, and threw a seal skin over each of us. Our ambuscade would have been intolerable, for the stench of the fishy seals was most distressing - who would go to bed with a sea monster if he could help it?-but here, too, the goddess helped us, and thought of something that gave us great relief, for she put some ambrosia under each man's nostrils, which was so fragrant that it killed the smell of the seals.

ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

καὶ τότε δὴ παρὰ θῖνα θαλάσσης εὐρυπόροιο

ἤια πολλὰ θεοὺς γουνούμενος· αὐτὰρ ἑταίρους

τρεῖς ἄγον, οἷσι μάλιστα πεποίθεα πᾶσαν ἐπʼ ἰθύν.

τόφρα δʼ ἄρʼ ἥ γʼ ὑποδῦσα θαλάσσης εὐρέα κόλπον

τέσσαρα φωκάων ἐκ πόντου δέρματʼ ἔνεικε·

πάντα δʼ ἔσαν νεόδαρτα· δόλον δʼ ἐπεμήδετο πατρί.

εὐνὰς δʼ ἐν ψαμάθοισι διαγλάψασʼ ἁλίῃσιν

ἧστο μένουσʼ· ἡμεῖς δὲ μάλα σχεδὸν ἤλθομεν αὐτῆς·

ἑξείης δʼ εὔνησε, βάλεν δʼ ἐπὶ δέρμα ἑκάστῳ.

ἔνθα κεν αἰνότατος λόχος ἔπλετο· τεῖρε γὰρ αἰνῶς

φωκάων ἁλιοτρεφέων ὀλοώτατος ὀδμή·

τίς γάρ κʼ εἰναλίῳ παρὰ κήτεϊ κοιμηθείη;

ἀλλʼ αὐτὴ ἐσάωσε καὶ ἐφράσατο μέγʼ ὄνειαρ·

ἀμβροσίην ὑπὸ ῥῖνα ἑκάστῳ θῆκε φέρουσα

ἡδὺ μάλα πνείουσαν, ὄλεσσε δὲ κήτεος ὀδμήν.

"We waited the whole morning and made the best of it, watching the seals come up in hundreds to bask upon the sea shore, till at noon the old man of the sea came up too, and when he had found his fat seals he went over them and counted them. We were among the first he counted, and he never suspected any guile, but laid himself down to sleep as soon as he had done counting. Then we rushed upon him with a shout and seized him; on which he began at once with his old tricks, and changed himself first into a lion with a great mane; then all of a sudden he became a dragon, a leopard, a wild boar; the next moment he was running water, and then again directly he was a tree, but we stuck to him and never lost hold, till at last the cunning old creature became distressed, and said, Which of the gods was it, Son of Atreus, that hatched this plot with you for snaring me and seizing me against my will? What do you want?’

πᾶσαν δʼ ἠοίην μένομεν τετληότι θυμῷ·

φῶκαι δʼ ἐξ ἁλὸς ἦλθον ἀολλέες. αἱ μὲν ἔπειτα

ἑξῆς εὐνάζοντο παρὰ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης·

ἔνδιος δʼ ὁ γέρων ἦλθʼ ἐξ ἁλός, εὗρε δὲ φώκας

ζατρεφέας, πάσας δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπῴχετο, λέκτο δʼ ἀριθμόν·

ἐν δʼ ἡμέας πρώτους λέγε κήτεσιν, οὐδέ τι θυμῷ

ὠΐσθη δόλον εἶναι· ἔπειτα δὲ λέκτο καὶ αὐτός.

ἡμεῖς δὲ ἰάχοντες ἐπεσσύμεθʼ, ἀμφὶ δὲ χεῖρας

βάλλομεν· οὐδʼ ὁ γέρων δολίης ἐπελήθετο τέχνης,

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι πρώτιστα λέων γένετʼ ἠυγένειος,

αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα δράκων καὶ πάρδαλις ἠδὲ μέγας σῦς·

γίγνετο δʼ ὑγρὸν ὕδωρ καὶ δένδρεον ὑψιπέτηλον·

ἡμεῖς δʼ ἀστεμφέως ἔχομεν τετληότι θυμῷ.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἀνίαζʼ ὁ γέρων ὀλοφώια εἰδώς,

καὶ τότε δή μʼ ἐπέεσσιν ἀνειρόμενος προσέειπε·

τίς νύ τοι, Ἀτρέος υἱέ, θεῶν συμφράσσατο βουλάς,

ὄφρα μʼ ἕλοις ἀέκοντα λοχησάμενος; τέο σε χρή;

"‘You know that yourself, old man,’ I answered. ‘You will gain nothing by trying to put me off. It is because I have been kept so long in this island, and see no sign of my being able to get away. I am losing all heart; tell me, then, for you gods know everything, which of the immortals it is that is hindering me, and tell me also how I may sail the sea so as to reach my home [ nostos ]?’

ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

οἶσθα, γέρον, τί με ταῦτα παρατροπέων ἐρεείνεις;

ὡς δὴ δήθʼ ἐνὶ νήσῳ ἐρύκομαι, οὐδέ τι τέκμωρ

εὑρέμεναι δύναμαι, μινύθει δέ μοι ἔνδοθεν ἦτορ.

ἀλλὰ σύ πέρ μοι εἰπέ, θεοὶ δέ τε πάντα ἴσασιν,

ὅς τίς μʼ ἀθανάτων πεδάᾳ καὶ ἔδησε κελεύθου,

νόστον θʼ, ὡς ἐπὶ πόντον ἐλεύσομαι ἰχθυόεντα.

"Then,’ he said, ‘if you would finish your voyage and get home quickly, you must offer sacrifices to Zeus and to the rest of the gods before embarking; for it is decreed that you shall not get back to your friends, and to your own house, till you have returned to the heaven-fed stream of Egypt , and offered holy hecatombs to the immortal gods that reign in heaven. When you have done this they will let you finish your voyage.’

ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν·

ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ὤφελλες Διί τʼ ἄλλοισίν τε θεοῖσι

ῥέξας ἱερὰ κάλʼ ἀναβαινέμεν, ὄφρα τάχιστα

σὴν ἐς πατρίδʼ ἵκοιο πλέων ἐπὶ οἴνοπα πόντον.

οὐ γάρ τοι πρὶν μοῖρα φίλους τʼ ἰδέειν καὶ ἱκέσθαι

οἶκον ἐυκτίμενον καὶ σὴν ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,

πρίν γʼ ὅτʼ ἂν Αἰγύπτοιο, διιπετέος ποταμοῖο,

αὖτις ὕδωρ ἔλθῃς ῥέξῃς θʼ ἱερὰς ἑκατόμβας

ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι·

καὶ τότε τοι δώσουσιν ὁδὸν θεοί, ἣν σὺ μενοινᾷς.

"I was broken-hearted when I heard that I must go back all that long and terrible voyage to Egypt ; nevertheless, I answered, ‘I will do all, old man, that you have laid upon me; but now tell me, and tell me true, whether all the Achaeans whom Nestor and I left behind us when we set sail from Troy have got home safely, or whether any one of them came to a bad end either on board his own ship or among his friends when the days of his fighting were done.’

ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐμοί γε κατεκλάσθη φίλον ἦτορ,

οὕνεκά μʼ αὖτις ἄνωγεν ἐπʼ ἠεροειδέα πόντον

Αἴγυπτόνδʼ ἰέναι, δολιχὴν ὁδὸν ἀργαλέην τε.

ἀλλὰ καὶ ὣς μύθοισιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

ταῦτα μὲν οὕτω δὴ τελέω, γέρον, ὡς σὺ κελεύεις.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον,

ἢ πάντες σὺν νηυσὶν ἀπήμονες ἦλθον Ἀχαιοί,

οὓς Νέστωρ καὶ ἐγὼ λίπομεν Τροίηθεν ἰόντες,

ἦέ τις ὤλετʼ ὀλέθρῳ ἀδευκέι ἧς ἐπὶ νηὸς

ἠὲ φίλων ἐν χερσίν, ἐπεὶ πόλεμον τολύπευσεν.

"‘Son of Atreus,’ he answered, ‘why ask me? You had better not know my noos , for your eyes will surely fill when you have heard my story. Many of those about whom you ask are dead and gone, but many still remain, and only two of the chief men among the Achaeans perished during their return home. As for what happened on the field of battle - you were there yourself. A third Achaean leader is still at sea, alive, but hindered from returning [ nostos ]. Ajax was wrecked, for Poseidon drove him on to the great rocks of Gyrae; nevertheless, he let him get safe out of the water, and in spite of all Athena's hatred he would have escaped death, if he had not ruined himself by boasting. He said the gods could not drown him even though they had tried to do so, and when Poseidon heard this large talk, he seized his trident in his two brawny hands, and split the rock of Gyrae in two pieces. The base remained where it was, but the part on which Ajax was sitting fell headlong into the sea and carried Ajax with it; so he drank salt water and was drowned.

ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν·

Ἀτρεΐδη, τί με ταῦτα διείρεαι; οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ

ἴδμεναι, οὐδὲ δαῆναι ἐμὸν νόον· οὐδέ σέ φημι

δὴν ἄκλαυτον ἔσεσθαι, ἐπὴν ἐὺ πάντα πύθηαι.

πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν γε δάμεν, πολλοὶ δὲ λίποντο·

ἀρχοὶ δʼ αὖ δύο μοῦνοι Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων

ἐν νόστῳ ἀπόλοντο· μάχῃ δέ τε καὶ σὺ παρῆσθα.

εἷς δʼ ἔτι που ζωὸς κατερύκεται εὐρέι πόντῳ.

Αἴας μὲν μετὰ νηυσὶ δάμη δολιχηρέτμοισι.

Γυρῇσίν μιν πρῶτα Ποσειδάων ἐπέλασσεν

πέτρῃσιν μεγάλῃσι καὶ ἐξεσάωσε θαλάσσης·

καί νύ κεν ἔκφυγε κῆρα καὶ ἐχθόμενός περ Ἀθήνῃ,

εἰ μὴ ὑπερφίαλον ἔπος ἔκβαλε καὶ μέγʼ ἀάσθη·

φῆ ῥʼ ἀέκητι θεῶν φυγέειν μέγα λαῖτμα θαλάσσης.

τοῦ δὲ Ποσειδάων μεγάλʼ ἔκλυεν αὐδήσαντος·

αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτα τρίαιναν ἑλὼν χερσὶ στιβαρῇσιν

ἤλασε Γυραίην πέτρην, ἀπὸ δʼ ἔσχισεν αὐτήν·

καὶ τὸ μὲν αὐτόθι μεῖνε, τὸ δὲ τρύφος ἔμπεσε πόντῳ,

τῷ ῥʼ Αἴας τὸ πρῶτον ἐφεζόμενος μέγʼ ἀάσθη·

τὸν δʼ ἐφόρει κατὰ πόντον ἀπείρονα κυμαίνοντα.

ὣς ὁ μὲν ἔνθʼ ἀπόλωλεν, ἐπεὶ πίεν ἁλμυρὸν ὕδωρ.

"‘Your brother and his ships escaped, for Hera protected him, but when he was just about to reach the high promontory of Malea, he was caught by a heavy gale which carried him out to sea again sorely against his will, and drove him to the foreland where Thyestes used to dwell, but where Aigisthos was then living. By and by, however, it seemed as though he was to return [ nostos ] safely after all, for the gods backed the wind into its old quarter and they reached home; whereon Agamemnon kissed his native soil, and shed tears of joy at finding himself in his own country.

σὸς δέ που ἔκφυγε κῆρας ἀδελφεὸς ἠδʼ ὑπάλυξεν

ἐν νηυσὶ γλαφυρῇσι· σάωσε δὲ πότνια Ἥρη.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τάχʼ ἔμελλε Μαλειάων ὄρος αἰπὺ

ἵξεσθαι, τότε δή μιν ἀναρπάξασα θύελλα

πόντον ἐπʼ ἰχθυόεντα φέρεν βαρέα στενάχοντα,

ἀγροῦ ἐπʼ ἐσχατιήν, ὅθι δώματα ναῖε Θυέστης

τὸ πρίν, ἀτὰρ τότʼ ἔναιε Θυεστιάδης Αἴγισθος.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ καὶ κεῖθεν ἐφαίνετο νόστος ἀπήμων,

ἂψ δὲ θεοὶ οὖρον στρέψαν, καὶ οἴκαδʼ ἵκοντο,

ἦ τοι ὁ μὲν χαίρων ἐπεβήσετο πατρίδος αἴης

καὶ κύνει ἁπτόμενος ἣν πατρίδα· πολλὰ δʼ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ

δάκρυα θερμὰ χέοντʼ, ἐπεὶ ἀσπασίως ἴδε γαῖαν.

"‘Now there was a watchman whom Aigisthos kept always on the watch, and to whom he had promised two talents of gold. This man had been looking out for a whole year to make sure that Agamemnon did not give him the slip and prepare war; when, therefore, this man saw Agamemnon go by, he went and told Aigisthos who at once began to lay a plot for him. He picked [ krînô ] twenty of his bravest warriors from the dêmos and placed them in ambuscade on one side the room, while on the opposite side he prepared a banquet. Then he sent his chariots and horsemen to Agamemnon, and invited him to the feast, but he meant foul play. He got him there, all unsuspicious of the doom that was awaiting him, and killed him when the banquet was over as though he were butchering an ox in the shambles; not one of Agamemnon's followers was left alive, nor yet one of Aigisthos’, but they were all killed there in the cloisters.’

τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ἀπὸ σκοπιῆς εἶδε σκοπός, ὅν ῥα καθεῖσεν

Αἴγισθος δολόμητις ἄγων, ὑπὸ δʼ ἔσχετο μισθὸν

χρυσοῦ δοιὰ τάλαντα· φύλασσε δʼ ὅ γʼ εἰς ἐνιαυτόν,

μή ἑ λάθοι παριών, μνήσαιτο δὲ θούριδος ἀλκῆς.

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν ἀγγελέων πρὸς δώματα ποιμένι λαῶν.

αὐτίκα δʼ Αἴγισθος δολίην ἐφράσσατο τέχνην·

κρινάμενος κατὰ δῆμον ἐείκοσι φῶτας ἀρίστους

εἷσε λόχον, ἑτέρωθι δʼ ἀνώγει δαῖτα πένεσθαι.

αὐτὰρ ὁ βῆ καλέων Ἀγαμέμνονα, ποιμένα λαῶν

ἵπποισιν καὶ ὄχεσφιν, ἀεικέα μερμηρίζων.

τὸν δʼ οὐκ εἰδότʼ ὄλεθρον ἀνήγαγε καὶ κατέπεφνεν

δειπνίσσας, ὥς τίς τε κατέκτανε βοῦν ἐπὶ φάτνῃ.

οὐδέ τις Ἀτρεΐδεω ἑτάρων λίπεθʼ οἵ οἱ ἕποντο,

οὐδέ τις Αἰγίσθου, ἀλλʼ ἔκταθεν ἐν μεγάροισιν.

"Thus spoke Proteus, and I was broken hearted as I heard him. I sat down upon the sands and wept; I felt as though I could no longer bear to live nor look upon the light of the sun. Presently, when I had had my fill of weeping and writhing upon the ground, the old man of the sea said, ‘Son of Atreus, do not waste any more time in crying so bitterly; it can do no manner of good; find your way home as fast as ever you can, for Aigisthos be still alive, and even though Orestes anticipates you in killing him, you may yet come in for his funeral.’

ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐμοί γε κατεκλάσθη φίλον ἦτορ,

κλαῖον δʼ ἐν ψαμάθοισι καθήμενος, οὐδέ νύ μοι κῆρ

ἤθελʼ ἔτι ζώειν καὶ ὁρᾶν φάος ἠελίοιο.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κλαίων τε κυλινδόμενός τε κορέσθην,

δὴ τότε με προσέειπε γέρων ἅλιος νημερτής·

μηκέτι, Ἀτρέος υἱέ, πολὺν χρόνον ἀσκελὲς οὕτω

κλαῖʼ, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἄνυσίν τινα δήομεν· ἀλλὰ τάχιστα

πείρα ὅπως κεν δὴ σὴν πατρίδα γαῖαν ἵκηαι.

ἢ γάρ μιν ζωόν γε κιχήσεαι, ἤ κεν Ὀρέστης

κτεῖνεν ὑποφθάμενος, σὺ δέ κεν τάφου ἀντιβολήσαις.

"On this I took comfort in spite of all my sorrow, and said, ‘I know, then, about these two; tell me, therefore, about the third man of whom you spoke; is he still alive, but at sea, and unable to get home? Or is he dead? Tell me, no matter how much it may grieve me.’

ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ κραδίη καὶ θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ

αὖτις ἐνὶ στήθεσσι καὶ ἀχνυμένῳ περ ἰάνθη,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδων·

τούτους μὲν δὴ οἶδα· σὺ δὲ τρίτον ἄνδρʼ ὀνόμαζε,

ὅς τις ἔτι ζωὸς κατερύκεται εὐρέι πόντῳ

ἠὲ θανών· ἐθέλω δὲ καὶ ἀχνύμενός περ ἀκοῦσαι.

"‘The third man,’ he answered, ‘is Odysseus who dwells in Ithaca . I can see him in an island sorrowing bitterly in the house of the nymph Calypso, who is keeping him prisoner, and he cannot reach his home for he has no ships nor sailors to take him over the sea. As for your own end, Menelaos, you shall not die in Argos , but the gods will take you to the Elysian plain, which is at the ends of the world. There fair-haired Rhadamanthus reigns, and men lead an easier life than any where else in the world, for in Elysium there falls not rain, nor hail, nor snow, but Okeanos breathes ever with a West wind that sings softly from the sea, and gives fresh life to all men. This will happen to you because you have married Helen, and are Zeus’ son-in-law.’

ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν·

υἱὸς Λαέρτεω, Ἰθάκῃ ἔνι οἰκία ναίων·

τὸν δʼ ἴδον ἐν νήσῳ θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυ χέοντα,

νύμφης ἐν μεγάροισι Καλυψοῦς, ἥ μιν ἀνάγκῃ

ἴσχει· ὁ δʼ οὐ δύναται ἣν πατρίδα γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι·

οὐ γάρ οἱ πάρα νῆες ἐπήρετμοι καὶ ἑταῖροι,

οἵ κέν μιν πέμποιεν ἐπʼ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης.

σοὶ δʼ οὐ θέσφατόν ἐστι, διοτρεφὲς ὦ Μενέλαε,

Ἄργει ἐν ἱπποβότῳ θανέειν καὶ πότμον ἐπισπεῖν,

ἀλλά σʼ ἐς Ἠλύσιον πεδίον καὶ πείρατα γαίης

ἀθάνατοι πέμψουσιν, ὅθι ξανθὸς Ῥαδάμανθυς,

τῇ περ ῥηίστη βιοτὴ πέλει ἀνθρώποισιν·

οὐ νιφετός, οὔτʼ ἂρ χειμὼν πολὺς οὔτε ποτʼ ὄμβρος,

ἀλλʼ αἰεὶ Ζεφύροιο λιγὺ πνείοντος ἀήτας

Ὠκεανὸς ἀνίησιν ἀναψύχειν ἀνθρώπους·

οὕνεκʼ ἔχεις Ἑλένην καί σφιν γαμβρὸς Διός ἐσσι.

"As he spoke he dived under the waves, whereon I turned back to the ships with my companions, and my heart was clouded with care as I went along. When we reached the ships we got supper ready, for night was falling, and camped down upon the beach. When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared, we drew our ships into the water, and put our masts and sails within them; then we went on board ourselves, took our seats on the benches, and smote the gray sea with our oars. I again stationed my ships in the heaven-fed stream of Egypt , and offered hecatombs that were full and sufficient. When I had thus appeased heaven's anger, I raised a tomb to the memory of Agamemnon that his kleos might be inextinguishable, after which I had a quick passage home, for the gods sent me a fair wind.

ὣς εἰπὼν ὑπὸ πόντον ἐδύσετο κυμαίνοντα.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπὶ νῆας ἅμʼ ἀντιθέοις ἑτάροισιν

ἤια, πολλὰ δέ μοι κραδίη πόρφυρε κιόντι.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐπὶ νῆα κατήλθομεν ἠδὲ θάλασσαν,

δόρπον θʼ ὁπλισάμεσθʼ, ἐπί τʼ ἤλυθεν ἀμβροσίη νύξ,

δὴ τότε κοιμήθημεν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης.

ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

νῆας μὲν πάμπρωτον ἐρύσσαμεν εἰς ἅλα δῖαν,

ἐν δʼ ἱστοὺς τιθέμεσθα καὶ ἱστία νηυσὶν ἐίσῃς,

ἂν δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ βάντες ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον·

ἑξῆς δʼ ἑζόμενοι πολιὴν ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετμοῖς.

ἂψ δʼ εἰς Αἰγύπτοιο διιπετέος ποταμοῖο

στῆσα νέας, καὶ ἔρεξα τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατέπαυσα θεῶν χόλον αἰὲν ἐόντων,

χεῦʼ Ἀγαμέμνονι τύμβον, ἵνʼ ἄσβεστον κλέος εἴη.

ταῦτα τελευτήσας νεόμην, ἔδοσαν δέ μοι οὖρον

ἀθάνατοι, τοί μʼ ὦκα φίλην ἐς πατρίδʼ ἔπεμψαν.

"And now for yourself - stay here some ten or twelve days longer, and I will then speed you on your way. I will make you a noble present of a chariot and three horses. I will also give you a beautiful chalice that so long as you live you may think of me whenever you make a drink-offering to the immortal gods."

ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἐπίμεινον ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἐμοῖσιν,

ὄφρα κεν ἑνδεκάτη τε δυωδεκάτη τε γένηται·

καὶ τότε σʼ εὖ πέμψω, δώσω δέ τοι ἀγλαὰ δῶρα,

τρεῖς ἵππους καὶ δίφρον ἐύξοον· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

δώσω καλὸν ἄλεισον, ἵνα σπένδῃσθα θεοῖσιν

ἀθανάτοις ἐμέθεν μεμνημένος ἤματα πάντα.

"Son of Atreus," replied Telemakhos, "do not press me to stay longer; I should be contented to remain with you for another twelve months; I find your conversation so delightful that I should never once wish myself at home with my parents; but my crew whom I have left at Pylos are already impatient, and you are detaining me from them. As for any present you may be disposed to make me, I had rather that it should he a piece of plate. I will take no horses back with me to Ithaca , but will leave them to adorn your own stables, for you have much flat ground in your kingdom where lotus thrives, as also meadowsweet and wheat and barley, and oats with their white and spreading ears; whereas in Ithaca we have neither open fields nor racecourses, and the country is more fit for goats than horses, and I like it the better for that. None of our islands have much level ground, suitable for horses, and Ithaca least of all."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Ἀτρεΐδη, μὴ δή με πολὺν χρόνον ἐνθάδʼ ἔρυκε.

καὶ γάρ κʼ εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν ἐγὼ παρὰ σοί γʼ ἀνεχοίμην

ἥμενος, οὐδέ κέ μʼ οἴκου ἕλοι πόθος οὐδὲ τοκήων·

αἰνῶς γὰρ μύθοισιν ἔπεσσί τε σοῖσιν ἀκούων

τέρπομαι. ἀλλʼ ἤδη μοι ἀνιάζουσιν ἑταῖροι

ἐν Πύλῳ ἠγαθέῃ· σὺ δέ με χρόνον ἐνθάδʼ ἐρύκεις.

δῶρον δʼ ὅττι κέ μοι δοίης, κειμήλιον ἔστω·

ἵππους δʼ εἰς Ἰθάκην οὐκ ἄξομαι, ἀλλὰ σοὶ αὐτῷ

ἐνθάδε λείψω ἄγαλμα· σὺ γὰρ πεδίοιο ἀνάσσεις

εὐρέος, ᾧ ἔνι μὲν λωτὸς πολύς, ἐν δὲ κύπειρον

πυροί τε ζειαί τε ἰδʼ εὐρυφυὲς κρῖ λευκόν.

ἐν δʼ Ἰθάκῃ οὔτʼ ἂρ δρόμοι εὐρέες οὔτε τι λειμών·

αἰγίβοτος, καὶ μᾶλλον ἐπήρατος ἱπποβότοιο.

οὐ γάρ τις νήσων ἱππήλατος οὐδʼ ἐυλείμων,

αἵ θʼ ἁλὶ κεκλίαται· Ἰθάκη δέ τε καὶ περὶ πασέων.

Menelaos smiled and took Telemakhos’ hand within his own. "What you say," said he, "shows that you come of good family. I both can, and will, make this exchange for you, by giving you the finest and most precious piece of plate in all my house. It is a mixing-bowl by Hephaistos’ own hand, of pure silver, except the rim, which is inlaid with gold. Phaidimos, king of the Sidonians, gave it me in the course of a visit which I paid him when I returned there on my homeward journey. I will make you a present of it."

ὣς φάτο, μείδησεν δὲ βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος,

χειρί τέ μιν κατέρεξεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

αἵματός εἰς ἀγαθοῖο, φίλον τέκος, οἷʼ ἀγορεύεις·

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι ταῦτα μεταστήσω· δύναμαι γάρ.

δώρων δʼ ὅσσʼ ἐν ἐμῷ οἴκῳ κειμήλια κεῖται,

δώσω ὃ κάλλιστον καὶ τιμηέστατόν ἐστιν·

δώσω τοι κρητῆρα τετυγμένον· ἀργύρεος δὲ

ἔστιν ἅπας, χρυσῷ δʼ ἐπὶ χείλεα κεκράανται,

ἔργον δʼ Ἡφαίστοιο. πόρεν δέ ἑ Φαίδιμος ἥρως,

Σιδονίων βασιλεύς, ὅθʼ ἑὸς δόμος ἀμφεκάλυψε

κεῖσέ με νοστήσαντα· τεῒν δʼ ἐθέλω τόδʼ ὀπάσσαι.

Thus did they converse as guests kept coming to the king's house. They brought sheep and wine, while their wives had put up bread for them to take with them; so they were busy cooking their dinners in the courts.

ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,

δαιτυμόνες δʼ ἐς δώματʼ ἴσαν θείου βασιλῆος.

οἱ δʼ ἦγον μὲν μῆλα, φέρον δʼ ἐυήνορα οἶνον·

σῖτον δέ σφʼ ἄλοχοι καλλικρήδεμνοι ἔπεμπον.

ὣς οἱ μὲν περὶ δεῖπνον ἐνὶ μεγάροισι πένοντο.

Meanwhile the suitors were throwing discs or aiming with spears at a mark on the leveled ground in front of Odysseus’ house, and were behaving with all their old hubris . Antinoos and Eurymakhos, who were their ringleaders and much the foremost in aretê among them all, were sitting together when Noemon son of Phronios came up and said to Antinoos,

μνηστῆρες δὲ πάροιθεν Ὀδυσσῆος μεγάροιο

δίσκοισιν τέρποντο καὶ αἰγανέῃσιν ἱέντες

ἐν τυκτῷ δαπέδῳ, ὅθι περ πάρος, ὕβριν ἔχοντες.

Ἀντίνοος δὲ καθῆστο καὶ Εὐρύμαχος θεοειδής,

ἀρχοὶ μνηστήρων, ἀρετῇ δʼ ἔσαν ἔξοχʼ ἄριστοι.

τοῖς δʼ υἱὸς Φρονίοιο Νοήμων ἐγγύθεν ἐλθὼν

Ἀντίνοον μύθοισιν ἀνειρόμενος προσέειπεν·

"Have we any idea, Antinoos, on what day Telemakhos returns from Pylos ? He has a ship of mine, and I want it, to cross over to Elis : I have twelve brood mares there with yearling mule foals by their side not yet broken in, and I want to bring one of them over here and break him."

Ἀντίνοʼ, ἦ ῥά τι ἴδμεν ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ἦε καὶ οὐκί,

ὁππότε Τηλέμαχος νεῖτʼ ἐκ Πύλου ἠμαθόεντος;

νῆά μοι οἴχετʼ ἄγων· ἐμὲ δὲ χρεὼ γίγνεται αὐτῆς

Ἤλιδʼ ἐς εὐρύχορον διαβήμεναι, ἔνθα μοι ἵπποι

δώδεκα θήλειαι, ὑπὸ δʼ ἡμίονοι ταλαεργοὶ

ἀδμῆτες· τῶν κέν τινʼ ἐλασσάμενος δαμασαίμην.

They were astounded when they heard this, for they had made sure that Telemakhos had not gone to the city of Neleus. They thought he was only away somewhere on the farms, and was with the sheep, or with the swineherd; so Antinoos said, "When did he go? Tell me truly, and what young men did he take with him? Were they freemen or his own bondsmen - for he might manage that too? Tell me also, did you let him have the ship of your own free will because he asked you, or did he take it by force [ biê ] without your leave?"

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἀνὰ θυμὸν ἐθάμβεον· οὐ γὰρ ἔφαντο

ἐς Πύλον οἴχεσθαι Νηλήιον, ἀλλά που αὐτοῦ

ἀγρῶν ἢ μήλοισι παρέμμεναι ἠὲ συβώτῃ.

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀντίνοος προσέφη Εὐπείθεος υἱός·

νημερτές μοι ἔνισπε, πότʼ ᾤχετο καὶ τίνες αὐτῷ

κοῦροι ἕποντʼ; Ἰθάκης ἐξαίρετοι, ἦ ἑοὶ αὐτοῦ

θῆτές τε δμῶές τε; δύναιτό κε καὶ τὸ τελέσσαι.

καί μοι τοῦτʼ ἀγόρευσον ἐτήτυμον, ὄφρʼ ἐὺ εἰδῶ,

ἤ σε βίῃ ἀέκοντος ἀπηύρα νῆα μέλαιναν,

ἦε ἑκών οἱ δῶκας, ἐπεὶ προσπτύξατο μύθῳ.

"I lent it him," answered Noemon. "What else could I do when a man of his position said he was in a difficulty and asked me to oblige him? I could not possibly refuse. As for those who went with him they were the best young men we have in the dêmos , and I saw Mentor go on board as leader - or some god who was exactly like him. I cannot understand it, for I saw Mentor here myself yesterday morning, and yet he was then setting out for Pylos ."