Odyssey

So here Odysseus slept, overcome by sleep and toil; but Athena went off to the dêmos and city of the Phaeacians - a people who used to live in the fair town of Hypereia, near the lawless Cyclopes. Now the Cyclopes were stronger in force [ biê ] than they and plundered them, so their king Nausithoos moved them thence and settled them in Scheria , far from all other people. He surrounded the city with a wall, built houses and temples, and divided the lands among his people; but he was dead and gone to the house of Hades, and King Alkinoos, whose counsels were inspired of heaven, was now reigning. To his house, then, did Athena go in furtherance of the return [ nostos ] of Odysseus.

ὣς ὁ μὲν ἔνθα καθεῦδε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

ὕπνῳ καὶ καμάτῳ ἀρημένος· αὐτὰρ Ἀθήνη

βῆ ῥʼ ἐς Φαιήκων ἀνδρῶν δῆμόν τε πόλιν τε,

οἳ πρὶν μέν ποτʼ ἔναιον ἐν εὐρυχόρῳ Ὑπερείῃ,

ἀγχοῦ Κυκλώπων ἀνδρῶν ὑπερηνορεόντων,

οἵ σφεας σινέσκοντο, βίηφι δὲ φέρτεροι ἦσαν.

ἔνθεν ἀναστήσας ἄγε Ναυσίθοος θεοειδής,

εἷσεν δὲ Σχερίῃ, ἑκὰς ἀνδρῶν ἀλφηστάων,

ἀμφὶ δὲ τεῖχος ἔλασσε πόλει, καὶ ἐδείματο οἴκους,

καὶ νηοὺς ποίησε θεῶν, καὶ ἐδάσσατʼ ἀρούρας.

ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἤδη κηρὶ δαμεὶς Ἄϊδόσδε βεβήκει,

Ἀλκίνοος δὲ τότʼ ἦρχε, θεῶν ἄπο μήδεα εἰδώς.

τοῦ μὲν ἔβη πρὸς δῶμα θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,

νόστον Ὀδυσσῆι μεγαλήτορι μητιόωσα.

She went straight to the beautifully decorated bedroom in which there slept a girl who was as lovely as a goddess, Nausicaa, daughter to King Alkinoos. Two maid servants were sleeping near her, both very pretty, one on either side of the doorway, which was closed with well-made folding doors. Athena took the form of the famous sea leader Dymas’ daughter, who was a bosom friend of Nausicaa and just her own age; then, coming up to the girl's bedside like a breath of wind, she hovered over her head and said:

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν ἐς θάλαμον πολυδαίδαλον, ᾧ ἔνι κούρη

κοιμᾶτʼ ἀθανάτῃσι φυὴν καὶ εἶδος ὁμοίη,

Ναυσικάα, θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος Ἀλκινόοιο,

πὰρ δὲ δύʼ ἀμφίπολοι, Χαρίτων ἄπο κάλλος ἔχουσαι,

σταθμοῖιν ἑκάτερθε· θύραι δʼ ἐπέκειντο φαειναί.

ἡ δʼ ἀνέμου ὡς πνοιὴ ἐπέσσυτο δέμνια κούρης,

στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς, καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν,

εἰδομένη κούρῃ ναυσικλειτοῖο Δύμαντος,

ἥ οἱ ὁμηλικίη μὲν ἔην, κεχάριστο δὲ θυμῷ.

τῇ μιν ἐεισαμένη προσέφη γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

"Nausicaa, what can your mother have been about, to have such a lazy daughter? Here are your clothes all lying in disorder, yet you are going to be married almost immediately, and should not only be well dressed yourself, but should find good clothes for those who attend you. This is the way to get yourself a good name, and to make your father and mother proud of you. Suppose, then, that we make tomorrow a washing day, and start at daybreak. I will come and help you so that you may have everything ready as soon as possible, for all the best young men throughout your own dêmos are courting you, and you are not going to remain a young girl much longer. Ask your father, therefore, to have a wagon and mules ready for us at daybreak, to take the rugs, robes, and belts; and you can ride, too, which will be much pleasanter for you than walking, for the washing-cisterns are some way from the town."

Ναυσικάα, τί νύ σʼ ὧδε μεθήμονα γείνατο μήτηρ;

εἵματα μέν τοι κεῖται ἀκηδέα σιγαλόεντα,

σοὶ δὲ γάμος σχεδόν ἐστιν, ἵνα χρὴ καλὰ μὲν αὐτὴν

ἕννυσθαι, τὰ δὲ τοῖσι παρασχεῖν, οἵ κέ σʼ ἄγωνται.

ἐκ γάρ τοι τούτων φάτις ἀνθρώπους ἀναβαίνει

ἐσθλή, χαίρουσιν δὲ πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ.

ἀλλʼ ἴομεν πλυνέουσαι ἅμʼ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφι·

καί τοι ἐγὼ συνέριθος ἅμʼ ἕψομαι, ὄφρα τάχιστα

ἐντύνεαι, ἐπεὶ οὔ τοι ἔτι δὴν παρθένος ἔσσεαι·

ἤδη γάρ σε μνῶνται ἀριστῆες κατὰ δῆμον

πάντων Φαιήκων, ὅθι τοι γένος ἐστὶ καὶ αὐτῇ.

ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ἐπότρυνον πατέρα κλυτὸν ἠῶθι πρὸ

ἡμιόνους καὶ ἄμαξαν ἐφοπλίσαι, ἥ κεν ἄγῃσι

ζῶστρά τε καὶ πέπλους καὶ ῥήγεα σιγαλόεντα.

καὶ δὲ σοὶ ὧδʼ αὐτῇ πολὺ κάλλιον ἠὲ πόδεσσιν

ἔρχεσθαι· πολλὸν γὰρ ἀπὸ πλυνοί εἰσι πόληος.

When she had said this Athena went away to Olympus , which they say is the everlasting home of the gods. Here no wind beats roughly, and neither rain nor snow can fall; but it abides in everlasting sunshine and in a great peacefulness of light, wherein the blessed gods are illumined for ever and ever. This was the place to which the goddess went when she had given instructions to the girl.

ἡ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ἀπέβη γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη

Οὔλυμπόνδʼ, ὅθι φασὶ θεῶν ἕδος ἀσφαλὲς αἰεὶ

ἔμμεναι. οὔτʼ ἀνέμοισι τινάσσεται οὔτε ποτʼ ὄμβρῳ

δεύεται οὔτε χιὼν ἐπιπίλναται, ἀλλὰ μάλʼ αἴθρη

πέπταται ἀνέφελος, λευκὴ δʼ ἐπιδέδρομεν αἴγλη·

τῷ ἔνι τέρπονται μάκαρες θεοὶ ἤματα πάντα.

ἔνθʼ ἀπέβη γλαυκῶπις, ἐπεὶ διεπέφραδε κούρῃ.

By and by morning came and woke Nausicaa, who began wondering about her dream; she therefore went to the other end of the house to tell her father and mother all about it, and found them in their own room. Her mother was sitting by the fireside spinning her purple yarn with her maids around her, and she happened to catch her father just as he was going out to attend a meeting of the town council, which the Phaeacian aldermen had convened. She stopped him and said:

αὐτίκα δʼ Ἠὼς ἦλθεν ἐύθρονος, ἥ μιν ἔγειρε

Ναυσικάαν ἐύπεπλον· ἄφαρ δʼ ἀπεθαύμασʼ ὄνειρον,

βῆ δʼ ἰέναι διὰ δώμαθʼ, ἵνʼ ἀγγείλειε τοκεῦσιν,

πατρὶ φίλῳ καὶ μητρί· κιχήσατο δʼ ἔνδον ἐόντας·

ἡ μὲν ἐπʼ ἐσχάρῃ ἧστο σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξὶν

ἠλάκατα στρωφῶσʼ ἁλιπόρφυρα· τῷ δὲ θύραζε

ἐρχομένῳ ξύμβλητο μετὰ κλειτοὺς βασιλῆας

ἐς βουλήν, ἵνα μιν κάλεον Φαίηκες ἀγαυοί.

ἡ δὲ μάλʼ ἄγχι στᾶσα φίλον πατέρα προσέειπε·

"Papa dear, could you manage to let me have a good big wagon? I want to take all our dirty clothes to the river and wash them. You are the chief man here, so it is only right that you should have a clean shirt when you attend meetings of the council. Moreover, you have five sons at home, two of them married, while the other three are good-looking bachelors; you know they always like to have clean linen when they go to a dance [ khoros ], and I have been thinking about all this."

πάππα φίλʼ, οὐκ ἂν δή μοι ἐφοπλίσσειας ἀπήνην

ὑψηλὴν ἐύκυκλον, ἵνα κλυτὰ εἵματʼ ἄγωμαι

ἐς ποταμὸν πλυνέουσα, τά μοι ῥερυπωμένα κεῖται;

καὶ δὲ σοὶ αὐτῷ ἔοικε μετὰ πρώτοισιν ἐόντα

βουλὰς βουλεύειν καθαρὰ χροΐ εἵματʼ ἔχοντα.

πέντε δέ τοι φίλοι υἷες ἐνὶ μεγάροις γεγάασιν,

οἱ δύʼ ὀπυίοντες, τρεῖς δʼ ἠίθεοι θαλέθοντες·

οἱ δʼ αἰεὶ ἐθέλουσι νεόπλυτα εἵματʼ ἔχοντες

ἐς χορὸν ἔρχεσθαι· τὰ δʼ ἐμῇ φρενὶ πάντα μέμηλεν.

She did not say a word about her own wedding, for she did not like to, but her father knew and said, "You shall have the mules, my love, and whatever else you have a mind for. Be off with you, and the men shall get you a good strong wagon with a body to it that will hold all your clothes."

ὣς ἔφατʼ· αἴδετο γὰρ θαλερὸν γάμον ἐξονομῆναι

πατρὶ φίλῳ. ὁ δὲ πάντα νόει καὶ ἀμείβετο μύθῳ·

οὔτε τοι ἡμιόνων φθονέω, τέκος, οὔτε τευ ἄλλου.

ἔρχευ· ἀτάρ τοι δμῶες ἐφοπλίσσουσιν ἀπήνην

ὑψηλὴν ἐύκυκλον, ὑπερτερίῃ ἀραρυῖαν.

On this he gave his orders to the servants, who got the wagon out, harnessed the mules, and put them to, while the girl brought the clothes down from the linen room and placed them on the wagon. Her mother prepared her a basket of provisions with all sorts of good things, and a goat skin full of wine; the girl now got into the wagon, and her mother gave her also a golden cruse of oil, that she and her women might anoint themselves. Then she took the whip and reins and lashed the mules on, whereon they set off, and their hoofs clattered on the road. They pulled without flagging, and carried not only Nausicaa and her wash of clothes, but the maids also who were with her.

ὣς εἰπὼν δμώεσσιν ἐκέκλετο, τοὶ δʼ ἐπίθοντο.

οἱ μὲν ἄρʼ ἐκτὸς ἄμαξαν ἐύτροχον ἡμιονείην

ὥπλεον, ἡμιόνους θʼ ὕπαγον ζεῦξάν θʼ ὑπʼ ἀπήνῃ·

κούρη δʼ ἐκ θαλάμοιο φέρεν ἐσθῆτα φαεινήν.

καὶ τὴν μὲν κατέθηκεν ἐυξέστῳ ἐπʼ ἀπήνῃ,

μήτηρ δʼ ἐν κίστῃ ἐτίθει μενοεικέʼ ἐδωδὴν

παντοίην, ἐν δʼ ὄψα τίθει, ἐν δʼ οἶνον ἔχευεν

ἀσκῷ ἐν αἰγείῳ· κούρη δʼ ἐπεβήσετʼ ἀπήνης.

δῶκεν δὲ χρυσέῃ ἐν ληκύθῳ ὑγρὸν ἔλαιον,

ἧος χυτλώσαιτο σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξίν.

ἡ δʼ ἔλαβεν μάστιγα καὶ ἡνία σιγαλόεντα,

μάστιξεν δʼ ἐλάαν· καναχὴ δʼ ἦν ἡμιόνοιιν.

αἱ δʼ ἄμοτον τανύοντο, φέρον δʼ ἐσθῆτα καὶ αὐτήν,

οὐκ οἴην, ἅμα τῇ γε καὶ ἀμφίπολοι κίον ἄλλαι.

When they reached the water side they went to the washing-cisterns, through which there ran at all times enough pure water to wash any quantity of linen, no matter how dirty. Here they unharnessed the mules and turned them out to feed on the sweet juicy herbage that grew by the water side. They took the clothes out of the wagon, put them in the water, and vied with one another in treading them in the pits to get the dirt out. After they had washed them and got them quite clean, they laid them out by the sea side, where the waves had raised a high beach of shingle, and set about washing themselves and anointing themselves with olive oil. Then they got their dinner by the side of the stream, and waited for the sun to finish drying the clothes. When they had done dinner they threw off the veils that covered their heads and began to play at ball, while Nausicaa sang for them. As the huntress Artemis goes forth upon the mountains of Taygetus or Erymanthus to hunt wild boars or deer, and the wood-nymphs, daughters of Aegis-bearing Zeus, take their sport along with her (then is Leto proud at seeing her daughter stand a full head taller than the others, and eclipse the loveliest amid a whole bevy of beauties), even so did the girl outshine her handmaids.

αἱ δʼ ὅτε δὴ ποταμοῖο ῥόον περικαλλέʼ ἵκοντο,

ἔνθʼ ἦ τοι πλυνοὶ ἦσαν ἐπηετανοί, πολὺ δʼ ὕδωρ

καλὸν ὑπεκπρόρεεν μάλα περ ῥυπόωντα καθῆραι,

ἔνθʼ αἵ γʼ ἡμιόνους μὲν ὑπεκπροέλυσαν ἀπήνης.

καὶ τὰς μὲν σεῦαν ποταμὸν πάρα δινήεντα

τρώγειν ἄγρωστιν μελιηδέα· ταὶ δʼ ἀπʼ ἀπήνης

εἵματα χερσὶν ἕλοντο καὶ ἐσφόρεον μέλαν ὕδωρ,

στεῖβον δʼ ἐν βόθροισι θοῶς ἔριδα προφέρουσαι.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πλῦνάν τε κάθηράν τε ῥύπα πάντα,

ἑξείης πέτασαν παρὰ θῖνʼ ἁλός, ἧχι μάλιστα

λάιγγας ποτὶ χέρσον ἀποπλύνεσκε θάλασσα.

αἱ δὲ λοεσσάμεναι καὶ χρισάμεναι λίπʼ ἐλαίῳ

δεῖπνον ἔπειθʼ εἵλοντο παρʼ ὄχθῃσιν ποταμοῖο,

εἵματα δʼ ἠελίοιο μένον τερσήμεναι αὐγῇ.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ σίτου τάρφθεν δμῳαί τε καὶ αὐτή,

σφαίρῃ ταὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπαιζον, ἀπὸ κρήδεμνα βαλοῦσαι·

τῇσι δὲ Ναυσικάα λευκώλενος ἤρχετο μολπῆς.

οἵη δʼ Ἄρτεμις εἶσι κατʼ οὔρεα ἰοχέαιρα,

ἢ κατὰ Τηΰγετον περιμήκετον ἢ Ἐρύμανθον,

τερπομένη κάπροισι καὶ ὠκείῃς ἐλάφοισι·

τῇ δέ θʼ ἅμα νύμφαι, κοῦραι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο,

ἀγρονόμοι παίζουσι, γέγηθε δέ τε φρένα Λητώ·

πασάων δʼ ὑπὲρ ἥ γε κάρη ἔχει ἠδὲ μέτωπα,

ῥεῖά τʼ ἀριγνώτη πέλεται, καλαὶ δέ τε πᾶσαι·

ὣς ἥ γʼ ἀμφιπόλοισι μετέπρεπε παρθένος ἀδμής.

When it was time for them to start home, and they were folding the clothes and putting them into the wagon, Athena began to consider how Odysseus should wake up and see the handsome girl who was to conduct him to the city of the Phaeacians. The girl, therefore, threw a ball at one of the maids, which missed her and fell into deep water. On this they all shouted, and the noise they made woke Odysseus, who sat up in his bed of leaves and began to wonder what it might all be.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ ἄρʼ ἔμελλε πάλιν οἶκόνδε νέεσθαι

ζεύξασʼ ἡμιόνους πτύξασά τε εἵματα καλά,

ἔνθʼ αὖτʼ ἄλλʼ ἐνόησε θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,

ὡς Ὀδυσεὺς ἔγροιτο, ἴδοι τʼ ἐυώπιδα κούρην,

ἥ οἱ Φαιήκων ἀνδρῶν πόλιν ἡγήσαιτο.

σφαῖραν ἔπειτʼ ἔρριψε μετʼ ἀμφίπολον βασίλεια·

ἀμφιπόλου μὲν ἅμαρτε, βαθείῃ δʼ ἔμβαλε δίνῃ·

αἱ δʼ ἐπὶ μακρὸν ἄυσαν· ὁ δʼ ἔγρετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

ἑζόμενος δʼ ὥρμαινε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν·

"Alas," said he to himself, "what kind of people have I come amongst? Are they cruel, savage, and uncivilized [not dikaios ], or hospitable and endowed with a god-fearing noos ? I seem to hear the voices of young women, and they sound like those of the nymphs that haunt mountaintops, or springs of rivers and meadows of green grass. At any rate I am among a race of men and women. Let me try if I cannot manage to get a look at them."

ὤ μοι ἐγώ, τέων αὖτε βροτῶν ἐς γαῖαν ἱκάνω;

ἦ ῥʼ οἵ γʼ ὑβρισταί τε καὶ ἄγριοι οὐδὲ δίκαιοι,

ἦε φιλόξεινοι καί σφιν νόος ἐστὶ θεουδής;

ὥς τέ με κουράων ἀμφήλυθε θῆλυς ἀυτή·

νυμφάων, αἳ ἔχουσʼ ὀρέων αἰπεινὰ κάρηνα

καὶ πηγὰς ποταμῶν καὶ πίσεα ποιήεντα.

ἦ νύ που ἀνθρώπων εἰμὶ σχεδὸν αὐδηέντων;

ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ἐγὼν αὐτὸς πειρήσομαι ἠδὲ ἴδωμαι.

As he said this he crept from under his bush, and broke off a bough covered with thick leaves to hide his nakedness. He looked like some lion of the wilderness that stalks about exulting in his strength and defying both wind and rain; his eyes glare as he prowls in quest of oxen, sheep, or deer, for he is famished, and will dare break even into a well-fenced homestead, trying to get at the sheep - even such did Odysseus seem to the young women, as he drew near to them all naked as he was, for he was in great want. On seeing one so unkempt and so begrimed with salt water, the others scampered off along the spits that jutted out into the sea, but the daughter of Alkinoos stood firm, for Athena put courage into her heart and took away all fear from her. She stood right in front of Odysseus, and he doubted whether he should go up to her, throw himself at her feet, and embrace her knees as a suppliant, or stay where he was and entreat her to give him some clothes and show him the way to the town. In the end he deemed it best to entreat her from a distance in case the girl should take offense at his coming near enough to clasp her knees, so he addressed her in honeyed and persuasive language.

ὣς εἰπὼν θάμνων ὑπεδύσετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

ἐκ πυκινῆς δʼ ὕλης πτόρθον κλάσε χειρὶ παχείῃ

φύλλων, ὡς ῥύσαιτο περὶ χροῒ μήδεα φωτός.

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν ὥς τε λέων ὀρεσίτροφος ἀλκὶ πεποιθώς,

ὅς τʼ εἶσʼ ὑόμενος καὶ ἀήμενος, ἐν δέ οἱ ὄσσε

δαίεται· αὐτὰρ ὁ βουσὶ μετέρχεται ἢ ὀίεσσιν

ἠὲ μετʼ ἀγροτέρας ἐλάφους· κέλεται δέ ἑ γαστὴρ

μήλων πειρήσοντα καὶ ἐς πυκινὸν δόμον ἐλθεῖν·

ὣς Ὀδυσεὺς κούρῃσιν ἐυπλοκάμοισιν ἔμελλε

μίξεσθαι, γυμνός περ ἐών· χρειὼ γὰρ ἵκανε.

σμερδαλέος δʼ αὐτῇσι φάνη κεκακωμένος ἅλμῃ,

τρέσσαν δʼ ἄλλυδις ἄλλη ἐπʼ ἠιόνας προὐχούσας·

οἴη δʼ Ἀλκινόου θυγάτηρ μένε· τῇ γὰρ Ἀθήνη

θάρσος ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θῆκε καὶ ἐκ δέος εἵλετο γυίων.

στῆ δʼ ἄντα σχομένη· ὁ δὲ μερμήριξεν Ὀδυσσεύς,

ἢ γούνων λίσσοιτο λαβὼν ἐυώπιδα κούρην,

ἦ αὔτως ἐπέεσσιν ἀποσταδὰ μειλιχίοισι

λίσσοιτʼ, εἰ δείξειε πόλιν καὶ εἵματα δοίη.

ὣς ἄρα οἱ φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι,

λίσσεσθαι ἐπέεσσιν ἀποσταδὰ μειλιχίοισι,

μή οἱ γοῦνα λαβόντι χολώσαιτο φρένα κούρη.

αὐτίκα μειλίχιον καὶ κερδαλέον φάτο μῦθον.

"O queen," he said, "I implore your aid - but tell me, are you a goddess or are you a mortal woman? If you are a goddess and dwell in heaven, I can only conjecture that you are Zeus’ daughter Artemis, for your face and figure resemble none but hers; if on the other hand you are a mortal and live on earth, thrice happy are your father and mother - thrice happy, too, are your brothers and sisters; how proud and delighted they must feel when they see so fair a scion as yourself going out to a dance [ khoros ]; most happy, however, of all will he be whose wedding gifts have been the richest, and who takes you to his own home. I never yet saw any one so beautiful, neither man nor woman, and am lost in admiration as I behold you. I can only compare you to a young palm tree which I saw when I was at Delos growing near the altar of Apollo - for I was there, too, with many people after me, when I was on that journey which has been the source of all my troubles. Never yet did such a young plant shoot out of the ground as that was, and I admired and wondered at it exactly as I now admire and wonder at yourself. I dare not clasp your knees, but I am in great distress [ penthos ]; yesterday made the twentieth day that I had been tossing about upon the sea. The winds and waves have taken me all the way from the Ogygian island, and now a daimôn has flung me upon this coast that I may endure still further suffering; for I do not think that I have yet come to the end of it, but rather that the gods have still much evil in store for me.

γουνοῦμαί σε, ἄνασσα· θεός νύ τις, ἦ βροτός ἐσσι;

εἰ μέν τις θεός ἐσσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν,

Ἀρτέμιδί σε ἐγώ γε, Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο,

εἶδός τε μέγεθός τε φυήν τʼ ἄγχιστα ἐίσκω·

εἰ δέ τίς ἐσσι βροτῶν, τοὶ ἐπὶ χθονὶ ναιετάουσιν,

τρὶς μάκαρες μὲν σοί γε πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ,

τρὶς μάκαρες δὲ κασίγνητοι· μάλα πού σφισι θυμὸς

αἰὲν ἐυφροσύνῃσιν ἰαίνεται εἵνεκα σεῖο,

λευσσόντων τοιόνδε θάλος χορὸν εἰσοιχνεῦσαν.

κεῖνος δʼ αὖ περὶ κῆρι μακάρτατος ἔξοχον ἄλλων,

ὅς κέ σʼ ἐέδνοισι βρίσας οἶκόνδʼ ἀγάγηται.

οὐ γάρ πω τοιοῦτον ἴδον βροτὸν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,

οὔτʼ ἄνδρʼ οὔτε γυναῖκα· σέβας μʼ ἔχει εἰσορόωντα.

Δήλῳ δή ποτε τοῖον Ἀπόλλωνος παρὰ βωμῷ

φοίνικος νέον ἔρνος ἀνερχόμενον ἐνόησα·

ἦλθον γὰρ καὶ κεῖσε, πολὺς δέ μοι ἕσπετο λαός,

τὴν ὁδὸν ᾗ δὴ μέλλεν ἐμοὶ κακὰ κήδεʼ ἔσεσθαι.

ὣς δʼ αὔτως καὶ κεῖνο ἰδὼν ἐτεθήπεα θυμῷ

δήν, ἐπεὶ οὔ πω τοῖον ἀνήλυθεν ἐκ δόρυ γαίης,

ὡς σέ, γύναι, ἄγαμαί τε τέθηπά τε, δείδια δʼ αἰνῶς

γούνων ἅψασθαι· χαλεπὸν δέ με πένθος ἱκάνει.

χθιζὸς ἐεικοστῷ φύγον ἤματι οἴνοπα πόντον·

τόφρα δέ μʼ αἰεὶ κῦμʼ ἐφόρει κραιπναί τε θύελλαι

νήσου ἀπʼ Ὠγυγίης. νῦν δʼ ἐνθάδε κάββαλε δαίμων,

ὄφρʼ ἔτι που καὶ τῇδε πάθω κακόν· οὐ γὰρ ὀίω

παύσεσθʼ, ἀλλʼ ἔτι πολλὰ θεοὶ τελέουσι πάροιθεν.

"And now, O queen, have pity upon me, for you are the first person I have met, and I know no one else in this country. Show me the way to your town, and let me have anything that you may have brought here to wrap your clothes in. May heaven grant you in all things your heart's desire - husband, house, and a happy, peaceful home; for there is nothing better in this world than that man and wife should be of one mind in a house. It discomfits their enemies, makes the hearts of their friends glad, and they themselves know more about it than any one."

ἀλλά, ἄνασσʼ, ἐλέαιρε· σὲ γὰρ κακὰ πολλὰ μογήσας

ἐς πρώτην ἱκόμην, τῶν δʼ ἄλλων οὔ τινα οἶδα

ἀνθρώπων, οἳ τήνδε πόλιν καὶ γαῖαν ἔχουσιν.

ἄστυ δέ μοι δεῖξον, δὸς δὲ ῥάκος ἀμφιβαλέσθαι,

εἴ τί που εἴλυμα σπείρων ἔχες ἐνθάδʼ ἰοῦσα.

σοὶ δὲ θεοὶ τόσα δοῖεν ὅσα φρεσὶ σῇσι μενοινᾷς,

ἄνδρα τε καὶ οἶκον, καὶ ὁμοφροσύνην ὀπάσειαν

ἐσθλήν· οὐ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ γε κρεῖσσον καὶ ἄρειον,

ἢ ὅθʼ ὁμοφρονέοντε νοήμασιν οἶκον ἔχητον

ἀνὴρ ἠδὲ γυνή· πόλλʼ ἄλγεα δυσμενέεσσι,

χάρματα δʼ εὐμενέτῃσι, μάλιστα δέ τʼ ἔκλυον αὐτοί.

To this Nausicaa answered, "Stranger, you appear to be a sensible, well-disposed person. There is no accounting for luck; Zeus gives prosperity [ olbos ] to rich and poor just as he chooses, so you must take what he has seen fit to send you, and make the best of it. Now, however, that you have come to this our country, you shall not want for clothes nor for anything else that a foreigner in distress may reasonably look for. I will show you the way to the town, and will tell you the name of our people: we are called Phaeacians, and I am daughter to Alkinoos, in whom the whole strength and power [ biê ] of the state is vested."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Ναυσικάα λευκώλενος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

ξεῖνʼ, ἐπεὶ οὔτε κακῷ οὔτʼ ἄφρονι φωτὶ ἔοικας·

Ζεὺς δʼ αὐτὸς νέμει ὄλβον Ὀλύμπιος ἀνθρώποισιν,

ἐσθλοῖς ἠδὲ κακοῖσιν, ὅπως ἐθέλῃσιν, ἑκάστῳ·

καί που σοὶ τάδʼ ἔδωκε, σὲ δὲ χρὴ τετλάμεν ἔμπης.

νῦν δʼ, ἐπεὶ ἡμετέρην τε πόλιν καὶ γαῖαν ἱκάνεις,

οὔτʼ οὖν ἐσθῆτος δευήσεαι οὔτε τευ ἄλλου,

ὧν ἐπέοιχʼ ἱκέτην ταλαπείριον ἀντιάσαντα.

ἄστυ δέ τοι δείξω, ἐρέω δέ τοι οὔνομα λαῶν.

Φαίηκες μὲν τήνδε πόλιν καὶ γαῖαν ἔχουσιν,

εἰμὶ δʼ ἐγὼ θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος Ἀλκινόοιο,

τοῦ δʼ ἐκ Φαιήκων ἔχεται κάρτος τε βίη τε.

Then she called her maids and said, "Stay where you are, you girls. Can you not see a man without running away from him? Do you take him for a robber or a murderer? Neither he nor any one else can come here to do us Phaeacians any harm, for we are dear to the gods, and live apart on a land's end that juts into the sounding sea, and have nothing to do with any other people. This is only some poor man who has lost his way, and we must be kind to him, for strangers and foreigners in distress are under Zeus’ protection, and will take what they can get and be thankful; so, girls, give the poor man something to eat and drink, and wash him in the stream at some place that is sheltered from the wind."

ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀμφιπόλοισιν ἐυπλοκάμοισι κέλευσε·

στῆτέ μοι, ἀμφίπολοι· πόσε φεύγετε φῶτα ἰδοῦσαι;

ἦ μή πού τινα δυσμενέων φάσθʼ ἔμμεναι ἀνδρῶν;

οὐκ ἔσθʼ οὗτος ἀνὴρ διερὸς βροτὸς οὐδὲ γένηται,

ὅς κεν Φαιήκων ἀνδρῶν ἐς γαῖαν ἵκηται

δηιοτῆτα φέρων· μάλα γὰρ φίλοι ἀθανάτοισιν.

οἰκέομεν δʼ ἀπάνευθε πολυκλύστῳ ἐνὶ πόντῳ,

ἔσχατοι, οὐδέ τις ἄμμι βροτῶν ἐπιμίσγεται ἄλλος.

ἀλλʼ ὅδε τις δύστηνος ἀλώμενος ἐνθάδʼ ἱκάνει,

τὸν νῦν χρὴ κομέειν· πρὸς γὰρ Διός εἰσιν ἅπαντες

ξεῖνοί τε πτωχοί τε, δόσις δʼ ὀλίγη τε φίλη τε.

ἀλλὰ δότʼ, ἀμφίπολοι, ξείνῳ βρῶσίν τε πόσιν τε,

λούσατέ τʼ ἐν ποταμῷ, ὅθʼ ἐπὶ σκέπας ἔστʼ ἀνέμοιο.

On this the maids left off running away and began calling one another back. They made Odysseus sit down in the shelter as Nausicaa had told them, and brought him a shirt and cloak. They also brought him the little golden cruse of oil, and told him to go wash in the stream. But Odysseus said, "Young women, please to stand a little on one side that I may wash the brine from my shoulders and anoint myself with oil, for it is long enough since my skin has had a drop of oil upon it. I cannot wash as long as you all keep standing there. I am ashamed to strip before a number of good-looking young women."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἱ δʼ ἔσταν τε καὶ ἀλλήλῃσι κέλευσαν,

κὰδ δʼ ἄρʼ Ὀδυσσῆʼ εἷσαν ἐπὶ σκέπας, ὡς ἐκέλευσεν

Ναυσικάα θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος Ἀλκινόοιο·

πὰρ δʼ ἄρα οἱ φᾶρός τε χιτῶνά τε εἵματʼ ἔθηκαν,

δῶκαν δὲ χρυσέῃ ἐν ληκύθῳ ὑγρὸν ἔλαιον,

ἤνωγον δʼ ἄρα μιν λοῦσθαι ποταμοῖο ῥοῇσιν.

δή ῥα τότʼ ἀμφιπόλοισι μετηύδα δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

ἀμφίπολοι, στῆθʼ οὕτω ἀπόπροθεν, ὄφρʼ ἐγὼ αὐτὸς

ἅλμην ὤμοιιν ἀπολούσομαι, ἀμφὶ δʼ ἐλαίῳ

χρίσομαι· ἦ γὰρ δηρὸν ἀπὸ χροός ἐστιν ἀλοιφή.

ἄντην δʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ γε λοέσσομαι· αἰδέομαι γὰρ

γυμνοῦσθαι κούρῃσιν ἐυπλοκάμοισι μετελθών.

Then they stood on one side and went to tell the girl, while Odysseus washed himself in the stream and scrubbed the brine from his back and from his broad shoulders. When he had thoroughly washed himself, and had got the brine out of his hair, he anointed himself with oil, and put on the clothes which the girl had given him; Athena then made him look taller and stronger than before, she also made the hair grow thick on the top of his head, and flow down in curls like hyacinth blossoms; she poured down gracefulness [ kharis ] over his head and shoulders as a skillful workman who has studied art of all kinds under Hephaistos and Athena enriches a piece of silver plate by gilding it - and his work is full of beauty. Then he went and sat down a little way off upon the beach, looking quite young and handsome [ kharis ], and the girl gazed on him with admiration; then she said to her maids:

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἱ δʼ ἀπάνευθεν ἴσαν, εἶπον δʼ ἄρα κούρῃ.

αὐτὰρ ὁ ἐκ ποταμοῦ χρόα νίζετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

ἅλμην, ἥ οἱ νῶτα καὶ εὐρέας ἄμπεχεν ὤμους,

ἐκ κεφαλῆς δʼ ἔσμηχεν ἁλὸς χνόον ἀτρυγέτοιο.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ πάντα λοέσσατο καὶ λίπʼ ἄλειψεν,

ἀμφὶ δὲ εἵματα ἕσσαθʼ ἅ οἱ πόρε παρθένος ἀδμής,

τὸν μὲν Ἀθηναίη θῆκεν Διὸς ἐκγεγαυῖα

μείζονά τʼ εἰσιδέειν καὶ πάσσονα, κὰδ δὲ κάρητος

οὔλας ἧκε κόμας, ὑακινθίνῳ ἄνθει ὁμοίας.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε τις χρυσὸν περιχεύεται ἀργύρῳ ἀνὴρ

ἴδρις, ὃν Ἥφαιστος δέδαεν καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη

τέχνην παντοίην, χαρίεντα δὲ ἔργα τελείει,

ὣς ἄρα τῷ κατέχευε χάριν κεφαλῇ τε καὶ ὤμοις.

ἕζετʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀπάνευθε κιὼν ἐπὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης,

κάλλεϊ καὶ χάρισι στίλβων· θηεῖτο δὲ κούρη.

δή ῥα τότʼ ἀμφιπόλοισιν ἐυπλοκάμοισι μετηύδα·

"Hush, my dears, for I want to say something. I believe the gods who live in heaven have sent this man to the Phaeacians. When I first saw him I thought him plain, but now his appearance is like that of the gods who dwell in heaven. I should like my future husband to be just such another as he is, if he would only stay here and not want to go away. However, give him something to eat and drink."

κλῦτέ μευ, ἀμφίπολοι λευκώλενοι, ὄφρα τι εἴπω.

οὐ πάντων ἀέκητι θεῶν, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσιν,

Φαιήκεσσʼ ὅδʼ ἀνὴρ ἐπιμίσγεται ἀντιθέοισι·

πρόσθεν μὲν γὰρ δή μοι ἀεικέλιος δέατʼ εἶναι,

νῦν δὲ θεοῖσιν ἔοικε, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν.

αἲ γὰρ ἐμοὶ τοιόσδε πόσις κεκλημένος εἴη

ἐνθάδε ναιετάων, καί οἱ ἅδοι αὐτόθι μίμνειν.

ἀλλὰ δότʼ, ἀμφίπολοι, ξείνῳ βρῶσίν τε πόσιν τε.

They did as they were told, and set food before Odysseus, who ate and drank ravenously, for it was long since he had had food of any kind. Meanwhile, Nausicaa bethought her of another matter. She got the linen folded and placed in the wagon, she then yoked the mules, and, as she took her seat, she called Odysseus:

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

πὰρ δʼ ἄρʼ Ὀδυσσῆι ἔθεσαν βρῶσίν τε πόσιν τε.

ἦ τοι ὁ πῖνε καὶ ἦσθε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

ἁρπαλέως· δηρὸν γὰρ ἐδητύος ἦεν ἄπαστος.

αὐτὰρ Ναυσικάα λευκώλενος ἄλλʼ ἐνόησεν·

εἵματʼ ἄρα πτύξασα τίθει καλῆς ἐπʼ ἀπήνης,

ζεῦξεν δʼ ἡμιόνους κρατερώνυχας, ἂν δʼ ἔβη αὐτή,

ὤτρυνεν δʼ Ὀδυσῆα, ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

"Stranger," said she, "rise and let us be going back to the town; I will introduce you at the house of my excellent father, where I can tell you that you will meet all the best people among the Phaeacians. But be sure and do as I bid you, for you seem to be a sensible person. As long as we are going past the fields - and farm lands, follow briskly behind the wagon along with the maids and I will lead the way myself. Presently, however, we shall come to the town, where you will find a high wall running all round it, and a good harbor on either side with a narrow entrance into the city, and the ships will be drawn up by the road side, for every one has a place where his own ship can lie. You will see the market place with a temple of Poseidon in the middle of it, and paved with large stones bedded in the earth. Here people deal in ship's gear of all kinds, such as cables and sails, and here, too, are the places where oars are made, for the Phaeacians are not a nation of archers; they know nothing about bows and arrows, but are a sea-faring folk, and pride themselves on their masts, oars, and ships, with which they travel far over the sea.

ὄρσεο δὴ νῦν, ξεῖνε, πόλινδʼ ἴμεν ὄφρα σε πέμψω

πατρὸς ἐμοῦ πρὸς δῶμα δαΐφρονος, ἔνθα σέ φημι

πάντων Φαιήκων εἰδησέμεν ὅσσοι ἄριστοι.

ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ὧδʼ ἔρδειν, δοκέεις δέ μοι οὐκ ἀπινύσσειν·

ὄφρʼ ἂν μέν κʼ ἀγροὺς ἴομεν καὶ ἔργʼ ἀνθρώπων,

τόφρα σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι μεθʼ ἡμιόνους καὶ ἄμαξαν

καρπαλίμως ἔρχεσθαι· ἐγὼ δʼ ὁδὸν ἡγεμονεύσω.

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν πόλιος ἐπιβήομεν, ἣν πέρι πύργος

ὑψηλός, καλὸς δὲ λιμὴν ἑκάτερθε πόληος,

λεπτὴ δʼ εἰσίθμη· νῆες δʼ ὁδὸν ἀμφιέλισσαι

εἰρύαται· πᾶσιν γὰρ ἐπίστιόν ἐστιν ἑκάστῳ.

ἔνθα δέ τέ σφʼ ἀγορὴ καλὸν Ποσιδήιον ἀμφίς,

ῥυτοῖσιν λάεσσι κατωρυχέεσσʼ ἀραρυῖα.

ἔνθα δὲ νηῶν ὅπλα μελαινάων ἀλέγουσι,

πείσματα καὶ σπεῖρα, καὶ ἀποξύνουσιν ἐρετμά.

οὐ γὰρ Φαιήκεσσι μέλει βιὸς οὐδὲ φαρέτρη,

ἀλλʼ ἱστοὶ καὶ ἐρετμὰ νεῶν καὶ νῆες ἐῖσαι,

ᾗσιν ἀγαλλόμενοι πολιὴν περόωσι θάλασσαν.

"I am afraid of the gossip and scandal that may be set on foot against me later on; for the people in the dêmos here are very ill-natured, and some lowly person, if he met us, might say, ‘Who is this fine-looking stranger that is going about with Nausicaa? Where did she find him? I suppose she is going to marry him. Perhaps he is a vagabond sailor whom she has taken from some foreign vessel, for we have no neighbors; or some god has at last come down from heaven in answer to her prayers, and she is going to live with him all the rest of her life. It would be a better thing if she would take herself away and find a husband somewhere else, for she will not look at one of the many excellent young Phaeacians in the dêmos who woo her.’ This is the kind of disparaging remark that would be made about me, and I could not complain, for I should myself be scandalized at seeing any other girl do the like, and go about with men in spite of everybody, while her father and mother were still alive, and without having been married in the face of all the world.

τῶν ἀλεείνω φῆμιν ἀδευκέα, μή τις ὀπίσσω

μωμεύῃ· μάλα δʼ εἰσὶν ὑπερφίαλοι κατὰ δῆμον·

καί νύ τις ὧδʼ εἴπῃσι κακώτερος ἀντιβολήσας·

τίς δʼ ὅδε Ναυσικάᾳ ἕπεται καλός τε μέγας τε

ξεῖνος; ποῦ δέ μιν εὗρε; πόσις νύ οἱ ἔσσεται αὐτῇ.

ἦ τινά που πλαγχθέντα κομίσσατο ἧς ἀπὸ νηὸς

ἀνδρῶν τηλεδαπῶν, ἐπεὶ οὔ τινες ἐγγύθεν εἰσίν·

ἤ τίς οἱ εὐξαμένῃ πολυάρητος θεὸς ἦλθεν

οὐρανόθεν καταβάς, ἕξει δέ μιν ἤματα πάντα.

βέλτερον, εἰ καὐτή περ ἐποιχομένη πόσιν εὗρεν

ἄλλοθεν· ἦ γὰρ τούσδε γʼ ἀτιμάζει κατὰ δῆμον

Φαίηκας, τοί μιν μνῶνται πολέες τε καὶ ἐσθλοί.

ὣς ἐρέουσιν, ἐμοὶ δέ κʼ ὀνείδεα ταῦτα γένοιτο.

καὶ δʼ ἄλλῃ νεμεσῶ, ἥ τις τοιαῦτά γε ῥέζοι,

ἥ τʼ ἀέκητι φίλων πατρὸς καὶ μητρὸς ἐόντων,

ἀνδράσι μίσγηται, πρίν γʼ ἀμφάδιον γάμον ἐλθεῖν.

"If, therefore, you want my father to give you an escort and to help you home [ nostos ], do as I bid you; you will see a beautiful grove of poplars by the road side dedicated to Athena; it has a well in it and a meadow all round it. Here my father has a field of fertile garden ground, about as far from the town as a man's voice will carry. Sit down there and wait for a while till the rest of us can get into the town and reach my father's house. Then, when you think we must have done this, come into the town and ask the way to the house of my father Alkinoos. You will have no difficulty in finding it; any child will point it out to you, for no one else in the whole town has anything like such a fine house as he has. When you have got past the gates and through the outer court, go right across the inner court till you come to my mother. You will find her sitting by the fire and spinning her purple wool by firelight. It is a fine sight to see her as she leans back against one of the bearing-posts with her maids all ranged behind her. Close to her seat stands that of my father, on which he sits and topes like an immortal god. Never mind him, but go up to my mother, and lay your hands upon her knees if you would get home quickly. If you can win her over, you may hope to see your own country again, no matter how distant it may be."

ξεῖνε, σὺ δʼ ὦκʼ ἐμέθεν ξυνίει ἔπος, ὄφρα τάχιστα

πομπῆς καὶ νόστοιο τύχῃς παρὰ πατρὸς ἐμοῖο.

δήεις ἀγλαὸν ἄλσος Ἀθήνης ἄγχι κελεύθου

αἰγείρων· ἐν δὲ κρήνη νάει, ἀμφὶ δὲ λειμών·

ἔνθα δὲ πατρὸς ἐμοῦ τέμενος τεθαλυῖά τʼ ἀλωή,

τόσσον ἀπὸ πτόλιος, ὅσσον τε γέγωνε βοήσας.

ἔνθα καθεζόμενος μεῖναι χρόνον, εἰς ὅ κεν ἡμεῖς

ἄστυδε ἔλθωμεν καὶ ἱκώμεθα δώματα πατρός.

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν ἡμέας ἔλπῃ ποτὶ δώματʼ ἀφῖχθαι,

καὶ τότε Φαιήκων ἴμεν ἐς πόλιν ἠδʼ ἐρέεσθαι

δώματα πατρὸς ἐμοῦ μεγαλήτορος Ἀλκινόοιο.

ῥεῖα δʼ ἀρίγνωτʼ ἐστί, καὶ ἂν πάϊς ἡγήσαιτο

νήπιος· οὐ μὲν γάρ τι ἐοικότα τοῖσι τέτυκται

δώματα Φαιήκων, οἷος δόμος Ἀλκινόοιο

ἥρωος. ἀλλʼ ὁπότʼ ἄν σε δόμοι κεκύθωσι καὶ αὐλή,

ὦκα μάλα μεγάροιο διελθέμεν, ὄφρʼ ἂν ἵκηαι

μητέρʼ ἐμήν· ἡ δʼ ἧσται ἐπʼ ἐσχάρῃ ἐν πυρὸς αὐγῇ,

ἠλάκατα στρωφῶσʼ ἁλιπόρφυρα, θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι,

κίονι κεκλιμένη· δμωαὶ δέ οἱ εἵατʼ ὄπισθεν.

ἔνθα δὲ πατρὸς ἐμοῖο θρόνος ποτικέκλιται αὐτῇ,

τῷ ὅ γε οἰνοποτάζει ἐφήμενος ἀθάνατος ὥς.

τὸν παραμειψάμενος μητρὸς περὶ γούνασι χεῖρας

βάλλειν ἡμετέρης, ἵνα νόστιμον ἦμαρ ἴδηαι

χαίρων καρπαλίμως, εἰ καὶ μάλα τηλόθεν ἐσσί.

εἴ κέν τοι κείνη γε φίλα φρονέῃσʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ,

ἐλπωρή τοι ἔπειτα φίλους τʼ ἰδέειν καὶ ἱκέσθαι

οἶκον ἐυκτίμενον καὶ σὴν ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.

So saying she lashed the mules with her whip and they left the river. The mules drew well and their hoofs went up and down upon the road. She was careful not to go too fast for Odysseus and the maids who were following on foot along with the wagon, so she plied her whip with judgment [ noos ]. As the sun was going down they came to the sacred grove of Athena, and there Odysseus sat down and prayed to the mighty daughter of Zeus.

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασʼ ἵμασεν μάστιγι φαεινῇ

ἡμιόνους· αἱ δʼ ὦκα λίπον ποταμοῖο ῥέεθρα.

αἱ δʼ ἐὺ μὲν τρώχων, ἐὺ δὲ πλίσσοντο πόδεσσιν·

ἡ δὲ μάλʼ ἡνιόχευεν, ὅπως ἅμʼ ἑποίατο πεζοὶ

ἀμφίπολοί τʼ Ὀδυσεύς τε, νόῳ δʼ ἐπέβαλλεν ἱμάσθλην.

δύσετό τʼ ἠέλιος καὶ τοὶ κλυτὸν ἄλσος ἵκοντο

ἱρὸν Ἀθηναίης, ἵνʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.

αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτʼ ἠρᾶτο Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο·

"Hear me," he cried, "daughter of Aegis-bearing Zeus, unweariable, hear me now, for you gave no heed to my prayers when Poseidon was wrecking me. Now, therefore, have pity upon me and grant that I may find friends and be hospitably received by the Phaeacians."

κλῦθί μευ, αἰγιόχοιο Διὸς τέκος, Ἀτρυτώνη·

νῦν δή πέρ μευ ἄκουσον, ἐπεὶ πάρος οὔ ποτʼ ἄκουσας

ῥαιομένου, ὅτε μʼ ἔρραιε κλυτὸς ἐννοσίγαιος.

δός μʼ ἐς Φαίηκας φίλον ἐλθεῖν ἠδʼ ἐλεεινόν.

Thus did he pray, and Athena heard his prayer, but she would not show herself to him openly, for she was afraid of her uncle Poseidon, who was still furious in his endeavors to prevent Odysseus from getting home.

ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δʼ ἔκλυε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.

αὐτῷ δʼ οὔ πω φαίνετʼ ἐναντίη· αἴδετο γάρ ῥα

πατροκασίγνητον· ὁ δʼ ἐπιζαφελῶς μενέαινεν

ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆι πάρος ἣν γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι.