So goodly Odysseus was left behind in the hall, planning with Athena's aid the slaying of the wooers, and he straightway spoke winged words to Telemachus: “Telemachus, the weapons of war thou must needs lay away within one and all, and when the wooers miss them and question thee, thou must beguile them with gentle words, saying: ‘Out of the smoke have I laid them, since they are no longer like those which of old Odysseus left behind him, when he went forth to Troy, but are all befouled, so far as the breath of fire has reached them.
αὐτὰρ ὁ ἐν μεγάρῳ ὑπελείπετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,μνηστήρεσσι φόνον σὺν Ἀθήνῃ μερμηρίζων·αἶψα δὲ Τηλέμαχον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·Τηλέμαχε, χρὴ τεύχεʼ ἀρήϊα κατθέμεν εἴσωπάντα μάλʼ· αὐτὰρ μνηστῆρας μαλακοῖς ἐπέεσσιπαρφάσθαι, ὅτε κέν σε μεταλλῶσιν ποθέοντες·ἐκ καπνοῦ κατέθηκʼ, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι τοῖσιν ἐῴκειοἷά ποτε Τροίηνδε κιὼν κατέλειπεν Ὀδυσσεύς,ἀλλὰ κατῄκισται, ὅσσον πυρὸς ἵκετʼ ἀϋτμή.
And furthermore this greater fear has a god put in my heart, lest haply, when heated with wine, you may set a quarrel afoot among you, and wound one another, and so bring shame on your feast and on your wooing. For of itself does the iron draw a man to it.’” So he spoke, and Telemachus hearkened to his dear father, and calling forth the nurse Eurycleia, said to her: “Nurse, come now, I bid thee, shut up the women in their rooms, while I lay away in the store-room the weapons of my father, the goodly weapons which all uncared-for the smoke bedims in the hall since my father went forth, and I was still a child.
πρὸς δʼ ἔτι καὶ τόδε μεῖζον ἐνὶ φρεσὶν ἔμβαλε δαίμωνμή πως οἰνωθέντες, ἔριν στήσαντες ἐν ὑμῖν,ἀλλήλους τρώσητε καταισχύνητέ τε δαῖτακαὶ μνηστύν· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐφέλκεται ἄνδρα σίδηρος.ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ φίλῳ ἐπεπείθετο πατρί,ἐκ δὲ καλεσσάμενος προσέφη τροφὸν Εὐρύκλειαν·μαῖʼ, ἄγε δή μοι ἔρυξον ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γυναῖκας,ὄφρα κεν ἐς θάλαμον καταθείομαι ἔντεα πατρὸςκαλά, τά μοι κατὰ οἶκον ἀκηδέα καπνὸς ἀμέρδειπατρὸς ἀποιχομένοιο· ἐγὼ δʼ ἔτι νήπιος ἦα.
But now I am minded to lay them away, where the breath of the fire will not come upon them.” Then the dear nurse Eurycleia answered him: “Aye, child, I would thou mightest ever take thought to care for the house and guard all its wealth. But come, who then shall fetch a light and bear it for thee, since thou wouldest not suffer the maids, who might have given light, to go before thee?” Then wise Telemachus answered her; “This stranger here; for I will suffer no man to be idle who touches my portion of meal, even though he has come from afar.” So he spoke, but her word remained unwinged, and she locked the doors of the stately hall.
νῦν δʼ ἐθέλω καταθέσθαι, ἵνʼ οὐ πυρὸς ἵξετʼ ἀϋτμή.τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε φίλη τροφὸς Εὐρύκλεια·αἲ γὰρ δή ποτε, τέκνον, ἐπιφροσύνας ἀνέλοιοοἴκου κήδεσθαι καὶ κτήματα πάντα φυλάσσειν.ἀλλʼ ἄγε, τίς τοι ἔπειτα μετοιχομένη φάος οἴσει;δμῳὰς δʼ οὐκ εἴας προβλωσκέμεν, αἵ κεν ἔφαινον.τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·ξεῖνος ὅδʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἀεργὸν ἀνέξομαι ὅς κεν ἐμῆς γεχοίνικος ἅπτηται, καὶ τηλόθεν εἰληλουθώς.ὣς ἄρʼ ἐφώνησεν, τῇ δʼ ἄπτερος ἔπλετο μῦθος.
Then the two sprang up, Odysseus and his glorious son, and set about bearing within the helmets and the bossy shields and the sharp-pointed spears; and before them Pallas Athena, bearing a golden lamp, made a most beauteous light.
κλήϊσεν δὲ θύρας μεγάρων εὖ ναιεταόντων.τὼ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀναΐξαντʼ Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ φαίδιμος υἱὸςἐσφόρεον κόρυθάς τε καὶ ἀσπίδας ὀμφαλοέσσαςἔγχεά τʼ ὀξυόεντα· πάροιθε δὲ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη,χρύσεον λύχνον ἔχουσα, φάος περικαλλὲς ἐποίει.
Then Telemachus suddenly spoke to his father, and said: “Father, verily this is a great marvel that my eyes behold; certainly the walls of the house and the fair beams and cross-beams of fir and the pillars that reach on high, glow in my eyes as with the light of blazing fire.
δὴ τότε Τηλέμαχος προσεφώνεεν ὃν πατέρʼ αἶψα·ὦ πάτερ, ἦ μέγα θαῦμα τόδʼ ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὁρῶμαι.ἔμπης μοι τοῖχοι μεγάρων καλαί τε μεσόδμαι,εἰλάτιναί τε δοκοί, καὶ κίονες ὑψόσʼ ἔχοντεςφαίνοντʼ ὀφθαλμοῖς ὡς εἰ πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο.
Surely some god is within, one of those who hold broad heaven.” Then Odysseus of many wiles answered him, and said: “Hush, check thy thought, and ask no question; this, I tell thee, is the way of the gods that hold Olympus. But do thou go and take thy rest and I will remain behind here, that I may stir yet more the minds of the maids and of thy mother; and she with weeping shall ask me of each thing separately.” So he spoke, and Telemachus went forth through the hall by the light of blazing torches to go to his chamber to lie down, where he had heretofore been wont to rest, when sweet sleep came upon him.
ἦ μάλα τις θεὸς ἔνδον, οἳ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι.τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·σίγα καὶ κατὰ σὸν νόον ἴσχανε μηδʼ ἐρέεινε·αὕτη τοι δίκη ἐστὶ θεῶν, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσιν.ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν κατάλεξαι, ἐγὼ δʼ ὑπολείψομαι αὐτοῦ,ὄφρα κʼ ἔτι δμῳὰς καὶ μητέρα σὴν ἐρεθίζω·ἡ δέ μʼ ὀδυρομένη εἰρήσεται ἀμφὶς ἕκαστα.ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ διὲκ μεγάροιο βεβήκεικείων ἐς θάλαμον, δαΐδων ὕπο λαμπομενάων,ἔνθα πάρος κοιμᾶθʼ, ὅτε μιν γλυκὺς ὕπνος ἱκάνοι·
There now too he lay down and waited for the bright Dawn. But goodly Odysseus was left behind in the hall, planning with Athena's aid the slaying of the wooers. Then wise Penelope came forth from her chamber like unto Artemis or golden Aphrodite, and for her they set by the fire, where she was wont to sit, a chair inlaid with spirals of ivory and silver, which of old the craftsman Icmalius had made, and had set beneath it a foot-stool for the feet, that was part of the chair, and upon it a great fleece was wont to be laid. On this then wise Penelope sat down, and the white-armed maids came forth from the women's hall. These began to take away the abundant food, the tables, and the cups from which the lordly men had been drinking, and they cast the embers from the braziers on to the floor, and piled upon the braziers fresh logs in abundance, to give light and warmth.
ἔνθʼ ἄρα καὶ τότʼ ἔλεκτο καὶ Ἠῶ δῖαν ἔμιμνεν.αὐτὰρ ὁ ἐν μεγάρῳ ὑπελείπετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,μνηστήρεσσι φόνον σὺν Ἀθήνῃ μερμηρίζων.ἡ δʼ ἴεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο περίφρων Πηνελόπεια,Ἀρτέμιδι ἰκέλη ἠὲ χρυσέῃ Ἀφροδίτῃ.τῇ παρὰ μὲν κλισίην πυρὶ κάτθεσαν, ἔνθʼ ἄρʼ ἐφῖζε,δινωτὴν ἐλέφαντι καὶ ἀργύρῳ· ἥν ποτε τέκτωνποίησʼ Ἰκμάλιος, καὶ ὑπὸ θρῆνυν ποσὶν ἧκεπροσφυέʼ ἐξ αὐτῆς, ὅθʼ ἐπὶ μέγα βάλλετο κῶας.ἔνθα καθέζετʼ ἔπειτα περίφρων Πηνελόπεια.ἦλθον δὲ δμῳαὶ λευκώλενοι ἐκ μεγάροιο.αἱ δʼ ἀπὸ μὲν σῖτον πολὺν ᾕρεον ἠδὲ τραπέζαςκαὶ δέπα, ἔνθεν ἄρʼ ἄνδρες ὑπερμενέοντες ἔπινον·πῦρ δʼ ἀπὸ λαμπτήρων χαμάδις βάλον, ἄλλα δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῶννήησαν ξύλα πολλά, φόως ἔμεν ἠδὲ θέρεσθαι.
But Melantho began again a second time to rate Odysseus, saying: “Stranger, wilt thou even now still be a plague to us through the night, roaming through the house, and wilt thou spy upon the women? Nay, get thee forth, thou wretch, and be content with thy supper, or straightway shalt thou even be smitten with a torch, and so go forth.”
ἡ δʼ Ὀδυσῆʼ ἐνένιπε Μελανθὼ δεύτερον αὖτις·ξεῖνʼ, ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἐνθάδʼ ἀνιήσεις διὰ νύκταδινεύων κατὰ οἶκον, ὀπιπεύσεις δὲ γυναῖκας;ἀλλʼ ἔξελθε θύραζε, τάλαν, καὶ δαιτὸς ὄνησο·ἢ τάχα καὶ δαλῷ βεβλημένος εἶσθα θύραζε.
Then with an angry glance from beneath his brows Odysseus of many wiles answered her: “Good woman, why, pray, dost thou thus assail me with angry heart? Is it because I am foul and wear mean raiment on my body, and beg through the land? Aye, for necessity compels me. Of such sort are beggars and vagabond folk. For I too once dwelt in a house of my own among men, a rich man in a wealthy house, and full often I gave gifts to a wanderer, whosoever he was and with whatsoever need he came. Slaves too I had past counting and all other things in abundance whereby men live well and are reputed wealthy.
τὴν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·δαιμονίη, τί μοι ὧδʼ ἐπέχεις κεκοτηότι θυμῷ;ἦ ὅτι δὴ ῥυπόω, κακὰ δὲ χροῒ εἵματα εἷμαι,πτωχεύω δʼ ἀνὰ δῆμον; ἀναγκαίη γὰρ ἐπείγει.τοιοῦτοι πτωχοὶ καὶ ἀλήμονες ἄνδρες ἔασικαὶ γὰρ ἐγώ ποτε οἶκον ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔναιονὄλβιος ἀφνειὸν καὶ πολλάκι δόσκον ἀλήτῃ,τοίῳ ὁποῖος ἔοι καὶ ὅτευ κεχρημένος ἔλθοι·ἦσαν δὲ δμῶες μάλα μυρίοι, ἄλλα τε πολλὰοἷσίν τʼ εὖ ζώουσι καὶ ἀφνειοὶ καλέονται.
But Zeus, son of Cronos, brought all to naught; so, I ween, was his good pleasure. Wherefore, woman, beware lest thou too some day lose all the glory whereby thou now hast excellence among the handmaids; lest perchance thy mistress wax wroth and be angry with thee, or Odysseus come home; for there is yet room for hope.
ἀλλὰ Ζεὺς ἀλάπαξε Κρονίων· ἤθελε γάρ που·τῷ νῦν μήποτε καὶ σύ, γύναι, ἀπὸ πᾶσαν ὀλέσσῃςἀγλαΐην, τῇ νῦν γε μετὰ δμῳῇσι κέκασσαι·μή πώς τοι δέσποινα κοτεσσαμένη χαλεπήνῃ,ἢ Ὀδυσεὺς ἔλθῃ· ἔτι γὰρ καὶ ἐλπίδος αἶσα.
But if, even as it seems, he is dead, and is no more to return, yet now is his son by the favour of Apollo such as he was—even Telemachus. Him it escapes not if any of the women in the halls work wantonness; for he is no longer the child he was.” So he spoke, and wise Penelope heard him; and she rebuked the handmaid and spoke, and addressed her: “Be sure, thou bold and shameless thing, that thy outrageous deed is in no wise hid from me, and with thine own head shalt thou wipe out its stain. Full well didst thou know, for thou hast heard it from my own lips, that I was minded to question the stranger in my halls concerning my husband; for I am sore distressed.” With this she spoke also to the housewife Eurynome, and said: “Eurynome, bring hither a chair and a fleece upon it, that the stranger may sit down and tell his tale, and listen to me; for I am fain to ask him of all things.”
εἰ δʼ ὁ μὲν ὣς ἀπόλωλε καὶ οὐκέτι νόστιμός ἐστιν,ἀλλʼ ἤδη παῖς τοῖος Ἀπόλλωνός γε ἕκητι,Τηλέμαχος· τὸν δʼ οὔ τις ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γυναικῶνλήθει ἀτασθάλλουσʼ, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι τηλίκος ἐστίν.ὣς φάτο, τοῦ δʼ ἤκουσε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια,ἀμφίπολον δʼ ἐνένιπεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·πάντως, θαρσαλέη, κύον ἀδεές, οὔ τί με λήθειςἔρδουσα μέγα ἔργον, ὃ σῇ κεφαλῇ ἀναμάξεις·πάντα γὰρ εὖ ᾔδησθʼ, ἐπεὶ ἐξ ἐμεῦ ἔκλυες αὐτῆςὡς τὸν ξεῖνον ἔμελλον ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἐμοῖσινἀμφὶ πόσει εἴρεσθαι, ἐπεὶ πυκινῶς ἀκάχημαι.ἦ ῥα καὶ Εὐρυνόμην ταμίην πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·Εὐρυνόμη, φέρε δὴ δίφρον καὶ κῶας ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ,ὄφρα καθεζόμενος εἴπῃ ἔπος ἠδʼ ἐπακούσῃὁ ξεῖνος ἐμέθεν· ἐθέλω δέ μιν ἐξερέεσθαι.
So she spoke, and Eurynome speedily brought a polished chair and set it in place, and on it cast a fleece. Then the much-enduring, goodly Odysseus sat down upon it, and the wise Penelope spoke first, and said: “Stranger, this question will I myself ask thee first.
ὣς ἔφαθʼ, ἡ δὲ μάλʼ ὀτραλέως κατέθηκε φέρουσαδίφρον ἐΰξεστον καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ κῶας ἔβαλλεν·ἔνθα καθέζετʼ ἔπειτα πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·ξεῖνε, τὸ μέν σε πρῶτον ἐγὼν εἰρήσομαι αὐτή·
Who art thou among men, and from whence? Where is thy city, and where thy parents?” Then Odysseus of many wiles answered her, and said: “Lady, no one of mortals upon the boundless earth could find fault with thee, for thy fame goes up to the broad heaven, as does the fame of some blameless king, who with the fear of the gods in his heart, is lord over many mighty men, upholding justice; and the black earth bears wheat and barley, and the trees are laden with fruit, the flocks bring forth young unceasingly, and the sea yields fish, all from his good leading; and the people prosper under him.
τίς πόθεν εἶς ἀνδρῶν; πόθι τοι πόλις ἠδὲ τοκῆες;τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·ὦ γύναι, οὐκ ἄν τίς σε βροτῶν ἐπʼ ἀπείρονα γαῖαννεικέοι· ἦ γάρ σευ κλέος οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἱκάνει,ὥς τέ τευ ἢ βασιλῆος ἀμύμονος, ὅς τε θεουδὴςἀνδράσιν ἐν πολλοῖσι καὶ ἰφθίμοισιν ἀνάσσωνεὐδικίας ἀνέχῃσι, φέρῃσι δὲ γαῖα μέλαιναπυροὺς καὶ κριθάς, βρίθῃσι δὲ δένδρεα καρπῷ,τίκτῃ δʼ ἔμπεδα μῆλα, θάλασσα δὲ παρέχῃ ἰχθῦςἐξ εὐηγεσίης, ἀρετῶσι δὲ λαοὶ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ.
Wherefore question me now in thy house of all things else, but ask not concerning my race and my native land, lest thou fill my heart the more with pains, as I think thereon; for I am a man of many sorrows. Moreover it is not fitting that I should sit weeping and wailing in another's house, for it is ill to grieve ever without ceasing. I would not that one of thy maidens or thine own self be vexed with me, and say that I swim in tears because my mind is heavy with wine.” Then wise Penelope answered him: “Stranger, all excellence of mine, both of beauty and of form, the immortals destroyed on the day when the Argives embarked for Ilios, and with them went my husband, Odysseus. If he might but come, and watch over this life of mine, greater would be my fame and fairer. But now I am in sorrow, so many woes has some god brought upon me.
τῷ ἐμὲ νῦν τὰ μὲν ἄλλα μετάλλα σῷ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,μηδʼ ἐμὸν ἐξερέεινε γένος καὶ πατρίδα γαῖαν,μή μοι μᾶλλον θυμὸν ἐνιπλήσῃς ὀδυνάωνμνησαμένῳ μάλα δʼ εἰμὶ πολύστονος· οὐδέ τί με χρὴοἴκῳ ἐν ἀλλοτρίῳ γοόωντά τε μυρόμενόν τεἧσθαι, ἐπεὶ κάκιον πενθήμεναι ἄκριτον αἰεί·μή τίς μοι δμῳῶν νεμεσήσεται, ἠὲ σύ γʼ αὐτή,φῇ δὲ δακρυπλώειν βεβαρηότα με φρένας οἴνῳ.τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·ξεῖνʼ, ἦ τοι μὲν ἐμὴν ἀρετὴν εἶδός τε δέμας τεὤλεσαν ἀθάνατοι, ὅτε Ἴλιον εἰσανέβαινονἈργεῖοι, μετὰ τοῖσι δʼ ἐμὸς πόσις ᾖεν Ὀδυσσεύςεἰ κεῖνός γʼ ἐλθὼν τὸν ἐμὸν βίον ἀμφιπολεύοι,μεῖζον κε κλέος εἴη ἐμὸν καὶ κάλλιον οὕτως.νῦν δʼ ἄχομαι· τόσα γάρ μοι ἐπέσσευεν κακὰ δαίμων.
For all the princes who hold sway over the islands—Dulichium and Same and wooded Zacynthus—and those who dwell around in clear-seen Ithaca itself, all these woo me against my will, and lay waste my house. Wherefore I pay no heed to strangers or to suppliants or in any wise to heralds, whose trade is a public one; but in longing for Odysseus I waste my heart away. So these men urge on my marriage, and I wind a skein of wiles. First some god breathed the thought in my heart to set up a great web in my halls and fall to weaving a robe— fine of thread was the web and very wide; and I straightway spoke among them: “‘Young men, my wooers, since goodly Odysseus is dead, be patient, though eager for my marriage, until I finish this robe—I would not that my spinning should come to naught—a shroud for the lord Laertes against the time when the fell fate of grievous death shall strike him down; lest any one of the Achaean women in the land should be wroth with me, if he were to lie without a shroud, who had won great possessions.’ “So I spoke, and their proud hearts consented. Then day by day I would weave at the great web, but by night would unravel it, when I had let place torches by me. Thus for three years I kept the Achaeans from knowing, and beguiled them; but when the fourth year came, as the seasons rolled on, as the months waned, and the many days were brought in their course, then verily by the help of my maidens, shameless creatures and reckless, they came upon me and caught me, and upbraided me loudly. So I finished the web against my will perforce. And now I can neither escape the marriage nor devise any counsel more, and my parents are pressing me to marry, and my son frets, while these men devour his livelihood, as he takes note of it all; for by now he is a man, and fully able to care for a household to which Zeus grants honor. Yet even so tell me of thy stock from whence thou art; for thou art not sprung from an oak of ancient story, or from a stone.” Then Odysseus of many wiles answered her, and said:
ὅσσοι γὰρ νήσοισιν ἐπικρατέουσιν ἄριστοι,Δουλιχίῳ τε Σάμῃ τε καὶ ὑλήεντι Ζακύνθῳ,οἵ τʼ αὐτὴν Ἰθάκην εὐδείελον ἀμφινέμονται,οἵ μʼ ἀεκαζομένην μνῶνται, τρύχουσι δὲ οἶκον.τῷ οὔτε ξείνων ἐμπάζομαι οὔθʼ ἱκετάωνοὔτε τι κηρύκων, οἳ δημιοεργοὶ ἔασιν·ἀλλʼ Ὀδυσῆ ποθέουσα φίλον κατατήκομαι ἦτορ.οἱ δὲ γάμον σπεύδουσιν· ἐγὼ δὲ δόλους τολυπεύω.φᾶρος μέν μοι πρῶτον ἐνέπνευσε φρεσὶ δαίμων,στησαμένῃ μέγαν ἱστόν, ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ὑφαίνειν,λεπτὸν καὶ περίμετρον· ἄφαρ δʼ αὐτοῖς μετέειπον·κοῦροι, ἐμοὶ μνηστῆρες, ἐπεὶ θάνε δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,μίμνετʼ ἐπειγόμενοι τὸν ἐμὸν γάμον, εἰς ὅ κε φᾶροςἐκτελέσω—μή μοι μεταμώνια νήματʼ ὄληται—Λαέρτῃ ἥρωϊ ταφήϊον, εἰς ὅτε κέν μινμοῖρʼ ὀλοὴ καθέλῃσι τανηλεγέος θανάτοιο·μή τίς μοι κατὰ δῆμον Ἀχαιϊάδων νεμεσήσῃ,αἴ κεν ἄτερ σπείρου κεῖται πολλὰ κτεατίσσας.ὣς ἐφάμην, τοῖσιν δʼ ἐπεπείθετο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ.ἔνθα καὶ ἠματίη μὲν ὑφαίνεσκον μέγαν ἱστόν,νύκτας δʼ ἀλλύεσκον, ἐπεὶ δαΐδας παραθείμην.ὣς τρίετες μὲν ἔληθον ἐγὼ καὶ ἔπειθον Ἀχαιούς·ἀλλʼ ὅτε τέτρατον ἦλθεν ἔτος καὶ ἐπήλυθον ὧραι,μηνῶν φθινόντων, περὶ δʼ ἤματα πόλλʼ ἐτελέσθη,καὶ τότε δή με διὰ δμῳάς, κύνας οὐκ ἀλεγούσας,εἷλον ἐπελθόντες καὶ ὁμόκλησαν ἐπέεσσιν.ὣς τὸ μὲν ἐξετέλεσσα, καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλουσʼ, ὑπʼ ἀνάγκης·νῦν δʼ οὔτʼ ἐκφυγέειν δύναμαι γάμον οὔτε τινʼ ἄλληνμῆτιν ἔθʼ εὑρίσκω· μάλα δʼ ὀτρύνουσι τοκῆεςγήμασθʼ, ἀσχαλάᾳ δὲ πάϊς βίοτον κατεδόντων,γιγνώσκων· ἤδη γὰρ ἀνὴρ οἷός τε μάλισταοἴκου κήδεσθαι, τῷ τε Ζεὺς κῦδος ὀπάζει.ἀλλὰ καὶ ὥς μοι εἰπὲ τεὸν γένος, ὁππόθεν ἐσσί.οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ δρυός ἐσσι παλαιφάτου οὐδʼ ἀπὸ πέτρης.τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·
“Honored wife of Odysseus, son of Laertes, wilt thou never cease to ask me of my lineage? Well, I will tell thee; though verily thou wilt give me over to pains yet more than those by which I am now held in thrall; for so it ever is, when a man has been far from his country as long as I have now, wandering through the many cities of men in sore distress. Yet even so will I tell thee what thou dost ask and enquire. There is a land called Crete, in the midst of the wine-dark sea, a fair, rich land, begirt with water, and therein are many men, past counting, and ninety cities.
ὦ γύναι αἰδοίη Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος,οὐκέτʼ ἀπολλήξεις τὸν ἐμὸν γόνον ἐξερέουσα;ἀλλʼ ἔκ τοι ἐρέω· ἦ μέν μʼ ἀχέεσσί γε δώσειςπλείοσιν ἢ ἔχομαι· ἡ γὰρ δίκη, ὁππότε πάτρηςἧς ἀπέῃσιν ἀνὴρ τόσσον χρόνον ὅσσον ἐγὼ νῦν,πολλὰ βροτῶν ἐπὶ ἄστεʼ ἀλώμενος, ἄλγεα πάσχων·ἀλλὰ καὶ ὣς ἐρέω ὅ μʼ ἀνείρεαι ἠδὲ μεταλλᾷς.Κρήτη τις γαῖʼ ἔστι, μέσῳ ἐνὶ οἴνοπι πόντῳ,καλὴ καὶ πίειρα, περίρρυτος· ἐν δʼ ἄνθρωποιπολλοί, ἀπειρέσιοι, καὶ ἐννήκοντα πόληες.
They have not all the same speech, but their tongues are mixed. There dwell Achaeans, there great-hearted native Cretans, there Cydonians, and Dorians of waving plumes, and goodly Pelasgians. Among their cities is the great city Cnosus, where Minos reigned when nine years old, he that held converse with great Zeus, and was father of my father, great-hearted Deucalion. Now Deucalion begat me and prince Idomeneus. Idomeneus had gone forth in his beaked ships to Ilios with the sons of Atreus; but my famous name is Aethon; I was the younger by birth, while he was the elder and the better man.
ἄλλη δʼ ἄλλων γλῶσσα μεμιγμένη· ἐν μὲν Ἀχαιοί,ἐν δʼ Ἐτεόκρητες μεγαλήτορες, ἐν δὲ Κύδωνες,Δωριέες τε τριχάϊκες δῖοί τε Πελασγοί.τῇσι δʼ ἐνὶ Κνωσός, μεγάλη πόλις, ἔνθα τε Μίνωςἐννέωρος βασίλευε Διὸς μεγάλου ὀαριστής,πατρὸς ἐμοῖο πατήρ, μεγαθύμου ΔευκαλίωνοςΔευκαλίων δʼ ἐμὲ τίκτε καὶ Ἰδομενῆα ἄνακτα·ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἐν νήεσσι κορωνίσιν Ἴλιον εἴσωᾤχεθʼ ἅμʼ Ἀτρείδῃσιν, ἐμοὶ δʼ ὄνομα κλυτὸν Αἴθων,ὁπλότερος γενεῇ· ὁ δʼ ἄρα πρότερος καὶ ἀρείων.
There it was that I saw Odysseus and gave him gifts of entertainment; for the force of the wind had brought him too to Crete, as he was making for the land of Troy, and drove him out of his course past Malea. So he anchored his ships at Amnisus, where is the cave of Eilithyia, in a difficult harbor, and hardly did he escape the storm.
ἔνθʼ Ὀδυσῆα ἐγὼν ἰδόμην καὶ ξείνια δῶκα.καὶ γὰρ τὸν Κρήτηνδε κατήγαγεν ἲς ἀνέμοιο,ἱέμενον Τροίηνδε παραπλάγξασα Μαλειῶν·στῆσε δʼ ἐν Ἀμνισῷ, ὅθι τε σπέος Εἰλειθυίης,ἐν λιμέσιν χαλεποῖσι, μόγις δʼ ὑπάλυξεν ἀέλλας.
Then straightway he went up to the city and asked for Idomeneus; for he declared that he was his friend, beloved and honored. But it was now the tenth or the eleventh dawn since Idomeneus had gone in his beaked ships to Ilios. So I took him to the house, and gave him entertainment with kindly welcome of the rich store that was in the house, and to the rest of his comrades who followed with him I gathered and gave out of the public store barley meal and flaming wine and bulls for sacrifice, that their hearts might be satisfied. There for twelve days the goodly Achaeans tarried, for the strong North Wind penned them there, and would not suffer them to stand upon their feet on the land, for some angry god had roused it. But on the thirteenth day the wind fell and they put to sea.” He spoke, and made the many falsehoods of his tale seem like the truth, and as she listened her tears flowed and her face melted as the snow melts on the lofty mountains, the snow which the East Wind thaws when the West Wind has strewn it, and as it melts the streams of the rivers flow full: so her fair cheeks melted as she wept and mourned for her husband, who even then was sitting by her side. And Odysseus in his heart had pity for his weeping wife, but his eyes stood fixed between his lids as though they were horn or iron, and with guile he hid his tears. But she, when she had had her fill of tearful wailing, again answered him and spoke, saying:
αὐτίκα δʼ Ἰδομενῆα μετάλλα ἄστυδʼ ἀνελθών·ξεῖνον γάρ οἱ ἔφασκε φίλον τʼ ἔμεν αἰδοῖόν τε.τῷ δʼ ἤδη δεκάτη ἢ ἑνδεκάτη πέλεν ἠὼςοἰχομένῳ σὺν νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν Ἴλιον εἴσω.τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ πρὸς δώματʼ ἄγων ἐῢ ἐξείνισσα,ἐνδυκέως φιλέων, πολλῶν κατὰ οἶκον ἐόντων·καί οἱ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἑτάροις, οἳ ἅμʼ αὐτῷ ἕποντο,δημόθεν ἄλφιτα δῶκα καὶ αἴθοπα οἶνον ἀγείραςκαὶ βοῦς ἱρεύσασθαι, ἵνα πλησαίατο θυμόν.ἔνθα δυώδεκα μὲν μένον ἤματα δῖοι Ἀχαιοί·εἴλει γὰρ Βορέης ἄνεμος μέγας οὐδʼ ἐπὶ γαίῃεἴα ἵστασθαι, χαλεπὸς δέ τις ὤρορε δαίμων.τῇ τρισκαιδεκάτῃ δʼ ἄνεμος πέσε, τοὶ δʼ ἀνάγοντο.ἴσκε ψεύδεα πολλὰ λέγων ἐτύμοισιν ὁμοῖα·τῆς δʼ ἄρʼ ἀκουούσης ῥέε δάκρυα, τήκετο δὲ χρώς·ὡς δὲ χιὼν κατατήκετʼ ἐν ἀκροπόλοισιν ὄρεσσιν,ἥν τʼ Εὖρος κατέτηξεν, ἐπὴν Ζέφυρος καταχεύῃ·τηκομένης δʼ ἄρα τῆς ποταμοὶ πλήθουσι ῥέοντες·ὣς τῆς τήκετο καλὰ παρήϊα δάκρυ χεούσης,κλαιούσης ἑὸν ἄνδρα παρήμενον. αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺςθυμῷ μὲν γοόωσαν ἑὴν ἐλέαιρε γυναῖκα,ὀφθαλμοὶ δʼ ὡς εἰ κέρα ἕστασαν ἠὲ σίδηροςἀτρέμας ἐν βλεφάροισι· δόλῳ δʼ ὅ γε δάκρυα κεῦθεν.ἡ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν τάρφθη πολυδακρύτοιο γόοιο,ἐξαῦτίς μιν ἔπεσσιν ἀμειβομένη προσέειπε·
“Now verily, stranger, am I minded to put thee to the test, whether or no thou didst in very truth entertain there in thy halls my husband with his godlike comrades, even as thou sayest. Tell me what manner of raiment he wore about his body, and what manner of man he was himself; and tell me of the comrades who followed him.”
νῦν μὲν δή σευ, ξεῖνέ γʼ, ὀΐω πειρήσεσθαι,εἰ ἐτεὸν δὴ κεῖθι σὺν ἀντιθέοις ἑτάροισιξείνισας ἐν μεγάροισιν ἐμὸν πόσιν, ὡς ἀγορεύεις.εἰπέ μοι ὁπποῖʼ ἄσσα περὶ χροῒ εἵματα ἕστο,αὐτός θʼ οἷος ἔην, καὶ ἑταίρους, οἵ οἱ ἕποντο.
Then Odysseus of many wiles answered her, and said: “Lady, hard is it for one that has been so long afar to tell thee this, for it is now the twentieth year since he went thence and departed from my country. But I will tell thee as my mind pictures him.
τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·ὦ γύναι, ἀργαλέον τόσσον χρόνον ἀμφὶς ἐόνταεἰπέμεν· ἤδη γάρ οἱ ἐεικοστὸν ἔτος ἐστὶνἐξ οὗ κεῖθεν ἔβη καὶ ἐμῆς ἀπελήλυθε πάτρης·αὐτάρ τοι ἐρέω ὥς μοι ἰνδάλλεται ἦτορ.
A fleecy cloak of purple did goodly Odysseus wear, a cloak of double fold, but the brooch upon it was fashioned of gold with double clasps, and on the front it was curiously wrought: a hound held in his fore paws a dappled fawn, and pinned it in his jaws as it writhed. And at this all men marvelled, how, though they were of gold, the hound was pinning the fawn and strangling it, and the fawn was writhing with its feet and striving to flee. And I noted the tunic about his body, all shining as is the sheen upon the skin of a dried onion, so soft it was; and it glistened like the sun.
χλαῖναν πορφυρέην οὔλην ἔχε δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,διπλῆν· αὐτάρ οἱ περόνη χρυσοῖο τέτυκτοαὐλοῖσιν διδύμοισι· πάροιθε δὲ δαίδαλον ἦεν·ἐν προτέροισι πόδεσσι κύων ἔχε ποικίλον ἐλλόν,ἀσπαίροντα λάων· τὸ δὲ θαυμάζεσκον ἅπαντες,ὡς οἱ χρύσεοι ἐόντες ὁ μὲν λάε νεβρὸν ἀπάγχων,αὐτὰρ ὁ ἐκφυγέειν μεμαὼς ἤσπαιρε πόδεσσι.τὸν δὲ χιτῶνʼ ἐνόησα περὶ χροῒ σιγαλόεντα,οἷόν τε κρομύοιο λοπὸν κάτα ἰσχαλέοιο·τὼς μὲν ἔην μαλακός, λαμπρὸς δʼ ἦν ἠέλιος ὥς·
Verily many women gazed at him in wonder. And another thing will I tell thee, and do thou lay it to heart. I know not whether Odysseus was thus clothed at home, or whether one of his comrades gave him the raiment when he went on board the swift ship, or haply even some stranger, since to many men was Odysseus dear, for few of the Achaeans were his peers. I, too, gave him a sword of bronze, and a fair purple cloak of double fold, and a fringed tunic, and with all honor sent him forth on his benched ship. Furthermore, a herald attended him, a little older than he, and I will tell thee of him too, what manner of man he was. He was round-shouldered, dark of skin, and curly-haired, and his name was Eurybates; and Odysseus honored him above his other comrades, because he was like-minded with himself.” So he spoke, and in her heart aroused yet more the desire of weeping, as she recognized the sure tokens that Odysseus told her. But she, when she had had her fill of tearful wailing, made answer and said to him: “Now verily, stranger, though before thou wast pitied, shalt thou be dear and honored in my halls, for it was I that gave him this raiment, since thou describest it thus, and folded it, and brought it forth from the store-room, and added thereto the shining brooch to be a thing of joy to him. But my husband I shall never welcome back, returning home to his dear native land. Wherefore it was with an evil fate that Odysseus went forth in the hollow ship to see evil Ilios, that should never be named.” Then Odysseus of many wiles answered her, and said: “Honored wife of Odysseus, son of Laertes, mar not now thy fair face any more, nor waste thy heart at all in weeping for thy husband. I count it indeed no blame in thee;
ἦ μὲν πολλαί γʼ αὐτὸν ἐθηήσαντο γυναῖκες.ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·οὐκ οἶδʼ ἢ τάδε ἕστο περὶ χροῒ οἴκοθʼ Ὀδυσσεύς,ἦ τις ἑταίρων δῶκε θοῆς ἐπὶ νηὸς ἰόντι,ἤ τίς που καὶ ξεῖνος, ἐπεὶ πολλοῖσιν Ὀδυσσεὺςἔσκε φίλος· παῦροι γὰρ Ἀχαιῶν ἦσαν ὁμοῖοι.καί οἱ ἐγὼ χάλκειον ἄορ καὶ δίπλακα δῶκακαλὴν πορφυρέην καὶ τερμιόεντα χιτῶνα,αἰδοίως δʼ ἀπέπεμπον ἐϋσσέλμου ἐπὶ νηός.καὶ μέν οἱ κῆρυξ ὀλίγον προγενέστερος αὐτοῦεἵπετο· καὶ τόν τοι μυθήσομαι, οἷος ἔην περ.γυρὸς ἐν ὤμοισιν, μελανόχροος, οὐλοκάρηνος,Εὐρυβάτης δʼ ὄνομʼ ἔσκε· τίεν δέ μιν ἔξοχον ἄλλωνὧν ἑτάρων Ὀδυσεύς, ὅτι οἱ φρεσὶν ἄρτια ᾔδη.ὣς φάτο, τῇ δʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὑφʼ ἵμερον ὦρσε γόοιο,σήματʼ ἀναγνούσῃ τά οἱ ἔμπεδα πέφραδʼ Ὀδυσσεύς.ἡ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν τάρφθη πολυδακρύτοιο γόοιο.καὶ τότε μιν μύθοισιν ἀμειβομένη προσέειπε·νῦν μὲν δή μοι, ξεῖνε, πάρος περ ἐὼν ἐλεεινός,ἐν μεγάροισιν ἐμοῖσι φίλος τʼ ἔσῃ αἰδοῖός τε·αὐτὴ γὰρ τάδε εἵματʼ ἐγὼ πόρον, οἷʼ ἀγορεύεις,πτύξασʼ ἐκ θαλάμου, περόνην τʼ ἐπέθηκα φαεινὴνκείνῳ ἄγαλμʼ ἔμεναι· τὸν δʼ οὐχ ὑποδέξομαι αὖτιςοἴκαδε νοστήσαντα φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.τῷ ῥα κακῇ αἴσῃ κοίλης ἐπὶ νηὸς Ὀδυσσεὺςᾤχετʼ ἐποψόμενος Κακοΐλιον οὐκ ὀνομαστήν.τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·ὦ γύναι αἰδοίη Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος,μηκέτι νῦν χρόα καλὸν ἐναίρεο, μηδέ τι θυμὸντῆκε, πόσιν γοόωσα. νεμεσσῶμαί γε μὲν οὐδέν·
for any woman weeps when she has lost her wedded husband, to whom she has borne children in her love, though he were far other than Odysseus, who, they say, is like unto the gods. Yet do thou cease from weeping, and hearken to my words; for I will tell thee with sure truth, and will hide nothing, how but lately I heard of the return of Odysseus, that he is near at hand in the rich land of the Thesprotians, and yet alive, and he is bringing with him many rich treasures, as he begs through the land. But he lost his trusty comrades and his hollow ship on the wine-dark sea, as he journeyed from the isle Thrinacia; for Zeus and Helios waxed wroth against him because his comrades had slain the kine of Helios. So they all perished in the surging sea, but he on the keel of his ship was cast forth by the wave on the shore, on the land of the Phaeacians, who are near of kin to the gods. These heartily showed him all honor, as if he were a god, and gave him many gifts, and were fain themselves to send him home unscathed. Yea, and Odysseus would long since have been here, only it seemed to his mind more profitable to gather wealth by roaming over the wide earth;
καὶ γάρ τίς τʼ ἀλλοῖον ὀδύρεται ἄνδρʼ ὀλέσασακουρίδιον, τῷ τέκνα τέκῃ φιλότητι μιγεῖσα,ἢ Ὀδυσῆʼ, ὅν φασι θεοῖς ἐναλίγκιον εἶναι.ἀλλὰ γόου μὲν παῦσαι, ἐμεῖο δὲ σύνθεο μῦθον·νημερτέως γάρ τοι μυθήσομαι οὐδʼ ἐπικεύσωὡς ἤδη Ὀδυσῆος ἐγὼ περὶ νόστου ἄκουσαἀγχοῦ, Θεσπρωτῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐν πίονι δήμῳ,ζωοῦ· αὐτὰρ ἄγει κειμήλια πολλὰ καὶ ἐσθλὰαἰτίζων ἀνὰ δῆμον. ἀτὰρ ἐρίηρας ἑταίρουςὤλεσε καὶ νῆα γλαφυρὴν ἐνὶ οἴνοπι πόντῳ,Θρινακίης ἄπο νήσου ἰών· ὀδύσαντο γὰρ αὐτῷΖεύς τε καὶ Ἠέλιος· τοῦ γὰρ βόας ἔκταν ἑταῖροι.οἱ μὲν πάντες ὄλοντο πολυκλύστῳ ἐνὶ πόντῳ·τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπὶ τρόπιος νεὸς ἔκβαλε κῦμʼ ἐπὶ χέρσου,Φαιήκων ἐς γαῖαν, οἳ ἀγχίθεοι γεγάασιν,οἳ δή μιν περὶ κῆρι θεὸν ὣς τιμήσαντοκαί οἱ πολλὰ δόσαν πέμπειν τέ μιν ἤθελον αὐτοὶοἴκαδʼ ἀπήμαντον. καί κεν πάλαι ἐνθάδʼ Ὀδυσσεὺςἤην· ἀλλʼ ἄρα οἱ τό γε κέρδιον εἴσατο θυμῷ,χρήματʼ ἀγυρτάζειν πολλὴν ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἰόντι·
so truly does Odysseus beyond all mortal men know many gainful ways, nor could any mortal beside vie with him. Thus Pheidon, king of the Thesprotians, told me the tale. Moreover he swore in my own presence, as he poured libations in his halls, that the ship was launched and the men ready who were to convey him to his dear native land. But me he sent forth first, for a ship of the Thesprotians chanced to be setting out for Dulichium, rich in wheat. And he showed me all the treasure that Odysseus had gathered; verily unto the tenth generation would it feed his children after him, so great was the wealth that lay stored for him in the halls of the king. But Odysseus, he said, had gone to Dodona to hear the will of Zeus from the high-crested oak of the god, even how he might return to his dear native land after so long an absence, whether openly or in secret.
ὣς περὶ κέρδεα πολλὰ καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπωνοἶδʼ Ὀδυσεύς, οὐδʼ ἄν τις ἐρίσσειε βροτὸς ἄλλος.ὥς μοι Θεσπρωτῶν βασιλεὺς μυθήσατο Φείδων·ὤμνυε δὲ πρὸς ἔμʼ αὐτόν, ἀποσπένδων ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,νῆα κατειρύσθαι καὶ ἐπαρτέας ἔμμεν ἑταίρους,οἳ δή μιν πέμψουσι φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ πρὶν ἀπέπεμψε· τύχησε γὰρ ἐρχομένη νηῦςἀνδρῶν Θεσπρωτῶν ἐς Δουλίχιον πολύπυρον.καί μοι κτήματʼ ἔδειξεν, ὅσα ξυναγείρατʼ Ὀδυσσεύς·καί νύ κεν ἐς δεκάτην γενεὴν ἕτερόν γʼ ἔτι βόσκοι,ὅσσα οἱ ἐν μεγάροις κειμήλια κεῖτο ἄνακτος.τὸν δʼ ἐς Δωδώνην φάτο βήμεναι, ὄφρα θεοῖοἐκ δρυὸς ὑψικόμοιο Διὸς βουλὴν ἐπακούσαι,ὅππως νοστήσειε φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖανἤδη δὴν ἀπεών, ἢ ἀμφαδὸν ἦε κρυφηδόν.
“Thus, as I tell thee, he is safe, and will presently come; he is very near, and not long will he now be far from his friends and his native land. Yet will I give thee an oath. Be Zeus my witness first, highest and best of gods, and the hearth of noble Odysseus to which I am come, that verily all these things shall be brought to pass even as I tell thee. In the course of this very month shall Odysseus come hither, as the old moon wanes and the new appears.” Then wise Penelope answered him: “Ah, stranger, I would that this word of thine might be fulfilled.
ὣς ὁ μὲν οὕτως ἐστὶ σόος καὶ ἐλεύσεται ἤδηἄγχι μάλʼ, οὐδʼ ἔτι τῆλε φίλων καὶ πατρίδος αἴηςδηρὸν ἀπεσσεῖται· ἔμπης δέ τοι ὅρκια δώσω.ἴστω νῦν Ζεὺς πρῶτα, θεῶν ὕπατος καὶ ἄριστος,ἱστίη τʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἀμύμονος, ἣν ἀφικάνω·ἦ μέν τοι τάδε πάντα τελείεται ὡς ἀγορεύω.τοῦδʼ αὐτοῦ λυκάβαντος ἐλεύσεται ἐνθάδʼ Ὀδυσσεύς,τοῦ μὲν φθίνοντος μηνός, τοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένοιο.τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·αἲ γὰρ τοῦτο, ξεῖνε, ἔπος τετελεσμένον εἴη·